Manila Standard - 2021 December 13 - Monday

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(Story on A4)

EDITORIAL: AN INSULT TO JOURNALISTS

OPINION / A4

‘ODETTE’ NOW A STORM, SEEN CROSSING PH WEDNESDAY NEWS / A2

VOL. XXXV • NO. 301 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DONAIRE BODY SHOT CRUMPLES PINOY FOE

SPORTS / B1

Gov’t limits caravans, rallies DILG, LGUs, MMDA set guidelines, sanctions for political activities

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NTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año said Sunday local government units will face sanctions if they do not enforce the guidelines he will issue soon regarding activities of electoral candidates—particularly caravans and other mass gatherings—ahead of the start of the official campaign period in February next year.

"I myself will issue guidelines to LGUs, what are the rules when there is a caravan and motorcade in your area and what we should watch out for and not allow,” Año said in a radio interview, when sought for his comment on various campaign activities being conducted by candidates, particularly those running for national Next page positions in Metro Manila.

NO DISTANCING. Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano says Sunday the government will issue guidelines to ensure political caravans and rallies will observe physical distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. But while the orders aren’t enforced yet, it’s a free-for-all as in these pictures of the supporters of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during their mega-caravan in Manila on Sunday, and of the gatherings led by Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Manny Pacquiao (inset photos) earlier in the week. Norman Cruz, Manny Palmero and OVP Photo

SolGen OK with SC voiding 2 provisions of terror law

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By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

will not appeal the two provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) discarded by the Supreme Court THE Office of the Solicitor General as it is satisfied with the tribunal’s

Pfizer seeks vax use for kids; 2 brands set for early booster

By Willie Casas

509

(As of 4 PM, DECEMBER 12)

Calls mount for extended Alert Level 2 AN INFECTIOUS disease expert said on Sunday that he favors delaying the further easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the country, joining the chorus of calls from the Department of Health and other doctors amid the looming threat of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of San Lazaro Hospital's Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Department, said he prefers an extension of the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 imposition -- scheduled to end on Wednesday, Dec. 15, in most parts of the country—until the end of the month.

"Personally, I really would agree if the government will still extend the Alert Level 2 until the end of December Next page

MARIAN EXHIBIT. Visitors take pictures of various titular images of the Blessed Virgin Mary exhibited at the Ali Mall Activity Area in Quezon City on Sunday. The display of more than 40 breathtaking images of the Immaculate Mother aims to strengthen and deepen the faith of the devotees and will last until December 15. Danny Pata

PFIZER has applied for the emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Sunday.

“This is now being evaluated by our vaccine experts,” said FDA Director General Eric Domingo, speaking in Filipino to radio dzBB. Domingo said it was possible that an EUA would be issued to the company before the end of the year.

At the same time, Domingo said only those given two specific brands of COVID-19 vaccines—Janssen and Sputnik Light--will be allowed to get booster shots three months after their primary vaccination. Those vaccinated

with other brands must wait six months before getting their booster shots.

Domingo said this is because studies have shown so far that it is only after six months that the efficacy of these vaccines starts to wane.

He was reacting to a statement by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III that the country is considering lowering the interval between the last vaccination shot and a booster shot to three months.

Duque said they will submit such a proposal to the vaccine expert panel.

The government is aiming to expand the pediatric vaccination against COVID-19 to this younger group by January 2022.

The other US pharmaceutical company, Moderna, has not yet applied for an EUA for its vaccine for use on children aged 5 to 11.

Next page

2 banks note online account hacking

By Julito G. Rada THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is currently in close coordination with BDO Unibank Inc. and Union Bank of the Philippines regarding the reported hacking incidents of several BDO online banking accounts over the weekend, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said.

Diokno issued the statement after

several BDO account holders reported unauthorized transactions on social media. They said they noted unauthorized transactions to a certain “Mark Nagoyo,” purportedly the beneficiary account for these illegal transactions.

BDO depositors further said "Mark Nagoyo” is a “bogus Union Bank of the Philippines owner” who transferred Next page

Scions of WWII heroes cry foul over new P1k bill design THE VFP Sons & Daughters Association, Inc (SDAI), a national association of direct descendants of World War 2 heroes and veterans, has expressed its opposition to the new design of the 1,000-piso polymer bill that was unveiled by the Bangko

decision, which critics described as Año said the two provisions that a “devastating blow” to human rights the Court struck down were “minimal” and democracy, Interior Secretary and would not affect the overall Eduardo Año said Sunday. implementation of the law.

Next page

Sentral ng Pilipinas over the weekend.

The new design features the Philippine eagle replacing the images of World War 2 heroes Brig. Gen. Vicente Lim, Supreme Court Justice Jose Abad Santos, and social worker and Girl Scouts found-

er Josefa Llanes Escoda.

"These heroes represent the best in the Filipino: bravery, sacrifice and love for country, (and) they gave their lives for the cause of freedom and democracy. They Next page

GOOD JAB, SM! As a partner in its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, SM was given special recognition by the government for having administered more than 6.5 million jabs in 71 SM Malls nationwide, making it the biggest private entity to have vaccinated the greatest number of people in the country. Pictured (from left) are Presidential Adviser for COVID-19 Response Sec. Vince Dizon, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, NTF Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles.

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News

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

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DOLE halts December labor probes T O SETTLE pending standards cases and prepare the inspection program for 2022, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has suspended all inspection activities this month.

In Administrative Order No. 269, series of 2021, Secretary Silvestre Bello III directed all DOLE regional directors to temporarily cease all labor inspection activities starting December 1, according to a news release on Sunday.

Exempted from the suspension of inspection are Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Covid-19 Monitoring, including those under the Department of

Trade and Industry; complaint inspections; OSH standards investigations; technical safety inspections, such as inspection of boilers, pressure vessels, and mechanical and electrical wiring installation; and inspection of any establishment or industry as directed by the agency.

Such activities shall be conducted in strict observance of minimum public health standards.

DOLE regional directors must ensure that all results of inspection activities are uploaded to the Management Information System before the end of the year.

In preparation for the resumption of inspection activities, regional directors are also directed to submit the list of inspectors recommended for inclusion in the 2022 General Authority and foreign inspectors recommended for issuance of the 2022 travel order.

“Consistent with the minimum qualification standards, the labor inspector recommended for General Authority must be holding at least a permanent Labor and Employment Officer III plantilla position and must

Gov’t...

our countrymen," he added.

Año said in areas placed under Alert Level 2, outdoor assembly is allowed at 70 percent capacity as long as the minimum health standards are observed.

Aside from causing traffic congestion, some caravans and motorcades have been observed to be filled by people who do not adhere to health protocols such as physical distancing.

Based on the calendar of activities released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the start of the campaign period is on Feb. 8, 2022 for national candidates and March 25 for local candidates.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice is leaving it up to the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court to decide on the plea of detained Senator Leila M. De Lima to record campaign materials from her detention cell in her bid for re-election in the 2022 polls.

But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra defended the DOJ prosecutors’ objection to De Lima’s plea, saying they were just performing their duty.

“The prosecutors of the DOJ discharge

their duty professionally and without regard to the status of the accused,” Guevarra stressed.

“Let’s now leave it to the court to rule on the issue. We trust that the court will apply existing rules concerning persons under detention fairly and uniformly,” he said.

De Lima has pending non-bailable criminal cases before the Muntinlupa City for her alleged involvement in the proliferation of the illegal drugs trading at the New Bulibid Prison.

The detained senator asked the RTC to allow her campaign team to take her photos and videos inside her detention quarters at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City from Dec. 27 to 30.

Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento stressed that the prosecutors are just doing their routine job.

“But we will respect what the court would say,” Malcontento said.

According to De Lima, she needed the photos and the videos for her campaign materials when the official campaign period starts.

However, De Lima said DOJ prosecutors have blocked her move before the RTC and accused her of “asking for special treatment and that the fact of my being charged already sets me below the standards reserved by society for upright citizens.”

De Lima argued the law allows her to run for re-election and that there is no law that prohibits her campaign.

“This is the height of prosecutorial persecution being perpetrated by the DOJ Panel of Prosecutors. I am already at a disadvantage as it is, campaigning from jail due to the fake charges and evidence fabricated by the DOJ, only to be further prevented from recording materials for my legitimate bid for re-election,” she said.

“I am not asking for freedom to campaign outside of prison. That the DOJ would oppose a simple request for the taking of campaign video and audio inside prison is plain proof of an unfair election practice being perpetrated by the government, especially now that Duterte is also vying for a senatorial post,” she added. With Rey E. Requejo

public safety.

By a vote of 9-6, the justices also declared as unconstitutional a provision that allows the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) appointed by the President to adopt requests by other agencies, including international organizations, to designate individuals and groups as terrorists.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the ATA can curb insurgency, terrorism, and other forms of lawlessness.

“Overall, we still see the law as favorable to the best interest of law and order,” PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said in a statement.

He echoed Año’s explanation that the law will not be subject to abuse as the Court has made clear that a simple expression of advocacy or dissent or other similar exercises of civil and political rights are not considered terroristic acts.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, one of the principal authors of the ATA, warned those who go beyond the law and violate human rights would be held liable.

"The law is the law and there should be no special treatment, but those who violate

human rights must be held accountable and even criminally liable," he said.

Lacson, who is running for president, said the law should target no one else but those committing acts of terrorism.

Lacson earlier welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling that deemed the law, which was challenged by 37 petitioners, constitutional.

Lacson criticized groups that welcomed the Court's decision, then criticized it.

"First they were claiming victory.

Next, they claim partial victory.

Now they are whining and saying they will appeal, they are not happy.

Which is which? There is no partial victory. This is a victory for peace," he said.

But the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Sunday “partly” welcomed the Supreme Court decision.

“CHR has consistently recognized the need to combat terrorism as a means to pursue the people’s right to life, liberty, and physical security. Addressing acts of terror is also crucial in realizing our right to a peaceful and secure environment

where we can all enjoy social and economic development,” spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.

“But in doing so, we should not compromise all other human rights. It needs to be clear that what a law must punish are terrorist acts and not the mere free exercise of rights, she added.

“We see the Supreme Court decision as an affirmation that activism is not an act of terrorism. Activism is part of a healthy, functional democracy where citizens can express and demand redress for grievances,” she added.

The commission, however, said it is concerned about the provisions about warrantless arrest, extended detention without a formal charge, possible infringements to right to privacy because of surveillance, and absence of adequate safeguards for the erroneous application of the law—which the Court left intact in the law.

De Guia said the commission is still hopeful that the remaining contentious provisions will be clarified by the Supreme Court once it releases the full text of the decision.

online news sites it was still verifying the reports.

BDO said cybersecurity is a focal point of the banking sector and it has been continuously investing and working towards improving its security infrastructure to protect its clients' money.

Veloso added: “We continue to work to ensure your safe banking experience — an example of this is our Cybersafe campaign. Read the newspapers, follow your banks on Facebook, and watch your favorite social media influencers to know how to be safe while banking online.”

The Bankers Association of the Philippines is the umbrella organization of universal and commercial banks in the country.

Veloso said whenever a person encounters a cybercriminal, he/she must immediately report it to the respective banks and the police. "This is so we can work together to take down cybercriminals, such as the fake bank websites they are using to trick others," Veloso said.

BDO has been warning its clients against scammers who are taking advantage of the enhanced community quarantine to trick people into giving their personal information, such as usernames, passwords, account numbers, and OneTime PINs (OTPs).

Using this information, scammers take their victims’ identities, access their online bank accounts, and steal their hard-earned money.

"Pretending to be bank officers, they communicate with accountholders over the phone, SMS, email, or even social media and urge them to verify their accounts or validate a transaction by sharing their personal information.

Alarmed and anxious, many are victimized, especially those who are new to online banking," it said.

BDO assures its clients that real bank officers will never ask for their personal information. One of the best defenses against scam, according to the bank, is never sharing OTPs with anyone. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Scions...

for review.

"The BSP clarifies that the recently circulated photo of the new banknote was of a sample previously sent to the BSP for review.

Necessary corrections have already been made, including the spelling and italicizing of the scientific name of the Philippine eagle," BSP said in a statement.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate cited the wrong spelling of the Philippine eagle's scientific name Pithecophaga jefforyi, wherein it should be Pithecophaga jefferyi. He also said the scientific name should be italicized because it is written in Latin.

The BSP in an earlier briefing said it has scheduled the circulation of the 1,000-piso banknote in April 2022.

The United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, among other countries, have reported better performance of polymer banknotes compared to paper counterparts in terms of promoting public health and hygiene, enhanced security, durability and cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability.

The issuance of the new 1,000-piso banknote has already been approved by the Monetary Board and the Office of the President.

The denomination was selected in view of the high number of 1,000-piso banknotes in circulation compared to other notes. Julito G. Rada

because what we need now is really making people assured that we don't have a case of the Omicron variant,” Solante said in an interview with ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

Before the confirmation by the World Health Organization of the Omicron as a new COVID-19 variant of concern late last month, some sectors and officials pushed to downgrade by December the alert to Level 1, particularly in Metro Manila, following weeks of declining new cases.

But with the detection and spread of the new variant in several countries, retaining Metro Manila under Alert Level 2 is the "most prudent" option, said Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III also prefers that the Philippines remain under Alert Level 2 as mobility is expected to increase during the holidays and as the omicron variant threatens the country’s reopening.

“Our mobility will increase during the holidays, we know that. And there’s the looming threat of the Omicron variant.

So it's better that we are conservative,” Duque said previously.

Public health advocate Dr. Anthony Leachon added: “I think it would be best that we think about this and perhaps suspend our decision to shift to the looser quarantine from Alert Level Two to Alert Level One, given the vaccination challenges that we have right now as well as the threat of the omicron variant entering the country through our borders.”

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. also said the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) is reconsidering plans to downgrade the capital region’s status following recent developments.

The National Capital Region is home to around 13.5 million people and accounts for a third of the national gross domestic product.

“Our advocacy is it's still better to be vaccinated rather than not be vaccinated because you still have antibodies for protection,” Solante said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) on Sunday said none of the samples sequenced from November and December from travelers showed the more transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19.

“Last week, we sequenced about 574 and all those are the Delta variant. We have also conducted an emergency run from samples obtained in the airport, and all those are also Delta except for one with B.1.1.203 variant,” PGC Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Saloma said in an interview on radio dzBB. B.1.1.203, Saloma added, is not a variant of concern. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

So far, he added, the data suggests that the Pfizer vaccine has not led to serious adverse effects among young children.

“So far, the results are good,” he said.

“In fact, the vaccine is given at a lower dose on young children because they are smaller…. I'm quite confident that once they submit all data, our experts will be satisfied,” Domingo said.

He said experts will determine if the vaccine will be given in one dose or two doses for young children.

Sinovac earlier submitted an application for an EUA for its vaccine to be used on children aged 3 to 17, but experts have asked for more data, Domingo said.

The FDA chief said the vaccine expert panel is set to discuss booster shots for teens, aged 16 to 17.

Last week, the US FDA expanded the authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster to include 16- and 17-year-olds. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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Año maintained that an LGU's role is only to implement the existing laws and regulations based on the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines against the coronavirus pandemic.

In case of a breach in protocols, he said law enforcers would run after the organizers and “then if no action from the LGU, we can run after the LGU, then if they take no action, we can go after them and of course, the personalities and candidates should be accountable also," since they are the principals in the political activity.

Año noted that political party representatives promised to impose “selfpolicing" and “self-restriction" during the coordination meetings, adding that what the Philippine National Police (PNP) and LGUs can do is only to implement the minimum public health standards.

"The MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority), LGUs, and the PNP have set many rules that will protect

SolGen...

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He said the Supreme Court decision upholding the ATA, save for the two provisions, was a victory for law-abiding citizens.

The ATA—which has been widely criticized as being open to abuse—was the state's main tool to run after terrorist groups, Año added.

“Rest assured, we will be making the appropriate adjustments to conform to the decision of the high court and continue to implement the ATA strictly as a means of protecting the Filipino people against any and all acts of terrorism,” he said during a radio interview.

Voting 12-3 in an en banc session on Dec. 7, the justices struck down a part of Section 4 of the law for being too broad and violative of freedom of expression.

It referred to the part that said a protest, advocacy or dissent could be considered terrorism if it is intended to cause death or physical harm to a person, to endanger a person's life, or to create a serious risk to

2 banks...

From A1

tens of thousands of pesos from their accounts to the Aboitiz-owned bank.

Diokno said BSP would do everything to ensure the safety and integrity of the financial system as well as the protection of financial consumers.

Meanwhile, Bankers Association of the Philippines president Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso called on the public to be more vigilant against cyberattacks, following reports of fraudulent schemes involving one of the country’s biggest lenders.

In a statement released Sunday, Veloso reminded the public to refrain from giving out sensitive information which could lead to their accounts being compromised.

“An important reminder: You will never be a victim of cybercrime if you never give your personal information, such as One-Time Password, to other people. If you do not give your personal information to others, cybercriminals will never be able to steal your money,” he said in Filipino.

"BSP has been monitoring the surge in complaints posted in social media platforms since the early part of this week. We are in close coordination with BDO as well as UBP on this incident to ensure that remedial measures are being undertaken, including reimbursement of affected consumers," Diokno added.

Asked by Manila Standard for comment, BDO released a statement on Sunday saying it was aware of a sophisticated fraud technique that affected some of its clients.

"We assure you that we have already implemented additional security controls to block further attempts and continue to protect bank credentials," BDO said.

The bank assured its affected clients that it will "reimburse their losses."

The Standard also tried to get a comment from Union Bank, but it told

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serve as role-models for our generation today," the group said.

Lim served in the Battle for Bataan and later organized and helped support the guerrilla movement against the Japanese. He was captured and later executed.

Abad Santos was executed by the Japanese for refusing to cooperate.

Escoda, who fought for women’s suffrage, was also captured and killed in World War II. "We strongly urge the BSP to reconsider and retain the existing design," the group said.

On Saturday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno showed the media the new design of the 1,000-piso polymer banknotes that will be test-launched in April 2022.

Diokno said the Philippine eagle in the design of the new 1,000-piso banknote symbolizes clear vision, freedom, and strength.

"This is the first note in a new series of Philippine currency that will focus on the country’s rich flora and fauna," Diokno said, adding "those with positive Filipino images like [the] tamaraw, sampaguita, etc."

Diokno also said the circulated photo on Saturday of the new 1,000-piso banknote that drew negative comments because of some errors in its design was just a "sample" previously sent to the BSP

Pfizer...

From A1

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has already been approved for use on children aged 5 to 1 in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The fact that it is already used in these countries will enable the FDA to see realworld data outside clinical trials and thus better gauge the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, Domingo said.

have attended and passed the 10-day basic training course for labor inspectors,” Bello stated.

The labor inspector must also have a “very satisfactory” performance rating for the last two periods and must have no pending administrative or criminal case.

Personnel who passed the Basic Training course and have been previously issued with General Authority but were not included in the 2021 list may also be recommended.

The conduct of routine inspections shall resume upon issuance of the 2022 General Authority for Labor Inspectors.

(See full story online at manilastandard. net)

Storm ‘Odette’ could cross PH

by Wednesday A LOW pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) southeast of Palau has developed into tropical depression (TD) and could cross the central part of the country by Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Sunday.

In its latest weather bulletin, the weather bureau reported the center of the tropical depression was estimated at 2,095 kilometers east of Mindanao outside the PAR as of 10 a.m.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour near the center with gustiness up to 55 kph with its present movement almost stationary, it said.

"The tropical depression is forecast to move generally west northwestward over the next three days and may enter the PAR on Tuesday," the PAGASA said.

"Once inside the PAR, the domestic name “Odette” will be assigned to this tropical cyclone".

It added that the tropical cyclone will begin to move westward and may make landfall over Eastern Visayas-Caraga area by Wednesday evening or Thursday morning.

The tropical depression is forecast to gradually intensify and may reach tropical storm category within the next 24 hours.

Current track and intensity forecasts show that there is a moderate to high likelihood that Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) will be hoisted for the provinces of Visayas and Mindanao.

The highest possible wind signal that may be hoisted for this tropical cyclone is TCWS #4.

Calls...

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News

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

7 charged with qualified theft

By Rey E. Requejo

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EVEN foreign officers and employees of Chailease International Financial Services Ltd. Taiwan, with an office in Makati, are now the subject of a big police manhunt after they failed to appear before the Pasay Regional Trial Court on qualified theft charges.

A complaint was filed by CAPP Industries, Inc., a local logistics services provider, against the said foreign nationals before the Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 108, in September this year.

‘Bill to aid PH with foreign investments’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

BY EASING easing the restrictions and requirements for foreign businesses in the Philippines, Senator Win Gatchalian said the passage of the bill on foreign investment activities would help generate the needed jobs for Filipinos affected by the pandemic and accelerate the country’s economic recovery.

“This is a very timely measure as we’re now opening up the economy.

With these amendments in the Foreign Investments Act of 1991, investors can look forward to a more supportive government policy and a more attractive investment destination,” said Gatchalian, co-author of Senate Bill 1156.

Under the amended FIA, foreign professionals will now be encouraged to come to the country to share their knowledge, expertise, skills and technical know-how and allow Filipinos to broaden and enhance their competitiveness in both domestic and international labor markets.

Chailease International Finance Co., Ltd., founded in 2005 with headquarter in Shanghai, owned 100 percent by Chailease Holding Co., Ltd. which is the leading leasing company in Taiwan market for taking 40 percent to 45 per-

cent of the market shares.

The Taiwanese nationals were identified as Alexander Tang, Richard Liao, Molly Tseng, Cathy Chuang, Hunto Chang, Cheng Fong Long, and Jack Pang.

In their complaint, CAPP Industries Inc. said the Taiwanese nationals conspired with Thierry Yung Hann Tea (a.k.a. Thierry Tea), Geoffroy Cahen, Robert Reguero, and Matea Delen of Philjets Aero Charter Corp., and Lionel De Maupeou and Juha Pekka-Hoikka of Airbus Helipcopters Philippines Inc., to steal their Airbus Helicopter H130 with registry number RPC 8625.

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The Pasay RTC 108, after finding probable cause and filing appropriate criminal information, issued and served a warrant of arrest to the accused on September 28, 2021. Subsequently, on October 4, 2021, the court issued a hold departure order to prevent the taiwanese from leaving the country.

All the accused are still at large, prompting CAPP Industries Inc. to seek the help of Interpol for the extradition of all the foreign nationals, in cooperation with the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP/CIDG).

‘PAWRENT SHOPPERS.’

SM City East Ortigas has partnered with Nutrichunks to launch an indoor Paw Park where ‘pawrent shoppers’ can bring their furbabies to enjoy the breeze-kissed environment.

Norman Cruz

Conversion guidelines amended

By Rio N. Araja

THE Department of Agrarian Reform has amended conversion guidelines on government priority projects.

Secretary Bernie Cruz said several provisions of the land-use conversions had been amended to ensure that the exercise of the conversion authority of DAR is responsive to the urgent needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the country approaches the new normal through Administrative Order 3 A of 2021.

Special project undertakings of the government are treated as critically important in conversion applications, he noted.

“Such endeavors consist of, but are not limited to agro-industrial, low cost or socialized housing, power generation or distribution, water generation, and telecommunications,” he said.

Interested landowners, agrarian reform beneficiaries or the duly authorized representatives must apply for conversion for special project undertakings with the regional director if the landholding for conversion is not more than five hectares.

“All applications for conversions for landholdings involving an area of less than five hectares shall be acted upon by the concerned regional director,” the DAR chief said.

Cimatu: Pandemic helps refocus people’s efforts on climate change

By Rio N. Araja SECRETARY Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Sunday said the COVID-19 pandemic must be a time to refocus and re-think efforts to mitigate climate change, especially to limit changes driven by human activities.

“With the recent developments during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, it is also time to make more and more people aware of our commitments on climate change,” he said.

“This pandemic enables the people to reflect and think about their lives in the

future. Therefore, this is also the best time to educate them about how their consumption behaviors affect climate change,” he added.

Undersecretary for Finance, Information Systems and Climate Change Analiza Rebuelta-Teh said the lockdown is the “time to limit climate change as we also face the challenges of urgently addressing

the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The conclusions in the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change or IPCC’s 6th report demand collective action to transform our economy, our behavior, and our lifestyle at all levels: individuals, communities, businesses, institutions, and governments,” she said.

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Opinion

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Colors of the seasons

THE Church yesterday celebrated Gaudete Sunday, the third Sunday in the season of Advent. It is one of two days in the church calendar, during which the clergy don pink, or rather rose vestments.

With the brewing elections next year, many among the clergy were quick to point out that the use of pink vestments was bereft of any political significance – it was simply the assigned liturgical color of the day.

The use of pink or ‘rose’ signifies a break in the stringent penitential character of the liturgical season – on Gaudete Sunday during Advent and Laetare Sunday during Lent.

Traditionally, the liturgical seasons observed in preparation for the feasts of Christmas and Easter required several days of fasting and abstinence. However, during these two days, the penitential observances were relaxed at least for a day, in a way anticipating the impending solemnities of the liturgical year.

They accompany us in our own journey of faith.

Since the fourth century, liturgical colors have become an important feature of Catholic worship. It does not only add up to the external imagery of Christian worship, it also highlights the religious meaning of a particular season.

For example, violet or purple signifies penance, while green represents hope and white symbolizes joy. Red is used in honor of the Holy Spirit as well as the apostles and martyrs. Each season of the liturgical year has a color, and every color has a meaning. Hence, the use of liturgical colors is not merely decorative, it is basically a concrete expression of the ‘incarnational’ character of the Christian religion.

In the Middle Ages, one can infer that the use of certain liturgical colors for specific liturgical feast days or even particular rites and sacraments was a practical way for the Church to educate and attune the attention of the faithful to the deeper significance of each part of the liturgical year – in relation not only to the history of Christian salvation,

EDITORIAL

but more importantly in one’s spiritual growth and maturity. After all, the feast days of the liturgical year were far from just one-time remembrances, for in the Christian sense, these observances provide the faithful an opportunity to ‘re-live’ the mysteries of the Christian faith, as if the past episodes of Christian history continue to be a constant and living reality in the life of the Church.

Thus, while the use of ‘rose’ vestments may signify a momentary respite from the penitential season of Advent, it also anticipates the joy of Christmas.

Similarly, it emphasizes that in the midst of whatever difficulties or challenges that we may encounter every day, it does not distract from the certain possibility of joy and happiness. Unlike the Puritan tendencies of other Christian groups, the Catholic faith has an innate tendency to embrace secular cultures and practices and weave them as effective expressions of faith.

There is one more truth to the use of liturgical colors – that they are visible signs of the presence and the present of the Catholic faith. Presence, in the sense that the colors of the liturgical year remind us that our yearly rhythm of fasts and seasons affirm that our faith points out to the continuing presence of Christ in time. The celebration of Christmas and Easter are not simply empty remembrances of past history, but they celebrate the living truths of our faith.

Secondly, the liturgical colors signify the present of the Catholic faith. The chronology of feasts spread throughout the liturgical year reminds the faithful that the faith remains to be a reality that is ‘ever ancient’ and ‘ever new.’ Every liturgical color highlights the spiritual meaning of each liturgical season and provides context to the prayers and rites appropriate for each part of the church year. Hence, purple is usually associated with prayers of pain or penance, black with grief and death, and white with praise and thanksgiving. The congruence of the Christian faith with the calendar year underscores that our faith is not remote nor detached from our everyday lives, but is woven even to the most mundane of our human experience.

In the same manner, the liturgical colors do not only orient us to the seasons, or propel a renewed appreciation for the aesthetic dimensions of worship. They also accompany us in our own journey of faith. In marking the important dates in the life of Christ, they also invite us to look into our own growth in the faith.

They serve as powerful visible signs of the mysteries of faith, and convey the context of these truths in our own spiritual lives.

Fighting scammers

LAST week, Valenzuela Congressman Wes Gatchalian delivered a privilege speech regarding a bill he has co-sponsored – House Bill 5793, which deals with SIM Card registration.

While this may at first seem to be adding another burden to us who have already been over-saddled with documentary requirements, this in fact could save us from future scam attacks. Paired with the National ID or the Philippine Identification System, we actually could have an almost fool-proof shield against scammers.

Citing data, Gatchalian says the Philippines has an estimated 152.4 million mobile subscribers. Of all these mobile subscribers, only three percent are registered postpaid users. This means that 97 percent or over 147 million mobile subscribers in the country are unregistered prepaid numbers. Of these numbers, Globe has the greatest number of subscribers with a reported 76.6 million users having a market share of around 50 percent, while Smart has the second largest market share with 72.9 million users representing 48 percent of the total number of mobile users.

Despite this huge volume, it is rather unfortunate, Gatchalian says, the Philippines is among the remaining 20 percent of countries in the world without mandatory SIM card registration. As of 2021, 155 countries already have SIM registration mandates and over half these countries likewise have data privacy protection frameworks in place.

According to the lawmaker, the country’s lack of a law requiring SIM registration creates opportunities for scammers to proliferate in the country – and his brother is only one of the millions of Filipinos who have fallen victim to these unscrupulous individuals. As the DICT reports, 1 out of 5 people in the country or about 20 percent of the Filipinos have already fallen victim to text scams.

Gatchalian surely knows what he’s talking about. His brother, Senator Win, has fallen victim to a hacker who was able to use his credit card to buy one million

pesos worth of alcoholic drinks. That hacker, the lawmaker noted, was able to successfully use the credit card of his brother by changing the registered number and linking it to an untraceable prepaid SIM card to send the one- time password designed to protect the credit card.

Additionally, these text scams, the solon adds, are slowly evolving into more complex crimes such as identity theft, phishing, the spreading of false information, death threats, bomb scares, libel, and even sexual offenders have turned to using prepaid SIM cards to satisfy their lascivious desires.

Here’s a bill that truly deserves our attention.

For example, in September 2016, an improvised explosive device was allegedly set off via a mobile phone in a night market in Davao City.

In January 27, 2019, two bombs exploded at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu with a mobile phone suspected to have been used as a triggering device.

And the list for potential crimes that can be committed with a prepaid SIM card goes on.

However, these can easily be suppressed with the help of SIM card registration as supported by our Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation.

By requiring registration, responsible ownership and accountability in the use of SIM cards will be put in place. This can also help law enforcement agencies in tracking down criminal perpetrators who use mobile phones to commit heinous crimes such as kidnapping and bombing, among others.

With the SIM Card Registration, Gatchalian says public safety and public welfare are protected.

“Ultimately, the goal of this bill is to deter the commission of cellular phoneaided crimes, and ensure consumer protection,” he averred.

Of course, there are oppositors to the proposed measure citing concerns regarding the right to privacy of mobile phone users. The main argument of the opposition against the proposed legislation centers around the potential risk of

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An insult to journalists

FORMER media practitioner himself, Undersecretary Joel Egco should know better.

Ego, who heads the Presidential Task Force for Media Security, had the temerity to say that Manila Standard correspondent Jesus Malabanan—shot in the head while watching TV in his home—was most likely not killed in the line of duty because he only wrote “feel-good” stories.

“Don’t believe in the propaganda that journalists are being directly targeted here for being journalists.

There’s an ocean of reasons,” Egco said—blithely ignoring the fact that at least 22 journalists have died since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power in 2016.

That’s a fact, not propaganda.

Under this administration, journalists are being attacked – killed, threatened, insulted, persecuted – for daring to do their jobs in an environment that claims to value press freedom but tries to justify all the ways to stifle it.

To reach his assessment of Malabanan’s work, Egco did not reach out to any member of the Manila Standard’s news desk in any official manner. Nor did he or any member of his task force seek out our editors for comment on Malabanan’s work. Had he done his job, he would have known that Malabanan wrote about this administration’s bloody war on drugs, among other topics that can only “feel good” to killers.

We reject the emerging narrative.

Veteran journalist Manny Mogato, who with his Reuters team won a Pulitzer in 2018, said Malabanan helped them in their coverage of the drug war. Reuters in fact helped Malabanan hide in Samar after he received threats; Malabanan also sought the help of the task force in the same year, over security concerns.

Why, then, would somebody who wrote feel-good stories resort to these measures?

Egco seems to have based his assessment on a casual conversation on Facebook Messenger with a lone Manila Standard employee from another section, whom he immediately put on the defensive by asking whether Malabanan had any enemies.

Nobody is boasting that media practitioners are getting killed here. We are ashamed of this. We are making our outrage known, and hoping we would have leaders who would care enough to act decisively on this.

Finally, if there is anybody who is spouting propaganda, perhaps it is Egco and his task force. Last year, the Philippines “improved”

its ranking in the Global Impunity Index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)– from fifth to seventh most dangerous country for journalists, primarily because the court had ruled on the Ampatuan Massacre in December 2019.

In a press release carried by the Philippine News Agency in September last year, Egco said this was “proof that the country’s justice system in safeguarding press freedom is truly working under the Duterte administration.”

“With UNESCO acknowledging the finality of the Ampatuan Massacre, we can proudly proclaim to the world that any violence against our media workers will never go unpunished, that the socalled ‘culture of impunity’ against journalists in the country has finally come to an end,” Egco said.

The CPJ called out Philippine authorities for being quick to echo and tout this designation.

This year, the Philippines retained its 7th place in the impunity index – by any means never a reason to indulge in self-congratulation.

The essence of the task force is precisely to protect journalists, not prematurely exult in any marginal improvement in an index, or dismiss the killing of a journalist.

We reject the Palace narrative that all is well and that journalists are finally safe, because this is an insult to our colleagues who have been killed, and to all journalists who are still fighting daily, big and small battles, just to do their job.

Digital transformation partnership for economic recovery of the benefits of going digital revealed in the Stratbase-commissioned Social Weather Stations survey is nothing short of overwhelming.

Almost nine in ten of Filipinos (89%) agreed that “digital technology such as strong cell phone signals, fast e-banking and social media can greatly help create jobs and businesses.” Respondents from the National Capital Region (NCR) were almost unanimous at 94% while the balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao were equally in great agreement at 88% to 89%.

The consensus was even higher on whether the “Government should build, upgrade and extensively expand the country’s digital infrastructure to improve speed, reliability and access to the internet nationwide” garnering a 92% nod of approval. All regions were actually at a statistical tie with NCR at 94%, Balance Luzon at 93%, Visayas and Mindanao at 90%.

These should be solid data for the government to start heavily investing in digital infrastructures that would complement the private sector’s telecommunications builds.

The strategic value of the private sector was strongly highlighted as four out of five (82%) of the survey’s respondents agreed that “the growth of the Philippine economy will be accelerated if the government collaborates with the private sector.” Given a choice of issues that private sector can be most effective, creating jobs was ranked first at 65%, expanding livelihood came second at 46%, third is helping Filipinos out of poverty (30%), next is improving the quality of education (22%), followed by Managing natural resources and taking care of the environment. Eleven percent also saw the importance of private

investment in the closely linked issues of improving the quality and access of digital services and developing public infrastructure.

For his part, Ayala Corporation Chairman, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (JAZA), called for a collective commitment for a relentless push for sustainable economic recovery. In a previous Pilipinas Conference statement, JAZA said that the only way to survive the pandemic is for the Philippines to go digital.

“We’re spending close to one billion dollars a year on a regular basis, year after year, building and rebuilding the infrastructure and adding to it as much as needed,” JAZA said.

He acknowledged that the “pandemic had worsened the fissures of inequality that were already present in our society even before the pandemic.”

“In this sphere, unprecedented collaboration is demanded of us -- the private sector, government, and civil society, both locally and globally -- all of us have to work together.”

JAZA expressed the private sector’s readiness to be a reliable partner of the government in addressing the people’s pain points of poverty, hunger, health emergency and unemployment.

Mr. Diwa Guinigundo, former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor of the Monetary and Economics Sector emphasized the role of the private sector in leading the innovation of digital products and services that would allow us to increase the breadth and reach of markets in these digital times of pandemic as among the major factors needed in promoting overall sustainable growth.

The developmental drive of private industries driven by its passionate leaders has always spearheaded economic growth. Creating a conducive environment for an investment-driven recovery in the context of a digital powered ecosystem will need a new paradigm of governance that can keep pace with fast evolving technologies and adaptive to the positive disruptions that digital technologies will bring.

Republic Act No. 11055 enacted on July 24, 2017, are more than the details required for SIM card registration. Nonetheless, despite having more details required, the PhilSys Act was passed, and the same safeguards could also be applied under the proposed bill.

Efforts to enact the mandatory SIM Card Registration had been ongoing in the House of Representatives since the 13th Congress.

The same measure, Gatchalian says, had been filed in the 17th Congress which was approved by the House of Representatives on its third and final reading.

However, while it was transmitted to the Senate, it did not make it past the

Committee of Senator Grace Poe. Actually, the lady senator had become notorious for initiating probes and legislative hearings but never ever coming up with any closure or recommendations. Remember her probe on Mamasapano?

Again, Congress may be pressed for time to pass this measure as we only have a few months before the 18thCongress folds. But if the lawmakers are up to it, they can still pass the bill in both Chambers, resolve differing provisions in the bicam, approve the final version and submit it to the President and have it enacted into law.

That is if they are really serious in fighting off these scammers.

The private sector has always been a valuable and reliable partner to the government.

DIGITAL transformation, connectivity, power and energy, and good governance are among the interconnected essentials that must play in sync to successfully pull out of this protracted state of crisis and start a momentum of sustained prosperity.

The eagerness to get out of this pandemic rut was palpable from all the government, industry, academe, and civil society thought leaders that shared their analyses and strategic solutions during the deep discussions in the sessions of the 2021 Pilipinas Conference organized by the Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRi).

The rise of the digital economy presents great opportunities and conversely, daunting challenges that will demand a collective, all of society effort to work together in healing the economic scars inflicted by the pandemic.

Stratbase ADRi President Professor Dindo Manhit, in his statement, called for “stakeholder capitalism,” a principle that re-defines the corporate mission beyond profits of shareholders to a long term relationship that understands and responds to stakeholders’ needs.

“Through the investments, expertise, and innovativeness of the private sector, coupled with heightened cooperation with other stakeholders, we believe that the most urgent socio-economic challenges can be addressed, jobs can be created, livelihood ecosystems can be nurtured, poverty can be alleviated, and the lives of millions of Filipinos can be uplifted,” Prof. Manhit said.

This stakeholder-centered orientation applies to both private and public enterprise especially as we now push with digital transformation and the urgency to upgrade and expand our digital infrastructure. The public’s appreciation transgressions against one’s Constitutional right to privacy.

Gatchalian however explains that while this issue has been repeatedly raised, it has already been resolved by Republic Act No. 10173 otherwise known as the Data Privacy Act. “Moreover, the bill explicitly states that any disclosure of information should be in accordance with the Data Privacy Act or upon a duly issued subpoena or order of a court upon a finding of probable cause that a particular number was used in the commission of a crime,” the solon stressed.

Additionally, Gatchalian says that the data required for National ID registration under

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

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

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

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor

Emil P. Jurado

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

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IN BRIEF Solon bats for passage of fiscal bill for LGUs

UNITEAM SUPPORTERS. Supporters wearing red and green shouts “BongBong-Sara” during the UniTeam caravan of presidential aspirant and former senator Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. and vice-presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.The Uniteam caravan started in Antipolo City, Taytay, Cainta, San Mateo and ended at Rodriguez Rizal. House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD Party President Martin Romualdez delivers a short message and introduce to thousands of supporters Inday Sara Duterte during the multi-sectoral gathering. Ver Noveno

Lacson-Sotto tandem ‘rules’ Central Visayas PARTIDO Reporma chairman and standard bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and his running mate, Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) chairman Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, strengthened their hold in Central Visayas following their “Online Kumustahan” tour of Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Northern Samar over the weekend.

With enthusiastic receptions by residents and local leaders in Cebu City, Naga City (Cebu), Dumaguete City, and Catarman from Friday to Sunday, the Lacson-Sotto tandem brought their platform of governance closer to the people in dialogues that gave hope to solving the myriad problems of the country once they are elected following the 2022 national polls.

In Cebu, the Partido Reporma-NPC leaders received the tacit support of influential businessman Winston Garcia, brother of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and head of the 150,000-strong Court of First Instance (CFI) Community Cooperative.

The same situation was evident in Negros Oriental because Sotto himself said in a press conference in Dumaguete that Lacson and himself would be the official presidential and vicepresidential candidates of the NPC in the province, along with Partido Reporma senatorial bets Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and Dr. Minguita Padilla.

National Unity Party (NUP) chairman and former Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno guaranteed the longtime public servants would corner the province of Northern Samar, which is his party’s stronghold.

Puno is the political strategist and campaign manager of the Lacson-Sotto tandem, while former House Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez is president of Partido Reporma and wields influence across the wider Visayas and Mindanao regions.

US-based lawyer says DQ case vs Bongbong ‘weak’

By Rey E. Requejo

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UNITED States-based Filipino lawyer said presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is qualified to run for president in the 2022 elections on ground that the petitions to cancel his certificate of candidacy is either weak, or has no legal basis.

Lawyer Emmanuel Samonte Tipon, who is also the dean of Northwestern University College of Law, tackled the issues raised in each of the petition, which has now ballooned to seven in total.

Tipon wrote an opinion piece, which has provided solid legal arguments against the petitions seeking to cancel or deny due course to Marcos’ certificate of candidacy or that he be declared as a nuisance candidate.

Tipon stressed that there is no serious question that Marcos meets the requirements under Article VII, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which read, “No person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election.”

Tipon noted that Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, which states: “Any person who has … been sentenced . . .for a crime involving moral turpitude, shall be disqualified to be a candidate and to hold any office,” does not supplement the 1987 Constitution and therefore does not modify the eligibility requirements for the Presidency.

The law dean also believes that Marcos is not disqualified under Section 12 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) for having been sentenced to pay only a fine for not filing income tax returns since it is not a crime involving moral turpitude.

“Marcos is not disqualified under OEC Sec. 12 because it does not define what constitutes a “crime involving moral turpitude.”

MANILA Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet Francisco “Isko Moreno” .domagoso on Sunday said he is fortunate to have a ‘battle-tested’ vice mayor in the person of Honey Lacuna and assured Manilans that she is more than

Free medical services for Caloocan residents THE Caloocan City government is currently offering free medical services to residents.

The medical services include breast ultrasound, fasting blood sugar (FBS) and electrocardiogram (ECG) provided by the Bida Kababaihan program. The said program is being implemented with the cooperation of the Caloocan City government and the office of Congressman Along Malapitan.

Bida Kababaihan will visit every barangay in the city so that those who want to avail the medical services do not have to go far from their respective homes. Jun David

More than 25k receive cash aid in Navotas City MORE than 25,000 individuals in Navotas City have again received their “Angat Navotas Aid” as of yesterday.

According to Mayor Toby Tiangco, up to 8,719 families, or 25,994 individuals, have already received P1,000.00 - P4,000.00 from the Angat Navotas Ayuda of the city government.

Beneficiaries include those who have not received SAP or have additional family members. For families who have not yet received any assistance, just text - TXT JRT. Jun David

‘Don’t rush e-sabong franchise’

By Rio N. Araja

LACSON-SOTTO TANDEM IN NEGROS ORIENTAL. With a crowd of leaders and supporters from Negros Oriental behind them, Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (second from right) and running mate Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (second from left) give a big thumbs-up to their “Online Kumustahan” meeting in Dumaguete City on Saturday. Flanked by Partido Reporma senatorial candidates Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (left) and Dr. Minguita Padilla (right), the Lacson-Sotto tandem unpacked their platform of reforms on the national budget, health, education, and their unrelenting fight against corruption.

Isko says ‘battle-tested’ Lacuna ready to be next Manila mayor

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Ray Villafuerte on Sunday urged the Senate to pass a bill boosting fiscal autonomy of local government units (LGUs. He urged the senators to consider a measure that aims to further increase the fiscal autonomy of the LGUs, allowing them to bankroll more development projects and rev up the delivery of frontline services.

“Strengthening local autonomy by increasing the internal revenue allocation prepares the way to achieving President Rodrigo Duterte’s vision of decentralization by federalism in citing the House-passed initiative to raise the IRA — now called National Tax Allotment (NTA) — of LGUs from the current 40 percent to 50 percent,” he said. Rio N. Araja

ready for the job as the next city mayor.

Speaking at the sidelines of the distribution of financial assistance to 197 families who lost their homes to a recent fire that hit a barangay in Sagrada Familia in San Andres, Domagoso said that even if he carries out his listening tour in areas outside of Manila from time to time, his

work at City Hall continues to be “24/7.”

The mayor also stressed that Lacuna “really knows the job as theVice Mayor of Manila and I think, may awa ang Diyos, maging ang pagiging mayor na rin ng Maynila, sa kaloob ng Diyos at ng mga taga-Maynila (With the grace of God, she will become mayor of Manila)”

Manny says SIM registration can combat scams, prevent fake news SENATOR Manny Pacquiao is warning the public of a surge in text spams and is calling on his fellow lawmakers to pass a measure mandating the registration of SIM cards.

Pacquiao, who is running for president in 2022, also said scammer might take advantage of the May 2022 elections to “victimize people” by namedropping politicians via text messages.

He said in fact, his name and his foundation have been used in such scams.

Pacquiao said lawmakers should approve the measure on SIM registration before Congress

takes a break for Christmas, so that President Rodrigo can sign in by January 2022.

He said doing so can prevent the said text scams.

Pacquiao is among the lawmakers who filed and supported Senate Bill No. 2395. The bill however, is still pending on second reading.

SIM registration is widely seen to counter text messaging-related crimes as the proliferation of “fake news.”

Lawmakers at the House of Representatives recently approved on third and final reading its own version of the said bill.

Lacuna is running for mayor to succeed Moreno, with congressman and House Deputy Majority leader Yul Servo as her vice mayoral candidate.

Domagoso said Lacuna will continue all the pro-people programs that were begun since they both assumed the top two posts in the city.

A LEGISLATIVE franchise to electronic sabong (e-sabong) is unnecessary to augment government funds for the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Taguig City Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano.

He said the government revenue from e-sabong operations “pales in comparison to other sources of government income.”

“Just look at the budget for next year. We have P5 trillion for our national budget. If we are going to look at it as a pandemic budget, e-sabong’s contribution to government coffers is a mere dot,” he added.

On Sept. 21, Congress approved on third and final reading a bill granting the e-sabong outlet Lucky 8 Star Quest Inc. a 25-year legislative franchise.

The House ways and means committee later approved a bill seeking to grant the Visayas Cockers Club Inc. a similar legislative franchise.

PREVENTING ‘HOLITHRASH.’

Claritas Philippines and the EcoWaste Coalition hold an event outside the Manila Cathedral to encourage the public to prevent and reduce holiday trash or “holitrash” during the holiday celebrations.

The groups stressed that thoughtless disposal can result to tons of garbage that can pollute the environment.

Norman Cruz

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World

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US wins British court appeal paving way for Julian Assange extradition LONDON — The US government won an appeal Friday against a UK court ruling that had blocked extraditing Julian Assange, paving the way for the WikiLeaks founder to be sent from Britain.

The decision by the High Court in London could now see the extradition referred to interior minister Priti Patel for final approval, but Assange’s legal team immediately said it will ask the UK Supreme Court to intervene.

The US challenged a January decision by a British magistrates’ court that it would be “oppressive” to extradite the 50-year-old Australian to the US justice system due to his mental health and the risk of suicide.

Washington wants Assange to face trial for WikiLeaks’ publication in 2010 of classified military documents relating to its wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A two-day hearing in October saw lawyers for the United States argue that a lower court judge had not given sufficient weight to other

US hits Chinese, North Korean companies with abuse sanctions WASHINGTON — The United States unveiled a raft of new rights-abuse sanctions Friday on senior officials and entities in eight countries, including a Chinese firm specializing in facial recognition technology and a giant cartoon studio in North Korea.

Timed for International Human Rights Day and supported in part by Britain and Canada, the sanctions took aim at officials accused of abetting the crackdown on anti-coup protestors in Myanmar, the oppression of Muslim Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang region and political violence in Bangladesh under the guise of a war on drugs.

“Our actions today, particularly those in partnership with the United Kingdom and Canada, send a message that democracies around the world will act against those who abuse the power of the state to inflict suffering and repression,” the US Treasury Department said.

It said China’s artificial intelligence company SenseTime, and two ethnic Uyghur political leaders in Xinjiang, Shohrat Zakir and Erken Tuniyaz, took part in the sweeping oppression of Uyghurs.

The sanctions and blacklisting can prevent individuals from obtaining visas to the United States, block assets under US jurisdiction, and prevent the targets from doing business with US individuals or entities -- effectively locking them out of the US banking system.

expert testimony about his mental state.

They also pointed to diplomatic assurances provided since the January decision that Assange would not be held in punishing isolation at a federal supermax prison, and would receive appropriate care.

Approving the appeal, two judges at the High Court in London accepted the new assurances, noting they were not unusual in such cases and “solemn undertakings offered by one government to another”.

‘Satisfied’ Summarising the decision, judge Timothy Holroyde said the district judge should have sought such guarantees herself before ruling.

He added the High Court was satisfied they ensured Assange would not face “special measures” in the US, would “receive appropriate clinical and psychological treatment” and be eligible for transfer to Australia if convicted.

NOT A PIER. A boat sits at rest after being sucked out of a marine dealership by a tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, on December 11. Tornadoes ripped through five US states overnight, leaving more than 70 people dead Saturday in Kentucky and causing multiple fatalities at an Amazon warehouse in Illinois that suffered “catastrophic damage” with around 100 people trapped inside. AFP

Tornadoes kill 80+ in 6 US states

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AYFIELD, Kentucky — Dozens of devastating tornadoes roared through six US states overnight, leaving more than 80 people dead and dozens missing Saturday in what President Joe Biden said was likely to be “one of the largest” storm outbreaks in American history.

“It’s a tragedy,” a shaken Biden said in televised comments. “And we still don’t know how many lives are lost and the full extent of the damage.”

As the cold night fell Saturday, scores of search and rescue officials were helping stunned citizens across the US heartland sift through the rubble of their homes

and businesses, desperately searching for any more survivors.

More than 70 people are believed to have been killed in Kentucky alone, many of them workers at a candle factory, while at least six died in an Amazon warehouse in Illinois where they were on the night shift processing orders ahead of Christmas.

“This event is the worst, most devastating, most deadly tornado event in Kentucky’s history,” said state governor Andy Beshear, adding he fears “we will have lost more than 100 people.”

“The devastation is unlike anything I have seen in my life, and I have trouble putting it into words,” he told reporters.

Beshear has declared a state of emergency in the state.

The western Kentucky town of Mayfield was reduced to “matchsticks,” its mayor Kathy O’Nan told CNN.

The small town of 10,000 people was described as “ground zero” by officials, and appeared post-apocalyptic: city blocks leveled; historic homes and buildings beaten down to their slabs; tree trunks stripped of their branches; cars overturned in fields.

Some Christmas decorations could still be seen by the side of the road.

Beshear said there were some 110 people working at the candle factory when the storm hit, causing the roof to collapse.

Forty people have been rescued, but it would be “a miracle if anybody else is found alive,” he said.

CNN played a heart-rending plea posted on Facebook by a factory employee.

“We are trapped, please, y’all, get us some help,” a woman says, her voice quavering as a co-worker can be heard moaning in the background.

“We are at the candle factory in Mayfield... Please, y’all. Pray for us.” AFP

US urges Russia to withdraw from Ukraine border

YES OR NO.

This photograph taken on December 12 shows ballots reading “Yes” and “No” for the referendum on independence at a polling station of the City Hall in Noumea, on the French South Pacific territory of New Caledonia. AFP

Xinjiang surveillance

Zakir was the chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China from at least 2018 to 2021, and Tuniyaz is current acting chairman.

Benin opposition New Caledonia in tense final vote on France independence leader sentenced to 20 years in jail PORTO-NOVO, Benin — Benin opposition leader Reckya Madougou was sentenced on Saturday to 20 years in prison for terrorism by a special court in the capital Porto-Novo after a brief trial that her lawyers condemned as a “political attack”.

After more than 20 hours of hearings, Madougou was found guilty of “complicity in terrorist acts” by the Economic Crime and Terrorism Court, or Criet, which on Tuesday sentenced another key opposition figure to 10 years.

Critics say the court, set up in 2016, has been used by President Patrice Talon’s regime to crack down on the opposition and pushed Benin into authoritarianism.

“This court has deliberately decided to penalise an innocent person,” Madougou said shortly before her prison sentence was announced.

“I have never been and I will never be a terrorist,” the 47-year-old former justice minister added.

“It’s a sad day for our justice system, I maintain that there is no proof,” one of her lawyers, Robert Dossou, told AFP. Madougou was one of several Benin opposition leaders banned from running in an election in April in which Talon won a second term with 86 percent of the vote.

She was arrested in the economic capital Cotonou in March — just weeks before the election — accused of financing an operation to assassinate political figures to prevent the vote, in an alleged bid to “destabilise” the country.

“Tried at 6am, without witnesses, without documents, without evidence, Recky Madougou was sentenced to 20 years in prison by three accomplices of those in power,” her France-based lawyer Antoine Vey tweeted after the sentencing.

“Her crime: to have embodied a democratic alternative to the regime of Patrice Talon.” AFP

NOUMEA, France — France’s nickel-rich Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted on Sunday in a third and final referendum on independence — with some of those wanting to break free demanding a boycott because they say the Covid pandemic is preventing a fair ballot.

Turnout was sharply down on the two previous polls, with just 27.8 percent voting by midday (0100 GMT), compared with 49.4 percent at that stage in the 2020 vote, according to the islands’ high commission.

At the Candide-Koch polling station in the capital Noumea, a short line of voters queued in the oppressive heat.

“This referendum does not make too much sense because half the population has decided not to vote,” said Cathy, a bookseller, who gave only her first name.

“I came out of civic-mindedness, what interests me is the society we are going to build afterwards,” she told AFP. The territory of about 185,000 voters,

2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) east of Australia, was granted three independence referendums under a 1988 deal aimed at easing tensions on the islands.

Having rejected a breakaway from France in 2018 and then again last year, the inhabitants are being asked one last time: “Do you want New Caledonia to accede to full sovereignty and become independent?”

At stake is one of France’s biggest overseas territories, with about 10 percent of the world’s nickel — used to make stainless steel, batteries and mobile phones — and a key strategic asset in the contest between the West and China for power in the Indo-Pacific.

“If the French safeguard disappears, all elements would be in place for China to establish itself permanently in New Caledonia,” said international relations analyst Bastien Vandendyck.

Other nations in the region, including Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, had already become “Chinese satellites”, Vandendyck told AFP.

“All China needs now to complete its pearl necklace on Australia’s doorstep is New Caledonia,” he said.

‘A mess’

Pro-independence campaigners are boycotting the vote, saying they want it postponed to September because “a fair campaign” is not possible with high coronavirus infection numbers.

“I don’t want to go and vote because I don’t agree with this final poll,” said Noumea resident Jean-Pierre Wadra.

New Caledonia’s 270,000 inhabitants were largely spared during the pandemic’s first phase, but have suffered close to 300 Covid-19 deaths since the Delta variant appeared.

The pro-independence movement has still threatened non-recognition of the referendum outcome and vowed to appeal to the United Nations to get it cancelled.

Authorities deployed 2,000 police and troops for the vote, which had passed off without incident so far, according to the high commission, although police intervened over an attempted roadblock on an outlying island. AFP

LIVERPOOL — The United States on Saturday urged Russia to pull back from the brink over Ukraine, warning that the G7 and its allies will impose tough measures if it abandons diplomacy.

A senior State Department official told reporters at a meeting of the grouping’s top diplomats in Liverpool, northwest England, that Moscow still had time to change course.

“But if they choose not to pursue that path, there will be massive consequences and severe costs in response, and the G7 is absolutely united in that,” the official said.

“A large number of democratic countries will join us in imposing costs,” they added.

The warning came as Russian saberrattling against Ukraine and how to counter an increasingly assertive China dominated the first day of a two-day meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the British city.

The meeting — at which ministers want to present a united front against authoritarianism — is the last in-person gathering of Britain’s year-long G7 presidency, before it hands the baton to Germany.

Opening the talks, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told delegates: “We need to come together strongly to stand up to aggressors who are seeking to limit the bounds of freedom and democracy.

“To do this, we need to have a fully united voice. We need to expand our economic and security posture around the world.”

Truss, in the job since September, set out her foreign policy vision in a major address on Wednesday, echoing US threats of unprecedented sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine.

Western concerns are growing over a Russian troop build-up on the border that the Kremlin says is defensive against any move by the former Soviet state eastwards towards NATO. AFP

Spain’s youngest bishop stripped of powers for marrying satanic erotica author in Nov. MADRID — Spain’s youngest bishop has been stripped of his church powers, the country’s Episcopal Conference said on Saturday, after he married a woman identified as an author of satanic erotica.

“As is publicly known, Bishop Xavier Novell Goma, Bishop Emeritus of Solsona, has contracted a civil marriage with Ms Silvia Caballol, on November 22, 2021 in the town of Suria, in the province of Barcelona,” the conference (CEE) wrote in the statement.

Any cleric attempting to get married, even if only civilly, is subject to suspension, the statement added.

The churchman will retain his title as a bishop but will not be permitted to carry out any of the roles associated with the post including “the administration of the sacra-

ments”.

“Any teaching activity, both in public and private, is prohibited,” it added.

The scandal broke in the autumn when the 52-year-old bishop’s relationship with Silvia Caballol, the author of works including “The Hell of Gabriel’s Lust”, became known publicly.

On the site of her publisher “Lacre”, the writer is described as “a dynamic and transgressive author who made her mark in the challenging world of literature upsetting our moral and ethical mores”.

Novell is now prohibited “from exercising all the rights and responsibilities inherent in LEFTY SELFIE. Left-wing groups demonstrate against the agreement the episcopal function”, said the CEE, which of Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez’s government with the IMF did not rule out “other possible consequenc- (International Monetary Fund) that seeks to refinance a debt of 44 billion dollars es”. AFP in Buenos Aires on December 11. AFP

Business

A7

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market weighs Omicron, Fed rate hike

By Jenniffer B. Austria

S

hare prices are expected to trade sideways this week due to uncertainties over the Omicron variant and a looming rate hike from the US Federal Reserve.

“We will continue to monitor developing stories on the Omricon variant as we believe that this will (impact) significantly,” Ralph Fauso, research analyst

from UTrade, an online stock trading platform of Unicapital Securities, Inc. Some analysts, however, noted that the economic recovery was gaining ground on easing mobility restrictions, a significant drop in COVID-19 cases and an increase in the vaccination rate.

The expected hike in US interest rates will also likely affect investors’ sentiments in the coming days. US inflation rate hit a 39-year high to 6.8 percent in November year-on-year amid a spike in food and fuel prices. This could prompt the Federal Reserve to begin raising its benchmark shortterm interest rate sooner and higher than previously expected.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index

is seen trading between the 7,000- and 7,300-point levels over the near term period, The PSEi posted a weekly gain of 1.9 percent to close a 7,192.17 on Friday after four weeks of decline as the Philippines remained a low-risk destination.

Except for mining and oil which declined 1.8 percent, all other sub-indices ended higher, led by services which climbed 2.9 percent, holding firms which advanced 2.5 percent, and financial which rose 2 percent.

Foreign investors were net buyers for the week by P7.9 billion, while the average daily value traded fell to P9.6 billion from previous week’s average of P14.6 billion.

Weekly top price gainers were PLDT Inc., which climbed 6.5 percent to P1,730; Wilcon Depot Inc., which increased 6.5 percent to P33; and Ayala Corp., which iadvanced 5.5 percent to P869.

Weekly top price losers were MerryMart Consumer Corp., which dropped 12.4 percent to P2.55; DoubleDragon Corp., which declined 7 percent to P7; and 2GO Group Inc., which fell 4.8 percent to P7.60.

Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks capped a strong week with a fresh record on Friday despite the latest spike in US consumer prices that has bolstered expectations the Federal Reserve will accelerate plans to lift interest rates. With AFP

Indian farmers heading home after year-long demonstration NEW DELHI, India—Thousands of Indian farmers packed their belongings and dismantled tent cities on the outskirts of Delhi Saturday as they headed home following a yearlong protest against the government’s agriculture policies.

In a rare retreat last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced and pushed through parliament the repeal of three contentious laws that farmers claimed would let private companies control the country’s agriculture sector.

Hundreds of farmers danced and celebrated the victory early Saturday as they began removing roadblocks and dismantling thousands of makeshift homes along major highways.

They lit firecrackers, hugged each other and distributed sweets as blaring loudspeakers played patriotic and revolutionary songs dedicated to the agitation.

At Singhu, one of the protest sites, long queues of lorries and tractors packed the highway heading north into their home states of Haryana and Punjab.

Farmers in India have political heft due to their sheer numbers—tens of thousands had camped out since November 2020 to protest against the laws in the biggest challenge to the Modi government since it came to power in 2014.

“We were determined to protest as long as it had taken. But all of us are happy that the government accepted our demands and we are going back to our homes,” Sativinder Singh, one of the Singhu protesters, told AFP. “It is a big day for the farmers as we can peacefully go back to our homes,” he said. AFP

RESTIVE IN ARGENTINA. Left-wing groups demonstrate against the agreement of Argentinian President Alberto Fernandez's government with the International Monetary Fund that seeks to refinance a debt of $44 billon in Buenos Aires, December 11, 2021. AFP

Young Arabs switch to fintech as investing takes off DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—Being raised in the Middle East with a lack of savings and investment culture, many young Arabs are turning to online banking services to help track their spending and budget.

When Mayar Akrameh was growing up in Lebanon, financial advice was simple: work long, work hard and aim for a high-paying job.

Now the 29-year-old management consultant is one of a growing number of young Arabs who are turning to financial technology, or “fintech,” to help them save and invest, often a neglected practice in the Middle East.

“We’re taught that if you’re working and making enough money, even if you hate your job, you’re good,” she told AFP. “Or they think we’re good.”

Akrameh moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2019 at the start of Leba-

View of 380 kV transmission towers (electricity pylons) that are not yet carrying power lines (right and left), standing next to T-shaped pylons carrying 110 kV lines (C), near Golzow, Brandenburg, on December 3, 2021. Germany is expanding its power grid to aid the transition to renewable energies, but local residents in some areas are holding up the process over concerns about wildlife. AFP

CHORIN, Germany—Germany is expanding its power grid to aid the transition to renewable energies, but local residents in some areas are holding up the process over concerns about wildlife.

“I am not saying that the energy transition is not necessary. But we don’t want these pylons,” Hartmut Lindner, 75, told AFP. Lindner has been campaigning for 15 years against a planned high-voltage power line in the Schorfheide-Chorin nature reserve, a few kilometers from Berlin.

Energy company 50Hertz is planning to install around 115 kilometers (71 miles) of new lines between the towns of Bertikow and Neuenhagen, replacing an existing network of smaller pylons.

The new network is intended to supply the region with wind energy produced in northern Germany.

But it could pose a threat to “thousands of species of birds, some of them endangered” in the nature reserve, according to Lindner, a retired teacher.

TOP GAINERS 1

DIZ

LAST PRICE 5.95

% CHANGE CHANGE 1.03 20.93%

2 3

ACEX OM

37 0.365

4.9 0.045

15.26% 14.06%

4 5 6

IPO MED PA

7.68 0.32 3.24

0.72 0.03 0.29

10.34% 10.34% 9.83%

7 8 9

APVI ALHI ALLHC

20.75 6.5 6.3

1.79 0.5 0.39

9.44% 8.33% 6.60%

10

ABG

6

0.3

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TOP LOSERS

Wildlife concerns blunt Germany’s transition to renewable energies

By Florian Cazeres

PSEi December 10, 2021

Together with several hundred local residents, Lindner started a campaign in 2008 to oppose the project.

After years of public consultations and discussions, he is unhappy about the “lack of response” from 50Hertz, which has refused to change the route of the line and began construction work earlier this year.

12,000 kilometers Lindner is one of a growing number of Germans fighting against the construction of electricity pylons near their homes, a trend that risks slowing down the transition to renewables.

The country is planning to phase out both coal and nuclear energy in the coming years, with renewables such as wind energy playing an increasingly important role in keeping the lights on.

“The problem is that wind energy is produced largely in the north, while many needs, especially industrial ones, are in the south. This electricity must therefore be transported using new networks,” Dierk Bauknecht, an expert at the Oeko-Institut research center, told AFP. AFP

non’s financial crisis, which would later see the local currency plunge to all-time lows, with many people denied free access to their savings by stringent banking controls.

The region’s economic instability, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, has spurred many to turn to online banking and financial tools.

Akrameh, who did not know how to invest and save money when she started generating income, now uses an app to track her spending.

“It’s not just about retiring; it’s about living better, having dreams, having time to breathe and reflect,” she said.

S&P Global said in a 2019 report that indicators showed Gulf Arab countries appeared the most ready for fintech adoption, with the key driver being demand and a preference by clients for digital banking.

ANNA NICOLE P. BAUTISTA

GREEN LIGHT “IT IS not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?”—Henry Davis Thoreau This is a very timely topic for me since I am currently a full-time employee and a part-time student at the same time. It is a challenge for me to manage my time for my family, friends, work, schools and myself. Having lots of commitment with only 24 hours a day seems impossible to manage. How do I fit everything? Or do I need to give up on something to give way to those that require more of my attention?

Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel, demonstrates that being successful in the business world does not mean compromising family or faith. He wrote a book on how he could balance the demands of faith, family and work through his published books–Balancing Your Family, Faith & Work, and The Juggling Act: Bringing Balance to Your Faith, Family, and Work.

He focused on sharing his six principles: Develop a personal mission statement and goals for your life He emphasizes the importance of having a personal mission statement. The mission statement comprises three elements: 1. Mission—a succinct statement on who you want to be as a person 2. Values—the principles by which you want to live, and 3. Goals—what you want to accomplish.

I made my mission statement for my 25-year life plan and created a specific goal in the different areas of my life. I made sure that these goals were aligned with my values. Also, make sure it is realistic and achievable.

Prioritize your personal time and your life Learn to find time for yourself despite being busy. As for me, I usually treat my-

The fintech sector across the Middle East is already growing, according to the Milken Institute think tank.

It estimates that 465 companies will raise more than $2 billion by 2022 compared with the 30 fintech firms that raised around $80 million in 2017.

In addition to having some of the world’s youngest populations and highest unemployment rates, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa rank among the lowest for longterm savers and investors.

Only seven percent of adults in the region save for retirement, according to the World Bank’s 2016 “Saving for Old Age” report—the lowest across global economies.

“Arabs, we took the really tough path to wealth,” said Mark Chahwan, the CEO of Sarwa, a Dubai-based automated financial consultancy firm. AFP

1

OPMB

LAST PRICE 0.011

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

EURO MB CAB BC KEEPR I CAT APC MM

1.41 0.42 56 5.1 1.4 0.86 13.2 0.229 2.55

% CHANGE CHANGE -0.001 -8.33%

-0.09 -0.025 -3 -0.27 -0.07 -0.04 -0.6 -0.009 -0.1

-6.00% -5.62% -5.08% -5.03% -4.76% -4.44% -4.35% -3.78% -3.77%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

BDO MONDE AC WLCON CNVRG ACEN URC ALLHC SGP AEV

VOLUME 4,362,450 20,271,200 358,040 8,384,400 7,311,300 20,151,300 1,651,640 33,529,800 13,311,500 3,249,110

VALUE (PHP) 538,742,088 324,043,608 310,988,715 273,042,470 239,805,060 214,312,672 214,105,078 209,034,565 187,110,360 184,675,730

I’ve got too much on my plate self every week for doing a job well done.

I recognized every accomplishment regardless of how big or small it was. On Sunday, I either do Zumba or stay in bed all day watching Netflix as part of my “me” day. I highly recommend having your own me time, as I believe it will improve your overall well-being.

Prioritize your personal relationships and your family time Make sure you have time with your family. My family’s favorite bonding time is watching movies together. Also, during holidays we always make sure that we can go somewhere and unwind.

But as simple as eating meals together and going to church every Sunday can be a great activity to spend quality time with them.

Work hard—be a great employee One of our main commitments in life is being an employee. As Proverbs 16:3 said, “Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed.” Just do your best and leave the rest to God. Have mentors in your life A mentor is someone who offers guidance, experience, wisdom for your personal development. I consider my dad and my current boss my current mentors in life. They help me grow to be great in my profession and as a person. Find a mentor who will help you to reach your full potential.

Be a clear witness We should take responsibility for the things we do. Be accountable for our decisions.

Find work-life harmony Dr. Patti Fletcher, in her February 2020 Forbes article, stated that “work-life harmony is about you. It is about your energy and where you invest it to make your life richer. Ultimately, it is about aligning your passion with your profession.” Make your commitments in life work in tune.

Mayville University shared some steps on how to find work-life harmony.

Achieving work-life harmony means reassessing how you integrate your work life into your personal life. They shouldn’t compete—they should coexist.

These steps can help you start on the path to work-life harmony.

Be Present: When working, make sure you’re fully engaged with your tasks and activities. Then, put your work responsibilities out of mind when you’re off the clock. If your work is until 5 pm then stop at 5 pm. Learn to manage your time wisely. Allot enough time for your other commitments.

Set Priorities: Establish goals and priorities for work, school, and home. This will help you focus on the tasks that give you satisfaction, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment. Ask yourself why?

Why am I taking graduate studies? What is my main goal? What do I want to achieve from this Enjoy What You Do: If you’re not already passionate about your work, find purpose in what you do and embrace it.

If you can’t, it may be time to explore alternate careers or academics. If you don’t have enough personal or family time, make changes to allow for those rewarding experiences. Ensure that you love what you are doing so you feel happy and motivated every day regardless of how hard it is.

As Eleanor Roosevelt said: “Happiness is not a goal …it is a by-product of a life well-lived.”

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, DLSU. She can be reached at anna_ nicole_bautista@dlsu.edu.ph.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

A8

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

IN BRIEF External debt still at prudent level BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said over the weekend the country’s foreign debt remained at a prudent level, with its ratio to the gross domestic product settling at 27.3 percent as of end-September 2021.

Diokno said in a statement the country’s total outstanding external debt to GDP ratio “remained one of the lowest as compared to other ASEAN member countries.”

He said EDT, expressed as a percentage of GDP, is a solvency indicator. The low EDT to GDP ratio indicates the country’s sustained strong position to service foreign borrowings in the medium to long-term, he said.

External debt reached $105.9 billion as of the third quarter, a $4.7 billion (or 4.7 percent) rise from the $101.2 billion recorded in the second quarter.

Julito G. Rada

DTI wants repeal of PSA provisions THE Trade Department called for a repeal of the blanket prohibitions of the Public Service Act that discourages foreign companies from making significant investments to the Philippines.

It made the statement amid criticism from the private sector and foreign firms that have set their eyes on investing in public utilities in the Philippines.

Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said the best way to improve services in the country would be to open up business ownership and allow greater competition.

“If you look at academic literature and even at pragmatic policymakers, if you look at their thoughts on liberalization on reform, we should have liberalized services ahead of liberalization in goods,” Rodolfo said at a recent forum hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.

Senate deliberations to amend the PSA are focusing now in terms of security considerations with respect to certain infrastructure, particularly in telecommunication. Othel V. Campos

Mober to use electric vehicles from eSakay MANILA Electric Co. subsidiary eSakay Inc. teamed up with tech-logistics firm Mober to provide sustainable delivery services in the Philippines.

Mober, which provides same-day delivery services, will start utilizing a fleet of electric cargo vans provided by eSakay—an end-to-end green mobility solutions provider and enabler.

The partnership between eSakay and Mober is part of both companies’ commitment to support the country’s transition to cleaner energy, and to promote green and sustainable transport operations.

“We are delighted to have Mober as our strategic partner in our continuing drive to propagate electric vehicles in the country. Being an innovator in their field, this conveys a strong message and a clear example that a positive impact on climate change can be realized in our local logistics industry,” said eSakay chief operating officer Jonathan Aguirr.

Raymond Ravelo, Meralco chief sustainability officer and eSakay president, said the company’s mission of enabling more and more Filipinos to enjoy the benefits of green mobility is in line with Meralco’s sustainability agenda. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business Pilipinas Shell agrees to pay P3.49-b taxes ‘under protest’

By Alena Mae S. Flores

P

ILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. said over the weekend it will remit “under protest” P3.49 billion to the Bureau of Customs, representing supposed excise and value added taxes on fuel blending components used in refinery operations from 2014 to 2020.

The country’s second biggest oil company said the BOC recognized Pilipinas Shell’s intent to pay under protest the excise tax and VAT relative to alkylate importations.

Pilipinas Shell made the statement following the demand letter issued by the Port of Batangas in view of the dissolution by the Supreme Court of the temporary restraining order it earlier issued, after the case was remanded to the Court of Tax Appeals.

Pilipinas Shell said it would remit the amount under protest, “taking into consideration the current economic challenges of the country as well as ensuring continued operations, uninterrupted imported fuel supply and welfare of our motoring public and consumers.”

“This will allow us to continue to provide to our customers and to the general public who rely on our products and mindful of the thousands of Filipinos whose livelihood depends on our ability to maintain our operations,” the company said.

Pilipinas Shell said the case on whether alkylate is subject to excise tax

remains to be decided by the courts.

The company is importing alkylate as a blending component for unleaded gasoline.

Pilipinas Shell said in an earlier disclosure that it would continue to preserve and protect its rights and remedies under the law.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a previous briefing the government was expecting to collect P41 billion from Pilipinas Shell, including a principal amount P3 billion to P4 billion which reportedly ballooned to P41 billion, including penalties and interests.

Roque said the P41-billion tax windfall could be used by the government in its fight against COVID-19.

Pilipinas Shell reported a net income of P3.4 billion in the first nine months, a turnaround from a P13.9-billion loss in the same period last year.

CASECNAN TURNOVER. Officials of Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and National Irrigation Administration attend the ceremonial turnover of the 165-megawatt Casecnan Multi-Purpose Project at the Manila Peninsula.

PSALM and NIA represent the government’s interest in the CMPP at 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively. They took control of CMPP on Dec. 11 through a designated third-party operator that won the public bidding. PSALM on Oct. 12 declared Soosan ENS Co. Ltd. as the lowest bidder during the evaluation of bids on the procurement of a one-year operation and maintenance service contract for the CMPP.

Jollibee to open stores in Scotland, Malaysia to sustain expansion

By Jenniffer B. Austria RESTAURANT chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. is venturing into two new territories next year with the opening of stores in Scotland and Malaysia.

Jollibee said in a statement the opening of homegrown restaurant brand Jollibee in new markets was part of the group’s overall strategy to accelerate global expansion and widen customer base.

The company is also set to open its 150th store in Vietnam early next year.

Vietnam is home to Jollibee’s largest store network outside the Philippines.

“We’re excited to bring the Jollibee brand to more countries around the globe-in line with our mission of serving great-

tasting food,” said Ernesto Tanmantiong, chief executive of Jollibee Group.

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, we continue to open more Jollibee stores and are glad to see the community’s support wherever we open. We look forward to bringing the joy of eating to more and more people in different parts of the world, sustaining our growth momentum as we enter 2022.”

Jollibee’s first store in Malaysia will be located in Sunway Pyramid Mall in Kuala Lumpur.

Together with its joint venture partner, the fast-food giant said it planned to have 120 Jollibee stores in Malaysia within the next ten years.

Scotland is part of the four countries

that make up the United Kingdom and is the second-largest in terms of population with over 5 million people.

“We can’t wait to serve Jollibee’s Chickenjoy and other favorites in Scotland, Malaysia and Vietnam, and we look forward to opening more restaurants there in 2022 and beyond,” said Dennis Flores, [resident of Jollibee Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Jollibee operates in 34 countries, with over 5,800 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People’s Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and India.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, December 10, 2021 -42.75 PTS. 7,192.17

TOTAL VOLUME

3,566,198,232

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE

85,842 15,525,422,303.48

ADVANCES DECLINES

99 103

UNCHANGED

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F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2021

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

50.2770

Japan

Yen

0.008815

0.4432

UK

Pound

1.322300

66.4813

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128256

6.4483

Switzerland

Franc

1.083189

54.4595

Canada

Dollar

0.786596

39.5477

Singapore

Dollar

0.732923

36.8492

Australia

Dollar

0.714900

35.9430

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

133.3643

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266574

13.4025

Brunei

Dollar

0.730247

36.7146

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.029878

1.5022

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

13.6894

Euro

Euro

1.129400

56.7828

Korea

Won

0.000849

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.156794

7.8831

India

Rupee

0.013230

0.6652

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237248

11.9281

New Zealand

Dollar

0.679300

34.1532

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036056

1.8128 Source: BSP

DOE issues revised rules on auction of green energy The Department of Energy released the revised Green Energy Auction Program guidelines that will pave the way for the bidding of an initial 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy supply.

“The GEAP is a new market development support program introduced by the DOE to promote renewable energy as one of the country’s primary sources of energy through the transparent and competitive selection of RE facilities. This supports the government’s goal of attaining energy security through the entry of new capacities in the grid,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said over the weekend.

“The GEAP likewise assists the mandated participants of the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) in complying with their prescribed minimum RPS requirements,” Cusi said.

Department circular no. 2021-110036 provides for the revised guidelines for the GEAP, which refers to the competitive process of procuring renewable energy supply.

It will be conducted for new and existing RE capacities duly registered with the DOE, provided the facilities have no purchase power agreement with distribution utilities or other offtakes at the time of the agreed delivery date.

The DOE said the GEAP is one of the best ways to accelerate the development of renewable energy, promotes its applications and encourage private sector participation and investment in RE. All qualified bidders will place their bid capacity and price offer through the electronic bidding platform operated by the DOE. The GEA committee will rank the offers from the lowest to the highest bid price. The DOE, through the committee, will declare the wining bidders.

The updated guidelines adopt certain mechanisms under the feedin-tariff, such as central dispatch, to be sold tthrough the Wholesale Electricity Spot Marketas priority dispatch. Alena Mae S. Flores

Two medical doctors express support for Senate bill regulating e-cigs, HTPs TWO Filipino medical doctors commended the Senate and the House of Representatives for legislating a bill to regulate the use of vaporized nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which were scientifically found to be less harmful alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

Cardiologist Rafael Castillo and occupational medicine specialist Dr. Lorenzo Mata expressed their support for the bill on non-combustible alternatives to cigarettes, which aim to regulate nicotine products and have ample provisions to protect minors.

The House of Representatives earlier approved House Bill 9007, while the Senate is still tackling Senate Bill 2239, which recognizes e-cigarettes and HTPs as less harmful to cigarettes. The Senate version dedicated a third of its provisions to ensure that minors will not have access to non-combustible alternatives and that only 18 years old and above are allowed to purchase and use them, the same age restriction imposed on cigarettes.

Castillo said that “Senate Bill No. 2239 and House

Bill No. 9007, which aim to regulate nicotine products, should provide the needed controls, but they should not be more stringent than what is currently imposed on conventional cigarette products, or else the enacted laws could be self-defeating and may make inaccessible the pragmatic middle ground.”

Castillo, a fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine College of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology, is among the medical professionals who conducted the first local scientific study that concluded HTPs contain less harmful chemicals than cigarettes.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lorenzo Mata, president of the advocacy group Quit For Good and an occupational medicine specialist for over 35 years, said his group envisions a regulatory framework that incorporates harm reduction measures.

He said regulations for non-combustible alternatives should be “less restrictive than a combustible cigarette and supportive of reasonable accessibility while curbing unintended use of non-smokers and minors.”

SITEL WORK MODEL. Sitel Group, one of the largest global providers of customer experience products and solutions, is represented by Ravi Iyengar (second row, left), chief operating officer of Sitel Philippines, Australia and New Zealand, at the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines’ annual conference. The event focused on how the workplace is evolving to meet the challenges of the new normal. Also sharing best practices in new work models are (from top left) Fatima Gomez-Farigua, lead of workplace services at MillerKnoll; Sanjiv Gupta, president and country leader of IBM Philippines; and Samir Kumar, executive general manager of QBE Insurance.

PSE approves P8-b stock rights offering of DITO CME; Figaro Coffee postpones IPO to January 2022 THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the P8-billion stock rights offering of DITO CME Holdings Corp., the parent firm of DITO Telecommunity.

DITO CME, based on the offer terms approved by the PSE, will sell up to 1.639 billion common shares at an price of P4.88 to P6.88 apiece. The share price of DITO CME on Friday closed at P6.23.

Udenna Corp., the majority shareholder of DITO CME, will not participate in the first and second rounds of the rights offering to provide maximum availability of rights to minority shareholders.

The final price for rights offering will be set on Dec. 17, while the offering period will scheduled be from Dec. 27 to Jan. 18.

The offered shares will be listed on the stock exchange on Jan. 26, 2022.

The company will use the net proceeds from the offering amounting to P6.45 billion to infuse additional capital into Dito Telecommunity top fund capital expenditures to support its continued commercial rollout.

Meanwhile, coffee chain Figaro Coffee Group Inc. moved its planned P1.77billion initial public offering to January next year.

Figaro’s underwriters said in a let-

ter to the stock exchange they decided to delay the initial public offering, “in deference to the upcoming holiday season, specifically to ensure the timely completion of the documentary requirements of the investing public for the offer,” Based on the revised timetable, the pricing date of the Figaro’s IPO was changed from Dec. 10 to Dec. 22. The offer Period will be from Jan. 10 to 14,

2022 instead of the original schedule of Dec. 16 to 22, 2021 Listing will be on Jan. 24, 2022, instead of the originally planned Dec. 31, 2021.

Several equity deals are also happening in December, including the IPO of Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp., the preferred shares offering of EEI Corp. and the stock rights offering of Philippine Estates Corp. Jennifer Austria

Hall hails PH Azkals’ ‘fantastic’ 7-0 victory THIS time around, the Philippine Azkals national men’s football team’s game-plan worked.

Scoring six quick goals in the first half, the Azkals went on to pull off a 7-0 smashing of Timor Leste on Saturday evening at the National Stadium in Singapore.

“Get in front early because I want to use substitutions. Credit to the players, fantastic. We moved quickly,” said acting Azkals’ coach Stewart Hall after the team was done with their second game in Group of the 2020 ASEAN Football Federation-Suzuki Cup. The Azkals ended up claiming their biggest win since joining the Suzuki Cup. The Philippines, which scored its highest score with 4-0 win over Indonesia back in the 2014, has remained on track for a semifinal berth in Group A. Long-time team member Martin Steuble opened up scoring for the Azkals, striking from outside the box in the 21st minute.

After that, Amin Nazari sank his second goal from close range in the 31st minute.

“We played with two strikers and got the results. We achieved all of our objectives so that was a good win for us,” said Hall in a postgame virtual huddle.

Thailand joined Singapore in the lead, posting their second straight victory with a 4-0 rout of Myanmar.

Later in the first half, another veteran in Angel Guirado headed in the ball in the 35th minute, before Patrick Reichelt struck in the 40th minute for the Azkals’ fourth goal.

Jesper Nyholm, who was unmarked at the far post, headed the ball into the net in the 45th minute.

Naturalized player Bienvenido Maranon added to the Azkals’ effort in the one-minute added time of the first half, with a close-range attack.

The Thais will meet the Azkals on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

“We go forward in good spirit.

Thailand will be a different game,” added Hall.

Peter Atencio

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

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Donaire defends world title with body shot KO of Gaballo

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OS ANGELES—onito Donaire showed that age is a just a number, knocking Reymart Gaballo out in the fourth round with a thunderous body shot to retain his World Boxing Council bantamweight title on Saturday.

The veteran and ageless wonder Donaire continues to impress at 39 despite being counted out several times by boxing critics before the Philippine boxer moved back to the 118-pound division.

Donaire landed a vicious left hook to the body of Gaballo that sent the 25-yearold opponent down late in the fourth round at Dignity Health Sports Park in south central Los Angeles.

Gaballo remained on his right knee for several seconds before trying to get up.

He rose partially but slumped back down again, grimacing as the referee officially stopped the fight at 2:59 of the round.

“I have no mercy,” Donaire said. “He didn’t expect the left hook to the body. I had to set it up. That was a very tremendous punch.”

Donaire was fighting a Philippine compatriot for the first time since 2002. A likeable fighter outside the ring, Donaire showed his human side by putting his arm around Gaballo and telling him to not be discouraged after suffering just the first loss of his rising boxing career.

“I told him ‘don’t be down’. I told him ‘I was having trouble figuring you out,’” said Donaire, who improved to 42-6, 28 KOs.

Donaire is now the face of Philippine boxing after the retirement of Manny Pacquiao, and his overpowering performance against Gaballo (24-1, 20 KOs) is another example of his late-career run.

This was his first defence of the WBC title that he won six months ago with another sensational fourth round knockout of Nordine Oubaali to become

the oldest world champion ever at 118 pounds. Donaire dropped Oubaali three times, knocking him out with a left hand.

Like Pacquiao, Donaire lived in General Santos City, Philippines, until he was six and attended the same school as PacMan. He moved to the United States at age 11 when he gained citizenship through family connections. Donaire’s amateur record of 68-8 includes winning three US national championships.

Many believed Donaire was done when he lost by unanimous decisions to Jessie Magdaleno at 122 pounds in 2016 and to Carl Frampton at 126 pounds in April 2018.

In answer, Donaire rejuvenated his career by moving back down to 118

Nonito Donaire watches as Reymart Gaballo reacts to a body shot resulting in a third round knockout win for the WBC World Bantamweight Championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. AFP

pounds, which seems to suit him just fine. He has now won four fights at 118 and gave Japanese champion Naoya Inoue all he could handle in 2019 before losing by a decision.

“I have been in this game a long time.

We are going for the unified champion of the world,” he said.

Lomachenko overpowers Commey In New York, Vasiliy Lomachenko overpowered Richard Commey with a dominant showing, scoring a knockdown in the seventh round on the way to a unanimous decision in the non-title lightweight fight at Madison Square Garden.

The former unified lightweight champion Lomachenko, of the Ukraine, had little trouble with Commey landing punches at will including combinations of eight punches in a row.

Two judges scored it 119-108 while the third had it 117-110.

Lomachenko had Commey out on his feet in the seventh round after a knockdown that came off a short right hand.

As Commey wobbled around the ring, Lomachenko stopped throwing punches, looked over at his opponent’s corner and asked the trainers if they wanted to stop the bout.

Commey somehow survived the round and made it to the final bell but he had to absorb an onslaught of rights and lefts to the head to survive. AFP

Ando settles for 5th in world tourney CEBUANA Olympian Elreen Ando, now competing in a lower weight category, still finished decently in the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships on Saturday at the Uzbekistan Sports Complex in Tashkent.

Now seeing action in the women’s 59-kg class, Ando settled for fifth place out of 27 participants.

Ando, who went down in weight from the 64-kg category when she took part in the Tokyo Olympics, tallied a total of 214 kgs.

She started off by easily lifting 93 kgs in the snatch, before concluding her bid at 98 kgs.

Then, the 23-year-old Ando took three attempts before she was finally able to lift 116 kgs in the clean and jerk.

Reigning world champion and world record holder Kuo HsingChun of Chinese Taipei took two gold medals and a silver in her three events.

Kuo had a total of 230 kgs, following a silver medal off her 100-kg lift

in the snatch and a golden-medal take of 130 in the clean and jerk.

Colombia’s Yenny Alvarez bagged the total silver with 226 kgs, while Olga Te of Russia completed the podium with 218 kg.

Meanwhile, Dave Pacaldo settled for 17th place in the men’s 67 kgs, with Doston Yokubov of Uzbekistan claiming the gold, and Francisco Mosquera (Colombia) and Zulfat Garaev (Russia) taking the silver and the bronze, respectively. Peter Atencio

Elreen Ando

Malixi to anchor amateurs’ drive at ICTSI Midlands

Rianne Malixi

RIANNE Malixi hopes to provide a stiff challenge to a slew of pros bracing for a fierce showdown in the ICTSI Midlands Classic unfolding tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 14) with the top amateur seeking no less than a podium finish in the season-ending event of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The 14-year-old rising star is coming off a series of stints in the US and elsewhere, including a pro tournament in Florida, making her A-ready to slug it out with the likes of Harmie Constantino, Sunshine Baraquiel, Chanelle Avaricio and Daniella Uy for a crack at a first pro crown on a course that changes in character in every swirl of the wind.

Malixi, the 2020 national stroke play champion who scored a wire-to-wire tri-

umph in the Se Ri Pak Desert Junior of the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association), reached the Round of 32 in the US Girls’ Junior and made it to the Last 16 in the US Women’s Amateur.

She also placed joint 23rd in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Abu Dhabi, put up a Top 10 finish in the Rolex Tournament of Champions and reached the quarters of the PXG Women’s Match Play of the Women’s All Pro Tour (WAPT).

Malixi is also tipped to dominate the battle for low amateur trophy in the absence of Mafy Singson, who swept the last four titles but opted to skip the season-finale to take the holiday break in Davao, and Eagle Ridge-Norman leg winner Arnie

Taguines, who is indisposed.

But Eagle Ridge-Aoki top amateur Laurea Duque and Keena Puzon are also in the fold, who like Malixi, are both primed up to make a run at the overall championship in the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and held under the bubble setup.

But the pros are ready and equally determined to impose their class with Constantino seeking to make it three in a maiden pro campaign after sweeping the Eagle Ridge-Aoki legs, besting multi-titled Princess Superal by two last March and thwarting Singson by one last month.

Baraquiel, Avaricio and Uy are also going flat out for a stab at a second championship after scoring a break-

through at Highlands, Riviera Couples and Riviera Langer, respectively, while Marvi Monsalve, Florence Bisera, Pamela Mariano and Apple Fudolin seek to join the roster of first-time winners in the circuit put up by ICTSI. Spicing up the cast are former leg winner Sarah Ababa, Lovelyn Guioguio, Eva Miñoza, Shery Villasensio and Korean rookie pro Jane Jeong.

The Midlands Classic wraps up the eight-leg circuit in the extended pandemic-hit season that had two stoppages due to the spike of coronavirus cases in NCR Plus last March and July. It resumed last month with a five-leg swing with the first four producing different winners and Malixi and her fellow amateurs eyeing to grab the spotlight in the final leg.

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Sports

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

Quizon boosts hold on PH chessfest lead DANIEL Quizon grounded fellow International Master Michael Concio, Jr. in 39 moves of a Benko Gambit on Sunday to solidify his grip on the solo lead after six rounds of the 2021 Philippine National Chess Championship at the Solea Hotel and Resort in Mactan, Cebu.

It was the 17-year-old Quizon’s sixth straight victory that kept him well entrenched at the top with six points, or a full two points ahead of closest pursuers IMs Ronald Dableo and Ricky de Guzman.

The 42-year-old Dableo, rated just 2407 but could clinch the GM title if he reaches the 2500-rating plateau, stopped de Guzman in 62 moves of a King’s Indian Defense to catch up on the latter at No. 2 with four points apiece.

Quizon, a Southeast Asian Games and World Cup veteran, was attempting to put more separation as he was clashing with de Guzman in the seventh round being played at press time.

Quizon won the battle between the tournament’s two youngest participants by seizing a pawn advantage in the opening that he converted into an unstoppable central pawn storm.

The recent result pushed Quizon closer to claiming the top purse worth P80,000 and a spot to the national team seeing action in next year’s Hanoi Southeast Asian Games and the 2023 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok and Chonburi, Thailand.

A triumph in this event backed by PSC chair Butch Ramirez, NCFP chief Butch Pichay, POC head Bambol Tolentino, PCSO general manager Royina Garma, Chess Movement, Inc. chair Dr. Ariel Potot and Atty. Roel Canobas should also give Quizon confidence as he resumes his Grandmaster title quest.

At joint fourth with 3.5 points apiece were IMs Paulo Bersamina and Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who agreed to a quick draw.

With three points each were IMs John Marvin Miciano, who smashed Allan Pason in 48 moves of a Caro-kann Defense, and Joel Pimentel, who bested Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna in 61 moves of a Gruenfeld Defense.

The only other result of the round saw GMs Joey Antonio and Darwin Laylo splitting the point in 31 moves of a Petroff Defense.

Basilan quintet survives Bicol; Iloilo 5 prevails

San Miguel Beer import Brandon Brown (center) beats NorthPort's Robert Bolick to the rebound as Batang Pier Arwind Santos looks on in a PBA Governors' Cup game at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City.

SMBeermen turn back importless Batang Pier

By Peter Atencio

T

HE San Miguel Beermen fought to sustain the gains they had early.

But a late scare in the fourth period provided lessons for the Beermen as they needed to turn back importless NorthPort Batang Pier, 91-88, Sunday night at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.

With Robert Bolick and Jamie Malonzo leading a late rally, the Beermen banked on the timely plays of import Brandon Brown, JuneMar Fajardo and CJ Perez in the remaining three minutes.

The Beermen, who squandered a 27-point lead, tried their best to preserve a six-point edge in the final minute after Brown sank two free throws, 91-85.

Perez managed to keep Batang Pier

from connecting with a final shot and this carried the Beermen to their first win in three outings.

But not after Malonzo split his charity shot and Bolick shot two freebies the last 27 seconds as Batang Pier threatened to within 88-91 A rebound play from Perez off Malonzo’s miss with a second left, however, kept the Batang Pier from making a decent follow up shot.

“After two straight losses, it’s a

wakeup call for us. After my talks with them, they responded in the first three quarters. Pero nandoon pa rin, nagre-relax sa dulo,” said Beermen coach Leo Austria.

SMB took advantage of the absence of injured NorthPort import Cameron Forte and went on to coast to a 26-9 lead in the first period, with Brown firing 12 points.

They took a 49-31 lead at halftime, led by Brown, who finished the second period with seven points.

Brown led SMB with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, while Fajardo and Perez each made 15 points.

Marcio Lassiter his 12 markers, as Vic Manuel scored 10.

Bolick banged in 24 points for the Batang Pier, while the newly acquired Arwind Santos, playing against the team he used to play with (Beermen), tallied 23. Malonzo eked out 22.

JUMBO Plastics Basilan survived the Bicol Volcanoes’ second-quarter explosion and tallied a 70-65 victory to cap the 5-game inaugurals of the Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Invitational powered by TM on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Michael Juico provided the firepower while Jay Collado delivered at clutch time to lift Basilan to the top with early winners Iloilo United Royals, San Juan Knights, All-Star Bacolod Ballers and Imus Bandera Luxxe Slim.

Iloilo subdued Negros Muscovados, 83-77, San Juan routed Valebzuela Carga Backload Solutions, 97-64, Bacolod edged Bacoor Strikers, 7371, while Imus trounced the Bulacan Kuyas, 75-65.

It was the Basilan-Bicol encounter, however, which drew attention as both teams were listed among the favorites to rule the tournament signaling the return of fans to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League after a 2-year absence due to COVID-19.

Juico poured 24 points, 9 in the last 7 minutes, while Collado added 15 as Basilan shook off the hot-shooting of Dennis Santos and the barreling drives of Mark Tallo to thwart Bicol.

Santos drilled in 2 triples as Bicol, which zoomed ahead at 26-11, regained the lead at 57-53 early in the fourth quarter.

Juico and Collado conspired to push Basilan ahead, 61-57, before Tallo clustered 6 points and put Bicol ahead.

The Volcanoes led for the last time at 65-64 on 2 free throws by Ralph Tansingco but went silent in the last 1 minute and 37 seconds while allowing Basilan to close with 6 more points.

“It was a hard-fought game from start to finish,” said Basilan coach Jerson Cabiltes. “I just told the boys not to give up to stay with our system and to keep the pressure on. And it paid off in the end.”

Like Basilan, it took a while for Imus to warm up as it trailed Bulacan, 18-22.

Once homegrown Ian Melencio and starters Jhaymo Equilos, Adrian Santos and Moncrief Rogado, and veteran Leo Najorda found their rhythm, however, Imus pulled away at 56-36.

Top PH rower Caballero retires from national team to focus on naval career MELCAH Jen Caballero won’t be around to defend her two gold medals in rowing at the Hanoi 31st Southeast Asian Games in May 2022 after she preferred to retire from the national team to focus on her career at the Philippine Navy.

The 25-year-old Caballero, a Seaman Second Class, won gold medals in women’s lightweight single sculls and doubles sculls with Joanie Delgaco at the 2019 30th SEA Games in Subic.

“Every stroke opened different chapters of my life to which I can say that I have now reached

the shore,” Caballero wrote in her resignation letter to Philippine Rowing Association President Patrick “Pato” Gregorio. “Just like the old saying goes, ‘every beginning has its end,’ I have finally reached the end of the tunnel and would like to pursue the other story of my career.”

She said the decision to retire at peak of her athletic career was a difficult decision to make.

“I concluded that now is the right time for me to focus on my naval career advancement and to take the chance to apply as a military officer,”

she said. “By this, I would like to inform you [Gregorio] of my intention to retire as an athlete of the Philippine Rowing Association effective December 1, 2021.”

The PRA accepted her retirement with a heavy heart. Caballero is a cinch to repeat as gold medalists in both events in Hanoi and could be a medal potential in Huangzhou.

“If your decision is final, then I can only wish you the best in all your future endeavors,” Gregorio said.

Gregorio said Caballero’s skills and talents are well recognized and appreciated by the association.

“She is welcome to return if she changes her mind to compete for the next year’s SEA Games and Asian Games,” he said.

Philippine rowing took the Olympic spotlight after Cris Nievarez competed in men’s singles sculls last July in Tokyo where he broke his personal record that made him a potential returnee in Paris 2024.

‘Monster’ Inoue: Japan’s unbeaten boxer with dynamite in his fists TOKYO—Naoya Inoue’s nickname is “Monster” and with good reason -he is regarded as one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters and has won all his 21 bouts, 18 by knockout.

The reigning WBA and IBF bantamweight world champion made his Las Vegas debut last year with a typically devastating knockout win and fights back home in Japan for the first time in two years on Tuesday.

Thailand’s Aran Dipaen is expected to pose few problems at a sumo hall in Tokyo for the ferocious-punching 28-year-old Inoue, who has set his sights on unifying all four major bantamweight belts next year.

“I want to win in a way that completely exceeds expectations,” Inoue said ahead of the fight with Dipaen, the IBF’s sixth-ranked challenger, who has a 12-2 record with 11 knockouts.

“I don’t want to let him touch me. I don’t want to let him even graze me.”

Inoue, who comes from a boxing family, burst on to the scene as an amateur and has blitzed his way through opponents since turning professional in 2012.

Although he is a star in Japan, his limited exposure in the US means he is still something of an enigma overseas.

After knocking out Australia’s Jason Moloney in the seventh round

Naoya Inoue of Japan celebrates his win over Nonito Donaire of Philippines after their World Boxing Super Series bantamweight final at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama. Naoya Inoue who is nicknamed as “Monster” and regarded as one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound fighters and has won all his 21 bouts, 18 by knockout, will fight at home in Japan to defend his title on December 14. AFP

of an eye-catching Las Vegas debut in October 2020, he returned there in June this year to dispatch Michael Dasmarinas of the Philippines inside three rounds, again by KO. ‘Generational talent’ Veteran American promoter Bob Arum—who signed Inoue to his Top Rank stable to fight in the US—had

no doubts the Japanese fighter is set for global stardom.

“Naoya Inoue is a generational talent, the sort of fighter who comes around once a decade,” said Arum— who has worked with greats from Muhammad Ali to Manny Pacquiao in a legendary career spanning half a century.

“He will be a major star stateside in no time. You are looking at an alltime great who is entering the prime of what will be a historic career.”

Inoue took up boxing at an early age.

His father Shingo is a former amateur while his younger brother Takuma is a fellow professional with a 15-1 win-loss record and has held the WBC interim bantamweight title.

Naoya Inoue started his career at light f lyweight, capturing the WBC crown in only his sixth professional fight.

He vacated the title to challenge Argentine WBO super flyweight champion Omar Narvaez, and knocked him out in the second round.

Inoue moved up to bantamweight and claimed the WBA belt in his first title fight, before winning the World Boxing Super Series in November 2019.

His epic final victory over Filipino veteran four-weight world champion Nonito Donaire in a brutal contest was voted fight of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

It was the first time Inoue had been seriously tested in his professional career.

He suffered a fractured right eye socket and double vision early in the fight before battling back to floor Donaire in the 11th round and seal a unanimous points win.

Quiet perfectionist Dipaen is unlikely to give him a similar workout in Tokyo, but stronger challenges lie ahead as Inoue eyes a bout against another Filipino, WBO champion John Riel Casimero, next year.

Inoue is a perfectionist who regularly proclaims himself unsatisfied with his performances, even after blowing opponents away.

He might be a “monster” in the ring, but Inoue is quiet and mildmannered away from boxing. He married his childhood sweetheart and has three children.

Inoue has ambitions of a move up in weight class once he has finished steamrolling the bantamweight division.

Inoue’s focus remains solely on a successful defence of his WBA and IBF belts on Tuesday.

“There are lots of expectations on me for this fight, but if I get caught up in the atmosphere, where everyone wants me to knock him out early, I won’t actually be able to box,” local media quoted him as saying of the Dipaen contest.

Whatever lies ahead, should he win as expected, Inoue will continue to do it his way.

“I want to approach each match the same, regardless of who my opponent is,” he said. “You have to keep a cool head.” AFP

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

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‘24 Oras’ is Asia Pacific's best news program THE 2021 Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA’s) has named GMA’s 24 Oras Grand Final Winner in the Best News Program category besting entries from 16 Asian countries and territories.

The network’s flagship newscast was recognized for its Special Coverage of Typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) that struck Luzon in November 2020.

Amid the combined perils of cyclones and the pandemic, GMA news teams bravely went to severely hit areas. 24 Oras reported on families — among them young children — trapped on their rooftops. The news teams served as the lifeline to authorities for many who needed rescue and other assistance.

GMA Senior Vice President for News ‘24 Oras’ anchors Vicky Morales, Mike Enriquez, and Mel Tiangco

Daniel Craig’s last James Bond outing ‘No Time To Die’ hits local theaters

‘No Time to Die’ marks Daniel Craig’s final performance as James Bond.

BIG-SCREEN action experience comes back in cinemas on Dec. 15 when No Time to Die finally opens in the Philippines nationwide.

Brimming with spectacular stunts and breathtaking scenes from different locations around the globe, No Time To Die is filmed for and meant to be experienced on the big screen.

The film also marks Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond and for the film, Craig always tries to put as much of himself on screen as possible when filming his action scenes.

“Because Daniel does the stunts himself, he has huge input into how they are designed and created,” producer Barbara Broccoli

confirms.

Craig’s willingness to put his body on the line adds much to his character, says Broccoli. “Thanks to Daniel, you really believe that Bond is in peril or that he can get hurt,” she says. “He does get hurt and he feels it.”

Behind the film’s stunts are Olivier Schneider and Lee Morrison along with special effects supervisor Chris Corbould whose works from previous to the latest Bond films contributed a colossal effect on the success of the franchise worldwide.

“What was so important to us was that this film be shown in the cinemas because it has this beautiful landscape… It’s a visual feast in the way it’s been designed and shot.

We’re just so thrilled we were able to open in cinemas,” said producer Brocolli from Deadline’s Contenders Film in New York.

‘Sleep With Me’ is Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe’s first project together.

I

N A virtual event livestreamed on Friday (Dec.10), ABS-CBN’s over-the-top content platform, iWantTFC, has unveiled its lineup of upcoming originals for 2022, including He’s Into Her season two, Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe’s queer romance, and Angelica Panganiban’s series about moving on.

The cast of ‘Caught In the Act’

reality that apps now are part and parcel of our lives makes work easier for all. Some apps have become the means for the society to exchange views and opinions, most of all, communicate.”

Ground number three is the improvement in the direction and writing of Escaño.

Whatever were his “faults” and “sins” in his first two films, Ang Gurong Di Marunong Magbasa and Ang Sikreto ng Piso, one can see that in this new movie, the marked improvement are most evident – the narrative is clearer, the events that happened on the screen are not contrived, and he was able to capitalize effectively the youthful energy and vibe, and the camaraderie of the millennial cast to the hilt.

Still, in his future film outputs, it is hoped that he brings to the screen stories that are close to his heart, understands the ins and outs of the entertaining fare. There were moments in the movie that were too talkative and some, even kind of preachy, especially the easy-to-spot commentaries on popular culture and politics. Read full story on manilastandard.net

bravery and survival, and the will to surmount hardships brought about by calamities, and the series of typhoons that hit the Philippines every year,” shared Tiangco in her acceptance speech on behalf of 24 Oras and GMA Network.

24 Oras remains the country’s leading primetime newscast as it continues to deliver news and information to viewers and netizens through the coverage of GMA News and GMA Regional TV’s stable of reporters.

Joining Tiangco, Enriquez, and Morales are Kim “Kuya Kim” Atienza, Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz, and Iya Villana-Arellano.

Held annually, the AAA’s recognizes the excellence of programs and personalities that represent and promote Asian content and creativity.

iWantTFC unwraps explosive titles for 2022

Lashana Lynch and Daniel Craig

Five reasons why TEN days before, we all blurted out “It’s Christmas time and time for a carol, time to sing about the little King,” and 21 months after the closure of Philippine cinemas because of the pandemic, Manila’s silver screens brim with the power of electric youth of Caught In the Act. Written and directed by Perry Escaño, produced by MPJ Entertainment Productions and Golden Brilliance, the movie makes Pinoy pop culture history as the first motion picture to be shown in cinemas with a 50 percent audience capacity.

It premieres on Dec. 15, rated Parental Guidance by the MTRCB. This historical feat is the first reason why you should take a chance and shell out money to support this comedy, mystery-crime adventure.

Numero dos comes from its screenplay writer and the cinematic captain, director Escaño.

“The depiction of how talented Filipinos are when it comes to invention and creation of advanced technology. It also promotes good Filipino traits like not giving up on trials and adversities in life,” he said.

“Majority of the millennial generation are on social media. The

and Public Affairs Marissa L. Flores expressed her gratitude to the Asian Academy Creative Awards for the recognition.

“This is another testament to Filipino excellence. I am particularly proud of my team for fulfilling GMA’s commitment to Serbisyong Totoo no matter the circumstance and situation,” said Flores.

“The stories of the everyday Filipinos will always be our motivation. We share this recognition with every Filipino.

We thank you for giving GMA News the honor and privilege to serve,” she added.

24 Oras anchors Mel Tiangco, Mike Enriquez, and Vicky Morales likewise dedicated the award to the Filipino people.

“It is our honor to tell the stories of Filipino resiliency, vigor, and heart, of

The romance continues in the second season of He’s Into Her, where Max and Deib (Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan) face the joys and challenges of being in a new relationship.

A teen barkada learns about life and love in Tara G!

'He’s Into Her’ stars Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan

starring Daniella Stranner, Anthony Jennings, Kaori, Vivoree, JC Alcantara, Zach Castaneda, and CJ Salonga, who travel through various destinations and learn lessons about life and love as they navigate their way to adulthood.

Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe will be teaming up in their first project together, Sleep With Me, an inter-abled queer female romance between a wheelchair-bound radio DJ and a girl who suffers from a sleep disorder.

Angelica Panganiban headlines the miniseries The Goodbye Girl, based on the book of the same name by bestselling author Noreen Capili, which profiles the different types of “goodbye girls” and their ways of moving on from a heartbreak. Its superstar cast is composed of real-life sweethearts Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte, Maris Racal and Rico Blanco, as well as Barbie Imperial, Elisse Joson, JC De Vera, RK Bagatsing, Turs Daza, and Joshua Colet.

Click Like Share’s third season, which will star Belle, Elmo Magalona, Jane Oineza, JC Alcantara, Jerome Canlas, and Vivoree, will continue to promote responsible social media use while highlighting forgiveness, kindness, and contentment.

For the first time ever, Francine Diaz will be paired with three leading men – BGYO’s Akira Morishita and The Squad Plus’ Ashton Salvador and KD Estrada – in Bola Bola, where she plays an overweight high school student who cooks her way to her crush’s heart. Squadmates Analain Salvador and Danica Ontengco will also be seen in the series, an adaptation of Anna Geronga’s best-selling book.

Sylvia Sanchez and Ria Atayde’s momdaughter tandem shines in iWantTFC’s Mother’s Day offering, Mrs. Piggy, about a self-made woman who has devoted her life to providing for her family that she practically missed out on her kids growing up.

These seven originals comprise the first batch of originals coming to iWantTFC in 2022, with more in the pipeline.

The event also featured a live production number from DonBelle, as well as the trailers for F4 Thailand, which will stream for free beginning Dec. 18, and ABS-CBN shows such as KathNiel’s Good 2 be True Darna: The TV Series, The Broken Marriage Vow, and Love in 40 Days, which will be seen in advance on iWantTFC. Soon, iWantTFC will also stream Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether The Weather Is Fine), which stars Charo Santos and Daniel Padilla and narrates a mother and her son’s struggle for survival in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda. The film, which is co-produced by iWantTFC, premiered in Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and is competing at this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

For more information, visit https://iwanttfc.com/help#tfc-onsmart-tv.

The cast of ‘Bola Bola’ led by Francine Diaz with ABS-CBN COO of broadcast Cory Vidanes (third from left) and head of digital Jamie Lopez (fourth from left).

Angeline Quinto is five months pregnant IN AN exclusive interview with Boy Despite confirming her pregnancy, father is a few years younger than her, Abunda’s The Purple Chair on Dec. Angeline remains tight-lipped on the and that he has kids from a previous 10, singer Angeline Quinto confirmed identity of her non-showbiz boyfriend relationship. that she’s five months pregnant with her whom she’s been with for more than a Angeline learned about her pregnancy non-showbiz boyfriend. year now noting that her romantic life in September and was in complete In the interview, which now has is something that she wants to keep shock. She said she didn’t know how to been viewed more than 1.5 million private. read pregnancy tests. times on YouTube, the popular host “Natakot ako [nung] una kasi sa totoo Throughout the 35-minute asked the 32-year-old singer-actress interview, Angeline shared that the lang, hindi ko nga alam tingnan yung about her Instagram post “New positive at negative sa pregnancy Life, Chapter One” back in test. Tas nung ni-research ko, November. dalawang [linya] nga pala yung “Kaya ko na-post iyon dahil positive,” she recounted. kay Mama Bob (I posted that Angeline's admittance came just because of Mama Bob),” weeks after speculations of her Angeline said, referring to the being pregnant circulated on social first death anniversary of her media and while she’s celebrating adoptive mother, Sylvia Quinto. her 10th year in showbiz.

“At pangalawa po kasi Angeline recently headlined her magiging nanay na rin ako own show at the ongoing Expo (And also because I’m going to 2020 in Dubai, UAE. The concert become a mother myself),” she is part of the many musical shows carried on disclosing that she’s Caption: Angeline Quinto talks about her pregnancy in an exclusive and concerts in the six-monthdue April 2022. long event. Nickie Wang interview with Boy Abunda.

Life

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

B4

FOOD AND TRAVEL

MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2021

Painting the skies yellow CEBU Pacific (CEB is prepared to meet higher travel demand in 2022 with the addition of six new aircraft to its f leet.

This year, the leading airline is confident that the aviation and tourism industries are on their way to further recovery after the pandemic lockdowns grounded various business sectors.

CEB is receiving a total of six aircraft in 2021: two A321neo (new engine option), one A320neo, two A330neo, and one ATR 72-600.

The airline received on Nov. 28 its first A330neo, which paves the way for it to become the greenest airline in Asia.

The airline’s newest aircraft features 459 lightweight Recaro seats that allow more travelers to be carried in a single f light, resulting in lowest carbon footprint per passen-

ger, making CEB the greenest airline in Asia.

With the A330neo’s latest technologies, this eco-plane consumes 25 percent less fuel than previous generation aircraft and is eco-efficient — able to consume as little as 1.4 liters per seat per 100 kilometers.

“We’ve already taken deliveries of the two A321neos, the A330 and the A320. Another A330neo, along with the ATR 72-600, are expected to arrive. We are among the few airlines in the world and the only one in the Philippines to take deliveries during a pandemic, which is a testament to CEB’s resilience, liquidity, and expected recovery as we enter 2022,” said Alex Reyes, Cebu Pacific’s Head of Strategy.

CEB, which is now operating above 60 percent of its pre-COVID

domestic network and capacity, has been ramping up its domestic and international networks. It has added more f lights to key domestic destinations, namely, Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos, following the eas easing of travel restrictions.

This month, CEB has raised its Cebu Pacific is on its way to recovering after the pandemic lockdowns grounded various daily f lights from Manila to Bora- business sectors. cay to eleven times daily from nine times daily. Operations between st ar t i ng tod ay, Dec. 7; and to economic recovery,” said Candice Cebu and Manila will increase to Bang kok ever y T hu rsd ay and Iyog, Vice President for Marketing eleven times daily from nine times Sat u rd ay, on Dec 11. It will re - and Customer Experience at Cebu daily. su me its Taiwan operat ions eve - Pacific.

Flights to Cagayan de Oro will r y Wed nesd ay, st ar t i ng Dec. 15.

CEB operates the widest domesramp up to seven times daily from “We continue to rebuild our do- tic network in the Philippines covfive times daily. Manila to Davao mestic and international network ering 33 destinations on top of its f lights will go up to five times daily to support tourism growth in 2022 12 international destinations and from three times daily in December. while continuing to promote safe and has one of the youngest f leets in For i nter national desti nations, responsible travel. This is the only the world, with 74 aircraft and an Cebu Pacif ic resu med its opera- way to regain trust and confidence average f leet age of 5.94 years as of tions to Fu k uoka ever y Tuesd ay in travel, paving the way towards Dec. 1, 2021.

Tourism industry is back T

HE tourism industry was the hardest hit by the pandemic, with so many businesses folding up and many more of our colleagues losing their means of livelihood.

However, in the face of helplessness and desperation, those of us in the industry continued to struggle and find ways to earn a living. Giving up was never an option.

Two years after this pandemic caught us off guard and wiped out whatever financial resources we had, the dark clouds have disappeared and a sunshiny bright environment has made it possible for us to, finally, start our engines running once again, towards ultimately getting back on track to profitability.

A few weeks ago, the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) finally pushed through with the 28th Travel Tour Expo (TTE) and its 6th International Travel Trade Expo (ITTE).

Since quarantine alert levels have been downgraded in the National Capital Region and in many parts of the country, PTAA felt the need to trumpet the “re-birth” of the Industry through these two popular annual events.

The three-day TTE had about 35 exhibitors occupying a portion of the massive Exhibition Hall of SM Megamall. Though much less than the usual participants in this annual event, still it felt great seeing all those colorfully decorated booths offering holiday packages to potential tourists and business travelers in the domestic market. For the ITTE, travel and tour companies from Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Morocco, Taiwan, and Turkey also laid out their offers for incredible holiday experiences in their respective countries.

I couldn’t help getting teary-eyed

PTAA President Michelle Thyland officially opened the event with her now-famous declaration, ‘We’re back!’

DOT-NCR Regional Director Woodrow Maquiling, Jr. was TTE’s Keynote Speaker.

TPB COO Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones and PHILTOA President Cesar Cruz led the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, assisted by the other PHILTOA officers.

when I watched plex. It was his PTAA President way of shouting YOUR WEEKEND Michelle Thyland out loud, in glee, CHUCKLE officially declare that our industry is, the opening of Sleeping comes so naturally to me. definitely, now out the event by say- I could even do it with my eyes of the woods and ing, “We’re back!” closed! is now bouncing These words rang back. loud and clear through the inner reThis popular travel exhibition is cesses of my body, making me shiver strongly committed to the promotion with delight, albeit overcome with of domestic and inbound tourism, as it emotion, because it was an affirma- always showcases Philippine destination that our Industry, after hibernat- tions and updates tour product offering for two years, is finally back on ings for domestic and foreign visitors its feet once again. Even Department in the country, yet, ensuring inclusive of Tourism-NCR Regional Director and sustainable tourism.

Woodrow Maquiling, Jr., who was Approximately 60 exhibitors transthe event’s keynote speaker, confided formed the humongous SMX hall into to me that he felt the same way. a colorful cornucopia of delightful Not to be outdone, the Philippine tour packages, luxury hotel services, Tour Operators Association (PHIL- and interesting travel destinations.

TOA) opened, two weeks later, their Naturally, when PTM President longest-running tourism event in Cesar Cruz declared the event ofthe country, the 38th edition of their ficially open, everybody in the hall Philippines Travel got goosebumps, knowing that this Mart (PTM). This pandemic, which has stretched out further emphasized to two excruciating years, has just and bannered the been one of the many challenges good news that the that have clobbered our industry on the tourism industry countless occasions. is alive and kicking But the name of our game is being reonce again, silient and always ready to pick up the Although just like pieces and start all over again. And in the TTE, the exhib- these, our tourism stakeholders will conitors were much less tinue to do, especially now that Tourism than the usual over- Promotions Board Chief Operating Offlow numbers pre- ficer Ma. Anthonette Velasco-Allones, pandemic, PHILTOA who was the PTM’s keynote speaker, President Cesar Cruz shared with us a Japanese proverb, “Fall was bold enough to 7 times, get up 8.” book it at the much So, ring all the bells, blow all the bigger SMX Con- trumpets, our tourism industry is back!

Authentic Igorots from the Cordilleras were on hand to vention Center at the For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrawelcome guests to the PHLILTOA PTM. Mall of Asia com- do@gmail.com

Paella with a twist for the holidays FILIPINO-SPANISH descent Chef Kevin Filipino-Spanish chef Christian Ereñeta, CHS, MSFS, has elKevin Christian Ereñeta evated the family’s heirloom paella recipe elevated the family’s into a delectable holiday fare. heirloom paella recipe into a delectable holiday Named after the chef’s father, Don fare.

Manolo’s Adlay Paella features Adlay, also known as Job’s Tears or coix seeds, a plant native to Southeast Asia and whose grains are a substitute for rice or corn. The same plant is widely utilized as a cereal, traditional medicine, soups, or even liquor.

“Adlay is a delicious and versatile functional food,” Chef Kevin added. “It is also very Filipino – it gives the dish more character, gravity, and depth.”

A Culinary Arts graduate from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management, Chef Kevin has a goal to improve traditional experience included training under the award-winning Chef Linda R. Junio and dishes with the aid of science.

While he pursued a master’s degree honed his skills at the kitchen of the famed in Food Science from the University of Café Ilang Ilang of the historic five-star Santo Tomas, he found interest in func- Manila Hotel. He currently shares his experience with the next generation of tional foods through his mentors and chefs at Benilde. scientists Dr. Rosario S. Today, Chef Kevin Sagum and the late imparts his heirloom Dr. Trinidad P. recipe to readers so Trinidad from the families may welDepartment of Scicome a new dish at ence and Technolthe traditional Christ Christogy Food and Nutrimas table. For the recipe, tion Research Institute ma read full story on ma(DOST-FNRI). nilastandard.net His professional Don Manolo’s Adlay Paella

Mister Donut makes the Christmas ‘sweeter’ with Merry Treats AS THINGS are safely getture of butter and cinnamon ting back to normal, the holisugar-paste filling, topped days will be all the more fun, with sprinkles and glaze. meaningful, and sweeter in At P199 per set, it comes in many ways. And since Detempting variants of Original cember is the best time of the Cinnarolls, Choco Cinnarolls, year to indulge, Mister Doand Raisin Nut Cinnarolls. nut has launched its ChristHere’s a delicious idea for mas offerings – the Merry doting moms. Mister DoTreats — to cap your festive nut has an exciting, biteget-togethers with family or sized pasalubong for kids friends. and the kids at heart who Mister Donut’s Cinnarolls To those who are forever are naughty and nice— the on the hunt for cheerful, appetizing, and guilt- Merry Donuts. At P15 each, these are cute free gift ideas for family and friends this Christ- kiddie-sized donuts filled with Classic Bavarmas, do not look farther than Mister Donut. It ian filling, topped with white or red décor, has a special, value-for-money irresistible treat cool green angel icing, and glittergelli gold. for you— the Cinarrolls.

Visit a Mister Donut store today or order via Cinnarolls are rolled sweet bread with a mix- GrabFood or Food Panda.

The perfect holiday cocktail NOTHING spells the holidays like cheery mer- add to the jovial elegance and flair of any holiry-makings with family and friends amid sump- day fete. tuous feasts surrounded by Yuletide revelry.

With Santa Ana Gin, every drop is a delightAnd there’s no better way to liven and luxe ful experience because its creators value dedicaup the festivities than by topping it off with tion to high-quality, local produce in making its a perfect drink. Whether in cocktails or on- product. Hence, it has partnered and continues to the-rocks, the exquisite and aromatic flavors grow and build on its collaboration with Iba Boof the Santa Ana Gin will surely put you in a tanicals in Zambales, ensuring excellence while celebratory mood. being committed to helping The Santa Ana Gin displaced indigenous farmcombines the distinct tastes ers. of delicate floral notes and Indulge in the beguiling fresh tropical citrus palate taste of Santa Ana Gin this from ylang-ylang, alpinia, holiday season. Get your calamansi, and dalandan own bottle to enjoy or share with traditional gin botanithe tantalizing taste of the cals to create an exotic and Santa Ana Gin as a gift for matchless homegrown flayour family and friends by vor. The rich and decadent visiting https://www.sanflavors of the Santa Ana taanagin.com/.

Gin and its bespoke botAvail of its free delivery tle design inspired by the Santa Ana Gin combines delicate floral promo available until the end glamorous dancehall days notes and fresh tropical citrus to create of the year by using the code: of 1920s Manila will surely an exquisite homegrown flavor. ylangylang.