Manila Standard - 2022 January 22 - Saturday

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LGUs, hospitals put on alert

DOH orders them to brace for escalating COVID cases in provinces

By Willie Casas

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LL regions and local governments nationwide have been ordered to prepare for an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday.

The order came as four provinces – Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province and Northern Samar—were earlier escalated to Alert Level 4.

Public hospitals must increase their COVID-19 bed capacity to 50 percent of their total beds, while private facilities must allot at least 30 percent of beds for virus patients, Health Undersecretary Ma-

ria Rosario Vergeire said.

“Hospitals need to stockpile on medicines used for managing COVID cases,” Vergeire told reporters in Filipino.

Local governments must intensify their PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolation, Treat, Reintegration) efforts and ramp up their vaccination, Vergeire added.

The effect of a high vaccination rate

against COVID-19 can be seen in Metro Manila, where the majority of cases were asymptomatic to mild, Vergeire said.

“Even though our cases increased and it's four to six times more compared [than they were during] the Delta [surge], the difference is then hospitals were full,” she said.

“Now, even if our cases increased, our Next page

Odette havoc ‘underestimated,’ 9 million seriously affected–UN VOL. XXXV • NO. 341 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DESTRUCTION wrought by Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) in the Philippines last month had been "badly underestimated" in initial assessments, tripling the number of people "seriously affected" to

nine million, according to the United Nations.

A UN campaign to raise $107.2 million in aid for victims was launched a week after the storm Next page

DON'T MAKE THIS A 'FORGOTTEN CRISIS. File photo shows the devastation wrought by Typhoon Odette in Siargao Island. Inset shows children bearing signs that they are hungry and in need of food after the typhoon hit Surigao del Norte in December. Oxfam and Lokal Lab

Transport hubs, tollways next as jab sites Gov’t to allow inbound Pinoys entry even still tested positive

THE government will be setting up COVID-19 vaccination sites in transport terminals and train stations to ramp up its immunization efforts amid the recent spike in cases, Malacañang said Friday.

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“In the coming days, the Department said in a press briefing. of Transportation will roll out vacciNograles made the statement after the nation sites in rail stations, ports, and DOTr started to implement the “no vactollways,” Cabinet Secretary and acting cine, no ride” policy to help curb the Next page presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles

RESBAKUNA SA CHECKPOINTS.

Unvaccinated individuals who will be flagged by Taguig's Safe City Task Force personnel at a checkpoint in Brgy. North Daang Hari are given the choice to get inoculated against COVID-19 or get a swab test. Avito Dalan

By Willie Casas

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INBOUND Filipino passengers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 but still test positive in the required predeparture COVID-19 test will be allowed entry from abroad, provided they meet certain conditions, the Palace said.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said this was approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

All inbound Filipinos who test positive will be required to present the following to enter the country: a positive RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from country or port of origin; a medical certificate issued by a licensed physician stating that the passenger has completed the mandatory isolation period and is no longer contagious;

FAITH AND SCIENCE. Devotees carrying images of the Sto. Niño line up at the streets of Iloilo City to receive spiritual blessings during a motorcade as part of 2022 Dinagyang Festival on Friday, January 21, 2022. Because of health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city government limited the number of participants and instead live streamed the motorcade across various social media platforms.

3,357,08 32,744

291,618

53,309

156

3,012,156 16,385 (As of 4 PM, JANUARY 21)

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SWS: Vax hesitancy decreasing

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

2 Nigerians, 3 others arrested for bank hacking

THE National Bureau of Investigation announced Friday the arrest of five people, two of whom are Nigerian nationals, for their involvement in the “Mark Nagoyo Heist Group” that was responsible for hacking Banco de Oro, affecting more than 700 customers.

In a statement, NBI Officer-In-Charge Director Eric Distor identified the suspects as Ifesinachi Fountain Anaekwe a.k.a.

By Vito Barcelo

VACCINE skepticism is decreasing, the latest survey of pollster Social Weather Stations showed with fewer adult Filipinos unwilling to get immunized against COVID-19.

The SWS survey from December 12 to 16 showed that 8 percent of adult Filipinos said they did not want to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The number is down from 18 percent in September, 21 percent in June, and 33 percent in May. The December 2021 survey also found only 6 percent saying they were uncertain about getting vaccinated, down from the 19 percent in September 2021, 24 percent in June 2021, and 35 percent in May 2021.

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Vaccine may commercially be sold in ‘23

By Willie Casas VACCINES against COVID-19 may be made available commercially in the Philippine market by 2023.

The government, however, will still provide free shots to children, senior citizens, and the indigent population, even if the vaccines will already be for sale by then, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said.

"If there will be commercialization Next page

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LGUs..

From A1

ICU beds, the number of critical and severe patients wasn’t high,” she added.

Vergeire reiterated that further studies are needed before they can say the number of virus cases in the capital region was declining.

“Even though cases are decreasing, the NCR still has a high positivity rate,” she said.

The independent OCTA Research Group said new cases outside the National Capital Region (NCR) and its adjacent provinces have increased by 200 percent in eight days, going from under 4,000 on Jan. 12 to almost 12,000 on Jan. 20.

OCTA fellow Guido David said this should not be surprising as the wave has "spread out" to other parts of the country.

In Cebu City, David projected that new COVID-19 cases may peak at below 1,000 cases.

Meanwhile, One Hospital Command

Center (OHCC) said the utilization rate of hospitals has been classified as “high risk” amid the COVID-19 surge.

“In terms of our hospital care utilization rate, we have seen an increase in other regions. Region 8 is at high risk now,” OHCC Medical Officer Dr. Marylaine Padlan said during an online briefing.

She added that many areas, such as the NCR, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1, 2, 5 6, 7, 11 and 13, were at moderate risk.

The health care utilization rate (HCUR) refers to the occupancy of isolation, ward, and ICU beds, as well as the utilization of mechanical ventilators.

The occupancy rate is considered high risk if it is over 70 percent but less than 85 percent. An occupancy rate between 60 percent and 69 percent is considered moderate.

Areas recently placed under Alert Level 4 were observed to be having a difficult time dealing with the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, the DOH said.

“We see that these areas are struggling.

That’s why [we decided to] escalate them compared to other areas,” Vergeire said in a Palace briefing, referring to Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Northern Samar.

She said these areas have a health care utilization rate of over 70 percent and had allocated most of their bed capacity to COVID-19, unlike other areas that have only allocated less than 50 percent of their bed capacity.

“We are giving time to our local governments with less than 50 percent allocated beds for COVID-19 to increase their bed allocation,” she said.

Vergeire said all regional task forces and the regional directors of every agency have been directed to prepare their local governments.

The Philippines logged 32,744 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 3,357,083.

There were 156 new fatalities, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 53,309.

The DOH also reported 16,385 new

recoveries, bringing the total recoveries to 3,012,156.

There were 291,618 active cases of which 9,015 were asymptomatic; 277,833 were mild; 2,979 were moderate; 1,487 were severe; and 304 were critical.

Nationwide, 51 percent of ICU beds, 52 percent of isolation beds, 54 percent of ward beds, and 24 percent of ventilators, are in use.

In Metro Manila, 49 percent of ICU beds, 48 percent of isolation beds, 56 percent of ward beds, and 27 percent of ventilators, are in use.

Meanwhile, the number of areas placed under granular lockdown has decreased to 832, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.

This is a slight drop from 844 areas recorded on Thursday.

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has the most number of areas under granular lockdown at 240, followed

by Cagayan Valley with 212; National Capital Region, 196; Ilocos Region, 165; and Mimaropa, 19.

HEALTH PROTOCOL.

Manila City Hall employees and visitors are required to show their vaccination cards before they are allowed to enter.

Norman Cruz

2 Nigerians...

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Daddy Champ, Chukwuemeka Peter Nwadi, Jherom Anthony Taupa, Ronelyn Panaligan, and Clay S. Revillosa.

Anaekwe and Nwadi were presented for inquest proceedings before the Office of the Prosecutor General for Trafficking in Unauthorized Access Devices under the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998.

Taupa was presented for inquest for Misuse of Devices under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Anaekwe and Nwadi were arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by operatives of NBI-Cybercrime Division in Mabalacat, Pampanga on January 18, 2022.

The operation stemmed from a tip provided by the informant who had transactions with the suspects.

The informant voluntarily appeared before the NBI-CCD to give information regarding several individuals believed to be leaders, members, or affiliates of the Mark Nagoyo Heist Group.

In December, initial reports suggested an unknown group perpetrated a massive heist involving BDO and more than 700 of its customers.

Reports said the group was able to access customers’ bank accounts while supposedly bypassing the One-Time-Pin requirement and drained funds in those accounts.

Email confirmations for the bulk of the illegal transfers showed that they were made by a certain Mark D. Nagoyo.

According to the informant, the suspects were engaged in the business of providing access devices to anyone looking for options to cash out funds fraudulently obtained.

These access devices range from bank accounts, crypto wallets, or even pointof-sale terminals of otherwise legitimate merchants.

Further, when a certain Mark Froilan called the informant about money cash outs, the latter contacted Anaekwe who then said that he will provide the informant three different accounts so he can transfer P10 million each, apparently referring to the funds from BDO. With these, the entrapment operation was hatched, resulting in the arrest of Anaekwe and Nwadi after they were caught in the act offering accounts for sale.

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Gov’t...

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and positive RT-PCR test taken not earlier than 10 days but not later than 30 days before departure.

He said Filipino travelers will need to go to a quarantine facility, but the duration of their stay depends on their vaccination status and the COVID-19 risk classification of the territory where they were from.

“If passengers are fully vaccinated and coming from ‘green list’ territories, they will need to follow the quarantine period prescribed for fully vaccinated passengers

from ‘yellow list’ countries,” Nograles said.

“If they are negative for COVID-19, they can be released for completion of home quarantine up to the seventh day,” he added.

Some people who recover from COVID-19 may continue testing positive despite no longer being infectious, health officials say.

Earlier, the government lifted the ban on the entry of foreigners from “Red list” countries, provided that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and subject to additional protocols.

Nograles said starting February 16, 2022, proof of full vaccination shall be

SWS:...

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On the other hand, the December survey found 50 percent of adults got at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This total consists of 38 percent reporting they received two doses of the vaccine and 13 percent received one dose.

Of those unvaccinated, the December 2021 survey found 35 percent willing to get vaccinated, consisting of 33 percent, saying they would surely get vaccinated and 3 percent saying they would probably get vaccinated.

SWS noted that vaccine skepticism declined in all areas: from 7 percent to 4 percent in Metro Manila, 15 percent to 8 percent in Balance Luzon, 24 percent to 15 percent in Visayas, and from 25 percent to 8 percent in Mindanao.

While skepticism is less among the better educated, the percentage of those unwilling to get vaccinated fell from September 2021 to December 2021 in all educational groups, the SWS survey noted.

Vaccine...

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maybe next year, we will still have free vaccines, definitely, like the free shots of cholera, measles, and polio. We still have a portion to provide from the government, especially to children, the elderly and for poor communities that cannot afford to buy vaccines)," Galvez said in an interview during the launch of the vaccination rollout at QualiMed Clinic in Makati City on Friday.

Galvez said the government would also push through with a centralized procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

"When we talked to the manufacturers, they said that they are more interested in selling their vaccines to the national government," he said, citing faster transactions as orders are in bulk.

The country's Food and Drug Administration has so far approved Emergency Use Authorization for all

Typhoon-hit areas already struggling with COVID-19, poverty and malnutrition had seen their economies "literally flattened," Gonzalez said.

Earlier on, minority senators sought an assessment of the government's response to cushion the impact of super typhoon Odette which lashed Visayas, Mindanao, Bicol and Palawan last month on its victims.

As hardship lingers in areas devastated by Odette one month after it struck, the senators said they wanted an assessment of the damage brought by the calamity, as well as the government’s rehabilitation and recovery efforts.

They noted that many families remain without a decent roof over their heads, groping in the dark, with scarce food and clean water.

Meanwhile, relief assistance released by the Department of Agriculture to typhoon-affected farmers and fisherfolk climbed to P3 billion-peso.

“For the last two weeks of January, the DA has been doubling its efforts in the distribution of these interventions to

farmers and fishers who have been heavily affected by the typhoon,” said Agriculture secretary William Dar. Of the total amount, P1 billion came from the Quick Response Fund (QRF) of the DA for the rehabilitation of affected areas particularly in regions 6, 7, 8, 13, and Mimaropa which have been directly hit by Typhoon Odette.

Humanitarian groups have been working with the national government to distribute food packs, drinking water, tents and materials to rebuild houses.

But the scale of the disaster, lack of power and communications in some areas, and depleted government coffers after the COVID-19 response have hampered efforts to distribute aid, according to officials.

At the same time, an Omicron-fueled surge in infections is also forcing relief workers into isolation and making travel more difficult while continuing rain in the region has been aggravating the misery, Gonzalez said.

made a requirement for entry of all foreign nationals allowed to enter the Philippines.

He said travelers from “Red List” countries who were fully vaccinated would be required to do the following: present a negative RT-PCR test 48 hours prior to departure; undergo a facility based quarantine and subjected to an RTPCR COVID-19 test on the seventh day; and complete the rest of the 14-day quarantine at home if they tested negative in the RT-PCR test.

Also on Friday, the presidential adviser on entrepreneurship, Joey Concepcion, and the deputy implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19,

The survey said the percentage of those unwilling to get inoculated decreased to single-digit levels in all age groups, except among those 55 years old and above.

SWS said the survey was conducted through faceto-face interviews of 1,440 adults, subdivided into 360 each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In related developments, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon called on President Rodrigo Duterte to direct Public Attorneys Office Chief Persida Acosta to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

An unvaccinated Acosta said she would not get the jab as she had many comorbidities.

Drilon said before the President can convince the Filipino people to get the vaccine, he must first convince each member of his administration, including Acosta, to get the shot.

“Otherwise, the credibility of your vaccination programs will suffer and people will be more reluctant to get the shots,” he said.

Acosta’s colleagues in government, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, had also called on the

COVID-19 vaccines.

Meanwhile, the chief of the country's Vaccine Expert Panel said it was waiting for more data on COVID-19 vaccines for 2 to 5-year-olds.

“We are evaluating something, but the data is insufficient, so it appears to be a rolling submission, in a way. Some data came, but these are not yet enough,” said Dr. Nina Gloriani.

Gloriani noted an emergency use authorization requires data proving the efficacy of a vaccine on at least half of participants in a Phase 3 trial.

“Without that, we will wait. Our evaluation is not done haphazardly, especially since this is for children,” she said.

About 56.4 million of the Philippines’ 110 million people have been fully vaccinated so far against COVID-19.

Minors aged 12 to 17 started getting COVID-19 jabs in October last year, while the vaccination of 5 to 11-year-olds is expected to start in February.

PAO chief to get vaccinated.

Drilon said Acosta could raise all legal issues as long as she wanted “but the issue here that she failed to realize is she is a member of the administration and is bound to follow the policy of the government.”

“Acosta can cite all the provisions in the Constitution and the law and we are prepared to counter that,” said Drilon. "However, to me, it’s not just an issue of legality.

The more pressing issue here is the credibility of the government’s vaccination program.”

A recent report published by the World Bank’s Philippine office claimed that “vaccination [in the Philippines] continued to lag regional peers.

A Goldman Sachs study also showed that the Philippines was among Asia-Pacific’s laggards in mass vaccination, with only 54 percent of its population fully vaccinated as of January 13, while China has a vaccination rate of 90 percent; Singapore, 89 percent; South Korea, 87 percent; Australia, Japan, and Vietnam, 80 percent; Malaysia and Taiwan, 79 percent; New Zealand, 78 percent; Thailand, 73 percent; Hong Kong, 67 percent; India, 65 percent, and Indonesia, 63 percent.

spread of COVID-19 amid another surge in new infections.

The policy bars the unvaccinated and those partially unvaccinated from accessing public transportation, except for those medically exempt, those who need to acquire essential goods and services, and those working in essential industries.

Nograles said the DOTr will also launch a COVID-19 vaccination drive for transport workers and commuters at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) from Jan. 24 to 28.

The “We Vax As One: Mobile Vaccination Drive" will allow walk-ins with registration to be done onsite.

Around 500 AstraZeneca vaccine doses will be administered daily during the vaccination drive period.

Earlier, the government said it is considering allowing workplaces to serve as vaccination sites to make it easier for unvaccinated workers to get their jabs against COVID-19.

“We want to make vaccines more accessible to workers,” Labor Undersecretary Benjo Santos Benavidez said in Filipino during an online briefing.

To get even more people protected against COVID-19, the government has also begun the pilot run for its “Resbakuna sa mga Botika,” a program to get pharmacies to administer booster shots in Metro Manila.

Seven pharmacies are taking part in the pilot run amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

At the same time, Nograles said the government will not issue vaccination exemption cards that would allow the unvaccinated to go out of their residences.

Nograles warned the public against people who are going around and offering COVID-19 vaccination exemption cards.

Odette...

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lashed the southern and central regions of the archipelago on December 16, leaving 406 people dead and hundreds of thousands homeless.

But UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo Gonzalez said the target would be revised after more than 66 field assessments showed the destruction was far worse than previously assessed.

"One month since the first landfall of Super Typhoon Rai we realize that we have badly underestimated the scale of devastation," Gonzalez told a virtual briefing.

More than 1.5 million houses were damaged or destroyed in the storm – almost a third more than in 2013's Super Typhoon Yolanda, Gonzalez said, adding more resources were "badly needed."

He called for solidarity with the Philippines to avoid the typhoon becoming a "forgotten crisis."

Vince Dizon, said the country cannot continue to live in fear of COVID-19.

“Other countries seem to have already accepted the fact that COVID is here to stay. Maybe it’s time we practice living with COVID or else the Philippine economy will suffer and along with it, its MSMEs,” Concepcion said, referring to micro, small and medium enterprises.

“We need to have a dramatic change in mindset,” Dizon said. “I think we need to understand that the responsibility for protecting the community from the virus is as much an individual responsibility and not just a government responsibility or a private sector responsibility,” he said.

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF QC expands free testing program for COVID-19 THE Quezon City government has expanded its free testing program under the City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU) to be able to cope with the volume of individuals who would want to learn their COVID-19 status at the soonest possible time for immediate action.

To strengthen CESU’s capacity to test would allow the city government to detect cases faster, prevent the virus from spreading, and respond to the needs of residents accordingly.

Dr. Rolando Cruz, CESU chief, said the city recently beefed up its testing capacity with the acquisition of 100,000 rapid antigen test kits and continued collaboration with the Philippine National Red Cross for the expanded allocation of RT-PCR test kits.

He announced that the local government has established additional community-based testing centers that are strategically located in each congressional district to accommodate and identify more residents who might have the virus. Rio N. Araja

BI deploys 155 officers as infections surge AT LEAST 155 officers of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) are on standby to augment the agency’s operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and Clark International Airport (CIA) amid a surge in the number of its officers affected by COVID-19.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that these backup officers will serve as an augmentation to render primary inspection duties as some of our frontliners are in quarantine and battling COVID-19.

The augmentation team is composed of officers and acting immigration officers assigned in different back-end offices of its Port Operations Division (POD) as well as its Main office and other offices in the metro.

At present, the BI recorded a total of 158 COVID-positive employees assigned at the POD, 132 of which are assigned at the NAIA, while 14 are assigned at the CIA. Their NAIA ops also recorded a total of 180 officers in quarantine for being exposed to Covid-positive cases. Vito Barcelo

ILLEGAL TEST KITS. An agent of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) holds a Lungene Rapid Test Kit during a raid at a warehouse at 555 Carlos Palanca, San Miguel, Manila on Friday. Aside from the NBI, agents from the Bureau of Customs, National, and the Philippine Coast Guard held the raid and seized 300 boxes of Lungene amounting to P250 thousand. A Chinese national was arrested during the raid. Danny Pata

PH hails US report junking China’s maritime claims

By Rey E. Requejo

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HE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday lauded the report released by the US State Department that reaffirmed its previous pronouncement that China’s maritime claim in the South China Sea has “no legal basis.”

“We welcome the affirmation of the 2016 Arbitral Award by the US State Department’s Limits in the Seas No. 150: People’s Republic of China: Maritime Claims in the South China Sea,” the DFA said in a statement.

According to the DFA, the US report, which states that the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea are inconsistent with the international law of the sea as reflected in the 1982 United Na-

tions Convention on the Law of the Sea, is consistent with the 2016 Arbitral Award rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines over the South China Sea maritime dispute.

The DFA noted that it is also consistent with the Philippines-US Joint Vision Statement issued on Nov. 16 last year, which asserts the same position over China’s maritime claims.

It can be recalled that during the bilateral strategic dialogue, the US also

BOOSTER SHOTS. A

Palace names new Court of Appeals justice

man receives a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at the opening of the second outlet of a Resbakuna Center at the Healthway Multi-Specialty Center in Padre Faura, Manila on Friday. Booser shots are being conducted so that more can be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Danny Pata

By Rey E. Requejo MALACANANG has appointed former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Executive Director Jennifer Joy Chua Ong as associate justice of the Court of Appeals (CA).

In a transmittal letter sent to the office of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed the chief magistrate of the appointment of Ong as CA magistrate vice retired Associate Justice Luisa Padilla.

At the time Ong was appointed, she was serving as undersecretary in the Office of the Appointments Secretary of the Office of the President.

Justice Ong took her oath of office on Friday afternoon before Chief Justice Gesmundo at the Supreme Court’s session hall.

Ong, from Davao City, earned her law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University.

conveyed that it “fully stands by” its position on maritime claims in the South China Sea. The US report was issued last week by the Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs of the US Department of StateBureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.

The study stressed that the four categories of maritime claims Chinais asserting such as the sovereignty claims over maritime features, straight baselines, maritime zones, and historic rights, are “inconsistent with international law” and “has no legal basis.”

During the Manila Forum for ChinaPhilippines Relations on January 17, China insisted on its rejection of the 2016 arbitral ruling, saying that “its position is unshakeable.”

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Friday noticed an increase in the activity of the Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Islands that could generate steam-driven eruptions.

Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr., Phivolcs chief, cited a total of 18 volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours.

“These included four shallow tornillo signals that are associated with magmatic gas movement along fractures within the upper volcanic

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives will resume session on Monday, January 24, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said on Friday “Aside from regular sanitation and disinfection, we continue to implement the online HousePass system as part of our regular health and security protocols,” Velasco said.

He said plenary sessions will still be done in a hybrid manner and only 20 percent of the workforce in each department and office in the House will be allowed to report for work.

“A limited number of House members and Secretariat personnel will be physically present inside the plenary hall. The rest of lawmakers shall attend the session through videoconference,” he added.

The surge of the new COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila has prompted the leadership of the House of Representatives to suspend its sessions up to Jan. 24.

Velasco said earlier this week the session that resumed on Monday had to be suspended again because of the reported infection of tens of members of the staff and officials of the chamber.

Since the start of the year, the House chief said more than 70 House members and employees had contracted the virus and many others were undergoing quarantine or self-isolation after exhibiting symptoms or having close contact with people who tested positive for COVID-19.

Bangsamoro government celebrates third founding anniversary COTABATO CITY—The Bangsamoro Government celebrated its third founding anniversary in week-long activities that culminated on Friday.

It can be recalled that constituents of five Mindanao provinces and two cities voted to be part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on January 29, 2019. Days after, residents of 63 villages in North Co-

tabato also decided to join the expanded autonomous region.

Activities for constituents were lined up

by BARMM agencies since Monday at the Bangsamoro Government Center here.

Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua, speaking for Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Al-Hadj Murad Ibrahim, said this year’s theme, “Changing People’s Lives, Transforming the Bangsamoro: Celebrating and

Sustaining the Gains of Peace and Moral Governance,” highlighted the “three-year quantum leap of the regional government in achieving peace and development.”

Activities, Macacua said, were in place from ongoing programs and projects of BARMM’s different ministries.

For one, Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) hosted the

Seismic activities detected Online TIN for OFWS approved at Kanlaon Volcano in Negros

By Rio N. Araja

House session resumes next week—Velasco

slopes,” he said.

Ground deformation data from global positioning system measurements would indicate short-term slight inflation of the edifice since mid-October 2021.

“The increased seismic activity and short-term ground deformation are likely caused by shallow hydrothermal processes beneath the edifice that could generate phreatic or steam-driven eruptions from the summit crater,” the Phivolcs chief said through Viber.

funds for the government thru revenues collected by agencies like the BIR Salceda sent a letter to BIR ComTHE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Friday reported to the missioner Caesar Dulay which reHouse of Representatives that quested the agency to allow OFWs it will start implementing the to apply for tax identification num“fully online experience” on TIN bers or TINs without the need for registration for Overseas Filipino physical appearance.

This, Salceda said, will be an opWorkers this year.

The BIR launched the program in portunity “for OFWs who may be response to the request of the House particularly interested in investing committee on ways and means on in Philippine stocks as a means for ways and means chaired by Albay preparing for their return to the country and to secure the future of Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda.

The committee is tasked to raise their family.”

By Maricel V. Cruz

Governance Day on Wednesday featuring a half-day “Ugnay Talakayan.”

A forum on Muslim governance was much engaging with BARMM constituents in the fields of management and “administration of fiscal and local autonomy, and in effect, harmonizing policies in the national and the regional governance as well as in the local government units, officials noted. Nash B. Maulana

Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS

TODAY

ANNOUNCEMENT President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for its consent on the nomination of: CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION Mr. RYAN ALVIN RIVERA ACOSTA as COMMISSIONER, Civil Service Commission, for a term expiring on 02 February 2027,vice Leopoldo Roberto W. Valderosa Jr. The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the above nomination in seven (7) copies to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 8831-1824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989.

20 January 2022.

HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-JAN. 22, 2022)

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NOT JUST ACTING.

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Award-winning actor Piolo Pascual (center) helps the Ang Probinsyano Partylist on a coastal and underwater cleanup drive at Brgy. Mainit in Mabini, Batangas on January 21. The community cleanup activity yielded a total of 135 kilograms of waste materials collected by 50 volunteers headed by the local tourism office of Mabini. Representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) were also present for proper documentation and disposal of the collected materials. Danny Pata

SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

PDP-Laban Cusi faction adopts Sara as VP bet

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo THE PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has adopted Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as its vice presidential bet for the 2022 elections.

In a statement, the party said the mayor, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, will ensure continuity of the Chief Executive’s programs.

“The party is committed to support her candidacy in the coming elections,” said PDP-Laban – which has no presidential candidate with less than a month to go before the campaign period starts on February 8.

“We have not made any decision about it. We are having evaluation as to who among the candidates would best continue the programs the administration has started,” Cusi added in a press conference.

He said that it is also “possible” that they would not endorse any presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman of Duterte’s running mate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said the faction’s announcement adopting the mayor “is but an expression of its freedom of choice.”

“The political parties (Lakas-CMD and Hugpong ng Pagbabago) of Mayor Sara informed us that there was no signing of an accord between them and PDP-Laban, nor a semblance of any formality to forge an agreement for Mayor Sara’s ‘adoption’ and that they remain strongly committed to its alliance with presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos,” Rodriguez said.

IN BRIEF Malapitan roster leads Caloocan poll TEAM Malapitan once again took the lead in Caloocan’s new third congressional district, based on the latest survey.

Incumbent Councilor Dean Asistio got 68 percent in the last survey conducted by RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc., way ahead of his opponent, former Mayor Recom Echiverri who got 27%.

Asistio, who is on his third term as city councilor, is Team Malapitan’s candidate to be the first representative of the Third District to Congress.

Asistio also led Echiverri by almost double in the survey conducted by Actual and Comprehensive Evaluators, Inc, with 63% against the latter’s 33%.

In the same survey, incumbent Mayor Oca Malapitan was Number 1 for 1st District congressman, with a double-digit advantage over Councilor Alou Nubla.

Incumbent Vice Mayor Maca Asistio is also leading the survey for the 2nd District Congress seat.

In the mayoralty race, incumbent 1st District Rep. Dale Along Malapitan scored 65 percent in the RP survey against 2nd District Rep. Egay Erice, who got 32 percent.

Dale Malapitan’s running mate, Councilor Karina The, got 60 percent against her opponent, Councilor PJ Malonzo, with 32 percent. Jun David

Coin flip may decide race for SK governor COTABATO CITY—The Commission on Elections First Division has resolved to cancel the certificate of candidacy (CoC) of a gubernatorial contender in Sultan Kudarat province, which has drawn mixed reactions from local political pundits.

The case stemmed from a Comelec petition filed last year by former Mutya Ng Pilipinas-Miss Asia Pacific Sharifa Akeel, purporting that her political opponent, Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu, allegedly lacked the required period of residency to run for governor of Sultan Kudarat.

Else, colloquially his opponent “only needs a vote”, as it is in a toss coin to literally win the one-on-one gubernatorial race, if Akeel sustained a legal win—or so, keen political observers have noted.

But Ms. Akeel’s husband, Maguindanao Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu, said the poll body’s First Division resolution ordering the cancellation of a CoC would have to be construed differently from a disqualification of a candidate.

Nash B. Maulana

Ka Leody seeks wealth tax, 6-hour workday for Pinoys

By Rio N. Araja

L

ABOR leader and presidential aspirant Leody de Guzman on Friday said he would bat for a one-time 20 percent wealth tax on the top 500 richest families in the country to fund the P1-trillion economic recovery program.

He also proposed to reduce the number of working hours for Filipinos from eight to six hours to generate more jobs amid the economic slowdown induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

But De Guzman stressed this should not result in salary cuts and reduced benefits for employees.

At the Kamuning Bakery online forum, De Guzman also said he would double the agriculture subsidies to aid farmers and fishermen and uphold progressive taxation.

He allayed fears of the micro, small and

medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) on his “labor first policy,” including the P750 national minimum wage and the abolition of all forms of contractualization.

De Guzman is the presidential candidate of Partido Lakas ng Masa and chairperson of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, with former Rep. Walden Bello as his running mate.

His P1-trillion Philippine economic recovery plan shall focus on P475 billion for public jobs generation program, P400 billion for health stimulus, and P125 billion to be provided as assistance for MSMEs.

De Guzman said he saw the need to nationalize basic and strategic public utilities, such as water and power services to prioritize “tao bago tubo” (people over profits).

Meanwhile, the socialist leader rejected the government no-vaccine noride policy, mandatory vaccination, and proposed military conscription of youth from age 18.

He believes he has the chance of winning the presidency in the 2022 elections with the support of progressives, student, and youth groups.

At the Pandesal Forum webinar hosted by Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City, De Guzman said these groups “have volunteered to introduce me and my platforms.”

“Toto Nemenzo and La Viña are also my supporters,” he added, without specifically identifying the two personalities.

Leni: Biz are partners for equitable growth VICE President Leni Robredo on Friday announced that her administration will provide a level playing field for businesses by applying laws fairly, strengthening institutions against corruption, and prosecuting those who will take advantage of the government and the people.

The presidential aspirant outlined her program for economic reform at the Meet the Presidentiables: Economic Reforms in the New Frontier program of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX), held online.

“My commitment to the business community: We will create an environment where enterprises have a chance to compete fairly. We will not fixate on restric-

tions, or merely wait to pounce and penalize those who step an inch out of line.

Your voice will be heard as we work for the common good,” Robredo said.

The Vice President aims to build a government trusted by the business community and other stakeholders and sees a level playing field for all as a catalyst for a more equitable development.

“Results can be predicted more reliably, and that risk and volatility can be managed effectively. The energies of the entire nation can thus be focused on the project of nation-building – ensuring that the engines of the economy are engaged full throttle, from the centers of industry to communities in the margins. In so

many words: Gobyernong Tapat, Angat Buhay Lahat,” she said.

To build trust, Robredo aims to increase transparency in government and appoint deserving people.

“In real, policy terms, this means filling the ranks of government with people of character, competence, and integrity.

Agencies will be led by experts in their fields, and decisions on the ground will emanate from the best available science and data,” she said.

Robredo said she would make the passage of the Full Disclosure Bill, which she filed in Congress when she was a district representative, one of her legislative priorities to ensure government transparency.

Ping to lead higher level of discourse

By Macon Ramos-Araneta PARTIDO Reporma is looking forward to a higher level of political discourse among all candidates participating in the upcoming 2022 elections as already demonstrated by its chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III. Party spokesperson Ashley ‘Ace’ Acedillo told DZRH Friday that the Lacson-Sotto tandem remains committed to this policy, hoping that other public officials would also do the same, weeks before the official campaign period for those who are seeking national elective positions could start.

“Even if we are in the field of politics, we must not allow mudslinging to prevail and instead keep our discussions issues-based,” Acedillo said.

Meanwhile, instead of feeling resigned to their fate, Filipinos must regain their sense of hope along with their ability to dream of a better life —and a Lacson presidency will help make sure of this.

Lacson said he observed a feeling of “surrender” among Filipinos during their visits to the provinces.

“We need to restore the sense of hope among our fellow Filipinos.

Many of them seem to have surrendered, thinking that whoever becomes the next leader won’t make a difference in their lives,” Lacson said in an interview on DZXL radio Friday.

“So, when we Filipinos meet, chances are we’ll just talk about the problems besetting the country,” he added.

He said it is time Filipinos believe they can improve their lot in life—but this should start with the government earning their trust and support.

Pacquiao mocks DA over fish import

VAX BUS. Personnel from the Quezon City Department of Public Order and Safety and Market Development and Administration Department staff continue to inspect buses Litex Market and Commonwealth Market to ensure market vendors, market employees, and vendors are vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, unvaccinated volunteers are delivered to the vaccination site using QCity Buses, as in this photo. Manny Palmero

‘Yorme’ biopic now live on streaming

THE long wait is over. The musical film “Yorme —The Isko Moreno Domagoso Story” can now be viewed online starting Friday on Vivamax Plus and other digital video platforms such as KTX PH, Upstream, iWant TFC and TFC IPTV. The worldwide streaming of “Yorme” started midnight of Jan. 21 and is expected to run for the next seven days.

“Yorme” is an inspiring story of Mayor Isko’s rising from lowly beginnings and dreaming to have a better life. It was produced by Saranggola Media and Viva Films under the direction of veteran film maker Joven Tan. Meanwhile, the Department of Health has lauded Domagoso for the city of Manila’s “innovative approach” to help the national government in its battle against COVID-19 since the pandemic broke out two years ago.

Speaking at the launch of “Resbakuna sa mga Botika” at the Mercury Drug Drive-Thru Branch along Quirino Avenue in Manila on Thursday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Moreno has set the bar high in terms of leadership and governance through various programs designed to address the public health crisis.

The film revolves on Moreno’s life as a poor boy born in the slums of Tondo, Manila from a stevedore father who came from Antique province and a labandera mother who came from Leyte province.

Earning a living as a lowly basurero, Moreno’s luck had a turn-around after being discovered for showbusiness while playing cards in the wake of a neighbor in Tondo. From being an actor, he became a city councilor of Manila at 23 years of age, became vice mayor and later on mayor at the age of 44. Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao yesterday taunted the Department of Agriculture’s pronouncement of fish shortage to justify its decision to import fish, which included galunggong and mackerel.

The standard bearer of PROMDI asked “if our fishes were drowned.”

He branded as a “lousy excuse” the DA’s claim that Super Typhoon Odette caused the country’s fish shortage.

He slammed the DA for justifying the unabated importation of fish and insisted that the government should just focus on providing aid to Filipino fishermen.

Pacquiao, whose province Sarangani is one of the world’s biggest sources of tuna, said this claim the typhoon caused the shortage of pelagic fishes does not hold water.

He pointed out these areas are not known to be in fish cages and aquaculture farms

and are harvested from the high seas or in areas known as pelagic zones.

“Yung mga galunggong na gusto i-import ng DA ay hindi nahaharvest sa mga baklad o mga fishpens na maari sana nating sabihin na nasira dahil sa bagyo,” he said.

He said they can be caught in the seas “so that explanation in wanting to export is stupidity.”

Instead of resorting to short-term solutions such as allowing imported fishes to flood the market to the detriment of local fishermen, Pacquiao said Agriculture Secretary William Dar should extend assistance to local fishermen so they can increase their fish harvest.

He said the DA can provide local fishermen with interest-free loans so they can buy bigger fishing boats and modernize their fishing methods. Macon Ramos-Araneta

HERO’S FOOD CARTS. For many poor families, having a small store where they can sell food or other items is a godsend. Ambulant vendors can earn enough in a single day that they would not have to worry about where their next meal would be coming from. However, having a cart where they could sell their wares is a financial investment that few can afford.

Quezon City 4th District councilor Hero Bautista hopes to help these families with the Hero Business Cart project. Under this endeavor, indigent families living in the barangays comprising the district can apply for the chance to be given a food cart on wheels which can be used to sell a variety of goods.

They also come with a pan and a portable stove so that owners can sell hot food onsite.

Councilor Bautista recently gave out a total of 144 Hero Business Carts last January 20 and 21, bringing the total of carts that were donated to deserving individuals to nearly 350 units.

Robbie Pangilinan

Opinion Celebrating decades of RH work

THE Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) is celebrating its 20th anniversary on January 31. We were not able to celebrate this milestone last year. RHAN is the biggest and foremost network of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the country that works for the realization of Filipinos’ sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

The network was established in 2001 and has since been at the forefront of the advocacy for rights-based RH policies and delivery of RH information and modern services particularly to marginalized and economically disadvantaged women and young people.

Some RHAN members are able to do SRHR education and services in hard-to-reach areas of the country.

RHAN engages with relevant government agencies at the local and national levels in the pursuit of the fulfillment of Filipinos’ SRHR especially in the implementation of the RH law. Perhaps the biggest success of RHAN is the successful advocacy for the passage of the then RH bill into law. The network was a leading force in the more than 15 years of sustained, controversial, and difficult advocacy for this law. Since its enactment, RHAN has been actively and consistently involved in the work of the National Implementation Team (NIT) of the RH law.

The network is raring to do more.

It is not an overstatement to say that CSOs, particularly those belonging to RHAN, have provided valuable contributions to the achievements of the RH law so far. These organizations have provided RH information and services to many thousands of women and young people who wanted and needed such.

The network’s anniversary event entitled, “RHAN@20: Championing SRHR for all!” will gather its fifty-three (53) member organizations in an online celebration-cum-rally that will also make public its continuing commitment to its cause. The event will involve more than 1,000 women, men, and young people from different sectors and areas of the country. Together, the groups will commemorate their 20-year adventure through videos, pictures, songs, and panel discussions.

There will be two panel discussions during the affair. The first will feature RHAN’s longtime partners as they reminisce working with the network. These are former Health Secretary Dr. Esperanza Cabral, Executive Director of the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) Usec. Juan Antonio Perez III, and the father of the RH Law, Rep. Edcel Lagman.

Up until the present, these officials have been closely working with RHAN and are fa-

miliar with its work and members. They were with the network in both the House of Representatives, Senate, numerous press conferences and media activities, conferences, tactic sessions, and many times, even on the streets during rallies. Together with the leaders of the RH movement, they were vilified by rabid anti-RH organizations for standing for human and women’s rights.

It will be a trip down memory lane with the panelists sharing their memorable, and hopefully, even funny moments working with RHAN. This anniversary celebration coincides with the ongoing electoral campaign. While RHAN as a network will not be campaigning for or endorsing candidates, many of its member organizations have decided to be actively involved in the elections. Moreover, the network is acutely aware that despite the passage of the RH law, major SRHR problems persist including those related with the RH law’s implementation. For RHAN, these issues should be understood by the Filipino electorate as important electoral issues alongside other problems besetting the country.

In connection with this, RHAN decided to also have a panel discussion with select senatorial candidates on SRHR issues considered by the network as its priorities. These “senatoriables” were selected because of their strong track record on human and women’s rights including reproductive health. Invited for the second panel are Sen. Risa Hontiveros, former Representative and indigenous peoples’ champion Teddy Baguilat, Jr., labor leader and President of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) Atty. Sonny Matula, and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno.

The discussion with these panelists will center on their position on RHAN’s priority concerns and hopefully, their plans in addressing these issues should they win in the coming elections. Included in the network’s priority concerns are the human rights aspects of the RH law such as post-abortion care, RH services for adolescents, and age-and-development-appropriate RH and sexuality education; adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRH) that includes teen pregnancy; gender inequality; bodily autonomy; sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) equality; and poverty.

Recent national data on these issues will be presented and the network hopes that through this panel discussion, participants will understand that these are important issues that voters should consider in deciding whom to vote for come the May elections. Moreover, having these candidates articulate their position on the said issues will hopefully help participants make informed decisions on the candidates deserving of their votes.

RHAN and its members have good reasons to celebrate. Twenty years (and continuing) of relentless RH initiatives is not a small thing. The law is there as a testament to RHAN’s commitment and hard work. But SRHR issues remain and human and women’s rights are still significantly disrespected and violated.

RHAN’s work is far from over and the network is raring to do more. @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Doomsday Clock stuck at 100 seconds to midnight

By Issam Ahmed THE “Doomsday Clock,” representing the judgment of leading science and security experts about perils to human existence, remains at 100 seconds to midnight this year, with advances like COVID-19 vaccines balanced by rising misinformation and other threats.

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists president Rachel Bronson declared Thursday the world was no safer this year than two years ago, when the clock’s hands were moved to their current position.

“If humanity is to avoid an existential catastrophe, one that would dwarf anything it has yet seen, national leaders must do a far better job of countering disinformation, heeding science and cooperating,” she told reporters on the 75th anniversary of the clock’s initial unveiling.

The fact that it hasn’t shifted closer to midnight does not imply threats have stabilized, the group said in a full statement.

“On the contrary, the Clock remains the closest it has ever been to civilization-ending apocalypse because the world remains stuck in an extremely dangerous moment.”

The Bulletin was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J Robert Oppenheimer and other scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project which produced the first nuclear weapons.

The idea of the clock symbolizing global vulnerability to catastrophe followed in 1947.

Its time is set by the organization’s board, with the support of its board of sponsors,

which includes 11 Nobel laureates.

In its statement, the Bulletin noted hopeful developments at the start of 2021, including the renewal of the New START arms control agreement between the United States and Russia.

The world was no safer this year than two years ago But international tensions continue to loom ominously, including most recently over Ukraine. The United States, Russia and China meanwhile continue their march to develop hypersonic weapons.

Nice words, but little climate action No country meanwhile remains immune to threats to democracy, the Bulletin said, “as the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol demonstrated.”

More than 10 percent of those charged with crimes related to the riot were active or retired service members, underscoring extremism in the military.

On climate, COP26 in Glasgow offered positive rhetoric but relatively little action.

Encouragingly, several countries announced net-zero carbon dioxide targets by 2050, but getting there would require immediate divestment from fossil fuels, investment in renewables, upgrading infrastructure and shifting land use and agriculture practices.

“The past year has seen a staggering onslaught of climate disasters,” said Raymond

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

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EDITORIAL

Get that boost

T

HE government has started its pilot rollout of COVID-19 vaccination – expected to last up to the end of the month – in selected pharmacies and clinics two days into the weekend, but vaccine recipients have been told to pre-register before arriving at participating drugstores.

drugstores on Thursday and Friday, after authorities talked to Mercury Drug, Watsons, Rose Pharmacy, Southstar Drug, Generika, and other clinics like Healthway and QualiMed.

It’s still the best protection against the virus.

After the launch this week, authorities will expand it to other cities all over the country — Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao — and other pharmacies.

Malacañang said each of the initial seven participating drugstores would be provided with an initial 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccines per week, or a total of 3,500 doses.

Acting Presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said that participating drugstores and clinics would be implementing this vaccination drive in coordination with local government units, with the responsibility of registration and documen-

This is only proper – to prevent crowding in pharmacies set to administer COVID-19 jabs to the public.

Pre-registration is required so that authorities can manage the flow of those showing up at drugstores and private clinics that are participating in this pilot implementation.

Dubbed “Resbakuna sa mga Botika,” testing czar Vince Dizon said the program would start with seven participating

tation with the LGUs while pharmacies would oversee administration.

Nograles clarified that Resbakuna sa mga Botika would initially cater to recipients of booster shots only, giving assurances that the pilot implementation of the program would be adjusted accordingly.

“We will tweak and perfect it accordingly, depending on learnings we have while we are piloting the Bakuna sa Botika,” he added.

According to the Department of Health, fully vaccinated individuals are allowed to receive their booster shots at least three months after the second dose of a primary-two dose vaccine or at least two months after the primary single-dose vaccine is given.

AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinovac, or Sputnik are two-dose vaccines while Janssen is the sole single-dose vaccine currently approved for use in the country.

We encourage those still off the vaccination rollout to register and be counted.

Russia’s red line for US and NATO purposely created to overthrow Yanukovych.

The bloodbath was immediately followed by anti-Russian hysteria. Without the Ukrainians having an inkling that the US and its co-conspirators would be carrying out a massive de-industrialization program for their country. Then US ambassador to Ukraine Victoria Nuland, together with Senator John McCain joined the crowd in celebrating their “victory.” Nuland was seen handing goodies like what the US GIs did in their liberated areas during World War II.

PART I THE world today is confused about which of the countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will the West refer to as allies in the event Russia invades Ukraine.

This has become complicated because the heightened tension between the US and Russia is centered on that former Soviet Republic.

NATO general secretary Jens Stoltenberg is insisting the alliance is obligated to defend Ukraine when today, that former Soviet state has yet to become a member. He insists that it is the right of Ukraine to choose which bloc it wishes to align itself to, it being a right of a sovereign and independent state. Unfortunately, he failed to mention the business the British warship was doing off the coast of the Black Sea except to stalk at the Russian naval base in Sevastopol. UK is a member of NATO but it has no business patrolling that sea as if to act on behalf of the alliance.

Prior to the current crisis, the US has been instigating social unrest in Ukraine. The unrest culminated in the overthrow of the legitimately- elected President Viktor Yanukovych in February 2014. That was followed by a flurry of anti-Russian resentment. The drumbeating for Ukraine to join NATO stepped up. That agitation intensified, reaching its peak in a coup dubbed as “colored revolution” but actually supported by the CIA using its front organization, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to make it appear as a popular civilian uprising. That resulted in the shooting of several protesters at the center of Maidan Square. The protesters called their political action “revolution of dignity.”

That protest ended in bloodbath killing about 130 civilians including 18 police officers by unidentified gunmen. President Viktor Yanukovych had to flee for his safety. No investigation was conducted nor arrests were made to get the perpetrators of the massacre.

Many suspect those involved were snipers from the Azov battalion, a neo-Nazi front Pierrehumber, a professor of physics at the University of Oxford.

“We’ve had the heat dome over North America, worldwide fires, drought, floods, but this is just a sample of what is to come if we don’t get the emissions of carbon dioxide to zero.”

And while COVID-19 has focused the world’s scientific attention, governments must be prepared for other biological threats -- from weapons programs to the rise in antibiotic resistance, which the Bulletin said could trigger a new pandemic within a decade.

The Bulletin particularly highlighted how disinformation -- much of it stoked by politicians in high office -- is undermining faith in science and handicapping the world’s ability to confront its challenges.

“A particularly invidious threat is the intentional undermining of the public’s ability to sort out what’s true from what’s patently false by information warfare,” said Sharon Squassoni, co-chair of the board and a re-

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Anita F. Grefal

Baldwin R. Felipe

Edgar M. Valmorida

This is what I think is really happening in Ukraine.

US policy makers then began to press Ukraine to join NATO. That move endangered the lives of the local Russians living in the Eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk. Because of intense anti-Russian resentment, the two provinces promptly declared independence. The new government scrapped the Russian language, abolished all Russian newspapers and desecrated monuments and memorials erected in honor of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers that liberated Ukraine against the Nazi occupation. On top of it, the US-installed government elevated as hero Stepan Bandera, a neo-Nazi disguised as nationalist which many Ukrainian and Russians very much resented.

Ukraine was divided into several parts like what the West did in Sudan, Somalia and Libya and each controlled by oligarchs. The de-industrialization could be seen in how the US-installed government dismantled Ukraine’s heavy industries built during the Soviet era. Ukraine was the manufacturer of the biggest aircraft engines that produced Antonov An-124, the biggest air transport in the world. The engine manufacturer, Motor Zitch, was later sold to China, only to backout because the West opposed the sale until the company was closed down.

The same was done when Ukraine imposed exorbitant transit fees to Russia’s natural gas passing Ukraine to Western Europe.

Germany offered Russia an alternative of constructing a pipeline passing through to the Baltic Sea. The project known as Nord Stream 2 is today being imperiled as the US

wants to block the pipeline, though it is just awaiting final approval by the German government.

NATO secretary general Jen Stoltenberg must bear in mind that Ukraine is not a member of the military alliance. If Russia should invade Ukraine, strictly speaking NATO cannot come to its side as an ally.

The alliance will only come to Ukraine’s defense if it is a member. If NATO violates the red line imposed by Russia, the countdown for war is now ticking. Many observe NATOs’ supply of arms and the arrival of military advisers in Ukraine is a recipe for miscalculation. One cannot say a proxy war is in the offing but that could not be discounted to spill over into nuclear conflagration. Russia’s red line should serve as a warning to that and crossing the red line poses a threat to Russia’s security.

The West failed to analyze why Russia will not invade Ukraine. US and NATO ignored that Russia has much to lose if it invades Ukraine. A war in Ukraine would affect a sizable number of the Russian-speaking population living in that country, and could destroy the huge investment it poured in to help that country during the Soviet era. Besides, the West failed to take into account the importance of historical roots that bind the two countries. Lest they forget, Ukraine and Russia are Slavic- speaking countries and their affinity is deeper than the US propaganda of democracy and freedom.

On the other hand, the US is mainly interested in selling arms to sustain the demands of its arms industry and the money generated out of war. The enticement to join the alliance is merely to add color and decoration to its quest for power and hegemony to keep alive a dying empire. Even if the US and its allies insist it was Russia that first occupied Crimea to justify its narrative of aggression, they forgot that Crimea historically belongs to Russia. rpkapunan@gmail.com

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(www.manilastandard.net) search professor at George Washington University.

“This subverts our ability to arrive at consensus on the solutions needed to achieve positive change,” she added.

The Bulletin called on Washington and Moscow to expand the scope of nuclear reduction, and for the world’s leading polluters to accelerate decarbonization.

“China should set an example by pursuing sustainable development pathways -- not fossil fuel-intensive projects” in its global infrastructure initiative known as Belt and Road, it said.

The United States and other leading countries should meanwhile heighten cooperation through the World Health Organization to reduce biological risks.

This would involve improving monitoring of animal-human interactions, increasing international disease surveillance, and ramping up production and distribution of medical supplies. AFP

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

Drawing the line on Zambales sands

Congress must probe PSE, SEC for approving Citicore IPO

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

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

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US airliner turns back in mid-flight due to passenger defying mask rule AN AMERICAN Airlines jetliner headed from Miami to London turned around in mid-flight Thursday because a passenger refused to wear a COVID mask, the airline said.

“American Airlines flight 38 with service from Miami to London returned to MIA due to a disruptive customer refusing to comply with the federal mask requirement,” the airline said.

Police were waiting when the Boeing 777 carrying 129 passengers and a crew of 14 landed back in Miami.

When the plane landed police escorted that passenger off the plane

TRADITIONAL YET MODERN.

without incident, a police official told CNN. American Airlines said that pending further investigation this passenger has been placed on a list of people barred from flying with the airline.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in January 2021 it would observe a zero tolerance policy toward people who reject federal rules mandating mask-wearing on US domestic flights.

This came as flight attendants reported a high number of incidents of verbal and physical abuse from travelers who refuse to wear a mask.

AFP

Divers wearing a traditional lion costume (left) and a god of fortune costume (right) look on as a turtle swims past at the Aquaria KLCC oceanarium in Kuala Lumpur on January 21, 2022, ahead of the Lunar New Year, which marks the Year of the Tiger. AFP

NO ‘DAUGHTER/DADDY PRIVILEGE’ IN CAPITOL ATTACK INVESTIGATION

Ivanka Trump told to cooperate in probe West warns U Russia against S LAWMAKERS investigating the January 2021 attack on the Capitol on Thursday asked the daughter of former president Donald Trump to cooperate voluntarily with its inquiry.

In a letter marking a major step for the investigation inside Trump’s inner circle, the House select committee told Ivanka Trump – then a senior advisor to her father – it had evidence that she had pleaded with him to call off the violence as his supporters stormed Congress.

“Testimony obtained by the commit-

tee indicates that members of the White House staff requested your assistance on multiple occasions to intervene in an attempt to persuade President Trump to address the ongoing lawlessness and violence on Capitol Hill,” chairman Bennie Thompson told her.

Investigators are looking into how

the attack, which shut down Congress, took place and whether then-president Trump and members of his circle had a part in encouraging it.

The committee has already issued subpoenas for several key figures in Trump’s orbit, including White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and onetime White House strategist Steve Bannon.

The committee said Ivanka Trump’s actions as the riot was u n d e r w a y were a “key focus” of the probe, and that she appeared to have

direct knowledge of her father’s attempt to persuade then-vice president Mike Pence to stop the counting of electoral votes.

“As January 6 approached, President Trump attempted on multiple occasions to persuade vice president Pence to participate in his plan,” Thompson wrote.

“One of the president’s discussions with the vice president occurred by phone on the morning of January 6. You were present in the Oval Office and observed at least one side of that telephone conversation.” AFP

Crashed WWII aircraft found in India after 77 yrs A MISSING World War II plane has been identified in India’s remote Himalayas nearly 80 years after it crashed with no survivors, following a treacherous search that led to the deaths of three guides.

The C-46 transport aircraft was carrying 13 people from Kunming in southern China when it disappeared in stormy weather over a mountainous stretch of Arunachal Pradesh state in the first week of 1945.

“This aircraft was never heard from again. It simply disappeared,” said Clayton Kuhles, a US adventurer who led the mission after a request from the son of one of those on board the doomed flight.

The expedition took months and saw Kuhles and a team of guides from the local Lisu ethnic group ford chest-deep rivers and camp in freezing temperatures at high altitudes.

Three guides died of hypothermia at an initial stage of the project while camped out during a September snowstorm.

But the team finally stumbled upon the plane on a snow-clad mountain top last month, where they were able to identify the wreckage by the tail number.

There were no human remains in what was left of the craft.

Kuhles was tasked with conducting the search by Bill Scherer, whose officer father was aboard the plane when it crashed.

“All I can say is that I am overjoyed, just knowing where he is. It is sad but joyous,” Scherer told AFP by email from New York. AFP

PROTEST. Relatives of detainees during the civil uprising against social inequality protests that began in October 2019 march

towards ‘La Moneda Chica’ where Chilean President-elect Gabriel Boric’s team has its offices to demand their release in Santiago. AFP

17 killed, 59 injured by explosion in western Ghana AT LEAST 17 people were killed and 59 injured Thursday in a devastating explosion in a western Ghana town after a truck carrying explosives intended for a mine collided with a motorcycle, the government said.

The blast left a huge crater and reduced dozens of buildings to dust-covered piles of wood and metal in Apiate, near the city of Bogoso some 300 kilometers (180 miles) west of the mineralrich West African country’s capital Accra.

Footage verified by AFP showed locals rushing towards a raging fire and rising plumes of black smoke to inspect the damage, while rescue workers wad-

Probe: Ex-pope Benedict failed to act in German child sex abuses FORMER pope Benedict XVI knowingly failed to take action to stop four priests accused of child sex abuse in Munich in Manila Standard the 1980s, according to a damning indeTODAY pendent report published Thursday that risks shattering the ex-pontiff’s reputation.

The report by law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl (WSW) was commissioned by the archdiocese of Munich and Freising to examine how abuse cases were dealt with between 1945 and 2019.

Ex-pope Benedict – whose civilian name is Josef Ratzinger – was the archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982.

Benedict’s spokesman Georg Gaenswein said the ex-pontiff had responded by

expressing “shock and shame at the abuse of minors committed by clerics” but must examine the text, of which he had no knowledge until this afternoon.

Benedict, 94 – whose civilian name is Josef Ratzinger – in 2013 became the first pope to step down from the role in 600 years and now lives a secluded life in a former convent inside the grounds of the Vatican.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni also said it intended to examine the report, “the contents of which are not currently known.”

Two of the cases where Benedict allegedly failed to act involved clergymen who had committed several proven acts of abuse but were allowed to continue with pastoral duties, according to WSW lawyer Martin Pusch.

In one case, a now notorious paedophile priest named Peter Hullermann was transferred to Munich from Essen in western Germany where he had been accused of abusing an 11-year(MS-JAN. 22, 2022) old boy. AFP

ed through the rubble to find survivors caught in the devastation and retrieve lifeless bodies.

“A total of 17 people have unfortunately been confirmed dead, and 59 injured people have been rescued,” Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said in a statement released overnight.

The minister said initial signs point to “an accident involving a truck transporting explosive materials for a mining company, a motorcycle and a third vehicle” which took place near an electrical transformer.

Out of 59 people injured, 42 are receiving treatment in hospitals or health centers and “some are in critical condi-

tion,” Nkrumah added.

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo called it a “truly sad, unfortunate and tragic incident” and expressed “deep condolences to the families of the deceased.”

Officials and eyewitnesses described a scene of desolation against the sea of buildings collapsed or impaired in the carnage.

“It’s a black Thursday. So far 500 houses have been affected. Some have been razed down completely by the explosion while others have developed cracks,” Sedzi Sadzi Amedonu, Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization, told AFP. AFP

‘any’ incursion into Ukraine

THE United States and its allies have warned Moscow Thursday of grave consequences if “any” of the tens of thousands of troops massed on the border were to cross the border into Ukraine.

Following talks in Berlin with Germany, France and Britain, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken underlined that Russia “cannot match” Western powers’ resoluteness.

Allowing Russia to violate Ukraine’s territorial integrity would “drag us all back to a much more dangerous and unstable time, when this continent, and this city, were divided in two... with the threat of all-out war hanging over everyone’s heads,” he said in the German capital.

In a show of that unity, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking alongside Blinken, said the West would not shy away from taking action even if that included measures that “could have economic consequences for ourselves.”

Fears are mounting that a major conflict could break out in Europe, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned that Russia marching on Ukraine would have repercussions beyond the continent. “It would be a disaster for the world,” he said.

In a bid to defuse the worst tensions between Russia and the West in decades, Blinken is on a whirlwind diplomatic tour that took him to Berlin on Thursday before his meeting with Russia’s Sergei Lavrov in Geneva on Friday. AFP

‘No mercy’: China ramps up fight against corruption

CHINA has vowed to ramp up its regulatory crackdown and show “no mercy” against corruption as the ruling Communist Party gears up for a key meeting that could secure President Xi Jinping a third term.

The announcement suggests authorities have no plans to rein in investigations that engulfed China’s tech industry last year or an ongoing hunt for corruption that has brought CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK down high-flying politicians and influential tycoons.

The official Xinhua news agency carried a communique from the Communist Party’s discipline watchdog late Thursday saying authorities will punish any corruption connected to “the disorderly expansion of capital” in various industries and “cut the link between power and capital.”

Beijing must “show no mercy to those who engage in political gangs, small circles and vested interests within the party,” the statement added, while warning of further investigation into corruption in the financial sector and state-owned enterprises.

Critics argue China’s anti-corrupOIL SPILL. Cleaning crews work to remove oil from a beach annexed to the summer tion campaign has served as a way resort town of Ancon, northern Lima, on January 20, 2022 after a spill which occurred during the offloading process of the Italian-flagged tanker ‘Mare Doricum’ at the La to remove political enemies since Xi Pampilla refinery caused by the abnormal waves recorded after the volcanic eruption in came to power in 2013. AFP Tonga. AFP

Business PSEi January 21, 2022

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 X 0.53 0.135 34.18% 2 GEO 0.199 0.015 8.15% 3 SPNEC 1.73 0.13 8.12% 4 PHA 0.58 0.03 5.45% 5 MED 0.34 0.015 4.62% 6 DIZ 5.49 0.24 4.57% 7 AEV 62.95 2.6 4.31% 8 PBC 18.98 0.74 4.06% 9 CEI 0.105 0.004 3.96% 10 LR 1.36 0.05 3.82%

TOP LOSERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 MAH 1.03 -0.08 -7.21% 2 FAF 0.65 -0.05 -7.14% 3 ATNB 0.69 -0.05 -6.76% 4 ATN 0.6 -0.04 -6.25%

B3

SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market advances; SPNEC, JG Summit rise T HE stock market rose Friday on select buying and reports of declining COVID-19 cases in the capital region.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 54.24 points, or 0.8 percent, to 7,293.52 on a value turnover of P5.5 billion. Gainers edged losers, 94 to 93, with 53 issues unchanged.

Solar Philippine Nueva Ecija Corp., which is building what is being touted as the biggest solar farm in Southeast Asia, surged 8.1 percent to P1.73, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group advanced 3.2 percent to P62.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group climbed 2.7 percent to P34.70, but Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, fell 1.6 percent to P57.30.

The rest of Asian markets dropped Friday following another wave of losses

on Wall Street as traders returned their focus to the Federal Reserve’s plans to ramp up interest rates, while oil prices sank from their seven-year highs.

Sydney lost more than two percent, while Wellington and Taipei were more than one percent down.

Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore and Mumbai were also off. However, Hong Kong managed to eke out a small gain at the end thanks to late bargain-buying, while Jakarta also rose.

Angst about the Fed’s determination to fight surging inflation by removing its ultra-loose monetary policy is dealing a severe blow to the rally in global markets that has run virtually uninterrupted for nearly two years, leaving most markets in the red at the start of 2022.

Officials have started tapering the massive bond-buying put in place at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and it is widely expected they will start lifting borrowing costs from March, though by how much is a matter of speculation.

The Fed has also said it will begin offloading the bonds it already has on its books, which have been key in helping keep rates low, though it is not clear how quickly it will do that.

Markets are now awaiting the Fed board’s meeting next week, hoping it will provide a clear idea about its timetable for policy normalization.

But with key officials now in a blackout period ahead of the gathering, there is little information for investors to work with, fueling uncertainty and volatility.

Wall Street’s three main indexes closed deep in negative territory again—having spent much of the day well up—with tech firms again the big losers, owing to their susceptibility to higher rates.

Adding to the selling was data showing a pick-up in US jobless claims and a far-weaker-than-expected reading on a key manufacturing index, which all suggest that while the Omicron COVID variant is less severe than feared, it is still causing concern. With AFP

5 SGI 1.09 -0.05 -4.39% 6 LAND 0.88 -0.04 -4.35% 7 LBC 23.8 -0.95 -3.84% 8 BLOOM 6.15 -0.24 -3.76% 9 DITO 5.3 -0.19 -3.46% 10 GSMI 117.5 -4 -3.29%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME

VALUE (PHP)

1 SPNEC 2 MBT

235,185,000 400,388,290 5,857,530 335,626,787

3 ALI

8,720,300 299,953,570

4 ICT

1,408,990 280,408,763

5 SMPH 7,521,700 257,892,705 6 MONDE 13,188,400 216,991,922 7 JGS

2,260,210 138,006,258

8 SM

141,740 135,376,350

9 CNVRG 4,207,100 130,605,895 10 JFC 516,520 117,580,042

RISING PRICES. Farmers park tractors with banners reading ‘Death of farmers’ as they take part in a demonstration to denounce pork prices and the soaring of commodity prices, in front of the prefecture in Saint-Brieuc, western France on January 20, 2022. AFP

Bottles clinking, Turkish party train blazes through night

By Anne Chaon ANKARA/KARS, Turkey―Festive garlands, white tablecloths and enticing bottles appear the moment passengers board the Eastern Express for an epic journey across Turkey’s snow-capped Euphrates plateaus.

Named the Turistik Dogu Ekspresi locally, the train offers one of the expansive country’s most coveted new experiences.

Its nine carriages wind their way around mountain bends on a 32-hour, 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) voyage from the capital Ankara to Kars, an ancient city near Turkey’s rugged border with Armenia and Georgia.

The service was suspended less than a year after starting because of the coronavirus pandemic. But with restrictions easing, the sleeper is back. Tickets, though relatively pricey, are snapped up in minutes.

“The Ankara-Kars line is considered by travel writers to be one of the four most beautiful train lines in the world,” Turkish State Railways director Hasan Pezuk told AFP. “It is really a very special moment for me and my family,” says Zulan-Nour Komurcu, 26, who is celebrating her birthday with them on board.

“It’s my present,” smiles the brunette, who has decorated her cabin with purple lights, hung a furry wreath on the door and set out biscuits and a porcelain teapot on an em-

broidered tablecloth.

Three months of snow The train runs twice a week from December 30 to March 31 to make the most of the snow-covered landscapes. Its route is a miniature version of Russia’s Trans-Siberian railway, says engineer Fatih Yalcin.

“There is always something to fix,” he says, his head deep inside an electrical cabinet.

“Last week it was minus 24 degrees Celsius (minus 11 degrees Fahrenheit)... The water was freezing,” he says, adding that it sometimes falls to minus 40.

“I intervene when required and without disturbing the passengers. Seeing them happy is a real pleasure for me.”

Depending on the compartment, there are prayers or alcohol.

In the dining car, revelers can feast through the night under a nightclub-style mirror ball.

This is where Ilhemur Irmak and her retired friends meet for tea as the sun sets in a blaze of color. The 40 women hail from Bursa, a western province on the Sea of Marmara.

“We’re in retreat from our husbands and our fathers,” says Irmak, triggering laughter all round.

Like most passengers, they embarked with their own provisions: a veritable feast of specialities and sweets.

Another faster and less festive train runs

along the same route in around 20 hours, without the scenic stops.

But this train was designed for the sheer joy of traveling through spectacular but hardto-access provinces such as Kayseri, Sivas, Erzincan and Erzurum.

And, of course, for partying through the night.

Nostalgia Lawyer Yoruk Giris and his two friends have made sure their supplies last until the end. A party animal, he has brought out a white light garland, a plaster snowman, candles and a portable speaker blasting out Turkish rock.

“It was an old dream,” the smiling 38-yearold says, swaying, his table weighed down by whisky, delicacies and chilled beers.

“We had to make something joyful out of it. We prepared a lot.”

As the evening turns to night, people begin meeting up in the corridor to share music and dance. Among them, two couples in their fifties, “friends since high school,” intend to “have a good time together”.

One of them, Ahmet Cavus, admits feeling “nostalgia” for the train rides of his youth.

“We revisit the journeys we made as children with our grandparents,” Cavus says.

The train brings together an array of Turkish society, with people of all ages and styles, from the reserved to the unrestrained. AFP

This picture shows the Eastern Express train passing in snowy landscape near Ilic train station, on January 6, 2022.

The Eastern Express train glides off on an epic voyage across Turkey’s snow-capped plateaus along the Euphrates. Called Dogu Ekspresi in Turkish, the train offers one of the expansive country’s most coveted new experiences. AFP

US inflation hike also due to generous stimulus plan WASHINGTON, United States— President Joe Biden blames global supply snarls for the wave of price increases hitting US consumers and businesses, but the trillions of dollars injected into the economy during the pandemic also share responsibility.

The COVID-19 crisis disrupted manufacturing worldwide and caused shipping snags, creating global shortages of key materials that combined to push prices higher.

Amid a rapid recovery from the pandemic, US consumer prices soared seven percent last year, the highest in nearly four decades.

“Inflation has everything to do with the supply chain,” Biden said during his lengthy press conference Wednesday.

But many economists and Biden’s Republican opposition say massive federal stimulus and new spending also bear some of the blame for the inflation wave—which the president’s critics have labeled “Bidenflation.”

“The last year, the glut of federal dollars that’s been pumped into our economy, has fueled the surge in prices,” said Stephanie Bice, a Republican lawmaker from Oklahoma.

Not long after he took office one year ago, Biden pushed a $1.9-trillion American Rescue Plan through Congress, the third pandemic aid program, despite overwhelming Republican opposition.

Some economists say the package should have been more compact and targeted.

“My view last year was that the stimulus bill was needed but should be smaller,” said Harvard economics professor Jason Furman, who was an adviser to former president Barack Obama.

“In retrospect, rather than being $2 trillion, it could have been $1 trillion, Furman told AFP. Another Democratic economist, former US Treasury secretary Larry Summers, long warned that the additional stimulus though “admirably ambitious,” could “set off inflationary pressures of a kind we have not seen in a generation.” AFP

In Texas, driverless trucks are set to take over roads

HOUSTON, United States―A giant 18-wheel transport truck is barreling down a multi-lane Texas highway, and there is no one behind the wheel.

The futuristic idea may seem surreal, but it is being tested in this vast southern US state, which has become the epicenter of a rapidly developing selfdriving vehicle industry.

Before driverless trucks are allowed onto roads and highways, however, multiple tests must still be conducted to ensure they are safe.

Self-driving lorries are operated using radars, laser scanners, cameras and GPS antennas that communicate with piloting software.

“Each time we drive a mile or a kilometer in real life, we resimulate a thousand more times on the computer by changing hundreds of parameters,” explains Pierre-François Le Faou, trucking partner development manager at Waymo, the self-

driving unit at Google’s parent company Alphabet.

Waymo is building a logistics center in Dallas that will accommodate hundreds of autonomous semi-trailers.

And it is by far not alone.

Embark, a self-driving technology startup, operates an autonomous trucking lane between Houston and San Antonio, while Aurora, co-founded by a former Waymo employee, will open three terminals and a new 635-mile route (1,000 kilometers) in Texas this year.

In a sign of how competitive the autonomous trucking industry is, none of the three companies agreed to show AFP one of its vehicles.

“I think that everybody who is in the autonomous trucking business is in Texas,” says Srikanth Saripalli, director at the Center for Autonomous Vehicles and Sensor Systems at Texas A&M University. “Even if they don’t advertise it.” AFP

Traditional fishermen demoralized

by Peru oil spill after freak waves CALLAO, Peru—Hundreds of traditional fisherman living just outside the Peruvian capital fear their livelihoods are ruined following an oil spill caused by a volcanic eruption thousands of miles away.

Authorities called the spill, caused by an eruption on the other side of the Pacific near Tonga, the worst ecological disaster in Lima in recent times.

Traditional fisherman in Ventanilla, a district to the north of Lima’s port in Callao, on Wednesday protested outside the gates of the Pampilla Refinery owned by Spanish energy giant Repsol, demanding compensation for the spill that occurred as freak waves hit a tanker during offloading on Saturday.

“How will we live now? That’s our worry,” Miguel Angell Nunez, who led the protest, told AFP. “We’ve lost our source of work and we don’t know when this will end.

“We want them to recognize the damage. The spill was caused by (Repsol’s) negligence.”

It is an area teeming with sole, lorna drum and Peruvian grunt, commonly used in the local delicacy ceviche, a marinated raw fish dish that Peru is famous for.

Traditional fishermen use small scale, low technology, low capital practices, mostly from the beach or rocks.

The few that own small boats only travel short distances along the shoreline. AFP

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

B4

SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

Business

ASIAN FORUM.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno (top, right) shares his view on ways of collaboration between governments and private sectors to fight climate change during the 15th Asian Financial Forum jointly organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

The AFF 2022 is one of the signature events in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong SAR.

A

YALA Corp. and majority shareholder Mermac Inc. signed a property-for-share swap agreement with property unit Ayala Land Inc. worth P17.38 billion.

Under the agreement, Ayala Corp. will transfer P17.27 billion worth of assets to ALI in exchange for 309.597 million in primary common shares in the property firm. Mermac will also infuse P110.6 million worth of properties in exchange for 1.982 million ALI primary common shares.

The agreement is subject to regulatory approvals.

“We are delighted about this transaction. We view ALI as the natural owner of these properties and is in the best position to optimize their value. In addition, this deal is consistent with Ayala’s initiative to increase its ownership of ALI, similar to the block purchases of ALI shares we have done over the past year,” said Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Ayala Corp. president and chief executive.

The primary common shares to be issued by ALI to Ayala Corp. and Mermac will come from the property firm’s unissued common shares.

ALI said the said shares are not subject to pre-emptive rights and do not require stockholders’ approval.

“We are pleased with our agreement with Ayala Corp. to purchase properties in exchange for ALI shares. These properties are in key locations and will

further expand our land bank and commercial assets. We are confident that the inclusion of these assets will further create value for our stakeholders,” said ALI president and chief executive Bernard Vincent Dy. Among the properties to be infused

by Ayala Corp. to ALI are its 50-percent ownership in Ayala Hotels Inc., the owner of the Manila Peninsula property and Park Central Towers project and several properties in Davao del Sur, Makati, Quezon City and Laguna.

Ayala Corp has 46.07-percent ownership in in ALI. Once approved by regulatory agencies, the conglomerate’s ownership in ALI will increase to 47.2 percent.

The parties expect to complete the requirements within the year.

Ayala Corp. and ALI engaged FTI

Consulting Philippines Inc. to issue a third-party fairness opinion regarding the transaction. FTI, in its review, concluded that the transaction is fair from a financial point of view.

The share price of Ayala Corp. rose 2.7 percent Friday to close at P868 each, while the stock of ALI gained 1.6 percent to P34.65.

ALI reported attributable net income of P8.59 billion in the first three quarters of 2021, up by 35 percent from P6.37 billion a year ago, as consolidated revenues increased 15 percent to P72.6 billion from P63.32 billion.

The company said it achieved the sales recovery despite the re-imposition of stricter quarantine measures in August last year. ALI said it was expecting to sustain the business momentum with the reopening of the economy.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

ABS-CBN readies share offering to raise fresh funds

Friday, January 21, 2022 54.24 PTS. TOTAL VOLUME

2,146,469,138

TOTAL TRADES 67,675 TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) 5,519,035,014.52 ADVANCES 94

7,293.52

DECLINES 93 UNCHANGED 53

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022

By Darwin G. Amojelar ABS-CBN Corp. said Friday it is raising fresh funds from the sale of shares to finance digital initiatives and content production.

The media and entertainment company of the Lopez Group said its board approved the sale of 21,322,561 treasury shares and 27,828,645 PDRs to interested qualified institutional buyers at P15.23 for each common share or PDR. It said the price approved by the board was determined based on a 12 percent premium over the closing price of the ABS-CBN share on Jan. 20.

The company said the selling price would represent a 19-percent premium over the 30-day volume weighted average price of the common shares.

“In the event that none of the shares are taken up by the institutional buyers, Lopez Inc. is willing to purchase up to P500 million of such shares and PDRs at the same price,” ABS-CBN said.

ABS-CBN corporate communications head Kane Errol Choa said the proceeds from the share sale would be used for digital initiatives, content production and other general corporate purposes.

The company incurred a net loss of P3.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2020, down from P7.3-billion loss in the same period in 2019.

Consolidated revenues went fell 25.2 percent to P12.7 billion as advertising revenues tumbled 35.5 percent in the absence of free-to-air advertising space after the cease-anddesist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission.

Consumer sales were also affected by the CDO as this prohibited the company from engaging in Sky Cable’s DTH services and distribution of TV Plus boxes.

The impact of COVID-19 outbreak also resulted in the cessation of various ancillary operations such as Heroes Burger, Kidzania Manila and Studio XP.

Local hog inventory increases by 700,000

THE Department of Agriculture announced Friday a milestone in the country’s fight against the Asian Swine Fever, with around 700,000 new hogs producedin a year from January 2020 under the repopulation program.

Citing report from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Bureau of Animal Industry said total hogs increased to 9.8 million in 2022 from 9.1 million in 2021.

BAI director Reildrin Morales said the increase was due to the initiatives and efforts of the private sector, swine raisers’ groups and professional veterinary associations, together with the government, to eradicate the threat of ASF. “These efforts, implemented in partnership with LGUs have been instrumental in keeping the industry alive,” he said.

Morales said with the increase in hog population, pork supply slowly stabilized, as production from local raisers was complemented by imported frozen pork. “These imported products are kept in cold storages and will be released to simply augment supply gap. This was never meant to compete with the local producers,” he said.

Othel V. Campos

CleanTech to build 1,200-MW wind project

Ayala infuses P17-b assets into unit ALI

By Jenniffer B. Austria

IN BRIEF

AID TRANSPORT. 2GO Group Inc.’s business arm 2GO Sea Solutions, the leader in domestic freight transportation in the Philippines, ships 500 tons of relief goods port-to-port, free of charge from Manila to Cebu, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro and Ozamis in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette that affected communities in the region. As of Jan. 19, 2GO has moved essential goods such as water, food packs, rice, linens, mattresses, tents, generator sets, batteries and medicines in partnership with organizations, including the Gokongwei Brother’s Foundation, Courage Cebu, Philippine Multimodal Transport and Logistics Association Inc. and the Philippine Coast Guard.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.4280

Japan

Yen

0.008765

0.4508

UK

Pound

1.360300

69.9575

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128432

6.6050

Switzerland

Franc

1.091227

56.1196

Canada

Dollar

0.799872

41.1358

Singapore

Dollar

0.742280

38.1740

Australia

Dollar

0.722500

37.1567

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653083

136.4428

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266588

13.7101

Brunei

Dollar

0.739536

38.0329

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.030349

1.5608

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.0032

Euro

Euro

1.131400

58.1856

Korea

Won

0.000839

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.157691

8.1097

India

Rupee

0.013433

0.6908

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238834

12.2828

New Zealand

Dollar

0.675400

34.7345

Taiwan

Dollar

0.036202

1.8618 Source: BSP

Bangko Sentral asks Congress to pass other key structural reforms

By Julito G. Rada BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno asked the 18th Congress to enact other key structural reforms to support recovery and sustain inclusive growth under the post-pandemic economy.

“The BSP’s legislative agenda aims to strengthen the banking system, foster financial inclusion, enhance the delivery of and address social issues related to access to financial products and services, and support economic growth,” Diokno said in a recent Senate hearing.

He said among these crucial legislative measures are the proposed Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, the Bank Deposits Se-

crecy Bill, amendments to the AgriAgra Law, amendments to the charter of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Bank Accounts and E-wallets Regulation Bill.

The proposed Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, also known as the Financial Consumer Protection Act, aims to put in place appropriate measures to consolidate the principles of financial inclusion, financial education, good governance and effective supervision in one law to protect the interest of financial consumers.

“The enactment of the FCP Act is envisioned to provide an armor of protection to all financial consumers,” Diokno said.

He said this would ensure that rele-

vant government institutions and financial regulators would be fully equipped with the legal authority to enforce prudent, responsible and customer-centric standards of business conduct.”

The BSP said it also supports the Bank Deposits Secrecy Bill, which if passed, would equip it with the necessary tools to prove the commission of fraud, serious irregularity or unlawful activity, when reasonable ground is found to exist in the exercise of its supervisory powers and investigation of closed banks.

The bill will also allow the BSP to holistically examine a banking institution to consider all risk areas in assessing a bank’s financial condition, risk management and corporate governance.

LOCAL renewable energy developer CleanTech Global Renewables Inc. and The Blue Circle are developing a 1,200-megawatt offshore wind project in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro province.

CleaTech and TBC said in a joint statement they secured a service contract to develop the project which will have 100 turbines with a unit capacity of 12 MW for a total of 1,200 MW. This will become the largest offshore wind project of the country. g “Cleantech Global Renewables has strongly pushed for the adoption of new technologies and best practices to grow our renewables assets with the continuous support to pursue innovation from partners like The Blue Circle,” said Salvador Antonio Castro Jr., chief executive of Cleantech Global.

“The Bulalacao offshore project will incur a limited environmental footprint in a very favorable landscape for wind power potential. The project, whose land bank reaches approximately 40,095 hectares, will be of a significant size for both floating and bottom fixed wind turbines. I am enthusiastic and eager to build this major stepping stone towards our country’s sustainable development and energy independence,” said Castro.

Alena Mae S. Flores

VECO restores power to over 80% of customers

ABOITIZ Power Corp.’s subsidiary Visayan Electric Co. said Friday it restored electricity supply to more than 80 percent of customers within its franchise area with additional manpower and equipment pouring in.

VECO president and chief operating officer Raul Lucero said in a statement the company reelectrified 394,400 of its 474,182 customers affected by typhoon Odette as of noon on Jan. 21.

“We recorded energy demand at 345.3 MW, which is 88 percent that of the pre-Odette power consumption of 495 MW. It is encouraging to see that power is flowing back into the cities and municipalities that we serve,” Lucero said.

The Energy Regulatory Commission directed VECO to fast-track restoration activities amid allegations of extortion from contractors or volunteers. VECO said it is now turning its attention to address pockets within the city that still do not have power and to expand repair work toward the outskirts of its franchise. Alena Mae S. Flores

Pag-IBIG home loan releases surged 58% to top P100b in 2021 PAG-IBIG Fund set a new record as home loans breached P100 billion for the first time despite the pandemic, top agency officials said Friday.

It said in a statement home loans reached P97.28 billion last year, on top of interim releases for loans for house construction and renovation amounting to P3.5 billion. This brought total releases to P100.8 billion—the highest amount released by the agency in a year.

The amount disbursed in 2021 grew 58 percent from P63.75 billion released in 2020 and surpassed by 16 percent the P86.74 billion released in 2019, the agency’s previous record.

“While the country is still facing challenges caused by the pandemic, I am happy to report that Pag-IBIG released more than P100 billion in home loans in 2021, surpassing its ‘best-ever’ figure which it achieved in 2019, before the health crisis started,” said Secretary Eduardo del Rosario, who heads the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

“This is very good news for our members because bigger releases mean that more Filipino workers have become homeowners even during the pandemic.

The growth in home loan disbursements also contributes to the economic recovery efforts of the government,” said del Rosario, who also heads the 10-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees.

Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti said the amount financed the acquisition of a record-high 94,533 housing units for its members, an increase of 48 percent from the 63,750 housing units financed in 2020. Of the amount, P9.71 billion financed the acquisition of 22,028 socialized housing units for members belonging to the minimum-wage and low-income sectors, or 23 percent of the entire number of homes financed for the whole 2021.

4 business groups urge Senate to ratify PH membership in world’s largest trade bloc

By Othel V. Campos FOUR business groups on Friday backed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as they urged the Senate to ratify the Philippine membership in what is considered the world’s largest trade bloc.

“We see our membership in RCEP as an important challenge to our government to step up genuine and meaningful support for Filipino producers, especially in the agriculture sector, which is the back-

bone of the Philippine economy,” the groups said in a statement Friday.

The groups, composed of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Council for Foreign Relations also called on the government to provide a substantial increase in the agriculture budget that is comparable to those of ASEAN neighbors.

The groups said the RCEP partnership would provide a huge market where Fili-

pino producers and traders are expected to gain preferential access through membership in the trade bloc.

RCEP, consisting of the 10 ASEAN members plus Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan and South Korea, account for 30 percent of the world’s population and global GDP. RCEP entered into force on Jan. 1, 2022, having been ratified earlier by 10 signatories. South Korea will come in as the 11th member on Feb. 11, 2022 after its government ratified the agreement on

Dec. 2, 2021. The other countries—Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar—are also expected to ratify the agreement.

The business groups said RCEP provides wide economic opportunities, along with certain threats to uncompetitive industries and individual producers and their workers. Trade experts said like in other free trade agreements the country joined, the overall economic gains in terms of net job creation, economic growth and price stabilization would well outweigh the costs.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

Azarenka climbs ladder toward 3rd Open title

Garry Russell Jr. and Mark Magsayo pose for photographers during their press conference (Photo from Showtime Boxing)

FIGHTS AMERICAN CHAMP FOR WBC TITLE

Magsayo vows to show Filipino brand of boxing

By Randy Caluag

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MERICAN Garry Russel, Jr. fights like compatriot Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux, who both subscribe to the mantra of “hit and don’t get hit” as they box and counter with a 1-2 or combo, clinch and then move away.

This is proven in Russell’s astounding record of 31 wins against only one loss, but with only 18 knockouts. Filipino Mark Magsayo pretty much knows what to do then.

The power-punching Magsayo faces Russell as the mandatory challenger for the World Boxing Council featherweight world championship on Sunday (PH

Time) at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The protagonists met face to face on Friday in a press conference, with both showing calmness, exchanging smiles a day before the official weigh-in.

The undefeated Magsayo (23-0) looked to be the bigger fighter and it’s easy to tell that it will work to his advantage as he

goes for the 17th knockout of his career —and the world title.

Magsayo vowed that he will bring with him the brand of boxing Filipinos are known for.

“I’m going here to win and make the most of the opportunity given to me,” said the Bohol native, who is trained by Freddie Roach under MP Promotions.

“I’m going to show Russell what Filipinos are made of,” he said.

Magsayo did show the stuff he’s made of during his last fight in August last year, when he brutally stopped former world champion, Julio Ceja of Mexico.

It looks like everything is going in favor of Magsayo.

First to consider is the inactivity of the 33-year-old Russell as he only averaged one

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fight per year since winning the title in 2015.

His last ring appearance was in February 2020, when he outpointed Tug Nyambayar.

Russell’s training camp in Maryland was also interrupted when his father’s foot was amputated due to complications from diabetes.

Ring rust or not, Russell admitted that he is not in 100 percent shape when he defends his title for the sixth time.

“I never go into any of my fights 100 percent, to be honest with you. I do have a little slight injury but I prefer not to elaborate on it until after the fight,” Russell told DAZN in an interview.

“We’re going to get through this fight, we’re still going to make things shake and then we’ll go ahead and put it out thereafter it’s all said and done,” he said.

MELBOURNE—Victoria Azarenka compared her bid for a third Australian Open title to climbing a ladder on Friday —now she needs to make sure she does not fall off.

The 32-year-old turned back the clock to crush former world number four Elina Svitolina 6-0, 6-2 in a blistering display on Rod Laver Arena to march into the fourth round.

Her dominant win set up a clash with world number four and French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova for place in the quarter-finals after the Czech recovered from a set down to overpower 2017 Roland Garros winner Jelena Ostapenko.

Between 2009 and 2016, Azarenka reached at least the fourth round in Melbourne for eight consecutive years, peaking with her two titles in 2012 and 2013.

After taking time away to have a baby, this year marks her first trip so far since, but the 24th seed is not getting ahead of herself.

“I think that kind of mentality, to stay in the present, continue to just do what I can in the moment, that’s been helping me more rather than kind of comparing (to the past),” said the Belarusian, who had her son Leo by her side in her postmatch press conference.

“I think that’s really what I’m trying to say is that ladder I want to climb step by step.

“I think the danger for me is to try to skip a few steps. I think that is something I’m actually learning not to do.

That’s been helpful.”

Under hot sun in Melbourne she came flying out of the blocks, breaking the Ukrainian Svitolina in the first game and never looking back, forcing a slew of unforced errors from her opponent.

Svitolina, who made the quarter-finals in Melbourne in 2018 and 2019, recovered somewhat in the second set and saved five match points, but it was too little too late.

Despite the ease of her win, Azarenka was wary of the threat posed by Krejcikova, one of the most improved players last year who won three titles, including Roland Garros. AFP

Organizers add more SEAG events in Hanoi

By Peter Atencio

Rebisco retools Titan team REBISCO shows once again its allout commitment to the sport of volleyball as they enter 2022 with a renewed focus and goal of getting its indoor professional teams in the Premier Volleyball League to a better finish.

Entering its third season in the PVL, head coach Oliver Almadro’s team aims to build on its first two stints as they aim for a podium finish this time around and raise the level of competition in the Philippines’ first professional volleyball league higher than ever.

After adding experienced and skilled veterans in setter Jem Ferrer and middle Cherry Nunag back in November, Choco Mucho signed four key players that will strengthen the team’s championship drive this season. They are Desiree Cheng, Isa Molde, Aduke Ogunsanya and Thang Ponce.

Cheng and Molde will provide the much-needed scoring in the wings while Ogunsanya and Nunag will join the defensive middle blocking composed of Bea De Leon and Shannen Palec. Ponce meanwhile, will support Denden Lazaro on floor defense.

“Choco Mucho is a team we consider to still be a work in progress. We are confident our new talented players will address the needs of the Titans and further strengthen what has already been built by the team,” says Rollie Delfino, Choco Mucho Flying Titans Team Manager.

MANY events of the 31st Southeast Asian Games will now be held in Hanoi.

Organizers discussed this with member nations including the Philippines following a recent online meeting, where they also released health and safety guidelines that bear similarities to what was done in the Tokyo Olympics.

Vietnamese authorities, who earlier planned to spread events in many provinces, made the decision to add more events in Hanoi instead after the country recorded its first community cases of the omicron variant of COVID-19.

So far, 21 events will be done in Hanoi when the games are held from May 12

to 23 this year.

There will be 11 others that will be staged within the 100- kilometer radius of Hanoi, while seven will be done in Quang Ninh, which is 194 kms away.

Another two will be done in Haiphong, which is 118 kms away from the capital The biennial meet will involve 11 neighboring localities, featuring 40 sports with 526 events and 10,000 participants.

Among the events that will be done in Hanoi are kurash, gymnastics, taekwondo, basketball, billiards, sepak takraw, bowling, esports, vovinam, jiujitsu, wrestling, dancesports, athletics and swimming.

Also listed are weightlifting, archery, bodybuilding, fencing, judo,

pencak silat and wushu.

The Philippine national delegation’s chef de mission and Philippine Sports

Commissioner Ramon Fernandez was updated on the status of the venues that will be utilized in biennial meet.

With rising COVID-19 cases in Vietnam, organizers have presented strict health and safety protocols that need to be followed during the Games.

“There was nothing more important in the meeting than the protocols that they have presented,” said Fernandez.

The Philippines will be sending a 584-athlete and 161-official delegation to the games, with 80 athletes on the appeals’ list.

“We understand the situation because of the budgetary constraints in the PSC, so we have to employ belt-tightening measures as regards to officials and equipment,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham Tolentino.

High hopes for PLDT Home High Speed Hitters A staunch supporter of sports, the Philippines’ largest fully integrated telco PLDT has revamped its professional volleyball team as it prepares for the upcoming 2022 Premier Volleyball League season.

Under its new banner, the PLDT Home High Speed Hitters has welcomed a new roster of talented players who are ready to give their best during the tournament. The team has also named George Pascua as its new head coach, bringing in his experience as a multi-titled coach and his expertise as

part of the Philippine Women’s National Volleyball Team.

“We are grateful for the service of our previous players and Coach Roger Gorayeb. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors. We are also looking forward to work with Coach George and our players,” said Jude Turcuato, First Vice President and Head of Sports at PLDT and Smart.

Fans will still get to witness the hardcourt action of PLDT veterans Rhea Dimaculangan, Chin Basas,

The PLDT Home High Speed Hitters welcome a new era with a new name, new coach, and new roster for PVL 2022.

Eli Soyud, and Iza Viray. Joining them are reigning PVL Best Libero Kath Arado, Jessey De Leon, Dell Palomata, Jovy Prado, Lhara Clavano, Wendy Semana, Fiola Ceballos, Mean Mendrez, Jules Samonte, Heather Guino-o, and Mika Reyes.

These players are multi-titled and experienced athletes in their professional and collegiate careers, including some who also represented the country in previous Southeast Asian Games and other international tournaments.

“As a company who believes in the values that we learn from sports, the winning culture is something that we expect in any MVP team. But we understand that it’s not always an easy feat, that is why we will continue to support our team and help them achieve their goals, one step at a time. We always want to improve and be better in every game, that is the mindset that we want for the team,” Turcuato added.

Volleyball fans can follow the journey of PLDT Home High Speed Hitters through their official Instagram account: https://instagram.com/ pldthighspeedhitters/, official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HighSpeedHitters/, and official TikTok account: www.tiktok.com/@ pldthighspeedhitters

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

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ODAY, there are over a thousand homes sheltering some 4,000 individuals across 12 selfsustaining communities in the Philippines.

These numbers are proof of a social movement that is demonstrating what the future of socialized housing and construction could look like, founded on on a humble species of grass: the bamboo.

Base Bahay Foundation, a nonprofit outfit that works with a network of construction partners in utilizing bamboo to create sustainable and resilient housing solutions, is spearheading the movement.

It specifically targets low-income, disaster-stricken communities.

MORE DURABLE, AFFORDABLE STRUCTURE Central to Base Bahay’s work is the use of cement-bamboo frame technology, a combination of bamboo housing and conventional technology, that make for a more durable, and, most importantly, affordable structure, said Pablo Jorillo, Base Bahay general manager.

Speaking recently at a forum hosted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region VII, Jorillo claimed cementbamboo frame technology is typhoon, earthquake, fire and insect-resistant, and ican last for more than 50 years.

He added that the technology is accredited by the National Housing Authority through the Accreditation of Innovative Technologies for Housing (AITECH).

Central to Base Bahay’s work are bamboo research and education and efforts toward the recognition of bamboo as sustainable building material. Jorillo emphasized that though bamboo has yet to become a mainstream construction material, the infrastructure industry has recently begun to create standards for its use.

SPARKING A REVOLUTION IN SUSTAINABLE HOUSING Last month, the Department of Trade and Industry adopted ISO 22156:2021, the bamboo structural design international standard for use in bamboo one- to twostorey house structures. This underscored bamboo’s mechanical resistance, serviceability, durability, load-bearing capacity design, and allowable stress design.

“After the release of the PNS 22156 last the year, the next step would be for these standards to be included in the National Structural Code of the Philippines,” Jorillo said “Such a development can spark a revolution not just in housing, but for sustainability of the environment at large.”

Home/Design

BUILD IT WITH BAMBOO

Housing using a sustainable natural resource

HUMAN-CENTERED ARCHITECTURE. SM Development Corporation (SMDC) is adjusting its strategic plans to the changing needs brought about by the pandemic. Existing SMDC properties have adapted services like an automated property management system for communities, as a result of continuing consultations among the stakeholders of SMDC. “With a focus on creating masterplanned developments that promote social connectedness, disaster resilience, and sustainability, our approach to architecture is not only focused on design, but also in providing our unit owners features, amenities and conveniences that allow them to live better,” said Jose Mari Banzon, president of SMDC. With a focus on community building, SMDC continues to create living spaces that provide the best value for money, making luxury living more affordable to more Filipinos. To learn more about SMDC and its developments, log on to www.smdc.com.

“Bamboo is able to provide people with decent work—from harvesting to transport to treatment, and to the creation of consumer products and, of course, construction,” Jorillo noted.

In terms of climate change mitigation, Jorillo pointed out that bamboo helps enhance biodiversity, improves soil quality, and actively sequesters excess carbon in the atmosphere.

FUTURE OF MOTHER EARTH “Say you have a one-hectare bamboo plantation that can produce up to 500-600 bamboo poles to be used for construction

Manila Bay dawning

REAL estate developer Federal Land, Inc. (FLI) is spearheading investment in the Manila Bay area in the light of the strong post-pandemic recovery up ahead.

“We have always seen the potential of Manila Bay Area as a location that provides the convenience of having everything within reach, as well as the dramatic views of sun and sea as

WATERFRONT LIVING. DMCI Homes recently finished the 15-storey Aston, the third building at Oak Harbor Residences, the first project of its premium brand, DMCI Homes Exclusive, located along Jackson Avenue in Asiaworld, Parañaque City.

Last year, DMCI Homes completed the first two buildings, 16-storey Lauderdale and 15-storey Westport. The Aston began accepting move-ins last December. Oak Harbor Residences offer 1-bedroom premier suites; 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom suites; and 3-bedroom sky-loft suites measuring 66 up to 252 square meters. Tucked in a secluded portion of the Bay City right in front of the Manila Bay, the 11,871-sq. m property is surrounded by landscaped gardens, providing a relaxing sanctuary that is close to all the action in the booming mixed-use business and tourism center.

of houses; that can already sequester up to 134 tons of carbon,” Jorillo claimed.

Citing a DTI report, the country has 84,000 hectares of bamboo, with plantations mostly in Davao and Mindanao. Of the 12 most “economically important” species of bamboo across the globe, there are two that are prolific in the Philippines: Kawayan Tinik (Bambusa blumeana) and Buho (Schizostachyum lumampao).

“Bamboo isn’t just the future of construction. It’s the future of livelihood; it’s the future of mother earth,” Jorillo said.

SPANISH infrastructure company Acciona recently set up acciona.org, its foundation in the Philippines to help provide sustainable access to energy, water, and sewerage systems to disadvantaged communities.

Dubbed “Light at home El Nido”, the foundation’s pilot project will give more than 100 households in Barangay Sibaltan in El Nido, Palawan, solar-powered systems that provide more than eight hours of electrical light every day with zero emissions. In the wake of Typhoon Odette, which critically damaged the province’s public infrastructure, the initiative is positioned to help the community recover from the catastrophe with sustainable power solutions.

Preliminary onsite work has been carried out in collaboration with Ayala Foundation and with communities in El Nido, Palawan, involving holistic community development programs covering education, and sustainable livelihood.

Acciona.org’s El Nido initiative is part of its global “Luz en Casa” program, which develops models for delivering electricity services that are technically and economically adapted to each community.

a backdrop,” said Federal Land, Inc. sales group head Margarita SaenzResurreccion.

She revealed that there is a significant demand for Ready-for-Occupancy (RFO) units in Federal Land’s Palm Beach Villas, Bay Garden Club and Residences, and SixSenses Residences (Shown here).

These developments are designed

similar to a vacation home, providing resort-style amenities accompanied by modern building facilities and services, and within Federal Land’s masterplanned community, Metro Park. “With improving economic activities in the last quarter of 2021 and high vaccination rate, we see more developments to rise in Manila Bay Area in the coming years,” Resurreccion said.

‘Light at home El Nido’

Tech & Gadgets

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Incomes rise as farmers reach more customers thru technology

MART, together with the Department of Agriculture – Agricultural Training Institute, is modernizing agriculture through the Digital Farmers Program or DFP. The ladderized capacity-building program aims to enable smallholder farmers to use the internet and different mobile technologies to improve their livelihood.

After the successful rollout of the DFP 101 basic course that benefited more than 1,500 individuals since 2019, farmers are now expanding income opportunities by applying skills developed from DFP 102, an intermediate course that makes use of more sophisticated digital farming tools and skills.

“With the use of Agri apps discussed in the course, I can stop pests like stem borers and black bugs from wreaking havoc on our crops. This has resulted in better yields for us, even doubling our harvest,” said Geomar Avila, a 21-year-old college student who still finds time to tend to their farm in San Agustin, Agusan del Sur. The course trains farmers in using the SPIDTECH application developed

by Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (Project SARAI). Using the phone’s built-in camera, farmers can identify, manage, report and monitor pests and diseases of major Philippine crops.

Boosting this capability is another application developed by East-West Seed Philippines called ‘Plant Doctor Online’ that also helps identify and manage plant diseases.

The DFP 102 also develops e-commerce skills so farmers can effectively market their produce using social media, and at the same time, manage on-

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Geomar Avila uses agri apps to control pests and check on the health of his crop.

line transactions and digital payments like PayMaya.

The module is particularly useful for 76-year-old Plaquino Ceñal whose family also manufactures chocolate products derived from their cacao plantation in Tagum City in Davao del Norte.

The Pokémon Company releases Pokémon Legends: Arceus Hisui 360° View Video THE Pokémon Company, headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara, has released a Pokémon Legends: Arceus Hisui 360° View video.

The video features the setting for the Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Jade Region in 360 degree view.

In the Hisui 360° View video released this time, The Pokémon Company has recreated a realistic feeling where you can ‘immerse’ in the rich nature and vast land of the Hisui Region, the stage of your adventure.

In the video, you can encounter Pokémon by clicking or tapping on the screen. You can also ‘ride’ a Pokémon around the Hisui region with three Pokémon: Wyrdee, which runs on the ground; Hisuian Braviary, which flaps its wings in the sky; and Basculegion, which moves vigorously on the water.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released on January 28, 2022 for Nintendo Switch. Preorder is available.

Video on Pokémon Official Facebook Link: https://fb.watch/ aDD6a8koIm/ Pokémon Legends Arceus Official page https://legends. pokemon.com/en-us/

Plaquino Ceñal takes photos of his products to advertise on social media.

“Through digital platforms, we can sell our products directly to consumers without the need for physical stores. This ensures access to the market even in the time of the pandemic when people movement is regulated,” explained Ceñal.

Launched in the second half of 2021, DFP 102 has so far trained more than 400 farmers and youth partners from 27 communities across the country.

Smart actively pushes for the use of digital technologies to improve the lives and livelihood of farmers and ush-

er them into the digital economy. These efforts underscore the telco’s commitment to support the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 1: No Poverty, and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Cisco’s cloud-based platform Meraki innovates, secures blended learning AS the country gears up for limited face-to-face classes, the Department of Education utilizes blended learning to combine offline, online, television and radio-based instruction learning for SY 2021-2022.

However, this also meant learning modern technology, high expenditures, and risks on the cybersecurity front.

In recognizing the emerging role of cloud-based IT platforms in powering the schools of tomorrow, Cisco offers educational institutions special pricing for the Meraki Education suite of solutions.

According to the Officer-in-charge (OIC) and Managing Director for Cisco Philippines Robin Llamas, “Learning and innovation are at the core of Cisco’s culture. In our commitment to strengthening education through technology, Cisco, through Meraki, hopes to provide quality education in an accessible, remote, and secure way at a low cost.”

Meraki Education Advantage is a centralized platform that provides a quality blended learning experience through highperformance Wi-Fi and secure networks in a distributed workforce. The platform is available at minimum cost through the Meraki Education Advantage Pricing or MEAP, where Cisco Meraki Channel partners can receive additional discounts for K-12 schools, libraries, and small non-profit customers in the US, UK, EEA, and the Asia Pacific.

Filipinos struggle with the transition to blended learning. Civil society group movement Survey for Safe, Equitable,

Quality and Relevant (SEQuRe) Education stated that public school students and teachers found blended learning difficult because of costly internet services and heavy workload. Another study from the Social Weather Stations (SWS) shared that from 1,200 respondents, around 89% found blended learning more difficult than face-face learning.

Meraki hopes to combat the struggles of transitioning to blended learning through three core solutions. First is intuitive IT management, which adopts a centralized platform to provide easy and cost-effective blended learning. Second, connect remote networks securely with high-performance Wi-Fi and automated updates of security features to protect the students and staff. Lastly, enable a remote and flexible workspace from any location by securing remote access to data and infrastructure via the Meraki

app or desktop.

"Cisco identifies the education sector as a critical component to achieve its mission for an inclusive digital future.

This move powers Cisco's overall goal of building digital resilience through UGNAYAN 2030 - a collaboration platform where Cisco works with the public and private sector to advance the country's digital resilience in connectivity, collaboration, cybersecurity, and COVID-19 response.'" Llamas shared.

The future of education is cloudbased IT platforms. Meraki embodies this by providing quality blended learning through accessible technology, efficient internet access, and information security at a minimum price. To know more about how your institution can take part in powering the school of tomorrow, visit merakipartners.com and become a Cisco Meraki Channel Partner today.

Nissan develops photon upconversion solids with outstanding performance YOKOHAMA, Japan—In collaboration with the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. has developed photon upconversion (UC) solid materials with outstanding performance that can improve the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis.

By artificial photosynthesis, water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen is then reacted with CO2 to produce raw compounds, such as olefins, for resins.

Nissan aims to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the life cycle of its products by 2050. This new technology will contribute to Nis-

san’s aims by enhancing the use of CO2 as a raw material, which can reduce dependence on fossil fuels in the manufacture of resins and other products.

The newly developed UC solids convert presently wasted long-wavelength light into short-wavelength light, which can be used in a variety of artificial photosynthesis applications.

The conversion is at a high efficiency (up to approximately 30% of the theoretical limit of UC) even in weak sunlight irradiation.

The new UC materials are stable solids that can continue to function even when oxygen is present. They

increase the amount of light energy available for artificial photosynthesis when combined with photocatalysts. Conventional UC materials have often been flammable organic solvent solutions that even when solidified their efficiency and durability to light irradiation were generally poor. This often necessitated an oxygen-free environment as well as high-intensity incident light.

Further details of this technology are described in the December 2021 issue of “Materials Horizons”, an academic journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022

Motoring

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OYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) continues to lead the way to sustainable mobility by offering the widest range of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) locally. Next month, its lineup of next generation, environment-friendly cars will further expand with the introduction of the hybrid variant of another iconic SUV. With dealers already accepting reservations starting last December 17, it has been confirmed that the NEW RAV4 HEV is finally reaching Philippine shores this February. This bold update to the iconic model last refreshed in 2019 is TMP’s second hybrid crossover, following the introduction of the hit Corolla Cross HEV in 2020.

Just last December, TMP launched the New Camry HEV for the luxury sedan segment. The launch of the RAV4 HEV will bring TMP’s total Hybrid models to five, adding up to the pioneering Prius, Corolla Altis HEV and Corolla Cross HEV. On top of the self-charging Hybrid technology (no need to plug in), the New RAV4 HEV is expected to carry more exciting innovation and technology, like advanced safety features, Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) development, combined with the signature quality, durability, and reliability, suitable for the brave and adventurous.

Full features and specifications will be revealed soon on TMP’s website (toyota. com.ph) and social media channels (Toyota Motor Philippines on Facebook and Instagram, @ToyotaMotorPH on Twitter and Toyota PH on Viber).

COMING SOON:

New RAV4 HEV to boost Toyota’s electrified car lineup

An adrenaline rush: Honda's CRF250RX is newest ticket to thrill, freedom READY to take on a new adventure this 2022? Awaken your adventurous spirit and explore breathtaking off-road trails with The All-New CRF250RX. Built for off-road adventure, Honda’s newest addition to its roster of high-performance rough terrain bikes is the perfect trail and Enduro companion. Whether you’re in for an adventure or looking to elevate your riding game, an off-road motorcycle with a light, two-wheel machine with a more agile footprint will give you a taste of thrill! Based on a compact and responsive 249cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, singlecylinder, DOHC engine, the AllNew CRF250RX possesses a slim bodywork and a lightweight chassis to provide superior handling.

It is equipped with a 49 mm Showa Upside-Down front Fork, 21-inch front and 18-inch rear DID wheels, HRC Launch Control, and an Engine Mode Select Button.

You can fully enjoy this bike

uninterruptedly for its 8-Liter Fuel Tank is absolutely ready for each long-distance trail ride.

Other features include Knuckle Guards to protect hands from hitting branches during trail rides, A Side Stand that you can tuck away properly and neatly for trail riding convenience, and an Engine Guard to protect the engine from any damages that may be acquired during trail rides. The All-New CRF250RX is a sure head-turner not only because of its engine power for it also looks super grand and hot in its only color variant: Extreme Red. Investing in a non-street legal HondaCRF250RX will take you to a different kind of adrenaline rush, as it will surely give you the joy of riding motocross tracks, ATV Parks, and scenic spots around the country.

Available since January 14, ride in full throttle and enjoy the Honda-engineered All-New CRF250RX - with a suggested retail price of PHP469,000.00.

Ford PH reports 35% growth in retail performance FORD Philippines delivered a strong retail performance in 2021, with sales growing by 35 percent from last year to 20,008 vehicles led by the Ford Ranger pick-up and Ford Territory SUV. The Ford Ranger was the top-selling Ford vehicle last year, with full-year retail sales reaching 9,184 vehicles. The Ranger remained the best-selling 4x4 pickup truck last year with 5,490 vehicles sold led by the Ranger Raptor, cornering a market share of 36 percent in the 4x4 pickup segment.

Ford expanded its pickup portfolio last year with the launches of the new Ranger lineup, the performanceready FX4 MAX, and the limited-edition Raptor X, complementing the diverse needs and lifestyles of customers.

For the second year in a row, the Ford Territory was the country’s best-selling small SUV in 2021, with full-year retail sales reaching 6,881 vehicles and a market share of 55 percent. The Ford Territory achieved a number of sales milestones last year,

reaching its 5,000th customer milestone in June and 8,000th customer milestone in November.

The Ford Everest mid-size SUV and Ford EcoSport mini-SUV also contributed to overall retail sales, with 1,772 vehicles and 1,500 vehicles sold in 2021, respectively.

In 2021, Ford also widened its North American vehicle portfolio with the launches of the Mustang Shelby® GT500®, All-New F-150 Lariat, and AllNew Explorer.

Ford also continued the expansion of its dealer network last year with the opening of Ford Talisay in Cebu to serve the growing number of customers in the province and nearby areas.

“We are optimistic that we will be able sustain the momentum in 2022 as we continue to partner with our dealers, partners, and employees in bringing our segment-leading vehicles to more Filipino customers and enhancing the Ford ownership experience,” says Michael Breen, managing director of Ford Philippines.