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Duterte ‘very good’ in Dec. SWS survey

Rody packing bags, leaving Palace soon

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's net satisfaction rating remained at a "very good" level of +60 six months before he steps down from office, based on the December 2021 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released Tuesday.

By Vito Barcelo WITH still four months left in office, President Rodrigo Duterte has started packing his things so he can leave Malacanang Palace before his term Next page ends in June this year.

VOL. XXXV • NO. 359 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

There they go for 90-day run Presidential bets lead pack of hopefuls in raising hope for new brand of leadership By Jimbo Gulle and Vito Barcelo

ANDIDATES for national positions hit the hustings on Tuesday for the threemonth campaign season, in a chaotic and colorful charm offensive aimed at wooing millions of voters typically more interested in personality than policy.

Led by ten presidential hopefuls and nine vice-presidential bets, the candidates formally presented their platforms of governance to crowds big and small across the archipelago after months of so-called “listening tours” or conversations with select groups under the

shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the candidates relied on their hometowns for guaranteed warm, if not enthusiastic, support from their friends and followers, but the real challenge going Next page

BBM-Sara crowd fills big PH Arena By Maricel V. Cruz UNITY will solve the country’s woes, presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., said Tuesday night, as he and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio launched their bid for the top positions in the land at the expansive Philippine Arena in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. Marcos Jr. promised to bring unity to the country as this is the supposed solution to the nation's ills. “If we study the history of the Philippines, everything that has happened to us, all the

hardships and calamities our beloved country has endured, we have survived only by being united,” the former senator said in Filipino to a packed crowd clad in red and green." At the same time, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez expressed belief Tuesday that vice presidential candidate Duterte-Carpio was the kind of leader the country needed in 2022 and beyond. "Tens of thousands have lost their jobs. Our Next page

CamSur hosts Robredo’s kickoff By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

campaign in her home province in Camarines Sur on the first day of the official 90-day campaign period. She was greeted by her province VICE President Leni Robredo on mates as she passed by her supporters Tuesday kicked off her presidential Next page

Thousands line Manila streets for Isko By Rey E. Requejo

former “basurero” (garbage scavenger) who is now running for president under the Aksyon TENS of thousands of residents lined up the Demokratiko, the political party built by streets of Manila on Tuesday to show their the late Bicolano Senator Raul Roco. support to Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, a Next page

Lacson bathes hometown Imus in blue By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Senate President Vicente Sotto III kicked off their campaign for the May 9 elections. Prior to the rally, Lacson and Sotto, along THE color blue flooded the Imus Grandstand and Track Oval in Cavite Tuesday as presidential with their senatorial candidates—retired Next page aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson and running mate

PacMan starts ‘fight of life’ in GenSan hometown of General Santos City. Pacquiao is running under the Progressive PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Senator Manny Movement for the Devolution of Initiatives Pacquiao yesterday kicked off his campaign (PROMDI) with Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Next page for the May 9 elections with a motorcade in his Atienza.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Permit problems snag Ka Leody’s rally By Rio N. Araja

City despite lacking a permit for the gathering. The Commission on Elections said De Guzman LABOR leader and presidential aspirant Leody and running mate Walden Bello did not file for a De Guzman pushed ahead with his proclamation permit, National Comelec Campaign Committee Next page rally at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon

News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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forward is convincing the rest of the 65.7 million eligible Filipino voters to put them in power for the next six years until 2028 (see stories below— Editors). Aside from the top two officials of the Executive branch, Pinoys will have to vote for 12 senators – who like the President and VP also have six-year terms—and 63 party-list representatives to Congress, who will sit for three years. Meanwhile, on the eve of the campaign season, President Rodrigo Duterte said all candidates "are my friends" and he would not endorse anyone "at this time.” In his regular Monday evening address, Duterte however said he would announce which candidate he would endorse only if there is “a compelling reason” to change his mind. The Palace on Tuesday appealed to all political candidates and the public to refrain from physical interactions such as handshakes and hugs during campaign sorties due to the continuing threat of COVID-19. Acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles also reminded all candidates and their supporters to strictly observe the minimum health standards set by the government. Nograles cited Comelec Resolution No. 10732 that outlines the guidelines for the conduct of 2022 Election-related

BBM-Sara... From A1

economy suffered its worst blow in modern time. Our people still face uncertainty on what tomorrow may bring for their family and loved ones. At times like these, our people need a leader who will stand as their beacon of hope for the future," Romualdez said. The Philippine Arena rang with the echoes of the crowd chanting "BBM" during parts of Marcos Jr.'s speech, where he also called on people to continue what he called a "movement of unity". "We need to bring back our trait of being loving, our character of ‘bayanihan.’ No just in the political realm, but we should all live out our unity and love as a society. That’s what we need now,” he said. Romualdez, who introduced DuterteCarpio during the campaign kickoff of the BBM-Sara UniTeam ticket on late Tuesday afternoon, said the Philippines was in a precarious situation due to the lingering effects of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. He said that Mayor Duterte—whose moniker is the "Eagle of Mindanao"— is capable of bringing back the country to its pre-pandemic glory, which it

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Even Moreno was overwhelmed by the throng of residents who came out of their homes and lined up in the streets to cheer for him and express their full support for him and his running mate Doc Willie Ong and their three senatorial bets. “Thank you very much, I was surprised of course. As I have promised you, we wanted a very modest way of doing it. Nothing, you can't stop the person. I’m very grateful, you know that’s heartwarming? I can't explain, as long as I'm happy with their warm delivery to us in the 90 days of life that we will embark on in this campaign,” Moreno told reporters who were able to interview him while the caravan was on a standstill. About 5,000 motorcycle riders wearing blue T-shirts joined the “Blue Wave” caravan that saw Moreno, vice presidential bet Doc Willie Ong and senatorial candidates Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc, and Jopet Sison touring the streets of Tondo on top a mediumsized truck with a makeshift roof. “And God is merciful. I hope everyone is safe, including my fellow candidates, our opponents, I hope they are also safe, especially with the Covid-19 infection. One of the possibilities that can happen to us as candidates and that

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With a slogan “Panalo ang mahirap,” Pacquiao presents himself as a champion of the poor. The key themes of his campaign are eradicating poverty and fighting corruption. Pacquiao’s media team said around 580 vehicles joined the caravan, which started around 1 p.m. around his hometown. Before the caravan, Pacquiao was offered prayers by his family and close friends who were clad in white shirts with "Man of Destiny" in print. Supporters who joined the caravan came from Sarangani, where he served as two-term congressman, Maguindanao, and South Cotabato. From Barangay Bawing, the caravan

activities amid the continuing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the resolution, in-person campaigning is not allowed for COVID-19 Alert Levels 4 and 5 while candidates or campaign leaders must only be accompanied by a maximum of five campaign support staff in Alert Level 2 and three for Alert Level 3. In his prerecorded public address, Duterte called the attention of the Comelec to closely watch and supervise the elections and warned that failure to observe health protocols amid large gatherings could lead to a resurgence in COVID-19 infections. As for the military, Philippine Army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. reminded troops to refrain from commenting on any political posts on social media to avoid allegations of engaging in partisan politics. "Avoid posting, liking, sharing, and commenting on posts that are politically motivated, controversial, and fraudulent," he said in a statement Monday night. Brawner also reminded soldiers about their two solemn duties – to vote and ensure orderly elections. Along with other major service commanders of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Philippine Coast Guard, Brawner witnessed the signing of the Joint Letter Directive (JLD) No. 01-2022 in Camp Crame, Quezon City, which aims to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the coming elections. The PA chief earlier reminded Army

units to dismantle private armed groups as part of the service's efforts to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of elections. The PNP, meanwhile, said it will give a standard security package for the candidates in the 2022 elections. Interviewed on CNN Philippines, PNP Chief General Dionardo Carlos said this came up after a meeting with Comelec acting chairperson Socorro Inting and other law enforcement agencies on Monday. Carlos said some presidential candidates have already coordinated with the PNP to have police security teams. The PNP also said it will exercise maximum tolerance in enforcing election guidelines and COVID-19 health standards in campaign rallies of candidates. Interviewed on Dobol B TV, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said police personnel will first discuss the offense with campaign participants to avoid further tension during the activities. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said police officers and barangay officials will be deployed to monitor compliance of candidates with the Comelec guidelines on election activities. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church on Tuesday started its prayer drive for the candidates who are running for national positions at the start of the 90-day campaign period for the May polls. In a Facebook post, the Manila Ca-

thedral said the clergy and the faithful have also started its "Prayer Power Campaign" which coincided with the beginning of the campaign period. In a related development, a total of 893 people have been arrested for violating the gun ban in connection with the 2022 elections as 30 new violators were reported on Tuesday. Based on the PNP data, most of the arrests were reported in the National Capital Region with 283 violators, followed by Central Visayas with 116 and Central Luzon with 111. According to the PNP, 861 of the arrested violators were civilians, eight were police personnel, five were military personnel, 11 were security guards. Outgoing presidents usually identify their preferred successor, who they hope will keep them out of prison as much as protect their legacy. Duterte, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term, had chosen loyal aide Senator Christopher Go to replace him, but he pulled out of the contest. The ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban) has yet to endorse a presidential candidate for the upcoming polls. The PDP-Laban adopted Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, for vice president last month. Asked if Duterte’s pronouncement would affect the PDP-Laban’s decision on which candidate to endorse, Nograles said consensus-building and discussions among officials are still ongoing.

had achieved under the leadership of the latter’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte. "Mayor Duterte, like her esteemed father, has all the attributes needed guide us in the future. The teachings of President Duterte, who himself was a former Davao mayor, coupled with her youth and vigor combine to make, in my humble opinion, the perfect leader for a country on the rebound from COVID," the Leyte House leader stressed. Marcos said he considered himself lucky because Mayor Inday Sara Duterte had agreed to be his running-mate. Marcos stressed that what fully cemented their partnership was that he and Inday Sara, whose husband is from Paoay, Ilocos Norte, shared the same vision on what was best for the country and the people. "I am the luckiest presidential candidate in my opinion because the one I have with me as vice president is Mayor Sara Duterte, the best, the best and most of all she has a commitment to her dreams and aspirations for our country the Philippines," Marcos said, as the UniTeam officially started its political campaign with the holding of proclamation rally at the Philippine Arena in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

CamSur...

practiced here in Bicol… one that is honest, not corrupt, with no infighting and no fraud. We have seen here in Libmanan that if an official is serving honestly, even with the meager funds, we can be able reach those who are most in need,” she said. Robredo’s grand rally was to culminate in the afternoon at the Plaza Quezon in Naga City for the formal proclamation of candidates. She would proceed to court voters in Camarines Norte, Sorsogon and Albay on Wednesday seeking a "Solid Bicol" vote. She called on her province mates to support Pangilinan and their senatorial lineup. Pangilinan on Tuesday said that Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TRoPa) will prioritize socio-economic development powered by people and organizations from the grassroots. “How do we uplift the lives of the poor? Let us lift those under," Pangilinan told supporters hours before the grand proclamation rally. Pangilinan said he has been championing the cause of improving the livelihood and condition of farmers and fisherfolk during his years as food security secretary and as a senator. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

goes to everyone,” said the 47-year-old presidential candidate. Moreno and his Aksyon Demokratiko slate had earlier heard Mass at the Sto. Nino Parish Church in Tondo. It has been the practice of Moreno to always hear Mass at the start of every political campaign or when there is a big event like the filing of his Certificate of Candidacy for president. The caravan lasted for several hours as the movement of the motorcade around the two districts of Tondo went on a snailpace with the huge number of people who went out to get a glimpse of their idol – the former 3-term councilor who went on to become a 3-term vice mayor and finally city mayor in 2019. From Tondo, the motorcade went through Sta. Cruz District and then to Sampaloc District before going to Sta. Ana District which leads to the Kartilya ng Katipunan, the venue of the Aksyon Demokratiko’s proclamation rally. Informed that thousands of people were also watching their motorcade through his official Facebook page, the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet said: “Grabe ang tao, grabe! It can overwhelm. The crowd is great. Ordinary people all came out.” Moreno said tens of thousands of people lining up along the streets and ignoring the heat just to have a glimpse of him and his team proves that there is a God. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Lacson...

traversed other barangays of Tambler, Calumpang, Labangal, Silway, and Dadiangas West in GenSan. The caravan ended at the Oval Plaza Grandstand where the proclamation rally of the Pacquiao-Atienza tandem started at 3 p.m. Pacquiao’s team also said the senatorial candidates present were broadcaster Raffy Tulfo and ex-Eastern Samar governor Lutgardo Barbo. Senator Win Gatchalian was represented by actress Bianca Manalo, his fiancée. Other candidates under Pacquiao’s slate gave video messages during the rally. They are Senator Richard Gordon, House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero, former vice president Jejomar Binay and former senator JV Ejercito.

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waving pink flags and balloons in Libmanan town. She was accompanied by her running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and their senatorial bets—reelectionists Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima being represented by her lawyer Dino de Leon, ex-senator Antonio Trillanes IV, congressman Teddy Baguilat, lawyers Chel Diokno and Alex Lacson, labor leader Sonny Matula and guest candidate Senator Richard Gordon. The Vice President’s daughters Aika, Tricia, and Jillian also joined the team. The team’s grand rally kicked off at the Angat Buhay Village in Lupi, Camarines Sur to underscore the efforts of the Office of the Vice President in developing a housing and resettlement project despite their measly budget. “This is the very example of an honest government… one that reaches out and listens to the needs of the people, and funds go to the people’s needs,” Robredo said. She said she chose to start her campaign and proclamation in Bicol since it is where she was born and raised. “We are fighting for a kind of governance and leadership I have long

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PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Dr. Minguita Padilla, and former Makati Rep. Monsour del Rosario -- and their respective families attended a mass at the Imus Cathedral. The candidates sought the guidance of the Lord Almighty for their electoral bids. The mass was followed by a media briefing where Lacson and Sotto answered several issues confronting the country. Although the endorsement of President Rodrigo Duterte is considered “gold,” Sotto said the Chief Executive -- whose daughter is fellow vice presidential bet and Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio -- was not going to endorse anybody. He said the President was letting the people choose for themselves. Sotto said he personally knew this because the President told him about it during a telephone conversation. For his part, Lacson said whether or not Duterte would endorse anyone, it was the President’s prerogative. "It's his own decision, it's his own view. Let’s leave it at that," Lacson told reporters.

Permit... (NCCC) director Elaiza Sabile-David explained during a news conference. De Guzman, however, said they were awaiting response on their campaign application permit. "Yu'n na lang ang hinahabol. 'Yung lawyer ng Partido ng Lakas ng Masa ay inaayos na 'yung permit sa Comelec (We’re trying to catch up on that, our lawyer was getting the permit with the Comelec)," he said. Earlier in the day, the Comelec said there was no record of a campaign application permit filed for de Guzman's camp. “Definitely, it is an election offense because the requirement is they need to seek a permit first before conducting a campaign. It is an election offense,"

"We run as if nobody endorsed us, no celebrity. We will just educate the voters," added the standard bearer of Partido Reporma. Lacson said most parts of their campaign would focus on grassroots consultations with ordinary folks in underprivileged areas. He said this would give them “a firsthand account of the most common and ordinary problems and issues confronting our people.” Banking on their campaign motto “Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino (Fix the Government, Fix the Lives of Every Filipino)” and “Uubusin ang Magnanakaw (Get Rid of the Thieves),” Lacson said they would showcase “leadership by example” even in their campaigns. “We will continue to strictly adhere to existing health protocols in areas that we will visit. We will not be part of the problem, but of the solution. If the price of doing so is not being able to project ‘support’ through optics, we are willing to take that risk,” he said. Lacson said they have been “prepared and ready to undergo the rigors of the 90day campaign period.” "We will keep it that way,” also said the former PNP chief. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) Comelec Director David said when asked about the gathering. Supporters of De Guzman held a caravan from Cainta, Rizal before proceeding to the venue of the rally. The labor leader said they chose the venue due to the accessibility of those who would want to witness their rally. He said he wanted people from all walks of life to be part of the historic moment of their campaign. Under the "new normal" campaign guidelines of the poll body, crafted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, applications must be filed 72 hours prior to the electionrelated or campaign-related event. “Hindi po ipinagbabawal mangampanya ang kahit sino, pero yung mga public events - yung mga mass gatherings - yun ang nire-regulate natin, hindi yung right to campaign," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez explained. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

3,619,633 3,574

105,550

54,621

3,459,462 14,644 (As of 4 PM, FEBRUARY 8)

Rody... From A1

Duterte made the statement during his recorded talk to the people late Monday night, saying, “I should be out by March. I don’t want to be here before April.” “I won't sleep here. Whenever God takes me, I will start getting used to sleeping there,” he added. Duterte's term ends on June 30, 2022. Instead of staying in his official residence in Malacañang compound, he said he plans to buy a two-bedroom condo in Manila and only visit the Palace for “dayto-day” activities. Duterte and his family’s official residence is in Davao City. “Once I leave this, I will have no place to live. I don’t have cousins because all of them are in America. So I don’t have a house here,” he said. Duterte said he already told his common-law wife, Honeylet, to buy him a condo unit in Manila so he could hang out whenever he is in Manila. The Chief Executive also said that he will wait for the day of the turnover or the presidential inauguration to invite the new President “for a talk at least, or tea.” He then announced that he would soon give a speech to thank those who elected him president. Duterte’s term started on June 30, 2016, following his inauguration as the 16th president of the Philippines, succeeding the late Benigno Aquino III. His term will end exactly six years later. In December 2021, acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said Duterte is going to enjoy the privileges of being a private citizen and spend more time with his family when his term ends in June. He said Duterte’s decision to back out from the senatorial race will allow him to prioritize the country’s COVID-19 response and ensure peaceful, transparent, and fair national and local elections.

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This was 8 percent higher than Duterte’s rating in September 2021 but 19 percent lower than in November 2020. Linda Luz Guerrero, SWS president and chief executive officer, said Duterte is still in his "honeymoon phase" as the President's lowest net satisfaction rating was in June 2018 at +45. A honeymoon phase in terms of satisfaction rating refers to the period when net satisfaction is at least +30, corresponding to a "good" rating. Guerrero said that three factors may have contributed to Duterte's high satisfaction rating: a strong base of support, satisfaction with the administration's governance and specific policy issues, and approval of his perceived decisiveness and diligence. "Of the three types of factors, perception of his character appears to be the most important factor explaining satisfaction and dissatisfaction with President Duterte," she said. On Monday, President Duterte said he thinks he does not deserve his popularity, saying the real stars in the country’s COVID-19 response are his Cabinet members. This, after Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Jacinto Paras bared that many local officials continue to have “full support” in the Duterte administration’s handling of the prevailing health crisis. Political leaders, Paras said, wanted Duterte to continue serving as the country’s top official if not only constrained by the Constitution. Duterte, however, said National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser on COVID-19 response Vince Dizon, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año deserved more credit for leading the country’s fight against the pandemic. “I am not taking any credit without bringing in the entire entourage who has helped me in my work as President,” Duterte said in a pre-recorded public address. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

IN BRIEF Housing dept unveils ‘subdivisions’ in N. Ecija THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Monday rolled out three subdivision-like housing projects in Nueva Ecija to manifest the government’s commitment in expanding its resettlement projects nationwide. Secretary Eduardo del Rosario spearheaded the groundbreaking ceremony for land development of a resettlement project in Barangay San Roque in San Leonardo municipality. He expressed delight over the coming into fruition of the project being carried out in coordination with the National Housing Authority and the local government unit. He cited the subdivision-like development and decent shelters in the project composed initially of 58 housing units with a covered court, saying that land development is a key component in ensuring comfortability among its residents. Rio N. Araja

CONTINUING VACCINATION FOR KIDS. A health worker gives a shot of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 to a 5-year-old kid at a pediatric vaccination center at SM Aura, Taguig City on Monday. Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III led the ceremonial vaccination for children ages 5 to 11 years old against COVID-19 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The vaccination of children at the pediatric age began yesterday. Danny Pata and Manny Palmero

US govt has ‘options’ for Quiboloy By Rey E. Requejo

“TEMPORARY surrender” is another option for the US government to bring Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the selfproclaimed “anointed Son of God” and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), before its federal grand jury and answer sex trafficking charges, an official of the Department of Justice said on Tuesday. DOJ Chief State Counsel George Ortha stressed that the option may be availed of if Quiboloy’s extradition is not possible due to a pending case or conviction by a local court. In 2020, the Davao City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the complaints

Duterte urges COVID jabs for parents, kids PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday renewed his call to parents and their kids to get their vaccinations against COVID-19. The country kicked off COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 years old on Monday. Duterte said it is important to vaccinate children “for they constitute the next generation of Filipinos.” Citing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Duterte said data showed that the majority of those who died due to COVID-19 have yet to receive their jabs. Duque said around 93 percent of fatalities due to COVID-19 in 2021 were not vaccinated against the disease. Duterte said he has been encouraging the public to get vaccinated, warning them that the health crisis is not over yet. Duterte said he could not understand why there were still people who resisted getting vaccinated despite learning about worldwide deaths. Although the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been believed to be milder than other variants, Duterte said getting vaccinated would help protect them against severe symptoms and death from variants such as Delta. To date, the Pfizer vaccine is being used for pediatric vaccination as it is the only jab that has received emergency use approval for kids aged 5 to 11 years old from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration. Duterte also asked Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, who remains unvaccinated against COVID-19, to let children get the jab against the deadly virus.

of rape, child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610, trafficking in persons through forced labor, and trafficking in persons through sexual abuse filed against Quiboloy and five others. The complainant was a former member of Quiboloy’s religious sect

who alleged that she was raped in 2014. Quiboloy has denied the claim but the case is still under review by the Office of the Justice Secretary. According to Ortha, if the appeal of the complainant pending in the DOJ is eventually dismissed and Quiboloy has no other pending case, temporary surrender will no longer be applicable since his extradition is already possible. Talks about Quiboloy’s possible extradition came out after he was indicted last year by US federal grand jury with sex trafficking along with two co-defendants. Just recently, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has posted in its

website Quiboloy’s picture to announce that he is wanted for “Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion, and Sex Trafficking of Children; Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion; Conspiracy; Bulk Cash Smuggling.” The DOJ has not yet received any communication from the US government for Quiboloy’s extradition. Earlier, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said any request for extradition would have to be evaluated first. Malacañang has remained mum on the question of whether President Rodrigo Duterte knows the whereabouts of Quiboloy, spiritual adviser. Quiboloy has denied committing the alleged crimes.

ARRESTED. Authorities arrest

200 people including the mayor of Ferrol, Romblon, identified as Jovencio Mayor Jr. in a raid. The CIDG-Romblon made the arrests in a cockpit arena in Tubigon early Sunday. JR Josue

Go after peddlers of fake COVID drugs, says Rody

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said people selling counterfeit medicines online, including injectable drugs for treating COVID-19, should be properly prosecuted. Duterte added that there has to be somebody from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would keep track of the criminal cases filed against these counterfeit sellers. The FDA earlier again cautioned the public against patronizing counterfeit injectable COVID-19 vaccines and fake medicines. FDA officer-in-charge Oscar Gutier-

THE Department of Labor Employment (DOLE) welcomed Taiwan’s move to lift the ban for the entry of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) starting next week, a move that will provide job opportunities to some 40,000 Filipino job seekers. Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center announced on Monday that it would open its door to Filipino migrant workers starting February 15, 2022. “We thank Taiwan for welcoming once more our kababayans in their various employment industries starting February 15. This is a valuable post-Valentine gift to our OFWs and their families,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) -Taipei Labor Attaché Cesar Chavez said this is the second phase of the Migration Project in which migrant workers, including Filipinos, will be allowed entry to Taiwan. Chavez said migrant workers must strictly follow Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Center guidelines. “Filipino workers should be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before they enter Taiwan,” he said. Employers should arrange a hotel to quarantine arriving migrant workers. After completing the 14-day quarantine, they should stay in the same hotel for seven days of self-health management before going to the workplace.

THE Las Piñas City government prepared Safari and Toy Carnivalinspired themes at vaccination sites for the COVID-19 jabs to children aged 5 to 11-years-old on Tuesday. Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the vaccination site at SM Center prepared the Safari-inspired theme while at The Tent, while the Toy Carnival theme was made to lighten the mood of children while waiting for their turn to be vaccinated. According to Aguilar, there will also be a film showing for kids for them to learn the importance of getting the jab against COVID-19. Aguilar said aside from the film showing the importance of getting vaccinated, they had also prepared cartoon shows for kids. The mayor added that SM Center will be giving coloring materials together with bags of candies coming from the city government while at The Tent, balloons, and cotton candies will likewise be distributed to the kids.

Palace OK with dismissal of mandatory vax

rez said a fake Tocilizumab injection for COVID-19 treatment is being sold for about P25,000 per vial. Gutierrez said any medicine should only be sourced from FDA-licensed establishments. Gutierrez said a total of 85 persons were arrested in the last two years for selling counterfeit drugs. The country logged on Tuesday 3,574 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 3,619,633. The Department of Health (DOH) also reported that the number of fresh infec-

tions is the lowest since December 31, when the DOH announced 2,961. It is also the eighth straight day that the daily case tally has remained below 10,000. There are 105,550 active cases, of which 4,059 are asymptomatic; 96,722 are mild; 3,007 are moderate; 1,446 are severe; and 316 are critical. Positivity rate was at 16.3 percent, based on 23,754 individuals tested on COVID-19 on February 6. The DOH also reported 83 new fatalities, bringing the death toll to 54,621.

Labor applauds lifting of OFW ban By Vito Barcelo

Las Piñas vax site for kids with safari, toys

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday welcomed the decision of a Manila court to dismiss the petition against the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) in connection with the implementation of mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for onsite workers. Nograles emphasized the need to ensure that every Filipino is safe and healthy. Judge Rosalyn Mislos-Loja of the Manila RTC Branch 41 noted that the IATF was merely exercising its discretionary power to refuse declaration of rights and construction of IATF Resolution 148-B dated Nov. 11, 2021. The petitioner, Kathryn Joy HauteaNuñez, clerk of court of the Las Piñas RTC Branch 198, had asked that the IATF’s resolution on mandatory vaccination be voided. In filing her petition, Hautea-Nuñez said she is hesitant to get jabbed because after weighing the information on the vaccines being used and the other means available to prevent the spread of the infection, “she came to the personal conclusion that vaccination is not for her and her family.” The IATF-EID earlier released a resolution stating that employees who refuse to be vaccinated against Covid-19 cannot be terminated but must undergo regular reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing or antigen tests at their own expense. Manila

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS TODAY ANNOUNCEMENT

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA) for the confirmation of the ad interim appointments and its consent on the nomination of the following officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), namely: Ad Interim Appointments: 1. Mr. ENRICO TRINIDAD FOS 2. Ms. PAMELA F. DURIAN-BAILON

Chief of Mission, Class I Career Minister

Nomination: 3. Ms. CATHERINE CRUZ SY

DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOR FARMERS. Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Singson and other provincial and local public servants lead the inauguration of the new Farmer’s Livelihood Development Center. The inauguration marks the start of a partnership between the local government and farmers in helping them keep abreast of the latest farming practices and technologies. From the right, SPM Gina Cordero Pe Benito, Gov. Ryan Singson, Mayor Chavit Singson,SPM Ben Maggay, Vice Gov. Jerry Singson, SPM Pablito Sanidad Jr., SPM Constante Oandasan and other Sangguniang Panlalawigan members.

Foreign Service Officer, Class IV

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the above ad interim appointments and 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, 88311824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989. 8 February 2022. HECTOR A. VILLACORTA Secretary (MS-FEB. 9, 2022)

News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

IN BRIEF Villafuerte widens lead in gubernatorial race YOUNG entrepreneur Luigi LRV Villafuerte posted a wide lead in the gubernatorial race in the province of Camarines Sur, a recent pre-election survey by pollster Pulse Asia showed. The survey showed him getting a third more than the combined votes of his four other rivals that include a former Cabinet secretary and the incumbent vice governor. Pulse Asia’s survey last January 12-17 showed Villafuerte being preferred by 59 percent of the voters, followed by former budget secretary and ex-House majority leader Rolando Andaya Jr. who was picked by 35 percent of the respondents, and Vice Governor and singer Imelda Papin, who was chosen by four percent. The two other candidates for governor, Ireneo Bongat Jr., who had an unsuccessful run for a Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP) seat in the 2019 elections, and businessman Richard Cabal, were chosen by 0.5 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively, of the respondents. Maricel V. Cruz

Ex-lawmaker Sandoval, wife cleared of charges THE Office of the Ombudsman has cleared Malabon-Navotas Cong. Federico “Ricky” Sandoval II and his wife, former Malabon Vice Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, on the alleged misuse of P20 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). In an order dated July 24, 2019 but was released only last week, the Ombudsman dismissed the complaint against then congressman Sandoval who was accused of conniving with officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in connection with the misuse of his PDAF amounting to P20 million. The Commission on Audit found irregularities on the release and use of the said PDAF which allegedly favored the Pamalakaya Foundation, Inc. (PFI) of which Jeannie, then mayor, was one of the incorporators.

NEW NORMAL CAMPAIGNING. Senatorial candidate and former Vice President Jejomar Binay sprays alcohol on the hands of a supporter in Batangas City where he kicked off his senatorial bid. Binay is a guest candidate of presidential bets Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Comelec urges public: Report vote-buying acts

HE Commission on Elections has appealed to the public to report incidents of vote buying as the campaign season for the May 9 synchronized polls began yesterday,

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez encouraged Filipinos to document the violation and file a complaint. “Our appeal to the public is that when you see a violator, report it even if they are your allies. If you see instances of vote buying, there is something you can do. You can document when you see vote buying and file a complaint because that is the most important aspect in the fight against vote buying,” Jimenez said.

The poll body earlier said giving money as a form of “ayuda” (assistance) or as a raffle prize falls under votebuying. “That’s prohibited, that is vote buying. You can’t give anything of value to supporters to encourage them to vote. You can no longer give money away and say it is for ayuda. You can’t walk around with a cash gun and make it rain. You can’t do that,” Jimenez said. “You might say that [ayuda or raf-

Candidates told: Observe health rules, self-police THE Department of the Interior and Local Government on Tuesday reminded candidates to lead by example in complying with health protocols to avoid turning their campaign sorties into COVID-19 super spreader events, “The DILG is calling on the candidates to practice self-policing. Hopefully, they lead the way in observing the law to make their supporters follow them,’’ Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said. Malaya said it is the “collective responsibility” of the public and the political groups to adhere to lawful election campaign activities. “I think just like what normally happens in our everyday lives where family members go outdoors or leave for work, sometimes they bring COVID-19 with them at home. That is what will exactly happen in the campaign activities if the people will not exercise precaution,” he said. “Guarding against super spreader events in the country should be a collective responsibility of the candidates, their supporters, their political parties, and the public and of course including the DILG, the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he added.

fle] is for another reason but none of us were born yesterday. We all know that it’s going to be for vote-buying purposes,” he added. He underscored the importance of pursuing a case against violators to ensure that those who commit votebuying are punished. “Please stay with the complaint so we can prosecute to the finish,” Jimenez said. The 90-day campaign period for national posts such as president, vicepresident, senator and party-list groups began yesterday, while the 45-day campaign period for local aspirants will start on March 25.

CARE KIT. Iloilo

City Mayor Jerry Treñas receives 500 pieces of COVID-19 Care Kit from the Office of Vice President Leni Robredo. Arnold Almacen

Reelectionists, comebacking senators begin sorties By Macon Ramos-Araneta AT LEAST five reelectionist and two former senators kicked off their campaign in Camarines Sur under the slate of independent presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo. Former senators JV Ejercito and Loren Legarda, on the other hand, began their campaign in their hometowns in San Juan City and Antique province,

respectively. In the Bicol region, the five reelectionist senators were Risa Hontiveros and Leila de Lima, who are officially part of the Robredo slate, as well as guest candidates Joel Villanueva, Richard Gordon, and Juan Miguel Zubiri. Two former senators were also in Camarines Sur: Antonio Trillanes IV as well as guest candidate Gov. Francis Escudero. De Lima, who has been in jail over

drug charges since 2017, relied on a representative for her campaign. “Given my situation as PDL [Person Deprived of Liberty], my reelection bid is, in real and palpable terms, handicapped or disadvantaged. I am hopeful that through my surrogates and proxies during sorties, pre-recorded messages and dispatches, I will be able to communicate my thoughts and platform,” she said in a prepared statement.

Imee: Dispose medical waste properly By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Imee Marcos on Tuesday urged hospitals, diagnostic centers, and other health facilities to observe the proper disposal of medical waste linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. Marcos made the appeal after eight children tested positive for COVID-19 after playing along the seaside of Virac, Catanduanes, where used syringes, face masks, antigen test kits, personal protective equipment (PPE), and vials of blood and urine samples were illegally dumped. The municipal office of the Department of Environment and Natural Re-

sources (DENR) found that a diagnostic center in Barangay Concepcion in Virac committed numerous violations of waste disposal protocols. The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 requires local governments down to the barangay level to properly collect, recycle, or dispose of trash, especially hazardous medical waste. Marcos said violators could face court cases and heavy penalties, according to the degree of the offense. “Any person who violates Section 48, paragraphs 14 to 16, shall upon conviction be punished with a fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than one million pesos,” Marcos said.

REMEMBRANCE. Leo Mangubat, a high school classmate of the late President Benigno Aquino III, offers a prayer at the tomb of the Aquino family during Noynoy’s 62nd birth anniversary at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Danny Pata

Binay: Family Care bill to ease pandemic brunt By Joel E. Zurbano FORMER Vice President Jejomar Binay on Tuesday launched his candidacy with a series of events in the province of Batangas. Binay is running for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), where he serves as party chairman. He is a guest candidate of presidential bets Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Senator Manny Pacquiao. He is also set to visit the provinces of Quezon and Laguna this week. In a statement, Binay said he intends to pursue legislation that would provide the needed government assistance for sectors adversely affected by the pandemic and the economic lockdown. Binay said he will immediately propose a Family Care Program for government and private sector workers. This program would provide food and cash aid, paid family leaves, interest free loans, and deferment or condonation of housing loans for working parents unable to report for work in order to care for their children. For family members caring for sick and elderly parents, Binay said he will also propose free medicine and hospital care for their loved ones, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket medical expenses. “Rebuilding the economy is a national imperative. While doing so, the government must also continue to extend aid to the poor and other sectors displaced by the pandemic and the extended lockdown. It must do so with urgency, efficiency, and a sense of compassion that recognizes basic human dignity instead of debasing it,” he said.

‘Exempt DSWD programs from poll spend ban’ By Maricel V. Cruz A CONGRESSMAN from the Bicol region on Tuesday appealed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to exempt the emergency financial assistance programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development from the poll ban on public spending. “The times are extraordinary, and we cannot afford a slowdown in emergency and crisis aid, particularly the assistance for individuals in crisis situations of the DSWD. We also cannot afford delays in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps and other social amelioration programs,” Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said. “Otherwise, we will definitely see a slowdown in recovery. We’ve had enough slowdowns this year,” he said. Salceda added that “frontloading economic recovery programs is crucial.” Comelec Resolution No. 10747 includes the DSWD in its public spending ban from March to May 2022. However, the resolution added that it may exempt “such other expenses as the Commission may authorize after due notice and hearing.”

Opinion The senatorial race Few can pass the tests of unsullied integrity, proven competence and sterling track record. Recent survey results indicate that those with name recall are likely to prevail in the May polls. If the leading contenders are those with the highest awareness percentages among the electorate, this does not say much about the quality of voter education in this country. What the surveys don’t tell us are these: the character of the candidates, their track record in public office, and their position on key issues affecting the nation’s future. We expect senatorial candidates to be able to discuss issues intelligently, whether it’s politics, economics, foreign policy, or national security. We do not expect them to be experts in these fields, but at the minimum, they should be able to have a working knowledge of current issues so they can craft important legislation. A cursory look at the list of 64 aspiring senators will tell us that few can pass the tests of unsullied integrity, proven competence and sterling track record. We should vote only for those candidates who can dissect complex issues with keen discernment. The Senate is part of the system of checks and balances in a democratic system of government. Apart from crafting laws, it also conducts investigations in aid of legislation, particularly graft and corruption cases. It is supposed to be independent from the executive branch, but in practice senators are likely to follow the position of their respective parties on particular issues. And if the majority of senators are pro-administration, as seen from the current composition of the Upper Chamber, then we can well expect the Senate in the 19th Congress to hang by the coattails of the next president. We should vote wisely in the coming election, as this is one political exercise that’s going to determine whether we preserve and strengthen our democratic system of governance, arrest the dangerous trend towards authoritarianism, and ensure economic growth that will reduce poverty levels among our people. We cannot achieve the goals of political stability and economic growth if we continue to elect to the Senate those already tainted by corruption, the unqualified, the incompetent, and the utterly useless. You know who they are. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

World must work together to tackle plastic ocean threat: WWF By Stéphane Orjollet PLASTIC has infiltrated all parts of the ocean and is now found “in the smallest plankton up to the largest whale” wildlife group WWF said on Tuesday, calling for urgent efforts to create an international treaty on plastics. Tiny fragments of plastic have reached even the most remote and seemingly-pristine regions of the planet: it peppers Arctic sea ice and has been found inside fish in the deepest recesses of the ocean, the Mariana Trench. There is no international agreement in place to address the problem, although delegates meeting in Nairobi for a United Nations environment meeting this month are expected to launch talks on a worldwide plastics treaty. WWF sought to bolster the case for action in its latest report, which synthesises more than 2,000 separate scientific studies on the impacts of plastic pollution on the oceans, biodiversity and marine ecosystems. The report acknowledged that there is currently insufficient evidence to estimate the potential repercussions on humans. But it found that the fossil-fuel derived substance “has reached every part of the ocean, from the sea surface to the deep ocean floor, from the poles to coastlines of the most remote islands and is detectable in the smallest plankton up to the largest whale”. ‘Saturation point’ According to some estimates, between 19 and 23 million tons of plastic waste is washed into the world’s waterways every year, the

WWF report said. This is largely from single-use plastics, which still constitute more than 60 percent of marine pollution, although more and more countries are acting to ban their use. “In many places (we are) reaching some kind of saturation point for marine ecosystems, where we’re approaching levels that pose a significant threat,” said Eirik Lindebjerg, Global Plastics Policy Manager at WWF.

Tiny fragments of plastic have reached even the most remote and seemingly-pristine regions of the planet. In some places there is a risk of “ecosystem collapse”, he said. Many people have seen images of seabirds choking on plastic straws or turtles wrapped in discarded fishing nets, but he said the danger is across the entire marine food web. It “will affect not only the whale and the seal and the turtle, but huge fish stocks and the animals that depend on those”, he added. In one 2021 study, 386 fish species were found to have ingested plastic, out of 555 tested. Separate research, looking at the major commercially fished species, found up to 30 percent of cod in a sample caught in the North Sea had microplastics in their stomach.

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EDITORIAL

Ronald dela Rosa (PDP-Laban), Sonny Angara (LDP), Lito Lapid (NPC), Imee Marcos (NP), Francis Tolentino (PDP-Laban), Koko Pimentel (PDP-Laban), Bong Revilla (LakasCMD) , and Nancy Binay (UNA). Who among these have proven competence in lawmaking? Hmm. WITH the start of the official campaign period for national positions this month, the focus of much speculation is, understandably, who will emerge the next president and vice-president in the May polls. After all, the president wields vast powers under the Constitution and charts the direction of the whole government, while the vice president is, well, just a heartbeat away from the presidency. But the race for the Senate is just as important to monitor as the institution is a stepping stone to higher political office. Of the seven presidents since the 1960s, five—Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino, served as senators. Three others did not get to sit in the Senate prior to taking over Malacañang Palace. Cory Aquino, Ninoy’s widow, was a housewife who ascended to the presidency after the 1986 People Power revolt that ousted Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Her successor, Fidel V. Ramos, served as chief of the Philippine Constabulary and later as Secretary of National Defense. Rodrigo Duterte was Mayor of Davao City for more than 20 years in total before winning the presidency in 2016, although he served briefly as district congressman. For this year’s senatorial race, there are 64 candidates vying for 12 seats. Among them are reelectionists; returning senators; and former national and local officials. The reelectionists are Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, Richard Gordon, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, and Juan Miguel Zubiri. Returning senators are Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Gringo Honasan, Loren Legarda, and Antonio Trillanes IV. Former national and local government officials also gunning for a seat in the Senate include Jejomar Binay (Vice President), Gibo Teodoro (Defense Secretary), Mark Villar, (Public Works Secretary), Herbert Bautista (Quezon City Mayor), Teddy Baguilat (Ifugao Rep.); Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna PartyList Rep.), and Gen. Guillermo Eleazar (Philippine National Police chief) . Also joining this year’s senatorial race is De la Salle University College of Law Dean Chel Diokno, son of the late democracy icon Jose W. Diokno. His platform emphasizes reforms in the judicial system so that due process and the rule of law are upheld by the next administration. The lucky 12 who will win in May will join the holdover senators elected in 2019 whose six-year term will expire on June 30, 2025: Cynthia Villar (NP), Grace Poe (Ind.), Bong Go (PDP-Laban), Pia Cayetano (NP),

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

Keeping children safe online

HE pandemic has emphasized how important the internet is, not only for work and business but also for personal, everyday needs like shopping, banking, medical consultations, and education for our children. The need for speedy, reliable and affordable internet connection remains an issue to be addressed by the government in tandem with the private sector. Indeed, building a digital infrastructure is a must if we are to recover economically, and achieve sustainable growth. But these conveniences have their downside, and this is something that must be addressed not only by our government leaders but by families, schools, and communities as well. Criminals have been upgrading their skills as well to keep up with technology. We have heard about hacking incidents or phishing attacks that have led to fraud, causing internet users to lose their hard-earned income, savings or investments.

But a greater evil comes with the abuse and exploitation of children online. This has also proliferated as more workers found themselves out of work and locked down in their homes as a result of the pandemic.

The internet could be a sinister place. Yesterday’s Safer Internet Day reminds us that despite the benefits and conveniences that connectivity brings, it could also expose children to sexual abuse and exploitation even if they are within the “safe” confines of home.

It is wrong to believe that no real harm could come to children online if they are simply in front of a computer screen. We have been horrified to learn that in some instances, family members themselves do this harm to their children in exchange for monetary rewards. But it happens – out of greed, desperation and ignorance. Laws protecting children from this kind of abuse do exist, but so do laws protecting the privacy and identities of internet users who do commit these abominable acts online. The fact that there are more channels than ever for remitting money makes it doubly difficult to track suspicious activities. A parallel effort is direly needed to educate children and their parents on online abuse and exploitation. Such experiences cause lifelong damage to the children’s psychological wellbeing. The internet brings many advantages and conveniences, but it could be a sinister place, especially for our children, if we allow it to be.

Opening up transmission, petroleum products pipeline transmission, water distribution through pipelines, including sewerage systems; and public utility vehicles. NEDA, however, will decide whether a public service is a public utility or not. That means a public utility today may not be a public utility tomorrow. No need to pass through Congress which, however, retains its right to issue franchises.

THREE economic liberalization measures passed by the outgoing Congress are expected to have tremendous impact—in terms of higher manufacturing, more jobs created, and greater foreign investments flowing into the country. These are: 1) the new Public Service Act (PSA) amending Commonwealth Act No. 146, which is pending signature into law; 2) the Foreign Investments Act, and 3) the Retail Trade Liberalization, now a law (Republic Act 11595). The idea is to open up to more players, foreigners in particular, areas which used to be exclusive to Filipinos only or which used to be so restrictive to outside players foreign investors were turned off. The effect of the decades-long restrictions gave rise to monopolies—in telco, water distribution, electricity distribution, and public utilities like mass transportation, and along with their monopolistic or oligopolistic practices --inefficiency, bad service or product, oppressive rates, and abusive conduct detrimental to the Filipino. Please note, however, that the presence of substantial foreign equity in a monopoly corporation does not automatically give rise to efficiency, reasonable pricing, and fewer abuses. The business remains rent-seeking or profiting at other people’s expense while the investors simply sit on their as*es. But it is a nice investment propaganda to say that the Philippines is opening up its economy and is now friendlier to investors. And it is always good to have competition in any profitable industry. “The three measures are crucial in accelerating growth in 2022,” argues economist Karl Kendrick Chua, the economic planning secretary and director general of the National Economic and Development Authority. The amended PSA no longer classifies telcos and transportation as public utilities. That means telcos can have substantial foreign equity and charge rates as high as they want to, subject to perception of reasonableness. And airlines and bus companies can have 100 percent foreign ownership. The following are still considered public utilities: electricity distribution, electricity

With telcos open to new players, local and foreign, expect their rates to come down. Per NEDA data, the average monthly download speed of the Philippines is 82.61 mbps. That is the 63rd fastest (or among the slowest) among 178 countries. In download speed for cell phones, the Philippines averages 42.44 mbps—65th among 138 countries. Galling is the fact that the Philippines has one of the highest mobile internet costs--$1.77 per gigabyte or 97th out of 230 countries in being cheap. Indonesia’s price is 42 US cents, Vietnam’s 49 cents, Malaysia’s 89 cents, Thailand’s $1.06, and Singapore’s, $1.09. Our mobile internet price is 4.2 times that of Indonesia, a country with the same level of economic development as the Philippines. Those are inexcusable speeds or lack of speed and atrocious pricing. The Philippines is the 12th largest country on earth in population, 110 million. It is the 29th richest country on earth in terms of GDP, ppp, of $1 trillion. We are richer than Singapore, which is 8 rungs below us in GDP size. Yet, Singapore is the fastest in ASEAN in download speeds. Karl Chua says the Philippines is considered the most restrictive in ASEAN and the third most restrictive in the world. The amendments to the Foreign Investments Act will: 1) relax conditions on firm size and minimum number of Filipino employment for tech enterprises; 2) harmonize investment promotion and facilitation initiatives, and 3) improve transparency in monitoring investments by requiring an analysis of foreign investments perfor-

Once in the water, the plastic begins to degrade, becoming smaller and smaller until it is a “nanoplastic”, invisible to the naked eye. So even if all plastic pollution stopped completely, the volume of microplastics in the oceans could still double by 2050. But plastic production continues to rise, potentially doubling by 2040, according to projections cited by WWF, with ocean plastic pollution expected to triple during the same period. Enduring risk Lindebjerg compares the situation to the climate crisis -- and the concept of a

“carbon budget”, that caps the maximum amount of CO2 that can be released into the atmosphere before a global warming cap is exceeded. “There is actually a limit to how much plastic pollution our marine ecosystems can absorb,” he said. Those limits have already been reached for microplastics in several parts of the world, according to WWF, particularly in the Mediterranean, the Yellow and East China Seas (between China, Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula) and in the Arctic sea ice. “We need to treat it as a fixed system that

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

These three measures are crucial to our growth.

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mance. In other words, the investor must deliver to keep his incentives. Amending the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, meanwhile, will: 1) open retail to foreign investors –retailers, brands, restaurants—to locate and expand operations in the Philippines; 2) create uniform capitalization requirement to simplify processes and reduce red tape; and 3) widen consumer choices at lower prices, and with new technologies and innovation. Retail capitalization is now uniform at P25 million, with minimum capitalization per store pegged at P10 million. Categories as to high-end or foreign-owned are removed. The government no longer gives a damn who the parent company of the retailer is. All three pieces of legislation—PSA, Foreign Investments, and Retail Trade-complement the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, which brings the Philippines’ corporate income tax rate closer to its ASEAN peers and modernizes the country’s fiscal incentives system. “The passage of these reforms will also create more and better employment opportunities,” says Chua. According to the World Bank, relaxing foreign equity restrictions in the transport and telecommunications sectors can result in an increase in employment of 2.8 percent in the transport sector and 1.8 percent in the telecommunications sector. It could also increase employment by a range of 1.8 to 6.2 percent for various manufacturing sub-sectors through spillover effects, based on the same study,” Chua says. Chua recalls how Republic Act No. 8762, which opened up the retail sector, led to the entry of international brands like Ikea, Uniqlo, and Muji. The enactment of the Amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act last December 10 will further simplify and lower barriers to entry in the retail sector and give Filipino consumers an even wider array of options. The amended PSA has been sent to Malacañang for signature into law. The economic liberalization bills will attract more investments in sectors that still need significant improvement, says Chua. biznewsasia@gmail.com doesn’t absorb plastic, and that’s why we need to go towards zero emissions, zero pollution as fast as possible,” said Lindebjerg. WWF is calling for talks aimed at drawing up an international agreement on plastics at the UN environment meeting, from February 28 to March 2 in Nairobi. It wants any treaty to lead to global standards of production and real “recyclability”. Trying to clean up the oceans is “extremely difficult and extremely expensive”, Lindebjerg said, adding that it was better on all metrics not to pollute in the first place. AFP

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Macron bids to cool Russia down on Ukraine Taiwan thanks US sale K of arms worth $100m

TAIPEI—Taiwan thanked the United States Tuesday for selling up to $100 million worth of equipment and services to support its air and missile defense systems, as China ramps up incursions of warplanes into the island’s air defense zone. Self-ruled democratic Taiwan lives under constant threat of invasion by authoritarian China, which views the island as part of their territory to be seized one day -- by force if necessary. Beijing has significantly increased incursions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in recent months, with the final quarter of 2021 seeing a massive spike of incursions. On Tuesday, Taipei expressed “gratitude” to the United States for approving a $100 million arms sale, which will maintain its Patriot missile air defense system. “This is the second arms sale to Taiwan since President Joe Biden took office and the first time this year,” Taiwan’s presidential spokesman Xavier Chang said in a statement. “It ... reflects the rock-solid partnership between Taiwan

and the US.” Taiwan’s defense ministry said the deal is expected to take effect sometime in March. According to a statement from US Defence Security Cooperation Agency, the deal covers engineering support and maintenance of air defense systems and will “ensure readiness for air operations”. “The recipient will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen homeland defense,” said the US agency. Incursions The ﬁrst major arms sale to Taipei under Biden was last August, which saw the approval of 40 155mm M109A6 medium self-propelled howitzer artillery systems. Beijing has become increasingly bellicose under Chinese President Xi Jinping, ramping up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan. Last year, Taiwan recorded 969 incursions by Chinese warplanes, according to a database compiled by AFP—more than double the roughly 380 carried out in 2020. AFP

YIV—French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Kyiv on Tuesday after offering Russia “concrete security guarantees” in an effort to dissuade Moscow from invading its neighbor Ukraine, with Russia’s leader vowing to find compromise in response. Macron’s visit comes during a week of intense Western diplomacy amid a major Russian military buildup on its southwestern frontier that has raised fears it could soon march into Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin told Macron Moscow would “do everything to find compromises that suit everyone”, raising the prospect of a path to de-escalating the volatile situation. Putin said several proposals put forward by Macron at talks on Monday could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine. “A number of his ideas, proposals... are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said after more than five hours of talks in the Kremlin. He did not provide any details but said the two leaders would speak by phone after Macron meets with Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelensky. The French president said he had made proposals of “concrete security guarantees” to Putin. “President Putin assured me of his readiness to engage in this sense and his desire to maintain stability and the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” Macron said. “There is no security for the Europeans if there is no security for Russia,” he added. The French presidency said the proposals include an engagement from both sides not to take any new military action, the launching of a new strategic dialogue and efforts to revive the peace process in Kyiv’s conﬂict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. With tensions soaring between Moscow and Ukraine and its allies, Macron was the ﬁrst top

Aussie PM apologizes for political staff abuse

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 226, QUEZON CITY rtc1qzn226@judiciary.gov.ph +639109078610 IN THE MATTER OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE PUE SIN CHUA ENRIQUEZ SPEC PRO. CASE NO. 21-10386 JOSEPH GO ENRIQUEZ, Petitioner. x----------------------------------------------------x

ORDER This Petition for the Judicial Settlement of the Estate of decedent Pue Sin Chua Enriquez with prayers for Issuance of Letters of Administration filed by petitioner Joseph Go Enriquez. The petition alleges that the decedent Pue Sin Chua Enriquez was a resident of 150 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City. The decedent passed away in St. Lukes Medical Center in Quezon City last March 6, 2020 at the age of 88. He died intestate, and with no known creditors. The decedent left the following legal heirs: Name Yu Son Jun Enriquez

Status Surviving spouse

Joseph Go Enriquez

Son

Jean Enriquez Monteverde Daughter Jocelyn Enriquez-Young Daughter Jorge Yu Enriquez Son Julieta Yu Enriquez

Daughter

Western leader to meet Putin since the crisis began in December. Continued conflict Putin denied that Russia was acting aggressively towards Ukraine or the West, saying “it is not us who are moving towards NATO’s borders”. If Ukraine joins the Western military bloc, Russia could get sucked into a conflict with European countries, he added. “Do you want France to go to war with Russia?” Putin said. Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, has expressed a desire for closer ties with the West and membership of the NATO military alliance that sought to contain Moscow and its Communist allies during the Cold War. Putin has complained that NATO’s eastward expansion following the end of the Cold War has undermined Russia’s security. The Russian leader said Ukrainian authorities were to blame for the continued conflict in the country’s east, home to pro-Russian breakaway enclaves which have previously seen fierce fighting between separatists and Ukrainian forces. AFP

MOBILE TV. Independent election candidate Sham Lal Gandhi holds a television, his election symbol, during an election campaign for the upcoming Punjab state assembly elections, in Amritsar, India on February 7. AFP

SYDNEY—Australia’s prime minister apologised for widespread sexual harassment, abuse and bullying of political staff Tuesday, a year after a high-proﬁle rape allegation rocked the country’s parliament. Addressing lawmakers, Scott Morrison apologised directly to former staffer Brittany Higgins who said she was raped by a male colleague in a minister’s ofﬁce in 2019. “I’m sorry to Ms Higgins for the terrible things that took place here,” Morrison said describing a decades-long culture of abuse in the corridors of power. “But I am sorry for far more than that -- for all of those who came before Ms Higgins and endured the same.” “Over many decades, an ecosystem, a culture, was perpetuated where bullying, abuse, harassment, and in some cases even violence, became normalized,” he said. Higgins went public in January last year, sparking nationwide protests. Australians were shocked by the alleged abuse she experienced, but also the way she was treated when she told her bosses. She said she felt pressured not to go to the police ahead of the 2019 election and described a “culture of silence” in Australian political parties. In the wake of Higgins’ allegations, and those of other staffers who came forward after her, the government launched multiple inquiries. One of those, the 450-page Jenkins Review, found that one-inthree people currently working in Commonwealth workplaces have experienced sexual harassment while working there. In his speech, Morrison said: “This has to change. It is changing. And I believe it will change.” AFP

Address No. 50 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City No.490 G. Araneta Avenue, Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City No. 2131, Taft Avenue, Pasay City No. 28, 11th Street, New Manila, Quezon City No. 50 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City No. 5701, Balboa Dr., Oakland, California, 94511, U.S.A.

The decedent left the real property described as follows: Asset TCT No. T-25193

Description 5,204 square meters located at Tabaco, Albay

Probable Value Php 3,200,400.00

Medical Center, Quezon City the medical bills amounting to a total amount of Php 13,641,274.12. Petitioner further allege that, in order to preserve the Estate of the decedent and to properly administer it for the benefit of all the legal heirs, Letters of Administration should be issued in his favor having all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications to serve as the administrator of the intestate estate of herein deceased Pue Sin Chua Enriquez. Petitioner, thus, pray that the petition be given due course and be set for hearing and after proper proceedings, letters of administration be issued to the petitioner upon the filing of a bond in such amount as may be fixed by the Court. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby given due course and is set for hearing on February 23, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. sharp, through video conferencing, at which date, time and place, any interested person may appear and show cause if any, why the petition should not be granted. Let a copy of this Order be published at petitioner’s expense in Manila Standard , a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines selected by raffle pursuant to PD No. 1079, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, prior to the date of hearing. Likewise, let copy of this Order together with a copy of the petition and its annexes be served, at petitioners’ expense, at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of hearing, to the following: I.1) The Bureau of Internal Revenue -Agham Road, Quezon City; I.2) The Solicitor General- 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City; I.3) The Department of Foreign Affairs - 2330 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City; I.4) Yu Son Jun Enriquez No. 50 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City I.5) Joseph Go Enriquez - No. 490 G. AranetaAvenue, Barangay Dofia Imelda, Quezon City I.6) Jean Enriquez Monteverde - No. 2131, Taft Avenue, Pasay City I.7) Jocelyn Enriquez-Young - No. 28, llth Street, New Manila, Quezon City I.8) Jorge Yu Enriquez - No. 50 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City I.9) Julieta Yu Enriquez - No. 5701, Balboa Dr., Oakland, California, 94511, United States of America The petitioner is directed to comply with the above. The petitioner as well as the above government agencies and heirs are directed to submit within five (5) days from receipt hereof their email addresses. The petitioner as well as the above government agencies and heirs are directed to submit within five (5) days from receipt hereof their email addresses and contact numbers. SO ORDERED. December 7, 2021, Quezon City, Philippines. (Sgd.) MANUEL B. STA. CRUZ, JR. Presiding Judge

Copy furnished: Atty. Pablito F. Sanidad, Jr. Atty. Dick R. Sanidad Counsel for the petitioner Sanidad & Associates Law Offices Top V Compound, Barangay San Jose, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur Yu Son Jun Enriquez No. 50 Kaliraya Street Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City

Joseph Go Enriquez No. 490 G. AranetaAvenue, Barangay Dona Imelda, Quezon City Jean Enriquez Monteverde No. 2131, Taft Avenue, Pasay City Jocelyn Enriquez-Young No. 28, 11 th Street, New Manila, Quezon City Jorge Yu Enriquez No. 50 Kaliraya Street, Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City Julieta Yu Enriquez No. 5701, Balboa Dr., Oakland, California, 94511, United States of America The Bureau of Internal Revenue Agham Road, Quezon City The Solicitor General 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City The Department of Foreign Affairs

(MStandard-Feb. 9, 16 & 23, 2022)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business PSEi February 8, 2022

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LAST PRICE CHANGE 6.49 0.94 0.208 0.018 0.63 0.05

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0.013 5.83 0.495 18.92 216 0.28 9.28

8.33% 6.97% 6.45% 6.17% 5.68% 5.66% 5.45%

OPM DITO WPI APVI ICT MRC DD

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rallies; ICTSI, SM Investments top gainers

HE stock market rose Tuesday on prospects of further economic reopening as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to decline.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbed 77.93 points, or 1.1 percent, to 7,458.23 on a value turnover of nearly P7 billion. Gainers beat losers, 116 to 77, with 51 issues unchanged. International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator and owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., advanced 5.7 percent to P216, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group increased 2.7 percent to P976. Aboitiz Power Corp. of the Aboitiz Group rose 1.5 percent to P36.25, while Emperador Inc., the largest liquor maker, added 1.1 percent to P23.20. The rest of Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday as investors awaited key US inflation data later in the week, though the volatility that has characterized the year so far is expected to continue as central banks bring an end to the era of cheap cash. Tokyo was in positive territory helped by news that the United States will ease tariffs on steel imported from Japan that were imposed by Donald Trump, while Sydney, Singapore, Seoul, Wellington, Bangkok

While US finance chiefs have not given a timeand Taipei were also up. But Hong Kong dropped with already-troubled Ali- table for their increases, speculation is swirling over baba under pressure from reports that major sharehold- how many it will announce this year—with forecasts er SoftBank was planning to offload at least a part of ranging from three to seven—and by how much. its huge stake in the firm. That uncertainty has weighed on global markets this Chinese drug giant Wuxi Biologics suspended trad- year and commentators have warned further ructions ing after enduring a record slump after Washington are to be expected. added it to a list that could restrict its US operations. However, a feeling that recent selling may have been The firm was down more than 20 percent when it overdone has attracted some investors back into the stopped trading. fray. Mumbai and Jakarta were also slightly lower. “Markets will get used to the tightening regime at After a slow start to the week, the region shifted some point,” Chris Iggo, chief investment officer for higher in early trade thanks to bargain-buying and fol- core investments at AXA Investment Managers, wrote lowing Friday’s bigger-than-expected surge in US jobs in a note. for January, which reassured on the state of the eco“The growth and earnings forecast revisions in the nomic recovery. next few months will be key.” With AFP But the big event is the inflation readManila ing—to be announced on Thursday— Standard that is tipped to see another painful rise TODAY in prices for last month, having come in at a four-decade high in December. The spike has forced central banks around the world to wind back the ultraloose monetary policies put in place two years ago to guard against the economic impact of COVID-19 and while many have lifted rates already, all eyes are on the Fed’s first move in March.

MOST ACTIVE

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4,484,290 2,052,880

459,718,018 439,458,674

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175,525,000 389,721,140 24,060,300 379,980,236 2,782,330 378,089,385

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319,982,190 308,946,590 206,991,977

5,359,100

194,511,970

European Union joins chips race with 42-b euro bid to match Asia BRUSSELS, Belgium—The EU launches a plan Tuesday to raise tens of billions of euros to boost semiconductor production in Europe and end the bloc’s digital dependence on Asia. The production of semiconductors, also known as chips, has become a strategic priority in Europe as well as the United States, after the shock of the pandemic choked off supply, bringing factories to a standstill and emptying stores of products. The manufacturing of chips overwhelmingly takes place in Taiwan, China and South Korea and the European Union’s 27 member states want factories and companies inside the bloc to take on a bigger role. Thierry Breton, the EU’s industry commissioner, on Tuesday will press Europeans to be as ambitious as possible and match similar plans in the United States, where the Biden administration is asking Congress to approve $52 billion. Touring the IMEC chip research facility in Belgium on Monday, Breton boasted that the plan “will position Europe as an industry leader but also give us complete control of our semiconductor supply chains.” “The EU will equip itself with the means to guarantee its security of supply, as the United States does for example,” he said, in a separate briefing to reporters. “Europe will remain an open continent, but on its own terms,” he said, referring to a “paradigm shift” in the European approach to highly strategic supplies such as semiconductors. If approved, the EU plans could generate a total of 42 billion euros ($48 billion) via existing EU budget money as well as by loosening existing rules on public subsidy from member states. AFP The main goal of the chip crusade will be to double Europe’s semiconductor capacity from 10 percent of the world’s value today to 20 percent by 2030. The proposal will need the approval of the EU member states and European Parliament, where opinions will vary between the ambitions of industrial heavyweights such as Germany, France and Italy and those of smaller states that are worried about closing off valuable supply chains with Asia. Some member states, led by the Netherlands and Nordic nations, will also resist any plan to widen the scope for state aid,

BULLISH NISSAN. Pedestrians walk past the car showroom of Japan’s Nissan Motor at Tokyo’s Ginza district on February 8, 2022. Nissan on Tuesday hiked its annual net profit forecast again on strong interim results, aiming to weather the global chip shortage as it shifts focus to electric vehicles. The Japanese car giant now expects yearly net profit to March 2022 of 205 billion yen ($1.77 billion), having already tripled its annual profit outlook in November to 180 billion yen. AFP

‘Global Dream’ cruise ship turns into a nightmare for German shipyard By Florian Cazeres WISMAR, Germany—The unfinished “Global Dream” rests quietly in a dock as the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the cruise ship into a nightmare for the shipyard in Wismar along Germany’s windswept Baltic coast. Destined to have become one of the world’s largest liners, the “Global Dream” will be lucky to ever set sail after the Asian-owned MV Werften shipyard filed for bankruptcy last month. With no buyer having stepped forward, thousands of jobs at the shipyard are at risk and the local economy stands to take a huge hit. “We are the classic victims of coronavirus,” said Carsten Haake, MV Werften’s chief executive. The bankruptcy filing meant that construction work on the vessel, which would have become one of the first ships capable of hosting up to 10,000 passengers and crew, was halted. MV Werften’s fate was decided thousands of kilometers away in Asia, in the offices of Genting HK, the owner of the shipyard and the Dream Cruises operator. Specialized in tourism and casinos, the company collapsed from the disruption to travel caused by the pandemic and the decision made by its Malaysian parent company Genting to abandon it. Without sufficient financial guarantees, the German state, which had agreed to support the shipyard, withdrew. Since then, the 342-meter-long cruise ship—a little taller than the Eiffel Tower and adorned with a lurid cartoon fresco of astronauts and mermaids— has been waiting for a savior. The project with an estimated cost of 1.5 billion

euros ($1.7 billion), is “75 percent” complete, according to the shipyard’s management. But it requires 600 million euros to keep going. While the ship waits, uncertainty grips the 2,000 employees at MV Werften’s docks in Stralsund, Rostock and Wismar, across the coast of MecklenburgWest Pomerania in what used to be East Germany. Countdown Christoph Morgen was appointed to be the legal administrator for the company with one goal: “find a buyer for the Global Dream.” The ship was conceived when the cruise business was booming but demand for ocean-borne holidays has been hurt by the pandemic. Even if “some investors have expressed an interest,” Morgen said, securing a good offer for such a giant ship is difficult, not least while the coronavirus is still around. Administrators are on the clock for March 1, their deadline for finding a viable solution. The situation is also being monitored closely by local government figures for whom the collapse was a “shock, as it was for the whole city,” the Social Democrat mayor of Wismar Thomas Beyer told AFP. “Many families depend on the facility, generations have worked there,” he added. The shipyards are closely linked to the history of the city. Built after the Second World War, they were first used to service Soviet ships, before branching out in the 1950s. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of East German industry led to massive layoffs. Privatized in the 1990s, the shipyards have since then had a series of owners from both Germany and abroad, but had survived the economic ups and downs until now. AFP The 342-meter long and almost finished cruise ship ‘Global Dream’ is pictured in the main assembly hall of the shipbuilder, MV Werften, in Wismar, on Januar 26, 2022. One of the world’s largest cruise ships sits, unfinished, in a wind-swept dock in Wismar on Germany’s Baltic coast after the its makers filed for bankruptcy in January. AFP

MS-FEB. 9, 2022)

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

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

NLEX begins construction of Sta. Mesa link By Darwin G. Amojelar NLEX Corp. said Tuesday it started the construction of the three-kilometer section of NLEX Connector in Sta. Mesa, Manila. “Progress of the NLEX Connector Sta. Mesa Section will be more visible now as we start laying the foundation for this segment. The bored piles are crucial in providing a sturdy base for our elevated expressway project,” said NLEX president and general manager J. Luigi Bautista. “The construction activities will be systematically and precisely undertaken to ensure safety on all fronts,” he said. This is a part of the entire eightkilometer NLEX Connector that extends the NLEX southward from Caloocan Interchange on C3 road, traverses España Blvd., R. Magsaysay Blvd. and connects to the Skyway Stage 3 near the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa. The Sta. Mesa section will involve building 72 piers to support the elevated, four-lane expressway above the Philippine National Railways line. It will co-exist with the Department of Transportation’s North-South railway project and will have two interchanges at España and R. Magsaysay. NLEX Corp. said it was working with the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete the vital infrastructure project that would help decongest Metro Manila traffic and improve connectivity between seaports in Manila and airports in Paranaque and Clark. A groundbreaking ceremony for the project was held in December with officials from NLEX Corp,, DPWH, Toll Regulatory Board and PNR in attendance. DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado committed to “provide the necessary right-of-way for the project as we target to complete this segment by end of 2022.”

Board okays sugar imports of 200,000 tons this crop year By Othel V. Campos THE Sugar Regulatory Board approved the importation of 200,000 metric tons of standard and bottler’s grade sugar to cover an expected shortfall caused by Typhoon Odette. The board said the importation would strike a balance between sugar supply and demand and ensure stable prices of the commodity. Based on recalibrated pre-final crop estimate of raw sugar production, there was an estimated drop of 1.2 percent to 2.072 metric tons from 2.099 MT prior to the arrival of Typhoon Odette. This followed an assessment of the damage caused by the typhoon on sugarcane crops, sugar stocks at warehouses and on the facilities and equipment of sugar mills and refineries in key sugar milling districts. Under Sugar Order No. 3 for Crop Year 2021-2022, eligible participants in the open and voluntary importation program are industrial users of refined sugar in good standing that are duly registered international traders. An industrial user not registered with SRA as an international trader may appoint an international sugar trader in good standing to import for its account. The Philippine Association of Sugar Refineries revised its refined sugar production forecast for crop year 2021-2022 to 16.748 million LKg (50-kilogram bag), down from the initial production estimate of 17.572 million LKg before Typhoon “Odette.” The SRA said the estimated shortfall would result in a very tight sugar stock balance at the end of milling representing about two to three months’ worth of unserved demand for refined sugar in between the milling seasons. Wholesale prices also reached record high for both raw and refined sugar, thereby increasing the prices of retail sugar. The SRA said that since the opening of the economy, the demand for raw sugar and refined sugar in January also increased, compared to the same month in the previous three years.

Business Ayala on track to raise $1b from sale of assets, shares By Jenniffer B. Austria

ONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said Tuesday it is on track to raising $1 billion from divestment and joint venture partnerships by 2023.

Ayala chief finance officer Alberto de Larrazabal said in a forum organized by BPI Securities that about half of the target proceeds would come by the middle of the year from AC Ventures, transport infrastructure assets and sale of secondary shares in Manila Water Co. Inc. and AC Energy Corp. The rest of the target will be driven by the sale of AC Energy’s thermal assets and other portfolio investments. “We are on the way to hitting our target of P50 billion [$1 billion] by 2023. As of January this year, we were able to execute P27 billion of value realization initiatives,” de Larrazabal said. De Larrazabal said the company woiuld redeploy proceeds from the divestment and reinvested in value-enhancing opportunities, including share buyback,

investment in core business and funding requirements in emerging businesses. The conglomerate earlier signed property for share swap with property development arm Ayala Land Inc. The deal will enable Ayala Corp. to increase its stake in Ayala Land. De Larrazabal said the conglomerate will scale up its healthcare and logistics businesses to create new sources of growth and value creation. He said that for AC Health, the group would ramp up its investments in clinics, hospitals, retail pharmacy, pharma distribution and telehealth. It is also in the process of constructing a cancer hospital in Taguig City. AC Health is expected to reach profitability by 2020 and nearly P1 billion in net income by 2025.

AC Logistics will take advantage of the rise in digital economy to expand its presence in the broader logistics supply chain, he said. AC Logistics announced last year plans to acquire 60-percent interest in logistics provider Air21 Holdings Inc. owned by businessman Alberto Lina. AC Logistics is expected to achieve profitability by 2023 and contribute P1 billion in net income by 2025. Ayala Group also reported that it would spend a record P294 billion in capital expenditures in 2022, up 28 percent from what it spent in 2021, as it continues to look for investment opportunities amid the pandemic. De Larrazabal said, however, the conglomerate was approaching 2022 with “guarded optimism” over concerns about inflation rate, rising interest rates and the upcoming elections. Ayala booked a net income of P19.4 billion in the first three quarters of 2021, up by 70 percent from a year ago, on the back of P3.5-billion proceeds from the sale of the group’s stake in GN Power Kauswagan coal facility in September.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, February 8, 2022 77.93 PTS. 7,458.23

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1,072,680,986 98,182

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F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.2930

Japan

Yen

0.008687

0.4456

Pound

1.353800

69.4405

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128330

6.5824

Switzerland

Franc

1.082251

55.5119

Canada

Dollar

0.789453

40.4934

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0.744158

38.1701

Australia

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36.5463

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136.0918

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13.6723

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Dollar

0.741400

38.0286

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0035

Thailand

Baht

0.030303

1.5543

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

13.9664

Euro

1.144300

58.6946

Korea

Won

0.000836

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.157171

8.0618

India

Rupee

0.013400

0.6873

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.239034

12.2608

New Zealand

Dollar

0.663200

34.0175

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035914

1.8421 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF Customs collects P18.9-b rice tariff

THE Bureau of Customs collected P18.9 billion in duties from rice imports in 2021, up 22 percent from P15.5 billion in 2020, a top official said. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero disclosed the figures in a report during a Department of Finance executive committee meeting. Import duties collected from rice imports beginning March 5, 2019 go to the annual P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. RCEF is used to finance programs that will sharpen the competitiveness of palay growers by way of providing them easy access to fertilizer, farm machinery and equipment, high-yield seeds and cheap credit; and offering skills training programs on farm mechanization and modern farming techniques. Guerrero said that for pork imports, the BOC collected P3.75 billion in duties between April 9, 2021 and Jan. 28, 2022 from a total volume of 242 million kilograms. The bureau said it had foregone P4 billion in revenues during the period as a result of the presidential directives lowering the import tariffs on pork. Julito G. Rada

Figaro Coffee booked record income in 2021

NEW ALLHC FACILITY. AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. acquires a ready-built facility at Light Industry & Science Park III in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The facility will be named ALogis Sto. Tomas, adding 64,000 square meters of warehouse gross leasable area to ALLHC’s portfolio. At the signing ceremony are (from left) ALLHC chief finance officer Francis Montojo, head of industrial parks and real estate logistics Patrick Avila, president and chief executive Maria Rowena Tomeldan, Aruze Philippines Manufacturing Inc. vice president Hiroshi Kawamura, president Tetsuya Yokota, Aibis Land Management Inc. president Chita Ferraras and Aruze Global Shared Services Philippines deputy general counsel for Asia Pacific Joseph Anthony Boma.

Meralco announces P0.12-per-kWh cut in February rate By Alena Mae S. Flores CONSUMERS of Manila Electric Co. will enjoy lower power bills in February after the company announced a rate reduction of P0.1185 per kilowatthour. Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said the average power bill would go down to P9.5842 per kWh in February from P9.7027 per kWh in January. “For the second consecutive month, Meralco rates have gone down, and today we are announcing that there will be another reduction in consumers electricity bills,” Zaldarriaga said. “The overall rate went down by almost P0.12 per kWh and this is equivalent to a decrease of P24 in the total bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh per month,” he said. This brings the cumulative bill re-

duction of P39 since the start of the year. Meralco’s generation charge in February declined P0.2305 per kWh to P5.1957 per kWh from P5.4262 in January, on lower charges from Independent Power Producers and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market. This offset the increase in the rate from power supply agreements. The company said charges from Meralco’s IPPs went down by P0.3395 per kWh on higher plant dispatch of Quezon Power and First Gas-Sta. Rita power plants. Quezon Power resumed normal operations in January after experiencing some outages and deration in December, while First Gas–Sta. Rita’s output increased following the completion of the scheduled maintenance outage of Module 10 in December.

Meralco’s IPP charges also reflected a reimbursement from Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. to First Gas, covering a portion of incremental fuel cost incurred in relation to the use of liquid fuel during unplanned Malampaya gas supply restrictions. Zaldarriaga said these offset the increase in Malampaya natural gas prices resulting from quarterly repricing, and an increase in coal prices. Charges from the WESM, the trading floor of electricity, fell by P13.1277 per kWh due to the significant reduction in Meralco’s purchases, which mitigated the impact of higher spot market prices during the January supply month. Despite the lower demand because of cooler weather, the Luzon grid was placed on yellow Alert on Jan. 10 and 11 because of several forced plant outages.

FIGARO Coffee Group Inc. said Tuesday its 100-percent owned unit that operates a pizza and coffee chain registered record profits and sales in 2021. Figaro said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Figaro Coffee Systems Inc. booked an unaudited net income of P436.6 million in 2021, up 274 percent from P155.1 million in 2020. Unaudited revenues also jumped 253 percent in 2021 to P2 billion from P794 million a year earlier. FCSI operates a network of retail restaurants including Figaro Coffee, a coffee shop with domestic and international branches; Angel’s Pizza, a pizza store chain; and Tien Ma’s, a Taiwanese cuisine restaurant. Figaro attributed the strong performance of FCSI to the surge in the delivery sales of Angels Pizza and rollout of additional stores. In 2021, FCSI reported a net opening of 18 stores or about 20-percent increase in its store network. Jenniffer B. Austria

PLDT teams up with Microsoft

MICROSOFT Corp. and PLDT Inc. announced Tuesday a strategic partnership to strengthen the country’s digital borders and infrastructure security against cyber threats through Microsoft’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Program. “Security is at an inflection point as cyberattacks become more sophisticated and digital attack surfaces exponentially increase. We believe that anything less than comprehensive security is no security at all. We are committed to ensuring the internet is safe and secure for all users and our DCU is leading the fight against cybercrime to protect businesses and individuals and to promote trust globally. Alongside PLDT, we can do more for the Philippines and empower a safer cyberspace for all Filipinos,” said Microsoft Philippines country general manager Andres Ortola. The partnership with Microsoft is expected to help fortify PLDT’s existing and robust cybersecurity capabilities in preventing and mitigating cyber threats and attacks, she said. Running the CTIP is the Digital Crimes Unit, an international team of technical, legal and business experts created in 2008 to combat cybercrime on a global scale. Othel V. Campos

Think tank warns of power shortage in 2nd quarter A CLIMATE and energy policy group predicted an electricity shortfall across the Luzon grid in the second quarter, especially during the weeks leading to and immediately after the elections in May. The report by the Institute of Climate and Sustainable Cities said unreliable electricity supply would undermine the credibility of the elections. “We need our electrical power system to provide reliable supply especially during election day and while transmitting data; otherwise our political power system might fail if the results are not accepted by our people,” said ICSC senior policy advisor Pedro Maniego Jr.. ICSC said the thinning operating reserves in the two-week period before (April 18 to May 1) and after (May 16 to 29) this year’s elections is already the most optimistic scenario, and is far from ideal because the projection does not account for the potential unplanned outages of coal power plants. Given historical trends and cur-

rent power reserve issues, ICSC said a 1,335-megawatt deficit in the country’s electricity supply during peak demand would lead to a red alert status and possible blackouts over the Luzon grid in the second quarter of 2022. “Grid alert levels after unplanned outages of a few baseload plants show how vulnerable the power system can be to centralized generators. We experience rotating blackouts while still paying for high electricity costs. This emphasizes the more urgent need for an energy transition based on distributed energy sources. We need to pick up its pace, because we cannot keep returning to the same situation every year,” said ICSC chief data scientist and report coauthor Jephraim Manansala. Despite experiencing low demand requirements in the beginning of the year, the NGCP placed the Luzon grid on yellow alert in January on forced outages of four power plants with a total generating capacity of 1,331 megawatts. Alena Mae S. Flores

FINANCIAL LITERACY. The Quezon City government teams up with financial technology company First Circle to launch a business-focused financial literacy program for the city’s more than 75,000 small and medium enterprises. The program promises free quarterly webinars to educate business owners on money management and business loans and other tools and resources to help SMEs in their economic recovery. Signing the memorandum of agreement in a virtual ceremony are First Circle chief executive Patrick Lynch and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

Sports

Miller loved baseball, but skiing is now his passion YANQING, China—Ask Asa Miller to differentiate a fast ball from a curved ball or sinker and you’d surely get a precise answer. Miller, now a two-time Olympic alpine skier, spent some time behind the plate as catcher for his Lincoln High School, one of the oldest high schools in the US located in his base of Portland, Oregon. But while catching balls in spring and summer, he would put on his skis come winter as dad Kelly’s been hooked to the sport and does community work as a member of the Ski Patroller in Mount Hood for 27 years. It turned out that skis were his love and passion. “I focused entirely on skiing as it became more serious, it’s what I love and my passion,” said Asa, who played baseball for Lincoln from 2015 to 2016. The lure of the snow on the hills of Portland were enticing that at 18 months young, Kelly Miller said his son would frolic outside of their home in the cold of winter. Slowly and surely, Asa Miller grew as a competitive skier. His dad entered him in ski clubs clubs as the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club and is currently a member of the Snowbird Sports Education Foundation. He was on the Mount Meadows race team and before he knew it, he had the Philippine flag on his chest as a 16-year-old at the 2017 World Junior Alpine Skiing Championships in Are, Sweden. He finished 39th in slalom and that opened the world of competitive skiing to the now 21-year-old FilipinoAmerican. Kelly Miller said Asa spent two years skiing in high school before deciding to go competitive on the international stage. “Clubs are more competitive than high school,” Kelly said. “When he turned 16, we started talking of joining the Philippine team in 2016.” That decision five years ago bore fruits with Asa Miller now seeing action in his second consecutive Winter Games here in Beijing where he’s vying in two events this time by adding the slalom to the giant slalom where he competed in Pyeongchang four years ago.

PATAFA’s decision on Obiena rescinded By Peter Atencio THE decision to sanction Olympic pole vaulter EJ Obiena is now rescinded. Top officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association said this following Monday’s Senate hearing on their ongoing dispute with Obiena, who has finally agreed to a mediation with his mother federation. “Our decision to expel Obiena has been rescinded. We have suspended that decision because there is mediation. And so far now, he is not expelled,” said PATAFA chairman and Misamis Oriental Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. Rodriguez talked about the status of Obiena during a 5-hour joint virtual session of the Senate committee on sports and finance. “Now that we go to mediation, the PATAFA president will make a decision and recommend it the board,” added Rodriguez. During the hearing chaired by Sen. Bong Go and Sen. Pia Cayetano, Obiena said he is “more than willing” to put his issues aside “should PATAFA prove its sincerity in making peace.” Rodriguez made clarifications on the status of Obiena after the PATAFA made a decision to shift its focus on the ongoing preparations of the Philippine national team for the coming Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games later this year. The controversy began when Obiena was questioned by PATAFA for allegedly failing to pay over ₱4.8 million in coaching fees of Ukrainian mentor Vitaly Petrov. The mediation process will be facilitated by the Philippine Sports Commission. Rodriguez was responding to questions forwarded by Sen. Francis Tolentino, who said he is seeking the restoration of a ruptured relationship between Obiena and the PATAFA.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

The Philippines’ flag bearer Asa Miller leads the delegation as they enter the stadium during the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, at the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest, in Beijing. AFP

Gilas coach keeps options open on team composition

EW appointed Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes is not closing the door on any PBA player or players who may beef up the team for the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualiﬁers slated Feb. 24 to 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“There are so many details on proto“We want to keep our options open,” said Reyes, who is overseeing the train- cols. As of yesterday, the FIBA was uping of the Gilas squad, backstopped by a handful of players from TNT at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas. “It’s work in progress. We’re not announcing any lineup precisely because we don’t know what the final lineup will be. There’s no final determination yet,” he told the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. Also gracing the forum was Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios, who gave an update on the preparations for the coming event, particularly those dealing with the COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Barrios said he’s been in constant touch with FIBA officials. Chot Reyes

dating us and they’ve decided on everyday antigen testing for participants in the qualifiers. We thought it would be RT-PCR testing upon arrival and on the fifth day, then we got word FIBA wants everyday antigen testing,” said Barrios. The Gilas squad, whose composition was greatly affected by the pandemic and the exodus of players to Japan, is undergoing a major facelift under

Reyes barely three weeks left before the FIBA event, where the Filipinos will face South Korea twice, New Zealand, and India. Among the Gilas players in the fold are Will Navarro, Juan Gomez de Liano, Dwight Ramos, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel and naturalized player Ange Kouame. TNT players in the camp include veteran internationalists Troy Rosario, RR Pogoy, and Poy Erram. Reyes said any other TNT player may be called in to help in any capacity as well as from other PBA ballclubs, stressing that “options are open.” Regardless of the result in the qualifiers, the Philippines is already in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which it will co-host with Japan and Indonesia. Barrios said the event set this month is “a small step” compared to the magnitude of the World Cup in August next year, but added that the country is fortunate to be given a chance to host the qualifiers. “So we can go through the system, which will include physical improvements and specifications at the Araneta Coliseum, and the other playing venues and the hotels,” said the former PBA commissioner.

Marlou Aquino’s son tries out for Japan national team FILIPINO-JAPANESE cager Matthew Aquino, son of former Philippine Basketball Association and Ginebra star Marlou Aquino, has joined a training camp and selection process for the Japanese national men’s pool for the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The training camp got under way last Monday. An announcement made by the B.League team Shinsu Brave Warriors on Twitter said that Aquino has been called up for the camp with his Brave

Warriors teammates Ko Kumagai, Reio Maeda and Yudai Okada. “We are pleased to inform you that we have been selected as candidates for the Japanese men’s national team in the first selection camp,” according to the players in a joint statement on Twitter. This is the second time that Aquino has been invited to a selection process. As for the first window of the FIBA World Cup 2023 qualifiers, there is no word yet on his status, since Japan, which is bracketed in Group B of the February

meet, has yet to release its final roster The 6’9” Aquino, whose maternal grandmother is Japanese, used to play for the Adamson University Falcons back in college. He saw action in Season 77 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. Then, he played for five games with the National University Bulldogs in Season 80 before his residency was questioned. Last year, Aquino was signed to play for the Shinshu Brave Warriors of the Japanese B. League as a local player. He

was not considered an import due to his Japanese heritage. He averaged 1.6 points and 1.5 rebounds in 14 games while playing for Shinshu. Two months ago, Aquino was named as part of the Japan national team pool for the first window of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers in November 2021. The 25-year-old Aquino is now going through a training camp at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo from Feb. 7 to 10. Peter Atencio

Manila Standard’s Bautista on a roll in Pampanga car show

HIGH temperatures and unforgiving humidity could not halt Fernando “Boy” Bautista, editorial assistant of the English broadsheet Manila Standard, from competing and mingling with fellow car enthusiasts at the Clark International Speedway last weekend. Bautista earned three mas trophies from among 235 participants in the “Shifting Gears Track Day back-to-

Car models flank Boy Bautista’s winning entry

back with Bumper to Bumper Car Show Pampanga 7” at the Clark International Speedway on Saturday. Bautista’s (entry number 09) Blue 2000 Toyota Corolla with Toyota Sprinter Carib facelift won 1st place in the Best in Paint category and secured 1st place in the Best Compact Car category and also the top award in the Best Toyota Heavy Modification. “Hinihintay talaga namin na masungkit ‘yung category na Best in Paint noon pa, kasi ‘yung JSK Custom na gumawa nu’ng Carib ay nagwagi ng Best of Show at nakapagtala nang magkasunod na taon ng pagkapanalo (2012-2013) sa Manila International Auto Show,” Bautista said.

The awards garnered the Manila Standard man

The car, according to Bautista, is a combination of two different Toyota vehicles — the 8th generation Toyota Corolla and the 4th generation Toyota Sprinter Carib, which share parts and are interchangeable. The car’s set up includes Carib front bumper with overrider, Carib hood and fenders, Carib 2-piece rear bumper, Carib headlights with LED bulbs, Carib amber corner lights and Carib fog lights with LED bulbs, Carib thick body side moldings and Carib OEM privacy glass, JDM trunk, OEM chrome inner and outer door handles, Silver’s Neomax fully adjustable coilover that has 24 levels of dampening adjustability and adjustable pillow ball upper mount. The setup is also made up of Toyota Levin BZ-R front seats, 16” WORK Meister S1 two-piece construction wheels designed for use on the race track, rear drum brake was replaced with slotted brake rotors to increase stopping power and for excellent braking performance; OEM front brakes was upgraded to big rotors, installed straight JBL sound system including the GT-12BP subwoofer, TRD strut bar, TRD shift knob, Broadway anti-glare rear-view mirror, FGK chambered muffler and Mitsuba Arena II horn with echo function. The car previously earned the Best Toyota Medium Modification category, 2nd Best Toyota Sedan Category and 3rd Best Sub Compact Heavy Modification in the Bumper to Bumper XVI at the Mall Of Asia Open Grounds, Pasay City last December 11 and 12, 2021.

Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

Super Cup to feature imports

Grand plans set for PH horseracing BIG things are in store for Philippine horseracing industry this year. More big races, racing exhibits, and a first ever Hall of Fame are some of the plans in the pipe bag for the Philippine Racing Commission in the next 11 months. Philracom chairman Reli De Leon disclosed the holding of the inaugural Triple Cup stakes races later in the year featuring four-year-old and above horses and the revival of the Araw Ng Maynila races, popularly known as the Gran Copa De Manila in time for the city’s celebration of its founding anniversary on June 24. Then there’s also the staging of a special 2,400-meter distance race on September—the longest to be held in the country—a first ever Philippine Horseracing Expo at the World Trade by October, and the launching of the maiden Hall of Fame in local horseracing. “Sabi ko nga 155 years na ‘yung karera sa Pilipinas, the oldest in Asia, but this is the first time that we will be having our Hall of Fame awardees,” said De Leon in the virtual Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. “There are many first things to happen (in horseracing) this year. We’re trying to think out of the box projections or plans for us to have more exciting races to offer to the racing public,” said De Leon. The grand plans by the Philracom are borne out of the encouraging figures earned by the industry last year which amounted to P2.3 billion, or more than doubled the sales it gained in 2020 (P1.1 billion) at the height of the pandemic. For 2022, De Leon said his office is projecting a sales of at least P4.5 billion. “I’m very happy to report that we bounced back stronger last year compared to 2020,” stressed the Philracom chairman in the same public sports program presented by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), MILO, Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). “Our contribution to the government last year was P680 million, so most probably this year, we will reach P900 million to P1 billon contribution for the government.”

SUPER BOWL

Burrow determined to beat Los Angeles Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals walks onto the field as he is introduced during a Cincinnati Bengals Fan Rally ahead of Super Bowl LVI at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. AFP

OS ANGELES—Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has brushed off the hype surrounding his fairytale ﬁrst Super Bowl, insisting he remains ﬁrmly focused on beating the Los Angeles Rams and little else. The 25-year-old could craft a Hollywood ending worthy of this year’s Super Bowl host city on Sunday when the Bengals face the star-studded Rams in their $5.5 billion SoFi Stadium home. Burrow has led the Bengals to the Ohio franchise’s first Super Bowl since 1989 in only his second season in the NFL. More impressively, the former Heisman Trophy winner has done it after bouncing back from a rookie campaign cut short by a devastating knee injury. In the playoffs, Burrow showed his pedigree by leading the Bengals to road wins over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans and the mighty Kansas City Chiefs. Another victory on Sunday would complete a remarkable turnaround for the Bengals, who only two seasons ago finished with a dismal 2-14 record. But while the narrative surrounding the Bengals has all the makings of a blockbuster, Burrow says his attention is fixed solely on Sunday’s game.

“I haven’t really thought about any of that,” Burrow said Monday when asked about his route to the Super Bowl. “I’ve been focused on game prep and trying to eliminate as many distractions as I can. “With a Super Bowl in LA, everyone has distractions, and you’re going to get pulled in different directions. “The team that handles those distractions the best is going to end up winning the game.” ‘Bungles’ no more It’s the sort of steely mindset that has characterised Burrow’s play throughout the postseason. With a Super Bowl less than a week away, Burrow said he is determined to seize the chance before him. “You’ve got to take advantage of your opportunities when you get there,” Burrow said Monday. “You see guys who go their whole career without ever getting to the Super Bowl. So when you do get there you

have to hunker down and take advantage of those opportunities.” The Bengals lost their previous two Super Bowl appearances in 1989 and 1982, and until this season had not won a playoff game in more than 30 years, the longest drought in the NFL. Burrow however says his teammates on a franchise once dubbed the “Bungles” have little time for the weight of history. “We have a really young team who doesn’t really understand the historical significance of what we’re doing,” Burrow said. “We’re just out there playing football and getting better while we’re doing it.” Burrow, who is also from Ohio, does admit though to taking pride about being able to give long-suffering Bengals fans something to cheer about. “Being from Ohio, and being the quarterback of the Bengals is something I’m really proud of,” Burrow said. “Growing up there really weren’t a lot of Bengals fans in high school and middle school. It was all Steelers and Browns. There were a few Bengals fans here and there that got made fun of. “So as a team we’re excited to be able to put a product on the field that the fans are proud of that gives them bragging rights. “They haven’t had that in a while.” AFP

THE second season of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup will feature six to eight teams parading imports with unlimited height, most of them previously suited up in the country’s various collegiate leagues. The opening conference of the regional league is set for a March 15 launching in Zamboanga City, new commissioner Cris Bautista announced in the virtual Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday. “Maraming liga ngayon, pero itong VisMin iniba namin. Mas pinataas namin ‘yung level ng competition (kasi) meron kaming imports dito sa first conference,” he said. “Ito ‘yung mga players (imports) na naglaro sa NCAA, UAAP, at ‘yung ibang collegiate leagues. Itinuturing ko na rin naman silang mga Pilipino kasi yung iba rito may asawa na ring Pinay. May mga anak na rin sila. Although siyempre naka-focus kami sa mga Visayas and Mindanao talent, pero why don’t we give them extra income na maglaro para na rin sa pamilya nila.” Bautista said teams are keeping the identity of their respective imports close to their chest pending to the grand opening of the league a month from now. At the moment, four regular teams are already committed to see action action, according to the commissioner, namely Zamboanga City, Misamis Oriental, Bohol, and newcomer Ormoc. “‘Yung apat is on process pa, kasi meron pa silang inaayos na kaunti. Siguro by tomorrow (Wednesday) or two days from now, baka mag-decide na sila. Meron na lang kaunting inaayos,” said Bautista in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation. At most, the VisMin official sees a six-team field as very ideal. “Short, maikli pero double round robin siya. So guaranteed na 10 games each yung mga teams natin,” said Bautista, a former coach at Jubilee Christian Academy and founder of Ballout Hoops Challenge. In as much as it would want to accept more number of teams, the commissioner said the fledgling league has certainly learned its lesson from last year when issues of game shaving rocked the VisMin Super Cup right in its maiden conference.

‘Cloud ME’ tech defies distance to bring people closer for Beijing Winter Olympics IN order to bring people closer together for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, despite the Covid restrictions and geographical distances between them, Alibaba has launched an innovative cloudbased technology “Cloud ME” powered by its real-time communication solution. “Cloud ME” facilitates social interactions for people who are keen to explore bona fide meeting experiences during the Olympic Winter Games, enabling them to meet, and enjoy real-time conversations with each other via life-sized, true-to-life projection. By stepping into a pop-up studio in the Cloud ME booth, participants will have their full body image projected realistically into a remote booth, in which their projected personas will be displayed to meet and greet with their counterparts. The

true-to-life meetings can also be opened up to a wider audience across unlimited locations, thanks to easily-installed remote projection functionality. “Alibaba is committed to the digitalization of the Olympic Games, and providing the technology infrastructure to promote a more inclusive and engaging experience,” said Daniel Zhang, Chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group. “We hope to unite athletes and fans around the world with our cloud technology, and allow the Olympic spirit to inspire us all as we celebrate the joy of sports.” “Together with Alibaba, we are making history here in Beijing. For the first time ever, all core systems needed to run these Olympic Winter Games are hosted on Alibaba Cloud. Whether it is powering the Olympic online store in China,

the OBS Cloud, or technology to support the world’s media here in Beijing, Alibaba Cloud technology is setting new standards and raising the bar to new levels,” said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Cloud ME booth is simple to set up. Beyond typical studio equipment — such as a video camera and a computer to capture the footage, it does not require any additional onsite IT infrastructure, or optimized internet bandwidth, to execute recording and transmission — thanks to the power of cloud computing. Videos and audios produced in the Cloud ME booth will be transmitted on Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. The proven RTC solution is powered by Alibaba’s advanced cloud computing capabilities

Daniel Zhang in Shanghai Cloud ME studio (left), with Thomas Bach from Beijing closed-loop (right), having a true-to-life meeting ‘projected’ at the Beijing Media Center

and extensive global network coverage. Backed by the low latency, high availability and high concurrency features of Alibaba Cloud, the process can be completed within 200 milliseconds. The live recording can then be projected onto a

remote 4K high-definition screen, generating a true-to-life hologram effect, reconstructing all details in high definition — including micro facial expressions and clothing texture, which are essential to in-person interaction.

Axie Infinity millionaire Kookoo Crypto partners with Nas Academy FROM previously working long, tiring shifts to earning over $1 million in less than 2 years, Kookoo Crypto is an inspiration to more than 15,000 individuals in a gaming guild he’s a community manager for. He now brings this knowledge to NFT gaming enthusiasts in an exclusive master class in Nas Academy Philippines where he shares his experience, strategies, and pro-tips on how he earns money through playing Axie Infinity. “My story sounds too good to be true, but I want to share to fellow Pinoys how I was able to afford my dream house and how I retired my parents while at home in my sando through playing a video game that I love,” said Kookoo Crypto. Kookoo Crypto was a college-dropout, turned waiter and then Uber Driver before becoming a multimillionaire. His fortune changed after reading an article on how Filipinos were earning during the pandemic from Axie Infinity. This encouraged him to download the game, learn how breed and increase the rank of his pets or “Axies”, and later sell them to other players for around $50 to $100 each. In a partnership with Nas Academy Philippines, Kookoo Crypto is now able to teach any-

Kookoo Crypto’s “Become an Axie Infinity Trainer” master class in Nas Academy Philippines includes video-on-demand lessons and Zoom sessions where he discusses the crypto ecosystem, the Kookoo basics of Axie Infinity, how play-to-earn works, Crypto complex gameplay strategy, and other pro tips and tricks. He will also conduct a regular “ask me anything” session to ensure his students are up-to-date with the latest releases of the game. According to Jacqueline Maye Lim, Nas Academy’s Country Head for the Philippines, Kookoo Crypto’s master class is just one of several crypto learning courses that put the platform at the forefront of helping Filipinos understand the crypto ecosystem to prepare them for the shift businesses investing more into the space. The online learning platform explains technical concepts in simple terms so Filipinos can learn about crypto without the intimidation that comes with the complexity of the cryptocurrency universe. “According to CoinDesk research, there was one from curious investors, newbies and NFT around $20 Billion additional investment from game enthusiasts who want to win more how businesses from 2020 and 2021. As businesses inthey can earn serious money by understanding vest more in crypto, Filipinos’ interest in the crypto the strategies in the game. ecosystem has increased exponentially especially

with the rise of play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity making it more accessible. Like any potentially lucrative investment, earning from crypto comes with risks but we see earning and job opportunities being created. Nas Academy’s crypto learning classes are designed to help ensure that Filipinos interested to venture into crypto are well-informed on how to maximize the benefits, minimize risks, and be prepared for opportunities arising,” Lim added. Apart from Kookoo Crypto’s “Become an Axie Infinity Trainer (or Gamer)” master class, Nas Academy is also offering courses given by worldrenowned crypto experts such as Harvard undergraduate turned multimillionaire Ben Yu who teaches full video courses on crypto for beginners, how to master NFTs in 7 days, and soon even Web3 Development. Ben Yu’s first class also minted over a thousand exclusive Nas Academy x Curious Addy’s NFTs in OpenSea. “The world of crypto is growing and evolving fast. Money is being invested and jobs are being created at record speeds. Nas Academy will bring more world-class talent to Filipinos so we can keep up with innovations that are shaping the economy of the future,” said Lim.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

‘Matrix’ co-producer sues Warner over streaming release A CO-PRODUCER of The Matrix Resurrections is suing Warner Bros. alleging breach of contract over the studio’s decision to release the movie on a streaming platform at the same time as it hit theatres, a report said Monday. The suit, filed in Los Angeles, is the latest chapter in a growing battle between those who stand to profit from cinematic releases and Hollywood studios who want to grow their streaming services. It follows a very public spat between Scarlett Johansson and Disney in which the Black Widow star sued for loss of earnings because the film hit Disney+ while it was still in theatres. The two sides later settled out of court.

WarnerMedia, the parent of Warner Bros. released its entire 2021 catalog on HBO Max, as Hollywood grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic and closed theatres. The suit by Village Roadshow Entertainment Group alleges the studio moved The Matrix Resurrections release date to 2021 from its originally scheduled 2022 to help drive more subscriptions to HBO Max, the Wall Street Journal reported. “WB’s sole purpose in moving the release date of The Matrix Resurrections forward was to create a desperately needed wave of yearend HBO Max premium subscriptions from what it knew would be a blockbuster film,” the suit said, according to the Journal. “Despite knowing full well that it would

JAY ALTAREJOS’ take on controversial Daddy Blake scandal

HO is Daddy Blake? Does he really exist? And since everyone is on social media, can we consider ourselves a persona of Daddy Blake, too?

These were the questions raised by award-winning director Jay Altarejos during the media launch of his film Finding Daddy Blake held Tuesday night. The film is in collaboration with Marc Cubales of MC Production House. “To those familiar with Daddy Blake, he trended on Twitter around 2020. Social media users said that he is a scammer who promised money to good-looking guys in exchange for intimate videos. And these videos got leaked online,” Altarejos started introducing the infamous “scammer” to the crowd composed of members of the entertainment media and the blogging community. Sure, we have already heard of Daddy Blake and the unfortunate plot that surrounds the videos linked to him (netizens claim that the men featured in

the videos never got paid). But why turn this social media content into a film? “It’s reality. I’m always intrigued by events that happen around us. Whenever I see stories unfold in real life, I always consider them as possible film concepts,” said Altarejos who is known for his controversial films Ang Lalake sa Parola (2007) and Ang Lihim ni Antonio (2008). “But this story is beyond the Daddy Blake scandal. It’s a social and political commentary, it’s all about the reality we face today. This is a BL film but with a different kind of twist. I can’t tell you much, lest I would be tempted to give all the juicy details,” he went on. Based on true events that transpired at the start of the pandemic, two teenage boys, Elijah, and a young social media personality, Kokoy, meet to search for a predatory person on the internet named Daddy Blake. While their plan progresses, their feelings towards each other develop. But their budding romance will be marred by a tragedy when they come face-to-face with Daddy Blake. “Since it’s based on true events, doing

‘Matrix’ stars Keanu Reeves (left) and CarrieAnne Moss

decimate the film’s box office revenue and deprive Village Roadshow of any economic upside that WB and its affiliates would enjoy,” the suit said. The Matrix Resurrections is the fourth installment of the original realityor-simulation Keanu Reeves vehicle. By early February it had grossed around $37 million at the North American box office. The Matrix, by

contrast, took million. AFP

$172

Award-winning director Jay Altarejos

this film is very risky. And given the theme that falls under BL genre, we wanted to give it a different twist, make it an entertaining movie while also raising awareness,” Altarejos stated. The film boasts of critically acclaimed actress Rita Avila, 2021 FAMAS, Gawad Tanglaw and Gawad URIAN’s Best Supporting Actress awardee Dexter Doria, 3rd Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Best Supporting Actor awardee Gio Alvarez, FACINE International Film Festival Best Actor awardee Oliver Aquino, Riverside International Film Festival (California, USA) Best Actor awardee Carlos Dala, theater actor Jonathan Ivan Rivera, and a batch of fresh talents. “We plan to have the film exhibited in festivals first, then we’ll have the online streaming after that. We don’t know about the commercial theater showing yet because it will depend on the quarantine alert level in NCR and in the country,” producer Cubales said. Finding Daddy Blake is an initial

Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez lead Kapuso winners at 4th Gawad Lasallianeta Awards GMA News and Public Affairs pillars Jessica Soho and Mike Enriquez were among the top winners at the De La Salle Araneta University’s 4th Gawad Lasallianeta Awards. Soho was conferred the ‘Most Outstanding Female News Anchor’ for her work in State of the Nation with Jessica Soho. She was also again named ‘Most Outstanding Magazine Show Host’ for Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS). Widely regarded as the country’s most awarded news magazine program and Filipinos’ Sunday viewing habit, KMJS, in turn, was cited as this year’s ‘Most Outstanding Magazine Show.’ Enriquez, meanwhile, won as ‘Most Outstanding Male News Anchor’ for the fourth consecutive year. He co-anchors GMA’s flagship newscast 24 Oras, which in turn, won as ‘Most Outstanding News Program.’ The Gawad Lasallianeta Awards also honored various Kapuso programs and personalities. Long-running public affairs program I-Witness won as ‘Most Outstanding Documentary Show.’ Two of its hosts were also recognized: Kara David and Atom Araullo as ‘Most Outstanding Female Documentarist’ and ‘Most Outstanding

Male Documentarist,’ respectively. Public affairs program Tunay na Buhay was chosen as ‘Most Outstanding News/ Current Affairs Talk Show.’ GMA News’ Mariz Umali also won as ‘Most Outstanding Female Correspondent.’ Award-winning and well-loved family sitcom Pepito Manaloto was hailed as ‘Most Outstanding Comedy Show.’ The show is bannered by multi-talented actor and Kapuso comedy genius Michael V. For the radio category, Barangay LS 97.1 Forever!’s Papa Dudut was recognized as this year’s ‘Most Outstanding Male FM DJ.’ The Gawad Lasallianeta was livestreamed last Feb. 2 via the official Facebook pages of De La Salle Araneta University and Gawad Lasallianeta. GMA News and Public Affairs pillar Jessica Soho

GMA News and Public Affairs pillar Mike Enriquez

offering of MC Production House in cooperation with 2076 Kolektib.

Cignal Connect offers free internet access in Palawan, Leyte, Bohol, and Dinagat Islands

Cignal Connect to provide satellite Free film screenings on rom-coms, coming-of-age movies this February broadband for Typhoon Odette relief efforts

Jay Altarejos (left) and Marc Cubales

Marc Cubales (second from left) and Altarejos (third from right) with the cast of ‘Finding Daddy Blake’

café waitress. It will be showcased on Feb.

Japanese animation film ‘Kimi No Nawa’

A scene from ‘Chungking Express’

DIVERSE coming-of-age and romcom films, which highlight the different facets of relationships in contemporary society, will be screened online for free on Wednesdays of this month. It is headlined by Submarine (2010), a rom-com drama directed by filmmaker and British actor Richard Ayoade. Based on the novel by Welsh writer Joe Dunthorne, it follows teenager named Oliver, who woos his crush Jordana. He finds himself in a mission to hold his family together after his mom’s ex-boyfriend moves in next door. The film is streaming today. The critically-acclaimed animated romantic fantasy Kimi No Na wa (Your

Name) (2016) explores the magical connection between Tokyo-based Taki Tachibana and countryside girl Mitsuha Miyamizu. Directed by Japanese animator, filmmaker, author, and manga artist Makoto Shinkai, the two high schoolers suddenly swapped bodies. It is slated on Feb. 16. Two love-sick Hong Kong policemen star in Chungking Express (1994), a Cantonese romance crime film by Hong Kong director, screenwriter, and producer Wong Kar-wai. It introduces Taiwanraised cop He Qiwu who meets a drug smuggler and the distraught Cop 663, who turns his attention to an ethereal yet quirky

23. The Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde selected these full-length movies to focus on the reality, the push and pull of pressures and expectations, and the essence of connection in the modern landscape. The free and public online screenings will be conducted via Zoom every 12:00 noon on the scheduled dates. Interested participants may register through https://bit.ly/MCADFebScrn2022. For more information, email mcad@ benilde.edu.ph.

Still from the romantic-comedy movie ‘Submarine’

TYPHOON Odette displaced more than 1M families as it swept through Visayas and Mindanao last Dec. 16. While humanitarian and relief operations are ongoing, many families are still left without connectivity as cell towers and fiber cables are being repaired and restored. Cignal understands the importance of internet connectivity in helping these families communicate with loved ones and start their recovery and rebuilding journey. Thus, Cignal’s Satellite Broadband Service, Cignal Connect, in cooperation with its generous partners — satellite provider KTSAT and PLDT, and Cignal Territory Partners CRFT, Save and Earn, Cellcom, and Digilife — will provide free connectivity to 5 sites located in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Maasin City, Southern Leyte; and Dinagat Islands. “We are extremely grateful for the support of all our partners in helping us provide free internet access to communities devastated by Typhoon Odette. Communication is essential at this stage of their recovery efforts, and Cignal Connect is happy to be of

service through our satellite broadband as the people in these communities start to rebuild their lives,” said Robert P. Galang, Cignal President and CEO. While other forms of communication have yet to be restored in the typhoonaffected areas, Cignal Connect has been steadily providing internet access to affected families and communities with the help of its satellite broadband technology and will continue to do so in the coming weeks as the need arises. “Mabigat sa loob ang pinsala na dulot ng bagyong Odette sa aming barangay, ngunit ang pagiging matatag ng bawat isa at ang pagiging matulungin ng iba’t ibang institusyon ay nagbibigay sa amin ng lakas at pag-asa na magpatuloy. Nagpapasalamat kami sa Cignal para sa paglaan nila ng satellite broadband service sa aming barangay. Ang libreng internet ay lubos na makakatulong sa amin upang maging konektado habang bumabangon mula sa kalamidad,” shared Brgy. San Rafael, Puerto Princesa Brgy. Captain Roland Macula. Cignal, using its VSAT technology, was also able to extend support for SMART’s disaster recovery efforts in Palawan, Surigao, and Siargao.

Michael Angelo Valenciano

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022

EEING young musicians perform onstage (virtually or in-person) gives me that overwhelming feeling and makes me think that the future has never been so bright. In a special concert series, produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, five young pianists – Michael Angelo Valenciano, Inna Montesclaros, Aidan Ezra Baracol, Ella Gaw, and Nathan Gemina – take the spotlight. They will perform classical pieces on a Fazioli (the CCP’s newest gem in its pool of grand pianos) in their 15-minute solo recital, which will be livestreamed today until Sunday, Feb. 13, via the CCP YouTube and Facebook page. I would not pass up the chance to talk with these promising young musicians; the youngest of them is nine-year-old Ella. So, here’s how our conversations went:

Life

Music talk with five young pianists

GLAZING LIFE: Who is your favorite composer? Michael (M): If I were to choose one, at the moment, it would Aidan Ezra Baracol be Brahms. I get to feel the emotions of the composer when he wrote his works like his “Op. 118 pieces.” His music is deep, contrapuntal, and connects with human emotions. Inna (I): My go-to favorites are Brahms and Beethoven. I find their music absolutely enthralling. They don’t cower from the “human” side. They manage to express the sorrows and griefs, yet also Ella Gaw inspire a real fighting spirit. Aidan (A): Sergei Rachmaninoff has works fully embody the “color” of sound. always been my favorite composer. I have It can paint a picture in your head. not publicly performed any of his pieces yet, but I try to read and play some of GL: What has been the most difficult them. Beyond the sweeping, brooding piece of music you’ve mastered so far? melodies and the compelling, intoxicating M: Chopin’s “3rd Piano Sonata in B harmonies of his works, there is some- Minor.” It is interesting to know that Chothing in his musical language that is high- pin never performed this work during his ly eloquent in spirit but strangely intimate time. It is difficult, both, technically and at the same time. I suppose it is the magic musically because of the fast passage of Rachmaninoff. works in the second and fourth movement. Ella (E): My favorite composer is It shouldn’t sound like a technical exerBach. In my opinion, his music is one cise, but more musical. of the most beautiful works I’ve heard I: I don’t think I can ever say I’ve “masin my piano life. I like the way he com- tered” it because there’s always more to posed his pieces. improve on. But I’m very proud to have Nathan (N): By far, Debussy’s works learned the “Brahms Bb Major Concerto have captivated me the most. It is a joy to (No.2).” It’s the most fulfilling monster to listen to, as well as perform, because of play – four movements of absolute bliss. his creative use of color. The first time I A: Franz Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody learned the concept of “colors” in music, no. 2” would be the most demanding piece it did not make sense to me until I listened I’ve played. It is quite a challenge maintainintently to Debussy’s works. I think his ing the playful spirit of this particular work.

E: I think having to memorize and play Bach’s “15 Two-Part” inventions continuously was the most difficult I have done so far. N: Rachmaninoff’s first concerto has to be the most difficult for me. It was the concerto that won me the second prize in the NAMCYA 2019. It is unpianistic in nature. Learning it would give me a headache, but pulling it off gives me great satisfaction. GL: Which performance/s are you most proud of and why? M: My performance in the Grand Finals of the 2019 Kayserburg Competition in Guangzhou, and my Graduation Recital in 2020. I feel like I did my very best in those

performances and I’m really satisfied with it. I: My performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor Concerto” at Duke’s Hall in London. It was a great experience to work with really talented musicians who I am honored to call, friends. A: My performances in the NAMCYA 2020 competition, and my undergraduate recital. I carried my excitement throughout those performances and truly enjoyed the music I was playing. E: The recording of my first solo recital since I have to memorize and play 23 songs. I also like the ones that enabled me to win in the competitions. N: My most notable performances are my junior recital, graduation recital, the NAMCYA 2019 final round, and this spe-

Inna Montesclaros

Nathan Gemina

cial concert series with the Fazioli piano. I am most proud of them not because of how perfect my performances were but because of how significant they were in shaping my life and career. GL: Apart from classical music, what other kinds of music do you listen to? What’s in your playlist? M: Aside from classical music, I listen to music by the Eraserheads, Coldplay, X Japan, Kings of Leon, and many more. I: I’m very moody, and I have a soundtrack for each mood. Daniel Caesar, and RnB, Kpop, OSTs from films – I enjoy all of them. Depends on vibes, I can go Paramore to Ravel in a second if the moment demands it. A: I love listening to folk and traditional music from other countries. We have quite a number of vinyl albums of classical and old music. I love listening to them during my spare time. Such music brings me to different worlds and eras as though I was time-traveling. E: I like to listen to Classical Piano for Relaxation Volume 2 (CD), which features works of Bach, Debussy, Schumann, and Schubert, among others. N: I mostly listen to a lot of piano music at home. From time to time, I would crank up popular music of 2000s or 80s to relive my childhood memories, but I find that Schubert sonatas and impromptus are particularly on replay in my Youtube and Spotify.

Empowerment and promotion of Filipino industries and culture

SM Megamall adorns its Mega Fashion Hall with hanging Chinese lanterns, animated tiger figures, 2D Chinese gold ingots, and a digital Prosperity Pond.

Hopes of luck, good health, and prosperity

IN CHINESE culture, ponds attract energy and are natural Feng Shui magnets. By sharing your wishes, you are opening your heart and mind to positive energy. One of the attractions in SM Megamall’s Year of the Tiger centerpiece at the Mega Fashion Hall is the Prosperity Pond. Much like a wishing well, it is updated with digital features that will delight the young and not so young alike until the end of February. Here, mallgoers can digitally engrave their wishes about fortune, career, love, and health using the pond’s special tablets. Those with mobile phones, on the other hand, may scan the QR code at the marker near the Prosperity Pond. After typing the wish they would like to receive, whether it is good fortune, successful ca-

reer, luck in love, and good health, mallgoers can swipe the coin to toss it along with their wish. The coin will instantly appear at the Prosperity Pond, and a surprise message about the digitally engraved wish will be shown on screen. Apart from the Prosperity Pond, SM Megamall’s centerpiece includes animated tiger figures, hanging Chinese lanterns, and 2D Chinese gold ingots. There are also magical trees with Chinese lanterns and a giant display with the 12 zodiac signs that are perfect photo spots. SM Megamall will give away shopping certificates to selected lucky wishers during the duration of the activity. To know more about SM Megamall’s Chinese New Year activities and dining deals, follow SM Megamall’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mallgoers can digitally engrave their 2022 wishes on the gold coins in the provided mobile phone near SM Megamall’s Prosperity Pond.

The magical tree with Chinese lanterns and giant display with the 12 zodiac signs are perfect photo spots at SM Megamall’s Chinese New Year display at the Mega Fashion Hall.

Legarda has also assistTHREE-TERM Senator, now ed Angelina and Sammy Deputy Speaker Loren LeBuhle who run a homegarda, has always believed in based weaving center in the potential of our culture, our Ifugao that specializes rituals, and our textile indusin ikat weaving. Sammy try, and how certain practices, Buhle has been chosen as when given ample support, one of the collaborators can transform the livelihood of these communities. for the winning curatorial Having served as Chair of proposal of the Philippine the Senate Committee on FiPavilion at the 59th Vennance, Legarda has made sure ice Art Biennale, with the that government agencies that exhibition titled “All of us support our textile industry are present, This is our gathgiven an arsenal of means and ering (Andi taku e sana, strategies to support our weav- Deputy speaker Loren Legarda supports local small and Amung taku di sana).” medium-scale enterprises ing communities. Legarda’s home provSmall and Medium Enterprises Law. Legarda’s vision to have a ince of Antique, where she permanent textile gallery in the coun- She focused on providing funds for the currently serves as Congresswoman, try was inspired by her trips to weaving MSMEs and the communities at the has also gained from her steadfast supcommunities in neighboring countries grassroots. Her visits to the communi- port. For instance, the Bagtason Loomlike Vietnam and Laos. These visits ties made her realize that safeguarding weavers Association in Bugasong now eventually prompted her to partner our identity and our beliefs—tangi- has its own weaving center that she with the National Museum of the Phil- ble or intangible—is as important as funded through the Philippine Fiber ippines. Through perseverance, the the economic and political affairs of and Development Authority (PhilFida), Hibla ng LahingFilipino: The Artistry nations. This has led her to establish while the NCCA provided assistance in of Philippine Textiles was launched weaving and cotton processing centers, establishing its own natural dye center. in 2012 as the first permanent textile as well as cotton farms, nationwide. Even piña weaving in Tibiao, Antique, “One is able to empower these small which started around 2005 but stopped gallery in the country. It houses the National Museum of the Philippines’s communities for as long as we give due to lack of demand, was revived extensive textile collection, which them due importance,” Legarda said. through Legarda’s assistance, bringing One of the small communities that to life an industry that would otherwise features the Abel Iloko from Vigan; Tingguian blanket from Abra; Ga’dang Legarda has helped is the family enter- have been considered gone. Apart from garments from Ifugao; the oldest ban- prise managed by Librada Donato in participating in the DTI’s National Arts ton cloth from Romblon; and Maranao Namarabar, a remote town in Penarru- and Crafts Fair (NACF), the weavers garments from Southern Mindanao, to bia, Abra. They make blankets, shawls, from Tibiao were able to showcase their scarves, and beautifully woven textiles. exceptional skills before an international name a few. As three-term Senator, Legarda au- They would personally thank Legarda, audience when they went to Geneva in thored Republic Act No. 9242 or the while she was Senator, for all the sup- Switzerland and Prague in Czech RepubPhilippine Tropical Fabrics Law, which plies and threads that she had provided. lic for the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino Travpromotes the country’s natural fabrics The enterprise of Donato has been con- elling Exhibition. through the use of such materials for sistently participating in another proLegarda has always stressed that official uniforms of government offi- ject of the three-term Senator, in part- empowerment is all that these comnership with the Department of Trade munities need to make sure that their cials and employees. Legarda is likewise the principal and Industry, called the National Arts livelihoods are sustainable, especially sponsor and co-author of the Micro, and Crafts Fair. during these trying times.