Manila Standard - 2022 March 15 - Tuesday

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BBM, SARA RUNAWAY CHOICES FOR PREXY, VP IN PULSE ASIA SURVEY

By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz IF ELECTIONS were held today, presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bong-

MARCOS SKIPPING COMELEC DEBATE PARTIDO Federal ng Pilipinas standard-bearer Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday confirmed that he will not join the debate organized by the Commission on Elections on March 19.

bong” Marcos Jr. would be the runaway winner, the latest survey from Pulse Asia Research says.

The survey, conducted from Feb. 18 to 23, showed Marcos was still the top choice or respondents with a 60 percent voter preference, with a 45 percent margin over his closest rival, Leni Robredo, at 15 percent.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Majority Leader and Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) President Martin G. Romualdez said the newest Pulse Asia results presaged a landslide victory for Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

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UNITEAM IN LAS PINAS.

Presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (third from left) and running mate Sara Duterte (center) raise the hands of the UniTeam senatorial slate in front of thousands of supporters during their rally Sunday night in Las Piñas City. Ver Noveno

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Leni blasts as wild news her link to Reds, marriage to NPA cadre PRESIDENTIAL candidate Vice President Leni Robredo denounced the latest efforts to link her to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), describing the fake news as a ploy to stop the momentum of her campaign.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, March 13, Robredo posted the screenshots of the malicious text blasts claiming she allegedly endorsed Joma Sison, founder of the CPP-NPA, as “a true patriot of the country” and that Sison has supposedly

Jeepney drivers go on strike VOL. XXXVI • NO. 33 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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MMDA sets free rides for commuters amid protest over oil price spikes

By Joel E. Zurbano, Alena Mae Flores and Maricel V. Cruz

P

ROTESTING the skyrocketing price of fuel, jeepney drivers and operators will stage a transport strike today even as the government will provide free rides in Metro Manila to shield commuters from it.

MORE WAGES FOR HIGHER PRICES. Jeepney drivers and operators hold up placards at the corner of Katipunan

Avenue and Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City to start their weeklong protest against rising oil prices, while officials of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (inset) show the petition they filed for a P470 increase in the daily minimum wage for the National Capital Region on Monday. Manny Palmero and Danny Pata

BPO workers TUCP bats for P470 increase in daily pay in NCR buck order to return to office

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz minimum wage to a high of P1,007.

By Vito Barcelo SEVERAL labor groups opposed the government’s order for business process outsourcing or call center workers to return to office by April 1, saying it did not give any assurance that BPO workers would be safe from the virus and from adequate transportation amid the rising cost of petroleum products.

The labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) said BPO workers must be safe when they return to their offices.

“Mandating the return to office of 1.4 million IT and BPO workers on the sole basis of economic and tax reasons disregards the issue of health and safety of employees. This is a recipe

THE country’s biggest labor group, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), has filed a petition for a P470 increase in the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila, which would push the National Capital Region’s (NCR’s) daily

The group filed their petition at the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board-NCR office based in Manila, citing hunger, malnutrition, and the steep increase in the prices of fuel and other basic goods as reasons.

According to the Department of Labor

and Employment’s National Wages and Productivity Commission, the daily minimum wage in the National Capital Region currently ranges from P500 to P537.

TUCP president Raymond Democrito Mendoza cited the increase due to hunger and malnutrition facing the more Next page

GREEN FOR PEACE. The gate of Fort

Santiago in Intramuros in Manila is cast in green on Monday to mark St. Patrick’s Day and Ireland’s National Day. Ireland Ambassador to the Philippines William Carlos says the lighting is also relevant in the context of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine. Danny Pata

NEWS / A2 The price increase, Piston President Modesto “Mody” Floranda told CNN Philippines, is “a huge loss (for drivers). The increases have a big effect, and drivers lose up to ₱350 in earnings per day, which could have been used for other needs.”

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) said it will not join any rally or strike but its president, Ricardo “Boy” Rebano, said they are asking for a fare increase of P1 from the government.

“This would be a big help to increase the earnings of drivers for our necessities especially as prices of petroleum products continue to rise,” Rebano told CNN Philippines.

PH BANS SENDING OFWS TO UKRAINE

US offers PH modular type of nuke plant

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CANNED SARDINES PRICES GOING UP

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POWER plants being proposed by the United States to the Philippines as part of their cooperation on energy security are safer, smaller, cheaper, Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Monday.

Manila’s top diplomat to Washington also said there is no need to reestablish the American military bases in the Philippines if the country opens its facilities to the US, should the Russian-Ukraine crisis spill over to the

On Monday, oil companies announced they would raise the price of diesel — the fuel used by jeepneys -- by a staggering P13.15 a liter, and gasoline prices by P7.10 a liter, adding urgency to calls for the government to suspend the excise tax on petroleum products.

Although they are not calling their actions today a strike, the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) said Sunday they will hold protest rallies in various parts of the National Capital Region as well as other regions.

In a statement, Piston said the protesters will converge in Blumentritt in Sampaloc and will proceed all the way to Mendiola, both in Manila.

NEWS / A2

DFA SUMMONS CHINESE ENVOY NEWS / A2

Gov’t tightens monitoring of online selling, issues consolidated rules

By Othel V. Campos THE government has further tightened the monitoring of trade and commerce in online shopping channels with the issuance of Joint Administrative Order

22-01, consolidating all existing rules and guidelines on online businesses.

The JAO was the result of concerted efforts among the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, Department of En-

vironment and Natural Resources, Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, and National Privacy Commission.

In response to the proliferation of prohibited and regulated products sold on marketplace platforms and social

media marketplaces, these government agencies issued the JAO to caution merchants selling on Facebook/Meta, Instagram, Viber, Lazada, Shopee, Carousell, and other marketplace platforms Next page

A2

News

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Total ban on PH workers to Ukraine T

HE Philippines has imposed a total ban on the deployment of its workers to Ukraine as the country battles Russian invaders, a government official said on Monday.

while those remaining are the ones married to Ukrainians.

“Our challenge right now is the seafarers numbering to over 200 who are still onboard, but we are currently arranging their repatriation using humanitarian corridor, as what we call it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the full United States Congress on Wednesday, according to Democratic Party leadership.

Zelensky said Monday that ongoing talks to halt two weeks of fighting with Russia were progressing with difficulty but raised hopes a breakthrough could be announced later in the day.

The Ukrainian leader confirmed that “difficult negotiations” were underway with the Russian side, aimed at finding a diplomatic solution to Moscow’s invasion of his pro-Western country.

“A video meeting between the delegations has already started today. It continues,” Zelensky said in a video statement Monday. “Everyone is waiting for news. We will definitely report in the evening.”

A fourth round of talks between Moscow and Kyiv began earlier Monday, a senior Ukrainian negotiator said, amid mutual claims of shelling and civilian deaths.

However, Moscow accused Ukraine’s army of firing a Tochka-U missile at a residential area in Donetsk, in one of the most serious attacks on the city since Russia sent troops into Ukraine over two weeks ago.

Rebels, who have controlled the city since 2014, had earlier said fragments from a rocket they shot down had left 16 civilians dead. AFP

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) also said that evacuating seafarers in war-stricken Ukraine remains to be a challenge for them.

“Because the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) has raised the alert level in Ukraine, this is Alert Level 4 and because Ukraine is Alert Level 4, the POEA governing board issued on Wednesday saying that no one will be allowed to leave and work in Ukraine,” POEA chief Bernard Olalia said at the Laging Handa briefing.

He said only a few OFWs are working in the European nation.

“In 2014, we no longer deployed OFWs to Ukraine, because of COVID Alert Level 2. The only OFWs who are allowed there are what we call returning workers,” Olalia said.

“In 2021, there were no returning workers but last 2020 there were four; in 2019 there were 12. They are our domestic workers and also skilled and professional workers,” he added.

He said the deployment ban will remain “as long as there is conflict. So, if the uncertainly will continue, our alert level will also remain and so as deployment ban.”

Olalia said almost all of the landbased workers have been evacuated

BPO...

From A1

DTI hints at higher prices for canned sardines, breads

for disaster,” Bryan Nadua of PM said.

Rachel Balares, who heads a group of BPO workers, said the return to office work would compromise their safety and hurt their productivity.

“Our ability to work from home or work from anywhere helps keep us and our families safe. And we all know that we are not completely out of the woods yet of the pandemic,” Balares said.

Another group of BPO Employees also opposed the return to officer order by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board of the Department of Finance.

The FIRB cited the CREATE Law that provides that BPO as economic zones must “exclusively conducted or operated within the geographical boundaries of the zone or freeport.”

In contrast the BPO workers argue that “The occupational safety and health committees, with employee representation, are in the best position to evaluate safety in our workplaces and recommend a safe full RTO or to maintain the present hybrid setup - not a government that ignores real-life conditions.”

Nadua emphasized that the Philippines subscribed to the principle of tripartism and social dialogue and yet the return to office order was without the benefit of consultation and discussion with BPO workers.

Jodelle Villanueva, a former Customer Service Representative before becoming an HR Manager in a BPO in one of her previous engagements, argued that COVID-19 is very transmissible in the enclosed office setting of BPOs.

US...

From A1 Asian region.

The country is currently grappling with a fuel crisis as pump prices have soared past P80 a liter for both gasoline and diesel fuel, but the government has resisted calls to suspend excise taxes on fuels that would drop prices by five to six pesos a liter (see related story above – Editors).

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Romualdez noted the recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding on Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU), where the US offered the Philippines its new development on nuclear energy.

“They call it the modular type which are small nuclear plants to give power to areas. That’s good for us because we have 7,600 islands and we’ll be able to power them up. That’s really important because energy is the number one requirement now that we need, as well as cheap power and clean energy,” he said.

Aside from being cheaper and smaller, Romualdez pointed out that the power plants are also safer, delineating its difference from the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

Marcos...

From A1 Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ chief of staff and spokesman, stressed that Marcos cannot renege on his commitment to be with his supporters on the day that coincided with the holding of the Comelec debate.

“I confirm our non-participation in the Comelec sanctioned debate this coming Saturday, March 19, 2022,” Rodriguez said in a Facebook post.

“Presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos’ words are his bond; thus we shall honor our commitment to our supporters to be with them on the field on

DFA summons China envoy over Navy ship in Sulu THE Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, has summoned Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian over the continuing presence of a Chinese navy ship in the Sulu Sea. There was no immediately available comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

In a statement, the DFA said a People’s Liberation Army-Navy vessel entered Philippine waters without permission from January 1 to February 1, and reached Palawan’s Cuyo Group of Islands, and Apo Island in Mindoro.

The Philippine Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna challenged the Chinese vessel, which claimed innocent passage.

However, it stayed in the area for three days despite being repeatedly directed by the Philippine Navy to leave immediately.

“As a country that abides by its international commitments, the Philippines recognizes the right of innocent passage in accordance with Article 52 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, the actions of PLAN 792 did not constitute innocent passage and violated Philippine sovereignty,” the DFA added.

In response to the incident, Acting Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said China should respect Philippine territory and maritime jurisdiction, as well as to comply with its obligations under international law.

BRACE yourselves for some price increases before long.

The Department of Trade and Industry said Monday prices of canned sardines might push up soon, but bread costs would remain stable for the next three months.

DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said they received a request from one canned-sardine manufacturer to raise prices due to increases in fuel costs.

“We are currently studying it, and

we have already also communicated with them that we will, of course, have to first verify the info we received and then negotiate with them later on if it’s still okay,” Castelo said.

But she said the price increase for canned sardines would not take effect immediately after approval.

“They also gave us time when it would be imperative for them to increase the price,” the Trade official said.

Bakers and bread manufacturers meanwhile have yet to ask the DTI for a price increase for their products, Castelo said, as supplies of wheat have already been secured for at least three months.

Flour millers, who import wheat, have already received enough supplies for a month, and have already paid for shipments for the next two months, DTI said.

Bread prices were also already allowed to rise earlier this year.

Jeepney...

From A1

continues with Dubai reaching $140 per barrel, gasoline will reach P86.72 per liter, diesel, P81.10 per liter and kerosene, P80.50 per liter.

This week’s increase in pump prices, the 11th consecutive this year, was announced

by Caltex, Petron Corp. and Cleanfuel.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a TV interview President Rodrigo Duterte is calling for a meeting Tuesday with DOE and Department of Finance (DOF) officials to discuss a possible suspension of the excise tax on fuel products.

“We are asking for the deferment or the suspension of the excise [tax]…. that’s our perspective but again looking at the bigger picture we must balance our needs, the excise tax is used in many ways,” Cusi said.

The DOF has opposed suspending the excise tax, saying it would result in P131 billion in forgone revenue for the government.

Oil companies said the suspension of the excise tax will bring down diesel prices by P6 per liter and gasoline by P10 per liter.

The chairman of the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association (IPPCA), Fernando Martinez, told the Senate Monday that the oil companies supported calls to suspend the collection of excise taxes.

At the hearing, Senator Sherwin

Gatchalian urged the immediate implementation of the P2.5 billion Pantawid Pasada Program that will cover about 377,000 beneficiaries in the public transport sector.

“The Pantawid Pasada is our lone shock absorbing mechanism to cushion the impact [of high oil prices] on our consumers. I’ve been calling for the quick implementation of this because oil prices are moving faster than the government is distributing the subsidies,” Gatchalian said.

Rino Abad, director of the DOE Oil Industry Management Bureau, said the current minimum inventory requirement (MIR) is 30 days for refiners (combination of crude and finished petroleum products), 15 days for direct importers of refined petroleum products and seven days for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The government wants to raise the MIR, a move that the oil companies oppose.

“On the MIR we feel that it is sufficient already...What is important is long-term supply contracts that are stable,” said Raffy Capinpin, a representative of the Philippine Institute of Petroleum.

He said increasing the MIR would increase prices “because prices are demand driven so if everybody starts buying double then you exacerbate the requirement.”

She said all her colleagues are aware of this, including those in the uniformed services who appeared to also be the target of this type of disinformation and propaganda.

In a press conference in Malolos, Bulacan on Monday, Robredo said she called out one claim that she married an NPA cadre in her teens and allegedly abandoned their child.

She described this fake news as “wild” and said she expects more stories “as wild as this” to proliferate be-

cause support for her presidential bid continues to snowball as evidenced by the mammoth crowds in various rallies showing their support for her. She asked people to push back together against these lies.

In Malolos, Robredo received the endorsement of Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando and other local officials. Bulacan is the fifth vote-rich province in the country with a little over 2 million registered voters (see related story on A4 – Editors).

than five million minimum wage earners and their families in the region.

“Clearly, our minimum wage earners and their families have fallen from the category of low-income to newly poor.

This is a sad commentary on the social condition in our country where those who break their backs to sustain and expand the economy are now wallowing in poverty,” Mendoza said in a statement.

“Wherefore, petitioner Trade Union Congress of the Philippines most respectfully prays for the granting of P470.00 daily wage increase for all private sector workers in the NCR to be given across-the-board since all need healthy food and are subject to the same changes in the prices of goods and services,” he said in a fivepage petition.

Mendoza said the present monthly take-home pay of P12,843 of workers in the big city is far below the P16,625 per month poverty threshold for a family of five in the NCR. He said since November 2018 when the last wage hike order was issued, prices of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene increased by as high as 41 percent, 24.51 percent, and 29.37 percent, respectively.

“The continuing increases in the price of oil triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the ensuing economic and digital war, will further push the prices of food and other essential items upwards,” he added.

Earlier, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III admitted the minimum wage in Metro Manila may no longer be enough for workers and their families due to the increase in the prices of basic goods.

“validates the wide support that Marcos and Duterte enjoy.

“Our candidates will try their best to improve or at least sustain their survey showing in the remaining days of the campaign,” Romualdez, who has been accompanying the UniTeam tandem around the country, said.

In the vice presidential race, Duterte improved her voter preference by three points, from 50 percent in January to 53 percent in February, while her closest rival, Senate

President Vicente Sotto lll, slipped by five points, from 29 percent to 24 percent.

Among other presidential candidates, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso had 10 percent, Senator Manny Pacquiao had 8 percent and Senator Panfilo Lacson had 2 percent.

The Pulse Asia survey also showed Marcos’ continued dominance in all major voting areas.

In the National Capital Region (NCR),

he posted a 66 percent voter preference, a jump of 9 percentage points from 57 percent in January of this year.

Marcos’ voter preference of 68 percent in Mindanao also showed a 2 percentage point increase, up from 66 percent in January 2022.

The Pulse Asia survey results also confirmed that the “Solid North” voting bloc remains united behind the presidential bid of Marcos.

Gov’t...

From A1

“Institutionalizing this exchange of information between government agencies is one of the ways by which we can make monitoring of compliance by online sellers more efficient. The DTI e-commerce division shall be tasked to coordinate with both the marketplace platforms and government agencies in setting up this mechanism,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez.

Online businesses are covered by the Consumer Act of the Philippines, the Philippine Standards Law that provides liabilities in case of defective products, or the Intellectual Property Code for counterfeit and pirated goods.

Online sellers need to comply with product and service warranties, labeling require-

ments including price tag placement.

The DTI warns that the practice of providing prices through private (or direct) messages to consumers or buyers is considered a violation of the Price Tag law.

Online merchants must exhibit the corresponding permit or license number for regulated items as prescribed by regulatory agencies concerned. Online businesses are not allowed to produce, import, distribute, market, sell or transport goods that are prohibited by law.

DTI Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Group Ruth Castelo reminded online merchants to comply with the provisions of the Consumer Act and the Price Act.

To solve the expected lack of public utility vehicles in NCR, the chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Romando Artes, said: “Agency buses and trucks will be prepositioned to provide free rides to commuters and transport them to the EDSA Bus Carousel.” “’Libreng Sakay’ signs will be attached to vehicles so that the public can easily identify them,” Artes added, noting his agency would deploy 20 vehicles, including 11 commuter vans, six buses and three military trucks to provide free rides.

The MMDA will also deploy traffic personnel and Road Emergency Group members in various parts of the National Capital Region to assist motorists and commuters who would be adversely affected by the transport strike.

He also said the Pasig River Ferry Service, serving as alternative transport for commuters, is operational Mondays to Saturdays.

The oil companies, citing high world prices for oil aggravated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, also raised the price of kerosene by P10.50 a liter.

The Department of Energy (DOE) warned that if the high oil price trend

Leni...

From A1 endorsed her presidential bid.

Robredo said she has been told that so many people have received these malicious text messages red-tagging her and her volunteers.

Robredo reiterated that she does not believe in violence as a solution to problems and that she would oppose anyone who would use arms to push their agenda.

BBM,...

From A1 “Our candidates have maintained their high marks, less than two months before the May elections. Despite such survey showings, they will keep on campaigning and spreading their message of hope, patriotism, and unity,” Romualdez said.

He said Pulse Asia’s February survey this day,” he added.

According to Rodriguez, the Marcos’ camp would continue with its “preferred mode of direct communication with the people and engage them in a more personal face to face interaction that discusses real issues that affect them today, tomorrow and in the days to come as this election is all about our collective future.”

Marcos’ running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, earlier said she would also campaign without joining debates.

Marcos skipped the presidential interview with GMA Network’s Jessica Soho and the forum organized by the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. Rey E. Requejo

against the sale of unlicensed, restricted, or prohibited products.

Under the order, government agencies shall develop a system to exchange intelligence or information on prohibited and regulated items monitored online, including automatic sharing of information with the appropriate regulatory agency on possible violations detected or discovered.

This may include the sharing of and access to a database of products/items containing sufficient information, keywords, and content.

TUCP...

From A1

News

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A3

Makati completes seven new community buildings

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Makati City government under the administration of Mayor Abigail Binay has finished building seven community complexes in seven barangays.

Binay said the newly-built facilities, which she regards as her legacy projects, are situated in Barangays Valenzuela, Comembo, Rizal, Palanan, West Rembo, Olympia, and San Antonio.

“We are glad to have completed these legacy infrastructure projects just as we are starting to regain normalcy in our daily lives. These have been designed to cater to Makatizens of all ages, offering them modern amenities,” she said.

Binay said instead of the traditional sports complex built in barangays, her administration has opted to expand the project to serve multiple functions that residents can choose from.

“As we gradually settle into the new normal, we are eager to see young men playing basketball again, mothers and grandmothers energetically doing zumba

IN BRIEF Maynilad: water service interruptions to continue MAYNILAD Water Services said its customers will continue experiencing water service interruptions, the company’s spokesperson said.

Maynilad spokesperson Jennifer Rufo said this is due to “fast consumption and high turbidity level of Maynilad’s water supply.”

Rufo also said affected areas include Caloocan in the north to Cavite in the south, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

The executive said Maynilad will continue trying to implement the water interruptions during off-peak hours. Rufo said this will allow Maynilad to fill up its reservoirs for the peak demand in the following day.

Rufo further said in the southern areas, including Muntinlupa, the water supply from Laguna Lake is also limited due to the spikes of turbidity.

To address this concern, Maynilad said it is building treatment facilities and preparing deep wells to add more supply of water.

Maynilad earlier announced that water service interruptions until March 16.

exercises, and other forms of group activities taking place in the neighborhood,” she said.

The mayor said she envisions each community center to become a buzzing hub of interaction that will restore and strengthen the community spirit in every barangay.

Binay led the inauguration of the three-story Valenzuela Community Complex last March 10 together with Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo and other city officials.

The building houses the new barangay hall, a basketball court with 250 seating capacity, a multipurpose hall, a livelihood center, a daycare center, a computer center, and a library.

The facility with 3,454.41-square meter floor area also has a Bantay Bayan outpost, a control room, fire and rescue center, a water collector system, and a parking lot.

The other six sports complexes are all expected to be inaugurated before Makati’s foundation day in June.

WEEKEND RAINS. Motorists slow down at a flooded portion of Taft Avenue in Manila on Saturday. The sudden downpour inundated some parts of Metro Manila. MMDA chair Romando Artes inspects the progress of repair works at the damaged box culvert in front of the Libertad pumping station along the southbound lane of Roxas Boulevard on Monday. This portion is closed to motorists since Jan. 15. Avito Dalan and Joey Razon

Duterte says he ‘fulfilled all pledges’

By Vito Barcelo

P

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said he has fulfilled his campaign pledges to the people when he ran for the presidency in 2016, from attaining peace and order to fighting illegal drugs and building modern infrastructures.

“I have delivered all that I promised to the Filipino people,” Duterte said during an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

The President said his government has made inroads in combating the proliferation of illicit narcotics trade, crime, and also posted successes in constructing major infrastructures under the Build, Build, Build program.

“I tell you about these drugs, crime. I said infrastructure, I mentioned that the hospital today, in Davao copied by Bong.

Here in Davao, the people come to my office,” he said.

In terms of addressing traffic congestion

in the country’s urban centers, the President said his government also made significant progress.

Although the traffic is still there, he said: “It cannot be avoided altogether but at least here you have your options. Before there is no option, you have to go through the line.

Now, you can go up to the toll.”

Duterte also said under his administration, the country has attained peace in Mindanao, particularly with the establishment of the new autonomous region in the south and through the cultivation of good relations with the Muslim population.

“I think we have a relatively peaceful

PACT AGAINST DRUGS. The

6.4-magnitude quake shakes PH main island A POWERFUL earthquake struck off the Philippines’ main island Monday, jolting buildings in the capital Manila, but there were no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning was not issued.

The shallow 6.4-magnitude quake hit about 110 kilometers off Morong in Bataan province on Luzon island at 5:05 a.m. with residents in nearby Manila woken by their buildings shaking.

Shallow quakes tend to do more damage than deep tremors, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said damage was not expected.

“It’s strong and it’s shaking as if it’s dancing sideways,” said Lieutenant Aristotle Calayag, acting police chief of Lubang town in Occidental Mindoro, an island off Luzon.

“The people are used to earthquakes like this so they didn’t rush outside or panic,” he said.

Morong police chief Captain Michelle Gaziola told AFP the quake was “a bit strong but it was brief”.

The Philippines is regularly rocked by quakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. AFP

QC uses dogs for support in vax campaign for minors RESCUED dogs are trained as emotional support to make vaccination a “fun experience” for children in Quezon City.

City Veterinarian Dr. Ana Marie Cabel said the City Health Department has coordinated with their office to make vaccination in the communities memorable for kids, who have less colorful decors than in inoculation sites in malls and events places.

Since the establishment of the QC Animal Care and Adoption Center, city veterinarians have already trained 14 dogs as community service animals, and two as emotional support dogs.

The Quezon City Police District has already started training five dogs from the city to be bomb or drug sniffers.

The other dogs are still being prepared for assignment in other QCPD detachments and barangays.

“Soon, we will start to bring the dogs in institutions, first of which is the GRACES facility for the aged. Whenever we finish training the dogs, we’ll send them to facilities na kailangang kailangan nilang matulungan as emotional support animals,” Cabel said.

Before their training as emotional support or community service dogs for two months, the canines undergo a comprehensive assessment by the city veterinarians. Rio N. Araja

Mindanao. The contentious issue in the yesterdays was the BARMM and we gave it to Murad, and here in Jolo, I ordered the Armed Forces to place one division. And so, it calmed down,” Duterte said.

“We have a good rapport with the Moro of Mindanao. And I think that just allow them in the governance of our country and give them enough elbowroom to, you know, just govern without interference from armed groups,” he added, noting only the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) is sowing mayhem because of political differences.

And for the longest time, the region hasn’t had any kidnapping incidents, as well as attacks on security forces or depredation victims, he said.

The Muslim population’s animosity with the government has also waned after the administration addressed the issues concerning Mindanao, he pointed out.

“The Moro hatred slowly disappeared because we gave what they wanted,” he said.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Department of Tourism (DOT) signed a memorandum of agreement to intensify anti-drug efforts in tourist destinations. In photo are (L-R) PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PDEA chief Dir. Gen. Wilkins Villanueva and DOT Usec. Woodrow Maquiling Jr. Manny Palmero

DOJ set to file rape cases against CPP-NPA leader

By Rey E. Requejo A PANEL of prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the indictment of an alleged communist leader for nine counts of rape for allegedly sexually abusing his subordinate in the group.

The DOJ said the resolution issued by prosecutors last February 2 recommended the filing of information for nine counts of rape against Joel Caliliw, a known leader of rebel group Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP/ NPA/NDF).

“The informations for three (3) counts

of rape shall be filed in the Regional Trial Court of San Jose, Nueva Ecija and the informations for six (6) counts of rape shall be filed in the Regional Trial Court of Umingan, Pangasinan,” the DOJ said, in a statement.

Caliliw is detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) provincial jail in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya.

It can be recalled that the complaint against Caliliw was filed by a female complainant, who was identified as “Lady Miranda,” a former member of the CPP/NPA/NDF cadre.

“The filing of these charges arose from the ordeals suffered by complainant from Joel Caliliw who sexually

abused her without consent, through force, violence, and intimidation and who took advantage of his authority over her as vice platoon commanding officer thrice in March 2018 at Carrangalan, Nueva Ecija and at least six times in April 2018 at Umingan, Pangasinan,” the DOJ statement said.

“Respondent Caliliw’s alibis, denial of allegations of rape, and imputing blame on ‘Lady Miranda’ are selfserving and deserves no weight in law.

Instead, the unequivocal statements of ‘Lady Miranda’ and the fact that she was able to positively identify respondent Caliliw as the culprit are given more credence,” it added.

Drilon urges new Comelec appointee to ‘just resign’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE Minority Leader Franklin M Drilon, a member of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA), on Monday urged newly-appointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Aimee Torrefranca-Neri to resign to save herself, the President, and the poll body from embarrassment and unnecessary distraction.

He said these could affect the integrity of the 2022 presidential elections.

Her appointment, Drilon stressed, has created a distraction that can jeopardize the Comelec’s constitutional duty to conduct a fair, credible, and honest 2022 election.

“I am telling Atty. Neri that whoever your “MBA or May Backer Ako” is, he cannot influence the CA to set aside these allegations and confirm your appointment.” He further warned that it will not be smooth sailing for Torrefranca-Neri given the seriousness of the allegations against her.

“The Commission on Appointment takes this matter seriously,” said Drilon, who chaired four times the constitutional body that confirms or rejects certain political appointments made by the President.

“The job vacancy in the Comelec is commissioner. Let us make clear that it’s not collecting commissions,” he said.

Drilon’s also friendly advice to the new commissioner: “run for your life.”

He further warned that it will not be smooth sailing for Torrefranca-Neri given the seriousness of the allegations against her.

“In my 24 years of experience, the CA can be merciless sometimes and rightly so because we will be remiss in our constitutional duties if we do not vet the credentials of the appointees,” Drilon said.

According to Drilon, he is certain that the CA will ask lawyer Ferdinand Topacio to substantiate his allegations that his client Herbert Colangco gave then Justice Asst. Sec. Neri P10 million to “fix” the controversial convict’s robbery case before the Supreme Court.

Poll bets expect more ‘attacks’ vs. Leni

INTO THE WILD. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) released into the wild a white-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), along with other wildlife including a King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), and two Eastern Grass Owls (Tyto longimembris) in Brgy. Subic Ibaba, Agoncillo, Batangas, as part of the DENR’s celebration of World Wildlife Day 2022.

SENATORIAL candidates running under presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, expect the attacks against the Leni and Kiko tandem and the “red-tagging” will continue and will even intensify as the elections in May draws near.

Rivals of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem are feeling the heat of the growing support for the “pink” campaign that they are now seeing “red” and are tagging supporters of the vice president as communists.

“They feel the pressure and it is not good news for them,” lawyer Alex Lacson who is running under the banner of the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem said.

He said the other political camps are already “triggered” because of the series

of victories encountered by the Robredo camp during their political rallies, such as those in Bacolod, where an estimated 70,000 people attended, and in Cavite.

Lacson said dirty tactics will be employed to disrupt the campaign.

Teddy Baguilat, a former representative and part of Robredo’s camp said Robredo’s campaign is gaining momentum, and rivals want to stop this momentum.

“I hope that candidates who have low chances of winning will not make a pact with the devil and offer their services as a battering ram to hit another candidate,” Baguilat, who is also running under the Leni-Kiko team, said.

“VP Leni is gaining momentum at kita nyo naman sa rallies, which are huge, hip, happy gatherings,” he said.

Bulacan split between Leni and Bongbong

A4

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

News

By Rey Requejo

P

OLITICAL powerhouses in the vote-rich province of Bulacan are split in endorsing the presidential bids of Vice President Leni Robredo and former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.

At the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando, along with several local officials of the province under his wing, announced their support for Robredo.

Fernando said he believes in Robredo’s capability to steer the country towards honest and clean governance.

“Our country needs a leader who is not tainted with corruption and has a strong faith in God to steer us toward growth and peace,” Fernando said.

Incumbent Vice Governor Wilhelmino SyRobredo Alvarado, for his part, said Marcos would win handily in the province.

“On my tour, especially in remote areas, it is Bongbong Marcos,” Alvarado said.

“First of all, they [Marcos rivals] are oppressing. If you will base the outcome during the last [2016 national] elections, Marcos won here in Bulacan province,” he added.

During the 2016 vice-presidential race, Marcos garnered 42.50 percent or about 556,480 votes in the province and led against Robredo by up to 190,401 votes.

Marcos Jr. The province of Bulacan is the fifth vote-rich province in the upcoming 2022 elections, with 2,007,523 registered voters.

But for Fernandez, it is a woman – Robredo – who stands out the most among the 10 presidential candidates.

“There are nine male candidates, but there is only one woman. A solo parent who, even before entering politics, has already been serving the people and the marginalized,” the governor said.

BARNSTORMING. Presidential candidate Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso greets his supporters during a campaign sortie inside the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium on Monday, March 14, 2022. Norman Cruz

Muntinlupa, Las Piñas warmly welcome UniTeam THE people of Muntinlupa and Las Piñas City showed their support for presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio when they held sorties in the two cities.

From Daang-Hari Road in Muntinlupa City until the end of the caravan in Las Piñas, supporters of the tandem lined up to express their support.

Personnel of the Las Piñas Doctors Hospital also approached the caravan to shake hands with Marcos.

By Rio N. Araja

By Joel E. Zurbano

DANCING FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and

representatives from various women’s organizations from the city’s six districts participate in a Zumba workout held at the Quezon Memorial Circle as part of the Women’s Month celebration. Manny Palmero

EASTERN Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, the vice president of PDP-Laban for Visayas, on Monday backed Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.

Evardone said President Rodrigo Duterte has “virtually endorsed” Robredo when the latter bared his wishlist for his successor.

Duterte said the next president must be compassionate and decisive, and should be a mayor or lawyer like him.

“I’m not saying it’s the best quality, but one of the good qualities of a president, I hope [the next president] will be a lawyer. If you are a lawyer, you could make prompt decisions and know the repercussions,” the President said.

Of the 10 presidential hopefuls, Francisco “Isko Moreno” has served as Manila City mayor, while Robredo and Dr.

Lacson calls on Filipinos to unite against insurgency

By Macon Ramos-Araneta PARTIDO Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Monday called on all Filipinos to unite in ending the more than five decades of communist insurgency in the country.

The presidential aspirant made this appeal as he visited Isabela, where the New People’s Army was born in Jones town in 1969.

“I believe the Philippines deserves a better peace and order and prosperity.

We should unite so there will be peace and prosperity in our country and we can live better lives,” Lacson said at the flag-raising ceremony in Cauayan, Isabela.

He said the country needs a strong

leader who has a vision and the ability to implement peace and order.

Lacson said during the five decades of insurgency, more than 2,000 people have been killed while billions of pesos had been lost to the NPAs who collect revolutionary taxes and burn the equipment of businessmen who do not cooperate.

He pointed out President Rodrigo Duterte himself cited intelligence information indicating the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA may have “infiltrated” the campaigns of some camps.

“We noticed that when those in the CPP-NPA join the government, the NPA’s weapons become more powerful,” he added.

Lacson said the people can no longer allow the CPP-NPA to enter into a “coalition” with the government.

In his speech, Lacson also recalled his stint in Isabela in 1988 as then provincial commander of the Philippine Constabulary.

He said he stopped the NPA’s practice of conducting checkpoints there and enforced the Constabulary’s checkpoints.

He cited one mission where the NPA ambushed his men, with Lt. Rosauro Toda – a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1986 – among the fatalities.

Lacson noted the ambush was meant for him, had Toda’s reinforcing group not hit the ambush site ahead of the main force which he was leading.

Pacquiao vows to deploy Coast Guard to protect rights of Filipino fishermen FILIPINO fishermen will be free to catch fish and their rights to earn a livelihood within the country’s territorial waters will be protected at all times under a government headed by presidential bet Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

The PROMDI standard bearer made this assurance following a recent dialogue with shellfish fishermen and vendors in Barangay Siniguelasan, Bacoor City.

The Filipino boxing icon was asked for his reaction to reports that Filipino fishermen are being denied by the Chinese Coast Guard their right to enter usual fishing grounds within the country’s territorial limits, particularly in the West Philippine Sea. Pacquiao said he would not allow this situation to continue.

“Firstly, we will deploy Coast Guard

Villar said.

In their separate speeches, Marcos and Duterte-Carpio acknowledged the people of Las Piñas for their warm welcome.

“The support you showed us was a different kind of support. Earlier, while we were in the caravan, I could feel your love. We could hardly move the car we were riding in because there were so many people, so thank you very much for your warm welcome,” Marcos said. Rey E. Requejo

PDP-Laban stalwart: Leni meets Rody’s wishlist for next president

Amend Local Govt Code to strengthen LGUs–ex-VP Binay SENATORIAL candidate Jejomar Binay on Monday said the Local Government Code must be amended to further empower local government units.

“It is time to go back and amend the Local Government Code. There are provisions here that I think need to be replaced,” said Binay.

“This is to further advance the purpose of the law to strengthen and stabilize our local governments,” he added.

Binay, who served as mayor of Makati City from 1986 to 1998, and from 2001 to 2010 before being elected as the country’s vice president, said the pandemic has shown that local governments are in the best position to respond to the needs of their constituents.

“Local governments are closer to the people and they know the needs of their constituents. They are in the best position to respond in times of emergencies. But they need fiscal stability and flexibility,” he said.

Binay said one provision that needs to be re-examined is the existing criteria for determining the LGUs’ share of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

“Many local executives have pointed out that this provision discriminates against smaller localities, which are usually localities with little or no internally generated sources of revenue,” he said.

“I agree with their observation. Perhaps it is time to work on new criteria that balances the needs and interests of all local governments,” Binay added.

Binay also said LGUs can now be expected to further expand and improve services with the Supreme Court ruling on the so-called Mandanas case.

The caravan ended at The Tent in Las Piñas, owned by the Villar family, where the UniTeam grand rally was held.

Senatorial candidate Mark Villar expressed his gratitude to the people of Las Piñas, who left their homes just to see Marcos.

“Your love for UniTeam is great.

The support you have shown to our next president [Marcos] is great. Almost everyone came out of their house to shake hands and see our president,”

to watch over our fishermen so they can freely fish in our waters,” he said.

The boxing champ earlier admitted that he holds dear fisherfolk, farmers and other Filipinos engaged in agriculture because they belong to the poorest sector of Philippine society.

Denying these people their right to earn a decent living to be able to feed their families, he said, should end, and those behind such callousness, whether fellow Filipinos or foreigners, should stop.

The Mindanaoan senator said government interventions, such as the distribution of modern fishing equipment and additional financial support to ensure increase in yield, will be provided to the country’s agriculture sector should he be elected president.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

ECO-FRIENDLY CAMPAIGN. Thousands of bikers launch the ‘1-4 Alan Bike Caravan’ simultaneously in 14 cities nationwide to show their support to senatorial candidate Alan Cayetano. Norman Cruz

Jose Montemayor Jr. are both lawyers.

“We welcome and support the high bar President Duterte has set for his successor. He knows whereof he speaks, and we understand it. It is the same standard with which he tries to measure himself in governing the nation,” Evardone said.

“For me and for millions of Filipinos, there is only one decisive and compassionate lawyer among those aspiring to be President and she is VP Leni,” the governor added.

He, however, did not say if he would also support Robredo’s running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan.

“VP Leni has been very consistent on her pro-poor programs and advocacies.

She has gone to far-flung barangays in the country to deliver services and listen to the cry of the marginalized sectors of our society,” Evardone said.

Isko barnstorms Masbate province

DESPITE the soaring heat brought by the dry weather, thousands of Masbate residents welcomed Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso over the weekend.

Domagoso was joined by Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial bets Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Ong, Jopet Sison, and guest candidate John Castriciones doing their sortie in Placer, a 2nd class municipality in Masbate.

The presidential aspirant thanked the people of Placer for the warm reception they showed to him and the rest of Team Isko.

“Thank you very much. Even though the sun was hot, you went out. Even the heat of the sun intensified, so did your warm welcome to us,” he said.

“Seriously, it warms people’s hearts,” Domagoso added.

Placer town Mayor Eusebio Dumoran, Jr. thanked the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate for choosing their municipality as one of the areas for their campaign sorties in the Bicol region.

“Mayor Isko, we have all been in the region for a long time waiting for the news if you come here. So, we are proud that we visited here in our town with your group,” Dumoran said.

With his sortie falling on a Sunday which is church day, Domagoso and his party also dropped by in front of a local church to greet and have a brief conversation with the priest who officiated the mass.

Team Isko will be in Albay today (Tuesday), their first time to hold sorties in a so-called “pink-yellow region.” Rey E. Requejo

Opinion The tide is turning pink

THE sight of the massive crowds that filled venues for presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo must have her rivals shaking in their shoes.

Surveys since last year have shown another candidate to be in the lead by a wide margin. But many have questioned the accuracy of such surveys, including the latest by Social Weather Stations that put Robredo’s net satisfaction rating at the lowest it has ever been, at +1 in Dec. 2021 compared to +24 in Sep. 2021.

Strangely, this is the first time her rating has dipped to a single digit; the previous lowest rating was +18 in June 2021.

This latest SWS survey was conducted in 4Q-2021 and its full results were released only on March 11. However, SWS shared an initial report on Feb. 7 in another broadsheet. Why release any results at all before the entire study is complete? Was the early, partial release meant to skew public opinion? This puzzling move leaves them open to questions about their intentions and practices.

So because some believe that surveys do not give an accurate representation of reality, what other evidence can we use to determine the true state of things? For one, the attendance at the candidates’ rallies. The ones for Robredo have been consistently well attended, and drone photos (disallowed at another candidate’s gatherings lest they be embarrassed at their poor showing) reveal the blanket of pink that carpets the venues wherever she goes.

On March 11 in Bacolod City, an estimated 70,100 showed up; March 5, Bulacan, some 45,000; March 4, Cavite, around 47,000; about a week before that, some 40,000 in Iloilo City. Around 10,000 attended a rally in Isabela, located in the supposedly “Solid North.”

Crowds in other locations were also sizeable, with the goal for organizers now to top the previous “record” set.

In contrast, video taken at a presidential candidate’s rally in Abra showed poor attendance and people leaving the venue even as he was still speaking. In another, rows and rows of plastic chairs were empty, mute witnesses to a failed event.

What’s amazing about the Kakampink campaign is that there isn’t a lot of money in their coffers. A lot of the material is donated, or purchased or made by supporters for their own use. Many of the signs people hold up at the rallies are hand-lettered. Tarps hung on homes are bought from Lazada at Shopee at the homeowners’ expense. The gigantic Leni and Kiko (Pangilinan) tarps seen at Paglaum in Bacolod were donated by a benefactor who said, “Let’s make this

nice. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Many photos, graphics, artwork, and other such materials are produced on a volunteer basis and widely shared on social media.

Because a lot of the publicity materials are created by volunteers, it is especially frustrating and downright reprehensible that some Robredo murals have been painted over and tarps taken down, even if they are on private property. The Commission on Elections was criticized for its Oplan Baklas, which was temporarily halted after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order on March 9.

Just last Sunday (March 13), unknown persons painted over a Leni mural in a private property in Las Piñas.

The proof is in the people.

The volunteer groups that were working on the mural, Youth for Leni-Las Piñeros and Las Piñeros for Leni, condemned the action and said in a statement, “Ang ganitong uri ng panggigipit at paniniil ay walang lugar sa isang sibilisadong lipunan na ipinaglaban ng ating mga ninuno.

Nakalulungkot isipin na may mga tao at kampo na hindi gumagalang sa karapatan sa pribadong pagmamay-ari, karapatan sa malayang pamamahayag, at sa batas pang-eleksyon.”

(This sort of harassment and tyranny has no place in the civilized society that our ancestors fought for. It is sad to think that there are people and groups that do not respect the right of private ownership, the right to free speech, and election laws.)

Other actions that sought to suppress the show of pink support have been reported, among them signal jammers in Cavite and certain bus operations in Negros Occidental standing down. People found a way around them, or busted right through. If detractors think harassment or intimidation will deter supporters, they’ve got it dead wrong. All this just makes supporters even more keen to spread the word.

In other words, malicious and meanspirited deeds and words are seen for what they are. The desperate and panicked often exercise poor judgment and their deeds backfire on them. They get results that are the opposite of what they want.

Pasig is organizing a Leni people’s rally, and other areas are likely to follow suit in the 55 days left of the campaign period. More politicians are endorsing Robredo, the latest being Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando, who said he “feels like the future of everyone, of the country, depends on it.”

The groundswell of support for Robredo is rising, despite claims to the contrary. The tide is turning. The proof is in the pictures. The proof is in the people. *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Officials are routinely dismissed or castigated in state media for outbreaks in their areas. That puts the onus on local authorities to move fast and hard on any clusters.

Residents are forced to stay at home at a moment’s notice, including the 17 million people of Shenzhen who were locked down on Sunday.

International flight volumes have also collapsed, with the limited arrivals undergoing strict weeks-long quarantine.

The government has said it will not renew expiring Chinese passports unless the holder has a good reason for travel -- shredding outbound demand for travel.

Why has China held on?

China’s caseload since the start of the pandemic -- just over 115,000 -- is a fraction of those recorded elsewhere.

The official death toll has stayed under 5,000.

Although cases from the chaotic initial outbreak in Wuhan in early 2020 are widely believed to have been underreported, life since then has largely returned to normal.

Beijing’s communist leadership has made its handling of the pandemic a matter of political capital, saying the low death rate demonstrates the strength of

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EDITORIAL

As virus cases surge, can China’s zero-COVID strategy hold?

CHINA, the country where the coronavirus was first detected in 2019, is among the last remaining devotees to a zero-Covid approach to the pandemic.

But after two years of virtually closed borders, mass testing, targeted lockdowns and quarantines, the strategy is being stress-tested like never before as cases surge across the country.

With millions currently under lockdown, can China’s approach hold out against the march of the Omicron variant?

What is zero-Covid?

China essentially closed itself off from the world in March 2020 to follow a formula it calls “dynamic zero” for curbing outbreaks: strict lockdowns and immediate mass testing.

Unlike during softer lockdowns elsewhere, people in China can be banned from leaving their building or forced to remain inside a hotel room if they are considered high-risk contacts.

Mandatory track-and-trace apps mean close contacts are usually detected and quarantined quickly.

Shops, schools, tourist sites, office blocks and malls have been summarily locked down with people inside after the detection of a single close contact.

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

Here and now

T

ODAY’S politicians and their kin are distracted. We have less than two months before elections and the campaign season for national positions is in full swing. Campaigning for local posts is starting in a few days.

A good part of the news is devoted to what each candidate is up to – small successes, outright mischief.

Social media antics are par for the course – more for some than others. It’s difficult to not get sucked into the circus that is the elections.

Thoughts of who our next leader might be distract us from more immediate concerns.

But even as we are looking ahead, we are buffeted by one crisis after another. First there is the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite the relaxing of restrictions, it’s never going away. There is the economic fallout as a result of our protracted lockdowns. Challenges in education brought about by the abrupt shift to

online or modular learning. And now we have to contend with higher prices, not just of fuel or electricity, but of practically everything.

The people should not wait for the next set of leaders to make things right, or better.

These are gut issues that will not wait for the next leader of the land to be sworn in. Whoever wins or loses, Filipinos still have to get up every morning and earn some money to sustain their families.

So by all means let us listen to how the candidates say they would govern if they win. Let us take stock of their platforms, their demeanor and manner of speaking, the substance of their statements and the willingness to take responsibility for their actions. Let us evaluate them based on the standards we have set in respect for ourselves and in love for our country.

But let us not forget, in these last days of the terms of the incumbent officials, to look at what they have been doing to address our present concerns. Even if they are at the tail end of their service, their pact with their constituents remains in force. The people should not wait for the next set of leaders to make things right, or better. We need to see decisive action still, today and in the next few weeks, with the same zeal as our officials had during their first days in office. And we will just as zealously hold them accountable if they fall short of their mandate.

Choosing our senators

WHO will forget the feisty but inimitable Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago? Who cannot remember the brilliant nationalist senators like Jovito Salonga, Jose Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada, and Claro M. Recto?

How about the brilliant Ninoy Aquino who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country?

Since its establishment at the turn of the 20th century under Philippine Organic Act which created the Philippine Commission, the Philippine Senate has been the home to notable and some infamous personalities that, for better or for worse, helped shape the Philippine political landscape. Philippine political culture being as it is, most members come from the crème de la crème of society, the oligarchy and ruling class of the country. Many are elected either because they belong to the political and economic elite, are close to the center of power like the president, or are able to appeal and mesmerize the masses by their celebrity status.

Unlike the members of the House of Representatives who are elected by the electorate in the local districts, the senators are elected at large by the qualified voters of the whole country. The Senate alone can try and decide cases of impeachment and concur with or reject treaties or international agreements (twothirds vote). The Senate President heads the Commission on Appointments.

Many past presidents come from this august chamber. Quezon, Roxas, and Marcos held positions as senators before they were eventually elected to the highest elective post in the country.

For this year’s May 9, 2022 national

its governance model.

It has highlighted chaotic Covid responses in the US as an example of the wider failures of liberal democracies.

Analysts warn any change in strategy will also need to shift perceptions of the virus among the masses in China.

There has been a grinding impact on ordinary lives.

Loosening virus restrictions could also prove risky for President Xi Jinping as he seeks a third term in October after billing himself as the leader who keeps China safe.

What is the impact?

Zero-Covid comes at a cost, both human and economic.

It has caused repeated disruption, particularly in port cities and border areas

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

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

elections, the Commission on Elections has recorded more or less 174 candidates, coming from different sectors and political parties like the 1Sambayan, Aksyon Demokratiko, MP3 Alliance, Team Robredo–Pangilinan, UniTeam Alliance, non-affiliated or independent candidates, to name a few. The senators to be elected in this coming May 2022 elections will serve until June 30, 2028.

I have not finalized my list of senatorial candidates to vote for in May. But I have a short list that I would like to share with readers.

I have more than 12 on my list so far.

For sure, I will vote for all human rights champions that are running for senator.

These include Jojo Binay, Chel Diokno, Leila De Lima, Neri Colmenares, and Luke Espiritu.

I am definitely voting for Gibo Teodoro.

He is the senatorial candidate I know most in this election. We do not always agree on issues but I trust that he will always do the right thing for the country. I will write a full column about him in the near future.

I have also known Alex Lacson for a long time, as he was my student in the College of Law of the University of the Philippines. I can vouch for his brilliance, nationalism, and integrity.

I am also going to vote for as many women as I can find worthy, thus aside from De Lima, Loren Legarda, Risa Hontiveros, and Samira Gutoc are in my list.

I was going to vote for Agnes Bailen but I was shocked during The Rundown 2022 senatorial debate last Saturday where she said she supports the Anti-Terror Law. That’s a deal breaker for me.

Environmental and climate justice being on top of the issues I care about is another reason to vote for Legarda. This is

that endure almost constant lockdowns.

Analysts say repeated shutdowns of factories and businesses have contributed to the slowing economy.

And there has been a grinding impact on ordinary lives.

Locked-down communities have complained of poor access to food, supplies and medical treatment.

The distressing case of a pregnant Chinese woman miscarrying after a strict lockdown delayed her access to medical treatment reignited debate over the limits of China’s zero-tolerance approach.

Meanwhile, migrant workers have been left stranded from families for months due to onerous travel rules and restrictions.

Examples of extreme enforcement have sparked outrage, such as when health workers beat a corgi to death after the owners were sent to quarantine.

Can it be maintained?

A top Chinese scientist said this month

why Roy Cabonegro and David D’Angelo are on my short list. They are well-informed and passionate advocates whose voices we need in the Senate.

Indigenous peoples are also on top of my concerns. That is why I am surely voting for Teddy Baguilat. He will represent not only the peoples of the Cordillera but also the Lumad in Mindanao, the Aetas in Central and Southern Luzon, the Mangyans in Mindoro, the Tagbanua and other tribes in Palawan, and other peoples elsewhere.

I would like Mindanao to have a strong voice in the Senate. That is why Migs Zubiri, together with Gutuc, is on my list. Although he is not from Mindanao but from Samar, I have shortlisted Lutz Barbo, my fellow professor at the Ateneo School of Government and a close associate of Senator Aquilino Pimentel, as experienced voices are also needed in the Senate.

In addition to Colmenares and Espiritu, labor leaders Bong Labog and Sonny Matula deserve to be in the Senate. Workers need to be represented in this legislative body.

Finally, among the reelectionists, I am considering voting for Dick Gordon because of his leadership on anti-corruption investigations, Win Gatchalian whose energy expertise we need in this time, Joel Villanueva for his empathy for the poor, Chiz Escudero as he understands local governance very well, and Sonny Trillanes for his strength of character. I know each of these gentlemen and have seen them do good things with the power they have. For this reason, I am also open to voting for Mark Villar whose stint as Public Works and Highways Secretary have been stellar.

I have more than 12 on my list. I will continue to listen to interviews and debates to be able to finalize the candidates I will vote for.

Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

that the country should aim to coexist with the virus. Meanwhile, the government announced it was introducing rapid antigen tests for the first time, which would allow at-home testing -- a potential loosening of the state’s hold on the health crisis.

However, there are concerns over the capacity of the country’s healthcare system and the efficacy of domestic vaccines.

Peking University researchers have warned China could suffer a “colossal outbreak” that would overwhelm its medical system if it relaxed restrictions to a similar level as in Europe and the US. And officials are anxiously watching the experience of Hong Kong, where hospitals have struggled in a recent outbreak.

The city currently has one of the world’s highest death rates from the virus, as the Omicron variant cuts through its elderly population, among whom vaccine hesitancy is common. AFP

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Jimbo Owen Gulle

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

B2

World

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Documentary maker Renaud shot dead in battle near Kyiv IRPIN, Ukraine—A US journalist was shot dead and another wounded on Sunday in Irpin, a frontline suburb of Kyiv that has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Video documentary maker Brent Renaud, 50, was working for Time Studios on a project about global refugee issues, the media outlet said.

“We are devastated by the loss of Brent Renaud,” Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal said in a statement.

“Our hearts are with all of Brent’s loved ones. It is essential that journalists are able to safely cover this ongoing invasion and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.”

A New York Times identity card was among Renaud’s papers, leading to earlier reports he worked for the paper.

The International Federation of Journalists identified the wounded reporter as American photographer Juan Arredondo.

CHOKE ON IT.

A giant figure representing Russian President Vladimir Putin swallowing a map of the Ukraine is seen during a demonstration against Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine on March 13 in Berlin. The figure was created by French carnival float constructor Jacques Tilly and in Duesseldorf, western Germany, during a Rose Monday event in this carnival hotspot. The lettering reads: “Choke on it!” AFP

A third victim, a Ukrainian who had been in the same car as the Americans, was also wounded, according to a medic at the scene.

AFP reporters in Irpin saw Ukrainian volunteer soldiers rush the body on a stretcher to a more secure location before laying it out on the ground for further identification.

Danylo Shapovalov, a surgeon volunteering for the Ukrainian territorial defence, said Renaud died instantly from a gunshot wound to his neck.

Ukrainian officials were quick to blame Russian forces for the shooting, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling it “a deliberate attack by the Russian military.”

“They knew what they were doing,” Zelensky said.

AFP reporters heard small arms and artillery fire in the area, which runs along the front splitting Ukrainian positions from advancing Russian forces. AFP

US media: Russia asks China for military aid

W

ASHINGTON­—Russia has asked China for military and economic aid for its war in Ukraine, US media reported Sunday, hours after the White House warned Beijing would face severe “consequences” if it helps Moscow evade sanctions.

Beijing refused to directly address the reports, instead accusing Washington of maliciously spreading “disinformation” over China’s role in the Ukraine war.

US officials told media that Russia had requested military equipment and support from its key ally.

Moscow also asked Beijing for economic assistance against the crippling sanctions imposed against it by most of the Western world, the New York Times

said, again citing anonymous officials.

The officials declined to explain exactly what Russia had requested, or whether China had responded, according to the reports.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington told multiple outlets “I’ve never heard of that” when asked about the alleged requests.

And without directly handling the US reports, foreign ministry spokesman

Zhao Lijian told reporters Monday that the US has “been spreading disinformation targeting China on the Ukraine issue, with malicious intentions.”

Beijing has declined to directly condemn Moscow for launching its invasion and has repeatedly blamed NATO’s “eastward expansion” for worsening tensions between Russia and Ukraine, echoing the Kremlin’s prime security grievance.

Zhao said that China had “played a constructive role in urging peace and calling for negotiations.”

His comments came ahead of a meeting between a high-level US delegation and a top Chinese official in Rome.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Yang Jiechi, the Chinese Communist

HK gov’t demands UK rights group censor website

Party’s chief diplomat, “will discuss ongoing efforts to manage the competition between our two countries and discuss the impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine on regional and global security,” National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne said Sunday in a statement.

Sullivan made a round of Sunday talk shows to say the White House was “watching closely” to see whether China provides material or economic support to Russia to help it evade the punishing impact of sanctions.

“It is a concern of ours, and we have communicated to Beijing that we will not stand by and allow any country to compensate Russia for its losses from the economic sanctions,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union” show. AFP

ANTI-WAR PROTEST.

HONG KONG—A UK-based rights group pledged Monday not to remain silent after Hong Kong’s government demanded it shutter its website and accused it of endangering China’s national security.

While China heavily restricts the internet on the mainland, Hong Kong does not generally censor the web, allowing residents to access sites and content that might be critical of Beijing.

But Monday’s announcement means Hong Kong Watch becomes the first overseas advocacy group to confirm it is in the cross hairs of a sweeping national security law, which Beijing imposed to snuff out dissent in the financial hub in mid-2020.

“By threatening a UK-based NGO with financial penalties and jail for merely reporting on the human rights situation in Hong Kong, this letter exemplifies why Hong Kong’s National Security Law is so dangerous,” the group’s chief executive Benedict Rogers said.

“We will not be silenced by an authoritarian security apparatus which, through a mixture of senseless brutality and ineptitude, has triggered rapid mass migration out of the city and shut down civil society,” added the activist, who was barred from visiting the city in 2017.

Hong Kong’s Security Bureau accused the group of “colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security”, according to an email sent on March 10 -- which Hong Kong Watch posted in full on its website Monday.

The offence, one of the four major crimes under the security law, can carry maximum penalties of up to life imprisonment. AFP

Police officers detain a woman during a protest against Russian military action in Ukraine, in central Saint Petersburg on March 13. AFP

New York police seek man who shot three street sleepers NEW YORK—Police in New York have appealed to the public to help identify a man who shot at least two homeless people Saturday, killing one of them as he slept on the street.

“The cases are clear and horrific,” said Mayor Eric Adams, a former police officer, as he urged any witnesses to come forward.

A shooter first fired on a 38-year-old man in Lower Manhattan early Saturday, wounding but not killing him, investigators said.

Then, shortly before 5:00 pm (2200 GMT), police in the same neighborhood found the lifeless body of another man in a sleeping bag. He had been shot in the head and neck.

Video surveillance footage captured that attack, showing the shooter firing at the second man as he slept around 6:00 am, shortly after the first incident.

Sunday night, local media reported a third man appeared to have been attacked.

That man, who also seemed to be homeless, was found dead in the city around 7 pm local time (2300 GMT) with a “possible gunshot wound,” NBC New York reported, citing police.

Adams, a Democrat, described the shootings as senseless attacks on people “sleeping on the streets -- not committing a crime, but sleeping on the streets.”

He and the police urged New York’s thousands of homeless people to contact city agencies that can help them find sleeping accommodation.

New York’s homeless population has grown in recent years, and Adams announced a plan just weeks after taking office in January to move them out of the city’s vast system of subway tunnels, where many sleep on frigid nights.

His proposal drew sharp criticism from some non-governmental organizations.

“People only stay in the subway,” said the Coalition for the Homeless, “because they have no better place to go.” AFP

Chinese cities, factories shut amid outbreak BEIJING—Seventeen million people in the Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen began their first full day under lockdown Monday, as a key factory making iPhones closed, and restrictions spread across Shanghai and other major cities in an effort to extinguish the biggest-ever threat to the nation’s zero-tolerance Covid strategy.

The southern city of Shenzhen took the measures on Sunday as authorities battled an Omicron flare-up in factories and neighborhoods linked to nearby Hong Kong, which is recording scores of daily deaths as the virus runs rampant.

Major Apple supplier Foxconn suspended its operations in Shenzhen, the company said Monday, as the lockdown bit hard into economic activity across the factory hub.

Shenzhen is one of ten areas nationwide to issue some level of stayat-home order.

Health officials have warned tighter measures could be on their way, as concerns mount over the resilience of China’s “zero-Covid” approach in the face of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.

Authorities reported 2,300 new virus cases nationwide on Monday and almost 3,400 a day earlier, the highest daily figure in two years.

“There have been many small-scale clusters in urban villages and factories,” Shenzhen city official Huang Qiang said at a Monday briefing.

“This suggests a high risk of community spread, and further precautions are still needed.”

Photos shared with AFP by a Shenzhen resident showed entrances to a housing compound blocked by large plastic barriers, as residents swapped jokes on social media about their rush to grab laptops from offices before the lockdown.

Tech stocks tumbled on the Hong Kong exchange in early trading Monday, as concerns over the impact of the virus spread in Shenzhen -- home to hubs for Foxconn, as well as Huawei and Tencent -- spooked investors.

In Shanghai, China’s largest city, residential areas and offices in some neighborhoods remained sealed off on Monday as city authorities try to avoid a full lockdown. AFP

Ex-guerrilla Petro leads in Colombia presidential primaries BOGOTA—Colombians voted for senator and former guerrilla Gustavo Petro as the left’s presidential nominee by a wide margin on Sunday, making him the front runner in an election that could yield the country’s firstManila ever leftist leader Standard EXTRA-JUDICIAL TODAY in May. SETTLEMENT As predicted, Notice is hereby the 61-year-old given that the estate of the late VIRGILIO came out on top S. GARCIA has been extra-judicially in the primaries intersettled among his —called heirs, as per Doc. party “consultaNo. 451; Page No. 92; Book No. tions”—which IV; Series of 2022 took place alongbefore Notary Public side elections for ATTY. KAIMA VIA V. the Senate and VELASQUEZ. House of Rep(MS-MAR. 1/8/15, 2022)

resentatives, currently in the hands of right-wing parties.

But leftist candidates were projected to win the most seats in Colombia’s Senate, as well as contending for second place in the lower house, partial results showed.

With more than 90 percent of polling stations counted, the left’s Historical Pact coalition is set to win 17 of the 102 seats in the upper house, according to electoral authority figures.

In the lower house, it looks set to take 25 of the 165 seats in a tie with the Conservatives and behind the Liberals.

Nearly 39 million of Colombia’s 50 million inhabitants were eligible to vote in a complex but critical election in a country plagued by violence and growing poverty levels.

“Colombia saw an election day with transparency and respect for rights,” election authority head Alexander Vega said, referring to a largely incident-free vote.

Outgoing President Ivan Duque— who called on Colombians to vote as a “rejection of violence” through the “triumph of democracy”—had promised safety “guarantees” for the non-compulsory vote.

The polls came with the president and legislature both at rock-bottom levels of public support.

Colombia has always been ruled by the political right. But polls show that Petro—a former guerrilla, ex-Bogota mayor and senator—stands a real chance of winning.AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

WARM AND SHELTERED. Palestinian Mohammad al-Malalha warms himself with a blanket following rain in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on March 13. AFP

Business

B3

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market, peso sink to fresh lows PSEi March 14, 2022

TOP GAINERS

1 DIZ 2 REG 3 ECP

LAST PRICE CHANGE 5.84 0.94 3.39 0.34 4.47 0.37

% CHANGE 19.18% 11.15% 9.02%

4 5 6

SOC DMW HOUSE

0.62 6.88 13.96

0.05 0.38 0.7

8.77% 5.85% 5.28%

7

APC

0.255

0.012

4.94%

8 9 10

COAL FOOD PRMX

0.265 0.6 2.34

0.01 0.02 0.07

3.92% 3.45% 3.08%

T

HE peso and the stock market sank to fresh lows Monday as traders track developments in the Ukraine war and diplomatic efforts to bring the crisis to an end.

The Philippine Stock Exchange plunged 295.24 points, or 4.2 percent, to a six-and-a-half month low of 6,816.95 on a value turnover of P8.9 billion, while the peso depreciated against the US dollar to its weakest level in two and a half years.

Stock market losers overwhelmed gainers, 190 to 34, with 28 issues unchanged.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group dropped 7.6 percent to P34.05, while parent Ayala

Corp. lost 5.1 percent at P759.50.

PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, fell 6.3 percent to P1,715, while International Container Terminal Services Inc., the largest port operator and owned by tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., declined 6.2 percent to P212.

The peso closed at 52.475 per greenback, weaker than the 52.29 Friday. It was its weakest level since the 52.545 on Aug. 15, 2019. Total volume turnover hit $806.55 million, down from $1.099 billion previously.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., earlier attributed the peso’s downward trajectory to the latest imports and trade deficit data, which were among the record highs on a monthly basis.

The rest of Asian markets mostly fell Monday while Hong Kong took a pounding after China placed Shenzhen into lockdown, fueling a rout in the tech sector.

Oil prices dropped, providing some respite after they soared to a near 14-year high last week, though the commodity remains elevated around $110 and keeping upward pressure on inflation.

Trading floors continue to be awash with uncertainty as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages, with comments from Vladimir Putin that there were “positive

UK defends Saudi Arabia lobby to hike oil production

TOP LOSERS

1 RCI 2 IMP 3 MACAY

LAST PRICE CHANGE 0.55 -0.18 1.18 -0.22 5.65 -1.02

% CHANGE -24.66% -15.71% -15.29%

4 5 6 7

VVT TECHW ROCK PA

14.02 0.63 1.35 2.7

-1.98 -0.07 -0.15 -0.29

-12.38% -10.00% -10.00% -9.70%

8

MARC

1.69

-0.18

-9.63%

9 10

ORE MA

1.09 0.01

-0.11 -0.001

-9.17% -9.09%

MOST ACTIVE

1 AC 2 ALI

VOLUME 1,109,840 22,369,000

VALUE (PHP) 846,257,780 781,302,790

3 4

SMPH SM

17,021,300 495,990

635,530,075 436,427,890

5

ICT

1,811,320

392,723,442

6 7 8 9

BDO TEL JFC URC

2,359,580 154,475 1,138,890 2,331,860

293,608,544 267,483,275 251,868,040 240,859,517

10

SCC

8,021,300

234,467,845

Bermuda holds off granting licenses to Russian planes WASHINGTON, United States—Bermuda says it is suspending certification of Russian planes licensed in the British overseas territory due to sanctions on Moscow, likely impacting hundreds of Russian commercial aircraft around the world.

The move could have critical effects including the grounding of a significant portion of the Russian fleet, more than 700 of which are believed to be licensed in Bermuda.

“International sanctions on the aviation sector have had a significant impact on the ability to sustain safety oversight on Russian operated aircraft on the Bermuda Aircraft Registry,” the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) said late Saturday in a statement.

The system has been restricted to such a degree that the BCAA “is unable to confidently approve these aircraft as being airworthy,” the agency said.

As of late March 12, “the BCAA has provisionally suspended all Certificates of Airworthiness of those aircraft operating under the Article 83bis Agreement between Bermuda and the Russian Federation,” it said.

The announcement is the latest blow to a Russian commercial airlines sector already reeling from punitive measures after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian carrier Aeroflot was banned from the airspace of the entire EU, the United Kingdom and Canada, forcing it to suspend flights to these destinations, while American aviation giant Boeing suspended its support for Russian airlines and its operations in Moscow.

Aviation industry experts told AFP Sunday the move by BCAA jeopardizes Russia’s ability to operate these aircraft. AFP

developments” in talks with Kyiv unable to provide much support.

After another drop on Wall Street, Asia struggled.

Hong Kong tanked five percent and the Hang Seng Tech Index was slammed around 11 percent with market heavyweights Alibaba and Tencent also each losing around a tenth of their value.

Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok and Wellington also fell, though Tokyo, Sydney, Mumbai and Jakarta rose.

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is due to meet senior Chinese diplomat Yang Jiechi in Rome later Monday, with Ukraine top of the agenda as the White House seeks help in bringing the crisis to a swift conclusion. With AFP

‘ELIZABETH LINE.’

Volunteer ‘passengers’ wait on the platform during a test run of a Transport for London (TfL) Elizabeth Line train between Paddington station and Woolwich station and back, at Paddington Station in London on March 13, 2022. The Elizabeth Line, named after Britain’s reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth II, has been decades in the planning and making and seeks to add 10 percent to central London’s creaking rail capacity. Once opened, Crossrail will run from Reading and Heathrow in the west to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, via 13 miles of new tunnels in central London. AFP

Agriculture giant Brazil nervously eyeing Ukraine war RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil—Agricultural powerhouse Brazil is nervously watching the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine, uncertain whether the upside—an expected boost to Brazil’s corn exports—will outweigh the hit to its crucial fertilizer imports.

Brazil, a top exporter of agricultural products including beef, chicken, soy and corn, stands to gain a windfall from surging commodities prices, driven higher worldwide by the war.

But the country also depends heavily on imported fertilizer, and is facing a collapse in stock from top supplier Russia, whose exports have been hit hard by Western sanctions.

Corn has been particularly affected by the war.

Ukraine’s invasion by Russia on February 24 has cast doubt on whether

either country—the world’s fourthand fifth-biggest corn exporters, respectively, in 2019-20--will be able to make expected deliveries this year.

That is causing prices to soar, and could be a boon for Brazil, the numberthree exporter.

Its corn crop was hit hard last year by bad weather, including the worst drought in nearly a century. But the harvest stands to increase by 29 percent in 2021-22, according to the latest forecast from the National Supply Company (Conab).

“The corn price has hit one of the highest levels ever seen, making it attractive for Brazilian producers, a factor driving an increase in planting area” for the second harvest, the biggest of the year, said Joao Pedro Lopes of commodity-market analysis firm

StoneX. Strong global demand and a favorable exchange rate “should allow an increase of 67 percent in exports” of Brazilian corn in 2022, Conab said.

The US Agriculture Department, meanwhile, has predicted that if Brazil’s harvest is as big as expected, the country could pass neighboring Argentina to become the world’s number two corn exporter this year, trailing only the United States.

“International demand has suddenly appeared for immediate shipment of Brazilian corn, which is unusual for the first half of the year. And demand for the second half has accelerated, too,” said analyst Paulo Roberto Molinari of agribusiness consultancy Safras e Mercado.

But there is a big downside. AFP

LONDON, United Kingdom—Britain on Sunday defended lobbying Saudi Arabia to up its oil output as energy sanctions on Russia start inflicting a painful toll, after the Gulf kingdom executed a record number of prisoners.

Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove did not deny a report in The Times on Saturday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to visit Riyadh this week.

It said Johnson will lobby Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to help offset the impact of the Ukraine-linked sanctions, after Britain and the United States said they were ending imports of Russian oil.

“We have to rely on oil from a number of countries, many of whose human rights records we don’t approve of,” Gove told Sky News, after Saudi Arabia said it had executed a record 81 people in one day.

“Saudi Arabia is a security partner of the United Kingdom. I think that there are human rights concerns. We’re clear about those,” he said.

“But we also recognize that at a time when the world is in a fragile situation, that diplomacy alongside clarity on human rights is important.”

Contacted by AFP, a Downing Street spokesperson declined to elaborate on any travel plans by Johnson this week.

He is due to host a defense summit with leaders of northern European countries on Tuesday.

Fallout from the sanctions on Russia has sent prices of petrol and diesel in Britain to record highs, adding to a cost-of-living crisis as household heating bills also rocket.

Johnson Thursday said Britain and its allies were moving away from dependence on Russian oil and gas, so that they were no longer “blackmailed”

by President Vladimir Putin.

The White House on Wednesday was forced to deny a Wall Street Journal report that the crown princes of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had refused to accept calls by US President Joe Biden. AFP

First war of the TikTok era sees tragedy, humor and deceit

By Thomas Urbain NEW YOKR, United States--Heartrending videos of artillery strikes are being served up alongside funny snippets such as bomb-shelter cooking tips and invasion misinformation as the war in Ukraine plays out on TikTok. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, millions of people have tuned into the hugely popular social networking service for news and views of what is happening on the battleground.

That was not lost on US officials who hosted a video call to brief popular TikTok “influencers” on details about the war, according to posts at the social network.

“Lots of people have been turning to digital creators to learn about the invasion of Ukraine,” read a tweet Friday by Gen-Z for Change, a nonprofit focused on using social media to promote civil discourse.

“Yesterday, we joined the @WhiteHouse and @WHNSC for a briefing on the United States’ strategic goals in Ukraine so we’re better able to debunk misinformation,” it added, referring to the White House National Security Council.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, music-themed video clips at Marta Vasyuta’s account gave way to images of soldiers and the ravages of war.

Stuck in London, the 20-year-old Ukrainian exchange student uses TikTok to share glimpses of the tragedy inflicted on people still in her home country.

This file photo taken on February 9, 2022 shows the logo of video-focused social networking service TikTok, at the TikTok UK office, in London. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, millions of people have tuned into TikTok for news and views of what is happening on the battleground. AFP

“My mission is to spread information; to not stop talking about that, because it really matters,” said the economics student from Lviv whose videos have logged millions of views.

Valeria Shashenok stayed in the city of Cherniguiv northeast of Kyiv and switched to English to broaden the reach of her sometimes surreal wartime TikTok posts.

In one, she shows how to cook borscht in a bomb shelter. In another, she walks through rubble to a Rihanna music remix.

The 20-year-old photographer is among those who have not given up on

the playful nature of videos considered a trademark of TikTok, which boasts more than a billion users.

“I try to keep the humor, because it is my nature,” said 23-year-old TikTok creator Rimma, who asked for her second name to be withheld.

“I’m living through this trauma; my life is ruined, and there is nothing left for me but irony.”

Her TikToks include a clip of her in a basement in Odessa, quipping that Ukrainians’ idea of going for a walk is now a jaunt to the nearest shelter.

She said the line between what is funny and what is hurtful is no longer clear,

given the suffering and fear afflicting so many.

But the appetite for wartime content at TikTok appears strong, with Vasyuta and Shashenok seeing subscriber ranks multiply at their accounts.

Youthful sass While breaking news events such as conflicts have been featured on social media for years, TikTok tends to feature spontaneity and a bit of sass that has proven particularly popular with younger audiences.

In the United States—where members of “Gen Z,” born in the late 1990s, shun traditional television— online platforms like TikTok are prime sources of news.

“I hope that the kids who watch this war unfold on TikTok become opposed to war (and) realize the horrors and dangers of it,” said US high school history teacher Chris Dier, who is also a TikTok creator.

“What I don’t want is for it to desensitize them and normalize war.”

Young TikTok users are also “bombarded” with propaganda that they likely need help navigating, said Dier.

TikTok told AFP that it has ramped up resources to detect and counter “emerging threats” and “harmful disinformation” on the platform.

On March 6, the subsidiary of China-based ByteDance suspended the uploading of videos in Russia in reaction to a new law making it a crime to “discredit” the Russian military. AFP

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

B4

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

DMCI Holdings allots P46.5b to finance group’s expansion bids

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE DMCI Holdings Inc. earmarked P46.5 billion in 2022 capital expenditures mainly to fund the expansion plans of property, water utility, coal and power generation businesses.

DMCI said in a presentation during a recent analysts’ briefing this year’s capital spending plan would be 52 percent higher than P30.6 billion it spent in 2021.

The conglomerate said it would spend P18.3 billion this year to develop more residential projects under DMCI Homes. DMCI Homes has 12,000 residential units in the pipeline with total sales value of P106.8 billion.

Water utility unit Maynilad Water Services Inc. will also spend P16.2 billion this year, up 90 percent from P8.5 billion in 2021.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. allotted P8.8 billion for its 2022 capital expenditures to support the expansion of power subsidiaries SemCalaca Power Corp. and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp.

Semirara is also targeting to produce 14.5 million to 15 million metric tons of coal this year.

Construction arm D.M. Consunji Inc. is spending P500 million this year. As of end-2021, DMCI’s order book reached P49.3 billion, with P4.7 billion worth of projects added in 2021.

The company is looking to bid for P128.3 billion worth infrastructure projects involving the construction of buildings, railway, bridges, roads, power plants, pier, substation, water treatment and reclamation facilities.

Meanwhile, the remaining capex would go to DMCI’s mining and power generation subsidiaries.

The conglomerate’s net income surged by 214 percent in 2021 to a record P18.4 billion from P5.9 billion in 2020, thanks to surging commodity prices, recovering electricity rates and higher construction accomplishments.

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Monday, March 14, 2022

-295.24 PTS. 6,816.95

T

HE Philippines’ strong macroeconomic fundamentals, coupled with its limited trade links to Russia and Ukraine, will insulate the economy from any impact of the continuing war between the two European countries, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Monday.

Diokno said in a statement to reporters the BSP was carefully monitoring the pass-through effect of international prices to domestic inflation to calibrate appropriate actions.

“That said, initial conditions matter.

Some countries are starting from high levels of inflation, others at moderate

levels, and others are within the range forecasts,” he said.

He cited as examples the US inflation which reached 7.9 percent, the United Kingdom’s at 5.5 percent and the Euro area’s 5.1 percent. Argentina had the highest inflation at 50.7 percent. Domestic inflation at 3.0 percent was well within the forecast range of 2 percent to 4 percent, he said.

“There is greater sense of urgency to act for countries with high inflation.

On its Feb. 17 policy meeting, based on data available at that time, BSP staff projected that average inflation will be 3.7 percent in 2022 and 3.3 percent in 2023—both within BSP’s target range,” Diokno said.

He said with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, conditions changed.

“Doing sensitivity analysis, we arrived at the following forecasts: if average world price of oil is $95 per barrel, domestic inflation will be 4.0 percent; if $120 per barrel, it will be 4.4 percent; and if $140 per barrel, it will be 4.7 percent,” he said.

Diokno said in terms of trade, direct links of the Philippines with Russia and

AIRASIA Philippines said Monday it resumed domestic operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 in anticipation of the influx of passengers flying for summer travel and the Holy Week.

The transfer to NAIA Terminal 4 is also in conjunction with the announcement by Department of Transportation reactivating the terminal’s operations after being closed for more than two years

UNCHANGED

28

Ukraine were negligible. In 2021, exports to Russia amounted to $120 million, or about 0.2 percent of the Philippines’ total exports. For Ukraine, total exports were a measly $5 million. Other economic linkages through investments, remittances and tourism were also limited.

“In brief, the Philippines’ geographic distance and limited economic link to both Russia and Ukraine, as well as its strong macroeconomic fundamentals, could insulate the domestic economy during the current risk-off episode,” Diokno said.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort earlier said the Philippines might incur a new record trade deficit of $50 billion this year as prices of global commodities led by oil, natural gas, wheat, nickel and copper posted record highs as a result of the war in Europe.

“Trade deficit estimate for 2022 would be wider around -$43 billion to -$45 billion, after -$43.1 billion in 2021 [compared to the record trade deficit of -$43.5 billion posted in 2018],” Ricafort said in a report.

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.2680

Japan

Yen

0.008523

0.4455

UK

Pound

1.304300

68.1732

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127747

6.6771

Switzerland

Franc

1.071008

55.9794

Canada

Dollar

0.785608

41.0622

Singapore

Dollar

0.733245

38.3252

Australia

Dollar

0.728900

38.0981

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

138.6566

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266567

13.9329

Brunei

Dollar

0.730567

38.1853

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.030075

1.5720

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2319

Euro

Euro

1.091700

57.0610

Korea

Won

0.000808

0.0422

China

Yuan

0.157729

8.2442

India

Rupee

0.013075

0.6834

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238550

12.4685

New Zealand

Dollar

0.680100

35.5475

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035201

1.8399 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF

IMI suspends work in Shenzhen facilities

SEMICONDUCTOR producer Integrated Microelectronics Inc. said Monday it suspended operations in Shenzhen, China over the recent spike in COVID-19 cases.

IMI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it implemented work suspension in its Shenzhen facilities in compliance with China government’s directive that all non-essential activities be halted until March 20, 2022 or until further notice.

IMI’s Shenzhen facilities contribute about 10 percent to the company’s total revenues.

“Local management teams are coordinating with government agencies to safeguard the health and welfare of all its IMI employees.

Close coordination with affected customers and government units concerned is ongoing to help mitigate its negative impact on the business,” IMI said.

The share price of IMI fell 0.35 percent Monday to close at P8.47.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PEZA supports hybrid work setup for BPOs

MICT EXPANSION. Manila International Container Terminal, International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s flagship operation at the Port of Manila, takes delivery of eight new Mitsui hybrid rubber tired gantry cranes for its container yard to further improve operational efficiency in light of growing volumes. The latest acquisition expands MICT’s RTG fleet to 52 units—40 of which are hybrids powered by a combination of lithium-ion battery and smaller diesel engine. The MICT started using hybrid RTGs in 2018 to reduce the terminal’s carbon footprint as it ramps up efforts to become the most sustainable terminal in the Philippines.

because of the pandemic, it said.

“Travel is set to rebound as seen with the increase of passengers traveling via air transport and the relaxation of travel protocols. As we expect this number to double in time for summer and Holy Week, we at AirAsia are keen on keeping our brand of high-quality guest service at an optimum,” said AirAsia Philippines spokesperson Steve Dailisan.

“We are upgrading our check-in counters at T4 to provide our guests

with a seamless travel experience.

We also encourage our guests to familiarize themselves with the online check-in option via Super App to facilitate easy and fast checkin procedures,” he said.

AirAsia Philippines recently doubled flight frequency to popular summer destinations such as Caticlan (Boracay), Kalibo, Cebu, Tagbilaran (Panglao) and Puerto Princesa. Flights to other destinations like Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban and Cagayan De Oro were

Philex’s $224-m Silangan copper-gold project in Surigao gets support of LGUs THE province of Surigao del Norte and other local government units welcomed the start of development of the Silangan copper-gold mine project of Philex Mining Corp., which at a cost of $224 million (about P11.2 billion), is one of the biggest investments in Mindanao.

Philex’s wholly-owned unit Silangan Mindanao Mining Co. Inc. will begin the development of the copper and gold mine in the second quarter of 2022 and expects it to begin commercial operation by early 2025. Throughout its 28year mine life, Philex estimates that total investments would reach $1.7 billion, with $1.5 billion coming from funds to be generated by Silangan mine.

Surigao del Norte Gov. Francisco Matugas said he is pleased that the long-delayed development of Silangan mine would soon commence to help generate jobs and spur economic activity in the province.

“This is another milestone in the minerals industry that is geared towards building a prosperous nation by way of responsible mining,” said Matugas in a letter to Philex and SMMCI president and chief executive Eulalio Austin Jr.

8,911,596,708.23 34 190

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2022

AirAsia PH resumes operations at NAIA Terminal 4 as travel rebounds

By Darwin G. Amojelar

2,591,765,339 122,716

TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES DECLINES

F oreign E xchange R ate

PH economy strong enough to weather Ukraine invasion

By Julito G. Rada

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

“Similarly, this is also a welcome development for our province and constituents who have been immensely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and, just recently, the Super Typhoon Odette,” he said.

Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said the forthcoming development of Silangan should generate employment, local expenditures and taxes needed to fuel economic recovery from the pandemic and the damage caused by Typhoon Odette.

Tubod Mayor Richelle Romarate also welcomed the coming development of Silangan mine and called Philex an “able partner” in economic activities of the town.

Philex was awarded by government a minerals production and sharing agreement in 1999 for the Silangan mining claims that cover 2,880 hectares straddling the towns of Placer, Tagana-an, Tubod and Sison in Surigao del Norte.

“Since its exploration stage, the Silangan project has always been an able partner of our town and my administration towards progress and economic development while consistently demonstrating its responsible stewardship of environmental and social concerns,” Romarate said.

also increased.

“We are confident that summer 2022 is really the onset of recovery not only for AirAsia Philippines, but also to all other airlines in the country. We expect travel to flourish especially with different festive seasons we have from April to May,” Dailisan said.

“We are also expecting a sustained demand until May due to voters coming home to the provinces in preparation for the May 2022 election,” he said.

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority said Monday it will support the shift of business process outsourcing firms to the hybrid work set-up from the work-from-home arrangement that will start on April 1, 2022.

“We are constantly in talks with IBPAP [IT Business Process Association of the Philippines] to still look into ways to include WFH or a hybrid work model in the IT-BPO sector’s operation in the Philippines. We should learn from the likes of India, one of our top competitors for IT-BPOs, wherein they are adjusting its policies and tax breaks to adopt hybrid work arrangement,” said PEZA director-general Charito Plaza.

The Fiscal Incentives Review Board rejected a previous proposal by PEZA to extend the WFH mode until September 2022, citing that movement of people to onsite work will help the economy recover faster.

Plaza said PEZA received messages from workers of registered IT-BPOs raising concerns about costs, health and safety regarding the return to office mandate. “PEZA will still file its appeal for reconsideration on the denial by the FIRB. For the meantime, I call onto our enterprises to follow the decision of the FIRB to avoid any penalties,” Plaza said.

Othel V. Campos

Puerto Princesa opens water treatment plant

PUERTO Princesa City started the commercial operations of a world-class facility that treats both septage and sewage water to address the contamination of Puerto Princesa Bay. Puerto Princesa’s Innovative Economical Septage and Sewage Treatment Plant, located at the Baywalk of Barangay Tagumpay, treats 2 million liters a day of sewage waste and 70 liters of septage waste.

It is being run and maintained by the Puerto Princesa Water Reclamation and Learning Center Inc. under a public-private partnership with the city government of Puerto Princesa and Faith Lived Out Visions 2 Ventures Holdings Inc., in cooperation with the Puerto Princesa Water City Water District.

FLOV2VS is a joint venture of JCA 1221 Holdings Inc. and Vivant Hydrocore Holdings Inc. “We invested into the facility as part of our commitment to improve everyday living in our communities,” said Vivant Hydrocore president and chief executive Jess Anthony Garcia. Alena Mae S. Flores

TMP CERTIFICATION. Toyota Motor Philippines Corp., the country’s automotive market leader, receives a Level 1 accreditation under the Bureau of Customs’ Authorized Economic Operation Program. TMP is the first company in the Philippines to become an accredited AEO. The accreditation provides TMP the program benefits cited under Customs Memorandum Order No. 09-2020 that include exemption from the annual renewal of customs accreditation as well as self-assessment of duty and tax liabilities. Shown during the BOC 120th anniversary celebration are (from left) TMP vice president for manufacturing Michael Angelo Antonio, Finance Undersecretary Antonette Tionko, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, TMP vice president for import-export and parts management Imelda Cruz-Sincioco and BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

Excessive rule on cigarette substitutes to worsen smoking woes PUBLIC health policy experts said excessive regulation on innovative smokefree products that are far less harmful than traditional cigarettes will only fuel the smoking epidemic and spawn the expansion of the underground market.

“If you make vaping more difficult, less satisfying, harder to access, or more expensive, then expect more cigarette smoking, a black market, user workarounds and more ill-health, accidents and crime,” said Clive Bates, director of Counterfactual Consulting Ltd. and for-

mer director of Action on Smoking and Health (UK).

Bates, along with tobacco treatment clinician Dr. Colin Mendelsohn and harm reduction advocate Dr. Alex Wodak, said less harmful alternatives such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products can help countries like the Philippines reduce the smoking problem that kills 100,000 Filipinos a year.

Wodak, emeritus consultant for Alcohol and Drug Service at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, said smoking actu-

ally affects about 1.1 billion globally.

“Up to two out of every three long-term smokers will die from a smoking-related condition. About eight million people around the world die every year from smoking. Most of these deaths are from cancer, heart or lung disease,” he said.

Around 17 million Filipinos continue to smoke cigarettes, and over 100,000 of them die of smoking-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and lung disease each year, data from the World Health Organization show.

Sports

Folayang out for few surprises in tiff with Parr EYEBROWS were raised when former two-time ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang jumped to ONE Super Series, to become the first mixed martial arts fighter in the ONE roster to move to the promotion’s all-striking event.

But it’s an opportunity that he just can’t pass up.

Folayang will take on John Wayne “The Gunslinger” Parr in a threeround Muay Thai bout at ONE X on March 26, and he will get the distinction of being the legendary Aussie’s retirement bout.

“To be fighting a legend in his retirement bout is such a big opportunity for me. It’s a big honor,” Folayang stated.

“He’s won titles in different divisions, and now I’ll be competing in his territory with a different style so I have to offer my best.”

It’s not like Folayang is new to competing in all-striking competition though.

Before blazing the trail for Philippine mixed martial arts, Folayang was bannering the blue and red for the Philippines as part of the Wushu National Team.

As an amateur, “Landslide” emerged as one of the top bets in wushu, winning medals in World, Asian and Southeast Asian levels for the country.

That’s why Folayang is excited as not only will he compete in a “legend versus legend” bout against Parr, he’s effectively going back to his roots.

“Of course I’m excited cause you know when I was starting with the national team, it was all striking,” he shared.

“Now, I’m back at it again, this time in Muay Thai rules. There will be adjustments of course, but we’ve faced a lot of fighters with similar backgrounds in the past and that gave me a feel on how Muay Thai fighters compete.”

While he has no illusions of being the favored fighter here, that doesn’t mean that he’ll allow Parr to run over him and hand “The Gunslinger” the 100th win in his career.

Folayang won’t be happy just showing up, he plans to go all the way.

“At the end of the day, I have to prepare as hard as I can and I have to take this fight seriously. There are no giveaways here,” Folayang stated.

“I have to be at my best. I know there will be a lot of people watching, people who look up to me that’s why I have to use this match to further motivate them.”

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

CIGNAL PLAY-BEST PLAYER. Super rookie Mikey Williams lifted

TNT to victories over Terrafirma and NorthPort as it clinched the No. 3 spot with a 7-4 card entering the quarterfinals, helping the Tropang Giga secure a twice-to-beat incentive in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs. The heroics of the Fil-Am earned him Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honors for the period March 9 to 13.

Carcueva new Ronda leader; Bonifacio rules longest stage

By Peter Atencio

L

UCENA City—Zambales bet Joshua Mari Bonifacio and Cebuano rider Jonel Carcueva took advantage of the many opportunities that came their way as they conquered the fabled Tatlong Eme Road of the Quezon National Forest Park.

The efforts of Bonifacio of Excellent Noodles and Carcueva of Go for Gold gave them the chance to snatch the Stage 5 win and the red jersey honors, respectively, in the 206-km journey on Monday from Daet to Lucena, the longest route of the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas.

The 23-year-old Bonifacio, a sprint specialist, broke away with 19.6 kilometers to go, picking up speed when he went downhill from Atimonan’s renowned Bitukang Manok route, as he rode alone ahead of the pack all the way to the Maharlika Highway finish line in five hours, 15 minutes and 59 seconds.

Meanwhile, the narrow routes along two damaged road sections undergoing repairs and the steep climbs enabled

the 23-year-old Carcueva to snatch the overall lead from Excellent Noodles’ rider Jan Paul Morales following a seventh-place finish.

Morales relinquished the overall lead he held since Day 1 after he struggled but recovered from a flat tire, as he came in one minute and 50 seconds behind Bonifacio.

Bonifacio’s closest pursuer El Joshua Carino of the Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance, was almost 20 meters behind and trailed by eight seconds when he was done, after reaching the finish line under a blazing afternoon sun.

Go For Gold Rider Ronnilan Quita was further away and lagged by one minute and 45 seconds when he arrived at the endpoint, with VPharma’s

Voltaire Dumlao.

“Kumawala ako sa pag-ahon.

Hindi ko naman specialty ang pag-akyat,” said Bonifacio, who used to ride for Go For Gold, after claiming his first stage win.

Carcueva used his familiarity of the routes inside Quezon National Forest to gain time and move on to the claim the no. 1 position in the general classification standings.

He now has a collective time of 15 hours, 2 minutes and 52 seconds.

Morales’ woes started after he left the starting area at the Bagasbas beach front in Daet, Camarines Norte. He fell to no. 2 in the overall rankings, trailing Carcueva by 1:17.

It could have been worse for Morales, but he got support from teammate Merwin Corpuz, who stayed with him in the fifth group.

This had Corpuz remaining in third in the overall individual standings, trailing Carcueva by 1:37.

Navymen John Mark Caningao and Ronald Lomotos placed fifth and sixth at the end

Pacquiao to son Jimuel: I’m so proud of you

By Randy Caluag THE reaction of boxing legend and presidential candidate Manny Pacquiao to the victory of his eldest son Jimuel in his amateur debut in the US was short and sweet.

“Congratulations to my son Jimuel Pacquiao on fighting and winning his first U.S. amateur fight at junior welterweight! I’m so proud of you.”

This was Pacquiao’s post on his social media page in reaction to the impressive win by Jimuel over Mexican-American Andres Rosales on Sunday (Philippine time) at the House of Boxing Gym in San Diego, California.

While Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee were busy in the campaign trail in the Philippines, Jimuel has been in the U.S. training for months under Filipino trainer Marvin Somodio at the Wild Card Boxing Gym. Somodio had also worked at Pacquiao’s corner many times as an assis-

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tant to Freddie Roach.

Unlike his father, Jimuel is a righthander with a formidable one-two punch. He used mostly stiff jabs and overhand right in beating his opponent to the punch en route to a decision win in his first sanctioned amateur bout on US soil.

In a report by Ryan Songalia on ringtv.com, the match was attended by a packed crowd. “There were no knockdowns or scores read, only the announcement that Pacquiao in the red corner had emerged victorious.”

Songalia quoted Somodio that Jimuel “showed me that he has heart. He’ll get better and stronger.”

Somodio said they look forward to Jimuel’s second career bout and hopefully with his father Manny watching from ringside.

Jimuel, 21, fought in the welterweight division.

Manny started as a flyweight before moving to higher weight categories and

Jimuel Pacquiao (left) in action versus Mexican-American Andres Rosales (Manny Pacquiao FB)

amassing eight world division titles. 62 wins, 39 by knockout, 8 losses and He retired from boxing with a record of 2 draws.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang unveils new battle emotes featuring actress Brillantes

MOBILE Legends: Bang Bang Philippines has unveiled Andrea Brillantes’s Secret Surprise—in the form of MLBB in-game emotes inspired by the actress.

This is the first-ever battle emote featuring a Filipino celebrity. The interactive stickers will be made available for a limited time and are titled “Mock,” “Finger Heart,” and “Fighting!”

Both the Mock and Fighting! emotes have a glowing effect that comes with confetti, while Finger Heart highlights an attractive display of hearts and kiss marks.

“I am grateful to MOONTON Games for the experience and proud of my very-own battle emotes that represent me and my fellow girl gamers out there. I look forward to seeing my fans use the

Andrea Brillantes sticker ‘Fighting’

emotes in games and break biases or stereotypes that female gamers are not good enough,” said Andrea, endorser of makeup line, Blythe Cosmetics.

Score these exciting emotes for free! From March 22 to April 3, MLBB will host an in-game campaign featuring the time-limited emotes. To get the first emote, log into MLBB, click on the “Event” button, and select “pre-register.”

The event will run from today until March 21.

Complete the tasks and earn points to score the remaining battle emotes!

For more information, please refer to the online media kit here or follow Mobile Legends: Bang Bang through the following links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MobileLegendsOnlinePH YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MobileLegends5v5MOBA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ mlbbttofficial?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/MobileLegendsOL

Joshua Mari Bonifacio

of stage 5, a notch ahead of Carcueva.

Go For Gold’s Daniel Van Carino was eighth, followed in ninth and 10th

by Army’s Mark Bordeos and DReyna’s Arjay Peralta.

Cignal launches new campaign for PVL Open Conference ‘22 THE country’s finest women spikers will again showcase their skills in the only professional league in the country when the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference hits home at the Paco Arena in Manila starting March 16.

The spotlight will be on this season’s campaign of the PVL “The Heart of Volleyball,” which was launched by its broadcast partner Cignal TV. The current season’s campaign was inspired by how PVL is synonymous to Philippine volleyball, considered home of the best local volleyball players in the country and a league followed by the most passionate fans. The Heart of Volleyball will be seen across the multi-platform broadcast plan to be provided by Cignal TV together with Smart Communications Inc. making sure that all PVL action is seen by fans nationwide whether on TV, digital, streaming & social media.

The PVL games will be airing live on One Sports (Free to Air CH. 41 and Cignal CH. 6) and One Sports+ (Cignal Ch. 91 SD, CH. 261 HD), with both channels also available on Cignal’s OTT Platform, Cignal Play, with video on demand also available on the platform. The livestream of the games will also be accessible on Smart GigaPlay, a platform exclusive for Smart subscribers.

“We are honored to bring the PVL games to volleyball fans across the country. The PVL as the Heart of Volleyball – a league rooted in excellence and skill – has a passionate and tight-knit community showcasing a remarkable and inspiring sisterhood in both victory and defeat. Cignal TV strives to bring the best of the PVL action right in the comfort of our viewers’ homes, giving them front row access to enjoy the heart-pounding games played by their volleyball idols,” shared Cignal President and CEO Robert P. Galang.

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Sports

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

Neymar, Messi jeered as fans rage at PSG exit PARIS—Paris Saint-Germain beat Ligue 1 strugglers Bordeaux 3-0 on Sunday amid incessant whistles directed at stars including Lionel Messi and Neymar from home fans furious at another European exit.

Amid a gloomy atmosphere in the French capital, only Kylian Mbappe, who scored both goals in the last-16 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, escaped the wrath of the fans.

On Sunday, Mbappe was again on target, scoring the opening goal after 24 minutes with Neymar and Leandro Paredes adding two more in the second half.

PSG hold a 15-point lead over Marseille and Nice and are on track to equal Saint-Etienne’s record of 10 French titles, but the frustration of their home fans spilled over.

Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi was booed as never before in his career, even in the rare bad times with Argentina, and whistled at every touch of the ball.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino said the players had reacted to the hostility “with sadness”.

“No-one who loves PSG, its colours, and who feels the frustration of elimination, can experience it in any other way.

“Sadness. I think that’s the right word. The sadness of experiencing an afternoon like this here at the Parc des Princes.

“Messi and Neymar? We are all affected, we understand the disappointment and frustration, which we also share. But we are responsible. We only have to accept it as a team and we will be united until the end.”

Ligue 1 is Pochettino’s side’s only objective this season.

“We are satisfied with the performance of the team in difficult circumstances, the team responded, with a professional performance, with a 3-0 win,” added the Argentine.

Mbappe blasted in the first goal from Georginio Wijnaldum’s pass in a move also involving Messi. It was the World Cup winner’s 15th goal of the season in Ligue 1.

Neymar added a second seven minutes after the break with Messi again sending the ball through for Achraf Hakimi who teed up the Brazilian to score.

Paredes got on the scoresheet for the first time this season after an hour, firing the ball into the roof of the net.

‘We’re all to blame’ “We’re all to blame, no-one more so than anyone else,” PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe said of the whistles targeting Messi and Neymar.

“We’re a team and we’re all together when things are good and when they’re not.

“Now is the time to show we have character and stay solid and strong together, even if it’s very, very hard because unfortunately it happens often.

It’s time to pick ourselves back up and show that we’re strong.”

Luis Suarez, a former team-mate of Messi and Neymar at Barcelona, posted his support for the pair on social media.

“As always football has no memory.

Always with you. Love you both so much!” Suarez wrote alongside a photo of the trio on Instagram.

On Saturday, PSG’s ultra fans group had said Qatari club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi should step down after the French giants’ Champions League elimination. AFP

FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ

Paean for Popovich THERE is a Gregg Popovich somewhere in the NBA multiverse that failed to become great.

Subjected to castigation by San Antonio Spurs fans after using his clout and position as general manager and vice president of basketball operations to remove a sitting head coach and take over the position, that Gregg Popovich existing in a parallel universe -- harangued, insulted, and belittled -- is now forgotten (unless, of course, the people around him forgot his temerity first), and the Spurs

Ajinomoto PH backs ‘Queen of Trails’ via Victory Project

Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in the first half of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The seven-time Super Bowl champion said on March 13, 2022 that he has changed his mind about retirement and will return to the NFL next season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. AFP

AJINOMOTO Philippines Corporation officially signed Ariana Evangelista, the Philippines’ top seed for women’s mountain biking as its sponsored athlete as she pursues victory in the 31st Southeast Asian Games to be held in Vietnam in May 2022.

Evangelista, known fondly by fans as the “Queen of Trails,” is a three-time national champion and winner of the Under-23 gold at the Asian championships back in 2018. Currently holding rank No. 4 in Asia as well as a constant spot in the Philippine National Cycling Team, Evangelista hopes to deliver a medaled performance in the upcoming 31st SEA Games in Vietnam.

To help Evangelista achieve her full potential, APC will support her through the Victory Project®. Ajinomoto Co. Inc. started The Victory Project® in 2003 to support the conditioning of top-level athletes in Japan and conduct nutritional support activities utilizing the power of amino acids, including providing products such as aminoVITAL® and promoting the Winning Meals Kachimeshi®.

Ajinomoto’s Kachimeshi® (“Winning Meals”) concept is shared to support elite athletes in building winning physiques for optimum performance.

From 2018, the Victory Project® was rolled out in 6 Ajinomoto Group Companies in ASEAN region. The contingents involved in this project also went on a winning streak during the 30th SEA Games. In the Philippines, among the 30th SEA Games medalists, Karate athlete Junna Tsukii and Pole Vault athlete Ernest John Obiena, both supported

by APC, clinched the much-coveted Gold Medals in their specific fields.

Brady un-retires, says he will return to Bucs M

IAMI—Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady said Sunday he has changed his mind about retirement and will return to the NFL next season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brady won six titles in 20 seasons with the New England Patriots then moved the Bucs in 2020 and led them to a championship.

But Tampa Bay lost to the eventual champion Los Angeles Rams in January in the playoffs and Brady announced his retirement last month.

Now superstar quarterback Brady, who turns 45 in August, says he wants at least one more chance at a championship.

“These past two months I have realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” Brady said in a social media posting. “That time will come. But it’s not now.

“I love my teammates and I love my supportive family. Without them, none of this is possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa.

“We have unfinished business.”

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians was thrilled to welcome back Brady.

“Tom Brady loves to play football as much as anyone I’ve ever been

around,” Arians said.

“He’s still playing at a championship level and was as productive as anyone in the league last season. We are ecstatic that he decided to continue playing and working toward winning another championship.”

The Buccaneers simply posted a video of Brady on Twitter with the message: “He’s baaackkkk.”

The move comes in time for the Buccaneers to adjust their free agency and NFL Draft plans to allow for the legendary signal caller to be back in uniform in the upcoming season and not a major vacancy to fill.

“We’re thrilled that Tom has decided to come back this season,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said. “We said we would leave all options open for him should he reconsider his retirement and today’s announcement is something we have been preparing for in recent days.

“Bruce and I have had plenty of

conversations with Tom recently that led us to believe there was a realistic chance he’d want to come back.

“Tom is the greatest quarterback of all time who is still playing at an elite level. With this decision now made, we will continue to move forward with our off-season plans to reload this roster for another championship run.”

The retirement lasted 40 days after taking days to become confirmed in the first place.

After speculation and reports that Brady was going to hang up his cleats for the last time, the husband of model Gisele Bundchen confirmed his retirement plans on February 1, saying then he no longer felt he could commit to American football.

“I have always believed the sport of football is an ‘all-in’ proposition -- if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed,” Brady wrote last month. “This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.”

But the player hailed as the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) has found he’s ready to handle the hours of workouts in order to prepare for another title quest with the Buccaneers. AFP

Ariana Evangelista

India’s Lahiri grabs lead at Players Championship Anirban Lahiri of India plays his second shot on the par 4, seventh hole during completion of the weather delayed third round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass on March in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

AFP

have won that five championships (maybe more) under a different head coach.

Fortunately for us, that is not the Gregg Popovich in our universe. Basketball fans—not just San Antonio Spurs fans, not just NBA fans—witnessed Gregg Popovich ascend to greatness as a coach, a mentor, as a friend, as a father figure, and as a human being.

Google Gregg Popovich, if you want his full curriculum vitae.

I think there is very little the Internet does not know about the many accomplishments of this man— every win, every career move, every word of praise, every achievement—everything is there.

What Googling Gregg will not tell you is how to perceive the success of this man.

How to put it in context. How to make sense of it outside of celebrating something validated and made real by compiled and recorded statistics. Is it destiny? Determination? DNA? All three and more?

There is a Gregg Popovich somewhere in the NBA multiverse that failed to become great. But the Gregg Popovich in our universe did enough so that things turn differently for him here.

MIAMI—India’s Anirban Lahiri birdied three of his last four holes to seize a one-stroke lead before darkness halted Sunday’s third round of the storm-hit Players Championship.

Lahiri made six birdies against a lone bogey to reach 5-under through 11 holes at TPC Sawgrass and stand on 9-under overall, one stroke ahead of Americans Tom Hoge and Harold Varner entering a Monday shootout at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

“I’m just being in the moment right now. I’m really happy. I’m confident,” Lahiri said. “You grind away, keep chipping away, keep working on your game, and when it clicks, it clicks.”

Two days of torrential rain followed by fierce winds on Saturday delayed play so some golfers must go 27 holes on Monday to finish the tournament.

Lahiri, 34, seeks his biggest career title after European Tour victories in 2015 at the Malaysian and Indian Opens.

The mentor that he is, his reaching a new milestone is also a valuable teaching moment, and the first lesson is this: it is not enough to want something; to get it, one must be determined. This is how you differentiate the “I want it” from “I’m going for it.” And believe me, there is a big difference between these two.

When he fired Bob Hill, he didn’t just want to be a head coach for the sake of becoming one. He was determined to become a good one, a calling evident since he started coaching. He wanted great basketball culture to grow where he is, and to do that, he became the seed. He led the Pomona-Pitzer men’s basketball team to a title after a 68-year drought. For some coaches, such an achievement is already a ticket to feeling accomplished, but Gregg Popovich is not just some coach.

So he will study under Larry Brown (he would eventually become Brown’s assistant in the NBA) hoping to become better—a seed from which a tree can grow, a tree that can branch out, bear fruits, grow deep roots and a sturdy trunk strong enough to survive the storms, and shade big enough for the comfort of those who deserved it.

“It definitely would be a career highlight,” Lahiri said. “This is the next thing to winning a major.”

World number 322 Lahiri seeks his first US PGA title and the first by any India player since Arjun Atwal’s 2010 triumph at Greensboro. He said it would mean a lot to his homeland because people could watch it there.

“It would be huge,” Lahiri said.

“With every shot live, it makes a big difference because people get to watch me play. It’s not every week you play well, but you play well in a week where people can actually see you play, it makes a bigger difference.”

Varner seeks his first US PGA title while Hoge captured his first oJosnly last month at Pebble Beach. Each has nine holes remaining in round three.

Lahiri’s cold start Lahiri’s day began in the second round in cold barely above freezing and he made three bogeys before an eagle at

Gregg Popovich has proven in all of his years coaching boys-turned-men in the NBA is that you can win if you nurture players and help them become their best selves, and excel not just as basketball players but as human beings.

Gregg Popovich is a nurturing person to those who are in his fold, which is why the San Antonio Spurs basketball culture is much-desired and much-envied, and to the envious, much-despised. This is why many retired players and former players only have kind words for him. This is why many coaches he mentored became successful head coaches themselves.

That is lesson number two. How you live is just as important as what you were able to achieve in your life. Think about it. Even when the Spurs are not winning, it remains a toxic-free environment. There is a level of respect that helps you understand the bigger idea that there is something more important than your relationship as teammates and the collective agenda as a basketball unit, and that is your relationship with one another as human beings and the collective agenda to make our lives and the lives of the people we can affect and

the par-5 11th in the second round.

“I’m not used to playing in temps like that. I couldn’t feel anything in my fingers, my toes,” Lahiri said. “Felt like I made good swings but they came out sideways and I missed a few putts.

“It kind of warmed up a little bit and I got a hold of what I wanted to do on the greens. Just making the three on 11 kind of gave me the momentum I needed to turn my day around.”

In the third round, Lahiri made an 11-foot birdie putt at the first hole and tapped in for birdie at the par-5 second.

He sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the sixth, rolled in a four-footer at the par-3 eighth and sank a birdie putt from just inside 25 feet at the par-5 ninth.

Lahiri found the left trees off the 10th tee and made a bogey to start the back nine, but bounced back with a tap-in birdie at 11, making him the man to beat with nine rivals lurking three or less back. AFP

influence a better one.

Cooperative. Collaborative. Fun. How many other teams in the NBA can make the claim of having the same culture?

Because we can see the Spurs as winners because of the quality of (professional and personal) life they experience in this organization even when they are not winning is one more reason why Gregg Popovich is a great coach.

Players are breaking records here and there in the NBA and yet, it was never enough to cement the claim as the Greatest of All Time.

Gregg Popovich’s recent statistical accomplishment—the NBA’s all-time leader in coaching wins with 1,336— serves merely as a reminder of what he’s become: a legend, and a worthy rival to Phil Jackson every time we argue who deserves to be called the Greatest of All Time among NBA head coaches.

Phil Jackson has the most championships as a coach. But Gregg Popovich changed the narrative: numbers are important, but so is culture. And who does not want to learn how to play (and win) the Gregg Popovich way?

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

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Cruising with Nik Makino

Nik Makino

‘Neneng B’ artist switches gears to go full throttle with first full album

‘Hype One’s’ includes 14 songs that show a more personal side of the artist

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IP-hop artist Nik Makino was once in the center of everyone’s attention when he released “Neneng B,” the pandemic anthem that carries hypersexually explicit lyrics.

It was a hit with over 95 million streams.

But the 26-year-old music star is now veering away from songs that depict women in a “not so empowering manner,” rather, he wanted to make music about selfrealization and songs that celebrate family, friendship, and some clean, laid-back fun.

“I’m a family man now, and as we mature, I wanted to create music with Nik Makino (left) and Siobe Lim in a lasting impact,” Makino yacht cruise in Subic told Manila Standard Entertainment during a yacht cruise in Subic where he officially launched Hype One’s, a three-part compilation baring a more personal side of the hip hop artist.

“The songs in this album are inspired by my self-reflection and my innermost thoughts. With this record, I wanted to share with my fans, my journey from being Mr. Neneng B to becoming a family man and an influential artist,” he carried on.

In January, Makino kicked off the release of his first single “Dahan

Members of the press in the yacht cruise in Subic where Makino officially launched ‘Hype One’s’

Pattinson-starrer ‘Batman’ tops box office anew THE Batman held fast to its leading position in North American theaters this weekend, with a strong take estimated at $66 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

With few new wide releases coming in what promises to be a quiet March, “Batman will carry the month,” said analyst David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, who predicts a “thin” release schedule through May. Warner Bros.’s long and noirish take on the Caped Crusader — Robert Pattinson stars in the title role, with Paul Dano as the Riddler, Colin Farrell as the Penguin, and Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman — has now surpassed $238 million domestically and $224 million internationally, more than justifying its $200 million production budget.

Sony adventure film Uncharted, starring Tom Holland as an Indiana Jones-style treasure hunter, held in second place in its fourth week out, taking in an estimated $9.3 million for the Friday-throughSunday period.

In third was a surprising entry. BTS Permission to Dance on Stage: Seoul, from Trafalgar Releasing, earned $6.8 million to become the top-grossing live cinema event of all time, according to

Hollywood Reporter.

Live-event cinema — which started mostly with opera performances — has been gaining popularity.

That knocked Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s road-trip comedy Dog down one spot to fourth; it took in $5.3 million. Channing Tatum plays an army veteran who drives Lulu, a dog injured while working with the military in Afghanistan, to her former handler’s funeral.

And in fifth was Sony blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home, with $4.1 million in ticket sales in its 13th week out.

With Tom Holland playing the popular web-slinger, the film’s international earnings are nearing $1.1 billion.

AFP

elections.

Talking to the press, the actress Veteran actress Vivian Velez

A scene from the music video for ‘Ready Ka’

Lang,” and its corresponding music video on YouTube. Completely treating his avid followers on Tiktok, a few days later, Makino teased his fans by giving sneak peeks of his upcoming tracks on his isang mabilis lang videos. And just recently, staying true to his upcoming album, Makino hyped his fans by dropping yet another single along with a music video entitled “Ready Ka.” “I want my fans and listeners to know me better aside sa fact na I’m the man behind the song Lexi and Neneng B. I want them to see that Nik Makino is more than those two hit tracks which paved my way in the local hip-hop music scene. This time, I want more people to relate and connect with my songs in a more positive manner, basing it on my own self-realizations and experiences.”

Makino, shared.

Hype One’s includes 14 songs, grouped accordingly as Interlude 1 & 2.

Each Interlude brackets tread through a story that Makino personally crafted.

He also collaborated with fellow artists like Flow G, Shao Lin, A. Ross, and Dash Calzado. to create some of the

songs.

The most anticipated track of the album, “Moon” featuring Flow G, is a collaboration fans have been begging for. “Moon” hooks its listeners right away with a hypnotic string opening, molded into a trap beat. A song about the journey to the top, Nik and Flow G rap about their dedication to finding success in rap and all the good and bad things that come with it – from hustling even when things are hard, to knowing that there are people watching and waiting for them to succeed and also fail. One message is clear in this Nik Makino and Flow G track, there’s no room for dead weight on their road to success.

Nik Makino is intentional in Hype One’s – by sharing his journey from being Mr. “Neneng B” to now being a father, a partner, and an artist with an influence over his fans, he wants to inspire his fans and other aspiring artists to continue the hustle, be creative, stay consistent, and work towards the perfect timing.

Listen to Nik Makino’s Hype One’s here: https://bfan.link/HYPEONES

Educators, students guild names GMA Network as TV Station of the Year FOR the second year in a row, GMA Network was chosen as the “TV Station of the Year” by the Guild of Educators, Mentors, and Students (GEMS) with Several GMA programs and personalities were also recognized at the 6th Hiyas ng Sining Awards held virtually on March 10.

Multi-awarded comedian and content creator Michael V. was conferred the “Natatanging Hiyas ng Sining sa Telebisyon (Highest Honors for TV)” for his exemplary contribution to the industry as actor, director, and writer.

Flagship newscast 24 Oras remains the top choice for news content as it took home the “Best News Program.” One of its anchors, Mel Tiangco, was conferred

the “Best Newscaster (Male or Female)” award.

For its powerful and eye-opening documentaries, The Atom Araullo Specials won as this year’s “Best TV Program-Opinion/Documentary.”

Its host, Atom Araullo, was in turn chosen as “Best TV Program Host (Male or Female - Opinion/Documentary).”

GMA Network’s original musical competition The Clash was recognized as the “Best TV Program - Reality/ Talent Search.”

Alden Richards was awarded the “Best Performance in a Lead Role (Male or Female - TV Series)” for his remarkable performance in the compelling primetime series The World

Between Us. Winning the “Best Performance in a Lead Role (Male or Female - Single Performance)” award was Aiko Melendez for the Tadhana episode Dalawa ang Aking Ina. Kapuso stars shone brightly in the film category, too.

Dingdong Dantes received the “Best Performance in a Lead Role (Male)” award for the film A Hard Day while Jaclyn Jose, in turn, won “Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Female)” for The Housemaid.

The GEMS - Hiyas ng Sining Awards honors different shows and personalities for their contribution in the fields of writing, theater, radio, television, and music.

Zoe Kravitz (left) and Robert Pattinson in ‘The Batman’

Vivian Velez leads group supporting Isko-Sara tandem SENIOR actress and Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) director-general Vivian Velez spearheaded the launch of a broad coalition of supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte called ISAng Pilipinas along with film producer Edith Fider who released the recent biopic of Isko Moreno.

Held at Club Filipino, San Juan City on March 9, the group formally threw its support for presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Moreno and vice presidential bet and Davao City Mayor S a r a Duterte as an unofficial ticket in the May

Makino in the music video for ‘F.O.H.’

said that ISAng Pilipinas is a private initiative and neither endorsed by the president nor by Moreno and Duterte. She also clarified that they did not ask Moreno and Duterte’s permission in launching this “private initiative.”

“Our choice to support them was a result of a long vetting process of presidential and vice presidential candidates. It’s our choice to pick who we want. With due respect to their tandem, we all know it’s a political choice … As supporters, we have freedom of choice and we have to take advantage of that,” Velez said.

“Although he (Duterte) is neutral, we went through the process of elimination.

He is definitely not endorsing BBM or Bongbong Marcos, so he is not supporting him. He is also not supporting Leni Robredo. As we go through that process of elimination, it is a no-brainer for us to choose Isko because we think he is the best candidate for president,” the actress explained.

She further added that their group hoped to convince voters to pick the two youngest candidates belonging to different parties as their next leaders.

“Both of them are mayors. I believe in the theory that the pragmatic approach to deal with crisis and uncertainty, it would be mayors. That I think would be the best solution to solve our problem. The mayors are the best people to run this country,” she said.

Several GMA personalities receive recognition from the 6th Hiyas ng Sining Awards

Kris Bernal still thankful despite not being an exclusive talent ACTRESS Kris Bernal is grateful that despite the fact that she is no longer an exclusive contract star of Sparkle (formerly GMA Artist Center), the management still entrusted her to be one of the main leads in its latest afternoon soap offering, Artikulo 247.

In a recent press conference for the series, Kris acknowledged GMA’s generosity for allowing her to come back to her original home studio and to be given a “wonderful and important role.”

In contrast to her previous roles though, the petite actress is playing the role of the villain in her new soap.

“This is definitely a first in my career.

I played a somewhat similar character in Impostora before but I can say that this is more difficult for me. There are emotions which I was surprised I can do in this series,” she started.

“There are emotions which I was able to exhibit here which I haven’t done yet in my past programs. Perhaps, it’s because I’m used to portraying goody-goody characters. I’m always the oppressed heroine,” she went on.

Kris thanks her husband Perry Choi for always being supportive of her career and the things she enjoys as an artist.

“I’m blessed that my husband understands my craft. Imagine, we didn’t see each other for a long time because I went to our lock-in taping. Actually, as I counted, my kissing scenes with my leading men are many as compared to him,” she said in jest.

“But kidding aside, my husband doesn’t meddle with my work and I’m lucky in that aspect. As for me, I just follow what the director tells me to do.

As long as the production approved it, I will do it. I’m easy to talk to.”

The StarStruck Season 4 alumnus also expresses her being happy to be working with her costars in her new show. In Artikulo 247, she stars with Mark Herras, Mike Tan, Benjamin Alves, Victor Silayan, and Rhian Ramos.

“It’s a wonderful experience working with them. We have a fun set,” she ended.

••• It’s confirmed that dancer-choreographer DJ Loonyo will enter the acting field. He will be part of the TV5 television series Niña Niño top-billed by Maja Salvador.

“Well, before, I could picture this in mind already. As you can see, dancing and acting are related fields. Especially in contemporary dancing, you need to act. So, when I learned that I was given the chance in Niña Niño, I was very happy! It’s a new challenge for me to try this new department. I know that it will contribute to my growth as an artist and will open more doors for me.”

Does this mean he will leave d a n c i n g already? “ T h a t ’s not possible!

I’m going to dance forever!” assured DJ Loonyo.

Kris Bernal

Nickie Wang, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

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TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 2022

Life

Bringing Filipinos closer to their dream of homeownership HAVING learned vital lessons from the global health crisis, Filipinos are resetting their priorities; more than ever, they now feel the need to own a home and, even better, ensure their families’ future through property investments.

While Filipinos are willing to work hard for this objective, the leading real estate developer BRIA Homes is there to make it easy for them. With its brand mission of providing comfortable homes

in conveniently located communities, BRIA is mounting “Make It Yours,” a goal-setting campaign that will bring Filipinos closer to their dream of homeownership.

Online and on-the-ground activities are currently underway for “Make It Yours,” which will kick off with BRIA’s Worldwide Virtual Property Expo, a 24-hour event running from March 18 to 19. During the expo, BRIA’s sales and marketing team will be on

BRIA’s ‘Make It Yours’ campaign will include a series of online and on-the-ground activities that will encourage interested home seekers and property investors to purchase a BRIA unit.

Aside from the virtual property expo, the ‘Make It Yours’ campaign will also feature new and improved materials in all of BRIA’s digital platforms

All BRIA communities boast sturdy homes and condominium units, premium amenities, proximity to essential destinations, and competent property management

hand to entertain inquiries of potential homebuyers, investors, and customers, set up meetings for them, and assist them in their transactions, reservations, and other concerns.

Apart from the virtual property expo, BRIA’s ‘Make It Yours’ campaign features new and improved materials in all of BRIA’s digital platforms and undertakes ‘open house’ events in select developments. The drive also

aims to recruit and encourage aspiring real estate professionals to join BRIA’s highly dynamic sales and marketing team.

Amid all these exciting developments, Eduardo T. Aguilar, BRIA Homes Division Head, happily anticipates more Filipino homebuyers and property investors, here and abroad, to look into BRIA’s fifty-plus residential projects situated nationwide.

“With BRIA’s ‘Make It Yours’ campaign showcasing its value-formoney house and lot and condo units, more Filipinos will make better propertypurchasing decisions,” he asserts.

Aguilar further points out that homeownership is a milestone event in any Filipino’s life.

“This is why helping our kababayans fulfill a cherished dream is what we are here to do,” he says. “BRIA Homes aims to gain the trust of more property seekers by offering what every Filipino family needs for a comfortable life: well-designed, sturdy homes and condominium units that have premium amenities; proximity to essential destinations; and a competent property management.”

Interested homebuyers can check out BRIA properties through virtual tours via www.bria.com.ph or the official BRIA Facebook page. They can also reserve a property online through https://www.bria. com.ph/online-reservation/.

Sustainable shopping with Carousell

By Tet Defensor

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Frozen yogurt ice cream with a special fruit blend of strawberries, bananas, and chia seeds from Overdough

You know what’s refreshing for a hot summer day? It’s Iceberg’s tropical banana icesplit

It’s summer officially and here are your cool stops at SM MOA complex WITH summer days ahead, we’re all summer months and beyond. looking forward to everything that will Cold Stone premium ice cream is make us feel refreshed, energized, and made fresh in every store, churned from revitalized. the finest ingredients, and topped with And the good news is that whether your choice of candy, fruit, and nuts, you’re enjoying thrilling rides or making it one of the best tasting made watching the sunset at SM by the Bay; to order ice creams; Iceberg has new shopping or dining with family and takes on all-time favorites like Banana friends at the main mall or savoring Split; Tiger Sugar’s ice cream bars are gourmet cuisine at S Maison, there cold and creamy with the caramel-y are a lot of cool stops serving frozen flavors of Tiger Sugar’s signature drink; desserts, milk, tea, and smoothies at the Nuki Churros and Gelato is known for SM Mall of Asia Complex. its intensity of flavors.

The milk tea craze has made us aware And if you’re health-conscious, you of the many possibilities and flavors can try frozen yogurt which is lower in of this popular drink. Not to mention fat and calories than ice cream. There its health benefits. Chatime, one of is BLK 513, a Charcoal enhanced the first to ride on the milk tea craze Frozen Yogur; Llaollao is a Spanish hit the Philippines with its fresh and frozen yogurt brand that comes with savory tapioca pearls; Coco’s classic a wide range of toppings and sauces; Panda Milk Tea; Macao Imperial Tea’s Overdough’s yogurt ice cream in fruit cheesecake, and pearl milk tea. blends; and Koomi’s refreshing yogurt As a tropical country, our cuisine has drinks in Aussie Blend (tangier) and the many delightful ways to keep cool, and Filipino Blend (sweeter blend) flavors. the good news is that modern Filipino Other ways to keep cool this summer: restaurants have given traditional J.Co Donuts’ bottled J.Coccino; Salad recipes a twist.

Stop’s freshly brewed smoothies like At Razon’s, halo-halo, Sunny Slush are the ultimate summertime blended with the treat, is a collaboration freshest fruits and of sweet and icy layers have the perfect of caramelized banana balance of sweet and sauce, rich coconut tangy flavors; and strings of macapuno jam, If you want a more refreshing shaved ice, flavorful smoothie, sweetened evaporated try Coffee Bean and milk, and topped with Tea Leaf’s Lightened slices of creamy leche Iced Matcha with Evoke memories of your flan. ceremonial grade Manam’s pampalamigs childhood and have a matcha and classic bring together some of quick and easy way to vanilla powder. the most enjoyable local get your Chocnut fix from Jamba Juice Locavore! A nice smoothie to fruit flavors: ube + sago, cool you off during these hot also has superfood mango+pomelo+sago, or summer days smoothie tubs to strawberry + kamias, all choose from like freshly brewed.

Creamy Strawberries Locavore’s cool take Wild, Banana Berry on well-loved Pinoy Blush, Mango-adesserts – chocnut bars go-go Whirl’d, and and iskarambol or ice PB is a Moo’d, the scramble, a street-side BGV (Berry Good treat – bring childhood Vibes), PB but memories to a new Better, and Tropical generation.

Dreamin’. Beat the Frozen desserts – ice summer heat with cream, gelato, sherbet, cool refreshments Manam’s pampalamig frozen yogurt, and sorbet in Manam Ube+Sago, and desserts at the – are great ways to keep Mango+Pomelo+Sago, and SM Mall of Asia cool during the hot Strawberry+Camias shakes Complex.

ID you know that buying second-hand items can help save the planet? Every item we consume leaves an impact on the environment. So, to preserve Mother Earth we must only consume what we need, and this means reusing items to avoid piling up landfills.

When we reuse items we save on cost, lessen environmental waste, and reduce the consumption of packaging materials that only end up in our trash bins. Before purchasing anything, consider decreasing the carbon footprint by opting for a preloved version.

Carousell is the go-to portal for everything second-hand. Buyers can search for anything and everything from blazers, books, to SUVs, apartments, and condo units. Just about anything you wish to purchase has a pre-loved version in Carousell.

During the lockdown, which forced everyone to stay home, e-commerce became part of everyone’s leisure activity and recommerce, the selling, and buying of previouslyowned products, became a sensible alternative.

“The pandemic has provided customers with access to a variety of products from the convenience and safety of their homes,” remarked Carousell Philippines’ new General Manager Djon Nacario.

The all-in-one preloved marketplace platform began in Singapore in 2012 and was launched available in the Philippines in 2016. In 2019 it merged the online classified site Olx. According to Carousell’s Inaugural Recommerce Index 2021, the Philippines is the most receptive market for secondhand goods. In the survey, 92 percent of consumers responded that they’ve bought secondhand items including unused and brand-new items by casual everyday sellers.

The highest among Carousell Group markets, the report showed

that 58 percent of Filipino online consumers are comfortable with secondhand apparel, while 75 percent of Filipino merchants choose to sell pre-loved clothes. Selling at Carousell is as easy as taking a photo. Nearly anyone can be an instant entrepreneur by offering pre-loved items.

Recommerce continues Recommerce promotes sustainability because it to be a rising opportunity lessens environmental waste byselling and buying as the world commits to pre-owned products sustainability to minimize environmental impact. With its February 2022. growing number of buyers and “We recognize that the real sellers, Carousell has launched condition of the car is a legitimate several initiatives to further concern. The warranty program will improve the platform and strengthen boost buyer’s trust and will give sustainability efforts. assurance that the items listed on The platform recently merged the platform are safe from defects,” with Property24, the leading online Djon said. platform for developers, agencies, The platform will also highlight and brokers. Buyers of condo units, the good work of leading developers house and lot, or commercial spaces with their very own “Carousell need not go to several sites to look Property Awards.” At the forefront for possible purchases. Everything are the unique features of known can be accessed from the Carousell. brands like Suntrust, Camella, “This is something that we’ve Crown Asia, and Lumina, among been planning since OLX merged other leading developers. with Carousell. We have taken in Carousell will also pay tribute to feedback from our partners to make entrepreneurs with “The Caroupreneur our property category even better,” Awards.” The event will honor the Djon added. achievements of entrepreneurs who For car buyers, the platform scaled their businesses online as well partnered with Premium Warranty as Filipinos who gave away good Services Philippines, Inc., a provider quality preloved items for free. It will of used vehicle inspection and have sustainability-themed categories warranty services. Carousell will such as Heroes of Green, and other have a warranty program that will categories like Best in Carousell – provide confidence and peace of Autos (Used Cars), Autos Workshop mind to buyers of second-hand cars. and Services, Property, Home Incidentally, a total of 6,000 cars Services, and many more. Winners were listed on the platform as of will be announced later in the year.

Carousell offers pre-loved items such as cars, gadgets, clothes, and more

Online shopping is a favorite leisure activity among consumers