Manila Standard - 2022 March 18 - Friday

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4 DEAD AFTER POWERFUL JAPAN EAST COAST QUAKE WORLD / B2

DOH, DEPED CALL FOR VETO OF 'TORTURED' VAPE MEASURE NEWS / A2

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 33 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Increased price of rice looms P3 rise in palay cost seen, ride-hailing group eyes P15 base fare hike

By Joyce Pangco Pañares and Vito Barcelo

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N UMBRELLA group of agricultural organizations has warned consumers to brace for an increase in the price of rice in the coming weeks while a network of ride-hailing drivers and operators pushed for a P15 base fare hike amid spiraling oil prices. According to the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), fuel accounts for 60 percent of their production cost as they use tractors, machineries, and mills. Palay farm gate prices may go up by at least P3, SINAG president Rosendo So said. “The fuel subsidy being extended by the government covers only less than 10 percent of the total farmers and fisherfolk in the country. It is too small,” So said. Next page

Alert Level 1 likely to last until June 30 Duterte to decide Monday on four-day workweek plan

Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms chairperson Imee Marcos confers with newly-appointed Commission on Elections head Saidamen Balt Pangarungan during the joint congressional oversight committee on the automated election system (JCAOS-AES) on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Marcos and Senate President Vicente Sotto III (inset) said there was a "breach" in the operations of Smartmatic. Danny Pata

Comelec taps NBI to probe ‘breach’ in Smartmatic ops

By Willie Casas and Rey E. Requejo

THE country will likely remain under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 until President Rodrigo Duterte's term ends on June 30, 2022, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Thursday. In a briefing, Duque said the government is focused on helping areas under Alert Level 2 to slide down to Alert Level1 by ramping up vaccination, particularly among the elderly. Duque had previously talked about going down to Alert Level 0, a status Next page

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will decide on Monday on the proposed fourday work week to conserve energy by the National Economic and Development (NEDA), the Palace said yesterday. At the same time, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said employers may implement a four-day

workweek even without a new law or a department order. “We have already issued labor advisories concerning this [fourday workweek], such that they can implement flexible work arrangements,” Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavidez said.

SENATE President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Imee Marcos on Thursday said there was a "breach" in the operations of Smartmatic, the tech firm supplying the automated election software for the country's elections on May 9. This prompted newly-appointed Commission on Elections Commissioner George Garcia to declare that the poll body will wait for the report from the National Bureau of Investigation on the “infringement” on Smartmatic. "After the allegation that came out in a newspaper,

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US grants Ukraine $1b military aid KYIV—Ukraine's leader secured $1 billion in new US military aid, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles used against Soviet forces in Afghanistan. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was building a new Cold War wall across Europe "between freedom and bondage,” after his government accused

Poland beauty is Miss World, PH bet Top 13

invading forces of bombing a theater sheltering many civilians and marked with the word "children." US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "war criminal," triggering fury in the Kremlin, as the Russian leader also lashed out

By Patricia Taculao

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Summer tips: Hydrate, apply sunblock By Willie Casas FILIPINOS should have their water bottles and sunblocks ready especially when outside as the dry season has begun, the Department of Health said Thursday. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that people constantly drinking water

amid the dry season would help them steer clear of illnesses such as heat stroke. “When summer comes, our constant reminder to the people is always about dehydration. Always drink water and avoid excessive exposure to the heat of the sun because it may cause heat stroke or heat exhaustion” he said. Next page

Newly-crowned Miss World Karolina Bielawska

Publicus survey: BBM, Sara still leading the pack Lakas-CMD vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio takes a selfie with her supporters during a sortie in Nueva Ecija.

FORMER senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. maintains his sizable lead in the 2022 presidential race in the latest Pahayag National Election Tracker Survey, Publicus Asia Inc. said Thursday. Some 55 percent of the 1,500 respondents in the survey, conducted from Next page

President aspirant Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. waves to the crowd before a grand rally at the Balanga Sports Coliseum in Bataan.

THE 70th Miss World beauty pageant closed on Thursday morning (Manila time) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Poland’s Karolina Bielawska crowned winner. Bielawska succeeded Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh, the longest-reigning title holder as the previous Miss World pageant was canceled due to the risk of COVID-19. Next page

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News

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DOH, DepEd call for vape bill veto Under the measure, passed by both houses of Congress last Jan. 26, individuals aged 18 and above would be allowed to purchase vaping products. The current age limit is at 21. "As a government institution champi-

oning young Filipinos' well-being, we are taking a stand against the so-called 'antihealth' vape bill, which will weaken existing law and the executive order against... e-cigarettes or vapes," the Department of Education said in a statement.

Duque said there was growing evidence that vapes and e-cigarettes were "harmful and not risk-free," adding that they increased the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, and explosion injuries. "This bill is a tortured horse to this administration's abound policy to protect the health of the nation, especially our youth," Duque said in a webinar. "It is contrary to public health goals, masquerading as a solution, to a decadeslong problem of tobacco use," he added. Duque said the measure is a retrogressive bill that undermines the country's progress in tobacco prevention and control. "The bill will achieve the opposite of

Increased...

“We can't take it any longer. Our drivers' take-home pay has become insufficient,” the group said. The petition was filed in November 2021, but the LTFRB has yet to take action on it. Earlier, the Confederation of Truckers Association of the Philippines implemented a 30-percent increase in trucking freight rates on the back of skyrocketing fuel prices, a move that is expected to push upward prices of goods. Maria Zapata, president of CTAP, said the group’s members would implement a 30-percent increase in their respective truck rates to enable them to provide an exceptional and quality service to customers. But the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Thursday said it does not

expect prices of basic and prime commodities to increase even as it has started reviewing suggested retail prices (SRP). “Based on our discussion with manufacturers and retailers, they have an existing inventory. We expect that they will produce their products, at this time, using those inputs,” Trade Assistant Secretary Ann Claire Cabochan said. “Hopefully, there won't be a price increase in the near future, but we are studying it,” she added. The Palace, for its part, defended its P200 additional monthly subsidy – or the equivalent of only P6.66 a day – saying it is better than nothing. The government will start the distribution of the P200 monthly subsidy to poor Filipino families this March, Malacanang said, defending the small “ayuda” as bet-

ter than nothing, “According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, it is what we can afford as of today. Obviously, we can only give what we can because if we exceed, we will have to borrow again,” presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said. “Only members of 4Ps will receive the said subsidy, which will be on top of the amount they are already receiving from the government,” he added. The Palace said there are 4.2 million households who are 4Ps beneficiaries as of February 28, 2022. They receive P6,000 a year or P500 per month per household for health and nutrition expenses and P3,000 for one school year. “We will add P200 to that because of the inflation and because of the increasing prices of fuel products,” Andanar said.

In an interview on ANC’s Headstart, Benavidez said the Labor department supports a four-day workweek, and said private companies can take the initiative, if they wish. "We can appeal to the private sector to implement a four-day work week because again it’s a management prerogative. Employers have to decide on this, it’s within their sole jurisdiction." The labor agency has also proposed a P24 billion wage subsidy for minimum wage earners, Benavidez said. "I think that's more or less P5,000 for a minimum wage earner for a period of three

months. We've requested additional funding from the Office of the President. I think this is now under consideration," he said. "Given the limitation of funding, we deem it proper to prioritize 1 million micro enterprises. They are the most affected." Presidential candidates Senator Panfilo Lacson and Leody de Guzman said a fourday workweek should not result in a loss of income for daily wage earners. "As long as daily wage earners will be compensated for their extended hours of work which should be equivalent to five days, I will support that four-day workweek to save on the use of fuel," De

Guzman said. "It is a good suggestion and we should support that," he added. He noted the four-day week will not only help Filipinos save on fuel, but give them more time to spend with their families on their days off. Lacson also said the Department of Finance's proposal of additional relief of P200 a month for poor households may not be enough for them to get by. He said suspending the excise tax on fuel products when their prices reach a threshold and reimposing it when prices go below that threshold is more practical.

now fully vaccinated, while 11,291,687 individuals have received booster shots or additional doses. The government aims to fully vaccinate 90 million people by the time Duterte leaves office. The Supreme Court on Thursday announced that all courts in the NCR and those in areas under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 are fully operational with 100 percent of officials and employees reporting physically for work from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday until March 31. In a circular, the Office of the Court Administrator also ordered the full operation of court offices in Manila, the Court of Appeals — in Manila, Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro City — Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals. Besides NCR, the other areas in Luzon under Alert Level 1 until March 31 are: Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela, Quirino, Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Olongapo City,Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Lucena City, Marinduque, Puerto Princesa City, Romblon, Naga City and Catanduanes. Ten areas in the Visayas under Alert Level 1 are Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo City, Cebu City, Siquijor, Biliran, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City. In Mindanao, under Alert Level 1 are Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, Davao City and Butuan City. Trial courts in areas under Alert Level 1 are also allowed to operate night courts. Also, trial court judges may conduct jail visitations, and flag ceremonies are allowed.

US...

between Russia and Ukraine. “We must maintain this neutrality. That is not our fight. Let us not interfere,” he said. Duterte reiterated his concern that Russia's invasion may escalate into a nuclear war. “If it goes nuclear, that's the end of the world. It’s really the end of everything,” the President said. The Department of Foreign Affairs said some 329 Filipinos from Ukraine have been repatriated to the Philippines, while 41 nationals in various safe borders are awaiting repatriation as of March 17. The DFA said the latest batch of repatriates are the 19 seafarers of the ship Chariana L who arrived in the country on March 16. At present, a total of 370 Filipinos have been taken out of Ukraine since the war started in February. The agency ordered alert level 4 or mandatory evacuation to Filipinos in all areas in Ukraine on March 7 due to the “rapidly deteriorating security situation” in the Eastern European country. Britain's diplomatic mission to the UN tweeted that Russia was committing "war crimes and targeting civilians" in Ukraine, after the UK requested an emergency UN Security Council meeting. "Russia's illegal war on Ukraine is a threat to us all," it said, saying the request was made with the US, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland. But Putin, at a televised government meeting Wednesday, insisted the invasion was "developing successfully," adding "we will not allow Ukraine to serve as a springboard for aggressive actions against Russia." AFP with Rey Requejo

By Willie Casas

H

EALTH and education authorities have jointly called on President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the vape bill, described by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday as a “tortured” horse in the policy to protect health.

From A1

An immediate solution to bring down prices of goods, So said, is to temporarily suspend the excise tax on fuel by three months as prices of oil products went up for the 11th straight week, with diesel at a staggering P13.15/liter increase. Under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law, excise tax stands at P10 per liter for gasoline, P6 per liter for diesel, and P5 per liter for kerosene. Meanwhile, the Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS) Community – which has about 25,000 members – appealed to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to approve their petition for a P15 base fare increase.

Duterte... From A1

Earlier, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua suggested a four-day workweek to conserve energy and alleviate the public’s expenses amid the series of big time oil price hikes Since 2020, many companies in the Philippines have been implementing flexible work arrangements such as work-from-home, reduction of normal workdays, and job rotation, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alert... From A1

that Metro Manila mayors said they were ready to implement, but his statements Thursday deemphasized the possibility. He also said the country’s alert level would still depend on possible mutations of the coronavirus and hospital occupancy. Although new daily cases have fallen below 1,000, Duque said this was not the time to lift the mandatory use of face masks. “Let us be prudent and let us be guided by data and science through our expert panel. Be patient as we’re still studying that. The time will come when it is already okay not to wear a face mask. But for now, it's too premature,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino. So far, only 48 areas in the country, including the National Capital Region (NCR), are under Alert Level 1. Meanwhile, the chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said the government has administered 1.4 million vaccine doses so far in the fourth phase of the "Bayanihan, Bakunahan" national vaccination drive. The regions that administered the most number of vaccine doses during this initiative were Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Visayas and the Ilocos Region. The Bayanihan, Bakunahan 4 was initially held from March 10 to 12 and was extended until Friday, March 18,with the aim of vaccinating 1.8 million more Filipinos against the viral disease. Based on the NTF’s report on Wednesday, a total of 64,838,213 Filipinos are

Poland... From A1

Bielawska, 23, became Poland’s second candidate to win the pageant crown. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management while pursuing a master’s degree in business. She also dreams of becoming a TV host and motivational speaker. In her Miss World blogs, the Polish beauty queen wrote that traveling is her biggest passion. She also finds joy in discovering new places, meeting new people, and learning more about their culture, a trait that greatly influenced her winning answer in the Miss World pageant. During the pageant’s Q&A portion, the Polish model and beauty queen was asked about “the most important discovery yet to be discovered.” “Every day, we learn something new. We all have unique experiences, and all of us can learn something about ourselves. What I’ve discovered is that it costs us so little to enrich the lives of others. This is the cause we can all afford, and believe

me, it’s worth its price,” she began her statement. "So, if you want to discover something new, just try to learn to be rich more in empathy, in compassion, in gratitude because we can all do it, we can all be great because we can all serve,” she continued confidently. After being crowned, Bielawska became emotional and said, “When I heard my name, I was shocked. I still can’t believe it. I am honored to wear the Miss World crown and can’t wait to get to work. I will remember this amazing chapter in Puerto Rico for the rest of my life.” Joining Bielawska in her court are first runner-up Shree Saini (USA) and Olivia Yace (Cote d'Ivoire). Meanwhile, Philippines’ Tracy Maureen Perez landed in the Top 13 in the beauty pageant. She still dazzled viewers by wearing a blue bejeweled gown with a plunging neckline during the finals. The 28-year-old beauty from Cebu was the fourth candidate called in the Top 13 but subsequently failed to enter the Top 6.

From A1

at "traitors" at home who he said were undermining the war effort. NATO members have so far resisted Zelensky's pleas for direct involvement through a no-fly zone over Ukraine, warning it could lead to World War III against nuclear-armed Russia. They have stepped up military aid instead, with Biden announcing the United States would also help Ukraine acquire longer-range anti-aircraft weapons. Zelensky addressed the German parliament a day after a speech to the US Congress. He reached back to that Cold War era and drew on a 1987 speech in Berlin by US president Ronald Reagan: "Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," as he implored German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. "It's not a Berlin Wall—it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb." In an overnight video message, Zelensky also urged Russians to lay down their arms, three weeks into an invasion that has seen the West impose severe sanctions against Putin's regime. "If your war, the war against the Ukrainian people, continues, Russia's mothers will lose more children than in the Afghan and Chechen wars combined," he said, referencing the thousands lost in those conflict. In Manila, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated Thursday that the Philippines would remain neutral in the ongoing war

Comelec... From A1

we immediately contacted the NBI... In the same manner that the Senate Electoral Reforms committee is asking for a report, we are waiting for the report from the NBI, as they mentioned a lot earlier. We would appreciate very much if the NBI could provide us with a written report," Garcia said. Comelec earlier denied a newspaper report that its systems were hacked, which allegedly compromised sensitive data. "There indeed was a security breach in the Smartmatic operation," said Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People's Participation. While this is being investigated by the National Privacy Commission and other groups, Marcos said, "We have to admit that a very serious breach occurred." "It may not be technically hacking. However, we feel that it compromises the processes and operations of Smartmatic in very serious ways,” said the senator, whose brother Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., is running for president. Sotto said the Senate cannot divulge certain names involved in the incident "because they (are) persons of interests."

its intended purpose of strengthening tobacco industry regulation as it relaxes the restrictions on the minimum age of access, flavorings, regulation, distribution, advertising, promotion, sale, and use of these products," he said. During the webinar, Dr. Riza Gonzales also stressed that chronic diseases take a long time to develop. "Second, before they knew about the dangers of smoking , hazards, and everything, it took them decades and decades before... Vape is just 18 years old. It takes a lot of time for cancer and other chronic diseases to develop," she said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

But he said, "I think this is part of what (the media) can divulge: A Smartmatic employee took their laptop outside (their office) and let a certain group, well, not hack, but copy.” "I think that’s as far as we can go,” added Sotto, who is running for vice president. Smartmatic denied these allegations, with spokesman Christopher Louie Ocampo saying: “We just want to clarify that is not true. There is no truth to that.” “First of all, Smartmatic, to be very clear, is not involved in processing or storing ng personal data of any voter for the 2022 elections,” the lawyer said. But Marcos said the media were "right." "Something did happen despite the vociferous denials of all institutions concerned in the past two hearings," she said. “We don’t know, but the potential for a very serious security breach is now there because it appears Smartmatic has all these contractual employees who have access to very confidential data, locations and other facilities," the senator added. Ocampo said Smartmatic only provides the automated election system. Its servers are "completely separate and independent" from those of Comelec, he said.

Next PH leader needs new nat'l security policy GEOPOLITICAL thought leaders have stressed the new government’s foreign policy must prioritize strengthening ties with similarly situated countries and craft what they call a new National Security Strategy in dealing with the continuing aggression of China. This emerged during a recent virtual forum conducted by the Makati-based think tank Stratbase ADRI Institute, an independent, international research organization focused on the in-depth analysis of economic, social, political and strategic issues influencing the Indo-Pacific region. “The Philippines should utilize its expansive network in securing the freedom of the West Philippine Sea and in countering the aggressive behavior of Chinese maritime militia,” said Stratbase ADRI president Victor Andres Manhit in a statement. “The inherent multi-polarity and the emergence of traditional, non-traditional and evolving security threats have led to numerous challenges and geopolitical shifts.” Manhit added: “The people must choose a candidate with strategic thinking to appraise the complex dynamics of regional geopolitics and the respective leaders in the international arena. The next President must always be sensitive to the true will of the people.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Publicus... From A1

March 9-14, said they would vote for Marcos to be the next president, while 21 percent identified Robredo as their choice for president. Eight percent said they would vote for Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. “The biggest point of interest in our latest survey is that the rankings for the presidential race remained virtually unchanged since last year. While it is true that former senator Marcos increased his preference share from around 52 percent to a little over 55 percent in our latest survey, these numbers remain generally in line with his longer-term averages. The same can be said for Robredo and Domagoso,” said David Barua Yap Jr., Publicus chief data scientist and head of polling operations. Marcos, Robredo, and Domagoso have consistently polled as the top three choices for president among respondents to recent Pahayag surveys. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile, topped the vice presidential race, according to the same survey, getting a 56.5 percent voter preference. According to Publicus, the results of the survey showed Duterte, who is also the chairman of the Lakas-CMD, has maintained her voter preference percentage from the previous two surveys, one of which was conducted in February. Senator Francisco Pangilinan came in second in the vice presidential race with 12.8 percent. Senator Panfilo Lacson, who garnered 2 percent, said he was not bothered by the survey results. "Surveys are not elections. Last time I heard, (the) election is on May 9. I’m not bothered at all simply because the numbers I feel on the ground are different from what the surveys indicate," Lacson said in a statement Monday night. However, Lacson said he was puzzled as to why his figures in surveys were still low despite performing well in the presidential forums and interviews.

Summer... From A1

State weather bureau PAGASA announced on Wednesday the formal start of the dry season in the country. Duque stressed that the elderly were more prone to dehydration as they already lack thirst sensation. “Their thirst sensitivity is not like ours or that of the children who could easily determine when they are thirsty. The elderly have difficulty feeling thirsty, so even when they are dehydrated, they would still not ask for water,” he said. “The family members should thus offer or give them water themselves. Take the glass of water directly to your grandparents or your old aunt or uncle to avoid dehydration which may cause many complications,” he said. He said people could also boil water for three minutes to make sure that they are clean and safe to drink to avoid typhoid fever, cholera, Hepatitis A, or other diseases. Duque said sunburn could also be averted if those engaging in outdoor activities would instead go out early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Using an umbrella and applying liberal amounts of sunblock would also do the job. “Don’t go out from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and if this can't be avoided, make sure to apply sunblock,” Duque added.

News

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

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Raid yields P9-m worth of fake cigarettes in Valenzuela City Street in Barangay Maysan. The shipment included boxes of Marlboro reds, Mighty, Modern Cigarettes, Carnival, OVERNMENT agents and Red Golden Dragon (RGD) Classic. have seized P9 million A composite team from the Manila worth of smuggled International Container Port - Customs fake cigarettes in a raid at a Intelligence and Investigation Service (MICP-CIIS) and Philippine Drug Enwarehouse in Valenzuela City. forcement Agency (PDEA) conducted The operatives confiscated the con- the raid based on mission order issued traband, believed to have come from by Customs Commissioner Rey LeonChina, in a warehouse on Marcelo ardo Guerrero

By Joel E. Zurbano

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PICTURE PERFECT. With the iconic Mayon Volcano, known

worldwide for its near perfect cone, in the background, a local lass reaches over to pick a water lily flower while on board a. bamboo raft, one of the attractions of a resort in the vicinity of the Sumlang lake in Camalig town in Albay, Region V Tourism director Herbie Aguas said the Bicolanos and foreign tourists alike appeared to have left behind their dread of the COVID-19 pandemic as they come in increasing number to the Bicol Region. Norman Cruz

Six hurt in training plane crash in Iba, Zambales SIX people were injured in a training aircraft crash early Thursday morning in Iba, Zambales, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said. The plane, a Rockwell Commander 685 or Aero Commander 685 was owned and operated by Sentinel Logistic Air Management, and was used for test flights. It reportedly dived in shallow waters off Barangay Sto. Rosario, Iba at about 7:10 a.m. yesterday. The CAAP withheld the names of the victims pending notification of relatives. The agency, said those hurt consisted of student pilots, air marshals, and the pilot. CAAP information officer Eric Apolonio said the victims were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard and local fisher-

men who also brought them to the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital. Apolonio said the CAAP sent Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board personnel Col. Rommel Ronda and Ralph Fango to look into the accident and determine the cause of the crash. Earlier on, another training aircraft crash landed in Davao Oriental, injuring flight instructor Capt. Manuel Nierra II and student pilot Jeremiah Agonia. The victims were taken to the Mati Provincial Hospital for treatment of head and body injuries. CAAP reports showed that the Cessna-150 aircraft owned by the Mactan Aviation Tech Center, Inc. went down in Barangay Don Martin Marundan in Mati. Joel E. Zurbano

IN BRIEF

Overstaying Chinese nabbed in Mindanao

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) operatives in Mindanao arrested two illegal aliens caught overstaying and working without a proper visa. BI Intelligence Division Chief Fortunato Manahan, Jr. identified the foreigners as Yuehui Li, who was nabbed in Purok 2 Mangga, New Visayas, Panabo City, and Jianren Zhao, who was cornered in Bingcungan, Tagum City. According to Manahan’s report, Mindanao Intelligence Task Group (MITG) head Melody Gonzales effected the arrest of the two aliens, who were subjects of a mission order issued by Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente. BI records reveal that apart from reportedly working in the country illegally, Yuehui has also been overstaying for 2 years. During the course of the operations against Yuehui, Gonzales reported that a Filipina who presented herself as Yuehui’s translator attempted to intervene with the arrest. She reportedly aided in the attempted escape of the Chinese national, prompting the MITG to seek assistance of the Philippine National Police to investigate the translator. Eventually, the Filipina admitted the deceit and disclosed Yuehui’s location. Gonzales said the BI will be pursuing a case against the translator for coddling an illegal alien and for obstruction of justice. On the other hand, Jianren was found to be manning the hardware. Upon verification of his documents, he was also found to be overstaying for three months. Morente commended the arrest and warned coddlers of illegal aliens, saying “those who harbor illegal aliens commit a violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.” “Let this incident serve as a warning, if you are aware of illegal aliens in your area, immediately report them to the Bureau,” he stated. The two will temporarily be held at the BI’s holding facility in Davao pending their deportation. Vito Barcelo

Navotas gives aid to Odette-hit areas

THE NAVOTAS City government has provided cash aid to five local government units severely affected by Typhoon Odette shortly before Christmas last year.. The P1.5-million assistance, coursed through the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, was turned over to the local officials of Dapa, Surigao Del Norte; Ilog, Negros Occidental; Gingoog, Misamis Oriental; and the provinces of Dinagat Islands and Bohol. “Although our budget and resources are also limited because of our two-year long battle with Covid-19, we are still fortunate that we have the capacity to help our fellow Filipinos in dire need of support and assistance,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said. “Dati, tayo ang tinutulungan dahil binabaha tayo nang matindi. Ngayon, tayo na ang tumutulong sa iba. At nagpapasalamat tayo sa bawat Navoteño dahil sa kanilang pakikiisa, mas madali nating natutugunan ang pandemya, mas nagagamit natin ang pondo ng bayan di lang sa pagpaaangat ng buhay sa Navotas kundi sa pagtulong din sa kapwa natin Pilipinong higit na nangangailangan. (It used to be that we were the ones in need of help due to the perennial floodings in Navotas. Now, were are able to help others. We are grateful for every Navoteno for their oneness not only in pushing our progress but also in helping our countrymen who are in dire need of assistance),” he added. Typhoon Odette hit the Philippines on Dec. 16, 2021 and ravaged many areas in Visayas and Mindanao. In 2014, under the helm of then Mayor and now Navotas Representative John Rey Tiangco, the city also donated P2 million to two coastal municipalities in Eastern Samar devastated by Typhoon Yolanda. Jun David

The packages contained identical Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) stamps and serial numbers. CIIS director Jeoffrey Tacio said his men assigned at the Manila North Harbor acted immediately following intelligence reports about the alleged smuggling.. “It is not even enough that we seized a whole warehouse, where these cigarettes without permits and legitimate stamps were found. We need to find the root of these operations,” Tacio said.

The raiding team also seized a vehicle stashed with the smuggled goods at the storage area The rear seats of the care were even removed to provide more space for the fake cigarette boxes. The confiscated goods were taken to the Customs compound pending forfeiture proceedings in accordance with pertinent laws notably the Tariff Act. Customs Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Raniel Ramiro com-

mended operatives for their successful operation that prevented the distribution of fake cigarette products in the local market. “Our people trust us to do our jobs well, and that means ensuring that only safe and legal products enter our markets. It is upon the Bureau to protect the borders from these criminals, to free the local markets from illegal practices that put our efforts into question,” he said. With Jun David

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FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

IN BRIEF Cayetano uses bikes in eco-friendly campaign SENATORIAL candidate and Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig City said Monday’s nationwide bike caravan, which was organized by his supporters, is just the start of more ecofriendly campaign methods that could inspire people to support not just his candidacy for the Senate but his push for an eco-friendly campaign. “It’s a big sacrifice but it’s a small step in future campaigns,” the former House Speaker said in a media interview referring to the thousands of cyclists who joined Monday’s nationwide bike caravan in support of his Senate comeback campaign. “We’re hoping we can do more creative campaigns like this…I’m hoping people will support not only me but the way we’re campaigning now,” Cayetano said. He said the cyclists rose to the occasion given the difficulty of mounting a campaign that would not use traditional materials that end up polluting the environment. Maricel V. Cruz

Comelec lineup for First, Second divisions complete THE composition of the First and Second divisions of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been decided, an official said on Thursday. Commissioner George Garcia, in a message to reporters, said the matter has been settled during the poll body’s seven-member en banc meeting on Wednesday. Garcia will be joined by Commissioner Rey Bulay as a member of the Second Division to be headed by Commissioner Marlon Casquejo as presiding commissioner. The First Division will be headed by Commissioner Socorro Inting with Commissioners Aimee Ferolino and Aimee Neri.

News

UNITY WALK. Various government agencies, private organizations including political parties and religious groups conduct a unity walk from Quirino Grandstand to the Luneta open auditorium on Thursday for the launching of “Kasimbayan or Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan” for the conduct of safe, accurate, and fair elections in May. Danny Pata

Isko eyeing satellite for Manila

By Rey E. Requejo

A

KSYON Demokratiko standard-bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Thursday disclosed that the City Council of Manila has authorized him to negotiate with the company of American billionaire Elon Musk for the purchase of a Starlink low-orbit satellite for the use of the Manila City as well as public school students. “I was informed by the City Council of Manila that it has passed a resolution authorizing me as city mayor to negotiate with SpaceX Enterprise Group, which is the marketing arm of Elon Musk’s Starlink company,” Moreno said in a press conference in Kabanka-

lan City, Negros Occidental. Moreno was referring to City Council Resolution No. 46 which authorizes him “to negotiate and/or enter into a contract with SpaceX Enterprise for the use of Starlink, the world’s most advance broadband internet system in the City

of Manila.” “I hope we can avail of Starlink loworbit satellite soonest. The best success story is in Ukraine when Elon Musk deployed a number of satellites in that country after its internet connectivity was destroyed by Russian forces. It’s in the news. Hopefully, God have mercy, we can use Starlink nationwide when we become president in May,” Moreno said. The 47-year-old presidential candidate said the City of Manila, and hopefully the entire country, will greatly benefit from the services offered by Starlink especially in terms of disaster preparedness and in times of calamities.

“We aware that there are many calamities in the Philippines, especially strong typhoons and earthquakes. And often the line of communication is broken as happened in Visayas and Mindanao which was devastated by Odette. No phone, no internet yet. This is a big help from Elon Musk because it has a signal even with storms and earthquakes,” Moreno stressed. Moreno added that public school students in Manila will greatly benefit from the high-speed broadband services offered by Starlink. There are no dead spots, no slow signal or no signal which affects the online learning process of students,” he said.

Robredo eyes livelihood for Basilan village

Lacson wants strict regulation of e-sabong IF THE Executive Department will not suspend or stop e-sabong, it must at least subject it to strict regulation to address its social costs, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said. Lacson said the social costs of e-sabong may be intangible but will cause major problems as Filipinos - from children to policemen - become addicted to it. “At least man lang strict regulation. Huwag 24 hours (At least subject e-sabong to strict regulation. Making sure it does not operate 24 hours would be a start),” he said at a press conference in Maddela, Quirino Wednesday. “Dapat mahigpit regulatory authority ng Pagcor (The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Authority should be strict in exercising its regulatory authority),” he added, noting the online nature of esabong makes it hard to monitor. He added the social cost is too high, with overseas Filipino workers not being able to come home due to gambling debts or parents having to pay the debts their addicted children incur. There have also been reports of people committing suicide due to esabong, and policemen robbing convenience stores to pay off debts, he added. With Jessica M. Bacud

LENI VISITS BASILAN. Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo was welcomed by the women and children of the remote community of Brgy. Marang Marang, Isabela City, Basilan on Thursday. She was the first presidential candidate to visit the small village of a little more than 2,000 people. (VP Leni Media Bureau)

Former MNLF leader backs Bongbong candidacy A FORMER member of the well-known and legendary Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) “Magic 8” and his relatives expressed support for the candidacy of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) frontrunner Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. Hadji Ahmad Omar, former mayor of Luuk and Omar Municipalities in Sulu, is the only remaining survivor of Magic 8 He said he still has never forgotten the kindness of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, that’s why until now, he and

their family have given the BBM-Sara UniTeam full support. “Today I write you a letter to let you know that I, Hadji Ahmad M. Omar, the remaining lone surviving member of the Magic Eight together with our families, descendants, and loyal comrades who are now scattered in the island provinces of Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi as well as in the Zamboanga Peninsula, will vote for you and campaign for your candidacy for President vigorously with your tandem

Sara Duterte for vice president of the Republic,” said Omar. Magic 8 is a group of MNLF commanders who surrendered to former President Marcos on November 3, 1973. Since then, they have remained faithful and have not fought back against the government. They have given more support and loyalty to the government as they received all the necessary assistance from the Marcos administration including economic projects in Mindanao.

VICE President Leni Robredo took a boat that weaved through mangrovelined waters to reach the remote community of Brgy. Marang Marang in Isabela City, Basilan on Thursday, March 17. She was the first presidential candidate ever to visit the picturesque fishing village of a little more than 2,000 people. Robredo said she had wanted to visit for a while, as she had long heard of the beauty of the place. “Sobrang ganda, sobrang ganda ng inyong lugar na tingin po natin, ‘yung mga kababayan natin na naghahanap ng bagong pupuntahan, grabe talaga ‘yung makikita sa Basilan (This place is very beautiful. Our countrymen can visit Basilan if they are looking for a beautiful place to go),” she said, noting that tourism can help the livelihood of residents Women make up half the population in the village, and Robredo spoke to them directly. “Alam natin na ‘yung kultura ng mga Pilipino, ‘yung mga kalalakihan ‘yung laging naghahanapbuhay. Pero hindi po gustong sabihin na wala tayong puwedeng gawin habang naiiwan tayo sa ating mga bahay (In our culture, the men are the ones who work, but it does mean that we cannot do something while we are at home), ” she said, adding that one of her programs is to look for ways to help the women of the village through livelihood programs. With Rio N. Araja

Comelec to review law on substitutions after May polls

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) will review a bill seeking to amend election laws regarding withdrawal as a basis for a candidate’s substitution after the May 2022 elections. “Among the things we should also review after this election is the issue on nuisance candidates, substitution, withdrawals, et.,” Comelec Commis-

sioner George Garcia, quoted in a GMA News report said. Garcia also noted that the poll body previously reviewed a pending Senate bill that seeks to amend the substitution of candidates in case of a withdrawal. “Others say that withdrawal is being abused, they say that withdrawal with substitution should not be al-

lowed, because it’s as if giving false hope to people,” he further said. The official said the Comelec should study the proposed amendments to determine if the law on withdrawal is really being abused. Garcia said this will determine the position that the Comelec will submit in Congress.

Sara bids Davao farewell ‘for a bigger challenge’ By Maricel V. Cruz

RELIEF, REFORM, RECOVERY. Senatorial aspirant Alan Peter Cayetano is pushing for the “Relief, Reform, Recovery” bill to resolve the fuel prices increase during a speech. Cayetano was the guest speaker at the Liga ng Barangay sa Pilipinas, Ilocos Norte, Palawan, and Region 5 Chapters Convention held at the SMX Convention Center on Thursday. Norman Cruz

LEAVING a debt-free Davao City, LakasChristian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Thursday bade her city and constituents goodbye “for a bigger challenge…for our beloved country.”

Duterte made the remarks in the recorded impassioned valedictory and State of the City Address (SOCA). Duterte recalled that in 2016, after a brief respite from politics, “I was once again called to take on the challenge to serve Davao City as mayor that year. It was the same year when the Philippines

elected Davao’s beloved mayor, Rodrigo Duterte, to the presidency.” “My 2016 return to City Hall allowed me to revisit the first time you confidently elected me to become your mayor in 2010. It was a victory that is now known as the biggest election landslide victory in the history of our city,” Duterte said.

Opinion 16 is the new age of sexual consent

THE enactment of Republic Act No. 11648, which raises the age of sexual consent to 16 years, is a victory for all Filipino parents and children. It is recognition that there are real and imminent threats to the physical, mental, moral and emotional well-being of the Filipino child. According to the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), in 2018 pregnancies among very young adolescents (VYA), or those between the ages of 10 to 14, have increased. This is based on the data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which also identified a 63% increase in births from this age group from 2011 to 2018. It is worth noting that the percentage of women in 2013 who had had sexual intercourse before the age of 15 are significantly higher in Cagayan Valley, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Davao. This predisposition is primarily brought about by the lack of or limited education, and poor economic conditions (Philippine Statistics Authority). To address the root causes of teenage pregnancy, the Executive Branch issued Executive Order 141, making the prevention of teenage pregnancies a national priority. It also identified that female adolescents were partnered with men outside of their age group, and “may be a result of coercion and unequal power relations between girls and older men”. The passing of RA 11648 is just one among a number of measures taken by the government to address the sexual abuse, violence, maltreatment, and exploitation of the child. Under the said law, any person who shall have sexual intercourse with a child victim or offended party under 16 years of age, or one who is demented, shall be liable for rape. This type of rape is also known as “statutory rape”, since the issue of consent with regard to sexual intercourse with another below 16 years of age is immaterial. In simpler words, if a person shall have sexual intercourse with a child 15 years of age or younger, he shall be criminally liable despite the child having consented to the sexual act. Hence, the existence of force, threat, intimidation, abuse of authority, or fraudulent machination need not be proved to hold a person liable for statutory rape. All that the

prosecution will have to prove to hold the sexual partner liable is that the child or offended party is below 16 years of age. However, there shall be no criminal liability on the part of the person having sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years of age when the age difference between them does not exceed 3 years and the sexual act is proven to be consensual, non-abusive and nonexploitative. If the child is below 13 years of age, regardless of the presence of any of the aforementioned caveats, the sexual partner will be held criminally liable for rape (Section 1, Republic Act No. 11648).

The need to protect children from all forms of abuse is consistent with the State’s duty to uphold human rights. Non-abusive shall mean the absence of undue influence, intimidation, fraudulent machinations, coercion, and threats; physical, sexual, psychological, or mental injury or maltreatment, either with intention or through neglect, during the conduct of sexual activities with the child victim (Section 1, Republic Act No. 11648). On the other hand, non-exploitative shall mean that there is/are no actual or attempted act or acts of unfairly taking advantage of the child’s position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust during the conduct of sexual activities. (Section 1, Republic Act No. 11648). For example, if an 18 year-old boy is prosecuted for statutory rape for having sexual intercourse with his 15 year-old girlfriend, he must prove in his defense that he did not abuse or exploit the latter, and that the sexual act was consensual. However, if the age difference is more than 3 years, all that the prosecution will have to prove to convict the person is that the sexual act was committed. A person who shall have sexual intercourse or commit lascivious conduct with a child below 16 years of age who is exploited in prostitution or subjected to sexual abuse, shall be liable for rape or acts of lasciviousness, as the case may be. (Section 3, Republic Act No. 11648; amending Section 5, Republic Act 7610). Full version on www.manilastandard.net

Communists for Leni

IT is always interesting to know who the communists are supporting in any election. During the 2016 polls, it was very clear who the communists were supporting. They aligned themselves with the Liberal Party candidates of the late President Benigno Aquino III. These were Bayan Muna, Gabriela or the Makabayan bloc. In this election, the Yellows have turned Pinkos, but the communists still keep their allegiance with the Yellows, obviously hoping that they can come to power. What is rather strange in this election is the fact that the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and many priests and nuns have turned “Pinkos”, in favor of the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo. I have been trying to seek an explanation on why the CBCP is aligning itself with Robredo when the CBCP knows pretty well what the communists stand for. Obviously, to have power, hoping that they can manipulate Robredo if she wins in the May 9, 2022 polls. Or, is it because under Bongbong Marcos, the communists or the Yellows would be sidelined? It is very clear that this election is the last hurrah of the communist movement. It’s now or never, as far as the communists are concerned. What is really interesting about the last effort of the communists to grab power is that it reminds me so much of way back 1972, when the late strongman President Ferdinand E. Marcos had to declare Martial Law because the communists were on the verge of grabbing power from the state when there were communists in every sector of the economy and civil society. The communists had infiltrated the academe, labor, the press and mass media, even the Catholic Church, Congress, and almost every sector of society. This compelled Marcos to declare Martial Law as the only way to break the backbone of the communist movement.

Now, the communists are at it again, using as a front the Makabayan bloc of Congress. Just how far can they go is anybody’s guess, which makes the May 9, 2022 election very crucial and very critical. It’s now up to the Filipino voters if they will allow the communists to grab power if they allow Robredo to become president, my gulay ! ••• As expected, the Bongbong-Sara tandem maintained its dominance over all presidential and vice-presidential aspirants in the February Pulse Asia survey, with Marcos retaining his 60 percent lead over all aspirants and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio improving her rating by 4 percent to 53 percent. Note the dominance of Bongbong across national areas – 68 percent in Mindanao, 68 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR), the rest of Luzon by 58 percent, and 53 percent in the Visayas. Marcos was also the top choice in all socio-economic classes, especially in classes D and E, meaning the “masa”, and getting support of 60 percent in the D bracket and 58 percent in the E bracket. Nobody came close to Marcos with Vice President Leni Robredo getting only 15 percent, with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso at 10 percent, Senator Manny Pacquiao at 8 percent, and Senator Ping Lacson at only 2 percent. The strategists and campaign managers of all those behind Bongbong have a lot to worry about, my gulay, with the latest Pulse Asia poll survey coming close to May 9, 2022 Election Day. I have been asked: Where is Bongbong Marcos getting all his support, maintaining his commanding lead over all the other aspirants? Well, Marcos is still a name in the memory of a lot of Filipinos nationwide, as a strong leader especially among the Ilocano-speaking people nationwide. Santa Banana, would you believe that even in Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, there are Ilocano enclaves who still remember the name Marcos? As for Bongbong’s team mate, Sara, she is equally very popular, having set up her own regional party, the Kilusan ng Pagbabago, KNP. The only vice presidential candidate who comes close to Sara is Senate President Tito Sotto. My gulay, just how those behind the BBM-Sara tandem will overcome the com-

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EDITORIAL

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PH economy holding up

HE economy is hanging in despite the twin threats of the pandemic and rising commodity prices in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Philippine economy actually has more room to grow—it has not fully reopened since COVID-19 began two years ago while millions of workers have yet to reclaim their jobs.

Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua this week predicted confidently that the economy was on track to achieve the growth target of 7 percent to 9 percent in 2022, notwithstanding the sharp increase in crude prices and the escalating war in Europe. Mr. Chua is relying on the strength of the domestic economy that has not reached its full growth potential. Most of the Philippines is still under Alert Level 1, meaning COVID-19 is still restricting the mobility of the people and preventing the full reopening of commercial establishments. Schools, for one, have not fully reopened. Face-to-face classes have not

The expansion will be driven mainly by the domestic side. resumed. The economy has not received any contribution from this sector, thus far. Consumer spending as a result is reined because both students and teachers are not participating in the economy. Fully reopening the economy or transitioning to the most relaxed alert level will create or restore many jobs and perk up consumer spending.

It is no surprise then that the interagency development Development Budget Coordinating Committee projected the economic growth at between 7 percent and 9 percent this year, stronger than the actual 5.6-percent expansion last year. The expansion will come from the domestic side as more sectors like travel and tourism reopen. The revival of domestic travel and the arrival of foreign tourists will immediately create a trickle-down effect on the countryside. The Russia-Ukraine war, meanwhile, may initially impact the Philippine economy, especially domestic pump prices. The conflict, though, may not last. Moreover, the Philippines has limited trade links with Russia and Ukraine. The Philippines’ economic expansion, thus, will be driven mainly by the domestic side. The people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic should now be allowed to rejoin the economy, along with the students and teachers who have been bottled up in their home for months.

Robredo, Smartmatic, PET and the communists

OUTGOING Vice President and soon-to-be “suddenly retired politician” Leni Robredo should be reminded that notwithstanding her having been proclaimed the winner in the 2016 vice presidential election, her so-called “victory” remains highly suspect because of the many anomalies that haunt it. Robredo, who finds it difficult to speak in complete English and who passed the Bar examination on her second take, was an inconsequential, two-bit congressional politician from Bicol who was the last-minute Liberal Party (LP) bet for vice president in 2016. While her running mate was soundly defeated by President Rodrigo Duterte, Robredo managed to win in the computerized counting, and got proclaimed with a lead of a measly 200,000 votes over her rival, ex-Senator Bongbong Marcos (BBM). In the many days following the actual election, BBM was leading by more than a million ballots in the official tally. Eventually, the voting machines of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) surprisingly caught up and indicated Robredo as the winner. Robredo isn’t really the people’s choice. She was installed as vice president by the Comelec’s questionable Smartmatic voting machines, and by the Supreme Court (SC) sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) in the wake of the election protest BBM filed against Robredo in 2016. The credibility of Smartmatic is seriously disputed in many countries. That anomaly notwithstanding, Smartmatic voting machines manding lead of Marcos, and likewise the lead of Sara is a question difficult to answer. With Sotto and others trailing behind Sara with her 53 percent lead, and with Sotto’s 24 percent, still the percentage points difference reflects the great divide between Sara and Sotto.

They are at it again. They may say that poll surveys do not mean the final score. This may be true, but as I have been saying, if the other aspirants still have their minds in the right place, they should be worried, very much worried. According to my sources, there’s a last desperate effort on the part of some strategists and campaign managers of other presidential aspirants, like Vice President Leni Robredo, Isko Moreno, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Senator Ping Lacson to unite behind one presidential aspirant to overcome the commanding lead of Bongbong Marcos found by all poll surveys. Santa Banana, this unity had been tried at the start of the campaign period, but to no avail for the simple reason that no one among Robredo, Moreno, Pacquiao and Lacson wanted to withdraw. Robredo had suggested that she be the only one to face Marcos. But nobody wanted to back out. I can understand the refusal of all the other presidential aspirants to unite under one aspirant for the simple reason that even among those behind Bongbong Marcos, it would amount only

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were acquired by the Comelec which was then headed by the former lawyer of then President Noynoy Aquino, the LP boss in 2016, for that year’s polls. Election observers noted that while the tallying was likely rigged in favor of Robredo, President Duterte could not be cheated of his victory because he had far too many votes which even computerized cheating could not overcome.

My, aren’t we getting desperate. Smartmatic officials who “monitored” the 2016 elections were housed at Novotel Hotel in Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. It’s the same hotel that housed the LP general headquarters. Novotel is owned by the family of Mar Roxas, Robredo’s defeated presidential running mate in the 2016 elections. On election day, the media reported that several Smartmatic voting machines were kept in some rooms of the hotel. After a delayed investigation at the hotel, then Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said no voting machines were found there. By the Comelec’s own admission, however, not all of the rooms of the hotel were inspected. In November 2017, Bautista went abroad. He’s now a fugitive from justice. As for the PET, suffice it to say that at the start of the proceedings of the election protest filed by BBM, the election protest was assigned to a Justice whose wife is a staunch partisan supporter of Robredo and the LP. This Justice refused to inhibit himself from the case despite his wife’s close ties to the Robredo camp. You can easily figure out the rest of the story. A news report also revealed that in July 2018, during the pendency of BBM’s election to 35 percent among them, which is their total percentage. With Manila Mayor Isko Moreno at 10 percent, Pacquiao 8 percent, and Lacson with only 2 percent, that would amount to only 35 percent as against Marcos’ 60 percent of all those surveyed. I am not counting the other presidential aspirants, which to my mind, are nuisance candidates, who, pardon me for saying it, are just out for the funds of it, soliciting contributions from friends and other sources and coming out winning at the end with contributed funds. In every election, these nuisance candidates end up winning with contributed funds. ••• I don’t know why some sectors, especially mayors of the National Capital Region, are so much in a hurry to shift to Alert Level 0, with the campaign period of local candidates about to start. It means more political rallies and sorties, and personal campaigning and political activities. The only reason that comes to mind is that Metro Manila mayors believe the COVID-19 pandemic is ending. Far from it! Health experts have already warned that the sudden return to Alert Level 0 is just too soon. The World Health Organization (WHO) itself has warned the Philippines not to be lulled by the declining cases of COVID-19 because the pandemic is still not over. Surges are still possible, and we would be wasting everything we have gained by making a sudden jump to Alert Level 0.

protest, several PET personnel in charge of the manual recount of ballots in the election protest attended an outing in Laguna sponsored by Robredo. They socialized with Robredo’s own partisan representatives in the election protest. Although the PET said it investigated the incident, nothing came of it. In February 2021, after a lapse of almost five years, the PET dismissed BBM’s election protest. BBM decided against taking the case to the SC because the PET is composed of the justices of the SC, and it is unlikely for the SC to overturn its own decision. Besides, with the election just a year and a half away, the effort is pointless. The PET was given a budget during the pendency of BBM’s election protest. Now that BBM’S election protest has been resolved with finality, the PET should be functus officio, which means that it should no longer be receiving any operating funds from the government. With many Filipinos starving and unemployed, the Commission on Audit (COA) should make sure that the PET is no longer getting any budget. Attention, COA! Attention, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo! The surveys show that BBM is the frontrunner in the presidential elections. That’s good, because as President, BBM should scrutinize the budget of the PET and ascertain if it still receives public money even after the BBM election protest has been done with. Likewise, the same surveys reveal that Robredo and her vice presidential running mate Francis Pangilinan are so far behind, that even the surveys’ third placer team, the conceited and bumbling Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso and his daydreaming running mate Willie Ong, are predicting a big loss for the Robredo-Pangilinan ticket. News reports have it that Robredo and Pangilinan have become so desperate in their campaign that they have formed an alliance with the local communists and their sympathizers in Congress. Talagang kumakapit na sa patalim sina Robredo at Pangilinan. Tsk, tsk

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North Korea silent as test missile explodes over capital Pyongyang SEOUL—North Korea’s state media was silent Thursday after a suspected missile test ended in what Seoul said was total failure, exploding mid-air in the skies above the capital Pyongyang almost immediately after launch. The North test-fired what was most likely a ballistic missile from the Sunan area of the capital, home to some three million people, early Wednesday, South Korea’s military said. The projectile exploded moments after launch, with Seoul-based specialist NK News reporting that debris fell in or near Pyongyang as a red-tinged ball of smoke zigzagged across the sky. North Korea’s state media—Rodong Sinmun and KCNA news agency— typically carry reports on successful weapons tests within 24 hours of launch, often with photographs. But state media on Thursday made no mention of the test, the tenth launch this year in the face of biting sanctions.

“North Korea is constantly promoting this myth that its leadership is doing a great job. They don’t want to highlight any failures,” Cheong Seongchang, a senior researcher at the private Sejong Institute told AFP. The US and South Korea have said North Korea is preparing to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at full range for the first time since 2017, possibly disguised as a space launch. North Korea will mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of founder Kim Il Sung—current leader Kim Jong Un’s grandfather—in April and likes to mark key domestic anniversaries with military parades or launches. “The country wants to keep its festive atmosphere until April 15, the 110th anniversary of its founder Kim Il Sung’s birthday, and those in leadership don’t want ordinary citizens to be affected by such news,” Cheong added. AFP

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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Standard Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development

TODAY

Kagawaran ng Pananahanang Pantao at Pagpapaunlad ng Kalunsuran National Capital Region NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that CITYLAND, INC. (owners/developer) has filed with this Department for the sale of condominium units at ONE PREMIER and TWO PREMIER located at Doña Concha Cruz Drive, Brgy. Almanza Uno, Las Piñas City, specifically described as Lot Nos. 3-A-3-C and 3-A-3-D, of PSD-00-093911, covered by TCT Nos. 005-2017003442 and 005-2017003443 respectively, having a total area of 3,639.00 square meters. The ONE PREMIER project was previously issued a Certificate of Registration No. 029440 dated on October 19, 2018. The foregoing project is utilizing 1 Bataan Village-Orian located in Brgy. Daan Pare, Orian, Bataan, with CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, as the developers with Memorandum of Agreement dated February 09, 2022, as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended by Republic Act No. 10884. All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon. Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a certificate, in evidence thereof, shall forthwith be issued after five (5) days from the last day of publication. Quezon City, Metro Manila COL. JEOFREY DELOS REYES TUPAS (Ret) Regional Director (MS-MAR. 18 & 25, 2022)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

4 dead after powerful Japan east coast quake S OMA—Four people were reported dead and more than 100 injured in Japan on Thursday after a powerful overnight earthquake rattled large parts of the east coast and prompted a tsunami warning, authorities said.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRAIL COURT BRANCH 13, LIPA CITY Contact No: 0956-418-2298 / 0976-015-8506 Viber: 0976-015-8506 E-mail: rtc2lip013@judiciary.gov.ph PETTION FOR REGISTRATION OF UNREGISTERED LAND LOCATED AT SAN FELIPE, CUENCA, BATANGAS A. MACALINDONG DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, REPRESENTED BY MARIFE R. MACALINDONG, Petitioner, -versusREGISTRY OF DEEDS FOR LIPA CITY, BATANGAS, Respondent. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

LRC CASE No. 08-2021-0984

ORDER Petitioner A. Macalindong Development Corporation, represented by Marie R. Macalindong filed the instant petition, praying to this Court, after due notice, publication and hearing, that a judgment be rendered and confirmed in the name of the petitioner or its successor-in-interest; and direc ting the Land Registration Adminis trator (LRA) to iss ue the corresponding decree of registration and original certificate of the title in favor of the petitioner. Other reliefs just and equitable under the circumstances are likewise prayed for. Finding the foregoing petition to be sufficient in form and substance, let the initial hearing of the petition be set on February 21, 2022 at 1:30 in the afternoon. The Acting Branch Clerk of Court is directed to furnish the Commissioner of Land Registration with a copy of this Order to be published once in the Official Gazette and to a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, at the expense of the applicant. Let copies of this Order, the Petition and it’s annexes be furnished the Registry of Deeds for Lipa City, Batangas and the Province of Batangas, and the Office of the Solicitor General for their comment/opposition thereto. Likewise, let a copy of this Order be posted by the Sheriff of this Court at the Bulletin Board of the Municipal Hall of Cuenca, Batangas, the Registry of Deeds for Lipa City, Batangas and the Province of Batangas; the Hall of Justice, Lipa City, Batangas and the Barangay Hall of San Felipe, Cuenca, Batangas, at the expense of the applicant. SO ORDERED. In chambers, this 15th day of November 2021 at Lipa City, Batangas. (Sgd.) MARY JANE B. VALEZA-MARANAN Acting Presiding Judge Copies sent to: 1. OSG Makati 2. Atty. Virgilio I. Macasaet, Jr. 3. Marife R. Macalindong / A. Macalindong Development Corp. 4. Registry of Deeds for Lipa City 5. RD Province of Batangas ---------------------------------------------------REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRAIL COURT BRANCH 13, LIPA CITY Contact No: 0956-418-2298 / 0976-015-8506 Viber: 0976-015-8506 E-mail: rtc2lip013@judiciary.gov.ph PETTION FOR REGISTRATION OF UNREGISTERED LAND LOCATED AT SAN FELIPE, CUENCA, BATANGAS A. MACALINDONG DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, REPRESENTED BY MARIFE R. MACALINDONG, Petitioner, -versusREGISTRY OF DEEDS FOR LIPA CITY, BATANGAS, Respondent. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x

LRC CASE No. 08-2021-0984

ORDER At the proceedings today set for initial hearing, Atty. Julie Ann Silva appeared for the petitioner. Pros. Rea L. Morcilla-Olap appeared for theGovernment in representation of the office of the Solicitor General. On record is the Manifestation filed by the Register of Deeds of Lipa City stating that it has no jurisdiction over the subject matter of this case. Atty. Silva manifested that the petitioner through their law office has just filed a Supplemental Petition. The same is now submitted for resolution. In the meantime, considering that this petition is yet to be published in the official gazette, let the initial hearing be set on June 20, 2022 at 1:30 o’clock in the afternoon. SO ORDERED. Given in open court this 21st day of February, 2022 at Lipa City, Batangas. (Sgd.) MARY JANE B. VALEZA-MARANAN Acting Presiding Judge Manila Standard | March 9, 2022

WRECKED BY TREMOR. Sushi maker Akio Hanzawa walks in front of his damaged restaurant in Shiroishi, Miyagi prefecture on March 17 after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake jolted east Japan the night before. AFP

The 7.4-magnitude quake off the coast of Fukushima derailed a bullet train, opened cracks in highways, and threw products from shelves in shops. A tsunami warning for waves of up to a meter (three feet) in parts of northeast Japan was lifted in the early hours of Thursday, after authorities recorded water levels up to 30 centimeters higher than usual in some areas. Multiple smaller jolts continued to hit the region into Thursday morning, straining nerves just days

after Japan marked the 11th anniversary of the massive quake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in the area. Damage appeared comparatively minor, in a country with tough building codes intended to protect against devastation from frequent earthquakes, and officials said there were no abnormalities at nuclear plants. Government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said four deaths had been reported, though investigations were still under way into whether they were a direct result of the quake. Another 107 people were injured, he added. “We’ve received reports that there are no data irregularities in the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini nuclear plants and the Onagawa nuclear plant,” Matsuno said, referring to the facility crippled in 2011 and two others in the region. The quake struck at a depth of 60 kilometres (37 miles) at 11.36 pm and was preceded minutes earlier by a 6.1-magnitude shake in the same area, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said. “We had two huge earthquakes. The first one was very big and shook hard. I prepared to evacuate, then the second, bigger one hit,” a municipal official in the Fukushima city of Soma told AFP. AFP

IN BRIEF Peru landslide: 3 bodies found RETAMAS, Peru—Rescuers digging through a landslide in northern Peru said Wednesday they had recovered three dead bodies, including a one-month-old baby. A landslide Tuesday in the town of Retamas, around 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of Lima, buried several homes and trapped at least eight people, five of whom are still missing, authorities said. “We were able to recover the body of a third person, a 62-year-old man,” Lieutenant Carlos Alberto Valderrama, the village’s chief of police, told AFP. Hours earlier emergency crews recovered the bodies of the baby girl and an adult male who was likely trying to protect the infant when the landslide buried them both, a police spokesman said. All three victims were found under the rubble of a market. Defense Minister Jose Gavidia said the eight missing include three children. On Tuesday, authorities had said there were 15 people missing from the mining village of around 5,000. Gavidia also corrected a claim from Tuesday by La Libertad governor Manuel Llempen, who said at least 60 homes were buried, lowering that figure to “about seven.” “I managed to get out in time (but) my house was buried. The landslide has left us with nothing,” said Ledy Leiva, who escaped with five family members. Rescue efforts went on all night into Wednesday with only a couple hours’ break. But the work was suspended late Wednesday due to heavy rain in the area. Peruvian President Pedro Castillo arrived at the village early Wednesday to supervise rescue efforts. AFP

Macron to unveil term program

CALI FLOWERS. A worker carries bundles of flowers as they tend to and gather Giant Ranunculus flowers in The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch on March 16 in Carlsbad, California. The flower fields feature approximately 70 million ranunculus blooms across 55 acres on the working agricultural flower farm. AFP

HK mulls easing COVID rules, public tolerance ‘fading’ HONG KONG—Hong Kong’s leader said Thursday she was mulling easing some of the city’s coronavirus restrictions due to waning public tolerance but could not provide a roadmap out of the current Omicronfueled crisis. Carrie Lam’s administration has been pummeled by all sides over its unclear public messaging and handling of Hong Kong’s fifth wave, which has brought nearly a million cases and 4,600 deaths in less than three months. The exponential jump in case numbers comes despite the finance hub putting in place border restrictions since the pandemic’s start and deploying some of the harshest social-

distancing measures outside mainland China. Since Omicron broke through in January, there have been bans on public gatherings of more than two, restrictions on night-time dining and mandatory masking while doing outdoor activities. The latest new restrictions came Thursday when public beaches were closed. Yet Lam told a press conference that “the time has come” to review the restrictions. “Not because the number of cases has come down... but I have a very strong feeling that people’s tolerance is fading,” Lam said. “Some of our financial institutions are losing patience about this sort of isolated status of Hong Kong.” AFP

PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron, riding high in the polls ahead of elections next month, is to reveal his programme for a second term on Thursday in his first major campaign event. The 44-year-old delayed declaring his intention to seek re-election to the last possible moment and is now under pressure to engage with voters and rivals ahead of polls on April 10. The centrist had focused in recent weeks on Western diplomatic outreach to stop the war in Ukraine, giving him a personal boost to ratings at home where most voters approve of his efforts. If he becomes the first French president to be re-elected in 20 years next month, the former investment banker is expected to focus on deepening his pro-business domestic reforms and accelerating his vision for a more powerful European Union. But few specific details about his programme have been revealed. Thursday’s event in Paris, which will include a lengthy press conference, is “an important exercise to show that he is addressing the questions and criticism of him, and that he’s therefore really entering the campaign”, a minister told AFP on condition of anonymity. Rivals across the political spectrum, who have struggled to make an impact in recent weeks amid the focus on Russia’s invasion, had been calling on Macron to declare his candidacy since the turn of the year. AFP

UN to vote on its presence, scope in Afghanistan, barring Russia veto UNITED NATIONS—The Security Council votes Thursday on a resolution to secure the United Nations’ presence in war-torn Afghanistan into the future—unless Russia, which has stymied negotiations this week, vetoes the measure. The draft text introduced by Norway reshapes the global body’s relations with Kabul to account for last year’s seizure of power by the Taliban, whose rule is still not recognized by the international community and who have yet to name new representatives to the United Nations. According to a diplomatic source, Moscow on Wednesday opposed the long-

discussed draft of a new mandate for the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on the grounds it lacked “the consent of the de facto authorities,” namely the Taliban. Moscow had filed an initial obstruction a day earlier, complaining—as did China —that human rights were given too much prominence in the text, a diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity. India, Brazil, and France also sought changes. Even after the measure was redrafted to account for the concerns, Russia was the only one of 15 Security Council members to oppose it.

The text “doesn’t reflect our position,” Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy told AFP, without saying whether Moscow would go so far as to veto the resolution in Thursday’s 10:00 am (1400 GMT) vote. The divisions that existed before have only been “further ignited by the war in Ukraine” and have now affected UN issues across the spectrum, the ambassador of a Security Council nation told AFP. The “rift” between the West and Russia “is such that any consensus is difficult to achieve” among Security Council members, the envoy added. AFP

Business

B3

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

US Fed hikes interest rate in battle against high inflation

PSEi March 17, 2022

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 2 3

ROX SPNEC PA

1.41 1.76 2.82

0.2 0.21 0.31

16.53% 13.55% 12.35%

4 5

PRIM ARA

1.38 1.14

0.14 0.1

11.29% 9.62%

6

CNVRG

25.95

2.25

9.49%

7 8

PHR TECHW

1.09 0.64

0.07 0.04

6.86% 6.67%

9 10

VITA HOME

0.64 8.15

0.04 0.45

6.67% 5.84%

TOP LOSERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1

ALCO

0.54

-0.06

-10.00%

2 3

T RFM

0.8 4.23

-0.08 -0.36

-9.09% -7.84%

4

GERI

0.85

-0.05

-5.56%

5 6

MARC ANS

1.67 8.45

-0.09 -0.45

-5.11% -5.06%

7 8 9 10

MVC ABG APC FNI

4.24 4.03 0.23 2.77

-0.19 -0.18 -0.01 -0.12

-4.29% -4.28% -4.17% -4.15%

MOST ACTIVE

1 BDO

VOLUME 4,538,270

VALUE (PHP) 601,018,789

2 3

CNVRG SMPH

22,037,100 13,912,500

565,775,990 531,575,815

4 5 6 7

ICT BPI SM ALI

1,863,740 3,713,500 395,120 9,235,300

413,016,830 369,091,712 357,244,700 334,962,205

8 9

MBT TEL

6,006,430 180,235

325,344,696 310,158,250

10

ACEN

27,484,300

230,413,027

STRANDED. Fishing boats are moored as they have stopped fishing after haulers went on strike against surging fuel prices, in the seaport of the Spanish Basque city of Getaria on March 16, 2022. Russia’s war in Ukraine and economic sanctions, which include a US ban on Russian oil imports, has sent oil and gas prices soaring, threatening to worsen inflationary pressure. AFP

Stock market gains; Converge, BPI climb

T

HE stock market rallied further Thursday along with the rest of Asia as traders cheered soothing comments on the US economy by the Federal Reserve after it lifted interest rates.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 96 points, or 1.4 percent, to 7,122.45 on a value turnover of P7.5 billion. Gainers overwhelmed losers, 123 to 62, with 49 issues unchanged. Converge ICT Solutions Inc. advanced 9.5 percent to P25.95, while Bank of the Philippine Islands, the third-biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 5.2 percent to P99.90. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. of the Ty Group, the second-largest bank, increased 3.7 percent to P54.20, while AC Energy Corp. of the Ayala Group rose 3.4 percent to P8.43. The rest of Asian markets climbed Thursday with another blistering surge

in tech firms helping Hong Kong extend its recovery from the recent rout, Regional sentiment remains buoyant after China’s top economic official vowed measures to support beatendown markets and indicated that a debilitating crackdown on the technology sector was nearing its end. The news lit a fire under Asia on Wednesday—sending Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rocketing more than nine percent and the city’s tech gauge flying by a record 22 percent. That provided a platform for traders in Europe and New York, where an index of US-listed Chinese firms ended up 33 percent. After the healthy gains on Wall Street, Asia picked up the baton happily. Tokyo charged more than three percent higher, while Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul and Mumbai were all up more than one percent. Taipei put on three percent with gains also seen in Singapore, Bangkok and Wellington. And the buying continued in early business on Thursday, with the HSI piling on seven percent with market

The Mediterranean gets first offshore wind farm as Italy vows energy shift Wind turbines are pictured at the Taranto offshore wind turbines farm on March 10, 2022 in Taranto, southern Italy. AFP

By Giovanni Grezzi with Ella Ide TARANTO, Italy―The Mediterranean’s first offshore wind farm is rising from the shallows off Italy, its turbines a symbol of hope for a Europe suffering an energy crisis exacerbated by war. The park will stretch out from the port in Taranto, a city in the south blighted by a noxious steel plant and unemployment, but which now finds itself center stage in the country’s race to scale up green power. “This is a big chance to change hearts and minds on renewables,” said Fabio Matacchiera, an activist in Taranto, where child tumors are well above the average but poor locals cling to jobs in dirty energy. The Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine in February prompted an outraged European Union to pledge to sharply reduce its dependency on Russian gas, and expand clean energy faster to compensate. Italy is one of Europe’s biggest guzzlers of gas, which currently represents 42 percent of its energy consumption. It imports 95 percent of the gas it uses, 45 percent of which comes from Russia. An “accelerated investment in renewables... remains the only key strategy in the long term,” Prime Minister Mario Draghi told parliament last week, with Rome planning to stop using Russian gas by 2025. As the Ukraine conflict rages, Italy’s cabinet has approved six new wind farms to be built on land, from Sardinia to Basilicata, and has committed to unlocking “several tens of gigawatts of offshore wind power.” Deep waters Offshore is more complicated: average water depths in the Mediterranean are much deeper

than in areas such as the North Sea, making bottom-fixed installations difficult and costly. The Mediterranean is also one of the world’s busiest waterways, as well as the sea in Europe most prone to severe climate change. But the invention of floating turbines has increased its potential. France recently held the world’s first auction for a commercial-sized floating offshore wind farm, and other Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Spain are also planning auctions for large-scale projects, according to the WindEurope association. Once complete, the Beleolico farm off Taranto’s sandy beach in Puglia, down in the heel of Italy’s boot-shaped peninsula, will have 10 bottom-fixed, red and white-bladed turbines. Together they will be capable of powering 21,000 homes. Renexia, the company behind it, says it also has plans for a vast floating wind farm with 190 turbines off the island of Sicily, which would produce energy for 3.4 million families and create hundreds of jobs. Sunken treasures, beach views The project has met some opposition from locals convinced it would ruin the view in tourist hotspots―though Renexia’s general manager Riccardo Toto told AFP it would be “practically invisible” from the coast. Treasure hunters have been known to uncover sunken ancient artifacts off Sicily, but there are none on the site in question, he said. The turbines can also boost, rather than damage, biodiversity by acting as artificial reefs. Italy’s Ecological Transition Ministry has received 64 expressions of interest for floating offshore wind farms―but the number of projects held up by bureaucracy is “staggering,” WindEurope said. A FP

heavyweight tech titans including Alibaba, Tencent and JD.com building on their eye-watering rallies. Companies in other sectors that have been in Beijing’s cross hairs over the past year, such as casinos and developers, also extended a rally. “The statement addressed so many issues on various fronts, which is really rare,” Ding Shuang at Standard Chartered said. “Selloffs tended to be self-fulfilling partly because of the lack of response from the government,” but part of the government’s aim is likely to break that inertia and stabilize expectations, he added. Adding to the broadly positive mood on trading floors were hopes that Ukraine and Russia were edging towards a ceasefire in a war that has sent markets spiraling and fears over inflation soaring with commodity prices. Traders have grown increasingly worried that the spike in inflation and war in Europe will knock off-course an already fragile pandemic recovery, providing a headache for central bankers who are trying to rein in ultra-loose monetary policies. With AFP

WASHINGTON, United States—The Federal Reserve escalated its battle against the wave of price increases battering the US economy, raising the benchmark interest rate on Wednesday even as it acknowledged the risks posed by the war in Ukraine. At the conclusion of its two-day meeting, the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced a quarter-point rate hike, the first since 2018 and since it cut the rate to zero at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The central bank clearly signaled that the move, already well telegraphed by Fed officials in the weeks leading up to it, would be the first in a series. “We’re not going to let high inflation become entrenched. The costs of that would be too high,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters, adding that the FOMC is committed to using its “powerful tools” to prevent that. The central bank is walking a tightrope to ensure its inflation-fighting efforts don’t derail the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic even as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine introduces new uncertainty in an economy battered by supply chain snarls and labor shortages. In a statement, the FOMC said the fallout from the war in Ukraine is “likely to create additional upward pressure on inflation” and also could “weigh on economic activity,” although the “implications for the US economy are highly uncertain.” The Fed moved swiftly in March 2020 to prevent the pandemic from sending the world’s largest economy into a severe downturn, but as the virus waned and businesses reopened, inflation has roared back, with prices for gasoline, food, cars and rents pushing the consumer price index to a fourdecade high. Powell said supply chain issues were worse and more long lasting than expected, and acknowledged that “inflation is likely to take longer to return” to the Fed’s two-percent goal. Blaming the “elevated” inflation on “supply and demand imbalances related to the pandemic, higher energy prices and broader price pressures,” the statement said “ongoing increases” in the policy rate will be “appropriate.” AFP

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

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FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Converge ICT hikes 2022 capex to P28b to expand network By Darwin G. Amojelar CONVERGE Information Communications and Technology Solutions Inc. said Thursday it raised its 2022 capital expenditures to P28 billion after posting a sharp increase in net income last year. “We expect to spend approximately P26 billion to P28 billion in capital expenditures in 2022, which will include deepening of our network infrastructure throughout the country, as well as deployment of additional FTTH [fiber to the home] ports nationwide,” Converge chief executive and co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy said. “Other key capital expenditure initiatives this year will include selected investments into international subsea cables and enhancement of our IT systems,” he said. The company spent P25 billion in 2021 to expand its network nationwide. Converge ICT reported a net income of P7.15 billion last year, or more than double the P3.38 billion it earned in 2020. Consolidated revenues grew by 69.2 percent from P15.65 billion in 2020 to P26.47 billion in 2021. Revenues from its residential business jumped 83.2 percent to P23.13 billion last year from P12.6 billion in 2020. Earnings from enterprise business also grew by 10.7 percent yearon-year. “We expect that strong demand for reliable high-speed broadband will result in continuous growth of our residential subscriber base to approximately 2.4 million by the end of 2022,” Uy said. “We also project demand from enterprise customers, including smallmedium enterprises, to accelerate during the year, with the lowering of mobility restrictions to Alert Level 1,” he said. The company ended 2021 with 1,691,550 residential subscribers, up by 63 percent from December 2020. It also reached the high-end of its goal of 1.6 million to 1.7 million subscribers last year.

Developers seen to benefit from 2022 real estate rebound By Jenniffer B. Austria HOUSE-AND-LOT developers are most likely to be benefit from the recovery of the real estate market, Security Bank Equities Inc. president Warren Sy said Thursday. Sy said in a statement the residential real estate market is on track for a rebound in 2022 after being severely affected by the pandemic. “The valuation of residential houses in the market suffered a decline due to lower demand, with buyers reducing their risk appetites. However, with the Philippine GDP [gross domestic product] poised to recover as we reopen our economy, household incomes are expected to increase—which could lead to families being more willing to buy a home,” he said. Sy said the government’s infrastructure development, including the 8-kilometer NLEX-SLEX Connector Road and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway would encourage more people to live in South Luzon, resulting in increased demand for housing projects. “Developing the infrastructure of provinces, especially with the aim of making them more accessible to Metro Manila, will stimulate economic growth and increase business competitiveness in these areas,” Sy said. Sy said mass housing developer Ovialand Inc. would be one of the housing developers that could see a long-term uptick in consumer demand. “Ovialand is a mass-market housing developer with a focus in South Luzon—particularly Quezon, Laguna and Batangas,” Sy said. ”The company has ambitious growth plans for 2030, such as expanding nationwide and increasing its housebuilding capacity to 6,000 house-andlot units from the current figure of 900,” he said.

Business Higher spending raised budget deficit in January By Julito G. Rada

T

HE government’s budget deficit rose 66.3 percent in January to P23.4 billion from the P14.1-billion shortfall a year ago, as public disbursements increased 9.7 percent, outpacing the 6.7-percent rise in revenue collection, data from the Bureau of the Treasury show. Revenue collection amounted to P278.1 billion in January, up P17.3 billion from a year ago. The bulk of the total or 92 percent was from taxes amounting to P255.3 billion, while nontax collections amounted to P22.8 billion. Collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue went up by 7.5 percent to

P195.8 billion, or P13.6 billion higher than the P182.2 billion collections made in January 2021. The P58.3 billion collected by the Bureau of Customs also improved by 23.43 percent or P11.1 billion from P47.3 billion posted in the same period last year. “Improved valuation, intensified enforcement against illegal importation, improved compliance by traders to customs laws, gradual improvement of importation volume, and the government’s effort in ensuring unhampered movement of goods domestically and internationally drove the positive performance for the month,” the Treasury said in a statement. Income generated by the Bureau of the Treasury went down by 41.75 percent to P10.9 billion from a year earlier, on high base effect of dividend remittances of the National Transmission Corp. and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in January 2021. January collections from other offices amounted to P11.9 billion or 7.96 percent above last year’s outturn of P11.0 billion.

Meanwhile, the government’s disbursement went up by 9.70 percent or P26.7 billion in January to P301.5 billion on higher national tax allocation releases. Of the total, 78 percent or P235.9 billion were primary expenditures which grew by 3.57 percent over last year’s level. Interest payments of P65.6 billion also went up by 39.40 percent from last year’s P47.0 billion. Interest payments accounted for 23.57 percent of revenue and 21.74 percent of expenditures, up from last year’s 18.04 percent and 17.11 percent, respectively. “Net of interest payments, the national government’s primary surplus for the first month of the year reached P42.2 billion, 27.92 percent or P9.2 billion higher than the P33.0 billion primary surplus recorded in the equivalent period last year,” the Treasury said. The government posted a budget deficit of P1.67 trillion in 2021, or 21.78 percent higher than the P1.37-trillion deficit in 2020, as the 10.60-percent expansion in expenditures outpaced the 5.24-percent increase in revenues.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Thursday, March 17, 2022

96.00 PTS. 7,122.45

TOTAL VOLUME

1,426,082,280

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES

113,239 7,503,732,863.13 123

DECLINES

62

UNCHANGED

49

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.2850

Japan

Yen

0.008420

0.4402

UK

Pound

1.315600

68.7861

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127895

6.6870

Switzerland

Franc

1.063490

55.6046

Canada

Dollar

0.788768

41.2407

Singapore

Dollar

0.736106

38.4873

Australia

Dollar

0.728500

38.0896

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652731

138.6980

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266539

13.9360

Brunei

Dollar

0.733407

38.3462

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.029994

1.5682

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2365

Euro

Euro

1.103400

57.6913

Korea

Won

0.000817

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.157436

8.2315

India

Rupee

0.013125

0.6862

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.238351

12.4622

New Zealand

Dollar

0.682200

35.6688

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035137

1.8371 Source: BSP

IN BRIEF SPNEC plans P10-b stocks rights offering

SOLAR Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp. said Thursday it plans to conduct a P10-billion stock rights offering in June as it aims to speed up the development of 4 gigawatts of solar projects. The P10-billion fund raising activity will come six months after SPNEC’s initial public offering in December. SPNEC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would use the proceeds from the rights offering to accelerate the development of solar projects to be acquired from parent Solar Philippines under an asset-for-share swap deal. “We note the feedback of our public shareholders who want us to accelerate our business plan, ahead of the consummation of the increase in authorized capital stock and share swap. As such, we are preparing SPNEC to accelerate the development of our largest projects, from the proceeds of an earlier filed SRO, given the importance of speed in developing projects to meet the growing demand for solar in the Philippines,” said Solar Philippines founder Leandro Leviste. Jenniffer B. Austria

BDO, Bayad expand payments partnership

BSP SUPPORT. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno (top left) shares the various liquidity-easing measures of the central bank during a forum organized by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Pune International Centre. The BSP introduced the measures that accounted for 11.1 percent of the Philippine gross domestic product as part of an effort to sustain the economy through the crisis and restore financial market functioning. BSP’s liquidity support resulted in more affordable borrowing costs, encouraged bank lending and expanded access to credit for households and firms. With Diokno in the forum are (clockwise) Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor Michael Patra, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Ajit Ranade of the Centre for Social and Economic Progress.

BSP to weigh policy rate based on PH data despite Fed increase THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday the policy rates would remain data driven, and not dependent on the action by the US Federal Reserve which raised interest rates for the first time since 2018. “We don’t need to move in pace with the Fed... but we will review our inflation outlook in our incoming policy meeting,” Diokno said, adding any policy decision by the Monetary Board would remain data driven—such as the latest numbers on inflation and domestic output—to avoid “unintended consequences.” “The BSP has various tools. We have strong external buffers and liquidity-enhancing tools to stem the volatility that may arise due to the [US

Fed] tightening. Our decision remains data dependent,” Diokno said. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday increased interest rates and laid out an aggressive plan to push borrowing costs to restrictive levels next year. After keeping its benchmark interest rate anchored near zero since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the Federal Open Market Committee said it would raise rates by 25 basis points, bringing the rate now into a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. The move will correspond with a hike in the prime rate and immediately send financing costs higher for many forms of consumer borrowing and credit. Fed officials indicated the rate increases would come with slower

economic growth this year. Diokno earier said there was no certain timetable for the BSP’s exit strategy from its pandemic interventions, especially with the onset of new COVID-19 variants that threaten the sustained recovery of the economy. “We deem it prudent to leave some room for flexibility in policymaking to account for uncertainty and risk, especially as the situation remains very fluid,” he said. Diokno said the timing and conditions under which the BSP would start unwinding its pandemic-induced interventions would continue to be guided by the inflation and growth outlook over the medium term and the risks surrounding such outlook. Julito G. Rada

BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender led by the Sy Group, said Thursday it teamed up with Bayad, the biggest multi-channel payment platform in the country, to expand the roster of bills customers can pay through various BDO channels. Bayad is seen to boost the bills payment capability of BDO, by allowing Meralco Postpaid, Prepaid (KLoad) and Radius Telecoms customers to pay their bills with real-time posting through BDO’s over 1,500 branches nationwide and BDO Online Banking channel. The partnership delivers greater convenience and accessibility to the growing users of Meralco Postpaid, Prepaid (KLoad), and Radius Telecoms nationwide with Bayad as a bills payment partner. Both Bayad and BDO are expanding their bills payment network to make transactions faster, more convenient and safer for customers in light of the pandemic. BDO Cash Management Services head Carlo Nazareno said in a statement the bank was cognizant of how convenience plays a crucial role in customer experience. Julito G. Rada

Electronics remain leading PH exports

THE electronics Industry continued to be the country’s top exporter in January, accounting for $3.8 billion or 62.4 percent of total commodity export of $6.04 billion. Industry data showed that electronics exports increased 6.27 percent to $3.77 billion in January from $3.55 billion a year ago. Telecommunication exports doubled to $84.53 million from $27.16 million in January 2021. They were followed by automotive electronics, which rose 82 percent; office equipment, 40.2 percent; control and instrumentation and 14.9 percent; and semiconductor components and devices, 10.5 percent. Medical/industrial instrumentation exports declined by 24 percent to $17.72 million from $23.34, followed by communication/radar at 18.3 percent, electronic data processing at 9 percent, and consumer electronics at 8.9 percent. Top 5 export destinations in January were Hong Kong, accounting for 17.83 percent, the United States with 13.86 percent, China with 12.13, Singapore with 9.58 percent and Japan with 7.78 percent. The industry anticipates expects a 10-percent increase in exports to $50 billion in 2022 after surpassing pre-pandemic exports level by 3.87 percent in 2021. Othel V. Campos

Taft Hydro completes 16-MW plant in E. Samar By Alena Mae S. Flores LOCAL company Taft Hydro Energy Corp. said Thursday it completed the commissioning works on its 16- megawatt hydropower project in Barangay San Rafael, Taft, Eastern Samar. The project is expected to support the country’s growing need for power especially the island of Samar which is part of the country’s Tuna Highway. It said the lack of power constrained investments in cold storage facilities for tuna fishermen to maximize the potential of the tuna industry. “Hydro projects are challenging to build, but despite the pandemic THEC did it in record time of less than two years. THEC is grateful to the support of the Department of Energy, Development Bank of the Philippines, the electric cooperatives, local government of Eastern and Western Samar, the local communities and our workers on the ground who went the extra mile so we

can complete this project on time and on budget,” THEC president Benjie Picardo said in a statement. “Our fishermen cannot wait for the project to come online soon enough. At the same time, the completion of the THEC project will create a major economic multiplier by the opening of investment opportunities in cold storage, processing plants, and even in tourism,” Picardo said. THEC utilizes the Taft-Tubig River in Barangay San Rafael to provide stable and affordable electricity in Samar Island and Leyte province. “With this plant, local places will get energy required for normal life and grid improvement,” said Aleksander Ikodinovic, who represented Global Hydro Energy—THEC’s electromechanical supplier. THEC tapped a P1-billion loan from DBP to partly fund the construction of the project which is located 1.2 kilometers from the National Highway.

BDO-BAYAD TIEUP. BDO Unibank Inc. and payments company Bayad join forces to expand the roster of bills customers who can pay through several BDO channels and improve the payment experience for Filipinos. Attending the virtual partnership signing ceremony are (from top left, clockwise) Bayad chief commercial and marketing officer Dennis Gatuslao, Bayad president and chief executive Lawrence Ferrer, BDO senior vice president and cash management services head Carlo Nazareno and BDO executive vice president and transaction banking group head Edwin Reyes.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

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Ace lifts Angeles, Visaya to joint lead

Athlete of the Year Hidilyn Diaz is flanked by her partner/coach Julius Naranjo (left) and Monico Puentevella, president of the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas during the PSA Awards Night at the Diamond Hotel on Monday.

Nutrition coach Aro says Hidilyn Diaz still has ‘it’

By Randy Caluag

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ITH an Olympic gold and silver medal already tucked under her belt, Hidilyn Diaz will go for her fifth Olympic Games in Paris 2024 and the road starts in the coming 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam, where she will be defending her weightlifting gold. No less than her nutritionist Jeaneth Aro confirmed that Diaz and her 30-year-old body can still cope with the demand of hard training and the stress necessary for her sport of weightlifting. “I can attest that she’s still in it,” said Aro, part of the composite Team HD that Diaz acknowledged when she delivered the first gold medal for the

Philippines after more than a century of futile attempts in the Olympiad. Aro was backstage in Tokyo with Diaz when the Zamboangena star won the Olympic gold last July. She whooped it up with Diaz when she pulled off that dramatic victory that changed Philippine Olympic history forever.

“To see up close once again HD’s face and habits when she’s on competition mode brings back memories of the Tokyo Olympics— a privileged view that I can say only a few eyes have seen,” added Aro. Together with the other members of Team HD, coach Julius Naranjo and psychologist Karen Katrina Trinidad, Aro was in attendance as Diaz pulled through the qualifying event for weightlifting in the SEA Games, held at the Sentro Fortis Crossfit Gym in Muntinlupa. Two other qualifying meets were held in Cebu and Zamboanga to complete the 13-member squad for the SEA Games weightlifting competition at the Hanoi Sports Training Center from May 19 to 22. The opening ceremonies of the bien-

nial meet that was postponed from its original date this year will be on May 12. Other members of the team are Fernando Agad Jr. (men’s 55kg), Rowel Garcia (men’s 61kg), Nestor Colonia (men’s 67kg), Lemon Denmark Tarro (men’s 73kg), John Kevin Padullo (men’s 89kg), John Dexter Tabique (men’s +89kg), Mary Flor Diaz (women’s 45kg), Rosegie Ramos (women’s 49kg), Margaret Colonia (women’s 59kg), Elreen Ann Ando (women’s 64kg), Vanessa Sarno (women’s 71kg) and Kristel Macrohon (women’s +71kg). Six of them bagged medals in the 30th SEA Games hosted by the Philippines in 2019. Diaz and Macrohon were gold-medal winners, while Margaret Colonia and Ando bagged silver medals. Mary For Diaza and Nestor Colonia were bronze medalists.

Oranza stays ahead; Tugawin wins stage BALER, Aurora—Ryan Tugawin of Excellent Noodles barged into the Top 10 again after ruling Stage 7, while Ronald Oranza of Navy Standard Insurance survived the challenge of his closest rivals to keep his hold on the overall lead in the 11th LBC Ronda Pilipinas on Thursday. The 29-year-old Oranza stayed unmoved in front of the individual general classification standings, collecting a total time of 23 hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds when it was over. On the other hand, Tugawin gained the advantage after he headed downhill in the last 55 kms towards Baler proper, with Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance rider El Joshua Carino as they took a 1-2 finish. The 32-year-old Tugawin, who is from Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, crossed

Ryan Tugawin

the finish line first, clocking a similar time with Carino at four hours, 31 minutes and 16 seconds at the close of the 174.5-km chase from Tarlac City to Baler, Aurora. Marcelo Felipe of Team Nueva Ecija was third in 4:31:18. For their efforts, Tugawin, Carino and Felipe earned a spot in the top 10. Felipe climbed to No. 5 from No. 11 in 23:28:09, Carino jumped to No. 6 from No. 12 in 23:29:28 and Tugawin leapfrogged to No. 8 from No. 13 in 23:31:29. Oranza stuck with closest foes Jan Paul Morales of Excellent Noodles and Jonel Carcueva of Go for Gold that checked in at fourth in 4:32:18 to remain ahead of the pack. Morales stayed in second in 23:19:04, while Carcueva third in 23:21:19. Peter Atencio

Tanduay revives Rum Masters team for FilBasket tournament TANDUAY’S newly-formed basketball team has taken on the name that has made it one of the most popular teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The new Tanduay Rum Masters under Coach Cholo Villanueva vows to continue the team’s winning legacy. “Tanduay is one of the most prominent companies in the Philippines known for supporting basketball, so being a part of it is a privilege,” Coach Villanueva said. “The challenge is to bring back its winning mentality. Hopefully, we can bring back the championship legacy that the Rum Masters are known for.” At the same time, Tanduay aims to train the spotlight on basketball talents outside of the big leagues. It has been the objective of its Tanduay Athletics division to develop new and aspiring players of all sports. “It’s always been Tanduay’s advocacy to provide an avenue for players from smaller schools to showcase their skills and talents. This is our way of helping basketball in the country by providing opportunities for those who are not fortunate enough to come from big basketball programs. That’s why our players come

from different leagues, not just the top leagues,” said Tanduay Rum Masters Team Manager Jean Alabanza. Participating in FilBasket The Tanduay Rum Masters will play its first game in the Filipino Basketball League (FilBasket) this March. The newly-established league will be participated in by local and international teams. Asked if there is any pressure in carrying the Tanduay Rum Masters name, Coach Villanueva said that there will always be pressure, but he and his team are up for the challenge. Coach Villanueva knows what overcoming pressure and succeeding is like. He has been part of De La Salle University’s (DLSU) Green Archers men’s basketball team that won three championships for the school. During his last year, he bagged the much-coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. After his UAAP stint, he played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) for three years. He started his coaching career under the wings of Coach Franz Pumaren, acting as his assistant coach in DLSU. He has also handled coaching stints in the PBA, the Philippine Basketball League, and the

Members of the Tanduay Rum Masters’ team

Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. A Team of Talented Rookies and Veterans The current roster of the Tanduay Rum Masters consists of both veterans and rookies. It includes Coach Villanueva’s former players, members of the University of the East basketball team, and players who have yet to make a

name in the Philippines’ favorite sport. Its players include Levi Hernandez, Cedrick Ablaza, Mark Cruz, Dawn Ochea, Johnrey Villanueva, Jeckster Apinan, Wilson Baltazar, Ralf Olivares, Rudy Lingganay, Joshua Gonzales, Darwin Lumor, Mark Justine Dela Virgen, Jaycee Asuncion, Jay Manlangit, and Vincent King Importante.

CHRISTIAN Angeles grabbed the Day 1 spotlight in the Southwoods Invitational Wednesday, scoring a holein-one on No. 3 of the Masters course and powering his team-up with Oscar Visaya to a share of Division 2 lead with 96 points in the member-guest tournament in Carmona, Cavite. Angeles aced the 176-yard hole using a PXG 6-iron and Taylor Made TP5x #5 ball and won a 4-night Southeast Asia cruise for two, inclusive of two economy class tickets (ManilaSingapore-Manila), courtesy of Royal Caribbean/Baron Travel. He also claimed P100,000 from Sojitz Fuso Phils. Corp. for the feat. A brand new 2022 Mirage G4 GLS CVT A/T Sedan remains up for grabs for aces on Nos. 16 and 5 of the Legends and Masters courses, respectively, along with a Club Car Tempo 2-seater electric on No. 13 of Masters from The Turf Company; a Gran Sportivo Golf Cart on No. 12 of Legends, and Mercedes-Benz A-Class on No. 13 of Masters from Auto Nation Group, Inc. Angeles and member Visaya combined for 96 Net Stableford Points under the best-ball format at the Masters to tie Ian Tambunting and Raymond Lacdao in the lead with Frederick Yu and Nieto Jesus Punzalan and Jayson Yu and Rex Goquingco matching 92 points in the four-day event backed by Platinum sponsors Mitsubishi Motors Phil. Corp./ Alpine Motors Corp., Royal Caribbean/Baron Travel, Agrexplore Corp., Abomar Equipment Sales Corp., Sojitz Fuso Phil. Corp., Klio International Marketing Corp. and HBW Enterprises. Brixton Aw and Raymond Co set the pace in Division I at Legends with 82 points in Aggregate format with Edsel Opulencia and Abraham Avena pooling a 79 and Shean Bedi and Terry Macdonald putting up a 77, while Neil Anthony Ong and John Philip Yeung took charge in Division, also at the Legends, with 77 with Romeo Chong and Elvis Balayan posting a 74 and Bob Sobrepeña and Monet Garcia carding a 73. Angeles and Visaya also shared the lead in the chase for the overall net crown with the rest of the 96 scorers while Junjun Plana and Gab Macalaguim paced the overall gross race with 72, one ahead of Ilagan and Sangil, and Opulencia and Avena, who turned in 71 apiece.

Patrombon, Arcilla seal Olivarez Cup semis duel THE top draws sealed a riveting clash of talents in the PPS-PEPP Olivarez Cup Open as Jeson Patrombon, Jed Olivarez, Jr. Johnny Arcilla and Vicente Anasta dispatched their respective rivals in varying fashions to move to the semifinals at the Olivarez Sports Center in Sucat Thursday. The top seeded Patrombon overpowered Rolando Ruel, Jr., 6-1, 6-3; No. 2 Olivarez stopped unranked Eurydice Gaspar on his tracks, 7-5, 6-2; third-ranked Arcilla scored a 6-4, 1-0 (ret.) win over Josshua Kinaadman; and No. 4 Anasta crushed Mark Alcoseba, 6-1, 6-2. Patrombon and many-time national teammate Arcilla dispute the first finals berth at 9 a.m. today (Friday) while Olivarez and Anasta clash for the other championship slot in the event marking the restart of the sport after a two-year hiatus due to pandemic. Patrombon earlier repulsed qualifier Jarell Edangga, 6-2, 7-6(7), and Kristianjoy Tesorio, 6-1, 6-1; while Arcilla eased past wild card Axi Gonzaga, 6-3, 6-2; and Raymund Diaz, 6-4, 6-3, in the upper half of the 32-player draw. Olivarez, on the other hand, whipped Joel Atienza, 6-2, 6-0; and clobbered Stefano Gurria, 6-0, 6-0; while Anasta posted a 6-3, 4-2(ret.) win over Russell Arcilla, Jr. then routed Heinz Carbonilla, 6-1, 6-3, as they fueled their respective drive for the top P30,000 purse in the event put up by the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala and backed by Dunlop, Rep, Eric Olivarez and Olivarez Sports Center. The ranking tournament also marks the resumption of the country’s longest-running circuit which also features competitions in various age-group divisions as part of the PPS-PEPP’s effort to identify and develop young talents, particularly from the countryside, according to event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

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Sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Marikina dominates inaugural BPBL tilt RECOGNIZING the vast number of untapped talents in the 18-under age category, particularly from the out-of-school youth sector, the Batang Pilipino Basketball League kicked off its pre-season tournament in new normal recently with an eye on expanding its base in the near future. Eight teams are currently vying in the league’s three-weekend competition, which got under way over the weekend at the Palaruang Batang Lambak in Sta. Elena, Marikina City. Team Marikina has lorded it over the field with four wins with Mandaluyong in second at 3-1 (win-loss) and Batang Cainta at third with a 2-1 card. QC North RPBC and QC South RPBC share fourth place with 2-2 marks while Pasig SA3 and Makati Pembo tote identical 1-3 slates and Priscerba Makati trails the field with three losses without a win to show. The community-driven cage league is aimed at identifying and developing players with potential, not just from public and private schools and col-

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Dizon cruises to 12-shot win at HSBC Singapore golf

leges but essentially from the out-of-school youth side, and at the same time providing motivation to the young, the disadvantaged and the potentially excluded to take part. “This grassroots program has been in the works for quite some time but whose staging was stymied by the pandemic,” said league commissioner Ron Camara. “But we could only launch the age category (18-under) allowed under the relaxed Covid restrictions.” The league is planning to unveil its regular season within the year that will include competitions in other age-group categories. For details, visit the league’s FB page @teamBPBL, IG and website www. batangpilipinobasketball.ph. Meanwhile, action resumes this weekend with the finals set on March 26 with league organizers not only hoping to help produce the players of tomorrow but also giving something back to the community by allowing the youth to enjoy sports participation for their own sake.

HE Philippine Olympic Committee Executive Board suspended the national sports associations of athletics and tennis during its special meeting on Thursday, a move that opened the door for worldranked pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena to participate at least in the Vietnam 31st Southeast Asian Games in May. POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the Philippine Tennis Association was suspended for its non-compliance with an order from the International Tennis Federation to amend its charter and hold fresh elections to select a truly representative set of board members. The Philta has been serving a two-

Team Marikina’s Patrick Rimbao battles Mandaluyong Megaworks’ Keith Retuerto (12) and Muhammad Gunting in a fierce rebound play during their encounter in the BPBL inaugurals in Sta. Elena, Marikina last week.

POC suspends PATAFA, tennis body for 90 days year suspension by the ITF since late 2020 and the sanction faces extension unless the NSA complies with the world tennis body’s instruction. The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association, Tolentino said, was also suspended for failing to serve its purpose as an NSA, which supposedly “has the dedication and commitment toward the development of the sport, promoting the ideals of the Olympic Movement and the spirit of sportsmanship.” “Our constitution states that POC may suspend for any reason. However, it’s transparent that PATAFA has deliberately and intentionally disregarded our basic principles of promoting sports and development,” Tolentino said.

“Unfortunately, the non-endorsement of EJ has created a national issue,” Tolentino added. “EJ Obiena, under our International Olympic Committee Charter, has two reasons to be endorsed—sports merit and inspiration to the youth.” Tolentino said that despite sincere efforts by Obiena to mediate, “PATAFA prioritized its pride, and it saddens [me] to look closely on a chance slowly gripping away. They have withheld an opportunity of the Filipino people to have another world record.” PATAFA denied Obiena’s request that he be endorsed to the world indoor championships that start Friday in Belgrade as well as to the Vietnam SEA Games, Eugene (Oregon) world championships in

July and Hangzhou (China) Asian Games in September. “The time is clearly now for EJ who is mentally and physically prepared,” Tolentino said. “We are in a reachable milestone within our grasp.” The suspension will be effective for 90 days and will be ratified by the POC General Assembly during its regular meeting on March 30. If ratified, PATAFA will not have any authority over the national athletics team to the SEA Games, giving Obiena a chance to defend his gold medal in Vietnam. But Tolentino said both suspensions could be dismissed sooner than their terms. “If PHILTA complies with the ITF order, and the ITF accepts PHILTA’s compliance,

SAM Dizon kept her streak of title runs in Singapore going, ruling the HSBC Youth Golf Challenge in wireto-wire fashion yesterday via at the Warren Golf and Country Club in Singapore. The young Filipina shotmaker matched her second round 74 with a closing 38-34 card on two birdies against four bogeys as she ran away with the crown on a two-over 218 total after 54 holes, 12 strokes ahead of local bet Shayne Lim, who birdied the last two holes to save a 75 for a 230. Gwen Tan placed a distant third at 237 after a 78 marred by five bogeys and a double bogey against a lone birdie. The victory came after the ICTSIbacked Dizon, 17, dominated the Singapore Junior Golf Championship last December where she claimed two titles. The incoming California Baptist University student also topped the 2021 Singapore Junior Masters Championship Open division at Laguna National’s Masters following her title romp in the amateur side of the 14th Asian Senior Masters@ Singapore 2021 at Singapore Island Country Club’s Bukit course. Well ahead of the pack after 36 holes, Dizon played pressure free but still fumbled with bogeys in the first six holes before draining a birdie putt on the eighth. She dropped another shot on No. 10 then snapped a run of pars with another birdie on the 17th before settling for a routine par on the closing par-5. the suspension of the tennis association will be lifted immediately,” he said. For the PATAFA, it looked simpler. “If the PSC’s mediation effort over PATAFA and EJ [Obiena] is completed and ironed out, its suspension will also be lifted,” said Tolentino, adding a separate resolution on the automatic lifting of the suspensions were also forged by the board. Nine members of the board voted for the suspension, while two—Charlie Ho (netball) and Cynthia Carrion-Norton (gymnastics) abstained. POC Chairman Steve Hontiveros and International Olympic Committee Representative to the Philippines Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski were absent from the special board meeting.

FESSAP submits final quantitative entry to Universiade By Graham C. Lim THE Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines submitted its Quantitative Entry to the 31st Summer Universiade, also known as the World University Games, which will be held in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China from the June 26 to July 7. China President Xi Jinping has been invited by International University Sports Federation acting President Leonz Eder, host City Government of Chengdu Mayor Wang Fengchao and Federation of University Sports in China president Hao Ping to grace the opening ceremony of the Summer Universiade, considered the Olympic Games of collegiate students. The Philippine delegation to Chengdu

Universiade will be led by FESSAP president and delegation head Edwin C. Fabro and assistant head of delegation and designated flag bearer Alvin Tai Lian. Fabro will attend the Universiade’s multiple technical and FISU functions of different sports disciplines such as athletics, archery, badminton, fencing, rowing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, taekwondo and wushu. The Quantitative Entry pertains to the number of officials and student-athletes a participating country intends to send to the Universiade. Prof. Robert Milton Calo is the head of the Philippines’ Administration Secretariat in the Chengdu Universiade, while Cecilia Sarmiento is the Assistant Head of Administration and Finance.

Tired of making do with what is available FIVE days before the Philippine Azkals face Malaysia at the National Stadium Sports Hub in Singapore, there was a sense of urgency in the voice of team manager Dan Palami when we had a conversation the other night. Palami says due to some technical difficulties, especially with the online requirements needed by players and the coaching staff to fulfil to enter Singapore, the dream to see for the first time a full-strength Azkals in the Tri-Nations Series 2022 may not materialize. “We won’t have much preparation because all the players are with their clubs right now. The Tri-Nations Cup is actually

a preparation for the June Asian Cup qualifiers. We want to make sure that we are able to look at all the players, especially the new ones and how they fare in this particular phase of our preparation. The only problem that we have right now is we are having difficulty getting entry into Singapore via their apps. Somehow some QR codes can’t be read and because of this, we are having trouble finalizing the flight schedules for a lot of players and staff,” Palami revealed. Palami underscores the importance of the Azkals’ participation in the tournament, which really serves as friendlies between Malaysia and Singapore. All three teams are in the third and final round of qualifiers to the Asian Cup 2023 June. Only 11 out of the 24 teams in the last qualifiers will progress to the tournament proper. “We will do what we can to make sure the country is represented but the objective of preparing for for the June qualifiers might not be met, if all of the players whom we have called up fail to show. This is not

Alvin Tai Lian Edwin Fabro

Team officials of different sports are gar Galeno (Swimming), Dante BoquiJoseph A. Sy (Athletics), Loren Balaoing ren (Table Tennis), Antonio Quiza (Ten(Archery), JC Clarito (Badminton), Ed- nis), and Sean Elijah Siy (Wushu). a matter of just having friendlies, but really more on the preparation of the team for the Asian Cup qualifiers and getting some time together. If many players we are looking at for June will not be there then the primary purpose of this camp will not be met. Of course, we will play the friendlies but we want to make sure that more than that our preparations for June are on target,” Palami explained. Palami admits they are planning a alternative just in case the targets are not met in Singapore. But then again, players availability is still the primary concern. “Unfortunately this is the only international window prior to the June tournament. So this is really a crucial phase in our preparation. Maybe what we could do is perhaps have another friendly before going to Mongolia in June. However, other than this particular window, the next one will be the tournament,” Palami said. Palami said he has been used to having so many concerns and problems whenever the Azkals embark on a tournament or for a tune-up game abroad. Still, he is hoping that 2022 will be a better, kinder year for the Azkals. “We always had problems and now is not an exception. Of course, we manage to make do but we’re tired of that. I mean, as the manager, I don’t want to

make do. I want to put in the team that we actually plan on fielding rather than coming up with an alternative or other options,” Palami said. Now on to the good news. Palami revealed that the long-awaited debut of Gerrit Holtmann in an Azkals’ uniform remains on track. “He has been coordinating with the team or his representatives for flights and for information regarding arrangements. So as far as we are concerned, it looks like Holtmann will be making his debut for the Astros,” Palami beamed on probably the biggest star to ever play for the team. Holtmann, of course, is a winger for VfL Bochum in the German Bundesliga. Palami says aside from having the in form Holtmann on the Azkals’ side, he brings a lot of intangibles to the team. “Not only in terms of his experience, but also in terms of his quality as a player. Of course, this is a team game and we have done well as a team but knowing that there’s somebody there who has been doing well in one of the top leagues in the world is something else. So we are very happy to have him in the squad and a lot of players will learn from him. We are very happy to be playing alongside him,” Palami added. Palami is confident that aside from Holtmann, the rest of Azkals will step up in the

The 22 student athletes from different colleges universities for athletics are Algin Gomez, Clint Niño Neri, Hokett S. Delos Santos, Jake A. Calacug, Jeffrey Albania, John Lee Villaruel, John Lloyd H. Cabalo, Jonathan Talbot, Jose Matteo D. Crisostomo, Keinth Emman A. Laquio, Kyle Bontuyan, Louie C. Agawa, Manuel Garrido, Mel James Taguilan, Ray Vicente, Rucher Lucero, Jovita Castillo II, Kyra Sheena Lacambra, Kaye Salagan Taguiam, Alexie Brooks, Alana Julianne Halagueña and Cerah Moren from Arizona State University. The eight tennis student-athlete candidates are Laurenz Quitara, Joaquin Deleon, Isagani Manuel Iii, Al S. Quiza, Jhastine Red Ballado, Hannah Dela Cruz, Zhyryn Dislag and Gabby Zoleta. Ulaanbaatar qualifiers, but he needs to start first with the basic requirement before taking on Palestine, Yemen and host Mongolia. “We have qualified before and we hope to qualify again. Right now I’m more concerned with being able to field in the team or the squad that we want because then everything will follow,” Palami said. Including the fans. Palami says plans are also in the works to encourage more fan participation in the build-up to the June qualifiers. Palami cited that their undying support and perseverance, that despite all the heartbreaks, they are still rooting for the team. “Perhaps by getting them involved and guiding them, they could help us and provide us with analysis of other teams. Analysis of some players that we want to be considered or to be monitored. So it’s gonna be exciting for Azkals fans in the next few months. We want to integrate them into our preparations,” Palami added. Resilience is definitely one the trademarks of the Azkals and going to Singapore and eventually to Mongolia will take the best of them again. Here’s hoping that the team’s struggles will inspire other Filipinos that go through daily challenges not of their choosing but because some people use resilience as an excuse for incompetence. Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

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A perfect fit for Judy Ann SCREEN star Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo has recently been introduced as the newest member of Beko Philippine. The actress is the new face of the global European brand’s “Live Like a Pro” campaign in the country. As one of the most trusted and credible names in show business, Judy Ann said that she chooses a brand that’s trusted in over 140 countries and that’s Beko. “Whenever I’m offered an endorsement or ambassadorship, I study it carefully. It has to be a product or brand that I use or I will use. At naniniwala ako na Beko is a perfect fit for me, not only because they have appliances like cookers, refrigerators and ovens but also because their values as a brand in providing healthier lifestyle to Filipino families align with mine,” said Judy Ann. “This is the first time we have chosen a brand Judy Ann chooses Beko because they ambassador in the country and we’re very share the same value of providing a excited to have Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo on healthier lifestyle to Filipino families

board. We chose Judy Ann because in all aspects, she lives like a true pro, she can personify the same values and aspirations we have for the company and who does not only have an amazing rapport and impact on the lives of Filipinos, but is also a hands-on and hardworking mother and wife to her family, who can surely represent our drive and purpose, to inspire living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle said Gürhan Günal, Country Manager of Beko Pilipinas Corporation. “Beko as the leading freestanding home Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo (rightmost) officially signs partnership with appliances brand in Europe, make sure our Beko Philippines global plan is focused on creating awareness on the importance and impact of healthy living and generations to live healthier. Beko produces products that sustainability on our daily lives; thus we are committed inspire a healthy lifestyle, from nutrient-saving kitchen to provide services and products that contribute to this appliances, to refrigerators that preserve food better for for every family and individual.” said Arel Atakol, longer. Its products save both time and effort, allowing Beko APAC CEO. you to put that time into yourself and your family. Beko has been focusing on healthy living for years, For more information about Beko in the Philippines, go raising awareness and developing products that make to http://bekopromos.ph or visit their Facebook page at healthy living possible and convenient to empower the new https://www.facebook.com/bekoph.

Showbiz newcomer Christine Bermas gets Joel Lamangan’s approval S HE’S beautiful, she’s rare, and she’s strong. That’s how Christine Bermas is described in Joel Lamangan’s new film about a girl who has a mesmerizing charm and beauty.

Christine Bermas (left) and Kit Thompson

The film entitled Moonlight Butterly follows the story of Eunice (Christine) a.k.a Moonlight Butterfly, the hottest GRO in Angeles, Pampanga who works hard to provide for her family, and to support her boyfriend Roy’s (Albie Casiño) education. In her line of work, she meets a lot of men, but only one stands out - Elliot (Kit Thompson), an American guy who actually gave Eunice the name Moonlight Butterfly. He is charmed by Eunice’s charm and sexiness, and he wants her all for himself. He asks her to live with him and stop her work as a GRO. In exchange, Elliot provides Eunice and her family’s needs. Meanwhile, things between Eunice and Roy start to get shaky. Eunice focuses on pleasing Elliot in every way she can, while she lives with him, and Elliott makes sure Eunice’s needs are provided for. Until a time when Elliot has to leave the country for work and he suddenly stops providing for Eunice. This prompts her to go back to her job as a GRO, and she gets a new client: a mysterious Arab man who was also smitten by Eunice’s charm and sexiness. Coming back from his work abroad, Elliot would find Eunice with another man and all hell will start to break loose that could put Eunice’s life in danger. After her notable roles in Siklo and Sisid, Christine is ready to shine in her first lead role in Moonlight Butterly. With her striking look and acting prowess, Christine easily got the approval of director Joel Lamangan to play the lead part. In an interview, the seasoned director proudly said that he discovered a new actress that will surely make waves in the movie industry for a long time. In turn, the sexy actress could not help but be emotional after hearing such words from the seasoned director. “Well, I can’t explain what I’m feeling right now. Coming from direk, thank you po kasi na-appreciate niyo ako and yung mga ginagawa ko. And thank you for noticing my skill as an actor,” she said. “Sobrang nakakataba ng puso, sobrang alam mo ‘yon, kahit ako parang, ‘Totoo ba? Naririnig ko yung mga ganoon?’” she added. Getting the approval of award-winning director is no small feat, as he has established himself as one of the most successful movie directors of Philippine Cinema. In most recent years, some of his well-known works are Felix Manalo, Hindi Tayo Pwede, and Rainbow’s Sunset. He also directed the successful Vivamax Original movies Silab, Bekis on the Run, and Deception. From 3:16 Media Networks and Viva Films, Moonlight Butterly streams on Vivamax starting today.

Christine Bermas is Moonlight Butterfly in Joel Lamangan’s new film

…are talking about

Christine (left) and Albie star in the new film ‘Moonlight Butterfly’

PEOPLE

Jeric Gonzales and Rabiya Mateo

...are not talking about Robin Padilla

IT’S official. Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo won another crown, and this time, it’s actor Jeric Gonzales’s heart. They both confirmed their relationship through Instagram posts with adorable pictures of each other, along with some not-so-subtle captions. The pair crossed paths in November 2021 for an episode of Wish Ko Lang, and speculations about their relationship began a month after. The now confirmed couple is enjoying their “honeymoon stage,” which everyone hopes will last.

Campaigning for a position in the national government is neither easy nor cheap. Lucky for senatorial aspirant Robin Padilla, he has a wife, Mariel Rodriguez, who supports him wholeheartedly. The actress recently took to social media to conduct a live selling session where she sold most of her luxury items. Robin spammed her video, saying that he’s thankful for Mariel’s sacrifice, but being prepared to run for such a significant position still sounds better than just doing it suddenly.

The OG Myx VJs

Claudine Barretto

MYX VJs Iya Villania, Luis Manzano, and Nikki Gil reunited for a night of fun and friendship last March 14. Together with Shaina Magdayao, Drew Arellano, and Jessy Mendiola, the group shared a hearty dinner at Nikki’s home. It’s not often that Filipino childhood favorites come together to reminisce, but their reunion sparked millennial and Gen Z netizens longing for Myx, which Nikki, Iya, and Luis hosted. Their reunion brought back a lot of fond memories for sure.

Her former love team and boyfriend Rico Yan celebrated what was supposed to be his 47th birthday last March 14. And Claudine being her, dedicated another post for the occasion despite it being years since Rico’s passing. While many netizens and fans of both Rico and Claudine both found it heartwarming at first, it no longer bears weight now as people have already moved on even though they still cherish the late actor’s legacy. Moving on is hard, but maybe Claudine can start posting throwbacks to a minimum.

Pageant host Benjamin Alves takes on challenging role ACTOR Benjamin Alves, lead star of GMA Pinoy TV’s newest series Artikulo 247, talked about his role as Noah during a meet-and-greet virtual session. The suspense crime thriller, which also stars Rhian Ramos, Kris Bernal, and Mark Herras debuted on afternoon Tv on March 7. “It’s very different because it’s not the usual series that tackles infidelity. Not even 20 percent of the show is about that. A lot of it tackles familial issues, a lot of it is about drug and alcohol dependency, a lot of it is coning – manipulation in a very intelligent manner, they’re manipulating the law and whose side you’re taking, and I think the viewers will be torn,” said Alves in a social media post. The actor, who is also a regular pageant host, plays a principled man who is also recovering from a lost love in the gripping legal drama. “The audience will see my different side through my character, different attack. The character is a bit gray. The title alone, Artikulo 247, is enough to get you engaged and to love our show,” he added. ••• Crown for compassion AURA Beauty and Wellness CEO Bennilyn AmigoMolina, who is also the president and chairman of Global Trends Business L e a d e r s A w a r d s 2022 was

productions, was given by Mrs. Philippines Face of Beauty International 2019 Riza Oben Dormiendo, assisted by Mrs. Philippines National Universe 2021 Janette Larnie Mamino, and Mrs. Metro Manila Philippines 2021 Regional Director Rox Velasco. ••• Mrs. Metro Manila Philippines 2022 named ROXANNE Velasco was crowned Mrs. Metro Manila Philippines 2022 and will be one of the official candidates in Mrs. Philippines International 2022. She was crowned by Mrs. Philippines International 2021 Leona Luisa Andersen and was also appointed Regional Director of Mrs. Metro Manila Philippines for 2022 - 2024. Roxanne Velasco is the Witnessing the official new Mrs. Metro Manila sashing and crowning held Philippines 2022 recently at Aberdeen Court Quezon City were President of MPI and Chairman of MPI Aries Concepcion and wife Maan Cueto Aris, Bennilyn Molina, and Miss Aura Philippines President Jovita Laureola. ••• Fashion show for beauty queens A SOFT launching for Hygeia, a new Direct Selling Mrs. Philippines Face and Multinational-Marketing of Beauty International Company in the country, 2019 Riza Oben was held recently at Galeria Dormiendo (right)awards Center Ortigas. Hygeia aims Bennilyn Amigo-Molin, to provide business partners a president and chairman secured financial future, and to of Global Trends Business inspire healthier communities LeadersAwards 2022, with a by providing health and ‘crown for compassion’ wellness product for everyday living. The launching was led awarded a by CEO/Founder Lou Maulion, General ‘crown for Manager Warren Reyes, and Mrs. Universe c o m p a s s i o n ’ Philippines Pacific Continental 2021 Michelle recently. Lucas. The exquisite The event was highlighted by a fashion and bejeweled show featuring the Queens of Hearts c r o w n , Philippines, headed by Mitzie Go Gil, which designed by included Mary Chris Abacahin, Molly MPI crown Diaz, Monalisa Salenga, Mrs. Universe Asia provider Algiene Monique Cantalejo Rivera, Mrs. Universe Alviar Tabadero Philippines 2nd Queen Heaven Peñaflorida, of Ponytail Mrs. Universe Philippines Visayas Sarah Crown fashion Liroe Javier, Mrs. Universe Philippines Mindanao Mutya Cristina, international Kapuso actor model Jodesa Delos Santos, and Mrs. Metro Benjamin Alves Manila Philippines 2022 Rox Velasco.

Streaming giant tests charging a fee to share accounts NETFLIX on Wednesday said it is testing charging a fee to subscribers who share their accounts with people who don’t live in their homes. The US-based steaming service has long taken a relaxed approach to users sharing passwords with family or friends, but recently saw stock dive on quarterly results that showed cooling subscriber growth. Competition in the streaming television market meanwhile has been ramping up, particularly from Disney+, with the cost of producing coveted original shows climbing as well. In the coming weeks, Netflix will begin offering subscribers in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru the option to add as many as two people to “sub-accounts” at a monthly fee of $2 to $3, Netflix product innovation director Chengyi Long explained. “We recognize that people have many entertainment choices, so we want to ensure any new features are flexible and useful for members, whose subscriptions fund all our great TV and films,” Long said in a blog post. The Silicon Valley streaming titan has been working on ways for subscribers to share “outside their household... while also paying a bit more,” she said.

Netflix plans to place a charging fee for subscribers who share their accounts with others

Netflix said it will allow people already sharing accounts to transfer profile and viewing history information to new sub-accounts. Long said the company will study the utility of the new model in the three countries before making changes anywhere else. Netflix ended last year with 221.8 million subscribers, just below target, after booming during coronavirus lockdowns that kept people at home and on the platform. Things are not looking better for the first quarter of 2022, with the most recent Netflix earnings report saying the firm expected to add only 2.5 million subscribers. Most of the 8.3 million subscriptions added at the end of last year came from outside North America, according to the streaming service. Netflix recently announced subscription price bumps in the United States, with the basic option now costing $9.99, and the most expensive going up to $19.99. AFP

Life

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

C4

FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022

Image consultant Ginny Villegas

Becoming the bridge to the right image Ginny Villegas empowers others to present their best selves to the world

B

ACK in the ‘90s, whenever my mom caught me slouching or being overly shy in certain circumstances, she would bring up the idea of sending me to a finishing school. I then learned that such an institution is the go-to venue for girls to learn about deportment and etiquette. While I did not attend one, I turned to books on related topics to feed my fascination through the years.

Fast forward to more than two decades after, I still had the yearning to have a better grasp of personality development and its evolution to image enhancement and personal branding. Luckily, during the early days of the pandemic, I got to sign up for an online webinar and met Ginny Villegas, a pleasant and soft-spoken lady who is the epitome of her very own brand – Flair Image Consultancy. As we celebrate International Women’s Month, Ginny’s journey to improving herself, finding her place in the industry, and helping other women do the same for themselves serves as an inspiration. “Image consulting is a professional field that aims to empower individuals and organizations through the ABCDs of image – A-ppearance, B-ehavior, C-ommunication and D-igital image,” Ginny said, giving an overview of her work. She further explained, “Image is all about perception. We all have a self-

image. The challenge is to enhance our self-image and match it with how we are perceived by others.” Ginny added that in today’s playing field, it is not enough to believe that we are credible or smart. There is a growing need for us to effectively communicate

that through the way we speak, behave, walk, and even dress up. “A professional image consultant can bridge the gap between your identity and how you are perceived by others,” she elaborated. After years of doing freelance work as a personality development speaker and image consultant since 2003, Ginny’s career started to flourish when she joined the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) in 2012. AICI is the largest professional association of personal and corporate image consultants worldwide. The organization certified Ginny as an image consultant in 2015, two years after she founded her own brand Flair. What began as a simple interest in art, fashion, and decorum turned out to be an expanding career. A Fine Arts alumna of the University of Santo Tomas, Ginny initially intended to pursue fashion

Ginny migrates her services to the digital platform at the height of the pandemic

design abroad for further studies. When plans got derailed, she found herself involved with an NGO or non-government organization work along the line of women development. Before going solo, she put up a foundation with like-minded friends, aiming to encourage women to dress with dignity and be empowered consumers of fashion. To equip themselves with the technical know-how, the female bosses took courses and underwent training. Ginny gained the confidence to professionally offer her services as an image consultant after studying Personality Development at the school of John Robert Powers (JRP). Eventually, she has also been certified as a Color Consultant by the International Image Institute and a Corporate Etiquette Consultant by the Protocol School of Palm Beach. At present, Ginny is the President of AICI Philippine Chapter and she mentors other members and prospective image consultants. Ginny learned how to roll with the punches given the global health crisis. She migrated her training and coaching services to the digital platform. Her Adapting to the New Normal webinar series included topics like wardrobe essentials, new normal etiquette, reinventing image and personal branding, and reinventing executive presence. Inspired heavily by the legendary French fashion designer Coco Chanel and Jordan’s Queen Rania for their

brand consistency and elegance, Ginny pushes forward with her mission to bring out the best in others. “Seeing how people change for the better and gain confidence. That is rewarding!” she raved. Asked what advice she can give those who wish to improve their image, the expert had this to say, “One has to be aware of individuality, identity, and positioning. Credibility must also be worked on.” Ginny also asked, “What makes a person stand out among his peers? By figuring this out, one can work on a personal brand statement or tagline. In my case, my brand tagline is also my business brand: Flair Image. I always want to project my image with flair.” Get more information about Ginny’s image consulting services via imagebyflair.com or reserve a seat for Reborn: Leadership and Innovation in the New Future virtual conference on March 24 through https://bit.ly/reborn2022. For your random thoughts, e-mail the author at kate.adajar@gmail.com.

Premier strength and conditioning facility invites Filipinos to be part of its growing community ‘The New Beautiful’ campaign encourages women to empower themselves to look good, do good, and feel great

How confident are women in Asia nowadays? Kinetix Lab offers a more convenient and accessible location with its UP Town Center branch

AS we inch our way to building better habits in 2022, we need all the strength to power us through these unprecedented times. More and more, we realize the immeasurable value of health, giving us the motivation we need to keep our minds and bodies strong every day of our lives. “Strength, in the physical, mental, and emotional sense, is key to living a fulfilling life,” says Kinetix Lab’s Coach Marlon Lugue. “In the physical sense, being strong allows you to address almost all other physical attributes associated with health, fitness, and performance. In the mental sense, strength allows creative and assertive resolutions to otherwise daunting and crushing challenges or conflicts. Finally, in the emotional sense, being strong simply gives you a higher threshold for the rigors of modern living,” Coach Marlon continues. From the community that built Kinetix Lab in The Podium, Coach Marlon believes that the new location in UP Town Center is a fresh opportunity for them to bring their exceptional facilities and services to more clients. Here, they aim to build the same rapport they have successfully established with their regulars in their previous location.

Kinetix Lab prides itself in its state-of-theart equipment and its premium fit-out

Second only to the incredible people that make up Kinetix Lab is its state-of-the-art equipment and its premium fit-out, which patrons have come to expect from the fitness center since its inception. Now, more clients living in the North can experience the industry-leading training equipment and coaching services Kinetix Lab offers at a more convenient and accessible location. “We’ve been here for quite some time, and we know what we’re doing, as evidenced in the hundreds of lives we’ve made better. We don’t like to brag about our facilities, equipment, and amenities since you can easily buy those. If you have enough capital, putting up a nice place with all the bells and whistles would be a breeze. What we have are conviction and passion— Conviction to deliver what is promised and passion to do things in the most creative and heartfelt manner,” Coach Marlon ended. For those who have yet to experience Kinetix Lab, its YouTube channel gives fitness enthusiasts a sneak peek of what they can expect from its training facility, training template, and exercise programs—all for free. Visit and subscribe to get alerts on all new content at https://www.youtube. com/c/KinetixLab.

The Recovery Room by Polarity inside Kinetix Lab at The Podium

AS the entire world observed International Women’s Day, Watsons released results from a regional “Women’s Confidence Survey in Asia.” According to Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe), “Watsons has had a deep connection with women for over 180 years. We believe that the best version of you and your real beauty should radiate from within. Confidence is an important part of inner beauty and is what makes you feel good and positively impacts your mental well-being. “That’s why Watsons has recently appointed WISE – Watson Insight on Shopper’s Experience — to conduct a survey about women’s confidence in Asia to find out what kind of support women need to feel more confident and help them become a better version of themselves.” “Women’s Confidence Survey in Asia” has been conducted with over 3,100 women aged 20-29 across six markets including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The respondents were asked to rate their confidence levels and what are the things that can help to boost their confidence. The findings show that almost half of all women in Asia are not confident about themselves at work and in life. Women’s confidence levels are lowest in Hong Kong, closely followed by Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, and Mainland China. The survey further reveals that staying healthy inside out, as well as gaining recognition from coworkers, is key to helping women gain confidence. Equitable, supportive, and family-friendly workplace is key Notably, for the Philippines, 70 percent are satisfied with their career progression and almost all believe that it’s possible for women to excel in their careers. Here, women believe that they will be more confident if they are staying healthy (70 percent), doing a purposeful job (65 percent), and doing something good for the environment (56 percent). Ngai continues, “The findings show that an equitable, supportive, and family-friendly workplace is exactly what women need nowadays and we are keen to lead by example. With operations in 11 markets in Asia, women make up 77 percent of our 63,000 workforce. Therefore, it is Watsons’ ongoing commitment to creating a culture that makes everyone feel welcomed, valued, appreciated, and encouraged to bring their whole selves to work, and each of them is given equal career development opportunity. “As a family-friendly company, we encourage more companies to join us in formulating policies to support and empower women, especially helping those working mothers

to strike a balance between work and family.” What is beautiful? Inner beauty becomes increasingly important In another recent survey Watsons commissioned titled “What is Beautiful,” more than 11,000 women aged under 45 in 12 markets across Asia and Europe were interviewed about how they value things around them and how they define beautiful after going through a pandemic. On average, 75 percent of women agree that inner beauty has become more important than ever, especially in the Philippines (96 percent), followed by Malaysia (91 percent), Thailand (86 percent), Hong Kong (83 percent), and Taiwan (82 percent). When being asked about the definition of beautiful, taking care of your health inside out tops the list, with feeling confident and feeling happy in the second and third. ‘What’s the most beautiful thing in life?’ The survey continues. Almost half the respondents feel that the most beautiful thing in life is doing good to the people around them, communities, and even the planet we live in. With this insight, Watsons Philippines offers up to 30 percent off on Women’s essentials like vitamins, supplements, and personal care products for the whole month of March to help ensure Filipinas feel beautiful and healthy inside and out, thus boosting their confidence “As such, Watsons is launching ‘The New Beautiful’ campaign to encourage women to empower themselves to Look Good. Do Good. Feel Great. Featuring a series of activities across Asia, it will have three overarching themes – Go Green, Go Smile, and Go Empower, which aims to actively involve our community of over 100 million loyalty members in Asia.” In the Philippines, Watsons also has partnered with SM Supermalls for a special event titled “Women Now & the Future”, a summit on Women Empowerment for a Sustainable Tomorrow at the SM Megamall Fashion Hall. The conversation revolves around mentoring Womenprenuers and empowering the next generation of Women. Another program that is being planned later this year in partnership with Operations Smile is the launch of ‘Women in Medicine’ program which aims to empower women in the field of medical science. “At Watsons, we believe in The New Beautiful, a new kind of beauty that’s good for everyone. To us, beauty glows from the inside. It’s how we treat ourselves and each other. It’s how we live, who we are, and who we can be. The beautiful is in us all, and for us all,” Ngai concludes.

Filipinas believe that inner beauty is important now more than ever

Findings show that almost half of all women in Asia are not confident about themselves