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‘Only fools seek presidency’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday described those seeking to succeed him as "fools." With a little over three months to go before the 77-year-old chief executice ends his term, Duterte said the presidency can drain the strength of any politician. "I will tell you this: Anyone who

aspires to become president is a fool," he said during the inauguration of the Southern Philippine Medical Center's new cancer institute in Davao City. "Just like me, sometimes I lost weight and sometimes I gained weight [in the past six years.] When you get to study all documents of the Republic Next page

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 41 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

It’s all about money—Ping

Claims his failure to shell out P800m triggered Reporma to back Leni By Macon Ramos-Araneta

RESIDENTIAL candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson believes his failure to give P800 million to Partido Reporma triggered the shift of the party's Davao del Norte group led by dismissed House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to shift support to Vice President Leni Robredo.

Lacson said Alvarez's chief of staff, "His chief of staff was asking for whom he did not name, asked him for P800 million in additional funding P800 million. which I honestly told him I cannot

produce," Lacson said. Alvarez denied Lacson’s account. "That's not true. I never asked for funding requirements from him for our local candidates," Alvarez told GMA News Online. "We can very well fund our own candidates." The Robredo camp said they did not have to pay anyone P800 million to gain their support. "Our campaign thrives on initiative and volunteerism, and we certainly do not have P800 million pesos to give away Next page

Rody-BBM meeting ‘not an endorsement’ By Vito Barcelo THE Palace on Friday said the meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can't be interpreted as an endorsement.

“A meeting was just arranged and they met. But there is no endorsement insofar as Malacanang is concerned,” said Communications Undersecretary Michel Kristian Ablan. The meeting between Duterte and Marcos came a few days before the PDP-

Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi endorsed the former senator’s presidential bid. “The President has not endorsed any candidate,” Ablan said. The Palace official also said that

Razon-backed NUP now supports UniTeam tandem By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz THE camp of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday said it considered the National Unity Party’s endorsement as “a big addition” to the UniTeam of the presidential candidate and his running mate Inday Sara Duterte ahead of the May 9 general elections. The NUP endorsement of Marcos, which its Deputy Secretary General and spokesman Reggie Velasco announced Thursday, is also believed to come with the support of billionaire tycoon Enrique K. Razon.

Razon has been known to have supported the candidacies of NUP members in previous elections. Lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman and chief of staff of Marcos, admitted the NUP endorsement would be a “substantive contribution” to the overall campaign strategy of the UniTeam. He noted the NUP is also a highly-organized political party with candidates from the national down to the local levels in the forthcoming elections. The move, observers said, also weakens the positions of two of Marcos’ presidential rivals who

PNP sees rise in petty crimes as local campaigning rolls out POLICE authorities in Metro Manila, where 13 million people live, have deployed more than 4,000 of their men to monitor areas where petty crimes might be committed with the start Friday of the local election campaign. Lt. Col. Jenny Tecson, NCRPO

public information chief, said police would be enforcing health protocols in political rallies and were expecting incidents of snatching, pickpocketing and other crimes in crowded political rallies in the 16 cities and one town of the Next page metropolis.

LOCAL CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF.

Local politicians in Metro Manila kick off their 45-day campaign yesterday. In Quezon City, Mayor Joy Belmonte leads a motorcade in District 1 while in Manila, mayoralty bet Honey Lacuna does a fist bump with supporters during a motorcade in Districts 1, 2 and 3. In Mandaluyong, Mayor Menchie Abalos, who will run for vice mayor in tandem with her father-inlaw, Benjamin Abalos Sr., begins her day with a mass at the San Felipe Neri Parish Church. Manny Palmero and Norman Cruz

URBAN FARMING.

People look at the various plants and vegetables at the newly-opened urban farm along 5th Avenue in Bonifacio Global City on Friday, March 25, 2022. Danny Pata

Comelec sets 'totality rule' in vote-buying Forced hunger By Vito Barcelo suffered by 3m families—SWS

or by the candidate's surrogates is votebuying, which is punishable under the THE Commission on Elections will Omnibus Election Code. use what it calls the “totality rule” in Comelec Commissioner George Garcia, determining if giving away of cash during speaking to ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, the campaign period by any candidate Next page

Traffic enforcers get ‘heat stroke break’ By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced Friday it would reimplement the daily 30-minute “heat stroke break” policy to protect the health of its traffic enforcers and other personnel

working outdoor during the summer season. Effective April 1, MMDA traffic enforcers and street sweepers will be allowed to leave their posts in shifts and take a 30-minute break to rest. Next page

By Vito Barcelo MORE Filipinos, or about 3 million families, have experienced involuntary hunger in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey. The survey conducted from Dec. 12 to 16, 2021, with 1,440 respondents found that 11.8 percent of Filipino families, or about 3 million households, experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the Next page past three months.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ukraine war a new blow for poor countries—UN

In a new report, the UN trade, investment and development agency (UNCTAD) warned that the conflict raging in Ukraine was causing a global economic slowdown that was hitting developing countries the hardest. UNCTAD chief Rebeca Grynspan demanded a coordinated international response to help poorer countries weather the crisis, stressing to journalists that "urgency is of the essence." "Many developing countries have struggled to gain economic traction coming out of the COVID-19 recession and are now facing strong headwinds from the war," she said. "Whether this leads to unrest or not, a profound social anxiety is already

spreading." Ukraine and Russia are among the biggest exporters of farm-grown foodstuffs and fertilisers, notably of wheat, maize, rapeseed, sunflower seeds and sunflower oil. With Ukraine's access to its ports cut off by the Russian invasion, and Russia increasingly isolated from export markets and its entire economy under sanctions pressure, those supplies are shrinking fast, spurring surging prices. The UN says global grain prices have already risen past the level they were at during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011. And UN chief Antonio Guterres warned late last month that the conflict could reverberate far beyond Ukraine,

causing a "hurricane of hunger and a meltdown of the global food system." UNCTAD stressed that many developing countries had already been struggling to service surging debt levels amid their response to the COVID crisis. This combined with weakening global demand and insufficient policy coordination at the international level, it warned, could "generate financial shockwaves that can push some developing countries into a downward spiral of insolvency, recession and arrested development." "The economic effects of the Ukraine war will compound the ongoing economic slowdown globally and weaken the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," Grynspan said. Richard Kozul-Wright, head of UNCTAD's globalization and development strategies division, agreed. The current crisis, he told reporters, "in many respects, feels even more threatening to many developing countries than the COVID crisis, because it is hitting on so many fronts." AFP

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what happened. Lacson’s spokesman, Ashley Acedillo, who also resigned as party spokesman, said the senator had seen signs that the Alvarez group would withdraw support from him. "He saw it already… But he kept it to himself, as he said, because he wanted to hear first, of course, from Speaker Bebot and those running or those in Reporma in Davao del Norte," he said, referring to Alvarez. Alvarez said he believed in Lacson’s leadership qualities but there were two frontrunners right now—former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos and Vice President Leni Robredo, and he preferred to support the latter. Former executive secretary Renato de Villa, chairman emeritus and founder of Partido Reporma, said he would continue to support Lacson, but said he could do nothing about the party's action. “I will stick with Ping and continue to endorse and support him,” he said, referring to Lacson. "Like a true soldier in combat, I hope that those fighting for him

in this political battle will continue the fight and not leave him behind.” De Villa said he was surprised by Thursday’s events, and that many members were asking what happened. He said Lacson as a man of honor and courage, very clearly explained in a press statement why he had to resign as chairman of the party. Acedillo said Lacson’s supporters and campaign volunteers were more enthusiastic and would work harder now that he is an independent. "Because of that, we basically don’t have anything to pick or pieces to pick up because our parallel ground campaign teams are in place," Acedillo said. "Our Lacson-Sotto Support Group is wide. In fact, [our supporters] in more than 40,000 barangays, we were able to group them into what we call super barangays or clusters. These clusters have supervisors and they have their own campaign teams that are going around to bring the messages of transformation and the continuing fight against corruption of our candidate Ping Lacson," he added.

said giving ayuda or assistance during the campaign period did not automatically mean that act constituted vote-buying, especially if the poll body issued a certificate of exemption to the candidate to give out such ayuda or relief goods. "However, if it is not related to the regular service of local government, then we can investigate because it is illegal without permission of Comelec," he said in Filipino. The poll commissioner said that while Comelec could motu proprio investigate alleged vote-buying incidents, the poll body could also act if a formal complaint were filed especially if the person was there during the distribution of the money. He added Comelec could also decide

on a disqualification case even after the elections and the candidate accused had won. Meanwhile, Malacanang said Friday voters must reject vote-buying to ensure a clean and honest May 9 polls. Acting Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Michel Kristian Ablan, citing the Omnibus Election Code, said any individual engaged in vote-buying or vote-selling would be slapped with appropriate sanctions. “The Palace reminds the Filipino people that vote-buying and voteselling are prohibited acts under the Omnibus Election Code,” Ablan said. Section 261(a) of the law states that vote-buying and selling involve “any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure,

directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party.” The Commission on Elections said complaints must be filed at once while a task force would investigate reports of vote-buying. Any person found guilty of any election offense shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. “In addition, the guilty party shall be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage,” the law states.

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President Duterte will not attend any proclamation rally of local candidates. Meanwhile, acting presidential spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said it is “unclear” if the PDP-Laban’s decision to support Marcos’ candidacy has Duterte’s backing. Earlier this week, Senator Christopher Go said Duterte met with Marcos at the Palace on March 20 and shared his experiences as the country’s chief executive. Go described it as a long talk as the President was in high spirits. "In fact, in 80 percent of the discussions, it was the President talking," Go said. The former presidential aide also said Duterte gave Marcos, the frontrunner in all pre-election survey results, some advice and expressed his desire to see his projects continued by the next president. Go would not say if this meant that Duterte would endorse Marcos, whom he once described as “spoiled” and a “weak leader.” “Let us just wait if the President will have an announcement on this," said Go, adding that he cannot speak on behalf of the President regarding this issue.

HE war in Ukraine has sent commodity prices soaring, creating fresh shock waves across poorer countries already hard-hit by the pandemic, the UN said Thursday, warning that "profound social anxiety" was spreading.

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to anyone," Robredo’s spokesman Ibarra Gutierrez said. "The support for Vice President Leni's presidential bid is anchored on the hope that she can reform the government and bring a better future for all Filipinos," he added. After the party abandoned Lacson six weeks before Election Day, the senator said it was time to call a spade a spade. "It was actually more about the issue of campaign expenses for their local candidates," he said. The campaign for all local candidates officially started March 25. Lacson said he did not buy claims that Alvarez's group decided to endorse another presidential candidate because of his low standing in pre-election surveys. After quitting his post as part chairman on Thursday, Lacson declared he is now running as an independent candidate. The former Partido Reporma standard bearer said he harbors no ill feelings over

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The SWS found that 11.8 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not have anything to eat – at least once in the past three months. The December 2021 hunger rate is 1.8

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had links to the NUP —Senator Panfilo Lacson and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso – with 45 days left before Election Day. Domagoso left NUP last August to become the standard bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko, but still reportedly enjoyed the support of Razon— once the country’s richest man—until this development. NUP chairman Ronaldo Puno, meanwhile, is the campaign manager of Lacson, who himself abruptly resigned as chairman of Partido Reporma on Wednesday after party president Pantaleon Alvarez announced they were supporting Vice President Leni Robredo instead. At press time, it was unclear if Puno signed off on the announcement of Velasco, who posted his party’s support of Marcos on Facebook. The Lacson camp told the Standard they were still checking with Puno, the former Interior Secretary who had ran successful campaigns for three previous Presidents. “That is a big addition to any political force whether national or local because we know that there are so many members and the leadership of the NUP are also good and their members are also good at various levels,” Rodriguez said in interview with SMNI television. “There is a mayor, a governor, and a congressman (in NUP’s ranks). I will also take this opportunity to thank the leadership NUP for their endorsement of the presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos, Jr,” the spokesman said when asked about the NUP endorsement carrying the support of Razon. Rodriguez earlier said that the endorsement of the NUP “confirms that our movement for national unity and nation-building which started as a mere whisper, is now a crescendoing national chorus.” “With deep sense of humility and gratitude, we extend our appreciation to the leadership and members of the NUP for placing their trust on presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos to fulfill the common vision – one nation, one future,” the Marcos spokesperson stressed. “Indeed together, as one, we are bound to make the dreams and aspirations of our people a tangible reality. When we are united, our aspirations for every Filipino and for the country will come true,” he said. Apart from Puno, NUP is led by party president and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. The group was founded in 2010 by former members of LakasKampi CMD. Since 2016, the NUP is also part of the

‘Only... From A1

of the Philippines from all the provinces and cities, you will lose your stamina," he added. Duterte said with the work load, he would normally sleep around 4 or 5 a.m.

PDP-Laban-led coalition in the House of Representatives, the so-called Coalition for Change supporting President Rodrigo Duterte. On Wednesday evening, Marcos joined members of the NUP in a meeting. Present in the meeting, based on a post by Cebu 5th District Rep. Duke Frasco, included Majority Floor Leader Martin Romualdez, Marcos Jr.’s cousin and president of Lakas-CMD. Romualdez is also the campaign manager of Davao Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, the current Lakas-CMD chair. NUP counts as its members 40 incumbent legislators and 10 governors. In the May 9 elections, the party is fielding 59 congressional bets, 12 candidates for governor, and “over a thousand” candidates in different local government units. “Marcos’ call for unity as the basic strategy for economic recovery, amidst the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and global uncertainties, is consistent and supportive of the NUP’s primary vision of ‘one nation, one future’ as enshrined in the Party constitution,” the party said in a statement issued by Velasco. “We call upon all our Party members to join hands with former Senator Marcos in bringing our country and people to continued prosperity and progress,” the party added. Earlier this week, one faction of the PDP-Laban led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi also endorsed Marcos’ presidential bid. At the BBM Headquarters in Mandaluyong City on Wednesday, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) secretary general Thompson Lantion and Reform Party president James Layug also signed an agreement to be an ally in advancing the UniTeam of Marcos and Duterte. With the start of the 45-day campaign for local elective positions on Friday, Rodriguez said they expect the influx of endorsements and supports from local political parties and leaders, responding to the call of Marcos for national unity. “Many responded and we hope that many more will respond in the coming days to presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos’ call and message of unity,” Rodriguez said. “In recent days, you have witnessed the consecutive endorsements received by Bongbong Marcos and his running mate Inday Sara Duterte including FPJPM, Reform Party, PDP-laban and, of course, NUP’s endorsement yesterday.” “Next, we expect the endorsement of local political parties in conjunction with the start of the local campaign of presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos,” Rodriguez said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) and wake up at 1 p.m. Duterte earlier discouraged his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, from running for president, calling it a thankless job. "You can even ask past presidents... What will you get? You serve the nation then some paid sons of bitches insult you," the President said.

MMDA chairman Romando Artes has signed a memorandum circular reimplementing the "heat stroke break" policy to protect field personnel from heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and heat cramps due to severe heat wave. The highest heat index so far this year had been recorded last March 17 and March 25 at 5 p.m. in Dagupan, Pangasinan, both at 53 degrees Celsius. Central Luzon State University Muñoz in Nueva Ecija reported the second highest heat index at 49 degrees Celsius, also last March 17. Filipinos can again expect hot days which can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the most severe form of heat illness when the body overheats and cannot cool down, according to the Department of Health. Some tips from the Department of Health on how to prevent this heat-related illness: Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors. If possible, do not stay under the sun from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you have to stay outdoors, wear a widebrimmed hat and long-sleeved clothing. Apply sunscreen to protect your skin. Drink plenty of water. Avoid tea, coffee,

soda and alcohol. "The heat stroke break shall be done alternately by those who are assigned in a particular area to maintain visibility of traffic enforcers and street sweepers and to ensure field operations are not hampered," said Artes. Field personnel may also avail themselves of additional 15-minute break time in case the heat index or the “human discomfort index” in Metro Manila reaches 40 degrees Celsius and above. As defined by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), heat index gives the “apparent” temperature, or what humans perceive or feel as the temperature affecting their body. The policy shall take effect until May 31, 2022. Health experts said symptoms of the heat stroke or thermal distress included dizziness, uncommon thirst, breathing difficulties, headaches, feverishness and even hypertension. In 2013, six South African traffic enforcers died in KwaZulu-Natal Traffic Department, South Africa due to dehydration and consequent heat stroke. In South Africa, summer temperatures are above 30 degrees Celsius, similar to the temperature in Metro Manila.

Tecson said local police can also be tapped to manage vehicular traffic to ensure that motorists will not be inconvenienced by campaign rallies. This emerged as the Philippine National Police said it had not monitored any "credible threat" to the elections as the campaign period for local candidates began. In a radio interview, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said based on data on the previous elections, they were monitoring areas in Mindanao such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Region 12 (Soccskargen) due to the presence of private armed groups and Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) due to the presence of communist terrorist groups. Fajardo said security in these areas would be augmented with the help of the Armed Forces of Philippine and Regional Mobile Force Battalion. Aside from ensuring peace and order during the campaign for local and national positions, she said they are also keeping a close watch on possible violations on the part of the candidates and their supporters. Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections said no major concerns had been reported at the start of the 45-day campaign period of local candidates. “Compared to previous elections, the infractions of the candidates seem

to be so far manageable and within the expectations that we set. (Compliance with) health protocols and compliance with our campaign guidelines are our continuing plea to them and to their supporters,” Commissioner George Erwin Garcia said in a message to reporters when asked for an assessment. He also reminded candidates and their supporters to be mindful of the campaign guidelines set by the Commission. Asked if they are ready to file motu proprio charges against campaign violators, Garcia said, “Yes. The seriousness of our resolve should never be underestimated by everyone.” There are a total of 18,023 local seats are up for grabs in the forthcoming local elections. Of this number, there are 845 positions where candidates are running unopposed. Some 253 posts are for members of the House of Representatives, 81 seats each for provincial governor and vicegovernor, 782 members of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, 1,634 seats each for city/ municipal mayor and vice mayor, and 13,558 seats for the city/municipal councilors. The poll body also said Cebu is at the top of the list of 10 provinces with the highest number of registered voters, with 3,288,778. It is followed by Cavite with 2,302,353; Pangasinan, 2,096,936; Laguna, 2,045,687; Bulacan, 2,007,523; Negros Occidental, 1,946,639; Batangas, 1,819,071; Iloilo, 1,628,752; Rizal, 1,601,962 and Pampanga, 1,589,473.

points above the 10.0 percent (estimated 2.5 million families) in September 2021, but still lower than the 16.8 percent in May 2021 and 13. 6 percent in June 2021. The resulting annual average hunger rate for 2021 is 13.1 percent versus the record-high 21.1 percent for 2020. However, this was still above the 9.3 percent annual average for 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

SWS said the 13.1 percent overall hunger is composed of 9.2 percent who experienced moderate hunger or hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months, while 2.6 percent experienced severe hunger “often” or “always” during the same period. “In September 2021, moderate hunger was 7.9 percent (estimated 2 million families), and severe hunger was 2.1 percent (estimated 534,000 families),” SWS said.

In Metro Manila, moderate hunger rose by 7.2 points from 9.7 percent in September 2021 to 16.9 percent in December 2021, while severe hunger rose by 1.5 points from 4.3 percent to 5.8 percent. In Balance Luzon, moderate hunger fell by 1.6 points from 8 percent to 6.4 percent, but severe hunger rose slightly from 2.3 percent to 2.8 percent. “The latest moderate hunger rate is the

lowest in this area since the 5 percent in December 2019,” SWS said. In the Visayas, moderate hunger rose by 3.3 points from 5 percent to 8.3 percent, while severe hunger rose slightly from 1 percent to 1.4 percent. In Mindanao, moderate hunger increased by 1.8 points from 9 percent to 10.8 percent, while severe hunger barely moved from 1.3 percent to 1.4 percent.

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SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

MMDA mulls implementing DST in metropolis THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA is looking at the viability of implementing daylight saving time on account of increasing volume vehicular traffic as Alert Level 1 is raised in Metro Manila. A GMANEWS report stated that daylight saving time was among the recommendations received by the MMDA. MMDA chairman Romando Artes said under daylight saving time, work schedule for government employees would be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Artes said the one-hour difference would be a big factor not only for the state employees themselves but also for the general public having transactions with government offices.” Based on MMDA data, the daily volume of vehicles along E. de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) before the COVID-19 pandemic was at 405,000 units. The figure, he said, went down to 390,000 shortly before the series of gasoline price increases, then to 370,000 as the oil prices spiraled further. At present, number coding is being implemented along EDSA from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m, and the MMDA is mulling changes to the schedule. Pump prices of petroleum products have increased for 11 straight weeks before fuel companies implemented a big-time rollback this week. Effective March 22, oil firms rolled back gasoline price by P5.45 to P5.50 per liter, diesel by P11.45 to P11.50 per liter, and kerosene by P8.55 per liter, bringing the year-todate adjustments at a net increase of P14.90 per liter for gasoline, P19.2 per liter for diesel and P16.35 per liter for kerosene. GMANEWS

BACK IN BUSINESS.

An art enthusiast, fairly protected with a mask and other gears, views a painting now on display at the Art Fair Philippines in the Makati Triangle Garderns in Makati City. The facility reopened recently ending a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. This year’s art exhibits and events include contemporary artwork, merchandise, art supplies, and film and photography lectures aimed at a non-elitist appreciation for the arts. Diana B. Noche

PH relaxes rules on foreigners’ entry By Vito Barcelo

TARTING this April, the Philippines will allow the entry of fully vaccinated foreign nationals from any country without securing an entry exemption document, Malacanang said on Friday. “However, foreign visitors will still need to comply with applicable visa requirements and immigration entry and departure formalities,” Acting Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Michel Kristian Ablan said. Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said this relaxed rule would revive the country’s English

as a Second Language (ESL) sector as it allows foreigners to travel to the country either visa-free or using their 9A visas and apply for their special study permit upon entering the country. According to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Resolu-

tion No. 165 provides that foreign travelers coming into the Philippines must carry an “acceptable proof of vaccination.” “Before, we would weekly update the public regarding the countries wherein the government accepts nationals to come in. But now, no more,” Ablan said. “There is no more listing of which country the foreign national originates from as long as they are able to present valid proof of vaccination and the other guidelines mentioned, then they will be accepted in the country,” he said. Children below the age of 12 are exempted from this rule provided their parents travelling with them are fully vaccinated, Ablan said.

“As long as they’re able to present valid proof of vaccination and comply with other guidelines then they will be accepted in the country,” he said. “Fully vaccinated foreign nationals are still required to present a negative result of an RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours, or a negative laboratory-based antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to their departure from their country of origin or first port of embarkation “in a continuous travel to the Philippines, excluding lay-overs; provided, that, he/she has not left the airport premises or has not been admitted into another country during such lay-over,” Ablan explained.

More local fishing boats ply Bajo de Masinloc

BARTENDING IS AN ART.

Would-be bartenders eyeing jobs at cruise ships get a hands-on training in cocktails preparation from an expert at the Magsaysay Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts in Manila, The demand for crews by international cruise liners is picking up with the relaxation of quarantine restrictions due to the decline of COVID-19 cases. DANNY PATA

MORE and more Filipino fishermen ply their trade at the Bajo de Masinloc, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Friday. The PCG said they monitored about 45 Filipino fishing boats off Bajo de Masinloc when they conducted intensified maritime operations there from February 28 to March 5. “As of yesterday we monitored 37 fishing boats sa Bajo de Masinloc. PCG spokesman Armand Balilo said in an interview. PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu described this as a significant milestone in the push for maritime safety and security in Philippine coastal waters off Zambales.

Villar underscores fire safety protocols, prevention measures SENATOR Cynthia Villar underscored on Friday the significance of strictly observing fire safety protocols, saying “prevention is better than fighting them.” The senator issued the admonition in her remarks at the opening of one of two newly built fire stations in Las Pinas City donated by Deputy Speaker Camille Villar. Villar also presided at a fire safety awareness event dubbed “Sa Pag-iwas sa Sunog, Hindi ka Nag-iisa,” held at a covered court in Hansuyin Village in

Barangay Talon. The other fire station is located at Barangay Almanza 2. Both events were in line with the current observance of Fire Prevention Month. Officials and members of the Bureau of Fire Department, leaders of homeowners association, and barangay safety officials also attended the affair. “We need to be safe and be aware of what to do to guarantee that we will not endanger the lives and limbs of everyone and their properties due to fires,” Villar said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

“Seeing more Filipino fishing boats in Bajo de Masinloc is a proof of our intensified efforts to safeguard Filipino fishermen who consider fishing as their primary source of livelihood,” he said. In 2021, the Department of Foreign Affairs protested the “shadowing, blocking, dangerous maneuver and radio challenges” by the Chinese Coast Guard on Philippine Coast Guard vessels conducting legitimate patrols and training exercises in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc. Local fishermen also complained that they were not able to fish in the area due to the harassment by the Chinese Coast Guard.

BI airport agents now COVID-free By Vito Barcelo THE more than 800 Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel assigned in the different international airports nationwide are free of the Covid-19 virus for almost a month now. In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said that since Feb. 22 there has been no report of any personnel assigned at the airport who was infected by Covid-19. BI port operations division (POD) chief Carlos Capulong said that as a result of the continued zero Covid-19

cases among BI officers at the frontlines, the bureau has been able to render better services to the traveling public. He recalled that at the height of the Omicron surge last January, hundreds of immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) contracted the virus, thus sharply depleting the number of BI personnel at the premiere port. Capulong, however, reported that as the BI braced for the reopening of the country’s borders to foreign leisure travelers last Feb. 10, the number of Covid-infected BI personnel at the air-

ports started to dwindle. “Thanks to the high vaccination rate among our port personnel, we were able to beat the virus in time for the reopening,” he said. Presently, Capulong said the BI is operating at full capacity at the airport amid the continuing increase in the number of international travelers that arrive and depart from the country daily. “We are now posting an average volume of 9,000 to 10,000 arriving passengers daily. Before Feb. 10 the average was only around 5,000,” he added.

DOH sets special vaccination days in Cebu, BARMM By Willie Casas THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said special vaccinations will be held in Cebu on March 20-31 and in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on March 30-April 1, to address the low vaccination coverage in these areas.

This was announced by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during a press briefing in Malacanang. She said the events are called Bayanihan Bakunahan or Special Focus Vaccination. The DOH said the government is looking at providing some form of assistance or “ayuda” in exchange for residents getting vaccinated against

COVID-19 in BARMM. The DOH identified five challenges in the vaccination rollout in the region such as vaccine hesitancy or preference, limited manpower, fake news, late submission of daily vaccination reports, and lukewarm support from local chief executives and barangay local government units (BLGUs).

Las Pinas chalks up 91-percent vaccination of population LAS Pinas City has vaccinated 91 percent of the city’s total population against COVID-19, Mayor Imelda Aguilar disclosed on Friday. The mayor made the announcement in conjunction with their observance of 25th year of cityhood and 115th founding anniversary.

Aguilar attributed their accomplishment to the efforts and hard work of the city’s personnel who continue conducting the “Bayanihan Bakunahan” in the city’s 20 barangays. Aguilar said City Health Office deployed teams were dispatched the conduct vaccination program involving house-to-

house campaign for thefirst and second doses of the vaccines, as well as booster shots especially for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs). She said “Vaxx to School’ was also launched giving vaccinations to students in preparation for the face-toface classes.

COVID-19 VACCINES. A total of 936,000 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, bought by the government through the World Bank, landed on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. The shipment brings to 239.77 million the number of Pfizer vaccine doses so far procured by the Philippine government, according to the National Task Force Against Covid-19.

Leni camp says efforts to ‘unite’ candidates ongoing THE camp of Vice President Leni Robredo said there are ongoing efforts to unite candidates in a “broader alliance” for the May elections, which is 45 days away. Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesperson, in a GMA News report said “there are groups outside of the campaign who have been continuously working since last year, since the filing of candidacies in October, to still try and bring together candidates from different groups to form a broader alliance, to try to unite them under one tent, in under one banner.” Robredo earlier tried to unite opposition forces but was unsuccessful. The efforts were meant to have one presidential bet. Gutierrez further said the vice president is open to “conversations” and to “explore” possibilities. He said a lot can still happen in 45 days. “These are ongoing efforts and the Vice President has always been very, very clear she’s open to having conversations,” Gutierrez said. Robredo said she remains “unbothered” by the results of recent presidential surveys, which showed that presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. continues to lead. Robredo, in an interview during the “Go Negosyo’s Kandidatalks: Negosyo, Trabaho at Kalusugan The Presidentiables” series on Friday, said the elections are decided during the “last two minutes.” In the “Go Negosyo” show, Robredo recalled that in 2016, she got the number one spot in the surveys a week before election day, adding that the current surveys do not discourage her. Robredo also dismissed reports that people are paid to join her rallies and that she and her supporters are allied with the communist party. She particularly stressed that these accusations of being allied with the communist party “were very irresponsible.” Robredo paid tribute to the commitment and energy of her supporters, saying that the rallies cure her exhaustion from the grueling campaign.

News

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

BBM AND SON. Presidential candidate and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and his son Sandro visit Dawang’s Eatery in Laog, Ilocos Norte.

Deadline to file petitions for dominant parties set

OLITICAL parties joining the May 9 polls have until the second week of April to file their petitions for accreditation for the determination of the dominant majority party and the dominant minority party.

“A political party duly registered with the Commission may file a verified petition for accreditation for the determination of the Dominant Majority Party, the Dominant Minority Party, the 10 Major National Parties, and the 2 Major Local Parties. For the purposes of the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections, the petition shall be filed not later than April 11, 2022,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in Resolution No. 10770 on Friday. The petitions must be filed with the Clerk of the Commission online at clerkofthecommission@comelec. gov.ph. Parties have to pay P10,100 as filing and legal research fee and shall be paid at

the Cash Division of the Commission. It also listed six criteria on how to determine the dominant majority party, the dominant minority party, the 10 major national parties, and the two major local parties, which include the established record of the said parties by taking into account their showing in past elections; the number of incumbent elective officials belonging to them on the last day of the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC); and their identifiable political organizations and strengths as evidenced by their organized chapters. Part of the criteria is their ability to fill a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level to the position of president; the number of women candidates

fielded by political parties from the municipal level to the position of president; and other analogous circumstances that may determine their relative organizations and strengths. “The petitioner shall include in its petition pertinent data and statistics to support its arguments in accordance with the above criteria, as well as the submission of the latest Sworn Information Update Statement (SIUS) duly filed before the Commission,” the Comelec said. As for the computation of their weighted average points, it added that a party’s ability to field a complete slate of candidates from the municipal level up to the position of president is given the highest weighted average points of 40 points. The Comelec said the number of incumbent elective officials belonging to a party on the last day of filing of COC is given the weighted average of 20 points and the organizational structure of a party is given the weighted average of 20 points. The capacity of the political parties to field at least 30 percent women candidates and their history or the number of years of existence of a party will be given 10 points each.

By Rey E. Requejo AKSYON Demokratiko presidential candidate Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso on Thursday said there is no need to return health services functions, as well as other devolved functions, to the national government since local government units (LGUs) could now better manage and improve social services within their jurisdiction due to the Mandanas ruling that takes effect this year. Moreno made the statement during the Kandidatalks presidential interviews aired over One PH when asked if he agrees with the notion that health services be returned to the national government because LGUs cannot properly execute the said function. “Well, there’s the Mandanas Ruling. So I say we need to expand, bring closer access to better health care. Isn’t it effective for an ordinary person who has access to his child when a tooth needs to be extracted, or vitamins need to be given, or the baby has nutritional sustenance, and the pregnant mother has proper vitamins that are accessible to a health center, or hospital of the LGU because it’s nearby,” he said. “And in my opinion, the LGUs are

the most effective in knowing the real health situation of its people. I think it would be better for every Filipino to have smooth, easy access to better health care, nearby, or a nearby community. Whether in the barangay health center, municipal hospital, provincial hospital or regional hospital that Doc Willie (Ong) and I plan,” Moreno added. The Mandanas ruling stemmed from petitions lodged by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas and former Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia Jr. seeking a share of LGUs in all national taxes — not just from taxes collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) but also duties from the Bureau of Customs (BoC). Because of this, an LGU’s share in the internal revenue allotment (IRA) is expected to increase to at least 60 percent from the current 40 percent, eating up a big chunk of the P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022. “Big money, where, like Manila, we will have an extra P1.5 billion because of the Mandanas Ruling, and it goes to everyone. And so as not to burden the national government, we should provide other services to the LGUs,” Moreno pointed out.

VP bets vow not to back out from May elections

LENI’S DAVAO SORTIE. Presidential

candidate Vice President Leni Robredo caps her campaign week that covered provinces in Central Luzon and the Davao region with the Usapang Halalan 2022: The CBCP Election Forum held at the Hyundai Hall, Areté (ADMU) on Friday. Robredo joins other presidential candidates in the roundtable discussion on truth, charity, justice, service, and sanctity of life. (VP Leni Media Bureau)

By Rio N. Araja TWO candidates for a national position—Emmanuel Lopez of the Labor Party of the Philippines (LPP) and lawyer Carlos Serapio of the Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi Party (KKKP)—on Friday vowed not to back out from the vice presidential race. At a news conference in Quezon City, Lopez said “I will never withdraw from the race.” “We can only afford a billboard at the North Luzon Expressway

By Maricel V. Cruz

MALABON City District 2 Councilor Enzo Oreta is still leading the mayoralty survey against rival Jeannie Sandoval, a survey by the Philippine Survey and Research Center (PSRC) said. The PSRC, an independent research agency, also said 58 percent of Malabonians back the younger brother of incumbent City Mayor Lenlen Oreta while 32 percent of the survey’s respondents voted for Sandoval and 10 percent are undecided. Also, both re-electionists Vice Mayor Ninong Dela Cruz and Cong. Jaye Lacson-Noel top the survey for vice mayoral and congressional bid, bagging a total vote of 62 percent and 63 percent respectively. Meanwhile, vice mayoral candidate Jayjay Yambao got 25 percent and congress bet Ricky Sandoval obtained 29 percent. The privately-commissioned survey was conducted from February 25 to 28, 2022, of the registered voters of Malabon, aged 18 and above. This is a face-to-face interview with 600 respondents and ± 4% margin error, at 95-percent confidence level.

QUEZON City mayoral candidate Mike Defensor and his vice mayoral running mate Winnie Castelo have maintained their big lead over their rivals five weeks, except Holy Week, before the May 9 elections. Based on the monthly tracking survey conducted by pollster The Issues and Advocacy Center last March 7-13, Defensor had a voter preference of 52 percent against incumbent Joy Belmonte’s 37 percent, for a 15-point margin. On the other hand, Castelo increased his preference rating by six points from last month to 55 percent, while incumbent Gian Sotto had 30-percent, or a 25-point lead. The two mayor-vice mayor aspirants thanked Quezon City residents for their

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

for P500,000 a month,” he told reporters. “The decision to run is not just by my own, but of the party’s. In fact, we have just put up our headquarters in Nueva Vizcaya, Marawi City (in Lanao del Sur) and Bicol. Aside from this, what would our political workers say if I back out?” Serapio asked. He said the party’s presidential bet in 2016 got two million votes. “All of the candidates from KKKP garnered at least seven to eight million votes,” he added. The duo are running against Sen-

ate President Vicente “Tito Sotto III, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Senator Francis Pangilinan, Buhay party-list Rep. Joselito Atienza, ex-representative Walden Bello, Rizalito David and Dr. Willie Ong. Meanwhile, Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr, presidential bet from the Democratic Party of the Philippines, slammed presidential and vice presidential debates, calling them “a game show, a quiz bee or a geriatric…” He said he would never give up his presidential bid.

Defensor, Castelo lead QC race, says survey

Survey says Enzo Oreta leads in Malabon City

New DMW chief urged to go after illegal recruiters A LEGISLATOR on Friday urged the newly appointed secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to give priority to running after illegal recruiters and traffickers, and in providing legal aid and other necessary assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in distress. Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, one of the principal authors of the DMW law, cited several features in this measure aimed at protecting OFWs against unscrupulous and erring recruiters and employers. “A key feature of the law that the

Isko says no need to return health care to national govt

newly appointed Secretary Abdullah Derupong Mama-o should immediately set up is the provision of an online database system to share with other agencies so that the department and other offices can easily track and deliver timely legal and welfare services to our migrant workers, especially distressed OFWs,” Villafuerte said. Villafuerte, who has been a champion of digitalization even broke the pandemic that broke out two years ago, is also a principal author of the proposed e-governance law.

He said the DMW’s online database will encourage and enhance information and resource sharing among related agencies and will help improve the delivery of services to our OFWs. President Duterte earlier announced the appointment of Mama-o as the new secretary of the DMW. A law practitioner and labor lawyer, Mama-o was the former presidential adviser on OFW concerns. Under the DMW law, the Department is empowered to regulate the recruitment, employment and deployment of OFWs. Maricel V. Cruz

continued support. They reiterated their promise of a responsive, proactive, transparent, and caring city government if they get elected. The two are running under Malayang Quezon City coalition. All of the coalition’s candidates in the city’s six congressional districts are now ahead of their opponents. In the first district, reelectionist Rep. Onyx Crilosogo had 54 percent against Juan Carlos Atayde’s 29 percent. Another reelectionist lawmaker, Precious Hipolito Castelo of the second district, was preferred by 53 percent, while Ralph Wendel Tulfo Jr. had 31 percent. In the third district, Malayang Quezon City’s third reelectionist House member, Allan Benedict Reyes, was

picked by 52 percent against Franz Pumaren’s 32 percent. Marvin Rillo of the Defensor-Castelo team overtook incumbent Jesus Suntay of the Belmonte ticket, 47 percent against 45 percent, in the fourth district, which is considered a bailiwick of the Belmontes. In the fifth district, businesswoman Rose Lin of Malayang Quezon City gained the upper hand, scoring 38 percent against Patrick Michael Vargas’ 36 percent. It was the first time Rillo and Lin led their opponents. In the sixth district, former congressman Bingbong Crisologo was preferred by 51 percent, while Marvic Co-Pilar had 35 percent. Defensor and Castelo urged Quezon City voters to continue supporting their whole team for a cohesive city leadership.

ISKO’S TOWN HALL MEETING.

Presidential candidate, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso greets Senator Ralph Recto and San Juan mayor Ildebrando Salud during a town hall meeting inside a municipal gymnasium in San Juan, Batangas province, on March 25. Recto said he chose to support Moreno because of his good governance in Manila and quick pandemic response. Norman Cruz

Opinion My President, Leni Robredo ONLY 40-plus more days before the general elections on May 9 and for national position candidates, it’s crunch time. For the two highest positions, the contest is really between the team of the dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and the authoritarian’s daughter, Sara Duterte against the team of Vice-President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan. For this voter, the decision has been made early on. My vote will go to the Leni-Kiko team. It was an easy decision because really, none among the other candidates satisfy the criteria that I have been using from many elections ago. I want a credible president. My president should be untarnished with cases of graft and corruption. Her record is not only spotless, her office has been recognized by no less than the Commission on Audit (COA). My president is not a liar. The words of my president can be relied on. When she says things are going to be done, we can rest easy that indeed, things will be done. Her credibility transcends boundaries. She is respected not only by Filipinos but even by leaders of other countries. There is nowhere in the world that she will not be welcomed with open arms and warm smiles. My president has an unquestionable track record — lahat may resibo. She is there when she is needed, especially in times of crises when people need to see and feel a kind of leadership that cares for their wellbeing. My president inspires hope because her being a hard worker is not only seen, but also felt by people. My president is not deterred by limited resources. She finds ways so overcome the challenges and deliver what is expected of her, and beyond. Her incredible track record is hard to match. Indeed, no one among the other candidates comes close to her achievements despite limitations. If she did this as vice president not supported by her principal, imagine what she can do when she is already the head of State. My president has a comprehensive plan on how the country can recover from the past six years of impunity and abuse, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic that killed thousands and left millions without jobs and livelihood. My president has a blueprint on how the country can continue to move forward and she is ready to implement this. She has had many years of working with and for those who need government services the most. She has dealt with women, farmers, fisherfolk, young people, indigenous peoples, urban and rural poor. She is familiar with their needs and has concrete plans so these needs are addressed. She has plans that are long-term or strategic, and short-term or tactical. Her

platform of government is pro-people and premised on democracy and human rights. Yet, she continues to have conversations with people, especially the most vulnerable. My president listens. She is not someone who thinks she knows everything, and that what she thinks is always right and should be followed. I do not agree with a few of her positions on divorce, abortion, and LGBTQI+. But what I like is she is ready to discuss and listen. When asked about what her position on divorce is, and she said, “for now, I am against,” that gives advocates the opening for a real conversation. I was told that in one discussion with women where she said that she is against decriminalization of abortion, she followed this up with, “but you should not change your position, let us continue the conversation on this.” To me, these are good signs that my president listens, and thinks. This is good enough for now.

No one else will do My president will not sell my country to China. She will protect the country’s sovereignty and will not be subservient to China even if it is bigger and powerful. Unlike Rodrigo Duterte, my president will stand by and use the international ruling favoring the Philippines on the issue of the West Philippine Seas (WPS). She will exhaust all available avenues to defend Philippine sovereignty and territory. She will not be a coward and will stop China’s continued occupation of some of our territories and harvesting of our marine life. She, together with the Filipino people and the country’s allies will not allow China, or any other country to violate our rights as a co-equal in the union of nations. Lastly, my president inspires people to do good, be respectful, help others, and cooperate toward common good. Her “mas radikal ang magmahal” line has become a national mantra among those supporting her. After six years of “kabastusan,” we can look forward to the return of good manners and right conduct (GMRC). This is very evident in the way the Robredo campaign operates and is managed by volunteers. We see people helping each other. We see sharing of resources. Friendships and relationships are developed. Never has there been a campaign like this. People, rich, middle class, and poor alike invest in the candidate they believe in. We give whatever we can to this campaign because we know that a Robredo presidency will be good for the country and people. We invest because this fight is the most important fight for our children, and children’s children. We give because in truth, the people and country need Leni Robredo to win MORE than she needs to win. No one else will do. My president is Leni Robredo. @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

Prodigal children of God WE are all familiar with the parable of the Prodigal Son. In brief, the story tells about a father with two sons. One day the younger son asks his father for his share of his inheritance. So the father divided his estate between them. A few days later, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off for a distant country where he squandered his inheritance to a life of dissipation. When famine struck, the younger son found himself in dire straits, so he hired himself out to a local citizen who sent him to his farm to tend to the swine. Finally coming to his senses, he thought, “how many of my father’s hired workers have enough food to eat, but here i am dying of hunger.” With utmost humility and repentance, he decided to return to his father. When he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. The father ran to him, embraced him and kissed him. He then ordered his servants to bring the finest robe and put it on him, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, and slaughter the fattest calf in order for them to celebrate. The Parable of the Prodigal Son tells that Our Father in Heaven is ever merciful and forgiving. We too are like prodigal sons who spend our heavenly inheritance wasted on a life of sin, often mindless of its consequences. We come to our senses only when we begin to get pinched by the pain and suffering of our transgressions. Our Heavenly Father is one who is slow to anger and compassionate of heart. He is so forgiving and will never let down a sinner who dis-

plays contrition, sincerely asks for forgiveness and shows a strong resolve to mend his erring ways. One of the most persistent roadblocks to peace and human harmony is the lack of tolerance, hatred, anger and unwillingness to forgive. People often harbor hatred for some real or imagined offense. Across history, conflicts of intolerance due to religious, social and political differences are a dime a dozen. Conflicts often arise when instead of dialogue, people tend to exact revenge for the “sins” of others.

There is justice and mercy at the same time. The elder son is one other important character in the parable from whom Jesus draws some teachings. As told, when the elder son returned from work, he learned about the celebration. He became angry and refused to enter the house. But when his father learned about this, he came out and pleaded with his son. The father assured the elder son that everything he owns will go to him but there is every reason to celebrate because his brother was lost and has been found, was dead but has returned to life. Here, Jesus tells his listeners that Our Father in Heaven is not only merciful but also a just God. He does not only forgive a repentant sinner but will justly give the faithful, as personified by the elder son, what is due them. By this parable, Jesus is telling his listeners how much rejoicing there will be in heaven over the return of one repentant sinner than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent. During this campaign season, we read all over social media so much toxicity, fault finding, and condemnation, especially against those

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EDITORIAL

Let’s be discerning

HE local campaign season for the May 9 elections has shifted gear, just 45 days away to E-Day, when over 60 million voters troop to their polling precincts to shade their future terrorized by the pandemic.

A total 18,023 seats from Batanes in the north to Tawi Tawi in the south are on the political market, with the now official candidates vying for the votes in their respective communities – many of them their friends and relatives or members of their extended families. Of the more than 18,000 seats available, 845 are running unopposed, which suggests they are virtually assured of a May 9 election victory. This is where we encourage the voters to be discerning, given the close bonds – by affinity and consanguinity – on the local level, where sometimes the culture of friendship or debts of gratitude can be so overpowering that can blur the percipient

appreciation of the candidates’ needed qualities and competence in public service.

The local circus has begun. We are not saying we should not vote for our relatives, for this is precisely antipathetic to the culture of the Filipinos, whatever economic class or educational rung one may be in. But we need to be judicious, since many in the local level are relatives fighting for the same posts and they are as well the vot-

ers’ kin, and political thumbnails no longer make a persuasive argument. This is a sad commentary in fact on the culture of politics in our multi-ethnic and closely knit country, not helped any by the manifest reluctance of some who feel they have in their blood and soul the voters’ investiture for them to be of public service or to continue the service their relatives have begun. We do not quarrel with that perceived investment. But there are others, similarly if not better qualified but do not have the sufficient wherewithal to run, who are left on the forgotten roadside. Because running for a public office in this country has been for scores tied down to the peso sign – even for the lowest elective rung available. And some are running for the fun and funds of it. Let’s keep the sacrosanctity of the ballot, which reflects for years our unrecompensed aspirations as a nation.

A challenge to global dominance LIKE it or not, war has its own redeeming purpose. Some say it signaled the revival of the Cold War. But if one would analyze the events in Ukraine from a dialectical point of view, the war that began on February 24 was a sort of rectification in a globe that is drifting fast into the abyss. It was war agitated not by the parties concerned. Both Russia and Ukraine did not like the cyclical bloodletting. It was war carried out by the neo-liberals to prevent the domination of one ideology from rising. The US could no longer understand the security concern of Russia. The implosion of the Soviet Union in 1989 marked the spread of a neoliberal ideology. When Russia suddenly put a red line to NATO’s eastward advancement, the neoliberals that was lorded by the White House thought that Russia has long forgotten their security concern. Russia seemingly accepted the Bush and the Reagan administrations modus vivendi for peace, and entertained the notion that NATO’s unimpeded eastward expansion would remain unchallenged. It was a nibbling approach to encircle Russia, beginning with the strategy of dismantling some European states using the pattern adopted by Russia when it dissolved the Soviet Union and granted the 14 republics their independence. From there on, the small European states were cut into pieces as when Czechoslovakia was divided between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and later followed by a bloody civil war in Yugoslavia. The former federation of Yugoslavia was divided by religion as either Orthodox, Catholics, Muslims, to languages and ethnicity, and to a certain extent to ideological loyalty. Yugoslavia was bombed for 74 days. The US was right to believe the world need not revive the Cold War because it wanted a unipolar system dominated by it alone. By April, 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina had seceded, leaving only Serbia and Montenegro within the federation. NATO added to the problem by recognizing Kosovo, which in fact triggered the bombing of Serbia to reduce to rubbles its cities and industries. The bombing was unprecedented because it was carried out without the approval of the UN security council. They even bombed the Chinese legation, killing some of its embassy personnel. The bombing of Serbia was the first NATO involvement in a conflict. This happened because both Russia and China failed to exercise their veto power to stop NATO. This was followed by the bombing of Libya that led to the who may have different views. Online violence and threats of violence is a real problem nowadays. A mistake, any mistake, real or perceived, or faux pas for that matter, is always an occasion to ridicule, deride or condemn. Many take delight in seeing others humiliated in public, pilloried or meet some misfortune as a comeuppance that they “deserve” only because they are seen to have committed some “offenses” or “hold contrary views.” Yet Jesus, in narrating the parable of the Prodigal Son, tells us how special the virtues of mercy, compassion and forgiveness are. These are virtues that are most pleasing in the

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murder of Libyan President Muammar Ghaddafi, and later in Afghanistan and by the numerous bombings, assassinations, and murder of civilians in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Tunisia, Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen, Tanzania and Niger. The ending of the Cold War was the main reason why the Soviet Union disbanded the Warsaw Pact. Instead, of putting that security guarantee into writing that NATO would not move eastward, the alliance enlisted the former members of the Warsaw Pact like Poland, Rumania, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Czech Republic, and the former states of the Soviet Union namely Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to join.

These are my thoughts on what is happening. When NATO began to enlist Georgia and Ukraine, it was when Russia began to question the motive of the Western Alliance. In fact, it was in the early month October 2021 that Russia announced it was putting a red line to NATO’s eastward advances. Surprisingly, the US and NATO did not take Russia’s red line warning seriously. NATO instead intensified the drumbeating for war, particularly cajoling countries bordering Russia for possible confrontation, and even soliciting arms from allies destined for Ukraine. NATO supplied Ukraine with anti-tank missiles and several assorted automatic rifles to show that the alliance was firmly entangled in NATO’s involvement in Ukraine. The US, through its national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, responded saying that the demand by Russia was a non-starter which literally means it is more of a bluff and should not be taken seriously. Ukraine was given a false assurance of becoming a member, only later on to impose harsh economic sanctions against Russia. Ukraine remained emboldened. The neoNazi leadership persisted in their adventurism. That glided-tongue NATO general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, instead heightened Ukraine’s belief that Russia would not make good its threat of invading Ukraine; that it could withstand an invasion without NATO sending a single soldier. When the threat became imminent, NATO had to drop its call for Ukraine to join the alliance. Russia could sense that NATO is not willing to take the risk of going to war but kept on goading eyes of God. Like the father in the parable, we should learn not to condemn easily, find fault and get angry at others who we feel might have slighted or caused us pain or even hold different beliefs from us. The best path is not to seek revenge, or put down a person but to dialogue in a civilized manner, acknowledging that we are all sinners. Human nature is never perfect, it is fraught with frailties and weaknesses. Therefore, no one is in a position to judge and condemn. Only God the Father is the just judge and ever-merciful justifier. This way, like the father in the parable, we see people, even the most sin-

Ukraine go to war with Russia. President Putin waited for more than two weeks hoping NATO’s war cry would simmer down. On the contrary, Russian intelligence discovered that Ukraine was about to launch a full-scale invasion to recover the two breakaway provinces of Donbass and Lugansk, and possibly Crimea. Putin had to calls his national security council to discuss the emergency confronting the Russian federation. Thus, when Russia finally invaded Ukraine, the limitation in securing the breakaway provinces became a nationwide operation for the whole of Ukraine. That decision was possibly arrived at after Ukrainian troops put up a stiff resistance even causing casualties to Russian troops. Russian air force is now using their hypersonic Kinzal and thermobaric TOS multiple launcher system against the stiff resistance of the Ukrainian forces. It is the hardcore followers of Stepan Banderas that have been using the civilian population as human shields, refusing to grant exit corridors for people to escape the fighting, or accept humanitarian assistance given by Russian soldiers. Now Ukrainian President Vilodomir Zelensky is demanding the complete withdrawal of Russian troops. This means, Russian must withdraw from all of Ukraine’s territories of Donbass and Lugansk, and Crimea. Zelensky said, whatever agreement or compromise is reached must be submitted to a referendum. These three areas have long been considered problematic. The Crimean Peninsula was once part of the Old Russian empire, and its position was restored and strengthened after the Soviet army liberated the entire Balkan peninsula from the Nazi occupiers. Third, that the Crimea peninsula is now overwhelmingly inhabited by Russians. The transfer of Crimea to Ukraine proved to be a destabilizing factor that gave rise to racial discrimination and a demand for the withdrawal of the big Russian naval base at Sevastopol, considered as strategic, it being the only outlet to Russia, to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This is the same problem that was raised by President Putin when interviewed by awardwinning film director Oliver Stone in his book, “Putin Interviews.” He noted that a large number of Russians living in the former Soviet Republics and now given their independence cannot just be dislocated because of political decisions. Many of them have been living in those areas long before the Soviet Union was dissolved. rpkapunan@gmail.com Full version on www.manilastandard.net ful amongst us, through the lens of mercy and compassion. This does not mean however that we tolerate wrongdoing. On the contrary, it is a moral obligation to lead the errant towards the right path. In fact, the father in the parable welcomed his erring son with open arms but he never promised to restore his lost inheritance. This is mercy and justice at the same time. As the saying goes, do not hate the sinner but condemn the sin. We are after all prodigal children of the same God. Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

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Biden to visit near Ukraine line in show of solidarity

RUSSELS—US President Joe Biden will travel to a town near the Polish-Ukrainian border Friday, trying to signal Western resolve against a Russian invasion that has CYAN increasingly turned to a grinding war ofMAGENTA attrition. YELLOW BLACK Republic Of The Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 104, Quezon City SABASTIAN V. POONIN and FLORDELIZA POONIN represented by FRANCIS F. POONIN, Petitioners, SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION R-QZN-17-12574-CV

-versus-

QUEZON CITY GOVERNMENT, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, QUEZON CITY TREASURER’SOFFICE, QUEZON CITY ASSESSOR’S OFFICE and NOEL PATRICK S. PRUDENTE, Respondents. x-------------------------------------------------------------------------------x TO: NOEL PATRICK S. PRUDENTE No. 26 Newport Street, East Fairview, QC GREETINGS: You are hereby required, within ninety (90) days after the last publication of this summons and the complaint, to file with this Court and serve upon the plaintiff/s, your answer to the complaint of the plaintiff/s. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff/s will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied in the complaint.

Air Force One will jet into the eastern Polish town of Rzeszow -- bringing the US president less than 80 kilometres (50 miles) from a war-torn nation still struggling to repel a brutal Russian invasion. The trip is designed to underscore Washington’s willingness to defend NATO allies, as fears rise that the month-old war in Ukraine could spill westward fact, an attempt was made to inform Mr. Prudente by sending him a letter dated September 14, 2017, a copy of which is hereto attached as Annex “F”. sparking what the US president has called “World War The Petitioners had no inkling before last 2017 that the subject property had III.” Manila already been sold at an auction sale. When they asked for a copy of the Tax The Kremlin’s refusal to rule out the use of nuclear Declaration last 2017, they found out that the said tax declaration isStandard still in their names. A copy of the said Tax Declaration is hereto attached as Annex “G”. TODAY weapons, and a steady flow of Russian disinformation about chemical and biological weapons in Ukraine has By reason of this, the Certificate of Sale, Warrant of Levy and similar documents issued by the Respondent Assessor’s Office should be invalidated and set aside. left Kyiv and its allies fearful of an even-more serious Instead, the Petitioners should be allowed to redeem the property. conflagration. PRAYER Russia is already accused of using phosphorus bombs WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is respectfully prayed that the and indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas -- something Honorable Court decide in favor of the Plaintiff and against the Respondents more particularly as follows: the United States has branded a war crime. Against that backdrop, Biden will meet members of 1. The Warrant of Levy and Certificate of Sale on the said property be cancelled and set aside; the US 82nd Airborne Division, part of NATO’s increas2. The subject property be reverted back to the Petitioners as its former ingly muscular deployment to its eastern flank. owners; and 3. The Petitioners be allowed to redeem the subject property. At an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday NATO announced the deployment of further troops to Order remedies just and equitable under the premises are likewise prayed for. Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, as well as RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, November___, 2018. (Sgd.) BERNARDITA S. FORTUNO Counsel for the Petitioners Attorney’s Roll No. 39406 MCLE Comp VI-9014 until April 14, 2022 PTR No. 5520331 QC 1-3-2018 IBP No. 019428 QC 12-27-17

WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court, this 15th day of December 2021. (Sgd.) LOWELL FREDERICK A. MADRILEÑO Clerk of Court V

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 104, QUEZON CITY SEBASTIAN V. POONIN and FLORDELIZA F. POONIN, Represented by FRANCIS F. POONIN, Petitioners, -versusCase No. R-QZN- 17-12574-CV QUEZON CITY GOVERNMENT, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, QUEZON CITY TREASURER’S OFFICE, QUEZON CITY, ASSESSOR’S OFFICE OF QUEZON CITY AND NOEL PATRICK S. PRUDENTE Respondents. x--------------------------------------------------------------------------x

ORDER In today’s scheduled pre-trial, the Court notes the presence of petitioners counsel, Atty. Bernardita Fortunu, as well as counsel for Quezon City Government, Atty. Leodeeanne Odtujan. Petitioner’s counsel manifested that per Sheriff’s Return of Service, private respondent Patrick Noel Prudente was not served Summons, and prayed that Summons be served upon said respondent, through publication, which was not objected to by Atty. Odtojan. As prayed for, let Summons be served upon respondent Noel Patrick Prudente, through publication as the expense of the petitioners, pursuant to the Rules. Meanwhile, the pre-trial is cancelled and reset to March 3, 2022 at 9:30 in the morning. The Court notes the Manifestation filed by petitioners, through counsel stating that they are not objecting to the dropping of the Assessor’s Office but are objecting to the dropping of the Treasurer’s Office as one of the defendants.

DOMINGUEZ, DELANI, DOMINGUEZ & FORTUNO LAW OFFICES 21-G F. Castillo St., Proj. 4, QC Tel No. (02) 399-6279; 0917-822-5073 VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION WE SEBASTIAN V. POONIN and FLORDELIZA F. POONIN, both of legal age, Filipinos, married and with the above stated addresses, after being duly sworn to in accordance with the law, do hereby depose and state that. 1. We are Petitioners in this case; 2. I have caused the filing of the foregoing Amended Petition for Annulment of Warrant of Levy and Certificate of Sale; 3. The allegations therein are true and correct to the best of our personal knowledge and authentic documents; and 4. We hereby certify that neither we nor our counsel has commenced any similar action or proceeding involving the same issues raised herein before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency and to the best of our knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending threat and if we should learn thereafter that a similar action or proceeding is pending before and the aforesaid court or bodies, we undertake to report such fact within five (5) days therefrom to this Honorable Court. November 28, 2018. (Sgd.) SEBASTIAN V. POONIN Petitioner OSCA (Nagcarlan) 0008656

(Sgd.) FLORDELIZA F. POONIN Petitioner UMID 006-0069-2599-2

ROCKET IN NEWS. A woman walks past a television report showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on March 24. AFP LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the public that an ExtraJudicial Settlement has been executed by the heirs of the late Fernando A. Lacerona. The heirs all of legal age, over personal properties, per deed executed on 17 March 2022 before Notary Public of Atty. Gerald Alan Quebral In Quezon City, per Doc. No. 165; Page No 33; Book No XX11; Series of 2022 (MS-MAR. 19/26/APR. 2, 2022)

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 28th day of November, 2018 here in Quezon City, Metro Manila by Petitioners having exhibited their respective identification under their signatures.

N OTICE

The Motion for Reconsideration is submitted for resolution. Doc. No. 420; Page No. 85; Book No. LIV; Series of 2018

SO ORDERED. Open Court, Quezon City, November 4, 2021. (Sgd.) CATHERINE P. MANODON Judge

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 104, QUEZON CITY SEBASTIAN V. POONIN married to FLORDELIZA F. POONIN, Petitioners, -versus-

Cc: Office of the City Assessor’s Ofice, QC Noel Patrick Prudente

ANNEX “A”

ANNEX “A-1”

QUEZON CITY GOVERNMENT, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, QUEZON CITY TREASURER’S OFFICE, QUEZON CITY, ASSESSOR’S OFFICE OF QUEZON CITY and NOEL PATRICK S. PRUDENTE., Respondents. x----------------------------------------------------------------------x AMENDED PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF WARRANT OF LEVY AND CERTIFICATE OF SALE

(SGD.) RAQUEL B. ECHAGUE Director III Resource-Based Industries Service (MS-MAR. 26, 2022)

ANNEX “B”

STATEMENTOF THE CASE This is a case of Cancellation of Warrant of Levy and Certificate of Sale on grounds that there is no proper notice to the Petitioner and other irregularities attending its issuance.

ANNEX “B-1”

STATEMENT OF FACTS 1. The property subject of this case is a parcel of land located in Quezon City and is more particularly described as follows:

A copy of Transfer of Certificate of Title No. 316000 covering said property is hereto attached as Annex “A”. 2. Initially, the subject property was mortgaged to Pag-Ibig. The Petitioners tried their very best to pay off the amortizations of the said property until it was fully paid; 3. Little did the Petitioners know that the subject property also had some real property tax liabilities. They thought that since the said property was mortgaged, they do not have any other liability to the government except to Pag-Ibig. Little did they know that the said property had already been foreclosed and auctioned off last July 5, 2012; 4. Petitioners had never received any notice of the Warrant of Levy, Auctioned Sale of Certificate of Sale as they are not residents of the said property. Furthermore, the said property remained unoccupied until the present time. A copy of the said Warrant of Levy and Notice of Levy acquired by the Petitioners from the Register of Deeds of Quezon City is hereto attached as Annex “B” and “C”. A copy of the Certificate of Sale subsequently acquired by the Petitioners is hereto attached as Annex “D”; 5. However, last September 27, 2012, the Petitioners, having learned of their tax liabilities, paid off their real property tax Copies of the receipts for the said Real Property Tax for 2012 is hereto attached as Annexes “E”, “E-1”, and “E-2”. Petitioners tried to ask if there are other tax liabilities since they were previously informed that they had not paid for back real property taxes for the previous years. However, they were not informed of the said real property tax liabilities for the previous years. Neither were they informed that the subject property had already been foreclosed for non-payment of real property taxes; 6. In the meantime, the Petitioners, who are already senior citizens, had some health problems and were not able to travel all the way from their residence in Nagcarlan, Laguna to check on the subject property. It was only last 2017 when they checked on the property and they learned that it was already sold at auction to Respondent Noel Prudente; 7. This is forced them to file this case; 8. In compliance, with Sec. 267 of the Local Government Code, Petitioners are willing to post a bond corresponding to the unpaid real property taxes and interests that may be imposed in this case.

ANNEX “C”

ANNEX “D”

(MS-MAR. 26, 2022)

N OTICE

ANNEX “E”

ANNEX “E-1”

Notice is hereby given that PHILIPPINE GEOTHERMAL PRODUCTION COMPANY, INC. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOl) as Renewable Energy Developer of Geothermal Energy Resources (Daklan Geothermal Power Project, Predevelopment Stage) with project site in Bokod, Benguet, to avail of the incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA 9513). Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication. (SGD.) RAQUEL B. ECHAGUE Director Resource-Based Industries Service

ANNEX “E-2”

(MS-MAR. 26, 2022)

ANNEX “F”

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that PHILIPPINE GEOTHERMAL PRODUCTION COMPANY, INC. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOl) as Renewable Energy Developer of Geothermal Energy Resources (Mt. Labo Geothermal Power Project, Pre-development Stage) with project site in Tagkawayan, Quezon; De Gallejo, Camarines Sur; and Municipalities of Labo, San Vicente and San Lorenzo Ruiz in Camarines Norte, to avail of the incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA 9513).

A THE PETITIONERS WARRANT OF LEVY AND THE SUBSEQUENT SALE OF THE PROPERTY TO INDIVIDUAL RESPONDENT SHOULD BE CANCELLED AND SET ASIDE

ANNEX “G”

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

Petitioners will not deny their lapses if they have any. They are simply ordinary folks who do not know the intricacies of our laws. However, in this case, the government also had its lapses too. The real property tax payments made last September 27, 2012 should have been rejected and the Petitioners should have been told that the property had been sold off at auction. Regarding the individual respondents Noel Prudente, Petitioners are willing to reimburse him for whatever payments he may have made at the auction sale. In

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication. (SGD.) RAQUEL B. ECHAGUE Director Resource-based Industries Service

ISSUES/ARGUMENTS

Based from the above facts, it is very clear that there were lapses on the part of the Respondent Assessor’s Office of Quezon City in failing to inform the Petitioners of their tax liabilities and accepting the payment of real property tax of the Petitioners last September 27, 2012,they were not informed that the subject property had already been auctioned off due to non-payment of real property taxes. Had Petitioners learned of the Auction Sale of the said property, they would not have hesitated to redeem the said property.

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that PHILNEW HYDRO POWER CORPORATION is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOl) as Renewable Energy Developer of Hydropower Resources (4.85 MW MAT-I 1 Hydro Electric Power Project) with project site in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, to avail of the incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA 9513).

STATEMENT OF THE PARTIES 1. The Petitioners are both of legal age, Filipinos, married and with address at 433 Bgy. Taytay, Nagcarlan, Laguna; 2. Respondent Noel Patrick S. Prudente is of legal age, Filipino, and with last known address at No. 26 Newport St., East Fairview, Quezon City; 3. Public Respondent is the Quezon City Government Office of The Mayor, Quezon City, Treasurer’s Office, Quezon City, and Assessor’s Office of Quezon City;

“A parcel of land (Lot 7, Blk. 7 of the cons. subd. plan (LRC) Pcs-17782, being a portion of the cons. of Lots 723, Piedad Estate, & Lot 705-A-1-C (LRC) Psd-2967, LRC Rec. No. 5975), situated in the Dist. of Tandang Sora, Quezon City, Island of Luzon. Bounded on the NE., points 2 to 3 by Lot 6, Blk. 7; on the SE., points 3 to 4 by Road Lot 9 (10.00 m. wide); on the SW., point to 4 to 1 by Lot 8; on the NW., points 1 to 2 by Lot 2, both of Blk. 2, all of the cons. subd. plan. Beginning at a point marked “1” on plan, being S. 87 deg. 19’E., 735.95 m. from LM No. 14, Piedad Estate; thence N. 3 deg., 21’E., 15.00 m. to point 2; thence S. 86 deg. 39’E., 20.00 m. to point 3; thence S. 3 deg. 21’W., 15.00 m. to point 4; thence N. 86 deg. 39’W., 20.00 m. to the point of beginning; containing an area of THREE HUNDRED (300) SQUARE METERS, more or less. xxx xxx”

Notice is hereby given that PAVI GREEN RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOl) as Renewable Energy Developer of Solar Energy Resources (20.009MWp/16.200MW PAVI Green Orion Solar Power Plant Project) in Sitio Damulog, Barangay Daan Pare, Orion Bataan, to avail of the incentives under R.A. No. 9513, otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 based on the 2020 Investment Priorities Plan (IPP) as the transitional Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication/posting.

Case No. 17-12574

COMES NOW THE PETITIONERS, through undersigned counsel, unto this Honorable Court, respectfully state that:

bolstering chemical and nuclear defences in case Russia expands its attack beyond Ukraine. In Poland, Biden will also receive a briefing on the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which has seen more than 3.5 million people pour out of the country, mostly to Poland. The UN believes that more than half of Ukraine’s children have already been driven from their homes, “a grim milestone that could have lasting consequences for generations to come,” according to Unicef chief Catherine Russell. “Every day it’s 20, 30 times we go to the basement (to shelter),” said a sobbing 37-year-old Vasiliy Kravchuk in the garrison town of Zhytomyr. “It’s difficult because my wife is pregnant, I have a little son.” Biden’s trip comes as the West faces urgent questions about what more it will do to help those like Kravchuk withstand the Russian onslaught. Ukraine’s embattled president Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday begged NATO for unlimited weapons to help besieged Ukrainian cities like Mariupol cling on in the face of fierce Russian bombardment.AFP

(MStandard-Mar. 12,19 & 26, 2022)

(SGD.) RAQUEL B. ECHAGUE Director Resource-Based Industries Service (MS-MAR. 26, 2022)

North Korea says Kim ordered test of ‘new type’ of ICBM SEOUL—Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the test-firing of North Korea’s largest-ever intercontinental ballistic missile, ensuring his country is ready for “long-standing confrontation” with the United States, state media reported Friday. The Thursday launch was the first time Pyongyang has fired Kim’s most powerful missiles at full range since 2017. It appears to have travelled higher and further than any previous ICBM tested by the nuclear-armed country—including one designed to strike anywhere on the US mainland. The test-launch of the “new type inter-continental ballistic missile” was conducted under the “direct guidance” of leader Kim, KCNA reported. State media photographs showed Kim, wearing his customary black leather jacket and dark sunglasses, striding across the tarmac in front of a huge missile, with other images of him cheering and celebrating the test-launch with uniformed military top brass. The new ICBM “would make the whole world clearly aware of the power of our strategic armed forces once again,” Kim said, according to KCNA, adding the country was now “fully ready for long-standing confrontation with the US imperialists.” AFP

IN BRIEF Biden welcomes rematch with Trump BRUSSELS—President Joe Biden said Thursday he would be happy if his 2024 re-election bid turns out to be a re-run of the 2020 matchup against Donald Trump. In “the next election, I’d be very fortunate if I had that same man running against me,” Biden told reporters while attending NATO and G7 summits in Brussels. Biden seldom talks about his prospects for a second term and there has been speculation that he will not run at all. He would be 81 during the election and 86 at the end of his presidency, if re-elected. However, when asked in a press conference about prospects that someone like Trump could replace him in two years, Biden indicated that this was exactly the scenario motivating him to remain in office. Trump, who lost in 2020 after just one term, has campaigned ever since on the lie that he won and has made no secret that he would like to return to the White House. Biden referred to the January 6 riot last year by Trump supporters storming Congress after the defeated president told them that the election had been stolen. Biden also referred to the incident he has often named as the reason he came out of retirement to enter the 2020 race in the first place—a 2017 white supremacist rally and counter-demonstration in Virginia where one protester was killed, and Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides.” “I wasn’t going to run again,” Biden said. But after Trump’s remark, “I decided I wasn’t going to be quiet any longer.” AFP

France probes Interpol prexy Al-Raisi PARIS—French anti-terror prosecutors have opened a preliminary inquiry into torture and acts of barbarism allegedly committed by Emirati General Ahmed Nasser Al-Raisi who in November became president of Interpol, judicial sources said on Thursday. The probe follows a legal complaint by an NGO which accused Raisi of being responsible for the torture of an opposition figure in his role as highranking official at the United Arab Emirates interior ministry. The Gulf Centre for Human rights (GCHR), holding Raisi responsible for inhumane treatment of Ahmed Mansoor, an opponent of the Emirati government, lodged its complaint in January with the anti-terror prosecutors unit whose brief includes handling crimes against humanity. Allegations of torture had already been levelled at Raisi by human rights organizations when he ran for president of Interpol saying they feared the agency would be at risk of exploitation by repressive regimes. He was nevertheless voted in as president in November following generous funding from the UAE for the Lyon, France-based body. There were also accusations that Abu Dhabi had abused Interpol’s system of so-called “red notices” for wanted suspects to persecute political dissidents. The probe against Raisi is being handled by the prosecution unit for crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes, the sources said. William Bourdon, a high-profile lawyer acting for the GCHR, said it was “totally incomprehensible” that the prosecutors had not immediately ordered Raisi’s arrest which, he said, “they should have done given that he is in France.” AFP

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EU members reach deal to curb Big Tech domination

PSEi March 25, 2022

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1 OPM

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE 0.012 0.001 9.09%

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

ACEX DWC SLI ANS AXLM SLF DNL URC

17.14 1.6 2.8 9 2.62 2750 7.94 117

1.04 0.09 0.15 0.45 0.12 98 0.28 4.1

6.46% 5.96% 5.66% 5.26% 4.80% 3.70% 3.66% 3.63%

HLCM

5.74

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3.42%

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LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE 0.012 0.001 9.09%

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1.04 0.09 0.15

6.46% 5.96% 5.66%

5 6 7 8 9 10

ANS AXLM SLF DNL URC HLCM

9 2.62 2750 7.94 117 5.74

0.45 0.12 98 0.28 4.1 0.19

5.26% 4.80% 3.70% 3.66% 3.63% 3.42%

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478,276,470 297,427,285 252,184,754 238,099,255 234,669,185 210,877,596

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ICT BDO SM GLO

930,540 1,569,250 203,940 68,560

206,634,876 206,176,394 180,658,480 178,950,590

FOR HIGHER PENSIONS. Pensioners and activists hold a banner calling for an increase in their pensions as they take part in a demonstration in Nantes, France on March 24, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged on March 17, 2022 that he had been unable to push through the pension overhaul as promised in 2017, but pledged to tackle it again and push back the retirement age to 65 from 62. AFP

Stocks extend rally; URC and Globe lead advances T HE stock market extended its gains Friday, as investors picked up blue chip issues that registered a strong financial performance in 2021 despite the pandemic.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 42.23 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,124.84 on a value turnover of P5.5 billion, Gainers beat losers, 93 to 84, with 52 issues unchanged. Universal Robina Corp. of the Gokongwei Group, the largest snack food maker, advanced 3.6 percent to P117, while Globe Telecom Inc. of the Ayala Group, the second-biggest telecommunications firm, rose 3 percent to P2,638. Fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. climbed 2.5 percent to P28.50, while BDO Unibank Inc. of the Sy Group, the largest lender in terms of assets, was up 1.9 percent to P132.50. The rest of Asian markets fluctuated on

Friday as traders struggled to build on a rally in New York, with focus on the impact of the Ukraine war, surging inflation and Federal Reserve plans to fight it. The crisis in eastern Europe has forced investors to reassess their outlook for the global economy owing to an expected surge in already soaring prices, which some commentators now warn could lead to recessions and stagflation. Another rally on tech firms helped Wall Street clock up more healthy gains as data showed filings for US unemployment benefits hit their lowest level since September 1969, while a gauge of business activity hit an eight-month high in March. That came even as speculation swirls that the Fed will turn more hawkish in its drive to rein in inflation. Tech firms are more susceptible to higher borrowing costs. Hong Kong was weighed down by ongoing worries that US authorities could still delist Chinese firms traded on Wall Street, dragging the tech sector. Shanghai, Mumbai, Taipei, Bangkok and Jakarta also fell, while Tokyo, Syd-

ney, Singapore and Wellington edged up. Seoul was flat. Meanwhile, the White House warned it was concerned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could lash out using chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons as he grows increasingly frustrated about his campaign in Ukraine being bogged down. That comes after US President Joe Biden said earlier this week that the Russian leader’s “back is against the wall” and “the more his back is against the wall, the greater the severity of the tactics he may deploy.” Still, analysts said the gain on US markets could be attributed to the united front presented in Brussels against Putin by NATO, the G7 and European Union, and hope that a ceasefire can be reached. The groups unveiled a series of fresh sanctions against Moscow over its invasion, though European nations did not announce a ban on imports of Russian oil, which helped push crude lower Thursday. Both main contracts were barely moved in Friday trade. With AFP

German farmers in Ukraine press ahead in defiance of war By Sophie Makris BERLIN, Germany—Every year in early spring, German farmers Torben Reelfs and Tim Nandelstaedt turn the soil and plant the first sugar beets of the season on their plot of land in western Ukraine. But this year, the ritual has taken on a new meaning. “It’s very symbolic. When the machine turns over the land, it’s a different feeling than in previous years,” said Reelfs, 41, speaking to AFP by phone from the farm about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Lviv. When Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, Reelfs and Nandelstaedt immediately fled to Germany to “get away from the missiles, to be on the territory of the EU, of NATO,” according to Nandelstaedt, 43. “At first I thought that Russia would get to the Polish border very quickly,” he said. But three weeks later, both of them were back in Derzhiv, their adopted home for the last 10 years. “What we are seeing here, the solidarity on a military and a humanitarian level, is inspiring and gives you hope,” said Reelfs. ‘Poker game’ With the west of Ukraine so far largely spared from the deadly fighting raging in the south and east, the two men decided to go ahead and start sowing their crops. The pair had already managed to secure the fuel, fertilizer and seeds they needed. They began by sowing the sugar beets, which will be followed by corn in around two weeks’ time and soybeans in around two months. It’s too early to tell whether the crops will ever be harvested, but for now, Reelfs is sure it was “the right decision.” He also feels “a certain responsibility” to “reduce the risk of catastrophic famines” around the world as a result of the war. Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine was the world’s fourth largest exporter of corn and was on its way to becoming the third largest exporter of wheat behind Russia and the United States.

German farmers Tim Nandelstädt (left) and Torben Reelfs pose on the field of their farm in Dehrziv, Stryi Raion, Lviv Oblast, western Ukraine on March 23, 2022. Every year in early spring, Reelfs and Nandelstaedt turn the soil and plant the first sugar beets of the season on their plot of land in western Ukraine. AFP

Corn, wheat and sunflower oil prices have already soared in recent weeks and the situation looks set to worsen if the “breadbasket of Europe” is unable to keep up with the usual supplies. The two German farmers know that going ahead with the harvest is a huge risk—a “poker game,” according to Reelfs. “What will happen in six months, when we harvest, I honestly have no idea,” said Nandelstaedt. “Some farms have already been hit by missiles or attacked by ground troops. Fields are burning. If that happens here, it will be over.” ‘Adventure’ Reelfs and Nandelstaedt have spent the last decade building up their farm in Ukraine, which covers 1,900 hectares of land and employs 25 people. The business partners, who have been friends for over a decade, were among a wave of farmers who took up leases on land in Ukraine after the fall of the Soviet Union, attracted by the cheap prices and fertile soil. They liked the idea of an “adventure” and the chance to build everything from scratch,

according to Reelfs. Between 2008 and 2009, “we visited almost 50 villages and there was still available land everywhere,” he said. “When we started out, you could rent a hectare of land for 17 euros ($18.70) and could even pay in kind, with wheat or sugar. Today, we pay well over 100 euros here and it is more than 200 euros in many regions.” It’s a sign of how much Ukraine has changed over the years, he said: “Corruption has greatly decreased... and the standard of living has got better and better.” Reelfs believes it has been a surprise to the Russian forces to see that “people are not at all unhappy with their government, they want to support the army and defend their country.” During their stay in Germany, Reelfs and Nandelstaedt collected 130,000 euros in donations for Ukraine and helped to arrange accommodation for around about 170 people in villages around Berlin. “Even though they all feel welcome there, they want to return to Ukraine as soon as possible,” said Reelfs. AFP

BRUSSELS, Belgium—Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states agreed Thursday on a landmark law to curb the market dominance of US big tech giants such as Google, Meta, Amazon and Apple. Meeting in Brussels the lawmakers nailed down a long list of do’s and don’ts that will single out the world’s most iconic web giants as internet “gatekeepers” subject to special rules. The “Digital Markets Act” (DMA) has sped through the bloc’s legislative procedures and is designed to protect consumers and give rivals a better chance to survive against the world’s powerful tech juggernauts. “The agreement ushers in a new era of tech regulation worldwide,” said German MEP Andreas Schwab, who led the negotiations for the European Parliament. “The Digital Markets Act puts an end to the ever-increasing dominance of Big Tech companies,” he added. The main point of the law is to avert the years of procedures and court battles needed to punish Big Tech’s monopolistic behavior where cases can end with huge fines but little change in how the giants do business. Once implemented, the law will give Brussels unprecedented authority to keep an eye on decisions by the giants, especially when they pull out the cheque book to buy up promising startups. “The gatekeepers—they now have to take responsibility,” said the EU’s competition supremo Margrethe Vestager. “A number of things they can do, a number of things they can’t do, and that of course gives everyone a fair chance,” she added. The law contains about 20 rules that in many cases target practices by Big Tech that have gone against the bloc’s rules on competition, but which Brussels has struggled to enforce. AFP

Russian steel giant Severstal battling to avoid bond default MOSCOW, Russia—Russian steel giant Severstal, whose main shareholder Alexei Mordashov is under EU sanctions, is fighting to avert what would be the first default by a major Russian firm since Moscow launched military action in Ukraine. In a press release published on the London Stock Exchange website, the company said that a “test payment” it sent on March 16 had not “reached the account of the issuer,” a Luxembourg group, because “the payment was frozen” by the latter’s US correspondent bank, Citibank, “due to regulatory investigations.” Severstal said it was “looking to initiate” an application for licenses from the “relevant competent authorities” in order to process the payment. Severstal had until Wednesday to make an interest payment of $12.6 million (11.5 million euros). “We cannot make a coupon payment in time to the holders of our eurobonds,” director-general Alexander Shevelyov wrote on VKontakte social media. “This is an extraordinary situation for us that arose through no fault of our own,” he said. “Severstal maintains a stable financial position, confirms its readiness and desire to carry out its debt obligations in full, and has the necessary resources for this,” he added. “Unfortunately, our western financial partner has frozen the processing of the payment, initiated by the company. We are continuing to consult with partners and are doing everything possible for the holders of the bonds to receive their funds,” he said. Citibank declined a request for comment from AFP. After concerns that Russia would default on its debt, it paid $117 million in interest on two dollar-denominated bonds last week. AFP

Sri Lanka papers run out of newsprint COLOMBO, Sri Lanka―Two major Sri Lanka newspapers are suspending their print editions because of a lack of paper, their owner said Friday, the latest casualties in the island’s economic crisis. The South Asian nation of 22 million people is facing its worst economic meltdown since independence from Britain in 1948 after its foreign reserves hit rock bottom. Privately owned Upali Newspapers said their English-language daily, The Island, and its sister Sinhalese version, Divaina, will only be available online “in view of the prevailing newsprint shortage.” Other main national dailies have also reduced pages after costs soared by over a third in the past five months and because of difficulties securing supplies from abroad. School tests for nearly three million out of Sri Lanka’s 4.5 million pupils were postponed indefinitely last week after the authorities failed to source enough paper and ink. The dollar shortage has sparked energy shortages affecting all sectors and led to skyrocketing prices with inflation at a record 17.5 percent in February, the fifth consecutive monthly high. Motorists have to queue up at gasoline pumps and at least four people have died in the past week while waiting long hours to top up. Energy ministry officials said they managed to raise $42 million by Friday to pay for a cargo of diesel and aviation fuel held up at the Colombo port for nearly two weeks because there were no dollars to pay for it. AFP

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

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, March 25, 2022

42.23PTS. 7,124.84

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES

599,162,162 70,353

TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES DECLINES

5,478,581,437.49 93 84

UNCHANGED

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.3640

Japan

Yen

0.008173

0.4280

Pound

1.318600

69.0472

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127817

6.6930

Switzerland

Franc

1.075153

56.2993

Canada

Dollar

0.798403

41.8076

Singapore

Dollar

0.736811

38.5824

Australia

Dollar

0.751000

39.3254

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652379

138.8892

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266596

13.9600

Brunei

Dollar

0.734107

38.4408

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.029780

1.5594

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2580

Euro

1.100100

57.6056

Korea

Won

0.000819

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.157048

8.2237

India

Rupee

0.013106

0.6863

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236742

12.3968

New Zealand

Dollar

0.696000

36.4453

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034920

1.8286 Source: BSP

LANDBANK STOCKS. President Rodrigo Duterte (center) receives the stock certification from Land Bank of the Philippines, led by Finance Secretary and LandBank chairman Carlos Dominguez III (third from right) and LandBank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo (fourth from right) in a turnover ceremony at Malacañang Palace. They are joined by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (4th from left) and other LandBank executives.

By Julito G. Rada

RICES of new housing units rose in the fourth quarter of 2021 from a year ago on sustained demand for residential property, particularly for townhouses and condominium units, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday.

MPT South builds headquarters in Cavite for P800m By Darwin G. Amojelar METRO Pacific Tollways South Management Corp. said Friday it invested P800 million for new headquarters in Cavite province as part of its commitment to build sustainable infrastructure. “The total cost of the hub is P800 million to serve as the headquarters, not only of CALAX [Cavite Laguna Expressway] but all of the concession of MPTC South that includes Cavitex and later CTBEx [Cavite Tagaytay Batangas Expressway],” MPTC chief finance officer and executive sponsor for sustainability Christopher Lizo said in a virtual briefing. “For 2022, we;re allocating roughly P30 million mostly for the installation of more solar panels,” he said. Lizo said toll plazas of the operational sections of CALAX were equipped with rooftop solar panels that power its own operations. Roadway lighting systems use LED fixtures to improve energy efficiency, The MPT South Hub Project, which was awarded a LEED gold certification, is designed to be the management and operations building of MPT South. “The hub exemplifies our commitment to building sustainable infrastructure in alignment with MPTC and MPIC sustainability efforts guided by the United Nation’s Sustainability Goal target of upgrading all industries and infrastructure for sustainability,” said MPT South president and general manager Roberto Bontia. LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a globallyrecognized symbol of excellence in green building. LEED certification ensures electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions and healthier environments where people live, work, learn, play and worship. “MPTC is committed to advancing sustainability. We are extremely honored to have one of our facilities certified by a world-renowned body as a green building,” said MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco.

BSP green bonds reach over $550m

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday its total investments in green bonds increased to more than $550 million as it pursues sustainability objectives in the management of foreign reserves. “BSP recognizes the importance of responsible investing. As such, we are working towards incorporating sustainability principles into our reserve management framework, asset allocation and overall investment process,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in an online briefing. “We carry out careful analysis of both costs and benefits, as well as consideration of possible trade-offs between traditional reserve management and sustainability objectives,” he said. The Bank for International Settlements spearheaded a green bond initiative in 2019. This was carried out through a BIS Investment Pool in cooperation with a group of central banks, including the BSP. The initiative aims to create environmental impact through sizable climate-friendly investments and to demonstrate the commitment of participating central banks to green finance. Julito G. Rada

IPOPHL receives 151 counterfeiting reports

Housing prices sustained growth in Q4 The BSP said in its Residential Real Estate Price Index report the growth trend was sustained in the fourth quarter of 2021, with prices rising 4.9 percent from a year ago and 1.1 percent from the third quarter. “This is consistent with the outcome of the Q4 2021 Consumer Expectations Survey, which showed a higher percentage of consumers preferring to buy real estate property during the last quarter of

IN BRIEF

2021,” the BSP said. Residential property prices in the National Capital Region went up by 5 percent year-on-year, although this was slower than 11.4-percent registered in the third quarter. Property prices in areas outside NCR went up by 5.1 percent year-on-year. “Prices in both areas were driven mainly by the rise in the prices of condominium units and townhouses, which more

than offset the decline in the prices of duplex housing units and single-detached/ attached houses,” the BSP said. The 4.9 percent year-on-year upturn in the nationwide price index was driven by the rise in prices of townhouses and condominium units, with a growth of 22.6 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, prices of duplex housing units and single-detached/attached houses softened by 10.2 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively. The BSP said the number of residential real estate loans granted for all types of new housing units in the fourth quarter declined by 11.5 percent yearon-year, but expanded by 2 percent quarter-on-quarter. The same pattern was observed in the provinces. The weight of each type of housing unit in the RREPI is determined by di-

viding the total floor area in terms of square meters of a specific type of housing unit over the total floor area of all housing types. Data showed that in the fourth quarter, single-detached/attached houses in the price index continued to constitute the largest weight at 51 percent. Condominium units, townhouses and duplex housing units accounted for 27.5 percent, 21 percent, and 0.6 percent, respectively. Almost 73.5 percent of residential real estate loans were used to purchase of new housing units. By type of housing unit, most of the residential property loans were used for the acquisition of condominium units (44.6 percent), followed by single-detached/attached houses (39.3 percent) and townhouses (15.6 percent).

ROTARY CLUB’S DONATION. The Rotary Club of Makati-Paseo de Roxas District 3830 led by president Kyla Bagsic (second from right) turns over a water filtration system to school principal Edizer Laqueo (center) of the Bayanan Elementary School-Main as part of the Rotary International Global Grant 1637920. With them are (from left) past presidents Milet Belicena, Jasmin Sy and Jo Yap. The global grant by Rotary International was made possible through the cooperative efforts of Synergeia Foundation Inc. (community partner), Rotary Club of Midtown Tarlac District 3790, Rotary Club of Taichung Tatong Taiwan District 3460, Rotary District 3790 (Philippines), Rotary District 3620 (South Korea) and Rotary District 3501 (South Korea).

Filinvest REIT booked P1.9-b profit in 2021 as revenues hit P1.9b By Jenniffer B. Austria FILINVEST REIT Corp., the flagship commercial real estate investment trust of the Filinvest Group, on Friday reported a net income of P1.9 billion in 2021. FILRT said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the strong 2021 financial performance was achieved on the back of rental and other revenues which amounted to P3.4 billion. “We are pleased with our performance despite the challenges of a globallychanging workplace environment. We are optimistic of a strong economic recovery in 2022, particularly in the business process outsourcing industry, which compris-

es about 91 percent of our tenant base,” said FILRT president and chief executive Maricel Brion-Lirio. FILRT said it distributed three quarterly cash dividends totaling P0.336 per share. This is equivalent to an annualized dividend yield of 6.4 percent, higher than benchmark rates and better than the 6.3 percent dividend yield it projected for 2021 in its REIT plan and based on its initial public offering price of P7.00 per share in August last year. FILRT said it was resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as BPO companies remained operational even during periods of the tightest lockdowns. The company welcomed the govern-

ment’s recent move to transition the Information Technology and Business Process Management sector to on-site office operations by April 1, 2022 which is expected to boost the office leasing segment as BPOs rebuild their on-site footprint. FILRT’s portfolio consists of 17 Grade A office buildings totaling over 300,000 square meters of gross leasable area. Of these, 16 of the 17 buildings are in Northgate Cyberzone in Filinvest City in Alabang while another building is located in the gateway of Cebu IT Park in Lahug, Cebu City. The assets were valued by an independent appraisal company at P48.5 billion.

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said Friday it received 151 counterfeiting and piracy reports from consumers and complaints from rights holders in 2021, up 25 percent and surpassing the previous record of 121 in 2020. “Although netizens have given us a boost in IP rights awareness through their reports, there is still much to be done to safeguard IPs in e-commerce and social media sites. We must fortify our efforts to combat fakes and piracy online, considering the steady role of online activities in reopening the economy,” said IPOPHL director-general Rowel Barba. Complaints from netizens which reached 113 or 75 percent contributed the most to the new record, followed by IPOPHL’s own monitoring and referrals from other government agencies at 19 percent, and intellectual property rights holders at 6 percent, according to data from the IP Rights Enforcement Office. Counterfeiting garnered 114 reports and complaints, making up for 75 percent of the total. Apparel items remained the most imitated, accounting for 85 counts or 75 percent. Othel V. Campos

AbaCore Capital sells Batangas properties

ABACORE Capital Holdings Inc. of the Mandanas family said Friday it sold several properties in Batangas province as part of a strategy to deliver long-term value to shareholders. AbaCore Capital said in a disclosure to the stock exchange subsidiaries Friendship Management Corp. and Candor Realty Corp. signed agreements with buyers on their properties. Under the agreement, Friendship Management will sell 21,375 square meters of land at Tanguay in Lipa City to Taft Property Venture Development Corp., a subsidiary of the Gaisano group, for P17.1 million. This transaction is a milestone for the Gaisano group as its first venture in Batangas province. AbaCore will maintain 10 hectares of land in nearby Barangay San Salvador and 90 hectares of land in Rosario, Batangas. Candor Realty agreed to sell about 4,845 sq. m. of land to a meat processing company under a large retail chain for P41.18 million. The entity will use the land to expand its meatprocessing operations. Jenniffer B. Austria

Escalation of war in Eastern Europe to hurt remittances BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Friday remittances from overseas Filipino workers may be significantly impacted if the Russia-Ukraine war escalates and involves member-countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Diokno, however, said based on BSP’s latest assessment, the current geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe had insignificant impact on remittances as inflows from warring parties remained minimal. “Should war include NATO [member-countries], this could have a significant impact on the Philippines because the US and EU [European Union] are major trading partners of the Philippines,” he said. “We are closely monitoring [the situation],” Diokno said. He said based on available data as of 2021, remittances from Ukraine reached just $121,000 while inflows from Russia stood at $2.3 million. NATO is an international alliance that consists of 30 member-states from Europe, North America and Asia. Established in 1949, the treaty’s article 5 states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it will be considered an attack against all members and other members will assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary. NATO’s members are Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Most of these countries host overseas Filipino workers.Julito G. Rada

AC Energy signs investment deal to take a 55% interest in Cagayan solar power firm By Alena Mae S. Flores AC ENERGY Corp. said Friday it signed an agreement with CleanTech Global Renewables Inc. to own a 55-percent interest in the project company that will build the 200-megawatt Lal-lo solar power project in Lal-lo, Cagayan. ACEN said in a disclosure to the stock exchange that along with wholly-owned subsidiary ACE Endevor Inc., it signed an agreement with CleanTech Renewable Energy 4 Corp., a wholly-owned subsid-

iary of CleanTech Global Renewables, over the ownership and management of Natures Renewable Energy Devt. Corp. “The company and Cleantech, through its subsidiary CREC4, intend to co-own NAREDCO, the project company for the proposed Lal-lo solar power project,” ACEN said. “The joint venture will potentially add more than 100 MW of renewable energy to the company’s power generation portfolio,” it said. The agreement involves the develop-

ment and operation of the Lal-lo solar power project that will be developed in two phases. Phase 1 involves 133.46-MW capacity with estimated notice to proceed by the second quarter of 2022, while phase 2 involves 60.54-MW capacity with targeted NTP by first quarter 2023. Full commercial operations of the project are expected to commence by 2024. The transaction will enable the ACEN to co-own the proposed 200-MW Lal-lo solar power project in line with its target to achieve 5,000 MW of attributable re-

newables capacity by 2025. After subscription by ACEN and Endevor to an aggregate of 82,500 common shares in NAREDCO on Dec. 17 last year, the ownership structure will give ACEN with 55 percent, Endevor with 5 percent and CREC4 with 40 percent of the common shares. ACEN said that as long it holds 55-percent interest, it will be entitled to nominate three directors in the five-man NAREDCO board. CREC4 will be entitled to two board seats.

Gin Kings smash Warriors, close in on finals’ berth

Sports

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

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

By Peter Atencio JUSTIN Brownlee struck for 32 points as the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings turned back the NLEX Road Warriors, 104-94, on Friday to zero in on a finals’ berth in the 46th Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum. The 33-year-old Brownlee also pulled down nine rebounds for the Kings, who picked up their second straight win in the semifinal series as they moved a win shy of a three-game sweep and an outright finals’ slot. The 6’6” Brownlee earlier led the Gin Kings to a 95-85 win in Game 1. Brownlee’s stepback jumper in the last 4:07 of the final period sent the Gin Kings to a 96-85 spread with 4:07 left. They were never in danger from there. Scottie Thompson added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Gin Kings. Christian Standhardinger also hit 17 points and had 11 boards for the Kings, who can earn a finals’ berth if they hurdle the Road Warriors on Sunday. LA Tenorio fired 15 points for Ginebra, including eight in the second period. With the Kings trailing by five midway in the second canto, Brownlee, Thompson and Standhardinger joined hands for an 11-0 blast that allowed Ginebra to establish a six-point edge, 53-47, with 1:33 remaining and slowly pulled away from there.

Resident Ginebra import Justin Brownlee scores inside in Game 2 of his team’s best-of-three semifinal series against NLEX in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Team PH’s Torres bags kata silver in SEA karate tourney R By Randy Caluag

EBECCA Cyril Torres was the lone representative of the Philippines in the kata event of the 9th Southeast Asian Karate Championships in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Rebecca Cyril Torres shows fine kata form. (Karate Pilipinas)

Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation president Richard Lim opted to bring a team composed of young, promising athletes to the tournament because he wanted to keep some of his blue-chip performers under wraps, hoping to pull off a surprise in the Vietnam SEA Games in May. Torres, though, provided an early big sur-

prise of her own on Friday as she bagged a silver medal after a tightly-fought contest in the finals against Indonesia in the women’s kata competition of the warmup tournament participated by Southeast Asian countries. She beat opponents from Malaysia and Cambodia on the way to the finals before losing by just .03 points to an Indonesian foe, according to Lim. Filipina-Japanese Junna Tsukii, the Philippines’ top women kata performer, skipped the tournament as she is currently training in Tokyo, Japan for her participation in the Karate 1-Premier League set April 22 to 24 in Matosinhos, Portugal. Joining Tsukii in the Portugal meet is fellow 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Jamie Christine Lim, who is currently training at Teacher’s Camp in Baguio City, together with other members of the team that

Corporate Cup lures 50 teams, 200+ golfers THE Corporate Cup goes underway next week, marking the return of the muchawaited tournament that was temporarily shelved due to the pandemic. A total of 50 teams represented by more than 200 players have registered in the Corporate Cup, all eager to showcase their skills as well as to reconnect and have fun n the three-day event slated at the Camp John Hay Golf Club beginning on March 29. The f ield will be divided into six divisions: Groups I to IV and Seniors I and II. Team classification will be based on the average of the three January handicap indices of the team. No team will be allowed to field more than one player with

handicap index of 5.0. Local Baguio teams, including the regular Group 1 winner and host Camp John Hay Golf Club and Seniors 1 champion Pugo Adventure in 2020 are expected to be back and defend their titles. CJHGC General Manager Jude Eustaquio wanted to have more teams but had to put a limit into the number to adhere to the health and safety protocols set by the local government unit of Baguio City and the Inter Agency Task Force. “Everyone’s excited and looking forward to a grand week of non-stop friendly but fierce competition, camaraderie and good times. Even before we opened the registration, I saw the enthu-

siasm in them,” said Eustaquio. The Manor and Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay, Le Chef, Federal Management and Maintenance, Tobi Group of Companies, Bishop Carlito Cenzon Foundation, The Turf Company, GAC Motors, JTen Sports, Baguio Country Club, Manila Southwoods, Valley Golf, Sherwood Hills and Eagle Ridge are sponsors. Estaquio reminds that the submission of a negative result prior and Antigen testing immediately after the round are no longer required. Practice round and welcome cocktails on March 28 kicks off the event and ends with the awards ceremony on March 31 at the Manor at Camp John Hay.

were left behind. Tsukii also qualified for the World Games set in Birmingham, Alabama in July. Cambodia is hosting the seven countries in the tournament, namely Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia from March 21 to 27 at the National Karate Training Center inside the Royal University of Phnom Penhas as part of its preparation for the 2023 SEA Games. The Philippines sent 11 athletes under the care of national coach Okay Arpa of Turkey. The Kumite (sparring) team members are Oliver Manalac, John Christian Lachica, John Kyle Tabilog, John Matthew Manantan, Alwyn Batican, Prince Izmen Alejo, and Ivan Christopher Agustin on the men’s squad and Maryanne Montalvo and Rita Alexis Cuadra on the women’s team.

PHILTA jrs tournament starts boys’ U14, U18 tilt THE Philippine Tennis Association Juniors tennis tournament kicks off Saturday at 8 a.m., with the boys’ 14-under and 18-under divisions at the PCA outdoor courts. In line with Philta’s new normal tournament guidelines, the selfumpire rule will be implemented, where all 192 registered players must call their own lines – with the objective of educating agegroupers with a tougher tournament environment. Roving umpires will be assigned in the Philta-sanctioned juniors’ competition. And since there is no formal rankings yet, the Tournament Committee identified players based on their current and previous credentials for seeding purposes. PCA safety protocols, including full vaccinations, social distancing and mandatory wearing of face masks except for agegroupers during their respective matches, are also in place. The Philta Juniors is the start of Philta-sanctioned nationwide events under the new normal tournament guidelines.

Tabuena foils Mondilla, rules Luisita anew TARLAC—Miguel Tabuena showed firm resolve in the clutch and staying power in debilitating heat, foiling Clyde Mondilla’s scorching rally with a six-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to capture the ICTSI Luisita Championship here yesterday. Both birdied the tough closing par-4 hole in regulation in separate flights with Mondilla doing the feat first off a superb 56-degree wedge shot from 96 yards to within five feet to spike a closing 65 highlighted by four straight bogeys from No. 4. Tabuena, on the other hand, bounced back from a disastrous bogey on the 17th with a birdie putt from close range off a near-perfect drive to save a 70 and tie Mondilla at nine-under 279. But after both matched pars on the first playoff hole, also on No. 18, Tabuena proved steadier in the end, drilling a delicate putt back on the 18th after Mondilla flubbed his own bid from 10 feet and ending up on top in the P2 million championship that kicked off the new Philippine Golf Tour season after a year-long break due to global health crisis. The victory, worth P360,000, likewise extended the ace shotmaker’s winning run at the

Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed layout to four, including the Philippine Open in 2015. “I struck the ball better compared to the first three days but I didn’t putt as well that’s why I didn’t have as many birdies,” said Tabuena, who had five birdies against three bogeys in his closing pair of 35s. “But I’m pretty happy with the outcome, obviously. But a win is a win and it’s my first win as a married man, so thank you Lord,” added Tabuena, who married his long-time Lauren Nocum in the US last month. Despite his big lead following Michael Bibat’s early meltdown, Tabuena knew someone very familiar with the tight, challenging course would step up and mount a charge. “Congrats to Clyde, he played the best round, but I wasn’t so shocked (of his comeback),” he said of Mondilla. “I was expecting someone to chase me and I had very good feeling it would be Clyde, who basically practiced and lived here for few months before the pandemic so he really knew the course.” Mondilla missed duplicating his feat at Pradera Verde two years ago but admitted he yielded to a better player.

“Getting to the playoff was something, considering that I was down by five. My putting just clicked and I was in the hunt,” said Mondilla, who actually fell by as many as seven with a bogey on No. 2 which Tabuena birdied in a flight behind. “But I misread my line of putt (on the second playoff hole). But that’s okay, me mas magaling pa kesa sa akin (there’s someone better than me),” said Mondilla, who had hoped to match his feat at ICTSI Pradera Verde where he also rallied from five down in the final round and best four others in the playoff in the most crowded playoff cast in PGT history in Jan. 2020 before the circuit took a long break due to global health crisis. He received P236,000. Earlier, Tabuena pounced on Bibat’s early stumble to build up a big cushion, only to find himself faced with a tougher task of stopping a hot-finishing Mondilla on his tracks. As the Del Monte native strung up four straight birdies from No. 4 to launch his fightback and sustained it with four more birdies in the last 10 holes, Tabuena went on a rollercoaster ride, mixing two birdies with two bogeys from No. 4 to the 14th, enabling Mondilla to force a tie at eight-under overall.

Miguel Tabuena holds his trophy.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

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

Home/Design

Living from within

N A fast-paced world, nurturing one’s inner peace has become an afterthought. RLC Residences’ Woodsville Crest in Paranaque will have none of this, and has incorporated nature-inspired amenities, open spaces, and landscaped areas into its development.

The concept is perfect for individuals who want to cocoon themselves in tranquility, albeit with some simple

reflecting activities. “At RLC residences, we commit to developing residential spaces that

foster recovery and relaxation,” said RLC Residences marketing head Karen Cesario. “A testament to that commitment is Woodsville Crest.” Recognizing the importance of nurturing inner peace especially in the busy streets of urban areas, the development features a jog trail, landscape areas, clubhouse lobby, and pool deck where residents can conveniently unwind. For more information, visit rlcresidences.com.

10TH PROPERTYGURU AWARDS LAUNCHED. The 10th

edition of the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards was launched this week at the Fairmont Hotel, amidst a real estate market adapting to the next normal with cautious optimism. The launch, presented by Kohler and supported by Boysen Paints, threw open the door to admit entries from eligible developers and projects., as well as nominations from the public. Key dates for the 2022 edition of the awards included: 5 August 2022 – entries close; 22 August – 9 September 2022 – site inspections (physical); 5 – 9 September 2022 – site inspections (virtual); 14 September 2022 – final judging 7 October 2022 – gala dinner and awards ceremony in Manila; 9 December 2022 – regional grand final gala presentation. The prestigious real estate awards programme is chaired by Cyndy Tan Jarabata, president of TAJARA Leisure & Hospitality Group Inc. (Shown in the middle). Nominations and entries are being accepted at: https://www. asiapropertyawards.com/en/nominations/

Disaster-reliant communities by SMDC

Cutting edge cooling solutions from LG AS LOCKDOWN restrictions are slowly removed, establishments need to make adequate preparations to include social distancing guidelines, and sufficient airflow systems. Enter LG’s Multi V5, designed for indoor air-conditioning for buildings, schools, and residential condominiums. The unit combines technologies to provide maximum energy efficiency while minimizing operational costs. It has a Dual Sensing Control which senses both humidity and temperature for economical and comfortable operation. Minimizing energy loss Powering the LG Multi V5 is the Ultimate Inverter Compressor. This compressor uses an enhanced bearing with PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) material, a thermoplastic polymer that increases durability and reliability. It also uses vapor injection technology, a two-stage compression effect that provides efficient heating operation in low temperature conditions. It also comes equipped with smart oil management. An oil sensor runs oil recovery operation only if necessary to increase compressor efficiency. It also balances and manages oil level in both compressors. HiPOR™ (High Pressure Oil Return) is also used to minimize energy loss with direct oil return.

The LG Multi V5 offers flexible installation with a large capacity outdoor unit. The required installation space has been reduced by 23% while the weight has been reduced by 15%. With improvements in core parts, LG’s Multi V5 single outdoor unit can provide large capacity up to 26HP. Humpback whale design The LG Multi V5 is designed for durability. Tested and certified by TUV Rheiland, LG’s “Ocean Black Fin” heat exchanger is designed to perform even in corrosive environments. The fans themselves also have a humpback whale design together with clam shell pattern. The enhanced fans’ biomimetics technology increases air flow rate up to 10% while reducing power consumption up to 20%. It also has a 4-sided heat exchanger that improves heat transfer up to 20 which eventually enhances capacity and performance. “The Multi V5 offers ultimate efficiency, flexibility, reliability, comfort, and performance that make it a valuable addition to any building,” promised LG Philippines managing director Seungjae Kim. For more details visit LG Electronics’ Air Solutions Facebook and Youtube page.

HIGH-LEVEL ARCHITECTURE CONFERENCE IN APRIL.

Enderun Conferences will host a learning summit that covers the professional industries of architecture, sustainability, technology, and design from April 28-29. Entitled, “Archi+Dex Conference & Expo 2022,” the two-day event will be happening will be held via Zoom from 9:00AM - 3:30 PM (PST). Archi+Dex Conference & Expo 2022 will feature keynotes and learning sessions under the themes Hospitality and Design in the PostCOVID World, The Economics of Sustainable Design, and Sustainable Urban Planning including mentorship sessions on Future-Proofing Your Own Architecture & Design Practice. The two-day conference brings together industry practitioners, urban planners, developers, LGUs, and members of the academe in exchanging ideas, transforming professional opportunities, and addressing critical issues concerning architecture, sustainability, technology, and design. Early bird rate is at Php. 3,000 for licensed architects and Php. 2,000 for non-professionals and can be availed until March 28. The conference also offers a student rate for only Php. 500. To register, please visit https:// conferences.enderunextension.com/conferences/archidex/.

CEBU CITY BREAKTHROUGH.

SM DEVELOPMENT Corporation (SMDC) remains committed to disaster resilience through an integrated approach to property design. In Cainta, SMDC’s Charm Residences has built a detention tank that will be able to hold approximately 100,000 liters of water. During storms, the detention tank will temporarily store rain water to reduce the flood risks not only in the property but in its neighboring communities. For Vine Residences in Novaliches, portions of the structure were suspended from the site’s soil grade – which not only preserves the trees and vegetation present in the area, but also incorporates a natural defense against flooding and corrosion. By making sustainable design safe and accessible, SMDC enables more homeowners around the country to rest assured in the event of severe weather conditions.

DTE Construction and Development Corporation Philippines recently held ground breaking ceremonies for Tierra Del Mar (Minglanilla reclamation and development project) in Calajo-an and Tungkil Minglanilla, Cebu City. The event was led by DTE Construction president Engineer Desiderio T. Estinozo, who partnered with Trident Dynamic Solutions Inc. for the project. The event was directed by Ronald Abad of SparkleTV Entertainment Production. DTE Construction and Trident Dynamic Solutions Inc. are currently building hospitals, sea ports, schools, malls and a hotel and casino, all in Cebu.

Motoring

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022

MILO RIVERA, Sub-editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Honda opens Manila flagship store for bike enthusiasts

DRIVEN by the passion to share the joy of mobility to every Filipino family, Honda Philippines, Inc. (HPI), the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, introduces its newest flagship store in Metro Manila in partnership with the Guanzon Group of Companies. Located at Juan Luna St., Tondo, City of Manila, the new store offers more than 500 sqm of space in presenting HPI’s complete motorcycle product line-up. It is only the second shop in the metro where HPI’s coveted big bikes are available, including The All-New CBR650R (2022 Year Model). The latest model of the super sports bike features raceinspired performance and everyday versatility. Another ride to look out for in this new store is The New Honda X-ADV, which offers unique design and exemplary features, perfect for unique individuals who love urban adventure. The new flagship store in Manila comes equipped with separate facilities for commuter bikes and big bikes, as well as a showroom, a customer lounge, and a service pit. HPI’s big bikes are categorized into four groups. These are Adventure (The All-New CB500X, The New CRF1100L Africa Twin, The New CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports (DCT/ES), The New X-ADV), Sports (CB650R, The All-New CB1000R, The AllNew CB500F), Super Sports (CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, The All-New CBR500R, The All-New

CBR650R), and Tourer (The New Rebel, The All-New Gold Wing). “Manila City being the location of our flagship store, is built not just for motorcycle enthusiasts, but for big bike riders in Metro Manila and nearby areas who would like to see and experience Honda’s top-ofthe-line models,” says Mr. Guanson Lo, Guanzon Group of Companies President Mr. Lo added that the new store opening highlights Guanzon’s strong and growing partnership with HPI, as both have survived the challenges from recent years under the pandemic. He said they are beaming optimistic that the new flagship store will help spur economic activity in Metro Manila, given the increased demand for motorcycles, particularly in the country’s most urbanized area. The new Metro Manila flagship store also expands Guanzon’s network and elevates its level of service by extending the best possible treatment, products, and services to all Filipino motorcycle riders. The store presents impeccable design features and a complete team beyond the minimum requirement of HPI to ensure total customer satisfaction at all times. Honda Tondo Guanzon is open daily from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. For more information, follow Honda Big Bikes Tondo on Facebook or contact branch manager Ruel Esperida at raesperida@guanzongroup.com.ph or at 0923-311-6888.

MPTC News NLEX - Meycauayan-Marilao East Service Road now viable THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Transportation (DOTr), and NLEX Corporation have formally opened the new two-lane road which will serve as an alternative route going in and out of Meycauayan and Marilao, Bulacan. Constructed by the DPWH, this new service road occupies a portion of the NLEX right of way (ROW) covering Barangay Lias in Marilao, Bulacan. It is one of the government’s traffic decongestion projects aimed at improving the Bulacan road network, boosting the economic activities in the province, and enabling the public to experience travel convenience. The opening of this road will help ease the growing traffic volume at the Meycauayan-Marilao corridor as it bypasses the MacArthur Highway and other congested streets. Now, motorists coming from Paso de Blas, Valenzuela City can go all the way to Lias, Marilao, Bulacan just by using the service road. Another benefit of this project is to improve traffic flow at Meycauayan Interchange during peak hours and provide an alternative convenient route for motorists especially those traveling

between Iba, Libtong, Malhacan, and Pandayan in Meycauayan and Lias, Ibayo, Saog, and Lambakin in Marilao. Last December 2021, a new Meycauayan East Service Road was opened which connects Libtong in Meycauayan City and Lawang Bato in Valenzuela City. Since then, it has provided better access to several motorists traveling the said areas.

Manila International Auto Show makes on-site return

HE Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) once again opens its doors to the motoring public this April 7-10, 2022 at the World Trade Center. The Philippines’ biggest annual motoring event is making an onsite comeback, featuring the latest models from the country’s leading auto manufacturers and distributors. Nissan will once again showcase its Intelligent Mobility technology as featured on its diverse fleet of vehicles. This includes the Navara pickup, Terra SUV, all-new Almera sedan, and Urvan. In addition, car enthusiasts will be eagerly awaiting sightings of sports car icons such as the 370Z and the GT-R, while the all-electric Leaf will be highlighting the possibilities of green mobility combined with alternative power options for households of the future. Subaru, the brand known for sporty performance and premium practicality, will be highlighting the new Forester SUV and BRZ sports car. Subaru will also bring back the highly popular precision driving show. Guinness World Record holder Russ Swift will be putting the latest Subarus through heartstopping maneuvers at the World Trade Center three times daily throughout the event. The best of French automotive design and technology will be at the Peugeot booth. Peugeot will be making a grand return to MIAS following its appointment of a new distributor earlier this year. Expected at the Peugeot booth are the new 5008 SUV and several other new models. MG Cars will have in its MIAS booth the all-new HS compact SUV. The HS will be its largest SUV, slotting above the popular ZS. Cars from the strikingly-designed MG lineup such as the MG GS, MG GT, MG360, and MG3 may also be present during the four-day show. Chevrolet will have the all-new 2022 Trailblazer, Tracker, and perhaps the extra-large Suburban SUV at its MIAS booth. Meanwhile, the Camaro and the mid-engined Corvette will be the ultimate eye candy for MIAS exhibitors. Speaking of sports cars, Italian supercar brand Maserati will be at MIAS with its stable of sport sedans and SUVs such as the iconic Quattroporte and the Levante SUV. Chery will welcome MIAS visitors by showing their allSUV lineup. This ranges from the compact Tiggo 2 to the larger Tiggo 5X, Tiggo 7 Pro, and the Tiggo 8. Foton will be featuring its lineup of commercial vehicles like the Thunder pickup, Toplander SUV, Transvan, and the Traveller. Mitsubishi will be showcasing the new Xpander MPV. The new Xpander will likely be flanked by Mitsubishi’s sporty Black Series variants of the Montero Sport, Strada Athlete, and Xpander, as well as the Mirage hatchback and Mirage G4 sedan. The brand that has been making good inroads into the Philippine market, Geely, will be displaying its very popular Coolray and Okavango SUVs. It may also give us a glimpse of the Emgrand sedan and Azkarra hybrid.

Volvo has likewise gone all-in on hybrid and electrified vehicles. The XC90 luxury seven-seat SUV, compact XC60, and XC40, as well as the S90 sedan, can all be ordered with self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid options. Changan made a splashy public debut at the online MIAS Wired in 2020. The Chinese brand is set to continue in the spotlight with cars which may include the Alsvin and Eado EV460 electric sedan; CS35 Plus, CS75 Plus, and CS95 SUVs. GAC will be featuring its value-for-money lineup of SUVs, sedan,s and MPVs at its MIAS booth. These may include the GA4 sedan, GS3, GS4, and GS8 SUVs. GAC’s van comes in two sizes: the seven-seat GN6 and larger, luxury-oriented GN8.

Motul Philippines will have a special treat for enthusiasts as it displays a trio of rarely-seen race cars: the Ferrari 488 Challenge, McLaren GT4 Sprint, and Mercedes SLS GT3. With a combined total of more than 1800 horsepower, the purebred trio will surely make your heart pump more petrol once you see them. Leading fuel and lubes brand Petron will be the MIAS copresentor and presentor for the Petron-MIAS Custom and Classic Car Competition, respectively. In addition, BPI will be the exclusive car loans sponsor for MIAS, while Automobile Association Philippines will hold its Driver of the Year Awards Night. Special exhibitor Lego will have brick, as well as real-life versions, of the Jeep Wrangler, BMW and Ducati motorcycles at their colorful booth with special discounts to be given away at the show. Mutt Motorcycles, a UK brand that merges vintage-bike styling and modern-bike performance and reliability, will make its public debut at MIAS. Method Wheels, known for highperformance off-roader wheels for race and street use, will be showing its specially-equipped vehicles as well. Car lovers can once again personally see and feel the excitement of a world-class auto show at the Manila International Auto Show on April 7-10, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City with doors opening at 10 AM. Tickets are available for advanced purchase at https:// manilaautoshow.com/ You can also follow MIAS on Facebook and Instagram for more information Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/ManilaInternationalAutoShow/ Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/mias.ph/?hl=en

electricity cost savings, lower carbon emissions, and healthier environments where people live, work, learn, play, and worship. MPT South Hub achieved a LEED Gold Certification as it excelled in using sustainability practices in the way that it was designed and constructed, garnering a score of 66 points. It sits in a 5,237 sqm, four-story building located in Imus, Cavite. It has a biophilic design with a full view of the outside surroundings and natural daylight and ventilation. The HUB consumes at least 40% less indoor water with the use of modern waterefficient fixtures and 50% less outdoor water through rainwater harvesting. The building also has an EV charging

MPT SOUTH Receives Prestigious LEED Gold Certification METRO Pacific Tollways South Management Corporation (MPT vehicles reach attrition. South), a subsidiary of It is also the very first Metro Pacific Tollways MPTC infrastructure Corporation (MPTC), the that acquired LEED toll road development certification.  arm of Metro Pacific The certification was Investments Corporation awarded to MPT South (MPIC), has been by Green Business awarded a LEED Gold Certification Inc. Certification for its (GBCI), USGBC’s headquarters, the MPT unit that administers South Hub. LEED, from technical LEED, or Leadership in review, verification, Energy & Environmental and certification in a Design, is a globally virtual ceremony. The recognized symbol of excellence in green station for the company’s e-vehicles, as certification was received by MPIC building. LEED certification ensures it plans to convert its fleet to EVs as its Chairman and President, Manny V.

Pangilinan, MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco, MPTC Chief Finance Officer and Senior Executive Sponsor, Mr. Christopher C. Lizo, and MPT South President and General Manager, Mr. Roberto V. Bontia and First Vice President for Tollway Development and Engineering, Arturo H. Monge. ss Just last year, the tollway company entered partnership with United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) program, to further strengthen its sustainability effort in converting CALAX into a ‘green highway’.

SATURDAY, MARCH 26, 2022 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Tech & Gadgets

Catch early bird promos X

on Xiaomi’s latest releases

IAOMI recently announced the launch of the all-new flagship Xiaomi 12 Series for the Philippine market—the Xiaomi 12 Pro and Xiaomi 12— along with exciting smart devices to enhance Xiaomi fans’ modern lifestyle, which include the Xiaomi Watch S1 Series and Xiaomi Buds 3 Series.

Xiaomi 12 Series

Get immersive sound with the Xiaomi Buds 3 Series

The Xiaomi Buds 3 Series also have their own discounts and freebies from March 24 to 25 on Shopee and March 27 to 28 on Lazada. The Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro will be selling for only P5,999 from its original price of P6,999, while the Xiaomi Buds 3 will also be available for a discounted price from P4,999 to P3,999. Both will also come with a free Xiaomi Sports Fanny Pack. The Xiaomi Buds 3 and Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro were both designed to deliver an immersive experience for its listeners. Both offer an immersive listening experience featuring up to 40dB hybrid active noise cancellation and have three ANC modes or choose Adaptive mode which let the earbuds adjust automatically based on the ambient noise level. They also have large battery capabilities with the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro earbuds lasting up to 6 hours of playback on one charge, or 24 hours with the case, and the Xiaomi Buds 3 can be used for up to 7 hours with a single charge or 32 hours when used with the charging case. Check out Xiaomi’s Official Shopee and Lazada Flagship pages for more products and deals. Be sure to follow as well the official Xiaomi’s Facebook page for more exclusive promo deals and updates.

Master Every Scene with the Xiaomi 12 Series

The Xiaomi 12 Series is designed to empower users around the world with a cutting-edge videography studio and entertainment powerhouse, Xiaomi 12 Series delivers impressive advancements in Xiaomi’s AI algorithm, flagship processing power, and an all-round elevated experience. The Xiaomi 12 Pro also features state-ofthe-art triple 50MP array, which features a cutting-edge Sony IMX707 ultra-large main sensor, and a whopping 120W Xiaomi HyperCharge Technology that can charge up your phone in just around 18 minutes. The Xiaomi 12 8+256GB and Xiaomi 12 Pro 12+256GB will retail for P39,999 and P48,999 respectively. Those who pre-order both phones in Xiaomi’s official online and authorized retail stores from March 24 to April 1 can also score amazing deals. Xiaomi 12 Pro 12+256GB buyers will be getting a free Mi TV P1 43” while those who purchase a Xiaomi 12 8+256GB will receive a free Mi TV P1 32”. Freebies are subject to stock availability.

Enhance your lifestyle with the Xiaomi Watch S1 Series

You can also get discounts and freebies for Xiaomi’s latest e watch from March 24 to tiv 1 Ac S 25 on Shopee and March 27 to h tc i Wa 28 on Lazada. The Xiaomi Watch S1 m o ia

Moto G51: Affordable 5G phone with lots of value By Jessica Luna WITH countless smartphone companies jumping into the 5G bandwagon like crazy, the market is now flooded with one 5G phone after the other. Like them, Motorola, has joined the fray with its Moto G51 5G. In a highly competitive phonemarket segment, the Moto G51 wants your attention. Can it grab it? The Moto G51 5G is the first smartphone in the world with a Snapdragon 480+ chipset, boasting of a 120Hz FHD+ display, a 50MP triple camera setup, and 5G support—and it costs only P9,795 during the Lazada Epic 10th Birthday Sale (March 27 to 29) from its original SRP of P11,495. With a 5G phone as affordable as the G51, is there enough value for that price? Read on. The Moto G51 is a big phone—weighing 208 grams and measuring 170.5mm in height and 9.1mm in thickness. Folks with small hands will find it hard to use the G51 with one hand, but that’s just about it. Many customers actually don’t mind a phone’s size as long as it delivers the goods. Its 6.8-inch display has good color reproduction and contrast and well-defined screen output. The 120Hz high-speed refresh rate and a 240Hz touch sampling rate allows smooth scrolling while game animations should respond smoother than a standard screen. There are other options like Adaptive brightness toggle, color profiles (Natural, Saturated, and temperature tuner), system-UI theming options,

AMOLED display and its metal bezel offers lightweight durability, while the watch frame comes in three color options, and six choices of vibrantly colored straps. For the fitness junkies, it has a total of 117 fitness modes, including 19 professional modes for users to choose among.

Moto G51 5G

Dark Theme, Night Light, Attentive Display, split-screen, screen recorder among others. As for the audio, the G51 comes with a downward-firing single speaker and a headphone jack, good for listening in a small area. You can also turn up the volume to the max and sound is acceptable. But if you want an enhanced audio experience, you can choose from a variety of sound profiles within Dolby Atmos settings. The fingerprint scanner that is part of the power button is the cool biometric option in dark environments, when facial recognition is impossible.

will be available at an early bird price of P9,999 from its SRP of P10,999 and will come with a free Mi Body Composition Scale 2 worth P1,499 while you can get the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active at a discounted price of P7,499 and will come with a free Xiaomi Sports Fanny Pack. The Xiaomi Watch S1 has a classic and streamlined design, with sapphire glass and a stainless-steel frame housing the watch’s 1.43” AMOLED display. It also includes more strap options including classic leather or fluor rubber in various colors. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has an always-on 1.43”

The phone is also water resistant, but just to be sure, don’t test it. We didn’t. Battery The Moto G51’s big size maybe due to its big 5000mAh cell. Our unit lasted for a little over two days with casual phone use, occasional videos, internet surfing, calls and text. If you want to extend the phone’s power, there is a battery saver option, too, or bring down the refresh rate to 60Hz to squeeze out more juice. There is also an overcharge protection, and adaptive battery option. Charging time though will last slightly above 2 hours. Camera The main camera (50MP) produces photos that are punchy, generally sharp, and with pleasant colors, that you can share instantly in your socmed accounts. The ultrawide camera makes photos are often soft, lack dynamic range and detail, which is okay from a budget 5G phone, while self-

Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro

ies are decent enough with good detail, especially when proper lighting conditions are met. Camera features are Portrait, Night Vision, Pro Mode, Slow-Mo, Timelapse, Panorama, Spot Color, Dual Capture, Cinemagraph (GIF-maker), and videography up to 1080p at 30 fps. The Night Vision is where the G51 is at its weakest, but not a deal breaker. Besides, why shoot photos with low light when you can do it with enough lighting? But connectivity and performance are where the G51 is a winner. Call reception is good from the twomic and earpiece setup. Moto G51 sports dual SIMs although it is a hybrid slot. There is support for 4G VoLTE as well as 5G. The device is also equipped with 3CA carrier aggregation, 4×4 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.1, VoWiFi, dual-band WiFi ac, NFC, GPS, and a USB-C 2.0 port. As the the world’s first Snapdragon 480+ phone, the G51 is a breeze to use for the usual everyday tasks—surfing, taking calls, texting, watching videos for long hours and occasional gaming. There is also cool feature for

The main camera (50MP) produces photos that are punchy, generally sharp, and with pleasant colors, that you can share instantly in your socmed accounts.

Universal testing machine

MIRDC laboratories safeguarding public safety By Jim Patrick S.D. Erispe PLAIN concrete has no ability to sustain tensile and shear stresses induced by wind, earthquakes, vibrations, and other pressures, making it unsuitable for most structural applications. On the other hand, reinforcing steel— rods, bars, or mesh—are materials that absorb tensile, shear and occasionally compressive stresses within a concrete structure. In the Philippines, materials for construction, such as rebars are regulated by the Department of Trade and Industry. The DTI recognizes the expertise of the Department of Science and Technology-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) in performing testing activities of the steels used in construction. Among the consumer service thrusts of the DTI is the regulation of requirements for various materials such as rebars, angle bars, nails, and liquefied petroleum gas containers. The DOST-MIRDC provides critical support to the DTI as it implements public safety measures. Through its Physical Laboratories Section, the center handles the testing and analysis of rebars through tension testing, deformation and mass variation measurement, and bending testing. The PLS uses the 2000 kN- capacity Universal Testing Machine in analyzing these rebars. “If steels in the market are not tested, they pose a serious hazard to the public. Consider installing substandard steel bars in bridges, high-rise buildings, and even your own home. If a strong earthquake hits, infrastructure will undoubtedly be damaged, jeopardizing public safety,” said Engr. Edward A. Malit, a Senior Science Research Specialist at the DOSTMIRDC. In related news, the DTI destroyed 467 pieces of deformed steel bars last month. These steel bars, non-compliant with the standards set by the Bureau of Philippine Standards, were confiscated from a hardware store in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija. It is reassuring to know that the government establishes guidelines that benefit the public interest. Through its dependable and technology-based testing and analysis services, the DOSTMIRDC will always be an instrument for ensuring Filipinos’ safety.

Selfies are decent enough with good detail

gamers— Gametime, which has a screen recorder, quick-access app shortcuts, an option to disable auto-brightness, block notifications, and calls when you want an uninterrupted gaming time. The unit also doesn’t heat up when gaming, at least for an hour’s use. Verdict The Moto G51 is a very decent 5G phone that has lots of value—a 50MP triple camera setup, Snapdragon 480+ processor, multiple 5G bands, 5000mAh battery and a 120Hz FHD+ display. Its best feature however isn’t the one found on the phone, but on your wallet. A 5G phone below P10,000? Count us in!