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VOL. XXXVI • NO. 55 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

RAIN AND TRAFFIC.

Commuters brave the rain while waiting for a ride along the stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, while others use the pedestrian lane along United Nations Avenue in Manila on Tuesday during a rare daylong downpour in April (inset). Joey Razon and Norman Cruz

Summer melts in unexpected rains SCATTERED rain showers and thunderstorms over the Visayas and Mindanao – and a steady drizzle throughout the day in Metro Manila – on Tuesday were caused by the low-pressure area and the intertropical Convergence Zone, the weather bureau said.

The unexpected downpour likewise clogged major roads and left passengers stranded in some parts of the National Capital Region amid a rush of activity – including intense campaigning by candidates ahead of the May 9 general Next page

On the table: P250 pay hike

After rejecting P470, wage board tackles lower daily raise in NCR By Vito Barcelo

HE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) has given due course to the P250 petitions for the increase in daily pay of minimum wage workers in the National Capital Region filed by three labor groups.

It said the P470 pay increase filed by the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) was not acted upon by the board, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said. DOLE-National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) Regional Director Sarah Buena Mirasol said the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board had

resolved to consolidate three wage hike petitions seeking from P213 to P250 increase in the daily minimum wage for Metro Manila workers. A separate petition for an across-theboard wage adjustment of P470 a day filed last March 14 by the TUCP, the umbrella group for Filipino workers, was not acted Next page

BIR assessing Marcos estate’s tax liabilities as Enrile scoffs at critics Dominguez: Fear of food shortage driving up prices ECONOMIC MANAGERS MEET. The Philippine Economic Briefing held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Tuesday draws Cabinet men (from left) Acting Presidential Spokesman Martin Andanar, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin E. Diokno, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, and Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. Norman Cruz

Ferdinand Marcos, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Tuesday. “We have been in intense discussion IT IS up to the Bureau of the Internal with the BIR on this issue and they are Revenue (BIR) to determine the amount studying it very carefully,” Dominguez of estate tax liabilities that should be said at the sidelines of the Philippine settled by the heirs of the late President Next page

By Julito G. Rada and Rey E. Requejo

By Maricel Cruz FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez downplayed fears of food and oil shortages amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine as Malacañang said

it would redouble efforts to tame the rapid increase in consumer prices with headline inflation rising to 4 percent in March. “There is no shortage of commodities, fuel, corn, or wheat,” Dominguez

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo

By Rey E. Requejo and Joel E. Zurbano

Rody: PH, China no quarrel amid issues

DOJ partners with Comelec vs. fake news JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said his department will help the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and go after peddlers of fake news that may undermine the integrity of the poll body and the election process. “Purveying false news that affect public interest or public order is a criminal offense that falls squarely within the mandate of the DOJ/NBI to investigate and prosecute,” Guevarra said, referring to the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation. Guevarra made the statement after Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said he would seek the help of the NBI and the Philippine National Police to go after purveyors of fake news. As in the case of the Comelec’s

said during Tuesday’s Philippine Economic Briefing 2022. “It’s the anticipation of shortages that is driving up prices. It’s affecting us negatively but we are confident since

NEW BRIDGE. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian (right) unveil the marker for the inauguration of the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge Project (inset) in Manila on Tuesday. The two-way, four-lane, 680-meter-long structure links Intramuros at Solana Street and Riverside Drive, and Binondo at Rentas Street, Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle dela Industria, with a viaduct over Estero de Binondo.

DAYS before his online bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said Manila and Beijing “do not have any quarrel” despite fresh incursions in the West Philippine Sea. “The Philippines and China, we do not have any quarrel,” Duterte told Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian during the inauguration of the China-funded Binondo-Intramuros Bridge in Manila. “We can talk about the Spratly Islands and probably the fishing rights of my countrymen. Plain talk, nothing else,” the President added. The Philippine Coast Guard last month accused its Chinese counterpart of steering one of its ships Next page

DOH advises public to put off Holy Week tradition like kissing altars tion that can be passed on… if we kiss an altar that has been repeatedly kissed by others,” Health Undersecretary THE Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday dis- Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a press briefing. Vergeire said the DOH urged churches to tempocouraged people marking the coming Holy Week from kissing altars amid an ongoing coronavirus pandemic. rarily discontinue the practice for the time being. “This virus can be transmitted through droplet infecNext page

By Willie Casas

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday suggested going house-to-house to administer COVID-19 vaccines that are close to expiring to unvaccinated Filipinos. “The most that we can do is a last-minute program. We embark on a program that would deliver vaccines to houses, even fields,” he said in a taped message.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

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SC: Bar results released April 12 By Rey E. Requejo

HE results of the 2020-2021 Bar examinations will be released on April 12 once approved by the Court En Banc, the Supreme Court said Tuesday.

finally held on February 4 and 6 this year. It was the first time that the exams were held in multiple venues. It was shortened to two days instead of four, and conducted digitally with examinees bringing their own laptops and downloading questions from a secured online application. This exam also had the biggest batch of Bar candidates with a 96.5 percent turnout – or more than 11,000 law graduates. Leonen earlier announced there were approximately 219 Bar examinees who were unable to take the Bar Examinations after having tested positive for

COVID-19. There were also a number of examinees who were disqualified to take the Bar Examinations for violating the clearly published policies of the Office of the Bar Chairperson and their Honor Code. Leonen said the Office of the Bar Chairperson received reports of examinees who deliberately entered the local testing centers without disclosing that they had previously tested positive for COVID-19; who smuggled mobile phones inside the examination rooms; and who accessed social media during lunch break inside the premises.

“The 2020-21 Bar Examinations Committee Chairperson, Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, today asked the Court to hold a special En Banc session next Tuesday, April 12, 2022, for the purpose of considering his report on the first-ever digitalized and regionalized Bar examinations and the release of re-

sults,” the SC said in a press release. The high court said oath-taking of successful examinees will be on May 2, 2022. “The venue, time, and other details of the oath-taking shall be announced later,” it added. After two postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bar exams were

BIR... From A1

Evacuation center ‘belt’ eyed in Batangas

Economic Briefing held at the Philippine International Convention Center. Asked if the estimate of P203 billion in estate tax liabilities was correct, Dominguez said “that is for the BIR to determine.” “There are several amounts that have been floated… there was P9 billion, which became P23 billion, and because of penalties and interest they said it is around P203 billion,” Dominguez said. Dominguez said that based on his understanding, the tax collecting agency was trying to cut through all the issues “in order to do the job.” In a previous statement, Dominguez said the BIR has demanded payment from the Marcos estate administrators. He said the BIR will continue to consolidate the titles in favor of the government on those properties which have been levied upon. “The procedure may take time as it involves selling at public auction to convert to cash,” he said. Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte said the BIR should be asked why it had yet to collect a “certain estate tax due,” although he did not specifically mention the Marcos estate. “In our taxation, the government can only prod... The BIR is there, let’s ask them why the estate tax remains unpaid,” Duterte said during the weekly Talk to the People program. In the middle of March, the DOF said it was pushing the BIR to collect the unpaid P203 billion in estate taxes from the Marcos estate to generate much-needed revenue for the government. Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez said in a television interview that DOF wanted the BIR and the Customs not only to collect revenue but also look for sources of revenue. The BIR, as previously confirmed by the Aksyon Demokratiko Party, wrote a demand letter in December 2021 asking the Marcoses to pay their estate taxes. Presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier said “there’s a lot of fake news involved” in his family’s unpaid estate taxes despite the 1997 Supreme Court ruling that they must settle their liabilities, which initially amounted to ₱23 billion in 1997. Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio earlier said the BIR should file a criminal case against the Marcos family over their “willful refusal” to pay their estate tax liability worth P203 billion. An ally of the Marcos family, however, dismissed talk of the estate tax liabilities as politically motivated heading into the elections, where Marcos is the frontrunner for the position of president.

Summer... From A1 elections -- before Filipinos take a break and observe the Holy Week next week. “This LPA is embedded along ITCZ affecting Mindanao. It has a slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone, but it continues to move near

Rody:... From A1 within meters of a Filipino patrol boat near the Scarborough Shoal. On Tuesday, Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana also disclosed that a Chinese navy vessel was observing the conduct of war games between Filipino and American soldiers in Philippine waters earlier this year. “What this vessel did was monitor our military exercise with the US navy. It conducted surveillance,” Lorenzana said, adding that this prompted Manila to file a diplomatic protest against Beijing.

Ukraine leader to press UN on Russia ‘crimes’ KYIV—Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky will press the UN Security Council on Tuesday for tougher sanctions aimed at forcing Russia to abandon its war against his country, as outrage grows against Moscow over the alleged slaughter of civilians. Western officials have already promised new measures this week targeting Russia’s oil and coal exports, which are helping President Vladimir Putin pay for the invasion he launched nearly six weeks ago. And Denmark and Italy became the latest European nations to expel a group of Russian “intelligence officers” registered as diplomats, following France and Germany on Monday. The moves follow the harrowing discoveries of scores of bodies in Bucha and other towns near Kyiv as Russian troops retreated to regroup in the east. Most of the bodies have been found in civilian clothes. Ukrainian officials have said some had their hands bound behind their backs. Zelensky has denounced “war crimes” and attempted “genocide” and appealed for more Western weapons and defense aid, saying they could have helped save innocent lives. “The sanctions response to Russia’s massacre of civilians must finally be powerful,” he said in a Telegram video posted late Monday after touring the devastated streets of Bucha. “But... did hundreds of our people have to die in agony for some European leaders to finally understand that the Russian state deserves the most severe pressure?” he asked. His address to the UN Security Council will be the first since the invasion began on February 24th, though it was not clear if it would be pre-recorded or live.

Development, said President Rodrigo Duterte inspected the Mataas Na Kahoy evacuation center last Monday. He said DHSUD turned over two other evacuation centers in Sa. Teresita and Alitagtag recently. The three facilities are located outside the identified 14-kilometer danger zone of Taal Volcano. “We hope to put up another evacuation center in Nasugbu, Batangas, in

order to create an Evacuation Center Belt to enhance our readiness in times of calamities or Taal volcano eruption,” Del Rosario said. He said the evacuation centers can also be used during storms, earthquakes and other natural disasters when residents need shelter outside their own homes. “The President wants these facilities to provide comfort and safety to disasteraffected residents,” Del Rosario said.

4, 2022 with the same amount of wage hike; and one from the Solidarity of Unions in the Philippines for Empowerment and Reforms (SUPER) on March 4, 2022 with a proposed increase ranging from P213 to P250. “The petition filed on 2019 was already given due course. We have conducted consultations, however, we were prevented to pursue on the conduct of public hearings because of the pandemic,” Mirasol said. Earlier, the tripartite wage and productivity board of the National Capital Region rejected the labor group’s petition for a P470 increase in the daily minimum wage in Metro Manila. TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay revealed the wage board’s decision in a text message but did not give any details. The TUCP on March 14 filed for a P470 increase in the NCR’s daily minimum wage, which would raise the daily minimum to P1,007. The labor group cited hunger, malnutrition, and the steep increase in the prices of fuel and other basic goods as reasons for seeking the wage increase. This developed as the country’s oil firms cut pump prices by as much as P2.30 per liter effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect the movement of prices in the world market. The DOLE NCR chief also said :“We now have a schedule for consultation with the labor sector on April 8, the

second one will be on April 19 for the employers group, and after that we will issue a notice of public hearing to invite not only the labor, and employers sectors but also other organizations.” Following the instructions of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Mirasol said the board will also take consideration balancing the interest of the workers and the employers amid the current crisis in Ukraine and the rising prices of oil and other prime commodities. “Clearly, our minimum wage earners and their families have fallen from the category of low-income to newly poor. This is a sad commentary on the social condition in our country where those who break their backs to sustain and expand the economy are now wallowing in poverty,” TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said in a statement. DOLE’s National Wages and Productivity Commission says the daily minimum wage in the NCR ranges from P500 to P537. The TUCP pointed out that the present monthly take-home pay of P12,843.48 was “far below” the supposed monthly wage of P16,625 poverty threshold for a family of five in Metro Manila. Earlier, the government said it wanted to raise the minimum wage nationwide to help workers and their families cope with sharply rising fuel prices that have driven up commodity prices all around.

our agriculture production in the Philippines, particularly for staple food, is constant, especially rice. We have to manage that very well,” he added. Russia is among the top producers of oil while both Russia and Ukraine are exporters of wheat, which is milled into flour. “We think as the year goes on, prices of commodities [will] start moderating downwards,” Dominguez said (see related story in Business, page A8 – Editors). Acting presidential spokesman Mar-

tin Andanar, for his part, said inflation quickened in March because of the “upward trend in transport, gas, other fuels, among others.” “Our economic managers continue to keep a tight watch over inflation as it hits 4 percent in March 2022. Having said this, we will not relax in our efforts and will work twice as hard to address the national issue of higher prices,” he said. March’s 4-percent inflation rate was faster than the 3 percent recorded in January and February, National Statistician Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said in a press conference. Mapa said food and non-alcoholic beverages; housing, water, electricity,

gas, and other fuels; and transport are the main contributors to the faster inflation in March. Average inflation for January to March 2022 settled at 3.4 percent, Mapa said. The latest headline inflation is within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)’ forecast of 3.3 to 4.1 percent. For his part, Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee, said that while the 4-percent inflation remained within the target range, the government must expand and hasten the release of subsidies to help Filipinos cope with rising prices. “It’s at the cusp of breaking the target

Eastern Visayas so it will bring rains over the area,” weather specialist Samuel Duran of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. The LPA was last tracked 320 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. For Wednesday’s forecast, PAGASA said the northeasterly surface windflow will cause rains in Metro Manila, Cagayan Val-

ley, Aurora, Bulacan, and Calabarzon. Bicol, on the other hand, will experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the shear line. Isolated light rains will prevail over the rest of Luzon due to the northeasterly surface windflow. Meanwhile, moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas will continue to prevail over the entire archipelago.

Strong to gale force winds are forecast over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, the western seaboard of Northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small sea vessels not to venture into the sea, and larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves. Rio N. Araja

campaign against vote buying, the DOJ is ready to extend help to the poll body, he said. With 33 days before the May 9 national and local elections, Garcia said the creation of such a task force would enable them to better investigate and file appropriate charges against those who spread rumors that may raise questions on the integrity of the electoral process. He cited the false reports circulating in the social media that claim that a number of official ballots have been illegally obtained from the National Printing Office (NPO) and are now circulating in public. There is also allegedly a video stating that the elections are over, that the candidates already have votes, and that there is already a 100 percent voter turnout. On Tuesday, the Comelec said it received two complaints of vote buying. Commissioner George Erwin Garcia said one of the complaints was filed by the group Kowalisyong Novaleno Kontra Korapsyon against Rose Nono Lin, who is running for congressional representative in Quezon City. Lin was also investigated by the Senate in relation to the alleged misuse of the government’s pandemic response funds. He would not discuss details of the case, however. Also on Tuesday, the police said more than 800 people have been arrested in Metro Manila for violating the election-period gun ban. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director P/Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad said aside from the 326 seized firearms, the NCRPO also confiscated 115 deadly weapons such as homemade guns, gun replicas, and improvised handguns.

“So, we protested. They can’t just observe us within our territorial waters,” he said. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese vessel entered Philippine waters “without permission” from January 29 to February 1, 2022, reaching the waters of Palawan’s Cuyo Group of Islands and Apo Island in Mindoro. Philippine Navy vessel BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) challenged PLAN 792, which claimed that it was exercising innocent passage. China has ignored a 2016 ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration junking its historical claim to the area.

DOH... From A1

“We are advising our countrymen to avoid this. Like I said we can worship God in other ways,” she said. Meanwhile, a health expert said the Omicron XE is “more concerning” than other sub-variants because of its transmissibility but it might not be more severe than they are. During the Department of Health’s (DOH) media forum, infectious disease expert Dr. Edsel Salvana explained the Omicron XE is a recombinant of two sublineages of the Omicron variant, BA.1 and BA.2. The XD and XF are recombinants of the Delta and Omicron variants. “What is more concerning now is the XE because it looks like it has a 10 percent growth advantage and a case has already

been reported in Thailand. These recombinants, if they have a survival advantage, can spread in different areas,” Salvana said. “There’s always a possibility it can come in, but we don’t expect it to be more severe and we don’t expect it to dodge vaccines any worse than BA.1 or BA.2,” he said. On Monday, the DOH said it is in constant coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding “Omicron XE” as it also continuously monitors case trends with the assistance of the Philippine Genome Center. The WHO said the XE recombinant belongs to the Omicron variant until “significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported.”

By Rio N. Araja HOUSING czar Eduardo del Rosario on Tuesday said the government wants to establish an evacuation center belt in Batangas to enhance disaster preparedness and offer safety and comfort to residents affected by calamities, such as the recent eruption of Taal Volcano. Del Rosario, secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban

On the table:... From A1 upon by the board, Mirasol said. “An across-the-board increase is not within the jurisdiction of the (wage board) nor authorized by RA (Republic Act) 6727, its mandate being limited only to minimum wage fixing and determination in the Region,” read the board resolution dated March 22. RA 6727 is the law that created the wage boards to fix minimum wages on a regional level. But Mirasol added the board received a fresh petition from the TUCP for the same amount of adjustment, but no longer across the board. She said the petition may be considered during the board’s next meeting. Mirasol said the wage board consolidated three other wage hike petitions for the conduct of joint proceedings to speed up wage hike determination. “The board received three wage hike petitions and upon review, we have issued a resolution to consolidate all petitions and proceed to public hearings. We gave all the petitions due course,” Mirasol said. One of the petitions was filed by the Unity for Wage Increase Now (UWIN) on November 25, 2019 with a proposed P213 increase; one from Metro East Labor Federation (MELF) on March

Dominguez:... From A1

“There are other ways we can show our devotion to the saints,” Vergeire said. “We hope this practice can be avoided to prevent an increase in cases,” she added. At the same time, the DOH discouraged penitents from having themselves crucified as these could cause them harm. “We understand that we have our beliefs, our faith. And we believe we each have a particular way of worshipping God,” Vergeire said. Vergeire warned that crucifixions can cause blood loss, tetanus, and other kinds of infections.

DOJ... From A1

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace: Sen. De Lima given due process MPTC: Expect M heavier traffic By Vito Barcelo

ALACAÑANG on Tuesday maintained that Senator Leila De Lima was accorded procedural due process in all stages of her criminal prosecution.

Acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar issued the clariﬁcation in light of De Lima’s alle-

gations that the drug charges ﬁled against her were meant to persecute her in retaliation to her criticisms of the government’s anti-drugs war. Andanar was also reacting to queries by some of the presidential candidates whether at this point, De Lima should be released. “While we respect the opinions of the presidentiables who gave their stance on Senator De Lima’s detention, we have to underscore that the senator has been accorded due process in all stages of her criminal prosecution,” Andanar said. “The rule of law, as President Rodrigo Duterte said on numerous occasions, must always pre-

vail,” he added. Andanar also said De Lima’s reaction was meant to woo voters to her side as she was seeking reelection. “Senator Leila de Lima’s latest remarks are spoken in the middle of the campaign season. It is therefore understandable that she wants to get the sympathy vote from the Filipino electorate,” he said. De Lima earlier said the debates about her case highlighted how Duterte created a culture of fear as some presidentiables were “obviously reluctant” to speak up on the issue. De Lima has been detained for the past ﬁve years over what her camp called “trumped-up” drug charges.

Defensor cites new Lung Center facility vs. future pandemics PARTY list Rep. Michael “Mike” Defensor on Tuesday cited a forthcoming additional facility of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) as a step in the right direction “to prevent future pandemics.” Defense, who is currently running for Quezon City mayor, was referring to the projected National Center for Respiratory Infectious Diseases (NCRID) meant to be an adjunct of the LCP. The LCP held yesterday the groundbreaking rite for NCRID. “There’s no question that the

new center will further build up the LCP’s capacity to respond more aggressively to future pandemics,” Defensor said. “The LCP was Quezon City’s main referral center for severely and critically ill patients at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he noted. Defensor mobilized donations of additional medical equipment and supplies for the LCP and other public as well as private hospitals in Quezon City soon after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic in

March 2020. If elected Quezon City mayor, Defensor said he envisions the city’s health department working closely with the LCP in combatting lung diseases, particularly tuberculosis (TB). “We intend to suppress the sudden rise in TB cases following the disruption in the delivery of TB prevention, testing and treatment services due to the pandemic,” Defensor said. A previous modelling study had warned that over 100,000 Filipinos may die of TB over the next ﬁve years on account of the pandemic-re-

lated interruptions in health services. “We already have the highest TB incidence rate in Asia, with 554 cases for every 100,000 Filipinos,” Defensor pointed out. He vowed to reinforce the community-based directly observed therapy strategy in controlling the TB incidents. Under the scheme, barangaybased health workers would visit patients at home and watch them swallow their anti-TB medication so that they do not skip or miss their daily doses.

GSIS head office in Pasay gets COVID Safety Seal mark from DILG THE GSIS head office in Pasay City has secured a Safety Seal Certification from the Department of the Interior and Local Government to assure the public that standard public health and safety protocols are being observed to protect clients from COVID-19. “We support the national government in reopening the economy safely. GSIS voluntarily applied for the certification so that our members and pensioners will feel safe transacting in our office. These measures have actually been in place since we reopened to the public after quarantine restrictions were eased in 2020,” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said.

GSIS provided hand washing stations with soap, sanitizers, and tissues near the entrance of the building. It also adopted StaySafe.ph, a contact tracing mobile app, since February 2021 to minimize using the ﬁllable health declaration forms by clients and employees. Body temperatures are obtained using a thermal scanner, while a computer system, which automatically counts people inside the building, was also installed to monitor compliance with IATF’s capacity requirements. Physical barriers were likewise placed in client counters and cafeteria as well as markers in elevators and corridors.

Isolation tents are available for employees and clients with COVID-19 symptoms. The GSIS’s Medical and Wellness Services Department takes the lead in providing medical and psychosocial support to employees, contract tracing, and monitoring of cases. The seal is valid for six months or until September, and is renewable subject to continued compliance with the eligibility requirements. Prior to the certiﬁcation, GSIS was recognized as Gold Winner for Most Valuable Government Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic by the Stevie Awards in December 2020.

during Holy Week THE operator of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on Tuesday predicted traffic to worsen by 10 to 15 percent during the Holy Week, abetted by the easing of travel restrictions. According to the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., holding company of NLEX, the return to normalcy would generally heighten activities among the people. “With the easing of travel restrictions, there’s a lot more outdoor activity from the general public. As we return to some normalcy compared to recent years, we have anticipated this increase in volume by fielding additional personnel and offering special roadside services,” said MPTC president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco. He projected the volume of vehicular traffic at the NLEX to surge to 460,000 to 470,000 daily, while the Cavitex would be having some 162,000 a day. Traffic authorities also said the Cavite Laguna Expressway and C5 road would have to deal with about 30,000 and 15,000 a day, respectively. For safer and more convenient travel during the Holy Week, the MPTC would deploy more patrol crews, traffic marshals, security teams, and toll plaza personnel. In keeping with tradition, the firm would likewise boost emergency medical services, particularly incident response teams positioned at strategic spots of the expressways. Lane closures and mainline road works would be suspended from April 8 to 18, unless extremely necessary for public safety reasons. Updated traffic information would be regularly posted on the expressways’ social media accounts, while the MPTC Hotline (1-35000) would be available 24/7 to address immediate customer concerns. The company also rolled out MPT DriveHub, an all-in-one travel app that integrates RFID transactions, trip planning, and emergency roadside assistance. Darwin G. Amojelar

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

No assurance of victory until after proclamation, Sara says By Maricel V. Cruz

INDAY SARA IN PAMPANGA. Lakas-CMD/HNP vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (center) flashes Tibay at Puso sign with from left Senatoriables Win Gatchalian, Rodante Marcoleta, Jinggoy Estrada, Robin Padilla, Pampanga 3rd District Rep.Aurelio Gonzales, Vice Governor Lilia Pineda, Governor Dennis “Delta” Padilla, former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, Atty Sal Panelo and other local candidates during a huge crowd Proclamation Rally at the Dong Gonzales Dome in Mexico Pampanga. Ver Noveno

LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Monday night said no public office aspirant is assured of victory until he or she is proclaimed. Duterte, Lakas-CMD, and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) chairperson made the statement even if Pulse Asia’s February survey put her voter preference at 53 percent, while Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standardbearer former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintained his score at 60 percent. She told reporters that she and Marcos would continue to seek the support of voters until the last day of the campaign period. Asked if the UniTeam Alliance tan-

Driver faces raps for BBM threat By Rey E. Requejo

HE Office of the City Prosecutor in Quezon City on Monday recommended the filing of grave threats against a driver for his alleged death threats against presidential frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

In a statement released by the office of Prosecutor General, the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office recommended the indictment of respondent Michael Go before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court after finding probable for the complaint filed by Marcos and Ken Romuandez. The complainants accused Go of violating Article

282 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Romualdez and the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit filed the complaint following a tweet threatening to shoot Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. “I was blocked by Marcos Jr. in 2016. Paki sabi magingat siya sa Tandang Sora QC. Pag dumaan siya dun babarilin ko siya. Di ako takot makulong. Hindi rin ako takot mamatay. Isang malaking karangalan ipaghiganti mga kasama ko aktibista biktima ng karahasan panahon ng martial law,” the tweet said. (I was blocked by Marcos Jr. in 2016. Tell him to be cautious in Tandang Sora, Quezon City. If he goes there, I will shoot him. I am not scared to get imprisoned. It would be a great honor to avenge my fellow activists who were victims of violence during the Martial Law.) A report indicated that Go turned himself in to the

police authorities on Friday to clear his name. He reportedly denied the charges, saying he does not have a Twitter account. The city prosecutor stressed that grave threat is a crime against public security. The Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating (MRRD-NECC) on Tuesday meanwhile clarified they are supporting Marcos Jr. and Mayor Sara Duterte in the 2022 and not Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as claimed by some “minority” members. At a news conference in Quezon City, lawyer Diosdado Padilla, the group’s national legal counsel, said “to this day, we stand by that decision despite the opposition of few members who questioned and belittled the results of our democratic acts, particularly those claiming to support the candidacy of Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate.” With Rio Araja

IN BRIEF

Manny eyes ‘mega’ prison for corruption

PROMDI Party standard-bearer Senator Manny Pacquiao said massive corruption resulting to P700 billion in stolen public funds annually will never end unless dishonest officials in government are sent to jail to pay for their sins. He vowed to put up a mega-prison that will house public officials and employees convicted for violations of the anti-graft law. He lamented that the country’s poor are the ultimate victims of government corruption that appeared to worsen each year. The boxing champ said he believes that opportunities to commit graft and corruption will be taken advantage of by people in the government unless punishment is guaranteed for the wrongdoers. He is convinced that corruption is caused by both the frailties of human nature and the government system. Pacquiao’s proposed priority program of government centers on putting an end to graft in government to provide enough funds that will finance massive housing, address the unemployment problem, and the implementation of other anti-poverty programs. Macon Ramos-Araneta

De Lima slams ‘fake news’ on 4Ps RE-ELECTIONIST Senator Leila M. de Lima dispelled fake news stories peddled by quarters claiming that the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will be discontinued if the incumbents are not elected. De Lima, the principal author of Republic Act No. 11310 or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Institutionalization Act, maintained that the services of 4Ps will continue regardless of who wins in the upcoming polls. She branded as “opportunists” people behind the spread of this fake news about 4Ps. She also called as “desperate the people behind this fake news which brought worries to our poor countrymen,” she said. In a Facebook post, Zena Bernardo, a development worker active in outreach programs and mother of Maginhawa Community Pantry Organizer Patreng Non, lamented the spread of fake news threatening to cut qualified beneficiaries of 4Ps services. She added that this threatening report was prevalent in the provinces in Mindanao. The DSWD, she said, should clarify this report. RA 11310, which was signed last April 17, provides conditional cash grants to qualified indigent families for a maximum of seven years, to improve their health, nutrition, and the education of their children aged 0-18. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Castriciones will remain with PDP’

DESPITE senatorial bet ex- agrarian reform chief John Castriciones’ shift of loyalty to presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno of Aksyon Demokratiko, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino under the wing of Energy Secretary Altonso Cusi cannot just remove him from the party. At a news conference in Quezon City, Astra Pimentel, a PDP-Laban senatorial candidate, said “Castriciones filed his certificate of nomination and acceptance using the PDP-Laban. As far as PDP is concerned, we have to meet with Sec John Castriciones, and you may allow us (to say this), Sec John declared his support for Moreno even before PDP-Laban had endorsed Bongbong Marcos as its presidential candidate.” When asked if the party would have to remove the picture of Castriciones in all PDPLaban senatorial slate’s tarpaulins, she said they cannot do so because he is still a party candidate. “The party has not yet held its national council meeting to discuss the stand of Sec Castriciones,” she said.Rio N. Araja

LENI’S TANAY VISIT. Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo (inset) rallied the crowd at Tanay Park, who defied the heavy rains to show their support for her and her running mate, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and the TRoPang ANGAT senatorial candidates at a mini-rally in Tanay, Rizal on Tuesday. VP Leni Media Bureau

Ping pitches renewable energy in campaign promises By Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENTIAL candidate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has raised the possibility of increasing the number of renewable energy infrastructures to power up more off-grid island communities in the country. It was reported that electricity supply issues bother the residents of Tablas Island. Lacson acknowledged the potential of solar energy and biomass as viable

alternative solutions to address the island’s electrification needs, which he plans to deliver by investing more into research and development. “If we are going to pour more funds into research and development like the other countries, our scientists and researchers will not get out of the country. They can harness things like solar (power),” Lacson said. The senator said his determination to push for alternative energy solutions is strongly influenced by Republic Act

9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which was passed during the 14th Congress to promote, develop, utilize and commercialize clean sources of electricity. Under both the Tax Code and RA 9513, the sale of power generated through renewable energy sources is considered zero-rated, thus no VAT should be passed onto consumers. The decision was made to encourage more investors to venture into renewable energy development projects.

dem is confident of victory judging from survey results and the huge rally crowds they are attracting, Inday Sara said, “we are always running scared.” “Iyan dapat ang mindset namin, dahil walang kasiguraduhan ang pagkapanalo until ma-proclaim ka po,” she said. She also again thanked her father, President Duterte, for endorsing her. In a speech in Batangas on Monday, the President said he would not support any candidate, except his daughter “Ako wala na, tapos na ako. I am not supporting any candidate except, of course, my daughter. Ako, boboto talaga ako sa anak ko,” the President said. Mayor Duterte was interviewed after she addressed a huge rally here of at least 10,000 organized by Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga’s third district.

Leni dismisses claims her camp is giving money to supporters By Rio N. Araja VICE President and presidential bet Leni Robredo slammed the camp of her opponent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for accusing her of giving money to supporters. “He is the one who has that record,” she stressed. “Of all people, are we the ones to give money?” she asked. She reacted to the allegation of the Marcos’ camp that “yellows” paid people to claim they got money to attend a Marcos rally, and that they supposedly “planted” people in a Marcos rally to tell the media that they were paid to be there. “That is too much. Of all people, we are accused of giving money (when in fact they were the ones that have such record, and not us,” she said. Robredo’s running-mate Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan meanwhile said the rush to construct the Kaliwa Dam project across several provinces including Rizal should not brush aside laws and the rights of communities that will be affected. He questioned the signing of the memorandum of agreement for the P12.2-billion Chinese-funded deal despite staunch opposition from the Dumagat-Remontado tribe occupying portions of the project site. At stake in the dam project is not only the life and livelihood of the indigenous communities, but the environment and safety of communities living nearby, he said The vice-presidential bet also reminded that the dam project will be under a loan agreement to be paid by every Filipino and with interest. The 60-meter-high reservoir of the New Centennial Water SourceKaliwa Dam Project will cover 291 hectares of the Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve and the adjoining ancestral domains of the DumagatRemontado communities in General Nakar, Quezon and Tanay, Rizal. A 28-kilometer-long conveyance tunnel will be built from the dam site in Barangay Magsaysay in Infanta, Quezon through several barangays in Tanay, Baras, Morong and Teresa towns in Rizal.

Isko camp shrugs off ‘shift’ to Leni in Visayas THE camp of presidential candidate Manila Mayor isko Moreno Domagoso on Tuesday belittled the claims of the lead convenor of Ikaw Muna Pilipinas Visayas Chapter that they are supposedly shifting the group’s support to rival Vice President Leni Robredo. Team Isko chief campaign strategist Lito Banayo said various sectoral and volunteer groups remain solid in their support for Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso despite claims made by the lead convenor of the Ikaw Muna (IM) Pilipinas Visayas chapter supposedly shifting the group’s support to another candidate. “First of all, we only know one person who spoke, Mr. (Nick) Malazarte, and most of the Visayas for Isko, VISA, and groups in Cebu have a statement denying Mr. Malazarte, that he is alone,” Banayo said during a press briefing at the Isko Moreno Domagoso for President headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

“In fact, this coming (April) 8 and 9, Mayor Isko and his team will be going to Cebu, and they will be hosted by volunteer groups based in Cebu and Visayas. So, we don’t know how many Mr. Malazarte says he allegedly moved to Vice President Leni (Robredo),” he added. Banayo’s statements were bolstered by the leaders of various groups in the Visayas who pointed out that Malazarte’s presence is hardly felt in the ground despite claiming to be the leader of the IM Pilipinas chapter. Dr. Winley Dela Fuente, head of the Visayas for Isko-Sara Alliance (VISA), said that Malazarte has not been actively participating in the activities of the sectoral groups in the Visayas that are pushing Moreno’s candidacy. Edward Ligas, head of President Isko Movement-Isulong ang Kapakanan ng Pilipina, noted that Moreno is actually getting tremendous support on the ground, with at least 30 sectoral groups in the Visayas backing Moreno. Rey E. Requejo

CARAVAN FOR ISKO. The “Bus of Isko” has kicked off its campaign caravan for Manila Mayor Isko Moreano in Manila, Parañaque, and Muntinlupa on Tuesday morning. The bus load of youth volunteers went to Felix Huertas Street corner Blumentritt Street in Manila, proceeded to Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque noontime, then went to the Muntinlupa Public Market.

Opinion Free and fair polls

WHAT does the 1987 Constitution say about the ideal conduct of our elections? It enumerates five key elements: it should be free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible. For elections to be free, it should be inclusive, for both candidates and voters. The qualifications for both are clearly laid out in the fundamental law. But the ideal of free elections would be compromised if there are candidates who are allowed to run for national and local positions even if they are not qualified; for instance, if they have pending criminal cases. By the same token, those who claim to be Filipino citizens but in fact have become citizens of another country are disqualified from exercising their right of suffrage.

Will the May elections truly reflect the people’s will? For elections to be orderly, decisions and rulings of the Commission on Elections on various aspects of the electoral process should be clearly explained to the public. Confusion reigns, for instance, when voters cannot find their names in voting centers on Election Day. For elections to be honest, the Comelec should investigate reports of vote-buying and other election offenses, such as misrepresentation by candidates in their certificates of candidacy, or when voters claim to be residents of the place where they will vote when in fact they reside elsewhere. For elections to be peaceful, authorities, particularly the Philippine National Police, should dismantle private armies in the employ of corrupt and power-hungry politicians who seek to win in the polls at all costs. The PNP has already identified a number of election hotspots where intense political rivalry could erupt in intimidation and violence before, during and after the elections. They should now crack down on private armed groups that seek to subvert the electoral process through the barrel of the gun on behalf of greedy politicians. And for elections to be credible, the Comelec leadership should consist of people of unsullied integrity and chosen on the basis of track record and proven competence. The Comelec as presently constituted is composed of Duterte appointees. Observers challenge its impartiality precisely because the poll body’s commissioners appear to have been chosen by the Chief Executive hardly on the basis of competence and integrity but on other considerations. Given all this, do you think the May 2022

elections will truly reflect the people’s will and be truly free and fair? Or will it be another political exercise marked by the dominance of guns, goons and gold, not to mention an army of trolls paid to spread misinformation and falsehoods in both mainstream and social media? In other words, an election that will be a free-for-all where personalities rather than platforms rule, where political dynasties will seek to maintain their hold on political and economic power through means more foul than fair, and where our cherished democratic system sinks to its lowest depths than ever before. Criminal negligence Whose fault is it that 27 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines remain unused even as they are due to expire in July this year? Is it the Department of Health (DOH) or the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF)? Or both? Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon raised this question last week and chastised both the DOH and the IATF for “criminal neglect” for allowing the COVID-19 vaccines, worth no less than P13 billion, to go to waste if they remain unused. “More than two years into the pandemic, the IATF still manages to mismanage the government’s response to the pandemic. It is unconscionable that the vaccines that were purchased through loans could end up in the garbage,” Drilon said. “It is criminal neglect if they let that happen. I’d like to remind the DOH and the IATF that it is Juan dela Cruz who will pay for these vaccines,” the lawmaker said. According to the last-term senator , at P500 per dose, the government would be throwing away P13.5 billion if the 27 million doses would not be administered within the next three months. Worse, the purchase of millions of COVID-19 vaccines from abroad has raised the country’s debt from P9 trillion pre-pandemic to P12 trillion as of February this year. That’s not peanuts. The money spent for the unused vaccines could have been used instead to augment the assistance for public utility vehicle drivers and operators affected by the runaway increase in fuel prices, or those living on the margins of society. While COVID-19 pandemic has yet to be brought under control—a new Omicron subvariant has been discovered by scientists—the national government cannot let its guard down and instead step up vaccination efforts despite the election fever now sweeping the country. The IATF and the DOH should do their jobs in the next three months or else they would send P13.5 billion down the drain. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

the pandemic). In fact, when the Fiscal Incentives Review Board ordered call centers to return to full office operations this month or lose their tax perks, BPOs said many of them had let go of their office spaces over the past two years. They face resignations even as they deal with high attrition rates, because many BPO employees prefer to work from home. Their reasons? WFH keeps them safe from COVID-19 and from travel dangers, prevents burnout, and helps them save money by removing the need to spend on food and transportation. In other words, their net income has increased, and that’s always a good thing. However, despite remote work being widely accepted in other countries as a work strategy and not merely an option, the Philippine government is lagging behind the times as it seeks to artificially prop up small businesses by forcing employees to return to onsite work, instead of allowing companies and workers to choose the best work models for themselves and encouraging entrepreneurs to shift to businesses that are competitive in the digital world.

Why are we jeopardizing what healthcare workers have died for and are still laboring to achieve? ‘Pahalik’ practice Here’s another move that invites exposure to the coronavirus. Quiapo Church, home of the revered Black Nazarene statue, recently announced the resumption of the ‘pahalik’ practice in line with the Holy Week observance, albeit with restrictions. Fr. Douglas Badong, the parochial vicar, said there is no actual kissing of the image, “but it means the people can touch” it. Ushers will be present to assist devotees, who were reminded to observe minimum health protocols including physical distancing and wearing a face mask.

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EDITORIAL

Battling COVID amid conflicting behaviors THE Philippines is massively in debt in part because the government needed to finance its COVID-19 response. But how effective is the battle when conflicting behaviors and declarations within society weaken COVID restrictions and increase the risk of a surge in infections? Spending on COVID The national government ended 2021 with P11.73 trillion in outstanding debt, the Bureau of Treasury said in early February. Over a year, government debt grew by nearly P2 trillion or 19.7% year-on-year. This was partly because the government had to borrow to fund its pandemic response, including the purchase of coronavirus vaccines from abroad. Such spending was necessary to curb the spread of the virus and provide Filipinos with protection. Given that, shouldn’t we build on the gains in order not to waste the taxpayers’ money that was spent? On a personal level, this means adhering to minimum safety protocols as well as limiting our personal exposure to the virus. However, all the measures we have been told over the past two years to adopt and practice have nearly been overturned by the frenetic reopening of the economy. Economists say this is necessary to revitalize business activities that have been in the doldrums since March 2020. But should we do so at the risk of public health? Here are some examples of behaviors that don’t walk the talk. Government pushing onsite work One directive that increases the risk of COVID-19 transmission is the government’s insistence that certain businesses reopen their onsite operations, such as BPOs and government offices. This is something that BPOs, for one, have been pushing back against because they discovered they are doing just as well, if not better, with two-thirds of their employees working remotely (the industry, worth some $29 billion, was the only sector that grew amid

FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2022

Railing against silence

HE Grammy Awards in the United States honor achievements in music, and the annual ceremonies usually stand out for the tributes and performances.

Those in bomb shelters wake up, happy for merely being alive.

Let us speak up in civilized, substantial discourse founded on the truth.

This year’s event held Sunday contained these same ingredients – but with one notable addition: the appearance of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, who delivered a short but impassioned message on behalf of his people. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, and while there have been talks regarding the crisis, the Ukrainian people continue to suffer as a result of the violence and the invasion. Zelensky, himself a former actor, said the musicians in his country have traded their tuxedos for body armor. “They sing to the wounded in hospitals. Even to those who can’t hear them,” Zelensky said. The silence brought by ruin and death, he said, was the opposite of music. More than 140 children have died and another 400 have been wounded.

Zelensky exhorted the attendees to the event – and their global audience – to fill the silence with their music. “Fill it today to tell our story. Tell the truth about this war on your social networks, on TV. Support us, in any way you can. Any—but not silence. And then peace will come.” The message rings true both for the suffering Ukrainians, as Zelensky intended, but also for all other suffering people in many parts of the world. The real state of events may be masked by the absence of communication infrastructure, by the proliferation of fake news, or by the silence of those complicit in the injustice and who would stand to lose the benefits of the status quo. For instance, those who stand to gain

from the invasion of Ukraine will try to hide the actual damage inflicted on innocent civilians and present the issue as a clash between two equal, warring states. Those who know what is really happening, meanwhile, have the moral obligation to tell the world and seek help from the international community in quelling the invader’s intentions. Here at home, with Filipinos in the last month of the campaigning, silence comes in the form of simply accepting narratives told with much conviction but without proof. It is mindlessly going with what seems to be popular sentiment without the benefit of critical thinking, or even common sense. Complicity is getting swept up in noisy – but empty – motherhood statements, or lionizing individuals for their last names instead of their own documented achievements and expertise. We should counter these, as well, not only with making music, but speaking up in civilized, substantial discourse founded on the truth and nothing else. We should eschew behavior that could cause deaths and injuries, literal and figurative ones, among our people, and to the soul of our nation.

Sense and nonsense of estate tax pending in court and the ownership of the properties in litigation has yet to be settled,” said Atty. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesman and chief of staff. “It is not coincidence that rivals of presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos are raising this matter in unison a few weeks before the elections; sadly, this is all about politics,” BBM’s spokesman added. For his part, former Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Jose Mario “Jojo” Buñag tells us what he says is “the unvarnished truth as far as I know.” Jojo was BIR chief from October 2006 to June 2007. He was No. 2 in the 1968 bar exams.

PURE nonsense. That is how Harvard-educated lawyer and long-time tax expert Juan Ponce Enrile describes the so-called P203 billion estate tax being slapped by their critics on the heirs of the late Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr., president of the Philippines from December 30, 1965 to February 25, 1986. Enrile, or JPE, for short, was former Finance undersecretary to Marcos before becoming the strongman’s defense secretary/minister for 17 years. After Marcos was ousted, he was elected to the Senate and became its president. The former Senate president scoffs at retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio’s math on the so-called estate tax of the Marcoses. Carpio and presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have collaborated and computed the Marcos estate tax to be P203 billion, up from P23 billion when the tax became final and executory in 1991. Enrile suggests that Carpio stop issuing wrong and baseless pronouncements in connection with the estate tax of the Marcoses because “he (Carpio) does not fully comprehend tax laws”. Politics could be the only reason behind the issue, says Enrile, especially since the May 9 presidential elections is only a little more than a month away. “Alam ninyo, mga kababayan pulitika ngayon eh bago kayo maghusga, bago kayo maniwala, makinig kayo. Bago kayo maniwala isipin muna ninyo kung totoo yung sinasabi ng mga tao na yan,” the former senator said in a radio interview. “Kahit na ex-Supreme Court Justice (Carpio) kung hindi nya na pag-aralan yan at hindi nya naintindihan at hindi nya prinaktis sa kanyang pagiging abogado, hindi nya naintindihan yan,” Enrile pointed out. “Ang taxpayer ng estate tax, ay hindi ‘yung tagapagmana, kalokohan ‘yung sinasabi nila na may utang si Bongbong Marcos at kanyang mga kapatid,” Enrile explained. “Ang gumawa ng issue, ang gobyerno ni Cory (Aquino), sinequester nila yung mga ari arian ni presidente Marcos, pagkatapos sisingilin nila ng estate tax eh kalokohan yun, kaya dapat yung legitimacy nung ari-arian ni Presidente Marcos, malinis yun at dun mo babayaran yung utang niya kung may utang siya,” Enrile said. The camp of presidential frontrunner Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. earlier said the issue surfaced because of gutter politics. “Our rivals are misdirecting everyone by claiming that the case has attained finality when the truth of the matter is, it is still

When FM died in 1989, the heirs were obliged to file the estate tax return and pay the estate tax within six months. No return was filed, Jojo Buñag recalls. In 1992, Ramos was elected president and appointed Liwayway Chato BIR commissioner. Under the Tax Code, when any tax return is supposed to be filed and it is not filed, the Commissioner is authorized to make the return to the best of his/her knowledge and file it with the BIR. “Since no return was filed on FM’s estate, Commissioner Chato made the return and filed it based I think on what were being reported as assets of FM,” explains Buñag. Also, since no taxes were paid, the BIR issued an assessment for P23 billion based on the return Chato prepared and filed. “The Marcos’ lawyer then made a fatal mistake,” Jojo winces. Instead of elevating the case to the Court of Tax Appeals within 30 days as required he elevated it instead to the Court of Appeals. Expectedly, the CA denied the petition was filed in the wrong court. Instead of rushing to the CTA to meet the deadline, the Marcoses went up to the Supreme Court which affirmed the CA decision. Since the 30 days to go to the CTA had lapsed, the Marcoses were out of remedies and the assessment has become final and executory. “Rightly or wrongly, the assessment is now beyond question,” Jojo opines. So even if Chato included in the computation properties not belonging to FM, it cannot be questioned anymore. That ship has sailed. A final assessment is like a court final judgment. Jojo suggests the assessment can be executed by garnishing bank accounts and

“Before they will be allowed to touch the image, they have to sanitize, spray alcohol on their hands,” Badong said. However, he also said there will be no limit on the number of people allowed inside the church, which is risky given that COVID-19 is spread via close contact, crowds. “Anyone who is within six feet of [an infected] person can breathe it [coronavirus droplets] into their lungs,” reads an article on WebMD. “Research shows that the virus can live in the air for up to three hours… The virus can live on surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for two to three days.” Some four days after this announcement by the Quiapo Church, the Department of Health advised churches and the public to forego kissing religious images to avoid the spread of diseases. “We just advise, and we request our churches kung maari lang po sana itong practice na ito

ay hindi na muna natin ipatupad,” said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a media forum. So here are the health experts wearily warning the public once again from engaging in activities that could spread the coronavirus. We have lived in a pandemic for two years, this should be common-sense already. It seems that the urge to return to a pre-pandemic, ‘normal’ lifestyle is too strong for some. But the reality is, what constitutes ‘normal’ has drastically changed. Political rallies Another activity that poses risk of transmission are the political rallies. Tens of thousands of people congregate to cheer for their favorite candidate. While this was an accepted, and expected, practice during the pre-pandemic years, it’s not a good idea now. But can people be prevented from doing this? It seems not. These are only some of the careless behaviors

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

Bring the PCGG into the discussion.

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

levying on properties. The reason BIR has not collected is because the Marcoses have not paid, FM has no bank accounts and the only known real property in his name is the Ortega property in San Juan where he used to live. Chuckles Jojo: “Believe it or not, FM did not put properties in his name. Even the properties in New York were in other people’s names. Other assets, like the Swiss accounts, the paintings, etc. were claimed by the PCGG as illgotten and ergo did not belong to FM but to the Phil government.” Another tax expert, a Harvard-educated lawyer (master of laws and international tax program, 1997), lectures me on Tax 101. The lawyer explains: Prescription to collect is five years from the finality of assessment. In the case of BBM, the assessment was issued in 1991 Sept (I think), it was not protested, so it became final in 30 days. An assessment not protested within 30 days becomes a delinquent account, due and collectible. And the BIR has five years to collect, counting from this period. In the case of BBM, the BIR started enforcing collection by levying on Marcos properties mostly sequestered by PCGG) beginning 19911993. Public auctions were also conducted from 1991 to 1993. Collection process was suspended when BBM filed a case in court questioning it as he claimed that collection of taxes should go through the probate court. Meanwhile, the running of the five-year prescriptive period to collect was suspended during this time that the case was under litigation. In 1997, the SC upheld the CA saying that the BIR can proceed with summary collection. Thus in 1997, the BIR should have resumed collection of the tax again, and the fiveyear period to collect should run again for the remaining three years. The right of the government to collect ended 2000 or 2001. After that, BIR could no longer collect under the rule on prescription. Why is everybody mum about this prescription? Including Kim (Henares, BIR commissioner under President Ramos)? Is she playing politics? Clearly, she is. Also note that the same assets included in gross estate were the same sequestered assets by PCGG. Hence, to enforce collection, BIR can levy and sell the same assets. PCGG should now account for those assets, and all proceeds of sale made by PCGG should be considered as payment for the estate tax. Reason being, payment of tax takes precedence over any claim. It is important to bring PCGG in this discussion, for them to account for those assets. biznewsasia@gmail.com we as a society have been indulging in. But the virus is still very much around and surges are still occurring. Shanghai is right now experiencing its biggest COVID-19 outbreak, and the government has imposed strict restrictions there. Am I being overly cautious? Perhaps, but you see, I have lost friends and relatives to COVID. In my work as an editor of obituaries of people who have died over the past two years of the pandemic, I have read many heartbreaking stories of COVID deaths. Each death is one too many. So why are we putting all the government spending and debt for COVID response on the line? Why are we risking more lives by conducting unsafe activities? Why are we jeopardizing what healthcare workers have died for and are still laboring to achieve? *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

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

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

World

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW BODIES IN BUCHA

Russia suspension from UN rights body pushed T HE United States and Britain announced plans Monday to seek Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council following allegations that Russian troops systematically executed civilians in Bucha, Ukraine.

“The images out of Bucha and devastation across Ukraine require us to now match our words with action,” US ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a tweet Monday. “We cannot let a member state that is subverting every principle we hold dear to continue to participate” in the council, she said. A vote on Russia’s suspension could be held by Thursday, according to the US. “Given strong evidence of war crimes, including reports of mass graves and heinous butchery in Bucha, Russia cannot remain a member of the UN Hu-

man Rights Council. Russia must be suspended,” said British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. Russia reacted furiously. “This is unbelievable,” said Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the UN. “What the West is trying to do with Russia, trying to exclude it from multilateral forums we are having in the world... this is unprecedented.” “This will not facilitate or encourage or be helpful to what is happening between Russian and Ukrainians in peace talks,” he said. Journalists over the weekend found corpses in civilian clothes, some with their hands bound, in the town of Bucha outside Ukraine’s capital after Kyiv’s forces retook it from Russia’s army. Bucha Mayor Anatoly Fedoruk said many “were shot, killed, in the back of the head.” Satellite photographs released on Monday appear to rebut Russian assertions that dead bodies in civilian clothing found in Bucha had appeared there after Russian forces retreated from the devastated Ukrainian town. Mid-March satellite imagery of a Bucha street appears to show several bod-

ies of civilians lying dead in or just off the roadway where Ukrainian officials recently said they found multiple corpses after Russian troops withdrew. “High-resolution Maxar satellite imagery collected over Bucha, Ukraine (northwest of Kyiv) verifies and corroborates recent social media videos and photos that reveal bodies lying in the streets and left out in the open for weeks,” Maxar Technologies spokesman Stephen Wood said in a statement. The scale of the killings is still being pieced together, but Ukrainian prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova said 410 civilian bodies had been recovered so far. The UN’s human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said the images from Bucha point to “possible war crimes.” The Kremlin denied Russian forces killed civilians, and alleged that the images of dead bodies in Bucha are “fakes.” Suspending Russia from the council would require a vote in favor by twothirds of the UN General Assembly. Abstentions are not taken into account in the required two-thirds majorFLEEING FOR SAFETY. A child appears at the window of a train at Kramatorsk ity, which the United States and Britain central station as families flee the eastern city of Kramatorsk in the Donbass region amid the believe they can secure. AFP Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP

Kim’s sister says North Korea nukes could ‘eliminate’ South Korea army

HONORING THE DEPARTED. People tend to a grave at the Chinese Christian Cemetery on the western side of Hong Kong Island on April 5, 2022 as people visit cemeteries to honor their ancestors during the annual Tomb Sweeping Day. AFP

Swedish selfie ‘museum’ gets super liked A NEW selfie “museum” in Sweden is flipping the script by making visitors both the artist and the exhibit. The “Youseum” in Stockholm has no works of art on its walls. Instead, its brightly-decorated rooms are meant to serve as fun backgrounds for visitors’ selfies or videos. “You can take cool pictures and create cool content for your Instagram... This is the perfect place to do Tiktoks,” manager Sofia Makiniemi told AFP as she showed off the “Emoji Room” filled with blue and yellow balls with smiley and frowning faces. Other rooms let you bury yourself in candy-colored foam sticks, strike a pose under neon lights, or sit on a giant pink swing for your next profile picture. “You have the lighting, you have the Tiktok music, you have snacks, you have all the things that we like,” said 18-year-old Zeneb Elmani, who was visiting with a group of friends. She loved its “2020s era” vibe. For Makiniemi, the Youseum, which is in a shopping mall, lets visitors be the artists themselves, even though the typical influencer may not consider their pictures to be art. “It’s an interactive museum where you can create the art you want to see,” she said. The Youseum concept began in the Netherlands, where there are already two. With social media ever more ubiquitous, concerns have grown about its dangers, especially its impact on the mental health of young people, in particular girls. AFP

against a nuclear power, according NORTH Korea will use its nuclear to the report in KCNA. weapons to “eliminate” South “In case South Korea opts Korea’s army in the event for military confrontation they launch a preemptive with us, our nuclear combat strike, the powerful sister force will have to inevitably of leader Kim Jong Un said carry out its duty,” said Kim Tuesday. Yo Jong, who is a key policy Kim Yo Jong’s warning, advisor in Pyongyang. carried in state media, was She said the “primary misher second angry retort in three days to comments made by Kim Yo Jong sion” for her country’s nuclear South Korea’s defense chief Suh Wook forces was to act as a deterrent, but if an armed conflict were to break out, such last week. They come as North Korea has re- weapons will be used for “eliminating sumed its sanctions-breaking weapons the enemy’s armed forces at a strike.” As a result of this “dreadful attack,” tests with an unprecedented blitz this year, last month firing its first intercon- South Korean forces will face a “misertinental ballistic missile at full range able fate little short of total destruction since 2017. and ruin,” she said. Suh had said Friday that South Ko“We do not regard (them) as (a) rea’s military had missiles with “the match for our armed forces,” she said, ability to accurately and quickly hit any referring to South Korea’s military. target in North Korea when there are Her latest comments follow an iniclear signs of North’s missile launch.” tial attack on Suh’s “reckless remarks” In response, Kim Yo Jong said it was Sunday, in which she warned the South a “very big mistake” for “lunatic” Suh should “discipline itself if it wants to to have discussed a pre-emptive strike stave off disaster.” AFP

Tolstoy descendant hosts Ukrainians in Switzerland UNDER the intense gaze of Russian literary giant Leo Tolstoy, his great-granddaughter listens with concern as Anastasia Sheludko describes the horrors she experienced before fleeing Ukraine. The invasion of Ukraine by her ancestral homeland Russia nearly six weeks ago had come as a massive shock, Marta Albertini told AFP, adding that she immediately realized she needed to help refugees. “It was instinctive,” said the 84-yearold, who is lending Sheludko and her mother an apartment in the small village of Lens, near the plush Swiss Alps ski resort of Crans-Montana. Before they arrived, Albertini removed most of the family pictures that covered the wooden walls of the

apartment, but a large painting of her great-grandfather hangs in the living room. The author of celebrated novels “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” would have viewed the conflict raging in Ukraine with “horror,” she said. Albertini, who last year published a book about three generations of Tolstoy women – her great-grandmother, who gave the author 13 children, her grandmother and her mother – pointed out that he was a renowned pacifist. Tolstoy, who experienced the Crimean War and the siege of Sevastopol in the 1850s, would likely have been “completely devastated” by what is happening, she said. Albertini, who grew up in Italy and

France before making Switzerland her permanent home a few years ago, says she is among many Tolstoy descendants who signed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying the family opposed the war. “We are against the horrors that are being perpetrated now, the invasion of an innocent country,” she said, acknowledging that Putin had quite possibly looked at all the signatures “and thrown them in the trash.” But it was important to speak up, she said. “Europe, the world, will not be the same after this war.” For Sheludko, the world she knew just a few weeks ago has already evaporated. AFP

SELFIE MUSEUM.

People visit the ‘You are the Moon’ room inside the Youseum in Sweden. AFP

Man charged for attacking Asian women

A MAN who violently attacked seven Asian women in New York over the span of three hours in February has been charged with “hate crimes,” Manhattan’s district attorney said Monday. On February 27, between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm, 28-year-old Steven Zajonc assaulted and beat the women in the eastern and central parts of the island of Manhattan, said Alvin Bragg. Zajonc “selectively ambushed seven Asian women in separate assaults, some of which he struck from behind – for no other reason than their perceived race,” Bragg said. The DA said the suspect had struck the victims “in the face with a closed fist or his elbow” before fleeing the scene. One of them was “shoved... to the ground” by her assailant. “These attacks on seven New York women, each fueled by anti-Asian hate, are yet another sobering reminder of the demonstrable fears” that the Asian-American community faces, said Bragg, the first African American to hold the post of Manhattan district attorney. The victims all suffered facial injuries, and one was hospitalized with a concussion. New York police were able to identify Zajonc through security camera footage and testimony from employees of the New York Public Library, outside which one of the attacks took place. The suspect, arrested on March 2, was charged with “assault in the third degree as a hate crime” and “aggravated harassment in the second degree,” according to the prosecution. Bragg said his office was investigating 27 cases of anti-Asian hate crimes. AFP

‘Several dead’ in Hungary train crash – police SEVERAL people died in a train crash in Hungary Tuesday after a van drove onto the rails at a crossing causing the train to derail, Hungarian police said. “Several were injured in the accident and several died at the scene,” the police said in a statement, without providing further details. The accident happened near Mindszent, 140 kilometers (86 miles) southeast of Budapest just before 07:00 am (0500 GMT). According to a statement by the Hungarian state railway MAV, the van entered the level-crossing despite the stop sign showing. “There were 22 passengers on the train, two were seriously injured, eight suffered minor injuries, and several of the van’s passengers were killed,” said the statement. A local news-site reported that seven people were killed in the accident. AFP

Business

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market ends flat; Globe Telecom declines T TOP GAINERS HE stock market closed nearly flat Tuesday on another thin trading, with many many investors waiting for a catalyst to push the benchmark index higher.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 7.14 points or 0.1 percent, to 7,156.07 on a value turnover of nearly P4.2 billion. Gainers edged losers, 88 to 82, with 57 issues unchanged. BDO Unibank Inc. of the Sy Group, the biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 1.7 percent to P133.40, while fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. rose 1.2 percent to P29.30. Globe Telecom Inc., the second-largest telecommunications firm, however, fell 3.1 percent to P2,420, while casino

operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. of tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. dropped 3 percent to P6.18. Meanwhile, oil prices extended gains Tuesday on the prospect of further sanctions on Russia for alleged “atrocities” in some occupied Ukrainian cities, while equities edged up after a rally in New York and Europe. Trade was tepid in Asia, with Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei closed for holidays but most markets rose. Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok and Wellington were

slightly up, though Mumbai dropped. European Union officials were discussing new measures against Moscow after reports—denied by the Kremlin— that troops had executed civilians. Among the punishments could be a ban on imports of Russian crude, following a similar move by the United States and Britain. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also signaled more US sanctions were on the way this week. While Europe’s economy—particularly Germany’s—relies heavily on energy from Russia, the possibility of an embargo sent both main contracts sharply higher Monday, and they continued their rise in Asia, putting on more than

one percent. That pared some of the sharp losses seen Friday in reaction to a pledge by Washington and other major economies to unleash millions of barrels from their stockpiles to keep a lid on prices, which are fanning already high inflation. It also offset an expected hit to demand in China from lockdowns in parts of the country—including Shanghai, the biggest city—sparked by a wave of Omicron outbreaks. “In the wake of ‘Russian atrocities’ claims and the ensuing public outrage, there is a strong chance we could see another layer of sanctions on Russian energy,” said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes. With AFP

Elon Musk buys large stake in Twitter to send stock soaring NEW YORK, United States—Twitter’s shares soared after Tesla CEO Elon Musk disclosed on Monday a large stake in the social media company, which he has criticized for its approach to speech rights. Musk, who has more than 80 million followers on the microblogging platform, became its largest shareholder following the purchase of 73.5 million shares or 9.2 percent of common stock, according to a securities filing. The investment is worth about $2.9 billion based on Friday’s share price. Musk is currently the world’s richest man, with a net worth of $287.6 billion, according to Forbes. The billionaire is a frequent Twitter user, regularly mixing in inflammatory and controversial statements about issues or other public figures with remarks that are whimsical or businessfocused. He has also sparred repeatedly with federal securities regulators, who cracked down on his social media use after a purported effort to take Tesla private in 2018 fell apart. Twitter shares rocketed higher on the announcement, surging 27.1 percent to $49.97. “We would expect this passive stake as just the start of broader conversations with the Twitter board (and) management that could ultimately lead to an active stake and a (potentially) more aggressive ownership role of Twitter,” analysts Daniel Ives and John Katsingris of Wedbush wrote in a note. Disclosure of Musk’s stake follows a recent poll launched by the billionaire to his followers. Saying “free speech is essential to a functioning democracy,” Musk, who has discussed possibly launching his own social media company, on March 25 launched a survey on Twitter that asked: “Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this principle?” AFP

1 CAB 2 OPM 3 OPMB

LAST PRICE CHANGE 59.95 8.95 0.012 0.001 0.012 0.001

% CHANGE 17.55% 9.09% 9.09%

4 5 6 7

PRIM DFNN CEI PERC

1.57 2.76 0.093 4.98

0.1 0.12 0.003 0.16

6.80% 4.55% 3.33% 3.32%

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JFCPB AT X

961 7.14 0.33

30 0.22 0.01

3.22% 3.18% 3.13%

TOP LOSERS

EMBATTLED. Protestors take part in a demonstration against the surge of prices and shortage of fuel and other essential commodities at the entrance of the president’s office in Colombo on April 4, 2022. Sri Lanka’s opposition on April 4, 2022 rejected the president’s invitation to form a unity government as ‘absurd,’ calling instead for his resignation because of worsening food, fuel and medicine shortages in the country. AFP

Spain seizes yacht owned by rich Russian close to Putin MADRID, Spain—Authorities seized Monday a mega yacht in Spain owned by an oligarch with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin at the demand of the United States, Spanish and US officials said. The US and European authorities have impounded several yachts with links to Russian tycoons since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in a bid to pressure Putin to pull his forces back. The 78-meter long yacht named Tango was impounded at the Mediterranean port of Palma de Mallorca by Spanish police in coordination with US federal agents, Spain’s Guardia Civil police force said in a statement. The vessel, worth more than 90 million euros ($99 million), belongs to Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, the head of conglomerate Renova Group who is “very close” to Putin, the

statement added. Renova and some other Russian companies were added to a US sanctions black-list in 2018 as part of Washington’s efforts to punish Moscow for its alleged attacks against “Western democracies.” While Vekselberg is not “at the moment” the target of European Union sanctions, he is under investigation in the United States for trying to conceal his ownership of the yacht to avoid Washington’s sanctions, the statement said. Spanish and US agents seized documents and computers from the vessel that carries the flag of the Cook Islands to “confirm the identity of its real owner,” police added. Washington announced last March that it had set up a cell to track down and seize the luxury goods of sanctioned Russian oligarchs. “Today marks our taskforce’s

first seizure of an asset belonging to a sanctioned individual with close ties to the Russian regime. It will not be the last,” US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said “Russian oligarchs cannot evade sanctions to live a life of luxury as innocent Ukrainians are suffering.” In his State of the Union address last month, US President Joe Biden warned Russian oligarchs that the US and its European allies would be “coming for your ill-begotten gains.” This is the fourth yacht linked to a Russian billionaire to be impounded in Spain since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The three other yachts are suspected of belonging to Russian oligarchs who are sanctioned by the European Union over the Ukraine war. AFP

Ecuador banana industry slips over invasion of Ukraine By Karla Pesantes EL TRIUNFO, Ecuador—Until recently, the incessant bustle of Ecuadoran banana plantations provided evidence of the industry’s robust export business. But from one week to the next, the groves have fallen silent—trade victims to a conflict half a world away. Ecuador is the world’s largest banana exporter, but the sector has been hammered by the war in Ukraine. Now, with nowhere to send them, containers of the rotting fruit are piling up not far from where they were originally harvested. “One in every five bananas produced in Ecuador goes to Ukraine and Russia,” said Franklin Torres, president of Ecuador’s FENABE banana producers federation. “This war really affected us in that sense.” The vast majority of that portion goes to Russia, where banana sales are worth $698 million a year to Ecuador, which usually sends almost two million boxes of bananas a week to the eastern European neighbors. But due to international transport sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is not receiving its cargos of bananas. The conflict has put the brakes on production in El Triunfo, close to Guayaquil, the site of Ecuador’s main port. “The banana producers are finished, I have not processed a single

PSEi April 5, 2022

An employee of El Porvenir banana farm prepares the fruit for domestic consumption in Puerto Inca, Ecuador, on March 31, 2022. Ecuador, which exported $3.5 billion in bananas in 2021, has over 160,000 hectares of plantations of the fruit. AFP

box for three weeks,” said Mireya Carrera, 62, the owner of the Thalia banana plantation. “The staff are leaving on their own without being fired because I cannot pay them.” She used to fill three containers with 3,000 20-kilogram (43-pound) boxes of bananas from her 28 hectare plantation. “Now I have 7,000 bunches with no buyer,” she told AFP. ‘Price crisis’ The industry had already been hit by falling prices. Torres said it costs $5.50 to produce

a box of bananas, and even though the internal sales price is $6.25, “right now we’re receiving less than $2 for each box of bananas, we’re receiving $1 or $1.20. “Truly it’s an insult to any type of business. What we’re receiving is shameful and it’s not even worth picking them.” He said the industry has lost “more than $10 million in three weeks.” “Every year we have the problem of low prices, but now it has become impossible to get a contract for bananas. I prefer to give them away,”

said Carrera. Seeing Ecuador’s surplus of bananas, other markets “have started reducing their price offers,” said Richard Salazar, president of the ACORBANEC association for banana commercialization and export. According to Jose Antonio Hidalgo, director of the AEBE association of banana exporters, within a week of the war starting, the bananas destined for Russia and Ukraine needed a new market, “causing a price crisis.” Around a million boxes have remained unsold in the last month. AFP

1 ABG 2 PRMX 3 MG

LAST PRICE CHANGE 3.65 -0.35 2.23 -0.18 0.136 -0.009

% CHANGE -8.75% -7.47% -6.21%

ANI

4.97

-0.31

-5.87%

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GREEN I CEU HLCM

1.59 0.8 6.53 5.52

-0.09 -0.04 -0.3 -0.22

-5.36% -4.76% -4.39% -3.83%

9 10

MRSGI FGENG

1.35 102

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1 CNVRG

VOLUME 12,310,000

VALUE (PHP) 358,915,980

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ALI SM GLO

9,875,600 384,770 89,740

344,455,655 337,453,615 221,078,000

BDO

1,136,570

150,306,137

BLOOM

23,549,600

146,351,925

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AEV ICT UBP TEL

2,282,680 577,900 1,277,710 66,905

136,877,413 129,869,262 129,571,254 121,257,610

Iran’s oil output hits level prior to 2018 sanctions TEHRAN, Iran—Iran’s oil production capacity has returned to the same level as prior to the reimposition of sanctions in 2018, when the US unilaterally withdrew from a nuclear deal, a top official said. “Oil production has reached presanctions figures, despite economic pressures,” said Mohsen Khojastehmehr, CEO of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), quoted by state news agency IRNA on Sunday. Iran is currently engaged in negotiations to restore the 2015 nuclear deal that would grant it much-needed sanctions relief, restoring Iranian oil exports, in return for major curbs on its nuclear programme. The US, under then president Donald Trump, unilaterally withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reimposed stringent sanctions, prompting Iran to begin rolling back on its commitments under the deal the following year. Output has been restored to the presanctions level of 3.8 million barrels per day (bpd), Khojastehmehr said, after it had sharply declined following the reimposition of sanctions. “We are now in a position to double our exports,” the official said. “In terms of energy security, the Islamic Republic is capable of achieving stability on the international scene.” President Ebrahim Raisi’s government invested $500 million to restore facilities and increase production to pre-sanctions levels within six months, he added. Oil Minister Javad Owji said Friday that oil revenues for the last Iranian calendar year, which came to a close on March 20, registered $18 billion, about 2.5 times more than the previous year. AFP

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, April 5, 2022

-7.14 PTS. 7,156.07

TOTAL VOLUME

1,115,599,551

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES DECLINES

57,904 4,171,321,579.55 88 82

UNCHANGED

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.4500

Japan

Yen

0.008145

0.4191

Pound

1.311900

67.4973

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127642

6.5672

Switzerland

Franc

1.079564

55.5436

Canada

Dollar

0.800897

41.2062

Singapore

Dollar

0.737246

37.9313

Australia

Dollar

0.754100

38.7984

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652027

136.4468

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266574

13.7152

Brunei

Dollar

0.734538

37.7920

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029851

1.5358

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.0092

Euro

1.097600

56.4715

Korea

Won

0.000824

0.0424

China

Yuan

0.157746

8.1160

India

Rupee

0.013260

0.6822

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.237248

12.2064

New Zealand

Dollar

0.694900

35.7526

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034980

1.7997 Source: BSP

SM Prime pegs interest rates on P30-b retail bonds By Jenniffer B. Austria PROPERTY developer SM Prime Holdings Inc. has set the interest rates for its P30-billion retail bond offering that will support the conglomerate’s expansion plan. SM Prime said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Tuesday it pegged the interest rates for Series P, five-year retail bonds at 5.6141 percent per annum; Series Q, seven-year retail bonds at 6.1175 percent per annum; and Series R, 10-year retail bonds at 6.5432 percent per annum. SM Prime said the bond offering will have a base size of P15 billion, with an oversubscription option for an additional P15 billion. The retail bonds will be offered from April 7 to 13 to investors through joint issue managers BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and China Bank Capital Corp., which are also joint bookrunners and joint lead underwriters together with BPI Capital Corp., East West Banking Corp., First Metro Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. The bonds are set to be issued and listed on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on April 22. “SM Prime will use the proceeds of these latest retail bonds issuance to pursue the expansion plans set for the company’s property portfolios, including malls, residential developments, offices, and hotels, which will drive further growth to the Company as well as to the communities we serve,” SM Prime chief finance officer John Nai Peng Ong said. The property firm plans to launch this year four new malls and expand five existing malls that will add 300,000 square meters of additional gross floor area to its portfolio. It also plans to launch 15,000 to 20,000 residential units this year. The P30-billion retail bond offering represents the fourth tranche to be issued under the company’s P100billion bond shelf-registration program approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in February 2020.

DTI aims to secure P450-b investments

THE Department of Trade and Industry said Tuesday it expects at least P450 billion in investment leads from 250 companies that are interested to expand operations or set up new businesses in the Philippines. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the agency is optimistic about securing the deals, many of which were delayed amid the pandemic. “Some of them were just postponed investments, due to Delta and Omicron surge and their inability to visit the sites because of travel and quarantine restrictions before,” Lopez said Tuesday. A list provided by the DTI showed that among the electronics companies with plans for investments are Minebea Electronics Motor of Malaysia, Amphenol Advanced Sensors of the US, Positronics of India, Foxconn of Taiwan, nickel zinc battery manufacturer ZAG BGM, Ningbo Lygend Mining Ltd. and electronic bike manufacturer NWOW of China. Other interested electronic companies are three Taiwanese manufacturers of telecom equipment and optical sensors, an automotive parts company, two Japanese firms involved in wiring harness production, Brother Philippines and Toyota Motor Philippines. Othel V. Campos

AirAsia PH increases summer flights by 30%

LRT-1 MILESTONE. LRT-1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corp. celebrates an impressive milestone, surpassing 20 million safe man-hours without a lost time incident in all of its ISO-certified facilities and business areas. It received the award from the Department of Labor and Employment-Occupational Safety and Health Center for outstanding safety achievement in a span of 2 years and 10 months. Receiving the recognition are (from left) LRMC environmental and pollution control officer Marc Brian Manlubatan, LRMC head of health, safety, environment and quality department Dr. Louernie De Sales, LRMC Depot fire marshall Oswaldo Tarnate and LRMC railways safety engineer Akihiro Adachi.

Gov’t retains high growth target, but warns of Ukraine war impact By Julito G. Rada

OVERNMENT economic managers said Tuesday there is a strong basis to retain the 2022 gross domestic product growth target of 7 percent to 9 percent, but warned that the RussiaUkraine conflict could have an indirect impact on world prices and economic performance.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said during the Philippine economic briefing the Russia-Ukraine war is one of the key risks that could dampen the growth target. “Growth will be supported by the implementation of the 2022 national budget, ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises law and Executive Order No. 166, adopting the Ten-Point Policy Agenda to Accelerate and Sustain Eco-

nomic Recovery from the Pandemic,” Diokno said. He said game-changing legislation such as the amended Public Services Act would also drive economic growth. The economic outlook this year would also be supported in part by the BSP’s efforts toward financial digitalization and inclusion, and promotion of a stable inflation and financial environment conducive to economic growth, he said. “However, the favorable economic outlook comes with risks. One of the key risks to domestic and global economic growth is the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Its direct impact is inconsequential, yet its indirect impact through higher world oil prices and slower global growth could be significant,” Diokno said. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said economic managers were looking at the fuel prices and the potential impact to GDP growth. “We are evaluating the increase in fuel prices... Definitely it will be a drag to the economy, but we are quite prepared to handle this,” he said. Dominguez said President Rodrigo

Duterte “masterfully steered” the Philippines from being an inward-looking economy to one that is ready to compete with the rest of the world, through his slew of hard-won reforms that would immensely benefit the next administration as it continues the job of returning the country to the path of rapid and inclusive growth. He said among these reforms that languished for decades in the shelves of the Congress but were fully enacted under the Duterte administration are the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which lowered both personal and corporate income taxes and modernized the fiscal incentives system; the series of increases in the excise taxes of “sin” products to improve funding for the Universal Health Care program; and the Rice Tariffication Law, which lowered rice prices and provided a steady flow of funds for the modernization of the agriculture sector. Dominguez said another lasting legacy of President Duterte is the “Build, Build, Build” program, which raised infrastructure spending to above 5 percent of GDP, double the level recorded by the previous four administrations.

Inflation rate climbed to 4% in March on higher fuel prices INFLATION rate in March climbed to a five-month high of 4 percent from 3 percent in February on the back of higher transport and fuel prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday. The figure brought the average inflation in the first quarter to 3.4 percent, above the midpoint of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent this year. The inflation averaged 4 percent In the first quarter last year. National statistician and civil registrar general Dennis Mapa, however, said the March inflation was slower than 4.1 percent registered a year ago. “The increase in the inflation for indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 6.2 percent; and transport at 10.3 percent contributed largely to the upward trend of the overall inflation during the month,” Mapa said. Inflation for food rose to 2.8 percent

in March from 1.1 percent in February. In the same month in 2021, food inflation was observed at 5.6 percent. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the March inflation was within the BSP’s forecast range of 3.3 percent to 4.1 percent for the month. Diokno said in a message to reporters that with the surge in global crude oil prices, “average inflation could breach the upper end of the 2 percent to 4 percent target range in 2022.” “Nevertheless, average inflation is projected to decline and settle within the target band at 3.6 percent in 2023. Inflation expectations have likewise risen, but continue to be anchored to the 2-4 percent target band,” Diokno said. He said the economic consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became a significant headwind in global economic recovery. The Russia-Ukraine conflict could affect the Philippines through slower world GDP

growth, higher crude oil prices, higher world non-oil prices and potential second-round effects on inflation through transport fares, wages and food prices. “Among all these, the main channel through which the Russia-Ukraine war could affect the Philippines is through higher oil prices,” Diokno said. “Under these circumstances, the BSP will closely monitor the emerging risks to the outlook for inflation and growth, and remain vigilant against possible second-round effects from supply-side pressures or any shifts in the public’s inflation expectations,” he said. Diokno assured that the BSP continues to have a wide arsenal of policy instruments to respond to possible adverse impact of external shocks. He said the BSP also supports the timely implementation of direct non-monetary measures by the government to mitigate the impact of the RussiaUkraine conflict on global oil and nonoil commodity prices. Julito G. Rada

Synergy okays subscription to P12.24-b NGCP shares SYNERGY Grid and Development Philippines Inc. said Tuesday its board approved the subscription to 203.63 million non-voting preferred shares to be issued by National Grid Corp. of the Philippines for P12.24 billion. The preferred shares carry a par value of P1 apiece at a subscription price of P60.10 per share, or a total subscription price of P12.24 billion. The move is in connection with the use of proceeds of the follow-on offering of SGP and is subject upon approval of the application for the increase in authorized capital stock of NGCP with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said. SGP said it would use the proceeds from the follow-on offering to finance NGCP capital expenditure and subscription-related taxes, costs and expenses. The board and stockholders of NGCP on March 31 approved the increase in authorized capital stock from P2 bil-

IN BRIEF

lion divided into 2 billion common shares with a par value of P1 per share to P2,203,630,000, divided into two classes of shares consisting of 2 billion common shares with a par value of P1 per share; and 203,630,000 non-voting preferred shares with a par value ofP1 per share. NGCP committed to invest P440 billion across 211 projects which are aimed to support the growing electricity demand in the country and make the country’s power backbone continuously reliable in the next 13 years. NGCP completed several components of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project, particularly the submarine cable and cable terminal stations completed in November 2021 and the Lala-Aurora 138-kV transmission line energized in February. SGP indirectly controls 60 percent of the outstanding capital stock of NGCP, SGP’s sole operating asset, with an effective equity interest of 40.2 percent. Alena Mae S. Flores

SECURITY BANK’S AWARDS. Security Bank Corp. is recognized by the country’s fixed income exchange, the Philippine Dealing System Group, at the 17th PDS Annual Awards. The bank receives for the second consecutive year the Top FixedIncome Cash Settlement Bank award for generating the highest volume, as measured by the total number of fixed-income transactions settled. The bank is also ranked fourth in the Top 5 Corporate Securities Market Makers for 2021. Receiving the awards are (from left) SBC first vice president and head of wholesale treasury sales Carlyn Therese X Dulay, senior vice president and treasury sales head Jim Yap and senior vice president and treasurer Andre Ibarra.

AIRASIA Philippines said Tuesday it raised flights frequency by 30 percent to accommodate the surge in bookings during the Holy Week and summer period. “We recognize the significance of the Holy Week celebration for Filipinos. As our Catholic brothers and sisters observe this religious practice, we at AirAsia continue to offer a safe and attainable travel experience essential for those flying to their provinces this holiday season,” AirAsia Philippines head of communications and public affairs Steve Dailisan said. “We commit not only to the highest health standards, but also to the highest security protocols especially now that all destinations in the country have relaxed interzonal travel regulations,” he said. Top destinations such as Caticlan increased to 41x weekly from 34x in March; Iloilo also increased to 28x from 14x; Tacloban to 28x from 23x; Tagbilaran to 18x from 14x; Bacolod to 18x from 11x; Puerto Princesa to 10x from 9x; Davao to 14x from 11x; Cagayan to 11x from 9x; Kalibo to 18x from 11x; and Cebu to 26x from 21x weekly. Darwin G. Amojelar

Filinvest Land eyes renewable facilities

PROPERTY developer FIlinvest Land Inc. said Tuesday it plans to install renewable energy facilities in new industrial developments in Clark, Pampanga and Laguna. FLI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a memorandum of agreement with Filinvest-ENGIE Renewable Energy Enterprise Inc. to bring eco-efficient solutions to Filinvest Innovation Parks at New Clark City and Ciudad de Calamba in Laguna. Under the agreement, FLI and FREE will develop sustainable energy solutions such as solar, district cooling and facilities management to power smart, future-forward cities that drive and accelerate progress while reducing their carbon footprint. Both firms will initially develop renewable energy generation systems in readybuilt factories within the two Filinvest Innovation Parks. FLI said the plan will not only create value for company but also for its tenants through competitive power rates and carbon footprint reduction. Jenniffer B. Austria

Meralco fails to get new bids to counter Solar PH proposal By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co.’s third-party bids and awards committee on Tuesday declared a failure of bidding on the right to challenge the unsolicited proposal submitted by the group led by Solar Philippines to supply 850 megawatts of renewable energy. The panel said it did not receive comparative bids from other parties on the April 5 deadline to challenge the unsolicited proposal of Terra Solar Philippines Inc.—the joint venture of Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. of the Leviste Group and Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. of billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. Terra Solar proposed a P6.0800-perkilowatt-hour headline rate and levelized cost of electricity and committed a total 600 MW of its power supply by Feb. 26, 2026, and an additional 250 MW by Feb. 26, 2027. Two interested bidders initially expressed interest to participate in the bidding, including SMC Global Light and Power of San Miguel Corp. and a group of RE developers led by SunAsia Energy Inc. Under the competitive selection process, Meralco can conduct direct negotiation after two comparative failed biddings. However, the Meralo TPBAC did not announce its next course of action after the failed bidding. Meralco said SGLP wrote and notified the TPBAC that it would no longer participate in the 850-MW CSP. SunAsia aso sent a “notice of non-submission of bid” on the April 5 deadline. Pursuant to Section 9 of the revised CSP rules, a “comparative bidding is considered failed when, during its conduct, no comparative bid was received by the TPBAC.”

Converge to be known as Fiber Xers in pro league

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

By Peter Atencio CALL them the Fiber Xers. This is the moniker the team that the franchise Converge ICT Solutions will carry going into the Philippine Basketball Association’s Season 47. Team officials unravelled the name of the league’s newest club following its official launch at the Edsa Shangri-la Manila on Tuesday. The new team’s entry into the pro league comes a few weeks after Converge ICT Solutions acquired the Alaska franchise. Present during the introduction event were Converge ICT founders Dennis Anthony Uy and and wife Grace, and PBA commissioner Willie Marcial. The Fiber Xers will be building their roster by aquiring the nos. 3, 4 and 15 picks in the draft. There are talks to have Allyn Bulanadi and former Alaska players sign up for the Fiber Xers. There’s also interest in having Kevin Racal, Robbie Herndon, Alec Stockton, Jaycee Marcelino, Rey Publico and veteran Bryan Faundo play for the Fiber Xers. Former Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso will come aboard to call the shots.

PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial (left) is shown with Converge Co-Founder and president Grace Uy (right) and Converge Co-Founder and CEO Dennis Uy.

Government, private sector join hands to fund Casugay By Randy Caluag

ILIPINO hero surfer Roger Casugay has raised enough funds that will enable him to to participate in the prestigious Mexilogfest 2022.

Big thanks to government officials and private donors, who responded to the online fundraising campaign initiated by the national surfer from San Juan, La Union. “Even though there is still a lot to arrange and I’m not there yet, I’m very happy to announce my journey will be financially feasible. While working on the last fundraising events, organized by the local community and friends, I’m positive there is a way to go,” said Casugay. The United Philippine Surfing Association has announced Casugay’s participation and thanked Senator Bong Go and the Office of the President, Philippine Sports Commission officials, chairman Butch Ramirez, Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, training director Marc Velasco and “all people, who helped Roger’s bid to compete in Mexico happen, maraming salamat po!” The 27-year-old Casugay gained instant fame during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games when he risked losing his chance of winning a medal in the longboard event by saving a fellow competitor from Indonesia from drowning. He eventually won the gold in the final event, though. In his social media post, Casugay also thanked “unknown people, who have reached out to me, to help me

make this dream happen. I am so grateful for the love you share and for believing in me.” Casugay is now deep in training, with the guidance of coach Ian Saguan in San Juan for the Mexilogfest, which will be held from April 19 to 28, 2022 in Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico, where hundreds of top single-fin traditional longboarders from all over the world will compete. Casugay’s training involves doing video analysis, strength workouts, and cross-training with cycling if there are no waves.

While training for the tournament, Casugay posted on an online fund-raising platform a request for donors, who can help finance his participation. Casugay pleaded that “being able to attend would mean I will be able to compete with some of the best in the world” in his post on gogetfunding.com. Due to limited resources, the PSC has not been able to support all national athletes’ competitions abroad, with several athletes like Casugay resorting to online fundraising campaigns.

Roger Casugay (left) with coach Ian Saguan (UPSA/Ian Saguan)

Maroons survive close call with Falcons THE University of Philippines Fighting Maroons survived a close call with the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, 73-71, on Tuesday in the University Athletic Association of the Philippine Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. With fans finally watching from a distance, the Fighting Maroons lost control of the ball in the last 10.1 seconds after Ricci Rivero bungled a three-point attempt. But Jeron Lastimosa missed an outside shot

for the Falcons in the return play, as time expired, allowing the Fighting Maroons escape with their fourth win in five outings and keep up with the La Salle Green Archers in second place. Coach Goldwin Monteverde said defensive lapses almost led to UP’s loss, an area where the team needs to work on. “After this win, we need to work on our defense and on our rotation,” said Monteverde, with a game with the Green Archers on Thursday in their line of sight.

Zavier Lucero banged in a game-high 20 points for the Fighting Maroons, Maodo Diouf added 16 points and 15 rebounds, Carl Tamayo sank 11 and Rivero made 10. Lastimosa top-scored with 18 points for the Falcons, while Lenda Douanga and Keith Zaldivar chipped in 16 and 14 points, respectively. Meanwhile, the Green Archers bounced back from their 57-74 loss to the defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles with 75-66 triumph over the

University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers. Justine Baltazar showed the way for the Archers with 20 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block. “I think it’s very important for us, this win. It’s because after coming up with a loss against Ateneo, I told the boys (is) the important thing is how we bounce back. We got to bounce back hard. We got to take care of business today,” said Green Archers’ coach Derrick Pumaren. Peter Atencio

Cards grab piece of NCAA lead Games today (La Salle Greenhills Gym) 12 noon – JRU vs LPU 3 p.m. – Perpetual vs Arellano

MAPUA overcame San Sebastian College’s fightback from 19 points down to score a 65-59 win and remain perfect in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the La Salle Greenhills Gym Tuesday. For the second straight game, Paolo Hernandez came up big for the Cardinals, knocking down a clutch triple to make it 62-55 with 1:39 left. With the win, Mapua rose to 3-0 to join defending champion Letran and San Beda on top of the standings. The Cardinals posted their biggest lead of the game, 47-28, when the Stags stormed back and threatened at 55-59, after a JM Calma basket entering the twominute mark. Warren Bonifacio, Mapua’s tallest guy on the floor, finished with a double-double output of 16 points and 14 rebounds. The Cardinals’ frontline will need to double their effort when they face Intramuros neighbor Letran Knights on Friday, especially with the likes of Mark Sangalang and Jeo Ambohot. “Nire-ready ko na lang ‘yung bigs. Palakasan na lang talaga ng katawan at loob. ‘Yung height nandiyan na sa kanila,” said Mapua coach Randy Alcantara. “Gagawan na lang namin ulit ng paraan para ‘yung ibang aspect ng game eh makuha namin. Kailangan pa namin trabahuhin talaga,” he added. Brian Lacap added 14 points, three assists and three boards while Hernandez, who went 3-of-10 from the field, contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Cardinals. Ichie Altamirano had 10 points while Calma also scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds for San Sebastian, which fell in a tie with Arellano University and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta at 1-2.

Go spices up golf cast at ICTSI Hallow Ridge

The ICTSI Hallow Ridge Challenge is part of Lois Kaye Go’s buildup for next month’s SEA Games.

SEA Games-bound Lois Kaye Go hopes to pick up where national teammate Rianne Malixi left off as she joins the title hunt in the ICTSI Hallow Ridge Challenge, which reels off today (Wednesday) at the Filipinas Golf Hallow Ridge in San Pedro, Laguna. The Cebuana ace, who beat now LPGA Tour campaigners Bianca Pagdangangan and Thai sensation Atthaya Thitikul in the 2019 Philippine Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Riviera’s Langer course, spices up the cast as she tests her skills against the country’s leading pros as part of her buildup for next month’s SEAG battle where she, Malixi and Mafy Singson will spearhead the country’s title-retention drive both in team play and individual competition. Pagdanganan, Go and Abby Arevalo captured the team championship in the 2019 SEA Games at Luisita with the power-hitting Pagdanganan bagging the individual gold.

The 22-year-old Go, who graduated summa cum laude from the Univ. of South Carolina last year where she finished with a double major in finance and accounting, will be donning the national colors for the last time in Hanoi before finally launching her pro career. Go will lead a four-player amateur challenge that includes Arnie Taguines, Eagle Ace Superal and Kristine Fleetwood, all seeking to match Malixi’s successful title run in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour at Midlands at the close of the 2021 season last December and at the ICTSI Luisita Championship, which kicked off this year’s circuit in Tarlac two weeks ago. But they will be facing a fired-up pro crew out to reassert their might in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., headed by fancied Princess Superal along with leg winners Sunshine Baraquiel, Chanelle Avaricio and Daniella Uy.

“Consistency will be key, along with ball control and ball placing,” said Superal, noting some of the layout’s tight holes and tough greens. “But anybody can win here since all of us have prepared hard. It all depends on how we will perform and respond to the various challenges,” added the 2019 LPGT Order of Merit winner. Multi-titled Chihiro Ikeda is also going all out to snap a long spell, along with Sarah Ababa, also a former leg winner, Florence Bisera, Apple Fudolin, Lovelyn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Pamela Mariano, Eva Miñoza, Majorie Pulumbarit, Gretchen Villacencio, Sheryl Villasencio and Korean Jane Jeong. One thing going for Go, however, is that the 2017 SEA Games bronze medalist has been playing Hallow Ridge for the last couple of weeks, the rolling layout being one of the training venues of both the men’s and women’s squads of the Hanoibound national golf contingent.

Sports

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

Wesley So wins FIDE GP last leg, but ends up 3rd

Milliam, local ace share PPS top honors ALEXA Milliam survived an early test then dominated Kimi Brodeth while local ace Nikhel Nowlakha outdueled Benedict Santiago in a tense-filled tiebreaker as they led the winners in the PPS-PEPP National Age Group tennis tournament in Iloilo City over the weekend. The second seeded Milliam barely pulled through in the opening set then the rising La Carlota, Negros Occidental star re-asserted her might over Brodeth in the next to hack out a 5-4(4), 4-0 victory, while Nowlakha, from Cabatuan, foiled Santiago, 1-4, 4-2, 12-10, in the premier 18-and-under finals at the La Paz courts. Other winners in the Group 2 tournament which marked the return of junior tennis after a two-year hiatus due to pandemic and which drew players from Puerto Princesa, Ormoc, Dumaguete, Cebu, Bacolod and Panay Island were Brodeth and Elemar Sealza (16-U), Therese Gauran and Renante Bravo (14-U), Iloilo’s Louraine Jallorina and Rafa Callao (12-U) and Theriz Zapatos (10-unisex). Brodeth, from Ormoc, made up for her failed bid in the 18-U as she toppled top seed Gauran, 4-2, 4-2, while Sealza, from Alimodian, Iloilo, ripped Bravo, 4-2, 4-0; Gauran, from Tayasan, Negros, overpowered Jallorina, 4-0, 4-0; and Bravo, also from Ormoc, clipped Kenzo Brodeth, 5-3, 4-1. Jallorina, on the other hand, dispatched Zapatos, 4-0, 4-0; Callao turned back Rafael Santiago, 4-0, 5-4(2); and Zapatos, from Buruanga, Aklan, outclassed Diana Alcarde, 4-0, 4-0, in the event put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala president and CEO Bobby Castro and backed by Dunlop, the official ball, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).

By Peter Atencio

Tiger Woods of the United States plays his shot from the ninth tee during a practice round prior to the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. AFP

Frenzy builds as Woods practices well at Augusta A UGUSTA—Tiger Woods practiced before thousands of supportive spectators on Monday at Augusta National ahead of the 86th Masters, where he hopes to make his ﬁrst start since a car crash 14 months ago left him with severe right leg injuries. The prospect of an astonishing comeback by the 46-year-old US star, who says it will be a “game-time decision” if he tees off Thursday, built an electric atmosphere at the famed course, which welcomed a full crowd for the first time since Woods’ 2019 win due to Covid-19 limits. “Tiger just walked out of the clubhouse to scenes and atmosphere like you’ve never seen before,” three-time Masters winner Nick Faldo of England tweeted. “Patrons cheering and flocking to cram around the putting green. And it’s only Monday at the Masters.” Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open champion, was practicing his mas-

sive tee shots when the roar erupted. “From the driving range, we could hear the loud roar when he came out of the clubhouse up to that first tee,” he said. “That was pretty special to see, or hear at least.” With fans cheering in support, Woods played nine holes with 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas and 1992 Masters winner Fred Couples, who said Woods looked “phenomenal” and “very impressive” in the session. “To go what he has gone through, to be playing today—I’m sure he’s going to tee it up Thursday,” Couples said. “Now it’s just the walking part. If he can walk

around here for 72 holes, he’ll contend.” Woods was hospitalized for weeks and unable to walk for months after the February 2021 automobile accident, saying he was lucky to be alive and not have his leg amputated. So it’s no wonder players and fans alike were thrilled by the prospect the 15-time major winner might make chase another major triumph. “It’s exciting there’s the possibility he’s going to play this week,” said 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia. “I really hope he does. No matter what, it would just be epic.” Scott warned that if he plays, Woods is a true threat to win a sixth Masters green jacket—matching the all-time record of Jack Nicklaus—and 16th career major title, two shy of Nicklaus’s all-time mark. “I’ve learned long ago never doubt the guy,” Scott said. “If he can get around, which seems to be the question, you can’t doubt his golf.” AFP

Power vs heart as Cool Smashers face Angels in opener THEY have everything going for them – talent, skills, momentum – and the crowd. But Petro Gazz is unfazed by Creamline’s seemingly overwhelming advantage, basking in the glow of being the underdog in a title series that took a sharp turn the last couple of nights. “We will prepare hard, we will try our best,” vowed Petro Gazz Jerry Yee, the way they did in repelling the fancied Cignal HD Spikers in the Final Four and spoiling what had long been expected to be a classic showdown of unbeaten teams. But the Angels had other things in mind and rewrote the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference Finals script, flashing a big fighting heart to battle back from 0-1 down in their best-of-three semis with an epic win in a five-set Game Two duel and then finishing off the hard-luck HD Spikers in four in sudden death last Monday. Game One of the best-of-three title series is set at 6 tonight at the MOA Arena before an expected record crowd hungry for such action that teams like Creamline and Petro Gazz could straightforwardly provide with their power and class. Cignal HD and Choco Mucho also begin their side of the duel for third place at 3 p.m. with both matches to be aired

Games today (MOA Arena)

3 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Cignal HD (best-of-three for third) 6 p.m. – Cignal HD vs Petro Gazz (best-of-three for crown)

live on One Sports and One Sports Plus and on social media platforms Cignal Play, Gigaplay, KUMU and pvl.ph. But for Petro Gazz, gaining another crack at PVL glory is one thing. Nailing a second championship is another. “Creamline is intact, strong and has the chemistry,” said Yee, citing their rival’s awesome firepower anchored on Tots Carlos, Alyssa Valdez and Jema Galanza. “If (setter) Jia (De Guzman) gets active in the middle, ‘masakit sa ulo.’” “So I see no advantage (for us),” Yee added. Creamline, which swept sister team Choco Mucho in their side of the semis face-off, is as thrilled as Petro Gazz to get a shot at a fourth PVL diadem and more importantly, reclaim the crown and become the second pro champion after Chery Tiggo. “We’re excited (to be in the finals again),” said Creamline coach Sher-

Creamline’s Kyle Atienza, Jema Galanza, Celine Domingo, Jia De Guzman, Alyssa Valdez and Tots Carlos: Intact, strong and with chemistry

win Meneses, whose talented crew will be more than equipped and driven to go up against the Angels and settle an unfinished business. “It’s so much different from the last year campaign where we came up short,” said

Valdez, who helped power the Cool Smashers to a five-set win over the Angels to clinch the top seeding in group prelims play. “But it has served as an extra motivation for this year’s campaign. And it showed in our games how much hard work we have put

FILIPINO-BORN grandmaster Wesley So checked Hikaru Nakamura’s king in 55 moves to rule the FIDE Grand Prix 2022 Leg 3 after winning their second tiebreak game Monday evening in Berlin, but still ended up third overall in the series. Despite the loss to So, Nakamura won the overall crown and is already assured of a place in the FIDE Candidates tournament with runner-up Hungarian Richard Rapport. So finished the final leg with a win and three draws for 16 points at third place, trailing Nakamura, who won the title with 23 points. Utilizing the Berlin Variation of the Ruy Lopez, So played the white pieces, and capitalized on a blunder by Nakamura to claim the Leg 3 victory. The first tiebreak match ended in a 55-move draw by repetition of moves for both players with Nakamura using the Vienna Game. The 28-year-old So advanced to the Leg 3 finals after hurdling Iranian Amin Tabatabaei in the semifinals. Nakamura was first at the end of the 3-part Grand Prix after winning the two Berlin legs with a total of 23 points and a total purse of 42,000 euros.

Wesley So

to get back to the finals—all the players and the coaching staff are so focused.” “It will be a different finals for us but we hope that we’ll be able to apply all the learnings we had from all the bubble training and bubble setups,” she added. For many, their third title face-off could rekindle a rivalry. The Angels surprised the Cool Smashers to score a PVL breakthrough in the 2019 Reinforced Conference but the latter quickly got back at the former in the next conference to win the Open crown. But while Creamline, which previously swept the Reinforced and Open crowns in 2018, would sustain its form to reach another finals in the league’s inaugural pro staging won by Chery Tiggo in Ilocos Norte last year, Petro Gazz would finish third. “Masaya, masarap kung rivalry, it will be an honor to be labeled as Creamline’s rival. It’s a compliment,” added Yee. And a challenge. And the Angels are just too primed up, well-motivated to take on the Cool Smashers on a combo of old hands and new recruits made up of Myla Pablo, Grethcel Soltones, Aiza Pontillas, MJ Phillips, Jonah Sabete, Nicole Tiamzon, Seth Rodriguez, Djanel Cheng, Remy Palma, liberos Shiela Pineda and Cienne Cruz and seasoned playmaker Chie Saet.

FIVB exec inspects venues for big tournaments in June at Big Dome THE country’s hosting of two worldclass tournaments in June turned fever pitch on Tuesday following the inspection of venues and facilities by International Volleyball Federation Event Manager Thanathorn “Tom” Suwannamai. The Philippine National Volleyball Federation is hosting Week 2 of the women’s preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League from June 14 to 19 and Week 2 of the men’s pool matches from June 21 to 26. Both tournaments the world’s top eight volleyball nations for both genders will be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets will start selling on April 17. Thanathorn arrived Monday and was accompanied by PNVF officials during

his inspection of the iconic Big Dome on Tuesday. He also inspected the training venues—Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan and Meralco Gym in Pasig City. “This is perfect. This is good. This is one of the better ones,” said Thanathorn while inspecting the stands of the Araneta Coliseum together with PNVF Secretary-General Don Caringal and members of the local organizing committee. Thanathorn said he’s aware of the massive fan base that volleyball has in the country and is looking forward to the two tournaments. “I heard good things about Philippine volleyball fans and I’m so excited,” said the Thai FIVB official. Thanathorn also witnessed the contract signing between the PNVF and

VNL host broadcaster Cignal TV at the Crowne Plaza in Quezon City. He had dinner at the Bonifacio Global City with the Vietnam Southeast Asian Games-bound national beach volleyball players who’re fresh from a successful training camp in Brisbane, Australia. On Wednesday, Thanathorn will meet with PNVF officials also at Crowne Plaza and he will be watching Game 1 of the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference Finals between Creamline and PetroGazz at the Mall of Asia Arena. Thanathorn will fly back to the FIVB headquarters in Lausanne on Thursday. Three-time VNL champion and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist United States banner the women’s pool that includes reigning Asian champion Japan, Southeast Asian queen Thailand, China,

International Volleyball Federation Event Manager Thanathorn “Tom” Suwannamai (third from left) meets with members of the local organizing committee led by Philippine National Volleyball Federation secretary general Don Caringal (right, in black polo shirt) and venues chief and national men’s team manager Mike Verano (left) Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Poland and Canada. Italy, Germany and The Netherlands. Tokyo Olympics gold France leads the Russia was originally part of the VNL men’s side and will be challenged by fan in both genders but was sanctioned befavorite Japan, Slovenia, Argentina, cause of the Ukraine crisis.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

Another P-Pop act raises PH flag on international stage

HE members of 1st.One, a six-member P-pop act, were optimistic that one day they would be officially launched as a group. Despite being together for a few years now, they only managed to connect with their fans to introduce their music virtually.

That changed when Ace, Alpha, J, Jayson, Joker, and Max partnered with Warner Music. “There were times when we’re almost on the brink of giving up. We had doubts. But we had each other. We had the same goals and dreams that’s why we didn’t give up on them. Our journey wasn’t easy, it became more challenging because of the pandemic, but here we are now. We’ve been patiently waiting for this,” Ace told Manila Standard Entertainment during the group’s official launch held last week. “When we’re together, there’s always a spark. Everything, every situation becomes lighter. Our

strength lies in our brotherhood, our being together,” Joker added. Prior to the event, the group also graced the media conference for PPOPCON 2022, which saw them seated alongside other P-POP acts including SB19, Alamat, and 4th Impact. “It was an honor to be seated alongside those groups. Each group gives us happiness and inspiration. P-Pop is only a small plate and each group has a contribution. For us to grow, we need our fans. We need all the fans to help us elevate P-Pop and make i t a genre that will be known

Six-member P-pop act 1st.One

Boy Abunda gives timely reminder for election day KING of Talk Boy Abunda is happily out and about these days, eager to support a cause he had long wanted to pursue on a larger scale. The pride of Borongan, Eastern Samar—where he was born and raised— Kuya Boy has always been dependable in helping his beloved hometown and neighboring communities in any way he can towards development. But of course, he could only do so much on his own. Back in 2019, a party list by the name of Ang Probinsyano caught Kuya Boy’s attention for advocating comprehensive development in rural areas, especially the most far-flung locations across the country. Quietly, he kept checking on the work this party-list achieved in the last three years, wanting to make sure that Ang Probinsyano stood up to its name. Kuya Boy wasn’t disappointed, what with proof the party-list determinedly braved the pandemic to bring health essentials to the most isolated communities, all while continuing to authoring bills in Congress to raise the quality and accessibility of every Filipino to education; provide more infrastructure and social services to better the lives of rural dwellers; and even opportunities toward financial aid for farmers, fisherfolk, local artisans and other small businesses with the goal of self-sufficiency. A probinsyano through and through, Kuya Boy had no qualms in accepting the party-list’s request to step in as an adviser and valuable volunteer in bringing more attention to the often ignored sectors of society. “Nung nakilala ko na finally si Congressman Alfred delos Santos, ang first nominee ng Ang Probinsyano, narecognize ko agad ang pagkakamukha ng aming mga pangarap para sa ating mga probinsya. Kaya sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Apid, I’m impressed with what Ang Probinsyano has done for our fellow promdis around the country in so short a time, and with the pandemic complicating everything. So here I am—ready and willing to help Ang Probinsyano carry on its promise toward better provinces across the

country, ergo, a better Philippines.” What worries Kuya Boy these days, however, is how confusing the party-list electoral process has become, with at least 165 groups vying to make it to Congress. “Sa dami nila, nakakalito talaga para sa ating mga kababayan kung alin ang pipiliin nila, lalo na’t ini-raffle na din ang numero ng bawat isa sa balota,” the revered showbiz pillar and philanthropist explained. “Kaya ako, umiikot talaga ako ngayon para siguraduhin na alam ng mga tao na No. 50 ang Ang Probinsyano sa balota. Wag silang malilito, lalo na sa mga grupong katunog lang din o para bang ginagaya lang ang pangalan natin.” Otherwise, Kuya Boy warned that Congress would lose a very important and hard-working party-list that remains true, honest, and passionate in its advocacy. “Masasayang lamang ang napakagandang nasimulan ng Ang Probinsyano kung mamamali lang tayo sa pagboto,” he added. “Kaya ito na lang ang ating tandaan sa araw ng eleksyon— doon na tayo sa #50 and fabulous!” Relentless in campaigning for Ang Probinsyano Party-list (APPL), Kuya Boy is grateful to see that many other celebrities--who like him have embraced the provincial life over the pandemic— have also volunteered to help spread the word about choosing #50 Ang Probinsyano on election day. “Kasama na namin si Piolo (Pascual) na ang laging sabi naman ay, ‘Huwag nang mag-50-50 sa party-list dahil #50 is it!’,” Kuya Boy chuckled. “Siyempre nandyan din si JM de Guzman, isang napakabait na bata at napakagaling na aktor at ang bagong bagong volunteer ng grupo na social media sensation, si Donnalyn Bartolome. Sila ang mga ka-50 namin ni Piolo kahit iba-iba kami ng edad kasi parepareho naman ang aming pagmamahal sa para ating mga probinsya,” Kuya Boy finally said.

worldwide,” Ace, the group’s leader, and main vocalist, stated. 1st.One is the first Filipino group on the roster of Seoul-based talent management company FirstOne Entertainment. Other talents who have signed with the company include “River of Tears” singer Na Yoon Kwon, rapper Kisum, and former F-ve Dolls member Heo Chanmi. 1st.One started making its mark in the P-pop landscape even before its official debut in 2020. They participated in the 28th PhilippineKorea Cultural Exchange Festival in September 2019, where they won first place in the dance category. They were also the grand winner at the Seoul Music Awards PH “Dance to Your Seoul” competition held the same year. The band then opened the Seoul Music Awards in 2020, along with Monsta X, NCT, Red Velvet, TWICE, and other K-POP artists. They were the first Filipino artists to perform at this famous Korean awards ceremony. After a brief hiatus, the group returned earlier this year and dropped the catchy single “Shout Out,” a song that pays homage to the Filipino soldiers who fought alongside Korean soldiers during the 1950s Korean War. Ace, the leader of 1st.One, explained that he wrote the lyrics wanting to pay tribute to those soldiers who fought hard in the war so that people could live their lives in freedom. The official music video of “Shout Out” has almost two million views on YouTube alone to date. 1st.One also released a series of other video clips to support the single, including a dance performance video of “Shout Out,” a dance practice video, and a two-part behind-the-scenes documentary detailing how the group shot their music

1st.One is the first Filipino group to perform at the Seoul Music Awards

video at the height of the pandemic. Talking about 1st.One’s recent signing with Warner Music, Ace said: “We are very honored and deeply humbled to be now part of Warner Music. Together with our management FirstOne entertainment, everything is just like a dream turned into reality. As kids, we only ever dreamt and heard of the name Warner Music. It is very inspiring to be part of history and a legendary family in the music and entertainment industry. We will always do our best, give our all, and be students of the craft and passion that we have. Eyes to the sky and feet on the ground. Hopes and dreams in our hands thankful to God up above.” Sarah Ismail, Managing Director of Warner Music Philippines, added: “We are very excited to be partnering with 1st.One. Watching their music video for ‘Shout Out,’ I was blown away by their energy and amazing dancing. They have thoroughly impressed us with their ambition and determination to not only succeed, but to inspire.” Oh Jeong Min, the Chairman of FirstOne Entertainment said: “Culture has power, P-pop will be one of the greatest ways to introduce the Philippines to the world. Warner Music Philippines and FirstOne Entertainment will take the first step today.”

Stars rally behind GMA News and Public Affairs’ ‘Dapat Totoo’ advocacy AS GMA News and Public Affairs gears up for its most comprehensive coverage of Eleksyon 2022, some of the country’s biggest stars are taking part in its election advocacy campaign “Dapat Totoo.” Bea Alonzo, Rhian Ramos, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Andrea Torres, Glaiza de Castro, Barbie Forteza, Bianca Umali, Sanya Lopez, Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos, Ken Chan, Rita Daniela, Derrick Monasterio, Thea Tolentino, Aicelle Santos, Dingdong Dantes, and Marian Rivera have all committed their support to this advocacy that promotes the very core value that voters, political aspirants, and news organizations must equally share: truthfulness in mind, in heart, and in actions. While we are all different from one another — we come from different parts of the country, we speak different languages and dialects, we all come from different walks of life, and yes, we wear different political colors — the “Dapat Totoo” campaign reminds us that we all share the same dream: to live a decent life and give the next generation a better future. Officially announced during GMA Network’s Eleksyon 2022 Partnerships Launch last November 26, “Dapat Totoo” advocates for everyone – the

candidates, the voters, and the journalists – to share in the responsibility for fair and wise decision-making during the elections. For Dingdong and Marian, taking part in the Kapuso Network’s election advocacy campaign is very important. “Para sa amin, very personal ito. Mahalagang-mahalaga ang paparating na eleksyon natin dahil ang talagang magbe-benefit dito ay yung susunod na generations,” says Dingdong. Marian shares, “Dapat talaga isipin nating mabuti kung paano at sino ang karapat-dapat nating iboto… sabi nga nila sa isip, sa salita, at sa gawa, Dapat Tototo!” Meanwhile, as a new Kapuso, Bea is excited to be part of this campaign. “It feels good and I’m so happy that GMA is actually doing this. They’re b e i n g proactive ngayong election dahil sa tingin

ko may responsibilidad tayo na i-encourage ang bawat Pilipino bilang mga botante na magkaroon ng wellinformed decision sa May 9,” she says. “Maganda na ine-encourage natin ang bawat botante na maging totoo sa kanilang sarili, maging totoo sa pagdedesisyon nila, maging totoo para sa ating bansa.” GMA News and Public Affairs believes that if the candidates, voters, and news organizations are aligned in advocating the truth, it could lead to electing competent leaders that will improve the lives of the Filipinos. Expect the best from GMA Network in delivering the widest and most comprehensive coverage of Eleksyon 2022 across all platforms together with its 51 partners from the fields of telecommunications, media, education, business, law, and public service. (Clockwise) Bea Alonzo, Gabbi Garcia, Derrick Monasterio, Barbie Forteza, Sanya Lopez, Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes

(From left) Boy Abunda, JM de Guzman, Cong. Alfred Delos Santos, Donnalyn Bartolome, and Piolo Pascual

Sam Cruz tackles lingering pains of past love

Filipina singer-songwriter Sam Cruz

THE past year has been interestingly splendid for Sam Cruz as she became one of the most interesting new faces on the local music scene, releasing her first-ever single “Train of Thought” plus a really good collab with up-and-coming rap duo P:6 called “Changes.” And right now, she’s more eager to make a mark, sharing a brand-new single “Umiibig Pa Rin” released under Universal Records. This new love song is a testament that Sam is very driven to her goal to connect more with her growing listeners. “Umiibig Pa Rin” is a chill tune that cuts right to the chase, confronting her past lover so they can get back together because she still has feelings for that person. It perfectly embodies the feeling of longing for someone you don’t want to lose for good. The song

is written and produced by Fern. and Kindred Productions. To coincide with this fresh single release, Sam Cruz also dropped the official music video of “Umiibig Pa Rin”, featuring Jameson Blake, Pinoy Big Brother housemate Anji Salvacion, and fellow UR artist Timmy Albert. The visual follows a short tale of past lovers’ really awkward reunion along with their friends. You can’t help but ask, who is that person right now and how are you going to treat him? Just like an uneasy acquaintance or a total stranger? What if you still have feelings for that person? As the music video progresses, the overall vibe of the scenes tremendously complements the emotional theme of the song. “Umiibig Pa Rin” is now available on all digital streaming platforms.

Life

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022

The CCP theater crew working on stage lights

A glimpse of what’s happening behind the scenes of CCP’s stage

The set design work as seen on ‘Backstage Pass’

The backstage of CCP Main Theater

Behind the stage curtains

Dennis Marasigan

HENEVER I watch a theater play, I often wonder how the magic I see on the stage unfolds. How does one produce a seamless production? What’s happening behind the stage curtain? A lot, apparently. Just like what I’ve seen in the documentary film Backstage Pass: Life Behind the Curtains directed by Joseph Mangat. The short film, which premiered recently at the CCP Main Theater, gives a glimpse of the

back-of-house activities of the CCP Theater Crew, or the Men in Black as we call them. You can watch the film on the official CCP Facebook Page. Since I’m curious about the backstage work, I asked theater veteran Dennis Marasigan and light director/technical director Barbara Tan-Tiongco about it. They generously shared a quick rundown of jobs happening backstage, which includes production management, stage management, technical direction, lighting design, sound design, electrical, fly, and set design, among others. “Anything that has to do with the mounting of a theater production or any work in the performing arts has a commensurate responsibility backstage. For every show put up on any of the CCP stages, there would be anywhere from five to fifty people working unseen by the audience,” Marasigan enthused. I met Marasigan years ago when I was still a newbie reporter covering the art and culture beat, while I remember meeting Tan-Tiongco during the recent workshop with light designer Jennifer Tipton before the pandemic. Before he became VP Ezekiel Lopez in GMA 7’s First Lady, Marasigan used to work as assistant technical director of the CCP Theater Operations Department, under Monino Duque, his lighting design teacher in UP Diliman. After the first EDSA revolution, there

was a reorganization in the CCP and a We continued the conversation with a number of new positions were opened. quick Q&A: Duque invited him to join the newlyGlazing Life (GL): How important created department. is the backstage crew to bring to life a “By that time, I already had 10 years theater production? of experience doing practically every Marasigan (M): They are critical technical job backstage/offstage, [as well in the creation of the magic that the as] lighting and sound designing for a audience sees. While it is still possible number of productions with different to have one-man shows, the work is theater companies in various venues,” made easier and more pleasurable by shared Marasigan. the efficient and effective work done by He started his training in technical in the backstage staff. his freshman year at UP, under the late GL: What skills and knowledge do Edgardo “Egay” Avila and Audie San people need to succeed backstage? Juan who were then senior pre-med M: I have always believed that any job students doing lighting and technical in the theater requires skill, passion, and direction for Dulaang UP. He even intellect. Patience, perseverance, and did his undergraduate thesis thoroughness are also required on direction and lighting of anyone working backstage. design. GL: How do you Meanwhile, Tanapply the fundamentals Tiongco started when you’ve learned to every she was still a student facet of your life? in UP Visayas in M: One of the first Iloilo City. She was things you learn in a member of Teatro theater (and even Amakan, the UPV more so in technical performing group for theatre) is attention to Hiligaynon Theater. She detail. And then there is worked on the local and time management as well. international tours with the And maybe even more CCP Outreach, and trained Barbara Tan-Tiongco (right) importantly, learning to with PETA’s Al Santos and and Marcelino Camacho work as part of a team. Jojo Atienza. GL: How is technology “Since we had to perform on stage changing technical theater? and do all backstage work, I realized I Tan-Tiongco (T): Theater is very can be good in the technical aspects of adaptable and it has embraced theater, particularly production and stage technological changes. The method of doing and building, I believe, stays the management,” shared Tan-Tiongco.

same with the use of more gadgets, computerized methods of recording cues, and software that save time and manpower. Although personally, I am traditional so using hand drawing, writing notes in a notebook, personal exchanges of ideas, and discourse are my thing. GL: What satisfaction do you get from working as a backstage hand? M: The feeling of accomplishment that you have done your part in making an experience memorable to everyone, from the performers to the audience. T: I think it is more of love of what you do but there’s good decent pay if you demand for it and if you deliver a good job. GL: What advice do you have for people, especially young ones, who want to take this path? M: Try it out and see if you have the qualities needed for you to survive in this business. Not everyone is made out for work backstage, but it can be very satisfying, and I might add, even financially. After all, the best is always sought out in any business, and you just might happen to be one of the best. T: I won’t talk about love for the work because it’s there if one is working in the field. Punctuality, efficiency, read more, write notes, research more and deliver a good job neatly and professionally.

Interpreting introspection

‘Mirror Image’ by Mark Jeffrey Santos

CONVERGING the talents of global sensation and Indonesian pop-surrealist artist Roby Dwi Antono and fast-rising pop-surrealist Mark Jeffrey Santos, more popularly known as Mr. S, Galerie Stephanie directs our attention to the alluring world of surreal art through Intensity, Intimately and Reflections by Mr. S—simultaneous solo exhibitions that highlight the work of these celebrated artists, respectively. Antono, who has been a staple of the gallery’s programs since 2016, gained trajectory from a major exhibit in Art Fair Tokyo through Galerie Stephanie. Known for his rich, smooth, color-infused brushstrokes depicting a selection of symbolic icons inspired by nature, down to pop culture. Intensity, Intimately is Antono’s second solo show which shines the spotlight on his inclinations toward iconic Japanese characters such as the Kaiju, a type of monster similar to Godzilla that is either an antagonist or protagonist. The artist uses the duality of the Kaiju as a mythical creature and expounds on this concept through the lens of a child forming a parasocial relationship with the TV characters they

grew up watching, back when society Encounter with Myself, Mirror Image, wasn’t consumed with the internet, social and Eye to Ey’, one would instantly notice media, or smartphones. the conflict we usually find whenever we You’ll be able to see various works appease others at our personal expense. that delve into what appears to be an The emotions of disappointment and anger emotional connection between the child from his subject are clearly manifested in subject and the Kaiju through Us and We this series, which makes for an immediate Are Together, as well as another familiar connection with anyone who fixes their superhero-like Ultraman in Lonesome gaze on it. Hero — all of which were materialized While Antono’s work showcases his through black and white oil pastels on nostalgic expressions of iconic TV and canvas. Other illustrated pieces from comic characters as a symbolic message Antono are also highlighted in this of heroism and power, his pieces are able exhibition, which shows a more pensive to complement Mr. S’s somber use of depiction of the artist’s style. famous Japanese iconography through Mark Jeffrey Santos began his career in introspective journeying. Spectators who grew up in the 90s video and film in 2014 when he found his way into becoming the rising visual artist will most especially find their collections we know today. Dubbed by some as the familiar and appealing, as they lived new ‘it boy’ of art, his creations are steeped through the era when comics served as one in fantasy, and usually reflect wide-eyed of the most popular and accessible forms characters in a dreamlike setting expressed of literature. Besides offering an outlet through brilliant techniques in constructing for escape and entertainment, comics also imaginary, bordering on surreal scenes. echoed the sentiments and interests of a With images that show his penchant for wide audience hailing from the middle to adventurous and larger-than-life personas, low-income social classes. The growth of both these artists in recent there’s an instant and comfortable connection that is established once a viewer years has been significantly exponential in their careers, with collectors eagerly comes to experience his art. In Reflections, Santos shows how society anticipating their exhibitions, even selling affects the way we live our lives and how the out consistently in various galleries and art initiatives. With their amplified influence norms—the unwritten in the contemporary art world despite ‘rules’ that society these unprecedented times, they intensify bestows upon its Galerie Stephanie’s growing visions for a inhabitants— more diversified art community between contribute to the Philippines and the world. our fears. In Intensity, Intimately and Reflections are on his quest to view until April 17 at Galerie Stephanie, acknowledge located on the 4th floor human nature’s East Wing of Shangri-La longing for Plaza, Mandaluyong. For acceptance, Mr. S inquiries, kindly email touches on the manner inquiry.galeriestephanie@ in which we adhere gmail.com or call +632 to what others dictate 7940-5726. and compromise our authentic selves. ‘Life Keeps on Turning’ by Roby Dwi Antono As seen in

Environment-conscious show tackles role of women as agents of change PASKO naman, anak, a sustainable ecotheatrical virtual performance, aims to shed light on the role of women beyond the home, is slated to be streamed beginning Saturday, April 9. Written primarily in Filipino and Kapampangan, the 45-minute production follows Thelma, a former waste picker, her daughters, Leah and Tessa, and their hardships in keeping their family afloat. It unravels the conflict between the matriarchal family and Leah’s son during Noche Buena. A nostalgic narrative that hits close to home, Pasko naman, anak brings the essence of Christmas in the summertime – togetherness and reconnection despite differences.

Ria-Quintos Ortega as Thelma

An empowering performance, it looks at women not just as mothers, daughters, and sisters, but as advocates of inclusion, sustainability, and eco-waste management.

The budding artists likewise incorporated principles of ecology to create recyclable, biodegradable, restorative, and regenerative performance spaces to capture and draw attention to the concerns surrounding the community and environment. Pasko naman, anak was written and produced by THEATER, a production house founded by young student-artists from the Theater Arts and Production Design Programs of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. The show was in collaboration with the Benilde Service Learning Unit as well as EcoWaste Coalition, a network that partners with various communities to address crucial environmental issues such as waste and climate change. Pasko naman, anak will stream until April 12, April 14 to April 16 every 6:00 p.m. It will also be streaming on April 13 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available for P150. For reservations, visit https://ticket2me.net.

Take the Kpop craze to the next level in this KPop Kourt Room

Have a mad Macaroons Tea Party and actually chill inside a giant teacup

Sugar and selfies at S Maison’s The Dessert Museum into a beach full of THE Dessert Museum banana sprinkles. reopens its doors at Smash your own the Ground Level of piñata, submerge in S Maison. The 12,000 colorful confetti, and square-foot confectionary munch on goodies; paradise is an interactive and find elusive “eat as you play” and “Llamacorn” in the learn experience where Pinata Pit! Explore the the sights are just as delicious as the sweets. sweet side of the K-Pop You will gobble It’s summer all-year-round at craze by swinging on your way through eight The Banana Beach Room at The giant cake pops, as well mouthwatering rooms Dessert Museum as taking cool pictures of sugar-filled happiness and the Tik Tok Dance which will transform into one epic Challenge at the KPop-Court. imaginative wonderland. There are Aside from its mouthwatering rooms, only two things on the menu - Sugar and The Dessert Museum also has a wide set Selfies. of fun activities to complete your sugarThe fun begins at the Donut Room, filled experience. Revisit your childhood where you can slide to begin your as you try their hopscotch, see-saw, and sweetest tour ever. Then enter a world colorful jenga among many others. of fluffiness and be mallow-dramatic Entrance to the museum includes at the Thousands of Marshmallows a two-hour tour in all the eight sugarRoom, take a stroll on the giant Candy coated rooms plus four sumptuous Cane Grove, or take a snap at the desserts. Prepare to satisfy your dessert Rainbow Corner. cravings or even your childhood’s most Delight in the world of Alice in influential sweets Wonderland, have a mad Macarons and treats in a Tea Party and chill inside a giant very unique teacup; or fall under the spell setting. of the Bewitched Bakery where you can have your fortunes told by a big fortune cookie; There’s more fun and food ahead at the Cake Pops Carnival where you can submerge yourself inside a giant bowl of cereal or ride into the giant cake Submerge pops; the Giant Gum Ball; yourself in a and at the Banana Beach, a cereal bowl of yellow paradise where you ride happiness down the banana split slide and jump