Manila Standard - 2022 April 27 - Wednesday

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3 election hackers arrested

Suspects linked to Smartmatic machine breach, poll victory scam

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UTHORITIES have arrested and filed criminal charges against three men who alleged had hacked Smartmatic, the system provider for the 2022 national elections.

BBM IN CDO.

President aspirant Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. gestures to local media in Cagayan de Oro before the BBM-SARA UniTeam Grand Rally at Pelaez Sports Complex in the northern Mindanao city. Ver Noveno

They said the suspects, caught in an entrapment operation, were selling “victories” to candidates in the May 9 local and national polls, the Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group said Tuesday.

The PNP-ACG with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center arrested the suspects in separate entrapment operations in Imus, Cavite, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna on April 23.

“CICC together with the PNP-ACG conducted an entrapment operation in Imus, Cavite, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna against notorious hackers named 'XSOX Group'," the PNP-ACG said in a statement.

The suspects were identified as Joel Adajar Ilagan or “Borger”, Next page

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 76 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Publicus official sees 80% firm backers for BBM, Sara WITH barely two weeks before the May 9 national elections, PUBLiCUS Asia said at least 80 percent of the supporters of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio are already hard voters who have made up their minds and will surely vote for the tandem.

PUBLiCUS chief data scientist Dr. David Barua Yap Jr. said Tuesday both Marcos and Duterte-Carpio have registered increases in their voters' preference rating.

At least 57 percent of the 1,500 registered Filipino voters who participated in the PAHAYAG National Tracker: April Survey chose Marcos as their presidential bet.

Duterte-Carpio also continued to lead the vice-presidential race, with 59 percent of the vote among respondents.

"As Election Day nears, we firm up our support. We firm up our preferences, we become more and more committed to

the choices that we have made thus far.

So, I think that this is symptomatic of that particular common occurrence among voters that as Election Day nears, they become more and more convinced of who they are voting for," Yap said.

"If we look more closely at the numbers, the share of the very firm BBM voters rose from 70 percent in February to 80 percent in late April. Similarly, the share of very firm Sara voters rose from 75 percent in February to 80 percent in late April," he added.

Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential preference numbers in preelection surveys, on the other hand, have consistently hovered between 20 to 23 percent between October 2021 and the third week of April 2022.

The latest survey showed 21 percent of the respondents saying they would vote for Robredo.

Respondents to the non-commissioned Next page

Musk buys Twitter, vows to let users fight trolls, disinformation

HACKERS NABBED. Three suspects said to be responsible for hacking the Comelec Smartmatic system on January 8 hide under their shirts on Tuesday. They were identified as Joel Adajar, Adrian De Jesus Martinez and Jeffrey Cruz Limpiado.

Manny Palmero

Senate asks FB why gov't, media posts flagged

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo THE head of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., on Tuesday asked Facebook Philippines for an explanation regarding the series of

SAN FRANCISCO—Elon Musk's vow to let everyone say whatever they want on Twitter after his takeover of the social media giant could put the onus on users to combat bullying and misinformation on the platform, experts say.

Details of Musk's plans for Twitter were slim after his deal to buy the tech firm was announced Monday, but the Tesla chief portrays himself as a freespeech absolutist.

Musk, the world's richest man, struck a deal Monday to buy Twitter for $44 billion, capping a saga complete with hostile takeover threats before delivering him personal control

of one of the most influential social media platforms on the planet.

Twitter famously served as a megaphone for former US president Donald Trump before the platform banned him, and Musk—a selfproclaimed "free-speech absolutist" —has said he wants to reform what he sees as the platform's over-zealous content moderation.

"Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated," Musk said in a statement released by Twitter.

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standards.

"FB/Meta suspended my account because I am for Bongbong Marcos.

This is censorship of the highest degree and interference on a sovereign act,” Rodriguez said.

“I will not appeal for I have not violated anything. My duty is to the Next page

Cusi faction of PDP Laban party SC denies plea to join UniTeam campaign rallies vs. terror law, upholds legality

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte's PDPLaban faction and the UniTeam of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio will soon unite in campaign rallies for the May 9 elections, the party wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has announced.

The Facebook post on Monday teased that the 77-year-old President, whose sixyear term ends on June 30 when the new chief executive will take the presidential oath, could make an appearance during

TWITTER MASTER. In this file photo taken on April 14, a phone screen displays the Twitter account of Elon Musk with a photo of him shown in the background in Washington, DC. AFP

flagging and removal of posts and shared stories by government officials and state media agencies.

This developed as the Facebook account of lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., was suspended Tuesday, then later restored, for allegedly violating community

their sorties.

"The PDP Laban and UniTeam will join forces. Soon,” the post said.

The Cusi faction did not announce when and where this would happen, but members of the media are already seeking additional details.

Malacañang has remained silent on Duterte’s choice to succeed him, or whether he would join the rallies of Marcos, whom he had criticized in the past.

The Palace has said Duterte has decided Next page

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld with finality its December 2021 decision declaring almost all provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act constitutional.

The Court made the ruling during its en banc session held in Baguio City, where magistrates denied the motions for reconsideration filed by various groups Next page

17 Pinoys stuck in Shanghai got COVID—envoy

By Willie Casas THE country’s consul general in Shanghai said Tuesday seven more Filipinos in the Chinese city tested positive for COVID-19.

Consul General Josel Ignacio said this brought the number of confirmed infections among Filipinos in Shanghai to 17.

Of the figure, 3 have been discharged from isolation facilities while 14 are considered active cases, he added.

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BINAY-GMA IN PAMPANGA. Former Vice President and senatorial aspirant Jejomar Binay (second from right) stands with former President and Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (second from left) as they visit a public market in Pampanga on Tuesday (see related story on A4).

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News

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Comelec places 8 areas under control

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IGHT areas in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur were placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday.

In a statement, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said six municipalities in Maguindanao, and one city and one municipality in Lanao del Sur are now under their control.

The areas are the towns of Buluan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Piang, Mangudadatu, Pandag and Sultan Kudarat in the Province of Maguindanao.

Also, the City of Marawi City and the town of Maguing both in Lanao del Sur, were declared under Comelec control in addition to Tubaran and Malabang towns.

The places were placed under Comelec control upon the joint recommendation of

the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines and Regional Election Director Ray Sumalipao, the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC).

Meanwhile, absentee voting for those who will be on duty on Election Day, May 9, is set to start on Wednesday, April 27.

According to the Comelec, 84,357 voters have been allowed to avail of local absentee voting (LAV), which will last until April 29, Friday.

Meanwhile, the applications of 9,341 individuals were disapproved because they are either not registered or have been

deactivated.

The Comelec said a total of 93,698 military, police, government, and media personnel applied for LAV for the 2022 elections.

Local absentee voters will vote manually for national positions: president, vice president, senators and party-list.

According to Comelec Commissioner George Garcia, voting among military, police and government personnel will be conducted by the head of their respective offices.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10757, an area can be put under Comelec control in the following circumstances: 1. History of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts; 2. Incidents of politically-motivated

3 election...

with them. First, at Solaire, second at EDSA Shangri-La, and third in Pansol, Laguna. They did not know they were talking to CICC operatives,” he said.

The operatives posed as personnel of some politicians who would like to seek the hackers' help to rig the results of the May 9 polls.

The suspects received the initial P10 million of the P16 million payment they asked, he added.

Mancao said these hackers indeed have access to the Smartmatic system, but only within partial levels.

According to him, the three suspects were connected with former Smartmatic

employee Ricardo Argana, who initially surrendered to the NBI and went into hiding.

Argana supposedly passed the access to the Smartmatic system to Limpiado, according to Mancao.

Based on initial findings, the suspects allegedly violated the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 with the following acts: — Hacking of Smartmatic system; — Disrupting the Comelec website; — Hacking the Napocor (National Power Corp.) website; — Hacking of credit cards and other online transactions; and — Ransomware committed against some local commercial websites.

With the help of the Department of Justice and the National Prosecution Service, the PNP-ACG said criminal cases were filed against the suspects for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, particularly system interference, illegal access, and attempt in the commission of cybercrime.

“With these arrests, we can assure the public that the threat to rig our electoral process through hacking is substantially diminished as these are the only remaining known hackers who are persistently visible on the dark web claiming that they can manipulate election results,” it added.

as defined by statistics from the Commission on Elections.

The nationwide margin of error is +/- 3 percent.

Marcos Jr. maintained his wide lead over other candidates with less than three weeks before the May 9 elections, results of the latest pre-election survey conducted by PUBLiCUS between April 19 to 21 showed.

Marcos’ voters’ preference rating was two percentage points higher than his 55 percent in the March 9 to 14 survey of PUBLiCUS. “Marcos is the only presidential candidate who has notched a statistically

significant increase in voter preference during the campaign period. He has gained 5 percentage points over the past two months after notching an initial preference share of 52 percent in our February survey,” said Aureli Sinsuat, Executive Director of PUBLiCUS. Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential preference numbers, on the other hand, have consistently hovered between 20 to 23 percent in the six pre-election surveys conducted by PUBLiCUS between October 2021 and the third week of April 2022.

The latest survey showed 21 percent of the respondents saying they would

vote for Robredo.

Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio also continued to lead the vicepresidential race, with 59 percent of the vote among respondents.

Sinsuat said Duterte-Carpio has also notched a significant 5 percentage point increase in voter preference since the second week of February when she earned a preference share of 54 percent.

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III are statistically tied for second place after notching preference shares of 15 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

moderation; there have been several of those and they don't work," said analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group.

"The trolls take over, they get too hostile and drive people away from the platform."

Musk has said he is averse to banning people from Twitter due to misbehavior, prompting speculation that he would lift Trump's ban.

But Trump on Monday said he would not be returning to Twitter even if his account were reinstated, saying he would stick to his own site, Truth Social.

App store trouble?

If Musk pulls back on policing content at Twitter, advertisers would also have to take the lead to ensure their messages were not associated with toxic content, according to advocates and academics.

"Accountability now rests with Twitter's top advertisers, who need to make it clear that if Twitter becomes a free-for-all of hate, extremism and disinformation, they will walk," said Media Matters for America chief Angelo Carusone.

"It is also critical that Google and Apple hold Twitter to the same standards they applied to other apps like Parler," he added, referring to a social network popular among conservatives.

The tech giants would need to reiterate that "Twitter will not get special treatment and that a violation of their terms of service will result in the platform being removed from the app stores," according to Carusone.

Musk will also face tough judgement in the court of public opinion, with Twitter users apt to turn away from the platform if it becomes hostile and flooded with misinformation, Garrett-Wagner said. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

17 Pinoys...

China is trying to contain a wave of infections in Shanghai—its biggest city—which has been almost entirely locked down for weeks. It reported 52 new COVID deaths on Tuesday.

The economic hub of 25 million people is struggling to defeat China's worst outbreak in two years, despite weeks of strict measures. It has recorded over half a million cases since March 1.

Under its zero-COVID strategy, China imposed lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions to stamp out infections.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) is coordinating with vaccination sites after second COVID-19 booster shots were given to health workers and the elderly when the initial rollout was supposed to be limited to immunocompromised individuals.

The Food and Drug Administration earlier amended the emergency use authorization (EUA) to include a fourth dose, or second booster, for immunocompromised persons, the elderly, and health workers.

But the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) is still reviewing evidence for the additional jab for seniors and medical frontliners, the DOH said.

The DOH said it was investigating reports that a hospital in Metro Manila administered second boosters to health care workers and seniors who were not immunocompromised.

The management of the hospital said it "unintentionally misinterpreted the guidelines," the DOH said.

"The DOH and NVOC are currently coordinating with the relevant health

care facilities and Vaccination sites to prevent further instances of these events,” the DOH said.

Those eligible for the second booster shots include the following who have received their first booster at least three months prior: • Those who have immunodeficiency • Those living with HIV • Cancer patients (active) • Transplant recipients • Patients who take immunosuppressive drugs; and • Bedridden patients or those with terminal illness.

Also, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Tuesday the government has secured additional loans from the Japanese government to fund ongoing COVID-19 recovery efforts.

In a statement, the DOF said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Akihiko Tanaka, the new president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), signed a ¥30 billion (about P12.25 billion) loan agreement on Monday, April 25, 2022, in Tokyo, Japan.

The loan agreement is under the second phase of JICA’s COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan.

The first phase, amounting to ¥50 billion (P20.42 billion), was signed by the Philippines and Japan in July 2020 to support the government’s COVID-19 response and economic relief efforts.

The latest loan agreement carries a concessional lending term of 0.01 percent fixed interest rate per annum with a maturity period of 15 years, inclusive of a four-year grace period.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III thanked the Japanese government, noting that Japan remained the Philippines’ largest provider of official development assistance.

of whom were from the PDP-Laban Cusi wing and the UniTeam.

The UniTeam's Senate slate is also composed of several administration allies and former officials of the Duterte administration.

The PDP-Laban Cusi wing has endorsed the 64-year-old Marcos Jr. for the presidency, while it adopted Duterte's daughter as its vicepresidential candidate.

Last week, PDP-Laban SecretaryGeneral Melvin Matibag said there is also a "chance" that President Duterte would attend the upcoming joint rallies.

"We already had a meeting... I was with Secretary Cusi as president of the party when we discussed that there will be PDP-Laban rallies inviting BBM and Mayor Inday Sara," Matibag said in an interview after attending the UniTeam grand rally at the Biñan Football Stadium in Biñan, Laguna.

The joint UniTeam-PDP-Laban rallies, he said, would possibly be held in Bulacan, Parañaque, and Nueva Ecija.

"We're planning a big rally in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and in Parañaque that will be sponsored by PDP-Laban, with UniTeam invited," he said.

On the UniTeam-PDP-Laban partnership, Matibag said the two are on good terms.

"Yes, the talks went well. The UniTeam and PDP-Laban have plans," Matibag said.

opposing the implementation of the ATA. The Court said the motions were denied “due to lack of substantial issues and arguments raised by the petitioners.”

The magistrates maintained their votes in their decision which was written by then Associate Justice and now Philippine Judicial Academy Chancellor Rosmari D. Carandang. Newly appointed Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr. sided with the majority.

The Court voted 12-3 to strike down specific portions of two of the ATA’s provisions for being unconstitutional.

These include a qualifier that the Court said was “over broad” and violative of freedom of expression.

Also declared unconstitutional was a method for designating a person or group of persons to be terrorists that took into account requests by other jurisdictions or supranational jurisdictions.

A total of 37 consolidated petitions were filed before the Court seeking to declare the entire ATA or some of its vital provisions unconstitutional.

The ATA was enacted on July 3, 2020 and implemented 15 days later starting July 18, 2020.

In filing their motion for reconsideration, the petitioners said that the entire law should be scrapped for being unconstitutional.

Out of the 37 groups of petitioners who originally questioned the constitutionality of ATA before the SC, 25 groups filed their joint motion for partial reconsideration of its Dec. 7, 2021 ruling.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, a presidential candidate and one of the principal authors of the law, said he had expected the Court to deny the motions for reconsideration.

restored after it was incorrectly flagged as an impostor account.

"Earlier today, the account was mistakenly restricted for reasons unrelated to any posted content. The account has since been restored," Meta said in a statement.

In Revilla's letter to John Rubio, country director of Facebook Philippines, he said while the Senate recognizes Meta's efforts against disinformation, cyberbullying, hate speech, terrorism,

and other problems encountered in social media platforms, it would welcome information and an explanation from the social media giant.

"I join the concern of the government agencies and mass media organizations about the effects of the abovementioned incidents in the performance of official functions and their implications in national security, sovereignty, and fundamental freedoms," Revilla said.

Some posts of the Philippine News

Agency were also taken down by Facebook but were later restored.

Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the Facebook incidents are part of efforts to discredit the accomplishments of the Duterte administration and maliciously influence voters’ decisions ahead of the May 9 polls.

A post of National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. urging Filipinos

to unite against communist insurgency was similarly flagged, prompting Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya to denounce Facebook.

“This move of FB is alarming, if not dangerous, as it has appointed itself as an omnipotent force that can censure at their discretion—based on standards that they themselves created—the legitimate posts of highly respected officials of the country,” Malaya said in a statement.

From A1

Adrian De Jesus Martinez or “Admin X”, and Jeffrey Cruz Limpiado or “Brake/Vanguard/Universe/LRR”.

Authorities said the suspects allegedly claimed to have access to the system of Smartmatic Inc., which they said could influence the results of the May 9 polls.

At a press conference Tuesday, CICC executive director Cezar Mancao II said operatives had three meetings with the suspects.

“In fact, there were three meetings

Publicus...

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nationwide purposive sampling survey were randomly drawn by the Singapore office of American firm PureSpectrum from its market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos.

The final survey panel was restricted to registered voters. Parameters based on respondent age, gender, and location were also utilized in the sample formulation in order for the resulting sample to conform more closely to the features of the voting population,

Musk...

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"I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spam bots and authenticating all humans."

But the privatization of Twitter with Musk as its master has raised concerns from analysts and activists that the site will be capriciously ruled by the world's richest man, with more focus on attention and profit than on promoting healthy online conversations, which has been a priority at the service.

For Syracuse University assistant professor of communications law Kyla Garrett-Wagner, Musk's takeover of Twitter is not a free speech rights victory.

"What we have done is put even more power into fewer hands," she told AFP. "If Elon Musk decides tomorrow that he wants to shut Twitter down for a week, he can do that."

She noted the US Constitution's first amendment only bars governments from gagging what citizens say -- leaving the billionaire entrepreneur the power to decide what can and cannot be posted on the private entity of Twitter.

"This is not the street corner," GarrettWagner said. "This is the proverbial Wild West but owned by a minority elite that doesn't represent minority voices."

'The trolls take over' Musk's promised hands-off approach to content is a particularly thorny matter when it comes to high-profile cases like that of Trump, who was banned from Twitter after an assault on the Capitol by his supporters.

"Musk says he is going to turn Twitter into a social media platform with no

Cusi...

From A1

not to endorse any presidential candidate to avoid speculation that he will use public funds to campaign for his preferred successor.

Duterte, who has yet to name his preferred successor, in late March formally endorsed 17 senatorial candidates, most

Senate...

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Filipino people and not to FB/Meta. I will continue communicating with the many other forms of media available that are free from any filter, censorship, or manipulation from foreign platform providers,” he added.

Meta, for its part, said the Facebook account of Rodriguez has already been

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violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters; 3. Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and 4. Serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs), and other threat groups including the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFFs), the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority, or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, and credible elections in any political divisions, subdivisions, unit or area.

PNP chief orders hunt for bombers of bus in Parang PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Dionardo Carlos ordered Bangsamoro police to hunt down those responsible for a bomb attack on a bus that wounded 23 passengers in Parang, Maguindanao, on Sunday.

In a statement on Monday, Carlos said he instructed Bangsamoro regional director Police Brigadier General Arthur Cabalona to intensify checkpoints, police patrols, focused intelligence, and law enforcement operations to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

"While we express our heartfelt sympathy to the wounded, we assure them of our keen resolve and commitment to bring to justice those responsible for this uncivil attack on persons," Carlos said.

He said police were reviewing CCTV footage as part of its ongoing investigation.

Citing initial reports, the PNP said an improvised bomb went off in the back of a passenger bus heading to Dipolog City from General Santos City at around 6:40 a.m. Sunday.

Police said they found and diffused a second bomb inside the bus. They also found a damaged mobile phone, metal sheets, and cut nails that served as the shrapnel of the bomb. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

TUCP files P428 wage hike bid for Calabarzon

By Vito Barcelo THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Tuesday filed a petition for a P428 increase in the daily minimum wages for workers in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (Calabarzon) before the Regional Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB).

The labor group said wages were set to the cost of living more than 4 years ago when the regional wage board granted a measly P14 up to P21.50 increases in different provinces, cities, and municipalities in 2018, which had been long dissipated by the succeeding price increases since that year.

“We are now demanding the wage board to do its duty to set minimum wages that can really meet the basic needs of workers and their families in Region 4-A,” TUCP President Raymond Mendoza said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

SC...

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News

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

NO CONTACT JAIL VISITATION.

With a thick glass panel separating them, an inmate kisses his wife a tearful goodbye following the launch of Manila City Jail’s no-contact rule under which the prisoners and their visitors can meet up close and personal, but only through a glass pane and converse on the telephone.

Danny Pata

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IN BRIEF Cops nab 3 in buy-bust, P136m shabu seized POLICE have arrested three suspects and confiscated P136 million worth of shabu during raid in Cavite City Monday evening.

The Philippine National Police – Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG) reported that the suspects, identified as Isaac Gabriel Ambulo, 29; Roman Hosias Ambulo, 25; and Abdurrahim Ambulo, 41, were arrested during a buy-bust operation on Molino Blvd, Mambog IV, Bacoor, Cavite City early Monday morning.

Confiscated from the suspects were 20 kilos of shabu, a Honda Civic with plate number ZDJ 368, and assorted identification cards and documents.

Two suspects identified as Saddam Hadji Gaffor and Nabil Madarang fled during the raid. Joel Zurbano

PDP won’t endorse exDAR chief’s Senate bid

DA places ‘Agaton’ damage at P3.27b, allots P723m aid

DOJ: Recall TRO granted by SC to ex-Palawan gov

By Rey E. Requejo

By Othel V. Campos

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its resolution granting the petition for temporary restraining order (TRO) filed by former Palawan governor Mario Joel Reyes, principal suspect in the killing of anti-corruption crusader, environmentalist, and broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega in 2011.

The SC granted on March 23, 2022 the TRO plea of Reyes, blocking an arrest warrant issued by the Puerto Princesa City regional trial court (RTC) against him.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra expressed optimism that “justice will eventually prevail” despite the SC’s halt order that setback the continuation of the trial of Reyes who has been accused of allegedly masterminding the murder of Dr. Ortega on January 24, 2011.

“I have no doubt that justice will prevail in the end,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

The Supreme Court Second Division on March 23, 2022 granted Reyes’s motion for reconsideration, reinstated his petition for review on certiorari, and required the respondent DOJ through the Office of the Solicitor General to comment on the petition within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from notice.

The SC also issued a TRO enjoining the RTC from implementing its warrant of arrest against Reyes, and from conducting further proceedings in the criminal case filed against Reyes.

“The DOJ firmly believes in the fairness and evenhandedness of our highest court,” Guevarra said, even as he confirmed that the DOJ through the Office of the Solicitor General was seeking reconsideration of the High Court’s issuance of TRO and instead order the immediate rearrest of Reyes.

HE government has estimated Typhoon Agaton’s damage to agriculture at P3.27 billion even as verification and assessment of destroyed crops and facilities were still continuing.

T

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) allocated P723 million for assistance to the affected farmers and fisherfolk.

Hardest hit by Agaton were the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga where a total of 73,891 farmers and fishermen were reported economically dislocated.

The DA also estimated the loss to agricultural production at 90,889 met-

ric tons sustained by 32,689 hectares of farm lands.

The affected agricultural sub-sectors consisted of rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, and fisheries. In addition, agricultural infrastructures, machineries and equipment also took a heavy toll, although the damage values have yet to be accounted for.

While the DA continuously assesses the overall losses to farmers and fisherfolk, the Regional Field Offices (RFOs) has started fielding relief and assistance.

A breakdown of the assistance includes P500 million in Quick Response Fund (QRF) for the rehabilitation of the affected areas; P100 million under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) assistance program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) for Western Visayas; seed subsidy worth P122.94 million; P130,000 of animal stocks, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry from RFO XIII; and indemnification funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

The DA was also coordinating with concerned non-government organizations, the local government units, and the Disaster Risk Reduction Management for updates, as well as for available resources for interventions and assistance.

BEAUTIES ON THE MOVE.

Comely lasses from Tabaco City stamp political stickers on pedicabs and other vehicles to help push the poll bids of Team Tabaco.

Norman Cruz

Rody graces Quiboloy’s 72nd birthday celebration in Davao City PRESIDENT Duterte on Monday graced the 72nd birthday party of his spiritual adviser, Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy in Davao City.

Postings on Quiboloy’s official Facebook account showed the President and Quiboloy doing a fist bump, a gesture that substituted handshakes since the

start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a separate birthday video message, the Chief Executive also thanked Quiboloy for his loyalty and friendship.

“My warmest greetings to Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on your 72nd birthday. Thank you for your profound loyalty and support over the years of our friendship,” Duterte said.

He urged Quiboloy to be more deter-

mined about overcoming obstacles he is currently facing.

“May you strengthen your resolve as you face the challenges that come with the noble duty of strengthening the faith of our people. I wish you good health, more birthdays to come,” he added.

Duterte and Quiboloy’s friendship spans 30 years when the former was not

Loren asks bets on their climate plan ANTIQUE Rep. Loren Legarda on Tuesday urged all candidates in the May 9 elections to lay down their plans for climate adaptation and mitigation.

“I urge all my fellow candidates, from the national level to the cities and municipalities, to present their environmental agenda to the voters,” Legarda said.

She is giving it another try for the Senate in the forthcoming election.

“We can start by focusing on three things: Managing risks instead of managing disasters, protecting our ecosystems, and improving rural livelihoods,” Legarda said.

Legarda made the call as the world marks the 52nd celebration of Earth Day, an annual global observance aiming to raise awareness and drum up support for

planetary action and protection.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is “Invest in Our Planet,” which calls on everyone to “act boldly, innovate broadly, and implement equitably in order to preserve and protect our health, our families, and our livelihoods.”

“Our people need to know how we, as public servants, plan to invest in our planet in order to address the climate emergency we are in. I know that regardless of our parties and colors, we all agree that we need to save our planet— and I hope we all campaign just as hard for our climate, and lead much-needed discussions on climate change,” Legarda stressed.

She also underscored the important role that elected officials play in addressing the climate crisis, especially at the local government level. Macon Ramos-Araneta

yet Davao City mayor and Quiboloy had only15 followers.

Quiboloy was among the guests invited to the 18th birthday party of Duterte’s youngest child, Veronica or Kitty on April 9 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Davao City.

He sat next to Duterte and Kitty’s mother, Honeylet Avanceña, at the main banquet table.

FOR supporting the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan could no longer endorse exDepartment of Agrarian Reform chief John Castriciones, who is seeking a senatorial seat in the May 9 polls.

At a weekly forum organized by the PDP-Laban at B Hotel in Quezon City, senatorial bet Astra Pimentel said; “We all know that the party has its constitution that all of its members should support the party’s stand. Pending talks about Castriciones, there is still no final decision. We know that he is standing in the other stage. We know that the PDPLaban supports the BBM-Sara tandem.”

Castriciones, a PDP-Laban senatorial bet, shifted his support to presidential aspirant Manila Mayor Isko Moreno of Aksyon Demokratiko. Rio Araja

Comelec junks poll bid of Goma’s kin THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has tossed out the candidacy of a brother-in-law of Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez for councilor of Leyte province for alleged misrepresentation in his certificate of candidacy. , saying he misrepresented his place of residence.

In a resolution issued last April 22, the Comelec 2nd division ruled that Vincent Rama, an incumbent councilor of Ormoc City, lacked the required residency to qualify as candidate for board member of Leyte province.

Survey predicts close races in QC, Manila A NON-COMMISSIONED researchsurvey conducted by the independent Maharlika TV has predicted close fights among candidates in the May elections in the country’s two premier cities, Quezon City and Manila.

Maharlika TV, headed by Martin Panlilio Angeles, conducted its faceto-face survey from April 1 to 10 covering 2,400 respondents or 400 respondents per district. It used specimen ballots for the positions of mayor, vice mayor, and congressman.

Manila has 1.1 million registered voters, while Quezon City has 1.4 million voters.

Based on the survey, the team of incumbent Mayor Joy Belmonte leads with a wide margin in Quezon City, while the successor of Mayor Isko Moreno, vice mayor Honey Lacuna, might face a fierce battle in Manila.

Both Belmonte and her running mate Vice Mayor Gian Sotto appeared to be sure winners, as well as their allies in the congressional race, in spite of being new aspirants, the Maharlika TV survey said. Maricel V. Cruz

SECOND BOOSTER SHOT ROLLOUT.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora witnesses the inoculation for the so-called “immunocompromised individuals” at the launch of the city’s second booster shot drive held at the Virra Mall Greenhills Shopping Center.

Manny Palmero

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News

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

Leni counts on youth vote in May elections LIKE the crucial last two minutes of a basketball game.

This was how presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo described the remaining two weeks before the May 9 elections at the people’s rally in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on Monday.

In her speech at the “Anehan Na Naman!: Nueva Ecija Miting De Avance”, Robredo said the last two weeks is the most crucial time in the campaign.

Robredo said she is excited to see how the country’s youth can fight for the country when the May elections come.

Robredo recalled how she and running mate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, were both in college in 1986. She recalled that the youth sparked the revolution that year. “’Yung 1986, ang nagsimula ng rebolusyon mga kabataan. Ngayon po, ang magsisimula ng pagbabago, mga kabataan din,” she said.

But Robredo reminded the crowd that Filipinos do not need a revolution, and that Filipinos only need to use their votes wisely and correctly.

Robredo’s return to vote-rich Nueva Ecija marked the start of the campaign’s penultimate week.

With 14 days remaining before the crucial May 9 elections, the presidential candidate said supporters should exert all efforts in promoting the good and honest governance the Leni-Kiko tandem are advocating.

She thanked supporters and volunteers who are helping debunk all the disinformation and fake news that have been thrown at her in the last six years through house-to-house campaigning.

Robredo also noted the importance of a house-to-house campaign and having the chance to “debunk lies” and fake news.

KA LEODY MEETS WITH VICO. Ka Leody De Guzman meets with Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto. De Guzman and Sotto had a conversation on the welfare of Pasig workers. With Sotto were Walden Bello and Luke Espiritu, and other members of the Partido Lakas ng Masa in Pasig.

Dimaporo backs BBM-Sara tandem

G

OVERNOR Imelda ‘Angging’ Quibranza Dimaporo has assured presidential frontrunner Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. that the people of Lanao del Norte will deliver their full support for his candidacy this coming May 9 elections.

“Lanao del Norte is really for BBM. Even our local political opponents are also supporting (him). I told BBM I’m so happy in Lanao del Norte because even our political opponents are supporting you and Mayor Sara,” Dimaporo said.

In an interview, Dimaporo shared how the people of Lanao del Norte have supported their leadership in the province that started with their father Ali,

who was governor for 38 years.

Ali was a staunch supporter of BBM’s father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who worked hard to establish a peaceful relationship between Muslims and Christians in the region by initiating various reforms and programs.

She said with the trust and confidence her constituents had bestowed on them, they are ready to follow whoever their family will support.

Having the same message and advocacy since she ran for the first time in 1998, Dimaporo also sees the importance behind the UniTeam’s message of unity.

“That’s been my slogan. In my first run, ‘unity for peace and development’.

You have to unite your people kasi kapag sobra ang politika sino ang magsa-suffer?

Taumbayan ang kawawa,” she said.

“If we are not united we cannot see peace and progress,” she also said.

Dimaporo said she supports Marcos not only because of the relationship between their two families but because of his knowledge and long years of experience in politics.

“In my sorties (I always say) ‘Bakit

Lacson vows easier loans for small firms

‘Moreno admin will focus on basic needs’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

By Rey E. Requejo AKSYON Demokratiko standardbearer Isko Moreno Domagoso has assured thousands of Antiqueños that if elected president, he will focus on the minimum basic needs of the people which include housing, health, education, and employment.

“My compatriots Antiqueño, I am coming to you to ask for your help and support. Please help me your countrymen, I am just asking for a chance and I assure you that I will not disappoint you,” Moreno told more than 10,000 thousand residents, mostly youth supporters and ordinary people, in San Jose Buenavista, Antique.

“I will continue to explain to the people that if they want peace of mind and after decades of enmity and revenge with red and yellow, I am available because that is what we will prioritize --- the peace and well-being of the people,” Moreno said amid a cheering crowd here.

Moreno also paid tribute to his late father, Joaquin Domagoso, who left Antique for Manila in the 1960s and worked as a stevedore in the port area.

ko pinili si Bongbong?’ It’s not because magkakilala ang pamilya namin it’s because alam niya ang pangangailangan ng local government units dahil naging bise gobernardor siya, naging gobernador siya, alam niya kung anong needs ng munisipiyo especially the barangays,” she said.

“And then naging congressman siya, naging senador siya, madaming siyang nagawang batas na beneficial sa taumbayan,” she added.

Despite many criticisms and allegations against Marcos, the provincial governor is firm with her support as she confidently said that she doesn’t believe any of it .

RODY’S ENDORSEMENT. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte raises the hand of Deputy Speaker Representative Eric Martinez. Martinez is running for a third and final term as Valenzuela City’s 2nd District congressman.

Duterte endorses Martinez bid as Valenzuela solon THE reelection bid of Deputy Speaker and Valenzuela City 2nd Dist. Rep. Eric Martinez got a big boost after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself, expressed his full support on the lawmaker’s candidacy in this coming May 9 polls.

During a ceremony, the Chief Executive proudly raised the hand of Martinez, signifying his official endorsement of the latter’s desire for a third and final term as Valenzuela City 2nd District congressman.

Martinez, a high-ranking leader of the ruling PDP-Laban party, is the remaining

and original incumbent public official in Metro Manila to push and actively campaign for then Davao City Mayor Duterte’s presidential run in 2016.

Martinez said that with the president’s 60 percent plus approval rating, despite the fact that he has only two months remaining in his term, such show of support will give a great impact on anybody’s candidacy.

“It’s the President Duterte himself who is announcing to the people that he is endorsing my candidacy. It means a lot, what more can I ask for.” Martinez added,

as he also expressed his great honor and appreciation of the chief executive’s undying support on his political career.

This year, Martinez marked his 10th time vying for an elective position; first as a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Kagawad of Brgy. Marulas (1992 to 1996), one-term Barangay Kagawad of Marulas (1997 to 2000), as two-term City Councilor of Valenzuela (2001 to 2007), three-term City Vice-Mayor (2007 to 2016), and two-term Congressman of 2nd Dist. Valenzuela City (2016 to present).

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson vowed to work toward the simplification of the application process for state-funded loans to hasten economic recovery of small business owners and other stakeholders from the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME), If elected president, Lacson said he would ease the overregulation of the government on private businesses.

Lacson blamed the lack of information dissemination and improper policy implementation concerning the P2-billion worth of public funds allocated for the DTI to help keep the MSMEs afloat.

He noted that this is separate from the P2-billion fund courtesy of the Land Bank.

“Did you know there is a P2-billion allocation intended purely for financing?”

He said there are two kinds of loan applications, and one can be accessed at low-interest rates for the MSMEs. “The problem is why have you not been informed?” he said.

Senatorial aspirant and former Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Piñol, for his part, recommended a Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) system, which was a special credit program he implemented for the benefit of farmers and fishermen when he spearheaded the agency.

Gloria, Makabayan bloc back Binay’s Senate bid

By Joel E. Zurbano

UNITED Nationalist Alliance party senatorial bet Jejomar Binay on Tuesday thanked former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of the Makabayan Bloc in Congress for supporting his candidacy.

“I am most grateful to former Presi-

dent Arroyo for her support. Likewise to the members of the Makabayan bloc. As I have said earlier, our task is to help our people recover from the pandemic, and to do this we need to gather the broadest support possible,” Binay said.

“I will repeat what I said before that even though the colors are differ-

ent, the important thing is that we are united in the desire for our country and our countrymen,” he added.

Arroyo accompanied the former vice president in his campaign tour at the Pampanga Angeles Market and San Fernando Public Market in Pampanga.

The two were joined by local officials and political leaders in the province.

Lawmakers urged to pass disaster department bill

By Maricel V. Cruz

BUS NI ISKO STOPOVER. Youth volunteers on board “Bus ni Isko” take a short rest in a stopover in Hundred Islands, Alaminos City, Pangasinan after their campaign sorties in Luzon to convince voters to “Switch to Isko.”

SENATORIAL aspirant and Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig City has called on his colleagues in the Senate to consider passing its version of the bill calling for the formation of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR).

Cayetano made the call with only a handful of session days left before the 18th Congress concludes.

“I hope we don’t have to wait for the next Senate because we still have few session days left before the 18th Congress ends,” Cayetano said, as he cited the urgency for the measure to get en-

acted soonest.

Cayetano made his remarks as parts of Visayas and Mindanao continue to reel from the aftermath of Tropical Storm Agaton, which left 212 people dead and 132 missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC).

Opinion PH-China ties after 6 years WHICH way will Philippines-China relations go in the next six years?

If the recent hour-long telesummit between President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping is any indication, it has nowhere to go but up.

Here’s the highlights of their conversation, based on news reports. On the South China Sea issue, the two leaders stressed the need to exert all efforts to maintain peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea by exercising restraint, dissipating tensions, and working on a mutually agreeable framework for functional cooperation.

Both leaders acknowledged that even while disputes existed, they remained committed to broaden the space for positive engagements, reflecting the dynamic and multidimensional relations between the two countries.

It appears there is no way but up.

The two leaders described “the trajectory of relations as one that is positive and created greater space for partnership and cooperation” despite continued tensions in the West Philippine Sea caused by Chinese actions in disputed areas that prompted the Philippines to file hundreds of diplomatic protests against China, including one just over a week prior to the telesummit. In March, the Philippines filed a diplomatic protest over a Chinese Coast Guard vessel engaging in “close distance maneuvering” that heightened the risk of collision in the disputed waterway.

Duterte and Xi likewise emphasized the importance of continuing discussions and concluding the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a non-binding Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002, but the binding Code of Conduct on the South China Sea has yet to be finalized 20 years later.

Reviewing bilateral ties since 2016, the two leaders noted the significant growth of their economic cooperation, with Beijing helping in infrastructure development by supporting projects under the Build, Build, Build program.

They also agreed to further enhance two-way trade and investments, and stressed the need to open up access to goods and services and work towards a balance of trade that would reflect a healthy economic partnership.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of mutual support in each other’s pandemic re-

sponse. The Philippines has purchased most of its COVID-19 vaccines from the China-owned Sinovac’s CoronaVac. The Department of Health recently said that it would donate excess vaccine doses to Myanmar and Papua New Guinea.

The two leaders hailed the elevation of Philippines-China bilateral relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation as a milestone achievement that demonstrated the commitment of the two countries to continue building on the gains of the previous years towards the future.

During their telesummit, the two leaders also discussed the war in Ukraine and expressed hopes for the peaceful resolution of the situation through dialogue in accordance with international law.

The two leaders also discussed climate change. They agreed on the need for both the Philippines and China to work closely together to address the impacts of climate change and to ensure that the voice of the developing world will be heard in all relevant climate change forums.

Bilateral relations have proceeded along two tracks. One track seeks to settle the territorial dispute in the South China Sea through diplomacy and negotiations. The two countries established the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism (BCMs) to deal with South China Sea issues.

This mechanism has met seven (7) times, if we’re not mistaken, since 2017. But beyond official communiqués of their meetings, the two sides have not divulged the details of issues discussed, and what steps have been taken to resolve contentious issues. Our Department of Foreign Affairs should tell us what issues have been threshed out and what else needs to be addressed.

The other track is to strengthen economic cooperation, trade and investments and peopleto-people and cultural exchanges. This track has proven more successful and produced more concrete results than the first one.

At this point, we must emphasize the important role played by the late Ambassador Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana in strengthening bilateral ties since 2016. In his five-and-a-half years as our envoy in Beijing until his untimely passing on April 18, Sta. Romana helped immensely in laying the foundation for robust ties and mutual understanding between our two countries in the years ahead.

It was during Ambassador Sta. Romana’s stint in Beijing that the two countries elevated the status of bilateral relations to Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation. This we think is a testament to his diplomatic skills and deep understanding of Chinese history, politics and culture. that quite possibly allowed him to uphold our long-term national interests amid China’s insistence on ownership of much of the South China Sea on the basis of its controversial ninedash line.

Email: ernhil@yahoo.com

The importance of ‘resibo’

EVEN with election day less than two weeks away, there are still many voters who are undecided and are looking for ‘a sign’ to help them make a decision.

In terms of national candidates, there are those that have managed to dominate the surveys by dint of big-budget social media and promotional campaigns. But on the flip side, there is the campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo, whose presidential bid is aided by donations and a spontaneous outpouring of grassroots support which has not been seen before.

The massive kakampink rallies (where people stay for hours and do not leave in the middle of the candidates’ speeches), the tarps and other materials made and printed at the people’s own expense, the bayanihan donations of food and other necessities, point to sincere support on the part of the people that never required monetary return. “Hindi kami bayad!”

Why Leni? The ‘whys’ have been shared on the internet for months – her educational attainments, her track record of government service, her accomplishments in her various positions and jobs, point to her qualifications for the job of ‘healing and recovery’ president. Most of all, and perhaps the most compelling of all the reasons to vote for her, is the transparency with which she manages her affairs.

Here’s the story of one volunteer, ‘Tina,’ who told this story on social media. Last December, she said she gathered Typhoon Odette donations from her friends and family. She took the groceries she purchased to the Leni-Kiko Vol-

unteer Center for distribution.

When she got there, she was surprised that the staff at the HQ asked her for the receipt.

They cross-checked against the receipt to make sure that every item handed in was accounted for. What ‘Tina’ thought would be a simple drop-off took some time as the contents of each box and bag were “painstakingly” inventoried against the long receipt she had brought.

‘Tina’ said, “in disbelief”: “Ginagawa ninyo ito kada donation?”

The volunteer replied: “Yes, po, kailangan talaga because we want to be fully accountable for every item we receive. ‘Yan po ang system dito.”

Transparency and accountability are watchwords of Robredo’s style of governance.

‘Tina’ wrote: “If grocery items for a donation drive required an extensive ‘resibo’, how much more other government plans and projects?”

This particular policy was confirmed by a volunteer, who said she had to do the checking one time and it was indeed insisted upon and implemented thoroughly. ‘Denise Nicole,’ in a set of art cards posted on social media, wrote that she had also gone to the Center to volunteer to help sort and pack relief goods for Typhoon Odette victims.

She detailed the procedure step by step: Donors’ names, address/organization, and contact details are taken down. Every item given is listed. A corresponding value is then assigned to each item, ex. 155 grams of sardines = P21.25 times the number of cans. Then, add up the total value of each person’s donation. The informa-

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EDITORIAL

Tourism and health protocols

P

ROPHETIC it was when, two years ago, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat stressed her “high hopes” the industry would recover and the country, with its tourism jewels, would come out better from the challenges it was facing because of the coronavirus pandemic.

With official restrictions raised because of the pandemic threat, the industry has reawakened and begun, slowly but firmly, to rise from its nearly phlegmatic feet.

The London-based World Tourism and Trade Council has come out loud in its appraisal the Philippine tourism industry, a major earner for the country’s cash register, has recovered in 2021 with a 10.4 percent share to GDP. While it was still lower than the 22.5 percent in 2019, it was higher than the 4.85 percent in 2020.

The WTTC quoted the Economic Impact Report which was based on constant 2021 prices and exchange rates from the Oxford Economics and the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson stressed the growth was be-

cause of domestic travel and relaxed restrictions, adding the tourism economy has passed through the critical point and is getting better.

We are on our way.

Simpson said the industry contributed $41 billion to the Philippine economy in 2021, higher than $37 billion in 2020, which was an 81 percent drop from $93 billion in 2019.

A 20.5 percent rise in employment was likewise seen last year, as revealed by the PSA and the WTTC—5.72 million in 2019, 4.68 million in 2020 and 7.8 million in 2021. The 7.8 million was equivalent to a 20.5 percent growth.

Puyat, determined to make the industry reach its vision to have travel easier and faultless, said the DOT will

get there before long, projecting, with the relaxed restrictions after the high alert level systems have been downgraded by the government, recovery of the industry.

Simpson said the $41 billion share of the tourism industry to the economy even helped the Philippines to be the world’s fourth fastest-growing economy in 2021.

But while we are optimistic with the figures from the WTTC and the corresponding reactions from the Department of Tourism to address the challenges, we need to remind everyone to continue practicing the basic health protocols which would protect everyone with the surge of people in travel lines, establishments and tourism destinations.

There is no excuse for disregarding the protocols which helped us greatly during the 25-month stretch when the deadly coronavirus 2019 muscled its way in to the unsuspecting land of 110 million, killing more than 60,000 and infecting over 3.6 million.

Today, with the bullish report from the WTTC, we hear the echoes of Secretary Puyat’s “We will come out better from the present challenges that we face.”

Cause for cautious celebration.

A strong economy FERDINAND “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (BBM, for short) if he wins the presidency on May 9, 2022, will be a lucky chief executive.

BBM looks to me a sure bet for 2022.

An average of 16 major surveys, from October 2021 (SWS, BBM 47 percent; Leni 18 percent) to April 20-22, 2022 (Manila Bulletin-Tangere: BBM 51.54 percent; Leni 18.25 percent) yields 56.41 percent for Marcos and only 18.14 percent for Robredo after seven months. That’s a margin of 38.27 points, or 22.96 million votes assuming 60 million voters. No presidential candidate in history has piled up so huge an advantage—about 23 million votes. BBM will garner 33.84 million votes; Leni will be miserable with less than 11 million votes.

Even if BBM gives away half of his 23-million-vote advantage, or 11.5 million votes and these are added to Leni’s, the widow will get only 22.5 million votes—still 11.34 million less than Marcos Jr’s.

President BBM inherits from President Duterte a robust economy with strong fundamentals. Some of these fundamentals: • Historic-high investment grade retained amid the pandemic (PH’s peers were downgraded); • Record-high foreign investments which amounted to $10.5 billion in 2021, up 54.2 percent and exceeding the previous high of $10.3 billion in 2017, Duterte’s first full year; • A large and growing market of 110 million people that is middle class with per person income of $3,300 a year; • A modern infrastructure, thanks to “Build, Build, Build” that increased infra investment to 5 percent of GDP (2.7 times the 1.8 percent average of the previous 24 years) and created at least six million new jobs; • Strong dollar income, thanks to remittances which amounted to $31.5 billion in 2021, up 5.1 percent; --Declining unemployment which hit 6.4 percent in 2021, after hitting an unheard of 17.6 percent in April 2020, the height of the pandemic.

With an expected 6 percent GDP growth for 2022, Duterte will register average economic growth of 4.53 percent in six years—6.9 percent in 2017, 6.3 in 2018, 6.1 in 2019, -9.6 in 2020, and 5.6 percent in 2021. tion is passed to a checker who then gives the data to an encoder who will record it.

‘Denise Nicole,’ who admits she is not good in math, had to do her calculations several times before she “passed.” “Parang exam,” she said.

“It was tough.”

But, she added, “That’s what accountability is. That’s what transparency entails. That is the culture that Leni and Kiko promote.”

Transparency and accountability are watchwords of Robredo’s style of governance. When in Congress as the representative of Camarines Sur’s third district, the first bill she filed, in 2013, was the Full Disclosure Bill, which seeks to

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

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

Without the pandemic induced economic slump of -9.6 percent in 2020—a postwar record low. Duterte was going to score 6.2 percent average GDP growth in six years. Marvelous for someone who does not understand economics.

Assessing recent risks, Bangko Sentral Governor Ben Diokno said: “With its robust external sector and strong and steady dollar inflows, the country is well-equipped to manage risks. Armed with recent structural reforms and strong macroeconomic fundamentals, the Philippines is more than ready to be the world’s investment destination of choice.”

Much is expected of the next leader.

For his part, Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez is the most fulfilled economic czar and finance secretary in history.

Says Sonny: “The election season will not be an issue.

We have a long history of orderly and peaceful transfers of power.

“The next administration will inherit many hard-won reforms. They will enter the office with the basic groundwork for rapid growth already in place.

“Together, we have to create an economy that can provide sufficient taxes so the government can provide the necessary public goods for the continued prosperity of the Filipino people.

“Our fiscal consolidation plan will help us achieve this.

“We will continue working hard until the last hour of our mandate to contribute all we can to our economic resurgence.

“We have sailed through fine and rough weather. But President Duterte has proven to be a strong and steady captain of the ship.

“The waves may be high, but the ship of state has been masterfully steered.”

Meanwhile, the Manila-based Asian Development Bank has this risk assessment for 2022: • The Russian invasion of Ukraine has heightened uncertainty and unsettled commodity markets.

• The pandemic persists, fueled by the Omicron variant. Milder health impacts and vaccination progress have allowed economies to remain more open than in previous waves.

• GDP in Asia will expand by 5.2 percent in mandate government agencies to bare their budgets, documents of public interest, and financial transactions, the same practice institutionalized by her late husband Jesse Robredo when he was mayor of Naga City.

This is the kind of leader we need, someone who knows the value of honesty in public service, a person who is accountable to the people she serves. Public service is a public trust – people elect leaders and trust them to do right by them. An elected official who breaks this trust is unworthy of the position.

Robredo has instituted a culture of transparency and accountability in her office as

2022 and 5.3 percent in 2023, on continued recovery in domestic demand and solid exports.

Inflation will rise to 3.7 percent in 2022 and 3.1 percent in 2023.

• ADB sees Philippine GDP growth of 6 percent in 2022 and 6.3 percent in 2023—the second highest growth rate in Asia, next to Vietnam’s 6.5 percent in 2022 and 6.7 percent in 2023..

• Risks include escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, financial instability triggered by the Fed’s aggressive tightening, emergence of more lethal COVID-19 variants, and disruptions associated with the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) current outbreaks.

ADB sees several downside risks cloud the horizon: • Escalating global geopolitical tensions arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine could spill over to the region through sharper-thanexpected increases in energy and other commodity prices.

• Aggressive tightening by the US Fed could trigger financial market volatility, capital outflows, and currency depreciations; raising financial stability risks in the region.

• The emergence of more deadly COVID-19 variants and the PRC’s current Omicron outbreak could jeopardize regional growth and supply chains.

• Learning losses from continued school closures threaten to further exacerbate economic inequality.

The Fed funds rate is to increase faster than the baseline: • 1.9 percent by December 2022 vs. 1.1 percent in baseline.

• Up to 2.8 percent in 2023 vs. 2.1 percent in baseline.

This Fed rate increase, ADB says, may imply weaker global economic recovery and slower growth in developing Asia. “Policy choices will become more complex in the region,” the regional lender frets.

• Inflation could accelerate, as exchange rates depreciate along with capital outflows.

• Raising interest rates to stem capital outflows is an option but may choke domestic demand and slow the recovery.

At bottom, with a huge and unprecedented mandate, a President Marcos Jr will have plenty of political capital and goodwill of his people to face any storms-- economic, political and security. Much is expected of President Bongbong.

The Philippines is his to fail. vice president – this is one reason why the Commission on Audit has given her its highest rating for three consecutive years, a record that very few government agencies can boast of.

Where there is transparency and accountability, there is no room for corruption. There is no space for stealing from public coffers. There is no area that is shadowed with secrets and lies. For the undecided, let this ‘resibo’ culture of Leni be your sign. She is the leader that our country needs and deserves. *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

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Civil Case No. R-QZN-21-05453-CV For: Judicial Partition of Real Property

SPOUSES REYNALDO D. CORPUS and EVELYN B. CORPUS, NILDA T. TOLENTINO-INGOGLIA, the CITY TREASURER OF QUEZON CITY and The REGISTRY OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY Defendants. x---------------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION SPS. REYNALDO D. CORPUS and EVELYN B. CORPUS No. 172 Guava Ct., Vallejo, California USA (previous USA address) 141 Bluebell PI, Vallejo, California, USA (current USA address) NILDA T. TOLENTINO-INGOGLIA 1E Broadway Apt 6L, Long Beach, New York (USA address) WHEREFORE, on July 1, 2021 plaintiff filed a Complaint for the Judicial Partition of Real Property under Co-Ownership.

WHEREFORE, on October 13, 2021, the Branch Clerk of Court issue a Summons upon defendants Sps. Reynaldo D. Corpus and Evelyn B. Corpus, Nilda T. Tolentino-Ingoglia requiring them to file an Answer to the Complaint.

WHEREAS, on November 16, 2021, the plaintiff through his counsel, filed a Motion for Leave of Court for Extraterritorial Service of Summon by Publication. The aforementioned defendants are residents of another country, beyond territorial jurisdiction of this Court, and pursuant to Sec. 17, Rule 14 of the 2019 Revised Rules of Court on Civil Procedure, the instant motion is granted in an Order dated November 17, 2021.

NOW THEREFORE, defendants Sps. Reynaldo D.Corpus and Evelyn B. Corpus, Nilda T. Tolentino-Ingoglia are hereby summoned and required to file with Regional Trial Court, Branch 91, National Capital Judicial Region, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, their verified Answer to the complaint within thirty (30) days from the last date of publication of this Summons. Failure of the defendants to file their Answer within the reglementary period, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and maybe granted relief applied for in the Complaint.

WHEREFORE, let this summons together with the copy of the Complaint and the Order dated November 17, 2021 be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation to be selected by raffle pursuant to PD 1079, at the expense of the plaintiff.

Witness the Hon. Kathleen Rosario D. De la Cruz-Espinosa, Presiding Judge of this Court, this 18th day of November 2021.

(Sgd.) ATTY. CHARISE ANN D. ALVARO Branch Clerk of Court

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, Quezon City BRANCH 91 ARNOLD J. TAGORDA, as represented by ABDON OWENS B. CABATU, Plaintiff, -versus-

Civil Case No. R-QZN-21-05453-CV For: JUDICIAL PARTITION OR REAL PROPERTY

SPOUSES REYNALDO D. CORPUS and EVELYN B. CORPUS, NILDA T. TOLENTINO-INGOLGIA, THE CITY TREASURER OF QUEZON CITY and the REGISTRY OF DEEDS QUEZON CITY, Defendants. x----------------------------------------------------x

ORDER For resolution is the “Motion for Leave of Court for Extraterritorial Service of Summons by Publication”, filed by the plaintiff, through counsel on October 7, 2021. As alleged, the defendants Reynaldo D. Corpus, Evelyn B. Corpus and Nilda T. Tolentino-Ingoglia are already residing at California, U.S.A. and New York, respectively thus, plaintiff moved with leave of court to serve summons by publication.

Acting on the motion and finding the same to be well-taken considering that the aforementioned defendants are residents of another country, beyond the territorial jurisdiction of this Court, and pursuant to Sec. 17,Rule 14 of the 2019 Revised Rules on Civil Procedure, the instant motion is hereby GRANTED. Let the summons as against defendants Reynaldo D. Corpus, Evelyn B. Corpus and Nilda T. Tolentino-Ingoglia be served or effected by publication pursuant to Sec. 17, Rule 14 of the 2019 Revised Rules of Civil Procedure.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, November 17, 2021.

(Sgd.) KATHLEEN ROSARIO D. DE LA CRUZ-ESPINOSA Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Atty. Juan DC Gonzales B59 L27 Area I, Sto.Nino 1. Sapang Palay City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan

Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Quezon City Branch__ ARNOLD J. TAGORDA, as represented by ABDON OWENS B. CABATU, Plaintiff, -versus-

Civil Case No. R-QZN-21-05453-CV For: Judicial Partition of Real Property

SPOUSES REYNALDO D. CORPUS and EVELYN B. CORPUS, NILDA T. TOLENTINO-INGOGLIA, the CITY TREASURER OF QUEZON CITY, and the REGISTRY OF DEEDS QUEZON CITY, Defendants. x----------------------------------------------------------x

COMPLAINT (For Partition of Real Property Under Co-Ownership) Plaintiff, represented by his Attorney-in-Fact, by the undersigned counsel, unto this Honorable Court, most respectfully files this Complaint and states: PARTIES 1. Plaintiff Arnold J. Tagorda, is of legal age, Filipino citizen, and with an address at No. 5, Rodriguez St., Sta. Barbara, Iloilo City.

2. Plaintiff is hereby represented by Abdon Owens B. Cabatu, of legal age and Filipino citizen, by virtue of a special Power of Attorney. For purposes of this complaint, plaintiff may be served with notices and other pertinent processes at Lot 6H, Block 15, Carnation St., West Fairview Park, Fairview, Quezon City.

The Special Power of Attorney dated 14 April 2021 is attached as Annex “A” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

3. Defendants Reynaldo D. Corpus and Evelyn B. Corpus are husband and wife, citizenships unknown, Philippine address at No. 78 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City, previous United States of America (USA) address at No. 172 Cuava Ct., Vallejo, California, and current USA address at 141 Bulebell Pl., Vallejo, California.

4. Defendant Nilda T. Tolentino-Ingoglia is of legal age, present civil status unknown, citizenship unknown, with Philippine address at No. 78 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City and USA address at 1 E Broadway Apt. 6L, Long Beach, New York.

5. The City Treasurer of Quezon City with address at City Treasurer’s Office, Annex Building, Quezon City Hall Compound is impleaded as a nominal party to the case considering its role to send demand letters/notices to all delinquent realty taxpayers within Quezon City and to determine the collection of deficiency taxes of the subject property.

6. The Registry of Deeds of Quezon City with address at Land Registration Authority-East Avenue, corner NIA Road, Diliman, Quezon City is likewise impleaded as nominal party to the case, considering its role in the cancellation, issuance and/or registration of new title/s anent the property depending on the decision of this Honorable Court.

ANTECEDENT FACTS 7. This is the second time that the plaintiff seeks the partition of this subject property regarding the same subject matter. The first was in Civil Case No. QZN-16-09111 entitled “Arnold J. Tagorda, represented

by Abdon Owens B. Cabatu v. Spouses Reynaldo and Evelyn Corpus, et al.” which was dismissed by the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 92, Quezon City, and CA-G.R. SP. No. 150339 entitled “Arnold J. Tagorda, represented by Abdon Owens B. Cabatu v. Spouses Reynaldo and Evelyn Corpus, et al,” before the Court of Appeals who affirmed the dismissal of the said case by the RTC, The Decision thereof is without prejudice to the re-filing of this Complaint.

Description of the Subject Property” 8. Project 6, Quezon City, consisting of 390.50 square meters, is covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (CTC) No. 004-2011005831 issued by the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City, and more particularly described as follows: TCT No. 004-2011005831 “ A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 16-A OF THE SUBDN. PLAN (LRC) PSD-96262, BEING A PORTION OF LOT 16, BLK. LCH -671, PSD-53250, LRC (GLRO) REC. NO. 7681), SITUATED IN THE DIST. OF DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, IS. OF LUZON, BOUNDED ON THE N., POINTS 2-3 BY LOT 18, BOTH OF BLK. LCH-671, PSD-53250; ON THE N., POINTS 3-4 BY LOT 24; AND POINTS 4-5 BY LOT 19, BOTH OF BLK. LCH-671, PSD-53250; ON THE S., POINTS 5-1 BY LOT 16-B OF THE SUBDN. PLAN; AND ON THE W., POINTS 1-2 BY LOT 28, BLK LCH 671-, PSD 53250 (SERVICE RD.) BEGINNING AT THE POINT MARKED “1” ON PLAN, BEING N. 2 DEG. 30’W., 2687.39 M. FROM BLLM 7, QUEZON CITYL THENCE N. 2 DEG 45’W 15.10 M. TO POINT 2, THENCE N. 86 DEC. 27’E., 20.01 M. TO POINT 3; THENCE S. 2 DEG. 45’E., 1.78 M. TO POINT 4; THENCE S. 2 DEG. 24’W., 13.22 M. TO POINT 5; THENCE S. 86 DEG. 10’W., 19.93 M. TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING; CONTAINING AN AREA OF THREE HUNDRED SQ. METERS AND FIFTY SQ. DECIMETERS (300.50), MORE OR LESS ALL POINTS REFERRED TO ARE INDICATED ON THE PLAN AND ARE MARKED ON THE GROUND AS FF; POINTS 1 & 5 BY PS AND THE REST BY OLD BL CONC. MONS. 15X60CM; BEARINGS TRUE; DATE OF THE ORIGINAL SURVEY, DEC. 1910-JUNE 1911 AND THAT OF THE SUBDN. SURVEY, NOV. 17, 1968.”

The certified true copy of the Transfer Certificate of Title No. 004-2011005831 is attached as Annex “B” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

The Assessed Value of the subject property for jurisdictional purposes – 9. The plaintiff respectfully submits certified true copies of the originals on file of the tax declarations of the subject property (land and improvements) issued by the Office of the City Assessor – Quezon City on 13 April 2021. Based on the said tax declaration documents, the assessed value f the subject property is enumerated as follows: Property Amount 1. Land assessment value of property under Evelyn B. Corpus et al.

Php 375,630 2. Improvements and Building Php 399,780 Total Php 755.410 The certified true copies of the originals on file of the Tax Declarations issued by the Office of the City Assessor – Quezon City on 13 April 2021 with Nos. F-085-00783, D-085-04505, D-085-04506, and D-085-01914 are attached as Annex “C1”, “C2”, “C3”, and “C4”, respectively, and made integral part of this Complaint.

10. Based on the above assessed value, it is most respectfully submitted that the Honorable Court has the jurisdiction over the subject matter of the case as provided for under relevant laws and jurisprudence.

Nature and extent of plaintiff’s title – 11. It is worth noting that the registered co-owners of the subject property are the following, namely: (1) Roderick T. Tolentino (Roderick), the vendor f the aliquot 100-square meter part of the total 300 square meter subject property; (2) Private defendants Spouses Reynaldo Corpus and Evelyn B. Corpus; and (3) Private defendant Nilda Tolentino-Ingoglia; all in equal share respectively consisting of one hundred (100) square meters each of the three of them.

12. The aforementioned TCT No. 004-2011005831 indicated the determined equal share of the respective registered co-owners, Roderick Tolentino, Evelyn Corpus, and Nilda Tolentino.

13. Plaintiff Arnold J. Tagorda brought the proportionate property owned by Roderick by virtue of the execution of the Deed of Absolute Sale on 01 August 2016.

The Deed of Absolute Sale dated 01 August 2016 is attached as Annex “D”, and made an integral part of this Complaint.

Compliance with the Notice to Exercise Pre-emptive Right and Peculiar circumstances of Actual notice of the sale of the Subject property – 14. Prior to the execution of the Deed of Absolute Sale dated 01 August 2016, Roderick was made to sign a document/Special Power of Attorney by the private defendants, authorizing them to sell his pro indiviso share. However, Roderick never received any notice from the private defendants of their willingness to buy his share.

15. On 03 February 2015, Roderick sent a Letter of Revocation of Special Power of Attorney Notice to Exercise Pre-emptive Right dated 28 January 2015. However, despite reasonable notice and time given to the private defendants, they failed and continue to refuse to exercise the said right.

Letter of Revocation of Special Power of Attorney with Notice to Exercise Pre-emptive Right dated 28 January 2015 are attached as Annex “E”, and made an integral part of this Complaint.

16. Further, for purposes of subdividing the land, the plaintiff demanded the private defendants to surrender the said Original Owner’s Duplicate Copy of TCT. A letter of final demand to surrender TCT

No. 004-2011005831 dated 28 April 2016 was sent to the addresses of the private defendants with one labeled to their local address in Quezon City and another to their previous USA address. However, both letters were returned to sender a few months later for the reason it was unclaimed despite due notices.

The Letter of Final demand to Surrender Owner’s Duplicate Copy of TCT No. 004-2011005831 dated 28 April 2016 is attached as Annex “F” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

17. Furthermore, despite the fact that the Civil Case No. QZN-16-09111 have been instituted and decided by this Honorable Court, private defendants show no indication of any interest to exercise their right of legal pre-emption.

Recent Notice to Remind Private Defendant’s Right of Pre-emption – 18. In the earnest desire of the plaintiff to remind private defendants of their Pre-emptive Right, the previous Letter of Revocation of Special Power of Attorney with Notice to Exercise Pre-emptive Right dated 28 January 2015 and the Letter of Final Demand to Surrender Owner’s Duplicate Copy of TCT No. 0042011005831 dated 28 April 2016 (In the form of attachment to the Final Notice of Pre-emptive Right) were mailed once again to the private defendants’ new found addresses in the USA via LBC on 10 April 2021.

Also, the same notice with its attachments were sent on their old known address in Quezon City and the new USA addresses through registered mail on 12 April 2021.

The Final Notice of Pre-emptive Right dated 09 April 2021 with proof of mailing is attached as Annex “G” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

19. Further the plaintiff sought other available means to send the said notice through Facebook accounts of Spouses Reynaldo and Evelyn Corpus as well as Jericho Corpus, their son, on 09 April 2021.

The print out copy of the Facebook messages dated 09 April 2021 is attached as Annex “H” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

20. However, despite these efforts, private defendants failed to show any interest in the sale of Roderick’s share over the subject property. Hence, private defendant’s silence constitutes a waiver to exercise their Pre-emptive Right.

Tax deficiency – 21. Sometime in 2016, plaintiff was informed that the entire undivided subject property has accrued real property tax arrears. As reflected in the print out of the Real Property Assessment Record by the City Assessor’s Office on 06 April 2021, the Quezon City Treasurer’s Office issued a Warrant of Levy per Tax Dec. Ref. No. 47 dated 11 September 2013.

The print out of the Real Property Assessment Record by the City Assessor’s Office on 06 April 2021 is attached as Annex “I” and made on integral part of this Complaint.

22. The above-mentioned accrual of tax deficiencies and the issuance of Warrant of Levy are prejudicial to the rights of the plaintiff over the subject property. Hence, the plaintiff demanded the extrajudicial partition of the subject property. Hence, the plaintiff demanded the extrajudicial partition of the subject property at the Barangay Project 6.

Earnest effort to conciliate Before the Barangay – 23.To buy peace and good will, the plaintiff requested the private defendants for possible extrajudicial partition before the Barangay of Project 6, Quezon City. Plaintiff submitted a proposed subdivision / partition plan least prejudicial or detrimental to the entire property, taking into consideration the rights of the other co-owners, given the fact that they leased out portions of the subject property to third persons.

The Proposed Subdivision / Partition Plan is attached as Annex “J” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

24. However, despite issuance of several notices of Barangay Summons for mediation /conciliation, private defendants refused to heed the said summons. Consequently, the Barangay issued a Certificate to File Action on 05 August 2016.

The Certificate to File Action is attached as Annex “K” and made an integral part of this Complaint.

The plaintiff seeks judicial Partition of the subject Property – 25. To plaintiff’s knowledge, the subject property is free from any lien and/or encumbrances. In addition, aside from the tenants who lease the portion of the subject property, no person or entities other than himself and private defendants have an interest in ownership of the property involved.

26. Hence, this instant Complaint for Partition under Rule 69 of the Rules of Court praying before the Honorable Court that the above specified real property be now judicially partitioned, between and among the plaintiff and herein private defendants, as respectfully suggested in the attached Proposed Subdivision/ Partition Plan.

APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISPRUDENCE 27. Partition is the separation, division, and assignment of a thing held in common among those to whom it may belong. Every act which is intended to put an end to indivision among co-heirs and legatees or devisees is deemed to be a partition. (Marcos v. Heirs of Isidro Bangi, G.R. No. 185745, 15 October 2014).

28. “Petitioners who project themselves as prejudiced co-owners may bring a suit for partition, which is one of the modes of extinguishing co-ownership. Article 494 of the Civil Code provides that no co-owner shall be obliged to remain in the co-ownership, and that each co-owner may demand at any time partition of the thing owned in common insofar as his share is concerned. X X X” (Arambulo, et al, v. Nolasco, et al., G.R. No. 189420, 26 March 2014.)

29. Under Section 1 of Rule 69 of the Rules of Court, “A person, having the right to compel the partition of real estate may do so as provided in this Rule, setting forth in his complaint the nature and extent of his title and an adequate prescription of the real estate of which partition is demanded and joining as defendants all other persons interested in the property.”

30. “The law does not encourage co-ownerships among individuals as oftentimes it results in inequitable situations such as in the instant case. Co-owners should be afforded every available opportunity to divide their co-owned property to prevent these situations from arising.” (Patricio v. Dario III, et al., G.R. No. 170829, 20 November 2006.)

31.Article 1620 of the New Civil Code provides: A co-owner of a thing may exercise the right of redemption in case the shares of all the co-owners or of any of them, are sold to a third person. If the price of the alienation is grossly excessive, the redemptioner shall pay only a reasonable one.

Should two or more co-owners desire to exercise the right of redemption, they may only do so in proportion to the share they may respectively have in the thing owned in common.

32. Article 1620 contemplate of a situation where a co-owner has alienated his pro indiviso shares to a stranger. By the very nature of the right of “legal redemption”, a co-owner’s light to redeem is invoked only after the shares of the other co-owners are sold to a third party or stranger to the co-ownership. [Marina Z. Reyes, et al. v. The Honorable Alfredo B. Concepcion, et al., G.R. No. L-56550, 01 October 1990, citing Estrada v. Reyes, 33 Phil. 31, (1915).]

33. The law does not prohibit a co-owner from selling , alienating or mortgaging his ideal share in the property held in common. The law merely provides that the alienation or mortgage shall be limited only to the portion of the property which may be allotted to him upon termination of the co-ownership [See Mercado v. Liwanag, G.P. No. L-14429, June 30, 1962, 5 SCRA 472; PNB v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-34404, June 25, 1980, 98 SCRA 207; Go Ong v. The Honorable Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 75884, September 24, 1987, 154 SCRA 270,] and, as earlier discussed, that the remaining co-owners have the right to redeem, within a specified period, the shares which may have been sold to the third party.

[Articles 1620 and 1623 of the New Civil Code.] [Marina Z. Reyes, et al. v. The Honorable Alfredo B. Concepcion, et al., G.R. No. L-56550, 01 October 1990.]

34. x x x The applicable law is Article 493 of the New Civil Code, which spells out the rights of co-owners over a co-owned property, to wit: Art. 493. Each co-owner shall have the full ownership of his part and of the fruits and benefits pertaining thereto, and he may therefore alienate, assign or mortgage it, and even substitute another person in its enjoyment, except when personal rights are involved. But the effect of the alienation or the mortgage, with respect to the co-owners, shall be limited to the portion which may be allotted to him in the division upon the termination of the co-ownership.

Pursuant to this law, a co-owner has the right to alienation his pro indiviso share in the co-owned property even without the consent of his co-owners. This right is absolute and in accordance with the well-settled doctrine that a co-owner has full ownership of his pro indiviso share and has the right to alienate, assign or mortgage it, and substitute another person for its enjoyment. In other words, the law does not prohibit a co-owner from selling, alienating, mortgaging his ideal share in the property held in common. (Heirs of Reynaldo Dela Rosa, et al., v. Mario A. Batongbacal, et al., G.R. No. 179205, July 30, 2014.)

WITNESSES TO BE PRESENTED 35. The plaintiff’s Attorney-in-Fact, Abdon Owens B. Cabatu, to testify the nature and extent of the plaintiff’s title over the subject property, and the compelling circumstances to exercise the right of the plaintiff to demand partition over the subject real property.

The Judicial Affidavit of plaintiff’s Attorney-if-fact is attached as Annex “L” and made integral part of this Complaint.

36 Era Mae G. Encina, to testify: (1) the earnest effort to notify private defendants the Final Notice to Exercise Pre-emptive Right via Facebook Messenger (FB), accredited courier (LBC), and registered mail; and (2) the production of the print out copies of the messages from the FB Messenger.

The Judicial Affidavit of witness is attached as Annex “M” and made integral part of this Complaint.

37. The plaintiff respectfully reserves the right to present additional documentary as well as testimonial evidence during the trial of the instant cases for meritorious reasons.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed to the Honorable Court that after due notice and trial, judgment be rendered as follows: 1. To order the partition of the subject property between the plaintiff and the private defendants of their respective equal shares as indicated in the TCT No. 004-2011005831 and in accordance Proposed Subdivision/Partition Plan; 2. To order the Registry of Deeds of Quezon City the re-issuance of the Original Owner’s Duplicate Copy of TCT No. 004-2011005831 should the Court favor the subdivision/partition of the said property for the issuance of a new title under the names of respective co-owners.

3. To order the City Treasurer of Quezon City to provide the plaintiff the current tax delinquency incurred over the subject property for the settlement of the same.

Other relief just and equitable under the premises are also prayed for.

Quezon City, 20th April 2021.

(Sgd.) ARNOLD J. TAGORDA Affiant Assisted by: (Sgd.) JOAN DC. GONZALES Attorney’s Roll No. 73357 PTR No. 2472969; 02/05/2021; CSJDM, Bulacan IBP No. 146486; 02/05/2021, Bulacan MCLE Compliance Cert. No. New Lawyer Email Address: atty.joandcgonzales@gmail.com Contact No.: +63-9956511287 (Globe) +63-9494121608 (Smart) OFFICE ADDRESS B59 L27 Area I, Sto. Nino 1, Sapang Palay, City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan Copy Furnished: SPS. REYNALDO AND EVELYN CORPUS Defendants No. 78 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City No. 172 Guava St., Vallejo, California (USA address) 141 Bluevell PI, Vallejo, California (USA address) 349 Meadows Dr., Vallejo, California (USA address)

NILDA T. TOLENTINO-INGOGLIA Defendant No. 78 Mindanao Avenue, Project 6, Quezon City 1E Broadway Apt. 61., Long Beach, New York (USA address) CITY TREASURER Defendant City Treasurer’s Office Annex Building, Q.C. Hall Compound Quezon City

REGISTRY OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY Defendant Land Registration Authority-East Avenue Corner NIA Road, Diliman, Quezon City VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION AGAINST FORUM SHOPPING We, ARNOLD J. TAGORDA and ABDON OWENS B. CABATU, both of legal age, and residents of No. 5, Rodgriguez St., Sta. Barbara, Iloilo City, and Lot 6H, Block 15, Carnation St., West Fairview Park, Fairview, Quezon City, respectively, under oath, depose and state that: 1. We are the Plaintiff and Attorney-in-fact in the above case, and we have caused the preparations and filing of the foregoing Complaint; 2. We have read the same and declare that the contents thereof are true and correct of our knowledge and based on official and authentic records; 3. This Complaint is filed not to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase cost of litigation.

Moreover, this Complaint contains factual allegations that have evidentiary support or will likewise have evidentiary support after reasonable opportunity for discovery; 4. We further certify that, except for Civil Case No. QZN-16-09111 entitled “Arnold J. Tagorda, represented

by Abdon Owens B. Cabatu v. Spouses Reynaldo and Evelyn Corpus, et al.” dismissed by the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 92, Quezon City, and CA-G.R. SP. No. 150339 entitled “Arnold J. Tagorda, represented by Abdon Owens B. Cabatu v. Spouses Reynaldo and Evelyn Corpus et al. “ before the Court of Appeals who affirmed the dismissal of the said case by the RTC, we have not commenced any other action or proceeding involving the same issues in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof, or any other tribunal or agency; to the best of my knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof, any other tribunal or agency; and 5. If we should thereafter learn that the same or similar action or claim has been filed or is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof, or any other tribunal or agency, we shall report that fact within five (5) calendar days therefrom to the court wherein, the aforesaid complaint or initiatory pleading has been filed.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands this APRIL 20, 2021.

(Sgd.) ARNOLD J. TAGORDA (Sgd.) ABDON OWENS B. CABATU Affiant Affiant Driver’s License No. F03-00-135508 Driver’s License No. N02-11-009310 Expiration Date: 15 Dec. 2022 Expiration Date: 05 Aug. 2024 SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME this 20th day of ,APR. 2021, affiant exhibiting to me their ________ with number __________bearing their picture and signature.

Doc. No. 498; Page No. 100; Book No.V Series of 2021.

NOTARY PUBLIC (Sgd.) ATTY. Michael JOSEPH C. CAPINPIN Notary Public for Quezon City Until December 31, 2021 PTR No. 5265600/1-4-2021/QC IBP Lifetime No. 08330 ROLL No. 56199 MCLE Compliance No. VI-0008995 Adm. Matter No. NP-207(2020-2021) 101 Malakas Lane Brgy. Central Q.C.

(Abante- Apr. 20, 27 & May 4, 2022)

B2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

World

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Forty countries hold emergency meet to bolster Ukraine defense

F

ORTY countries will hold emergency talks in Germany on Tuesday on bolstering the defense of Ukraine, which the US Pentagon chief believes “can win” against Russia if given the necessary means and backing.

The meeting called by the US at its Ramstein air base in southwestern Germany is “focused on doing things to generate additional capability and capacity for the Ukrainian forces,” said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin following his visit Sunday to Kyiv.

“We believe that they can win if they have the right equipment, the right support,” Austin said.

Just ahead of the talks, Germany signaled that it was ready to authorize the deliveries of tanks to Ukraine, in what would be a major switch in Berlin’s cautious policy vis-avis defense equipment supply for Kyiv.

Austin, accompanied by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in their first visits to Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine two months ago.

The US is already the biggest supplier of international military aid to Ukraine.

And it pledged to do “everything that we can to get them the types of support, the types of artillery and munitions that will be

effective in this stage of the fight,” Austin told a press conference in Poland.

Kyiv is seeking heavy artillery and tanks to repel Russian forces trying to seize complete control of its vast southern plains and the eastern region of Donbas.

But the Russian-made equipment which Ukrainians have been trained to use is now rare.

Some countries in eastern Europe which still had stocks have sent them to Kyiv, sometimes in exchange for newer generation US equipment, as journalists accompanying the US ministers were able to witness.

Austin and Blinken held their press conference in Poland following their visit to Kyiv at a warehouse stacked high with tonnes of humanitarian and military aid ready to be packed onto trucks bound for Ukraine.

Next to the pallets of medical material and diapers were hundreds of Russian-made shells and rockets provided by countries that prefer to remain discreet on their participation in arming Ukraine. AFP

BACK TO EARTH. This handout photo courtesy of SpaceX released on April 25, 2022 shows the crew Dragon capsule Endeavour splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean with the Axiom Space Ax-1 crew – three businessmen and a former NASA astronaut – after spending two weeks aboard the International Space Station in a landmark mission for the commercial sector. AFP

Beijing to test 21 million residents BEIJING on Tuesday launched mass coronavirus testing for nearly all its 21 million residents, as fears grew that the Chinese capital may be placed under a strict lockdown like Shanghai.

Under its zero-COVID policy, China has used lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions to stamp out infections.

Its biggest city, Shanghai, has been almost entirely locked down for weeks, and the mass testing order in Beijing has sparked worries the capital will be placed under similar restrictions.

“Shanghai’s situation has gone beyond everyone’s imagination, and many people think it’s absurd that a modern metropolis... has handled the situation like that,” said Beijing resident Ms Zhao

as she did her regular shopping at a supermarket.

“I believe our situation will not be as bad... but to be honest, we also bought some rice, noodles, grains and oil. We’ve made preparations for at least one to two weeks,” the 35-year-old human resources professional told AFP. Beijing has ordered residents of the 12 central districts home to most of its population to undergo three rounds of testing after dozens of infections were found in recent days.

The capital’s most populous district, Chaoyang, was the first to order mass testing from Monday, with people waiting in long lines to be swabbed by health workers in protective gear. AFP

IN BRIEF UK probes ‘Russian hack’ targeting army recruits THE UK defense ministry said Tuesday it was investigating a reported hack by Russia of its computer systems targeting more than 100 army recruits.

The Daily Mail reported that the hack was “feared to have been a Russian agent” with the intention of targeting the recruits “as potential agents in the British Army.”

Armed forces minister James Heappey conceded that the incident was “a very poor reflection on our own IT.” Speaking on LBC radio, Heappey said the ministry had “ordered an urgent review of our IT security as a consequence.”

According to the Mail, the ministry had found the personal records of 124 army candidates were illegally accessed, “but it is thought hundreds more could have been at risk.”

The incident in mid-March led to the army suspending access to its online application portal.

The report comes after the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing network – the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand—warned last week that Russia was poised to launch powerful cyberattacks against rivals supporting Ukraine.

With Moscow forced to divert its offensive away from Kyiv, the allies said they had picked up intelligence of cyberattacks against NATO members supplying Ukraine with weapons. AFP

Bali to deport actor for dancing naked

A CANADIAN actor and self-proclaimed wellness guru is facing deportation from Indonesia’s Bali island after a video of him dancing naked at a sacred mountain went viral.

Jeffrey Craigen posted a video of himself doing the Haka – a ceremonial dance in New Zealand’s Maori culture —while nude on top of Mount Batur, a volcano considered holy by many Balinese.

He was detained and questioned on Monday following a deluge of complaints from social media users accusing him of disrespecting Balinese religious values.

Craigen is currently awaiting deportation—but authorities say airlines are reluctant to help because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Airlines have not agreed (to transport him),” the head of Denpasar immigration office Tedy Riyandi told AFP Tuesday.

He will be put on a blacklist preventing him from entering Bali for the foreseeable future, officials said.

Craigen has been in Indonesia since late 2019 as a tourist and to study alternative treatments for osteoporosis, the head of Bali’s immigration office Jamaruli Manihuruk said.

He has claimed he did not know the mountain was a holy site.

“To all foreigners who visit Bali, please act accordingly by respecting our law and Balinese cultural values,” Manihuruk said. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business

Asia facing ‘stagflationary’ outlook amid Ukraine war

PSEi April 26, 2022

TOP GAINERS

1 NOW 2 MHC 3 SOC

LAST PRICE CHANGE 1.63 0.3 0.365 0.05 0.62 0.06

% CHANGE 22.56% 15.87% 10.71%

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

0.93 17.28 0.59 0.36 1.28 0.57 20.1

5.68% 5.37% 5.36% 4.35% 4.07% 3.64% 3.61%

SGI ACEX RCI STI LR ATNB RCB

0.05 0.88 0.03 0.015 0.05 0.02 0.7

TOP LOSERS

1 ABG 2 OPMB 3 RLT

LAST PRICE CHANGE 4.46 -0.49 0.011 -0.001 0.222 -0.02

% CHANGE -9.90% -8.33% -8.26%

4 5 6 7

SMC2J APO DIZ 2GO

71.5 0.9 4.91 7.15

-5 -0.06 -0.29 -0.4

-6.54% -6.25% -5.58% -5.30%

8 9

SSP UBP

1.1 77.6

-0.06 -3.7

-5.17% -4.55%

10

I

0.84

-0.04

-4.55%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME

VALUE (PHP)

1 2

ICT CNVRG

1,359,110 10,124,200

303,226,370 300,730,135

3 4 5

SCC SM ALI

8,381,500 245,420 4,693,000

235,260,530 211,596,840 164,442,975

6

BDO

1,115,510

146,805,698

7 8 9

BPI TEL AC

1,494,970 74,695 186,760

146,245,799 142,664,215 142,185,780

10

JFC

498,540

109,727,308

B3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

2021 VINTAGE. Participants in the official ‘Semaine des Primeurs’ taste wine on April 25, 2022, in Bordeaux, southwestren

France. Organized by the ‘Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux’ association, the ‘Semaine des Primeurs’ runs until April 28, 2022 with presentations and tastings giving professionals and journalists the opportunity to discover the 2021 vintage. AFP

Share prices slip; Ayala, SM Investments decline

S

TOCKS fell Tuesday as fears over the impact of China’s COVID-induced lockdowns and the Federal Reserve’s plan to hike interest rates quickly continue to drag on sentiment.

But buying remained weak in Asia again Tuesday.

Hong Kong edged up but made only a small dent in the massive losses suffered the day before, while Shanghai extended the previous day’s losses of more than five percent. The indexes were given a brief boost after the People’s Bank of China pledged to boost growth and consumption.

However, that soon petered out and analysts said similar comments last month were not followed up with any concrete policy measures.

Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Mumbai and Jakarta ticked higher, though Sydney, Singapore, Wellington and Bangkok fell.

The Omicron flare-up across China has led authorities to impose strict containment measures in its biggest cities, shutting off millions of people and threatening to deal a hammer blow to the world’s number two economy. With AFP

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 40.81 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,980.02 on a value turnover of P4.1 billion. Gainers, however, edged losers, 94 to 91, with 48 issues unchanged.

SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group declined 2.8 percent to P860, while conglomerate Ayala Corp of the Ayala Group dropped 2.7 percent to P758.

Semirara Mining and Power Corp. of the Consunji Group, the biggest coal producer, sank 2.1 percent to P28.30, while International Container Manila Terminal Services Corp. of tycoon Enrique Ra- Standard TODAY zon Jr., the largest port operator, fell 1.4 percent to P223.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as investors scrabbled to recover from the previous day’s rout.

While Asia suffered a torrid day Monday, Wall Street managed to end on a positive note, helped by news of Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter.

SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk poses In this file photo taken on December 01, 2020 as he arrives on the red carpet for the Axel Springer Awards ceremony, in Berlin. AFP

Elon Musk: The eccentric tech visionary turns social media king SAN FRANCISCO, United States—Sometimes it feels like it’s Elon Musk’s world and we just live in it.

The endlessly innovative, endlessly eccentric billionaire has struck a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion—giving him control of the social media network on which the world debates, mobilizes and bickers.

It is just the latest conquest for Musk, who has revolutionized the car industry, sent his own rocket to space, built the world’s biggest fortune—and created fountains of moral outrage and celebrity gossip along the way.

Musk, 50, last year became the world’s richest person—taking the title from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos—following the meteoric rise of Tesla, his electric automaker founded in 2003.

His takeover of Twitter caps a rollercoaster of announcements and counter-announcements—which he characteristically punctuated by gleefully firing jabs at the company on its own platform.

And Musk’s new guise as a social media overlord will fuel controversy over his political views, business methods and outsized personality.

He is libertarian, anti-woke, impulsive and promotes himself as a champion of free speech. Some would call him right-wing, while his critics accuse him of being autocratic and bullying.

All this has come in a month in which Musk also made headlines with Tesla opening a “gigafactory” in Texas, after the company left California following a dispute over his efforts to defy a state shutdown of his plant to stop the spread of COVID-19.

And there’s more—his space transport firm SpaceX is currently breaking yet another boundary as a partner in a three-way venture that sent the first fully private mission to the International Space Station.

But Musk also makes news of a less flattering kind: Tesla has faced a series of lawsuits alleging discrimination and harassment against Black workers as well as sexual harassment.

In parallel with the whiplash-inducing stream of business news, Musk’s penchant for living by his own rules in the private sphere also keeps the world wide-eyed.

It recently emerged Musk has had a second child with his on-again off-again partner, the musician Grimes: a girl they named Exa Dark Sideræl Musk—although the parents will mostly call her Y. He is even expected to make an appearance—in person or not—at the ongoing celebrity defamation trial pitting Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who formerly dated Musk.

One way or another, Musk has become one of the most ubiquitous figures of the era. So how did he get where he is today?

To Mars... and beyond?

Born in Pretoria, on June 28, 1971, the son of an engineer father and a Canadian-born model mother, Musk left South Africa in his late teens to attend Queen’s University in Ontario.

He transferred to the University of Pennsylvania after two years and earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and business.

After graduating from the prestigious Ivy League school, Musk abandoned plans to study at Stanford University. AFP

WASHINGTON, United States— Asian nations, like the rest of the world, are being battered by countervailing forces such as the war in Ukraine that are raising prices while holding back growth, the IMF said Monday.

“The region faces a stagflationary outlook, with growth being lower than previously expected, and inflation being higher,” said Anne-Marie GuldeWolf, acting director of the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department.

The regional outlook, which follows the World Economic Outlook released last week, shows the growth forecast for Asia was cut to 4.9 percent, impacted by the slowdown in China, which is having ripple effects on other closelylinked economies.

Inflation is now expected to rise 3.2 percent this year, a full point higher than expected in January, she said.

“Despite the downgrade, Asia remains the world’s most dynamic region, and an important source of global growth,” Gulde-Wolf said in remarks prepared for delivery to a press briefing.

But the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions on Moscow have driven up food and fuel prices worldwide, while major central banks are raising interest rates to combat inflation, which will pressure countries with high debt loads.

A larger-than-expected slowdown in China due to prolonged or more widespread COVID-19 lockdowns or a longer-than-expected slump in the property market presents “a significant risk for the region.”

“This a challenging time for policymakers as they try to address pressures on growth and tackle rising inflation,” the IMF official said, noting that the headwinds will exacerbate the damage from the COVID-19 pandemic. AFP

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, April 26, 2022

-40.81 PTS. 6,980.02

TOTAL VOLUME

549,506,022

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES DECLINES

60,350 4,113,644,688.42 94 91

UNCHANGED

48

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.4280

Japan

Yen

0.007804

0.4091

UK

Pound

1.274500

66.8195

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127431

6.6810

Switzerland

Franc

1.043079

54.6865

Canada

Dollar

0.785299

41.1717

Singapore

Dollar

0.727855

38.1600

Australia

Dollar

0.718200

37.6538

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652801

139.0811

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266610

13.9778

Brunei

Dollar

0.725216

38.0216

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000069

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029360

1.5393

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2755

Euro

Euro

1.071600

56.1818

Korea

Won

0.000800

0.0419

China

Yuan

0.152404

7.9902

India

Rupee

0.013034

0.6833

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.229621

12.0386

New Zealand

Dollar

0.662000

34.7073

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034254

1.7959 Source: BSP

Japan’s Tamiya investing P2b to expand PH plant TAMIYA (Philippines) Inc. is investing P2 billion to expand its manufacturing operations in Cebu, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Tokyo said Tuesday.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Tamiya’s new investments reflect the company’s confidence on the Philippines as an investment destination after 30 years of operating in the country.

“We are proud that a company known to espouse a philosophy of ‘First in Quality Around the World’ has entrusted our workers with such a huge responsibility. The quality, efficiency and productivity of Filipino workers will always remain to be the Philippines’ best and most competitive resource,” Lopez said.

Tamiya president and chairman Shunsaku Tamiya said the company is looking forward to expanding to a new facility inside the Cebu Light Industrial Park.

Expanding in a new plant and building, Tamiya will open 300 job opportunities, increase output by 5 percent over three years and raise overall capacity by 20 percent. The new facility will start operations by September 2023.

The company exports $30 million worth of finished products, of which 80 percent are produced in the Philippines.

Tamiya is the world’s leader in the production of plastic and radiocontrolled models of sports/racing cars, bikes, airplanes, ships and battle tanks. Its models are patronized by hobbyists all over the globe for their exceptional quality and scale accuracy.

The company also received numerous awards for their products including the prestigious Model of the Year award from Germany’s ModellFan. The Philippines is at the center of Tamiya’s operations as the sole manufacturing hub outside Japan. The company also operates from California in the US and Germany in Europe.

Its 40,000-square-meter facility in Mactan, Cebu employs 1,200 workers engaged in model assembly.

Othel V. Campos

Work on Pangasinan hydro project starts

LOCAL company Power Beacon Renewable Solutions Inc. has started the construction of its 4.15-megawatt Dipalo Hydropower Project in Dipalo Riverpark, Barangay Nangapugan, San Quintin, Pangasinan after groundbreaking ceremony last week.

“The project shall be the first major industry in easternmost part of Pangasinan and will generate renewable and clean energy geared towards improving the lives of the people of San Quintin in support of the thrust of the local government unit,” said Power Beacon chairman Armando Diaz.

Once operational by December 2024, the P750 million run-of-river hydro power plant is expected to generate 18.87 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. It will meet the increasing need for energy of the municipalities of San Quintin, Umingan, Tayug and Natividad.

The Dipalo hydropower project will utilize the waters of the Dipalo River by means of a diversion weir located high up in the mountains while allowing significant volume to flow over to assure the ecological sustainability of the river.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Torre Lorenzo bullish, sees 35% sales rise

US INVESTMENTS. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (fourth from left) says the Philippines continues to be among the top attractive investment destinations for American investors during his presentation at the Philippine Trade and Investment Forum on April 20 at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. With Lopez are (from left) Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo, Presidential Adviser for Special Programs and Projects Vince Dizon, Philippine honorary consul to the State of Florida Henry Howard, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, US-Philippines Society executive director Hank Hendrickson, US-Philippines Society board member Roberto Llames and former US Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas Hubbard.

Musk’s SpaceX eyeing Bataan as base of internet operations

By Othel V. Campos

S

PACE Exploration Technologies Corp. of US technology billionaire Elon Musk is keen on setting up its base operations in the Freeport Area of Bataan to launch Internet services through unit Starlink.

Authority of Freeport Area of Bataan administrator Emmanuel Pineda said FAB held a series of productive meetings with SpaceX and Starlink executives over the past few months.

“In those meetings, the AFAB, in conjunction with the provincial leaders of Bataan and with the assistance of FAB enterprise, iWave Advanced Research Group, discussed the possibility of Starlink initially launching its service in the province of Bataan by establishing a base of operations in the FAB,” he said.

Pineda said with the recent enactment of Republic Act No. 11659, or the Public Service Act, SpaceX and Starlink were given the option to move forward with the regulatory process, incorporate and draw up an operational plan. The PSA liberalized foreign ownership of telecom services, among other sectors and industries.

AFAB said while talks with SpaceX were going smoothly, there was no definite project timeline yet on when the project would take off, “given that those are complex matters may take time.”

SpaceX executives, however, were keen on completing the process within the year, said Pineda. The AFAB is confident that more details and updates are forthcoming.

Starlink provides high-speed, lowlatency broadband internet across the globe. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Using advanced satellites in a low orbit, Starlink enables video calls, online gaming, streaming and other high data

rate activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.

Users can expect to see download speeds between 100 megabits per second and 200 Mb/s and latency as low as 20ms in most locations.

The constellation had over 1,600 satellites in mid-2021, and will eventually have thousands more of mass-produced small satellites in LEO, which communicate with designated ground transceivers.

SpaceX executives said the company is bullish on the growing consumer base and much-improved investment climate in the Philippines with the major economic reforms.

The Department of Trade and Industry said the launch of Starlink would provide faster broadband speed, better connectivity, more capacity for telecommunications services and redound to more affordable rates for consumers.

The DTI is providing the required assistance to allow SpaceX to launch widespread internet service to support existing broadband capacities.

Gov’t endorses new blueprint for Subic Bay development

By Julito G. Rada THE Department of Finance announced on Tuesday the official endorsement of the Subic Bay Regional Development Master Plan, which was finalized with the assistance of a survey mission team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The plan will serve as a blueprint to maximize the economic development potential of Subic Bay and surrounding areas.

A joint effort to formulate a regional development master plan for Subic Bay began with the decision by the leaders of both countries in November 2019, with the memorandum of cooperation signed in Hakone, Japan in December 2019.

The finalized master plan was furnished by Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa to

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on April 7 in Manila.

Dominguez who met Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Hayashi Yoshimasa on April 25 welcomed the successful completion of the master plan.

“We deeply appreciate the Japanese government’s close coordination and expeditious fulfillment of the commitment to the Subic Bay development masterplan, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during its preparation,” Dominguez said during the meeting.

The master plan envisages Subic Bay region’s economic future and concrete development proposals in both public and private sectors to unlock the full potential of Subic Bay, including the port capacity and the connectivity with hinterlands, with a view to helping continued efforts to decongest

Metro Manila.

Hayashi expressed hope that the publication of the master plan proves to be conducive to the enhancement of regional connectivity and coast guard capabilities of the Philippines.

Japan rendered technical support to the formulation of the Subic Bay Regional Development Master Plan.

The master plan covers possible development projects in the fields of road network for Olongapo’s central business district and Subic Bay west coast, logistics terminals such as Alava Wharf and public utilities such as the Philippine Coast Guard’s new support facilities.

Japan remains tthe country’s top official development assistance partner, with a net loan commitment of about $10.02 billion and grant amount of $181.15 million, accounting for 31.84 percent of the country’s total ODA portfolio.

UnionBank expects to take over Citi PH by July UNION Bank of the Philippines is expected to take over the consumer business of Citibank Philippines by July, a top executive said Tuesday.

UnionBank president and chief executive Edwin Bautista said the bank is on track to achieving the strategic milestones that it set for the year.

“For the acquisition of Citi’s consumer business, we have already obtained approvals from the Philippine Competition Commission and Insurance Commission,” said Bautista.

“Our stock rights offering, which will fund the acquisition, is already in motion and expected to conclude in May 2022. We remain confident to become the legal owner of the consumer portfolio by July 2022,” he said.

“Moreover, our digital bank UnionDigital, is also on-track to launch by the second half of the year. We are closely working with the regulators to complete key requirements for the start of our operations,” said Bautista.

IN BRIEF

UnionBank booked a net income of P2.6 billion in the first quarter, down by 45 percent from a year ago when it recorded hefty extraordinary trading gains.

Recurring income grew 21 percent year-on-year as net interest income rose 12 percent to P8.1 billion and fee-based income more than doubled to P1.4 billion.

It said net interest margin improved by 6 basis points to 4.6 percent brought about by higher yields in earning assets, coupled by lower cost of funds from the expansion of our current accountsavings account deposits. Fee-based income came from the growth of InstaPay charges and interchange fees. Higher foreign exchange income, which went up 53 percent to 369.5 million, also boosted topline revenues.

The bank said that on a quarterly basis, net income grew 40 percent from the fourth quarter on lower provisions for credit losses.

JAPAN LOAN. The Philippines and Japan sign an agreement for a 30-billionyen loan in support of the Philippine government’s efforts to rapidly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and fully return its economy to the path of high, inclusive growth. Signing the agreement for the second phase of the COVID-19 Crisis Response Emergency Support Loan in Tokyo are Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Japan International Cooperation Agency president Akihiko Tanaka. The first phase of the CCRESL worth 50 billion yen was signed in July last year.

PROPERTY developer Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. expects sales to grow at an average of 35 percent over the next five years amid the reopening of the economy.

TLDC chief financial officer Emmanuel Rapadas sees sales accelerating in the next five years as demand for condominium units are expected to pick up.

“For the past five years, we have achieved an annual revenue growth rate of 25 percent.

Given the reopening of the economy and resumption of business activities, we are confident that we can grow the company’s revenue at an average of 35 percent over the next five years,” said Rapadas.

He said the company has put in place a strategy toward business recovery.

TLDC said university residences in 2021 recorded an 8.8-percent increase in gross revenues over the same period in 2020.

But with the opening of offices and schools, the company expects sales to strengthen further on higher demand for condominiums near CBDs and universities.

Rapadas said TLDC remains bullish and focused on achieving its business goals despite the pandemic. Jenniffer B. Austria

SM Prime okays cash dividends worth P2.8b

THE board of SM Prime Holdings Inc. approved the declaration of cash dividends of P0.097 per share amounting to P2.8 billion to stockholders of record as of May 11, 2022, payable on or before May 24, 2022, during the annual stockholders’ meeting held in Conrad, Manila.

SM Prime also reported that the company allotted P80 billion in capital expenditure for 2022 to continue its expansion plans in the malls and residential businesses.

“As we get pass through the challenges of the recent years, we are refocusing our efforts in continuing the expansion programs of our integrated developments across the country led by our malls and residential businesses. We will cultivate the learnings from past to achieve greater goals that will provide better opportunities and lives to many Filipinos,” said SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim. SM Prime plans to open four new malls in the Philippines this year. The company recently opened SM City Roxas in Capiz on April 8. It will be followed by SM City Tuguegarao, SM City Sorsogon and SM City Tanza in Cavite.

NOW Telecom taps debt market after capital hike

By Darwin G. Amojelar NOW Telecom Company Inc. said Tuesday it plans to tap the debt or equity market after securing an approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for an increase in authorized capital stock, quasireorganization of its equity and stock split.

“This strategic initiative of NOW Tel is envisioned to support its growth plans. The three-step equity restructuring better positions NOW Tel for investors both domestic and foreign to participate in its equity,” said NOW Telecom president and chief operating officer Rene Rosales.

“With the amended Public Services Act allowing up to 100-percent foreign ownership in public utility companies and this recent approval from SEC, NOW Tel can now proceed in its growth plans starting with its fundraising efforts including but not limited to tapping either the debt market or equity market, or both,” he said.

NOW Tel said that as a result of the approved application, it increased the number of its authorized common shares from 14.59 million to 952.09 million and lowered its par value from P100 per share to P1 per share.

The stockholders of NOW Corp. approved in June 2021 the increase of the company’s stake in NOW Tel for a total of P600 million which were part of the proceeds from the placement received from the equity subscription of Velarde Inc. to NOW Corp.

The additional subscription from NOW Corp. and other shareholders supported the increase in authorized capital stock of NOW Tel. The SEC also certified the approval of the equity restructuring to fully wipe out NOW Tel’s deficit as of Dec. 31, 2020.

Sports

Maroons secure twice-to-beat advantage

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines secured a twice-to-beat edge in the post-season after tripping University of the East, 81-68, in the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament, Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Fighting Maroons won their second consecutive game to improve to 10-2 and hold steady the second spot.

UP zoomed to an 18-8 first quarter lead, before even stretching the gap to 18 at the half, 44-26.

But the Red Warriors were not to be swayed away that easily, able to slash their once 19-point deficit down to nine at the 8:00 mark of the fourth period, 52-61.

UP though showed its composure down the stretch with a 12-4 counter-run capped by Ricci Rivero’s alley-oop slam off a JD Cagulangan dish, for a fresh 17-point lead with 4:20 to go, 73-56.

“Working pa rin kami as a team — how to get ‘yung rhythm namin as a team, how to execute as a team which nakikita ko we’ve been doing for the whole game kanina,” said Fighting Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde.

Fighting Maroon Zavier Lucero ended his personal slump with 20 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks, and three assists.

Rivero chipped in 17 points and four rebounds, while CJ Cansino had eight points, six rebounds, and five assists.

Jojo Antiporda delivered 15 points while Escamis flirted with a triple-double with nine points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists as the Red Warriors fell to 0-12.

UE will try to win on Thursday against National University at 10 a.m. UP will close the day against University of Santo Tomas at 7 p.m.

UP’s Joel Cagulangan scores with a layup against University of the East in the UAAP Season 84 men’s basketball tournament Tuesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

SBP: Losing not an option for Gilas PH in SEA Games A

GOLD medal and nothing less.

That is the goal of the Gilas Pilipinas basketball team when it kicks off its title-retention drive in the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games next month.

“This is not a walk in the park. If you are the defending champion may malaki kang bull’s-eye. But the expectation is (to win) nothing but the gold. Hindi pwedeng matalo,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas deputy executive director Butch Antonio during Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

The team’s final lineup, however, still has to be completed.

“We requested if we can push the deadline a little,” said Antonio, adding that the SBP has in its hands 16 names led by six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo but has yet to prune it down to the final 12 way past the March 12 deadline for submission to the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“We just want to make sure of the final lineup,” said the SBP official, who stressed the importance of win-

ning the gold and at the same time acknowledging the pressure that lies on their shoulders.

Multi-titled PBA coach Chot Reyes will be at the helm of the Gilas campaign which also includes retaining the SEA Games crowns in women’s 5x5 and both the men’s and women’s 3x3.

Antonio said the 5x5 team is “full steam ahead” in practice, while the women’s team is perhaps a step ahead under coach Pat Aquino. The 3x3 squads are all in place as well and geared up for the title drive.

“We (as a team) talked about it one time and reiterated that there’s no other route and no other way except gold. Must yan,” Butch Antonio said Antonio during the forum presented

by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Unilever, Amelie Hotel Manila, and the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation.

Aside from Fajardo, in the 16-man list are fellow PBA player Poy Erram, Kib Montalbo, Japeth Aguilar, Isaac Go, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy, Matthew Wright, Kevin Alas, Robert Bolick and Mo Tautuaa as naturalized

Red Lions close in on Final 4 seat

player, Japan B. League players Thirdy Ravena, Dwight Ramos and William Navarro, and young guns Caelum Harris and LeBron Lopez.

The SBP headed by Al Panlilio is seeking a little more time because it wants to make sure if the 6’9” Aguilar is fully recovered from the calf injury, and if those coming in from Japan have ample time to blend with the system.

Antonio said instead of risking the Ginebra slotman in the SEA Games, the SBP “would rather have a healthy Japeth for the bigger battle ahead like the (2023) World Cup.” “Kaya iniurong natin ang submission (final 12) kung kaya pa. We want to make sure. The Japan boys, we’re still waiting for them because their last game there is on May 8,” said Antonio.

The Gilas squad intends to leave for Hanoi on May 13 or three days before the start of the basketball competitions (May 16 to 22). We have to submit the 12 names before we leave,” he added.

But to make sure, the SBP has booked all 16 players for the flight to Hanoi.

Kazakhs wipe out PH men in Asian badminton singles

By Peter Atencio KAZAKHSTAN’S Dmitry Panarin denied the Philippines a last chance to grab a qualification slot in the men’s singles of the Badminton Asian Championships 2022 at Muntinlupa Sports Complex in Muntinlupa City.

The world no. 243 Panarin ended Ros Leonard Pedrosa’s bid with a 21-14, 21-8 subduing to sweep his two-game, roundrobin assignment of the men’s Group C qualifiers. The Philippines’ Angelo Abo, Jaja Andres and Mikaela de Guzman also bombed out.

It took Panarin 31 minutes to get past Pedrosa and reach the men’s main draw with Malaysia’s Tan Zhing Yi (Group A), China’s Weng Hong Yang (Group B) and Lei Lan Xi (Group D).

The 26-year-old Pedrosa, who said fatigue caught up with him in his clash with the Kazakh, managed to go toe-toe, and

C1

move ahead of Panarin, 9-5, in the first set with his overhead smashes.

But a spirited show of resistance put up

by Panarin saw him tying the match 10all and the 23-year-old shuttler eventually pulled away on a 10-3 surge as he took matchpoint with an ace, 21-14.

After the contest got tied at 2-all in the second set, Panarin pulled away with a 9-0 blast to take control with a 11-2 edge.

Panarin goes into the main draw with two straight victories, with the first a 21-12, 21-14 beating of Bahrain’s Adnan Ebrahim.

Pedrosa had a good chance of bagging a main draw seat when he eased out Ebrahim, 21-19, 21-8, in his opening encounter.

“Iyung conditioning ko, ramdam ko, bumigay ako. Pero, sa tingin ko, kaya ko naman pong gawin iyung nilalaro niya,” said Pedrosa.

75 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP. French Ambassador to the Philippines Miche’le Boccoz (center) and French Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs Narc Piton (right) are shown with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, who met with the French officials recently. The Philippines and France will celebrate 75 years of friendship on June 26.

Lei, who swept Group D reached the men’s main draw after turning back Albo 21-17, 21-15, and Hong Kong’s Yin Chak Chan, 21-16, 13-21, 21-11. Chan outplayed Albo in the other contest, 21-8, 21-10.

In the women’s encounters, Indonesians Stephanie Widjaja and Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi dominated the respective brackets, to earn slots to the women’s main draw.

SAN Beda inched closer to an outright Final Four berth berth with a 67-63 win over College of Saint Benilde Tuesday in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the La Salle Greenhills Gym. James Kwekuteye nailed a goahead triple in the final 51.7 seconds to lift the Red Lions to their seventh win in eight games.

Still sitting in second place, San Beda will be an interested spectator when Mapua, which is running third with a 6-2 slate, faces Lyceum of the Philippines University at 12 noon Wednesday. A loss by the Cardinals will hand the Lions the automatic Final Four berth.

A Mapua victory will force San Beda into a must-win situation against Letran on Friday, as the Cardinals hold the tiebreaker over the Lions in case both teams will end up tied at No. 2 after the elims.

Mapua defeated San Beda, 68-54, last Saturday to boosted its bid for an outright Final Four slot.

Ending its elims stint with a 5-4 card, CSB found its chances to advance to the Final Four outright snuffed out.

The Blazers have assured of the No. 4 ranking in the play-in stage on May 1, where they will play the third-best team in the eliminations for the third Final Four berth.

The loser of that match will face the winner of the showdown between the No. 5 and 6 teams for last Final Four slot.

Kwekuteye, the Lions leader, came through with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.

Jacob Cortez, the son of former pro and collegiate star Mike, made his presence felt in his NCAA debut. Replacing Dan Villejo, Cortez contributed seven points, two assists and two boards.

“His advice, college is more of IQ level of basketball unlike high school na mas bara-bara,” said Cortez, who went to the United States when the country was in heightened lockdown to hone further his skills.

Smart supports Badminton Asia Championships 2022

Shown here are (from left) Bambang Roedyanto, Chair of Events; Moosa Nashid, Secretary General; Jude Turcuato, Head of Sports at Smart; Rozman Razak, National Team Head Coach; and Melvin Nubla, Group Head of Smart Go-To Market and Subscriber Management.

PLDT’s wireless unit and leading mobile services provider Smart Communications, Inc. is powering the Philippines’ hosting of the prestigious Badminton Asia Championships, as it returns after a two-year break during the global pandemic.

Over 200 athletes from 17 countries, including badminton powerhouses China, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea, are expected to participate in the biggest international badminton tournament in Asia on April 26 to May 1, to be held at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex. Smash Pilipinas, the country’s national badminton team under the Philippine Badminton Association, will also compete in this much-awaited event.

“Many of the world’s strongest badminton nations are in Asia. The Philippines will have the distinct honor of welcoming some of the world’s best players. Our own Philip-

pine National Team will be participating in these events, which I believe will be a catalyst for local player development. The Filipino has the physical profile, quick reflexes, and innate talent to excel in this sport. And I am certain that watching and competing with the powerhouses of Asia will inspire our players to rise to the level of international competition,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT, MVP Sports Foundation, and Philippine Badminton Association Chairman.

The Badminton Asia Championships is organized by the Badminton Asia Confederation which is one of the five continental bodies under the flag of the Badminton World Federation. Badminton Asia Championships is a pivotal event because it is the qualifying tournament for the several world badminton competitions. The BWF has also upgraded the tournament from a World Tour Super 500 to

a World Tour Super 1000 event starting 2022.

This is the highest level of event for the BWF in earning points for the World Rankings.

PLDT and Smart have long been at the forefront of developing sports in the country.

In 2020, Smart also supported the Badminton Asia Team Championships held at Rizal Memorial Coliseum, when the Philippines hosted this important tournament. A sport close to Chairman MVP’s heart, MVPSF has long been supportive of the Philippine Badminton Association, helping them mount several local tournaments, including the MVP Badminton Cup in February 2022 and the Smart National Badminton Open in 2019, to name a few. MVPSF is also building a Center for Sports Excellence at the First Pacific Leadership Academy in Antipolo, Rizal, a soon-to-rise training facility for national badminton athletes.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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TODAY WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

Tatum shines as Celtics sweep Nets; Raptors win

N

EW YORK—Jayson Tatum scored 29 points as the Boston Celtics completed a 4-0 series sweep to eliminate the Brooklyn Nets from the NBA playoffs on Monday.

Kevin Durant delivered a towering 39-point display for the Nets, but it was not enough to stop the powerful Celtics’ line-up from sealing a 116-112 victory at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Boston’s balanced offense and battlehardened defense once again proved too much for Brooklyn, who trailed from start to finish as a late rally from the home side came up just short.

“We knew who we were facing, we knew how talented they were, and we knew it was going to be a dogfight,” said Tatum, who endured a nervous final two minutes after fouling out as the Nets

chipped away at the Celtics lead.

“It was 4-0 but each game was back and forth and tough. We just believed in ourselves. We took it one game at a time and didn’t get too far ahead of ourselves,” Tatum added.

Tatum was one of five Celtics players in double figures, with Jaylen Brown also coming up big with 22 points and point guard Marcus Smart adding 20 points with 11 assists.

Grant Williams delivered four three-pointers off the bench in a 14-point haul while Al Horford added 13.

Second seeds Boston will now face either the defending NBA champions Milwaukee or Chicago in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

The Celtics’ clean sweep of Brooklyn —tipped as championship contenders before the season—is all the more remarkable given Boston’s indifferent early season form.

As recently as February, Boston were languishing in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, well outside the automatic playoff places.

“It took us a minute, but when we got our full team, we were right there,” Tatum said. “We

stayed composed, we stayed together, we didn’t lose sight of what we were trying to accomplish and we haven’t looked back since.”

The Nets will go back to the drawing board after a season that promised so much ended in a first-round exit from the playoffs.

While Durant delivered his best performance of the postseason, Kyrie Irving was restricted to 20 points and just five assists while Seth Curry added 23 points.

“Give credit to the Celtics, they’re an incredible team. They’ve got a chance to do incredible things in the rest of the playoffs,” Durant said afterwards.

Mickelson seeks PGA release for Saudi-backed series opener

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

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ORIENTAL MINDORO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC Standard

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(ORMECO)

Brgy. rgy. Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro 043.288.7801 / 288.7802 / 288.7803 Fax No. 043.288.7804 • E-mail: ormeco_coop@yahoo.com • Website: www.ormeco-inc.com

INVITATION FOR THIRD-PARTY BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (TPBAC) MEMBERS FOR CAPTIVE CUSTOMERS FOR THE CONDUCT OF COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS 1. In compliance with the jurisdictional requirements of the Department of Energy (DOE) as per Circular No. DC-2018-02-0003 in connection with the Selection Process of the Representatives of the Captive Customer of the proposed Third Party Bids and Award Committee (TPBAC) for the new 60MW Power Supply Requirement, ORMECO, INC. now calls for the submission of Eligibility Documents.

2. The Eligibility Requirements listed hereunder may be viewed and downloaded at https://web.facebook.com/OrientalMindoroElectricCooperativeInc and may be requested through email at ormeco_coop@yahoo.com, including the numbers listed above; A. List of Requirements Qualification of TPBAC member – Two (2) Representatives for Captive Customers B. Grading Scheme and Documentary Requirements 3. The Selection Process for captive customers as TPBAC members is duly approved by the Department of Energy per letter dated March 16, 2020.

4. The schedule of activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES

DATE & TIME

Publication of Invitation

April 20, 2022: Wednesday April 27, 2022: Wednesday

VENUE Local TV Networks and Local Radio Stations Website:https://web.facebook.com/ OrientalMindoroElectricCooperativeInc www.ormeco-inc.com, NEA and DOE Websites: LGU Bulletin Boards: ORMECO, Inc. Offices ORMECO, INC. Office of the General Manager ormeco_coop@yahoo.com ormeco.inc.tpbac@gmail.com

Submission of Letter of Intent (LOI) and Eligibility Documents

April 21, 2022: Thursday,

Deadline of Receipt Letter of Intent (LOI)

May 05, 2022: Thursday, 1700H

ORMECO, INC. Board Room ormeco_coop@yahoo.com ormeco.inc.tpbac@gmail.com

May 10, 2022: Tuesday

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

Final Screening of Applicants

May 13, 2022: Friday,

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

Endorsement of evaluation report of qualified applicants to the Board

May 17, 2022: Tuesday

Submission of the result of the TPBAC selection process to the DOE for confirmation

May 18, 2022: Wednesday

0800H to 1700H to May 05, 2022: Thursday, 0800H to 1700H

Preliminary Screening of Applicants

0800H to 1700H ORMECO, INC. Board Room

(MS-APR. 20 & 27, 2022)

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Sulit Summer Vibes Promo (DITO Level-up 99 with 1GB of Viber Daily on the DITO E-shop) Mechanics:  





Galaxy Racer revs up for success in Southeast Asia with entry into PH GALAXY Racer, a world-leading esports, lifestyle and content organization, today announced its plans for the Philippines’ esports and gaming scene, which follows a partnership announcement with Tyronne Escalante Artist Management (TEAM) and a peek into an upcoming plan to expand into collegiate esports, that will further the growth of the industry in the country.

The Philippines esports market has over 43 million active gamers and is growing progressively at an estimated 12.9% annually, based on reports in Manila 2021, presenting a scalable opportunity for Galaxy Standard Racer inTODAY the Philippines. Riding on the esports wave, Galaxy Racer Philippines is investing in the country’s operations and is expanding its engagement through six business verticals—content production, gaming and esports events, content creators, esports teams, limited-edition merchandise,

and a music record label, positioning Galaxy Racer as a global content powerhouse and market leader in the digital content industry.

Founded in 2019, Galaxy Racer is looking to engage with content-hungry consumers and drive the organization’s support for the Philippines’ emerging esports, gaming and content creator economy. Galaxy Racer Philippines is led by Mitch Esguerra, CEO of Southeast Asia, and Marcia Guillermo, Country Manager of the Philippines. The company also has over 100 content creators globally, garnering a reach of over 500 million followers, over 2.5 billion monthly views, including celebrities such as actress Sachzna Laparan and Ayeesha Cervantes, TikTok sensations Spencer Serafica and Janio Ezekiel, model and host Christine Samson, and model and gaming streamer Kristine Santamena.

EXTRA- JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT of ESTATE

For ORMECO, Inc.: -sgdMR. REGINO M. QUING, JR. Acting General Manager

Andre Drummond and Bruce Brown of the Brooklyn Nets surround Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics in the first half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the Boston Celtics at Barclays Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. AFP

Promo Period: April 26–May 31, 2022 This promo is priced at P99 and is inclusive of the following:  7GB all access data valid for 30 days  Unlimited texts to all mobile networks.  Unlimited DITO to DITO calls.  300 mins call to other networks  DITO SIM card  1GB daily exclusive Viber access for 30 days.  Digital Viber Sticker Pack  P100.00 Shopee NEW USER Voucher (P200.00 minimum spend) How to avail the promo:  Go to the DITO E-shop via your mobile device : https://getsim. dito.ph/eshopmobile/v2/third/channel  Purchase the DITO Level up 99 package with DITO Sim and 1GB of Viber Daily for 30 days. Customers can pay using credit/debit cards and various e-wallet as indicated in the DITO E-Shop. Customers will be asked to input their name, email address, contact number and delivery address where the DITO packaged will be delivered, delivery is valid within the promo areas only.

How to activate the promo  Insert the DITO SIM in the prescreened DITO compatible device or other DITO compatible devices. The DITO Level-up 99 data plus 1GB daily Viber access, on-net call, and on-net text promo shall be automatically enabled upon activation of the SIM Card. To activate the SIM card, subscribers may turn on their data, attempt a call or send an SMS.  Subscribers will receive confirmation via SMS for the activation of the SIM card and the promo.  Subscribers will also receive the link to the FREE Viber Sticker Pack and P100 New User Voucher from Shopee via SMS. Viber and Shopee terms and conditions apply.  Once availed, the promo is non-refundable / non-replaceable / non-exchangeable. The promo must be availed and activated within 30 days from the date the DITO SIM was successfully purchased.  The promo cannot be used in conjunction with any unlimited promo offers, discount available and other exclusive promo offers.  The promo cannot be converted to cash, credit, or other goods and services of DITO.  By availing of the promo, the subscriber confirms that he/she has read, understood, and agrees to the promo mechanics, its terms and conditions, the terms and conditions of the SIM card. Subscriber also agrees not to use the SIM card and/or promo for illicit or illegal means.  Promo is available nationwide where DITO services are available.  For any concerns and/or inquiries regarding the promo, information may be sent to customerservice@dito.ph. All matters and disputes will be subject to the final decision of DITO Telecommunity. All decisions made by DITO Telecommunity pertaining to the promo will be deemed final and irrevocable, with the prior concurrence of DTI.

(MS-APRIL 27, 2022

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late MA. RODELIA CABILAO ZANDUETA has been extra-judicially settled among her heirs WITH THE WAIVER OF RIGHTS consisting of Agricultural land covered by OCT/ TCT NOs. T-132551 of the Register of Deeds of Subasta, Calinan, Davao for Agrarian Reform, Agrarian Reform Bond with Serial Number AR0242170 issued by the National Government through Landbank of the Philippines. As per Apostille No. 13124 before Notary Public NINA DUNG (State of California, USA) (MS-APRIL 27/MAY 4/11, 2022)

“There’s a lot of stuff that may factor in to why we lose, but they were just a better team.”

Raptors, Mavs romp In other playoff action, Toronto stunned the Philadelphia 76ers to keep their series alive while Dallas thrashed Utah to take a 3-2 lead.

Toronto dropped the first three games of their series with the Sixers but are now just one win from tying it up and forcing a game seven after Monday’s 103-88 victory.

Sixers talisman Joel Embiid clearly looked to be struggling with the thumb injury that has been diagnosed as a ligament tear. AFP

Shown here are (from left) Reza Afrian (Indonesia Country Manager), Athiti Sujarit (Thailand/Laos Country Manager), Mitch Esguerra (CEO of Southeast Asia), Garcia Guillermo (Philippines Country Manager), Melvyn Lim (Malaysia/Singapore Country Manager)

LOS ANGELES—Phil Mickelson sparked intrigue about his possible return to golf on Monday after applying for a release to play in the first event of a lucrative Saudi Arabia-backed golf tour in June.

Mickelson’s management company confirmed in a statement that the 51-year-old sixtime major winner was seeking approval to play in the June 9-11 LIV Golf Invitational outside London—but stressed he had not yet confirmed his participation.

The former world number one has not played since triggering uproar in February following publication of his remarks made last year to author Alan Shipnuck concerning the new Saudifunded venture.

Mickelson described the Saudi financial backers of the proposed league as “scary” with a “horrible record on human rights” but said he was willing to deal with them in order to gain leverage to “reshape” the US PGA Tour.

Mickelson, the reigning PGA champion, subsequently apologized for the comments and announced he was taking some “desperately needed time away” from golf.

However his eventual return could conceivably feature participation at the LIV Golf event at Centurion Golf Club outside London.

Steve Loy, co-president of Sportfive management, said in a statement Mickelson was registered to play in both next month’s PGA Championship, where he will be defending his title, as well as the June 16-19 US Open, which takes place the week after the LIV London event.

“Our client Phil Mickelson is officially registered to play in the PGA C h a mpion sh ip as well as the US Open,” Loy said.

“We have also filed a request on his behalf for a release to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational in London, June 9-11. This request complies with the deadline of April 25 set forth by the PGA Tour to compete in a conf licting tour event.

AFP

Batangas, Sarangani win MPBL openers BATANGAS City Embassy Chill showed part of its strength with a 76-56 rout of Imus Bandera late Monday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) fourth season inaugurals at the Batangas City Coliseum.

Levi Hernandez and Juneric Baloria provided a 1-2 punch for Batangas which hardly missed the services of three key players in sharing the early lead with first game-winner Sarangani.

Hernandez and Baloria scored 15 points each to lead 10 0ther players who scored for Coach Cholo Villanueva and pushed Batangas ahead by as far as 65-43, It was Hernandez who earned best player honors, however, as he also posted 5 rebounds and an assist in just 16 minutes and 14 seconds on the floor.

Mark Justin Dela Virgen added 10 points and 7 rebounds for Batangas, which played without veterans Jheckster Apinan, Cedric Ablaza and Rudy Linganay.

Imus got 14 points each from homegrown Ian Melencio and Jacob Galicia.

The retooled Sarangani Marlins bested Valenzuela, 77-73, in the see-saw opener through the efforts of Yvan Ludovice and Krystoffe Jimenez.

Ludovice fired 24 points and Jimenez 22 for Coach John Kallos.

A brief opening ceremony graced by MPBL founder and chairman Sen. Manny Pacquiao was held in-between the games.

MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes declared the fourth season open before a big crowd that included representatives and muses of the competing teams The MPBL will resume on May 2 with another doubleheader featuring Bacolod against San Juan and Nueva Ecija against Pasig.

The games are being shown on One PH Cignal TV and Facebook live.

(MS-APRIL 27, 2022)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

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World’s leading live entertainment company acquires MMI, launches Live Nation Philippines MMI founder Rhiza Pascua (left) with President of Live Nation Asia Pacific Roger Field

Rhiza Pascua (center), with Roger Field to her right, posing with members of the press during the launch of Live Nation Philippines

IN A grand event held on April 25 at Rockwell at The Fifth, Live Nation announced the launch of Live Nation Philippines through the strategic acquisition of Music Management International (MMI).

Rhiza Pascua, MMI founder has also been appointed to the role of Managing Director Live Nation Philippines, signalling further growth of the entertainment company across Asia.

Since its inception three decades ago, MMI, spearheaded by Pascua, has been the leading promoter in the Philippines. When the world’s more prominent artists skipped going to Manila, Pascua worked diligently to convince artists, managers, and

agents and put the country firmly on the global touring map of Asia.

In recent years, MMI has promoted the most number of sold-out concerts in the territory, including Madonna, Coldplay, U2, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Niall Horan, Maroon 5, The Chainsmokers, Dua Lipa, LANY, and many more.

Roger Field, President of Live Nation Asia Pacific, cited Pascua as a formidable operator who has put the Philippines firmly on the global touring map.

“We have a long-standing and successful relationship with MMI, and the launch of Live Nation Philippines is the natural next step in our committed growth in the

Asia Pacific region. MMI adds another part to our network and our vision to deliver exceptional live entertainment experiences to music fans and more opportunities for artists to grow their audience across the world,” Field said.

“Over the years, MMI has delivered industry-leading worldclass services to attract the biggest and best talent to the Philippines.

Through the launch of Live Nation Philippines, the sky’s the limit, and we look forward to bringing even more of the globe’s biggest stars and connecting fans with the artists they love and the magic of live,” Pascua, as the Managing Director, Live Nation Philippines, said in turn.

Harnaaz Sandhu shows support for Manila youth initiative MISS Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu joined a youth-led “Period Pains” workshop on tackling the challenges of menstrual equity with young people, held at Citadines Bay City, Pasay on Monday.

Sandhu, who is in town to attend the Miss Universe Philippines 2022 coronation, has launched a global coalition to achieve menstrual equity in her home country India, in partnership with the Miss Universe Organization, and as ambassador of Plan International, a humanitarian organization that advances children’s rights and equality for girls and young women.

“I’m so honored to participate in this initiative while in the beautiful country of the Philippines. As fans know, my platform has consistently been menstrual equity, which is a passion of mine, cultivated at an early age by my mother.

It’s a dream come true to be able to make a difference across numerous countries, to educate and empower those who menstruate to feel safe and secure, and erase the stigma across the globe around menstruation,” said the 22-year-old, Sandhu.

“Don’t cry, you’re not going to die. That was the first thing she told me,” Sandu said when asked what advice she got from her gynecologist mother the first time she experienced menstruation.

“She taught me how to use pads and medication and most importantly, s h e advised me emotionally.

She told me to pass the message to young women i n my community when I grew up,” Sandhu added.

Sandhu, who said she is excited to meet all the candidates of the Miss Universe Philippines 2022, had an emotional reunion with Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Beatrice Luigi Gomez upon her arrival in the country.

The next day, Sandhu and Gomez met again at an event held at Hilton at Resorts World Manila.

Sylvia depicts mother’s strength in new drama ‘Misis Piggy’ A

FTER portraying multiple mom roles, Sylvia Sanchez stars alongside her daughter Ria Atayde for the first time in a heartwarming series about a mother’s unconditional love in Misis Piggy, iWantTFC’s early Mother’s Day offering which currently streams for free.

Miss Universe Philippines 2021 Beatrice Luigi Gomez (left) with Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu

Misis Piggy is a poignant love letter to all mothers who strive to shower their kids with all the love and care despite enduring their own seemingly insurmountable struggles and pains.

In the iWantTFC original series, Sylvia plays the role of Marivic, a selfless and strongwilled single mom of three middle-aged kids.

Marivic wants nothing but the best for her children that is why she whole-heartedly dedicates her time in running a meat

stall at the market.

As her children get older, Marivic struggles to grapple with the fact that they are mature enough to live their own lives as they carve their own career paths in different countries. Her eldest daughter Lani (Ria) aims to boost her job as a nurse by going to Canada; Steffi (Iana Bernardez) is a teacher taking up a master’s degree and gets a scholarship offer in the United States; Jeffrey (Elijah Canlas), meanwhile, is Marivic’s youngest son who intends to pursue an internship in Australia as he finishes his studies.

Marivic’s relationship with her kids further gets complicated when

Veteran actress Sylvia Sanchez stars in ‘Misis Piggy,’ a heartwarming series about a mother’s unconditional love

they suddenly make an effort to reconnect with their estranged father Rupert (Ricky Davao). This leaves Marivic in an emotionally difficult situation - should she allow her kids to rekindle their relationship with their father despite their failed marriage? Or should she shut Rupert out of their lives forever for

(From left) Ria Atayde, Iana Bernardez, and Elijah Canlas join the cast of ‘Misis Piggy’

abandoning their family?

Misis Piggy is written and directed

by Carlo Catu and produced byABSCBN Entertainment, iWantTFC, Dreamscape Entertainment, Nathan Studios, and Epic Media. A new episode drops daily at 8:00 p.m. on the iWantTFC app (iOs and Android) and website (iwanttfc.com).

Zanjoe Marudo, Kylie Verzosa team up in steamy Vivamax Original film

By Patricia Taculao LOVE is arguably one of the most complex human emotions. It is filled with mysteries and demands a profound understanding from those who experience its high and low

points.

Zanjoe Marudo is paired with Kylie Verzosa for the first time to explore the numerous facets of falling in love and the challenges that come with it in the new Vivamax Original movie Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal.

In the film, Zanjoe plays the role of a filmmaker (Andrei) who went to Sagada in hopes of wooing three national artists to be the subject of his documentary. While there, he immerses himself in the mountainous region, meets locals, and becomes intimate with some of them. Eventually, he meets Lira (Kylie), a best-selling author and the niece of one of the national artists h e ’ s trying to

contact.

As the two become close, Andrei slowly falls for Lira and shifts his attention to falling in love instead of achieving his goals for his documentary. Together, they explore the beauty of art, the countryside, and love.

The film marks the first team-up between Zanjoe and Kylie, who have undeniable on-screen chemistry. However, their connection wasn’t always there from the beginning.

“It took a few days bago mag-open up.

Pero siguro sa mga second or third day, doon medyo at ease na ako, medyo kumportable na ako, Kylie said during a media junket for Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal.

Kylie recalled that throughout their scenes, whether intimate or drama-filled, Zanjoe protected and guided her while remaining professional to meet their shared goal of giving it their all for the movie.

Renowned director Richard Somes is responsible for creating the spark between Zanjoe and Kylie.

“Viva gave me this opportunity to work with a love story, which I really dreamed of doing, and they gave me one of the

brilliant actors here in the Philippines now with Zanjoe and Kylie. It’s an experience working with them, most especially when you’re sharing your thoughts and your vision with the film itself,” Somes said.

Somes is known for movies in the horror and action genres. Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal will be his first romantic movie to direct, but he’s more excited about the project because he sees it as an ode to his career as a filmmaker.

Although it’s Somes’ first time working on a romantic film, he effectively showed a softer side to him that translated well in the scenes where he leveraged the picturesque scenery of Sagada to add to the intensity in the scenes between Zanjoe and Kylie.

The director is also keen on introducing new themes about love, such as how it’s uncompromising and beyond our moral beliefs on what ideal love is because people can’t control when, where, and with whom it will strike.

Joining Zanjoe and Kylie are Cara Gonzales, Joel Torre, Lara Morena, and Ronnie Lazaro among others.

Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal premieres on May 20 exclusively on Vivamax.

‘Ikaw Lang Ang Mahal’ highlights the romance between the main characters

Life

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

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022

Turning negative into positive Self-taught artist Spencer Ozo

Spencer’s artworks on display at Conrad Manila

N heart.

O MATTER how much time has passed, the pain of losing someone doesn’t really go away. Whenever something reminds us of them, the pain would return and a certain sense of longing would envelop the

Unbearable pain can sometimes incapacitate a person. But grief, like love, can also be a good motivator when it is channeled the right way.

And self-taught artist Spencer Ozo did just that. He channeled his grief from losing his family members during the pandemic. His art became his inspirational and emotional support during his darkest moment.

He, in his own way, represents the many artists who struggled and endured during the trying time.

“Artists usually find their artistic philosophy through life-changing experiences. For Spencer, the untimely demise of his father, his mother, his brother, and his uncle during the pandemic – the unfortunate successive losses provided the impetus for his art and has developed his

Spencer Ozo (center) with art patron and businessman Hans Sy (third from right), hotelmanager Linda Pecoraro (rightmost), curator Nestor Jardin (leftmost), and other notable guestsduring the opening of his exhibit at Conrad Manila

philosophy,” shared exhibit curator Nestor Jardin.

He first met the budding artist through the prodding of Zeny Iglesias, the marketing and communication consultant of Conrad

Spencer Ozo (right) with Bluewater Resorts’ Margie Munsayac

Manila, two years ago before the pandemic happened.

Iglesias approached Jardin and told him about the assistant front office manager who paints. She asked if the former CCP president would consider the young artist to be part of the future exhibit of Gallery C. On their first meeting, Ozo brought about five artworks. “I looked at them and told myself that he wasn’t ready. I advised Spencer to work on his focus, on his subject, as well as his brushstrokes and color palette. I told him to continue painting,” said Jardin.

And while everything was in lockdown, Ozo made use of the past two years to hone his skills. What Ozo lacks in formal education and training in fine arts, he compensated with his immeasurable passion for the arts and admirable strength to survive whatever life throws at him.

With the pandemic, the exhibition schedule of Gallery C had to be changed.

Jardin has forgotten about Ozo until Iglesias reminded him about the young artist.

He revisited Ozo’s artworks and was pleasantly surprised at how much the artist has improved.

“He started to find his focus. His brushstroke and palette have improved, as well as the texture of his paintings. The lockdown did wonders for him, in the pursuit of his arts,” said Jardin.

The exhibit, entitled positive | negative, opened on April 5, a significant date for Ozo. It was the birth date of his late mother.

On display until June 11, the exhibit features 24 artworks by Ozo, which he created during the pandemic. It is a visual narrative of how an emerging artist makes sense of a world seemingly out of balance.

“Positive and negative. Yin and Yang.

Dark and light. They represent the extremes of realities. The pandemic brings hardships and sufferings, but it brings a realization on the important matters in our lives – family, health, love, and life,” said Ozo. Born and raised in Baguio City, his art has hints of the varied nature and culture of the region. However, the dramatic and lifechanging turn of events in his life greatly influenced his creative output and style.

He works with acrylic paint and mixed media creating figurative and abstract works that depict human figures, animals, flowers, and nature against backgrounds of various moods and emotions.

His style is unpredictable but always eye-catching, with playful use of colors and shapes. Gold and white bar define his works, symbolizing prosperity, purity, and balance.

“Spencer emerged into a talented prolific artist while dedicating his full-time service as an assistant front office manager at Conrad Manila. This art discovery period for Spencer during the pandemic proved that artists bring comfort to people, unite people, and inspire people. He represents modern artistry that relates very closely with guests and loyal patrons who share the intimate reflections of the artists who have thrived through the challenges,” said Conrad Manila general manager Linda Pecoraro.

The past two years have been hard for everyone. We have struggled to survive.

While some have continued to carry on, others have suffered losses.

Each of us has different ways of coping.

To some, art provides a safe place to heal.

As Jardin puts it, “Through this exhibit, let us see the positive aspects of life despite the negative experiences that we have experienced during the past years.”

Young filmmakers garner awards with climate change awareness film

Distort Monsters in action

A behind-the-scenes look during the shooting of ‘Tanaw’

Distort Monsters is known for creating mischievous and eyecatching monsters

Art in the park and in the metaverse OVER 61 galleries, art schools, independent art spaces, art collectives, and, for the first time, an NFT marketplace, showcase their exhibits online at www.artinthepark.ph.

And as the world opens up to more face-toface activities, Art in the Park is also excited to present a lineup of events and exhibits live on April 28 at the Jaime C. Velasquez Park in Makati City.

This year’s exhibitors include Ang INK., Arnold Art Collection, ART for Space Gallery, ART LAB: Atelier Cesare & Jean Marie Syjuco, Art Toys PH, Art Underground, Art Verite Gallery, ArtBeat Collective, Artepintura Gallery, Artery Art Space, ArtPAPER, Association of Pinoyprintmakers, The Authenticity Zero Collective, Avellana ArtGallery, Boston Art Gallery, Cevio Art Haus, Cornerstone Pottery (EJ Espiritu), De La Salle - College of St. Benilde, District Gallery, FA Gallery, Far Eastern University, Galeria de las Islas, Galerie Anna, Galerie Artes, Galerie

Stephanie, Good on Paper, Hugpong Panay, ILCP Art Space, J Studio, Jon and Tessy Pettyjohn, and KAIDA Contemporary.

Also part of this year’s lineup of exhibitors are KASIBULAN, Kababaihan sa Sining at Bagong Sibol na Kamalayan, Kulay Art Group, MAG, Manila Collage Collective, Mariyah Gallery, Mia Casal Ceramics, Modeka Art Space, MONO8, Museum Foundation of the Philippines, Nineveh Artspace, Orange Project, Pangasinan Group, Parokyano ng Malabon, Qube Gallery, Redlab Gallery, Resurrection Furniture, Sagada Pottery, Sheerjoy, Sierra Madre Gallery (Joey de Castro), Space Encounters, The Thursday Group, Tinaw, TUP Manila, UP College of Fine Arts, Village Art Gallery, Vinyl on Vinyl, vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery, White Walls Gallery, and Ysobel Art Gallery.

As part of the series of events for this edition, Art in the Park fairgoers can also witness Distort Monsters in action as he creates more

Art in the Park presents a lineup of events and exhibits live on April 28 at the Jaime C. Velasquez Park in Makati City

mischievous and eye-catching monsters for the fair through a live mural painting session starting at 3:00 p.m. tomorrow, April 28, at the Jaime Velasquez Park.

Distort Monsters will also discuss his Monster Mayhem MegaMash project, and how this bridges the gap between traditional art and NFTs in a talk scheduled at 5:00 p.m. on the same day.

Ang INK mounts an exhibition of new work available for purchase on this day. Art lovers can also grab the opportunity to see Studio 1616’s installation, Reflect Deflect live.

To complete the Art in the Park experience, a special two-hour DJ set by After The Noon Records will entertain the crowd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.. Food and drinks will also be available at the park.

Art in the Park will continue to benefit the Museum Foundation of the Philippines in support of its projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network.

The crowd in Art in the Park from previous years

TANAW, a ten-minute short film on the many conflicting sides of the controversial quarrying businesses and its impact on the lives of the farmers, the workers, and the locals, swept a total of four awards at the recently concluded Klima Filmfest (KFF).

Created by Playback Multimedia, a startup production that aims to preserve and tell stories through films and photographs, Tanaw was directed and co-written by Kaila Ysavl Bergonio, a Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) student from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, together with Fred Autor, a Multimedia Arts student from Far Eastern University Alabang.

Film major Allynna Santiago served as the assistant director, production manager, production designer and sound designer.

The young student-filmmakers met through Cine Sundays, an online film community founded by director Dan Villegas, with one goal in mind: through their creativity and skills, to remind viewers of the many facets and causes of climate change as well as the urgency to address it.

Tanaw follows Aira Mendoza (Andrea Mari Bool), a 17-year-old Humanities and Social Sciences senior high school student assigned to write a research paper about the reasons for climate change. Her mother, a retired barangay captain and an environmental activist was motivated to dig for the truth behind the quarrying businesses.

In turn, she becomes educated and unbiased in her advocacy.

In her directorial debut, Bergonio delved not just into the impact of the environmental issues in the world but also on the different roles of society in this fast-paced damage.

She unraveled the many facades of the problem and invited the audience to understand the diverse perspectives of the people involved, especially

those torn between providing food for the family and saving the environment.

“We, as members of the youth and the future caretakers of the earth, must not remain silent. We should not forget to act, especially when we have the power and access to education and information,” she added.

“We should be open to a healthy discourse so that we can step forward and fully recognize our capabilities and power to stand up for something we believe in,” she started.

“We should educate ourselves more to start a change— to be present in a crisis, be more critical and involve ourselves.”

Bergonio shared that the film also serves as a nudge that while there is a bigger culprit behind climate change, each small individual effort is still crucial in saving the planet.

“The consequences of our actions towards our surroundings have long been discussed and we have long acknowledged to pledge and do better to save the earth and create a better environment for future generations,” she stressed. “It is now up to us to make a difference, be vigilant, and be enlightened in times like these.”

The 2nd edition of the KFF, which provided a platform and mobilized the young Filipino filmmakers to highlight the importance of local climate solutions and climate adaptation stories, lauded Bool with the Best Performance Award. Tanaw was recognized with the Best Screenplay and Gender-Responsive Awards. The film was Second Runner-Up overall in the festival.

Winners were granted with cash gifts as well as trophies made from recycled materials.

KFF is a joint initiative of the Climate Change Commission and the Oscar M. Lopez Center, a science-based institution committed to building a climateinformed society.

‘Tanaw’ director and co-writer and Benilde Digital Filmmaking student Kaila YsavlBergonio