Manila Standard - 2022 May 26 - Thursday

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VOL. XXXVI • NO. 99 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Pray for me, wish me well’ Marcos proclaimed as PH 17th President, Duterte-Carpio as 15th VP

By Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo

F

ERDINAND "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said he was "humbled" as Congress formally declared him President-elect on Wednesday, then promised Filipinos he would "strive for perfection" as the country's 17th Chief Executive while asking "all to pray for me... (and) wish me well."

With Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, certifying the results of the May 9 general elections after the fastest official counting of votes in the country's history—done over just two days—Marcos Jr. and running mate Sara Duterte-Carpio were declared President and Vice President, respectively.

“I want to do well because when

a President does well, the country does well, and I want to do well for this country," Marcos, 64, told reporters at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City.

Following in the footsteps of his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., "BBM" garnered more than 31.6 million votes, or 58.77 percent of the total votes cast, Next page

President-elect Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. and Vice President-elect Sara DuterteCarpio (inset) are proclaimed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco as the duly-elected leaders of the country at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on May 25, 2022. Marcos Jr. was joined by family members Senator Imee Marcos (in green), former first lady Imelda Marcos (back, partly hidden), sister Irene Marcos-Araneta (back, partly hidden), wife Lisa Araneta-Marcos (in blue), and cousin Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. AFP and Ver Noveno

Food group presses for more DOF: Incoming govt must raise taxes support for private businesses

By Julito G. Rada

By Othel V. Campos THE country’s biggest food group pressed the incoming government to shore up support for private businesses following warnings of an imminent food crisis as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) said Russia, Ukraine and India have ceased wheat exportation while many other countries contemplate keeping their food production for their own security.

“The government should provide the right environment and incentives for the private sector to invest, expand their production, value chain and supply chain logistics," said PCAFI president Danilo Fausto at the group’s first face-to-face assembly in two years.

He added that the private sector plays a critical role now that the country faces food security threats, along with soaring food prices, because of its heavy food import dependence.

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Early signs of COVID-19 surge noted, but not sustained so far

By Willie Casas A HEALTH expert on Wednesday said the early signals of a COVID-19 resurgence have been observed, but none have been sustained so far.

"We’re seeing early signals of a surge. Over the past month, there were three instances of reversals of the

decreasing growth rates of cases," said Dr. John Wong of the IATF Technical Working Group.

"However, even if none has been sustained, we should take these as early warning signals and take the appropriate steps," Wong said.

The Department of Health (DOH) has said that a slight increase in COVID-19 cases was observed in the Next page

OUTGOING Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III wants the incoming Marcos administration to raise taxes, defer personal income tax reductions and expand the value-added tax coverage to pay for the debts incurred under President Rodrigo Duterte’s watch.

By Rey E. Requejo LAWYER, radio commentator and online vlogger Rose Beatrix “Trixie” CruzAngeles has accepted the nomination as press secretary of the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Vic Rodriguez, incoming Executive Secretary for the new administration, revealed that Cruz-Angeles accepted

trillion in debt incurred by the Duterte administration to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Dominguez said.

“Pursuing the fiscal consolidation and resource mobilization program as proposed will help us continue to spend on socioeconomic programs, maintain our credit ratings, and grow out of our debt,” he said in a statement.

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Proclamation of party-lists with DQ raps on hold

By Vito Barcelo WINNING party-list groups with pending disqualification cases before the Commission on Elections cannot be proclaimed yet, citing precedent in previous elections, a poll official said.

Commissioner George Garcia said the Comelec, sitting as National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) for senators and party-list groups, was prevented from proclaiming groups facing petitions for cancellation of their registration.

“We know that previously, as long as the disqualification petition is against Next page

Lawyer-blogger named Press Secretary TRIXIE CRUZANGELES

Dominguez said the new measures are “critical” as the presumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to take over a country whose sovereign debt hit a record P12.68 trillion in March.

The new measures include a carbon tax, taxes on motorcycles, single-use plastics, and cryptocurrencies, aiming to reverse in 10 years the additional P3.2

the nomination as Press Secretary which makes her head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The primary task of Cruz-Angeles is to oversee the operations of the PCOO, which includes the conduct of regular press briefings to media practitioners covering Malacanang activities.

Marcos had earlier announced he would not appoint a spokesperson, which in effect Next page

REMEMBRANCE. Students hold candles and placards as they pay tribute to the victims of a mass shooting carried out by teenage gunman at an elementary school in Texas on May 25, 2022. AFP

Teen kills 19 children in Texas school A TEENAGE gunman killed at least 19 young children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas on Tuesday, prompting a furious President Joe Biden to denounce the US gun lobby and vow to end the nation's cycle of mass shootings.

The attack in Uvalde—a small community about an hour from the Mexican border—was the deadliest US school shooting in years, and the

latest in a spree of bloody gun violence across America.

"It's time to turn this pain into action for every parent, for every citizen of this country," Biden said, his voice heavy with emotion.

"It's time for those who obstruct or delay or block common sense gun laws —we need to let you know that we will not forget," he said.

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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Pray...

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according to the official tally of votes by the NBOC from 171 certificates of canvass (COCs) completed Wednesday afternoon.

“I am humbled because for anyone in public service or in a public life, the most valuable you may receive from fellow citizens is their vote because embedded in that vote are their hopes and aspirations for the future,” said Marcos Jr., who went by "presumptive president" for about 16 days before Congress ratified the results of the automated elections.

"Also embedded in that vote are the trust and confidence that they give to you to take them to that aspirational future.

And that is why to have received over 31 million votes from our countrymen is as valuable an expression of trust as can be had by anyone in public life," he added.

A former senator, congressman, and governor of his home province of Ilocos Norte, Marcos Jr. also congratulated all agencies and personnel involved in the electoral process.

"In my experience, [this is] the bestrun elections that we have seen and that has truly reflected the voice of the people and the choice of the people," he said. "I am inspired by this responsibility that has been given to me."

Officials in Malacanang—the presidential palace where Marcos Jr. practically grew up in, as his father was President from 1965 to 1986— congratulated him and “Inday Sara,” daughter of incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte, as they were formally proclaimed winners by landslide over their nearest rivals.

“We congratulate Mr. Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. and Ms. Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio on their electoral victory and for their proclamation as Presidentelect of the Philippines and Vice Presidentelect of the Philippines, respectively,” said Presidential Communications Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar.

“Today’s proclamation ceremony

by Congress marks another historic milestone in our political life as a nation,

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While the Department of Agriculture (DA) has made importation its pivotal policy to produce food, the plan is a short-term solution that is not sustainable, PCAFI said.

The private sector provides 95 percent of the investments that support agricultural production, the group noted, adding that

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limits the function of the Press Secretary to talking head during press briefings.

“I am grateful for the opportunity I am given to take part in the administration of President Bongbong Marcos as his Press Secretary. It is with humility that I accept the nomination and assume the responsibility of running the affairs of the PCOO,” she said.

Cruz-Angeles, who is noted for representing military officers charged with rebellion and mutiny, was also a former commissioner for Cultural Heritage of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts and former spokesperson of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

She was also a member of Chief Justice Renato Corona's legal team during his impeachment trial in 2012.

The veteran lawyer also wrote the

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National Capital Region (NCR) and Luzon.

However, Health Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said this cannot be attributed solely to the Omicron subvariant BA.4, which was detected on Sunday, and other emerging variants.

The country and most of its regions remain under the minimal risk case classification against COVID-19.

Wong said the shifting from cloth masks to high-filtration efficiency masks will reduce transmission.

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"As a nation, we have to ask when in God's name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby? When in God's name will we do what we all know in our gut needs to be done?"

Texas Governor Greg Abbott, addressing an earlier news conference, named the suspect as Salvador Ramos, an 18-yearold local resident and a US citizen.

"He shot and killed, horrifically and incomprehensibly," Abbott said.

Texas Department of Public Safety officials told CNN the gunman is believed to have shot his grandmother before heading to Robb Elementary School around noon where he abandoned his vehicle and entered with a handgun and a rifle, wear-

underscoring that we are, indeed, a showcase and beacon of democracy in this part of the world,” he added.

“As both leaders are about to embark on the responsibilities and challenges of their respective offices, we reiterate our call for our people to stand behind our newly elected leaders,” Andanar said.

He said President Duterte’s office “shall ensure a peaceful, orderly, and smooth transfer of powers to the President-elect as we extend all the necessary support and assistance to various transition activities.”

Marcos Jr. has yet to announce a date for his inauguration, although under the Constitution he is supposed to assume office by noontime of June 30.

Vic Rodriguez, his chief of staff and incoming Executive Secretary, earlier said the Marcos team would only start planning for the President-elect's inauguration after his proclamation.

Marcos Jr. also said he would seek guidance from another former President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was among a number of officials who greeted the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas candidate at the House of Representatives' executive lounge where the President-elect waited before his proclamation.

"Congratulations, Mr. President," Arroyo, who will return to Congress in June as Representative of Pampanga’s second district, told Marcos Jr. in a brief conversation.

The country’s 14th President, Arroyo is also the chair emeritus of Lakas-CMD — the political party of Duterte-Carpio and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Marcos Jr.'s cousin.

"You have to guide me through this.

I've never been through this...," Marcos then replied to “GMA,” who also became the country’s first woman House Speaker for a year, from 2018 to 2019.

BBM then turned to Duterte-Carpio and gave his Vice President a tight hug and asked how she has been doing since they toured the country together and amassed over half of the 55 million votes cast last May 9.

Duterte-Carpio said her opportunity to serve as the second highest leader of the country – after her father steps down following six years at the Palace on June

30 -- is “dedicated to Kean Gabriel, to Larry, to Jaren, and Frederick and all those who passed because of terrorism, abuse, criminality, and bullying.”

“Let’s help each other for one country that is peaceful and united. We all love the Philippines. May God bless the Philippines,” she added.

The joint session of Congress presided over by Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III – a far third to Duterte-Carpio in the VP race -- and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco approved the report of the joint canvassing committee.

Later, they adopted the separate motions of Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri and House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Romualdez to proclaim Marcos and Duterte-Carpio as the winning president and vice president.

The official canvass showed Marcos had 31,629,783 votes, while his closest opponent, Vice President Leni Robredo, had 15,035,773.

In the vice-presidential race, DuterteCarpio was credited with 32,208,417 votes against Sen. Francis Pangilinan’s 9,329,207.

The joint canvassing committee took just two days to finish tabulating 171 out of 173 certificates of canvass (COCs) from 81 provinces and independent cities, and those containing absentee local and overseas Filipinos’ votes.

The canvass proceeded smoothly and expeditiously, Romualdez reported to the joint session of Congress.

Marcos Jr. was accompanied by his wife, lawyer Liza Araneta-Marcos, son Simon, mother—and former First Lady— Imelda Romualdez Marcos, and his sisters Senator Imee Marcos and Irene MarcosAraneta.

President Duterte did not attend the proclamation of his eldest daughter, who arrived at the Batasan Pambansa with Macapagal-Arroyo.

Imelda Marcos, now 92, seemed to have all of her ailments disappear as she felt “extra excited” and “so happy” over the victory of her son, Bongbong, in the May 9 polls, Senator Imee said.

Imee also expressed her gratitude for the second chance given to her family to

return to Malacañang.

“Of course, my mom is very excited.

She’s so happy with all of what’s happening. She’s suddenly able to hear, to walk. All of her ailments during COVID-19 seem to have vanished. She’s very energetic. It’s like she’s no longer 92 but 29,” the senator told reporters.

Romualdez, poised to become the incoming Speaker of the 19th Congress, thanked his colleagues, including senators, and candidates for “a smooth, speedy and transparent canvass of votes” for president and vice president.

He expressed his gratitude to all who participated in the tabulation after the joint House-Senate canvassing committee, which he co-chaired with Zubiri, reported to the two chambers the results of the official count.

At the same time, Romualdez congratulated Marcos and Duterte-Carpio, whom he shepherded during the run-up to May 9 as their chief campaign manager.

“Their overwhelming mandate reflects the people’s desire for unity toward progress and development,” said the Lakas-CMD President.

He thanked Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Senate President Sotto for entrusting him and Zubiri with the mandate to lead the canvass, and Zubiri and members of the joint canvassing panel for working long hours to finish the official count.

Romualdez likewise expressed his gratitude to Robredo and the other presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their lawyers for their invaluable cooperation in the tabulation, which was carried live on social media platforms.

“Their manifestations to no longer challenge the COCs and to recognize the integrity and authenticity of the election results smoothened and expedited our canvass and allowed the canvassing committee to carry out its mandate from the joint session in so short a time,” he said.

They also “reflected a desire on the part of the candidates to put the divisiveness and animosity of the elections behind us, to move on and to give the national healing and unification process a chance,” Romualdez said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

while faced with global hunger, the DA should, all the more, get a bigger share of the national budget.

The PCAFI said since the livestock and poultry sub-sectors are contributing a third to total agricultural production, they should get a sizable increase in budgetary allocation, from only 3 percent to 4 percent of the DA budget.

“With the supply of imported feed wheat now limited, local corn production should be raised. Corn supply is currently

at a measly 57 percent sufficiency level.

Feed wheat is an alternative to corn which represents 60 percent of feed ingredients.

Feed itself represents around 70 percent of the cost in growing chickens and pigs,” Fausto said.

Cheaper alternatives to feed inputs should be tapped, particularly the feeds developed by Filipino scientists from University of the Philippines Los Banos.

Other improvements to agriculture

that the group recommends to the new administration is the establishment of a first border quarantine facility as a safety measure against the African swine flu, which is also seen to help control smuggling of agriculture products.

The group also suggested that all tax revenues derived from imported commodities should be used for the benefit of the sector where the commodities were generated. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

draft of what later became Republic Act 10066 or the Heritage Act of 2009.

At present, Angeles is a radio host of the "Karambola" program over dwIZ. She’s the former publisher of Politiko, an online publication on and about politicians and government officials in the country.

Angeles was, at one time, a lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University teaching Fine Arts 104 Arts and the Professional.

The incoming press secretary is also a former lecturer at the Institute for Cultural and Arts Management.

She was a social media strategist at the PCOO from July 2017 to 2018 during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Angeles finished her law degree at the University of the Philippines in 1997 and is taking an International Relations degree at the University of Minnesota in the US as well as an MA in Archaeology, also in UP. Her undergraduate degree is in Linguis-

tics, (AB, UP-Diliman).

Meanwhile, incoming Migrant Workers chief Susan “Toots” Ople said Wednesday she would first work on figuring out what possible assistance could be given to overseas Filipino workers in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Ople noted that cases of COVID-19 as well as monkeypox infections are rising in some areas abroad.

“I will prioritize studying the panoramic view of the situation of our OFWs during the pandemic, and determining what kind of help they need,” she said.

She added the Department of Migrant Workers under her leadership would fix the system for OFWs such as the difficulty in obtaining Overseas Employment Certificate and issues with the One Health Pass.

“We will have a systems review. We will also have a performance audit so that the right people are in the right place,” she said.

Proclamation...

"With the resumption of work and schools, people are starting to crowd indoors. The adoption of hybrid work arrangements is one way to reduce crowding in the workplace," he said.

Wong also stressed the need for a faster vaccination pace.

Meanwhile, a government adviser said there is no need to administer a second COVID-19 booster shot just yet to those non-immunocompromised.

"We have good evidence that the first booster is effective. In fact, the incremental benefit from the second dose to the first booster is very big. And the incremental benefit between the first booster and the second booster is much smaller ing body armor.

The gunman was killed by responding officers, the officials said, adding later two teachers also died in the attack.

"Right now there's 19 children that were killed by this evil gunman, as well as two teachers from this school," DPS spokesman Lieutenant Chris Olivarez told NBC News.

Fourth-grade teacher Eva Mireles, was shot and killed while trying to protect her students, her aunt Lydia Martinez Delgado told the New York Times.

"I'm furious that these shootings continue, these children are innocent, rifles should not be easily available to all," she said in a separate statement to US media.

More than a dozen children were also wounded in the attack at the school, which teaches more than 500, mostly Hispanic and economically disadvantaged

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compared to that of between second dose and the first booster," said Dr. Edsel Salvana, an infectious disease expert with the DOH Technical Advisory Group.

Salvana said that while evidence shows that the second COVID-19 booster dose is fit for the elderly aged 60 years and above, there are new reformulated vaccines that are already in the pipeline that could yield better efficacy.

"It would be better if we just wait for those [newer vaccines] rather than stick with existing vaccines given that these people [who are not immunocompromised] react better to the vaccines compared with people who are immunocompromised or older," he said.

the party-list itself, we do not issue a certificate of proclamation. But if the disqualification only involves the nominee, we issue a certificate of proclamation in favor of the party, but not the nominee,” Garcia explained.

Party-list groups are set to occupy 63 seats in the House of Representatives.

“For those who are asking when we could proclaim the partylist winners with pending cases, we will have to resolve it.

There are so many petitions filed, we will have to resolve several issues,” he said.

The proclamation of party-list groups is set today (Thursday) at 4 p.m. At the Philippine International Convention Center.

The proclamation of winning party-list groups was put on hold since the Comelec needed to wait for the results of the special elections in the 12 barangays of Tubaran town in Lanao del Sur – a town with around 7,000 registered voters, whose turnout may reach up to 70 percent.

The Comelec said many partylists had filed petitions to change their nominees. The petitions involved withdrawal, substitution, and death of nominees.

Figures from the latest National Tally Sheet for party-lists show that six groups have so far met the 2 percent threshold – ACT-CIS (2,109,022 votes), 1-Rider Party-list (1,000,343 votes), Tingog (886,431 votes), 4Ps (836,294 votes), Ako Bicol (816,255 votes), and Sagip (779,542 votes).

Without these measures, the government may need to cut spending on socio-economic programs or to finance debts by borrowing more.

Dominguez warned this could lead to “cascading effects on interest payments that could also ultimately force budget cuts and stifle economic growth.”

"Not pursuing a fiscal consolidation and resource mobilization program may likely lead to serious and spiraling consequences to our financial and economic health,” he added.

"We are optimistic that the incoming administration and our next set of legislators will recognize the importance and urgency of these measures and implement them at the soonest time possible," Dominguez said.

Dominguez said the plan "is doable and is designed to secure the gains that we have made under the Duterte administration and to ensure that the government can continue to make economic investments and pursue programs for recovery, maintain its high credit ratings, grow out of its debt faster, and cushion the Philippine economy from future external shocks."

Dominguez said the fiscal consolidation and resource mobilization plan is imperative to ensure that the government can continue to effectively manage its increased budget deficit while spending on investments in infrastructure, education, and health care for economic growth and recovery.

"The next administration is coming in with a strong mandate. We are confident that the soon-to-be President will put it to good use by pursuing critical reforms such as this much-needed program," Dominguez said.

OIC Undersecretary Valery Joy Brion, who heads the DOF Domestic Finance Group, said that by the end of 2022, the government will have borrowed P3.2 trillion more than initially planned in December 2019, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) level stands at 63.5 percent, slightly higher than the internationally prescribed best practice of 60 percent of GDP. As early as next year, the Philippine government will begin principal payments for loans incurred over the past two years,” she said.

Brion said the country’s high debt level arising from these expenditures has put a strain on the country’s finances, prompting the need for the implementation of a fiscal consolidation and resource mobilization plan starting next year.

Brion said that the new administration has three options. These are borrowing more, cutting spending, or raising revenues and improving tax administration to maintain productive spending in infrastructure, health, education, and other investments for the future.

Borrowing more cannot be a viable option as this would further push up the country’s debt level and risk downgrading its investment-grade credit ratings, she said. Interest payments would also balloon,reducing the resources available for productive spending.

Cutting spending, except for wasteful expenses, is also not a recourse because it will imperil the country’s economic recovery and lead to reduced budgets on education, health, infrastructure, and other socioeconomic priorities.

Both widespread budget cuts and financing debts with borrowing would lead to slower economic growth, spiraling debt levels, and eventually, fiscal and economic crises.

Thus, Brion said the best way is “to raise more revenues and improve tax administration and for the government to channel resources from unnecessary and non-priority expenses to productive spending.”

Bureau of the Treasury data show that to prevent having to use borrowings to pay the country’s P3.2 trillion in incremental debt, the government needs to raise at least P249 billion every year in incremental revenues for the next 10 years.

The measures proposed by the DOF are estimated to yield an average of roughly P284 billion every year for the national government.

students.

Uvalde Memorial Hospital said on Facebook it had received 13 children while University Health hospital in San Antonio said on Twitter it had received a 66-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl, both in critical condition, and two other girls aged nine and 10.

At least one Border Patrol agent responding to the incident was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with the shooter, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Marsha Espinosa tweeted.

Footage showed small groups of children weaving through parked cars and yellow buses, some holding hands as they fled under police escort from the school, which teaches students aged around seven to 10 years old.

It was the deadliest such incident since

the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut, in which 20 children and six staff were killed.

The White House ordered flags to be flown at half-mast in mourning for the victims – whose deaths sent a wave of shock through a country still scarred by the horror of Sandy Hook.

Ted Cruz, a pro-gun rights Republican senator from Texas, tweeted that he and his wife were "lifting up in prayer the children and families in the horrific shooting in Uvalde."

But Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook shooting took place, made an impassioned appeal for concrete action to prevent further violence.

"This isn't inevitable, these kids weren't unlucky. This only happens in this country and nowhere else. Nowhere

else do little kids go to school thinking that they might be shot that day," Murphy said on the Senate floor in Washington.

"I'm here on this floor to beg, to literally get down on my hands and knees and beg my colleagues: Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely."

The deadly assault in Texas follows a series of mass shootings in the United States this month.

On May 14, an 18-year-old self-declared white supremacist shot 10 people dead at a Buffalo, New York grocery store.

The following day, a man blocked the door of a church in Laguna Woods, California and opened fire on its TaiwaneseAmerican congregation, killing one person and wounding five. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

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DOLE releases P20m aid for needy Filipinos

THE government has released P20 million in financial assistance to more than 800 public utility vehicle drivers, solo parents, ambulant vendors, marginalized fishermen, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable workers in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) revealed.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III awarded the financial aid as part of the government’s economic recovery efforts, particularly for the marginalized sectors affected by the pandemic.

‘Beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) received either bicycle units, electronic loading business, bigasan package, frozen goods, home care products, Nego-Kart (Negosyo sa Kariton), or banca,” Bello said in a statement.

Meanwhile, recipients of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) Program who underwent emergency employment for 10 days have received their salary amounting to P5,370 each.

Bello highlighted the significant economic contribution of the informal sector workers and reiterated the DOLE’s thrust to reduce their vulnerability to risks either through emergency employment or promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises.

He likewise underscored the Duterte administration’s social amelioration programs and the importance of the whole-of-government approach to help the marginalized sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Based on the March 2022 Labor Force Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), 36.2 percent or 17.016 million of the total number of employed persons could be considered as workers in the informal sector.

The PSA defines the informal sector as consisting of “units” engaged in the production of goods and services with the primary objective of generating employment and income to the persons concerned in order to earn a living.

These units typically operate at a low level of organization, with little or no division between labor and capital as factors of production. Vito Barcelo

NATIONAL FLAG DAY. Workers spruce

up the Alapan Heritage Park in Cavite in preparation for Saturday’s celebration of National Flag Day. Norman Cruz

POEA lifts free rides for OFWs

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE return to normalcy has its own setbacks, one of which is the removal of free rides in mass transport being offered by the government.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), for instance, has announced that it will stop its transportation and accommodation assistance program for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in all areas under Alert Level 1 beginning next month.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III reiterated that Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Abdullah Mama-o cannot reassign any offi-

cials and employees of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) pending the constitution of the new department.

“In light of the IATF pronouncement placing the National Capital Region and other areas in the country on Alert Level 1 status, services and industries including public transportation are in full operating capacity,” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said in an

advisory on Tuesday.

“Hence, transportation assistance for returning OFWs shall be suspended effective June 1, 2022,” he said.

However, distressed OFWs certified by the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) or as evaluated by authorized OWWA airport officers would still enjoy free rides. The exemption also covered Filipinos returning to the country through government-initiated mass repatriation flights, specifically OFWs provided airfare by the POLOs through commercial flights.

Following the directive, the OWWAchartered buses at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and OWWAsweeper flights at the NAIA Terminal

Biazon: ‘Create maritime probe panel now’

By Maricel V. Cruz

Senate urged to pass media workers’ bill A party-list member of the House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Senate to pass the proposed Media Workers’ Welfare Act before the present Congress adjourns sine die.

Rowena Niña Taduran of the partylist ACT-CIS, said “it is crucial for the protection and security of all workers in the media industry.”

Taduran said the enactment of the measure for media workers is long overdue as more journalists were being exploited and left unprotected especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Many workers in the media are literally gripping at the straws during the pandemic. There are employers who fired media workers or decreased their salaries, using the pandemic as justification,” she said. There are those who work without contracts due to the lack of a law that protects them),” Taduran said.

She said media workers continued performing their jobs at the height of the pandemic and during the election period even without adequate protection. Maricel V. Cruz

II will cease operations on June 1.

Meanwhile, the OWWA clarified it will still assist partially vaccinated or unvaccinated OFWs who are required to undergo mandatory facility-based quarantine. Their transportation fares for going back to their home provinces, however, will not be shouldered by the OWWA. Returning Filipino workers who will be needing assistance were advised to contact OWWA through their hotline or their Repatriation Assistance Division at (02) 88917601 local 5213 or through their email address: rad@owwa.gov.ph.

Bello directed POEA chief Bernard Olalia to maintain the status quo in the performance of the duties and responsibilities of POEA personnel.

SEEDS FOR A BETTER FUTURE. Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro leads the distribution of seeds and starter kits donated by the Department of Trade and Industry with a view to spurring livelihood activities through food production and entrepreneurship. Norman Cruz

NCRPO chief axes 39 erring cops, punishes 378

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has ordered the dismissal from the service of 39 police officers due to criminal and administrative offenses.

The 39 policemen were among the 378 erring officers penalized administratively since NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad assumed office last March.

In just three months, nine police officers were also demoted, 261 suspended, and 45 others reprimanded.

Natividad admitted that despite of the intensified implementation of the PNP’s internal cleansing program, there were still some policemen who engaged in illegal activities.

He said, however, that he would not tolerate any misdeeds and warned that police commanders would also suffer the consequence if they did not take full

responsibility over their personnel.

“Under my watch, I will make sure to weed out the NCRPO of undeserving policemen,” he said.

Natividad also warned all personnel that he would not hesitate to dismiss those who are involved in illegal activities such as robbery hold-up, extortion, online cockfighting or e-sabong, and illegal drugs.

He instructed the district directors, chiefs of police and station command-

A LEGISLATOR has underscored the imperatives of creating an independent investigation body to conduct inquiries into serious maritime accidents.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon cited instances of sea-borne tragedies in the country the investigations of which were usually long-drawn and the results ambiguous.

He specifically recalled case of the vessel MV Mercraft 2 which caught fire that left seven of its passengers dead, among them the mother of the ferry’s captain.

Biazon indicated that it is high time for Congress to pass the measure creating the PhilippineTransportation Safety Board (PTSB. “The proposed bill has a long-standing justification, which came from a government body tasked to investigate maritime accidents, the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI). I was the Chief Legislative Officer of Sen. Sergio Osmeña III when he, as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, conducted an inquiry in aid of legislation, on the MV Princess of the Orient tragedy,” Biazon said.

“It was there that I learned about the processes taken in the course of the investigation of maritime accidents.

That’s why when I eventually became a legislator in the 12th Congress, I filed a bill proposing the creation of the National Transportation Safety Board,” he added.

SSS opens online loan facility for pensioners

By Rio N. Araja

THE Social Security System (SSS) is offering a faster and more convenient online pension loan application for first time borrowers SSS president and chief executive officer Michael Regino announced that retired pensioners who are first-time borrowers

under the SSS pension loan program may file their applications online starting May 30 in the My.SSS Portal.

Previously, first-time pension loan borrowers needed to visit the nearest SSS branch to file their initial applications since online filing was available only for renewal of loan applications.

“We recognize the challenges faced

by our retirement pensioners in going to SSS branch to avail of the Pension Loan Program. With the pandemic still around, pensioners prefer to have their transactions done online in their respective homes. This online facility makes it easier for them to avail of said program as it also guarantees a faster approval process,” Regino explained.

CAAP inaugurates newly improved Vigan Airport

SKAL MEETING. Skal International Makati held their monthly general membership

meeting and networking hosted by general manager Bernd Scheinder (standing 2nd left) of Fairmont/ Raffles Hotels recently, In photo are ( seated from left), Skal Director Cynthia Carrion, Chair of Corregidor Foundation, Inc and Bobby Joseph, Skal Chairman Emeritus. Standing from left, Scheinder , Edgar Khorn, GM Punta Fuego, Schneider , Wilhelm Bollie Bolton, COO/EVP of Bless San Benito ; and Oman Air Country Manager, Philippines Salah Al Albalushi.

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has announced the opening of Vigan Airport which was refurbished to further spur economic growth and progress in Ilocos Sur. CAAP director general Jim Sydiongco, Transportation secretary Arturo Tugade and other local government officials in

Ilocos Sur led the inauguration of the newly expanded and rehabilitated airport.

Sydiongco said the project, which costs more than P76.5 million covers the expansion and rehabilitation of the existing passenger terminal building, and constructions of 5,000 and 10,000 gallons overhead water tanks, administration building, power

house, vehicular parking area, turn-around pads, box culvert, runway drainage system, and cyclone wire perimeter fence.

He added the improvement also include additional electrical works at the power house, strip width correction, provision of runway strip end, and runway end safety area at runway end 02. Joel E. Zurbano

A4

News

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

POLICE BARRICADE. Members of the Quezon City Police District form a barricade in front of multisectoral groups protesting at the Commission on Human Rights office on the second day of the canvassing of votes for president and vice president. Manny Palmero

Govt shuts down 7 e-sabong sites T

HE government has taken down seven illegal e-sabong websites, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group is conducting an investigation to identify the administrators of the said websites.

“These criminals thrive on the anonymity of the internet and they are taking advantage of this, but the PNP together with our colleagues from the National Bureau of Investigation will

not rest until they have been unmasked,” Malaya, in a GMA News report, said.

The official said authorities monitored 12 websites and eight social media platforms that are still operating e-sabong.

The DILG is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) to shut down these illegal websites, Malaya said.

The official added that the DILG has requested Meta, the parent company of Face-

book, to immediately delete or suspend the pages conducting e-sabong activities.

The DILG is also set to coordinate with telecom firm Globe regarding GCash, the electronic wallet service that bettors and operators use.

President Duterte earlier ordered to stop e-sabong, following reports of more than 30 sabungeros who had gone missing The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) earlier joined PNP in going after illegal e-sabong operations.

Reports reaching the office of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año

showed that at least seven e-sabong outfits continue to operate without a license or permits in violation of President Duterte’s directive stopping the online game.

Malaya said a similar directive was issued to local government units to stop all e-sabong operations in their respective areas of jurisdiction. He said the DILG has also enlisted the help of the NBI’s anti-cybercrime division in stamping out the e-sabong.

He also warned the public against betting on e-sabong, saying it is unregulated, hence, it is uncertain if the bettors would get their winnings.

‘Admin showed strong will on climate change’

By Vito Barcelo THE Duterte administration has demonstrated a strong political will to address climate change from extensive beach cleanups, and tracking emission levels to pushing legislation aimed at building climate change resilient communities, Malacanang said.

Climate Change Commission Secretary Robert E.A. Borje said among the Duterte government’s pro-environment initiatives include the closing of Boracay, undertaking the comprehensive Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program, and imposing a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants.

The government also operationalized the National Greenhouse Gas inventory to generate data and track emissions essential in decision and policymaking, including the ratification of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, according to Borje.

At the same time, the government also came up with the first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), pegging it at 75 percent, which is more ambitious than other countries.

“And we’re saying, Mr. President, we did not ask for dole-outs. We did not beg. What we are asking for is a responsible partnership because we are least responsible for climate change,” he said.

Under the present administration, climate policies were formulated such as the National Climate Risk Management Framework to be used by different government agencies to increase the resiliency and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

The administration also advocated relevant laws that protect the people and communities. These include R.A. 11201, the act that created the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Borje said that under the Duterte administration, the government considers climate change adaptation in building shelters so that houses could withstand the challenges posed by changing weather.

Inday Sara’s political party wins majority of local, national posts

By Maricel V. Cruz VICE President-elect Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the ruling regional party in Davao Region, dominated the 2022 elections with the majority of its candidates elected into office.

This year’s elections recorded 233 winning HNP members from 412 candidates.

One of the proclaimed winners was Davao Occidental’s Lone District Rep. Claude Bautista, the HNP’s president. The first-time congressman has served the province as two-termer governor since 2016.

Davao de Oro’s current Vice Governor Maricar Zamora has also successfully sealed her comeback as First District Representative.

Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, who

is the party’s treasurer, will serve as Davao de Oro’s sixth vice-governor.

Davao del Norte was also able to get back to its feet after a dominating number in its electoral posts.

Former City Councilor Oyo Uy is now the province’s new vice-governor while his father, who currently sits as the Vice Governor, won Tagum City’s mayoral race.

Second District Representative Alan Dujali was re-elected for a second term.

Davao de Oro and Daveo del Norte both have seven HNP members out of 10 winning members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

HNP members and allies in the Nacionalista Party also dominated the elections in Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.

Voters have also elected into office HNP members in Davao City.

LAST COCs. Officials in Congress inspect some of the last certificates of canvass (COCs) from the provinces during the official canvassing of votes for president and vice president in Quezon City on May 25. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

Imee Marcos Lawmaker welcomes court decision on Marcopper to pay victims hits DA on fish import deal

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Imee Marcos on Wednesday called anew the Department of Agriculture (DA) for “another attempt to pull off a midnight deal” while the nation is focusing on the official vote count for president and vice president in Congress.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, drew attention to Administrative Order 10-2022 signed Monday by Agriculture Secretary William Dar. The EO gives the go signal to import 38,695 metric tons of small pelagic fish like galunggong (round scad), sardines, and mackerel to be sold in wet markets.

“The DA’s midnight madness goes on, from contriving a shortage earlier this year while a large supply was still in storage to bypassing outright the NFARMC (National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council),” Marcos said.

“The closed fishing season is over and our local fishermen are back to their livelihood, so why is the DA issuing CNIs (certificates of necessity to import)?” Marcos said.

Section 61-c of the Fisheries Code requires the DA to consult with the NFARMC on decisions affecting stakeholders in the fishing industry.

SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco on Wednesday welcomed the Marinduque Regional Trial Court’s decision ordering Marcopper Mining Corporation to pay damages to those affected when the firm’s siltation dam burst in 1993, killing the Mogpog River and flooding nearby communities with toxic residues of heavy metals and silt.

At the same time, Velasco said the

government must continue to exact accountability from Marcopper for the consequences of its irresponsible mining practices that have caused irreparable damage to the environment and to the people of Marinduque.

“Three years later in 1996, a much worse disaster took place when a fracture in the drainage tunnel of Marcopper’s Taipan pit spilled more than 1.6 million cubic meters of toxic mine tailings, flood-

ing villages and poisoning the Boac River,” Velasco said in a statement.

“This recent court ruling is very welcome and long overdue. It is a major victory for the people of Marinduque against the company responsible for one of the worst mining and environmental disasters in Philippine history,” he said.

But the quest for justice for all victims is far from over, the House chief stressed.

In fact, in 2020, authorities discovered

Pinoy youth volunteer gets JFK service award

BIODIVERSITY EXHIBIT. Visitors look at the newly-opened temporary art exhibition of Philippine endemic and native species of plants and animals at the National Museum in Manila as part of Biodiversity Day and National Heritage Month.

Danny Pata

By Nash B. Maulan

MRT-3 extends free ride until June 30

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Wednesday announced the extension of the free rides on the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) until June 30 this year.

At a virtual press briefing, MRT3 general manager Michael Capati said the extension of the free rides on MRT3 aims to continue helping commuters

about 100 barrels containing what they described as “toxic substances” in Marcopper’s old storage facility, he said.

“It is regrettable that even after more than two and a half decades, we are still hounded by the Marcopper tragedy that caused the biological death of Boac River, killing the livelihood of thousands of farmers, fisherfolk and other residents of at least 20 villages who are dependent on the river,” Velasco said.

ease their financial burden amid higher consumer prices and rising fuel prices.

“This will allow the MRT3 to further test its capacity and performance in accommodating up to or more than 350,000 passengers,” he said.

The free rides were initially implemented from March 28 to April 30 and were extended further until the end of May.

THE U.S. Peace Corps has honored Filipino youth volunteer Roberto “Ambet” Yangco with the prestigious John F. Kennedy Service Award.

U.S. Peace Corps CEO Carol Spahn bestowed on Yangco, UPC Philippines Youth Program Manager, the JFK Service Award, at the iconic U.S. Institute of Peace on May 19.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila said this is the first time that a Filipino has received this prestigious award, which is given only once in every five years to two staff and two American volunteers across more than 60 countries.

A statement from the U.S. Embassy said Yangco received the award for his exceptional lifelong service and leadership supporting the Philippines’ most vulnerable youth.

Among other achievements, Yangco has inspired Filipinos at-risk youth to volunteer and later become social workers in their communities. Yangco also leads one of the U.S. Peace Corps’ top-ranked volunteer programs globally.

Opinion Getting serious on e-sabong

SOMETIME last year, I wrote an article regarding the ills of e-sabong citing the social cost it has generated involving the lives lost as some who had their entire family fortune wiped out had resorted to taking their own lives. And this does not even include the number of people feared to have been killed in relation to the operations of e-sabong.

I was kind of relieved when I read a statement from incoming Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez that President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is not keen on tapping e-sabong or online cockfighting for revenues as it tends to “compromise the value of the Filipino family.”

I hope the incoming administration maintains its opposition to this.

Rodriguez made the statement in reaction to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda’s pronouncement saying the government will need to raise P326 billion in fresh revenues yearly to trim the country’s ballooning debt.

But Rodriguez shot down any proposal to tap e-sabong as he stressed that “even if the potential revenue, not just for e-sabong but for any industry, is really enticing, if it will compromise the moral fiber of the youth, if it will compromise the value of Filipino family, President-elect Bongbong is more than willing to let go of that lucrative source of revenue.”

I agree 100 percent with Atty. Vic on this. It’s not only the potential income that matters but the government’s effort to help build a strong family, the very foundation of a strong society.

And to think that except for their franchise fees the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation charges the e-sabong operators reportedly don’t pay taxes for the income actually derived from each fight.

However, while the incoming BBM administration and the even the Duterte government are against the

e-sabong, with the latter even ordering a ban on e-sabong operations, a friend, Non Alquitran, who writes a column for another paper, says e-sabong operators are defying the President’s order and haven’t cease their operations. And I am inclined to believe this as I have been receiving text messages asking me to place bets on the online sabong.

It’s about time the government got more serious in its handling of e-sabong. And one way is to take away its access to one of its tools in its operation—the e-wallets.

The other week, Senator Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to order the removal of the online sabong feature from existing ewallet applications amid the latest order issued by Malacañang against the virtual cockfighting industry.

According to Tolentino, since President Rodrigo Duterte already cut the legal umbilical cord of the e- sabong industry, the BSP which has the authority over online payment companies should likewise order the removal of the virtual cockfighting features from those e-wallet services.

Tolentino explained that since the questionable bases used by PAGCOR in regulating e-sabong—the two separate legal opinions issued by the Department of Justice (and the Office of the Solicitor General (respectively—were already nullified following the issuance of a cease order by the President himself, there is no more reason for these e-wallet providers to maintain the virtual cockfighting feature from their respective mobile applications.

Tolentino stressed that removing the online sabong feature from e-wallet applications like GCash and Paymaya will avert possible illegal betting from unsanctioned cockfights.

Tolentino noted that the reason why e-sabong has proliferated and became a multi-billion industry is the fact that the BSP recognized those licenses issued

by PAGCOR to online sabong operators and allowed cockfight aficionados to place the bets through e-wallet services.

The senator said that once you remove the e-sabong app from payment service providers, then no one can place any through GCash and Paymaya. Pilay na ang operation.

I sincerely hope the BSP heeds Senator Tol’s call. And that the incoming BBM administration continues its opposition to the e-sabong operations.

Pasensya this EVERYMAN

By Chin Wong FOR eight days now, my household has been internet-free.

Now this is not some kind of weird experiment to see how long each of us can last unplugged. For the truth is, we cannot. Our work requires that we are online; if we cannot get connected at home, we must get connected elsewhere.

And that has been what we have been forced to do in this last week, thanks to the breathtaking ineptitude of our service non-provider, PLDT. Sick and tired of the spotty service provided by our cable TV provider, we finally made the jump some time ago to PLDT’s fiber-based broadband service, which promised fast connection speeds. To be fair, the company has generally delivered on that promise. But speed, sadly, is not a term that can apply to restoring or repairing a downed network.

We went through the usual process of reporting our troubles, of course.

On Day 3 of the Great Disconnection, I even lined up at a PLDT branch office for more than 30 minutes, simply so I could report the problem in person. After hearing me out, the customer service person attending to me typed away at his laptop, then after a while, assured me that a technician would be sent to my house the next day, a Saturday.

When I asked if the company would automatically apply a rebate for the

lost days of service, I was told no, I had to come to the branch again and fill up some forms, when service was finally restored. Now this was just wrong. Why would a company that cares about treating its customers well make them go through red tape to get what is owed them?

For the record, no technician showed up. Not on the weekend, nor on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Monday, the man from the PLDT branch office called me up to inquire if my problem was solved. I told him in rather colorful terms that it had not, and thought—shouldn’t you, the company’s customer representative, know what is happening to your own network? Why are you asking me if my service has been restored? Shouldn’t you already know that?

In desperation, I reached out to a contact on PLDT’s PR team, who promised to “escalate” my case. Two more days have passed since my case was “escalated” with no clear results.

I later found out that the unfortunates on my street who were PLDT subscribers had also lost their connectivity.

During this week of service hell, nobody from this company properly explained why we were experiencing this problem, and why it was taking so long—one week and running—to get us back online. We did not even get a guarantee that the problem would be fixed by a certain date. Surely, a paying customer deserves this, as a bare minimum.

But in this country, the lot of consumers is to suffer. We are helpless and powerless against the big ser-

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EDITORIAL

Felicitations to our next leaders

W

E stand and give our hand to Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte-Carpio, officially proclaimed Wednesday evening as the duly elected president and vice president respectively in the May 9, 2022 general elections.

The speed shown by the National Board of Canvassers—the Senate and the House of Representatives— displayed the gleaming frames of a democracy after both chambers convened and conducted the historic and smooth canvassing by Congress.

It finished the tabulation of 171 out of 173 certificates of canvass from 81 provinces and independent cities and those containing absentee local and overseas Filipinos’ votes.

Based on the results of the official canvassing by the Zubiri-Romualdez committee, Marcos, the country’s 17th president, garnered a total 31,629,783 votes while Duterte-Carpio got 32,208,417 votes in the automated elections.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri led the Senate contingent for the NBOC while House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez led the House counterpart.

After termination of the canvassing

by Zubiri and Romualdez, both Congressional chambers issued a resolu-

tion containing the results of the canvassing, immediately followed by a joint session of Congress, where the 64-year-old Marcos and the 43-yearold Duterte-Carpio were officially proclaimed.

We wish them the best.

Romualdez thanked his colleagues in Congress, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Majority Leader Zubiri, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, and other members of both chambers as well as candidates for a smooth, speedy and transparent canvass of votes for president and vice president.

Romualdez also congratulated Marcos Jr. and Duterte-Carpio, while expressing gratitude to the other presidential and vice presidential candidates and their lawyers for their invaluable cooperation in the tabulation, carried live on social media platforms.

For his part, Marcos thanked everyone and urged the entire citizenry to help him in ushering a new era of progress for the country.

Zubiri and Romualdez terminated the committee a few minutes after the last COC was canvassed to give both Congressional chambers time to issue a resolution containing the results of the canvassing, followed by the joint session where Marcos and DuterteCarpio were officially proclaimed.

Romualdez, president of the Lakas-

Christian Democrats, commenting on the landslide victory of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio said: “Their overwhelming mandate reflects the people’s desire for unity toward progress and development.”

At the same time, Romualdez expressed his gratitude to outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo and the other presidential and vice presidential candidates and their lawyers for their invaluable cooperation in the tabulation, which was carried live on social media platforms.

“Their manifestations to no longer challenge the COCs and to recognize the integrity and authenticity of the election results smoothed and expedited our canvass, and allowed the canvassing committee to carry out its mandate from the joint session in so short a time,” he said.

They also “reflected a desire on the part of the candidates to put the divisiveness and animosity of the elections behind us, to move on and to give the national healing and unification process a chance,” he said.

The House leader stressed that with such laudable gestures, it would help the incoming Marcos administration to carry out its mandate and deliver on its promises.

As we wish the President and Vice President the best now and in the next six years, with the challenges within their eye range, we paraphrase the prolific Wisconsin-raised American poet Berton Braley: We take off our hat to the warriors who strode/ To victory splendid and high,/ Yea, teach us to stand by the side of the road/ And cheer as the winners go by.//

The new military retirement law

THE Palace recently released R.A. No. 11709, the new military retirement law. This law is supposed to do away with the revolving-door policy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines wherein Chiefs of Staffs are retired after serving a few months. It was normal to see a Chief of Staff serving for only three or four months which in a span of six years, will total to about five or six Chiefs of Staff or even more.

Henceforth, whoever is appointed as Chief of Staff of the AFP will hold that position for three years unless sooner terminated by the appointing authority who the President.

We will therefore be seeing fewer appointments to that position. Theoretically, a President can only appoint two Chiefs of Staff during his term of six years. Although the original intention of the law was to do away with the problem of too many Chiefs of Staff serving only for a few months, R.A. 11709 included other senior positions that were also given fixed terms of three years.

In a nutshell, the features of the new law are the following: All commissioned officers who are not promoted to general officer rank and reach the grade of Colonel or its equivalent in the Navy must retire upon reaching the age of 56 as do all enlisted personnel. All those promoted to General Officer ranks will retire at the age of 59. If one is designated to a position that is required by this law to be occupied for three years,

then that officer’s service will be extended for another three years. For example, if an officer is promoted to the grade of Brigadier General at the age of fifty-two which is about the average age for promotion to General rank during these times, that officer can serve until the age of 59. When he reaches 58 and gets appointed to be a service commander, that officer can serve an additional two years until he reaches 61 years. Why only two years? Because he still has one year left. If he reaches 61

The AFP’s revolvingdoor policy is now gone. and happens to be appointed as the AFP Chief of Staff just before he retires, another three years will be added until he turns 64 to retire. An officer therefore can be a General Officer for a total of 12 years, which is long by Philippine standards.

Currently, Generals gets to serve between three and five years. Although this law will indeed put an end to the revolving-door policy, it might also create some unintended problems by fixing the terms of several positions instead of relying on the natural attrition process to determine promotions to senior positions. Extension by promotion should have been considered because it is the better way to do it instead of a blanket extension upon being promoted to Brigadier General.

The new law could result in too many General officers which will make the AFP too top heavy with Generals.

Why the sponsors of the law and the

lost and the extra expenses incurred to buy connectivity you should have had in the first place, an automatic rebate doesn’t seem all that unreasonable, does it? But all I have heard from the PLDT people I have dealt with is, “Pasensya na sir.”

Well, I have run out of patience. vice providers, and are expected to patiently grin and bear it when their People who are considering subscribing to PLDT need to be warned. Do service is so atrocious.

When you factor in all the hours not expect a quick response when your

In this country, the lot of consumers is to suffer.

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

study group saw it fit to include several positions in addition to the Chief of Staff, is also another matter. The law basically cemented the unified command concept that created many positions for Lt Generals. Our Armed Forces is not really that large yet, we have more Lt Generals in proportion to our personnel strength than many other countries.

The revolving door policy has always been a problem when appointing the AFP Chief of Staff and the Chief of the PNP. Perhaps Congress should have included the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Coast Guard so that three birds would have been shot with only one stone, so to speak. Now, Congress will have to work on a new retirement law for the two services.

The PNP recently copied the practice in the AFP of creating another level of command above the regional level and promoted the officers incharge of these units to PLt. Generals.

The result is that there are now more of this rank in the PNP than the three that it used to have. If a new PNP retirement law is passed and basically maintains this new structure, then the PNP will also become too heavy with too many General officers.

Our reform-minded people from both the AFP and PNP together with Congress should aspire for in establishing a military organization that is lean, mean, young and an efficient fighting force instead of a top-heavy organization. We need younger combat commanders in the Brigade up levels.

Fortunately, the law provides for a review mechanism in case R.A. 11709 does not work as intended. What is important for now is that the AFP revolving door policy is now gone which will ensure the continuity of programs.

network goes down. You cannot even easily “vote with your wallet” and switch providers because of a noxious lock-in period built into their service contract.

So, this is my way of saying, bless you PLDT and the horse you rode in on.

Pasensya this.

Chin Wong is an associate editor of Manila Standard.

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

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

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Xi speaks with UN’s Bachelet, backs China’s rights progress

B

EIJING—Chinese President Xi Jinping held a video call with United Nations rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday, as she visits Xinjiang during a mission overshadowed by fresh allegations of Uyghur abuses and fears she is being used as a public relations tool by the Communist Party.

Beijing is accused of detaining over one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the far-western region as part of a years-long crackdown the United States and lawmakers in other Western countries have labelled a “genocide”.

Bachelet is expected to visit the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar as part of a sixday tour that has been dogged by concerns from Western officials, diplomats, and rights groups that the Communist Party will attempt to use it to whitewash abuses.

China vehemently denies the allegations, calling them the “lie of the century”.

The United States has reiterated its view that Bachelet’s visit was a mistake after the release of thousands of leaked documents and photographs from inside the system of mass incarceration this week.

But Xi defended his country’s human rights progress during the call while Xinjiang was not specifically mentioned by either side, according to a readout from state broadcaster CCTV. “Human rights issues should also not be politicised, instrumentalised, or

treated with double standards,” Xi said according to a CCTV readout, adding that China has “a human rights development path that... suits its national conditions”.

CCTV reported Xi as telling Bachelet that there is no “ideal nation” on human rights.

He added that there is “no need for a ‘teacher’ who is bossy towards other countries”, in an apparent reference to recent public criticisms of the trip by United States and UK officials.

According to the CCTV readout, Bachelet said the UN Human Rights Office is “willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side”.

She was also reported to have said: “I admire China’s efforts and achievements in eradicating poverty, protecting human rights, and realising economic and social development.”

State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday the United States was “appalled” by the latest allegations, after a consortium of media outlets reported on thousands of leaked documents and photographs from inside Xinjiang’s system of mass incarceration. AFP

FIND THE SKYWALKER. French tightrope walker Nathan Paulin walks on a slackline in the bay of Le Mont Saint-Michel, north-western France, during his world record distance attempt on May 24. AFP

Nokor fires ICBM hours after Biden leaves Asia SEOUL —North Korea fired a volley of missiles early Wednesday including a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile, just hours after US President Joe Biden left Asia after a trip overshadowed by Pyongyang’s saber-rattling.

Three missiles—including one suspected ICBM—were fired from the Sunan area in Pyongyang, Seoul said, where an airfield has become a key site used in multiple recent weapons tests by the nuclear-armed regime.

The launch, one of nearly 20 weapons tests by Pyongyang so far this year, prompted joint US-South Korea live fire missile drills in response, as both sides slammed what they called continued “provocations” by the nucleararmed state.

The tests are “an illegal act in direct violation of UN Security Council reso-

lutions,” Seoul’s government said after a National Security Council meeting chaired by new President Yoon Sukyeol.

The United States condemned the “destabilizing” launches and called for Pyongyang to “engage in sustained and substantive dialogue,” a state department spokesman said.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it had “detected at around 0600 (2100 GMT), 0637 and 0642 the firings of ballistic missiles launched from Sunan area towards the East Sea”, it said, referring to the Sea of Japan.

“The first ballistic missile (suspected ICBM) had a range of around 360 kilometres (225 miles) and an altitude of around 540km,” Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The second ballistic missile “disappeared at an altitude of 20km” and the

Tedros: From ‘child of war’ to WHO chief

Russian troops ‘destroy everything’ in Donbas amid eastern advance

KYIV -- Russian troops are advancing in eastern Ukraine, pounding key cities and aiming “to destroy everything there”, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as Moscow signaled it was digging in for a long war against its neighbor.

As the war entered its fourth month on Wednesday, Russian forces were relentlessly bombarding the industrial city of Severodonetsk while attempting its encirclement, a key goal of recent fighting in the Donbas region.

Zelensky mourned the thousands of Ukrainian men and women who have perished since the start of the Russian invasion while renewing calls for heavy weapons from foreign partners, saying arms for Kyiv were “the best investment in stability in the world.”

Sergiy Gaidai, governor of the eastern region of Lugansk, said Severodonetsk was being hammered by air strikes, rockets, artillery, and mortars in a bid to solidify control over the province and move further into Ukraine.

“The situation is very difficult and unfortunately it is only getting worse,” GaidManila ai said, describing what he termed a “full-scale offensive in all directions” in a Standard video on Telegram.

TODAY “The Russian army has decided to completely destroy Severodonetsk. They are simply erasing Severodonetsk from the face of the earth,” he said.

Thousands of troops were sent to capture Lugansk region, Gaidai said, adding that the bombardment of Severodonetsk was so intense it was too late for its 15,000 civilians to leave.

In Moscow, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu made it clear Russia was settling in for a long war. AFP Manila

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Standard

Notice is TODAY hereby given to the public that an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER AND RENUNCIATION OF RIGHTS of the late ALFREDO B. VILLAMOR, who died last September 10, 2021 at Quezon City was made and executed by and among his heirs as part of Doc. No. 430, pages 86, Book no. 15, series of 2022 before Notary Public Atty.

Ramero S. Osorio Jr. (MS-MAY 19,26 & JUN. 2, 2022)

GENEVA—Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the first African to head the World Health Organization, was re-elected on Tuesday, tearfully accepting a second term as he recalled his humble upbringing as “a child of war” and pleading for peace.

His re-election was announced to thundering applause during the WHO’s main annual assembly, after receiving more than two-thirds of secret-ballot votes cast, as needed to be appointed.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK The UN health agency did not provide a breakdown, but sources in the room said he had received 155 of the 160 votes cast.

“I am really, really overwhelmed by the support,” Tedros told the assembly.

ROYAL HANDSHAKE. Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II shakes hands with the Emir of “I am really proud to be WHO.” Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during an audience at Windsor Castle, west of London on May 24. AFP The Ethiopian former minister of CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACKhas behealth and of foreign affairs come a familiar face worldwide as he spearheads the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 57-year-old malaria expert has also increasingly been sounding the ATLANTA—Republican voters delivered a 2020 a centerpiece of his campaign, in a di- address. alarm over the heavy toll that constark repudiation Tuesday of Donald Trump’s rect appeal to his endorser’s supporters who “Your communities will be safe. Your kids flicts like the war in Ukraine are tak“Big Lie” that the 2020 US election was sto- continue wrongly to question the validity of will be in school without fear of partisan ing on global health. len, backing Georgia Governor Brian Kemp the outcome. agendas in the classroom. Parents will have ‘Hope peace will come’ for re-election by a huge margin over a candiBut the former senator was forced to con- a voice and we’ll keep working to bring good After accepting his re-election, date recruited by the former president. cede, in an embarrassing blow for Trump, paying jobs to every corner of our state.”

Tedros made an impassioned and perTrump had banked much of his own politi- as the early count showed him trailing by Kemp, frequently the target of Trump’s sonal plea for peace. cal capital hand-picking David Perdue to oust almost 50 points less than 90 minutes after wrath for refusing to help overturn the elecWith a trembling voice, he pointed Kemp in the nominating contest to compete polls closed. tion, was always expected to win, but the out that he himself was “a child of for the governor’s mansion in November’s “Four years of the Kemp administration margin of defeat represents a stinging rebuke war... from a poor family”. midterm elections. will mean that you keep all of your hard- of Trump from a state he lost by the narrowHe recalled experiencing conflict Perdue made Trump’s bogus claims about earned money,” Kemp said in his victory est of margins in 2020. AFP at a very young age, and also losing his younger brother to disease due to a lack of access to medicine.

“That I was spared was just pure luck. It could have been me, I could have died more than 50 years ago,” he said, describing how the strong emotions from that time rushed back durWASHINGTON—The United States on Tuesday warned ing a recent visit to Ukraine.

Turkey against launching a new military operation in “When I saw the kids, it was the northern Syria, saying the uneasy NATO ally would be image from more than 50 years ago putting US troops at risk. that came to my mind, so visible, so Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday haunting, the smell of war, the sound that Turkey would soon launch a new military operation of war, the image of war,” he told the World Health Assembly. into northern Syria to create a 30-kilometer (19-mile) “se“That’s what I don’t want to hapcurity zone” along the border. pen to anyone. So I hope peace will “We are deeply concerned about reports and discussions come.” of potential increased military activity in northern Syria Tedros, who has also voiced growand, in particular, its impact on the civilian population,” ing anguish at the conflict raging in his State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. home region of Tigray since late 2020, “We condemn any escalation. We support maintenance has cautioned a divided world cannot FAVELA VIOLENCE. A woman holds the hands of a victim arriving on a truck at of the current cease-fire lines,” he said. the Getulio Vargas Hospital, after a police operation at a favela, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, properly address the mountain of health At the United Nations, spokesman Stephane Dujarric on May 24. The police raid left at least 12 people dead on Tuesday, as police said they emergencies and challenges before it, said that the priority for war-battered Syria should be a came under gun fire as they planned to enter a slum called Vila Cruzeiro in the city’s including the pandemic.AFP political solution and humanitarian assistance. AFP north with the mission of locating and arresting “criminal leaders.” AFP

Georgia rebukes Trump in polls over US voter fraud ‘Big Lie’

US warns Turkey against new north Syria offensive

(MS-MAY 12/19/26, 2022)

AUCTION SALE ACME PAWNSHOP, INC. Auction sale on June 05, 2022 10:00 a.m. MJ Holding Bldg., Almanza Las Piñas; 12:00 noon Alabang Town Center Stall 2074 U/L, 2:00 pm G/F Majalco Bldg. Benavidez St., Legaspi Village, Makati and L&R Bldg., 1018 Pasay Road, Makati and 4:00 pm Circle C G14, #17 Congressional Ave. Bahay Toro D1, Quezon City All items Pawned January 01 - 31, 2022 (MS-MAY 26, 2022)

third -- a suspected short range ballistic missile -- travelled around 760km at an altitude of around 60km.

Response to Biden The Wednesday launches are the latest in a blitz of sanctions-busting weapons tests by Pyongyang this year, including test-firing intercontinental ballistic missiles at full range for the first time since 2017.

The latest apparent test come just days after Biden left South Korea Sunday after a trip overshadowed

by US and South Korean officials warning that Kim could carry out a nuclear test while Biden was in the region.

The tests were “clearly timed for President Biden’s return after his visit to South Korea and Japan,” Park Wongon, a professor at Ewha University said, adding that Biden hadn’t even touched down in the US. AFP

Business After wheat, India decides to limit exports of sugar NEW DELHI, India—India said it has capped sugar exports to safeguard its own supplies and ease inflation, days after a ban on wheat shipments sent global prices soaring in the wake of the Ukraine war.

The world’s largest sugar producer and number two exporter after Brazil said on Tuesday that shipments would be limited to 10 million tons for the current marketing year to September.

The decision was taken “with a view to maintain the domestic availability and price stability during the sugar season,” the food ministry said in a statement.

Sugar exports are forecast to hit

a record high this marketing year, with contracts signed for around nine million tons, and 7.8 million tons already shipped, it said.

Citing inflation and its own food security needs, in mid-May India banned any new wheat exports without government approval after the hottest March on record—blamed on climate change—hit harvests.

Although India is a marginal player on the global market, the move sparked a further surge in already-soaring global food prices since Russia’s February invasion of agricultural powerhouse Ukraine, which previously accounted for 12

percent of global exports.

The decision also stoked fears of growing protectionism in the wake of the conflict.

The export ban also left hundreds of thousands of tons of wheat stranded at a major port in western India, with long lines of thousands of trucks waiting to unload.

Authorities stressed that government-to-government requests for wheat from other countries reeling from record high prices would be permitted.

Elsewhere in Asia, Indonesia temporarily halted palm oil exports and Malaysia banned chicken exports. AFP

This picture taken on April 26, 2022 shows workers inspecting a soil sensor near durian trees at the Top Fruit durian farm in Batu Pahat in Malaysia’s Johor state. AFP Manila

Standard

Malaysian durian grower goes high-tech to raise output TODAY

By Patrick Lee BATU PAHAT, Malaysia—Drones spraying pesticide, sensors taking soil readings, sprinklers that squirt fertilizer at the touch of a button—a Malaysian plantation is using high-tech methods to boost its crop of pungent durians.

Grown across Southeast Asia, fans hail the spiky durian as the “king of fruit” due to its bittersweet flavors and creamy golden flesh, and it is particularly popular in China.

But to its detractors it is the world’s smelliest fruit, with an overpowering stench like rotting food that has seen it banned in hotels and on public transport across the region.

In a competitive market, Malaysian grower Top Fruits Plantations has turned to high-tech methods to lift its output.

“It’s a much faster way to get more consistent results,” managing director Tan Sue Sian told AFP during a recent tour of one of the company’s plantations in Batu Pahat, southern Johor state.

Using technology allows farmers to gauge more precisely how much fertilizer and water the trees need, he said.

“When you give what is needed, the fruit will be much more consistent. The shape will be better, and the aroma will be better,” added Tan, who has more than 30 years’ experience growing durians.

Sensors essential Key in the drive are sensors spread across 400 acres (160 hectares) of Top Fruits’ 700-acre Batu Pahat plantation, relaying data on soil quality and content to workers’ handheld devices.

The sensors are boxes mounted on poles, connected to the soil with a series of cables. By 2024, the entire plantation should be kitted out with them.

Sprinklers attached to a network of pipes are remotely activated to spray fertilizer onto the trees, while drones hover over the plantation squirting pesticide.

Such methods are unheard of on Malaysian durian farms, where growers typically rely on a large labor force,

instinct and educated guesses.

The investment has been hefty—Top Fruits has spent about four million ringgit ($900,000) over the past three years on the technology.

But it has led to an increase in yields of 40 percent, while its workforce has shrunk by 30 percent.

The company is now able to produce 800 tons of durians from its farms every year, with more than 80 per cent of its crop frozen in factories to be exported overseas, much of it to China.

In a bid to further boost their crop, Top Fruits is getting into research by setting up a lab and collaborating with local universities. AFP

B3

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rises slightly; PLDT, DMCI lead gainers

T

HE stock market rose slightly Wednesday as traders await members of the incoming Cabinet of assumptive president Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 20.31 points, or 0.3 percent, to 6,597.76 on a value turnover of nearly P6 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 107 to 76, with 57 issues unchanged.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group advanced 2.2 percent to P28.30, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group climbed 2 percent to P847.

DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group increased 2 percent to P9.05, while PLDT Inc. of Indonesia’s Salim Group, the biggest telecommunications firm, rose 1.8 percent to P1,950.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed Wednesday, with little sign of any relief from recent dour performances as investors remain fearful about the economic outlook owing to the impact of inflation, higher interest rates, China’s slowdown and the Ukraine war.

A series of weak indicators around the world and downbeat forecasts from big firms have chilled trading floors in recent weeks as the surge in prices begins to drag on consumer confidence, with warnings now swirling of a possible global recession.

The tech sector was again in the firing line after Snap, the parent of social media app Snapchat, provided a gloomy economic outlook, sending its shares diving more than 40 percent.

Wall Street titans followed Snap down, with Facebook-parent Meta and Google-parent Alphabet tanking.

The mood was not helped by news that US new home sales tanked in April while the Richmond Fed manufacturing index also fell, with both at the lowest

levels since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020.

“The market is moving its focus— and has been for the last month or so— from inflation concerns to growth concerns,” said Ellen Hazen of FL Putnam.

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Taipei and Bangkok rose, while Tokyo, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta and Wellington fell.

Investors are now awaiting the Fed’s next move on interest rates, with expectations for more half-point hikes to come as officials struggle to bring inflation down from four-decade highs.

There was a little hope after one policymaker, Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic, suggested a break in the increases in September could make sense as the bank tries to avert a recession.

National Australia Bank’s Tapas Strickland said that, while it was not clear that the Fed was close to being more supportive of markets, “it is clear that growth headwinds are becoming more evident in the data, particularly stemming from the profit reporting season”.

“The Fed of course remains focused on inflation, but if inflation reads were to start to moderate, then Bostic has opened up the possibility of a Fed pause.”

Minutes from the Fed’s most recent policy meeting are due later in the day and will be closely watched for an idea about its plans.

Meanwhile, China continues to struggle with the fast-spreading Omicron coronavirus variant, with leaders sticking to their zero-COVID strategy despite the dire impact of lockdowns on the economy. With AFP

30th Floor, Alliance Global Tower, 36th Street cor. 11th Avenue, Uptown Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO ALL STOCKHOLDERS Megaworld Corporation NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Megaworld Corporation (the “Company”) will be held on 17 June 2022 at 9:00 a.m. to be conducted virtually, through the link <https://www.megaworldcorp.com/ asm2022> that can be accessed through the Company’s website, with the following agenda: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Call to Order Proof of Notice and Determination of Quorum Approval of Minutes of the Previous Annual Meeting held on 18 June 2021 Annual Report of Management Appointment of External Auditors Ratification of Acts and Resolutions of the Board of Directors, Board Committees and Management 7. Election of Directors 8. Other Matters 9. Adjournment Stockholders of record as of 20 May 2022 will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting.

Pursuant to Article 1, Sections 4 and 6 of the Company’s Amended By-Laws and Sections 57 and 23 of the Revised Corporation Code and to conform with the government’s regulation on social distancing and prohibition on mass gatherings, the Company decided to hold the Annual Meeting via remote communication, and allow the stockholders to cast their votes by remote communication or in absentia, or by proxy.

To participate in the Annual Meeting, stockholders must register from 9:00 AM of 27 May 2022 until 5:00 PM of 10 June 2022. The procedure for participation via remote communication and in absentia are contained in the Information Statement.

Stockholders who wish to appoint proxies may submit proxy instruments until 5:00 PM of 10 June 2022, to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the 10th Floor, Two World Square, 24 Upper McKinley Rd, McKinley Hill, Taguig City 1634 or by email to corporatesecretary@ megaworldcorp.com. Validation of proxies shall be held on 15 June 2022. A sample proxy form will be enclosed in the Information Statement for your convenience.

Makati City, Philippines, May 18, 2022.

ANNA MICHELLE T. LLOVIDO Corporate Secretary (MS-MAY 26 & 27, 2022)

Business

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

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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

PSE INDEX CLOSING Wednesday, May 25, 2022

20.31 PTS. 6,597.76

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES DECLINES

1,030,105,598 91,872 5,985,813,387.10 76 107

UNCHANGED

57

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.3290

Japan

Yen

0.007884

0.4126

UK

Pound

1.253700

65.6049

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127402

6.6668

Switzerland

Franc

1.041233

54.4867

Canada

Dollar

0.780092

40.8214

Singapore

Dollar

0.729182

38.1574

Australia

Dollar

0.710500

37.1798

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652661

138.8111

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266610

13.9514

Brunei

Dollar

0.726533

38.0187

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029351

1.5359

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2485

Euro

Euro

1.073600

56.1804

Korea

Won

0.000793

0.0415

China

Yuan

0.150286

7.8643

India

Rupee

0.012910

0.6756

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.227531

11.9065

New Zealand

Dollar

0.645900

33.7993

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033816

1.7696 Source: BSP

Insular Life says profit in 2021 rose by 168% to P4.7b INSULAR Life, the largest Filipinoowned life insurer, said Wednesday net income jumped 168 percent in 2021 to P4.7 billion from P1.8 billion in 2020.

InLife executive chairperson Nina Aguas said in a statement the remarkable performance was driven by strong operational results. Total revenues grew 43 percent to P23.1 billion from P16.2 billion in 2020.

“We are grateful that our operations had a healthy rebound from the slowdown we experienced in 2020 due to the massive lockdowns at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our operational results last year reflected our concerted effort to serve better our policyholders,” Aguas said.

Aguas said several factors led to its successful year, including the easing up of the pandemic restrictions, the digital adaptation of financial advisers, the various technology innovations implemented by the company and several key personnel hiring and movements.

“At the backend of our operations are very robust digital systems that helped us navigate through the pandemic. These efforts were initiated as early as 2016 and fortunately, the acceleration of our digital efforts was coming to bear in 2021. We did well in 2021 in terms of financial performance because our agents were able to regain their confidence and overcome their fear,” Aguas said.

The company’s strong financial results helped it maintain its high industry rank as among the top five life insurers, becoming the only Filipinoowned company to do so.

A report from the Insurance Commission showed that InLife’s net income of P4.7 billion was third best, while its net worth of P47.8 billion was second overall. Its assets of P154 billion ranked fourth among 31 life insurers.

“We will continue to improve our operations to help us deliver results that are backed by a clear path to reach our ambition to provide our policyholders a lifetime for good so that they can enjoy longer, healthier and happier lives,” Aguas said.

The firm’s HMO subsidiary Insular Health Care breached the P1-billion mark in membership fee revenue in 2021, or 35 percent more than the previous year’s and significantly higher than the HMO industry’s revenue growth of 1.9 percent in the same period. Julito G. Rada

PAGCOR VILLAGE.

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman and chief executive Andrea Domingo (seventh from left) and Lemery Mayor Geraldine Catapang-Ornales (fifth from left) lead the inauguration of the newly-built PAGCOR Village in Lemery, Batangas. They are joined by other officials from PAGCOR and the local government unit and some recipient families of the housing project.

Converge gets perks on broadband rollout

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Fiscal Incentives Review Board, upon the recommendation of the Board of Investments, granted tax incentives to four telecommunications companies, including Converge ICT Solutions Inc. for its nationwide rollout of fiber optic network for high-speed broadband services interconnecting the country from Luzon to Mindanao.

Converge’s fiber broadband rollout, with total project cost of P150.6 billion, received four years of income tax holiday, followed by five years of enhanced deductions and 11 years of duty exemption on importations of capital equipment, raw materials, spare parts or accessories from the date of registration under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan.

The company, led by businessman Dennis Anthony Uy, made commitments in its tax incentive application

such as providing better and cheaper internet access in the country’s unserved and underserved communities and strengthening interconnectivity in these areas where the connection is normally slow and unsteady.

“We expect Converge to deliver on its performance commitment of faster and cheaper Internet access in remote localities as this will not only address our pain points with regard to connectivity but also provide more employment opportunities to our people in ru-

ral areas,” Finance Secretary and FIRB chairman Carlos Dominguez III said in a statement.

Converge ICT booked a net income of P1.97 billion in the first quarter, up by 27.9 percent from a year ago on the back of higher subscriber base.

Consolidated revenues went up 39.7 percent to P7.74 billion from P5.54 billion.

The Strategic Investment Priority Plan determines the priority industries, projects and activities that can be granted fiscal incentives by the government under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act. The FIRB also approved tax incentives for three telecommunication tower companies including SkyTowers Infra Inc., Frontier Tower Associates Philippines Inc. and Transcend Towers Infrastructure Philippines Inc. The applications of the three tower companies were also endorsed by the BOI.

SEC approves P309-m IPO of Balai ni Fruitas

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday it approved the P309-million initial public offering of Balai ni Fruitas Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of listed food and beverage kiosk operator Fruitas Holdings Inc. led by businessman Lester Yu. Balai received the SEC approval on he offering of 325 million primary common shares priced at a maximum of P0.75 each. The offering will include 50 million secondary common shares held by shareholder Fruitas Holdings, plus an over-allotment option for another 37.5 million common shares.

The shares will be listed on the small, medium and emerging board of Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. The net proceeds from the sale of the primary shares is expected to reach P220.4 million, which the company will use for store network expansion, commissary setup and introduction of new concepts and potential acquisitions.

The company had 69 stores as of end-September 2021. Using the proceeds from the IPO, the company plans build 120 new stores until end of 2023.

Balai has three active brands including Buko Ni Fruitas , Fruitas House of Desserts and Balai Pandesal.

Yu said that despite the volatile equities market, the company would push through with its maiden share offering.

“It is just a small offering, and what we are offering is considered essential,” Yu said.

The IPO will run from June 17 to 21, with listing on the PSE scheduled on June 29, according to the latest timetable submitted to the SEC.

IN BRIEF Local traffic in Mactan airport now recovering

EXIT STRATEGY. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno (top, second from left) says any move to lift timebound measures in place to support the economy during the pandemic will be carried out based on latest economic data and not on any calendar date. Diokno made the comment during the Asian Development Bank Institute webinar. To support the economy during the pandemic, the BSP implemented timely and decisive measures to extend financial relief to various stakeholders, boost bank lending and promote continued access to financial services.

Alliance Global Group’s net income jumped 52% to P3.9b in first quarter ALLIANCE Global Group Inc., the holding company of tycoon Andrew Tan, said Wednesday net income jumped 52 percent in the first three months to P3.9 billion from P2.6 billion in the same period last year on the reopening of the economy.

AGI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-quarter consolidated revenues climbed 18 percent to P37.5 billion from last year’s P31.8 billion.

AGI chief executive Kevin Tan said the improvement in mobility allowed the group’s core business, property development, gaming and leisure, liquid manufacturing and quick service restaurants to perform closer to prepandemic levels.

Property unit Megaworld Corp. reported a net income of P3.1 billion in the first quarter, up 30 percent from the same period last year as revenues reached P13.1 billion.

Liquor firm Emperador Inc. booked a net income of P2.1 billion as rev-

enues inched up by 2 percent to P12.3 billion. Emperador’s premium liquor brands, primarily its whisky products, continued to post robust sales growth of 20 percent year-on-year during the quarter, while the brandy segment was impacted by rising costs.

Golden Arches Development Corp., the local franchise holder of fast-food chain McDonald’s, booked a net income of P258 million in the first quarter on consolidated revenues of P7.2billion. GADC ended the quarter with 675 McDonald’s stores.

AGI did not report on the performance of its leisure, entertainment and hospitality business under Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. “Armed with the learnings we have acquired in the past couple of years, we target to achieve our pre-pandemic performance this year. We remain confident and optimistic of our growth prospects even in the face of current domestic and global headwinds,” Tan said. Jenniffer B. Austria

Philodrill cedes rights over Nido, Matinloc blocks

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Department of Energy approved the request of Philodrill Corp. to relinquish Service Contract 14, including the Nido and Matinloc petroleum blocks, in favor of the government.

Philodrill said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday it was advised by the DOE of the approval of its application to surrender its rights over SC 14. The company operated Nido and Matinloc blocks, which ceased oil production in 2019.

“We hereby approve the relinquishment of SC No. 14 - Block A [Nido], B [Matinloc and Retention Area], B1 [North Matinloc], D [Retention Area], Tara and Libro,” the DOE said in a letter electronically sent to Philodrill.

Philodrill said the service contracts covering the blocks were surrendered to the DOE last year following the conclusion of production operations.

The technical, financial and legal documents about the relinquishment were evaluated by the DOE. Philodrill still owns 10-percent stake in SC 14-C1 (Galoc Area) and 28-percent interest in SC 14-C2 (West Linapacan).

The company also took over as the operator of SC 53 or the onshore Mindoro natural gas exploration project last year.

The company was a 40-percent shareholder in Penta Capital Investment Corp. and holds minor equity interests in Atlas Consolidated Mining & Development Corp. and United Paragon Mining Corp. as of end-2021.

Philodrill, which is engaged in oil, gas and mineral exploration and development, posted a net income of P3 million in the first quarter, down from P6.3 million in the same period last year.

MEGAWIDE Construction Corp. expects domestic traffic in the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) to be back to the prepandemic level by the last quarter of 2022.

Megawide vice chairman Louie Ferrer said during an investors’ forum sponsored by the Philippine Stock Exchange and Bloomberg the company was banking on the holiday season during the last quarter of the year to boost leisure travel in the country Local traffic in MCIA is gradually recovering with volume now more than 50 percent of the 2019 level.

International traffic in MCIA, meanwhile, will not be back to pre-pandemic level until the last quarter of 2023 due to remaining restrictions on leisure travel in its three key markets—Korea, Japan and China.

Ferrer noted that that International Air Travel Association recently adjusted its global outlook on pre pandemic recovery to 2024 from 2023 because of the RussiaUkraine war and extended COVID-19 lockdown in China. Jenniffer B. Austria

R&D spending of PH alarmingly low—DTI THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) raised alarm over the country’s low gross expenditure on research and development that undermines its target of creating $3.5 trillion to $5.9 trillion in the value of 19 industries led by retail, transport and logistics, travel, healthcare, consumer packaged goods, auto assembly and other activities.

At the Inclusive Innovation Conference (IIC) 2022, Trade Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said the country’s low gross expenditure on research and development (R&D) at 0.16 percent was way below the recommended spending of 1 percent by the United Nations and Southeast Asia’s average of 0.76 percent.

“The Philippines lacks comprehensive framework that will both protect the rights of Filipinos and spur responsible AI adoption and AI innovations,” said Aldaba Wednesday at the opening of the two-day IIC held at the Batangas State University.

Among the barriers to the adoption of new technologies include lack of awareness and knowledge and skills in adopting higher technologies, limited access to finance and high costs, and the poor state of telecommunications, infrastructure and services.

Othel V. Campos

PLDT Home upbeat on hitting 2022 goal PLDT Home, the Philippines’ fastest broadband service provider, on Wednesday said it is on track to acquire one million new fiber subscribers in 2022 amid challenges at the start of the year.

“We are seeing the same trajectory in 2022,” said Jeremiah de la Cruz, senior vice president and head of Consumer Business— Home at PLDT, in a briefing.

Home added 1.13 million new fiber subscribers to its customer count in 2021.

“We are confident Home could at least match that net addition number in 2022, barring major hitches for the balance of the year,” de la Cruz said.

Home added 213,000 new fiber-to-thehome subscribers in the first three months of the year, pushing total fiber-to-the-home customers to a market-leading 2.6 million.

Home ended March with a total subscriber base of 3.1 million, including non-fiber broadband customers. Darwin G. Amojelar

LAUREL, Batangas—Clyde Mondilla used a near-impeccable all-around game to with a huge seven-stroke lead over Tony Lascuña after 36 holes of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship here Wednesday.

An eagle-birdie backside start drove Mondilla past Miguel Tabuena and the former Philippine Open champion bucked a mishap on No. 12 with another birdie on the 17th to stay at the helm then pulled away by ripping the frontside of the softened Splendido Taal Golf Club layout with six birdies for a 30-33.

“It was near-perfect,” was how Mondilla described his round that also featured three straight birdies from No. 4 and two closing birdies.

Rupert Zaragosa’s 64 posted in the 2015 Splendido Classic, however, remains the course record since play in this week’s P2 million event put up by ICTSI is held under winter rules.

But the amiable Luisita-backed Del Monte ace isn’t after the marks, having posted a record of his own with a 64 in winning the ICTSI Calatagan Invitational in 2016. With a whopping 14-under 130 aggregate, the 2019 PH Open winner at The Country Club moved two rounds away from pocketing the top P360,000 purse in this third leg of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour.

But the big lead comes with the big pressure and Mondilla, who used a 2-iron off the mound and a seven-iron from 170 yards to eagle the 534-yard No. 10 from seven feet in one of the late flights, vows to deliver with a stronger performance in the last two days.

“Actually, I feel the pressure more now that I’m in control. I would’ve preferred to be the one in pursuit,” said Mondilla, who marked his strong runner-up finishes at Luisita and Caliraya with final round rallies. “So I need to face the challenge and play better.”

Lascuña had long left the club-

house before Mondilla came in with the former nurturing hopes of getting a clear shot at the crown after a 68 built around a superb closing frontside 33.

Though 36 holes remain in the Pilipinas Golf Tournament, Inc.-organized event, Lascuña’s 137 left him with too big a deficit to overcome with Tabuena slipping to joint third at 138 with Guido Van der Valk, who carded a 70, after failing to sustain a 66 start with a 72.

“I missed a lot of chances at the back,” said Lascuña, who missed out on the first two par-5s which he both birdied in a 69 start Tuesday. “But I kept telling myself just to be patient and the putts would drop in time.”

They did. After draining a sixfooter on No. 2, another par-5, he birdied the next from eight feet and drilled another from almost the same distance on the fourth. He missed another chance from six feet on No. 5 but birdied the par-3 sixth from 8 feet, only to yield a stroke on the eighth on a mishit for a 33-35.

But Mondilla dropped more birdies on a day of sun and shower to be in firm control.

Art Arbole shot a 70 for joint fifth at 139 with rookie pro Sean Ramos, who flourished with an eagle-aided 67 after a 72, while Marvin Dumandan bucked all the distractions and a couple of muffed birdie opportunities from close range to turn in a bogeyfree 66 t h a t lifted him from joint 35th on an opening 74 to solo seventh at 140.

Amateur Carl Corpus also held his ground against Tabuena and Ira Alido, producing a five-birdie, onebogey card for a 68 that steered him past a lot of others from tied 24th to joint eighth with Joenard Rates and Albin Engino at 141.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

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Mondilla rips field with eagle-spiked 63, leads by 7 Clyde Mondilla produced a nine-under 63 as he threatened to blow the stellar field.

Manny Marcelo

Dooley back as Philippine Azkals’ coach: I can’t wait to get started

By Peter Atencio

T

HOMAS Dooley is returning to coach the Philippine Azkals national men’s football team.

T he 61-year- old Dooley is comi ng back af ter coachi ng teams in Viet nam and Malaysia, a few days after Scott Cooper resigned from his Philippine national team coaching job.

“Yes, I’m back.

I can’t wait to get started,” said Dooley in his message to the football community.

The Philippine Football

Federation announced Dooley as head coach on Wednesday. He will be taking charge of the national team’s ongoing preparations.

The Azkals are set to see action in AFC Asian Cup qualifying from June 8 to 14 in Mongolia.

“We will change the direction we have been going to in the last four years. I am honored to coach our beloved team again,” he said.

Dooley last handled the Azkals from 2014 to 2018, before turning it over to Sven Goran-Erikson, who

was then replaced by Cooper.

Under Cooper, the Philippines gained its highest ever World Cup ranking at 111 on May 2018.

“We trust that he can take the team to greater heights in his second stint as head coach. We wish him and the team well as they prepare for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers next month,” said PFF president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta in a statement.

The Azkals will begin preparations for the Asian Cup qualifiers with a training camp from May 26 May until June 3.

After that, the Azkals will head for Mongolia for the competition.

The Azkals are grouped with Palestine, Yemen, and hosts Mongolia.

SBP vows cagers will reclaim no. 1 spot in SEA

Thomas Dooley

Olsim hungry for win against Julie Mezabarba

Jennylyn Olsim: One goal

JENELYN Olsim has a single goal in mind for her return to the Circle, and that is to beat Julie Mezabarba.

The Team Lakay atomweight had a promising start to her ONE Championship career going 2-0 in her first two fights in the main roster. Her momentum, however, stopped when she faced Ritu Phogat on short notice.

Olsim was a late replacement to the ONE Atomweight World Grand Prix semifinals after Itsuki Hirata pulled out of the match due to medical concerns.

Despite taking the fight on short notice, Olsim hung on with Phogat but eventually lost via unanimous decision.

Nevertheless, the loss provided Olsim with a passion that she plans to unleash against Mezabarba in ONE

158 on June 3 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“Coming from that unfortunate result, I really want this match to be in my favor. I’m really hungry for that win, if it’s possible I want to get this fight over with,” said Olsim.

Mezabarba, however, is one tough fighter.

The Brazilian brawler has a 9-3 professional record and holds a win over former title contender Mei Yamaguchi in her ONE Championship debut.

Olsim sees Mezabarba as a superior striker, but the Filipino striker isn’t one to cower in adversity.

“Mezabarba strikes me as a tough and driven athlete.

I think her striking is superior but I won’t let that overshadow my strong will to win over her,” said Olsim.

Saso’s golf odyssey: PH to Japan via US Open win HONG KONG—When a little-known teenager from the Philippines burst into the global golf spotlight by winning last year’s US Women’s Open it changed her life —but left tricky decisions ahead.

Yuka Saso will next week enjoy the new experience of defending a major. But at Pine Needles she will play under a different flag, the crimson red circle of Japan.

Saso, who was born in the Philippines and has a Filipino mother and Japanese father, agonised over the “very difficult” decision to switch allegiance to the land of her father.

Japan does not allow adults to hold dual nationality, leaving Saso with a gut-wrenching choice to make before she turns 21 next month.

“I grew up in the Philippines and I played big events with the Philippine flag beside my name so it was a big decision,” she told AFP. “It was very difficult... I’m a professional

golfer. I needed to make a decision that was good for my job.”

The scales were tipped by the Japanese passport affording easier travel in a post-pandemic world.

“I think everybody knows that the Japan passport is more powerful, it takes less work with the stuff outside golf,” said Saso via video call from the United States.

The Philippines will always hold a special place in Saso’s heart—she won two gold medals for the country at the 2018 Asian Games and played for them again at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

“I felt very honoured to represent my mum’s country, those big events... all those memories,” Saso said.

“Hopefully people will not think that I abandoned the Philippines, because I love the Philippines. I also love Japan.

“It’s still the same me, it’s just the flag.”

Advice from McIlroy Twelve months ago Saso arrived in San Francisco as a little-known golfer who had won a couple of events on the Japan LPGA Tour.

By the time she left the Olympic Club, after only her seventh LPGA Tour start, Saso had become the first golfer from the Philippines, man or woman, to win a major.

“To be able to win the US Open was awesome and to get an LPGA card was my dream,” she said.

“It was life-changing and ever since I’ve learned a lot inside and outside the golf course.”

The win propelled her from 40th in the world into the top 10 and brought a five-year exemption on the elite LPGA Tour.

It also brought career-enhancing commercial endorsements. First in the queue for Saso’s signature was the insurance giant AXA. “I was playing the Japan Tour and to have a big Turn to C2

THE Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is taking the blame for the loss and eventual silver medal finish of the powerhouse Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

SB president Al Panlilio said this as he issued an apology days after Gilas lost to Indonesia, 81-85, in the gold medal match.

“We apologize we fell short and were not able to give our teams better support that they needed to retain the gold. There are no excuses and we’ve learned valuable lessons. We will bounce back and reclaim our spot (in Southeast Asia) to stay ahead,” said Panlilio in a statement.

The loss ended the Philippines’ 33-year reign in SEA Games basketball.

The national team is now getting ready for two international meets.

First up is the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in Auckland, New Zealand against the NZ Tall Blacks on June 30, and India on July 3.

Then, it’s off to the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia in July.

The Philippines is in Group D with New Zealand, India and Lebanon.

Gilas will meet Lebanon in its first game on July 13. Peter Atencio

Yuka Saso of the Philippines laughs as she holds her gold medal at the awards ceremony for the women’s individual golf event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. When a little-known teenager from the Philippines burst into the global golf spotlight by winning the 2021 US Women’s Open it changed her life, but left tricky decisions ahead. AFP

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Sports

THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

Doncic helps Mavs down Dubs to keep series alive

D

ALLAS— Luka Doncic scored 30 points as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Golden State Warriors 119-109 to keep their NBA Western Conference finals series alive on Tuesday.

The Mavericks, needing a victory to avoid a clean sweep, delivered a revived offensive performance to ensure a game five in San Francisco on Thursday.

No team in the 75-year history of the NBA has ever come back from 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.

But after Tuesday’s performance, the Mavericks have at least a lifeline to cling to as the series heads back to California with the Warriors needing just one win from three remaining games to advance to the NBA Finals.

Doncic, who has carried the scoring burden for Dallas in the three previous games, finally received scoring support from his team-mates on Tuesday.

Six Dallas players finished in double figures, with Dorian Finney-Smith adding 23 points and Reggie Bullock 18.

Jalen Brunson added 15 while Maxi Kleber contributing 13 and Spencer Dinwiddie 10.

Doncic however praised the defensive performance of his team-mates after a display which restricted Golden State’s leading scorer—Stephen Curry—to just 20 points.

“Our defense was amazing today,” said Doncic, who finished with 14 rebounds and nine assists.”That’s how we’ve got to play, when we play like this we’re a dangerous team.”

Asked if he felt the Mavs could still salvage a series victory, Doncic replied: “You never know. We’re going to stick together. It’s going to be tough, we know that but we have to stay together.”

Dallas coach Jason Kidd cautioned that the Mavericks remained only one defeat away from elimination.

“We believe it’s just one game at a time, we did our part tonight and found a way to win tonight,” Kidd said. “The next part is to find a way to win on the road.

“We can’t get ahead of ourselves.

Rock ‘n’ Roll running series braces for explosive run

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks drives to the basket during Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. AFP

It’s still 3-1 and Golden State is a tough place to play. But we’ve won there before. We just have to take care of the ball and make shots.”

After being outplayed in the first three games by the six-time NBA champions, Dallas came out with a renewed sense of purpose at the American Airlines Center.

The Mavs led by 15 points at half-time after cutting loose midway through the second quarter with a 19-2 run that propelled them into a double-digit lead.

Golden State struggled to make inroads into that deficit and were successful on only three of 16 attempts from three-point range.

Late rally The Mavs by contrast drained 11-of23 from beyond the arc in the first half, a statistic that helped them into a 62-47 half-time lead.

The start of the second half was delayed by around 20 minutes after what

appeared to be a leak from the arena roof allowed puddles of water to gather at one end of the court.

But any idea that the delay would allow the Warriors to regroup quickly evaporated as the Mavericks continued to rain in buckets, outscoring Golden State 37-23.

That left Dallas 99-70 in front heading into the fourth quarter, with Dallas seemingly cruising to victory.

The Mavs were given a scare in the final minutes of the game as the Warriors bench players suddenly trimmed the lead to just eight points.

But Doncic reasserted control and a Bullock three-pointer put Dallas 13 points clear again to secure the win.

“It felt like we had a shot,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the fourth quarter rally.

“But it wasn’t meant to be, Dallas was great tonight and deserved to win.

“They played with more force, and ex-

ecuted. This is the conference finals and that’s how it’s supposed to be—two great teams. And they handled us well tonight.”

Kerr meanwhile said the Warriors’ locker room had been subdued before the game as his team digested the horror of the Texas school shooting earlier Tuesday that left 19 children dead.

“There was an unspoken awareness of what happened today,” said Kerr, who had made an impassioned plea for stricter gun control laws in his pregame press conference.

“It was a very quiet locker room beforehand. I felt like as a coach my job was get the team ready to play. But difficult to keep perspective on a day like day. The shock, the anger and the grief is there for all of our guys and I’m sure everyone in the building.

“But you just have to accept and go out and play and that’s what we tried to do.” AFP

Tsitsipas back from brink; Wimby clouds French Open PARIS—Stefanos Tsitsipas came back from the brink to reach the French Open second round as Roland Garros was again overshadowed by the crisis engulfing Wimbledon.

Fourth seed and 2021 runner-up Tsitsipas defeated world number 66 Lorenzo Musetti 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in a match which finished early Wednesday.

Greek star Tsitsipas triumphed as 20-year-old Musetti collapsed from the brink of a famous Paris win for the second year in succession.

Twelve months ago, the Italian took the first two sets against Novak Djokovic in the last 16 before injury forced a final set retirement.

He enjoyed a flying start when the night session first round tie started Tuesday, sweeping through the first two sets, out-hitting Tsitsipas just as he had done against Djokovic.

But then came the familiar power failure and Tsitsipas comfortably pocketed the next two sets.

Tsitsipas came into the tournament on the back of a successful defence of his Monte Carlo title and a runners-up spot in Madrid.

He was also on a season-leading 31 wins which became 32 in the decider courtesy of two more service breaks.

“It was positive and a good effort in the end. I wasn’t feeling very good in the first two sets, something was off with my game. Lorenzo wasn’t giving me any rhythm,” said the 23-year-old.

‘Russians causing trouble’ World number two Daniil Medvedev also eased into

Medvedev, who had lost in the opening round on his first four trips before reaching the quarter-finals in 2021. “I hope this year I can go further.”

One place he will not be going, however, is the All England Club next month after Wimbledon banned all Russian and Belarusian players in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The ATP and WTA responded by stripping the sport’s most prestigious tournament of ranking points.

One day after former world number one Naomi Osaka revealed she was “leaning towards not playing” Wimbledon while defending champion Novak Djokovic said he will play despite losing 2,000 points, the controversy showed no signs of abating.

“I will go there to get my prize money, as I would for an exhibition tournament,” said Frenchman Benoit Paire after a 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 loss to Ilya Ivashka.

Claiming that “99%” of players want a Wimbledon with points, he added: “I’m sorry for Russia and Russians, but they are the ones causing all the Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts as he plays against Italy’s trouble.”

Lorenzo Musetti during their men’s singles match on Day Denis Shapovalov, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2021, 2 of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the said he objected both to the ban and the decision to strip Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris. AFP the points. the second round but could not escape the shadow of “I think they could have gone with it a different way, Wimbledon, the Grand Slam tournament where he has maybe keep 50 percent like they have in the past,” said been declared persona non grata. the Canadian.

Medvedev routed Argentina’s 103rd-ranked Facundo The biggest loser on the women’s side will be Karolina Bagnis 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 on the back of 35 winners.

Pliskova who will drop the 1,000 points by finishing runner“I love Roland Garros, especially since last year,” said up to the now retired Ashleigh Barty in 2021. AFP

Baraquiel grabs lead as Avaricio slows down

Sunshine Baraqueil studies her approach to hole no. 9. Manny Marcelo

LAUREL, Batangas—Sunshine Baraquiel pulled ahead in a spirited duel for the lead that kept on changing hands until she hit a clutch birdie on No. 15 to save a second 71 and Chanelle Avaricio hobbled with closing bogeys for a 73 in the second round of the ICTSI Splendido Taal Challenge here on Wednesday.

Baraquiel took command with a 35 start as first round leader Avaricio grappled with her driver and putter and flubbed short par-putts that led to a 38. But the latter regained the lead with a fiery three-birdie binge from No. 10, only to yield it with bogeys in the last two holes.

That enabled Baraquiel to snatch a one-stroke lead at 142, moving 18 holes away from nailing her second career victory after scoring a breakthrough under wicked conditions at Tagaytay Highlands last November.

“I gave myself a lot of opportunities for birdies but I missed a couple of three-footers and another three-footer for par,” said Baraquiel, who rebounded from a bogey start with birdies on Nos.

2 and 6 to wrest control as Avaricio dropped two strokes on the par-4 No. 4 and bogeyed the next.

Avaricio birdied the seventh for the second straight day and reclaimed the top spot with those string of birdies to launch her backside drive, only to stumble at the finish for a 38-35 and a 143 in a tie with amateur Mafy Singson.

She also rued her shaky driving but hoped to regain her rhythm in the last 18 holes and get back on the winning track in the fifth leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“I struggled with my driving and failed to get up-and-down on most holes,” said Avaricio, who scored back-to-back wins at Hallow Ridge and Caliraya before getting foiled by Chihiro Ikeda at Mount Malarayat two weeks ago.

“I have to make sure my drives are good and if not, hopefully I could make my upand-down game,” added Avaricio.

Baraquiel is also putting premium on driving, which she believes would give her better option to attack the greens.

“I need to keep the ball in play and leave myself in position so I can be aggressive on some holes,” said Baraquiel.

Singson, tied with Baraquiel at second just a stroke off Avaricio after 18 holes, fell behind with bogeys in the first three holes but the reigning national stroke play champion and member of the team that took the bronze in the recent SEA Games in Vietnam battled back with three birdies in a five-hole stretch from No. 11, finishing with a gutsy 72 and well within a shot of a first victory in the pros after winning four low amateur honors last year.

Reigning Order of Merit champion Harmie Constantino likewise stayed in the hunt despite a 73, her 145 total leaving her just three strokes off Baraquiel in a final round shootout tipped to go down to the last shot or putt.

Pamela Mariano pooled a 148 after a second 74 while Florence Bisera and Ikeda remained tied at 150 after a pair of 75s in the P750,000 event put up by ICTSI. Bisera reeled back with bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17 while Ikeda stumbled with a double bogey on No. 18 .

Apple Fudolin struggled with a 77 for a 152, Gretchen Villacencio matched par 72 after an 71 for a 153 and Saray Ababa carded a 76 to tie Marvi Monsalve, who skied to a 78, at 156.

THE Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series on June 19 in Manila gives local marathon a different look and perspective with a huge field set to grace the staging of the four-category event making its first foray in Southeast Asia.

Unlike in regular marathon races, the world’s largest running series packs with lots of surprises and innovations, including mixing running and endurance with partying and a concert that will have runners and walkers treated to music throughout the route embellished with themed water stations and a huge musical bash at the finish.

It is actually a day-long affair in historic city atmosphere with the 5K and 10K races set to flag off at the break of dawn and the 21K and 42K events to be held early evening.

Registration is ongoing at www. runrocknroll.com.manila with onsite listup at Garmin stores (through cash and Gcash mode of payment) at Glorietta I, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, The Podium, Ayala Vertis North, SM North, SM Aura, Uptown and Alabang Town Center.

Fees are pegged at P950 for 5K, P1,850 for 10K, P2,450 for half-marathon and P2,650 for the 42K run. For the Remix Challenge, rates are P3,600 for marathon +5K, P4,100 for marathon +10K, P3,800 for half-marathon +5K and P3,400 for half-marathon +10K. Prices, however, may chance until slot lasts.

RockNRollMNL (facebook) and asicsrnrmanila (Instagram) are the social media accounts of the event backed by Alaska, Gatorade, the Philippine Star and Lightwater.

The organizing Sunrise Events, inc. is expecting around 8,000 runners to join the Asics Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series, also being staged for the first time in Asia in post-pandemic times with Manila getting the honor to host the blue-ribbon event as part of the city’s 450th founding anniversary celebrations.

Race week will kick-off on June 14 with the health and fitness Expo, featuring the latest products from ASICS and trends in the running industry.

The run kits will include registration shirt, race bibs, finisher medals in all categories and finisher shirt for the full marathon participants.

Also to be awarded are the Remix Challenge medals.

Saso’s...

From C1

company like AXA reach out, even before the US Open, it gave me confidence to push myself more.”

Best of all, the major victory gave Saso the chance to meet her idol Rory McIlroy at the men’s US Open the following week.

Saso’s fluid swing is remarkably similar to that of the four-time major champion from Northern Ireland. It is no coincidence.

“It’s real that I tried to copy his swing,” she laughed, revealing the pair have kept in touch after meeting again at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I don’t really want to bother him, I know how busy he is. But whenever I have questions, he always replies and gives some advice,” Saso said.

“One of my dreams is to be able to play with him one day.”

‘Very heart-warming’ Pine Needles, in the windswept sandhills of North Carolina, will present a different challenge for Saso, who won her maiden major alongside the Pacific coast courtesy of a knee-knocking birdie on the third playoff hole.

Saso, who reckoned Pine Needles would be “a very difficult course” after practising there this month, was not even nine years old when she decided to take up golf—and vowed she would win the US Open.

“My dad loved watching golf. In 2010 we were watching the US Open when Paula Creamer won,” she recalled.

“And I told my dad: ‘I want to win that trophy’—at the age of eight-and-a-half when I’ve just barely started playing golf!” she laughed.

“My dad was like: ‘Are you sure? I think you should just focus on other things because when you pursue something like being a professional athlete, you need to sacrifice a lot.’

“But I didn’t understand all of that, because I was so young. So I just told him, ‘I want to be a professional golfer’.”

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

Anne Curtis kicks off showbiz return with intimate show

A

NNE Curtis has been hard at work with rehearsals and preparations for her much-awaited concert, Luv-Anne: The Comeback, a live show that she describes as a kickoff party that signals her eagerness to perform before a live audience again.

Happening on June 11 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila, the concert is directed by Paolo Valenciano with creative direction by Teacher Georcelle Dapat-Sy, and the musical direction of Louie Ocampo.

Snippets of Anne doing her dance and voice rehearsals show how much the multi-hyphenate star is enjoying preparations for her comeback concert.

Looking at the behind-the-scenes photos, her dance rehearsals with the G-Force Angels promise electric energy for every concert-goer.

“I’m coming out of my hibernation.

I’ve been a full-time mom for the past two years. It’s the first time that I’m doing something for entertainment,” she told the press in a virtual junket for the concert yesterday.

“It’s originally designed as a virtual concert and was conceptualized right from the time I came back from Australia.

It made sense to make it a digital concert because another lockdown happened. But

Anne is well-rested, prepared, and excited to give her all in her comeback concert

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

after that, everything suddenly started opening up so I was asked if I’m ready to do a live concert instead,” she went on.

Anne recalled that she had to visit the venue before making the decision.

“I went to Resorts World, I sat on the stage, and I felt, yes, kaya ko,” she narrated.

Anne said that the concert is going to be an intimate affair for her fans, followers, and friends.

“Given the venue and the current situation, it’s just logical to make it an intimate event—a reunion among my followers and friends,” she explained.

Taking cues from her previous concerts, Luv-Anne promises to be another grand spectacle. She revealed that she will wear numerous costumes made by local and international designers.

“Every gown, every costume will be iconic,” she promised.

Preparing for her song numbers, Anne admitted that she’s been taking voice lessons with Kitchy Molina, the voice

‘Luv-Anne: The Comeback’ promises to be another grand spectacle

Throughout the concert, Anne will wear numerous costumes made by local and international designers

coach whom she’s been actively working with since 2012 to improve her singing.

“Well rested ako so I think mas maganda ang voice ko ngayon,” Anne said in jest but turned serious in saying, “More than anything I’m feeling very nervous to do this concert but it’s being overtaken by my excitement

CCP’s Vice President and Artistic Director Chris B. Millado

The CCP's Board of Trustees

SINCE 1966, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has dedicated itself to promoting the best of Filipino arts and culture. It is here that Filipinos witness performances and artworks from notable local artists.

For more than five decades, the CCP tapped into various platforms for the arts to raise awareness about its discipline.

In today’s world, where people are transitioning to a digital lifestyle, the CCP adopted new methods to entice digitallyinclined individuals to promote Filipino art or hone their skills.

This 2022, the CCP Board of Trustees, with Maria Margarita Moran-Floirendo as the chairperson, developed two initiatives to train the spotlight on Filipino culture and creativity in the digital space.

Moises Benedict Carandang, a Presidential Appointee to the Board of Trustees of the CCP, presented these two initiatives during the 2022 CCP Institutional Press Conference.

He shared that the CCP plans to release a 10-minute short film revolving around

the favorite Filipino anthology Mga Kwento Ni Lola Basyang, a compilation of short stories written by Severino Reyes that highlight the significance of Filipino values.

Aside from paying homage to the anthology, the short film will also boast a Filipino art style. Although the concept of art is still in development, Carandang explained that just like how people think of Disney when it comes to Western art or anime when it comes to Japanese art, the art style for Mga Kwento Ni Lola Basyang uses intricate patterns and colorful palettes.

The 10-minute animated film will expose the younger generation to a staple in Filipino culture while catering to their appreciation for modern technology.

Meanwhile, while digital art is becoming a widely known and accepted art medium, the CCP also has an initiative that offers grants for animation, comics, and computer games to inspire digital artists to pursue their dreams and share their talent with their fellow Filipinos.

Winners can win up to P1.5 million

Tunisian actors Mohamed Ouerghi (left) and Hamadi Bejaoui perform during rehearsals of ‘Flagranti,’ an LGBTQ+ play, in the capital Tunis

imposes sentences of up to three years in prison for “sodomy” for both men and women.

The country saw a rise in public LGBTQ rights activism in the years following its 2011 revolution that kicked off the Arab Spring uprisings.

But despite years of efforts, rights groups say the community is still

to perform before my followers and friends.”

Tickets to Anne Curtis’s live concert start at P2,500 (Bronze), followed by P4,500 (Silver), P6,500 (Gold), P8,000 (VIP), P9,000 (SVIP), and Php10,000 (Platinum). For ticket inquiries, call Viva (0908)814-4601, Ticketworld (02)8891-

CCP Chairperson Maria Margarita Moran-Floirendo

for computer games, P2 million for animation, and P330,000 for comics from these grants. However, the submission periods already ended last April 26 and May 5.

Digital initiatives aren’t the only projects the CCP is keeping busy with.

Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival returns for another year to champion regional films and delight film enthusiasts across the country.

Compared to the past two years, when the festival limited itself to showing only short films, the CCP’s Vice President and Artistic Director Chris B. Millado said Cinemalaya accepted longer feature films to premiere this August.

By September, during CCP’s anniversary, the public can expect the production of CCP Gala: Musikal!

Other festivals from the CCP include Virgin Labfest 2022 and the National Music Competition for Young Artists.

Despite the pandemic, the CCP overcame its threat by transitioning to an online space and leveraging the power of digital art in meeting its goal of promoting and preserving Filipino arts and culture. As the CCP reopens its doors to the public once again, its Board of Trustees is making sure that they continue to raise interest in local arts and culture while honing the talents of emerging artists. (Photo by Teddy Pelaez)

Tunisia’s first LGBTQ play lifts curtain on hidden violence IT’S the first queer play to be staged in Tunisia—director Essia Jaibi’s latest work aims to challenge conservative attitudes in a country where same-sex acts are punishable by prison terms.

Flagranti (or In the Act), which premiered at a city-center theater in the capital at the weekend, deals with “a reality that we pretend not to see”, Jaibi told AFP. The work, co-produced by LGBTQ rights group Mawjoudin (translating to “we exist”), is played by six mostly amateur actors aged between 23 and 71, reflecting a decades-long struggle for gay rights in the North African country.

Infused with black humor, it tells the stories of people who have suffered violence at home, in the workplace, and in public.

Tunisia is seen as relatively liberal on social issues compared with other Arab countries, but nevertheless

Although the concert marks Anne’s return to showbiz, she opted it to be an intimate event

Anne returns to showbiz after being a full-time mom for two years

9999, or SM Tickets (02)8470-2222.

For more details, and upcoming announcements, check out Viva Artists Agency and Viva Live on the following social media platforms: Viva Artists Agency: https://www.facebook.com/ vivaartistsagency; Vive Live: https://www. facebook.com/vivaliveinc

Justin Bieber to perform at CCP Open Grounds in October

Championing Filipino art and culture on a digital scale

By Patricia Taculao

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vulnerable, with as little as a photo on a telephone potentially leading to arrest, physical violence, and anal examinations.

The notorious Article 230 of the penal code saw 59 people jailed between early 2020 and last October, according to Mawjoudin.

The play, inspired by real events, “talks about a taboo subject, a reality that in Tunisia we keep pretending not to see, which this show is trying to bring to the public’s attention,” Jaibi said.

Mawjoudin member Karam Aouini said the play aims to challenge “discriminatory” mentalities and campaign for an end to a “backward law”, as well as promote queer art.

The NGO also organized Tunisia’s first queer cinema festival in 2018. AFP, Read full story on manilastandard.net

Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber

JUSTIN Bieber is coming to the Philippines.

Yesterday, the pop superstar announced the final international dates for his record-setting Justice World Tour, including a Manila pitstop happening on October 29 at CCP Open Grounds.

Having sold in excess of 1.3 million

tickets so far, the tour will travel to over 30 countries—playing more than 125 shows—from May 2022 through March 2023.

Promoted by AEG Presents Asia and Ovation Productions, tickets to Justin Bieber Justice World Tour Manila are priced from P2,692.8 and will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. local time on May 30 via Ovationtickets.com and SMTickets. com.

The upcoming dates start this month in Mexico, with a stop in Italy before continuing on to Scandinavia for shows in August. Next up are South America, South Africa, and the Middle East in September and October. The tour will close out the year in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand before moving to the UK and Europe in early 2023. Additional dates have also been announced in Dubai, Bahrain, Sydney, New Delhi, Manila, Amsterdam, London, and Dublin.

These new shows come on the heels of his 52-date 2022 North American tour, which kicked off in San Diego on February 18. Each evening promises to be a celebration for both Justin and his fans after the pandemic sidelined his 2020 tour.

Bianca Gonzalez gets another

hosting job on Knowledge Channel KNOWLEDGE Channel continues to promote the importance of early childhood development to Filipino families by launching TalkED: Early Childhood Series, an online educational talk show to begin streaming today on Knowledge Channel’s Facebook page and Kumu’s FYE Channel.

Hosted by celebrity mom Bianca Gonzalez, the monthly series will bring in guest experts on child development to discuss child-related matters and share advice to help parents bring out the best in their children during their formative years and foster a stronger bond in the family.

In its pilot episode, TalkED features child development specialist and founding partner of Playworks Early Childhood Centers, Gabby RoaLimjoco. She will discuss the impact of the ongoing pandemic on young children and steps to help them adjust to the new normal setup.

Viewers can also actively participate by sending their questions to the invited guest expert and giving virtual gifts via Facebook and Kumu, with its proceeds to be used in Knowledge Channel’s continuous efforts to bring accessible and quality educational materials to more children and teachers nationwide.

The first episode streams today at 7:00 p.m. It will also air as a two-part episode on Knowledge Channel, available on SKYcable, Cignal, GSat, SatLite, PCTA cable affiliates, and BEAM DTT, Saturdays and Sundays, 5:40 p.m., on its PTA Time block.

Bianca Gonzales hosts a monthly series that focuses on child development

Life

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

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THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

Strengthen your immune system for healthier, happy life

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VEN as restrictions are being eased to Alert Level 1, we can’t be careless with our actions during this pandemic. Proper nutrition, hydration, exercise, sound mental health, and adequate rest are still important. Equally vital is a healthier immune system that will lower the risk of chronic illnesses and infectious diseases.

A growing number of celebrities who are health buffs swear by the effectiveness of the new Solmux Advance for the relief of cough with phlegm plus added immunity. Solmux Advance is the Philippines’ first and only cough with phlegm solution combining Carbocisteine, which causes phlegm to melt, making it easier to cough up and expel and also reduces and removes bacteria in phlegm; and Zinc, which helps boost immunity and functions as an antioxidant.

Gino Roque IV: Tough against cough

An heir to the retail empire Kamiseta Group of Companies, Gino also owns apparelturned-events company Forza. After his stint as a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother 8, he produced and starred in the romantic-comedy series Beauty and the Boss, where he starred with Elisse Joson; and Pasabuy, where he is paired with Heaven Peralejo.

As a multi-hyphenate, Gino has to remain healthy. “Ever since the pandemic started, we all kind of lived under a rock for over Gino Roque IV stays in top shape with the best a year. Especially with medicine possible my family, we live in a compound. Lolo and Lola were so scared if we go out a lot. This pandemic has been going on for so long. What we did was we adjusted to the new normal,” he shared.

Between acting in locked-in tapings and producing shows, Gino grew paranoid. “Konting ubo lang, all of a sudden you feel like you are sick or you might have COVID. I play lead characters, so imagine if I was sick or my immune system wasn’t so strong. The whole shoot would be useless. All those money spent would be for nothing,” Gino said in an Instagram post to his almost 500,000 followers.

To foster a healthier work environment, (or, with all the responsibilities Gino had to be on top of), Gino had to protect himself and be

strong. He needed the best medicine possible. With some research, one of his doctors suggested that he take Solmux Advance with Zinc.

“What’s really nice about Solmux Advance is that it has these ingredients, carbocisteine, and zinc. Carbocisteine was also able to expel my phlegm. So those are the formulas that will really boost our immune system. It cured my cough in a few days,” a satisfied Gino testified. “This was days before my shoot. Though I tested negative for COVID, I didn’t want things to be uncomfortable on set.”

“Apart from being a businessman, a producer and actor, I also have a small charity where I go out to the community and help out as much as we can. Called Gino’s Wish, we were able to help out 40,000 families. I would go out almost every day and my immune system has to be super-strong. Solmux is a lifesaver!”

“Zinc has been the buzzword for the past couple of years. Nakilala s’ya na tumutulong sa pagpapalakas ng immune system. And when the immune system is functioning well, it’s more efficient at fighting off viruses,” Paolo explained.

Solmux Advance with Zinc, definitely, has become an essential part of the Entrata-Abrera household. It was a new, powerful, and effective discovery for them.

“It is something that we will definitely recommend to friends and family lalo ngayon na mas madalas tayong lumalabas at maki-halobilo, mas lalong dapat makakasiguro na kung sakaling magka-ubo, ay mabilis naman s’yang mapagaling.

Paolo Abrera and Suzi Entrata-Abrera: A healthy relationship

One of those dear friends that Suzi Entrata-Abrera referred to is TV host Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla, commercial model, endorser, Pinoy Big Brother host, VJ, actress, and wife of Robin Padilla; as well as an avowed OA mom.

“Because I am an OA mom, I always research. Nakikisali ako, nak ik ipag-chikahan ako with fellow moms at sa mga mom groups.

Kasali na dyan ‘yung na-share ni Mommy Mars Suzi na Solmux Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla does her research about Advance. And, this is medicine to protect herself and her family the latest Solmux Advance with Carbocisteine and Zinc. Pinagsama para mas malakas at mas mabilis na gamot sa ubo,” Mariel mused.

When there is cough with phlegm, carbocisteine is Mariel’s goto medicine. She considers it her best friend. She got doubly elated when Zinc was added to the potent mix.

“This is because zinc helps boost the immune system. Para sa mga OA mommy na tulad ko, ‘yung gustong-gusto natin ang mga mas na ‘yan dahil gusto ko na mas protected ang kids ko,” emphasized Mariel. “’Pag nagkakasakit, mas gusto ko na mas mabilis ang effect. Gusto ko mas mabilis magpagaling. Solmux Advance is the only cough medicine with Zinc hindi lang dito sa Pilipinas kundi sa buong mundo. Di ba winner, mga mommies? Kaya alam n’yo na kapag may ubo lalo na’yung may phlegm, Solmux Advance with Zinc.”

To get to know more about Solmux Advance with Zinc, log on to: https:// www.unilab.com.ph/solmuxadvance?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmuiTBhDoARIsAPiv6L9AId2V6fENqV7ud67T5ZO1d9OEZu1h0HoiWijxEDJnvafvg3p8 5twaAldeEALw_wcB or https://www.facebook.com/solmuxph

Suzi is a longtime Kapuso Network host of Unang Hirit and Mars while Paolo is a TV host, lifestyle columnist, triathlete, environmentalist, commercials director, and TV content producer. They met in the sports show Game Plan and have been married since 2001.

“Our new mormal routine? Staying healthy all around. Eating right, exercising, making sure we get sufficient rest as well as boosting our immune system help us stay on top of anything we may Paolo Abrera (left) and Suzi Entrata-Abrera catch nowadays,” Paolo follow a healthy routine Abrera (@paoloabrera) posted on his Instagram, as he and his wife Suzi Entrata-Abrera (@ mars_suzi) made a joint video about their health journey. Like all blissful couples, they seamlessly finish each other’s sentences.

“We just celebrated International Women’s Day and I just want to honor my wife not just for being a wonderful wife to me but also for being an excellent mom to our three girls [Leona, Jade, and Antonella]. Napaka-metikulosa pagdating sa health sa aming pamilya para iwas-sakit,” a proud Paolo beamed.

“Pero kahit na anong ingat, just like a lot of people I know, Suzi and I got COVID last January,” Paolo reveals. “Thankfully the symptoms were manageable here at home.”

They took Solmux Advance with Zinc right away. Suzi did research on the cough medicine brand before and was curious as to why it was different from the original Solmux. It was because of Zinc.

Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla: The OA mom that prefers A1 medicine

How to cut back on expenses and still enjoy life style may not be the same I ONCE had this memowith you. A friend of mine rable conversation with a calls it “financial threshmentor years ago. He said old.” He said that once you that it is important to keep have reached that threshtrack of where your money old, then life for you is goes, else you’d end up good. On the other hand, wondering how your exyou might have heard peopenses piled up. He said ple say that as their income that when you earn more, it goes up, so do their exdoesn’t mean that your expenses. This doesn’t have penses or lifestyle should to be the case. In fact, if go up and become more

BY JOBA BOTANA you are comfortable and lavish. Once you reach happy with your lifestyle a certain lifestyle that is right now, there are still comfortable enough to yourself, stay there even if you continue to ways to cut back on your expenses and still earn more. And while money will afford you enjoy life. Here are some ways: Spend for what matters to you. (Havthings and experiences that can make you happy, being a slave to it is something we ing) more doesn’t necessarily mean better and cutting on expenses doesn’t always shouldn’t aspire for.

When it comes to acquiring more stuff as mean having “less” but just spending smartmore money comes in, psychologists have er. Spend for the things you want, whether long said that the lesser the stuff, the clearer it’s a pair of great shoes you’ve been eyethe mind and the happier you become. Or ing for some time now, or that trip of a lifeperhaps it was “The Monk Who Sold His time. Are you one who loves traveling more Ferrari” who said that. But it doesn’t mat- than shopping? Then save for it and spend ter, because it’s been proven to be true that for it. Does it make you feel better if you letting go of stuff and cutting back on ex- beautify or change the look of your home penses will help you focus more on “things from time to time? Then do it because it’s that matter most” in life, such as spending worth spending money for. Choose quality time with your loved ones or finally doing over quantity. You can apply this in terms of clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and all the that trip of a lifetime.

Of course, we all have a certain lifestyle necessary things in your home. and level of financial freedom we aspire to Go for thoughtful gifts. Whenever you achieve. It differs from person to person. give from the heart, it comes back to you. You What is comfortable to me in terms of life- may have heard that phrase before. Giving

JOB WELL DONE

makes us feel good. When it comes to gift-giving, it doesn’t have to be an expensive item, it is really the thought that counts the most. The recipient will appreciate it more if you have given deep thought into the gift that you will be giving. What are the hobbies and interests of the person? Is the recipient always on the go but loves learning new stuff? Try giving him/ her an audiobook.

In my previous column, I mentioned how the Swedes practice the Lagom way in giftgiving. Lagom, is the Swedish way of not having too little and not too much. “Just enough” are the key words. In Sweden, it’s totally normal and even customary to receive handcrafted gift items. In fact, the more personal it is, the better. To them it’s very special to receive their favorite cake or bread personally made for them, or scented candle, or a bar of soap wrapped in a brown wax paper and tied in ribbon using a jute spring.

Avoid spending thoughtlessly, instead save up. Think you can walk your way to work when the weather is good? It’s good exercise and it’s a happy pill. If your office is only an easy walk from where you live, consider walking instead of driving or taking any mode of transport. Use the money you saved for things that will add value to your life or will contribute to your health, wellbeing, and happiness such as going on a vacation.

The above tips can serve as a general guide for you. Here below are other small acts that you can do to cut back on expenses and still enjoy the lifestyle you have:

Spend for what matters most. If it’s traveling you love, then save and spend on it • Make your own coffee • Bring your own water jug • Make your own smoothie • Make or bring your own lunch to work • Watch out for promos from your favorite brands • Sign up for discounts/rewards • Maximize your credit cards’ perks • Work out at home/ follow fitness gurus and do the reps at home • Join a travel group • Travel locally • Shop local paying close attention to quality The general rule in cutting back on ex-

penses is to focus more on things and moments that matter most to you so you can still enjoy life and not feel deprived. You don’t have to do everything above, or you don’t have to do everything all at once.

Do it slowly, let go of some unnecessary expenses (hello, subscriptions you don’t even bother to check!) as well as stuff, and you’re well on your way to a bettermanaged and enjoyable life. And that, dear readers, is a job well done.

For comments and feedback, you may reach the author at joba.botana@gmail.com.

ERRATUM

When it comes to gift-giving, it has always been the thought that counts. Try gifting someone a hand-made and well-thoughtout gift such as a pie you baked. Chances are, the receiver will appreciate it more

Making your coffee at home is one of the many ways to cut back on expenses and still enjoy things (or the drink!) you love most

In the Arcana Lounge article published last May 23, Monday, it was mistakenly reported that the chef and staff don’t buy anything frozen, “except for the pork and lamb, because nothing compares with USDA grade pork and New Zealand lamb.” This should have read “except for the beef and lamb, because nothing compares with USDA grade beef and New Zealand lamb.” We apologize for the error.