Manila Standard - 2022 May 28 -Saturday

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WHO may end COVID crisis But says dropping its emergency status doesn't mean pandemic is over

By Vito Barcelo, Othel V. Campos, and Willie Casas

HE World Health Organization (WHO) is working to declare an end to the COVID-19 outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern but admitted doing so "doesn’t necessarily mean the pandemic itself will be over."

T VOL. XXXVI • NO. 101 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FORMER PILOT CAPT. NG NOW PAL’S PRESIDENT NEWS / A4

ELON MUSK FIRM GETS NTC NOD TO PROVIDE INTERNET

“What we are trying to work toward this year is to end the emergency; to take the death and devastation of COVID-19 out of all countries, not just some countries," said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s Technical Lead for COVID-19.

“Many countries have announced that their emergency is over, but that the pandemic is not. I think that’s an important distinction,” she said at Next page

BUSINESS / B4

SC upholds graft conviction of whistleblower Jun Lozada

By Rey E. Requejo THE whistleblower in the ZTE corruption scandal during the Arroyo administration, Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, is heading for prison after the Supreme Court upheld his 2016 conviction in a graft case involving his brother.

Palace: No legal hurdle for Rody to be drug czar

By Vito Barcelo MALACAÑANG said it is up to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte whether to accept the invitation of president-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to be his anti-illegal drugs czar.

"When it comes to that, there is no legal impediment for a former president to assume an executive position in the executive branch. Now whether President Duterte will accept that is up to him,” acting deputy presidential spokesperson Kristian Ablan said.

Ablan, however, said many believe the outgoing President is looking forward to his Next page retirement.

In 2016, the Sandiganbayan convicted Lozada, former president and chief executive officer of the government-owned Philippine Forest Corp., of graft, for awarding leasehold rights over 6.5 hectares of public land under the agency’s “Lupang Hinirang” program in 2007 to his brother, Jose Next page Orlando Lozada.

FLAG DAY. A giant Philippine flag billows in the wind at the marker of the historic Battle of Alapan in Imus City, Cavite on Friday, ahead of the commemoration of National Flag Day today. Meanwhile, the facade of the Cultural Center of the Philippines is illuminated with lights featuring the tricolor and the three stars of the flag, which will stay on until June 12, Independence Day. Norman Cruz and Danny Pata

China sets SCS drills amid regional tensions CHINA will hold naval exercises in the South China Sea on Saturday despite warnings from the West against raising tensions in the region.

In a move aimed at countering China's increasing assertiveness in the contested

waters, the Philippine Navy said it has begun using Subic Bay facing the South China Sea as a naval base.

One of the Philippine Navy's two guided-missile frigates was deployed at the new base on Tuesday, about 30 years after the

US Navy withdrew from the strategic area.

The Philippine Air Force, meanwhile, plans to station aircraft at the Subic Bay International Airport in order to monitor and respond to maritime disputes, according to Next page

Diokno not worried over big nat'l debt

ONE LESS BURDEN.

Balikbayans arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as the government announces Friday it will no longer require a pre-departure COVID-19 test for incoming fully vaccinated passengers, as part of its measures to revive the pandemic-hit economy starting May 30, 2022.

Danny Pata

By Macon Ramos-Araneta BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno, nominated by Presidentelect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as his administration’s finance secretary, said Friday he was not said he was not worried about the ballooning national debt due to the country's stronger economy.

The country's debt reached P12.68 trillion in March, out of which a total P3.2 trillion were from recent as well as COVID-19 borrowings.

This brought the country's debt-to-GDP (Gross Domestic Product) ratio to 63.5 Next page

Central Bank orders removal Gov’t to borrow of e-sabong from online apps P250m on last month of Du30

By Julito G. Rada

SM ‘SABAY SAVAXX.’ A ceremonial vaccination is held to kickstart the ‘Sabay Savaxx Resbakuna’ campaign at the SM Megamall Mega Trade Hall on Friday.

Pfizer booster shots were administered to three frontline workers and three senior citizens.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has ordered its supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) to remove all electronic sabong or e-sabong operators from the list of merchants in their respective online applications.

The BSP issued Memorandum 2022026 following President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to suspend all e-sabong operations in the country effective May 3, 2022.

“The BSP reiterates that BSFIs should only deal with gambling and/or online

gaming businesses that are allowed to operate by the appropriate government agency," BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in the memo.

The BSP also directed financial institutions to inform their clients who still have remaining funds in their e-sabong accounts to transfer the funds back to their e-wallets within 30 days from the issuance of the memorandum.

After the 30-day period, financial institutions are directed to disable the link between e-sabong accounts and e-money Next page

THE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) plans to raise P250 billion by offering government securities to local creditors to boost state coffers—in the last full month of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a memorandum dated May 25, the BTr issued the schedule of short-dated Treasury Bills and longer-tenor Treasury Bonds for the month of June.

The Treasury is planning to borrow P75 billion in Treasury Bills from local creditors and P175 billion in Treasury Bonds.

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News

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

China thanks Rody for ‘contributions’ In his recent visit to the President, Huang lauded Duterte’s “great contributions” to China and Philippines relations, which were dramatically strengthened under his six-year term which ends on June 30.

The Chinese envoy also conveyed hopes that Duterte would continue the “friendship” he was able to forge during his time as president.

“I wish him every success and expect his continuous support to China-

Philippines friendship,” Huang said, in a statement.

Huang was among the other ambassadors that met with President Duterte on May 25.

“I extended my gratitude to President Duterte for his great contributions to the development of China-Philippines relationship in the past six years,” Huang said.

“I also showed my sincere respect to him for adhering to an independent foreign policy,” the Chinese ambassador added.

During Duterte administration, the Philippines and China established a comprehensive strategic cooperative

WHO...

requirement for students attending the limited in-person classes, Malacañang said on Friday.

Government earlier this year allowed colleges and universities under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 to hold face-to-face classes at full capacity, but those attending physical classes must be enrolled in PhilHealth or any insurance provider.

Also on Friday, the government said almost 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses are expected to expire if they are not used

by June 30.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the 2 million doses is not yet the final count.

Aside from Metro Manila, the following areas will be under the most relaxed COVID alert level: Cordillera Administrative Region: Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Baguio City Region 1: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Dagupan City.

Region 2: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, City of Santiago Region 3: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, Olongapo City Region 4-A: Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Lucena City Region 4-B: Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Puerto Princesa City Region 5: Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City Region 6: Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Bacolod City, Iloilo City

Region 7: Siquijor, Cebu City, LapuLapu City, Mandaue City Region 8: Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc city, Tacloban City Region 9: Zamboanga City Region 10: Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City Region 11: Davao City, Davao Oriental Under Alert 1, establishments and public transportation can operate at full capacity, while schools can also implement in-person classes.

The IATF approved Resolution 168 exempting all fully vaccinated and boostered foreign nationals from the RTPCR test requirement.

Based on the resolution, the visitor must be at least 18 years old and must have received the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot.

Also exempted from the pre-departure RT-PCR requirement are foreign nationals aged 12 to 17 who have received their primary COVID-19 vaccines and children below 12 years old and traveling with fully vaccinated parents or guardians.

The same exemption guidelines apply to Filipinos traveling to the Philippines.

“The DOT sees this development as a win for the local tourism industry as welcoming more tourists in the country will yield more revenues for our MSMEs and restore more jobs and livelihoods in the sector,” Puyat said.

Meanwhile, DOT no longer requires travel insurance for arriving passengers, but having one is still highly encouraged. All types of vaccinations certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted.

Based on recent data, a total 517,516 foreign tourist arrivals have been recorded in the Philippines from February to May 25, 2022.

Americans topped the roster at 104,589, followed by South Korean at 28,474, and Canadians at 24,337. Australian nationals, British, and Japanese tourists came next on the list at 23,286, 20,846, and 13,373 arrivals respectively.

“We will have the final numbers by end of May. But until June, we are expecting 2 million to expire if they remain unused by the end of June,” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje said the DOH has submitted a demand forecast of 34 million doses.

Cabotaje said more than 73.7 million people have already been vaccinated with at least one dose while 69.1 million have been fully inoculated against the virus.

Cabotaje said the country is vaccinating around 200,000 people per day. She said that 36,000 frontline healthcare workers and around 83,000 senior citizens have received their second booster dose.

The DOH earlier said that getting a second booster dose will strengthen immunity against the virus as well as the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1, of which there are a total of 17 cases detected in the country.

Dec. 29, 2011.

In the graft case, the Ombudsman said Jun Lozada had “willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, through evident bad faith and/ or manifest partiality, award the leasehold right over 6.599 hectares of public land under the Lupang Hinirang Program of the Philippine Forest Corporation, to his brother (Jose Orlando).”

This was “despite knowledge that the latter did not undergo the prescribed application process, when as President and CEO of the Philippine Forest Corporation, it was his duty to award leasehold rights and to ensure that all applicants should go through the regular application process.”

It also accused his brother Jose Orlando of accepting the award “notwithstanding

knowledge of the absence of such required application process, thereby giving unwarranted benefit, preference, and advantage to accused Jose Orlando over other qualified beneficiaries of the program, to the prejudice of public interest.”

The notice and award of public land surfaced during Senate hearings into the government’s scandal-ridden $329 million national broadband network deal with ZTE Corp. of China, in which Jun Lozada was a star witness.

Lozada linked the Supreme Court decision to his testimony against the scrubbed ZTE deal.

“My enemies made good with their threats that they will make me regret… telling the truth,” Lozada Jr. said in a mes-

sage to relatives and friends.

“Yes, they succeeded in sending me to prison. But they will not succeed in making me regret my decision to side with the truth and the people. I do not regret siding with the truth,” he said.

In Senate hearings between 2007 to 2008, Lozada testified that key government officials during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration tried to pocket millions of pesos in kickbacks from the National Broadband Network (NBN) deal.

The scandal and allegations resulted in the cancellation of the deal and the filing of graft cases against Arroyo, former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos, and others, who were later acquitted.

authority signed an agreement with the Defense Department in February to "delineate" a portion of the airport as an Air Force forward base.

The airport allows a shortened response time as it is "two minutes closer" by air to disputed areas in the South China Sea compared with Basa Air Base in Pampanga Province, northwest of Manila, he said.

China's maritime authority said the naval exercises are set to take place in the sea less than 25 kilometers off the coast of south China's Hainan province.

"Military exercises will be held and entry is prohibited," the Chinese Maritime Safety administration said in a statement Thursday, warning that an area of roughly 100 square kilometers would be closed off to maritime traffic for five hours.

China routinely conducts similar drills in waters near its shores, with an exercise in another area of the sea near Hainan scheduled for next week, as well as multiple others along the country's eastern coastline.

The latest exercises come as Beijing faces a growing chorus of warnings from the United States and Western allies over

its naval ambitions, which critics say are a beachhead for a wider attempt to change the regional balance of power.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday accused Beijing of raising tensions over Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.

"Beijing has engaged in increasingly provocative rhetoric and activity like flying PLA aircraft near Taiwan on an almost daily basis," Blinken said in a speech, referring to the People's Liberation Army.

He also called for efforts to counterbalance China's "intent to reshape the international order."

Blinken's comments followed verbal sparring between Beijing and Washington over President Joe Biden's promise to defend Taiwan if attacked by China, made on the president's trip to the region earlier this week.

Meanwhile, governments including Australia and New Zealand have sounded the alarm this week over leaked documents that appeared to show a plan to build broad security cooperation between China and the Pacific Islands.

But China has said its cooperation with

Pacific Island countries "does not target any country," and rejected claims that it is pressuring small states into security agreements.

The US military forged an accord with the Philippines in 2014 to strengthen defense cooperation. The US military is permitted to build facilities within Philippine bases, making it effectively possible to station troops in the Southeast Asian country again.

Over the last couple of years, the US Navy has used Subic Bay as its landing port when it conducts joint exercises with the Philippine Navy.

In a press conference Thursday, incoming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that while the Philippines and the United States have had a "very strong and very advantageous" relationship for many years, he also intends to maintain communication with China over the maritime dispute.

"I do not subscribe to the old thinking of Cold War where we had the spheres of influence. I think that we just have to (have an) independent foreign policy where we are friends with everyone. That's the only way,” he said. AFP

percent or above the international standard of 60 percent.

"I think I have the benefit of having served the government for more than 30 years and I’ve seen all the crises. I’ve seen debt-to-GDP ratio close to 100 [percent].

I’ve seen the worst of the Philippines…

We are in a better place right now," Diokno told ANC during an interview.

"I’m not worried about the level of the debt that’s 63 percent. That’s easily manageable as long as the economy can grow by 6 to 7 percent which is our recommendation. Before the crisis we can easily outgrow our debt," Diokno said.

At the same time, incoming Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Arsenio Balisacan said he was planning to “reinvigorate” public-private partnership projects under the Marcos administration.

“We should reinvigorate, reexamine, and bring back PPPs. We’ll reach out to the private sector because he [Presidentelect Marcos Jr.] believes that the private sector plays a very strong role in economic development,” said Balisacan, who currently sits as chairman of the Philippine Competition Commission.

“It is my firm view that without the private sector, we can’t really expect to go far,” he said in an interview on ANC. When the Duterte administration unveiled its P8.2-trillion Build, Build, Build program, it initially shunned away from PPP projects as it pushed for more government and official development assistance funded projects.

In related developments, the Bankers Association of the Philippines welcomed Diokno's appointment as well as that of BSP Monetary Board Member Felipe Medalla, chosen to be the next central bank chief.

“Drs. Diokno and Medalla are notable economists who have the scholastic distinction and extensive experience that transcend different administrations, making them the best candidates for these roles,” said Antonio Moncupa, Jr., president of BAP. “We are confident that under their stewardship, the country will be able to successfully navigate the various fiscal and economic challenges incumbent upon us,” Moncupa added (see full story on B4 – Editors).

Meanwhile, returning Sen. Francis Escudero said the nominated Cabinet secretaries were known and competent in their respective fields. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

63.5%—the highest in 17 years and well above the internationally accepted threshold of 60%.

The national government plans to issue a total of P15 billion in Treasury Bills at P5 billion each for the 91-day, 182-day, and 364-day tenors per day for five days—June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.

The auction dates for the Treasury Bill issuances are set two days before the scheduled issue date.

Meanwhile, P35 billion worth of three-year Treasury Bonds will be issued on June 2, while the auction date is set for May 31.

Another P35 billion worth of Treasury Bonds is set to be issued on June 9 with a five-year tenor or maturity period.

On June 16, June 23, and June 30, the Treasury would have issued P35 billion per day worth of Treasury Bonds with seven-year, 10-year, and another sevenyear tenors, respectively.

On Wednesday, the DOF unveiled a fiscal consolidation plan aimed at raising an average of P284 billion annually for the next 10 years to pay off the P3.2 trillion in additional debt incurred due to the pandemic.

Central...

facilities.

Earlier, the government took down seven illegal e-sabong 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,” Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.

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

The Interior department is coordinating

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

The official added the DILG has requested Meta, the parent company of Facebook, 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.

Duterte earlier ordered to stop e-sabong, following reports of more than 30 sabungeros who had gone missing.

He said it would not be a problem if Duterte wants to join his administration as the anti-drugs czar.

The President-elect said he and Duterte have met more than once, with at least one of those meetings happening before the May 9 elections.

“Even before the election, he's been saying that these things, continue them, please, that is the request. He said that is so important to him. And still of course his priority has always been the anti-drug

problem,” Marcos said.

“One thing that he was very assertive about was ‘continue the anti-drug syndicate that I started. Do it your own way.’ He really said that,” he added.

Duterte won the 2016 presidential race due to his hardline stance against illegal drugs and criminality.

During his term, Duterte came under fire from human rights groups over allegations of summary executions in the drug war.

By Rey E. Requejo

C

HINESE Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian thanked outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte for his great contributions to strengthening China and Philippines relations, saying he hoped the Filipino leader would continue to support the two nations’ friendship beyond his term.

From A1

the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO. This developed as Metro Manila and various provinces across the country will remain under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 from June 1 to 15, Malacañang said Friday.

Acting deputy presidential spokesperson Kris Ablan announced the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Meanwhile, the government also lifted the protocol on pre-departure COVID tests for arriving fully-vaccinated international travelers starting May 30, 2022.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the updated protocol is part of its measures to revive the pandemic-hit economy.

“We are glad that the propositions we have worked on have been approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and are now up for implementation. As we make it more convenient for tourists to visit the country, the public’s health and safety will remain the DOT’s priority,” she said, referring to the Department of Tourism.

The country's COVID-19 task force has also removed the medical insurance

SC...

From A1

The Court also sustained the conviction of Jose Orlando, who was then a contractual consultant and confidential assistant to his brother.

In upholding the Sandiganbayan, the Court denied the appeal of the Lozada brothers who sought to overturn their conviction.

It said both brothers would serve sentences of six years and one month at the minimum, to 10 years and one day at the maximum.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed criminal charges against the brother on

China...

From A1

a Subic Bay port official. The airport used to form part of the US base.

Amid heightened tensions in the nearby waters, where Manila and Beijing are locked in a territorial dispute, there has been a renewed appreciation of the bay's strategic importance.

Rolen Paulino, chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which oversees the port, said in an interview with the Kyodo news service that Subic Bay has become "more important" given its "strategic location."

The rest of the Navy fleet may move into the base "within the year," Paulino said, adding that he welcomes port calls by US and Japanese naval vessels.

The port authority head also said a US naval presence in the area would help keep a balance as the Philippine Navy is not able to match the Chinese Navy, which is becoming more powerful.

Zharrex Santos, an official in charge of operations at Subic Bay airport, said the port

Gov’t...

From A1

National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon said the Bureau’s planned fund-raising initiatives this month were meant to increase funding for COVID-19 recovery measures and infrastructure development.

Incoming Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, currently chief of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, intends to retain most of the undersecretaries of the Department of Finance (DOF), including De Leon.

The incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be left with the task of managing the country’s fiscal position after the outgoing Duterte regime incurred P3.2 trillion in additional debt following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This could bring the country’s debt level to P13.1 trillion by the end of 2022, above the original plan of P9.9 trillion.

The national government’s running debt stock climbed to a record high of P12.68 trillion as of end-March, bringing the debt-to-GDP ratio to

From A1

wallets, including e-sabong merchant operator accounts.

The memorandum also emphasized that BSP-supervised financial institutions shall strictly observe customer due diligence, continuously monitor accounts and transactions, report suspicious transactions, and ensure that appropriate control measures are in place to restrict access of minors, government employees, and other prohibited players to online gambling

Palace:...

From A1

“We welcome this news since the President himself said that the fight against illegal drugs must continue. [But] as far as we know, the President is looking forward to his retirement,” he added.

Marcos earlier disclosed that Duterte asked him to continue the government's anti-drug campaign “his own way.”

relationship, have deepened the ties between the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and the plan of “Build, Build, Build,” and jointly promoted cooperation in significant programs such as infrastructure construction, with bilateral trade volume doubled during the period.

Meanwhile, President Duterte's daughter Sara will be sworn in as the country's 15th vice president on June 19, 11 days before President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. takes his oath on June 30, but Malacañang has yet to confirm whether Duterte would attend his daughter's oathtaking.

Expanded lifeline subsidy for power bills, to P800, eyed

By Alena Mae S. Flores ENERGY Undersecretary for Special Concerns Benito Ranque has said the government may consider expanding the lifeline subsidy to P800 per month for households consuming 100 kilowatthours per month for the first 100 days in office of incoming President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "I find it rather proper to expand the mechanics of lifeline subsidy from just P400, double it, why not make it P800 monthly subsidy per household consuming 100 kwh per month for the first 100 days in office of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos," Ranque said Friday.

The lifeline rate subsidy is mandated under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 as among the support mechanisms to assist the electricity endusers who cannot pay for their electricity bills at full cost.

The said provision in the law was extended for another 10 years upon enactment of Republic Act 10150 from June 2011 to June 2021. In 2020, the lifeline rate was again extended up to 2041.

At the same time, Ranque said there might be no need to suspend excise

Diokno...

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News

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

A3

‘Agri-Agra Law repeal to boost agri, economy’

By Julito G. Rada

CAST AWAY. A man throws a net onto a lake along the National Road in Barangay Taligpic, Bulakan, Bulacan in hopes his catch would be enough to feed his family from lunch to dinner. Lino Santos

Imee nixes SP; Koko now minority

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATOR Imee Marcos on Friday said she is not vying for Senate President or any post in the 19th Congress.

She will instead be a “super ate (big sister)” of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in the Senate.

In an interview on DobolB TV, the lawmaker said: “Personally, I do not aspire to become a Senate president or to get a ranking position in the Senate. I just want to ensure a continuous work in the Senate because we have a lot of work to do.”

Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday disclosed that Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III will join her in the minority bloc in the Senate.

“I have spoken only once with Sen. Koko Pimentel about forming a minority together, and I’m glad that we’re both strongly inclined to do so,” Hontiveros said, adding that “I look forward to setting another discussion with him.

Marcos, in the interview, further said: “It is not a secret that President Duterte had a problem with the legislative side, in the Senate. So, I hope this time, it would be smooth sailing.”

“I hope the approved measures will not be vetoed, there will be no quarrels and the issues in the Blue Ribbon Committee can be discussed. I hope that there will be lesser disagreements between the two branches of government.”

Senator Sonny Angara earlier disclosed that Imee and Senator-elect Loren Legarda have expressed interest in the position of Senate president pro tempore, the second-highest position in

the Upper Chamber.

Reports said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Cynthia Villar, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and Senator-elect Francis Escudero are vying for the Senate’s top post.

According to Hontiveros, who won a second term in the elections, said there will still be several talks before they will be able to finalize a minority.

She said the public should expect an authentic and responsible minority.

“And rightly so, as a true minority, the Senate will play an essential role in maintaining the independence of the institution and in safeguarding our contested democracy,” she assured.

THE move of the legislature to repeal the Agri-Agra Law will boost financing for the agricultural sector and benefit the economy in general, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Friday.

The BSP has commended both chambers of Congress for ratifying the Bicameral Conference Report on the conf licting provisions of Senate Bill No. 2494 and House Bill No. 6134, entitled “The Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022.”

This measure repeals the AgriAgra Law and is expected to unlock financing for the agricultural financing ecosystem and for rural community development requirements. The enrolled bill will soon be transmitted to Malacañang for the President’s signature.

“The BSP has long pushed for the repeal of Republic Act No. 10000 to make it more responsive to the financing needs of farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-based micro, small, and medium enterprises,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement.

He said the measure adopts a holistic approach to private sector financing by recognizing that rural community beneficiaries are part of a wider social and economic support system.

Beyond extending credit, the repeal aims to further capacitate farmers and fisherfolk, modernize their operations, and integrate them into profitable domestic and export-oriented value chains.

Vargas backs House package for vulnerable sectors, recovery

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEGISLATOR on Friday expressed confidence that Congress under the leadership of incoming Speaker Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez will be able to provide the new administration the needed budgetary support to continue providing aid for sectors affected by the pandemic.

Outgoing Assistant Majority Leader and Rep. Alfred Vargas of Quezon City acknowledged the poor and other vulnerable sectors of society should continue to receive expanded social protection and other forms of government assistance.

“The oppressive economic effects of the pandemic continue to be felt by the poor and other vulnerable sectors.

Aid in the form of financial and food assistance remains to be the most immediate lifeline that government can

Taguig doles out P3k pension each to 14,000 seniors

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Taguig City government has started distributing up to P3,000 in social pension each to about 14,000 indigent senior citizens in the city.

The program, spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the city’s Office for Senior Citizen Affair, covers 14,818 indigent senior citizens from all of Taguig’s 28 barangays.

The distribution at Lakeshore Hall, Brgy. Lower Bicutan will continue from May 26 until the 10th of June.

The social pension for senior citizens is one of the many programs of the national government, which Taguig City has continued to implement to help the elderly.

Apart from the social pension, indigent senior citizens are given a monthly stipend of P500.

The qualified beneficiaries are citizens who have official documents that prove they are not receiving any pension from other government agencies such as the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).

Senior citizens in Taguig are taken good care of by the local government through its programs and initiatives, the city said in a statement.

extend to them,” Vargas, chair of the House social services committee, said in a statement.

He said Congress must extend to the incoming administration the widest range of budgetary tools to address the continuing effects of the pandemic on affected sectors and bring the economy back on its feet.

Similarly, Vargas said that government should explore aid mechanisms for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), tourism establishments, and small private schools in the form of employee wage grants, interestfree loans, or other forms of assistance to help them recover.

“Our economic recovery rests on the recovery of businesses and enterprises whose operations will help provide jobs and stimulate economic activity,” he said.

PCG IN INDONESIA. The Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2022 conducted in Makassar, Indonesia was a success, followed by the signing of a joint declaration for the end of the exercise led by Exercise Co-Directors CG Rear Admiral Robert Patrimonio (of the Philippine Coast Guard), Captain Weku Frederik Karuntu (DGST Indonesia), and Rear Admiral Hashimoto Masanori (Japan Coast Guard).

Salceda wants PhilHealth to be ‘fairer’ in premiums billed to OFWs

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Friday reiterated calls for reforming the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) after Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have slammed recent increases in their mandatory premium contributions, going as high as P38,400 per year.

“For OFWs, it’s too expensive. And the question is very simple: what do they stand to gain from PhilHealth

contributions when they can’t go to Philippine hospitals abroad?” Salceda, the chairperson of the House ways and means committee, said.

He was pointing to the mandatory contribution imposed on OFWs before they are permitted to leave the country for work.

“That’s more expensive, frankly, than most general life insurance coverages.

And for what? An OFW can’t avail of

PhilHealth coverage while abroad. So, it’s literally for nothing on their end,” Salceda added.

“So, in the 19th Congress, I am refiling, with amendments, my proposed comprehensive overhaul of the whole system,” Salceda added.

He is principal author of House Bill 7570, or the PhilHealth Reform Act, which would have reformed the system, exempted OFWs and billed mini-

ROAD OBSTRUCTION.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel load scooters into a tow truck during their road clearing operation along Agham Road, NIA Northside Road, and in the areas of National Government Centers in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City on Friday.

Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

Save the Children Philippines gets UN award SAVE the Children Philippines has won the prestigious UN SASAKAWA Award for its innovative programs on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) that support Filipino children’s meaningful participation and protection from emergencies.

The United Nations award, which promotes inclusive and accessible DRR practices in line with the Sendai Framework, recognized Save the Children’s

Comprehensive School Safety (CSS) Ecosystems and Quality Assurance System (QAS) programs.

The programs have been rolled out to more than 21,000 schools and 12,000 barangays, respectively, to ensure that the vital needs of children, schools, and communities are addressed with responsive programs and accountability from the government.

mum wage earners only P100 in premiums monthly.

“I hope to work with the next Secretary of Health and SOF Diokno on reforming the PhilHealth. I do hope that reforming healthcare is among the top of President BBM’s list,” Salceda said.

He added that he “will convene stakeholders again to see how we can further refine and champion the PhilHealth Reform Act.” Maricel V. Cruz

DOH: Dengue cases this year ‘manageable’

By Willie Casas DENGUE cases in the country remain manageable, the Department of Health (DOH) assured Friday.

“Yes… the cases are manageable,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said during the Laging Handa briefing.

Cabotaje said the Philippines logged 22,277 dengue cases from January to April, 15 percent lower compared to the cases recorded during the same period last year.

Cabotaje said 13 percent of the cases were from Region III, another 13 percent from Region VII, and 10 percent from the National Capital Region (NCR).

Some 126 individuals have died due to dengue nationwide.

She advised the public to search and destroy breeding places such as flower vases, to wear protective clothing, and seek early consultation.

“Seeking early consultation is important. Don’t brush off fever as a COVID infection. We should also support fogging and spraying in hotspot areas,” Cabotaje said.

A4

News

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

De Lima wins contempt case in Muntinlupa RTC

LOOK MA, NO FACE MASK. A comely woman takes a morning stroll with her face mask partly taken off as if signaling the country’s return to normalcy, with the skyline at the backdrop. AFP

A MUNTINLUPA trial court has junked an indirect contempt case against detained Senator Leila de Lima and her legal counsel, Filibon Tacardon over the latter’s statements to the media about the senator’s drug cases.

In a 33-page order dated May 2, Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Judge Gener Gito granted the motion to dismiss the case filed by De Lima and her lawyer, Filibon Tacardon.

“What respondent Tacardon reported to the media are mere echoes of the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses. The Court does not find malice in them nor contumacious in those statements,” Gito said.

Government prosecutors, in December 2020, filed a petition for indirect contempt against De Lima and Tacardon, accusing them of violating the sub judice rule which bars parties to a case from discussing the merits in public to avoid influencing the outcome of the case.

They cited statements made by Tacardon to the media that officials of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Anti-Money Launder-

Former pilot now PAL’s president P HILIPPINE Airlines has confirmed the appointment of Capt. Stanley K. Ng as president and chief operating officer during the flag carrier’s annual stockholders meeting, its operator PAL Holdings said Friday.

“The confirmation comes less than four months after his initial appointment to the same position in an acting capacity,” PAL Holdings said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Ng replaced former PAL president Gilbert Santa Maria, whose engagement ended following the recent completion of PAL’s Chapter 11 restructuring, it said.

“I am humbled by the trust and confidence of our PAL board and stockholders. Working together with the entire PAL leadership team and our valued employees, I pledge to do the best we can, with

passion and dedication, to ensure that Philippine Airlines fulfills its mandate as the flag carrier to be of service to the flying public,” Ng said.

In the first quarter, PAL posted a net comprehensive income of P1.2 billion as it ramped up both domestic and international operations, which were heavily impacted by restrictions to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

The flag carrier earlier said it expects to return to 100 percent of its pre-pandemic capacity this year.

Philippine Airlines named Ng, a former pilot, in January as its new president

and chief operating officer to guide the airline’s full recovery from Chapter 11 restructuring.

The airline, controlled by tycoon Lcio Tan, appointed Ng, also former senior vice president for airline operations as new president and COO in an acting capacity.

PAL said its board expressed gratitude to Santa Maria for his steady stewardship of the company over the last two and a half years.

“The board expressed full trust and confidence in Capt. Ng, as well as in its senior management team which remains intact, as the nation’s flag carrier looks to maintain the momentum toward full recovery,” PAL said.

An Airbus A320 commander, Capt. Ng is the first pilot to assume the presidency of PAL since the early 1960s. He brings to the job a wealth of experience in the airline industry.

Ng started as a member of the flag carrier’s on-ground staff in 2003 before training at the PAL Aviation School. He started flying in 2008 as a second officer and rose up the ranks until he was promoted to senior vice president in 2019 in charge of the airline’s internationally-respected pilots and cabin crew and operational airport and engineering teams.

Ng recently completed an Advance Management Program at Harvard Business School. He is married to Lilybeth Tan, a daughter of Lucio Tan. He took up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Computer Applications at the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde.

Ng said his priority is to contribute to the country’s transport infrastructure buildup and sustainable development and make PAL worthy of Filipinos’ enduring trust and support. With Darwin Amojelar

Gov’t agents seize P27m worth of shabu from US

ILO I LO E CONOM Y P RESENT ED TO AYAL A. Senator Frank Drilon and Mayor Jerry Treñas talk to Ayala president and CEO Fernando Zobel de Ayala during a dinner with a view to inviting the Ayala conglomerate to partake of Iloilo’s thriving investment environment.

GOVERNMENT agents have seized an estimated P27 million worth of shabu shipped from the United States during a raid in Taguig City which also resulted in the arrest of two suspects.

The raid was conducted by a composite team from the Bureau of Customs, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service, X-ray Inspection Project.

Port of Clark officials said the importer of the contraband misdeclared the content of the shipment as paints from Silver Spring, Maryland.

On May 22, Customs X-ray scanning examiners found images of organic substances, prompting them to conduct of full physical examination, and they found four foil packs containing 3,982 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride,

locally known as shabu.

The authorities refused to identify the claimants, citing follow-up operations. They, however, said the suspects will be charged with violation of Sections 118 (g), 119 (d), and 1113 (f) of Republic Act 10863 in relation to Section 4 of RA 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Clark district collector Alexandra Lumontad issued a warrant of seizure and detention against the shipment. She said her port has already seized P94-million worth of illegal drugs since January this year.

Customs NAIA agents earlier seized a smuggled shabu shipment worth P7.4 million and arrested its claimant, also in a controlled delivery operation in Bulacan. The shipment arrived at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City on May 11. Joel E. Zurbano

DOH eyes purchase of antivirals, vaccines against monkeypox THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it was eyeing the purchase of antivirals and vaccines against monkey pox.

Monkeypox vaccination is not yet included in the Philippines’ National Immunization Program, the DOH said in a statement.

The DOH said it was “exploring all possible available sources and expedient legal methods for the procurement of

Monkeypox vaccine.”

The agency said a vaccine has been developed, but was “not yet widely available.”

Consultations and review must be held with expert groups and development partners in terms of vaccination and priority population groups, the DOH added.

“At present, the DOH is preparing supply chains and logistics services. There are ongoing internal discussions, based on sci-

entific evidence, for the possible acquisition of antivirals in the event ofan outbreak or severe cases,” it added.

There are no specific antiviral drugs for monkey pox and its management is symptomatic, according to Dr. Marissa Alejandria, member of the DOH-technical advisory group on infectious diseases.

The disease is transmitted through unprotected contact via respiratory droplets,

and has an incubation period of 5 to 21 days, Alejandriasaid. Symptoms usually include fever, enlarged lymph nodes, headache, chills, sore throat, malaise, and fatigue, she added.

The health agency said it was also coordinating with the Philippine Genome Center and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for the surveillance of monkey pox through RT-PCR testing.

CHR backs Senate firearms bill ‘crucial to protect people’s lives’ THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) backs Senate Bill No. 2501 or the Act Penalizing Willful and Indiscriminate Discharge of Firearms that seeks to impose tougher penalties on violators.

CHR executive director and spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said any firearms-related violence “threatens the people’s most fundamental human right, the right to life.”

“As gun violence continues to rise, the matter of gun ownership and control is a national concern that needs to be addressed,” De Guia said.

“The government has the obligation to fight actual or foreseeable threats to life and should therefore take measures to protect people from gun violence,

even from its own agents and officials,” she added.

She stressed that firearms are not mere playthings and should only be used as a last resort.

Numerous instances in the past have shown how falling bullets fired during celebratory gunfire have injured and even killed innocent individuals, she pointed out.

“Thus, the passage of SBN 2501 is a welcome legislative measure, together with continuing firearm safety education to help protect the fundamental rights of the Filipino people by deterring the number of incidents involving reckless and indiscriminate use of firearms,” De Guia noted. Rio N. Araja

ANCHOR AWEIGH. A 2Go passenger pulls off the Manila North Harbor after its passengers undergo strict health protocols while a security personnel in full uniform attends to his job. Danny Pata

ing Council have allegedly cleared De Lima from the illegal drug charges and that drug lord Vicente Sy admitted on the witness stand that he never met the senator despite previously claiming he gave her P500,000 as campaign funds in 2012.

The court said Tacardon’s statements did not meet the “clear and present danger” test in assessing whether statements were contemptuous.

“The Court deciphered the comments and utterances of respondent Atty. Tacardon to the various media outlets and find nothing therein that would create a ‘clear and present danger’ to the administration of justice.

What respondent Atty. Tacardon reported are the answers of the prosecution witnesses during their cross-examination. Respondent Atty. Tacardon merely reported the admissions made by those witnesses,” Judge Gito said.

The court also noted there was no violation of the sub judice rule because Tacardon only restated the admissions of the prosecution witnesses and his statements were “not fabricated, edited, slanted or couched in such a manner that it may influence the judge.”

IN BRIEF DENR admits faults over Coron project AN OFFICIAL of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) admitted on Friday that there were lapses in monitoring the reclamation project in Coron, Palawan.

At the Laging Handa briefing, DENR Undersecretary Jonas Leones said officials of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) should have been more diligent in monitoring the progress in the project area.

The DENR earlier revoked the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of the 48-hectare reclamation project in Coron due to a lack of permits.

“We also saw that there were lapses on the part of the CENRO or PENRO in monitoring the progress of their project there.

For us, once we issue the ECC, the proponent should comply with it,” Leones said.

“Although it is hard to admit, we failed to fully monitor the project. What seems to have happened, during the pandemic, that’s when they rushed work on the project, while we were busy addressing COVID-19. That’s when they rushed things, while we couldn’t keep an eye on the project. When next we checked, they had reclaimed a large area in Coron,” he added.

Leones said the DENR issued the ECC for the project in 2007 and 2009.

BJMP eyes Soccsksargen to supply veggies for PDLs THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the Soccsksargen region has recently conducted validation of the farmers’ capability to meet the demand of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for healthy and fresh vegetables need by the prisoners, also called persons deprived of liberty (PDLs).

Mariannie Lauban-Baunto, Soccsksargen director, said the activity was held in line with the government’s enhanced partnership against hunger and poverty program (EPAHPP), a government initiative addressing hunger and poverty through the synergy and convergence of essential services of the government agencies.

“We also want to know if we successfully carried out the department’s obligation under the agreement, as well as, we want to identify the challenges we encountered during the implementation of the project so that we would know the proper measure to make this program more effective,” she said.

EPAHPP is one of the best partnerships between the government and the farmers to be able to help mitigate hunger, ensure food and nutrition security, and reduce the poverty of its beneficiaries in urban and rural communities, including marginalized communities, she added. Rio N. Araja

BI to deport S. Korean wanted in Seoul THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ordered the deportation of a South Korean national wanted by authorities in Seoul for involvement in electronic financial fraud.

The Korean fugitive was identified as 52-year-old Je Hyun Woo, who was arrested in Gen. Trias, Cavite by operatives of the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU).

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Je will soon be sent back to South Korea as an order for his summary deportation was already issued against him by the BI board of commissioners in 2019.

“He has also been included in our immigration blacklist, thus he is perpetually banned from reentering the country for being an undesirable alien,” Morente added.

According to BI-FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy, Je is already an overstaying, having arrived in 2018.

“His passport was canceled by the South Korean government, thus he is also an undocumented alien,” Sy said.

Information obtained from the Interpol’s national central bureau in Manila revealed that Je is subject of an outstanding arrest warrant issued by the central district court in Seoul on Nov. 1, 2018 where he was charged for violating his country’s electronic financial transactions act. Vito Barcelo

Opinion Ascension is assured

TOMORROW is Ascension Sunday. In the Gospel reading Jesus said to his disciples, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’ Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

By sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus becomes our advocate.

In one of his reflections on Ascension Sunday, Pope Francis observed that in all stages of Jesus’ life, he prays. Thus, in the last hours of his life, he prays, in the sorrowful moments, as he prepares to take leave of his disciples and this world, Jesus prays for his friends. This even as he bears all the sins of the world, the Holy Father said.

By praying, Jesus is keeping the faith.

Even in the last moments of his earthly life, as he is to ascend to heaven to the Father, he keeps his faith by praying. This is also what he is telling his disciples who, knowing that he is leaving, must be feeling disheartened and dejected. Yet, as the Holy Father observes, Jesus, in every moment looks up to heaven to pray.

Jesus’ ascension also teaches that even as he is to go to heaven, he never really abandons his disciples. He remains with them as he promises to send the Holy Spirit who showers the faithful with the plenitude of spiritual gifts, gifts that will sanctify, strengthen and make him yearn more and desire more intensely the love of God. It is for this reason that the fear, anxiety, grief, and gloominess of his leaving is transformed into profound hope, hope that someday, they

will be together with God in paradise.

As already said, Jesus returns to the Father. But he promises to send an Advocate that will endow his Mystical Body with sanctifying gifts. This very same promise turns the disciples’ trepidation into joyful hope knowing that Jesus’ leaving is not a form of abandonment, but the ultimate manifestation of His divinity. “They worshipped him.” The Scriptures say. By his ascension, the physical Body of Jesus disappears from view so that, by sending the Holy Spirit, his Mystical Body appears to us. Ascension is therefore a loss as it transforms into joyful hope.

By sending the Holy Spirit, Jesus becomes our advocate. As the Holy Father once reflected: “We have One who always defends us, who defends us from the snares of the devil, who defends us from ourselves and from our sins,” said Pope Francis. He added “Let us not be afraid to turn to him to ask forgiveness, to ask for a blessing, to ask for mercy!

He always pardons us, he is our Advocate: he always defends us! Don’t forget this! The Ascension of Jesus into heaven acquaints us with this deeply consoling reality on our journey: in Christ, true God and true man, our humanity was taken to God. Christ opened the path to us. He is like a roped guide climbing a mountain who, on reaching the summit, pulls us up to him and leads us to God. If we entrust our life to him, if we let ourselves be guided by him, we are certain to be in safe hands, in the hands of our Saviour, of our Advocate.”

Then the pontiff continued “ . . . Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension.

He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone: we have this Advocate who awaits us, who defends us. We are never alone: the Crucified and Risen Lord guides us.”

In a world where there is much chaos, destruction and utter disregard for the value of human life much like what we are witnessing in Ukraine, in the mass killing of children in the United States and so many other places, uncertainty and insecurity with the drums of war getting louder, there is much need to look up to heaven, pray for strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit. For without the invisible support of God’s spirit, we will easily fall prey to evil, and give in to despair and hopelessness. As in John 15:45. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

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mulo-Puyat lauded the IATF-EID as she assured everyone that despite the easing of entry requirements, “the public’s health and safety will remain the DOT’s priority “The DOT sees this development as a win for the local tourism industry as welcoming more tourists in the country will yield more revenues for our MSMEs and restore more jobs and livelihoods in the sector,” she added.

As entry requirements have been eased, Romulo-Puyat says, travel insurance will no longer be required, although still highly encouraged, for arriving passengers.

All types of vaccinations certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted.

Based on recent data, a total 517,516 foreign tourist arrivals have been recorded in the Philippines from 10 February to 25 May 2022.

A bulk of foreign tourists, totaling to 104,589 came from the United States, followed by South Korea with 28,474, and Canada with 24,337.

Australian nationals, British/English, and Japanese tourists came next on the list with 23,286; 20,846; and 13,373 respectively.

Other foreign visitors in the Philippines during the early months of the year include Vietnamese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Italians, Irish and French.

Puyat said the Department is looking forward to an uptick in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks following the further easing of entry requirements into the country.

While this may be a welcome development for foreign tourists planning to visit the country, I think the DOT should look into the still-stringent requirements being imposed by some local government units.

A friend who was trying to book a trip to his hometown was asked by the ticketing agency to secure an S-Pass or a Safe,

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EDITORIAL

Inching our way back to the old normal

WITH the number of COVID-19 cases drastically reduced and its Omicron variant and sub variants now being treated as simple cases of the common flu, the Philippines is now slowly removing the remaining obstacles as the country gears up for the full opening to tourism.

Yesterday, the Department of Tourism bared the Philippine government will no longer require a pre-departure COVID-19 test for incoming fully vaccinated passengers as part of its measures to revive the pandemic-hit economy starting May 30, 2022.

This was upon the recommendations of the DOT as a means to further ease the travel requirements and encourage more tourists to visit the country, the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) approved Resolution 168 exempting all fully vaccinated and boostered foreign nationals from the RT-PCR test requirement. Based on the resolution, the visitor must be at least 18 years old and must have received the primary series of Covid-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot.

Also exempted from the pre-departure RT-PCR requirement are foreign nationals aged 12 to 17 who have received their primary Covid-19 vaccine/s; and those aged below 12 and traveling with fully vaccinated or boostered parents or guardians.

The same exemption guidelines apply to Filipinos travelling to the Philippines.

An elated Tourism Secretary, Berna Ro-

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

E

Senseless deaths

ARLIER this week, 19 children and two teachers were killed in Texas after a young man went on a rampage with an assault rifle he had just bought a week earlier, after his 18th birthday.

The gunman, Salvador Ramos, shot his grandmother before proceeding to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde.

The husband of one of the teachers, who had died saving students, also died of a heart attack days after the shooting. The couple leave behind four children.

Ramos was killed by cops about an hour after he had opened fire.

Many issues surround this latest bout of violence: the relatively easy way to buy a gun, the effects of bul-

lying and being bullied on a person’s psyche, and the police’s perceived slow response to the crisis, among others.

What we know of the world is not all there is to know.

This incident will be talked about for days to come, but it is not the first of its kind and it will certainly not be the last.

Unfortunately, the far-reaching consequences of gun regulations will be on the public’s consciousness only for as long as no newer incident trumps the reports of shooting in the media.

Many people are advocating for expanded background checks and higher age of access to firearms. There are

also no clear-cut answers for why a person snaps and turns against strangers for his unresolved issues. Finally, the parents of the students are taking the police to task for not acting decisively, waiting for reinforcements before pursuing the shooter. They could have prevented the deaths of many.

But while the world’s attention is currently trained on this tragic incident in the US, let us also not forget the many other incidents of which we may not even be aware, or to which we may have become desensitized.

We refer to victims of violence and conflict in other countries that do not get media coverage, and to the continued crisis in the Ukraine as Russia invades it.

We refer, too, to those here in our own country whose suffering and death from unnatural causes are not even reported or even acknowledged.

It’s always a sobering reminder that what we know of the world is not all there is to know—and grieve—about it.

Thank God, the election is over!

WHAT many of our people do not know is they really have to thank God that the election is over. I say this with a sigh of relief for had the election been postponed a little longer, maybe the presidential candidate of the opposition could have finally ignited a bloody civil war.

Though the election last May 9 was generally peaceful, it was attributed to the firm hand adopted by the President Duterte. By that, this column was inclined to believe the government will not hesitate to take all measures to maintain a clean and orderly election.

Never has there been a presidential campaign so hotly contested. The division among voters transcended beyond traditional party lines. Many families were divided due to political agitation, by their age, by their religious affiliation and by their experience of the so-called “horrors” of martial law, while many looked positively at the achievements of the Marcos administration based on their personal or vicarious experience, often through propaganda or religious affiliation.

The BBM-Robredo presidential election took a totally different route. The tone of the campaign became so personal that the tenor waged by the opposition was meant to exact vengeance. Many simply could not get what the opposition and their followers wanted, especially the violent-prone communists and student activists whose bastion came mostly from the universities, when in reality they were attacking the policies of a long dead president.

This approach of the opposition visibly puzzled many. The supposed voters could not be convinced to vote for Robredo knowing that nothing of her accusations could be attributed as the fault of the son.

What was grotesque about their propaganda, which the communists and people closely identified with the church, is they did everything to prevent BBM from taking his seat as elected vice-president in 2016.

The whole campaign became so preposterous, for often people got mad instead of being enlightened by their sonorous speeches about the past with the many regretting listening to the opposition’s tirade. Many were disgusted saying they could not be affected such that martial law was imposed and many of those who rant against it have yet to see the world they live in.

It was such a pathetic approach for them to blame the sins of the father knowing that issues are not transmissible like a disease that one must avoid to prevent

Are we really easing up?

Swift, and Smart Passage Card as a requirement for his trip.

Another friend complained of the requirements being imposed by the Baguio City Government. According to this friend, one cannot enter Baguio without securing a Visita Registration and QTP

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

infection. Blaming the son is essentially against their doctrine. Most of the people feel they are being denuded by propaganda.

The people failed to take the cue that the clerics and their supporters are not only out to make propaganda but to politicize them. The purpose is far beyond the objective of convincing them to elicit their commitment of hatred. Politicization is brainwashing. The voters converted to politically support them are reduced to unthinking persons. One becomes an automaton because he acts imprudently as his handler would wish him to do.

I’m relieved.

Reason and rationalization are out of the question. Politization compels people to act because they are indoctrinated to believe in a cause. It is the cause that substitutes their fear, and they become like wild animals blindly defending their cause as their faith. It is this belief that reduces them to automatons, and is precisely what the clerics and the Catholic hierarchy wanted to happen, a mentally locked fanatic.

Jelly mind is what the communists and their sympathizers from the elite and the middle class from the universities wanted.

People who oppose their view are either branded as reactionary, fascist, or espousing dictatorial tendencies. But never would they admit that it is exactly what they are doing. The overwhelming lead tells the opposition not to cross the red line; that the era of US-sponsored people power is over.

Of course, there are valid political issues that could have been raised either by the camp of BBM or by the opposition themselves. But the communists and the clerics simply avoided them for fear that those issues would equally affect them. A good case is the exemption of the Church from taxation, the deregulation of tuition fees, and the open participation of the church in many purely secular activities of the State.

The issue of church interference should have been raised by the opposition against BBM, but they have chosen to be hypocrites as ever. For instance, the administration under BBM could only restore the provision of the 1973 constitution. The Catholic Church is the single institution in this country that owns vast tracts of land.

It does not pay tax on the various schools and universities they operate. On top of it, the tuition fees they charge are not subject to regulation. or QR-coded Tourist Pass, which can be secured by creating an account on visita. baguio.gov.ph where you will be required to submit a valid ID. In the same website, you will be asked to schedule your trip where you will be asked to provide your accommodation, check out the list of accredited accommodations from visita.baguio.gov.ph/accommodations. Once the accommodation is confirmed your QTP or the QR-coded Tourist Pass will be issued.

These are just some of the requirements being asked from someone who intends to

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

Aside from this, the Church is exempt from the payment of real property tax, from the various businesses and properties they own and operate usually in the name of charitable work, from customs duties on certain items, from gifts and legacies they received, and from whatever donation, legacies, fees for their incorporation and payment of taxes received from NGOs such they many now act as fronts of foreign intelligence agencies doing work to subvert our own government.

The Church does not only have say on who should be appointed as our secretary of education. For this, they do not only have a say on the textbooks that should be prescribed, the subjects to be offered, and the erection of monuments who should be venerated as heroes.

The contradiction in Philippine society, as the Marxist would like to put it, became so intense because the Church and some bigoted clerics equate the candidacy of BBM as being anti-Catholic. This contradiction was heightened after the INC openly affirmed their support for Marcos.

The unusual thing about this is that the INC publicly announced their support for BBM long before the election.

When the opposition felt they would not win the election, some adventurers wanted to implement Plan “B.” They wanted to disrupt the constitutional processes.

They were almost tempted that they created a battalion of fanatics and desperados, and supported by communists who were just ready and willing to ride on the crest of the expected tumult. Fortunately, the Armed Forces remained behind President Duterte. Some quarters expected this to happen as their last-minute attempt to thwart the victory of BBM. A minor confusion could derail and even delay the result of the election because that could cast doubt on BBM’s victory.

The ironic twist is that CPP and the NDF and its front organizations endorsed Robredo. That was interpreted by many political analysts as goaded by US self-interest, which means the US is now in command of the ideological line of this handful of stragglers. From fierce anti-imperialists, they became clowns to indirectly support the US in its life and death struggle against China.

By itself, the CPP and the NDF that were once served as the embodiment of anti-clerico-fascism in this country, the neolithic leadership of the entire CPP and NDF have to swallow all their accusations against the old communist party of the Lavas of revisionism. Today, the CPP and all its entire apparatus of alleged revolutionaries have become the new coolies of US imperialism. rpkapunan@gmail.com visit Baguio City.

And that is what I cannot understand.

You welcome them with open arms as they disembark from their planes entering the country only to trap them with so many other requirements once they start visiting local places. And these requirements also apply to local tourists.

Are we really easing up? I hope the DOT settles these issues with the local government units which still impose these requirements as they themselves admit that tourism is one of the worst hit industries during the pandemic.

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

B2

World

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Australia: Shun China security deals CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

Standard

TODAY

A

USTRALIA urged South Pacific nations to spurn China’s attempts to extend its security reach across the region Friday, seeking to fend off a highlevel charm offensive by Beijing.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong was in Fiji on her first solo visit, seeking to woo island states after the Solomon Islands took ERRATUM Canberra by surprise last In the ad of Regional Trial month by signing a wideCourt of Quezon City Br. 102 re: DECISION, ranging security pact with Hector Cruz Crisostomo, Petitioner vs. Regina China.

Carmela Vismanos De “We have expressed our Ocampo, published on May 18, 2022 in Manila concerns publicly about Standard. The correct Civil the security agreement,” Case No. should have been read as: CIVIL CASE NO. Wong told reporters in the R-QZN-19-07411-CV and capital of Suva.

NOT as published.

(MStandard-May 28, 2022) “As do other Pacific is-

lands, we think there are consequences. We think that it’s important that the security of the region be determined by the region. And historically that has been the case. And we think that is a good thing.”

In a duel for influence, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi was flying across the Pacific at the same time to discuss Beijing’s plan to dramatically expand its security and economic engagement.

At the first stop in the Solomon Islands Thursday, Wang lashed out at “smears and attacks” against the security pact with the island state, speaking at a news conference in Honiara to which some journalists were excluded.

Wang took a short flight to Kiribati on Friday, the next destination in an extensive tour lasting until June 4 that will also take in Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Australia’s foreign minister, who was sworn in Monday shortly after her Labor Party won May 21 national elections, said her country was a better fit than China.

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“We want to be a partner of choice,” she said.

“We want to demonstrate to your nation and other nations of the region that we are a partner who can be trusted, who can be reliable. And historically we have been,” Wong said, pointing to Australia’s record on providing development assistance.

“We want to work with you on your priorities.

We want to work together as part of the Pacific family,” she said.

The Australian minister said she flew to Fiji to demonstrate that the Pacific is a priority, and the timing was not influenced by her Chinese counterpart’s trip.

She reiterated that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s new government aims to reset after a “lost decade” of action on climate change, an existential threat to low-lying Pacific islands.

Western powers have expressed concern over leaked plans to expand China’s influence in the South Pacific.

If approved by Pacific island nations, the wide-

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ranging draft agreement and a five-year plan, both obtained by AFP, would give China a larger security footprint in a region seen as crucial to the interests of the United States and its allies.

The package would offer 10 small island states millions of dollars in Chinese assistance, the prospect of a China-Pacific Islands free trade agreement and access to China’s vast market of 1.4 billion people.

It would also give China the chance to train local police, become involved in cybersecurity, expand political ties, conduct sensitive marine mapping and gain greater access to natural resources.

The “comprehensive development vision” is believed to be up for approval when Wang meets regional foreign ministers on Monday in Fiji.

As details of the Chinese plan emerged, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Pacific could handle its own security without China’s help. AFP

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Very truly yours,

GAMALIEL A. CORDOBA Commissioner

IN MOURNING. Police officers lay flowers at a makeshift memorial

outside Uvalde County Courthouse in Texas. Texas police faced angry questions over why it took an hour to neutralize the gunman who murdered 19 small children and two teachers in Uvalde, as video emerged of desperate parents begging officers to storm the school. AFP

Zelensky accuses Russia of ‘genocide’ in Donbas UKRAINE’S President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of carrying out a “genocide” in the eastern region of Donbas, where the city of Severodonetsk is suffering an onslaught of Russian shelling.

In his daily televised address, Zelensky condemned Moscow’s brutal assault on the Donbas – where it has redirected its forces after having failed to capture Kyiv – adding that its bombardment could leave the entire region “uninhabited.”

“All this, including the deportation of our people and the mass killings of civilians, is an obvious policy of genocide pursued by Russia,” he said.

Pro-Moscow separatist groups have since 2014 controlled parts of Donbas, but Russia now appears set on taking the whole region.

Invading forces are closing in on several cities, including the strategically located Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, which stand on the crucial route to Ukraine’s eastern administrative centre in Kramatorsk.

Three people died in attacks on those two cities, Kyiv’s Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar told journalists, saying that fighting in the east has reached “its maximum intensity” since Russia invaded on February 24.

“The situation remains difficult, because the Russian army has thrown all its forces at taking the Lugansk region,” regional governor Sergiy Gaiday said in a video on Telegram. AFP

IN BRIEF Japan to allow mass tourism in June

JAPAN announced it will reopen to tourists from 98 countries and regions starting June 10, ending a two-year pandemic closure, but travellers will only be allowed in with tour groups.

The decision comes after the government last week said it would test allowing small group tours with visitors from the United States, Australia, Thailand and Singapore from this month.

On Thursday, the government revised border controls to resume accepting package tours from 98 countries and regions including Britain, the United States, France, Spain, Canada, and Malaysia.

Japan will also expand the number of airports that accept international flights to seven, adding Naha in its southern Okinawa prefecture and New Chitose near Sapporo in northern Hokkaido.

For most of the pandemic Japan has barred all tourists and allowed only citizens and foreign residents entry, though even the latter have periodically been shut out.

All arrivals have to test negative before travel to Japan and many must be tested again on arrival, though triple-vaccinated people coming from certain countries can skip the additional test as well as a three-day quarantine required for others.

Tour groups are expected to take responsibility for ensuring visitors respect Japan’s near-universal mask-wearing and other measures that have helped keep the toll from Covid-19 comparatively low. AFP

Colombian police kill drug kingpin

A FUGITIVE member of Colombia’s Gulf Clan drug cartel wanted by the United States has been killed by police in the South American country, the government said.

President Ivan Duque announced on Twitter that Juan Larinson Castro Estupinan, alias “Matamba” – a former Gulf Clan boss and one of Colombia’s most wanted criminals – had been “neutralized.”

The Gulf Clan, Colombia’s biggest drug cartel, launched a revenge campaign this month, closing schools and bringing transport to a standstill in the country’s north after its boss, Dairo Antonio Usaga, was extradited to the United States to face trafficking charges there.

Defense Minister Diego Molano said Thursday that Matamba, who had escaped prison in March pending a decision on his own extradition to the United States, was “killed in combat” in a police operation in the northern municipality of Bolivar.

“We continue dealing blows to the ‘Gulf Clan,’” said Duque, adding: “no bandit will have a burrow left to hide in.”

Matamba had escaped from prison with the help of a guard who left his cell door open. He fled in a guard’s uniform.

His helper was arrested and 55 other guards suspended, as well as the two top bosses of the La Picota prison.

His lawyers claimed he had never escaped, but was hiding inside the prison while negotiating a surrender to the United States in exchange for information on drug routes.AFP

Manila

Standard

Business

B3

TODAY

PSEi May 27, 2022

TOP GAINERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

TUGS LMG

1 3.6

0.2 0.56

25.00% 18.42%

3 4

TBGI DFNN

0.34 3.49

0.045 0.39

15.25% 12.58%

5 6

MBC APVI

8.1 17.1

0.55 0.94

7.28% 5.82%

7

MG

0.128

0.007

5.79%

8 9

CIC CHP

18.98 0.74

0.98 0.03

5.44% 4.23%

10

AB

7.6

0.3

4.11%

TOP LOSERS LAST PRICE

% CHANGE CHANGE

1 2

APO MJIC

0.88 1.3

-0.09 -0.13

-9.28% -9.09%

3 4

LODE NI

0.57 0.94

-0.04 -0.06

-6.56% -6.00%

5 6

DWC IRC

1.7 0.9

-0.1 -0.05

-5.56% -5.26%

7

PRMX

2.01

-0.11

-5.19%

8 9 10

PHR TCB2D ARA

1.1 56 1.59

-0.06 -2.6 -0.07

-5.17% -4.44% -4.22%

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Share prices advance; BDO, Ayala and SPNEC lead rally

S

HARE prices advanced Friday following a strong performance on Wall Street and the announcement of a new Cabinet economic team that is seen by investors as business-friendly.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index jumped 80.62 points, or 1.2 percent, to 6,726.14 on a value turnover of nearly P6 billion. Gainers beat losers, 99 to 79, with 46 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc. of the Sy Group, the biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 3.3 percent to P127.30, while sister unit SM Prime Holdings Inc. rose 3 percent to P37.80.

Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija

Corp., which is building the largest solar power plant complex in Southeast Asia, surged 3.4 percent to P1.85, while conglomerate Ayala Corp. of the Ayala Group added 2.9 percent to P679.50.

The rest of Asian markets climbed Friday, with Hong Kong leading the way as forecast-beating earnings reports by tech titans Alibaba and Baidu sent their shares soaring.

The positive mood put the region on course to end the week on a healthy note, and came after Federal Reserve minutes indicated the US central bank could take a breather in hiking interest rates if inflation shows signs of easing later in the year.

Still, confidence on trading floors remains at a premium owing to a range of crises including soaring prices, tighter monetary policy, China’s COVID-19 lockdowns and the war in Ukraine.

Investors were in a buying mood Friday as Hong Kong jumped more than two percent, with market heavyweight Alibaba piling on more than 11 percent and search engine Baidu advancing 15 percent.

The two firms posted better-thanexpected sales growth in the JanuaryMarch quarter, soothing fears about the impact of COVID and inflation on their bottom lines.

Hong Kong’s tech index jumped nearly three percent, with other giants also enjoying buying interest with JD.com and Meituan sharply up.

The reports were much-needed pieces of good news out of the world’s secondbiggest economy, which is being battered by lockdowns in major cities as leaders refuse to budge from their zeroCOVID strategy.

Ronald Keung, at Goldman Sachs, sounded an upbeat note. With AFP

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6

CNVRG SMPH MONDE ALI BDO TEL

VOLUME 28,503,800 12,529,600 24,215,000 13,453,100 2,519,850 128,755

VALUE (PHP) 758,609,910 467,160,285 401,044,490 384,647,000 317,250,996 251,320,450

7 8

AC SPNEC

299,640 98,385,000

203,212,650 179,437,250

9 10

JFC SM

798,060 199,820

170,601,380 167,290,445

DROUGHT-STRICKEN. France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne (second from right) and France’s Ecological Transition and Territories’ Cohesion Minister Amelie de Montchalin (right) react as they receive strawberries during a visit to a farm in Sandillon, central France, on May 26, 2022. France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is visiting farms in the Loiret department affected by the drought, and declared the government was ‘determined to prevent the situation from deteriorating’ and ‘to provide financial support to farmers.’ AFP

COVID-19 tests, no snow and no Russians: A strange Davos

By Pol Costa and Laurent Thomet DAVOS, Switzerland—The Swiss Alpine village of Davos greeted the world’s political and corporate A-listers again, but it was not business as usual.

There was no snow, no Russians and fewer Chinese delegates—but plenty of rain and Ukrainians.

The World Economic Forum is typically held in January under a blanket of snow.

But after the 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic, this year’s WEF was postponed until the spring.

Wet streets and tests While the streets were wet, it was easier for delegates to get to and from the congress center and their hotels than usual.

In the winter, it takes longer to go from place to place—and it can be a slippery affair.

But Adam Tooze, a prominent economics history professor at Columbia University in New York, was not a fan of the spring date.

“I really think this time of year doesn’t suit Davos at all. It’s not summer and it’s not winter,” Tooze said. “It’s a lot prettier, it’s really exotic and weird in the winter.”

While the WEF returned as COVID restrictions fell in Europe, organizers did not take any chances and required participants to be vaccinated and tested before traveling to Davos.

Arriving on site, delegates had to take another COVID test to be able to participate. Only one percent of attendees tested positive, according to the WEF. This allowed people to mingle around the congress and party at night without masks on.

Russians out The WEF decided to exclude Russians in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russians have traditionally been a major presence in Davos and held court at the “Russia House” on the main street.

But the red-shutter house was taken over by Ukrainians, who renamed it the “Russian War Crimes House” to put a spotlight on the alleged atrocities committed in their country.

The forum usually focuses on economic and climate issues, but the war in Ukraine took center stage at the event, which was held under the theme “History at a Turning Point.”

Ukraine’s foreign minister, lawmakers and mayors seized on the event to plead for more heavy weapons for their army and harsher sanctions on Russia.

“This year, Davos is (the) Ukrainian forum, Ukrainian Davos,” Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk, whose foundation was behind the “Russian War Crimes House,” said at an event.

Smaller Chinese presence Organizer said 2,500 delegates, including 50 heads of state and government, were expected at this year’s edition.

But there were far fewer Chinese participants than usual.

Organizers said 21 delegates from China attended this year’s WEF, compared to 79 at the last in-person forum in January 2020.

While European nations have dropped their COVID restrictions, Chinese authorities have imposed lockdowns on Shanghai as the country battles its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic. AFP

Staff walking outside the congress center last week ahead of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

(MS-MAY 28, JUNE 4 & 11, 2022)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Kagawaran ng Pananahanang Pantao at Pagunlad ng Kalunsuran

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that CZARK MAK CORPORATION has filed with this Office a sworn registration statement for the sale of industrial lots only in POLARIS INDUSTRIAL ESTATE located at Brgy. Tarcan (Sta. Barbara), Baliwag, Bulacan and covered with TCT Nos. 0392019001534, 039-2019001535, 039-2019001533, 039-2019001536, 039-2019001430, 039-2019002751, 039-2019002750 and T-299078 (with RTC-Decision, LRC P-222-2020).

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a certificate, in evidence thereof, shall for with be issued after five (5) days from the last day of publication.

Brgy. Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, 25th day of May 2022.

(SGD.) Atty. FELIX V. BRAZIL, JR. Director III OIC-Regional Director (MS-MAY 28 & JUNE 4, 2022)

British retailer M&S opts to fully exit from Russia LONDON, United Kingdom—British clothing-to-food retailer Marks and Spencer on Wednesday announced a full exit from Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

After halting product shipments to Russia at the start of March, Marks and Spencer said it had decided “to fully exit” its Russian franchise run

by Turkish conglomerate Fiba Group.

The exit, plus disruption to M&S operations in Ukraine run also by franchisee Fiba, is costing the British company £31 million ($39 million, 36 million euros).

“Unfortunately, our Ukrainian business has also been partially closed as a result of war impacts, and we are working with our partner to reopen as and when possible,” the company added in a statement.

An M&S spokeswoman confirmed to AFP that the group’s “brand will no longer be used in Russia.”

Its exit from Russia comes also after Marks and Spencer last year shut more than half its stores in France as Brexit affected supplies of fresh and chilled products.

M&S on Wednesday said it had taken a charge of £10.3 million following the French shakeup.

It had blamed the move on “supply chain complexities” following Britain’s formal exit from the European Union at the start of 2021.

M&S on Wednesday added that the group swung back into profit during its last financial year, or 12 months to the start of April.

It was heavily boosted by strong sales online in Britain and abroad.

Ahead, M&S pointed to “difficult and unpredictable headwinds” owing to ongoing fallout from the pandemic in addition to geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

The company said a cost-of-living crisis caused by soaring inflation would hit sales growth.

The update also marked the end of Steve Rowe’s time as chief executive.

The group had already announced that he would step down after six years, making way for a new joint CEO team of current M&S executives Stuart Machin and Katie Bickerstaffe. AFP

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

B4

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

Business

PSE INDEX CLOSING Friday, May 27, 2022

80.62 PTS. 6,726.14

TOTAL VOLUME TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) ADVANCES

917,393,325 86,209 5,960,368,454.46 99

DECLINES UNCHANGED

79 46

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

52.3790

Japan

Yen

0.007867

0.4121

UK

Pound

1.260800

66.0394

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127397

6.6729

Switzerland

Franc

1.042644

54.6127

Canada

Dollar

0.782901

41.0076

Singapore

Dollar

0.728491

38.1576

Australia

Dollar

0.709400

37.1577

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

138.9400

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266631

13.9659

Brunei

Dollar

0.725847

38.0191

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000068

0.0036

Thailand

Baht

0.029240

1.5316

UAE

Dirham

0.272287

14.2621

Euro

Euro

1.073200

56.2131

Korea

Won

0.000794

0.0416

China

Yuan

0.148414

7.7738

India

Rupee

0.012884

0.6749

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.227480

11.9152

New Zealand

Dollar

0.647900

33.9364

Taiwan

Dollar

0.034077

1.7849 Source: BSP

TAP TO PAY. Light Rail Transit Line 1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corp. continues to enhance its services for a convenient commuting experience as it formally rolls out its Tap2Pay campaign with more LRT-1 merchants as new channels for beep loading and payments services. Attending the Tap2Pay campaign launch are (from left) LRMC corporate communications and customer relations head Jacqueline Gorospe, LRMC AFCS head John Philip Delos Santos, Eng Bee Tin general manager Roche Chua, Siomai House franchisee Lucy Cobico, Mister Donut franchisee Carlo Tan and LRMC head of business development John Kelly Tan.

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE government posted a budget surplus of P4.9 billion in April, a reversal of the P44.4-billion deficit a year ago, as revenue collections grew 19.2 percent and expenditures rose 2 percent, data from the Bureau of the Treasury show. collections comprised 89 percent or P1.004 trillion of the total, while non-tax sources accounted for the remaining 11 percent.

Gross collections by the Bureau of Internal Revenue amounted to P240 in April, from which P413.0 million in tax refunds left a final net collection of P239.6 billion, representing a 9.39-percent improvement from last year’s outturn.

Cumulative collection also rose 7.8 percent to P742.4 billion in the first four months of 2021.

The Bureau of Customs maintained its growth momentum for the fourth consecutive month with P65.7 billion collections in April, up 26.8 percent or P13.9 billion over a year ago.

“The higher collection was attributed to the improved valuation, intensified enforcement against illegal importations and the improved compliance by traders to customs laws. This pushed the agency’s aggregate revenue to P254.2 billion, outperforming the achievement for the same period a year ago by 26.50 percent or P53.3 billion,” the Treasury said.

The P25.7-billion income generated and collected by the Bureau of the Treasury in April was more than double last year’s level of P9.0 billion.

“The substantial increase was largely driven by higher dividend remittances as well as income from BSF investment and national government’s share from PAG-

ERC sets cap on prices of green energy

COR income,” the Treasury said.

BTr’s cumulative revenue of P74.4 billion in the four-month period represented a doubledigit growth of 53.85 percent or P26.1 billion over P48.4 billion raised a year ago.

Collections from other offices, mainly non-tax revenues including privatization proceeds and fees and charges, reached P15.4 billion in April, surpassing last year’s outturn of P11.2 billion by 37.53 percent or P4.2 billion mainly due to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority’s higher remittance of disposition proceeds amounting to P6.4 billion.

Meanwhile, government disbursements reached P343.0 billion in April, slightly higher by 1.98 percent or P6.7 billion year-on-year. This resulted in total expenditures of P1.444 trillion in the four-month period, a 6.64-percent or P89.9-billion expansion from the previous year’s P1.354 trillion.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD.

Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa (center) receives the outgoing and incoming presidents of The New India Assurance Co. Ltd. Outgoing president and chief executive Shankar Prasad Sinha (left) has led the Indian government-owned insurance company in the Philippines for the past six years. Since setting up operations in the country in 1930, New India has been a partner in the development of the local non-life insurance industry.

Incoming president and chief executive Abhishek Pagaria (right) during the courtesy visit said New India will comply with the mandated P1.3-billion minimum net worth requirement on all local insurance companies by the end of 2022.

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission set the Green Energy Auction Reserve prices for solar, wind, biomass and run-of-river hydro technologies in support of the government’s thrust to accelerate the development of renewable energy.

ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said the GEAR prices would serve as the ceiling prices for the first round of the Green Energy Auction Program to be conducted by the Department of Energy.

The DOE plans to auction 2,000 MW of RE capacity under the GEAP

by June.

“We have set the GEAR prices for each type of technology consistent with the notice of auction of the DOE setting the auction capacities on a per technology basis, and using the discounted cash flow model with 46 parameters and assumptions for each technology,” Devanadera said in a statement.

The ERC set the GEAR price for solar at P3.6779 per kilowatt-hour, wind at P6.0584 per kWh, biomass at P5.0797 per kWh and run-of-river at P5.4913 per kWh. The ERC said it is tasked under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to allow the recovery of prudent and reasonable economic costs incurred, consistent with the declared policy to ensure transparent and reasonable prices of electricity in a regime of free and fair competition and full public accountability to achieve greater operational and economic efficiency and enhance the competitiveness of Philippine products in the global market.

“In the determination of a representative project and the computation of the GEAR Prices, the commission was guided by the principle of efficiency and international benchmarks to ensure that only the cost of efficient plants will be passed on to consumers,” Devanadera said.

The regulator said it considered the stakeholders’ comments, inputs and concerns before and after the public consultation on April 12.

LRMC rolls out tap-to-pay service

LIGHT Rail Manila Corp. said Friday it rolled out its tap-to-pay service using beep card to more merchants at LRT Line 1 system.

“After the successful roll-out in December 2021 with Master Siomai as our pilot merchant, we were able to engage more partners who saw the real benefit and operational efficiency of incorporating the beep device in their operations.

Now, we are going all out as we officially introduce our Tap2Pay campaign with over 30 LRT-1 kiosks participating,” LRMC corporate communications and customer relations head Jacqueline S. Gorospe said.

“Aside from using beep to pay for goods, passengers also have more channels to reload cards in addition to existing ticket vending machines, loading kiosks and teller booths. What we’re offering are greater convenience and choices for passengers with more uses for their beep this time,” she said.

The initiative allows for more uses of beep for passengers as they can now use it to buy goods at more merchant kiosks at different LRT-1 stations such as Baclaran, EDSA, Gil Puyat, Carriedo, D. Jose and Balintawak.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Hot money yields $1.4-b net inflows

April budget surplus reached P4.9b The latest data reduced the four-month budget deficit to P311.9 billion, lower by 14.8 percent or P54.0 billion than the shortfall of P365.9 billion a year ago.

Data showed government revenues reached P348.0 billion in April, up 19.2 percent or P56.0 billion from a year ago as all government collecting agencies exhibited positive outturns.

Revenue collections went up 14.6 percent in the first four months to P1.132 trillion from the P988 billion a year earlier. Tax

IN BRIEF

Bankers, exporters welcome Marcos choice of economic team BANKERS and exporters on Friday welcomed the composition of the economic team announced by the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Bankers Association of the Philippines said it welcomes the nomination of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno as the incoming Finance secretary and BSP Monetary Board Member Felipe Medalla as the new governor of the BSP. “Drs. Diokno and Medalla are notable economists who have the scholastic distinction and extensive experience that transcend different administrations, making them the best candidates for these roles,” BAP president Antonio Moncupa Jr. said.

Prior to their roles in the BSP, Diokno was secretary of the Department of Budget and Management under President Rodrigo Duterte and former President Joseph Estra-

da, while Medalla served as director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority under the Estrada administration.

“Their experiences as economic managers in past administrations are valuable assets as the Philippines makes its way towards economic and post-pandemic recovery,” the BAP said.

“We are confident that under their stewardship, the country will be able to successfully navigate the various fiscal and economic challenges incumbent upon us,” Moncupa said.

Meanwhile, exporters said the new appointees have the expertise and competence needed to steer the country toward recovery amid unprecedented economic and fiscal challenges.

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the organization is “happy with the appointment of the economic cluster, as the impressive credentials and track records of the team mem-

bers are expected to help the country sustain the respect and credibility in the local and international community.”

Ortiz-Luis said PhilExport worked with most of the economic managers on its past advocacies centered on export promotion and support for exporters and micro, small and medium enterprises.

He said the trade association looks forward to stronger dialog and collaboration with the incoming economic cluster on addressing the many issues faced by MSMEs and exporters, who have been the worst hit by the ongoing pandemic, inflation, rising fuel prices, geopolitics and trade disruptions.

He said the transition at the Department of Finance is expected to be smooth in the case of Diokno who he has been working with Duterte’s economic managers, while Medalla as the incoming BSP head is currently in the Monetary Board.

FOREIGN portfolio investments or hot money yielded net inflows of $1.4 billion out of the $2.2 billion gross inflows and $823 million gross outflows in April, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday.

The BSP said in a statement the inflows in April followed the net outflows of $305 million in March.

The $2.2-billion registered investments in April reflected an increase of 70.7 percent or $903 million from the $1.3 billion in March.

Majority of investments, or 91.5 percent, went to Philippine Stock Exchange-listed securities mainly in electricity, energy, power and water; banks; holding firms; property; and transportation services, while the remaining 8.5 percent were parked in peso government securities.

The top five investor countries in April were Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, Hong Kong and Luxembourg.

Julito G. Rada

Rural co-ops bare ‘wish list’ to new gov’t

THE Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc., which groups the country’s 119 electric cooperatives, presented its “wish list” to the incoming administration.

Philreca said the ECs were trying to resolve a number of issues and concerns surrounding the rural electrification sector and expressed hope they would be addressed by the Marcos administration.

The group urged the new government to protect the existence of ECs and the legacy of rural electrification by ensuring the renewal of the franchise of ECs and protecting them from takeover threats.

“The real power—economic, political and social—should reside in the people, in as many people as possible. This is the essence of democracy. We should do everything within our power to ensure that the power of the electric cooperatives will remain with the people as such as possible,” the group said.

Philreca said the government should address the non-payment or delays in payment to ECs on pole relocation projects, delays in resolution of cases and rate applications at the Energy Regulatory Commission, resolve the non-payment of electric bills by government agencies and provide for exemption to real and property taxes for all electric cooperatives.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Starlink of Musk gets NTC nod to provide internet

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Philippine unit of technology billionaire Elon Musk secured a green light from the National Telecommunications Commission to operate as an internet service provider in the country.

The NTC approved the registration of Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of Musk’s Starlink Satellite Internet Service.

Starlink’s VAS registration allows the company to directly access satellite systems, build and operate broadband facilities to offer internet services.

The NTC said Starlink is expected to “start offering internet access services to the Philippine market in the coming months.”

It said the swift processing of Starlink’s VAS provider registration was meant to expedite the service’s immediate roll-out.

NTC commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said the agency welcomes the entry of Starlink in the Philippines, as the roll-out of its internet access services would benefit immensely unserved or undeserved areas in the country.

“The NTC is steadfast in helping ensure that roll-out of Starlink’s internet access services will be done expeditiously and professionally,” he said.

SpaceX’s counsel Bien Marquez of Quisumbing Torres lauded the NTC for issuing Starlink’s VAS license 30 minutes after submitting its application with complete requirements.

“This shows the government’s seriousness in addressing the connectivity needs of our countrymen in unserved and underserved areas. This will also prepare us in the event of natural disasters and calamities,” he said.

Megaworld expects most employees of outsourcing companies to return to offices soon

By Jenniffer B. Austria MREIT Inc., the real estate investment trust company of Megaworld Corp., expects most business process outsourcing companies to comply with the government’s return-tooffice order soon.

MREIT president and chief executive Kevin Tan said during the annual stockholders’ meeting that while BPO firms initially experienced challenges in complying with the directive, BPO workers began gradually returning to offices after

two years of work from home set-up because of the pandemic.

“The return to office happened quite quickly, and BPO tenants along with their employees had encountered challenges in complying with this requirement immediately. However, we see gradual shift back to office space work. For example in Iloilo, about 90 percent of employees are back to office work, and in some parts of NCR we do see more than 50 percent of employees are now back to work,” Tan said.

“We do anticipate that most BPOs will be able to substantially comply with the returnto-office order very soon,” he said.

The government directed BPO firms to resume working onsite if they are operating within economic zones. This is part of the government’s move to reopen the company and boost the other sectors of the economy, particularly the retail, transportation and restaurant businesses.

MREIT operates 10 office buildings mostly occupied by BPO firms and traditional offices.

Tan said despite the current market environment, MREIT office properties enjoy 96-percent occupancy rate.

He said MREIT is not interested in getting offshore gaming firms as potential tenants because it is not in line with the company’s criteria of investing in stable yielding assets.

“MREIT currently enjoys 96-percent occupy rate and we do not see the need to target other types of tenants that do not provide the same levels of stability as BPO and traditional office tenants,” he said.

Sports

Dubs maul Mavs, reach 6th finals in 8 years SAN FRANCISCO—Klay Thompson scored a game-high 32 points and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight seasons by defeating Dallas 120-110 on Thursday.

The Warriors won the best-of-seven Western Conference finals 4-1 and will seek a first title since 2018 in June’s showdown against either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat.

“To get back again is special for all of us,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

“It’s pretty amazing. It’s so difficult to get to the finals. It’s exhausting, stressful, emotional, all that stuff.

“To be in the finals six times in eight years, it just takes an enormous amount of skill and determination and work and I couldn’t be prouder of my guys.”

Golden State won NBA crowns in 2015, 2017 and 2018—beating the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers each time—but lost the 2016 and 2019 finals and spent the past two seasons rebuilding the roster.

“This is a blessing for us to get back here, to get back where we belong,” said Golden State’s Stephen Curry, named the Western Conference playoff Most Valuable Player.

Thompson, completing an amazing comeback stor y after two missed seasons and years of injur y rehabilitation, made 12-of25 shots from the f loor and 8-of16 from 3-point range.

“Such a surreal feeling,” Thompson said. “I dreamt about this every day.

I’m elated, but I’m still hungry. It’ll be much sweeter if we complete the mission next round.”

Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Warriors while Draymond Green added 17 points and nine assists, reserve Jordan Poole scored 16 points and Curry added 15 and nine assists.

The Warriors have not lost a home playoff game this season, the first postseason run in their new arena after two woeful campaigns.

“It’s special to do it in our new building,” Curry said. “This isn’t the ultimate goal but we’ve got to celebrate this for all we went through the past three years.”

The dynasty continues.

“This one is special because this is a group no one thought would ever be back here,” Green said. “After being counted out—‘dynasty is over’—to get back is fantastic.”

It will be the sixth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals for Thompson, who missed the entire 2019-20 campaign after left knee surgery and the whole 2020-21 season with a torn Achilles tendon.

“It’s hard not to be most excited for Klay after what he went through,” Kerr said. “Incredible accomplishment.” AFP

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

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The Golden State Warriors celebrate with the Oscar Robertson Western Conference Championship Trophy after Game 5 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. AFP

YULO TOP EARNER WITH P1.8M

SEA Games’ PH medalists to get P33M in incentives

By Peter Atencio

W

ORLD vault champion Carlos Yulo is set to receive a big payout after completing a five-gold haul in the men’s gymnastics competitions of the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.

Cash incentives totalling around P1.8-million is now being prepared by the Philippine Sports Commission for the 22-year-old Yulo, who ended his stint in the biennial meet with five golds and two silvers.

He is among 53 national athletes, who bagged a total of 105 medals during the two-weeklong meet and will be feted this Wednesday in Malacañang by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The incentives won’t be presented yet. But they will receive a bonus ahead of the cash bonanza totalling around P33.380 million from the Office of the President.

Yulo won’t be around, though, since he is now in Japan, preparing for the ninth Asian Senior Gymnastics Championships in the Doha, Qatar on June 15.

But his parents, Mark and Angelica, are expected to be around to represent him with Gymnastics Association of the Philippines president Cynthia Carrion.

Yulo won his golds in the apparatus, vault, all-around, floor exercise and horizontal bars, while settling for silvers in the team and the parallel bars.

Aleah Finnegan also delivered for gymnastics with two golds and two silvers, and is set to get P900,000.

Gymnastics also got contributions Carlos Yulo from bronze medals of Juancho Besana in the men’s vault, Breanna Beladan in the women’s rhythmic all-around and “Baka magdagdag si President Duterte. Nasa Hanoi Charmaine Dolar in the women’s aerobics indipa kami, humihingi na ng listahan ang Malacanang vidual event. ng mga medallist. Baka may surprise,” said 2021 SEA Gymnastics emerged as the most productive naGames chef de mission and commissioner Ramon Fer- tional sports association during the meet, with seven nandez of the Philippine Sports Commission. golds, four silvers and three bronzes.

NU wins duel of fancied beach volley teams Manila, Cebu

NU’s James Buytrago makes his serve.

NATIONAL University’s James Buytrago and Pol Salvador overcame University of Santo Tomas’ Efraem Dimaculangan and Rancel Varga, 1221, 21-17, 15-12, in an exciting opening day duel of fancied teams in the UAAP men’s beach volleyball tournament at Sands SM

By The Bay Friday.

After the threepeat-seeking Tiger Spi ke r s grabbed the opening set, the Bulldogs finally got in the groove in the second to force a decider.

UST was ahead, 8-5, in the third when Salvador’s kill jumpstarted NU’s 5-0 run to take a 10-8 advantage, setting the stage for a thrilling

ending.

Dimaculangan’s block forced the match’s final deadlock at 11-11 when reigning MVP Varga committed a service error on the next rally followed by a Buytrago spike and a huge block on Dimaculangan to put the Bulldogs on the cusp of victory.

The Tigers were able to save a match point courtesy of a Dimaculangan kill when Salvador closed out the contest with a spike.

It was a morale-boosting win for NU after opening the season with a shock loss to De La Salle’s Noel Kampton and Vince Maglinao, 21-12, 15-21, 11-15.

The Bulldogs improved to 1-1.

Two-time Southeast Asian Games bronze medalist Jaron Requinton is the

Tigers’ third player and can be elevated anytime in the tournament.

Ateneo’s Abai Llenos and Amil Pacinio bested Far Eastern University’s Jelord Talisayan and Vincent Nadera, 21-15, 21-15, and Adamson University’s Ned Pacquing and Francis Casas, 21-19, 21-14, for perfect 2-0 record.

It was a massive turnaround for the Blue Eagles, who were winless in the league’s most recent competition in 2019.

De La Salle also went 2-0 following a 21-19, 21-11 romp of University of the Philippines’ Daniel Nicolas and Louis Gamban.

The Fighting Maroons, who scored a 21-15, 21-11 win over the Falcons in the morning session, dropped to 1-1.

Action resumes at 9 a.m. Satur-

Van der Valk frustrates Tabuena for Splendido title LAUREL, Batangas – Guido van der Valk pulled off an improbable birdie putt from way out on the 72nd hole to tie then pounced on Miguel Tabuena’s pulled drive in sudden death to snatch the ICTSI Splendido Taal Championship crown on a routine par here yesterday.

Van der Valk pulled through on an early blast to battle back from 2-down to 2-up over Clyde Mondilla but lost a two-stroke lead in the face of Tabuena’s final round blitz that featured two eagles in a flight ahead for a 64.

But the Manila-based Dutch came through with that incredible putt from the fringe on No. 18 to spike a closing 68 and force a playoff at 16-under 272.

“That’s ridiculous. It’s probably the longest putt I ever made in my career to get a crack at the championship, But it happens,” said van der Valk.

One down heading to the par-4 closing hole, van der Valk hit a good drive but slipped with his right foot on his approach, the ball landing on what he described as “long, long way off the hole with a massive break.”

But he did the unthinkable then rode on that brilliance to frustrate Tabuena with another solid drive on their return to No. 18 then hacked his approach shot, this time, to within seven feet.

In contrast, Tabuena pulled his drive then hit a shot from under the tree to the right side of the green. His chip went past the hole and needed two putts to hole out.

Freed of the pressure, van der Valk flubbed his birdie bid then tapped in for par to clinch the victory worth P360,000.

Tabuena had appeared headed to annexing his third victory here at the Greg Norman-designed layout after posting his first career win in 2012 and reigned again in 2015 as he rallied from six down to storm ahead by two on a six-under blitz in a five-hole stretch from No. 9. But he bogeyed the tough No. 16 for the second straight day and settled for a one-stroke lead at the end of regulation on a fiery 64 in scorching conditions.

But van der Valk never lost hope although it looked like he did after barely reaching the 18th green.

“I was just lucky it went in,” he said.

Tabuena thus fell short of scoring a second playoff victory after edging Mondilla at Luisita last March, ruing blowing the chance to post one of the most stirring comebacks in Philippine Golf Tour history when he rallied from six down to take command heading to the last five holes.

That blistering Tabuena charge featured a second

Guido van der Valk receives the glass trophy from Splendido Taal Golf Club general manager Bobby Chico after completing the come-from-behind win. Manny Marcelo

eagle on No. 11 but a missed green miscue on No. 16 stalled his charge while giving van der Valk a chance to mount his own version of a late rally.

vs world’s best in FIBA 3x3 tourney

THE Philippines will seek decent finishes against the world’s top teams when action fires off in the 2022 Chooks-toGo FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters on Saturday at Ayala Mall Manila Bay’s events center in Pasay City.

Manila Chooks and Cebu Chooks will meet their rivals in Pools A and D in late afternoon matches, while Tokyo Olympics fourth placer Antwerp of Belgium looks to make matters tough in Pool B. Cebu Chooks, reinforced by the two top-ranked players from the Philippines, Mac Tallo (world no. 111th) and Zach Huang, (199th), clashes with Ub Huishan NE of Serbia at 3 p.m., and Mongolia’s Zavkhan MMC Energy. Ub Huishan NE, Serbia Manila Chooks will have Chico Lanete, Henry Iloka, Dennis Santos, and 6’8” Fil-Norwegian Ken Holmqvist as they take on Mongolian rivals Ulaanbaatar at 4:25 p.m. and Zaisan MMC Energy at 8:25 p.m. in the Pool A hostilities.

Cebu recently pulled off title romp in the 2022 Chooks-to-Go FIBA 3x3 Asia Pacific Super Quest, while Ub is fresh from its conquest of the Utsunomiya Masters.

The presence of the world’s no. 2 team, Antwerp of Belgium in Pool B will make matters challenging as it seeks a first-ever championship in Manila.

The Belgians, who claimed the Dubai Expo 3x3 Super Quest last March, are led by three members of their 3x3 national squad that placed 4th in the Tokyo Olympics. Peter Atencio

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

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

Home/Design

Home with a personal touch T

HE Enclave, a three hectare community in the Municipality of Malvar, Batangas, is one of the exclusive communities within Townscapes Malvar, a ‘work-live-play’ residential development of Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation, the property development arm of the ICCP Group.

Available lots range from 205 to 423 square meters. “We were so inspired in designing the project,” said Royal Pineda, chairman of BUDJI+ROYAL Architecture+Design, which had been contracted to design houses at The Enclave.

Launched in November 2021, the mixed-use township is masterplanned by Pomeroy Studio, which is behind Singapore’s Kallang Alive and Indonesia’s BSD Digital Hub.

Sustainable communities for tomorrow TORRE Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC) has grown to become a full-scale developer with mixed-use developments, leisure destinations, and townships across Manila, Lipa, and Davao.

“Sustainable growth affects not just ourselves,” said TLDC COO Cathy Casares-Ko. “We acknowledge that it’s our responsibility to the community to create long-term value for the future generations. We deliberately study and embed practical and impactful sustainable practices in the different facets of our operations and day-to-day activities.”

Responsible resource management “Key to our sustainability efforts is securing the support of our residential communities,” noted Casares-Ko. “Because we are a relatively young player in the real estate industry, we’re able to embrace new ideas and constantly innovate in terms of efficiently managing resource use in our buildings.”

TLDC has been taking steps to monitor energy and water usage in its buildings. The company has been implementing rainwater catchment across sites. The collected water is used for cleaning purposes. All the common areas in buildings have also been using LED lights for energy efficient lighting. Residents are regularly encouraged to conserve water and electricity through regular memos and newsletters. TLDC also observes proper waste segregation in its buildings.

Wellness in design TLDC has incorporated functional spaces and amenities in its developments that help positively impact residents’ well-being. This includes open spaces in Sky Decks and Sky Lounges, and study and meeting rooms. The building gyms are also equipped with complete and high-quality facilities to promote physical activity.

Consistent with its company tagline “designing for tomorrow”, TLDC keeps an eye on the future. It stays ahead of the curve by anticipating the needs of its clients and taking deliberate steps towards achieving its goal to improve lives.

‘Techified’ home

Kenneth Stern Lamudi Philippines CEO

NREA to hold 26th convention THE National Real Estate Association (NREA) will hold its 26th National Convention online on June 16 & 17, 2022, jointly with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Focused on the theme: “Real Estate: Roaring Into 2022 And Beyond”, the convention is an annual industry consultations on housing issues, as well as search for housing solutions, according to architect Ma. Ysolde Flores Prado, NREA secretary general and overall convention chairperson.

As of press time, invited guests include former president and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as keynote speaker, and DHSUD Sec. Eduardo D. Del Rosario, as welcome speaker.

Both are NREA Honorary Members. For real estate practitioners who will attend the convention, they will receive Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credits, necessary for the renewal of their licenses or accreditation (brokers, consultants, appraisers, salespersons).

For more details, contact the NREA Secretariat at mobile nos. 09692257466/0927-9231113, or email: nrea_org@yahoo.com.

CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR HOUSING. Joy-Nostalg Group, together with

partner developer Raemulan Lands, Inc., recently collaborated with One Meralco to seek priority energization, establish multi-channel payment services, and install connectivity solutions for its housing projects in Mega Manila. The business alliance was made between Joy~Nostalg Group, the home organization of management companies Everyhome Enclaves, Everglow Enclaves, and Extraordinary Enclaves, together with Raemulan Lands, with One Meralco’s Radius Telecoms, Bayad, and power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco). Led by Joy~Nostalg Group Executive Officer Jacinto C. Ng, Jr., Raemulan Lands Chief Executive Officer Eileen Uy-Doyle, and Meralco President and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Ray Espinosa, the alliance resulted in a stronger partnership with Meralco committing to energize upcoming 16,000 housing units of Raemulan Lands this year. Bayad, meanwhile, presented its multi-channel payment system, including its payment centers and newly-launched digital payment app.

TECH and security amenities will be among the topics to be discussed in the upcoming The Outlook: Philippine Real Estate Conference by Lamudi, an event in partnership with the global leader in elevators and escalators KONE. Comparing data recorded in January-April 2020 (pandemic onset period) to that in January-April 2022 (recovery period), Lamudi observed that preference for technology and security amenities grew, accounting for almost 20 percent of amenity searches.

These amenities include WiFi, alarm system, broadband internet provision, secure parking, 24-hour security, intercom, and CCTV. “We want our homes to be ‘techified’ to keep up with the demands of doing everything at home, from work and learning to leisure,” explained Lamudi CEO Kenneth Stern.

With the onset of smart, sustainable buildings, KONE is excited to share its systems that can be integrated with today’s intelligent buildings – a step change toward future-proofing buildings.

Tech & Gadgets

By Peter Paul Duran

O

NE of the most culturally and economically vibrant regions in the world, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region takes on a crucial role in driving global economic growth.

SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

Huawei ushers in digital innovation for Asia-Pacific

APAC stands as the most dynamic region on earth, home to more than half of the global population. It now plays an equally pivotal role in digital innovation-- a key factor in reinvigorating the global digital economy in a post-pandemic world.

The question that now remains is how?

Leading global information and communications technology (ICT) company Huawei, with the ASEAN foundation, recently gathered over 1,500 government officials, experts, researchers, partners, and analysts from more than 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region to explore the future of digital innovation and the digital economy.

The two-day Huawei APAC Digital Innovation Congress held in Singapore from May 19 and 20 spearheaded topics in the ongoing advancements in ICT, speeding up digital transformation across industries, as well as green and low-carbon development in the region.

"The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most culturally and economically vibrant regions in the world," said Ken Hu, Huawei's Rotating Chairman, during his opening speech. "It has long played an important role in global economic growth, and now plays an equally important role in digital innovation," he continued, citing the fact that many APAC countries have elevated digital transformation to a strategic policy level and are actively going green.

Huawei has paved the way for digital development in APAC, noting its deep roots in the region having served their customers here for over 30 years. Huawei’s Rotating Chairman also emphasized that the company will continue on investing heavily in innovation to help regional partners meet strategic development goals.

“In 2022, we will increase our support for a Green and Digital APAC by promoting digital infrastructure, lowcarbon development, and digital inclusion,” he added in a video message delivered to a packed Marina Bay Sands Grand Ballroom.

For its part, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foundation, headed by Executive Director Yang Mee Eng said that only a strong digital talent team can achieve an inclusive and

Powered by solar panels, this Rainforest Guardian system comprises old cell phones that monitor and record sounds of human activity, like chainsaws and vehicles, and capture data on animal behavior patterns.

resilient digital Asia-Pacific region.

"The Huawei APAC Digital Innovation Congress 2022 marks another critical milestone in the ASEAN FoundationHuawei partnership to continue creating a talent development-focused learning ecosystem that will help address the digital skills shortage in the region,” she added.

According to the ASEAN Development Outlook report and Southeast Asia Digital Economy Report, by 2030, ASEAN will become the 4th largest economy in the world. The region’s internet economy market is expected to reach $1 trillion.

“As a global company rooted in local market, Huawei actively supports the ICT and digital transformation policies in different countries. We aim to become a key contributor to the digital economy in Asia-Pacific,” said Simon Lin, President of Huawei's Asia Pacific Region.

Huawei aims to help APAC build a leading and green infrastructure, including 5G, broadband, and data centers with Lin highlighting the company’s mission "In Asia-Pacific, for Asia-Pacific”, under which Huawei is committed to becoming a key contributor to the digital economy in the Asia-Pacific, and working with its customers and partners to build a better green digital life.

In the Asia-Pacific, Huawei has established partnerships with nearly 10,000 enterprise and cloud partners and plans

to invest US$100 million in the Spark startup ecosystem, training 170,000 locals on digital skills, and planning to provide digital training to another 500,000 within five years as part of its efforts to develop a talent ecosystem that can drive the digital economy forward.

The event included four industry sessions focused on new innovations in digital infrastructure: intelligent campuses, full-stack data centers, digital power, and cloud.

At the Intelligent Campus session, Huawei released solutions for multiple campus scenarios, including simplified campus networks and FTTO/FTTM scenarios, and shared the latest achievements and best practices of its customers and partners. At the Cloud session, Huawei unveiled new products and solutions like GaussDB – a new cloud storage database – and DevCloud – a one-stop DevOps shop for more efficient software development.

Huawei nurtures roots in a digital Philippines Meanwhile, Huawei is currently helping the development of the ICT industry in the Philippines through corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects.

As an ICT leader, Huawei is committed to promoting ICT industry development in the Philippines, and conducted several CSR programs, such as School in A Bag, Huawei Philippines Scholarship, etc. As the compa-

ny’s flagship CSR program, Seeds in the Future has been in the Philippines for 7 years, which benefited more than 200 students.

Huawei Philippines also partners with more than 60 Philippine universities in ICT Academy, covered more than 13,000 students.

As a prominent provider of information and communications technology (ICT), Huawei took part in the #NoLearnersLeftBehind campaign, which aims to assist teachers and students in adapting to the new digital education. PLDT Inc.'s social outreach arm, also known as the PLDT-Smart Foundation, distributes School in a Bag Packages. Each bag contains water-resistant backpacks with laptops for teachers and Tablets for students. It provides teachers and students in remote areas with access to technology and connectivity.

Huawei also believes that everyone deserves a good education, which is why the Tech4All initiative provides scholarships. Huawei Scholarship, like other scholarships, seeks to help deserving students with financial aid. Started from 2021, this program has 19 scholars from different colleges and universities.

Google Street View turns 15 with new camera, features GOOGLE announced Street View’s izable. Previously, an entirely new newest camera and features in cel- camera system was needed to colebration of Street View’s 15th birth- lect different types of imagery. But day to give people more now, more can be added ways to explore hison to this modular torical imagery and camera with comshow how Street ponents like lidar— View is powering laser scanners—to the future of Google collect imagery with Maps. even more details like Here’s a quick lane markings or look at Street View’s potholes. new camera system: It can fit on any It weighs less car. The new camthan 15 pounds. era can be attached This means it can be to any vehicle with shipped anywhere. a roof rack and opThis is especially handy erated right from a when Google works mobile device—no with partners around need for a specialthe world to capture ized car or complex imagery of traditionally processing equipment. under-mapped areas— This flexibility will like the Amazon jungle. make collections easier It’s incredibly custom- Street View's camera for partners all over the

world, and allow Google to explore more sustainable solutions for its current fleet of cars—like plug-in hybrids or fully electric vehicles. People will start seeing the new camera in fun Google colors alongside our iconic Street View cars and trekkers next year.

Traveling back in time with Street View Street View is all about capturing the world as it changes, and it’s also a powerful way to reminisce about the past. Starting today on Android and iOS globally, it’s now easier than ever to travel back in time using mobile phones.

When viewing Street View imagery of a place, tap anywhere on the photo to see information about the location. Then tap "See more dates" to see the historical imagery of that place, dating back to when Street View launched in 2007. Browse each of the images to see a digital

time capsule that shows how a place has changed— like how the Vessel in New York City’s Hudson Yards grew from the ground up.

Building a more helpful, immersive map Street View is also an essential part of how Google maps the world. Here’s how it works: Updates to business information that reflect our changing world. Google uses Street View imagery coupled with AI to make helpful updates to Google Maps—such as adding newly opened businesses, surfacing new hours at favorite restaurants and updating speed limit information. In fact, over the last three years, AI has helped Google make over 25 billion updates to Maps to provide as fresh information as possible.

Street View

Empower every moment with OPPO Find X5 Pro GLOBAL smart device brand OPPO reimagines smartphone technology as it officially introduces its state-of-the-art flagship Find X5 Pro in the Philippines.

The high-end device boasts of cutting-edge cam-

era innovations, such as a dedicated imaging Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that empowers users’ nights, easily overcoming a mobile device’s major challenge – nighttime recording.

It is complemented by the Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, providing moments with onpoint and natural colors. It also leverages a futuristic aesthetic accompanied by premium experiences with its unrivaled performance, ultra-fast 5G connectivity, and incredible SUPERVOOC flashcharging technology.

“OPPO has always placed innovation at its heart to provide its users with exceptional devices that perfectly fit their everyday lives. The OPPO Find X5

Pro is built with the finest technology and self-developed innovations to ensure the best in our flagship series. May this device indeed empower life’s every moment,” said Chiqui Tapawan, Head of Marketing Communications of OPPO Philippines.

Empower your nights with a breakthrough in night videography Night video is one of the main challenges for smartphones. As a result, beautiful and significant moments remain uncaptured or saved in low quality. To empower the nights, OPPO Find X5 Pro is equipped with a breakthrough in night videography, MariSilicon X. It is OPPO’s self-designed imaging NPU that enables users to record their moments at night in bright and highquality videos.

The MariSilicon X is built with the most current and powerful AI computing power.

It leverages OPPO’s advanced AI noise reduction (AINR) algorithm, which detects

and reduces noise in each frame, pixel by pixel, while preserving finer detail, skin tone, and color accuracy.

Such a feature delivers a four times improvement in perceived night video resolution with superior color reproduction and less grain, enabling the 4K Ultra Night Video for the first time on an Android device.

The 4K Ultra Night Video is integrated into the OPPO Find X5 Pro’s wide and ultra-wide rear cameras that feature Sony’s advanced 50MP IMX766 flagship sensors, which is why it promises the best imaging quality for both stills and videos.

The MariSilicon X also supports the flagship device’s front camera, which boasts a Sony IMX709 sensor. It is to deliver selfies with more texture and on-point color reproduction even in low-light conditions.

Empower your moments’ colors with Hasselblad Camera for Mobile Aside from these remarkable camera

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Golden Haven introduces more innovative digital services IN business sales and marketing, convenience and goodwill are precious commodities. Golden Haven Memorial Parks, trusted and renowned for the finest death care services in the country, wisely adheres to this notion and continues to introduce digital innovations in its service offerings.

To make it easier for potential customers to transact business, Golden Haven spurs them to use its online reservation system at https://onlinereservation.goldenhaven.com.ph/. With a few clicks on their laptop or mobile device, buyers may view, choose, and pay for their Golden Haven memorial properties from the comfort and safety of their homes.

Golden Haven customers may now also pay for their memorial lots through digital payment methods. Property owners can use their credit cards or do online banking through Golden Haven’s partner banks like AllBank, BDO, RCBC, UnionBank, Metrobank, and Security Bank.

They can also use mobile wallets such as GCash, PayMaya, or AllEasy.

Apart from the benefits of increased efficiency and improved customer experience, digitalization has helped enhance sellers’ morale. For instance, Golden Haven’s sales teams can now use its Sellers App to check their total sales, total commissions due, upload their clients’ documents and customer information through the Sellers Portal: https://www.goldenhaven.com.ph/sellers-app/.

Finally, Golden Haven provides a new and convenient way for families, kin, and friends to celebrate the lives of their dearly departed. It introduces Wake Connect, the first-ever, real-time interactive wake viewing that can be downloaded from anywhere in the globe.

Learn more about it at https://www.goldenhaven.com.ph/wake-connect/.

To date, Golden Haven has made remarkable strides with technology as a tool to better serve their clients.

And by staying ahead of the curve, Golden Haven distinguishes itself as an industry leader, gaining more trust and credibility as developer of the country’s biggest and most beautiful memorial parks.

Golden Haven Golden Haven Memorial Park is a subsidiary company of publicly listed Villar-owned Golden MV Holdings Inc. Currently positioned as one of the largest real estate companies in the country.

Golden Haven offers premium death care services and prime memorial lots. It is dubbed as the most lucrative real estate investment with an average of 20% annual value appreciation.

Online Reservation Golden Haven commits to the safety of both our clients and employees.

We are now offering online services for our admin transactions. Choose from the services on our website through our online service page to schedule your appointments. You may also get in touch with us for any of your concerns.

technologies, OPPO partnered with Hasselblad to co-create Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, packed in the OPPO Find X5 Series pro mode. It features Hasselblad Natural Color Calibration to give natural and accurate colors in users’ captured moments.

The Hasselblad Camera for Mobile also features a range of creative master filters. It allows its users to take cinematic panoramas and vintage-like photos with its XPan mode while providing users with a one-of-a-kind experience with its UI and iconic leaf shutter sound.

Experience futuristic design with a premium look and feel Available in Ceramic White and Glaze Black, the Find X5 Pro leverages a futuristic design that showcases calmness and a timeless look. The flagship device embodies an ultra-hard, ceramic-based back, which displays clean and modern sophistication, provides a surface texture that minimizes fingerprints and creates a smooth, uniform-inclined back that perfectly cushions the camera module.

Motoring

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

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SATURDAY, MAY 28, 2022

Hit the road with comfort, convenience on board Honda Supra GTR 150

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ITH the summer season winding down, it’s best to make the most out of dry roads and clear skies by going out on relaxing and exciting long rides. And to kick things up a notch, skip your regular routes for something new with your perfect road partner, the Honda sports riding underbone Supra GTR150!

While Supra GTR150 has gained ground as one of Honda’s premier models that’s perfect for daily use, it’s also a hit with riders who are looking into satisfying their inner wanderlust.

With its tried-and-tested fuel efficiency, lightweight handling, speed, and safety features, enthusiasts can’t help but notice both its winning looks and performance.

So whether you’re considering upgrading or are already a proud Supra GTR150 owner, here are the top three underrated destinations that will allow you to experience the joy of mobility in style:

1. Mount Samat in Pilar, Bataan Distance from Manila: 135 km

Samat Shrine, overlooking the rolling hills where Filipino and American soldiers made their last stand during World War II. From there, you can make a side trip to nearby Dunsulan Falls, the many beaches at Bagac town, or several scenic restaurants in Subic Bay. Supra GTR150’s reliable and efficient performance makes for a smooth travel companion in traversing paths and navigating traffic going to Bataan. It features a 6-Speed DOHC 4-Valve LiquidCooled Engine for maximum performance, great handling, and better fuel efficiency of 42 km/liter, ensuring a rewarding yet budget-friendly trip.

2. Daranak and Batlag Falls in Tanay, Rizal Distance from Manila: 57 km

if you want to cool off from all the heat driving. Just upstream is the more serene Batlag Falls, nestled in the middle of a dense forest surrounded by wooden tree houses. Imagine that.

To reach these picturesque views, you can snake through the Marilaque (Marikina-RizalLaguna-Quezon) mountain road.

But conquering sharp turns and going off-road en route to Daranak and Batlag Falls is not something for every motorcycle.

Luckily, these pose no challenge for the

Photo Source: https://tieza.gov.ph/mtsamat-shrine-bataan/ Craving for a bit of everything where you can go on a long ride, taste trip-worthy food, and experience local culture and national history, Mount Samat in Bataan is your best bet.

You’ll pass by Bulacan and Pampanga heading to Bataan, where you can enjoy a chock-full of famous delicacies. When you reach Bataan’s Roman Highway, it won’t take long before a giant cross perched atop a mountain reveals itself. That is the iconic, 555-meter Memorial Cross at the Mount

Supra GTR150.

Designed for the Filipinos’ “work hard, play hard” attitude, the “speed aggressor” looks as gritty as it drives, offering wider tubeless tires and bigger front and rear disc brakes (220mm diameter) that provide better traction and stopping power for safety. It also comes with a built-in bank angle sensor that automatically turns off the engine when your bank angle exceeds 51° on either side.

Meanwhile, its superior stability is also something worth noting thanks to its big front telescopic suspension (31mm diameter), giving you control and comfort all the time.

na bato lining up the streets along with new establishments.

Other stops here include the Paete Church for a spiritual reflection and Kape Kesada to refuel on snacks before you head home.

Take advantage of the prime long weekend ride season with the promise of a better motorcycle experience. With Supra GTR150 you’re sure to be in good company. The Supra GTR150 comes in two colors, the Valiant Red and Black with a suggested retail price of Php102,900.00.

3. Paete, Laguna Distance from Manila: 111 km

It’s almost always twisty roads, sprawling fields, or glistening bodies of water that we go for in riding out. If you want a fresh experience, mark Paete, Laguna as your next stop for its world-famous Filipino artistry and culture.

Paete is known as the Carving Capital of the Philippines, and its name is derived from “paet,” the Tagalog term for a chisel.

The historic lakeside town paints a picture of the country’s proud heritage surviving into modern times, with rows of old bahay

Photo Source:https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daranak_Falls,_ Tanay,_Rizal.jpg For something more splashy, how about a Tanay-bound drive to Daranak and Batlag Falls?

Daranak, which means “to flow,” offers a wide catch basin that’s perfect to dip in

Photo Source:https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Batlag_Falls_ Tanay.jpg

Photo Source: https://commons. wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paete_Church_ in_Laguna.jpg

SCTEX provides smooth, safe travels The 21st Henry Ford Awards winners with Ford Philippines Managing Director Mike Breen: L-R(Philippine Daily Inquirer team) Alvin Uy, Aida Mendoza, Jeanette Tuason, Ardie Lopez, Tessa Salazar, Jong Arcano, Botchi Santos, Mike Breen, (Top Gear Philippines team) Dinzo Tabamo, Ian Magbanua, Leandre Grecia, Niky Tamayo Andrei Laurel, Roy Robles of ZigWheels, Monch Henares of Monchster Chronicles, Ronald de los Reyes of Daily Tribune, Vince Pornelos of AutoIndustriya, Caco Tirona of AutoDeal and Martin Aguilar of Philkotse.

Motoring journalism showcased, honored at 21st Henry Ford Awards

FORD Philippines has announced the winners of the 21st Henry Ford Awards (HFA) as an annual tradition of recognizing excellence in Philippine motoring journalism.

Held at the Blue Leaf Pavilion in Taguig City, the event marked the return to a physical ceremony to honor the work of automotive journalists and its impact on the local motoring industry.

Winners from this year’s HFA were selected from over 230 entries submitted by members of the print, online, and broadcast automotive media which underwent a rigorous two-phase judging process. A total of sixteen (16) winners were announced across four main categories, which include the three new sub-categories under the Industry category namely Best Automotive Vehicle Review – Article, Best Automotive Review – Video, and Best Automotive Launch Story, as well as the new People category, which recognizes the Best Automotive Print Editor, Best Automotive Online Editor, Best Automotive Writer, and Best Automotive Video Host.

“The HFA continues to recognize the important role of motoring journalists in driving the automotive industry forward. Every year, we find ways to innovate and make the HFA a relevant award-giving body that celebrates the hard work, passion, and dedication of the members of the Philippine automotive media,” said EJ Francisco, Communications Director, Ford Philippines and Asia Pacific Distributor Markets.

AROUND P2.6 billion worth of infrastructure developments geared towards the safety and convenience of motorists have been implemented at the SCTEX since the NLEX Corporation took over the management, operation, and maintenance of the said expressway.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) awarded the SCTEX concession contract to NLEX Corporation in 2015. Since then, the tollway company has invested in various enhancement projects to improve SCTEX’s pavement, systems, bridges, slopes, signs, lights, and other assets.

For this year, the tollway company focuses on the ongoing repair and strengthening of Pasig Potrero Bridge and the road raising project at Dinalupihan, which cost P152 million and P148.5 million, respectively.

One of the most notable improvements undertaken by NLEX Corporation was the P393-million NLEX-SCTEX integration project in 2016 which unified the toll collection of the expressways into a single, seamless system. The project reduced the cumbersome toll collection stops and made expressway travel hassle-free.

A three-phase rehabilitation program amounting to P953.9 million was completed in the entire 94-kilometer road involving asphalt overlay and patching works to make travels safer and more comfortable.

Modernization has become a priority as a new traffic control center was put up along with closed-circuit television systems, emergency call boxes, and variable message signs to better assist motorists and enhance monitoring of traffic along the expressway.

Features such as LED lights, reflective delineator posts, and anti-glare panels were

Suzuki opens ‘Doorway to the South’ THE new Suzuki San Pablo Nick Motorcycle Gallery Combo Shop along Maharlika Hi-way, San Pablo City, Laguna is the first Suzuki Combo Shop

in Southern Luzon and is considered the brand’s doorway to the South. This newly opened Suzuki 3S Shop will instantly stimulate the appetite of motorcycle

enthusiasts with an array of regular bikes and big bikes.

“This shop is your one stop store for Suzuki motorcycles – from scooters

also installed in various parts of SCTEX to help motorists navigate the road safely during nighttime.

To boost mobility and facilitate faster travel, toll lanes were added in Clark South and Tipo and new entry and exit toll plazas were built in Mabiga at a total cost of P399.2 million including preliminary works for other expansion projects.

Around P103 million was also spent for equipping the toll lanes with RFID, early detection feature as well as automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) system which is useful for identifying vehicles passing the RFID lanes without RFID stickers, those with insufficient balance, and vehicles that may pose safety hazards.

BCDA and NLEX Corp. also worked together to construct the P88.3 million New Clark City Interchange in time for the country’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games in 2019.

Moving forward, NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said that more projects have been lined up for SCTEX in the coming years involving interchange and system enhancements.

to semi-automatics or underbones to backbone to spare parts and after sales service.”, Suzuki General Manager for Motorcycles Sales and Marketing Jun Bulot said. “And since it is Suzuki, you can trust that quality, affordability, great performance and optimum fuel economy are all packaged into one in all of our bikes - not to mention good service.”

Early customers to visit the latest 3S shop are in for a surprise as Bulot also announced a slew of opening promos.

“Please come inside and see our offers.

Dahil ngayong ‘new normal,’ oras na para mag-motor.”, he added.

What’s inside the 3S shop A Suzuki Combo shop is a Suzuki exclusive store that houses both the brand’s regular bikes and big bikes with a shared service bay to cater to a broader market.

The 3S in Suzuki 3S Shop means

Sales, Spare Parts, and Service. Suzuki is committed to provide optimum customer satisfaction by offering value-packed motorcycles, Suzuki Genuine Parts, and excellent service manned by competent personnel to assist its clients in their motorcycle needs.

The Suzuki 3S Shop hosts the latest line-up of Suzuki’s stylish, powerful and fuel-efficient motorcycles, including the maxi scooter Burgman Street, Skydrive Sport, Raider R150 Fi and the Raider J Crossover, alongside Suzuki’s powerful backbones or full manual bikes – the Gixxer SF250, Gixxer 250, Gixxer Fi and the GSX-S150.

The Big Bikes Center showcases the brand’s higher displacement motorcycles, such as the Hayabusa, GSX-R1000R and GSX-R1000, GSX-S1000 and its sibling GSX-S750, V-Strom 1050XT and V-Strom 650XT, SV650 ABS and the Burgman 400 ABS.