Manila Standard - 2022 July 10 - Sunday

Vol. 36

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No. 144

July 10, 2022

2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES

18 .00

IN MET R MANILAO

‘On Eid’l Adha, go beyond our comfort zones’ n By JOEL ZURBANO PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday joined the Muslim faithful in the country and around the world in the solemn observance of Eid’l Adha or the Feast of the Sacrifice, calling on Filipinos to prepare to go beyond their comfort zones.

In his message, the President said the day is a reminder that “with deep faith and loyalty to our virtues, we can take risks for hefty costs, even if it means losing those whom we love and letting go of many things that matter to us.”

CONTINUED ON 3A

COLORFUL GARB. With

the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center in Globo de Oro, Quiapo, Manila in the background, a Filipino Muslim woman prays to celebrate Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice on Saturday. The feast is celebrated throughout the Muslim world as a commemoration of Prophet Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice everything for God, and it also concludes the pilgrimage to Mecca. Danny Pata

Active COVID cases hit 13k

BBM asks LGUs to push booster, eyes masks as optional ‘when safe’

OVID-19 cases in the country keep on rising, as the number of active cases has hit 13,021 as the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,825 new cases on Saturday.

DOH raises concern over dengue spike

BANAUE BLIGHT. Raging flash flood waters mixed with mud pour down from apartments and zigzag down roads in Banaue, Ifugao after heavy rains starting Thursday. According to the local disaster response office, some portions of the Banaue-Bontoc, Banaue-Hungduan, and Mayoyao Roads are already passable to light vehicles after clearing operations.

PNP Banaue photos

n By WILLIE CASAS THE Department of Health (DOH) said the recent spike in dengue cases in the country is “already alarming" as more patients, mostly children, are getting hospitalized.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH has downloaded funds to regional offices to support hospitals and local governments battling dengue outbreaks.

At the Laging Handa public briefing, Vergeire said from January to June of this year, the DOH recorded a total of 51,622 dengue cases all over the country. This is higher compared to the 32,619 cases reported in the same period last year.

"First, the increase is already alarming.

We need to be cautious and closely monitor the increase. It is alarming because our youth is already affected and there are al CONTINUED ON 3A

The active cases logged on July 9 are the highest since April 24, based on the DOH’s latest bulletin.

COVID-19 tallies from July 3 to 8 also posted a 9.5-percent positivity rate, above the 5 percent threshold recommended by the World Health Organization.

The positivity rate continues to rise in the National Capital Region, where 835 fresh cases were reported, as several provinces were at over 10% positivity, according to the OCTA Research Group.

This developed as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—currently in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 a second time—on Friday night asked local government units (LGUs) to support the booster campaign rollout for face-to-face classes to safely resume and fully reopen the economy.

“I hope that you will be part of the effort that we have to bring us back to normal.

This is really part of the effort to bring us back to normal,” Marcos said in a virtual CONTINUED ON 3A

Japanese mourn ex-PM Abe; body arrives in Tokyo

Flash floods from heavy rains strike Banaue, Cebu, CamSur RIBBON CUTTING. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (2nd right) joins (from left) Pasay Rep. Antonio ‘Tony’ Calixto; Kingson Sian, President and CEO of Travelers International Hotel Group Inc.; Pasay City Mayor Imelda ‘Emy’ Calixto; BRM Centers President and CEO Crystal Jacinto; and European Wellness Medical Group Chairman Prof. Dato Sri. ‘Dr. Mike’ Chan in formally opening the EW Villa Medica at the Garden Wing of the Newport Mall at Resorts World Manila. Ver Noveno I

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FLASH floods have hit several regions across the country, leaving areas in Banaue under rivers of mud, casting boulders down highways in Cebu province, and submerging farmland and roads in Camarines Sur. The Department of Tourism (DOT) advised tourists to temporarily suspend travel to Banaue after a series of mudslides and flash floods brought about by non-stop rains occurred over the week.

In a statement, the DOT said it would closely monitor developments in the vicinity and coordinate with the affected local

government units and tourism stakeholders.

“Tourists are advised to temporarily suspend travel to Banaue while clearing and cleaning operations are ongoing,” it added.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco spoke to Banaue Mayor Joel Bungallon on Friday to offer immediate aid to stranded tourists and any other assistance they may need.

The department learned that a few of the 55 tourists who were initially reported CONTINUED ON 3A

TOKYO—A hearse carrying the body of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Tokyo on Saturday after he was shot at close range on the campaign trail.

The murder of Japan’s best-known politician rattled the country and sent shockwaves around the world, particularly given the nation’s low levels of violent crime and strict gun laws.

Senior members of Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party lined up to pay their respects as the vehicle, believed to be carrying his wife Akie Abe, entered the couple’s residence in the capital.

CONTINUED ON 3A

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Sports...........................................................................

Entertainment..........................................

Pets....................................................................................

4A 1B 3B 4B

16 dead in flash floods at Indian pilgrimage site WORLD | 3A

Karateka Tsukii grabs World Games gold SPORTS | 1B

Why do dogs smile?

See the different kinds PETS | 4B

JULY 10, 2022

Galvez is peace adviser till yearend

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RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. to stay on as his adviser for peace, reconciliation, and unity until the end of the year.

A memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez provided that Galvez will be head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) until yearend to ensure that there will be no interruption or disruption of peace programs and activities.

The memo authorized Galvez to “continue in office in a holdover capacity until December 31, or until his replacement has been appointed or designated, whichever comes first, unless he is reappointed in the meantime” and “shall take effect immediately.”

In his message marking the celebration of Eid al-Adha on Saturday, Galvez said the Marcos administration is determined to continue

the implementation of the comprehensive Philippine peace process, especially in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Today, we honor the sacrifices made by millions of Hujjaj from all over the world as they conclude their annual Hajj or holy pilgrimage in the blessed land of Mecca in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Galvez said in a statement.

“As nations across the globe confront the challenges caused by armed conflict, poverty, inequality, and the current health crisis, may all of us be inspired by the remarkable journey made by members of the Islamic faith,” he added.

Eid al-Adha, the Arabic term for the Feast of Sacrifice, is an annual festival that marks the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham in Christianity and Judaism) sacrificing his son Ismail because Allah (God) implored him to.

“When they converged in the Kaabah, the Muslim people demonstrated that despite differences in their nationality, culture or station in life, they are united by their faith in The Almighty Allah,” Galvez said.

Galvez hopes that the solidarity shown by the Ummah (Islam nation) will serve as a “shining example” to the Filipino people and encourage them to remain united and work together in pursuit of the “collective vision of achieving a just and lasting peace in our country.”

“The Marcos administration is inspired by the lessons imparted by the Eid al-Adha,” he said.

“May this blessed day bring peace, unity, harmony, and spiritual renewal among the Muslim Ummah around the world.

BOC nixes permits of 200 firms for breach of tariff, Customs laws n By JOEL E. ZURBANO THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has announced it has revoked and suspended the accreditation of 200 firms and 64 brokers for violations of Tariff and Customs law, and for not complying with importation requirements.

The bureau’s Public Information and Assistance Division (PIAD) made the disclosure, citing the latest statistics report from the Account Management Office (AMO) concerning the accreditation of importers for the first half of the year.

The report is in line with the agency’s efforts to enhance trade facilitation and promote transparency.

The bureau explained that the revocation and suspension of accreditation of the affected firms and brokers was part of AMO’s continuous monitoring and post-evaluation of importers and brokers.

It also revealed that from January to June this year, AMO processed the accreditation of 6,580 regular importers, 185 non-regular importers and 114 licensed customs brokers through the agency’s Customer Care Portal which allows online processing of applications for accreditation.

“The office is also consistent with its efforts to physically inspect facilities and offices of aspiring importers to ensure the legitimacy of their application and avoid dummy accounts that may be used for smuggling and illegal activities,” the report stated.

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE WANNABES. Bettors troop to a lotto outlet in Malate, Manila as the pot for the 6/55 draw breaks the P400 million mark -- which one lucky bettor won Saturday night, the PCSO reported. Danny Pata

Lawmaker eyes better transport systems in NCR n By MARICEL V. CRUZ A LEGISLATOR from Mindanao has underscored the urgency of implementing long-term solutions to the problems besetting the transport sector by expanding the railway system and modernizing seaports, in order to efficiently move passengers and connect economic centers.

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte said “lot of things need to be done to ease the plight of daily commuters here in Metro Manila.”

At the same time, Duterte pledged to

support in the 19th Congress increased allocations for infrastructure in the national budget to enable the administration to build or improve more roads and bridges, ports and airports.

“But we should also make sure that the projects funded by these allocations are well-studied to ensure that government resources are spent wisely.

We should not waste the hard-earned taxpayers’ money,” Duterte said.

He said there are a lot of pending transport infrastructure projects that may be implemented by the Department of Trans-

portation. “These projects aim not only to ease the daily woes of commuters, but are designed to move goods and services more efficiently to lower costs, especially for food producers,” Duterte said.

He also commended the recent pronouncement of newly-appointed Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to elevate the Philippines’ transport industry to global standards, by among others, continuing the big-ticket infrastructure projects started by the administration of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Solon eyes QCGH upgrade to medical center status

IT’S FOR REAL, NOT A MOVIE. Movie actor-turned politician Senator Robin

Padilla, once convicted for unlicensed firearms possession, shows off an automatic pistol as he joins the observance of Eid’l Adha at Camp Karingal in Quezon City. The neophyte senator was escorted by Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Brig.

Gen. Remus Medina and Lt. Col. Resty Damaso. Manny Palmero

A NEWLY installed Quezon City congressman hit the ground running as he filed six bills on the first few days of his term, one of which seeks the doubling of the bed capacity of a government hospital in his district.

Quezon City Rep. Arjo Atayde proposed an increase in the bed capacity of the Quezon City General Hospital from 250 to 500 in addition to upgrading it into a medical center.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the extent of the need for hospitals and other health facilities to safeguard our well-being. It is very important to upgrade the QCGH to ensure that it can serve more people from the city and nearby areas,” Atayde said.

Aside from the increase in bed capacity, the neophyte lawmaker’s House Bill 458

also provides for the increase and modernization of the QCGH’s facilities. The measure also mandates the renaming the facility as the Quezon City General Hospital and Medical Center (QCGHMC).

The bed capacity of all government hospitals in Quezon City is less than 6,000, which Atayde said is “a paltry figure considering the city has a population of 2.9 million as of 2020.”

“While doubling the bed capacity of the QCGH will not greatly improve the bed capacity to population ratio, it will be a significant step in the right direction and it will enable QCGH to provide quality health services to many of our countrymen who are not able to afford to go to private hospitals,” he said in his bill’s explanatory note. Maricel V. Cruz

SolGen: PACC abolition due to gov’t overhaul THE deactivation of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) was in line with the desire of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to streamline government operations and fine-tune the use of government resources, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said.

“I think the deactivation of the PACC was along that line, but surely it was not because the PACC was ineffective,” Guevarra said in a statement over the weekend.

Guevarra disclosed that the President gave all department heads a free hand in reorganizing their agencies and streamlining operations to promote a more efficient allocation of scarce government resources.

“As a former Justice Secretary, I had a meaningful collaboration with the PACC in the overall campaign against corruption in government,” Guevarra said.

Among Marcos’ first acts after his June 30 inaugural was to issue Executive Order (EO) No. 1 abolishing the PACC and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary to achieve “simplicity, economy, and efficiency” in the bureaucracy.

The Chief Executive said his administration aims to achieve “a comprehensive and meaningful recovery through a just allocation of resources and a simplified internal management and governance of the Office of the President and its immediate offices and common staff support system.”

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles also said during Friday’s Palace press briefing that the PACC has been abolished because it is “not in line with streamlining.”

“First of all, its nature is investigative, which can also be conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman. So, usually, what they do is they gather evidence on presidential appointees and file the case with the Ombudsman,” Angeles said.

EO No. 1 stated that “the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs shall promulgate rules of procedure in administrative cases under its jurisdiction; provided that the existing rules of procedure in administrative cases promulgated by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission shall remain in force unless otherwise repealed or amended.”

New US envoy Carlson to arrive in Manila July 31 UNITED States Ambassador-designate to the Philippines Mary Kay Carlson is set to arrive in Manila before the end of July, the U.S. embassy said on Friday.

“We are very excited to welcome very soon our new ambassador. She’ll be here in the Philippines by the end of the month,” US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava said during a reception marking the 246th anniversary of the American Independence.

Variava said Carlson was still in Washington DC to prepare for her tour of duty.

“She’s now in Washington having meetings, preparing to come here to the Philippines. Stay tuned, there’s a lot more to come with the new ambassador,” Variava added.

Carlson succeeds former US ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, who ended his tour of duty in October 2020.

For more than a year, the embassy was headed by a chargé d’affaires until Carlson was nominated and confirmed this year.

Former chargé d’affaires John Law led the embassy before Variava, who will serve as Carlson’s deputy once she arrives in Manila.

Variava said there is “a lot to look forward to” in the two nations’ partnership, particularly on security and its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

“We here at the embassy, as well as our partners in the United States, look forward to working closely with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his team to secure a prosperous, healthy, and safe future for the peoples of both our nations,” she said.

DENR turns over new landfill to Marawi City THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has turned over the operations, maintenance, and management of a newly built sanitary landfill facility (SLF) to the government of Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province.

Former DENR officer-in-charge Secretary Joselin Marcus Fragada said the completion of the SLF served as a “landmark accomplishment that will finally put an end to Marawi City’s longtime garbage problem.”

“The turnover of the 31.7-hectare SLF in Marawi City starts the ball rolling

for the proper implementation of solid waste management in the historic Islamic City. We hope that the residents of Lanao del Sur province will make good use of it for the benefit of their health and environment,” Fragada said in a statement.

The turnover ceremony and unveiling of the marker in Brgy. Malimono, Marawi City and Brgy. Kasanayan, Kapai town, in Lanao del Sur province was held June 28.

Fragada said the facility is also the DENR’s contribution to the Comprehensive Marawi Recovery,

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COMMUNITY-BASED FIRST AID TRAINING.

Capt. Bong Dagdag and barangay kagawad Ryan Medina of Sitio Sampalukan in Brgy Olympia, Makati City get their hands-on first-aid training during a project dubbed Kapitbahay Ko, First Responder Ko. The initiative aims to train the people in properly reacting to occurrences of fire, drowning, stabbing, and accidents at home, as well as first aid assistance for the victims.

Diana B. Noche

Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation Program.

During the event, DENR officials led

by Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Michelle Angelica Go, who serves as the head of the DENR Sub-Committee on Land Resource Management of Task Force Bangon Marawi, signed a deed of donation and turned over a manual guidebook for the proper operation of the SLF. Under the deed of donation, the DENR will prepare and implement a five-year solid waste management project for Marawi City. Maricel V. Cruz

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

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

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

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Publisher Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

WORLD

JULY 10, 2022

RESPECTS TO ABE. A hearse

transporting the body of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe arrives at his residence in Tokyo on July 9. In the Philippines, the Japanese flag flies at half staff at the Japanese embassy in Pasay City (inset) as they mourn the death of the country’s longest-serving premier. AFP

Japan mourns as remains of ex-PM Abe reach Tokyo FROM PAGE 1... The man accused of Friday’s shooting is in custody, with police saying he had confessed to killing the former premier, motivated by a belief Abe was linked to an unspecified organization.

Police were investigating the unemployed 41-year-old’s background, including claims he had served in Japan’s navy, and said he appeared to have used a handmade gun.

Abe was delivering a speech in Nara ahead of Sunday’s upper house elections when he was shot, and campaigning resumed Saturday with politicians saying they were determined to show democracy would prevail.

“We must never allow violence to suppress speech during elections, which are the foundation of democracy,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida tweeted on Saturday after courting voters in central Japan’s Yamanashi region.

“I believe I have a responsibility to complete this House of Councilors election in a free, fair, and safe manner.”

Japanese media at Kishida’s first campaign event since the assassination described a tense mood and high levels of security, with a metal fence put up to separate the leader from the crowd.

Doctors said Friday that Abe showed no vital signs when he arrived and died of enormous blood loss, despite massive transfusions.

They described multiple wounds to the politician’s neck, with the internal damage reaching as deep as his heart.

Abe’s murder shook Japan, with a visibly emotional Kishida describing the killing on Friday as a “barbaric act” that was “unforgivable”.

On Saturday afternoon, Kishida’s car was seen arriving at Abe’s residence as he went to offer condolences.

‘Unacceptable act’ International reaction was similarly stark, with US President Joe Biden saying he was “stunned, outraged and deeply saddened”, and ordering flags on US gov-

US, China top diplomats voice cautious hope in rare Bali talks BALI, Indonesia—The top diplomats from the United States and China voiced guarded hope Saturday of preventing tensions from spiraling out of control as they held rare talks on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Neither side expected major breakthroughs between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, but the two powers have moderated their tone and stepped up interaction at a time when the West is focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“In a relationship as complex and consequential as the one between the United States and China, there is a lot to talk about,” Blinken said as he opened discussions at a resort hotel in Bali, where the pair attended a Group of 20 gathering the day before.

“We very much look forward to a productive and constructive conversation,” Blinken said.

Wang said that President Xi Jinping believed in cooperation as well as “mutual

respect” between the world’s two largest economic powers and that there needed to be “normal exchanges” between them.

“We do need to work together to ensure that this relationship will continue to move forward along the right track,” Wang said in front of US and Chinese flags before a day of talks that will include a working lunch.

Daniel Kritenbrink, the top US diplomat for East Asia, earlier said that Blinken will seek “guardrails” in the US rivalry with China and do “everything possible to ensure that we prevent any miscalculation that could lead inadvertently to conflict”.

It is Blinken and Wang’s first in-person meeting since October. They are expected to prepare for virtual talks in the coming weeks between Xi and President Joe Biden.

After a long chill during the pandemic between the two countries, since last month their defense, finance, and national security chiefs as well as their top military commanders have all spoken. AFP

FromtheFRONTPAGE

economy with people not worrying about the reimposition of lockdowns.

He asked local chief executives to help agencies in replicating the massive COVID-19 vaccine rollout conducted last year and praised them for the “very, very good job.”

“So let us return to the idea of what we did last year, to have another vaccine rollout. Let’s do this so that we can be sure. And when our booster rollout succeeds, we will see that we can bring down the alert levels, and make masks optional,” Marcos said.

A high rate of COVID-19 vaccination, he said, would help reopen the economy and address the country’s problem with the pandemic.

Marcos said Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte plans a phased return to the face-to-face classes, starting initially from a two-day, or threeday weekly class schedule.

If the massive vaccination drive becomes successful, the government could allow children to return to full face-toface classes and open the rest of the economy, which Marcos said could send a signal to the rest of the world that the Philippines is opening for business.

Among the highlights of Friday’s event was the briefing presentation by the Department of the Interior and Local Government on LGU’s efforts on booster administration, the DepEd’s presentation on the resumption of face-to-face classes, and the DOH’s plan on vaccination mobilization. Willie Casas and Mervin Vince Lopez

ACTIVE..speech before newly elect-

ed governors and city mayors.

In the same speech, aired on Saturday, Marcos said an optional face mask policy may be possible when it is “already safe to do so,” emphasizing the importance of ramping up the country’s booster shot uptake.

He also said wide lockdowns are not part of his administration’s plans.

The DOH earlier reported that booster uptake across all regions has not breached the 50 percent mark.

In a tweet, OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said that the NCR had a positivity rate of 10.4% on Thursday, July 7, from the previous 8.3% last Saturday, July 2.

Several provinces had positivity rates higher than 10%—Antique (18.9%), Batangas (10.5%), Capiz (17.8%), Cavite (16.2%), Iloilo (10.9%), Laguna (16.2%), Pampanga (16.1%), and Rizal (15.7%).

The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people found to be positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

Metro Manila recorded the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days with 6,869. It was followed

by Region IV-A with 2,915; Region VI with 1,253; Region III with 1,134; and Region VII with 662.

This brought the nationwide total caseload to 3,714,770.

In his message, Marcos stressed the importance of in-person learning for students, as well as opening the

DOH..ready hospital admissions,” Vergeire said.

ernment buildings to fly at half-mast.

Even regional powers with whom Abe had clashed expressed condolences.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was “deeply saddened” by the killing, which South Korea’s president called an “unacceptable act”.

Investigators were still piecing together a picture of the man behind the assassination and his motives.

He has been identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, and police said Friday he admitted to targeting Abe over a grudge against an organization he believed the former leader was linked to.

They have declined to name the organization, though Japanese media outlets described it as a religious group.

The gun he used “is clearly handmade in appearance”, investigators said, and several other apparently handmade weapons were uncovered by police in protective gear who raided Yamagami’s home on Friday.

The suspect, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder, opened fire on Abe shortly before noon on Friday.

Footage from public broadcaster NHK showed Yamagami, dressed in a grey shirt and brown trousers, approaching from behind before drawing a weapon from a bag.

At least two shots appeared to be fired, each producing a cloud of smoke. As spectators and reporters ducked, he was tackled to the ground by security.

Funeral plans Japanese media reported that a wake would be held Monday evening and a funeral on Tuesday for Abe’s close family and associates.

On Friday night and Saturday morning, a steady stream of mourners came to lay flowers and pray for Abe, who had been Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.

“I just couldn’t sit back and do nothing.

I had to come,” said Nara resident Sachie Nagafuji, 54, visiting the scene with his son. AFP

‘Relentless’ Russian shelling in east Ukraine DRUZHKIVKA, Ukraine—Russian troops pursued their “relentless” shelling of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region on Saturday, as the United States promised new military aid to Kyiv including powerful rocket launchers.

Having endured long battles to capture cities in the neighbouring Lugansk region, Russia is now seeking to push deeper into Donetsk to consolidate its hold over the entire Donbas region.

Air raid sirens sounded overnight throughout the country’s east and south.

Residents in the small town of Druzhkivka, south of the eastern Ukrainian industrial city of Kramatorsk, woke up to a suspected missile attack on Saturday which ripped apart a supermarket’s shop front and left a massive crater in front of the store.

“The entire frontline is under relentless shelling,” the head of the Donetsk military administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said in a Telegram message on Friday night.

He said the city of Sloviansk, on which Moscow’s troops have now set their sights, is being “shelled day and night”.

He also accused Russian forces of setting agricultural fields on fire, saying they were “trying to destroy the harvest by all means”.

In a message on Saturday, he said five civilians had been killed the day before.

The governor of the Lugansk region, Sergiy Gaiday, said on Saturday the Russians were attacking Donetsk from their bases in Lugansk. AFP

16 dead in flash floods at Indian pilgrimage site BALTAL, India—Sixteen people were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir, with rescuers searching for dozens more missing, after flash floods swept away hundreds of tents near a popular Hindu pilgrimage site, officials said Saturday.

Around 10,000 people were camped near the remote Amarnath temple, nestled in a Himalayan mountain cave, when a sudden cloudburst triggered a deluge.

Frequent whizzing helicopter sorties were evacuating the dead and an unknown number of panicked and injured pilgrims from the Baltal base camp to the north of the shrine.

“We found 16 bodies so far and at least 40 are missing,” an official from the state disaster response agency told AFP. “Security forces and all the rescue teams are looking for the missing and injured,” the official said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to media. AFP

EID BALLOONS. This aerial view shows Egyptian Muslims distributing balloons following the Eid Al-Adha morning prayer outside al-Sedik mosque in the northeastern suburb of the capital Cairo, on July 9. AFP

She said the regions with the most cases are Regions III, VII, and IX. The DOH earlier advised the public to follow the 4S strategy, which is to search and destroy breeding places, secure self-protection, seek early consultation, and support fogging or spraying in hotspot areas, to combat dengue.

Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) president Dr. Jose de Grano also acknowledged the rising dengue cases in the country, which he attributed to the rainy season and the shift of the people’s focus to combating COVID-19 and other diseases.

De Grano also called on the local government units to work on cleaning places where mosquitoes usually breed.

Despite the rising COVID-19 and dengue cases in the country, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not yet named a new DOH

FLASH...stranded remain in their accommodation establishments.

“Coordination was also done with DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) for relief assistance,” the DOT said.

A series of torrential rains over Cebu triggered another landslide in Barangay Hagdan, Oslob town on Saturday. The Bureau of Fire Protection reported that big boulders were seen falling onto the main highway around 9 a.m.

The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) has also placed the city under “blue” alert to prepare for the possible effects of persistent rains.

This means all personnel will be on standby for any untoward incident.

The city is bracing for another round of heavy rains that could bring floods after the state weather bureau said the low-pressure area hovering over Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur will affect the Visayas region.

In the past three days, CCDRRMO logged 23 flooded areas in Cebu City, with three involving a rescue operation. Three landslides were also monitored in the city.

Some areas in the town of Baao, Camarines Sur were also inundated by heavy rains on Saturday afternoon.

In a video taken by Kim Kelma Pelencia-Bayra at 3:05 p.m., floodwaters with mud from the nearby hills crossed the national highway at barangays Sta. Teresita and San Isidro, causing a snarl of traffic.

Baao’s other barangays such as San Ramon, Del Rosario, San Nicolas, San Jose and San Francisco, which are all on low-lying areas, were not spared with waist-high waters, an ABS-CBN report added.

Despite this, Baao deputy police chief

‘ON..Eid’l Adha, one of the two holiest days in Islam, commemorates how Ibrahim offered his son in obedience to Allah.

The President urged Filipinos to believe that “in entrusting ourselves and surrendering our worries to Supreme Authority, all our hearts’ desires for the greater good will be heard and granted.”

“The solemn narrative that punctuates this occasion tells us that, at the onset of this administration, we must prepare ourselves to go beyond our comfort zones as we walk the path we have willingly chosen,” Marcos said.

Another prominent Muslim, Senator Robin Padilla, asked all Filipinos to “give peace a chance” as the nation marked Eid’l

Adha.

The Festival of Sacrifice, which is the second of two great Muslim festivals—the other is Eid’l-Fitr—marks the culmination of the hajj (pilgrimage) rites at Minā, Saudi Arabia, near Mecca, but is celebrated by Muslims throughout the world.

Padilla, whose Muslim name is Abdul Aziz, said peace should be not just among Muslims but also among those of other faiths, including Christians and Lumads.

"My brethren, there is no place for violence. Now is the time for peace. This is the chance for peace for all Filipinos," he said in a message for Eid’l Adha at the Quezon City Police District headquarters in Camp Karingal.

In Muslim Mindanao, hundreds of worshippers flocked to the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City on Saturday morning to attend the congregational prayer for this year's Eid’l Adha.

The gathering was led by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, whose message centered on the importance of sacrificing personal interests for the greater good.

"Let me emphasize to all of you the spirit of sacrifice. We should sacrifice a lot inside and out of the office, as we all serve our countrymen," he said.

Marcos likewise highlighted the value of fighting for what is right.

“The journey ahead of us will not be easy, but if we fight for what is right and predicate our every action on our love for our fellowmen, our people will surely benefit from the results of our individual choices,” he said.

JULY 10, 2022

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REAL estate company is shaking up the housing market in Metro Manila by selling condominium units at half the price of other developments along EDSA in Mandaluyong City.

Westchester Realty Corp., a property firm led by the family of former Governor and Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, acquired from Pag-IBIG Fund through public auctions 540 units of GA Tower II which used to be owned by Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corp. of businessman Delfin Lee. Westchester refurbished the units and now sells one, two or three-bedroom units, with floor area of 36 to 45 square meters, for P2.8 million to P3.6 million.

“We are selling 50 percent cheaper than other developers in the area,” said John Nico Valencia, president and chief operating officer of WRC. “When it comes to price, no other development can match us. We are selling the units for only P77,000 per square meter. Other developments in the area are being sold for P150,000 per sq. m.,” said Valencia.

“We have superb location along EDSA and near MRT-Boni Station.

When it comes to price, no one can beat us. We will deliver the units like brand-new. We will refurbish them.

And we are ready for occupancy. We intend to sell these out in the next six months,” he said in a roundtable briefing.

“With 10-percent downpayment, you can move in. You can choose between in-house financing or Pag-IBIG Fund. With in-house financing, we allow amortization of under 10 years.

Pag-IBIG Fund allows up to 30 years.

Pag-IBIG Fund allows one principal and two co-borrowers to meet the required P50,000 monthly income.

So the monthly amortization with Pag-IBIG Fund is only about P16,000 per month,” said Valencia.

“What we offer is affordable, luxury living,” he said. “It is very affordable, but our homebuyers feel they are living in luxury because of the good facilities and amenities. In our Pampanga projects, we have Olympic-size swimming pool and four-lane roads,” he said.

“We are very excited about the GA Tower project, as this would once again prove to be a success based on the most affordable pricing scheme that we have prepared particularly for qualified Pag-IBIG Fund member-borrowers.

Its location and amenities provide homebuyers the opportunity to own

Diamed rolls out locally-developed swine fever text kit

By Darwin G. Amojelar DIAMED Enterprise, a provider of life science and diagnostics products, rolled out a locally-developed African Swine Fever test kit in the Calabarzon region.

This is part of the agreement signed between GenAmplify Technologies Inc., the manufacturer and Diamed Enterprise.

GTI is a subsidiary of Manila Healthtek, the country’s first and only biotech company in diagnostics, which developed the molecular-based testing platform called GenAmplify ASF PCR Detection Kit. “The GenAmplify ASF PCR detection kit delivers the same quality of performance as international brands. It is user-friendly, and is very convenient since it allows the use of different types of samples,” said Dr. Lorenzo Arellano of Diamed.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the test kits last year.

The veterinary laboratory division of the Bureau of the Animal Industry also validated the product and found it to be 100-percent sensitive and 100-percent specific. This means that the testing kit can detect true positive which reflects on its sensitivity and can also detect true negative, a matter that reflects on specificity.

It has also undergone field implementation. This was done in partnership with animal diseases diagnostic laboratories to validate the product’s performance and understand the gaps before its actual roll-out in the market.

Diamed Enterprise’s laboratory in Los Banos was one of the laboratories that participated in the field implementation.

“We are open also for other distributors to cover other areas, most especially those areas with reported outbreaks. A wider distribution network will eventually help us further lower the cost of testing to make it more accessible for hog farmers,” said GTI vice president for sales and marketing Maricar Ocampo.

Real estate firm shakes up NCR condominium market Westchester Realty Corp. president and chief operating officer John Nico Valencia

condominium units right at the center of everything,” said Valencia.

The company started selling the units at GA Tower II on July 8.

The 540 residential units at GA Tower II are among the 8,084 units acquired by WRC from Pag-IBIG Fund through public auctions. These units, with combined cost of about P3.2 billion, were built by Globe Asiatique about a decade ago and became non-performing assets of Pag-IBIG Fund when Lee’s company ran into financial problems.

“Would you believe that of the 8,084 units we acquired 24 months ago, we already sold 4,000 units, or 50 percent of the total, during the pandemic season or since June 2020,” said Valencia.

“We expect to sell the remaining 4,000 units in the next 18 months.”

“We did our utmost due diligence, and together with the assurance from

Pag-IBIG Fund, everything has been running accordingly and smoothly,” Valencia said.

Valencia said WRC invested in rehabilitating the units, facilities and amenities of the 8,084 units spread across eight housing projects in Metro Manila, Rizal and Pampanga.

“We are selling these units at prices that can be considered rental replacement. The monthly amortization is equivalent to the prevailing rental rates in the area. As much as possible, we also bring down the equity. With P20,000 deposit, you can move in,” said Valencia.

WRC is a subsidiary of RGV Group, a 45-year-old company established by former Oriental Mindoro Governor and Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, John Nico’s father. The elder Valencia is the author of Republic Act No. 9679 or the Pag-IBIG Fund law and RA 9646 or the Real Estate Service Act.

The RGV Group developed nearly 300 housing projects until its founder focused on politics from 1986 to 2013.

“Now that he is back to private life, we are re-entering the housing industry,” said John Nico.

John Nico assured homebuyers that the issue between Globe Asiatique and Pag-IBIG Fund has been resolved. “In a sense, the case was dismissed and everybody is happy, including the original buyers who would finally get their titles through WRC,” he said.

“This will not prosper without the proper coordination and cooperation from the previous developer, Mr. Delfin Lee. We’ve assured Mr. Lee that WRC will respect and give priority to GA’s previous and original buyers especially those who have fully paid their purchased housing units,” he said.

“This is our arrangement with Globe Asiatique. For us to have a good coordination, our promise is that we will respect their buyers before. Pag-IBIG Fund is also satisfied because they finally liquidated their non-performing assets after several auctions,” he said.

John Nico said WRC acquired the GA units in four auctions. “In December 2020, we bought 4,685 units. In November 2021, we acquired 1,026 units and in January 2022, we got 511 units. In April 2022, we added 1,550 units. So the total number of inventory of Westchester now is about 8,084 units,” he said.

“We rehabilitated these units, which were abandoned in the past 10 years.

We fixed and renovated them, and buyers will receive them like brand-new units,” he said.

The former Globe Asiatique housing communities are located in Pampanga, Binangonan and San Mateo in Rizal province, Valenzuela City and Mandaluyong City.

“In Pampanga, we have three—Xevera Mabalacat, Xevera Bacolor and Xevera Angeles. In Rizal, we have St. Monique Villas in Binangonan and San Mateo. We also have projects in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, in Valenzuela City and finally GA Tower in Mandaluyong,” he said.

John Nico said WRC was awarded by Pag-IBIG fund as the No. 1 developer in Northern Luzon twice in a row after only 24 months of operations. It was also awarded as the 7th leading developer nationwide.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

TaskUs celebrates diversity in the workplace

TaskUs supports gender equality

By Othel V. Campos TASKUS, a provider of outsourced digital services to fast-growing technology companies, actively supports gender equality in the workplace as it recently celebrated Pride Month.

It held the webinar “See The World Through A Rainbow Lens: A roundtable discussion on why LGBTQ+ inclusivity Matters” where the discussion centered on the LGBTQ+ experiences in the workplace and what a safe working environment looks like.

“While we’ve seen progress in recognizing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, we know that there is still much to do, especially in the workplace. We still need to work toward an environment that celebrates one’s authenticity and policies that promote equality,” said TaskUs director for brand strategy Addi Dela Cruz.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have been on the rise with more DEI roles opening in various companies across different regions.

EMEA reported a 67-percent growth in DEI initiatives, while the Asia-Pacific region saw an uptick in conversations that revolve around DEI. Data from LinkedIn showed that posts that center on diversity increased by 77 percent and are likely to get 125-percent more engagement.

While these strides forward are very much welcome, LGBTQ+ employees still have barriers to overcome—an example of which is the pandemic’s negative economic impacts, which they felt twice as much compared to their straight counterparts.

A study by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that LGBTQ+ households in the US experienced COVID-related job loss at a higher rate than non-LGBTQ+ households. In the Philippines, existing silent biases threaten job retention for many LGBTQ+ employees following lack of policies that support stability of tenure for LGBTQ+ employees arising from unfair retrenchment.

TaskUs, a staunch advocate of DEI, celebrated its diverse employees by taking part in Pride marches in various countries.

Mega Global prepares 160,800 free meals for children

By Othel V. Campos FOOD manufacturer Mega Global Corp. is expanding its children nourishment program to cover 220 full days of extending food aid to health-challenged children across seven regions in the country.

Mega chief growth and development officer Marvin Tiu Lim said the company noticed how the pandemic pushed families to scrimp on food expenses for lack of livelihood opportunities, while prices of food continue to rise.

“The pandemic and global economic challenges have made it difficult for families from impoverished communities to provide nutritious meals for their children. We hope that Mega Bigay Sustansya will be of substantial help to Filipino families and will keep children nourished, so that they can attain good health which is so essential for their development,” Lim said during the roll-out of the project on June 28, 2022.

This year’s program was developed to create a bigger impact for beneficiaries, after months of consultation and planning last year. From 60 days, the program is now being extended to 220 days, which is close to almost an entire year worth of nourishing meals for the children.

“This will allow us to be able to better see improvement in the condition of our beneficiaries and also instill a better appreciation for simple nutritious meals,” Lim said

Mega Global Corp. expands its children nourishment program

The Mega Tiu Lim Foundation, the corporate social responsibility unit of Mega Global, continues the “malasakit” tradition “Mega Bigay Sustansya” program.

The program has helped nourish hundreds of less fortunate Filipino children, improving their health through well-balanced meals and better knowledge of basic nutrition despite the pandemic.

Mega sustained its partnership with Department of Science and Technology, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Reach Out Feed Philippines to reach out to children in need.

It targets to feed children aged 4 to 12 to help them with brain development, making sure they get the right nutrition at the age determined by the DSWD as the critical period for a child’s brain and physical development.

Mega is thankful for the partnership with FNRI, as the collaboration created more nutritious and affordable meals for children beneficiaries and their families.

“For beneficiaries with special dietary restrictions due to religion, the menu is altered in respect to their practices. Our meals are not simply prepared for the sake of feeding. And for that we are glad

to have the expertise of the DOST-FNRI, to be able to measure each meal to the traditional content for optimum benefits to children,” Lim said.

He said the company makes sure that the rest of the ingredients in every recipe can be sourced easily from the pantry, supermarkets, grocery store and neighborhood stores.

The DSWD will assist in gathering volunteers and identifying areas where help with malnutrition is most needed while ROFP will help with meal preparation and distribution, LGU coordination and beneficiary assessment.

MTLF, along with partner agencies and organizations, expressed commitment to helping alleviate malnutrition among Filipino children.

The number of feeding days, from 60 was increased to 220, consisting of two meals a day for six days in a week, or for a total of 160,800 meals.

Moreover, geographic coverage of the program was expanded to cover seven locations, including NCR and Regions 3, 4A, 4B, 6, 8 and 9.

The nutrition and meal management training for the parents and guardians of the beneficiaries will be conducted by DOST-FNRI, with the objective of program sustainability and health improvement not just through balanced meals, but also through proper knowledge of nutrition.

Low-cost developer to launch bigger homes BRIA Homes said it will soon launch Bettina Prime—a house-and-lot model that features a floor area of 44 square meters on a 72-square-meter lot.

“We want to offer Filipinos more spacious and comfortable homes that they can happily thrive in for the rest of their lives,” said ET Aguilar, division head of Bria Homes.

Aguilar said that with Bettina Prime, homebuyers need not look further for a well-designed, beautiful and sturdily built home that residents of all ages can enjoy.

By offering more generous space with its flexible and well-configured “two lots, one house” notion, Bettina Prime is being touted as the “home of choice” for property seekers who could use more space to raise growing families, engage in urban gardening or have fun and frolicsome times with friends.

Bettina Prime is best suited for professionals on remote work mode or for starting entrepreneurs, which would require a separate area for their ven-

ture. Young married couples will also thrive in Bettina Prime’s expandable living spaces. They can opt for a bigger living and dining area.

The extra space can also be turned into the family horticulturist’s garden or a vegetable plot. Residents could also use a bigger carport or a tool shed.

Residents can find myriad ways to utilize the additional space, and one significant advantage the bigger and better Bettina Prime brings is its higher value proposition for property investors.

Bettina Prime is an investment for the future. It’s the perfect dwelling for those who see themselves setting their roots at Bria Homes, adding new members to the family, and having room to live one’s best life.

Bettina Prime comes with superior amenities offered at every Bria housing development. Families will enjoy the multipurpose hall suitable for social gatherings, the covered basketball court, the children’s playground and the open green spaces that

Bria Homes presents its newest house model: The Bettina Prime.

invite leisurely strolls with the family.

Homeowners can also rest assured that their safety is a top priority at Bria Homes. Its gated communities are secured by 24/7 guards and CCTV coverage, while solar lights keep the streets illuminated at night.

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ILIPINOJAPANESE karateka Junna Tsukii made history and immediate impact on the Team Philippines campaign after winning a gold medal in the karate competition of the World Games 2022 here on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

Tsukii wasted no time in taking advantage of a good draw and winning her semifinal match on the way to her first gold in karate which is being played for the first time in World Games.

Tsukii poured all her skills into the Women’s Kumite -50kg as she advanced to the finals where she fashioned out a hard-earned 2 -0 win over Yorgelis Salazar of Venezuela for her breakthrough win.

She defeated Miho Miyahara of Japan 4-3 in the semis in setting up her final tussle with Salazar. The Japanese Filipina reached the semis by finishing second in Pool A made up of Yorgelis, Shara Hubrich of Germany, 6-4, and Morales Ozuna Gema of Spain, 3-3.

Tsukii lost to Yorgelis, 1-8, in their first encounter in the pool.

Tsukii’s gold medal was the first for a karate athlete and only the Philippines’ second overall in The World Games after cue artist Carlo Biado won for the first time in defeating Jayson Shaw of Great Britain in the finals of the men’s nine-ball event in 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.

Biado will return to defend his crown in Cue sports with Rubilen Amit while Kim Mangrobang, John Chicano, and Fernando Caseres will compete in the Duathlon.

World champion Annie Ramirez will also compete in Ju-jitsu as well as Muay Thai athletes Philip Delarmino and Leeana Bade. The flag-bearer of the delegation, Joyce Reboton, will compete in Powerlifting.

The Philippines has so far won a

JULY 10, 2022

HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS

Junna’s gold

Karateka Tsukii grabs World Games gold

World Games gold medalist Junna Tsukii celebrates emotional victory with Turkish coach Okay Arpa (Images from Okay Arpa Facebook)

Junna Tsukii with Karate Pilipinas Federation president Richart Lim (left) and coach Okay Arpa

HD Spikers trounce Lady Troopers in PVL opener

Cignal HD top gun Ces Molina unleashes one of her power hits against Army’s Jovelyn Gonzaga

CIGNAL turned in another imposing start to a Premier Volleyball League drive, foiling Army Black Mamba with strong finishes in the last two sets for a 25-17, 21-25, 2520, 25-20 victory in the Invitational Conference before a big opening day crowd at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan on Saturday.

Ces Molina and Rachel Daquis stood at the forefront of the HD Spikers’ pair of explosive windups while Gel Cayuna stayed as sharp as ever despite a long layoff, putting up a stellar game after winning the best setter honors in the PVL Open Conference last April.

She produced 24 excellent sets, six more than counterpart Ivy Perez, with Molina and Daquis converting most of their hits from Cayuna’s superb playmaking skills all throughout the match that kicked off the league’s mid-season confer-

ence, which will feature two foreign squads in the next phase.

“We made some adjustments on our service receive and got our combination and attacking game going,” said Cayuna, who chipped in seven points on her way to bagging the game’s best player honors.

Thrust into the spotlight in the absence of head coach Shaq delos Santos, assistant mentor Kirk Beliran delivered, firing up his wards when they were in control and motivating them when trailing.

“I’m thankful that they were able to adjust on our service receive.

They struggled but I have complete trust in them,” said Beliran, who also drew 16 digs from Angelique Dionela and 14 from Molina and 22 points from the team in reception.

The HD Spikers also controlled the net to anchor their solid defense, coming away with 16 blocks against

Filipinas battle Indons for AFF semis slot (Rizal Memorial Stadium) 4 p.m. – Singapore vs. Australia 7 p.m. – Philippines vs. Indonesia (Binan Stadium) 7 p.m. – Malaysia vs. Thailand THE Philippines guns for a semifinal spot today (Sunday) against lightweight Indonesia in its penultimate match in Group A of the 12th Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship at the Rizal Memorial Stadium Fresh from a methodical 4-0 triumph over Malaysia last Friday, the streaking Filipinas are the heavy favorites to prevail over the Indonesians, who are fifth in the standings with one point, in booking win No. 4 in their 7 p.m. clash to secure a ticket to the next round.

Finally getting its first win in a 4-0 romp over Indonesia two days ago, Australia aims to keep its bid to reach the semis afloat when it takes on Singapore at 4 p.m. earlier at the same arena, while Thailand plays Malaysia in the other group match at 7 p.m. at the Binan Stadium in Laguna.

The Thais, who trounced the Singaporeans 3-0, are running second behind the hosts with seven points, the Matildas are in third place with four points, the Malaysians fourth with two points, while the Indonesians and Singaporeans are fifth and sixth, respectively, with a point each.

As his wont, Australian coach Alen Stajcic is not taking the Indonesians lightly, pointing out that “we got to win that game (on Sunday) so we can get a chance and get a good place in the semifinals, and make sure that we go in there with a lot of confidence.”

“We have a saying in Australia that we don’t want to put the cart ahead of the horse. It’s important that you don’t look far ahead of yourself, you have to stay humble and keep your feet on the ground,” he stressed at the postmatch conference.

Left unsaid by Stajcic was the fact that a win by the Filipinas today will not only book their passage into the next round but also boost their confidence in their last group match against the four-time champion Thais on Tuesday in what likely will be a battle for group leadership.

The group topnotcher will also probably avoid a clash with defending champion Vietnam, which is in a tight battle with Myanmar for group honors in Group B. Just like in the three previous matches, Stajcic will continue to fiddle with his roster in maintaining fresh legs for the all-important tussle with the Thais.

“This is the strength of the squad. We’ve proven the depth

Jessika Cowart of the Philippines tries to defend the ball against Mira Aidi and Jiciah Jumilis of Malaysia during their duel in the ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship 2022 at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Pasay City. The Philippines won against Malaysia 4-0. DANNY PATA of the team. This also likewise ensures that there’s a good progression on the team and good competition for the places as well,” he explained of the internal rivalry among the players for final spots on the PH squad bound for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. “The fact that everyone in this team knows their roles and responsibilities, it doesn’t matter who plays and no matter what position they play. Everyone knows their role and everyone tries to execute in the best way they can,” Stajcic said.

PFF thanks PSC for staging AFF Women’s Championship at Rizal Memorial Stadium (paki ni Atty. Ed) PHILIPPINE Football Federation general secretary Atty.

Edwin Gastanes yesterday thanked the Philippine Sports Commission for allowing the PFF to stage the Group A matches of the Filipinas in the 12th Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium “On behalf of PFF president Mariano Araneta Jr., the PFF would like to express our gratitude to PSC executive director and officer-in-charge Atty. Guillermo Iroy for allowing the use of the Rizal Memorial Stadium as the main venue of the AFF Women’s Championship,” Gastanes said.

“Thanks to the collaboration and cooperation of the PSC, we are now able to bring the games of the Filipinas closer to their hometown fans, inspiring them to do better with each performance inside this heritage-rich football arena,” the PFF general secretary noted.

their rivals’ four with Molina and Daquis likewise flashing their fine defensive skills and timing with a combined seven-block effort.

The Lady Troopers used their experience to make a big turnaround in the second frame and even forced a 10-all count in the third and led 15-12 in the fourth. But they failed to match the HD Spikers’ poise and spunk, particularly during long rallies, and hastened their downfall with a spate of miscues, the last a Perez service error that wrapped up the two-hour, four-minute clash.

Molina fashioned out a 20-hit effort while Daquis and Roselyn Doria delivered 10 points apiece for the HD Spikers, who also put in an impressive start in the Open Conference all the way to the quarters, only to lose steam in the semis of the season-opening offering of the league organized by Sports Vision.

This time, they vow to go all the way to the finals.

But one win doesn’t make a champion team as the HD Spikers still have to hurdle a lot of stumbling blocks leading to a dream finish given the strength and class of the rest of the seven-team field in the single-round elims.

Ria Meneses also took care of the middle, finishing with eight hits while Angeli Araneta added six points for Cignal, which actually yielded four attack points to Army, 44-48, but more than made up for it with their imposing net defense.

Nene Bautista, a top volley figure since Sports Vision revived the once-dormant sport in 2004, continued to amaze with her staying power, even top-scoring for Army with 14 points while the comebacking Jovelyn Gonzaga and Michelle Morente backed her up with 13 and 12 hits,

Sun Life 5150 Triathlon fires off in Panglao BOHOL—From the youngest female participant in the 15-19 category to the oldest male bidder in the men’s 65-69 class, over 700 entries from various age divisions in individual, relay, and Sunrise Sprint races set out for a test of power, speed and endurance in the Sun Life 5150 Triathlon today (Sunday) here.

The gloomy weather notwithstanding, the merry mix of bidders remained in high spirits on the eve of the event, some tracking down the well-paved Panglao-Dauis road on foot and on a bike, all gearing up for the 1.5 km-swim, 40 km-bike, and 10 km run event under the Olympic-style setup.

It is also held as part of Sun Life’s commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle among Filipinos by organizing IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events.

Inc. enforcing minimum health measures to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the event.

“Our IRONMAN team stands ready to help you achieve your goals and cross the finish line. Take a moment (on race day) to reflect on what will be a fantastic experience and life-long memory racing in Bohol,” said Jeff Edwards, managing director of IRONMAN Asia, in his message to all the participants, including 30 foreign bets Members of Team Talisay Luigi Triathlon Group Go for Gold Cebu prime up during practice under dark skies on Saturday along the PanglaoDauis road. Over 700 entries are vying in individual competition in various age group categories in the Sun Life 5150 triathlon, relay, and Sunrise Sprint today in Bohol.

and close to a hundred women bidders, led by celebrity Bubbles Paraiso.

The Sun Life 5150 and Go for Gold Sunrise Sprint transition will open at 4:30 a.m. at the Bellevue Resort’s beachfront with the centerpiece event rolling start set at 6:30 a.m. to be followed by the Sunrise Sprint’s wave start for the all-male category at 8 a.m. and the all-female five minutes later.

The awards presentation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Garden.

The 40-km rolling bike leg, which unwraps at the Doljo beach, features two loops and three turnarounds at the Dauis-Panglao road, making its first turn at KM 11, then at KM 20, and back at KM 29 all the way to the finish line back at Doljo.

The closing 10-KM flat run course, on the other hand, is a single loop challenge, also from the Doljo beach and back with run aids at KMs 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6, and KM 5 for the turnaround.

The Sunrise Sprint, featuring 750m open-water swim, 20km bike ride, and a 5km run, also promises to be a top draw with over a hundred participants from at least 23 triathlon teams clashing for top honors in different age categories.

Life Editor: Nickie Wang

JULY 10, 2022

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Filipina designer launches award-winning collection at Fashion Week San Diego

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ILIPINA artist and 2020 Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD) Top Designer Bea Cruz adds to her recognition the Ashley Nell Tipton Top Designer Award as she launched her latest collection at Fashion Week San Diego in California.

A beaded sheer top with mulberry silk wide-leg pants with chain belt

Labeled Bright Young Things, a nod to the 1920s phrase that means young ones, the 20-piece series encapsulates one of the most glamourous decades in the history of fashion.

The assemblage features silhouettes and heavy sparkling hand-sewn beadworks that mark Cruz’s brand of flair, including a soft tulle ensemble that dons two kilos worth of gold crystal seed beads, glittered organza garbs with shoulder trains, white sequined peplum top, skirts and frocks, godet sequined tulle dress and black gowns with acrylic chain straps, detachable trains, and beaded bust cups, hem tassels and floorlength robe.

The line also comes with a sheer top matched with wide-leg pants, a gold dress with a high slit, plus equally sophisticated accents and accessories such as fringed ostrich feathers, mulberry silk scarf, sheer gloves, and chain belts to complete the looks.

Through Bright Young Things, Cruz looked back at the dashing era of alluring 2020 Fashion Week San Diego (FWSD) Top Designer and Benilde Fashion Design and Merchandising alumna Bea Cruz

Handcrafted soft tulle ensemble with two kilos worth of gold crystal seed beads

Sequined dress with fringed ostrich hem detail, mulberry silk scarf, and hand-beaded gloves

skirts, feather headbands, rhinestone pieces, long pearls, jazz, and overflowing booze as she dreamed of a brilliant future.

“It is reminiscent of the time when people, after being struck by the Great War and the world’s deadliest pandemic, the Spanish flu, craved for light, speed, and celebration of life. This is so fitting for what we are battling in the present,” she expounded.

“This collection is about my vision – the kind of life we aspire to take back after the coronavirus,” she added.

“I wish this will shed a little ray of hope we can hold on to in these trying times, as we have a lot more roaring centennial years to come.”

Cruz was recognized with the special top emerging designer award named after the guest judge, designer Ashley Nell Tipton, the first plus-sized fashion specialist who triumphed at the prestigious Project Runway series.

Cruz is a 23-year-old designer from Victorias City, Negros Occidental, who honed her creative talent under the Fashion Design and Merchandising Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde School of Design and Arts.

The artist first turned heads by clinching the Art & Beauty Behind Fashion Team award at the prestigious 14th International Virtual Art Re-

HOCUS astounds with art book ‘Juicio Final’ IN A first for the Philippine art world, a lawyer-historian and a painter-conservator teamed up to produce a series of paintings on historical themes that bring to life our colonial past and the ways we come to terms with it.

In Juico Final (Final Judgment): HOCUS III, a NO SHELF CONTROL magnificently produced art book, the vision and

BY JENNY ORTUOSTE creative authorship of Saul Hofileña, Jr. and artistic skill of Guy Custodio meld into a serendipitous collaboration that manifests a decolonized view of historical occurrences during the country’s two colonial periods.

The partnership of Hofileña and Custodio under the name HOCUS (from the first syllables of their last names) has produced a rich wealth of historical-themed artwork – HOCUS I: Patronato Real, HOCUS II: Quadricula, and finally, HOCUS III: Juicio Final.

The first two collections, curated by Gemma Cruz Araneta, have been shown in the National Art Gallery of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), to widespread acclaim. They were, to date, the longest-running non-permanent exhibits there.

Hopefully, HOCUS III will be shown there too, to bring a satisfying conclusion to this artistic trilogy.

Juicio Final, a history book masquerading as a catalogue raisonnė, is a large format book on thick coated paper, the better to bring to life the images contained in it that comprise what Hofileña says is the final set of paintings he wants to do. I hope he changes his mind about this one of these days, as there are only 87 fully completed HOCUS paintings in all.

Of the 19 artworks in Juicio, 17 tie up the loose ends of historical narrative that Araneta spotted in the first two collections, and extend it to encompass incidents from the American occupation, completing the colonial cycle of Hofileña’s vision.

Each painting is accompanied by a short essay that explains the imagery and symbolism as drawn from historical events and incidents, but seen through a post-colonial lens.

Evident from the choice of themes is the generation-spanning resonance of Jose Rizal’s influence, which HOCUS shows in two paintings. In “Binaril Nila si Doktor,” a mass of people in late 19thcentury garb are shown huddled under a leaden sky. Hofileña writes that Rizal was killed by the Spaniards likely because Rizal, per historian Rafael Palma, “was the first one to dare write about the ills of colonial society.”

In “Santo ng Bayan,” Rizal is shown standing in Bagumbayan, rope tied around his arms and elbows. Behind him lie fallen Spanish soldiers, while above arches a crumbling, frescoed church ceiling. “Immortal, he stands alone at the place where they executed

The exterior of the Hong Kong Palace Museum

Hong Kong Palace Museum opens with treasure trove of rare artifacts The magnificent cover of ‘Juico Final’ shows the HOCUS painting ‘Our Lost Eden’ him, at the crack of dawn,” writes Hofileña. “He has outlived those who clamored for his death as well as the hapless soldiers ordered to shoot him. The Filipinos themselves chose to honor Jose Rizal, irrevocably.”

This is a spine-tingling, thrilling declaration of love and respect for the national hero, who also happens to be one of my personal heroes.

Another significant theme in this book is the acknowledgment of the power of women as contrasted with their socially constructed ‘fragility.’ Among the paintings thus themed is “Luminous,” which shows an angel in baro’t saya reading a page of baybayin. The accompanying text references the young women of Malolos who wished to further their education, the strong and industrious German women Rizal met abroad, and the ancient priestesses of precolonial times. “In the beginning, there was the babaylan,” Hofileña writes.

Another frisson runs up my spine. For these paintings and essays alone, this book is worth its price.

Apart from their inherent artistic value, the HOCUS paintings are an invaluable aid in teaching history. A huge number of students and teachers, as well as the general public, visited the HOCUS I exhibit at the NMP from April 16 to October 29, 2017, and HOCUS II from September 15, 2019 to March 15, 2020.

Hofileña, as creative author of the HOCUS paintings, has donated 11 of them to the NMP. Six gigantic HOCUS paintings are now on permanent display at the National Museum of Fine Arts, and five will be hung next month in the foyer of the National Museum of Anthropology as a permanent exhibition.

A recurrent symbol throughout many of the paintings is the ‘anghel de cuyacuy,’ the HOCUS signature. “He is a Filipino angel sitting on a bench reading a book with one leg swaying nonchalantly,” writes Hofileña. “He is an angel destined to battle ignorance and superstition and not Satan’s murderous horde.” HOCUS has done its best to brush away the cobwebs of our collective ignorance about our history, and this book helps remind us of that.

For comments and feedback, you may reach the author on Facebook and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Lawyer-historian Saul Hofileña Jr. shares in ‘Juicio Final’ his final set of historically themed HOCUS paintings

newal Center (ARC), the largest realism art competition hosted by the premier auction house Sotheby’s New York. She was the youngest and the sole Philippine representative at the event.

Her international debut at the 2020 FWSD likewise bagged the Top Designer title for Vivirá, a 10-piece autumn series that brought a new dimension to the classic baro’t saya, panuelo, and barong.

Cruz likewise brought Philippine craftsmanship back at the 15th ARC Salon Exhibition, wherein she translated the oil and aluminum artwork Bound to Hinderance (2020) by American-Iranian oil and figurative painter and art professor Pegah Semaie into a fully-sequined lace applique she meticulously hand-sewn for 72 hours.

Juicio Final: Final Judgment (HOCUS III)

By Saul Hofileña Jr. 2022, 82 pages, pb, Baybayin Publishing

AFTER five years in the making, the prestigious Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) recently opened as the latest addition to Hong Kong’s arts and cultural offerings and the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Joining a host of other landmark attractions on the storied Victoria Harbour waterfront, such as the newly opened M+ and recently renovated Hong Kong Museum of Art, the HKPM not only elevates the city’s lineup of renowned museums but also enriches its diversity of the arts and culture scene.

The much-loved “A Symphony of Lights” will bathe Victoria Harbour in lights, music, and colors with an enchanting special edition every night in July.

Located on the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District, the HKPM joins M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual

culture, the Xiqu Centre for Chinese opera, and Freespace contemporary performance venue, to take the area to new heights. Visitors can look forward to a wide array of captivating exhibitions, shows, activities, and events that deepen and diversify the city’s cultural offerings.

The HKPM is a must-visit attraction for arts and culture lovers, and a treasure trove of rare artifacts. For starters, it houses one of the world’s most impressive collections of Chinese ceramics and more than 900 works of art on loan from the esteemed Palace Museum in Beijing – among the largest and finest the Palace Museum has ever made to another cultural institution outside the Mainland since its establishment. The HKPM also displays 13 precious pieces borrowed from the Louvre as a testament to the museum’s role as an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange.

SNAPSHOT Academic Excellence THE Harrell Home Integrated School 28th Commencement Exercises and Moving Up Ceremony for Prep School, Grade 6 and 10, and K12, was held recently in F2F in moving-up ceremony since 2019 ( some opted in online graduation, but held same time). Shown in photo, Alfonso P. Dacuycuy, President of the Central Student Government, graduated Junior High School with academic honors and multi-awardees Off Campus, delivering his “Speech Of Gratitude.”

Internationallyacclaimed K-pop boy group BTS n Entertainment Editor: Nickie Wang

email: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

JULY 10, 2022

BTS to promote South Korea’s bid for World Expo 2030 with a concert in Busan

By Mitzi Marion Buenconsejo

INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED K-Pop boy group BTS plans to hold a global concert in Busan, South Korea, in October to support the country’s bid to host the World Expo, in 2030, according to HYBE on Thursday.

According to the bid committee, they will officially appoint the members of the global pop group as ambassadors for the upcoming event this month.

It has not been a month since the group revealed to focus more on their solo works during the BTS Festa 2022, but a concert with the seven members will be their promotional activity.

“As a public relations ambassador, BTS plans to carry out various promotional activities based on its global influence to host the 2030 Busan World Expo,” HYBE said.

Aside from South Korea, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and Russia also submitted their bids. Official announcement on the winning host will be made in November 2023.

Cinema One pays tribute to King and Queen of Phillippine movies

A scene from ‘Ang Daigdig Ko’y Ikaw’ FILIPINOS have always adored romances on television and movies, and although new pairings come and go, the influential reel to real tandem of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. (FPJ) and Susan Roces was truly one for the books.

This month, Cinema One brings FJP and Susan, the King and Queen of Philippine movies, back to viewers’ TV screens as it airs some of the flicks that they starred on together—love stories that present diverse characters but ultimately prove that whether on or off screen, the two are destined for each other.

1. A spoiled heiress meets a grouchy truck driver in ‘Ang Daigdig Ko’y Ikaw’ In this 1965 rom-com, FPJ and Susan play Roman and Vicky respectively, polar opposites who cross paths after the latter rebels against her rich father.

As Roman reluctantly takes Vicky along in a journey from Batangas to Baguio, they warm up to each other but things fall apart when he learns that she is a runaway heiress.

2. Lovers forced to be apart because of war in ‘Pilipinas Kong Mahal’ FPJ and Susan brought to life a remarkable love story in Pilipinas Kong Mahal, a massive war epic filmed in color and set during the World War II. In the film, FPJ portrayed a Filipino soldier who had to leave the love of his life played by Susan to defend the Philippines against the Japanese invaders.

3. A loving and obedient husband and suspicious wife in ‘Mahal, Ginagabi Ka Na Naman’ A sequel to Mahal, Saan Ka Nanggaling Kagabi, this 1979 flick centers on the relationship of Johnny

‘Mahal, Ginagabi Ka Nanaman’ exhibits the undeniable chemistry between FPJ (left)and Susan Roces

FPJ (left) and Susan Roces in ‘Pilipinas Kong Mahal’ (FPJ) and Luding (Susan) as they navigate marriage, family life, and evils in their neighborhood, including Luding’s suspicion that Johnny is cheating and is out to kill her after consulting with a fortune teller.

4. Fake married couple in ‘Salaginto’t Salagubang’ Another rom-com, the film saw FPJ and Susan depict the amusing dynamics between oblivious fish supplier Nanding and outspoken virago fish vendor Isang. When an opportunity for a huge inheritance opens for Isang, the two enter into a deal that not only forces them to engage in mock marriage, but also lets them get to know each other better.

Catch these films on Cinema One’s “FPJ: Hari ng Pinoy Cinema” block, Sundays at 11:00 a.m., with Ang Daigdig Ko’y Ikaw airing today, July 10, Pilipinas Kong Mahal on July 17, Mahal, Ginagabi Ka Na Naman on July 24, and Salaginto’t Salagubang on July 31.

Fans of the Philippine “King of Comedy” can also tune in every Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. on the cable channel, as it screens Dolphy’s timeless comedy films like Father Jejemon on July 12, Home Along Da Riles 2 on July 19, and Dobol Trobol on July 26.

Local song with international pop flavor

S

INGER Diego Gutierrez has recently released “Sino Na Tayo,” which marks the artist’s first time to record an all Tagalog song.

“It feels great to be able to record and release a song using a language that best expresses how my heart feels,” the young singer confesses, “As access to music becomes more global, I feel like I’ll really be able to connect deeper with local listeners while maintaining a broader, international appeal.”

When asked to explain more, the singer who is seen regularly in Asap Natin ‘To every Sunday, further clarifies: “The song is really the first time we attempted to write an all-Tagalog song. Just looking back to the music I grew up with, hearing songs in Tagalog just really felt more authentic and true to my roots. I wanted to tap into Filipino ‘hugot’ sentimentality then hopefully connect it to a wider audience with an international pop feel and arrangement.”

But what is the song about?

“The whole premise behind the track is about this realization between you and the person you love, and how time has evidently changed that connection. It’s about struggling to figure things out, where things went wrong, dropping your guard and realizing that you’re about to lose someone you want to grow old with,” Diego explains.

“That entire narrative in an all-Tagalog song over a nostalgic yet futuristic production hopefully makes feel the emotional rollercoaster I wanted to convey in the song,” he adds.

Incidentally, a music video of Diego’s song has just been completed.

Shot in the beautiful scenic Caliraya and

Diego Gutierrez feels great to record and release a song using a language that bestexpresses how he feels directed by Kashka Gaddi, Diego is teamed up with Anji Salvacion from Pinoy Big Brother. This is certainly another thing to watch out for.

“Sino Na Tayo” was produced and arranged by Mark J. Feist. The song’s lyric was written by Diego and Wilde Quimson while the music was composed by Feist under the Hitmakers Entertainment label.

“Sino Na Tayo” is now available for streaming on major streaming platforms.

'Sino Na Tayo’ is about a realization between two people and how time changed their connection

The poster for ‘Salaginto’t Salagubang’ starring FPJ and Susan Roces

Champions’ app of choice Creamline team captain Alyssa Valdez

By Julian Cardenas HOMEGROWN app Kumu has become the favorite of athletes and professional sports leagues, resulting in its partnership with several sports organizations.

The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) is one of the most prominent partners of Kumu, where games are streamed live on specific schedules and have the option to be replayed by viewers. It also became a favorite of athletes, including Alyssa Valdez, team

captain and open striker of Creamline Cool Smashers.

“Kumu has helped us in such a way to get us connected with fans and supporters to thank them for their support. Kumu is a nice avenue to that,” Valdez said.

She added that the app significantly helped her and her team to reach out to worried supporters during the COVID-19 lockdown. The app also helps inspire people, allowing everyone to interact with one another during streaming sessions.

Petro Gazz Angels’ team coach Jerry Yee supports Kumu for the same reason.

He believes fans should keep following their sports idols’ methods to apply them to their everyday lives so those who aspire to become athletes can one day become just as good as they are.

Attendees during the joint press conference between Kumu and PVL

The stream of fans viewing the athletes’ personal lives and games was significant that Paolo Pineda, the chief commercial officer, and Victoria Herrera, the Vice president of Marketing, proclaimed that the company has begun focusing on enriching the experience of the viewers who are watching the games.

Kumu will start developing innovations and forming more partnerships with other sports leagues and mediums, such as basketball and music. The app even launched Top

Class, dedicated to supporting aspiring Filipino musicians and P-pop bands.

Herrera stated that competition from other apps inspires the company to make themselves and their community of supporters better because the viewers occupy the top of their priorities. Kumu also helped its supporters when they struggled to cope with the canceled games and the inability to connect with their sports idols during the pandemic.

Kumu, a community platform launched in 2018, brings Filipino

audiences locally and internationally together. It champions the community through sports and music, which made it an immediate favorite by aspiring content creators, especially athletes who stream their personal life and games through it.

The app received positive reviews from users as it became one of the highest-grossing apps in the world, with an estimated 10 million app downloads and 60 million live streams viewed per month. In the Philippines, it surpassed the downloads of TikTok, Facebook live and Instagram within a short period.

Company executives also noted that Filipinos from across the globe also show their support for the app.

Kumu is currently looking for potential partners to showcase more sports and genres.

JULY 10, 2022

Why do dogs smile?

By Mariana Burgos

What a beautiful smile!

(From “One of 261,964 Smiling Dog iStock Royalty-Free images.")

Just seeing this dog’s smiling face makes one smile.

(A photo clip of a video in Youtube entitled, 'Cute Smiling Dogs, Funny Video Pets Compilation'; uploaded by Fails 4 Fun on April 12, 2018.)

B

EFORE the pandemic, I was still teaching in school.

Whenever I returned from work, our dog Milky would greet me with a smile. She would smile sweetly, exposing her teeth. There was a day when I returned home and she had damaged our sofa bed. I got so mad that I scolded her. As I was doing so, she looked at me and “smiled” with her ears and tail tucked back as if saying, “I’m sorry”. She looked so funny that my temper quickly dissipated. Ever had your dog smile at you, too?

Knowing your dog's emotional state through their body language is pretty possible. Genuinely content dogs may display a general looseness in their bodies.

Different kinds of doggy “smile”

Dogs occasionally make smile-like facial expressions, yet they don't actually smile as people do. Your dog could display specific behavior that give the impression he (or she) is smiling. When all of your dog's teeth are visible, it's usually a hint to back off. But not always. Take Milky’s case for instance.

However, you might also observe "smiles" in different forms after feeding your dog treats or petting him.

The facial expression we refer to as a smile is really just a signal that the dog is not posing a threat to the status quo. Since alpha dogs and wolf pack leaders view us as equals and have no need or desire to display subordination, they don't actually "smile."

Smile due to worry or anxiety or illness

A dog's smile could also be a sign of another emotion, such as worry or anxiety. You might want to talk to your veterinarian if your dog is "smiling" while simultaneously panting heavily, whimpering, and chattering its teeth. (Sharon Parry, 5 Reasons Dogs ‘Smile’ and What They’re Communicating, 24 May 2022) Your dog may actually be suffering from heat stroke. The excessive panting is a sign that something is not well with your dog. Please bring the dog to the vet immediately.

Dogs cannot smile if they lack feeling because smiling is primarily an expression of emotion. A few decades ago, it was widely believed that dogs lacked

Smiling Doogie. Doogie, one of the author's pup smiling while being belly rubbed. feelings. However, current research employing MRI technology has revealed that the brain regions of dogs that regulate emotions and sentiments are the same as those seen in humans. We also know that when humans pet dogs, their blood hormone levels rise, resulting in higher quantities of the feel-good hormone oxytocin. Humans feel content thanks to the same hormone. (Emma Bryce, Are Dogs Really Smiling at Us?, 19 May 2019)

stand a smile on its own, but they will understand what you're trying to say! There is no proof that dogs think a smile from a person showing their teeth as a snarl. They are able to recognize this in other canines, but they are aware that humans interpret it differently.

It's fine to be delighted by your dog's smile and to use it to further your relationship with your pet. Make sure that you are not erroneously interpreting the dog's emotions. When socializing with dogs that you don't know all that well, this is very crucial.

Copycat smile

Additionally, several studies have shown that our pets do somewhat copy our facial expressions. Why not try to spend some time grinning if you have an intelligent dog that likes to imitate you? Make sure there are no distractions, then have your dog sit while you smile obnoxiously and say "smile" after.

Dogs continually monitor our facial expressions to determine whether or not we are satisfied with them.

The majority excel at it. A smile is one of the ways that they will be able to determine whether or not their human friends are happy. They won't necessarily under-

Stress-induced smile

You may assume that their smile indicates happiness. This is incorrect (with the ones that you’re not that familiar with); instead, they are trying to communicate that they are stressed out and don't enjoy something. Stress in dogs can easily escalate into aggression and biting, which is concerning. This is likely the reason why children under the age of seven are involved in so many dog bite incidences. Stressed dogs don't smile to invite people to pat them; instead, they indicate, "Keep away from me!" What is even

more perplexing is that when a dog "smiles" under stress, the tail will also wag, which humans interpret as enjoyment. Unfortunately, it is not quite that easy.

Dogs can also display aggressiveness by wagging their tails.

The issue with interpreting dog facial expressions is that because our study methods are frequently subjective and we have a propensity to anthropomorphize animals, it is highly likely that we will misinterpret what we observe from our pet dogs.

Although your dog might not feel happiness the same way that people do, you can still teach your dog to "smile." And, maybe, just like with us, humans, this could also contribute to better the health and longevity of life of your furry friend-cum-family member.

About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 14 years now because she is wife to a desaparacido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.

Pancreatitis: A painful illness in dogs if not treated immediately WHEN your dog doesn’t want to eat and throws up what she eats, it is time to see a veterinarian. The vet must do tests to determine the underlying cause or medical condition of the dog so that proper treatment can be given.

A medical condition that can be causing the loss of appetite and vomiting is pancreatitis which should be treated right away.

Pancreatitis happens when the pancreas becomes inflamed. It is located near the stomach and helps digest food and control blood sugar. Pancreatitis can come and pass if treated immediately, or it can stay for a longer period. It can be painful for your dog, thus, you need help from the vet.

Symptoms

A fat dog is prone to developing pancreatitis. Flash, rescued dog of Save ALL- Save Animals of Love and Light Inc., has a tendency to gain weight fast because he loves to just lie down and watch activities around him, or just sleep. We try to help him lose weight by walking him or making him roam more every day.

Here are the symptoms of pancreatitis, according to Amanda Gardner in “Pancreatitis in Dogs: Symptoms and Treatments” in Fetch by webmd.com as reviewed by Amy Flowers, DVM: “Often, a dog: Loses appetite Vomits Has belly pain Other symptoms are: A fever or low body temperature Diarrhea No energy A hard time breathing Dehydration Irregular heartbeat” “If your dog has some of these problems for more than a day, or if these symptoms keep coming back, take them to the vet. It could be pancreatitis, or it could be something else. Either way, you should get it checked out,” Gardner said.

Your vet might make a diagnosis based on symptoms only but most of the time, they will need to do blood tests or an ultrasound, which uses sound waves to capture an image of what is going on inside the body.

Causes

It is not known what really causes the pancreas irritation, but some breeds are more likely to get it, specially

Never give in no matter how cute they are. If the vet says your dog should go on a diet for health reasons, then stick to the diet so your dog will stay well. In photo is cutey Shakti who begs for food with her puppy eyes and nakakaawa cries.

Easy on the eggs with dogs who are fat, or are senior doggos, or who have had at least one episode of pancreatitis. Depending on the amylase count in the blood test result, the vet may allow giving some egg whites to your dog who has had an episode.

schnauzers. Older dogs and dogs who are overweight are also prone to developing pancreatitis.

Sometimes, pancreatitis comes as a side effect to a drug, or after surgery. But “more commonly, a fatty meal, like bacon grease or table scraps, triggers it,” Gardner said.

Dogs usually recover from mild cases of pancreatitis, Gardner said. But a severe case can sometimes lead to death.

2. The vet might give medication for pain. “Pain medications are usually given by injection. These things give the pancreas a rest, “ said Gardner.

3. IV fluids or dextrose might also be given and is “also a common practice for pancreatitis, Gardner said.

4. At home, please make sure to give your dog lots of water to make sure he or she does not get dehydrated.

5. The vet might also give meds to help ease nausea and vomiting.

6. When your dog is eating again, please give only a low-fat diet. “Look for food that's easy to digest.

Discuss food options with your vet. If this is a single, sudden attack, it's a good idea to stick with this diet for a week or so. However, if your dog has experienced several episodes, then this new way of eating will be for life,” Gardner said.

Treatment

If the cause or causes of pancreatitis has/have been identified, the vet will deal with that first. For example, if it was a reaction to a drug, they will tell you to stop giving the medicine. If it is traced to the dog’s diet, the dog will be put on prescription food.

“Sometimes it's hard to tell what causes it, and there's no clear treatment to fight it. The focus instead becomes keeping the dog as comfortable as possible until the attack passes,” Gardner said.

Gardner said here are the things your vet will do or advise you to do: 1.Depending on the vet’s assessment, he or she might recommend no food or water in the first 24 hours, or may allow you to continue to give food to your pet.

Prevention

Always watch your dog's diet. A high-fat diet will cause more problems.

“Don't cave to their puppy-dog eyes, even on special occasions. Your dog doesn't need to eat human food.

Keep your garbage secure. Vets report more cases of pancreatitis during the holidays, when people are eating more fatty foods and so are their pets,” Gardner said.