Manila Standard - 2022 July 13 - Wednesday

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PESO SLUMPS TO 18-YEAR LOW AT 56.37 TO A DOLLAR

BUSINESS / B4

BBM taps environment scientist for DENR post

By Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz THE President has nominated Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga as the secretary of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Palace

COVID may surge 17k daily VOL. XXXVI • NO. 148 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Toni Yulo-Loyzaga

Due to waning immunity, low booster uptake, lax protocol observance

By Willie Casas and Joyce Pangco Pañares

C

OVID-19 cases may surge to 17,105 daily by the end of July on the back of lax compliance to health protocols and slow vaccine booster uptake, the Department of Health said.

Marcos backs curriculum review to fix job mismatch

The DOH based its projections on the FASSSTER model on the assumption that a 21 percent decline in minimum public health standard (MPHS) compliance is maintained.

Fresh waves of COVID-19 infections show the pandemic is ‘nowhere near over,’ the World Health Organization warned Tuesday, voicing concern the virus is ‘running freely’ as case numbers continue to rise, putting further pressure on stretched health systems and workers.

If compliance improves to 20 percent, the DOH projects daily cases to hit the low estimate of 12,451 by the end of the month.

If compliance deteriorates further to 22 percent, daily cases may hit the higher estimate of 22,197.

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VIRTUAL MEETING. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presides over his second Cabinet meeting virtually on Tuesday, July 12, through teleconference. Marcos is on his fifth day of isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.

By Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez

Source: Department of Health

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has backed proposals to review the country’s education curriculum in order to equip students with skills required by different industries and address the existing job mismatch.

Marcos, who is on his fifth day of isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, presided over a more than five-hour Cabinet meeting via

Push to re-evaluate Dengvaxia vs. dengue welcomed, opposed

By Willie Casas, Rio Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday it is open to reviewing again the possible evidence presented by the vaccine Dengvaxia amid the continuing increase of dengue cases in the country.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the comment after infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said Monday it is “high time” for the government to review the data and the benefits of Dengvaxia.

“For us to be able to bring back this Next page

teleconferencing Tuesday.

Marcos told his Cabinet members that basic education skills and knowledge must be improved to prepare students as they pursue a higher level of learning.

“That’s exactly what is happening. That is why we have to look at the curriculum as well.

Not only TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), but also even our diploma courses,” Marcos said.

By Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez 24 to 27, showed that 57 percent of socio-economic groupings (62% to CONTROLLING inflation – which climbed to a three-year high of 6.1 percent in June – is the top concern of Filipinos now, a survey by Pulse Asia showed.

The survey, conducted from June

The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful to be placed in orbit, has revealed the clearest image to date of the early universe, going back 13 billion years. The stunning shot is overflowing with thousands of galaxies and features some of the faintest objects observed, colorized in blue, orange and white tones. AFP

Businesses told to accept folded P1k polymer bills THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas told banks and other business establishments on Tuesday to accept folded polymer banknotes, saying these can still be circulated and accepted for payment.

respondents want the Marcos administration to adopt measures to control the inflation rate.

“This is the leading first-ranked national concern (29%) and is deemed urgent by small to considerable majorities across geographic areas and

69% and 58% to 62%, respectively), with the rest of Luzon and Class ABC being the exceptions (46% and 48%, respectively),” Pulse Asia said.

Malacañang, for its part, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is ready to

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BAI says local chicken production Wheat import looking up to meet higher demand costs to spike

INFRARED UNIVERSE.

The BSP issued the advisory to address concerns raised on social media regarding non-acceptance by some establishments, particularly an SM mall, of folded P1,000 polymer banknotes.

“The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas informs the public that folded banknotes,

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Top concerns of Pinoys: High prices, low workers’ pay

THE Bureau of Animal Industry said the local production of chicken and chicken products is already improving after poultry raisers warned of a possible shortage in the next two quarters.

DA-BAI officer-in-charge Reildrin Morales said the agency held a meeting with the broiler industry and fastfood chain stakeholders to discuss concerns over low production.

“We had a meeting yesterday with our broiler industry stakeholders and they told us that the production cycle is already improving,” Morales said.

By Julito G. Rada

For his part, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual underscored the need for a review of the country’s curriculum, particularly for basic and tertiary education.

“We’re developing or helping universities develop this system of micro-credentialing because technology is changing very fast. There is a need for workers to update themselves, to reskill or upskill,” Pascual said.

whether paper or polymer, can still be circulated and accepted for payment. As such, retailers and banks should accept them for day-to-day payment transactions,” BSP said.

On Monday, a person said in a widely Next page

The low supply coupled by an increase in demand caused chicken prices to go up.

On Monday, the DA’s Bantay Presyo (Price Watch) showed that the prevailing market price for whole chicken in Metro Manila now ranges from P190 to P220 per kilogram, higher than the price range last June 30, except for Malabon and Commonwealth Market, which maintained their lower prices.

As of end-June, the price of a whole chicken only ranged from P181 per Next page

anew—PAFMI

By Othel Campos FLOUR millers expect prices of imported wheat to spike anew in the second half of the year, given record inflation and the outside dynamics of global wheat supply and demand.

The Philippine Association of Flour Millers Inc. (PAFMI) said the peso depreciation on flour is at 15.6 Next page

‘While pushing for peace in WPS, PH won’t drop sovereignty over it’

By Rey E. Requejo FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Tuesday declared that the Philippines wants peace in the South China Sea but rejected any claims that undermine the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) that favored Manila in its territorial dispute with Beijing.

Manalo said the arbitral award, which is an affirmation of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea’s

(UNCLOS) dispute resolution mechanisms, ruled authoritatively that the historic “nine-dash line” claim of other countries “had no basis in law and is without legal effect.”

The country’s top diplomat did not name any country in particular, but the nine-dash line is used only by China to assert its claim over the waters.

Manalo said the arbitral award also “upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive Next page

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The FASSSTER model considers vaccine effectiveness, mobility of the population, minimum public health standards and isolation protocols compliance, and the entry of imported cases.

The DOH also warned that more COVID-19 patients could be hospitalized by the end of August or the start of September as immunity wanes.

On Tuesday, the DOH logged 1,363 new cases, bringing the total number of active infections to 14,464.

Hospital occupancy rate nationwide remained at 21 percent, with 6,107 beds occupied out of 29,018 beds.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in June, the country’s observance of minimum public health standards decreased by 21 percent from the February MPHS rate.

Booster uptake remains a challenge as only 15.3 million of the 71 million fully vaccinated people have received

their booster shots.

The DOH said it would set up vaccination sites in areas commonly visited by the public such as schools, public markets and churches, to ramp up booster shot uptake.

In an online media forum on Tuesday, Vergeire said the DOH intended to implement a “settings approach” or establishment of inoculation sites in public spaces to bring the first booster doses closer to the target population.

“So, when we say settings approach, this can be the schools, this can be the workplaces, this can be in the community,” she said. “Within the community, we will include other places like markets [and] churches.”

The DOH would look for the elderly and people with comorbidities who have yet to receive the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

On Monday, infectious diseases expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said the boosted population is “still very low” at less than 20 percent of the target population.

He said it was “high time” to mandate

the booster vaccination to the general population.

Citing the vaccination numbers of neighboring Southeast Asian countries, Solante said Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand have reached more than 50 percent of the target population for the booster doses.

“Maybe, it should be mandatory just to increase the protection, especially now we’re preparing for the face-toface classes in November, and the workplaces are also open now,” he added.

Vergeire, however, said the DOH does not yet see the need to mandate the administration of COVID-19 booster shots.

She said the campaign to get the primary doses in people’s arms was successful, even though inoculation was not mandatory. She added that there is no law mandating vaccination or booster shots.

“It is important to study carefully whether the direction is for us to have a law to make boosters mandatory for everybody. Right now, we don’t see

that we need to do that. In the past, we were able to improve and increase our vaccination efforts by implementing the different nudges that we do,” she said in Filipino.

Vergeire recalled that the government implemented an incentive and disincentive scheme before in a bid to encourage Filipinos to get the primary vaccine series against COVID-19.

Some of these former strategies include requiring RT-PCR tests for unvaccinated employees when reporting to work and allowing fully vaccinated individuals to dine indoors and enter other indoor public spaces.

Also on Tuesday, the independent OCTA Research Group said the COVID-19 wave in the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila may already be close to peaking, after the latest decrease in the weekly growth rate.

Guido David, OCTA fellow, said it is possible the COVID-19 wave in the region could have peaked already, citing the decrease in the growth rate from 57 percent on July 4 to 32 percent on July 11.

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circulated post that he was trying to use the folded polymer banknote in an SM mall but it was not accepted as payment because it was folded.

“Don’t collect the new P1,000 bills,” he said in Filipino. “You’re not allowed to fold them, according to SM management. I tried to pay with it and they refused to accept it. Am I the only one who does not know this?”

But SM said in an official statement that folded banknotes are still accepted in its SM retail stores.

“In response to the information circulating on social media regarding the new P1000 bill, we would like to assure the public that folded bank notes are still accepted in our SM Retail stores. Only those that are mutilated-stapled and ripped caused by removal of staple wire -- will be deemed unfit and not accepted,” SM said.

SM said its policy has considered the guidelines set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

“We encourage the public not to engage with the misleading social media posts,” it said.

Recently, the BSP issued guidelines on the proper handling of polymer banknotes. This includes storing banknotes in wallets where they fit properly (the typical bi-fold wallet fits this criteria), keeping them clean, and using them as payment for goods and services.

But the BSP said the guidelines apply to both paper and polymer banknotes. The handling guidelines were issued to raise public awareness on the proper use of polymer and paper banknotes to safeguard their integrity and prolong their lifespan.

If an individual is doubtful on the value and/or authenticity of a banknote, he or she is encouraged to go to any bank for assistance. The bank will then refer the banknote to the BSP for examination.

BSP also recently launched a webpage to increase public awareness of the new P1,000 polymer banknote.

The BSP encouraged the public to visit bit.ly/PolymerPH, which showcases the polymer banknote’s design, benefits, and security features; guidelines on proper handling; and timeline of release of more notes into circulation.

It also contains images of the new polymer banknote from varying angles to provide the public an opportunity to explore its key features.

Educational materials, such as information sheets and frequently asked questions, are also posted on the new webpage.

said Tuesday.

But Press Secretary Trixie CruzAngeles said her nomination as DENR chief “will still be subject to the fulfillment of the required documents.”

In a statement, Masungi Georeserve said it supports Yulo-Loyzaga’s nomination given her background in disaster resilience and environment studies.

“We recognize her invaluable leadership as a former Executive Director of the Manila Observatory (MO). After typhoon Ondoy, the MO led the scientific studies which proved the impacts of the Upper Marikina Watershed’s deforestation to increased flood risk in towns and cities,” the organization said.

“The science is clear: restore the watershed to protect the people. We are hopeful that the new Secretary will share our vision and those of many others, to make Masungi and the Upper Marikina Watershed free from quarry interests and other intrusive developments,” Masungi added.

Before her appointment, YuloLoyzaga was chairperson of the International Advisory Board of the Manila Observatory, where she advocated more scientific research on cli-

mate and disaster resilience.

Yulo-Loyzaga was also the Manila Observatory’s executive director and technical adviser of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation. She is also on the Senior Advisory Board of the AFP’s Command and General Staff College.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said the Department of Justice will inquire into the legal issues surrounding the possible appointment of Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla as the next secretary of Energy.

Remulla made the statement when asked if there will be legal obstacles to Lotilla’s appointment, considering his position as the independent director of Aboitiz Power and Exenor.

Remulla said they would have to study the Philippine Competition Commission rules and the DOE law of 1992.

Cruz-Angeles Lotilla’s appointment would depend on clarification of his employment status as an independent director.

She cited Section 8 of RA 7638 or the Act Creating the Department of Energy which provides, “No officer, external auditor, accountant, or legal counsel of any private company or enterprise primarily engaged in the energy industry shall be eligible for appointment as Secretary within two

(2) years from his retirement, resignation, or separation therefrom.”

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the issue will be discussed internally for now.

Lotilla first served as Energy secretary from 2005 to 2007 during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said he believed Lotilla should be allowed to sit as the next DOE chief, because the law prohibits an officer from an energy company--which can be viewed as someone with direct management responsibilities—from being appointed.

He noted Lotilla did not have any direct management responsibilities in the companies mentioned.

The chairman of the House of Representatives committee on ways and means, meanwhile, welcomed Lotilla’s appointment.

Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda of Albay, the panel’s chairperson, said that Lotilla “is among the strongest appointments” that President Marcos has made, and “quite likely the best appointment he could have made for DOE.” He recalled that he worked closely with Lotilla during the Arroyo administration, and said that thanks to Lotilla, the power sector “is no longer the financial wreck that decades of neglect turned it into.”

versary of the award on the South China Sea Arbitration.

He asserted that the findings of the award and the UNCLOS “are no longer within the reach of denial and rebuttal.”

He also said they “are conclusive as they are indisputable.”

“The award is final. We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history and our collective memories. At the same time, we welcome the support of a growing list of countries for the award,” he said, adding that the award even benefits the entire family of nations.

This is because the Philippines does “not see it as directed at any other country, near or far.” Rather, it sees “it as it should be seen: as favoring all which are similarly situated by clarifying definitively a legal situation beyond the reach of arms to change.”

Manalo’s statement was far more assertive than those issued by the previous administration, which sought to avoid confrontation with China.

Meanwhile, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to come to the defense of the Philippines against any armed attack in the disputed waterways and rejected anew Beijing’s massive claim over the resource-rich waters.

The administration of President Joe Biden through US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated its commitment to defend the Philippines against any armed attack in the South China Sea. Blinken urged China to stop aggressive and provocative acts in the South China Sea, warning that any attack on the Philippines will trigger a response from the US. “The United States reaffirms its July 13, 2020, policy regarding maritime claims in the South China Sea. We also reaffirm that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China Sea would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 USPhilippines Mutual Defense Treaty,” Blinken said in a statement.

The Philippines and the US have a 70-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty that binds America to defend its long-time Asian ally from external aggression.

Blinken was referring to the July 13, 2020 policy made by former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, declaring support for the 2016 arbitral ruling and regards China’s sprawling maritime claims as illegitimate. With Gabriellea B. Parino and Chelsea Din

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From A1 undertake measures that would help curb inflation.

“We actually discussed inflation at the last Cabinet meeting and the president himself reported this, so he is actually ahead of the publication of the survey having anticipated this as a potential problem,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said.

The survey showed the next main issue that Filipinos want to be addressed is the need to increase the pay of workers (45 percent), followed by reducing poverty (33 percent), and creating more jobs (29 percent).

Other issues of concern are as follows: fighting graft and corruption (20 percent), ensuring law enforcement (15 percent), fighting criminality (14 percent), promoting peace in the country (14 percent), providing assistance to those affected by the pandemic (14 percent), addressing the problem of involuntary hunger (12 percent), reducing

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Citing the PCA ruling, Manalo branded as “unlawful” certain actions within the Philippine exclusive economic zone that violated the country’s sovereign rights.

These included the large-scale reclamation and construction of artificial islands that “caused severe environmental harm in violation of international conventions,” the large-scale harvesting of endangered marine species that “damaged the marine ecosystem,” and the actions taken since the commencement of the arbitration that “had aggravated the disputes.”

Manalo pointed out that the Arbitral Tribunal’s ruling on July 12, 2016 affirmed to the community of nations “that the rule of law prevails, and that stability, peace and progress can only be attained when founded on a rulesbased legal order on the oceans, as it should be everywhere else.”

“The Award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are the twin anchors of the Philippines’ policy and actions on the West Philippine Sea,” he said on the 6th annithe amount of taxes paid (9 percent), addressing environmental degradation (7 percent), support for the restoration of small businesses (7 percent), territorial defense (7 percent), and containing the COVID-19 pandemic (7 percent).

The survey, with 1,200 respondents, has a margin of error of 2.8 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

Earlier, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the high inflation in June was not a problem unique to the Philippines because other countries are suffering the same problem.

“Among our peers, Indonesia’s overall inflation climbed to 4.4 percent in June from 3.6 percent in May. Meanwhile, Thailand’s inflation rate increased to 7.7 percent in June from 7.1 percent in May. Inflation in the Euro zone stood at 8.6 percent in June, the highest in 11 years. Meanwhile, the United States’ inflation rate in May reached a 40-year high of 8.6 percent,” Diokno said.

The increase in June was driven by increases in fuel and transport costs as well as higher prices for basic commodities.

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“Let’s wait for the harvest in July and August. Let’s see in the incoming cycle.

Hopefully, the supply catches up with the high demand,” Morales said.

Morales said among the challenges faced by broiler producers that led to the shortage are high prices of imported feeds, such as corn and soya bean meal.

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“This is just the effect of peso depreciation. Factor in the cost of wheat due to demand, freight costs, ingredients, and you have a concoction of high cost wheat imports,” said PAFMI executive

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Vergeire said the certificate of product registration of Dengvaxia was revoked in 2018 following the announcement of Sanofi Pasteur that the vaccine may lead to “more severe” symptoms for those who have never been infected by dengue prior to vaccination.

“Our government, along with the DOH, is always open to new technology especially if the evidence shows that it can really protect our population. We just need to study it thoroughly again, get inputs from our experts, and have the manufacturer be compliant with our regulations here in the country,” she said.

The dengue vaccination program started during the term of then-Health Secretary Janette Garin in 2016. It was then put on hold when health concerns on the vaccine were raised.

Around 800,000 schoolchildren aged 9 years old and above were, however, able to receive the said vaccine before it was halted.

For her part, Persida Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney’s Office, criticized Solante for asking the Marcos administration to re-evaluate the use of Dengvaxia.

“You know, Dr. Solante is not updated. There was a document released by the Dengvaxia manufacturer on Nov. 29, 2017, and that the Office of the President, with finality, rejected the appeal of Sanofi Pasteur Inc., following the permanent revocation of its certificates of product registration by the Food and Drug Administration,” Acosta said.

“I am not anti-vaccine. In fact, I have complete vaccines, except the Dengvaxia,” she added.

But Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed support to the DOH’s plan to revisit the Dengvaxia vaccine.

Hontiveros said Dengvaxia is being used in several countries to fight dengue.

The DOH on Monday said 64,797 dengue cases were recorded nationwide from January 1 to June 25, 2022, a 90 percent increase compared to the cases reported during the same period last year.

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The DTI secretary also underscored the need to send Filipino teachers abroad for training.

To address the current job mismatch, Pascual said the DTI will collaborate closely with the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and TESDA. Earlier, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said Marcos is open to a possible review of the implementation of the K-to-12 program in schools.

“It is something that President Marcos and I have talked about. And he already gave instructions with regard to the review of the implementation of the K-to-12 program of the Department of Education,” Duterte-Carpio said.

The K-to-12 curriculum was first introduced in 2011 under the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III.

Other factors are the weather condition that extended the time in raising poultries from 32 to 42 days, continuous increase in the price of petroleum products that affects logistical operations, and the avian influenza already being experienced in some parts of the country.

Morales said the DA has already elevated its surveillance to prevent a possible outbreak of the avian influenza.

“We have ordered a collection of samples so that while we do not have a

full-blown outbreak yet, we would have an early detection,” Morales added.

On Monday, the president of the United Broilers and Raisers Association (UBRA), Elias Jose Inciong, said a shortage would ensue if production problems were not addressed.

The group advised President Marcos, who concurrently heads the Department of Agriculture (DA), to craft a plan to boost yield and optimize border controls to prevent zoonotic diseases from reaching the local poultry population.

director Ric Pinca.

Global wheat price hovers at $500 per metric ton (MT) from $330/MT before the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, while the price of local flour went up to over P1,000 per 25-kilogram bag from around P750 to P780 last year.

Pinca cautioned manufacturers and food processors of an impending increase in flour prices in the coming months due to the weak peso.

Local demand, he added, has remained robust despite the pandemic but the industry is yet to see the effect of high prices on consumer appetite in 2022.

Supply, however, remained steady, Pinca said.

“There’s no need to worry. We have a stable supply of flour. We have consistently about three months of purchasing ahead of time. So we continuously have about 90 days supply of raw materials,” he said.

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COA flags NTC over idle P8-m communication gear THE Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) for alleged failure to use its P8 million worth of network coverage monitoring tool and communication equipment for disaster situations in 2021.

In its annual audit report, the COA said the P4.8-million Multiband Network Scanning Receiver and Post Processing Tool, as well as the P3.2-million Rapidly Deployable Communication Equipment bought by the NTC’s Region 1 and Region 4A offices in 2020 remained unused as of Dec. 31, 2021 due to the absence of guidelines from the NTC central office.

“Such a situation of NTC not using them is defeating the purpose for which the equipment were procured, resulting in wastage of government funds,” COA said.

The Multiband Network Scanning Receiver and Post Processing Tool was meant to measure network coverage within a specific area.

The procedure involves driving it around a given loop to measure and detect the pres-

RACE AGAINST TIME. Rescuers race against time to retrieve and probably save some workers including the project engineer of a construction project in Barangay Kaybagal Central in Tagaytay City, who were buried alive when a concrete wall of an adjacent farm collapsed. Danny Pata

Six die as wall collapses in Tagaytay A T LEAST six construction workers were confirmed dead after a concrete wall collapsed on their barracks in Barangay Kaybagal Central in Tagaytay City on Monday night, police said.

Tagaytay City police chief Col. Norman Ranon said the bodies of five more victims were retrieved from the rubble on Tuesday afternoon.

Rescuers earlier recovered three victims—two of them alive, while one was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.

Ranon said one of the survivors was the project engineer who sustained

minor bruises from the incident.

“We already have names (of the victims). We are just withholding it for the meantime because we have yet to talk or communicate with their respective families. We have a total of eight victims, two of whom are in stable condition,” Ranon said in a radio interview.

Rescuers deployed by the local

Bureau of Fire Protection, the Tagaytay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), and the Cavite Provincial DRRMO worked together in the race against time to recover the bodies of the victims.

Initial reports said the workers were resting at the barracks of 3-13 Construction when the six-meter concrete fence blocks of the adjacent Hortaleza Farm caved in at around 6:20 p.m. amid a heavy rain.

City Administrator Gregorio Monreal said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident and the liability of the structure’s owners.

“Iimbestigahan pa namin kasi base dun sa initial assessment, may dati nang pader pero dinagdagan lang nila. Yung structure per see, may building permit pero ‘yung additional works ay parang hindi properly coordinated sa City Engineer’s Office (We are investigating because based on the initial assessment, there is already a wall that was earlier built but there seem to be additional works.

The structure per se has a building permit but it seems the additional works are not properly coordinated with the City Engineer’s Office),” Monreal told reporters.

DPWH: P19.2-m San Juanico bridge project completed THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed construction of a P19.2million view-deck and boardwalk in Tacloban City, showcasing the city’s iconic landmark, the San Juanico Bridge.

DPWH Region 8 Director Allan Borromeo said the project involves the construction of a 450-meter suspended deck slab, 80-meter walkway, and landscaping works to complement the new tourist attraction.

Also part of the project is the provision of comfort rooms and a storage room for the solar generator that will be used to lessen its maintenance costs and energy consumption.

The completion of the view-deck has allowed locals and visitors to safely take photos, do recreational activities, and help generate livelihood opportunities for the people in Leyte.

Prior to the construction of the view-deck, tourists used to drive up to San Juanico Bridge and stop at the side of the road just to take pictures, in the process obstructing traffic flow in the area and posing risks to the travelers.

As implemented by DPWH - Tacloban City District Engineering Office, the new tourism structure was completed with funding from the 2021 General Appropriations Act. Vito Barcelo

MERALCO LINEMEN. Their work seems complicated, but these field workers of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) can make it a simple task of fixing a daunting set of wirings on an electrical post along Pedro Gil St. in Malate, Manila. This as consumers of the utility will enjoy lower rates for July since power rates were slashed by P0.7067 per kWh following a refund ordered by the Energy Regulatory Commission. Norman Cruz

Customs warns of soc-med ‘love scam’ THE Bureau of Customs on Tuesday warned the public anew against members of a syndicate engaged in the so-called “love scam” whose illegal activity in social media continued unabated.

The scammers use the picture of a top Customs - Ninoy Aquino International Airport official in a bid to victimize unsuspecting Facebook users.

“The public is forewarned that unscrupulous individuals are using a fake Facebook account bearing the name “Carmelita Talusan” and posing as district collector in order to scam the public,” the bureau stated in its advisory.

“NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan does

not have a Facebook account and does not use FB to communicate or transact official BOC matters,” the advisory added.

Members of the syndicate grabbed pictures of Port of NAIA officials and used their names to demand money as purported clearance fees for the release of shipments by the bureau.

“The Bureau of Customs does not collect any fees or charges through Gcash or money remittance services. Payment of Customs duties and taxes is through authorized agent banks or BOC cashiers and given the corresponding official receipt for the payments made,” the agency stated.

Customs has been receiving reports about the

scheme through online, email, text message and calls.

The callers usually complained about packages or parcel shipments being “held by Customs” which was supposedly sent to them by their “chatmates” or “online friends.”

The syndicate get in touch with prospective victims online via chat or dating websites. After several weeks or even months, the perpetrators would send a message to their victims through email, promising to send gifts ranging from luxury bags, jewelry, laptop computers and other electronic gadgets via international door-todoor parcel. Joel E. Zurbano

PNP aims to keep criminality down

A PLEASANT SIGHT FOR MOTORISTS. An attendant of a gas station along Congressional Road in Barangay Salitran III, Dasmarinas City in Cavite alters the prices of fuel products on their signboard, signifying a big-time rollback of pump prices following weeks of continual price increases.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday ordered all police chiefs and station commanders to regularly update crime mapping data in their respective areas of responsibility (AORs) with a view to devising effective methods to bring down crime incidence.

PNP director for operations, Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, underscored the need for all police commanders to be updated on the peace and order situation in every street and community in their respective AORs. “Our crime rate has been on the decline in the past six years and we have to sustain our gains in running after all criminal elements for the sake of our kababayan. The instruction of our PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. is clear -- we have to be at least one step ahead of criminal elements and criminal syndicates,” De Leon said.

He said this is in compliance with

Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.’s pronouncement that he wants every street in the country safe for everyone, saying the best efforts of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should be complemented with good peace and order to attract more investors and foreign tourists.

“While our Commander-in-Chief, President Marcos, and his economic team will be busy improving the lives of the Filipino people, we should do our part by doing more in terms of peace and order in the country,” de Leon said.

He said having a clear picture of what is happening on the ground is an essential tool for every police commander to develop, implement, and adjust security measures to deny criminal elements any opportunity to strike.

“Overall, our goal is to deliver the best security measures for the Filipino people for the benefit of all,” he said.

ence of network bands in 2G, 3G, 4G, LTE, and 5G connections to pinpoint locations with the given network bands.

The results would yield measurement of broadband speeds of these network bands used by NTC to audit Internet Service Providers’ (ISP) assertions on internet speeds on select areas of testing.

The Rapidly Deployable Communication Equipment, on the other hand, was supposed to be used during disaster-related situations where infrastructure related to network may be damaged and the surge of network users trying to connect to the main network—Internet Service Providers, public safety agencies, industrial companies and government—may render the main network unstable.

The Rapidly Deployable Communication equipment is supposed to address these issues by providing temporary assistance through establishing critical connections , consisting of portable and wireless platforms with radios, antennas, cable, power with battery, and generator back up.

Romualdez pays final respects to slain former PM Shinzo Abe

By Maricel V. Cruz LEYTE Rep. Martin Romualdez on Tuesday morning paid his last respects to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was assassinated in Nara City in Western Japan last July 8 while delivering a campaign speech.

Romualdez, House Majority Leader in the 18th Congress, personally visited the official residence of Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko to pay tribute to Abe whom he called “a dear friend of the Filipino people.”

He offered again his condolences and sympathies to Abe’s wife, Mrs. Akie Abe; as well as relatives of the late Japanese leader, the Japanese government, and the people of Japan.

“With the deepest and most profound condolences and prayers, we mourn the loss and sudden passing of a great leader and true friend,” Romualdez wrote in the official condolence book.

Romualdez also cited Abe’s love, compassion and kindness for Filipinos and his huge role in making the alliance and people-to-people ties of the Philippines and Japan stronger.

Abe, 67, was shot from behind in broad daylight by a lone gunman. He died five hours later while being given medical attention at the hospital.

Earlier, Romualdez mourned Abe’s death, saying “the world has lost a kind and decent man, a great leader and a statesman.”

“I join the country of Japan and the Filipino nation in mourning the death of the beloved leader,” Romualdez said.

“We send our collective wish across the sea that justice be served to his family and to the Japanese people. This senseless act of violence must be condemned,” Romualdez said.

DENR-LRA forge tie-up on land info THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Land Management Bureau (LMB) has forged a tie-up with the Land Registration Authority (LRA) to ensure a more accurate and accessible land information system in some regions, including Metro Manila.

The agency said the partnership was designed to relieve the transacting public of the hassles of land registration through the use of an online data linkage system.

To test the efficiency of the system linkage, implementation would be test-piloted in the DENR-Region 4-A, Region 7, Region 10 and National Capital Region.

Management Bureau has tapped the Land Registration Authority to ensure a more accurate and accessible land information system some regions, including Metro Manila.

The agency said the partnership is designed to relieve the transacting public of the hassles of land registration through the use of an online data linkage system.

To test the efficiency of the system linkage, implementation would be piloted in the DENR-Region 4-A, Region 7, Region 10 and National Capital Region.

The accord, signed by LRA administrator Robert Nomar Leyretana and LMB director Emelyne Talabis, provided for the procedural guidelines for the registration of patents and plans approved by the DENR in the Registry of Deeds, and other related matters. Rio N. Araja

News A4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

Lakas beefs up roster in Congress with oath-taking of new members

By Maricel V. Cruz

R

EGIONAL political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) President and Davao Occidental Rep. Claude Bautista and Pangasinan Rep. Rachel Arenas on Tuesday took their oaths as Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) members.

NEW LAKAS MEMBER. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep Martin Romualdez (center) administer the oath-taking of

Pangasinan 3rd District Rep Rachel Arenas (right) as new member of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats member during a ceremony in Makati City The event is witness by Lakas-CMD Co-Chairperson and Vice President Sara Duterte (left). Ver Noveno

NBI will prioritize probe on PHSA abuse allegations

THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to prioritize the investigation probe on alleged abuses at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA), following a request from Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said the NBI has been given the order and that the DOJ “will help VP Sara” who earlier wrote the NBI and requested a “comprehensive report on the issue.”

NBI officer-in-charge Medardo de Lemos confirmed that his agency re-

ceived Duterte’s letter, ABS-CBN News reported.

The official said the letter has been given to the NBI’s deputy for investigation and that a special team will be formed.

In a separate statement, NBI spokesperson Gisele Garcia-Dumlao said the NBI “has already referred the case for investigation to one of our Investigative Divisions,” ABS-CBN News further reported.

A June 2022 report by the VICE World News said some current and former students of the PHSA, which is in Laguna, claimed to have experienced

“sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse from some teachers and staff of the institution.”

Current students and alumni signed a letter in January this year urging the PHSA administration to ensure the campus would be safe from abuse. Child rights advocates have urged authorities to investigate the allegations.

The PHSA administration countered the allegations saying the allegations are “unfair.” The school also denied its portrayal as a “haven for abuse” and promised to continue ensuring the safety of its students.

Authorities start preparing security for BBM’s SONA

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has started laying out security preparations for the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City this month.

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) earlier held an interagency meeting to discuss security preparations.

In a Laging Handa briefing, PNP spokesperson, Col. Jean Fajardo, said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has already presented a security plan to Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. for the event.

“We hope that in the coming days, the allied agencies and other government agencies that will be tasked to coordinate and cooperate in our preparation will be included in the meetings and conferences in preparation for the coming SONA of our President,” Fajardo said.

Meanwhile, NCRPO chief, Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad, said they will use the same security template during the major events following the May 9 elections.

“As early as now we are preparing for that already, (on the deployment of the cops) We will do that two weeks before so we are preparing as early as this time. We will adopt the same (security) template nung mga ginawa natin nung eleksyon, proclamation and inauguration (of President Marcos). We hope that our fellow Filipinos will also cooperate with us,” Natividad said in a phone interview.

A series of oculars, walk-throughs, and inter-agency coordination will also be held until the actual day of the SONA on July 25, according to the Presidential Security Group (PSG).

BACK TO CLASS. Elementary students are back in the classroom for face-to-face classes at the Chiang Kai Shek College Main Campus in Tondo, Manila after more than two years due to COVID-19. Norman Cruz

Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, the House Majority Leader in the 18th Congress, administered Bautista and Arenas’ oathtaking in a simple ceremony in Makati City that was witnessed

by Vice President and Education Sec. Sara Duterte, Lakas-CMD and HNP chairperson.

Like Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president, Bautista was also the campaign manager of Duterte in the last presidential elections. “It is indeed a great honor and pleasure to welcome Congressman Claude and Congresswoman Arenas. Thank you for joining Lakas-CMD,”

DepEd says classes for SY 22-23 to start August 22 for public schools THE Department of Education (DepEd) in a social media post said the school year 2022-2023 will start on August 22 for public schools.

The DepEd, in the Facebook post, also said the deadline for the full of face-to-face classes in both public and private schools is in November.

“The School Year 2022-2023 shall formally start on Monday, August 22, 2022, and end on Friday, July 7, 2023.

There shall be a total of 203 days or as may be determined by further issuance/s in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances,” the DepEd order read.

Enrollment will be from July 25 to August 22, while information programs Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela will be conducted on August 1-26 and August 15, respectively, the DepEd further said.

The DepEd also said it will continue the “implementation of the K to 12 curricula amid the challenges posed by the pandemic,” To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, the wearing of face masks shall be mandatory alongside the observation of physical distancing whenever possible.

The commuter advocacy group The Passenger Forum (TPF) meanwhile

asked the government to reconsider its decision to start a phased transition to face-to-face classes starting in September.

Vice President and Education department Secretary Sara DuterteCarpio also proposed a full face-toface set-up by November.

But the TPF cautioned the government that the present situation of public transportation in the country’s metropolitan areas is not ready for a shift to face-to-face classes.

The recent announcement from Malacanang “means we have about two months to solve our public transport issues or at least provide some immediate relief to the plight of our commuters,” TPF Convener Primo Morillo said.

The Department of Transportation plans to coordinate with other government agencies and rationalize PUV trips in anticipation of the shift to face-to-face classes.

Secretary Jaime Bautista said they plan on working with the DepEd, Department of Interior and Local Government, Commission on Higher Education, and Metro Manila Development Authority to ensure a smooth transition. With Joel E. Zurbano and Gabriellea B. Parino

Romualdez, 3 others to push SIM card registration bill Pampanga solon FOUR legislators led by Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez have filed a bill requiring the registration of all postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

At present, only SIM cards for postpaid mobile or cellular phone subscriptions are required to be registered.

Romualdez’s co-authors of the proposed SIM Card Registration Act are Reps. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos of Ilocos Norte, and Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre, both of party-list group Tingog.

“This bill seeks to require ownership registration of SIM cards to eradicate mobile phone-aided criminal activities,” according to the explanatory note of House Bill (HB) 14.

The note stated that the affordability and accessibility of SIM cards “have resulted in the democratization of mobile communications, possibly contributing

to a more leveled playing field in terms of employment, education, and access to public information.”

It said a mobile phone card could be bought for as low as P30 in a sari-sari or convenience store.

It cited a 2020 World Bank report showing that there were 137 cellular phone subscriptions per 100 Filipinos, indicating many Filipinos had more than one subscription or mobile phone.

“On the other hand, having an unregulated SIM card market has also given way to several mobile phone scams. The cases range from simple text messages asking users to send cellular loads, to more sophisticated voice phishing methods and marketing spams that are used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive personal information of unsuspecting mobile phone users,” the explanatory note said.

It noted that cellular phone service providers have blocked millions of text mes-

sages and SIM cards due to complaints from subscribers.

But while these companies are able render such numbers unusable, scammers could easily replace them because of the availability of prepaid mobile phone subscriptions, it said.

“Furthermore, due to the lack of SIM card registration, it becomes nearly impossible to trace the persons behind the text scams and hold them accountable for fraud, breach of data privacy or other punishable offenses that they committed using an unknown mobile number,” it added.

It stressed that the time “has come to regulate the sale and distribution of SIM cards in order to promote end-user accountability, prevent the proliferation of mobile phone scams and data breaches, and to assist law enforcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units.” Maricel V. Cruz

COA orders DOT to submit reports on ‘irregular, excessive’ transactions THE Department of Tourism (DOT) has been asked to submit documents to support the regularity and validity of some of its transactions totaling P3.837 million.

The Commission on Audit (COA) deemed the transactions “irregular, unnecessary, unconscionable, excessive, and extravagant.”

In the 2021 annual audit report on the DOT, state auditors told its management to strictly adhere to governing laws, rules and regulations to ensure regularity of transactions, ABS-CBN News reported.

The COA said among the flagged transactions that have yet to be justified by the DOT was the P236,500 contract of the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) with Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City

Romualdez said.

Romualdez said the entry of lawmakers to Lakas-CMD would strengthen support in the House of Representatives to the legislative agenda of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. “Lakas-CMD is a solid ally of President Bongbong Marcos who received unprecedented mandate, trust and confidence from the people,” Romualdez said.

With Bautista and Arenas joining Lakas-CMD, the total membership of the party in the House of Representatives is now 57. Bautista will remain as HNP president.

for 75 persons despite the attendance of only 13 persons.

Auditors also cited P1.534 million “irregular charging” of financial assistance to Pacific Asia Travel Association.

In its report, the COA further said the DOT Region 1 also spent P697,854 for the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor Launching in Baguio City, including an “extravagant” plated lunch for 60 persons at P1,100 each as well as payment for a canceled lunch reservation at Pannzian Beach and Mountain Resort due to bad weather.

“Otherwise, demand full refund of the amounts considered as irregular, unnecessary, unconscionable, excessive and extravagant in nature,” the audit team, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said.

FRESH PRODUCE. Photo shows a jeepney loaded with vegetables at the

Balintawak Market in Quezon City. Lawmakers say smuggling and illegal importation of agricultural goods have greatly affected the local agriculture sector. Manny Palmero

seeks cityhood for Mexico town

A LAWMAKER from Central Luzon on Tuesday filed a measure converting the municipality of Mexico in Pampanga into a component city.

Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. House Bill 1683 on the premise that Mexico, Pampanga, classified as a first-class municipality, has met all the requirements, and none of any disqualification, as provided for in Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, to become a component city.

Under Section 450, a municipality or a cluster of barangays may be converted into a component city if it has a locally generated average annual income, as certified by the Department of Finance, of at least P100 million for the last two consecutive years based on 2000 constant prices, and if it has either of the following requisites: 1) a contiguous territory of at least 100 square kilometers, as certified by the Land Management Bureau; or 2) a population of not less than 150,000 inhabitants, as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

A landlocked municipality in the coastal province of Pampanga, Mexico is composed of 43 barangays with a land area of 117.41 square kilometers or 45.33 square miles which constitutes 5.87 percent of the province’s total land area. It has a locally generated annual income of P105,518,000.00 for Fiscal Year 2018 and P193,427,992.00 for Fiscal Year 2021 based on the certificate issued by the Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance. Maricel V. Cruz

Opinion Anti-corruption body declared redundant LAST week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued his first executive order abolishing the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission along with the Office of the Cabinet Secretary to achieve “simplicity, economy, and efficiency” in the bureaucracy.

In signing the EO, Marcos said the administration wanted 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.”

Under the EO, the jurisdiction, powers, and functions of the PACC will be transferred to the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs.

This office has been tasked to promulgate new rules of procedure in administrative cases under its jurisdiction, but existing rules promulgated by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission shall remain in force unless otherwise repealed or amended.

The PACC, created under Executive Order 43 on Oct. 4, 2017, was the lead agency mandated to eliminate all forms of corruption in the Executive Department in close coordination with various government agencies.

The agency investigated and gathered evidence against public officials accused of corruption for referral to the Ombudsman. It conducted fact-finding investigations of cases, conducted lifestyle checks on government employees, and created special investigating panels to curb corruption within the government.

The abolition of the PACC, according to Tony La Viña, a former dean of the Ateneo School of Government and a fellow columnist in this paper, is a good decision by the president as there are multiple ways to make erring public officials accountable anyway.

“It’s really a superfluous office…There’s really no need for a Presidential Anti-Graft and Corruption office because that can be done by the Office of the Executive Secretary, they can immediately investigate,” he said. “It’s much faster that way without a commission.”

And here’s the clincher: “I can’t remember a single high presidential official that the PACC got rid of. I’m sure there must be but it just skipped my mind. That tells you it has been a superfluous office...this is not a necessary office, pang-drama lang siya (it’s only there for drama) to be honest.”

We agree completely.

But corruption at the waterfront continues While Malacañang has seen it fit to abolish an agency tasked to run after the corrupt in the bureaucracy but very little to show for it, it seems that the scourge of corruption still runs rampant even with the advent of a new administration.

Informed sources tell us, for instance, that two officials of the Bureau of Customs who come from influential families are raking in grease money through the so-called “tara” system that deprives the government of revenues that should go to the national treasury and used for infrastrucure and social services such as education and health but end up in private pockets.

It appears there’s no way the Dynamic Duo can do any wrong when it comes to thinking of clever moves to make more money, insiders claim. They are reportedly behind the harassment of traders and brokers of cargoes arriving at the pier purportedly to force them to pay the “tara” if they want to expedite the release of their cargoes.

While Malacañang has seen it fit to abolish an agency tasked to run after the corrupt in the bureaucracy but very little to show for it, it seems that the scourge of corruption still runs rampant even with the advent of a new administration The modus operandi of the two Customs officials involves withholding or delaying the release of cargoes.

As a consequence, the traders and brokers will pay demurrage and storage fees with the shipping lines and at the port. In order to avoid the delay in the exit, they will be forced to pass through these two officials, but instead of facilitating the immediate release of the cargoes, the two will require the traders and brokers to produce more documents.

To expedite the release of the cargoes, the traders have no other choice but to pay the “tara.”

Hundreds of thousands of pesos per week are reportedly raised by these two officials.

Despite the volume of complaints, the said BOC officials cannot be transferred or punished because they are said to be very influential and have connections in high places.

It was learned that the two BOC officials are asking their relatives to strongly lobby for their promotion to better and lucrative positions so that they can pocket more grease money through the “tara” system.

Can the new administration be able to stop these two corrupt Customs officials from committing more mischief at the port, and continue to torment and fleece traders and brokers so they fatten their pocketbooks even more? Abangan.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

DICT has big role to play in e-governance, e-commerce AS THE the Philippines seeks to do better in the post-pandemic world, some lawmakers are pushing for greater e-governance and e-commerce efforts as part of larger initiatives for digitalization, which means greater responsibilities for the related government agencies.

The pandemic showed everyone around the world, clearly and unequivocally, that all knowledge-related work, including learning and government work, can be done remotely, and that the use of digital and paperless apps can relieve a lot of the work that used to be done manually and in person.

First World countries have had these advantages for decades; we are still playing catch-up, but not due to lack of brains. We have the knowledge, we just don’t have the means and supportive policies. Some lawmakers are seeking to change that.

Among the recent bills related to digitalization is Sen. Bong Go’s e-governance bill that he refiled in the 19th Congress.

It requires the government to establish “an integrated, interconnected, and interoperable information and resource-sharing and communications network spanning the entirety of the national and local government, an internal records management information system, an information database, and digital portals for the delivery of public services,” according to the bill.

Another thing House Bill 3 or the E-Governance Act of 2022 is pushing for is an end to paper-based workflows. Those responsible for the implementation of this initiative are the heads of each agency, local government unit, and state corporation.

During the pandemic, Go said, long queues and the requirement for physical appointments with government agencies and other public offices unduly burdened the public. At the time, everyone was struggling with health restrictions – remember those pesky and largely unnecessary face shields? -- shortened hours, reduced or suspended onsite working days, and other con-

straints to service delivery.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology will be the principal implementer of the proposed law.

Meanwhile, another set of lawmakers led by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez is bannering their proposed Internet Transactions Act that aims to grow e-commerce in the country.

The bill seeks to “provide protection to consumers and merchants engaged in internet transactions” through the creation of the Electronic Commerce (E-commerce) Bureau to be placed under the Department of Trade and Industry.

The challenge to the current administration is to step up and vastly improve government services in this regard, starting with the improvement of poorly performing internet infrastructure Cited in the bill’s explanatory notes is a 2019 study by Google and Temasek that found total gross merchandise value (GMV) in Southeast Asia has hit $100 billion and is expected to reach $300 billion in 2025.

Sadly, the Philippines had the lowest GMV in 2019 among ASEAN nations at a measly P7 billion, “despite the Philippines’ estimated 76 million active Internet users and high internet penetration rate (71 percent vis-a-vis 54 percent global average), longer spent hours daily on the Internet (10 hours vis-a-vis global average of six hours and 42 minutes), and very high social media penetration for the population aged 13 and above (99 percent vis-a-vis 50 percent global average).”

The bill lists some of the problems preventing the growth of the local e-commerce sector, among them the lack of trust between consumers and merchants, low internet speed, poor lastminute delivery options, few payment schemes, and difficulties returning purchased items.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

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EDITORIAL

Reassuring indeed E FIND it very reassuring, while our hearts bleed for those affected by driving rains, floods, mudslide and erosion in Ifugao in the Cordillera Administrative Region, that there would be enough supply of highland vegetables based on daily consumption.

agement Operation Center has advised farmers to harvest matured crops and make use of postharvest facilities, as well as secure seed reserves, planting materials and other fafrm inputs, including feed and water for livestock.

W

The Department of Agriculture is now preparing to distribute assistance to the affected farmers, the aid to include rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; financial help under the Survival and Recovery Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council

Preliminary reports have suggested some P14.6 million in damage, which reflects a 728 metric tons volume production loss, putting nearly 690 farmers affected with a total agriculture are of 198 hectares.

The Department of Agriculture is now preparing to distribute assistance to the affected farmers, the aid to include rice, corn and assorted vegetable seeds; drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry; financial help under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Program of Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

Assistance also includes indemnity from available funds from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation as well as cash support from the Quick Response Fund for the rehabilitation of affected areas.

The Department of AgricultureDisaster Risk Reduction and Man-

It also recommended the relocation of animals, machineries and equipment to higher ground as well as the clearing of drainage and irrigation.

The assurance by the DA to the public that highland agricultural products, including vegetables like carrots, will come in abundant supply and within a steady price range,

is certainly encouraging.

Officials in the DA-CAR have said the government is continuously implementing measures to address the long-time problem of vegetable wastage and spoilage by helping market the products through linkages and market development, aside from aiding in the transport of the products.

They said the DA is supporting the marketing, selling, transport, and processing of agricultural products.

At the same time, the DA has allotted an amount for the construction of a structure where processing equipment will be housed, and for the distribution of several delivery trucks to cooperatives and farmers’ associations that members can avail of.

Heartening that the DA has been helping farmers bring their produce to the markets within and outside the region through the Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita.

Figures from the DA show a total of 65,555 metric tons of agricultural produce amounting to P4,281,889 have been sold through the Kadiwa from January to May this year.

It is worth noting that small vegetable farmers that do not have transport vehicles are also provided with logistics support through the farmer’s cooperatives and associations.

Renewed hope for the West Philippine Sea Everyman

By Ambassador Albert Del Rosario IT HAS been six years since our country won a resounding victory in The Hague, thereby securing our rights in the West Philippine Sea under international law.

The 2016 Arbitral Award is an emblem of pride for the Filipino as it recognizes our national patrimony in our waters and affirms that the vast resources therein belong to the Filipino people.

Securing the 2016 Arbitral Award had been an arduous fight for our people, and it is the solemn constitutional mandate of our leaders to uphold and enforce the Award.

The six years that passed, however, have been less than ideal for our country because the Duterte administration tragically pursued a policy of appeasing China, in exchange for economic benefits that never materialized.

With a new administration, we are again met with renewed hope.

This is especially true, given that, on May 26, 2022, then President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declared that “Our sovereignty is sacred and we will not compromise it in any way” and “We will not allow a single square millimeter of our maritime coastal...rights to be trampled upon.”

President Marcos Jr. further stated that “We have a very important ruling in our favor. We will use it to continue to assert our territorial rights. It’s not a claim, it is already our territorial right and that is what the arbitral ruling can do to help us.”

We would like to respectfully state that we fully support this position and we believe that this is the best position that serves the interests of the Filipino people.

In this regard, we were also heartened to hear the appointment of Enrique Manalo as Foreign Affairs Secretary. Secretary Manalo is a career diplomat with decades of proven experience in the complexities of foreign affairs.

If the position taken by President Marcos Jr. is fully pursued, then we respectfully proffer our modest means to help the new administration achieve its declared objective in enforcing the rights of the Filipino people in the West Philip-

pine Sea. As such, may we restate a few of our suggestions in achieving this objective: First is to consistently raise the Award before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and sponsor a UN Resolution showing the support of other countries in enforcing the Award.

We believe that the Award has the support of the international community which believes in the Rule of Law. The Award benefits the coastal States of the South China Sea (i.e., Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei), whose lands and seas are encroached upon by China’s nine-dash line.

Securing the 2016 Arbitral Award had been an arduous fight for our people, and it is the solemn constitutional mandate of our leaders to uphold and enforce the Award The Award also benefits the rest of the other countries in the world like the United States, the European Union and Japan because it upholds international law and affirms the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Second is to strengthen our means to defend our waters and enforce the Award, by developing a minimum credible defense posture.

In this regard, we welcome our country’s acquisition of BrahMos missiles, which are meant to protect Filipino rights in our waters. We respectfully submit that the administration of President Marcos, Jr. should continue to support this defense project.

We should conduct more joint patrols in the South China Sea with our security partners, to enforce our maritime zones and especially to protect our soldiers who are selflessly guarding areas in our West Philippine Sea, such as those in Pag-Asa and Ayungin Shoal.

We should strengthen our security alliances,

The proposed E-Commerce Bureau is supposed to be the point agency that will address some of these problems, particularly those related to trust building and the formulation of appropriate plans, policies, and programs. It can be expected that DICT will be roped in to help with this as well in terms of linkages and infrastructure.

These are two proposed laws that should be given serious attention if e-governance and digitalization is to swiftly proceed in the country.

The institutionalization and normalization of e-governance will vastly improve the service delivery of government agencies, LGUs, and other government bodies, while providing a good cli-

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

mate for e-commerce to grow will help solve the problem of expanding the economy amid pandemic restrictions without resorting to compelling employees to return to onsite work, as past president Rodrigo Duterte’s government did.

The challenge to the current administration is to step up and vastly improve government services in this regard, starting with the improvement of poorly performing internet infrastructure.

Rodrigo Duterte tried in a backhanded way to address this issue by bringing in a “third telco,” but it has not made itself felt in a practical and effective way that translates to the upliftment of actual life experience.

especially the 1951 US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty or “MDT,” which the US declared as applicable in the South China Sea as part of the Pacific and, therefore, includes the West Philippine Sea. Third, given unprecedented inflation and that a major source of our country’s energy, i.e., the Malampaya gas field, will run out of gas in the next few years, it is imperative for our country to find new energy sources, while remaining steadfast in upholding our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, as embodied in the Award.

Our resources in the West Philippine Sea are immeasurable and will support us for generations.

We would like to see President Marcos, Jr. appoint an upright and patriotic person to head our Department of Energy, who has the talent and skill to find ways to secure new energy sources needed by our country, while steadfastly upholding our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. Fourth, and finally, we should start working on making China compensate our countrymen for destroying the breeding grounds of fish and other marine life in the Spratlys.

More than half of our country’s 110 million Filipinos live in coastal communities, relying on marine resources for their daily needs.

The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute conservatively estimated that our country is losing at least P33.1 billion annually from our damaged reef ecosystems due to China’s reclamation activities and illegal fishing operations.

This sums up to P297.9 billion since the start of 2014 (around the time China started dredging) until the end of this year.

This money may be used to save our fish, rehabilitate the marine ecosystem destroyed by China in our waters and help our economy.

Our suggestions are no easy task and would take considerable will, patriotism and courage to accomplish them.

At this juncture, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is given a rare opportunity by the nation to do what is right, protect our patrimony and help the Filipino people.

(ADR is former Philippine Ambassador to the United States and Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs) The field is still dominated by the usual players, who, to their credit, are seeking ways to improve their services, the cost of which, however, is passed on to consumers.

The new administration has a chance to leave a lasting positive legacy here, by supporting public and private sector efforts to promote and speed up digitalization efforts across all aspects of society.

In this short column, we have not even tackled the urgent need to improve online learning infrastructure. DICT will be at the forefront of such efforts, and we hope they are up to the challenge. *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

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

Associate Editors News Editor City Editor

Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard ORIENTAL MINDORO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. TODAY

(O R M E C O, Inc.)

INVITATION TO BID ORIENTAL MINDORO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. (ORMECO, INC.), through its BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE (BAC), hereby intends to apply the sum of Six Million Four Hundred Three Thousand Five Hundred and 0/100 Pesos Only (₱6,403,500.00) funded by Consumer’s Payment and Eighteen Million Nine Hundred Seventy Thousand Eight Hundred Fifty Seven and 0/100 Pesos Only (₱18,970,857.00) funded by 5% Reinvestment Fund inclusive of all applicable taxes and fees, being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC), for the procurement, supply, and delivery of materials/ supplies/equipment.

1.

ORMECO, INC. now calls for the submission of a Letter of Intent by the interested bidders thru email at ormeco.bac.official@gmail.com. The list of the ORMECO, INC. Eligibility Requirements may be viewed at www.ormeco-inc.com, https://www.facebook.com/ OrientalMindoroElectricCooperativeInc, and can be requested through email ormeco_coop@ yahoo.com, or call the contact numbers listed above. An amount of two hundred fifty pesos (₱ 250.00) is required as Accreditation Fee;

2.

ORMECO, INC. now invites suppliers for the following: LOT

ITEM DESCRIPTION

QUANTITY

ABC (INCLUSIVE OF VAT)

I-A

Pole, Steel, 35’, Bare-3.0 mm, 86 Micron, 500 kgs (Minimum Load Break) Pole, Steel, 40’, Bare-4.0 mm, 86 Micron, 1280 kgs (Minimum Load Break)

50 pcs 25 pcs

₱2,325,000.00

Anchor, Screw Eye Shaft, 3/4” X 8’, HOG, Forged Bolt, Double Arming 5/8” X 16”, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt, Double Upset 5/8” X 10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Machine, 1/2” X6”, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt, Machine 1/2” X 10”, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt, Machine S/8” X 10”, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt, Oval Eye 5/8” X 10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Oval Eye 5/8” X 12”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Single Upset 5/8” X 10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Thimble Eye 5/8” X 10”, Straight Type, HDG, Forged Brace, Cross-arm, Flat 28”, Steel, Hot Dip Galvanized Clamp, Dead-end Strain, #1/0 ACSR Clamp, Dead-end Strain, #2/0 ACSR Clamp, Loop Dead-end, #2/0 ACSR Clamp, Loop Dead-end, #2 TO #1/0 ACSR Clamp, Suspension, #4 - #4/0 ACSR Conductor, Bare, ACSR #2, AWG 6/1 (Meters) Conductor, Insulated, ACSR #2, AWG 6/1 (Meters) Connector, Compression, #6 - #4 ACSR Run To 06 - #4 Guy, Dead-end Grip, 3/8” Insulator, Pin Type, Porcelain, ANSI, Class 56-1 Insulator, Suspension, 6”, ANSI, Class 52-1 Nut, Eye, S/8”, Conventional, Hot Dip Galvanized Nut, Thimble Eye, 5/8” Single Eye, Hot Dip Galvanized Pin, Crossarm, long Shank, 1” Thread Dia.,1-3/8” x 13-3/4” Pin, Pole Top, Channel, 1” Thread, 1 3/8” X 25” long, Hot Dip Galvanized (for 56-1) Rod, Ground Steel, Galvanized, 5/8” X 10’, Hot Dip Galvanized Washer, Square, Flat, 2-1/4” X 2-1/4” X 3/16” Crossarm, Steel, 3” X 4” X 8’, 3 mm, Hot Dip Galvanized

COST OF BID DOCUMENTS (NONREFUNDABLE) ₱5,000.00

250 pcs 300 pcs 500 pcs 500 pcs 500 pcs 500 pcs 500 pcs 500 pcs 250 pcs 250 pcs 500 pcs 300 pcs 300 pcs 100 pcs 1,000 pcs 300 pcs 10,000 mtrs 5,000 mtrs 2,000 pcs 500 pcs 1,000 pcs 600 pcs 500 pcs 400 pcs 420 pcs 600 pcs 200 pcs 2,000 pcs 90 pcs 70 pcs

₱ 4,078,500.00

II-A

Pole, Steel 25’, Bare-3.0mm, 86 Micron, 500kgs (Minimum Load Break) Pole, Steel 30’, Bare-3.0mm, 86 Micron, 500kgs (Minimum Load Break) Pole, Steel 35’, Bare-3.0mm, 86 Micron, 500kgs (Minimum Load Break) Pole, Steel 40’, Bare-3.0mm, 86 Micron, 500kgs (Minimum Load Break)

60 pcs 95 pcs 95 pcs 41 pcs

₱5,900,500.00

II-B

Insulator, Pin Type, 23KV 56-1 Pin Crossarm, Long Shank, 1” Thread Dia., 20” long, Hot Dip Galvanized Forged Pin, Pole Top, Channel, 1” Thread, 1 3/8” x 25” Long, Hot Dip Galvanized Crossarm, Steel 3”x4”x8’, 3mm, Hot Dip Galvanized Brace, Cross-arm, Flat 28”, Steel, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt Carriage 3/8”x 4 1/2, Hot Dip Galvanized Bolt, Double Upset 5/8”x10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Machine 5/8”x10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Machine 5/8”x14”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Bolt, Single Upset 5/8”x10”, Hot Dip Galvanized, Forged Washer, Square, Flat, 2-1/4”x 2-1/4” x 3/16” Brace, Sidearm, Diagonal, 7’, Steel, Hot Dip Galvanized

906 pcs 517 pcs 397 pcs 200 pcs 272 pcs 272 pcs 582 pcs 598 pcs 136 pcs 291 pcs 291 pcs 30 pcs

₱1,475,157.00

5 pcs

₱3,500,000.00

₱5,000.00

30 units, 30 units, 14 units, 5 units

₱6,565,000.00

₱10,000.00

I-B

FUNDING SOURCE

Consumer’s Payment

B2

World

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sri Lanka prexy in airport standoff in escape attempt S RI Lanka’s embattled president was stuck in his own country Tuesday in a humiliating standoff with airport immigration staff blocking his exit to safety abroad, official sources said Tuesday.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa has promised to resign on Wednesday and clear the way for a “peaceful transition of power” following widespread protests against him over the country’s unprecedented economic crisis.

The 73-year-old leader fled his official residence in Colombo just before tens of thousands of protesters overran it on Saturday and wanted to travel to Dubai, officials said.

As president, Rajapaksa enjoys immunity from arrest, and he is believed to want to go abroad before stepping down to avoid the

possibility of being detained.

But immigration officers were refusing to go to the VIP suite to stamp his passport, while he insisted he would not go through the public facilities fearing reprisals from other airport users.

The president and his wife spent the night at a military base next to the main international airport after missing four flights that could have taken them to the United Arab Emirates.

Rajapaksa’s youngest brother Basil, who resigned in April as finance minister, missed his own Emirates flight to Dubai early Tuesday after a similar standoff with airport staff.

Basil tried to use the paid concierge service for business travelers, but airport and immigration staff said they were withdrawing from the fast track service with immediate effect.

“There were some other passengers who protested against Basil boarding their flight,” an airport official told AFP. “It was a tense situation, so he hurriedly left the airport.”

Basil, a US dual citizen, had to obtain a new passport after leaving his behind at the presidential palace when the Rajapaksas beat a hasty retreat to avoid mobs on Saturday, a diplomatic source said.

Official sources said a suitcase full of documents had also been left behind at the stately mansion along with 17.85 million rupees in cash, now in the custody of a Colombo court.

There was no official word from the president’s office about his whereabouts, but he remained commander-in-chief of the armed forces with military resources at his disposal.

One option still open to him would be to take a navy vessel to either India or the Maldives, a defense source said.

If Rajapaksa steps down as promised, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will automatically become acting president until parliament elects an MP to serve out the presidential term, which ends in November 2024. AFP

₱5,000.00

IN BRIEF HK jails terminally ill 75-yr old activist

Crossarm, Steel, 3” X 4” X 10’, 3 mm, Hot Dip Galvanized

₱10,000.00

SPECTACULAR VIEW. People take pictures as the sun sets over Manhattan on 42nd street during the ‘Manhattanhenge’ in New York on July 11, 2022. The Manhattanhenge is an event in which the sunset or sunrise is aligned on the east-west grid of main streets in Manhattan, New York. AFP

₱5,000.00

5% Reinvestment Fund

III

Vacuum Circuit Recloser with Microcontroller

IV-A

Transformer, Pole Type, Cu-Cu Winding 1Ø 7.62/13.2KV, 120/240V, 60Hz Silicon, Conventional, Single bushing SB – 15 KVA Pole Type, SB – 25 KVA Pole Type, SB – 37.5 KVA Pole Type, SB – 50 KVA Pole Type

IV-B

Fuse cutout and arrester combination, 15kV, Class 100

77 pcs.

₱431,200.00

₱500.00

Meter, KWH, 3 Phase, Electronic, Form 48A, 120/480V, Electronic, Energy, KVARH, Demand w/ TOU; Meter, KWH, 3 Phase, Class 200, 3W, 240V, 30A, Form 12S, Electronic, Demand, KVARH and w/ TOU; Meter, Base Socket CL-200, 5 Jaw (Rectangular, Panel Type)

3 pcs; 50 pcs; 50 pcs

₱1,099,000.00

₱5,000.00

V

Japan mourns as funeral for former Prime Minister Abe held in Tokyo

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the NEA Memorandum NO. 2017-019: Revised Procurement Guidelines and Simplified Bidding Procedures for Electric Cooperatives, IRR-RA 10531 (2017);

4.

The schedule of bidding activities is as follows: ACTIVITIES

SCHEDULE

Release of Invitation to Bid

13 July 2022 (Wednesday)

Submission of Letter of Intent thru email / Availability of Bidding Documents

14 – 20 July 2022 Office Hours, at ORMECO, INC. Office (ormeco. bac.official@gmail.com) 9:00 am for Lot I-A & II-A

Pre-Bid Conference

10:30 am for Lot I-B & II-B

21 July 2022 (Thursday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

1:00 pm for Lot III 3:00 pm for Lot IV-A

Deadline of Bid Submission/ Opening and Evaluation of Bids

22 July 2022 (Friday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

9:00 am for Lot IV-A

8 August 2022 (Monday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

9:00 am for Lot I-A

9 August 2022 (Tuesday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

9:00 am for Lot I-B

10 August 2022 (Wednesday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

9:00 am for Lot III

11 August 2022 (Thursday) at ORMECO, INC. Board Room

9:00 am for Lot IV-B

10:30 am for Lot V 1:00 pm for Lot II-A 1:00 pm for Lot II-B 1:00 pm for Lot IV-A 1:00 pm for Lot V

Post-Qualification

12 - 17 August 2022

Approval through Board Resolution and Issuance of Notice of Award

Board Meeting for the Month of August 2022

Signing of Contract

After Issuance of Notice of Award

Delivery Schedule

To be announced during the Pre-Bid Conference

5.

Only those who have bought the Bidding Documents shall be allowed to attend or participate during the Pre-Bidding Conference, where their presence is MANDATORY;

6.

All bids shall be opened and read in the presence of Bidders or their duly authorized representatives. All bids shall be accompanied by a scanned copy of a validated bank deposit slip or screenshot of a successful electronic fund transfer representing payment of bid bond equivalent to 2% of ABC.

7.

The winning bidder shall issue Performance Security in the form of Cash, Cashier’s Check, Manager’s Check, issued by a Universal or Commercial Bank, equivalent to five percent (5%) of the Contract Price; and

8.

ORMECO, INC. reserves the right to accept or reject any bids, declare a failure of bidding, and not to award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

ORMECO, INC. also has no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

Certified by:

Noted by:

(SGD.) ENGR. MICHAEL O. GUICO Chairperson, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC)

(SGD.) ENGR. HUMPHREY A. DOLOR Head of Procuring Entity (HOPE)

(MS-JULY 13, 2022)

FAMILY and friends of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe gathered at a Tokyo temple Tuesday for a private funeral, as mourners outside condemned the leader’s “despicable” murder.

Abe was shot at close range on Friday while giving a campaign speech in the city of Nara, days ahead of upper house elections that saw his ruling party strengthen its hold on power.

The murder suspect, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, is in custody and has told police he targeted Abe because he believed the politician was linked to an organisation he resented.

Although the funeral rites were for family members and close associates only, long lines of people, some dressed in black, came to the Zojoji temple to pay respects to Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.

“I can’t get over my sadness, so I came here to lay flowers and say a prayer,” consultant Tsukasa Yokawa, 41, told AFP, describing Abe as “a great prime minister who did a lot to elevate Japan’s presence” on the global stage.

“It’s despicable,” said Yuko Takehisa, a 51-year-old assistant nurse who lives in Kanagawa, near Tokyo.

“More could have been done to prevent it,” she said, complaining that “no one reported” Yamagami to police despite reports he had testfired a handmade gun before the attack.

Satoshi Ninoyu, the chairman of the National Public Safety Commission, a cabinet position overseeing national police, pledged Tuesday to hold a full review of any security failings.

Local police have already admitted flaws in their guarding program for the high-profile politician, who was approached from behind and shot in broad daylight.

Police searches of the suspect’s home have found pellets and other possible components for building a gun like the crude weapon used in the attack, Japanese media reported Tuesday, citing unnamed investigative sources.

Yamagami spent three years in Japan’s navy and reportedly told investigators that his mother’s large donations to a religious organization had caused the family financial troubles. AFP

Bhutan’s trailblazing beauty queen speaks up for LGBTQ community TASHI Choden will not only be the first contestant to represent Bhutan at the Miss Universe competition – she is also the Himalayan country’s only openly gay public figure.

The remote country is famed for its philosophy of “Gross National Happiness,” in which it prioritizes citizens’ well-being on par with economic growth.

But up until February 2021, gay sex was defined in the penal code as “sexual conduct against the laws of nature,” and branded illegal in the Buddhist country.

That makes Choden’s crowning last month as Miss Bhutan 2022 a “huge deal” for the country of almost 800,000 people and its LGBTQ community, she said.

“I’m not only speaking for the Bhutanese community but I’m speaking for the minority community on a platform like the Miss Universe pageant,” she told AFP. “I can be their voice.”

The 23-year-old—who lost both her parents by the time she was 14—said she came out last June, on International Pride Day, after “a lot of research and introspection.”

It initially prompted a “very strong reaction” from her conservative and religious family members, but Choden said it was important for them to be part of her coming-out process.

“First and foremost, their acceptance matters to me,” she said. “After a while, they were very accepting of it. And I’m very grateful for that because a lot of people are not that fortunate to have that acceptance.

“As long as they know I’ll do well in life, that I can stand on my own feet, that I can be an independent woman—I think my sexuality doesn’t really matter to them.”

While she received “some negative reactions” online after she was crowned and chosen to represent Bhutan in Miss Universe, her win appeared to garner support from inside the country and abroad.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering—who famously still practises as a doctor on weekends as a “de-stresser” —personally congratulated her and wished her success.

Bhutan has always ploughed its own furrow, benchmarking itself not just on economic growth but also on maintaining the ecological health of its picturesque valleys and snow-capped mountains.

The country is carbon negative and its constitution mandates that 60 percent of Bhutan remains forested. AFP

A HONG KONG activist with terminal cancer was jailed Tuesday for attempted sedition over a planned protest against Beijing’s Winter Olympics that was foiled by a pre-emptive arrest.

Koo Sze-yiu was arrested on February 4, the opening day of the Winter Olympics, after he had announced plans to protest outside Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong.

The 75-year-old was formally charged the next day with “attempting to do or making any preparation to do an act or acts with seditious intention”—a colonial-era offense—and denied bail.

Principal magistrate Peter Law on Tuesday jailed Koo for nine months, saying that the “serious” case required a deterrent sentence.

The longtime activist was defiant in court, saying that “getting jailed is a part of my life.”

“I don’t mind being a warrior for the democracy movement, and I don’t mind being a martyr for democracy and human rights,” he said.

Koo is the latest activist to be jailed in Hong Kong’s crackdown on dissent, which has been propelled by the national security law—imposed by Beijing after the city’s pro-democracy protests in 2019.

While sedition is a colonial-era law, the courts now treat it with the same severity as acts that endanger national security.

Koo’s lawyers had argued that his planned protest was an exercise in free speech and that the sedition charge was unconstitutional.

But the magistrate said the slogans on his protest materials—which read “down with the Communist Party and one-party dictatorship”—aimed to overthrow the regime, and were provocative given the context of 2019’s protests.

“During the movement, many people directed blame toward the Chinese Communist Party, and despite the movement ending, many have not yet recovered emotionally,” Law said.AFP

Paris 2015 attacker accepts life sentence THE sole surviving member of an Islamic State group cell that killed 130 people in Paris in 2015 has not appealed his whole-life sentence for the killings, the Paris chief prosecutor said Tuesday.

Salah Abdeslam, a 32-year-old Frenchman of Moroccan origin, was captured alive by police four months after the bloodbath at the Bataclan concert hall and other locations, the worst peace-time atrocity in modern French history.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the toughest possible punishment under French law.

The 19 others sentenced for their role leading up to and following the attacks also declined to appeal, prosecutor Remy Heitz told AFP. They had 10 days to lodge any appeal after their sentencing, a deadline that expired at midnight Monday.

The decision of the special court handling the cases “has now acquired permanent status and there will not be an appeal trial,” he said. AFP

Tashi Choden

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Business ANA LIZA ASIS-CASTRO

Green Light

The client is the VIP! The client is king!

“It was nerve-racking to be in search of an identical house that I rented for 15 years. I appreciate your persistence to show me the hi-rise condominium unit despite my reluctance. I could not see myself living up there. But it was euphoria the moment I stepped into the condo. I was on top of the world drifted and enveloped by the magnificent unobstructed views that surrounded me as I stood in the middle of the unit. I know that it was a unique and hardto-find property. I am glad I took it. I recall glimpses of happy memories in the condo which I called home for a decade. Your assistance to coordinate the repairs and maintenance with the landlord made it easier for me until the lease ended. I was sad to leave. It was stressful to go through the process once again. It is unbelievable that my new home is an equally impressive and gorgeous house in a posh village! It would have been difficult without your help. Thank you. —Your Client WITHOUT a doubt, the above client expressed a pleasurable experience.

A positive experience makes clients happy, but the opposite delivers displeasure. The valence of experiences refers to what is positive or negative, good or bad, favorable or unfavorable, pleasant or unpleasant.

Emotions have their duration and purpose. According to Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist specializing in the anatomy of the brain, emotions last for only ninety seconds.

Emotions are in the mind that changes feelings. For example, a client feels pain and sadness when leaving a home filled with fond memories. However, if moving out is brought about by a promising new job that requires relocation, then the client becomes excited as the departure date nears.

Decisions are based on subjective and objective experiences.

Experiences reside in the client’s memories that form past learnings. They remain in their subconscious mind, and are retrieved when a client must decide something. A client glues related experiences and forms opinions on the choices needed to be made. Opinions are subjective decisions. Subjective decisions have something to do with the consciousness connected to past and present experiences. Feelings develop when a client becomes aware of his or her emotions.

I have heard clients say, “It’s just my gut feel. So, let’s do it!”

Gut-feel decisions are based on subjected understandings of experiences buried in the subconscious. So, is it right to say that what a client experiences are his or her reality?

Subjective experience contrasts with objective experience, which is observable and verifiable. Objective experience is tangible and unbiased, and can be experienced by others, too. Decisions based on objective experiences are often logical and reasonable.

Experiential marketers consider humans to be both rational and emotional. Clients hold the value of pleasure when making purchase decisions.

The conscious process of consumption starts with what a client perceives, feels and thinks. Every minute in the client’s purchase journey interconnects with the here-and-now experiences.

Consumption goes through a conscious process of awareness of sensation that pertains to what the client feels, touches, smells, sees and hears. It also captures the client’s memories, thoughts, and reasoning through language. As such, the pain and pleasure that a client encounters are momentary experiences that can be seen in facial expressions and body language. In her video, Cindy Bishop explained that if a client’s feet point toward the door, he or she is not interested in the property that the real estate broker is showing.

Experiences also have mental representations, otherwise referred to as intentionality. A dark hallway in a house gives the feeling that the house is haunted. The question is, is it possible to know a client’s consciousness to continuously strike deals? According to Professor David Chalmer of New York University and Australian National University, people’s consciousness is private.

If the goal is to achieve client loyalty for repeat businesses, then a real estate broker needs to understand the customer experience and know how to deliver appealing client experiences. Should the real estate broker sell a utility of choice, which refers to the functionality of the real estate product, such as the number of windows in the apartment? Or should the real estate broker offer a utility of consumption, such as a visionary experience of enjoying external ventilation in all bedrooms? Quite a difference, isn’t it?

According to scholars Gentile and colleagues, the client experience must integrate client and real estate broker interactions that have to embrace personal, rational, emotional, sensorial, physical and spiritual involvements. Consciousness is subjective; therefore, the real estate broker should create memorable experiences for the client throughout the experience journey. The real estate broker must lead all stages of the experience journey and make sure that what is controllable results in an enjoyable and engaging client experience.

A client discontinues the engagement when he or she has an unpleasant experience. Losing a client could be just the beginning.

The client’s subconscious mind banks the disagreeable experience.

A disappointed client may nitpick on social media and destroy the brand that the real estate broker has built.

The client experience journey starts when the client becomes aware of a need to buy or rent a real estate product because of an expected baby that requires additional bedrooms. Clients use websites, social media, and real estate apps to see what is available in the market which a real estate broker should make available with ease of use. In viewing properties, the real estate broker must be efficient and effective. When the client evaluates the available options, the real estate broker can provide comparative values, features and benefits. The most exciting stage for a real estate broker is the purchase stage. The real estate broker must be ready to offer solutions, assist the client when the property is handed over, and continue the relationship for future business.

The client experience journey process helps the real estate broker create a script of interactions with the client. It aids in identifying potential problems and setbacks at every touchpoint in the journey. Great real estate brokers help clients create good memories. A client-centric approach puts the client as the focus of all touchpoints controllable by the real estate broker. This is because experience matters, and the client is a Very Important Person. The client is king.

B3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Shares decline slightly; Ayala, ICTSI lead losers

S

TOCKS slipped Tuesday on mild profit taking, picking their cue from the rest of Asia and Wall Street.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index decreased 38.70 points, or 0.6 percent, to 6,349.94 on a value turnover of P4.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 105 to 82, with 49 issues unchanged.

Ayala Corp. of the Ayala Group dropped 3.7 percent to P620, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group fell 3 percent to P813.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. of tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., the biggest port operator, declined 2.8 percent to P184, but Semirara Mining and Power Corp. of the Consunji Group, the largest coal miner, climbed 3 percent to P38 The rest of Asian equities fell Tuesday, along with oil, on fears that central bank moves to fight inflation will spark a recession, while the euro fell towards parity with the dollar as cost-of-living crises loom over the eurozone

economy.

Worries about a COVID flare-up in China— fuelling fears of more lockdowns—added to the downbeat mood, just as investors prepare for a week of data and earnings that could have huge implications for markets.

Wall Street ended with more losses, with tech firms taking the brunt of the selling on expectations for an extended period of hefty interest rate hikes—the sector is particularly susceptible to higher borrowing costs.

A forecast-beating US jobs report last week suggested the world’s top economy was coping with higher Federal Reserve rates, but it also gave the bank more room to continue lifting— leading to concerns it could go too far and cause a contraction.

“While the jobs report on Friday highlighted that the US is faring better than the rest in the race to avoid a recession, the rest of the world is sinking under the weight of a cost-of-living crisis and higher interest rates,” said OANDA’s Craig Erlam. With AFP

TOP GAINERS

1 INFRA 2 TUGS 3 MARC 4 GERI

LAST PRICE CHANGE 1.06 0.06 1 0.05 1.4 0.07 0.88 0.04

% CHANGE 6.00% 5.26% 5.26% 4.76%

5 6

WEB BHI

4.08 0.092

0.18 0.004

4.62% 4.55%

7 8 9 10

EEI T ACEX CNPF

3.64 0.74 14.36 25.85

0.15 0.03 0.56 1

4.30% 4.23% 4.06% 4.02%

TOP LOSERS

ENERGY FORUM. A general view of the Sydney Energy Forum on July 12, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. The Sydney Energy Forum brings together global leaders across government, industry, academia, technology and innovation to identify solutions to delivering clean energy supply chains across the Indo-Pacific. AFP

1 GPH 2 ALHI 3 FFI 4 VVT 5 PBC

LAST PRICE CHANGE 10.5 -4.04 6.03 -1.8 4.28 -1.22 14.14 -1.86 16.1 -1.86

% CHANGE -27.79% -22.99% -22.18% -11.63% -10.36%

6 7 8 9 10

530.5 13.12 0.41 0.43 0.225

-9.86% -9.39% -8.89% -8.51% -7.79%

Twitter stock sinks as Musk mocks lawsuit threat

NEW YORK, United States—Twitter shares plunged Monday as Elon Musk issued a mocking, defiant commentary about a looming court battle after he ditched a $44-billion buyout of the social media giant.

Shares of the microblogging platform fell 11.3 percent to finish at $32.65, with analysts saying Musk’s exit places the company in a vulnerable state at a challenging moment for its core business.

After weeks of threats, Musk on Friday pulled the Manila plug on the deal, accusing Twitter of “misStandard leading”TODAY statements about the number of fake accounts, according to a letter from his lawyers included in a US securities filing.

In his first public remarks since the announcement, Musk took to Twitter late Sunday night to troll the company after it said it would sue to enforce the deal.

“They said I couldn’t buy Twitter. Then they

wouldn’t disclose bot info. Now they want to force me to buy Twitter in court. Now they have to disclose bot info in court,” he wrote in a tweet, with each of the four statements accompanied by pictures of Musk laughing with increasing glee.

A second tweet showed an image of martial arts star Chuck Norris behind a chess board, which Musk captioned, “Chuckmate.”

Twitter offered a fresh rebuttal of its own late Monday, releasing a letter from its legal team to Musk’s lawyers that called the Tesla boss’s grounds for ending the deal “invalid and wrongful,” according to a securities filing.

“Twitter demands that Mr. Musk and the other Musk Parties comply with their obligations under the Agreement, including their obligations to use their respective reasonable best efforts to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by the Agreement,” said Twitter attorneys at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. AFP

Dr. Ana Liza Asis-Castro is a part-time faculty at the Department of Management and Organization of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University, where she teaches in the MBA program. She welcomes comments at ana.liza.asiscastro@gmail.com.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of De La Salle University, its faculty, and its administrators.

PSEi July 12, 2022

(MS-JULY 13 & 14, 2022)

(MS-JULY 13 & 14, 2022)

FEU APVI ATNB WPI RLT

-58 -1.36 -0.04 -0.04 -0.019

MOST ACTIVE

1 ALI 2 SCC 3 ICT 4 SM

VOLUME 19,359,000 9,982,000 1,929,540 415,020

VALUE (PHP) 493,435,980 374,954,750 356,673,496 338,886,845

5 6

BDO AC

1,833,520 330,310

221,376,801 208,229,445

7 8 9

CNVRG JGS MONDE

7,612,600 2,737,300 9,931,900

165,598,020 139,487,765 135,464,936

10

BPI

1,348,370

120,707,511

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

IN BRIEF

PSALM requests SPPC to pay P34b

STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. said Tuesday the overdue payables of South Premiere Power Corp. have reached P34.04 billion as of June.

“This amount is based on PSALM’s computations of generation payments for the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan natural gas combined cycle power plant that takes into consideration the prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market,” PSALM said in a statement.

SPPC is a power unit of San Miguel Corp., while the WESM is the trading floor of electricity.

PSALM said its computation based on WESM prices was in accordance with its independent power producer administrator administration agreement provisions with SPPC dated May 11, 2010.

“While SPPC has already remitted to PSALM about P285.37 billion as of 30 June 2022, it is PSALM’s view that these remittances of SPPC were insufficient because they were not based on the WESM prices,” the agency said. Alena Mae S. Flores

PLDT inaugurates new cable landing site PLDT Inc. said Tuesday it inaugurated its international cable landing station in Daet, Camarines Norte to boost its international capacity.

“This new cable system significantly advances not just PLDT’s digital infrastructure, but more importantly, the overall digital readiness of the country as well,” PLDT and Smart Communications first vice president Jojo Gendrano said.

“The Jupiter Cable system serves as an international highway for global data traffic to reach the Philippines. It is expected to exponentially boost the country’s international capacity to the USA and Japan, further encourage the global trade of digital services, and as a result propel the country’s digital economy,” he said.

The Jupiter Cable System is the latest addition to PLDT’s 16 international cables routing critical data traffic going in and out of the country. It traverses the Pacific Ocean from North America connecting directly to Maruyama and Shima in Japan and to Daet, Camarines Norte in the Philippines. It is now the fastest cable system between the Philippines and the United States.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Globe supports e-governance bill GLOBE Telecom Inc. expressed support to a proposed bill that aims to digitalize government processes in line with the administration’s goal to streamline transactions.

Globe said in a statement it welcomes the filing of the e-governance bill, a fresh attempt to pass an earlier Senate bill on government digitalization that was left at the committee level in the 18th Congress.

“We welcome the move towards digital tools and processes in government. This will help speed up transactions with government agencies, from getting necessary documents for school or employment to securing business permits and registration,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

“Digitalization offers convenience and ease of doing routine transactions. It saves time and effort that would be spent in interminable queues which is very unproductive.

Ultimately, the digital shift will help reinvigorate our economy whose strength lies in our people,” he said.

The proposed measure, filed by Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, aims to promote “citizen-centric government information and services” through the use of digital technologies. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business May trade deficit increased 79% to reach record $5.68b

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE country’s trade deficit widened by 78.6 percent in May to a record $5.68 billion from the $3.180-billion shortfall a year ago on higher prices of oil imports and other global commodities.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority on Tuesday showed the trade deficit in the first five months also climbed to $24.922 billion from the $14.622-billion gap in the same period last year, weighing on the balance of payments and the value of the peso.

The peso closed at 56.37 against the US dollar Tuesday, the lowest in 17 years.

“The record-high trade deficit on a monthly basis at -$5.679 billion in May 2022 may have been bloated by elevated prices of imported oil and other major global commodities largely brought about by the Russia-Ukraine war since Feb. 24, 2022,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort told Manila Standard.

Balance of trade in goods is the difference between the value of exports and imports.

Ricafort said a more aggressive rate hike/monetary tightening by the US Federal Reserve could lead to US economic slowdown or even recession and eventually to lower global oil and other commodity prices. This would help reduce the Philippines’ bloated import bill

and trade deficit, he said.

Ricafort also the weaker peso exchange rate versus the US dollar would lead to higher costs/prices of imports and would, at some point, reduce demand for imports and narrow the trade deficit.

The PSA said export rose 6.2 percent in May to $6.31 billion, while imports jumped 31.4 percent to nearly $12 billion.

Electronic products continued to be the country’s top export in May 2022 with total earnings of $3.47 billion. This accounted for 55 percent share of the total exports during the period.

Merchandise exports in the first five months grew 8.41 percent to $31.87 billion from $29.399 billion a year ago, while total imports climbed 29 percent to $56.80 billion from $44.02 billion in the same period last year.

CCLEX INSPECTION. Former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade (third from left) inspects the 8.9-kilometer CebuCordova Link Expressway. With Tugade are (from left) Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. vice president and project manager Herbert Laboy, Metro Pacific Investments Corp. spokesperson Romulo Quimbo, Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Julius Neri Jr. and CCLEC president and general manager Allan Alfon. The CCLEX was built for almost four years without closing shipping traffic on the busy Mactan Channel and Port of Cebu. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines approved the height clearance of the CCLEX’s two main towers at 145 meters tall.

PCCI says reopening of schools to help attain 8% GDP growth goal

By Othel V. Campos THE country’s biggest business group said an 8-percent annual gross domestic product growth this year is possible if the government will reopen face-to-face classes starting August 2022.

Perry Ferrer, chair of the 48th Philippine Business Conference and Expo of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said while the group supports the government’s GDP growth target of 6 percent to 6.5 percent in the second half, the expansion could reach 8 percent if physical classes resume.

“I think the president made it clear that he is for allowing students to go

back to school physically. If and when this happens, we believe that the economy has the potential to grow even higher than the forecast,” Ferrer, chairman of EMS Group of Companies, said in a briefing Tuesday.

PCCI president George Barcelon said the opening of F2F classes in the upcoming academic year is doable, “but the president should fill the post of the Health secretary to lay the ground works for the required preparation that must be put in place.”

Barcelon said the president’s concern is for students to catch up on their learning, especially those from the marginalized sector.

PCCI said to sustain the employabil-

ity of Filipino workers, the government should have a detailed plan on the proposed return to schools of students.

The PCCI also expressed concern on the continued devaluation of the Philippine peso that might hurt the manufacturing sector.

It said that without a full-blown localized sourcing plan, manufacturers face steep increases in the price of imported raw materials.

“I can only imagine to what situation we will find ourselves, if the peso-dollar exchange rate hit P60 a US dollar,” said Ferrer.

He said the government needed to introduce measures to help temper the peso volatility against major currencies.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, July 12, 2022

-38.7 PTS. 6,349.94

TOTAL VOLUME

955,852,205

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP)

58,529 4,187,944,597.56

ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

82 105 49

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

55.9470

Japan

Yen

0.007276

0.4071

UK

Pound

1.189300

66.5378

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127393

7.1273

Switzerland

Franc

1.017294

56.9145

Canada

Dollar

0.768935

43.0196

Singapore

Dollar

0.711592

39.8114

Australia

Dollar

0.673200

37.6635

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653224

148.4399

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266390

14.9037

Brunei

Dollar

0.709069

39.6703

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027620

1.5453

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

15.2332

Euro

Euro

1.004100

56.1764

Korea

Won

0.000763

0.0427

China

Yuan

0.148943

8.3329

India

Rupee

0.012593

0.7045

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.225989

12.6434

New Zealand

Dollar

0.610900

34.1780

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033517

1.8752 Source: BSP

Peso slumped to 18-year low of 56.37 a dollar THE peso on Tuesday fell near its all time-low level against the US dollar on widening trade deficit and as the greenback sustained its strength against most currencies due to hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve of more aggressive rate hikes.

The peso depreciated by 0.7 percent Tuesday to close at 56.37, down from 55.979 on Monday. It was the local currency’s weakest finish in nearly 18 years since Nov. 5, 2004 when it settled at 56.375. The peso opened Tuesday’s trading at 56.13 and at one point touched 56.45, its record low, before settling at 56.37.

“The peso exchange rate matched the record low vs. the US dollar at 56.45 earlier during the day, or the weakest for the peso in nearly 18 years since Oct. 13, 2004, amid record trade deficit on a monthly basis at -$5.679 billion and the stronger US dollar vs major global currencies,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said in an emailed statement.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said in an emailed response to Manila Standard that “aside from the concerns on policy, PHP [is] also getting walloped by current account side dynamics, with today’s trade deficit on full display.”

“With trade deficits of this magnitude and BSP forecasting a CA [current account] deficit of roughly $20 billion this year, the peso will likely stay on the back foot,” Mapa said.

Mapa, when asked if he sees the peso breaching the 57-per-dollar level in the coming days, said it “depends entirely on how BSP plays its cards in the next five weeks.”

Ricafort said the increase in new local COVID-19 cases also partly weighed on market sentiment.

The peso on July 7 pierced the 56-per-dollar boundary. It has been on a retreat mode against the greenback since the aggressive 0.75-basis point hike in the policy rate by the Fed middle of June, the biggest adjustment since 1994. Fed officials hinted of more and aggressive hikes to come.

Economists earlier said the Fed’s move would lead to a stronger US dollar against global currencies.

Julito G. Rada

Belgrove plans to construct 60-MW power plant inside Malaya complex

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PRECAST PLANT. Filinvest Land Inc., one of the country’s largest developers, inaugurates its first precast and concrete batching plant inside its township development Ciudad de Calamba in Laguna. The developer invested over P200 million for the plant, which will be operated and managed by its full-cycle construction subsidiary Dreambuilders Pro. Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) Dreambuilders Pro president Arnulfo delos Reyes, Sharepro president Cherie Fernandez, Filinvest Land chief executive Josephine Gotianun Yap, Filinvest Land president Tristan Las Marias and former barangay chairman Gismando Manaig.

BELGROVE Power Corp., a whollyowned subsidiary of Fort Pilar Energy Inc., disclosed plans to construct a 60-megawatt new gas turbine power facility inside the Malaya Thermal Power Plant compound in Pililla, Rizal.

The proposed power plant, costing P3.8 billion, will have two generator units and will provide ancillary services to the national grid.

BPC will use aero-derivative gas turbines, which can provide reliable power that is cleaner, cheaper and offers better grid stability.

Aero-derivative gas turbines have the highest availability of any thermal power technology at 98.2 percent. It can operate seamlessly on natural gas

to propane, diesel or other fuels without the need for pilot fuels, increasing operational security and lowering fuel costs.

BPC plans to use diesel for the proposed project as the fuel is a more flexible, secured, environment- friendly and cost-effective energy source compared to coal and bunker fuel.

The company said it will also use liquefied natural gas in the future and when supply becomes available.

“The project will serve as a source of ancillary service [i.e., primary, secondary and tertiary reserves] for the Luzon grid and power quality improvement for distribution utilities to help ease the frequency and voltage problems,” BPC said in its submission to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

DITO Telecom expects to register 12m subscribers by end-2022, ready to go head-to-head with other players

By Darwin G. Amojelar DITO Telecommunity Corp. said Tuesday it is on track to meeting its 12 million subscriber base target by the end of the year.

The company said it exceeded the 9-million subscriber mark in June, covering more than 600 cities and municipalities.

DITO chief administrative officer Adel Tamano expressed hope the market would witness full-blown competition among

telecom operators once DITO covers 70-percent of the population in July as part of its mandate stipulated in the certificate of public convenience and necessity given by the National Telecommunications Commission in 2019.

“We are confident that DITO can go head-to-head with the other two major players as penetrating more areas means we capture more share in the market. In the process, Filipino consumers will

benefit from this increased competition, with companies racing to provide the best connectivity and the best value for services,” Tamano said.

Ookla’s latest report showed DITO already made a dent in the dominance of its main competitors, as the Philippines is a “duopoly no more”.

DITO’s presence, combined with regulatory changes, spurred investments across major telecom players’ network

infrastructure, benefitting millions of Filipino consumers with boosted 4G and 5G connections.

The report noted that before the third telco’s commercial launch, the Philippines’ 4G median download speeds only stood at 11.15 megabits per second in the first quarter of 2021.

The figure subsequently improved to 15.53 Mbps in the first three months of 2022, almost a year after DITO started its

operations.

Ookla also said DITO―despite being a new entrant―already had the best 4G availability in the January to March period, scoring 91.2 percent.

“This is just the beginning. With our commitment to delivering quality telco services nationwide, Filipino consumers can expect more from DITO as we remain committed to continue our investment in network upgrades and expansion,” Tamano said.

Sports

Games tomorrow (Thursday) 2:30 p.m. – Cignal HD vs Choco Mucho 5:30 p.m. – Army vs Petro Gazz

PLDT Home Fibr got untracked with a superb blend of power, blocking and setting, easing past a hapless Chery Tiggo side, 25-18, 25-19, 25-14, in a rousing start to a Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference campaign at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan yesterday.

Chin Chin Basas, Julianne Samonte and Fiola Ceballos crisp hits, Mika Reyes’ striking running play, Dell Palomata’s quick attacks and the High Speed Hitters imposing control of the net proved too much for the undermanned Crossovers to overcome, leading to PLDT’s lopsided one-hour, 24-minute victory in the second elims playdate of the mid-season tournament.

Sure, Chery Tiggo continued to sorely miss the services of injured Dindin Manabat and EJ Laure, Buding Duremdes, Alina Bicar and Justine Dorog due to health and safety protocols, but the High Speed Hitters, who went into deep training during the break, came into the match exuding confidence and with a kind of resolve missing in their fifth place effort in the Open Conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

“We’ve been training hard, pushing ourselves. Winning our first game is so important but we need to practice more and polish everything,” said Reyes, who topscored for PLDT with 15 hits, mostly on running attacks.

She added three blocks to likewise help anchor the team’s net defense with Palomata, who added two blocks and finished with seven points.

“We’re getting the kind of chemistry missing in the past. We wanted to start strong and our goal was to win our first game and hope to sustain the momentum,” said PLDT coach George Pascua, whose wards will be sternly tested when it faces Creamline on Saturday.

PLDT finished with 48 hits, doubling Chery Tiggo’s output and had six blocks and six aces against their rivals’ five and two, respectively, to underscore their domination of the first Open Conference champions in pro setting.

Basas went 13-of 37 on attacks and finished with 14 points while Samonte and Ceballos produced 11 and 10 hits, respectively, as the PLDT hitters scored almost at will on both sides behind playmaker Rhea Dimaculangan’s superb ball distribution.

The former UST stalwart delivered 21 excellent sets, 11 more than her counterpart Jasmine Nabor.

Mylene Paat struggled for nine hits in a futile bid to rally the Crossovers, who had their shining moment when they surged ahead at 11-10 in the second frame, capped by Nabor’s service ace, the point of which the former National U mainstay yielded in her ensuing service turn.

Two hits from Basas coupled with Maika Ortiz’s attack error put PLDT back up by three, a lead the High Speed Hitters stretched to six, 22-16, on backto-back Heather Guino-o aces.

High Speed Hitters romp past Chery Crossovers

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

C1

PLDT’s Mika Reyes cashes in on Chery Tiggo’s single block put up by Maika Ortiz

POC incentive trust fund for PH medalist athletes gains traction T

HE Philippine Olympic Committee’s special incentive trust fund for medalist athletes has started to take shape quickly after the POC’s principal partners pledged their full support especially ahead of a body 2023 when two major regional games are staged.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bam- Sports Commission.

“The POC expresses its gratude to bol” Tolentino thanked Ramon S. Ang Mr. RSA (Ang) and Mr. MVP (Panand San Miguel Corp. and Manuel V. Pangilinan and his MVP Sports Foundation, Smart and PLDT for committing to the trust fund, a first of its kind in Philippine sports.

A third major benefactor, Charlie Gonzales’s Ulticon Builders Inc., has also committed its support to the trust fund which will complement the law-mandated incentive program to medalist athletes and Ramon S. Ang Abraham Tolentino coaches from the government through the Philippine

gilinan) for their relentless and enthusiastic support to the trust fund, which is envisioned to inspire our athletes to level up further in their pursuit of victories overseas,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino said the trust fund would be a strong motivation for athletes who will compete in the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May as well as the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games in China that was postponed a year to

Manny V. Pangilinan

‘Improved’ Parks rejoins Gilas Pilipinas

By Peter Atencio COMEBACKING Bobby Ray Parks Jr. will be among the three players to watch out for when action in the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup begins Wednesday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The return of the 29-year-old Parks to the national squad following a five-year absence has been keenly awaited by fans, who also look forward to the games of Lebanese point guard Wael Arakji and Amritpal Singh of India.

Improvements in the game of the 6’4” Parks are expected following his stint with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in the B.League in Japan as an import.

Parks is one of four players in the Team Philippines’ roster who has played in Japan this previous season, with Ravena brothers Kiefer and Thirdy and

Dwight Ramos the other three.

Their three other teammates in SJ Belangel, Will Navarro and RJ Abarrientos are also set to see action internationally, but in the Korea Basketball League next season.

Parks has rejoined the scrimmages of injury-struck Gilas only last week with Thirdy Ravena and Poy Erram, according to Gilas coach Chot Reyes.

“That’s the reality of preparing a team. But everybody else is healthy, and everyone else who is healthy is raring to go,” said Reyes.

Gilas Pilipinas will now have a complete 12-man lineup going into their 9 p.m. (10 p.m. in Manila) match with Lebanon Wednesday at the City Arena in Itora Senayan, Jakarta.

India meets New Zealand at 12 noon (1 p.m.

Manila time).

Reyes said reserve player Rhenz Abando has been included in the lineup in the absence of the injured Ramos.

Abando’s stint was given the green light during a technical meeting Monday.

Reyes said a tough and challenging time await Gilas, which barely had time to practice together.

The Philippines, ranked no. 34 in the world, is short on manpower, with Ramos not playing because of a shin injury. They will also miss Ange Kouame (ACL) and Dave Ildefonso (ankle).

The 6’4” Arakji, a talented point guard and leader of the Lebanese squad, is expected to have an interesting matchup with Parks.

Lebanon is seen to have momentum heading into its encounter with the Philippines after emerging unbeaten with six straight wins in Group B of the qualifiers back in 2020.

Gomez de Liano’s triple-double keys Skippers’ win

Juan Gomez de Liano shoots a jumper.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

JUAN Gomez de Liano’s imrested for the remainder of Games Thursday pressive triple-double perforthe game after suffering a (Smart Araneta Coliseum) mance steered Marinerong right knee injury after Joaqui 10:30 a.m. - AMA Online vs. Adalem Pilipino past EcoOil-La Salle, Manuel crashed into his leg Construction-St. Clare 84-64, and to the top of the late in the second frame.

12:30 p.m. - Apex Fuel-San Sebastian vs. Builders Warehouse-UST 2022 PBA D-League Aspi“Masaya kami na nakuha rants’ Cup Tuesday at Ynares namin ‘yung game against La Sports Arena in Pasig.

Salle,” said coach Yong Garcia as the Skippers got The University of the Philippines playmaker the better end of this battle between preseason fastamped his class with 27 points of 4-of-10 shoot- vorites. For me, credit ito sa players namin kasi ing from deep, to go with 12 assists, 11 rebounds, na-run namin ng maayos yung gameplan namin at and three steals as he guided the Skippers to their binigay nila yung best nila.” second win.

In the second game, Wangs Basketball @26-LeWith Gomez de Liano setting the pace, Mari- tran avoided a massive upset and took down AMA nerong Pilipino went on a 17-4 spree to break the Online, 89-84. game wide open in the fourth quarter, turning a 63King Caralipio stabilized the Knights down the 51 lead to a commanding 25-point spread, 80-55, stretch with his 21-point, 10-rebound double-douwith 4:21 remaining. ble as the Bonnie Tan-coached side improved to Jollo Go also had a hand in the pullaway with 2-0 despite committing 19 turnovers in the game. his 17 points on 3-of-6 three-point shooting, Paolo Javillonar chipped in 17 points and nine while Adrian Nocum got 11 points and three boards, while Brent Paraiso got 12 points, five boards. rebounds, and four assists to escape the hotKemark Carino churned out 10 points and shooting AMA, which went 12-of-41 clip from nine rebounds all in the first half as he was beyond the arc.

September 2023.

“It will be a very busy year for Philippine sports and, like how we did this year, the POC will again guarantee medalist athletes their incentives for them to excel even more,” Tolentino said.

The POC under Tolentino started rewarding cash bonuses to medalist athletes in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the 31st SEA Games last May where the organization released a total of P11.150 million in cash bonuses to 417 athletes who won 52 gold, 70 silver and 105 bronze medals in Vietnam.

The POC special incentive trust fund program will spur private sector support to reward medalists in the SEA Games, Asian Games and Olympics.

“All donations from private corporations will automatically go to that incentive trust fund for athletes,” Tolentino said.

Brodeth Jarata eye rebound as netfest starts

FOILED the last time out, top seed Marc Jarata and Kimi Brodeth seek redemption as action in the PPS-PEPP age-group tennis circuit shifts to Sucat, Parañaque beginning Wednesdayfor the Olivarez Cup. Jarata swept his way to the finals of the premier boys’ side in the Sta. Rosa, Laguna leg last week but failed to finish off Exequiel Jucutan and yielded a 7-6(2), 4-6, 2-10 decision while Brodeth squandered her bid in girls’ play, losing to Mica Emana twice, in the 16-U finals and in the 18-U semis.

But the Agoo, La Union and Ormoc City bets are going all-out for top podium finishes this time with Jarata spearheading the 32-player draw that includes second ranked Hans Cabellon, No. 3 John David Velez and fourth seed Nikhel Nowlakha.

He clashes with John Amora, while Cabellon faces Sean Bernardo, Velez tangles with Daniel Rutines and Nowlakha tests Kevin Javier’s mettle in four of the top matches kicking off the weeklong Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop and hosted by the Olivarez family, a long-time supporter of the sport.

Meanwhile, Pampanga will host the next stop of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, on July 22-30 in Apalit. For details and listup, contact Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Brodeth, on the other hand, drew an opening round bye and will face the winner between Elra and Chelsea Abaa in the 18-U side that features second ranked Alexi Jarata, Jiana Hernandez and siblings Kaye Ann and Mica Emana.

C2

Sports

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

Zamboanga subdues Sarangani in overtime ZAMBOANGA Family’s Brand Sardines sped ahead in overtime and went on to subdue Sarangani, 89-86, late Monday and remain unscathed in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season presented by Xtreme at the people-packed Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

Adrian Santos laid up twice while Mon Mabayo and Jayvee Marcelino canned a triple each as Zamboanga surged ahead, 87-78, in the extension period en route to its sixth straight win in the single round-robin elimination round of the 22-team tournament.

Although Sarangani, which fell to 5-2, retaliated with back-to-back triples by Paul Sanga and Donald Gumaru and a lay-up by John Jordan Sta. Ana to threaten at 86-87, Reden Celda provided the insurance charities for Zamboanga with just 3 seconds to go.

Sanga got free for a long 3, which rattled off the ring, for the final count.

Zamboanga drew 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists from Jhapz Bautista, 13-points plus 5 rebounds from Mon Mabayo, 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists from Jayvee Marcelino, 11 points plus 7 boards from Chris Dumapig, 11 points from Jefferson Comia, 10 points and 11 rebounds from Adrian Santos and 9 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals from Jaycee Marcelino.

YouTube sensation Kyt Jimenez posted 19 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for Sarangani, also being supported by OKbet. Sanga also scored 19 points, John Jordan Sta. Ana 13, Jonjon Gabriel 10 points plus 10 rebounds and Donald Gumaru 9 points.

With Jimenez dropping 11 points, Sarangani overtook Zamboanga, 77-75, but Comia drove in to forge overtime.

GenSan halted Pampanga’s 3-game run with a 77-73 victory in the nightcap, while Batangas City stretched its winning streak to 7 with a 77-62 drubbing of Valenzuela City, which tumbled to 4-4 like Pampanga.

A triple by Mark Cruz gave the OKbet-banked GenSan a 67-57 lead midway through the fourth quarter, which cushioned the impact of an Earnest Reyes-led final assault by Pampanga.

GenSan’s balanced offense was led

by Marlon Gomez with 16 points, Cruz 10, Nikko Panganiban 10, Niko Elorde 9 and Dhon Reverente with 9 plus 15 boards.

Actor Gerald Anderson, playing as a homegrown for GenSan, contributed 7 points and 3 rebounds.

Pampanga got 19 points from Dominick Vera, 13 from Reyes, 13 from Christopher Lagrama and 11 from Archie Concepcion.

AFAD’s Sporting Arms Show opens July 14

An All-Star jersey dedicated to Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury is displayed in the locker room during the 2022 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. AFP

US hostage negotiator to seek Griner’s release W ASHINGTON—The families of US basketball star Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan have asked veteran hostage negotiator Bill Richardson to seek their release from Russia, his office said Monday.

According to news reports, the former US governor and ambassador— who has negotiated the freedom of several Americans held prisoner by other countries—will travel to Russia in the coming weeks for talks.

Mickey Bergman, vice president of the Richardson Center for Global Engagement, would not confirm the reports.

“What I can say is that both the Whelan and Griner families have asked us to help with the release of their loved ones,” he told AFP. Richardson has had a record since the 1990s of negotiating the release of US citizens imprisoned in countries such as North Korea and Myanmar.

While he acts as a private citizen, his involvement usually has the tacit blessing of the US government.

He held discussions with Russian officials over the past two years for the release of another American, former US Marine Trevor Reed.

Reed was freed in April when the two governments agreed to swap him for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko,

who was jailed in the United States for drug trafficking.

Asked about Richardson’s role, White House national Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the administration had been in contact with him.

“President Biden is laser-focused on a government-to-government solution to this issue,” Sullivan told reporters.

“We are working directly with the Russian government through appropriate channels to try to bring a speedy resolution not just to her case, but to Paul Whelan’s case as well.”

Held in Russia Griner, a two-time Olympic basketball gold medalist and WNBA champion who had played in Russia, was detained in February, just one week before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine.

The 31-year-old was charged with drug smuggling for possessing vape cartridges with cannabis oil.

On July 7, she pleaded guilty and now faces up to 10 years in a Russian prison.

Whelan, a security official at an auto parts company and a former US Marine,

was arrested in Moscow in December 2018 for allegedly holding classified materials.

He was convicted of espionage in June 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Griner’s case has been enmeshed in the freeze in US-Russia relations since the invasion of Ukraine.

President Joe Biden was accused of ignoring her plight until he spoke on the phone last week with Griner’s wife.

Shortly after that, Biden also spoke with members of Whelan’s family.

David Whelan, Paul’s brother, underscored that Richardson does not have a mandate from the Biden administration for negotiations.

“The hope is that Governor Richardson may be able to have discussions that are not possible when you are limited to governmental channels,” he told AFP. After Griner’s conviction, former US ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul urged the Biden administration to exchange imprisoned Russian arms deal Viktor Bout for the two Americans.

“Tragically, the only leverage we have is a Russian in detention,” McFaul said Thursday on NBC News.

“Viktor Bout is a real criminal... and the Russians want him out,” said McFaul.

A swap “might be the only way to get Brittney Griner out as soon as possible,” he said. AFP

AFTER a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Association of Firearms and Ammunitions Dealers of the Philippines Inc. Defense and Sporting Arms Show is back with a much bigger and better activity and program on July 14 to 18 at the Megatrade Hall of the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

In its 28th edition, AFAD picks up from where it left off as 48 members and exhibitors have confirmed their participation to showcase worldclass, locally-made and imported firearms, ammunitions and paraphernalia in the five-day event considered the biggest and longest arms show in the country.

Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa and Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge Police Lieutenant General Vicente D. Danao Jr. confirmed their participation as special guests and speakers on opening day at 10 a.m.

“Filipinos are always geared towards being a responsible gun owner. We wanted to showcase the best products available in the market, while at the same time, inform our customers of the restrictions on having a firearm,” said 2022 Hanoi, Vietnam Southeast Asian Games clay shooting silver medalist Hagen Alexander Topacio.

Topacio, a University of the Philippines alumnus in Public Administration, was elected as the new president of AFAD, replacing his younger brother Alaric, who successfully organized the last two legs of the Arms Show in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country and the the world.

“After almost three years of absence in observance of health and safety protocols due to the pandemic, we’re now back with better and much bigger activities and programs involving our members and affiliated organizations,” said Topacio.

He added they lined up seminars and educational programs on selfdefense, responsible gun ownership, firearms safety handling, regulation policy on gun ownership, and other exciting activities during the five-day event.

AFAD Board Member Edwin Ańo reiterated that AFAD is working hard to put up an entertaining yet educational sporting arms show for the public, visitors and gun enthusiasts.

Former Olympic champion Farah reveals real identity LONDON (AFP) -- ”Former Olympic champion Mo Farah revealed in an article published on Monday he was brought to Britain illegally under the name of another child to work as a domestic servant.

Farah told the BBC that he was given the name Mohamed Farah by a woman who flew him to the UK from east African country Djibouti aged nine.

The 39-year-old, whose father was killed in Somalia when he was four, said his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin and claimed he was made to look after another family’s children in Britain.

“The truth is I’m not who you think I am,” he said as part of a documentary to be aired on Wednesday.

“Most people know me as Mo Farah, but it’s not my name or it’s not the reality.

“The real story is I was born in Somaliland, north of Somalia, as Hussein Abdi Kahin. Despite what I’ve said in the past, my parents never lived in the UK. “When I was four my dad was killed

Britain’s Mo Farah celebrates after victory and a world record in the men’s one hour event at The Diamond League AG Memorial Van Damme athletics meeting at The King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. Farah was illegally trafficked to Britain at the age of nine from Djibouti and forced to work as a child servant, he has revealed, saying his real name is Hussein Abdi Kahin. AFP

in the civil war, you know as a family we were torn apart.

“I was separated from my mother, and I was brought into the UK illegally under the name of another child called Mohamed Farah.”

Farah, who became the first British track and field athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, said his children have motivated him to be truthful about his past.

“I’ve been keeping it for so long, it’s been difficult because you don’t want to face it and often my kids ask questions, ‘Dad, how come this?’ And you’ve always got an answer for everything, but you haven’t got an answer for that,” he said.

“That’s the main reason in telling my story because I want to feel normal and don’t feel like you’re holding on to something.”

‘Just being honest’ Farah’s wife Tania said in the year leading up to their 2010 wedding she realised “there was lots of missing pieces to his story” but she eventually “wore him down with the questioning” and he told the truth.

During the television programme, Farah said he thought he was going to Europe to live with relatives and recalled going through a UK passport check under the guise of Mohamed at the age of nine.

“I had all the contact details for my relative and once we got to her house, the lady took it off me and right in front of me ripped them up and put it in the bin and at that moment I knew I was in trouble,” he said.

Farah eventually told his physical education teacher Alan Watkinson the truth and moved to live with his friend’s mum, Kinsi, who “really took great care” of him and he ended up staying for seven years.

It was Watkinson who applied for Farah’s British citizenship which he described as a “long process” and on July 25, 2000 Farah was recognised as a British Citizen.

Farah, who named his son Hussein after his real name, said: “I often think about the other Mohamed Farah, the boy whose place I took on that plane and I really hope he’s OK. AFP

5-year hiatus fuels PH para athletes’ thirst for competition

By Aeron Bautista A FIVE-YEAR hiatus in the ASEAN Para Games has fueled the Philippine para-athletes’ and their coaches’ thirst for competition.

Ernie Gawilan, country’s first gold medalist in the Asian Para Games, said this at the Philippine Sportswriters Association online forum on Tuesday as he vowed to do his best in the coming multisports ASEAN competition scheduled from July 30 to Aug. 6 in Surakarta, Indonesia.

“Ito po ‘yung first time ulit kami na sasampa sa ASEAN Para Games. Lahat naman ng mga paraathletes gigil na makapag-uwi ng karangalan para sa bansa, gagawin po namin ang lahat sa abot po ng aming makakaya,” Gawilan said.

The 31-year-old Davao swimmer last competed in the multi-sport competition during the 2017

ASEAN Para Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he bagged two golds, one silver and two bronze medals.

He vowed to improve his time in the competition in order to qualify for the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

“Target po talaga namin ngayon ‘yung time, kasi ‘yun and pagbabasihan sa Paralympics. At least ngayon, may pagbabasihan ‘yung coach namin kung ano ang gagawin sa susunod na taon para makalapit sa qualifying time ng Paris 2024,” he added.

Gawilan is set to join the 400-meter freestyle, 200-individual medley, 100-meter backstroke and two 4x100-meter relays.

Philippine para athletic coach Joel Deriada, who also graced the forum, acknowledges the government’s support to the athletes and coaches and even

mentioned that the absence of competition made their players hungry for action.

“Wala kaming ginawa dito kung hindi kain, tulog, training and we are well supported here,” said Deriada. “All out ang support, everything is provided for here, from medical assistance, to nutritionist, everything na kailangan ng isang atleta.”

Gawilan and his teammates Para athlete Erwin Gawilan and coach Joel Deriada at the PSA Forum and coaches started their bubble namin dito sa Ultra, renovated, pang competition training last June 6 at the Philpool na po ‘yung standard niya.”

Sports Complex in Pasig City.

The Philippine Paralympic team, a 212-member “Maganda ang mga previous time trials namin nila coach dahil maganda po ang pinageensayuhan delegation, composed of 144 athletes, playing for 12 namin,” said Gawilan. “’Yung swimming pool po sports, leaves on July 26 for Solo, Indonesia.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang,, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

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Rose Van Ginkel, Marco Gallo satisfy viewers’ fantasy in sexy flick ‘Kitty K7’ SAY hello to a new online friend who will keep you and every bone in your body awake during the late hours.

A young woman’s heartbreak causes her to explore things she never thought she’d do.

Coming from a painful breakup with her boyfriend of seven years, Hana (Rose Van Ginkel) chooses to mend her heart by meeting other people.

(From left) Rose Van Ginkel and Marco Galo in ‘Kitty K7’

Then, here comes Krishna (Marco Gallo), a handsome, well-traveled photographer.

Hana poses for Krishna’s photos, and the young man takes erotic shots of her. The two soon connect on a different level, and the tension between them rises and they eventually sleep together. Krishna records their lovemaking. This shared moments with Krishna change something about Hana, and from being boring and reserved, she becomes wild and liberated. Hana loses contact with

Krishna but continues with this new self-discovery and introduces to the internet her alter-ego, the cam girl – Kitty K7.

Watch how Kitty K7 faces criticism and judgment from her family and friends with her questionable life choices and how she wishes for her knight in shining armor Krishna to be beside her at these times.

Kitty K7 stars Vivamax actress Rose Van Ginkel known for her Vivamax Original Movies – Paglaki Ko Gusto Ko Maging Pornstar, Gluta,

69+1, and Boy Bastos. Her leading man, Marco Gallo, has also starred in several Vivamax Original movies like Gluta and Ang Manananggal na Nahahati Ang Puso.

Produced by Antoinette Jadaone and Dan Villegas and directed by young filmmaker Joy Aquino, Kitty K7 is a Vivamax Original Movie that will show how easy it is to break free from our inhibitions and create our own reality through the internet.

Kitty K7 premiered on Vivamax this July 8.

Jo Berry, Andre Paras find freedom in fantasy roles Jo Berry returns to ‘Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’ for its fifth anniversary episode

By Patricia Taculao

I

T’S another successful year for Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko as the series celebrates its fifth anniversary with another fantasyfilled and star-studded episode.

In the anniversary episode, viewers can expect new and familiar faces in the cast.

Among those returning is Kapuso star and lead actress of Litte Princess, Jo Berry.

She plays a villain and acts as their leader.

Although she dabbled in antagonist roles before, Jo shared that Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko is the first time she has a more defined villain role from a children’s fairytale book.

Despite her character, Jo remains grateful to GMA Network for the projects they give her, especially since it coincides with her goal of portraying roles that viewers can learn.

Jo’s appearance in Daig Kayo

ng Lola Ko’s fifth anniversary marks her third return to the series. It’s also her second time cast for the show’s anniversary special.

“Very special sa akin ang Daig kasi hindi pa ako naga-artista, pinapanuod ko na. Gusto ko kasi ng mga roles na gugustuhin ng mga kids, na papanuorin ng mga kids. Mostly kasi, ang mga nagme-message sa akin ay mga kids,” Jo said in an online media conference for Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’s anniversary episode.

She added that these roles are far from heavy drama, and she feels happy whenever allowed to star in a fantasy show because it’s close to her personality.

Moreover, transitioning to a villainous role for the show wasn’t difficult because she only stayed within levels appropriate for younger audiences.

“Ipapakita lang doon na bossy siya, iritable siya, pero hindi siya ‘yung nang-aapi totally,” she said.

While Jo becomes a familiar face in Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Andre Paras returns to showbiz after taking a break from his acting career. He feels grateful that the network welcomed him back with open arms by casting him in the show’s anniversary episode.

He joins Jo in the cast of villains in the show’s upcoming anniversary episode. Nonetheless, he feels excited to have creative freedom for his role in the fantasy series.

“Sa ibang ginagawa kong projects dati, minsan

Rufa Mae Quinto joins the cast of ‘Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’ anniversary episode titled ‘Bida Kontrabida’

Bands like BTS help transform K-pop into a truly global phenomenon

K-pop’s new recipe for world domination

FROM Indian K-pop idols to Swedish songwriters, South Korea’s music industry is now a hotbed of global talent – a smart strategy as it aims for world domination, experts say.

K-pop bands have long included non-Koreans: Blackpink’s Lisa is Thai, while Japan and China are both well represented, and KoreanAmerican singers have topped the local charts.

But after megastars like Psy and BTS brought K-pop to a global audience, the South Korean entertainment agencies behind almost all the popular groups are recruiting further afield.

DR Music’s girl group Blackswan only has two Koreans in its sixwoman line-up, and last month added the industry’s first Indian “idol,” who joins Brazilian and Senegalese members.

In the United States a KoreanAmerican K-pop singer, AleXa, recently won NBC’s American Song Contest, the US version of Eurovision.

Though she sang in English, her training in Seoul made her stand out.

Staff at

NBC said they had “never worked with an artist who could find a camera on stage faster,” according to Angelina Foss, creative director at South Korea’s ZB Label.

By the end of filming, other contestants were asking AleXa for tips, Foss said, adding that it was “just part of the training.”

With comprehensive training programs covering everything from acting and etiquette to stunt coordination, K-pop artists make some Western pop stars look like they are not even trying.

Recruited in open castings or found through online audition tapes, South Korea’s entertainment agencies identify the raw talent and then get to work.

At ZB Label, part of industry powerhouse Zanybros which has produced thousands of K-pop music videos, the bosses are “always thinking – what’s the next step in K-pop,” Foss said.

They signed AleXa because they believe she has the “full package” and saw her potential as a young Korean-American to appeal to K-pop’s growing global fandom. AFP, Read full story on manilastandard.net

pinagsasabihan ako na ‘Andre, you’re too jolly.

Masyado kang hyper.’ And I accept that kasi manchild pa din ako, very energetic. Nung dumating ako dito sa Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, I have the freedom to do what I want,” Andre said.

Upon learning that the show revolves around children’s stories and he’s a villain, Andre toned down his acting to keep himself from being too scary. Instead, he enjoyed playing his character, listening to the director on how to approach the scene, and adapting to his co-star’s energy to match the lightness of the show.

Joining Jo andAndre in the cast for Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko are Rufa Mae Quinto and Cai Cortez. Like Jo, Cai is a familiar face in the children’s fantasy series, while Rufa has recently returned to showbiz, starting with the GTV sitcom Tols.

Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’s anniversary episode premiered on July 10, Sunday, on GMA.

Cai Cortez keeps herself busy with the role in ‘Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’

Andre Paras’ appearance in the children’s fantasy series marks his comeback to showbiz

Beauty Queen tandem back to host Bb. Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night

By Kyla Marie Victoriano AS THE Binibining Pilipinas grand coronation night draws closer, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. even intensifies the excitement by revealing the lineup of celebrities gracing the musch-awaited pageant event.

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Miss Grand International 2016 first runner-up, Nicole Cordoves, are once again set to host this year’s coronation night.

In an Instagram post, 28-year-old Catriona expressed her excitement about sharing the stage once again with Nicole as host.

“So excited to be back at @bbpilipinasofficial as your host [along] with my sister @ binibiningnicolecordoves,” her post read.

The two beauty queens first hosted the Bb. Pilipinas coronation back in 2021, making “herstory” by delivering an all-female hosting tandem.

Joining them are Miss Grand International 2022 first runner-up Samantha Bernardo and Filipino-British actor-host Edward Barber, who will be interacting with the online viewers.

The country’s P-pop sensation, SB19, sang the brand-new Bb. Pilipinas theme song “Win Your Heart” is also set to perform during the coronation night as mentioned in Catriona’s post. “ Wa t c h the 2022 Binibining Pilipinas G r a n d

Coronation Night LIVE on July 31 at the #TheBigDome featuring the Philippines’ Kings of Pop, SB19. You wouldn’t want to miss the most beautiful night of the year! #BbPilipinas2022 #BBGrandCoronation 2022.”

For this year’s competition, forty candidates will compete for four highly coveted crowns: Miss International, Miss Grand International, Miss Intercontinental, and Miss Globe.

The title winners will represent the country in their respective international pageants.

The 58th Binibining Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night will be held at the Smart Araneta Collesium on July 31. Fans can watch the live telecast on TV5, A27 channel, Kapamilya channel, Metro channel, iWant TVC, and the Bb. Pilipinas Official YouTube account.

Miss Grand International 2016 first runner-up Nicole Cordoves

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray

‘Darna’ official trailer breaks the internet THE official trailer for ABSCBN Entertainment’s muchawaited series, Mars Ravelo’s Darna, officially dropped Thursday (July 7) night, raking in over four million views across social media platforms and earning praises from netizens Iza Calzado wows audiences with a sneak peek of her who exclaimed performance as the first Darna the series is truly

“worth the wait.”

The three-minute clip earned over one million views on Facebook four hours after launch and continues to generate clicks with over three million views in less than 24 hours after the premiere. It also has over 700,000 views on Twitter and another 1.6 million views on YouTube as of writing.

The much-anticipated trailer gave a peek into Jane De Leon’s younger life

as Narda, her training under her mother and First Darna Leonor, played by Iza Calzado, and her journey towards becoming the iconic Pinay superhero.

The hashtag #DarnaTrailer meanwhile immediately topped Twitter Philippines’ trending list and has continued to trend the following day. Other keywords related to the show also trended, such as Joshua Garcia, Janella and Valentina, and Iza Calzado.

The series, helmed by Chito S. Roño, Avel Sunpongco, and Benedict Mique under ABS-CBN’s JRB Creative Production unit, is set to premiere in August.

Meanwhile, Jane took flight in ToyCon PH 2022 alongside co-stars Joshua Garcia and Zaijian Jaranilla.

They will grace the last day of the event and drop Darna’s official poster this Sunday (July 10), 2:30 p.m. at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.

Life

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

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2022

Figures and forms

‘Figures and Forms’ features artworks by noted Filipino contemporary artists from private collections

A panorama of Philippine contemporary arts

“W

HO would want to part with a BenCab?”

That was what came to mind when I saw Nude 1, a pastel on paper artwork by the National Artist for Visual Arts, at the recent exhibit of Conrad Manila’s Gallery C. Figures and Forms, the latest edition of the gallery’s Of Art and Wine Exhibit, features artworks by noted Filipino contemporary artists from private collections.

This will be the first time that Gallery C is doing this kind of exhibit.

“I wanted to experiment,” shared Nestor Jardin, the curator of the exhibit, and the art consultant of SM Hotels Group.

“Most Filipino art collectors have beautiful artworks in their collections. But some of them don’t want to keep them for various reasons. Some reach that point in their life when they want to change their collections. Others have to let go of some artworks because there is no more space in their storage.”

And I would say this experiment was quite successful, as evident by the numerous calls Jardin received from various collectors. He shared that he wants to do the art collector exhibit every two years.

But he has one must-follow condition, among the usual logistics: the price can’t be high. There is a conscious decision to keep the price reasonable.

“We want to make art accessible to every Filipino, to our guests. For instance, the nude sketch of National Artist Cesar Legaspi is very reasonable.

The BenCab sketch, in terms of market value, is also quite reasonable,” said Jardin.

He continued: “I hope that those who want to buy paintings here can do so. They can’t afford the auctions, which sell artworks for millions. I don’t want to have an inaccessible gallery. I want to develop patronage for Filipino contemporary visual artists. We have to encourage the young market, so that they will continue to patronize Philippines arts.”

The exhibit features works by established artists like Manuel Baldemor and Thomas Daquioag, as well as emerging young artists such as Khristina Manansala (the granddaughter of National Artist Vicente Manansala, who seems to veer away from the known style of her lolo), Kublai Milan, Karen Alcala, Francisco Segismundo, and Rishab

The artworks collectively speak of the immense possibilities of masterful cultural representation

Conrad executives opening the latest edition of gallery’s Of Art and Wine Exhibit

Tibon, among others.

If you look at the artworks, they collectively speak of the immense possibilities of masterful cultural representation through figures and forms, ‘Figures and Forms’ showcases a polarity of the subject colors and shapes. The exhibit showcases a polarity matters and messages reinforced by the unpredictable techniques used by the artists of the subject matters and messages reinforced by the unpredictable techniques used by the artists.

Shoutout to my friend Karla Rey who sent me an In a way, in Jardin’s words, the exhibit is “a interesting book, Makisawsaw: Recipes x Ideas. I’ve panorama of Philippine contemporary arts,” as it met her during media coverage and familiarization shows the wide scope of figures and forms, as well tours around the country. as subject matters and styles.

In a time when the prices of basic commodities are “When I saw the artworks, they were good skyrocketing, this is a good recipe book to maximize representations of forms, shapes, and figures. your hard-earned money. It has recipes for different We have various styles – from figurative, realist, The author talking to Nestor Jardin, the curator of rice, vegetables such as squash, gourds, roots and expressionistic art, abstract, nudes, and drawings,” the exhibit and art consultant of SM Hotels Group Figures and Forms, I learned that National Artist tubers, leafy veggies, legumes, and what have you. said Jardin.

Proceeds of the book sale for this edition will The exhibit runs until August 27. Part of the Legaspi was color-blind. It’s amazing how he was benefit the Food Today, Food Tomorrow program, sales is for the benefit of the Art Association of the able to create colorful artworks.

“When he was alive, he said that he would see organized by the Slow Food Community for Philippines.

“We are delighted to celebrate Of Art and shapes of browns and greys. After doing the rough Agribiodiverse Gardens in Quezon City.

Visit www.foodtodayfoodtomorrow.org to learn Wine’s 19th installment in the hotel’s sixth year sketch, he would imagine the colors he wanted to put of operations. This furthers our commitment to on it. That’s why his paintings are on the darker side, more about the program and opportunities.

••• championing the Filipino artists and artistry,” said although he would add colors.

By the way, the Bayan Bayanan play I wrote in Jardin spoke highly of the color palette of the late Conrad Manila general manager Linda Pecoraro.

National Artist. “His color palette was so masterful my last column was moved to another date: July 29 ••• It’s always been a pleasure (and educational) and tasteful. Even his oil paintings, despite being to 31. Those who have bought tickets for July 15 to every time we, the young (ahem) reporters covering color blind, the final paintings appeared beautiful in 17 shows, they will be honored on the show dates.

See the updates on the CCP website and official terms of color combinations and intensity.” the art beat, talk to Jardin.

Facebook page.

• • • During our conversation at the opening of

The International Mini-Bazaar and ASEAN Fest at SM Mall of Asia MALLGOERS had the rare opportunity to Shop, Taste, and Celebrate international culture and cuisines at the recent International Mini-Bazaar and ASEAN Food Fest at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia.

A joint project of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the International Bazaar Foundation, Inc. (IBF), and the ASEAN Ladies Foundation (ALF), in partnership with SM, the event featured products, food, and culture of the 26 participating countries, as well as four local textile merchants.

Maria Lourdes Locsin, wife of former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and chairperson of the two foundations, together with ALF President and Malaysian Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires Nurriha Ahmad, and IBF President Consul Betty Ang, led the opening ceremony. They were joined by no less than former Secretary Locsin, as well as Ambassadors, Spouses of Heads of Mission (SHOM), IBF Board Members, and diplomats from various embassies.

For the last 56 years, the IBF has been hosting the International Bazaar that raises funds to uplift the lives of the less privileged.

During the program, H.E. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian presented the check donation to Locsin, Ang, and the Board Members for their advocacies.

The International Mini-Bazaar, IBF’s first bazaar since the pandemic, is a fund-raising event that aimed to foster and strengthen the friendship shared between the Philippines and the rest of the world, all while raising awareness through sumptuous food and signature products.

Participating countries in the International Mini-Bazaar included Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, China, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, New Zealand, Peru, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, and Vietnam. From the Philippines, HABI: The Philippine Textile Council, Cora DJ Manimbo Fashion House, CMMAG/

(From left) Project partners Maria Lourdes Locsin and SM’s Millie Dizon

The competition aims to encourage piña weavers to keep to their traditional craft

Maria Lourdes Locsin (3rd from left) and International Bazaar Foundation (IBF) President Consul Betty Ang (2nd from left) receive a check donation from H.E. Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian (3rd from right) for their advocacies. Joining them are (from left) former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr., Chinese Embassy Minister Counsellor Wang Yulei, and Counsellor Li Wei. Nikkitita Manila, and fashion designers also joined the bazaar for a cause.

Alongside this mini-bazaar was the ASEAN Food Fest organized by the ASEAN Ladies Foundation, Inc. (ALF) which featured authentic dishes and exotic flavors from the 10 Embassies of the ASEAN member states including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Guests enjoyed both traditional and modern cuisines prepared by the embassies and participating restaurants. These included Brunei’s Nasi Pusu with egg, Cambodia’s Num Banh Chok Khmer or Khmer Rice Noodle, Indonesia’s Rendang Daging and Satay Ayam, Lao PDR’s papaya salad, chicken barbecue, and sticky rice, and Malaysia’s Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang.

Vietnam Embassy in Manila First Secretary Nguyen Thi Than Thuy (rightmost) and Embassy Attache Tran Thi Thu Hien (leftmost) with children at the Vietnam Embassy booth, which featured the Nón Lá or traditional Vietnamese hat

Myanmar’s Mohinga or rice noodle with fish soup, our very own’s Bibingka and Puto Bumbong, Singapore’s famous Laksa, Thailand’s Bagoong Fried Rice, and Mango Sticky Rice, and Vietnam’s Banh Mi Thit or Vietnamese meat bread, also delighted guests.

The DFA’s International Mini-Bazaar and ASEAN Food Festival are some of the many exciting cultural events at the SM Mall of Asia.

THE stage is set for them once again to showcase their unique talents in the art of weaving, dyeing, embroidering, and embellishing piña as the Lourdes Montinola Weaving Competition launches its 5th edition and welcomes new entries from all over the Philippines.

The country’s premier piña weaving contest is back and will be one of the highlighted activities during HABI Philippine Textile Council’s Likhang Habi Market Fair slated for October 14 to 16. The annual competition seeks to encourage piña weavers to keep to their traditional craft, continue creativity in weaving, and innovate their piña weaving techniques.

“We see weavers coming up with both traditional and innovative techniques, [and these] play a role in strengthening awareness and patronage of piña,” says Lourdes Montinola, founder of the competition, chair emeritus of the Far Eastern University, and author of Piña, the 1991 book about the Philippine pineapple textile.

To join, participants must submit a panel that’s at least two meters long. More than 50 percent of the body of the cloth must be made of piña, and must come with a detailed description and a photograph showing the weaver working on his/her entry. Entries must be submitted to the

Piña weaving competition returns to showcase PH’s best textile innovations HABI Office, 962 May Street, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila. Deadline for submission is on September 30.

As with last year’s competition, the 5th Lourdes Montinola Piña Weaving Competition will give out three major cash prizes: P50,000 for the first-place winner; P30,000 for second; and P20,000 for third.

“The surprising thing about the contest is that every year, better and more exquisite pieces are entered. With the Young Weaver Award, it became evident that young people are into practicing the craft, thus ensuring a resurgence and continuity,” says Habi President Adelaida Lim. Through this competition, Gino Gonzales, coauthor of the fashion history book, “Fashionable Filipinas” and one of last year’s judges, says the country is “reminded of the many possibilities of piña and its design process.”

He adds, “I am reminded of the fact that there are other points of view on what we can wear.

They’re not just art forms; they’re things that you want to put on your body.”

Interested parties may call HABI: The Philippine Textile Council T: +63 921 849-6974 or send an e-mail to support@ habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com for more information.

Massive ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ mural makes heads turn in BGC FOR years, Marvel has told the fantastic stories of superheroes not just through comics and films, but also through various forms of art.

As the mighty God of Thunder comes back on the big screen in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder, Walt Disney Studios Philippines unveils a massive mural in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The mural features Thor and Mighty Thor side by side in their most powerful form, ready for battle. The art fancies lightning strikes and vibrant colors that resemble the energetic vibe of the movie. When scanned, an augmented reality version of the mural is unveiled allowing fans to interact with the art through their mobile devices.

“This mural is a way for us to celebrate the Filipinos’ love for the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” said Allie Benedicto, Studio Marketing Head of Disney Philippines. “We wanted to create something that allows our fans

to connect with the beloved characters from Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder, thus this massive and striking mural located right at the heart of urban Manila,” she added.

The mural was made by 27-year-old Jappy Agoncillo is a huge fan of Thor, making mural artist Jappy Agoncillo, who was the experience more worthwhile raised in the arms of television, comic largely seen in his works today as one can books, fantasy stories, and other lively elements of pop culture. His influences are walk around Metro Manila and pass by his colorful artworks in bars, restaurants, and other establishments.

“I am a huge fan of Thor! This project was a great experience for me because I got to design something that is close to my heart, and in a style that is also personal to me. I’m delighted to bring these beloved superhero characters to life for every Filipino Marvel fan to see,” Agoncillo said.

Thor: Love and Thunder mural is located at Central Square 1 in Bonifacio Global City. The Mighty Thor and Thor posing side by side augmented reality experience is brought to life in partnership with Globe Telecom. and ready for battle in a mural in BGC