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COVID cases may hit 19k daily by end of Aug.—DOH

By Willie Casas and Othel V. 23 million booster shots to 50 percent of the country’s eligible popCampos THE number of COVID-19 infections in the country may reach as high as 19,000 per day by the end of August, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

Based on its latest projections, the department said, COVID-19 cases should be on a “continuous uptrend” – a scenario that the government intends to stem with the launching of its “PinasLakas” campaign that aims to administer

ulation in the next three months.

“This is our only way forward,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the launch at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange Tuesday.

The campaign also aims to vaccinate 90 percent of the target senior-citizen population group within the period and give a booster shot to 50 percent of the 71 million fully inoculated Filipinos.

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VOL. XXXVI • NO. 162 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Price increase cap for basic goods up 30 percent of SRP-listed items affected

By Othel V. Campos

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HE Department of Trade and Industry is eyeing to impose a maximum of 6 to 8 percent increase in prices for some 30 percent of the total basic goods listed in the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) bulletin.

GETTING THE JAB. The Department of Health launches its ‘PinasLakas’ campaign Tuesday with simultaneous vaccination sites across the country with the aim of administering 23 million booster shots to 50 percent of the country’s eligible population in the next three months.

Photo shows a participating vaccination site in Naga, Cebu. DOH Facebook page

DTI undersecretary for consumer protection Ruth Castelo said they are still reviewing petitions for price hikes from manufacturers but will keep adjustments to less than a third of SRPlisted commodities.

“We have kept increases to 30 percent of the products from among the total number of SKUs (stock keeping units) in the bulletin at any given publication so consumers can still choose the ones that

do not increase prices,” she said Tuesday.

“Increases are limited only to a range of 3 to 8 percent so if the Secretary wants the increases tempered to as much as 6 percent only, it is still well within the range,” she added.

Prices of monitored commodities under the SRP Bulletin last moved on May 11, 2022.

Under the latest SRP list, the DTI has approved a minimum increase for 82

basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) while 136 SKUs or 62 percent were unchanged from the January 27, 2022 bulletin prices.

Products with minimal price hikes include bread, canned fish, potable water in bottles and containers, processed milk, locally manufactured instant noodles, coffee, salt, laundry soap, detergent, candles, flour, processed and canned pork, processed and canned beef, vinegar, fish sauce (patis), soy sauce, toilet soap, and batteries.

“Despite the adjustments in several basic and prime goods, the DTI assures the public that all increases in the SRPs were kept to a minimum level to provide consumers with reasonably-priced goods

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Court upholds Palace inaction allows vape bill junking of case to lapse into law, critics protest vs. Marcoses

Senate reorganizes, gives Tulfo, Padilla most number of committee chairmanships

THE Sandiganbayan has upheld its December 2019 decision dismissing a P200 billion forfeiture case against the family of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for lack of evidence.

In a July 22 decision on Civil Case 0002, the court said the government failed to prove that the four properties under the Marcos family’s control -the Currimao beach house; the house in Pandacan, Manila; the Batac Museum; and the Batac Guesthouse -- were illegally acquired.

“The plaintiff’s (Presidential Commission on Good Government) motion for reconsideration dated Dec. 19, 2019,

NEOPHYTE senator Raffy Tulfo got six Senate committee chairmanships after a caucus that ran until evening Tuesday.

Tulfo will head the committees on Cooperatives; Cultural Communities; Economic Affairs; Education, Arts and Culture; Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation; and Energy.

Fellow first-time senator Robin Padilla got four committee chairmanships, namely for Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies; Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation;Climate Change; and Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes.

Senator Francis Tolentino secured the chairmanship of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee while Nancy Binay will

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

A LAW that critics say will lead to “a vaping epidemic among young people” has lapsed into law Monday, after neither President Rodrigo Duterte nor President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acted on it before the July 25 deadline.

The proposed Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act was passed by the House and the Senate on Jan. 26, but was transmitted to t h e

Palace only on June 24, during the last days of the Duterte administration.

The bill lapsed into law without the President’s signature 30 days later, Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez said in a letter sent to Congress.

The law lowers the age of access to e-cigarettes and vaping products from the current 21 years old to 18 years old. It will also allow online sales and transfers the regulatory powers over vaping from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Rodriguez furnished Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez with a copy of the

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vito Barcelo PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is looking into the possibility of holding a separate State of the Nation Address (SONA) with various stakeholders, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Tuesday.

Speaking in an interview on ANC, Zubiri said two Cabinet secretaries told him about the plan to conduct a SONA with stakeholders.

House elects Sandro Marcos senior deputy majority leader

DESPITE DOCTORS’ OBJECTION.

By Maricel V. Cruz

The controversial Vape bill, which lapsed into law on July 25, lowers the age of access to e-cigarettes and vaping products from the current 21 years old to 18 years old.

Norman Cruz

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday elected the President’s son and neophyte Ilocos Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos as senior deputy majority leader of the 19th Congress.

During the plenary session, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe moved to nominate and elect Marcos to the post.

At the same time, 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan was elected as the House minority leader.

Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza reported to the plenary that Libanan was unanimously elected to the post by 25 lawmakers during the group’s first organizational meeting on Monday afternoon before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address.

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PH’s ‘golden girl’ Hidilyn marries longtime partner

By Patricia Taculao

ENRILE ASSUMES CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL POST NEWS / A2

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BBM eyes SONA with stakeholders

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE country’s own weightlifting fairy and Olympics golden girl, Hidilyn Diaz, is now officially Mrs. Naranjo.

She and her longtime partner and coach, Julius Naranjo, tied the knot in Baguio on Tuesday, coinciding with the first anniversary of Hidilyn’s gold medal win during the Next page

THE ‘WEIGHT’ IS OVER. Olympic gold medalist

Hidilyn Diaz marries her partner and coach Julius Naranjo in Baguio City Tuesday on the anniversary of her Tokyo Olympics win.

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solon: Ghosting an emotional crime the unexplained reasons of the one who ghosted,” Teves said.

Teves’ bill does not recommend any penalty for the offense.

Teves cited the need for Congress to enact the measure, stressing “the ambiguity with ghosting is that there is no real closure between the parties concerned and as such, it can be likened to a form of emotional cruelty and should be punished as an emotional offense because of the trauma it causes to the ‘ghosted’ party.”

Meanwhile, Teves also filed a bill mandating the authentication of online and social media memberships identities.

House Bill 129 seeks “to avoid malicious acts committed in cyberspace,” such as cyber bullying, harassment, on-

line scams, and libel, he said.

Once enacted, the measure shall require public and private entities to submit themselves to a mandatory authentication process to verify their website and/or social media accounts, all in the name of holding people accountable for their actions online.

The authentication process shall be done through registration of their accounts using any valid government-issued identification and/ or barangay certificate.

“Through a registrations process, netizens will be given government-issued numbers that they will then have to use to verify their social media accounts to be able to use its services,” Teves said in his bill.

middle income economy.

Foremost in the eight-point agenda is to protect purchasing power and mitigate socioeconomic scarring by ensuring food security, reducing transport and logistics costs, and reducing energy costs to families.

Other interventions are as follows: reduce vulnerability and mitigate scarring from the COVID-19 pandemic by tackling health, strengthening social protections, and addressing learning losses; ensure sound macroeconomic fundamentals by enhancing bureaucratic efficiency and sound fiscal management

and ensuring a resilient and innovative financial sector; create more jobs by promoting trade and investments, improving infrastructure, and achieving energy security; create quality jobs by increasing employability, encouraging research and development and innovation, enhancing digital economy; create green jobs by pursuing green economy and establishing livable and sustainable communities; uphold public order and safety, peace, and security; and ensure a level playing field by strengthening market competition and reducing barriers to entry and limits to entrepreneurship.

(HCUR) for COVID-19 in Bohol and Iloilo, exceeded the 50 percent threshold, recording 57.7 percent and 52.4 percent, respectively, on Sunday, July 24.

The National Capital Region’s (NCR) one-week HCUR also climbed from 30.7 percent to 31.7 percent during the same period, with 27.3 percent of its intensive care units (ICU) occupied.

In line with this, DOH called on the public to continue wearing of the bestfitting face masks, isolating and informing close contacts when sick, doubling-up protection through vaccines, and ensuring good airflow to control the spread of the virus.

“If such factors will be adhered to and implemented by ourselves immediately, a decline in cases may be observed sooner,” it said.

The Philippines on Tuesday registered 2,360 new COVID-19 infections, increasing the nationwide tally to 3,757,762.

The active COVID-19 case tally climbed to 27,643 from 27,625 on Monday.

In the last two weeks, the National Capital Region (NCR) logged 12,782 cases, followed by Calabarzon with 8,165, Central Luzon with 3,671, West-

ern Visayas with 2,498, and Central Visayas with 1,438.

The DOH said 2,341 new patients recovered bringing the country’s recovery tally to 3,669,425.

No new deaths were recorded as the death toll remained at 60,694.

At least 7,172 beds were occupied, while 21,980 were still vacant as the bed occupancy in the country stood at 24.6 percent as of July 24.

A total of 20,896 people were tested, while 330 testing labs submitted data as of July 25, according to the DOH. Vergeire said the DOH has shifted its focus to saving lives while also protecting livelihoods.

“We are promoting vaccination on top of our usual health protocols, instead of imposing restrictions. While the new Omicron subvariants are indeed still spreading, cases have been reported to be mild and can be allowed to heal at home.”

In line with the President’s statements in the State of the Nation Address (SONA), there are no plans to execute any further lockdown measures moving forward in the pandemic.

graft court’s Fourth Division.

Fourth Division chairperson Alex Quiroz penned the 12-page decision, with the concurrence of Associate Jusinsofar as the properties that allegedly have tices Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega not yet been recovered by the government and Maryann Corpus-Mañalac. are concerned, is denied for its failure to According to the complaint, Civil prove its claims through a preponderance Case No. 0002 stemmed from the “misof evidence,” read the decision of the anti- appropriation and theft of public funds,

plunder of the nation’s wealth, extortion, blackmail, bribery, embezzlement and other acts of corruption.”

The PCGG said the Marcos family should return their alleged ill-gotten wealth, which included P976 million worth of deposits at the Security Bank and Trust Company and P711 million at the Traders Royal Bank.

Appointments. He also served as a commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration during the Arroyo administration.

Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez was named caretaker of the seventh district of Cavite after its representative, Jesus Crispin Remulla, joined the Cabinet as Justice Secretary.

Aside from Marcos, Dalipe also named Quezon City Rep. Franz Pumaren, Batangas Rep. Lianda Bolilia, Malabon City Rep. Josephine LacsonNoel, Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, and Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre as deputy majority leaders.

The lower chamber also elected Leyte Rep. Anna Victoria Veloso-Tu-

azon, Misamis Occidental Rep. Ando Oaminal, Tarlac Rep. Jaime Cojuangco, Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez, and Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon as assistant majority leaders.

Meanwhile, Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera will be the Deputy Minority Leader.

“Being part of the minority should always be anchored on the public good, and not on the urge to obstruct or to be proven right,” Herrera said.

Herrera said the House minority bloc is looking forward to working with Romualdez to ensure the passage of legislation intended to hasten the country’s economic recovery

head Accounts.

Other Senate committee chairmanships are as follows: - Cynthia Villar for Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform - Sonny Angara for Environment and Natural Resources; Ethics and Privileges; and Finance - Imee Marcos for Science and Technology; Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development; and Foreign Relations - Lito Lapid for Games, Amusement and Sports - Alan Cayetano for Government Corporations and Public Enterprises - Bong Go for Health and Demography - Francis Escudero for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education - JV Ejercito for Justice and Human Rights; Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development; and Local Government - Jinggoy Estrada for National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification & Reconciliation - Ronald dela Rosa for Public Information and Mass Media and Public Order and Dangerous Drugs - Grace Poe for Public Services - Bong Revilla Jr. for Public Works - Joel Villanueva for Rules - Pia Cayetano for Sports and Sustainable Development and Futures Thinking - Mark Villar for Tourism and Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship - Sherwin Gatchalian for Ways and Means and Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement - Risa Hontiveros for Youth and Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality

the government will strengthen its anticorruption policy.

Asked why the President did not mention the drug war, zubiri said each administration has its own set of priorities.

President Marcos has enumerated his own agenda which focused on agriculture and sound fiscal policy, he said.

“Each administration has their focus and priority,” Zubiri said, noting that President Duterte had mentioned the war on drugs in all his SONAs, with one being even two-and-a-half hours long.

“So, I believe the President would like to focus on other issues he feels are equally important,” Zubiri said.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara described Marcos’s first SONA as “comprehensive.”

“I hope this list will be the X factor to pass the bills on land use code, and the budget reform bill, among others,”

he said.

Former Financial Executive Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) president Francis Lim said that the President’s plans for the economy was a “very good roadmap.”

In an interview on CNN Philippines, Francis Lim said he was satisfied with the economic reforms that Marcos had laid out in his first SONA. “I think it shows his political will, and the fact that he is surrounded by good economic managers as shown by his appointments,” Lim said.

Lim said that everything that Marcos had said about the economic reform package was impactful to him, specifically pertaining to the CREATE act, amendments to the Public Service Act, and making the Philippines an investment destination.

Lim said that investments will help the Philippines to recover from

the pandemic and keep more Filipinos employed.

“All those ingredients are clearly spelled out, some of them were very courageous, and it just shows that he has a roadmap that will make him succeed,” Lim said.

Agriculture groups called on President Marcos to repeal the Rice Liberalization Law after his first SONA, calling his agriculture address vague and lacking.

Amihan Secretary-General and Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo said Marcos’s campaign promise of lowering rice prices to P20 was “unattainable” and his programs were “unclear.”

He said they were waiting for the President to mention P20 rice in his speech or for him to repeal the law that liberalized rice importation, which hurts local farmers. Gabriellea Parino and Chelsea Din

By Maricel V. Cruz

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LEGISLATOR has sought to declare “ghosting” as an emotional abuse.

Negros Oriental Rep. Arnulfo Teves, in filing House Bill 611,“ cited “adverse effects” of ghosting to one’s mental and emotional state.

The bill defines ghosting as the act of cutting off all forms of communication, which Teves said can be mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting to the “ghosted” person.

“Studies have shown that social rejection of any kind activates the same pain pathways in the brain as physical

pain, meaning there’s a biological link between rejection and pain,” the bill’s explanatory note said.

Teves said ghosting -- which happens once a person is engaged in a dating relationship – “is a form of spite that develops feelings of rejection and neglect.”

“Ghosting has adverse effects on the mental state of the one being ghosted and his or her emotional state is still adversely affected as he or she will be constantly thinking of the welfare or

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law, but the Palace has yet to release it to the public.

Under the new law, the Department of Trade and Industry is tasked to consult with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in setting technical standards for the safety, consistency, and quality of vape products.

The DTI is also given authority to regulate the vaporized nicotine and non-nicotine products and their devices and novel tobacco products made from tobacco leaves or have nicotine in tobacco.

The law also mandates the Department of Health (DOH) to prescribe guidelines on the implementation of smoking and vaping restriction awareness campaigns.

It sets the minimum allowable age for the purchase, sale, and use of such products to 18 years old.

The bill became a law despite appeals from health experts, the DOH and the FDA for Marcos to veto it because its provisions contradict public health goals and international standards.

Senator Pia Cayetano on Tuesday lamented the bill’s lapsing into law.

In her privilege speech in the Senate, Cayetano questioned why Congress sat on the bill that was ratified by both Houses of Congress on Jan. 26 without immediately transmitting it to the Office of the President.

Cayetano asked why it took five months to send the bill to the Palace, when the Foundling Recognition and Protection Act was sent in just two months, and the Anti-Trafficking Act in three months.

She reiterated her strong objections to the vape bill, noting how medical experts said the bill was masquerading as a health measure, but really pushes de-regulation, not regulation.

She said she was disappointed in the 18th Congress for passing the bill, and with the President for not vetoing it.

“My heart is broken but my spirit is not. I will never stop fighting for the health and well-being of the Filipinos, even against strong lobbies of industries and policymakers who choose to support their interests over the people,” she said.

Meanwhile public interest law group ImagineLaw deplored the lapse into law of the vape bill as a “betrayal of public health.”

It also branded a “regrettable development in the face of the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to build back better.”

amid the pandemic,” Castelo said.

The DTI adjusts the SRP list from time to time to reflect the true cost of commodities and the movement of supply and demand on a global scale.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ‘s economic team unveiled Tuesday an eight-point agenda aimed at achieving his target of bringing down the poverty rate to a single-digit and elevating the country’s status as an upper-

PH’s...

From A1 Tokyo Olympics.

“Today marks the first anniversary of [our] winning the gold medal in the Olympics for the Philippines.

And today also will be a memorable day for Julius and [I], we will get married today,” the 31-year-old athlete posted on Instagram.

Hidilyn switched from gold to silver as she donned a Francis Libirandesigned wedding gown with an offshoulder mermaid cut and bedazzled with Swarovski crystals and sequins for the ceremony.

She also wore her engagement ring with a diamond set inside an intricate miniature barbell.

Even her bouquet was symbolic as florist Gideon Hermosa created a unique bridal bouquet inspired by Hidilyn’s profession and historic feat.

She walked down the aisle with a double cascading brocade of orchids to resemble a weighted barbell.

The couple wed at the prestigious Baguio Country Club.

Enrile takes oath as Marcos’ chief legal counsel

COVID...

From A1 Despite the high projection until the end of August, the DOH said the number of infections may be “slower and more controlled” if the primary vaccine series and booster coverage are improved, and the public complies with minimum health standards.

If these two things happen, then the number of infections could go down to about 6,194 to 8,346 cases per day during the same period, the DOH said.

“While we do consider COVID-19 case numbers in determining an area’s alert level, we would like to emphasize the larger focus we have on admission and hospital utilization rates,” the DOH said in a statement.

“With the advances in COVID-19 treatment and the availability of vaccines to combat severe and critical disease, as well as deaths, we now have the capability to reduce the vulnerable population and keep hospital utilization and fatalities to a minimum,” it said.

Based on OCTA Research’s latest data, the health care utilization rate

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From A1 In his acceptance speech, Libanan vowed that the group will perform its tasks “as a responsible minority.”

“I would like to thank all my dear colleagues in the minority and all of the congressmen and congresswomen of this august chamber for this opportunity. Rest assured, we will perform our task as a responsible minority of this august chamber,” he said.

Libanan was a former chair of the House justice committee, and a former majority leader of the Commission on

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From A1 Zubiri said the President wants to do another one with a full Cabinet slate on stage to discuss issues with the different sectors, including the diplomatic corps and various industries.

At the same time, Zubiri defended the President against criticism for not mentioning his administration’s anticorruption campaign.

“You don’t have to say we’re going to strengthen the anti-corruption program. He said it in his speech if you listened carefully. He said that he wanted to plug the tax leakages. Tax leakages are through either inefficiency of tax collection or corruption or both,” Zubiri said.

The Senate leader noted that ease of doing business is another way of saying

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administered the oath of office to former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile Sr. as his chief legal counsel, Malacañang announced Tuesday.

Enrile, 98, is one of the prominent personalities who backed the presidential bid of Marcos.

His nomination as Marcos’ chief legal counsel was first announced on June 17.

In a social media post, Marcos said that he was confident that Enrile would provide him with “sound legal assistance.”

“I am confident in the capabilities and experience of Enrile as a public servant. This is why I am hoping that he will give us sound legal assistance regarding the actions our administration would take,” the President said.

Enrile has served in government for more than 50 years. He was acting finance secretary from 1966 to 1968, justice secretary from 1968 to 1970, and minister of national defense from 1972 to 1986.

Enrile spent four terms in the Senate and became the 21st Senate President during the 15th Congress from 2008 to 2013.

He also served one term in the House of Representatives as representative of Cagayan’s first district.

In 2016, Enrile announced his plan to retire from public service.

However, three years after his supposed retirement, he joined but lost the 2019 senatorial race.

Enrile in late June said he tested positive for COVID-19, which forced him to miss the inauguration of Marcos and the oath-taking of several other Cabinet members.

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Gov’t to pursue MRP, other big-ticket projects

By Darwin G. Amojelar FIRE AFTERMATH. Arson

investigators sift through debris of houses that burned down during a second alarm fire that broke out on J. P. Rizal Extension in Makati City on Tuesday. A barangay official says a resident died due to a heart attack while two others were injured.

Norman Cruz

Rappler’s Maria Ressa, Rey Santos Jr appeal cyber libel verdict

By Rey E. Requejo RAPPLER chief executive officer Maria Ressa and former Rappler researcher Rey Santos Jr. have asked the Court of Appeals (CA) to overturn its July 7, 2022 decision upholding the cyber libel conviction against them by a trial court.

In a 32-page motion for reconsideration filed July 22, Ressa and Santos pleaded the

CA to set aside the Manila City Regional Trial Court’s decision in 2020 convicting them of cyber libel with payment of damages in favor of complainant Wilfredo Keng.

“The attacks against Rappler are political, not legal, aimed at preventing us from doing our jobs as journalists,” Ressa said in a statement.

“The legal acrobatics in multiple cases filed against me to take away my freedom

bend the rule of law until it’s broken. I appeal to the justices to uphold the spirit of the law that holds our democracy together,” she added.

Ressa and Santos asserted that the trial court erred when it ruled that the prescription of cyber libel should be 15 years and not one year.

They also argued that the appellate court committed an error when it held that a cor-

rection of a typographical error in a story meant republication and that businessman Wilfredo Keng was not a subject of public interest when it was released in May 2012.

“The Supreme Court has previously upheld the finding that wealthy businessmen who are ‘well-known, highly-regarded, and recognized in business circles’ are public figures under the rubric of the actual malice standard,” the motion stated.

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HE Marcos administration is keen on pursuing the Mindanao Rail Project (MRP) initiated by its predecessor, but was shelved after China pulled out from the funding negotiations.

After President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s first State of the Nation Address, the Cabinet’s infrastructure cluster led by Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the government would continue several big-ticket infrastructure projects.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday said it will resubmit the MRP to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) after the Finance department cancelled the funding request from Chinese government.

“We will have to resubmit project to the NEDA in the coming weeks because it has already been approved in the past. The intention is to continue the project whether we are going to PPP [Public Private Partnership] or ODA [official development assistance]. We will leave it to the DOF and NEDA,” Undersecretary for Rails Cesar Chavez said during a forum.

Former Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez cancelled the loan application to China worth nearly P300 billion to finance several railway projects, including the MRP after Beijing did not act on its promised funding.

According to the DOTr, the 102km MRP which includes the TagumDavao-Digos (TDD) segment will cut travel time from Tagum City in Davao del Norte to Digos City in Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to 1.3 hours.

MMDA pursues Adopt-a-Park project, opens new one in Pasig

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday inaugurated and turned over to the Pasig City government the Buting Linear Park in Barangay San Joaquin in line with the agency’s Adopt-A-Park project.

The 800-square meter park includes a new river wall and the development of green and play areas, which include kingsize play sets for kids and an exercise equipment zone for adults.

MMDA officer-in-charge Baltazar Melgar said they will identify more areas in coordination with local government units in the National Capital Region to be rehabilitated as pocket parks.

“We will help the LGUs in identifying more places such as easements to be converted as open parks,” he said, while also appealing to the barangay officials to maintain the cleanliness of the area.

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said the

Buting Linear Park is a great program created by the MMDA in partnership with the LGU. He also underscored the importance of having open spaces and playgrounds that will benefit his constituents.

“These open spaces are good for both the physical and mental health of Pasigueños living around the area,” he said.

Sotto also said that developing parks will promote children safety as they will now have a place to play that is monitored and supervised.

Meanwhile, Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo has assured that the park will be well-maintained and well taken care of.

The Buting Linear Park, located near the San Joaquin Pasig River Ferry Station, will benefit residents of Barangay Buting and Barangay San Joaquin.

It is one of the 24 parks across Metro Manila that the MMDA is currently constructing and rehabilitating.

PASIG GETS NEW LINEAR PARK. Pasig City Mayor

Vico Sotto and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, mingle with local residents during the inauguration of a new linear park on Barangay Buting, courtesy of the Metro Manila Development Authority’s (MMDA) Adapt-a-Park project. Manny Palmero

NCRPO nabs 42 gun ban violators Batangas RTC Cops file murder raps vs. ADMU shooter sends 7 to jail for during BBM’s SONA on Monday THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has announced the arrest of 42 suspects for alleged violation of the gun ban imposed as part of the security measures implemented during the first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad also declared last Monday’s SONA as peaceful and orderly without any untoward incident in the areas near Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

“Despite the challenging weather starting from severely arid followed by heavy rain in the afternoon, our troops remained in high morale and committed to deliver

the high expectations of our people of a safe and secure conduct of the first SONA of President Marcos, Jr.” Natividad said.

The NCRPO reported that 27 firearms were also confiscated during the gun ban period in the capital region.

“During its implementation, gun owners, granted with a privilege to own firearms will have to obey the prohibition of the carrying of firearms outside residence all over the region. With this, men and women of NCRPO were deployed within the streets of the region to hinder possible criminal elements and lawlessness that can be attributed to the use of firearms and other deadly weapons,” said Natividad.

ARTISTS WITH A MISSION. Artist Kristine Lim and OPM icon Jonathan Manalo roll out their project dubbed “Kuwento ng Alon” at the Academy of Rock in Quezon City. Lim will interpret Manalo’s artworks in a multi-venue and multi-country exhibit on September 2022 to 2023. Danny Pata

investment scam

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Batangas City Regional Trial Court Branch 2 has convicted seven officers of the Batangas-based One Dream Global Marketing, Inc. allegedly involved in an investment scam.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a statement said the Batangas RTC, in a decision handed down on July 14, found the seven executives of the One Dream Global Marketing guilty of illegally soliciting investments from the public, which is a violation of the Securities Regulation Code (SRC).

They were identified as Arnel Gacer, Jobelle De Guzman, Judith Itoh, Marlon De Guzman, Louie De Guzman, Belinda De Guzman, and Jun De Guzma.

They were also sentenced to pay fines totaling P2.8 million and serve up to 20 years in jail, or a total imprisonment of 140 years for the group.

The court likewise issued a warrant of arrest against accused Ariel De Guzman, Richard Ramos, Jay-ar De Guzman, and Joel De Guzman, who remain at large.

The cases stemmed from complaints filed by nine investors against for syndicated estafa with the Department of Justice on July 21, 2015. Two other investors filed complaints against the group with the SEC Enforcement and Investor Protection Department on August 3, 2015.

THE Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has filed three counts of murder and two counts of frustrated murder charges against a medical doctor allegedly involved in a shooting incident that left three people dead and two others injured during a graduation exercise at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City last Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the arrested suspect Chao-Tiao Yumol, a physician, is detained at Camp Karingal and is now facing the criminal complaints in relation Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and

Ammunition Regulation Act), violation of RA 10883 (New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016), and malicious mischief amounting to P80,000 before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office.

Fajardo said the QCPD filed the complaint on Monday evening.

“This case is considered solved already because the suspect has been apprehended and appropriate criminal cases have been filed before the Prosecutor’s Office,” Fajardo said.

Killed were former Lamitan City Mayor Rosita Furigay, her executive assistant Victor George Capistrano, and campus security guard Jeneven Bandiala, who reportedly tried to stop the suspect.

2 PH churches declared as minor basilicas THE Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne in Taguig City and Parish Church of Saint Dominic in San Carlos City, Pangasinan have been designated as minor basilicas

by Pope Francis, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said on Tuesday.

St. Anne parish, under the Diocese of Pasig, submitted a petition to the Vatican last year to grant the old church with the title and dignity of a minor basilica.

The 180-page petition contained the parish’s history, liturgical services, social services, culture, and devotion.

“This is a great blessing to us. This is the first basilica of the Diocese of Pasig,” Pasig Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara said during a Mass on the Feast of Saints Anne and Joachim.

On the other hand, the parish at the City of San Carlos, under the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, is the first Dominican church in Pangasinan.

It started as a chapel made of bamboo and nipa in 1587 in Binalatongan, now San Carlos City.

It moved to higher locations three times in the 17th and 18th centuries due to seasonal flooding.

The current church was built in 1773.

No date has been set for the liturgical rites for the proclamation of the new minor basilicas.

The title minor basilica is bestowed for architectural beauty, historical significance, liturgical renown, presence of a special relic or work of art or a combination of any of the criteria.

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News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

2.8m enroll on listup first day for SY 2022-23

By Rio N. Araja ALMOST 3 million learners have enrolled in public schools for School Year 2022-2023, the Department of Education said Tuesday, as the enrollment period will last until the opening of classes on August 22.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said that yesterday, on the first day of enrollment, “turnout was good. As of 7:35 last night, there were already 2.808 million enrollees.”

Meanwhile, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte said learners must be provided with mental wellness support to help them cope with the post-pandemic transition to in-person learning.

During a post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) forum, Duterte said the DepEd has advised its regional offices to make this service available for learners.

Two petitioners of the anti-COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday welcomed the position of Duterte not to discriminate against students without vaccines from attending face-to-face classes.

At the sidelines of a court hearing in Quezon City, former broadcast journalist Dominic Almelor and fellow petitioner Girlie Samonte said “the public must not blame an unvaccinated person why another person got the infection.”

Poa noted this is better than last year’s turnout, where only about 200,000 students signed up on enrollment’s first day. Most of the learners personally went to the schools to enroll, despite online enrollment still being implemented, the lawyer said.

ENROLLMENT QUEUE. Uniformed high school students line up to enroll for the school year 2022-2023 at the Lakandula High School in Tondo, Manila on Monday. Five-day face-to-face classes will begin on November 2, the Department of Education said. Norman Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz PAMPANGA Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo has asked Speaker Martin G. Romualdez for a seven-day medical and wellness leave abroad.

Arroyo’s office said the former President will not be able to physically attend sessions for “two weeks and one day.” Congress holds sessions from Monday to Wednesday.

“She will travel to France and Singapore. She intends, however, to join the sessions of Congress via Zoom while she is out of the country,” a statement issued by Arroyo’s office said.

“She has been certified by her personal physician as no longer infectious, but she could not attend the SONA (State of the Nation Address) because the President’s presence required a negative [RT-]PCR test for all attending the SONA, whereas she tested positive on [RT-]PCR [for COVID-19] two days before the SONA,” it added.

Even if absent, Arroyo participated via Zoom in the opening of the First Regular Session of the 19th Congress on Monday morning and voted for Romualdez for Speaker.

Arroyo, who served as Speaker from July 2018 to June 2019, will serve as Senior Deputy Speaker under Romualdez’s leadership.

The former President on Monday congratulated the newly-elected Speaker and extended her gratitude to members of the House for electing her Senior Deputy Speaker despite her absence in the first session of them 19th Congress.

Angara: House vows to transmit ‘23 budget bill to senators by October T

HE House of Representatives will transmit the 2023 national budget bill to the Senate by early October if Malacañang submits the National Expenditures Program (NEP) a month after the State of the Nation Address, Speaker Martin Romualdez told Senate leaders Tuesday.

Adamson blasts Morning Post’s ‘instant PhD’ tale ADAMSON University on Tuesday denied a South China Morning Post report saying the school gave “instant PhDs” to teachers from China.

In a statement, Adamson said that its Philosophy Doctorate offerings strictly adhere to the policies, guidelines, and standards set by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), specifically the minimum six terms of residency.

“Adamson University strongly denounces the malicious claims perpetrated by certain sectors in Hunan Province, China on the PhD degree obtained

by Shaoyang College faculty members from Adamson University,” it said.

On July 25, the Hong Kong-based Morning Post reported that a university head in China was fired for supposedly sending 22 teachers to Manila-based Adamson to earn “instant” PhDs in 28 months, then rehired them to boost the Chinese university’s ranking.

“The questionable practices and improprieties allegedly committed by the President of Shaoyang College do not reflect inadequacies in the credibility and legitimacy of Adamson University’s education programs nor do they signify Adamson University’s involvement in any such malpractice or misconduct,” Adamson said.

“Statements with malicious intent of impeaching the integrity and reputation of the University’s Graduate School Program are unacceptable. This we cannot countenance,” it added.

The Catholic university named after Greek chemist Dr. George Lucas Adamson said it is reviewing options in seeking remedies “in law or in equity to protect the good name and reputation of the school.”

Arroyo asks Speaker for 7-day leave

Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said he and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri spoke to Romualdez, who said he is confident that as long as congressmen receive the budget bill a month after the SONA –which is the required period under the Constitution – or by Aug. 25, the House could pass the measure in early October.

“They could then give it to the Senate,”

said Angara, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, adding that the timetable would give the upper chamber enough time to debate and scrutinize the measure.

This developed as Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the country can fund President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s plan to continue ongoing infrastructure projects and even expand the program, which he outlined in his first SONA on

Monday.

Diokno, who chairs the Cabinet’s economic cluster, said this was possible thanks to an improved tax system inherited from the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The Duterte administration left this government a sound tax system, a much better tax system than he inherited from the previous administration, and we will enhance that tax system, that will give us more revenues,” the Finance chief said.

Diokno sat with Marcos’ economic managers on Tuesday for a post-SONA economic briefing at the PICC. Among those in attendance for the panel were Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

Governor Felipe Medalla, National Economic Development Authority Arsenio Balisacan, and Department of Budget and Management chief Amenah Pangandaman.

In the Senate, Angara said: “We want to pass the bill on time… so that by January 1 we have a new budget, we have new programs in place.”

As in previous Congresses, he said senators will still conduct early hearings to expedite the scrutiny of the proposed budget.

Angara added there will be no “free ride” in terms of crafting the budget, saying: “Senators really scrutinize this, we even stretch late into nights.”

Koko, Risa seek De Lima release; Nope, says DOJ SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking the release of former Senator Leila de Lima from “unjust and arbitrary detention”—a move immediately shot down by the Department of Justice.

De Lima has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame over what the former senator maintained as “trumped-up drug charges”by the Duterte administration.

The opposition bloc senators also called on the DOJ to drop the remaining charges against De Lima.

But in a statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the department is leaving it up to the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Courts, where the cases against De Lima are still pending, to make its decision.

The drug cases are still pending before Muntinlupa City RTC Branches 204 and 256. Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos Araneta

photo 3 SUBIC-VANGUARD PACT. The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), in

partnership with The Vanguard Academy with Le Charme Suites and Meat Plus Café, has hired special needs adults within their respective establishments. Labor Department Manager Melvin Varias, with Le Charmé Chief Executive Officer Josephine Pellicer and Meat Plus Café Group Operations Manager Eizon Wilmar Sampang, welcomed the 11 program pioneers.

SPEAKER’S FAMILY. Mrs. Juliette Gomez Romualdez (center) shares a moment with her sons House Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd from right) and Philip Romualdez (right), along with House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe (left) and Deputy Speaker Camille Villar (2nd from left) after the first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday. Ver Noveno

Incentives for PH ‘green’ tourism projects sought THE Department of Tourism is seeking better incentives for green tourism projects to ensure the sustainability of tourism destinations, as Secretary Christina Frasco underscored the importance of incentivizing sustainable tourism policy implementation.

This will involve the introduction of incentives for the private sector that would implement green policies “that

give value to the preservation of the environment, as well as the introduction of measures that promote environmental protection and energy efficiency,” a DOT statement said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte expressed optimism that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s focus on agriculture, health, and tour-

ism will result in the launching of projects that will spark economic growth.

He said revving up these sectors would stimulate high growth, create jobs, and raise incomes, especially in the countryside, “where a majority of our people remain poor and have been hit hard by the over two-year pandemic.” Othel V. Campos and Maricel V. Cruz

Recto: Population rise to dictate bureaucracy size A LEGISLATOR on Tuesday said the plan to “right size” the bureaucracy will not reduce the number of national government workers, as the hiring of essential personnel, such as teachers and nurses, is dictated by population increase.

“Rightsizing would mean downsizing the personnel complement in some agencies but upsizing them in many,” Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto said.

He said: “Population growth is the most influential HR (human resources) recruiter, one that is impossible to ignore.”

A mere 1,000 increase in the country’s population also triggers the hiring of one policeman and one nurse, the former senator added.

“And how many people are born in this country every 24 hours? About 3,838. So, every six hours, we have to,

ideally, recruit one policeman and one nurse,” Recto said, citing the “suitable” 1-to-1,000 personnel-to-population ratio for the two professions.

The country’s population, the 13th biggest in the world, increased by 1.4 million from 2020 to 2021, he noted.

Recto said a conservative 300,000 increase in annual public school enrollment requires the hiring of 7,500 teachers. Maricel V. Cruz

Opinion No GRP-NDF peace talks in sight WILL we ever get to see the end of the longstanding armed rebellion in this country within the foreseeable future through peace talks?

That’s highly unlikely, at least in the next six years.

The Marcos administration appears totally lukewarm to the idea of resuming the cancelled peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front (NDF), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA).

In fact, the continued existence of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), which figured in controversial Red-tagging of various legal organizations identified with the mainstream Left during the previous administration, indicates that the Marcos administration is in no mood at all to rub shoulders and talk peace with the Reds.

Instead, the NTF-Elcac is recommending to the new president that amnesty be offered to the CPP-NPA. According to National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos, vice-chair of the Task Force (the President is the chairman), “the NTF-Elcac’s efforts to ensure peace and development for all Filipinos will continue.”

The offer of amnesty is aimed at preventing the “resurgence of the communist terrorist group, especially in geographically challenged, isolated and disadvantaged areas,” according to the retired UP professor.

Details of the amnesty, including who will be covered by it, have not been finalized, Carlos said, and it needs to be approved by the President, who may issue a proclamation for the purpose.

What is clear at this point is that the task force is not recommending the resumption of national-level peace talks, although the President can resume peace negotiations with the CPP-NPA-NDF. “Based on our assessment of the more than 50 years of our negotiation with the CPP, we have attained no significant successes with national peace talks,” said Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., a former military chief.

But the government, Galvez said, would continue with “localized” peace talks, where local chief executives and local peace and order councils are empowered to address the problem of local terrorism “because they know best the solution.”

The rebels, however, frown on local peace talks. Neither, it would seem, are they enthusiastic at all about resuming national-level peace talks.

On the Academia.com website, we stumbled upon the preface of a book on the peace talks by Jose Ma. Sison, founder of the CPP and now in

exile in the Netherlands.

Sison outlined three scenarios for peace talks to take place.

One, the NDF will resume peace negotiations “when honest third-party advocates of a just peace and enlightened elements in the GRP offer peace negotiations as a just, reasonable and feasible way to address the basic problems of the people and arrive at the solutions in the form of basic reforms for the benefit of the people.”

That will not prevent them, he said, the revolutionary forces “to explain and propagate their program for a new democratic revolution in the course of peace negotiations.”

Nothing new in Sison’s three scenarios as well as in his conclusion, as these have been the standard line in his pronouncements since he founded the CPP in 1968 Two, “the best circumstances for peace negotiations are when the armed revolution is about to complete its general offensive and gives a chance to the final holdouts of the enemy the chance to exchange prisoners of war and surrender to the people’s side; or short of achieving complete victory in the civil war there is an agreement to engage in truce and national unity for independence, democracy, genuine land reform and national industrialization or confront and fight against a far worse reactionary enemy or a foreign aggressor.”

And three, “let me consider the possibility that through peace negotiations the GRP and NDF agree to cease and desist from trying to destroy each other and decide to take the road of national unity and reconciliation, full national independence, democracy, social justice and economic development through genuine land reform and national industrialization and expansion of social services by using as the key the availment of certain natural resources (marine and mineral) that the Philippines has in abundance in the West Philippine Sea (aside from the methane nodules, oil deposits and heavy metals in Benham Rise), instead of allowing or emboldening China as one more imperialist power to violate the national sovereignty of the Filipino people, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 judgment of the Permanent Arbitration Commission in favor of the Philippines against China.”

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

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Two book awards are back after long hiatuses AFTER a years-long hiatus, two national book awards have returned this year to recognize the best publications in the country, promote Philippine literature, and advance a culture of reading in the country.

I hope that this current government will step up to be more supportive of recognition ceremonies such as these, that provide incentives to writers, illustrators, publishers, book designers, and others in the book industry to reach for the highest standards.

In fact, I hope the current administration will take note of the country’s creative activities – literary, visual arts, music, film, broadcasting, and the rest – which provide so much potential in terms of global recognition and representation, revenue, and as economic drivers. More on this next time.

39th National Book Awards (NBA) The NBA, given annually by the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) in coordination with the National Book Development Board (NBDB), is back after a pandemic hiatus.

The awarding ceremony this year will be held on July 30, and may be viewed by the public on the NBDB’s Facebook page and YouTube account from 6:00 p.m. onward.

The MCC and NBDB announced the finalists last June, and posted the list on social media. I also wrote about it for Manila Standard’s Lifestyle section last month.

To briefly recap, this year’s NBA includes titles published in 2019 and 2020. The last awards were handed out in 2019, prior to the pandemic, recognizing the books published in 2018.

There are 23 categories in the NBA. In the category Novel in English, the four finalists are Daryll Delgado for Remains, Caroline S. Hau for Tiempo Muerte, Criselda Yabes for Broken Islands, and Jessica Zafra for The Age of Umbrage.

For Novel in Filipino, only two made the cut: Rhod V. Nuncio for Omnibus at ang Misteryo ng Nawawalang Ulo, and RM Topacio-Aplaon for Topograpiya ng Lumbay: Imus Novel 6.

The NBDB, a government agency, has done its best to support the MCC’s National Book Awards for several years with grants and logistical support.

However, they will support with logistics for only one more cycle and, after that, MCC is on its own

to find volunteers to act as the secretariat for the awards.

The MCC is a group of writers and academics who organize the NBA on an independent, unpaid basis. In effect, they are “taking one for the team” in behalf of the Philippine literary industry because, as MCC members, their books cannot be nominated for any of the regular categories.

The current members of the MCC are National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, Dean Francis Alfar, Alma Anonas-Carpio, Dr. Isagani R. Cruz, Ruel S. De Vera, Dr. Shirley O. Lua, Dr. Michael M. Coroza, Dr. Jenny Ortuoste, and Dr. Danton Remoto.

I hope this current government will step up to be more supportive of recognition ceremonies that provide incentives to writers, illustrators, publishers, book designers, and others in the book industry to reach for the highest standards Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards (FRCA) The FCRA, an online popular choice awards previously conducted from 2012 to 2015, returns after a seven-year rest due to lack of volunteers to run it. It was established by independent volunteers to address the lack of a book awards given

by Filipino readers.

First held alongside the Filipino ReaderCon, also organized by the same volunteers, the FRCA grew from seven to 13 categories and from 7,000 plus to over 101,000 voters.

The awards resumes again because the FRCA has been adopted by the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP), a private organization. As such, the FRCA is now included in the BDAP’s programming, which will hold the award every other year, alternately with the BDAP Gintong Aklat awards. *** FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

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EDITORIAL

‘A beacon of hope’

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HE recent agreements in Istanbul, Turkey between Russia and Ukraine to release some 20 million tons of grain stuck in the latter’s Black Sea ports have cleared the way for exporting millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain.

They also gave the go-ahead in guaranteeing Russian exports of its grain and fertilizers.

Immediately, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the agreement would help ease a global food crisis.

If the deal holds – and many, including the Philippines, hold high hopes -- it could alleviate the global food crisis and bring down soaring grain prices.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov signed separate deals with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi

Akar.

Russia and Ukaraine signed separate agreements with Turkey and the UN, clearing the way for exporting millions of tons of desperately needed Ukrainian grain – as well as Russian grain and fertilizer – ending a wartime standoff that had threatened global food security.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said: ‘Today, there is a beacon on the Black Sea, a beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility, a beacon of relief in a world that needs it more than ever’ Guterres said during the signing: “Today, there is a beacon on the Black Sea, a beacon of hope, a beacon of possibility, a beacon of relief in a world that needs it more than ever.”

Addressing both Russian and Ukrainian representatives, he added: “You have overcome obstacles and

put aside differences to pave the way for an initiative that will serve the common interests of all.”

Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion of the country in February this year and eventual naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments.

Some grain is being transported through Europe by rail, road and river, but the prices of vital commodities like wheat and barley have soared during the nearly five-month war.

The grain export agreement makes provisions for the safe passage of ships and foresees the establishment of a control center in Istanbul, to be staffed by UN, Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian officials, to run and coordinate the process, according to Turkish officials.

Ships would undergo inspections to ensure they are not carrying weapons, with Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that no Russian ship would escort vessels and that there would be no Russian representative present at Ukrainian ports.

The best SONA THE first State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. makes history. It is the best SONA ever. It is the best delivered SONA. At 7,700 words and 74 minutes long, it is one of the best applauded SONAs, with no less than 70 rounds of applause, or almost one applause for every minute of robust presidential delivery that echoed the rhetoric flair of the first President Ferdinand Marcos.

The visioning behind Bongbong Marcos’s first SONA is certainly the one that will have a profound impact on the future of the country and in building better the lives of millions of Filipinos, especially the poor and underprivileged, including the 12 million overseas Filipino workers and their families, the three million rice farmers, and the over one million fishermen and their families.

Today, Filipino farmers and fishermen are the poorest of the poor.

The slogan is BBM – Build Better, More. To send home that message, Marcos, in his address, had to inspire and electrify the nation with a hefty combination of bravado, nationalism, and unbridled optimism.

For this President, failure is not an option.

“I know this in my mind. I know it in my heart.

I know it in my very soul,” President BBM concluded at the end of his speech, “the state of the nation is sound.” No assertion could have been made in greater or sterner conviction than that.

Marcos, 64, discussed a number of problems and concerns. Seven stand out: 1) food and agriculture; 2) energy; 3) inflation; 4) jobs; 5) health; 6) education; and 7) investments and economic recovery.

To help solve and put framework to these problems, the entire government has been harnessed to produce, by yearend, the Philippine Development

Plan for 2023-2028.

The Plan will give flesh, blood, and fulfillment to these targets: a 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent economic growth for 2022 and from 6 percent to 8 percent economic growth during 2023 to 2028; a reduction in poverty incidence from 23.7 percent in the first half of 2021 to 9 percent by the end2028, a rather tall order; and a per capita income for Filipinos of $4,256 or upper middle income, up from the current $3,600 per person or low middle income.

The slogan is BBM – Build Better, More. To send home that message, Marcos, in his address, had to inspire and electrify the nation with a hefty combination of bravado, nationalism, and unbridled optimism To achieve a 6-8 percent real growth in GDP or Gross Domestic Product (the total output of goods and services in a given year, less inflation) means a gross GDP growth of 14 percent per year for six years, including the impact of inflation, according to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

In fact, government projects a 12 percent per year increase in nominal GDP over the next six years, from P21,672.8 billion (P21.67 trillion) in 2022, to P37,424.7 billion (P37.42 trillion) by end 2028.

The government anchors its optimism on the strong GDP growth of 8.3 percent in the first quar-

‘Blackmailing the consumers’ Everyman

By Richard Orsino IN HIS first State of the Nation Address or SONA, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr presented his economic agenda. In my appreciation and expectation of the historic vote mandate are the “hows” in fulfilling the campaign slogan “Sama-samang Babangon Muli.”

I would like to focus on the word “sama-samang” of the slogan. It simply implies that on our path to economic recovery, everyone shares the solutions and responsibilities.

In doing so, it’s my hope that everyone will also have their share of the fruits of our collective and participative efforts and sacrifices.

Sacrifices. Now that’s a key element in everyone’s share of carrying the burden. Most of our kababayans (fellow Filipinos) who are less fortunate have no other recourse but to further harden their weary shoulders because they have no other choice but to do so.

Now, let me put this in the context of our energy sector.

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

Energy prices, fuel and electricity, are significant economic drivers Energy prices, fuel and electricity, are significant economic drivers. There is not much talk about the ongoing appeal to the Energy Regulatory Commission by a distribution unit and two generation companies (GenCos) for a temporary relief from their “commitments,” one of which is the fixed-price clause, in their Power Supply Agreement contracts. The appeal aims to charge P5.2B to the DU’s captive customers.

I chanced upon a news article quoting Senator Sherwin Gatchalian: “You made the commitment for the fixed price, so you (GenCos) should stand by that commitment.”

Recently, news came out about the DU’s warning of rotational brownouts if their joint appeals

ter 2022, on top of the 7.8 percent growth in last quarter, 7 percent in the third quarter and 12.1 percent in the second quarter, all in 20211.

“In the first quarter alone, GDP saw an increase in household consumption and private investments, along with a robust manufacturing industry, high vaccination rate, improved health care capacity, and an upward trend in tourism and employment,” Marcos said.

“This is expected to continue for the rest of 2022.”

To boost food and agriculture, Marcos has pledged to pour research, technical assistance, subsidies and loans into the sector.

Financial assistance to farmers and fishermen will be institutionalized. They will receive subsidies in terms of fertilizer, feeds, seedlings and fingerlings, fuel and outright cash.

The latest in R&D and climate change adaptation and mitigation will be employed in agriculture.

A network of farm to market roads is to be built.

Kadiwa Centers or retail outlets for cheap food will be revived.

Very significantly, Marcos has ordered the condonation of about P58 billion in debts of farmerbeneficiaries of the state Comprehensive Agrarian Land Reform Program (CARP) of 1988.

The debt losses will be absorbed by the national government in its budget.

Condonation will free up some 1.12 million hectares of farm lands, valued cheap by the government for loan purposes, which if sold to the open market by the farmers could generate P500 billion in new wealth for farmers, according to Salceda’s estimates.

Without the burden of debts, CARP lands can be consolidated to improve farm efficiency and yield, resulting in more supply of domestic food. biznewsasia@gmail.com

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I couldn’t agree more with Senator Gatchalian in his statement in relation to this “appea.” According to him, “If the actual price of fuel, for example, coal, is lower than the fixed price, the GenCos will enjoy the difference between the fixed price and the actual price. But if the price of fuel goes up, the Gencos take that risk.

They will absorb (costs). Pagalingan na lang sila in terms of hedging.”

I don’t know how the ERC will take the warning from the DU. But if I’m part of that commission, and as a consumer myself, I think of it as pure blackmail in broad daylight.

It’s practically gaslighting, and putting the blame on the ERC, making them the culprits for the threat of brownouts if the commission does not approve the price increase.

Convenient blackmail.

Furthermore, when Malampaya stopped natural gas fuel supply to one of these GenCos last month, wasn’t the GenCos able to source sufficient replacement power from the market?

(Richard Orsino is a retired executive who worked for three decades in the telecommunications industry.)

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Pope: Sorry for ‘evil’ abuse in Canada

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OPE Francis on Monday apologized for the “evil” inflicted on the Indigenous peoples of Canada on the first day of a visit focused on addressing decades of abuse at Catholic-run residential schools.

The plea for forgiveness from the leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics was met with applause by a crowd of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in Maskwacis, in western Alberta province—some of whom were taken from their families as children in what has been branded a “cultural genocide.”

“I am sorry,” said the 85-year-old pontiff, who remained seated as he delivered his address at the site of one of the largest of Canada’s infamous residential schools, where Indigenous children were sent as part of a policy of forced assimilation.

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” said the pope, citing “cultural destruction” and the “physical, verbal, psychological and spiritual abuse” of children over the course of decades.

Francis spoke of his “deep sense of pain and remorse” as he formally acknowledged that

“many members of the Church” had cooperated in the abusive system.

As he spoke, the emotion was palpable in Maskwacis, an Indigenous community south of provincial capital Edmonton that was the site of the Ermineskin residential school until it closed in 1975.

Several hundred people, many in traditional clothing, were in attendance, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mary Simon, the country’s first Indigenous governor general.

Many lowered their eyes, wiped away tears or leaned on and hugged neighbors, and Indigenous leaders afterwards placed a traditional feathered headdress on the pope.

Counsellors were waiting to provide support to those who may need it, and volunteers had earlier distributed small paper bags for the “collection of tears.”

“The First Nation believes that if you cry, you cry love, you catch the tears on a piece of paper and put it back in this bag,” explained Andre Carrier of the Manitoba Metis Federation.

Later the bags will be burned with a special prayer, “to return the tears of love to the creator,” he said.

From the late 1800s to the 1990s, Canada’s government sent about 150,000 children into 139 residential schools run by the Church, where they were cut off from their families, language and culture. AFP in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

001698

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF KENN DERICK SZE YEUNG to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

14. My character witnesses are Ernest J. Nieva and Derrick Ko Sia both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 1629 G. Perfecto St. Tondo and 407 Dasmariñas St., Sta Cruz, Manila respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box):

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares:

CONCILIATORY. This handout picture taken and released by the Vatican press office shows Pope Francis (left) wearing a headdress presented to him by Indigenous leaders at Muskwa Park in Maskwacis, south of Edmonton, western Canada, on July 25, 2022. Pope Francis visits Canada for a chance to personally apologize to Indigenous survivors of abuse committed over a span of decades at residential schools run by the Catholic Church. AFP

‘Myanmar executions highly reprehensible’ MYANMAR’S execution of four prisoners, including a former member of Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, is “highly reprehensible,” said the chair of a regional bloc leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the post-coup crisis.

Cambodia, which currently heads the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the bloc was “extremely troubled and deeply saddened” by the executions – Myanmar’s first in decades.

In a statement issued Tuesday, it accused the junta of a “gross lack of will” to engage with ASEAN’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the military and its opponents.

The statement also noted the executions had taken place “despite the personal appeal” of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to halt proceedings.

The 10-nation bloc – of which Myanmar is a member – has led diplomatic efforts to end the chaos unleashed by last

year’s putsch.

In April 2021 it reached a “Five-Point Consensus” with the junta which calls for a cessation of violence and “constructive dialogue.”

But violence has continued, with anti-junta groups clashing regularly with the military, which is accused of torching villages.

Divisions in ASEAN, long criticized as a toothless talking shop, have also complicated attempts to resolve the crisis, critics say.

Myanmar’s junta-appointed foreign minister has not been invited to the bloc’s foreign ministers’ meeting next week, according to Cambodian state media.

Myanmar remains isolated on the international stage, with Cambodia’s leader Hun Sen the only foreign head of state to visit since the putsch. AFP

1. My full name is KENN DERICK SZE YEUNG, but I have also been known since childhood as KENN or I have been N/A . judicially authorized to use the alias name(s)

IN BRIEF

2. My present place of residence is Phase 3 Building, Barangay Balibago National Highway City/Municipality of Sta Rosa Province of Laguna and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence)

Ex-Japan emperor stable, recovering

Block 2, Lot 2 & 4 E. Cojuangco St., BF Resort, Las Piñas, Metro Manila 3. I was born on 9 November 1998, in Tondo, Manila Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of Hongkong.

4. My father's name is Yeung Ka Lok and he was born on December 1, 1969, in Fujian, China. He is a citizen or subject of China. My mother's name is Sze Lee Lee and she was born on January 22, 1973 in Fujian, China. She is a citizen or subject of China.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is Operating Manager at Green Island Asia Pacific Corp and from which I derive an average annual income of 360,000.00, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A .

(Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:BS in Marketing Management, (2) name of school: UST and (3) years graduated: ____] who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

MILITARY EXERCISE. Taiwanese navy launches a US-made Standard

missile from a frigate during the annual Han Kuang Drill, on the sea near the Suao navy harbor in Yilan county on July 26, 2022. AFP

Japan executes man over 2008 stabbing rampage in Akihabara

6. My civil status is Single, I was married on N/A in N/A. My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on in N/A in N/A She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A. 8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Name

Date of Birth

Place of Birth

Residence

N/A 9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School Chang Kai Shek

Place of School

Dates of Study Highest Grade Completed

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: English and Tagalog 11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of Child N/A

Name and Place of School N/A

Date of Enrollment N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living.

I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 8th day of June 2021.

Kenn Derick Sze Yeung Name and Signature of Petitioner Telephone Number: 0917-8142093 Email Address:reyes.rojas.law@gmail.com

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF PASIG CITY) S.S. I, Kenn Derick Sze Yeung of legal age and a resident of Phase 3 Building, Brgy. Balibago, Sta Rosa, Laguna after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

Kenn Derick Sze Yeung Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at Pasig City, this 1st day of November 2021. _______________________________ Official authorized to administer oaths/ Notary Public

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to China of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

JAPAN on Tuesday executed a man convicted of killing seven people in a truck ramming and stabbing rampage in Tokyo’s popular Akihabara electronics district in 2008, the justice ministry said.

Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa said Tomohiro Kato had undertaken “meticulous preparation” for the attack and displayed a “strong intent to kill.”

“The death sentence in this case was finalised through sufficient deliberation in court,” he told reporters.

“Based on this fact, I approved the execution after extremely thorough scrutiny.”

Kato went on the stabbing spree on June 8, 2008, telling police: “I came to Akihabara to kill people. It didn’t matter who I’d kill.”

He was arrested on the spot shortly after the attacks, in which he rammed a rented two-ton truck into a crowd of pedestrians before getting out and randomly stabbing people.

“This is a very painful case that led to extremely grave consequences and shocked society,” Furukawa said Tuesday.

Police said Kato documented his deadly journey to Akihabara on Internet bulletin boards, typing messages on a mobile phone from behind the wheel of the truck and complaining of his unstable job and his loneliness. AFP

JAPAN’S former emperor Akihito has been diagnosed with heart failure but is in stable condition after being prescribed medication, the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday.

The diagnosis was made during an unrelated health checkup last month on the 88-year-old, who in 2019 became the first member of the world’s oldest royal family to abdicate the throne in more than 200 years.

The examination confirmed heart expansion and pleural fluid, an agency spokesman told AFP. A subsequent checkup involving an MRI scan at a Tokyo hospital found the retired emperor has right heart failure.

“He is receiving treatment now and he is convalescing,” the spokesman said. AFP

One killed fighting Morocco forest fire

One volunteer firefighter has been killed and another injured in a forest fire in northern Morocco, where new blazes have broken out after a few days of calm, according to local authorities.

The two victims were helping Monday in operations to extinguish a fire in Tanouate province near Fez and Meknes, local sources told AFP. The injured volunteer was hospitalized but his life was not in danger.

Firefighting services were working overnight to control the blaze after ensuring the safety of villagers, authorities added.

About 33 hectares (82 acres) of forest have been destroyed in the region.

Several outbreaks of varying magnitude have resumed in recent hours in northern Morocco, particularly in Larache province, which was recently devastated by forest fires that left one dead. AFP

Trump returns to Washington for first time since 2020 defeat DONALD Trump returns Tuesday to “This is a policy speech he will be Washington for the first time since he giving,” he told CNN. left the White House after a failed atHowever, Trump is unlikely to tempt to overturn his election loss to deviate too far from his typically Joe Biden. incendiary blend of right-wing naTrump, increasingly teasing a bid to tionalism, anti-immigrant rhetoric win back the presidency in 2024, is set and conspiracy theories about the to address the America First Policy Inelection. stitute, a think tank run by allies.

The Capitol riot hearings, which He’ll be appearing in a city riveted revealed harrowing details of the by weeks of hearings held by a Demassault on Congress and also the atDonald Trump ocratic-run House of Representatives tempt by Trump political backers to committee on the January 6, 2021 riot where Trump sup- overturn the election through manipulation of the comporters stormed Congress, trying to stop certification of the plicated US electoral system, are believed to have damelection result. aged Trump.

The Republican continues repeatedly to push his lie in Biden, who at the start of his presidency went out of speeches that he was robbed of victory in 2020, but Ameri- his way to avoid so much as mentioning Trump’s name, ca First Policy Institute spokesman Marc Lotter said Trump launched a blistering broadside Monday on the Republiwould be looking ahead, rather than back. can’s failure to pull back his mob of supporters. AFP

CYANMAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOWBLACK BLACK CYAN Manila Manila

Standard Standard TODAY

Business

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022 ||

B3

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Share prices rise slightly; ICTSI, DMCI lead gainers

S

HARE prices edged higher Tuesday on slight bargain hunting, with many investors cautious ahead of an expected Federal Reserve interest rate hike.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 13.47 points, or 0.2 percent, to 6,223 on a value turnover of P3.8 billion. Gainers beat losers, 104 to 74, with 47 issues unchanged.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. of business tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., the biggest port operator, climbed 2 percent to P184.20, while DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group rose 1.1 percent to P9.55.

Conglomerate San Miguel Corp., however, fell 1.9 percent to P103, while BDO Unibank Inc. of the Sy Group, the largest lender in terms of assets, slipped 1.4 percent to P114.

The rest of Asian markets rose Tuesday as an Alibaba-fuelled surge in Hong Kong provided a much-needed boost to sentiment ahead of a slew of earnings reports from the world’s biggest firms.

A shock cut in US retail titan Walmart’s profit outlook fanned concerns that surging inflation and rising borrowing costs are hammering consumer spending and could send the economy into recession.

The news left markets concerned about what’s to come from other Wall Street giants this week—including Apple, Amazon, McDonald’s and General Motors.

Adding to the unease was news that Russia’s Gazprom will cut back gas deliveries to Germany, citing a faulty turbine, less than a

week since restarting flows after 10 days of maintenance work.

But after a cautious start to the day, most Asian markets enjoyed a healthy run-up.

Hong Kong led the way in reaction to news that market heavyweight Alibaba will seek a primary listing in the city, which could pave the way for it to be traded by mainland Chinese investors.

The move from a secondary listing would come as several Chinese firms listed in the United States grow increasingly worried about a regulatory crackdown by authorities as part of a stand-off in the tech sector between Washington and Beijing.

It also further indicated the firm is more confident that a long-running period of clampdowns by China on the industry is coming to an end.

“This could boost its liquidity after a yearlong sell-off triggered by China’s economic slowdown and Beijing’s crackdown on its most potent internet firms,” said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.

The over five percent surge in Alibaba gave a boost to other tech giants—with JD.com, Tencent, NetEase and Bilibili all up. With AFP

SELF-DRIVING. A man looks at a self-driving minibus during its trial operation in Guangzhou in China’s southern Guangdong province on July 26, 2022. AFP

US Congress urged to pass $52-b chip subsidies WASHINGTON, United States—President Joe Biden on Monday pushed Congress to pass a bill providing domestic semiconductor manufacturers with $52 billion in subsidies to cut reliance on foreign sourcing for the vital component.

Speaking to senior economic and national security staff and representatives from manufacturers and a trade union, Biden said government backing for domestic producers means the United States will “be able to stay in the game.”

“Congress must pass this bill as soon as possible,” he said, citing both the economic and national security “imperative” of securing production of the tiny components needed for everything from smart phones to cars and weapons.

“America invented semiconductors, but over the years we let the manufacturing of those semiconductors go overseas,” Biden said. “The United States has to lead the

world in production of these chips.”

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo called the microchips “a cornerstone technology that underpin our entire economy” and warned that the United States has already fallen far behind.

US importers are “utterly dependent on Taiwan for the leading edge chips,” she said, while China is already investing heavily in its state-sponsored semiconductor industry.

“It’s not possible to have a strong economy and a strong country if we don’t make things in America,” she said, also calling on Congress to get the spending bill “over the finish line and onto your (Biden’s) desk this week. It’s vital.”

While the microchips are at the heart of everyday technology, including in the booming electric vehicle industry, officials also stressed to Biden the national security implications of a weak supply chain. AFP

Ethical leadership fuels organizational change

CYANMAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOWB CYAN

Manila

Manila Standard Standard TODAY

TODAY Alibaba seeks dual-primary listing in Hong Kong HONG KONG, China—E-commerce giant Alibaba said Tuesday it will seek a primary listing in Hong Kong, potentially giving access to China’s vast pool of investors, as mainland officials indicate a long-running crackdown on the tech sector could be coming to an end.

The move also comes as Chinese tech companies traded in New York grow increasingly worried about a regulatory drive by US authorities amid simmering tensions between the superpowers.

While Alibaba has a secondary listing in Hong Kong, that does not allow it to join a popular Stock Connect program that links to bourses in Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The primary listing, which is expected to take place before the end of the year, would open that door.

News of the plan sent shares in Alibaba soaring more than five percent Tuesday, boosting other tech firms and helping drag the broader Hang Seng Index higher.

The Hangzhoubased group is one of a number of tech behemoths ensnared in a wide-ranging regulatory crackdown on alleged anti-competitive practices since late 2020.

The campaign has been driven by fears in Beijing that massive internet companies control too much data and have expanded too quickly.

But officials appear to be taking a lighter touch as they grapple with a slowing economy. And in May, Premier Li Keqiang urged support for tech companies to list both domestically and abroad. AFP

NOTICEOF OFANNUAL ANNUALSTOCKHOLDERS’ STOCKHOLDERS’MEETING MEETING NOTICE DEARSTOCKHOLDERS: STOCKHOLDERS: DEAR Pleasebebeinformed informedthat thatthe theAnnual AnnualStockholders’ Stockholders’Meeting MeetingofofAllied Allied Please CareExperts Experts(ACE) (ACE)Medical MedicalCenterCenter-Cebu CebuInc. Inc.(“ACE-Cebu”) (“ACE-Cebu”)will will Care be held on August 15, 2022 (Monday) at 7:00 o’clock in the morning, be held on August 15, 2022 (Monday) at 7:00 o’clock in the morning, viaZoom ZoomWebinar, Webinar,ininlight lightofofthe theCOVID COVIDpandemic. pandemic. via Forthe theconduct conductofofthe theWebinar, Webinar,please pleaseregister registerononororbefore beforeAugust August For 7, 2022, through the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/ 7, 2022, through the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/ webinar/register/WN_0uQllpQwQdK_hMqQsC_5SQ webinar/register/WN_0uQllpQwQdK_hMqQsC_5SQ Onceyou youhave havesuccessfully successfullyregistered, registered,you youwill willreceive receivea aconfirmation confirmation Once email containing information about the webinar meeting. email containing information about the webinar meeting.

Thelink linkwill willprovide provideyou youthe theprocess processfor forthe theregistration. registration.You Youwill will The receivea aconfirmation confirmationemail emailonce onceyou youhave havesuccessfully successfullyregistered registered receive theplatform, platform,including includingthe thedetails detailsand andprocedures proceduresininthe theconduct conduct ininthe themeeting. meeting.Voting Votingwill willbebedone donevia viathe theonline onlinetool toolwhich whichyou youcan can ofofthe accessonce onceyou youhave havelogged loggedinintotothe theWebinar.

Webinar. access The meeting meeting shall shall bebe recorded recorded (visual (visual and and audio) audio) for for future future The reference. reference.

TheAgenda: Agenda: The I. I. II.II. III.III. IV. IV. V.V.

CalltotoOrder Order Call Invocation Invocation DeterminationofofQuorum Quorum Determination Welcome Message fromthe theChairman Chairmanofofthe theBoard Board Welcome Message from Readingand andApproval Approvalofofthe theMinutes Minutesofofthe theY2020 Y2020Annual Annual Reading Stockholders’Meeting Meeting Stockholders’ VI. Annual AnnualFinancial FinancialReport Report VI. VII. President’s Report VII. President’s Report VIII.Ratification Ratificationofofthe theActs Actsand andProceedings Proceedingsofofthe theBoard Boardofof VIII. Directors,Officers, Officers,andManagement andManagementofofthe theCorporation Corporation Directors, IX. Election Electionofofthe theBoard BoardofofDirectors Directors IX. X. Appointment of External Auditorfor forthe theyear year2021 2021 X. Appointment of External Auditor XI. Other OtherMatters Matters XI. AmendmentofofArticle Article2 2Section Section1 1ofofthe theBylaws Bylawsononthe the a.a. Amendment scheduleofofthe theAnnualStockholders’ AnnualStockholders’Meeting Meetingfrom fromevery every schedule 2ndSunday SundayofofApril Apriltotoevery every3rd 3rdMonday MondayofofAugusteach Augusteach 2nd year year XII. Adjournment Adjournment XII. Onlystockholders stockholdersofofrecord recordatatthe theclose closeofofbusiness businessononJuly July25, 25, Only 2022(Record (RecordDate) Date)shall shallbebeentitled entitledtotonotice noticeofofand andtotovote voteatat 2022 themeeting. meeting.If Ifyou youcannot cannotpersonally personallyattend attendthe themeeting, meeting,you you the mayopt opttotosend sendyour yourproxy proxytotoattend attendininyour yourbehalf. behalf.Kindly Kindlysubmit submit may yourduly dulyexecuted executedproxy proxyform formwith withthe theundersigned, undersigned,via viaemail, email,atat your adminofficer@acemedicalcentercebu.comnot notlater laterthan thanAugust August adminofficer@acemedicalcentercebu.com 2022,totoenable enableyour yourproxy proxytotoregister registerininthe theZoom ZoomWebinar.

Webinar.

7,7,2022, Attached isis a a sample sample proxy proxy form form for for your your reference. reference. [NOTE: [NOTE: Attached Management is not soliciting proxies.]

Management is not soliciting proxies.]

TheInformation InformationStatement Statementand andManagement ManagementReport Reportand andSEC SEC The Form17-A 17-Aare areavailable availableatatthe theCorporation’s Corporation’swebsite websiteatatwww. www.

Form acemedicalcentercebu.com. acemedicalcentercebu.com.

Youmay maycontact contactthe theundersigned undersignedvia viaemail emailatatadminofficer@ adminofficer@ You acemedicalcentercebu.comororatattelephone telephonenumber: number:032-2655833 032-2655833 acemedicalcentercebu.com local 8814 if you have inquiries/concerns regarding the meeting. local 8814 if you have inquiries/concerns regarding the meeting.

Verytruly trulyyours, yours, Very Sgd. Sgd. MA.ASUNCION ASUNCIONHIPOLITA HIPOLITAB.B.LIBRE, LIBRE,MD MD MA. CorporateSecretary Secretary Corporate (MS-JULY 26 & 27, 2022) (MS-JULY 26 & 27, 2022)

CYANMAGENTA MAGENTAYELLOW YELLOWBLACK BLACK CYAN

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

IN BRIEF

BOI okays Denso’s hydroponic project

THE Board of Investments (BOI) approved the P60-million hydroponics project of Denso Philippines Corp. to boost high-value crop cultivation and production.

Denso’s SMART agriculture project will soon operate in Ibaan, Batangas. The BOI approved the project under “agriculture, fishery, and forestry” sector of the 2022 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP).

“The project of Denso Philippines Corporation is a testament to our unwavering commitment to attaining food security in our country. True enough, these high-value crops will be significant in supporting urban areas and leveling up the country’s agriculture industry. This is only the beginning of more projects that will make food security happen in the Philippines,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

Denso’s hydroponic farm proposes to produce micro-greens vegetables like kale, arugula, herbs and melons. The firm plans to supply farm produce to hotels, restaurants, online market, culinary schools and other food-related businesses in central business district areas. Othel V. Campos

AC Energy sells all shares in coal plant AC ENERGY Corp. of the Ayala Group approved the sale of all shares from whollyowned subsidiary South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp. through a so-called energy transition funding for P3.7 billion.

The 244-megawatt coal plant in Calaca, Batangas, is the only coal plant under ACEN’s portfolio.

ACEN disclosed to the Philippine Stock ExchangeTuesday that ETM Philippines Holdings Inc. and The Insular Life Assurance Company Ltd. (InLife) would buy the shares for an aggregate value of P3.7 billion, subject to regulatory approvals.

The company will use the proceeds from the divestment to invest in more renewable energy projects.

EPHI is a special purpose vehicle that allows financial investors to invest in energy transition by accelerating the retirement of coal-fired power plants and funding the development of new clean energy technologies.

ACEN approved a bridge financing to EPHI to facilitate its investment in SLTEC while providing prospective financial investors a vehicle to participate in energy transition. Alena Mae S. Flores

Telecom companies support Marcos’ call TELECOMMUNICATION companies expressed support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s marching order to boost connectivity across the Philippines.

“We support the government’s thrust to connect our countrymen and make sure that no Filipino is left behind as the world becomes more digital,” said PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications Inc. president and chief executive Alfredo Panlilio, “Our continuous network investments are proof of this long-standing commitment to provide more Filipinos access to fast, reliable and affordable internet, enabling them to participate in the ever-growing digital economy, wherever they may be in the country,” he added.

In his first State of the Nation Address, President Marcos said asked the Department of Information and Communications Technology to deploy nationwide digital connectivity through the National Broadband Plan, the common tower program and the ‘Broad Band ng Masa’ project. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business IMF raises 2022 growth forecast for PH to 6.7% T

By Julito G. Rada

HE International Monetary Fund raised on Tuesday the 2022 gross domestic product growth projection for the Philippines to 6.7 percent from the 6.5-percent initial estimate it made in April on the back of robust recovery in the early part of the year.

“Our GDP projection for 2022 has been revised upwards to 6.7 percent for 2022, reflecting the strong recovery momentum in the first half of the year and real GDP returning to its pre-pandemic

level,” IMF resident representative to the Philippines Ragnar Gudmundsson told Manila Standard in an emailed response to a question in relation to the release of the World Economic Outlook for July 2022.

The economy grew 8.3 percent in the first quarter, prompting economists to believe that the second-quarter expansion might be also robust.

Gudmundsson said the growth momentum would likely moderate in the second half and in 2023 in the absence of high base effects, the impact of the war in Ukraine, slowdown in major trading partners, faster US monetary policy tightening and high inflation.

The growth estimate for 2023 was reduced to 5 percent from 6.3 percent.

“GDP growth for 2023 has corre-

MPIF AWARD. The League of Corporate Foundations recognizes Bayan Tanim!, the community gardening initiative on sustainable living and food security of Metro Pacific Investments Foundation Inc., as the outstanding corporate social responsibility project in disaster resilience during its LCF CSR Guild Awards. The program, initially developed and mobilized to address food scarcity resulting from the pandemic, provided beneficiaries with the means to start their own backyard and community gardens. MPIF president Melody del Rosario (second from left) receives the award on behalf of Metro Pacific.

BSP hints of more interest rate hikes to support value of peso BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla on Tuesday floated the possibility of more policy rate hikes this year but ruled out another off-cycle adjustment.

Medalla said during the livestreamed Post-SONA Economic Briefing at the Philippine International Convention Center that raising the policy rate by another 75 basis points outside the regular Monetary Board meeting would not likely happen again in the coming months.

“There will be no more off-cycle policy rate hikes... Too much depreciation of the peso could actually add to inflation...We are balancing these things... Maybe there are more rate hikes but not too much,” Medalla said.

Medalla was referring to the Monetary Board’s surprise increase in the policy interest rate by 75 basis points to 3.25 percent on July 14 to rein in inflation and support the peso against the US dollar.

“Our next meeting is in August. If you are going to bet on the numbers 0, 25, 50, 75, you can roll out the lowest and the highest.

My guess is we can roll out zero or we can roll out 75,” Medalla said, hinting of a 25 or 50 basis-point increase.

“You have to balance [these things] because if you raise too much, it would be bad,” he said.

Medalla said inflationary pressures come from supply side factors, and much of them were “imported”.

Bangko Sentral increased the overnight borrowing rate three times this year―each with 25, 25 and 75 basis points, respectively that brought the figure to 3.25 percent from a record low 2 percent in 2021.

Medalla said despite the adjustments, the monetary policy settings were very supportive of economic growth.

“The economy can absorb the increase in policy rates...Our models in the BSP showed that despite the rate hikes, the government’s forecast of a 6.5-percent to 7.5-percent growth this year is well within reach. The 6.5-percent to 8-percent [annual growth target from 2023 to 2028] is likewise quite attainable,” he said.

Julito G. Rada

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

13.47 PTS. 6,223.00

TOTAL VOLUME

728,029,496

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP)

46,836 3,754,911,418.58

ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

104 74 47

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

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

56.1840

Japan

Yen

0.007317

0.4111

UK

Pound

1.204900

67.6961

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127402

7.1580

Switzerland

Franc

1.036914

58.2580

Canada

Dollar

0.778574

43.7434

Singapore

Dollar

0.721449

40.5339

Australia

Dollar

0.695600

39.0816

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652872

149.0490

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266141

14.9529

Brunei

Dollar

0.718856

40.3882

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.027259

1.5315

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

15.2977

Euro

Euro

1.022300

57.4369

Korea

Won

0.000763

0.0429

China

Yuan

0.148104

8.3211

India

Rupee

0.012548

0.7050

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224669

12.6228

New Zealand

Dollar

0.626000

35.1712

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033536

1.8842 Source: BSP

SMC Global raises P40b from largest bond issue

By Alena Mae S. Flores SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. listed its P40-billion fixed-rate bonds on Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. Tuesday, the largest corporate bond issuance to date.

The listing followed strong demand from investors and confidence in SMCGP’s ability to continue providing reliable power nationwide, while helping push the country toward a clean energy future.

SMCGP is a unit of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., which operates around 4,714 megawatts of combined capacity as of end-2021 from a diversified power portfolio, including natural gas, coal and renewable energy, such as hydropower and recently battery energy storage systems.

SMCGP initially aimed to raise P30 billion, but strong investor interest prompted the company to exercise its oversubscription option for another P10 billion.

The bonds comprise the first tranche of SMCGP’s P60-billion shelf-registered peso retail bonds consisting of Series K Bonds, with an interest rate of 5.9077 percent per annum due 2025; Series L Bonds at 7.1051 percent p.a. Due 2028; and Series M Bonds at 8.0288 percent due 2032.

“The funds provided by these bonds come at an opportune time as we continue with our commitment to provide the country with reliable power supply amidst present challenges in the global fuel market,” said SMC president and chief executive Ramon Ang. Ang said despite the high global fuel cost and supply woes brought on by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, SMC’s power unit remained on track with plans to minimize the country’s dependence on coal as part of the conglomerate’s larger sustainability goals.

“SMC Global Power fully supports the government’s thrust in powering the nation as we continue to pursue business and expansion strategies that are aligned with our national and regional energy policies and needs―demonstrating our commitment to conduct business operations in a socially and environmentally responsible manner,” Ang said.

Energy chief vows to reduce power costs and attract more investments

PILMICO FARM. Pilmico

Animal Nutrition Corp., the food and agribusiness subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group, boosts its swine business with the launch of its fourth breeder and nursery farm in Talugtug, Nueva Ecija.

The farm is expected to have an additional capacity of 2,500 sow level that can produce 4.7 million kilograms of pork meat annually.

June budget deficit jumped 44% to P215b on higher gov’t spending THE government’s budget deficit jumped 43.8 percent in June to P215.5 billion from a year ago, driven by the 27.91-percent growth in expenditures that outpaced the 18.20-percent growth in revenue collection, the Bureau of the Treasury said Tuesday.

Data showed despite the increase, the P674.2-billion cumulative budget deficit in the first half still lagged

spondingly been revised to about 5 percent, with the medium-term growth forecast returning to its pre-COVID 19 trend of 6.5 percent by 2024,” Gudmundsson said.

The interagency Development and Budget Coordination Committee reduced on July 8 its GDP growth projection this year to a range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent from 7 percent to 8 percent previously, taking into account the domestic and external headwinds that may impact the economy.

The economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2021, a turnaround from the 9.6-percent contraction in 2020.

The latest WEO report said the tentative recovery in 2021 was followed by increasingly gloomy developments in 2022 as risks began to materialize.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

by 5.84 percent or P41.8 billion from last year’s P716.1 billion. It was also lower than the P828.7-billion programmed deficit by 18.64 percent or P154.5 billion.

Revenue collection reached P290.3 billion in June, up by 18.20 percent or P44.7 billion from a year ago. The figure in the fist six months also improved 15.91 percent to P1.727 trillion and sur-

passed the target by 4.80 percent.

Tax revenues made up 89 percent or P1.541 trillion of the six-month collection, while non-tax collections contributed 11 percent or P186.3 billion.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue’s collection grew 8.90 percent or P14.2 billion to P173.5 billion in June and 9.76 percent or P100.8 billion to P1.132 trillion in the first half. Julito G. Rada

THE new Department of Energy head on Tuesday vowed to fulfill the target of the Marcos administration to lower power costs, secure the country’s energy supply, ensure access to electricity and entice more investments.

Energy Secretary-designate Raphael Lotilla said in a phone patch during the post-SONA economic briefing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed concern over the country’s energy security and the need to develop indigenous energy resources.

Lotilla said the country’s fuel requirements were mostly imported, while 45 percent of power plants were using coal for fuel, with 80 percent of coal sourced from other countries. Another 11.8 percent of the energy for power was oil-based.

“These show our country’s vulnerability to volatilities in global prices.

DOE will continue to work with the rest of the government to provide welltargeted assistance to the most vulnerable communities and to shift to more electrification in mass transport and industry,” Lotilla said.

He said the DOE would also pursue the electrification targets as there are still more than a million unserved households in the country, with more than 800,000 in Mindanao.

“The president pointed out that our power supply is, however, inadequate.

This is particularly true with the loss of Malampaya natural gas for the 1200MW Ilijan plant due to declining field production,” Lotilla said.

The energy chief said Marcos wanted that “top priority be given to address decisively the uncertainties regarding investment incentives to the entire upstream sector, especially natural gas.”

“The uncertainty over the interpretation of PD [Presidential Decree] 87 allowing the service contractor’s corporate taxes to form part of the government’s 60-percent net share has hindered investments and rollout in this sector,” Lotilla said.

He said the DOE would submit a clear articulation of the proposed policy and seek legislative action to ensure a stable investment regime across different administrations.

Lotilla said Marcos also underscored a level playing field and promotion of competition to attract investments.

“This is clear in his inclusion of EPIRA [Electric Power Industry Reform Act] amendments relating to the ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission] in his legislative agenda,” he said.

Lotilla also cited the need to plan and roll out the transmission grid to avoid stranded RE power that could not be brought to the market, as what happened on Negros island.Alena Mae S. Flores

Sports

Using stiffer pole did wonders for Obiena

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Mark Barroca gained a piece of PBA history behind a career scoring milestone which in the process helped Magnolia move closer to the semifinals of the Philippine Cup. Barroca became the latest member of the 5,000-point club after a steady showing for the third-seeded Hotshots. The Zamboanga City native also became the 94th player in PBA history (90th local) and only the fourth from the loaded 2011 Rookie Class to achieve the scoring feat, thus earning himself the Cignal PlayPBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period July 20 to 24.

Plans to hire Chinese coach for PH weightlifters revived

T

HE Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas is reviving a formula that won for it the Philippines’ first and only gold medal at the Olympic Games.

SWP president Monico Puentevella said that they are looking to tap the services anew of a Chinese coach to handle the reigns of the national team leading to the 2024 Paris Olympics, to take over the place left by Gao Kaiwen, who was the mentor of Hidilyn Diaz when she won the gold in the -55kg division of the weightlifting competitions of the Tokyo Olympic Games last year.

Puentevella said the proposal has already been given approval by the old Philippine Sports Commission Board under chairman William ‘Butch’ Ramirez, which he wishes will be given endorsement by the new administration of the government sports agency.

“Nag-okay na ang PSC Board under chairman Ramirez na kumuha ako ng bagong Chinese coach for the others,” said the former Bacolod congressman and mayor in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association on Tuesday.

“Si Hidilyn kasi will only be with (coach) Julius Naranjo, kaya wala na siyang Chinese

“I can meet with the Chinese ambassador medalists Vanessa Sarno, SEA Games and I’m sure he can help us, kasi kailangan gold winner Kristel Macrohon, Elreen marunong mag-English kagaya ni coach Ando, Mary Flor Diaz, sisters Rose Jean Gao,” said Puentevella, who was in Baguio and Rosegie Ramos, and recently Rofor the Diaz-Naranjo nuptial where he stood salindo Faustino and Angeline Colonia, who broke the Asian and world record in coach. So ako, kukuha ng bagong Chinese as one of the wedding godfathers.

The SWP has a lot of promising weight- the just concluded Asian Youth and Junior coach na tutulong (sa national team).”

Hiring another foreign coach, though, lifters currently in its pool, including Weightlifting Championships in TashAsian and Southeast Asian Games gold kent, Uzbekistan. depends on the incoming PSC board. “‘Yan ang problema ko kasi hindi pa natin alam kung sino ang bagong PSC chairman. Maski in-approve ‘yan, titignan muna ang budget kung may natirang pera pa diyan kung puwede,” said Puentevella in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The weightlifting chief added he will also try to work it out with his Chinese counterpart on the matter, noting that of the eight Chinese entries in the Tokyo Olympics, only one failed to bring home the gold in Liao Qiuyun, who was beaten

by Diaz in the women’s 55-kg division.

Incidentally, July 26 marked the first year anniversary of Diaz winning a historic first SWP president Monico Puentevella at the PSA Forum ever Olympic gold medal for the country

Lady Troopers boost PVL semis drive

Jovelyn Gonzaga presides over another Army assault against Chery Tiggo.

STALLED by PLDT the last time Speed Hitters and the Angels.

Games tomorrow (Thursday) out, Army got back on track with a They must also hope that Army 2:30 p.m. – Choco Mucho 25-20, 25-23, 25-22 romp over Chery would drop its last game to Creamline, vs PLDT Tiggo yesterday as the Lady Troopers and Creamline or PLDT loss their last 5:30 p.m. – Chery Tiggo wrested solo fourth going into the final two assignments, to force a tie at 3-3. vs Creamline week of the Premier Volleyball League The last slot to be decided via the PVL Invitational Conference elims at the points system.

Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan.

The Lady Troopers took the first two sets on a pair of Behind its seasoned crew, Army unleashed a strong aces with MJ Balse-Pabayo capping their big windup in finishing kick to emerge on top of a see-saw first set a tight opener marked by a number of lead changes and battle, battled back from 21-23 down in the next then setter Ivy Perez delivering the other that capped their big imposed their will in the third to wrap up the 90-minute stretch run fightback in the next frame. victory.

They never gave the Crossovers a chance to recovWith a 3-2 slate, the Lady Troopers stayed behind joint er, storming to 13-9 and 22-15 leads in the third then second running PLDT and Creamline, toting identical 3-1 holding sway after the 2021 Open Conference chamcards, with Cignal clinching the first seat in the next phase pions, the first in the pro league era, pulled to within with a sweep of its four games.

22-24 on a Mae Layug kill that spiked a three-hit run The HD Spikers were gunning for their fifth straight aided by back-to-back Army miscues. win against the Petro Gazz Angels at presstime with the But Joanne Bunag hammered in an off-the-block hit, latter joining the Crossovers, who dropped to 1-4, in the dashing whatever hopes the Crossovers had to save a camsidelines following the Lady Troopers’ victory. paign hindered by an injury to top-hitter Dindin Manabat Only Choco Mucho, despite its 1-3 mark, has the before the conference and the absence of a slew of aces in chance for the last semis berth but the Flying Titans the early going of the elims of the mid-season conference must sweep their last two matches against the High of the league organized by Sports Vision.

UTG International Pro outguns 15 teams to win PUBG Mobile Infinix Cup UTG International Pro has emerged champion in the firstever PUBG Mobile Infinix Cup. Held recently at the SM Mall of Asia, Music Hall and broadcasted live via the Infinix Mobile Facebook page, the grand finals of the PUBG Mobile Infinix Cup saw the skilled players of team UTG survive the rigors and outlast 15 competitive teams across three matches to take home the crown and the P500,000 prize pool.

UTG played well and consistently posted top finishes across all three matches in the grand finals, playing well into the late game and finishing third in Matches 1 and 3, and sixth in Match 2 to score a total of 56 points. Coming in second place was Playbook Esports with 41 points, and Bisayang Dako came

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

CIGNAL BEST PLAYER.

By Peter Atencio USING a longer, stiffer pole, Ernest John Obiena was able to set two new records and go to toe-to-toe with Swedish wonder Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and the world’s best on Sunday afternoon (Monday in Manila) in the 2022 World Athletics Championships at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Coach Vitaly Petrov told Obiena to change his pole to a more flexible, 5.25-meter stick and this allowed him clear 5.94 meters on his second attempt at that height.

“I did not tweak a lot. I just went up on a bigger pole and did the same exact thing,” recalled the 26-yearold Obiena in a Zoom huddle with scribes, a day after bagging the pole vault bronze medal behind eventual champion Duplantis and runner-up American Chis Nilsen.

Petrov, according to Obiena, noticed that the pole he was using upon reaching such height was not stiff enough and needed to be changed.

“Coach said ‘the pole is too soft for you’, and that’s what we did. And it’s not the biggest pole I had in my life.

But it’s good enough to jump 6.0 meters,” said Obiena.

With a lengthier, stiffer pole in his arsenal, Obiena expressed confidence that he will be able to hold his ground again when he meets Duplantis and Nilsen again in two weeks’ time. The 6’2” Obiena is getting ready to be back in action in the Poland leg of the Diamond League this August and another competition in Hungary after that.

The Diamond League, the ninth event of the season, is set to take place in Chorzow, Silesia.

After that, it’s off to Hungary for Obiena for the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix in Szekesfehervar on August 8.

Last month, Obiena returned to his winning ways after testing positive for Covid-19, securing the gold medal in the Taby Stavhoppsgala pole vaul event in Sweden.

Obiena, who is still Asia’s top male pole vaulter, cleared 5.92 meters at that time and said the experience was quite tough.

“Having all that happening the past few months, you know, getting Covid and all that, I just knew I had a shot, and I need to maximize it and do the best that I can. I guess at that day, the best I can was 5.94,” said Obiena.

The feat has distinguished Obiena as the first Filipino and Asian athlete to win a podium finish in the pole vault of the 29-year old meet.

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

in third with 37 points.

The PUBG Mobile Infinix Cup grand finals was the culmination of several legs across the Philippines, with stages in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Scores of teams all competed in these legs for a shot at the half-amillion-peso prize pool.

Alongside the grand finals, Infinix also held a Grand Event for fans present at Mall of Asia, which featured Infinix ambassador and actress Andrea Brillantes, as well as a four-on-four exhibition match which included online streaming personalities Cherizawa, Rojean, Aningning, Bela Joyce, Sang, Buunja, Virgo, and Vigor.

Intense mobile action powered by the Infinix NOTE 12 The hard-hitting action of the

PUBG Mobile Infinix Cup was powered by the stellar performance and smooth gameplay of the Infinix NOTE 12, a dedicated and top-level yet affordable gaming phone.

The NOTE 12 lets gamers play their favorite titles at top performance thanks to its MediaTek Helio G96 Ultra Gaming Processor and octa-core processor, which provides a remarkable boost from the previous generation.

The NOTE 12 also boasts an expanded 13GB by extending and integrating its RAM and ROM, allowing gamers to play any game on it no matter how heavy. Gamers can also enjoy long gaming sessions thanks to its power-packed 5000mAh battery that charges in a snap with 33W Flash Charge.

Infinix introduced its newest ambassador at the NOTE 12 Grand Event, actress, showbiz personality, and avid mobile gamer Andrea Brillantes. Brillantes said the NOTE 12’s smooth and lag-free performance helped her win many games.

PSC-backed national para team starts APG mission THE Philippine Sports Commission-supported Team Philippines left for Solo, Indonesia Tuesday morning on a chartered flight to start its 11th ASEAN Para Games campaign, four days before the opening ceremony.

The Games officially start on July 30 and will run until August 6.

The national team will be vying for honors at the biggest biennial multisport event for differentlyabled athletes against the 11 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Philippine contingent will compete in 12 sports namely Archery (9), Athletics (24), Badminton (, Boccia (4), Chess (22), Goalball (6), Judo (6), Powerlifting (, Sitting Volleyball (10), Swimming (12), Table Tennis (13), Wheelchair Basketball Men (12), and Wheelchair Basketball Women (4).

They are accompanied by 38 coaches, and 40 team officials.

The PSC granted a total of P51.2 million in financial assistance to fully support the campaign of the 222-man Philippine Para Team delegation.

“We support our national para-athletes as much as we support our abled athletes. This is their chance to raise the flag again in the 11th ASEAN Para Games.” PSC Executive Director and Officer-in-Charge Atty. Guillermo B. Iroy Jr. said.

P31.7 million was released for the team’s actual participation which covers the cost of a chartered flight, accommodation, travel and COVID-19 medical insurance, meal allowance, swab test, and among others for the seven-day sportsfest.

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Sports

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

IRONMAN gets full backing of Megaworld PROPERTY giant Megaworld Corp. isn’t only guaranteeing a new racing experience for close to 2,000 triathletes all geared up for the IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines next week but also an enduring partnership with the global leader in multi-sport organization.

“We are thrilled and delighted to be at the forefront of IRONMAN 70.3’s return in Cebu after a two-year hiatus and we hope to sustain this partnership with the IRONMAN Group in the years to come,” said Megaworld Visayas’ Vice President for Sales and Marketing Jennifer Ann Palmares-Fong.

The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu is primed to be the new triathlon hub not only in the country but in Asia as well with a re-configured racecourse set to challenge the fastest and the toughest of the lot in the Megaworld IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines presented

by AIA Vitality on Aug. 7.

Forty six countries are represented with the US and Singapore fielding in 67 and 66 bets, respectively, underscoring the tremendous pull of the event, the second endurance race from the IRONMAN Group after the Sun Life 5150 Bohol three weeks ago.

The 30-hectare Mactan Newtown township development has its own beachfront and will serve as the starting and finishing points of the premier 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run race. The Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ Savoy Hotel Mactan will also serve as the base for all the participants, including their respective families.

“We are very excited to have them here at The Mactan Newtown and showcase how the vibrancy of our township complements the fast-paced lifestyle of some of the best athletes of the sport,” added Palmares-Fong.

Meanwhile, registration is ongoing. For details, visit www.ironman. com/philippines70.3 with official hashtags: #IM703Philippines and #IMasia, social media (Facebook) Megaworld IM703 AIA Vitality and im703ph (Instagram).

Focus will be on the bike leg at the new Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), an 8.9km modern toll road in Metro Cebu set to test the field’s speed and riding skills. It is designed to withstand winds of up to 250km/hr and hovers 52 meters above the Mactan Channel as the link to Cebu City and the municipality of Cordova.

VICTORIOUS. Members of the NBS Kris Cainta/Tawi-Tawi team are shown after defeating the QC-Bohol/Dolphins in the elimination round of Pilipinas Super League 21-U at the Paco Arena in Manila. In photo are Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi Mayor team owner Nurbert Sahali (center), coach Braulio Lim, deputies Dennis Lim, Mike Maniego and Potch Cacanindin, Best Player of the Game Miguel Sahali, Keenan Lim, Alonzo Luna, Kyle Anama, Jarret Carrucho, Jac Macaset, Joaquin Zaballa, Sean Roclondo, Mark Sierra, Sam Fajardo, Michael del Carmen, Laurence Joshua Fajardo, Elton Dial, Elezer Illustrisimo, John Lloyd Rasonable, Felix Villafrente, Matthew Calilong, John Tubio, Joshua Barnelo and Zubayr Sahali.

Paris 2024 Olympics reveals slogan ‘Games Wide Open’

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ARIS—Organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympics unveiled “Games Wide Open” as their official slogan on Monday and announced prices for tickets fans can start to apply for from December.

The slogan was released alongside a video promising the Olympics and Paralympics would be “faster”, “higher” and “stronger”—as well as “more inclusive, more brotherly, more beautiful.”

It is “an invitation to the entire world to come to experience new emotions, together. Our games are a promise of unprecedented experiences and powerful feelings,” the organizers said.

A total of 13 million tickets will be sold for the two events, with nearly half of tickets reserved for the public set to be sold at less than 50 euros ($51).

Outside the opening and closing ceremonies, prices for events will range from 24 euros to a maximum of 950 euros, organizers said in a press statement.

Fans are invited to enter a draw for tickets from December. Packages comprising tickets for three separate events will be available from 72 euros and will go on sale from February.

Also on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron gathered senior ministers

to discuss growing concerns about costs and security for the mega-event.

France’s top audit body, the Cour des

Comptes, warned in a recent report that it was “imperative” to ramp up preparations for the “considerable” security challenge of the games.

It suggested scaling down the ambitious opening ceremony, which is set to take place on the River Seine and feature an armada of 200 boats and some 600,000 spectators. AFP

France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin (left) shakes hands with France’s President Emmanuel Macron (right) as Head of Paris 2024 Olympics Tony Estanguet (2nd from right) stands behind during a meeting at the Elysee palace in Paris.

3 reasons ONE 160, ONE 161 will be unmissable IT’S going to be a massive August for ONE Championship, as not only will it debut in U.S. primetime on August 26 on Amazon Prime Video, but fans all over the world are also going to be treated to a major double-header.

The two cards in ONE 160: Ok vs. Lee II and ONE 161: Moraes vs. Johnson II will only be a few hours separated from each other. ONE 160 airs on August 26 at 6:30 PM, while ONE 161 airs a few hours later in the morning of August 27, Philippine time.

With the two huge cards looming, here are some of the major storylines to watch out for.

World champs with a lot to prove Both cards will be headlined with rematches, starting with the ONE Lightweight World Title bout between Ok Rae Yoon and Christian Lee at ONE 16 0 .

Then, at

ONE 161, the ONE Flyweight World Title bout between Adriano Moraes and Demetrious Johnson will take place.

While Ok performed to World Championship standards in his huge win over Lee last year, some fans believed that the Singaporean-American deserved to retain the gold after five hotly contested bouts.

There was no controversy in the Moraes—Johnson clash though, as the Brazilian f lattened “Mighty Mouse” with a huge knee before finishing him off with punches. Still, some fans couldn’t believe how “Mighty Mouse” got finished and are confident that he will get Moraes this time around.

Now both Ok and Moraes have the chance to prove that they are truly at the pinnacle of their respective weight classes, but that will only happen with impressive performances.

The pinnacle of Muay Thai on both cards Four of the best strikers in the world will compete on those two cards as well, and it will be explosive.

The semifinal pairings of the ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Grand Prix will take place, with the clash between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Walter Goncalves set for ONE 160, and the exciting tussle between ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Savvas Michael scheduled for ONE 161.

Also added is former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Jonathan Haggerty, who finally gets a shot at the tournament when he takes on Amir Naseri in an alternate bout at ONE 161.

ONE 160 also gets a Grand Prix alternate bout when Panyapak Jitmuangon takes on Sherzon Kabutov, making these two cards a must watch for striking enthusiasts.

Possible fight of the year set for ONE 160 When ONE Featherweight World Champion Thanh Le defends his strap against Chinese powerhouse Tang Kai, nobody is expecting this match to go the distance.

The numbers pretty much speak for themselves.

Between the two stars, they have a combined 27 wins, with 25 coming from finishes, which means they share an unreal 92.5 percent finishing rate.

Both stars also haven’t tasted losses in their ONE Championship careers, going a combined 11-0 with nine finishes in their stints in The Home of Martial Arts.

In the meantime, catch ONE 159: De Ridder vs. Bigdash live this Friday, July 22, beginning with the lead card on One Sports or One Sports+ at 6 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). The main card will broadcast live on One Sports and One Sports+ at 8:30 p.m. PHT.

PLDT, Smart commend Filipinas for historic win PLDT Inc. and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. lauded Filipinas for their historic ASEAN Football Federation Women’s Championship win at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

Beating regional rival Thailand, 3-0, the Philippine women’s national football team bagged the championship title for the first time ever, as they continue to prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 slated to take place in Australia. Filipinas also beat the defending champions and reigning Southeast Asian Games gold medalists Vietnam in the semis to enter the finals.

“Congratulations to Filipinas for marking another milestone in sports history! This is proof that if we give our athletes the support and training that they need, we can help them reach their goals and bring glory to the country. We will continue to back Filipinas as they gear up for the World Cup next year,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT and Smart President and CEO. Panlilio is also the President of the MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) and the First Vice President of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

PLDT also provided internet connectivity to livestream the games at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, Imus Grandstand, and Binan Football Stadium from July 4 to 17, bringing the football action closer to fans.

Long-standing supporters of Philippine football As part of their broad commitment to develop sports and assist Filipino athletes, PLDT and Smart, through MVPSF, have been supporting the Philippine Football Federation through its various programs for more than a decade.

Following the breakthrough win of the Philippine Azkals in 2010, the MVP Group decided to invest in football across the country through the PFFSMART National Club Championships 2011-2015. The foundation then began its support to the PFF’s Women’s National Team program when the organization decided to invest in Talent Identification of heritage Filipinas playing in the U.S., the FIFA Women’s World #1 ranked country.

In addition, MVPSF has been actively promoting football at the grassroots level, running leagues for U7, U9, and developing young talents with U11, U13 regional/provincial cluster festivals for both boys and girls.

Bataan sustains climb in Okbet-MPBL; San Juan, Pasig win

Clint Doliguez contributes to San Juan’s cause.

BATAAN met stiff resistance from Makati before pulling off an 81-77 victory on Monday in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season presented by Xtreme at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

The Bataan Risers stormed ahead, 5430, at halftime only to encounter heavy fire from the Makati MNK Kingpins, who unraveled homegrown snipers Mark Angelo Samonte and Carlos Morales and threatened at 63-62 after three quarters.

Makati greeted the third quarter with a 15-point spurt, with Morales pouring back-toback triples and 8 points and Samonte adding seven, including two triples.

Bataan kept its poise, however, and responded with nine straight points beginning the fourth quarter to notch its fifth straight win and climb to 6-1 in the single

round-robin elimination phase of the 22team tournament split into the North and South divisions.

Guilmer dela Torew led the Camaya Coastbacked Bataan with 17 points and 7 rebounds, followed by Jamil Gabawan with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Gio Espuelas with 10 points and 5 rebounds.

Samonte scored 16 of his game-high 22 points, laced by even treys, in the third quarter but couldn’t save Makati from absorbing its ninth straight defeat and falling to 1-10.

Makati also got 21 points from Larry Arpia, 13 from Kenz Rei Diokno, and 10 from Morales, who added 10 rebounds.

San Juan Go for Gold, learning to live without Korean Basketball League-bound Justin Gutang, trounced Muntinlupa, 84-56, in the nightcap to level its slate at 4-4.

Judel Ric Fuentes led San Juan with 19

points, followed by Jammer Jamito with 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, Marwin Taywan with 11 points and Orlan Wamar with 10 points plus 6 assists.

Muntinlupa, which tumbled to 2-3, got 20 points from Domark Matillano and 11 points from Justin Alano.

Pasig City bested Imus Bandera Xtreme, 6355, in the opener to jump to 5-3.

Jun Manzo came through with 20 points while Marc Lester Tamayo contributed 15 points and Robbie Manalang for Pasig, which pulled down Imus to 2-6 as only Genmar Bragais scored in twin digits with 13.

The MPBL returns to the Paco Arena on Tuesday with Nueva Ecija seeking its 11th straight win against Bacoor at 5 p.m. Other games pit GenSan (4-4) against Valenzuela (4-6) at 7 p.m. and Zamboanga (8-0) against Manila (4-5) at 9 p.m.

Entertainment

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

The passion of Paulo Avelino As an artist, Paulo is passionate about storytelling and creating references for other actors and creatives

The author (left) interviewing Paulo Avelino

Paulo Avelino is Jacob Del Rosario in ‘Flower of Evil’

A

PART from being an actor, Paulo Avelino is fascinated with other aspects of the business as he discovers that his passion for acting is actually his passion for storytelling and creating something “for other actors and creatives to study or refer to.”

“I actually do see myself working behind the camera as a director, maybe someday. It’s not an easy ballpark to play because it requires so much effort and time. But hopefully... someday,” the 34-year-old star told Manila Standard Entertainment in an exclusive interview.

Paulo toys with the idea that one day he would work behind the camera, but in the meantime, like a beautifully curated Instagram feed, he constantly works hard to embellish his filmography with unforgettable projects and colorful roles.

His ultimate goal?

Disregarding earning a living, it’s the idea of giving something to give to the next

generation.

“It’s been my dream for the Philippines to be on the world map, and be renowned across the globe for our work. I’m also optimistic when it comes to arts, I really hope for our people to be recognized,” he affirmed.

Though it seems that it’s the legacy that he wanted to leave behind, he bashfully dismisses the idea that his body of work is significant enough to make such an impact. At least not yet.

“I always like to leave something for the next generation because if this generation puts so much effort into making things work, then the next generation should do even better. I’d like to leave something for them to study or refer to, not just for people who want to be an actor but also for people who work in the industry,” he elucidated.

Paulo believes that every actor should treat every role as

memorable, or give each assignment with equal commitment. And that’s how exactly he treats his new character in the local adaptation of Flower of Evil, which also stars Piolo Pascual and Lovi Poe. Paulo’s casting announcement created a social media buzz, as netizens called the actor “the perfect choice” to portray the “real Jacob Del Rosario” - a mysterious individual that is currently in a coma inside a secret room in the home of his wealthy parents.

Paulo shared that he is grateful for the positive feedback, but admits that it was very challenging for him to give life to his complex character.

“I feel honored to do this project because it’s the first remake. I’m happy that they’re excited to see me do Jacob Del Rosario. But personally, I can’t say that I’m the perfect choice because I really had to study my role to make it work,” he said and added that he’s thrilled to portray a new character that is completely different from all of the other roles that he has portrayed throughout his career.

During our interview, Paulo admitted that there was a conscious effort not to watch the original version and he’s happy that he was given the chance not to base the portrayal of the character bythe-book all throughout. With that, he’s able to give the character a fresh new take.

“I loosely based it on the script and had a character workshop with Nonie Buencamino to finetune our characters.

We were able to interpret our characters

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Aside from acting, Paulo plans to work behind the camera

as Filipinos. I’m happy that they were not so strict, we were not required to mimic what the Korean actors did,” he shared.

Alluding to his dark character, Paulo trusts that despite being a baddy, people can still learn something from him.

“Jacob is really dark, he would not be accepted in society, and he would already be in prison had he been a real person. But you’d appreciate his love for his family, his constant longing.

There’s always something lacking in our lives, we are always in the search for something in our life whatever it is,” he said.

“Huwag niyo siyang tutularan. But you could also put it in the perspective of mental awareness because if you see these tendencies early on it’s okay to act on them in a medical manner,” he went on.

Paulo had nothing but good words for the series and the people who work behind the scenes. He maintains that Filipino talents can compete globally if given the chance and the proper budget “We would always want to come up with something we can call our own.

Nowadays it’s also nice to work on different materials that are working and award-winning not just for jobs but also to give a creative tickle to our fellow creatives and writers. We are doing a great job,” he said of the team working in Flower of Evil.

“They’re amazing, they’re easy t get along with. They’re hardworking I wouldn’t say that it’s the most stressful show I’ve done but when you see the people working behind Flower of Evil, it also resonates not just with the actors because we have to work hard even more,” he concluded.

Cloe Barretto shows a new depth of acting in ‘Tahan’ Creatives harness power of socmed

By Patricia Taculao SEXY star Cloe Barretto proves there’s more to her as an actress than what meets the eye. In her latest movie Tahan, she stars alongside veteran actress Jaclyn Jose.

Cloe, although nervous, surprisingly matches Jaclyn’s energy throughout the sexy thriller.

In the film, Cloe plays Elise while Jaclyn plays her mother, Nora. It’s not the usual mother-daughter since Nora sold Elise as an escort at 11. As Elise grew older, she slowly became unhinged with all the trauma she had experienced in her job.

Elise and her mother clash throughout the film as they navigate through life, especially with Elise wanting to leave the life of a high-priced female escort.

However, Nora is against it since she’s financially reliant on her daughter.

Cloe didn’t hold back in any of the scenes. Aside from the sexy scenes, Cloe also efficiently played the role of a mentally ill person. During the media preview of Tahan, she shared that she felt like the cursed doll Chucky in one scene where she’s bloodied from head to toe and handling guts and entrails.

By the end of Tahan, Cloe leaves viewers astounded with the plot twist befitting a horror thriller film.

Yet working with a veteran actress didn’t come easy, especially since Cloe is a fan of Jaclyn. She felt pressure to live up to the award-winning actress’s performance. Jaclyn, on the other hand, wanted Cloe to relax.

The sexy actress shared that Jaclyn was pretty chill throughout their shooting, eventually m a k i n g

As the writer for ‘Tahan,’ Quinn draws inspiration from people she knows in real life

Jaclyn Jose brings life to Nora, a mother who’s financially dependent on her daughter

her comfortable no matter how heavy their scenes were. Jaclyn also offered a significant piece of advice when filming intimate scenes.

According to Cloe, Jaclyn advised her to give her all during the first take to avoid redoing the scene repeatedly, further exposing herself unnecessarily.

It also helped Cloe that their director, Bobby Bonifacio Jr., guided her whenever she felt pressured while acting alongside Jaclyn.

Quinn Carillo, who plays Michelle, Elise’s best friend, is behind the film’s story and immediately saw Jaclyn and Cloe as the ideal people to play the main roles. She also based it on a true story from a person she knew.

“I got this [story] from a person I knew. 11 years old, that specific, binenta siya ng nanay niya for a very low price because her mom is an addict.

So doon ko siya binuild up from them.

Just because you don’t know people

like this doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Gusto ko ipakita sa mga tao na there’s people like this kaya nilagay ko siya sa story na ‘to,” she said.

Carillo added that even in Jaclyn’s lines, where she’s asking for money from Elise, she drew inspiration from real life because she knew people whose mothers constantly ask them for money.

When Bonifacio received the offer to direct Tahan, he was happy to work with Carillo’s script. Although Carillo already wrote the story in full, Bonifacio played around with it to add to its thrill.

Joining Cloe, Jaclyn, and Carillo in Tahan are JC Santos, Mercedes Cabral, AJ Oteyza, and Karl Medina.

Tahan is now streaming exclusively on Vivamax.

Cloe Barretto takes on the lead role of Elise in ‘Tahan’

in first Filipino Tiktok series

AFTER the successful release of the digital series GVBOYS: Pangmalakasang Good Vibes and Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask, Puregold launches 52 Weeks, the first-ever Filipino series made for Tiktok.

The 36-episode series was directed

by Lemuel Lorca and produced by award-winning filmmaker Chris Cahilig. It features rising new talents such as Queenay Mercado, a Tiktok superstar with 12.3 million followers, and Jin Macapagal, the first Ultimate BidaMan winner of It’s Showtime. Derick Lauchengco, the reigning Misters of Filipinas Second Prince, and Herbie Cruz, a Tiktok personality with more than 700 thousand followers, are also part of the series.

“Super happy po ako na naging part ako ng series na ‘to,” Queenay gushes. “Knowing na ito po ang kauna-unahang Filipino Tiktok series, I feel honored po talaga to be cast as leading lady!” Queenay then tells all her followers on Tiktok, “Para sa inyo po ang nakakakilig na series na ito.”

Set on the picturesque island of Cagbalete in Mauban, Quezon, 52

Weeks follows the story of Mina, a bubbly and hopeless romantic who’s a certified NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth).

Determined to give Mina the love life she’s been missing out on, her best friends Chem and Eya decide to look for the perfect boyfriend for her within 52 weeks.

Puregold President Vincent Co explains how Puregold Channel, their brainchild, came to be.

“As online content continues to flourish, we want to further drive Puregold retailtainment and connect with customers, old and new.”

“Puregold Channel is our platform for showcasing fresh and relevant stories. And launching this first-ever TikTok series in the country is another groundbreaking move that we’re proud of,” Co adds.

Follow Gab and Mina’s fun and riveting love story in 52 Weeks premiering today on Puregold Channel on Tiktok @puregoldph.

It’s Showtime Ultimate BidaMan winner Jin Macapagal stars as the romantic lead Gab

Tiktok Superstar Queenay Mercado plays Mina, a working student and a hopeless romantic with no boyfriend since birth

Tirso Cruz III officially assumes position as new FDCP chair NEW Chairman and CEO of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Tirso S. Cruz III has officially assumed his position as the head of the country’s national film agency during his visit to the FDCP office in Manila last July 21.

Chairman Cruz and Outgoing Chairperson Liza Diño met to discuss the preparations for the transition process. He was accompanied by his daughter

Djanin Cruz, director Joey Javier Reyes, Atty. Patricia Lejano, and Atty. Chris Liquigan.

Cruz was among the appointed officials who took their oath in the Malacañang Palace before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last July 5. The veteran actor is bringing to the agency more than five decades of experience in the film and entertainment industry.

During the closed-door meeting, former chairperson

Diño, along with outgoing executive director Ria Anne Rubia discussed FDCP’s ongoing programs and accomplishments in the last six years and agreed on the next steps to the transition process.

She also led a tour of the agency’s facilities including the Philippine Film Archive’s film repository.

Diño expressed her continued support to the agency’s new leadership, especially during the transition period.

Former FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño (left) with new FDCP Chairman and CEO Tirso Cruz III

Life

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

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2022

SONA in style

Local craftsmanship in spotlight on State of the Nation Address red carpet

By Julian Cardenas, Marron Joshua Mendoza, and Kyla Marie Victoriano

S

EVERAL lawmakers and personalities were in style as they attended President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City on Monday.

As attendees wore the required Barong Tagalog or Filipiniana dress code, some had modern takes on the traditional clothes made by local designers. Meanwhile, others took the opportunity to use their outfits to either make a statement or showcase the Filipino culture.

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos For the opening of the 19th Congress and the first SONA of her husband, the First Lady wore a simple yet elegant traditional terno designed by Lesley Mobo. Her gown consists of heavy stretch georgette with a piña callado, victorian lace, and gold. She completed her look with a pair of shoes made by Lila Almario.

Senator Imee Marcos Presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos wore two outfits during the event. For the opening of the 19th Congress, she wore a custom-made blue dress designed by Edgar Buyan, showcasing images of farmers.

Meanwhile, for her brother’s SONA, she wore a gray terno with puff sleeves designed

by Jan Garcia.

Vice President Sara Duterte Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte wore a tribal Bagobo Tagabawa dress she borrowed from a tribal leader in Davao City. Netizens called her outfit

Senator Grace Poe in an elegant terno

“offensive” as it contradicts her family’s record on their treatment of the indigenous Lumad people. Her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, threatened the Lumads during his presidency, and Sara ordered to shut down of Lumad schools in Davao in 2019 while she was mayor.

Senator Loren Legarda New Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda wore a two-decade-old terno that, according to her, took renowned designer Patis Tesoro a year to put together. She paired it with an elegant handwoven piña seda with traditional hand-embroidered full callado with alsado multipurpose tapis.

Senator Risa Hontiveros Senator Risa Hontiveros, who became part of the two-member Senate minority bloc along with new Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, wore a modern take of the traditional baro’t saya.

Her outfit, designed by Joel Acebuche, is made from Aklan piña fabric and handembroidered in Lumban, Laguna. She paired it with a hand-woven Tikog bag from Samar and shoes made in Marikina.

Senator Grace Poe Like Senator Marcos, Senator Grace Poe also wore two outfits for the event. She wore an elegant terno designed by Marga

Senator JV Ejercito shows his support for the local shoe industry by wearing Marikinamade shoes

Newcomer Senator Robin Padilla in a suit made with traditional woven cloth

Liza Araneta-Marcos in a simple yet elegant terno

Senator Imee Marcos’ first outfit highlights her family’s dedication to agriculture

Nograles of Kaayo Modern Mindanao, handwoven by the Sabangan Inabel weavers from the Ilocos region, and features handbeading work by the T’boli tribe in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato for the Senate opening session. Meanwhile, for the President’s SONA, the senator wore a white terno designed by Paul Cabral with earrings from her mother, actress Susan Roces, who passed on last May 20.

Representatives Arlene Brosas, France Castro, and Raoul Manuel Makabayan bloc representatives, including Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Partylist Representative France Castro, and Kabataan Partylist Representative Raoul Manuel, wore attires with the advocacies of their respective party lists engraved in their designs, despite earlier bans by the House of Representatives on outfits with political messages. Brosas, Castro, and Manuel’s attires were designed

by Michael Joselo, Roja Castillo, and Albert Raqueño, respectively.

Senator Robin Padilla For the opening of the 19th Congress, Senate newcomer Robin Padilla wore a barong that caught the attention of reporters when he passed by them and proudly told them that he merely got it from the SM Department Store. For President Marcos’s SONA, he changed his barong for a suit designed by Francis Libiran made with Inaul, a traditional woven cloth used by the Maguindanaon.

Senator JV Ejercito Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito wore Marikina-made shoes that he proudly posted on social media before the event to showcase

Vice President Sara in a borrowed tribal Bagobo Tagabawa dress

Senator Loren Legarda wearing a two-decade-old terno

Senator Risa Hontiveros sports her modern take of the traditional baro’t saya

his support for the local shoe industry. an array of jewels from a pearl choker, a mixture Heart Evangelista of yellow and white gold wrist jewels, Once again, actress and socialite Heart and a pop of red bracelets.

Evangelista is serving looks in Heart Evangelista her modern Filipiniana as she (left), in a Mark accompanied her husband, Bumgarner Senator Francis “Chiz” creation, with her Escudero, at the opening husband Senator of the 19th Congress. Heart Chiz Escudero modeled her all-white modern draped terno designed by her frequent fashion designer and close friend, Mark Bumgarner.

Heart’s modern-day Filipiniana bares an intricately designed pleated bust, almost giving an illusion that this Bumgarner creation is a twopiece attire due to the contrast in fabrics from her waist down.

Heart’s dress also features butterfly sleeves and a low scoop back, adding a little flair to a classic design. For her accessories, she chose a muted exotic skinned mini Hermes Kelly in palladium hardware and a pair of silver platform peep-toe heels.

She topped off her look with

Sensitively shorts

The toughest aspect of short filmmaking (part 2) a couple of riders and realized that they are our unsung heroes during the pandemic.

WHEN the 2021 and 2022 full-length Nena Jane Achacoso (NJA): I just filmmakers were not able to finish their wanted to shed light on this particular entries due to the restrictions of the topic to tell the story from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cinemalaya perspective of the characters. Through committee decided to push through this, we uncover the gray areas by with the country’s biggest indie film showing the character’s dilemmas and festival anchored on short feature struggles. I want to tell a story that is films. very real in our society today, in order And it was a good decision. It puts to give voices to them and understand the spotlight on short films. them beyond how we are told to.

In the past, short films are often Gabriela Serrano (GS): Philippine relegated to the sideline. But with the folklore was and is very dear to me changing attention span of content and my co-writer Mariana. Growing consumers, there has been an increased up as sisters in a superstitious family appetite for short-duration videos. The with roots in the province, we always pandemic period has seen growth in held a deep respect for our ancestors’ short films, both in quality and quantity. tales about unseen creatures and This year, there are 12 short feature the metaphors they stood for. We filmmakers competing for the coveted deeply resonated with one such Balanghai trophies. Six of them were creature and wondered how she and featured in my last column (check her unique physicality would exist out the story on the Manila Standard in today’s world. Informed by our website or on Pressreader). This week, individual experiences of isolation we continue the conversation with the during the pandemic, we thought other six filmmakers. it would be interesting to explore Glazing Life (GL): Why did you themes of self-identity, sexuality, and want to tell this story? companionship – real things that Kyd Torato (KT): For my film “Si are often frightening to think about Oddie,” I was inspired by my past as a young adult in this day and age experience as an intern in a food – through the lens of mythological delivery company. I saw how hard it horror. is to become a delivery rider because Mark Moneda (MM): Most of their working environment is very my short films are inspired by the dangerous and sometimes they are unheard voices of unseen people. Like not compensated fairly. In the process the protagonists, I’m also a medical of writing the script, I interviewed front liner. I understand their pain,

‘Si Oddie’ director Kyd Torato

‘Black Rainbow’ director Zig Dulay

‘Dikit’ director Gabriela Serrano

and where they come from. This short film is based on the actual real-life situation of my colleagues during the very height of the pandemic. I am blessed to have access and consent to tell their story. All they really want is not attention nor gratification, but representation.

Zig Dulay (ZD): Bagamat hindi ko naiwasang maglagay ng sociopolitical issues, ang Black Rainbow ay isang inspirational film. Kuwento siya ng pag-asa at pangarap, in the midst of pandemic. Gusto ko ipakita sa pelikula na nandiyan pa rin ang pag-asa at ‘wag tumigil sa pangarap.

At isa pa, gusto kong bigyang diin ulit ‘yung importansya ng edukasyon hindi lang sa mga kabataang Aeta kundi sa lahat, ‘yung pagkatuto sa mga bagaybagay ay isang mabisang kasangkapan pa rin para maabot ang mga gusto natin sa buhay at kasangkapan para ipagtanggol ang ating mga sarili at mga kapwa, lalong-lalo na ‘yung mga iginigilid o nasa laylayan. At syempre hindi natatapos sa edukasyon lang, kaakibat nito ang pagkamulat at pagkakaroon ng pakialam.

Dexter Paul De Jesus (DPJ): Distance came from all the pent-up frustrations I had during the earlier parts of the pandemic when lockdowns were implemented. This is most felt by all migrant laborers being unable to return to their families, resulting in the lack of physical and emotional support for their families in our country. Read full story on manilastandard.net

‘Distance’ director ‘Duwa-Duwa’ director ‘See You, George’ Dexter Paul De Jesus Nena Jane Achacoso director Mark Moneda

Kalel Demetrio is a mixologist who revives Philippine ingredients through his cocktails

(From left) Bea Crisostomo, Ige Ramos, and Jed Doble

PH team wows foodies at Ubud Food Festival 2022 FILIPINO-STYLE barbecue and adobo caught the spotlight at the Ubud Food Festival, in which foodies came together to converse and appreciate heritage food.

The Ubud Food Festival, founded in 2015, made a comeback this year by building on the “Heroes” theme initially intended for the postponed 2020 festival. A celebration of Indonesia’s diverse cuisine, the Ubud Food Festival is a three-day cross-cultural culinary adventure filled with masterclasses, food demonstrations, talks, food tours, film screenings, and other exciting events.

Philippine delegates to the fest were Ige Ramos, a food history writer who traces the foundations of adobo and barbecue; Kalel Demetrio, a mixologist who revives Philippine ingredients through his cocktails; Bea Crisostomo, an entrepreneur who runs a zero-waste retail outlet supporting Philippine crops and products; Celina Agaton, a foodie who reinvigorates remote communities; and Jed Doble, a food writer and publishing professional, based in Jakarta.

Adobo and BBQ connection For the talk on Filipino Food Fighters and the cooking demo An Array of Adobo, Ramos highlighted Filipino chicken barbecue. In the Philippines, barbecue was a street food, often enjoyed in the leisurely hours (paseo) as an early evening snack. It became a dinner or lunch meal when the Aristocrat Restaurant, which was put up in 1928, presented chicken barbecue as a complete meal.

The Aristocrat, owned by Engracia Reyes and run by her family, served chicken barbecue (similar to the Indonesian sate ayam), with java sauce (kecap manis), java rice (nasi kuning tumpuk), and the pickled papaya atchara (acar). Engracia’s daughter, Teresita or “Mama Sita,” went on to create Mama Sita’s Barbecue Marinade, which was a game changer as it made the street-style barbecue something one can cook easily at home.

A discussion on adobo followed, with insights on its foundations. Ramos, who authored and published the food history and cookbooks entitled Republic of Taste: The Untold Stories of Cavite Cuisine and Appetite for Freedom: The Recipes of Maria Y. Orosa with Essays on Her Life and Work, honored food technologist and war hero Maria Y. Orosa by sharing her recipe and mentioned variations of the popular dish as cooked in the Cavite, Taal, and Batangas provinces. More conversations with the participants ensued over small servings of three types of adobo: classic chicken adobo, adobo sa dilaw (with turmeric), pork adobo with Mama Sita Java Sauce (similar to the Balinese Babi Kecap), and atchara of green papaya.

Food lovers The Ubud Food Festival 2022 proved that Southeast Asian culinary culture has a lot to offer. Mama Sita’s participation in it not only pushed forward the brand’s advocacy to put Philippine culinary heritage in the spotlight, but also supported local industries, sustainability efforts, and the upliftment of agricultural communities. It is in line with what Mama Sita Foundation’s Mga Kuwentong Pagkain has been doing: creating ways to enrich conversations on food heritage, in effect giving opportunities for making Filipino lives better.

At the festival, food lovers from different parts of the world were all brought together, whether their profession was in the food industry, business, the arts, or agriculture.

Amidst the conversation on flavor and food, an appreciation for one’s heritage—and that of other cultures—prevailed. After all, where would Filipino food be today without the history, economy, culture, and connections that formed and nourished its foodways?

To know more about the Ubud Food Festival, visit https://www.ubudfoodfestival.com/.