Manila Standard - 2022 August 3 - Wednesday

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AL-QAEDA CHIEF KILLED IN US DRONE ATTACK AT KABUL HIDEOUT A UNITED States drone strike killed Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri at a hideout in Kabul, President Joe Biden said Monday, declaring “justice had been delivered” to the families of the 9/11 attacks.

Zawahiri’s assassination is the biggest blow to Al-Qaeda since US special forces killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, and calls into question the Taliban’s promise not to harbor militant groups.

It was the first known over-the-horizon strike by the US on a target in AfAyman al-Zawahiri ghanistan since Washington withdrew Next page

VOL. XXXVI • NO. 169 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pelosi lands in Taiwan as China vows ‘targeted military actions’

Indigents get more ‘ayuda’ Law doubles pension of poor seniors, govt grants most vulnerable P4b aid

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Vince Lopez

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S PRICES of basic goods continue to increase, the government will release P4.1 billion in “ayuda” to help some 4 million poor Filipinos and will double the social pension of indigent senior citizens from P500 to P1,000.

The Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday said it approved the release of P4.1 billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“This is good news, especially for the most vulnerable households, who will be the beneficiaries of the second tranche of the TCT (Targeted Cash Transfer) Program,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.

“We want them to know and feel that their government is here for them. We are ready to help them,” Pangandaman added.

Under the program, each beneficiary not covered by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) but identified by DSWD will receive

P500 a month for two months.

The first tranche covered 4Ps beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, a bill increasing the monthly social pension of poor senior citizens from P500 to P1,000 lapsed into law, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said Tuesday.

Villanueva, sponsor of the bill in the 18th Congress, showed a copy of a letter signed by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, informing him that the bill lapsed into law July 30.

The law also transfers the implementation, distribution, and management of the social pension for senior citizens from the DSWD to the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) within a Next page

HISTORIC VISIT. US Speaker Nancy Pelosi poses with members of her delegation and that of Taiwan’s welcoming committee as she arrived in Taipei Tuesday evening. Pelosi is expected to visit Taiwan’s presidential office and parliament today for a meeting with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen. Twitter account of Nancy Pelosi UNITED States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan on Tuesday evening, defying a string of increasingly stark warnings and threats from China that have sent tensions between the world’s two superpowers soaring.

This prompted an immediate warning from China’s military, promising “targeted military actions” in response to the visit.

“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army is on high alert and will launch a series of targeted military operations to counter this, resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and resolutely thwart external interference and ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist attempts,” Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said.

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PH logs 2 cases of ‘Centaurus’ variant

By Willie Casas and Joel Zurbano THE Philippines has detected the country’s first two cases of the Omicron subvariant BA 2.75 dubbed “Centaurus,” the Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, during a press briefing, said two people who have now recovered tested positive for BA.2.75 in Western Visayas.

Of the two cases, one was partially vaccinated while the other was unvaccinated, she said.

Their exposure to the virus, travel histories,

and health status are still being verified by authorities, Vergeire said.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante earlier said that BA.2.75 may be more transmissible compared to other subvariants and may have the capability to evade current COVID-19 vaccines.

BA.2.75 first emerged in India in May and has since spread to other countries like the United States, Britain, Australia, and Netherlands.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has tagged the BA.2.75 as a “variant under Next page

Cops look into ‘missing pharma firm CEO’

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Philippine National Police is investigating the mysterious disappearance of a pharmaceutical firm chief executive officer who was reported missing in Taguig City last month.

The executive, whose name was temporarily withheld, was last seen in front of his residence at the Bonifacio Global City on July 19.

Initial reports reaching the PNP pointed to the possibility that the CEO was abducted.

In an interview with dzRH, PNP spokesperson Lt. Gen. Jean Fajardo said investigators from the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group are already following up a lead to identify the persons responsible for the disappearance.

Fajardo said the executive was last seen talking to Next page

DOJ to give still ICC information about drug war out of friendship

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

information on the progress of its drug war review, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Tuesday.

“We will furnish them with the availEVEN if the Philippines no longer rejoins the International Criminal Court, able information as a matter of comas a matter of “comity” or courtesy, the ity… out of our friendship with them, government could share with the ICC Next page

More appointments to various posts out

By Vito Barcelo and Rio N. Araja

GMA pays tribute to FVR, cites his service to nation REMEMBRANCE. The wake of the late former President Fidel Ramos will start Thursday, August 4, at the Heritage Park in Taguig City. Jojo Terencio

By Maricel V. Cruz

In a statement, Arroyo cited Ramos’ service to the nation.

“War hero, model soldier, top-caliber FORMER President and current Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal- diplomat, pillar of later-day Philippine Arroyo on Tuesday expressed grief over democracy, and a champion of our early the passing of former President Fidel V. moves towards globalization, ‘FVR’ restored our economic competitiveness, havRamos, who died Sunday.

ing laid out the macro-economic directions for economic progress that the leaders succeeding him improved on,” she said.

Meanwhile, the wake of the country’s 12th President is set to start on Thursday, August 4 and will last until August Next page

RETIRED general Raymundo Ferrer is the new administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, NDRRMC spokesperson Mark Timbal said on Tuesday.

Ferrer, who will hold the rank of undersecretary, took his oath as OCD chief before Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed labor leader and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) spokesperson Alan Tanjusay as undersecretary of the Department of Social Next page

Alan Tanjusay

Raymundo Ferrer

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Full-blown trial for ‘pastillas’ cases

By Maricel V. Cruz

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HE graft cases filed against Bureau of Immigration officials linked to the “pastillas” bribery scandal will go on a fullblown trial as the Sandiganbayan junked the motion of three of the accused to dismiss the charges because of lack of jurisdiction.

A Sandiganbayan resolution said the anti-graft court did not find any of the reasons cited by the accused to merit the dismissal of the case.

The “pastillas” bribery scheme was allegedly employed by crooked BI personnel to facilitate the illegal entry of Chinese citizens into the country.

In a resolution dated July 27, the anti-graft court dismissed the motion

to quash filed by Aurelio Lucero III, George Bituin, and Salahudin Hadjinoor, all of Immigration Officer 3 rank.

Government prosecutors charged the three and 39 others with graft, alleging that these conspired with each other and Liya Wu of Empire International Travel and Tours, to “willfully, unlawfully... give unwarranted benefits, preference or advantage to for-

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Indigents...

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his personal assistant.

She, however, clarified the case cannot be considered as kidnapping at the moment.

The important thing, according to Fajardo, is that the personnel of the PNP Anti-Kidnapping Group is already following a lead regarding the incident.

The online news site Bilyonaryo. com earlier reported that the president and chief executive officer of a pharmaceutical and medical equipment firm disappeared after asking his assistant to send a large sum of money to his home.

The news site reported the executive was last seen at the passenger side of a Land Cruiser in front of his condominium building in BGC. It also said that prior to the disappearance, the executive instructed his driver and bodyguard to stay behind in his office as he will go to a meeting at BGC alone.

period not exceeding three years.

The Senate passed the bill on third and final reading in May. The House then adopted the Senate version of the bill.

Senators Grace Poe and Juan Edgardo Angara described the bill’s passage as timely.

Villanueva said the new law would benefit about 4 million poor senior citizens.

The Palace on Tuesday said the government would use existing funds from the 2022 national budget for its cash grant assistance under the TCT program.

Al-Qaeda...

From A1 its forces from the country on August 31 last year, days after the Taliban swept back to power.

The Taliban condemned the drone strike Tuesday but made no mention of casualties nor did they name Zawahiri.

“Justice has been delivered and this terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said in a somber televised address, adding he hoped Zawahiri’s death would bring “closure” to families of the 3,000 people killed in the US on September 11, 2001.

Zawahiri was believed to be the mastermind who steered Al-Qaeda’s operations -- including the 9/11 attacks -- as well as bin Laden’s personal doctor.

A senior administration official said the 71-year-old Egyptian was on the balcony of a three-story house in the Afghan capital when targeted by two precision-guided Hellfire missiles, which were launched at 6:18 a.m. Sunday, Kabul time.

The missiles appear not to have been ordinary Hellfires, whose high explosives could have destroyed the home.

“We identified Zawahiri on multiple occasions for sustained periods of time on the balcony where he was ultimately struck,” the official said.

The house is in Sherpur, one of Kabul’s most affluent neighborhoods, with several villas occupied by high-ranking Taliban officials and commanders.

The Taliban’s interior ministry previously denied reports circulating on social media of a drone strike, telling AFP a rocket struck “an empty house” in Kabul, causing no casualties.

Early Tuesday, however, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted that an “aerial attack” was carried out.

“The nature of the incident was not revealed at first,” he said. AFP

GMA...

From A1 8, his family announced yesterday.

Ramos’ grandson, Sam RamosJones, said the wake would be at Heritage Park in Taguig City.

“Our family is truly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support and well wishes,” Ramos-Jones said in a statement. “As we grieve, let us also celebrate a rich life – dedicated in service to this nation and its people.”

Ramos “stabilized democracy by saving President Cory (Aquino) from coups,” Arroyo added.

She said Ramos “was a giant among

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Vergeire also said the Philippines has detected 1,015 additional cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.5 in all regions except Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao.

The number brings the total number of BA.5 cases in the country to 3,012.

Of the new cases, 883 people are now tagged as recovered, 84 are still undergoing isolation, and the status of the rest are still being verified.

The Department of Health on Tuesday logged 2,646 new COVID-19 infections, down from 3,553 cases on Monday. Active cases also went down to 32,099.

Meanwhile, the independent OCTA Research Group said the intensive care unit (ICU) utilization for COVID-19 in Capiz increased to 71.4 percent on Sunday, while the health care utilization rate (HCUR) in the National Capital Region (NCR) also rose to 36.5 percent.

OCTA fellow Guido David said Capiz’s ICU occupancy rate jumped in a span of one week from 42.9 percent on July 24 to 71.4 percent on July 31.

The province’s HCUR also rose from 34.1 percent to 44.6 percent during the same period.

Meanwhile, HCUR in NCR increased

Pelosi...

From A1 Pelosi, second in line to the presidency, is the highest-profile elected US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years and Beijing has made clear that it regards her presence as a major provocation, setting the region on edge.

Pelosi said upon arrival in Taiwan that her controversial visit demonstrated Washington’s strong commitment to the self-ruled island, which China views as part of its territory.

“Our congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant democracy,” the most senior US legislator said in a statement moments after her plane landed.

She said her trip “in no way” contradicted official US policy, which recognizes “one China” and has not officially rec-

our leaders” and is considered the “father” of the ubiquitous use of cellphones “by deregulating and liberalizing the telecoms industry that are the best policies to ensure the rapid and cost-effective delivery of communications services.”

“Personally, I owe much to FVR. For one, he founded the LAKAS party, which merged with my KAMPI. His was the strongest among the voices that rooted for me when the party’s presidential candidate was being discussed in 2004.”

“And I will forever remember how he threw his full support for me during the failed coups in the later part of my Presidency,” Arroyo added.

DOH: No need to delay school opening due to monkeypox

eign passengers, particularly Chinese nationals” by supposedly collecting a P10,000 fee per passenger for a total amount of P1.43 million.

The anti-graft court cited the Supreme Court decision in the People v.

Dapitan case which provides that Republic Act No. 8249, which established the anti-graft court, states that “the Sandiganbayan exercises jurisdiction over all officials occupying positions in the government, whether in a permanent, acting, or interim capacity.”

“We deny the motion to quash for lack of merit. [The] accused do not dispute that a Deputy Commissioner [like their co-accused Marc Mariñas] falls under Salary Grade 27. The fact that

Mariñas’ appointment did not become permanent is of no moment,” the Sandiganabayan said.

“The Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over the offense and the accused. There is no doubt that Mariñas’ designation as officer-in-charge is either in an acting, or interim capacity. Precisely, within the jurisdiction of this Court,” the court added.

The Sandiganbayan said that Mariñas, being under Salary Grade 27 during his tenure, is sufficient for the court to exercise its jurisdiction.

Likewise, the anti-graft court found the graft raps filed by government prosecutors sufficient in form and substance.

Also on Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is also hoping to include election workers, mostly public school teachers, in its targeted cash transfer (TCT) program.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the Palace sould leave it to the DSWD to make announcements in relation to the TCT program.

She assured the public, however, that there were enough funds to grant qualified beneficiaries cash aid.

The TCT was initiated by former President Rodrigo Duterte to facilitate the distribution of cash grants amounting to P3,000 or P500 per month for six months.

Duterte issued the directive in May, but the funds for the program were released under the Marcos administration.

The DSWD said the list of target beneficiaries is composed of 4 million households under the 4Ps; 6 million non-4Ps households and individuals who previously benefited from the Unconditional Cash Transfer Program under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law. The DSWD earlier said it aims to cover 12.4 million Filipino beneficiaries under the TCT program.

Last month, the DSWD said there is a shortage in funds for the remaining tranches of the P500 monthly cash aid.

from 31.7 percent on July 24 to 36.5 percent on Sunday.

Its ICU occupancy, however, went down slightly from 27.3 percent to 26.9 percent during the same period.

David also pointed out that HCUR in the province of Bohol and Iloilo, excluding Iloilo City, are now at 59.5 percent and 56.1 percent, respectively.

The DOH defines HCUR as the aggregate of the utilization of ICU, isolation beds, and mechanical ventilators.

The DOH said on Monday that 744 severe and critical cases were admitted in hospitals due to COVID-19 as of July 31.

Of the 2,583 ICU beds, 601 or 23.3 percent were occupied.

Meanwhile, 6,505 or 29.5 percent of the 22,051 non-ICU COVID-19 beds were in use.

The Philippines also logged a total of 24,100 new COVID-19 cases from July 25 to July 31, 2022, which was 24 percent higher than the cases reported from the previous week.

Also on Tuesday, the DOH gave Ospital ng Makati the highest ranking among public hospitals in Metro Manila in terms of infection control and COVID-19 response and management.

Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay said OsMak scored 97/100 in the inspection and validation report conducted by the Health Facility Development and En-

hancement Unit (HFDEU) of the Metro Manila Center for Health Development.

The inspection covered all local government and DOH health facilities in Metro Manila.

OsMak was rated 19/20 for Governance; 19/20 for Ethics and Patient’s Rights; 15/15 Quality Measurement and Improvement; 20/20 for Patient Safety; 9/10 for Facility Safety and Emergency Management; 15/15 for Resource Management. The total score was 97/100.

The audit and evaluation of all LGU and DOH-run facilities is mandated by DOH Memorandum No. 2020-0202 on the “Use of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Assessment Form for Health Facility Managers and Health Care Professionals in the context of COVID 19.”

The HFDEU assessed the hospital’s compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) standards and protocols with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as with the Integrated Hospital Operations Management Program (IHOMP). The latter prescribes the standards and guidelines used in the evaluation.

In March this year, OsMak received its second ISO 9001:2015 certification after a three-day external audit. The local hospital received its first ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Quality Management System in 2019.

ognized Taiwan as an independent state.

China slammed the United States’ actions in Taiwan as “extremely dangerous.”

“The United States... constantly distorts, obscures and hollows out the ‘One China’ principle,” Beijing’s foreign ministry said in a statement after Pelosi’s plane touched down in Taiwan.

“These moves, like playing with fire, are extremely dangerous. Those who play with fire will perish by it.”

Live television images showed the 82-year-old lawmaker, who flew on a US military aircraft into Taipei Songshan Airport, being greeted on arrival by foreign minister Joseph Wu. Pelosi is currently on a tour of Asia and while neither she nor her office confirmed the Taipei visit, multiple US and Taiwanese media outlets reported it was on the cards – triggering days of anger from Beijing.

Moments before her arrival, Chinese state media announced advanced Su35 fighter jets were crossing the Taiwan

Strait. The brief report had no details on timing or precise location of the crossing.

“The US breach of faith on the Taiwan issue is despicable,” Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said in comments published on his ministry’s website earlier Tuesday that did not specifically mention Pelosi.

China considers self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day seize the island, by force if necessary.

It tries to keep Taiwan isolated on the world stage and opposes countries having official exchanges with Taipei.

In a call with US President Joe Biden last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the United States against “playing with fire” on Taiwan.

While the Biden administration is understood to be opposed to a Taiwan stop, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Pelosi was entitled to go where she pleased. AFP

out of decency, we will give it to them if they ask for it,” Remulla said.

The numerous cases of killings linked to the Duterte administration’s drug war are already being speedily investigated by the government, Malacañang added Tuesday.

The Palace made the statement after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ruled out the Philippines rejoining the ICC after discussing the resumption of the ICC investigation with his legal team last week.

In a briefing, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles further explained that the President’s decision not to rejoin ICC is “an issue of sovereignty.”

“Complaints about those who died during the drug war are being investigated, so there is no need to respond to the ICC or for our country to return to the Rome Statute,” she said.

Cruz-Angeles acknowledged the grievances aired by the families of drug war victims but assured them that legal institutions are fully capable of helping them achieve justice.

She said there is no need to call on the President to order an immediate probe into drug war cases because this is already being done.

Joining the ICC anew “is tantamount to surrendering our sovereignty,” stressed Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who was national police chief under President Rodrigo Duterte when the drug war was carried out.

“I must admit it, being the number 2 accused, I am happy,” said Dela Rosa in reaction to Marcos’ statement.

Sen. Christopher Go, Duterte’s longtime aide, also said he firmly believes the country has “a vibrant, robust, and functional democracy” and thus “our courts remain independent.”

“To allow the ICC, which we are not a member of to begin with, to investigate domestic cases is an affront to the supremacy of our courts and sovereignty of our country,” Go said.

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Social Welfare and Development.

As for Ferrer, Timbal said he would contribute his experience in emergency operations, the Philippine Army, and management to the OCD and NDRRMC. “He assumes office today as OCD continues to manage the impact of the Abra earthquake,” Timbal said.

Prior to his compulsory retirement in 2012, Ferrer served as commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command.

He also headed the Eastern Mindanao Command from January 2009 to November 2011; 6th Infantry Division from March 2007 to January 2009 and the 1st Infantry Division from September 2006 to March 2007.

At the DSWD, Tulfo likewise inaugurated Undersecretary Jerico Javier and Assistant Secretaries Elaine Fallarcuna and Jun Loyola for Operations; Undersecretary Adonis Sulit and Assistant Secretary Ivy Rivera for General Administration and Support; Undersecretary Antonio Crisanto Jr. and Assistant Secretary Janus Sidayao for Finance; Undersecretary Charles Co and Assistant Secretary Janet Armas for Policy and Plans; Undersecretary Denise Bernos-Bragas and Assistant Secretary Diana Rose Cajipe for Standards and Capacity Building; Undersecretary Marco Bautista and Assistant Secretary Gary Pulitico for Disaster Response Management;

Welfare and Development (DSWD).

He was sworn into office by DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo as undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, which would oversee the new administration’s renewed commitment to continue the welfare services and deradicalization programs for former rebels and their families, the department said in a statement.

The other officials appointed to serve in the DSWD include Undersecretary Sally Navarro and Assistant Secretaries Irene Dumlao and Rodolfo Santos for

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday that there is no reason to delay or stop the opening of classes on Aug. 22 despite the detection of the country’s first case of monkeypox.

Vergeire, in a press briefing, said they have put up measures to ensure the safety of the children who are set to go back to face-to-face classes.

Along with the Department of Education (DepEd), she said they will heighten the health screening both among students and teachers.

“One of the most important measures is the screening of children and teachers when they go to school. We will be working with the Department of Education on this,” she said in Filipino. “No one should be able to go to school with symptoms or if they already have lesions, we should be able to see them right away.”

Vergeire made the remark after DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said on Monday that they will defer to the guidelines that the DOH will issue on monkeypox in relation to the resumption of classes three weeks from now.

The DOH announced last Friday that the Philippines recorded its first case of monkeypox in a 31-year-old patient who arrived from abroad on July 19. He tested positive for the virus on Thursday, July 28.

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US, China must be ‘responsible actors’ in the region—DFA

Misunderstanding may lead to ‘nuke annihilation’—UN UN HEAD Antonio Guterres warned Monday that a misunderstanding could spark nuclear destruction as the United States, Britain and France urged Russia to stop “its dangerous nuclear rhetoric and behavior.”

At the opening of a key nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference in New York, Guterres warned that the world faced “a nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War.” Citing Russia’s war with Ukraine and tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the Middle East, Guterres said he feared that crises “with nuclear undertones” could escalate.

“Today, humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation,” Guterres told the tenth review conference of the NPT, an international treaty that came into force in 1970 to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

“We have been extraordinarily lucky so far. But luck is not a strategy. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflict,” he added, calling on nations to “put humanity on a new path towards a world free of nuclear weapons.”

The meeting, held at the UN’s headquarters in New York, has been postponed several times since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will run until August 26.

Guterres said the conference was “a chance to strengthen” the treaty and “make it fit for the worrying world around us.

“Eliminating nuclear weapons is the only guarantee they will never be used,” the secretary-general implored, adding that he would visit Hiroshima for the anniversary of the August 6, 1945 atomic bombing of the Japanese city by the United States.

“Almost 13,000 nuclear weapons are now being held in arsenals around the world. All this at a time when the risks of proliferation are growing and guardrails to prevent escalation are weakening,” Guterres added. AFP

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By Rey Requejo

FIFTH ALARM. Firefighters scramble to put out a blaze that reached the 5th alarm in a residential area along P. Guevarra St. Central Market in Sta. Cruz Manila on August 2, 2022. Norman Cruz

‘Sabah claim not yet a sovereignty issue’

By Vince Lopez and Rey Requejo

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HE proprietary claim of the Sultanate of Sulu descendants to Sabah is “in the nature of a private claim” and is not a sovereignty issue “at the moment,” Malacañang said Tuesday.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles made the statement after members of the Sultanate of Sulu expressed hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stance on not abandoning even a square inch of the country’s territory includes Sabah.

“From what I understand, the case is in the nature of a private claim by the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu with Malaysia. Therefore, it is not an issue of sovereignty or of territory at the moment,” she said in a press briefing.

Cruz-Angeles added that Marcos’

statement on the country’s territory still needs to be clarified.

“The President’s articulation of his statement about not giving up a square inch of territory will have to be reduced into writing and into specifics, after which, we will announce these to you if they are in any way related to the Sabah claim. At the moment, there is still no articulation, so we have to wait,” she added.

A French court earlier ordered Malaysia to pay US14.9 billion to the heirs of the Sulu Sultanate for breach of an international private lease agreement.

The court granted the demand of compensation after Malaysia failed to pay the annual cession money of RM5,300 to the Sultanate heirs.

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, an international law expert, earlier advised Marcos to “decide once and for all if the country’s position on Sabah remains a territorial claim of the Philippine republic or a proprietary claim of the Sultanate of Sulu descendants.”

For its part, the Office of the Solicitor General is cautiously studying the legal

and constitutional implications of any award in favor of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu.

“The OSG, on its own, is carefully studying the legal and constitutional implications, if any, of the arbitral award in favor of the heirs of the Sultan of Sulu,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said.

Malaysia said the Paris Court of Appeals had stayed the ruling, after finding that enforcement of the award could infringe the country’s sovereignty.

The heirs claim to be successors-ininterest to the last Sultan of Sulu, who entered a deal in 1878 with a British trading company for the exploitation of resources in territory under his control – including what is now the oil-rich Malaysian state of Sabah, on the northern tip of Borneo.

Malaysia took over the arrangement after independence from Britain, annually paying a token sum to the heirs, who are Philippine nationals.

But the payments were stopped in 2013, with Malaysia arguing that no one else had a right over Sabah, which was part of its territory.

THE Philippine government on Tuesday appealed to the United States and China to be “responsible actors” in the region amid heightened tensions over the supposed visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan.

The statement came amid reports that Pelosi, who has not confirmed that she plans to visit Taiwan, would proceed with the trip without prior announcement.

“The Philippines is closely monitoring developments in this regard. It is important for the US and China to ensure continuing communication to avoid miscalculation and further escalation of tensions,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.

“We trust that China and the United States will be responsible actors in the region,” she added.

The DFA official did not confirm nor deny if Pelosi would land in Clark airport in Pampanga before supposedly going to Taiwan.

Pelosi is leading a Congressional delegation to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan to reaffirm Washington DC’s “unshakeable commitment to our allies and friends” in the region.

Other than reports citing anonymous sources, her trip to Taiwan has yet to be officially confirmed.

The US and the Philippines, like many other states, adhere to the socalled “one-China Policy” in dealing with China and Taiwan.

Under this policy, countries recognize the People’s Republic of China as the only Chinese government.

On August 1, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan would “constitute a gross interference in China’s internal affairs” and “severely undermine China-US relations and lead to a very serious situation and grave consequences.”

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Lawmakers take key Congress posts

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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HE Senate and House of Representatives on Monday night elected several legislators as chairpersons of various committees.

The lower chamber elected the following House members upon the motion of Majority Leader Jose Manuel Dalipe: Manila Rep. Irwin Tieng– Banks And Financial Intermediaries; Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez– Constitutional Amendments; Mandaue

Rep. Emmarie Ouano-Dizon- Ecology; Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores– Government Reorganization; Kalinga Rep. Allen Jesse Mangaoang– Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples; Lanao del Sur Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong– Mindanao

Affairs; Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba– North Luzon Growth Quadrangle; Manila Rep. Edward Vera Perez Maceda– Revision of Laws; Aklan Rep. Carlito Marquez– Science and Technology; Mt. Province Rep. Maximo Dalog– Suffrage And Electoral Reforms; Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona– Tourism; Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman– Women and Gender Equality; Isabela Rep. Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III– Youth And Sports Development; Davao Occidental Rep. Claude Bautista– Flagship Programs and Projects.

Also elected were: KUSUG TAUSUG Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut– Peace, Reconciliation and Unity; Apayao Rep. Eleanor Bulut-Begtang– Reforestation; Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes– Senior Citizens; and Patrol party-list Rep. Jorge Bustos– Strategic Intelligence In the Senate, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva announced the election of the following senators and their respective committees.

They are the following: Sen. Mark Villar, Banks, Financial

Quake-hit families climb to 105,241

DONATIONS FOR QUAKE VICTIMS.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary Rommel Lopez, with officials from the Chinese Embassy and the PhilippineChinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated (PCCCII), present to media trucks loaded with sacks of rice to be given to victims of the recent earthquake. Norman Cruz

PSA docs now Bill aims to counter negative effects of pandemic permanently valid—Revilla

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

DOCUMENTS, including birth, death, and marriage certificates issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and National Statistics Office are now permanently valid.

Senator Bong Revilla said this is possible after the remedial legislation seeking the permanent validity of the birth, death, and marriage certificates lapsed into law on July 28.

Revilla on Tuesday shared a copy of a letter from Malacañang signed by Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, informing the Senate president of the enactment of the bill.

Revilla, sponsor of the law in the Senate, explained that the certificates issued, signed, certified, or authenticated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), its predecessor the National Statistics Office (NSO), and the local civil registries shall have permanent validity regardless of the date of issuance, GMA News reported.

These documents shall be recognized and accepted in all government and private transactions or services requiring the submission of the same as proof of identity and legal status of a person.

DepEd seeks to ‘clear out’ COVID centers

THE Department of Education (DepEd) spokesperson Michael Poa said the agency wants to remove COVID-19 quarantine facilities from campuses before the school opens on Aug. 22.

Poa, quoted in an ABS-CBN report said the DepEd was coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to “clear out” quarantine facilities ahead of the start of School Year 2022-2023.

“We are trying to coordinate with the LGUs to make sure that we clear out these quarantine facilities so we can go back to schools on Aug. 22,” Poa said in a briefing.

But the DepEd official has yet to disclose how many schools were still serving as quarantine facilities.

Poa said the DepEd was also coordinating with LGUs to ensure that there were clinics and health facilities in every school, especially those in remote areas, the report said.

Earlier, education advocacy groups called for the need for health facilities in every public school, especially since in-person classes would resume at full capacity starting in November, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

SEN. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill to counter the negative effects of the pandemic school closures on the mental health and socio-emotional development of learners, teachers, and other non-teaching personnel.

The bill also seeks to strengthen the promotion and delivery of mental health services in the country’s basic education schools.

Senate Bill No. 379 or the Basic Education Mental Health and WellBeing Promotion Act, one of Gatchalian’s priority measures for the 19th Congress, In the long term, the measure aims to institutionalize the Mental Health and Well-Being Program.

This program will provide mental health services, emotional, developmental, and preventive programs, and other support services in all public and private basic

Institutions and Currencies; Sen. Bong Revilla, Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation; Sen. Imee Marcos, Cooperatives and Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation; Sen. Grace Poe, Cultural Communities and Economic Affairs; Sen. Cynthia Villar, Environment and Natural Resources, and Climate Change; Sen. Robin Padilla, Public Information and Mass Media; Sen. Bong Go, Sports; Sen. Nancy Binay, Tourism; Sen. JV Ejercito, Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement; and Sen. Sonny Angara,Youth.

education schools.

The proposed measure also seeks to hire mental health professionals and deploy them to public elementary, secondary, and vocational institutions.

The measure also seeks to establish a Mental Health and Well-Being Center in every public and private basic education school in the country. The Center will be responsible for delivering mental health and well-being services.

BBM’S FISCAL PLAN. House Speaker Martin Romualdez preside over the plenary session Monday which adopted House

current Resolution No.2 supporting President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s 2022-2028 Medium Term Fiscal Framework, which aims to attain short-term macro-fiscal stability while remaining supportive of the economic recovery promoting medium-term fiscal sustainability. Ver Noveno

THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Tuesday reported that the total number of families affected by last week’s magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Northern Luzon has climbed to 105,241.

In its latest situation report, the agency said this figure is equivalent to 404,370 persons living in 1,115 barangays (villages) in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

However, the number of evacuation centers providing shelter to earthquake victims has dropped to 30, from Monday’s figure of 40.

These facilities are now only sheltering 989 families or 3,319 individuals as some evacuees have started to return to their homes.

The death toll from the tremor stands at nine, all from CAR while those injured are now at 376 -- 374 from CAR and two from Cagayan Valley.

Still undergoing validation are reports of one death and 18 injured in the Ilocos Region.

Damaged houses were placed at 28,702 and these were reported in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, CAR, and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Of this number, 28,289 were classified as “partially damaged” and 413 are “totally damaged”.

The damage to agricultural infrastructure and equipment was estimated at PHP15.2 million in CAR. The earthquake also left PHP4.5 million worth of damage to irrigation facilities in CAR. Meanwhile, infrastructure damage was placed at PHP1.25 billion in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, CAR and NCR. As of this posting, the amount of aid extended to the affected communities in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and CAR has reached around PHP51.3 million.

Army units still on alert Meanwhile, Philippine Army (PA) units in northern Luzon remain on alert as aftershocks continue to rock the area.

“The Army’s humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) teams are also working ‘round the clock in cooperation with national government agencies, local government units, and private sector volunteers to aid calamity-stricken communities and families,” PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Tuesday.

Agri law seeks more financing for farmers, fisherfolks

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SEN. Cynthia A. Villar said RA 11901 or the “Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022” is now a law.

Villar filed the bill which seeks to expand financing for farmers and fisherfolks.

The senator, chairperson of the Senate committee on agriculture and food, is the principal author RA 11901 has lapsed into law July 29, 2022.

Villar thanked Quirino Rep. Junie Cua, her counterpart at the House of Representatives, and then BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno for their efforts in crafting all the new law.

The new law mandates that all banking institutions, except newly established banks, must set aside at least 25 percent of their total loanable funds for agricultural and fisheries-related sectors after they have been operating for five years.

Banks are expected to offer new financial products and services that suit the specific requirements of agricultural

clients appropriate to their cash flows and production cycles.

“They can comply with the credit quota by lending to rural community beneficiaries to finance agricultural and fishery-related activities, said Villar.

Furthermore, she said banks can also invest in securities where the proceeds are meant to finance these activities.

HB seeks more benefits for judges THE ANAKALUSUGAN Party-list has filed the “Voltaire Rosales Bill” to give security and ensure benefits for bereaved families of judges, prosecutors, and lawyers in response to the alarming number of threats and killings among their ranks.

Filed under House Bill No. 1694, the proposal amends Section 2 and 3 of Republic Act No. 910, which accords benefits for the family of retired judiciary personnel only, to include families of justices and judges killed in the performance of duty. It also recommends retroactive application of the law to compensate victims of slain judiciary members.

“Our Justices and Judges deserve better. They are the keepers of our law,

and as legislators, we must do our part to be able to afford them the same security that we have. They should be able to practice their profession in safety,” Representative Ray Florence Reyes penned.

Under the bill, spouses and children of slain judiciary members will be entitled to the existing benefits under the law plus the ten years’ salary of the slain member.

It also includes automatic increase in pension benefits adjacent to the increase in the salary of the same position from when the member retires.

When the family member does not receive the full lump sum within one year from death, any sum will still be granted and computed based on the difference between the amounts already received.

FREE SCHOOL UNIFORMS. Teachers from Justice Abad Santos High School distribute second-hand school uniforms for high school students during the kick-off program of the Brigada Eskwela program of the Department of Education. Danny Pata

Opinion Homegrown TNC expands global port operations

WHAT do these places in the four corners of the world – South Sulawesi in Indonesia; Tanjun Priok in Jakarta; Lae in Papua New Guinea; Yantai in China; Cortes in Honduras; Buenaventura in Colombia; Colima in Mexico; Guayas in Ecuador; Pernambuco in Brazil; Gdnyia in Poland; Umm Qasr in Iraq; Rijeka in Croatia; Batumi in Georgia; Toamasina in Madagascar; and Matadi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo – share in common?

And what do these huge companies with global reach – China Cosco Shipping; PSA International; APM Terminals; Hutchison Ports; DP World; Terminal Investment Limited; China Merchants Ports; CMA GGM; SSA Marine; Eurogate; HMM; Evergreen; MOL; NYK; K Line – also share in common?

The exotic-sounding places in five out of seven continents in the world are where one Filipino transnational company: International Container Terminal Services Inc., or ICTSI, now operates, while the similarly strange-sounding companies operating from various locations all over the globe are ICTSI’s counterparts in the specialized field of port operations that keep the global economy on an even keel.

ICTSI’s flagship, of course, is the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), where it first demonstrated its expertise in port operations in 1987 and has now brought this expertise in modern and efficient cargo handling to various overseas locations.

Drewry, the leading shipping and logistics research group, has taken notice of ICTSI’s growing reputation and now lists the Filipino company as among the top 10 port operators in the world and eighth in terms of volume of cargo handled.

What’s remarkable about ICTSI’s rise is that it took the company a little more than three decades of experience in port operations to emerge as a titan in the industry with global reach.

Only a few Filipino companies have been able to thrive in the international arena amid intense competition.

If ICTSI is now among those recognized as among the world’s biggest in its specific line of work, it is because it has adapted to the vagaries of the market and kept its ears close to the ground with innovative ideas.

So what’s ICTSI’s secret for success?

ICTSI’s head of global operations, Christian Gonzalez, who is also ICTSI Executive Vice President, offers a clue.

He explained that profits, though a clear target, are not the only goal of the company: “Beyond profitability, ICTSI recognizes the complex role ports play in economic development and the prosperity of communities within which our ports operate.”

In places where ICTSI has opted to put up stakes, such as Papua New Guinea, Honduras, DR Congo, Madagascar, you will realize that these are some of the poorest and underdeveloped countries in the world today.

But ICTSI’s management decided to set up

shop in those places anyway so that it can help spur economic development there and allow them to prosper and raise their standards of living.

ICTSI’s phenomenal growth and outward expansion also demonstrates very clearly that port operations, a vital cog in the global economy, are best left in the hands of the private sector, rather than the government.

The conglomerate’s presence in remote areas in other countries seeks to boost trade and economic growth there and contribute to higher GNP that can lead to poverty reduction and a much better quality of life for the population.

If ICTSI is now among those recognized as among the world’s biggest in its specific line of work, it is because it has adapted to the vagaries of the market and kept its ears close to the ground with innovative ideas ICTSI’s efforts to further hone its expertise in port operations and help other economies navigate the way to higher growth and economic progress goes hand-in-hand with its commitment to introduce modern technology that spells convenience, ideal working conditions and unparalleled efficiency in places where it has expanded its presence.

It’s right in its home ground, however, where ICTSI has shown its capability to get things done.

At the Manila International Container Port the conglomerate will spend an additional $290 million to build another berth that would expand total berthing length to 2,300 meters.

What this means is that with more ships that can be accommodated there, more cargo and bigger trade will work wonders for the battered Philippine economy in the years ahead.

The improvements done by the company at MICT are evident not only in the efficient handling of cargo from huge bulk carriers to container vans that bring all kinds of goods to end-users.

ICTSI’s enhanced digital operations also mean that goods can reach the hands of endusers faster.

What ICTSI has done since 1987 is to modernize port operations not only in the Philippines but in many overseas locations.

It is not only driving Philippine economic growth in an upward trajectory through modern and efficient port operations, but also helping the global economy move goods faster and with less hassle.

If you get the goods you ordered on time, isn’t that what delivery service – or service delivery – is all about?

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

Kansas puts abortion on the ballot—in test case for US

By Caitlin Wilson CAMPAIGN signs dot the tree-lined streets of the affluent Kansas town of Leawood, as the Midwestern state prepares to hold the first major vote on abortion since the US Supreme Court ended the national right to the procedure.

Kansans head to the polls Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) to decide whether to change the traditionally conservative state’s constitution to remove language guaranteeing the right to an abortion.

Those in favor of the change — “Yes” voters — say it would allow legislators to regulate the procedure without judicial interference.

“It just simply restores our ability to have a conversation,” says Mackenzie Haddix, a spokeswoman for the Value Them Both campaign seeking an end to the protections — which stem from a 2019 decision by the Kansas supreme court.

“The people of Kansas can then come together… to reach consensus,” she told AFP at a rally Saturday morning.

Banning abortion is not the official goal of Value Them Both.

But in the opposing camp, activists see the campaign as a barely-masked bid to clear the way for an outright ban by the Republicandominated state legislature — following in the footsteps of at least eight other US states since the Supreme Court’s ruling in June.

Advocates look nervously to neighboring Oklahoma and Missouri which have implemented near-total bans — the latter making no exceptions for rape or incest — while fellow Midwestern state Indiana passed its own rigid ban on Saturday.

And in Kansas itself, a conservative state legislator this year introduced a bill that would ban abortion without exceptions for rape, incest, or the life of the mother, while a state senator was

quoted as telling supporters he ultimately hopes to enact a law on “life starting at conception.”

Currently, abortion is legal in Kansas up to 22 weeks, with parental consent required for minors.

“It really does come down to the amendment taking away that right to personal autonomy that all Kansans enjoy,” Ashley All, a spokeswoman for the “No” campaign Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, told AFP. “And it is a right that we are able to make decisions about our bodies, about our families, about our future, without government interference,” she said.

...when it comes to views on abortion, a 2021 survey from Fort Hays State University found that fewer than 20 percent of Kansas respondents agreed that abortion should be illegal even in cases of rape or incest First test The vote, scheduled to coincide with primary elections in Kansas, will be the first chance for US voters to register their views on abortion since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Other states including California and Kentucky are set to vote on the issue in November — at the same time as midterm elections to Congress in which both Republicans and

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EDITORIAL

The guessing game NITED States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi – number three in the presidential succession in her country – is now in Asia, at the head of a congressional delegation to the Indo-Pacific region, including visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

U

The panic-stricken visit, under tight wraps, has clattered nerves in both Beijing and Washington, with the prospect of a visit to Taiwan despite China’s progressively razor-sharp warnings that a visit to the self-governing island would provoke a response, perhaps a military one.

Pelosi has been to Singapore after a weekend stopover in Hawaii to consult with American commanders responsible for the Indo-Pacific. In her statement, she said she would visit Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan for high-level meetings but did not mention Taiwan.

The visit to the identified countries was aimed at discussing trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, security and “democratic governance.”

The 82-year-old Pelosi didn’t confirm news reports that she might visit Taiwan, claimed by Beijing as its own territory. But the 69-year-old Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against meddling in Beijing’s dealings with the self-ruling democracy island in a phone

call last week with his American counterpart, Joe Biden, 10 years Xi’s senior.

It would not be unusual to omit Taiwan from an announcement given security concerns, and President Biden’s aides said she was expected to proceed with the plan for the highest-level visit by an American official to the island in 25 years Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make its decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step US leaders say they don’t support.

Pelosi, should she visit Taiwan – a senior Taiwanese government said she

was expected to visit as part of her Asia tour, likely to stay there overnight but the date is not clear – would be the highest-ranking elected American official to visit since then Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.

It would not be unusual to omit Taiwan from an announcement given security concerns, and President Biden’s aides said she was expected to proceed with the plan for the highest-level visit by an American official to the island in 25 years.

Of course Pelosi could still change her mind about traveling to Taiwan, home to 23 million, according to an administration official, but added that seemed unlikely – at a time when USChina relations are at a low point.

Biden’s aides had said said he had decided against asking Pelosi directly to cancel her trip, largely because of his respect for the independence of Congress, forged during his 36 years in the Senate but is clearly reluctant to back down in the face of Chinese threats, including Beijing’s warning the United States was “playing with fire,” which followed Biden’s nearly 150-minute conversation with Xi last week.

The guessing game now up, what is clear is that Defense Department officials are working around the clock on monitoring any Chinese movements in the region and securing a plan to keep Pelosi safe.

Soldier, strategist, peacemaker, nation builder, statesman As a peacemaker. He reached out to all kinds of rebels – the military coup plotters led by army Col. Gregorio Honasan, the Muslim rebels led

by Nur Misuari, and the guerillas of the New People’s Army of the Communist Party of the Philippines whose armed strength had grown to 35,000 regulars.

The effort brought peace, enabled FVR to attract record levels of investments, and saved the country from recession and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

FIDEL Valdez Ramos is best remembered for his ability to lead and his willingness to be led – not by astute advisors and political strategists, but by the people whom he served, and served well.

He was one of the country’s best presidents, if not the best, ever.

FVR – his nickname – died in the afternoon of Sunday, July 31, 2022 at the Makati Medical Center due to COVID complications. He had had a heart problem and signs of dementia.

Born March 18, 1918, he was 94.

The cigar-chomping taciturn West Pointtrained general won a narrow victory in the tightly contested May 1992 presidential election to serve as the 12th president of the Philippines, from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998.

He was a veteran of two major wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He helped win People Power I in 1986.

At 64 in 1992, Ramos was the oldest Filipino president when he defeated six other aspirants with less than 24 percent of the votes cast.

His rivals included the former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, a former vice president, a former Senate president, a former speaker of the House, a feisty former immigration chief, and the country’s then richest tycoon.

President FVR went on to restore peace in the land, unify the country, attract record levels of foreign investments, and free the economy by breaking up monopolies in telecommunications, power, shipping, and water systems.

He rescued the Philippines from a recession and the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Recession came back in the last semester of his six-year presidency.

Ramos was a soldier, warrior, diplomat, author, strategist, peace advocate, nation builder, and statesman. His public service spanned a total 51 years.

Steadfastly and faithfully, Ramos promoted the principles of people empowerment and a culture of excellence. Both led to global competitiveness during his term as President from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998.

History appreciates FVR for eight things: 1) For believing that democracy and development go together. There is no need for strongman rule to achieve progress. Ramos having been a four-star and enforcer of 14 years of martial law -- that is a remarkable posture to adopt.

2) Helping depose his own second cousin, Ferdinand EdralinMarcos after 20 years in power in which he helped pursue Marcos’ authoritarian objectives; 3) Saving Corazon Cojuangco Aquino from eight coup attempts during her presidency, from February 1986 to June 30, 1992. The coups weakened her presidency and made her a captive of the military; 4) Quickly restoring power to a nation besieged by 12 to 18-hour blackouts at the peak of the power crisis during Corazon Aquino’s time;

6) Breaking up the telco, power, and water utilities monopolies; 7) Visioning a newly industrialized country status for the Philippines by making it a tiger economy; and 8) His work ethic (he was the most hardworking president) and dictum of CSM – complete staff work, sometimes referred to as control system management.

Since 1969, the Philippines had harbored the world’s longest communist insurgency, and since 1972, the world’s longest Muslim separatist insurgency.

While communist insurgency dwindled to historic lows, Ramos achieved a peace agreement with military rebels (RAM, ALTAS, YOU) in October 1995 and the MNLF southern secessionists in September 1996 which won for him (together with Chairman Nur Misuari) and the Philippines the coveted 1997 UNESCO Peace Prize – the first for Asians.

He also worked out a modus vivendi with Congress whose members quickly joined his Rainbow Coalition.

The deals brought peace to the land and enabled Ramos to attract foreign investments and legislate the most far-reaching social and economic reforms through the passage of major pieces of legislation.

Ramos then pursued programs to fight poverty in accordance with the will of the Filipino people expressed by 229 structural/reform laws enacted by Congress from 1992 to 1998.

Democrats hope to mobilize their supporters nationwide around the question of abortion.

Anne Melia, a volunteer with the pro-abortion rights KCF, went door-to-door in Leawood Thursday night to make her case.

“I don’t think the government should be telling

women what they should do,” the 59-year-old explained as she made her way across manicured lawns festooned with rival “Vote No” and “Vote Yes” signs.

Leawood resident Pat Boston, 85, said she had already voted early – and marked “No” on her ballot.

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

Average income of the Filipino family grew more during (FVR’s) administration than in the preceding two decades (and) pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy

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

Ramos exemplified the leader who always looked toward the strategic future and whose thumbs-up optimism – captured in descriptive phrases like “Caring, Sharing and Daring,” “Philippines 1500” and “Pole-vaulting” – propelled the economy and social welfare.

He exuded positive energy that seems to burst from his cool and at times steely demeanor.

During the years 1993-1997, the Philippine economy recovered dramatically and a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda was implemented that addressed long-standing problems regarding poverty, health, education and skills training, housing, environmental protection, children and the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, jobs and livelihood, agrarian reform and access to equal opportunity.

Gross National Product growth averaged 5 percent annually. The total inflow of foreign exchange into the country outpaced forex inflows of the combined periods of rule of both Presidents Ferdinand Marcos and Cory Aquino.

Average income of the Filipino family grew more during his administration than in the preceding two decades. He pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy.

FVR encouraged the privatization of public entities, to include the modernization of public infrastructure through the expanded Build-Operate-Transfer law.

Ramos also served as secretary of national defense (1988-1991) and chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (1986-1988) with the rank of general (4 Stars).

His military/law enforcement service of more than 40 years was capped by the peaceful, non-violent People Power Revolution at EDSA in February 1986 which threw out a dictatorial regime.

In retirement, the genial general was always on the go throughout the Philippines, mobilizing the citizenry and pushing the “best practices” of Unity of Purpose, Solidarity in Values and Teamwork in Nation-building at every opportunity.

In 1993 I wrote an editorial in Asiaweek magazine which said: “Ninety-eight percent of Filipinos are waiting for a telephone; the remaining two percent are waiting for a dial tone.”

Lee Kuan Yew was invited to Manila to make a major speech. He quoted my editorial, with exuberant derision.

Newspapers local and foreign quoted LKY. Aghast, FVR ordered the breakup of the 70year old PLDT monopoly.

He did it thru an executive order dividing the country into 7 telephone franchises.

Today, however, the business has become a duopoly with a third player trying mightily to break up the stranglehold of PLDT-Smart and Globe, to little effect. biznewsasia@gmail.com In the same neighborhood, 43-year-old Christine Vasquez said she planned to vote “Yes,” in the hope of seeing a vote on an abortion ban in the future.

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Plaza asks ES: ‘Am I in or am I out of PEZA?’

By Othel V. Campos

NO TO FOSSIL FUELS. Environmentalists advocating against climate change stage a protest action in front of the Japanese Embassy in Pasay City to voice out opposition to the Japanese energy sector’s promotion of fossil fuels. Norman Cruz

CA tells NTC to comply with ARTA order

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to comply with a directive of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to issue a permit to an affiliate of Now Corp. to operate interactive pay television (TV) and multimedia services.

In a 33-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Perpetua Susana AtalPaño of the Special 8th Division, the appellate court granted News and Entertainment Network Corp.’s petition for mandamus that sought to compel NTC to comply with ARTA’s order dated Feb. 12, 2020, automatically approving the petitioner’s application for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC).

The CPC would enable the holder to install, operate, and maintain a local multi-point distribution system (LMDS) to deliver interactive pay television and multimedia services in South Luzon, North Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the 25.35 GHz 26.35 GHz frequency range with authority to charge rates In its decision, the CA found the petition to be meritorious, affirming that the ARTA, has jurisdiction over the NTC. The CA cited the Ease of Doing Business Act, of which ARTA’s jurisdiction applies to all government offices and agencies that provide services covering business and non-business related transactions which includes the NTC. “Even assuming arguendo that an application proceedings before the NTC involve its quasi-judicial function, the Ease of Doing Business Act conferred jurisdiction to the ARTA over government agencies performing quasi-judicial functions,” it added.

“Whether or not the application of Newsnet involves purely administrative or quasi-judicial functions of the NTC, the latter is covered by the Ease of Doing Business Act,” the order further said.

ECOP serves caution against 14th month pay

T

HE Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) on Tuesday served caution on the mandatory grant of 14th month pay to employees, saying it would be prejudicial to small businesses still trying to recover from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

ECOP vice president George Barcelon hinted that businesses have not fully recovered, and forcing them to pay the 14th month pay would not be advisable.

“Kaya tingin ko mahihirapan ang mga negosyente sa 14th month pay,” Barcelon, who is also the president of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said in a broadcast interview.

Kabayan party-list congressman Ron Salo has filed House Bill No. 520 seeking the grant of the 14th month pay to all employees in the public and private sector regardless of the workers’ status

of employment.

Under the bill, the 13th month pay already required by law would be paid to the employees on or before May 31 of each year in anticipation of the school enrollment of the employees’ dependents.

On the other hand, the 14th month pay was to be given on or before November 30 of each year in time for the Christmas celebration.

Barcelon said that while several companies were already giving 14th month pay to its workforce depending on their

financial performance, making it compulsory would make it a big burden especially for MSMEs. “There’s a leeway for business depending on their performance if they can afford the 14th month pay. But as a requirement, it will be a burden for MSMEs,” he stressed.

Under Salo’s proposal, the 14th month pay would be prorated based on the workers’ length of service.

The measure also provides that the 14th month pay should not be less than the employee’s monthly basic salary.

It was also proposed that the 14th month pay would be excluded from the computation of the employee’s gross yearly income, provided that it will not exceed the allowed exemptions pursuant to the National Internal Revenue Code or its implementing rules and regulations.

BOC-NAIA surpasses July revenue target

By Joel E. Zurbano

FINANCIAL AID FOR A FORMER SPORTS LEGEND. Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chair Junie Cua (left) and general manager Melquiades Robles turn over a P500,000-check to Stephanie Mercado de Koenigswarter, daughter of cancerstrieken former track and field legend Lydia De Vega-Mercado. Manny Palmero

DOH launches PBBM urges people to promote Filipino language workplace vax in Region One DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) Ilocos Region assistant director Helen Tobias on Tuesday led the launch of the workplace vaccination program at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas - La Union regional office.

First to be given the immunization shot were the BSP employees and their families.

“Workplace vaccination has its own benefits, both to employers and employees,” said Tobias.

She said it is cost effective as it dramatically cuts the time needed to get vaccinated, and reduces absences due to illnesses.

Tobias also noted it improves workers’ morale because if the workplace is 100 percent vaccinated, everyone can feel safe and secure from the COVID-19.

“This is one of the strategies that we will be doing. We will bring Covid 19 vaccine to the target list,” Tobias said.

She cited the need for booster shots to strengthen the fight against the virus.

Macon Ramos-Amanita

FORMER Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) director general Charito Plaza seeks clarification from the Office of the Executive Secretary on the extension of her term PEZA chief following conflicting statements from Malacañang and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

In her letter dated August 2, 2022, Plaza asked Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez to issue a clarification that would eliminate the confusion on the rightful official to head the PEZA, arising from a memorandum circular issued on the same date by DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual designating PEZA deputy director general Tereso Panga as officer-in-charge (OIC).

Plaza said Panga has assumed administration of PEZA despite the issuance of the DTI memo which clearly states that the next senior official shall take the reins of the department or any government agency where the highest post is vacated, until a replacement has been appointed or designated.

“Panga assumed the position of OIC of the PEZA by unilaterally arrogating unto himself the said position. He also exercises the duties of the OIC by entering into contracts and agreements on behalf of PEZA,” Plaza stated in her letter.

Plaza said the PEZA workforce were divided on the leadership issue, and that the confusion has “caused tensions among employees.”

Even investors told PEZA to immediately resolve the squabble so they can proceed with their business in peace, she added.

“The delivery of services is affected, that’s why I chose to seek help from the ES,” Plaza said, insisting that Panga usurped his authority as PEZA director general.

While there might not be any bearing to the appointment of Panga as OIC, Plaza said that Pascual and Panga were UPSILON fraternity brothers.

She added that she was under the impression that she is still on a holdover capacity until December 31, 2022, since PEZA, to her knowledge is exempted from the DTI memo.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on the people to continue promoting the Filipino language, saying it is crucial to cultivate the country’s culture.

Marcos said the Philippines’ national language was not only limited to Tagalog, but also includes various native tongues aimed to unite Filipinos towards

the advancement of a more prosperous and united nation.

“Napapanahong paalalahanan natin ang ating mga sarili na ang Filipino ay hindi limitado sa mga salitang likas lamang sa Tagalog, bagkus ay isang kalipunan ng iba’t ibang mga wika sa buong kapuluan, na naglalayong magbuklod sa ating lahat tungo sa pagsulong ng mas

maunlad at nagkakaisang Republika (It is high time that we remind ourselves that Filipino is not limited only to Tagalog, but is a group of different languages throughout the archipelago, which aims to unite all of us towards the advancement of more prosperous and united Republic),” he said in his Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa message.

PCARRD launches youth program THE Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOSTPCAARRD) hast launched a project meant to develop future generations of science and technology leaders.

The project, dubbed Youth Science program, initially targets students of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) in the CALABARZON region.

The program also aims to increase the participation of PSHS students in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector by exposing them to interactive learning mechanisms, said PCAARRD news dispatch.

The initial session was attended by two Grade 10 and 14 Grade 11 students. They were joined by PSHS-Science immersion program coordinator Cladys Falcunaya, facilitator Mayla Blaskie, and staffers from Socio-Economics Research Division of DOST-PCAARRD, Annette Tobias and Dawn Femille Aguila.

A mentoring needs assessment was conducted to determine the students’ interest on topics from the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA). Results showed that the students were interested in natural resources and environment, climate change adaptation and risk reduction, and aquatic-related research topics. Butch Gunio

THE BIG JAIL MOVEOUT.

Police escort some 300 inmates of the overcrowded Quezon City Jail who are being transferred to a more modern and spacious detention facility in Payatas.

Manny Palmero

THE Bureau of Customs - Ninoy Aquino International Airport office on Tuesday announced that it has surpassed by P1.2 billion its P2.35 billion revenue target for the month of July.

NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan attributed the port’s positive performance of collecting P3.55 billion last month to its improved modernized systems and streamlined Customs processes. She also recognized the efforts and support of the entire CustomsNAIA team to the reform initiatives in revenue collection.

“These are all part of the strengthened collaborative efforts of the Port of NAIA under the guidance of Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz with the port’s stakeholders and warehouse operators,” she said.

In February, the Customs - NAIA received its first International Organization for Standardization (ISO) - quality management system - surveillance audit approval. This is part of the bureau’s commitment to promote efficiency and transformation within government service.

Talusan recognized the importance of having the Port ISO certified, saying as a gateway for international travelers, NAIA is considered as the bureau’s model port by the international community.

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Pelosi arrives in Malaysia as China rages over Taiwan U HK court ruling to lift lid on nat’l security cases

A HONG KONG court delivered a landmark ruling on Tuesday that will help lift the lid on secrecy-shrouded pretrial hearings held under a national security law.

The security law was imposed by Beijing after huge democracy protests and has largely snuffed out dissent in the city.

About 100 people have been charged under the law with the vast majority denied bail, held for months – some more than a year – in pre-trial detention.

Precedent-setting decisions have been made in lengthy pre-trial hearings but the media have been unable to cover legal arguments because of strict reporting restrictions, even though multiple defendants have asked for them to be lifted.

On Tuesday, High Court judge Alex Lee ruled that if a defendant asks, the restrictions must be lifted around hearings and proceedings for referring a case to the High Court.

The magistrate has no right to refuse “to lift the reporting restrictions at the instance of the accused,” Lee wrote in his judgement.

The ruling will set a precedent for other cases and should allow the media to report more details on how the national security law is being applied. AFP

S HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Malaysian state media reported, her second stop in an Asian tour that has sparked rage in Beijing over a possible stop in Taiwan.

Beijing views Taiwan as its territory and has indicated through repeated warnings that it would view the visit as a major provocation.

Pelosi landed at a Malaysian air force base ahead of meetings with

IN BRIEF

the prime minister and the speaker of the lower house of parliament, state news agency Bernama reported.

After Singapore and Malaysia, her itinerary includes stops in South Korea and Japan – but the prospect of a Taiwan visit has dominated attention.

While President Joe Biden’s administration is understood to be opposed to a Taiwan stop by Pelosi, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said she was entitled to go where she pleased.

“The speaker has the right to visit Taiwan,” he told reporters.

“There is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with longstanding US policies into some sort of crisis.”

Kirby cited intelligence that China was preparing possible mil-

TODAY TODAY

itary provocations that could include firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or “large-scale” incursions into Taiwanese airspace.

He said Pelosi was travelling on a military aircraft and that while Washington does not fear a direct attack, it “raises the stakes of a miscalculation.”

Taiwan’s military on Tuesday said it was “determined” to defend the island against increased threats

by China over the potential Pelosi visit.

Kirby reiterated, however, that US policy was unchanged toward Taiwan.

This means support for its self-ruling government, while diplomatically recognising Beijing over Taipei and opposing a formal independence declaration

by Taiwan or a forceful takeover

by China. AFP

SEPARATED, FINALLY. This undated handout picture released

by Rio de Janeiro’s State Health Department shows Brazilian conjoined twins Bernardo (left) and Arthur (right) with their parents Adriely and Antonio Lima.

The twins, with a fused head and brain, have been separated in what doctors described as the most complex surgery of its kind, which they prepared for using virtual reality. AFP

EXTRA-JUDICIAL EXTRA-JUDICIAL EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT SETTLEMENT SETTLEMENT

Vlogger under probe for eating shark

A CHINESE influencer is under police investigation after a clip of her roasting and eating a great white shark went viral.

Footage of the vlogger, popularly known by her online pseudonym Tizi, showed her feasting on the predatory fish, which police in the central city of Nanchong confirmed Sunday was a great white.

“It may look vicious, but its meat is truly very tender,” Tizi said while tearing off large chunks of the animal’s barbecued meat, in a video posted in mid-July.

In the video, since deleted, she is seen unwrapping a two-meter-long fish and lying down next to it to show that it is taller than her.

The shark is then sliced in half, marinated and barbecued, while the head is cooked in a spicy broth.

Great white sharks are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature—just one step before being classed as endangered.

Populations of sharks—some of the oceans’ most important apex predators – have been battered over the last few decades, the main culprits being finning and industrial longline fishing. AFP

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Iguanas reproducing on Galapagos

A LAND iguana that disappeared more than a century ago from one of the Galapagos Islands is reproducing naturally following its reintroduction there, Ecuador’s environment ministry announced Monday.

The reptile from the Conolophus subcristatus species, one of three land iguanas living on the archipelago, disappeared from Santiago Island in the early part of the 20th century according to a 1903-06 expedition there by the California Academy of Sciences, the ministry said.

In 2019, the Galapagos National Park (PNG) authority reintroduced more than 3,000 iguanas from a nearby island to restore the natural ecosystem of Santiago, which lies at the center of the Pacific archipelago.

The remote island chain was made famous by British geologist and naturalist Charles Darwin’s observations on evolution there.

In 1835, Darwin recorded a huge number of iguanas of all ages on Santiago.

PNG director Danny Rueda said “187 years later we are once again seeing a healthy population of land iguanas with adults, juveniles and newborns.”

“It’s a great conservation achievement and strengthens our hopes of restoration on the islands that have been severely affected by introduced species.” AFP

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IN BRIEF Diokno: Agriculture key to robust growth

FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno said a robust agriculture sector will play a key role for a sustainable economic growth that could reduce the poverty level in the long term.

“If we achieve our objective of making the agricultural sector more vibrant, more organized and more productive, I think that will have a huge impact on the [reduction of the] poverty incidence in the country,” Diokno said in an interview over a public affairs program over the weekend.

He said the agriculture industry was not working in the past, with fluctuating and almost negligible contribution to the economy. He said the poverty incidence in the agriculture sector is also high.

He said based on previous performances of the economy, sustained growth will help drive poverty incidence rate reduction.

“Before the crisis, the Philippine economy was growing between 6 to 7 percent and, in fact, we were close to our original target of reducing poverty to around 14 percent in the country by the end of President Duterte’s term, but of course the virus–the pandemic–intervened,” he said. Julito G. Rada

Business SM Investments takes full control of geothermal firm

By Jenniffer B. Austria

C

ONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group said Tuesday the Securities and Exchange Commissions approved its full acquisition of Philippine Geothermal Production Company Inc. through a P15.76-billion share swap deal.

SMIC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it received SEC’s approval to acquire the 81-percent stake of related parties in Allfirst Equity Holdings Inc (Allfirst) in exchange for SMIC

shares. Allfirst is the holding company for PGPI, which operates the Tiwi and Mak-Ban steam fields.

SMIC said the transaction would bring its ownership in PGPC to 100 percent.

The conglomerate said the deal would enable it to invest directly in clean renewable energy-related production, create value for SMIC’s minority shareholders and ensure the alignment of interests of all shareholders in the geothermal property “The acquisition of PGPC is sizeable, accretive to our shareholders, and a strong strategic fit with our portfolio of investments in high growth sectors in the Philippines,” said SMIC president and chief executive Frederic Dybuncio.

The transaction involved the issuance of 17.44 million new shares to shareholders of Allfirst, equivalent to 1.4 per-

cent of outstanding shares in SMIC. PGPC in 2021 posted $99.4 million in revenues and $48.8 million in net income, equivalent to 1.2 percent of SMIC’s 2021 revenues and 5.5 percent accretion to the 2021 net income, respectively.

Tiwi is the first commercial-scale geothermal steam field development in Southeast Asia, followed by Mak-Ban, both in operation since 1979.

Together they generate geothermal steam sufficient to produce approximately 300 megawatts of electricity. The geothermal power plants are being operated separately by Aboitiz Power Corp.

In addition to the two producing steam fields, PGPC has several other greenfield concession areas for geothermal steam production which it will develop in the future.

Chevron, Aboitiz Power sign diesel supply deal

CHEVRON Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketers of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, recently signed a contract to supply diesel fuel to the nine power generation facilities of Aboitiz Power Corp.

(Aboitiz Power) nationwide.

The partnership underlines the confidence that Aboitiz Power has in Chevron and its products to keep the company’s assets operating at optimum condition.

“With Chevron Philippines as our provider of quality fuel, we look forward to operational efficiency and worry-free operations so that we can keep supplying much needed power to keep the lights on in many Filipino households,” said Ronaldo Ramos, AboitizPower Oil Business Unit president and chief operating officer.

Aboitiz Power is engaged in power distribution, generation and retail electricity services with nearly 4,000 megawatts of capacity. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH is Southeast Asia’s 4th fastest auto market

THE Philippines was the fourth fastest automotive market in Southeast Asia in the first half of 2022, with sales hitting 154,874 units, up 16.7 percent from 132,767 units sold during the same period in 2021.

Total sales in the region, according to the latest statistics released by the Asean Automotive Federation (AAF), increased by 23.2 percent to 1.64 million units from 1.33 million units while those of Philippine sales improved by a notch from the fifth place in May 2022 to fourth in June.

Indonesia remained the biggest market with sales of 475,321 units from January to June 2022, up 20.8 percent from 393,466 units last year, followed Thailand with a 22.6-percent growth to 457,622 from 373,191 units.

Malaysia sold 331,386 units, higher by 33 percent from 249,178 a year ago, while Vietnam posted an increase of 16.3 percent to 30,742 unit from 26,432 units.

Singapore and Myanmar posted decline in sales by 34.2 percent to 33,401 units and 8.3 percent to 21,965 units, respectively. Othel V. Campos

PCCI-BOC PARTNERSHIP. The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognizes and commends Bureau of Customs Port of Manila district collector Michael Angelo Vargas and Manila International Container Port district collector Romeo Allan Rosales, represented by deputy collector Geoffrey De Vera for their partnership that led to the effective and increased collection of government duties and taxes through the assistance of PCCI industry experts. Shown are (from left) PCCI honorary chair and treasurer and Employers Confederation of the Philippines president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., De Vera and PCCI president George Barcelon.

Puregold’s net income increased by 5.4% to P4.2b in first half GROCERY chain operator Puregold Price Club Inc. said Monday consolidated net income rose 5.4 percent in the first half to P4.2 billion from P4 billion in the same period last year amid increased shopper confidence.

Puregold said in a disclosure to the stock exchange first-half consolidated revenues climbed 7.9 percent year-onyear to P82.2 billion.

The company attributed the higher sales to continued easing of mobility restrictions which resulted in a 10-per-

cent increase in foot traffic across all stores.

“With increased shopper confidence, the enterprise experienced positive same-store sales growth of 0.6 percent for Puregold Stores and 3.8 percent for S&R Warehouse Clubs,” Puregold said.

It said first-half gross profit reached P15.7 billion, up 9.8 percent from a year ago as operating expenses rose 6.9 percent to P10.4 billion.

Puregold opened nine new stores in

the first half to increase its store network to 507 as of end-June.

These include 438 Puregold stores, 22 S&R membership shopping warehouses and 47 S&R New York Style quick service restaurants.

Puregold allotted P5.8 billion in 2022 capital expenditures as it plans to open 35 Puregold stores, three S&R Membership Shopping stores and five S&R New York Style restaurants.

Puregold’s shares closed unchanged at P30.10 Tuesday. Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE INDEX CLOSING Tuesday, August 2, 2022

50.27 PTS. 6,362.30

TOTAL VOLUME

528,352,641

TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP)

77,306 5,867,021,355.49

ADVANCES DECLINES UNCHANGED

80 84 61

F oreign E xchange R ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2022

Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

55.3960

Japan

Yen

0.007596

0.4208

UK

Pound

1.225600

67.8933

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.127390

7.0569

Switzerland

Franc

1.052742

58.3177

Canada

Dollar

0.778938

43.1500

Singapore

Dollar

0.726216

40.2295

Australia

Dollar

0.702500

38.9157

Bahrain

Dinar

2.652590

146.9429

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266269

14.7502

Brunei

Dollar

0.723589

40.0839

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000067

0.0037

Thailand

Baht

0.027678

1.5333

UAE

Dirham

0.272279

15.0832

Euro

Euro

1.026200

56.8474

Korea

Won

0.000765

0.0424

China

Yuan

0.147765

8.1856

India

Rupee

0.012665

0.7016

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.224669

12.4458

New Zealand

Dollar

0.633200

35.0767

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033159

1.8369 Source: BSP

Metrobank’s 6-month profit rose to P15.6b

By Julito G. Rada METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest private universal bank, said Tuesday net income in the first half rose 33 percent year on year to P15.6 billion, on sustained improvement of its core businesses.

Net profit surged 95 percent in the second quarter to P7.6 billion year on year Metrobank president Fabian Dee said the improvement in the bank’s performance “cements our strategy as we enable various customers and businesses as economic activities accelerate. This also validates the recent recognitions we received from prestigious publications, naming us the country’s best bank.”

“Our focus on serving our client needs while actively managing risks and promoting efficiencies has driven our solid operating results, and will continue to do so in the medium term as the economy expands,” Dee said.

Gross loans grew 9 percent year-onyear to P1.3 trillion, led by a 12-percent growth in corporate and commercial lending and 16-percent increase in gross credit card receivables.

Asset quality improved with nonperforming loans declining 7 percent.

The ratio of NPLs to total loans stood at 1.9 percent in the first half, down from 2.3 percent a year ago and significantly below the industry’s 3.9 percent NPL ratio in May. The better ratio allowed the bank to further reduce loan-loss provisions by 46 percent in the first half. Metrobank’s NPL cover stood strong at 196 percent, a hefty buffer to protect the bank against market risks.

Total deposits rose 13 percent to P2.1 trillion. CASA (current and savings account) deposits climbed by 10 percent to P1.5 trillion from a year ago, which resulted in lower funding costs. Net interest income increased 6 percent to P39.8 billion as net interest margin recovered to 3.4 percent.

Non-interest income climbed 8 percent in the first half driven by an 18-percent jump in fees and other non-interest earnings. Despite volatile markets, the bank managed to post a P3.4-billion profit from trading income from strong customer driven flows.

Health experts welcome ‘vape law’ as right step to cut smoking deaths

ICTSI VACCINE CENTER. Volunteers and trained medical personnel administer Moderna vaccines, including second booster and pediatric doses, to residents of National Capital Region and nearby provinces at the Solaire-ICTSI Vaccination Centers on a Nayong Pilipino Foundation property in Parañaque City. More than 665,000 doses of Moderna were administered at the site since the vaccine brand’s rollout in the country in June last year. ICTSI built the P250-million SIVC-NPF mega vaccination hub, complete with all the vaccine support facilities and logistics, at no cost to the Philippine government. It was subsequently turned over to the Parañaque local government, with ICTSI continuing to assist in the daily operations until July 27—the facility’s final day of operation.

HEALTH experts said the enactment of the vape law is the right step toward reducing the serious diseases and deaths caused by smoking in the Philippines where there are more than 16 million smokers.

“Simply put, smoking kills and I think no one will dispute that our government should do everything it can to stop this— including the passage of this landmark anti-smoking vape law,” said Dr. Arleen Reyes, past president of the Philippine Dental Association and chairman of the Scientific Committee for the Asia Pacific Dental Federation.

Dr. Reyes is referring to Republic Act No. 11900, or the Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act, which became a law on July 25, 2022. It regulates the importation, manufacture, sale, packaging, distribution, use and communication of vaping products

such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

“The passage of this law is a step in the right direction because we are adding another public health tool to drastically cut down smoking rates in the country. In fact, many public health regulators around the world have already said that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking as supported by available scientific evidence,” said Dr. Rafael Castillo, past president of the Philippine Heart Association and the only Filipino doctor who sits in the board of trustee of the UK-based International Society of Hypertension.

“I have said it before and I will say it again, this anti-smoking vape law will save the lives of many Filipino smokers or at the very least reduce their health risk of getting serious smoking-related diseases,” said Castillo.

Pag-IBIG allocates P3b in calamity loan to members affected by earthquake in northern parts of Luzon TOP executives of Pag-IBIG Fund said Monday the agency initially allocated P3 billion in calamity loan for members in disaster-stricken areas, including those affected by the strong earthquake that hit North Luzon.

“Pag-IBIG Fund has allocated calamity loan funds to help affected members in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region recover from the devastation

caused by last week’s earthquake. We are also working closely with our fellow government agencies, as directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., so that we can maximize our collective assets towards providing for the needs of our fellow Filipinos affected in these areas,” said newly-appointed Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and chairperson of the

11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees.

Under the Pag-IBIG Calamity Loan, eligible members may borrow up to 80 percent of their total PagIBIG Savings, which consist of their monthly contributions, the counterpart employer’s contributions and accumulated dividends earned.

The agency said that in consideration of the plight of tmembers, the calamity

loan is offered at a rate of 5.95 percent per annum―the lowest rate in the market. The loan is payable over a period of up to three years, with a grace period of two months so that initial payment is due only on the third month after the loan is released.

Qualified borrowers may apply for the calamity loan within 90 days from the date when an area has been declared under a state of calamity.

Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive Acmad Rizaldy Moti said the agency deployed its mobile branch, the Lingkod Pag-IBIG On-Wheels and established offsite service desks to receive applications for calamity loans from member and insurance claims from current Pag-IBIG Housing Loan borrowers whose properties may have been damaged by the tremors.

Sports

PH chessers barge into top 20 of Olympiad

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

B1

Rookie Alegarbes splashes way to record-setting golden double S

THE Philippines overpowered Monaco and Angola via identical scores of 3.5-.5 in the men’s and women’s divisions, respectively, barge into the top 20 after four rounds of the 44th World Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India Monday night.

GM Banjo Barcenilla fought his way out of an inferior position in squeezing out a marathon 80-move draw of a King’s Indian Attack with Ukranian-born Woman GM Tatiana Dornbusch on top board that capped the rout.

GMs John Paul Gomez and Darwin Laylo and International Master Paulo Bersamina waylaid their respective foes on boards two to four with relative ease to power the Filipinos into a 23-nation tie at 18th place with six match points apiece.

The Filipinas were equally impressive following wins by WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, and WIMs Jan Jodilyn Fronda and Marie Antoinette San Diego on the top three boards and a draw

by WIM Kylen Joy Mordido with Renelsa Taiane Antonio on the last board.

It propelled the GM Jayson Gonzales-mentored women’s squad, which is being bankrolled by the Philippine Sports Commission, to a 34-country logjam at 12th spot with six points each.

The country will have a chance to gatecrash into the top 10 if it could pull the rug from under a higher-ranked Sweden in the men and the Netherlands in the women in the fifth round at press time.

The men’s team, mentored by GM Eugene Torre, is expected to field in Gomez, Laylo and Bersamina anew on the last three boards and either between Barcenilla and GM Mark Paragua on board one.

Gomez and Laylo have been specifically playing well with the former scoring three points with two wins and three draws and the latter winning all his first three outings.

The women’s side has been drawing consistent efforts from Frayna, who has 2.5 points out in three matches, and Fronda, who has scored three points on two wins and a couple of truces.

URAKARTA, Indonesia—Rookie swimmer Ariel Joseph Alegarbes captured two golds in recordbreaking fashion in the 11th ASEAN Para Games Monday at the Jatidiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang.

In front of a lean yet animated Filipino crowd, that included his father Abner, Alegarbes had an unforgettable outing in ruling the men’s 100-meter backstroke S14 event, surging in the last 10 meter to win the race by a touch in one minute and .03.01 seconds.

He nipped Malaysia’s Muhammad Imaan Aiman, who had wrested the lead at the 75-meter mark, but lost team and settled for silver in 1:03.20, while Thailand’s Mrjirachot Chuvong was a distant third and took the bronze medal (1:11.68).

Barely taking a breather, the 18-year-old Victoria, Negros Oriental pride was back at the pool, but this time led from start to finish in handily winning the men’s 50-butterfly S14 in 26.43 seconds, completing

a golden double in his rookie stint in the biennial meet.

On top of being the country’s first double gold medalist in the meet, Alegarbes established new meet records in both events, first smashing the five-year-old mark of 1:03.60 in the 100-meter backstroke set by Indonesia’s Muhammad in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur ASEAN Para Games.

He also bested by nearly four seconds the joint record of 30.01 seconds held by Malaysian W.Y. Chung and Indonesian D. Nugruho also set in the same Games held in the Malaysian capital.

“I feel like I am about to explode because I was not expecting this. This is for my father who led me into swimming. Without

him I wouldn’t be here,” said Alegarbes, who suffers from ADHD with learning disability with dyslexia, while handing both mints to his delighted father.

“Of course, I am very proud of my son and I am glad to witness his accomplishment,” said the elder Alegarbes, who left his work as a construction worker to look after his son after learning of his son’s physical challenge at an early age through the advice of his late psychologist brother.

Alegarbes’s success was a brilliant follow-up to his winning one gold and one silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly S14 and 100-meter backstroke S14, respectively, in the Asian Youth Para Games held in Manama, Bahrain last December.

Veteran Ernie Gawilan, who won the men’s 400-meter freestyle S7 event last Monday, settled for silver in the men’s 100-meter backstroke S7 in 1:21.13 for the other swimming medal of the day in the stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The country’s track and field team

likewise continued to have a productive campaign Tuesday morning at the Manahan Stadium here with runner and newcomer King James Reyes and veteran thrower Jesebel Tordecilla in boosting the athletic haul to four golds, and counting.

Reyes topped the men’s 5,000-meter race T46 event, his time pending confirmation from meet officials, while Tordecilla took the gold with her heave of 14.21 meters on her third attempt.

A gold medalist in the women’s javelin throw T54 last Monday, Cendy Asusano added a bronze to her collection in the women’s discus throw, which was the same medals won by Ron Russel Mitra and Evaristo Carbonel in the men’s long jump T20 and men’s discus throw F11-13, respectively.

With the production of swimming and athletics combined for the day, the PH para-athletes had nine gold, six silver and 15 bronze medals as they pressed to eclipse the tally of 20 golds, 20 silvers and 29 bronzes in winding up fifth overall in 2017.

There might be more golds in the offing later in the day in athletics as well as chess where FIDE Master Sander Severino winning their fifth and penultimate round matches to virtually ensure the country of at least four mints in the P1 and B2-B3 classes.

Severino, who bagged four golds in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Para Games, bested fellow FIDE Master Maksum Firdaus of Indonesia while rookie Bernardo repulsed Vietnam’s Duong Hien Vuong to seize top spot in their respective classes with 4.5 points apiece.

Ariel Joseph Alegarbes displays the two gold medals he won in the swimming competition of the 11th ASEAN Para Games Tuesday at the Jatadiri Sports Complex pool in Semarang, Indonesia. Inset shows Alegarbes on his way to victory in the men’s 50-meter butterfly S14 event.

PH bowlers hope to gain valuable experience in Asian junior tourney MEMBERS of the Philippine team vowed to give their best in the 21st Asian Junior Tenpin Bowling Championships, saying the experience will serve them well when they vie in future international competitions.

The tournament is scheduled Aug. 14 to 20 at the Blu-O Rhythm and Bowl in Bangkok.

The Philippine delegation that includes 16 bowlers will leave for the Thai capital on Aug. 13.

“We will just be enjoying this tournament while gaining experience. But we have a good chance,” said head coach Biboy Rivera during Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

The tournament is reserved for bowlers aged 18 years and below. It will provide the young Filipino bowlers the needed exposure as they ride the momentum of the country’s success in the Hanoi SEA Games last May. The Philippines ended an 11-year gold medal drought in the SEA Games by winning the gold in men’s singles and team of four, and women’s singles.

Also gracing the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation

were bowlers Zach Ramin and Stephen Luke Diwa.

“I’m very excited and honored,” said Ramin, who is based in Singapore. He added that he’d been training three days a week for the competition that drew 13 countries, including Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.

“I can say that we have a good chance,” added Diwa, a student at Southville International School.

Unlike Ramin, the 17-year-old Diwa will carry the experience of competing for the Philippines, having won the gold in men’s doubles during the IBF Under-21 World Championships in Sweden last month.

Ramin has been with the Philip-

pine youth team since 2019, and had previous stints in Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong.

The Philippines will field two teams each in the boys’ and girls’ divisions, including Justin Dinham, Kurt Anthony Capellan, John Raphael Besana, Sydmond Juille Vista, Kiel Andrey Barbosa and Christian Trespicio.

The girl’s team includes Michaela Jayne Gutierrez, Grace Ann Hernandez, Kassandra Denise Yap, Juliane Chelsea Santos, Kysha Nicole Agujo, Antonette Garcia, Nomie Juayne Rosario and Tracey Carlyn Tan. Joining Rivera are fellow coaches Chris Batson, Billy Lopue, Ariel Yelo and Josephine Canare.

Adalem-St. Clare nails no. 3 spot in playoffs ADALEM Construction-St. Clare doused cold water on Apex Fuel-San Sebastian’s sizzling run with an 80-66 victory to clinch the no. 3 spot in the of the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup playoffs Tuesday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Up by just a solitary point at the break, the Saints unleashed a searing third-quarter barrage to take command en route to finishing the eliminations with a 4-3 card.

John Edcel Rojas led the way with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists as Adalem-St. Clare in the process secured a twice-tobeat advantage at the upper half of the quarterfinals bracket.

NAASCU MVP Johnsherick

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

Estrada threw in help with 19 points—all in the second half— while veteran Joshua Fontanilla added 14 points, four dimes, and four steals in St. Clare’s stoppage of San Sebastian’s five-game run.

“Simula pa lang alam ko na win or go home kami. Kung manalo kami, No. 3. Pero kung matalo, 99.9% na maa-out kami.

Sabi ko lang sa mga bata, naglalaro sila nang maayos pero ‘di lang maka-finish nang maganda,” said coach Jinino Mansansala.

“We know we have to go all out and this time, nakuha namin.

Ngayon, maganda na napuntahan namin at twice-to-beat.”

Led by the troika of Rojas, Estrada and Fontanilla, the Saints

found their groove in the third quarter and turned a slim 36-35 halftime cushion to a comfortable 60-51 upperhand at the hand, which they even ballooned to the biggest lead at 77-61 heading home.

The Saints followed Marinerong Pilipino as the only teams to beat Apex Fuel-San Sebastian, which has become a revelation this conference in clinching the No. 1 seed and an outright semifinal berth over a bevy of top contenders.

Romel Calahat and Jessie Sumoda had 19 and 14 points, respectively, for the Golden Stags, who finished the eliminations at 5-2 but saw their five-game win streak come to an end.

John Edcel Rojas topscored for Adalem with 20 points.

Bike route crucial in IRONMAN 70.3 title drive WHILE bidders seek early momentum in the swim leg and a strong finishing kick in the run stage, pundits believe the bike phase holds the key to every triathlete’s title dream in the IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines set Sunday (Aug. 7) in Lapu-Lapu City.

Close to 2,000 endurance athletes from 46 nations are all geared up for IRONMAN 70.3’s return to the country’s newest triathlon hub at The Mactan Newtown with 1,106 clashing for top honors in various age categories, including the overall crown and berths to next year’s World Championship in Finland.

But what makes the crown jewel of Asian triathlon, sponsored by Megaworld and presented by AIA Vitality, doubly interesting is that the 3-loop bike route at the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway of the grueling 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21k run race will provide not just a new experience but a real test for all the bidders, including the hundreds more competing in the relay men’s and women’s and relay mixed events.

“The CCLEX is sure to spice up the title chase in the IRONMAN 70.3 and at the same time provide the ultimate expressway experience to all motorists while ensuring safe and convenient travel,” said Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp.

(CCLEC) president and general manager Allan Alfon.

The CCLEX is an 8.9km modern toll road in Metro Cebu linking Cebu City and the municipality of Cordova.

It is designed to withstand winds of up to 250km/h and hovers 52 meters above the Mactan Channel.

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TODAY WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Basketball stakeholders unite for World Cup hosting

T

HE preparations of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 (FBWC 2023) are now shifting to a higher gear as the federation received a total commitment from basketball stakeholders in the country.

The Philippines is set to host the FBWC 2023 along with Japan and Indonesia from August 25 to September 10, 2023. In an SBP board meeting led by Chairman Senator Sonny Angara held Monday, August 1, President Al Panlilio presented the plans for the staging and mounting of the event to the different board members from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and other major basketball organizations.

“Showcasing the Philippines, this will be the biggest basketball event to be hosted in the country. Since 1978, we have not hosted a tournament of this magnitude,” Panlilio said.

The SBP formed a local organizing committee composed of industry stalwarts and

Shown here are SBP board members (from left) Manuel “Buddy” Encarnado – NCRAA (National Capital Region Athletic Association); Jose Lipa Jr. – PCCL (Philippine Collegiate Champions League); Atty. Raymond Zorilla – PBA; Alfrancis Chua – PBA; Cong. Roberto Puno – Vice Chairman, SBP Board of Trustees; Comm. Willie Marcial – PBA; Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara – Chairman, SBP Board of Trustees; Pres. Al S. Panlilio – SBP President; Atty. Marievic Añonuevo – Corporate Secretary, SBP Board of Trustees; Renauld “Sonny” Barrios – SBP Executive Director; Richard “Ricky” Palou – SBP Treasurer; Manuel Raymund “Dax” Castellano – National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); Florante “Joey” Guillermo – Filoil Flying V; Mark Oliver Molina – University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP); Stephen “Pong” Dacoco – Cagayan De Oro Basketball Federation (CDOBF); Robin Jarvis Uy – Juanito T. Uy and Fanny L. Uy Foundation, Inc. Chairman’s Cup; Josemaria Rafael “Popoy” Navarro – Cebu Youth Basketball Athletic League (CYBL)

experts to prepare for the competition.

There will be 40 games in the qualifiers to be held at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Area, and 12 games for the final phase at the Philippine Arena.

Among the slated activities are One Year To Go and Tissot Countdown Clock Launch on August 27, 2022, the FBWC 2023 Draw event in April 2023, the Official Ball Launch, the Opening Ceremonies, and the Competition proper until September 10, 2023.

Apart from the hosting plans, the SBP President also shared the unified Philippine basketball commitment to put together the best team for the FBWC 2023.

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes presented to the SBP board his roadmap in building the men’s basketball team. Reyes identified the best players from the PBA, UAAP, NCAA, and different international professional leagues with the aim of performing in the World Cup Asian Qualifiers, reclaiming the gold in the Southeast

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

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

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.

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:

N/A

Place of Birth

Residence

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.

JOANE O. PAGUIO, Petitioner, -versus -

Civil Case No. R-QZN-21-10067-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage under Art. 36 of the Family Code

GREETINGS:

Block 2, Lot 2 & 4 E. Cojuangco St., BF Resort, Las Piñas, Metro Manila

Date of Birth

Republic of the Philippines National Capital Judicial Region Family Court Branch 13 Quezon City, Metro Manila

To: Dennis Jose Angelo R. Paguio No. 70 Lourdes Proper Ext., Queen of Peace Road, Baguio City

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)

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

17. The foregoing events, among others, have compelled JOANE to file the instant Petition. Indubitably, there is a clear failure on the part of DENNIS to comply with the essential obligations of loving, respecting, caring, and providing support to JOANE and HOPE, among others. xxxx 22.

In view of the psychological disorder of DENNIS to comply with the essential obligations of marriage, of which psychological incapacity has been clinically found to be incurable and existing prior to or before the celebration of marriage, there is a compelling necessity to declare the marriage a complete nullity under Article 36 of the New Family code.

23. JOANE and DENNIS do not have properties which may be subject to a property settlement. Neither do they have a pre-nuptial agreement. The property of the parties were governed by absolute community of property.

WHEREAS, a petition for declaration WHEREAS, in the petition, the relief/s of nullity of marriage under Article 36 of prayed for is hereby quoted as follows: the Family Code has been commenced by petitioner Joane O. Paguio against “WHEREFORE, premises considered, respondent Dennis Jose Angelo R. petitioner JOANE O. PAGUIO most Paguio; respectfully prays of this Honorable Court that after due notice and hearing, WHEREAS, on 16 December 2021, judgment be rendered declaring the this Court found the petition and its marriage between petitioner JOANE attachments compliant with A.M. No. O. PAGUIO and respondent DENNIS 02-11-10-SC or the Rule on Declaration JOSE ANGELO R. PAGUIO a complete of Absolute Nullity of Marriages and nullity ab initio under Article 36 of the Annulment of Voidable Marriages, and Family Code of the Philippines and that ordered the issuance of summons upon Petitioner be given custody of her child, respondent Dennis Jose Angelo R. GABRIELLE HOPE OCCIDENTAL Paguio whose given address is at No. PAGUIO. 70 Lourdes Proper Ext, Queen of Peace Road, Baguio City; NOW THEREFORE, YOU, respondent WHEREAS, on 23 June 2022, petitioner DENNIS JOSE ANGELO R. PAGUIO, filed a (Rule on Declaration of Absolute ARE HEREBY SUMMONED AND within THIRTY (30) Nullity of Marriages and Annulment of REQUIRED Voidable Marriages, which prayed that CALENDAR DAYS from the last issue of summons be served upon respondent publication to ANSWER the petition and through publication, after his authorized to copy furnish the petitioner with a copy representative, who had been authorized of your Answer at No. 695 Tandang Sora for the said purposes, failed to serve Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City, or her summons and a copy of the petition to counsel Atty. Marlon R. Dulnuan at 11 respondent at his last known address at Don Juan Street, Don Antonio Heights, No. 70 Lourdes Proper Ext., Queen of Quezon City. You are reminded of IBPPeace Raod, Baguio City as respondent OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint could not be found therein. in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses WHEREAS, the Petition states, to wit: in the Answer. If you fail to Answer within “I Petitioner JOANE O. PAGUIO (“JOANE” the time fixed, the Court shall order the for short) is female, Filipino, forty-three Public Prosecutor to investigate whether (43) years old and married to respondent. collusion exists, in accordance with She is a manager in the Business Process Section 8(3) of the Rule on Declaration Outsourcing (BPO) industry, and has of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages and been a resident of No. 695 Tandang Sora Annulment of Voidable Marriages.

Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City for three The Respondent in an action for (3) decades now.

Declaration of Nullity of Marriage must 2. Respondent DENNIS JOSE ANGELO strictly observe the above-prescribed R. PAGUIO (“DENNIS” for short) is male, period to file Answer.

Filipino, forty-eight (48) years old and married to petitioner. He is a businessman WHEREFORE, let this summons be and owner of GFQ Auto-repair Shop and published once a week for two (2) Detailing Specialist with office address consecutive weeks in a newspaper of at No. 70 Lourdes proper Ext., Queen of general circulation to be selected by raffle pursuant to P.D. 1079 at the expense of Peace Road, Baguio City. the petitioner. Likewise, let a copy of the 3. JOANE and DENNIS got married on summons be sent by registered mail to the 16 September 2005 at the Hall of Justice respondent at his known address. also at in Marikina City. They have a daughter, the expense of petitioner and to submit to GABRIELLE HOPE OCCIDENTAL this Court proof of compliance therewith.

PAGUlO, x x x.

WITNESS THE HON. LILY ANN M. 10. During their cohabitation, JOANE PADAEN Presiding Judge of this Court, observed the following trait on the this 27th day of June 2022. part of DENNIS: selfish-indulgence/ hedonism, grandiosity and superiority (Sgd.) NOLI A. ERMITANIO strivings, excessive need for admiration Court Legal Researcher II and infidelity, lack of empathy and Officer-in-Charge remorse, interpersonal abusiveness, and indifference towards the needs of spouse Copy furnished: and child. xxx Office of the Solicitor General 14. JOANE, then consulted a lawyer Counsel for the Republic of the Philippines about her marriage. The lawyer then 134 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, referred her to a clinical psychologist, Makati City who conducted a battery of tests and interviews on JOANE. ACP Vanessa Juvy O. Balita 15. After an assiduous analysis of JOANE’s case, the clinical psychologist concluded that DENNIS suffered from NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER WITH ANTI-SOCIAL PERSONALITY FEATURES.

Public Prosecutor DOJ Building, Quezon City Hall Compound Brgy. Central, Diliman 1100, Quezon City

Atty. Marlon R. Dulnuan Counsel for Petitioner 11 Don Juan Street, Don Antonio Heights, 16. The clinical psychologist found that Quezon City the marriage contracted by the JOANE and DENNIS was non-existent because Joane O. Paguio DENNIS since the time of the celebration Petitioner of the marriage was psychologically- No. 695 Tandang Sora Avenue, Old Balara, incapacitated to comply with his essential Quezon City marital obligations.

(MStandard - August 3 & 10, 2022)

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from their leagues will be able to join the national team for the same period.

To further strengthen the program, SBP added Tim Cone, head coach of Barangay Ginebra and the winningest coach in PBA history with 24 championships, and UAAP champion coach Goldwyn Monteverde of the UP Fighting Maroons as assistant coaches. With Reyes at the helm, two other veteran international coaches, Nenad Vucinic and Jong Uichico, complete a solid coaching team.

PPS netfest starts 4-leg Cebu swing

DENNIS JOSE ANGELO R. PAGUIO Respondent. x------------------------------------------------x SUMMONS (by publication)

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:

Name

Asian Games, and competing against the world’s best in the FBWC 2023.

As for the PBA, Asia’s pioneering professional league is also going all out in supporting the SBP and Gilas Pilipinas.

The PBA will only stage two conferences next season to give way for Gilas Pilipinas’ preparation for the World Cup so that the team will be able to train for three months to build chemistry and familiarity.

The UAAP and NCAA have also committed to make sure that players selected

THE PPS-PEPP national junior tennis circuit unveils a busy Cebu joust Wednesday with crack rosters in eight age-group categories primed for spirited chase for top honors and ranking points.

Two-time MVP Mateo Rivas headlines the PPS-PEPP Rep. Cindi Chan age-grouper firing off at the Lapu-Lapu City Tennis Club’s clay and hard courts with the rising star from Quezon City out to extend his romp in boys’ 16-and-under after ruling the Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Apalit, Pampanga stops of the country’s longest talent-search presented by Dunlop recently.

But locals Carl Miasco and Gio Manito, along with San Jose, Nueva Ecija’s Ivan Manila, Joseph Montecillo from Gen. Santos City, Dipolog’s Pete Bandala, Murray Bolongaita, and Marc Cruspero go all-out to foil his bid, along with the rest in the 32-player cast coming from all over.

The three other boys’ divisions also drew full-packed lineups, underscoring the circuit’s ever-growing following while ensuring another wild title hunt that has marked each staging of the nationwide circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Meanwhile, Mandaue City will host the next stop from Aug. 10-16, to be followed by the City of Naga leg on Aug. 17-24. The Cebu swing winds up in Consolacion, Laray on Aug. 25-31.

For details, contact Bobby Mangunay at 09154046464.

Top seed Marc Jarata also seeks to finally come out on top in the centerpiece 18-U category after falling short in the last two legs but the Agoo, La Union ace will be in for another tough outing against No. 2 John David Velez from Ormoc, Derek Napala from Gen. Santos City and Cebuano Hans Cabellon.

Also tipped to contend in the week-long Group 2 tournament, backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating), are Thomas Bernardo and 16-U campaigners Rivas, Miasco and Manila.

US PGA Tour offers record $415M in 2022-23 season MIAMI—Faced with a growing challenge from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, the US PGA Tour announced a 2022-23 season schedule on Monday offering a record $415 million in prize money.

The PGA boosted the prize money at eight invitational tournaments, with The Players Championship set to pay out $25 million, and will offer $145 million in bonus money, including $75 million for the FedEx Cup playoffs, which will be trimmed to 70 players from the current 125.

The move comes as the LIV Golf Series has offered the highest purses in history to lure bigname talent from the PGA to its upstart tour, which is set to rise from eight events in 2022 to 14 in 2023.

LIV Golf has drawn protests and claims of “sportwashing” from critics citing Saudi human rights issues but such stars as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey and Patrick Reed have jumped to the rebel series that debuted in June.

The US PGA, which will return to a season that coincides with the calendar year starting in 2024, tightened its playoffs and boosted select purses after comments from fans, PGA commissioner Jay Monahan said.

“The overwhelming sentiment was they wanted more consequences for both the regular season and the playoffs and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” Monahan said. “We feel strongly we’ve accomplished all of these objectives.” AFP

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Entertainment Christine Bermas works as a cam girl in ‘Scorpio Nights’

DIRECTOR Lawrence Fajardo had to read about the late Peque Gallaga to understand his thought process when making a film. Though he knew the iconic director personally he did not have enough references apart from old files and his memory of the director to help him recreate one of his controversial works.

“First time I saw the film was in 2001, and I instantly fell in love with the movie because I really like gore and dark movies. I read stories about Direk Peque and imagine how he would recreate the film. And, whenever he is now, I wish he would approve of my version,” Fajardo said of the 1985 Scorpio Nights.

Fajardo is behind other provocative

Beyonce to change ‘Heated’ lyrics after online backlash community & the progress we tried to make with Lizzo.”

“Guess I’ll just keep telling the whole industry to ‘do better’ until ableist slurs disappear from music,” she tweeted.

Beyonce’s eagerly anticipated seventh solo studio album Renaissance was released Friday, drawing mainly positive reviews with its nods to disco and electronic dance.

Other collaborators on the album — which leaked online in the days prior to its official release – include Nile Rodgers, Skrillex, Nigerian singer Tems, Grace Jones, Pharrell, and Beyonce’s rap mogul husband Jay-Z. In an Instagram post published soon after the album’s release, Beyonce said creating the album “allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world.

“My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom,” she wrote. AFP Beyonce’s newest album, ‘Renaissance,’ includes ‘Heated’ among its tracks

Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera celebrate 2nd year of GMA Affordabox GMA Affordabox celebrates its second anniversary with bigger treats and surprises as GMA Network’s digital TV receiver can now be purchased at an even more affordable price of P799.

Making the anniversary celebration brighter and more vibrant, Dingdong Dantes is joined by Marian Rivera.

Marian gladly expressed the things she liked about GMA Affordabox. “Bukod sa napaka-affordable niya, mapapanood pa ito nang mas maliwanag, mas makulay at mas maganda. Kasi kapag gano’n ang offer, ibig sabihin mas masarap manood at mas naiintindihan mo kung anong pinapanood mo.”

Dingdong, who agreed with wife Marian, also shared how much he appreciated the easy installation steps for GMA Affordabox users. “Kumbaga, babasahin mo lang ‘yung instructions, wala pang three minutes, mayroon ka na kaagad mapapanood.”

Alongside the Kapuso royal couple, GMA Affordabox introduces its adorable mascot – Affordy.

GMA Affordabox has sold over 2 million units since its launch in 2020.

As part of the Network’s initiatives to help the country shift from analog to digital broadcast, GMA Affordabox also enabled Filipino households to further enjoy watching GMA and GTV at a higher definition along with the GMA digital channels Heart of Asia, Hallypop, and I Heart Movies.

Other freet o - a i r channels in digital broadcast are also available depending on their area.

Along with the growing n u m b e r of GMA Affordabox

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Lawrence Fajardo megs a modern retelling of Gallaga’s ‘Scorpio Nights’

By Nickie Wang

US POP star Beyonce will remove a derogatory term for disabled people from her new song “Heated,” a spokesperson said Monday, after its use was condemned as offensive by campaigners.

The US pop megastar will rerecord the track from her latest album Renaissance on which she originally sang the lyrics “Spazzin’ on that ass, spazz on that ass.”

“The word, not used intentionally in a harmful way, will be replaced,” a spokesperson for Beyonce told AFP via email.

Co-written with Canadian rapper Drake, the dance track appears to use the word “spaz” in the colloquial sense of temporarily losing control or acting erratically.

But disability campaigners noted that the word is derived from “spastic.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spasticity is a movement disorder involving stiff muscles and awkward movement, suffered by 80 percent of people with cerebral palsy.

In June, US singer Lizzo rerecorded her song “Grrrls” to remove the same term following complaints that it was derogatory.

Australian disability campaigner Hannah Diviney said the inclusion of the word

by Beyonce “feels like a slap in the face to me, the disabled

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

users, it also continues to grow its coverage areas. In Luzon – Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Quezon, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and Camarines Sur (including Naga City).

In Visayas – Bohol, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Leyte (including Tacloban City), and its latest additions Bacolod (and adjacent areas), Samar, as well as Negros Occidental. And in Mindanao – Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Misamis Oriental (including Cagayan de Oro), Camiguin, General Santos City (and nearby areas including Polomolok), and Sarangani (Alabel, Glan, and Malapatan).

GMA Affordabox has unique features such as Personal Video Recorder, which lets users re-watch highlights of their favorite GMA shows with instant or scheduled recording. The device can also become a multimedia player through its USB port. It also has a nationwide Emergency Warning Broadcast System (EWBS) that receives alerts from the NDRRMC about any calamity warnings in their area as well as a functional autoon alert feature.

From its original price of P888, GMA Affordabox is now available at a new suggested retail price of P799 in leading supermarkets, appliance and gadget stores, and online via the official GMA Store on Shopee and Lazada.

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The Kapuso royal couple love the quality and accessibility of GMA Affordabox

and steamy films including X-Deal 2, Reroute, Mahjong Nights, and Nerisa.

A Vivamax Original Movie, Scorpio Nights 3 is an erotic-thriller film that follows the story of Matt (Gold Aceron), an engineering student living in an old apartment building just above the unit of his new neighbors, live-in partners Pinay (Christine Bermas), a cam girl, and Drake (Mark Anthony Fernandez), a fiscal’s bodyguard.

Matt secretly fantasizes over Pinay and constantly peeps through the hole on his floorboard whenever Pinay would make love to Mark or tease her clients online as a cam girl. Unknown to Matt, Pinay knows about his actions and would purposely seduce him. The two eventually make love, hoping not to get

(From left) Fajardo, Bermas, and Aceron at the exclusive press preview of the film caught by Pinay’s dominant and violent boyfriend.

Peque Gallaga’s Scorpio Nights 3 is

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based on the 1985 movie of the same name starring Daniel Fernando and Anna Marie Gutierrez. The film also had a sequel in 1999 that starred Joyce Jimenez and Albert Martinez.

Meanwhile, Bermas felt both excited and pressured as the film’s lead star knowing she has some big shoes to fill for the modern retelling of Scorpio Nights.

“I felt a lot of pressure the moment I was told that I got the part. I felt excited, and at the same time I also felt nervous,” Bermas said alluding to her role as a desirable woman who makes a young man’s greatest fantasies and wildest desires finally come true.

The most famous erotica franchise now streams exclusively on Vivamax.

John Roa makes surprise proposal

to long-term partner at MV premiere

By Patricia Taculao

F

INDING someone who jives well with your personality, celebrates you at your best, and stays when you’re at your worst is a rare opportunity. Those lucky enough to find their ideal match in a person hold on to them since they plan to spend the rest of their lives together.

Raina speechless and emotional.

Despite the heavy rains, which caused heavy traffic throughout the metro, John’s former group members, Ex Battalion, attended the momentous event.

“Hindi naman sila nagmamadali na magpakasal agad kasi nag-propose na. Baka mga 25 or 26 pa [ikasal].

Nag-promise lang sila sa isa’t isa na sila lang talaga…pero masaya ako

John (left) proposing to Raina during the music video premiere of ‘Natagpuan’

lyrics, emotion, and music video to her. Eventually, it led him toward a 90s approach, and being a fan of OPM singer-songwriter John the era’s music, John decided to go Roa feels similarly toward his with it. long-term partner Raina Eguia.

Yet Raina wasn’t completely According to John’s mother, oblivious about the song. As an Raina has been his fan since artist, she is privy to John’s songs he joined Pilipinas Got Talent and vice versa. John even shared when he was 12. She liked that Raina was happy upon Raina because she continuously hearing the completed track. understood John’s quirks as “Natagpuan” boasts of 90s an artist and supported him vibes that are nostalgic and throughout his journey as a heartfelt but with a catchy tune. musician.

In the song, he talks about how “Matagal ko ng pinagdadasal he found a home in Raina and na makakita si John ng how she changed his life. If that’s mamahalin. Gusto ko rin not enough to profess his love, maranasan niya ang magkaroon John also used symbolism to ng pamilya ng maaga kasi I show that he hears wedding bells had him when I was 17. Pero in their future as a couple. nalampasan na niya kami kasi Aside from the all-white outfits 23 na siya ngayon,” she said. and backdrop in several scenes, John seemingly followed his there were flowers around the mother’s advice and was lucky to set to mimic an intimate setting. have met Raina early in his life.

Raina was also present in many After six years of ups and downs, John Roa (right) with his long-term partner instances throughout the video. the smitten OPM artist finally Raina John shared they didn’t popped the question last July 31, encounter any challenges Saturday, at Trinoma Cinemas and na magkakaroon na si John ng sariling while shooting the music video. pamilya,” John’s mother added. received a resounding “yes.”

The production went as smoothly as Some of John’s friends from possible, and they all had a good time Like a true OPM artist, John expressed his feelings and intentions Cebu also flew in to witness another filming on set. through his new song “Natagpuan.” milestone in his life and career.

The music video for “Natagpuan” is John composed the song “Natagpuan” now available on John Roa’s YouTube He planned the proposal during his first music video premiere, leaving with Raina in mind, dedicating the channel.

Raina and John (third and fourth from left, respectively) with the members of ExBatallion

Raina (third from left) and John (second from right) posing with their parents

Victims of Abra quake receive aid from ABS-CBN Foundation CITIZENS in Abra who felt the powerful 7-magnitude quake on July 27 were given aid as ABS-CBN Foundation together with ABS-CBN News and Public Service trooped to Abra to provide assistance.

To show the people of Abra that they are not alone during this difficult time, around 550 families were given relief packs in barangays Cabaroan, Velasco, and Bumagcat in Tayum that is near the epicenter of the earthquake, while 427 families received immediate support in barangays Cayapa and Bacooc in the town of Lagangilang.

“Salamat din sa inyo at natunugan niyo agad kami at nag-respond kayo,” Edwin Solano, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer said in an interview with “TV Patrol.”

According to Edwin, the Tayum LGU has already organized an Incident Command Post to respond to the needs of affected residents.

To help people affected by the earthquake, the public can donate through Gcash. Just tap Pay Bills, choose Others, and select #GcashGivesBack. ABSCBN Foundation is one of the partner NGOs of Gcash that Families from Abra receiving relief packages from ABSCBN Foundation will receive donations.

Life

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

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022

Kristine Lim

Going beyond art to bring about positive change in society THE pandemic and other calamities that we faced may have put the world on hold but never “Artist on a Mission” Kristine Lim and those who stood and walked with her.

Kristine, after going on a 10-year hiatus from the art scene, came back transformed and renewed. Surpassing her failures, battles with her mental health issues, and challenges such as being clinically diagnosed with Paranoid Personality Disorder, and the death of her son, John, Kristine Lim is now a celebrated Missionary Visual Artist armed with a mission to evangelize through her works and all her projects and programs, as well as to champion sustainable living.

Kristine has been doing mission and charity work since she was in high school and has been teaching art workshops to orphans and marginalized sectors of the community. She founded and spearheaded the Artists on a Mission workshop and with the guidance and direction of NGOs like, Christian + Collective, JKL Foundation, Operation Mobilization Philippines and Sustainable PH, Artists

Love Lives is a collaboration project between Missionary Visual Artist Kristine Lim and organizations Sustainable PH, Art Lounge Manila, Christian Collective and AOR Global

on a Mission Workshop moves around the Philippines and even in other parts of the globe to teach new generations of artists by sharing the gospel and conducting art workshops.

The project is also dedicated to creating

art centers in partnership with the local communities and churches.

“We are here so we can leave a legacy for generations beyond our own through artists who make art that’s able to do something beyond art, beyond their canvas,” says Kristine.

Artists on a Mission Workshop is using Art to do Trauma Debriefing Seminars for children and families who got devastated by the recent typhoons, and those who are experiencing challenges brought by the pandemic.

Kristine, though has been described by the art community to be ahead of her contemporaries, remains focused on what she believes her mission as an artist is. With consecutive sold-out shows, she uses the proceeds from her exhibit and masterpieces to support and sustain small community churches, missionaries, like herself, and NGOs in the country who have been moving with her to different centers, marginalized communities, tribes, in and outside the country.

She believes that any philanthropic, charity, and mission work must be sustainable.

“It should not just be a one-time event but rather a continuous, intentional, and wellplanned program.”

Kristine is also currently serving as the Director of Culture & Arts for Sustainable PH, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainability and becomes the forefront of greenovation in the Philippines. Lim is also one of the founders and the Vice President for External Affairs of Christian + Collective. Her works can be found in the lobby of national agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Public Works and Highways, to name a few. Her works are also officially part of the National Archives of the Philippines, the Presidential Museum and Library, and the Malacanan Palace collections.

To extend help and any form of support to help them mobilize, you may support any of Kristine Lim’s solo and group art shows and exhibits. You may also extend assistance through the NGO’s mobilizing Artists on a Mission Workshops or through Teacher Celine Tojos / Lita Teodosio at +63 917 530 8847 / +63 925 546 4637 / +63 935 031 9931.

Cover of Prof.

Joi BarriosLeblanc’s poetry book ‘Sa Aking Pagkadestiyero’

Conrad Manila Commercial Director Michael Albana (left) presents Certificate of Recognition to Champion of Sustainability

Conrad Manila Director of Operations Yoges Veerasamy (left) presents Certificate of Recognition to Champion of Sustainability 2022 Awardee Ann Dumaliang, Managing Trustee - Masungi Georeserve

Conrad Manila General Manager Linda Pecoraro (left) presents Certificate of Appreciation to Department of Tourism Regional Director Sharlene ZabalaBatin, representing DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco

Recognizing Filipinos who champion sustainable endeavors C

ONRAD Manila recently recognized six outstanding Filipinos as ‘Champions of Sustainability’ for their commitment and meaningful contribution to driving the social, environmental, and commercial welfare of various communities.

The hybrid recognition was held in celebration of the coming Mid-Autumn Festival, themed ‘Prosperity,’ as homage to the awardees’ accomplishments in line with the hotel’s Travel With Purpose advocacy.

Conrad Manila’s General Manager Linda Pecoraro, a woman leader with a passionate commitment to spotlight the Philippines on a global stage, shares: “As we will soon welcome the MidAutumn Festival celebration, we would like to give tribute to six Champions of Sustainability. They all represent prosperity- through inspiring others and contributing to various sustainable endeavors throughout the country.”

“They have shown how we can all be purposive now and in the future.

We celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival or Lunar Reunion through Filipino elements and Chinese traditions,” Pecoraro adds.

The program cited the following Champions of Sustainability with these individual tributes: Lucy Torres-Gomez She is the newly elected mayor of the City of Ormoc, Leyte, after serving as Congresswoman of Leyte Province for over a decade. Among her significant accomplishments as the chairperson of the House committee on tourism include filing House Bill No. 7229 seeking to integrate and establish pertinent policies and regulations to ensure sustainability in the tourism industry.

Torres-Gomez spearheaded the protection and restoration of the Banaue Rice Terraces; 6200: Mission Possible Project of Leyte IV, supporting relief efforts, boosting tourism, and adopting sustainability principles. Mayor Lucy is committed to pursuing her advocacies as a local executive in sustainable tourism, infrastructure development, and energizing communities to be

Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez

self-sustainable through livelihood programs.

Joanne Ramirez She is an award-winning journalist and editor of People Asia Magazine, founder – People of the Year Awards, Men Who Matter Awards, Women of Style and Substance Awards – which continues to have an outstanding impact on industry leaders to steer sustainable economic growth in their respective fields. Having served at Malacañang as editor of the Presidential Press Staff during the administration of former President Corazon Aquino, Ramirez was a respected professional and zealous advocate. Her body of work as editor, columnist and book author reflects a genuine passion for re-purposing, reinventing, and re-aligning lives for the betterment of sustainable communities.

Ramirez is a well-deserving Rotary Club of Manila tourism awardee as an industry leader with significant support and contributions to the development and promotion of sustainable tourism in the country.

Ana Patricia Non By now, ‘Patreng’ is a household name. A remarkable woman, Patreng is an entrepreneur whose operations were also challenged by the recent pandemic.

She is the Founder of the Community Pantry; and a U.S. Ambassador’s Woman of Courage Awardee. The ‘Maginhawa Community Pantry’ initiative sparked a nationwide movement among Filipinos in 2021 to help one another amid hardships and quarantine restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

From a bamboo cart along Maginhawa Street, she has inspired many Filipinos to open community pantries and share everything sustainable that can help the underprivileged.

Ann Dumaliang Dumaliang is the Managing Trustee of the Masungi Georeserve; a conservationist and geo-tourism advocate working in the mountains of the Philippines. Masungi Georeserve Foundation focuses on using geotourism and the geo-park model as a bottoms-up guide to conservation, development, and aiding rural growth.

Masungi, a 450-hectare land, was damaged and depleted because of quarrying and deforestation, Ann and sister Billie fought it out by protecting

Ana Patricia Non

Albana with visual artist Leeroy New

the land against illegal quarries and loggers. Today, Masungi has transformed into a model for privately driven conservation, sustainable reforestation, and geo-tourism; while educating the community and benefiting the local economy.

The Masungi Georeserve Foundation focuses on using geo-tourism and the geo park model as a bottom-up approach to conservation, growth, and rural development.

Iliac Diaz Diaz is the Founder/Executive Director of Liter of Light Foundation, a non-governmental organization that advocates for sustainable energy while providing its own lighting solutions to communities to combat energy poverty. Liter of Light started in Tacloban after the super typhoon Yolanda, and expanded locally, and towards international recognition that sprouted lighting projects in multiple communities around the world.

To date, Liter of Light has helped over 382,000 Filipinos and 690,000 people throughout the world to get out of energy poverty. Liter of Light shows that a new business model is possible, where ecology goes hand in hand with the economy.

Leeroy New He is a multi-awarded sculptor, street artist, and practitioner of what is called “applied sculpture” for the environment.

He challenges us to think about the waste produced from everyday materials by constructing elaborate sculptures out of discarded plastics. New’s large-scale works are made by cutting, twisting, and tying together found objects like water jugs, film reels, tubes, and bottles into forms that evoke a sense of movement or migration.

Reimagining a more positive and sustainable future for his community and the planet, New explores the culture, history, and mythology of his Philippines heritage to underscore the palpable impacts of the climate crisis.

Pecoraro presents Certificate of Recognition to Champion of Sustainability 2022 awardee Joanne Rae Ramirez, General Manager and Editorin-Chief of People Asia magazine

A book for learners of Filipino THERE have been to a specific challenge that conflicting perspectives educators encounter in about what medium of teaching Filipino language instruction should be and culture. used in schools. One “Usually, when learners side pushes for English, are directed to short stories, while the others urge the using concrete or simple use of mother tongues, language, all they have specifically Filipino, to are stories for children. I help students understand wanted my students to read their school lessons better. stories that were more ageRather than debating on appropriate (and interesting what language to use, isn’t for college students and it better to make necessary adjustments older learners),” she shared. and changes to the education system that Additionally, she wanted to engage would benefit both the learners and the them with folklore, “not to look at them educators? in an exoticizing way, but to interrogate I’m no educator, but I believe that them as well, realizing that what was oral students should use the language that they literature is now ‘fixed’ when published in comprehend best and are comfortable a book.” with to better grasp the knowledge their The book derives a lot from folklore teachers hope to impart. And it is not but the author chose stories that readers just about school. Whether it is writing, can relate to. She also included classic reading, or speaking, every person has stories re-written so that they can be levelthe right to use the language she or he is appropriate for learners. comfortable with in every aspect of life.

“We cannot just read about Malakas “Filipino writers should write in the at Maganda without looking at its many language they are most comfortable with, versions, and how it was referenced but there is a need to translate works during the Marcos presidency, how it has written in English and other Philippine been translated into dance pieces looking languages into the national language at gender issues, and even into film.”

Other stories featured in the book Filipino,” said Prof. Joi Barrios-Leblanc.

She believes that it is the writer’s also tackle contemporary issues: Ang responsibility to not only promote and Mga Susi (The Keys) which is about a preserve Philippine language and culture domestic worker, Kerida (Mistress), “but to constantly interrogate it, to look and Ang Suspetsa (Suspicion) which are into how aspects of culture (like folk stories on relationships from a woman’s literature) can be used to engage in gender, point of view; and Ang Wakwak Queen ng Bundok Diwata (The Wakwak Queen of class, and race.”

“We need to study folk songs like Mt. Diwata), which celebrates the life of a ‘Magtanim Ay Di Biro,’ but at the same brave and funny LGBTQ red fighter who time talk about land ownership, land was as skilled in wedding planning as he reform, and [other] issues faced by was in planning tactical offensives.

Prof. Barrios-Lebanc is also launching peasants and peasant workers. We need to learn stories such Ang Pagong and connect her other book, Sa Aking Pagkadestiyero/ that to homelessness, displacement, and In My Exile (SAP), a poetry book in the need for public housing for the urban,” Filipino with English translations.

Told from the point of view of a migrant she enthused.

This was how she presented Filipino constantly engaged in what is happening in short stories in her book Tagalog Stories the Philippines, the book has four sections. for Language Learners (TSLL), the The first tackles about the author’s views fifth book in a series of textbooks for on pressing issues; the second section pays Filipino language learners. Published by tribute to those who have passed on. Third Tuttle Press, it is preceded by Tagalog section is about contemporary issues visfor Beginners (2011), Intermediate a-vis the author’s experience as a street Tagalog (2015), Easy Tagalog (with theater artist in the early 1980s, and the Julia Camagong, 2015), and the Tuttle fourth section contains songs the author has Concise Tagalog Dictionary (2017), with written.

“Writers should be engaged in whatever co-editors Nenita Pambid-Domingo and way possible in contemporary issues – Romulo Baquiran Jr. “As a teacher of Filipino to heritage learning more, writing about these issues, or being involved in social justice learners, I wanted to have reading campaigns,” said the author. materials to improve their The book launch will be on vocabulary, review their August 6, Saturday, 4:00 p.m. grammar, and learn more at the University Hotel in about Philippine UP Diliman. It will be a culture, history, and gathering of writers and contemporary friends, with stellar issues,” said performances from Prof. Barriosesteemed artists Leblanc who including Rody emphasizes Vera, Arman critical Ferrer, Astarte pedagogy Abraham, in language Rica Saturayteaching she Palis, Joel practices Lamangan, with her Bibeth Orteza, colleagues Bonifacio Ilagan, C y n t h i a and Shamaine Aban and CenteneraKaren Llagas at Prof. Joi Barrios Buencamino, hosted the University of Leblanc

by Noel Ferrer, and Stella California Berkeley.

Canete.

The book is her answer