Manila Standard - 2022 August 14 - Sunday

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5.9 quake jolts part of Mindanao, Taal Volcano no big blast sign yet Salman Rushdie stabbed, may lose an eye

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MALACAÑANG on Saturday Executivedefended Secretary Vic Rodriguez after his verbal directive to create a sugar importation plan appeared to have been misunderstood, resulting in the “illegal” order without the approval of the President for the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.“Importation plan gives us information. That was not an order to import,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said. The importation plan, she said, is different from the Sugar Resolution No. 4 signed by then Agriculture Secretary Leocadio Sebastian, who has since resigned from his post. “If you see the importation plan, there was no order to import. You have to study first. This is what we are saying that the President...wants to do things systematically,” Cruz-Angeles said. Sebastian on Friday night tendered his resignation as he took the responsibility for signing Sugar Order No. 4. Cruz-Angeles said there was a “misunderstanding” of Rodriguez’s verbal order for the creation of an importation plan. “That’s a misunderstanding of the plan. After the plan, that is the only time there can be a resolution,” she said. The unauthorized signing of the order on behalf of the President is still under investigation, Cruz-Angeles said. “The President is objective. He’s leaving the investigation to be conducted without his interference. The investigation has to be fair,” she said. Sugar planters’ groups have lauded Marcos’ move to disapprove the proposed importation.OnFriday, the Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. and the La Carlota Mill District Multi-Purpose Cooperative said it is illadvised to import additional sugar as the milling season is about to start and will augment the current supply. The United Sugar Producers Federation, the largest sugar federation in the country, also hoped that there would be a reorganization of the DA and the Sugar Regulatory Administration following the incident. “The early harvest and resumption of milling will improve our supply,” DA Undersecretary Kristine Evangelista said. Trixie Cruz-Angeles earlier maintained that importation is a “sensitive” matter, especially when it comes to agricultural commodities.Shesaidthe Marcos administration is committed to fulfilling a “balancing act” between meeting the consumers’ needs, while not compromising the welfare of local farmers.

Entertainment

THE Marcos administration will do what it can to recover the government’s initial payment of P1.9 billion for the purchase of 16 units of Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters from a Russian company. This after the Duterte administration decided to terminate the contract that it signed for the military procurement worth P12.7 billion. Asked if the government is confident it will be able to recoup the payment made to Russia, Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said: “I can’t answer that now. New DND officials have just started with their“Aswork.”forthe DND, especially the Contract Termination and Review Committee, it will exercise due diligence and will do every thing that it can to at least come up with a solution to avoid a situation where we’re at the losing end,” Andolong added. Earlier, former Defense chief Delfin Lorenzana said he was not sure if the initial payment can still be recovered. “We don’t know if we could still get back the money since we are the ones who terminated the contract. It will take some Makati initiates local prevention vs. monkeypox

CONTINUED ON 3A ‘Top secret’ papers seized in FBI raid on Trump’s home n BY NASH B. MAULANA A MAGNITUDE-5.9 earthquake rocked parts of Mindanao Saturday afternoon, with the epicenter located at Datu Blah Sinsuat in ItMaguindanao.camefourdays short of the 46th anniversary of the Intensity 7.9 tsunami earthquake (on Richter’s Scale) that killed nearly 8,000 people on August 17, 1976. There was not much reported damage to properties during Saturday’s tremor, but a resident said there were cracks running down “kilometers” in depth under the land surface of South Upi. “May lupang nabitak (a land surface cracked),” a resident said. Some 46 years ago, the coastal lines of South Upi across the Tamontaka River were washed away by tidal waves overlay

SALMAN Rushdie, who spent years in hiding after an Iranian fatwa ordered his killing, was on a ventilator and could lose an eye following a stabbing attack at a literary event in New York state Friday. The British author of “The Satanic Verses,” which sparked fury among some Muslims, had to be airlifted to hospital for emergency surgery following the attack. His agent said in a statement obtained by The New York Times that “the news is not“Salmangood.” will likely lose one eye; the nerves in his arm were severed; and his liver was stabbed and damaged,” said agent Andrew Wylie, who added that Rushdie could not speak.

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THE Makati City government has formed a special team tasked to monitor cases of monkeypox and proactively prevent community transmission of viral respiratory infections. “We formed a task force to proactively prevent monkeypox transmission in Makati. At the same time, we want to equip Makatizens with the right informa tion about the virus and avoid the spread of fake news,” said Mayor Abigail Binay. She said the Makati City Epidemiol ogy and Surveillance Unit (CESU) con ducted online orientations and seminars for frontliners in 26 barangay health centers as early as last month to brief them about the modes of transmission, prevention, detection, isolation, and treatment of monkeypox. She said CESU is in close coordina tion with the Ospital ng Makati to mon itor cases and will meet with officials of the Makati Medical Center and St. Clare’s Medical Center today (Monday) to discuss the city’s action plan in case of a monkeypox outbreak. “We also plan to integrate monkeypox data into our COVID-19 tracker so that we can use data in making game-chang ing decisions like granular lockdowns to prevent community transmission,” she said.

Gov’t to reclaim P1.9b in scuttled chopper deal CHR: Review order banning five books 4A 1B 3B Pets 4B PSA: 50m nat’l IDs released by yearend COVID-19 uptick,

CONTINUED ON 3A n BY JOEL E. ZURBANO

CONTINUED ON 3A UNDER THREAT. An ant climbs a jade vine plan while looking for food in a garden in Rizal province Saturday, August 13, 2022. The beautiful jade vine is under threat from deforestation in the Philippines. Danny Pata BRIGADA ESKWELA. Parents, students and teachers join hands in cleaning the yard inside the Gregorio Del Pilar Elementary School in Manila as part of preparations for the opening of in-person classes on August 22, 2022. Norman Cruz

CONTINUED ON 3A FRESH outbreaks of COVID-19 cases may happen with the resumption of in-person classes on August 22, the independent group OCTA Research said. “We cannot avoid outbreaks – not surge per se – but there will be outbreaks in schools. Infections will be expected,” OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David said. Some 14.1 million children and teen agers have been fully-vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the school opening, the Department of Health said. Of the figure, some 9.8 million are teenagers ages 12 to 17, while around 4.3 million are kids ages 5 to 11. To ensure the safety of both students and teachers with face-to-face classes, the Department of Education said it will release a set of guidelines that must be adopted by schools, fully-aware of how difficult it will be to maintain physical distancing among learners. “DepEd is going to come up with a Department Order reiterating specifi cally the safety and health standards in schools,” DepEd Spokesperson Michael PoaDepEdsaid. data showed some 76 percent of schools nationwide implemented limited in-person classes last school year.

RushdieSalman TrumpDonald CONTINUED ON 3A Vol. 36 n No. 179 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES INMANILAMETRO 20.00August 14, 2022 Says Rodriguez merely called for draft plan, not for actual importation

WORLD | 3A NEWS | 2ANEWS | 2A INSIDE

Palace clears in sugar

less physical distancing up in F-2-F classes

Poa underscored the need for “mea sures that can be taken to avoid over crowding in Meanwhile,classrooms.”MetroManila registered a slight increase in its daily positivity rate over the past three days, OCTA reported Saturday.

CONTINUED ON 3A

Carl LeVan, an American University politics professor attending the literary event, told AFP that the assailant had rushed onto the stage where Rushdie was seated and “stabbed him repeatedly and viciously.”Several people ran to the stage and took the suspect to the ground before a trooper present at the event arrested him. A doctor in the audience administered medical care until emergency first responders arrived. New York state police identified the sus pected attacker as Hadi Matar, a 24-yearold from Fairfield, New Jersey, adding that he stabbed Rushdie in the neck as well as the abdomen.

AUGUST 14, 2022

By Maricel V. Cruz A GROUP of legislators is pushing the enactment of a bill establishing the Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) to enable the com munity workers to enjoy the financial and health benefits they deserve. Reps. Paolo Duterte of Davao City, Eric Yap of Benguet, Edvic Yap, Jocelyn Tulfo and Jeffrey Soriano of ACT-CIS party-list and Ralph Tulfo of Quezon City, authors of House Bill 450, said BHWs have played the “crucial and heroic” role in keeping communities safe amid the continuing rise in the cases of dengue and COVID-19 infections in the country.  They said while the BHWs act as the first lines of defense in baran gays against disease outbreaks, they continue to suffer unreason able compensation and lack of benefits, especially if they are assigned to far-flung areas. This dire situation often prompts many of them to seek better pay and working conditions elsewhere, Duterte, the principal author of the bill, said.

T HE (PSA)StatisticsPhilippineAuthorityonSaturday said it will speed up the production of Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) cards, also called the National ID cards, to comply with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to issue 50 million such IDs by yearend. In an interview on a radio-TV program, PSA deputy national stat istician Fred Sollesta said they will increase production of the National IDs, in coordination with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) from the present 80,000 a day to 133,000 daily come October. Sollesta said the PSA will also roll out printable and digital versions of the National IDs to achieve the targeted 50 million issued out by the end of the year. In his first State of the Nation Ad dress, Marcos ordered the issuance of 30 million physical cards and 20 million digital PhilSys IDs to achieve the ultimate goal of 92 million issued out by Sollestamid-2023.saidthe printable and digital versions of the National ID will have similar features as the physical

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Secretary of Agrarian Reform or dered over the weekend the imme diate subdivision of collectively titled lands to enable farmer-beneficiaries to get their own individual titles as soon as Departmentpossible.of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III activated a new task force that would help expedite and iron out the process of subdividing collec tively titled landholdings. Estrella designated Undersecretary for Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Jesry Palmares as chairman of the “Task Force on Drafting the Project SPLIT (Support to Parceliza tion of Lands for Individual Titling) Catch-Up Plan” to ensure that the project would proceed as scheduled. Undersecretary for finance man agement and administration Jeffrey Galan will assist Palmares as the task force’s vice Designatedchairman.astaskforce members were Undersecretaries Milagros Isa bel Cristobal (support services) and Kazel Celeste (field operations), and Assistant Secretaries, Maria Celestina Tam (legal affairs), Joey Sumatra of the field operations office, Aurita Carlos-Ang of the finance manage ment and administration office, Josef Angelo Martires of the foreignassisted and special projects office, and director Susana Serrano of the agrarian reform capacity develop ment service. All DAR-regional directors are also expected to lend a hand as mem bers-on call for the deliberation and processing of Collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CCLOAs) under their respective regions.

A MEMBER of the Bangsamoro Transi tion Authority (BTA) on Saturday vowed to prioritize improving the education system in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mind anao"We(BARMM).willprioritize more on education. There is a crisis in terms of education, es pecially in the BARMM area, and I've seen it first hand when I went there on the ground," newly-appointed BTA member Nurredha Misuari said in a statement. Misuari was one of the 80 BTA members who took their oath of office before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang’s Heroes Hall on Friday. She said the BTA would also ad dress issues affecting women and youth in BARMM as the interim gov erning body would conduct "more research" to promote and protect the welfare of both sectors.

PalmeroManny

"For the women, we will focus on their health, to protect their rights, to give them voice especially the young Muslim women in the region. There are issues happening during the pandemic. It has affected their mental health, as well as increased number of abortion, and young women having problems in their marriages,” Misuari said. She expressed optimism that the Bangsamoro peace process would continue to gain ground under the leadership of Marcos. "It's somehow poetic to think that the peace process started with Marcos, and Inshallah, with the help of Almighty Al lah, hopefully with our collective effort, we will achieve success during the time of another Marcos," she said. Misuari is a daughter of Moro Na tional Liberation Front (MNLF) found ing chairman Nur Misuari.

POLICE have seized more than P10 million worth of sus pected shabu and arrested a suspect in an early Saturday morning buy-bust operation in Mandaue City, Cebu. The operatives confiscated 1.5 kilograms of the illegal substance from John Alex Villaraza, 18, a resi dent of Barangay Caritas in Cebu City. Meanwhile, an estimated P8.6 million worth of smuggled cigarettes were seized during anti-smug gling operations headed by the Bureau of CustomsPort of Zamboanga (BOC-POZ). BOC district collector Segundo Sigmundfreud Barte Jr. said five operations were conducted from July 25 to August 11, resulting in the confiscation of 276 cases and 327 reams of smuggled cigarettes. The operatives conducted two apprehensions during seaborne patrols and three at customs checkpoints.

BTA eyes better education setup, women's health services in BARMM EMB to watch LGUs’ solid waste disposal

PSA targets 50 million National IDs distributed by end of the year

DAR creates task force for speedy distributionland WAY.CHILDREN’SOUTPOISONGETTINGOF Volunteers of

‘TIBAY’ SCHOOL CHAIRS. Nestle Philippines donates 5,000 “Tibay” school chairs made out of the firm’s popular Bear Brand packs for distribution to selected public schools across the country, courtesy of the company’s Tibayanihan project. Photo shows Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte (second from right) during the turnover of the chairs highlighting the ceremonial kickoff of the national Brigada Eskwela in Imus, Cavite. She is joined by Nestle executives (from left) Carlo Sampang, Milo sports head, Regine Mendoza brand manager, Education Undersecretary Gerard Chan, and Denya Gracia Anastacio-Uy, Nestle corporate affairs executive.

reach.frombesubstancesthattheyQuezononpressthewasmaterials.andschoolproductionbeingandlead,chemicalsposedthecampaigninformationstepEcoWasteadvocacyenvironmentalthegroupCoalitionuptheirondangersbytoxicsuchascadmium,phthalatesusedintheofsuppliesotherPhototakenduringgroup’sbriefingSaturdayinCitywhereunderscoredpoisonousshouldtakenawaychildren’s

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)—through the Environ mental Management Bureau (EMB)—has expanded its Integrated Information System (IIS) that records the amount of waste col lected, hauled, and transported from locali ties to solid waste management or treat mentEMBfacilities.Director William Cuñado said the IIS now includes a new feature that aims not only to continuously educate local government units (LGUs) on environmental management, but also to monitor their compliance in the ob servance of minimum standards and require ments for the collection of solid waste. “LGUs are partners of the national govern ment in enforcing environmental laws and regulations. We need to work closely with them to achieve significant and meaningful results in environmental protection and management,” Cuñado said in a statement. Maricel V. Cruz

Cops seize P10m shabu, nab suspect in Mandaue raid

CHR urges KWF to review order banning 5 'subversive' books cards, such as a unique QR code that can be scanned for authentication. The printable and digital versions will be issued to those who are yet to receive their physical cards and are still valid proof of one’s identification, heSollestasaid. also said at present, 71 mil lion Filipinas have registered with the PhilSys, with their demographic and biometrics information already taken. Of this number, 17 million cards have been produced, of which 15 mil lion were already distributed. “By first semester of 2023, we will deliver 92 million combinations of physical, printable, and mobile IDs,” Sollesta said.

Solons want brgy. workershealthtogetmorebenefits

WELCOME ABOARD. Philippine Navy reservists are taken aboard the ship BRP Tarlac for a Shipboard Familiarization Orientation Training (SFOT) of the vessel’s landing dock equipment. Other naval ships with similar landing dock facilities are the BRP Jose Rizal, BRP Davao del Sur, and BRP Conrado Yap.

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Saturday urged the Komi syon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) to re view its order to pull out and stop the publication of five books, including future publications that allegedly con tain political, subversive, and creative works bearing subliminal ideologies, and deemed as anti-government. "We encourage the KWF to study this policy through consultations with relevant stakeholders, as well as to go into a further inquiry on the contents of the said publi cations," the CHR said in a statement. CHR executive director Jacqueline de Guia said the CHR “continues to stress that upholding one right should not come at the expense of other rights." "A safe and secure country is possible without possible infringements to rights to freedom of expression and speech. Caution must also be exercised in interpreting the provisions of the AntiTerrorism Act, especially if it may already be overreaching, and results in possible violation of rights rather than protecting them," De Guia said. The KWF has ordered to pullout and stop the publication of the five books contents of which it said may violate Sec tion 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act on incit ing to commit terrorism, the CHR said. The publications KWF sought to be banned included Tawid Diwa sa Pan anagisag by Bienvenido Lumbera; Ang Bayan, ang Manunulat at ang Magas ing Sagisag sa Imahinatibong Yugto ng Batas Militar 1975-1979 by Dexter Cayanes; Teatro Political Dos by Malou Jacob; Kalatas: Mga Kuwentong Bayan at Kuwentong Buhay by Rommel Ro driguez; May Hadlang ang Umaga by Don Pagusara; and Labas: Mga Pala bas ng Sentro by Reuel Aguila.

COVID-19...GOV’T...

MAKATI... Binay said the local government will continue to promote minimum public health protocols such as wearing face masks, observing physical distancing, and frequent hand washing since the mon keypox virus can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, bodily fluids, and contaminated objects. She said CESU will refer suspected cas es of monkeypox to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for proper testing. If a person tests positive for monkey pox, CESU plans to use one of the three buildings of the Makati Friendship Suites in Barangay Cembo to monitor, isolate, and treat the patient. Binay also said the city will provide free medicines and food packs to Yellow Card holders infected with the monkeypox virus. She urged residents and non-resident workers to report persons with mon keypox symptoms to CESU through hotlines (02) 8870-1445, (02) 88701446, 09270727794, 09280492927, and 09396756390.LastJuly29,the Department of Health recorded the country’s first monkeypox case.

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KNIFE ATTACK.

Viking‘Blasphemous’Penguin published “The Satanic Verses” in September 1988 to critical acclaim.Thebook is set by turns in the London of Conservative British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and ancient Mecca, Islam’s holiest site. AFP US to seaconductTaiwanboosttrade,air,transits

‘Dead fish everywhere’ in Germany, Poland after feared chemical dump

FRIDAY’S knife attack on Salman Rushdie comes more than 33 years after the fatwa against him by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in which he sentenced him to death. The Fatwa On February 14, 1989 Khomeini called for him to be killed for writing “The Satanic Verses,” which the cleric said insulted Islam. In a fatwa, or religious decree, Khomei ni urged “Muslims of the world rapidly to execute the author and the publishers of the book” so that “no one will any longer dare to offend the sacred values of Islam.” Khomeini, who was 89 and had just four months to live, added that anyone who was killed trying to carry out the death sentence should be considered a “martyr” who would go to paradise. A $2.8-million bounty was put on the writer’s head. The British government immediately granted police protection to Rushdie, an atheist born in India to non-practicing Muslims.Foralmost 13 years he moved between safe houses under the pseudonym of Jo seph Anton, changing base 56 times in the first six months. His solitude was wors ened by the split with his wife American novelist Marianne Wiggins, to whom “The Satanic Verses” are dedicated. “I am gagged and imprisoned,” he recalled writing in his diary in his 2012 memoir, “Joseph Anton”. “I can’t even speak. I want to kick a football in a park with my son. Ordinary, banal life: my impossible dream.”

Some of the papers were marked “SCI” – sensitive compartmented information – meaning they were meant to be viewed only in secure government facilities. FBI agents also seized binders of photos, a handwritten note, information about the “President of France,” and the grant of clemency made by Trump to Rog er Stone, an ally of the former president, according to the list. The Justice Department had asked a federal judge to unseal the search warrant on Friday barring objections from Trump. The 76-year-old Trump did not block the release, but complained that he was the victim of “unprecedented political weaponization of law enforcement” by “radical left Democrats.” Leading Republicans have rallied around Trump and some members of his party have accused the Justice Depart ment and FBI of partisanship in targeting theInex-president.anattackthat appeared to be a direct response to the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, an armed man tried to storm an FBI office in Cincinnati, Ohio on Thursday. The assailant, who was shot dead by police after an hours-long standoff, reportedly posted on Truth Social that he hoped his actions would serve as a “call to arms.” AFP documents seized in FBI raid on Trump’s home In this frame grab from a video courtesy of Horatio Gates recorded on August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie is seen being loaded onto a medical evacuation helicopter near the Chautauqua Institution after being stabbed in the neck while speaking on stage in Chautauqua, New York. Rushdie (inset), whose controversial writings made him the target of a fatwa that forced him into hiding, was stabbed in the neck by an attacker on stage Friday in western New York state, according to New York State Police. The attacker is in custody. AFP AFTER THE YEAR’S LAST SUPERMOON. A full moon rises behind the temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth, on August 12, 2022. AFP

Among the records seized during the raid were documents marked “Top Se cret,” “Secret” and “Confidential.”

David said the National Capital Region had a daily positivity rate of 17.9 percent as of Thursday, August 11, up from 15.9 percent on Aug. 9. “With slight increases over the past 3 days, it is not yet clear if the positivity rate has already peaked in the NCR, but the trendline looks flat at the moment,” David said. The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested. David said the COVID-19 wave in the country was lasting longer than expected and could continue until the “ber” months.OnSaturday, the country logged 4,679 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total caseload to 3,827,758, the Department of Health said – the third straight day that the 4,500 new cases level was breached.Activecases stood at 40,324. Metro Manila registered 15,843 new cases in the past two weeks, followed by Calabarzon with 10,052, Central Luzon with 5,212, Western Visayas with 2,873, and Cagayan Valley with 2,236.

5.9 QUAKE...

‘Top secret’

“Sugar is one such importation which we take great care with. It is a balancing act. The importation has to be carefully studied to protect both the consumer against the rising prices of basic commodities while ensuring at the same time that we do not destroy the local industry,” she said.

After 21 days of isolation, the patient has recovered from sickness, while 10 close con tacts are still undergoing quarantine. Meanwhile, with the monkeypox vaccine in short supply in the United States, thou sands of foreigners, including Americans are flocking to Montreal to get their shots. Canada’s second-largest city, located about 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of the US border in Quebec province, has decided to make the vaccine available to all those who consider themselves to be at risk. ack Robb Stilson, an art director from Denver, Colorado, took advantage of the opportuni ty during a visit to Montreal last week. “It’s very difficult in the States to get vacci nated,” Stilson said as he lined up to get a shot at a pop-up vaccination center together with his husband and two daughters. “I’ve friends who have waited 8 or 9 hours to get in.” Because contact tracing is difficult, authorities in Montreal decided to offer the vaccine to all those who are at risk to stem the spread of the virus. time for the negotiations for us to get back the P2 billion,” Lorenzana said. The chopper deal was signed under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2021. It was, however, scrapped because of “changes in priorities necessitated by global political developments,” Andolong said. Amid the invasion in Ukraine, the US said countries with major deals with Rus sia’s defense industry would be sanctioned economically.Aheavy-lift helicopter is a type of rotary aircraft capable of lifting large numbers of personnel or cargo. The Mil Mi-17 is a Soviet-designed Russian military helicopter family in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude.Ithasacrew of two pilots and one engineer, and is capable of transporting 24 soldiers or 12 stretchers internally.

THE United States will boost trade with Taiwan in response to China’s “provoc ative” behaviour, the White House said Friday, as it insisted on the right of air and sea passage through the tense strait.Anew trade plan will be unveiled with in days, while US forces will transit the Taiwan Strait in the next few weeks, said Kurt Campbell, White House coordinator for Asia-Pacific issues and an adviser to President Joe Biden. The statement came after Beijing raged at last week’s trip by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, launching its largest-ev er military drills around the self-ruled island.Taiwan has accused China of using the visit by Pelosi, the highest-ranking elect ed American official to visit in decades, as an excuse to kickstart drills that Taipei called a rehearsal for invasion. China views Taiwan as its own territory to be seized one day, by force if necessary. Campbell said Pelosi’s visit was “con sistent” with Washington’s existing policy and that China had “overreacted.” Beijing used the pretext to “launch an intensified pressure campaign against Taiwan to try to change the status quo, jeopardizing peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the broader region,” he said. “China has overreacted and its actions continue to be provocative, destabilizing and unprecedented.” In response to China’s drills, the Unit ed States is reasserting its involvement in the area, while reiterating its policy of “strategic ambiguity” – diplomatically recognizing China while simultaneously supporting Taiwan’s self-rule.AFP

ing sea-level land surface to the heights of coconut trees, drowning a community of some 4,000 people, many of whom were missing or were presumed dead after weeks of search and rescue efforts. About 4,000 more residents in Cotabato City were pinned to death under structures that fell, or were electrocuted. Miraculously, a family of newlyweds and their four-month-old baby then had survived three days under rubbles of fallen concrete at one of the ground floor shops of a hotel building that collapsed in 1976. Meanwhile, there is no indication yet that a “dangerous” eruption will happen at Taal Volcano as vog formation continues, Science Secretary Renato Solidum said. He said evacuating residents is not rec ommended for now. During sulfur dioxide gas emissions, residents should stay inside their houses and close their doors and windows to avoid inhaling the particulates. If one needs to go outside, wearing a face mask is a must. If N95 masks are not avail able, a damp piece of cloth may be used, Solidum said. In the latest advisory of Phivolcs, over 13,000 tons of sulfur dioxide was record ed in just a day even as the Taal Volcano remains at Alert Level 1 despite the activity.

SALMAN RUSHDIE...

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FromtheFRONTPAGE

The motive for the stabbing remains unclear.Aninterviewer onstage, 73-year-old Ralph Henry Reese, suffered a facial injury but has been released from the hospital, police said. The attack took place at the Chautauqua Institution, which hosts arts programs in a tranquil lakeside community 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of Buffalo city. “What many of us witnessed today was a violent expression of hate that shook us to our core,” the Chautauqua Institution said in a LeVan,statement.aChautauqua regular, said the suspect “was trying to stab him as many times as possible before he was subdued,” adding that he believed the man “was trying to kill” Rushdie. “There were gasps of horror and panic from the crowd,” the professor said. Rushdie, 75, was propelled into the spotlight with his second novel “Mid night’s Children” in 1981, which won in ternational praise and Britain’s prestigious Booker Prize for its portrayal of post-inde pendence India. But his 1988 book “The Satanic Verses” transformed his life when Iran’s first supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Kho meini issued a fatwa, or religious decree, ordering his killing. The novel was considered by some Muslims as disrespectful of Islam and the ProphetRushdie,Mohammed.whowasborn in India to non-practicing Muslims and today identifies as an atheist, was forced to go underground as a bounty was put on his head – which remains today. He was granted police protection by the government in Britain, where he was at school and where he made his home, fol lowing the murder or attempted murder of his translators and publishers. He spent nearly a decade in hiding, moving houses repeatedly and being unable to tell even his own children where he lived. AFP

AUGUST 14, 2022

THOUSANDS of fish have washed up dead on the Oder river running through Germany and Poland, sparking warnings of an environmental disaster as residents are urged to stay away from the water. The fish floating by the German banks near the eastern town of Schwedt are believed to have washed upstream from Poland where first reports of mass fish deaths were made by locals and anglers as early as on July 28. German officials accused Polish author ities of failing to inform them about the deaths, and were taken by surprise when the wave of lifeless fish came floating into view.InPoland, the government has also come under heavy criticism for failing to take swift action. Almost two weeks after the first dead fish appeared floating by Polish villages, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Moraw iecki said on Friday that “everyone had initially thought that it was a local problem.” But he admitted that the “scale of the disaster is very large, sufficiently large to say that the Oder will need years to recov er its natural state.” “Probably enormous quantities of chemical waste was dumped into the river in full knowledge of the risk and consequences,” added the Polish leader, as German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke urged a comprehensive probe into what she called a brewing “environmental disaster.” Standing by the riverbank, Michael Tautenhahn, deputy chief of Germany’s Lower Oder Valley National Park, looked in dismay at the river on the German-Pol ish“Weborder.arestanding on the German side – we have dead fish everywhere,” he told AFP.“Iam deeply shocked... I have the feeling that I’m seeing decades of work lying in ruins here. I see our livelihood, the water – that’s our life,” he said, noting that it’s not just fish that have died, but also mussels and likely countless other water creatures. AFP

FBI agents seized records marked “top secret” during their search of former president Donald Trump’s Florida es tate, according to documents made public Friday in a probe that includes possible violations of the US Espio nage Act. The search warrant and related materi als, unsealed by a Florida judge, showed agents carted away a significant number of items from the raid, which ignited a political firestorm in an already bitterly divided country. The warrant, which was personally approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland, authorized the FBI to search the “45 office” – a reference to the 45th US president’s private office at his Mar-a-La go residence – and storage rooms. It directed them to seize documents and records “illegally possessed” in viola tion of three criminal statutes, including one falling under the Espionage Act, which makes it a crime to illegally obtain or retain national security information. Trump, who is weighing another White House run in 2024, vehemently denounced the FBI raid on his Florida home and claimed that all of the material confiscated during the search had been previously “declassified.” “They didn’t need to ‘seize’ anything,” he said in a statement on his Truth Social platform. “They could have had it anytime they wanted without playing politics and breaking into Mar-a-Lago.” Legal experts cautioned that while the warrant cites the Espionage Act, any po tential charges remain unclear and Trump is not necessarily suspected of espionage. “The Espionage Act encompasses a ton of crimes that have nothing to do with ‘spying,’” Bradley Moss, a national secu rity lawyer, said on Twitter. “It’s about unlawful storing of information relating to the national defense.” Orin Kerr, a law professor at the Uni versity of California, Berkeley, agreed, saying the “Espionage Act is a pretty broad law about mishandling classified documents, not just espionage.”

February 14, 1989: The fatwa against Salman Rushdie

The company also signed a multi-unit contract in Switzerland that will allow them to open 46 stores in the next 5 years. “The Philippines is one of our most

SNACKS giant Mondelēz International announced the appointment of Aleli Arcilla as the new vice president and managing director of Mondelez Philippines. Arcilla is the first Filipina in a major role in the company in almost 15 years, strengthening the orga nization’s diversity, equity and inclusion agenda of supporting and developing local talent and women leaders.“Myimpression of Mondelēz International as a snacks powerhouse, where people are proud of the brands and the work they do, has only been strength ened since I joined. The love for our brands and our consumers is palpable within the whole organization, which makes me very excited to lead the team,” she said. Arcilla brings more than 26 years of experience to the company with a distinguished career across sales, marketing and senior commercial roles with successful and scale multi-national companies. Arcilla is also well in to wellness, known for being a fitness enthusiast and avid runner. She started her career at Mead Johnson, where she spent more than a decade, followed by a long success ful stint in PepsiCo and most recently in Reckitt where she spent 6 years. Armed with her vast experience from previous stints as marketing and sales lead, Arcilla will bring a strong portfolio to the Philippines, which is one of Mondelēz International’s biggest markets in Southeast Asia. “Mondelēz International brands are those that I per sonally love and because of that, I have always admired the company as a consumer,” Arcilla said. Arcilla noted the Philippines’ young population‘s distinct taste in snacking, depicting the unique traits of Filipino culture where food is at the center of its tradition. Snacking occasions are an opportunity to bond and establish connections within family and friends. New consumption occasions are also developed over time, said Mondelez. Arcilla said that while the country is in the tail-end of the pandemic, connecting with each other through snacking opportunities is vital in a post-Covid world where interaction is just as important to keep a healthy state of mind. “The habits and behaviors have changed, but the need for connection remains. With this, the continued growth in snacking is inevitable and will be further catapulted by emerging needs in the wellness space,” ArcillaShe’ssaid.optimistic to grow Mondelēz Philippines and bring more innovation to the company in adding to the 59-year history of Mondeliz, particularly for growth of global brands Oreo, Cadbury and Toblerone. Other iconic products of Mondeliz are the all-time favorite beverage Tang, Eden cheese and Cheez Whiz. Mondelēz Philippines has been providing consumers with delicious snack products since 1963.

Aboitiz CEO joins council for inclusive capitalism

certified a great place for work

Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz represents the group as a steward in the Council for Inclusive Capitalism.

By Othel V. Campos

ABOITIZ Group president and chief executive Sabin Aboitiz accepted an invitation to become a steward of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism—a global nonprofit organization that combines moral and market imperatives to help build a more inclusive, sustainable, and trusted economic system for the world. “I am thrilled to welcome Mr. Sabin Aboitiz to the council and look forward to working with them as they take the necessary actions to ensure a better future for us all,” said CIC chief executive Meredith Sumpter. The Aboitiz Group, widely recognized as one of the best-managed companies and sustainability leaders in the Philippines, was invited to join the council for its strong business leadership in power, banking, food, infrastructure, land, construction, shipbuilding and technology. Through these industries, the group plays a critical role in the country’s economic development by providing life-essential products and services to one-fifth of the Philippine population. Aboitiz’s acceptance of his new role and responsibilities in the council comes six months into what he calls his group’s “Great Transformation” into the Philippines’ first techglomerate— an across-the-board initiative to SEEK, the parent company of jobs plat forms JobStreet and JobsDB, announced the appointment of Scott Stiles as special advisor of fair hiring in Asia that includes job markets in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. “We’ve been conducting an APACwide search to find an executive who can be fully dedicated to this issue and spearhead our efforts for some time. Bringing Scott into our team is only the beginning of our continuous, long-term effort to help end pockets of slavery in the region,” said Seek chief executive PeterStilesBlithos.willbe responsible for identifying risks and vulnerabilities in Seek’s pro cesses and platforms that could be ex ploited by unscrupulous actors and work with the relevant teams to address them. “I have always believed that forced la bor and unfair hiring are solvable world problems. The progress we have seen in the last nine years has shown this to be true, but these are deeply ingrained issues that require region-wide market intervention over a sustained period of time. Seek’s platforms make us uniquely well positioned to drive this change,” he said.Stiles will champion initiatives that can help provide job seekers with clarity and awareness of their rights and warnings about known unfair hiring practices, par ticularly affecting migrant, manual and domestic workers. He will ensure that candidate’s interac tions with Seek’s employment platforms result in safe and fair employment out comes.Thenew advisor in Asia will also be ac countable for leading broader initiatives with partners and governments across the region to promote fair-hiring practic es with the long-term aspiration to end modern slavery in all its forms. Before Seek, Stiles is the co-founder and former CEO of Hong Kong-based Fair Employment Foundation. At Fair, Scott built a group of social enterprises focused on using market-based inter ventions to eliminate the forced labor of migrant workers across Asia. Fair’s first business, Fair Employment Agency, has placed more than 6,000 Fili pino workers in Hong Kong. Othel V. Campos

supercharge the entire group’s DNA through hyper-innovation and the cultivation of a more modern and progressive startup-like culture. Aboitiz introduced the bold move in the beginning of the year and with much support from the group’s workforce known as “A-People,” continues to champion it as “an urgent imperative for survival, success, and sustainability.”Thetransformation is directly aligned with the council’s objectives in more ways than one. As a more climate-conscious techglomerate, Aboitiz committed to exploring decarbonization solutions that will balance society’s demand for equitable products and services with environmental impacts. The group’s power division, Aboitiz Power, is increasing its renewable energy capacity to achieve a balanced 50:50 renewable and thermal energy portfolio by 2030. The power company will also no longer be investing in any new coal capacity. With the startup of Aboitiz Data Innovation last year, the group is now utilizing data science and artificial intelligence to make group-wide operational decisions that are much more cognizant of environmental and societal concerns. Being part of the council strengthens Aboitiz’s commitment to sustainability and ESG practices, and the fulfillment of its brand promise of advancing business and communities. “I am honored to be part of an organization that brings people from all over the world together to make sure the capitalist ideal of a global free market economy remains beneficial for all people everywhere, without exception, preference, or prejudice,” said Aboitiz.

Seek special advisor for fair hiring Scott Stiles Seek specialnamesadvisorforfairhiring Takeda LoreanncountryPhilippinesmanagerVillanueva

Takeda PH

Jeff co-founder Eloi Gomez important markets and our partners are doing an amazing job. We want to contin ue with our expansion in the country. An increase in the number of hubs will allow us to continue with this consolidation. Our main goal is to grow organically and based on our sales,” Gómez says. “Globally, we want to strengthen our technology for entrepreneurs, break down the entry barriers to entrepreneurship and that capital or know-how not be a problem to start an omnichannel business, i.e. on line + offline,” he says.

AUGUST 14, 2022

Spanish startup to open more laundry hubs in PH

BIOPHARMACEUTICAL leader Takeda Healthcare Philippines received a 100% trust approval from employees, earning the company the Great Place to Work certifica tion.The Great Place to Work Is a re search-backed survey measuring the work place’s trust index among employees, their pride in their work and the level of camara derie with their fellow colleagues. Compa nies that have attained at least 65 percent in the survey are fit to obtain the certifica tion.“More than a testament of our compa ny’s culture and our employees’ unwaver ing dedication in creating an exceptional people experience during these challenging times, this is also a reflection of our organi zation’s commitment to excellence, a com mitment that is fully aligned with Takeda’s employer brand and value proposition,” said Takeda Philippines country manager Loreann Villanueva. “This cesspatients’ononlysaid.work,”anttrulytoprocessesegiesPeopleimprovecontinueszationanthatemployeesandemployeesnicatescommuognitionrectofutureweareorganithattoourstratandcreateapleasplacetosheTakedanotfocusesimprovingactomedicines and quality treatment, but they are also committed in creating a diverse and inclusive organization where employees can thrive, grow and realize their own potential while enabling the company’s purpose. Takeda offers employees a healthy and holistic working environment through ef forts like monthly TGIF engagement ses sions, quarterly care packages, weekly prayer and exercise sessions and coffee catch-ups with the team. The company is devoted to providing honest and ethical business management practices in their workplace while develop ing talent initiatives for the career growth of employees. The firm has launched several initiatives on mentoring, lunch and learn sessions, on line training programs and both internal and external workshops to nurture employees’ development and growth. It also initiated a number of diversity, equity and inclusion workshops to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the employees and reinforce behaviors that up hold the DE&I principles. Besides taking care of their employees’ welfare, Takeda Philippines involves its people in socially relevant activities to ex tend their support to the community by par ticipating in initiatives that are beneficial to the“Wecommunity.areamazed to see the positive feed back from our employees. This just shows that we are an employer of choice with a great workplace through the culture that we are creating,” said Takeda cluster head of Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines and Singa pore Igor Gomes. Othel V. Campos

THE past two years have been challeng ing for a lot of businesses across multiple industries. They have had to adapt and roll with the changes brought about by the pandemic.Onecompany that experienced growth and thrived during the pandemic is Span ish startup Jeff. Founded in 2015 by mil lennial entrepreneurs Eloi Gomez, Adrián Lorenzo and Rubén Muñoz in Valencia, Spain, Jeff began with an innovative solu tion to answer the laundry needs of people all over the world. It consisted of a physical laundry shop combined with an online platform and mo bile app for home-delivery laundry. This business model has helped entrepreneurs and franchisees in many countries set up their own Jeff laundry shop. Today, Jeff is present in 40 countries in the US, Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. “In the Philippines, we have been able to keep almost all of the shops open during the pandemic. Most actually man aged to perform above our expectations during the height of the pandemic,” says Gómez. There are 37 Jeff laundry hubs in the Philippines and more are being set up. The company opened 18 hubs in 2021. “We feel very confident about the rest of 2022 and we are already helping our partner-entrepre neurs to find the best locations and build their shops as soon as possible. There is great engagement with our network and we work together on a daily basis in order to make sure that we deliver the best service to our customers,” he says. Jeff’s goal is to open 10 more hubs in 2022, a challenging number Gómez ad mits but the company and its local part ners are fully committed to reaching this number, if not more. “We provide all the necessary support to local franchisees. Undoubtedly, the omnichannel experience that we offer to our customers is our main strength. In addition to this, the commit ment of the network of partners to deliver good service that positively affects the re tention and the number of sales is crucial. Our team works closely with them to make sure that they are constantly improving their performance,” says Gomez. Gómez explains the advantages of be ing a Jeff partner/franchisee. “Entrepre neurs who want to start a business with Jeff can take advantage of a model with everything they need to operate from day one. This is what we call ‘Business in a Box’ that includes international brand ing and promotional materials, training, industry knowledge, innovative business plans, marketing playbook and access to Jeff Academy, an online learning platform available to franchisees.”

Mondelēz names first Filipina country lead AlelidirectormanagingPhilippinesMondelezArcilla

In addition are three patented technol ogy products: Jeff app for customers to schedule services; Jeff Suite, a unique management software designed to facil itate financial, technical, marketing and management needs; and the Jeff Driver app to manage all delivery needs. “Despite the economic conditions the world over, Jeff has emerged stronger and is currently on a growth path,” Gómez says. “We are a technology company and as such we use AI and data through our ‘Jeff Suite’ software to help entrepreneurs in their day-to-day business. This, added to a global multidisciplinary team has al lowed us to have a presence in 40 coun tries plus recent openings in places like NY and Miami, Mykonos, UK or Cyprus.”

ValenzuelaSarangani,rev up drive,checksCaloocanskid

Denice raring to compete in ONE circle again

Filipino fans’ support inspires Jalen Green to keep getting better Jalen Green, who is part Filipino, is elated to see his Filipino fans and excited to visit his hisculturegetIlocoshometownmother’sinSurtotoknowtheandmeetrelatives.

“I appreciate the love and the energy. My twitter and my Instagram (account) has been blowing up on this,” said Green, in a huddle with scribes in between his trips around theThemetropolis.6’4Green, who signed up to be an adidas Global athlete, is now going into his sophomore year in the NBA, and plays as a shooting guard for the Houston Rockets as their second pick in the first round of the Rookie Draft lastHeyear.isthe third player of Filipino de scent to see action in the NBA. In his first season, he averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists. His great performance saw Green make the cut to the NBA All Rookie First Team honors, along with Scot tie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Cade Cunningham(Detroit Pistons), Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic). And this was also the reason why he gained a large following from Filipino fans. The Rockets are now in a period of rebuilding after having a not-so-good season the last time around. They finished 15th in the West ern Conference, with a 20-62 winlossButrecord.Green promised that he and members of the team will try to be better the next time, and with a win ning mindset. “(I will) just go in there and be the best of myself, on and off the court, and try to build a winning mental ity with my teammates. We’re a very young team, and we’re rebuilding Taiwanese sweep semis, face Creamline for PVL crown

SO RICH in championship experience, having been in the Premier Volleyball League finals the last six conferences, winning four, including the recent Open Conference, Creamline puts its reputa tion on the line against a team soaking up the atmosphere of its own finals run. But the Cool Smashers will have a different look in their drive to nail a fifth crown overall and second in the league’s pro era as they face a fired-up KingWhale-Taiwan side in a winnertake-all match set at 5:30 p.m. today (Sunday) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The Taiwanese primed themselves up for the championship, repelling Cignal HD, 25-18, 15-25, 25-21, 25-22 yesterday to sweep the semis with four straight wins for the momentum and confidence needed for their keenly awaited rematch with the Cool Smashers. KWT dominated the opener then fought back from a blowout loss in the second set and a big deficit in the third to seize a 2-1 set lead before wearing down the HD Spikers in the fourth without top hitter Bea de Carvalho and ace playmaker Liao Yi-Jen, who saw action only in the early going before head coach Teng Yen-Min rested them in anticipation of a grind-out battle with the Cool Smashers. Cignal ended with a 1-3 card. Tsai Qin-Yao’s quick attack finished off the HD Spikers in one-hour and 51 minutes as the Taiwanese sustained their win run even behind their second

The visiting Taiwanese lady spikers are expected to rely on their wall-like defense against Creamline spikers Games Sunday (MOA Arena) 2:30 p.m. – PLDT vs Cignal (for 3rd) 5:30 p.m. – Creamline vs KingWhale-Taipei (for title) stringers.Germina Jacobs, who hardly saw action in the KWT’s first three games, came of the bench to fire 19 points, including 17 attacks, in a performance she hoped would merit her a spot in today’s championship match. De Carvalho and Chang Chih-Hsuan scored nine points apiece while the steady Chen Chieh and Wang Yu-Wen added eight points each for the Tai wanese, who also pounced on the HD Spikers’ couple of mishits late in the fourth to pound out the victory. Angeli Araneta led Cignal with 15 points while Roselyn Doria and Jerrili Malabana fired 13 hits apiece and skipper Rachel Ann Daquis scored nine points before cramping out late in the third frame.

JUST like any other fight fan, Filipina atomweight star Denice Zamboanga knows that ONE Fight Night 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II will be a martial arts spectacle. There is, however, one fight that she’s keeping a close eye on. Zamboanga revealed that she’s close ly monitoring the matchup between atomweight contenders Itsuki Hirata and Lin Heqin set on the massive show in the morning of August 27. As confident as anyone in the ONE Championship roster, Zamboanga pointed out that she wants to take on either of the two fighters in her return to the Circle. “I don’t have any specific athletes in mind on who I want to fight now, but looking at Itsuki vs Lin makes me more excited to fight. These two athletes are strong in different aspects,” said Zamboanga.Anaturalgrappler, Zamboanga expects to get into a grappling-centric contest against Hirata. “Lycan Queen” also looked at a probable matchup against Lin, who relies more on her striking during fights. Lin is a natural wushu sanda artist and even competed in the ONE Super Series in her last match this past March against Argentina’s Milagros Lopez. “It will be explosive! Itsuki is good on the ground & I want to challenge myself in this area as well. I have been training in all aspects so I know for sure that if we will have the chance to face each other, it will be a great show! Lin has her reach advantage and her punches are strong. If this fight will be possible, you will see the newly improved fighter.

SARANGANI moved closer toward a quarterfinal slot while Valenzuela reentered the upper half on Friday in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipi nas Basketball League) 4th Season presented by Xtreme at the CSJDEM Sports Complex in Bulacan. Caloocan, on the other hand, stunned Rizal, 95-87, and refueled its drive in the single round-robin elimina tion phase of the 22-team tournament that visited the City of San Jose Del Monte for the first time. Leaning on the hot hands of Paul Sanga, the Sarangani Marlins trounced the Bataan Risers, 92-80, to tally their fourth straight win and raised their record to 9-2. Sanga scored 21 points on top of 9 rebounds to lead the Marlins, who pulled away at 83-60 despite the absence of crack guards Kyt Jimenez and Yvan Ludovice. The 6-foot-4 Sanga, a former FarEasten University standout, was supported by Donald Gumaru, veteran Gabby Espinas. Homegrown Tricky Peromingan and new acquisi tion Macky Acosta, in pulling down the Risers to 7-3. Gumaru fired 16 points and issued 9 assists, Espinas posted 11 points and 6 assists, Peromingan 10 points and 7 rebounds and Acosta 10 points plus 4 rebounds as the Mar lins hardly felt the absence of the injured Jimenez and Ludovice. Bataan got 17 points and 16 rebounds from Arvie Bringas, 14 points from James Darwin Castro and 11 points each from Gio Espu elas and Guilmer Torre. Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc. withstood Muntinlupa’s tough stand to prevail, 85-80, and raise its slate to Jaymar7-6. Gimpayan and Ronjay Buenafe towed Valenzuela to its third straight win with 17 and 16 points, respectively, followed by Andrey Armenion with 13.

Photos by Peter Atencio By Peter Atencio T HE love and support of fans in the Philippines have inspired Filipino-American cager Jalen Green to show a better version of himself in the 2022-2023 season of the National Basketball Association.

AUGUST 14, 2022 HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS right now,” added Green. Green was elated to see his Filipino fans during his visit and excited to visit his family’s hometown in Ilocos Sur to get to know the culture and meet his kababayans and relatives up north. His mother, Lee Purruganan, is part Filipino through his grandfather, who is known to be a full-blooded Ilocano. He last visited the Philippines for the 2018 NBTC tournament, and was not able to visit Ilocos Sur back then. Through the One of One Tribute, Green got to experience what it’s like to play in Philippine streetball, graffiti, and sports car culture. The presentation showed Manila street art, sports cars, sneakers, bas ketball and Filipino food. He was shown a special Jalen Green-inspired graffiti mural by adi das Philippines collaborators Quiccs and Egg Fiasco with their local graffiti group, Hidden Fortress Manila. The graffiti wall was also comple mented by a display of sports cars that lined up the venue for the ap preciation of the attendees. Green is himself a fan of sports cars.

The 20-year-old Green appreciated the warm welcome he received from Filipino supporters after he flew in with his family on Wednesday, visiting the Adidas Brand Center and then getting a Manila culture experience at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay during the JG4 Manila Tour that started the following day.

Looking for perfect first date spot? Keep in mind that the place should be public, easily accessible, well lit, and close to your and your date’s location.

Heart, at her first stop, the iconic Louis Vuitton, which the largest store in the Philippines

The problem of children living with parents who are mentally ill is more common in the Philippines than many think. Martin said there are some four million children in the country who are helping care for parents with mental illness. She also mentioned the struggles of a friend whose mother has bipolar disorder. All these personal encounters inspired Martin to shed light on the topic and per haps help others in similar situations. In Martin’s story, Cayt Vergara, 14, moves to Manila from the Ilocos region with her family. An honor student, she transfers to a good school that accepted her as part of its program for students from the regions. On her first day, she makes new friends while dealing with life at home with her dad, mom, and younger sister Sam. But it’s rough going for all of them as the mother can’t seem to recover from the death of her newborn son. She exhibits mood swings, erratic behavior, and all other signs of being what Cayt (pronounced ‘kite’) writes as “-----.” Cayt sees life through her inner lens as a filmmaker. She puts this penchant into practice by shooting a zombie movie with a couple of her classmates. While she’s having fun with her friends, a part of her mind is still anxious about her mother’s condition. When she gets home, will Mom be acting normally or not? Will it be a good day, with Mom puttering about making champ orado? Or will it be a zombie day, with Mom locking herself in her room, as she did once for eight weeks af ter baby Miggy died? Or will it be a violent day, with Mom’s temper aflame as she hits Cayt and Sam over the most minor of misdemeanors? And how does Dad cope with all of this and work too? Discussing mental illness is important so that we will know how to deal with it, particularly when we have relatives struggling with it. At Home With Crazy is significant because it was written for tweens and teens, a segment that is often overlooked when shar ing information about mental illness. But as Martin said, millions of Filipino children, if not more, are having to deal with a parent who has mental illness. (It’s a fact I can’t stress often enough, that’s how im portant it is.) A story such as Cayt’s, that shows how a particular situation may unfold and how it can be dealt with, will give readers an idea of what it’s like to live the experiences of many others.   Martin handles the story deftly without sugar coating or dumbing down the topic, but doesn’t unnecessarily harrow feelings either. She shows skill in crafting a balance between the storyline and the bigger theme of children dealing with parental men tal illness. It’s a story that’s written with compassion and understanding, and is a valuable addition to the genre of mental illness literature in the country. At Home With Crazy also destigmatizes mental illness and shows that rather than meeting it with mockery and ridicule, patients suffering from it should be treated with love, patience, and proper medical care.   The book will be a good addition to a school library or home and can be gifted to eager young readers, as well as those actually dealing with this particular problem. It can let kids in such situations know that they are not the only ones going through this and that there is hope for things to get better.

You may reach the author on Facebook and Twitter: @DrJennyO At Home With Crazy By Katrina Martin 2022, 280 pgs, pb, Milflores Publishing WHEN it comes to style mavens, one name often comes to mind – Heart Evangelista. From her trips to Paris and Milan for fashion week to just running an errand on a regular day, she never fails to come up with an impeccable ensemble decked with designer items. Ever wondered where Heart shops for all her stunning luxury pieces in Ma nila? Heart takes us with her on a retail therapy day at her favorite and trusted one-stop spot for all her luxury needs! Heart shared “Today is a special day, but it’s just like almost every day. We’re here at Greenbelt.” Deemed the coun try’s luxury fashion capital, Greenbelt 3 has recently under gone a refresh to further solidify the mall’s reputation, a venue worthy of housing the best luxury brands in the market. It’s also fol lowed by Greenbelt 4, which is currently wrapping up the refresh initiative. With an imposing facade and elegant halls that compliments and enhances the luxury brands’ show windows, Greenbelt proves its ability to be at par with the beloved fashion hubs in the world.  Heart recalled “I am a Greenbelt baby actually, this was my school, it’s my alma mater. I was here basically every day with my mom and my sister after school. We always have lunch here, and I love how it has grown to be the Capital of Fashion here in the Philippines.”

Kicking off her shopping day-out, Heart expresses, “This is my happy place! I can finally visit all of my favorite brands under one roof and shop to my heart’s content.”  The first stop is the iconic Louis Vuitton, the largest store in the Philippines, where she was greeted with an exemplary bold and colorful interior design with a Fili pino touch. Delectable canapes and drinks were served in the VIP room while Heart scans the newest clothing, shoe, and bag collection. The next stop on the itinerary are brands under H&F Retail Concepts, which are conveniently placed next to eachNextother. door is the Officine Universelle Buly, which trans ported Heart back to France with its French antique wood carving designed walls and parquet flooring.  Last but definitely not least is the late creative genius and visionary Virgil Abloh’s Off-White. Its marble white walls and industrial interior sets the perfect backdrop for its iconic luxury streetwear pieces. After a “trip” to France, Heart was instantly transported to Rome, Italy with Bvlgari’s impressive facade reminiscent of Rome’s latestgoesHeartinfrastructure.impressiveInside,enthusiasticallythroughthejewelrycollection, all the while taking in the great marble interiors mixed with earth-toned walls. Kenzo’s stark white walls and navy blue carpet draw the eyes to what’s important — their newest collection.  Architectonic design and warm-toned interior set the stage for Max Mara’s signature bold colored pieces. Heart cheerfully visited every corner of the store, all the while making sure to showcase the items that piqued herHermes’interest. two-story shop boasts a collection of beauty products, home decor, and its beloved bags and acces sories“Peoplecollections. aren’tintimidated at all to come to Greenbelt because it caters to everybody. It feels like you don’t really need to travel to feel like you’ve been somewhere because Greenbelt really just gives you everything all at once,” Heart commented. Taking a break from the architectural wonders of Greenbelt 3, Heart strode through the lush greens of Greenbelt and took a bit of fresh air as she made her way to Greenbelt 4.  She enthused “In Greenbelt there’s always a shift of emotions and mood where it’s always a good mood, you feel really excited and happy. Again it goes back to the variety of stores, different feels, and the different aesthetics of each store, and you feel really fresh”. Tod’s white walls mixed with brown and gold interiors perfectly present their newest pieces even from afar. Capping off Heart’s luxury fashion adventure is Salva tore Ferragamo which immediately transported her to Italy, with its crisp white walls and a wooden interior giv ing off a quintessentially Italian feel.  “Ferragamo is such a classic!” Heart enthused, as she keenly wandered through the store, eyeing a wardrobe staple of porcelain white flats. “I’m a digital person. I also like to shop online but it’s still different to see things in person and to feel, try on, and put stuff and style stuff physically; so I truly did enjoy my expe rience. I can’t wait for the new Tiffany store. I’m also such a huge fan of Celine, I’m so excited to see the opening which I heard is gonna happen very soon,” Heart concluded.

FIRST dates are exciting but can also be daunt ing. You don’t know if they will match your vibe or whether they will find your carefully put-together ‘OOTD’ as enchanting as you did. While you might have gotten along famously dur ing those late-night talks, meeting someone IRL (in real life) is a different ball game altogether.      Mastering the art of dating might not be rocket science, but it’s definitely not easy considering how the last two years have been. So, those tiny jitters and butterflies in your tummy are totally normal. While you can’t predict how the first date is going to go, you can definitely do your best to charm your date even before you meet them, so the first date is nothing short of fireworks. Make a profile that hits differently Tell them what you like and dislike and feel free to add your favorite music to your profile (cus - duh - music can be an amazing way to bond). Give them a sneak peek of your vibe and personality by adding your interests. But there are so many to choose from, so where do you start? Delve deep and be honest; what are you truly passionate about? There’s one thing that works really well when it comes to dating, and that’s being your authentic self.      Let your real self shine   You start speaking with someone you matched with, and it’s going well, but you’re not fully convinced because you aren’t sure if they are really who they claim to be. Don’t fret yet. Dating apps such as Tinder have many features that can go a long way in making people feel safe and comfortable. For example, the photo verification feature that leads to a blue check icon is one way that can make your profile seem more authentic. Be sure to make your profile look legit but avoid adding any personal information like your phone number, address or more. The entire idea of the bio is to seem interesting to talk to, so focus on who you are and what makes you amazing.      Open with a bang, not with a whimper   Coming up with an opening line with a potential date can sometimes be pretty intimidating, as noth ing kills a conversation like “Musta?”      Take a cue from their bio, and look at their pic tures to decode their vibe. Food, fashion, and music can be some potentially intriguing ice breakers, as your dates can turn out to be fellow foodies, sneak erheads, or music lovers.    URL before you go IRL   The face-to-face video calling feature on Tinder can be a godsend, as speaking over a video call can potentially give you a clearer idea of who your match is. It will also help your date and you in spotting any potential red flag or better, green flag ones! It also al lows for a more intimate conversation than just mes saging each other back and forth. The best part? The video feature on Tinder can only be enabled once both people in a conversation mutually agree to the video call, so it’s absolutely in your control, and there is no way you will get unsolicited video calls. This also makes sure you talk to one another when both of you are actually ready to.    Go the extra mile   So, your virtual date was a success. Now, what’s step 2?  Finding the perfect first date spot can be a bit tricky. However, what you need to keep in mind is that the place should be public, easily accessible, well lit (dim spaces can be uncomfortable), and close to your and your date’s location. So, find a middle ground (quite literally!) and see what works for the both of you.

I N THE latest from Milflores Publishing, author Katrina Martin reaches to tweens and teens with a sensitive story about mental illness and its impact on a family – and sparks an interesting discussion on the millions of children in the Philippines helping care for parents with mental disorders.

At Home With Crazy is Martin’s first novel. In an interview, she said she began writing the book over ten years ago while taking her MA in Creative Writing degree at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. When prompted to write a work about deep issues that are experienced by the protagonist and later resolved, Martin decided to tackle the problem of mental illness.   “This was something that came to me because someone very dear to me mentioned that they did not want to live anymore,” she said. “I was already in my 20s at that time, but this person was so important to me and I didn’t know how to deal with it.”

This style maven takes over Greenbelt Five pro tips before you meet your date in person

At the launch of her first novel At Home With Crazy, author Katrina Martin (left) reaches to tweens and teens with a sensitive story about mental illness and its impact on a family – and sparks an interesting discussion on the millions of children in the Philippines helping care for parents with mental disorders.

AUGUST 14, 2022 Life Editor: Nickie WaNg lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

When it comes to online dating, create profile that shows your authentic self

The cover of Martin’s first novel, At Home With Crazy goesEvangelistaHeartonaretailtherapydayatGreenbeltMallinMakatiCity,herfavoriteandtrustedone-stopspotforallherluxuryneeds

Kenzo’s stark white walls and navy blue carpet draw the eyes to what’s important — their newest collection

‘At Home With Crazy’ tackles mental illness with sensitivity and grace

NO SHELF CONTROL BY JENNY ORTUOSTE

Critically acclaimed alt-pop trailblazer UPSAHL serves up the original “My Time To Shine” for the soundtrack. In a menacing croon over hypnotic bass, she promises, “You want to start to fight, I’ll make a grown man cry.” The soundtrack taps into the energy of the film and maintains its bold breakneck paceComposersonically.Dominic Lewis states: “This experience has been a blast! Bullet Train is a creative mecca that as artists we crave and strive for. My journey started with writing ‘La Despedida’ thinking this would be perfect for Alejandro Sanz. Never in a million years did I expect he would say yes and that I would have such an incredible experience with him and the song. And it just kept happening. One just doesn’t imagine ever getting to work with such legends like Englebert and Tamio. Avu couldn’t have been more perfect for ‘Stayin’ Alive’ and UPSAHL brought her magic to my original ‘Prince Suite’ resulting in ‘My Time To Shine’.” The animated lyric video for UPSAHL’s “My Time To Shine” is out now. Be on the lookout for additional animated music videos for “Stayin’ Alive,” Miki Asakura ’s “Holding Out For A Hero (Dance Version),” and Alejandro Sanz’s “La Despedida.”

take collaboration to new AristaheightsRecords drops ‘Bullet Train’ original motion picture soundtrack  The ‘Bullet Train Original Motion Picture Soundtrack’ is a 14-track collection that features original music that spans alternative, pop, Latin, and Japanese stylings Alden Richards banners ‘Start-Up PH’ Kapuso Mall Show in Cebu   Asia’s Multimedia Star Alden Richards plays Tristan in ‘Start-Up PH’

JULIE Anne San Jose and Gary Valenciano are joining forces for a collaboration. They have a new melodic single called “Di Ka Akin” released under Universal Records. Celebrated as two of UR’s most sought-after artists for many years, this collaboration is a treat to their long-time fans. The track features a hypnotic mellow vibe, giving listeners an opportunity to really just let out their emotions during the times that they feel like they can’t move on from a lost love. “Di Ka Akin” also marks the first release after Universal Records Philippines announced its official partnership with Singaporebased music label Cross Ratio Entertainment. The partnership aims to strengthen and promote Southeast Asian music around the globe and bridge the gap between artists and audiences in neighboring countries, bringing them closer to new and existing fans in the SEA region. The gorgeous pop ballad with Julie Anne’s writing and vocals on full display easily impressed Gary V., a reason why he said Yes to this collaboration in a heartbeat. For the OPM icon, an excellent artist like JAPS does not come very often and you really don’t want to miss an opportunity like this. And if you ask Julie Anne, who wrote this song last year, she still finds the whole experience of this collaboration a dream come true. “Di Ka Akin” is part of the New Music Friday Philippines playlist on Spotify this week.

n Entertainment Editor:

CREEN star Maymay Entrata is the newest cover girl of Star Magic’s digital video magazine Slay. In a teaser revealed last week, Entrata is shown strutting on a helipad, fittingly with her massive pop hit “Amakabogera” heard in the background. “Ang pagiging amakabogera ay hindi lang yung sa nakikita natin physically. Nagba-base ito sa katauhan ‘amakabogera,’ Maymay revealed that she had a lot of insecurities and had to conform to the standards of people. “I had so many insecurities. It reached the point na ginawa ko lahat kung ano po yung sinasabi nilang standard of beauty. Nag-explore ako ng iba’t ibang characters na kala ko ako pero hindi pala. May nagsabi sa akin na hindi ako maganda, malaki bunganga ko, payat payat ko, at hindi marunong manamit. Finorce ko yung self ko maging iba hanggang sa napagod ako at hindi ako masaya,” she stated. But eventually, Maymay realized that people should seek God’s approval rather than the approval of others. “Siguro ang maa-advise ko ay maging strong and choose God’s approval and not the approval of others. In God’s approval mararamdaman mo yung peace pero hindi ka talaga masa-satisfy. Magbibigay lang disappointment,” she For the Kapamilya actress, her definition of sexy is when she is happy “For me, someone becomes sexy when she is humble and has a dispositionpositiveinlife.Youdon’thavetobragwhatever things you have. Lalabas

Avu-chan ( Queen Bee ) contributes a slick and sizzling cover of the Bee Gee s’ classic “Stayin’ Alive” in Japanese, while Engelbert Humperdinck ignites “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.”

ARISTA Records released the Bullet Train Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Sony Pictures’ original action thriller Bullet Train, which opened on August 10 in Philippine cinemas nationwide.The14-track collection features original music from composer Dominic Lewis ( The King’s Man, The Man in the High Castle, Peter Rabbit ) and new unreleased music recorded exclusively for the film, spanning alternative, pop, Latin, and Japanese phenomenonInternationalstylings.

In Bullet Train , Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs had gone off the rails. Fate, however, may have other plans, as Ladybug’s latest mission puts him on a collision course with lethal adversaries from around the globe—all with connected, yet conflicting, objectives—on the world’s fastest train. The end of the line is just the beginning of this non-stop thrill ride through modern-day Japan from David Leitch, the director of Deadpool 2. The ALL roads led to Cebu City last August 6, Saturday, as GMA Regional TV brought the stars of the upcoming TV series Start-Up PH to a funfilled Kapuso Mall Show led by no less than Asia’s Multimedia Star Joining Alden at Ayala Center Cebu for Start-Up PH’s first-ever mall show were his co-stars Gonzales, Boy2 Quizon, “This is my first K-drama adaptation project. Parang ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam na mabigyan ng opportunity to be able to do something na hinahanap ng previously told Nelson Canlas Starring opposite Alden as Tristan (Good Boy) in Start-Up PH is Bea’s first soap project as a Kapuso. It was early this year when GMA Network announced that it has acquired the exclusive rights to produce the local adaptation of the hit 2020 South Korean series in partnership with leading entertainment company CJ ENM. Based on the original format created by Hyeryeon Park Studio Dragon Corporation, coproduced by Studio Dragon and CJ ENM, Start-Up of the world’s most advanced tech sectors and gives a glimpse into the struggles and challenges one goes through in order to build a byup.thebusinesssuccessfulfromgroundDirected SinenengJerry and ZapataDominic , featurescaststar-studdedthealso Domingo,Kurdi,YasmienKim

Gabby Eigenmann, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Jackie Lou Blanco, Niño Muhlach, Lovely Rivero, Neil Ryan Sese, Kevin Santos, Tim Yap, Kaloy Tingcungco, Brianna Bunagan, Gianna Llanes, GMA Regional TV kicked off the second half of 2022 by bringing back its series of in-person events across the Philippines featuring some of “We continue to give back to our loyal Kapuso all over the Philippines by bringing our artists closer to them. As GMA Network celebrates its 72nd anniversary, we are Start-Up PH in Cebu this weekend. We know how much Alden’s fans missed him and like Alden, we are looking forward to spending this Saturday with our Kapuso in Cebu together with Jeric, Boy2, and Royce. We are grateful for the support Start-Up PH team and Ayala Malls for making this possible,” said First Vice President and Head of GMA Regional TV and Synergy Victor B. Amoroso Last August 2, a jampacked crowd in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental greeted the leading ladies of the hit adventure Lolong Shaira and Arra San Agustin and Kapuso actors Ben Alves and Prince Clemente Kapusong Negrense were treated to a night to remember as they celebrated the 25th Charter Anniversary of Kabankalan City during the GMA Regional TV’s Kapuso Fiesta. Anne San Jose (left) impresses Gary Valenciano Anne, Gary V

S channels inner ‘amakabogera’ as this month’s ‘Slay’ cover girl showcasesMaymayandshe’swheneverofdefinitionMaymay’ssexyishappysmilingher beauty and sexiness in ‘Slay’ Being Maymay,'amakabogera,'anaccordingtomeansfullyacceptingwhoyouare Maymay Entrata Julie

with her composition and vocals for ‘Di Ka Akin’ Julie

Xavier Zamuco shared post of Mayeth Vic Rufino Gonzales in Lost and Found Pets. “Hello po sa fur parent niya hinihintay na po niya kayo sunduin nyo na po siya ...61 Villareal St Brgy Gulod ....Miss na kayo ng baby nyo.” us help these furbabies get home

The overabundance of companion animals might be overwhelming, but the good news is that spaying and neutering can completely prevent the suffering and demise of homeless animals. Despite advice and pleas from charitable organizations, veterinarians, animal shelters, and an increasing number of free and low-cost spay/neuter clinics, many people continue to neglect to perform this commonplace, life-saving medical treatment on their animal friends. It is at this point that we see a dire need for a more rigorous information drive on this matter for more people to be convinced about it. In order to combat the homeless animal epidemic, several localities impose substantial breeder's fees on anyone who opts not to spay or neuter their pets. The number of animals seen roaming has been significantly reduced in areas with such regulations, according to reports.

AUGUST 14, 2022

Stray cats during feed-a-homeless animal project of Save ALL - Save Animals of Love and Light Inc. A sad, abandoned dog. (Photo from "21,047 Abandoned Dog Photos - Free & Royalty-Free Stock Photos from Dreamstime") Such a sad face which is common among treatment.careshetoaThisandsheismeansalsostrayanimals.homelessThiscat'sfurisdrywhichheorshedehydrated.He/needswaterwetcatfood.catneedsvisittothevetfindoutifhe/needsextraormedical

Fina Barroga shared this in Lost and Found"SanaPets.Pomay nakita sa inyo" Thursday pa Po Siya nawawala Binigay Lang Po Kasi samin yan July 26 2022 samin binigay Tapos nawala Po Siya Ngayong Aug 4 2022 Umuwe na Kasi Ng Probinsya Yung Mga Dating Nagaalaga sa knya Sobra bait Po Niya..Kahit sino Pwede Niyang samahan Kasi sa Sobrang bait Po talaga siya Mukha lang Po mata pang Yung Mukha Niya Pero Sobrang lambing Po niyan ���Sana lang Po Hindi Siya Kinuka dito na nag "CamellacoConstructionAlteaMolino1 Bacoor Cavite”

#ptpa”09190005752 Joy Valerie Lopez- Tancioco shared Mimi Lintag- Davino: “Our Missing dog LastFondieseen Aug 7, sunday ar 130pm, papunta f manalo sana then hinarang sia ng mga tao at tinulungan anak ko makuha but tumakbo na man pa sta. Mesa bridge Loc. Brgy progreso, san juan city Pls pm me po if by chance you see him He is very old, 11yo n po sia and He is sick. so pls help us find him”

The Plight of Homeless Animals

Yokie Toffe Mochow posted this dog in Facebook and Daisy Moss shared it in Lost and Found Pets group page. Yokie posted: “Baka merong ma may ari nang asong ito tulog po sya d2 po sa 7 eleven calle uno Samson road caloocan city malapit sa hyper mart monomento”

Save ALL file photo A dog is abandoned on the road by a irresponsible, cruel owner (istockphoto-1149259962-612x612.jpgPhotofrom"18,553AbandonedDogStockPhotos,Pictures&Royalty-FreeImages-iStock")

Solving the problem of animal homelessness

Sachie Co asked for help to find her dog. She posted:“baka po my nakakita sa kanya sa sitio dizon po siya nawala brgy.cubcub please please let us know "Dog (0939)missing9840051

SHARING posts on missing pets or dogs and cats found with collars, some even with a leash, helps save a lot of lost animals. Please always share posts on missing pets or found dogs and cats to help them get reunited with their owners. To those who find pets on the streets, please contain the dog or cat immediately and post the photo of the pet in social media. But please be careful in handling the pet to avoid being bitten. Please put your contact number and general location where you found the dog or cat. Before releasing the pet to the human who will claim the pet, please ask for proof of ownership, like a photo with the dog or cat. Have the owner sign a paper that the dog or cat has been released to him or her. Put the printed name and address in the valid i.d. Or you can have a video taken as proof you have given the pet to him or her. To those who lost a pet, please post a poster of your missing pet on spaces (like electric posts) that the homeowners association allows residents to post posters along your street and the streets leading to the direction of the gate, and along the main road outside your subdivision. Please put the following details: your name, how to contact you, where the dog or cat was last seen, reward if any. Please go to all Lost and Found Pets group pages and dog/cat/ animal groups in Facebook and you might find your pet posted. Let us all help these pets get home so that they will not end up as another homeless animal. Here are some of the dogs who were found by good humans or are missing with owners frantic to get their furbabies back. Glaiza May Domdom posted in Lost and Found Pets a photo of a shih tzu they found. Edited:“Ptp.. hindi nya po pala personal lace yung suot kagabi. Pinahiram lang po.. May taga javier pasig po ba dito. Na nawawa lan nang shit tzu female. Kagabi po sya napulot nang bayaw ko.”

Let

By Mariana Burgos T HE number of homeless animals is increasing by the day, especially since the pandemic began. Pets are either abandoned in rural areas or on the streets, left alone in empty homes, or given to animal shelters. Causes, consequences and effects of animal homelessness Due to lockdowns and working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, a large rise in the number of people purchasing pets has been observed. But once individuals begin to go back to work and discover that they do not have enough time for their pets or are simply no longer as inter ested in them, they resell their pets, or give them to shelters or surrender them to pounds, or regretta bly for some, abandon them on the streets. Pet abandonment has long-lasting effects on the animals involved as well as the surrounding neighborhood. When left outside, abandoned dogs and cats are left to fend for themselves and may experience hunger, thirst, injuries, and illnesses. Due to the fact that their owner has abandoned them alone in a strange location, they may also feel puzzled and distressed. Pet abandonment is a crime that carries a penalty in many nations that includes a fine and imprisonment. A number of countries already have animal welfare laws. Homeless animals also arise from people's refusal to spay and neuter their animal friends, enabling them to add more animals to a world where there are already more dogs and cats than there are lov ing homes for them. Some were left behind when their guardians moved and left them behind, or they were dumped by the side of the road when their guardians could no longer care for them or just didn't want them anymore. Many of the homeless animals are the off spring of abandoned animals. More and more animals are finding themselves on the streets, where they procreate and generate even more homeless animals. An increasing number of animal shelters have started to stop accepting animals due to lack of space and funds. Dogs and cats are domesticated animals that are unable to survive for very long on their own and are dependent on people to provide their needs for food, water, veterinary care, housing, and safety. Pet abandonment nearly invariably results in tragedy. Street-dwelling dogs and cats are more likely to get hit by cars, be the target of vicious attacks from other animals and people, and catch, disseminate, deal with, and eventu ally pass away from contagious diseases. Simple illnesses that are left untreated can develop into fatal infections, and both internal and external parasites literally devour them. While some animals are taken in by animal shelters, the government, or people who find them, many are not so fortunate and are left to live on the streets in perpetual terror and be left to fend for themselves. This almost usually results in the death of pups and kittens who are not weaned properly at the time of abandonment. Animals that are wandering the streets are thirsty, hungry, and exposed to harsh weather. They will eventually get sick and die if they don't have access to food, shelter, and veterinary treatment. When animals are abandoned, those who are not neutered add to stray animal overpopula tion since their children will be born into a life of begging on the streets. The heavy burden of animal shelters Animal caretakers in both the public and private sectors may experience financial strain as a result of surrendered and abandoned animals. Organizations that care for animals, such as animal shelters and res cue groups, frequently struggle to make ends meet. They typically do not get any government funds and are dependent on contributions to provide the es sential treatment for unwanted animals, although this load has escalated as a result of individuals discarding their animals during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition to the financial aspect, many shelters eventually hit their limit in terms of the number of animals they can take in. Those surrendered to government pounds are either killed or go hungry because the local gov ernment units have not allotted sufficient funds for food for impounded dogs and cats.

Editor's Note: Today, August 14, is International Homeless Animals Day.

Those who care must advocate for municipal regulations that will oblige pet guardians to stop breeding additional dogs and cats when so many are already literally on the verge of eutha nasia since many individuals won't act morally unless the government forces them to. If it happens that rehoming your pet is un avoidable, you should look for a responsible, lov ing, and long-term home. A smart spot to start your search for a new home can be your friends and relatives. If you're considering posting a rehoming ad online, proceed with caution at all times. If you do, be sure to interview potential pet parents thoroughly to make sure they are providing the best environment for their pets, thus they can take good care of another pet. Contacting a reputable shelter or animal res cue group to see if they can accept your pet for rehoming is a preferable option. Trained person nel will be able to care for your pet until a new owner is found to adopt your pet. About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a free lance artist. She is a solo parent for 14 years now because she is wife to a desaparacido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.

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