Vol. 36 n No. 186 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES INMANILAMETRO 20.00August
Chaos at DSWD aid payout
SUPERAL BAGS ASIA PACIFIC CUP SPORTS | 1B PRINCESS MARY SUPERAL
CONTINUED ON
CONTINUED
Softdrink firms need 450,000 MT of premium refined sugar
for
DESPERATE TIMES. At least 12,000 students went to four field offices in Cagayan Valley region Saturday to line up for the cash assistance to be released by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The chaotic scene is replicated in other DSWD offices across the country, including at its Central Office in Quezon City (inset, above) where parents and students who did not make the cut-off were seen in a video grab forcibly pushing the gates open. In Zamboanga City (inset, below) a photo released by the Philippine Quick Response System shows people receiving medical attention after getting hurt in a crush for educational cash aid ahead of the reopening of schools. AFP, DSWD Region 2 Office ON 3A
CONTINUED ON 3A CONTINUED ON 3A “When they heard the gates were about to open, they rushed forward,” police officer Josen Samsula said. “The driveway slopes downward so what happened was they stumbled and fell on the ground.”
zation rates at low risk, and reaching or nearing the vaccination thresholds for target population and target A2 (senior citizens) priority group,” the DOHThesaid.country on Saturday logged 3,715 new COVID-19 infections. The DOH also reported 4,753 new recov ering, resulting in a decrease in active cases at 36,146. However, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there was only an average of one death per day last June. “There is an observed increase in the number of deaths over these past months. In June, we were averaging one death per day. Now, we recorded this July, we 21, 2022 3A n By Vince Lopez and Maricel Cruz Alert Level 1 till Aug. 31
D
n By VINCE LOPEZ PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has replaced all three board members of the Sugar Regulatory Administration who signed the “illegal” order to import 300,000 metric tons of sugar without his approval.Mr.Marcos appointed David John Thaddeus Alba as SRA acting administrator, vice Hermenegildo Serafica who earlier resigned over the controversial Sugar Order No. 4. The President also appointed Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag as board members.Azcona replaced Aurelio Valderrama Jr. – the only one among the four signatories to SO No. 4 who did not resign – as representative of sugar planters while Mangwag replaced Roland Beltran, who resigned due to health reasons, as representative of sugar millers. Alba, prior to his appointment, was the general manager of the planters’
n By MARICEL V. CRUZ BEVERAGE giant Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines Inc. on Saturday said the bottling industry needs about 450,000 metric tons of premium refined sugar. Coca-Cola Philippines issued the state ment after President Ferdinand Marcos said the government will likely import 150,000 metric tons of sugar to address the shortfall in local supply – or only half of the 300,000 metric tons contained in an unauthorized order signed by former members of the Sugar Regulatory Ad ministration board. “We would like to thank President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., concurrently the head of the Department of Agriculture and chairman of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, for his immediate action in addressing the current shortage of pre mium refined sugar in the Philippines. We’d like to emphasize, however, that not all sugar is the same,” the beverage firm said. “Food and beverage manufacturers need premium refined sugar to maintain high-quality products. This type of sugar is not the same sugar that is commonly used in households,” it added. Coca-Cola Philippines said there is a 400,000 metric ton gap on top of a starting gap of 200,000 metric tons of
Dozens hurt as unruly crowds mar distribution of ayuda students
THE government retained Metro Manila and several other areas under Alert 1 even as the country recorded an increase in COVID-19 related deaths in the past two months, with unvaccinated people account ing for at least 63 percent of the fatalities, the Department of Health said Saturday. The provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Camarines Sur, and municipalities of Poro, Cebu; Talalora, Western Samar; Pualas, Lanao del Sur; and Binidayan, Lanao del Sur have likewise been de-esca lated to Alert Level 1, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) said. “Based on IATF-EID metrics, these areas were able to de-escalate by maintaining their case classification and total beds utili
Acting SRA administrator named, import order signatories replaced
LIFE IS HERE, INDEED. Revelers perform during the ‘Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan’ on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, at the San Pedro Street in Davao City. City officials said their target of 50,000 tourists has been met, with hotels fully occupied. Brian Congson Studios
OZENS of people were injured while several others fainted in several distribution sites of the Department of Social Welfare and Develop ment across the country in a crush of students and parents seeking a cash handout ahead of the reopening of schools Saturday. At the DSWD headquarters in Quezon City, chaos ensued as crowds gathered outside, with some caught on video forcibly opening the gate and pushing security guards, riot police, and DSWD personnel as they tried to enter the office. In the southern city of Zamboanga, about 5,000 people stood outside a high school where cash was to be given out.
Twenty-nine people were treated in hospital for “minor injuries,” said Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo, who had announced the cash payments in recent days. “I am sorry and I ask for your patience. I
NCR stays
PBBM withstrongervowstiesCambodia
Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Baldwin R. Felipe Head—Ad Solutions Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief PhotographerPublished Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net
“Our barangay officials, the sangguni ang kabataan included, have been doing the heavy-lifting in the fight against COVID-19,” Dy said. He explained that as government front liners, “barangay official have been active in information campaign drives against the virus, in implementing health protocols, in ensuring all forms of government assis tance are orderly distributed, and taking an active role to make sure that the country’s vaccination program is efficiently imple mented.”“Itisimperative, if not crucial, to ensure continuity in government response,” Dy added.
DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affairs Jonas Leones, in a statement, cited the need for the agency to come up with a “geospatial system” to manage readily available data vital in the implementation of govern mentLeonesprojects.said the system would be helpful in the government’s reforestation program, application of geohazard maps, conduct of mining operations, monitor ing of industry compliances with environmental regulations, land admin istration, and supervision of protected areas. He also said the DENR expects the database to bolster decision-making and collaboration with other government agencies.“Ifwecan establish this database where all the information is already there, decision-making will be
SUGAR FIASCO SEEPS DOWN TO THE GRASSROOTS. Marginal ven dors of juice drinks at the Baseco Compound in Manila admit that they are constrained to cut down on their servings of the refreshment to make up for the increase of sugar prices in the market. This developed as the Sugar Regulatory Administration hogs the headlines over alleged irregular importation of the commodity. Danny Pata PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday pledged to improve the Philip pines-Cambodia bilateral relations which has reached its 65th year. In a letter to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, Marcos expressed his resolve to further boost the “enduring friendship” between the Philippines and Cambodia. “I am committed to further strengthening and expanding our partnership and cooper ation, as both our countries strive towards greater economic and social development for the benefit of our peoples,” Marcos said. The Philippines and Cambodia estab lished their official diplomatic relations on Aug. 20, 1957. Marcos said while the two countries’ diplomatic ties were formalized in 1957, the visit of His Majesty King Norodom the First to the Philippines in 1872 established the connection “between our nations and peoples”.“Ourties have developed steadily through the years, with sustained bilateral engage ments in the political, security, economic, socio-cultural and educational areas, and cooperation in regional and international fora. Our people-to-people exchanges also continue to add strength to our enduring friendship,” the President said. Marcos also relayed his best wishes for Sihamoni’s “continued good health and happiness”.
Isabela solon backs resetting of SK, village polls
Solons seek holistic programstateforseafarers
MEMBER Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers can be accessed at: manilastandard.net ManilaStandard ONLINE
SHABU-LADEN LUGGAGE. A suspected international drug trafficker, traveling from South Africa and Qatar to Manila, fell into the hands of a composite team of Philip pine law enforcers who waited for his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The arrest was effected after laboratory tests revealed that the foreigner’s luggage was concealing 21.2 kilograms of the banned methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as shabu.
A BILL seeking a comprehensive state program to protect and promote the wel fare and interest of Filipino seafarers and their families has been filed at the House of DavaoRepresentatives.CityRep.Paolo Duterte un derscored the relevance of the measure, saying the Philippines was known as top producer of seafarers in the world. “Among the 1.6 million seafarers across the globe, 400,000 of them are Filipinos, accounting for $6.14 billion, or 19 percent of the overall remittances in 2018,” Duterte said. Duterte and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap filed House Bill 1758 meant to improve the Filipino seafarers’ working condi tions, terms of employment, career prospects and provide opportunities to harness their full potentials. The measure also aims to further pro mulgate policies and programs to uplift the socioeconomic well-being of the families of Filipino sailors. Duterte stressed that despite being a community with a significant contribu tion to the country’s economy, Filipino seafarers remain under-represented as there are still persisting repetitive drudg ery and risk in working conditions, illegal recruitment, lack of onshore welfare services and social protection, and insuf ficient medical care in their field. He also noted the absence of an en abling legislation that would institution alize the seamen’s rights and privileges. “The Philippines is a party to the Mari time Labor Convention (MLC), an international agreement which seeks to promote the protection of the seafarer’s rights to decent working conditions,” Duterte said. HB 1758 also seeks to adopt and strengthen the general provisions stated in the MLC in order to primarily guaran tee the rights and welfare of the country’s Filipino seafarers, Duterte added. To lighten the burden of mariners in processing their documents, the measure also proposes the establishment of an integrated document processing center, to be known as the Philippine Sea farer One-Stop Processing Center (PSOC), which would assist the seamen and the general public. Maricel V. Cruz
DENR to set up info systems to strengthen data sharing
Aiza cites Robin for filing samesex marriage bill
NOT A GOOD IDEA TO MESS WITH YOUR BARBER. These lads who are getting their haircut free of charge at a village hall in Santa Cruz, Zambales in anticipation of the opening of classes tomorrow, definitely know better than be nasty and unruly with the man armed with a comb, a pair of scissors, and a razor. Ted Aljibe/AFP HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will establish two major information systems to strengthen the data sharing and accounting of the country’s natural resources.
SENATOR Sonny Angara wants to ex pand the government’s feeding program for malnourished children being imple mented by public daycare centers, and kindergarten and elementary schools to cover high school students. This national feeding program was mandated by Republic Act 11037, also called the “Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act.” Angara said he filed a bill that would expand the coverage of the SchoolBased Feeding Program (SBFP) to include secondary schools students to address under-nutrition among the students sector. Angara’s measure broadens the SBFP to cover learners from Grades 7 to 12 or junior and senior high school. The SBFP provides all the covered students with at least one fortified meal for 120 days per year. “We included junior and senior high school students in the SBFP because they are also affected by food scarcity which is a hindrance to their learning,” Angara said. He cited a World Bank report that for nearly 30 years, there have been almost no improvements in the prevalence of under-nutrition in the Philippines. The report ranked the Philippines fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunting and among the 10 countries in the world with the highest number of stunted children.Itstated that poverty has also af fected the education of many Filipino children who end up dropping out of school because of hunger. Noting that the lack of sufficient food remains a problem among many school-aged children, Angara said this issue should be addressed immediately to remove obstacles to the development of children.
Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Joyce Pangco Pañares News Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor
easier and we will be able to discern overlaps in our programs,” he said.“Once we’re done with this, we can already collaborate with the database of other agencies,” Leones added.Hecited examples in which the database can be productive for other government agencies as well. For instance, the database will enable the identification of geohazard risks which can inform the planning of the Department of Education and the De partment of Public Works and Highways (e.g. where schools and roads can be constructed).Leonesalso cited a need to account for and conduct a valuation of the country’s environmental and natural resources. “The prime concern of our Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga is that we need to account and put value to our natural resources. If we can do that, we will be able to identify our priority initiatives with these resources,” Leones said.The Convention on Biological Diver sity noted that the Philippines is one of the 18 mega-biodiverse countries in the world. The country ranks fifth in the number of plant species and maintains five percent of the world’s flora. The Philippine Statistics Authority, mean while, said the country is one of the world’s most richly endowed in terms of mineral resources.
A LAWMAKER on Saturday backed calls to defer the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to ensure conti nuity in the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy V, former president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, filed House Bill (HB) 1138, proposing to reset the barangay and SK elections from December 5, 2022 to October 23, 2023. HB 1138 stated that “until the successors have been duly elected and qualified, all incumbent barangay officials shall remain in office, unless sooner removed or sus pended for cause.” The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms last Tuesday voted to postpone the village and youth elections from the scheduled December 5, 2022 to the first Monday of December 2023. At the hearing, Dy justified his pro posed measure, noting that “until the WHO (World Health Organization) finally declares the pandemic is over, the country should not let its guard down in dealing with the virus.”
Agents foil P144-m shabu smuggling bid
n By MARICEL V. CRUZ T
GOVERNMENT agents have arrested on Saturday a South African traveler for alleged attempt to smuggle into the country banned shabu worth more than P144 mil lion through the Ninoy Aquino Internation al Airport (NAIA). Mark Wienand, 60, has just arrived from Doha on board Qatar Airways flight QR928 when he was intercepted by combined elements of the Bureau of Customs (BoC), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the Interagency Drug Inter diction Task Group (IADITG) at the NAIA Terminal 3. The suspect’s bags were subjected to x-ray scanning which yielded images of suspected dangerous drugs, prompting the Customs examiners to place it under full physical examination. The authorities discovered four packs containing 21.215 kilos of shabu worth P144.2 million, concealed at the bag lining. The airport officials turned over Wienand and the seized prohibited substance to the PDEA for custody and proper disposition. The suspect will be charged with vio lation of Republic Act 9165, or the Com prehensive Drugs Act, and RA 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and TariffCustomsAct. officials said they conducted the operation following a tip off from their foreign counterpart. The latest seizure brings to 22 the total number of drug apprehensions made by Port of Manila with the help from PDEA and IADITG this year. Airport and Customs authorities were also able to arrest at least 15 foreigners for trying to smuggle cocaine and other prohib ited drugs at the NAIA from 2018 to 2019. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration tipped off Philippine au thorities on the impending arrival of foreigners, mostly drug mules, in Manila. Joel E. Zurbano Bill expands feeding program to cover HS students
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo also expressed optimism that the two coun tries’ relations would continue to expand, given their shared aspirations of a “peaceful, progressive, and sustainable future” for theirEchoingpeoples.Marcos’ message, Manalo said Manila and Phnom Penh have enhanced bi lateral ties through partnerships in various fields.
AUGUST 21, 2022
n By JOEL E. ZURBANO CELEBRITY couple Aiza ‘Ice’ Seguerra and Liza Dino hailed actor-turned Senator Rob inhood Padilla for filing a bill legitimizing same-sex marriage in the Philippines. "We want to live a normal life like other couples in the Philippines. We are citizens of this country and I think it is our right to be afforded those very basic civil rights," Dino said in a radio interview. "To me, what is basic are the rights to own property, recognition of our last names, adoption rights, and social bene fits,” Dino added. She said it is important that same-sex cou ples like her and Aiza should be afforded rights that are not special, but those granted to all citizens of the country. "It is difficult that you cannot own properties together. Everything you saved up for is in your partner's name, not mine," sheForsaid.her part, Seguerra said she respects other churches and religions, but asked that her and Liza's status as citizens of the country also be respected. "We respect the churches and different religions against us, there's nothing we can do about it. But please respect us as citizens of this country with rights to be protected under the law - rights that Sen. Padilla is pursuing," she said. "I appreciate Sen. Robin's action con sidering he's a very devout Muslim. This marks a good public servant - it's so easy to have biases because of religion," she added. Seguerra also said it was painful for her not to be able to adopt Liza's 14-year-old daughter. She said she and Liza had to argue with immigration officers abroad because they were not considered a family.
Mexico arrests ex-top prosecutor over disappearance of 43 students
AFP
This photo taken on August 17, 2022 shows plastic food samples in preparation for an exhibition hosted by Japan’s Iwasaki Group in Tokyo. AFP
THE death toll from a Thai nightclub inferno has risen to 20, health officials said, as victims continue to receive medical treatment. The blaze broke out August 5 at Mountain B Club in Chonburi province –roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok. Authorities found 13 charred bodies inside the venue.Seven others have since died from their injuries, with the latest fatality a 50-year-old man, Chonburi provincial public health office said. All the victims were Thai nationals. There are 25 injured who are still receiving medical treatment in hospi tals, with nine on ventilators, the local health authority said. Flammable acoustic foam on the walls of the club accelerated the blaze and it took firefighters more than three hours to bring it under control. A Chonburi province senior police officer confirmed Saturday that the club owners, a father and son, have been charged with causing death through recklessness and operating a pub without a license. “They could face more charges relat ed to building safety and social security of employees,” he told AFP. AFP
FromtheFRONTPAGE
MEXICO arrested a former attorney general who led a controversial inves tigation into the disappearance of 43 students in 2014 – one of the country’s worst human rights tragedies. Arrest warrants were also issued for dozens more suspects including mili tary personnel, police officers and car tel members, prosecutors announced. Ex-attorney general Jesus Muril lo Karam is the most senior figure detained so far in connection with the case, which shocked the nation and generated international condemnation. He is considered the architect of the so-called “historical truth” version of events presented in 2015 by the govern ment of then-president Enrique Pena Nieto that was widely rejected, includ ing by Murillorelatives.Karam, a former heavyweight of the once-dominant Institutional Rev olutionary Party (PRI), was arrested for the crimes of forced disappearance, tor ture and perverting justice, the attorney general’s office said. Arrest warrants were also issued for 20 members of the military, five administrative and judicial officials, 44 police officers and 14 members of the Guerreros Unidos cartel, prosecutors laterTheyannounced.areaccused of involvement in organized crime, forced disappearance, torture, homicide and obstruction of Justice, they said. The teaching students had comman deered buses in the southern state of Guerrero to travel to a demonstration in Mexico City before they went missing. Investigators say they were detained by corrupt police and handed over to the Guerreros Unidos drug cartel which mistook them for members of a rival gang, but exactly what happened to them has been hotly disputed.
ACTING... groups based in Negros Occidental – the Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra and the La Carlota Mill District MultiPurpose Cooperative. Mr. Marcos, as concurrent Agriculture Secretary, is also the chairman of the SRA. He has yet to name a replacement for his chief of staff at the DA, Agriculture Undersecretary for Operations Leocadio Sebastian, who signed the unauthorized order on behalf of the President. Mr. Marcos said he will leave the investigation into the unauthorized signing of the order to Congress. “We are leaving the investigation to the House, the legislature and even the Senate. What I am focusing on is that our shortage of sugar will not last, especially for industrial consumers,” he said. Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, however, said the Palace probe into the unauthorized signing of the resolution will stillThecontinue.Senate Ribbon Committee said it will begin hearings on the sugar importation fiasco on Tuesday. In the House, Minority Leader and 4Ps part-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan also sought a congressional inquiry into Sugar Order No. 4. Libanan filed House Resolution 259 urging the House committees on good government and on agriculture and food to conduct look into the order. “We want to remind our fellow Filipi nos that there is a higher probability that they may get a severe infection and die if they don’t get vaccinated,” Vergeire said. Despite this, the Palace clarified that giving a second booster of the COVID-19 vaccine to over 72.1 million fully-vac cinated individuals is not a solution to address wastage. Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles echoed Vergeire’s statement that the second booster or fourth dose was not for“Thiseveryone.isrelated to what the DOH has said that administering a second booster to all is not a solution to address the issue of COVID-19 vaccine wastage,” Cruz-Angeles said. “Giving a second booster to other priority groups is still being studied to ensure everyone’s protection against COVID-19,” she said. As of Aug. 12, a total of 20,660,354 COVID vaccines were wasted, the DOH reported on Monday. The emergency use authorization issued by the Food and Drug Adminis tration only allows individuals who are 50 years old and above, as well as those from 18 to 49 age group that have co morbidities, to receive a second booster. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the only brands that could be used as a second booster shot. Eligible individuals can only receive the second booster at least four months after being inoculated with the first booster.AsofAug.
THE EU’s drug regulator on Friday au thorized a new technique for monkey pox injections that will allow up to five times more people to be inoculated as supplies of the vaccine run short. The jab can now be given just below the top layer of skin, or intradermal ly, instead of fully below the skin, or subcutaneously, as it currently is, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said in a statement. The new method uses just one fifth of the amount of Imvanex vaccine but produced similar levels of antibodies, although there was a greater risk of skin irritation, the Amsterdam-based watchdog“Nationalsaid.authorities may decide as a temporary measure to use Imvanex as an intradermal injection at a lower dose to protect at-risk individ uals during the current monkeypox outbreak, while supply of the vaccine remains limited,” the EMA said.
Thai nightclub fire death toll now at 20
Truly foodJapan’stasteless:plasticartmakers
SOFTDRINK... the local sugar supply for 2022, based on a projected demand of 2.3 million metric tons for the entire country this year. “We have shared with the President that the industry needs at least 450,000 MT of premium refined bottler grade sugar to utilize 100 percent of its manu facturing capacity for the balance of the year and serve the orders of customers who are depending on our products for their sales and income,” it said. Meanwhile, in the House of Represen tatives, a lawmaker on Saturday sought to have separate importation orders for the beverage industry so as not to affect the price of sugar in the local market, which has ballooned to about P100 per kilo. San Jose del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes, chairperson of the House commit tee on good government and public ac countability, noted that imported refined sugar for the beverage industry accounts
Under a 2011 UN Security Council resolution, 135 Taliban officials are subject to sanctions that include asset freezes and travelButbans.13of them were granted exemp tions from the travel ban to allow them to meet officials from other countries abroad.InJune, the 15-member UN Security Council’s Afghanistan Sanctions Committee removed two Taliban education ministers from the exemption list over the regime’s curtailment of women’s rights. At the same time, they renewed the ex emption for the others until August 19, plus a further month if no member objected. Ireland objected this week, according to diplomatic sources. China and Russia have called for an ex tension, while the United States has sought a reduced list of the officials allowed to trav el and the destinations they can travel to. The latest proposal on the table would allow just six officials to travel for diplomat ic reasons, diplomatic sources told AFP. If no member of the Council objects by Monday afternoon, it will come into force for three months. In the meantime, the exemptions for the 13 officials end at midnight on Friday. Among the 13 are Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai. They were instrumental in negotiations with the US government of then-president Donald Trump which led to a deal in 2020 paving the way for America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. AFP
UN travel ban exemptions for Taliban officials set to end
EU backs new jab way for monkeypox
INBRIEFS
TWERKING FOR LABOR RIGHTS. Strippers are joined by supporters for a rally outside the Star Garden Topless Dive Bar on August 19, 2022 in North Hollywood, California. A petition was recently filed by the bar’s strippers for a union recognition election with the National Labor Relations Board, and if the dancers win their election with results certified by the NLRB, they will become the only strippers in the United States represented by a union, affiliated with the Actor’s Equity Association which represents more than 51,000 professional actors and stage managers employed in live theater.
14, around 17,015,413 of the 72,107,090 fully-vaccinated individ uals have received an additional dose of vaccine.
AFP
NCR... averaged eight deaths per day. It was similar last August, we saw nine deaths per day this time,” Vergeire said. She said based on the DOH’s July 1 to August 14 data, at least 63 percent of the fa talities were those who were unvaccinated.
T HE United Nations is set to end travel ban exemptions for 13 Taliban officials, pending any deal by Security Council members on a possi ble extension, diplo mats told AFP.
W ORLD AUGUST 21, 2022
FROM the “leaning tower of pizza” to a fish slicing and cooking itself and a dragon emerging from a dragon fruit, Japanese artisans’ quirky plastic food sculptures went on display this week at an exhibition in Tokyo. The models were made with the same painstaking detail as the rock-solid noodle soups and crispy-looking plastic snacks that have long been displayed out side Japanese restaurants where they are called “shokuhin sampuru”, or “sample foodSampuruproducts.”are common outside ramen shops and family restaurants across Japan a century after stores began using wax models to advertise their menu to a growing middle class. “Normally we have to follow orders from clients. We take their views on board when we’re making items,” plastic food artist Shinichiro Hatasa, 57, told AFP.But when dreaming up fun designs, “you can use your imagination. How it ends up is totally up to you,” he said. For the exhibition, Hatasa crafted an ear of corn leisurely sunbathing on a beach. AFP
CHAOS... apologize if you were not able to receive cash aid. But we did not say we will give everyone cash aid within today. We are doing what we can to address this. We are recalibrating and adjusting,” Tulfo said. “Probably next weekend we will need some help. We will bring the assistance down to the municipality level,” he added.Tulfo said he received instructions from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “improve the situation” for the payout of cash aid to students under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS). The DSWD will give out P1,000 for elementary students, P2,000 for high school students, P3,000 for senior high school students, and P4,000 for college students or vocational courses. He said there can be three beneficiaries per family. As early as 5 a.m. yesterday, the lines outside the DSWD Central office in Quezon City already reached the Batasan-San Mateo Road. The queue was halted at 7 a.m. as all slots were already filled up. Those who were not accommodated were given stubs for the next Saturdayonly release on August 27. Tulfo said the DSWD will sign a memorandum of agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to avoid a repeat of the “uncontrolled” crowd. “The DSWD social workers and employees will manage the distribution. Only the payout will be provided in the municipalities and cities, so we would become more synchronized and orderly,” he said. Tulfo said they are also looking for the possibility of extending the cash assistance program to those people who have not been processed after the Sept. 24 deadline of the Meanwhile,Department.Albay Rep. Joey Salceda has renewed his call for a national single window for tax and social benefits after the chaotic distribution of cash aid to students yesterday.“Thesolution, structurally, is to simplify our processes, provide for instant validation, and digitalize recording and distribution. That’s how it was done in the experimental Small Business Wage Subsidy during the pandemic. That was the best-practice for the Philippine government so far,” said Salceda, chairperson of the House committee on ways and means.
for more than 50 percent of the country’s consumption.Robes’panel will hold a hearing on the sugar importation mess together with the Committee on Agriculture and Food today (Monday), with former Agricul ture Secretary William Dar as one of the resource persons. “Since the beverage industry is con suming more sugar, it is also contribut ing to the consolidated demand for the country, hence the high cost of sugar in the retail market. Under the proposed scheme, the SRA will be mandated to issue separate importation orders for the beverage industry and for local consum ers so that these will not affect inflation,” Robes said. “We have to ensure that the country has enough supply of sugar in the market but this importation must protect sugar planters, millers and consumers as well to prevent any price spikes in the market. We also have to ensure that the measure should prevent smuggling in the pro cess,” she added. Robes said the joint committees have also invited former SRA administrator Herminigildo Serafica and former SRA board member Roland Beltran, as well as DA Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian –three of four signatories to the contro versial Sugar Order No. 4 – to today’s briefing.
AFP
receive however they prefer, he says. Fully digital “In terms of sending money, WorldRemit is 100-percent digi tal, with increased convenience and enhanced security features. On the receiving end, we offer a wide range of options including bank deposit, cash collection, mobile airtime top-up and mobile money. Since we are a fully digital service having proprietary platforms, we enable such transfers to the Philippines 24/7—securely, reliably and most importantly, in a cost-effec tive manner for both our senders and recipients,” says Melivo. He says with a variety of ways to send money including bank trans fer, cash pickup and mobile money, WorldRemit makes sure money is delivered quickly and easily. “Our fees are competitive, traditionally lower than brick-and-mortar competitors due to our digital offering and 95 percent of transfers are completed within min utes,” he says. Melivo says digital technology has empowered Filipinos and people all over the world to take control of their finances, wherever they may be. “The simplicity and accessibility of digital remittance services are able to regularly connect OFWs with their loved ones and boost their spending ca pacity for essential expenses,” he says. “Amid economic headwinds and global inflation, remittances remain a trusted source of income for many fam ilies, and the availability of payment services online has greatly improved their efficiency. Even when there are physical limitations to money trans fers, pandemic-related or otherwise, online remittances can still be carried out. Ninety five percent of WorldRemit app’s transactions, for example, are received within minutes,” he says. Plans Melivo says given the rapid advance ments in financial technology, service providers are challenged to adapt to the changing needs of remittance send ers and receivers. There remain a lot of opportunities to widen payout net works to reach and accommodate more users as well as to explore even tighter security with the rise of online scams, he says. Roderick T. dela Cruz
Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier THERE has been an increased focus on mental health during the pandemic, but many of those who feel anxious and depressed may not have the mental health solutions within their reach. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 6 million Filipinos are suffering from depression and anxiety. Mental health conditions are costing the country P68.9 billion, which includes loss of workforce and reduced productivity. The top three barriers for Filipinos seeking mental health support are the fear of social stigma attached to mental illness, the inaccessibility of services and financial constraints of availing the services. Analytics firm Gallup in its “State of the Global Workplace: 2022 Report” says workers in the Philippines are among the most stressed out in the world. Filipino culture attached social stigma on mental illnesses and consider it as a reflection on the person’s character, prompting most to suffer in silence and not seek help. Canadian wellness company Healthy Mind Solutions seeks to break this stigma by providing companies with mental health solutions and services that are effective, confidential, convenient, research-based and affordable. Its mental health platform MindWoRX is revolutionary, game-changing and is considered the future of mental health in the Philippines.HMSis launching MindWoRx in the country. It is a 100-percent web-based online mental health platform for companies looking to assist their employees overcome anxiety and depression and help them handle the day-to-day stress and pressures at work and at home. MindwoRx is an innovative and selfguided behavior therapy platform with over 150,000 users globally using the Cognitive Future of mental health now in PH
CEBUANA Lhuillier, a leading micro-fi nancial service provider in the Phil ippines, continues to foster financial inclusion through digital transforma tion efforts. Since the pandemic, the brand put focus on adopting the “TechBrick” work strategy—a term coined by Jean Henri Lhuillier himself, Cebuana Lhuillier’s president and chief executive. “Tech Brick” refers to the model that puts technology and brick-and-mortar stores in hybrid. This strategy allowed Cebuana Lhuillier to make its financial services accessible to its clients, online and offline. As the pandemic called for a para digm shift in the financial landscape, the company developed apps and online platforms while increasing the number of its physical stores, to reach its customers no matter the restrictions. Cebuana strengthened its power by collaborating with other leading indus try players, such as Western Union, MoneyGram and WorldRemit. “Cebuana Lhuillier’s core mission is to break the barriers in finance through effective financial solution offerings. Our TechBrick strategy allows us to make our products and services avail able on demand, while optimizing our robust network reach in over 3,000 branches in the country. We want to cement the unique position of Cebuana as a household name for Filipinos and as a leading full-fledged micro financial services provider,” said Lhuillier. The TechBrick system made pawn ing, money transfer, micro insurance, jewelry selling and micro savings available to customers in both online and offline channels. One of the ways the brand championed this is through the Cebuana Xpress, an app that made performing pawning transactions easier and seamless. Cebuana also developed the Quikz mobile remittance app that enabled OFWs in Singapore and the US to instantly send money to their loved ones.True to its commitment to bridge the gap between major banks and under served Filipinos, Cebuana Lhuillier also developed the eCebuana app, a plat form that provides customers access to banking services within the Cebuana Lhuillier ecosystem. The brand also created Cebua na-From-Home, an answer to the customers’ woes during the pandemic, allowing them to have full access on all Cebuana services. Insurances were also made available online. Cebuana’s Pro tectNow is a web-based app that served as an e-commerce platform where people can directly purchase micro-in surance products. The brand revolutionized the process of investing on jewelry. The Cebuana Lhuillier Jewelry Premium markets authentic jewelry pieces at an afford able price, in its branches and online through its website and FB Live Selling channels.Thecontinued innovation of Cebuana Lhuillier cemented the company’s rele vance by ensuring its strong presence in both physical and online channels. Its thrust toward adopting the TechBrick concept drives Cebuana to be more future-proof, bearing its long-time commitment to make the Philippines a financially-inclusive nation.
Digital disruptstechnologyremittancebusinessinPH
Healthy Mind Solutions founder and CEO Richard Caballero Behavior Therapy approach. The platform includes a webbased Anxiety and Depression Assessment Test, online Mental Recovery and Resiliency Courses and a Community Support Forum monitored by licensed therapists. It is backed by over 15 years of peer-reviewed clinical research supporting its efficacy and is compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act of Canada and the Mental Health Act of the“HumanPhilippines.resources professionals are faced with everincreasing mental health challenges from their workforce. HR practitioners are looking for a preventative and innovative solution that will not only help manage the mental health issues of their employees but also provide them with tools that will help them to become more mentally resilient. HMS has the solution, “says HMS founder and chief executive Richard Caballero. “One company that acknowledges the importance of mental fitness is Medicareplus, one of the leading HMOs in the country. They recently signed up a strategic partnership with HMS to offer MindWoRx to their plan holders,” says Caballero.MindWoRx has anonymous, self-guided assessment and behavior therapy courses to assist in mental recovery and strengthen the mental resilience of employees. It is confidential and available 24/7 with an annual license fee that provides them unlimited use for a full year at the same cost as a therapy session.
Cebuana Lhuillier’s Techbrick work strategy supports financial inclusion
Participants of ‘Bahay Kubo’ program Bayer‘BahaylaunchesKubo’program
Globe Business reaffirms commitment to help MSMEs
By Othel V. Campos
LIFE and crop sciences expert Bayer Phil ippines aims to empower women farmers through the Bayer Kubo project where they are equipped with tools and skills that will help in crease farm output and sustain recovery from the disruption caused by the pandemic. “This Bayer Kubo is where Bayer in the Phil ippines is bringing together our three divisions: consumer health, pharmaceuticals and crop science under one program to support our farmers,” said Bayer Philippines Inc. managing director and country division head for pharma ceutical Angel Michael Evangelista. The pharmaceutical firm took the initiative to allow women in communities to contribute to growing local economy as they sustain means to provide for their own families. Together with the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transforma tion, Bayer pilots the project in Manaog, Pangasinan where women farmers and farmer housewives are still struggling to re cover and boost productivity. The partnership selected Barangay Cabanbanan in Manaoag as the first com munity in the province to benefit from the program. A group of smallholder farmers surrounding the Bayer Learning Center in the area are the first to participate in the program.Itisavenue for farmers in the communi ty where they can learn best practices and see the latest solutions available for vege tableBayerproduction.Kubowill run capability and ca pacity building programs combining health and agriculture by tackling family planning, self-care and nutrition and agri-oriented financial management and best practices. “With the growing role of women in Phil ippine agriculture, who face competing de mands to care for their families while ensuring they contribute to farm work and productivity, we aim to support women farmers and farm ers’ wives’ through health, wellness, and sus tainable agricultural practices –contributing to Bayer’s vision of ‘Health for all, Hunger for none’,” Evangelista said. Over 100 women farmers will be trained as community champions that will ensure continued knowledge sharing and capacity building to train additional 1,500 communi ty members on the best practices of family planning, farmer self-care and agri-practices. “As ASSIST moves forward in this partner ship with Bayer Philippines, we will remain committed in creating more capacity-building opportunities that fit the needs of the wom en farming communities in Manaoag, Pan gasinan. We acknowledge that other farming communities would greatly benefit from our intervention,” said ASSIST executive director Francis Macatulad.
“Globe Business seeks to go beyond the surface by helping MS MEs with innovations that acceler ate business growth, expertise that guides businesses forward, and unparalleled care that supports their journeys, so they can achieve more business breakthroughs para sa tuloy-tuloy na success,” said KD Dizon, MSME Group head of Globe Business. Globe Business continues to de velop products and services for dif ferent types of businesses, tapping into Globe’s ecosystem of digital solutions designed to help improve accuracy, efficiency and productiv ity of business operations. Among these are expanded digi tal offerings such as business-grade connectivity plans from GPlan Biz and GFiber Biz. GPlan Biz is made-for-business mobile postpaid plan, which, aside from its basic mobile connectivity features, allows users to use GCash for business to purchase digital solutions or pay suppliers conve niently, among others. With GPlan Biz Plus, subscrib ers can enjoy unlimited 5G network for six months as well as unlimited text and call to all mobile networks and landlines nationwide. These are essentials to keep businesses con nected to their team, suppliers and customers all the time. GFiber Biz Plus is Globe Business’ real business grade broadband plan yet which gives MSMEs access to symmetric internet connection, allowing them to experience equal upload and download speeds for seamless online activities.
WorldRemit country director Earl Melivo
AUGUST 21, 2022
By Darwin G. Amojelar AS MICRO, small and medium enterprises navigate the rapidly changing environment, Globe Busi ness reaffirms its commitment to help them achieve business break throughs and continued success through digitalization. “We see our MSMEs as mod ern-day heroes who play a critical role in the country’s economy. That’s why we believe that if we help them succeed, we also help our nation succeed,” Globe Telecom Inc. pres ident and chief executive Ernest Cu said.Latest data from the Department of Trade and Industry show that 99 percent of businesses in the Philip pines are MSMEs. They help reduce unemployment by creating jobs for the growing labor force, making up 63 percent of the country’s total manpower. They stimulate econom ic development and serve as valu able partners to major enterprises and consumers. MSMEs face different challeng es everyday–from getting and re taining customers, streamlining operations, tracking inventory and deliveries, and even making sure their employees are happy; how ever they remain unfazed, being agile and quick to adapt to the de mands of the times. As they seek continuous growth, Globe Business strives to journey with them through this period of heightened digital adoption so they can overcome their perceived boundaries and achieve more success.
FILIPINOS working overseas remitted a record $31.418 billion in 2021, representing a 5.1-percent increase from $29.903 billion in 2020. Remittances grew by another 2.9 percent in the first half this year to $15.347 billion from $14.918 billion a year ago, giving the economy a lifeline amid the challenging environment. WorldRemit, a digital payments service that disrupted the industry, expects cash inflows from overseas Filipino workers to keep growing in the second half. “For 2022, the growth is expected to increase by another 4 percent. In light of the demand for OFWs in host countries that are reopening their economies to foreign workers, ac tual OFW deployment and the shift to digital finance, we estimate that remittances will continue to grow and support the country for years to come,” said WorldRemit country director Earl Melivo, who has more than a decade of experience in banking and financial technology. Disruptor Melivo says digital technology is changing the finance sector for the better. “While around 47 percent of Filipino adults remain unbanked, the digital economy has provided many alternatives for them to access digital finance such as digital wallets,” he says. “They now prefer digital finance over offline banking. Eighty percent of unbanked Filipinos who turned to dig ital alternatives say they will continue to use digital banking post pandemic because it’s convenient, accessible in many countries and at times offers better rates than traditional banks, especially for those who send money from overseas,” says Melivo. Digital technology also enables the more than 10 million Filipinos based abroad to send money to their families in the Philippines faster and more conveniently. “Digital remittance ser vices offer their dependents a trusted and reliable means to receive money regularly from overseas. As a result, they provide crucial support to the Philippine domestic economy, espe cially during challenging times such as today,” says Melivo, who obtained BS degree in Economics and Public Policy from San Beda University in 2007. Melivo worked for top local compa nies such as BDO Unibank Inc., Met ropolitan Bank & Trust Company and Smart Communications Inc. before joining WorldRemit, where he also serves, on an interim basis, as APAC managing director for send and receive markets.WorldRemit helped change the brick-and-mortar remittance business in the Philippines. “In an industry that has previously been dominated by offline legacy players, we have disrupt ed the norm by making international money transfers online safer, faster and lower-cost. With a wide partner network to support our customers sending and receiving how and when they want, as well as buffed security mechanisms, WorldRemit has adjusted to the rapid changes in financial tech nology by prioritizing convenience and cost-effectiveness,” he says. He says that since the company opened transfers to the Philippines in 2011, WorldRemit users around the world sent billions of dollars to the Philippines. “As of the first half of the year, WorldRemit users globally have sent over $600 million to the Philip pines this year,” he says. WorldRemit covers 50 sending countries and 130 receiving countries. “We operate in more than 5,000 mon ey transfer corridors worldwide and employ around 1,500 people globally,” saysWorldRemit’sMelivo. robust payout net work allows users to connect to more than 100 banks, leading mobile wallet services and 25,000 cash pick-up locations in the Philippines, providing customers the flexibility to send and
Goal Diggers: Top PH athletes share stories of hope, motivation
Lyceum of the Philippines University is champion of CCE’s first season
FOCUSED AND DETERMINED “This (win) is a big morale- and con fidence-boost, knowing that I can win in international events,” said Superal, who flashed superb putting all day, finishing with 27 putts. “I just stayed focused and tried to learn from Lydia’s (Ko) game,” added the diminutive but talented player who will head back to Thailand to resume her campaign in at least three tournaments. She also thanked swing coach and mentor Bong Lopez and coaches Justin Aquino and Lee Tajonera and the Or chard Golf and Country Club, and ICTSI chairman/CEO Ricky Razon for his long-running golf program and continued support to her and fellow campaigners, both in the pro and amateur ranks.
The team captains and coaches from nine participating nations pose with Control Committee President Dr. Eom Han Joo with Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) President Ramon “Tats” Suzara during Saturday’s press conference for the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup. (Photos courtesy of PNVF)
THE Philippines sets in motion its Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women campaign in Pool A against Vietnam Sunday night at the PhilSports Arena. A good start is what the national women’s team, especially since it will face a young Vietnamese squad look ing to gain experience in the tourna ment before Filipino fans at 7 p.m. Aside from skipper Alyssa Val dez, who was ruled out due to dengue and was replaced by outside spiker Rizza Mandapat during the prelimi nary inquiry Friday, the hosts will also be without middle blocker Risa Sato, who will also miss the tournament due to health issues and rookie Lorie Bernardo took over her position. With the core of newly-crowned Premier Volleyball League champion Creamline, the Philippines will rely on its tried and tested chemistry, with starters Jia de Guzman, Tots Carlos, Ced Domingo, Jema Galanza, Jeanette Panaga, and Michele Gumabao leading the way. “We have setbacks because of health issues, but we are very positive,” said Gumabao during Saturday’s press conference at Discovery Suites. “We look forward to playing tomorrow. We are one team, one professional team. I think we are already jelled and know each other. That’s one of our greatest advantage in the tournament,” the veteran opposite spikerAfteradded.taking a Monday off, the Philippines will play five-time winners China on Tuesday and will face Iran on Wednesday before wrapping up its pool play stint against South Korea on Thursday.
Top athletes share inspiring stories in Goal Diggers’ Season 2
NATIONAL Basketball Association (NBA) star Jordan Clarkson arrived in the Philippines to honor his commitment to his moth er’s home country—play for Gilas Pilipinas in the fourth window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers. The Utah Jazz guard was mobbed by the Friday night crowd and media as he got out of his Philippine Airlines flight from Los Angeles. He waited for the moment at the VIP lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 before being fetched by representatives from Samahang Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). He will be playing as a naturalized player pending the result of SBP’s appeal to FIBA regarding his status. The 30-year-old NBA Sixth Man awardee will be teaming up with Filipino top-notch center Kai Sotto, who arrived a day earlier from Australia. The two will lead the Chot Reyes-coached Philippine squad that will face Lebanon on Aug.25 and Saudi Arabia on Aug. 29.
HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS
AUGUST 21, 2022
NBA star Jordan Clarkson arrives as VIP at the airport. Danny Pata A huge trophy for a huge win for SuperalPrincess Princess Superal holds the Philippine flag after scoring a careerdefining triumph in Jakarta. Team rites.(left)andNo.land’sposePaulinePrincessPhilippines’sSuperalanddelRosariowithNewZeatandemworld4LydiaKo(right)MomokaKoboriaftertheawards
Clarkson arrives to honor commitment Superal bests 3 major champs, bags Asia Pacific golf diadem
C
She actually delivered the big Satur day punch early – a three-birdie blitz from No. 2 that knocked her three rivals with a combined five major champion ships – world No. 4 Lydia Ko, No. 8 Hyo Joo Kim, and No. 46 So Yeon Ryu – off the title chase and left them scrounging for the crumbs of a runner-up finish at the softened Pondok Indah course. For the ICTSI-backed ace, ranked No. 924 in the world. closed out nearly the way she started the rich, inaugural $750,000 championship – with a solid 67 – and beat Ryu, an eight-time LPGA Tour winner, including the 2011 US Women’s Open and the 2017 Chevron Championship, by three on a brilliant 12-under 204 total spiked by an opening bogey-free 66. She won the princely $100,000 (P5.5 million) purse although she actually took home a net $80,000 (P4.5), still doubling her earnings in a six-year pro career spiked by a number of victories on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. More importantly, the emphatic win more than proved she can slug it out with some of the world’s best, finishing with 13 birdies against just one birdie at the very venue where she reigned in the Pondok Indah Junior Championship in 2015.Ryu, who took command of the first 18 holes with a fiery 65 but fumbled with a 75 Friday, birdied the last two holes to match Superal’s closing five-un der card as she snatched solo second at 207.Ko, whose victories in the 2015 Evian and the 2016 Chevron Championships and 15 other wins highlight a prolific LPGA career, missed sharing runner-up honors with a missed birdie putt from five feet on the 18th as she ended up third at 208 after a 70. Keeping her emotions in check all throughout, Superal finally broke down as she hugged long-time pal and team mate Pauline del Rosario after holing out with a par on another muffed birdie chance, her third straight after draining in her last birdie putt from way out on No. 15 that all but sealed the outcome.
PH lady spikers face Vietnamese in AVC opener
Superal said she didn’t get the oppor tunity to talk to Ko during and after the round but grabbed the chance to pose with her and their teammates during the awards rites. “We were not able to talk much on the course but she did congratulate me,” said Superal, who is also gearing up for the Japan LPGA Q-School in November. It was just too bad that del Rosario failed to recover from a disastrous bogey and double-bogey mishaps in the first two holes, dropping three more shots against two birdies, the last on No. 18 securing the Philippines’ second place finish in a team competition ruled by Korea 2 team made up of Ryu and Bomee Lee. Del Rosario, an Epson Tour campaign er who battled back from an opening 75 with a 70, was out of position all day with her long game and groped for a 76. Also supported by the world’s leading port op erator, she wound up tied at 18th at 221 in individual play while their combined closing 143 netted them a three-day total of 425, four strokes behind Korea 2’s 421 afterNew142.Zealand placed third with 427, also after a 143 that included Momoka Kobori’s 73, in the event where each finisher in the individual competition was guaranteed a minimum payout of $5,680, comparatively higher than the $3,707 and $4,051 cheques picked up by the last placers in the LPGA events in Singapore and Thailand earlier this year.
THE Goal Diggers YOUTH, a pod cast series by sports marketing or ganization XMPLR, is set to make a comeback for its second season. The Goal Diggers YOUTH Season 2 will feature 10 world-class Filipino athletes who will inspire, and empower participants with their real-life experiences and advice. “In the latest edition of the Goal Diggers YOUTH, we want to be able to pick up life lessons from real-life individuals who have had their fair share of struggles in life,” said Goal Digger’s Project Lead Raya Villon. “While we are entering a new chapter of this pandemic, the younger generation has virtually lost two years of what could have been a colorful and thriving life. We hope that our young audiences are able to find a role model from our guests, who are no less than our Filipino world champs so that they are better equipped to face the real world and eventually, make up for the lost time to grow as an individual.” High-caliber Filipino athletes graced the new season of the Goal Diggers YOUTH, featuring Jump-serve Queen Dzi Gervacio, Olympic Equestrienne Toni Le viste, Paralympian Ernie Gawilan, and World Cup-bound Footballer Camille Rodriguez, who shared the sporting journeys that led them to become the renowned athletes they are today.
HASED by three major ofstayedPrincesschampions,Superalinhotpursuittheprimejewel, fending off their threats with the poise and class of a seasoned bigleague campaigner to capture the Asia Pacific Cup individual crown with a gem of a finish in Jakarta.
AFTER the resounding success of the Collegiate Center for Esports’ inaugural Mobile Legends tourna ment, a bigger, bolder, and fiercer season two awaits the next generation of student-athletes. Wanting no let-up in a relentless drive to champion Esports at the collegiate level, CCE hints at an expansion in Season 2 amidst the growing interest from a bevy of schools all over the“We’rearchipelago.expecting an even better Season 2. Mas malaki pa dito sa Season 1,” CCE president Stanley Lao stated on the heels of the league’s first official tournament last month that culminated at the Mall of Asia Arena in front of a sizable collegiate Esports crowd. Lyceum of the Philippines University lorded it over nine counterparts in CCE’s first season with a magnifi cent run ignited by a sweep of the elimination rounds. Overall, the Pirates – who also won the CCE Varsity
After first season success, College Esports looks at expansion Cup that served as the league’s launching event last year – only lost two matches in a masterclass campaign highlighted by a 2-0 sweep of No. 2 San Sebastian College-Recoletos in the grand finals to be hailed as the first-ever CCE champion. Arellano University, San Beda University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Mapua University, College of St. Benilde, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and University of Perpetual Help System Dalta were the other teams that pioneered CCE as the coun try’s newest Esports collegiate league. The CCE expressed its gratitude for the said schools as their joint efforts helped realize the dreams of student-athletes aspiring to excel on and off the virtual arenas through responsible gaming and unwavering commitment to their education – no less than through the schools’ respective Esports clubs and academic programs.
The Playpen, with its hip-hop interactive and nature feel, is a pet cafe where guests can enjoy good food and bond with their furry companions.
AUGUST 21, 2022
For more details, please call WTCMM at 8-WTC-0000 (8982-0000) and 09771729185. Or email tiagojr@gmail.com.marketing@wtcmanila.com.ph,wtcclub@wtcmanila.com.ph,orclarosan
Give yourself a target finish date and track your accomplishment and progress in the calendar.
'Maglalambat' Acrylic 30in. x 40in. 'Vision' Oil 48in. x 72in.
Associate Editor: Joba botana Life Editor: nickie Wang lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
meals, steaks, burgers, chicken wings, and even Korean food to appeal to a broader range of audiences and ride along the ever-growing K-pop trend in the Philippines. The restaurant ini tially followed an Italian concept, serv ing only pasta and coffee. But since it moved to San Juan, it has expanded itsThemenu. Playpen head chef Hanna Mananquil served up two of the restaurant’s specials during my visit to the restaurant. First was the pork bibimbap served with kimchi, fried egg, carrots, cabbage, hot rice smoth ered with Korean BBQ sauce, and pork cooked in a samgyup fashion. The pork bibimbap rice was perfect ly cooked, with the meat and veg etables’ flavors mixing well together, making it a filling meal. Next was the fried honey garlic chicken wings, which can be unlim ited. The wings were juicy and cooked to a crisp, and the marinate was spot on as the flavors went into the flesh, giving it a new depth of flavor. Customers don’t have to worry about their budget when going to the restaurant because the prices for their dishes are reasonable. So far, the people who went to the restaurant or have ordered through foodpanda delivery gave positive feedback through their Facebook page and wish to order again soon. Cedilla plans on expanding further branches of the establishment.
SETTING goals is a roadmap toward success. While it is a big step to set the eyes on the prize, there are times when achieving these dreams becomes challenging. Coursera, a global online educational platform that pro vides learning experiences to thousands of students of all ages across the world, has shared several science-backed tips to guide those who wish to get back on track. These reminders were then compiled and serve as counsel ing guidelines for students and faculty who seek the assis tance of the Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, which understands the days when inspiration doesn’t come and motivation dwindles. They shared 11 pointers to keep in mind: Put your goal on the calendar. A target finish date gives you a boost. It allows you to keep track of your progress. It gives you a heads up of how much further you have to go. Make working toward your goal a good habit. Make little steps toward your goal a normal activity. This way, you do not have to rely on feeling motivated. It becomes a normal daily activity. Create an “if-then” plan. For instance, “If I drink my cup of coffee, then I will spend the next minutes studying”. It is easier when you kick off with a small task. Plan for imperfection. Things will not always go exactly as planned. That’s okay. We cannot predict everything. However, we can prepare ourselves by listing down possible obstacles. Think of ways to handle it. Set small goals to build momentum. Break your big goals into smaller chunks. Frequent small successes can drive long-term success. Track your progress. There are many tools to track your goals. It can be a todo list. Consider a calendar where you can cross off days as you accomplish them. Reward yourself for the little wins as well as the big ones. Reward boosts your interest and enjoyment. It can be as simple as taking a short break. It may also be a snack or an episode of your favorite series. Embrace positive peer pressure. Others can be great motivators. Being a part of a team boosts performance. Join a study group. Sign up for a gym class. Join a professional organization. Open up to a men tor, a teacher, a coach, or a fellow member. Practice gratitude including for yourself Gratitude improves physical and mental health as well as sleep. It brings a feeling of connection with others. It enhances motivation across time. It instills a sense of want ing to give back.
The location was originally in Makati, but the area wasn’t petfriendly, forcing Cedilla to relocate the restaurant to Madison Square, San Juan City, as the city is very friendly to pets. Upon entering the restaurant, a friendly Japanese Spitz named Kobe would stand up from her cage to lick people’s hands as a greeting. Once inside, a pomeranian named Rose approaches and asks guests to carry her. Accompanying her is an army of cats and three lovebirds in a cage, all wanting attention. The restaurant has a nature mixed with hip-hop interactive feel to it as the diners sit on the floor on fake grass mats and pillows, allowing them to interact with the roaming animals, making the dining experi ence very interesting. Guests can even bring their pets to interact with the animals inside the cafe. There’s also a menu for the own ers to pick the food for their pets. In the meantime, the menu apt for human consumption contains rice
WORLD Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) presents Artists for Peace, a contemporary art exhibition featuring the works of international Filipino artists Nemi Miranda, Juno Galang, and Augusto Santiago. The exhibit opens on August 24 and will run until October 24. Nominated for National Artist in the cat egory of Visual Arts, Miranda is a master of Imaginative Figurism and has a large number of commissioned monuments across regions of the Philippines. Galang is known for his modern style that depicts figurative subjects that are well-celebrated and desired by art enthu siasts. He has been based in Hawaii for over 20 Santiagoyears.is a figurative artist with a wide range of expertise in different me diums. He considers his work as Modern Impressionist and has been commissioned for major corporate and historical estab lishments. He is among the international community of artists active in Interna tional Culture and Art Exchange programs and fund-raising initiatives.
If you are working toward a better physical fitness, you may join in a gym class to engage with fellow members.
Do some mood lifting. A good mood increases productivity and improvement. When you feel sluggish, spend time in nature. Get some sunlight. Exercise. Look at cute photos of animals. Watch funny videos. Change your environment. A change of scenery can help you approach your task with fresh eyes. It may even give you a new sense of inspiration. Remember your ‘why.’ Why is all this important to you? Keep digging until you get to the core value of your goal.
way.inporkBBQwithricecabbage,egg,kimchi,servedbibimbapapprovedCustomers-porkwithfriedcarrots,hotsmotheredKoreansauce,andcookedasamgyup
Maria Cedilla, an entrepreneur and pet lover who owns The Playpen. This friendly Japanese Spitz named Kobe would stand up from her cage to lick people’s hands as a greeting as they enter The Playpen.
'Palay Harvest' Acrylic 48in. x 36in.
By Julian Cardenas L IFE can be very stressful for many people, prompting them to find different outlets to vent or unwind. Among the most efficient methods is adopting a pet to help ease everyday stress. Tens of thousands of Filipinos invest in cats, dogs, birds, and more as they offer a sense of comfort and that’scompanionshipsometimeshard to comeHowever,by. not everyone is willing to take care of pets yet still wants to experience the joy they bring. Maria Cedilla , an entrepreneur and pet lover, used this inspiration to open a pet cafe with interactive pets where guests can enjoy good food and bond with their furry companions in theSherestaurant.dubbedthe safe space The Playpen. “It’saplace where people, dogs, cats can come together to bond, eat and play together,” she said.
Artists for peace 11 tips to motivate yourself toward your goal Chill with a pet companion and enjoy good food
Embrace positive peer pressure.
Harry’s sweet disposition lightens up the mood Unlike Luna, Harry is confident, a go-getter, and is the complete opposite of torpe,” after all, she was the one who made the first move. Harry is Luna’s ray of sunshine and comes up with top-notch punchlines to reassure Luna of her love and make her feel secure. Gawa tayo ng mundo na para sa ating dalawa lang” and “starting today, ako na ‘yung magwo-worry sayo 24/7” are some of her best remarks. Highlights a cute sibling bond In addition to Harry and Luna’s love story, the series explores the familial bond between Harry and her gay brother Kai (Kerwin King), as well as Luna and her younger sister Lia (Reign Parani). Harry and Kai are queer siblings who bring out the best in each other. Meanwhile, Luna is somewhat able to let her guard down whenever she talks to Lia, who lives in another country. Sleep With Me streams for free on the iWantTFC app (iOs and Android) YatcoAnne (left) lends her voice to charactera in the Impact''Genshingamepopular Giving a voice to their dreams
AUGUST 21, 2022 n Entertainment Editor: Nickie WaNg email: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com
‘Lolong’ lead actor Ruru Madrid
The series also highlights the struggles (whether visual or not) of PWDs. In Luna’s case, her disorder isn’t visible as she’s been diagnosed with delayed sleep phase syndrome (no, it is not insomnia). Luna is awake during the wee hours of the night and falls asleep during the day, Luna (left) is friends with Wendy because she gives wise, unsolicited advice and is willing to listen Sleep With Me’ also highlights a healthy bond between siblings which makes her feel isolated from the rest of the world. In contrast, Harry uses a wheelchair due to a past car accident. A lot of scenes highlight the lack of importance society gives to wheelchair users. However, it also gives us a different perspective on how not to feel sorry for them, as evident in one scene, wherein Harry tells a worried Luna “I’m not as fragile as I look.”
How Filipino voice actors landed their ideal jobs
Luna’s angst is relatable Luna is a science textbook writer who carries a lot of emotional baggage stemming from her rare condition and lingering issues from her past relationship. She’s used to shutting herself out from everyone else in her twilight-lit bedroom and relies on a cup of ramen noodles and iced coffee on a nightly basis. Although she may seem stuck-up, in reality, she is just clouded by her deepest fears and is longing to be loved. That is why she found a friend in Wendy (Nour Hooshmand), who gives her wise, unsolicited advice and is willing to listen on the rare times Luna opens up to her.
Alden Richards, Ruru KadayawanheadlineMadridthisyear’sFestival
‘Sleep With Me’ tells a beautiful love story between two girls LEEP With Me, starring Janine Gutierrez and Lovi Poe, is the next girls’ love (GL) series that will tickle your fancy.
Lovi and Janine’s chemistrypalpable
Represents persons with disabilities
S
Viewers find the pair’s cute but awkward interactions relatable Lovi (left) and Janine’s palpable chemistry is evident throughout the series
All six episodes just dropped on iWantTFC and the series immediately became the top trending topic on Twitter in the Philippines. More than the genuine ‘kilig’ between the female leads, the series tackles the struggles of interabled queer individuals and how they navigate life in a society that makes them feel like outcasts. Lovi portrays Luna, who suffers from a rare sleeping disorder, while Janine plays Harry, an ever-lovely late-night radio DJ who uses a wheelchair.Theseries, which recently won the audience award for best episodic at the LGBTQ+ film festival in Los Angeles, is also available for iWantTFC premium subscribers outside the Philippines and Indonesia, and is directed by Samantha Lee, who is a proud member of the LGBT community herself. No matter how you identify as, Sleep with Me is definitely a mustwatch. Here’s why: Beautiful love story between two girls Sleep with Me can be classified as a GL. However, as Direk Sam mentioned in a previous interview, it is a simple and tender love story between two individuals who just happen to be girls. The series does not overcomplicate the sexuality of Harry and Luna because they both know (and are 100 percent sure of -becauseisn’tareAndwithmadlythatthemselves)theyareinloveoneanother.eveniftheybothfemales,thataproblematallasthesayinggoes“loveislove.”
By Windie Khyla Pultam THE Titas of InazuManila Anne Yatco and Ratana Therakulsathit visited the Philippines and their fans in the CONQuest Festival 2022 on July 24 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila. Anne and Ratana voice the two Inazuma best friends and two of the most popular 5-star electro characters, Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko, in the popular open-world action role-playing game Genshin Impact During the event, they had the chance to answer the fans’ questions and share their journey before landing their respective roles in the Thegame.twoshared how their love for cartoons and animations sparked their passion for voice acting. However, living in a household with Filipino parents, they were asked to pick a more ‘practical’ and ‘stable’ than voice acting. “My parents wanted me to become a doctor,” Anne said, which she partly granted when she took up biomedical engineering at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.“…when I was at Marquette getting my bachelor’s degree, I spent every waking moment that I wasn’t in the engineering building in the theatre, taking classes, doing shows, starring in shows,” she added.After getting a degree in biomedical engineering and graduating cum laude, she decided to pursue her passion, enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California, and graduated with a degree in Masters of Fine Arts in Acting. She then worked as a full-time forensic scientist for seven years to support her expenses and take up more classes and voice acting in theEventually,meantime. she quit her job and got herself her agent, which landed one of her notable roles as Nobara Kugisaki of Jujutsu Kaisen, then Raiden Shogun of Genshin Impact Ratana’s journey had similarities withWhenAnne’s.she was a kid, she shared about not knowing that humans were responsible for the cartoons she watched and voice acting as a job. And so she wanted to do it. However, her parents also wanted her to pursue a stable job, so she studied marketing and advertising at Michigan State University and became a marketing professional. But that did not stop her from going after her dream, so she took classes for voice acting and went onOtherauditions.than Yae Miko of Genshin Impact, some of her notable characters were Fire Emblem: Three Houses’ Leonie and Trese’s young Crispin and Basilio. During their talk at the event, Anne and Ratana also shared advice and tips to the audience on improving voice acting and answered questions about their experiences with their characters.
‘Start-Up PH’ star Alden Richards
All the feels in interabled queer love story
GMA Network – through its regional arm GMA Regional TV – brings a starstudded line-up of shows for this year’s celebration of the Kadayawan Festival with no less than the cast of Lolong and Start-Up PH. Alden Richards headlined the Kapuso celebrities participating in the muchawaited return of Kadayawan Festival. The fun started yesterday, August 20, as the cast of Lolong – led by Lolong himself, Ruru Madrid – meet the Kapusong Dabawenyos for a Kapuso Mall Show. Joining Ruru are Shaira Diaz, Arra San Agustin, Rochelle Pangilinan, and Paul Salas. They were at the Atrium of Gaisano Grand Citygate Mall at 5:00 p.m. Today, the cast of Lolong will join Alden and his Start-Up PH co-star Jeric Gonzales in the Pamulak sa Kadayawan Float Parade beginning 6:00 a.m. GMA Regional TV makes this year’s Kapuso Float Parade Participation extra special as GMA TV 5 Davao airs “37th Kadayawan Festival 2022: The GMA Regional TV One Mindanao Special Coverage” from 9:00 a.m. The TV coverage will be hosted by the anchors of GMA Regional TV One Mindanao Hilomen-Velasco (GMA Davao), Chaves (GMA Cagayan de Oro), and Jes Jumamil (GMA Gensan), with Esteban (GMA Davao). Live updates along the parade route will be reported by Regional TV correspondent and news producer Kent Abrigana The rest of the Philippines and the world will be able to watch the parade as well starting at 7:30 a.m. via live streaming on GMA RTV’s official website, www.gmaregionaltv.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube @gmaregionaltv, and @gmartvnews Twitter platform. Other highlights of Kadayawan Festival 2022 will also be featured here.Inthe afternoon, Alden and Jeric are off to Vista Mall Davao to treat Dabawenyos to a Kapuso Fans Day. The show begins at 4:00 p.m. “GMA Network is glad to be part of the Kadayawan Festival again. It has been two years since we had in-person celebration of this colorful festival. We are greatly excited that we are bringing two of the biggest shows to the Kapuso Network. This is only part of the many events we have prepared this year for our Kapuso in the regions,” said First Vice President and Head of GMA Regional TV and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso Lolong’s impressive showing continues as this year’s biggest adventureserye on Philippine primetime remains the most watched on its timeslot, earning praises for its wellcrafted storyline, powerhouse cast, and impressive visuals. This latest creation of GMA Public Affairs tells the exciting tale of a man’s revelations are set to unfold. Adding more color to Ruru’s character in the series are Thea Tolentiino, Vin Abrenica, Alma Concepcion, Lucho Ayala, and Rafael Rossel Lolong also stars Christopher de Leon, Bembol Roco, Malou de Guzman, Maui Taylor, Marco Alcaraz, Mikoy Morales, and Jean Garcia Meanwhile, excitement builds up for Start-Up PH where Alden stars alongside Bea Alonzo. 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. Based on the original format Start Up created by Hyeryeon Park and produced by Studio Dragon Corporation, co-produced by Studio Dragon and CJ ENM, Start-Up delves into one 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 successful business from the ground up. Directed by Jerry Sineneng and Dominic Zapata, the star-studded cast also features Yasmien Kurdi, Gabby Eigenmann, Jackie Lou Blanco, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Niño Muhlach, Lovely Rivero, Neil Ryan Sese, Boy 2 Quizon, Kim Domingo, Royce Cabrera, Kevin Santos, Tim Yap, Kaloy Tingcungco, Brianna Bunagan, Gianna Llanes, and Gina Alajar
What happens when two gorgeous and alluring women play each other’s love interests? A major heart-fluttering kilig-fest. From Harry and Luna’s enchanting meetcute, to their impromptu “date,” their intimate first night, and all the awkward yet extremely cute exchanges in between, their delicate love and fondness for each other radiates through the screen and make viewers’ hearts skip a beat.
AUGUST 21, 2022 T HEY are homeless and have no one to care for them. No food, no water, no shelter. They have owners but their owners are poor and they are forced to roam the streets to look for food. These are the two kinds of dogs and cats you see on the streets scavenging for scraps from trash, or begging for food in your neighborhood. Please, we beg you, be kind to the homeless and hungry animals. All they want is to be able to live and eat, just like you, humans. If you can, please give them a little food and water. Kind ness is tax-free. To help solve the problem of increasing num ber of homeless animals, please: 1. spay or neuter your pet; 2. adopt, don't shop; 3. find an adopter or good shelter for your pet, instead of abandoning them in the streets. Never surrender them to the pound where they will be killed; and 4. don't get a pet if you can't take care of a cat or dog for a lifetime. Last Sunday was International Homeless Animals Day and last Thursday was National Aspins Day. As part of the continuing Feed-A-Stray project of Save ALL –Save Animals of Love and Light Inc., a Sec-registered non-profit organization, officers and volunteers fed homeless cats and dogs in Pasay, Quezon City, Makati, Taguig, Paranaque, Novali ches, Ortigas, Marikina, Pasig in Metro Manila, and San Mateo and Cainta in Rizal. These loving volunteers have been rescuing and helping animals in need for years. We salute the following animal rescuers and animal welfare advocates who still feed strays ad hungry dogs l despite the pandemic and the threat of covid 19: Maricel Mondejar, 40, is a content moderator. She helps animals because she knows only a few help them and doing so makes her feel good. Rowena David, 48, an educator, helps stray animals because “they are innocent victims of human neglect and cruelty. Most people ignore them, but for people who have a soft spot for strays, their urgent meows and desperate barks are a cry for help.” Dr. Pam Claveria, 48, is an athlete, fitness and wellness enthusiast, and a doctor for kids. “My good friend, Atha, who rescues, feeds, and brings cats for neuter/spay, infected me with the rescue bug. It's been 8 years (and counting) of rescuing abandoned dogs, cats, kittens from the center island along C5 Road and other areas. It is a calling that is both fulfilling and frustrating, “ Dr. Claveria said. Irene Arpon Pasaylo, 52, store supervisor, feeds stray animals because she knows that every day, the stray animals hope to find even just a morsel of food to relieve them of their hunger. She said she is
Freya Demavivas, a medical frontliner and animal rescuer, always finds time to feed hungry dogs and cats where she passes on the way to work and going home.
Tet Ferrer-Santos was "saved" by saving animals in need during a tumultuous period in her life. She continues to help poor dogs and cats to pay them back for her emotional ad psychological healing.
Irene Arpon Pasaylo has been feeding stray dogs and cats for years now in Taguig where she lives.
Helping the homeless and the hungry
An illustration on phantom pregnancy used in the article "Pseudo-Pregnancy in Canine" by Dr. Sapna Soni in the Pet Prime Veterinary Clinic page.
Michielou Amor Gerladino Ugasan prepares plates of food (mixed rice, canned dog food, and coco nectar to boost the immune system) for asong pinoys (aspins) in Quezon City.
By Mariana Burgos
Helping hungry dogs and cats take too little from humans. If you can, please feed a hungry dog or cat in your neighborhood or near your workplace or while travelling.
Educator Wenna David has been rescuing kittens ad having them adopted, and feeding homeless animals for years now.
Santos added: “I have always had a soft heart for animals since I was a kid and even adopted a ne glected poodle from a friend. I encourage people to care for these unfortunate creatures. If only they can be with us during our lifetime. But even if they have such a short time with us, this means we can still open our doors to help more.” Tet Ferrer-Santos got into animal welfare seven (7) years ago “when I was having a very difficult situation in my life. It helped me get through it emotionally and psychologically. I continue helping in any way I can because I owe it to these animals for helping me cope with my problems.” These dogs were so hungry that they did not notice there were other plates of food lined up. They hurriedly ate as much as they can, even if they had to share a plate. It broke out hearts to see them so hungry.
Signs and symptoms of false pregnancy Four to nine weeks after the pre vious heat period, fake pregnancy symptoms commonly appear, and they resemble those of a real pregnancy. Lethargy, intermit tent vomiting, fluid retention, and enlarging of the mammary glands, with or without milk production, are some of the most typical symptoms of pseudopregnancy. Dogs with fake pregnancies frequently have diminished appetites yet rarely seem to lose weight, most likely because of the excessive amount of retained fluid. These symptoms can appear at any age and are not always associated with estrus. The intensity of the clinical symptoms differs from dog to dog and may change from one cycle to the next in a single dog. Nesting, mothering behavior, restlessness, a de cline in physical activity interest, and occasionally even hostility are examples of behavioral changes associated with pseudo-pregnancy. Some affected dogs will display fake labor symptoms before guarding toys or other tiny objects in a protective manner. (Purina Pro Plan, Signs of False Pregnancy in Dogs, 25 February 2022) How to handle phantom pregnancies in dogs
This cat family shared a meal with gusto. They were so hungry! Most rescuers and stray feeders bring food in small packets in their bags or vehicles when they travel so that they can give cats and dogs, specially pups and kittens, some food while on the road.
Phantom pregnancy in dog by Yumi Burgos, daughter of the author.
The names "false pregnancy," "phantom pregnancy," "pseudopregnancy," and "pseudocyesis" all refer to an unspayed female dog who exhibits maternal (mothering) behavior along with the physical symptoms of pregnancy after estrus ("heat") but who is not actually pregnant. Regardless of the matter, whether a dog had mated or not, a fake pregnancy can nonetheless happen. After an estrus cycle, the majority of intact female dogs will exhibit some symp toms of an unplanned pregnancy. Although it doesn't always accompany an estrus, a fake pregnancy can happen at any age. Clinical indica tions might differ in intensity and duration not only from dog to dog but also from one heat cycle to the next in the same dog. Most of the behaviors that are observed dur ing a pseudopregnancy episode are brought on by prolactin. Additionally, spaying a dog close to the end of estrus can acutely create pseudopregnancy. The ovaries, the source of progesterone, are removed dur ing spaying, which also causes a spike in prolactin. By delaying the procedure for 8–10 weeks after the end of estrus, the likelihood of pseudopregnancy caused by spaying a dog in heat can be decreased.Basically, anything that lowers the blood progesterone level can result in a false pregnancy. When a female undergoes spay surgery, also known as an ovariohyster ectomy, while she is in diestrus, the removal of her ovaries and progesterone-producing tissue may result in a false pregnancy. When progesterone medication is stopped in dogs receiving treat ment for skin, behavioral, and reproductive disorders, the dogs may exhibit symptoms of a false pregnancy. (John Gardiner, Canine Pseudopregnancy, 25 April 2019)
Phantom Pregnancies in Dogs
Dulce P. Tuazon has been feeding stray cats in the Ortigas area every day for so many years now, specially during the pandemic when establishments were closed ad strays had no source of food.
Treatment is not necessary for mild false pregnancy cases, which usually go away in two to three weeks. It is possible to begin symptomatic treatment if the dog exhibits physical illness. This can involve taking antiemetics to reduce nausea and vomiting as well as anorexia, or taking diuretics to lessen fluid retention and mammary secretions. The use of hot or cold compresses on the mam mary glands may also be advised by your veterinarian in order to reduce swelling and the stimulation that encourages lactation. Your veterinarian could recom mend sedatives or tranquilizers if your dog is acting agitated or aggressively. Hormone therapy may be necessary in rare, severe situations. Another method to lessen lactation with false pregnancies is to wrap the dog's mammary region in an elastic bandage and cut their food and drink intake in half for one day. A T-shirt, cone, or inflatable collar may be required for dogs who are licking their nipples and causing them discomfort. Avoid touching or milking your dog's nipples or mammary glands because doing so will increase the amount of milk they produce. (Purina Pro Plan, Signs of False Pregnancy in Dogs, 25 Febru aryFuture2022) instances of fake pregnancy behavior may be avoided by performing a spay procedure, which involves surgically removing the ovaries and uterus. The ideal time to have your pet spayed is after all symptoms have totally subsided. If your dog has a spay procedure while displaying fake pregnancy symptoms, the symptoms may last for a number of weeks following the procedure. About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 14 years now because she is wife to a desaparacido. She and her daughter are animal lov ers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well. just doing her part to help other creations of God. Freya Demavivas, 52, medical frontliner, helps animals “because I feel for them. Doing some thing is better than nothing.” Dulce P. Tuazon has been feeding strays for 10 years now. “I fed more when the pandemic start ed in 2020. It was a ghost town all over because of quarantine. Trash bins were empty so I pity the strays. They cannot even scavenge for food. Since I can't adopt, foster or rescue, feeding them daily is my way of helping the strays Cynthia Santos started helping animals when “I asked help from the group PALS to rescue Hope a mother dog who gave birth in the Marikina City Pound. From then on I have per sonally donated food and bowls to the pound. Then I happened to see the post of Desiree Carlos with regards to the rescue of Quezon City pound dogs to be euthanized. Since then, I have donated and have friends do the same.”
THREE weeks ago, Milky, our dog, started acting strangely. She began to lose interest in food. She was quite antagonistic to nearly all of the other dogs we have on the farm, notably Coco, and she didn't want me to move or touch her bed. And she had a special affection for Gizmo, a five-month-old puppy that we have here. That pup belongs to Coco. After a few days, we noticed that she was getting bigger and her breasts were getting swollen. When we examined them closely, there was milk! Milky was producing milk even though she was not pregnant. We were so puzzled because even though she is not spayed, it was impossible for her to get pregnant. We had her inside the house at most times. And the only times she gets to go outside and meet the other dogs were when we take her out (with a leash) for her walk and her toilet time. My daughter and I got so worried and so, as always, we researched about it. What we learned that made sense with Milky’s situation is that she has what is known as ‘phantom preg nancy’ or ‘pseudo-pregnancy’. What is pregnancy“phantomorpseudo-pregnancy”?
