Manila Standard - 2022 September 20 - Tuesday by Manila Standard

Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he is hoping to hold a bilateral meeting with US President Joseph Biden on the sidelines of the 77th Unit ed Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. “I am hoping to be able to meet Presi dent Joseph Biden and other world lead ers

The longest-serving monarch in Brit ish history died aged 96 at Balmoral, her Scottish Highland retreat, on Sept. 8 after a year of declining health.

In a radio interview, Garcia said they were re fraining from giving their opinion on the “very sen sitive” matter as they wanted to focus first on the Maguindanao plebiscite held on Saturday.

SWS survey: Nearly half of Pinoys see life improve in next 12 months

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to release within the week its legal opinion on who should govern Maguindanao del Norte and Magu indanao del Sur after a plebiscite supported a divi sion of the entire province into two, Comelec Chair man George Garcia said Monday.

“If you notice, no one’s wearing masks,” Biden said, gesturing around the hall. “Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think it’s changing.”

gasoline; P4.15 per liter rollback for diesel, and P4.45 per liter rollback for kerosene. These reflect move ments in the international oil mar ket,” the country’s leading oil com pany said in its advisory.

By on the sides of the UN General As

The last state funeral to be held in Britain was in 1965 for the coun

“After all, our bilateral alliance with the United States is possibly as important a policy as there is in the

IN A letter released by Malacañang on Monday, Marilene C. Acosta has been appointed as acting Chief Ex ecutive Officer of Pag-IBIG Fund, succeeding Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti as head of the country’s leading home

With COVID restrictions largely eliminated in the country and travel having rebounded to pre-pandemic lev els, the comments were reflective of the current status of much of US society.

ic is over,” Biden told the CBS news program “60 Minutes” in an interview taped as he walked the floor of the De troit Auto Show last week.

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THANKING OFWS. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. waves to overseas Filipino workers and other kababayan who filled the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Monday morning (Manila time). Mr. Marcos, Speaker Martin Romualdez, and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (inset) thanked them all ‘for their skill and caring Filipino brand.’ Presidential Photo

“What I can assure you is that the current governor is

“Petron will implement the fol lowing price adjustments effective 6 a.m. on Sep 20: No movement for

Next page Next page Next page Next page Next page Next page Next page

PBBM rallies Filipinos in US MlaStandardtwitter.com/ ManilaStandardPHfacebook.com/ manilastandard.net Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net Calls on them to help revitalize PH and have faith in its bright future Acosta named acting CEO of Pag-Ibig Fund WORLD BIDS FAREWELL TO QUEEN ELIZABETH II VOL. XXXVI • NO. 217 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com WATCH FOR ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2022 By Vito Barcelo AT LEAST 46 percent or nearly half of adult Filipinos are optimistic that their quality of life will improve in the next 12 months despite the lingering COV ID-19 pandemic, a Social Weather Sta tions survey showed. The SWS poll, conducted on June 26 to 29 and the last under the administra tion of then-President Rodrigo Duterte, used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 Filipino adults nationwide. The survey results also showed 40 percent of the respondents saying their quality of life will stay the and 4 percent fear it

Comelec to pick new Maguindanao officials

lutions to revitalize our beloved country, it is not the time to look back at the past. It is now time to look to the future. And the future looks bright. The economy we expect to grow by six and a half to seven and a half percent this year,” Mr. Marcos said in his speech at the New Jersey Per forming Arts Center Monday morning (Manila time).

TAKING A BREAK. A gasoline worker gets a respite at a gasoline station in Makati City on Monday. Pump prices are expected to go down P4.15/liter for diesel and P4.45/liter for kerosene today. Danny Pata

STATE FUNERAL ENDS. Mourners led by Britain’s King Charles III and the Royal Family walk behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as they leave Westminster Abbey in London after the State Funeral Service on Sept. 19. The United Kingdom’s longest-reigning monarch was later interred at Windsor Castle. AFP

sembly. Aside from President Biden, I think we will be able to meet with some other heads of state and as I said some heads of big companies,” Mr. Marcos said in a speech before members of the Filipino community in New Jersey on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

try’s wartime prime minister Winston Churchill.Then,the cranes that once unloaded the spoils of Britain’s vast empire that Elizabeth inherited were lowered in

kerosene, diesel, but gas

RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rallied members of the Filipino community in the US to do their part – through tourism receipts and investments – in helping the economy recover amid the lingering pandemic, even as he assured them that the “future looks bright” with his developmentadministration’splan.“Aswecontinuetosearchformore

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden said in a television interview aired Sunday that the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States is over.

“The pandemic is over. We still have a problem with COVID. We’re still do ing a lot of work on it... but the pandem

QUEEN Elizabeth II was laid to rest on Monday (early Tuesday in Manila), after a grand state funeral attended by lead ers from around the world, and a histor ic last ceremonial journey through the packed streets of London.

Biden US leader believes pandemic over, but local expert says not in PH yet Price cuts

Pres. Marcos hoping to hold bilateral meeting with on unchanged

“We must keep the momentum go ing...To our kababayans here in New York, here in the United States, and to our kababayans all over the world, you will still play a very critical role in the economic transformation of our country.

THE country’s oil firms rolled back diesel and kerosene prices by more than P4 per liter effective 6 a.m. Tues day to reflect the movement of prices in the world market.

By Vito Barcelo, Vince Lopez, and Maricel Cruz

This is the third consecutive week of rollbacks for diesel and kerosene. However, local firms did not move gasoline prices this week.

Biden’s optimism stood in sharp contrast to the cautious view held by an expert in infectious diseases

the world. Most importantly, introduce them to the grace, the kindness, the hospitality, and the graciousness of all Filipinos,” he said.

On September 13, oil companies cut the price of gasoline by P0.45, diesel by P1.45, and P1.70 for kerosene. These resulted in the total year-todate adjustments at a net increase of P16.50 per liter for gasoline, P34.80 per liter for diesel, and P29.90 per liter for

Solante, chairman of Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at San Lazaro Hospital, said community transmission of the corona virus is continuing in the Philippines.

financing agency.

PTT Philippines, Phoenix Petro leum Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, PetroGazz, and Caltex Philippines also announced price cuts.

Solante was reacting to a recent re mark from the World Health Organiza tion that said the end of the pandemic was in sight.

The DOH on Monday also logged 3,119 fresh coronavirus cases—the highest daily number of new infections recorded in the country since Septem ber 10. This comes after eight straight days of fewer than 3,000 new cases, bringing the total nationwide tally to 3,923,727. AFP with Willie Casas

tions is deceptive since many countries have cut back on testing and may not be detecting the less serious cases.

He said what is confirmed is that Biden would host a “traditional” re ception for all heads of state who will be attending the UNGA on Sept. 21 or a day after Mr. Marcos delivers his UNGA speech.

In his pre-departure speech Sun day, he said he also intends to pre sent to the UNGA “the crisis facing our world as opportunities for our nation to take meaningful actions rooted and united by a common pur pose—to promote peace, prosperity, and sustainable development.”

Based on the official plebiscite mu nicipal canvass of votes provided by the Comelec on the Maguindanao plebi scite, 706,558 or 99.27 percent voted in favor of splitting the province in ac cordance with Republic Act No. 1150.

DIGNITARIES

A June 2022 SWS poll that was re leased earlier found that 11.6 percent of Filipino families, or an estimated 2.9 million, experienced involuntary hun ger – being hungry and not having any thing to eat – at least once in the past three months.

He encouraged Filipinos in the US to “do just as much as our diplomats could do by inviting your employers to visit the Philippines not just to enjoy the beauty and hospitality of our country and our people but also to explore possible trade investment opportunities there.”

There are around 4.3 million Filipi nos living and working in the US, ac cording to Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Mr. Marcos said he will “share our views on a number of global concerns and the role the Philippines will play as a responsible member of the fam ily of nations in addressing these con cerns” during the UNGA meeting.

Many ordinary people camped out for days to witness the elaborate spectacle of pageantry and to pay their final respects.

“That’s their decision,” he said.

as an accounting clerk in Pag-IBIG Fund’s Baguio Regional Office.

“Let us reverse the brain drain. Let us bring back the brilliance of Filipinos to the Philippines and help bring the Phil ippines to heights it has not reached be fore,” he said.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Af fairs, however, expressed its “sincere gratitude” for Biden’s support on Monday. AFP

“It is an accepted fact that anonimity involved in prepaid SIM cards consti tutes a major threat to our law enforce ment. Banking and financial frauds, kidnapping, sexual exploitation of children, cyber theft, and other similar crimes have been reported, but remain unsolved due to untraceable nature of disposable SIM cards,” Tiangco said.

Speaker Romualdez assured the Fili pino community in the US of the full and unwavering support of the House of Representatives for the programs of President Marcos meant to improve the country’s economy.

Net personal optimism rose in all ar eas except in Metro Manila.

News

On Monday, more than 2,000 peo ple, including heads of state from US President Joe Biden to Japan’s reclusive Emperor Naruhito, packed Westminster Abbey, the imposing location for royal coronations, marriages and funerals for more than 1,000 years.

SWS attributed the three-point rise in the national net personal optimism score from April 2022 to June 2022 to the increases in Mindanao (+35 to +39), Balance Luzon—or Luzon outside Met ro Manila (+47 to +50), and the Visayas (+25 to +27), combined with a steady score in Metro Manila (+43).

House Bill 14, or the proposed SIM Card Registration Act, aims at prevent ing the proliferation of mobile phone scams, data breaches, and assist law en forcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units.

Speaker Romualdez is the principal author of the approved bill. A similar measure was first introduced more than 12 years ago in the 15th Congress.

Mr. Marcos urged members of the Filipino community to invest in agribusiness ventures as he cited his admin istration’s push to attain food security.

House okays SIM card listup bill

positivity rate, or three times higher than the WHO benchmark of 5 percent.

Even if you are very far from the Philip pines, your beloved country needs you, especially now.”

The President also appealed to Fili pino scientists, engineers, and techni cal experts to return to the Philippines under the Balik Scientist Program of the Department of Science and Tech nology (DOST).

“Expect that we will release it in the next few days. We were asked for a legal opinion or explanation about who will sit as govern ment officials in the newly created province and in the other province,” Garcia said.

governor and congressman Esmael Mangudadatu in the May 9 elections.

“You can encourage your young rela tives back home to take college courses related to agriculture. If you have idle lands in the Philippines, ask your fami lies to take care of them and help them develop them for agriculture. Have them plant ube and calamansi which are in demand abroad, but we have very lit tle supply. Every initiative to secure a bountiful harvest counts,” he added.

According to the latest BSP report, remittances from Filipinos working abroad increased by 2.3 percent yearon-year to reach $3.17 billion in July from $3.17 billion in the same month of The2021.United States remained the big gest source of cash remittances, fol lowed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia. A1

Tensions between China and the US are already higher than usual in the wake of a rare visit to Taiwan by Nan cy Pelosi, a key Biden ally and speaker of the House of Representatives.

“I am grateful for the trust that the Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and our Chair

Acosta, who hails from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, has been with Pag-IBIG Fund since 1981. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Career Execu tive Service Officer (CESO) V, she rose from the ranks since starting her career

In the Philippines, some regions are still classified as “moderate risk” for COVID-19 infection, Solante said.

respect as his coffin was borne up the River Thames by barge.

in the Philippines, who said the end of the pandemic is not yet in sight in thisDr.country.Rontgene

still the governor of one province. People in Maguindanao should await who will be the governor of the other province,” he said in Gov.Filipino.BaiMariam Sangki-Manguda datu is the current governor of unified Maguindanao, having beaten former

For his part, Speaker Martin Romual dez also hailed the Filipino community in the United States for their warm wel come and support to President Marcos.

SWS used the term “optimists” for those who believe their quality of life will improve, “pessimists” for those who think their quality of life will wors en, and “no change” for those who said it will stay the same.

pino overseas to invest in agribusiness ventures in the Philippines and become what they call now agripreneurs, your selves, to help revitalize our country side,” he said.

Accordingkerosene. to the monitoring group of the Department of Energy, world oil prices declined in the past weeks due to demand worries driven by concerns about a US recession as well as China’s intensified COV ID-19 controls.

During her tenure as Pag-IBIG Fund Deputy CEO for Home Lending from March 2017 to September 2022, the agency released consistent recordhighs in housing loans, which then ena bled a record-high number of members to acquire their own homes.

She was to be buried alongside her father king George VI, her mother queen Elizabeth the queen mother, and sister princess Margaret, reu niting in death the family who once

called themselves “us four.”

“I stand here before you today to in voke the quintessential Filipino spirit, the spirit of bayanihan, and to challenge each and every one of you to contrib ute meaningful change back home,” the President added.

mst.daydesk@gmail.comTUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 20, 2022A2

Specifically, net personal optimism is higher among non-hungry families, reaching +43 among adults who belong to families that did not experience hun ger in the past three months.

In passing the proposed law on SIM card registration on second reading, the House approved the recommendation of its committee on information and communications technology chaired by Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco to adopt Speaker Romualdez’s House Bill (HB) 14 “without amendments” as the mother bill, in consolidation with 15 other re latedRomualdez’smeasures. co-authors of Bill No. 14 are Representatives Ferdinand Al exander A. Marcos of Ilocos Norte, and Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre, both of Tingog party-list. Tiangco, Marcos and Acidre spon sored the measure aimed at prevent ing the proliferation of mobile phone scams, data breaches, and assist law en

will worsen. The remaining 11 percent did not give an answer.

He also lauded the vital contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and migrants like the country’s econo my through the dollar remittances they send to their families and relatives in the“AtPhilippines.thisjuncture, when our economy is buffeted by external factors, your re mittances help to cushion the pressure that has been driving down the value of our peso with the unfortunate con sequence of increasing prices of basic commodities,” Romualdez said.

“Weforces.”arewilling to make the biggest sincere efforts to strive for the pros pect of peaceful reunification,” Mao said (See related story on World, page B2 -“AtEditors).thesame time, we will nev er tolerate any activities aimed at splitting the country, and reserve the choice to take all necessary measures.”Washington cut formal diplomat ic relations with Taiwan in 1979, switching recognition to Beijing as the sole representative of China— but it has maintained a decisive, if delicate, role in supporting the is land since.

Price... From

The UN health agency said newly reported cases of the disease fell to the lowest level since March 2020. But it warned that the decline in new infec

Philippines. Our relations with the United States remain strong and I believe we will make them stronger in the coming years,” he added.

Mr. Marcos will be the first Philippine president to deliver a speech in person at the UNGA since the remarks of the late President Benigno Aquino III in 2010.

Those who belong to families that experienced hunger in general posted a +35 net personal optimism, higher than those who belong to families who expe rienced moderate hunger (+34).

Now that Maguindanao has been split into two, Garcia explained that Maguindanao del Norte and Magu indanao del Sur will have their own legal personalities, which will then re quire the appointment of government officials.

BEIJING—Beijing on Monday said President Joe Biden’s latest comments that the United States would defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion “severely violate” Washington’s poli cy towards the island.

forcement agencies in resolving crimes involving the use of mobile phone units.

“We must highlight however, that this act is not going to be a silver bullet against the ongoing scams that have prolifer ated in the last few months, however, this representation is confident that this will serve as a deterrent against unscrupulous people victimizing our felow country men,” Marcos said.

By Maricel V. Cruz

OTING 250-6-1, the House of Representatives led by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Monday passed third and final reading a bill requiring the registration of all postpaid and prepaid mobile phone subscriber identify module (SIM) cards to lessen mobile phone-enabled illegal activities.

Lawmakers pushing for stricter SIM card registration and regulation hope their efforts will bear fruition this time because recent spam text messages have contained even the private information of mobile phone users such as their names. They said the leaking of such information violates the Data Privacy Act. At present, only SIM cards for postpaid mobile sub scriptions are required to be registered.

In an interview with US broad caster CBS that was aired on Sun day, Biden was asked whether US troops would defend Taiwan, and replied “yes,” if it were “an unprec edented attack.”

“I think there are two others that are awaiting confirmation, so he’ll prob ably have at least six to eight meetings with heads of state,” Romualdez said.

Beijing furious at Biden talk on US for Taiwan

Pres. Marcos... From A1 World... From A1 PBBM... From A1 Acosta... From A1 US... From A1 Comelec... From A1 SWS... From A1

“More explicit here than in previous gaffes is the suggestion that the US would send troops to fight for Taiwan, regardless of what Taiwan does,” she wrote, adding that it will “strengthen perceptions that the US is issuing Tai wan a blank check.”

The President is expected to high light his administration’s thrust for economic recovery, food security, and agricultural productivity.

In the six decades since, Britain’s global reach has been much diminished and its place in the modern world has become less certain.

“I also thank outgoing CEO Moti and my fellow Lingkod Pag-IBIG for their support, as well as the Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing De velopers in the Philippines (OSHDP), Inc. and the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA), Inc. for their endorsements.

Meanwhile, 5,209 or 0.73 percent voted “no” to the proposition.

person, DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar have given me on being appointed to this post,” Acosta said in a statement.

Mr. Marcos will be the second speaker of the afternoon session (3:15 p.m. Sept. 20, New York time), follow ingRomualdezHonduras. said the President will likely meet with six heads of state during his week-long trip to the United States, including talks with Japanese Prime Min ister Fumio Kishida, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, and EU President Ursula von der Leyen.

But the country will still dig deep into its centuries of tradition to honor the only mon arch that most Britons have ever known.

After the funeral, the flag-draped coffin of the queen, topped with the ma jestic Imperial State Crown, was taken west to Windsor Castle.

“The June 2022 net personal opti mism score is three points above the very high +39 in April 2022. It is similar to the excellent +42 in December 2021, and just two points below the pre-pan demic level of excellent +44 in Decem ber 2019,” SWS said.

Around 152 other heads of state and government will participate in the HighLevel General Debate, with the theme “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.”

Coronavirus restrictions limited mourners to just 30, led by the queen, a solitary figure in mourning black and a matching face mask.

“It is a challenge. Attaining food sov ereignty is not impossible with your help. I count on our agriculturists, our specialists abroad to contribute to this endeavor. I call on you and other Fili

“As a matter of fact, now that travel is allowed, you yourselves should be balikbayans and book that long overdue trip back home. Let us see each other in the Philippines,” the President said.

Elizabeth’s funeral could not be more different from Philip’s at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, in April last year.

Romualdez, along with other mem bers of the Philippine delegation to the UN, accompanied President Mar cos during his meeting with the Fili pino“Yourcommunity.warmwelcome and expression of strong support certainly serve not only as an inspiration to our President but also an affirmation of the over whelming mandate he carries as he en gages with other world leaders to artic ulate our country’s position on some of the critical issues facing the world today such as climate change, and food secu rity, and rule of law,” Romualdez said.

Biden’s new comments are “danger ous, even if not an official change in policy,” wrote Jessica Chen Weiss, professor of government at Cornell University, on Twitter.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez earlier said a meeting between the two leaders re mains “uncertain.”

China reacted angrily on Mon day, with foreign ministry spokes person Mao Ning telling a regular press briefing: “The US remarks... severely violate the important commitment the US made not to support Taiwan independence, and send a seriously erroneous signal to Taiwanese separatist independ ence

The coffin of her husband, Prince Philip, who died last year aged 99, will also be transferred to lie alongside her.

“All of you are encouraged to bring home your friends to allow them to ex perience for themselves why the Philip pines has become one of the top tour ism destinations in Asia that offers the best islands, the most amazing beaches, and stunning landscapes that cannot be found, cannot be bettered anywhere in

He went on to say that Taiwan makes its “own judgements” about independ ence and the US was not “encourag ing... their being independent.”

Last week, the Department of Health announced that Metro Manila had re verted to a “moderate risk” for COV ID-19 after recording a 16.4 percent

Representing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was his sister, Irene Romual dez Marcos Araneta, accompanied by her husband, Gregorio María Araneta III. AFP with Vince Lopez

The latest figures translate to a net personal optimism score of +42 (per centage of optimists minus percentage of pessimists), which is classified by SWS as “excellent.”

Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE House committee on higher and technical education, chaired by Rep. Mark Go of Baguio City approved a bill scrapping the no permit, no exam policy in schools.

IN BRIEF

THE result of a DNA test showed that the skeletal remains found in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan were that of the missing 22-year-old Jovelyn Galleno, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said.

NBI spokesperson Atty. Giselle Dumlao, quoted by a GMA News report said the NBI conducted a separate crime scene investigation on August 27, where they discovered three pieces of human bones.

AIRPORT authorities appealed to passengers not to bring ﬁrearms and other banned items to avoid ﬂight delays and inconvenience to air travelers, especially this holiday season when the number of passengers are expected to increase.

By Francisco Tuyay

SEN. Francis Tolentino said former Department of Education (DepEd) Sec. Leonor Briones is not yet off the hook in the P2.4billion alleged overpriced and outdated laptops as Sen. Jinggoy Estrada sought a Senate probe on the apparent “splitting of contracts” in the procurement process.

NIA CASE. Benny Antiporda, administrator of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and Atty. Eryl Nagtalon, NIA senior deputy administrator, speak in a brie ng after the agency led a case with the O ce of the Ombudsman against its own legal department for losing a case against Green Asia (story on A4). Manny Palmero rules in favor of Ilocos in land dispute

Panel scraps ‘no permit, no exam’ rule

DNA test shows remains that of Jovelyn Galleno

“Unfortunately,reported.despiteour earnest efforts to advocate for learners with special needs, [the proposed allocation] was not considered in the National Expenditure Program (NEP),” the DepEd said.

The DepEd earlier clariﬁed that it initially proposed a budget of P532 million

The DBM, which is in charge of preparing the NEP, conﬁrmed the DepEd’s initial proposal but noted that it lacked documentation to justify funding for the SPED program.

THE Supreme Court (SC) has denied for lack of merit the petition of the Municipality of Bakun, Province of Benguet against the Municipality of Sugpon, Province of Ilocos Sur, in connection with their dispute over 1,117.20 hectares of land located within their boundaries.

The DepEd also defended its “conﬁdential funds” item included in its budget.

of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Ilocos Sur and Benguet (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) and adjudicated the disputed 1,117.20 hectares of land in favor of the Municipality of Sugpon, Ilocos Sur.

OTS to public: Don’t bring guns to flights

In her complaint-afﬁdavit and in her letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires, Lipanaa claimed that the sexual harassment took place sometime in June 2021 before she dropped off Triambulo in his ofﬁce in Camp Crame.

‘NO’ TO FOSSIL FUEL FINANCING. Filipino climate activists call on fossil fuels nanciers and investors in the ongoing UN Global Compact conference to immediately stop nancing fossil fuel projects and promoting false climate solutions at a rally at the Ninoy Aquino statue in Makati City on September 19. Danny Pata

PNP: Let law takes its course in IAS chief’s harassment case

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) allotted P710.6 billion in the proposedReportsNEP.said education and infrastructure are the top items in the proposed P5.2-trillion 2023 national budget.

to the same set of suppliers and chopping a big contract into smaller ones is prohibited under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it will let the law takes its course on the complaint ﬁled against the force’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) chief Alfegar Triambulo before the Ofﬁce of the Ombudsman.

“The result became available on September 12, 2022 and the result revealed that the DNA proﬁle from the skeletal remain matches with Jovelyn Galleno, based on the proﬁle from its reference or biological parents with a 99.99% probability of relationship,” Dumlao, in the GMA News report, said.

“Let them take the exam. The school can [instead] hold their credentials until they pay the amount [due], or they won’t be allowed to enroll the following semester or year. Kawawa naman ang magaling ang bata, na ready to take the exam,” Go added.

Tolentino: Ex-Education chief not yet off the hook for laptops

DepEd said, adding that it would work with Congress “to ﬁnd other ways” to fund the DepEdprogram.spokesperson Michael Poa, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said the SPED program also had no allocation under the 2021 NEP but was eventually funded under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

(For the reason that the couple has no other children who are missing or dead, except for Jovelyn, we can say that this is Jovelyn Galleno.)

By Maricel V. Cruz

This was corroborated by other documentary evidence, such as Land Classification Map Nos. 3441 and 1298, the Topographic and Administrative Map of Ilocos Sur, and a certification from the officer-in-charge of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which shows that the disputed areas are within the territory of Sugpon.

“While the Department of Education proposed the retention of the line item for the purpose under the FY [fiscal year] 2023 National Expenditure Program, no sufficient documentation was provided to support the same, such as: details of the proposed amount with specific purposes, basis of computations/parameters, status of the ongoing conversion and establishment of Inclusive Learning Resource Centers funded under FY 2021 and FY 2022 GAA,” the DBM said in a separate statement.

Asked if they will conduct a parallel probe that may result in Triambulo’s relief from his post, Azurin said there is no need for it “at this time”.

The department said it initially allocated P532 million for special education (SPED) programs in its proposed budget, ABS-CBN News

tops as its chairperson.

The DepEd also defended the P150million conﬁdential expenses under its proposed 2023 budget, saying such item was “allowed for all civilian ofﬁces” and had a legal basis under a 2015 joint circular issued by the DBM.

Estrada said senators should look into the DepEd’s computer procurement program to determine if it has resorted to the practice of “splitting of contracts” to grant multi-billion peso deals to only a few “favored” suppliers of the agency.

Puerto Princesa Police spokesperson Police Captain Maria Victoria Iquin last month also said that results of DNA examination conducted on the skeletal remains and a swab sample provided by Galleno’s mother yielded a 99.9% match.

“I also noticed that there have been several repeat orders made in favor of these suppliers. Take note that under Section 51 of the IRR [Implementing Rules and Regulations] of Republic Act 9184… the effect of repeat orders is that it dispenses with or foregoes the conduct of competitive public bidding,” he said.

that bagged billions of pesos worth of contracts to supply Chinese-made computers to the DepEd do not even have websites, and their ofﬁces are located in obscure addresses in Manila.

News A3TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, mst.daydesk@gmail.com2022

The bill’s principal author, Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel welcomed the approval of the measure.

Estrada noted that the awarding contracts

On September 1, Dumlao said a forensic team identiﬁed the parents of Jovelyn as a reference sample for the DNA analysis which took 13 days to be completed.

The bill’s oppositor, the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU) executive director and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa chief operating ofﬁcer and president Dr. Raymundo Arcega and Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) managing director Joseph Estrada, said “the no permit, no exam policy is a reasonable regulatory policy and ensures accountability.”

OTS ofﬁcer Joseph Lee Caliwag and airport security screening checkpoint Supervisor Franklin Buscano found the ﬁrearm tucked inside the passenger’s underwear, and the gun bears no serial number.

The OTS turned over the case to officials of Police—Aviation Security Group (Avsegroup) who later filed charges of illegal possession of firearm after the traveler failed to show and provide them appropriate documents. Joel E. Zurbano

DepEd denies ‘cutting’ SPED fund

The Compendium is also a guide to public servants, stakeholders, professionals, and students who aim to increase their proﬁciency on the subject.

MOST WANTED. Members of the Manila Police District (MPD) led by District Director P/BGEN Andre Dizon, presents to Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, Manila’s most wanted for rape known as “Lolo Gener” inside the Manila City hall, on September 19. The suspect reportedly went into hiding for 3 years after preying on the daughters of his live-in partner, ages 2, 6, and 12 years. Norman Cruz

“Sa kadahilanan na wala namang ibang anak ang magasawa na nawawala o namatay, maliban kay Jovelyn, masasabi natin na ito ay si Jovelyn Galleno,” she added.

The lack of allocation for SPED “is a recurring circumstance every year,” the

Reports showed that the passenger, who was bound for Cagayan de Oro, was undergoing the usual screening when an OTS ofﬁcer detected something, prompting him and another ofﬁcer to conduct the screening in private.

before the Ombudsman on Sept. 5. Lipana, a female non-uniformed personnel, also filed falsification of document charges against Triambulo. Aside from Triambulo, also charged with falsification and with the same administrative cases was Chief Inspector Felixberto C. Kabiling, acting chief of PNP’s Administrative and Finance Management Division (AFMD) who allegedly committed such acts in cahoots with the former.

“We should remove this kind of burden [of no permit, no exam] to our students “ Manuel said, noting that schools should unburden the students of worries about ﬁnances ahead of taking exams which can affect them mentally and economically.

“Removing the no permit, no exam policy is also advantageous for the schools so students can take exam on the same day, hindi iyong dun lang sila mage-exam once they already paid their tuition,” Go said.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Under the ruling, the RTC set aside Joint Resolution No. 1, Series of 2014, dated May 12, 2014

“Before, I said none (no liability), but the evidence came out,” said Tolentino who has been presiding over the Senate Blue Ribbon committee chairman on lap-

“The collective zealousness, keen efforts, and professional proﬁciencies of Atty. Mangaoang, Atty. Agaceta, and Atty. Langcay in publishing their scholarly and ﬁnely crafted legal work is truly laudable and praiseworthy,” said Supreme Court Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, one of the honored guests at the book launching. Joel E. Zurbano

However, Tolentino stressed he does not want to implicate or prejudge Briones. He said the presumption of good faith is there but the evidence so far is probably leading to command responsibility.

“Since the case has been filed against our Inspector General IAS, maybe we will just wait because it is now with the Ombudsman. But I intend to talk to our IG IAS so that we can know some details about the events that happened that led to the filing of a case against him),” PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. told reporters in a presser after the flag-raising rites in Camp TriambuloCrame.is facing a complaint for sexual harassment filed by IAS employee Genevieve Lipana represented by her lawyer Ariel Radovan. The case was filed

The Ofﬁce for Transportation Security (OTS) made the appeal as the agency continue to apprehend people carrying prohibited items at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

THE Bureau of Customs has launched its latest comprehensive book on Customs abandonment proceedings during the recent Manila International Book Fair 2022 at SMEX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Go also recommended House Bill 1160 for plenary approval.

HE Department of Education (DepEd) said it did not deliberately exclude funding for programs catering to learners with disabilities under its proposed 2023 budget.

OTS screening personnel recently caught a 40-year old air traveler in possession of undocumented .22-caliber ﬁrearm at NAIA - Terminal 4.

In a decision, the SC’s Third Division through Associate Justice Mario V. Lopez junked the petition for review on certiorari of the Municipality of Bakun assailing the decision dated February 1, 2018, and the resolution dated July 6, 2018, of the Court of Appeals, which in turn upheld the resolutions dated April 28, 2015, and July 27, 2015 of the Regional Trial Court of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, Branch 25.

Go said the schools should allow students to take exams even if they have unpaid school dues. He added the issue of school fees can be a challenge to students with or without the COVID-19 pandemic since unexpected family emergencies could occur.

By Rey E. Requejo

“Based on my research on DepEd’s contracts, I always encounter the names of ASI or Advance Solutions Inc., Columbia Technologies, Reddot Imaging Philippines, Techguru Inc., and Girl Teki Inc.,” Estrada said. “Why are these suppliers so lucky that they almost always win juicy Deped contracts that run into billions of pesos over the years?”

for its SPED program, but it was “not considered in the National Expenditure Plan” despite its “earnest efforts” to advocate for learners with special needs.

The department originally asked for more than P800 billion for 2023 but the

The high court gave weight to the ﬁndings of the RTC and the CA which are supported by the evidence on record, including the Administrative Map of Benguet showing that the disputed area was beyond the territorial area of Benguet and was, in fact, inside the territorial jurisdiction of Sugpon.

The DBM meanwhile said the DepEd’s proposed budget does not include its SPED program because some budget items may still be “realigned” and “modiﬁed.”

He revealed that some of the suppliers

Customs releases book on e ective proceedings

The “Compendium on Customs Abandonment Proceedings” was the second book authored by Ninoy Aquino International Airport Deputy Collector for Passengers Service Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang, and Customs Chief Operations Ofﬁcers Marlon Miranda Agaceta and Tristan Armando III Ferry Langcay following their successful publication of “Compendium on Customs Seizure and Forfeiture Proceedings” in 2021.

The cut led to zero funding for several projects and programs, such as engineering activities for basic education facilities, school health facilities, and the SPED program, ABS-CBN News reported.

The book, published by Central Book Supply, Inc., contained useful literature on specialized ﬁeld of proceedings aimed at honing the competence of the men and women of the Port of NAIA, as well as the Bureau of Customs as a whole, and help in stakeholders compliance through information sharing and dissemination.

“We believe that the policy of no permit, no exam can bar students who have unpaid dues from obtaining their marks regardless of how hard they work for their grades,” Manuel said.

SSS President and chief executive of ficer Michael Regino said the new con tribution payment scheme would allow those in the informal economy to pay contributions for any of the last 12 months in the current month.

Villanueva said the added budget would cover funding for judicial integrity and other personal benefits like adjustment of salaries of their Clerk of Courts.

“I don’t think there will be a problem because we have completed all the prerequisites. We are going to comply with it within the day. We are confident that Mr. Navarro will be granted bail,” she said.

Vito Barcelo and Maricel Cruz

“It does not mean that we go to the extent of the insinuations mentioned by others. As I have said, the statement [of VP Sara] is subject to interpretations, that is why for us we have the basic rule of law,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, the PNP reported no death during anti-drug operations con ducted in the first 17 days of this month, as part of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Sen. Francis Tolentino confronted the High Court about its earlier press release saying the SC is now approving technology-driven courts. if also stated they will proceed with video conferencing even after the pandemic.

BOOK ON FARM SCHOOLS. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. receives from Senator Cynthia Villar ‘A Book of Directory of Farm Schools, Tourist Farms, and Learning Sites in the Philippines’ during the signing of the Executive Order for the Moratorium on the Annual Amortization of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries, on September 13 in Malacanang. Senator Imee Marcos and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella also joined the handover.

They were also accused of inef ficiency and incompetence in the performance of function under Ex ecutive Order No. 292 of the Admin istrative Code of 1987, and violation of the standards of professionalism under RA 7613 of the Code of Con duct of Public Officials and Employ ees.According to Antiporda, Cudal and Domingo filed a wrong legal remedy to save NIA from paying Green Asia Construction & Development Corp. P205,958,119.77.“Thecontractor was at fault for fail ure to deliver the project (completely) for P296,930,340.07. It questioned the (contract) termination. Instead of NIA filing a case against (Green Asia), it only ended its contract,” he told re porters.“Worst, the contractor was the one that filed the case against us. What hurts us most was that we have to pay P205.9 million,” Antiporda added.

“Definitely I have plans to see our

Committee on Accounts Chairperson and Tingog Partylist Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez.undertheydedicationhardemployeesHouse,memberstributeRomualdezMonday.RepresentativesatraisingduringdeliversRomualdezhermessagetheflag-ceremonytheHouseofonpaidtotheoftheitsofficialsandfortheworkandtodutyhaveshownSpeakerMartin Ver Noveno

By Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

age from SSS. They are among the most vulnerable members of our society. By offering them a flexible way of paying their SSS premiums, we provide them greater opportunity to pay social security contributions for all months of a year for full protection through the various benefit and loan programs of SSS,” he said.

Villafuerte measure to revive Con-con via Dec. assembly

By Rio N. Araja

The case is separate from Navarro’s rape case also filed by Cornejo, which stemmed from the incident happened at the Bonifacio Global City in January 2014. The model claimed that the actor raped her in her condominium unit.

“We saw that the current payment schedule for self-employed members, which also includes farmers and fisher folk, is not suitable for them,” he said.

THE Social Security System is encour aging all farmers, fisherfolk, and other self-employed persons in the informal economy to register with SSS and pay their contributions under “a new and more flexible schedule.”

Azurin’s remarks came after DuterteCarpio said the government should show “no mercy” to criminals and terrorists as it aims to enhance coordination and cooperation on national security.

“We want to help our farmers and fishermen to have social security cover

SSS has set a new contribution pay ment scheme aligned with the harvesting seasons of the farmers and fisherfolks.

“You know, the ‘no mercy to criminals’ remarks have different contexts. It can be no mercy to criminals -- we arrest them and jail them. That’s part of no mercy to criminals,” Azurin told reporters.

By Maricel V. Cruz

Out of this figure, one case has been marked as cleared while seven other cases remain under investigation.

“The PNP is also grateful for the re sponsiveness of the senators to PNP proposals that will establish an efficient system of monitoring and identification of alien workers in the POGO industry as well as the exercise of visitorial pow ers by PNP Units to inspect and account for security personnel and systems em ployed in POGO firms, some of whom have been reported to be active partici pants in some kidnapping and illegal de tention complaints,” Azurin said.

Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte on Monday called on the 19th Congress to assemble a Constitutional Convention (Con-Con) by December 2023 at the earliest to work economic and political reforms to the 1987 Constitution.

News A4 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

The PNP chief, meanwhile, thanked the Senate for appreciating its actions to resolve kidnapping cases involving

THE proposal to amend the 1987 Con stitution is being revived at the House of Representatives.InfilingHouse Bill 4926, Camarines

If a farmer pays his SSS contributions on Oct. 28 under the new program, he could still pay his monthly contributions in the past 12 months before October 2022 or from October 2021 to September 2022.

Villanueva also told the Senate panel chaired by Sen. Sonny Angara that the Bar exams would remain digitalized and regionalized.TheSCofficial said next year’s budget will focus on the High Court’s three strategic plans — efficiency, innovation, and access.

Under the existing payment deadline of remittances, self-employed members such as farmers and fisher folk who would pay their contributions on Oct. 31, 2022 can only pay their monthly contri butions for July to September 2022.

In HB 4926, to be known as the “Constitutional Convention Act,” Villa fuerte proposed that the members of the would-be Con-Con assigned the task of studying amendments and revisions to the 35-year-old Charter be elected in the next nationwide balloting.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III and other senators aired their support to the appeal for a budget increase. Pimentel, also a lawyer, stressed this would amount to compensation for the hard work of the people in the country’s judiciary.Heacknowledged the lawyers, judges, and justices “for addressing conflicts and giving solutions and endings to them.”Associate Justice Midas Marquez said the SC has committed to put satellite connections in far-flung areas to reach more people needing their services. He said they have also been talking to satellite providers.

While admitting they still have no budget for the acquisition of budgets that will be used for continuing teleconferencing, Marquez said they already have the computers, which they had procured annually.

At a briefing in Quezon City, NIA Administrator Benny Antiporda said Legal Services acting manager Lloyd Allain Cudal and lawyer Mary Anna belle Domingo are now facing a con solidated complaint of gross inexcus able negligence under Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Rep. Luis Ray mund Villafuerte, principal author of the measure, welcomed the bill’s approval at the committee level.

NIA sues own lawyers for P206-m case

Supreme Court asks Senate to hike ’23 budget by P2.8b

Meanwhile, the House of Rep resentatives committee on jus tice has approved consolidated bill proposing P1.2 billion for the Bureau’s Immigration Trust Fund (ITF) to “modernize this agency, touch up its pay scales, and further professionalize its officers plus rank and Camarinesfile.”Sur

Macon Ramos-Araneta

ImmigrationchiefvowsmodernizedBIservices

Navarro turns himself in to NBI after Taguig court issues warrant

NOONTIME television host and comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro gave himself up to the National Bureau of Investiga tion on Monday after a court in Taguig City issued a warrant of arrest in connection with the acts of lasciviousness case filed against him by model Deniece Cornejo.

In a press briefing on Monday at Camp Crame, Azurin also reported that

The amount, he said, would also cover the budget for the conduct of the Bar examinations next year.

In an interview with radio station DZBB, Navarro’s legal counsel Alma Mallonga expressed confidence that her client will be released as soon as possible.

PNP chief to temper Sara’s ‘no mercy to criminals’ call

Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).Azurin said the PNP Anti-Kidnap ping Group has solved nine of the 17 POGO-related kidnapping cases re ported since January this year.

Rio N. Araja

The Taguig City Metropolitan Court Branch 116, which rec ommended a P36,000 bail for the actor’s temporary liberty, stated that it finds probable cause for the trial of the case.

TALKING IT OVER. Actor and TV host Vhong Navarro speaks to his lawyer after he surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation office at Quezon City on September 19 after a Taguig court issued an arrest warrant against him. Manny Palmero

PHILIPPINE

NEWLY installed Bureau of Im migration Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco vowed to implement many reforms to improve the ser vices of the Tansingco,bureau.who took his oath of office before Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Mon day, said: “We are looking at ways to modernize the bureau, both in terms of technologies and of ser vices.”Upon assumption, he conducted ocular inspections at BI’s main of fice and at its frontline operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.Tansingco is the first appointed Commissioner that came from the ranks. He worked at the BI from 2007 to 2017, holding several key posts including Chief of Staff and technical assistant of the Office of the Commissioner, and as a lawyer of the BI Board of Special Inquiry. He is a certified public account ant and was admitted to the Philip pine Bar in 1991.

a total of 1,952 drug suspects were ar rested in 1,790 operations from Sept. 1 to The17. operations also resulted in the seizure of 67.8 kilograms of shabu, 194 kgs. of marijuana products, and 701,000 fully-grown marijuana plants.

THE National Irrigation Administra tion has filed a criminal and admin istrative complaint against its own chief legal officer and another agency lawyer before the Office of the Om budsman after the Court of Appeals ordered NIA to pay a private contrac tor nearly P206 million.

Vice President. Whether she is the OIC (officer-in-charge) or not. I’ve been just busy the past few days but that’s one part of my to-do list, I have to see the VP,” he Azurinadded.saidthe PNP follows the basic rule of law.

That is either the one to be re-sched uled for selecting our barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials or the midterm elections for legislators and local executives due three years from now.Villafuerte said among the three op tions allowed for Charter Change under the 1987 Constitution, the “most trans parent and trustworthy” manner of in troducing needed constitutional reforms is through the election of delegates to a Con-Con, in lieu of the Congress con vening itself into a Constituent Assem bly (Con-Ass) or directly by the people themselves through the “People’s Initia tive.”“The Con-Ass route is not likely to get from Point A to Point B, given that this available process for Charter Change is likely to be sidetracked by the expected ly protracted national debate on whether the 1987 Constitution actually re quires senators and House members to vote separately or jointly on proposed constitutional amendments and/or revi sions,” Villafuerte said.

Azurin said the PNP does not need to scare criminals and that the police force values life and its position is in line with the guidance of the President, which is to ensure the safety of the public.

“We are looking into ways of modernizing the Bureau through e-services and man-less transac tions. Not only will this raise the level of the agency, but it will also serve as a major deterrent for illicit activities by removing opportuni ties for corruption,” said Tansing co.“We will also be pushing for the new immigration law that will update the 82-year-old Philippine immigration act to ensure that we adapt to modern times,” he added.

New SSS scheme for informal economy workers

National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Ro dolfo Azurin Jr. on Monday said he intends to meet with Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio to explain the force’s current approach against lawless elements.

LAUDED.HOUSE

THE Supreme Court (SC) is asking senators for an additional P2.8 billion budget for next year after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) slashed the judiciary’s proposed allocation of P74.18 billion down to only P52.7Duringbillion.yesterday’s Senate Finance committee hearing, SC Administrator Raul Villanueva said that of the P2.8billion budget increase, P1.87 billion would be allocated for the SC, lower courts, and personnel; P567 million for the Court of Appeals (CA), and P124 million for the Sandiganbayan.

Competition will always be beneficial to view ers and to the industry as a whole, if only to provide all viewers better and wholesome programs. I bid ALLTV of Villar all the luck.•••

It’s no wonder that BBM’s chief legal counsel, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, blocked right away the reported plan of the resigned ES to carve out for himself a new and powerful position in Malacanang amid reports he is on his way out.

Or was it September 23, when Marcos’s Press Secretary announced it on radio, reading the text of Proclamation 1081?

It is more important now that all these have led us to the son of the dictator again sitting, sleeping, living, and invading the Malacañang Palace. We must never forget so that we may never again suffer the same fate.

I encourage everyone to watch these films and to join other forums and activities commemorating this 50thTheseanniversary.arejust a few examples and sources to get started which already show that we do not need to have been there to stand against the untruths and injustices.Butafter hearing how atrocious, violent, and scarring martial law is, why must we never forget? Would it not be easier if we did?

But now, another product aside from cigarettes is on the beam: the vaporized e-cigarette , or VAPE. Santa Banana, did you know that there are around 17.3 million adult smokers in the Philippines? That’s 28 percent of the entire population! Incidentally, seven out of 10 of these smokers say that they want to

which will be given every hour to lucky viewers.

A day we must never forget

the world, the numbers show that vaping is an effective way to ease the transition from traditional cigarettes to quitting.

tial law: 3,240 known extrajudicial killings, 34,000 documented tortures, 70,000 imprisonments, and 77 recordedDutertedisappearances.ofcoursesurpassed the number of extraju dicial killings but that is not necessarily something the Marcos regime can be proud of.

Published 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 8-5646225 and 8-5646229 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 8325550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net MEMBER Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine NewspapersPPI can be accessed manilastandard.netat: 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 ManilaStandard ONLINE Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors Joyce Pangco Pañares News Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Desaparesidos, a novel by Lualhati Bautista, chronicles the experience of a desaparecido who was tortured and eventually incarcerated. It follows the life of a mother who finds it hard to move past the pain brought by Marcos’s martial law.

Diplomatic officials say there is a ‘very strong diction’ on the rule of law and the rule of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in what the President may say

so long as vaping products are monitored and they follow the Smokinglaw.harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Nearly one-third of deaths from heart disease are the result of smoking and second handBeforesmoke.Imarried my wife, I was addicted to smok ing.In my generation, most men and women smoked.

Santa Banana, Juan Ponce Enrile as chief legal counsel said that Rodriguez has no power to super vise nor have control over any government depart ment office and no power whatsoever to represent theAsPresident.Executive Secretary, Rodriguez reportedly made some illegal appointments without the Presi dent’s approval. This is definitely corruption.

But during my honeymoon, when I got a cigarette from my pocket to smoke, my wife right away said, “I didn’t know you smoke.”

THIS week, we remember the declaration of martial law 50 years ago.

rent brownouts which disrupt people’s livelihood, businesses and other activities of daily life.

As I said, the Rodriguez issue has become BBM’s acid test, and unless he does something to show the people that he cannot tolerate graft and corruption un der his reign, I am afraid that the people may just get disappointed with President Marcos. He must, and I repeat, Santa Banana, he must show zero-tolerance against Rodriguez, not only to fire him, but let the chips fall where they may. Santa Banana, as Fr. Aquino said, with people like Rodriguez close to the President, BBM does not need enemies!

One of the best gifts given me during my birth day last September 15 was a beautiful poem writ ten by no less than my Opinion Editor. That made myWithday. the permission of my Opinion Editor, Mr. Honor Blanco Cabie, I would like to share the poem he dedicated to me, the oldest living journalist today.

As Bernardine and I also pointed out, it’s impor tant to note that these are just the recognized ones, meaning that the numbers are even higher when we consider the cases that went unrecorded.

•

dressed the UN General Assembly – in 2020 and 2021 virtually – in pre-recorded videos, and in 2010 President Benigno Aquino III also addressed the assembly in person, a decade before the pandemic.

This means the President will also speak before an economic briefing that aims to bring in investments for the Philip pines – at the Philippine Economic Brief ing which is expected to attract institution al investors, senior corporate executives, business analysts, and even academics, think tanks, and entrepreneurs.

Still sound with Olympia @95 a gleaming milestone here at ninety-five the man,* whose muse olympia,** is there by his side when thoughts galore are in a cry; the faithful muse well makes him quite alive. had seen enough of valley’s slopes and plains,

In like manner, the President has con firmed he will meet with UN Secretary General António Guterres and leaders of long-standing and important partners

Was it on September 22, a day later, when the po lice and military started arresting opposition person alities and activities?

Liway, a film by Kip Oebanda, shows a fam ily who spent years in prison together because they fought against the Marcoses.

At least four provinces experienced power inter ruptions – Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pampanga, and Zambales – as the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines placed the Luzon grid under red alert on September 12.

includes meeting with the Filipino community at the New Jer sey Performing Arts Center. New York alone has nearly 145,000 in New York, not to mention those attending the meet ing from Florida, New Jersey and Vir ginia.This year’s UN General Assembly is significant as it is the first one to be held completely in person since the world wide pandemic began in March 2020.

World leaders from 150 nations will also have a chance to listen to the man, the son of the president whose name he carries who addressed the UN General Assembly a day short to the day he him self addressed in person the world body on September 21, 1966, discuss his ad ministration’sExpectationspriorities.arehigh that Mr. Marcos will identify the challenges confronting this country of 114 million people and the solutions to address them, the role of the United Nations – as stressed 56 years ago as well before the assembly by his then 49-year-old father – and how the this multi-ethnic and multilingual coun try intends to contribute to these efforts.

PENELCO’s excuses cannot jus tify the adverse effects of the brownouts on Bataan’s eco-tourism, as well as the agro-industries of the province with over 854,000 population.

As to how far will Villar’s ALLTV go to provide competition to GMA-7 and TV-5 is anybody’s guess, but for all intents and purposes, competition is good for the industry and for all viewers.

It even becomes more pertinent that we remember now that disinformation, historical denialism and the Marcosian myth permeates our very consciousness.

PEOPLE are awaiting feedback from the Depart ment of Energy which said it was “verifying” the cause of the forced outages in Luzon last week.

It has long been known that smoking cigarettes is a kind of addiction.

To remember is to memorialize those who sacrificed their safety and personal desires so that future generations would not suffer what they did

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

EDITORIAL

had brushed as well his elbows with the men and women high there with his restless pen, his thoughts are clear in those connected chains. by the gregorian calendar, he’s now the oldest living journalist in land of morning, child of sun returning -- quite a record which should quickly make him bow. in his olympia must a magic wand be, and companion to his mental might.

But as I recently wrote with colleague Bernardine de Belen, “as terrible as this already sounds, from lies to theft to repression to corruption, the history of mar tial law gets worse as we dig deeper.”

Acid test for BBM

President Rodrigo Duterte twice ad

Ironically, they are back at the palace which calls us even louder to fight again, to continue remember ing, and to speak the truth. We find ourselves again at the precipice of history, what do we do now?

There is some debate on when martial law was declared, as esteemed historian Ambeth Ocampo has writtenWasrecently.itonSeptember 21, 1972 which is the date indicated in Proclamation No. 1081?

DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla assured the pub lic there was no fuel supply constraint in connection with the “simultaneous forced outages” of several powerMyplants.goodfriend Sec. Lotilla told the President he is not happy, just like anyone else, with these constant power outages nationwide. He vowed to do some thing to stop these series of brownouts in the prov inces.Very clearly, one of the priorities of the administra tion of President Bongbong Marcos is the electrifica tion of all inhabited areas of the country, particularly agricultural communities.

In his interviews before and after his overwhelm ing election victory, he consistently emphasized the importance of providing electricity to every Filipino family in this day and age of digital technology.

Apparently, PENELCO has provided “the usual reasons” for the power outages, such as trip service lines stricken by lightning and line clearing and tree-

stop.Across

Honor Blanco Cabie, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 B1Opinion

The electric cooperative’s perennial dismal per formance merely tends to duplicate its predecessor BATELCO’s aggravation of the member-consum ers.PENELCO must improve its services in no time to regain member consumers’ trust by minimizing the ridiculous scheduled and unscheduled power interruptions.Theelectric cooperative must prove itself worthy of its franchise by upgrading the maintenance of its poles, service lines and substations to keep intact the flow and steady supply of electricity in all areas. Its board of directors must realize that if this trend continues, all its previous accomplishments would be meaningless.Clearly,PENELCO must shape up and get its act together or relinquish its franchise.

Second, the lack of government regulation and overall implementing rules bothered me. Filipinos are known to be “innovators,” so there were many cases where sub-standard, fly-by- night products were being Thankfully,sold.Republic Act 1190, or the VAPE Law, addressed these concerns. Apart from age and stan dardized use restrictions, even its flavor descriptors are now strictly monitored.

We observed: While corruption ensued, media was repressed, cronies were favored, lies were propa gated, shoes were collected, Filipinos’ human rights were also being directly violated. We quote an Amnesty International report that documented the human rights abuses during mar

It is a shame that some entities in the business of distributing electricity have performed poorly instead of meeting the electrification challenge of PBBM.

ALLTV airs on Channel 2 on free TV and Planet Cable, Channel 35 on Cignal TV and Skycable, Channel 32 on GSAT, Channel 23 on Cablelink, and Channel 2 on other cable TV providers.

The law also assigns inter-agency functions and cooperative duties to ensure that all vape products in the market are 100 percent safe.

The movies had a big influence on my addiction because all the movie stars smoked.

Thisbrownouts.isnoless than disconcerting news in view of the country’s post-pandemic recovery efforts in which access to electricity is a salient necessity.

ML, a film by Benedict Mique, depicts the level of brutality of the state force during martial law.

One entity that has failed miserably in fulfilling its mandate is the Peninsula Electric Cooperative (PENELCO), which holds the franchise to operate in the province of Bataan until the year 2040.

Another expected gleam in the Presi dent’s US trip is the official intent to bring in investments for the country’s economic recovery, with the country, given its more robust domestic activi ties, poised to grow 5.7 percent in 2022 and 5.6 percent on average in 2023-24 amid intensifying global uncertainties.

To add more fun and excitement, ALLTV will give a variety of extravaganzas, dance shows and song numbers in addition to cash and big prizes,

With these large statistics, we must remind our selves that martial law victims are more than just numbers.These are fellow Filipinos, most of them political rivals, student activists, journalists, religious workers, farmers, peasant organizers; most of them fought the dictator.Many works continue to record this history of hu man rights abuses during martial law, not just through documents but also through art.

The 50th year of martial law is not a cause of cel ebration. It is not a jubiliee. It is a day of remembrance of a day and many days of violence. It is a remem brance of how our country has been plundered. It is a day we must never forget.

of the Philippines and discuss with them opportunities for stronger cooperation in food security, agriculture, renewable energy, and climate change which are among the key priorities of his admin istration.Hisschedule

• •

ALLTV has also signed a news content license agreement with CNN Philippines.

The British College of Physicians has promoted the use of e-cigarettes for harm reduction, and a 2017 study argued that vaping could save millions of lives.

There are numerous victims who continue to find it hard to recount their experiences, and this is com pletely understandable. We should not police individuals who have been abused and violated in unimaginable ways on how to deal with their trauma.

planting.Unfortunately,

The 65-year-old President Marcos, on his third trip overseas – he was previ ously in Indonesia and Singapore – since his inaugural on June 30, is expected to tackle climate change, the rule of law, and food security during the high-level general debate themed “a watershed moment, transformative solutions to in terlocking challenges.

Among the stars of ALLTV are Willie Revillame, Toni Gonzaga, Mariel Rodriguez, Ciara Sotto and broadcaster Anthony Taberna.

I must admit that at first I had two major concerns regarding the use of vape in the Philippines.

While the products themselves can have flavors, their varieties cannot be marketable to young people.

issue has become BBM’s acid test, and unless he does something to show the people that he cannot tolerate graft and corruption under his reign...the people may just get disappointed with President Marcos

“There’s a new kid on the block,” as the saying goes.Iam referring to the launching of a new radio-tele vision network -- the ALLTV, owned by tycoon and real estate magnate Manuel Villar that will definitely provide competition to GMA-7 which is now domi nating the industry and the market.

For sure, we commemorate martial law’s decla ration this week. And commemorate we must. Be cause Proclamation 1081 is not just a legal document; it had real consequences for people and country.

THE case of President Bongbong Marcos’s resigned Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez has become his acid test, coming as it does within the first 100 days of hisThepresidency.factthatPresident Marcos Jr. reassigned Ro driguez as Chief of Staff to the President with a Cabi net rank and emoluments has made matters from bad to worse for BBM.

Website; tonylavina.com.

But diplomatic officials say there is a “very strong diction” on the rule of law and the rule of the United Nations Con vention on the Law of the Sea or UN CLOS in what the President may say.

Brownouts hinder business recovery

Indigo Child, a play by Rody Vera, shows the scars that remain even years after a victim is tortured and how this can cause riffs in the family.

One member-consumer engaged in tourism promotion told me that power interruptions have been more frequent than internet connection inter ruptions.Howcan one provide satisfactory tourism servic es at Bataan’s historic sites without electricity?

*born in dolores, abra on sept 15, 1927, he is the oldest living filipino journalist, beating the record of nestor mata, another ilocano from ilocos norte in northern philippines, who died at 92 in 2018. **starting in berlin in 1903, an already established general electric company (AEG) sought to capitalize on the growing typewriter market.

PENELCO must improve its services in no time to regain member consumers’ trust by minimizing the ridiculous scheduled and unscheduled power

A DOE team was to conduct “actual physical spot checks and validate the condition of the transmission lines and affected power plants” following the wide spread

Addiction to smoking is a flaw of character, but vaping can help stop smoking. Santa Banana!

Primitivo Mijares, in his book The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, describes what happened during martial law: “The corruption of the martial regime is not confined to the insatiable acquisition of the country’s material resources, but extends to the exercise of power it self.“Having proclaimed martial law, he proceeded to bribe, coerce and/or intimidate the Constitutional Convention members into drafting a new charter dic tated by Mijares,him.”who used to be Marcos Sr.’s most trusted confidante, later disappeared and was never found while his son, Luis Manuel Mijares, was killed shortly after.

The son also speaks

• • •

I told her that I had been hiding my smoking from her. She said “ Smoking is a crutch” and added “It shows the character of a person who needs a crutch.” From then on I quit smoking cold turkey.

THE small hours of Wednesday morning, Manila time, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will address the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the first from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations – with hell-bent ears from Asia and elsewhere.

A legal scholar who writes a column in another newspaper, Dean of the San Beda Graduate School of Law Fr. Ranhilio Aquino was aghast over Ro driguez’s attempt to act as President with a Special Order granted to himself that would give him powers of theNoPresident.wonder,critics of BBM are going to town in social media that graft and corruption has surfaced this early within the first 100 days, my gulay, of the Marcos administration.

Weforget.must never forget because it is a disrespect to those who fought so that we may be free from the clutches of the Marcos dictatorship. To remember is to memorialize those who sacri ficed their safety and personal desires so that future generations would not suffer what they did.

First, it is too appealing to the youth and could have the opposite effect of being a gateway to smok ing. My gulay, during its early stages, there were dif ferent candy flavors. This was a sweet trap intended for young consumers, Santa Banana!

The other ASEAN leader to deliver his country’s statement at the General debate this year is Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan of Singapore.

The Department of Trade and Industry and the Food and Drug Administration are mandated to es tablish technical standards for the security, reliability andThusquality.vaping is a good alternative to quit smoking,

interruptionsTheRodriguez

However, collectively as the Filipino people, in solidarity with all the victims who choose to continue to speak out as well as those who can’t, we must never

Asia’s ears will also be on the Presi dent if he would discuss in his speech the country’s assertion on the West Phil ippine Sea and uphold a 2016 decision by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration that favored Manila’s dip lomatic protest against Beijing’s sweep ing claims in the South China Sea.

There have been mounting complaints from member-consumers against PENELCO over recur

of sanctions relief. Three years later, Donald Trump pulled out and reimposed sweeping sanctions. President Joe Biden supports a return but Iran’s call for guarantees has become a sticking point, with the Democratic administration saying it is impossible in the US system to say what a future president would do.

Biden reelectionhedgesChina,warnsRussia,on

Under a law passed by Congress, the United States is required to sell Taiwan

in the capital Taipei, a day after a more powerful tremor killed one person and injured around 150 others.

This was not the ﬁrst time that Biden has declared US forces would take part in a war between China and Taiwan, with the White House appearing to walk back his comments afterward. The previous time was in May during a visit to Japan.

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden said Sunday that US forces would defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion, while the White House said Washington’s policy was unchanged.

“In the face of China’s military expansion and provocative actions, our government will continue to strengthen self-defense capabilities to ﬁrmly resist the expansion and aggression of authoritarianism, and at the same time deepen the close Taiwan-US security partnership,” the ministry said in a statement.

least one person was killed. Four others were rescued from a collapsed building, while authorities said a total of 146 suffered injuries.

“Even a tiny amount of additional rainfall could cause the water level to increase, so please remain vigilant about ﬂooding and landslides,” Yoshiyuki Toyoguchi from the land ministry toldStill,reporters.giventhe intensity of the storm, which came ashore packing gusts of up to 234 kilometres (145 miles) an hour, damage appeared relatively limited so far.

Fiona will go down as a “catastrophic event due to the impacts of ﬂooding” in Puerto Rico’s central mountainous region, east and south, Pierluisi tweeted, adding that 9-13 inches (23-33 centimeters) of rain had fallen in just ﬁve hours.

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden issued forceful warnings to China and Russia on Sunday and expressed optimism over the US economic rebound, but surprised many by hedging on whether he’ll seek reelection.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Hurricane Fiona knocked out power across Puerto Rico Sunday before making landfall, dumping torrential rain and wreaking “catastrophic” damage in several areas of the US island territory before spinning off towards the Dominican Republic.

The most powerful, a 6.9-magnitude quake, struck on Sunday afternoon, tearing up roads and bringing down a handful of houses in the town of Yuli where at

SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica—At least nine people were killed and four left missing when a bus and two other vehicles plunged into a ravine in a mountainous part of Costa Rica, the Red Cross reported Sunday.

But he said: “It needs to be lasting. There needs to be “Weguarantees.”cannottrust the Americans because of the behavior that we have already seen from them. That is why if there is no guarantee, there is no trust,” he told CBS News’ “60 Minutes” program.

After the interview, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its “sincere gratitude” for Biden’s support.

But Raisi said Trump’s pullout showed that US promises are “meaningless.”

military supplies to ensure its self-defense against Beijing’s vastly larger armed forces.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Standard TODAY CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO Email:MANDALUYONGSHERIFFCITYrtc1mdlocc@judiciary.gov.phHotline:639952598147 SECURITY BANK CORPORATION, Mortgagee, FRE-MC22-1480 EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY ACT 4118 VANDAM C. PERALTA, x----------------------------------------------------------xMortgagor-Debtor, NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118 filed by SECURITY BANK CORPORATION, Mortgagee, against VANDAM C. PERALTA, with given address at Burbank 2, Unit 8E, California Garden Square, D.M. Guevarra Street, Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila and Unit A, 2nd Floor, California Garden Square Condominium, El Dorado, Tower 2, Domingo Guevarra Street, Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of August 12, 2022, amounts to ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND FOUR HUDRED THIRTY-EIGHT PESOS & 43/100 (Php 1,735,438.43) ONLY Philippine Currency, representing total obligation secured by the Mortgage, inclusive of interest, penalty and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 11th day of October 2022 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the condominium unit together with all the improvements existing thereon to wit: CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. -008-2018001329Registry of Deeds – City of Mandaluyong CLUSTER : EL DORADO TOWER : 2 LEVEL : 2/F UNIT : A TYPE : 2BR AREA (SQ.M.) : 57.50 PERCENT PARTICIPATION (%): 0.03% OF THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN SQUARE CONDOMINIUM PROJECT In the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-TWO (33, 492) Square Meter more or less xxxxxxxx.“Allsealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.” “In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on October 26, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. soon thereafter without further notice.” Prospective bidders or buyer are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said real property and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Mandaluyong City, Philippines, September 1, 2022. FOR THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF (Sgd.)By: LUCY LILIBETH A. ALCABA Sheriff IV Copy furnished: LARIBA PEREZ MANGROBANG MIRALLES DUMBRIQUE FULGENCIO SALAS and REGONDOLA Counsel for the Applicant-Mortgagee Security Bank Corporation 4th Floor, Security Bank Centre Building 6776 Ayala Avenue, Makati City VANDAM C. PERALTA Burbank 2, Unit 8E, California Garden Square, D.M. Guevarra Street, Barangay Hills, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila / Unit A, 2nd Floor, Calinfornia Garden Square Condominium, El Dorado, Tower 2, Domingo M. Guevarra Street, Barangay Hills, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law. (MStandard - Sep. 6, 13 & 20, 2022) Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late deceased ALFREDO A. DELA CRUZ has been extrajudicially settled among his heirs WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS consisting of TCT No. T-28543 and TCT No. T-28544 both situated at Bayabat, Amulung, Province of Cagayan before Notary Public ATTY. JOE F. MAGPILI, Doc. No. 178; Page No. 37; Book No. IX; Series of 2022 (Quezon City). (MS SEPT. 6/13/20, 2022) (MS-APRIL 27/MAY 4/11, 2022) “All sealed or SETTLEMENTOFESTATE

hitsstorm‘Catastrophic’FionaPuertoRico

“As of now, we know of nine people who did not have vital signs,” the Red Cross tweeted after the accident, adding that four people remain missing.Thebus was traveling between San José and Guanacaste Province with 47 people on board, the owner of the transport company, German Alfaro, told Costa Rican daily La Nacion.

TWISTED BRIDGE. An aerial view shows the collapsed Kaoliao bridge in eastern Taiwan’s Hualien county on September 19 following a 6.9 magnitude earthquake on September 18. AFP

The bus, car and motorcycle slid into the 75-meter-deep (245-foot) ravine on Saturday when heavy rain caused a landslide at the El Hundimiento mountain pass, around 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of the capital San RescueJose.services have pulled around 50 survivors, including the bus driver, from the gorge, according to the Costa Rican Social Security in charge of the country’s public health services.

Asked how to deﬁne victory for Kyiv, he said “winning the war in Ukraine is to get Russia out of Ukraine completely.” AFP

“But power is out in some places... we’re also hearing from many residents that electrical wires have been severed and trees have been toppled,” he said, declining to be named.

In addition, the entire territory of more than three million people lost power as the hurricane neared, with Pierluisi reporting the electrical system out of Althoughservice.the hurricane’s eye is now off the territory’s coast, destructive rain and devastating ﬂash ﬂoods are expected to buffet the islands overnight before dealing a blow to the Dominican Republic on Monday.

Asked by the CBS “60 Minutes” program whether US troops would defend Taiwan, Biden said “yes,” if it were “an unprecedented attack.”

Following his Tokyo assertion that “yes,” US forces would be involved, Biden was subsequently asked if the strategic ambiguity concept was dead and he replied: “no.”

AFP

Ofﬁcials from the Japan Meteorological Agency warned that in Miyazaki prefecture, where some areas saw more rainfall in 24 hours than they normally receive in all of September, river levels were high.

In another tough message to the United States’ biggest economic and geopolitical rival, Biden said he had warned President Xi Jinping not to support Russia militarily in its invasion of Ukraine. He said he told Xi that US and other foreign investment in China would be disrupted and to think otherwise would be “a gigantic mistake.”

“We have been abandoned for years,” Gilber Martinez told television station Canal 7.

Rural and sparsely populated southeastern Taiwan has been rattled by a series of jolts since Saturday.

Surveying the state of the world’s largest economy, Biden was optimistic. He declared the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States “over” and predicted that his administration would tame inﬂation—the main reason for his weak approval ratings and the reason Republicans believe they can take control of Congress in the upcoming November midterms.

Biden praised the Ukrainians for their gritty ﬁght against the huge Russian invasion and said “they’re defeating Russia.”

Former president Barack Obama negotiated the agreement under which Iran drastically scaled back nuclear work in return for promises

The parties to the 2015 deal—which also included Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia—saw it as the best way to stop the Islamic republic from building a nuclear bomb— a goal Tehran has always denied.

Each time Biden has raised the possibility of US troops ﬁghting to protect Taiwan, China has reacted furiously. AFP

Rare “special warnings” for Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, issued only when weather events seen every few decades are forecast, have been downgraded. AFP

“Flooding is affecting some areas as well,” he added, saying that ofﬁcials “believe there are still many details of the damage we’re yet to grasp”.

“But is it a ﬁrm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen,” he said. “It’s much too early,” Biden said, calling himself “a great respecter of fate.”

Asked if the latest statement from Biden signaled a change in that strategic ambiguity, a White House spokesman said: “The president has said this before, including in Tokyo earlier this year. He also made clear then that our Taiwan policy hasn’t changed. That remains true.”

“We’re going to get control of inﬂation,” he said.

But Washington has maintained what is ofﬁcially called “strategic ambiguity” on whether it would intervene militarily. The policy is designed both to ward off a Chinese invasion and discourage Taiwan from ever provoking Beijing by formally declaring independence.

Landslides, blocked roads, fallen trees and power lines, as well as a collapsed bridge in the town of Utuado in the central mountainous region were among the destruction already levied by Fiona, Governor Pedro Pierluisi told an evening press conference.

Iran leader eyes US ‘guarantees’ on nuke deal

“Rainfall amounts will produce catastrophic life-threatening flash floods and urban flooding across Puerto Rico and portions of the eastern Dominican Republic, along with mudslides and landslides in areas of higher terrain,” the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. AFP

He also said that if Russian President Vladimir Putin uses nuclear or other non-conventional weapons against Ukraine the US response will be “consequential.”Whenasked what he would tell Putin if the Russian leader was mulling such a move, he said: “Don’t. Don’t. Don’t.”

NEW YORK—Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi demanded US “guarantees” it will not withdraw again from a nuclear deal if it is revived ahead of his debut visit to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, aftershocks struck southeastern Taiwan on Monday, including a 5.5-magnitude earthquake that was felt

the United Nations General Assembly, will delay his trip by a day to check on damage from the storm, his ofﬁce conﬁrmed.

With Western hopes fading for restoration of the landmark 2015 agreement with world powers, the hardline cleric said in a US television interview that he would still back a “good deal and a fair deal”

“That’s the commitment we made,” he said.Washington cut formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979, switching recognition to Beijing as the sole representative of China. But at the same time, the United States maintained a decisive, if delicate role in supporting Taiwan.

The latest quake hit around 10 am (0200 GMT), 66 kilometres (41 miles) southsouthwest of the coastal city of Hualien at a depth of 13 kilometres, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

In a rare, wide-ranging interview with the CBS “60 Minutes” program, Biden went back on repeated assertions by the White House that he is sure to run in 2024.

Evac warnings after typhoon landfall in Japan

The Red Cross had previously estimated the number of passengers at aroundImages60. shared by the rescue services showed the wreckage of the bus at the bottom of the ravine in a mountainous region where recovery efforts were particularly challenging.

Biden, who turns 80 in November, told interviewer Scott Pelley that reelection is his “intention.”

RAGING RIVER. Raging waters ow along the Sendai River in the wake of Typhoon Nanmadol in Isa, Kagoshima prefecture on September 19. The super typhoon made landfall in southwestern Japan late on September 18, as authorities urged millions of people to take shelter from the powerful storm’s high winds and torrential rain. AFP

“The typhoon has all but disappeared today and the rain and wind are also subsiding now,” an ofﬁcial in charge of crisis management in Miyazaki’s Saito city told AFP.

‘US troops to help defend Taiwan’

IZUMI, Japan—Millions of people in Japan were under evacuation warnings on Monday as Typhoon Nanmadol brought strong winds and heavy rain to the southwest of the country after making landfall overnight. The powerful system has weakened since arriving on land Sunday evening around Kagoshima city in the southwestern region of Kyushu, but it has still uprooted trees, smashed windows, and left rivers close to overﬂowing.

Locals in the area said the accident was caused by a lack of protective barriers or signage along the road.

Costa Rican bus killsintoplungesravine,atleast9

WorldTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022B2 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Raisi last year succeeded Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate who spoke to Obama by telephone while visiting New York for the United Nations.

That time, Biden was also asked whether he’d commit US troops to such a situation and again he said “yes.”

National broadcaster NHK said one person had been killed and 50 others injured as the storm passed through Kyushu. There was no immediate conﬁrmation of the ﬁgures from authorities.

Taiwan’s central weather bureau put the magnitude at 5.9.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who had been scheduled to leave Monday for

But the government termed the incident “unpredictable”. AFP

5 ALI 7,858,600 222,740,410

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

has no monarchs at the present day. Why? Because their monarchs abused their power, the French revolution ensued. Then to cut (no pun intended) the long story short, King Louis XV and his wife Marie Antoinette died through a guillotine. What a sad death. It reminds me of my favorite childhood tale, Alice in Wonderland. But, how we wish, we can all be like the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland that whenever we are not happy with the actions of those summoned in court, we can always say “off with his head!” Deep inside me, with all that’s happening in my country and seeing these “royalties” party like there are no economic woes to deal with... makes me want to say: “Off with the heads!”

A spokesman for President Cyril Rama

Alvin Neil Gutierrez is an Assistant Professor from the Department of Management and Organization of the Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business, teaching Organizational Development and Strategic Human Resources & Organizational Behavior. He is also a DBA student working on his WFH and Organizational Culture dissertation. He is an adrenaline junkie, EDM aficionado, and sympathizer of diversity. E-mail: alvin.gutierrez@dlsu.edu.ph

“If everyone plays their role we can man age demand,” De Ruyter told journalists.

The country obtained 7.7 billion euros for its energy transition during the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow last year. AFP

9 TEL

OPM 0.01

Demonstrators often protest the deteriora tion of public services.

4 FPI 0.23 -0.02 -8.00% 5 WIN 0.23 -0.02 -8.00% 6 WEB 2.73 -0.22 -7.46% 7 FILRT 6.49 -0.49 -7.02% 8 SPNEC 1.35 -0.1 -6.90% 9 MRC 0.207 -0.015 -6.76% 10 SSI 1.42 -0.1 -6.58% PSEi September 19, 2022

Several central banks are due to make rate announcements this week, with Ja pan and Britain among the biggest, al though the main event is Wednesday’s FedTheredecision.hadbeen a hope that after two

Business TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 || B3 extrastory2000@gmail.com

STOCKS

And with uncertainty rife owing to a range of issues, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s lockdown-induced slowdown, equities are in danger of revisiting the lows they hit in June.

Bereavement, birthdays and masks

Stock Exchange Index slumped 111.35 points, or 1.7 percent, to 6,437.42 on a value turnover of close to P5 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 132 to 51, with 51 issues unchanged.

On an eight-point scale of rolling black outs, the country has reached the sixth criti cal stage, which means households and busi nesses will face several outages of several hoursLeveldaily.sixwas last seen in June in the middle of the southern winter amid an increase in en ergy consumption and pressure on production.

After years of mismanagement and cor ruption, the public company Eskom is unable to produce enough energy for the country, which is regularly plunged into darkness.

2 -0.001 -9.09% -0.17 -8.50%

Green LiGht

7 ICT

Policymakers, including Fed boss Jerome Powell, have said time and again their ultimate aim is to bring inflation under control, even if that means sending the economy into recession.

10 AC

your nobility.

Eskom generally takes advantage of this period to shut down production units for maintenance.Butahigh number of breakdowns—45 in the space of seven days—has led to a dra matic drop in production.

THE whole world was in shock when the longest-living monarch died. What a coincidence that the Queen of the British Empire died on the day Catholics commemorate the birthday of our Queen, Mary, the Mother of God. After this sad incident, many Filipinos became interested in British Royalty. Professors teaching European studies were invited to various morning talk show hosts to discuss the lines of succession to the throne.

SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group declined 4.1 percent to P835, but conglomerate San Miguel Corp., the biggest beer producer, rose 3.6 percent to P98.45.

3 SPM 1.83

Going back to Great Britain, France has been their long-time ally, but this country

6 URC 1,489,560 177,756,259 971,280 177,224,721 126,464,000 173,339,210 103,320 172,658,800 224,020 158,809,385

To make matters worse, the public office that is viewed by the voting public as a royal succession has the Herculean task of improving the economic, social and financial condition of a local government unit. These things matter as the lives of every Juan depend on the health of the economy, the improvement of the quality of life in our society, and the fiscal conundrum a predecessor has left that needs to be resolved.Butno, all these things don’t matter now because there’s been a lot of birthdays that need to be in and join in the revelry. It seems that the “kings and queens” are back in our country as these “royalties” have been seen from one party to another. They party like there’s no shortage of essential commodities. They can do whatever they want, whatever they can imagine, despite the rising inflation and the falling peso. But let’s not be killjoys because birthdays should be worth celebrating.

75 basis point increases in a row, and economic data showing weakness, officials would take their foot off the pedal this month.

TOP LASTGAINERS % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

Asian equity investors continued the selling on Monday.HongKong lost one percent, even after reports of the

8 SPNEC

“It is clear that the Fed will project hawkish mes saging, once again reiterating that it will bring down inflation unconditionally,” said Vasileios Gkionakis at Citigroup. With AFP

Power outages set to plunge South Africa into darkness

Manila Standard TODAY (MS-SEPT. 20 &21, 2022) (MS-SEPT. 20 &21, 2022)

Developing efficient large-scale generation capacity “will take time,” the CEO added.

‘NO CARS DAY.’ Pedestrians walk on the Champs-Elysees avenue during the ‘No cars day’ (Journee sans voitures) in Paris, on September 18, 2022. AFP

(PHP)

PH, Asian stock markets slump; SPNEC and PLDT lead decliners

With recent data showing US inflation rooted at four-decade highs, investors are increasingly pessimis tic about the outlook for the global economy.

But last Tuesday’s disappointing consumer price fig ures shocked traders and ramped up bets for a third successive 75-point rise, while some have predicted a whole percentage point move.

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa—Africa’s most industrialized economy South Africa is again facing sweeping power cuts, caused by failures at aging and poorly maintained in frastructure, the nationalized utility company saidAndreSunday.deRuyter, the boss of state-owned Eskom, announced a series of planned out ages in the coming week.

Little did we know that our country has been like that ever since we tolerated political dynasties, and we treated positions in public office like a throne passed on to their next of kin. Even the presidency is not spared from this “royalty succession” type. Our country now has presidents who are children of former presidents. One might argue, “well, they’re qualified and have a concrete plan of action for our economy.” But right now, that is still subject to debate. Qualifications are there to ensure you are the right person for the job. This is an essential requirement to ensure you succeed in the role. It is not simply something passed on to you because of entitlement or bloodline; it is something you have to possess because your part is not just to cut ribbons, smash wine bottles on ships before their maiden voyages or appear in social functions because of

The rise in temperatures since September with the arrival of spring usually leads to a drop in consumption, particularly because of reduced heating demand.

1 SM 385,170 326,266,595

3 SMPH 7,251,000 257,065,240

Urging South Africans to use electricity sparingly, he called for office lights to be turned off at night, and for swimming pool pumps and water heaters to be turned off dur ing peak hours.

TOPPRICELASTLOSERS%CHANGECHANGE

ALVIN NEIL GUTIERREZA.

plunged Monday along with the rest of Asia, as traders extended last week’s rout across risk assets, with expectations high that the Federal Reserve will announce another outsized interest rate hike this week.ThePhilippine

South Africa produces 80 percent of its electricity from coal, creating serious pollu tion bemoaned by environmentalists.

MBC 6.98 0.63 9.92% 2 LR 1.91 0.12 6.70% 3 LODE 0.66 0.04 6.45% 4 PNX4 849 49.5 6.19% 5 EEI 3.69 0.16 4.53% 6 2GO 7.3 0.3 4.29% 7 PRIM 1.66 0.06 3.75% 8 ALLHC 3.38 0.12 3.68% 9 SMC 98.45 3.45 3.63% 10 SSP 1.58 0.05 3.27%

phosa told AFP he would be returning home as soon as he had attended the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London to deal with theThecrisis.president would not be attending next week’s UN General Assembly in New York, the spokesman added.

Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp., which is build ing Southeast Asia’s biggest solar farm, sank 6.9 per cent to P1.35, while PLDT Inc. of Indonesia’s Salim Group, the largest telecommunications firm, fell 5.1 percent to P1,660.

Some observers have warned of a sharp recession in many countries caused by the huge rate increases, which are hitting families in the pocket.

MOSTVOLUMEACTIVEVALUE

4 BDO 2,051,360 246,366,878

So how does one make one’s birthday memorable to your constituents? First, create a law allowing people to take off their face masks in public open spaces. Second, disregard the 10-percent infection rate and the fact that we’re the lowest booster rate in Southeast Asia. That makes a birthday worthwhile because who wants to keep their mask on?

city’s government considering ending hotel quarantine rules. Shanghai was also down despite news that megac ity Chengdu was ending a two-week COVID-19 lock down that saw 21 million people shut away. Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Wellington were also in the red, though Mumbai and Bangkok inched up and Jakarta was flat. Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

EURO 0.86 -0.1 -10.42%

2 SMC 2,637,540 259,473,943

Moody’s Analytics sees BSP hiking rate by another 50 bps

CEBU-CORDOVA Link Expressway Corp. is interested in building the pro posed Metro Cebu Expressway Project under the public-private partnership program, a top executive said over the weekend.“Weare looking at the Metro Cebu Expressway. It’s a circumferential road,” said CCLEX president and gen eral manager Allan Alfon.

The FIRB agreed to allow IT-BPM or BPO firms in economic zones to adopt up to 100-percent work-fromhome arrangement and still enjoy tax incentives by shifting their registra tion from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority to the Board of In vestments.IBPAPsaid with the latest develop ment, its members are confident about increasing their full-time employees by another 1.1 million in the next 6 years, on top of today’s 1.4 million.

PIPPA said the SPC “distorts the true cost and is not reflective of the real situation of the energy sector.” Alena Mae S. Flores

Metro Pacific unit interested in Cebu circumferential road

PHILIPPINE Independent Power Producers Association Inc. called for the removal of the secondary price cap at the spot market to entice investors to build more power plants.

CCLEC earlier completed the P33billion Cebu Cordova Expressway— an 8.5 km. bridge linking Cebu City , the municipality of Cordova and outly ing towns of Cebu province.

BOP refers to the difference in total value between payments into and out of a country over a period.

Moody’s Analytics said the “strong GDP growth, a product of improving domestic demand, gives BSP the space to tighten monetary policy.”

are other few players,” ’Alfon said.

Inflation slightly eased to 6.3 per cent in August from 6.4 percent in July, pulled down by slower increases in the prices of fuel and food and non-alco holic beverages.

By Othel V. Campos

The BOP deficit in August brought the January to August level to a $5.5-bil lion deficit, higher than the $253-million shortfall a year earlier.

PSE INDEX CLOSING Monday, September 19, 2022 -111.356,437.42PTS. F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2022 Currency Unit US Dollar Peso United States Dollar 1.000000 57.3630 Japan Yen 0.006996 0.4013 UK Pound 1.142100 65.5143 Hong Kong Dollar 0.127402 7.3082 Switzerland Franc 1.037452 59.5114 Canada Dollar 0.753920 43.2471 Singapore Dollar 0.711491 40.8133 Australia Dollar 0.671400 38.5135 Bahrain Dinar 2.652872 152.1767 Saudi Arabia Rial 0.266170 15.2683 Brunei Dollar 0.708968 40.6685 Indonesia Rupiah 0.000067 0.0038 Thailand Baht 0.026998 1.5487 UAE Dirham 0.272279 15.6187 Euro Euro 1.001700 57.4605 Korea Won 0.000722 0.0414 China Yuan 0.143462 8.2294 India Rupee 0.012549 0.7198 Malaysia Ringgit 0.220604 12.6545 New Zealand Dollar 0.598400 34.3260 Taiwan Dollar 0.031989 1.8350 TOTAL VOLUME 660,593,214 TOTAL TRADES TOTAL VALUE (IN PHP) 4,980,956,320.41 DECLINES 132

Economic growth in the second quar ter reached 7.4 percent, although this was slower than the revised 8.2 percent in the first quarter and 12.1 percent a year ago, on the sluggish performance of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.Despite the deceleration, the secondquarter performance was one of the highest in the region, next only to Viet nam’s 7.7 percent. It was faster than

Maynilad expands water connections

US firm invests in AbaCore Capital

The company said with the added connec tions, about 98 percent of Maynilad consumers now have 24-hour water supply, up from only 46 percent in 2007.

Analytics, a unit of Moody’s Corp., said Monday it expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise the policy rate by another 50 basis points to 4.25 percent on Thursday to rein in the elevated inflation rate.

CCLEX has two lanes in each direction that will provide a safe, quick and scenic passage to around 50,000 vehicles daily, easing the traffic in two old bridges―the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.

PHINMA Corp. said Monday it ex tended a P1-billion term loan to its cement manufacturing unit.

The investment, which will be made in 2023, will enable Phinma to increase its ownership in PPHC to 50 percent from 35 percent.

The gross international reserves level also declined to $97.4 billion as of endAugust from $99.8 billion in July.

Phinma said PCC would use the money to fund expansion and im provements in its facility in Mariv eles, Bataan. “This is aligned with PCC’s promise to assure Filipino consumers with reliable, high quality supply of cement products under its legacy brand, Union Cement,” Phin maPhimasaid. in 2020 revived its cement business when PCC was operating its plant and port facilities in Mariveles, Bataan.The plant had an initial annual capacity of 2 million tons and has highly automated equipment to serve the country’s growing demand for ce ment.Phinma also agreed in August to in vest additional P420 million in prop erty unit Phinam Property Holdings Corp.The additional investment will increase PPHC’s equity to support development of a township business line and will improve PPHC’s and Phinma’s earnings stream.

The arterial toll road is expected to serve as another north-south back bone highway providing a seamless traffic flow from Naga City to Danao City, traversing along the slopes of the

CCLEX has a design speed of 80 kilometers per hour and a navigational clearance or height of 51 meters to al low large vessels to pass underneath the bridge.

MCE is one of the priority projects of the DPWH under the PPP program.

“The secondary price cap needs to be reevaluated, and we are pushing for a removal or at the very least gradual removal to send the correct signals to our investors,” PIPPA president and executive director Anne Estorco Montelibano said.

Phinma said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its board approved the P1-billion loan to Philcement Corp. with a term of 1.5 years based on market rate.

The proposed MCE project is a north-south bypass road along the hills of Metro Cebu.

The latest figure brought the average inflation in the first eight months to 4.9 percent, above the 2022 target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

ABA is a conglomerate dealing in coal and gold mining, financial services, leasing of gaming equipment and real estate. The amount of shares and the seller’s identity was not dis closed.“We are pleased to work with Auerbach Grayson in this transaction. WeCap is grateful for the opportunity to advise clients in direct ing their investments towards companies that have successfully demonstrated long-term growth potential,” said Job Ambrosio, chief executive of WeCap Inc. WeCap, a boutique advisory firm based in Manila, represented the sellers in the transaction.

MOODY’S

BPOs

The Energy Regulatory Commission im posed the SPC of P6.245 per kilowatt-hour upon the breach of a P9 per kWh rolling aver age price over three days to protect the public and prevent the repetition of excessive and un reasonable high market prices.

“While it started out as an expedi ent measure in response to nationwide lockdowns, it very quickly ushered in a new era of work for the sector—re inforcing our agility and resilience and proving that the ITBPM industry is an important pillar of the country’s economy,” IBPAP said.

“We are equally heartened to have the support of the Fiscal Incentives Re view Board composed of the Depart ment of Finance, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Budget and Management and the Na tional Economic and Development Au thority,” the group said in a statement.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

The water company said most of the connec tions were in unserved areas that Maynilad com mitted to provide with piped-in surface water.

Balance of payments incurred $5.5-b deficit in 8 months; GIR fell to $97.4b

WEST zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. said Monday it expanded its wa ter service connections to over 1.5 million, af ter adding 797,852 connections to its network since re-privatization in 2007.

The Monetary Board, the policymaking body of Bangko Sentral ng Pili pinas, raised for the fourth time this year the benchmark interest rates by 50 basis points to 3.75 percent on Aug. 18.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE IT and Business Process As sociation of the Philippines on Monday welcomed the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to allow 100-percent work-from-home arrangement in recognition of the industry’s contributions to the econ omy.“IBPAP enthusiastically welcomes this FIRB resolution and thanks DTI for advocating the WFH scheme as a new business reality, and the FIRB for approving the recommendation. The association and its members vow to work even more closely with the government in bring-in more BPO in vestments, particularly in the higher value-added segments,” said IBPAP president Jack Madrid.

“Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is ex pected to raise its overnight reverse repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.25 per cent; although headline inflation mod erated in August, core inflation rose to 4.6 percent year-on-year,” it said in a report.

“This is a wonderful outcome to IBPAP’s staunch advocacy for WFH/ hybrid work, and we are extremely thankful to our partners in the gov ernment for listening to the sector and its employees in adapting to flexible work arrangements in the future of work,” IBPAP said.

Preliminary data showed that the cu mulative BOP deficit reflected the widen ing trade-in-goods deficit.

The BSP said it was prepared to take further policy actions to bring inflation toward a target-consistent path over the medium term, consis tent with its primary objective to promote price stability.

By Julito G. Rada

PIPPA has been advocating the removal of the SPC as early as 2014 to provide a proper price signal for additional investments in the generation sector.

IN BRIEFBusinessRay S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor extrastory2000@gmail.combusiness@manilastandard.net B4 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

mountain range of Cebu province. It is seen to address the traffic con gestion in Metro Cebu especially its urban core and the central business district.TheDepartment of Public Works and Highways said the project would reduce travel time between Naga City and Consolacion from 1.5 hours to 30 minutes and between Naga City and Danao City from 3 hours to 50 min utes.The agency said the indicative proj ect cost of MCE is about P94.07 bil lion.“There was already a marketing event done by the DPWH to prospec tive private investors. They invited Metro Pacific, Prime Infrastructure of Ricky Razon and then I believe there

The depreciation of the peso against the US dollar contributed to the high inflation, as it made imported fuel and

This brought the total policy rate in crease this year to 175 basis points. The BSP kept the policy rate at a record low of 2 percent in 2020 and 2021 to sup port the economy’s recovery from the pandemic.Priorto the August rate increase, the MB surprised the market in an off-cycle move on July 14 by raising the bench mark policy interest rate by 75 basis points to 3.25 percent.

Phinma Corp. said consolidated net income fell 18.4 percent in the first half to P639.07 million from P783.56 million a year ago on higher costs.

ABA also sold land to the Gaisano group and a national meat-processing chain—mark ing these entities’ entry into the Batangas mar ket to expand their operations.

THE country’s balance of payments posi tion yielded a deficit of $572 million in August, a reversal of the $1-billion sur plus registered a year ago after the gov ernment settled some of its foreign debt, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Monday.“TheBOP deficit in August 2022 re flected outflows arising mainly from the national government’s foreign cur rency withdrawals from its deposits with the BSP to settle its foreign cur rency debt obligations and pay for its various expenditures,” the BSP said in a statement.

ACCENTURE FACILITY. Accenture Philippines opens a facility to support the digital transformation and innovative solutions and services requirements of its portfolio of Japanese business clients. Joining the opening ceremony are (from left) Accenture Philippines, Africa and Asia-Pacific technology lead Ambe Tierro, Accenture Philippines country managing director Lito Tayag, Accenture Group operating officer for growth markets Anoop Sagoo and Accenture operations client experience lead for Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East Benedict Hernandez.

Indonesia’s 5.4 percent and China’s 0.4 percent.Thegross domestic product expanded 7.8 percent in the first half, above the upper end of the target range of 6.5 per cent to 7.5 percent set by the govern ment for the year.

ABA is pursuing ventures with various business partners across a range of sectors. The company signed a coal exploration agreement with Oriental Vision Mining Philippines Inc.

approvalwelcomeof100%WFHalternative

The BSP raised the projected BOP defi cit this year to $8.4 billion from a previ ous estimate of $6.3-billion shortfall, on the further weakening of global demand. The higher BOP deficit forecast would be equivalent to around -2.0 percent of the gross domestic product. Julito G. Rada

ASEAN MINISTERS. Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic ministers and senior officials, including Philippine Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual (second from left), attend the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Pascual called on ASEAN member states to strive for a smoother implementation of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement commitments, including the issuance and acceptance of certificates of origin.

“We have had to calibrate our expansion targets in recent years as higher water demand plus climate change effects are beginning to stretch available supplies. We will be able to connect more customers to the distribution network once new raw water sources are de veloped in partnership with MWSS, and higher volumes are recovered from our water loss re duction efforts,” said Maynilad president and chief executive Ramoncito Fernandez.

AUERBACH Grayson & Company, a New York-based global brokerage firm and invest ment bank, said it placed a block of stock in Abacore Capital Holdings Inc. with major institutional asset managers based in North America and Europe.

“Nonetheless, the latest GIR level rep resents a more than adequate external li quidity buffer equivalent to 7.8 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. More over, it is also about seven times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.4 times based on residual maturity,” the BSP said.

Phinma will extend the credit using the proceeds from a P3-billion bond offering in 2021.

food more costly. The peso closed at an all-time low of 57.46 against the green back on Sept. 16, before rebounding slightly to 57.40 on Monday.

PIPPA seeks lifting of secondary price cap

Maynilad customers who receive their water supply at an average pressure of seven pounds per square inch also increased to 98 percent from 53 percent in 2007. Seven psi is the re quired pressure for water to reach the second floor of a building. Othel V. Campos

Phinma extends P1-b term loan to help cement unit

Consolidated revenues went up by 10.14 percent in the first half to P8.63 billion from P7.83 billion in the same period last year.

AS members of so indiciety, viduals

climateentciallyconservationitstheonpeoplegenerations.forenvironmenttiesofsustainabilityensuretohaveinstitutionsandapartplaytothecommuniandthefutureInrecentyears,havefocusedgivingbacktoenvironmentforpreservationandespewiththepresandrealthreatofchange.Foritspart, social mentProvincialNaturalEnvironmenttherecommendedshedinLamitanisbiodiversity.area,thetheEarth’sinbambootoentEdgarDepartmentledIntegritreeProgram,tive,treetoNiño,toorganizationployeestembersustainability.environmentalexamplecontinuesresponsibility,tosetaninadvocatingLastSaturday,Sep17,someemofthemediatroopedBarangaySto.Tanay,Rizalconductits11thplantinginitiaAdopt-A-Treeunderitsprogram,byitsCirculationChiefValmorida.Despitetheinclemweather,theywentthesitetoplant400seedlingsanswertoMothercalltoprotectenvironmentandecosystemoftheandtopromoteTheplantingsitealongthebankofRiverwiththeKaliwaWaterForestReserve,byDepartmentofandResourcesEnvironandNatural employeesthecamaraderietoseesThesumedcommunity,responsibilityenvironmentcommitmentdard,easing,restrictionspastilygrampandemic,dueBulacan.shedatgramAdopt-A-TreeStandard’sProbeganin2009theIpoDamWaterinNorzagaray,However,totheCOVID-19theprowastemporarputonholdinthetwoyears.WithpandemicslowlyManilaStanawareofitstotheanditstothehasretheprogram.companyalsoitasameansinstillasenseofamongorganization’sandthe and Initiatives Service

Text by Patricia Taculao and by Peter Paul Duran

year,

members of other organizations. Partnering with the government and privateManilasectorStandard recognizes the rel evance of encouraging other members of society to participate in sustainabil ity projects, which is why the company partnered with two institutions for its Adopt-A-Tree program. One of them is the DENR through the Strategic Communication

Manila Standard, through its corporate

2020 when the pandemic struck. That the

SCIS already had a project with Manila Standard and an ocular of the mangrove planting site was already TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 Email: mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Turn to C2 C1

“DENR-SCIS’s(SCIS).

CSR Champions

Sowing the seedsof tomorrow

Manila Standard holds 11th tree planting program

Resources Office in Rizal as an ideal lo cation for bamboo. Manila

partnership with Ma nila Standard started way back in 2014 or earlier. It was a yearly activity until

photos

Benefits of planting bamboo

Riders Charity Philippines (URCP) for their 11th tree planting activity.

Every September, the Philippines celebrates “Philippine Bamboo Month” based on Proclamation No. 1401 signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte. The proclamation directs the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council (PBIDC) to lead and promote the obser vance of Philippine Bamboo Month and identify the programs, projects, and ac tivities for its yearly celebration.

C2 CSR

With climate change threatening wa ter availability and quality in the Philip pines, the timely and well-planned deci sion to plant bamboo seedlings along a riverbank connected to a significant dam in the Philippines will provide several benefits in the long run.

The extensive root system and forest cover prevent streams from evaporating and cause an increase in groundwater levels within several years.

Aside from the DENR, Manila Stan dard also collaborated with the United

“In 2015, Manila Standard, in support of this reforestation program for envi ronmental protection, adopted an NGP graduated site in Norzagaray, Bulacan for three years,” he said.

Other attendees at Manila Standard’s 11th sowing activity included Forester Nestor P. Arriola, Jr., the National Green ing Program coordinator for Rizal prov ince, and Forester Felomen Antonio, Pro tected Area Superintendent for Kaliwa River Forest Reserve. Riders from Batan gas also participated in the activity.

Leones hopes other companies and or ganizations also consider environmental CSR just like Manila Standard.

Manila Standard has also partnered with the people’s organization Samah ang Maggugulay Ng Sto. Niño for the siteLeonespreparation.alsosaid that Manila Standard is among the stakeholders that supports the country’s National Greening Pro gram (NGP), led by the DENR.

Sowing...mst.daydesk@gmail.com

This year’s bamboo planting is a contin uation of that partnership,” said DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affairs Jonas R. Leones.

The group, headed by its president, Cesar Vergara, was eager to contribute to protecting Mother Nature by riding through the streets and walking along the riverbank to plant the bamboo seed lings in their respective sites.

Leones added that the Manila Stan dard’s decision to plant bamboo, along the bank of Lamitan River would benefit the nearby community because bamboo will help prevent erosion and thus pro tect structures, houses, and other exist ing improvements in the area.

As an added step to intensify its en vironmental preservation initiative, Ma nila Standard also took the responsibility of looking after themselves and leaving no traces of waste at the site.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 Email:

Its leaves also prevent damage from rainfall by dispersing large raindrops into smaller particles, contributing to the smooth distribution of groundwater throughout the forested area and reduc ing the risk of runoff and erosion on slopes or Bamboo,hillsides.likeall plants, produces ox ygen for clean and fresh air.

Although it’ll still take years before the bam boo seedlings planted by Manila Standard and its partner organizations mature, a bamboo for est on the banks of Lamitan River will help pre serve the water quality by forming a wall that serves as sediment control.

Bamboo is known for its sturdiness and versatility as a construction material for buildings and furniture. It also plays several significant roles in preserving theForenvironment.starters,bamboo is a non-invasive plant, making them ideal species to have in an ecosystem. Another relevant bene fit of bamboo to the environment, which both Manila Standard and DENR recog nized, is its protection against soil ero sion due to its rapid growth, permanent canopy, and immense network of roots andRhizomesrhizomes.can survive more than a century allowing the bamboo to regener ate from stems. It is beneficial for bind ing topsoil, preventing soil erosion, and controlling areas frequented by land slides.

Manila Standard’s Adopt-A-Tree pro gram demonstrates the company’s dedi cation to its CSR and role in becoming a social leader that fosters positive de velopments in the community. It hopes to encourage public and private institu tions to take a step and preserve relevant values and resources for a better future.

From C1 Champions

conducted. When the lockdown was im plemented, the activity was put on hold.

URCP, according to Vergara, is more than just being a riders’ group. They also engage in charity work, such as tree planting, donation drives, and more.

The number of attendees helped Ma nila Standard meet its goal of planting all the prepared seedlings in select areas along the riverbank.

SMB head coach Leo Austria, SMB team manager Gelacio “Gee” Abanilla, BingoPlus’ official dancers, BingGirls and BingBing, the official mascot of BingoPlus, grace the SMB victory party.

“This is another milestone in my career. I couldn’t be more grateful to the God Almighty and to the people who believes in me,” said Tancontian, president of the Philippine Sambo Federation. “With the trust and responsibility vested in me, I am genuinely grateful. I accept this challenge with humility and determination.”Loyzaga and his deputies will officially exercise their functions after the POC General Assembly on September 28.

Their fight with Talon Esports earlier sapped Polaris’ energy going into the Sunday’s semis and finals clash with their 2-3 setback on Saturday sending to The International 2022 finals in Singapore.

DOTA 2

Sports

MEMBERS of Team Polaris went into their final battles feeling disappointed, but emerged joyful after they stopped Grindsky, 2-0, in the best-of-

Members of

By Peter Atencio

The public sports program is presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Long-time UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rebo Saguisag headlines the 10:30 a.m. session together with UAAP

JOINING the 2022 US Open girls’ junior tennis championship was not on the plans of Alex Eala when she and her family visited New York City early thisHermonth.family just wanted to visit Alex’s grandparents, Frankie and Melinda, two long-time residents of the BigButApple.when the 17-year-old Eala was encouraged to join, she finally did and despite the lack of time, managed to get ready for action.

routed Grindsky, 48-26, for the final win.

PSC chairman Noli Eala said the agency is “full steam ahead” in ensuring that the agency delivers services to the national team and grassroots partners, including preparing its facilities for training and competitions.

“Expected namin na lalamang kami dahil iyung hero ko ang nagke-carry (resources),” said Rushton, who utilized a versatile hero, Doom which can become a powerful late-game threat due to its ability to quickly farm.

“Okay naman sila. Pero hindi sila 100% ngayon, dahil kahapon natalo sila sa finals ng T1 qualifiers,” said team manager Marvin Osorio, as Team Polaris eventually went home with the P200,000 first prize

“I thank the POC for the trust, and rest assured, I’ll do my best to deliver with excellence,” said Escollante, a member of the national team that last won a SEA Games women’s volleyball gold medal in Singapore 2003. “It’s a privilege so I will be doing my best to carry out my task.”

President Fr. Aldrin Suan of host school Adamson to talk about Season 85 of the collegiate league which kicks off on Oct. 1.

In reaching the finals, Grindsky early eased out Execration, 2-1, while Polaris won over Atomic Esports in the semifinals.

THE coming new season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines will be exclusively tackled in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines returned to the PSC control of the facilities last July 19.

victoryhostsBingoPlusSMBparty

THE Philippine Olympic Committee named basketball legend and now baseball federation president Joaquin “Chito” Loyzaga as chef de mission of Team Philippines to the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia next year.

“Once I found out, I set my heart to it. And that was my goal, to win the US Open,” added Eala when she looked back at her experience while in talks with her uncle, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala on

Repairs and rehabilitation are currently being conducted in RMSC’s two major facilities -- the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and Ninoy Aquino Stadium after serving as government quarantine facilities and medical centers for COVID-19 patients in 2020.

There was still tiredness in their eyes as Team Polaris also earned a slot with Grindsky to the AsiaPacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals, which returns with in-person matches on November 11 to 13 in Japan.

Last year, she managed to make it as far as the semis of the US Open girls’ doubles.Shenow has three Grand Slam trophies, with the first one coming from the 2020 Australian Open, and the second in the 2021 French Open. Peter Atencio

decided to go through with only a couple of weeks before,” said Eala when she recalled her life-changing decision to pick up a racquet and go with it.

“I would say that the US Open was more of a last-minute decision. I only

The big plays of three members of the Philippine national team lifted the team up, along with a good game plan which allowed them to pull off a 38-22, 48-26 triumph.

For more updates, visit http://www. bingoplus.com.

Polaris at the awards rites

After Sibol teammates Marvin Rushton and McNicholson “Lelouch” Villanueva rushed for kills to break and 8-all deadlock and grab a 14-9 lead in the 18 minute mark, Team Polaris took their time pull away, and were ahead by 28-17 on the 27th minute.

his weekly TV program, “Power and Play.”Eala claimed the crown with an upset of no. 2 seed Lucie Havlickova of the Czech Republic,6 -2, 6-4.

Tired Polaris still musters enough strength to rule Predator League

The RMSC Baseball and Softball Field, Tennis Center, Swimming and Diving Pool, Wushu and Wrestling Gyms, Billiards and Judo Hall are currently being used by the members of the national team for their training. The newly constructed Squash Center is now also open for national athletesTheTrack and Football Stadium which hosted the AFF Women’s Championship 2022 last July, is currently hosting the games of Philippine Football Federation-sanctioned Philippine Football League which will run until October.

Undying usually serves as a lane support/tank role for the team and has abilities which allow him to harass enemies off the lane to secure space for his carry to Vargasfarm. emerged with 15 kills, four deaths and eights in Game 2 after Polaris

over the weekend that Cambodia is hosting 608 events with the Philippines expected to compete in all 49 sports in the program.

PSA Facebook page officialPilipinasairedpineSportswritersAssociationfb.com/Philip-andonadelayedbasisoverRadyo2,whichalsosharesitonitsFacebookpage. PSA SeasontacklesForumUAAP85PSCprepsPhilSports,RMSCforPHathletes

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino also appointed sambo association head Paolo Tancontian and canoe-kayak head coach and international technical official Leonora “Len” Escollante as Loyzaga’s deputies in the May 5 to 16 SEA Games Cambodia is hosting for the first“Theirtime. handling of their respective NSAs [national sports associations] and their management skills make them deserving of the posts,” said Tolentino, who also announced

The Forum is livestreamed via the

Eala: Joining US Open a last-minute decision

She believes that the singles’ crown came at the right time for her.

SMB head coach Leo Austria, SMB team manager Gelacio “Gee” Abanilla, BingoPlus’ official dancers, BingGirls, and BingBing, the official mascot of BingoPlus, graced the event. One hundred lucky fans were able to bond and dance with the San Miguel Beermen during the victory “BingoPlus’party.main objective is to give entertainment and happiness to Filipinos, which perfectly aligns with that of the PBA,” said Jasper Vicencio.Todate, BingoPlus has had a payout of more than 20 billion pesos since its launch in January 2022.

Lelouch was the second highest scorer in Game 2 (10-5-17).Polaris gathered enough strength to destroy the final tower in the game at the 46th minute mark.

Philippine Basketball Association Legend, former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission and currently president of the Philippine Amateur Baseball

THE Philippine Sports Commission is now in full swing preparing the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and PhilSports Complex to make it 100% operational this year as the main training venues of the national team.

Loyzaga named chef de mission of Team PH to Cambodia SEAG

Chito Loyzaga PBA photo

Eventually, Eala, guided by French coach Adrien Alexis Vaseux at the Rafa Nadal Academy, pulled through and reached the finals for her historic title girls’ singles win.

BINGOPLUS, the official bingo partner of the 47th season of the PBA, sponsored and presented the Philippine Cup Victory Party of PBA champions, the San Miguel Beermen, on September 5 at Robinsons Galleria.

three finals series of the Predator League 202223 DOTA 2 Philippine Qualifiers Grand Finals on Sunday evening at the Mall of Asia Central Atrium, Pasay City.

Still exhausted after losing in another qualifier in Cebu City, members of Team Polaris finally hoisted the championship trophy with big smiles on their faces.

Formerhonors.Team Sibol athlete Jan Anthony Vargas, also known as Natsumi, led Polaris’ efforts with Immortal hero Undying, which finished at Level 25 when it was over.

“I want to express my appreciation to POC President Bambol for his trust and confidence in me to be the head of the Philippine delegation for Cambodia SEA Games,” said Loyzaga, 64, a

The event was attended by loyal PBA and SMB fans.

Alex Eala Team

“Fight lang kami. Dahil alam namin na mananalo kami,” said the 21-year-old Vargas, who did a lot of heavy lifting by helping produce the needed resources early in the game.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 C3

“We are excited to see the national athletes back in training in these facilities,” Eala said.

responsibility.butprisedchallenging.”for“It’sAssociation.abigchallengethePhilippinestoperformwell,aswellastheothercountries,becauseofthenum-berofsportsfavor-ingthehostcountry,”saidLoyzaga,whowasdeputyCDMinthe2010AsianBeachGames.“ItwillbeveryEscollantewassur-oftheappointment,readilyacceptedthe

It is an eco-friendly development. Along with Landco BeachTowns Ca SoBe (Calatagan South Beach), Club Laiya is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) regis tered for the properties’ sustainability program. There’s double-piped water management, where wastewater is treated and piped back for car washing, watering plants, and other uses. En vironmental conservation efforts and livelihood projects for the local com munity are undertaken.

Capt. Barbozza restaurant at Club Laiya

AST week, I went to Laiya, Batangas for a familiarization tour organized by Landco BeachTowns – Club Laiya. Visiting this residential and tourism development immediately reminded me of a good friend who lives in Lipa, Batangas.Ihadthis

Club Laiya featuring The Spinnaker

Captain RestaurantBarbozzaandBar

I used to work for a financial institu tion that had two main offices: one in Diliman, and the other in Alabang. My colleague said that driving from Batan gas to Alabang is much easier than driv ing from Diliman to Alabang. I live in Diliman that’s why I got easily con vinced by his statement.

Head of CDHI Projects and Operations, takes pride in the partnership’s objectives.

Plaza Laiya, a community plaza, will soon rise to serve as a gathering point for local events, surrounded by retail and dining outlets, and several large, manicured spaces filled with blossom ing trees and local greenery.

Finally,change.Hamilo Coast and WWF will further push for environmental awareness by celebrating occasions that show respect for biodiversity. One is the annually held

The Isle, soon-to-be constructed event space at Club Laiya

hand-in-hand with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines.

scored, instead of following a uniform cookie cutter style of development and design. Whether it’s a dream beach house that doubles as a bed and break fast, a bar, café, or specialty restaurant, resort wear or arts and crafts boutique or tattoo parlor, property owners have the free rein to create their dream resort lifestyle.ClubLaiya is strategically located with easy access to hospitals, schools, shopping outlets, and recreational fa cilities such as the Laiya Adventure Park, Mount Dagulgol, and Aplaya Laiya tourist spots.

colleague who told us that he’s from Cavite only to admit later on that he actually lives in Batangas. And whenever we would tease him about it, his only response was, “People think it’s too far, but it is not.”

For one, Hamilo Coast and WWF’s Ridge to Reef program declared three of Hamilo Coast’s 13 coves–Pico de Loro, Etayo, and Santelmo–as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). These are coastal zones where human activities are strictly regulated to ensure their long-term conservation. Declaring more MPAs would also mean expand ing Hamilo Coast’s scope in safeguard ing more marine ecosystems and re sources.Hamilo Coast also continues to im plement a mangrove reforestation pro gram in its 24-hectare mangrove belt— one of the largest in Nasugbu. Here, Hamilo has planted 50,000 propagules

Touting 5,800 hectares of prime seaside development, Hamilo Coast is a project of SM Prime’s Costa Del Hamilo, Inc. (CDHI), which carefully integrates resi dential, resort, leisure, commercial, and institutional land uses in the sprawling estate. But beyond its vast scope and stun ning vistas, Hamilo Coast embraces sus tainable tourism at the core of its philoso phy and shows how beautiful beachfront homes can harmonize with nature and the environment.2022marks

Leisure Facilities Managed by Millennial Resorts Millennial Resorts, the hospitality arm of Landco, operates and manages the leisure and hospitality facilities of Landco BeachTowns. At Club Laiya, visitors, tourists, and property inves tors reap the benefits of Millennial Resorts’ leisure facilities already in operation and soon-to-be constructed amenities.

With interiors Inspired by a legend ary sea captain and the stylistic cues of a beloved pirate movie, Captain Barbozza restaurant and bar serves whiskey and beer, chicken and ribs, and all manner of hearty cuisine, from midday sun to sun down.

Cocoons at Club Laiya Club Laiya is a favorite among tour ists for its 33 Cocoons, the cylindri cal sleeping pods, each outfitted with a queen-size bed, air-conditioning, TV, and fridge, The Cocoons are a few steps away from the modern communal bath rooms balanced with its private spaces; The Laiya Beach Club’s infinity and lap pools; and Laiya white sand beach.

For the familiarization trip, our main pickup point was at the Insular Life Center in Filinvest City, Alabang. From Diliman (via Skyway) it took me around one hour and 10 minutes to get to the meeting place. From there, it’s another two-hour drive to our destina tion. And yes, I don’t think that’s too far, and this is coming from someone who has experienced being stuck in Edsa traffic for nearly three hours sev eral

At the heart of Batangas’ booming tourist destination of velvety white sand beach, Club Laiya is drawing visitors, entrepreneurs, property owners, and in vestors for its diverse leisure offerings and development of a premium and inte grated beach resort community.

For all these sustained efforts, WWF has awarded Hamilo Coast with the Longest Sustainabil ity Partner Award, recognizing the development’s commitment to sustainable tourism and its positive impact on the Philippine tourism industry.

Life C4 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 Nickie Wang, Editor Joba Botana Associate Editor Patricia Taculao Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Hamilo tourismsustainableembracesCoastatthe core of its philosophy and thewithcanbeachfronthowshowsbeautifulhomesharmonizenatureandenvironment

The Spinnaker at Club Laiya

Only two hours from Metro Ma nila and adjacent to Landco’s Playa Laiya, the sun-kissed 24-hectare Club Laiya is a master-planned and premier leisure estate, resort, and tourism destination. The sprawling property features a mix of residential commercial lots, condotel, and tour ist hubs. Each provides distinct ex periences and opportunities that are part of one unified development of Landco Pacific Corporation.

Resort Living at Club Laiya Club Laiya is the perfect choice for investors and property owners who are drawn to the vibrant energy of Laiya beach as a favorite tourist spot of those who love the beach party of people from all walks of life; an active out door lifestyle; and an amazing life by the sea that has all the conveniences of modern life.

The Isle

Every lot is accessible to the beach. There are tree-lined walkways, pe destrian routes, bicycle lanes, a beach promenade, robust common area estate WI-FI for Work from the Beach (WFB) set-up, 24/7 security with CCTV, slip way for small boats and jetski, hotellike property management services and hospitality and leisure facilities.

Club Laiya beach front Cocoons at Club Laiya Cocoons at Club Laiya

Upper West Side at Club Laiya 2

Earth Hour, during which time people are urged to shut down electricity to make a substantial difference in energy consump tion. Individuals, organizations, and es tablishments also come together on Coral Triangle Day to shed light on ocean con servation and the ways we can protect and preserve the world’s epicenter of marine biodiversity.Likewise, the development boasts the largest volunteer effort for the ocean’s health, made possible with the Internation al Coastal Cleanup, where people gather on the Pico and Santelmo beaches to col lect trash and record information on the collected debris.

As an effective carbon storage, man groves absorb six times more carbon than mature tropical forests, making it all the more vital in slowing down the effects of climate

Hamilo Coast’s 15th year of productive partnership with the conserva

tion group World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF). Hamilo Coast and WWF have been working together on key areas for sustainability—coastal resource management, ridge-to-reef management, solid waste management, mangrove re forestation, the use of renewable energy sources, and environmental awareness.

With Landco’s track record of high property appreciation of its develop ments in Batangas, particularly Punta Fuego with about 1,000 percent prop erty value increase since it was devel oped in the 1990s, investors can rely on the strong potential for growth of their investment in Landco BeachTowns –ClubRenownedLaiya. for pioneering premium landscapes for over three decades and now, as a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC) with its Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan, Landco strengthens its commitment to deliver outstanding new lifestyle prod ucts and experiences that revolutionize resort living through Landco Beach Towns.Investors and property owners of Club Laiya have the freedom to trans form their residential-commercial properties to reflect their personalities, taste, and interests, shaping the unique seaside destination. Diversity is under

Imee G. Francisco, Vice President and

PERSPECTIVE.ARCHITECT’S

The Laiya Beach Club The Laiya Beach Club is an Asian tropical beach club and the official gate way to Club Laiya. It has a second-floor restaurant overlooking the lap and infin ity pools, which in turn enjoy a wide, unimpeded view of the ocean. It offers a warm welcome for residents, investors, and first-time visitors.

Why Batangas is the biggest residential tourism destination

Mytimes.point is, that it’s easier to un derstand why people nowadays in vest in properties in Batangas and in nearby provinces. The fact that the pandemic has changed the way people go about their lives is also a major factor – most people now prefer living outside the metropolis for a more re laxed yet equally productive lifestyle. And in the case of Batangas, it’s a fast urbanizing province where tourism is booming because of the infrastructure already in place, its historical sites and beaches, outdoor attractions, and other destinations that offer more than justWhoadventure.wouldn’t want to live in a prov ince that has all the urban convenience and is still accessible from the Capital Region?

This long-standing collaboration with WWF signifies Hamilo Coast’s determina tion to pursue eco-tourism and sustainabil ity while upholding international standards for leisure property development.

For a broader perspective Laiya’s mountain views, the gated commu nity of the Upper West Side is a topnotch choice. It is a little more inland yet accessible to the beach. Property owners and investors avail of this gated community’s 190 lots with an average size of 300 sqm. Each will have exclusive access to its nearly half-kilometer swimming pool and urbanized forest trail around its en tire perimeter.

Mangroves are the first line of defense for coastal communities, stabilizing shore lines by averting erosion and providing natural barriers to storm surges, flooding, and hurricanes.

Partners in eco-tourism and sustainability

Seaside District Seaside District highlights the com bination of 106 residential-commercial lots with an average size of 300 to 3,000 sqm. that are closest to Laiya’s powdery white sand beach. Property owners and investors can be part of a lively beach community and set up a business that caters to the area’s high foot traffic of visitors and tourists.

Upper West Side District

Each of The Spinnaker’s condomini um units has an unmatched view of Lai ya beach, especially the highly-coveted beachfront cuts with wide balconies and stellar views of the ocean. It will soon carve the sky as the anchor point and unique architectural landmark at Club Laiya.

can enjoy. To help serve this end, CDHI continues to develop Hamilo Coast with out compromising the quality of wildlife living around it.”

Named after a special boat sail, The soon to be built The Spinnaker looks and feels like a sail in full breeze, its glitz, and momentum pushing the entire prop erty upwards. The stunning, mediumrise beachfront premium condominium, with terraced levels and luxurious cuts, features an exclusive 4th floor infinity pool, and positive Miami vibes.

The Camperisti are soon to be avail able as modern “glamper vans” right next to the beach. Its private amenities give guests a one-of-a-kind beachfront experience.

This year, Hamilo Coast and WWF will focus on addressing the major components of waste management, which include as sessment of solid waste, water and waste water management practices, formulation of environmental management plan, and the promotion of foodshed farming sys tems. Apart from these, Hamilo Coast and WWF will continuously work on programs that will help conserve, protect, and nur ture the environment.

HAMILO Coast, the premier beach resort town in Nasugbu, Batangas, may be the weekend haven of the country’s affluent set, yet it is on track as a thriving model of sustainable eco-tourism practices.

The Isla is an elevated, multi-purpose events center with expansive glass win dows letting in plenty of natural light and providing incredible views of the ocean. It will soon be built to accom modate wedding receptions, large-scale social and corporate events.

The Club Laiya

Hamilo Coast and WWF further push for environmental awareness by celebrating occasions that show respect for biodiversity such as the Coastal Clean Up

Francisco affirms, “CDHI is proud of how far we have come at Hamilo Coast with the help of WWF. This inspires us to do even more, in the hopes that our efforts will make it possible for future generations to witness the beauty of nature as we see it today.”

Camperisti

“More than building and maintaining a beautiful community, we seek to create and sustain a world that future generations

The next big thing

Camperisti, soon to be launched at Club Laiya