Manila Standard - 2022 September 24 - Saturday

Pinoys no visa anew in Taiwan; HK eases isolation for travelers

By Rey E. Requejo

By Vince Lopez and Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pre sented to the World Bank Group his ad ministration’s priorities aimed at bring ing progress and development to the Philippines, Malacañang said Friday.

This, after Mr. Marcos shared on his official Facebook page that he had a meeting with top World Bank executives in New York City on Thursday.

“The World Bank has stood with the Philippines in the most challenging times, bringing resources, linkages, and partnerships to bear on the country's so cial, economic, and environmental initia tives since 1945,” Mr. Marcos said.

“We are incredibly grateful and proud to continue partnering with the World Bank to improve the lives of Filipinos,” he added.

WHO tempers COVID gauge; end still far off

THE head of the World Health Organi zation on Thursday tempered his asser tion that the end of the COVID-19 pan demic was near, warning that declaring the crisis over was "still a long way off".

Last week, Tedros Adhanom Ghebr eyesus told reporters that the world had "never been in a better position to end the pandemic... The end is in sight."

And US President Joe Biden went further in an interview broadcast Sunday, declaring that the pandemic in the United States "is over."

But speaking to the media again

Senate reading poll

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday said it will no longer appeal the ruling rendered by the Manila City Regional Trial Court that declared that the Communist Party of the Philippines

and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, are not terrorist organizations.

Instead, the DOJ will file a new petition with the Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said.

FRENCH CHARM. In these photos from First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos' Facebook page, French President Emmanuel Macron kisses her hand then talks to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., as Speaker Martin Romualdez records the encounter on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 20.

By Minority Leader Koko Deputy Leader opposed

By Vito Barcelo, Vince Lopez, and Macon Ramos-Araneta Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met on Thursday (Friday in Manila) with US President Joe R. Biden in New York, as the American leader reaffirmed the United States’ “ironclad commitment” to the defense of the Philippines. January 2023 for renovation and structural retrofitting works. Danny Pata

TROPICAL Storm "Karding" has slightly intensified and is forecast to bring rains over parts of Luzon starting Saturday night, weather bureau

ALLIES MEET.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City on September 22. Biden later shakes hands with Mr. Marcos' son, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" A. Marcos III (inset) with the President, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, and Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez looking on. AFP

NEDA: ‘Pamasko’ to bolster peso

THE influx of "pamasko" (Christmas gift) and holiday remittances will strengthen the peso against the US dollar in November and December, an official of the National Economic and Development Authority said Friday.

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said in a briefing Friday the pe so’s depreciation against the greenback is also “likely temporary” (see related story in Business, page A8 – Editors).

The peso hit a new all-time low of P58.50 against a dollar on Friday af ter the dollar rallied, driven by the US Federal Reserve's big time interest rate hike and the signal that it plans to im

US...

From A1 matters, the crisis in Myanmar, and the importance of respect for human rights.

Mr. Marcos also thanked the United States for its “massive” assistance at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the early shipment of almost 36 million vaccine doses early on.

The President, who cited the long his tory of relations between the twocoun tries, also noted the role of the United States in maintaining peace in the region.

“We continue to look to the United States for that continuing partnership and the maintenance of peace in our region,” Mr. Marcos said.

“The primary consideration of the Phil ippines and the guiding principle of the Phil ippine foreign policy is to encourage peace, and I hope that we will be able to discuss further the goals that our two countries will play together and individually as we con tinue down that road maintaining peace, de spite all the complexities that have arisen in the past few months,” he added.

“We have always considered the Unit

PBBM...

From A1 Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, in a press statement, said Marcos met with Manuela Ferro, regional vice presi dent of the World Bank for East Asia and the Pacific, and Erivaldo Gomes, World Bank executive director for the Philip pines.

“They discussed how to align the work of the Bank with the President’s pri orities such as agriculture, clean energy, education, and post-COVID economic recovery,” Cruz-Angeles said.

Marcos and the World Bank officials also discussed the importance of research and development, as well as the Philip pine government’s efforts to establish the country’s own virology institute, CruzAngeles said.

Marcos, she said, noted that many Fil ipino experts still need to undergo further training.

“They exchanged views on the state of Philippine agriculture and the areas that need to be addressed. The President also noted the needs and requirements of

CPP-NPA...

From A1 Remulla said the Manila RTC resolved the DOJ’s 2018 petition under provisions of the Human Security Act (HSA) of 2007, which has since been repealed by the 2020 ATA.

“Under the new law (Republic Act 11479 or the ATA), the jurisdictionfor the proscription of terrorist organizations will lie with the Court of Appeals,” Remulla said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

On Sept. 21, Manila City RTC Judge Marlo A. Magdoza-Malagar promulgated a ruling that dismissed the DOJ’s proscription petition on the basis of RA 9372 or the HSA.

“Efforts on the part of the present government to counter-insurgency should include respect for the right to dissent, due process, and to the rule of law. Just as the respondent organizations (CPP and NPA) are uncompromising in their ideals, so must the government be uncompromising in safeguarding the Constitution it is sworn to uphold,” the court said.

“In proscription proceedings, the burden of proof lies with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prove that a group of persons, association, or organization is organized for the purpose of committing terrorism or is committing terrorist acts. Just like any judicial proceeding,

Senate...

From A1

holding the elections on December 2023, the polls should be conducted in May 2023.

Senator Imee Marcos, the sponsor of the measure, rejected Hontiveros's sug gestion but promised to tackle this during the bicameral meeting.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano recom mended an amendment that a candidate eligible to run in the December 2022 SK elections should also be eligible in the

plement more.

"We are hoping that is very temporary.

In the case of the Philippines, we are hop ing to see some stabilization toward No vember, December.

Historically this is when we receive many remittances, pamasko na padala (Christmas gifting). This will also prop up the peso," Edillion said.

The government is not yet revising its

ed States our partner, our ally, and our friend,” Mr. Marcos said.

Biden, meanwhile, said the foundations are strong in the US-Philippine alliance, which he said was “of critical importance.”

“And we have strong ties, including mil lions of Filipino Americans who are very proud of their ancestry and desperately want us to continue to have a strong relationship,” said Biden. “For decades, the alliance has strengthened both of us, I believe.”

Mr. Marcos met Biden on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, where the Philippine leader took note of the rich-poor divide and called for action on inequality and climate change.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday said Philippine-US ties will con tinue to remain strong following the meet ing between Mr. Marcos and Biden.

“The productive meeting augurs well for the overall relations between our two countries,” Romualdez said.

“The US is a major partner and ally of the Philippines in the areas of economic, defense, cultural, and investment coop eration. I can see the meeting fostering an improved bilateral partnership in those areas,” he added.

MSMEs (micro, small and medium en terprises) to continue to become viable and competitive,” she said.

Cruz-Angeles said Mr. Marcos and the World Bank executives also touched on financial inclusion and the target to digitalize about 50 percent of personal transactions by 2023.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, Finance Sec retary Benjamin Diokno, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Socio economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez were also present during the President’s meeting with top officials of the World Bank.

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Its five institutions share acommitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared pros perity, and promoting sustainable devel opment.

In other developments: • Cruz Angeles said there have been “preliminary commitments” from Ameri can firms to invest in the Philippines, fol

the respondent terrorist organization is accorded due process of law,” it added.

But Remulla expressed dismay over the lower court’s ruling.

“It became a treatise on how to defend the National Democratic Front or maybe the so-called progressive movements, the people who want to bring down the government,” he said.

The Justice chief also questioned the judge’s reference to red-tagging, when this was not part of the case.

He also disagreed with the statement made in the ruling that said taking arms based on a political cause “is not terrorism and that armed conflict is rooted in social ills.”

“That was never adduced as evidence. There was never a statement made by the CPP-NPA in court because they did not participate in the proceedings,” he noted.

“So, for that to come from the judge just betrays the feeling of the judge towards the case. It means the judge already had bias from the very beginning,” Remulla said.

Meanwhile, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said that while the court's decision is a "minor setback" it would not undermine the government's campaign against the communist insurgency.

But National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos said giving a level of permanency to the NTF-ELCAC was “not in order.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

December 2023 polls.

Under the proposed measure, the ba rangay and SK elections will be held on the second Monday of December 2023. The term of the elected officials will commence on January 1, 2024.

The Commission on Elections (Come lec) on Friday meanwhile cited several reasons for revising the calendar of ac tivities for the Dec. 5 BSKE.

Despite the approval of the House ver sion of the bill, the Comelec continues to prepare for the Dec. 5 polls. Comelec chair George Garcia said preparations for the polls will continue in the absence of a

July peso-dollar exchange rateassump tion, which is currently at the range of P51 to P53 for 2022 and P52 to 55 for 2023, she added.

While a higher dollar value is good for families of overseas Filipino workers, Edillion said “we are hoping they will keep their purchases in the country.”

Local manufacturers and exporters will also be able to use the weakness of the Philippine peso to capture more mar ket share in the international market. A cheaper peso makes Philippine products cheaper.

"We are hoping our domestic produc ers and exporters take advantage of this weakness in Philippine peso. If we are

The US recognition of the Philippines as its partner in the Mutual Defense Trea ty (MDT) is “significant,” Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said Friday.

On the possibility of coming into a new agreement or redefining the MDT, the Press Secretary said it was discussed but no fur ther information has been given to her yet.

On the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which allows US troops to train and advise the Philippine military in di saster response and its fight against ter rorists, Angles said it was not specifically mentioned in the plans of both the Philip pines and the US.

Romualdez also reiterated Mr. Marcos' call for American investors to do more business in the Philippines.

The President earlier told US business men that he could not imagine the future of the Philippines without the US as its partner.

“We need more investments to create jobs and income and improve the lives of our people,” Romualdez said.

He pointed out that there are several areas where US companies could invest, including manufacturing, railways and other infrastructure, power generation, and private-public partnership projects.

lowing President Marcos’ meeting with US business leaders. She said, however, that most of these are in the exploratory stage. Marcos on Tuesday (Manila time) held separate meetings with big US firms, including NuScale Power, Waste Fuel, and Boeing, to strengthen the avia tion and energy sectors in the Philippines. In his fourth day in the US, he met with the executives of American global food corporation Cargill to discuss ways to at tain food security and self-sufficiency, as well as to boost agricultural productivity in the Philippines.

cOn the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Foreign Affairs Secretary En rique Manalo met with the foreign minis ters of South Korea and Norway on Sept. 19, and his counterparts from Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates on Sept. 22. A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said Manalo discussed Malaysia’s interest in collaborating with the Philippines in the digital economy. He also discussed new and existing areas of cooperation between the Philippines and the UAE, including labor relations, trade and investment, tourism, and agri culture.

Pinoys...

From A1

that could enjoy visa-free travel to Taiwan include Japan, Korea, Chile, Israel, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Brunei, according to CNA.

Despite slightly loosening its border restrictions, Taiwan will still require travelers to undergo a three-day home or hotel quarantine and a four-day selfmonitoring as part of precautions against the virus.

Travelers are no longer required to take an RT-PCR test; a self-administered antigen test would be sufficient, the Philippines’ northern neighbor added.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, announced Friday it will end mandatory hotel quarantine, scrapping some of the world's toughest travel restrictions that have battered its economy and kept the finance hub internationally isolated.

The long-awaited move will bring relief to residents and businesses clamoring for the Asian business hub to rejoin the rest of the world in resuming unhindered travel and living with the coronavirus.

For the past two and a half years Hong Kong has adhered to a version of China's strict zero-COVID rules, deepening a brain drain as rival business hubs reopen.

The announcement leaves mainland China as the only major economy

law postponing it.

The poll body decided to revise the period of filing of Certificates of Candi dacy (COCs) from Oct. 6 to 13 to Oct. 22 to 29, 2022.

“The House version of the Bill does not include a provision on what will hap pen to COCs filed from Oct. 6-13, 2022, in case the bill to postpone the BSKE becomes a law,” Comelec acting spokes person John Rex Laudiangco said in a statement.

“There is no certainty as well if the Senate version will have a similar provi sion on COCs filed on the said period, as

able to do that, we increase those gains, and hopefully, that will generate more opportunities and more income for Fili pinos," Edillon said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which hiked interest rate to 4.25 percent to cool down inflation, said the peso movement is normal in a growing econo my. But some economists are concerned with the depreciating peso since the US dollar is used to pay for imports, includ ing petroleum products.

Edillion said the government is ag gressively pursuing medium-term plans to support domestic food production, which would reduce the need for food imports in the future.

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the country’s major sources of foreign direct investments (FDIs) are Sin gapore, Japan, the United States, and the Netherlands.

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, meanwhile, said the US recognition of the Philippines as its partner in the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) is significant.

She said there was no specific mention of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) during the meeting of the two leaders.

In May, Marcos discussed with US Charges d' Affaires Heather Variava the possibility of extending and "redefining" the VFA.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the President hit a home run with his working trip to the United States.

“His message that the Philippines is back in business resonated well, whether in his meetings with business movers or his one-on-one with Biden, either in the stock exchange or in the United Nations.

“This is the kind of face-to-face diplo macy which yields tremendous dividends for our nation, from job-creating invest ments to agreements that promote the so cial good,” he said.

• Tourism Secretary Christina Fra sco urged business leaders in the United States on Thursday to invest in the Philip pines' revitalizing tourism sector, which has been recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking at the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) in New York City, Frasco touted the Philippines' readiness as a tourism desti nation, and the "critical role" the sector plays in the country's economy.

• The Philippines’ economic team dis cussed with American business leaders and investors the country’s key initiative reforms to revitalize the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Sec retary Benjamin Diokno, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla, So cioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman presented vital structural and budget reforms that would help rein vigorate the Philippine economy during the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) Thursday night (Manila time) at The Car lyle Hotel in New York City. Diokno said structural reforms would establish a “busi ness-friendly environment” for domestic and foreign investors.

still hewing to lengthy quarantine for international arrivals.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said the current three days of hotel quarantine would be reduced to zero for those arriving from overseas and Taiwan.

From September 26, travelers will be subject to PCR tests on arrival and will be unable to visit restaurants and bars for the first three days under a system that authorities have dubbed "0+3."

"Under this arrangement, the quarantine hotel system will be canceled," Lee told reporters.

Hong Kong once boasted one of the world's busiest airports, but passenger numbers this year are just 3.8 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Since that wave, the number of local infections far outweighed those coming in from overseas, but authorities still stuck with quarantine rules.

At its peak last year, quarantines lasted as many as 21 days, and the economic toll has been severe. The city is currently in a technical recession -- two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

On Thursday, finance chief Paul Chan warned Hong Kong will likely end 2022 in a full recession, while the fiscal deficit is expected to balloon to HK$100 billion ($12.7 billion), twice initial estimates.

HK Express, the low-cost wing of city carrier Cathay Pacific, saw its website inundated with requests on Friday and warned customers of delays in bookings. With AFP

above,” he added.

The Comelec also decided to move the gun ban period, which is now from Nov. 6 until Dec. 20, 2022, from the orig inal date of Oct. 6 to Dec. 12.

“Any violation of the gun ban and other Prohibited Acts (Election Of fenses) starting Oct. 6, 2022, that will be subjected to preliminary investiga tion, inquest or perhaps, filing of ap propriate information in regional trial courts will be significantly affected and complicated in case the BSKE postponement bill becomes a law,” Laudiangco said.

Monkeypox cases declining globally, but ebola spiking

THE number of reported monkeypox cases across the world continues to de cline, according the World Health Orga nization.

Since the last epidemiological report released by the WHO last September 7, 8,757 new cases and five deaths have been recorded. The decline in cases in Europe and the Americas were said to be driving global trends downward.

“The trends are encouraging, but as with COVID-19, this is not the time for any country or community to assume those trends will continue,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.

Globally, a total of 61,753 cases of monkeypox have been logged from all WHO regions, and 23 have died.

In the Philippines, the fourth case of monkeypox has been discharged from the hospital and is currently undergo ing home isolation. The Department of Health said this will continue “until all scabs have fallen off.”

Of the 20 close contacts identified, 18 have finished quarantine, one is selfmonitoring while another is currently un dergoing quarantine.

They all remain asymptomatic.

Meanwhile, six new cases of Ebola have been found in Uganda, the WHO said Thursday, after the country reported its first fatality from the highly conta gious virus since 2019. AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

WHO...

From A1

Thursday from the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Tedros appeared less upbeat, making clear that "being able to see the end, doesn't mean we are at the end."

He reiterated that the world was in the best position it had ever been in to end the pandemic, with the number of weekly deaths continuing to drop—and now just 10 percent of what they were at the peak in January 2021.

In its latest epidemiological update, the WHO said over 9,800 fatalities were reported last week, down 17 percent from a week earlier, while 3.2 million new cases were reported.

"We're still in the tunnel," the WHO chief said. But, he stressed, "it is still a long way off, and the tunnel is still dark, with many obstacles that could trip us up if we don't take care."

In Manila, the independent monitor ing OCTA Research Group said that at least 2,000 COVID-19 cases will be seen daily in the National Capital Region (NCR) during the start of October as the region’s weekly positivity rate increased.

In a tweet, OCTA research fellow Dr. Guido David said the weekly positivity rate in the NCR rose to 17.5 percent as of September 21 from 14.3 percent on September 14.

David said the region’s positivity rate “matched” the previous peak on Au gust 5. The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

David said the seven-day average of new cases in the NCR also went up to 1,128 — an increase of 28 percent from the previous week.

The OCTA chief said this was equiv alent to an average daily attack rate (ADAR) of 7.83 per 100,000 population. He said this was considered “moderate” risk. Willie Casas with AFP

‘Karding’...

From A1

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geo physical and Astronomical Services Ad ministration (PAGASA) said that a tropi cal cyclone wind signal may be hoisted over the eastern portions of Northern and Central Luzon beginning Friday night.

The storm is forecast to make landfall over Northern Luzon on Sunday.

Karding now packs maximum sus tained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It was last tracked at 970 km. east of Northern Lu zon, moving westward at 15 kph.

“After crossing the mountainous ter rain of Northern Luzon throughout Sun day, the tropical cyclone will continue tracking over the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA added.

Karding is forecast to gradually in tensify within the period prior to land fall over Northern Luzon. Based on the intensity forecast, it is likely to make landfall as a severe tropical storm, the weather bureau said.

The southwest monsoon and the trough of Karding will continue to cause scattered rain showers and thunder storms over the Visayas, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol Regions, and the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.

Flash floods or landslides are likely in these areas due to moderate to at times heavy rains.

From Saturday night until Sunday, PAGASA forecast light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, and the northern portion of Aurora. Rio N. Araja

Customers warned vs. online scams

CUSTOMERS of the Land Bank of the Philippines have been warned of an online scam using Google Ads which lead to a fake phishing website.

In a statement, the state-run bank clarified that it has not placed any ads on Google and that it is working with the global technology firm to immedi ately bring down the misleading ads. It also advised customers to go directly to the Landbank official website.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Friday meanwhile warned the public, particularly overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against a modus operandi in the sending and process ing of balikbayan boxes.

In a Facebook post, the BOC remind

ed Filipinos working abroad who are planning to send balikbayan boxes to their loved ones back home, to be cau tious against the modus of freight for warders including in the countries they are currently employed.

“Based on the BOC reports received from OFWs, there are consolidators or international freight forwarders abroad charging processing fees at a low rate and promising to deliver the balikbayan boxes in ultimate consignees in the Philippines. But in fact, their partner deconsolidators

Prices of Noche Buena items rise, DTI reports

THE prices of some Noche Buena items already increased three months before the Christmas celebration, the De partment of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported.

DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, quoted by a GMA News report said that “we observed this week that the price of some products like ham, mayonnaise, and pasta already increased.”

She said around 20 manufacturers have notified DTI that they already increased the price of their products, GMA News reported.

She added the DTI advised manufacturers that the increase should not exceed 10 percent of the price to ensure that cus tomers will still be able to afford the Noche Buena items.

Castelo also discouraged the public from buying Christ mas lights that did not undergo the assessment of the DTI.

The official said Christmas lights cost around P300 to P400 as she warned the public against buying those that cost only P50 to P100 as these might be substandard.

or local freight forwarders here in the Philippines received no funds to process and release from the BOC the said balik bayan boxes,” the bureau said.

In a related development, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Bar bers on Friday called on the Department of Trade and Industry and other concerned government regulatory agencies to compel all online delivery services firms to adopt more stringent measures prior to processing shipment of goods by online sellers.

Barbers made the statement in light of the continuing rise of “budol-budol” online selling scams victimizing most ly low-income consumers, The latest modus of online budol,

Barbers said, is by targeting houses with people whose only shopping behavior is to receive and pay cash on delivery (COD) parcels. The scammer would re view previous records from target’s FB and other social media accounts, steal the personal data, and send them with low-value or worthless item.

Once the item/s had been delivered, mostly by bike-riding delivery men, the latter are instructed not to allow opening of the package, usually on COD basis, unless payment had been made by the unsuspecting would-be victims. If the package was opened before the delivery man leaves and was rejected, the victim would be required to pay RTS (return to sender) fees. With Maricel V. Cruz

IN BRIEF

Cops file charges vs. woman for spreading fake news

POLICE have filed criminal charg es against a woman for allegedly spreading fake news about a man who tried to kidnap her in Caloocan City, which was captured on video and went viral on social media.

National Capital Region Police Office director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said charges of unlawful means of publication and libel were filed by the Northern Police District against Samantha Pargad before the Caloocan City Prosecutors Office.

“Time and again, we are giving stern and strict warning to those who are spreader of fake news that if they are found to be responsible, full force of the law will be accorded to them,” said Estomo. Joel E. Zurbano

CHR applauds passage of Media Welfare Act

THE Commission on Human Rights on Friday welcomed the approval of the proposed Media Workers’ Welfare Act by the House of Representatives’ committee on labor and employment.

“Given the multitude of threats and attacks in recent years that un dermine the free press, the proposed measure can help boost the morale of media workers and may encour age more young people to pursue a career in this field,” executive direc tor Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.

“While the CHR lauds the bill’s ide als, we equally hope the measure also contemplates support that can be ren dered for small media companies and community newspapers that cannot pro vide full benefits and may resort to clo sure instead,” she added. Rio N. Araja

CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. Protesters stage a demonstration in front of the Department of Finance in Manila to call for a change in taxation and fiscal system and to hold the government accountable for multiple crises. Norman Cruz

Gov’t protecting Masungi Georeserve

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday vowed to protect the Masungi Georeserve in Baras, Rizal from illegal claimants.

Meanwhile, a resolution filed at the House of Representatives calls for an investigation on the al leged illegal encroachment into the Masungi Georeserve.

In a related development, Sena tor Risa Hontiveros Resolution No. 231 urging the Senate to conduct an inquiry into incidents of violence,

land-grabbing, illegal logging, and quarrying within the Masungi Georeserve and the rest of the Up per Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape (UMRBPL).

Benjamin Dumalya, president of the Masungi Georeserve Founda tion, reported that some 300 hec tares of the 2,700-hectare forest re serves have already been occupied by illegal claimants.

DENR Region IV-A (Calabarzon) executive director Nilo Tamoria said about 30 illegal claimants have pre sented land surveys which are currently being verified while the cases were still pending before the courts.

around the place.

Abalos said the police would conduct foot patrols “and make rounds here and this will serve as benchmark while we are fixing the problem.”

“We need to protect this (Masungi Georeserve) for the Filipino and for every Filipino,” he said.

DOJ wants probe on landmine blast done in Manila

By Rey E. Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said he will order the transfer to Manila of the prelimi nary investigation being conducted in Masbate, in connection with the deaths of two persons in a landmine explosion attributed to the New Peo ple’s Army (NPA).

Far Eastern University football player Keith Absalon and his cousin, Nolven Absalon, died in the blast on June 6, 2021 which occurred while the victims where biking. Nolven’s 16-year-old son was also injured in the incident.

The NPA reportedly admitted having planted the landmine, and apologized to the Absalon family and offered indem nification which was rejected.

The police filed before the Mas bate City prosecutor’s office mul tiple murder and attempted murder complaints against at least 24 sus pected NPA members.

Remulla said he was visited at his office in Manila last Tuesday by the victims’ parents, complaining about some problems they were encounter ing during the preliminary inquiry.

“Because of this, I will order the transfer of the case to Manila so that it will be given attention by Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento and Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Rich ard Anthony Fadullon,” Remulla said.

By Joel E. Zurbano

DRIVERS caught violating traffic rules can now file protests or com plaints through the online filing plat form of the Metropolitan Manila De velopment Authority (MMDA).

MMDA acting chairman Carlo Di mayuga III clarified however, that the online filing of contests is limited, for the time being, to physical traffic ap prehensions.

He added those caught by the agen cy’s non-contact apprehension are not be covered by the scheme pending the final decision of the Supreme Court on the NCAP issue.

“The agency is continuously finding ways to improve its services through technology for the convenience of the public,” Dimayuga said.

The online form can be accessed

In an interview, DENR Jonas Leones said DENR officials, including those already retired, would be held liable if found involved in the illegal claims.

Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said a police detachment would be set up to ward off further encroach ment into the protected area as some armed men were seen roaming

Four congressmen filed a resolution seeking House inquiry into the attacks by armed men against the Masungi Georeserve forest rangers in July 2021 and February 2022.

According to Remulla, the other parents who visited him told him that their children were recruited by the CPP and NPA and are now either dead or missing.

House Resolution 411 was filed by Rizal Reps. Emigdio Tanjuatco III, John Duavit, Jose Arturo Garcia Jr., and Juan Felipe Nograles.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE senators are dismayed over the fail ure of the Local Water Utilities Adminis tration (LWUA) to build a water supply system in Marawi City five years after the infamous Marawi siege, mainly due to the absence of an administrator who will sign the needed documents.

During the organizational meet ing ng Senate Special Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation, the senators slammed the LWUA following its ad mission that the proposed water sup ply system in the Marawi was still in the design stage.

“I hope you will prioritize water,” said Sen. Robinhood Padilla.

He noted that water was just in Lake Lanao. So he cannot understand why (there was no water).

“I just hope you can attend to this since water is very important in our (Muslim) belief,” Padilla said, adding that they wash five times before pray ing, and sleeping with their wives.

LWUA Marawi focal person Rodney Peralta attributed the delay to the revi sions of the plan for the water system.

Initially, he said they planned to get their water from at least 11 deep wells.

through https://bit.ly/3J62YhH.

Those who have been given traffic citation tickets must fill up an online complaint form via Google form and upload necessary documents such as Unified Ordinance Violation Receipt (UOVR), driver’s license, and the ve hicle’s Official Receipt/Certificate of Registration (OR/CR).

Within three working days, the MMDA - Traffic Adjudication Di vision (TAD), which is in charge of hearing complaints filed by contest ing motorists who were apprehended for violating traffic laws, rules, and/ or regulations and issued OVR by traf fic enforcers, will contact the client for pre-processing of the contest. The pre-processing is the preliminary phase where TAD assesses the basis and/or merit of the complaint, as well as pro priety of attachments.

Villar: Introduce entrepreneurial concepts to high school students

TO HELP mold Filipinos to become suc cessful entrepreneurs, Deputy Speaker and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar wants to introduce entrepreneurial concepts and deeper business insights to young students.

Villar thus filed House Bill 3099 seeking to mandate the inclusion of entrepreneur ship as a separate subject in the junior and senior year curricula in both public and pri

vate secondary schools nationwide.

“Anger and sadness were heard and seen while some of them were narrat ing their sad experience,” the Justice Secretary lamented. project stuck in

Under the current setup, entrepreneur ship is being offered for Grades 11 and 12 senior high school students based on the Education department’s K-12 curriculum.

“Entrepreneurship education is a lifelong process, starting as early as elementary school and progressing through all levels of education, including adult education,”

Villar said. She said small businesses make up more than 90 percent of the economy and contribute greatly to employment oppor tunities for Filipinos, hence, starting en trepreneurship education at an early age would pave the way for more startups that will help shape brighter prospects for the country.

Salceda proposes two tracks to fight inflation

ALBAY Rep, Joey Sarte Salceda urges the government to focus on industries that earn foreign currency, as well as on domestic agriculture to manage “imported inflation” from imported food, oil, and other essential commodities.

Salceda, chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, made the suggestion saying the dollar was likely to con tinue getting stronger against the peso in the near-term, at P65-68.

Solon to restore budget cuts on SUCs

The 2023 general appropriations bill (GAB) which is based on the Executive’s National Expenditure Program (NEP) provides that SUCs would receive P93.08 billion which is P10.89 billion or 10.48 percent lower than this year’s P103.97 billion allocation. Maricel V. Cruz

He described the continuing strength of the dollar against the peso as a “monetary storm.” “The US Fed has to make double the rate hikes it has already done before it succeeds in curtailing inflation. That’s a super-typhoon. You can’t fight the storm, but you can adapt.”

“There is no resistance. There is no anchor, so to speak. So, I can see the dollar sustaining its strength against the peso. It will continue,” Salceda said.

“Based on the country’s recent history, periods of curren cy weakness average at 38 percent depreciation. Deprecia tion in the early 1970s, by 41 percent, even led to an eventual boom in Philippine exported commodities by 1974. Depend ing on where you start counting, the PHP has depreciated by 18 percent to 23 percent against the dollar during this period of depreciation. So, if history repeats, there’s quite some way to go,” Salceda said.

Maricel V. Cruz

A for state universities and colleges (SUCs), specifically the University of the Philippines (UP) System and the UP-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

“I am categorically and strongly calling for the restoration of the budget cuts of SUCs and the Uni versity of the Philippines particularly the Philippine

General Hospital, Madam Speaker,” said Cama rines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado, an assistant minor ity leader, during the House’s budget deliberation in plenary session.

POLICE PRESENCE IN MASUNGI GEORESERVE.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. (second from right) vows sustained police presence in the Masungi Georeserve, a protected area in Rizal province which appeared to be taken over by armed men. Azurin himself visited the area, along with officials of the Department of Environment and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (center, in black shirt). Joey Razon

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman Carlo Dimayuga III (in blue polo shirt) together with Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board executive director Bob Peig (in black barong) inspects the EDSA Carousel Busway-MCU station to find ways to improve the firm’s services. (inset) MMDA chairman Dimayuga and Cong. Bonifacio Bosita of the 1-Rider party-list lead the launch of the agency’s Online Filing of Protests (traffic adjudication) that aims to provide convenience for the motorists. Manny Palmero and Norman Cruz

REALTOR’S PRESSCON. DMCI Homes executives present to the media the Fortis Residences, their second upscale project located on Chino Roces Ave. in Makati City. Photo shows DMCI president Alfredo Austria, vice president for marketing Jan Venturanza, and senior project development officer Sherilyn Benosa fielding questions from reporters. Danny Pata

Camille Villar

Ambivalent policy of the PBBM administration

blance of an alliance with the US, many front or ganizations can still avail themselves of economic assistance from the West.

Many are puzzled why to this day why the socalled radical left and the yellow opposition were united in their fight against the Marcos govern ment.

IT IS of common belief that our President was overwhelmingly elected by more than 31 mil lion votes. Such was sufficient for him to carry on meaningful changes in our society.

By that, our people expected a smooth transi tion to help him realize his objective similar to the original concept of a “peace revolution” envi sioned by his father, Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Through that policy, the people expect that PBBM will achieve his objectives without him being blamed of arbitrariness.

He was voted by the great majority of our peo ple. The result showed their great trust in him, that his administration will mark a new beginning, and that the son of the former president will embrace a system of political continuity to dissuade the voters from voting against him.

The result was overwhelming that he will con tinue the policy of political continuity minus the harshness of brutality that characterized that of his predecessor.

Many thought the PBBM administration will readily reject the old saying that “history tends to repeat itsel;f” that the son will follow the old for mat.

PBBM presented a new image to debunk the opposition of their belief that as the son of the al leged dictator, he will carry with him that nom de guerre, believing that the past administration will not hound him.

Nonetheless, the opposition continued to heckle his government with slogan of “never forget and never again.”

Many expected that the diehard supporters from the Church and from the communist side to chant their anti-Marcos slogan as if no election took place. The opposition’s persistence in raising those anti-Marcos slogans amounts to continuing the war that has long been ended by people power in 1986.

The concept of reconciliation and national unity it seems did not seep into their mind.

The opposition conceived many ways to exact their vengeance, one of which was their demand for compensation.

One must recall the demanded compensation for the alleged victims of human rights violation was without classification whether they were in nocently arrested or in fact combatants in the in surgency waged by the communists against the Marcos government.

Many thought of granting compensation with out even proving if indeed human rights violations were committed but nonetheless was approved to give opportunity to heal the wound of discord among our people.

Instead, it has become their tool to exact more than in thanking the government for giving them a chance to renew.

Even the widows of the bereaved soldiers who died fighting in defense of the motherland were simply told to keep silent as a policy of the State.

What is most surprising is that the communists and many of their so-called petty-intellectual allies have not let up their rhetoric against the Marcos government without thinking that, as ideological theoreticians, they do not stand as vanguards in their vilification of the government.

For instance, they insist in continuing the construction of a Martial Law Museum inside a government-owned property at UP amounting to more than P500 million.

The newly-elected government is against the idea because it tends to immortalize the alleged abuses committed by the Marcos administration during martial law which many say are bloated and exaggerated.

It would be odd and preposterous for the son to pursue that project that would permanently vilify the era of his own father when the overwhelming result of the election clearly indicates that it was re jected by the people.

Their head, Jose Ma. Sison, and his cabal of daydreamers continue to accuse China and Russia of abandoning the Marxist dogma.

Many, however, believe that the strategy is in tended to deflect the issues to give them the cred ibility to pursue the ideology that now appears to have been outmoded by time. They continue to use their ideology as to justify their alignment with the West. At least with a sem

By Holmes Chan

INSIDE the bowels of a Hong Kong industrial building, Eric Pun was among two dozen people crammed into a classroom learning to drill holes -acquiring a new set of skills before heading abroad.

Savvy businesses have started offering crash courses in subjects like home repair and hairdress ing, capitalizing on a wave of people departing Hong Kong as China cracks down on dissent and strict pandemic rules upend the economy.

For Pun, a 35-year-old nurse emigrating to Aus tralia with his family, taking the home repair class was both a practical cost-saving measure and a way to prepare mentally for the unknown.

“In Hong Kong, if there is a problem you can go to the property management office or hire some one from the mall... but when my family lives in a house, I’ll have to rely on myself,” he told AFP. Spending a day at Renobro, one of the handful of companies offering home-repair lessons, costs HK$1,980 ($250) and courses are fully booked weeks in advance, according to company cofounder and instructor Lau Chun-yu.

“More than a thousand people have participated

Some say, their unity is to show their despera tion of the US inability to contain China.

On the other hand, the US and its allies in Asia are frantic to shore support from its receding influ ence in Asia.

Without the communists acting as quislings, the US would have totally lost control of the remain ing island in the archipelago.

Yet for all the humiliation that PBBM experienced, the unrepentant opposition and their opportunistic cabal from the communist ranks insist on having him persecuted despite the fact that he is now surrounded by known

China’s conversion from enemies to friends was a tactical strategy even if China is ideologi cally dissimilar to the US in many ways.

The US and their mascots from the opposition have to show their intense hatred for China more than their hatred for the old communists who be come allies of the US.

The opposition’s hatred of the Marcos family was beyond that they practically divested them of their belongings and even denying the Presi dent his wish to return to our country and instead held him a captive prisoner by the Americans in Hawaii.

They denied him to have a last look at his dead mother who lay in state in her homeland.

They charged the Marcoses of ill-gotten wealth to justify their confiscation of the said wealth.

To date, they continue to rant about the ill-got ten wealth, unmindful that big men now surround PBBM, and are the ones directing the direction of his policy towards China, Russia, Cuba, Venezu ela, Iran, Syria, North Korea, etc.

Many could not understand why PBBM, dur ing his speech at the New York Stock Exchange, said that “The Philippines not having the United States as ally is inconceivable.”

It gives the impression that PBBM has, all of a sudden, been afflicted with amnesia, for it seems before his visit, he was reminded by the media that there remains a pending case against him for con tempt amounting to $353 million without the US offering to drop the charge as matter of gesture for renewal of friendship.

PBBM went ahead to visit without the US for mally dropping the contempt charges.

Lately, US president Biden even called PBBM “a partner, an ally and a friend,” forgetting that it was the US government that abducted his father and brought his family shame by filing fabricated charges against the former after his unceremoni ous ouster from power.

Yet for all the humiliation that PBBM expe rienced, the unrepentant opposition and their opportunistic cabal from the communist ranks insist on having him persecuted despite the fact that he is now surrounded by known pro-Amer ican traitors.

PBBM could not even discern that China has somewhat mellowed its attitude because of the cancellation by former Secretary of Foreign Af fairs Teodoro Locsin of the joint oil exploration agreement between the Philippines and China, and in the proposed expansion of the US military bases including the construction of a new naval in the Philippines.

To most observers, what many see in the new Marcos policy towards China is his fickleness in his stand with the US, and unsure that the past will never be repeated despite his overwhelming vic tory.

(rpkapunan@gmail.com)

EDITORIAL

PH bid for UN Security Council seat

WEFIND acuity in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s seeking the support this week of member states of the United Nations General Assembly for this country’s bid for a non-permanent seat in UNGA’s Security Council.

He banged it on when he said: “Our con tinued solidarity will also benefit from a re formed and more inclusive Security Council and an empowered General Assembly that can hold the Council to account. At the same time, the United Nations must forge ahead with its flagship tradition of global peace keeping.”

The UN Security Council, which has five permanent Security Council members, is tasked to maintain international peace and security.

The President added in his speech at the high level general debate at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday (Manila time): “My country’s experience in building peace and forging new paths of cooperation can enrich the work of the Security Council.

“And to this end, I appeal for the valu able support of all UN member states for the Philippines’ candidature to the Security Council for the term of 2027-2028.”

Mr. Marcos flaunted the peace process in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, saying the peace forged after decades of conflict among warring factions and clans “demonstrates that unity

is possible even in the most trying circum stances.”

When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it, the Council’s first action is usually to recommend that the parties try to reach agreement by peaceful means

He added: “Inclusive dialogue involv ing all stakeholders, including women, the youth, faith leaders and civil society, con ducted with patience and good faith, has produced a credible and solid foundation for self-government that paves the way for lasting peace and sustainable development.”

Leaders from more than 150 nations lis tened when he said there is the need to reaf firm the wisdom of the founders of the UN

in October 1945 in San Francisco, California, which means “transcending our differences and committing to ending war, upholding jus tice, respecting human rights, and maintaining international peace and security.”

He was on the button when he said nu clear weapons have continued to pose an existential threat despite the efforts to build norms that will resoundingly prohibit them.

“We must reject the notion of deterrence and remain committed to decreasing the global stockpile of these weapons,” he said.

“At the same time, we must also address the scourge of the proliferation of all weap ons, be they small arms, light weapons, or improvised explosive devices,” he added.

When a complaint concerning a threat to peace is brought before it, the Council’s first action is usually to recommend that the parties try to reach agreement by peaceful means.

The UN Security Council’s five perma nent members are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

There are 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly (with end of term year): Alba nia (2023), Brazil (2023), Gabon (2023), Ghana (2023), India (2022), Ireland (2022), Kenya (2022), Mexico (2022), Norway (2022), United Arab Emirates (2023).

The Philippines has been a non-perma nent member of the UN Security Council during the following years: 1957, 1963, 1980 to 1981, and 2004 to 2005.

How to become a dictator

me or upon my direction.”

PRESIDENTIAL Legal Counsel Juan Ponce En rile floated the idea of reverting to the Philippines’ 1935 Constitution, which, according to him, has a broader provision for declaring martial rule.

So, we are clear. Martial law is not to be trifled with. It is an awesome power of the president as commander in chief that can be invoked only in times of national emergency.

If we ever learned from the Marcos experience, martial law is susceptible to abuse. This is pre cisely the reason why the 1987 Constitution put safeguards against concentrating governmental powers in the hands of one man.

In the 1935 Constitution, specifically, Article VII, Section 10, paragraph 2 thereof, martial law may be declared, or habeas corpus suspended, to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion, insurrection, or rebellion, or in times of imminent danger.

Once declared, the power of the president is ab solute. Congress cannot interfere, and, neither can the Supreme Court meddle in its exercise. And we all know the result – 14 years of dictatorial rule and unbridled abuse of power by Marcos.

The 1973 Constitution had the martial law pro vision of the 1935 Constitution. But it was later amended on October 16, 1977, January 30, 1980, and April 7, 1981, adopting a parliamentary form of government, making the office of the president less powerful and transferring power to the prime minister.

But we all know who the real wielder of power was – President Marcos. Marcos started off his one-man authoritarian rule by placing the entire Philippines under martial law with Proclamation 1081.

Formally listed as having been declared on September 21, 1972, Proclamation 1081 was only announced to the public, two days later, i.e. on September 23, 1972.

Thus, citing the 1935 Constitution, Proclama tion 1081 provides in its concluding portion “… and, in my capacity as their commander-in-chief, do hereby command the armed forces of the Phil ippines… to enforce obedience to all the laws and decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by

The following day, (September 22) Marcos is sued a flurry of General Orders for implementa tion by the armed forces.

With General Order 1, Marcos decreed to “direct the operation of the entire Government, including all its agencies and instrumentalities, in my (his) capacity and exercise all the powers and prerogatives appurtenant thereto.”

One week after the official issuance of Proclamation 1081, the whole legal and extralegal structure to totally control the whole country was almost complete

With General Order 2, Marcs ordered the “arrest or cause the arrest and take into cus tody and to hold them until otherwise ordered released, such persons as may have committed crimes and offenses in furtherance or on the oc casion of or incident to or in connection with the crimes or insurrection or rebellion, as well as persons who have committed crimes against national security and the law of nations, crimes against public order, crimes involving usurpa tion of authority, title, improper use of name, uniform and insignia, including persons guilty of crimes as public officers, as well as those persons who may have violated any decree or order promulgated by me personally or promul gated upon my direction.”

This was followed by General Order 2-A, or dering the military to arrest targeted individuals including opposition leaders Benigno Aquino, Jr., Jose Diokno, Francisco Rodrigo, and Ramon Mi tra Jr. , among others.

Around 8,000 individuals were arrested and detained on the same day.

Hong Kongers rush to learn new skills ahead of life abroad

in our course,” Lau said.

“When we first started, we didn’t expect so many people would be emigrating.”

Lau said his students, who are mostly in their thir ties and include doctors and teachers, race through a one-day syllabus of more than 40 skills, such as caulk ing, plastering and rewiring appliances.

“Most of them aren’t well-prepared, but... they hope to go over as soon as possible,” he said, citing fears that foreign countries may tighten immigra tion controls in the long run.

Brain drain

Hong Kong is currently experiencing an exo dus of local and foreign talent.

Many residents have resisted Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on dissent following huge and sometimes violent democracy protests three years ago.

Stringent zero-COVID rules also remain in place two and half years into the pandemic, restrict ing daily life and isolating the city internationally.

Latest census figures showed a record dip in

Hong Kong is currently experiencing an exodus of local and foreign talent

Hong Kong’s population, which fell 1.6 percent to 7.29 million compared with a year earlier.

The labor force has plunged to 3.75 million, the lowest in nearly a decade.

Many of those leaving are families with schoolaged children.

Official primary school figures released earlier this month showed there were 70 fewer classes across 60 schools this academic year. More than 4,000 teachers have left their jobs in the past school year.

The United Kingdom became one of the most popular destinations for Hong Kongers after it an

nounced a visa scheme that provided a pathway to citizenship, arguing Beijing had abandoned its prehandover promise to allow residents key freedoms and autonomy.

So far more than 140,000 people have applied under the British scheme since it was launched in January 2021.

Other common choices for relocation include Canada, Australia and the United States, mirroring a similar wave of emigration that occurred ahead of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from Britain.

‘I want to be equipped’

Despite their optimism for life overseas, many would-be emigrants told AFP they were worried about job prospects and wanted to learn more skills as insurance.

Fashion retailer Kimi Chau, 35, took a series of hairdressing classes in preparation for her move to Britain along with her husband and five-year-old.

“I want to be equipped for a job after I’ve ar rived... If I could learn more skills before I leave,

With General Order 3, Marcos ordered all gov ernment agencies and instrumentalities as well as the judiciary to continue to function under their present officers and employees and in accordance with existing laws.

However, the judiciary is prohibited from hear ing and deciding certain cases including those involving the validity, legality or constitutionality of Proclamation 1081 dated September 21, 1972, or of any decree, order or acts issued, promulgated or performed by the president or by his duly des ignated representative; those involving crimes against national security and the law of nations; those involving crimes against the fundamental laws of the State; those involving crimes against public order; those crimes involving usurpation of authority, rank, title, and improper use of names, uniforms, and insignia; and, those involving crimes committed by public officers.

A curfew was imposed under General Order 4; GO 5 banned group assemblies, including strikes and picketing in vital industries; and, GO 6 banned the carrying of firearms.

On Sept. 28, 1972, five days after the declara tion of Martial Law, Marcos issued Letter of In struction 1, authorizing the military to take over the assets of major media outlets.

The earliest victims were broadcast giants ABS- CBN and Channel 5 (now ESPN 5), and some radio stations across the country.

Under Letter of Instruction 1, the military was instructed to take over all media outlets and fa cilities including “privately owned newspapers, magazines, radio and television facilities and all other media of communications, for propaganda purposes against the government and its duly con stituted authorities or for any purpose that tends to undermine the faith and confidence of the people in our Government and aggravate the present na tional emergency.”

One week after the official issuance of Proc lamation 1081, the whole legal and extralegal structure to totally control the whole country was almost complete.

Asia’s first democracy had now become a dic tatorship.

Website; tonylavina.com.

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

then if the opportunity came along for me to open up a business, I would be more confident,” she told AFP.

Chau said her concerns about Hong Kong’s education system amid a shifting political climate drove her to leave.

“Because I have a kid, the issue felt closer to home and I didn’t take a long time to decide.”

On a sweltering August afternoon, Chau and other hairdressing students brought along friends and family members to the salon where they took their classes for an informal graduation ceremony and a bittersweet farewell.

Instructor Jason Yip said the hairdressing indus try has a relatively low entry threshold and Hong Kongers can get a job quickly, adding that roughly one-third of his students plan to emigrate.

Yip added that many of his students appreciate the social dimension of hairdressing, as a way to stay close to family members and to connect with like-minded Hong Kongers.

“For them, (hairdressing) can become a kind of hobby, and they are quite happy to have it after ar riving in a new place,” Yip said.

“That kind of joy is shared and there is a sense of achievement.” AFP

At UN, Blinken demands action on Putin

UNITED

NATIONS -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday demanded President Vladimir Putin be held to account as he faced Russia in a Security Council session in which the United Nations cataloged abuses in Ukraine.

Pressure has swelled against Moscow as world leaders attend the UN General Assembly, but in the highly anticipated first encounter between the top Russian and US diplomats since the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin and its critics for the most part spoke past one another.

“The very international order we’ve gathered here to uphold is being shredded before our eyes,” Blinken told the Security Council in a special session.

“We cannot—we will not—let President Putin get away with it,” he said.

Russia holds breakaway elections in Ukraine sites

KYIV—Moscow-held regions of Ukraine began voting Friday on whether to become part of Russia, in referendums that Kyiv and its allies have condemned as an unlawful land grab.

The referendums in eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions, as well as in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions have been roundly dismissed as a sham by Kyiv’s Western allies.

They come after Putin announced this week a mandatory troop call-up for about 300,000 reservists, which also sparked resounding condemnation in the West.

The mobilization comes after Ukrainian forces seized back most of the northeastern Kharkiv region in a huge counter-offensive that has seen Kyiv retaking hundreds of towns and villages under Russian control for months.

The four regions’ integration into Russia—which for most observers is already a foregone conclusion— would represent a major new escalation of the conflict.

“We cannot—we will not—allow President Putin to get away with it,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a UN Security Council session on Thursday, lashing out against the referendums as a “sham”.

“The very international order we’ve gathered here to uphold is being shredded before our eyes... (Defending Ukraine’s sovereignty) is about protecting an international order where no nation can redraw the borders of another by force,” he said.

The referendums are reminiscent of one in 2014 that saw Ukraine’s Crimea annexed by Russia.

Western capitals have maintained that the vote was fraudulent and hit Moscow with sanctions in response.

In New York this week, Western leaders have unanimously condemned the ballots and the troop call-up, with French President Macron telling the UN General Assembly that the referendums were a “travesty”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov lashed out at the accusations, condemning Ukraine for driving “Russophobia”.

“There’s an attempt today to impose on us a completely different narrative about Russian aggression as the origin of this tragedy,” Lavrov told the Security Council. AFP

Blinken accused Putin of adding “fuel to the fire” with recent steps including calling up reservists and planning referendums in Russian-held Ukrainian territory just as Kyiv made gains on the ground.

The American said it was critical to show that “no nation can redraw the borders of another by force.”

“If we fail to defend this principle when the Kremlin is so flagrantly violating it, we send the message to aggressors everywhere that they can ignore it, too.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei

Lavrov—whom Blinken has refused to meet individually since the February invasion—lashed out at Western accusations.

“There’s an attempt today to impose on us a completely different narrative about Russian aggression as the origin of this tragedy,” Lavrov said.

He accused Ukraine of “Russophobia,” including through its imposition of Ukrainian language rules.

“The United States and their allies with the connivance of international human rights organizations have been covering the crimes of the Kyiv regime,” said Lavrov.

One speaker after another took the floor to assail Russia and demand Putin stop the war, and a stern-faced Lavrov abruptly exited after his address.

“I don’t think there was anybody in that room across the Security Council, from

(Chinese Foreign Minister) Wang Yi to Tony Blinken, who gave Vladimir Putin or Lavrov a shred of comfort,” a US official said on condition of anonymity.

Current council head France called the session to highlight the quest for accountability in Ukraine.

“There is no peace without justice,”

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told reporters.

‘Echoes of Nuremberg’

Opening the meeting, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN rights body has seen “a catalog of cruelty—summary executions, sexual violence, torture and other inhumane and degrading treatment” against civilians and prisoners of war.

“All these allegations must be thoroughly investigated, to ensure accountability,” he said, without pointing the finger at Russia.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro

Kuleba reiterated President Volodymyr Zelensky’s demand for a special tribunal and “punishment” for Russia over its invasion and abuses.

Kuleba said some responsibility for the atrocities rests with officials like Lavrov.

“Russian diplomats are directly complicit, because their lies incite these crimes —and cover them up,” Kuleba said.

Highlighting evidence from Ukraine was Karim Khan, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which months ago announced an investigation into possible war crimes.

“In my view the echoes of Nuremburg should be heard today,” he told the Security Council, referring to the historic Nazi war crimes trials in Germany.

Khan has traveled to Ukraine and visited Bucha, where the discovery of dozens of bodies in streets and mass graves horrified the world. AFP

IN BRIEF

Murdoch faces Crikey in Aussie media row

SYDNEY—The high-stakes defamation battle between News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch and small Australian news outlet Crikey will go to trial beginning March 27 in Sydney.

Rupert Murdoch’s eldest son—who is also chief executive of Fox News parent Fox Corporation—is suing Crikey over an opinion piece that linked his family’s media empire to the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

The media scion’s lawyers claimed their client was defamed over a dozen times in the article, which accused “the Murdochs and their slew of poisonous Fox News commentators” of being “unindicted co-conspirators” in the Capitol riot.

On Friday, Murdoch’s barrister—top defamation litigator Sue Chrysanthou —pushed for the earliest possible trial date, arguing Crikey had been “directing ridicule and hatred” towards her client.

She said Crikey was “publicly claiming martyrdom”, pointing to the outlet running billboard advertisements about the case and fundraising online for its defence.

Deaths mount in Iran rallies; Online services cut

PARIS -- At least 17 people have been killed as popular unrest flared Thursday across Iran over the death in custody of Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, local media reported, as online services were cut in a security crackdown.

Amini, 22, died last week after her arrest by the Islamic republic’s feared morality police for allegedly wearing a hijab headscarf in an “improper” way, and news of her death sparked widespread outrage.

Protesters have been heard shouting “death to the dictator” and “woman, life, freedom” in video footage shared widely online during the biggest wave of demonstrations to rock the country in almost three years.

The US Treasury placed the morality police on its sanctions blacklist, holding it responsible for Amini’s death and citing the “abuse and violence against Iranian women and the violation of the rights of peaceful Iranian protesters”.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid told the United Nations on Thursday the international community should use military force if Iran develops nuclear weapons, as he reiterated support for creation of a “peaceful” Palestinian state.

Israel has been conducting an intense diplomatic offensive in recent months to try to persuade the United States and main European powers such as Britain, France, and Germany not to renew the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

For the past 10 days, various officials have suggested the deal—which US thenpresident Donald Trump scrapped in 2018

-- might not be renewed until at least midNovember, a deadline that Lapid has tried to use to push the West to impose a tougher approach in their negotiations.

“The only way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is to put a credible military threat on the table,” Lapid said in a speech at the UN General Assembly.

Some Iranian women have burnt their headscarves and symbolically cut their hair in protest at the strict dress code, echoed in solidarity demonstrations from

New York to Istanbul.

The official death toll rose to at least 17, including five security personnel, according to local media.

But Iran Human Rights (IHR), an Oslo-based NGO, said it had counted at least 31 civilian deaths.

Iranians have rallied “to achieve their fundamental rights and human dignity... and the government is responding to their peaceful protest with bullets,” said its director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam. AFP

In the past month, Crikey’s GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly A$500,000 (US$333,000) and garnered support from two former Australian Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull.

“Lachlan Murdoch owns boats that are worth more than Crikey,” Turnbull commented alongside his Aus$5,000 (US$3,400) donation. AFP

Bermuda braces for Hurricane Fiona

HAMILTON, Bermuda—The beach chairs and umbrellas were put away, storefronts were covered, and a lighthouse illuminated racing clouds overhead as Bermuda braced Thursday for Hurricane Fiona, a powerful Category 4 storm that has left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean.

Wind and waves were picking up as darkness fell over the British territory, and Bermudians rushed to the safety of their sturdy homes ahead of the storm, whose center will pass more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the west-northwest of the island early Friday, according to the Bermuda Weather Service.

Fiona remained a Category 4 storm, the second-highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale, though Accuweather forecasters said it could be downgraded to a Category 3 as it passes Bermuda around 5:00 a.m. (0800 GMT).

With a storm of that strength and size, residents were taking no chances.

“This storm is going to be worse than the last one,” Richard Hartley, owner of the Torwood Home store in the capital, Hamilton, told AFP as he and his wife covered the shop’s cedar-lined windows with metal sheets.

The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the Fiona was packing maximum sustained winds of near 130 miles per hour, with higher gusts. AFP

S. Korean president’s office denies US hot-mic insult

SEOUL—South Korea’s president has denied insulting key security ally the United States, claiming to have been mistranslated, prompting further domestic incredulity on Friday.

Yoon Suk-yeol was overheard on a hot mic and seen on camera seemingly insulting US lawmakers shortly after briefly meeting with US President Joe Biden at the Global Fund in New York.

“How could Biden not lose damn face if these fuckers do not pass it in Congress?” he appeared to be saying about Biden’s drive to increase the US contribution to Global Fund, which would require congressional approval.

The footage quickly went viral in South Korea, with a YouTube video racking up five million views in less than a day and the Korean expletive Yoon purportedly used trending on Twitter.

But president’s office spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said Yoon had “no reason to talk about the US or utter the word ‘Biden’”.

Speaking at a press briefing in New York on Thursday, Kim claimed that Yoon did not actually say “Biden” but a similar-sounding Korean word, and that he was referring to South Korean, not US, lawmakers.

One ruling-party parliamentarian suggested the television station that first reported the hot-mic comments should be prosecuted.

“MBC should gravely be held accountable for its report that has damaged the irreplaceable US-Korea alliance,” wrote MP Yoon Sang-hyun on his Facebook account.

But online, many expressed doubt about the government’s response.

“It is utterly shameful and embarrassing for our kids that our presidential office has come up with such an excuse,” one commentator wrote on YouTube.

“I’ve listened to it 10 times now. It’s ‘Biden’ for sure,” another added.

The opposition said Yoon’s official denial was akin to telling South Koreans they were “hearing impaired”, Democratic Party MP Chun Jae-soo said in a radio interview on Friday. AFP

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol

POOR WHALES. Tasmania state wildlife service personnel stand beside the carcasses of pilot whales, numbering nearly 200, after they were found beached the previous day on Macquarie Heads on the west coast of Tasmania in Australia on September 23. Rescuers were only able to save a few dozen survivors. AFP

WAR AND DIPLOMACY. Ukrainian soldiers ride a tank in eastern Ukraine amid the Russian invasion on September 22. Meanwhile, inset shows a handout photo courtesy of the United Nations, as Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks in New York at the Security Council meeting on his country’s invasion, as the US called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be held accountable. AFP

Japan to lift tough COVID restrictions on travelers

NEW YORK, United States—Japan announced Thursday that it will lift tough COVID restrictions on foreign tourists, reopening the borders after two and a half years.

Speaking at the New York Stock Exchange, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the pandemic had inter rupted the free flow of people, goods and capital that had helped the nation flourish.

“But from October 11, Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US, as well as re sume visa-free travel and individual travel,” said Kishida, who is in the city for the United Nations General Assembly.

Japan, along with China, has been a holdout in continuing tough restric tions on visitors, as much of the world has moved on from the pandemic.

But unlike China, Japan never im posed a strict lockdown during the crisis.

Tourists who come to Japan will enjoy a weak yen, which has plum meted so low against the dollar that the finance ministry intervened in the currency market Thursday for the first time since 1998.

The return of the visa-waiver pro gram suspended in March 2020 will restore the ease of access that saw a record 31.9 million foreign visitors to the country in 2019.

Since June, Japan has allowed tourists to visit in groups accompa nied by guides, a requirement that was further relaxed to include selfguided package tours.

The cautious approach to reopen ing has been deliberate, said James Brady, Japan analysis lead at USbased consultancy Teneo.

Kishida “took office a year ago knowing that perceived mishandling of the pandemic had been a key factor in undermining public confidence” in his predecessor’s government, Brady told AFP.

“He has been extremely careful not to repeat those mistakes.”

Singapore, not HK, is Asia’s top financial center

HONG KONG, China—Hong Kong has lost its crown as Asia’s premier fi nance center to Singapore in a global ranking list where New York and Lon don maintained their number one and two spots.

Singapore jumped three places to third in the twice-a-year Global Finan cial Centres Index (GFCI) which as sesses 119 cities around the world and was published late Thursday.

Hong Kong has adhered to a version of China’s strict zero-COVID rules throughout the pandemic, battering the economy and deepening a brain drain as rival business hubs reopen.

The city still mandates three days of hotel quarantine for all international arrivals while its border with the Chi nese mainland is mostly closed.

In contrast, Singapore successfully shifted to endemicity earlier this year and has reopened without restrictions.

The city-state is hosting a slew of financial and business conferences in the coming months as well as a For mula 1 night race next week, while about four million people are expected to visit this year.

In a 600-word statement respond ing to the latest GFCI ranking, Hong Kong’s government focused on the city scoring a higher points rating than the year before.

“We will continue to listen to views and be bold in taking forward reforms to consolidate and strengthen Hong Kong’s capital market and our role as an international financial center,” the government said.

The statement did not mention the coronavirus or the ongoing pandemic controls.

San Francisco came in at number five in the survey, up two spots. Shang hai, which was shut down earlier this year under China’s coronavirus con trols, was number six followed by Los Angeles, Beijing and Shenzhen.

Paris took tenth spot, replacing To kyo which fell to 16th place.

Stocks drop again; Globe and Converge buck trend

THE stock market declined again Friday along with the rest of Asia and the dollar extended gains as part of a global sell-off fueled by recession fears after central banks around the world ramped up interest rates to fight decades-high inflation.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 42.17 points, or 0.7 percent, 6,259.54 on a value turn over of P4.8 billion. Gainers, how ever, edged losers, 95 to 92, with 42 issues unchanged.

Major property developer Ayala Land Inc. of the Ayala Group fell 2.2 percent to P25, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group dropped 1.4 percent to P808.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-big gest telecommunications firm, however, rose 1.5 percent to P2,174, while fiber

broadband provider Converge ICT So lutions Inc. also climbed 1.5 percent to P15.14.

With price rises showing no solid sign of letting up, global monetary policy makers have been forced to go on the offensive, warning that short-term hits to economies are less painful than the long-term effects of not acting.

The Federal Reserve’s decision Wednesday to lift borrowing costs 75 basis points for a third successive meet ing was followed by a warning that more were in the pipeline and they would not likely come down until 2024.

That came along with similar moves by banks in several other countries including Britain, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, the Philippines and Indo nesia—all pointing to a dark outlook for equities.

“We see this new even-higher-forlonger rate path as associated with a substantially higher likelihood of a hard landing, and so not just unambiguously hawkish but unambiguously bad for risk,” Krishna Guha, vice-chair of Ever core ISI, said.

In a sign that recession expectations are rising, the 10-year US Treasury yield jumped to 3.7 percent, its highest level in a decade, while the S&P 500 sank to its weakest level since June and just above its 2022 lows.

There were also losses on the Nas daq and Dow, while London, Paris and Frankfurt shed more than one percent apiece.

Asia followed suit.

Hong Kong dropped, even as the city’s government lifted long-running hotel quarantine rules for incoming travelers as officials look to kickstart the battered economy.

Shanghai, Sydney, Mumbai, Bang kok, Seoul, Singapore, Wellington and Taipei also retreated.

The dollar, which has surged to multidecade highs against its major peers as well as emerging currencies, held its strength.

Traders are keeping a close eye on developments following the Japanese fi nance ministry’s intervention to support the yen, after it hit a new 24-year low of 146 against the dollar. With AFP

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 MED 0.275 0.025 10.00%

2 LOTO 1.48 0.11 8.03%

3 VITA 0.59 0.04 7.27%

4 MAXS 5.6 0.36 6.87%

5 SSP 1.73 0.11 6.79%

6 T 0.66 0.04 6.45%

7 LR 2.41 0.14 6.17%

8 ANI 6.42 0.37 6.12%

9 MAH 0.89 0.05 5.95%

10 CEI 0.083 0.004 5.06%

TOP LOSERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 ABSP 8.5 -1 -10.53%

2 FEU 531 -53 -9.08%

3 LBC 19.02 -1.88 -9.00%

4 CAB 40 -3.7 -8.47%

5 OPMB 0.011 -0.001 -8.33%

6 APVI 13.6 -1.02 -6.98%

7 ROX 0.97 -0.06 -5.83%

8 DITO 3.21 -0.18 -5.31%

9 PRMX 2.47 -0.13 -5.00%

10 MRC 0.196 -0.009 -4.39%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME VALUE (PHP)

1 ALI 28,786,000 714,022,080

2 SMC 4,161,630 406,338,474

3 ICT 2,093,720 380,398,797

4 SM 349,440 281,510,315

5 MBT 4,896,760 254,326,749

6 SMPH 5,900,000 200,506,360

7 BPI 2,085,500 194,752,215

8 CNVRG 9,969,100 150,656,726

9 GLO 68,305 148,236,640

10 SCC 3,380,600 139,314,260

Pound falls to 37-year low against dollar

HONG KONG, China―The pound fell to a fresh 37-year low against the dollar Friday as traders grow increas ingly worried about the economic outlook with central banks ramping up interest rates to fight runaway in flation.

Sterling fell as low as $1.1151― its weakest since early 1985―after the Bank of England on Thursday hiked borrowing costs by 50 basis points. That followed a three-quarterpoint lift by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday and a warning of more to come.

The greenback also surged against the euro, with the single currency buying $0.9753, a new 20-year low.

Bank of England raises rates again, warns of recession

By Roland Jackson

LONDON, United Kingdom—The Bank of England hiked its interest rate sharply again Thursday to combat de cades-high inflation but warned the UK economy was slipping into recession.

The BoE’s second half-point in crease in a row follows this week’s su per-sized rate hikes from the US Fed eral Reserve and other global central banks, as policymakers seek to tame red-hot consumer prices.

The BoE met most market expecta tions as it lifted its key rate by 0.5 per centage points to 2.25 percent, repeat ing its August move that had already taken borrowing costs to a 14-year high.

And it noted the inflation outlook improved as a result of British Prime Minister Liz Truss’s plans to freeze energy prices for businesses and households—and ease the nation’s cost-of-living crisis.

The bank rate is now at the highest level since 2008 as the Bank of Eng land attempts to curtail spiraling price

rises with inflation just shy of double digits,” said Interactive Investor ana lyst Victoria Scholar.

The bank also indicated the UK economy would likely shrink in the current third quarter, or three months to the end of September.

That would place it in recession after it contracted by a slender 0.1 percent in the previous three months.

The technical definition of a reces sion is two straight quarters of negative growth.

The bank, meanwhile, forecast inflation to peak next month at 11 percent, down grading its prior guidance of 13 percent.

“Since August, wholesale gas prices have been highly volatile,” the BoE said in minutes from its gathering.

“Uncertainty around the outlook for UK retail energy prices has neverthe less fallen, following the government’s announcements of support measures including an energy price guarantee.” Mini-budget

Markets are on tenterhooks, with Brit ain set Friday to deliver a mini-budget that will seek to boost economic activity

and help cushion the cost of living.

Finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng, fresh from being appointed by Truss, is expected to reverse her predecessor Boris Johnson’s plan to hike taxes on company profits and salaries.

Commentators also warn Truss’ huge spending plans will ravage public finances that are already reeling from huge spending during the deadly CO VID pandemic.

Barclays bank analysts estimate that the government’s total cost-of-living expenditure could reach a colossal £235 billion ($267 billion).

UK inflation eased in August to 9.9 percent after striking a 40-year peak of 10.1 percent in July.

Yet it remains elevated largely as a result of surging energy prices follow ing key producer Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Some commentators had speculated that the BoE could mirror the European Central Bank and the US Federal Re serve and spring a hike of 0.75 percent age points—which would have been the BoE’s largest in three decades. AFP

While central banks around the world are hiking borrowing costs, the Fed has adopted a particularly hawkish position, with officials say ing they will not back down until inflation―which is at four-decade highs―is tamed, even at the expense of the economy.

Traders are now looking to Lon don, where new finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng is due to announce a mini-budget aimed at supporting households and businesses.

Kwarteng on Thursday said he would scrap a tax on salaries recently implemented by his predecessor Ri shi Sunak―and will reveal the cost of the new government’s plan to cap energy bills for households and busi nesses.

It comes as the Bank of England warns that Britain is slipping into recession, as rocketing fuel and food prices take their toll.

Kwarteng, fresh from being ap pointed by new Prime Minister Liz Truss, will deliver a budget package at 0830 GMT.

“Taxing our way to prosperity has never worked,” Kwarteng said Thursday after reversing a 1.25-per centage-point rise in National Insur ance (NI).

“To raise living standards for all, we need to be unapologetic about growing our economy. AFP

NEW BULLET TRAIN. A station manager (left) gives the departure signal to launch a new ‘shinkansen,’ or bullet train, line on Japan’s Kyushu island, during a ceremony in the town of Takeo, Saga prefecture on September 23, 2022. The new ‘Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen Line’ is just 66 kms (41 miles) long, and links the hot springs town of Takeo-Onsen in Saga prefecture with the city of Nagasaki. AFP

Britain’s Prime Minister Liz Truss walks out of Number 10 Downing Street on her way to the House of Commons for the government’s anti-inflation budget plan in London on September 23, 2022. The UK’s new government will unveil multi-billionpound measures aimed at supporting households and businesses hit by the highest inflation in decades. AFP

BPOs expected to sustain expansion

By Othel V. Campos

BUSINESS process outsourcing companies in the Philippines will sustain their expansion as they take advantage of the country’s vast talent pool, Colliers Philippines said in its latest market report.

Colliers said the BPO sector is a powerful driving economic force, first as a job generator and then as engine of growth in transportation, telecommuni cations, hospitality and retail sectors.

The report underscored the contribu tion of the five largest business process management companies operating from the Philippines to revenue and employ ment generation.

It said with the Philippines continu ing its path in supporting the demand of outsourcing companies, it would also sustain its stature as an ideal investment

Peso declines to new all-time low of 58.50:$1

By Julito G. Rada

THE peso on Friday depreciated further to a new record low of 58.5 against the US dollar a day after the US Federal Reserve hiked the policy rate by 75 basis points to rein in infla tion in the world’s biggest economy.

The peso lost a centavo from Thursday’s close of 58.49 against the greenback. Trading volume reached $985 million, down from $1.514 bil lion a day earlier.

The Fed’s fifth-straight rate hike brought it to a range of 3 percent to 3.25 percent, the highest since 2008. The Fed resorted to big rate increases to control inflation that reached 8.3 percent year on year, above its bench mark target of 2 percent.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said earlier that the higher Fed Fund rates led to stronger US dollar against major global/Asian/ASEAN curren cies on wider interest rate differen tials in favor of the US currency.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinasre mained unfazed by the peso’s depre ciation, saying its current movement was expected as the US dollar gained strength “given the US Fed tightening.”

“Other currencies in the region are also weakening,” said BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila

“With the policy adjustment now, as well as the expected seasonal in flows from remittances especially during the Christmas season, there should be a lot of earnings available for repatriation from overseas Fili pino workers [that should support the peso],” Dakila said.

The BSP on Thursday hiked the overnight borrowing rate by another 50 basis points to 4.25 percent to sup port the peso against the greenback.

Bank of the Philippine Islands said in a report that assuming the Fed of ficials would stick to their latest dot plot, the Fed Funds rate might in crease further to 4.4 percent in 2022 and 4.6 percent in 2023.

“If the BSP continues to hike by 50 bps only in the last two meetings of the year, the differential with the US rate will go back to where it was in July when the BSP did an off-cycle hike. In this scenario, the peso may continue to depreciate and may even breach the 59 level. This may lead to another inter-meeting hike given the need to temper the depreciation of the peso,” BPI said.

BPI expects a continued peso de preciation in the medium term as im ports will likely increase further due to the recovery of the economy.

hub.

The report said among the biggest BPM companies in the country, Con centrix Philippines leads in terms of employment with 90,000 full-time em ployees. It is followed by Accenture Philippines with 72,000 FTEs; Teleper formance Philippines, 55,266; Alorica Philippines Inc., 55,000; and Sitel Phil ippines, 37,000.

Colliers said in terms of revenue, Concentrix generated $5.58 billion in 2021, including $1.34 billion that came from its Philippine operations. The top

BPM firm expects a tightened global revenue rate of between $6.36 billion and $6.41 billion this year.

Accenture is also one of the biggest BPO companies in the Philippines specializing in providing IT services. The Dublin-based consulting com pany reported an annual revenue of $50.533 billion in fiscal year 2021 and $16.6 billion in the third quarter of fiscal year 2022, which ended on May 31, 2022.

Teleperformance is another BPM gi ant in the Philippines delivering digital integrated business service and experi ence management to clients. In 2021, Teleperformance reported a consoli dated revenue of $8.4 billion in 2021.

Meanwhile, Alorica’s peak revenue was $2.4 billion in 2021, while the Sitel Group reported global revenue of over $4 billion in 2021.

Colliers said that based on the first-

half of 2022 data, Concentrix had the biggest office footprint of 241,403 sq. m. in Metro Manila and 98,729 sq. m. in the provinces, with a total area oc cupied of 340,132 sq. m.

The company has significant invest ment in the provinces, particularly in Angeles, Metro Cebu, Davao City and Naga, taking advantage of the huge tal ent pool these locations provide.

Accenture ranks second in terms of office space occupied. The company has a total office footprint of 196,290 sq. m. based on Colliers’data. Of these, 167,868 sq. m. are located in Metro Ma nila and 28,422 sq. m. in Metro Cebu.

Teleperformance recorded an of fice footprint of 164,650 sq. m. in the Philippines, including 113,250 sq. m. in Metro Manila and 51,400 sq. m. in the provinces (Cavite, Baguio, Metro Cebu, Bacolod, Davao City and Cagay an de Oro).

TTG names PH destination of the year

TTG Asia, a regional travel trade publication, recognized the Philippines as the Destination of the Year in 2022 during the awarding cer emony held on Sept. 22 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Tourism Promotions Board Philippines received the award on behalf of the country. TTG designated the Philippines as the most outstanding destination for taking proactive steps and initiatives for the development and promotion of the travel industry.

“Being awarded as TTG’s Destination of the Year is a welcome validation of our collective efforts to rebuild the Philippine tourism indus try. We share this recognition with gratitude to all our tourism partners, stakeholders, and Fili pinos who have been instrumental in helping us promote our country’s attractions, products, and culture both here and abroad,” said TPB officer-in-charge Charles Aames Bautista.

The Philippines previously received the coveted Destination of the Year award in 2014 and the Best Marketing and Relationship Effort award in the following year. The prestigious TTG Travel Awards was held annually since 1989. Othel V. Campos

Cebu Pacific to serve Davao-Singapore route

CEBU Pacific announced the resumption of its international operations in its Davao hub, start ing with direct flights to Singapore.

CEB said it would begin on Oct. 30 threetimes-weekly flights from Davao to Singapore, or every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Flight 5J 715 is scheduled to depart Fran cisco Bangoy International Airport at 5:15 p.m. and is set to arrive at Singapore Changi Air port Terminal 4 at 9:10 p.m. The return flight, 5J 716, is scheduled to leave Singapore at 9:55 p.m. and is estimated to arrive in Davao at 1:40 a.m. the next day. This is the first international route that the airline is restarting from Davao, in line with its move to expand hubs outside Metro Manila.

“We are very excited to bring back this route as we know passengers in Mindanao have been waiting for more affordable and convenient flight options to fly abroad. Now that we’ve strengthened our operations from Manila, it’s time we move forward to growing our regional hubs as we work toward restoring 100 percent of our pre-pandemic capacity in the coming months,” said CEB chief commercial officer Xander Lao.

NEDA assembles gov’t planning execs

THE National Economic and Development Authority said it gathered government plan ning officers on Sept. 23 in a culminating event of a series of consultative forums for the Philip pine Development Plan 2023-2028. Launched this month with the theme “ISAP LANO: Bagong Philippine Development Plan para sa patuloy na pagsulong,” the PDP forum aims to solicit views and insights from various sectors in preparation for the formulation of the upcoming PDP 2023-2028.

“Discussions and consultations such as these are important avenues for promoting greater engagement, encouraging participa tion, and obtaining support as we seek to be as inclusive as possible in planning our journey toward our collective long-term vision amid all the economic challenges we face today. For a nation of over 110 million people, a unified and cohesive development plan enables all of us in the public sector to work collaboratively so that our efforts are concerted and geared to wards common goals,” said NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno asked American and global business com munities to invest in the Philippines which has solid macroeconomic fundamentals and bright prospects.

Diokno, chairman of the Economic De velopment Cluster, said during the Philip pine Economic Briefing in New York City on Sept. 22 that the Marcos administration was determined to explore new frontiers with investors from the US and the rest of the world.

“This is why we believe that this is the best time to do business in the Philip pines,” Diokno said in a presentation.

The economic briefing was part of Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s six-day work ing visit to the US in a bid to drum up for

eign investments in the Philippines.

The US, with a total trade of $108.7 billion from 2016 to 2021, ranked as the Philippines’ third-largest trading partner and fourth top source of foreign direct investments at $1.35 billion over the same period.

It is also the Philippines’ biggest source of overseas Filipino remittances, with over 4 million Filipinos living and work ing in the US.

Diokno said the the government was committed to pushing the Philippines to wards broad-based and sustainable growth over the next six years.

He said this goal was underpinned by the enactment of key structural reforms, the full reopening of the economy and a first-of-its-kind medium-term fiscal

framework, which contains various mea sures that will promote fair and efficient tax administration through digitalization as well as mainstream environmental sus tainability initiatives to mitigate the im pact of climate change.

Digitalization will also play a key role in enhancing the efficiency of revenue collection in the country and modernizing its tax system, he said.

Diokno presented significant develop ments in the country’s fiscal sector, includ ing the recent enactment of economic liber alization measures that would further widen the space for joint ventures and foreign par ticipation in strategic industries, making the Philippines a premier investment destina tion in the region. Julito G. Rada

Byahe to buy 200 e-vehicles in five years

By Darwin G. Amojelar

ON-US Solutions Inc. (Byahe), a new transport company that received fund ing from a unit of Metro Pacific Toll ways Corp., disclosed plans to buy 500 electric vehicles and modern jeepneys in the next five years.

Laurence Bahia, chief executive of Byahe, said the company allocated P1.5 billion to acquire additional 200 electric vehicles and 300 modern jeepneys.

“A modern jeepney would cost around P2.1 million and P5.5 million for electric vehicle. We have investors who are very keen on investing into EVs,” he Bahia said.

Byahe operates 30 environmentfriendly, Euro-4 compliant jeepneys across seven routes in Metro Manila, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

Byahe is a platform that connects jeepney operators, creditors, jeepney manufacturers, the governmen and ul timately, commuters to usher in a new era of safe, affordable and sustainable public transportation services network. MPT Mobility, the innovations arm of MPTC, bought a significant minority stake in Byahe early this year.

Byahe was co-founded by Enrique Gonzalez, chief executive of IP Ven tures Inc. and Brian Cu, former chief executive of Grab Philippines.

MPT Mobility said it would spend about P9.5 billion over the next five years to expand its toll service facility along North Luzon Expressway and its transportation company.

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MSPECTRUM Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manila Electric Co., ex pects to complete 50 megawatts of solar rooftop projects by the end of the year.

The company already installed a combined 43 MW of capacity.

“By the end of the year, we are hoping to reach 50 MW at least for the rooftop,” said Spectrum chief operating officer Pat rick Henry Panlilio in a briefing.

The company set a minimum target of 20 MW for the solar rooftop market next year, depending on market condi tions.

“That’s what we are trying to achieve, at least 20 MW, but we are not limited to that,” Panlilio said.

“A lot of factors are driving the mar ket right now,” he said, citing the im pact of foreign exchange on equipment costs which are mostly imported.

He said capital expenditures for a

1-MW solar rooftop increased to a range of P40 million to P45 million from P30 million to P35 million previ ously.

“That’s what we are trying to achieve, at least 20 MW, but we are not limited to that. We also want to grow in other segments, especially on the EPC front. And we want to expand our operations and maintenance next year,” Panlilio said.

He said Spectrum has a strong

potential in the O&M for solar because some installers could not maintain the facility.

Panliliio said the company was also trying to innovate and look at new tech nologies to get ahead of the competition and capture a more significant market share.

“We want to build capability to serve that market. We found many customers requiring O&M market, so we are ex panding that as well,” he said.

Rodrigo Franco, chief executive of MPTC, said NLEX Drive and Dine, an operating unit of MPT Mobility, would build eight new buildings in the next three to four years with an estimated investment of about P1 billion each, depending on the location.

NLEX Drive and Dine is the top mo torists toll service facility along NLEX with an average daily foot traffic count of over 23,000 and an average daily ve hicle count of over 7,000 on regular days and over 10,000 during peak seasons.

Meanwhile, Dibz, one of the oper ating units of MPT Mobility that pro vides a parking solution app, will set its footprint soon in Makati, particu larly in the Dela Rosa 1, Dela Rosa 2 and Valero parking lots.

Diokno: Now is the best time for US companies to invest in PH bares to complete of by end of

WTC ADVOCACY. World Trade Center Metro Manila, the Philippines’ premier events venue and exhibition center, teams up with a renowned artists’ group as it ventures into cross-border promotion of culture and the arts. WTCMM is hosting a contemporary art exhibition featuring artworks by members of Artists for Peace at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from Aug. 24 to Oct. 24, 2022. With WTCMM chairman and chief executive Pamela Pascual (second from right) are Artists for Peace members (from left) August Santiago, Nemi Miranda and Juno Galang.

NEW TRANSCO PRESIDENT. National Transmission Corp. welcomes the appointment of Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara as the new president and chief executive of the corporation. The TransCo board of directors moved for the appointment of Dr. Guevara, making her the first female president of TransCo since its creation in 2001. Prior to her appointment as the new head of TransCo, Dr. Guevara served as the undersecretary for research and development at the Department of Science and Technology and executive director of DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

Sustainable Technology in a Post-Pandemic World

PH’s future  lies in digital  infrastructure

By Patricia Taculao

INA world that has become reliant on digital developments, several functions of society require a stable digital infrastructure for efficiency. Among the significant sectors that find it necessary is a country’s economy.

Digital infrastructure is a competitive advantage that interconnects physical and virtual technologies to build the foundation for a company or society’s digital operations.

In the past two years, the Philippines saw a sudden rise in its digital economy as many Filipinos found their fortune on select platforms. Others discovered a different avenue to conduct the busi ness of daily activities.

Besides ushering in development, a stable digital infrastructure across the country also plays a significant role in the Philippines’ economic recovery. However, to produce the desired re sults, it needs a well-planned collabo ration between the government, private sectors, and civil society to complement its strengths.

Nonetheless, several issues still plague the Philippines’ digital infra structure. Common challenges include a lack of a stable and fortified connection, with some areas deprived of connection services entirely. Many telecommuni cations and technology companies con tinue to discuss the situation to provide solutions to existing connectivity prob lems.

Although many players in the tech nology industry have resources, no single one can implement a relevant change in the country’s digital infra structure. Many in the Philippines recognize how the appropriate part nership can provide inclusive devel opment opportunities for Filipinos as they continue their pursuit of becom ing a new power player in the global digital economy.

CALLING ON LOCAL LEADERS

Several private companies eager to get the digital infrastructure develop ment underway call upon the attention of local government leaders to priori tize bills that focus specifically on the issue.

For instance, the Aboitiz and Ayala groups requested that the Marcos ad ministration consider digital infrastruc tures in their priority projects, coincid ing with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push for universal connectivity. They also conveyed their interest in public-private partnerships on digital infrastructure if these became a part of the government’s priority list.

The government has laws that ad dress digital infrastructure in the coun try, namely the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law, which promotes PPP in financing digital project deliveries. Moreover, the BOT Law lists telco in frastructure as among the potential ar eas wherein the government and inves tors can collaborate. It also allows the implementation of PPPs in constructing information and communications tech nology networks and database facilities.

Besides putting digital infrastructure among the priorities of the government, private companies are also encouraging them to review existing programs from the previous administration carried on to the present and include the develop ment of digital assets.

For instance, reports claim that Globe Telecom Inc. is calling upon the gov ernment to review its priority list under the Build, Build, Build program, while Turn to B3

Converge is the Top-Rated fixed network:

What it means to be rated top in the Philippines

AT EVERY moment, people make choices that affect their lives in one way or another: what time to wake up, what to wear for work, what to have for breakfast and so on. Some decisions— like choosing a business partner—are more consequential and lead to bigger changes in our lives. But in all cases, having the power to choose is an important right that is bestowed on everyone, rich or poor.

That is why Converge, in emerging as the Top-rated Fixed Network in Ookla®’s Speedtest Awards™ for Q1-Q2 2022, reflects the choice of the majority. Because the award is based on user ratings, it means it reflects the customer’s preference and sentiment.

“It’s a reflection of the customer’s total experience in terms of the quality of service, not just raw speed. It’s also a measure of satisfaction so this indicates the customers are happy with the service we provide,” said Jesus C. Romero, Chief Operations Officer of Converge.

Converge garnered the highest average rating given to an ISP by the sample set of users using the Speedtest® 5-Star ratings feature. The Speedtest 5-star rating is a user survey feature that appears after using the Ookla Speedtest.

Ookla®, the company behind Speedtest, is the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence, testing applications and related technologies. The Top Rated Awards is part of the semi-annual Speedtest Awards, presented by Ookla.

“We are honored to be recognized for these achievements that reflect customer sentiment. Being the people’s choice of network means we are directing effort and investments in the right place. There’s nothing more important than giving people the service they deserve and I’m glad this is reflected in such ratings,” said Dennis Anthony Uy, CEO and President of Converge.

What has Converge done to earn the title of Top-Rated Fixed Network? Why has it become the people’s choice?

EXPANDING COVERAGE

Since 2020, Converge has been on an aggressive rollout nationwide of its fiber network. As of Q2 2022, its network has passed 13.5 million homes, and a household coverage of 52% in the Philippines. This meant that some 1.3 million fiber ports were rolled out in the first six months of 2022 alone.

This year, it’s going deep into existing markets in Visayas and Mindanao, as well as in existing coverage areas in Luzon to truly make the network available to all. It already has presence in Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro, to name a few.

“We will continue to expand as we aim to serve the connectivity needs of our people,” Uy said.

STRONG, REDUNDANT NETWORK

Other than its expansive coverage, Converge has the youngest and most advanced network in the country today, which allows it to deliver the best broadband experience to customers.

The total fiber assets of Converge—which includes the domestic backbone and the submarine cable segment - numbers to over 563,000 kilometers as of April 2022.

This domestic network is equipped with two major redundancy loops - one in Luzon and another in Mindanao - to make sure it is protected against any localized network failure.

In 2021, the Company spent P25 billion for capital expenditures to complete its domestic subsea cable backbone connecting Visayas and Mindanao, expand distribution networks nationwide, and launch automation initiatives, among others.

It’s not just about winning and gaining prestige. It’s about showing the Philippines that we have what it takes to give them the best internet solutions. Being able to connect to the internet should no longer be a privilege, but a right of every Filipino. That’s why Converge has been working hard for the past years to deliver fast and reliable internet to the underserved and unserved areas of the Philippines.

— JESUS C. ROMERO ,

Converge Chief Operations Officer

“With our network, you have high speed, low latency, and very low jitter, this is perfect for two things: Gaming and Video. A lot of Filipinos play online games and we’re working on peering to get to these websites at the fastest possible time. Video streaming on the other hand, requires not only high speed, but low jitter,” added Romero.

BANG FOR YOUR BUCK - AFFORDABILITY

Even with its investment in its fiber network and its aggressive expansion nationwide, Converge makes sure it offers its service at a price point within reach of the average Filipino.

Its flagship product, the FiberX1500 has been upgraded from a 50 Mbps speed to 100 Mbps. Without increasing its pricing, it is able to offer more Filipinos an upgraded fiber broadband experience. That affordability will help more to enjoy a richer digital life.

“It’s not just about winning and gaining prestige. It’s about showing the Philippines that we have what it takes to give them the best internet solutions. Being able to connect to the internet should no longer be a privilege, but a right of every Filipino. That’s why Converge has been working hard for the past years to deliver fast and reliable internet to the underserved and unserved areas of the Philippines,” Romero closed.

To learn more about Converge, visit https://www.convergeict.com/. Video link: https://cnvrge.co/topratedISP

Converge continues its nationwide roll-out, expanding its presence deeper into existing markets in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and making world-class connectivity available to all.

Converge continues to innovate to bring the best value products to its subscribers.

With its investment in its fiber network and aggressive expansion nationwide, Converge makes sure it offers service at a price point within reach of the average Filipino.

SARTiNE CEO Renesar Deunida:  Technology improves lives

By Riera U. Mallari

the Philippines’ leading digital advertising company, SARTiNE, to Filipinos who want to be successful in life.

for the creation of SARTiNE. DIGITAL MEDIA

This is the message of Renesar A. Deunida, the Chief Executive Officer of

USE technology to improve lives.

Armed with a 20-year experience working as Information Technology (IT) specialist for the United Nations, HSBC and World Health Organization (WHO), Deunida is a living

THEY look ethereal and delicate, but they pack a punch. Logitech G’s Aurora Collection is pretty and powerful. They complement your aesthetic. With the Au rora Collection’s gam ing grade technologies, play your way in com fort and in your own style.

Designed to be gender inclusive, the Aurora Collection addresses the needs of women who game while also appealing to gamers looking for a playful design and curated experience. The collection boasts of a distinctive aesthetic and design language while enabling customization through accessories and color options.

The Aurora Collection is a perfect choice for a gaming peripheral upgrade. Pre-orders will be announced in late September. Gaming grade technologies such as LIGHTSPEED high-performance wireless technology and Blue VO!CE microphone technology are featured in the collection.

Championing inclusivity and empowering gamers to “Play your way”

The Aurora Collection is Logitech G’s answer to the gaming wishes and needs of an underrepre sented segment of gamers. It was conceptualized based on feedback from women who game, and designed by a team of predominantly women.

The design process was based on three prin ciples: comfort, approachability and playfulness.

During the design phase, the team took into account often overlooked considerations such as longer hair, glasses, earrings, and smaller hand sizes. For added comfort even during long ses sions, lightweight and soft to the touch materials and finishes were considered.

With the Aurora Collection, softer tonalities, translucent materials and soothing out-of-box lighting were chosen over typical sharp edges and bold aesthetics.

Finally, the Aurora Collection encourages self-expression with customizable accessories. The gears come in base White Mist, and can be customized with Pink Dawn and Green Flash

accessories. Lighting is also customizable with combinations available in G HUB’s Play Moods.

MEET THE AURORA COLLECTION

The G705 Wireless Gaming Mouse is pur pose-built for smaller hands with compact con toured fit and sculpted side for comfortable grip.

It uses LIGHTSPEED wireless and Bluetooth® connectivity, and advanced gaming technology.

At just 85 grams, the G705 is designed for long-lasting, lightweight comfort and perfor mance. Its gaming-grade sensor, ultra-responsive LIGHTSPEED wireless, and easy-reach DPI-cy cling button enhance gaming performance.

Immerse yourself in games, music, and movies with ethereal LIGHTSYNC RGB that comes with the Aurora Collection signature lighting. Show off your creative side with thousands of customizable lighting combinations available on G HUB.

The white G705 is priced competitively at P5,999. It is versatile. It can be used not just for gaming, but also with laptops and tablets on the go.

The G715 Wireless Gaming Keyboard and G713 Gaming Keyboard are compact, comfort able keyboards. Both deliver low-key vibes with high-key performance so you can express your self and play your way.

Float away with its dreamy white design and cloud-soft palm rest. Its compact, tenkeyless lay out and adjustable height make marathon gam ing sessions comfortable.

Pack it up, place it anywhere, and play your best with a rechargeable 25 gaming-hr battery life1 and LIGHTSPEED wireless or Bluetooth® connectivity.

testament that technology and innovation can catapult one to the top.

Deunida said the name of his company comes from a Greek word that somehow means question mark, a mystery.

But after a massively successful seven years (and counting) in the business, SARTiNE isn’t quite a mystery anymore.

The secret is out in the bag—SARTiNE delivers the goods, ser vicing big-time brands and prominent politicians from presidential candidates down to congressional bets in the last three Philippine elections (2016, 2019, 2022), using algorithm data as a weapon and social media as a platform.

EARLY YEARS

After stints with HSBC, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity present ed itself to Deunida – an IT job at the WHO managing 16 countries in the Western Pacific regions of the United Nations.

“IT expert ako, managing the international projects. Kasi ‘yung ginawa ko sa UN, dati maliit na agency lang under ng United Na tions. Sabi ko sa boss ko, boring, hindi ako sanay ng ganito,” said the 44-year-old Deunida, who proposed a consolidation of the UN’s IT business unit.

“Kung mayroong WHO that specializes on health, why not Unit ed Nation Information Technology? And that will handle the entire technical aspect of the entire United Nations. Sabi ko sa boss ko, let’s start slowly. Let’s build our big data center and then after nun, ‘yung mga maliiit na sub agencies,” said Deunida.

But Deunida wanted something more challenging after his UN ac complishments.

“I was mid-thirties at that time, so nag-file ako resignation, three, four years before nag-build na ako nu’ng company, shell company na, so what I normally do is data mining, kasi I know data mining is the next jewel and I know that 100%,” Deunida said, paving the way

As a leading digital company, SARTiNE has the means to monitor the dissemination of altered information, detect bogus social media accounts, and promote ways for vot ers to differentiate facts from fake news.

“The last three Philippine elections in 2016, 2019, and 2022, have clearly proven how social media became a big part of the election system and, true enough, that social media can make one a Philippine president, just like what happened in 2016 (Rodrigo Duterte) and in 2022 (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.),” Deunida said.

At first, clients’ grasp on emerging tech nologies was shaky. Most were unwilling to embrace the latest trends in social media al gorithm and analytics.

“The hardest part is, hindi nila naiintin dihan ‘yung technology side. They think na, ‘ganito lang ‘yan eh,’ kasi sanay sila sa mainstream. Ang mindset ng mga big clients usually, mainstream pa rin. Pero saan ka ba nasasaktan ngayon? Hindi ba sa Facebook? Dapat mag-react ka doon, kasi ang technol ogy nag-e-evolve. You need to grasp the al gorithm. Wala ka maitatago sa social media; kaya ka i-search. Lahat ng pagkakamali mo, puwede ilabas at hindi mo mabubura ‘yun. There is no such thing as delete,” said Deun ida.

The SARTiNE chief said digital advertis ing and marketing have come a long way.

“Dati ang budget ng malalaking com panies, laging nasa TV, radio, print. Dati iniismol nila ang digital media. Mga 2016, nasa around 5 percent lang ‘yun. Pero 2019, umakyat na ‘yan ng mga 35 percent. Ang budget mo ngayon, halos pantay na with the mainstream.

“In fact, mas gusto ng mga politicians at brands ngayon, ibabad mo ako sa social me dia. Pero mainstream will always be there, as legitimacy. Halimbawa, naglabas ako ng PR, for Anti-Terror Bill. Lumabas na siya sa Ma nila Standard, then gagamitin na siya sa so cial media for reference because it is a legiti mate story,” explained Deunida, who added that data analytics is a key component in the creation of content for ads and campaigns.

“Gusto mo gumawa ng ads or mga cam paign. Noong araw, nakadepende sa creative director mo, kung sa tingin or pananaw lang niya, mabubuhay mga ads ko. Pero in a digi tal world, hindi, kasi bago kami gumawa ng ads, tingnan ko muna kung ano gusto ng market. Kung may data analytics ka, you have to treat it as a Bible. There is no such

Turn to B3

Slash that boredom, get  entertained anytime, anywhere with BingoPlus

marked? Leave that to us, because the BingoPlus app marks your numbers au tomatically. So just sit back, relax, and get entertained with BingoPlus.

Launched only in January, BingoPlus has been very dynamic in event spon sorships and brand presence. BingoPlus is not only an online game that enter tains, but a brand that believes in and supports advocacies that are aligned with it.

BINGOPLUS, formerly Bingo Bo nanza, is the newest offer and inno vation of Leisure & Resorts World Corporation (LRWC).

LRWC is one of the leading pro viders in the gaming and leisure industry. Its 20-year expertise has led to its dominance in the retail gaming market, providing worldclass multi-gaming platforms with a strong distribution network.

Probably, before the global cri sis, we all grew up playing bingo games with families and friends, and usually, we do this on occasion.

Bingo had been part of every household in the country, some even played the game along the streets.

And there was COVID-19. A game-changer for everyone, which has affected not just a single indi vidual but the entire world. Innova tion has been vital for all to survive, most especially in the business sec tor. That’s why BingoPlus came to

life.

Anytime, anywhere with Bingo Plus BingoPlus is the first online bin go in the country that has secured a license from PAGCOR. The app can be downloaded on App Store and Google Play. This is a perfect alternative for all bingo lovers, who get used to playing bingo in the pre-pandemic era.

Since the pandemic taught us to maximize the digital world and learn how to live with it, you can play and access BingoPlus any time and anywhere. This can be streamed live, in real-time, and it is operating for 23 hours, seven days a week. All you need to have is your cellphone or tablet and a good internet connection, and viola, you’re all set to win!

You can play bingo even when you’re cooking, watching TV, or doing your laundry. Wondering about how your numbers are being

Just like bingo, basketball has a spe cial place in every Filipino’s heart. That is why BingoPlus is actively supporting All-Star Bacolod Ballers (ABB). It is a professional basketball team represent ing the City of Bacolod in the province of Negros Occidental. Aside from ABB, BingoPlus is a proud major sponsor of the Manager’s Cup. It was established for young aspiring basketball players want-to-be to pursue their dreams.

BingoPlus is the official bingo part ner of the 47th season of the Philippine Basketball Association. At the recently concluded victory party of the 47th sea son of the PBA Philippine Cup, Bingo Plus was the proud co-presenter of the event, which was attended by basketball fans. And to wrap-up the partnerships with the sports industry, just recently, BingoPlus inked a partnership with the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), as the brand is sponsoring the current con ference and also next year’s conference.

Apart from actively partnering in the field of sports, BingoPlus supports Filipino artists and entertainers too. To name some of the concluded sponsored events are the LuvAnne the comeback concert, wherein BingoPlus was one of its major sponsors, the 30th anniversary of the Star Magic, and lastly, BingoPlus has been the co-presenter of the Beks 2Beks2Beks concert.

Gaming meets aesthetic with Logitech G’s Aurora Collection Dreamy, stylish and gender inclusive with gaming-grade performance

SARTiNE CEO Renesar Deunida

BingoPlus winners

PH’s future...

From B1

emphasizing the relevance of digital infrastructure to the country and econo my. Among their suggestions is allocat ing a yearly budget to ensure connectiv ity services reach even the underserved areas in the country.

Globe executives suggest that the government should make the provision of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act on telco permitting permanent.

On the other hand, the government didn’t limit itself to working within the confines of the country. Marcos Jr. recently shared how the Philippines is keen on fostering stronger ties with the Singaporean business community.

As a part of the country’s recovery, he focused on his administration’s eight-point socio-economic agenda that underscores commitment through broad-based job creation, expansion of digital infrastructure, and promotion of research and development across the country.

Despite calling on the local govern ment to turn their attention to digital infrastructure, further ushering in the country’s shift to a digital economy, some private companies took the nec essary steps to establish stable digital

thing as guts mo lang. Kung may means ka naman to get your data analytics, why not use it?” Deunida said.

IMPROVING HIS COMPANY

Deunida recently attended three of the tech world’s must-attend events on information technology innova tions, cyber security, and digital marketing in the United States within days of each other to catch up on the latest trends.

“SARTiNE’s goals in coming to AWE, the RSA Con ference in San Francisco, and the Digital Marketing Convention (DigiMarCon) in San Diego were to bring back home and adopt for the peculiar needs of Filipinos the latest technologies that could elevate our quality of life, empower businesses and, ultimately, help our coun try traverse the ever-changing digital trade and social media landscape,” Deunida said.

Deunida also shares his take on many tech issues and trends.

On internet availability: “Soon, hindi na natin kai langan ng SIM card, gagamit ka na lang ng satellite. Ang hindi ko maintindihan, siguro mga $150 to $400 ang full satellite launch, ang US multiple satellites ‘yan, kasi ang laki ng mapa niyan, hindi kaya ng isang satel lite. Ang Pilipinas, isang kapiranggot na satellite lang ang kailangan mo diyan, kahit saang sulok ka ng island natin, may internet ka. Malaking solution ‘yan, once and for all, you have to implement things that the generation will enjoy.”

On Metaverse: “Time will come, even si Facebook, papunta na tayo sa Metaverse. During my recent trav els, na-feel ko na in 2023 or 2024, papasok na tayo sa Augmented Reality world. Noong nasa reality pa lang tayo, pumapasok tayo sa virtual, puwede ako sexy doon, guwapo, matangos ang ilong ko doon, it’s my avatar, I can do whatever I want. Now, in the next coming years, si virtual world, papalitan na siya ni AR.”

On the use of English language in search of data: “Tatanggalin mo ang English language sa atin (sa cur

riculum). Okay lang na mag-debate kayo ng Tagalog, pero huwag na idamay ang mga estudyante. Bakit ang dami ng OFWs mo? Kasi marunong mag-English. Tayo, ultimo taxi driver, nakakapagsalita ng English. Global tayo, eh. Papaano ka magiging isang magaling na technical man or whoever, mechanic or engineer or IT guy, saan ka magse-search, ‘di ba sa internet? Hindi tayo nagde-discriminate, but that is the reality. You want to grow? Learn English.”

IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH TECH

Deunida is what he is today because of tech.

“Sa Pilipinas, since 18 years old ako, na-grasp ko siya (IT), na kita ko ‘yung changes from ground up, tapos nakapag-abroad ako, hindi ako nagpalit ng career, so meaning wala ako ibang naging trabaho other than IT,” he said.

Deunida said the technology is available to all Filipinos, it’s just a matter of knowing how to wield it.

“May mga Pilipino sa DE market, ‘di sila umaasenso kasi ‘di daw nila naiintindihan kung paano gamitin ang technology. But those in the DE market, rather gamitin mo ang technology for research, kung paano mo i-improve personality and buhay mo, ginagamit lang nila for Facebook or TikTok. This means, nagagamit naman nila ang technology, hindi lang alam kung paano,” Deunida said.

He added: “’Yung mga bata instead of doing TikTok, bakit hindi mag-aral using technology? Ilang percent ang nagti-TikTok sa atin, ilan percent nagpi-filter sila ng mukha, sumasayaw sila, pero kung ginamit mo ‘yan to learn, sana mas madaming matatalino sa atin. Hindi ako naniniwala na ‘yung mga sa public schools, ‘di sila mak agamit ng technology, how come? Nakakapag-TikTok and FB ka nga, pero ‘di ka makapag research? So hindi siya limitation of tech nology, ‘di niya lang alam ang gagawin, ‘di lang siya na-guide,” said Deunida.

As a parting shot, Deunida en courages Filipinos to embrace technology in their everyday lives, if they haven’t already.

assets.

One example is the PLDT Group, which boosted its operations and tar geted detecting areas with compromised telecommunication services. With its wireless arm, Smart Communications, the company inaugurated its integrated operations center (IOC) in Makati.

Furthering its dedication to digital de velopment, PLDT’s IOC has a 30-meterwide video wall displaying various net work dashboards. It enables PLDT and Smart’s network teams to immediately identify areas affected by service outag es and proactively reach out to impacted customers, especially during disasters and calamities.

Benefitting from digital infrastructures

Relevant businesses in the country en courage its venture toward a stable digi tal infrastructure because it supports the local economy and puts the Philippines under a global spotlight.

Some say its development will help boost the country’s international ca pacity, strengthen digital trading ser vices, improve the digital economy, and increase internet speeds and reli ability for Filipinos. Simply put, every Filipino stands to gain something from a stable digital infrastructure through PPPs.

Moreover, e-government services can improve the cloud services in various government agencies to create a sover eign community that values everyone’s

privacy and safety while providing effi cient services.

A stable digital infrastructure through out the country can also help the com munity adapt to new technologies, al lowing leaders to create a fortified digital governance framework and a conducive environment for online works, start-ups, and enterprises.

Intense digital developments could eventually lead to the internet, finance, healthcare, access, and affordability for everything and everyone.

Still, even the everyday Filipino has to play a part in fostering digital infrastruc ture in the country so they can reap its benefits. Aside from PPPs, the academe, NGOs, and broader cyber communities need a consolidated approach to address the gaps in the Philippines’ digital eco system.

While it may seem daunting, the first step lies in digital skilling. It means em powering every individual by ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and op portunity to succeed in the digital econo my and achieve inclusive prosperity.

Filipinos also learned to adapt to a dig ital environment, but not without com plications at first. Through their efforts to raise awareness of current connectivity issues, relevant companies in the indus try, with their government counterparts, recognize the challenges they must face to foster a stable digital infrastructure in the country.

Moreover, talking about advocacy, BingoPlus didn’t miss the chance to be part of the Ms. Philippines Earth (MPE) 2022. BingoPlus signed a partnership with the MPE, in view of the fact that BingoPlus believes in and supports the advocacy of MPE, which is to help pre serve mother earth.

As the brand promotes inclusivity, festivals such as the Kadayawan Festi val and Maskara Festival had been also supported by BingoPlus. Through these festivals, BingoPlus believes that not only they are promoting the brand, but more importantly, they let the people feel that there are brands, like BIngoP lus who trust in them.

In addition, BingoPlus is a brand for all walks of life, which is why BingoPlus is so pleased to have its first celebrity brand endorsers, Luis Manzano and Maine Mendoza.

BingoPlus is confident with Manza no and Mendoza in helping BingoPlus with brand awareness given the fact that the two have a significant number of fans and followers.

For more updates, you may visit www.bingoplus.com and www.face book.com/bingoplusph.

“Ang karamihan ng Pilipino ngayon, nag-a-adjust na sila when it comes to technology, which con tinues to evolve. ‘Yung mga hindi, they will be left behind,” Deunida said.

More than providing that seamless hotel experience, utilizing mobile apps has the potential to deliver the most significant environmental impact. Utilizing digital devices, which guests already have, can help hospitality brands and hotels reduce or even eliminate the use of paper. It also saves tons of water and chemicals used in paper processing and potentially eliminates the use of plastic keycards.

LAYING THE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE

#TruthInAction: Globe partners with Internews to support quality journalism, fight fake news in industry first country now under the most lenient travel restrictions and with the ongoing vaccination rollout, people are starting to go out for vacations and even staycations in hotels. For hoteliers, this presents a golden opportunity to get back on track to win their customers over the threshold. But how can hoteliers ensure that they provide the best experience for travelers?

Nowadays, the name of the game in hospitality is sustainability. Aside from the disruptions caused by the pandemic, all industries face long-term challenges, such as climate change. In response to these challenges, consumers are now seen to embrace products and services that contribute to social and environmental causes. Businesses, too, including hotel chains, are listening and changing how they operate to reduce their environmental impact. According to Fujitsu’s global survey in 2020, 92% believe that providing value to society is vital for the mid-to-long-term sustainability of their business.

For Fujitsu, however, hotel technology can help hoteliers ensure that they meet their sustainability goals while providing the best experience to their customers. These technologies can contribute to reducing carbon footprint and creating an eco-friendlier hospitality industry.

Here are some of these hotel technologies that are making a difference in saving the planet: Rise of Smart Hotel Rooms. As hospitality brands move along the path of digitalization, they can now provide smart hotel rooms with IoT (Internet of Things) devices and services. Now more than ever, guests expect a seamless and safe experience, especially with technologies that enable them to have touchless room keys or control multimedia content, room temperature, lighting mood, blinds, and more. This level of personalization will help transform the guest experience and optimize energy consumption.

Embracing Mobile Tech. With the rise of smartphone penetration, hotels are also integrating these devices into their services by developing mobile apps. For instance, guests can now check in via the hotel’s mobile app. A digital key will then be sent to their phones, communicating with the smart door locks. By doing so, guests can automatically check-in without even needing human contact at check-in desks. Guests can use the app to choose their preferred dining, laundry, cleaning, and turn-down time services. Similarly, other service offerings can also be accessed in the app, such as gym or spa facilities, among others, providing that personalized hotel experience.

To ensure seamless adoption of these technologies, Fujitsu noted that hoteliers need to ensure their underlying infrastructure us ready to scale. Some hospitality brands may still consider implementing additional overlay network that support employee safety, guest experience, and other IoT user cases expensive and unnecessary, but nowadays, solution providers like Fujitsu can now help deploy a single platform to orchestrate seamlessly across the entire network.

For instance, Fujitsu provides Hospitality Solutions that enable wire, wireless, and security to enable highly secure and reliable Wi-Fi, as well as a range of IoT applications that help provide a superior experience for hotel guests. This infrastructure enable hotels to combine services and applications to deliver the customer experience that guests look for while supporting employees become more efficient.

Fujitsu also provides more advanced Wi-Fi solutions to support IoT platform. Businesses are now increasingly integrating Wi-Fi 6, the latest wireless technology designed to provide a powerful user experience, as the connectivity foundation for IoT.

By doing so, they can have enough bandwidth for seamless connectivity between several devices capable of enhancing guest experiences and in-house efficiencies. It also ensures seamless app-enabled navigation, frictionless mobile check-in or check-out options, mobile-enabled in-room media connectivity, preferences based on dining suggestions, proximityenabled housekeeping, or lost child location service among others.

These are just some of the technologies, hospitality brands need to ensure they provide the best customer to their customers while helping create a more sustainable future. For Fujitsu, the sector is now prepared to constantly evolve by having the right foundation and network solutions, which can be the right starting point to becoming a smarter, more intuitive digital hotel. It will also help hoteliers get ahead of expectations, especially with the changing customer demands and guest experiences. To learn more about Fujitsu, visit its website at https://www.fujitsu.com/ph/.

GLOBE has partnered with global non-profit Internews in a pioneering effort to raise quality journalism above the disinformation clutter and promote authenticity through support for carefully vetted local media organizations via programmatic advertising.

Through Ads for News, Globe is now the first and only telco and digital solutions platform in the Philippines to take part in such an effort, aligned with its long-running programs that aim to protect the public against online threats, including false information.

With the partnership, Globe has committed to direct ad spending to online news sites verified by Internews, including small and independent outlets that would otherwise have limited access to media investments from a major enterprise.

“This partnership is aligned with our advocacy to promote responsible online behavior. We are proud to be the first in the industry to partner with Internews in this noble initiative,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer.

“Our goal is to bring to the fore what journalism ought to be: a chronicle of truth and a source of quality and useful information that could help communities realize their full potential,” she said.

Internews cited Globe’s commitment to Ads for News, calling it a valued partner in advancing responsible media investing and improving access to quality information.

“Responsible media investment today will have a meaningful positive impact on communities and society tomorrow. Globe’s partnership with Internews is significant because of Globe’s leading commitment to investing in advertising on trusted local news. In doing so publicly, Globe also sets a noble example for other major companies to follow,” said Chris Hajecki, Ads for News Director.

Ads for News is a global program led by Internews, with support from the World Economic Forum and GroupM, which aims to provide crucial ad support for local media organizations as they face financial woes. It also hopes to prevent the use of advertising funds on websites linked to fake news.

In the Philippines, Ads for News partnered with the Asian Center for Journalism to vet independent news websites using global journalism standards and the GARM Brand Safety and Suitability Standards. The Makati Business Club is also a partner in the advocacy among leading companies in the private sector.

Globe will, in turn, make use of its funding commitment to place advertisements on a chosen selection of trusted local news websites.

The company’s partnership with Internews is another major step towards its goal of promoting a safe online environment and quality information access for all.

Globe’s efforts to promote a safer online environment and access to quality information is part of its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, which highlights the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development, and UN SDG No. 17, which highlights the value of partnerships in achieving the sustainable development goals.

Its long-running #MakeITSafePH campaign is geared towards protecting children from online abuse. It has so far invested $2.7 million in content filtering systems. Globe’s Digital Thumbprint Program, meanwhile, teaches children responsible digital citizenship through public education modules and

Globe and global non-profit Internews sign a contract on Ads for News, a pioneering effort that aims to support carefully vetted local media organizations via programmatic advertising.  Present at the signing held August 30, 2022 at the Globe Tower were (from left) Ads for News Director Chris Hajecki, Internews Philippines Country Director Greg Kehailia, Globe Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer Yoly Crisanto, and Globe PR & Communications Strategy Director Liza Reyes.

Sustainability in Hospitality: Why do hotels need to focus on sustainable tech?

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Progressing toward a greener tomorrow

By Patricia Taculao

TECHNOLOGY has adapted to people’s demands for a better and more accessible life. While these developments benefit society, they have overlooked the circumstances of the environment, often compromising its overall quality.

Nowadays, when people talk about technology, they also consider its sustainability efforts apart from its efficiency. Such consideration for green technology spanned from private companies to public sectors, especially governments, to encourage more people to switch to sustainable technology.

Several companies and government agencies in the Philip-

pines already implement green technology in their daily operations. Yet the thing about technology is that it never ceases to innovate, especially with new ideas formed every day. Advancing the country’s sectors Besides coming up with developments within the Philippine setting, various local governments also partner with their

foreign counterparts to ensure maximum efficiency to increase the country’s production in various sectors.

Last May, the Department of Agriculture welcomed a South Korean-based company to pro mote smart farming technologies in the country. The company be lieves that smart farms are “the future of mankind.” It prides itself on producing smart greenhouses that create the optimum environ ment for agricultural, livestock, and fishery production.

The company specializes in high-tech greenhouses with a vertically-integrated structure applicable for businesses, like smart farms, plant factories, renewable energy, and urban landscaping.

Former DA Secretary William Dar supported the promotion of smart farming in the Philippines, especially with food shortages and a significant demand to provide Filipinos with quality food and a sustainable livelihood. He advised the South Korean firm to create a business model in the Philippines to allow members of the agriculture sector an opportunity to witness a modern farming approach.

Having a fresh perspective on technology will allow stakeholders to discover areas where their sector needs development.

Meanwhile, several local companies also apply sustainable technology of their own volition, especially those involved in sectors that damage the environment significantly.

A local steel company will soon operate the country’s first industrial-scale melt shop in 2024, using the latest green technology. The plant will use local scrap metal to produce high-

grade billets as raw material for buildings, port construction, and shipbuilding, other projects.

The envisioned melt shop will formalize and organize the collection, consolidation, and recycling of scrap metal throughout the country, creating a business sub-sector with opportunities for individuals and small businesses. It also aims to keep the local government from spending dollars to import billets from foreign countries.

Several institutions also tapped into the potential of research and development in intensifying the implementation of sustainable technology in the Philippines. For instance, the University of Mindanao recently inaugurated its Center of Green Nanotechnology Innovations for Environmental Solutions (CGNIES), the first nanotechnology center in

Mindanao funded by the Department of Science and TechnologyPhilippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), through the Infrastructure Development Program (IDP).

CGNIES will highlight sustainable approaches to developing nanomaterials from local resources and their integration into micro and macro structures for developing technological solutions to environmental problems.

Moreover, it envisions developing sustainable, scalable, and economical approaches to functional nanostructured materials while providing solutions that will benefit the environment and humanity.

FOCUSING ON ENERGY ALTERNATIVES

Every leader knows that a

With government mandate and private effort, the Philippines is well on its way to transitioning the local technology landscape that combines green efforts with intelligent advancements.

country requires energy to function smoothly. However, with only a limited resource for energy supply, the Philippines hasn’t yet tapped into renewable sources that could sustain their activities in the long run without the extra cost.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. recently spoke with United States (US)-based companies that deal with renewable energy.

He first met with the top managers of NuScale Power, an American energy firm that provides advanced nuclear technology. It offers scalable advanced nuclear technology to produce electricity, heat, and clean water.

According to researchers, nuclear energy is sustainable, with a chance to become renewable if the uranium source changes from mined ore to seawater.

IT’S finally time to take your mobile gaming to peak performance, as Infinix officially releases the brand-new NOTE 12 PRO 5G here in the Philippines.

Combining the smooth gameplay experience of the popular NOTE 12 with the blazing fast speeds of 5G mobile internet, the power of the NOTE 12 PRO 5G ensures that you can keep up with teammates and opponents alike on the online battlefield with #5GSmoothGameplay.

PEAK PERFORMANCE

IN MOBILE GAMING

WITH THE SPEED OF 5G

The superstar of the NOTE 12 PRO 5G is its 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 5G processor, which lets the phone connect to 5G mobile networks and deliver mind-blowing mobile internet speeds to gamers and users.

This fast connectivity is complemented by the NOTE 12 PRO 5G’s 13GB Super officially launches in the Philippines

You can view it all in full and vivid color on the phone’s dazzling 6.7-inch AMOLED Full HD display.

Lastly, gamers and power users can stay on the phone all day with a long-lasting 5000mAh battery, which quickly recharges in less than an hour with its built-in 33W fast charge.

Take the next step toward peak performance now with the Infinix NOTE 12 PRO 5G, available starting September 27 in outlets nationwide for a suggested retail price of P12,499. You can also get it exclusively on Lazada for a special sale price of only P10,299 from September 27 to 29, and for P11,499 on Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop for a limited time from September 30. For more updates and info on the NOTE 12 PRO 5G, follow Infinix’s Facebook Page and website!

Follow these steps to get 10% OFF on Lazada from September 27 29.

The Infinix NOTE 12 PRO 5G is a phone that lives up to its name. It’s fast, powerful, and has all the features you need to bring your A-game.

Infinix

NOTE 12 PRO 5G: Long-lasting battery, quick charge.

Play games like never before with the Monster Game Kit software.

(SAP photo)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila Standard

Augmented Reality is future of live entertainment

By Sheldon Angelo G. Cruz Jr.

THE formula of concerts hasn’t changed much in the past few decades. We buy tickets, wait in line all day under the blazing sun to get into the venue and then sing along with the artist/s at the top of our lungs.

This was an experience that can be shared by multiple generations. Chances are, your concert experiences are similar to what your parents have encountered.

With restrictions lifting as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, concerts are beginning to be a part of our lives again. However, there have been some changes to the formula.

AUGMENTED FORMULA September has showcased some innovations for concertgoers. Earlier this month, Jack Harlow and Lil Nas X brought augmented reality (AR) stageside.

American rapper and 3x Grammy nominee Harlow kicked off his “Come Home, the Kids Miss You” Tour last September 5. Fans were treated to an AR experience via Snapchat.

During Harlow’s performance of “First Class”, attendees were able to point their phones upwards and

see a digital jet flying overhead. Furthermore, they were able to buy concert merchandise directly from Snapchat.

A day after, Grammy award winner Lil Nas X also kicked off his “Long live Montero” Tour with a concert in Detroit, where attendees were given a playbill upon entry, which was scannable with Snapchat.

Once the concertgoers scanned the playbill with their phones, they received a voice message walking them through what they were about to experience. After that, they witnessed all three

acts of augmented reality -- act 1 featured cocoons, the second act showcased butterflies, and lastly, the 3rd act featured Nas himself.

THE EVOLUTION OF MUSICAL STORY TELLING

Musicians are storytellers, their music, music videos, and concerts all serve to tell a tale and entertain. AR is another tool for these musicians to convey the story they want to tell.

Nas and Harlow are not the first to bring AR stageside and they won’t be the last as by the looks of it, this trend is here to stay.

Earlier this year, Elton John and ABBA also held an AR concert with ABBA taking on a different approach and producing a concert performed by the holographic versions of them.

No longer will these artists’ visions be limited by budget constraints or logistical issues in concerts.

Like with the aforementioned performance of Harlow’s “First Class”, though it was possible for his team to organize for an actual jet to fly overhead during the song, it would have been a massive undertaking, not to mention expensive. AR made the task easier, though.

AR has the ability to realize the vision of many artists and allow them to give their fans the best experience possible.

Switching to Smart is now easier with simpler MNP process

EXPERIENCING the power of Smart, the Philippines’ Fastest and Best mobile network, has become easier than ever with Smart’s simpler Mobile Number Portability (MNP) process, which enables customers to switch without changing their mobile number.

Joining the Smart network now takes only three easy steps:

Step 1: Get your 9-digit Unique Subscriber Code (USC) from your current network provider. Valid for 15 days, the USC serves as clearance that your account is free from unpaid fees and balances.

Step 2: Get a Smart 5Gready MNP SIM and apply online. If you’re switching to a Smart Prepaid or TNT ac count, you can get your 5Gready MNP SIM by heading to any Smart Store nationwide or having it delivered to your doorstep by ordering it online. On the other hand, if you’re porting into a Smart Postpaid account, you can secure your 5G-ready MNP SIM by book ing an appointment at your preferred Smart Store.

Step 3. Activate your Smart 5G-ready SIM. Upon getting your Smart 5G-ready MNP SIM and completing your MNP application, you can activate it by dialing *123# and following the steps on the screen. You will receive a text notification upon successful activation.

UNLEASH

THE POWER OF SMART

Through MNP, more Filipinos can unleash the power of Smart, the first and only local mobile operator to be recognized as the Philippines’ Best Mobile Network by

Ookla ®, the global leader in mobile and broadband network intelligence. To earn this prestigious citation, Smart led in two crucial Ookla Speedtest AwardsTM categories, namely Fastest Mobile Network and Best Mobile Coverage in Q1–Q2 2022.

With Smart’s fastest speeds, subscribers can do and accomplish more—from connecting with loved ones in crystal-clear video calls, sending important work and school files in a flash, sharing content on social media in real-time, to watching highdefinition videos seamlessly and playing high-bandwidth mobile games without lag.

On the other hand, Smart’s widest coverage means cus tomers can stay connected more—whether at home or office, during the commute to school or work, or outside the city.

Switching to Smart also comes with a host of awesome perks and rewarding experi ences, from exclusive access to premium on-demand entertain ment, easy access to the latest promos and lifestyle treats via the GigaLife App, and up to 9 GB data freebie for prepaid subscribers, among others.

Make the Smart move now and unleash the #PowerOfSmart without chang ing your number via MNP. To know more, visit https:// smart.com.ph/Pages/mobile numberportability

•Fastest Mobile Network and Best Mobile Coverage: Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q1–Q2 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

ABBA produced a concert performed by the holographic versions of them.

American rapper and 3x Grammy nominee Jack Harlow kicked off his ‘Come Home, the Kids Miss You’ Tour last September 5, with fans being treated to an AR experience via Snapchat. (Snapchat/Live Nation/ VR Scout)

Esports in 2022: The best games that we play

By Charles Dantes

THE year 2022 has been a gold mine for amazing games for consoles, computers, and smartphones.

The first quarter of the year took the gaming community by storm with releases from major studios combined with hidden indie gems you can find dirt cheap.

ELDEN RING

First on the list is the lovechild of game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and famed fantasy writer George R.R. Martin. Developer FromSoftware managed to surpass their past masterpieces with the massive open-world action roleplaying game.

Elden Ring possesses the same brutal difficulty yet re warding gameplay, just like its predecessors. With the steep learning curve and mysterious atmosphere, players traverse the world of the Lands Between for hours.

Elden Ring is available on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

STRAY

One of the most surprising games that came out this year, Stray lets you play as a cat in a post-apocalyptic city inhabited by robots.

The gameplay consists of plat forming and doing tasks specifically for a feline, like knocking things off the ledge, scratching doors, jumping, and running around.

It is not as action-packed as the other games, but it gave players a glimpse of how cats live their lives.

Stray is available on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, and Windows PC.

POKEMON LEGENDS: ARCEUS Nintendo and Game Freak switched things up (no pun intended) with its Pokemon Legends: Arceus for the Nintendo Switch.

DHL Express improves customer experience with new Digital Assistant platforms

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, is improving its customer communications by incorporating digital solutions into its operations for a better customer experience.

With Digital Assistant on WhatsApp, Facebook, and its content hub, Discover, DHL aims to help customers obtain updates of the company’s products, services, shipping rates and shipment status.

“Going digital enables businesses to modernize processes, make workflows more efficient, heighten security, and increase profitability.

Digital channels help businesses change the way they interact with customers. Through digitalization, customers can gain direct insights into our products and services or track shipments – anywhere, anytime,” said Nigel Lockett, DHL Express Country Manager.

The WhatsApp Digital Assistant (DA) instantly address all fundamental international shipping queries and provide curated shipping information. Customers may enter their 10-digit DHL Express waybill number to check on the shipment status, and the DA will provide the latest delivery information.

The DA includes a link to MyDHL+ if a customer needs to check pricing or estimated delivery time.

For customer convenience, WhatsApp DA also provides up-todate local importing and exporting information on medical and hygiene-related items.

It can also help customers connect to a customer service advisor for more complex inquiries.

“With the help of technology, we want to build a better experience for customers, and be available whenever they need us. We can also guide them on expanding their reach to the global market,” added Nigel Lockett.

Customers in the Philippines may also connect with a DHL Express customer service officer through an embedded Digital Assistant on the Discover website or the DHL Express Philippines official Facebook page.

“Everyone is online, and that is where we want to be because that is also where our customers are. They are important to us, and we want to hear their questions. We hope to give them answers to help address their shipping needs. These tools are also designed to support our customers so that they can reach out

through multiple avenues,” said Eric Queppet, Commercial Head of DHL Express Philippines.

Interested customers who want to explore opportunities to ship overseas or to open a DHL account simply need to go to www.dhl.com/ph-en.

Customers may contact customer service through the Digital Assistant on the DHL Express website (https:// digitalassistant.dhl.com/static/expresscs/prd/ap/PH_en.html) or on WhatsApp at +63 2 8271 3766.

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry.

DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

With about 380,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows.

With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including

technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 81 billion euros in 2021. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world.

Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.

Customers can get in touch with DHL Express customer service anytime via mobile chat

The Digital Assistant is available on WhatsApp, Facebook and DHL’s content hub, Discover

Online investment opportunities in a post-pandemic world

Best, affordable gaming smartphones

By Maria Michaela Nabaza

MOBILE

gaming is becoming mainstream in the Philippines, with many Filipinos spending their leisure time playing mobile games. On the other hand, these gaming apps are large in size and graphically demanding. Phones overheat or glitch during matches because they cannot handle these apps. We have created a list of budget-friendly gaming phones so Filipino gamers can play worry-free.

Its MediaTek Helio G96 Ultra Gaming Processor provides more speed and power to the NOTE 12, while the octa-core proces sor incorporates two powerful Cortex-A76 processor cores clocked up to 2.05GHz and Mali-G57 GPU that works in tandem to har ness next-level intelligence for groundbreak ing performance.

Infinix expands the NOTE 12’s 8GB mem ory to 13GB by integrating RAM and ROM to provide users with up to 5GB extended RAM, thereby improving the phone’s pro cessing speed and accelerates performance for multi-tasking

And the best part? The Infinix Note 12 can be had with a very official price of P8,999.00 for 128GB and P9,999.00 for 256GB.

VIVO Y21T

ONE of the most notable things brought about by the pandemic is the shift to the online world – from remote work arrangements to virtual learning, to diversifying investments through online trading and financial instruments like forex, CFD stocks, oil, gold, bitcoins, and other cryptocurrencies.

With this occurrence, the online trading landscape has become very attractive to those looking for another income stream in a post-pandemic world.

SmarTrade, one of the pioneer financial education companies in the country, has been offering Filipinos the opportunity to learn how to invest their money on instruments like forex, oil, gold, and CFDs through its free learning sessions. Clients are guided on where they should place their investments based on their trading preferences and risk appetite.

If you want to gain more knowledge about online trading you can benefit from SmarTrade’s services which include the following:

employed. SmarTrade recognizes this diversity and is continuously expanding the skills and knowledge of every trader.

3. One-on-one coaching tailored to fit the needs of the client. Sometimes, public learning sessions just do not cut it. For more advanced traders who want to dig deep and create trading strategies based on their preferences, SmarTrade offers free one-onone coaching sessions. This personalized approach is perfect if you want a more focused discussion with a coach to guide you every step of the way.

The world of online trading continues to expand as it faces new challenges and opportunities. As this happens, SmarTrade and ATFX innovate on their different platforms to cater to the ever-evolving demands of the online trading world.

Infinix may have a winner in its hands with the its all-new Note 12, a smartphone that brings the smoothest gaming experience for casual and heavy gamers alike. From its sleek 6.7” FHD+ True Color AMOLED Dis play, 33W Flash Charge, a hefty 5000mAh battery and more, the NOTE 12 offers wellrounded and innovative performance fea tures for multi-taskers and heavy users so they can bring their gaming and passions to the next level.

The Y21T provides users a remarkable gaming experience with its Qualcomm Snap dragon 680 octa-core processor, Adreno 610 GPU, 4GB RAM +128 GB Storage; and 6.51-inch HD+ display. Its powerful proces sor results into a smooth and lag-free game play.

It is also supported by Multi-Turbo 5.0, a Turn to C4

1. Guide to avoiding scams. Knowing how to trade is not enough. That is why SmarTrade provides guidance on where to execute your trades and make sure you avoid online scams or fly-by-night trading platforms. It is a must to deal only with reputable trading platforms to ensure that your resources are secure. SmarTrade’s partner broker, ATFX, is an award-winning global broker that operates in 14 different countries, covering Europe, South America, the Middle East, and Asia.

2. Sessions for traders of different levels. SmarTrade offers learning and coaching sessions for traders of different levels to create sustainable relationships. Depending on your preferences, risk appetite, and resources, various strategies must be

“While we are starting our face-to-face learning sessions and one-on-one trading coaching, we still see the need to expand our online learning platform because it has become a major channel for people to learn about online trading,” says Joyce Mayo, President and CEO of SmarTrade.

“The world is continuously evolving, and we would like to build sustainable relationships with our clientele, both in the physical world and online. Never have we seen this kind of opportunity before where we can reach any Filipino and educate them on how to gain financial leverage, wherever they may be. We actively respond to the call of the times,” adds Mayo.

As long as there are learners, SmarTrade will continue to live its mission of educating more Filipinos toward financial independence and building of generational wealth. To learn more about SmarTrade’s free learning and coaching sessions, visit www.smartradeph.com.

SmarTrade Market Analyst Gab Santos discusses risk management techniques and trading strategy at the SmarTrade office located at the 25th floor of PhilamLife Tower, Paseo De Roxas in Makati City. Aside from faceto-face, SmarTrade conducts learning sessions and one-on-one trading coaching online.

Going digital now mandatory to keep up with changing times

By Peter Paul Duran

LAST year, crypto took the world by storm. Heck, even the farthest barrios in Central Luzon had someone with a smartphone and data connection toiling night and day on play-to-earn games.

But blockchain, though the favorite buzzword and in deed the rightful king to the tech spotlight in the past year, there were still undeniable progress in other tech nological fields. Indeed, tech has enjoyed an invigora tion and has leapt by extreme bounds following a global pandemic.

Back in 2020, tech related to remote work and dis

tance learning helped countless institutions in traversing the rough road of adjusting to the crippling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These led to the proliferation of hybrid solutions to jumpstart the economy and education especially for the Philippines.

The retail, customer service and finance side on the other hand, proved to be a boon in transitioning to the new normal, especially when businesses where at their knees and people not wanting to expose themselves while fulfilling their most basic needs.

Of course, advances in healthcare proved to be much beneficial, not only to the government side, but for the citizens in inquiring about their health through online means. And as mentioned above, entertainment and on line gaming tech trends stole the show to cap a rather eccentric yet exciting year for tech in 2020.

To name a few, advances in computing power, artifi cial intelligence and machine learning, virtual and aug

Gold-plated souvenir cryptocurrency coins arranged by a screen displaying a NFT (Non-Fungible Token) marketplace. AFP

mented reality, 5G, and cybersecurity were seen in 2022 banking on the progress these fields made in the previous year.

The recent trends has shifted our mindset on all fronts. Going digital, a luxury for some in the past has now become the mandatory norm in order to keep up with the changing times.

From changes in education to how we deal with our health, picking out your next meal to how we transact our business, the great

migration online proved to be a means to an end: to let concepts in technological develop ment roam free.

Given the circumstance, these trends have all but expedited our exodus to the digital world.

And the migration has not only started with big-ticket projects and ideas from sili con valley giants or fortune 500 companies, it has also trickled down to everyday digital interaction.

FOR Filipinos, one of the most common fixtures you’ll see in every home is an electric fan. It’s not rare for every room to have at least one, even two in some cases. It’s not surprising, given the fact that we live in a tropical country that’s hot and humid. However, over the past few years, the need for access to clean air has sprung up. Not just because of COVID, but with air pollution, household dust and pet hair and dander as well.

LG seeks to solve this problem with the introduction of the AeroTower, which leverages the South Korean brand’s PuriCare technology and combines it with a cooling fan. In a recently concluded event at Living Innovations in BGC hosted by socialite and interior designer, Tessa Prieto, LG gave the first glimpse and a hands-on product demo of the AeroTower to select members of the media.

Sungjae Kim, LG PH’s managing director, was elated with the introduction of the new product to the local market. “This is a new favorite, as I feel that it captures the essence of the brand. It provides the perfect blend of form and function. It’s sleek, stylish, and can hold its own among any artwork in any room. At the same time, it provides pure, clean air and cools you off according to your specific needs. What’s not to love?”

LG product manager, Jave Enriquez highlighted the features and aesthetically pleasing design of the new AeroTower. Inspired by the Red Canyon, it is part appliance and part work of art, adding elegance to any space in your home or work. It gives three different airflows that fits to your liking. There are 10 speed settings and virtually quieter than a library for only 23 decibels. It also tells you the air quality so you can breathe cool and pure, clean air.

Best affordable...

From C3

feature that enhances the system proces sor speed, network connection, and per formance while on power-saving mode.

The Y21T’s 5000mAh battery has enough power to last for about 7 to 9 hours, while con consuming less power to ensure efficient energy distribution.

The 18W Flash Charge lets users charge their phones quickly so they can get back into their games ASAP.

TECNO CAMON 18P

Leap forward with Tecno Camon 18P, with an official price of P10,990.00. This smartphone runs on a Helio G96 chip and

The AeroTower can also be operated in three different ways - through manual touch control on the unit, through a remote control and also using LG’s ThinQ app.

LG brought in influencers from all walks of life to share their thoughts on how the AeroTower is a direct upgrade to their home or work setup. Architect and beauty queen, Shamcey Supsup-Lee, gushed how the AeroTower perfectly blends form and function. “Even if the AeroTower was just a fan or just an air-purifier, it can hold its own with any designer furniture or artwork on display. The mere fact that it works as both is astounding.” LG brought in Dr. Jansen Calalan, a lifestyle medicine specialist, who talked about the importance of clean air. “Having access to clean air lowers the risk of respiratory issues and heart disease, improves cognitive health, and of course, makes you happier overall.” Actress and new mom Sofia Andres shared how LG’s multi filtration technology helps her feel safe as well. “The multifiltration technology gives me assurance and peace of mind, that even with the comings and goings of my babies, both human and canine/feline, the whole family is safe.”

To close, Changsoo Jang, LG Air Solutions product director says, “This product is the culmination of years of research and development with the end goal of making life better for every customer.

The AeroTower, as well as this event itself, is just the first step towards the future. Together, we take each step forward together.”

For more information regarding the LG AirCare Complete System, visit www. lg.com/ph. You can purchase LG AeroTower at authorized LG dealers nationwide and in LG’s official flagship stores in Lazada and Shopee. pure breeze

Octa-core CPU Powered by Mediatek.

Its 8GB RAM and 128GB ROM allow a smooth and lag-free gaming experience. The smartphone charges quickly thanks to its 5000mAh battery and 33W Flash Char ger.

In addition, unlike other smartphones, the Tecno Camon 18P doubles the screen refresh rate to 120HZ.

REALME NARZO 50

The Realme Narzo 50’s robust Helio G85 processor will give you a powerful perfor mance in the world of games for P7,990.00. Its octa-core processor has a base speed of up to 2.0GHz and is combined with a powerful ARM Mali-G52 GPU to provide an outstanding gaming experience.

Esports... C2

The game allowed players to roam freely in Hisui, the bygone era of the Sinnoh region mixed with the core el ements of past pokemon games.

Fans of pokemon games loved the step Nintendo took as it gave the game a fresh breath of air.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is avail able on Switch

OLLIOLLI WORLD

Roll7’s OlliOlli World is a vibrant, cute skateboarding platformer that makes players pull off many gravitydefying moves.

Players are happy with the Adven ture Time aesthetic with gameplay like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater.

Enjoy the chill soundtrack and sim ple control scheme of OlliOlli World and make sure to keep breaking your own record.

OlliOlli World is available on Play Station 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

WORDLE

Wordle is a simple word-guessing

Its best feature?

Be amazed at its huge 6,000mAh battery, that is powerful to support

puzzle that refreshes every 24 hours, its biggest strength is its communal power.

Players must attempt to guess a five-letter word with Mastermindlike hints. Just like Among Us, Wordle blew the online community with its simple yet thought-provok ing answers that put people in awe.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and God of War Ragnarok

Pokemon Scarlet and Pokemon Vi olet are looking good in the trailers with terastal transformation, Poke mon Scarlet and Pokemon Violet are slated for a November 22 release on Switch.

God of War Ragnarok has been the talk of the town lately. Join the father and son tandem of Kratos and Atreus as they continue their journey in the nine realms. God of War Ragnarok is dated for a November 9 release on PS4 and PS5.

As we reach the last part of the year 2022, the gaming world is ready to buckle down for a thrill ride of an nouncements for different games coming this year and 2023.

For now, let’s finish the year with no backlogs of games!

continuous gaming for hours and an 18W fast charge.

XIAOMI REDMI NOTE 11

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 is one of the fastest-charging budget phones sport ing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery, and a 33W pro fast charge. The price?

The Redmi Note 11 4GB + 64GB is priced at P8,999, while the 6GB + 128GB is worth P9,999.

This smartphone runs on an An droid 11 operating system and MIUI 13 software. A fingerprint scanner, 4G LTE connectivity, Hi-Res audio, and 64GB or 128GB of expandable stor age are included.

Standing from left are Dr. Jansen Calalan, M.D., Jave Enriquez, AeroTower product manager and sitting from left are Changsoo Jang,

LG Air Solutions product director, Tessa Prieto, Sungjae Kim, LG Philippines managing director, Sofia Andres and Shamcey Supsup

Polaris Esports, Rex Regum Qeon rule

Acer’s Predator League PH finals

By Peter Atencio

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

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.

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.

“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 honors.

Former Team Sibol athlete Jan Antho ny Vargas, also known as Natsumi, led Polaris’ efforts with Immortal hero Un dying, which finished at Level 25 when it was over.

Undying usually serves as a lane sup port/tank role for the team and has abili ties which allow him to harass enemies off the lane to secure space for his carry to farm.

Vargas emerged with 15 kills, four deaths and eights in Game 2 after Polaris routed Grindsky, 48-26, for the final win.

“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.

After Sibol teammates Marvin Rush ton and McNicholson “Lelouch” Villan ueva 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.

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.

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

Their fight with Talon Esports earlier sapped Polaris’ energy going into the Sun day’s semis and finals clash with their 2-3

setback on Saturday sending to The Inter national 2022 finals in Singapore.

There was still tiredness in their eyes as Team Polaris also earned a slot with Grindsky to the Asia-Pacific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals, which re turns with in-person matches on Novem ber 11 to 13 in Japan.

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

Meanwhile, a day earlier, Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) fought off a late rally in Game 2 to sweep South Built Esports (SBE), 2-0, (13-7, 14-12), in their best-

of-three finals series in Predator League 2022-23 Philippine Valorant Qualifiers Grand Finals.

They needed an extra 26th round to finish off SBE, 14-12, with a trap and a triple kill from female teammate Kelly “KellyS” Sedillo’s Vandal rifle.

This pushed RRQ to the crown, the P200,000 purse and a slot to the Asia-Pa cific Predator League 2022 Grand Finals, which returns with in-person matches from November 11 to 13 in Japan.

“Nakabawi ang SBE. Nabasa namin ang depensa. Kaya sinara namin ang isang side ng mapa para malaman nam ing ang plano at madepensahan sila,” said coach JC Jamir.

Emmanuel “Emman FPS” Morales showed the way for RRQ with 27 kills, while KellyS backed him up with 19, along with Jed “Draxii” Jamir with 18.

In Game 2, SBE rallied from an 8-11 deficit and tied the match, 12-all, after Azis “Azys” Nandang gunned down Mo

rales in an ambush.

In round 25, Draxii came out of hiding and eliminated Chris “Pro” Martir in the final seconds to lift RRQ to a 13-12 lead.

RRQ also drew support from the games of Nathaniel “Nexi” Cabero, Franz “kvzx” Dingal and James “2ge” Goopio.

Princess Laosantos, senior marketing manager for Acer Philippines said, in a past interview that strong partnerships from within the esports community has made the formation of Philippine-based teams possible.

“We have formed strong alliances and partnerships, we have sponsored and sup ported many esports programs and local teams over the years. We were the official PC partner of the Esports segment of the Southeast Asian Games when Philippines hosted in 2019,” said Laosantos.

Laosantos said Acer Predator is the company’s premium brand for gamers looking for the ultimate gaming experience.

Members of Team Polaris at the awards rites

Rex Regum Qeon members

Acer Predator laptop

You have money? Splurge on the best flagship phones

By Angelica Villanueva

INJUST a couple of months, a number of brands launched their respective flagship phones, highlighting the best features they could offer— from upgraded software to newly-developed built-in cameras.

Manila Standard Tech got you covered as we give a glimpse of some of the new est members of the phone industry with this list.

So you have money to burn? Use them on these amazing flagship phones.

APPLE’S IPHONE 14 SERIES

Just a week ago, Apple debuted its latest line of iPhones with four new models—the

SAMSUNG Z FLIP4 AND SAMSUNG Z FOLD4: YOUR WORK-LIFE COMPACT PHONES

Unfolding and flipping the world of smartphones, Samsung ensures that the best moment is yet to come as they give their users the real deal. Endorsed by seven-member KPop group BTS, the smartphone brand added Samsung Z Flip4 and Samsung Z Fold4 to their range of flagship phones.

bile game without any hassle, all day long.

Its massive 4500mAh battery can hold up to heavy everyday use and can be fully charged in less than 30 minutes.

It sports an Ultra Slim Body Design and comes in Shimmer Gold and Shimmer Black giving an aesthetic and premium design perfect for Gen Zs.

Price: P27,999

VIVO X80 5G AND X80 PRO 5G: BEST FOR PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

iPhone 14, the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 14 Pro, and the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

The iPhone 14 has the standard 6.1-inch display, while iPhone 14 Plus sports a 6.7inch screen that features an OLED Super Retina XDR display.

Both models also boast of Apple’s “longest battery life ever” and come in five different colors namely Blue, Purple, Midnight, Starlight, and Red.

As for the Pro and Pro Max, both are packed with an A16 Bionic chip—the ultimate smartphone chip—making your phone more power-efficient.

Say goodbye to the classic notch on your previous phones because the notch is gone on the iPhone Pro models and is replaced with what they call Dynamic Island. It displays your music, sports scores, and other notifications, without the need to close your current app.

iPhone Pro and Pro Max are available in four colors—Deep Purple, Gold, Silver, and Space Black.

Prices: iPhone 14: 128 GB - P56,990; 256 GBP63,990

iPhone 14 Plus: 128 GB - P63,990; 256 GB - P70,990

iPhone 14 Pro: 128 GB - P70,990; 256 GB - P77,990

iPhone 14 Pro Max: 128 GB - P77,990; 256 GB - P88,990

Lighter than the older versions of Galaxy Flips, Z Flip4 is powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip and sporting a front shooter with a 10MP selfie camera and Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus®+ display.

The Galaxy Flip also supports a super-fast charging experience giving you up to 50% battery life in a span of 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Z Fold4 boasts of a 6.2inch Cover Screen and a 7.6-inch Main Screen. It also features quick navigation through its Taskbar giving you the best work-life balance experience.

Whether you are on an online meeting, while catching up on missed emails or just checking your social media accounts, the Galaxy Fold also sports an expansive Main Screen with Multi View.

Both phones also offer an IPX8 water resistance rating.

The Z Flip4 comes in Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, and Blue colors, while the Z Fold4 is available in colors Gray Green and Phantom Black.

Prices: Samsung Z Flip 4: 128 GB - P58,990; 256 GB - P62,990

Samsung Z Fold4: 256GB - P98,990; 512GB - P105,990

OPPO RENO8: THE GEN Z PHONE

vivo knows when is the right time to flex their phones as it just recently introduced the new members of their X series to the market—the X80 and X80 Pro.

Sporting an ES 6.78-inch FHD+ 3D Curved Screen display, the X80 is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 9000 and vivo V1+ chip that users can enjoy a higher speed and stronger performance with their phone.

Worry no more for your jam-packed schedule as the X80 can last throughout the day as it is packed with a 45000 mAh battery.

Meanwhile, the X80 Pro is powered with 4nm Qualcomm flagship processor Snapdragon® 8 Gen 1 and vivo’s customized V1+ Chip delivering an outstanding visual and audio output.

Charging up phones is made easier as you can charge your X80 Pro by pairing it with another through its Reverse Charge feature.

X80 Pro also sports the vivo V1+ Chip and 50MP Ultra-Sensing GNV Sensor for professional-level photos and videos. X80 comes in Cosmic Black and Urban Blue while X80 Pro is available in Cosmic Black.

Prices: vivo X80: P45,999 vivo X80 Pro: P59,999

ONEPLUS 10T5G: YOUR GO-TO FLAGSHIP PHONE

Global smart device brand OPPO expand ed its portfolio with its latest flagship phone, OPPO Reno8.

The newest model is packed with MediaTek Dimensity 1300 delivering a smooth experience, while playing your favorite mo-

Recently-launched OnePlus 10T5G is powered by Qualcomm’s latest and most powerful Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1 Mobile Platform and equipped with OxygenOS 12.1, giving its users the power to enjoy the ultimate user experience.

It has a 16MP front camera, a 4cm macro camera, a 119.9° ultra-wide camera, and a 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX766 sensor and optical image stabilization pro-

viding high-quality images.

For a superior cooling system, the device leverages the OnePlus’ 3D Cooling System 2.0. It is packed with a larger cooling area, better heating dissipation material, and a redesigned heat dissipation channel to deliver its users an impressive experience anytime and anywhere.

The OnePlus 10T5G is available in two different colors—Moonstone Black and Jade Green.

Price: P35,990

HUAWEI P50 POCKET: YOUR PREMIUM POCKET PHONE

Huawei’s version of a foldable phone, the P50 Pocket aims to provide immersive big screen views and innovative features in folded mode.

The P50 Pocket boasts of a 3D microsculpture design, giving an overall shimmer look to your phone.

Most popular apps in PH

By Charles Dantes

SMARTPHONES have been the go-to helping hand of Filipinos in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

From online shopping to online health consultation, almost everything can be found in phones by the palm of your hand.

Based on research, around 84.7 million Pinoys are proud users of mobile phones. With that huge number, we can only imagine what mobile apps are the most used and popular in the country.

Here in Manila Standard, we list some of the sought-after smartphone applications. To learn more, see the list below:

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook and Messenger are still the most used social media app in the coun try, followed by TikTok, a video-sharing platform that caters to different short video content.

For third place, photo and video sharing app Instagram took the seat while for fourth and fifth place, Telegram and WhatsApp Messenger placed respectively.

ONLINE SHOPPING

For e-Commerce, Shopee is still the number one app in the country, followed by its rival Lazada, while online fashion store Shein is in third place.

China’s Alibaba is seated fourth with shoe manufacturing giant Nike placed fifth followed by SM Mall Online in sixth place.

ONLINE MOBILE GAMES

Moontoon’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is still the top-grossing mobile gaming app in the Philippines. Call of Duty: Mobile by Garena is sitting closely in the second rank.

Online game platform and game creation system Roblox is rested third with South Korea’s free-to-play open-world K-fantasy MMORPG, MIR4 fairly put on the fourth rank.

Nostalgia hits for players with Ragnarok M: Eternal Love and Diablo Immortal placing numbers five and six respectively.

OTHERS

Meanwhile, in collaboration with Haute Couture designer Iris Van Herpen, the P50 Pocket Premium Edition has an amazing style of organically flowing patterns in a stunning gold tone.

Both models feature a 6.9-inch main screen with a 21:9 ratio and are created with Ultra Spectrum Image Technology to enhance the clarity and visibility of light for more realistic and incredible photography.

Moreover, checking notifications, receiving calls, and taking quick selfies are made easier with service widgets on the phone’s cover screen.

Prices: Huawei P50 Pocket - P69,999

Huawei P50 Pocket Premium EditionP86,999

CapCut—Video Editor, Canva, and Picsart Photo & Video Editor are still the favorites by artists for quick video editing, photo enhancement, and design creation.

For online wallets, GCash remained the top choice for the people, while Maya—formerly known as PayMayais starting to make noise as a competitor for the top spot.

These are the top applications in the country that mobile owners download on their phones. To know more about the apps visit Apple’s App Store and Google Playstore.

The list is based on similarweb.com’s Most Popular Apps in the Philippines which was updated last September 18, 2022.

DOST beefs up R&D capabilities in regions thru metals and engineering innovation centers

THERE is something

Though shopping is fun and therapeutic, we can’t deny that counting your money in public while waiting in long queues can be the total opposite. The same goes for filling out forms that are overly long when paying for your online purchases. As much as possible, we want to shop in the most convenient and safest way possible.

Over the past years, the use of digital modes of payment, such as online bank transfers, e-wallets, and QR codes, when paying for shopping bills, utilities, etc., has increasingly been seen and patronized by Filipino consumers. These have also helped businesses safely keep information, access accurate information, and have real-time visibility of their money.

Now that Filipinos have been more invested in purchasing items they need or want due to revenge spending—shopping should be fast, safe, and easy. With the push QR Ph, the national QR Code standard launched by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Filipinos may instantly send and receive money using online banking or e-wallets by sharing or scanning their QR code. QR Ph is considered a safe and secure payment method for shoppers and merchants. It offers layers of security that allow customers to control the process by scanning the code without the need to provide personal information such as PIN.

Through a mobile phone, Filipinos can generate their QR Ph code from their electronic account to make a payment. On the other hand, merchants can provide their store’s QR Ph code to be scanned by the customer’s mobile phone.

The use of QR Ph enables more consumers and businesses to participate in the digital payment ecosystem, starting with MSMEs and vendors such as sari-sari stores and tricycle drivers that will eventually help them improve and grow their businesses.

Home Credit is the first non-bank institution in the country to issue a credit card to its customers.

Its partnership with Asia United Bank (AUB) allowed Home Credit cardholders

Through alone, all transactions will be automatically charged to the Home Credit Card or Qwarta, which can also be checked and tracked through the mobile app.

More than 9 million My Home Credit app users can simply scan the QR Ph codes displayed in any merchant establishments using their mobile for goods and services, making it a and safer payment option.

Home Credit Philippines is a financing company duly licensed and supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). To learn more about the latest updates from Home Credit Philippines, visit their official website homecredit.ph. You may also follow them on their official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts.

BUSINESSES have a significant impact on a nation’s economy.

The establishment of the first batch of the Metals and Engineering Innovation Centers in CAR, Regions I, II, III, and X paves the way for amplifying the competitive advantage of the metals and engineering industries by empowering the instructors and other focal personnel from partner universities.

With technically empowered faculty and personnel from the academe, partner universities are envisioned to embark on more research and development (R&D) and create more prototypes for different technology applications.

The academe’s engagement in R&D will transform local human resources into a highly-skilled, industry-ready workforce that will help increase the region’s productivity.

The Department of Science and Tech Development the implementing agency of the MEIC project,

By Anthony Greg F. Alonzo, DBA, LPT

The training aimed to ensure that participants are able to describe the fundamentals of AC/DC electricity, understand electrical schematics, design and run an electrical circuit with input and output devices, and construct electrical logic circuits.

The training was attended by a total of 10 participants composed of faculty representatives from Ifugao State University, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State Uni versity, Cagayan State University, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, and University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.

Sharing his expertise in the field of robotics and mechatronics was Engr. Kim Paulo Orquia, Science Research Specialist II of the Advanced Mechatronics, Robotics, and Industrial Automation Laboratory, under the DOST-MIRDC. Engr.

Orquia shares that the conducted training program on AC/DC in electricity automation technology will help participants hone their skills and expand their knowledge of automation, particularly in electro-pneumatics and hydraulics.

pursues to establish a culture of innova tion among the metals industry players by strengthening partnerships with academic institutions nationwide.

The latest addition to the list of MEIC proj ect accomplishments is the successful con duct of a three-day training course on AC/DC Electricity in Automation Technology held on

July 6 to 8, 2022, at the DOST-MIRDC.

Engr. Kim Paulo Orquia second from right with the faculty trainees.

FOLLOWING the landmark Subic Cable Loading Event in July, InfiniVAN, Inc. in a joint-build project with two other Philippine telcos, completed the Siargao landing of a segment of the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network in the Municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island on Sept. 22. Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo Stock Exchangelisted IPS, Inc. (TSE: 4390) took part in the ceremonial cable pulling event of fiber optic cables that is part of the ongoing cable laying phase of PDSCN. of the 24 segments have already been completed to date. cable-pulling ceremony was witnessed by Dapa Mayor Elizabeth T. Matugas, Vice Mayor Gerry Abejo and municipal officials along with representatives from InfiniVAN, Inc., Globe Telecom, and Eastern Communications. completed, the $150-million joint project that spans around 2,500 km will provide ultra-fast and reliable connectivity across the country.

The project is cost-effective solution to building a massive transmission network through a joint-build arrangement with Globe and Eastern Communications.

Motoring

Team Toyota PH heads to GR GT Cup Asia Regional Rounds

THE

third season of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Gran Turismo Cup Philippines came to an exhilarating finish with the National Round last July 1, 2022, at the Clark International Speedway. A total of 16 e-racers battled it out on the thrilling Suzuka Circuit Speedway and Fuji International Speedway in the GR Yaris and GR Supra to cement their spot on the podium.

Among these e-racers, TGR Vios Cup veteran and champion Estefano Rivera showed exceptional performance to take the top spot in the Sporting Class, with Russel Reyes and Jether Miole following right behind him in the second and third spots. Meanwhile, upand-coming e-racer Topher Tejada claimed the title of champion for the Promotional Class, followed by Matthew Spencer Ang and Aaron Christian Asence in second and third place

SCOOTERS are often viewed as nothing more than basic yet reliable Point-A-to-Point-B vehicles. When the time came for motorcycle owner Dexter Requilman, video editor and vlogger at MotoREV Pinas to upgrade from his old scooter, he only wanted to get another one, but with promises of more.

“Coming from a lower-CC engine scooter, I desired more power for my daily needs,” Requilman said. “From the moment the Honda PCX160 was unveiled last February 2021, I told myself that I want that to be my next motorcycle.”

Versatile and fuel-efficient Requilman found in PCX160 the versatility he wanted from a scooter that could take him through city traffic and on long rides. He wanted power without compromising comfort.

The PCX160 delivers an improved driving performance on the strength of a new 157cc, 4-Stroke, LiquidCooled, 4-Valve Single Overhead Cam (SOHC), eSP+ Engine. This gives riders like Requilman a strong performance at 11.8kW@ 8,500rpm on a remarkably efficient 45.1 Km/L fuel consumption.

“You will not be disappointed with the power and at the same time, its fuel efficiency,” Requilman said. He added that PCX160 proved its worth to him on a trip to Marilaque, known as the famous riders’ paradise for its scenic route. “I live in a big city

surrounded by traffic so when I brought my PCX160 with me, the fuel efficiency of my bike was tested and the results were amazing,” he said. “With its 8-liter gas capacity, you can ride for almost 350km in one full tank.”

“PCX160 brings out the best of both worlds,” Requilman added. “A motorcycle that is efficient to ride and convenient to use. What more can I ask for?”

Elegant and easy-to-use Another draw of PCX160 is its elegant design.

It presents a commanding look with a LED headlight and position light and taillights design. There’s also a redesigned digital meter panel, which Requilman quickly found to be useful.

“One of the common problems for motorcycle riders is they occasionally forget to turn off their turn signals, as most motorcycles have small turn signals. It confuses the motorist behind you if you’re turning right or left. But with PCX160, the turn signals are so big, you will notice it immediately when it’s on,” he said.

Aside from the subtle features, Requilman also commended the naked handlebar. It gives an elegantly sporty look that, at the same time, also serves a handy purpose. Requilman used it to install a phone holder, bottle holder, a hook for his

“pinamalengke” bags, and more.

Requilman added that despite its bulky appearance, PCX160 presents light and responsive maneuverability. Thanks to a new wheel design, bigger tubeless tires, and twin shock rear suspension for better handling and comfort.

“The bike looks big and heavy but once you take it for a spin, you will realize how light it is,” Requilman said, adding he most memorably proved this when he and his wife beat the city traffic on the way to Malate for a date. “The way it handles traffic is superb and with a seat height that is just right for average Filipinos, even in long rides or short rides, you will not be disappointed.

His advice to those looking for the perfect motorcycle: It should be based on one’s needs.

“If you are a kind of rider like me who likes to bring a lot of things, takes on a long ride without visiting the gas station too much, and can provide enough speed and power all in one package, then don’t look any further, PCX160 is for you.”

PCX160 has two brake variations: the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) type and the Combi-Brake System (CBS) type. Both are equipped with front and rear disc brakes.

THE Lexus ES lineup is expanding with the introduction of the hybrid electric ES 300h Luxury variant, offering customers more options for a decadent trim level when choosing a Lexus ES.

The Lexus ES is now available in 3 variants: the ES300h Executive, the new ES300h Luxury and the ES350 Premier.

The Lexus ES hybrid electric variants were designed for those who appreciate higher levels of comfort and convenience–plus the sustainable nature of Lexus’ hybrid drive technology. It features an elevated level of sophistication to surpass the expectations of an uncompromising luxury-car buyer.

Buyers will find that the current ES models are more spacious, quieter and safer than ever before, while a new generation of customers will find a saloon with sharp performance, classleading safety technology, and a level of craftsmanship rarely found in this market segment.

The ES continues the Lexus Driving Signature philosophy (vehicles that are more balanced, refined in control, and confident thanks to linear steering, brake response, and optimized handling with exceptional ride quality) with these ES performance features, including its rear suspension member brace to further enhance torsional rigidity, handling stability, and ride comfort.

The ES brake system has the regenerative and hydraulic brake control characteristics of the Electronically Controlled Brake System (ECB) on ES hybrid models enhancing pedal feeling when the brake pedal is released.

The new ES improves on the quality and elegance that has been well

received by ES customers. The exterior has evolved into a more modern look by way of the updated designed front grille and headlamps, while the interior has adopted interior colors similar to the Premier variant.

The ES 300h Luxury variant is priced at P4,218,000 and has specifications that are very similar to the top-of-theline ES 350 Premier variant. These include a 235/45R18 wheel-and-tire combination; rain-sensing wipers; smooth leather seats; driver 10-way power adjustment seats with memory; front passenger seat with 8-way power adjustment; kick sensor for the automatic trunk; and a 12.3-inch Electro Multi-Vision Touch Display.

The Lexus ES 300h Luxury also comes equipped with Lexus Safety

“will include preventive maintenance, overlays, asphalt overlay, including the provision of specific lanes for motorcycles and riders” that would make a total mess of our busy roads for days.

The DPWH should have asked the motorists earlier to refrain, if possible, from using the roads of Metro Manila as it undertakes that massive rehabilitation program. Asking the motorists to look for alternate routes as several national roads are being rehabilitated only creates havoc everywhere as vehicles

Sense (LSS). This is a suite of advanced safety features which include the PreCollision System (PCS); Adaptive High Beam System (AHS); Automatic High Beam System (AHB); Lane Tracing Assist (LTA); Lane Departure Alert (LDA); and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC). The latest development of LSS introduces upgrades in performance and functionality. These systems have also been tuned to operate in a way that feels more natural to the driver, and thus more reassuring, adding to the sense of driving confidence inspired by the ES 300h’s platform and powertrains. With this evolution, Lexus Safety System moves to the next level as a personal driving partner.

The 2.5-liter inline-4 engine of the ES 300h Luxury is equipped with laser-clad intake valve seats, which permit increased airflow into the cylinder and an intake port shape that increases the tumble-flow turbulence of incoming air and fuel for highspeed combustion.

jammed the only remaining available passable roads they can take in the metro.

Many motorists who were caught unaware of this take any road that they can go to in order to free themselves of the monstrous traffic ahead. The result is always chaos as motorists were trapped into the same road that they taught would be free from traffic.

There are no more enough alternate roads in the metro to talk about since most of the available roads that have been cleared for traffic have been

Promotional Class Champion Topher Tejada then took a step closer to the international scene when they were chosen to represent Team Toyota Philippines in the Asia Regional Rounds, where they will be competing against some of the best e-racers from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The decision comes as part of the accolades for the GR GT Cup Philippines 2022, where the champions from each class are given the exciting opportunity to represent the country as Team Toyota Philippines. Meanwhile, the third and last spot is awarded to the Sporting Class runner-up as the next best player from the pool of winners.

Amid their preparations for the Asia Regional Finals, Team Toyota Philippines visited the Toyota booth on the last day of the recently held 8th Philippine International Motor Show last September 18, 2022. Estefano, Russel, and Topher took the GR GT Cup racing rigs for a quick practice play with visitors. They also greeted and invited their fans to support them at the Asia Regional Finals.

Fans can show their support by giving heartpumping cheers for Team Toyota Philippines during the broadcast on October 9, 2022, 6PM on the Toyota Motor Philippines and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Philippines Facebook pages.

Team Toyota Philippines is preparing to ace the races with the support of official connectivity provider, PLDT Enterprise.

By Julian Cardenas

BMW, the Bavarian autohaus hailing from Munich, Germany prides itself on creating the best luxurious cars that offer consumers the most amount of driving fun and comfort.

Throughout their 106-year history, they gave the world fantastic cars and motorcycles. Yet their specialty lies within their magnificent engines - which provided everyone the pure dynamic driving experience they so willingly desire.

However, times have changed and the company decided to move along with it. So in 2011, They formed a sub-brand called “BMW i” which aims to produce plug-in electric or hybrid-powered vehicles.

After some thorough research and development, they took the world by storm by launching their developments through the all-electric i3 city car and the hybrid i8 sports car. However, the times were not in their favor given electric vehicles weren’t that well received by the public just yet.

Yet come 2022, BMWi took a second shot by releasing their new batch of all-electric vehicles; the iX sports activity vehicle (SAV) , i4 liftback sedan, and the i7 luxury sedan. And this time, a much better reception was achieved as the world now shifts itself from combustion engines to electric powered vehicles to address various environmental, and even financial concerns.

The BMW iX first made itself known to the Philippine market in April 2022 and its release was taken with immense positivity by the public - as stated by Spencer Yu, the President at SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. BMW released five iX models to the Philippine market and were quickly sold out, causing the company to prepare more orders to suit growing demands.

The BMW iX made its second round of publicity at the Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) where it prides itself on being a BMW that was purposely built from the ground up - to be the forefront of all electric vehicles.

Ernest Taver, area manager for sales with SMC Asia Corporation, the importer and distributor for BMW Philippines, mentioned that the iX is suited to the theme and market as the SAV fits all of the necessities such as being tall, practical, and clean, while still offering the dynamic driving that all BMWs offer.

“It doesn’t mean just because we are in a third world country it doesn’t mean that we will be stuck in the dark ages; Relying on fossil fuels and combustion engines, you know there are those consumers that are morally responsible as well and I would believe Bmw buyers as well. So that’s one of the reasons why we introduced this car in the market,”

The iX hits the local shelves at PHP6, 290,000 making it an expensive luxury vehicle. However, BMW states that despite their brand being in the luxury segment, they see huge potential in the Philippine market as the nation slowly starts to rise economically and shift itself towards cleaner energy - with the full shift to EV vehicles following it. Therefore, making the iX, a symbol for the Philippine’s bright future, stand as an economic and environmental powerhouse.

closed once again either because of the “former tenants” going back again (these are the various illegal businesses or squatters being protected by their respective barangay) or they become “big parking lots” once again.

We should admit that as long as new roads are introduced and those “freed” roads from “former occupants” are kept clean and passable we will continue to experience “Carmageddon” on an everyday basis as December comes fast approaching.

• •

•

THERE’S this one app that many motorists need if they really would want to save as fuel costs continue to spiral. And that is the PriceLOCQ mobile app being featured by Seaoil.

Although it’s been three straight weeks that we are experiencing reduction in the costs of gasoline and diesel, there’s no guarantee that they will continue to decline further. There are so many reasons why fuel costs might go spiraling once again.

We think that companies should take advantage of locking the price of oil (after more than P4/liter was slashed earlier this week) by buying it today since they might increase again in the next few weeks. There are reports that there are now over 200,000 PriceLOCQ app users that were able to buy and store fuels for future use before another series of price hikes. An added feature is the RFID top-up for Autosweep, and roads

Sporting Class Champion Estefano Rivera, Sporting Class Runner-up Russel Reyes, and

IF YOU’VE been caught in the monstrous traffic these days, chances are you haven’t been aware of the “massive rehabilitation” of the major thoroughfares in Metro Manila yet.

It’s not the ordinary “Carmageddon” that we have already experienced since the economy opened up and as we continue inching closer to the holiday rush. Since these rehabilitation efforts

Team Toyota Philippines members Estafano Rivera, Russel Reyes and Topher Tejada at the Toyota Booth during the 8th Philippine International Motor Show last September 18, 2022

From (the future of) Germany with love: The Vlogger made

NBA vet Miller hits 38 points as Ayo wins Converge debut

By Peter Atencio

FORMER National Basketball Association

cager Quincy Miller took time to get hot with his game.

BUT when he did, there was no stopping the former Detroit Pistons’ small forward as he hit 16 of his 38-point tally in the final period to help power the Converge FiberXers to a 124-110 crushing of Terrafirma

COPA’s 1st Novice Swim Championship set at RMSC

A BIGGER number of young swimmers is expected to compete in the 1st Novice Swim Championship of the Congress of Philippine Aquatics, Inc. this weekend at the Teofilo Ildefonso swimming pool inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila.

COPA Board member coach Chito Rivera said the decision of the Philippine Sports Commission to relax the regulation on the antigen testing requirement for those who enter the agency’s facility definitely encouraged more parents, coaches and swimmers to join the tournament, which is one of the grassroots program that COPA lined up this year.

“Through the efforts of Cong. Eric Buhain, who is also one of COPA’s founders, PSC Chairman Noli Eala agreed to remove the antigen requirements. We know that there are still many parents and swimmers, who avoid to undergo the antigen test.

With this, we expected an increase from our confirmed 300 participants this weekend,” said Rivera.

He added that the competition is open not only to COPA-affiliated clubs and organizations ‘as long as their respective coaches personally list them’.

“It’s open to everyone, we won’t discriminate swimmers. Kailangan lang ‘yung coach nila mismo ang magpapalista para malaman namin kung saan namin ilalagay ‘yung mga bata kasi sila nakakaalam sa kakayahan ng mga bata,” Rivera added.

The former national swimming official and varsity coach of Jose Rizal University believes that the true essence of sports development is good leadership and unity among all stakeholders.

Dyip on Friday in the 2022 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“I started shaky. It was physical. I just went aggressive when coach ran some plays for me in the second half,” said Miller, who played for four seasons in the NBA.

Maverick Ahanmisi added 18 points for the FiberXers, who now share the early lead with the Bay Area Dragons and the NorthPort Batang Pier.

Justin Arana knocked in 13 points for Converge, who dealt Dyip

its longest losing streak in franchise history.

It was Dyip’s 16th straight setback since the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup and the 2018 Philippine Cup.

“They were not making their shots in the first half. I just told them those were good shots and to just keep on shooting. They were already executing, and it’s just all about finishing those shots,” said new coach Aldin Ayo.

Ahanmisi joined hands with Alec Stockton in the third period, with both making seven points apiece.

The two conspired to shatter at 67-all deadlock in the third period, with Ah-

anmisi’s driving shot and triple in the last 8:44 putting the FiberXers ahead on a 5-0 run and into a 72-67 lead.

After that, the FiberXers burst ahead and went on to enjoy a 14-point spread, 85-71 in the four-minute mark off Stockton’s triple.

In the last period, Miller unloaded eight points during a 10-0 blast, widening a 100-92 edge to 18, 110-92, with 8:18 remaining.

Ayo said their win will make the boys more confident, now that the FiberXers will have the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings as their next opponents on Sunday.

Celts suspend coach Udoka for one season

LOS ANGELES—The Boston Celtics suspended head coach Ime Udoka for the entire 2022-23 NBA season on Thursday for “violations of team policies.”

“A decision about his future with the Celtics beyond this season will be made at a later date,” the team said in a statement.

“The suspension takes effect immediately.”

The Celtics did not specify what Udoka’s policy violations were.

ESPN and The Athletic reported that the 45-year-old Nigerian-American had a consensual relationship with a female member of the Celtics staff that broke the franchise’s code of conduct.

The punishment, among the harshest ever issued to an NBA head coach, comes with the Celtics’ pre-season training camp due to open next week.

In a statement obtained by ESPN, Udoka said he accepted the Celtics’ decision.

“I want to apologize to our players, fans, the entire Celtics organization, and my family for letting them down,” Udoka said. “I am sorry for putting the team in this difficult situation, and I accept the team’s decision.

“Out of respect for everyone involved, I will have no further comment.”

Assistant coach Joe Mazzulla will step in as interim coach for the 2022-23 campaign, ESPN reported.

Udoka’s top assistant last season, Will Hardy, departed in June to become coach of the Utah Jazz.

Udoka replaced Brad Stevens as coach last season after Stevens was promoted to president of basketball operations following the departure of Danny Ainge.

Udoka played seven seasons in the NBA, the last four with San Antonio before his playing career ended in 2011. He had stints as an assistant coach with San Antonio, Philadelphia and Brooklyn before taking charge of the Celtics in June 2021 and had an impressive debut season. AFP

BRENT Paraiso struck with 25 points as the defending champion Letran Knights halted a rally and stopped the St. Benilde College Blazers from scoring twice in the final minute to escape with an 8175 triumph on Friday in the 98th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil Eco Arena in San Juan.

The 6’2” Paraiso was limited to just a point in the final period, but his brilliance majority of the way helped the Knights bounce back with their second win in three games.

Will Gozum showed the way with 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Blazers, who absorbed their first loss in four matches and dropped to a share of the lead with the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates.

The Knights were ahead in the last 6:27, 76-66, off King Caralipio’s layup, but the the Blazers fought back.

Miguel Corteza knocked in 18 points, including a jumper, which along with JC Cullar’s triple in the final 5:22, triggered CSB’s comeback and allowed them to move within range, 73-77.

It was Gozum’s layup in the final 4:11, which

allowed the Blazers to threaten by four.

The Blazers failed to move ahead from there after Cullar bungled a triple and Louie Sangalang blocked an attempt by Gozum in the remaining 25 seconds, allowing the Knights to keep the ball in their possession.

“I challenged them, telling them not to let the situation we had when we lost to Arellano happen again. We were up by four, we lost the lead and they(Arellano) won,” said Letran coach Bonnie Tan, as the Knights bounced back from their 69-72 setback to the Arellano Chiefs.

Fran Yu shot 12 points, including a layup in the last 53 seconds allowing the Knights to nurse a four-point edge at the 53-second mark, 79-75.

Paolo Javillonar and Kobe Monje sank 10 points for the Knights, who will seek their second straight triumph in their encounter with the Mapua Cardinals on Tuesday.

The scores: First Game

Letran (81) -- Paraiso 25, Yu 12, Javillonar 10, Monje 10, Caralipio 8, Reyson 6, Santos 6, Sangalang 4, Ariar 0, Olivario 0, Bautista 0.

Benilde (75) -- Gozum 23, Corteza 18, Nayve 10, Lepalam 10, Cullar 7, Sangco 4, Pasturan 2, Flores 1, Marcos 0, Carlos 0, Dimayuga 0.

Quarterscores: 25-23, 50-46, 71-62, 81-75.

THE Philippine National Volleyball Federation took the first step in forging a more solid partnership with the Department of Education in the conduct of volleyball competitions in the Palarong Pambansa.

PNVF Secretary General Donald Caringal, Executive Director Maria Louise Principe and Referees’ Commission Nestor Bello recently met with Dr. Maximo Abalos and Edward Masukat II of the DepEd Palarong Pambansa Secretariat to lay the foundations of the partnership that embed deep into grassroots sports through the Palaro.

“We are very excited to have a collaboration meeting with the DepEdPalarong Pambansa Secretariat,” Caringal said. “We were able to align our goals, especially with this type of partnership that will surely be successful.”

The Palaro, like all other sports events, was shuttered during the Cov-

id-19 pandemic also the games for secondary school athletes were revived at a toned down scale this year.

Caringal said the partnership won’t be limited to the conduct of the Palaro, but on the volleyball career development of coaches and technical officials.

The DepEd has yet to decide on the Palaro’s return in 2023, but both Caringal and Bello are confident that with Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte’s progressive approach, the games’ revival would be expected soon.

“The PNVF, and the FIVB [International Volleyball Federation], are willing to cooperate with the DepEd to promote the sport to the youth,” said PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara, who, with Caringal, met earlier with newly-appointed Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Noli Eala to discuss volleyball for the sports agency’s program..

Brent Paraiso leads Letran with 25 points.

Games Sunday 12 noon JRU vs CSB 3 p.m. San Beda vs Perpetual Help

PNVF Secretary General Donald Caringal (center), Executive Director Maria Louise Principe (in black) and Referees’ Commission Nestor Bello (in green) with Dr. Maximo Abalos (right) and Edward Masukat II of the Department of Education Palarong Pambansa Secretariat.

Quincy Miller of Converge splits the middle and scores on a layup against two Terra rma Dyip defenders in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game won by the FiberXers, 124-110. Miller was all business with 38 points, 16 rebounds and ve assists.

Ime Udoka

Chito Rivera