Manila Standard - 2022 October 1 - Saturday

SC: POGO ‘rider’ tax illegal

Rules 5% franchise tax on gross bets not relevant to Bayanihan 2 law

By Rey E. Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Joel E. Zurbano

THE Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional a 5-percent franchise tax that the government imposes on gross bets from gaming operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

In an en banc decision written by Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan, the Court said Sections 11(f) and (g) of the Bayanihan 2 Law that imposes the tax are unconstitutional for being what it described as “riders” and are not germane to the purpose of the law.

This violates the “one subject, one title rule” of the Constitution, the Court said in the 42-page decision promulgated last Dec. 7, 2021 but only released last Sept. 21, 2022.

Section 11 mentions a 5% franchise tax based on the gross bets or turnovers earned by POGOs. The law states the revenue will continue to be collected after

PH lacks 200k health workers due to exodus

By Willie Casas

THE Philippines needs to offer better benefits and salaries to fill a shortage of nearly 200,000 health workers, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

DOH data earlier showed the country was short of some 106,000 nurses.

However, the workforce gap spans other health care professionals such as doctors, physical therapists, and dentists, with the total shortage at around 194,000, the agency said.

The breakdown is as follows, it said: nurses, 106,541; physicians, 67,345; pharmacists, 6,651; x-ray technicians, 5,502; medical technologists, 4,416; nutritionists and dietitians, 1,680; occupational therapists, 884; midwives, 785; physical therapists, 223; and dentists, 87.

DOH officer-in-charge Undersec retary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the shortage would not be solved solely by implementing a deployment cap.

Policies on benefits and salaries will have a greater impact on bolstering the country’s health workforce, she said.

“We’re proposing to [amend] the Magna Carta bill to cover both private and public workers. The second one will be a bill on the standardization of salaries,” she said. “This means that the workers in the

two years or upon a determination that COVID-19 has been contained.

But the Court said: “The imposition of new taxes, camouflaged as part of a long list of existing taxes, cannot be contemplated as an integral part of a temporary COVID-19 relief measure.”

The sections of the law are unconstitutional, insofar as they impose new taxes on POGO licensees, it added.

Old MOA used in P2.4b laptop purchase for DepEd

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Education (DepEd) went ahead with the bidding for P2.4 billion worth of laptops without a valid authorization to transfer funds to the Procurement Service of the Department

of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) as its purchasing agent, the Senate Blue Ribbon committee learned on Thursday.

During the fourth hearing of the committee on the DepEd’s purchase of under-powered laptops, the current

PS-DBM executive director, Dennis Santiago, told senators that it may have been illegal for DepEd and PS-DBM during the previous administration to use a 2017 memorandum of agreement (MOA) because it did not cover the purchase of laptops.

PBBM vows to support SSS at its 65th anniversary event

By Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday vowed to support the Social Secu rity System (SSS) to ensure its effective ness, particularly as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic while also dealing with the unintended effects of the

present global geopolitical situation.

“As your President, I assure you that I commit myself to every initiative that will improve the efficiency and productiv ity of the SSS and thereby improve the lot and welfare of our people,” Marcos said during the state insurer’s 65th anniversary event at the SSS Building in Quezon City.

Joining the President during the event

Typhoon losses on agriculture hit P3b, death toll 12

AGRICULTURAL damage caused by Super Typhoon “Karding” has reached al most P3 billion, the Department of Agri culture (DA) said Friday, as the governor of Bulacan moved to suspend mining and quarrying activities in the province after flash floods killed five local rescuers at the height of the storm.

The death toll from the typhoon reached 12, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Friday, after resi

US cites Makati for its resilience role

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has proclaimed the City of Makati as the firstever Resilience Hub in the Philippines and the Southeast Asian Region for its excellent program to address disaster and

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climate risks.

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay expressed her gratitude to the UNDRR for recognizing the city’s readiness to take on a more prominent role in the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030).

The MCR2030 is an initiative aimed

Fuel price cuts loom next week, LPG set today

By Alena Mae S. Flores

LOCAL oil firms will roll back prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by P2.55 per kilo and auto LPG by P1.43 a liter starting today, as the Department of Energy projected pump prices of other fuel products to go down by as much as P3 per liter due to the soften ing of world oil prices.

In separate advisories, Petron and So lane said they reduced their LPG prices by P2.55/kg (VAT inclusive) effective October 1, at 12:01 a.m. for the former and 6 a.m. for the latter.

“These reflect the international con tract price of LPG for the month of Octo ber,” Petron’s statement said.

dents of Tanay and Antipolo, both in Rizal province, were added to the casualties.

The number of individuals affected by Karding climbed to 911,404 or equivalent to 245,063 families in seven regions, the agency added.

These individuals are from 1,759 vil lages in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and the Cordillera region.

Only 921 families are now sheltering in 27 evacuation centers with the remain

der returning home or seeking shelter with family and friends, NDRRMC added.

The Department of Education (DepEd) also said it needed P1.17 billion to repair 165 schools damaged by Karding.

Also, 396 more schools were “totally damaged” and 92 schools were still being used as evacuation centers for the disaster victims, DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said in a briefing.

Agriculture Undersecretary Domingo

ITALIAN FILMFEST AT VENICE GRAND CANAL. For the first time ever, the Italian Film Festival opens in the Philippines, bringing seven fulllength contemporary Italian films to the big screen. Enthusiasts can watch the films for free at Cinema 5 of Venice Cineplex in Venice Grand Canal, McKinley Hill from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2. Leading the opening are (from left) Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Head Graham Coates, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, Italian Ambassador to the Philippines Marco Clemente, and Italian Film Festival Director Antonio Terminini.

sector

NEWS / A2 LTFRB APPROVES 43 PRE-PANDEMIC ROUTES, 3.5K PUVS BUSINESS /B4 JOKE’S ON YOU. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo and Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma (from left) all share a laugh after Laguesma forgot to mention Mr. Marcos’ surname – and the Chief Executive did the same in jest -- in introducing him during the Social Security System’s 65th Anniversary event in Quezon City on Friday. Revoli Cortez

PH, US execs discuss defense pact

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

UNITED States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III and Philippine counterpart Jose Faustino Jr. on Thursday discussed strengthening their commitments to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries.

The discussion took place during a meeting at the US Indo-Pacific Command in Honolulu, Hawaii, highlighting the strong bilateral defense relations between the two nations.

Under the MDT, the two countries agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on

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Due to this, the Supreme Court also declared invalid RR No. 30-2020 and RMC No. 64-2020, which were issued to implement Section 11 of the Bayanihan Law 2, for having no legal basis.

It also declared null and void Revenue Memorandum Circular 102-2017 and Revenue Memorandum Circular 78-2018, “in so far as they impose franchise tax, income tax, and other applicable taxes upon offshore-based POGO licensees.”

Several lawmakers, however, said the Court decision was moot, since a subsequent law, Republic Act 11590, specifically imposes taxes on the industry.

The decision stemmed from a petition filed by POGOs that questioned the constitutionality of the provisions of the Bayanihan 2 Law and related regulations of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which were named as respondents.

The petition was filed by Saint Wealth Ltd., Marco Polo Enterprises Limited, MG Universal Link Limited, OG Global Access Limited, Pride Fortune Limited, VIP Global Solutions Ltd., AG Interpacific Resources Ltd., Wanfang Technology Management Ltd., Imperial Choice Ltd., Bestbetinnet Ltd., Riesling Capital Ltd., Golden Dragon Empire Ltd., Oriental Game Ltd., Most Success International Group Ltd., and High Zone Capital Investment Group Ltd.

Sections 11 (f) and (g) of the Bayanihan 2 Law provide a list of sources of funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes the amounts derived from the 5-percent franchise tax on the gross bets from POGOs and income tax, valueadded tax, and other applicable taxes on income from non-gaming operations earned by POGO operators, agents, service providers, and support providers.

The Court said the provisions violated

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“It’s not normal because as I mentioned earlier, before you commence your procurement activity, you have to have the MOA already.

Considering that laptop procurement is not covered, I cannot see how they could have used the 2017 MOA,” Santiago said, in response to a question from Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

Asked if the use of the old MOA was legal, Santiago replied: “Not legal, your honor.”

The investigation of the laptop purchase revolved around the implementation of the MOA between the two agencies, which was supposed to spell out their roles in the P2.4-billion laptop purchase.

The fund derived from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act was to have been

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to contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG11) and other global frameworks by empowering cities to become inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030.

“We thank the UNDRR for granting us the honor and privilege of serving as a Resilience Hub of MCR2030 for the next three years,” said Binay.

The UNDRR defines resilience hubs as cities, municipalities, or local authorities that have a political and technical commitment to take action to address disaster and climate risks.

Since 2010 when the city signed up for the Making Cities Resilient Campaign (MCR), the local government has effectively mainstreamed and institutionalized disaster risk reduction in its policies, plans, and programs.

Its best practices have also been shared on several international platforms joined by cities all over the region.

Mayor Binay said the city government is eager to fulfill its critical role in supporting other MCR2030 cities through

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those in government service.”

Vergeire said there were reports of the migration of health care workers from the private to the public sector due to notable discrepancies in salaries.

The DOH is set to meet with the

either the Philippines or the US would be dangerous and that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.

The two defense secretaries also deliberated the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation

Section 26, Article VI of the Constitution, which mandates that “every bill passed by Congress shall embrace only one subject, which shall be expressed in the title thereof.”

The Court noted that in its previous ruling in Atitiw v. Zamora, it said the prohibition against riders “is to prevent hodge-podge or log-rolling legislation, and to ensure that all provisions of a statute have some reasonable relation to the subject matter as expressed in the title.”

The SC said that respondents –former BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay and former Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III – even admitted that Bayanihan 2 Law is not a tax measure.

“While the title of the law contains the phrase ‘providing funds therefor,’ it must be emphasized that all other provisions relating to sources of funding under Section 11, except for Section ll (f) and (g), are already existing taxes,” the Court said.

“The Bayanihan 2 Law merely realigns these already existing sources of funding and funnels it to be used for COVID-19 relief measures,” it said. It added that before the enactment of the Bayanihan 2 Law, there was no law in effect imposing franchise taxes, income tax, and VAT on offshore POGO licensees.

Consequently, the SC said BIR Revenue Regulation No. 30-2020, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 642020, Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 102-2017, and Revenue Memorandum Circular 78-2018, were “null and void for being contrary to the Constitution and other relevant laws.”

The petitioners -- all holders of offshore gaming licenses from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) – argued that the provisions of the law and related administrative memos violated their right to due process and equal protection of the law.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the government’s policies and regulations on POGOs should still be reviewed, despite the Supreme Court

used to provide public school teachers with laptops to help them conduct online classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The controversy stemmed from a report by the Commission on Audit (COA), which flagged the purchase of “pricey and outdated” Dell Latitude 3420 laptops for P58,300 each.

Gatchalian had asked other witnesses from earlier hearings whether DepEd and the PS-DBM started the procurement process with only a draft 2021 MOA to cover the transaction.

Former PS-DBM acting executive director Jasonmer Uayan said the transaction was covered by the 2021 MOA using the 2017 agreement as a basis.

“As far as I can recall, the 2017 MOA is not limited to annexes, nowhere in the body does it limit the procurement activities between posting, 2017 can actually be used for the procurement

enhancing city-to-city collaborations and peer-to-peer support.

“Over the past decade, Makati has made great strides in its journey to resilience largely aided by MCR tools made accessible to us. We are eager to pay it forward by optimizing the opportunity to share our knowledge, best practices, and resources with other cities so that together, we can attain the highest level of resilience come 2030,” she said.

The city chief executive said Makati’s commitments in support of other MCR2030 cities in the next three years include the expansion of the city-tocity sharing initiative on international platforms, development of the Makati DRRM Knowledge portal, and the integration of MCR2030 in the Makati DRRM Academy.

To qualify as a resilience hub, a city must have reached a high level of resilience building commitments, showed sustained mechanism for DRR/resilience investments, and with expertise and interest in disseminating best practices to other cities joining the MCR2030, according to the UNDRR website. (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

Department of Migrant Workers next week to discuss possible mutual agreements with countries that employ Filipino health care workers.

The department said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is aware of the different issues facing health workers and has ordered the formulation of reforms.

Several Filipino health care workers have demanded for higher pay amid the country’s

Agreement (EDCA) during the meeting.

EDCA allows US forces, contractors, vehicles, vessels, and aircraft to conduct activities on agreed locations inside the Philippine military bases.

The VFA allows US troops to train and advise the Philippine military in disaster response and its fight against terrorists. However, under the VFA, US forces are not allowed to take part in combat operations.

However, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said it is better to clarify the implementing rules of the MDT than to revisit the entire agreement.

Manalo made the statement during a Senate finance committee hearing on the

ruling.

"We have to undertake an in-depth review of the pros and cons of allowing POGOs to operate in our country in light of the recent spate of abduction cases and other established negative social costs," Zubiri said.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the question remains on whether the revenue that the government generates from POGOs outweighs the social costs of online gambling.

"We filed Senate Resolution No. 225 precisely to investigate this matter, in the wake of the rising criminal activities that involve POGOs," Villanueva said in another statement.

But Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said the Court decision was moot as Republic Act 11590, or An Act Taxing Philippine Offshore Gambling Operations, overrode the provisions in the Bayanihan 2 Law.

The same point was made by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, who said RA 11590 was “the most brutal tax measure ever imposed on any sector of the Philippine economy.”

“With the recent Supreme Court decision, RA 11590, or the POGO Tax Law undoubtedly becomes part of the law of the land. This is the strictest, most brutal tax law ever imposed on any sector, and I am proud of our work on that law,” Salceda said.

“One very notable portion of the decision reads: ‘Before the enactment of RA No. 11590, there is no valid law which imposes taxes upon POGOs.’ It also asserted that the enactment of RA 11590 rendered the petitions moot,” Salceda added.

“The Supreme Court’s decision thus implicitly affirms the validity of the POGO Tax Law. It is one of the strictest and most regulating tax laws in the statute books, and now, the question of its constitutionality has been implicitly resolved. This is consistent with the Supreme Court’s general doctrine of preserving the power of Congress to determine tax policy as an

process,” Uayan said.

But DepEd denied giving instructions to use the 2017 MOA, and that it provided legal advice on the matter.

“So clearly there is inconsistency in the statements, and I have established early on that the 2017 MOA cannot be used because it does not contain the laptops,” Gatchalian said. “So that is where we are right now.”

Lawyer Cristina Layug-Abella, a state auditor, affirmed the findings of the COA’s audit team on the laptop purchase.

The DepEd said Friday it was conducting its own internal investigation to determine if some officials might have acted beyond their authority.

At the Senate hearing, the chairman of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said some teachers returned the laptops to the DepEd as they were not satisfied with their performance.

Coalition chairman and public school

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Panganiban said consumers should brace for higher rice and vegetable prices, which may increase by 15% to 20% as crops were flattened by Karding.

The total value of agricultural produc tion lost due to the typhoon stood at P2.95 billion as of 8 a.m. yesterday, based on the estimates by the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center (DRRM) – up from P2.02 billion worth of losses recorded as of Thursday.

Karding flattened crops across 164,217 hectares of farmland in the Cor dillera Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas, affecting 103,552 farmers and fisherfolk with a to tal volume of production loss at 154,734 metric tons (MT), the DA said.

Rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock and poultry, and fisheries were all hit, along with damage to agricultural infra structures, machinery, and equipment.

In Bulacan, Gov. Daniel Fernando said he will issue an executive order to sus pend mining and quarrying, as the prov

shortage of more than 100,000 nurses.

Hanz Santos, a medical technologist, had spent almost P100,000 for his perdeparture requirements to work in New York, according to a report on GMA News Thursday.

Santos said there is a hospital in New York that will hire him with a salary of more than P300,000.

However, he said the Philippine

Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFA) proposed P20.304 billion budget for 2023.

Manalo also disclosed ongoing clarificatory talks with the US to discuss how it will come into the Philippines' defense in case of attacks.

During President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s meeting with US President Joe Biden last week in New York, Malacanang said the US recognized the Philippines as a "treaty partner" and among those treaties is the MDT.

In a related development, Senator Robin Padilla said the DFA needs to refine its publicity efforts regarding the government's efforts on the West Philippine Sea, as well as on the MDT.

exclusive power.”

Salceda opposed suggestions to close down POGOs altogether, saying that the POGO Tax Law has already resulted in higher revenues for the government, contrary to earlier statements from some lawmakers.

“From January to October 2021, prior to the implementation of RA 11590, we collected only P300 million per month in taxes from POGOs. After the implementation, it jumped to P410 million monthly for the rest of 2021. By January 2022, it was up to P540 million for the month,” he said.

Salceda warned that closing the whole industry would create an entire underground sector, causing more social harm.

“I need to know what social harm the legal and compliant POGOs have caused. Tell me. Because even the PAGCOR says that those associated with crime are not legal operators.”

“That is why we need to close down illegal POGOs and enforce the law. Legal POGOs already comply with the strictest tax provisions ever included in the Tax Code. If you close down the legal POGOs, you only incentivize the underground POGOs. That’s like closing down whole ecozones just because there is some smuggling in them.”

“As I have emphasized over the week: enforce the law. Don’t burn down the whole house just to kill the rat. Especially when, judging from PAGCOR itself, the rat seems to be outside the house anyway.”

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III said POGOs should be under stricter government regulations and policies if they are allowed to operate.

"There is an overwhelming support for a change in the existing policies, and a change in the existing rules and regulations, as well as a change in the existing attitude in law enforcement," he said.

Pimentel and fellow opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros are pushing for a total ban on POGOs.

teacher Benjo Basas said others even refused the units after just seeing their specifications.

Senators asked Basas for sworn statements from the teachers concerned to validate his testimony and COA reports that some laptops were indeed returned.

On a separate issue, Gatchalian said he supported the P150 million in confidential funds of the DepEd, where Vice President Sara Duterte sits as secretary.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, said it is justifiable for DepEd to have confidential funds because they need tools and equipment to combat crimes such as sexual harassment and child abuse.

The senator said it is likely that it would be the first time that DepEd would have confidential funds since 2012.

He added that the Commission on Audit would scrutinize the use of these funds.

ince expected to incur at least P3 billion in agricultural damage from Karding.

“It’s time to take care and save our en vironment. That’s why by means of an ex ecutive order we will not allow quarrying and mining now,” Fernando said during the funeral service for the rescuers in the Capitol Gymnasium here, without elabo rating (see related story on A3 – Editors).

The executive order against mining was signed on August 25, the governor said, stressing the importance of its im plementation.

The worst-hit areas are towns in the third district -- San Miguel, San Rafael, San Ildefonso and Doña Remedio Trini dad, Fernando told ABS-CBN News hours after the typhoon left Bulacan.

For DepEd, Poa said the department has been working on acquiring disasterresilient classrooms through its coordi nation with the private sector and other organizations.

He said the DepEd would incor porate disaster resilience in the new design of schools with the help of the Department of Public Works and High ways (DPWH). Orlan Mauricio and Vito Barcelo (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has not yet issued his Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC).

Santos said this might be because of the deployment cap that the Philippines is implementing for health care workers who want to work abroad.

The POEA earlier said 7,000 nurses are allowed for overseas employment this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

LTFRB OKs return of 43 pre-COVID routes, 3.5K PUVs

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has approved the reopening of 43 preCOVID-19 pandemic routes plied by 3,513 buses, jeepneys, and UV Express units (UVEs) as demand for public transportation continues to rise.

The routes are part of the Metro Manila Urban Transport Integration Study Update and Capacity Program (MUCEP), according to Memorandum Circular No. 2022-073 released by the LTFRB on Friday.

Previously, there were 98 existing prepandemic routes that were authorized to resume but were found “insufficient to cater to the existing and anticipated passenger demand.”

Of the 43 new routes, 11 will be run by traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJ), five routes for modern PUJs, six routes for traditional UVEs, one modern UVE route, and 20 routes for public utility buses.

In a Facebook post, the LTFRB said a total of 1,675 PUBs have been authorized to operate in 20 routes.

“The reopening of these routes is the LTFRB’s response to the continued need for public transport amidst the pandemic and to support the livelihood of) PUV drivers,” the post read.

PBBM...

From A1 were Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo Jr., SSS President and CEO Michael Regino, SSS Commissioner Diana Pardo-Aguilar, and other officials and staff of the agency.

“The SSS’ critical role in strength ening our country’s social protection is more crucial, now more than ever. With the country recovering from the pan demic, with the country trying to recover from the shocks that are coming from the geopolitical situation around the world, still I am truly excited to see more ways in which the SSS will bring its services closer to its members and make a posi tive impact in the communities that you serve,” Mr. Marcos added.

With a strong, stable, and secure SSS, the President said he sees a better and brighter future, not only for its members but also for the entire country.

Mr. Marcos spelled out several pro grams that his administration has initiated at SSS. These include the implementa tion of the Contribution Subsidy Provider Program, the flexible payment scheme for fishermen and farmers, and the Con tribution Penalty Condonation Program for business and household employers.

These schemes, he said, provide a lifeline to both workers and employers in paying their contributions, especially during the pandemic.

At the same time, the Chief Executive congratulated the recipients of this year’s SSS Balikat ng Bayan Awards, advising the awardees to keep up the good work.

“This help was very good for them to ease [their burden] even a little and that is precisely the idea behind any insurance scheme,” he said.

“And that is exactly what SSS is sup posed to do – provide the safety nets for our people, not only during crises like the pandemic or if there is a conflict like in Ukraine, but for the daily lives of our pri vate employees,” the President added.

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Before the firms’ announcements, Rodela Romero, Director III of the De partment of Energy's Oil Industry Man agement Bureau, said LPG prices will go down by P3 per kilo "due to slower demand."

Romero said gasoline and diesel pric es may go down by less than P1 per liter while kerosene will also go down by "a little more than P1."

She said this is based on the first four days of trading this week.

The demand for oil was dampened by the high interest rates imposed by the US Federal Reserve and European central banks.

Romero said the peso depreciation versus the dollar also affects pump prices.

The DOE said the oil demand outlook turned weaker on expectations of slower global economic growth as central banks hiked interest rates to bring down inflation.

Adding further downward pressure on oil prices was a 9.24-million barrel build in US commercial oil inventories in the week ended Sept. 16, as total product de mand dropped to a 10-week low, citing data from the Energy Information Ad ministration.

Demand from China and Japan also weekend. China's consumption remains tempered due to strict COVID-19 con trols, while the typhoon season in Japan is also expected to weaken demand.

On Sept. 27, the oil companies cut the price of gasoline by P1.65 to P1.75 per liter, diesel by P1.25, and P1.35 for kero sene.

These resulted in a year-to-date net increase of P14.85 per liter for gasoline, P29.40 per liter for diesel, and P24.10 per liter for kerosene.

IN BRIEF

Cayetano laments SK poll postponement

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano has lamented the lost opportunities for some youth leaders due to the pro posed postponement of the Sanggu niang Kabataan (SK) elections from December 2022 to October 2023.

He said the bicameral committee was given too little time to consider impor tant provisions raised by senators in the unified version of the measure.

In a manifestation on the Senate floor on September 28, 2022, Cay etano said while he understands the need to postpone the SK elections, the unified version of the bill will disqualify aspirants who would be one year too old by October 2023. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Tulfo seeks charges vs. firm in OFW death

SENATOR Raffy Tulfo has recom mended the filing of criminal charg es against local agency Gulf Synergy Employment Inc. and its employees who were allegedly responsible for the death of Filipino domestic helper Jovelyn Tang Andres.

Tulfo, the chairperson of the Sen ate Committee on Migrant Workers, said Gulf Synergy failed to fulfill its duty to monitor and ensure the safety of Andres, who was abused in Saudi Arabia and eventually died.

During theSenate hearing of the Mi grant Workers Committee on Wednes day, Tulfo asked Gulf Synergy President Arnulfo Babiera to explain their obvious neglect of duty to monitor Andres’ con dition. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Solon hails gov’t P2.1b mental health fund

REP. Ray Florence Reyes of Anakalu sugan party-list group commended the Marcos admininstration for set ting aside P2.1 billion in funding for mental health programs for 2023 under the Department of Health.

“Mental health in our country is stigmatized, made worse by a mea ger annual budget. Mental health is one of our country’s under-resourced sectors. The appropriation ear marked by the Department of Health worth 2.1 billion pesos for next year could possibly change this,” Reyes said. Maricel V. Cruz

HRW questions appointment of new CHR chief

By Willie Casas

HUMAN Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday questioned the appointment of lawyer Richard Palpal-latoc as chair person of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), noting that he lacked the credentials on human rights work.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. just slapped victims of human rights abuses in the face with his appointment of a loyal ist lawyer with no discernable experience in human rights work as new CHR chair,” Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of HRW, said in a statement.

“The appointment process was totally opaque, lacked any sort of consultation, and raises fundamental questions about whether Marcos is embarking on a pro cess to gut the CHR as an independent and impartial body empowered to inves tigate rights abuses without fear or favor of those in power,” he added.

Palpal-latoc’s appointment to the post showed how Marcos “failed this important early test” about his pledge to promote human rights, which he de clared during the United Nations Gen eral Assembly.

COVID-19 positivity rate in NCR at 18.9%—OCTA

By Willie Casas

THE COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) has gone up from 17.5 percent on September 21 to 18.9 percent on September 28, independent monitoring OCTA Research Group said on Friday.

The positivity rate is the percentage of people found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

The COVID-19 reproduction number decreased to 1.10 as of September 26 from 1.28 as of September 19. The reproduction number refers to the number of people in fected by one case. A reproduction num ber below 1 indicates that the transmis sion of the virus is slowing down.

“The growth of new cases in the NCR may have slowed but cas

es are still rising,” OCTA said.

OCTA said the average daily attack rate in the NCR was considered to be mod erate at 7.32 per 100,000 individuals.

“The good news is that the healthcare utilization rate for COVID in the NCR re mained low at 35 percent... while the ICU occupancy also remained low at 29 percent. The NCR is at moderate risk,” it said.

OCTA fellow Ranjit Rye said cases were rising in the NCR. Rye said the increase in cases may be due to coro

navirus variants, increased mobility, decreased compliance with minimum public health standards (MPHS), and waning immunity.

He urged compliance with MPHS such as the wearing of face masks and hand washing. He also called on the public to get their booster shots.

The Department of Health (DOH) meanwhile said that the public may have moved on from the pandemic as shown by the low COVID-19 booster shots uptake despite the government’s all-out efforts to bring the doses closer to communities.

The DOH said around 109,000 in dividuals were given booster doses in the special national COVID-19 booster week to ramp up the uptake among the general population.

Bulacan mourns five responders killed by ‘Karding’

By Orlan L. Mauricio

MALOLOS—Mourners filled the Bulacan Gymnasium at the Capitol grounds here as the provincial govern ment paid tribute to the five respond ers who were killed during rescue operations last Sunday at the height of typhoon Karding in Brgy. Camias, San Miguel, Bulacan.

The fatalities were all members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduc tion Management Office (PDRRMO).

The coffins of George Agustin, Troy Justin Agustin, Marby Bartolome, and Narciso Calayag Jr. were laid side by side at the gym. Only the coffin of team leader Jerson Resurreccion was not at the venue, as the family only sent a representative to the ceremony.

Fellow responders from PDRRMOs in neighboring Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Metro Manila also attended the “Luksang Parangal” for their fallen brothers.

The bodies of the five men, with their life vests still on, were recovered in different areas in San Miguel town.

They were deployed as early as noon of Sept. 25. As heavy rains bat tered San Miguel and massive flood ing caused the release of water from Bustos and Bulo dams, their 6x6 truck stalled and was parked at a gas station.

The team then rode a boat to start their rescue operations in the area. It was at this point that the wall of the lube bay of the gas station collapsed due to the strong current of the adjoining river.

Andriel Mata, a helper at the gas station, said: “Bigla nalang pong nagcollapse yun pader sa likod ng wash ing area.”

The fast undercurrent dragged the team’s boat and eventually capsized, drowning all the rescuers.

Rep. Lorna Silverio of the 3rd Dis trict of Bulacan extolled the heroism of the five, saying their unselfish ser vice beyond the call of duty should provide inspiration for all public serv ants to emulate.

Silverio also sponsored last Mon day House Resolution 439, asking the national government for financial and infrastructure assistance to the towns of San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, and Dona Remedios Trinidad which all sustained damage due to se vere flooding.

Turkish firm raps PH choice of Korean contractor in vessel project

By Francisco Tuyay

the sudden removal of the in-country production and technology transfer scheme in the project.

Akgun said ASFAT has fully com plied with the requirement set by the Philippine government having signed a deal with a local shipyard in Bataan to build the OPVs.

But despite the Turkish government’s ef

forts, the project was shelved and instead awarded to a South Korean shipyard firm. Similarly, the supposed construction of the six OPVs in the country which could generate 4,000 jobs for Filipino shipyard workers that would cushion the impact of the pandemic, dims after the Turkish OPV project was lost to the South Korean shipyard.

SCG recognizes its new scholars

SIAM Cement Group (SCG) recently held a recognition ceremony for their scholars during the company’s annual turnover event for their Sharing The Dream Scholarship Program.

After two years of holding the event online via Zoom, the eager scholars and SCG executives returned to the Philip pine International Convention Center (PICC) last September 15, Thursday.

“I feel very excited and proud of SCG that we resumed this kind of event to congratulate our scholarship students,” said Jakkrit Su wansilp, SCG country director, said.

Through their Sharing The Dream schol arship program, SCG envisions teaching their students how to become model citi zens, who follow the company’s concept of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Good

Governance) whenever applicable. Simply put, the company aspires that its scholar ship program produces students and citi zens who want to make a better commu nity for themselves and others.

For years, SCG’s Sharing The Dream scholarship program supported students from Bulacan, Taguig, Batangas, and Manila schools as they achieved their dreams through education. Although challenging, SCG hopes that its scholars maintain their perseverance in life.

“Continue and follow your dreams. Pov erty can’t stop you from your dream. Please continue to dream, but not only dream. Please make it happen. Once you make it happen, you’ll be proud of yourself and make your parents, community, teacher, and country proud,” Suwansilp said.

THE Philippines may have missed an opportunity to have four sophisticated unmanned sea vessels (drones) in its military inventory that a Turkish de fense contractor offered free in parallel to building six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), an executive said.

The Turkish state-owned defense tech nology contractor ASFAT had offered P29.5 billion for the construction of the vessels, as stipulated in the terms of refer ence by the Philippine government.

Esad Akgun, ASFAT chief executive officer has written a letter to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and then-Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, to clarify

FOR SCHOLARS.

SCG country director Jakkrit Suwansilp poses at the company’s annual recognition ceremony for its scholars. He also encouraged their scholars to follow their dreams to create a better community.

TRIBAL WEAVERS. Mandaya tribe weavers show how to do the Dagmay weave at the opening of the Philippine Travel Mart (PTM) 2022 at the SMS Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Friday. Dagmay is the traditional handwoven textile of Mandaya tribe in Davao Oriental. Danny Pata

TRIBUTE TO HEROES. The provincial government pays tribute to the five responders who were killed during rescue operations Sunday at the height of typhoon ‘Karding’ in Brgy. Camias, San Miguel, Bulacan. The coffins of George Agustin, Troy Justin Agustion, Marby Bartolome and Narciso Calayag, Jr. were laid side by side. Orlan Mauricio

News

FINANCIAL

Lawyers ask SC to discipline Badoy

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court (SC) has been asked to take action on the social media attacks against human rights lawyers, as well as those hurled against Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Marlo A. Magdoza-Malagar.

Meanwhile, the Ateneo De Manila University’s Law School condemned the social media attacks against a Ma nila trial court judge, saying the allega tions were “not just irresponsible but are also contemptuous.”

For its part, the Philippine National Police (PNP) gave assurance it will continue to extend protection to all

members of the judiciary and its per sonnel nationwide.

In a related development, the SC vowed to be vigilant in protecting judges and justices against administrative cases filed against them “that are meant solely to har ass, embarrass, or vex them.”

Judge Malagar, who ruled that the Communist Party of the Philippines

Gov’t must focus on dollar-earning sectors to arrest peso fall Salceda

By Gabriellea Parino and Chelsea Denise Din

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda calls on the Marcos administration to focus on boosting dollar-earning industries amid the depreciation of the Philippine peso to the US dollar, predicted to even go down to an all-time low value of P65: $1.

Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, dis cussed the state of the Philippine econ omy in an interview with CNN Philip pines, where he tackled the conditions of the different industries in the coun try, particularly agriculture.

“The government should accept in flation as a given consequence, but should ensure food security because 25 percent of our entire food supply is imported and very susceptible to the

peso,” Salceda said.

He also predicted that spending will increase by at least five percent while pushing for the preparedness and as surance of food security as a probable solution, especially for Filipinos in the poverty line.

The Bicol solon also identified business process outsourcing (BPOs), the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the mining in dustry, and tourism as the pillars of the country’s dollar-earning industry.

“Our imports reach up to P139 bil lion, while exports are only at P107 bil lion. We also have $39 billion that need funding. Our BPOs and OFWs are able to support this, but there remains a red flag because our balance of payments (BOPs) is at eight percent of our GDP (gross domestic product) which is not a good sign because it is at its highest within the last 10 years,” he explained,

(CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) are not terrorist organizations, has been subjected to social media at tacks, one of them from former Na tional Task Force to End Local Com munist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Marie Badoy.

Badoy’s social media posts have been condemned by various lawyers’ organi zations with most of them pleading the SC to cite her in contempt of court.

In a letter to Chief Justice Alexan der Gesmundo and all the SC justic es, 485 human rights lawyers, led by National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) president Edre Olalia and lawyer Evalyn Ursua. said: “We also

hope that the Court will address Ms. Badoy’s attacks against human rights lawyers which were part of her at tacks against Judge Malagar.”

The letter however, did not specify Badoy’s posts against them.

The lawyers expressed gratitude to the SC for tackling the issue on Badoy’s attacks against Malagar in social media.

“We are heartened by this and the Court’s public statement sternly warn ing those who incite violence which endangers the lives of judges and their families and informing the public that such constitutes contempt of court,” they said in their letter.

New LP prexy Lagman vows party’s comeback

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

ALBAY Rep. Edcel Lagman and for mer Senator Francis Pangilinan were elected Friday night as president and chairman, respectively, of the Lib eral Party of the Philippines.

The LP’s meeting and election of offic ers by its national executive council was held at the Club Filipino in San Juan City.

Also elected were former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada as executive vice pres ident; former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Bagui lat, secretary-general; former Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte, vice chairman; Oriental Mindoro Rep. Alfonso Umali Jr., treasurer’ and Iloilo councilor Jason Gonzales, director-general.

Lagman, a veteran lawmaker who belongs to the opposition bloc, vowed that the party will stage a dominant comeback. He pledged to lead LP with principled “activism.”

Lagman also promised to continue the party’s recruitment of non-poli tician members, especially from the grassroots.

“We shall champion the causes that they have been struggling for. And we shall be the people’s party because we exist and endure for them,” he said in his speech.

Pangilinan, who preceded Lagman as the party’s highest elected offi cial, highlighted the LP’s gains lead ing to the 2022 national elections.

The former senator ran for vice president in tandem with former Vice President Leni Robredo in the last May 2022 elections, but both failed to emerge victorious.

Pangilinan also underscored the Party’s shift in focusing on recruiting ordinary citizens that resulted in the onboarding of over 10,000 members since they started the shift in 2016.

“We believe then and continue to believe today that real political power emanates from the people themselves in their vast numbers at the grassroots, organized and mobilized and march ing together in pursuing goals,” Pan gilinan said.

Educator, pool cue artist lead 11 TOWNS 2022 awardees

City); Fortunato de la Pena, former De partment of Science and Technology Sec retary); Senen Bacani former Secretary, Department of Agriculture; Atty. Lilia de Lima former Director General of PEZA and TOWNS Search chair; Dr. Esperanza Cabral, former Secretary of Health and TOWNS Search co-chair; and broadcaster Ces Orena Drilon,TOWNS president.

By Willie Casas

AN OVERSEAS Filipino worker (OFW) has lost more than P1 million in an online scam being ran by an al leged “sorceress” who entices victims into buying items used by fake heal ers and fake fortune tellers.

In a report on GMA’s “24 Oras”, victim Faye (not her real name) said she had spent more than P1 million for over a year on products offered by the “sorceress” who runs an on line business.

“’Yung yung sinasabi niya kasi

nga may protection… Na in case raw po sa kulam, gayuma... Masakit po sa masakit. Nagtiwala ka and every thing tapos ikaw pa ‘yung... Nanakot pa po sila (She told me it is for my protection… against spells. I never suspected the seller to be a scammer. I was hurt. I trusted her and every thing…they were even threatening me,” the victim narrated.

Another victim, Elvie (not her real name), said she paid around P60,000 for such items as stones, amulets, po tions, and dolls.

Elvie was tricked into buying from the suspect after the latter promised to help resolve her family woes.

Gem Castillo receives Diamond Excellence Award by Inspire Mag

By Roy Tomandao

SAN PABLO CITY—The wife of the mayor of San Pablo City, Laguna was re cently conferred the Diamond Excellence Award for making it to the Top 20 Inspiring Women of the Philippines list spearheaded by the Inspire Magazine Philippines.

Gem Castillo, wife of San Pablo City Mayor Vicente Amante, received the award last Sept. 27 in ceremonies held at the Okada Grand Hotel and Casino.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be part of this prestigious event. I thank the organizers for choosing me as a Diamond Excellence Awardee, and for making me a part of the Top 20 Inspiring Women of the Philippines,” said Gem, who is called “Mayora” by friends and supporters.

“I didn’t expect that anyone would notice my philanthropic works, espe cially in my hometown of San Pablo City, Laguna. Ang alam ko lang, kung meron man akong angking kabutihan, ay mas lalo akong naging mabuting tao

Solon bats for new PSA chief

A MEMBER of the House minority bloc on Friday renewed his appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ap point a new head of the Philippine Sta tistics Authority (PSA) to accelerate the implementation of the Philippine Identi fication System (PhilSys) project.

Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul Daza said this is “a golden opportunity” for President Marcos “to find the right individual who will rectify what has happened in the last four years.”

The PhilSys ID project is managed through the PSA—through now-re tired Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista, deputy national statistician of the PhilSys Registry Office. Daza cited a Commission on Audit re port for 2021 which revealed that the total actual deliveries of pre-personalized cards by the contractor, AllCard, was 27,356,750 pieces, or 76 percent of the annual require ment of 36 million, as of the end of De cember 2021). Maricel V. Cruz

AN EDUCATOR-entrepreneur and a billiards player lead the 11 awardees of The Outstanding Women in the Na tion’s Service (TOWNS) 2022 who were chosen from a field of more than 70 nominees.

The list was later reduced to 21 finalists after a “rigorous pre-selection process.”

The 2022 TOWNS awardees are: Ani

Rosa Almario, from the field of educa tion and entrepreneurship; Rubilen Amit, sports; Dr. Pia D. Bagamasbad; Molecu lar Biology; Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, medicine/public health; Dr. Erika Fille Legara ,data science; Keisha Alena Ma yuga, transport planning; Ana Patricia Non, community service; Anna Oposa del Rosario, marine ecology conserva

tion; Patricia Marie Ranada, investigative journalism; Georgina Romero, women empowerment through ICT; and Dr. Al etta Yniguez, marine science. The panel of judges was headed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and included: Rogelio Singson, president, Management Association of the Philippines; Dr. Eugenio Jose Ramos, President and CEO, Medical

ang kanyang magagandang ginagawa,” Mayora Gem added.

tayong kasabihan, ‘The

to all

awardees,” she

FOR KARDING’S VICTIMS. Speaker Martin Romualdez hands over

to San Jose Del Monte Bulacan Rep. Florida Robes for the victims of super typhoon Karding. Romualdez also gave the same monetary help for the typhoon’s victims through Nueva Ecija Reps. Mikaela Suansing, Emerson Pascual and Rosanna Vergara. Ver Noveno

TOWNS AWARDEES. They excelled in their respective fields of endeavor, hence, were recognized as The Outstanding Women in Nation’s Service (TOWNS). Photo shows eight of the awardees (from left) Keisha Alena Mayuga (Transport Planning), Ana Patricia Non (Community Service), Dr. Erika Fille Legara (Data Science), Anna Rosario Oposa (Marine Ecology Conservation), Georgina Romero (Women Empowerment Through ICT), Dr. Pia D. Bagamasbad (Molecular Biology), Dr. Ani Rosa Almario (Education and Entrpreneurship). Not in photo are Rubilen Amit (Sports), Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho (Medicine/Public Health) and Patricia Marie Ranada (Investigative Journalism).

DIAMOND EXCELLENCE AWARDEE. “Mayora” Gem Castillo, wife of San Pablo City Mayor Vicente Amante, receives a Diamond Excellence Award for making it to the Top 20 Inspiring Women of the Philippines list by Inspire Magazine Philippines. Roy Tomandao

The Masungi crisis

valor, fortitude, and resilience in the face of serious threats.

Just this week, on September 27, the Masungi Geopark Project won an award from the UN Sus tainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Awards.

The youth-led project, which aims to fight de forestation and climate change through geotourism, topped this year’s Inspire Category and bested over 3,000 other applications from 150 countries.

Taking care of our national pride

former athletes and coaches in need.

Then Environment Secretary Gina Lopez de clared these words when she visited Masungi Geo reserve in August of 2016. She liked the genuine care and dedication invested upon the geological heritage comprising karst pinnacles and their indigenous bio diversity in southern Sierra Madre.

There and then, the Secretary asked the Masungi Georeserve Foundation (Masungi) to similarly re store and conserve some 3,000 hectares of adjacent denuded mountains in two protected areas cum na tional park, game preserve and wildlife sanctuary within the heavily deforested Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape and the Kaliwa Water shed Reservation.

The DENR would clear the area of illegal oc cupants while Masungi would reforest and rewild the same at no cost to government nor income to Masungi, under a conservation agreement called the Masungi Geopark Project (MGP).

It is not a commercial or land grabbing venture as protected area opportunists falsely portray.

For sure, the MGP can be improved and strength ened but the priority should be to protect the area from those that would destroy it for their commercial interests,

The Masungi Georeserve is an integral part of the Rizal ecosystem.

It is not just one of the international leaders in sus tainable tourism and home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, it has also been fundamental in en suring the reforestation of the southern Sierra Madre range within the Upper Marikina watershed, which protects low-lying areas from the worst effects of typhoons and rains, including flooding and erosion.

To date, Masungi has physically recovered a vast track of about 2,000 hectares of forestland including four of the remaining Benguet Pine groves planted by the Marcos Administration in the 1970s, installed and manned 12 Ranger Stations, cleared and maintained 15 kilometers of trails and planted and nurtured with volunteers about (100,000 native forest trees.

Now feeling safe and secure from intruders, graz ing animals and forest fires, pine cones are germinat ing after decades of dormancy.

These accomplishments are deemed even more remarkable in the face of aggression from protected area offenders and silence from the DENR.

Two Masungi Park rangers were shot in July 2021 and seven more were mauled in February 2022.

Those attacks, and many other acts of harassment coupled with black propaganda, happened next to a police station within a protected area where quarries, swimming pool resorts, a PENRO and a police gen eral hold prominent and questionable presence.

In the same period the MGP became a global model for conservation and sustainable develop ment earning awards and honor for the country from international bodies like the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the United Na tions Development Programme (UNDP), UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Global Wa ter Partnership, and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), among others.

In July 2022, Masungi rangers also received the International Ranger Awards from the IUCN and the International Ranger Federation for their exceptional

“I would like to dedicate this award, first and fore most, to our rangers and our team who are getting their hands and feet dirty to defend our remaining for ests,” said Billie Dumaliang, co-founder and trustee of Masungi Reserve, as she accepted the award in Bonn, Germany.

The Masungi Georeserve is not just one of the international leaders in sustainable tourism and home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, it has also been fundamental in ensuring the reforestation of the southern Sierra Madre range...

Yet, instead of thanking Masungi and running after the patently maleficent quarries, resorts, the PENRO and the police general — pursuant to their contractual obligation and bounden duty — certain local and regional DENR officials would rather stop the conservation project and terminate the MGP.

With the MGP down and gone, the misplaced quarries and resorts can enjoy the protected area to themselves.

Responsible DENR officials refuse to cancel err ing quarries.

They fast track PAMB approvals to legitimize odious swimming pool resorts that disrupt vital wa terways.

They also stop Masungi from installing temporary checkpoints to defend the protected area as well as rangers who defend it. But they turn a blind eye to rampant permanent construction and illegal develop ments.

In the guise of contract review, the DENR squan dered five precious years evading its contractual ob ligation to clear the site of illegal occupants, leaving the protected area and its conservation partner alone in peril.

The DENR did not lift a finger to help Masungi and even tried to justify the attackers when Masungi’s helpless rangers were violently shot and mauled.

Despite the bad faith it has seen and the dangers it faces, Masungi remains true and steadfast in its mis sion to restore and defend the area from further degra dation, for the benefit of future generations.

The Masungi crisis is emblematic of the Philip pine and global environmental and climate crisis.

I am confident that newly confirmed DENR Sec retary Toni Yulo-Loyzaga will see beyond the fog of her bureaucrats and come down on the side of planet and people.

Little cheer as Japan, China mark 50 years of ties

By Kyoko Hasegawa

JAPAN and China marked 50 years of diplomatic relations in September with little public celebration, as increasing friction over territorial rivalries and mili tary spending frays ties.

The world’s second and third largest economies are key trading partners and just a few years ago seemed poised for a diplomatic blossoming, with plans for a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Since then, ties have soured significantly as Bei jing bolsters its military, projects power regionally and beyond, and takes a harder line on disputed ter ritory.

In recent months, Chinese missiles are believed to have fallen within Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and Tokyo has protested what it calls growing aerial and maritime violations.

Japan also regularly complains about Chinese ac tivity around the disputed Tokyo-controlled Senkaku islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyus.

“Chinese ships are loitering for dozens of days in the East China Sea, while an artificial island and a base have already been built in the South China Sea,” said Kenichiro Sasae, head of the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

“That makes us wonder -- how much further will China’s ambition go in terms of naval power?” added Sasae, a former ambassador to Washington and viceminister of foreign affairs.

The war in Ukraine has only deepened the divide, with Japan backing Western allies opposed to Rus sia’s invasion while Beijing avoids criticizing Mos cow.

And the conflict has refocused attention on wheth er China might try to forcibly reunite Taiwan with the mainland, prompting Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to warn the Ukraine situation “could be East Asia tomorrow.”

‘Anxious about China’

Beijing and Tokyo normalized relations in a joint communique on September 29, 1972, that officially

ended their state of war and saw Japan drop its recog nition of Taiwan.

Economic ties grew quickly and steadily, but polit ical relations have been more unstable, weathering a series of crises, including over the disputed SenkakuDiaoyu islands.

Beijing’s growing power has left Japan “anxious about China”, said Rumi Aoyama, director of the Waseda Institute of Contemporary Chinese Studies.

Japan’s brutal occupation of parts of China before and during World War II remains a sore point, with Beijing accusing Tokyo of failing to atone for its past

“Japan sees China’s activities in the Senkaku is lands as problematic, and involving a ‘core interest’,” she told AFP.

“But the problem is, China doesn’t understand this Japanese perspective. Instead, it tends to see Japan as just following whatever the US says.”

Tokyo is a longstanding and key US ally, but it has been expanding its partnerships as a bulwark against Beijing.

It backed a revived “Quad” alliance with Austra lia, India and the United States, and Kishida in June became Japan’s first leader to attend a NATO sum mit.

“China is gaining power and confidence, that’s a trend that can’t be ignored,” said Ken Endo, an inter national politics professor at University of Tokyo and a security expert.

Japan must “consistently state internationally” that

THE national athletes should be taken care of like jewels, even long after they had served the country well by providing inspiration to millions of Filipinos through their exploits in the international sports arena.

Kind-hearted souls and generous patrons provide help for those athletes who have be come destitute after retirement, or those who fell by sickness due to old age.

Helping our retired national athletes should not come in the form of an endowment, not just an act of someone’s generosity.

Financial assistance in whatever form should be provided because national athletes deserve it and it’s part of the package when they chose to serve the country through sports.

The government agency for sports, Phil ippine Sports Commission, could only do so much. By law, they are bound to provide financial aid for the burial expenses of former national athletes and coaches.

It may or may not provide continuous as

sistance in case of hospitalization depending on the resolution by the current board of com missioners, which changes every six years as co-terminous with the president.

Our sports leaders, along with our lawmakers, should take a unified step to create a more defined law that will finally answer the needs of our national athletes and coaches

Under Article 10699 or the expanded Sports Benefits of 2001, any national athlete and coach who wins in an international com petition or has coached such winning national athlete “shall receive a lump sum amount equivalent to 25 percent of his/her total cash incentives” it received during his active days.

But there are only a few of them.

Up to now, there’s no law guaranteeing the financial stability of retired athletes or coaches.

It is heart-warming though that there are small steps being taken to at least help our

In the absence of that law, PSC Chairman Noli Eala said he will push for a pension plan as an incentive for national athletes.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier also pushed for a pension system for national athletes after the death of athletics legend Lydia De Vega due to breast cancer.

The Philippine Olympic Committee is also doing its part as POC president, incumbent Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Tolentino, said funds amounting to P3.3 million that were unspent for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games three years ago will be donated as a trust fund for athletes.

“We’re very thankful to the PHISGOC (Philippine Southeast Asian Games Orga nizing Committee) for donating the saved money that we can use for our athletes in the future,” said Tolentino.

But Tolentino said the trust fund will be the source of cash incentives or bonuses for suc cessful athletes.

Our sports leaders, along with our law makers, should take a unified step to create a more defined law that will finally answer the needs of our national athletes and coaches.

It should be done while sports legends of Lydia’s stature are still alive and can still en joy the benefits of being our country’s pride in their heydays.

The US needs the Philippines as an ally

They were joined by Malaysia in fighting a sepa ratist movement supported as usual by the US and UK after reneging the lease agreement for the return of Sabah to the Sultan of Sulu. It was our historical and tested alliance that first sold us to the devil, so to speak.

THE Philippines is actually the one fulfilling the role of an ally that will come to the defense of the US.

Perhaps, this is the only country that paid dearly in blood for all the wars initiated by the US.

First, the Philippines was the first to be colonized by the US in Asia, and that allowed it to qualitatively evolved as an imperialist power and forced us to sacrifice more than a million of our men to the de fense of freedom for our budding republic during the Philippine-American War in 1899.

The greatest proof of our blind loyalty is we read ily join the war to keep the imperialist booty from being snatched by an incoming Japanese imperialist power.

We dearly fought in defense for the touted promise of independence despite the enormous devastation to property and toll to human lives.

Thus, from a defender of the American brand of democracy, we substituted our freedom by add ing the color to it such that we how have a system of paraplegic democracy and being a pariah to the whole world.

It is for this why the country opted to delay our independence with all the grandiose freedom and democracy promised by our colonizers.

We paid dearly in blood and humiliation to keep up to our role as America’s most trusted ally in this part of the globe.

Today, we are about to enter a new era of friend ship with our former colonizer with son of our former president announcing to the whole world that his ad ministration will follow a policy of being “a friend to all and an enemy to nobody.”

In a way, the slogan is fitting, for it speaks of the truth that the Philippines is the only country in Asia that never transgressed the sovereignty of any nation and truly qualifies to be a friend of all.

Bearing this in mind, many of those who listened to the speech of the President before the UN general assembly were appalled to hear him say that “the Philippines, without the US as an ally, is inconceiv able.”

It seems the whole of the nation’s idealism caved in with him.

Such statement is beyond comprehension for it was barely three decades when he and his family, including his father who represented the symbol of the country’s freedom, were virtually imprisoned and threatened with blackmail to cough up with millions as ransom by the enemies of the state, and now a seeming ally of the US.

changing the status quo by force, whether in Ukraine or Taiwan, is unacceptable.

And he says Tokyo needs a more robust defense capacity, something Kishida and his ruling party have already publicly backed, to show that “it’ll cost a lot if you invade us”.

Trading partners

Japan is reportedly weighing boosting defense spending up to two percent of GDP within five years, from the current one-percent level.

That would represent a sea change in Japan, whose pacifist constitution still limits its military capacity, but a modest increase compared to decades of additional spending by Beijing.

As to our alleged differences with China in the South China Sea, we must not forget that the com plaint was first initiated and filed by an American citizen who was appointed as our secretary of foreign affairs.

The greatest proof of our blind loyalty is we readily join the war to keep the imperialist booty from being snatched by an incoming Japanese imperialist power

The Permanent Arbitration Court acted in our fa vor without considering whether China would sub mit to its jurisdiction and honor the decision.

Rather, the PAC awarded the whole of South Chi na Sea to all the countries littoral to the South China Sea which many consider as abstract.

Yes, we won in that decision, but what have we got in return for the $375 million fees we paid for the litigation conducted by the PAC ex parte.

To date, the decision today remains unenforce able. It is this loophole that now allows the US navy the freedom of navigation to violate the Strait of Taiwan.

To make things worse, secretary of foreign affairs Teodoro Locsin, Jr. unleashed his coup d’ grace by abrogating the joint agreement for oil and gas be tween the Philippines and China.

The defunct joint agreement rectified the lopsided agreement of 90-10 sharing in favor of the Western oil companies back to 60-40 provision as per our Constitution.

Locsin decided to scrap the agreement with the Philippines accusing China of unduly delaying the agreement without pointing out to any specific viola tion to warrant the cancellation, citing a case of rebus sic stantibus under international law.

Nonetheless, as the country’s PNOC was deal ing with China’s CNOOC, we failed to mention that we subcontracted to other foreign and private oil companies engaged in service contract designated to China’s CNOOC.

Many suspect that is purposely seeking to cre

It could also carry its own dangers, stoking regional tensions, if communication with China is not handled carefully, said Sasae.

“Every country has contingency plans, including China, but Japan should make clear that it does not want military confrontation.”

Japan’s brutal occupation of parts of China before and during World War II remains a sore point, with Beijing accusing Tokyo of failing to atone for its past.

Visits by Japanese officials to the Yasukuni shrine that honors war dead -- including convicted war crim inals -- regularly prompt anger from Beijing.

For all the tensions, the two countries remain eco nomically intertwined: China is Japan’s largest trading partner and Japan is China’s second-largest after the

ate a conflict between the Philippines and China to strengthen its position in this country like beefing up its military bases here, and justifying its presence in the South China Sea, admitting that China is an exis tential threat to the US.

As said, the US continues to use most of its allies in Asia as pawns in the region, envisioning the pos sibility to divert war from taking place in its own territory and support of its allies to engage in a game called proxy war.

This posturing of the US has become viable by twisting the ideological line of the CPP, NDF and NPA to exacerbate hatred against the government it now suspects to be enjoying the support of China for most of economic and developmental projects.

In fact, the increased number of US bases through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with a threat of putting up a naval base to replace the abandoned US naval base at Subic has kept alive doubts whether the son will remain true to the ideological guidance that catapulted his father as a leading pillar in the Group of 77 Nations.

There is much doubt that whoever the elected president is will forever remain steadfast to securing the country’s independence without assistance from the US.

Lately, the USS Tripoli, a landing assault ship docked at Manila Bay to participate in the coming Exercise Kamandag or “Kaagapay ng mga Mandi rigma Mula sa Dagat” (Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea) from Oct. 3 to 14.

The Exercise will be participated in by the Philip pine Marine Corps (PMC) and US Marine Corps. Troops from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will also join the drills.

The exercise will test the interoperability and co operation, consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

Many political analysts insist that the sale of US arms and weapons to the Philippines and the par ticipation of countries outside of the geo-political grouping is telling that the area is not really designed to assure allied victory for the allied countries and to ensure their participation in a proxy activity carried out by the Exercise Kamandag or “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma Mula sa Dagat.”

In the event of conflict, it is not victory that the al lies seek to achieve but more of assurance that profit will continue to flow into the US arms industry.

Everybody knows that in the event of war with China, the US will be fighting a losing war, and all that the US arms traders expect is to make a break even to prevent the war from spilling over to regions they consider as their impregnable defense.

That is the table set by the US which is to confine the damage and destruction to countries in Southeast Asia.

(rpkapunan@gmail.com)

United States.

And reports suggest Tokyo could be seeking XiKishida talks in the coming months, online or in per son.

Business ties are “a decisive factor in stopping a free fall of the relation”, said Aurelio Insisa, a history professor at the University of Hong Kong and author of a book on Sino-Japanese ties.

But they may not be sufficient to thaw ties.

“Beijing’s behavior in its neighborhood, and To kyo’s perceptions of it, are the two main factors ca pable of changing the current dynamic,” Insisa said. “I would not bet on any improvement on these two fronts.” AFP

“THIS is how the DENR should do it.”

Wong/Ray

Rolando

Honor Blanco Cabie,

Russia set to annex four Ukraine territories at Kremlin ceremony

MOSCOW–Russia is expected to annex four occupied regions of Ukraine at a lavish Kremlin ceremony on Friday that follows a threat by President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in their defense.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the annexa tions would be formalized at the ceremony and Putin would deliver a “major” speech.

It comes after foreign leaders critical of Russia voiced their opposi tion to the plan, with US President Joe Biden saying the United States would “never, never, never” recognize Russian sovereignty over the territories.

Standard TODAY

The Kremlin’s atomic threats have not deterred a sweeping Ukrai

nian counter-offensive, which has been push ing back Russian troops in the east.

Kyiv’s forces are on the doorstep of the Donetsk region town of Lyman, which Mos cow’s forces pummeled for weeks before capturing it this summer.

Putin has blamed the war in Ukraine on the West and said simmering conflicts in the for mer Soviet Union were the result of its col lapse.

The rhetoric built on his now famous phrase that the fall of the USSR was a trag edy, and he has recently suggested Moscow should again extend its influence over the former Soviet region.

The four regions’ Kremlin-installed lead ers who pleaded to Putin for annexation this week assembled in the Russian capital ahead of the ceremony.

Their almost simultaneous requests came after they claimed residents had unanimously backed the move in hastily organized refer endums that were dismissed by Kyiv and the West as illegal, fraudulent and void.

- 20 percent of Ukraine -

Ukraine said the only appropriate response from the West was to hit Russia with more sanctions and to supply Ukrainian forces

with more weapons to keep reclaiming ter ritory.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the annexation plans as “a dan gerous escalation” that “has no place in the modern world.”

The UN Security Council will vote Friday on a resolution condemning the referendums, according to France, the council’s current president, but it has no chance of passing due to Moscow’s veto power.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called an “urgent” meeting of his national security council for Friday, his spokesman said, after the Kremlin announced the timing of the annexation ceremony.

NATO: ‘Sabotage’ of Nord Stream as 4th leak seen

STOCKHOLM—Swedish authori ties said Thursday a fourth leak was detected on undersea pipelines link ing Russia to Europe following what NATO described as an act of sabotage.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have been at the centre of geopolitical tensions as Russia cut gas supplies to Europe in suspected retaliation against Western sanctions following Mos cow’s invasion of Ukraine.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

The four territories -- Kherson and Za porizhzhia in the south and Donetsk and Lugansk in the east -- create a crucial land corridor between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Together, all five make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, whose forces in recent weeks have been clawing back ground.

Ukrainian troops have been progressing in the eastern Kharkiv region and recapturing ter ritory in Donetsk. Military observers say Ky iv’s forces are close to capturing Lyman. AFP

The Swedish Coast Guard con firmed Thursday there were four leaks in total on the pipeline in the Baltic Sea—two on the Swedish side and two on the Danish side. Three leaks were previously reported.

NATO declared that the damage was “the result of deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage” and said it supported investigations to de termine the origin of the damage.

The Western alliance warned that it was “committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics”.

“Any deliberate attack against Al lies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined re sponse,” it said, adding that the leaks present risks to shipping and cause substantial environmental damage.

Russia, which has denied it was behind the explosions, said a foreign state was likely responsible for what it described as a “terrorist act”.

Russia’s security service launched an “international terrorism” investiga tion into the gas leaks, saying the dam age had caused “significant economic damage to the Russian Federation”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such a probe “required the cooperation of several countries”, but that there was an “unwillingness” from many countries to contact Russia.

Russia said Wednesday that Wash ington should answer if it was behind the leaks—an assertion rejected by the United States as “ridiculous”.

The UN Security Council will meet Friday to discuss the matter.

Finland, which borders Russia, de cided to reinforce security around its critical infrastructures, with particular focus on the electricity network. AFP

‘Ian’ wreaks havoc on Florida, regains steam in Atlantic

FORT MYERS—Hurricane Ian un leashed “historic” devastation in Florida, leaving a yet unknown number of dead in its wake, officials said Thursday, as the storm restrengthened in the Atlantic on a path toward the Carolinas.

The storm, one of the most powerful ever to hit the United States, left hundreds of people in need of rescue, Florida Gov ernor Ron DeSantis said, while warning it was still too early to get a clear picture of the death toll.

“We absolutely expect to have mortal ity from this hurricane,” he said at a press conference Thursday evening.

President Joe Biden, after a briefing at FEMA emergency management headquar ters in Washington, said “this could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history.”

The numbers “are still unclear, but we’re hearing reports of what may be substantial loss of life,” he added.

DeSantis said concrete information

Iran pressuring celebs, media over protests

about casualty numbers could be expect ed “in the coming days.”

Fort Myers, where Ian made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday, took much of the brunt of the storm, as streets became rivers and sea water poured into houses.

Dozens of boats moored in the marina were sunk while others were tossed on to downtown streets.

Trees were toppled by the howling winds of up to 150 miles per hour (240 kilometers per hour).

After weakening as it worked its way across Florida, Ian regained its Category 1 status in the Atlantic and was expect ed to make a turn towards the Carolinas where it would again cause “life-threat ening flooding, storm surge and strong winds,” the National Hurricane Center said Thursday night. ‘Horrifying’

Earlier in the day, DeSantis described

the destruction in the southwest part of his state as a “500-year flood event.”

“We’ve never seen storm surge of this magnitude,” he said.

Tom Johnson, 54, of Fort Myers had a front row seat to the destruction from his apartment on the second floor of a twostory harbourside building.

“I was scared because I’ve never been through that,” Johnson told AFP. “It was just the most horrifying sounds with de bris flying everywhere, doors flying off.”

His home was undamaged but one of his neighbors, Janelle Thil, 42, was not so lucky and had to ask other residents for help after her ground floor apartment be gan to flood.

“They got my dogs and then I jumped out of the window and swam,” Thil said.

When Thil returned to her apartment af ter the storm passed, she said she opened the door and “had to wait about five minutes for all the floodwaters to come out.” AFP

Suicide blast kills 19 at education center in Afghan Shiite community

educational centre. Unfortunately, 19 people have been martyred and 27 oth ers wounded,” police spokesman Khalid Zadran said.

PARIS -- Iran stepped up pressure on celebrities and journalists Thursday over the wave of wom en-led protests sparked by outrage over the death of Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested by the Is lamic republic’s morality police.

Filmmakers, athletes, musicians, and actors have backed the demonstrations, and many saw it as a signal when the national football team remained in their black tracksuits when the an thems were played before a match in Vienna against Senegal.

“We will take action against the celebrities who have fanned the flames of the riots,” Tehran pro vincial governor Mohsen Mansouri said, accord ing to the ISNA news agency.

Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei similarly charged that “those who became famous thanks to support from the system have joined the enemy when times are difficult”.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE ESTATE OF THE LATE RICARDO R. RODRIGUEZ AND MIRASOL E. RODRIGUEZ WAS EXTRAJUDICIALLY SETTLED BY HEIRS AS PER DOC. NO. 411; PAGE 84; BOOK NO. IX; SERIES OF 2022 BEFORE NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. HOBERT N. LLUZ OF MAKATI CITY. (MS-OCT. 1/8/15, 2022)

The warnings came af ter almost two weeks of protests across Iran and a deadly crackdown that hu man rights group Amnesty International says has been marked by “ruthless vio lence by security forces”.

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights has re ported a death toll of at least 83 people, includ ing children. AFP

Videos posted online and photos pub lished by local media showed bloodied vic tims being carried away from the scene.

KABUL—A suicide attack at a learn ing centre in the Afghan capital killed 19 people as students prepared for exams on Friday morning, police said.

The blast happened in the Dasht-eBarchi neighborhood of western Kabul, a predominantly Shiite Muslim area home to the minority Hazara community, the scene of some of Afghanistan’s most deadly attacks.

“Students were preparing for an exam when a suicide bomber struck at this

“Security teams have reached the site, the nature of the attack and the details of the casualties will be released later,” the interior ministry spokesman Abdul Nafy Takor earlier tweeted. AFP

SUNKEN CHEVY. People paddle by in a canoe next to a submerged Chevy Corvette in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Orlando, Florida on September 29. AFP

ABANDONED. A body lies next to a destroyed vehicle, bearing the letter Z, the symbol of Russian forces, on the recently retaken Oskil River’s eastern bank in Kupiansk, eastern Ukraine on September 29.

1

2

0.196 0.024 13.95%

0.79 11.03%

10.11%

10.00%

9.41%

Market sinks as index drops to 31-month low

THEstock market plunged again Friday after heavy losses on US trading floors with inflation continuing to soar and central bankers getting increasingly hawkish in their attempts to bring prices under control.

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME VALUE (PHP)

1 ICT 7,144,760 1,145,380,003

2 SMPH 21,530,700 653,592,645

3 ALI 20,544,800 472,592,240

4 BDO 2,721,330 304,004,706

5 CNVRG 22,201,200 291,969,260

6 SM 367,580 270,275,130

7 AC 422,280 263,888,200

8 URC 1,986,250 223,596,206

9 MER 729,800 199,075,126

10 GLO 97,600 198,211,170

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index tumbled 193.18 points, or 3.3 percent, to 5,741.07 on a value turnover of nearly P6.7 billion. Losers routed gainers, 154 to 51, with 37 issues unchanged.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. of tycoon Enrique Razon Jr., the biggest port operator, sank 10.2 percent to P156.60, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, slumped 8.9 percent to P263.

Fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. dropped 7.5 percent to P13.10, while SM Prime Holdings Inc of the Sy Group fell 5.6 percent to P30.10

The rest of markets in Asia and Europe were mixed Friday after another tough day on US trading floors.

Sterling, however, managed to extend gains after clawing back more of the huge losses suffered at the start of the week owing to a tax-cutting mini-budget that analysts warned could cause even more pain to the already fragile UK economy.

All three main indexes on Wall Street finished deep in the red, with the S&P 500 ending at its lowest level since November 2020.

On Friday, Shanghai dropped as data showed China’s manufacturing and services sectors struggled again in September from COVID lockdowns in parts of the country that have battered the world’s number-two economy.

There was also little reaction to news that Beijing would allow some cities

to reduce mortgage rates for first-home purchases as it tries to support the property market.

Tokyo, Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Taipei and Wellington were also off.

However, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Jakarta and Bangkok rose, while London, Paris and Frankfurt also rebounded from Thursday’s losses.

The pound’s bounce—from a record low of $1.0350 Monday to briefly go above $1.12 Friday—came after the Bank of England pledged $71 billion of support to shattered financial markets, fearing that several pension funds could go under.

Britain’s beleaguered currency was given an extra boost by news Thursday that the budget watchdog will provide costings of new Finance Minister Kwasi Kwarteng’s fiscal plan on October 7, two weeks earlier than initially announced.

“This has helped alleviate some fears within markets given the initial optics of an uncosted large fi scal package,” said National Australia Bank’s Tapas Strickland. With AFP

UK economy grew in second quarter, easing recession fears

LONDON, United Kingdom—Britain’s economy grew in the second quarter and did not shrink as previously thought, data showed Friday, easing recession fears amid ongoing turmoil over the government’s tax-slashing budget.

Gross domestic product expanded 0.2 percent in the three months to the end of June, upgraded from a 0.1-percent contraction, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement citing improvements in data methods.

The news implies that Britain is not in recession, confounding the Bank of England’s recent prediction and boosting British Prime Minister Liz Truss as she defends her controversial budget that sparked markets chaos this week.

Friday’s upbeat data comes two days after the BoE jumped into the bond market to prevent a material risk to UK financial stability after the budget sparked fears over the public finances.

“Today we’ve published improved GDP figures incorporating new methods and sources,” said ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner.

“These new figures include more accurate estimates of the financial sector and how the costs facing the health sector changed throughout the pandemic.”

The BoE had indicated earlier this month that the economy was sinking into recession in the current third quarter, or three months to September.

The technical definition of a recession is two quarters of successive economic contraction.

The British central bank had snapped up long-dated government bonds on Wednesday, after Britain’s recent taxslashing budget sent state borrowing costs soaring and the pound briefly plunging to a record dollar low.

The ONS added Friday that the UK economy is 0.2 percent smaller than its pre-pandemic size.

The statistics agency had previously thought it was 0.6 percent larger than in 2019.

“The good news is that the economy is not already in recession,” said Capital Economics analyst Paul Dales. AFP

Pizzas from the sky: drone delivery lands in AmericaJapan eyes more stimulus to tackle in ation, low yen

TOKYO, Japan—Japan is preparing another round of economic stimulus measures, the government said Friday, as rising prices and the plummeting yen squeeze the world’s third-largest economy.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told ministers to draft the relief package by the end of October so it can be passed by parliament this year, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

He did not give a figure for the measures, but said they would include “efforts to deal with rising prices and to encourage wage increases.”

Ministers have also been told to seek “ways to recover and strengthen regional economies’ abilities to do business by taking advantage of the yen’s depreciation,” Matsuno added.

The yen has hit 24-year lows in recent weeks, prompting an intervention by the government last week.

The slumping currency inflates profits for Japanese exporters but also ramps up the price of imported goods for consumers already facing higher prices, including for energy, partly because of the war in Ukraine.

Matsuno said increased electricity bills had become “a significant burden” for both households and business.

Over the past two years, Japan has injected hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy as part of stimulus measures to support its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Japan already has one of the highest debt-to-GDP ratios in the world.

Kishida said on Thursday that his government would take “bold” measures to tackle inflation and the falling yen, as “the rapid rise of energy and food prices is directly hitting households.”

On Friday, one dollar bought 144.60 yen, compared with around 115 in March.

The currency’s plunge has mainly been caused by the Bank of Japan’s refusal to move away from its longstanding ultra-loose monetary policies, in contrast to tightening by central banks in the United States and elsewhere. AFP

By Francois Picard and Joshua Melvin

FRISCO, United States--The little aircraft appeared out of the blue sky above a Texas home, deposited its payload of a mid-morning snack in the yard and zoomed off, as deliveries by drone start becoming a reality in America.

Flying shipments of pizzas and birthday gifts have still not become the norm that tech leaders predicted, but the service is available in parts of the United States and government regulation is catching up.

Skeptics question whether drone drop-offs can ever work on a large scale, but backers argue they are safer and better for the planet than hulking, greenhouse-gas-spewing delivery trucks—and faster.

The parcel lowered to the ground from an electric drone hovering above Tiffany Bokhari’s Frisco, Tex-

had flown off. Service was new in the area and remained small-scale, but Wing offered the comparison of the up to 1,000 deliveries per day it’s doing in just one part of the Brisbane metro area in Australia.

Blood and tooth brushes

A handful of firms already have operations running or will by year’s end in parts of Texas, North Carolina or California, with providers including Israeli startup Flytrex, Wing and e-commerce behemoth Amazon.

In fact, it was Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who in 2013 unveiled a delivery drone in a CBS interview, predicting that within five years airborne shipments would be routinely zipping from fulfillment centers to customers’ doorsteps.

Things haven’t quite gone that way for the company that has otherwise seeped ubiquitously into aspects of

The work has advanced more steadily for others, and in April, Wing announced what it calls “the first commercial drone delivery service” in a major US metro area: Texas’s Dallas-Fort Worth.

Wing, which also offers deliveries to some areas in Australia and Finland, has a weight limit of 2.5-3 pounds (just over one kilo).

“An entire roasted chicken... that’s actually a good visual for the size of what fits,” said Jonathan Bass, who heads marketing and communications for Wing.

Take-out food, prescriptions and household items like toothbrushes are the type of small and light products that have worked for airborne drop-offs, though drones have for years delivered essential items like medical goods in parts of Africa.

Drone drop-offs of perishable substances like blood make sense in places where infra-

structure is lacking and air transport is the best option, yet some experts are skeptical of whether it works everywhere.

Government rules

For example, a drone can carry one delivery from a warehouse or store to generally one place, which means a steep drop in efficiency in comparison with an old-fashioned parcel delivery driver.

“It would take a small army of drones to service the 150-200 packages that just one truck normally takes on a route,” wrote Bloomberg Opinion columnist Thomas Black, who still saw potential for “premium” emergency deliveries.

But Flytrex CEO Yariv Bash asserted that electric drones, in addition to being more effi cient than take-out food deliveries done by a fossil fuel-powered car, were safer. AFP

NOTICE OF THE SPECIAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING

as, house was in her hands minutes after she placed an order on a smartphone app.

“On the soda, you can even see the condensation on it because it’s still cold,” she told AFP after the drone from Alphabet-owned Wing

modern life, from streaming and food shopping to health care.

When an Amazon delivery drone crashed during a test last year and started a brush fire, it was another setback for the company’s stumbling drone ambitions.

com from October 11, 2022 to October 15, 2022.

Successful registrants will receive

electronic invitation via email with a complete guide on how to join the meeting. For any registration concerns, please get in touch with the Corporation through cic.secretary@romulo.com

All stockholders who wish to vote through a proxy or in absentia shall submit the duly signed proxies or ballots, as the case may be, to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the 21st Floor, Philamlife Tower, 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City and/or by email to cic.secretary@romulo.com not later than October 15, 2022 . The proxies and ballots submitted shall be validated on October 19, 202 2 at 2:00 p.m. We are not soliciting proxies.

The Information Statement which contains a brief explanation of each item on the agenda and procedures for attending the meeting via remote communication and for casting votes in absentia, and Quarterly Report for period ended June 30, 2022 in SEC Form 17-Q are posted on the Corporation’s website at https://cic.ph/investor-relations/#special-stockholders and PSE EDGE.

The meeting shall be recorded in audio and video format and copies thereof shall be retained by the Corporation.

CONCEPCION INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION (formerly Concepcion Airconditioning Corporation)

In this le photo taken on August 31, 2022, a drone secures an order before ying from Wing facility during a demonstration in Frisco, Texas on August 31, 2022. A handful of rms already have operations running or will by year’s end in parts of Texas, North Carolina or California, with providers including Israeli startup Flytrex, Wing and e-commerce behemoth Amazon. AFP

NEW CONCEPT CAR. This photograph taken on September 29, 2022, shows a presentation by French car maker Citroen of their new concept car ‘Citroen Oli’ in Paris. AFP

PH o ice space deals reach 1.5m square meters

By Othel V. Campos

THE Philippines remains one of the largest office markets in the world, as office space take-up reached nearly 1.5 million square meters in the first eight months, up 9 percent from a year ago, a property advisory firm said Friday.

Leechiu Properties Philippines said the office sector managed to support real estate development in the country despite two and a half years of the pandemic

“Despite our remote working, and all other headwinds that we are now facing as a country and globally, the Philippines remains one of the largest offi ce markets in terms of volume. Even with Omicron that presented a lot of disruption from January and February of this year, we still managed to transact 589,000 square meters of leasing transactions,” Leechiu director for commercial lease Mikko Barranda said on the final day of the International Innovation Summit.

He said the highest uptick was noted in July to August with 162,000 sq. m., the largest the sector saw in the last two years.

Leechiu said with the recovery of almost all sectors of the economy, it expected higher leasing demand and higher transactions in the last four months of 2022.

It said the forecast would be sustained by an up and coming trend in leasing where business process management companies prefer the so-called microsites as their operation hub.

Microsites have smaller capacities ranging from 200 to 300 heads, as opposed to one large center, which was the past trend.

More microsites are coming up in areas outside Metro Manila. Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and other non-traditional sites are leading this trend, it said.

“We are a big proponent of countryside development and I know that the IBPAP [IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines] will support that claim and we believe that this trend will continue to be relevant and will continue to be to attract many of the locators,” Barranda said.

He said the IT-BPM sector continued to drive the growth of the real estate sector, accounting for 42 percent of the entire take-up.

Office vacancy was at 18 percent or about 2.5 million sq. m. of available space, higher than the what the sector was used to in previous years. The rise in vacancy was attributed to office spaces abandoned by offshoregaming tenants.

September inflation likely hit 7.4%—Bangko Sentral

By Julito G. Rada

THEBangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Friday inflation in September likely rose to as high as 7.4 percent from 6.3 percent in August on higher food and electricity prices, and weaker peso.

The BSP said it expected the September 2022 inflation to settle within a range of 6.6 percent to 7.4 percent.

“Inflation for the month is expected to be driven by the increase in electricity rates and prices of key food commodities, as well as by the depreciation of the peso. This could be offset in part by the decline in local fuel prices and lower meat prices,” it said.

The peso touched the 59-per-dollar

level on Sept. 29 as financial markets anticipate another huge interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve in November. The peso closed at 58.625 against the greenback on Friday.

The BSP raised the policy rate by a total of 225 bps since the start of its hiking cycle in May to rein in the elevated inflation, the latest of which was on Sept. 22 when it raised the policy rates by another 50 basis points.

Fitch Solutions said with the US Fed likely to hike interest rates by a further 75 bps, after delivering its third straight rate increase of 75 bps on Sept. 21, the BSP was also expected to hike its policy rate to 5.00% by the end of 2022, up from its previous forecast of 4.50%.

Private sector economists expect inflation to peak at 6.7 percent by September or October, which could dampen the economic prospects in the second half.

Economists from the First Metro Investment Corp. and the University of Asia and the Pacific said in the September issue

of the Market Call that the gross domestic product might grow by 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter.

“The inflation outlook, however, may put a damper in H2 [second-half] outlook, as it will likely remain above 6.5 percent in Q4 as the mild dip of -0.1 percent in August to 6.3 percent year on year from 6.4 percent in July,” they said.

“The second-round domestic effects of the sharp surge of crude oil prices in the first half have not completely played out. Besides, food inflation in the US and other advanced countries remains stubbornly high due to droughts and other supply issues,” they said.

The economy expanded by 7.8 percent in the first half, following the 8.2-percent growth in the first quarter and the 7.4 percent in the second quarter.

Infl ation in August slightly eased to 6.3 percent from 6.4 percent in July, pulled down by slower increases in the prices of fuel and food and nonalcoholic beverages.

August budget de cit fell to P72b as gov’t revenue rose 28%

THE government’s budget deficit fell 40.43 percent or P48.9 billion in August to P72.0 billion from P120.9 billion a year ago, on the back of a 28.23-percent growth in revenue collections and slower expenditure expansion of 6.39 percent, the Bureau of the Treasury said Friday.

S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com B4 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2022 full-year program. Collection by the Bureau of Internal Revenue reached P228.9 billion in August, 23.03 percent or P42.9 billion better than the figure recorded a year ago with the highest monthly nominal growth for the first eight months of the year. Julito G. Rada

The latest data brought the cumulative budget deficit in the first eight months to P833 billion, down 13.06 percent or P125.2 billion from P958.2 billion in the same period last year.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said attributed the August budget deficit to the further reopening of the economy towards greater normalcy.

“The narrower budget deficit from January-August 2022 by 13 percent to -P833 billion vs. P958.2 billion in the same period last year may have to do with the further re-opening and no more large scale lockdowns so far this year, compared to some pockets of hard lockdowns in 2021, thereby increasing the government’s tax revenue collections with more business and industries reopening and operating at much higher capacity,” Ricafort said.

Data showed that revenue collection in August reached P332.4 billion, up from P259.3 billion in the same month last year. The Treasury said 93 percent (P308.4 billion) were from taxes while the remaining 7 percent (P24.0

billion) were non-tax collections which respectively grew by 27.27 percent and 42.06 percent.

Outstanding debt breaches P13-t mark on local borrowings and currency depreciation

OUTSTANDING debt reached a new record of P13.02 trillion as of end-August, up from P12.89 trillion as of end-July on higher domestic borrowings and peso depreciation against the US dollar.

“The P133.64 billion or 1.0-percent increment from the end-July 2022 level was attributed to the net issuances of domestic securities as well as currency adjustments. At the current level, NG debt has increased by P1.29 trillion or 11.0 percent since end-December 2021,

of which 68.7 percent was domestic borrowings while 31.3 percent was sourced externally,” the Bureau of the Treasury said Friday.

Domestic debt amounted to P8.94 trillion, up by P111.21 billion or 1.3 percent from end-July level.

“For August, the increase in domestic debt resulted from the net issuance of government securities amounting to P109.43 billion and the P1.78 billion impact of local curren-

cy depreciation against the US dollar,” the Treasury said.

It said that since the beginning of the year, domestic debt portfolio increased by P772.98 billion or 9.5 percent on continued reliance on domestic borrowing to lessen the impact of currency fluctuations.

External debt amounted to P4.08 trillion, which was P22.43 billion or 0.6 percent higher than the end-July level.

“For August, the increment in the level of external debt was due to the impact of

local currency depreciation against the US dollar amounting to P62.24 billion. This offsets the P26.59-billion effect of third-currency depreciation against the US dollar and net repayment amounting to P13.22 billion,” it said.

External debt also went up by P520.03 billion or 14.6 percent from end-December 2021 due to local- and third-currency fluctuations that increased the peso value of foreign-denominated obligations.

Julito G. Rada

Peso appreciates to 58.625 vs. dollar

THE peso on Friday strengthened to a seven-day high against the greenback after mostly trading near the 59-per-dollar level.

The peso closed at 58.625 from 58.97 on Thursday. It opened stronger at 58.60 and registered its strongest level for the day at 58.53. Total volume turnover reached $1.058 billion, up from $902.86 million Thursday.

Security Bank chief economist Robert Dan Roces told Manila Standard in a text message that the peso’s strength “was on the back of weaker US dollar overall leading to overnight shift in foreign exchange positions.”

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort earlier said the offsetting positive factors for the peso going forward could be the declining global crude oil prices, lower major global commodity prices that could lead to lower net imports and narrower trade deficits, rollback in local fuel pump prices and lower inflationary pressures.

The peso touched the 59-per-dollar level before closing at 58.97 on Sept. 29, two centavos stronger than the new record-low of 58.99 on Sept. 27. Julito G. Rada

Meralco asks other firms to enroll in ILP

MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco), the biggest retailer of electricity, is encouraging more businesses to join the interruptible load program, which assured uninterrupted supply in its franchise area when the Luzon grid was placed on red alert recently.

“We recognize the value of our partnership with the ILP participants, which really helped us in ensuring that there will be continuous, stable, and reliable electricity service, consistent with our commitment to keep the lights on for our customers,” said Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said.

Seventy-two business establishments enrolled under the demand-side management program stabilized electricity supply when the Luzon grid suffered insufficient generating capacity.

Meralco immediately activated the ILP and called on enrolled customers to temporarily de-load when National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) warned that power interruptions were imminent due to insufficient operating reserves on September 12.

Meralco big-load customers responded to the call, using their backup power and collectively de-loading close to 298 megawatts from the grid. Alena Mae S. Flores

Real estate companies set housing trade expo

TO showcase private and government partnership in addressing the country’s housing deficit, the National Real Estate Association (NREA) will conduct the 26th Housing Trade Exhibits jointly with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

The show is set on October 4, 5 and 6, 2022 at the Trinoma Mall Activity Center, North EDSA, Diliman, Quezon City.

Invited guests to lead in the ribbon cutting ceremony and inaugural tour of the exhibits are DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar; Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina Tanya Belmonte, Quezon City; OFW Partylist Rep. Marissa “Del Mar” Magsino; Ms. Maria Aurora Legarda, vice president for operations of Ayala Land Malls Inc.; and NREA national officers led by chairman Ricky Celis, board vice chair Imelda Magtoto and president Ronie Biando. The trade exhibits will feature exhibitors composed of real estate developers and allied industries.

It will also feature a Poster Making Contest and a Tiktok Challenge for Housing.

Cebu Landmasters bares 1st residential project in Palawan

By Jenni er B. Austria

IN BRIEFBusiness The cumulative collection amounting to P2.4 trillion as of end-August also surpassed the previous year’s performance by 18.09 percent or P362.9 billion and made up 72 percent of the P3.3 trillion

CEBU Landmasters Inc. said Friday its expanded its footprint with the launching of its first residential project in Luzon.

CLI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the project in Puerto Princesa City is a seven-tower economic housing project with a total sales value of P6 billion.

“We are very pleased that our first venture in Luzon is a success. This shows that there is indeed a broader market for our bestselling housing brand Casa Mira beyond VisMin and that our company Cebu Landmasters is gaining traction beyond our regions of focus,” CLI chairman and chief executive Jose Soberano III said.

The first tower offers 480 units and was 85-percent sold out less than one week after the launch.

Soberano said Casa Mira Tower Palawan buyers were not only locals, as a majority were overseas Filipino workers and professionals from neighboring localities who wanted to invest in Palawan.

“The very high sales take-up of Casa Mira Towers Palawan clearly shows that there’s a lot of opportunities in Palawan, and we’re looking at how we can further serve the markets in the area,” said Soberano.

Located on a 2.09-hectare property, Casa Mira Towers Palawan offers 20-square-meter studio units and onebedroom units up to 32 sq. m. worth P2.5 million to P5 million. It will be operated by CLI Property Management to ensure security and efficient services.

Casa Mira Towers Palawan will be the 15th community to carry the brand which includes vertical and horizontal developments.

CLI builts close to 18,000 Casa Mira units throughout key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Ray

OLIVE GARDEN BRANCH. After 40 years of success in the US and establishing brand presence in other countries, Olive Garden opens its rst Philippine restaurant at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City through a partnership between Darden Restaurants and The Bistro Group. The Italian-American food chain is known for its serving never-ending portions of soup, salad and breadsticks in an ambience that is warm and welcoming. Leading the opening of Olive Garden at MOA are (from left) The Bistro Group chief operating o cer RC Tiongson, The Bistro Group chairman Bill Stelton, Darden International senior vice president for franchising Bradley Smith, The Bistro Group president Jean Paul Manuud and SM Premier 3 senior assistant vice president for operations Perkin So.

SM FOUNDATION'S AID. In its continuing relief operations to assist the families and individuals a ected by typhoon Karding (Noru), SM Foundation Inc., through Operation Tulong Express Program, distributes Kalinga packs to more than 1,400 families a ected by the typhoon in San Mateo, Pampanga and Cabanatuan City. OPTE is a social good program of SM Foundation in collaboration with SM Supermalls and SM Markets, which aims to address the needs of communities during calamities and crises.

Sports

Big fourth quarter propels

NLEX past Blackwater five

By Peter Atencio

THE NLEX Road Warriors halted four big plays in the last five minutes and turned the tables on the Blackwater Elite Bossings, 105-102, on Friday in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

second straight win.

Bombers flog Cardinals, stretch win run to 3

JOSE Rizal University stretched its winning run to three with a 6764 overtime victory over Mapua on Friday in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The Bombers scored seven of first nine points in the extra period to erect a 67-62 advantage entering the twominute mark.

Rence Nocum cut the deficit to 6467, but the Cardinals could not catch a break down the stretch, as Joaqui Garcia bungled a three-pointer as time expired.

JRU continued its rise from a 0-2 start, while handing Mapua its fifth

consecutive loss after a seasonopening win over San Beda. Bombers’ coach Louie Gonzalez hopes that his troops will have a better ball sharing as the tournament progresses.

“Siguro, ito ‘yung learning dito. We only dished out 12 assists. ‘Yun ang ia-address doon sa team ko. I think we still need to do more preparation sa paghulma ng play,” said Gonzalez.

Joshua Guiab came through with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Marwin Dionisio chipped in 15 points and five boards for JRU.

hold down the Bossings.

Blackwater even enjoyed a 10-point edge off Cameron Krutwig’s layup in the last 5:21, 95-85.

But the Road Warriors held them to just to two points in the remaining time until the final 23 seconds, with their defense forcing the Bossing to two turnovers and four defensive stops, allowing them to move away on a 14-2 run.

A couple of jumpers from Clark and his assists to Justin Chua and Kevin Alas sparked the Road Warriors’ decisive run as they went on to

grab a 104-97 edge.

“We have finally adopted coach (Frankie) Lim’s system. Hindi na sila bumibitaw,” said NLEX assistant coach Adonis Tierra.

Don Trollano made 18 points and eight rebounds for the Road Warriors.

Baser Amer fired 26 points for the Bossings, who now have a 1-2 winloss record.

Krutwig made 18 points and had six apiece with Renato Ular in the third as the Bossings stayed in front by nine, 81-72, going into the fourth quarter.

PH athletes’ trust fund gets unspent P3M from Phisgoc

FUNDS amounting to P3.3 million that were unspent for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games three years ago are now in the Philippine Olympic Committee trust fund for athletes.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said on Friday that the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) turned over the funds that were raised from private sponsors during the November 30 to December 10 SEA Games in 2019.

“We’re very thankful to the PHISGOC for donating the saved money that we can use for our athletes in the future,” said Tolentino, also the president of PhilCycling and Tagaytay City mayor.

Phisgoc Chief Operating Officer Ramon “Tats” Suzara—also head of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation—confirmed the funds’ turnover. He said the Philippine Sports Commission was informed of the transfer.

The Phisgoc operated with a P6 billion fund for the hosting of the 2019 SEA Games, where the country emerged overall champion. The funds were from the government and private sector.

The Phisgoc financial report revealed the unspent funds were for payments to suppliers of various national sports associations.

“But for one reason or another, these suppliers could no longer be found, nor did they send a representative to collect payments,” Tolentino said. “But in case someone surfaces to collect, they can do so with the PSC.”

Tolentino said the trust fund will be the source of cash incentives or bonuses for successful athletes.

Arcilla back on track, tops Puerto Princesa Open tourney

JOHNNY Arcilla came away with a couple of breaks to shatter doubles partner Ronard Joven, 6-4, 6-4, in the finals and get back on the winning track in the Puerto Princesa National Tennis Championships at the Karawatan PPS tennis courts in Palawan last Wednesday.

The Davis Cup veteran broke Joven early in the opening set to wrest a 2-1 lead then never gave the latter a chance to equalize in a hold-hold game the rest of the frame.

Joven, however, put up a tougher stand in the second, battling his multititled rival to a 4-4 count before yielding the ninth as Arcilla broke out from 30-all game with back-to-back points to seize control.

Ikeda seeks to firm up OOM lead at Riviera

NOW in control of the Order of Merit race, Chihiro Ikeda tries to zero in on a second career overall individual crown on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour as she headlines the field in the ICTSI Riviera Championship unfolding Oct. 4 at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.

With erstwhile frontrunner Chanelle Avaricio focusing on her LPGA Tour card bid in the US, Ikeda stormed ahead of the OOM battle with a runner-up finish to amateur Rianne Malixi in the last LPGT leg at Valley Golf Club, raising her earnings to P702,750 heading to the last three legs of this year’s circuit in new normal.

Avaricio, whose three LPGT victories spurred her to seek a playing card in the world’s premier circuit, slipped to No. 2 with P605,000 in winnings while Harmie Constantino, who notched two victories and posted a couple of Top 5 finishes to win the OOM trophy in her rookie season last year, is at distant third with

P499,500 in earnings.

But Ikeda isn’t looking past the ninth leg of LPGT’s first full-calendar season since the pandemic, putting all her efforts on getting to be ready and doing better in the upcoming 54-hole, P750,000 championship put up by ICTSI.

“This is going to be tough. Langer has always been a test, game-wise and mentally, with its length, tightness and all the hazards that come into play in most holes,” said Ikeda, the 2016 OOM winner, during a break in practice at one of the country’s toughest championship courses.

The par-71 layout, kept in championship form all year-long, will indeed challenge not only the field’s golf skills but their patience and mental toughness as well given its length, menacing bunkers and hazards that come into play in most holes, particularly in the presence of the winds.

A number of holes could also be deceiving, requiring thorough study and decision-making on ap-

proach shots.

Ikeda finished second to Daniella Uy here last year with the FilJapanese keen on finishing on top this time in an attempt to score a follow-up to her victories at Mount Malarayat and Eagle Ridge-Aoki and firm up her OOM lead.

But Constantino is also out to foil her bid, along with Highlands leg winner Sunshine Baraquiel, former leg titlist Sarah Ababa and title-hungry Marvi Monsalve, Gretchen Villacencio, Apple Fudolin and Lovelynn Guioguio, and young guns Martina Miñoza, Pamela Mariano and Kristine Fleetwood.

Also vying in the 54-hole tournament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. are Lucy Landicho, Majorie Pulumbarit and Eva Miñoza.

Meanwhile, Pradera Verde will host the next LPGT leg on Oct. 25-27 before the circuit winds up on Nov. 2-4 for the Anvaya Cove Ladies International, which also marks the return of foreign bidders since 2019.

Arcilla took the first three points in the 10th, dropped the next but finished off Joven in the ensuing play to clinch the crown worth P30,000 in a victory that somewhat erased the stigma of his early semis exit in the Gov. Edwin Jubahib Cup in Davao del Norte last August.

He added another P20,000 in earnings which he and Joven split after they crushed the Jose Maria PagueChristian Fel Lopez pair in the doubles final of the week-long event put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/ CEO Bobby Castro.

On his way to the championship of the event presented by Dunlop, the durable Arcilla routed John Ed Melegrito, 4-0, 4-0, ripped young Mcleen Gomera, 4-1, 4-0, survived Loucas Fernandez, 5-4(2), 4-0, then trounced Pague in the semis, 6-1, 6-0.

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

American import Earl Clark erupted with a big game of 28 points and 25 rebounds as he made a difference in the fourth quarter for the Road Warriors, who moved ahead with their

The 6’8” Clark made 10 points in the last 12 minutes of action as he got involved on both ends of the floor in the Road Warriors’ bid to

Games today (Filoil EcoOil Centre)

Benilde

vs Perpetual

NLEX’s Earl Clark takes advantage of the porous Blackwater defense as he scores in this barreling drive in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game won by the Road Warriors, 105-102

JRU’s Joshua Guiab (right), shown here guarding Mapua’s Toby Agustin, led the Bombers with 17 points.

Chihiro

Johnny Arcilla

SMDC and RLC Residences lead winners at Dot Property Awards

SMDC and RLC Residences were among the biggest winners at the 2022 Dot Property Philippines Awards held recently.

A total of 26 awards were handed out during the evening. With the real estate market recovery in full swing throughout the country, the Dot Property Philippines Awards recognized the developers, projects and agencies leading these efforts.

SMDC was presented with eight honors, including Developer of The Year 2022, the most prestigious award. Meanwhile, Air Residences and Light 2 Residences were just a few of their projects to be recognized.

RLC Residences collected eight awards as well in 2022. In addition to winning Best Developer Metro Manila, the firm’s Sierra Valley Gardens was named Best Sustainable Residential Development while Woodsville Crest was bestowed with Best Low Rise Condo Development. RLC Residences was also the recipient of the Special Recognition Award for Community Building

Filinvest Land Inc. won three honors while The Piazza at The Grand Citygate Davao from Grand Land Inc. was presented with two awards.

Developer of The Year 2022

• SM Development Corporation

The Philippines People’s Choice Award for Project of the Year 2022

AmiSa Private Residences

Dot Property Philippines Awards

2022 developer winners

• Best Developer Metro Manila—

RLC Residences

• Best Developer North Luzon—

Filinvest Land Inc.

• Best Developer Cebu—Golden

Topper

• Best Developer Visayas—Filinvest Land Inc.

• Best Developer Mindanao— Filinvest Land Inc.

• Best Developer Sustainable Living —RLC Residences

Dot Property Philippines Awards 2022 project winners

• Best Mid Range Condo Development

—The Piazza at The Grand Citygate Davao from Grand Land Inc.

• Best Starter Home Condo Development—Joy Residences from SMDC

• Best Low Rise Condo Development —Woodsville Crest from RLC Residences

• Best Township Development—Gold

City from SMDC

• Best Mixed Used Development— Air Residences from SMDC

• Best Sustainable Residential Development—Sierra Valley Gardens from RLC Residences

• Best Beachfront Development— AmiSa Private Residences from RLC Residences

• Best Condominium Architectural Design—The Sapphire Bloc from RLC Residences

Dot Property Philippines Awards 2022 investment winners

• Best Investment Property North Luzon—Now Residences from SMDC

• Best Investment Property South Luzon—Calm Residences from SMDC

• Best Investment Property Metro

Manila—Light 2 Residences from SMDC

• Best Investment Property Cebu— Primeworld Pointe from Primeworld Land Holdings

• Best Investment Property Davao —The Piazza at The Grand Citygate Davao from Grand Land Inc.

• Best Investment Property Iloilo City —Glade Residences from SMDC Special Recognition Award for Community Building

• RLC Residences was won the Special Recognition Award for Community Building

• RLC Residences Philippines’ Best Real Estate Agencies 2022 Familiar faces found themselves

among the winners of Philippines’ Best Real Estate Agencies 2022 as both Tricia Liu Properties and Edukate Group Inc. took home the honor for a second consecutive year. They were joined by 2019 winner Pinnacle Real Estate Consulting Services Inc..

The in-person celebration was a significant return for the Dot Property Philippines Awards after restrictions required a special hybrid ceremony in 2021. More than 200 of the real estate industry’s best and brightest were in attendance this year.

Next up are the Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards which are set for December in Bangkok.

Escape and unwind at Tivoli Royale

YOU don’t have to leave the city to escape the stress of urban living.

The Tivoli Royale Country Club, located at Yakal Street, Tivoli Royale Subdivision, Quezon City.

Is a modern country club offering relaxing views of nature amid new and exciting amenities that are perfect for young professionals and active families. Anchored on a P300 million renovation, the club’s design has numerous choices of activity areas, both for leisure and sports.

Among these are family pools, a gym and fitness center, a bowling alley, and a game center for billiards, darts, and arcade games. There are also courts

for basketball, badminton, tennis, and volleyball.

The club holds dance, yoga, and swimming classes for kids and adults, complete with personal trainers that will help members achieve their health goals. A shooting range is also available, as well as a golf complex that houses an indoor driving range, pitch n’ putt, and state-of-the-art golf simulators. Shown here (from left to right) are professional volleyball player Michele Gumabao with personal trainers/coaches Toni Sarret and Jim Sarret. For more information, visit www.tivoliroyalecountryclub.

Crafted community down south

LUXURY real estate developer Filigree recently launched Two Botanika, the second tower of its residential development, Botanika Residences in Filinvest City, Alabang.

The condominium will offer one- to four-bedroom units with sizes ranging from 72 to 322 square meters priced

LIVE-WORK-PLAY HUBS IN ORTIGAS.

The Galleon at Ortigas Center, Maple at Verdant Towers at Ortigas East, and Empress at Capitol Commons are three developments which epitomize the design philosophy in Ortigas Land’s various mixed-use developments— live-work-play hubs with green, open spaces and easy access to every need.

The Empress at Capitol Commons (Shown here) is a 56-story high-rise development at the bustling Capitol Commons that puts residents’ health and wellness center stage with carefully planned spaces to create a relaxing haven within a dynamic enclave. The Residences at The Galleon (Inset) is a two-tower mixed-use development offers space for residential, offices, and retail equipped with state-of-the-art technology essentials and smart home features. The first of three towers, Maple at Verdant Towers, Ortigas East, is a 42-story development with upscale amenities that will perfectly suit those who enjoy the active lifestyle in a vibrant and green community. For more information, visit www.ortigas.com.ph.

ILOILO, NEW SITE FOR TELUS. Outsourcing company TELUS International Philippines recently opened a new site in Pavia, Iloilo. This is Telus’ eighth site in the country and second in Iloilo. Their first office is located in SM Strata Tower in Iloilo City, which is adjacent to SM City Iloilo. The Pavia office features areas where employees can collaborate and work uninterrupted. TELUS International Asia-Pacific regional vice-president Rajiv M. Dhand said their continued investment in Iloilo shows their ‘long-term commitment to the people and communities in the province.’

between PHP22 million and P100 million. Responsible for Botanika’s overall design is Andy Locsin of Leandro V. Locsin Partners together with Bill Higgins of Architecture International.

“It is going back to the simple things — a beautiful garden, bumping into your

friends, feeling part of a community, feeling safe and breathing good air,” Locsin said.

Filigree expects to secure a Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) certification for Two Botanika. Target completion for this residential tower is in 2027.

Motoring

10th PH Electric Vehicle Summit to accelerate mobility, solidarity

THE

Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP), together with the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) and Nissan Philippines Inc., is hosting the 10th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) set on October 20 and 21, 2022 at the SMX Convention Center Manila. Among others, expect festivities and launches from participating manufacturers such as Jaguar, Audi, Mitsubishi, Chery, and much more!

EVAP President Edmund Araga, citing the 2022 Global EV Outlook of the International Energy Agency said: “There has been a massive jump in EV adoption worldwide during the past year. Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) doubled in 2021 from the previous year to a new record of 6.6 million. Back in 2012, just 120 000 electric cars were sold worldwide. Nearly 10% of global car sales were electric in 2021, four times the market share in 2019. This brought the total number of electric cars on the world’s roads to about 16.5 million, triple the amount in 2018. Global sales of electric cars have kept rising strongly in 2022, with 2 million sold in the first quarter, up 75% from the same period in 2021.”

“The IEA report stated that the success of EVs is being driven by multiple factors. Sustained policy support is the main pillar.

Public spending on subsidies and incentives for EVs nearly doubled in 2021 to nearly USD 30 billion. A growing number of countries have pledged to phase out internal combustion engines or have ambitious vehicle electrification targets for the coming decades. Meanwhile, many carmakers have plans to electrify their fleets that go further than policy targets. Finally, more new EV models were made available in 2021, increasing the attractiveness for consumers. The number of EV models available on the market is around 450. While the 6.6 million EV Sales in 2021 were led by China (3.3 million), Europe (2.3 million) and the United States (630,000), by contrast,” Mr. Araga added.

Given this global backdrop, Mr. Araga announced that this year’s PEVS will showcase the EV industry’s solidarity in fulfilling the policy objectives of the

Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) or Republic Act No. 11697 which took effect on 11 May 2022 while its implementing rules and regulations took effect on 20 September 2022 following its publication on 5 September 2022. The law seeks to incentivize the rapid adoption of electric vehicles and charging stations in the country as it mandates 5% EV share in corporate and government fleets, dedicated parking slots for EVs, installation of charging stations in parking lots and gasoline stations, green routes in cities and municipalities, as well as fiscal and nonfiscal incentives for EV manufacturing, charging station importation, and EV utilization.

Mr. Araga emphasized on the government’s willingness to introduce fiscal incentives as customers should not pay so much premium for EVs. He said

Ford PH@25: Driving the future

FORD Philippines officially marks its 25th year in the country, a true testament to its commitment to help boost the local automotive industry with its wide portfolio of Ford vehicles and services.

It was in 1997 when Ford Motor Company Philippines, Inc. (FMCPI), Ford Motor Company’s Philippine-based subsidiary, was established. At the end of that year, FMCPI sold a total of 97 units of Ford Expedition, the first Ford vehicle that was sold in the country.

Over the last 25 years, close to 400,000 customers have become and are existing owners of Ford vehicles in the Philippines, which include the Ford Club Wagon, EcoSport, Escape, Everest, Expedition, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac, F150, Lynx, Mustang, Ranger, Territory, Town Car (Lincoln) and Transit. The automotive company has likewise grown its dealer network to 49 dealerships around the country, serving the sales and service needs of its still-growing customer base.

Through the years, Ford has also received a number of citations for its vehicles from various award-giving bodies. The Ford Everest, Explorer, Expedition, Mustang,

Ranger, Ranger Raptor and Territory are among the most awarded vehicles not only in its vehicle portfolio, but also in its respective segments. Ford has also been cited for its corporate social responsibility programs such as Driving Skills for Life (DSFL), Operation Better World, COVID-19 Relief Program, and Automotive Technician Scholarship Program.

Most recently, Ford received awards for its communications programs and initiatives that supported the launch of the Ford Territory, the Ford RangeHER program, and the Henry Ford Awards. All three programs were launched and rolled out at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. With its anniversary theme “Driving Our Future Together,” Ford Philippines looks ahead into the future by bringing more world-class Ford vehicles, introducing new innovations to elevate the ownership experience for its customers, and making a difference in the lives of its partner communities and beneficiaries.

To kick-off its anniversary celebration, Ford Philippines is inviting all its customers,

followers, enthusiasts, and dealer partners to join the festivities by updating their profile photos on Facebook using the official Ford Philippines 25th anniversary frame.

Go to https://bit.ly/3evpuVR to access the anniversary frame.

Select ‘Choose a Photo’. Select the photo from your files that you want to use. Adjust your chosen photo to fit the frame. Click ‘Next’ and then click ‘’Download’. Your framed photo will be saved in your Downloads folder. Upload the framed photo as your new profile picture. Click your profile photo on Facebook and click ‘Update Your Profile Picture’. Click ‘Upload Photo’ and locate your framed photo in your Downloads folder.

In the description box, add the hashtags #FordPH25 and #DrivingOurFutureTogether and then click ‘Save’.

#MyFordStory Ford customers, employees, and dealer teams are also invited to participate in the #MyFordStory program, where they can post about their stories with photos and videos about their Ford vehicles, experiences, and memorable moments on their social media pages using the hashtag. These stories will be collected and featured on various platforms in the coming months.

NLEX advances sustainability Lights out and away we GOMO

NLEX Corporation continues to integrate sustainability in its operations by installing rainwater recovery systems and motion-sensor lights in its facilities.

Understanding that water is a scarce resource, the tollway company initially sets up two rainwater collection systems in SCTEX Floridablanca and Dinalupihan rest bays that will harvest large volumes of rainwater, which will then be used for the public restrooms in the said areas. The rainwater catchments can store and repurpose approximately 2,000 liters of water, helping beef up water sufficiency.

In its bid to further reduce its carbon footprint, NLEX has also started to put motion-sensor lights in its buildings. These lights only turn on when movement is detected and turn off when there is no action, minimizing wasted energy.

Close to 100 motion-sensor lights are up for installation within the year in 12 NLEX-SCTEX offices located in Caloocan City, Valenzuela City, Bulacan, and Pampanga.

Aside from the rainwater recovery systems and motion-sensor lights, NLEX uses solar power panels and LED lights in its operations which has since reduced its carbon emissions by roughly 5,000 tons equivalent to around 229,358 trees saved.

The company also previously cited that it has been strictly prohibiting singleuse plastics in food deliveries, canteen operations, and other food services within its premises to reduce plastic pollution and has planted around 200,000 trees in the entire road network as part of its efforts to help provide clean air on the road.

IN RECENT years, many Filipinos have started to have a more diverse interest in the field of sports, especially with the increasing popularity of motor racing across the region. After all, this adrenaline-pumping sport fuels viewers with much excitement as they cheer on their favorite athletes and watch the thrilling action unfold right before their eyes in highspeed fashion.

To bring this high-octane action closer to Filipinos, GOMO hosted an epic motor racing-themed event that brings the Grand Prix sensation to fans for ‘Mo thrills!

At the event, GOMO invited its subscribers to rise up to the challenge and see if they have what it takes to handle the pressure of performing when it matters. Participants were able to enjoy several adrenaline-pumping activities including:

1. A pit stop challenge where participants were able to live out the absolute precision and perfect teamwork needed to ensure an ultrafast pit stop

2. Next-level simulator racing where participants got a chance to take a glimpse into the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing

3. The ultimate reaction test used by race car drivers to see if participants have the handeye coordination and peripheral awareness required of a racer

Aside from the thrilling on-ground event, GOMO also gave fans the chance to watch the Grand Prix action live. In a recently concluded promo, subscribers just needed to swap 10GB of data via ‘Mo Creds to get three raffle entries and a TapGO three-day Premium Plus Access. One lucky winner won an all-expenses-paid trip for two to the Singapore Grand Prix, which will happen in October!

“‘Mo Creds is your gateway to a whole new world of thrilling IRL adventures to turbocharge your social life with authentic experiences that fuel your unique passions,” added Laudencia.

The digital telco brand, launched in the

that promoting EV adoption coupled with fiscal incentives in emerging EV markets like the Philippines will give charging infrastructure players the incentive to enter the country, creating a virtuous cycle of EV adoption.

Themed, “United In Driving Electromobility in Support of the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) or Republic Act No. 11697,” the country’s biggest annual EV conference and exhibition will mark its first physical staging after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brings together stakeholders across the EV value chain including policymakers,

regulators, academe, consultants, transport companies, power utilities and end-users to engage in policy dialogue as well as long-term collaboration to drive adoption of electric vehicles and deployment of the EV charging infrastructure in the country.

The recently promulgated EVIDA Implementing Rules and Regulations (EVIDA-IRRs) will be presented by the Department of Energy (DOE) during the event together with the other concerned government agencies namely the DILG, DOST, DOTr, DTI, ERC and LTFRB discussing their specific roles in the implementation of EVIDA.

The 10th PEVS will also recognize personalities and institutions for their invaluable contribution to the advancement of electric mobility in the Philippines through the conferment of the E-mobility Awards.

enLIGHTen me

TOO many traffic lights simply create traffic everywhere. And this has been proven in so many street corners in the metro where a simple traffic officer is more than enough to control the free flow of traffic.

In a rush to replace those traffic officers and deputies manning the streets, many local government units (LGUs) simply started putting up those street lights in almost every corner even though they are not necessary.

With these traffic lights dotting almost every corner, those traffic officers in the LGUs have now become merely decorations on the street corners. They will only tend to the traffic when those traffic lights would not work or they simply conked out of service for the meantime. Most of them are now standing by the roadside and waiting for motorists to create violations so they can come up with their “quota” for the day.

Those traffic lights are okay on more busy and wider streets but not on smaller ones where traffic is not equal compared to the former. Traffic is created instantly on smaller streets, especially when those traffic lights were “tinkered” to favor one flow of traffic. You can see motorists caught up in heavy traffic scratching their heads or even fuming mad when they were held up for too long while seeing the other opposing lane has fewer vehicles passing by.

We’re witnesses to this right in our place as traffic becomes really unbearable to a small but busy 2-lane street when a traffic light was put up in a nearby corner a few months ago. It used to be only during rush hours when a traffic enforcer was designated to man the busy corner and they simply didn’t bother to stay for too long since traffic eased up so easily after that. But nowadays, traffic pileup is a regular thing there simply because of that traffic light.

Traffic lights should also be made to go on a blinking red or yellow at night when traffic is already lighter.

Philippines two years ago, has rapidly grown to more than two million subscribers through its fresh and unique offers. It has created fun ways to let users make the most of their data. Through its game-changing lifestyle app, subscribers can enjoy high speed data that never expires not only for text and calls, but also for lifestyle vouchers that give them

Toyota offers financing deals for MSMEs

BASED on Q4 2020 statistics from the United Nations Development Programme, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have made up 99.5% of the Philippines’ business establishments, employed 63% of the country’s workforce, and contributed to 40% of the country’s GDP in the past years. In 2020, this number declined due to community lockdowns.

Today, as the economy is steadily opening up, MSMEs are now getting back on track. One important factor they need is access to finance. Financing is essential to the growth of MSMEs, as it can help them to resume operations and re-enter the market.

With the vision of bringing mobility for all and the goal of enabling local businesses to contribute to economic recovery , Toyota Motor

Philippines (TMP) is committed to being the partner of every MSME. The country’s leading mobility company is empowering livelihoods by extending financial assistance through its financing partner, Toyota Financial Services Philippines (TFSPH); and including its Light Commercial Vehicle line, the all-new Lite Ace in TFSPH’s Kabuhayan on Wheels Financing program.

Growing businesses now have the chance to own the all-new Lite Ace to help with their day-to-day operations. They can choose from these easy and convenient options: (1) Vehicle Loan and (2) Finance Lease – both of which are customizable to ensure hassle-free payment terms. In addition to these, Toyota has introduced its newest option, (3) Lite Sa Bulsa, which allows customers to pay on a weekly

basis for as low as P2,903.50 a week.

With the Kabuhayan on Wheels Financing Program, MSMEs are a step closer to achieving their asenso goals! For those who want to avail of this new offer, just visit the nearest Toyota dealer in your area to inquire. A P5,000 worth gas card awaits for every successful booking. Toyota marketing professionals will be more than willing to assist you in every step of the application process.

Kabuhayan on Wheels and Lite Sa Bulsa are just a few of the programs that Toyota Motor Philippines and Toyota Financial Services Philippines offer, as part of their commitment to providing mobility for all. Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corporation is supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. To know more, visit our website at www.toyotafinancial.ph.

In many streets in the world, traffic lights are being set this way in order for the motorists to slow down and be aware of the traffic around them. No driver would push the accelerator when coming down a street corner at night especially when they saw the traffic lights blinking yellow or red.

There have been some studies in the past where the main cause of accidents at night are the abusive disregard of traffic lights, especially by those who have drunk too much. Most of them could not stand waiting for the green light since they no longer see any traffic. But that is very dangerous and almost always the cause of severe accidents.

It’s good that the No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP) has been suspended for the meantime.

The very reason why there are so many thousands of violations is primarily because of those traffic lights. A mere stepping on the yellow line could cost you a heavy fine. There are so many other reasons that are being thrown to these traffic lights for many violations.

But please bear in mind that the NCAP was suspended by the Supreme Court not on the merit of these traffic lights, but because of the serious breach of personal security on the part of those motorists caught in violation of any traffic rules.

If and when the issue on personal security of individuals, there is a probability that the NCAP shall be reinstated and that the issue on traffic lights being the culprit in deciding several questionable traffic violations would not be thoroughly reviewed and discussed.

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PH tech leaders join KodeGo’s Board of Advisors

RENOWNED leaders in the local technology industry have joined the Board of Advisors of KodeGo, the web development educational boot camp of Globe’s 917Ventures.

The five new board members provide a wide range of talent and experience to help KodeGo shape the future of edutech in the Philippines and uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos.

First on the list is former Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Monchito “Mon” Ibrahim. He brings over 45 years of leadership experience in technology and development in the private and public sectors. He is currently VP for External Affairs of the UP System Information Technology Foundation and VP/Trustee of the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP).

Another seasoned IT business leader is Jerry Bongco, Head of Enterprise at Amazon Web Services (AWS). He spent 11 years at Microsoft, where he became the country director for the Consumer and Devices Business Division. He has also taken management roles in Sun Microsystems, Lucent Technologies, and Crayon.

Also a great addition to the roster is Jonathan “JDL” de Luzuriaga, President of the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) and CEO of Spring Valley Tech Corp. He previously led the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, Compos Mentis Inc., and ADEC Innovations’ software development.

Meanwhile, Joan Penaflorida is the president of Yondu Inc., also a Globe Group company. Yondu is a top-notch IT solutions company providing cloud services and software development, among other innovative technology solutions, for Philippine businesses. Her skills include management and organizational leadership, business development, strategic partnerships, and scaling early-stage startups.

Rounding up the list is Jack Madrid, President and CEO of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the flagship association of the IT-BPM industry. Some of his notable senior leadership roles include establishing Yahoo!’s brand and operations in the Philippines, Country Manager for eCommerce marketplace leader Multiply. com, Managing Director of MTV Asia, Managing Director of the Ayala Corporation and Director of Dell International Services. Jack was also Board Director of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP) and Cofounder of the Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines (DCOM).

“We are proud and honored to have these remarkable people on our Board of Advisors at KodeGo. With each of them being experts in their respective fields, we are looking forward to how their guidance and mentorship will make KodeGo grow as a company and help us continually redefine the edutech industry,” said Fam Alonto, Venture Builder at 917Ventures.

KodeGo is one of the business ideas taken in by 917Ventures under its Velocity program for promising ventures. KodeGo helps students, new graduates, and career shifters become certified IT professionals and get hired in as fast as 12 weeks through its online bootcamps with zero upfront fees. It also plans to offer other tech and non-tech courses in the future.

To learn more about KodeGo, visit https://kodego.ph/.

TDCX

Tech & Gadgets

WIKO brings largest-ever screen, advanced SuperCharge technology

WIKO is a French-origin brand that strives to shape the future of entertainment through the amalgamation of aesthetic design and technology.

WIKO 10 aims to bring a smooth user experience with distinctive features and elegant designs to customers all over the world, together with the launch of WIKO Buds 10, providing users with a seamless music journey with its advanced Bluetooth 5.2 technology and up to 30 hours of playback time with a charging case.

The WIKO 10 is the inaugural smartphone of WIKO’s new digital series. Representing the fusion of aesthetic design and advanced technology, WIKO 10 offers a novel experience with its impeccable design that speaks French elegance in the language of technology and serves as the modern-day accessory for the Generation Z digital natives.

Customers can enjoy using the WIKO 10 with its top features including a 6.74-inch large screen and 90.69% screen-to-body ratio for immersive video viewing, a 5000mAh battery with 22.5W WIKO SuperCharge and reverse charging supporting intensive usage throughout the day, a 128GB large storage to store everything on the phone, and 50MP Triple AI camera with versatile camera functions that was catered for recording beautiful moments in life.

It is a highly functional device, meanwhile a masterpiece bewitching to the eyes.

WIKO 10 is specifically created for young users who are stylish, trendy, tech-savvy, and passionate about expressing their individuality.

It offers them a flawless experience with a fresh and elegant design that reflects the latest trends among Generation Z and accessorizes their everyday look with style. With the one-of-a-kind designs that reflect the latest trend among younger generations and their predilection for the individuality of product appearance, WIKO 10 reinvigorates the design with unique personality.

WIKO wants to make smartphones à la mode accessible to all.

Our users worldwide tell us that they love the French aesthetics conveyed by our products, and these phones help to showcase their favor in simplicity, elegance, freedom and enthusiasm.

Distinctive Finishes with Iconic Colors

WIKO 10 has three options of stunning finishes: Klein Blue, Silver and Black. The iconic Klein Blue creates a stark visual contrast with the environment, showcasing the personal style and individuality of its owner.

The alluring Silver resembles ashen hues of classic European architecture like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, where Black is a ray of bright light which disrupts the tranquil yet mystique pitch-black night, colliding decorative art with architectural structures. WIKO 10 is all you need to garner the attention of the crowd.

Impressive Visual Display with Refined Designs

WIKO 10 is a fabulous smartphone designed for immer-

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THE Infinix NOTE 12 PRO 5G was launched recently at the introductory price of P10,299 (from SRP 12,499) exclusively on Lazada.

Infinix’s best budget smartphone with 5G capability, was sold out within its special promo period from September 27 to 29.

You can still purchase the new Infinix NOTE 12 PRO 5G in Lazada, while availability on Shopee, and Tiktok Shop started on September 30, onwards. This phone is also available via official Infinix kiosks and concept stores nationwide.

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WIKO is a French-origin brand that strives to shape the future of entertainment through the amalgamation of aesthetic design and technology.

sive entertainment experiences and incredible visual enjoyment brought by its 6.74-inch 20:9 large full-screen LCD.

The incredible 90.69% screen-to-body ratio is exceptionally competitive compared to other smartphones at the same price level.

It also supports 16.7 million colors and a resolution of 720*1600, while the pixel density can reach 260PPI.

Aside from its mesmerizing colors, WIKO 10 features a 6-layer optical texture design.

By virtue of the emergency of the fuselage materials, not only does it enlarge the reflective surface of a crystal and heighten its brilliance, but it also ensures a fingerprint-proof and dirt-proof surface with its strong hydrophobic capability.

As for the thickness, WIKO attempts to visually lessen the width of the phone with a light and matte integrated surface of the middle frame.

It also combines the fingerprint sensor and power switch, which is an optimum choice of design, both functionally and aesthetically.

The embedded rear cameras are typically destructive of the aesthetics of a traditional smartphone design, yet it asserts character and individuality at the same time. WIKO 10 innovates on its original design, resulting in a complex yet sleek aesthetic that represents a more vivid individuality expression.

Versatile camera to capture the best moments

With WIKO 10’s 50 MP Triple AI Camera, users can capture portraits which equate with high-quality studio pictures with a mere tap of their finger. To begin with, the 50MP Triple AI camera can bring you fine details with its 50 MP resolution, f/1.8 aperture, 1/2.76-inch JN1 sensor that has a

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unit pixel area of 0.64μm. Photos of high color fidelity and resolution are guaranteed. The Smart HDR feature with its fusion of double exposures brings you a wellbalanced photo in detail even in backlighting environments. Moreover, users can take bokeh portraits based on the 5-layer imaging optimization algorithm. For fashionistas and selfie addicts, WIKO 10 has an 8MP high-definition f/2.0 front camera, its natural beauty algorithm allows them to confidently take beautiful selfies.

Top-tier Battery and Storage Performance One of the most attractive features of WIKO 10 is the 22.5W WIKO SuperCharge. After charging for 10 minutes, users are able to watch videos for two hours. Besides its fast-charging ability and large battery capacity, WIKO 10 also supports wireless reverse-charging for other devices. A quick 10-min reverse-charging can cover 40% of a headset or 25% of a sports bracelet’s full power, which only takes up 1-2% power cost of WIKO 10.

Moreover, WIKO 10 provides users with the most carefree experience ever, a multi-stage overheating current control mechanism is incorporated, so gamers will no longer fret about overheating pauses after a whole day of usage. Together with a large and sustainable 5000mAh battery as well as a storage space of 128GB and 6GB RAM, it guarantees a long-lasting phone running from morning till night and more virtual memory, faster loading speeds and minimum lagging.

Updated OS, For an Updated Experience

Android 12 delivers an even more personal, effortless, and safer experience for your device. Featuring a comprehensively reimagined UI that can be personalized to your liking, as well as new privacy features designed to grant you total safety without taking control away from your hands

WIKO Buds 10—endless music journey

Alongside the launch of WIKO 10 smartphone, WIKO is also presenting WIKO Buds 10, a set of earbuds with advanced Bluetooth 5.2 technology powered by BES to ensure instant and stable connectivity, capable of producing stereo and deep bass loud sound. Offering a maximum operating time of 6 hours from a single charge and up to 30 hours with the charging case, WIKO Buds 10 allows users to enjoy an endless music journey. Users can now surround themselves with flowing melodies and dive into the world of music without noises. Embracing positive vibes brought by your favourite songs in daily life with WIKO Buds 10.

In an innovative upgrade, WIKO Buds 10 has adapted the 12 mm dynamic driver, allowing for the delivery of high-quality audio with a clear separation between vocal and instrument, while still upholding a design geared towards users’ comfort. A combination of dual mics for voice capturing and ENC noise cancelling algorithm support also effectively filters out noises from the surrounding, granting a crystal-clear voice chat and calling experience. Beyond all, being designed for exercising and entertainment, WIKO Buds 10 possesses both high durability and IPX4 water resistance protects from splashing water, and still only weighs 4.2g.

growing demand for complex customer experience solutions

SINGAPORE—TDCX, Inc. (“TDCX” or the “Company”) (NYSE: TDCX), a highgrowth digital customer experience (CX) solutions provider for technology and blue-chip companies, continues its expansion path with a new office in Iloilo in the Philippines.

This is TDCX’s sixth campus in the Philippines and strengthens the company’s capacity to serve Global English end-markets, such as North America, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

The outsourced CX services market outside of Southeast Asia is expected to grow to $86.3 billion by 2025 .

With the expanded operations in the Philippines, TDCX will meet the increasing demand for CX services.

TDCX has signed on 25 new clients since January 2022, including a leading regional airline and one of Southeast Asia’s largest integrated car e-commerce platforms.

Eliza Acuña, Vice President for Business Strategy, TDCX Philippines, said, “As

economies around the world recover from the effects of the pandemic and grapple with the current economic uncertainties, we are seeing increased demand for outsourced customer experience services.

This is due, in part, to our ability to deliver superior customer experiences and to drive sales quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively for our clients. In the second quarter of this year, our total revenue across the Group was US$116.6 million, up 23.3% year-on-year .

“The Philippines is known for its outsourcing capabilities and is an important node in TDCX’s network. Their highly skilled workforce coupled with a hospitable culture make the country a hotspot for us to hire the talent we need to resolve increasingly complex customer issues. Our new office in Iloilo will supplement our Manila and Cebu operations and create more job opportunities locally.”

TDCX opened its Manila office in 2014 and its Cebu office in 2019. Since the opening of the Cebu office, TDCX has almost

doubled its staff strength in the Philippines.

TDCX’s Iloilo office a gateway into Philippines’ upcoming innovation hub Iloilo is anticipated to be an innovation hub by 2030 . TDCX’s strategic expansion into Iloilo enables it to entrench itself in the local innovation ecosystem and work with other stakeholders to enhance the outsourced customer experience industry’s competitiveness on the global stage.

Acuña said, “The outsourced customer experience industry is increasingly important in the growing digital economy. As consumers live more of their lives online, their experience becomes a more significant factor in brand preference and loyalty. Hence, this is a very exciting time for our industry and our people. With our positive work environment, attractive client roster and interesting and fulfilling work, we look forward to growing with our people and equipping them with future-ready skills that will help them stay competitive in the new economy.”

UNLEASHING your full potential with the WIKO 10, the smartphone for modern entertainment.

Shown here are (from left)

Philippines Vice President for Business Strategy Eliza Acuña, EVP Philippines & the Americas Ricart Valvekens

Vice President of Client Services Stefan Mark Cook Fontanilla.