Manila Standard - 2022 October 6 - Thursday

Inflation up 4-year-high of 6.9%

Cabinet tackles rising consumer prices, to keep food supply affordable

By Julito G. Rada and Vito Barcelo

INFLATION rose to a fouryear high of 6.9 percent in September from 6.3 percent a month ago, driven mainly by faster increases in the price of food and nonalcoholic beverages, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday.

Even as the Department of Finance (DOF) said consumer prices are ex pected to remain high for the rest of the year, President Marcos said will moni tor the price of goods and ensure that food supply is sufficient and affordable.

“In our meeting today with the Cabi net, we adopted the next steps to moni tor the price of goods. We will ensure that the food supply can be adjusted to be sufficient and affordable for the Filipino people,” Mr. Marcos said in a Facebook post.

In an online briefing, national statis tician and civil registrar general Dennis Mapa did not rule out the possibility of inflation hitting more than 6.9 percent in the coming months.

“There are risks that inflation might accelerate further due to higher food prices... Higher transport fare and the exchange rate have spillover effects on food prices,” Mapa said.

allotted for allowance claims of 1.6m frontliners, health staff

By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

THE Department of Budget and Man agement (DBM) approved Wednes day the release of P11.5 billion to the Department of Health (DOH) to cover the One COVID-19 Allowance/ Health Emergency Allowance (OCA/

HEA) claims of over 1.6 million eligi ble public and private health care and non-healthcare workers.

In a statement, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) covers unfunded OCA/ HEA claims of health care and non-

teachers for

By Vito Barcelo, Vince Lopez, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

health care workers from January to June this year.

“Our health care workers deserve all the support and assistance from their government. They’ve been risk ing their lives to save and protect our people amidst this still prevailing pandemic. This is the least we can do

to nation

sumption of limited face-to-face

his National Teachers’ Day message,

acknowledge

dents and preparing them

firmly believe that

urged

and that those who dedicate their lives to teach ing are important

of our nation,”

DILG chief offers P500k for info on journo killing

By Rio N. Araja, Joel E. Zurbano, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

INTERIOR Secretary Benhur Abalos has of fered a P500,000 reward for any information that will lead to the arrest of those responsible for the murder of veteran broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid.

“I’m taking this on my own as a family friend. I’m offering P500,000 of my own money for any information that can help us,” he said.

Marcos

for them,” she said.

This developed as the seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate in the Na tional Capital Region (NCR) continued to rise to 19 percent on Wednesday, the OCTA Research Group monitoring the pandemic said.

Marcos to push steps to address issues in ASEAN

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he will take an active role in proposing measures to address fes tering conflicts in the region during the Leaders’ Summit of the Asso ciation of Southeast Asian Nations in Cambodia next month.

“I think ASEAN can do more than it has done thus far,” Mr. Marcos said in a forum hosted by the Manila Overseas Press Club.

“In the upcoming ASEAN con ferences in November, I intend to propose several actions that Next page

House realigns P77.5b in budget to boost critical social services

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Wednesday said the House of Repre sentatives realigned P77.5-billion in its approved version of the 2023 General Ap propriations Bill (GAB) to augment the budget for health, education, transporta tion and other critical social services.

Romualdez said during the period of amendments, the Lower House augment ed the budget of frontline agencies tasked

to address the current economic, health, energy and environmental crises that bur den millions of Filipinos. These include: - P20.25-billion for various programs of the Department of Health such as: Medi cal Assistance for Indigent Patients (P13B); allowances for healthcare and non-health care workers and frontliners (P5-billion); additional funding for the Philippine Heart Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney and Transplant Insti

Remulla, Toledo open to OPS post but Chavez, Soriano ‘not interested’

By Vince Lopez and Vito Barcelo

FOUR names have been floated as the possible next Press Secretary under the Marcos administration, but only two of them said Wednesday they were open to the position vacated by lawyer-vlog ger Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) executive Mike Toledo, former Cavite congressman Gilbert Remulla, Department of Transportation Under secretary Cesar Chavez, and movie director Paul Soriano were among the names floated to succeed Angeles, who resigned Tuesday citing health reasons.

WEATHER

Jacket days setting in as colder wind rolls in

PULL out those jackets and sweaters from the closet because colder days are coming – the southwest mon soon or “habagat” season is over and the colder northeast monsoon or “amihan” is blowing “in the coming days,” the state weather bureau said Wednesday.

MODEL TEACHERS ALL. The awardees of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s Ulirang Guro sa Filipino 2022: (from left) Gladys M. Jovel lano (Bagacay Elementary School), Warren Norberte (Lungsod Butuan SPED Center), Alma Bautista (Santos Ventura National High School),

Alvin Rom De Mesa (ng Leyte Normal University), Cristina Macascas (Pamantasang Normal ng Pilipinas), Lita Bacalla (Cebu Normal University), and Rowena C. Largo (Cebu Normal University). Danny Pata

PANDEMIC HERO. SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI), the social good arm of the SM group, was recognized by the Board of Invest ments (BOI) with the Pandemic Heroes Award for its contribution in making a significant difference in the lives of Filipinos during the COVID

pandemic.

photo are the BOI team led by Gov.

Therese Lim-Dy (5th from the right) and SMFI’s Debbie Sy (4th from the right)

Myanmar junta head not invited to ASEAN

M

YANMAR’S junta leader has not been invited to a regional summit next month, host Cambodia said Wednesday, in a fresh diplomatic snub for the isolated military regime.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has led diplomatic efforts to resolve the turmoil that has gripped Myanmar since the military seized power last year.

But there has been little progress on a “five-point consensus” agreed with the junta, and its leader and ministers have been shut out of recent meetings of the 10-member regional bloc.

Linking the invitation to “progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus,” a Cambodian foreign min istry spokesman said the junta had been invited to “nominate a non-political representative for the upcoming ASE AN Summits.”

This means junta chief Min Aung Hlaing would not be allowed to attend, just as his top diplomat was barred from foreign ministers’ gatherings in Phnom

Penh in February and August.

The five-point plan, agreed in April last year, calls for an immediate end to violence and dialogue between the mili tary and the anti-coup movement.

There is growing dissatisfaction within ASEAN – sometimes criticized as a toothless talking shop – at the My anmar generals’ stonewalling.

The junta’s execution of four prison ers in July, in defiance of widespread international calls for clemency, caused further anger.

August’s meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers ended with a rare condemna tion from the bloc for the junta’s actions.

The ministers said they were “deeply disappointed by the limited progress in and lack of commitment of the Naypyidaw au thorities to the timely and complete imple mentation of the five point consensus.”

ASEAN’s own envoy tasked with brokering peace has admitted the scale of the task, saying “even Superman cannot solve” the crisis.

The regional bloc’s snub comes as Washington attempts to exert more pres sure on the junta through the United Na tions, following outrage over an air strike that killed 11 schoolchildren last month.

US State Department counsellor Derek Chollet held talks with other governments and with representatives of the self-declared National Unity Government – dominated by ousted ci vilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party – during the UN General Assembly earlier this month.

Myanmar is planning fresh elec tions in August next year, but Chollet warned there was “no chance” they could be free and fair.

The junta has justified its power grab pointing to alleged fraud in the 2020 elections, which Suu Kyi’s Na tional League for Democracy party won easily. AFP

Padilla urges gov’t officials: Take drug test, set example

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

GOVERNMENT officials should set an example and be the first ones to take drug tests, Senator Robin Padilla said Wednesday as he took the cudgels for his fellow actors and celebrities.

To underscore his point, the former movie star underwent drug testing at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Quezon City, which yielded negative results.

This was after Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers called for the drug testing of celebrities and actors as a pre requisite for their employment following

the arrest of actor Dominic Roco and four others in a drug bust in Quezon City.

“Cong. Ace (Barbers) is my idol and he wants mandatory drug tests for art ists. For my part, I suggest that the drug tests should be voluntary,” Padilla said.

He emphasized that the drug test is not just for artists but for government officials as well.

“We should take the lead and submit ourselves to drug tests to avoid specu lations,” said the leading vote-getter among senators in the May 9 elections.

Padilla said his move also shows sup port to the law enforcement agencies in their fight against illegal drugs.

In a statement released by Padilla’s office, PDEA director-general Wilkins Villanueva said the agency is open to civilians, including actors, who want to undergo drug tests.

Padilla had said making drug tests mandatory for actors is tantamount to a violation of human rights.

“I am one in seeking to protect our fellow Filipinos from the ill effects of illegal drugs. This includes my fellow workers in the showbiz industry. How ever, we cannot oblige anyone to under go a drug test, as it is tantamount to vio lating their human rights,” the former action star said in a previous statement.

BSP said.

tute and Philippine Children’s Medical Center Health (P500-million each); 10 dialysis assistance centers throughout the Philippines (P270-million or P27-mil lion each); Cancer Assistance Program (P250-million); - P500-million for UP-PGH; - P10-billion for the Department of Education’s school building/classroom construction (P10-billion) and special education programs (P581-million); - P10-billion for the Department of Public Works and Highways to con struct water systems in underserved upland barangays; - P12.5-billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Sit uations (P5-billion); P5-billion to up grade senior citizens’ pension through the National Commission of Senior Citizens; and Sustainable Livelihood Program (P2.5-billion); - P5.5-billion for Department of Transportation programs to address the rising cost of fuel like the fuel sub sidy program, Libreng Sakay and bike lane construction; - P5-billion for the training and scholarship programs of the Techni cal Education and Skills Development Authority; - P5-billion for the Commis sion on Higher Education’s Tulong Dunong Program; - P5-billion for the livelihood and emer gency employment programs of the De partment of Labor and Employment; - P1.5-billion for the national broadband project of the Department of Information and Communications Technology; - P500-million for the Commission on Elections new building; - P300-million for the Philippine National Police to train law enforce ment officers to be conducted by the Department of Justice and National Prosecution Service;

He said inflation rates higher than 6.9 percent were mostly recorded at the height of the global financial crisis in 2008.

He said “reducing inflation would mean reducing food inflation.”

Mapa also said the stronger dollar would have spillover effects in prices of other commodities.

“Crude oil is usu ally purchased using US dollars. This will affect other subgroups, particularly food,” he said.

On Monday, the peso fell to a new all-time low of P59 to the US dollar as the greenback gained strength amid fi nancial markets’ expectation of another huge rate increase by the US Federal Reserve next month.

The September 2022 inflation rate of 6.9 percent fell within the Bangko Sen tral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range of 6.6 to 7.4 percent for the month. BSP said upside risks continued to dominate the inflation outlook in the near term.

“Price pressures could come from the potential impact of higher global nonoil prices, pending petitions for fur ther transport fare hikes, the impact of weather disturbances on prices of food items, as well as the sharp increase in the price of sugar,” BSP said.

“Meanwhile, the impact of a weakerthan-expected global economic recov ery continues to be the main downside risk to the outlook. Nevertheless, infla tion risks are seen to be broadly bal anced in the medium-term as global commodity prices ease going forward,”

Economic Planning Secretary Ar senio Balisacan said the government’s priority is to make sure that there is suf ficient and affordable food supply for every Filipino family.

He said although fuel prices have been declining recently, these have re mained elevated resulting in high input costs, especially for farmers and fish ers. Thus, one of the strategies of the government is to provide fuel discounts worth P3,000 to each eligible farmer to alleviate the effects of high fuel prices.

As of Sept. 26, 2022, a total of 148,183 accounts for targeted beneficiaries na tionwide were created. Of these, 136,988 have been loaded with fuel discounts and 101,743 cards have been issued to corn farmers and fishers. In addition, more than 1.5 million eligible rice farm ers are entitled to receive P5,000 cash aid to boost their productivity and help cope with the surging prices of fuel and agricultural inputs.

To ease effects brought about by the re cent super typhoon Karding, the Depart ment of Agriculture is allotting over P709 million worth of assistance and interven tions, which include immediate repair of damaged production facilities and seed distribution. Despite the damage brought by weather disturbances, the government expects a sufficient supply of rice, chick en, highland vegetables, yellow corn, and white corn throughout the year.

The BSP said its recent policy actions were intended to bring inflation and infla tion expectations back to the target to en sure the balanced and sustainable growth of the economy in the medium term.

US duo, Dane scientists win Nobel for ‘click chemistry’

A TRIO of chemists from the United States and Denmark who laid the foundation for a more functional form of chemistry where molecules are snapped together on Wednesday won the Nobel Chemistry Prize.

Americans Carolyn Bertozzi and Bar ry Sharpless, together with Denmark’s Morten Meldal, were honoured “for the development of click chemistry and bioorthogonal chemistry,” the jury said.

Bertozzi is the only woman among the seven Nobel laureates honored so far this year, with women vastly underrepresented in the history of the prizes, especially in the science disciplines.

The award marks the second Nobel for 81-year-old Sharpless, who won the

P11.5b...

OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David re ported that NCR’s positivity rate in creased from 18.7 percent on Septem ber 26 and is just a bit lower than the 19.1 percent recorded on October 2.

The positivity rate refers to the per centage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

Meanwhile, a party-list lawmaker on Wednesday welcomed the DBM’s previous announcement of releas ing P1.04 billion to the DoH to cov er allowances for government and private-sector health workers who worked during the pandemic.

chemistry Nobel in 2001.

Only four other individuals have achieved the feat of winning two Nobel Prizes, including Polish-born French woman Marie Curie, who won the chemistry prize in 1911 after first win ning the physics prize in 1903.

She was followed by American Li nus Pauling who won for chemistry in 1954 and peace in 1962. American John Bardeen won the physics prize in 1956 and 1972, and Britain’s Freder ick Sanger won the chemistry prize in 1958 and 1980.

Click chemistry “is an elegant and efficient chemical reaction that is now in widespread use,” the jury said in a statement. AFP

“With gratitude, we welcome the decision of the Department of Budget and Management in allotting addi tional funds for our frontliners,” said Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Ray Florence Reyes.

“We hope that more unused available funds are found and sourced to fill in the P73-billion total of overdue allow ances our workers deserve to receive,” he added.

The DBM’s latest release of funds covers the unfunded portion of some 2,613,331 approved OCA/HEA claims by the DOH as of September 5, 2022, with a total funding requirement of P18.7 billion.

Of the amount, P7.92 billion was re leased last February 14, 2022, to cover the payment of 995,671 OCA/HEA claims.

He also raised concerns over the Ro hingya situation in Myanmar.

ASEAN can take specific to the differ ent conflicts that we are seeing in our region. And if the Philippines can play a part, then that would certainly be a good thing,” he added.

Mr. Marcos cited the “intensifying nonviolent conflict but push and pull between China and the United States over Taiwan.”

It said it is prepared to take further policy actions to bring inflation toward a target-consistent path over the me dium term, consistent with its primary objective to promote price stability.

The BSP has already raised the policy rate by a total of 225 bps since the start of its hiking cycle in May 2022 to rein in the elevated inflation and support the peso, the latest of which was on Sept. 22 when the BSP raised the policy rates by another 50 basis points to 4.25 percent.

PSA data showed that the 6.9 per cent inflation rate in September 2022 was primarily due to the higher annual growth rate in the index for food and non-alcoholic beverages at 7.4 percent, from 6.3 percent in August 2022.

This was followed by housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels with 7.3 percent annual growth, from 6.8 per cent in August 2022. Also contributing to the uptrend in the overall inflation in September 2022 were the higher annu al increases in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 9.8 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.9 percent; furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance, 3.5 percent; information and communica tion, 0.5 percent; recreation, sport, and culture, 2.7 percent; restaurants and ac commodation services, 4.6 percent; and personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.4 percent.

On the other hand, lower annual in crements were observed in the indices of health at 2.4 percent; transport at 14.5 percent; and education services at 3.5 per cent. Meanwhile, financial services re tained its previous month’s inflation rate.

“I think it’s time to put forward some concrete proposals on what we can do to at the very least bring the --- at least rep resentatives of the military government to the table so we can begin to talk about these things. I’m a great believer in en gagement. And I think once the lines of communications have closed, then any hope of a compromise has ended. And so let us continue with that,” he said.

Remulla,...

Toledo and Remulla seemed willing to join the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., while Chavez and Soriano said there were better candidates than them.

A former Press Secretary for then-Pres ident Joseph Estrada, Toledo said he was not aware of any shortlist for the position “but if I am indeed in the shortlist, then I consider it to be an honor in itself.”

As the first person rumored to replace Angeles, Toledo – a lawyer and former television host -- said he was “not in a po sition” to dwell on the offer but noted he would not reject the opportunity to serve.

“Who am I to reject the offer? I will be humbled, it will be an honor and privilege to serve under the Marcos administration,” added the current Government and Public Affairs head of Manny Pangilinan-led MPIC.

A former broadcast journalist before becoming a lawmaker, Remulla told re porters he is currently enjoying his role as director of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR).

He said he was flattered that he was being considered as the next Press Secretary – incidentally, since his old er brother, Crispin “Boying” Remulla, is the current Justice Secretary.

DILG...

Mabasa’s brother, Roy, who is also a journalist, welcomed the reward offer.

“Recent analyses showed that a sig nificant weakening of the Southwest Monsoon has been observed over the last few days. Moreover, the strength ening of the high-pressure area over the

Asian continent has led to the gradual changing of the season,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astro nomical Services Administration (PA GASA) said in a press statement.

“With these developments, the South west Monsoon season or known locally as ‘habagat’ is now officially over,” it added.

PAGASA also warned that with the ongo

ture for all.

“This is also a good opportunity to express our sincerest appreciation for their invaluable service to the nation as we safely reopen our schools and bring forth a new era of learning amid the post-pandemic world,” he said.

“Today, we honor our dear educa tors across the country for ensuring our youth’s holistic development as they as pire to be agents of change within their respective communities and beyond,” he said.

With the help of teachers, the Presi dent said, the country will become stronger as each Filipino becomes more equipped to create a brighter fu

“May this celebration not only inspire present teachers as they continue their efforts in shaping the lives of our young learners, but also motivate those whose dream is to be such agents of genuine unity and empowerment,” the Chief Ex ecutive added.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday joined the nation in extend

ing La Niña phenomenon, there is an “in creased likelihood” of above-normal rain fall conditions, which could lead to heavy rainfall, floods, flash floods, and landslides.

“All concerned government agen cies and the public are advised to take precautionary measures to mitigate the potential impacts of these events,” the agency said.

ing his warmest greetings and paying tribute to all Filipino teachers on the celebration of National Teacher’s Day.

“This special occasion aptly reminds us of the great services that our teach ers contribute to value-formation and nation-building throughout the years,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez expressed his deep gratitude to teachers for their service and sacrifice.

“It is good they are offering a reward because that will help to hasten the pro cesses of investigation,” he said.

Police are using CCTV footage to identify the two killers of Mabasa, who was gunned down in Las Piñas City Monday night.

The city government on Wednesday vowed justice for the slain journalist and expressed condolences to his family.

“The killing of journalists is a direct attack on press freedom and curtails people’s right to truth and expression. The Las Piñas City Police have formed a special task force to immediately in vestigate this heinous crime,” it said.

“We extend our heartfelt sympa thies and condolences to the bereaved family and vow to bring justice for Percy,” it added.

Mabasa was shot dead by two men on his way home in Barangay Talon Dos, Las Piñas City at about 8:30 p.m. Monday.

‘Unjust to bar health workers from leaving PH’

DEPARTMENT of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Toots Ople said it was “unjust” to stop health workers and other medical frontliners from seeking em ployment abroad.

Instead of barring them from leaving, government should address local work ing conditions.

“They cannot avoid leaving. It’s also unjust to make them stay here. They’ve been waiting for the circumstances to change in the domestic workforce,” Ople said during the DMW’s budget presenta tion before the Senate finance sub-com mittee.

“We also need to look at the conditions here. It’s very attractive to see the condi tion elsewhere. We need to address this,” she added.

Meanwhile, Ople has cited the equiva lent of a P750-wage hike in Hong Kong as a boon for Filipino domestic workers, making it one of the most attractive plac es to work as a “kasambahay.”

Compared to today’s minimum wage for local domestic workers that ranging from P3,500 in the Zamboanga Peninsu la, P5,500 in Central Visayas to P6,000 in Metro Manila, a Filipino domestic worker in Hong Kong will now earn HK$4,730 equivalent to P35,475.

The Hong Kong government an nounced on Friday, September 30, that it was raising the minimum allowable wage (MAW) and food allowance for foreign domestic workers which takes effect Oc tober 1st.

The new Hong Kong MAW of HK$4,730 (P35,475) is HK$100 more than the previous wage of HK$4,630 (P34,725) set in September 2019.

Agents foil bid to smuggle illegal ecstasy drugs

By Joel E. Zurbano

GOVERNMENT agents have seized a shipment of the illegal drug ecstasy smuggled from the Netherlands.

The controlled delivery operation con ducted by the agents of the Bureau of Customs - Port of Clark and the Philip pine Drug Enforcement Agency in Par anaque City also resulted in the arrest of the shipment’s claimant.

Based on import documents, the ship ment, which arrived late last month from Hoofddorp, was declared as “beads in a bottle”. Misdeclaration is a case of techni cal smuggling.

Customs examiners placed the ship ment under physical examination and discovered three plastic jars containing 505 pink and gray tablets.

After confirming that the tablets were ecstasy, a prohibited substance with an estimated market value of P858,500, the bureau with the help of PDEA on Tuesday conducted the controlled delivery operation in Paranaque City resulting in the arrest of the person who received the shipment.

Authorities said ecstasy is a Class-A drug, which is an artificial stimulant, popular among night club goers. They added those who take the drug can have a rush of energy which makes them alert, excited and happy.

Meanwhile, port officials did not iden tify the shipment’s owner. They, however, said charges of violation of Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Drugs Act) as well as RA 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act) will be filed against the claimant.

DOH: Measles, rubella cases rising; Calabarzon tops list

By Willie Casas

ATOTAL of 450 measles and rubella cases were reported from January 1 to September 17, this year, and the Department of Health (DOH) said the figure was 153 percent higher than the incidence registered during the same period last year.

The DOH’s national measles and rubella data showed that there were only 178 cases of measles and rubella logged from Jan. 1 to Sept. 17 last year.

The Calabarzon region accounted for 16 percent or 70 of the 450 cases reported this year, followed by Central Visayas with 61 cases and the National Capital Region (NCR) with 47 cases.

From August 21 to September 17, 2022 alone, 68 measles and rubella cases were reported, most of which were in the Cala barzon with 16 cases or 24 percent.

Eastern Visayas was second with 12 cases and Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and NCR with seven cases each.

The DOH said Calabarzon, Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, North ern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen showed measles and rubella case increases in the recent four morbidity weeks, or on August 21 to September 17.

During the same period, Cagayan Val ley, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, and NCR, meanwhile, surpassed the measles

epidemic threshold levels.

The measles clusters were specifically logged in Barangay Caranglaan, Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and Barangay Balan gasan, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Thirty-six cases were classified as lab oratory confirmed measles, while 37 cas es were tagged as laboratory confirmed rubella, said the DOH.

Two individuals also reportedly died in August and September due to measles and rubella. This posed a 0.4 percent case fatality rate.

According to the World Health Or ganization (WHO), measles is a “highly contagious, serious” disease caused by a virus that is usually transmitted through direct contact and through the air. Its symptoms include high fever, runny nose, a cough, red and watery eyes, small white spots or rashes.

Fil-Chinese group rates PBBM 8.5 to 9 out of 10

By Othel V. Campos

THE country’s largest organization of Filipino-Chinese businessmen gave Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a performance rating of 8.5 to 9, on a scale of 1 to 10, for his first 100 days in office.

“It’s hard to be perfect. But our fear less assessment is that the President has performed well, did well in his first 100 day in office,” said Federation of Fili pino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) presi dent Henry Lim at the Pandesal Forum Wednesday.

The group recently met the Chief Ex ecutive on initiatives to fast-track the Philippine economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lim stressed during the meeting that the business sector can invigorate the economy by investing more and creat ing more jobs to boost productivity.

“We have confidence in our govern ment’s economic team. We believe that we’re right on track to continuous eco nomic recovery,” he added.

The group submitted major concerns and propositions meant to push the nation al economic recovery. These include a call to embark on projects and modernization of systems to better support the growth of major industries, particularly agriculture.

On transportation, the FFCCCII pushed for the establishment of a comprehensive transportation infrastructure system to spur tourism, encourage investments in all regions, ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila and major cities, and ensure faster delivery of goods.

BI intercepts, sends back two Africans with fake passports

By Vito Barcelo

IMMIGRATION agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have intercepted two African visitors who attempted to enter the country with fake Canadian passports.

The pair arrived at the NAIA terminal 3 aboard an Emirates flight from Dubai, and presented counterfeit Canadian pass ports to the Immigration officers who doubted the authenticity of the travel documents.

The two travelers were identified as Adraman Issa Mariam and Halime Abba Souleymane, both nationals of the central African republic of Chad.

“Apparently, they attempted to con ceal their true nationality in the belief that they would be allowed entry into the country without being subjected to strict inspection by our officers. They are wrong to assume that such documents can pass as legitimate,” Immigration agent Carlos Capulong said.

Upon learning of the incident, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco or dered the inclusion of the two Africans in the immigration blacklist to prevent them from re-entering the Philippines.

CEB bares more flights to Dubai, 7 Asian cities

THE Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) on Wednes day announced it is operating more flights this month to accommodate the increas ing number of travelers going to and from Dubai, and at least seven Asian countries.

The CEB management said it is com ing up with more international flights to Bali, Bangkok, Dubai, Fukuoka, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Taipei.

The airline is also set to resume its di rect Davao-Singapore flight on Oct. 30, making it the first Philippine carrier to re start international operations from Davao since the pandemic lockdown.

Flight operation at the Ninoy Aquino In ternational Airport to and from Kota Kina balu will also resume beginning Oct. 31.

“We are happy to add more flights to international destinations as we see great er demand for leisure travel abroad, lead ing up to the holiday season. We hope to reopen more flights as we anticipate other countries to ease restrictions soon,” Xan der Lao, CEB chief commercial officer, said in a statement.

CEB currently flies direct to 19 inter national destinations, including Brunei, Narita, Nagoya, Osaka, Guangzhou, Seoul, and Sydney.

Airline officials said the CEB con tinues to implement a multi-layered ap proach to safety, while operating with 100-percent fully vaccinated crew, 95 percent of whom have received booster shots. Joel E. Zurbano

Masbate opens 500-hectare natural park

THE Bongsanglay Natural Park (BNP) in Masbate is now open to the public for day tours and overnight stays, according to Ana Bartolay, BNP Protected Area su perintendent.

Located in the island of Ticao in Mas bate, the Park has mangrove forests, which were declared a protected area un der the category of Natural Park in 2000 and was subsequently legislated by Con gress 18 years later.

Bongsanglay is composed of coastal and marine ecosystems, where 244 hectares host the mangroves and beach forests, while the remaining 275 hectares are a seascape of

pristine marine ecosystem and home to cor al reefs. The park nurtures one of the coun try’s remaining centuries-old 34 mangrove forests, having the distinction of being the only primary growth mangrove forest in the entire Bicol Region.

The Philippines is blessed with abun dant mangrove forests dotting the archi pelago, most of which are declared protect ed areas – like Bongsanglay. “Mangrove forests, aside from enhancing the beauty of the place, assures continued supply of food and livelihood opportunities to local communities – and, yes, clean air, Barto lay said.

PUPILS, MAY I GO OUT FOR THE RALLY. To mark National Teachers Day, mentors from various public schools in Manila stage a protest march from Morayta Street to Mendiola near Malacanang Palace to demand wage increase and other long-delayed benefits. Norman Cruz

MOVING FOR PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE. A group of taxi drivers joined up with their counterparts in the tricycle industry to demand a meeting with Manila Rep. Joel Chua to air their sentiments over the acquisition by Grab Philippines of MoveIt, asserting that the takeover of the door-to-door delivery franchise undermines the Department of Transportations’s three-year-old pilot program on motorcycle taxis. Lino Santos

MASBATE’S NATURAL PARK. Masbate formally opens to the public its 500-hectare Bongsanglay Natural Park on Ticao Island, half of which is dominated by mangroves where visitors can leisurely take a stroll on footbridges.

News

Padilla seeks special rural medical centers

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SEN. Robinhood “Robin” C. Pa dilla has filed bills that would set up Regional Heart Centers (RHCs) and Regional Kidney and Transplant Insti tutes (RKTIs) nationwide.

Padilla said he filed Senate Bill 1361 which aims to set up RHCs to ensure Filipinos in remote areas get adequate treatment for heart diseases and Senate Bill 1362 which seeks to set up RKTIs.

Padilla said patients from outside Metro Manila have a hard time get ting quality cardiac care because the only specialty hospital, the Philippine Heart Center, is in the metro.

“Filipinos living near the me tropolis have a greater advantage in accessing specialized care from the Philippine Heart Center. Meanwhile, patients coming from rural prov inces are to some extent deprived of the same quality of cardiac care that the specialty hospital provides. They also have to spend a fortune to travel to Manila for the treatment of com plex cardiovascular cases,” Padilla said.

“It is in this regard that this bill aims to create one Regional Heart Center in each of the administrative regions in the country to ensure that equal access and privilege to avail of specialized and quality cardiac care is extended to a larger population of Filipinos,” he added.

Padilla noted that heart disease is a leading cause of death in the Philip pines. In 2020, at least 150,000 Filipi nos have died from heart disease, he said.

Tulfo to firms: Give 13th month or no permit

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Raffy Tulfo urged the De partment of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with local govern ment units (LGUs) to require all em ployers to release the 13th-month pay of employees on or before Dec. 24, 2022.

In the joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Labor and Employment and Human Resources Development on Oct. 4, Tulfo said the DOLE should sign the MOA with the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) to block the renewal of business permits of noncompliant and non-paying employers.

Tulfo said the MOA should high light that companies renewing their business permits should first present evidence to the BPLO that they have already given their employees’ the 13th-month pay and that the pay was released on time.

“It’s almost Christmas. This is the time of the year when our workers are hoping to receive their 13th-month pay,” Tulfo said.

Oftentimes, employers do not give workers’ 13th-month pay, Tulfo said.

Under the law, employees must re ceive their 13th-month pay on or be fore December 24 of each year. Yet despite a law in place, he said many Filipino employers are not paying their workers the said governmentmandated compensation.

Tulfo, a veteran broadcaster and public servant who hosts “Wanted sa Radyo,” said he already handled sev eral complaints from aggrieved Fili pino workers who did not receive their 13th- month pay.

PBBM: Climate change on top of government’s national agenda

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday guaranteed that the Philippines’ resiliency and adaptation to the “new normals” of climate change are on top of his administration’s national agenda.

Marcos gave the assurance in a speech delivered during the 2022 multistakeholder forum organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at the Dia mond Hotel in Manila.

“As your President, I assure you that our environment and our country’s re siliency and adaptation to the new nor mals of climate change are on top of the national agenda. We ensure that the

initiatives we will take will enable us to become smarter, more responsible, more sustainable in all that we do,” he said during the opening of the threeday forum.

“The road ahead will be long and it will be tough, but we must stay strong and accept that it will be a battle that we all must wage, and even more im portantly, it’s a battle that we must win,” he added.

Marcos lauded the DENR for or ganizing a forum that gathers differ ent stakeholders who are expected to forge collaboration with the agency and other state departments to craft and implement programs towards cli mate, disaster resilience, and sustain able development.

He said he is confident that the fo rum will serve as a platform for the participants to identify each sector’s “unique and shared” challenges, bol ster cooperation, as well as to gather information on priorities for possi ble inclusion in the DENR’s policy agenda and the multi-year roadmap for programs, activities, and projects.

“I know it’s only a beginning of a challenging but most important task

of protecting the only Earth and home that we know,” Marcos said. “In this collective fight, we are not soldiers; we are stewards. There will be no weapons to use; only behaviors and practices to improve upon.”

Marcos also emphasized the im portance of utilizing and developing the country’s natural wealth and re sources.

He expressed optimism that the forum would yield “fruitful” discus sions that will harmonize the DENR’s policy agenda.

This, as he acknowledged the need to discuss measures to protect, con serve and manage the environment, given the country’s vulnerability to the effects of climate change.

IN BRIEF

HIGHER PRICES.

market

Gloria supports stronger global sci-tech cooperation

By Maricel V. Cruz

The former president asked partici pants of a science and technology inno vation forum in China to look for ways of strengthening international exchang es and cooperation to contribute to the creation of a community with a shared

future for mankind.

In a video message at the opening cer emony of the BFA-2nd International Sci ence and Technology Innovation Forum (ISTIF) last Sept. 28 Arroyo reiterated the need to develop science and technology that is beneficial to humanity. The forum was held from September 28-30, 2022 in Zhuhao, Guangdong, China.

“It is fitting that this international in novation forum looks at strengthening international exchanges and coopera

tion in science and technology and con tributing to the creation of a community with a shared future for mankind,” Ar royo said.

ISTIF is sponsored by the Boao Fo rum for Asia (BFA), the Asian equiva lent of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Arroyo has been a member of the BFA Board of Directors for several years and has been often asked to speak at various BFA-sponsored fora.

‘PhilHealth fund will not stop operating’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Philippine Health Insurance Cor poration (PhilHealth) urged the public not to worry after it guaranteed that the “fund life” of the state health insurer will remain active.

Philhealth gave the assurance dur ing the hearing on the proposed Phil health budget for next year.

The Senate Committee on Govern ment Corporations and Public En terprises conducted a public hearing on the programs, services, financial condition, and actuarial life of the agency.

Contrary to the earlier remark of PhilHealth that their funds will last

only until 2027, PhilHealth OIC presi dent and CEO Atty. Eli Dino Santos noted that the PhilHealth will stay and will achieve its obligations and plans, among others.

He assured that the country’s biggest state insurer’s operations will continue.

“The ‘fund life’ of PhilHealth depends on how it can manage. Its earnings and expenses,” Santos said.

But Santos assured that Philhealth is capable of managing its income and ex penses, such that there is no limitation to its lifespan. He said Philhealth’s earnings include a national government subsidy, contributions from PCSO and PAGCOR, the employed sector, and other investments.

PBBM son participates in PNP bike riding course

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s youngest son is among the participants in the Executive Motorcycle Riding Course (EMRC) undertaken by the Philippine National Police Highway Pa trol Group (PNP-HPG) on Wednesday.

“Of course, one of the participants dito sa ating (here in our) Special Class ng (of) EMRC, Mr. William Vincent Marcos. Thank you for joining our training,” PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Az urin Jr. said in his speech, recognizing the presence of the 25-year-old presi dential son, during the event at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Azurin commended the training man agement and staff of HPG as well as the participants of the course which com pose the Classes 02-2022 and 03-2022 “by giving 100 percent of their time and involvement” in the training activity.

Estrella wants farmers added to gov’t health aid

AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Con rado Estrella III wants the inclusion of farmer-beneficiaries as recipients of the Department of Health’s (DOH) medical assistance for indigent pa tients program in 2023.

He appealed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to consider the plight of the agrarian reform beneficiaries belonging to the marginalized sector of society.

MAIP is a DOH program providing medical assistance for poor patients seeking consultation, rehabilitation, examination or confinement in gov ernment hospitals. Rio N. Araja

Reward offered for info on Amansec shooting SENATOR Sonny Angara announced on Wednesday that he is offering a P300,000 reward for anyone who can give information that could lead to the arrest of the individuals behind the murder of Dipaculao Vice Mayor Nar ciso Amansec.

Amansec, who was a former Board Member of Aurora province, was am bushed by still unidentified gunmen on Monday afternoon, along with his wife and driver, at Purok 1, Barangay Dibutunan while on board an SUV.

Angara, who hails from Aurora province, condemned the incident and sent his condolences to the victims’ families.

SENIOR Deputy Speaker Gloria Maca pagal-Arroyo said she is supporting stronger international cooperation in Science and Technology (S&T).

CHITCHAT. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. chats with Speaker Martin Romualdez during the 2022 Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Multistakeholder Forum held at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. Ver Noveno

Opinion

(UAE).

Tens of thousands of OFWs were repatriated during the height of the two-year COVID-19 pan demic resulting in the loss of billions of dollars in remittances that would have helped the economy stay afloat.

Unfortunately, updated post-pandemic figures for 2021 and 2022 are still not available from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA).

WE CAN can recall that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. (PBBM) preferred to spend some time with orphaned children to cel ebrate his birthday meaningfully last month.

Those of us who went with PBBM saw upclose his genuine compassion for destitute or phans at the White Cross Orphanage in San Juan City, which included children of “persons de prived of liberty (PDLs).”

The President discovered that many children of prisoners in the national penitentiaries like the New Bilibid Prisons and inmates in city and pro vincial jails suffer tremendously under the care of a single mother who is unable to provide for their basic needs of food and shelter.

One can imagine the agony of the children of detained persons whose criminal cases are pend ing in courts even as they get exonerated after many months or years.

This is why many of the neglected or aban doned children end up in the streets, begging for food or foraging food in the dumpsters, and sleep ing in public places.

PBBM realized that the children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being detained abroad for various allegations have to endure the same ordeal.

The President is particularly concerned with the welfare of OFWs wrongfully accused in the Middle East, including women OFWs who were victims of rape or sexual assault.

“Kawawa naman ang mga pamilya ng ating mga kababayan na nangibang bansa para makapag-hanapbuhay pero nasangkot sa kung anong kaso. Paano na ang kabuhayan at pagaaral ng kanilang naiwang asawa at mga anak?”

PBBM said during a Cabinet meeting.

That is why PBBM directed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to work hand in hand in helping the distressed families, especially the children of OFWs detained abroad.

With a budget of P15 billion under the proposed 2023 National Budget, the newly-formed Depart ment of Migrant Workers under the stewardship of Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople will play vital role in ensuring the protection of OFWs and promoting the welfare of OFW families back home.

In 2019, there were 2.2 million OFWs abroad, the bulk of which is composed of those deployed in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

On the President’s order, I will initiate as DSWD Secretary a process in which the spouse and children of OFWs being held or imprisoned in other countries can receive financial assistance under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

I will initiate as DSWD Secretary a process in which the spouse and children of OFWs being held or imprisoned in other countries can receive financial assistance under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)

PBBM also directed the DFA and the DMW to provide competent legal assistance for the defense of OFWs who are either facing litigation or for the possible appeal of those who have been convicted for criminal charges.

Unknown to many of us, the President and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos have long been actively involved in charity and civic work al though they kept such activities low-key.

Although LAM is a very private person, peo ple in dire need come to her through friends, con nections in the law practice or the academy, and she turned out to be a truly helpful person.

I learned that LAM has also asked the assis tance of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Of fice (PCSO) for “ayuda” or financial aid on hospi talization costs of ailing poor kababayans.

She also plans to visit the Bahay Kalinga in Valenzuela City, a facility operated by the LGU in partnership with the DSWD providing a tem porary shelter for street wanderers, foundling children and battered women recovering from spousal abuse.

Ode to the daily grind

are a lot more winners than losers.

The PCSO recently gave the common man a taste of more winners, a lucky 433 who bet on the same six numbers, like a bingo diagonal, but never told us how many losers there were. Congratula tions to the half millionaires Mel Robles and Junie Cua made happy.

Don’t splurge on useless things, guys. With in flation rising, that ain’t gonna buy you much.

Timely SC reminder

CHIEF Justice

Alexander Gesmundo has warned in no uncertain terms that the Supreme Court will not tolerate any threats directed against members of the judiciary.

“You can count on us…The Supreme Court will always be your safe haven,” he recently told members of the Metropoli tan and City Trial Judges Association of the Philippines.

His warning followed threats by Lor raine Badoy, former spokesperson of the National Task Force on Ending Lo cal Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) against Manila Regional Trial Court Presiding Judge Marlo A. Magdo za-Malagar.

Magdoza-Malagar had dismissed the government’s petition to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing the New People’s Army, and its political arm the National Democratic Front, as terrorist organizations.

In her ruling, Magdoza-Malagar said the CPP-NPA-NDF cannot be considered terrorists since they use armed struggle to achieve a political end—to seize control of government—which is rebellion.

Terrorism, on the other hand, is defined as putting the whole population in a state of constant fear through the use of deadly force, such as mass killings and bomb ings, intimidation and other means.

Strictly speaking, rebellion and terrorism are two entirely different things altogether and should not be used interchangeably or confused with one another

Hence, strictly speaking, rebellion and terrorism are two entirely differ ent things altogether and should not be used interchangeably or confused with one another.

The Manila judge made the fine dis tinction between the two, and reaped the whirlwind in doing so.

But the High Tribunal immediately came to her defense, coming up with a clear statement: “The Court sternly warns those who continue to incite violence through social media and other means which endanger the lives of judges and

their families, and that this shall likewise be considered contempt of this court and will be dealt with accordingly.”

The warning was contained in Admin istrative Matter 22-09-16-SC, which also mentioned that it would tackle motu pro prio (on its own) possible actions regard ing Badoy’s threats against Judge Magdo za-Malagar.

Gesmundo pointed out that while it is the constitutional duty of the High Tribu nal to supervise lower courts, it is also its moral duty to protect each of the judges and ensure that they are able to perform their duties free from any threat, harass ment, undue influence, coercion, and certainly, any form of violence: “The Supreme Court, under my watch, is very serious about protecting our frontliners.”

The Supreme Court further explained: “The reason behind the power to pun ish for contempt is that respect (for) the courts guarantees the stability of their in stitution; without such guarantee, the in stitution of the courts would be resting on a shaky foundation.”

The Chief Justice’s strong stand led this week to a ruling by the court for Badoy to explain why she should not be cited for contempt for her social media remarks against Judge Magdoza-Malagar.

What the High Tribunal has done, in ef fect, is to remind everyone that ours is a government of laws and not of men, and that where law ends, tyranny begins.

48 senators

indorse the idea.

IN ONE freewheeling interview given by former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile recently, he proposed that the number of Senators be increased to 48.

He also made other proposals like loosening the requirements for the declaration of martial law and amending the current Constitution to follow the 1935 Charter.

He said that a Constitution should be short, concise and simple. I fully agree.

But I am not entirely sold to the two other sug gestions. I do not believe that the public is that enthusiastic to see an increase in the number of Senators or the loosening of the requirements for the declaration of martial law.

But we cannot simply ignore his observations and recommendations.

The principal reason of the good ex-senator for wanting to increase the number of senators is the growth in our population. As we know, the num ber of our Representatives in Congress have been growing because of population increase.

Whether this has been good to the country as a whole has yet to be studied and researched on to prove that it has positive effects for the country.

We seem to have taken for granted that as pop ulation increases, so should our representatives in Congress.

We now have 319 members which in a few years will keep on increasing.

THE distractions of the past week have been many.

They pique the “marites” proclivities of many from the upper middle class and upwards, those who do not have to worry about the next meal, or those who wonder when Japan will fully open up, or pine for the weekend gluttony in Hong Kong.

So the former ES is truly “former,” with no consolation prize. And now the press secretary is out, her “health” unable to withstand the rigors of less than 100 days.

And our friend Joe Calida has had to resign as chair of the Commission on Audit, though this time, it is because his health is truly failing, for which we can only wish him well.

But the enemies of the palace have had a field day fanning the F-1 excursion of the president and his closest friends and family to the resurrected car race where the jarring noise of revved up engines is dimmed only by the clinking glasses of cham pagne over beluga caviar in the exclusive sconces of the uber-wealthy.

Amid all this, and with the high tribunal de manding real answers from Torquemada’s female incarnation in these benighted isles, let me write about something that truly matters: the common “tao,” the “masa” who Erap placed on a political pedestal and every president before and after him always claimed to “love, to care for, to nuture,” and all that balderdash that’s really nothing but pre-meditated hogwash.

In the midst of all that is happening in these is lands of misery and the world around us, how is the “masa” faring on his daily grind?

Each day he hears the screaming broadcast of the Philippine peso falling once more against the US dol lar, and feels depressed about it, without really know ing how the hell the rising dollar impacts on his life.

We began the year 2022 at close to 51; now it’s 59, and soon will be 60, the Christmas padala from our bagong bayani notwithstanding.

And unless the angels take Vladimir out of our midst, or the devils prey on Volodymyr’s fighting spirit in time for the war’s first anniversary, then Joey Salceda’s worst fears may come true: 65 to 68 by 2023.

But the ordinary Filipino does not even have a dollar to his name, so what the hell does that mean to him?

The answer is simple: inflation. No, amend that: super inflation.

Not nearly as hyper as what Venezuela and other Latin American countries experienced in the recent past, but enough to cause public anger to rise, and the 31 million to dissipate quickly.

Our economic professors love to repeat man tras like “no pain, no gain” and “no free lunch” and the caveat that every macro-economic policy decision creates “winners as well as losers.”

And the trick, we are told, is to ensure that there

The rule of thumb is always the law of supply and demand, which a former senator, reacting to an incumbent president’s threat to raid rice warehouses in the country amid issues of rising prices of rice and rice shortage, said “if there is one thing that we cannot repeal (it) is the law of supply and demand.”

Each day he hears the screaming broadcast of the Philippine peso falling once more against the US dollar, and feels depressed about it, without really knowing how the hell the rising dollar impacts on his life

One loved president who died so early in his life also said something that the common tao always aspire for, but have never really felt: that “those who have less in life should have more in law.”

Perish the thought. Not in our lifetimes. In this benighted land, the rich will always get richer, and the poor, unless they sacrifice as OFWs, will al ways remain poor.

Ours is a rent economy. Whoever owns mas sive real estate holdings get rich by exacting rent, whether from poor inquilinos or small-scale entre preneurs eking out a modest living while the mall owner’s account in the bank he owns gets bigger by the day.

Politicians are also rentiers. They profit not from the sweat of their brow, like Edwin Markham’s Man with the Hoe, “the emptiness of ages on his face.”

Politicians in this country make hay by selling their power and influence, either to the oligarchic bosses who control the levers of wealth and pow er, or the contractors from whom they slice huge slabs of corrupt grease for every project they gain with their influence.

But back to the winners and losers game, be fore our readers get so depressed at the true state of the nation.

When the peso falls to historic lows, who loses?

Practically all of us.

Because most everything we consume is im ported. Our staples, like rice and sugar and oil and corn. Our clothing, whether el cheapos from China or ukay-ukay from Bangladesh.

And shelter? Maybe if the housing czar, my

After all, he is one person who can truly claim that he has been there and done that.

There are not too many people around for ex ample who had witnessed the birth of our Consti tutional democracy.

He was old enough to witness the ratification of the 1935 Constitution and was a principal participant in historic events that unfolded in this country since the 1960s which include the martial law years and its aftermath.

It does not, of course, mean that what he says should be taken as ex-cathedra. We simply have to look at it for its possible value.

With regard to increasing the number of sena tors, I would think that the public would rather have less of these people in Congress than more.

For one, not one current Senator came out to

friend Jerry Acuzar can multiply what his friend Isko Moreno did in Tondo and Baseco.

Where to get the moolah is another thing. Be cause steel bars are sky-high, and cement is a func tion of fuel costs, whether imported from Vietnam or produced locally.

What feeds our hogs and poultry need to grow, is likewise imported. What abono our farmers need to grow food is likewise imported.

And the petrol our small bancas feed upon to haul the little fish the Chinese have left for us in our seas is also imported.

Yet, our savvy economists tell us there are win ners too. Who they?

The OFWs, the perennial saviors of our rent economy.

Sure their dollar earnings get more pesos each time the exchange rate falls, but before they can shout hallelujah, the price of almost everything their families consume shall have followed suit.

Because there is hardly anything that does not require an import as input to price.

Take the lowly sardinas. The tomato paste, the sugar, the oil that goes into cooking the tamban is more likely than not, imported, and the tin can on which they are packaged is also imported.

Or the instant noodles that the urban poor boil to add to their rice intake, carbo-loading with a trace of vetsin. The flour, the MSG, the food color, and even the plastic resins from which the tubes of packaging are extruded -- all imported.

So are the OFW’s winning? For one moment in time, as the song goes.

And yes, there are our exporters!

But then again, what do we export that is 100 percent ours? The biggest, semi-conductor assem blies, part of the global supply chain, have practi cally only labor as value-added.

The raw materials and other inputs are import ed. And with the chains broken by the pandemic and the war, and the logistics messed up, the pesos

What the public is perhaps clamoring is better quality of legislatures and an end to political dynasties

It is no secret that it is expensive for the tax pay ers just to maintain one legislature.

It is not only the funds that support the salaries of the Representatives and their respective staffs that is costly but also the huge amount of pork barrel funds that go to the representatives and senators.

One argument that we often hear is that the public must be represented in Congress to protect their interest.

earned from the depreciation just plows back to foreign shores.

But still, thank God for small mercies.

Then, because investor’s dollars buy more cheap Philippine talent, there are the BPOs who capitalize on our fantastic ability to speak foreign languages in their natural accents.

But it is an industry where smart technology is fast catching up, where robots can mimic humans.

And as for the workers in our BPOs, everything they spend upon, including the rare nights out in BGC Taguig or Poblacion Makati cost more.

Exporters (including farmers) of natural pro duce, are likewise credited as winners. Who are these?

The banana industry, which is getting edged out by Ecuador and other Latin American countries, even as their stalks are hit by the Panama disease, and we have surrendered our market monopoly in Japan to Ecuador, while fast losing the China market as well.

Pineapples, maybe. But other inputs are also dollar costs.

The tourism sector should earn from cheaper pesos versus the dollar.

But that will have to wait until the travel mar ket evens out in terms of plane fares impacted by fuel prices, and worse, the competition from our competitive markets, be it Thailand or Malaysia, Bali or Osaka, even Taiwan and Vietnam, which are first preferences of most markets other than Koreans.

That is a reality that the plan to change our market ing line of more fun in the Philippines is changed into something, anything where the letters B, B, and M are reflected, simply won’t do the trick.

So there.As we wrote last week, fasten our seat belts is the rule. For the rest of the year. For next as well.

And sad to say, we cannot fathom at this mo ment till when the inflation will ebb, and till when we could become a productive, rather than --- a consuming economy.

But there are also a lot of people who would argue that it is not really the interest of the public that is being protected but the interest of the indi vidual lawmakers.

Another good argument that could be made is that it might be better to have representatives based on geography rather than population. That way, we will have less rather than more.

What the public is perhaps clamoring is bet ter quality of legislatures and an end to political dynasties.

If we look at the current composition of the 24 senators, we have a mother and son and two pairs of siblings.

Because of the fascination of the voting public of entertainment personalities, we currently have six coming from that sector in the Senate which is 25 per cent of the body.

There is really nothing intrinsically wrong with that but it is a phenomenon that has been taken to the extreme in this country.

From what I understand, each representative is supposed to be allocated P70M in pork barrel funds per year.

Each senator on the other hand gets about P200M. In practice however, both actually get a lot more. Without even going to specific num bers, it does cost a lot to have a huge legislative bureaucracy.

Amending the Constitution is something that has been suggested by many for some time.

The only reason why it has not happened is because of disagreements on what avenue to take.

Should Congress constitute itself as a Consti tutional Assembly to amend the constitution or should it be by Constitutional Convention?

Even on the issue of Constitutional Assembly, both chambers could not agree whether the vote should be separate or joint.

There are simply too many personal interests at stake that it is hard to see our politicians giving away what is good for them.

There are many good reasons to amend the Constitution and a Constitutional convention is the best way to do it.

But there are roadblocks.

As to its being short, concise and simple, let us hope that those who will eventually draft or amend the Constitution will have the wisdom to do just that.

Simplifying the process of declaring martial law as suggested will not reach first base.

This martial law business has cost the country a lot of pain and heartaches and there is no popu lar support or appetite to do it.

In the meantime, the government should just concentrate on dealing with the many problems confronting the countryt.

Putin signs bills to annex four regions of Ukraine

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed legislation to annex four territories of Ukraine, government documents showed.

The Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions are “accepted into the Russian Federation in accordance with the constitution of the Russian Federation,” the documents said.

Putin also signed decrees formally appointing the current Moscow-backed heads of the four regions as their acting leaders.

Earlier, the annexation legislation was unanimously supported by both Russia’s lower and upper chambers of parliament.

Putin last Friday presided

over a grand ceremony at the Kremlin during which he signed agreements with the Moscow-installed leaders of the four regions to become subjects of the Russian Federation, despite condemnation from Kyiv and its allies in the West.

The four territories create a crucial land corridor between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Together, the five regions make up around 20 percent of Ukraine.

But Russian forces do not have complete control over Kherson or Zaporizhzhia and the Kremlin has not yet confirmed what areas of those regions are being annexed. AFP

Widodo to order stadium audit to find ‘root’ cause of disaster

two to three weeks.

INDONESIAN

President Joko Widodo said Wednesday that he would order an audit of all football stadiums in the country, vowing to find the “root” cause of one of the deadliest disasters in the sport’s history.

He was in the city of Malang to visit relatives of the victims and talk to the wounded at a hospital, and to see the stadium where a stampede killed at least 131 people on Saturday.

“I want to know the root of the problem that caused this tragedy so that we can get the best solution,” he said.

“I will order the public works minister to audit all stadiums used for the (football) league,” he said outside the Saiful Anwar hospital in Malang, adding he had spoken to FIFA’s president the night be-

fore about improving Indonesia’s “football management.”

He entered the hospital to speak with several wounded patients, saying he told them to “stay spirited.”

He will then travel to the Kanjuruhan stadium, the scene of the disaster on Saturday evening, according to an official from the presidential office.

The Indonesian leader’s visit came as anger grew over police officers’ response to a pitch invasion after fans of Arema FC tried to approach players

following their defeat to fierce rivals Persebaya Surabaya.

Police described the incident as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors accused them of overreacting.

Officers responded to the pitch invasion with force, kicking and hitting fans with batons, according to witnesses and video footage, pushing fans back into the stands where many were trampled or suffocated to death after tear gas was fired.

In response to the tragedy, Widodo ordered all matches suspended, an investigation into what happened, and compensation for victims.

Indonesia’s chief security minister said a task force had been created and that the probe would take

Biden heads into Florida hurricane clean-up zone

PRESIDENT Joe Biden makes a politically charged visit Wednesday to inspect the aftermath of deadly Hurricane Ian in Florida while also presenting a united front despite bitter disagreements with Republican critic and potential 2024 opponent, Governor Ron DeSantis.

Authorities say at least 76 people -- more than 100 according to US television networks citing local officials – died in one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States.

The Category 4 hurricane flattened whole neighborhoods on the Sunshine State’s west coast, knocking out power for millions of people, with hundreds of thousands still waiting for electricity to be restored Tuesday, and then tore up into North Carolina.

For Biden, who visited hurricane-hit Puerto Rico on Monday, the Florida trip also has an inescapable political dimension, taking him into the stronghold of both DeSantis and Biden’s scandalplagued predecessor in the White House, Donald Trump.

The Democrat, who says he wants to seek a second term despite already being the oldest man ever in the job at 79, could realistically end up facing a rematch with Trump in two years or a challenge from the up-and-coming DeSantis.

DeSantis has been a caustic

critic, as he builds his brand of muscular right-wing politics in a bid to replace Trump as the biggest name in the Republican party. Biden has returned fire, painting DeSantis as part of what he says in an increasingly extreme right.

The hurricane, however, has prompted a truce, with phone calls between the two men and acknowledgement from DeSantis that the federal government was quick to provide assistance.

Police said the investigation was focusing on six gates at the stadium using CCTV footage from cameras placed outside them. It said the exits were open but too small for the crowds attempting to pass through them.

But Indonesia’s football association spokesperson said Tuesday some gates that should have been opened 10 minutes before the final whistle remained closed.

They stayed shut “because of late commands” and officers “had not arrived,” he told a press conference.

The Malang police chief was replaced Monday, nine officers were suspended and 19 others were put under investigation over the disaster in the stadium, according to police. AFP

IN BRIEF

Failed missile launch triggers panic in Sokor

A FAILED ballistic missile launch sparked panic in a usually quiet South Korean city after it crashed into the ground and triggered a huge fire, officials said Wednesday. Security allies Seoul and Washington have staged multiple joint drills, including bombing runs and missile launches, in response to North Korea firing an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan on Tuesday.

The South Korean military fired a Hyunmoo-2 short-range ballistic missile late Tuesday but it malfunctioned and crashed shortly after launch.

The missile’s propellant caught fire but its warhead did not detonate, a South Korean military official told the Yonhap news agency.

Viral social media footage—which AFP could not verify—showed an orange ball of flames at an area users said was near an air force base close to Gangneung on the country’s east coast.

“Many frantic residents called the city hall,” an official at the Gangneung City Hall told AFP. AFP

Spain opens trial into 2013 train crash

NINE years after a high-speed train crash that killed 80 and injured over 140, a major trial opens Wednesday to determine responsibility in Spain’s worst rail disaster in nearly eight decades.

On July 24, 2013, a train travelling from Madrid veered off the tracks as it hurtled round a sharp bend on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, a city in the northwestern region of Galicia.

It ploughed into a concrete siding, leaving 80 people dead and about 145 injured in Spain’s deadliest train tragedy since 1944.

During the trial, which is scheduled to run until February, the court will hear witness testimony from 669 people.

The hearing will take place in a cultural centre in Santiago which has been transformed into a courtroom to accommodate the large numbers of lawyers and civil parties involved in the trial.

Two people have been charged with responsibility for the accident—the driver, Francisco Garzon, and the former safety director at state rail operator ADIF, Andres Cortabitarte.

Both are facing charges of “homicide due to

gross professional negligence.”

Prosecutors are calling for each to face four years behind bars.

And the victims’ families are claiming nearly 58 million euros ($58 million) in damages, court documents show.

At the time of the crash, the train was travelling at 179 kilometers per hour (111 miles per hour), more than twice the speed limit for that stretch of track, according to its black box data recorders.

Investigators said the tragedy resulted from a lapse in attention by the 52-year-old driver, who ended a mobile phone call with the onboard conductor just moments before the train lurched off the rails.

The courts initially said excessive speed was “the sole cause of the accident,” charging Garzon with reckless homicide and causing injuries.

But its finding that state rail operator ADIF bore no criminal liability was later revised following complaints by the victims’ families who said it was at fault because there was no automatic braking system in place nor sufficient warning signs before the bend. AFP

25 dead as wedding bus falls into gorge

AT LEAST 25 people were killed after a bus carrying wedding guests veered off the road and fell into a deep gorge in northern India, police said Wednesday.

The vehicle was travelling along a treacherous mountain highway in Uttarakhand state when it careened over an edge and plunged at least 500 meters (1,640 feet) with around 45 people onboard.

“Twenty people have been rescued,” the state’s top police official Ashok Kumar told AFP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “all possible assistance” would be given to the survivors.

“In this tragic hour my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” he tweeted on Wednesday.

Fatal road accidents are common in Uttarakhand, which encompasses part of the Indian Himalayas and is home to numerous religious pilgrimage sites.

Nearly two dozen people were killed in June when their bus plunged into a gorge while en route to a shrine to the Hindu deity Yamuna, north of the state capital Dehradun. AFP

WALKOUT. A sign warns passengers of a rail strike at Victoria Station in London on October 5, 2022. A 24-hour walkout by railway sta in Britain was set to create severe disruption as strikes resumed following the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II. Members of four trade unions kicked o the action after workers halted work stoppages following the death of the Queen on September 8. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

THE FIGHT GOES ON. Taiwanese democracy activist Lee Ming-che poses for photographs in Taipei on October 5,

Lee returned home in April

after being jailed in China for

years following a national security conviction that further strained already tense relations between Taipei and Beijing.

Stock market advances; Eagle Cement up

STOCKS rose slightly Wednesday, as Asian investors joined their Wall Street counterparts in an equity buying spree on hopes the US Federal Reserve could temper its rate hike campaign.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, picked up 1 point to close at 5,988.59 as four of the six sectors posted gains.

The broader all-share index also went up 9 points, or 0.3 percent, to

Twitter confirms Musk buyout offer, holds firm on price

SAN Francisco, United States –Twitter told regulators on Tuesday that Elon Musk sent a letter saying he will go through with the deal he inked early this year to buy the tech firm for $44 billion.

“The intention of the company is to close the transaction at $54.20 per share,” Twitter said in a tweet confirming the billionaire entrepreneur is apparently abandoning his legal battle to terminate the deal.

Conditions noted in the letter included that the court immediately halts all action in the lawsuit, with Musk poised to be deposed under oath later this week.

Elon Musk has offered to push through with his buyout of Twitter at the original agreed price, reports said Tuesday, prompting a surge in the share price of the social network that triggered a suspension of trading.

US media said the world’s richest man had sent a letter to Twitter vowing to honor the original buyout price of $54.20 a share—a U-turn on his effort to terminate the deal that saw Twitter take Musk to court in a case due to be heard later this month.

Shares were halted soon after the Bloomberg report citing unnamed sources near midday.

The latest twist in the ongoing saga comes less than two weeks before the start of a high-stakes trial in a suit by the tech firm to hold the Tesla chief to a $44 billion buyout deal he signed in April.

Musk himself has been slated to be deposed by Twitter attorneys later this week in preparation for a trial.

A serial entrepreneur made rich through his success with Tesla, Musk originally sealed a deal to acquire the social media company in April, but soon after began to step back from the transaction. AFP

settle at 3,219.98 on a value turnover of P4.8 billion.

Five of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Eagle Cement Corp. which jumped 20.5 percent to P18.56.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. advanced 3.7 percent to P171.10, while Globe Telecom Inc. added 3.2 percent to close at P2,218.00.

Most Asian markets also rose. The much-needed dose of optimism put pressure on the dollar, pushing it down against most of its peers and adding to the upward march in oil prices fueled by expectations OPEC will announce a massive output cut later in the day.

The mood on trading floors was lightened Monday by data showing US fac-

tory activity slowed more than forecast in September to a two-year low, suggesting the Fed’s rate hike campaign against decades-high inflation could be kicking in.

That was followed Tuesday by news that US job openings had also dropped by almost 10 percent in August, its fastest fall since April 2020.

“Rate hikes are really beginning to take a bite out of the US employment numbers,” said Matt Simpson, of City Index.

He added that the figures put more emphasis on jobs reports out later in the week, with weak readings likely to provide more support to stocks as investors bet the Fed will temper its tightening campaign.

However, officials at the central bank continue to flag their determination to crush inflation, even if that means sparking a recession.

“For the market to continue higher, the jobs data will have to be in-line with, or short of expectations,” said Lindsey Bell, of Ally Financial.

The market is currently anticipating a “Goldilocks” labor market report that’s “not too hot and not too cold”.

All three main indexes on Wall Street rallied Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up more than three percent. European markets also thundered higher Tuesday, though they gave back some of those gains in early trade Wednesday. With AFP

TOP GAINERS

TOP

LONDON STRIKE. Passengers seek information from sta as barriers block access to platforms during a rail strike at Euston Station in London on Oct. 5. A 24-hour walkout by railway sta in Britain was set to create severe disruption as strikes resumed following the mourning period for Queen Elizabeth II. Members of four trade unions kicked o the action after workers halted work stoppages following the death of the queen on Sept. 8.

EU signals shift toward price cap on imported gas

STRASBOURG, France—The EU is “ready to discuss” a price cap on imported gas to bring down soaring energy costs, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.

Her comment, to the European Parliament, signaled a shift in tone in Europe after powerhouse EU country Germany had expressed worries that a broad price cap might divert supplies for Europe.

It comes after 15 EU countries—more than half the bloc—made a joint call for the EU to impose a price ceiling on how much it would pay for gas piped or shipped in, as the northern hemisphere winter bears down.

Europe is facing an energy crunch as the price of electricity generation skyrockets because of a massive surge in the price of gas.

Russia, which used to be Europe’s main gas supplier, has turned off the taps after being hit by EU sanctions over the war in Ukraine that, while not touching gas, crimped sales of its more lucrative oil exports.

“We are ready to discuss a cap on the price of gas that is used to generate electricity,” von der Leyen told MEPs sitting in Strasbourg, France.

“This cap would also be a first step on the way to a structural reform and overall reform of our electricity market.”

She added that “we also have to look at gas prices beyond the electricity market”.

Von der Leyen did not specify whether the mooted price cap would cover all gas imports -- not only the gas that arrives mainly by pipeline from Russia, but also liquified natural gas that can be shipped around the world.

How POGOs drive the property market and the economy

tunities for Filipino workers.

THE maelstrom created by calls to shut down the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, is obscuring many valid arguments for their existence.

Offshore gaming operations, just like any sector in the economy, are not perfect—a few unscrupulous players in the industry will take advantage of the lax enforcement of the law. But one bad apple does not necessarily spoil the rest of the bunch. Criminal elements have clearly infi ltrated the sector because of the thriving nature of the industry. The POGOs’ link to illegal activities like prostitution, illegal recruitment and employment of minors, however, are law enforcement issues that should be effectively handled by concerned authorities. The failure to enforce Philippine laws against shenanigans is not the fault of the industry.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, a respected economist, has appealed to the critics of Philippine Gaming Operations, amid calls to abolish the sector. The chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means says a “blanket ban on a specific sector, when there are laws that already exist to prevent abuses in any kind of business, will be seen as arbitrary.”

“That will hurt our reputation with investors not just in the gaming sector. We will be known as a country that burns down houses just to kill the rat inside,” says Salceda, noting that the Philippines will lose 70,000 job oppor-

The Albay lawmaker suggested that it would be in the best interest of the government, which is in dire need of revenues to boost the pandemic-hit economy, to “keep POGO operations within POGO-specific zones that are ring-fenced from the rest of the country.”

For Salceda, any offshore gaming that operates outside such zones should be considered illegal. With POGOs kept within controlled and heavily regulated spaces, “we have a potential global advantage in that we recognize them [POGOs] as taxable entities, unlike other countries that consider them a gray area.”

The lawmaker argues that banning POGOs that pay billions of pesos in tax revenues was not the solution to alleged unabated crimes, since the Philippines has full of laws that can deal with infractions in the industry.

“Our policy cannot be to give an entire industry up just because there are bad actors. All industries have bad actors. My stand is for the government to wield the full weight of the law,” says Salcedo.

The economic cost of shutting down the industry is wide-ranging. A sudden downturn in office occupancy, he says, will kill jobs and erase at least P18.9 billion in rental income from offices, and P28.6 billion in housing rent.

Salceda cited that POGO employees spend about P950 million daily in Philippine stores and their commissaries shell out P11.4 billion annually from Filipino caterers.

Leechiu Property Consultants chief executive David Leechiu, when grilled by Senator Francis Escudero, during a recent hearing, says the Philippine economy could lose up to ₱200 bil-

lion a year if the government decides to close down the operations of POGOs.

“Our estimates are somewhere around ₱170 to ₱200 billion and that’s comprised of different parts. A big chunk of it is the real estate market, both in the office being rented and residential condos (condominiums) being rented. And a big chunk in the service sector because the informal economy is significantly employed by this sector also,” says Leechiu.

The negative impact on the Philippine real estate sector is equally telling. POGOs occupy 1.05 million square meters of office space, mostly in Ortigas and Makati, along Manila Bay, Alabang and Cavite, as well as 2.4 million sqm of residential space.

Leechiu confirmed that shutting POGO companies would result in a loss of ₱18.9 billion in annual office rent and ₱28.6 billion in yearly housing rent, and 347,000 losses in employment. He added that POGO workers spend P11.4 billion for their meals, P9.5 billion for electricity services yearly and P952 million for their daily needs. These estimates, he says, amount to about P70 billion in revenues for the private sector each year.

“Investor sentiment (will) become very negative very quickly and property prices on both rents and capital values will be impacted and all of us will be negatively impacted by that,” said Leechiu.

A knee-jerk reaction to the current woes plaguing POGOs is not the solution. The Philippines, instead, should develop the industry and professionalize the sector further. The Philippines can be a major POGO hub, just as it promoted the business process outsourcing sector.

Brussels has been amenable to a cap on pipeline gas to hurt Russia and rob it of cash for its Ukraine invasion.

But it has resisted a cap on LNG, fearing that sellers might simply divert to higher-paying markets, further starving Europe of gas.

Germany, traditionally the biggest beneficiary of Russian gas, had also rebuffed the idea. But it has come under pressure from other EU countries after it announced a 200-billion-euro ($199-billion) fund to shield its own consumers from soaring prices.

Von der Leyen admitted a price cap “entails drawbacks in terms of security of supply of gas”.

But she argued that “the situation has critically evolved” and now, “more member states are open for it and we are better prepared”. AFP

MOST ACTIVE

VALUE (PHP)

ICT 3,133,730 535,087,176

SMC 4,112,900 406,767,214

JFC 1,102,640 262,524,348

ALI 10,323,000 246,557,795

16,955,700 214,115,836

SMPH 6,753,800 213,350,250

SM 253,560 198,941,515

1,475,730 169,465,270

65,660 142,980,900

7,213,200 138,774,816

Major oil producers likely to cut output to prop up slumping prices

Austria—Major oil producers

by Saudi Arabia and Russia were set to meet Wednesday as reports said they were mulling an output cut of up to two million barrels per day in a bid to prop up slumping prices.

implemented, it would be the first such major cut since a landmark curb on production at the start of the Covid pandemic.

Energy prices soared after Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year, pushing inflation to decades-high levels that have put pressure on economies across the world.

But they have fallen in recent months on concerns over dwindling demand and a slowdown in the global economy.

The 13 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries led by Saudi Arabia and their 10 allies headed by Russia will hold their first in-person meeting since March 2020 at the group’s headquarters in Vienna.

Collectively known as OPEC+, the alliance drastically slashed output by almost 10 million barrels per day in April 2020 to reverse a massive drop in crude prices caused by Covid lockdowns.

OPEC+ began to raise production last year after the market improved. Output returned to pre-pandemic levels this year, but only on paper as some members have struggled to meet their quotas.

The group agreed last month on a small, symbolic cut of 100,000 bpd from October, the first in more than a year.

Sizeable cut?

Most oil ministers were reluctant to divulge information on possible output cuts as they started to arrive in Vienna.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail alMazrouei said Tuesday that the group was still reviewing market data.

“Let’s wait... We will have to listen to

the technical team,” he told journalists.

But Bloomberg said officials were discussing the removal of about two million bpd out of the market from November, twice as much as earlier predictions.

“A sizeable cut now looks on the cards, the question is whether it will be large enough to offset the demand destruction caused by the impending economic downturn,” said Craig Erlam, an analyst at trading platform OANDA.

After soaring close to $140 per barrel in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February, oil prices have dropped below the $90 mark.

According to the UBS bank, a cut of at least 500,000 bpd would be necessary to stop the price plunge.

In anticipation of Wednesday’s meeting, oil prices jumped further on Tuesday, with Brent above $90 and WTI around $86, though still far below their March peak.

Tighter taps ‘unwelcome’

Consumer countries have pushed for OPEC+ to open taps more widely to bring down prices—calls that the group has largely ignored.

US President Joe Biden made a controversial trip to Saudi Arabia in July in part to convince the kingdom to loosen the production taps. The trip saw Biden meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman despite his promise to make Riyadh a “pariah” following the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“Any cut would be unwelcome as it’s not the right time for cutting oil supplies to push prices higher,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, a Swissquote analyst.

“The global energy crisis, soaring inflation and looming recession already worry the Western leaders,” she said ahead of the Vienna gathering. AFP

IN BRIEF

Toyota bullish on sales of pre-owned vehicles

TOYOTA Motor Philippines is expanding its used vehicle program called “T-Sure, Toyota Quality Pre-owned Cars”.

“We are closely collaborating with our dealer network to grab this opportunity to leverage Toyota’s huge customer base and further elevate customer satisfaction and retention,” TMP senior vice president for marketing Masatoshi Toiya said.

The T-Sure program is a mobility option that offers an alternative to consumers who are looking for worry-free car purchase options without compromising quality, value, safety and excellent service.

Toiya said “T” stands for Toyota and “Sure” denotes trustworthiness.

“This new brand name sends a strong message that customers can have peace of mind in transacting with a T-Sure dealer, whether he is trading in an old vehicle or buying a pre-owned car,” he said.

T-Sure, previously known as Toyota Certified Used Vehicle, will be the brand that used by Toyota dealerships offering quality used cars to customers.

Othel V. Campos

AirAsia set to resume flights to Japan, Taiwan

AIRASIA Philippines said Wednesday it is set to resume flights to Taiwan and Japan next month to serve the rising demand for international travel.

“The increased bookings for travels this fourth quarter of 2022 to second quarter of 2023 is a strong indication that the demand for travel has returned. And AirAsia is more than ready to sustain the appetite of Filipino travelers by increasing its flight frequency and opening more international destinations,” said Steve Dailisan, spokesperson and head of communications and public affairs at AirAsia Philippines.

The Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s budget airline will reopen its Taipei and Osaka flights in November.

“The relaxed travel protocols in various countries have also contributed to more overseas workers taking the opportunity to fly home to the Philippines to spend the holidays with their loved ones in the provinces,” Dailisan said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Snowplus supports Vape Bill for better e-cigarette quality

SHENZHEN, China—Snowplus said it is committed to raising industry quality and standards to deliver safe and reliable e-cigarettes to consumers in the Philippines.

The Vaporized Nicotine and Non-Nicotine Products Regulation Act became a law in July 2022 in response to the presence of unregulated and counterfeit e-cigarettes in the market. The new act will conduct industry supervision to set technical standards for safety and quality.

Snowplus embraced the enacted Vape Bill as a crucial part of its longterm business strategies. The brand expanded its distribution channels in the Philippines to address the needs of the vaping community.

More than 95 percent of the world’s ecigarette products come from China, and there are about 1500 e-cigarette manufacturing and brand enterprises. Since its foundation in 2019, Snowplus has invested $2 million in quality and safety research, becoming the second largest vape brand officially granted a huge production quota of 80 million pods by China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration.

ABOITIZ-EDGECONNEX

TIEUP.

SMC Global to maintain power supply despite rate hike denial

By Alena Mae S. Flores

SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it will continue to supply power to Manila Electric Co. despite the Energy Regulatory Commission’s denial of its joint petition for temporary relief in the form of rate hike.

“In the meantime, we will do everything we can to make sure Meralco’s energy supply is not disrupted. Despite the present challenges, we will never withhold our available power capacity to the detriment of the country and the consumers,” the company said in a statement.

“Given the circumstances, we will continue to explore other legal remedies to allow us to sustainably provide for the increasing power needs of our country while meeting our obligations to our various stakeholders,” it said.

SMC Global Power said it remained focused on maximizing existing power assets to help sustain the economy’s recovery, while investing in technologies to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy.

Meralco, South Premiere Power Corp. and San Miguel Energy Corp. filed separate petitions to recover P5 billion from consumers, which would result in an increase of P1.57 per kilowatt-hour in SMC Global Power’s selling rate to Meralco. This would be equivalent to an add-on of P0.30 per kWh in the generation charge of Meralco.

The ERC denied SMC Global’s petition with Meralco for the temporary relief on their 2019 power supply agreements. The regulator said high coal pric-

es and gas constraints could not be considered a “change in circumstances.”

The decision was signed by ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta and commissioners Catherine Maceda, Floresinda Digal, Alexis Lumbatan and Marko Romeo Fuentes.

Lumabatan and Fuentes issued dissenting opinions to the decision, saying the rate impact simulations presented and submitted in evidence by Meralco indicated that the denial of the change in circumstances claims would even expose the consuming public to unknown and even higher rates than granting the same, both in the short-term and in the long-term.

“The temporary relief would have enabled us to preserve few of the last remaining fixed-rate PSAs of Meralco that are responsible for keeping power rates in Metro Manila low compared to other parts of the country, amid surging global fuel prices,” SMC Global Power said.

Gov’t taps global bond market again to raise more funds

By Julito G. Rada

MAJOR rating agencies on Wednesday assigned investmentgrade scores to the benchmarksized dollar-denominated bond offerings by the government, including tranches maturing in 2027, 2033 and 2047.

S&P Global Ratings gave “BBB+” long-term foreign-currency issue rating to the bond issuance, while Moody’s Investors Service assigned senior unsecured ratings of “Baa2.”

“The bonds represent direct, general, unconditional, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Philippines and rank equally with the sovereign’s other unsecured and unsubordinated debt obligations,” S&P Global Ratings said in a statement.

The proceeds from the bonds are intended for general purposes including budgetary support, with those from the 25-year offering supporting the issuer’s efforts towards sustainable development and addressing climate change under its Sustainable Finance Framework.

Moody’s said the rating mirrors the Philippines’ issuer rating of Baa2.

“The Philippines’ Baa2 issuer rating takes into consideration high potential growth and a moderate government burden as compared to peers, as well as a sufficiently strong external position to meet forthcoming cross-border payment obligations and weather capital flow volatility,” Moody’s said.

San Miguel gets board’s nod to acquire 85.5% of Eagle Cement for P97b

By Jenni er B. Austria

CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said Tuesday its board of directors approved the acquisition of an 85.5-percent interest in Eagle Cement Corp. owned by Ramon Ang’s family.

The deal could amount to P97 billion based on the approved acquisition price of P22.02 per share. The price represents a 43-percent premium over Eagle Cement’s closing price of P15.40 on Tuesday, when the deal was announced.

The acquisition will enable Ang to consolidate his cement business under San Miguel where he is also the president and chief executive.

San Miguel said in a disclosure to the stock exchange late Tuesday its board of directors authorized the management to sign a share purchase agreement with major shareholders of Eagle Cement.

San Miguel said both Ramon Ang and John Paul Ang, who is the president of Eagle Cement and a director of San Miguel, “did not did not participate in the approval by the board of directors of the corporation of the proposed acquisition.”

The proposed transaction will trigger notifi cation and clearance from the Philippine Competition Commission.

San Miguel said it would conduct a tender offer to acquire the remaining shares in Eagle Cement owned

by minority shareholders.

The planned acquisition comes amid the rapid expansion of San Miguel group into infrastructure sector.

The conglomerate is building the P740billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan and the Metro Rail Transit Line 7.

It is also constructing the South Luzon Expressway TR4 project, which will extend the South Luzon Expresway from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City in Quezon province and the upcoming SLEX TR5 project from Lucena to Matnog, Sorsogon.

Eagle Cement managed to remain profitable with a net income of P3 billion in the first half on P13.7-billion sales.

“Structural credit challenges include low per capita income and some constraints to the quality of institutions, which stand in contrast to strong policy effectiveness. The Philippines also has a heightened susceptibility to environmental risks given the high incidence of climaterelated shocks,” it said.

Moody’s said even as the country emerged from the pandemic with a degree of economic scarring, the recovery in real GDP growth would persist amid the deterioration in global credit conditions in the nearterm and converge towards potential rates of around 6 percent per annum beyond this year.

Fitch unit describes BPI-Robinsons deal as credit positive for the merged lender

CREDITSIGHTS Inc., a unit of Fitch Group, said Wednesday the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ acquisition of Robinsons Bank Corp. is a positive development that will make the Ayala-led lender the second-largest private bank in terms of assets.

EdgeConneX

and Aboitiz

North Star in talks with strategic investors after shelving IPO plan

MEAT retailer North Star Merchants Inc. is in talks with strategic investors for equity investment after the company decided to defer its planned initial public offering, a top executive said Tuesday.

North Star president and chief executive Anthony Ng said the company had received strong interests from local and foreign investors for possible equity investments.

Ng said he was willing to sell between 10 percent and 20 percent of the company to strategic investors that could provide not only cash to finance expansion but

also the platform for future growth.

He said despite possible entry of strategic investors, he remained keen on listing North Star in 2023 or when market conditions improved.

North Star will continue to ramp up expansion as it aims for a higher valuation for the IPO, he said.

North Star decided in June to defer its P4.5-billion IPO, after obtaining regulatory approvals because of market volatility.

“It was a very providential move to defer the IPO because of current market conditions. But we remain interested in

pushing through with our IPO,” Ng said.

The meat vendor was supposed to offer up to 392 million common shares with an option for another 58 million in overallotment shares. The IPO shares were priced at up to P10 apiece.

North Star recently inaugurated a new solar energy project in its manufacturing facility in Guiguinto, Bulacan. It will cover the two storage buildings of North Star’s plant, with about 11,176 square meters to drive supply chain cost effi ciencies within its operations. Jenniffer B. Austria

BPI and Robinsons Bank of the Gokongwei Group announced over the weekend a merger plan that is expected to be completed by 2023.

“For BPI, the transaction further expands its client base and scale; this takes BPI from the third to secondlargest private lender in the country by assets, surpassing Metropolitan Trust Bank,” CreditSights said in a report.

The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2023, subject to other shareholder and regulatory approvals. The Gokongwei family will hold about 6-percent stake in BPI after the acquisition as well as a seat on BPI’s board.

“We regard this transaction positively. While not as strong as BPI, Robinsons Bank is fundamentally sound and has a business mix complementary to BPI’s medium-term

strategic plan of growing its combined retail and SME share of total loans from the present 25 percent to 30 percent,” CreditSights said.

It said that as BPI was much larger than Robinsons Bank, the impact to its capital ratios, reserve cover and non-performing loan ratio would likely be marginal. Both banks also have in common a sensible focus on digitalization.

BPI rolled out several new digital platforms and established partnerships with GCash and Alipay+, while Robinsons Bank together with other Gokongwei entities own a 60-percent stake in one of the six licensed digital banks in the Philippines.

“Post-transaction, BPI would be able to play in the digital bank space as well, which would further aid its push into retail. Synergies across several products and service platforms of both banks are to be expected, as with collaboration and new business opportunities across the Gokongwei conglomerate’s extensive ecosystem of businesses. We maintain a Market perform recommendation on BPI,” CreditSights said. Julito G. Rada

METROBANK’S AWARD. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. receives from the Social Security System the 2022 ‘SSS Balikat ng Bayan Best Collecting Partner Award’ under the bank category. Receiving the award from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (third from left) are Metrobank executive vice president and head of operations group Paul Robert Murga (center) and rst vice president and head of institutional investors coverage Ruben Zamora (third from right). Witnessing the aware are (from left) special assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, SSS president Michael Regino and SSS Commissioner Diana Pardo Aguilar.

Malixi restores order in Riviera, seizes control despite 73

SILANG, Cavite – Rianne Malixi made up for her wobbly finish at nightfall Tuesday with a birdie and a run of pars in the last four holes, breaking away from a crowded lead erboard with a second 73 and mov ing in the threshold of another title romp on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour here yesterday.

Malixi overcame a birdie-less 38 start at the par 35-36 Langer layout with two birdies against a bogey in the last nine holes as she put herself in a very familiar place at the end of another grueling day with a threestroke cushion over first round lead er Mafy Singson and Harmie Con stantino with a 146 aggregate after two rounds of the ICTSI Riviera Championship.

Singson, who pounced on Malixi’s closing bogeys in the first round to snatch the lead with a 72, fell with a thud with a horrible five-bogey skid from No. 2 but held on with a backside 37 but trailed her ICTSI teammate by three with a 149, seal ing a showdown of amateurs for the crown in this ninth leg of the 11-stage LPGT.

But Constantino also hung tough with six straight pars at dusk to sal vage a 73 and tie Singson for a shot at a third championship after win ning two tournaments, both at Eagle

Sports

Ayonayon scores 10 points in 4th quarter as Blackwater stuns SMB

By Peter Atencio

THREE-YEAR veteran Mike Ayonayon scored all of his 10-point output in the final period as he joined hands with Baser Amer and Troy Rosario to help the Blackwater Elite Bossings bring down the mighty San Miguel Beermen, 109106, Wednesday night in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 29-year-old Ayonayon stepped up just as import Cameron Krutwig was held to just two points. It was his driving layup in the last 20 seconds which sent the Bossings to their sec ond win in four outings.

Krutwig tallied 20 points, 18 re

bounds, 10 assists and two blocks for the Bossings, who bounced back from their 102-105 setback to the NLEX Road Warriors.

The upset spoiled the debut of new Beermen import Diamond Louis Stone, who made 20 points behind teammate Junemar Fajardo’s 23 points

and 11 rebounds.

Amer made 16 points, with his goahead three-pointer with 32.8 sec onds left allowing the Bossings to grab the lead, 107-106.

Coach Ariel Vanguard said they have been placed in an unfamiliar situation, since they have not been beating the Beermen in the past.

“Sa totoo lang, hindi kami sanay na kami ang lamang,” said Vanguardia.

The Beermen, with Marcio Las siter making 18 points, were ahead by 12, 89-77, at the end of the third period.

The Bossings made a move to grab the upperhand using a 16-4 blast which put them in front by two off a triple from Amer, two treys from Rosario and a layup from Barkley Ebona off Ayonayon’s pass.

The Bossings went on to hold on to a 95-93 edge with 7:12 to go.

Maroons frustrate Falcons; Warriors end woes

ciation of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. Spencer, Fortea and Diouf struck in suc cession in the last 2:28, allowing the Fight ing Maroons to move away from a 74-all regulation deadlock and into an 82-74 lead.

Their efforts gave UP enough room to post their second straight triumph.

Zavier Lucero shot a game-high 15 points and pulled down 17 rebounds for the Ma roons, who held the Falcons to four points in the last five minutes of action.

1/10th of a second to go in regulation.

UP successfully screened a three-point from Jer on Lastimosa, but JM Sabandal sank three charities in the next plays after he lured Spencer into a foul, sending the game into an extension.

“UP wanted it more, especially after they made a big run after halftime,” said Falcons’ coach Nash Racela on their second straight setback.

Earlier, the University of the East Warriors drew 25 points from Kyle Penaranda in halting 15-game losing skid with a 76-66 upset of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.

Ridge-Aoki, in a remarkable rookie campaign in bubble setup last year.

Sarah Ababa and Chihiro Ikeda actually made it a four-way fight majority of the way, hinting at a wild second round finish. But while the amateurs kept their poise in the most challenging conditions, the pros wavered with the former drop ping from second to fourth with bogeys on the last two holes for a second straight 75 and 150 and the latter ending up with a woeful 80 on an error-filled backside 43 for a 154 at eighth.

Laurea Duque, another amateur, shot a 75 for a 151 while Sunshine Baraquiel fumbled with a 78 af ter a 75 to drop to joint sixth with Korean amateur Kim Seoyun, who struggled with a 77, at 153.

Malixi’s gutsy finish thus put the runaway winner at Valley Golf Club last month 18 holes away from nailing another championship, her three-shot lead could prove too big a block for Singson and Constan tino to hurdle given the Langer’s conditions and the leader’s firm control of her game and mental at titude.

The two-time AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) champion also won this year’s LPGT kickoff leg at Luisita, upstaging no less than multi-titled Princess Superal and her 13-stroke romp at Valley installed her as the player to beat this week.

Abando highest-paid import in Korea league

RHENZ Abando will get around 237 million won or P13.89 mil lion in his first season with Anyang KGC Ginseng Corpo ration in the Korean Basketball League, the highest amount that will be paid by a club team to an Asian import.

The deal involving the former National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Most Valuable Player from the Letran Knights has exceeded the league’s sal ary cap, according to reports from Korea.

Abando got this agreement with team executives months after he decided to forgo his fi nal year in college.

The league considers this as the highest amount offered to any import or registered Asian Quarter player.

So far, Abando has played 15 minutes 53 seconds in the debut game against Changwon LG in the third period, scoring only two points, a dunk shot.

Abando played in a game which saw Changwon LG Sa kers beat Anyang KGC, 89-69, Monday at the start of the 2022 KBL Cup at the Tongyeong Gymnasium on Monday.

Meanwhile, another Filipino import, RJ Abarrientos and Ulsan Hyundai Mobis stormed past SJ Belangel and Daegu KOGAS, a 92-83, to reach the semifinals.

MALICK Diouf, James Spencer and Terrence Fortea took turns in keeping the defending cham pion University of the Philippines out of harm’s way in overtime as the Maroons escaped from a gritty Adamson Falcons’ stand, pulling off an 87-78, win on Wednesday in the 85th University Athletic Asso

“We started off flat. We should have exe cuted better,” said Fighting Maroons’ coach Goldwin Monteverde after they missed a chance to win the game in closing seconds of regu lation.

Diouf knocked 13 points and 12 rebounds for UP, including a split charity in the last 1:10, which allowed the Diliman dribblers to stay safely in front, 74-71.

They, however, lost their winning chance with

Van der Valk bucks stern test, grabs lead

SILANG, Cavite – Guido Van der Valk came in unruf fled by the winds and took command with a 68 in one of the late flights, grabbing a one-stroke lead over erstwhile leader Fidel Concepcion halfway through the ICTSI Riv iera Championship yesterday.

Van der Valk matched Concepcion’s big start that keyed the latter’s first round surge Tuesday but the former bested the latter’s opening 69 with a stronger finish on Langer’s tough finishing holes, birdying Nos. 15 and 16 for a pair of 34s. That fueled the Manila-based Dutchman’s drive for a second championship in this year’s Philippine Golf Tour following a stirring playoff win over Miguel Tabuena at Splendido Taal last May as he moved on top with an even 142 total.

“Good day because this course is difficult for me,” said Van der Valk, short in length but long in talent. “It’s long and windy, the greens are small and have lots of slopes in them, so I’m very happy to hit five birdies against two bogeys.”

The lead changed hands as fast as the wind changed directions in another harsh day here, so wild that an ama teur scored a hole-in-one on No. 4, which Gretchen Vil lacencio aced in her side of the battle in the Ladies PGT last Tuesday, and put himself in strong contention, club pro Marvin Dumandan got into the mix in a long, long while, and the fancied Juvic Pagunsan recovered from a fumbling start with a run of birdies to salvage a 71 and pull to within four strokes off the lead with 36 holes left in the P2 million championship put up by ICTSI.

“The frontnine was tough, it’s quite windy but I was able to get back at the backnine with a one-under card,” said Concepcion, who held sway despite bogeys on Nos. 3 and 7 before yielding it with a double-bogey on the par-4 ninth after three-putting from 10 feet.

Obscure Rico Depilo hit two birdies against a bogey and tied Concepcion at the turn at two-over but the latter birdied the 10th to regain the lead, only to tumble down

The Red Warriors got away with a 25-8 third quar ter assault and coasted to their first win in two out ings.

This marked UE’s first ever win since beating National University, 79-77, back in 2019.

“Meron lang kaming lapses down the stretch but still, the bottom line is the game plan was followed. I thank my boys, especially si Kyle (Paranada),” said UE coach Jack Santiago. Peter Atencio

Despite the setback, Phoebus gained a Final Four ticket via quotient system.

Abarrientos shot 15 points and had six assists.

Senegalese import Youssou Ndoye had 22 points and six re bounds with two blocks.

with bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 as Van der Valk, who best finish here at Langer was fifth in 2019, stormed ahead with his big finish two flights ahead of Concepcion’s.

The first round leader, however, didn’t stray too far as he rebounded with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 for solo second at 143 while amateur Josh Jorge made a ninth career hole-in-one on No. 4 to spike a 69 and tie Dumandan, who saved a 71, at 144.

“Tsamba lang,” said Jorge, a young power hitter who used a pitching wedge to score his ninth ace using a Bridgestone ball No. 3 on the 182-yard hole. He actually had a mishit with the ball sailing over the hazard and hitting the sloping green on the right before rolling straight to the cup.

With a clear crack at the crown, Jorge, one of the aspirants for the Philippine team set to vie in the Nomura Cup at his home course, Manila South woods, in November, stressed the need to stay fo cused, adding: “If ever I get to make a bad shot, will just forget it and move on to the next hole.”

Peter Atencio

Guido Van der Valk: Good day for me.

Rianne Malixi’s gutsy finish moved her 18 holes away from nailing another championship. Manny Marcelo

Mike Ayonayon

Caloocan boosts drive for playoffs

CALOOCAN continued its comefrom-behind playoffsdrive with a 79-69 victory over Muntinlupa on Tuesday in the OKbet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme at the Muntinlupa Sports Complex.

Their morale lifted by an 86-82 upset of the Batangas City Athlet ics on Sept. 29, the Caloocan Ex cellence raced to a 33-16 spread and were never headed to climb to 6-13 in the elimination round of the 22-team tournament.

Sure qualifiers Zamboanga Fam ily’s Brand Sardines and General Santos trounced lightweights Min doro, 110-70, and Laguna, 84-49, respectively, in the other games.

Caloocan, being supported by Victory Liner, is locked in a 3-way battle for the eighth and last quar terfinal slot in the North division with Marikina (6-13) and Manila (6-14).

Jomar Santos led Caloocan with 16 points, followed by Reil Cer vantes with 14, James Martinez with 12 and Damian Lasco with 10.

Blocking Caloocan’s path to ward the quarterfinals are also-ran Makati (1-18) and sure South divi sion qualifier Sarangani (13-5).

Muntinlupa skidded to 4-15 and fell further behind Imus (5-13) in their 2-way race for the last playoff spot in the South division.

Zamboanga got 16 points from Chris Dumapig and 15 from home grown Jul-Ashri Ignacio in dump ing the Mindoro Tamaraws (1-18) and catching up with Batangas at 16-3 in the South division.

The GenSan Warriors banked on Niko Elorde, Christopher Ma siglang, Marlon Gomez and Chris tian Fajarito in disposing of the 9-man Laguna Krah Asia Heroes and rising to 14-6 in the South di vision.

Elorde wound up with 14 points, Masiglang 12, Gomez 11 and Faja rito 19.

The MPBL returns to the Ori on Sports Complex with another triple-bill on Thursday. Laguna tangles with Marikina at 5 p.m., followed by the Zamboanga-Pam panga tussle at 7 p.m. and the Bata an-Mindoro collision at 9 p.m.

Judge hits 62nd homer to shatter Maris record

LOS

ANGELES—New York Yankees slugger Aaron

Judge smashed his 62nd home run of the season on Tuesday to finally surpass the legendary Roger Maris’s long-standing American League record.

Judge, who equaled Maris’s record in Toronto last week, blasted a 391-foot bomb into the stands at the Texas Rangers’ Choc taw Stadium in the top of the first inning in Arlington.

The 30-year-old slugger had been stuck on 61 homers since pulling level with Maris, failing to better the record during a weekend homestand at Yankee Stadium.

Two more fruitless appearances followed during Monday’s road opener against the Rangers, as well as the opening game of Tuesday’s double-header.

But Judge made no mistake as he led off the hitting in Tuesday’s evening game, crushing the third pitch faced from Rangers pitcher Jesus Tinoco.

A packed house rose to give Judge a stand ing ovation as he rounded the bases to be greeted by delighted teammates at home plate.

“It’s a big relief,” Judge said after setting the record with just one more regular sea son game remaining on Wednesday.

“Everybody can finally sit down in their seats now and watch the ball game. It’s been a fun ride so far.

“And getting the chance to do this with my teammates, the constant support from my family. It’s been a great honor.”

Meanwhile, Judge’s 62nd home run ball was scooped up by a fan in the stands who now stands to earn a multi-million-dollar payday. The ball has been conservatively valued at around $2 million.

Judge said he would like to eventually receive the ball, but did not begrudge the spectator who grabbed the instantly valu able piece of memorabilia.

“I don’t know where the ball’s at, so we’ll see what happens with that,” Judge said.

“It would have been great to get it back but that’s a souvenir for a fan. They made a great catch out there and they’ve got every right to it.”

‘Clean Home Run King’

The American League record set by Maris in the 1961 season stood as the out right Major League Baseball single season home run record until it fell during the sport’s steroid era of the late 1990s.

Only three men – Barry Bonds, Mark Mc Gwire and Sammy Sosa – have ever hit more

home runs in a season, and all three have been tainted by allegations of steroid use.

San Francisco Giants legend Bonds holds the official Major League Baseball home run record of 73 set in the 2001 season.

The son of Roger Maris -- Roger Maris Jr. -- is among many who have called for Judge’s record to be recognized as the “le gitimate” single-season home run record.

“I think that’s what needs to happen,” Maris Jr. said last week. “I think baseball needs to look at the records and I think baseball should do something.”

On Tuesday, Maris Jr. returned to that theme in a post on Twitter congratulating Judge.

“You are all class and someone who should be revered,” Maris Jr. wrote.

“For the MAJORITY of the fans, we can now celebrate a new CLEAN HOME RUN KING!!”

Despite the growing clamor to recognize Judge’s single-season record as the legiti mate record, Judge himself has distanced himself from the debate, insisting he re gards Bonds’ record as the “real” mark.

“73 is the record in my book,” Judge said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.

“No matter what people want to say about that era of baseball, for me, they went out there and hit 73 homers and that to me is what the record is,” added Judge, who grew up in Northern California as a fan of Bonds and the Giants. AFP

Miado eyes 4th straight win against dangerous foe

JEREMY “The Jaguar” Miado looks to continue his winning ways in his return to the ONE Championship Circle, but it won’t come easy.

Standing in his way is the dangerous multi-sport knockout artist “Mini-T” Danial Williams in a three-round straw weight bout at ONE Fight Night 3 set on 22 October from the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The fight has been brewing for months after Williams challenged the Marrok Force MMA standout in one of his post-fight press interviews, and now he’ll get his wish.

“Guys like Jeremy Miado excite me,” Williams said in an earlier interview.

“I just like his style. I’m here to put on a show for the fans. The fans want to see action. I’m here to put on a show for the fans, and Miado is going to be the guy who’s going to give it to me.”

Miado has won three straight bouts, including back to back impressive fin ishes over Miao Li Tao where he pulver ized the Chinese man with a flying knee in their first meeting, and followed it up with a standing KO win in their second faceoff.

His last match left a lot to be desired as it ended with an injury to compatriot Lito Adiwang, but a win is still a win for Miado and another one here could see him move back to the strawweight rankings.

The same rankings is where Williams wants to be as he’s also on a three-fight winning streak in mixed

Bucks tipped to win NBA title in annual GM survey

LOS ANGELES—The Milwaukee Bucks were tipped as favourites to finish this season as NBA champions accord ing to basketball’s annual survey of the league’s 30 general managers released on Tuesday.

The survey released on NBA.com revealed that the Bucks were seen as frontrunners for the 2023 championship with 43% of the votes.

The defending champion Golden State Warriors received 25% of the votes while the Los Angeles Clippers had 21%.

The Boston Celtics, runners-up to Golden State in last season’s finals, were the other team named with 11% of votes.

The Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic meanwhile was tipped as the clear favourite for the NBA Most Valuable Player award with 48%.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo polled second with 34% while the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid attracted 14%.

The Warriors’ Stephen Curry, NBA Finals MVP in 2022, attracted just 1% of votes.

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo received 55% of votes as the player most GMs would pick to build a team around, with Doncic just behind at 45%.

The survey of general managers has been held every year for the past 21 years.

Participants are not allowed to cast votes for their own team or personnel.

Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday described an upcoming appeals hearing for jailed US basketball star Brittney Griner in Russia as a “sham.”

Griner, who was sentenced to nine years prison in August for possessing vape cartridges with a small quantity of can nibis oil, is due to go back to court on October 25.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “we are aware of Russia’s announcement that Brittney Gri ner will be forced to undergo another sham judicial proceed ing. She should be released immediately.”

In August, Moscow said it was ready to discuss a prisoner swap for Griner, sparking hopes of a rapid resolution. How ever, talks have apparently since dried up with the White House saying that it has not received an answer to its “seri ous” proposal.

When she was arrested, the two-time Olympic basketball gold medallist and Women’s NBA champion had been in Russia to play for the professional Yekaterinburg team, dur ing her off-season from the Phoenix Mercury.

She pleaded guilty to the charges, but said she did not in tend to break the law or use the banned substance in Russia.

Griner had testified that she had permission from a US doctor to use medicinal cannabis to relieve pain from her many injuries, and had never failed a drug test.

The use of medical marijuana is not allowed in Rus sia. AFP

PVL to have video challenge system in coming tourney

THE Premier Volleyball League will finally have a video challenge system for the upcoming Rein forced Conference, league president Ricky Palou confirmed on Wednesday afternoon.

“We have already ordered and paid for the vid eo challenge,” said Palou during the Reinforced Conference press conference at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City.

“I think that was the end of July or August but they haven’t delivered it. I don’t know, for some reason, they’re saying that the cameras are not ready but the order has been there, they prom ised to deliver it, and we’re still waiting for it. But we will definitely have a video challenge,” said Palou.

It is still uncertain when the equipment will ar rive.

What’s certain, though, is that it will definitely not be available come the league’s opening day at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex this Saturday.

The league said that the cameras, which will

come from Italy, will be shipped next Wednesday and will most likely arrive on the 25th of October.

“Will it be delayed? Probably. It will most likely be a week or 10 days. The main (reason) was that there is a global shortage of semiconduc

tors. Those semiconductors are on everything of course, all electronics, specifically the cameras. The equipment has been manufactured from dif ferent parts of the world but shipped from Italy so we have everything,” said Sports Vision market

ing head Fred Fateh.

“The last piece of news that we got was that it will be shipped on Wednesday. We have asked for it to be shipped the fastest route available, it’s probably gonna be DHL. I anticipate it taking about three or four days to arrive, probably about three or four days to get it cleared from Customs but at any rate, we will have it. I anticipate prob ably by the 25th of October we will have it so we will miss a few games but it will be here,” he added.

PLDT and United Auctioneers-Army will open the league festivities on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., while Akari will finally make its debut against back-to-back bronze medalist Cignal later at 5:30 p.m.

Catch the Premier Volleyball League Rein forced Conference every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday on One Sports, One Sports+, Cignal Play, and Smart Gigaplay. Matches start on Oc tober 8.

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees smiles as he rounds the bases after hitting his 62nd home run of the season against the Texas Rangers during the first inning in game two of a double header at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Judge has now set the American League record for home runs in a single season. AFP

Jeremy Miado

Jordan Nwora of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots over Santi Aldama and Jake LaRavia of the Memphis Grizzlies during a preseason game at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. AFP

PVL executives are shown with the imports of the coming Reinforced Conference.

Entertainment

88RISING, the pioneering and internationally-renowned music and media company amplifying Asian talent and culture, and Live MNL, have unveiled the 2022 Head In The Clouds Music & Arts Festival lineup in Manila, Philippines.

Head In The Clouds Manila will take place on December 9 and December 10 at SM Festival Grounds Parañaque City. Tickets went on sale on October 5.

Headliners are Joji, Jackson

Wang, NIKI, Rich Brian, eaJ, and YOASOBI. The festival will also include live performances from BIBI, MANILA GREY, Warren Hue, Ylona Garcia, GUAPDAD 4000, ATARASHII GAKKO!, MILLI, and Zack Tabudlo, to name a few. Grammy-winning hitmaker and electronic producer Zedd is the special guest.

“I am so excited to perform at the inaugural Head in the Clouds Manila. I missed y’all and it’s time

to bring it to the Philippines.” says headliner Rich Brian. PARADISE RISING’s own Ylona Garcia noted, “I’m so glad 88rising is bringing the Head In The Clouds Festival to the Philippines and I’m incredibly grateful to be part of it! It’s been a while since I’ve seen my fans back home. Can’t wait to see each and every one of them.” Last month, Head In The Clouds hosted 70,000 people over two days at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in its fourth

By Patricia Taculao

IN EVERY generation, the Philippine entertainment industry launches series that feature young adult celebrities as they try to navigate life through a series of challenges. One example of a youth-oriented series is Gimik, which had several variations throughout the years, from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

Seeing as there’s a new generation taking over society, ABS-CBN developed the latest youth-oriented series Tara, G! to reflect the personality and mindset of today’s youth.

Kapamilya stars Anthony Jennings, Daniela Stranner Kaori Oinuma JC Alcantara, Vivoree Esclito, CJ Salonga, and Zach Castañeda complete the newest teen barkada series.

They are members of Team WISE (Walang Iwanan Sa Ere), dedicated to bringing back the pride and glory of the simple town of La Guerta by cultivating coffee, which they sell as beans and wine. With such a lofty goal, their characters will face challenges that will test their friendship.

Yet, for viewers to understand what their barkada means, it’s relevant for them to know what true friendship means for the

‘Tara, G!’ cast gets real on the meaning of friendship

Kaori will help them as long as they need her, but she won’t tolerate them if they’re doing something wrong. Instead, she’ll talk to her friends properly to let them know what she thinks is wrong.

Wang,

year in Los Angeles, California. 88rising earlier announced Head In The Clouds Music & Arts Festival will travel to Indonesia later this year, marking the debut of the festival in both Indonesia and the Philippines. Head in the Clouds Manila is presented by Globe, with major sponsor GCash.Two-day GA passes are priced at P12,888 and two-day VIP passes are P15,888. For more information, please visit mnl.hitcfestival.com.

Princess of La Guerta, and Team WISE’s voice of reason.

Vivoree shares a similar take on true friendship—the only difference is that she believes friends don’t need to do something consistently to remain friends. True friends, for her, stay even during the boring parts of their lives. She plays Jengjeng, the group’s baby girl, a sweet kikay with big dreams.

Lastly, Zach deeply relates to his character, Will, Team WISE’s funny, go-to guy.

“Will is an outspoken person, and he would [literally] take the bullet for his friends. To be a good or true friend is to protect them with everything you have,” he said.

Although there were some differences in their responses, the cast behind Team WISE knows what a true friend is, and they’re ready to give them their all.

Tara, G! premieres tomorrow, October 7, exclusively on iWantTFC.

actors who play the characters.

For instance, Anthony, who plays Rocky, the leader of Team WISE, shared he can only offer so much to his friends. “Hindi natin pwedeng ubusin ang sarili natin sa ibang tao din. I think mas maganda na steady pa din tayo,” he said during the media conference for Tara, G! last September 23, Friday.

He explains that this keeps people from

Janelle Tee makes difficult choices in sexy drama ‘An/Na’

FINANCIAL woes can make people do things that are totally out of character. Their problems may be solved for a while until they suffer yet again.

Such is the story of Anna Clemente, the protagonist in the upcoming four-part Vivamax original series called An/Na

From the creative mind of the wellrespected multi-awarded writer-director Jose Javier Reyes, follow her story portrayed by former beauty queen Janelle Tee.

Anna works in the sales industry, yet her income is not enough to make ends meet. She provides for her family but can’t pay her rent on time. She’s been having a hard time for so long that she eventually resorts to making easy money. She starts working in the sex trade. The unsophisticated office worker by day becomes a seductress at night who goes by the name of Mei Ling.

Anna used to have just one man in her life – Guido, her long-distance boyfriend, played by Greg Hawkins. But now that she gets in bed with different men, how will each of them affect her life?

Migs Almendras plays Jason, the one who recruits Anna into the agency. He is also a long-time sex worker. Guji Lorenzana plays Benedict, one of Anna’s clients despite being a married man. Fabio Ide plays Virgil, the boss of Guido who will

become Anna’s client.

With her involvement with Virgil, how long can Anna keep her double life a secret?

Rolando Inocencio plays Atendido, a police investigator who is going to make some intriguing discoveries.

Amidst these men is Anna’s best friend, Eunice, played by Rob Guinto Being a liberated person herself, will she understand or criticize Anna’s choices?

Witness Anna’s struggles, her triumphs, her roller coaster ride of life all the way to its stirring culmination. An/Na now streams on Vivamax.

abusing his kindness. However, Anthony believes anyone can tell who a true friend is and not just someone who’s faking a friendship to benefit from someone else.

On the other hand, CJ and Kaori liken the meaning of true friendship to the bond Team WISE has—they’ll be there for each other during the ups and downs of their lives. But when it comes to supporting a friend,

GMA’s ‘Dapat Totoo’ campaign wins ‘Best in Engagement’at Digital Media Awards Worldwide

GMA News and Public Affairs’ Eleksyon 2022 digital campaign “Dapat Totoo” proudly represented the Philippines in front of the world’s news publishers, winning “Best in Audience Engagement” at the World Association of News Publishers, Digital Media Awards Worldwide 2022 held on September 29 in Zaragoza, Spain. GMA is the first Filipino Network to win in the said event.

The “Dapat Totoo” campaign was designed to educate and engage readers –especially the youth – on multiple online platforms in support of the network’s biggest and most comprehensive ‘Eleksyon 2022’ coverage.

“GMA Network continues to be committed to delivering Serbisyong Totoo to Filipino viewers, from television to digital media. Our social media teams work hard to figure out ways to inform and engage Filipino audiences on whatever platform or device they may prefer,” GMA Network Consultant for News and Public Affairs Marissa L. Flores said.

Senior Asst. Vice President for GMA News and Public Affairs Digital Media Jaemark Tordecilla, meanwhile, shared how the recognition validates the team’s dedication and hard work in

Organized by the World Association of News Publishers, the Digital Media Awards Worldwide recognize news publishers who have delivered unique and original digital media projects.

The “Dapat Totoo” campaign joined entries chosen from six regions namely Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America and South Asia. Entries were first evaluated by local juries and later on examined by a different set of juries where the best of each category were selected for the Digital Media Awards.

The winners were announced during the World News Media Congress 2022. The “Dapat Totoo” campaign is also shortlisted for the Asian Digital Media Awards. Winners will be announced this November.

Marian and Dingdong partner with Ceelin and Caritas to help ‘Protect All Kids’

kailangan

HEALTH is a top priority in the Dingdong DantesMarian Rivera household. Now blessed with two adorable kids, Zia and Sixto, they are taking the most important roles of their lives very seriously.

“Parenting is a very challenging task. As we discover every day, andami naming natutunan. I think during this pandemic, bottom line is kalusugan ang pinakakailangan natin. We want to do so many things. Our kids want to do so many things. But the fact is that marami pang darating na mga hadlang like viruses and the only way to fight them is to have strong immunity,” Dingdong says.

Marian’s Devotion

“Marian especially needs a strong mindset because she’s a very hands-on mom. We are a tandem. S’ya maghahanda, ako maghahatid at ako magsusundo. Mahalaga na dun pa lang sa prep stuff, kumbaga napapatibay at napapalakas na namin sila so that when they go to school especially now it’s face-to-face, there’s a certain level of protection when they want to get into sports para alam natin na kayang-kaya ng katawan nila,” declares Dingdong, whose Family Feud Philippines is the highest-rated game show in the country.

To boost their immunity and their hyperactive kids’, Marian and Dingdong found a strong ally in Ceelin Plus, one of the products of Unilab, the leading pharmaceutical and healthcare company in the Philippines. It has Ascorbic Acid + Zinc that provides double protection plus stable ZincPlus® Technology that helps give fully loaded immunity with a proper diet and healthy lifestyle.

Like all happily married couples, Marian finishes off Dingdong’s sentences seamlessly as she chimes in: “Sa bahay kasi nag-eendorso kami ng isang produkto palagi na

Marian,

The

The

sitcom, Jose & Maria’s

they also released their documentary, MISS U: A Journey to The Promised Land. Dingdong directed Marian while she was in Israel as a judge at the 70th Miss Universe and where she talked to overseas Filipina workers who are mothers just like her. Besides Family Feud, Dong also hosts Amazing Earth while Marian is dabbling in hosting chores for Tadhana

With their combined star power, Marian and Dingdong have lent their support to help typhoon victims, over the years and once joined PETA in their campaign to free the elephant Mali from the Manila Zoo. Dingdong founded the Yes Pinoy Foundation while Marian is a “dedicated woman advocate of breastfeeding and women with special needs; and staunchly supports Smile Train, an international

An estimated 100,000 kids from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) who are nutritionally deficient have been given vitamins since the project started in March 2022, helping them strengthen their immunity against sickness especially since the world is still in the midst of a pandemic.

“Lahat ng mga bata ay may karapatang maging protektado at magkaroon ng magandang kalusugan at maging malakas ang resistensya laban sa sakit. Good health is a basic human right, but access to it is limited,” the couple points out.

To help ease this problem, the couple distributed Ceelin vitamins to kids under the care of Caritas Philippines on September 13 held at the Obispado de Cubao, Quezon City, right in front of the Immaculate

Conception Cathedral where they married in 2014. In attendance were Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, the National Director of Caritas Philippines, Fr. Ronnie Santos, Director of Caritas Cubao and nuns from Kidapawan City, Cotabato.

Fr. Antonio “Tony” Labiao, Executive Secretary of Caritas, expresses his gratitude to the advocacy campaign: “It provides a very good opportunity to expand our legacy programs. Salamat sa Unilab, at sa Ceelin, na walang sawang tumutulong sa Caritas Philippines, lalo na sa mga komunidad na palaging naaapektuhan ng mga bagyo.”

The project vows to leave no children behind as it goes full blast nationwide, from the hinterlands of Bontoc in the Mountain Province to the secluded islands around Tawi-Tawi, benefiting about 1.2 million this year.

Ylona Garcia, Zack Tabudlo join Zedd, Jackson Wang, and more in  ‘Head In The Clouds’ concert

Naaayos yung friendship, for me, sa mabuting usapan. Naaayos ng mabuting usapan ang pagkakaroon ng problema,” Kaori said.

CJ plays Smith, the barkada’s resident genius. Meanwhile, Kaori plays Legs, the

PARADISE RISING’s Ylona Garcia

Kaori Oinuma brings life to Legs, also known as 'Ang Prinsesa ng La Guerta'

Anthony Jennings is Rocky, Team WISE's ever-reliant leader

Vivoree Esclito loves her character, Jengjeng. The group treats her as their baby girl because she's a ball of sunshine and innocence

From left: Zach Castañeda, Anthony Jennings, Kaori Oinuma, Direk Cathy Camarillo, Vivoree Esclito, CJ Salonga, creative manager Henry King Quitain at the ‘Tara, G’, grand mediacon

Former beauty queen Janelle Tee

GMA Network Head of Social Media for News Justin Joyas accepting the award on behalf of GMA News and Public Affairs

creating fresh content.

“It’s wonderful to be recognized because our team works hard fighting to make sure that our most important pieces of journalism, from videos to articles, find the attention they deserve. We’ve always suspected we’re at the leading edge of social media innovation in the world; this award just confirms that,” he said.

Accepting the award on behalf of GMA News and Public Affairs was Head of Social Media for News Justin Joyas “Our ‘Dapat Totoo’ election campaign is a year-long collaboration between various teams. All to provide the Filipino people with news coverage, online and on ground, that empowers them and strengthens our democratic process. It is important to provide users with trusted sources of information amid the emergence of new digital platforms,” Joyas said in his speech.

From left: Ceelin mascot, Ceelin Brand Head Diana Lao, Director of Caritas Cubao Fr. Ronnie Santos, Ceelin ambassadors Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes, and National Director of Caritas Philippines Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo

‘Long hair, do care’

By Nickie Wang

ACTRESS Kim Chiu, haircare brand Hairfix, and charity organization Hair of Hope are changing people’s lives one hair wig at a time.

Hairfix has recently conducted a hair donation drive in cooperation with the actress and the charity orga nization aiming to improve the quality of life of cancer patients. The proceeds from Hairfix’s accumulated product purchases have been utilized to raise funds to provide hair wigs, which were distributed in participation with the Philippine General Hospital.

“Initially, it’s Hairfix’s advocacy, and since I’m their endorser, I’m just so happy that they tapped me to be part of this worthy cause,” the actress told Manila Standard Life in an interview.

“Our goal here is to bring their con fidence back. And personally, that’s

also my goal…to make cancer patients still feel confident. We know their struggles, some of them don’t want to leave their homes anymore. In our own little way, we aim to give them hope. And through our small effort, we want to let them know that we do care,” she added.

Kim – who was described by an executive as someone who impeccably embodies the elements of what Hairfix is –recently renewed her ties with the brand.

“She is a celebrity who can do any thing whatever she sets her mind to, and is successful at that one, a total package. Quite similar to Kim, Hair fix also shares the same versatility and multi-functionality that caters to ev ery need the job demands. In the same way that Lifestrong Hairfix aims to

provide the optimum hair care,” said Lifestrong General Manager Marge Lee

Spanning for eight years, Lifestrong Hairfix provides a complete do-ityourself hair care solution catering to every hair need from hair essentials, hair treatments, hair color, hair styl

ing, and general merchandise for a complete DIY experience at home.

The company founders, Lance Lee and Margaret Lee, have kept in mind the vision to provide Filipinos with a strong local brand with quality con sumer products that tackles the needs and wants of the Filipino global mar

travel bucket list: Cheung Chau’s old-world charm set in a trendy vibe

IFYOU are looking to visit a new place that does not require a visa for us, Filipino travelers, Hong Kong’s Cheung Chau or “long island” might just charm you to pack your bag and breathe in the island’s laid-back life.

BY JOBA BOTANA

But wait, there’s more to it than that. In a re cent virtual tour hosted by the Hong Kong Tour ism Board, I got to experience the place, albeit virtually for now.

To recap, here are some tips on where to go, what to do, should we finally book that ticket, especially now that travel restrictions have been eased in many parts of the world.

This small, dumbbell-shaped island of Cheung Chau, which covers almost 3 sq. km. is wellknown for its distinctive waterfront accented with moored fishing boats and seafood restaurants.

For those who love an easy hike, the island has sandy beaches and a scenic family-friendly trail that never loses appeal, especially to citydwellers. In fact, the last couple of years has seen younger people moving to the island to call it home, bringing with them a demand for contemporary, ‘Instagrammable’ cafes, which sit in harmony alongside the island’s timeless, laid-back charms such as Pak Tai Temple – es tablished in the 18th century by fisherfolk to honor the Taoist ‘God of the Sea’ – which is the traditional venue for the island’s vibrant annual Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, also known as the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, activities.

Tung Wan and Kwun Yam Wan Only a short walk from the east of the ferry pier takes you to the long, crescent-shaped stretch of beach called Tung Wan, from where on a clear day, you can see southern Hong Kong

Island. Further south leads to a coastal walkway below Warwick Hotel where you will see a group of Bronze Age rock carv ings a declared monu ment featuring stylized geometric patterns, some resembling human or monster forms. From here, it will lead you to Kwun Yam Beach, a windsurfing center, which has been attracting a number of water sport enthusiasts, including stand-up paddlers, kayakers, and kite surfers.

Mini Great Wall

This is the island’s easygoing, 850-meter-long paved hiking trail behind Kwun Yam Beach and the Chi Ma Hang headland, tracing the southeastern coastline where one can take in panoramic ocean views while passing beside stunning rock forma tions. Birdwatchers come to this area to admire the mi grating species that stop here to rest in-between making long-distance ocean-crossing journeys.

San Hing Street and Pak She Street

Over the years, San Hing Street and Pak She Street have transformed from being laid back to one that is rejuvenated by the influx of new, younger residents who have decided to call Cheung Chau home. Tourists will love exploring craft shops selling handmade items created by local artists and trendy new cafes. The red-stamped ‘lucky bun’, filled with different sweet pastes such as sesame, red bean, or lotus seed is something a visitor must try.

Tai Hing Tai Road and Tai San Praya Road

On the island’s southwestern village water front, lies Tai Hing Tai Road and Tai San Praya Road, where one can savor traditional delights such as Cheung Chau’s famous curry-flavored fish balls, fisherman’s barbecued squid, and mango mochi – old-time snacks that remain a hit for both young and old visitors and remain available in the trendy cafes that since popped up on the island.

Pak Tai Temple

Also known as Yuk Hui Temple, this is one of the oldest historic Taoist temples in Hong Kong situated north of the main village area, where

Pak She Street meets the Cheung Chau Family Walk.

Originally built in 1783 by the island’s fish ing community to honor Pak Tai (also known as ‘King of the North), the protector and patron de ity, this impressive structure includes a colorful ly ornate ceramic-tiled roof with two green-andgold dragons standing guard along the ridge. The main square outside Pak Tai Temple hosts the much-cherished Cheung Chau Jiao Festival or Cheung Chau Bun Festival.

North Lookout Pavilion and Pak Kok Tsui

The Cheung Chau Family Walk heads from Pak Tai Temple to the hilltop on the island’s northern side. This short but steep stretch takes hikers to Cheung Chau North Lookout Pavilion, the island’s highest point. From here you can enjoy a lovely view of the island’s tombolo formation. If you happen to be here on a clear day, you can look across at Lamma Island on one side, and Tsing Ma Bridge, con necting Lantau Island to Hong Kong’s urban areas on the other. This also gives a perfect spot for sunset views, which are not to be missed.

Further east along the pavilion, head to Pak Kok Tsui, a small peninsula with a small beach called Tung Wan Chai, a popular scenic spot then continue along the path through a little forest and back to the bustling part of the island.

San Hing Praya Street and Pak She Praya Road

If you northwards along the waterfront, past the main pier and rows of hanging sun-dried fish and you will reach San Hing Praya Street and Pak She Praya Road, which are home to many Cantonese-style seafood restaurants with al fres co dining. Diners can choose freshly caught sea food bought from the island’s fishmongers, and have it cooked to order. As an aside, there are also French, Thai, and Indian restaurants serving a wide range of seafood delights.

From 26 September 2022, inbound travel ers from overseas places or Taiwan arriving at Hong Kong International Airport will no longer be required to undergo compulsory hotel quar antine; instead, the new ‘0+3’ boarding and medical surveillance arrangements will apply. Visit the Hong Kong Tourism Board website at https://www.discoverhongkong.com/in/index.

deals, package tours, or more details.

ket in health, beauty, and wellness. For more information about the Hairfix Multiplex Serum products fol low HairfixPH on Instagram & Twit ter and like Lifestrong Hairfix PH on Facebook. You can also visit our web site at hairfix.com.ph and lifestrong. com.ph.

Strained or trembling voice?  Maybe it’s Spasmodic Dysphonia

By Tet Defensor

PEOPLE who overuse their voice, risk straining the muscles in the larynx. The discomfort causes speaking difficulties. In stead of delivering a solid tone, the voice is lower, raspy, and strained.

Teacher Jing Burias was alarmed when she could not pro nounce certain consonants. Work ing as an English teacher over seas, her work routine involved eight hours of nonstop talking, five days a week. She taught a class of 40 students, which re quired her to raise her voice all the time.

“After two years, I noticed my voice was getting worse. I started using a lapel microphone until it was no longer useful. We resorted to zoom classes.”

Her condition got so worse that she could hardly talk, and needed a writing tablet to convey what she needs to say.

Teacher Jing was diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia a voice disorder that involves in voluntary spasms in the voice box muscles, causing a tight, strained, or strangled sound. The neurolog ical speech disorder changes the vocal performance of the spoken sound. The change can happen with certain consonants or words. In severe cases, voice deteriora tion can post make a person dif ficult to understand.

When teacher Jing joined a support group for Spasmodic Dysphonia patients on Face book learned about the Isshiki Thyroplaty procedure at Isshiki Memorial Voice Center, Manila (IMVC).

Also known as phono surgery, Isshiki thyroplasty is a voice al teration procedure pioneered by Japanese surgeon Nobohiki Is shiki

“Dr. Isshiki has been perform ing the procedure in Japan for de cades. People all over the world would troop to Kyoto, Japan, to have the surgery,” shared IMVC surgeon Dr. John Espina

The idea for the procedure

started when a patient consulted with Dr. Isshiki about the change in his voice. During a karate class, the opponent kicked the patient’s neck right where the larynx is lo cated.

“The voice did not change but the Adam’s apple was dislocated. Dr. Isshiki manually brought it back to its original position, how ever, but the voice turned bad. He moved it back to the deformed location, and then shaved the la ryngeal framework structure (car tilage only). The patient’s voice was back to normal. Dr. Isshiki realized that by manipulating the Laryngeal Framework, voice can change and even improve disor ders,” explained IMVC surgeon Dr. Shamylle Quinto

The procedure manipulates the laryngeal structure to improve voice quality. Up until recently, Dr. Nobuhiko Isshiki himself would perform the surgery at the Isshiki Memorial Medical Center (IMVC) located in Kyoto, Japan.

The 92-year-old doctor passed away last August 2022.

IMVC Manila at Centuria Medical Makati is the first clinic outside Japan. Drs. Quinto and Espina trained under Dr. Isshiki in Kyoto, Japan back in 2016. Both are ear, nose, throat – head, and neck surgeons, with subspe cialties in Laryngology and Pho nosurgery.

The patient is conscious dur ing the two-hour Thyroplasty procedure. Once fully recov ered, the patient is advised to undergo speech therapy. Three weeks after the Thyroplasty procedure Teacher Jing’s speak ing voice was back to normal. She even posted a video singing “Top of the World.”

Aside from spasmodic dys phonia, IMVC addresses vocal problems which include hoarse ness, vocal cord paralysis, and voice change (both feminization and masculinization). Transgen der flight attendant Mikee Vitug posted about her voice feminiza tion procedure at IMVC.

With IMVC Manila, the sur geons hope to raise awareness of spasmodic dyspho nia.

“That’s the goal of our mentors in Japan. ‘Pag may nauutal-utal akala natin joke’, but it’s a serious neurological disorder, “ Dr. Quinto said. She added that just like Nihongo, the languages spoken in the Philippines are glottal. The words are structured in syllables there are pauses or airflow interruptions in between, which can lead to spasms. Vocal overdoers like teachers, announcers, and call center agents are prone to develop Spasmodic Dyspho nia.

Lifestrong’s General Manager, Marge Lee and President Lance Lee with Kim Chiu

Lifestrong’s General Manager, Marge Lee and President Lance Lee with Kim Chiu with Hair for Hope representative

Dr. John Espina and Dr. Shamylle Quinto

The island

known for its

fishing boats

Cheung Chau North Lookout Pavilion, the island’s highest point