Manila Standard - 2022 October 15 - Saturday

BEIJING—When Xi Jinping took power in 2012, some observers predicted he would be the most liberal Communist Party leader in China's history, based on his low-key profile, family backstory and perhaps a degree of misguided hope.

Ten years later, those forecasts lie in tatters, proving only how little was understood of the man who looks set

to become China's most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong at a major party congress starting Sunday.

Xi is widely expected to secure a third term as party leader at the meeting, upending the succession norms in place since the 1990s.

Xi has shown himself to be ruthless in his ambition, intolerant of dissent, with

a desire for control that has infiltrated almost every aspect of life in modern China.

He has gone from being primarily known as the husband of a celebrity singer to someone whose apparent charisma and aptitude for political storytelling have created a personality cult not seen since Mao's day.

PBBM still hands off De Lima

President not interfering with drug case, will let justice run its course

By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENT

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he will not intervene in the case of former senator Leila de Lima, who is currently detained on drug trafficking charges.

“I think urging prosecutors to do one thing or another is interfering,” Marcos said in reaction to Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman’s statement that the Presi dent could order prosecutors from the De partment of Justice (DOJ) to drop the case

against De Lima.

Meanwhile, De Lima called on Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to "make justice work again" in the country follow ing his son's arrest for a drug-related of fense (see related story on A1 – Editors).

“Like everyone else, whether he is the

‘No basis for socmed calls for Remulla to quit DOJ post’

By Vito Barcelo, Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo, Macon RamosAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday

said there was no basis for calls made on social media for Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla to resign after the latter’s eldest son was charged with receiving a package of high-grade marijuana or kush worth P1.3 million.

“You call for somebody to resign if he’s not doing his job or that they have misbehaved in that job. (Secretary Re mulla) has done quite the contrary,” Mar cos said during the sidelines of the 8th Annual Balik Scientist Convention.

The President said the elder Remulla has stated that he will not intervene in his son Juanito Jose Remulla III’s case.

The Secretary reiterated this on his re turn to the country last night after leading

son of the Justice Secretary or not, Juanito Jose Remulla is presumed innocent until proven guilty," De Lima said in a state ment.

"This same cardinal presumption is what should have been upheld for those

By Vince Lopez and Vito Barcelo

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday directed the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to look for ways to grant additional incentives to Filipino

scientists to entice them to return to the country and share their skills and knowl edge.

The President also encouraged the DOST to sustain and augment the short-, medium-, and long-term benefits for the

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that he is restrained from ap pointing new Cabinet secretaries because his administration is still in a "transition" phase, more than 100 days since he took office.

Mr. Marcos made the statement in re sponse to a media query as to why he did not appoint Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil as Press Secretary.

"Because we are still in transition. We talked about rightsizing all the time. We’re rightsizing everything, every where all the time and this is part of that. So that’s the reason," he said.

The President, nevertheless, assured he would soon fill up vacant Cabinet posts.

On Oct. 6, Mr. Marcos revealed that he is considering at least three personalities to be his next Press Secretary, and prefers a “journalist” or a “media practitioner” to serve as the new OPS chief.

Garafil resigned as head of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regula tory Board to accept Mr. Marcos' offer to serve as OPS OIC.

Garafil on Monday said she doesn't mind being offered the OIC position, say ing she is happy as long as she is enjoying the President’s trust and confidence.

A journalist turned lawyer, Garafil said the OPS may see "some changes" in the coming days.

Garafil's appointment came following the resignation of former Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles due to health rea sons.

Earlier, lawyer Vic Rodriguez also stepped down as Executive Secretary,

GOV’T URGED TO HANDLE HIGHS, LOWS

prices

OIL companies are set to implement another round of fuel price increases next week, industry observers said.

A GMA News Online report, cit ing an industry source, said that based on oil trading in the past four days, the price per liter of diesel is projected to increase by P2.40 to P2.70, while gasoline prices could rise by P0.60 to P0.90 per liter.

Oil Industry Management Bureau Director Rino Abad earlier cited the decision of the Organization of Petro leum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut oil production by 2 million bar rels, given the decline in oil prices following interest rate hikes in the United States.

The International Energy Agency said the recent decision of the OPEC+ coalition to cut oil production drove

Act on weak peso, PCCI group

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry wants the Marcos administration to act on the peso's further depreciation against the US dollar.

"The depreciation of our currency. Definitely... everything that we import, especially on food-related staple items," PCCI president George Barcelon told ANC's "Headstart" when asked what the government should act on.

"So, the government should try to mitigate that in a sense that supply should be made available. Those we do not produce enough, the importation should be more open," added the chief of the country’s biggest local business group.

The local currency finished the day’s trade at 58.935 after ending

Church calls

By Willie Casas

faithful

THE Catholic Church on Friday urged the faithful to go back to attending inperson Masses every Sunday as the country's COVID-19 situation continues to improve.

“We strongly encourage our faithful to return to the Sunday Eucharist with a purified heart, renewed amazement, and increased desire to meet the Lord, to be with him, to receive him, and bring him to our brothers and sisters with the witness of a life full of faith, love and hope,” CBCP president and Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Friday in a circular addressed to all bishops and Diocesan administrators.

David also reminded the public to still strictly follow government health protocols.

“Health protocols are still to be

HAPPY

Marcos

‘UNDAS’ PREPS. Caretakers at the Karuhatan Cemetery in Valenzuela City spruce up apartment-type tombs while a salesperson shows newly-designed Calla Lilies and Roses flower candles sold for P95 per bundle at Divisoria market as the country prepares for All Souls Day or ‘Undas’ in two weeks. Andrew Rabulan and Danny Pata

DOST ordered to boost program, incentives for

Marcos: Cabinet still in transition, rightsizing phase

NEXT TERM SET. A security official stands guard in front of a picture showing Chinese President Xi Jinping during the exhibition entitled ‘Forging Ahead in the New Era,’ showing the country's achievements during his past two terms, ahead of the 20th Communist Party Congress meeting. Noel Celis/AFP

PBBM vows close eye on ‘Neneng’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday assured the public that he is closely monitoring the developments on Tropical Depression Neneng.

Mr. Marcos said the government is not letting its guard down, given that the weather disturbance is unpredictable, and advised the public to stay alert.

"The key to all of this is watch it very closely because typhoons now have new features," the President said in an interview on the sidelines of an event in Pasay City.

"It develops fast, that's why we have to closely monitor it. So, that’s what we are doing. (Neneng) looks a little stronger than the previous one (Maymay)," Mr.

PBBM...

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who have been judged only too swiftly in the past (Duterte) administration's drug war and who were not given the chance to defend themselves before the courts,” she added.

This developed as six United States lawmakers led by Senator Edward J. Mar key urged the Marcos administration to re view the drug charges and release the for mer senator “from her unjust detention.”

In a letter to Remulla dated October 12, Markey, along with US Senators Richard Durbin and Patrick Leahy, and Congress members Aumua Amata Radewagen, Alan Lowenthal, and Donald Beyer Jr., expressed “deep concern” over De Lima’s “continued unjust imprisonment.”

The President’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, said at the Pandesal Forum that de Lima deserves to have a longer medical furlough and speedy justice, adding that she had been working since July on get ting the furlough, knowing her illnesses.

Remulla, according to the senator, was “okay” with her proposal, days after an al leged Abu Sayaff member took De Lima hostage inside the heavily-guarded Philip

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scientists and their families provided for under the law and beyond during the 8th Annual Balik Scientist Program Conven tion on Thursday.

"As we take advantage of the many op portunities available to us under what is be coming the new normal, it is important to highlight the critical role of the DOST, with the help of the participating ‘Balik Scien tists,’ to address the perennial issues in the country through research and development initiatives," he said.

Mr. Marcos revealed he was a “frus trated scientist” and spent most of his aca demic years pursuing a career in science only to be discouraged by his late father and

Xi...

The colorful details of his early life have been rinsed and repackaged in official party lore, but the man himself— and what drives him—remain somewhat more of an enigma.

"I dispute the conventional view that Xi Jinping struggles for power for power's sake," Alfred L. Chan, author of a book on Xi's life, told AFP.

"I would suggest that he strives for power as an instrument... to fulfil his vision."

Another biographer, Adrian Geiges, told AFP that he did not think Xi was motivated by a desire for personal enrichment, despite international media investigations having revealed his family's amassed wealth.

"That's not his interest," Geiges said.

"He really has a vision about China, he wants to see China as the most powerful country in the world."

Central to that vision -- what Xi calls the "Chinese Dream" or "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" -- is the role of the Communist Party (CCP).

"Xi is a man of faith... for him, God is the Communist Party," wrote Kerry

Catholic...

From A1 implemented in our parish churches and venues for the liturgical celebrations. We make sure that our faithful are convinced that they are safe in our churches and venues for the liturgical celebrations,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) reiterated Friday the importance of having booster shots following the emergence of new COVID-19 variants.

The DOH issued the remark after it was asked if the existing COVID-19 vaccines would work against new subvariants, including the new Omicron subvariant XBB.

“To limit mutations of the virus, transmission should be mitigated through vaccination. With emerging and re-emerging variants and sub-variants reported to have higher immune-evasive characteristics, the DOH stresses the importance of getting boosted against the virus,” the department said in a statement.

“Completing our booster doses and adhering to our health protocols will

Marcos said.

He said relief goods are already being prepositioned for families expected to be hit by the tropical depression.

Neneng has slightly weakened while it accelerates west-southwest, based on the 11 a.m. weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Last located 835 km. east of extreme northern Luzon, Neneng is forecast to

pine National Police Custodial Center.

"To my mind, we should talk to the DOJ... and I hope that Secretary Boying (Remulla) for humanitarian reasons will listen to our plea, that senator De Lima be considered for extended medical furlough. Given that she had been granted that be fore," Sen. Marcos added.

De Lima has been detained since Feb ruary 2017 due to allegations that, while serving as Justice Secretary under the Aquino III administration, she conspired to commit illegal drug trading with cor rections officials and inmates.

“Sec. Remulla, for the sake of your son, for my sake, and [for] thethousands killed (in the illegal drug war) whose fam ilies are still grieving, make justice work again in this country,” the ex-senator said.

Lagman, a leading opposition law maker, said the President has two legal options — to order prosecutors to dismiss the charges instigated by then-President Rodrigo Duterte or to stop opposing De Lima's petition for bail.

The US lawmakers cited the foiled at tempt to hold De Lima hostage last Sun day, which they said further highlights the need for the administration to revisit the former senator’s case “rather than simply

namesake, the former President.

“All my scholastic career was spent in science and it was only toward the end that it was explained to me by my father that science is difficult, you will not get rich in science,” Mr. Marcos said.

The President said if his father were still alive, he would introduce him to Tesla CEO Elon Musk; Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos; and tech companies Microsoft and Apple.

“That is why I feel very strongly about it and I know the advantages that science can bring and that the training in the technical, the technical training that our students can receive and the advantages they will bring to themselves and also to our transforming economy,” he added.

During the event, Mr. Marcos called on the DOST headed by Secretary Renato So

Brown, author of "Xi: A Study in Power".

"The greatest mistake the rest of the world makes about Xi is to not take this faith seriously."

'Traumatized'

Xi might not seem an obvious candidate to become a CCP diehard, though he grew up as a "princeling", or member of the party elite.

His father Xi Zhongxun was a revolutionary hero turned vice premier, whose "strictness toward his family members was so serious that even those close to him believed it bordered on the inhuman", according to the elder Xi's biographer Joseph Torigian.

But when Zhongxun was purged by Mao and targeted during the Cultural Revolution, "(Jinping) and his family were traumatized", said Chan.

His status vanished overnight, and the family was split up. One of his half-sisters is reported to have killed herself because of the persecution.

Xi has said he was ostracized by his classmates, an experience the political scientist David Shambaugh suggests contributed to a "sense of emotional and psychological detachment and his autonomy from a very young age". (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

prevent severe and critical cases, and protect our hospitals and healthcare facilities from getting overwhelmed,” it added.

The DOH said that it would continue to keep track of the coronavirus variants, with assistance from the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Omicron subvariants under monitoring as of October 12, 2022 are BA.5, BA.2.75, BJ.1, BA.4.6, XBB, and BA.2.3.20.

The Philippines has yet to report a case of Omicron subvariant XBB.

Citing preliminary studies, the DOH said that the “sublineage shows higher immune evasion ability than BA.5.”

In response to the view of some health experts that the country is nearing the endemic stage for COVID-19, the DOH said it would wait for guidance from "global health partners."

“The DOH reiterates that as we learn to live with the virus, we must continue to protect ourselves against the severe form of COVID-19,” the DOH said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

continue moving west-southwest before turning westward by Friday night or early Saturday morning.

PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 may be hoisted on Friday af ternoon over the eastern portion of north ern Luzon in anticipation of winds of at least strong breeze to near-gale strength associated with the approaching tropical cyclone.

“Per latest track and intensity forecast, the most likely highest wind signal that will be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 2,” the weather bureau said.

Neneng is forecast to maintain this heading until it makes landfall or may pass very close to the Babuyan Islands or

transfer her to another detention site.”

“By reviewing Senator De Lima’s case, dropping the charges against her, and bringing those responsible for her unjust detention to account, you and President Marcos Jr. can turn the page on [former] President Duterte’s abuses and demon strate your commitment to the rule of law in the Philippines,” they said.

De Lima on Thursday said that while she would never ask Mr. Marcos to inter fere with the courts, the President could order the DOJ to stop blocking the testi mony of witnesses who recanted their tes timony against her.

The ex-senator was briefly held hos tage by an inmate during an attempted breakout at the PNP Custodial Center in Quezon City earlier this week.

“I have said, we are very, very clear that we have three departmentsof government and I am sure we should not [interfere and] … let it decide,” the President told reporters.

“We are not doubting the (court) pro cess. I think the process is there, we are continuing to monitor what is going on,” he also said.

Earlier, the President offered de Lima the option of being transferred to another detention facility, but she said she feels

lidum to provide more incentives for Fili pino scientists.

"You must continue to strengthen the implementation of the Balik Scientist Pro gram and find ways to provide more incen tives to encourage more Filipino scientists to come back to the country and share their expertise," he added.

The DOST's Balik Scientist Program encourages Filipino scientists, technolo gists, and experts to return to the Philip pines and share their expertise in order to promote scientific, agro-industrial, and eco nomic development, including the develop ment of the country's human capital in sci ence, technology, and innovation.

The program aims to reverse the effect of the so-called "brain drain," improve sci ence and technology capabilities, acceler ate the flow of technologies, and promote

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prices up and could bring the global economy into recession, according to a report by Reuters.

Last Tuesday, oil firms increased the prices per liter of gasoline by P1.20, die sel by P6.85, and kerosene by P3.50. The increases reversed the impact of smaller price rollbacks in previous weeks.

Senator Risa Hontiveros meanwhile urged the government to hasten the roll out of renewable energy projects in the Philippines.

The senator, a known supporter of re newable energy, made the statement Fri day after local oil companies declared hikes in pump prices, due to drastic cuts in production announced by the OPEC + coalition.

“The present situation only shows how vulnerable our nation is to oil price shocks. If nothing is changed, we will always be at the mercy of the market and its most influential players. We need to hasten the rollout of renewable energy projects that would benefit our people," Hontiveros said.

She explained that at present, the Philippines makes use of imported oil for a sizable part of its energy needs. Hontiveros said this makes the country

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the previous session again at its re cord-low of 59.00 to a dollar, the third time it finished at this level to date.

It opened the day at 58.97, sideways from its 58.9 start on Thursday.

It traded between 58.88 and 58.985, resulting in an average of 58.931.

Volume reached $542.8 mil lion, higher than the previous day’s USD524.08 million.

Barcelon warned the shortage of raw items may drive up prices, especially as the holiday season is around the corner.

"We continuously communicate with the key Cabinet secretaries... and we share with them some input that we see because we have more visibility on the ground," he said.

Several analysts have agreed the P60 to $1 level is possible, but the currency is also poised to gain from the uptick in remittances during the holidays.

Batanes on Sunday, PAGASA said.

It may further intensify while moving over the Philippine Sea and may reach tropical storm category by Saturday eve ning or Sunday early morning.

According to the latest weather bulle tin, Batanes, Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Kalinga will likely experience light to moderate with at times heavy rains on Saturday.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may prevail in Batanes, Babuyan Is lands, Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the rest of the Ilocos and Cordillera regions on Sunday. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

safer in the custodial facility.

"I spoke to her Sunday morning, I asked Secretary Benhur Abalos to go and to find out that everything was okay, that she was okay," Mr. Marcos said.

"So, she never asked me to do any thing, that’s what she tweeted, what she tweeted, that's the extent of it, that's the extent of our discussion with the former senator," the President added.

The American solons also called for the conduct of an “independent and impartial investigation into the circumstances that led members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other witnesses to make false claims against Senator De Lima.”

According to them, the probe should similarly include “identifying any mem bers of the Duterte administration who may have been involved, and to hold those individuals to account.”

While they said the ongoing case against De Lima is “especially troubling,” they remained hopeful that the Marcos administration will steer the case in a dif ferent direction, citing separate August meetings of a Markey-led US congressio nal delegation in the country with both the President and De Lima. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

knowledge sharing.

The enactment of Republic Act (RA) 11035 or the Balik Scientist Act in June 2018 also paved the way for DOST to grant returning Filipino scientists with competi tive benefits such as daily subsistence al lowance, health insurance, and roundtrip airfare.

Mr. Marcos likewise lauded the DOST for its efforts in creating opportunities for emerging Filipino scientists.

"These benefits include allowances, ed ucation assistance for their minor children, and participation in grants-in-aid projects, amongst many others. And perhaps, we will take even more initiatives because in this technological world, once again, we look to our scientists, we look to science to solve our problems, to show us the way to the future," he said. Vito Barcelo

a “repeat victim” of changes and disrup tions in global market prices of petro leum products.

“By investing more in renewable energy projects such as solar, offshore wind, small and medium hydroelectric and geothermal projects, we will be do ing much to lessen our dependence on imported oil,” she said.

Hontiveros noted that during the re cent hearing on the annual budget of the Department of Energy (DOE) and af filiated agencies, energy officials led by DOE Secretary Raphael Lotilla agreed with the need to implement reforms that will drive investments into local renew able energy projects and technologies.

At the hearing, Hontiveros also pressed the DOE, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other agencies for faster and more effective implementa tion of the nationwide electric vehicle pro gram, and to iron out problems preventing the wider adoption of “non-gas guzzling” vehicles in the country.

Hontiveros also urged her colleagues in the Senate to support her proposed Senate Bill No. 378 or the Solar Home System Financing for Social Housing Program Act, which aims to provide im poverished families in socialized hous ing sites easy access to solar energy technology and its benefits.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

About 4 in 10 Filipinos disapproved of the Marcos administration's efforts to tame inflation, according to a recent Pulse Asia survey.

Inflation emerged as the top urgent national concern in the poll.

Inflation quickened to 6.9 percent in September, government data showed.

Higher price movements of food and non-alcoholic beverages were among the causes of this last month's inflation spike, the Philippine Statistics Author ity has said.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corpora tion (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the local currency gained after a two-day slide due to the correc tion of the greenback, which he traced to the higher-than-expected September inflation rate in the US at 8.2 percent.

Although the latest inflation print in the US is a deceleration from the previ ous month’s 8.3 percent, it is still among the highest in more than 40 years or since January 1982, he said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Procurement reforms up for DBM, World Bank

SECRETARY Amenah F. Pangandaman of the Department of Budget and Manage ment (DBM) met with officials from the World Bank on Thursday to discuss pro spective collaboration and partnership to initiate and implement reforms in the Philip pine government’s procurement law.

This initiative is in line with the agen da of Pangandaman to maximize the use of digitalization to ensure transparency and generate savings on the public pro curement process.

“The Government Procurement Re form Act (Republic Act 9184) was passed in 2003. That was nearly two decades ago. The timing is therefore ripe to introduce further reforms and review the govern ment procurement process,” Panganda man said.

“We are seriously advocating this to promote efficiency and sustainability in our public procurement process, as well as to further professionalize our procure ment practitioners. This is, in fact, one of the top agenda I mentioned during my confirmation as DBM Secretary. We will endeavor to make this happen,” the Sec retary added.

During the meeting in Washington DC, the World Bank expressed its admira tion and full support to the new leadership of the DBM, and likewise committed to provide technical assistance to the DBM so it can efficiently study, plan, and imple ment reforms and amendments in the pro curement law.

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the Philippine delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 51st dialogues in Geneva, Switzerland.

Remulla said he has yet to see his son, who is currently under the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

“He has taken the very proper posi tion that he is recusing himself from any involvement in the case of his son,” Mr. Marcos noted.

“I think that being the secretary of the Department of Justice he’s very aware that he must allow the processes of the judiciary to work properly and that no one in the executive should interfere,” the President said.

Amid calls by some sectors for him to step down, Remulla said only Mr. Marcos Jr. can decide on his fate in government.

“I serve at the pleasure of the Presi dent. I think that’s the most important principle here,” Remulla said in an inter view with SMNI network Friday.

“When I heard about it, I did not ask for any favor, just to get him a lawyer for his right to defend himself,” he said.

“I have not asked anybody any favor because the system has to work. I am part of the system, I trust the system,” added Remulla, who said hewill remain focused on his job in reforming the justice system.

Criminal charges have been filed against Juanito Jose Remulla III for the alleged importation of dangerous drugs, which carries a penalty of life imprison ment and a fine of P500,000 to P10 mil lion.

In a statement Friday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Juanito Jose has been charged for violat ing the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Las Piñas City Prosecutor's Office on Thursday.

The younger Remulla was arrested at around 11:10 a.m. on Oct. 11 in Barangay Talon Dos, Las Piñas City, in connection with a shipment containing 893.91 grams of kush or high-grade marijuana inter cepted atthe Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

The contraband was in a parcel shipped by a certain Benjamin Huffman, from the United States and allegedly con signed to the younger Remulla.

The city prosecutor recommended no bail for Juanito Jose owing to the volume of illegal drugs involved.

In a handwritten statement on Thurs day, Justice Secretary Remulla said he would "not intervene in his son's predica ment."

“We all know about unconditional love, but at 38 years old, he will have to face his predicament as a fully emanci pated child. I have toabide by the oath of office I took when I assumed this posi tion,” Remulla wrote. (See full story on line at manilastandard.net)

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replaced by former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

Regarding the Press Secretary post, Mr. Marcos said his final decision is ex pected to be made public soon.

The President said rightsizing is among his priorities, noting that in his first order as President, he abolished the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commis sion (PACC) and the Office of the Cabi net Secretary, citing the need for a “just allocation of resources” due to the ongo ing health and fiscal crises. Vince Lopez

‘LGUs should respect BSKE postponement’

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama said local government units (LGUs) should respect the government’s decision to postpone the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Rama, who is also president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Mar cos Jr., as well as the Senate and Con gress, “were aware of the situation of

the country.”

“We must also respect the postpone ment because the President, Senate, and Congress are more aware of what the situation is, economically and finan

cially. And we should support the Presi dent,” Rama, quoted by a GMA News report, said.

The official acknowledged the con cern over the postponement, like the democratic right of Filipinos to replace local leaders. “The only problem is, democratically, some are saying they have been waiting to take the chance of replacing us or some officials at the ba rangay and SK levels,” he further said.

Asked about the reaction of other mayors on the postponement, Rama said that elections were always a burden on the pocket of public officials.

Mr. Marcos signed on October a law moving the 2022 December BSKE to October 2023.

Earlier, Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Garcia said the Comelec’s preparation for the 2022 BSKE would continue in case

a petition for a temporary restrain ing order against the postponement was filed with and granted by the Supreme Court.

The poll chief said “nobody can prevent an interest group, a citizen’s arm, a cause-oriented group, or even an ordinary taxpayer from question ing the legality and constitutionality of any law, or in this case, this post ponement, to the Supreme Court.”

IN BRIEF

PH cholera cases reach 3,890 since start of year, DOH says

THE Philippines has logged 3,890 cholera cases since the start of 2022 or a 286- percent increase from the number of cases reported in 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

The country had 1,009 cholera cases from January to Octo ber 1 last year, the DOH reported.

“Cholera cases this 2022 are actually higher than what we reported even during the pre-pandemic years,” Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH’s epidemiology bureau, said in a press briefing.

Most cholera cases were tallied in Eastern Visayas (2,622), Davao Region (441) and Caraga (289). DOH data also showed that 52 percent or 2,031 afflicted with cholera this year were female and 18 percent or 692 were aged 5 to 9.

The DOH confirmed 37 deaths from cholera as of Oct. 1. The figure is 640 percent higher than the five cholera-related deaths recorded during the same period in 2021.

De Guzman said the epidemic threshold for cholera was breached in July in which the country recorded many cases.

“But we see…during the last peak in July it went down, and likely to plateau over the last month,” she added.

The DOH flagged Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas for exceeding the epidemic threshold in the past 4 months.

The following areas also recorded positive growth rate of cholera cases in the past month:

· Central Luzon: Olongapo City · Bicol Region: Camarines Sur · Western Visayas 6: Catanduanes, Masbate

· Eastern Visayas: Eastern Samar, Leyte and Ormoc City Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by inges tion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, the World Health Organization said. Willie Casas

Dengue cases at more than 170K, 191% higher than cases last year

THE Department of Health reported that the Philippines logged 173,233 dengue cases since the start of the year, which is 191 percent higher from the number of cases recorded in 2021.

Dr. Alethea De Guzman, director of DOH’s epidemiology bureau, said dengue cases in the country started increasing in the third week of March

De Guzman the peak was in the second week of July, and the epidemic curve shows a decreasing number of cases.

From January 1 to October 1 last year, the Philippines had 59,514 dengue cases, the DOH said.

Central Luzon (34,347), Metro Manila (18,638) and Cala barzon (14,984) led with the most number of dengue cases among regions, the agency said.

DOH data show that 54 percent infected with dengue were aged below 15 and as of Oct. 1, some 528 dengue-related deaths or a 0.3 percent case fatality rate have been reported.

The DOH flagged Central Luzon, BARMM and CAR for exceeding the epidemic threshold in the past 4 weeks.

DAR beefs up legal dept. to hasten resolution of ARB land disputes

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has moved to strengthen its legal department with recruits to speed up the resolution of cases of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III made the statement Friday as he acknowledged legal impediments faced by ARBs when DAR has distributed numerous Certificate of Land Ownership Awards, thus preventing them from taking full possession and control of their lands.

Each delay in the resolution of cases “would be a big blow to the country’s food self-sufficiency program as many farm lands that are under litigations are often left untilled or idle,” Estrella said.

“Resolving pending cases is one of the major concerns of the Department to avoid protracted litigations that prevent the ARBs from possessing and making productive the lands awarded to them,” Estrella said.

“The earlier these cases are resolved, the earlier we can help them move on with their lives,” he added. Maricel V. Cruz

MANILA

Residences (Federal & Robinsons Land)

Dansalan Gardens (DMCI)

Residences (SMDC)

Regency (Robinsons)

Garden Residences (DMCI)

1 and 2 Residences (SMDC)

Dover View (San Miguel Properties)

Residences at Wack Wack (Shang Properties )

Private Residences (Robinsons)

Tivoli Garden Residences (DMCI)

Dover View (San Miguel Properties)

Shaw (Vista Land)

Alonzo Parksuites (Anchor Land) 878 Espana (Vista Land)

Admiral Baysuites (Anchor Land)

Amaia Skies Avenida (Ayala Land)

Amaia Skies Sta. Mesa (Ayala Land)

Anchor Grandsuites (Anchor Land)

Anchor Skysuites (Anchor Land)

Avida Towers Intima (Ayala Land)

Bradbury Heights (Vista Land)

Cornell Parksuites (Anchor Land)

Crown Tower University Belt (Vista Land)

Golden Empire Tower (Moldex Realty) Green Residences (SMDC)

Isabelle De Hidalgo

News

Cayetano: Convert NAIA lot into park, name after Marcos

By Macon Ramos-Aranetaand Joel E. Zurbano

SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano has urged the government to convert into a business park a portion the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) compound once the plan to put up airports in Bulacan and Cavite provinces pushes through.

Meanwhile, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippines’ premier gateway, got a satisfactory approval from the United States —Transportation Security Administration (USTSA) for its improved security measures.

Cayetano also proposed that one part of the business park should be named after the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and the other portion after the martyred former Senator Ninoy Aquino Jr.

Having done the rechristening, Cayetano said businesses should compete there. “It’s now up to the public where they want to go.”

He believes his plan could help boost the national economic recovery instead of calling for a boycott.

Marcos and Aquino, the senator noted were both part of the country’s history.

The country’s premier airport was named after Aquino who was killed by an assassin’s bullets at the airport’s tarmac upon arrival from the United States.

There is a measure in Congress to name the airport after Marcos.

He appealed to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to build more parks, saying the public always go to malls while parks are good places to go to with family and friends.

Aside from being therapeutic and the health benefits, he said it is not costly to build parks.

For his part, Sen. Sonny Angara said there should be many open spaces for sports activities.

On the other hand, Senator Imee Marcos said building green landscapes should be included in the policies of the DPWH.

Replying to the suggestion of Cayetano, DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the establishment of parks is not included in the infrastructure projects of the administration.

TURNOVER RITE. Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd, left), assisted by Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre (right), turns-over hospital equipment, beddings and hygiene kits to Medical Center chief Lyn Verona of the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center in Palo Leyte. Also in photo is Assistant Regional Director Rodolfo Antonio Albornoz. Inset Speaker Romualdez presides at a meeting with regional o cials of Eastern Visayas who voiced out their respective priority concerns in governance. Ver Noveno

Imee: Inflation is real; we’ll be doing better soon

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Imee Marcos on Friday told the people to face the reality that inflation has set in and expecting a quick economic turnaround is “nothing short of a miracle.”

During the weekly Pandesal Forum, Imee was asked about her assessment of the first 100 days of her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

She said she believes the country will

4Ps not enough to solve mass poverty—Salceda

By Maricel V. Cruz

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Friday cited the need for investments in rural development and urban poor communities, saying the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other individual and household-level interventions “are not sufficient conditions for lifting millions out of poverty.”

Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, made the statement following the release of a 62-page performance audit report on 4Ps posted on the COA website last week, which stated that about 90 percent of the active beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are still below the poverty threshold.

Salceda stressed the need for the government to “revisit and recalibrate the role of the 4Ps in the general poverty reduction strategy of government.”

The report noted that out of some 4.2 million active 4Ps beneficiaries who have been on the program for seven to 13 years, 90 percent or a total of 3,820,012 households, are still below the poverty threshold.

“Money alone is not enough. While it creates virtuous cycles in local economies, and while it provides a basic social safety net that allows poor households to take more rewarding risks, money is not enough. Money on an individual and household level is not enough,” Salceda said.

“The DSWD’s programs to protect families from the worst social and economic conditions were never meant to stand alone. They should always be part of a broader plan to revitalize urban and rural communities,” Salceda said.

“The aim should still be to create better conditions for farming, for working, and for entrepreneurship. That means investments in rural and urban development.”

be doing doing better very quickly as the President has been attending to his job well.

Sen. Marcos underscored the difficulties her brother is facing, adding he has

to listen to the 31 million Filipinos who voted for him.

The senator said the President has to evaluate and listen to each one, before making a decision.

For his part, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go urged the government to adopt measures to address the rising prices of commodities in the country.

He called for cooperation and a wholeof-nation approach in addressing the inflation issue, noting that the common and poor Filipinos are most affected by the adverse economic effect of various global crises including the ongoing pandemic.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, annual inflation in the country increased to 6.9 percent in September from 6.3 percent in August, the highest level since October 2018.

The most recent figure raises the average inflation rate of the country for the first nine months to 5.1 percent.

The increase in the cost of electricity and staple foods, along with the depreciation of the Philippine peso, according to PSA head Dennis Mapa, were the main factors in September’s inflation rate.

Asked if he would advise the Executive branch to provide financial aid to strug-

gling Filipinos as a result of the rising inflation, Go responded in the affirmative, saying that the government must do everything in its power to ease the burden of the poor and vulnerable sectors.

The senator also urged the Marcos administration to continue prioritizing the welfare of the poor first and prevent any Filipino from going hungry as a result of rising prices.

Earlier, Go urged the government to strengthen measures against other threats to the country’s economic recovery, particularly the soaring oil and gas prices brought by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Lawyers’ group seeks court protection from authorities

By Rey E. Requejo

THE National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers on Friday asked the Supreme Court to resolve its two-year-old petition which sought a reversal of the Court of Appeals’ 2019 decision that dismissed the group’s plea for protection against what the lawyers called “harassment and threats by the police and the military” against them.

In its appeal, NUPL reiterated its plea for the SC to stop the respondents (mostly police and military officials) from red tagging and vilifying the NUPL members.

“While the instant Petition is pending before this Honorable Court, Petitioner NUPL and its members have experienced and continue to be subjected to malicious vilification, real threats and vicious harassment in different forms and platforms,” the NUPL said.

“Your officers of the court are respectfully

seeking succor before we, as endangered species, become extinct,” the group said.

In its July 26, 2019 decision, the CA dismissed NUPL’s petition for writs of amparo and habeas data. The petition was originally filed with the SC on April 24, 2019, but the High Court tossed the case to the CA for hearing and resolution.

A writ of amparo “is a remedy available to any person whose right to life, liberty and security is violated or threatened with violation by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity.”

A writ of habeas data, on the other hand, “is a legal remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information.”

Suarez bats for national water use plan to help irrigate PH farmlands

HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader David C. Suarez (2nd District, Quezon) has urged the government to come up with a comprehensive program on the proper and cost-effective use of water systems to address the perennial problem of water shortage for farmlands and subsequently, ensure a more efficient national food security program.

Suarez, vice chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, said the creation of a National Water Use Plan will provide farmers with accessible water supply to improve their productivity and boost their incomes.

“Kailangan ng ating mga magsasaka ang mabisang plano na magsisiguro ng maayos at tuloy-tuloy na supply ng tubig at irigasyon sa kanilang mga sakahan. Mahalagang mabuo agad ng pamahalaan ang National Water Use Plan nang sa ganun ay maging mas kampante ang ating mga magsasaka,” Suarez said in a press statement.

“Ayon sa datos mula sa National Irrigation Administration o NIA, halos 36 porsiyento ng ating 3,128,631 total irrigable areas ay walang matinong irrigation system. Kailangan muna nating resolbahin ang ugat ng problemang ito. Dito papasok ang pagkakaroon ng isang National Water Use Plan na siyang sagot sa kakulangan ng tubig sa ating mga palayan,” Suarez said.

Upang maabot ang food security para sa bansa mahalaga na isabay sa pagpapatupad ng national farm to market road plan and national water use plan. This will ensure we optimize our natural resource towards sustainability and security.” Suarez added.

The comprehensive water program, the lawmaker said, would complement the National Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) masterplan, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked agriculture officials and experts to create the soonest time possible.

Manila solon: Study costs of all online gaming

A MANILA lawmaker on Friday urged the government to focus more on studying the social costs of all types of online gambling instead of singling out the controversial Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.

“The recent spotlight on the negative impact of POGOs should also be cast on all forms of online gambling in the country. This is because POGOs cater to players abroad, unlike online games that target Filipino customers such as virtual poker, casinos, sports betting, and e-bingo,” Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. said in a statement.

“Since Filipinos are the targets of

online gambling platforms, it is clear that the social costs of electronic gambling are greater than that of POGOs,” he said.

The lawmaker pointed out that the recent Senate hearing on POGOs only highlighted the fact that online gambling is illegal in China, and the Chinese government has been taking tough measures to combat all forms of gambling.

Abante quoted the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Manila as saying “Chinese citizens gambling overseas, opening casinos to attract Chinese citizens as primary customers constitute gambling crimes.”

“But what about our own people? By

allowing online gambling here, are we not acting as enablers of a vice that has proven to be so destructive and counterproductive in China that its government has outlawed it?” Abante noted.

He said the Department of Finance was correct in saying that it was difficult to quantify the social costs of the POGO industry, and the same could hold true for the local online gambling industry.

“But if we insist on weighing the social costs of particular industries against the revenues they earn, then let’s make an earnest effort to study the effects of online gambling on our citizens,” said the lawmaker.

Manila North Cemetery open to public for Undas

By Willie Casas

FOR the first time in two years, the Manila North Cemetery will be open to visitors on October 29 to November 2 in observance of the traditional All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, or Undas. . Park officials said the visitors must be vaccinated against COVID-19, while children aged 12 and below will still not be permitted inside the cemetery. They also urged the public to observe health protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face masks while inside the cemetery.

Citing Department of Health (DOH) data, the park officials children 12 years old and younger have the lowest vaccination rate.”

“And since we will not be able to really observe physical distancing during Undas even though it is open-air, the people must still wear masks,” said cemetery director Roselle Castañeda.

Public cemeteries across the country were closed during Undas in 2020 and 2021 at the height of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, police said liquor, bladed materials, and firearms are banned from the cemetery premises. No vendors will also be allowed.

Burial inside the Manila North Cemetery will be permitted until October 28 and resume on November 3.

The last day for cleaning of the graves in the cemetery will be on October 25.

HORROR TO SCARE YOUR WIT AWAY. Scary characters lurk in every corner of the five-story Nightmares Manila in Parañaque City to provide chilling entertainment to visitors. The creepy scenes include Zombie Assault, an interactive shooting gallery-style game where guests can “shoot” at zombies, and other targets; four Escape Rooms, each with its own set of puzzles, mini-games, and special scary effects. Or you can indulge in Escape The Serial Killer, The Heist, the Jigsaw-themed The Cell, and Pharaoh’s Curse. The place is open daily from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight. Danny Pata

ETHNIC WEAVES PLUS. Likhang Habi Market Fair is now open at the Activity Center of the Glorietta  in Makati City, showcasing  local textiles and various artisanal wares from the regions consisting of handmade cloths, woven fabrics, ready-to-wear clothes, accessories, furniture, and pottery.  Diana Noche

IN

Opinion

Mad about fake news

istration, which spans just a little over a hundred days, to be killed as Negros Oriental radioman, Rey Blan co, was stabbed to death just this September 18, 2022.

It said: “This definitely adds salt to the wounds of our local journalists (who) are already enduring pres ently as earlier this year, specifically on May 2022, the Philippines already slipped nine spots to 147th out of 180 countries in the 2022 World Press Freedom Index by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders.”

THE latest Pulse Asia Survey, conducted Septem ber 17 to 21, 90 percent of Filipinos are exposed to fake political news while 86 percent believe false or fake news is a problem in the country.

The survey also showed that 26 percent of the respondents have read, heard, and/or watched false news about government and politics a few times a week, 25 percent experienced the same a few times a month, and 21 percent at least once a day.

The survey further showed that those who have read, heard, and/or watched fake political news once a week reached 17 percent, while 10 percent of Fili pino adults are not aware of untrue news regarding government and politics; at least 58 percent of the respondents said social media influencers, bloggers, and/or vloggers are top peddlers of fake news about government and politics, followed by journalists at 40 percent, and national level politicians at 37 percent.

Local politicians ranked fourth among alleged sources of false information about government and politics at 30 percent, followed by civic leaders/NGO leaders at 15 percent, businessmen at 11 percent, and academics, professors, or teachers at 4 percent.

The remaining 1 percent went to friends/acquain tances at .4 percent, neighborhood/ordinary citizens at .3 percent, and New People’s Army at .1 percent.

Those who don’t know the sources of false infor mation accounted for 2 percent.

The survey respondents also identified either so cial media or the internet (68 percent) or television (67 percent) as their source of fake news about gov ernment and politics.

What is encouraging, however, is that at least 55 percent of the respondents expressed confidence in the ability of Filipinos to ascertain the truthfulness of political news they hear, read, and/or watch compared to 37 percent saying they cannot say if their fellow men can spot fake news, and only 7 percent lacks confidence in the ability of other people to determine the truth in what they hear or watch.

The Pulse Asia survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews based on a sample of 1,200 respondents 18 years old and above, with a ± 2.8 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

As a result of related developments, particularly the proliferation of fake news in connection with the killing of popular radio commentator, Percy Mabasa, the Movement Against Disinformation (MAD) re leased a series of statements to condemn, not only the murder of Mabasa, but also fake news attacking journalists, online and offline.

In a statement of support to TV 5 journalists Ed Lingao and Lourd de Veyra, MAD said:

“On October 4, 2022, an individual named ‘Seth Corteza ng Metrosun’ under the Twitter username, @ PinggoyB, claimed that the TV5’s broadcasters, Mr. Ed Lingao and Mr. Lourd De Veyra are allegedly two of the persons who are next who would be put down under a ‘kill contract.’ This tweet was posted barely a day after the brutal murder of Percival ‘Percy Lapid’ Mabasa.”

MAD pointed out it is noteworthy that Mr. Ma basa is the second journalist under the current admin

Truth be told, according to MAD, the news on the attacks, both online and offline, to our journalists has been normalized in the Philippines.

But this must not be the case in a democratic country.

MAD urges the government to take every single threat to our journalists seriously. Investigations should immediately take place and measures taken to assure our journalists’ safety during the process.

And yes, the Philippine government should ensure accountability against people who are intimidating the freedom of speech and press.

MAD released a statement in support of Nobel laureates Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov’s 10- point plan to address the information crisis in the country

In a separate statement, MAD also called out the Sonshine Media Network International and the pre senters of “Laban Kasama Ang Bayan” for using, abusing, and misusing SMNI’s legislative franchise thru blatant red tagging and attacking the person of Maria Ressa and Rappler.

Additionally, MAD released a statement in sup port of Nobel laureates Maria Ressa and Dmitry Mu ratov 10-point plan to address the information crisis in the country.

In its statement, MAD commits to carrying out the herculean task of localizing and implementing this plan in the Philippines.

This is a very important job and an urgent call to action not only to bureaucratic institutions and estab lished organizations but to each one who believes in democracy and resists against fascism.

As founding President of MAD, I am proud of how our new organization is fighting fake news.

Our founding Chair, Atty Rico Domingo, has guided us to be consistent in being non-partisan.

Legal luminaries like Dean Sol Mawis, former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, and former Comelec Chair Christian Monsod, experienced, and young law yers and advocates are active in working with us.

A youth chapter and Mindanao chapter of MAD are also being organized.

We will not stop until this scourge of disinforma tion is stopped, at the very least the harm it causes is minimized.

Website; tonylavina.com.

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

Xi decade reshapes China’s military, and the region

By Andrew Beatty

DURING Xi Jinping’s decade-long rule, China has built the world’s largest navy, revamped the globe’s biggest standing army, and amassed a nuclear and ballistic arsenal to trouble any foe.

With China’s neighbors now rushing to keep pace, Xi’s next five-year term is likely to see a quickening Asia-Pacific arms race.

From South Korea developing a blue-water navy to Australia buying nuclear-powered sub marines, weapons shopping has surged across the region.

According to figures from the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, AsiaPacific defense spending passed $1 trillion last year alone.

China, the Philippines and Vietnam have roughly doubled spending in the last decade. South Korea, In dia and Pakistan are not far behind.

Even Japan is proposing record defense budgets and inching towards ending its long-standing “no first strike” policy, citing an “increasingly severe” security environment.

“All the key players in the Indo-Pacific region are responding to China’s military modernization, basically as fast as they can,” said Malcolm Davis, a former Australian defense official now with the Aus tralian Strategic Policy Institute.

Paper tiger no more

For years, the People’s Liberation Army was seen as ill-equipped and ineffective — disparaged by one historian as “the world’s largest military museum”.

It was kitted out with aging Soviet-derived weap onry, riddled with corruption and was a predomi nantly infantry force with a less-than-stellar record in foreign campaigns.

Beijing’s participation in the Korean War cost al most 200,000 Chinese lives. A 1979 invasion of Viet nam cost tens of thousands more and has been mostly airbrushed from official histories.

When Xi became commander-in-chief of the PLA in 2013, some reforms were already under way.

They began in the 1990s, when Jiang Zemin was shocked and awed into action by US military prow ess during the Gulf War and the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis.

But “it wasn’t really until Xi Jinping came in that that effort started translating to capability”, strategic consultant Alexander Neill told AFP.

The PLA had then just launched its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning — a refurbished Ukrainian ship — and the J-15 multi-role fighter aircraft, based on a Sukhoi prototype.

Beijing’s military budget has now increased for 27 consecutive years, according to the Stockholm Inter national Peace Research Institute.

‘Only competitor’

Today, China boasts two active aircraft carriers, hundreds of long- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, thousands of warplanes and a navy surpass ing even the United States’s.

After China launched a brief and partial blockade

of Taiwan in August, a top US military officer tacitly conceded that preventing the real thing would not be easy, even for Washington.

“They have a very large navy, and if they want to bully and put ships around Taiwan, they very much can do that,” Seventh Fleet commander Karl Thomas told US media.

Meanwhile, China’s nuclear stockpile is increas ing exponentially and — according to the Pentagon — can probably now be launched from land, sea and air, echoing the US nuclear triad.

According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, China has about 350 nuclear warheads, double the amount held during the Cold War.

With China’s neighbors now rushing to keep pace, Xi’s next five-year term is likely to see a quickening AsiaPacific arms race

US intelligence predicts that this stockpile may double again to 700 by 2027. New nuclear missile silos are being built in the northwest of the country.

Washington has pulled no punches in describing the scale of might and ambition held by the People’s Republic of China.

“The PRC is the only competitor capable of com bining its economic, diplomatic, military, and tech nological power to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system,” a Pentagon report last year said.

“Beijing seeks to reshape the international order to better align with its authoritarian system and national interests.”

As much as any hardware, it is this perceived glob al intent that has spooked China’s neighbors.

Xi’s ‘huge favor’

Many of the big-ticket military projects around the region plainly have deterrence in mind — whether it is thwarting the “little blue men” of Beijing’s naval militias or a conventional attack.

South Korea plans to develop naval power ca pable of operating far from coastal waters, which experts say has little to do with the threat from rapidly arming North Korea.

Australia plans to acquire eight nuclear subma rines — which can stay underwater for extended periods and launch retaliatory strikes – with British and American help, part of the so-called AUKUS agreement.

There is also discussion in Canberra about obtain ing hypersonic weapons, longer-range ballistic mis siles and even state-of-the-art B-21 stealth bombers, capable of striking anywhere in the world virtually undetected.

What’s lacking in PH sports agency?

IT’S VERY commendable that the Philippine Sports Commission, the government’s overseer for fitness and sporting excellence, is up and flexing muscles even with only two officials manning the steering wheel.

Bowling legend Olivia “Bong” Coo was the first to be appointed to the board as com missioner. Not long after, former pro league chief and sports broadcaster Noli Eala as sumed the role as chairman.

The duo, with able support from organic officials of the agency, have been drawing up the agency’s sports programs for the coming year, including the nationwide Batang Pinoy project.

Coo is occupied with women sports, in cluding the Women’s Martial Arts Festival slated for next month.

But to make the agency grind in full mo tion, it needs three more commissioners still to be named by President Bongbong Marcos. The PSC law dictates that any ma jor decision should be decided by the col legial body.

With only two of them in the board, some important projects have to be put on

the sideline. The year 2023 is bursting with local and international activities, including the South east Asian Games in Cambodia, the Asian Games in China and qualifying tournaments for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

The time is now for PBBM to give the PSC the needed wings to fly way up high by completing the board with the appointment of three more commissioners

The PSC, however, cannot slow down.

On Monday, Eala and Coo met with vari ous National Sports Associations for consul tative meeting, where they introduced the agency’s newest programs called “Duyan ng Magiting” or the “Cradle of the Brave” at the grassroots level and the Project Gintong La ban, a tweaked version of the Gintong Alay which was the flagship sports program of PBBM’s father, President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

But without agency’s board working as a whole, plans will just be plans.

PBBM has shown his commitment to sports when he invited the national athletes

to join the parade during his inaugural speech last June 30 at the National Museum in Ma nila.

The Philippine Olympic Committee is hopeful sports will have its prominent nook in the administration of President Marcos Jr.

“We are thankful to the new administra tion, to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for putting sports on a rightful platform in his administration,” said POC president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

“The POC, and the whole of Philippine sports for that matter, is more hopeful now that our athletes will be given more priority and attention under President Marcos,” he added.

Marcos’s predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, always recognized the con tribution of Filipino athletes to his adminis tration, honoring them with recognition and incentives in Malacañang.

Under the Duterte administration and leadership of Philippine Sports Commission chairman William “Butch” Ramirez, the Philippines won its first ever Olympic gold medal – courtesy of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in Tokyo last year.

The time is now for PBBM to give the PSC the needed wings to fly way up high by completing the board with the appointment of three more commissioners.

As they say, sports transcends religion and culture. Sports is life and it cannot stop breathing.

How the Ukrainian war has metamorphosed

the native Russians living in “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.”

Although NATO has deferred membership of Ukraine for fear of provoking Russia into war with the West, it sought to redefine US and allied involve ment by becoming out with the concept of waging a proxy war with Russia.

This means that NATO led by the US can continue to supply Ukraine with arms to sustain the conflict.

As US defense secretary Lloyd Austin said, “the pur pose of the proxy war is to weaken Russia.”

Interbank Financial Telecommunication, legally S.W.I.F.T.

Swift is a Belgian cooperative society providing services related to the execution of financial transac tions and payments between banks worldwide.

The US and its allies virtually violated the Swift system because the US refuse to give virtually no rea son why Russia has to suspended.

No state can move to suspend a member country like Russia like what the West did to suspend Russia on the basis of political and ideological differences.

THE US is the only country that today refuses to openly fight a country perceived to be its enemy.

Instead, it resorts to attacking countries in what is understood today as “proxy war.”

The theory about this type of war has become most familiar, especially among great powers whose ambition goes beyond protecting their interest and ex panding their control and influence in areas tradition ally known as imperialism.

A proxy war, as we all know, is the ramification of another type of war.

In a sense, the protagonists do not really engage themselves in combat over a contested area. Rather, they allow other countries to fight their cause in the guise of protecting or securing their interest.

What justifies the possibility of a proxy war is the defense of territorial sovereignty preceded by an alli ance based on the commonality of ideology, histori cal roots, religion, geographical necessity as the case of landlocked states.

Notably, countries that seek to promote proxy war are:

First, countries that will be strategically affected by geographic change of boundaries.

Second, that the alliance could endanger the secu rity of one like Ukraine possible joining NATO.

Third, to make that country a dumping ground for the sale of US weapons, and as added outlet to its sale of its products like LNG (Liquefied natural gas)

Hence, urging Ukraine to join NATO could cut short the Russian-China eastward expansion through Trans-Asia and addressing the fear of the US that it will be overwhelmed by expansion of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the diversification of Russia’s pipeline towards the east.

Unconsciously, this follows the theory formulated by Halford Mackinder which states that “whoever controls the Heartland, controls the world.”

Ambition to control heartland is deeply imbedded in the mind of US policy makers, particularly the neo liberal ambition to expand the North Atlantic goaded by that longing to destroy Russia.

Western strategic plan is to cut Russia in the Black Sea, it being its only outlet to the Mediterranean.

Such plan would require most of Eastern Europe to join the Western Alliance.

The US then orchestrated a relentless campaign for the two former Soviet Republics, Ukraine and Georgia, to join NATO despite the stern warning from Russia not to proceed.

In 2008, Georgia, through its New York-educated lawyer, began to annex two of its separatist provinces that wanted to remain apart from Georgia.

Russia was compelled to come to the rescue of the two separatist provinces.

The same separatist agitation was done such that it resulted in the massacre of native Ukrainians by known neo-Nazi agitated by US neoliberals.

Initially this led to the ouster of that country’s democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych.

Several indigenous Russians living in Ukraine were assassinated, murdered and openly discrimi nated against.

Even the Russia language which stands as that country’s second language was banned.

Russian broadcast and publication were prohibited until after Russia decided to put an end to the spate of killings in February 2021.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, the latter annexed

One intriguing question about the application of proxy war is it seeks to legitimize the supply of arms and equipment to countries without directly committing its own troops to the theater of operation

One intriguing question about the application of proxy war is it seeks to legitimize the supply of arms and equipment to countries without directly commit ting its own troops to the theater operation.

Second, proxy war legitimizes the destruction and the lives and property in that state.

Third, the state that supports the proxy war is able to entrench its own resources to allow it to exercise some kind of hegemonistic guardian/guarantor with out incurring obligation of contributing its own troops to the combat zone.

The Western alliance and Russia too suffer for al lowing the situation to turn ugly.

The US and NATO both are restrained from send ing arms and weapons that could inflict and/or reach area like Russia or Belarus.

NATO troops and combatants are not supposed to participate in any military operations.

This means both Russia and NATO tremble in ig niting Third World War.

Captured soldiers in the combat zone cannot avail themselves of the rights as POW under the Geneva Convention.

Rather, all persons captured and falling under this category can be outrightly called “mercenaries” and do not enjoy the rights of being called prisoners of war (POW).

Any future exchange of prisoners is purely at the mercy of the contracting parties.

It is under this concept that parties not actually in volved in the conflict are free to define the terms of the conflict.

The US and most NATO members are free to send in any weapon of their choice without feeling any li ability.

They even feel free to train soldiers of the combat ant state as Ukraine, feeling that it remains off-limits to retaliation.

The blasting of Nord Stream pipelines was ter rorism because the destruction caused destruction to people that consume imported liquefied natural gas from Russia. Besides, the pipeline was in no danger to the lives of people.

The US always emphasize its imposition of eco nomic sanctions against Russia.

Several sanctions have been slapped against Rus sia including its expulsion from the Swift system cur rency exchange system or the Society for Worldwide

Yet for the all the economic prescription recom mended by the US-dominated World Bank, many of its recommendations have lately been faltering that they have contributed much to weaken the US dollar as the world’s universal medium of exchange.

Many countries are now contemplating to shift to other forms of currency like the convertibility of the Chinese yuan and Russian Ruble as part of other countries’ currency exchange.

These are indicators that the US dollar has been weakened.

To this day, nobody has pointed the blame on Rus sia although US reconnaissance aircraft were seen flying around the area of the explosion.

Feeling the US would be able to get away with the sabotage, Russia accused Ukraine’s SBU of waging terrorism after it blasted the Kerch Bridge linking Russia to Crimea last October 10, 2022.

It believed three persons were responsible who destroyed half of the span to make the lane unservice able to traffic.

President Putin considered the targeting of bridge used to supply energy, power plants, hospitals and de pot as blatant act of terrorism.

Russia sees the two acts of sabotage carried out by Ukraine and some of its Western allies as an attempt to qualitatively change the dimension of warfare.

The decision by the Russian special military op erations was in response to this change in the tempo warfare.

In less than two days after the bridge was blown off, the whole of Ukraine, including its capital city of Kiev, was pounded by thousands of precision-guided missiles.

As usual, the US and its western allies joined in accusing Russia of “barbaric brutality” for indiscrimi nately raining explosives on that country. US narratives always begin why the US must involve itself in proxy war; accordingly, Ukraine’s territorial integrity was violated and needed to be re dressed.

They always begin by accusing Russia of aggres sion but never mentions anything like the massacre of Russian inhabitants living in the eastern region of Ukraine, and always talks of US democracy without explaining to the world it has virtually imposed a total clampdown on world news by its control of the social media.

EvEryman

By Prof. Edmund S. Tayao

China censors rare anti-Xi protest ahead of congress

BEIJING—China’s internet censors removed on Friday virtually all ref erences to reports of a rare protest in Beijing that involved banners de nouncing President Xi Jinping and the country’s Covid policies.

Beijing is on high alert against any disruption to a landmark Communist Party meeting that begins on Sunday, where Xi is expected to secure a his toric third term.

Incoming parcels and subway com muters have been subjected to addi tional security checks, and armies of volunteers have been deployed in ev ery neighborhood to report anything out of the ordinary.

But video footage and photos that spread online on Thursday appeared to show a defiant protester draping two hand-painted banners with slo

gans criticizing the Communist Par ty’s policies on the side of a bridge in Beijing.

“No Covid tests, I want to make a living. No Cultural Revolution, I want reforms. No lockdowns, I want free dom. No leaders, I want to vote. No lies, I want dignity. I won’t be a slave, I’ll be a citizen,” one banner read.

The other banner called on citizens to go on strike and remove “the trai torous dictator Xi Jinping”.

Other images showed a person in a hard hat standing on the bridge behind the banners, as well as smoke rising from a fire on the bridge and police rushing to remove the banners.

There was no sign of the banners or their writer when AFP journalists ar rived at the scene of the reported pro test Thursday. AFP

FLASH FLOODING. Emergency workers patrol a flooded area as they evacuate residents in the Melbourne suburb of Maribyrnong on October 14. Flash floods swamped hundreds of homes in southeastern Australia Friday with waterlogged residents now facing a “nervewracking” wait to assess the damage.

A major flooding emergency was declared in Victoria —Australia’s second-most populous state —where rapidly rising waters forced evacuations. AFP

VIA SUBPOENA

Trump forced to testify on US riot role

WASHINGTON—Lawmakers probing the 2021 attack on the US Capitol voted Thursday to subpoena former President Donald Trump to testify on his role in the violence, in a major escalation of the sprawling inquiry weeks before it is due to wind up.

During what was expected to be its final hearing before the midterm elections, the House panel of seven Democrats and two Republicans agreed unani mously to compel Trump’s ap pearance before investigators.

“We need to be fair and thor ough and gain a full context for the evidence we’ve obtained.

But the need for this committee to hear from Donald Trump goes beyond our fact-finding,” said Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the committee.

“This is a question about ac countability to the American people. He must be accountable. He is required to answer for his actions.”

Subpoenas from the panel have proved difficult to enforce, with former White House aide Steve Bannon the only target yet convicted of contempt of Con gress for refusing to comply.

Trump is notorious for his ability to run down the clock on congressional investigations and legal action, and it remains high ly unlikely that he would agree to give evidence.

“Why didn’t the Unselect Committee ask me to testify months ago? Why did they wait until the very end, the final mo ments of their last meeting?” thundered Trump, who has had a standing invitation to appear before the committee.

Nokor fires missile, flies fighter jets

SEOUL—North Korea on Friday fired a short-range ballistic missile, conducted an artillery barrage, and flew fighter jets close to the South’s border in another show of force that the US has warned could culminate in a nuclear test.

Pyongyang has dramatically ramped up missile launches and mili tary exercises in recent weeks, which it now describes as “tactical nuke” drills, as Seoul and Washington say Kim Jong Un is close to conducting what would be his country’s seventh nuclear test.

North Korea’s military said in a rare statement its latest actions came in response to a “provocative” South Korean artillery exercise near the border.

The Korean People’s Army “took strong military countermeasures,” according to a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency early Friday.

Pyongyang issued “a stern warning to the South Korean military in citing military tension in the frontline area with reckless action,” said the statement. AFP

Japanese rocket launch fails for JAXA

TOKYO—The launch of a Japanese rocket taking satellites into orbit to demonstrate new technologies failed after blast-off on Wednesday be cause of a positioning problem, the country’s space agency said.

It was Japan’s first failed launch in nearly two decades, and the only one for an Epsilon rocket, a solid-fuel model that has flown five success ful missions since its 2013 debut.

The unmanned craft took off from Uchinoura Space Center in the southern Kagoshima region, with its lift-off livestreamed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

But a self-destruct signal was sent to the rocket less than 10 min utes later because of “positioning abnormalities”, said Yasuhiro Funo of JAXA, who led the project.

The livestream was halted and presenters wearing hard-hats told viewers there had been a problem with the launch. AFP

PUTIN PUTDOWN. A protestor holds an anti-Russia poster during a demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Rome on October 13. AFP

Stocks,

STOCKS

rose and the peso slightly gained Friday in line with the movement of other markets in the region despite expectations for more big Federal Reserve rate hikes.

The PSE index, the 30-company bench mark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, picked up 9 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 5,904.75 as four of the six subsectors ad vanced.

The broader all-share index went up 12 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 3,177.74 on a value turnover of P4.65 billion.

Gainers outnumbered losers, 115 to 70, while 40 issues were unchanged.

Five of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Ayala Land Inc. which climbed 3.1 percent to P23.50 and Semirara Mining and Power Corp. which added 3.1 percent to close at P40.50.

The peso recovered slightly to close at 58.94 against the US dollar on trading vol ume of $542 million Friday from a record low of 59 a dollar Thursday.

Meanwhile, the sterling held on to its big gains sparked by speculation the UK gov ernment was set to perform another U-turn on its debt-fueled mini-budget, though the yen remained stuck around three-decade lows against the dollar.

The hotly awaited US inflation report showed prices rose last month at a faster clip than expected despite a series of interest rate increases this year, which have fanned fears of a global recession.

The month-on-month reading came in double estimates, while core inflation— which strips out volatile energy and food prices—was also elevated.

The figures sparked a sharp plunge on Wall Street but the selling quickly reversed, and all three main indexes finished the day with gains of more than two percent with analysts sug gesting several reasons for the extreme move.

Some said the initial selling may have been a knee-jerk reaction before traders accepted the data was not as bad as other recent reports, while technical factors were also flagged.

Others speculated that equities had finally reached their bottom after a year of selling that has seen many indexes plunge into cor rection territory having lost more than 20 percent from their recent peaks.

“The market reversal was a head-scratcher”, said OANDA’s Edward Moya. “Some inves tors are convinced core inflation will soon start trending lower. Fed tightening will remain ag gressive at 75 basis points in November and possibly December,” he added.

“Monetary policy is quickly getting re strictive and that will undoubtedly send in flation lower. It looks like rates will peak slightly above five percent and for some that is good enough of a reason to get back into stocks.”

Inflation keeps its hold on US economy as prices went up by 8.2% in September

NEW YORK, United States—Inflation kept its hold on the US economy in September, government data showed Thursday, with a higher-than-expected jump adding to head winds facing President Joe Biden’s Demo crats shortly before midterm elections.

Thursday’s consumer price report—the last before the Nov. 8 vote to decide control of Congress –showed US prices rose 0.4 percent in September compared to August, twice the 0.2 percent projected by analysts, with increases for food, housing, and medi cal care weighing on consumers.

While the annual rate of inflation slowed slightly to 8.2 percent from 8.3 percent, ac cording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics data, analysts expressed increasing concerns that pricing pressures have become more in grained in the economy.

Biden touted “some progress in the fight” but admitted that “prices are still too high” and that “we have more work to do”—as the disap pointing data set the stage for more aggressive

rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve.

Calling the price of gasoline “still too high,” Biden added that he would have “more to say about that next week.”

The Fed has been walking a tightrope for months in trying to wrestle inflation down from the current 40-year highs—with out triggering a damaging recession in the world’s largest economy.

In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, Biden acknowledged the possibility of a mild recession but said he didn’t think it was likely.

Thursday’s data showed core inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food prices, rose 0.6 percent in September, more than the 0.4 percent projected by analysts. The benchmark rose 6.6 percent for the year, a four-decade peak.

Other items that saw price increases in September included motor vehicle insur ance, household furnishings and education. Items with decreases included used cars and apparel.

GDP grew 4.4% in

SINGAPORE—Singapore’s economy expanded by 4.4 percent yearon-year in the third quarter of 2022, the government said Friday while warning of ongoing global challenges such as inflation.

Economists often see the performance of the city-state’s open, trade-driven economy as a barometer for global trading activity.

The Q3 reading was slightly lower than the previous quarter’s 4.5 percent, according to advance estimates released by the trade ministry.

“The expansion was underpinned in part by a stronger-than-ex pected recovery in the domestic-oriented and travel-related sectors as more COVID-19 restrictions abroad and locally were relaxed,” the Monetary Authority of Singapore said Friday.

Singapore has removed all Covid restrictions, except for maskwearing inside buses and metro trains, after vaccinating most of its population of nearly six million and deciding to live with the coronavirus.

On a quarter-to-quarter basis, Singapore’s economy expanded by 1.5 percent, avoiding a technical recession by reversing the 0.2 per cent contraction in Q2.

However, manufacturing output and financial services weakened because of softening external demand, according to the central bank.

The MAS said it would further tighten monetary policy to fight inflation -- its fifth such move since October 2021. AFP

CYAN

JAPAN ECONOMY. An electronic quotation board displays the yen’s rate of 147 yen against the US dollar in Tokyo on October 14, 2022. AFP

Globe receives P8.4b from sale of 701 towers

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Friday it received P8.4 billion from the sale of additional 701 towers to MIESCOR Infrastructure Development Corp. MIESCOR earlier signed a deal to acquire 2,180 towers from Globe.

“We are pleased with the great progress of this initiative as we com plete another close for our recordbreaking tower sale and leaseback transactions. This brings us closer to our goal of getting much needed flex ibility to ensure we are able to sustain our best-in-class services and opera tions and protect our position in the market,” said Globe chief finance of ficer Rizza Maniego-Eala.

Globe already completed the sale of 1,501 or 21 percent of 7,059 towers be ing monetized as part of the historic ini tiative. The first closing was attained on Sept. 23 with the transfer of 800 towers to Frontier Tower Associates Philip pines Inc. for P10 billion.

Gov’t vows to protect oil, gas projects in WPS

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE government will secure oil and gas exploration activities in western Palawan amid the territorial dispute with China, an energy official said Friday.

Energy Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said the standing order from Malacanang was that the morato rium on oil and gas exploration activi ties in the West Philippine Sea had been lifted and the parties could proceed with the projects.

Bacordo allayed concerns over the safety and security of oil and gas com

panies that wanted to conduct drillings in the West Philippine Sea.

“That’s part of our mandate...My role as the undersecretary of security is to ensure that these oil and gas explora tions will proceed without any security impediments,” he said at the sidelines of the Norway-Philippines Maritime and Energy Conference.

Bacordo said, however, that explo ration companies such as PXP Energy Corp. needed to file a request with the Department of Energy if it wanted to lift the force majeure on oil and gas explo ration activities in Service Contracts 72 and 75 in the disputed area.

“We’re waiting for the companies who have those service contracts to submit [applications on] when they will push through with their [activities],”

Bacordo said.

PXP is an upstream oil and gas com pany incorporated in the Philippines with shares listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

PXP announced in April it put on hold the exploration activities for SC 72 and SC 75 which are both located within the WPS until all relevant government agencies issued clearances.

PXP is the operator of SC 75, while Forum (GSEC 101) Limited is the op erator of SC 72.

PXP earlier said it received a directive from the DOE under the Duterte admin istration to “put on hold all exploration activities for SC 75 and SC 72 until such time that the Security, Justice, an Peace Coordinating Cluster has issued the nec essary clearance to proceed.”

Smart blacklists another 36,000 mobile numbers

SMART Communications Inc. said Friday it purged more than 36,000 mobile numbers in its network involved in phishing, smishing and vishing, bringing the total blacklisted SIMs to more than 200,000 as of end-September.

It said the initiatives helped prevent more than 51 million text scams from reaching cus tomers in the same period. Smart said that since it boosted efforts against ‘smishing’ in January, it had stopped close to 400 million fraudulent messages from going through its network.

“Scammers are quick to adapt their strategy. But we remain relentless in protecting the pub lic through a precision approach that clamps down on criminals without sacrificing custom er experience,” said PLDT Inc. and Smart first vice president and chief information security officer Angel Redoble.

PLDT and Smart expanded their anti-fraud efforts in cyber space as text scams often con tain uniform resource locators (that direct cus tomers to phishing sites.

PLDT and Smart prevented around 1.4 bil lion attempts to access malicious domains in September. Darwin G. Amojelar

DOE releases draft changes on Renewable Energy law IRR

THE Department of Energy released the draft amendments to the implementing rules and regulations of the Renewable Energy Act which will pave the way for the lifting of the 40-percent equity limit on foreign investors, an official said Friday.

Energy assistant secretary Mylene Capong col said they were hoping that final amend ments to the IRR would be signed within the year. She said the draft IRR was already published for comments, with the deadline for submission of comments set on Oct. 21 and public consultations to be held on Oct. 24.

“That is consistent with DOJ [Department of Justice]. So we emphasized there that the govern ment can agree to the service contract with Fili pino corporations and/or foreign corporations,” Capongcol said at the sidelines of the NorwayPhilippines Maritime and Energy Conference.

The DOJ issued a legal opinion on Sept. 29 that the exploration, development and utiliza tion of inexhaustible renewable energy sourc es are not subject to the 60:40 foreign equity limit as provided under Section 2, Article XII of the Constitution. Alena Mae S. Flores

Premiere Horizon cancels acquisition of Squidpay stake

PREMIERE Horizon Alliance Corp. said Friday it canceled its planned acquisition of a 33-percent stake in digital payments firm SquidPay Technology Inc.

PHA said in a disclosure to the stock ex change its board of directors decided in a spe cial meeting that it would no longer pursue the planned acquisition over the latter’s “inability to operate as viable business”.

“The decision of the board of directors has been made following the determination that purchasing SPTI is no longer in the best inter est of PHA and its shareholders given SPTI’s inability to operate a viable business,” the company said.

PHA reported in November 2021 that it was acquiring a 33-percent interest in STPI owned by businessman Marvin Dela Cruz. PHA said the demand for e-wallets was rapidly rising, and SPTI was granted an operator of payment system license, followed by electronic money issuer license. Jenniffer B. Austria

Move It defends ‘above-board’ tieup with Grab

“Like we have always said, our transaction is above board and beyond scrutiny, and we feel that [DOTr] Sec retary [Jaime] Bautista’s statement should reassure those who think other wise,” said Move It chairman Francis Juan.

“We are thrilled to be working alongside MIDC supporting the government’s goal of improving the tower density and internet experience in the Philippines. We believe that this partnership will unlock more synergies for better infrastructure utilization and efficiencies,” said Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu.

MIDC chairman Ray Espinosa said this achievement marked a significant milestone for MIDC as it positions it self to be a major player in the com mon tower space.

“MIDC will work tirelessly with the government and its private sector partners in pursuing more opportuni ties that will promote the expansion of the country’ digital infrastructure and help hasten the growth of our digital economy,” Espinosa said.

Marriot receives increased hotel queries, bookings in PH

By Othel V. Campos

MARRIOTT Hotels & Resorts Philip pines reported increased queries and bookings in the country with the reopen ing of the travel and tourism industry.

Marriott Hotels & Resorts multiproperty vice president Bruce Winton said in a business forum the hotel chain remained optimistic on the local ac commodation industry that would lead to better opportunities in the coming months.

“That’s where the real optimism is embedded. We are really seeing some major events, booking international events, and we are seeing the reestab lishing of MICE [meetings, incentives,

conferences, events] foothold,” he said.

Marriott also expects the recovery of leisure and corporate travel as the hotel chain monitors the booking pace in the fourth quarter and the next two quarters in 2023.

“We’re working hard to tap into our 160 million global members of the Mar riott Bonvoy program. And the most im portant thing we can do to contribute to that is to broaden our distribution in the Philippines,” Winton said.

He revealed the company’s plans to open five more hotels in the Philippines in collaboration with local partners that com mitted to contribute to development costs.

He said Marriot was not only opti mistic on the future but was active on

efforts to bring more businesses, create more jobs and broaden its distribution in the Philippines.

Marriott expects to more than triple its hotel portfolio in the Philippines by 2023.

“We bring along our brands that are well-known globally, our loyalty pro gram and all of our members and all of our marketing dollars to pump into these new properties and bring new visitors and all visitors to all parts of the Philip pines,” Winton said.

The expansion will involve hiring additional 2,000 employees across the chain. The company participated in a job fair organized by the Department of Tourism.

Metrobank shortens offering period for P10-b bonds on strong demand from investors

By Julito G. Rada

METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest lender in terms of assets, said Friday it shortened the offering pe riod for its peso-denominated SEC-regis tration exempt fixed-rate bonds on strong demand.

Metrobank said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the bond offer would end on Oct. 17, instead of the initial Oct. 19.

The bonds have a tenor of one and a half years and an interest rate of 5.0 per

cent per annum in an aggregate principal of P10 billion, with an option to upsize.

“Proceeds will be used for general working capital needs,” the bank said.

The bonds are intended to be issued and listed on the Philippine Dealing Ex change on Oct. 28.

The issuance is part of Metrobank’s in creased P200-billion bond and commer cial paper program, as approved by its board of directors on Dec. 15, 2021.

First Metro Investment Corp., ING Bank N.V., Manila Branch and Standard

Chartered Bank are the joint lead manag ers and joint bookrunners of the offering. Metrobank, together with FMIC, ING and SCB are the selling agents.

Metrobank is one of the strongest banks. The bank recorded a 33-percent year-on-year increase in net profit to P15.6 billion in the first half, as earnings surged 95 percent to P7.6 billion in the second quarter.

Performance was better across the board, with faster loan expansion, im proving interest margin, robust fee in

come growth, stable operating costs and lower provisions amid healthier asset quality.

Gross loans rose 9 percent year-onyear to P1.3 trillion, led by a 12-percent growth in corporate and commercial lending and 16-percent increase in gross credit card receivables.

Total deposits grew 13 percent to P2.1 trillion as CASA (current and savings ac count) deposits climbed by 10 percent to P1.5 trillion from a year ago, which re sulted in lower funding costs.

Bautista earlier said he did not see the need to review the partnership be tween Grab and Move It because it was a “private transaction” and that the focus of the Transportation department was safety.

Transport civic groups urged the government to review the deal be tween Grab and Move It, claiming that it was designed for Grab to get an in stant accreditation.

Move It had said the acquisition only resulted in “change of ownership and no merger of operations,” as it would continue to have its own sepa rate mobile application.

The motorcycle taxi firm said the “accreditation remains its own and does not transfer to Grab,” while stressing that the deal was concluded after “rigorous legal due diligence.”

“The country’s growing motorcycle taxi industry has just found a strong ally in Secretary Bautista. We thank him for adding his voice to the urgent need to recognize motorcycle taxis as a public transport option,” Juan said.

Motorcycle taxis have yet to be of ficially legalized as a form of public transportation and are operating under a pilot study.

The government accredited three firms—Angkas, JoyRide and Move It—for the pilot run, which would aid in crafting laws allowing motorcycle taxis on the road.

Darwin G. Amojelar

MOVE It, a local transport solutions provider, said Friday its partner ship with Grab Philippines is “above board” as it lauded the Department of Transportation for pushing a law that would allow the government to issue franchises to motorcycle taxi opera tors.

SM TANZA OPENING. SM Prime Holdings Inc. opens its 80th supermall in Tanza, Cavite. Located on a 86,718-square-meter site along Antero Soriano Highway, the almost 60,000-square-meter mall will serve customers in the northwestern part of Cavite and nearby areas in Batangas. Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) SM Engineering Design and Development president Hans Sy Jr., SM Supermalls president Steven Tan, Cavite 7th District board member Crispin Remulla, Tanza Mayor Yuri Pacumio, Rev. Bishop Reynaldo Evangelista of Archdiocese of Imus, Tanza vice mayor Archangelo Matro, SM Prime Holdings president Jeffrey Lim and SM Markets chairman Herbert Sy.

CULTURAL TREASURE. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor and Philippine International Convention Center chairman Felipe Medalla (fourth from left) leads the unveiling of the marker declaring the PICC as a ‘National Cultural Treasure’. The declaration by the National Museum of the Philippines underscores the PICC’s historical and cultural significance. Designed by national artist for architecture Leandro Locsin, the PICC opened in 1976 and has served as the venue for countless momentous events.

Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu

Import’s big game lifts Bossings past Dyip Sports

By Peter Atencio

THE Blackwater Elite Bossings found the right time to slip past Terrafirma Dyip, 93-86, on Friday in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup, at the Araneta Coliseum.

A heavily defended Cameron Krutwig still eked out a game-high 29 points and 24 rebounds to power the Bossings to their third win six matches.

Three-point plays from Krutwig and Rashawn McCarthy in the last 1:10 saw the Bossings get past the game’s final deadlock, 83all, and their efforts put them ahead by six, 89-83.

Baser Amer shot 21 points for the Bossings, who got back on their feet following their 83-87 loss to NorthPort Batang Pier.

Bossings’ coach Ariel Vanguard said Blackwater was in this situation before with Dyip last year. But back then, they were on the losing end.

“We were in this situation last year. We were hungry for a win. We could not get over the hump. Now, it’s the reverse,” said Vanguardia.

Lester Prosper shot 18 points for Dyip, who stayed winless after five encounters this conference and suffered their 21st straight setback overall.

Dyip was ahead, 63-60, when Bossings’ cager Gab Banal hit a trey in the last 13 seconds, pu tting the game into a 63-all deadlock at the beginning of the fourth.

Pacman back in training, loving it

By Randy Caluag

FORMER eightdivision world champion Manny Pacquiao is back in the grind and he’s loving it.

“It’s good to be flexing again with my trainer and friend Buboy Fernandez. Buboy still got the moves,” said Pacquiao on his official social media page.

Pacquiao and his chief trainer and childhood friend Fernandez have started their training camp at the Pacman Gym in General Santos, doing inbetween promotional gigs that shuttle him and his team to and from Korea.

After more than a year of inactivity, Pacquiao sets out to the boxing ring once again on Dec. 11 to fight South Korean martial arts Youtuber, DK Yoo, at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang, South Korea.

It may be an exhibition bout, but Fer nandez is not taking any chances.

“Kung ano ung dating pakundisyon na ibinibigay namin nu’ng lumalaban pa kami sa world title, iyun pa rin ang ibibigay natin. Hindi tayo puwedeng magkumpiyansa,” said Fernandez in a video message, Pacquiao, now 43 years old, quit the sport in September 2021 following a decision loss to Cuban Yordenis Ugas in their bout for the welterweight title.

Although unofficially, Pacquiao is making a ring comeback against

Marcos lauds Obiena for bringing honor to PH

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with world no. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena at Malacañang Palace in Manila on Friday.

Several photos of Obiena’s courtesy call on President Marcos were shared on the official Facebook page of the chief executive.

Based on the photos, Marcos was seen awarding a medal to Obiena and delivering a speech.

“PBBM praised Obiena for bringing honor to the country and encouraged him to continue his goal of being the world’s best pole vaulter. Obiena is now ranked third in the world,” according to the post from the Office of the President in Facebook.

Marcos said in his speech during the courtesy call that he is very thankful for the honor that Obiena has given to the country and is willing to give anything that he needs just to make everything much more better results.

“From your president and I think from the rest of the Philippines we are thankful for everything that you have done, on the honor that you have brought to

your country. I think that is the greatest tribute that you can give, the greatest service as you are athlete now that you can give to our country is to bring honor to the Philippines.” Marcos said in his speech.

“We look forward to the games in Paris, I hope you do well. If there’s anything that we can do to help you to make the results even better, and to make your training also be adequate, everything that you’ll say to me because what you do is very important,” he added

“Thank you very much and I congratulate not only you, but also those of you who have supported our champion,” Marcos added.

In a Twitter post, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala said that President Marcos, during the courtesy call, issued a directive to ensure the welfare of Filipino athletes and provide them with the necessary support.

“President Marcos is a true sportsman and supporter of sports. Warmly welcomed the PSC and EJ Obiena. He gave very simple, clear instructions—let’s help our athletes because what they do is important to our nation. Thank you, Mr.

President,” Eala said.

On Tuesday, Obiena also paid a visit to House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez and received a copy of House Resolution 10 honoring the Filipino pole vaulter for bringing pride and glory to the Philippines.

The House resolution commends Obiena for winning two gold medals in the 26th Internationales Stabhochsprung Meeting held in Jockgrim, Germany, and in the True Athletes Classics in Leverkusen, Germany.

From his historic bronze finish in the 2022 World Athletic Championships in Oregon, USA, Obiena rose from no. 6 to no. 3 in the men’s pole vault ranking, while retaining his top spot in Asia.

Obiena is seen as a strong contender for the pole vault gold in the 2024 Olympics after setting a new pole vault world record at the Diamond League in Brussels, Belgium on September 2.

Apart from bagging the two gold medals in the Germany meets, Obiena also met the qualifying standard for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary

Bunquin hoists overall title in BRAFE Golf 15

LA Sallian Raymond Bunquin delivered clutch birdies in the last nine holes, shooting a gross 73 to rule the BRAEFE Golf 15 at the Forest Hills Golf and Country Club in Antipolo.

Bunquin, the club’s general manager, used his knowledge of the Nicklaus course for the win in the tournament organized by BRAFE Golf founder Albert MG Garcia for the benefit of the scholars under the Foundation of Sharing LaSalian Education (FSLE) studying at La Salle Lipa.

Lex Macaranas shot a 75 to win the Class A title, narrowly

beating Splendido Taal Golf Club general manager Bobby Chico and Joemar Española, who both had 77.

The other winners were Lee Tajonera 87 (Class B), Uly Rosal 98 (Class C), Dondie Valdez 99 (Class D), Toti Umali 76 (seniors), Dave David 85 (super seniors) and Gina Flores 87 (ladies).

“BRAFE Golf is happy to have continued our advocacy after being sidelined by the pandemic. I would like to thank everyone who supported the 15th edition,” said Garcia, who owns Megafiber, a Psyllium Fiber supplement.

the Korean, but losing is still not an option as he vowed to do what he does best.

“The fight is real. We will try to knock each other out. That’s why we need to work hard,” said Pacquiao during the press conference in Seoul as quoted by Korea Times.

There are speculations that this bout will determine Pacquiao’s physical condition whether to pursue competitive boxing or meet former tormentor Floyd Mayweather in a rematch.

What makes the Pacquiao-Yoo tussle more meaningful though is that proceeds will go to charity.

“Kakaibang laban ito. Para ito sa mga walang tirahan at mga batang walang pang-aral. Marami tayong matutulugan,” Fernandez added. “Suportahan po natin ang laban na ito.”

Stags whip Generals, nail 3rd win

THE San Sebastian Stags’ interior defense in the third period and their outside shooting in the fourth catapulted them to a 78-61 whipping of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals on Friday in the 98th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the FilOilEcoOil Center in San Juan.

Four-year veteran Alex Desoyo showed the way with 11 points for the Stags, who went on to post their third win in eight games.

The 24-year-old Desoyo came to life as he knocked in four points in the last period, joining hands for 17 points with Jessie Sumoda and Itchie Altamirano as the Stags bounced back from their 7982 overtime loss to the Lyceum Pirates.

The Stags’ tough defensive stand in the shaded lane limited the Generals to 12 points in the third canto.

And as this happened, Desoyo’s putback with 3:52 left sparked a decisive 9-0 run, allowing the Stags to move away from a close 40-39 count into a 52-43 spread when the period was over.

“That was what I was telling them. We had chances to win. But it does not happen. Good thing they executed well, our defense worked, and we were making shots,” said Stags’ coach Egay Macaraya.

Sumoda and Rhinwill Yambing fired 10 points apiece for the Stags, who connected with six of 11 three-point attempts in the last period.

Liam Concha, Kenneth Villapando backed up Desoyo’s inside game with two triples, in the last 5:19, giving SSC enough room to pull away by 12, 64-52.

After that, four consecutive treys from James Una, Altamirano and Sumoda lifted the Stags to a 20-point edge before the game ended, 78-58, with 1:02 to go JP Magullano knocked in 19 points for the Generals, who absorbed their ninth straight setback. Peter Atencio

Trainer Buboy Fernandez and Manny Pacquiao during their more active days. Ericxon Asilo

Champion Raymond Bunquin with BRAFE o cers Bong Africa, Ting Yupangco, Randy Nonato, JR Hernandez, George Elazegui, Roy Pena and Martin de Castro

Import Cameron Krutwig put up a game-high 29 points and 24 rebounds to power Blackwater to its third win six matches.

Home/Design

Beachside retreat in Pampanga

Century Properties kicks off Resort Residences’

third tower at Azure North

TheSan Fernando, Pampanga skyline has changed with the completion of the Bali and Monaco towers at the city’s newest landmark—The Resort Residences at Azure North, Century Properties’ first mid-rise development North of Metro Manila.

In a sprawling eight-hectare property, the completed two towers have a total of 1,606 units spread out over each of the two towers’ 29 floors. Its third, the 27-storey Barbados Tower, was launched recently. It will add another 820 units to the development. Barbados is set to be completed in 2025.

Azure North is just an hour and a half drive from Metro Manila and some minutes away from other key Pampanga commercial and residential areas such as Clark, Subic, and more, with its location right where the North Luzon Expressway and J. Abad Santos Avenue intersect.

DRAWING INSPIRATION

FROM AZURE PARANAQUE CITY

With the completion of the first phase of the amenity area, residents will soon be able to enjoy the concept of a tropical oasis, drawing inspiration from the Azure Urban Resort Residences in Parañaque City.

The white sand that surrounds the wave pool brings the beachside experience right outside the residents’ doors. In addition to the wave pool, the completion of the first phase of the amenity also includes the clubhouse.

With a roof deck, bar, and fully equipped gym, the clubhouse is set as an area where residents can socialize and lounge and is appointed with furnishings that reflect the vibe of a tropical vacation destination.

CENTRAL LUZON, A LOGISTICS, LIFESTYLE HUB IN THE OFFING

One of Central Luzon’s largest and most populous cities, San Fernando is a bastion of arts and culture. With its decades-long tradition of lantern-making, the city is dubbed the Christmas Capital of the Philippines. But interspersed between streets steeped in tradition are new opportunities cropping up. BPOs and IT firms are slowly filling the city, providing jobs and new opportunities. It is also close to the Clark International Airport. For those who want an escape from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila but still long to be in an urban setting, San Fernando is the perfect compromise.

With the government’s push towards decentralization and decongestion of the overcrowded NCR, Pampanga looks to be one of the emerging centers of economic activity.

“We want this project to be our contribution to Pampanga’s real estate landscape and

MPIC IS ‘FINANCE FOR THE FUTURE’ WINNER. Infrastructure investment company Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), recently won the Finance for the Future Award for embedding an integrated approach (listed companies) at the 10th Finance for the Future Awards. The said awards recognizes organizations and individuals that support the integration of sustainability into financial decision-making.

MPIC bested seven other international and equally competitive publiclylisted companies from across the globe. The recognition emphasizes MPIC’s role as the largest catalyst for a sustainable Philippines, aimed to improve the lives in the country through providing essential services and mobilizing advocacies that uplift the quality of life of all Filipinos. All MPIC’s holding companies are required to design, build and operate with minimum environmental and social disruption, with a carbon reduction plan in place. “People, planet, and long-term impact are at the core of our work,” said MPIC Chairman, President, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan. “We view this as an obligation to future generations of Filipinos. We will never stop pursuing sustainable growth.”

be another attraction for people to come to the province,” said Century Properties Group Inc. (CPGI) President Jose Marco R. Antonio . “As the government pushes for decentralization of economic growth, Century Properties hopes that Azure North serves as a catalyst for people to start

moving up North which in turn will help the government achieve their goals.”

Central Luzon is being eyed by the Department of Trade and industry as a new logistics hub due to its proximity to many upcoming and under-construction infrastructure works.

the government cannot afford that P1 trillion. To finance this, we need private money from banks as they are the ones who have that kind of money.”

Of blueprints, dreams, and success: shaping future design leaders

online,” he said.

IN HIS third year of college, Arch. Eugene Aguilar (Shown here with his students at a site inspection) started his career by working part-time for an architectural firm. He began cultivating his knowledge early on through industry experience and bolstered it by working for a number of different companies before obtaining his professional license. When he was ready and had an opportunity to go further, he traveled abroad to nurture his profession. He later on returned to the country, continually passing on the lessons he had acquired to future generations.

Greenhills, a ready-for-

Street, Greenhills, for those looking for a new home with everything within their reach.

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said

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24 floors are studio, 1BR, 2BR, and 3BR units. Interested individuals may get in touch with one of RLC Residences’ Property Specialists through rlcresidences.com.

Aguilar’s nearly three-decade experience in architectural design and project management from design consultancy and construction and manufacturing firms in the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has propelled him to the pinnacle of the architectural profession today. In addition to his success in the industry, he is a teacher, life coach, and a resource and motivational speaker in higher education, professional organizations, non-government organizations, and the workplace.

As an educator, Aguilar considers raising

the next generation of leaders in school as one of his notable achievements. He said, “I have seen some of them practicing and passing their licensure exam. I have always believed that ‘A student will always exceed their teacher,’ and I am happy to help those under my coaching and mentoring reach their level of potential or get them, like myself, on the path leading to it.”

‘YOU CAN’T FAX A HANDSHAKE’

He went on further by saying that the architectural program has been, for the most part, an apprenticeship. However, due to adjustments in the standard learning practice, teaching has been challenging.

“As it is difficult to ‘fax a handshake,’ the impartation of skills is always at its best when done face to face and not

“Although technology helps to create a conducive atmosphere and environment for learning, getting students inspired remains to be a big challenge. What I try to do with my students in Enderun Colleges is to show them what is possible, what they can achieve and show them development projects that would make them excited to aspire to work on similar projects,” he explained.

“What is exciting and unique about Enderun’s College of Architecture and Design program is its decision to tap design professionals who have been successful in their industry, who are still active in the industry, and who are passionate about teaching,” Aguilar said. “Leaders do not raise followers, leaders raise leaders, and when we gather leaders, we are able to raise up future leaders in the industry.”

He consistently instills in his students the changes brought about by the pandemic. He believes that going back to basics, designing with the future in mind, and planning for the long term, not just for the present, but also for the next generation, is the best strategy.

The construction of facilities such as the Central Luzon Link Expressway, the Manila-Clark Railway, and Skyway 3 and the improvement of already existing facilities such as the Clark International Airport are breathing fresh air into the province.

TACKLING THE HOUSING BACKLOG. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Acuzar recently said that the government would provide P216 billion worth of interest subsidies for Filipinos who will be settlers of its six million housing project in the next six years. He made the announcement at the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association’s (SHDA) 30th National Developers Convention in Taguig City. Acuzar introduced the ‘Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program,’ a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that aims to construct 1 million housing units per year in select areas in the country to address the 6.5 million housing backlog and

the two major bottlenecks of affordability and access to funds for housing. Through the housing program, banks and Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) such as the Home Development Mutual Fund (PagIbig Fund) are mandated to provide flexible financing options to low-income beneficiaries, informal settler families, and minimum wage earners alongside a preferential interest rate of only one percent on their housing loans. “To build 1 million houses, we need P1 trillion because we need P1 million per housing unit,” said Acuzar.

CHIMES

Motoring

top racers face off at 1st Motorsports Expo

Who is the fuel culprit?

EVERYBODY is cursing no end to the skyrocketing cost of gasoline and especially diesel, which is the socalled “fuel of the economy.”

With the cost of diesel now at P11 more than the gasoline, inflation has gone loose and wild these past few months. Aside from it, people are also getting angrier with the steady increase in the cost of all their every needs. Not only many jeepney and taxi drivers have stopped plying their routes because of the high cost of fuel, but those truckers and haulers of foods and industrial needs which contributed to their skyrocketing costs, too.

The fuel prices started its full-blown increase with the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, but many think that the current transition on going electric on vehicles in the near future also has something to do with the spiraling cost of fuel.

AFIRST of its kind - especially for the local motorsport community! No need to drive far to the race tracks as the Blue Bay Walk in Pasay City is the site of the first-ever Philippine Motorsport Expo - happening today, October 15 until tomorrow, October 16, 2022. Entrance to the expo is free and will feature all the different aspects of the local motorsport industry. PMX will feature

the country’s current and up-andcoming racing personalities, as well as race organizations, other racing-related businesses, and of course - ACTUAL RACE CARS.

Panel discussions featuring racing celebrities including Marlon Stockinger and Bianca Bustamante - among others - will be happening throughout the weekend. Attendees to the weekend-long event may be enlightened on the following topics: Women in Motorsport, The Future of Philippine Racing, and Motorsport: The Next Generation The event, which is supported by the Automobile

Association Philippines (AAP), will also feature a talk from 10-time National Rally Champion Vip Isada as he highlights the national motoring club’s road safety initiatives and motorsport infrastructure, as well as promoting their Motorsport Development Program.

The Philippine Motorsport Expo 2022 is powered by Toyota Motor Philippines, Eneos, Dynopro, Metropark, Blue Bay Walk, Alpinestars by AutoPerformance Motorsport, AllTerrain Garage, Radical Ph, Recaro, Excellar Philippines, Stregawo/ Sim Magic, Brembo, Aguila Auto Glass, and Walter Sound and Stage Lighting.

This event shall give everyone a complete taste of what Philippine Motorsport really is today, and where it is heading towards. Again - ADMISSION IS FREE.

All our fuel needs are imported abroad and are dependent on the fluctuating (and more than always, skyrocketing) prices on the international market. With the huge cut on importation from Russia (one of the biggest fuel producers in the world) and a cut in production from the Middle Eastern countries (the regular supplier of fuel in the whole world), exacerbated by the huge demand worldwide plus the closure of several major refiners, the grim result is the skyrocketing prices of fuel.

Refiners turn crude oil into usable products like gasoline and diesel. Some of them closed shop during the pandemic when the demand for fuel nosedived because of the preventive lockdowns all over the world. Although the economy world-wide had started opening up, most of those closed refineries are entertaining second thoughts on re-opening since it would entail another huge cost restarting their engines. The threat of the world going fully electric on vehicles might happen sooner than everyone expected… what would happen to their business (refineries) then?

HONDA Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) continues to broaden its presence in the country with the inauguration of its 37th full-service dealership last October 3, 2022, Honda Cars Cauayan (HCCU).

HCCU is strategically located in Barangay Tagaran, National Highway, Cauayan City, Isabela, in a highly accessible area along the national highway and nearby commercial establishments, making the Honda brand even closer to customers in Northeastern Luzon. Standing on a 3,545-square meter floor area, customers may check the latest Honda models as Honda Cars Cauayan offers a five-car display showroom, spacious customer lounge, and the new modulo and mugen parts and accessories corner. Honda owners may also bring their vehicles for after-sales services such as preventive maintenance and general repairs as HCCU’s service area has fifteen (15) work bays and eight (8) lifters, complete with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment. Customers will be assisted by HCCU’s well-trained Sales Consultants, Service Advisors, and Technicians who are dedicated to providing them that warm and reliable service during their visits.

debit card

is also the first dealership to adopt the complete new visual identity that sports a refreshed look and new dealership signage design, aligned with Honda Motor Co., Ltd. in Japan.

“We are delighted to welcome Honda Cars Cauayan once again into HCPI’s roster of dealerships. The growing network of Honda Cars dealers in the Philippines affirms Honda’s commitment to reaching out to more customers to help ensure a smooth and convenient ownership experience for them. Congratulations and all the best to the Gateway Group. We look forward to serving more customers in partnership with them” said Mr. Masahiko Nakamura, President of HCPI.

Honda Cars Cauayan is open from Monday to Saturday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM. For appointments or inquiries, contact +63917 844 6586. Alternatively, customers may check Honda’s VIRTUAL SHOWROOM at www.hondaphil.com which is open 24/7 for customers’ convenience in exploring Honda vehicles, online reservations, or booking service appointments.

NLEX Corporation strengthens its campaign for road safety as it enjoins government stakeholders to institute and enforce measures against overloaded vehicles and stoning along the NLEXSCTEX.

NLEX tackled its role of ensuring the safety of motorists by preserving its assets such as roads and bridges. It specifically discussed the intensified implementation of the anti-overloading policy to further safeguard motorists using the NLEX-SCTEX systems.

“Overloaded vehicles pose safety hazards and cause premature deterioration of roads and bridges. We are seeking the help of our partners in the government to boost overall public safety through the joint implementation of the antioverloading law for a safer, smoother, and stronger infrastructure,” said NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista.

The tollway company has been enforcing the anti-overloading provision stated in Republic Act No. 8794 which entails both axle and gross vehicle weight limits. The said law cites that a penalty shall be imposed on vehicles that

exceed the permissible single axle load of 13.5 metric tons and/or go beyond the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight.

NLEX has been briefing several LGUs in Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac on the procedures that patrol crews and traffic marshals observe in implementing the said anti-overloading program

Meantime, sensing they can earn more and also to get back at those who are trying to kill their businesses (with the whole world going fully electric on vehicles is a sure-fire threat), the Middle Eastern oil producing countries have started cutting their production. Although they see the electric vehicles as a direct threat to their business, these Middle Eastern countries believe that it would take some time (since only Europe, and partly China, had already established infrastructure for electric vehicles) before the whole world has fully transitioned to it. For now, what they are thinking and doing is to squeeze large profits from the fuel-thirsty world.

Although they are very quiet on the issue of the electric vehicles, these oil-producing countries think that the world is not yet ready to go all out on it. Now is the ripe time to earn more as the demand for their products have gone overboard. Less production means less oil in the market while the demand is so high resulting to huge earnings for their pockets.

exceed a gross vehicle weight of 33 tons to preserve the structure while the repairs are ongoing.

Meanwhile, the safety and security of expressway motorists and host communities are set to further improve as the Municipality of Dinalupihan in Bataan recently passed an ordinance that would help avert potential accidents caused by stoning incidents and other prohibited acts within its jurisdiction. The City of Meycauayan in Bulacan has also lined up the same ordinance for passage.

and provided updates on the recent developments on the Candaba Viaduct.

The southbound portion of the fivekilometer Candaba Viaduct, a vital link between Pampanga and Bulacan, is currently undergoing safety repairs. Stringent measures are also being enforced as engineering consultant AMH Philippines recommended that trucks using the southbound viaduct must not

Both LGUs recognized the adverse effects of the said activities, which are usually committed by minors. They were further encouraged to issue legislation following the orientation on the integrated care management protocol (ICMP) that equipped them to better handle cases involving children at risk and children in conflict with the law.

Aside from the City of Meycauayan and Municipality of Dinalupihan, the Municipalities of Floridablanca, Pampanga and Hermosa, Bataan and the City of Mabalacat in Pampanga also approved an anti-stoning ordinance to uphold road safety along NLEXSCTEX.

HCCU is the fourth Honda Cars dealer under the management of the Gateway group. Through HCCU, Honda will fortify its presence in an already widely established dealer network in the Luzon area. Furthermore, HCCU embodies Honda’s global standard of delivering excellent products, as well as services throughout the customer journey. HCCU

Tech & Gadgets

Infinix blows competition away with game-changing ZERO ULTRA

By Riera U. Mallari

TWELVE minutes.

That is the span of time you’ll need to listen to 3 Eraserheads songs. That is also probably the length of time it’ll take for you to walk from your home to the nearest convenience store. Or, you can read one whole chapter of a book in 12 minutes.

For emerging tech giant Infinix, 12 minutes is the time it’ll take to charge its newest masterpiece – the ZERO ULTRA from zero to 100 percent.

To the ultra-busy Gen Z, millennial or baby boomer executive, that is indeed a deal breaker.

Infinix has definitely raised the stakes with the release of the ZERO ULTRA, which boasts of flagship quality at a more accessible price (more on this later).

The immersive features, innovation and design of the Infinix ZERO ULTRA can match even the more expensive smartphone brands, thus giving consumers value for their money. And because it is 5G, it promises higher performance, faster data speeds and better reliability— all at a higher bandwidth.

Built The ZERO ULTRA looks and feels like a premium phone, a showpiece that you can flaunt and immediately attract the attention of your peers. Its 3D Curved 120Hz AMOLED display and innovative textured glass and star trail design make it not just a highly efficient phone, but a beautiful smartphone to carry around.

Camera

The ZERO ULTRA captures photos and videos in impeccable quality with its 200MP triple rear camera, which has the most powerful lens in its price range. The details on the face of our cat model are clearly stunning.

The front camera, isn’t a slouch too as it shoots stable, sharp images at 32MP

and steady videos.

Partying all night and you want to capture all the fun but afraid that the lack of light won’t do justice to all the excitement? Worry no more as its Super Night setting lets you capture all the merrymaking in a snap.

The zoom function (10x) also delivers detailed photos, but future iterations of this model demands that the distance is increased to really compete with the big guns.

Performance

Whatever the task maybe, from the usual everyday emails to binging your favorite Netflix shows, the ZERO ULTRA is a breeze to use, thanks to the 6nm 5G processor and an 8+256GB extended RAM to 13GB, the latest XOS 12, and a super large VC cooling system.

Gamers in particular will be super satisfied with the ZERO ULTRA, from playing Mobile Legends or Call of Duty: Mobile to games with heavy graphics such as Genshin Impact or Asphalt 9: Legends—Epic Action Auto Racing.

Battery and charging Ahh, we’ve come to the most exciting part.

If you’re the type whose busy schedules require the smart use of all your time, then the ZERO ULTRA is tailor-fit for you as it boasts of a first-of-its-kind 180W Thunder Charge smartphone, which charges the phone’s battery from 0 to 100% in just 12 minutes—an industry best. (The “Furious Mode function should be turned on, room temperature should be around 25oC, and must use Infinix standard 180W charger and its original data cable to achieve the 12 minutes charging).

Without those setting, though, our unit charged for 15 minutes and 35 seconds, but we’re not complaining! That is still super fast, so you can dispose off all of your power banks to the bin.

Price Be one of the first to own an Infinix ZERO ULTRA at P21,999.

But here’s the good news. It’ll be exclusively available on Lazada and selected Infinix stores within Metro Manila starting Oct. 15 for as low as P18,749; and on Oct. 16 it will be available on Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok Shop with a flash sale of P19,999 for a limited time only.

Verdict Infinix has an absolute winner in its hands with ZERO ULTRA, a top-ofthe-line offering at a price usually reserved for more modest devices. It is a game-changer that has left its competitors shaking on their seats.

As they say in the vernacular— uwian na may nanalo na.

AllDay Supermarket adds another 1st: Addie the Service Robot

AFTER the introduction of several firstto-market innovations—from the country’s first self-checkout counters to the introduction of smart carts—AllDay Supermarket, the country’s fastest growing supermarket operator is again looking to take its customer service and experiences to newer heights, introducing the country’s first fully automated supermarket grocery assistant and product promoter: Addie the Supermarket Service Robot.

Addie the Service Robot patrols AllDay Supermarket, checking with shoppers if they have checked out the newest items in the store.

AllDay Supermarket shoppers are encouraged to interact with the service robot through product pushes, audio prompts and an interactive touchscreen interface.

Once they click Addie’s screen, customers have the option to check supple-

mentary information about the products that the robot is carrying at any given time.

The robot can even escort shoppers to featured product displays.

Addie is eyed as the future of interactive product marketing, pushing awareness for new items, ongoing promos, and other offerings from the AllDay Supermarket.

Moving forward, Addie the Service Robot will be deployed to promote the newest brands and items, especially those recently launched to the market—an additional platform to promote AllDay Supermarket’s partners’ items, as promotion ads can be featured on the screen of the service robot.

AllDay Supermarket is committed to a continuous improvement of its elevated customer experience through innovation, looking for ways to stay ahead and provide

added value to its consumers.

The addition of Addie the Service Robot is expected to improve customer service operations, as it will speed up customer routine by making their shopping trips more efficient and enjoyable.

This is in addition to innovative experiences already garnering customer attention—AllDay’s Smart Carts and Self-Checkout Counters.

Be the first to experience the magic of Addie at AllDay Supermarket branch in Evia Lifestyle Center.

Shop now at AllDay Supermarket in its Evia Lifestyle Center branch, located in Alabang, and experience world class shopping today.

Addie the Service Robot patrols AllDay Supermarket at Evia Lifestyle Center

Enjoy seamless digital experience via Globe eSIM

YEARNING to take your digital experience a step further? With Globe’s eSIM, you can enjoy a seamless and convenient experience across several devices.

Now, getting the eSIM is even easier through Globe’s digital platform, the New Globe Online Shop (www. new.globe.com.ph).

“Globe continues to be the forerunner of innovation in the country, driving adoption of digitalization. Offering eSIM on the New Globe Online Shop allows customers to easily adapt to this new technology,” said Coco Domingo, Vice President of Globe Postpaid and International Business.

Globe launched the eSIM in 2018, becoming the first to bring to market the integrated SIM chip embedded in mobile devices. It enabled seamless connections on mobile devices while advocating for a sustainable eco-conscious lifestyle.

The eSIM also supports sustainable living as it transitions customers from using plastic SIM cards. This small change can eventually have a big impact on the environment, in line with Globe’s sustainability advocacy.

In 2021, Globe then launched the eSIM-enabled ONENUMBER technology, the first in the Philippines, that allows customers to share the same number between their phones and watches, particularly on Apple devices.

This means that iPhone plan inclusions such as data allowance, calls, and texts are shared with a paired Apple Watch. Customers also get 1 additional GB per month when subscribed to ONENUMBER. No need to worry about leaving their phones behind as they will always be connected through their Apple Watch!

Globe also makes these devices available through incredible ways. You can get it at a discounted rate with GPlan Plus SIM-only, bundled with GPlan with device, or just the Apple device of your choice that comes with a free Globe Prepaid SIM and VR Goggles at SRP.

To get an iPhone 14 or Apple Watch with eSIM, just subscribe to Globe’s GPlan and choose eSIM as the preferred SIM type. Once the application is approved, customers will get the eSIM activation QR code through their registered email address.

They may also go to the nearest Globe Store to avail of the latest Apple devices with eSIM. Customers have different payment options such as charge to bill, zero interest on installment up to 36 months using select credit cards, and GCash’s installment offer GGives.

Globe was first to bring to the Philippines chat apps, streaming services, free access to social media platforms and a new “phygital” experience through the metaverse as it continues to pioneer digital innovations in the country.

To learn more about Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph.

LG Multi Split o ers multiple ways to manage multiple spaces

FOR Filipinos, one of the biggest factors that people consider before making a big investment is flexibility.

Before allocating capital, research must be done exhaustively in order to ensure that what you’re buying gives the most bang for your buck.

This holds true for something small such as electronics and appliances, to bigger purchases such as cars and houses.

HVAC systems are also put under the

yond just comfort and look at it as a whole.

The LG Multi Split provides this versatility and flexibility. This revolutionary system delivers the functionality, flexibility and performance that can transform your home or office.

The system ensures optimum cooling and air management no matter how big or small the space.

With the ability to connect to up to 5 indoor units, the Multi Split gives system designers freedom and flexibility.

LG offers a wide range of indoor units that are stylish and space-saving, so they don’t detract from the interior of a home or office.

Whether you need wall-mounted indoor units, units installed in the ceiling, or even a ducted solution, LG indoor unit designs can fit perfectly with any building.

unit control of

Operating multiple indoor units allows individual monitoring and control of units in multiple rooms.

Every building has its own unique structure and needs and the Multi Split can meet the needs of multiple spaces simultaneously.

With the addition of a Distribution (DB) Box, a single outdoor unit can support up to 9 indoor units.

The LG Multi Split brings the comfort, flexibility and efficiency to revolutionize your space all in a uniquely compact unit.

The compact outdoor unit is 546mm smaller from top to bottom and 23% lighter, which makes the installation process much easier and more flexible as well.

The smaller form factor unit also frees up space outdoors and doesn’t clutter your yard or the premises of an office.

Behind the LG Multi Split is the powerful R1 Compressor. Its shaft-through design ensures highly stable operation even during low-load conditions and further boosts operating efficiency.

This structure improves the durability of the compressor itself while, in addition, the enhanced Black Fin corrosion-resistant coating lengthens the life of the Multi Split.

High SEER and SCOP class ratings from the Multi Split demonstrate its outstanding performance thanks to the R1 compressor. Advanced peak current control also reduces

Multi Split smart connectivity enhances convenience and performance

energy consumption and operation costs.

Along with this high-efficiency performance comes advanced temperature and humidity sensor technology that reduces cooling times by 33% and heating times by 45%.

Embedded PM1.0 sensors also ensure improved air purification for a more healthy and more comfortable environment.

The Multi Split also takes advantage of LG’s useful and intuitive ThinQ app.

While connected via Wi-Fi to LG ThinQ,

users can control and monitor their system from anywhere at any time.

You can conveniently access the app on your mobile device to stay on top of system performance and operation.

In addition, LGMV (Monitoring View) connectivity makes it possible for installers or service engineers to monitor and diagnose any issues with the system with cycle monitoring and smart troubleshooting available all within the app.

Detailed photo from the 200MP shooter

Bright colors

In nix ZERO ULTRA: Game changer