Manila Standard - 2022 October 17 - Monday

Cop check on journos scored

Privacy concern raised as DILG chief, NCRPO apologize for 'surprise visit'

By Joel Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

“SURPRISE

visits” by police to the homes of at least two journalists sparked privacy concerns among lawmakers and media practitioners over the weekend.

Philippine National Police (PNP) officials apologized for the visits, say ing that although they were aimed at ensuring their safety following the Oct. 4 murder of radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, no direct orders had been is sued to authorize them.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos on Sunday also said sorry for the visits, which he said “created panic” even as these came “from good faith.”

“Forgive us. This will not happen again,” Abalos said. “Forgive us it these created undue fear.”

National Capital Region (NCRPO) chief Police Gen. Jonnel Estomo or dered a stop to the house visits after several journalists aired their concern over the incidents, pointing out that they

violated the Privacy Act.

PNP spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo said there was no direct order from national headquarters in Camp Crame nor the regional director to go to the residences of journalists to ask if they had been threatened.

The only instruction relayed to them was to coordinate with media practitioners to find out if they too had been receiving theats follow ing Mabasa's murder.

“We can only presume that what happened in other areas was due to the different inter pretations on how cops should coordinate with media practitioners in their respective areas of jurisdiction,”

Remulla vows son’s drug case won’t reach his desk

By Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Re mulla on Sunday assured the public that the drug complaint filed against his el dest son, Juanito Jose Diaz III, would not reach his desk for review.

Remulla stressed that as Justice secre tary, he has the power to review resolu tions issued by state prosecutors.

However, in an online interview, Re mulla said he is confident the case will not reach his desk.

“I think it will not reach that point.

The lawyer of my son knows what to do, that it should not reach me. Face it in court, do not allow the case to reach me.

Do not dribble it to the DOJ,” the DOJ chief said.

He said his son has tapped the services of his cousin-lawyer as his legal counsel in the case.

"My cousin knows me to be assertive. That will be resolved in the court,” he said.

Remulla said the filing of the case against son is an example that the coun try’s justice system is working.

"It is the best example of the justice system working. The son of the DOJ sec retary has a case and is in jail," he said.

Remulla reiterated his promise not to use his power nor influence to help his son.

“I have nothing to do with it and I

FOOD SECURITY CAMPAIGN.

The poster for World Food Day shows this year's theme: 'Leave No One Behind.' The Department of Agriculture said it reaffirms its commitment to raise awareness on food security concerns and promote collective action towards ensuring healthy diets.

Strict border control vs. agri smuggling urged

AGRICULTURAL products must be thoroughly inspected to prevent smuggling and the introduction of diseases, an industry group said Sunday as it urged the government

Controls.” Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said smuggled commodities often slip through the country's borders without thorough

The group's president, Rosendo So, said all agricultural shipments should

Cemeteries lay down ‘Undas’ guidelines

By Willie Casas

MANILA’S North and South cemeteries have begun preparations for this year's All Souls' Day as COVID-19 restrictions further ease under the new normal.

The Manila North Cemetery management said it is expecting an influx of about 3 to 4 million visitors on All Souls' Day. In the cemetery, among

the oldest and the biggest in Manila, the cleaning, painting and renovation of graves will be allowed until October 25.

Starting October 28, internment operations will be temporarily closed. This will resume on November 3.

For those who will visit their departed loved ones, the main gates of the cemeteries are open from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. only

By Eton Concepcion

ALEXANDRA Mae Rosales bagged the Miss Supermodel Worldwide crown – the first Filipina to win the title – during the finals night held at the Leela Palace Lodge in Jaipur, India on Sunday.

Miss Netherlands Kaylee Roxanne Porteges Zwart and Miss Indonesia

Nova Retalista were first and second runners-up, respectively. Miss France Sonia Alt Mansour and Miss Kazakhstan Alina Cheveleva placed 3rd and 4th runners-up.

Rosales, 26, is a model from Laguna. She is a Tourism graduate from Malayan College and is currently

be sent to a screening center first, where they will undergo phytosanitary inspection to see if these shipments are contaminated with diseases such as the African swine fever and avian flu.

Last Thursday, more than two tons of white onions were seized at the

By Willie Casas

World Health Organization is eyeing to end the global health emergency on COVID-19 by the end of the year, an official said, even as she acknowledged that more needs to be done given the “still high” pandemic numbers.

“Our goal, that we laid out in the latest Global Strategic

Preparedness and Response Plan, was to end the emergency of COVID by the end of this year,” WHO's COVID-19 Technical Lead Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said.

“We’re not quite there yet,” she added.

WHO data showed the global tally for COVID-19 fatalities from Oct. 3 to 9 was at 9,002, slightly higher than the previous week's 8,300 reported deaths.

“We are still seeing some decline,

By Rio N. Araja and Vince Lopez

its recent situation report, NDRRMC

‘Neneng’ exits PAR, gov't sets aid to affected areas in North

TYPHOON “Neneng” maintained its strength as it moved out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility late Sunday evening, the state weather

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has recorded over 300 families who left their homes in Region 2 and took shelter in various evacuation centers due to the typhoon.

looks at end of the year to conclude

emergency

Pope urges UN reform after Ukraine war, COVID ‘limits’

POPE Francis said the need to reform the United Nations

was "more than obvious" after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war exposed its limits, in an extract of his new book published Sunday.

The Argentine pontiff said Rus sia's February invasion of Ukraine highlighted the need to ensure the current multilateral structure –espe cially the UN Security Council – finds "more agile and effective ways of re solving conflicts."

"In wartime, it is essential to affirm that we need more multilateralism and a better multilateralism," but the UN is no longer fit for "new realities," he added in an extract published by La Stampa daily.

The organization was founded to prevent the horrors of two World Wars from happening again, but although the threat represented by those con flicts was still alive, "today's world is no longer the same," said Francis.

"The necessity of these reforms became more than obvious after the

Cop...

From A1 she told radio dzBB, speaking in Filipino. Over the weekend, GMA News re porter JP Soriano claimed that a man who introduced himself as a cop but not wear ing a uniform visited his house.

“He said the PNP ordered a check on the condition of the journalists after what happened to Percy Lapid. I said that there was no threat to me or to us. He asked me if he could take a picture 'for docu mentation' and I politely declined,” said Soriano in a post on social media.

He added that the same police officer who was not in uniform left and looked for the address of another journalist who is his neighbor.

After the incident, Soriano said, In terior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called him to say that he would immediately investigate the matter.

David Oro, a radio commentator for dwIZ, said on his Facebook account that he, too, was visited by men claiming to be police officers.

“Last week, two alleged 'policemen' in civilian clothes and onboard [an] un marked vehicle visited my residence in QC,” he wrote, referring to Quezon City.

He said the men asked his household help what time he would be back, but they did not leave their names or a con tact number.

Strict...

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Zamboanga City Airport Cargo Terminal.

The DENR said the shipment had no legal documents, which is considered a violation of the Plant Quarantine Law.

Bureau of Customs spokesperson Arnaldo dela Torre Jr. said they are still investigating the incident.

On Sunday, the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said the administration can achieve safe, nutritious, and affordable food.

It issued the statement on the occasion of World Food Day.

The OPS said the best way to achieve food security is to support farmers and fishers and to care for the environment.

World Food Day is celebrated every year worldwide on Oct. 16 to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945.

In his speech during his participation at the 77th United NationsGeneral Assembly in September, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. underscored the importance of investing in food security.

“We need to take concrete steps towards a modern and resilient

‘Neneng’...

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said 337 families or 960 individuals preemptively evacuated in the municipalities of Lal-lo, Camalaniugan, Baggao, Santa Praxedes, Buguey, Lasam, Ballesteros, and Calayan in

pandemic" when the current multilateral system "showed all its limits," he added.

Francis denounced the unequal dis tribution of vaccines as a "glaring ex ample" of the law of the strongest pre vailing over solidarity.

The 85-year-old advocated "organic

Fajardo said PNP Chief Police Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered an in vestigation into the matter, and said cor rective measures would be carried out against anyone found to be liable.

She said the PNP ordered that the vis its be stopped until there was adequate dialogue and specific guidelines were released.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian told radio dzBB that the PNP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) needed to find out how police ac quired the home addresses of journalists.

“It is not clear to me why the police have the addresses of the journalists. It should be clarified how these were ob tained and what was the source of the information. Even how they got the cell phone numbers should be clarified,” he said in Filipino.

Fajardo said that the police involved told her that they were able to gather the personal information of the journalists from the barangays.

She said “the PNP [meant] no harm.”

Senator Jinggoy Estrada said the home visits to journalists was “a stupid idea.”

“I can see the sense in this move of the Philippine National Police but its execu tion is rather contemptible. It’s the most stupid idea, I must say,” Estrada said in a statement.

The PNP has a lot of explaining to do, he added.

“If the purpose is to ensure that there are no threats to their (journalists) lives,

agriculture. Food is not just a trade commodity nor a livelihood. It is an existential imperative. and a moral one.

It is the very basis of human security,” Marcos said.

He said governments must provide innovative solutions and financial support to farmers and fishers to adopt new technologies and connect to national and global value supply chains to attain food security.

Marcos also emphasized the need to protect biodiversity amid the continuing challenge of climate change by enhancing global cooperation.

In June, Marcos declared that he will temporarily assume the post of Agriculture secretary to show that his administration puts "high priority" in the agriculture sector.

The Marcos government is working on increasing the production of rice, corn, and other food products to stabilize prices instead of prioritizing importation.

In September, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 4 imposing a one-year moratorium on the payment and interest of land amortization to help agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the country.

The EO is expected to benefit 654,000 ARBs involving a total of 1.18 million hectares of awarded lands.

Cagayan province.

The most evacuees came from the municipality of Baggao with 252 families or 717 individuals.

No casualty was reported so far, according to the NDRRMC.

The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) said at least seven out of the 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte have no electricity.

reforms" aimed at allowing interna tional organisations to rediscover their essential purpose of "serving the human family" and said international institu tions must be the result of the "widest possible consensus."

The pope also proposed guarantee

why are they (policemen) not in their proper uniform? Why was there no coor dination with the local officials and [the] media company or outlet with which the concerned journalist is affiliated? And the most glaring of all, how could they get hold of very personal and sensitive information such as a home address of a journalist?”

The PNP clearly violated the Data Privacy Act and they should be held ac countable, he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said it is good that the NCRPO apologized for these “surprise visits” and put an end to them immediately.

In this political climate, and in the wake of the killing of Mabasa, the public cannot be blamed for being scared, she said.

She warned that these actions could have a chilling effect on press freedom.

"As a former broadcast journalist my self, I stand squarely beside my former colleagues and the country’s Fourth Es tate. Now more than ever, we need a free and strong media," she said.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) expressed alarm over the home visits.

“Assuming good faith, these meet ings and dialogues are best done through newsrooms or through the various press corps, press clubs and journalists' orga nizations in the capital. Far from making us feel safe, the visits add to our anxiety as these were done without coordination

WHO...

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potentially a stabilization in deaths. But last week alone, 9,002 people lost their lives to COVID-19 that we know about and it’s probably a higher number than that. That’s really quite a high number,” she said.

The WHO’s Emergency Committee on COVID-19 convened Friday (Manila time) to deliberate on the pandemic situation.

“The virus is here to stay with us. We have to live with it responsibly. The pandemic itself will end, but it’s just not over yet,” Van Kerkhove said.

The Philippines on Sunday logged 2,321 new COVID-19 cases – the fourth straight day of more than 2,000 new infections recorded.

The death toll rose by 33 to 63,510.

According to the Department of Health, the regions with the most cases in the last two weeks were the National Capital Region with 10,399 followed by Calabarzon with 5,228 and Central Luzon with 2,745.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante said COVID-19 may already be in an endemic state in the

These are the towns of Adams, Bangui, Burgos, Carasi, Dumalneg, Pasuquin and Pagudpud.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said government assets are in place to deal with the aftermath of “Neneng,” including food, safe drinking water, and electricity supply.

“To the provinces in the North that have felt the effects, help is on

ing food, health, economic and social rights on which international institu tions would base their decisions.

Francis's new book, "I ask you in the name of God: Ten prayers for a future of hope,” is due to come out in Italy Tues day. AFP

with newsrooms,” the group said.

“The two known incidents of 'surprise visits' also violate our right to privacy. We urge the NCRPO and other police units to arrange these dialogues through more formal channels. We also call on the police to take note of and address online threats to our colleagues, includ ing the baseless red-tagging that many in the community have had to endure,” it added.

The NCRPO earlier announced it will provide security to Metro Manila-based journalists who receive threats and are being harassed.

Estomo had tapped all district direc tors and station commanders of the five police districts in Metro Manila - the Northern, Southern, Eastern, Manila and Quezon City to initiate a dialogue with newspaper reporters, broadcasters and other media practitioners in their respec tive areas “to determine imminent threats if any and address their security concerns accordingly.”

The acting director of the Eastern Po lice District in the NCRPO, Col. Wilson Asueta, apologized to members of the press who complained of privacy viola tions.

He confirmed that PNP personnel had indeed visited some journalists in his area of responsibility, but declined to say where the order came from.

He added that the objective of the vis its was to ensure the safety of the journal ists, not to conduct surveillance.

country if the positivity rate is less than 10 percent, the healthcare utilization rate is less than 50 percent, and at least 50 percent of the population have received their booster shots against the disease.

“If you look at what we’re doing now, mobility has increased, workplace capacity is already 100 percent, public transportation is already 100 percent. So, we’re on that way already,” Solante said.

Solante, however, warned the new COVID-19 Omicron subvariant XBB may already have entered the country due to eased border restrictions for travelers.

“We cannot rule that out because first of all, the samples we are testing now for sequencing are not that many anymore. Second, we have an open border,” he said.

“There’s a possibility that this variant can also be present here, but we don’t just know as it hasn’t been detected yet by the Philippine Genome Center,” he added.

The XBB is a recombinant of the BJ.1 (BA.2.10.1 sublineage) and BM.1.1.1 (BA.2.75 sublineage).

The DOH said the XBB sublineage “shows higher immune evasion ability than BA.5.”

the way,” Marcos said on his official Twitter account.

He encouraged the public to follow the directives of their respective local government units and municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils.

“Neneng” is the 14th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the second for October.

Cemeteries...

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starting October 29 until November 2. Vaccinated children below 12 years will be allowed to enter.

Videoke or any sound system that will cause loud sounds are not allowed inside the cemetery. Other banned items include alcoholic beverages, deck cards, bingo cards or gambling materials, flammable materials, firearms and sharp objects like knives or cutters.

At the Manila South Cemetery, the same guidelines will be implemented.

Earlier, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said it will roll out more mobile police outposts (MPO) to ensure peace and order during the country's observance of the All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day, as well as the entire holiday season.

NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said these rolling outposts are “ready to be shifted to the cemeteries come the commemoration of ‘Undas’ where the people, after years of pandemic, are keen to visit their deceased relatives.”

“The establishment of MPOs is part of the crime prevention measures through immediate police response where patrollers will be on standby, ready to assist the public in times of emergency or extend safety services when needed. This initiative guarantees police presence is always seen and felt,” Estomo said.

Last week, the NCRPO launched a new mobile outpost in Paranaque City, bringing to seven the total number of MPOs that were already deployed in the metropolis.

These MPOs are situated along Aseana Ave., Macapagal Ave., Ninoy Aquino International Airport Expressway southbound ramp, Bradco Ave., Valera St., Diokno Blvd., and Panay Ave. at the
Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

Remulla...

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never tolerate cases involving drugs,” he added.

The Las Piñas City prosecutor’s office on Friday indicted Remulla for violation of Section 11 of RA 9165, il legal possession of drugs, and recom mended no bail.

The prosecutor's office recommend ed no bail for the younger Remulla's case.

The younger Remulla was found carrying over a kilogram of kush, or high-grade marijuana, worth an esti mated P1.3 million.

Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday urged the United States Customs and Border Protection to further tighten its control over illegal substances that may elude detection and consequently find their way into countries outside its jurisdic tion, such as the Philippines.

Barbers, chairperson of the House committee on dangerous drugs, re ferred to the arrest of Remulla's son, who is being charged over the impor tation of illegal drugs from the United States.

“Is the US Customs and Border Pro tection allowing exportation to coun tries like the Philippines of this (mari juana) illegal contraband?

That is the question that must be an swered,” he said.

“We ask the US government to in stitute measures that will strengthen its control over what comes out of its ju risdiction. There might have been some flaws that happened at the US Customs and Border Protection,” he said.

Remulla III was arrested for sup posedly receiving parcels containing over almost a kilo worth of high-grade marijuana, shipped from a certain Ben jamin Huffman of 1524 Hornblend Street in San Diego, California.

“We must remain vigilant here in the Philippines. As drug traffickers are being creative in ways to distribute il legal drugs, so must we respond with equal or more fervor in frustrating all their efforts for the sake of Filipino citizens here,” Barbers said.

PH...

From A1 pursuing research studies at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde. Managed by Meg Perez and trained by Rodgil Flores of Kagandahang Flores beauty camp, she previously competed in Miss Southeast Asian Tourism Ambassadress 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where she placed as first runner-up. She was also a candidate in the Bb. Pilipinas 2021 pageant.

Named Continental Queens were Miss Ethiopia Rahel Zemen Gebremedhin for Africa, Miss Ecuador Kelly Baez for the Americas, Miss Thailand Wangpor Jitrana Kengkanna for Asia, and Miss Estonia Kelly Kangur for Europe. A separate continental winner for Russia was awarded to Miss Belarus Kamila Matyushklova.

CALLING FOR REFORM. Pope Francis waves from the window of the apostolic palace during the weekly Angelus prayer on October 16, 2022 in The Vatican. AFP

DOH says PH at ‘high risk’ for measles

By Willie Casas

THE Department of Health (DOH) said over the weekend that all regions in the Philippines are at “high risk” for measles outbreaks due to low vaccine coverage.

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said apart from the low vaccine coverage, there is also a need to improve the monitoring and surveillance of measles cases.

“All regions in the Philippines are at high risk for a measles outbreak due to low coverage of measles vaccination and low detection of measles. There is a need to improve not only vaccination but the surveillance for measles.),” De Guzman said.

De Guzman said measles and rubella cases in the country are on an “upward trend.”

De Guzman said at least 489 measles and rubella cases have been recorded from January to October 1, which is 167 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

She said at least 62 percent of cases are from the group of children aged 5 and below. She said that vaccination and the use of face masks are important to prevent the transmission of measles and rubella.

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

On the other hand, rubella is a contagious viral infection that most often affects children and young adults. It is transmitted by airborne droplets when infected people sneeze or cough, and may cause a mild fever and rash in children and adults.

For cholera cases, the DOH said at least 3,890 cases were recorded from January to October 1, which is 286 percent higher from cases reported in the previous year.

SC junks MRT 3 appeal vs. DOTr

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court (SC) has junked the appeal of the private operators of Metro Rail Transit 3 system for the issuance of an injunction to enjoin the Department of Transportation (DOTr) from procuring 48 new light-rail vehicles (LRVs) for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 from another supplier amounting to P3.76 billion.

In an 11-page resolution made public last October 14, the SC’s Third Division upheld the rulings issued by the Court of Appeals on July 19, 2016 which sustained the February 20, 2014 order by the Regional Trial Court of Makati City denying the prayer for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction filed by the Metro Rail Transit Corporation and Metro Rail Transit Holdings II, Inc. against the DOTr.

The SC described as “specious” the

assertion of the petitioners that they are entitled to the issuance of the injunction because the matter is of extreme urgency and involves a constitutional issue.

The petitioners also argued that the non-issuance of the injunction will cause MRTC, MRTH II, and the riding public grave and irreparable injury and that DOTr’s actions are tantamount to a deprivation of property without due process of law.

Besides, the petitioners insisted that it had not waived its right of first refusal un-

der the 1997 Build-Lease-Transfer (BLT)

Agreement with the DOTr when it failed to reply to the latter’s letter dated December 19, 2007 informing them of its intention to procure refurbished LRVs and inquiring as to whether they would be exercising their right of first refusal to supply LRVs.

But the SC sided with the CA and the trial court’s decisions that the latter is prohibited from issuing an injunction as the relief being sought by the petitioners “falls within the proscription mandated by Republic Act No. 8975.”

The said law enjoins all courts, except the SC, from issuing any temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or preliminary mandatory injunction against the government, or any of its agencies and officials to restrain or compel the bidding or awarding of a contract or project of the national government to avoid unnecessary increase in construction costs and to allow the public to enjoy soonest the benefits of

national government projects.

“Here petitioners have failed to substantiate their bare allegations that they have suffered grave injustice or irreparable injury involving their constitutional rights,” the SC ruled.

The tribunal stressed that the case does not raise any constitutional issue since the relationship between the DOTr and the petitioners are merely contractual and their dispute entails “adjudication of contractual rights.”

“Neither have petitioners proved that MRTC stands to suffer some grave and irreparable injury. While the Court understands petitioners’ concerns, there is still no basis for the issuance of a WPI because, as explained by the CA, it can be compensable through the award of damages. As the damages alleged by them can be quantified, it cannot be considered as ‘grave and irreparable injury’ as understood in law,” the SC said.

IN BRIEF

Black belter crowned Miss Ormoc 2022

ORMOC City- Liezle Jones has been crowned Miss Ormoc 2022 during a live ceremony at the Ormoc Superdome Saturday, October 15.

Jones, who represented Barangay Macabug, is a second-year college student at HSU CA, taking up Business and Marketing. The 20-year-old half-Filipino and half-American is also a journalist, blogger, and black belter in Martial Arts.

The other Miss Ormoc 2022 winners were Charybel Faith Dizon (District 25), 1st Runner Up; Abiah Dicdican (Brgy. C. Downes), 2nd Runner up; Jessajane Belic (Brgy. Punta), 3rd Runner Up; and Ma. Kim Bocao (Brgy. Concepcion), 4th Runner Up. Leyte 4th District Congressman Richard Gomez and Ormoc Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez thanked the public and the corporate sponsors for their support during the star-studded show.

Top celebrities, personalities, and performers who graced the event include Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol, Mister Philippines Kirk Bondad, Ruffa Gutierrez, James Deakin, Ian Veneracion, Bailey May, Kyle Echarri, Annabelle Rama, Regine Tolentino, and Wilma Doesnt, along with local dance groups. Ronald Reyes

Urban poor commission vows to focus on working with LGUs

By Rio N. Araja

IN a bid to strengthen its partnership with local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region and Luzon, the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) is set to host its first LGU Forum on Oct. 25 to present its projects for 2023 and programs for its upcoming Urban Poor

Solidarity Week in December.

Chairperson and chief executive officer Undersecretary Elpidio Jordan Jr. said the forum shall focus on expanding opportunities for the urban poor in partnership with LGUs in Metro Manila and Luzon aimed at increasing awareness of the PCUP’s programs and services to enable urban poor communities to enhance their accessibility for a better life.

“This is the first time that we will be conducting such an activity and we are hoping for a positive response from our LGUs because they play a big role in the poverty alleviation program of our President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.,” Jordan said.

The forum would also help significantly in the fulfillment of the PCUP’s mandate of serving as a direct link between government and the urban poor

in policy formulation and program implementation.

“Pursuant to Executive Order No. 82, we are mandated to serve as a link of our urban poor to government and as part of the provisions under the EO, our function is to set up a consultative mechanism that would provide continuing dialogue on the proper planning and evaluation of propoor programs,” Jordan said.

BARMM gov’t urged to act fast on brgy. conversions to settle con icts

By Nash B. Maulana PIKIT, Cotabato—The Bangsamoro

Government should promptly step in to contain a series of killings now feared to escalate into conflict in old settlements of residents coexisting for over a century.

Member of Parliament Jaafar Apollo Mikhail L. Matalam urged his colleagues in the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to act fast on the conversion of all 63 barangays, now part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), into municipal local government units (LGUs).

Presently, the 63 barangays that comprise BARMM’s Special Geographic Areas (SGAs) in Cotabato Province, are left with no municipal councils, no mechanisms to settle local conflict or pass policies and ordinances to preserve law and order, Matalam said.

Local police said it was too early to

Thousands join prayer rally to support Rosals

A BISHOP from the province of Bicol led a peaceful prayer rally dubbed as “Dasal para kay Rosal” over the weekend to support Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal and Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal.

Bishop Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi City graced the peaceful rally along with more than 25,000 supporters at the Peñaranda Park, saying that the Albayanons (people of Albay) had already decided who to elect last election.

Rosal and his wife have been ordered disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the illegal use of campaign funds.

Legazpi City Public Safety Officer Rolly Esguerra said Sunday the supporters, who included Catholic priests, were from

various towns and cities.

Baylon said the prayer rally was a manifestation of the people’s will, adding that the result of the past elections was not only a simple majority win but an “overwhelming majority” for the Rosal couple.

“Let the will of the people prevail, and let’s go to work for a progressive Albay. The election is already done here. The people has already chosen their leaders so let’s stop politicking,” Baylon said. “The Church has joined the people today to support the leaders they chose.”

The Comelec disqualified Rosal from the provincial electoral race last month for violating the 45-day ban on the release of public funds by government agencies for social welfare projects particularly the approval of cash assistance

to tricycle drivers in April.

According to reports, Mayor Geraldine Rosal was also disqualified for the same offense last October 4 just two weeks after the first division of Comelec disqualified her husband.

Baylon added though that they would always respect the law, but he is praying that the true justice will prevail for the benefit of the entire 469, 481 Filipinos who voted for Rosal and his wife.

“My message to our political leaders is we will always respect the law, the law which stands for the truth, that respect and love the dignity of one another. There are many things that can cause us divided or may turn against one another. But the loser in the end will be the people of this land,” he added.

conclude that the series of killings were related to each other. Each case appeared to be distinct from the others, as shown by an initial investigation.

Matalam has also urged local and police authorities to help halt the killings in this town.

But some residents have expressed fears other parties might fan the situation to escalate into a conflict between Christian and Muslim residents for some vested interests, including politics.

Pikit is a bastion of agricultural settlement areas called “colons” which emanated from Osmena Colony Act of 1913 as legislated by the Philippine Commission, following the American civil government’s issuance of the Public Land Act.

Matalam is the son of the late former Pikit Mayor Datu Udtog Matalam Jr., son of Datu Udtog Matalam, Sr., the grand old man of the undivided Empire Cotabato Province.

DOJ says released PDLs granted probation

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) said a total of 558 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were released last September from the various detention facilities of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

The DOJ, which exercises administrative supervision over BuCor, said more PDLs will be released this month of October.

BuCor said that those released last September were PDLs who have served their jail terms, have been acquitted of the charges, and have been granted probation.

Of those released, 371 of them were freed during the Sept. 13 birthday of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The National Commission of Senior Citizens has lauded the BuCor for releasing a large number of inmates that included the elderly. Rey E. Requejo

US says ‘thank you’ for USS Ronald Reagan visit

THE United States Embassy in Manila has conveyed its gratitude to the Philippines for welcoming its aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan when it paid a port visit amid strengthened military cooperation between the treaty allies.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson thanked its “friends, partners, allies” from the country for welcoming the service members of its nuclear-powered carrier.

“The strength of the U.S.-Philippines alliance relies on the strength of the close ties between Filipinos and Americans,” said Carlson, who personally went to Manila Bay, where the supercarrier docked. The Ronald Reagan had just come from Japan and South Korea in a show of force amid apparent threats from North Korea, which had been conducting missile launches. Rey E. Requejo

MS. ORMOC. Liezle Jones has been crowned Miss Ormoc 2022 during a live ceremony at the Ormoc Superdome on Saturday. Jones, who represented Brgy. Macabug, is a secondyear business and marketing student.

PRAYER RALLY. More than 25,00 gathered at ta prayer rally to support Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal and Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal. The Rosals have been disquali ed by the Commission on Elections for the illegal use of campaign funds.

FREE PANDESAL. The Kamuning Bakery and Café distributes pandesal and other food items in celebration of the 8th World Pandesal Day. A free medical, dental, and optical is also being held as part of the celebrations. Manny Palmero

IN BRIEF

More solo parents to enjoy discounts

A BIGGER number of solo parents would soon start reaping the benefits of a new law that grants them food price discounts, tax exemptions, free legal aid, and medical care, tuition subsidies, parental leaves and other privileges.

Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte co-authored Republic Act 11861 or the Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act, which is due for implementation in a month’s time.

Under the law, solo parents who earn minimum wages or below would also get a monthly cash aid of P1,000 each from their local government units, Vil lafuerte noted.

He issued thetatement as the imple menting rules and regulations of RA 11861 were signed just recently by De partment of Social Welfare and Devel opment Secretary Erwin Tulfo and the other members of the interagency coor dination and monitoring committee that drafted the IRRs.

The act lapsed into law last June 4.

The Department of Health and the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health estimated in a 2017 study that there are 14 to 15 million solo parents in the country. Rio N. Araja

DAR, Aboitiz seal pact for farmers

THE Department of Agrarian Reform, and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and Aboitiz Equity Ventures have renewed their partnership in providing livelihood as sistance to farmers’ organizations.

Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Pilmico Foods Corp. president and chief executive officer Tristan Aboitiz have partnered anew to promote sustainable agri-livelihood for the members of agrar ian reform beneficiaries organizations through a memorandum of understanding.

Under the agreement, Aboitiz Founda tion and AEV shall provide financial assis tance for various livelihood programs for the farmers’ groups, while Pilmico would provide technical and logistical support.

DAR would identify potential organiza tions to participate in the project in coordi nation with the DAR provincial offices.

Estrella thanked the Aboitiz Founda tion, AEV, and Pilmico for their gener osity, willingness and kindness to help the most productive people in the coun try, the farmers.

“We would like to see the farmers be integrated and be part of the consumers’ group for them to have better purchas ing power. With that, they would have greater chances of succeeding in any business they would engage in,“ he said.

Aboitiz said Pilmico and DAR’s partnership started in 2017 when they launched a livelihood distribution pro ject for the agrarin reform beneficiaries organization in various provinces.

In the last five years, the partnership provided hundreds of livelihood kits and technical training that helped create sus tainable livelihood and accessible income opportunities for agrarian reform benefi ciaries nationwide. Rio N. Araja

Discounts for tickets bought online pushed

AMID a nationwide fare increase that took effect on Oct. 3, transport tickets purchased online must also be discount ed, according to Isabela Rep. Inno Dy.

“This is why mandated discounts should also be applied to tickets that are bought online,” he said.

Dy is batting for the passage of House Bill No. 1142 or the Student Fare Dis count Act of 2022.

The measure seeks to amend Section 5 of Republic Act No. 11314, which en titles students to a 20-percent discount on domestic regular fares for all public transportation.

The law requires students to present their school identification card in per son, which makes them unable to avail of the benefit when purchasing their tickets online, Dy lamented.

“Because of this, students could not avail of the discount should students reload their Beep cards, such as in pur chasing plane tickets to go home to the province,” he said.

“This is an exception that doesn’t make sense, and disincentivizes the use of tech nology when in fact we must push for its more widespread adoption,” he added.

If passed, RA No. 11314 would read as follows: “SEC. 5. Student Fare Discount Privilege. - A student under this Act shall be entitled to a grant of 20% discount on domestic regular fares, upon personal presentation of their duly issued school identification cards or current validated enrollment form, supported by the prescribed government-issued identification document, subject to an appropriate verification mechanism to be provided in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR): Provided, That in the case of air public transportation utilities, the discount shall only apply to the base fare or the price of the ticket before taxes and costs for ancillary services.

Rio N. Araja

News

Win, Robin seek Senate hearings on PH energy self-sufficiency

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Win Gatchalian has filed a Senate resolution seeking to establish the oil and gas potential in the West Philippine Sea and address the country’s dependence on fuel imports for its energy requirements.

PROGRAM TO BOOST ECONOMY

Housing tack to create 1.7 million jobs per year

period.

By Rio N. Araja

On the other hand, Sen. Robin Padilla has high hopes for positive results from oil and gas exploration activities in the Philippines, espe cially in the WPS.

Gatchalian said his Senate inquiry aims to push exploration, develop ment, and utilization of such oil and gas reserves to achieve national en ergy security and self-sufficiency.

“Given persistent global energy shocks, it is important for us to as certain the oil and gas potential in the West Philippine Sea for the country to have some level of stabil ity and protection from the tumultu ous geopolitical conflict in foreign countries that has severely impacted local energy prices,” Gatchalian said.

AT

least 1.7 million jobs per year would be generated under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s six-year Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino: Zero ISF 2028 Program.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said that other than the increase of cash flow in the hous ing sector market, the housing program would also generate employment to many jobless Filipinos.

“It is projected to have direct and in direct jobs in the sector, especially in areas where mid-rise to high-rise units will be built,” he said.

Acuzar projected that about 1.7 mil lion jobs would be created annually when the Pambansang Pabahay Pro gram goes full blast with the construc tion of housing units.

A study showed that at least eight workers are necessary in the construc tion of a housing unit within a certain

The Pambansang Pabahay Program is eyeing to build one million units per year in the next six years.

The significant number of jobs is seen to contribute in the administra tion’s post-COVID-19 pandemic re covery efforts and in furtherance of the eight-point economic agenda of the Marcos administration, DHSUD said.

As of August 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported 2.68 mil lion unemployed Filipinos aged 15 to 64 years old.

Under the program, the DHSUD seeks P36-billion interest support per year and calls for the active involve ment of both government and commer cial banks on the financing side.

“With this program, we will also be tapping the economic pump-priming potentials of the housing sector,” Acu zar said.

Data from the Department of En ergy (DOE) show that as of 2021. there is an estimated 6,203 million barrels of total oil resources and 12,158 billion cubic feet of total gas resources in the WPS.

At present, there are five petro leum service contracts in the West Philippine Sea.

These are Service Contract (SC) 54 held by Nido Petroleum Philip pines Pty Ltd. in Offshore North west Palawan, SC 58 held by Nido Petroleum in West Calamian or Northwest Palawan, SC 59 held by the Philippine National Oil Com pany-Exploration Corp. in South west Palawan, SC 72 held by Forum (GSEC101) Ltd. in Recto Bank, and SC 75 held by PXP Energy Corp. in Northwest Palawan.

STATE-OWNED enterprises should do their share in easing the country’s debt burden as each of the 109 million Filipi nos has a P119,458 loan, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III noted on Sunday.

With debt servicing costs amounting to more than 30 percent of the proposed P5.268 trillion national budget for 2023, Pimentel called on Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) to be more prudent.

He said this huge cost of debt servic ing diverts critical funds that should be used to augment social and health expen ditures.

Citing reports, Pimentel said the gov ernment’s outstanding debt has already reached P13.021 trillion as of end-August and may reach P14.63 trillion by end-2023.

Citing the Department of Budget and Management’s figures, he said the gov ernment has set aside P1.63 trillion for debt service in 2023.

Of this P1.63 trillion, he said P1.019 trillion will go to principal amortization and P582.32 billion to interest payments.

It is 18.65 percent higher than this year’s debt service costs amounting to P1.326 trillion. It is also equivalent to 6.85 percent of the country’s gross do mestic product, he added.

Pimentel cited, for instance, the P43 billion that the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) will borrow next year as well as the P5 billion that the National Power Corporation may borrow to fund its fuel purchases and subsidies.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

SAYING that we occupy the same ‘suffering’ planet due to a climate emergency, Sen. Cynthia Villar said people “should learn to live in part nership to solve our biggest problems together.”

In her speech during the Coca-Cola “World Without Waste” event, Villar noted that the globe is in the middle of a climate emergency.

“Because of this, every individual is bound not only to reduce his or her

own footprint, but also find strategic interventions to drastically redeem what would have been valuable materi als from the waste stream,” said Villar. “Cradle to grave management of products is no longer sufficient.

Responsibility must begin at prod uct conceptualization, before it even sees production,” the senator said dur ing the occasion with the theme, “The Role of Partnerships in Driving a Cir cular Economy.”

“While we are aware that thriving corporations have already adopted the Extended Producer Responsibil ity (EPR) framework as their ethical responsibility, it is about time that we turn this ethical responsibility into a legal one,” she added.

“The law introduces a better policy than simply expecting all our citizens to segregate and manage their wastes, and let the local governments in our scattered settlements and islands deal

with the massive problems brought about by the lack of legal responsibil ity among the top producers of plastic wastes.”

Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment and natu ral resources, said EPR requires manu facturers to reach collection targets.

Hopefully, the senator added, “what is collected will no longer find their way back to the environment as unmanaged waste.”

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Pagsanjan mayor welcomes Tingog, DOLE town partnership

PAGSANJAN Mayor Cesar Areza recently led the cer emonial ribbon cutting inauguration of the Tingog partylist satellite office at the CLA mall to bring the needs of his countrymen closer to the government.

Areza also partnered with the Department of Labor and Employment, which provided their livelihood busi ness packages (Pagkabuhayan Packages) worth P2.6 mil lion, while P2.7 million was provided for TUPAD ben eficiaries in Pagsanjan.

Tingog party-list nominee “Momshie” Karla Estrada, consultant on social services and promotion office from the office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, joined DOLE Region 4A Director Exequiel Ronie A. Guzman at the event.

DOLE and Tingog granted the 620 Tupad beneficiaries a presentation of their livelihood benefits in front of of ficials and leaders from Pagsanjan’s barangays.

“This is just the start of the help we will extend to our kababayan,” Areza said.

“We have brought Serbisyo Arangkada Areza closer to you with the help of our friends in the government, who will be our partners in meeting your needs. That’s why I always say ‘Negosyo Palakasin, Trabaho Paramihin (Strengthen Business, Boost Jobs).’”

Estrada was recently appointed as consultant on Social Services and Promotions of the Office of Speaker Martin Romualdez and the party.

Tingog Rep. Yedda Romualdez said that Karla is aim ing to continue her love and passion for serving other people’s needs by bringing the government’s social ser vice programs to the grassroots community.

“To support the Speaker’s social welfare reform initiatives, Karla Estrada is mandated to coordinate with different govern ment and non-government agencies for possible partnership and implementation of various social services programs and to create information drive campaigns for the projects and pro grams implemented,” said Rep. Romualdez. Roy Tomandao

Pimentel: State firms must do share to reduce P119k debt of each Filipino

Villar warns of climate emergency, urges more strategic interventions

LAWMAKER, LAW ENFORCERS. PNP Region 8 Commander General Rommel Francisco Marbil (right) introduces all City and Municipal Police Chiefs under his command to Speaker Martin (2nd right) during their meeting at Daniel Z. Romualdez airport in Tacloban City. Ver Noveno

FIGHTING FIRE TOGETHER. Residents help firefighters extinguish a fire that reached a third alarm through a residential area along Damata Letre Road in Tonsuya, Malabon City on Sunday. Norman Cruz

Acuzar

Opinion

Have money, will party

S. Aquino III. PNoy triumphed, and predictably, everybody took an oath as LP member.

PNoy’s closest rival before Erap overtook and placed second in the presidential sweepstakes of 2010 was Manny Villar, to whom an ailing Doy Laurel bequeathed the Grand Old Party, for the former to use as his vehicle for his 2010 run.

THE title is not meant to be sarcastic, just as that highly creative internet “story” about Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong discussing Philippine democracy as characterized by many “parties.”

But indeed we have many political parties in the theoretical and legal sense of the word, because as long as the arbiter of elections, the Comelec, says it is a party, then party it is.

Long have I characterized our political parties as nothing more than flags of convenience for the personal ambitions of political players.

But this time, let us analyze the raison d’etre of these parties other than as a vehicle for personal, mostly presidential ambitions. Because most of them have ceased to be such.

Which are the national parties? Well, follow the money.

There is the Lakas which the late FVR cobbled for his successful presidential run in 1992.

But after Joe de Venecia, FVR’s handpicked candidate for Lakas, lost in 1998, the members started a beeline for LAMMP, or LAban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino, a conglomeration of the late Ed Angara’s Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Danding Cojuangco’s Nationalist (Makabayan) People’s Coalition, and Erap’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino.

Looking back to the struggle against the dictatorship, activated from slumber after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, the first to band together were the almost decimated members of the Nacionalista and Liberal parties, under a loose coalition called UNIDO or United Nationalist Democratic Organization, bankrolled by the late Salvador “Doy” Laurel.

In Mindanao, then Mayor Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel put up the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP), which attracted many from the progressive sectors.

Cory Aquino had an emotional attachment to Pimentel’s PDP, but during the snap elections of 1986, she had to bow to the reality that she needed a functioning nationwide machinery to battle Marcos with, and ran with Doy as her VP under the UNIDO.

Once in power though, Cory ditched UNIDO, through anointing the late Jovito Salonga as Senate President, thus reviving the pre-martial law Liberal Party, which her late husband and their branch of the Cojuangco family used in Tarlac, while her younger brother Peping revived Laban in the House of Representatives, later re-named Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) in time for the 1992 elections, the first presidential battle under the 1987 Cory Constitution.

But then the LDP candidate, Speaker Monching Mitra, lost to FVR’s rag-tag party of seven congressmen which comprised the Lakas-NUCD. In limbo, LDP was nursed by Sen. Ed Angara and coalesced with FVR’s Lakas for the mid-term elections of 1995.

So to follow the money, LDP was first bankrolled by the late Monching Mitra’s rich friends who, however, withdrew support when Monching lost and Edong presided.

Much of that money trail formed a line behind the popular VP Erap in 1998, when he trounced all rivals decisively, after a hasty political marriage with Ed Angara as his VP.

Meanwhile, the late Danding Cojuangco, after his defeat in 1992, continued to support his group of loyalists under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. It never fielded a standard bearer for the presidency since Danding’s failed run, but became potent as an all-for-one and one-for-all bloc in the House of Representatives, with a sprinkling of senators to back up legislation favorable to the economic interests of the San Miguel conglomerate controlled by Cojuangco, later passed on to his highly successful economic partner, Ramon S. Ang. Lakas triumphed after the downfall of Erap, when his vice-president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, took over on January 21, 2001, the virtual coup later sanctioned by the Supreme Court.

By 2004, the late movie king FPJ ran against GMA under a coalition backed up by Angara’s LDP, Erap’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino, and Danding’s NPC.

With a little help from Hello Garci, GMA and her Lakas-LP alliance won, giving Arroyo the second longest-serving presidential reign since FM Sr. Preparatory to 2010, Sen. Mar Roxas, who topped the senatorial elections in 1995 under the yet-functioning Lakas-LP coalition, rebuilt and bankrolled the Liberal Party founded by his grandfather, the first president of the Third Republic, and was virtually a shoo-in as the LP candidate for president.

But destiny had other designs. After Cory Aquino died, Mar had to play second fiddle to Sen. Benigno

Despite his loss, Villar continued to bankroll the NP, attracting in 2016, three presidential contenders who later ran for vice-president, namely Alan Cayetano, Bongbong Marcos, and Sonny Trillanes.

Playing his cards right, as the three ran under different presidential candidates, the NP had no official candidate for president, although Villar gave his financial support to the “dejado” Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who won.

Duterte used the PDP as his vehicle, and, after his victory, Speaker Bebot Alvarez brought into its tent all kinds of turncoats, a practice by then commonly accepted.

Unless and until we revise the 1987 Constitution and reinstate the two-party presidential system because we do not have the maturity to go parliamentary, come 2025, and come 2028, the template will remain

Meanwhile, other economic oligarchs took the cue from Danding’s NPC and Villar’s NP, and formed their own political parties, whether of regional or dynastic consequence through the partylist system, or a big national party such as Enrique K. Razon’s National Unity Party (NUP), which, like the NPC, nominated no presidential standard bearers, preferring to support whoever and from whatever party, based on their pre-election day survey ratings.

Seguristas always bet on the llamados.

Thus it was in the last elections.

Just to have a flag of political convenience, candidates ran under instantly-revived parties: Isko Moreno under the late Raul Roco’s Aksyon Demokratiko; Ping Lacson under the Reporma which Renato de Villa used in 1998; Manny Pacquiao under the late Lito Osmena’s Promdi, after an intramural within the PDP which did not run a candidate of its own.

Leni Robredo who won as vice-president under the LP six years earlier, ditched its yellow colors and formed an independently “pink” coalition of mostly LP stalwarts, the lord bishops of the Catholic Church, and the elite religious universities, etc.

The winner, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., formerly KBL, formerly NP, ran under a heretofore unknown entity called Partido Federal, yet won with more than 58 percent of the vote.

Post-June 30, where lies our political party system?

Follow the money. NP is still Manny Villar’s (MBV), the richest man in the Philippines per Forbes magazine.

NPC is bankrolled by Ramon S. Ang (RSA) of the humongous San Miguel conglomerate. NUP is funded by port and casino magnate Enrique K. Razon (EKR), and Lakas by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez.

PDP-Laban recently elected another billionaire, Palawan’s Jose Chaves Alvarez (JCA) as president, with the approval of former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, its chairman.

One wonders who will bankroll the Liberal Party, decimated after 2016 and ditched by its own Leni in 2022, now headed by Rep. Edcel Lagman of Bicol.

Whither goes Pacquiao’s Promdi, even as Koko Pimentel continues to invoke hereditary rights over PDP?

Or Reporma after Ping Lacson was traded for by party president Bebot Alvarez for the “pink” coalition? Or Aksyon Demokratiko after Isko Moreno has left politics for now in order to form a media production company?

Unless and until we revise the 1987 Constitution and re-instate the two-party presidential system because we do not have the maturity to go parliamentary, come 2025, and come 2028, the template will remain: Have money, will party.

The late revered Sen. Jose Wright Diokno once defined politics as “nothing more than concentrated economics.” How right he was.

We decry our oligarchic economy, where regulatory capture is the best way to earn more, the sure fire way to billions in profits.

Truth is, they and their money have also captured our politics.

Scoring the first 100 days

“We remain optimistic on the plans and programs of the Marcos administration. But we also remain cautious, for the sake of all the sectors, stakeholders, and citizens, and for our country’s sustained development.”

Dr. Ronald Holmes, President of Pulse Asia Research Inc., presented findings of their 3rd quarter survey.

The top five most urgent national concern identified by the respondents are: Controlling Inflation (66 percent), Increasing the pay of workers (44 percent), Creating more jobs (35 percent), reducing the poverty of many

(34 percent), and fighting graft and corruption in government (22 percent).

Biggest drug haul

Prof.

terms of goals and legislative priorities.

But he reminded “it would not be too much to demand accountability for their promises, for what have not been done, and for the succeeding policy choices and decisions.”

He said: “We need good policy choices, we need accountability, at the core of governance and in implementation of public policies as pronounced by different cabinet secretaries.

The survey saw “an exponential increase in terms of the proportion of (the) public that felt that among the issues that were listed here, that the primary issue that should be immediately addressed by the national administration would be the increasing prices of goods and services or inflation.”

Dr. Holmes credited the President with establishing a functional government, counting a flurry of meetings with the Cabinet, the economic team, the Department of Agriculture team, COVID prevention, energy issues, and the environment.

The President also had official visits to Indonesia,

YOU

would think that given the previous administration’s scorched-earth and take-noprisoners approach to the problem of illegal drugs, the bigtime drug traffickers would have opted to lie low by now.

Or else turn to legitimate businesses that do not invite Special Weapons and Tactics or SWAT teams banging at the doors of their hideouts in the middle of the night.

But no, the big fish in the illegal drugs trade are still at it, showing no fear of God or the law, except that now they wouldn’t be counting wads of cash and thinking of ways to spend the proceeds from the stash.

That’s because the Philippine National Police (PNP) recently seized 990 kilo grams of crystal methamphetamine or shabu worth P6.7 billion.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. was ecstatic over this development: “This after noon will be historic in our country; this is probably the biggest drug haul in the his tory of the Philippines.”

According to the PNP Drug Enforce ment Group (PDEG) the drugs were seized in a buy-bust operation conducted on Octo ber 8 in Tondo, Manila.

This resulted in the arrest of a drug sus pect. Arresting officers also discovered documents showing that a PDEG operative was in fact an accomplice.

The latest drug bust offers ample proof that the PNP is heeding the president’s marching order

A hot pursuit operation was then con ducted the next day that led to the arrest of the police officer in Quiapo, Manila. Two kilos of suspected shabu worth P13.6 mil lion were confiscated during this arrest.

Another suspected accomplice of the group was also nabbed in Rosario, Pasig, along with seven of his cohorts.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said the arrest of a police officer for involve ment in the drug trade shows that the PNP does not tolerate any wrongdoing by law

enforcers: “There will be no let-up. We don’t care who gets caught and who gets hurt. For as long as we get all the evidence against any suspect in any crime, we will pursue them until the end.”

President Bongbong Marcos Jr. had ear lier exhorted the PNP to continue the war on drugs begun by the Duterte adminis tration, but with a different target, or ap proach: the big-time drug traffickers, not the two-bit street dealers or even just drug dependents who should instead be taken into custody for rehabilitation.

The latest drug bust offers ample proof that the PNP is heeding the president’s marching order.

At the same time, the big drug haul af ter six years of the bloody war on drugs by the Duterte administration underscores the difficulty of completely stopping the drug menace in the country.

What’s clear is that the illegal drug trade will continue for as long as there’s big money—billions of pesos, in fact—to be made from it.

And, of course, if there’s high demand for the addictive drugs from the popula tion, on the one hand, and on the other, law enforcers who would rather profit from it than go after the drug dealers with hammer and tongs.

A-List of top 100 best practicing lawyers in the Philippines

Against this promising and challenging backdrop, Asia Business Law Journal presents the A-List of the top 100 best practicing lawyers in the Philippines. The A-List is based on extensive research conducted and nominations received from in-house counsel in the Philippines and elsewhere, as well as Philippines-focused partners in international law firms.

(Editor’s Note: Atty Tranquil Salvador shares with the Manila Standard staff and readers the list of the top 100 practicing lawyers in the Philippines as at 2022. The full article may be uploaded from https://law.asia/top-lawyers-philippines/)

EASING of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a breath of fresh air to the Philippines. The country recorded impressive 8.3 percent year-on-year economic growth in the first quarter of 2022, further bolstering recovery indicated by the previous quarter’s 7.7 percent.

This achievement brings new hope and the new president, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, strongly indicates he will maintain the continuity of economic policy through the appointment of familiar faces to his cabinet.

A former member of the monetary council, Felipe Medalla, succeeded Benjamin Diokno as governor of the central bank, with his predecessor appointed finance secretary. Both are tasked with tackling inflation and unemployment.

With debt under control, record high foreign exchange reserves and economic growth at manageable rates, Marcos Jr has inherited a much stronger economy than that of his late father, the dictator overthrown in the 1986 “people’s power” revolution.

Encouragingly, legal reforms in recent months have further liberalized the economy by opening up major sectors to 100 percent foreign investment.

But although the Ukraine-Russia conflict is expected to have only limited direct impact on the trade sector, the Philippine authorities are wary of global supply chain disruption that could impact regional inflation.

Singapore, and to the United States where he spoke before the United Nations General Assembly and met with UN Secretary General Guterres, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Japan Kishida, and US President Joe Biden.

However, there are areas of concern that Dr. Holmes pointed out.

(Foundation for Economic Freedom President Calixto Chikiamco) sees no clear economic legislative agenda to address the food shortages and driving long-term sustainable growth

He observed that over several administrations, there has been a continuous erosion of horizontal accountability or the extent by which the branches of government, specifically the legislature, exercises oversight over executive action and whether the judiciary is able to restrain executive action and ensure that there is no abuse of power.

He also sees a problem on disinformation which has an effect on citizen engagement and polarization, and the protection of basic freedoms.

Foundation for Economic Freedom President, Mr. Calixto “Toti” Chikiamco, stated that the good news is that the President has been able to correct some of Duterte’s mistakes, pointing to the shift away from PPP (Public Private Partnership) which created an anti-investor environment.

Amending the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer)

Nearly all A-List lawyers are located in the capital, Metro Manila, reflecting that lawyers want to be closer in serving both local and international clients. This metropolis is an economic, cultural, educational and industrial centre where lawyers can both network and keep up to speed with changing laws.

The main point that distinguishes ordinary lawyers from great lawyers is the way they meet the needs of clients

To understand their clients, and views on what it takes to be a first-class lawyer in the Philippines, we sought answers from many professionals, experienced in-house counsel, and corporate legal managers. From these recommendations, we identified and singled out prominent Filipino lawyers who make up this elite group.

Comments submitted to Asia Business Law Journal by clients indicate that they are not only looking for lawyers who are highly experienced in their fields and responsive in providing services, but also able to meet client needs, reliably guiding their businesses moving forward in times of uncertainty. Venture guardian

Recovering economic growth in the midst of the pandemic has attracted many foreign investors to

may not be perfect but good enough to attract investments.

However, he sees no clear economic legislative agenda to address the food shortages and driving long-term sustainable growth.

He pointed out the delayed IRR of the strategically important Public Service Act on the liberalization of investments in telecommunications and transport.

Mr. Chikiamco also raised the lack of a clear roadmap on boosting mining in support of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s position of developing the mining industry as a major contributor to the county’s GDP growth. Potential investors are not clear on the tax regime.

Ms. Zy-Za Nadine Suzara, Executive Director of the Institute for Leadership, Empowerment, and Democracy, for her part commended the President’s gains in foreign relations and securing investments: US$ 4 billion from the United States, US$ 8.5 billion from Indonesia, and US$ 6.5 billion from Singapore.

On the national budget she comments that economic recovery and the continued fight against COVID-19 do not appear to be the priority.

She hopes that in the next years there will be more spending for programs that will benefit ordinary Filipinos.

Mr. Coco Alcuaz, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club, appreciated the “good signals” from the President’s SONA especially on making the Philippines an investment destination, private sector participation and partnerships.

“Business just really wants to be a partner in building the country and creating jobs—and that is the purpose for many businesses, and we just want to be able to do that and the signal from this government is that they do see the private sector as a partner,” Mr. Alcuaz said.

I sincerely hope that the positive signs that our experts are seeing will become tangible economic gains that our people will feel.

The challenge to any new administration has always been to uplift the economic well-being of our people and this is the metric by which this and any government will be measured.

invest in the Philippines. However, navigating the country’s regulatory framework is no simple matter, and many A-List lawyers are commended for their outstanding advice on this matter.

Arlene M Maneja, a partner at SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan, is praised by Mark Rilles, finance controller at upstream oil and gas company PXP Energy in Metro Manila. “She has done exemplary work in relation to, among others, international contract negotiations and due diligence for our company during the past 10 years,” says Rilles.

Gavin MacLaren, a senior partner and CEO at Australian law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Melbourne, says: “Maneja was an important senior member of our team who provided very valuable legal support on this unique and challenging matter.

“She clearly had the trust and confidence of our client, and contributed insightful knowledge on a wide range of issues based on an excellent understanding of relevant law and practice.”

Carl Nakanishi, general manager at truck distributor Shacman Motors in Metro Manila, recommends Enrique Dela Cruz Jr, a senior partner at DivinaLaw, for his “great knowledge of the law, and [he] makes it a point to study how our business works. This makes his advice to us very useful”.

Mariano Agoncillo, managing director at construction company Datem in Metro Manila, has the same high regard for Dela Cruz Jr. “He is very helpful in letting me understand the legal terms and law concerning our case,” says Agoncillo. “I have a tendency to overreact on matters, but Rick Dela Cruz is always there to guide and assist me in all my decisions pertaining to our cases.”

Extraordinary services

The main point that distinguishes ordinary lawyers from great lawyers is the way they meet the needs of clients. While good legal knowledge is essential, it is equally important to offer advice tailored to specific needs.

Tranquil Gervacio Salvador III, a partner at Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & de los Angeles, receives a thumbs up from Benigno Emilio Ramirez, president and CEO at IT company Doña Alejandra in Metro Manila, for his bespoke advice, nominating him as “the best lawyer I have known”.

“He took time to explain the issues in the case and he saw to it that I understand the consequences of every legal action that he takes,” says Ramirez. “He has an excellent grasp of the law, which makes him a very effective lawyer. I saw his commitment to his work and his care towards his client. His zeal through the years never waned until he obtained a favorable outcome.”

Reynaldo Casas, president and founder of Advance Renewable Energy in Manila, concurs.

“Aside from being the head of an outstanding law firm serving its clients, Tranquil serves several organizations as its chairman is engaged in diverse industries,” says Casas.

Satisfying assistance also made Rowell Ilagan, managing partner at Gargantiel Ilagan & Atanante Law, highly commended for his professionalism and legal knowledge by Lady Lanie Esquivel, legal and compliance manager at MAA General Assurance in Manila.

EvEryman

Fighting transnational telecommunication fraud

By Li Hsi-ho

Beijing will ‘never’ abandon the use of force on Taiwan

PRESIDENT Xi Jinping on Sunday vowed China would “never commit to abandoning the use of force” when it comes to the issue of Taiwan, in a speech marking the beginning of the Communist Party Congress in Beijing.

“Resolving the Taiwan issue is a matter for Chinese people themselves, and must be resolved by Chinese people alone. We will adhere to striving for the prospect of a peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts, but will never commit to abandoning the use of force, and reserve the option to take all necessary measures,” Xi told Communist Party delegates at Bei jing’s Great Hall of the People.

China sees self-ruled, democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, to be reclaimed one day by military intervention if neces sary.

“The historical wheels of na tional reunification and national rejuvenation are rolling forward,” Xi added. “Reunification of the motherland must be achieved and will be achieved.” AFP

China’s Communist Party Congress endorses Xi’s rule

Chinese

President Xi Jinping on Sunday hailed his Communist Party’s zero COVID policies and graft crackdown as he opened a five-yearly Congress at which thousands of delegates were set to rubber stamp his bid to rule for a historic third term.

Xi walked onstage to thunderous applause from the roughly 2,300 hand-picked attendees who had gath ered at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People for the event.

In an opening address lasting about 100 minutes, Xi promoted and defended a wide range of policies

under his rule and said the Congress was taking place at a “critical mo ment” for the country.

Xi celebrated the party’s continued efforts to eradicate COVID – which are placing heavy curbs on people’s lives and is hammering the nation’s economy – as a major achievement.

He said the approach had “protected peo ple’s safety and health to the highest degree.”

Xi also highlighted as a success his graft crackdown, which has seen thou sands of people jailed and critics have said has been used to crush dissent and opposition to his rule.

Xi said the anti-corruption campaign had eliminated “serious latent dangers” within the Communist Party, the mili tary and the state.

“The fight against corruption has won an overwhelming victory and has been comprehensively consolidated,” he said.

Xi also focused on two of China’s most sensitive security and sovereignty

issues at the start of speech – in relation to Hong Kong, after democracy protests were crushed there, and Taiwan.

In a speech that mostly focused on domestic issues, Xi told the delegates that China would “actively participate in global governance on climate change.”

Xi also reiterated that China opposed a “Cold War mentality” in international diplomacy, but made no mention of frayed relations with the United States.

“China... resolutely opposes all forms of hegemony and power politics, opposes the Cold War mentality, opposes interfer ing in other countries’ domestic politics, opposes double standards,” he said. AFP

IN BRIEF

12 killed in gun attack Mexico bar

TWELVE people were killed in a shoot ing at a bar in central Mexico on Saturday, local authorities said, with growing car tel violence making the region one of the country’s most dangerous.

Industrial Guanajuato state has be come the site of a raging dispute between two rival groups—the Santa Rosa de Lima and Jalisco New Generation cartels —known for carrying out drug trafficking and fuel theft, as well as other crimes.

Police believe Saturday’s attack took place when an armed group entered the bar in the city of Irapuato at around 8 p.m. (0100 GMT) and opened fire on custom ers and staff.

At least six men and six women were killed, and three others were injured, the municipal government said in a state ment, without specifying the identity of the attackers or their motives.

Paris police ready for living costs protest as fuel strike drags on

NEARLY three weeks into a strike that has forced filling sta tions across France to close, po lice in Paris were preparing for protests Sunday against soaring living costs.

Left-wing opponents of Presi dent Emmanuel Macron’s ad ministration have organised the demonstration, which they say is also in protest against gov ernment inaction over climate change.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the left-wing France Un bowed (LFI) party, had planned the march well before the cur rent strike, but organisers are hoping to pick up some of the momentum from the current in dustrial unrest.

“The rise in prices is unbear able,” LFI deputy Manon Aubry said. “It is the greatest loss of purchasing power in 40 years.”

It is time the billions that the big companies were reaping in profits were passed down to those struggling to make ends meet, she added.

Police are expecting around 30,000 people to attend, with one source saying they feared problems from hard-left trou blemakers. “The organizer has been warned of these fears,” said the official. AFP

UK royals donate Paddington bears left by mourners to children’s charity

MORE than 1,000 Paddingtons and other teddy bears left by mourners fol lowing Queen Elizabeth II’s death are being donated to a leading children’s charity, Buckingham Palace said.

Barnardo’s will receive the profes sionally cleaned toys in the coming weeks after they were left outside royal residences in London and Windsor, along with a sea of flowers, after Eliza beth died on September 8.

The late monarch was patron to Bar nardo’s for three decades, the UK char ity’s chief executive Lynn Perry said.

“We promise to look after these bears who will be well-loved and bring joy to

the children we support,” she said in a palace statement.

Paddington Bear became synony mous with Elizabeth at a “Platinum Party” in early June celebrating her record-breaking 70 years on the throne.

The party and concert memorably kicked off with the queen interacting with a computer-generated Paddington, tapping the beat to Queen’s “We Will Rock You” on her teacup.

London’s Royal Parks service has said meanwhile that the many flowers left last month were to be composted down for re-use in planting projects.

The body of one victim was found out side next to a motorcycle, while the rest of those killed were discovered inside the bar, police said.

The assailants are being hunted by state police, the army, the prosecutor’s of fice and the National Guard, the munici pal government said.

The attack is Guanajuato’s second mass shooting in less than a month.

In September, armed attackers killed 10 people in a pool hall in the state’s Tari moro municipality. AFP

US, Canada send police equipment to crisis-hit Haiti

THE US and Canadian militaries on Sat urday delivered security equipment to Haiti including armored vehicles to help the impoverished Caribbean nation tack le spiralling security and health crises, Washington and Ottawa announced.

The request for assistance from Haiti came as a cholera epidemic worsens and armed gangs seize vast swathes of terri tory, including the country’s largest fuel import terminal.

US and Canadian air force planes landed in Port-au-Prince carrying “vital Haitian government-purchased security equipment, including tactical and armored vehicles,” a joint statement from the two governments said.

The equipment will help police com bat “criminal actors who are fomenting violence and disrupting the flow of crit ically-needed humanitarian assistance, hindering efforts to halt the spread of cholera,” it said.

The United States and Canada also said they plan to help Haiti bolster their police training efforts.

A senior US diplomat and a senior military official visited the Haitian capital this week in a show of support.

But Washington has made clear it is re luctant to send troops to Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, for a proposed international force.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged member states to deploy a “rapid action force” to Haiti to tackle “a dramatic deterioration in security.” AFP

HISTORIC RULE. A general view of the opening session of the 20th Chinese Communist Party’s Congress led by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16, 2022. AFP

ICE SCREAM STOP. US President Joe Biden stops for ice cream with Oregon governor candidate Tina Kotek at Baskin Robbins in Portland, Oregon on October 15,

TOP GAINERS

1.97

4.45 1.45

2.43 0.63

15.9 3.12

1.16 0.19 19.59%

0.22 0.03 15.79%

0.78 11.27%

0.222 0.02

TOP LOSERS

Analysts expect volatile trading on inflation worries

By Jenniffer B. Austria

MOST ACTIVE

21,835,500 693,388,785

3,594,990 431,365,758

13,724,300 323,218,080

619,790 245,971,576

310,490 240,297,410

1,377,180 238,107,344

365,040 223,730,730

135,220 198,865,625

1,524,480 140,098,205

SCC 3,337,600 134,886,345

mining and oil by 1.7 percent; holding firms by 1.15 percent; and industrial by 0.85 percent.

Eurozone needs more rate hikes, says German CB

BERLIN, Germany—Higher interest rates are necessary in the eurozone, whose central bank has joined others around the world in hiking rates to cool prices, the head of Germany’s Bundesbank said Saturday.

Uncertainty about Russian ener gy imports is pushing the eurozone closer towards a contraction in 2023 due to high inflation, weaker global demand and falling confidence, ac cording to some insiders in the Euro pean Central Bank.

The ECB lifted rates by a histor ic 0.75 percentage points at its last meeting in September to pull down eurozone consumer prices, which have hit an all-time high.

“Further interest rate hikes will be needed to bring the inflation rate back to 2 percent in the medium term—not just at the monetary pol icy meeting at the end of October, in my opinion,” Joachim Nagel said in Washington, according to a release put out by Germany’s central bank.

“In any case, the ECB Governing Council must not let up too soon. Be cause we have to make sure that the high inflation ends,” he said.

ANALYSTS

expect volatile trading this week, as global economic headwinds continue to weigh on market sentiments.

Rising inflation and interest rates, coupled with the weak ening of the peso against the US dollar, would remain the primary concerns of investors, they said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla said in an interview with Bloomberg Television over the weekend another interest rate adjustment of between 50 and 75 basis points could be expected next month to reduce the pressure on the peso and curb rising inflation.

The BSP has raised policy rate by 225 basis points since the start of the year, the most in Southeast Asia.

Online brokerage firm UTrade.com research analyst Neil Andrew Maderaje said in a weekly report the upcoming thirdquarter earnings could provide catalysts for the market in the coming weeks.

The third-quarter earnings of listed firms would reflect the impact of the recent spike in inflation and interest rates on top-line and bottom-line growth.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 27 points, or 0.46 percent, last week to close at 5,904 on Oct. 14 amid muted trading.

The financial subsector advanced 1.44 percent, while prop erty rose 0.45 percent. Services declined by 2.44 percent;

Foreign investors were net sellers last week by P310 mil lion, as the average daily turnover went down to P3.7 billion from P4.3 billion a week earlier.

Among the top gainers last week were BDO Uni bank Inc., which went up by 6.7 percent to P120; Manila Water Co. Inc., up 6.2 per cent to P14.34; and Robin sons Land Corp., up 5 per cent to P16.80.

Heavy losers included ABS-CBN Corp., which went down 10.1 percent to P7.03; Monde Nissin Corp., down 8.2 percent to P11.50; and JG Summit Holdings Corp., down by 6.7 percent to P41.05.

Meanwhile, Wall Street stocks also fell last week to conclude a volatile week with markets shrugging off mostly solid bank earnings amid worries over bond yields and rising recession risk. With AFP

Musk to continue funding Ukraine’s Starlink despite mounting losses

WASHINGTON DC, United States - Elon Musk said Saturday that his company SpaceX will continue to pay for Starlink sat ellite internet in war-torn Ukraine, one day after the tech mogul suggested he could not keep funding the project.

Starlink, a constellation of more than 3,000 small satellites in low Earth orbit, has been vital to Ukraine’s communications as it battles Russia.

But Musk has found himself embroiled of late in public spats with Ukrainian leaders

who were angered by his controversial pro posals for de-escalating the conflict, which included acknowledging Russian sovereign ty over Crimea.

“The hell with it,” Musk, the world’s rich est man, wrote on Twitter.

“Even though Starlink is still losing money and other companies are getting bil lions of taxpayers $, we’ll just keep funding Ukraine govt for free.”

In a series of tweets Friday, Musk had de tailed the logistics of the operation and said

it was costing SpaceX nearly $20 million per month and suggested the company could not fund it indefinitely.

Meanwhile, the US military confirmed it was communicating with the billionaire’s company about funding for the key network.

“SpaceX is not asking to recoup past ex penses, but also cannot fund the existing sys tem indefinitely *and* send several thousand more terminals that have data usage up to 100X greater than typical households,” he said Friday.

AFP

IN MY experiences exploring op portunities in the corporate world, recruiters often ask me this ques tion: “What are your (long-) term plans?” I remember one instance in which I answered (non-verbatim), “I am planning to build my own business because I do not foresee myself being an employee of some one’s business forever.”

By the way, I wasn’t considered for that post. (I guess this was due to other factors, such as my qualifica tions and experience for the post, or I didn’t do well during the interview).

Well, that’s my plan until now. First, I would like to put up my firm to utilize my profession and creden tials (as a certified public accoun tant and a tax technician) and then invest additional capital in leasing properties.

What motivates me towards such plans, or should I say dreams?

I came from a lower middle-in come family and witnessed how not all hardships pay off well. There were instances I heard my parents have discussions about finances and how they could possibly send us (my brother and I) to school. Although they worked together to provide for our family’s needs, we inevitably experienced hard times.

Having these experiences while growing up, I promised myself a career that would help me provide my parents with the best life they can experience as they grow old and help me provide for myself and

my future family.

The combination of my dedi cation and my parents’ hard work was able to bear fruits. It is still unimaginable that despite the limited resources I had way back in college, I could gradu ate with my Bachelor’s degree, fi nance the review school I attended (for the board exam) and ultimately pass the CPA licensure examination on my first take.

So, where am I now in making those plans and dreams come true?

I am currently working as a senior analyst in one of the largest prop erty management firms in the Phil ippines. Since then, it has been my interest to be part of the real estate industry, and my current involve ment in the industry has helped me gain more knowledge about how this type of business works. I dream of having an investment portfolio of various real estate properties that will enable me to earn potentially high passive income.

As I want to establish a business or tax consultancy firm and work as a freelance professional accoun tant, I sometimes find opportunities to earn other relevant certifications (like those internationally recog nized pertinent certifications in my profession, such as CISA and CFE) and engage in various trainings. I am currently enrolled in a business graduate school to gain relevant knowledge and experience to be competent in my professional field.

ALEXANDER MATTHEW CORPUZ

Green LiGht

The current salary I am earning and the savings I have not only helped me finance some of my family’s needs but also my gradu ate studies which I am now taking.

So far, I have made investments not only for my personal finance but also for that of my future family.

Although I still have no plans to build my family soon, I believe it is best to start as early as now when I am still young and single. Besides, I am investing in my education to have a more robust career outlook, so I can be a good provider for my future family.

In my current state, I think I am steps closer to my dream, and ev erything I undertake is still within the plan, although I admit it is a long journey ahead and expect there are uncertainties as I move forward. Wish me luck, then!

The author is an MBA student at the Ramon V. del Rosario Col lege of Business, DLSU. He can be reached at alexander_corpuz@ dlsu.edu.ph.

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

“If inflation expectations were to de-anchor to the upside, interest rates would have to rise even faster or higher,” the chief of the central bank of the European Union’s largest economy warned. AFP

MINE ACCIDENT. Mourners react in front of the coffin during the funeral ceremony for Ridvan Acet, one of the miners who died after an explosion in a coal mine in Amasra, in Turkey’s Bartin province, on Oct. 15, 2022. Rescuers on Oct. 15 searched for the last miner missing at a coal mine in northern Turkey, where a methane blast the previous day killed at least 40 people in one of the country’s worst industrial accidents in years. AFP

IN BRIEF

PEZA reported 22% drop in investment approvals

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority said over the weekend it approved P39.6 billion worth of investments from January to September, down by 22.59 percent from P51.2 billion registered in the same period in 2021.

PEZA officer-in-charge Tereso Panga said despite the slower investments, the agency would strive to be a key contributor to the country’s economic growth.

“We in PEZA assure the new administra tion that we can attract more investments for this last quarter of the year given the positive growth rate forecast of the ecozone semiconductor-electronics and IT sectors, the aggressive investment promotions by the President and upcoming missions to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Now is the best time to invest as incentives had been boosted along with top-level political sup port to ecozones,” Panga said.

PEZA approved 148 new and expansion projects in the first nine months of 2022, with several more projects up for approval in the fourth quarter.

The PEZA board approved 58 new and expansion projects amounting to P17.142 billion worth of investments in the third quarter. Once implemented, the projects would generate about $877.807 million in exports and open up 13,904 new jobs.

Othel V. Campos

Alternergy decides to pursue P2.18-b initial public offering

RENEWABLE energy company Alternergy Holdings Corp. is pushing through with its planned P2.18-billion initial public offering despite the market volatility, a top executive said over the weekend.

Alternergy founder Vicente Perez Jr. said the company added BDO Capital & Invest ments Corp. as an underwriter for the offer ing and would join Investment & Capital Corporation of the Philippines for the trans action.

Alternergy is pursuing its maiden share offering even as several companies decided to defer their IPOs because of the recent slump in the equities market. North Star Meat Merchants Inc., Upson International Corp. and Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. announced the deferment of their IPOs.

The stock market has dropped 17 percent since the start of the year on rising infla tion rate and an aggressive monetary policy tightening across the globe.

Alternergy is a renewable energy holding company with a solid portfolio of different projects such as wind, run-of-river hydro, solar farm, commercial rooftop and battery storage.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Gardenia PH to put up fourth bread factory

BREAD manufacturer Gardenia Bakery Philippines Inc. is expanding its capacity and distribution networks across the coun try by adding another bread plant to support projections of increased demand in the next two years.

Gardenia Bakery Philippines president Simplicio Umali said the company would announce the location of the new plant upon the approval of the project by its mother unit.

“We have to get this approved by our head office because they are listed in the stock exchange in Singapore and they have to announce this to the stock exchange,” he said.

The company is looking at several locations, he said. The new plant will be the company’s fourth facility that will support operations of the three bread plants in Laguna for the Luzon market, Cebu for the Visayas and Misamis Oriental for Mindanao.

Umali said the company was assessing the investments need to put up the new fa cility. Othel V. Campos

DESIGN CONFERENCE.

Trade

Norwegian firm to invest billions in PH wind projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ANORWEGIAN company will invest billions of dollars to build 2,400 megawatts of onshore and offshore wind projects in the Philippines as it expands its renewable energy presence over the long term, a top executive said over the weekend.

“We have five sites. One is onshore wind; the rest are offshore. [A total of] 2.4 gigawatts wind licenses we have in the Philippines,” Scatec general manager for Southeast Asia Torbjorn Elliot KirkebyGarstad said during the Norway-Philip

pines Maritime & Energy Conference.

He said the projects would require “billions of dollars” to build.

“This will be in partnership with a Fil ipino company regardless of the change of Foreign Ownership Law. We are not doing this alone. This will be with a lo cal partner,” Garstad said.

He said Aboitiz Power Corp. is an “obvious choice” as a partner for the wind projects, as it is a part of SN Aboitiz Power Corp. Scatec completed the acquisition of SN Power, also a Nor wegian firm, in January 2021.

“The plan is to do those projects to gether with [a partner]. My preference is with Aboitiz, having worked with them for 15 years,” Garstad said.

“We are a partnership with them, and we are discussing growth opportunities also through SNAP,” he said.

Garstad said Scatec started prepara

tions for the wind projects’ develop ment, such as installing wind masts.

“We want to make sure that with months and hopefully years of wind data, that becomes a robust platform on how to take this project forward,” Garstad said.

The joint venture company owned by Scatec and Aboitiz Power is the largest private hydropower company in the coun try, with 642 megawatts in operation.

SNAP’s power generation portfolio includes the 388-MW Magat hydro in Ifugao, 140-MW Binga hydro in Ben guet, 105-MW Ambuklao hydro in Ben guet, 8.5-MW Maris hydro in Ramon, Isabela, and the 20-MW Magat battery energy storage system.

The construction of the Magat BESS project, also located in Ramon, Isabela, is ongoing, with commercial operations targeted in the first half of 2024, includ ing testing and commissioning.

MPIC likely posted higher Q3 earnings despite challenges

By Jenniffer B. Austria

POWER and infrastructure con glomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is expected to report higher third-quarter earnings despite the dif ficult economic environment.

A top MPIC executive said over the weekend core subsidiaries—toll road, water and power—registered strong volume in the third quarter amid ris ing costs.

“The volume and demand remain strong because we offer basic servic es,” the executive said.

The executive said with the strong third-quarter results, the group re mained “on track” to meet the 2022 core net income target. The company is set to report its third-quarter in come next month.

MPIC had said it expected fullyear core net income to “at least ap proach” the 2019 pre-pandemic level, or slightly above P15 billion, and better than P12.3 billion it booked in 2021.

MPIC reported a core net income of P7.5 billion in the first half, up 24 percent from P6 billion a year ago. Power accounted for P5.9 bil lion or 60 percent of net operating income. This was followed by toll roads which contributed P2.5 billion and water which accounted for P1.4 billion.

Move It asks gov’t to allow 200,000 ‘habal-halbal’ to operate legally

By Darwin G. Amojelar

MOVE It, a local transport solutions provider, asked the government to allow 200,000 habal-habal in Metro Manila to temporarily operate legally under the motorcycle taxi pilot study.

“These forgotten people only need one thing: for the government to allow them to temporarily operate legally just like Move It, Angkas and Joyride. Or for Congress to fast-track the passage of the bill legitimizing the motorcycle taxi business,”

Move It chairman Francis Juan said in a statement.

He said there are about 200,000 habal-habal taxis in Metro Manila—all risking being caught each day just to

earn for their family.

The Technical Working Group of the Department of Transportation under the Duterte administration initially limited to Angkas and then added two more players later the number of motorcycle taxi companies under the pilot program to study the business although there were other interested parties.

It allocated only 15,000 driver slots for each of the three participants.

Move It said Angkas, benefiting from a head start, borrowed most of its slots as the former was too small to use up its allocation. Angkas claims to have about 30,000 drivers today, compared to Move It’s 1,000.

“We missed the opportunity to adopt an inclusive policy by going with re

strictions and caps instead of open com petition. But late as it is, the government can and must do it. These habal-habal drivers need to earn without having to look over their shoulder,” said Juan.

Juan said the pilot had been running for three years now, and Angkas and Joyride benefited from a protected busi ness in the absence of the MC taxi law.

Zaldy Lenon, national director for media affairs at Alliance of Road Users and Motorcycle Advocate Society, in a separate statement, lauded Transporta tion Secretary Jaime Bautista for his support to the motorcycle taxi industry.

Lenon said the legalization of the mo torcycle taxi would benefit not only the riders but also the commuting public.

Other businesses—real estate, hos pitals, fuel storage and light rail—in curred a net loss of P35 million in the six-month period.

The conglomerate recently ex panded into agriculture sector with the acquisition of a 51-percent inter est in The Laguna Creamery Inc., the company behind The Carmen’s Best Ice Cream.

The group seeks to ramp up in vestments in the agricultural sector and reduce the country’s depen dence on food imports amid the global supply chain disruptions and high inflation.

MPIC’s parent firm First Pacific Holdings Co. Ltd. has a controlling stake in Roxas Holdings Inc. which is engaged in sugar production.

QC court asks 8990 to pull out guards from Vista Real Classica subdivision

THE Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 104 suspended the writ of execution ordering the Sheriff to secure a parcel of land inhabited by 19 families in Vista Real Classica subdivision in favor of 8990 Hous ing Development Corp., a unit of publiclylisted 8990 Holdings Inc.

Quezon City RTC 104 Judge Catherine Manodon, in a decision dated Oct. 4, 2022, directed the suspension of the implementa tion of the writ of execution issued on June 7, 2022 “until the issue of ownership over the subject property has been finally re solved”.

“Further, the plaintiff [8990 Housing De velopmen]) is directed to remove the secu rity guards it posted in the premises of Vista Real Classica Subdivision to allow free access therein by the homeowners,” Judge Manodon said.

8990 Housing Development legal counsel Atty. Hazel Helmuth earlier clari

fied the company was not trying to evict the affected homeowners. “Right now, while we already have the legal standing to exercise our ownership and possessory rights, we understand the homeowners of Vista Real Classica are also victims like us. We are one with them in making sure their rights as buyers of Sta. Lucia are also protected,” she said.

She said 8990 is the “rightful owner” of the Quezon City property in question. “We stand firm and confident in our legal posi tion that the Courts have lawfully declared: that 8990 is the rightful owner and possessor of Lot 116 at Old Balara. Under this valid, final and executory decision and a lawful writ of execution, we will continue to exer cise all our rights over our property, includ ing but not limited to guard and protect the same, occupy the same, and make sure that Sta. Lucia does not sell the same to other unwitting buyers,” said Helmuth.

First Gen’s interim offshore liquefied natural gas receiving terminal project ‘substantially complete’

FGEN LNG Corp. said over the week end the construction of its interim off shore liquefied natural gas receiving terminal is “substantially complete.”

FGEN LNG, a wholly-owned subsid iary of First Gen Corp., was originally looking at the completion of the project by the first quarter of 2023.

“What needs to be completed is the implementation of all control systems, which is not big in volume but imagine a car that is built,” First Gen executive

vice president and chief commercial of ficer Jon Russell said during the Nor way-Philippines Maritime & Energy Conference.

“We need to make sure we do that, and that will start to happen at the end of the year into the first [quarter] next year,” Russell said.

Russell said the first delivery of LNG won’t happen until July, “because that’s when we would have brought the FSRU [floating storage and regasification

unit] and commissioned it. So we still got more time,” he said.

The company plans to deploy the FSRU to the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Batangas City by second or third quarter next year.

FGEN LNG and BW LNG executed a five-year time charter party in April 2021 for the FSRU.

Russell said the FGEN LNG termi nal would fill in whatever Malampaya could not supply.

“We will be looking at probably to con sume up to half a million tons of LNG in the first year and possibly a million tons for the second year. But that could be ad justed up if demand requires it, so there’s some kind of flexibility,” Russell said.

Russell said FGEN LNG would also conduct a tender for the LNG supply.

“We are not trying to slow things down, but we wanna get the best deal for ev erybody,” he said.

“I can’t tell at the moment because

we are trying to get the best possible deal for the Philippines. We’ll keep the tender going until we are happy with the offer we get from suppliers,” he said.

Russell said the company was also waiting for the small-scale or modular LNG market to be established before it could firm up its plans.

“The potential is there, but there isn’t yet a good appreciation among potential users of what LNG is all about,” he said. Alena Mae S. Flores

FRANCHISE

the largest

the

row, from left) InLife Health Care president and chief executive Noemi Azura; Tourism Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso; PFA chairman Sherill Quintana; Trade Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona; PFA vice chair Ma. Alegria Sibal Limjoco; and Bank of the Philippine Islands head business banking distribution Rhodora Pagulayan. With them are other officials of business organizations, private companies and government agencies.

Sports

TNT won’t be denied this time in PBA 3x3

Maroons clip Eagles’ wings; Warriors clobber UST Tigers

By Peter Atencio

THEUniversity of the Philippines Fighting Maroons

sank six of eight charity attempts in the last two minutes to get past the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 7671, in overtime Sunday night in the 85th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Carl Tamayo shot 20 points and hauled 13 rebounds, drilling in one of three winning freebies with 18 ticks left, pushing the Diliman dribblers to their fourth triumph in five matches.

James Spencer canned in 14 points, while Malick Diouf added 12, including the last two charities in the final 3.1 seconds off Ange Kouame’s foul, sealing the win for UP, which now shares the lead with the National University Bulldogs.

Dave Ildefonso knocked in 22 points for the Blue

Top chessers eye berths in national team

THE country’s top juniors and women chess players converge in the elimination round in two separate tournaments at online app Tornelo today (Monday) for a chance to make the national team and represent the country in international meets.

The Philippine National Juniors Championships will hold its eliminations from Monday to Wednesday with the top eight advancing to the Grand Finals slated Oct. 24 to 27 in Malolos, Bulacan.

An automatic National Master title awaits the champion.

The winner in the Malolos tilt will earn the right to represent the country in the Asian Juniors and Girls Championships to be hosted by Tagaytay City Mayor and Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino from Nov. 17 to 26 at the Knights Templar Hotel.

There, the winner earns a Grandmaster norm.

The Philippine Women’s Championships semis is likewise set on the same date as the juniors that would gather all titled players, the top 25 in the elimination round and the top three finishers of the National Age Group and National Youth and Schools Championships.

The top seven there will barge into the finale along with national team mainstays Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna, Women International Masters Jan Jodilyn Fronda, Antoinette San Diego and Bernadette Galas and Woman FIDE Master Shania Mae Mendoza from Nov. 28 to Dec. 3 at the PACE in Quezon City.

The Philippine Sports Commission chaired by Noli Eala and the POC are backing these meets.

IT was payback time for TNT as it dodged the upset ax of J&T Express to clinch the Leg 5 championship Sunday of the PBA 3x3 First Conference Season 2 at Robinsons Novaliches.

Lervin Flores topscored for the Tropang Giga with seven points, including a two-handed slam dunk to cap a 9-5 run and put the team on top for good, 10-9.

TNT found itself trailing in the early minutes of the championship game, 1-4, but picked up the pace as the game wore on behind Flores, Almond Vosotros, Ping Exciminiano, and Samboy De Leon.

Exciminiano hit the game-clinching deuce with still plenty to spare as the Tropang Giga bagged the P100,000 champion’s money.

J&T was again denied of a breakthrough title and settled for the runnerup purse worth P50,000. The Express also made the finals in Leg 3, but lost to the Meralco Bolts.

Cavitex, meanwhile, beat out Pioneer for P30,000 as the Braves won the battle for third place, 20-14.

The Tropang Giga advanced to the finals for the second straight week by thumping the Braves in the semis, 21-16.

Vosotros and Co. were on the verge of claiming the Leg 4 championship against San Miguel last week after taking a 20-13 lead in the final three minutes.

But the Beermen suddenly came alive and uncorked a 9-0 run late in regulation and into overtime period to pull the rug from under the Tropang Giga.

“Sobrang happy and blessed na nagchampion ulit kami. Pero marami pa kaming dapat gawin kasi meron pang Leg 6 at grand finals. So we’ll continue to work on it,” said Vosotros of the Tropang Giga, the opening leg winner.

Eagles, who dropped to a share of second spot with the University of the East Warriors at 3-2.

Kouame, who delivered 15 points, was forced to a turnover in the last 5.4 seconds and his fifth foul in the next play set Diouf up for two final free throws for UP.

Rence Padrigao, who shot 15 points, failed to win the game for the Eagles when he missed a triple in the last 2.8 seconds, sending the contest into overtime, 68-all.

Padrigao earlier tied the match (68-all) with his layup off Kouame’s pass in the last 36.7 seconds.

“I believe that today, we played better as a team. We moved the ball really well. We really tried to work on our offense. We got tested in this game. The team stayed together, and they executed on both ends,” said UP coach Goldwin Monteverde.

Meanwhile, rookie Luis Villegas scored nine of 17 points in the last 10 minutes as the University of the East Red Warriors fended off the Univerity of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 78-68, for their second straight win.

Villegas’ timely baskets halted UST’s rally in the last eight minutes of the final period, sending the Red Warriors to their third win in four matches.

Nick Paranada also had 17 points for the Red Warriors, who earned a share of fourth spot with the La Salle Green Archers.

For the Express, it was their second trip to the finals in the team’s maiden conference after pulling off a 22-21 overtime win over Pioneer Elastoseal Katibays on Joseph Sedurifa’s gamewinning deuce.

Earlier in the opening round of the knockout stage, TNT conquered Platinum Karaoke,fica19-15, the Express foiled Barangay Ginebra, 20-18, the Katibays sent off top seed Blackwater, 1613, while the Braves thwarted Meralco Bolts, 15-12.

In the classification phase, Terrafirma upset a listless San Miguel side, 21-18, while Purefoods TJ Titans booked a 2114 victory over NorthPort.

The scores:

Third place

Cavitex (20) – Napoles 7, Galanza 5, Saldua 4, Fajardo 4.

Pioneer (14) – Ugsang 7, Morido 4, Abrigo 2, Doliguez 1.

Finals TNT (21) – Flores 7, Vosotros 5, De Leon 5, Exciminiano 4.

J&T (13) – Sedurifa 6, Datu 4, Hayes 3, Rono 0.

Cardinals stun Pirates for 1st win streak of season

LAST season’s runner-up Mapua posted its first winning streak of the season with a 62-59 decision over Lyceum of the Philippines University in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre Sunday.

Trailing, 42-48, after three quarters, the Cardinals flipped the switch in the payoff period behind JJ Pido, Paolo Hernandez and Warren Bonifacio to open their second-round campaign on a high note.

Still way behind in the Final Four

race with a 2-8 record, Mapua is just taking things step by step with eight games left in the eliminations.

“Pinaka-motivation talaga namin huwag nang lumayo pa, huwag nang tumingin sa standing namin. Iyon na lang,” said Cardinals coach Randy Alcantara.

“Gawin na lang mga assignments namin. Hindi talaga madali ang season ngayon, pahirapan ang panalo,” he added.

The Pirates fell to a 7-3 record.

Pido led Mapua with 11 points and two assists, while Warren Bonifacio had a double-double outing of 10 points and 14 rebounds. Rence Nocum and Joaqui Garcia also scored 10 markers.

Mac Guadaña was the lone bright spot for LPU with 15 points, three assists and three rebounds.

The scores: First Game Mapua (62)—Pido 11, Nocum 10, Bonifacio 10, Garcia 10, Hernandez 7, Mercado 4, Soriano 4, Cuenco 2, Parinas 2, Agustin 2, Salenga 0, Igliane 0, Lacap 0.

LPU (59)—Guadaña 15, Larupay 8, Umali 7, Bravo 6, Cunanan 6, Barba 4, Navarro 4, Montaño 4, Villegas 3, Valdez 2, Peñafiel 0, Omandac 0.

Quarterscores: 12-18, 30-29, 42-48.

Tigresses edge Generals, boost bid for next round

Games Saturday (Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

a.m.

p.m.

p.m.

UP vs Mapua

Letran vs CSB

EAC vs Adamson

UST vs LPU

p.m.

UNIVERSITY of Sto. Tomas solidified its bid for a spot in the next round after a 25-13, 25-19, 25-15, drubbing of Emilio Aguinaldo College in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.

The Tigresses showcased their scoring prowess as they relentlessly pounded the Lady Generals with missiles for the quick win that kept their tight grip on the top spot in Pool B with a 3-0 win-loss record.

“I’m happy the team executed well in this game. I just want to see more consistency in our second unit as we head into the next round,” UST coach Kungfu Reyes said.

The Espana-based squad needed only an hour and 17 minutes to keep EAC winless in three games.

Angeli Abella had 19 points to lead the Tigresses while Bianca Plaza and Xyza Gula added eight and seven points, respectively.

Jeanne Porto and Catherine Almazan led the Lady Generals with nine points each.

Meanwhile, reigning UAAP champion National University and Ateneo de Manila University clinched seats into the next round after sweeping their respective Pool B assignments on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldogs’ firepower proved too much for

Lervin

Games Tuesday

EcoOil Centre)

Beda vs Arellano

Letran vs Perpetual

Arellano

as NU cruised

victory while the Blue Eagles made quick work of

Rizal University,

much-anticipated showdown to close the group stage.

The Lady Chiefs closed its campaign with a

slate

the Lady Bombers finished the group stage winless in three tries.

UST’s Myca Merilloza smashes one in.

After UST threatened by three, 56-59, Villegas connected with a three-point play and a charity in the last 5:08 to push the Red Warriors ahead, 62-56.

UP Maroons Carl Tamayo and Malick Diouf celebrate.

Wilder KOs Helenius in triumphant return

N

EW YORK—Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder made a spectacular triumphant return after a year-long layoff, knocking out Finland’s Robert Helenius in the fi rst round on Saturday.

Wilder stopped Helenius after two minutes and 57 seconds with a powerful right hand punch to the face, improving the American’s record to 43-2 with one drawn and 42 KOs.

“It was a great night,” Wilder said.

Wilder, his back against the ropes, answered a combination with a short but solid right to the nose of Helenius, who fell to the canvas on his back as Wilder walked away, his night complete after three punches.

“I had to take my time. I was making him reach,” Wilder said. “I wanted to be mobile, agile and hostile. I set him up, allowed him to reach and then when he reached, I attacked.”

Doctors rushed to the 38-year-old prone Finnish fighter, who slowly rose to his knees. Helenius, a former Wilder sparring partner whose record fell to 31-4, eventually departed the ring under his own power.

A week shy of his 37th birthday,

Wilder climbed into the ring for the first time since an 11th-round knockout defeat to Britain’s Tyson Fury last October. Wilder had lost his World Boxing Council crown and unbeaten status to Fury in 2020.

“We wanted to make this fun again,” Wilder said. “You can do this so long it can be a job, just something you are doing. We made it fun. It paid off big time.”

Wilder’s victory likely sets up a 2023 fight against compatriot Andy Ruiz, a former world champion, with that winner poised for a chance at the WBC title.

But Wilder didn’t rule out trying to fight Ukraine’s unbeaten Oleksandr Usyk, who owns all the heavyweight division’s other major titles.

“Who’s next? I’m down for whatever,” Wilder said. “Andy Ruiz, Usyk or whatever. I’m back. The excitement is back in the heavyweight division.” AFP

NBA legend Mutombo battling brain tumor

WASHINGTON—NBA Hall of Famer

Dikembe Mutombo, one of the best defenders in the league’s history, is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, the league announced Saturday.

Mutombo, 56, hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and has been a global ambassador for the National Basketball Association for years.

He played for several teams throughout his long career, including the Denver Nuggets, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Atlanta Hawks and the then New Jersey Nets.

“Dikembe Mutombo is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” the NBA said in a statement issued on behalf of Mutombo’s family.

“He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment,” the statement said.

“Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care. They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent a message of support, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Dikembe, one of the world’s great humanitarians.”

Mutombo, an eight-time NBA AllStar, is second all-time in the league for blocked shots with 3,289, behind Nigeria’s Hakeem Olajuwon. He was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times.

Mutombo and Olajuwon were the first major basketball talents from Africa to make a name in the NBA, opening the door for others such as Luol Dieng and Joel Embiid.

Mutombo was drafted by the Nuggets in the first round in 1991, before heading to Atlanta and Philadelphia.

He played in the NBA Finals twice, though both were losing efforts.

He wrapped up his pro career in 2009 after 18 seasons.

He started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to improve the quality of life for people in his home country.

Before his time in the NBA, Mutombo was a standout for the Georgetown University Hoyas, only joining the basketball team as a sophomore and graduating with a linguistics degree. His son Ryan now plays at Georgetown.

“Please keep Dikembe and the Mutombo family in your prayers.

Hoya Nation is behind you, Dikembe,” said current Georgetown coach and fellow NBA Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing. AFPDikembe Mutombo

back at Azuela Cove

DAVAO City braces for a grand comeback of the IRONMAN 70.3 with a promise of a more explosive, spirited title chase than it was in pre-pandemic times when the premier endurance race is held for the third time at Azuela Cove on March 26, 2023.

Mexican Mauricio Mendez pulled off a big surprise in the inaugural staging in 2018 when he upended multi-titled Tim Reed of Australia with Germany’s Markus Rolli matching the thrilling win over Aussie legend Craig Alexander the following year.

With these exciting results in the previously sold-out editions putting the premier city in Mindanao on the world triathlon map, the announcement of 2023’s IRONMAN 70.3 Davao City is expected to further excite the tri-sport world and at the same time generate interest from all the bidders, both in local and international fronts.

‘We are very excited to have the

IRONMAN 70.3 back in Davao City. We promise the same level of support, excitement and overall experience to all the athletes on race week,” said Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.

Registration is ongoing. For details, log on to www.ironman.com/im703davao-philippines

The organizing IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc. is looking to draw more than 1,500 athletes in the 2023 IM 70.3 Davao. The event, featuring 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run, will also feature 30 age-group slots, and an additional 25 slots for Women for Tri, to qualify for the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Lahti, Finland.

“After the challenges we faced the past couple of years, we have been coordinating with the local authorities in our continuing effort and commitment not only to stage a safe race ex-

His signature move was a finger wag, which he used to let opponents know he was not to be taken lightly.

perience for the athletes but also to put up the best possible IRONMAN 70.3 in Davao,” said IRONMAN/Sunrise Events, Inc. general manager Princess Galura.

“We’re really excited to have the race back in Davao City, as one of the iconic races’ athletes can look forward to in the

Philippines. 2023 is a significant year for us as Asia’s race calendar returns to pre-pandemic times with Davao City hosting one of the first IRONMAN 70.3 for the year,” said Jeff Edwards, managing director for Asia, IRONMAN Group

The event and all race activities, in-

Rotary Golf for a cause slated at Veterans GC

LUCRATIVE prizes are up for grabs in the Leader Presidents Golf “Fellowship for a Cause” set on October 19 at Veterans Golf Club in Quezon City. Proceeds of the 18-hole event marking the birthday celebration of PDG Dan Espinosa will go to the RI D3780 beneficiaries of the Elmer Magnate (late beloved LP president) Foundation, including the poor folk from selected barangays of Quezon City.

Ladies and gentlemen divisions will be grouped into Classes A, B, C and D in the System 36 tournament teeing off via shotgun at 7:30 a.m.

Deadline of registration is on October 17 at 5 p.m.

An entry fee of P2,500 will qualify every participant to take home expensive appliances and a 55-inch TV, plus a US$1,000 prize for a hole-in-one at hole No. 13.

A mulligan fee of P500 can earn a P10,000 bonanza and three P3,000 each to a consolation prize winner.

cluding registration and expo, will be held at the Azuela Cove.

Leading up to the IRONMAN 70.3, Davao will also hold the Girls Fun Run, formerly IronGirls, on March 24, and the IronKids on March 25.

Duterte also announced the launch of the Ttribu Maisugon award, a team competition held in honor of the 11 tribes of Davao and open to all teams with minimum of 11 individual age groups, regardless of age and gender. The team with the fastest combined time of the top 11 finishers will win P500,000.

Nueva Ecija, Pampanga move a win shy of semifinals

NUEVA Ecija and Pampanga took different victory routes in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 4th Season Presented by Xtreme quarterfinal round on Saturday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards overwhelmed the Marikina Shoemasters, 103-71, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns subdued the Bataan Risers, 8275, in the opening games of the North division best-of-three playoffs.

The Rice Vanguards, who posted a 21-game sweep of the single roundrobin elimination phase, and the Giant Lanterns, who placed fourth among the North qualifiers, aim for semifinal slots on Saturday, October 22 when they tackle the same opponents at the Bren Guiao

Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.

In extending its unbeaten run to 22 games, Nueva Ecija surpassed the 21game win streak of Crispa in its PBA Grand Slam season in 1983.

The star-studded Rice Vanguards led by as many 36 points, 101-65, in the fourth quarter before easing up a bit on the Shoemasters, the eighth and last North qualifier.

With the game under control, Nueva Ecija Coach Jerson Cabiltes had the luxury of shuffling the 15 players available, only one of whom failed to score.

Renz Palma led Nueva Ecija with 16 points and 3 steals, followed by Michael Mabulac with 15 points and 7 rebounds and homegrown icons Bobby Balucanag and John Arenas with 12

and 11 points, respectively.

Marikina got 13 points each from Antonio Lorenzo Joson, Mark Terrence Garcia and Ryan Isaac Sual.

Unlike Nueva Ecija, Pampanga was tested to the limit by Bataan and needed a fourth-quarter explosion by go-t0-guy Archie Concepcion to prevail.

Concepcion poured 13 of his nighthigh 21 points in that span to power the Giant Lanterns, who also leaned on Dominick Vera, Jammer Jamito and Christopher Lagrama.

Vera chipped in 18 points, including 4 triples, Jamito 15 plus 10 rebounds, and Lagrama, 9 points, all from triples.

Bataan got 18 points from Gio Espuelas, 14 from Kristoffer Torrado, 13 from Ronjay Lastimosa and 11 from James Darwin Castro.

US boxer Deontay Wilder (left) walks away after knocking out Swedish-Finnish boxer Robert Helenius in the 1st round of their 12-round WBC World Heavyweight Title Eliminator fight at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. AFP

Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte (center) graces the recent launch of the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 back at the Azuela Cove in Davao City. With him are (from left) Davao artist Kublai Millan, Ayala Land’s VP and Senior Estates Development head for Central Luzon and VIsMin Yeng Tupaz, Princess Galura, general manager of the organizing The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc., and Rico Manuel, Ayala Land’s AVP and head of Corporate Support HR.

BTS throws free concert to promote S. Korea’s World Expo bid

K-POP mega-band BTS reunited on Saturday for a free concert in Busan to support South Korea’s bid to host the World Expo, four months after the musicians announced they were taking a break from group activities.

Some 52,000 excited fans, many dressed in purple – the band’s official color –gathered in the Busan Asiad Main Stadium on Saturday evening, with local reports saying hotels near the venue were fully booked.

The night before the concert, major roads as well as a number of tourist spots in the port city, including the Gwangan Bridge, were lit in purple in honor of the septet.

BTS is credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and its label enjoyed a surge in profits despite holding

Birthday girl Bea Alonzo is a real-life ‘Dani’

DANI dreams of becoming one of the country’s top CEOs. Born to a humble family and does not own much, she maintains to have a positive disposition in life. She is an adventurer who has a grand plan for herself.

Dani’s drive to become successful comes from being abandoned by her mother and sister at a young age. She is able to make ends meet by doing odd jobs and also with the help of her aging grandmother.

Despite her status in life, Dani is a person of great vitality. And that is what makes Bea Alonzo, the actress who plays the character in Start-Up PH, feel more inspired to venture into business in real life.

“I want to put up my own brand and my own company. I got inspired by Dani. We’re still trying to figure it out. Actually, that’s part of the reason why I am going on leave. We will be attending to this,” Bea, who is celebrating her birthday today, told the entertainment press in a solo press conference held by GMA recently.

One of the things Bea likes about her character in the local adaptation of the popular Korean series is her being a goal-setter.

“I’ve been in the business for 21 years and until now, I still feel the need to deliver. I don’t relax, and people who are around me know that about me. Maybe that’s my nature, that’s my quality. I never sleep on set… even during breaks, I never sleep on set because I keep thinking about my next scenes and what I can do to improve myself. That’s how I’m able to resonate with Dani,” she explained.

Like her character in the series, Bea still faces ups and downs in her career, and still finds herself in the middle of controversies.

She admitted that she gets hurt because “she’s just human” but she has learned

to brush things off and stay to her core to remind her who she is and what she’s capable of as a person and an actress who simply just wants to bring entertainment to her legion of fans.

“Now, after the pandemic, I’m starting a new chapter in my career. Now that I have newfound opportunities, I feel like I also have this newfound confidence. Truth be told, I’ve also had many opportunities in the past that people have celebrated about like box-office movies, TV shows, and I really enjoyed those things,” she continued.

“But the difference now is that… before, I would think to myself, ‘I’m not good enough’ because you’re young and you’re always thinking that this will all disappear eventually. So, you’re always in a rush,” she said.

“We lost a lot of loved ones during the pandemic… I know that life is fleeting and we don’t even know if there’s still a third wind. So right now, I just try to enjoy the moment and try to live the moment as much as possible,” she went on.

Meanwhile, the actress is happy with the reception Start-Up PH receives from the audience. The series is off to a promising start as positive reviews poured in for the pilot week of the program.

The overwhelming support of fans for the show is undeniable.

During its premiere telecast on September 26, the hashtag #SUPHWorldPremiere made it to the Philippines’ top trending topics with over 30,000 tweets.

“I feel fortunate that

despite me being in a different network, the fans are still there to support me,” she stated.

Joining Bea in the cast are Alden Richards, Jeric Gonzales, and Yasmien Kurdi with Gabby Eigenmann, Kim Domingo, Jackielou Blanco, Ayen Munji Laurel, Boy2 Quizon, Royce Cabrera, Niño Muhlach, Lovely Rivero, Kevin Santos, Tim Yap, Jay Arcilla, Kaloy Tingcungco, Brianna, Neil Ryan Sese, and Gina Alajar

Start-Up PH is the first-ever TV adaptation of the breakthrough 2020 South Korean series, which is based on the original format Start-Up created by Hyeryeon Park and produced by Studio Dragon Corporation, coproduced by Studio Dragon and CJ ENM.

Start-Up PH is under the helm of directors Dominic Zapata and Jerry Lopez Sineneng. It airs weeknights at 8:50 p.m. on GMA and at 11:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and at 11:00 p.m. every Friday on GTV.

AMERICAN

Senator Marcos is a staunch supporter of the local film

who has produced a number of monumental

under

of the Philippines. Recently, the senator also co-produced the controversial hit film, Maid

fewer concerts during the coronavirus pandemic.

In June, the band, who are known to be extremely hard-working and maintained a relentless pace of new releases in its nine years atop the charts, said they were “exhausted” as they announced their break. The septet dropped the bombshell announcement that they were taking a break as a group to pursue solo projects.

But just about a month after that announcement, the government appointed them official ambassadors for Busan’s bid to host the World Expo in 2030.

Aside from music, the band has championed global progressive causes, from the Black Lives Matter protests to raising awareness on mental health to battling anti-Asian racism in the United States. AFP

Cultural communities come together to celebrate life and honored traditions

WHAT is most admirable about members of cultural communities is their resolve to preserve, pass on, nurture and strengthen the hold and relevance of their time honored practices and traditions that defy the onslaught of modernization and technology, and even the pandemic.

This, I believe is the reason why the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through the Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA), leads the celebration of the National Indigenous Peoples (IP) Month.

With its theme of “Pagtataguyod ng Pamayanang Kultural para sa Isang Matatag na Pilipinas,” the IP Month, which happens this month, focuses on the significant role of the cultural communities and how they managed the COVID-19 pandemic while safeguarding the communities’ intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and their strategies on moving forward.

The IP Month is celebrated pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 1906, s. 2009 declaring the month of October as the National Indigenous Peoples Month mandates the recognition and protection of the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICC)/IPs.

One of the most awaited and celebrated occasions in the IP month celebration is the most anticipated and celebrated Dayaw Festival. This happens in different parts of the country and it highlights the beauty creativity, color, flavor, relevance, and power of our cultural community brothers and sisters. The National Capital Region is the center of this year’s faceto-face festivities at the Metropolitan Theater this October 23 and 24.

More than 300 IP representatives from the Northern, Central, and Southern cultural communities are coming together to engage in an exchange of music, dance, and oral tradition performances; to share narratives on best practices on safeguarding ICH, and sharing of cultural values embodied in their responses to the current crisis.

What we can expect from the festival that is Dayaw, a “patikim” and “payanig” happened recently at the Open Air Auditorium in Rizal Park.

The most memorable performances that one fine Sunday evening were the brawny men and graceful women of the Kalinga Bodong Dance Troupe who wowed with their physique, precision and synchronicity as

they made their daily activities into dances. The “Binalog” from the Panay Bukidnon community of Calinog, Iloilo, and the Manobo Talaandig group of Mindanao presented versions of the dance whose inspiration is the hawk that is why the birdlike movements in the dance were most prominent.

Another show highlight was the Pusaka sa Maguindanao with the “kulintang” and its players highlighted their musical dexterity. TheBanda Kawayan Pilipinas was a marvel to watch because they performed with several bamboo instruments - like the kumintang, ang klung, and flute – in an effortless manner with a repertoire of Ilocano folk songs such as “Ti Ayat Maysa Nga Ubing” and “Pamulinawen.”

The teaser show ended with singing icon Joey Ayala and the Bagong Lumad with their unforgettable anthem “Karniwang Tao.”

Some of the most important personalities who attended the Dayaw kick-off were NCCA Executive Director Oscar Casaysay, Dr. Abubacar Datumanong PhD, Cmmissioner for Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts / and Head, National Committee on Southern Cultural Communities, Pablito Gonzales Vice-Head and Head, National Committee on Central Cultural Communities, Edwin Antonio, PhD, Secretary and Head, National Committee on Northern Cultural Communities, and Jennifer Sinug-las of Central Mindanao’s NCIP office.

After two years of gathering virtually, the IP Month celebration this year, aside from the Dayaw Festival will also include Online Capacity-building Training Workshop and Schools of Living Traditions Exhibition.

For more details on this event, please contact the SCCTA Secretariat through sccta@ncca. gov.ph.

hitmaker drops collab song with Kyla

in Malacañang, which is now making the rounds of the European theater circuit, after its Middle East, Canada and US tour.

Meanwhile, SPEEd officers are honored for the support of Senator Marcos. The entertainment editors group, which started as a social club, has also extended its efforts to scholarship and reach-out programs, and annually gives awards to deserving film actors and artists through its Eddys Awards, slated this year in November.

Aside from Asis, the officers of SPEEd include External Vice President, Tessa Mauricio Ariola (The Manila Times), Internal Vice President, Salve Asis (Pilipino Star Ngayon, PM), Treasurer, Dondon Sermino (Abante), Assistant Treasurer, Dinah Ventura (Daily Tribune), Auditor, Rohn Romulo (People’s Balita) Secretary, Maricris Nicasio (Hataw), Assistant Secretary, Gerardine Fe ‘Gie ‘Trillana (Malaya Business Insight), PROs, Nickie Wang (Manila Standard) and Ervin Santiago (Inquirer Bandera), Board Members, Rito Asilo (Philippine Daily Inquirer), Neil Ramos (Tempo), Dindo Balares (Balita), and Jerry Olea (PEP), with advisers Nestor Cuartero (Manila Bulletin) and Ian Farinas (People’s Tonight).

Penned

the

comes from being

“I actually wrote this song around the same time that

wrote

really interesting because I was dating someone at the time when the 18-year-old me thought that I was with someone who I can be with for a long time. The lyrics of the song are as true as they can be,” he said.

Kyla meanwhile talked about instantly falling in love with “COY.” “The first time I heard the song, fell in love with it right away. It’s like theme song for movies, that’s how it felt. It’s almost enchanting listening to the song.”

The latest Tarsier Records release features the soulful voice of Kyla intertwined with the soothing vocals of Junior over a deep

powerful arrangement by Junior in collaboration with genius beatmaker Theo Martel, with overall production by industry legend Jonathan Manalo

“COY’s” official music video, which premiered on October 14 on the Tarsier Records YouTube channel, features Kapamilya talents Anji Salvacion and Brent Manalo in a sweet and nostalgic love story.

Junior, a lifelong musician, singersongwriter, producer and engineer who hails from a musically gifted family, released an updated version of “Marry Your Daughter” in 2020 under Tarsier Records, produced by label head Moophs

The remake gave the 2005 hit a second wind, breaking through Spotify and Apple Music charts in over 40 countries to this day.

Dubbed as PH’s Queen of R&B, Kyla is a multi-awarded singer-songwriter known for hits such as “Hanggang Ngayon,” “On The Wings of Love,”

“Beautiful Days,” “Without You,” and many more.

Nickie Wang

Patricia Taculao,

SENATOR

The global megastars are credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy

Philippine R&B diva Kyla

The men of Kalinga Bodong Dance Troupe wow the audience with their physique, precision, and synchronicity

Filipino singing icon Joey Ayala

For those who wish to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle,

reach, with

THE

holidays bring so much joy to Filipino families as they gather in one home to catch up and share stories, exchange gifts, and indulge in heartwarming traditions such as partaking in a lavishly prepared Noche Buena spread. Togetherness is the one happy constant in their lives no matter what the previous months have brought.

While the season appears magical as it is, premier leisure and residential de velopment Tagaytay Highlands offers discerning homebuyers an even more exciting experience: ‘summery holi days’ at Primrose Parks, the Midlands’ newest residential enclave.

Primrose Parks is a low-density com munity that spans 6.3 hectares of verdant greenery in the heart of the Midlands. It has the luxury of so much refreshing green space – with only 99 lots spread at 16 units per hectare—that it lives up to its theme of a year-round ‘modern sum mer’, where homes endlessly bloom and blossom. What’s more, the residen tial village is endowed with close-to-na ture facilities that include a lush linear park oriented towards the east so that a

Private resort brings summer joys and holiday cheer

breathtaking sunrise greets everyone at dawn.

Still, what could be more enchant ing than waking up to sunshine stream ing through large window panels, then basking in old-fashioned Christmasy vibes with the scent of pine wafting in the air and the bracing cool mountain breeze on your face?

Primrose Parks offers this and more for the cheery ‘ber’ months. Visualize yourselves moving around a spacious, clutter-free dwelling highlighted by clean and minimal lines—and spruced up with brightly lit colorful holiday wreaths.

Seeking to exude the lightness and positivity of summertime, Primrose Parks brings you a seamless indoor-to-

outdoor life with its ‘biophilic’ concept that incorporates creative landscaping in home and garden designs. Touting a park-like setting, Primrose Parks has 41 percent of its domain devoted to open space, a huge draw for gardening en thusiasts—from hobbyists to hardcore. Here, lines are blurred between indoors and outdoors, providing a multi-sensory, oxytocin-boosting experience, much like what one feels when spending Yule tide with family and loved ones.

Primrose Parks’ modern summer homes are complemented by top-class recreational facilities. Homeowners and their guests may enjoy holiday bond ing at the pool and pavilion, which are exclusively for their use as they savor the mountain resort complex’s laidback holidays.

Finally, Primrose Parks’ residents will be gratified to know that the Highlands has been recognized for its outstanding services:

For providing safety and security to its residents, guests, and staff, Tagaytay Highlands has been awarded the Safety Seal of the City Government of Tagay tay.

Tagaytay Highlands’ developer, Highlands Prime, Inc., a subsidiary of SM Prime Holdings, has likewise been named by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development as one of CALABARZON’s 2021 Out standing Developers for Open Market Projects.

Committed to providing a stellar liv ing experience to its residents, the High lands’ competent property management team ensures safety and peace of mind, that all facilities and personnel will con tinue to adhere to strict sanitation pro cedures and safety protocols, including hand sanitation, disinfection, wearing of face masks, and social distancing in public spaces.

Property management will also re

main efficient in delivering quick crisis responses during adverse natural and high-risk events as well.

Future Primrose Parks residents can find themselves not only one step ahead in their aspiration to spend the holidays in a modern summer village, but also a big leap closer to finally realizing their mountain dream home. One decision to purchase a property in Primrose Parks is all it takes—and it starts today.

Tagaytay Highlands is a private re sort of themed residential communities with a holistic leisure environment that defines an exclusive lifestyle set amidst breathtaking views of nature.

For inquiries and other information, interested buyers may access Tagay tay Highlands’ Facebook (https://www. facebook.com/Tagaytayhighlands); In stagram (@tagaytayhighlandsofficial); and website www.tagaytayhighlands. com.

Discovering the hidden treasures of Davao de Oro

renew call for transport modernization

2GO Group, Inc., the Philippines’ larg est integrated transportation and logis tics provider, has echoed the call of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the modernization of the country’s maritime transport and logistics services to boost economic recovery and revive domestic tourism.

“We are committed to supporting the modernization plans of the government and all of the initiatives of the DOTr. As part of this commitment, we acquired two new vessels at the height of the pan demic last year – MV 2GO Maligaya and MV 2GO Masagana which are now two of the country’s largest and fastest vessels which sail at 17 knots which is almost double compared to the industry average,” says 2GO president and CEO Frederic DyBuncio during the recent visit of Department of Transportation secretary Jaime Bautista’s to MV 2GO Maligaya at the Manila North Harbor.

During the visit, the transportation

chief underscored the vital role of ship ping in moving goods within the busi ness supply chain and in sustaining the country’s economic recovery. He said that with the archipelagic nature of the Philippines, the industry must modern ize in order to make mobility of people more convenient and the movement of goods cheaper.

DyBuncio noted that despite the nega tive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2GO was able to quickly turn around when it delivered a net income of P 109 million in the second quarter and P74 million in net income for the first six months of 2022.

As part of its corporate social respon sibility, 2GO actively supported the gov ernment’s relief efforts when Typhoon Odette devastated parts of Visayas and Mindanao in December last year, by transporting 500 tons of essential goods port-to-port, free of charge from Manila to Cebu, Tagbilaran, Cagayan de Oro,

and Ozamis.

It has also partnered with One Meralco Foundation for the transport of nine basket trucks and Meralco’s linemen and engineers to help restore power in the affected areas of Cebu and Bohol.

A subsidiary of SM Investments Corp., the firm has five business units, namely, 2GO Sea Solutions, 2GO Spe cial Containers, 2GO Logistics, 2GO Express, and 2GO Distribution, which has revolutionized the shipping indus try.

It offers multimodal transportation, warehousing and inventory manage ment, distribution, special containers, and project logistics as well as e-com merce logistics, last-mile deliveries, and express courier deliveries. It also pro vides sea travel, and peripheral logistics such as freight forwarding, import and export processing, and customs broker age.

This body of water not only serves as a marine sanctuary but also an im portant nursery for aquatic animals that sustains wildlife and the economy of Davao.

Aside from the fineries of the private island, Marc and Christi showcase the inland adventures of Davao de Oro – formerly known as Compostela Valley – from its famous lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and hills to the scrumptious delicacies and the beautiful culture of the community.

Fulfill your travel fantasies at home by watching Beached: Davao de Oro on Metro Channel, available on SKYcable channel 52 (SD) and channel 174 (HD), Cignal channel 69, and GSAT channel 70. Full episodes of Beached are also available to stream on Metro.Style’s YouTube channel.

For more details on Beached, follow @metrochannelph on Facebook, Twit ter, and Instagram. For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, and Instagram, or visit www.abs-cbn.com/newsroom.

TRAVEL show Beached explores Mindanao’s ‘golden province,’ Davao de Oro, and features its beautiful sceneries on Metro Channel.

Hosts Marc Nelson and Christi McGarry feature the luxurious amenities of Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, a Thai-inspired private island located at the heart of Davao Gulf surrounded by rich marine life and natural sources.

Aside from the fineries of the private island, Marc and Christi showcase the inland adventures of Davao de Oro including its famous lakes, hot springs, waterfalls, and hills