Manila Standard - 2022 October 19 - Wednesday

Palace declares Oct. 31 a holiday

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos has declared Oct. 31, 2022 as a special nonworking holiday to allow Filipinos to spend more time with their families ahead of Undas as well as to promote local tourism.

“The President has already signed

the proclamation, declaring October 31 as a special non-working holiday,” Office of the Press Secretary officerin-charge Cheloy Garafil said in a Palace press briefing.

The signing of the presidential proc lamation came ahead of the country’s annual commemoration of All Saints’

Gov’t to hike interest rates

PBBM says policy aims to tame inflation, arrest freefall of peso

By Vince Lopez and Julito G. Rada

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government will raise interest rates to keep inflation in check, a policy that is likely to raise the cost of borrowing.

After meeting with his economic managers Tuesday, Marcos said taming inflation was the “number one priority.”

The inflation rate rose to 6.9 percent in September, the highest in four years.

“We will continue to use interest rates to mitigate the effects,” the President said in a Twitter post.

“We may have to defend the peso in the coming months, but the over

all forecast is that we are still doing better than other countries in terms of inflation,” he added.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB), in its Asian Development Outlook 2022 update, said it expects inflation in the country to reach 5.3 percent in 2022— much lower than the forecast in Laos, at 17 percent, Myanmar at 16 percent and Timor-Leste at 7.4 percent.

Economic Planning Secretary Ar senio Balisacan said developments in the global economy, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have had a global impact on prices.

“As a result, inflation has remained persistently high globally, driven by rapid price increases in food, transpor tation, and energy,” Balisacan said.

“The Philippines and our Asian

Mabasa killer gives up, 3 cohorts still at large

Jeeps, buses ask add’l fares during rush hour periods

By Rio N. Araja

THERE transport groups filed Tues day a petition to allow jeepney and bus operators and drivers to charge an additional P1 to P2 in surge fare during rush hour.

Pasang Masda, the Alliance of Transport Operators and Driv ers Association of the Philippines (ALTODAP), and the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO) asked the Transport filed the petition before the Land Trans portation Franchising and Regula tory Board.

The groups asked the LTFRB to allow a surge charge of P1 for tra ditional and modern public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and P2 for public utility buses (PUBs) during the rush hour periods of 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., except on Sundays and national holidays.

In a statement, LTFRB said it will study the petitions.

“The LTFRB understands the peti tion of drivers and operations to in crease fares again due to continuous increases in the price of crude oil,” the LTFRB said.

By Joel E. Zurbano, Francisco Tuyay, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

“In

DOH confirms cases of Omicron

XBC variants in 11 regions

By Willie Casas

THE Philippines has detected the country’s first confirmed cases of the Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant of the coronavirus, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Ver geire said some 81 cases of XBB were detected

in two regions.

Of the figure, 70 have recovered and eight are still undergoing isolation while the status of the remaining three cases are still being verified.

The Omicron XBB subvariant is a recom binant of BJ.1 (BA.2.10.1 sublineage) and

Mother Tongue still part

THE Department of Education on Tuesday clarified the removal of Mother Tongue as a subject is not yet final after one of its offi cials announced the 50-minute subject will no longer be implemented in a bid to decon gest the curriculum.

“The removal of the Mother Tongue as a

subject is not yet final,” DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said, noting that the review of the curriculum for the Kinder to Grade 10 (K-10) program has yet to be finalized.

Poa issued the clarification after Educa tion Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said

Estorial, who is now in police cus tody, said he and the brothers Edmon and Israel Dimaculangan, and a certain Orlando or Orly, were responsible in the murder, for which they were paid a total of P550,000.

While this will have an inflationary effect on the country, the agency will set this aside to examine the points raised by transport groups in their pe tition,” the agency added.

Deportation of illegal POGO workers begins today

By Rey E. Requejo and Joel Zurbano

THE deportation of Chinese nationals working in illegal online gaming out lets will start today, October 19, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said.

“The first deportation is set on October 19, with five or six to be initially deported,” Remulla said in a press conference.

He said some “400 more” Chinese POGO workers in custody will also be deported.

“The Bureau of Immigration already canceled the visas of many working at the illegal POGO outlets. The work is ongoing right now,” Remulla said.

The Department of Justice earlier said the BI had already canceled the visas of

ONE

commentator Percival Mabasa earli

surrendered

police,

saying

order to kill him came from inside

Bilibid Prison.

press conference, Department

Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Aba los Jr. presented Joel Salve Estorial,

Philippine

National Police-Special Investiga tion Task Group on Monday out of fear for his safety.

days,

have already achieved a major breakthrough in the Percy Lapid case,” Abalos said, refer ring to Mabasa by his radio name.

page

SERIOUS TALK. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. convenes members of the economic Cabinet cluster with a focus on addressing the increase in prices caused by inflation.

REENACTMENT. Members of the Southern Police District conduct a walkthrough at the crime scene where broadcast journalist Percy Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid, was killed in Las Piñas City late Tuesday evening. The alleged gunman, Joel Salve Estorial, can be seen talking to Mabasa’s brother, Roy, who is also a journalist.

Inset photo shows Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. presenting Estorial to the media at Camp Crame in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

K-SHOW. Night joggers and cyclists are treated to a colorful media art show titled ‘(Donghaeng): Gunita at Pag-asa’ which celebrates Philippine-Korean Friendship at the front lawn wide exterior wall of the CCP Complex in Pasay City. Norman Cruz

China sees ‘much faster timeline’ on taking Taiwan, Blinken warns

BEIJING wants to seize Taiwan “on a much faster timeline” than previously considered, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, warning that President Xi Jinping was leading China in a more aggressive direction.

Xi is on the cusp of securing a third five-year term at the helm of the world’s most populous nation, delivering a land mark Communist Party Congress speech on Sunday that hailed his decade in power and restated his vow to one day “reunify,” or forcefully take, Taiwan.

“We’ve seen a very different China emerge in recent years under Xi Jin ping’s leadership,” Blinken told a forum at Stanford University with former sec retary of state Condoleezza Rice.

“It is more repressive at home; it’s more aggressive abroad. And in many instances that poses a challenge to our own interests as well as to our own val ues,” he added.

Blinken accused Xi of “creating tre mendous tension” by changing the ap proach toward self-ruled Taiwan, which China’s Communist Party has never

controlled but claims as its own.

He said China had made a “funda mental decision that the status quo was no longer acceptable, and that Beijing was determined to pursue reunification on a much faster timeline,” though he gave no hard estimate or date.

Senior US military figures have previ ously sounded the alarm that China has expanded its military forces to the point where it could soon have the capability to pull off an invasion of Taiwan.

China’s stance has long been that it seeks “peaceful reunification” with Tai wan but reserves the right to use force if necessary, especially if the island for mally declares independence.

But the rhetoric and actions towards Taiwan have become more pronounced under Xi, China’s most assertive leader in a generation.

He has tied taking Taiwan to his vi sion of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” and has previously said the goal of reunification cannot continue to be passed indefinitely from generation to generation.

In Sunday’s speech, he repeated simi lar themes, saying the “wheels of history are rolling on towards China’s reunifica tion” and that “we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”

Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, which China has not condemned, has also raised fears that Beijing might take similar moves against Taiwan’s 23 mil lion people.

Ties between Washington and Bei jing have been at a decade-low ebb un der both the administrations of Donald Trump and his successor President Joe Biden, over a range of issues from trade to security and human rights.

But Blinken said the world’s two largest economies should be willing to cooperate on shared interests.

He said the world “fundamentally expects” the two powers to work to

gether on climate change, global health and possibly drug trafficking.

Beijing “just has to be responsive to demand signals that it’s getting from countries around the world to be a posi tive actor, not a negative actor, on is sues that concern them.”

China cut cooperation with the Unit ed States on climate change and drug trafficking in August as part of its pro test against US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, which also saw Beijing launch its biggest military drills yet around the island.

Responding to Blinken’s speech, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin accused Washington of altering its own approach to Taiwan, citing examples such as Pelosi’s visit and recent arms sales.

“Peacefully resolving the Taiwan is sue cannot coexist with Taiwan separa tism,” Wang said.

Xi is widely expected to meet Biden on the sidelines of a Group of 20 sum mit next month in Bali, their first meeting since the US leader took office. AFP

Last month, the LTFRB approved a P1 provisional increase in the mini mum fare for the first four kilometers of travel in PUJs. It also approved an additional fare per succeeding kilom eter of P0.30 for traditional PUJs, and P0.40 for modern PUJs.

Two consecutive weeks of price increases in oil and petroleum prod ucts, however, have offset five weeks’ worth of rollbacks for diesel, gasoline and kerosene.

The Department of Energy has warned pump prices will continue to rise because of the decision by the Or ganization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies to cut production by 2 million barrels per day starting next month.

DepEd:...

Monday there was already a consen sus on the removal of the subject for Grades 1 to 3.

“We will continue using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3. But we also agreed on something that can help decongest the curriculum... We all agreed in the curriculum and instruction division to do away with the 50 minutes of mother tongue as a subject,” Densing said.

Day and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 1 and 2, respectively.

Nov. 1, which falls on a Tuesday this year, is a special non-working day. However, Nov. 2 was declared a special working day to help the coun try recover from the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For next year, President Marcos de clared Nov. 1 and 2, 2023 as special non-working days.

Mr. Marcos declared Nov. 2, 2023 as an additional special non-working day to “strengthen family ties by provid ing more time for the traditional All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day activities, as well as promote domestic tourism.”

neighbors are not spared from these trends – major economies in the ASE AN, such as Thailand, Singapore, Indo nesia, and Malaysia, have seen their in flation rates accelerate in the past year,” he added.

Balisacan, however, noted that the country’s economic prospects “re main bright.”

Balisacan cited the World Bank’s re cent release of its October forecast for 2022 and 2023, which expects the Phil ippines to grow by 6.5 percent in 2022, second only to Vietnam among major ASEAN economies, and by 5.8 percent in 2023, faster than Indonesia, Malay sia, and Thailand.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said it could raise the benchmark interest rate by another 50 basis points in its next policy meeting to rein in inflation and support the peso from further de preciating against the US dollar.

BSP Governor Felipe Medalla last week said monetary authorities would

not allow “excessive movements in the peso-dollar exchange rate.”

“We are facing very difficult chal lenges. Nobody, six months ago, would have predicted that the US Fed will be raising policy rates this aggressively. After all, during those times, the Fed was saying, ‘Inflation is transitory. Inflation is not going to be very high.’ It turns out, this outlook was wrong,” he said dur ing the annual reception for the bank ing community.

He also said there would be no more off-cycle move by the BSP for the rest of the year.

In July, the Monetary Board surprised the market by raising the benchmark policy interest rate by 75 basis points to 3.25 percent, to rein in inflation and support the peso against the US dollar.

On Sept. 22, the board raised the benchmark policy interest rate by an other 50 basis points to 4.25 percent, following an earlier 75-basis point hike by the US Federal Reserve to tame the persistently high inflation in the world’s biggest economy.

The policy interest rate was at a

record low 2 percent at the start of the year.

The peso on Monday depreciated to its lowest level of 59 against the US dol lar for the fourth time this month as the greenback sustained strength amid the financial markets expectation of further rate hikes by the US Fed in November.

The peso closed at 59, weaker than the 58.935 per dollar on Friday. Total volume turnover hit $524.9 million, down from $542.8 million.

The first time the peso fell to the 59 level was on Oct. 3 and again on Oct. 10 and Oct. 13.

RCBC chief economist Michael Rica fort said minimum wage earners would suffer the brunt of price increases as in flation reduces their ability to spend for basic necessities and services.

Ricafort also said higher inflation would result in higher costs but lower profits for companies that might trigger job losses and layoffs.

Inflation in September 2022 acceler ated to a four-year high of 6.9 percent from 6.3 percent a month ago, driven mainly by faster increases in the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Poa, however, said DepEd is still consulting with stakeholders, the aca deme, and other government agencies over the curriculum review.

“Our review is not yet over. Once we have the final curriculum, that’s when we will release an announcement about what will happen to the programs, not only Mother Tongue, but also in our learning competencies,” Poa said.

Under the K-12 program, the Mother Tongue subject focuses on the devel opment of students’ speaking, reading and writing skills with their first or local language. There are 19 local lan guages being used in schools across the country.

On Monday, DepEd also announced that the mandatory daily face-to-face classes in all public schools will push through as scheduled on November 2, while private schools may continue with blended learning.

Under the blended learning scheme, private schools can have three days of in-person classes and 2 days of dis tance learning, and eventually 4 days of in-person classes and one day of distance learning.

1,424 Chinese nationals working in il legal POGO outlets – a fraction of the estimated total of 48,782 employees who have to be sent back to China.

“It was determined by the Bureau of Immigration, through Commissioner Norman Tansingco, that a more costefficient and humanitarian approach would be to cancel the visas of the said Chinese nationals. Instead of de porting them, the cancellation of alien visas would simply allow the Chinese nationals to voluntarily exit the coun try within a non-extendible period of 59 days,” Remulla said.

The DOJ chief said those who refuse to voluntarily leave the country after 59 days will be “summarily deported.”

Meanwhile, Remulla disclosed that “someone from the BI” has rec ommended giving amnesty to the Chinese nationals working in illegal POGO outlets but he said the process has to be studied first.

He said there is a need to consult with other government agencies on the issue of amnesty to illegal aliens.

“We have to look at this from the practical standpoint, the national standpoint and even the national secu rity standpoint,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchal ian on Tuesday said even licensed POGOs are not paying correct taxes.

“It’s regrettable that even legitimate POGOs are remiss in the payment of correct taxes. This is exactly the rea son a tax regime for POGOs was put in place which is to reduce uncollected taxes due the government. It is lamen table that even licensed POGOs con tinue to disregard accurate payment of taxes,” Gatchalian said.

POGOs have under-declared tax payments to the government as shown by discrepancies between gross gam ing revenues the operators submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the senator said.

The senator’s research shows esti mated tax leakages of P1.9 billion due to the discrepancy of gross gaming revenue as reported by the BIR and PAGCOR from POGOs from January to August this year.

BM.1.1.1 (BA.2.75 sublineage).

It has been the primary cause of the new COVID-19 spikes in Singapore, the DOH said.

The Singaporean Ministry of Health said there is no sufficient evidence that the XBB causes more severe illness.

“So far, the large majority of patients continue to report mild symptoms such as sore throat or slight fever, especially if they have been vaccinated,” the DOH said in a statement.

The DOH said currently available evidence for XBB does not suggest any differences in disease severity or clinical manifestations compared to the original Omicron variant.

Meanwhile, some 193 cases of XBC were detected in 11 regions.

Of the figure, 176 have recovered, three are still undergoing isolation and five died while the outcomes of the remaining nine cases are still being verified.

The XBC variant is a recombinant of delta and BA.2 variants, the DOH said.

The XBC is under monitoring and investigation by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency.

face with Estorial.

“I was able to talk with the alleged gunman and he was cooperative,” said Roy after the walkthrough.

But other global health agencies such as the World Health Organization and the European Centers for Disease Con trol have yet to determine the risk this variant poses, the DOH added.

Also on Tuesday, the DOH said chil dren ages 6 to 17 can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Chi na’s Sinovac.

Vergeire said the agency has ap proved CoronaVac as a primary series for 6 to 17-year-olds as an alternative for mRNA vaccines on the recommenda tion of the Health Technology Assess ment Council, an independent advisory body of the DOH.

“DepEd is cognizant of the current situation of the private sector due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandem ic – the amount of investment in on line learning technologies, the devel opment and institutionalization of best practices on blended learning, and the unfortunate closure of small private schools because of losses,” it said.

The Coordinating Council of Pri vate Educational Associations of the Philippines thanked DepEd for “giv ing primary consideration to students’ and parents’ choice of platforms.”

“This also gives the flexibility need ed to strengthen innovation in basic [education] schools and maximize the benefits of hybrid learning modalities, even as we also integrate in-person classes in schools,” the group said.

Marcos Jr.

He added he was the one who shot Mabasa.

In front of TV cameras, Estorial told Abalos that Orly instructed them that whoever was closest to Percy will be the shooter.

He said Orly told them if they did not take the shot, they would be killed.

Estorial told Abalos that he sur rendered because he was bothered by his conscience and that he feared for his life.

The 39 year-old Estorial lives in New Capitol Estates 1, Quezon City while the Dimaculangan siblings are residents of Las Piñas, the city where Mabasa was ambushed.

The suspect apologized to the family and friends of Mabasa. “Sana po mapatawad po nila ako. Hindi ko naman kagustuhan ‘yun. (I hope they can forgive me. I didn’t want to do it.)”

The Southern Police District on Tues day night conducted a walkthrough at the crime scene upon the request of the Mabasa family.

The police, led by SPD director Kirby John Brion Kraft also allowed Mabasa’s brother Roy to talk face to

“He (Estorial) is helping us. He has identified the places from where he walked to up to the area where the ac tual killing of my brother took place. We thank the PNP for their good work,” Roy said.

Abalos said the PNP is now con ducting follow-up operations and dis missed talk that Estorial was merely a fall guy.

He said the gun used by Estorial and a slug found at the crime scene matched in a ballistic examination. He added that the clothes the suspect was wearing as seen on CCTV foot age was also recovered, although it was already cut to pieces.

“We have to get to the mastermind, that’s very important. The investigation is ongoing right now… We don’t want to jeopardize that,” Abalos said.

He aid with Estroial’s surrender, the police now had the key to unravel the motive and identity of those who planned Mabasa’s burder.

“With the forensic results, we also now have a strong case against the sus pect,” Abalos said.

In a statement, Mabasa’s family thanked the police for the arrest.

“We would like to thank the PNP for the surrender of the person who claims to be the gunman. We hope this development leads to the identi fication, arrest and prosecution of the mastermind. We hope Percy does not become part of the statistics and con tinue to clamor for justice for Percy and the nearly 200 journalists killed since 1986,” the statement read.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also described the gun man’s surrender as a positive develop ment towards accountability for Ma basa’s murder.

“We hope that this arrest will lead to the identification, arrest and pros ecution of whoever ordered and paid for the killing of our colleague. Ac countability in this case will help chip away at the culture of impunity around journalist killings that media, civil society and government agencies have been working to change,” the NUJP said.

Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid of dwBL 1242, was killed while driv ing his Toyota Innova on his way to the radio station around 8:30 p.m. on Oct 3 along Aria St. Sta. Cecilia Village, Tal on Dos in Las Piñas City.

The NUJP said Mabasa is the sec ond journalist to be killed under the administration of President Ferdinand

PNP chief Police Gen. Rodolfo S. Az urin Jr. said Estorial’s surrender was a major breakthrough in the case.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday directed Bu reau of Corrections (BuCOr) Direc tor-General Gerald Bantag to inves tigate Estorial’s claim that the orders to kill Mabasa came from the New Bilibid Prison.

In a press conference, Remulla said he has yet to be briefed as to the circumstances, details and state ments made, in connection with the surrender of Estorial.

He said he would ask Bantag to sub mit a report to him regarding Estorial’s claim at the soonest possible time.

Remulla also said the gunman’s con fession should be vetted thoroughly.

BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said an investigation is now being con ducted to verify Estorial’s connection with an unidentified inmate.

He said a report is expected to be sub mitted within the day.

“Our policies in the NBP are all aimed at preventing convicted criminals in further being able to inflict harm on our free society,” he said. “It is wrong in all senses that a prisoner can still be able to communicate with his cohorts to perform criminal acts outside.”

Typhoon Neneng leaves P182-m agri damage in Regions 1 & 2—NDRRMC

Salty noodles, canned goods unsafe to public health—Tulfo

Neneng, the latest weather disturbance to hit the country this year, left an estimated P182 million worth of damage to agriculture in the Ilocos Region and Cagayan province, according to the

TYPHOON

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Hardest hit was Cagayan province in Region 2 which suffered to agriculture worth P174 million, but this was not included in the NDRRMC report.

The NDRRMC placed crop losses in Region 1 at P7.7 million.

The agency said at least 503.57 hectares of agricultural lands were affected by

IN BRIEF

QC cites COA report on ‘wealthiest’ city

THE Quezon City government on Tuesday thanked the Commission on Audit (COA) for citing it as the country’s wealthiest city twice.

“We are wholly grateful and humbled by this recognition from COA, naming Quezon City as the richest city in the Philippines for the second straight year with a total asset of P451 billion,” the city government said in a statement.

“We owe this to the hardworking men and women of the city government. Without them, we cannot accomplish this feat,” it added.

In its Annual Financial Report on Local Governments, the COA said Quezon City, for the second straight year, has remained the wealthiest city in the country in 2021 with P451 billion worth of assets.

“This honor will serve as our source of inspiration and strength to continue working for the betterment of our city and for the welfare of QCitizens,” the city government noted. Rio N. Araja

450 more Navotas solo parents receive cash aid

THE Navotas City Government distributed anew financial assistance to qualified solo parents through its Saya All, Angat All program.

Some 450 Navoteños received P2,000 cash aids following the verification of their newly-applied and renewed solo parent identification cards.

The fourth batch of beneficiaries included Angelica Ebrole, 33, a single mother from Barangay Sipac-Almacen. She plans to use the money for the daily school expenses of her children.

Jopel Pastrana, 35, a single father from Barangay. Navotas East intends to do the same.

The Saya All, Angat All Tulong Pinansyal ng city government para sa mga solo parents is part of the city government’s series of pandemic recovery programs which aim to benefit 1,500 registered Navoteño solo parents this year.

“Our social welfare and development office is already preparing for the fifth and final batch of beneficiaries this year. We encourage Navoteño solo parents to secure their 2022 solo parent ID to qualify for the next payout,” Mayor John Rey Tiangco said.

The Navotas Vocational Training and Assessment Institute, also conducted a five-day skills training in foot spa services to give registered solo parents another means to earn a living.

The city government, through City Ordinance No. 2019-17, also provides indigent solo parents with P1,000 educational assistance every school year. Jun David

PLEDGE OF COMMITMENT.

flooding in the region, affecting a total of 1,124 farmers and fishermen.

According to the Cagayan Provincial Information Office, the initial report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist on Monday indicated that the damage on rice and corn fields, as well as on fisheries in the province costs more than P174.22 million.

Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure

in Regions 1, 2 and the Cordillera Region was placed at P81.55 million, the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC said power supply in 30 cities and municipalities were disrupted, but so far, electricity has been restored in 17 areas.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said government field workers were working round-the-clock to restore power and clear blocked roads in Neneng-hit areas.

The number of damaged houses reached 38, with 36 of them partially damaged while two were severely destroyed.

The NDRRMC reported that 29,544 families or 103,662 individuals were affected by Neneng, which pummeled

Luzon last week. They come from 331 barangays in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Of this number, 601 families or 1,865 people remain in evacuation centers.

Two people were injured, but there were no deaths or missing persons recorded, the NDRRMC said.

The agency also reported that around P2.7 million worth of aid in the form of food packs, hygiene kits, sleeping materials, and relief assistance were distributed to affected communities.

Neneng, which made landfall in Cagayan on Sunday, has left the Philippine area of responsibility by Monday.

By Joel E. Zurbano

INSTANT noodles and canned sardines are “unsafe and dangerous” products, and could cause diseases such as kidney problem and diabetes, according to Senator Raffy Tulfo.

Senator Raffy Tulfo made this observation as he apprised the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the manufacturing, distribution and selling of consumer products that he described as “injurious, unsafe or dangerous.”

He particularly cited consumer products that are popular among the low- income families, saying these contained more than the allowable 2,000 milligrams of sodium if eaten two to three times a day.

Tulfo clarified, however, that he is not against the selling of instant noodles which he called the “poor man’s food.” He said the DTI should advise the manufacturers to reduce the sodium contents of their products.

“Our poor countrymen seem to be neglected. According to the National Kidney Institute, 1.2 million Filipinos get kidney disease annually due to the consumption of salty products. Instant noodles are not only eaten once a day by the poor, because it is what they can afford. That’s why it’s called poor-man’s food,” Tulfo said.

Tulfo cited Article 10 of the Consumer Act of the Philippines which stated; “Whenever the departments find, by their own initiative or by petition of a consumer, that a consumer product is found to be injurious, unsafe or dangerous, it shall, after due notice and hearing, make the appropriate order for its recall, prohibition or seizure from public sale or distribution.”

Unlike in Japan and the United States that managed to reduce the sodium level on instant noodles and sardines, Tulfo noted how one pack of locally-made instant noodles has sodium content ranging from 1,600mg to 1,900mg when the recommended daily intake is only a maximum of 2,000mg.

Present day realities call for redirection of ASEAN—envoy

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

PNOM PENH, Cambodia-An official of the ASEAN has underscored the need to carefully craft the ASEAN post-2025 vision in light of the “rapidly changing and increasingly geostrategic landscape, worsened with the unprecedented crisis like the COVID-19.”

“It shall be outward-and forward-looking that sets out the future direction for the development and aspirations of ASEAN towards a peaceful, stable, prosperous, integrated, and sustainable community,” said ASEAN official Sim Vireak during the Economic Research Institute for 11th ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) Editors’ Roundtable: “ASEAN and the Disruptive World” being held here.

Vireak said the ASEAN was working closely together

in developing the Core Elements of the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision.

Conceding that the compounding pressure has influenced their thoughts towards negativism, some even called it “the end of ASEAN”, Vireak noted that the group should be mindful of the established principles of its founding fathers.

“We are not re- inventing the wheel by putting ASEAN back to square one, but we should be pragmatic, future-oriented, outward- looking and openminded. We should not shut ourselves from our own people, creating core group with seasonal geopolitical agenda of the day,” Vireak said.

When facing issues of regional concerns, he gave assurance that the ASEAN does not turn its back on their own people. He related that ASEAN has mediated Cam-

DILG gives away 35 fire trucks

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday distributed 35 brand new fire trucks to pre-selected cities and municipalities nationwide to help boost their firefighting capability.

DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. said the acquisition of the fire trucks was part of the modernization program of the Bureau of Fire Protection to meet the ideal ratio of one fire truck for every city or municipality.

“Through these fire trucks which will be distributed to 35 fire stations in key cities and municipalities all over the country, we will be able to bolster the BFP’s capability to respond to fire incidents in their communities,” said Abalos in a ceremonial turnover at the BFP national headquarters in Quezon City.

“At the end of the day, we want to give our people a sense of security and

safety that the BFP is at their service and is ready and equipped to help them during fire emergencies,” he added.

Four of the 35 fire trucks were given to local government units in the regions of Ilocos, Bicol and Eastern Visayas; one each for Davao, Soccsksargen, Caraga and the National Capital Region; three each for Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao; five in Southern Tagalog; and two each in Western Visayas and Zamboanga.

The fire trucks with a diesel type engine equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation system and Euro IV compliant include 4,000-liter capacity water tank, fire pump system with round the pump foam proportioning system, 200-liter foam tank, firefighting equipment, tools and accessories using appropriate fire service standards adaptable to Philippine conditions. Joel E. Zurbano

bodia’s affairs even when Cambodia was not a member of the grouping.

He noted the ASEAN founding fathers did not design ASEAN to hit the geopolitical agenda of the day, to side with specific superpower, or to create an alliance for confrontation.

“We are not imagining the recreation of another Southeast Asia TreatyOrganization (SEATO),” he guaranteed.

On the socio-economic aspects, he emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic has set back their gains in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2030.

Vireak cited the need to consider how the ASEAN can recover speed of delivery of their commitments to the SDGs, by envisioning various updated action plans.

“We need to make sure that our actions really provide tangible benefit for our people,” he said.

Isabela solon, dad boost public medical services

By Jessica M. Bacud

“This health services for our people have been one of our core programs,” the lawmaker said.

“We address these concerns to protect and promote the health of individuals and the community that I believe is everyone’s right to a healthy life which is a basic human right,” he added. For his part, Councilor Go said

health care was essential as it “paves the way to positive effects on the individual’s health, growth and development,” he said.

Zenaida Martin who was confined in Isabela Doctors General Hospital Inc. was given P50,000.

KMyleigh Marrayah Mercurio who was admitted at the Providers Multipurpose Cooperative Medical Center received P41,332, while Marlon Reyes who was confined at the Isabela Doctors General Hospital Inc got P59,000.

Other beneficiaries were Alexander Telan and Elpidio Cabalonga, both of Minanga, San Mariano, P40,000 each; Allam of Cataguing, P50,000; Ferdi-

nand Ramos of San Jose, P68,374.62; John Paul Tomines of Magsaysay, Naguillian was aided P50,000 at GFNDY Sr. MH; Alex Flores of Andabuen of Benito Soliven was admitted at Dr. Ester R. Garcia Medical Center with P50,000 medication; Ana Grazelle Bulan of Sta. Filomena, San Mariano treated at Isabela Doctors General Hospital, was given P51,800; Epifanio Nastor of District II, Gamu Isabela admitted at Isabela United Doctor’s Medical Center in the amount of P50,000; Ruthlane Molina of Songsong, Gamu treated the Providers Multi Purpose Cooperative Medical Center and was provided P40,437.86.

SAN Mariano, Isabela—Isabela Rep. Ed Christopher and provincial councilor Ed Christian Go are tapping the services of accredited hospitals to meet the medical needs of the people in the second district of the province.

LIGHTNING PROTEST RALLY. Youth activists under the National Network of Agrarian Reform Advocates-Youth (NNARA-Youth) stage a so-called lightning protest rally on Mendiola Street near Malacanang Palace to urge the Marcos administration to decisively address the chronic food and agriculture crisis in the country. Danny Pata

THIS IS JUST A DRILL. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Eastern Visayas region conducts a bomb threat simulation exercise at the Port of Ormoc in Ormoc City, Leyte. The rehearsal is meant to boost the PCG’s capabilities in providing timely, immediate, and e ective responses to bomb threat incidents.

Commitment during

PNP KASIMBAYANAN

Simbahan at Pamayanan)

Kazuo Okada arrested on grave coercion charges

JAPANESESE gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada was arrested by Philippine au thorities Monday in relation to the grave coercion cases lodged against him by the board of Tiger Resort Leisure and Enter tainment Inc. (TRLEI) officers James Lorenzana, Hajime Tokuda, and Michi ake Satate.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Group (AVSEU) ar rested Kazuo Okada at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 1, after he landed from Haneda, Japan at 5:40 a.m. on Monday.

Kazuo Okada, along with Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco, Dindo Espeleta, and lawyer Florentino “Binky” Herrera, are facing criminal charges for grave coercion, following their illegal and vio lent takeover of integrated casino resort Okada Manila on May.

Padilla bats for tariffs on foreign films, TV series

ACTOR-TURNED-POLITICIAN Senator

Robinhood Padilla is looking into the possi bility of imposing tariffs on foreign films and television series showing in the Philippines to help the country’s film industry.

Padilla said the funds that would generate from tariffs can be used to provide assistance to Filipinos working in the film industry.

“Can we find a way to raise taxes for foreign series entering the Philippines? This will result in subsidies for workers in our local industry. Besides, the entry of foreign shows is costing many workers in our local industry their jobs,” he said at the Senate hearing on the 2023 bud get of the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

Padilla also supported providing additional funds to the FDCP for the restoration of old Philippine films; as well as the council’s bid to have its own building with its own vault to preserve old Filipino films.

FDCP chairman Tirso Cruz III said the building will last for at least 40 to 50 years, and the P500,000 monthly rent can be realigned to helping film industry workers, especially young directors and scriptwriters.

Likewise, Padilla supported the idea of making tourism sites out of areas where Fili pino films were made.

“Films are investments for life. If preserved or restored, they are timeless. They are also a part of our history and culture, so they can be considered our treasure,” he said.

“Here in Southeast Asia, we were the first to make movies and we always won awards for best film and best actor... Now, so many are trying to help the film industry. Perhaps this is a good point for us to start,” Padilla said.

Joel E. Zurbano

Salceda opposes cap on credit card interest rates

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda strongly op posed proposals for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to adjust the current credit card interest rate caps of 2 percent per month, as BSP Governor Felipe Medalla recently an nounced efforts to review the ceilings given higher BSP policy rates.

“It’s just going to pad bank profits. Why we would want to adjust 27 percent per-annum in terest rates upward as if that’s not high enough is beyond me,” Salceda said.

Salceda cited that, based on disclosures to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the largest banks in the country have become significantly more prof itable compared to last year’s numbers.

“The biggest banks in the country have increased profits by 12 to 72 percent. Higher credit card interest rates will merely boost those profits while hurting the middle class,” Salceda added.

“So, I urge Governor Medalla and the Mon etary Board to reconsider its efforts to review and possibly increase the rates,” Salceda said.

Salceda made the remarks following state ments from Medalla that “of course, given the higher interest rates it’s obvious that we have to adjust the cap.”

“I have to disagree with my friend Governor Medalla here. It’s not obvious to me why we should raise credit card interest rate caps. We would want to do that if inflation were because of very high money supply in the economy. That’s when we would want to limit credit growth.”

“Inflation isn’t a liquidity problem right now. Liquidity growth is actually slowing down. From 7.0% in July to 6.8% in August. So, given our inflation rate, there isn’t any real liquidity growth. There isn’t too much money in the Philippines.”

“Far from it, inflation is imported. And given the BSP’s own declared policy goals to make payments cashless, an upward shift in credit card caps is hardly encouraging.” Maricel V. Cruz

The Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) of Paranaque Branch 90 and Branch 91 issued warrants of arrest against Kazuo Okada on October 11.

It can be recalled that the Kazuo Oka da Group stormed Okada Manila on May 31, bringing in no less than 50 armed men and officers to physically take over the integrated casino hotel. They cited a wrong interpretation of the status quo ante order (SQAO) issued by the Su preme Court for taking over the Okada Manila premises.

Cojuangco and Espeleta, as assisted by their legal counsel Herrera, physical ly represented the Kazuo Okada Group during the takeover, employing brute force and intimidation that resulted in physical injuries to the victims.

They also illegally installed them selves as members of the board of Okada

NUTRIBUN DISTRIBUTION.

Senator Imee Marcos, Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan,Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Rep. Cindi King-Chan, and Brgy. Pajo councilor Jasmine Chan distribute “nutribun” as part of a feeding program among daycare pupils in Lapu-Lapu City.

Alan Tangcawan

Manila, forcibly removing Lorenzana, Tokuda, and Satate from their positions despite not having any approval of the Supreme Court to allow Kazuo Okada’s Group to physically take over Okada Manila.

By preventing Lorenzana, Tokuda, and Satate from performing their du ties as officers of TRLEI, the DOJ panel found probable cause for the filing of grave coercion charges to Kazuo Okada, Cojuangco, Espeleta, and Herrera.

Led by Byron Yip and TRAL repre sentatives Takako Okada and Kenshi Asano, the legitimate board of TRLEI regained control over Okada Manila on 2 September 2022, as the regulator Phil ippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) ordered the removal of the self-instituted board that Kazuo Okada illegally constituted.

Resignation ‘will not happen, says DOJ Sec. Remulla

By Rey E. Requejo

DEPARTMENT

of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has turned down calls for him to resign following the arrest and filing of drug charges against his eldest son, Juanito.

In a press conference, Remulla said he is leaving it up to President Ferdi nand Marcos Jr. to decide whether he should stay or leave his post due to his son’s case.

“It will not happen. I will not com ment anymore on other issues there but It will not happen. That is not my call. It’s the President’s call,” Remulla said, in his first media briefing since his son was arrested Monday last week.

“If I feel later on that I am not any more effective in this position then I will talk to the President about what ever has to be done in the future,” he added.

Remulla admitted that he has yet to talk with his 38-year-old son since he confirmed the latter’s arrest last Octo ber 13.

Juanito was arrested last week while Remulla was in Geneva, Switzerland leading the Philippines’ delegation to the 51stUnited Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Enhance Interac tive Dialogue and Bilateral Meetings and to the State’s Constructive Dia logue/Revalida with the Human Rights Committee on the International Cov enant on Civil and Political Rights.

Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested Remulla’s eldest son while claiming a

parcel allegedly containing P1.3 mil lion worth of “kush” or high-grade marijuana.

Juanito was subsequently charged with illegal possession of drugs before the Regional Trial Court of Las Piñas City.

When asked to comment on the calls for him to resign out of delicadeza, Re mulla answered: No comment. I know myself. I know it’s not only me on trial here. It’s my son on trial. It’s the coun try which is in a trial in some ways.”

Remulla meanwhile proposed the construction of regional prison facili ties in the next three to four years “to humanize the prison system.”

Remulla stressed that regionalized prisons would enable families to visit persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) more often.

“The problem with the prison sys tem now is that it is a mega prison and it does not bode well for persons who should be treated individually as is the practice now in prison reform,” he said.

“We have a big problem in the New Bilibid Prison (in Muntinlupa City), that is why we have to reform our prison system and not only the trans fer of maximum security, but also the regionalization of prisons is now on the table,” he added.

Barzaga seeks to reopen probe on ABS-CBN case

By Maricel V. Cruz

DASMARIÑAS City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. sought the reopening of a congressional investigation into the alleged violations of the law commit ted by media company ABS-CBN Corporation.

Barzaga Jr., who sits as vice chair person of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, said there was a need to revisit the issues raised against ABS-CBN during the investi gation conducted by the previous Con gress to determine if the company had corrected the legal infringements and the other violations that led to the de nial of its legislative franchise in 2020.

SC sets discussions on petition against BSKE resked

THE Supreme Court (SC) has set the oral arguments on the petition assailing the constitutionality of the law post poning the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Friday, October 21.

In a media briefer, the SC will hold the oral arguments at 3 p.m. on the pe tition filed by veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal who urged the SC to order the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of the Presi dent to cease and desist from imple menting Republic Act 11935.

The law moved the BSKE from De cember 2022 to October 2023. The SC also required Comelec and the Office of the President to file their comment not later than 12 p.m. on Friday.

Macalintal earlier asked the SC to de clare as unconstitutional Republic Act 11935 postponing the holding of baran

gay elections until next year.

In a petition for certiorari, Macalin tal asked the SC to declare as uncon stitutional RA 11935 which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law last week. RA 11935 postpones the holding of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from December this year to October 2023.

With the passage and signing of RA 11935, all incumbent barangay and SK officials must serve until their succes sors are elected next year or they can be removed or suspended earlier for a cause.

Subsequent barangay and SK elec tions will be held every three years. But Macalintal asserted that Congress has no power to postpone the holding of barangay elections and to extend the term of current officials.

“The Constitution gives Congress the

YouthWorks secures more funding from US gov’t to continue programs

By Othel V. Campos

THE Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) announced Tuesday that the US government is investing an additional P228 million to provide free skillsbased and work-based training to unem ployed and out-of-school Filipino youth through YouthWorks PH.

The added funding will extend YouthWorks PH program, the private sector-driven employability partner ship between the United States Agen cy for International Development (US AID) and Pbed for another 3 years, until 2026.

“Investing in our youth is investing in our country’s success. Through Youth

Works PH, the youth—especially those who are not in education, employment or training—are empowered with the right skills needed for their employ ment,” said PBEd chair Ramon R. Del Rosario Jr. said.

“With the help of our partners, we are able to provide work-based training, en hance their employability and help them get back on track,” he added.

US Embassy deputy chief of mission Heather Variava said the US govern ment recognize the commitment and creativity of the Philippine government and private sector partners in spear heading initiatives to further enhance technical-vocational skills training in the Philippines.

power to determine or fix the term of office of barangay officials. Clearly, the Constitution does not give Congress the power to postpone the barangay elec tions nor to extend the term of office of barangay officials,” Macalintal said.

According to him, the power to post pone elections lies with the Commis sion on Elections after determining “serious causes” under Section 5 of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).

If Congress is empowered to post pone the holding of elections, it would remove the authority of the poll body under the OEC, Macalintal said.

“Thus, by enacting a law postponing a scheduled barangay elections, Con gress is in effect executing said provi sion of the OEC or has overstepped its constitutional boundaries and assumed a function that is reserved to Comelec,” he added. Rey E. Requejo

“These legal and constitutional is sues include the possible violations committed by ABS-CBN on the con stitutional limits on foreign owner ship, its reported violations of labor and tax laws, and other violations of its previous franchise. We have to find out if ABS-CBN has been following the law or continuing to violate or cir cumvent it,” Barzaga said.

The veteran legislator recalled that ABS-CBN had initially attempted to merge with TV-5 in a bid to ride on the legislative franchise granted to the latter. The merger was dropped when several lawmakers revealed that they planned to investigate the deal.

Following this failed merger bid, ABS-CBN has inked another agree ment, this time with international ca ble channels Discovery Asia and the Asian Food Network.

While Barzaga said he sees no pos sible violation of this agreement at this time, “we do not know if there are oth er deals that ABS-CBN has entered into which need to be reviewed to find out if they are violating the law.”

Barzaga said a reinvestigation by Congress into ABS-CBN could even benefit the company as he recalled that no less than President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had said ear lier that ABS-CBN would be able to secure a new franchise once all the issues against it are resolved.

EXPLAINING THE GLITCHES. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Erwin Garcia explains the glitches that happened during the 2022 national and local elections during the Comelec assessment of the 2022 National and Local elections. With Garcia is Comelec’s assistant director for education and information Atty. Abigail Claire Llacuna. Danny Pata

‘INDIO-GENIUS.’

National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Kidlat Tahimik (Eric de Guia) explains his work during a tour before the opening of his exhibit entitled ‘INDIO-GENIUS: 500 Taon ng Labanang Kultural (1521-2021)’ at the National Museum of Anthropology on Saturday. Danny Pata

Inflation and uncertainty

Contends the IMF: “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to powerfully destabilize the global econo my. Beyond the escalating and senseless destruction of lives and livelihoods, it has led to a severe energy crisis in Europe that is sharply increasing costs of living and hampering economic activity.

THESE are the two crises that grip much of the world today.

Inflation is at record high, at least in the past 20 years, in most parts of the world.

Uncertainty is prevalent, globally. This uncertainty is unprecedented – at least since the Second World War.

The International Monetary Fund’s advice: “Pre pare for the worst. Most of mankind can expect a re cession.” What a grim prognosis.

“The global economy continues to face steep challenges, shaped by the lingering effects of three powerful forces: the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis caused by persistent and broaden ing inflation pressures, and the slowdown in China,” warns the Fund.

Reviewing world developments this October, the Fund reports:

“The world is in a volatile period: economic, geopolitical, and ecological changes all impact the global outlook. Inflation has soared to multidecade highs, prompting rapid monetary policy tightening and squeezing household budgets, just as COVID19-pandemic-related fiscal support is waning. Many low-income countries are facing deep fiscal difficulties.

“At the same time, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and tensions elsewhere have raised the possibility of significant geopolitical disruption.

“Although the pandemic’s impact has moderated in most countries, its lingering waves continue to disrupt economic activity, especially in China.

“And intense heat waves and droughts across Eu rope and central and south Asia have provided a taste of a more inhospitable future blighted by global cli mate change.”

Relates the Fund: “Beyond monetary policy alone, China’s COVID-19 outbreaks and mobility restric tions as part of the authorities’ zero-COVID strat egy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have also pulled down economic activity.

“China’s lockdowns have imposed sizable con straints domestically and gummed up already strained global supply chains.

“The war in Ukraine and deepening cuts to supplies of gas to Europe have amplified preexisting stresses in global commodity markets, driving natural gas prices higher once more.

“European economies – including the largest, Ger many – are exposed to the impact of the gas supply cuts. Continued uncertainty over energy supplies has contributed to slower real economic activity in Europe, particularly in manufacturing, dampening consumer and, to a lesser extent, business confidence.”

Never in a generation has the IMF been so pessi mistic in painting the world’s outlook.

IMF is the central bank of central banks. It should know its business. What it says can influence the flow of money and pace of economic activity in any part of the world.

“The global economy is in a broad-based slow down,” the IMF declares, repeatedly, adding “our latest forecasts project global growth to remain unchanged in 2022 at 3.2 percent and to slow to 2.7 percent in 2023—0.2 percentage points lower than the July fore cast—with a 25 percent probability that it could fall below 2 percent.

“More than a third of the global economy will con tract this year or next.

“The three largest economies—the United States, the European Union, and China—will continue to stall. In short, the worst is yet to come, and for many people 2023 will feel like a recession.”

Prices of energy products are astronomically high.

Prices of food products have scaled heights unseen before. Already very high, interest rates are not yet at their desired highs—to control inflation.

And the threat of World War III is on many people’s worst fears.

“Gas prices in Europe have increased more than four-fold since 2021, with Russia cutting deliveries to less than 20 percent of their 2021 levels, raising the prospect of energy shortages over the next winter and beyond.

“More broadly, the conflict has also pushed up food prices on world markets, despite the recent easing after the Black Sea grain deal, causing serious hardship for low-income households world- wide, and especially so in low-income countries.”

As the saying goes, if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the house. But then outside, you get into another kind of heat – global warming. So go back inside the house and strengthen it

Meanwhile, for countries like the Philippines, which the IMF classifies as among emerging markets, “the strength of the dollar is causing acute challenges, tightening financial conditions, and increasing the cost of imported goods.

“The dollar is now at its highest level since the early 2000s. So far, this appreciation appears mostly driven by fundamental forces, such as the tightening of mon etary policy in the United States and the energy crisis.

“The appropriate response in most countries is to calibrate monetary policy to maintain price stability, while letting exchange rates adjust, conserving valu able foreign exchange reserves for when financial con ditions really worsen.”

Predicts the IMF: “As the global economy is head ed for stormy waters, financial turmoil may well erupt, prompting investors to seek the protection of safe-hav en investments, such as US Treasuries, and pushing the dollar even higher.”

What can the Philippines and similarly situated countries economically, do?

“Batten down the hatches,” advises the Fund.

Borrow pre-emptively. Control capital flows. Con serve dollars. Restructure debts in orderly fashion. There is very little time to act.

Says the IMF: “Eligible countries with sound poli cies should urgently consider improving their liquidity buffers by requesting access to precautionary instru ments from the Fund.

“Looking ahead, countries should also aim to mini mize the impact of future financial turmoil through a combination of preemptive macroprudential and capi tal flow measures, where appropriate, in line with our Integrated Policy Framework.

“Too many low-income countries are in or close to debt distress. Progress toward orderly debt restructur ings through the Group of Twenty’s Common Frame work for the most affected is urgently needed to avert a wave of sovereign debt crisis. Time may soon be running out.”

Finally, says the Fund, “the energy and food crises, coupled with extreme summer temperatures, starkly remind us of what an uncontrolled climate transition would look like.

“Much action is needed to implement climate poli cies that will ward off catastrophic climate change.”

As the saying goes, if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the house. But then outside, you get into another kind of heat – global warming. So go back inside the house and strengthen it.

biznewsasia@gmail.com

shutdown of some media companies, notably ABSCBN, and the slowing down of the economy after the pandemic hit.

Many of the displaced workers turned freelance. Among writers and creatives, the switch of some me dia outlets to online publication also swelled the ranks of freelancers.

Freelancers, who mostly work from home, face challenges brought about by high inflation, such as increasing costs for wifi.

IN THE digital era’s remote and gig economy, free lancers are the frontliners and the backbone of the sec tor, one that is expanding rapidly as more people shift to online knowledge work.

Freelancers, according to writer Aimee Morales, founder of the Freelance Writers’ Guild of the Philip pines (FWGP), are also called, in the Philippines, in formal workers, self-employed workers, independent workers, entrepreneurs, casuals, outsourced workers, part-timers, consultants.

Speaking last month at the UNI Apro MEI Capac ity Building Workshop, a hybrid event in Malaysia, Morales said the plethora of terms means there is “con fusion in the classification.”

Even if freelancers have been part of the economy for decades, “the government has not set up the infra structure, systems, and policies to protect and nurture this rapidly growing sector,” she said.

“If you cannot even classify a group properly, how can you understand and respond to their needs?”

Morales said in the Philippines, “there is not enough data or research about this relatively young segment of the economy,” but that a PayPal statistic from 2018 put the number of Filipino freelancers at 1.5 million.

As part of the informal economy, the freelance sec tor, she added, is “prone to labor exploitation, mainly because it lacks the protection of government laws, policies, and programs.”

As I wrote in the introductory paragraph, more people are joining the freelance sector.

Among the reasons for this, Morales said, are the

The existing laws are not focused enough on freelancers, given the many challenges and problems they face.

Government needs to become more proactive on this matter

The slow internet connectivity in the country also affects their livelihood. Their primary concerns, how ever, are job security and sustainability.

As freelancers, Morales said, they also face prob lems of late payment or non-payment for services ren dered, contracts between clients and freelancers may be vague or predatory, and freelancers do not have any recourse due to lack of remedial channels, fear of ret ribution, and lack of resources to pursue legal action.

She added that freelancers are “not legally entitled to the same benefits that regular employees have” such as overtime pay, hazard pay, and health insurance, as well as extras like bonuses and holiday gifts.

EDITORIAL

Rep. Barbers’ good question

AMID

criticisms and calls for Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to resign from his post following the arrest and detention of his son Juanito Jose for possession of P1.25 million worth of highgrade marijuana, Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers raised a question.

His question appears to have been squelched despite its loud vibration, similarly forgotten like the efforts of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Author ity (PDEA) agents who made the arrest, blown over by the prominence of the ar rested subject.

Barbers, chairman of the House Com mittee on Dangerous Drugs, said there is one major question that solicits im mediate answers, which, paraphrased, stands up like: Is the US Customs and

Border Protection allowing exporta tion of kush marijuana from the United States?

He was arrested at a house inside BF Resort Village in Barangay Talon Dos during a “controlled delivery” operation by PDEA agents and Ninoy Aquino In ternational Airport-Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group.

It was Juanito, according to a PDEA report, who received the marked parcel with two brown paper pouches contain ing kush packed in bubble wrap.

Barbers has a point when he asked the US government “to institute measures that will strengthen its control over what comes out of its jurisdiction.”

WE’VE known all along that we’re among the coun tries most prone to disasters.

That’s because we have typhoons, or hurricanes, that regularly visit the country from this side of the Pacific Ocean causing massive floods that displace people and cause extensive damage to agriculture.

We have earthquakes that occur with varying inten sity from time to time due to movements in tectonic plates deep in the ground that exact a high toll on lives and property.

And we have volcanic eruptions in the major is lands that are part of the so-called Pacific ‘ring of fire’ that send people scampering to safety from ashfall and lava flows.

What we’ve been recently made aware of, how ever, is that we are now the world’s most disaster-prone country. And that’s not just because of the natural causes that we mentioned, but also due to human fail ings.

That’s the conclusion reached and published in the World Risk Report 2022 by the Germany-based Bünd nis Entwicklung Hilft and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict at Ruhr University Bochum.

Their World Risk Index that calculated the disaster risk for 193 countries showed that the Philippines has the highest disaster risk, with an index score of 46.82, followed by India with 42.31, Indonesia with 41.46, Colombia with 38.37, and Mexico in fifth place with 37.55.

Myanmar, Mozambique, China, Bangladesh, and Pakistan were among the top 10 countries with the highest disaster risk.

The World Risk Report is based on the idea that a disaster occurs not only when severe natural hazards hit a country but also when it becomes vulnerable to their effects.

It seeks to raise awareness about the relevance of social capacities in disaster preparedness among the public and decision-makers in all sectors of society, to provide guidance for practitioners in the prevention of humanitarian crises, and to support decisions in the al location and prioritization of resources.

The World Risk Report aims to make governments

“Freelancers remain largely unorganized, informal, and invisible because of the lack of government laws, policies, and programs that can protect their interests,” Morales said.

“They also lack representation in the proper public forums…because of the absence of a strong organiza tion that can represent them when necessary.

She also spoke of predatory practices among em ployers.

“There are companies that demand longer work hours but pay their freelance workers meager fees due to current market pressure and the desire to make more profit at a lower cost.”

Low freelance rates have stagnated for years, Mo rales explained, because of poverty that drives freelanc ers to accept cheap rates.

“Evidently, the issue is deeply rooted and intricately interconnected with other societal, economic, and even political problems.”

Morales listed some laws that offer a modicum of protection to freelancers, among them Republic Act 11165 or the Telecommuting Act or the Work From Home Law, which legitimizes telecommuting or workfrom-home arrangements; RA 11904 or the Creative Industries Development Act, a newly ratified law that promotes the development of a national creative coun cil that will help nurture the country’s creative sector; and the Copyright Law, part of the Intellectual Property Code of the PH that protects the works of creators and their right to own and profit from their works.

However, the existing laws are not focused enough on freelancers, given the many challenges and prob

The younger Remulla, 38, was nabbed by PDEA last week in connection with parcels seized at the Ninoy Aquino In ternation al Airport allegedly contain ing P1.25 million worth of high-grade marijuana from the American mainland. Based on the case information, the younger Remulla was charged with “willfully, unlawfully and knowingly” having in his possession a brown pa per parcel containing two tape-sealed transparent plastic bags, one contain ing 437.93 grams and the other 455.98 grams of marijuana.

Reports indicated the intercepted marijuana was shipped from a certain Benjamin Huffman of 1524 Hornblend Street in San Diego, California by “snail mail” or through the Central Mail Ex change Center of the Philippine Postal Corporation on Sept. 27.

We find it acclamatory that DOJ Sec retary Remulla has advised against the filing before his office a petition for review on the illegal drugs case filed against his son, given that under the rules, resolutions of city and prosecu tors may be appealed to the Office of the Secretary of Justice for review.

“Face it in court. Don’t let it reach me,” Remulla said in a Facebook inter view.

PH is most disaster-prone country

understand that the emergence and progression of di sasters are highly dependent on the social conditions of the people, and armed with adequate information, they can shift from reactive to proactive action.

Our current ranking in the World Risk Index repre sents a huge jump from our previous records.

Our record in disaster response in the last few years is not something to be proud of .

The World Risk Report tells us very clearly that the Philippines needs a Department of Disaster Resilience now, not at sometime in the future, to avert further loss of lives, property and public infrastructure, as well as economic setbacks

In 2018, we ranked third on the list of countries with the highest disaster risk, with an index score of 26.70. In 2019, the country dropped to ninth after registering an index value of 20.69.

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic spread like wildfire, the Philippines was still among the top 10 countries with the highest disaster risk while remaining in ninth place with the same index score.

Last year, the Philippines ranked eighth with an in dex score of 21.39.

The report also found that the Philippines was among the top 10 countries with the highest exposure to disasters.

The country ranked fourth with 39.99 exposure, trailing China, Japan, and Mexico.

It defines exposure as the extent to which popula tions in hazard-prone areas are exposed to and bur dened by the impacts of extreme natural events or the

lems they face. Government needs to become more proactive on this matter.

Meanwhile, House Bill 615, or the Freelance Work ers Protection Act, authored by Pangasinan Rep. Chris topher De Venecia, was unanimously approved by the House Labor and Employment committee level last month. De Venecia called freelancers “the critical mass of the creative industry.”

According to the Philippine News Agency, “the bill aims to promote the safety and well-being of freelance workers…by mandating the provision of mandatory hazard pay and night shift differential pay… and [giv ing] freelance workers power to demand payment for services rendered through several legal channels, im pose civil penalties for unscrupulous hiring parties, and criminalize non-payment of compensation.”

Morales told me “The FWGP has submitted its recommendations” on the bill. “Let us all continue to be vigilant and supportive of this pending legislation,” she said. “We are hoping that both Congress and Senate will eventually approve the bill.”

There is still more to say on the topic, but suffice to say for now that freelancers are getting a raw deal from exploitative employers and clients, and the inadequacy of government support makes it difficult for the sector to grow in accordance with its potential, that is huge now in the digital age.

*

* * Dr. Ortuoste is a board member of PEN Phil ippines, member of the Manila Critics Circle, and judge of the National Book Awards. FB and Twitter: @ DrJennyO

negative consequences of climate change.

Hazardousness include the frequency and intensity of earthquakes, tsunamis, coastal and river floods, cy clones, droughts, and sea-level rise in populated areas.

The report also focuses on vulnerability, which is the tendency of populations to be affected by ex treme natural events or the negative impacts of climate change.

The vulnerability factor explores the capacities and dispositions of households and societies and how eas ily and to what degree they can be destabilized, dam aged, or even destroyed by extreme events.

Here, the country’s vulnerability score was “very high,” at 54.81.

The report makes an important point: “Disaster risks are not solely shaped by the occurrence, intensity, and duration of extreme natural events, but that social factors, political conditions, and economic structures are equally responsible for whether disasters occur in the context of extreme natural events.”

But there’s hope in the horizon: Every society is ca pable of taking direct or indirect precautions, such as the establishment and maintenance of effective disaster protection to counter the effects of natural hazards or climate change.

And not all is doom and gloom. The country’s cop ing capabilities and adaptive capacities scores were 57.81 (very high) and 55.48 (high), respectively.

Coping capacities are abilities and measures of societies to counter adverse impacts of natural events or climate change through direct actions and available resources in the form of formal or informal organized activities and measures, as well as to reduce damage in the immediate aftermath of an event and initiate re covery.

Adaptive capacities, on the other hand, refer to longterm processes and strategies to achieve changes in so cietal structures and systems to counteract, mitigate, or purposefully avoid future negative impacts.

Given all this, do we need to create a department devoted exclusively to disaster response/resilience?

That’s been debated by lawmakers, policy imple mentors and civil society for as long as we can remem ber.

But what the World Risk Report tells us very clearly is that the Philippines needs a Department of Disaster Resilience now, not at sometime in the future, to avert further loss of lives, property and public infrastructure, as well as economic setbacks.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

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EvEryman

Narra: Hope for diabetics

By Melandrew T. Velasco

EMIL P. JURADO is on leave. He will resume his column on November 1.

There is a suggestion in Barbers’ question that there might have been a failure at the level of the US Customs and Border Protection, reason the contraband got past them

ManilaStandard

Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors

Joyce Pangco Pañares News Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor

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Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Honor Blanco Cabie, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Australia reverses tack on Jerusalem as capital of Israel

SYDNEY—Australia said it would no lon ger recognize West Jerusalem as Israel’s cap ital Tuesday, a policy reversal that prompted a curt rebuke from the Jewish state.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the city’s status should be decided through Is raeli-Palestinian peace talks, unwinding a contentious declaration by the previous con servative government.

In 2018, Australia’s then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison followed US president Don ald Trump’s lead and unilaterally recognized West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

The move caused a domestic backlash in Australia and friction with neighbouring Indonesia—the world’s most populous Mus lim-majority nation—temporarily derailing a bilateral free trade deal.

“I know this has caused conflict and dis tress in part of the Australian community, and today the government seeks to resolve that,” Wong said.

Jerusalem is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, and most foreign governments avoid formally declaring it the capital of ei ther state.

“We will not support an approach that un dermines” a two-state solution, Wong said, adding: “Australia’s embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv”.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid criti cized Tuesday’s move—which comes before November 1 elections.

“We can only hope that the Australian government manages other matters more se riously and professionally,” he said.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem following the 1967 Six Day War and declared the en tire city its “eternal and indivisible capi tal”.

Palestinians claim the eastern part as the capital of a fu ture state.

Wong insisted that the decision did not signal any broader shift in policy or a new-found hostility towards Israel. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila email: rtc1qzn223@judiciary.gov.ph contact no. (02)867-15282 BRANCH 223

IN RE: PROBATE OF LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF THE LATE CORAZON P. PALACIO SPEC. PRO. CASE NO. R-QZN-22-08259-SP RIZZA DISTAJO-DE LEON, Petitioner.

ORDER

This is a verified Petition for Probate of Last Will and Testament of the Late Corazon P. Palacio filed by petitioner Rizza Distajo-De Leon through counsel on August 8, 2022.

The petitioner alleges that she is one of the heirs named in the Last Will and Testament of Corazon P. Palacio, deceased, who died in Brgy. Soledad, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija, on March 1, 2022; that the said Last Will and Testament is in the form of a Holographic Will which was written in the handwriting of the decedent, the original copy of which will be presented to the Honorable Court at the time of its probate; that the decedent is an inhabitant/resident of the Philippines and a resident of 131 Batanes St., Galas, Brgy. San Isidro, Quezon City at the time of her death; that she, who is named as one of the heirs in the will, is legally qualified to act as executor thereof, and hereby consents and agrees to accept said trust; that the following persons, of all ages, have been named in the said will as devisees of the deceased, to wit:

Names: Address: Digna Bedana-Mauro Soledad, Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija Roberto Palacio 131-B Batanes St., Galas, Brgy. San Isidro, Quezon City Rizza Distajo-De Leon 912 Panay St., Sampaloc, Manila Evelyn Patricio-Lado 131-B Batanes St., Galas, Brgy. San Isidro, Quezon City

The petitioner further alleges that the properties left by the decedent consist of real and personal properties, the gross value of which is approximately Php 4,076.164.81 brokendown as follows, to wit:

Personal Properties (Savings Account) Php 4,946,244.81

Real Properties: Php 2,129,920.00

Gross Estate: Php 4,076,164.81

Moreover, the Petitioner alleges that the testator, at the time of the execution of her said Last Will and Testament on June 16, 1997, was fifty-seven (57) years old, of sound and disposing mind, and not acting under duress, fraud or undue influence, and was in every respect capacitated to dispose of his estate by will.

The petitioner thus prays that after due hearing, judgment be rendered admitting the above-mentioned Last Will and Testament of the testator to probate and issuing the letters testamentary (or of administration) to herein petitioner and that she will be allowed to serve as such without a bond.

Wherefore, finding the verified petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is set for hearing on November 25, 2022 at 8:30 in the morning, Session Hall of Branch 223 of this Court at which date and time, petitioner and counsel are directed to appear to substantiate the allegations of the petition and for any interest persons to appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Let a copy of this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation to be selected by raffle pursuant to Section 3 of Rule 76 of the Rules of Court, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks prior to the date of hearing.

Let a copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General and Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City, who are directed to file their opposition to the petition within fifteen (15) days from the last date of the publication of this Order.

The petitioner is hereby directed to furnish the said offices with a copy of the petition and its annexes within five (5) days from the receipt of this Order and manifest to this Court her compliance herewith.

SO ORDERED.

Quezon City, Philippines, August 30, 2022.

(Sgd.) HON. CARIDAD M. WALSE-LUTERO Presiding Judge

CASE NO. R-QZN-00-08259-SP/Initial

More drones hit Kyiv; Russian plane crashes

KYIV—Moscow on Monday stepped up attacks across Ukraine, cutting electricity and killing eight people, including in kamikaze drone strikes on the capital, as a Russian warplane crashed near the border.

The plane struck a residential area of Yeysk, a town in southwest Russia, according to Russian authorities.

The final toll was 13 dead and 19 injured, the ministry of emergency situations, quoted by Russian news agencies, said as the search for survivors ended early Tuesday after the crash caused a massive fire in a residential area.

Moscow is thought to be trying to counter battlefield losses in its eight-month war in Ukraine by waging a punitive policy of striking energy facilities before winter in a move President Vladimir Putin hopes will weaken resistance.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said Russia launched five strikes in Kyiv and against energy facilities in Sumy and the central Dnipropetrovsk regions, knocking out electricity to hundreds of towns and villages.

Ukraine said four people were killed in Kyiv, including a married couple expecting a baby, and another four in the northeast region of Sumy.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba demanded EU sanctions on Iran, accusing Tehran of providing Russia with drones.

An AFP journalist saw drones swooping low over central Kyiv on Monday as police tried to shoot them down with automatic weapons and smoke rose from explosions across the city.

“I saw a bright orange splash... The house trembled,” said resident Tamara Beroshvili.

Ukraine’s military said it shot down eight Iranian-made drones and two Russian cruise missiles on Monday.

Iran denies exporting any weapons to either side, but the United States warned it would take action against companies and nations working with Tehran’s drone programme following the strikes in Kyiv.

- Call for Russia to be ousted from G20 -

The strikes come exactly a week after Russian missiles rained down on Kyiv and other cities on October 10 in the biggest wave of attacks in months, killing at least 19 people, wounding 105 others and sparking an international outcry. AFP

UK to halt China from recruiting its former pilots

LONDON—The UK government said on Tuesday it was taking “de cisive steps” against a Chinese re cruitment effort to bring in former and serving British air force pilots to train its military personnel.

While British military person nel frequently take part in training exercises with foreign armies, any collusion by ex-pilots with China —which London has dubbed the “number one threat” to domestic and global security—poses a seri ous concern.

IN BRIEF

New Venezuela landslide kills 3 people

MARACAY, Venezuela—Intense rain in northern Venezuela caused a land slide that has killed at least three people, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday as he visited another site where over 50 died in similar circumstances last week.

“I am informed that there are three dead in El Castano, it was a mudslide that came from the mountain,” said Maduro, referring to a neighborhood in Maracay, the capital of northern Aragua state, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of the capital Caracas.

Video footage from El Castano broadcast on Venezuelan television showed mudslides devastating everything in their path -- sweeping away vehicles, trees, and huge boulders.

An AFP team observed the aftermath, as responders worked through the night to clear mud and rocks from the road, with lights from vehicles illumi nating the worksites as the area was left without electricity.

Jose Dos Santos, 56, said he took refuge with his family in the highest part of his house.

“I was looking towards the mountain, the rain was heavy. We heard a roar and then when I saw water coming in through the windows, I grabbed my folks and we climbed up,” he told AFP. AFP

Japan’s oldest toilet damaged in car crash

TOKYO—A Japanese man tasked with preserving cultural heritage acciden tally ploughed his car into the country’s oldest toilet in a centuries-old Bud dhist temple, partially destroying it, police said Tuesday.

“We are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former UK Armed Forces pilots to train People’s Liberation Army per sonnel,” a spokesperson for the Brit ish defense ministry told AFP. UK media said that over 30 ex-pi lots had accepted offers upwards of £240,000 ($273,750) with many of those recruited in their 50s and hav ing recently left the British air force.

The practice has been going on since 2019 but has been stepped up recently, the reports said.

Britain’s defense ministry said it was “reviewing the use of confiden tiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements”, adding that all serving and former personnel are subject to the Official Secrets Act, which pro hibits UK public servants from shar ing state secrets with foreign powers.

“The new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges –including this one,” the spokesper son added.

Digna

Tofukuji Temple in the western Kyoto region houses a toilet said to date back to the 15th century, earning it the designation of an important cultural asset.

But the original wooden door leading to the site was “ruined” after the driver, a 30-year-old man from the Kyoto Heritage Preservation Association, accidentally backed his car into it on Monday morning, police told AFP.

Having parked in front of the toilet, the man hit the gas to restart the car without realizing he was still in reverse, police said.

“We’ve been told it’s going to require a lot of work to restore,” a Kyoto police official said.

Walls inside also sustained minor damage, but the actual latrines—two rows of pits—survived intact, Norihiko Murata, a Kyoto official in charge of cultural heritage preservation, told AFP. AFP

China’s Ministry of National De fense did not respond to calls re questing comment from AFP.

Relations between London and Beijing have soured following China’s crackdown in former UK colony Hong Kong and disputes over technology giant Huawei’s involvement in the roll-out of Britain’s 5G network, as well as concerns about human rights and influence peddling. AFP

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CYAN

RALLY FOR AMINI. A demonstrator with an Iranian flag painted on her face, shouts slogans as she participates in a rally outside the Iranian consulate in Istanbul on October 17 after the death five weeks ago of Iranian Mahsa Amini, three days after she was arrested by Iran’s notorious morality police. AFP

FOAMY KISS. First-year students of the University of St Andrews kiss as they take part in the annual ‘Raisin Monday Shaving Foam Fight’ at the Lower College Lawn, in eastern Scotland on October 17. The event ends a week of mentoring to welcome first year students into the ‘academic families’ as they start their university studies at St Andrews. AFP

TOP GAINERS

TOP LOSERS

PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

Stocks, peso advance; ALI, Globe top gainers

US president faces tough options over OPEC+ oil cuts

MOST ACTIVE

Kanye West to buy social media famous with conservatives

NEW YORK, United States—Social network Parler announced Monday a deal for Kanye West to buy the plat form popular with US conservatives, just over a week after the rapper’s Twitter and Instagram accounts were restricted over anti-Semitic posts.

West—now known as Ye—has re cently alienated fans and business part ners with anti-Semitic comments, in terest in racist conspiracy theories and wearing a provocative “White Lives Matter” T-shirt at Paris fashion week.

“In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be con troversial, we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” the billionaire artist and fashion mogul said in a statement re leased by Parler.

Parler said West, who has an ac count on the network as of Monday, was “taking a bold stance against his recent censorship from Big Tech.”

West’s decision to buy his own social media platform comes on the heels of him running into trouble on Twitter and Meta-owned Instagram for posts containing anti-Semitic re marks, in violation of the platform’s content rules.

The 45-year-old’s restrictions on Twitter and Instagram earlier in Oc tober were not the first time his posts prompted punitive action from major social media platforms.

Earlier this year, West was banned from posting on Instagram for 24 hours after violating the social network’s ha rassment policy amid his acrimonious di vorce from reality star Kim Kardashian.

Former US president Donald Trump, himself permanently banned from Twitter for tweets deemed to be inciting violence, has already spoken with West about his Parler purchase and the two plan to have dinner, ac cording to news site Politico.

Parler, which describes itself as “a guiding force in the fight against Big Tech, Big Government, censorship, and cancel culture,” announced in September that it was restructuring to focus on users who risk being ousted from the internet.

AFP

THE

and the

by

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, jumped 158 points, or 2.6 percent, to close at 6,128.64 as all six subsectors posted gains. The property subindex surged 4.2 percent.

The broader all-share index also gained 54 points, or 1.7 percent, to settle at 3,253.51 on a value turnover of P4.82 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 109 to 73, while 52 issues were unchanged.

Eight of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Ayala Land Inc. which climbed 7.7 percent to P25.80 and parent Ayala Corp. which went up 6.4 percent to P649.00. Globe Telecom Inc. added 4.8 percent to close

at P2,306.00.

The peso also recovered Tuesday to close at 58.75 per US dollar on currency trading volume of $610 million from the previous day’s record-low level of 59 against the greenback.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong stocks post ed healthy gains, with the Hang Seng Index jumping 1.82 percent, or 301.68 points, to 16,914.58.

The Shanghai Composite Index dipped 0.13 percent, or 3.98 points, to 3,080.96, while the Shenzhen Composite Index on China’s second exchange added 0.36 per cent, or 7.27 points, to 2,005.08.

Equities rose with sterling Tuesday after the UK government scrapped a controversial debt-funded mini-budget

that had roiled markets, while traders were also cheered by a broadly positive start to earnings season.

After a volatile few weeks during which the pound hit a record low, new finance minister Jeremy Hunt sought Monday to reassure investors as he un veiled a new spending package, doing away with tax cuts and warning of much lower spending.

The move—which deals a blow to Prime Minister Liz Truss’s authority—sent sterling up as much as two percent at one point and the cost of government borrow ing tumbled, while the FTSE 100 jumped.

The positive mood filtered through to other markets, with Wall Street enjoying a much-needed surge, including a more than three percent jump in the Nasdaq.

And most of Asia followed suit, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangkok, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta all enjoying a pick-up, though Shanghai dipped. With AFP

WASHINGTON, United States—Joe Biden has vowed consequences for Saudi Arabia over its explosive slash in oil output but, like previous US presidents irked by the kingdom, he may find constraints as he assesses op tions.

Biden endured criticism at home by traveling to Saudi Arabia in June and fist-bumping its de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, de spite earlier vowing to make him a pa riah over human rights.

But Saudi Arabia reneged on the un stated reason for Biden’s visit, as the OPEC+ oil cartel led by the kingdom announced a production cut of two million barrels a day -- raising muchneeded revenue for Russia as it attacks Ukraine and hiking prices on US con sumers weeks before congressional elections.

The Biden administration has voiced openness to retaliatory measures in Congress by enraged fellow Demo crats.

Senator Chris Murphy, a long-time critic of Saudi Arabia over its devas tating war in Yemen, said the United States should suspend sales to the kingdom of medium-range air-to-air missiles and send them to Ukraine, as well as redeploy Patriot missile shields to Ukraine or NATO allies.

“These two steps would right-size our relationship with Saudi Arabia AND help Ukraine,” he said on Twit ter.

Saudi Arabia’s backers warn that the United States could drive it into the arms of Russia or China, but many ex perts are doubtful the kingdom could easily do so after eight decades of part nership with the United States.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday that Biden would “act methodically, stra tegically” in re-evaluating US-Saudi relations, adding that the US leader had “no plans” to meet the crown prince at a November G20 summit in Indonesia.

Russell Lucas, a Middle East expert at Michigan State University, said the Biden administration could at least slow down arms sales, especially re supplies to Saudi hardware. AFP

Mountainous Lesotho finds gold in trout fish farming

By Claire Doyen

LEJONE, Lesotho—It’s harvest time in Lejone, a small village nestling in moun tains in southern Africa more than two thousand meters above sea level.

The yield is not grain or fruit, but rainbow trout -- the bounty from an undulating river at the foot of the peaks of Lesotho.

Fishermen haul nets bulging with trout onto a floating platform.

The fish are killed and put on ice, the first step on their journey to dinner tables in neighboring South Africa.

The settlement is home to one of Le sotho’s two professional fish farms— pioneering ventures in the poor land locked kingdom.

Stephen Phakisi, 59, launched Katse Fish Farms with two partners in 2005.

Today, he chuckles at how the trio leapt into the business with meagre knowledge about some of its un knowns, including the best feed for fattening fish quickly.

“For five years, it was totally uneco nomical,” Phakisi says.

He recalls how he once found a shoal of fish dead and belly-up in the water, while another time a full cargo of imported fingerlings died on a 16hour drive from Cape Town.

Today, the company is profitable, with a yearly output of 800 tonnes of fish, which is sold at about $4 a kilo gram.

It supplies a few local restaurants, where the trout is usually pan-fried in butter for a few minutes and served with a side dish of kale and potato chips or rice.

But the bulk of its production lands

on the shelves of high-end supermarkets in neighbouring South Africa, where a vacuum-packed one-kilo bag can cost up to $50.

Heads and bones

Trout farming in Lesotho has grown on the back of another of the mountain country’s most famous exports: water.

South Africa gets much of its water from its neighbor, which has dammed several of its waterways over the past three decades.

The dams have widened riverbeds, creating inlets and basins that are ideal for trout farming.

Katse Fish Farms lies more than 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level on the Malibamatso River, upstream from the giant Katse Dam reservoir that sup

plies South Africa’s capital Pretoria and the largest city, Johannesburg.

Fish farming currently accounts for less than 0.1 percent of Lesotho’s $2 billion GDP.

Locals say they have always eaten salted, sun-dried freshwater fish. And young boys sell fresh catch to passing motorists.

But as dam construction continues the country has the potential “to become the regional leader in aquaculture,” accord ing to the Lesotho National Develop ment Corporation.

In this country of just over two mil lion people, who rank among the poor est in the world, few seem to be benefit ing so far from the water boom.

“We are selling water to South Africa

but we have no water to our homes,” says Joshua Sefali, a village leader in Lejone.

Many of the village’s stone houses with thatched roofs have no mains water or electricity.

Large swathes of land were flooded after dams went up.

Some people lost their homes and ac cess to farmland, receiving only small compensation in return.

Machaka Khalala, 31, said she re ceived about $165 when the field where she used to grow corn and spinach was submerged.

Now she makes a living selling “fat cakes,” a local doughnut.

But that’s often not enough to make ends meet.

Germany’s Lufthansa eyes higher profit in 2022 as air travel booms

FRANKFURT, Germany—German airline giant Lufthansa on Monday significantly raised its earnings forecast for 2022, citing “strong demand” for air travel in the months ahead.

The group now expects adjusted operating profits (adjusted EBIT) of “over one billion euros ($980 million)”, it said in a statement, double its previous target of “at least” 500 million euros.

Lufthansa said the optimistic outlook was “based on the positive development

in the third quarter, the current booking situation, which continues to reflect strong demand for air travel in the coming months, and the expectation of another record result from Lufthansa Cargo in 2022”.

Third-quarter revenues almost doubled year-on-year to 10.1 billion euros, according to preliminary results released by Lufthansa.

Strike action by pilots and ground staff over the July-to-September period cost the airline around 70 million euros,

it added.

Lufthansa pilots agreed last month not to strike again until at least the end of June next year, after reaching a deal with bosses on higher pay.

The Lufthansa group—which includes Eurowings, Austrian, Swiss, and Brussels Airlines—made huge net losses of 6.7 billion euros in 2020 and 2.2 billion euros in 2021 as the coronavirus pandemic shut down large parts of the airline industry.

Lufthansa was saved from bankruptcy by a German government bailout in June 2020.

The strong rebound in travel and freight traffic since then allowed Lufthansa to stabilize its finances earlier than expected.

The German government sold its remaining stake in Lufthansa last month, putting the airline back in private hands.

Lufthansa will publish its full thirdquarter results on October 27. AFP

Katse Fish Farms lies more than 2,000 meters above sea level in the mountains. AFP

FOXCONN E-VEHICLES.

Foxconn founder Terry Gou introduces the Model B electric vehicle prototype during the annual Hon Hai Tech Day at Nangang Exhibition Hall in Taipei on Oct. 18, 2022. The Taiwanese tech giant unveiled two more electric vehicle prototypes, including a pickup truck, as it said commercial production on two other designs would start later this year. AFP

BRIEF

Filipinos travel longer to more sites—Airbnb

AIRBNB, a leading online marketplace for accommodation, said domestic travel remains top of mind for Filipinos.

Airbnb general manager for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong and Taiwan Amanpreet Ba jaj said the travel sector continues to see fun damental shifts in travel that are creating new opportunities for the tourism sector.

“It is incredibly exciting to see that Filipi nos are traveling longer and to more diverse locations, which bodes well for the sector’s ongoing recovery. As we work to grow our passionate host community and inventory of unique stays, we are committed to working with the DOT [Department of Tourism] to pro mote lesser known destinations and attractions, and spotlight the Philippines as a top-of-mind global destination for travel,” Bajaj said dur ing the platform’s inaugural ‘Future of Travel’ forum Tuesday.

Airbnb said Baguio emerged as the top searched destination by Filipinos on Airbnb in the second quarter of 2022, followed by Que zon City and Tagaytay City.

Tagaytay leads with the largest surge in guest searches on Airbnb, followed by Duma guete and Calaca. Othel V. Campos

PLDT welcomes amicable settlement with DITO PLDT Inc. on Tuesday welcomed DITO Tele community Corp.’s openness to amicably set tle the latter’s P430-million unpaid contractual obligation for services that the former contin ues to deliver.

“PLDT welcomes the amicable settlement of accounts by its debtors even if those debtors are PLDT’s competitors,” the country’s largest telecom company said in a statement.

“But DITO must demonstrate its good faith by ceasing its attempts to confuse the issue and to mislead the public by claiming that PLDT’s efforts to collect on DITO’s debt is somehow an anticompetitive activity or interconnection issue that merits some unspecified ‘legal pro cess’ rather than just DITO’s simple payment of its defaulted P430 million debt,” it said.

PLDT said it would be better placed to as sess DITO’s claims of a good faith desire to settle its debt if and when PLDT receives DITO’s settlement proposal. “In the meantime, PLDT reserves all of its legal options, includ ing suspension or termination of services, in case DITO does not remedy its material breach by November 4,” it said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Citicore Energy REIT set to issue green bonds

CITICORE Energy REIT Corp said it will tap the capital markets for the first time through the issuance of ASEAN green bonds in the fourth quarter to accelerate its real estate asset portfolio growth.

The planned exercise will be part of the company’s levering up program—from “zero” debt currently to a minimum leverage of 35 percent of invested capital—to fund the acqui sition of new properties and sustain its growth momentum.

CREIT said in its registration statement submitted to the SEC it would offer P3 billion, with an oversubscription allotment for another P1.5 billion. The proceeds of the maiden bond issuance will fund the acquisition of solar roof top systems to be leased out to an affiliate solar power operator, and land parcels totaling about 500 hectares to host affiliate solar power devel opers and operators—both considered eligible green projects under the Citicore Power Inc. green financing framework.

“We want to fast-track this initiative to fa cilitate our growth trajectory, as disclosed in the REIT Plan, at the same time keep our bor rowing costs at manageable levels, considering the continued pressure on global interest rates. The success of this acquisition will pave the way for more future acquisitions of real estate properties ideal for utility scale solar plants, thus cementing CREIT as the largest renew able energy REIT landlord in the Philippines,” said CREIT president and chief executive Oli ver Tan.

BSP opens securitiestrading to more funds

By Julito G. Rada

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday it expanded access of Unit Investment Trust Funds to BSP securities in the secondary market to enhance its ability to absorb liquidity amid elevated inflation.

The Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the BSP, said Tuesday it allowed trust entities to invest UITFs, with minimal non-resident funds, in the BSP securities.

Trust entities, or companies that man age assets or wealth on behalf of individu als or organizations, at present may invest in BSP securities through their UITFs provided that there are no non-resident participants in the invested UITFs.

UITFs refer to investment funds managed by trust entities.

“Under the approved amendments to the regulations, trust entities may purchase BSP

securities in the secondary market for any UITF in which the share of net assets of non-residents does not exceed ten percent of the net assets of the fund,” the Monetary Board said in a statement.

The BSP said this would enhance its ability to absorb liquidity in the market.

“Expanding the coverage of partici pants in the secondary market trading of BSP securities enhances the BSP’s capa bility to absorb liquidity and helps trans form the BSP securities as a primary tool for liquidity management,” it said.

The measure is also aimed at ensur

ing the tradability and viability of BSP securities as a highly liquid instrument, allowing for better price discovery and monetary policy transmission.

It said the implementation of the policy supports the prevailing monetary policy stance to increase liquidity ab sorption amid an elevated inflation en vironment, consistent with the BSP’s exit from monetary accommodation measures in response to the pandemic.

“In this regard, the BSP shall also be closely monitoring the sources of funds placed by trust entities in the BSP’s facilities through periodic supervisory reporting requirements,” the board said.

The BSP said it would revisit the access of trust entities with non-resident funds to the secondary market for BSP securities de pending on the results of the periodic moni toring and in line with the BSP’s prevailing stance of monetary policy and correspond ing liquidity management strategies.

Electricity rates at spot market rose in September

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines said Monday the average electricity rates at the spot market went up by P0.19 per kilowatt-hour to P9.31 per kWh in October from P9.12 per kWh in September.

The IEMOP, operator of the Whole sale Electricity Spot Market, said the October rates were preliminary as market data computation was only up to October 16. WESM is one of the sources of power supply to distribu tion utilities such as Manila Electric Company.

IEMOP data showed the available power supply was lower in October, averaging 13,415 megawatts com pared to 13,599 MW in September and 14,274 MW in August because of “generator outages.”

Increased economic activity pushed power demand to 10,769 MW in Oc tober from 10,639 MW in September and 10,485 MW in August.

Peak demand was recorded in May at 14,390 MW compared to 13,752 MW in June last year.

The IEMOP said coal plants con tributed bulk or 57.6 percent of the power supply generated in Septem ber.

It was followed by natural gas at 18.3 percent, geothermal at 10 per cent, hydro at 7.6 percent and diesel at 2.9 percent.

PCC allows Grab’s acquisition of Move It despite group’s protest

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GRAB Philippines will no longer need an approval from the Philippine Com petition Commission to acquire Move It as the transaction “did not breach the thresholds for compulsory notification,” a high-ranking official of the anti-thrust body said Tuesday.

“Hence, the parties need not wait for approval from the PCC to consummate the transaction,” PCC officer-in-charge chairperson Johannes Bernabe said in a statement.

Grab Philippines acquired Move It in August.

Ronald Gustilo, Digital Pinoys Na tional campaigner, said they were oppos

DMCI board clears issuance of record P9.56b worth of special cash dividend

By Jenniffer B. Austria

DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji family said Monday its board approved the issuance of special cash dividend amounting to a record P9.56 billion on the back to strong performance of coal mining and power generation businesses. This is equivalent to P0.72 per outstand ing common share to be paid to shareholders on record as of Nov. 2, the company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

DMCI said it would release the dividends on Nov. 16.

DMCI chairman and president Isidro Consunji in August hinted that the company might declare another round of special dividends for shareholders before the end of the year if coal prices would remain elevated.

DMCI’s unit Semirara Mining and Power Corp. is the largest coal producer in the Philippines and the only power producer that owns and mines coal. Coal prices surged this year amid the

global supply shortage.

DMCI in April paid eligible share holders a total of P0.48 per common share in regular and special cash divi dends.

“With this October declaration, DMC’s total dividend pay out for 2022 will be P1.20, 25 percent more than the P0.96 in total dividends de clared last year,” the company said.

The total payout translates into a cash dividend yield of 11.32 percent based on its Oct. 17 closing price of P10.60.

DMCI’s total divi dend payment to shareholders would reach P15.9 billion, which represent 92 percent of the company’s consolidated core net income in 2021.

The conglomerate has a dividend policy that commits to a dividend pay out ratio of at least 25 percent of the preceding year’s consolidated core net income.

The share price of DMCI fell 4.1 per cent Tuesday to close at P10.16.

ing the “seeming backdoor entry” of Grab into the motorcycle taxi pilot study.

Gustilo said the PCC earlier ordered Grab to refund commuters for overpricing. He said of the P25.45 million Grab was asked to return to commuters, it was only able to refund P6.15 million as of March 2022.

Gustilo expressed concern that with Grab’s backdoor entry, the pilot testing of motorcycle taxi would be jeopardized and that the fare would increase.

Bernabe of PCC said “publicly avail able information suggests that the transaction was entered into by the parties when the P50-billion notifica tion thresholds under Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One

Act was in effect”.

“Likewise, the publicly announced size of transaction seems to not have breached the thresholds under the Baya nihan Law,” he said.

Bernabe said, however, that PCC could still launch a motu proprio review of the transaction if it found reasonable grounds to believe that the deal would result in substantial lessening of compe tition in the relevant markets.

“Transactions in digital markets are often characterized by small tangible assets that fail to meet the triggers for mandatory review. Their importance and utility to consumers, however, rank high in the priorities of the Commission to merit steadfast monitoring,” he said.

Variable renewable energy resourc es, including solar and wind, con tributed 2.8 percent, biomass at 0.9 percent and battery energy storage systems at 0.03 percent.

IEMOP launched on Tuesday its advocacy to raise awareness to wards the efficient use of electricity to help lower the demand not only during peak hours but also during off-peak hours without sacrificing productivity which stimulates eco nomic growth.

IEMOP said lowering demand would redound to lower utilization of expensive fossil fuels in the grid.

It said this could also reduce mar ket clearing prices in the WESM, which would be advantageous to con sumers.

Health groups name vapes, HTPs less-harmful cigarette alternatives

MEDICAL organizations and public health institutions in different countries found vapes and heated tobacco prod ucts as less harmful smoke-free alterna tives to cigarettes which can help mil lions of smokers quit.

The latest update among the grow ing body of evidence about the health harms of vaping by leading indepen dent tobacco experts was released by the UK’s Office for Health Improve ments and Disparities, formerly Public Health England, on Sept. 29, 2022. It maintained that vaping is 95-percent

less harmful than smoking.

“Based on the reviewed evidence, we believe that the ‘at least 95% less harm ful’ estimate remains broadly accurate, at least over short term and medium term periods,” the OHID said in its fifth annual update.

The health agency noted, however, that it might now be “more appropri ate and unifying to summarize our findings using our other firm state ment: that vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking. As we have also previously stated and re

iterate, this does not mean vaping is risk-free, particularly for people who have never smoked.”

The US Food and Drug Administra tion said it sees “the possibility for ENDS [electronic nicotine delivery systems] products like e-cigarettes to provide a potentially less harmful alternative for currently addicted in dividual adult smokers who still want to get access to satisfying levels of nicotine without many of the harmful effects that come with the combustion of tobacco.”

AIA PH RECOGNITION.

AIA Philippines and BPI AIA receive the prestigious Golden Arrow Awards in recognition for their top scores in the 2021 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard Assessment mandated by the Insurance Commission. Attending the awarding ceremony are (from left) Institute of Corporate Directors chairman Cesar Villanueva, Deputy Insurance Commissioner Erickson Balmes, AIA Philippines legal principal and assistant corporate secretary Jenny Anne Dones and ICD corporate governance standards committee chair Rebecca Sarmenta.

HOME CREDIT’S AWARD. Consumer finance company Home Credit Philippines is recognized at the 2022 Asia CEO Awards, with two nominations being included in Circle of Excellence. Receiving the award are Home Credit’s marketing communications, human resources and operations teams during the awarding ceremony on Oct. 11 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom.

DMCI chairman and president Isidro Consunji

Harnessing the healing power of art

WHEN the pandemic hit, no one was spared from its impact. Some suffer physiologically, while others have psycho-social challenges. There are those who were hit financially. Some were more affected than others and in different levels and capacities.

Working in the art and culture sector, I perceived how the effects have been more direct and deep on the performing artists, especially the freelance and/or independent artists.

I’m not a performing artist, but I can relate to their anxiety. The lack of consistent income and limited access to affordable healthcare showed a vulnerability among our artists.

For years, these artists have been rehearsing year-round for their performance seasons and suddenly the pandemic put a brake on it and everything went to a standstill.

For someone who was always somewhere doing a performance and what have you, being stuck at home with uncertainties on when they could return to the stage, could make anyone anxious.

Some coped well with the changes.

Others found different ways to survive. There are those who have a hard time adapting and thought this would be the end of their artistic career.

But we have to look at this global health situation as a mere pause, and not the end. Sometimes, it’s all about perspective.

Not sure if it is an aftermath of COVID or a mid-career moment, but I’ve been thinking recently about a sustainable way of working and living. More than just maintaining a life-work balance, I was questioning how I can keep improving, or whether there is a new skill I can learn to complement the current skill set that I have at the moment. Or maybe a new purpose in life.

I’ve been joining webinars on different topics, engaging in various new hobbies, and attending workshops such as the Upskilling in Performing Arts: Arts and Wellness workshop, held recently in Iloilo.

Organized by the CCP Arts Education Department (CCP AED), the Upskilling in Performing Arts project is a series of workshops that aims to provide performing artists with additional skill sets focusing

on art and wellness, festival management, and performance curatorship for 21stcentury museums.

The Upskilling in Performing Arts: Arts and Wellness kicked off in Iloilo, followed by the NCR leg on October 25 to 29 at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute; and culminating in Zamboanga City in November.

The workshop is in partnership with the Office of Rep. Toff de Venecia, who heads the Creative Industry block in the House of Representatives, and Bereber Sayaw for Parkinson’s Disease.

The Upskilling workshop in Iloilo focuses on harnessing the power of art in healing and wellness. Because they couldn’t quantify or gauge its core value and how much art can affect their lives, this concept of art for wellness seems vague to most people.

For the participants to really understand the concept, the people who created the module for the workshop pushed for a holistic approach. They tapped Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, a medical doctor, to explain the physiological benefits of engaging in art-making. They also engaged Yeng Gatchalian, a psychologist, to provide a psycho-social reckoning on art and mental well-being. Tracey Santiago, art trainer, and life coach moderated the discussions.

It is science meets arts – two totally different fields that you actually marry, as

Santiago puts it.

With the Upskilling workshop, it is like hitting two birds with one stone. The team provided a safe space for the artists to share their stories and their worries about the pandemic, and life in general. While at the same time, they learn how to maximize their art forms for possible economic opportunities.

The ultimate goal of this workshop is to train artists they can tap. As much as they want to provide art for healing and wellness in all the disaster-stricken places, they have limited artists we can tap. By doing this upskilling workshop, the community will grow. The participants in Iloilo can be the support group for Visayas, or can be deployed anywhere they are needed.

In recent times, there has been a call to action for artists and art organizations to work with health professionals in times of global crisis, whether it is natural disasters or man-made situations.

This is something that the CCP has answered even before the call came through its Sining sa Eskwela (teacher training in the arts) and Sining Galing (artbased psycho-social activities).

Sining Galing started in 2005 when Fernando Josef called CCP AED manager Eva Salvador to do an art healing intervention for the disaster survivors in Quezon. It was followed by a series of

interventions they did in calamity-stricken areas.

“The Philippines experiences disasters all year round. We are hit with about 20 typhoons every year. Not to mention volcanic eruptions, flooding, landslides, and other natural disasters. There are also insurgencies and conflicts. When this happens, we are often called to respond. After the basic necessities have been met, that’s when we come in. We provide healing through art,” shared Salvador.

Culture should be the first offense during disasters because it doesn’t have colors. It is fundamental to our society; it is our way of life.

Salvador concluded: “We create modules that are culture-based. We do indepth research and create modules that are appropriate for the locality.” Why use art as a tool for healing? The healing power of arts comes from telling stories, expressing themselves in a safe environment, and connecting people with their community. Why deploy artists? Because artists are flexible and creative. They can adapt to any situation and make the best out of it.

Facing the challenges of this unprecedented time, artists have to be quick on the uptake. They innovate and adapt to the new normal. Their arts become their strength and power.

Okada Manila holds week-long program in support of Mental Health Advocacy

The Forbes 5-star integrated resort partners with PMHA for

ACCORDING to a research conducted by the Philippine WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health last 2020, of an estimated 450 million people suffering from mental and behavioral disorders, around 3.2 million were Filipinos.

Okada Manila, as the only Forbes 5-star integrated resort in the country and a mental health ally, recognizes that it has a significant role in this extremely important discourse. As a premier organization in the hospitality industry and as an international destination, Okada Manila understands and affirms mental health as a human right for every guest and employee from around the globe.

In support of this, Okada Manila partnered with the Philippine Mental Health Organization (PMHA) for Mental Health Week last October 10 to 14, 2022. This year, PMHA’s campaign centers on #MentalHealthandWellBeing4All.

ACTIVITIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

On October 10, 2022, Okada Manila participated in the “Light Up Blue for Mental Health” campaign, a night when different businesses and institutions illuminated their exteriors or interiors in a singular blue light. While Okada Manila’s iconic façade lit up in an electric shade of the color, so did the property’s Pearl Wing, quite literally shedding light on the subject and providing visibility for the campaign.

As the walls of Okada Manila demonstrated support, internal programs were simultaneously held for the resort’s myriad of employees. On October 12, the Destress and Express project was executed,

wherein employees could freely enter their breakroom for access to art therapy and a refreshing cup of hot tea. A three-hour Mental Health Workshop was also held on October 14. The session was led by Your Millenial Psychologist Riyan Portuguez, RPm, RPsy, and focused on different ways to cope during feelings of anxiety or extreme stress.

THE FUTURE OF MENTAL HEALTH

As a premier destination and as a key player in the hospitality industry known for its unique blend

of Japanese hospitality and Filipino warmth, Okada Manila understands that holistic wellness does not come in one form for everyone.

With this partnership with PMHA and in these small steps to increase visibility and awareness, Okada Manila hopes that eventually, the entirety of mental health illnesses can be destigmatized, that mental health be treated with the importance it is owed, and that everyone can get the help they need, no matter the form of their condition.

Art activity during Upskilling workshop

Novy Bereber teaches Sayaw for Parkinson's Disease

The participants of Upskilling workshop in Iloilo

46 Hope St. continues strong streak with 8th single ‘Sumamo’

IT TAKES a lot to be able to steadily record and release original songs in these turbulent times. But that is what 46 Hope St. has been doing since it debuted early last year when the world was still grappling with the shock of 2020.

Nearly two years of recording activity, even under the dark cloud of a 21st century pandemic, produced eight strong singles, including the latest dropped in digital stores today, for this trio of musicians who sounded like they’re a band on a mission from the get-go. Each single is a character on its own.

The new single “Sumamo” possesses the musical approach that reflects 46 Hope St.’s artistry best described as aggressive and unadulterated. If this song is the climax of an eight-track album packaged for the young listeners of today, it definitely does not disappoint.

“Sumamo is a song that talks about the strength of love overcoming any logic and reason,” said frontman Meds Rana who also wrote the song.

Coming from an acoustic single “Sabi Mo” that only featured Meds, “Sumamo” is the band’s quick return to form, banking on a strong rhythm section from which everything arises. The combination of Ryan Gonzales (bass) and Aaron Paul Dolleton (drums) allows Meds to do his thing on vocals and electric guitar.

The pop-rock love song “Sumamo” is released and published by Widescope Entertainment Corporation, with the band collaborating with the company’s entertainment director Neil Gregorio in producing the track. The guiding hand of celebrity A&R coordinator Ebe Dancel proved valuable in crafting the record, while the overseeing strength of Executive Producer Vic de Vera is unquestionably necessary. It’s a group effort that goes beyond the band and yet it allows creative freedom.

The words, sincere and striking, give heart to the sound, like in these climactic lines, “ Ang puso ko’y sayo lang magsusumamo/ Pansinin ang aking pag-ibig na walang patid/ Kung wala ka sa akin saan ako pupulutin/ Dinggin ang hiling 46 Hope St. recently performed its single live at 123 Block in Shaw Boulevard, Pleasant Hills, Mandaluyong City, with the group serving as Ebe’s special guest for his EP vinyl launch.

Mixing engineer Dante Tanedo must have enjoyed treating the material provided to him from two studios: Crow’s Next in Paranaque, and Katha Music Studio in New York. Yes, “the city that never sleeps” may have helped in keeping the band awake and creative. It shows on record the first-rate quality of a track anchored on raw power coming from a troika of young men born and bred in Southern Manila.

46 Hope St. has proven it can touch a variety of genres while retaining its identity as a musical engine carried on by “raw lyrics set against a backdrop of keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums.” This band as stated in its artist description on Spotify “dishes self-empowerment and unadulterated emotion with every song that they create.”

The group’s earlier singles are “Parisukat Sa Bilog,” “Bituin,” “Bago Matulog,” “Palaisipan,” “Di Na Magpapauto,” and “Live Like Never Before.” The pacing of their release dates shows an artist ensuring that their listeners are steadily fed with exciting music, and with much hope and harmony.

To stream and download: https://orcd.co/ sumamo

The family that cooks together, stays healthy together

By Patricia Taculao

COOKING is more than just a chore to Filipinos. For some, it also serves as a bonding moment where people can connect.

For the growing family of Iya Villania-Arellano, cooking became a way for her to bond with her two sons, Primo and Leon

Whenever she’s in the kitchen, the two boys would follow suit and find ways to participate in the activity. Primo, the eldest, already knows his way around the kitchen as he shares a similar interest with his mother, while Leon follows his brother’s actions.

Iya enjoys the connection she and her boys share while cooking. As a mother, Iya believes that it’s also an ideal way to teach the kids about life skills that schools don’t always highlight.

During a Zoomcon, she shared that she lets Primo do some of the brunt work, like cutting food items. She ensures that he does it safely, of course. As a mother of a growing family of four, Iya finds her two eldest kids more reasonable. She now focuses on her two youngest children, Astro and Alana

Other than deepening their connection as a family and teaching

the kids about relevant life skills, sharing the kitchen space is also an ideal way for Iya to inspire the children on how to appreciate food and how to eat healthy. As her kids spend more time in the kitchen with her, Iya saw how their palettes matured.

Some of Iya’s recipes come from the show Eat Well, Live Well, Stay

Well, which she hosts. She admitted that the show also gave her confidence in the kitchen.

The 10-minute cooking show

from GMA Network and Ajinomoto Philippines Corp. aims to educate and help Filipino families prepare dishes that are nutritious and affordable. The show returns for its fourth episode this October.

Co-host Chef Jose Sarasola, the show promises to bring new recipes that bring twists to well-loved local dishes. Sarasola shared that the new season will feature recipes that viewers can replicate for the holiday season.

“It’s good to be back for the fourth season. I really feel blessed that GMA and Ajinomoto put their trust in me to be here pa rin. Hopefully, there’s more to come and we can’t wait to show you our recipes na sobrang sarap at unique,” he said.

“We have been so blessed kasi

kahit during the pandemic, tuloy pa rin kami and until now, when things are going back to normal. We’re happy to serve you lalo na because there’s so many changes in our economy, supply, and produce. Buti na lang we have this show to guide us,” Iya added.

Despite the short air time, the show explores different approaches and cooking techniques for Filipinos to produce delicious yet healthy meals, without breaking the bank.

The new season will also consider the availability of produce and market prices to make the recipe more accessible to viewers.

Eat Well, Live Well, Stay Well released the first episode of its fourth season last October 14, Friday. New episodes drop every Friday at 11:05 a.m.

Asian artists collaborate for mental wellness

ABS-CBN’s

Star Pop music label and Singaporebased creative production house AOR Global have released the extended play (EP) called My Safe Place, a cross-cultural collaboration that seeks to promote mental well-being through music.

My Safe Place features six tracks from Filipino acts Trisha Denise and LU.ME. and Singaporean artists KIRI kotoji, and Marian Carmel

The project was co-produced by ABS-CBN Music creative director Jonathan Manalo and Star Pop label head Rox Santos

Singer-songwriter Trisha Denise wrote and performed the song “Cracks,” which talks about embracing one’s imperfections. “We think that our pain and hardship make us undeserving of love but those things brought us to a better version of ourselves. Kahit na may ‘cracks’ tayo, let’s just enjoy the journey,” encouraged Trisha.

Up-and-coming soul-pop artist and kumu streamer LU.ME sang the song “Surrender” for the timely EP.

“Sometimes we feel na mag-isa lang tayo sa mundo

independent singer and advocate for destigmatizing mental illnesses and trauma, performed the soothing track “Get Well Soon.”

“I was excited to sing the song because it’s all the things I need. It’s like a reminder to yourself that things will get better,” she said. A multi-instrumentalist who composes, writes, and co-produces her works, kotoji penned and sang the song “Survive,” an ambient dreampop track inspired by the experiences of her friends. She narrated, “When I was working on this song, I was thinking about my friends who were struggling. I wanted to send a word of encouragement to them despite all of the bad things that are going on.”

Singer-songwriter Marian Carmel, who was born in the Philippines and raised in Singapore, relayed her personal struggles that led her to welcome the chance to sing the track “Wish That I Could Tell Me.” She shared, “In essence, these are the things that I want to tell myself. It’s a letter to my 19-year-old self who just found out that she is suffering from panic disorder.” Aside from the solo tracks, the EP also features the uplifting pop-rock track “My Safe Place,” which was performed by all five artists. The song is about finding a space that gives comfort and allows oneself to feel safe.

My Safe Place is now available on various digital streaming platforms.

for

THE members of the K-pop supergroup BTS will enlist in the military, their agency said Monday, putting an end to a years-long debate on whether the stars deserved exemptions from mandatory service.

All able-bodied South Korean men under the age of 30 must perform about two years of military service, mainly because the country remains technically at war with nuclear-armed North Korea.

BTS is credited with generating billions for the South Korean economy, and the group’s label enjoyed a surge in profits despite holding fewer concerts during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the prospect of South Korea’s mandatory military service continued to hover over BTS, with its stars ranging in age from 25-year-old Jungkook to 29-year-old Jin, who must sign up by December or risk jail time.

Bighit Music, part of BTS’s agency Hybe, said on Monday that “the members of BTS are currently moving forward with plans to fulfill their military service.”

It noted in a statement that “as each individual embarks on solo endeavors, it’s the perfect time and the members of BTS are

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Nickie Wang, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant

Iya (left) with her husband Drew Arellano (right) and their eldest child Primo

Chef Jose Sarasola

Members of

From left: Trisha Denise, Marian Carmel, kotoji, LU.ME, and KIRI

‘My Safe Place’ is a cross-cultural collaboration that seeks to promote mental well-being through music

Sports

Benzema dedicates Ballon d’Or win ‘to people’

PARIS—Karim

Benzema said he had become more ambitious with age as the Real Madrid and France striker won the Ballon d’Or on Monday, and dedicated his trophy “to the people”.

Benzema, who turns 35 in December, the day after the World Cup final, is five months older than Lionel Messi was when the Argentine won the most prestigious individual award in football for the seventh time last year. Indeed he is the oldest winner since England’s Stanley Matthews won the very first Ballon d’Or in 1956.

“Winning this trophy was always in the back of my mind but what has changed since I turned 30 is ambition,” Benzema said after collecting the prize in a star-studded ceremony at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris.

Benzema was just 21 when he joined Real Madrid from Lyon in 2009. He has come into his own in the Spanish capital since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure in 2018, when Benzema was 30.

“Ambition really entered my head after that.

“Ambition means working harder and being a leader for my team and I am lucky to play for Madrid, the best club in the world.

“When I was 21, or 22, I didn’t have the same ambition I have today.”

Benzema was rewarded for scoring 44 goals in 46 games last season as Madrid

8th Women’s Martial Arts Festival set in November

won the Champions League and La Liga.

‘Difficult moments’

He also won the UEFA Nations League with France, completing a remarkable career revival for a player who was frozen out of the national team for five and a half years because of his involvement in a blackmail scandal over a sextape involving teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

“I have been through difficult moments, where I wasn’t playing for the national team and so was alone at Valdebebas (Real’s training ground) because everyone else was away playing for their countries.

“I am very happy and very proud of the work I have put in.”

On stage Benzema called his prize “the Ballon d’Or of the people”, a statement he later said was not intended to be political but “just a nod to where I come from”.

Among those to congratulate Benzema publicly was the French President Emmanuel Macron, who did so on Twitter.

“Thanks to the President. That’s nice,” Benzema said.

“When I play football I don’t go out thinking I need to please anybody.

THE Philippine Sports Commission’s preparations are in full swing for the 8th edition of the Women’s Martial Arts Festival as it returns to its physical competitions at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila and Philsports Complex in Pasig slated November 12 to 17.

PSC commissioner and Project Oversight Olivia “Bong” Coo expressed her enthusiasm for the return of the competitions.

“It is my pride and joy to meet and see our women and girls in martial arts showcase their prowess and discover young talents, some of whom may prove to be our next gold medalists,” Coo said.

“Women in sports have been very successful, since last year’s Olympic gold to this year’s numerous victories in football and karateka Junna Tsukii’s win in The

World Games. This shows the need to continue our support and the programs that had been in place to nurture and further open the opportunity and equality in sports.” Commissioner Coo added.

Over 1,000 participants are expected to compete in the women’s martial arts festival which will cater 9 regular sports namely, Pencak Silat, Wrestling, Sambo, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Jiu Jitsu, Kurash, and 2 demonstration sports including Arnis and Judo will be contested for the six-day sportsfest.

Registration will run until October 28.

Davao, Soleil launch junior golf program

NINO Villasencio carded a 73 to beat Aldren Gialon by four in the 18-hole tournament marking the first foray of the Office of Davao’s First Congressional District Representative in partnership with Soleil Café and Drive Range in junior golf at the Apo Golf and Country Club recently.

Children of the golf club’s employees made up the select roster of participants in the oneday event with the kids to further undergo training and later compete in a local golf tournament, according to coach Francis Lucero.

The training includes overall flexibility, leg strength and balance, wedge shots, improving their distance off the tee, accuracy at hitting fairways, and developing positive mindset.

“Golf is a sport that allows players of all abilities to play competitively because of its handicap system, and we have the chance to

compete internationally,” said Lucero, adding those who will excel will get the chance to vie in future US Kids and Junior World competitions.

Rep. Paolo Duterte has thrown his full backing to the program also aimed at creating equal opportunities for children wanting to take up the sport.

In other results, Kenly Wacan topped the 1315 category with a 91 with sibling Aj Wavan finishing with a 101, while CJ Wacan carded a 108 to trounce Santi Rabat, who scored a 119, in the 9-12 division.

Mary Rose Wacan topped 8-and-below with a 97 with Julienne Mabale ending up with a 111 while Rory Bisera shot a 57 over 9 holes to foil Ianne Molde by three in boys’ class.

Other participants were JC Feil, 12, Adrian Bisera, 14, and Margaux Mabale, 16.

completing the podium and Robert Lewandowski coming fourth. He is now targeting the World Cup with France in November and December having not been involved when Les Bleus won the trophy in Russia in 2018.

“I am still ambitious. I would like to go to the World Cup with France,” he said. “There are things that are still left to be done. I hope to be in the squad for Qatar, to go to the World Cup and do everything to win it.”

TATAND-National Age Group tourney slated

THE Table Tennis Association for National Development is again at the forefront of the sports’ extensive grassroots program as it hosts the 2022 National Age Group Table Tennis Championship on November 5 and 6 at the Robinsons Novaliches Trade Hall.

Southeast Asian Games veteran and former national team coach Julius Esposo said TATAND, which organizes tournaments on a nationwide scale, are teaming up this time with the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines and Robinsons Novaliches in an effort to strengthen the country’s pool of talented young players, who could b e tapped in the national team in the future.

“TATAND has always been a supporter of table tennis, particularly in the grassroots level. From a series of tournaments, TATAND through its honorary chairman Charlie Lim and several Filipino-Chinese sportsmen friends are collaborating with the different Universities in China to send athletes to an educational tour and training,” said Esposo, who will also serve as tournament director.

Among TATAND proteges, who are now members of the Philippine Team are John Russel Misal, silver medalist in the doubles’ event of this year’s Vietnam SEA Games; teen star and currently the country’s no.1 female player Kheith Rhynne Cruz and her younger brother Khevin, who won the silver medal in the World Junior Championship last August.

“Our first age-group competition last July was a huge success. And like the first one, we hope to discover more young and outstanding table tennis players, who could someday represent the country in the international competitions,” said Esposo.

Some 300 entries from various

clubs, organizations and schools are expected to participate in the tournaments.

All participants will receive a free promo jersey from Joola Philippines.

Already confirmed are Atimonan Paddlers, DSUTTC, Atimonan-Tarlac, GEHP, ILO-ILO, UST-Angelicum College, Maasin City TTC, All Star Legend-Army, UMAC, Heimemex/Kapampangan, LSGH TT TEAM, DMMMSU Agoo TTC, Bulacan Spinner, St. Scholastica Academy Bacolod Ciry, Bulakenyong Pingpongero, BPSU/RU, Bus-

kos Bulakan TTC, PATTO, Binangonan TTC, Santuaro of St. Maria Theresa School, Sta. Rosa City and TATAND.

Registration is still open until October 30 or when the tournament reaches its maximum number of entries.

The tournament is backed by Robinsons Novaliches, Toto Pol Fish Broker, Mr. Charlie Lim of TATAND, Joola Philippines, Green Paddle, JP Bagoong, Carlson Digital Prints, Paper Holic, Hard Race, Dave Enterprises, Table Tennis Lab Singapore and Best Tank.

Blu Boys eye seat in World Championships’ super round

THE Philippine men’s softball team will face overwhelming odds when it battles the best and brightest in the World Championships slated Nov. 26 to Dec. 4 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Blu Boys’ coach Apol Rosales said the Blu Boys are eyeing to win as many games as they can, finish in the top three of their six-nation group, and qualify to the super round alongside the top three of the other bracket.

“All the 12 countries who made it to the Worlds are strong but we have prepared hard and we hope to win two or three games to qualify to the super round,” said Rosales during Tuesday’s online Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum.

The Filipinos are bracketed with defending champion and world No. 1 Argentina, United States, Czech Republic, Cuba, and host New Zealand in Group A.

They face

day.

Group B is

Japan last month.

And now that they’re already in the big stage, Rosales said he expects his team to bring its A-game.

“We will treat every game as if it’s a championship game,” he said during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

Pitcher Juliuz Rosh dela Cruz and first baseman Julius Diaz both said they’re up for the challenge.

“This is a big challenge for us that’s why we continue to work harder,” said the 24-year-old Diaz, who is from La Salle.

“We’re doing morning training at the Rizal Baseball Field and even at night time at the Manila Polo Club in Makati just to improve on some things we need to improve on,” said Dela Cruz, a 19-year-old Polytechnic University of the Philippines standout.

“I just try to give emotion to people. I know today people are proud of me and that is why I said it is their Ballon d’Or.”

Benzema pipped Sadio Mane to the prize, with Kevin De Bruyne

Olivia “Bong” Coo

TATAND honorary chairman Charlie Lim (right) and Julius Esposo

South

Africa and Venezuela.

The Blu Boys made it to the Auckland tilt by finishing second to the Japanese in the Asian Cup in Kochi,

Sports

Pres. BBM to PSC: Take care of Filipino athletes’ nutrition

AMONG the immediate priorities of the Philippine Sports Commission under chairman Noli Eala is to boost and enhance the nutrition program for the national athletes.

No less than President Bongbong Marcos cited the importance of proper nutrition, which helps guarantee a sound mind and sound body for the athletes, when he met the PSC chairman in Malacanang last week.

Eala, in his second month at the helm of Philippine sports, received the instruction from the President during the courtesy call of Olympian and world No. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena on the President.

“Nagkaroon po tayo ng panahong makipag-usap sa ating Pangulo at napak-

asimple ng mga sinabi niya sa atin – alagaan ang mga atleta. Sabi niya dapat ayusin ang nutrition ng ating mga atleta,” said Eala.

“And I think that’s a policy direction na tamang-tama sa mga plano ng PSC, so atin po itong tututukan,” added the PSC chairman, who wants the national athletes to be taken care of like never before.

Proper nutrition is vital for the national athletes, especially the elite ones who are vying in major international competitions like the SEA Games, Asian Games, World Championships, and the Olympics.

Through the years, the PSC has provided the athletes with all the support, including the proper food and vitamins based on the needs of a particular athlete in a particular sport.

But Eala felt that President Marcos wants the PSC to do an even better job on this aspect as the country continues to seek glory in the field of sports, particularly in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“That’s what we will do,” said Eala.

In 2021, the PSC, through the Sports Nutrition Unit, started providing nutritional meals for the athletes during their bubble training at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and PhilSports Complex.

At present, the PSC provides meals from breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as morning and afternoon snacks to different national teams. PSC nutri-

Knights win rebound battle to maul Altas

THE Letran Knights showed no signs of rust, outrebounding the University of the Perpetual Altas for their fourth straight win, 74-59, on Tuesday in the 98th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Dominating the boards with 15 of their total of 54 rebounds in the last 10 minutes allowed the Knights to pick up their seventh win in 10 games in the start of the second round.

Paolo Javillonar took charge under the boards with his seven of 12 rebounds, while the Knights held the Altas to eight made baskets out of 24 field goal attempts in the last period.

The Knights, coming off a six-day break following the end of their first-round games, drew 16 points from Brent Paraiso, while Louie Sangalang added 10 points and 10 boards in their effort to hold off the Altas, who stayed in seventh with their third straight setback and a 4-6 slate.

King Caralipio shot nine points, and so did Kurt Reyson, who made six in the third period, with his two three-pointers in the last 8:24, and in the 5:34 mark widening a 37-32 lead into a 45-34 spread.

Paraiso unloaded eight points in the last quarter, with his jumper with 7:35 left pushing the Knights up, 57-40. His trey in the final 5:12 gave them a 20-point spread, 64-43.

Knights’ coach Bonnie Tan lauded the team’s effort to stretch their winning run following a six-day break.

“Iyun ang sinabi ko sa kanila after the six-day break na sayang ang three-game winning streak namin. Dapat, tuloy-tuloy lang,” said Tan.

Meanwhile, at least two members of the Arellano University Chiefs tested positive for COVID-19, forcing organizers to reset the fight between the San Beda University Red Lions and the Chiefs scheduled at 12 noon.

A week of schedule involving the Chiefs

tionists also provide and design specific meal plans for the athletes to ensure that they get optimal nutrition for their training and help them become competition-ready.

They continue to offer daily online consultations and lectures for national athletes and coaches, from their meal plans to other nutritional queries for their training.

The PSC also promotes nutritional awareness among the athletes through its social media postings of pre-competition nutrition, easy-to-make snacks, and what it has branded as the “Secret Menu to Success.”

In 2019 alone, 34,278 meals were served at the renovated nutrition halls at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and Philsports Complex in Pasig to athletes and coaches in the national pool.

By Peter Atencio

FILIPINA teen tennis star Alex Eala has climbed up the Women’s Tennis Association rankings again.

From world no. 248, Eala moved three points up to a new career-high of no. 245 this week.

And she could go up again when the 17-year-old Eala and reigning Southeast Asian Games men’s doubles’ gold medalist Treat Huey join the Hamburg Ladies and Gents Cup at the Hamburg Tennis Verband in Germany.

Eala will be in the women’s singles of the W60 ITF Futures Hamburg, with Huey in the men’s doubles with partner Max Schnur.

The current US Open juniors’ champion will be in a highly competitive field with Ukranian Kateryna Baindl Kozlova as the no. 1 seed.

The 28-year-old Kozlova, who is at world no. 148 in the live ATP rankings, has been in the main draw of all four grand slam events recently.

The field also has second seed Ysaline Bonaventure, who holds the highest ranking in the field at 116th.

This week, Eala has gone further up in the rankings, with another new career-high achievement, making the quarterfinals of the W80 RSF Pro Open at the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club in the United States.

Eala’s campaign begins when she goes up against against 21-year-old Ekaterina Kazionova of Russia.

If she gets past the first round, the winner of the match between Kozlova and Jana Fett of Croatia will be her next rival.

Huey and Max Schnur, the top seeds in the men’s doubles, clash with the pair of Duje Ajdukovic of Croatia and Jonas Forejtek of the Czech Republic, in the opening round of the €45,730 ATP Challenger event.

Cargo Movers back in hunt, dispatch Lady Troopers

F2 Logistics finally delivered with a full, healthy roster, working on superb hitting and passing to trounce an erratic UAI-Army side, 25-17, 25-21, 25-16, and break through after backto-back setbacks in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference eliminations at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Tuesday.

The Cargo Movers likewise slowed down their rivals’ attacks with great blocking, producing eight points upfront, while pouncing on the Lady Troopers’ miscues to complete the straight-set romp that put one of the league’s crowd drawers back in contention after a struggle due to a depleted lineup and health issues.

F2 did hardly move from joint last in the nine-team field to solo eighth but the Cargo Movers’ imposing victory should fire them up in their

succeeding games, including their clash with the PLDT High Speed Hitters on Oct. 25.

Lindsey Stalzer banged away 23 attack points for a 24-point output she spiked with 10 excellent receptions while Kim Dy scored eight points and rookie Ivy Lacsina and veteran Aby Maraño added seven and five hits, respectively, for the Benson Bocbocmentored Cargo Movers.

Kalei Mau cramped out late in the second frame but not after scoring eight points and helping F2 crawl from three-point deficits to surge at 18-15 on their way to the four-point win.

“We were really hungry for a win. We knew it’s going to be a tough match but our preparations against Army were clearly specified,” said Stalzer, who, however, stressed there’s still a lot of work to do for the Cargo Movers to get better and stronger.

“Were still kind of fresh (playing together). But we’re working on our chemistry and we’re doing well from here,” added the American opposite hitter, who didn’t see action in the team’s three-set loss to Chery Tiggo and fired 26 points in a close four-set defeat to Choco Mucho, both last week.

The same, however, could not be said Lady Troopers, who absorbed their third straight defeat in the season-ending conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Windy battle looms at Pradera Verde

THE men and ladies of the Philippine Golf Tour face a daunting test when the circuit returns to Pradera Verde next week with a stiff breeze expected to blow from start to finish, adding up to the tricks and traps already in place at the long, challenging championship layout.

Wind conditions at the well-kept championship course at this time of the year are at their toughest with Pradera to test the players’ ability to adapt and their readiness for change that will require them to dish out a full array of shots while facing penalty for the slightest miscue.

Juvic Pagunsan, who edged Tony Lascuña in sudden death to snatch the ICTSI Riviera Championship crown in a wild finish at Langer two weeks ago, won’t be around for the final leg of this year’s PGT, which fires off Oct. 25, to honor a previous commitment to play in the Japan Golf Tour, his base the past decade. But the Pradera Verde field remains as deep as ever with Michael Bibat back in the hunt after skipping the Riviera leg following a victory at Eagle Ridge-Aoki last July.

“The long hitters have the edge at Pradera but with the wind conditions, everybody has a chance with premium on club selections and the ability to hit low shots while driving through or against the wind,” said the multi-titled Lascuna, who also tied for second with Reymon Jaraula at Eagle Ridge.

Bibat is also upbeat of his chances for a second championship but has stressed the need to toughen up and sharpen his iron game more to earn another title crack in the event sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“I’m good but still has to work on so many things. But I’m confident,” said Bibat.

Pradera Verde measures up to 7,315 yards from the black tees and could play longer depending on the direction of the wind which varies from hole to hole.

Alex Eala

President Bongbong Marcos in a chat with PSC chief Noli Eala at the Malacanang Palace recently.

has been affected, with the league expected to come up with a new set of schedules for the second round.

Peter Atencio

Letran’s Kyle Tolentino soars for a basket.