Manila Standard - 2022 October 23 - Sunday

NEDA: More gov’t aid for poor

Balisacan: Cash assist, food dole-outs fast-tracked to fight inflation

THE government is fast-tracking the distribution of cash aid to the poor and vulnerable sectors and increasing the food supply in the country “to give Filipinos a comfortable life,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Saturday.

Balisacan, also director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said poverty incidence could have been higher had the government failed to further reopen the economy and distribute targeted subsidies to low-income households, public utility drivers, farmers, and fisherfolk.

This was indicated in a recent Social Weather Stations survey that revealed about 49 percent of Filipino families see themselves as poor.

There was a rise in inflation at the time the SWS surveyed 1,500 respondents on September 29 to October 2, thus the rise by 1 percent from the previous poll, Balisacan stressed.

About 29 percent placed themselves at the “borderline” dividing the poor and not poor, while 21 percent considered themselves as not

PBBM, VP Sara in MassKara festivities in Bacolod today

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will lead the culminating activities of the Masskara Festival in Bacolod City on Sunday, Malacañang announced Mr. Marcos will be accompanied by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte, Office of the Press Secretary officer in charge, Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, said in a statement on Saturday.

Garafil said the Chief Executive’s participation is part of his commitment to promote local tourism and boost more economic activities amid the

prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.

“The President’s attendance at the world-renowned festivity is a testament to his commitment to promoting local tourism in a bid to revive the country’s tourism industry amid the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.

“Mr. Marcos is optimistic that through the efforts and initiatives of the Department of Tourism, the Philippines will be able to restore its tourism figures to pre-pandemic

Mabasa kin eye independent autopsy for slain ‘middleman’

THE family of slain broadcaster Percival Mabasa or Percy Lapid wants an independent autopsy done on the body of the alleged middleman named by self-confessed gunman Joel Escorial.

An autopsy conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation on the body of Jun Globa Villamor, the alleged middleman in the killing of the radio commentator, showed no gunshot wound nor any external physical injury on the deceased Bilibid

inmate but pointed to a possible heart problem.

This dovetailed with the initial findings of the Bureau of Corrections on Friday that indicated no signs of foul play in the death of Villamor, who was pointed out by Escorial.

Meanwhile, Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Grace Poe said authorities can still rebound even if they have lost a vital link to the killing of Mabasa after the death of the alleged

Canned sardines makers seek P3 hike in products

MAKERS of canned sardines are seeking a P3 price adjustment on their products owing to the increase in diesel prices, the weakening of the peso, and the rise in the price of imported tin sheets used in making cans.

Francisco Buencamino, Canned Sardines Manufacturers Association of the Philippines executive director, said they welcome the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) statement that it is carefully evaluating the request of several manufacturers of canned goods and bread products for a price increase.

These makers of sardines, canned meat, coffee, and evaporated milk will seek to increase prices from 50

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is committed to protecting the independence, rights, and security of all journalists and media workers in the country, Malacañang said on Saturday.

Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, officer in

charge of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), made the assurance during the dia logue with various media organizations after the recent unannounced police visits to the residences of some journalists.

Garafil said Marcos puts a premium on the

welfare of journalists, given their vital role in nation-building.

“Be assured that President Ferdinand R. Marcos continues to acknowledge the media as a vital pillar of our

Halloween costumes:

Solon redeems village health workers from transport woes

CONTINUED ON 2A

CONTINUED ON 2A ORMOC’S 75TH. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (right) waves to the crowd as he, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco (left) and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez (center) lead the celebration for the city’s 75th Charter Day on Friday night. Presidential Photo

CONTINUED ON 2A

COLORED TOMBS. Caretakers clean the graves at the Manila North Cemetery in Manila on October 22 as it reopens to the public for the traditional All Saint’s Day and All Souls Day after two years of restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic. Danny Pata

MISS PLANET BET. Herlene Nicole Budol beams during her sendoff party Saturday for the Miss Planet International competition in Kampala, Uganda next month. Danny Pata

SUNSET VIEW. Tourists watch the sunset at the huge crucifix on the top of the Seagull Mountain Resort along Bukidnon-Davao Road, Kitaotao, Brgy. Legada, Davao City. The site is 4,000 feet above sea level and has

cold weather, making it an ideal vacation getaway especially on hot summer days. Danny Pata

FOR MORE INTELLIGENT YOUNG LEARNERS.

Safety conscious parents, in collaboration with the EcoWaste Coalition, repaint school desks and tables at the ROTCHNA Day Care Center in Quezon City with lead-free enamels in conjunction with the global observance of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

The project was also supported by the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead.

Solon saves Metro Manila barangay health workers from transport woes

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

APARTY-LIST legislator has found a way to help barangay health workers (BHWs) in Metro Manila cope with their mobility problems because the gov ernment do not provide them with transport allowances.

Meanwhile, as the midwifery profes sion celebrates its 100th year anniver sary in the country, Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo on Friday filed House Bill 3882 seeking to strengthen the role of midwives in the country’s health care system.

Wellness party-list Rep. Angelica

Natasha Co said there are about 1,800 BHWs in the National Capital Region, but none of them are getting work-re lated transportation allowance.

“This is why barangay health and Wellness party-list are grateful to the Move It of Grab Philippines for offering transportation free of charge to the

BHWs in Metro Manila for the entire month of October this year,” Co said.

Co is chair of the House Committee on the Welfare of Children and secre tary-general of the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc.

Co quantified the direct savings impact of the Move It free rides on the daily finances of BHWs.

“Barangay health workers have had to bear the cost of transport fares, a burden made heavier by recent fare hikes. From P10 a few months ago, the PUJ fare was raised to P11 then hiked further to P12 for the first four kilometers. That P2.00 hike is a 20 percent increase from P10 to P12,” she said.

“BHW areas served cannot all be reached by walking because some barangays areas are large and some places can be accessed safely only by motorcycle. BHWs sometimes do not have access to or use of barangay motor vehicles,” Co explained.

Salo said his bill “does not only strengthen the role of midwives in the health system, but also promotes the optimal health of mothers and their babies.”

“When the midwives are greatly c pacitated and their welfare are taken care of, they can also effectively take care of their patients and prevent the incidence of maternal deaths,” he added.

SMFI taught us to be brave—scholars

INBRIEF

CAAP to travelers: Behave at airports

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Friday asked air travelers to observe dis cipline and proper behavior inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other airport terminals in the country.

The agency reminded passen gers at its terminals that it will not tolerate acts of improper behavior within its facilities that may com promise safety and security. This comes after a video of a man using the public address (PA) system of an airline in Pagadian Airport went viral on social media. The man in the now-deleted video, who was caught blurting expletives using the PA system, has since apologized to the airline concerned.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apo lonio said the agency would like to maintain the nature of airport terminals as safe and respectful spaces for all its passengers.

Villafuerte eyes online registration of SIM cards

CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte on Saturday backed the plan of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to let both prepaid and postpaid subscribers register their respective Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards online to avoid people from flocking to the chosen PTE sites for face-to-face registration of their cell phone numbers.

Villafuerte, co-author of Re public Act (RA) 11394 enacted byPresident Marcos last Oct. 1, also expressed optimism that the DICT, in collaboration with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) will soon come up with the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) and of the new requiring the registration of possibly as many as 150 million cellular numbers in the country. Maricel V. Cruz

Strength in tenacity: SM scholars-graduates of 2022 brave the challenges ahead

(Conclusion, continued from yesterday)

AS HE looked back on the most formidable time of his life, 23-year-old SM scholar Harvey Diño noted how SM Foundation Inc. (SMFI) helped influence his success. “SMFI taught us, scholars, to have grit or combine passion and perseverance in any endeavor we wish to pursue,” he said.

“To my Mama, my Papa in heaven, my brother, family, friends, and most especially, my SM family, thank you for believing in me during my college journey. I could not have made this academic success without your help. I am so grateful to have you as my support system,” he said.

Paying it forward

Sharing the journey of Diño is Cryzel Inovero, a student also hailing from Mindanao.

The limited internet bandwidth, and unfavor able study environment during the pandemic did not hinder her from graduating cum laude from Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan.

As her parents are still working despite their de

NEDA:...poor, according to the survey.

But the Marcos administration is implementing measures to revitalize the economy and help lift more Filipinos out of poverty, the NEDAchief assured.

The results of the survey were “expected, given the acceleration of inflation, particularly in food and transport, during the period,” Balisacan said in a statement.

The SWS poll is likewise “not comparable with the government’s official poverty estimates based on Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) surveys,” the NEDA state ment added.

Preliminary estimates by the PSA revealed that the country’s poverty incidence was at 18.1% in 2021, which translates to 19.99 million poor Filipinos, up from 17.67 million in 2018.

The PSA defines poverty inci dence as the proportion of Fili pinos whose per capita income cannot sufficiently meet their individual basic food and non-food needs.

In an earlier statement, Bal isacan explained that essential commodities and inputs for food value chains are experiencing sub stantial supply constraints.

He this attributed to the con tinuing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the series of natural calamities

clining years, it has become one of her life missions to help them and her older sister send her other siblings to school.

“After I take the CPALE and become a fullfledged accountant, I will strive and save up. I aim to start my own business so I can sustain our fami ly’s needs and support my siblings,” she shared.

“Becoming an SM scholar has made me fully see that while helping one person might not change the world, it could change the world for one person. And now, helping my family achieve our collective dreams and helping my siblings achieve theirs has become my ultimate dream,” she added.

For Cryzel, her life experiences and learnings as an SM scholar shaped who she is today and will influence who she wants to become tomorrow.

“While I’m still young, I am thankful to have had these valuable life experiences. But I will surely carry with me as I go on: I must go beyond my comfort zone, seek resources and solutions, ask for help, and extend a helping hand. With all these, I

that have dampened agricultural production in many countries, in cluding the Philippines.

“Note that inflation has been coming partly from external factors, including global supply disruptions caused by the Ukraine-Russia war,” he said.

“Moving forward, we need to speed up providing financial assistance to the poor (and) most vulnerable groups, implementing our foodpro duction enhancement programs, and executing timely food importation,” Balisacan added.

To manage economic risks and address inflation, Mr. Marcos met with his economic team on Tuesday to discuss the policy directions for the rest of 2022 until the first quarter of 2023.

In a Twitter post on Tuesday, the President allayed concerns over soar ing inflation, noting that the overall forecast for the Philippines is still “better than other countries”.

Balisacan also said the Phil ippines and its Asian neighbors are not spared from the inflation trends, pointing out that major economies of Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Singapore, Indone sia, and Malaysia, have seen their inflation rates accelerate in the past year.

He said the economic team expects the rise in inflation to be temporary, as it is likely to slow down and return to the medium-term target of 2 per cent to 4 percent.

am truly honored to have been part of SM’s fulfill ment of its mission of giving deserving students access to quality higher education to uplift the Filipino youth and their families,” she shared. Rising to greatness

Cryzel’s and Harvey’s inspiring stories to great ness are just two of the many that will be shared during the SM Foundation’s Rise to Greatness, the presentation of the SM College Scholar Graduates, on October 22, 2:00 pm-4:00 pm, via Facebook live. Over 300 scholar-graduates of 2021-2022 will be honored for their persistence and determination amidst the pandemic.

In this year’s roster of scholars, 146 are set to graduate with honors: 24 with academic distinction, six summa cum laude, 41 magna cum laude, and 75 cum laude.

Learn more about stories of scholar-graduates or SMFI’s education initiatives today. Visit www. sm-foundation.org or follow its social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You Tube): @SMFoundationInc

PRESIDENT...democracy,” she said.

“He remains committed to protect ing you and recognizes the important role you play in nation-building.”

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. initiated the dialogue between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and national media organizations.

It was attended by representatives of the National Press Club headed by Lydia Bueno; Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas chaired by Ruperto Nicdao Jr.; Presidential Task Force on Media Security under officer in charge Pericleo Solis Jr.; and the PNP Press Corps, according to a statement from the OPS.

Garafil, a journalist before becom ing a lawyer, said she remains to be a member of the media “in a different capacity,” referring to her role as head of the OPS.

Under Executive Order 2 inked by Marcos on June 30, the OPS is directed to “pronounce, on behalf of the Presi dent, matters pertaining to his actions, policies, programs, official activities, and accomplishments," as well as to “estab lish and maintain rapport with private media and other similar entities and stakeholders.” Vince Lopez

PBBM... levels, creating more job opportunities and bringing economic progress.”

After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, the Masskara Festival is back for its 43rd-year celebration, carrying the theme “Balik Yuhum!”, which means smile again.

The MassKara Festival began

in 1980 after a series of sugar crises, caused by oversupply in the international market that resulted in world prices dropping.

The smiling colorful masks featured in the festival are a symbol of resiliency and unity despite challenges and problems.

In a message released on Friday, Mr. Marcos enjoined Filipinos to participate in the annual festival and explore Bacolod, widely known as the City of Smiles.

He also expressed optimism that the festival would bring out the best in each Filipino and allow them to find a renewed sense of purpose.

MABASA... middleman inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Also, ABS-CBN News claimed Saturday documents it obtained showed some of the discrepancies in personal information of Villamor.

“We are appealing for help from anyone who can assist in having anindependent autopsy done on the remains of Villamor,” Roy Mabasa, brother of Percy Lapid, said in an interview on Saturday morning on Dobol B TV.

He said his brother’s family is in deep anguish after learning thatVillamor died hours after Escorial named him as the alleged middleman in the contract to kill the broadcaster.

“What caused more anguish for the family is when we heard that middleman number 1 died. That was Villamor at the Bureau of Corrections.

Of course, we were hurt. We got sad because he is important to us. To our knowledge, he was the one who told the gunman to kill Percy Lapid,” Mabasa said.

CANNED... centavos to five pesos, the DTI said in a statement Friday, adding it is waiting for the documents from these firms to justify the price increases.

“It’s good to hear that the matter is being studied because we have been seeking price adjustment for a long time and what we are requesting is only for SRP products,” Buencamino said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV on Saturday.

He explained that canned sardine makers “are forced to surrender tothe $1 to P59 peso-to-dollar conversion rate” when it comes to importing tin sheets.

The weaker peso also caused the price of diesel used to fuel commercial fishing vessels to go up, the makers’ group official added.

“The price of fish increased because diesel is the fuel used to power small boats and commercial fishing vessels,” Buencamino said.

Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said the DTI is requesting all data from manufacturers to ensure that the prices are right and reasonable for our consumers.

Noche Buena item prices would also likely increase since these products are not considered essential items and the Christmas season is coming, Castelo added.

Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Associate Editors

Joyce Pangco Pañares News Editor Jimbo Owen Gulle City Editor

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Anita F. Grefal Treasury Manager Baldwin R. Felipe Head—Ad Solutions Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher

Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Joel E. Zurbano

Manny Palmero

FromtheFRONTPAGE

SM SCHOLAR. With her SM scholarship as her inspiration, cum laude graduate Cryzel Inovero (left) makes it her own mission to help her family achieve their dreams.

Communist Party endorses Xi’s unprecedented 3rd term

BEIJING—China’s Com munist Party on Saturday endorsed Xi Jinping’s “core position” in the country’s leadership, all but assuring he will be handed an unprecedent ed third term in power.

At the end of the week-long gathering in Beijing, China’s ruling party approved a sweeping reshuffle that saw several top offi cials—including Premier Li Keqiang— step down, allowing Xi to appoint new allies. The largely rubber-stamp meeting

of among 2,300 party delegates was meticulously choreographed, with Xi determined to avoid any surprises as he enshrined his leadership for the next five years.

But in an unexpected move that punc tured the proceedings at the Great Hall of the People, former leader Hu Jintao was led out of the closing ceremony. No official explanation was given.

Delegates then approved a call obliging all party members to “uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole”, according to a unanimously passed resolution on changes to the party charter.

Xi is now all but certain to be un

veiled as general secretary on Sunday, shortly after the first meeting of the new Central Committee.

This will allow Xi to sail through to a third term as China’s president, due to be announced during the government’s annual legislative sessions in March.

A new Central Committee of around 200 senior Party officials was elected shortly after before the closing ceremony.

A list of officials of the newly elected group revealed that four out of seven members of the Party’s Stand ing Committee—the apex of power —would retire.

Among them was current Premier Li Keqiang, as well as fellow Politburo

Standing Committee members Wang Yang—who was touted as a possible successor to Li—Han Zheng, and Li Zhanshu.

Han and Li Zhanshu were widely expected to step down, having sur passed the informal age limit of 68 for Politburo-level officials -- a require ment not extended to 69-year-old Xi.

Wang and Li Keqiang, both 67, could still have continued in the Standing Committee or 25-member Politburo for another five-year term.

Other high-profile Communist Par ty top brass absent from the new Cen tral Committee include high-ranking diplomat Yang Jiechi and economic tsar Liu He. AFP

Meloni named Italy’s first woman premier

ROME—Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni was named Italian prime minister on Friday, becoming the first woman to head a government in Italy.

Her post-fascist Brothers of Italy party—Eurosceptic and anti-im migration—won the September 25 legislative polls but needed outside support to form a government.

Meloni’s appointment is an his toric event for the eurozone’s third largest economy and for Brothers of Italy, which has never been in government.

Shortly after she was named, the 45-year-old from Rome named her ministers, who will be sworn in on Saturday in front of President Sergio Mattarella.

Her Brothers of Italy party won 26 percent of the vote last month, compared to eight and nine percent respectively for her allies Forza Italia and the far-right League.

Her list of 24 ministers, includ ing six women, revealed a desire to reassure Italy’s partners. She named Giancarlo Giorgetti as economy minister, who served under the previous government of Mario Draghi. AFP

Giorgetti, a former minister of

Biden sees final-hour shift to Democrats

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden on Friday predicted a final-hour shift in favor of the Democrats in the midterm elections, saying that the economy, seen as the party’s weakest issue, is steadily improving.

“It’s been back and forth, with them ahead, us ahead, them ahead, back and forth,” Biden told reporters at the White House, three weeks before elections deciding control of Congress.

“Polls have been all over the place. I think we’re going to see one more shift back to our side in the closing days,” Biden said.

Recent polls show momentum rising on the Republican side, with voters increasingly anxious about high inflation and likely to punish the Democrats on Novem ber 8. AFP

SPOOKY PROTEST.

Members of Ceylon Bank employees’ union wear Halloween masks as they protest against Bank of Ceylon management outside the Bank of Ceylon headquarters in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on October 21. AFP

BASED company advises Filipinos to protect their wealth against the volatile peso and high inflation by investing in precious metals such as gold.

“As the financial markets are extremely unstable and unpredictable these days, clients aren’t sure what the near future holds, and we see more and more Filipinos turning to alternative investments to diversify their portfolios and protect their wealth,” Zvika Rotbart, a director at J. Rotbart & Co. , says in an email interview.

J. Rotbart & Co. is a family-owned firm that assists clients to buy and sell, transport and store physical precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium worldwide. It has been active in the Philippine market since 2017 and has partnerships with BDO Unibank Inc., Union Bank of the Philippines and Unicapital Inc.

“Gold and physical precious metals have been a proven safe haven asset for many decades and have always performed well during recession time,” says Rotbart.

He says gold is the best-performing asset this year, besides the US dollar and some commodities. “In Philippine peso terms, gold has appreciated by 10.2 percent since the beginning of the year,” he says.

Gold also outperformed regional currencies this year, as it appreciated by 1 percent in Singapore dollar terms, 7.6 percent in Thai baht, 2.9 percent in Indonesian rupiah and 7 percent in Malaysian ringgit.

“Year-to-date, gold is definitely showcasing its feature as a safe haven asset and a hedge against currency depreciation,” he says.

IMPACT OF INFLATION

Rotbart says inflation is “eating away” the value of bank deposits and cash deposits, which means that the peso and other currencies are losing value. “The purchase power of our paper money is eroding, meaning we can buy less for the same amount of money,” he says.

Data show that the peso has lost 15 percent of its value against the US dollar since the start of the year, while inflation rate hit 6.9 percent in September.

“As the value of the peso is depreciating rapidly, especially since the beginning of the year, Filipinos and local investors are ‘losing money’ as long as they keep their peso bank deposits. Specifically for investors with links to USD, or dealing with USD denominated assets, they need to convert more pesos to buy USD or USD-denominated assets,” says Rotbart.

He says this is why there is a growing number of Filipinos looking to convert their peso or peso-denominated investments into stable assets such as gold, which is denominated in US dollar,

Firm shares tips on growing wealth amid the weak peso

stable jurisdiction. “More and more Asian, American and European clients are buying precious metals and storing them in this safe jurisdiction,” he says.

J. Rotbart & Co. is also active in the Philippines where it sees a growing local client base on an annual basis. “The legal framework around gold makes Filipino clients receptive to companies like J. Rotbart & Co. that can help them buy and store gold offshore. More and more Filipinos are looking to diversify their portfolios with physical gold and precious metals and as a store of value for the long term,” he says.

“We have successful relationships with the country’s leading banks and financial institutions and see a growing number of Filipino clients that are looking for new and unique asset classes,” he says.

Rotbart says he is enjoying working in the Philippines where the clients are open minded, receptive to new products and, many are well informed and understand the value of gold, “in addition to the great character and hospitality of Filipinos”.

J. Rotbart & Co. offers comprehensive physical precious metals services worldwide—from buying and selling of investment-grade gold, silver, platinum and palladium bars and coins, to secure transportation and storage globally.

to maintain their purchasing power.

Rotbart says that in his opinion, given the volatile situation, holding cash in the bank is a very bad investment option for local investors. “Filipinos and local investors should look into other asset classes like commodities [either gold and other precious metals or commodities like oil, other metals and agricultural products]. In addition, treasury inflation protected securities or short term bonds may be a good investment at times of high inflation,” he says.

He says historically, physical gold has been a safe haven in times

PHC presents out-of-the-box solution to rural health services

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his first State of the Nation Address, under scored the need to bring medical services to the people, and not wait for them to come to hospitals and health care centers.

The Philippine Healthcraft Carrier is such a solution to providing life-changing medi cal services to Filipinos, especially those who have no access to hospitals and health centers.

PHC aims to bring Filipino medical spe cialists to the rural areas for short periods, normally two to seven days, to provide med ical services.

where he/she can receive an acceptable economic income to compensate for the effort invested in the medical craft.

Thus, FMS practice in the more devel oped urban areas, and not in rural or re mote areas of the country.

It is simply a question of economics.

Bringing FMS for seven to seven days to rural or remote areas of the country would enable them to provide Filipinos with life-changing medical services. This would also allow FMS to maintain their practice in the urban areas.

PHC can make it economically viable for FMS to join. Although PHC will be paying significantly lower professional fees per patient, the number of patients during the mission will make it economically viable for FMS to serve. In other words, there will be economies of scale.

The proof of concept of the PHC is the surgical missions being done by the Hospital on Wheels headed by Dr. Juan P. Sanchez. HOW conducts surgical missions in far flung areas at an average of three times a month.

of uncertainty. “Asians have been appreciating gold vine before the trend hit Europe and the US. From India to China and from the Philippines to Vietnam, Asians have been accumulating gold for centuries, some as heirlooms, some in times of inflation, or even as a means to protect their life in times of war.” He says.

“These days, the unstable economic situation is caused by a few factors that will most likely push more and more investors to gold and other precious metals—from the extremely volatile financial markets, the deteriorating

global geopolitical tensions [US and China and the ongoing war in the Ukraine for example] to the global energy crisis, these are all factors that make investors look for safe and stable investments,” he says.

“We see a trend of Asian investors shifting funds from various asset classes into precious metals—taking advantage of the low price opportunity to accumulate gold in a long-term investment strategy,” says Rotbart.

He says Singapore is a great use-case because the country enjoys a very stable financial environment and a politically-

“We even offer clients our lending service, by which they can pledge their gold and take a loan against it, whether they need funds to invest in other assets, or to assist them in times of tight cash flow,” says Rotbart.

“We believe now is a fantastic time to enter the physical precious metals market as all the fundamentals point to appreciation of price in the medium to long term—from ongoing global geopolitical tensions, an upcoming recession, high inflation rates and to the current price level of gold and other metals which makes it a great entry point,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

Bria joins housing trade exhibit

The event on Oct. 4 to 6 at the Trino ma Activity Center in Quezon City helped Bria Homes gain more market visibility for best-selling house models and showcase the excellent amenities in horizontal and vertical developments across the country.

Bria Homes’ sales and marketing team was on hand to handle inquiries from poten tial home buyers and property investors. They engaged aspiring homeowners on how they could buy their dream home without breaking the bank.

The housing trade expo served as a per fect opportunity for them, not just to boost sales but also to show strength, build trust, reach out to new target groups and get feed

back on Bria’s products. Coming close on the heels of the NREA-DHSUD alliance’s well-attended housing trade exhibit in July, the on-ground event at Trinoma drew some of the top prop erty brands and various other stakeholders from the construction and financing fields.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, DH SUD Secretary Jose Acuzar, NREA chairman Ricky Celis and NREA president Ronie Bian do graced the occasion.

Bria North Luzon division head Neil Al monte said the company’s presence as an exhibitor in the NREA-DHSUD’s 26th Hous ing Trade Exhibit is an important part of the company’s image building and marketing strategy.

“At the same time, Bria’s participation en sures its support for the government’s proj ects and initiatives related to housing and real estate,” Almonte said.

AC Motors launches hybrid trade-in platform

used vehicles and not trade in.

The FMS will be supported by trained medical staff with world-class equipment inside a mobile vehicle. The government will then pay PHC on a pre-determined per patient served rate. Such arrangement is expected to enable the government to reduce the cost of providing medical ser vices by more than 50 percent and make it economically viable for FMS to serve in PHC.

This solution is seen more viable than building specialty hospitals all over the country. A major obstacle in building hos pitals in rural areas is manning these with FMS.

One would normally invest between 15 to 40 years in education and train ing from the time he/she enters pre-med school up to the completion of medical specialization training. As such, a FMS would normally practice in a community

A HOW mission, consisting of five surgeons, would cover one to two days and provide medical surgery between 100 to 150 patients a day.

The medical surgery services of HOW include hernia operation, removal of ex ternal body tumors, breast cyst operation, goiter removal and other general surgery services.

HOW started in 2007 as a project of the Rotary Club of San Francisco Del Mon te under the leadership of Louie Pangu layan. Since then, it has provided surgery to more than 20,000 indigent Filipinos. At an average economic value of P50,000 per surgery, HOW has given more than P1 billion worth of community service to the Philippines.

Another proof of concept is the Vision Screening Missions in public elementary schools done by Dr. Jeson Vinas and his wife Anne. Allan Rolando Asi

By Othel V. Campos

AC MOTORS introduced Trade+, a plat form that offers fast and convenient used car online selling and trade-in pro gram.

The program provides diverse chan nels not limited to the trade-in business. It is a hybrid traditional and online vehi cle auction for new buyers and existing owners that streamlines the entire pro cess of selling used cars.

It features a five-day turnaround time—from inspection, to auction and payment. Trade-in is not limited to AC Motor brands. Customers can swap used cars of any brand for brand-new vehicles on reasonable conditions.

AC Motors noted that the Philippine car market is unique as most first-time buy ers would opt for budget-friendly deals.

“The market’s aspiration, however, still leans towards owning a brandnew car despite the growing popularity of the used car market,” the company said.

AC Motors introduces Trade+ program for used cars.

“Used cars have traditionally been the primary choice of budget-conscious buyers, but with the recent economic downturn in the wake of the pandemic, many buyers still aspire to own a new car that comes complete with the latest technology and features, and most im portantly, peace of mind,” it said.

Customers can trade in their old ve hicles—no matter the brand—and drive home with a brand-new vehicle from AC Motors. Customers are assured of a quick, efficient and safe process. They also have the option to just sell their

Packworks employs data analytics to discern ‘sari-sari’ store buyers

PACKWORKS, a startup based in the Philippines, launched business intelli gence tool Sari IQ to provide data analyt ics on the behavior and spending habits of consumers who buy their needs in tra ditional “mom-and-pop stores” known as “sari-sari” stores.

Packworks co-founder and chief marketing officer Ibba Bernardo an nounced the platform launch at the IM MAP DigiCon Valley 2022 held virtually on Oct. 11.

The Sari IQ dashboard provides re al-time and historic information on con sumer spending and can be configured to develop an analysis for product types sold in small retail formats. It gives retail ers and multinational brands complete visibility into sari-sari stores’ operations, allowing them to extend their slow-mov ing products and services to a wider pool of customers.

Analysis through the platform also helps them come up with data-driven de

cisions to increase sales of sari-sari store owners by understanding and predicting consumer demand within their area.

The platform tracks information from Packworks’ broad network of almost 200,000 sari-sari stores nationwide that use its super app called ‘Super Sari Store’.

“Sari IQ is the trusted, go-to partner for sari-sari stores that empowers business es to be on top of their brand’s perfor mance and make data-driven decisions every day,” Packworks chief data officer

Andres Montiel said.

Sari IQ’s latest study showed that Fil ipinos tend to care more about their hy giene than their empty stomach as they prioritize buying self-care products such as hair shampoo and conditioner in sa ri-sari stores located in areas previously battered by natural calamities — Typhoon “Odette” in December 2021 (Leyte), the Taal volcanic eruption in March 2022 (Batangas/Cavite) and the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in July 2022 (Abra).

AC Motors said the program offers the best vehicle value pricing judging by the speed of instant appraisal by valua tion experts, and the convenience with an integrated service that suits custom er needs.

It said while the trade-in programs gained popularity and market accep tance, what was missing is a platform and system to benefit both clients sell ing their vehicles and companies willing to use the transaction as equity for a brand-new car.

AC Motors said existing trade-in pro grams take an inordinate amount of time of up to three months, before a transaction is completed. The lag time also delays the new-car purchase, risk ing the customer’s interest in the prod uct and brand altogether.

Another challenge is the risk of losing equitable market value for the car to be traded, opening up opportunities for un desirable parties to take advantage of customers willing to trade their vehicles.

Medical mission

PROPERTY developer Bria Homes partic ipated in the 26th Housing Trade Exhibit organized by the National Real Estate Asso ciation and the Department of Human Settle ments and Urban Development.

A Bria Homes’ sales and marketing professional is ready to handle inquiries from potential home buyers and property investors at the 26th Housing Trade Exhibit.

Sari IQ aims to help retailers understand consumer spending patterns in sari-sari stores.

Zvika Rotbart

Joshua Rotbart

Inclusivity in diversity: A Philippine cultural heritage show for a cause

n By JOBA BOTANA

AS A nod to the cultural heritage of the Philippines via fashion and indigenous products, the Partnerships for Sustain able Development, Inc. (PSDI), a nonprofit organization launches an advocacy program aptly dubbed “Inclusivity in Diversity.”

PSDI, which exists under the federal law of the United States of America, puts forward its mission of bringing global awareness and deep understanding of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of United Nations through its various programs and activities.

This year, the organization trained the spotlight on Philippines via a cultural heritage show or an evening of cultural exchange and fashion elegance held at the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance New ark Airport Hotel in the US on October 15.

Carrying the theme “The Philippines: Perla del Mar de Oriente (Pearl of the

Orient Seas,” this one-day event featured an exhibit and sale of Filipino indigenous products, a fashion gala, as well as a pag eant called The Global Search for the Top Model of the World USA, which aims to find the most fitting ambassador who will help push forward the UN’s SGDs.

The event was a collaboration between the private and public sectors in the US and the Philippines through the Queen of Hearts Foundation headed by Ma. Mitzie Gil

At the recent press conference held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in BGC, Gil talked about the upcoming event, specifically the exhibit and sale and the “LuzViMinda Cultural Fashion Gala Show,” which will feature three top fashion designers from the Philip pines namely Sophia Therese Manimbo, Amir Sali, and Albert Andrada

“The event is a good opportunity to highlight what the Philippines has to offer and what great talents we have in fashion design, who really champion our products and design,” Gil said.

INTER NA TIONAL firm Tuttle Publishing is well known to bookworms as having an extensive cata log of Asian works, particularly Japa nese classics and volumes on culture, cuisine, travel, and religion. It’s the go-to imprint for works by Mishima, Natsume, and Musashi, among oth ers. They are expanding their offerings with fiction from Filipino authors, among them some of the best fantasy writers.

This weekend, we feature books by pre-emi nent speculative fiction writer Eliza Victoria and an anthology of short stories about Philippine mythology reimagined.

Wounded Little Gods and Dwellers

Eliza Victoria has won some of the country’s top literary awards, including the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature. Not only does she write novels and short stories in English, she also writes plays in Filipino.

Victoria’s Wounded Little Gods is a novel of dualities – mission and omission, agency and impotence, light and shadow. In the town of Heridos (‘herido’ is Spanish for ‘wounded’), strange things are happening. Regina, born and raised there, left many years ago to make a life in the city.

But when a colleague vanishes, leaving clues on a piece of paper in Regina’s bag, she returns to her hometown to discover what’s going on. While on her quest to find her friend, she discovers a mysterious scientific facility that appears/disappears from memory. That is not the only secret that events unravel; ulti mately, she realizes that minor gods walk among mortals as their fates intertwine.

In Dwellers, Victoria shows her mastery over the spec-fic genre in this novel of entities who jump from body to body to experience different lives. The Philippine release version won the National Book Award, ‘Dwellers’ have three inviolable rules. Rule No. 1: You don’t kill the body you inhabit. Rule No. 2: You should never again mention your previ ous name. Rule No. 3: You don’t ever talk about your previous life. EVER. But when a Dweller jumps into accounting professor Jonah’s body after a horrendous car accident and finds a girl’s corpse in a chest freezer in the basement of his new house, he feels the strong urge to break the first rule.

However, he and his brother ‘Louis,’ also a Dweller, decide to solve the mystery. What they learn will lead to their making an irrevocable decision that turns their fates around.

Victoria seamlessly blends her fluency in Eng lish with a Filipino sensibility. Hers is not a Fili pino English (a term some other Filipino writers in English have used to excuse their lack of mas tery over the language) but a cosmopolitan way of expression that provides depth of vocabulary and nuance of meaning. Many passages verge on the lyrical while remaining straightforward storytell ing, but at the same time evoking terror and other high emotions.

In one of the most memorable paragraphs from Wounded Little Gods, the character Florina, who has murdered a god, says: “Eventually I left through the kitchen door, to the earth where they buried him, and found the flowers buried there. I ate every single bloom, driven by something more than memory, and details of my deed returned to me, one by one, and they resided within me still. They thought I have forgotten but I have not.

“All these years, I have remembered. Every single day I sat here in this house alone and did nothing but remember.”

It’s pretty simple language, but it is an unfor gettable depiction of raw, obsessive guilt.

In Dwellers, Victoria shares this insight about pain that expresses exactly how many people feel:

“This event is not just a cultural show to highlight what our country has to of fer. As an aside, it is also a charity event that will benefit three different groups. The proceeds from the ‘creative industry exhibit and sale’ will be for the benefit of ‘Meals On Wheels,’ a charity program of the city government of Jersey City in the US; the ‘Kisame Para sa Bahay ni San Jose,’ which is a donation appeal of Father Elmer Villamor for the repair of St. Joseph the Husband of Maru Church in Cabanatuan City in the Philippines; as well the tree-nurturing and waste management projects of Father Benigno P. Beltran,” she shares.

The exhibit and sale featured an array of Filipino indigenous products ranging from garments, fashion, and luxury jew elry collections, cuisine, souvenirs, and home accessories, among others.

Five of the finest Filipino indigenous fabrics showcased at the cultural fashion show were also available for sale.

Tuttle shares Filipino fantasy titles worldwide

“The sad thing about pain is that you can’t share it or pass it on, no matter how willing the next person is. No one can take agony away from you, no matter how many times the people you love tell you, ‘I know exactly how you feel.’ You know they really don’t. You suf fer alone, in the end.”

A prolific writer, Victoria has authored six books and has had her fiction and poetry published in prestigious international publications such as The Best Asian Speculative Fiction, The Apex Book of World SF Volume F, Future SF, and others. She has also written a graphic novel in collaboration with Mervin Malonzo. Entitled After Lambana, it is also published by Tuttle.

Alternative Alamat: An Anthology

This book contains a dozen stories that reimagine Philippine myths and legends, and two of those sto ries – Ana’s Little Pawnshop on Makiling Street and Remembrance were written by Eliza Victoria

In the first, Victoria explores the oft-reworked trope of the mysterious curio shop that sells magical items. Eric takes a job as an assistant at the shop, working for Ana (the goddess formerly known as Anagolay, who has dominion over lost things). But the shop’s survival is threatened when the landlady Marie (formerly known as Maria Makiling) raises the rent on Ana’s shop. Ana’s decision stuns Eric – but then there is always a price to pay for everything.

The other stories are equally interesting, some charming, some melancholy, all unforgettable. Among the other writers in this volume are Budjette Tan of Trese fame, Manila Critics Circle president Dean Francis Alfar, and physician Celestine Trini dad, whose tale about Maria Sinukuan, who guards Mount Arayat, is a detective story.

Space limitations prevent me from writing more, but this is a book I recommend highly for lovers of stories about myth and magic.

From Tuttle Publishing:

Wounded Little Gods by Eliza Victoria 2022, 160 pgs, hb

Dwellers by Eliza Victoria 2022, 160 pgs, hb

Alternative Alamat: An Anthology

Edited by Paolo Chikiamco 2022, 224, pgs, hb

Dr. Ortuoste is a board member of PEN Philip pines, member of the Manila Critics Circle, and judge of the National Book Awards. You may reach the author on Facebook and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Five best things you can do for your mental health

TRYING to interrupt unhelpful thoughts at times of distress does not mean you do not have to acknowledge your anxiety.

Psychological health expert, educator, and cognitive neuroscientist Nawal Mustafa noted it is best to consider what these feelings might be telling you. “Maybe you need to reframe your viewpoint? Maybe you need to slow down? Or maybe you are under a real threat and need to take action?” she asked.

Through her personal experiences and training, Mustafa gathered some of the best mental health advice that changed her life. As a practitioner, she aims to impart it to others.

In time for World Mental Health Week this Oc tober, Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is one with Mustafa in extending a helping hand to those who need support, as well as reminding others to check in on their family and friends during these trying times.

“Let us all take this opportunity to unite and recognize the importance of protecting, nurtur ing, and improving our well-being and men tal health,” the office stated.

To calm negative thought patterns, here are Mustafa’s top five tips to keep in mind:

1.Think and rest. Respond if it still bothers you within 24 hours.

It is normal to react right away when we are upset. How ever, during this time, our nervous system is dysregulated. It can lead to a negative reaction. Paus ing allows us to think more clearly. This lets us respond to the situation more deliberately.

2. Stop apologiz ing for taking up space and express ing your feelings How you treat yourself is teach ing others how to treat you. Do not constantly apologize for setting bound aries and sharing opinions. Own your authentic self and love it uncondition ally.

3. The way you speak to yourself matters

The words we use to speak to ourselves have a significant impact on our psychological health. If you always judge yourself, put yourself down, and criticize your own abilities, you will, later on, believe those phrases. Talk to yourself as if you are talking to a loved one.

4. People aren’t thinking about you the way you are thinking about yourself

There is a term in social psychology called the “spotlight effect”. This refers to a tendency to overestimate how much others think about us. Everyone else has their own problems or lives to think about.

5. Rejection is redirection When you feel rejected or unwanted, acknowl edge that this feeling is awful. But do not let it consume you. You will likely not take many chances if you have not experienced rejection. Turn your hardships into self-growth. Use this momentum to explore new opportunities.

From left: Sophia Therese Manimbo (Fashion designer), Albert Andrada ( Fashion designer), Mitzy Go Gil (President, Queen of Hearts Foundation, Inc.), Gigi Alcantara (President, PH1 World Developers) Amir Sali (Fashion designer)

Wounded Little Gods

Dwellers

Alternative Alamat

IL-AMERICAN

Peter del Rosario and Celinda Raagas sustained their superb form coming off resounding victories in Vermosa, Cavite two weeks ago, ruling the premier 13-14 division of the IronKids Philippines Subic Bay in ideal conditions here on Saturday.

But while Raagas matched her emphatic win on the girls’ side, del Rosario had to go through some anxious moments before overcoming Darell Bada and a couple of rivals’ fierce challenges as the duo swept the season’s last two events of the junior version of the IRONMAN organized by Sunrise Events, Inc.

Del Rosario, who foiled Bada by almost two minutes at Vermosa, edged his rival this time by mere 22 seconds in the 400m-swim, 8kmbike, 3km-run event ushering in the big triathlon weekend culminating in today’s staging of Alveo 5150 Subic Bay.

The rising Laguna star, who turned 13 last month, came out of the opening swim leg in joint fourth with Red Reyes in 05:35 but, like in his Vermosa romp, he used his superb riding skills to top the bike stage in 17:03 before ruling the closing run part in 13:33 for a total clocking of 36:11.0.

Bada, the Cebu IronKids winner, clocked 05:31 in the swim but failed to match del Rosario’s kicks and strides in the last two stages, settling for another runner-up finish in 36:33 with leg times of 17:09 in swim and 13:53 in the run.

Carron Cañas topped the swim leg in 5:06 but slowed down in the bike with a 17:23 clocking before finishing in 14:32 in the run for third in 37:01.

Del Rosario, who seeks to be come a member of the national youth triathlon team and dreams of joining the IRONMAN someday, started competing in tri-sports at age 8, winning his first IronKids in Cebu in the 11-12 group last August. Home-schooled under a US curricu lum and trained under coach Doray Ellis of Get Coach’D Academy, he transitioned to the 13-14 category at Vermosa and is expected to domi nate his age group next year.

Prince Clark also struggled after an impressive 05:30 time in swim, submitting a 19:37 clocking in bike and 15:35 in the run to drop to eighth in 40:42. Wincy Pagnanawon placed fourth in 38:04 (5:40 swim, 17:44 bike, 14:40 run) while Rojan Perez timed 38:48 for fifth while Reyes and Miguel Angeles ended up sixth and seventh in 39:02 and 39:55, respectively.

Placing third in the swim (06:23), Raagas, a Grade 9 student at Colum ban College in Olongapo, took control in the bike (19:57) before unleashing another blistering run (16:19) to reign again in 42:39, beat ing Zebelle Eugenio, who topped the swim in 06:10 but timed 20:50 in the bike before finishing in 19:32 in the run for a total clocking of 46:32.

“I was inspired to join (multisports) to have a memorable experi ence in sports, to travel, and to meet new friends. It is also a goal-setting and I get physically and emotionally fit,” said Raagas.

Princess Ilio also made a good start with a 06:15 time in the swim but could only post a 21:21 clocking

HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS

Rising stars shine in Subic IronKids

Sibugay’s Pague off to good start in PCA tennis

JOSE Marie Pague turned back Vince Tugade, 6-1, 6-4, on Saturday and set in motion his bid to replicate, if not eclipse, his dream run in 2017 at the start of the 39th Philippine Columbian Association Open Tennis Cham pionships at its indoor shell court in Plaza Dilao, Paco.

The victory sent the 24-yearold Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay native into the second round on Monday against the winner between Joshua Kinaadman and qualifier Hilbert San Jose at press time with hopes of fuelling another memorable campaign similar to five years ago.

The memory of that run is still fresh in Pague’s mind as he made the semifinals that year after beating grizzled veteran Enebert Anasta before he ran into the mighty Johnny Arcil la, the eventual winner who showed him the door.

“All of us playing here are aiming to win in this prestigious event. I hope to make a big run again and hopefully win it all,” said Pague, who is coming off a win in a tournament in Duma guete and a semis effort in the Palawan Pawnshop tilt the week before.

Also advancing were Russel Arcilla and Neil Tangalin, who hurdled Dawson Ormoc, 7-6 (1), 6-0, and Aljohn Talatayod, 6-4, 6-4, respectrively, in this nineday meet sponsored by Smart/ PLDT, official ball Dunlop, Manila councilor Jong Isip, San Jose Salt, W. L. Food Products, Palawan Pawnshop and Pagcor.

Arcilla, the youngest of the four tennis-playing siblings from Butuan City, had to fend off Ormoc’s early challenge before imposing his will in the second set to seal their match that lasted a little less than an hour and a half.

“Never got past the first round here, this is my first time,” said the 32-year-old Arcilla, who is back playing competitively after taking a hiatus to go into fulltime coaching.

For Tanggalin, a proud son of Baguio, his goal is to try to earn respect.

in the bike before winding up 20:56 in the run for third in 48:32.

OTHER WINNERS

Other winners in the event, which also served as a venue for families to bond, were Nathan Arellano and Christy Ann Perez (11-12 age group), Pio Latonio and Alaina Bouffaut (9-10 category), and Chris Lacuna and Athe na Masadao (6-8 class).

Arellano posted a big lead in the swim to cushion the impact of Diego Dimayuga’s strong fightback in the bike and run, escaping with a thrill ing split-second win in 27:53 (03:46, 13:30, 10:37).

Dimayuga timed 04:11 in the swim but made his move in the bike (13:10) and run (10:33), only to finish a second short in 27:54. Miro Habana placed third in 28:33.

Perez also made up for her 04:01 clocking in the swim by topping the next two legs (14:23 and 11:34), posting a total time of 29:58 to thwart

Kyla Bulaga, who clocked 30:52 with leg times of 03:41, 15:08 and 12:03.

Samantha Hodges came in third in 31:22.

Latonio, who also won at Vermo sa, dominated the 11-12 class in 26 minutes (02:44, 14:49, 08:27), beating Joeffrey Arellano (28:43) and Ayejae Queja (28:53) while Bouffaut rallied from third in the swim to claim the crown in 30:01 (03:01, 17:18, 09:42) over the 300m-swim, 6km-bike and 2km-run distance.

Lacuna led from start to finish to win in 17:21 in the 100m swim, 2km bike, and 1km run race with Enzo Ga bito and Matteo Carino placing second and third in 18:37 and 19:53, respec tively, while Masadao clocked 19:52 to foil Isabela Marquez (20:20) and Pia Gito (22:21).

ALVEO 5150

Meanwhile, the Alveo 5150 Subic Bay unwraps today here with a prom ise of a thrilling duel of power, speed

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines built mo mentum heading into the second round with a rout of Mapua University, 25-19, 25-21, 25-11, to complete a sweep of Pool A in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Colise um on Saturday.

The Fighting Maroons made quick work of the also-ran Lady Cardinals to close the group stage with a perfect 4-0 win-loss record.

After a tight second set, the Diliman-based squad found its rhythm early in the third frame to open a 20-6 gap that took the fight out of Mapua.

“This win gave us good momentum head ing into the second round. We still have a lot of work to do. The second round is a differ ent story so we must prepare for that,” said UP coach Shaq Delos Santos.

Despite the lopsided win Delos Santos rued the Fighting Maroons’ 27 errors. Most

and endurance for individual and age-group honors in various divisions under the Olympic-style setup at Subic Bay Boardwalk.

Bea Quiambao sets out as the top pick in both the women’s individual and 20-24 age category, ready and ea ger to match her exploits in the short distance triathlon, set over 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run, when it resumed after a two-year hiatus in Bohol last July.

Close to 800 triathletes are vying in Alveo 5150, the biggest in post-pan demic with the organizing IRON MAN/Sunrise Events, Inc. expecting a bigger, stronger international field with the return of the premier pro cat egory in IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines at Azuela Cove in Davao on March 26, 2023, according to SEI general manager Princess Galura.

Aussie triathlon legend Tim Reed ruled the last IM 70.3 Philippines pro championship in 2019.

of their miscues came in the second set.

“We can’t give away that many points off our errors. We’re going up against well-dis ciplined teams in the second round, we can’t afford to make those mistakes,” he said.

Jewel Encarnacion led UP with 13 points with 11 coming off spikes while Dannica Celis and Joan Monares delivered nine points each.

UP is joined by the University of Perpetual Help in the next round where they will be bracketed in Pool E alongside Pool C qual ifiers unbeaten reigning UAAP champion National University and Ateneo de Manila University. The top two squads in Pool B and Pool D will compose Pool F.

In the second round, teams will play another round-robin against the squads they have not faced in the first round to deter mine their rankings in the knockout quarter finals.

Tigresses devour Maroons for 4th straight win

ANTIPOLO — Tacky Tacatac led the way while Nikki Villasin finally fulfilled her breakout game as the University of Santo Tomas extended its winning streak to four straight games after an 82-61 win over the University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 85 Women’s Basketball Tournament, Sat urday, at the Ynares Sports Center here.

Tacatac tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in close to 32 minutes of action while Villasin produced 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 19 minutes of action.

“It’s all because of the hard work of

the ladies of course,” said Growling Tigresses coach Haydee Ong. “Work ing together, relentless defense all throughout the first round, I think that brought us to where we are now in the standings having 6-1.”

The Growling Tigresses raced to a 21-6 cushion early in the first quarter thanks to a Joylyn Pangilinan three.

The Thomasian cagers then extend ed this to as much as 35-16 at the 7:04 mark of the second quarter off of an underhand stab from Brigette Santos.

In the fourth quarter, UST clinched its biggest lead of the ballgame at 8261 with 2:16 remaining in the contest

courtesy of Eka Soriano’s basket.

After Tacatac and Villasin, Soria no contributed to UST’s win with 15 points, five steals, and four assists while Santos had 10 points and eight rebounds.

“Now that we are in 6-1, I think we are in a better position now to enter the Final Four but of course, we need to work hard again in the second round because teams are scouting everybody else, sila Tacatac and Villa sin. They know they’re the shooters of the team so hopefully, in the second round, we’ll perform better than in the first round,” added Ong.

“I hope I could do better this year and earn respect,” said the 24-year-old former University of Cordilleras standout and agegroup champion.

Marco Macalintal, an 18-yearold qualifier from San Pablo, Laguna, stole some of the spot lights by bringing down a high er-ranked Execquiel Jucutan, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, that launched his ambitious campaign.

“This is my first time in the seniors and I’m happy I won. I hope to win here someday, dreaming is free anyway,” said Macalintal, whose best finish in the PCA Juniors was a semis finish.

10 teams to see action in FilbasketMalaysia

THERE is a growing interest among basketball club teams to compete internationally in Southeast Asia.

This led to the holding of the Filbasket International Champi onship - Malaysia 2022 present ed by Sportsclick on Oct. 23-30, according to Chief organizer Jai Reyes.

Many squads in the region expressed their desire to be part of this tournament in Malaysia after two successful stagings, and Malaysian club KL Aseel around.

KL Aseel impressed many squads in the region with the roster loaded with national team players, according to Reyes.

After our first two interna tional tournaments, we saw this team carrying national players. And we really saw an opportu nity to expand overseas,” said Reyes on Zoom.

The cagefest this week will be played at the Stadium Bola Keranjang, also known as the MABA stadium, in the Malay sian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Home teams Harimau Malay sia and MBC Basketball Club will be around as among the 10 participants, along with Filipino teams BGC Builders, Pilipinas Aguilas and Makabayan War riors will also make the trip.

There will also be squads from three other ASEAN nations, with Singaporean team Adroit Sports Association, Indonesian outfits Bumi Borneo and Elang Pacific Caesar and Pegasus Brunei mak ing up the rest of the field.

Peter Atencio

UP’s Alyssa Bertolano goes for a spike attack in this piece of action against Mapua in the Shakey’s Super League Collegiate Pre-season Championship at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Participants at the swim start

The future of Phl IRONMAN, Celinda Raagas (left) and Peter del Rosario, share the top podium finish

Peter del Rosario anchors his second straight IronKids title romp with another blistering run.

Celinda Raagas reasserts her mastery of the girls’ field in the premier 13-14 class with another imposing win.

Joylyn Pangilinan of UST goes for a left-handed lay-up against a UP defender.

Sparkle GMA stars dress up for inaugural 'The Sparkle Spell'

THE surprises never stop as Sparkle GMA Artist Center holds its first-ever Halloween party via “The Sparkle Spell.”

Following the successful GMA Thanksgiving Gala in July, Sparkle artists and popular online personalities are set to show off their scariest, sexiest, and most stylish costumes in one bewitching evening tonight at XYLO at The Palace in Taguig City.

Some of the Sparkle celebrities are already used to dressing up for an annual Halloween party with their friends and families, while others are excited to experience it for the first time.

“I try to dress up for Halloween every year! This is my first Halloween party since

the pandemic so I’m excited about it. I’m slowly putting together my costume, trying to be particular about the details,” says Max Collins

“It is not my first time attending a Halloween Party, but it definitely is my first time dressing up for Halloween and I’m really having a hard time picking what character or costume I’m gonna be wearing.

I’m just really excited to see everyone’s costumes and have a fun and scary night with my fellow Sparkle artists,” singer Zephanie chimes.

Weeks before this much awaited event, the stars have already been preparing a lot to get red-carpet ready and look their best for the spookiest night of the year.

Ysabel Ortega is looking for the perfect costume that would suit her personality.

“But at the same time, finding a costume that is different from what people would

expect me to wear. Ako mismo ang pumili ng costume na isusuot ko and when I showed it to my glam team, super naexcite sila because we have a chance to really play around with my makeup, my hair and my outfit,” shares the young actress.

Luke Conde decided to look close to the character he’ll be wearing and part of it is he didn’t cut his hair short.

“I have two costumes prepared for this event, the one that I prepared and the other is suggested by a friend. I felt that the character that my friend suggested is the better option. I just chose which costume of that character is best for this event,” Luke reveals.

The fans are definitely in for a treat with the most epic, haunting and impressive looks and costumes the artists have carefully prepared for this Sunday.

Ashley Ortega had her costume made to get the exact same look of the character she’ll be at the party.

“I went for a costume/character that people would always say I look like that person. I can’t wait for people to see it cause I get a lot of comments from my fans that I should be this person on Halloween,” states Ashley.

Gabbi Garcia admits that she actually dresses up for Halloween every year and she is very hands on when it comes to curating her looks

“My team and I carefully planned my look for the event. We made sure that we were all aligned and coordinated with the overall look,” Gabbi says.

"The Sparkle Spell" streams on Sparkle’s Facebook page, YouTube channel, and TikTok account later tonight. The “blood carpet” begins at 5:30 p.m.

10 best-reviewed horror flicks that you can stream

JUNGO Pinoy is celebrating Halloween all October long. The newest streaming app in the Philippines hosts the largest Tagalogdubbed movie library in the world, as well as original films and TV series.

The horror genre is one of Jungo Pinoy’s specialties with tons of free movies and other titles accessible with a super-friendly subscription.

There is something for everyone this Halloween season with spooky horror themes ranging from paranormal and zombies to creature features and slasher films.

It can sometimes be hard to find a horror film that meets your standards, especially during the Halloween season, which is why we compiled a list of the Top 10 Best Rated Horror Films for you to start watching now.

suspense, and the supernatural.

4. Afterthought: This lesser-known film from 2007 has a strong fan base that lives on. After Christy Dawson loses her father, she begins having dreams about him. The dreams are innocent enough, until they start to become prophetic and lead to the death of those around her.

his vengeance on his critics by reenacting infamous murder scenes from past performances. How dramatic?! Directed by Douglas Hickox, this critically successful film is considered the magnum opus of Vincent Price’s film career.

By Eton Concepcion

THE 9th Misters of Filipinas crowned its new five titleholders during a grand coronation night held recently the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay City.

Ormoc City’s James Reggie Vidal, 20, Tourism student at the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Mandaue (UCLM), was crowned Misters of Filipinas (MOF) Man of the World 2022. He was also named Best in Swimwear and Best in Formal

A mental health advocate, Vidal lists playing basketball, cooking,

listening to music, and working out as his hobbies. The Grade 12 student dreams of becoming a flight attendant one day.

Joining Vidal in the winner’s circle is Laguna’s Zach Pracale a high school graduate and model who bagged the MOF Mister Model Worldwide 2022 title. Jovy Bequillo, 27, a Viva artist, model, and Tourism student from Naga City, won MOF Man Hot Star International 2022.

Cebu City’s Michael Angelo Toledo, a Marketing student at the University of San Carlos, was named MOF Fitness Model World 2022, while Marc Raeved Obado 24, of Tuburan, Cebu, was named MOF Mister Super Globe 2022.

Gerald Fullante of Camarines Sur and Pedro Red of Nueva Ecija placed first and second runnersup, respectively.

Misters of Filipinas was presented by Prime Event Productions Philippines Foundation, Inc. (PEPPS), headed by Carlo Morris Galang, and WELLife Corporation.

Based on internet reviews from audiences and critics, we present the Top 10:

1. Night of the Living Dead: This is a rare gem that many argue created the template for modern zombie films and ushered in the splatter film subgenre paving the way for the slasher classics of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and beyond. Night of the Living Dead, directed by George A. Romero, is a groundbreaking horror film about a ragtag group of Pennsylvanians who barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a horde of flesh-eating ghouls that are ravaging the East Coast.

2. Halloween: Halloween is the ultimate seasonal horror movie. It’s the 1978 classic by John Carpenter that launched Jamie Lee Curtis into megastardom as the Scream Queen. And is the film that began it all; the genesis of Michael Myers and the freaky William Shatner mask.

3. Deep Red: The Hatchet Murders is a 1975 horror classic by Italian director Dario Argento. When a pianist witnesses the murder of a psychic, he attempts to find the killer, however, he consistently faces new roadblocks as each new source winds up dead. From the maker of Suspiria, enter a world of macabre,

5. Suspiria : The hallucinogenic 1977 film is a cult classic by every measure. An American ingenue walks straight into a dark world when she enters a prestigious German ballet academy whose teachers are hiding wickedness in the midst of mysterious murders. This is also directed by the iconic Dario Argento. The 2018 remake, while sufficiently acted and produced, doesn’t compare to the influence and ingenuity of the original that holds an impressive 93 percent critic score on rottentomatoes.com.

6. The Changeling: Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Peter Medak the story itself, anchored by strong acting performances, is about a man’s grief after losing his wife and daughter. When he secludes himself in a longvacant historic mansion, he discovers that a spirit lives in this house with him and needs him to unravel histories of horror and deceit.

7. Day of the Dead: George Romero is featured again with this 1985 zombie flick Day of the Dead comes in at number seven. As the world is overrun by zombies, a small group of scientists and military personnel dwelling in an underground bunker in Florida must determine whether they should educate, eliminate, or escape the undead horde.

8. Theater of Blood: The 1973 wacky horror comedy is next on the list. When a psychotic but gifted Shakespearan actor is denied his due, he turns

9. Unsane : Also known as Tenebrae, this is another classic by famed horror filmmaker Dario Argento. When American author Peter Neal travels to Rome to promote his latest murder-mystery novel, he becomes engulfed in the search for a serial killer who may have been inspired to kill by his novel.

10. Psycho II: Finally, we have another classic; perhaps one of the more unusual sequels in the horror classic canon. Its predecessor is often referred to as the advent of modern slasher films. Starring Tony Perkins, we have Psycho II. Taking place two decades after trying to live his best life as his mother which led to his killing spree, Norman Bates is released from the asylum and attempts to regain his life and sanity.

Zephanie

Gabbi Garcia

Luke Conde

Max Collins

Ysabel Ortega Ashley Ortega

The winners

Misters

Filipinas

James Reggie Vidal is a mental health advocate who dreams of becoming a flight attendant one

‘Night of the Living Dead’ is a groundbreaking horror film that became the template of modern zombie movies

'The Changeling’ boasts of strong acting performances and a compelling script

Famed horror filmmaker Dario Argento adds ‘Unsane’ to the list of horror movie classics

‘Afterthought’ is a lesserknown horror film with a strong fanbase

Halloween costumes: Safety tips for pets

YES, pets look sooooo cute in costumes! Special occasions become more fun when we see our adorable pets in costumes, specially during Halloween and Christmas.

“However, these costumes can come with some risks, so read on to find out how to prevent any health issues or injuries while your pet is out trick or treating or celebrating at home,” PetMD stressed in “8 Safety Considerations for Halloween Pet Costumes.”

1.Ensure the proper fit of costumes

This has been a problem with me when I buy clothes for our pets and rescues. Most clothes and cos tumes are often sold as “one size fits most.” You only have small, medium, and large breed options. This is not accurate as a princess shih tzu is smaller than a Lhasa apso. Though both are considered as small breed dogs, the body proportions and sizes are very different. A small-breed costume may fit the princess shih but not the Lhasa apso, specially if the latter is bigger than the usual Lhasa apso. PetMD stressed “a small-breed costume is most likely not going to fit both dogs safely.”

To avoid problems, measure your pet and compare it to the measurements of the costume before buying a costume.

“If a costume is too big, it might trip your pet, leading to an injury. If it is too small, it could squeeze your pet,

By Mariana Burgos

WHEN I was still in my teens, I remember we had a Siamese cat that each and every one of our visitors thought was a stuffed animal at first glance. We often had visitors then. Our cat's name was Princess. We named her so because of how graceful she always moved around. She had this spot on top of one of our bookshelves where she would just.....sit there. She would sit for long periods of time in a very still manner and anyone who would see always thought she was a stuffed animal. You might think that she was trying to cam ouflage herself from other humans she was not familiar with.

Blending with the environment

An adaptation known as camouflage aids an organism in blending in with its environ ment. An intricate paper on this by Martin Stevens and Sami Merilaita entitled “Ani mal Camouflage: Current Issues and New Perspectives” (6 Nov. 2008) can be studied by anyone who wants to know more about this ability of animals.

Camouflage is also known as cryptic color ing. The animal's ability to blend in boosts its survival capacity and helps it avoid predators. In the animal realm, there are many differ ent types of camouflage. Although various organisms may utilize camouflage for differ ent purposes, in the end it aids an animal's capacity to survive and procreate.

Stevens and Merilaita said that biol ogy has a long history of investigating camouflage, and that the myriad strategies for hiding and disguising that can be found in the animal kingdom gave Darwin and Wallace valuable evidence to support and defend their theories on natural selec tion and adaptation. Thus, many types of camouflage have evolved into well-known examples of evolution.

Colors and mimicry

Camouflage has been used by humans in a larger sense, most notably by the military and hunters. Still, it has also inspired other facets of society, such as the arts, popular cul ture, and design. Stevens and Merilaita said color is not the only aspect of camouflage.

True, an animal's ability to blend in may depend on the design of its coat or wings. However, it might also be an animal's capac ity for mimicry. Coloration that is obvious but obscures the body's outline is also a part of

limit her ability to breathe normally, cause rub sores, and generally be uncomfortable,” PetMD warned.

When your pet is already wearing the costume, watch your dog’s body language. “If it acts uncomfortable or

frightened, take the costume off and consider a stylish alternative like a spooky bandana, appropriate bow tie, or something else to show off the season without add ing stress to your pet,” PetMD said.

2. Ensure your pet’s full mobility

The costume should also allow your pet to perform all its normal motions. Your pet should be able to see, hear, bark, walk, run, and move about just as always. “If the costume includes a mask or shoes, these are best used for short-term ‘photo ops’ and not for gen eral wear, “ PetMD said.

You can do a test run with the costume a few weeks before the party. This will give you time to adjust the costume or look for another one that is not restrictive. “If you aren’t sure, do several trials with your adjust ments leading up to Halloween,” Pet MD said.

3. Ensure your pet’s vision is not limited Make sure the costume does not block the vision or hearing of your pet. “Watch carefully to be sure that the costume doesn’t droop over the eyes, making it hard for your pet to see where it is going. This could lead to a fall and a potential injury, especially if your dog will be trick or treating in an unfamiliar place,” PetMD said.

Pets are likely to get frightened or stressed if they have no complete hold or control of all their senses. There may be other people or dogs in costume which might scare them too. ”When in doubt, leave off any obstructing portions of the costume,” PetMD said.

4. Check for possible allergic reactions

This is not common but some animals can have al lergic reactions to fabrics and detergents. This is why a trial run is helpful to identify any itching, rashes, or respiratory problems the costume might cause. If there are any changes that worry you, remove the costume right away, and bathe your pet in a gentle shampoo. If the problematic signs persist, please call your veterinarian.

5. Ensure there are no hazardous choking items

There are a lot of costumes that have accessories which are loose or can easily be chewed. If these are

Camouflage: Animals' natural defense

the camouflage.

There are several variables that affect a species' camouflage. Stevens and Merilaita said the organism's physical traits play a cru cial role. The methods used by animals with fur differ from those used by animals with feathers or scales, for example. Scales and feathers can shed and change rather swiftly and frequently.

On the other hand, the growth of fur can take several weeks or even months. Sea sonal camouflage is more common among furry animals. For instance, the arctic fox's summer coat is brown, whereas its winter coat is white.

A species’ behavior

Another crucial factor is a species' behav ior. Stevens and Merilaita said that animals that live in communities are different from those that live alone. For example, a zebra stands out because of its stripes. Zebras, on the other hand, are gregarious creatures, which means they travel and dwell in huge groups known as herds. It is practically impossible to distinguish one zebra from another when they are grouped together, making it challenging for predators like lions to pursue a single animal. The mannerisms or traits of a species' predators also have an im pact on camouflage. The prey species do not have to match the hue of its surroundings, for instance, if the predator is colorblind. The primary predator of zebras, the lion, is colorblind, according to Tom Harris in “How

Animal Camouflage Works” from howstuff works https://animals.howstuffworks.com/ marine-life/octopus-camouflage.htm).

Background matching

However, certain predators also em ploy concealment. A predator's ability to blend in with its surroundings may help it avoid detection while on the hunt. The

swallowed, it may lead to choking or a gastrointesti nal blockage.

Please check the costume carefully before trying it on your pet. Look for dangling or loosely attached items that could be pulled off or chewed on. “Smaller items such as hats or shoes might even be eaten whole. If possible, remove any pieces that could pres ent a danger to your pet, adjust the costume to be worn safely, or decide on a different outfit that is safe for your animal,” PetMD said.

6. Monitor pet in costume

No animal should be left unsupervised when wearing a costume. PetMD stressed: “…even with a relatively safe outfit, there is always an increased risk of injury. Always leave a responsible adult in charge of the leash so that the pet is appropriately supervised.”

Always monitor your dog when with other dogs. ”Al ways have your pet on a leash when multiple dogs are around and in costume for safety’s sake,” PetMD said.

7. Recognize signs of stress

There are pets who do not like clothes or costumes.

“Most cats will offer their opinions of a costume freely. Dogs might be a little more ‘go along to get along,’ but if your dog has folded down ears or eyes looking sideways or rolling back, or it starts slinking around with a tucked tail or hunched spine, the pet probably isn’t having as much fun with the costume as you are. This isn’t a time for tough love, and if it’s clear your pet doesn’t like the costume or is not comfortable in it, take the hint and remove the outfit,” PetMD said.

8. Ensure id tags are visible

Since it’s Halloween, your pet can be startled by some item or activity that might cause it to run away. Make sure your pet has a clearly visible i.d. so that he or she can be returned to you immediately.

“Getting dressed up for Halloween can be fun for both humans and animals. But it is very important to make sure that the costume you choose for your pet is safe, comfortable, and well tolerated before the festivities. With some preparation and attention to detail, both you and your pet can dress your best for Halloween!” PetMD said.

hunter has the advantage of a surprise strike due to their capacity to remain undiscov ered by prey. Various camouflage tactics are used by species due to environmental and behavioral considerations. Some of these strategies, like background matching and distracting coloring, use mimicry. When an organism imitates an object or another crea ture, it does so by acting or looking like it.

The most popular method of camouflage is probably background matching. A spe cies hides by looking like its surroundings in terms of hue, form, or movement when it engages in background matching. Animals like deer and squirrels, in their most basic forms, resemble the "earth tones" of their surroundings. Flounder and other fish al most perfectly mimic their spotted seabed habitats. The camouflage of the wandering stick and walking leaf are examples of more intricate background matching techniques. These two insects, which are both from Southeast Asia, resemble their namesake both in appearance and behaviour. The walking leaf's body has patterns on the edge that mimic caterpillar bite marks. To more accurately replicate the sway of a leaf in the breeze, the insect even sways from side to side as it moves, Harris said.

Disruptive coloration allows a species' lo cation and identity to be concealed through a coloration pattern. Predators misidentify what they are looking at as a result of this type of visual disturbance. The upper portion of the wings of many butterflies is covered

in large circular designs. These markings, known as eyespots, resemble the eyes of creatures that are considerably larger than butterflies, including owls. Eyespots may perplex potential predators like birds and divert them away from the delicate, sensitive area of the butterfly's body.

Warning coloration

Other species employ color strate gies that draw attention to their identity rather than conceal it. Warning coloration or aposematism is the name given to this sort of camouflage. Predators are alerted to an organism's toxic or hazardous properties through warning colors. Both the larval and adult phases of the monarch butterfly exhibit warning colors. Yellow, black, and white are vividly striped on the monarch cater pillar. The monarch butterfly has a white, black, and orange design. Milkweed, which many birds find poisonous, is consumed by monarchs. Monarchs keep the poison inside of them. The bird will vomit, but the milkweed toxin is not fatal. The vibrant color warns predator birds that a stomach ache probably isn't worth a meal of monarchs, according to Quora in “How Do Butterfly Camouflage?”(https://www.quora.com/Howdoes-a-monarch-butterfly-camouflage ).

For communication, chameleons alter their hue. A chameleon does not change color to disappear into its surroundings when it is under threat. When there is danger nearby, it changes color to alert other chame leons, said Benji Jones in “Chameleons’ Crazi est Color Changes Aren’t for Camouflage” (2 August 2018).

Scent camouflage

Scent camouflage is another form used by several animals. They do this by mask ing their natural odor with a new one. To deceive their predators or prey, they may imitate the smell of another organism, said Stevens and Merilaita.

Whatever form of camouflage an animal uses for self-preservation, one thing is clear---- mother nature made sure every need is taken care of right from the start.

About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 15 years now because she is the wife of a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.

Panchito, four (4) years old, is a handful! He once stole and ran off with P5,000.00 (five 1k bills!) that he got from his mom’s bag while she was in a work call. Panchito Balou, the fur son of Brian Velasco and Portia Carlos, has no favorite food because he eats anything. “Lahat kinakain naman eh! Pati dumbbell ko nga kinain,” says fur mom Portia. “He has major FOMO (fear of missing out) and always says something pag may zoom meeting, pag may bisita ako, and pag may construction workers and tech guys, he really wants to join them!” adds Portia,” He even left paw prints sa wet cement.”

Dog's Play: Chunky is Back! Chancho is a one year old male Frenchie of furdad Javi Soler. He will turn two (2) on Nov. 30. He loves people more than he likes dogs. His favorite catch toy is his Dad's stinky socks. He loves the outdoors but always can not wait to cool and lay down on cold floor tiles.

An owl camouflaged against a tree trunk. (Illustration by the author's daughter, Yumi Burgos.)

A stick-like insect camouflaged against twigs of a plant. (Photo from Pixabay.)

An Arctic fox during winter time. (Photo taken from Unsplash.)