SENATE and House leaders on Friday expressed optimism that they could iron out the differences in their respective
Angara
SENATOR Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who recently authored a bill that seeks to decriminalize the use of illegal drugs in the country, said Friday he is now having second thoughts about pursuing the mea sure.
While he clarified he is not withdraw ing Senate Bill No. 202 as it contains oth er meaningful proposals, Dela Rosa said he is rethinking his stand after hearing the arguments during the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs’ discussion this week.
The former national police chief, who led the Duterte administration’s bloody
JAPAN HONORS VILLAR. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (center) is flanked by Manuel “Manny” B. Villar Jr. and Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa after the latter, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, conferred upon the former Senate President and House Speaker the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun at Malacañang on Friday. Also in picture (from left) are Senior Deputy Speaker Sandro
By Alena Mae Flores
CONSUMERS can expect price rollbacks in fuel products of as much as P3.70 per liter by Tuesday next week, reflecting the movement of prices in the world oil mar ket, the Department of Energy said Friday.
"For the four-day trading, there will be a rollback for gasoline (P1.00 to P1.20), diesel (P3.50 to P3.70), and kerosene (P2.20 to P2.40) per liter," DOE director for the Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero said.
Romero attributed the impending bigtime rollback to the COVID-19 surge in mainland China, the increase in the fuel inventory data ofthe United States, and the higher price cap for Russian crude by the European Union.
She said the level of rollback may still change once the results of the last trading day are factored into domestic pump prices.
On Nov. 22, the oil companies imple mented a per-liter decrease in gasoline by P0.40, diesel by P2.15, and kerosene by P2.10.
These resulted in the year-to-date total adjustments to stand at a net increase of P17.75 per liter for gasoline, P33.85 per liter for diesel, and P27.85 per liter for kerosene.
By Willie CasasTHE National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) said it is not closing its emergency room despite a recent influx of patients and an ongoing staffing shortage.
NKTI executive director Dr. Rose Li quete said its emergency room is handling an average of 100 patients daily, which is three times its capacity.
"We are not closing the hospital," she told ANC's "Headstart.”
THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said the Omicron BQ.1, a sublin eage of the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant of the coronavirus, has been detected in the Philippines, citing results of the latest genome sequencing.
The DOH said 14 cases of BQ.1 have been detected based on the latest genome sequencing of UP-Philippine Genome
THE Philippines has received valuable medical and cold chain equipment from Japan worth some P3 billion, the De partment of Health (DOH) announced on Friday.
The Japanese Embassy on Friday for mally turned-over the donations through the office of DOH officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire.
Japanese Economic Minister Nihei Daisuke led the ceremonial turnover, ac companied by Japanese International Co
operation
Vergeire
(JICA)
Center, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, and San Lazaro Hospital from Oct. 28 to Nov. 18.
Of these 14 cases, 13 were local cases from the Cordillera Administrative Re gion, Regions 1, 4A, 7, and National Capi tal Region (NCR), it said.
The Health Department has yet to con firm if the remaining case is a returning overseas Filipino.
By Vince Lopez
Marcos, Senators Mark and Cynthia Villar, Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar, and Paolo Villar. Japanese Embassy photo
VEEP’S VISITORS. Vice President Sara DuterteCarpio thanks Vietnam Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue, who paid her a courtesy call on Friday. The concurrent Education Secretary also welcomes her Bangladesh counterpart, Her Excellency Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City. VPSD FB Page
Agency
chief represen tative Sakamoto Takema and Lung Center of the Philippines executive director Vin cent Balanag Jr. Vergeire said the donations consisted of a portable X-ray machine, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, a CT scanner, refrigerated vans, a wing van, and ambulances.
said the equipment will be “given to the areas that needed them most.”
THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Friday said it sees a up to a 15 percent increase in passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) during the peak season starting December 15.
This developed as Senator Grace Poe urged the government to ensure adequate, reliable, and safe transportation for Filipinos who will be travelling to various destinations this coming Yuletide season.
At a public briefing, MIAA Senior Assistant General Manager Bryan Co said around 100,000 passengers daily were recorded arriving and departing
From A1
but said he was optimistic it will all be sorted out.
“Both Congress and the Senate adopted the Medium-term Fiscal Framework prior to the budget deliberations. This will be our guidepost for finalizing the budget,” added Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co, who heads the House committee on appropriations.
Co heads the House contingent to the bicameral conference committee on the P5.268 trillion budget bill for 2023, which convened Friday at the Manila Golf Club in Makati City to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the 2023 national budget.
“In the end, the final version will be one that best supports the President’s eightpoint socio-economic agenda. We envision the final version as a budget that creates jobs, keeps the economy stable, and helps keep inflation within a manageable range,” Co said.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is proposing a P4.5 billion CIF for his office next year, while Vice President Sara Duterte is seeking a P500 million CIF under her office's P2.3 billion proposed allocation for 2023.
But the Senate realigned P152 million worth of CIF to various agencies when it approved the proposed 2023 national budget on third and final reading.
From A1
At the news briefing, DOH officer-incharge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said BQ.1 is “more transmissible and highly immune evasive” compared to other Omicron sub variants.
US health regulators on Friday estimat ed that BQ.1 and closely related BQ.1.1 accounted for 16.6 percent of coronavirus variants in the country, nearly doubling from last week, while Europe expects them to become the dominant variants in a month.
The European Center for Disease Pre vention and Control said the variants are likely to drive up cases in the coming weeks to months in the European region.
Meanwhile, it is unfair to blame the Health Technology AssessmentCouncil (HTAC) for the 31 million COVID-19 vaccine doses that were wasted, Vergeire said Friday.
“If you look at it carefully, there were several factors that led to this kind of wastage,” Vergeire told CNN Philippines.
The HTAC is an independent advi sory body created under the Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act, with the overall role of providing guidance to the DOH and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on the coverage of health interventions and technologies to be funded by the govern ment.
During the budget deliberations of the DOH on Thursday, Senator Risa Honti veros revealed that 31.3 million doses of vaccines are going to waste.
Former Health Secretary and Iloilo Rep. Janet Garin said that HTAC, the group that advises the DOH, should share the blame for the wastage.
Garin said that while other countries were already administering COVID-19
From A1
leader particularly as the Southeast Asian region tackles various challenges.
“I just wanted to be – to immediately – to be one of the first to congratulate you because I’m very happy to hear the news.
I was very happy to hear the news and I wanted to congratulate you immediately myself,” Mr. Marcos said in a press briefing.
“I am sure this will make Malaysia and the Philippines even closer because we will be in touch with one another,” the President added.
On his Twitter account, Anwar thanked Mr. Marcos for the call, saying: “As founding fathers of ASEAN, our two nations have always enjoyed strong cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums.”
During the call, the prime minister said Malaysia wants the Philippines’ commitment for collaboration in different areas such as trade and investment, considering the two nations’ “great
from the country.
“In the peak season we expect that the number of passengers here at NAIA will increase by 13 to 15%. Currently, we are at around 100,000 passengers daily. This is a combination of our arriving and departing passengers for both domestic and international operations,” Co said.
“When we say the peak season that will be around mid-December onwards until
"Yes, we discussed it (CIF) and Senator [Risa] Hontiveros already said that she hopes that the Senate amendment realigning hundreds of millions of CIF to other agencies will be sustained [by the bicameral conference committee]," Angara said.
“We did not cut their budget but just reallocated the funds to the agencies' maintenance and other operating expenses," the senator said.
Co said the House contingent to the bicam will stand firm on what he described as “non-negotiables” in next year’s national budget, which includes the country’s ongoing pandemic response and measures to curb inflation.
He said he expects a smooth bicameral conference on the country’s spending program for 2023, despite disagreeing provisions in their respective versions of the bill because they have a common agenda.
Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Friday assured the President and the nation that they would have a national budget before the end of the year.
The House leader made the assurance as the House of Representatives and the Senate started reconciling their versions of the proposed P5.268-trillion 2023 spending bill through a bicameral conference committee.
The House had passed the proposed budget for next year based on the National Expenditure Program, President Marcos’
booster shots, HTAC has yet to decide on when to give booster shots and is still waiting on the result of their clinical trials.
However, Vergeire said HTAC, the Food and Drug Administration, and other experts worked hard to generate evidence to show that vaccines are safe.
“So, I think there was really no one to blame. It’s unfair to blame the experts. They did their job. We did everything ex peditiously,” Vergeire said.
“It just so happened that evidence was really not that complete and our experts cannot be forced to decide if the evidence is not complete,” she added.
Of the 31.3 million doses, Vergeire said 24.4 million expired while 7 million doses were wasted due to operational causes such as temperature excursions, calami ties, and vials that were opened but not completely used.
Vergeire said that of the 24.4 million doses, 1.75 percent were procured by the government, 70 percent were procured by both the private sector and local govern ment units, and 10 percent to 15 percent were donations.
The Health undersecretary estimated that 1.75 percent of doses cost about P1.1 billion.
“If we look at it, the estimate of the price across the board, across all these vaccines, would be P500. It’s around P1.1 billion,” she said.
Vergeire said the regions that recorded the most vaccine wastage were Region 5, Region 3, the National Capital Region, Region 7, and the Bangsamoro Region.
Meanwhile, the Philippines’ COV ID-19 deaths have gone down to an aver age of 12 per day, the independent OCTA Research Group on Friday.
OCTA research fellow Guido David the seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths dropped from 38 on Oct. 21, to 12 on Nov. 21. (See full story online at ma nilastandard.net)
tradition” in the past.
The President said a strong partnership between the Philippines andMalaysia is important because of all the problems the two nations are facing.
“We have to really work together, otherwise, we will not able to get over this crisis of the inflation, of the agricultural commodities, all of that,” he told Anwar.
“I saw your statement that the economy will be your first priority.
And I found myself in the same position. So, we can – I think we can help each other, Malaysia and the Philippines,” Mr. Marcos said.
The President also told the Malaysian leader they have some commonality: they both “waited for a very, very long time” to get into the top position.
In response, Anwar said some in his social media team learned from the President’s expertise and strategy.
Anwar was sworn in as Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister Thursday, vowing to fight corruption and revive the Malaysian economy. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)
early January, the volume of passengers will rise by around 15%,” he added.
The MIAAofficial said there was also a rise in travels to domestic destinations following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
“When it comes to our domestic destinations, because we know that our domestic destinations have opened and travel restrictions have eased, domestic operations have surpassed our prepandemic or pre-2019 figures,” Co said.
“However, internationally, there are other markets or countries where movement is still restricted because of COVID-19, we are still at about 60 to 70% of our pre-pandemic international traffic when it comes to our travels in
version of the spending plan. The Senate approved its version this week.
Romualdez said the two chambers have enough time to come up with the reconciled version of the budget before they start their Christmas recess on Dece. 17.
“We have sufficient time; we will finally approve the budget before yearend. It is the most important tool in accomplishing the objectives of the President’s Agenda for Prosperity and his eight-point socioeconomic development plan,” Romualdez said.
“With this budget, which is the first full-year spending measure proposed by the President, we hope to sustain or even accelerate our economic growth, which should benefit all of our people,” Romualdez said.
He pointed out that the data for the first three quarters of the year “is very encouraging.”
“With economic expansion figures averaging 7.7 percent, we are on track to achieving the administration’s growth target for this year of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent,” Romualdez said.
Meanwhile, Angara said the government could grant health workers’ demands for higher pay if this can be sustained in the long term. Otherwise, he said, that it is like a false promise or false hope.
Health workers have been demanding a starting pay of P33,000 a month to keep up with rising prices.
From A1
war on illegal drugs, cited the sharp op position of law enforcement agencies to the bill, which he said he filed out of pity for those who were arrested and seeing the outcome of having congested jails.
A staunch human rights group backed Dela Rosa’s proposal on Friday.
“While this could be considered as a belated move, we fully welcome the pro posed legislation to decriminalize illegal drugs use,” the Free Legal Assistance Group through its chairman, Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, said in a social media post.
Diokno stressed that “drug addiction is a health problem that, according to ex perts, is addressed through rehabilitation and other humane means.”
But an anti-drugs advocacy group ex pressed its opposition to Dela Rosa’s mea sure, warning of its possible dangers to the community.
“The bill is good for the ears but it’s ac tually foolishness,” Laban ng Pamilyang Pilipino chairperson Jonathan Morales said to GMA News.
Morales said psychologists or psychia trists should take part in evaluating the proposed measure because they know the “state of mind” of drug users.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Dela Rosa said: “We felt pity for those who are crammed in jails. So, we want to decon gest these jails.
We thought that maybe we can decrim inalize illegal drug use.”
But his former colleagues in the coun try’s law enforcement agencies are against his proposal, saying it may send a wrong signal to the public that drug use is now permissible since no one would be put to jail for using it.
“So, I am now having second thoughts, being the proponent of the measure,” the senator said.
Dela Rosa also said he is consider ing the use of illegal drugs to be a men tal health problem and the mantra of the anti-narcotic agencies is to save the user by rehabilitating them, while drug pushers should be jailed.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer
From A1
Japan also constructed and renovated some health centers, including one in Caloocan City, Vergeire added.
"The Japanese government had been supporting us throughout this difficult sit uation we have right now and we are very much appreciative of that," Vergeire said.
Vergeire said the donations “will great ly boost the Philippines’ arsenal against COVID-19.”
“Through this, we can further expand our campaigns in order to reach more vul
other countries,” he added.
In a statement, Poe, the Senate public services committee chairperson, pointed out that lack of available public transportation would open the opportunity for fly-by-night and colorum vehicles to operate.
“For millions whose only option is to take the public transportation, public utility vehicles (PUVs) should be readily and safely accessible,” she said.
“The lack of PUVs could open the way for fly-by-night and other colorum vehicles that could jeopardize the safety of our riding public.” Macon RamosAraneta (See full story online at manilastandard.net)
Senator Risa Hontiveros noted that everybody deserves a wage increase during a crisis and inflation.
"It's high time that the government reviewed the position, classification, and compensation scheme for the health care workers from doctors until the barangay health and nutrition workers,” she said.
She said health care workers should rightfully be compensated while ensuring that wage gaps between and among public and private workers and in national and local settings are addressed.
During the budget deliberation, the DOH committed to ensuring full implementation of the mandated SG-15 (P 35,097) base pay for government nurses and to pay the benefits due to health care workers.
The House leadership assigned the following lawmakers as the chamber’s contingent to the bicam conference: Co, Quimbo, Reps. Ralph Recto, Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Mannix Dalipe, Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Jay-Jay Suarez, Neptali Gonzales II, Joboy Aquino II, Raul Angelo Bongalon, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Michael John Duavit, Marcelino Libanan and Edcel Lagman.
For the Senate, members of the bicam are composed of Senators Angara, Loren Legarda, Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos, Sherwin Gatchalian, Ronald Dela Rosa, Christopher Go, Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Francis Tolentino, Mark Villar, JV Ejercito, Alan Cayetano, Francis Escudero, and Jinggoy Estrada.
Diokno noted that many countries have already implemented such measures and were found to be effective.
Drug addiction cannot be resolved through violence and imprisonment, he stressed.
“Let us always remember that thou sands of deaths in the past administra tion’s bloody drug war have not solved the problem of illegal drugs, and we must continue to seek accountability for those responsible,” he said.
De La Rosa, chairman of the Senate public order and dangerous drugs com mittee, clarified that decriminalization of use of illegal drugs does not include il legal drugs pushing, manufacturing, and trafficking.
Morales, for his part, said there are cor ruption issues in some rehabilitation cen ters, as well as problems in management, administration, logistics, and monitoring in these facilities.
Patients who are paying receive privi leges and special treatment while staying in rehabilitation centers, according to Mo rales.
The Department of the Interior and Lo cal Government (DILG), meanwhile, re ported that agents have seized some P9.7 billion worth of illegal drugs since Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in July this year.
DILG secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. also announced that the National Police and other law enforcement agencies have conducted 18,505 anti-narcotics opera tions resulting in the arrest of 22,646 indi viduals engaged in drug dealing and other illegal activities during that period.
The agency will launch its new antiillegal drugs advocacy program dubbed as Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan or BIDA Program nationwide, in Quezon City and in key areas of the country today.
The BIDA Program is a nationwide anti-illegal drugs advocacy program in volving local government units, national government agencies, and other key sec tors of the society that will focus more on drug demand reduction and rehabilitation in the communities underscoring the role of drug enforcement agencies including the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bu reau of Investigation, and others.
nerable sectors of the population, contrib uting to our common goal of ending CO VID-19 globally," Vergeire stressed.
"Truly, this gesture of solidarity by Japan reflects our common ethosof building global communities and brings us one step closer to our shared aspira tion to win the fight against COVID-19," she noted.
The $2-million technical cooperation project, administered by the JICA, aims to assist the Philippines' vaccination pro gram. The project includes the provision of 600 refrigerated containers, two ve hicles with freezers, two plain vehicles, as well as webinars on usage and mainte
MORE Kadiwa outlets opened Friday at different locations in Metro Manila fol lowing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s simultaneous nationwide launch of the “Kadiwa ng Pasko” project in Mandaluy ong City last week.
Among the stores opened to serve the public were the Kadiwa outlets in Calo ocan City (Caloocan City Hall-South), Quezon City (VMMC Kadiwa Store, ADC Kadiwa Store-DA Central Office), Paranaque City (Petron station-Bgy. San Antonio, Paranaque City Hall), Pasig City (Petron Station-San Joaquin), Mandaluy ong City (Farmers Collectives, The Podi um, California Gardens Plaza), Las Piñas City (Shepherd Parish Manuela Pamplona 3, Southland Estate Town House), Makati City (Makati City Hall) and Cainta, Rizal (Liwasang Bayan).
In Caloocan City, the Kadiwa Store at the Caloocan City Hall C-Cube Complex is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Caloocan City officials said they want the public to consider locally produced prod ucts and expect the Kadiwa ng Pasko project could bring cheap but quality food and gifts.
Consumers can buy a kilo of rice for only P25 while sugar is at P70 per kilo, much cheaper than those being sold in pri vate stores and supermarkets.
The Kadiwa ng Pasko project of the Marcos administration is seen to benefit thousands of farmers and fisherfolk by providing them additional profits as well as local consumers amid rising prices of basic commodities. Vince Lopez
From A1
"It's just we are appealing to the public that if they need immediate management, they have options to go to other hospitals because of the queue in the emergency room,” she said.
The NKTI is currently strained with patients on dialysis, including those with leptospirosis and COVID-19.
Its charity and private rooms are also filled up, Liquete said.
The NKTI is tapping other hospitals such as the East Avenue Medical Center and Tala Hospital to accommodate other patients.
In the interview, Liquete said they are facing a shortage of nurses.
"We have applicants, but we have more nurses who are migrating or going abroad for greener pastures. I think that's also true for most hospitals, even in pri vate hospitals," she said.
Liquete also said they couldn't open the NKTI gymnasium to handle more patients due to a limited number of per sonnel.
“We have a lot of personnel who go on duty overtime. We make do because this is our work really,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.
In an earlier statement, the DOH said it was in close coordination with the NKTI to address the situation.
The agency has tasked a Health under secretary to assess the situation and to en sure incoming patients would be referred to nearby hospitals.
The DOH said the Philippine Na tional Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will deploy personnel to help augment the NKTI workforce.
This the DOH said after the NKTI ear lier this week revealed that its emergency room services have reached full capac ity with patients undergoing dialysis and with leptospirosis and COVID-19.
“What they really need is manpower, so we immediately called the PNP and AFP, and they immediately responded. They will deploy their health care cadre to the NKTI to help,” Vergeire told CNN Philippines.
Vergeire said other hospitals have also favorably responded to the DOH's request for assistance for the NKTI.
Vergeire said there is up to 80 percent occupancy at hospitals because of nonCOVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, though they are also see ing an increase in the positivity rate in the National Capital Region, Vergeire said this should not be used as the sole basis of analysis, saying it is skewed because it can be affected by many factors.
OCTA Research on Thursday said that NCR’s seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate jumped from 7.4 percent on Nov. 15 to 9.2 percent on Nov. 22.
nance.
The pandemic experience has shown the significance of vaccines not only for COVID-19 prevention, but also for dis ease prevention. Minister Nihei delivered Ambassador Koshikawa’s message.
“This collaboration with JICA on cold chain transport will ensure that vaccines are delivered across the country safely and efficiently while retaining their efficacy,” the envoy said.
The ambassador also described the donation as another milestone to JI CA’s more than 60 years of contribu tion to the Philippine healthcare sys tem. Willie Casas
THE Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) have begun talks on the pos sible exchange programs with countries who need healthcare workers.
The matter was discussed during Thursday’s meeting of President Fer dinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with the healthcare cluster of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), in which the Chief Executive reiterated the need to provide scholarships for nurses and other medical personnel, GMA News reported.
“So in turn we are going to propose that if we can provide them with these numbers that they need, they [would] provide us also, for example, scholar ships for a number of our healthcare workers here,” Vergeire said, quoted by the report. Willie Casas
Solon proposes new flyover in San Fernando
DEPUTY Speaker Aurelio Gonza les Jr. has proposed the construction of a flyover, estimated by the De partment of Public Works and High ways (DPWH) to cost between P2.7 billion and P3 billion, in the city of San Fernando, Pampanga’s capital.
“The four-lane overhead roadway will greatly ease the flow of traffic within and around San Fernando and neighboring towns, between San Fer nando and Angeles City, and between Pampanga and Nueva Ecija,” he said. It would accelerate the economic development of these local govern ment units, which have become bus tling growth areas in recent years, he said. Maricel V. Cruz
Climate agency holds global warming confab
THE Climate Change Commission on Friday highlighted the important role of the youth in coming up with con crete actions to address global warm ing and climate change in celebration of the 15th Global Warming and Cli mate Change Consciousness Week.
The activity dubbed “Kaalamang Klima: Climate Change Webinar Workshop for the Youth” was open to participants aged 18 to 30 yester day at the Novotel Manila in Cubao, Quezon City.
It was designed to facilitate knowledge exchange among the youth to further deepen understand ing on climate science, and encour age them to use their skills and energy to deliver effective climate action. Rio N. Araja
DEPUTY Speaker and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar has sought to institu tionalize a P10-billion fund to support needy Filipino families in the battle against cancer.
In filing House Bill 5686, the House leader recognized that cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines, and noted that fighting the dreaded disease can be draining for the Filipino families’ fi nances, especially for indigents and underprivileged.
“Considering that one of the goals of the national economy is a more equitable distribution of opportunities and rais ing the quality of life for all, especially the underprivileged, it is high time that those who are less in life be given the lifeline to fight the cancer disease de spite their lack of resources,” Villar ex plained. Maricel V. Cruz
THE CitizenWatch Philippines consumer rights advocacy group is calling on the government to collaborate with telcos and educational institutions to craft and implement a digital enablement strategy for Filipino workers and MSMEs.
“Investments in digital infrastructure will mean nothing if not complement ed by investments in digital enable ment,” said CitizenWatch Philippines co-convenor Orlando Oxales. “Ulti mately, end-users of the technology have to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and predisposition to adapt to the changing times.”
“Enabling Filipino workers and small businesses to digitally adapt is a way of empowering them and preparing them for the future,” Oxales added.
“Digital skills are life skills,” he said. “These days, whatever we do in our pro fessional and personal life has a compo nent of basic digital skills – inputting our transaction in the bank, booking a ride through an app, or attending a vir tual meeting.”
Oxales said that the collaboration should produce a roadmap on how peo ple and MSMEs can have the required skill sets to compete in a highly com petitive digital economy.
“We always say nobody should be left
behind; this is the perfect opportunity for the government to make good on that promise,” Oxales said.
Oxales also pointed out that the most successful digital economies are the ones who have implement ed digital skills strategies for their populations.
Another study, this time by the Asian Development Bank and LinkedIn, shows a similar pattern in the Asia-Pacific region, with 75% of employers reporting a rise in de mand for new hires with digital skills over the last five years. In the Phil ippines alone, 64% of employers are convinced of the same, and that six of the last 10 employees hired were required to have basic digital skills.
OFFICIALS of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday said that a “mass grave” might have been dug at the construction site inside the DOJ compound in Manila.
Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV made the statement after “three to five sets of skeletons were found barely on the surface.”
The remains were dug up on Nov. 24 at the ongoing excavation for the foundation for the DOJ library that will be erected.
According to Clavano, it was fo rensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, chairperson of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila Department of Pathology, who came up with the “mass grave” observation.
“As per her observations, para pong mass grave ang dating (it is like a mass grave),” he said.
“We can only speculate at this point but hopefully with the report that she’s going to make, we will get a clear picture of what’s going on,” he added.
The DOJ official ssaid the human skeletal remains unearthed were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for forensics examination.
“So, we expect a report from the NBI either today or early next week about the remains that we found,” he said.
Clavano said that Fortun advised the DOJ “not to touch the skeletal re mains that we find next time.”
He said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engi neers gave a report about the skeletal remains that were found.
reportedly
At
Villafuerte,
pose is to make trumped-up charges of bid riggings and then demanding hush money from the legit bidders.”
“We want to call your (Bonoan) attention … (these complaints were) provided to me, and under your leadership.. please attend to them. These complaints involving these companies for possible blacklisting or not,” said Villafuerte during the CA hearing.
THE Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) has inked a memorandum of agreement with the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng May nila (PLM) to offer a free, off-campus Master of Public Administration (MPA) program to its qualified employees.
OPS Officer-in-Charge Atty. Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil, MNSA and Undersec retary Marlon B. Purificacion, signed the agreement with PLM President Emma nuel A. Leyco, MA (Columbia Universi ty), MPA (Harvard University) and School of Government Dean Noemi C. Gocuyo on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 24, at the New Executive Building in Malacañang.
The ceremony was attended by OPS Undersecretaries Maria Pamela A. Pe droche (Administration, Finance, and
Procurement), Rowena M. Reformina (Broadcast Media Services and related agencies and GOCCs), Greggy N. Eu genio (Media Accreditation and Rela tions), and Atty. Eugene Henry C. Rod riguez (Operations, Plans, and Policies). Director-Designate for Special Concerns Benjamin R. Rosario also witnessed the signing of the agreement.
Fourteen OPS employees have so far applied to the program for Academic Year 2022 to 2023. Four personnel from the Bureau of Communications Services have also expressed their intent to join the graduate program.
Aspiring scholars should pass the require ments set by the OPS Human Resource De velopment Committee and the PLM.
SIX people, among them a policeman and a civilian, died in a shootout between law enforcers and suspected holdupmen in M’lang, Cotabato on Wednesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.
PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Az urin Jr. said the police were still conducting hot pursuit operations against eight suspects who escaped during the gunbattle.
“Ongoing ang hot pursuit operation natin. Patuloy ang paghahabol ng ating kapulisan sa walong pang suspects na nagholdap sa bakery at (eatery),” Az urin told reporters.
Killed were four suspects, Sgt. Rudy
Amihan, 51, and a certain Jack Gumi lao, a civilian.
Azurin Jr. vowed to expedite the re lease of all benefits due Amihan.
The four other fatalities who were suspected members of the holdup group, remained unidentified.
Police said two other police officers and two civilians were wounded.
Police said 12 armed men barged into
SIX more communist rebels were report ed killed on Thursday, bringing to 12 the number of insurgents slain in encounters with Army troopers in Northern Samar and Sultan Kudarat provinces.
The six fatalities were believed mem bers of the East Daguma Front of the South Mindanao Region under Dennis Dulonan, executive committee member and deputy secretary of the group. It was not clear if Dulonan was killed in the clash.
Records showed that Dulonan has a standing warrant of arrest for arson and frustrated murder.
Army Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, com mander of Task Force Central, said the killing of the six insurgents was the result of the series of encounters at Sitios Sandi gan and Mudti in Bgumbayan town.
Galido said the rebels were pinned
down by elements of the 7th Infantry Battalion commanded by Lt. Col. Fred erick Chicote of the 603rd Brigade.
“The recent encounter exemplifies that the communist terrorist group ca pabilities are significantly degraded,” Galido said.
Recovered from the scene of the en counter were a Russian made AK47 rifle, three M16 rifles, magazines, and personal belongings of the insurgents.
“Rest assured that we will sustain our current campaign and strenghten our partnership with all stakeholders to destroy the remaining threat groups who refuse to return to the folds of the law,” said Western Command acting chief, Marine Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas.
Last Wednesday, six rebels from the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Com mittee under Helenita Pardales were also slain in a clash in Barangay Imelda in Las Navas town, Northern Samar.
the bakery in Barangay Bagontapay on Wednesday afternoon and took some P17,000 in cash of the store’s earnings.
The suspects shot two customers, Gumilao and Jose Patlubay.
The robbers fled and split into groups when they saw a checkpoint operation in Barangay Gaunan, ac cording to the police.
M’lang police encountered some sus pects at Sitio Quitos, Barangay Dugong, resulting in an exchange of gunfire where two of the suspects were killed.
Another police team encountered two other suspects in Purok 9, Baran gay Sangat where Amihan was fatally
shot in the chest.
The two suspects were killed while trying to flee from the area.
Recovered from the suspects who died in Barangay Dugong were a calib er .45 pistol with a magazine, a caliber. 45 colt M1911a1 with a magazine, and cash amounting to P1,200, according to the police.
Also recovered from the deceased suspects in Barangay Sangat were a Para (Pistol) 1941 with a steel maga zine; a colt.45 with a steel magazine, two pieces steel magazine for .45 ca liber, and cash amounting to Php1,620, the police added.
THE Philippine National Police is keeping track of cases filed against PNP personnel amid reports that some police officers have gone into hiding after being charged in court.
Speaking to ANC’s Rundown, PNP spokesperson Jean Fajardo confirmed some police officers have gone AWOL after cases were filed against them.
“If in case there are arrest warrants issued against them, you can be as sured that the PNP will help in locat ing these PNP personnel who went AWOL and bring them to the jurisdic tion of the court once they are locat ed,” she said.
Asked if the conviction of a Caloo can cop for the torture and killing of 2 teenagers is an “isolated incident of justice” amid the thousands of killings during the drug war, she said the po lice force is constantly reviewing its strategies and will follow what is writ ten in PNP policies.
“We should also consider the bal looning number of cases clogging our dockets. We really cannot control the progress of these cases,” she said.
A Manila court found earlier this month that police officers Jefrey Perez and Ricky Arquilita tortured 2 teenagers in 2017. The officers also planted a weapon and drugs on one of the victims.
Caloocan cop convicted of planting evidence, torturing teenage drug war victims Carl Arnaiz, KulotThe teens -- Reynaldo De Guzman, 14, and Carl Arnaiz, 19 -- were later killed by the same officers, the court said.
Perez was jailed for life for planting evidence and given a minimum sen tence of 20 years for torture, accord ing to the court ruling.
Arquilita died during the trial. During his 6-year term, which end ed in June, President Duterte openly ordered police to shoot dead drug sus pects if officers’ lives were in danger.
THE Department of the Interior and Lo cal Government (DILG) has ordered the police in Pandag town, Maguindanao province to maintain status quo to avoid further aggravating the tense situation due to a political feud between two re lated families.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., in a talk with reporters in Camp Crame, said
DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has ordered the Pandag police to “main tain the status quo” in the town’s peace and order situation.
“We received guidance from our SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government) to maintain a status quo para hindi sila magkasakitan doon. Kasi magkakamag-anak naman ang mga ‘yan, medyo siguro mga support
ers lang nila ang mainit. Nagkakaintin dihan naman ang magkakamag-anak,” Azurin said.
“I think the politicians involved won’t clash, our worry is their supporters,” the PNP chief added.
Azurin clarified that the volatile situ ation in Pandag was not a hostage crisis.
“Ang nangyari diyan is nagkaroon lamang po ng tensiyon between cous
ins because we have conflicting reso lution coming from Comelec (Com mission on Elections) and coming from the RTC,” said Azurin, referring to the reported entry of Governor Bai Mariam-Sangki Mangudadatu at the mayor’s office of Pandag, where Vice Mayor Zihan Mangudadatu was hold ing office,” Azurin explained.
Zihan is the acting mayor of the town.
“We will intensify our efforts to achieve the objectives and measures in the remaining Horizons 2 and 3 of our modernization program. But while we acquire new assets, our plans should emphasize the complementing requirements of logistics support sys tems, transfer of technology, among others,” Adaci said in his remarks after assuming command of the Phil ippine Navy at the command’s head quarters in Manila on Thursday.
The Armed Forces of the Philip pines A(AFP) Modernization Pro gram Horizon 2 is scheduled from 2018 to 2022 while Horizon 3 is from 2023 to 2028.
Horizon 2 and 3 are geared toward the acquisition of more external defense equipment and platforms for the AFP.
“Moreover we will build on the gains of previous leadership, it is our priority to continue sustaining our modernization program, the acquisi tion of hardware, and strengthening the fields of specialization of our per sonnel among others,” Adaci said.
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
SENATOR
Go
By Rey E. Requejo
In a statement, the SC’s Public Information
said Justice Bruselas delivered a lecture entitled
Bruselas discussed judicial appointments and inde pendence, including the processes and nuances involved in the process.
Among the key points presented by Justice Bruselas were “the emerging situation amongst a number of states reflect a discernible departure from executive and legislative domi nance” and the development in judicial appointments seems to be towards a diminished participation in the judicial ap pointments posited by these two branches of government.
burdens – sickness, the stigmata, questioning from the Church – with love for Christ.
Padre Pio found a way to draw near to Christ in his suffering, as reflected in his famous words: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is mer ciful and will hear your prayer.”
He believed that being “on” the cross with Jesus was better than simply contemplating Jesus from a distance.
THE Gospel of Matthew tomorrow, the First Sunday of Advent, speaks of Jesus warning his disciples to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man.
As Jesus narrates, in the days of Noah, just as in the coming of the Son of Man, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and carried them all away.
The Scripture commands the disciples of Christ to always be vigilant – prepared – for you know not when the Messiah is coming.
The Lord is the master of the house who does not announce his coming.
As in the Gospel reading, the wise servant does not await for the Master to announce his coming but is always ready at any time for his arrival.
One such wise servant is Padre Pio, a perfect ex ample of what total surrender to God’s will means.
Afflicted with so much sickness and suffering ear ly in life, Padre Pio had to contend with relentless and unceasing physical and moral assaults from the devil.
Born May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, as Fran cesco Forgione, Padre Pio devoted himself to God at a very young age.
Even in his tender years, Francesco had intimate encounters with the supernatural, when he experi enced ecstasies and apparitions by age 4 or 5 which Francesco thought were common human experi ences.
When Francesco became a Capuchin Friar in January 1903 at the age of 16, his health condition deteriorated.
He could barely eat and was only able to drink minimal amounts of water. Despite his poor health, the bishop ordained Pio on August 10, 1910.
At 23, Brother Pio became Father Pio, or in Italian, Padre Pio, as we know him today. He eventually moved to a monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1917 after he became sick with tuberculosis, and this is where he lived until his death on September 23, 1968.
One day in September 1918, Padre Pio received a miraculous vision: he saw someone with Christ’s crucifixion wounds.
After the vision, Pio realized he was physically dripping with blood – he had received the stigmata.
Stigmata are the five wounds of Christ replicated in the human body. Padre Pio tried to keep it a se cret, but word spread about his reception of Christ’s wounds.
Through Padre Pio, God performed hundreds and hundreds of miracles, curing people of all kinds of sicknesses.
Pio passed away in 1968, was beatified in 1999, and soon canonized in 2002 by Saint Pope John Paul II.
The latter extolled Pio’s willingness to embrace the yoke of Christ; how the saint carried his many
Pio also said: “Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips, but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions, you should only speak to Him with your heart.”
As in the Gospel reading, the wise servant does not await for the Master to announce his coming but is always ready at any time for his arrival
John Paul II said in his homily that Pio inspires us to draw closer to God in our daily lives even through our challenges:
“In fact, the ultimate reason for the apostolic effec tiveness of Padre Pio, the profound root of so much spiritual fruitfulness can be found in that intimate and constant union with God, attested to by his long hours spent in prayer and in the confessional . . . Padre Pio was a generous dispenser of divine mercy, making himself available to all by welcoming them, by spiri tual direction and, especially, by the administration of the sacrament of Penance.”
Padre Pio was a vessel for God’s love in his life time on earth, John Paul II concluded.
These last six months, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in June, sickness and suffering, and, yes, death, have been foremost on my mind.
I plan my life now around four-month cycles (based on the semesters of the schools I am teaching in Manila and Mindanao), hoping that the next round of tests will signal I can still live an active life as a leader, teacher, thinker, and advocate.
But I am ready also to wind down my affairs anytime and accept the plan of God as that is always good.
We are sentinels of this world, watchpersons in the night.
As Psalm 127 reminds us: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Un less the LORD guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain.”
This Advent season, I pray that I too will be a ves sel for God’s love in my lifetime on earth.
Website: tonylavina.com.
Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs
THERE was this story about a young chess player from Albay who allegedly had to sleep for three days at the airport’s benches because of lack of funds after arriving from a competition in Bangkok, Thailand where he won gold, silver, and two bronze medals.
Worse, according to the story posted on social media, he had to travel to Thailand ahead of his father due to limited funds, resulting in his losses in the first few games, before finally recovering his bear ing when his father arrived to assist him.
The story and claims were posted on social media, eliciting praise for the kid. While some were quick to direct their an ger on the government.
“Tapos pag nanalo bunying bunyi ang gobyerno pero wala man lang sapat na tulong. Di na ako magtataka if another country offers citizenship and good life to the boy’s family.
Bansang mayabang pero walang alam sa pag aalaga ng kanyang mamamayan, dahil mga trapong gahaman wagas mag payaman galing sa kaban ng bayan,” post ed someone who acted like he had a direct knowledge of the event that took place.
SHOCKED by a recent spate of teen suicides, sha mans in the Colombian Amazon placed their remote Indigenous village under a three-week “quarantine” without alcohol, football or music.
The move was meant to cleanse the settlement of “evil spirits” blamed on Western vices intruding and tempting Indigenous youth away from their ancestral values.
“I lost my son, my only son,” shaman Ivan An garita, 40, told AFP in the town of Arara, home to 1,200 inhabitants who are members of the Tikuna Indigenous group or “Water People” as they call themselves.
“One Sunday he encountered the evil spirits, the next day he was found hanging from a branch,” An garita said of his son’s suicide at age 18. After the loss of his son as well as his brother-inlaw to suicide, Angarita was an enthusiastic supporter of the unusual bid to purge his village of “evil” influ ences.
The quarantine began on September 5 with a spe cial night-long ritual involving tobacco smoking and sipping on flower-infused water.
The ceremony to expel malevolent spirits was fol lowed by 20 days of abstention from what are viewed here as “Western” distractions.
Arara is about 25 kilometers (16 miles) by car from the largest nearby town, Leticia, and another hour of walking through thick jungle.
A week before the ceremony, a teenaged girl and a shaman in Arara took their lives one after the other — the latest victims in a suicide spree for which there is no official tally.
“The young people are leaving us,” said Loida Angel Ruiz, a 53-year-old teacher from San Martin de Amacayacu, another Tikuna village affected by the scourge.
“They hang themselves, shoot themselves, poison themselves and they die that way because they cannot find a way out,” she told AFP.
Community leaders also highlight the influence of alcoholism and drug addiction in an area so close to the border with coca-growing Peru.
‘Neither here nor there’
In the Colombian Amazon, 58 percent of its inhab itants Indigenous, the suicide rate in 2021 was 9.87 per 100,000 inhabitants — almost double the national average, according to the national forensic authority.
According to the World Health Organization, one in every 100 deaths in the world are due to suicide.
Among Indigenous communities, a higher-thanaverage rate has also been registered in Brazil, Peru and French Guyana.
The Tikuna dwell in Amazon areas of Brazil, Co lombia and Peru and comprise the most populous tribe in the Amazon.
Experts point to a weakening of traditional cus toms and values, discrimination and disappointment experienced by youngsters setting off in search of a better life in the cities, and violent environments and a lack of opportunities back home.
Many never manage to find work after graduating and are obliged to return home without knowing how to fish or farm and having to fight attempts to force them into traditional arranged marriages
“The kids see themselves neither here nor there, and that causes a number of frustrations,” said Tania Martinez, a psychologist and professor at the Nation al University of Colombia in Leticia.
It starts at a young age, she said, when children from remote communities move to boarding schools in larger towns where discrimination against them is rife.
Many never manage to find work after graduating and are obliged to return home without knowing how to fish or farm and having to fight attempts to force them into traditional arranged marriages.
“There is a fracture of the bond not only between children and parents but also at the level of family and community,” said Martinez.
“And community is where the support network is.”
Arara resident Abel Santos, 50, told AFP suicide was rare in the village until about 10 years ago, then “sporadic” until the coronavirus pandemic struck and it became more common.
“Many of these suicides are related to sexual abuse, domestic violence, also with homosexual ity they have to suppress because they are afraid or ashamed,” added Martinez. AFP
THE US did not anticipate China to emerge as a global power to reckon with in the next century.
It took much time for the US to analyze the strategic value of the islands like the Spratly Group of Islands that deprived the Philippines of its 12-nautical mile-limit on the territorial waters under international law.
The 12-nautical mile-limit was superseded by the grant of 200-nautical-mile exclusive econom ic zone under UNCLOS.
This includes the sovereign right to exploit, develop and harvest the mineral resources within the EEZ.
Previous to this, then senator Arturo Tolentino sponsored in 1973 the archipelagic doctrine para phrased in the 1973 constitution, to quote in part Article I:
“The national territory comprises the Philip pine archipelago with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or juris diction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including the territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and sub marine areas. The waters, around and connecting the islands of the archipelago, irrespective of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.”
We opted to demarcate our boundary because many of boundaries were so wide that it allowed foreign ships to traverse our internal waters, thinking that they form part of our open sea.
Indonesia is another country that adopted the archipelagic doctrine, and, just like the Philip pines, also ratified the UNCLOS.
Today, the value of these resources has be come and strategic, reason why the Philippines found so many claimants that were never antici pated. These countries include Vietnam, Malay sia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
The mad scramble to secure ownership in the South China Sea became complicated after the UNCLOS was ratified in 1984.
Existing boundaries and treaty limitations were likewise altered.
The discovery of oil and natural gas is the sin gle factor that influenced a change of position of many countries having claims in the South China Sea.
They do not only use it as passageway to cross the Strait of Malacca but also to secure to secure their trade.
The problem of expanding every country’s exclusive economic zone visibly influenced the decision of the Philippines to grant license to service contractors to exploit mineral resources found within our EEZ.
The grant of service contract at 60-40 proposi tion is in accordance with Section 2, Article XII of the Constitution, and to quote a portion: “Section 2. All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and
The story is now being debunked by officials of the organization that sent the player to the Thailand competition – the National Chess Federation of the Philip pines.
The story is now being debunked by officials of the organization that sent the player to the Thailand competition – the National Chess Federation of the Philippines
Jayson Gonzales of the NCFP said it was impossible for Bince Operiano and other members of the delegation to be stuck at the airport because they have a guardian from the federation to assist them and would surely usher them to the nearest hotel if they needed to stay over night.
“Itong mga sinasabing hindi tinulungan at natulog sa airport ng tatlong araw, ay hindi totoo. Dahil may schedule ang tour nament ng mga bata,” said Gonzales.
What really happened? Why netizens were really so quick to react and lay down judgment without making further investi gation?
fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State.
The State may directly undertake such activi ties, or it may enter into co-production, joint venture, or production-sharing agreements with Filipino citizens, or corporations or asso ciations at least sixty per centum of whose cap ital is owned by such citizens. Such agreements may be for a period not exceeding twenty-five years, renewable for not more than twenty-five years, and under such terms and conditions as may be provided by law. In cases of water rights for irrigation, water supply for fisheries, or industrial uses other than the development of water power, beneficial use may be the mea sure and limit of the grant.
The Philippines should have asserted jurisdiction over the area when the US was using the Shoal as gunnery range for its aircraft and naval ships operating from Clark and Subic
“The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens. x x x“
Service contracts, strictly speaking, are demar cated outside the Treaty of Paris signed between the US and Spain.
China is aware of this situation but refused to make an issue over this area and is possibly wondering why the Philippines granted the ex ploration to foreign oil companies to which it has no claim over the area except as member of UNCLOS.
This explains why China was generous to sign the 60-40 agreement because their claim is only on the basis of the Nine Dash Line which was rejected by the Permanent Arbitration Court but violates our contract with China’s CNOOC.
China has yet to question our awarding of the service contracts entered into with those private foreign oil contractors.
CNOOC would have ignored our contract with those private oil companies.
The benefits they enjoy today are merely de rived from those granted to PNOC by China’s CNOOC, and not that CNOOC directly negoti ated with these foreign oil companies, contrary to the substance of a government-to-government contract agreed on by PNOC and CNOOC.
Thus, when we entered into a joint exploration agreement with China, we insisted in concluding an agreement based on our Constitution on a 60-
This tells us to be more responsible with the use of social media. But what this tells us more is how social media can be used to peddle influence, whether it’s true or not.
Now the Philippine Sports Commis sion wants to know further.
PSC Commissioner Noli Eala said they will invite the player and his parents for a discussion. And if help is really necessary, they are ready to assist in nurturing his tal ent and help him achieve more.
The kid is not yet a member of the Phil ippine national team but he was among 24 others recommended to be supported by the commission. And he’s bound to get more when Eala meets them.
“The PSC is here to assist our athletes within the bounds of existing policies and guidelines. We are also coordinating with the National Chess Federation of the Philippines to discuss what assistance has been given by the NCFP to Bince so far, and how their NSA and the PSC can part ner to further develop this gifted athlete,” added Eala.
This should not send a wrong signal that those who can make noise on social media will get the focus of attention from the government or private supporters.
There are other talented young athletes out there who were silently making the country proud.
If there’s any help coming, it should be for everyone who truly deserves it. Yes, including the young chess wizard Operi ano.
40 basis.
We managed to negotiate this agreement with China despite questionable location of the area known as the Reed Bank. We insisted that the area is within our EEZ.
Nonetheless, China did not make a fuss out of the issue for the fact that it is outside both coun tries’ EEZ and both ratified the UNCLOS agree ment.
Foreign oil companies cannot take this posi tion because the 60-40 oil agreement applies to the government.
Our joint exploration agreement with China was a government-to-government basis, meaning it will be our Philippine National Oil Company that will enter into contract with China’s National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).
China’s decision to agree to a 60-40 partition was with the thought they were dealing with a government-owned entity.
Unlike our previous agreements with the two foreign oil companies, Chevron and Shell, they granted them a 90 percent share, and the Philip pines, through PNOC, got a measly share of 10 percent including the payment of tax for the proj ect.
Our joint oil exploration with China was equi table and complies with our Constitution. Note that our ratification of UNCLOS allowed us to lay our claim in the South China Sea.
Many countries, even if they were outside the South China Sea, practically amended their ter ritorial seas to avail themselves of the new provi sion of the EEZ.
Only landlocked states today could not avail themselves of this extended right including right of aerial overflight with permission from host countries.
This also exposed the truth that the so-called “Freedomland” allegedly discovered by Tomas Cloma turned out to be ancient historical islets long in the possession of Chinese fishermen.
Moreover, the standoff between our navy and elements of China’s coast guard at the Scarborough Shoal proved that the area is outside of the country’s exclusive EEZ’s 200 nautical miles.
Scarborough Shoal is about 230 nautical miles from out nearest town of Botolan in Zambales, and about 650 kilometres from the nearest land mass in China.
Many do not understand why we have to wait until such time that China would lay claim to Scarborough or specifically after the Philippines formally filed a case before the Permanent Arbi tration Court in 2014.
The Philippines should have asserted jurisdic tion over the area when the US was using the Shoal as gunnery range for its aircraft and naval ships operating from Clark and Subic.
The US could have asserted its preponderance in the area when the US bases were still operat ing them.
Similarly, the US should have revoked the Sibutu Strait as an international passage in 1900. Alas, the US slept on it rights. We even lost an island in near the Kalayaan. The largest in the Spratly is about 22 miles (35 km) south-southwest of Philippine-occupied Loaita (Kota) Island and is about 6 miles (10 km) west of Vietnam-occupied Sand Cay.
The World Health Organization has warned of “life-threatening” consequences and estimated that millions could leave their homes as a result.
“The situation with electricity remains difficult in almost all regions,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday evening. “However, we are gradually moving away from blackouts -- every hour we return power to new consumers.”
More than 24 hours after Russian strikes smashed Kyiv, mayor Vitali Klitschko said late Thursday that 60 percent of homes in the capital were still suffering emergency outages. Water services had been fully restored however, said city officials.
But the shelling had killed seven people at Vyshgorod, on the outskirts of the city, said Oleksiy Kuleba, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration.
And a fresh round of strikes Thursday killed
YIV—Ukraine battled Friday to get water and power to millions of people cut off after Russia launched dozens of cruise missiles that battered the country’s already crippled electricity grid.at least four people in the southern city of Kherson, recently recaptured by Ukraine, said a senior official there.
The latest attacks on the power grid come with winter setting in and temperatures in the capital hovering just above freezing.
The western region of Khmelnytsky was one of the worst affected by power outages, with just 35 percent of its normal capacity, but that was enough to connect critical infrastructure, according to Serhii Hamaliy, the head of the regional administration.
About 300,000 residents in the eastern Kharkiv region, near the border with Russia, were still without power on Thursday evening, but electricity supply had been restored for nearly 70 percent of consumers, said Oleh Synehubov of the regional military administration.
“We’ve restarted power supplies,” said Igor Terekhov, mayor of Kharkiv city, adding that water was being restored to homes and municipal workers were reconnecting public transport.
“Believe me, it was very difficult.”
Ukraine accused Russian forces of launching around 70 cruise missiles as well as drones in attacks that left 10 dead and around 50 wounded.
But Russia’s defence ministry denied striking any
“Not a single strike was made on targets within the city of Kyiv,” it said. AFP
ON THE MOVE. Health workers in personal protective equipment (PPE) carrying COVID-19 coronavirus testing swabs and tubes are seen on bicycles along a street in Beijing on November 24. AFP
UN rights body orders Iran crackdown probe
GENEVA -- The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday condemned Iran’s repression of peaceful demonstrators following the death of Mahsa Amini and voted to create a high-level investigation into the deadly crackdown.
Quezon
RESOLUTION No. : 2022-15 Date : NOV. 11, 2022
SUBJECT: Commission on Appointments (CA) Memorandum Circular No. 2022-001 (s. 2022), as amended, re: Guidelines on the Grant, Utilization, and Liquidation of Cash Advances of the Offices of the Commission on Appointments Members
WHEREAS, the Commission on Appointments (CA) has the constitutional mandate to approve and disapprove appointments made by the President of the Philippines as part of the mechanism of checks and balances in the government;
WHEREAS, in performing its functions, the CA engages in activities and transactions which are highly peculiar and different from the common or routinary governmental processes and transactions involving expenditure of public funds;
WHEREAS, to effectively and efficiently perform its functions, the CA promulgated Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-001 (s. 2022), as amended, providing guidelines in the grant of budget and liquidation of cash advances of the Offices of the CA Members;
WHEREAS, in a letter dated September 15, 2022, the Honorable Senate President and CA Chairperson Juan Miguel F. Zubiri submitted CA MC No. 2022001 (s. 2022), as amended, for consideration of the COA as guide in the audit of transactions of the CA.
WHEREAS, under Section 2 (2), Section IX-D of the 1987 Constitution, the Commission on Audit has the exclusive authority to define the scope of its audit and examination, establish the techniques and methods required therefor, and promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations, including those for the prevention and disallowance of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant or unconscionable expenditures, or uses of government funds and properties;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission Proper RESOLVES, as it does hereby RESOLVE, to adopt the guidelines contained in CA MC No. 2022-001 (s. 2022), as amended in the audit of the Grant, Utilization, and Liquidation of Cash Advances of the Offices of the Commission on Appointments Members.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that CA MC No. 2022-001 (s. 2022), as amended, shall apply only to the transactions of the current CA composed of members of the Nineteenth Congress; and
RESOLVED FINALLY, that the guidelines shall be subject to periodic review by this Commission, and the COA reserves its right to amend or repeal the guidelines, with prior notice to the CA.
This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE this 11th day of November 2022, in Quezon City, Philippines.
Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON AUDIT Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
No. : 2022-14 Date : NOV. 11, 2022
SUBJECT: Committee on Accounts Circular No. 2022-001 of the Senate of the Philippines providing for the Guidelines on the Budgetary Allocation of the Senate of the Philippines for the Office of Senate Officers, Office of Senators, Senator’s Office of Committees A and B, including the Grant, Utilization, and Liquidation of Cash Advances
WHEREAS, in the performance of its legislative functions and investigatory authority in aid of legislation, the Senate of the Philippines conducts public hearings and consultations concerning issues of national security, political, economic and social significance with the proper government offices, and the various sectors and special interest groups affected thereby;
WHEREAS, in performing its functions, the Senate of the Philippines engages in activities and transactions which are highly peculiar and different from the common or routinary governmental processes and transactions involving expenditure of public funds;
WHEREAS, to effectively and efficiently perform its functions, the Senate of the Philippines promulgated Committee on Accounts Circular No. 2022-001, providing for the guidelines on the budgetary allocation of the Senate of the Philippines for the Office of Senate Officers, Office of Senators, Senator’s Office of Committees A and B, including the grant, utilization, and liquidation of cash advances;
WHEREAS, in a letter dated September 29, 2022, Senate President Juan Miguel F. Zubiri submitted Committee on Accounts Circular No. 2022-001, for consideration of the Commission on Audit (COA) as guide in the audit of transactions of the Senate of the Philippines.
WHEREAS, under Section 2 (2), Section IX-D of the 1987 Constitution, the Commission on Audit has the exclusive authority to define the scope of its audit and examination, establish the techniques and methods required therefor, and promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations, including those for the prevention and disallowance of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant or unconscionable expenditures, or uses of government funds and properties;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission Proper RESOLVES, as it does hereby RESOLVE, to adopt the guidelines contained in Committee on Accounts Circular No. 2022-001, as amended, in the audit of the Budgetary Allocation and Utilization of the Senate of the Philippines for the Office of Senate Officers, Office of Senators, Senator’s Office of Committees A and B, including the Grant, Utilization, and Liquidation of Cash Advances, subject to the incorporation of the comments submitted by this Commission to the Senate Committee on Accounts.
RESOLVED FURTHER, that cash advances for MOOE/OMOE should not entirely be liquidated through “Certification”;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that Committee on Accounts Circular No. 2022-001, as amended, shall apply only to the transactions of the current Senate of the Nineteenth Congress; and
RESOLVED FINALLY, that the guidelines shall be subject to periodic review by this Commission, and the COA reserves its right to amend or repeal the guidelines, with prior notice to the Senate of the Philippines.
This Resolution shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
DONE this 11th day of November 2022, in Quezon City, Philippines.
A. CORDOBA ChairpersonDespite heavy lobbying by Tehran and a last-minute effort by China to undercut the resolution, a broader-than-expected majority of the 47-member council backed launching a probe of Iran’s response to the ongoing protests.
Thunderous applause erupted when the resolution passed with 25 votes in favour, 16 abstaining and only six countries -- Armenia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Pakistan, and Venezuela -- opposed.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken hailed the vote, saying it showed the top UN rights body “recognises the gravity of the situation in Iran.”
“The fact-fi nding mission established today will help ensure that those engaged in the ongoing violent suppression of Iranian people are identifi ed and their actions documented,”
he said in a statement.
The vote came at the end of an urgent session requested by Germany and Iceland with the backing of 50 countries to discuss the situation in Iran, rocked by two months of protests.
Those demonstrations were sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Amini, after she was arrested for an alleged breach of the country’s strict dress rules for women based on Islamic sharia law.
Footballer arrested Iranian authorities have grown increasingly heavy-handed in their response to the demonstrations as they have spread across the country and swelled into a broad movement against the theocracy that has ruled Iran since 1979.
During Thursday’s session, UN rights chief Volker Turk insisted that “the unnecessary and disproportionate use of force must come to an end.”
Turk, who told reporters he had offered to visit Iran but had received no response from Tehran, said more than 300 people had been killed since Amini’s death. AFP
IN BRIEF
Staff in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland -- —but not Scotland—will walk out on December 15 and 20, after the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union said the government had turned down an offer of negotiations.
It will be the latest industrial action in Britain, where decades-high inflation and a cost-of-living crisis has prompted staff in various sectors to demand pay rises to keep up with spiraling prices.
The nurses’ strike will be sandwiched between the first of a series of two-day walkouts by national railway workers, while postal service employees will stage fresh stoppages in the run-up to Christmas.
Numerous other public and private sector staff, from lawyers to airport ground personnel, have also held strikes this year.
“Nursing staff have had enough of being taken for granted, enough of low pay and unsafe staffing levels, enough of not being able to give our patients the care they deserve,” said RCN head Pat Cullen.
The union, which wants a pay rise significantly above inflation, announced earlier this month that a ballot of its more than 300,000 members had found a majority in favour of strikes. AFP
HK cardinal, 6 guilty of protest fund
Five of the group were fined HK$4,000 (US$500) for the crime of failing to properly register the fund as a society, while a sixth got a smaller fine.
Cardinal Joseph Zen, one of Asia’s highest-ranking Catholics, is among the scores of veteran activists facing legal threats as China stamps out protest in the former British colony.
The six were arrested under sweeping national security legislation that Beijing imposed in 2020, a year after the outbreak of huge and often violent protests.
They are yet to face charges under that law, which can carry a sentence of up to life in jail.
ROLAND C. PONDOC CommissionerAmong Zen’s co-convicted on Friday were activist and singer Denise Ho, and veteran human rights barrister Margaret Ng.
All had pleaded not guilty, setting up a two-month trial.
On Friday, magistrate Ada Yim found “the only and irresistible inference” was that the fund was a “local society” and so subject to the rules. AFP
STOCKS rose for a fourth day, sending the benchmark index above the 6,600 mark on hopes the US Fedederal Reserve will tone down its monetary tightening campaign.
The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, gained 76 points, or 1.2 percent, to close at 6,606.94 Friday, as five of the six subsectors advanced.
The broader all-share index also went up 30 points, or 0.9 percent, to settle at 3,452.44 on a value turnover of P7.1 billion. Advancers led losers, 100 to 69, while 42 issues were unchanged.
Seven of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by PLDT Inc. which climbed 4.1 percent to P1,665.00 and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. which rose 3.6 percent to P56.15. Bank of the Philippine Islands added 3.1 percent to finish at P102.10.
The mood across markets picked up this month as a series of indicators suggested the US economy, the world’s largest, was showing signs of weakness after the Federal Reserve ramped up interest rates.
MAXWEALTH Infinity Holdings chief executive Alfonso Huang is proactive about uplifting the lives of marginalized Filipinos.
Under his leadership, the company has been working with local government units to ensure that families in underprivileged communities have access to basic necessities, through donations of food packs and school supplies.
Huang recently worked with the government to bring much-needed aid to families affected or displaced by Typhoon Paeng (international name: Nalgae), which brought flash floods and landslides as it swept through the Philippines in October.
Maxwealth Infinity donated 7,000 sacks of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development as relief aid for the families affected by the typhoon. Simple turnover rites were held on Nov. 11 at the DWSD National Resource Operations Center for the 350,000 kilograms of rice that will be distributed by the Department to typhoon victims in hard- hit localities.
“Through our corporate social responsibility efforts, we are committed to doing our part in nation-building. We want to help Filipinos enjoy a better quality of life by supporting efforts towards food security and education. These, we believe, are two of the basic building blocks of a progressive and inclusive society,” said Huang.
INSURANCE firm BPI AIA, formerly BPIPhilam, introduced “PamilyaProtect”—a life insurance protection designed for everyone in mind. Available via Facebook Messenger, PamilyaProtect is a health, life and accident insurance plan rolled into one to give the whole family the peace of mind they need right now.
“We have always pushed to offer protection products that were inclusive, allowing people from all walks of life to be able to get it quickly and affordably. More and more people need this protection daily. As our mission states, ‘we make sure that insurance is easy to get and easy to have for every Filipino, no matter what class they belong to.’ With PamilyaProtect, that has become reality. Now, insurance is for everyone,” said BPI AIA chief executive Surendra Menon.
The company said for less than P500 a month, a policyholder can insure themselves for as much as P2 million, with a hospital income benefit for the main insured at P1,000 per day of confinement due to sickness or accident and accidental death, dismemberment and disablement benefit. The coverage can also be extended to loved ones, including parents, a spouse or partner, children, or siblings, making it perfect for singles, couples, single parents and even overseas Filipinos.
UNION Bank of the Philippines, one of the country’s largest lenders, said Friday it raised $358 million through a threeyear syndicated loan facility.
It said that despite the prevailing market uncertainty and volatility, the syndicated financing was well-received, with an overwhelming response during syndication, and attracted 15 lenders.
The facility was upsized to $358 million, or almost 2.5 times the original launch size of $150 million.
UnionBank said the proceeds would be used to refinance maturing US dollar loan and existing US dollar bonds and fund its general corporate purposes.
“This shows how UnionBank continues to gain the market’s confidence in our strategic priorities. After our P11-billion digital bond issuance in June, which was 11 times oversubscribed, we now have successfully executed this $358 million syndicated loan facility, which is almost 2.5 times upsized,” UnionBank treasurer and head of global markets Johnson Sia said in a statement.
“This enables us to better manage our financing requirements and continue executing our strategy as the market remains volatile,” he said.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. and MUFG Bank, Ltd. were the mandated lead arrangers, underwriters and bookrunners of the transaction.
UnionBank, the financial arm of the Aboitiz Group, reported a net income of P10.1 billion in the first three quarters, translating into a return on equity of 10.4 percent. Julito G. Rada
THE Fourth Division of the Court of Appeals issued a 60-day temporary restraining order on the Energy Regulatory Commission’s rejection of San Miguel Corp.’s joint petition with Manila Electric Co. for a rate increase under their 2019 power supply agreement.
SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. confirmed the CA decision in a disclosure to the stock exchange Friday involving the case filed by power unit South Premiere Power Corp. for the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan combined cycle power plant in Batangas province.
“We grant the prayer for TRO, as the petitioner was able to show that the matter sought to be enjoined is a matter of urgency,” the CA said in the decision.
Associate Justice Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura signed the decision which was concurred by Associate Justices Victoria Isabel Paredes and Florencio Mamauag Jr. on Nov. 23.
SMC earlier warned that unless the
implementation of the ERC order was immediately restrained, it would be forced to continue to supply energy to Meralco under the 2019 power supply agreement at a loss, resulting in great irreparable injury.
The CA said the price simulations made by Meralco on the price impact to consumers if the PSA is not approved “are reasonably true and valid.”
“This court finds it just and necessary under the circumstances to grant the TRO in order not to disrupt the basic and essential services being rendered by both the petitioner and Meralco, not to mention the irreparable injury in the amount of millions petitioner is losing as a consequence to its continued adherence to the PSA as
ordered by the ERC,” it said.
SPPC incurred losses of P1.04 billion from January to April and was anticipating P1.5 billion losses in May.
“This court empathizes with petitioner’s serious losses, which are capable to render it insolvent due to unforeseeable cost,” the CA said.
The ERC said it received a copy of the TRO after office hours on Nov. 24.
SPPC, in its petition for certiorari, said it did not file a motion for reconsideration of the ERC’s order dated Sept. 29 which denied its rate increase petition because it would suffer “grave and irreparable injury…[in terms of millions of pesos daily] should it be required to await ERC’s final action.”,
It said the ERC acted with grave abuse of discretion in denying its rate increase petition and when it interpreted the rights of SPPC and Meralco under the PSA.
The ERC said in a statement it denied the plea for a price increase as the agreed price in the PSA was fixed in nature, and the grounds for the increase cited by SPPC and Meralco were not among the exceptions that would allow for price adjustment.
United States Dollar 1.00000056.7900
Japan Yen 0.0072140.4097 UKPound1.21140068.7954 Hong KongDollar0.1280747.2733 SwitzerlandFranc1.06033360.2163 CanadaDollar0.74979442.5808 SingaporeDollar0.72722041.2988 AustraliaDollar0.67630038.4071 BahrainDinar2.652520150.6366
Saudi Arabia Rial 0.26614915.1146 BruneiDollar0.72458541.1492 IndonesiaRupiah0.0000640.0036 Thailand Baht 0.0279491.5872
UAE Dirham0.27227915.4627
EuroEuro 1.04100059.1184 Korea Won 0.0007540.0428 ChinaYuan0.1397827.9382 IndiaRupee0.0122530.6958 MalaysiaRinggit0.22271712.6481
New Zealand Dollar 0.62640035.5733 TaiwanDollar0.0323651.8380 Source:
PHOENIX Petroleum Philippines Inc. said Friday the Regional Trial Court Branch 14 in Nasugbu, Batangas lifted the garnishment order against its assets.
Phoenix said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it had reached a settlement with Lucio Tan-owned Absolut Distillers Inc. and Asian Alcohol “based on an agreed and reasonable payment plan.”
The company confirmed published reports that a settlement agreement was reached.
The notices of garnishment were served on Phoenix’s accounts with different banks in October for unpaid debts to Absolut amounting to P157 million.
The debt involves payment for bioethanol products supplied by Absolut from its bioethanol plant in Lian, Batangas and Asian Alcohol Corp.’s bioethanol plant in Negros Occidental.
THE government’s budget deficit increased 54 percent in October to P99.1 billion from P64.3 billion a year ago as the expansion in spending outpaced the growth in revenue collections, the Bureau of the Treasury said Friday.
“The higher deficit for the period resulted from the 22.23-percent year-over-year acceleration in government spending, outpacing the revenue growth of 14.14 percent,” the Treasury said.
This pushed the budget deficit in the first 10 months to P1.1 trillion, lower than the P1.2-trillion shortfall registered a year ago and representing 67 percent of the P1.7-trillion full-year program for 2022.
October revenue collection reached P288.9 billion, up by 14.14 percent or almost P36.0 billion from the previous year’s
collection of P253.1 billion. This drove the cumulative collection in the ten-month period to P2.9 trillion, up 18.31 percent from P2.5 trillion last year.
Tax collections accounted for 90 percent or P2.6 trillion of the total, with non-tax revenue contributing P299.5 billion.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue collected P186.8 billion (net of P20.0 million tax refund) for October, up 15.20 percent or P24.6 billion year-on-year. The BIR’s cumulative haul of P1.9 trillion showed a 12.56-percent (P214.2 billion) improvement over the same period last year.
The Bureau of Customs added P75.1 billion in October, exceeding the previous year’s outturn of P55.5 billion by 35.16 percent or almost P20 billion. The aggregate collection of P713.5 billion in the ten-month
period was also 35.81 percent or P188.2 billion better than the 2021 level.
The Bureau of the Treasury posted a doubledigit increase of 47.24 percent or P4.2 billion in its October income totaling P13.2 billion.
Government disbursements accelerated to P387.9 billion in October from P317.4 billion a year ago, driven by higher national tax allotment of local government units and subsidy releases for programs implemented by government corporations including National Health Insurance Program under the PhilHealth, Irrigation Systems Restoration Program and Irrigation Systems Development Program of the National Irrigation Administration, Comprehensive and Integrated Housing Program of the National Housing Authority and Missionary Electrification Program under the National Power Corp.
It said a notice for garnishment was also served at the Philippine Basketball Association office for Phoenix’s Super LPG Fuel Masters basketball team.
Phoenix said at that time it was in talks with creditors and lenders as it maintained “business-as-usual” operations.
The Batangas Regional Trial issued on Sept. 28 a writ of preliminary attachment against Phoenix.
“We shall also maintain businessas-usual operations as we continue to serve customers,” it said.
Phoenix is engaged in the nationwide trading and marketing of refi ned petroleum products, including LPG and lubricants, operation of oil depots and storage facilities, hauling and into-plane services, convenience store retailing and trading and supply.
Alena Mae S. FloresALI
ALI
The company
to
ALI said its board approved the filing of a new three-year bond shelf-registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission worth up to P50 billion.
The
NOW Telecom Inc. on Friday confirmed talks with the US government to roll out 5G technologies to provide faster and reliable broadband Internet access in the Philippines.
The telecom company owned by the Velarde family said it engaged with the United States, through the US Trade and Development Agency for the deployment of 5G technologies in the Philippines.
The US Embassy earlier said the US
government planned to team up with telecom operator NowTel on 5G deployment to “provide faster and more reliable digital services and increased broadband internet access for Filipinos countrywide.”
NowTel was the first to introduce pre5G broadband speed of up to 2 gigabits per second to enterprise clients. The company also plans to extend the service to residential and consumer markets through fixedwireless access and mobile cellular devices.
NowTel also signed a memorandum of
P33
of 6.8045 percent per annum.
ALI has outstanding listed bonds of P120.3 billion, representing 8.9 percent of the total outstanding listed corporate bonds on PDEx.
ALI earlier said it reduced this year’s capital spending program to P80 billion from an initial target of P90 billion as it deferred some for next year.
The property firm also spent P44.7 billion in capital expenditures as of end-September primarily for residential development, land acquisition and estate development.
agreement with SBA Towers Philippines Inc., a unit of NASDAQ-listed firm SBA Communications Corp., to install equipment to provide telecommunications and internet services.
The agreement was part of the roadmap of the NOW Group to provide 5G or the fifth generation wireless network technology that will allow the delivery of up to 20 gigabit-persecond speed to enterprises and homes.
NOW Corp. also signed a multi-year collaboration with LIMA Land Inc. of Aboitiz
Group to supply multimedia solutions such as broadband internet services branded NOW Fiber Air. NOW Fiber Air will be extended to all locators within the LIMA Estate, an 800-hectare property, including its retail establishments and other bordering towns.
LIMA Estate is a mixed-use development zone with 140 locators, 167 commercial shops and over 2,000 residences. LIMA is home to the country’s largest privatelyowned industrial park in Batangas.
Ayala Land announces plan to offer P45b worth of bonds, corporate notes
deployBy Jenni er B. Austria PROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. said Friday it will raise P45 billion in fresh capital via the debt market to refinance maturing loans and finance general corporate requirements. said in a disclosure the stock exchange it would raise the amount through the issuance of retail bonds, corporate notes or bilateral term loans. did not set a timetable for the completion of the new borrowing program. bonds will be listed on the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. raised billion from its largest bond issuance in June. The Series A bonds due 2024 carry a coupon rate of 4.3969 percent per annum; Series B due 2027 with a coupon rate of 6.2110 percent; and Series C bonds due 2029 with a coupon rate MPIC’S MEDICAL MISSION. Metro Paci c Investments Foundation Inc., the corporate social responsibility arm of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Paci c Investments Corp., mobilizes Health It Up!—a two-day medical mission for coastal community residents of nine municipalities in Siargao on Nov. 18 and 19, 2022. Health it Up is a partnership of MPIF and Makati Medical Center Foundation to address the health concerns of sherfolks and coastal communities in Shore it Up’s partner sites that help protect and restore the ocean. Photo shows MPIF president Melody del Rosario (fourth from left) and MakatiMed Foundation president Dr. Victor Gisbert (second from right), turning over hospitals-in-a-bike to Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Coro II and Burgos Mayor Angie Arcena TEAM ENERGY’S DONATION. TeaM Energy, through corporate social responsibility arm TeaM Energy Foundation Inc., completes the construction of a fully-equipped school building in Pangasinan and a 320-square-meter multi-purpose hall in Quezon. The brand-new school building in Siaosio Integrated School in Sual, Pangasinan consists of two fully-furnished classrooms that include armchairs, blackboards, teacher’s desks, electric fans and lighting xtures. The multi-purpose facility comes complete with a stage, oodlights and 100 chairs and was donated by TEFI to Lipata Elementary School in Barangay Lipata, Padre Burgos, Quezon.
EVERY province in the country needs to have a grassroots sports development program.
Philippine Sports Commission chairman Noli Eala said this after they have finalized the agency’s two programs involving elite athletes and those at the mainstream level.
“We are focusing on regional sports. We’re making sure that it will be nationwide (in scope) and that every province will have a grassroots program,” said Eala.
The program will soon be available for the private sector, which will play a big role in its implementation, according to Eala.
The agency seeks to tap the help of corporations, companies and private
individuals when two programs involving elite athletes and grassroots development is finally unveiled by the PSC.
Eala believes that sponsors with a generous heart should be involved in supporting these two undertakings.
The PSC is set to unveil “Duyan ng Magiting” and “Gintong Laban”, offshoots of the Project: Gintong Alay, an elite-level national sports program
in the past.
The two programs are seen as a tweak of Gintong Alay, which was a plan of action for sports that the Philippine government of former President Ferdinand Marcos implemented from 1979 until 1986.
Eala said the programs are now out of the planning stages and are slated to be launched soon.
“Duyan ng Magiting” (Cradle of the Brave), the first component of the PSC program, is described as a whole range of initiatives composed of entry level events that lead to the Philippine National Games.
“Gintong Laban” (Golden Fight) is about the high performance aspect of elite athletes, those who are capable of winning in top-level competitions such as the Olympic Games, Asian Games and world tournaments.
OVER 200 young swimmers from 22 clubs and associations troop to the New Clark City Olympic-sized swimming pool in Capas, Tarlac as action in the FINIS Philippines-organized Long Course Swimming Championship Luzon leg blasts off on Saturday.
FINIS Philippines Managing Director Vince Garcia said brand ambassadors and national team members Kyla Soguilon, Marcus DeKam and juniors’ record holder Jamesray Ajido and Jasmine ‘Water Beast’ Mojdeh are invited to give inspirational messages in the opening ceremony set at 8 a.m.
“Our FINIS brand ambassadors are all products of the grassroots swimming program supported by the company. They came a long way and their presence will boost the morale of the young swimmers, who wants to follow in their footsteps,” said
Garcia, an active triathlete and ‘Godfather’ to the TODO Para Triathletes team.
The best swimmers in the Luzon leg will qualify as NCR representatives in the National Championships slated December 17 and 18, also in New Clark City.
They slug it out with champions from the Visayas and Mindanao leg previously held in Las Paz, Iloilo, and Zamboanga City, respectively.
“Exciting ito, dahil ‘yung mga top swimmers natin masusubok sila sa mga ibang top swimmers from our previous series sa Visayas and Mindanao for the National Finals. This will make them proud as they represent their respective regions. Aside from this, tatangap sila ng medalya na talagang ginawa namin na pang-international ang standard,” added Garcia.
Some of the teams already confirmed to join are
Angeles City, Baguio Invictus, Bulacan Water Dragons, Cainta Alpha, Dax Swim, Ilocos Urban, Manta Ray Swim Team, Marikina Poseidon, Viking, Pampanga, Baguio, St. Mary Swim Team, and Joey Andaya Swim Club, which has the biggest number of swimmers with 24.
Garcia also recommended participants coming from the North to take the SCTEx Concepcion-Magalang exit, proceed to MacArthur Highway southbound, then take the Capas Cloverleaf Interchange going to the access road.
While participants from the South/Metro Manila may take SCTEx Dolores Exit, proceed to MacArthur Highway northbound, then take Capas Cloverleaf Interchange going to the access road.
“Make sure that you install the provided ‘FINIS SWIMMER’ sign at the windshield of your service vehicle,” Garcia said.
BAGUIO—The seniors’ tournament begins Saturday with players bracketed in the Fil and Am A, B and C opening their birds in their respective divisions in the 72nd Fil-Am Men’s Invitational to be held at the Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay Golf Club courses here.
Camp John Hay Hotels is the favorite in Fil-A, while Baguio Blue Bloods is the marked team in Am-A although it faces stiff competition against Forest Hills and Pradera Verde.
The Fil-B will be as exciting as cohosts BCC and CJH go head-to-head. However, they can’t be complacent because Cargo Freight and Davao Eaglemasters I might spring a surprise.
The ICSI-TMI squad, one of the most experienced in the field, might go all the way to the crown in Fil-C.
On Saturday, Luista Golf Club will
defend its Fil-Championship crown it won in 2019 before the Seniors Fil-Am was grounded due to the pandemic.
One-time champ Megafiber heads the list in Am-Championship.
The two-week event is held in partnership with Baguio Country Club, Camp John Hay Golf Club, The Manor, The Forest Lodge, and Le Chef. The event presenters are 3K Rock Engineering and Construction Corp., Toyota, Boysen, and Columbia Sportswear.
The major sponsors are Palm Grove, Britanny Corp., and Asiatraders Corp. while minor sponsors are Time Cargo Logistics, Lola Nena’s, K&G, Rudy Project, JTEN Sports, Inc., Januarius Holdings, Beer Below Zero, and Tee Sports Gear.Hole-in-one sponsors are Spes Construction, Inc., Noah Business Applications, and Laus Group of Companies. Daily Tribune and The Perfect Drive are media partners.
RIO DE JANEIRO—In yellow-andgreen bikinis, Neymar jerseys and sparkling tops straight out of carnival, Brazilians dropped everything Thursday to watch the national team make their highly anticipated World Cup debut, exploding in celebration at their opening win.
Packed in front of a giant screen on Rio de Janeiro’s famed Copacabana beach, in the middle of what would normally be a work day, fans of all ages cheered Brazil’s 2-0 football victory over Serbia—and allowed themselves to dream a record-extending sixth World Cup title could be on the horizon.
Standing on the seaside avenue in his Brazil jersey, construction worker Benildo Ferreira erupted in joy at the second of the two goals, both fired home by Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison.
“I was worried” during the goalless first half, Ferreira, 51, told AFP, as fireworks exploded overhead.
“But Brazil are going to reach the final, and we’re going to win.”
It was an anguished wait for many in football-mad Brazil, whose fevered passion at World Cup time often draws comparisons to a nation going to war.
Milton de Souza nervously stirred his caipirinha in a seaside bar as he waited for the opening goal.
“We just have to be patient,” said the 58-year-old retiree, who was wearing green and yellow—as was virtually the entire country, it seemed.
He was cautious on the question of whether the “Selecao” could end their 20-year title drought.
“Nothing’s certain in football.”
Others were already daring to dream.
“The Cup is ours this year, without a doubt,” said 23-year-old Marcos Vinicius, who accurately predicted a Richarlison brace before the match.
City centers in Rio, Sao Paulo and other hubs of Latin America’s biggest economy meanwhile turned to ghost towns as Brazil ground to a halt to watch the match.
Street-food vendor Kaua Suarez, 19, and three clients were crowded around a cell phone he had propped up on his hot dog stand, watching the match in Rio’s near-deserted city center.
“I had to work, so I found a way to watch anyway. I’m going to watch every match, no matter what time,” he said.
“Football is every favela kid’s dream in Brazil. We’re crazy about it. Brazilians are born loving football.”
Even president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took time out from political horse-trading ahead of his January 1 inauguration to watch.
He tweeted a picture of himself and his wife in national team jerseys, a TV in the background, with the message: “Congratulations Brazil. On our way to title number six!” AFP
INTERNATIONAL Master (IM) Harshavardhan G B of India emerged standard champion unbeaten in the Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships at the Knights Templar Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City on Friday.
Harshavardhan went for a routine draw—which was what the 19-year-old from Chennai needed to win the gold medal—with fellow IM Sugar GanErdene of Mongolia to prevail in the championships hosted by Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
He finished the nine-round competition with 7.0 points on five victories and four draws to pocket the gold medal of the event that gathered 52 of the brightest young players from 11 Asian countries.
Woman IM Ngoc Thuy Duong Bach of Thailand won the girls’ gold medal with 7.5 points with WIM Ravi Rakshitta (7.0) of India clinching silver and WIM Amina Kairbekova (6.0) of Kazakhstan settling for bronze in the competition National Chess Federation of the Philippines Vice President Athena Bryana Tolentino, also Cavite’s vice governor, opened nine days ago ago.
The title-conquest gave Harshavardhan the first of three norms required for a player to earn a grandmaster title. He became an IM only two years ago.
“I’m so very happy winning this tough and prestigious chess tournament,” said Harshavardhan, who improved on the bronze medal he clinched in last year’s Sri Lanka Asian championships.
CHRISTMAS is a season of giving, highlighted by giftgiving activities and other festivities that perk up the holidays. While we think about gifting ourselves and our loved ones, we should also remember that some people don’t have the same privilege we enjoy. Fortunately, we can exercise kindness and generosity to help everyone get the Christmas spirit.
Many companies in the Philippines see Christmas as the prime moment to give back to the community.
Companies do CSR in various ways.
Examples include committing to sustainability and environmentally-friendly operations in supports of the principles of ethics and human rights, donating money to local causes, and investing in and funding social projects such as green energy, education programs, and charities.
Over the years, companies across the country have amped up their CSR activities to show their Christmas spirit to local communities. By helping those in need and participating in activities that can impact both society and the environment, local companies can contribute to bringing social change.
If you’re wondering how to spread love and joy this Christmas, here are some activities, particularly CSR advocacies from local companies, you can participate.
Food is a basic necessity, an essential part of living, more so for underserved communities
where they experience a scarcity of these resources. Donating food in disadvantaged areas would be helpful, especially for those who cannot afford to buy food for their Noche Buena.
In December 2021, BDO, through its Handog Sa ‘Yo ng BDO Foundation initiative, provided food assistance such as canned goods, cup noodles, rice, and drinking water to 20,000 economically disadvantaged communities in 23 provinces across the country as a way of giving back to the community during the Christmas season. It became possible and successful with the support of parishes and diocesan social action centers with BDO and BDO Network Bank branches in the 23 provinces.
Check out local CSR initiatives that provide food to underserved communities.
Reading is a necessary part of a child’s education, and creating programs that help improve literacy in children would be a great Christmas gift to kids in need.
Since 2011, the Chinatrust Philippines
Commercial Bank Corp. has partnered with the National Book Store Foundation, Inc. to launch the “Better Readers. Brighter Future” reading and literacy improvement program. The program has donated books and renovated libraries in designated public elementary schools in Metro Manila and other provincial areas, where it managed to maintain a presence.
In 2012, employees of the bank’s South Cluster visited Milagrosa West Elementary School and Maduya Elementary School in Carmona, Cavite, to entertain and share holiday meals with the students and donate 250 story books to each school. The “Better Readers. Brighter Future” program has helped 20 public elementary schools.
In December 2019, Summit Hotels and Resorts initiated its #MerryBookmas Christmas book drive, where it set off locations in its six hotels for donors to drop off books for
charitable beneficiaries specified by each hotel. Some recipients include a local organization nominated by the Tagaytay City Local Government for Summit Ridge Tagaytay, SOS Children’s Villages International in Tacloban City for Summit Hotel Tacloban, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary in Cebu City for Summit Galleria Cebu and Summit Circle Cebu, and the Giving Hope Foundation for Summit Hotel Magnolia and Summit Hotel Greenhills.
There’s nothing more heartwarming than celebrating Christmas with people in need. Whether it’s children in orphanages, senior citizens in elderly homes, or residents of villages created by charitable institutions, it’s fun to spread the Christmas spirit with the underprivileged.
Apart from their efforts to donate books and renovate public school libraries, Chinatrust Philippines Commercial Bank Corp. also has its “Light Up a Child’s Christmas” program.
It is an employee donation drive aimed at bringing Christmas cheer to pediatric patients of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and the National Children’s Hospital, as well as orphans at CRIBS Foundation, Inc.
For their Christmas CSR project in 2019, the Philippine Life Insurance Association, Inc. visited GK Village in Sitio Maislap, Rodriguez, Rizal, giving residents and children Christmas presents in each housing unit. It also provided each household with groceries and supplies, while the kids received food packages and snacks from the company. As a token of their appreciation, children of the village gave dance numbers to the delegates of PLIA and Gawad Kalinga. The PLIA’s gesture of generosity is something that the residents of GK Village
look forward to every December, as it allows them to share the joy of Christmas in a simple and meaningful manner.
In 2014, real estate company PRIME Philippines held its first CSR event celebrating Christmas with the elderly residents of God’s Grace Home Care Center. In November 2019, PRIME Philippines employees celebrated an early Christmas with children at the Children’s Joy Foundation in cooperation with U! Happy, an organization linking professional organizations with charitable institutions across Metro Manila. They spent the day having fun with the children, playing games, giving gifts, and eating food together. Companies across the country must follow the likes of BDO, Chinatrust Philippines Commercial Bank Corp., Summit Hotels and Resorts, PLIA, and PRIME Philippines. By exhibiting their CSRs to the public, they demonstrate how they care for their consumers and the general public.
May they serve as an example of what it means to get into the holiday mood of spreading joy to their communities and ensuring that no one gets left behind in one of the most-awaited events of the year. Most importantly, may they encourage others, especially everyday citizens, that every donation is relevant.
THIS season, joy comes from being at home with the peo ple and traditions we love and celebrations that feel refresh ingly simple, modern, and authentic. Think dashing holi day décor, perfectly thoughtful gifs―all designed for here and now moments of real joy.
Crate and Barrel is your one-stop decorating shop, with fresh & festive modern style for every room of your home, and simple, beautiful ideas for bringing your seasonal look to life.
Spotlight this season is on bountiful red berries, simple greenery, clean & classic white and pops of modern black. Our modern red + white décor layers beautifully into every home. Fresh evergreen hues mix with pops of black for our most modern, trend-forward holiday look. Subtle textured metallic ornaments and simple, fresh-looking greenery look right at home against oak floors and clean lined architecture.
Deck out the whole house with Crate and Barrel’s time less decor, greenery, and trees, plus ornaments and must-have modern tree collars. At the same time, layer your kitchen so this central room feels just as holiday-ready as the rest of your space.
Bring Christmas to your home with Crate & Barrel’s fresh and festive décor. Dis cover these and more when you visit our Crate & Barrel stores, order by phone or shop online.
SM Aura Premier 0917
TAGUIG CITY
Bayer opened last week a P750million office here as it commemorates its 60 years in the Philippines.
Located at Science Hub Tower 1 at McKinley Hill Cyberpark, Taguig City, the four-level, hybrid workplace, brings together the central operations of its Crop Science, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Health divisions as well as its Global Business Services and enabling functions into one single location.
Aside from serving the local market, the Philippines is also the base for the Consumer Health business in ASEAN. Manila is also a key location for Bayer Global Business Services (GBS) which supports business operations worldwide. GBS Manila is the largest site by headcount among a network of seven sites across the globe, bringing the total number of Bayer employees in the Philippines to over 1,800.
“This is the biggest office project of Bayer in ASEAN,” declared Ernst Coppens, Managing Director, and Chief Operating Officer of Bayer in
ASEAN. Since Bayer started the global transformation program in 2021, over 70 projects at Bayer sites are adopting the next normal office concept.
Inclusive hybrid working spaces
Previously located in three locations in Metro Manila and Laguna, the new Bayer office in the Philippines is designed around Bayer’s Next Normal Office Concept (NNOC).
With spacious, and co-work style space, the office features a variety of formal and informal work areas with sit-to-stand ergonomic desks and chairs, stationary bike desks, standalone pods for individual calls or virtual meetings, and huddle spaces for quick group catch-ups. Meeting rooms of various sizes feature state-ofthe-art video conferencing equipment to help employees easily collaborate with colleagues globally.
As Bayer fosters an inclusive and diverse workforce and culture, the new office has a multi-faith room, deaf-friendly safety alarms, braille on key signages, a mother’s room for nursing moms situated on two out of four floors, and genderneutral toilets located on all floors.
Employees can also enjoy recreational facilities (Inset) such as chess, air hockey, foosball, and sub-
soccer tables located along
or in the Work Cafe, a dedicated game room and nap areas, plus a gym with free fitness classes.
Driving sustainability Bayer is also running sustainability programs in the country that combine the expertise of its Crop Science, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer Health divisions to help address sustainability challenges around agriculture and health.
Its flagship Bayer Kubo program focuses on supporting smallholder farming communities in partnership with ASSIST Asia. It includes capacity-building programs around reproductive health and family planning, self-care, nutrition, and agri-oriented financial management and best practices.
HOME improvement retailer, Wilcon Depot, recently celebrated its 45 years in the business by offering an exciting month-long raffle.
A total of eight winners of P200,000 worth of Wilcon e-GC from Metro Manila, North Luzon, South Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao branches were drawn on last November 14, with the presence of a DTI representative. The ‘Wilcon 45 Years Raffle Promo’ was exclusive for My Wilcon App members with a minimum of 5,000 worth of single-receipt purchase at any Wilcon Depot and Wilcon Home Essentials stores nationwide.
At the raffle event were (from left): Grohe Brand Philippines leader Arianne Zaragoza; Limson Marketing CEO Carl Lim; Mariwasa AVP for sales and marketing Marvin Sion; Wilcon Depot Brand Ambassador Tessa Prieto;
The four-tower signature project is a riverfront home designed with generous living spaces that range from 45 sq.m. to 184 sq.m., complemented with well-designed amenities.
For more information on Four Season Riviera, check out www.federalland.ph, and book a private viewing of the showroom in Binondo, Manila.
COOL
PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corporation’s Site of the Future was recently conferred the Best Eco-friendly Commercial Development Awardee and the Special Recognition in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) at the 10th edition of the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards.
“It is an honor for an energy company like ours to be recognized among distinguished real estate developers,” said Pilipinas Shell vice president and general manager for mobility Randy Del Valle.
The 10th annual PropertyGuru Philippines
REAL
Property Awards gave prominence to the best projects, designs, and innovations in the real estate and property development industry throughout the past year.
Pilipinas Shell was the only energy company among the real industry awardees from the Philippines that was recognized during this year’s ceremony. Pilipinas Shell’s winning entry, Site of the Future – Acienda Silang, was created to enhance customer experiences, enabling more forms of transportation while lowering carbon footprint through innovation.
TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) concluded this year’s TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) Vios Cup with an unforgettable final weekend.
Around 55 racers across the Super Sporting, Sporting, and Promotional classes of Circuit Championship and Autocross Challenge all gathered at the Clark International Speedway last November 19, 2022, yet again for the ultimate finale of this year’s TGR Vios Cup season.
It was a season finale to remember as many of the last leg’s teams ultimately sustained their momentum to win podium finishes for their racing teams. Successfully pushing the pedal to the metal are the second leg’s top finishers, who took home the championship for their respective categories.
Some of the race challenges in the latter part of the racing day witnessed extreme racing conditions as the rain started to pour at the Clark International Speedway. This made every class’ win even more worth all the strategic clutches and drifts throughout
the
In addition, the Autocross Challenge racers also had their fair share of the wild turns at the tracks, but this did not stop the previous leg’s winners from still finishing in their respective top spots. See the full list of winners below:
Circuit Championship Promotional Class
to mean a commitment
deliver high customer satisfaction through this convenient, one-stop shop.
The 3S Shop also provides instant access to riders and patrons who are in need of spare parts, accessories and other items for their motorcycles. While the latest Suzuki motorcycles are also available at the 3S Shops to give first-time buyers and die-hard patrons a closer look of the new products.
These are the Japanese giant’s line-up of stylish, powerful and fuel-efficient motorcycles led by the newly-launched and much talked about Suzuki Avenis, Your Muscular Sporty Scooter; the affordable and well-loved Maxi Scooter, the Burgman Street; trendsetting Skydrive Sport and the country’s first scooter for
paved and unpaved roads - the Skydrive Crossover.
Also on the selling floor are the: undisputed King of the Underbones, the Raider R150 Fi and Raider R150 Carb; the top selling Underbone Leisure motorcycle, Smash; and the bike especially made for Filipinos –Raider J Crossover. Available also are the powerful backbones or full manual motorcycles like the Gixxer SF250, Gixxer 250, Gixxer Fi and the GSX-S150. Customers can also inquire on how to go about reserving for the recently revealed V-STROM 250 SX at the shop.
“Suzuki is committed to provide optimum customer satisfaction by offering valuepacked motorcycles, Suzuki Genuine Parts, and excellent service manned by competent personnel to assist our clients on their motorcycle needs. You are assured that our competent team will accompany our customers throughout their sales journey with the best service possible, coupled with the best motorcycle products from Suzuki,” added Mr. Jun Bulot. “In addition, more 3S shops are underway and are expected to open in several important locations in Cotabato, Batangas and Quezon City within the year.”
AS WE come out of the pandemic and slowly go back to normal routines, road recovery is now everyone’s major objective. While Filipinos are known for their resilient spirit, the reality of inflation hits hard and in times like this, our priorities will depend on how far our paychecks will go.
For instance, minimizing spending on gas money by switching to more cost-efficient rides has become a major consideration for those who are always on the road. If you’ve been meaning to get a more reliable but guaranteed super-reliable motorcycle, BeAT is simply a timeless choice that fits the bill.
This award-winning scooter from Honda Philippines, Inc., (HPI) the No.1 motorcycle manufacturer in the country, presents all you want and more in a reliable everyday ride without compromising style and performance.
Any discussion on the strength of BeAT should begin with its superior fuel efficiency. Recognized as the Most Fuel-Efficient Scooter at the Rider’s Choice Awards, BeAT runs on an amazing 63.7 km/L fuel consumption for the Premium variant and 58.0 km/L for the Standard variant on a 4.0 L-fuel tank capacity.
What makes this model economical is a combination of light design and advanced features. For one, it has the PGMFI fuel supply system with electronic control technology, capable of optimally supplying fuel and air to give it efficient engine power with low emissions. There’s also the Idling Stop System (ISS) that automatically switches off the engine after three seconds of being stationary. A simple throttle twist turns the engine back on. This mechanism reduces fuel consumption and increases efficiency.
Highly Reliable BeAT also makes it easy to switch with its cost efficiency. Price starts at SRP 69,900.00 pesos for its Fashion Sport (STD) and Street variants, while the Premium (ISS/CBS)
With the TGR Vios Cup 2022 season coming to a close, there’s a lot more to expect for next season as TMP continues to level up and bring the love for local racing to motorsports enthusiasts nationwide. No pumping of brakes here, with TGR Vios Cup gaining its speed for more turns, drifts, and racing thrills for the next season.
In case you missed it, catch the action again during the final leg of this year’s Vios Cup on the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing PH’s official Facebook and YouTube channel.
The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup 2022 was organized in cooperation with Bridgestone and partner Petron. Other sponsors are Brembo, Denso, AVT, 3M, OMP, Tuason Racing, Kinto One, myToyota Wallet, and ROTA.
variant is reasonable at SRP 72,900.00 pesos.
reliable performance and advanced features, conveniently take you where you should go without worrying about gas consumption. How’s that for the best deal?
Sporty design BeAT allows you to ride to your own beat with a sporty and fun look. An eye-catching headlight and winker design light up the street, while a sharp tail light style turns heads wherever you also a dynamic and stripes design that gives a type of urban edginess to the look.
Safety features all around While BeAT is made irresistible, it does not skimp on important safety features.
The long list includes a secured key shutter, or a combination of the magnetic safety ignition and the seat eject button. It’s a simple yet important innovation for your riding safety, which also ensures comfort and convenience. There’s also the Enhanced Smart Power (eSP), Combi Brake System (CBS), and Informative Semi-Digital Meter Panel with Eco Indicator, among others. And if you feel like going on long-distance rides, BeAT presents fast acceleration for a 108-scooter, to go with responsive braking.
The BeAT that makes you go
In terms of riding performance, BeAT is powered by a 4-stroke, SOHC, Air-Cooled eSP engine that generates a maximum power of 6.48 kW @ 7,500 rpm and a top torque of 9.21 Nm @ 6,000 rpm. Meanwhile, in terms of braking, it offers responsive hydraulic ventilated disc brakes up front and mechanical leading trailing out back.
Another reason to get BeAT is the industry-leading After-Sales Service of Honda. All motorcycles come with warranty provisions that customers can use as needed. Honda maintains that care, trust, and openness to customers are timeless principles that the group adheres to.
All told, BeAT shines for its fuel efficiency, practicality, and ease of use. Reporting to the office or simply running errands is made easy with this nimble scooter that allows you to weave through the tightest city traffic and park with ease.
Switch now, make the right choice, and ride to your own BeAT!
Dubbed as myTOYOTA Connect, TMP’s wide array of connected services is initially available in Hiace GL Grandia, Grandia Tourer, and Super Grandia variants retailing this month. Soon, more myTOYOTA Connect capable Toyota models equipped with a connected device will be announced in the market.
These connected services can be easily activated under a free introductory period and quickly accessed via TMP’s one-stop user companion – the myTOYOTA app available for Android and iOS users.
“myTOYOTA Connect is yet another example of how TMP is determined to improve the Filipinos’ quality of life through technologically advanced mobility options and services,” said Atsuhiro Okamoto, president of TMP. “With myTOYOTA Connect, we are not just giving Toyota users the power to enjoy
Move Connected with Toyota
With myTOYOTA Connect, users can experience enhanced mobility through connected services that bring together Toyota’s universe of products and services so they can access unique services fit for their specific needs.
Accessing myTOYOTA Connect via myTOYOTA app gives users access to a wealth of information including vehicle status, driving information to daily trip summaries allowing for better management and maintenance of the vehicle or fleet. Tracking the vehicle will be easier thanks to the feature that states the location of the vehicle even when the engine is off, making it possible to check the last location of your vehicle. On top of this, myTOYOTA Connect PH comes with a geofencing feature that sets an alert once your vehicle enters or leaves the designated zone or boundaries the user has set.
Aside from these services that make your vehicle experience more convenient, myTOYOTA Connect also comes with the Connected Toyota Insure , with AXA Philippines as its exclusive insurance provider. This is the 1st PHYD (Pay How You Drive) insurance product that takes advantage of driving behavior and mileage captured from our connected vehicles to determine good drivers and have them benefit from a reduced renewal premium. This service provides security as it assures customer quality repair service in case of accident with full insurance coverage under Toyota Insure Program and allows them to save with the discount on their renewal based on their good driving. On top of this, the service promotes safety as it
community at ToyotaPH. Download myTOYOTA App for your everyday Toyota needs.
KASPERSKY researchers reported the number of attacks via Banking Trojans stealing payment data, doubled in 2022 compared with 2021, reaching almost 20 million attacks.
This year, in addition to this active campaign of banking credentials theft, cybercriminals did not stand still and developed new scam schemes. On Black Friday in particular, fraudsters used a new type of phishing scheme for the first time exploiting Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services. These are some of the findings from Kaspersky’s “How customers got scammed amid the Black Friday season in 2022” report aimed at educating users on staying safe during the sales season.
Banking Trojans are widely used tools in the arsenal of cybercriminals profiting from the sales season.
Once the user browses in an online store, the Trojan saves all the data the user enters into the website’s forms. This means cybercriminals get access to a credit or debit card number, expiration date and CVV, and the victim’s site login credentials. Having obtained this information, the attackers may use it to empty the user’s bank account, use their card details for purchases or sell the data in the Dark web stores.
After a rapid drop in the number of attacks with banking Trojans in 2021, cybercriminals returned to this type of threat with renewed strength.
In 2022, the number of attacks doubled compared to the same time period in 2021. From January to November, Kaspersky products detected and prevented almost 20 million attacks, meaning that the overall growth in the number of detections is 92%.
The sales season inevitably attracts the attention of shoppers and retailers. However, it is also a favorite time for cybercriminals, who do not hesitate to cash in on online customers. Cybercriminals create juicy offers that are fake and expire quickly, so the user must hurry to get the goods for free or at the lowest price. This is where cybercriminals catch customers, who are hungry for freebies and don’t look carefully at the site they are entering their data into: the phishing or the original one.
In 2022, Kaspersky experts also found numerous examples of phishing pages for the first time abusing BNPL services. These tools allow customers to split the cost of the purchase into several interest-free installments. Therefore, these services appeal to consumers, especially youngsters, and have proven to be particularly popular during shopping periods such as Black Friday.
An example of this scam is the misuse of a popular service named Afterpay (Clearpay in the U.K. and Italy), with 20 million active users across the world. Perpetrators set up a page mimicking the official website, tricking unsuspecting victims into entering their credit
card numbers and CVVs into a fake form. After the user has entered their details, cybercriminals will try to steal as much money as possible from this card, emptying the victim’s wallet.
“The shopping event of the year - Black Friday - is a hot time not only for sellers and their buyers but also for scammers who want to steal as much money as possible from hurried customers. The new scheme exploiting Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services only proves that cybercriminals do not stop in their desire to attack victims and come up with new methods to do so. On ordinary days the customer can easily understand: if the product is too cheap, it’s most likely a scam, but during the Black Friday sales period this fact isn’t so clear. Shoppers become less vigilant and are therefore an easy target for cybercriminals. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to which site you buy from, be careful with unfamiliar companies and use a reliable security solution,” comments Olga Svistunova, security expert at Kaspersky.
To learn more about Black Friday tricks and scams, read the full report on Securelist.
To enjoy the best that Black Friday has to offer this year, be sure to follow a few safety recommendations: Protect all the devices you use for online shopping with a reliable security solution. Do not trust any links or attachments received by mail; double-check the sender before opening anything.
Double-check e-shop websites before filling out any information: is the URL correct? Are there any spelling errors or design bugs?
In order to protect your data and finance, it is best practice to make sure the checkout page is secure, and that there is a locked padlock icon beside the URL.
If you want to buy something from an unknown
BINGOPLUS Foundation Inc., the corporate arm of leisure entertainment brand BingoPlus, has made education one of its causes to support with a PhP6 million scholarship granted to iACADEMY under its FutureSmart Scholarship 2022 Program.
Officers of the Foundation signed an agreement with representatives of iACADEMY to sponsor ten students last November 2 at the head office of Leisure & Resorts World Corporation (LRWC) at Tektite Building in Pasig.
With its specialization in the field of information technology, iACADEMY was seen as the perfect partner school for BP Foundation as it aligns well with the Foundation’s vision to create IT-competent professionals in the future.
BingoPlus Foundation firmly believes that education and technology are important components of nation-building and has thus
Overall number of attacks by banking Trojans, 2020-2022 (JanuaryOctober)
THE current rise of digital banking leaves consumers with so many different bank options to choose from. Aside from convenience, another factor that users are considering in choosing the right digital bank for them is the one that can help them save and be smart in handling money.
That’s why we have some good news for all digital banking patrons: Komo, EastWest’s digital banking service, is here to offer FREE interbank transfer services via PESONEt while for urgent transfers, only an Php8.00 fee will be spent via InstaPay—the lowest fee that the market can offer—a legit tipid hack where customers do not need to worry about the fuss of high-cost transfer fees!
As part of Komo’s ways to level up the users’ wais digital banking experience, PESONet interbank transfers are free-of-charge! Customers can enjoy free transfers for as much as P500,000.00 per transaction and up to P1,000,000.00 per day. Transfers via PESONet made before 4:00pm on banking days (excluding weekends and holidays) will be received within the same day.
One more way to enjoy free transfer services is by being on Komo! Users can maximize and enjoy the FREE Komo-to-Komo transfers where funds and payment transactions at any amount can be sent in a snap – another ultimate tipid hack!
company, check reviews before making any decision. Despite taking as many precautions
Lastly, to consumers who often use InstaPay as their trusted ally in bank transfers, they can enjoy a much cheaper fee worth P8.00 per transfer to other banks using Komo—the lowest transfer fee up to date! Komo users can transfer up to P50,000.00 per transaction, and up to P200,000.00 per recipient per day through InstaPay. This benefits those who want to make urgent transfers and instant payments.
By offering different sending services, Komo meets whatever sending needs their customers may have. From instant transactions to sending larger amounts, Komo’s got you covered!
Through the scholarship, the Foundation aims to address some challenges faced by the education sector to provide more and better educational opportunities to the younger generation and thus leave its footprint in the building of a better society.
LRWC President Andy Tsui said, “We wish to inspire the younger generation and make their dreams come true.”
“We are truly honored to welcome iACADEMY as a new partner, and we’re grateful to be given the opportunity to contribute to keeping students on the path towards a brighter future,” said Jasper Vicencio, President of BingoPlus and Trustee of BingoPlus Foundation Inc.
The FutureSmart Scholarship 2022 Program will be launched in the current school year of iACADEMY.
WHAT started out as a small company in the business of pest and termite management, Pest Science Corporation has steadily grown to be the trusted, first ISO-IMS certified pest control company in the Philippines.
Sailing strong through both turbulent and calm waters of the industry, the company was built from humble beginnings with only three pioneers who dedicated themselves to the company.
Today, under the Lorenzo Group of Companies of which 500 personnel are employed, Pest Science Corporation has an authorized capital base of P30 million operating in 28 branches throughout the country.
One wonders how Pest Science Corporation has done it. True to its logo which features a microscope and a bug, Pest Science Corporation has employed a highly-detailed and science-based approach in designing its products and services to its clients.
On its first decade, Pest Science
Corporation has secured ISO-certification for an Integrated Management System. And to maintain this certification, the company continuously trains its employees and staff, ensuring their capacity and knowledge in the field. In addition, Pest Science Corporation has its own in-house Pollution Control Officer and Safety Officer.
Pest Science Corporation is the first IMS – Certified Pest Control Operator & Pest Management Company in the Philippines, audited and certified by TUV-SUD PSB Philippines meeting the following standard: - ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management System - ISO 14001: 2015 Environmental Management System - ISO 45001: 2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System
The company’s organized, systematic and science-based approach has ensured the quality of its services to its clients and has given pride and dignity
Living up to its promise, Kontrol Mo Pera Mo, these Komo e-bank transfer services are just one of Komo’s ways to provide reliable, convenient and secure services in simplifying the lives of Filipinos when it comes to money management—ensuring that users will have more control and flexibility in managing finances!
To know more about Komo’s convenient and hassle-free fund transfers, click here: https://www. komo.ph/help-fundtransfer.
Open a Komo account now in just five minutes by clicking this link: https://komo-ph.onelink.me/ bFI9/017z3x5m.
of work to its employees. Pest Science Corporation is committed to provide the highest quality of service towards customer satisfaction and to conduct activities responsibly with due consideration of all environmental, occupational health and safety issues.
With the company’s mission to marry science and service together in the dynamic field of pest management, it also wants to serve a larger market particularly in areas where demand of pest control services is high using its bio-rational method. In addition, Pest Science Corporation has in its mission to promote and disseminate information to the public about Integrated Pest Management (IPM)—one of the company’s approach to solve the pest problem.
The company does treatments for flying insects like mosquitoes, crawling insects like cockroaches, structural insects like termite and beetles, and also mammal and rodent control.
Included also in its excellent line up of services are fogging, sanitation and misting.
Tipid Hack: Free, low-cost transfers with Komo