Manila Standard - 2022 November 27 - Sunday

BIDA tweaks fight vs. drugs

New campaign focuses on rehab, prevention in more holistic approach

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

THE Marcos administration on Saturday launched its anti-illegal drugs advocacy program called Buhay Ay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan (BIDA), describing it as an intensified and more holistic campaign from the grassroots up.

While Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. vowed to put drug dealers behind bars, BIDA is anchored on physical activities and cooperation from the grassroots level to deter drug use and protect human lives.

“We will enforce the law and fill the jails with people like you who destroy the future of the youth and the families,” Abalos warned drug pushers and dealers before thou sands of supporters who attended the grand launching at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

But for those who want to turn over a new leaf, Abalos assured

the government is ready to help them through drug rehabilitation and livelihood training programs to help them lead productive and drug-free lives.

“Let’s work together, that’s what we ask. Life is truly worth living.

Say no to drugs and let’s all be heroes against illegal drugs,” he said.

Thousands of attendees from different barangays and churches from Metro Manila flocked to Que zon Memorial Circle to participate in the zumba and walkathon, as early as 5 a.m.

DBM to study pay hike for state workers in ‘23

THE Department of Budget and Man agement (DBM) will review the wages of state workers next year to determine a reasonable adjustment that the Marcos Jr. government can grant, an official said Saturday.

“We will con duct another study in 2023. This is im portant for us to examine and determine the needed salaries in the government, Gerald Janda, Director of the DBM’s Organization, Position, Classifica tion, and Compensation Bureau, said in a Dobol B TV interview.

With minimum wage earners in the government reportedly earning just P12,517 per month, several groups have appealed for a base monthly salary of P33,000 for state employees, amid high inflation.

Raising the minimum wage for gov ernment employees will necessitate the passage of a new law, the Budget depart ment said earlier.

“It’s important to consider not just a raise in salaries but a reasonable level for the budget to be implemented by law. That’s why next year we will study care fully all the suggestions from the different

PBBM sees ‘poorest of poor’ to gain from fishery project

“poorest of the poor.”

Press Undersecretary Cheloy Garafil, in a statement, said the President, who is also Secretary of Agriculture, has expressed confidence the FishCoRe project would help the government address the problems confronting the fishery sector.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Thursday approved the FishCoRe project envisioned to provide a sustainable source of income for some 354,90 registered fishermen in 24 provinces with coastal and marine areas of about 32 million hectares.

The project was expected to provide 26,877 jobs and help the government realize its goal of ensuring food security through “improved aquaculture production, increased fish stocks, provision of diversified livelihood opportunities and higher incomes for fisherfolk,” Garafil said.

“President Marcos fully backs the FishCoRe project and he made this known during his first meeting with NEDA officials in Malacañang last Thursday,” she said.

FL backs stop violence against women

acknowledged women’s crucial roles in society.

The Office of the Press Secretary -

community

and

In a video message to mark the “endVAW” day aired on Friday, Mrs. Marcos

“Women are the primary caretakers and educators in the family and they are a big contributor to our workforce,” the First Lady said. “As we celebrate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I enjoin everyone to be reminded of our roles in this endeavor.”

of

She acknowledged the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), led by

PH bet wins ‘Miss Tourism’ pageant in KL

n By ETON CONCEPCION

Inmates to be classified per crime to unclog jails

“In

The

Speaker lauds BizNews Asia for excellence

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez has lauded the country’s leading business magazine for excellence in journalism as well as its awardees this year for their outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

In his closing remarks at the 21st anniversary celebration of BizNews Asia at the New World Hotel in Makati City Friday night, Romualdez said its adherence to the tenets of excellence in providing incisive and in-depth reports on the economy, business, and leading figures in the country was key to its longevity amid difficulties that forced competitors to fold.

“These are the sterling qualities that

MALACAÑANG said on Saturday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. fully backs the P11.2-billion Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) project seen to benefit the country’s

QUEEN IN GREEN. Maria Angelica Pantaliano is regal in green as she is crowned the Miss Tourism Metropolitan International 2022-2023 during the coronation night Friday at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre in Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (inset).

PRISONERS would be sorted according to the crimes they committed in a regionalization plan that would decongest the New Bilibid Prison in Metro Manila, which can only accommodate 6,000 inmates but is currently detaining roughly 30,000, an official said.

Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officerin-charge Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said

the plan includes the separation of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who committed heinous crimes such as murder, rape, and drug-related violations in each region.

These are part of reforms in the state penitentiary following a series of controversies, most notably the alleged involvement of erstwhile prisons bureau chief Gerald Bantag in the murder of

broadcast journalist Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.

the three regions, we will choose where the drugs, the rape, the murder (convicts) will go. We will not lump them together. We will sort them out,” Catapang said in a media interview late Friday.

BuCor has already identified areas

ORANGE FOR WOMEN. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) partners with SM to kick off this year’s 18 Days of Activism versus Violence Against Women and girls. In photo (from left) are Perkin So, Senior Assistant VP of SM Mall of Asia; Dr. Leila Joudane, UNFPA Country Representative; and lawyer Kristine E. Yuzon-Chavez, Philippine Commission on Women Executive Director. Orange symbolizes a brighter future free of violence and demonstrates solidarity in eliminating all forms of violence.

THE Philippines’ Maria Angelica Pantaliano won the Miss Tourism Metropolitan International 2022/2023 title during the coronation night held live Friday at Raia Hotel and Convention Centre, in Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

BIZ BIGWIGS. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez is flanked by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and CEO Ramon Ang (right), and US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson, and later by journalist-publisher Tony Lopez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri (inset), during the 2022 BizNews Asia Management Excellence Awards at the New World Hotel in Makati City Friday night. Ver Noveno

November 27, 2022

FIRST Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos has thrown her support behind the worldwide movement to eliminate all forms of violence against women, Malacanang said Saturday.

Gender

Development

likewise joined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration in commemorating the International Day

Eliminating Violence Against Women.

Help gov’t boost info drive, President asks KBP, media

RESIDENT Ferdinand

In a ceremony held at the

Hall of Malacañan

his

Mr. Marcos

of media workers in the country, the Office of the President (OP) said in a Facebook post.

“PBBM (Marcos) acknowledged the media’s contributions and stated on different occasions that their rights would be upheld and protected,” the OP said.

“The President also urged the media to help the gov

BoC to auction P39.35m seized sugar in Subic

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) at the Port of Subic will auction off 19 containers of refined and white sugar worth P35.39 million.

The BoC made the announcement through a notice posted on social media saying opening of the sealed bids will be conducted at Building 306 of the facility on Subic Canal Road, Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City at 2 p.m. on Dec. 1.

The BoC said public viewing of the merchandise is open for all qualified bidders at the New Con tainer Terminal on Nov. 28-29.

To be auctioned are "9X20" and "5X20" Cristalla Supreme Refined Sugar with a floor price of P16,592,800 and P9,224,600, respectively. The shipments arrived in the country on Nov. 22, 2021 and Nov. 27, 2021, respectively.

The BoC underscored that bidders must be sugar traders registered with the Sugar Regulatory Administration. They also have to pay a non-refundable amount of P5,050 as registration fee.

“In the event of failed bidding, the second auction date shall be on Dec. 2, 2022 pursuant to CAO-10-2007,” the BoC noted stated.

For further inquiries, interested bidders may call the Office of the District Collector of the Port of Subic at (047)-252-3534

ernment effectively communicate government efforts.”

Established on April 27, 1973, the KBP is a non-government and non-profit organization of the broadcast media in the Philippines, which aims to promote responsible and free broadcast media, as well as help its members maintain a relevant role in Philippine society.

The KBP also seeks the enhancement of broadcasters’ public service, the advancement of broadcasting innovation, and the development of Philippine broadcast media.

During the President’s Night organized by the

Manila Overseas Press Club at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City on October 5, Mr. Marcos prom ised to put a premium on the welfare of the media, expressing his willingness to lend an ear and listen to all their concerns.

He made the vow as he acknowledged the media’s proactive participation in keeping the public “well-informed.”

The President also recognized the crucial role of the press in improving access to information and raising awareness of pressing issues.

On Thursday, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) expressed confidence that the ef forts of the Marcos administration to safeguard media freedom would come to fruition.

The PTFoMS said it is “only a matter of time” before the Philippines is removed from the annual Global Impunity Index of the press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists.

MIAA chief: Measures in place to meet passenger surge

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Saturday announced it is set implement a new measure to ad dress passenger congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) during the holiday season.

MIAA general manager Cesar Chiong said the innovation will largely address the problem at the Ninoy Aquino Inter national Airport, especially in Terminals 2 and 4.

“The move is also timely as NAIA ex pects a surge in passenger volume in the coming weeks,” Chiong said.

Starting on Dec. 1, commercial flights of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) to and from the United States, Canada, the Middle East and Bali, Indonesia will be trans ferred to NAIA Terminal 1 from Terminal 2. PAL flights to other international and domestic destinations will remain in Terminal 2.

Chiong said in view of the transfer, about 7,000 passengers daily will be moving to Terminal 1 where the average passenger volume currently stands at 13,000 daily.

“NAIA Terminal 1 is currently operat ing at 30 percent capacity of its pre-pan demic level. An additional 7,000 passen gers added to its daily passenger volume is manageable,”Chiong said.

The MIAA emphasized that the checkin procedures employed in Terminal 2 will be retained and implemented in NAIA Terminal 1.

US bound passengers are advised to provide ample time for TSA-mandated secondary checks and other security inspections as a requirement for all USbound flights.

For PAL passengers arriving in NAIA Terminal 1 who have connecting flights through NAIA Terminal 2, the airline will provide shuttle service while others with connecting international or domes tic flights in NAIA Terminal 3 and NAIA Terminal 4 may take the complimentary MIAA shuttle buses to bring them to the said Terminals.

Air Asia flights to and from Cebu and Caticlan will also be transferred from NAIA Terminal 4 to NAIA Terminal 3 beginning Dec. 16. The transfer will shift 40 percent of Air Asia’s daily passenger volume from Terminal 4 thereby im proving the situation at the Terminal’s pre-departure area where congestion is usually observed.

Solon eyes passage of bill on easy tax payment

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Saturday reiterated his push for the passage of the Ease of Paying Taxes Law before January 1, 2023.

Salceda, chairman of the House Com mittee on Ways and Means, made the call in his message to 6,000 attendees of the 77th Annual National Convention of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) in Cebu City.

The Bicol solon said he is optimistic

that the bill will be enacted into law before January 1, 2023, when most of the bill’s important provisions “could be implemented with the best possible timing.”

“TRAIN is cutting personal income taxes across the board by around 5 percent by January 1, 2023. So, we hope to couple that with a few other provisions.”

Among the provisions Salceda hopes to be implemented by the start of 2023 is the indexation of the VAT-exempt sales threshold to the annual CPI (Consumer Price Index). The threshold is

currently at P3 million.

“The threshold has not been updated for several years already, and no longer responds to the needs of businesses. The threshold for what is considered a “Small corporation” in the tax code is P10 million in sales. It doesn’t make sense that the VAT threshold stagnates.”

Salceda also hopes to unify documentary requirements for VAT into the sales invoice, as opposed to the current system of requiring official receipts for goods and sales invoices for services.

60 young Borongan surfers get pro training from national team

n By RONALD O. REYES

“Start a small plan and add discipline to your plan. Then use your passion to reach that goal. If you already reach that goal, push it a little bit higher. Let your passion be your flair,” Philippine national surfing team leader and coach John Carby told his students.

The young surfers attended the Groms Grassroot Program from November 24 to 25.

Manila gov’t, civic group roll out anti- drugs drive

n By FRANCISCO TUYAY

THE People’s Volunteer Against Illegal Drugs (PVAID) in collaboration with Manila’s Anti-Drug Abuse Office (MADAO) on Saturday launched a civic awareness and response mechanism designed to reduce drug dependence in various communities in the city.

The project was formally launched at the San Andres quadrangle with Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna- Pangan and retired Col. Rodrigo Bonifacio of PVAID. The affair also signaled the forging of a strong partnership between the city government and PVAID towards

the realization of shared aspirations to ultimately stamp out illegal drugs in the city.

Close to 10,000 people attended the event, marked by raucous demands for fight the drugs menace.

The partnership will give every barangay in Manila the basic information, health tools, and resources to boost the people’s capability combat drug abuse and eventually weed out illegal drugs in the city.

The initiative was carried out under the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan,” (BIDA), a flagship program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. which serves as a

rallying point of “ protecting lives away from the drug menace.”

“The entire initiatives comprehend the promotion of effective law en forcement, preventive education and treatment and rehabilitation, social development, civic awareness and response, and alliance of the different progressive groups supporting the call for drug abuse prevention and control,” Bonifacio explained.

Both entities are set to formulate strate gic planning to realize the three years plan of action for the City of Manila covering six districts that aims to have a drug-free and peaceful community.

“You are the future of surfing. You have permission to dream big. You have permission to be who you want to be and to set the limit as high as you can when you want to represent your country in an international competition. You are the next generation of surfing,” Carby said.

Carby also surfing events are “a window of opportunity for aspiring surfers to hone their skills and eventually create a name in the surfing industry.”

“This is a big help for us to learn about surfing techniques and self-discipline. Of course, we also attended because it’s free,” said Kai, a native of Bato, Borongan.

Mike Breuker, the national surfing team’s strength and conditioning coach, conducted in and out of the water training, surfing techniques, and analysis.

DSWD, Robin reach out to flood victims

THE

In Baguio City, DSWD staff and rep resentatives from Padilla’s Senate office gave P3,000 each to at least 389 benefi ciaries. They also distributed bicycles and other valuable items to the residents.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong accompanied Padilla’s team led by the senator’s brother Rommel at the charity event.

Meanwhile, in Kalinga, Padilla’s team also gave P3,000 each to 500 beneficia ries, in coordination with the DSWD at the provincial capitol in Bulanao, Tabuk City.

Last Friday, Padilla and fellow senator Christopher Go visited two areas in Mindanao likewise to extend assistance to villagers affected by floods earlier this month.

Padilla and Go went to Sta. Maria in Davao Occidental, where they gave P2,000 each to 2,500 residents affected by flooding last Nov. 16. They also distrib uted balls and bicycles to the residents.

Sta. Maria Mayor Dinko Bautista and Vice Mayor Josephine Mariscal joined the two senators. Joel E. Zurbano

Mr. Marcos made the call as he led the oath-tak ing of the newly elected Officers and Board of Trustees of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) on Friday.

President’s

Palace,

reiterated

vow to protect the rights

R. Marcos Jr. has called on the Philippine media to help his administration in its efforts to step up its campaign to inform the public of the government’s policies, programs, and achievements.

DANCING FOUNTAIN. Passersby and park habitues are invariably captivated by a dancing water fountain set up to enhance the holiday celebration in Manila. Jam Sta. Rosa/AFP

TACLOBAN City--Over 60 young surfers in Borongan City, Eastern Samar received training from the Philippine national surfing team ahead of the opening of Surf in the City 2022, the biggest sporting event in Eastern Visayas set on November 26 to December 3.

MEET THE POKEMON FAMILY. After selling more than ten million units worldwide, the Pokémon company celebrates the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at Robinsons Place Manila on November 25 to 27, 2022. Fans will be welcomed by largerthan-life Pokémon inflatables including Pikachu, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, and our very own Lechonk (inspired by the Filipino lechon) The Pokémon Meet & Greet events will continue from December 10-25 in selected Robinsons malls. Danny Pata

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Office of Senator Robinhood Padilla on Saturday extended assistance to families affected by the floods brought about by Tropical Cyclone Paeng in Baguio City and Kalinga province.

ROTARY SHOWCASE 2022. Rotary International president Jennifer Jones is in awe over a local product on sale at the Rotary Community Corps Showcase 2022 at the Taguig City University, spearheaded by the Rotary Village Corps Foundation meant to promote a dynamic partnership with local communities. Manny Palmero

Ukraine fights to restore heat, water, power despite shelling

KYIV -- Russian shelling of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson killed 15 civilians Friday, officials said, as engineers across the country sought to restore heat, water, and power to major cities.

Throughout the country, Russian air strikes in recent weeks have brought Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to its knees as winter approaches and tem peratures near freezing, spurring fears of a health crisis and a further exodus.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than six million households in the country were still affected by power cuts, two days after targeted Russian strikes on Ukraine’s

energy infrastructure.

The country’s national energy company, Ukrenergo, said late Friday that the grid was still facing a 30 percent deficit, with its technicians working “around the clock” to restore power. But it said it expected to in crease coverage over the weekend, boosted by additional nuclear power.

The attack on Kherson, a key southeast ern city recently recaptured by Ukrainian forces, marked the deadliest Russian bombardment in recent days.

A total of “15 residents were killed and 35 injured, including one child, as a result of enemy shelling”, city official Galyna Lugova said. Several “private houses and high-rise buildings” had been damaged, she added.

“The Russian invaders opened fire on a residential area with multiple rocket launchers. A large building caught fire,” said Yarovslav Yanushovich, head of the Kherson military administration.

Xi tells Kim China willing to work with N. Korea for ‘world peace’

SEOUL—Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Beijing was willing to work with Pyongyang for world peace, North Kore an state media said Saturday.

The message from Xi came days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in one of its most pow erful tests yet, declaring it would meet perceived US nuclear threats with nukes of its own.

North Korea has conducted a re cord-breaking blitz of missile launches in recent weeks and fears have grown that it is building up to a seventh nucle ar test, its first since 2017.

In his message to Kim, Xi said Bei jing was ready to work with the North for “peace, stability, development and prosperity of the region and the world,” Pyongyang’s official Korean

BIDA... The BIDA program will involve local government units, na tional government agencies, and other key sectors of society aside from drug enforcement agencies, Abalos said.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and other agencies will aim for drug demand reduction and rehabilitation in communities, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said in a state ment.

Abalos said the drug problem must be addressed from the roots.

“We must harness the support of the grassroots, the schools, the community, the church, everyone. And that’s what we intend to do in our fight against illegal drugs,” he said.

BIDA was also described as “wholeof-nation” approach against trafficking of illegal substances and bringing to justice the people behind the drug menace.

The DILG chief said the key to the program’s success is the support of the communities and the people them selves, who should reject and say no to illegal drugs and report the drug activi ties in their areas to the authorities.

This is a 180-degree turn from the anti-narcotics campaign of former President Rodrigo Duterte, whose drug war killed thousands and was marked by alleged human rights violations.

Abalos said the drug war under the current administration must be hinged on human rights and the Constitution.

Central News Agency (KCNA) report ed.

Xi said he was willing to collaborate with Pyongyang as “changes in the world, times, and history are taking place in unprecedented ways,” KCNA said, quoting from the message it said was received in response to congrat ulations from Kim after the Chinese Communist Party Congress last month handed Xi a third term.

Days before North Korea’s ICBM launch, Xi met on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Bali with US President Joe Biden, who voiced confi dence that Beijing does not want to see a further escalation by Pyongyang.

Washington has said it wants China, Pyongyang’s most important ally and economic benefactor, to use its influence to help rein in North Korea. AFP

The DILG earlier announced that some P9.7 billion worth of illegal drugs were confiscated by the police and other law enforcement agencies since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in July this year.

The authorities conducted 18,505 anti-narcotics operations which also re sulted in the arrest of 22,646 individuals engaged in drug dealing, and other illegal activities during that period.

DBM... sectors and stakeholders to ensure that the government can afford such a raise,” Janda said in Filipino.

The last tranche of the modification of the salary schedule for civilian personnel pursuant to Republic Act 11466, or Salary Standardization Law V, will be implement ed in 2023, the DBM noted previously.

“We are recognizing the calls of the different sectors for an increase in salaries. But we have the SSL V, so in 2023 there will be a raise in the salaries of all gov ernment personnel based on RA11466,” Janda said.

PBBM... During his meeting with NEDA officials, the Chief Executive lauded the timely approval of the fishery project, saying it was projected that there will be more saltwater fish cultivation to counter overfishing a few decades from now.

Marcos also emphasized the importance of the project to boost the income of Filipino fishermen.

“This is important for me. I think this is where – if not all, it will be part of our food supply. It will give very good income for our fisherfolk,” Mr. Marcos pointed out.

Under the FishCoRe project, the

Earlier Friday, the region’s governor said patients in the city hospital and others from a psychiatric unit had been evacuated because of “constant Russian shelling”.

The Kherson city council said it was offering to evacuate civilians to other regions.

The attacks on power stations and other infrastructure resources throughout Ukraine are Russia’s latest attempt to force Ukrainian capitulation after Mos cow’s forces failed to topple the govern ment and capture Kyiv in the war’s early stages.

Critical infrastructure

In the capital, where about half of residents were still without power two days after Russian strikes hammered the country’s energy grid, engineers worked to restore services.

“We have to endure this winter, a winter that everyone will remember,” Zelensky said on social media, as UK

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited to announce a new aid package.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmy gal told a government meeting, “Almost all Ukraine’s critical infrastructure has been reconnected.”

Critical infrastructure includes water utilities, heat generation plants, hospitals and emergency services.

But Shmygal said ordinary consumers continued to face scheduled power cuts across every region of the country.

Ukraine’s Western allies have de nounced the Russian attacks on energy infrastructure as a “war crime”. The strikes have come in the wake of a string of military setbacks for Russia on the frontlines.

Moscow insists it is targeting only mili tary-linked infrastructure and has blamed Kyiv for the blackouts, saying Ukraine can end the suffering by agreeing to Russian demands. AFP

Kanye West hints at new presidential run

Trump,

his part,

The artist, who goes by the name Ye, posted Thursday a swirling symbol on his Twitter account with “Ye” and the number 24, apparently representing 2024, the year of the next US presiden tial election.

Then the rapper posted a video of himself speaking about a meeting this week with the former president in Florida.

“I think the thing that Trump was most perturbed about (was) me asking him to be my vice president,” West said.

“Trump started basically screaming at me at the table, telling me I’m going to lose,” West said. “I’m like, hold on Trump, you’re talking to Ye.”

Trump, who tried to overturn the re sults of the 2020 presidential election he lost to Joe Biden, announced last week that he would run again in 2024.

Trump posted on Friday on his Truth Social platform about his meeting with West, saying the two discussed politics “to a lesser extent” than business, and that West had asked Trump “for advice concerning some of his difficulties.” AFP

3 killed in 2 school shootings in Brazil

BRASÍLIA—At least three people includ ing an adolescent girl were killed and 11 others wounded Friday when a 16-yearold shooter wearing Nazi symbols opened fire on two schools in southeast ern Brazil, officials said.

Authorities in the city of Aracruz, in Espirito Santo state, said the shooter fired on a group of teachers at his former school, killing two people and leaving nine others wounded.

He then left that school -- a public primary and secondary school -- and went to a nearby private school where he killed an adolescent girl and wounded two other people, officials said.

Authorities have arrested the shooter, said Governor Renato Casagrande, who declared three days of mourning in the state.

“He was a student at (the first) school until June, a 16-year-old minor. His family then transferred him to another school. We have information he was undergoing psychiatric treatment,” Casagrande told a news conference. AFP

China fire stirs anger at zero-COVID policy

BEIJING—A deadly fire in China’s northwest Xinjiang region has spurred an outpouring of anger at the country’s zero-COVID policy, as Beijing fights growing public fatigue over its hardline approach to containing the coronavirus.

Ten people were killed and nine injured when the blaze ripped through a residential building in the regional capi tal Urumqi on Thursday night, according to state news agency Xinhua.

Online posts circulating on both Chinese and overseas social media platforms since Friday have claimed that lengthy Covid lockdowns in the city hampered rescue attempts.

Some videos appeared to show crowds of people taking to the streets of Urumqi to protest against the measures.

The action comes against a backdrop of mounting public frustration over the government’s zero-tolerance approach to Covid and follows sporadic protests in other cities.

China is the last major economy wedded to a zero-COVID strategy, with au thorities wielding snap lockdowns, lengthy quarantines, and mass testing to snuff out new outbreaks as they emerge. AFP

government will establish fishery infrastructures and facilities, as well as provide livelihood and enterprise development assistance to Filipino fishermen.

FishCoRe’s project components include supporting the development and implementation of appropriate fisheries management policies, establishing support facilities for the rehabilitation of coastal and maritime habitats, and improving institutional capacities for strengthened enforcement.

About P9.6 billion of the total P11.2 billion project cost will be sourced from the official development assistance provided by the World Bank.

The Agriculture Department’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will shoulder about P660.6 million, while the private sector partners and beneficiary groups or cooperatives will provide the remaining P1.16 billion for the implementation of the project, expected to be completed in seven years.

INMATES... of regionalization, which include Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and the Davao region.

These regional prisons would also have maximum, medium, and minimum facilities.

A facility at the Fort Ramon Magsaysay military reservation in Nueva Ecija can be used by “early next year,” according to Catapang.

“In Region 3, the (Justice) Secretary (Jesus Crispin Remulla) had asked on the Cabinet level the DOH (Department of Health) and the Department of National Defense if we could use the facility the (Philippine Army’s) 7th division erected

for drug addicts that went unused,” the prisons chief said.

Remulla had said regional jails will make it easier for prisoners’ families and loved ones to visit them.

“This (New Bilibid Prison) is perhaps the biggest in Asia and one of the biggest in the world. Families find it hard to visit their relatives in prison, especially if they come from farther away,” the Justice chief said earlier.

The regionalization is also seen to address the increasing remains of dead PDLs that are unclaimed supposedly due to transportation issues of their loved ones.

Senior Supt. Ma. Cecilia Villanueva, director of BuCor's health and welfare services, said either the prisoners have to relatives to claim their remains, their families live in the provinces away from the jails, or have changed their addresses.

SPEAKER... earned for BizNews Asia that essential element vital for any publication’s endurance and survival — the precious trust of its readers,” Romualdez said.

BizNews Asia is the country’s largest weekly business and news magazine with a pass-on circulation of as high as 350,000 readers.

Likewise, Romualdez attributed the success of BizNews Asia to its president and publisher, multi-awarded veteran journalist Tony Lopez.

“Of course, it was in a large part, due to the vast experience and exceptional journalistic acumen of Tony, as well as his leadership attributes, that contributed to the rise of BizNews Asia to its enviable position as the country’s largest weekly news and business magazine,” Romualdez said.

PH...

“I want to promote this platform of Malaysia as a pioneer in the use of hydrogen buses which will help eradicate or lessen (global) carbon footprint,” Pantaliano answered during the final Q&A round.

Miss Thailand Suphatra Kliangprom was crowned Miss Tourism International 2022/23 while Miss Venezuela Laura Zabaleta was named Miss Tourism Queen of The Year International 2022/23.

Other winners were Miss Tourism

Global 2022/23 Crystal Huang Ruojia of Singapore; Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan International 2022/23 Alysa Cook of USA; Dreamgirl of The Year International 2022/23 Abigail Curd of New Zealand; and Miss South East Asia Tourism Ambassadress 2022/23 Phoebe Ong Yi Huui of Malaysia.

FL... chairperson Sandra SanchezMontano, for helping protect the rights of women against all forms of violence and hoped for public participation in the group’s initiatives.

“I commend the PCW for its tireless efforts in promoting initiatives that courageously advance the preservation of the rights and dignity of women. Thank you so much for all you do,” the First Lady added.

The PCW launched the annual 18-day campaign to end violence against women on Friday to promote equality and strengthen women’s role in society.

GONDOLA ‘FLASH MOB.’ Gondoliers show black and white pictures of models covering their eyes, ears or mouths, in a direct representation of the three stages of silence: “I don’t see, I don’t hear, I don’t speak”, during a flash mob to mark the International Day of Violence against Women on Venice’s Grand Canal, near the Rialto Bridge in Italy on November 25. AFP

WASHINGTON—The rapper and fash ion designer Kanye West has suggested he will run for president and wants Don ald Trump to be his running mate.

for

brushed aside a recent meeting with West as of no significance.

FromtheFRONTPAGE

PILE OF CARS. Cars that were washed away by heavy rains are piled up in an alley in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah on November 25. At least two people died as heavy rains hit western Saudi Arabia, including Jeddah, delaying flights, and forcing schools to close, officials said. AFP

A bank teller from Mandaue, Cebu City, Pantaliano also bagged the Miss Photogenic special award.

Chinese company powers financial and e-commerce transactions in PH

ALIBABA Group, a Chinese multinational technology company cofounded by businessman Jack Ma, expects to get a bigger share of cloud computing and storage services market in the Philippines following the activation of its data center in Manila in October 2021.

Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, already supports e-commerce and financial transactions in the country. Among its customers are Lazada Philippines, GCash, Kumu and ABS-CBN.

Kumu, in particular, leveraged Alibaba Cloud Live Streaming solutions to develop its short video app. Alibaba Cloud also supports CIBI Information Inc., one of the Philippines’ leading credit reporting agencies, to digitalize its anti-fraud business and enables Binangonan Rural Bank to launch an e-Money digital app called “E-pon”.

“We have been witnessing fast business growth thanks to increasing demand for cloud-based digitalization from Philippine businesses,” says Allen Guo, country manager for the Philippines at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence in a news briefing at Fairmont Hotel in Makati City.

“Alibaba Cloud aims to be a trusted cloud service provider and partner in the Philippines. We have established a

local team and business coverage in the Philippines and will continue to grow and strengthen our digital ecosystem in the Philippines,” he says.

Alibaba Cloud’s new data center in Manila expanded its footprint in Asia-Pacific where it is now the leading infrastructure-as-a-service provider. It is also one of three biggest cloud service providers in the world, according to market research firm Gartner.

The data center empowers local businesses in financial technology, e-commerce, education and media to adopt and implement cloud technologies. Cloud computing technology allows businesses to use digital resourc es stored in the virtual space, enabling them to save on cost without building or investing in their own computer storage networks.

“We can see in the Philippines that cloud adoption continues to grow, and there is still a big potential demand from Filipino enterprises. In order to support the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud is definitely committed to continuing to invest in infrastructure, services and talent,” says Guo, who led Alibaba Cloud in the Philippines in the past four years.

Alibaba Cloud is also expanding its services from cloud computing, storage and network services to security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics and Internet of things services.

It now has more than 200 customers in the Philippines, including international and local companies, according to Guo. The target, he says, is to support 5,000 enterprises, train 50,000 talents and certify 10,000 individuals by 2023. “We are committed to continue investing in the Philippine market,” he says.

organizes 2022

By Othel V. Campos

This year’s Globe’s Gift Local live selling will feature partner MSMEs and their local products on Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Globe Business Facebook page.

Globe Business product marketing head of MSME group Angie Po noted how small entrepreneurs devote their creativity and time to bring together a novel array of goods seen to spice up and spread goodwill this Christmas season at the annual Gift Local bazaar housed inside the Globe Telecom building within Bonifacio Global City.

“We host Gift Local every year to serve not just as a platform for MSMEs to reach more customers during Christmas, but also as a means to make them experience the lasting impact of digital innovations in growing their businesses,” she said.

Since 2017, Globe Business has been extending support to local entrepreneurs by allowing them to showcase their products at the annual Gift Local bazaar.

The telecom firm’s MSME unit appreciates how small businesses are trying to rebound from the crisis and puts in additional effort to help MSMEs magnify their presence from brick-and-mortal stores to virtual live selling.

“One of the pain points of MSMEs during the holiday season is

opportunities

to operational inefficiencies. We want to help MSMEs not to miss this opportunity. This year, more than giving them opportuni ties to reach a wide audience via the bazaar and FB live selling, we are enabling them with a digital solution, such as ChatGenie to help them keep up with the demand,” Po said.

Gift Local aims to help MSMEs achieve success one gift at a time by giving them the opportunity to reach a wider market and showcase curated products from small busi nesses.

This year’s participating merchants are Kapelipino, Daniel Baker, OLLOCAL PH, Lumi Candles, Big Al’s, Bayongciaga, Artis

THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Indus try-National Capital Region South Sector is spear heading a job fair and forum with inclusivity of mar ginalized sectors central to its theme.

The Job Fair For All is scheduled on Nov. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ayala South Park in Muntinlupa City. The job fair will be held at the mall’s lower ground area while a program takes place at the Activity Center.

The job fair with its theme of “embracing diver sity and taking pride at work” will accommodate everyone, especially members of the LGBTQIA+, persons with disability and senior citizens.

“We can see in the Philippine market that the cloud adoption and also the cloud services keep on growing. We see a big potential in the Philippine market,” he says.

The company, in an international summit in Thailand in September, committed $1 billion in investment to boost its ecosystem capabilities and support its partners’ technology innovation and market expansion in the region—a commitment that will likely benefit the Philippine market.

Guo says its eco-friendly data centers in the region, including the one in the Philippines, will run entirely on clean energy by 2030, starting with upgrades to five of its hyper-scale data centers in China. Security compliance Guo says Alibaba Cloud adheres to international information security standards and best practices when it comes to security compliance.

The company provides highly scalable, robust and secure infrastructure and AI-powered applications to businesses from retail to finance and logistics. Alibaba Cloud is also a cloud services partner of the International Olympic Committee.

It has launched over 200 products over the past 10 years, including those related to core cloud offerings, security, data intelligence and AI applications.

E-commerce support

Guo says Alibaba Cloud also supported the world’s largest retail event—the 11.11 Global Shopping Festi val which concluded on Nov. 11.

Alibaba Cloud’s cloud-native database products significantly expanded the capacity of consumers’ shopping carts from 120 items to 300. The ApsaraDB for Redis Enhanced Edition (Tair), a cloud-based in-memory database service for enterprises, supports new functions such as product grouping and sorting, enabling consumers to organize their shopping cart according to their own preferences.

They could also make use of the ‘select’ function to enjoy cross-merchant discounts, to pre-order goods and use vouchers for a more rewarding shopping experience.

“This year’s 11.11 pushes the new boundaries for Alibaba Cloud, from innovations in green technology to continuing to trailblaze in cloud computing. We know how significant 11.11 is in e-commerce and one of our yearly benchmarks is to make the festival as efficient and green as imagin able. We are looking to introduce more proven technol ogies that have successfully support this year’s 11.11 to Philippine businesses,” says Guo.

bazaar

Participating Gift Local merchants get a chance to use ChatGenie, which helps scale up their enterprises online during this busy season.

ChatGenie is an in-app commerce platform that allows MSMEs that get orders manually via chat on Face book, Instagram, Viber and GLife on GCash to have an organized online store in these top apps. This digital solution allows merchants to sell, collect payment, arrange shipping and even track delivery in one dashboard.

With this offer, MSMEs can enjoy the ben efits of a starter plan for free with no pur chase commitment until the end of the year, including a messenger store function even after the live selling event.

“This time of the year accounts for the highest sales for businesses, and we want to make sure our MSMEs are able to make the most out of this season. And this is why we continue to rally shoppers to support local businesses through Gift Local. For every gift that you buy from Gift Local, you bring countless smiles to others by helping grow a small business, by giving livelihood to local communi ties, and by putting food on the table for countless others. One small act creates a huge impact, so share joy this Christmas one gift at a time with Globe Business Gift Local,” Po said.

PCCI NCR South Sector governor Elvie Sanchez–Quiazon said.

“We believe that job creation is paramount to wealth creation. A string of job fairs will maximize productive employment and help poverty reduc tion by providing an unprecedented full-scale em ployment,” Quiazon said.

Nigel Aguilar Masangkay, founder of Diversity and Pride at Work and also the PCCI Muntinlu pa City director, said each participating company would present their vision, mission, objectives, core values, branding and competitive advantage and qualifications for their required manpower.

The list of job vacancies will be played during the event and posted on a website for access by all of job seekers from different Muntinlupa barangays, grad uates of Lyceum Alabang, STI College of Alabang, San Beda College Alabang, MCTI and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa.

Lolita Duria, PCCI Paranaque president said:

“The challenges that we are grappling with pro vides meaningful opportunities for collaboration. With effective synergy, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry NCR’s initiative and part nership with stakeholders Rotary Clubs, corporate companies, manpower agencies, PESO, LGU, the academe, and barangay officials may help reduce the unemployment rate, inspire entrepreneurship, and accelerate flourishing livelihood for inclusive growth.”

The forum will feature notable inspirational speakers led by Vice President Sara Duterte, Sen ator Cynthia Villar, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, Rep. Jaime Fresnedi of Muntinlupa, Mayor Rozzano Rufino Biazon of Muntinlupa, Cecilio Pedro, Freddie Marquez, Atty. Josephus Jimenez and other dignitaries.

“Let this be an avenue to shop for possible employment opportunities. For corporate com panies, let this be an opportunity for your workforce pooling and showcasing of your products. Your brand just might be the avenue for not merely networking but meeting future investor or partners,” said Jana Benjamin, president of Rotary Club Muntinlupa Business District.

It was organized by the Institution of En gineers, Singapore and Science Centre Sin gapore with the support of the Ministry of Education.

The competition commenced in Septem ber 2022 and was concluded with a demo and awards presentation during the celebra tion of Singapore’s National Engineering Day on Nov. 19. With creativity and innovation, the team topped other finalists from different countries including students from the Na tional University of Singapore and National Technological University who came second and third respectively.

Their innovative models were evaluated based on the final product, creativity, design

and methodology, originality of the research problem and teamwork.

The BatStateU four engineering teams was composed of five engineering students and a faculty mentor that made it to the finals of the EIC 2022 under University Category. The team who worked tenaciously on inno vation project AI-aquaponics-360, included Marc James Beltran, John Vincent Biscocho, Lawrence De Castro, Maria Nelly Magboo and Jerico Matibag.

They used the Internet of things and arti ficial intelligence to an intelligent small-scale aquaponics system for the monitoring and control of aquaponics parameters, as well as its botanical and zoological components, innovatively designed for food sustainability and security through home urban farming.

Dr. Alvin Alon, head of the Digital Trans formation Center at BatStateU, mentored the team and resolutely guided them throughout the competition.

TIKTOK, the leading destination for short-form mobile video, is capitalizing on its array of commerce solutions to help brands develop and launch campaigns that can maximize their market engagement, reach more customers and generate favorable returns.

David Gomez, TikTok regional brand partnership head for Southeast Asia, said content on the platform registers growth in video views across diverse categories in the Philippines, reflecting its popularity and reach that brands can capitalize on for their campaigns.

He said that from July 2021 to 2022, news and entertainment grew by over 70 percent, while beauty and fashion and baby and parenting grew by over 57 percent and 5 percent in video views respectively.

“TikTok’s growth continues to be driven by positive sentiment from users. This has greatly increased our platform’s scale, reach and impact. Moreover, we are continuously introducing innovations and solutions that will help more brands and local businesses to achieve more from TikTok’s success,” Gomez said.

A TikTok commissioned survey with Nielsen IQ, a global information services company, found that 91 percent of Filipinos come to TikTok to learn new things, from funny and entertaining content to the latest trends. About 73 percent also come to discover new brands and products and create entertaining or even educational content around them.

This high engagement level often allows trends to develop around products in an organic and authentic manner, amplified by active users and trend ambassadors. This is best exemplified by the hashtags #BudolFinds and #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, both of which continue to flourish with over 35 billion views to date.

Shopping on TikTok

In a separate TikTok commissioned study with marketing research firm Toluna on online shopping behaviors, 93 percent of Filipinos discovered they were inspired by, or bought a product because they saw it on TikTok. Such is the influence of TikTok videos that viewers are 1.4 times more likely to consider a brand because of content they have seen, while 4 out of 5 users made a purchase because of a review or recommendation on the platform.

When users make a new product discovery and purchase it on TikTok, the Toluna survey also found that viewers are 1.2 times more likely to share it with their friends, and 1.5 times more likely to convince them and their families to also buy it.

“When brands show up as part of the TikTok community, consumers’ experiences are accelerated, and they are more likely to pursue engagement with businesses. When done right, it can catapult brands from zero awareness to being the top in a buyer’s mind,” Gomez said.

Tiny Buds is one such brand that built a strong community by offering consumers a holistic experience of discovery and genuine interaction. Offering a range of natural baby care products, the brand invested in livestreaming, short videos and other positive engagements to connect with their audience and generate sales.

n RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor | email:

Alibaba Cloud Intelligence country manager for the Philippines

Allen Guo

Roderick T. dela Cruz

GLOBE Business, a unit of Globe Tele com, provides venue to small busi ness owners brimming with new gifting ideas in the coming holiday season, marking its third year of helping micro, small and medium enterprises max imize market exposure in the digital platform.

The physical bazaar presents opportuni ties as Filipinos celebrate the holidays this year with greater freedom to go out, get to gether and shop—activities that were limited and in some areas and were prohibited at the height of the pandemic.

missing

due

anat Handmade, Kurimu, Magkawas Beauty and Wellness OPC, Witty Will Save The World, Michee Mich, Ter ralane Ph, Cubo Essentials and Habi Lifestyle.

A TEAM of BS Electronics Engineering stu dents from Batangas State University, The National Engineering University, emerged as “Champion University Category” in the recently concluded Engineering Innovation Challenge 2022 in Singapore.

A champion team of BS Electronics Engineering students from Batangas State University

David Jay Gomez, TikTok regional branding partnerships head for Southeast Asia

AFTER Carlo Paalam’s golden performance in the Asian Elite Championships in Amman,Jordan barely a month ago, an up-and-coming youngster sparkled in the World Youth Championships which concluded Friday evening (Manila time) in La Nucia, Spain.

Ronel Suyom, a 17-year-old fighting out of the Cagayan de Oro Boxing team, scored several upsets en route to a silver medal finish in the tournament which attracted over 500 participants from 73 countries.

A native of Bukidnon, Suyom trained at the Cagayan de Oro gym founded by long-time CDO Mayor Oscar Moreno. The boxing program has been continued by the newly-elected City Executive Klarex Uy.

Suyom figured in the Finals of the tournament for 17 & 18 year olds after disposing of the host country’s bet in the minimum weight category, European Youth champion Rafael Lozano Serrano, even dropping the Spanish boy in the first round before notching a decisive 5-0 decision.

In the Finals, the Mindanao boy, who was or phaned of his mother at a young age and was raised by his grandmother in the boondocks of Bukidnon, fought competitively against a highly-favored boxer from India, Suresh Vishvanath, before bowing in a split decision, 4-1.

ABAP training director Don Abnett, said “Ronel looked a bit overwhelmed and could have stuck to the fight plan more. This is his first trip out of the Phil ippines after all, but he is young, tal ented and willing to learn. We will put him on a stringent strength and conditioning plan to toughen him up even more”.

ABAP chairman Ricky Vargas was ecstatic at the Philippine National Boxing Team’s per formance in the last two major competitions saying, “the future looks bright for Philippine boxing. Let’s stay focused and give our boxers the opportunities they need.”

For his part, ABAP president Ed Picson thanked the “triumvirate that has been responsible for whatever semblance of success we have so far achieved – the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and our private bene factor, the MVP Sports Foundation.

“We express our sincerest gratitude to PSC chairman Noli Eala, POC president Bambol Tolentino and MVPSF president Al Panlilio for their faith in our athletes and their continuing support of ABAP’s programs.”

Two other Filipino coaches led the team in Spain – ABAP coaches Elias Recaido and Elmer Pamisa.

HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS

Boxing star in the making

Suyom snares silver in World Youth

NU bounces back, stomps Adamson

NATIONAL University bounced back from its first loss in nine years with a 101-55 drubbing of Adamson University in the UAAP Season 85 Women’s Basketball Tournament, Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Lady Bulldogs finished in first place at the end of the elimination round with a 13-1 record.

They head to the Final Four against Ateneo de Manila Univer sity equipped with a twice-to-beat advantage.

“We talked about finishing quarters, finishing halves, finishing games strongly, which obviously we failed in our last game,” said NU coach Aris Dimaunahan.

“Today the challenge was really how well we could finish the elimination round on a high note, if we could finish this convinc ingly. I thought we did a better job today than the last time we played.”

Still reeling from its upset loss to De La Salle University last Wednesday, NU vented its frustrations toward Adamson. The Lady Bulldogs led as much as 79-31 off two free throws from Karl Pingol with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

Pingol led NU with 12 points along with eight rebounds and two assists. Tin Cayabyab followed suit with 11 points, four

rebounds, and one assist.

Princess Fabruada and Camille Clarin contributed 10 points each for the Lady Bulldogs. Annick Edimo Tiky had nine points, six rebounds, and four steals as well for NU.

Every Lady Bulldog fielded scored in the contest.

The defending champions relied on their inside game as they produced 54 points in the paint compared to the Lady Falcons’ 34. NU also went 10-of-25 from the three-point line versus Adamson’s 1-of-10.

“We will prepare against Ateneo. We will review some games they had and our games with them,” added Dimaunahan.

“It will be an interesting match-up with their two big guys, with their import, and Kacey Dela Rosa plus their guards (Jhazmin) Joson and (Junize) Calago. Not to leave on the table si (LJ) Miranda),” he continued.

On the other hand, Adamson saw its two-game winning streak snapped and will end its campaign with a 5-9 record at sixth place.

Novie Ornopia led the Lady Falcons with 14 points followed by Victoria Adeshina’s eight points and seven rebounds.

Leslie For had 10 assists along with six rebounds, four points, and three steals for the Lady Falcons.

UAAP repeals Tchuido’s suspension

THE University Athletic Associ ation of the Philippines’ basketball commissioner Richard Bachmann has rescinded the one-game suspension of De La Salle University’s Fina Niantcho Tchuido after review.

An appeal was made by Lady Archers head coach Cholo Villanueva on Friday evening regarding the incident that occurred with 2:19 remaining in overtime during La Salle’s game against National University last Wednesday, Nov.23.

In the initial report, Niantcho Tchuido was alleged to have bitten Kristine Cayabyab during a dead ball situation.

Due to inconclusive video evidence after the appeal, the commissioner has rescinded the suspension.

Niantcho Tchuido will still be summoned by the league commissioner.

FEU bids goodbye on winning note

FAR Eastern University ended its UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament on a good note, downing Nic Cabañero-less University of Santo Tomas, 77-62, Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Just when the Growling Tigers pulled to within seven after trailing by 14 in the early parts of the fourth, the Tamaraws uncorked one run that finished the match.

Bryan Sajonia, Xyrus Torres, and Patrick Tchuente all chipped in to turn a tight 60-53 lead to a comfortable 7253 advantage with three minutes left on the clock.

“I told them yesterday in practice

yung situation namin today is really something different because we did not make the Final Four,” said Tamaraws coach Olsen Racela.

“Sanay kami na may post-season but I told them we could also do something different, in the past five years we always finish with a loss.. matapos naman yung season with a win,” he added.

L-jay Gonzales had 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals for FEU.

Sajonia added 11 points and four steals, while Torres got 10 points. Sleat chimed in nine points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

The Tamaraws, who will only lose Ximone Sandagon to graduation, finished the season at 5-9 at sixth while the Growling Tigers received their 12th straight loss at 1-12.

Ivan Lazarte paced the Growling Tigers with 13 points while Christian Manaytay produced 10 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.

Adama Faye had 10 points and 18 re bounds but committed eight turnovers. Cabañero did not play due to an ankle injury he incurred in their game against the University of the Philippines.

UST will end its campaign on Wednesday against Final Four hopeful De La Salle University at 2 pm.

THE

PSC, host Ilocos Sur ready for face-to-face Batang Pinoy

Expected to gather 7,000 athletes, coaches, officials, parents and spec tators, and 300 volun teers from schools and private companies, the Ilocos Sur LGU, through Ryan Vera-Cruz, the Pro vincial Sports Coordina tor, assured their PSC counterparts that all hands are on deck to get all venues and require ments Games-ready.

Competitions in archery, ton, chess, table tennis and swimming are set to start on the day of the opening cere mony. This edition is the first face-to-face edition of the Games after the onset of the pandemic and sets the bar high with several firsts.

“We are assuring the safety and com fort of our participating athletes coming in the province, with the upgrading of amenities in each of the 21 billeting schools that will be used for the games,

through the initiative of Ilocos Sur Gover nor Jerry Singson,” said Vera-Cruz. PSC’s man on the ground, Edwin Llanes, the sports agency’s North Luzon sports coordinator and Batang Pinoy Head of the National Secretariat, Alona Quintos, led the meetings and inspection, as Vera-Cruz put the team up-to-speed on preparations and venue

The BP introduced virtual competitions in this edition. The sports of arnis, dancesport, judo, karate, muay, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu will have their matches virtually, and shall be shown on the PSC YouTube channel on the BP virtual week, scheduled from December 11 to 15.

The on-site games, an initiative of PSC Chair man Noli Eala, will also be streamed live on the PSC’s YouTube channel, a first for the sports agency’s premier youth grassroots sports program since it started in 1999. This aims to allow parents of partici pants, their families, and the public to watch and rewatch their bets’ games anytime and anywhere there is an inter net connection.

RCG Strikers Tagum tops 10th Pulong Duterte Taekwondo

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

THE Regional Central Gym (RCG) Strikers Tagum bagged the 10th Pulong Duterte Taekwondo Championship in dominating fashion before a jampacked crowd at the SM Annex Ecoland in Davao City.

Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte congratulated the particpants as RCG Strikers Tagum won the overall championship in the tournament. RCG Kaizen was named overall first run ner-up, while RCG Matanao and the Hwarang, respectively, placed 2nd and 3rd runners-up, said coach and organizer Johnny Kim.

In a statement, Duterte said the Pulong Taekwondo Championship is an annual event for Mindanao-based taekwondo athletes.

This year, due to space constraints, the tournament was held only in the Davao Region, Kim meanwhile said.

Almost 700 taekwondo athletes competed during the Davao regionwide championship games. Many of the athletes came from the cities of Davao, Digos, Tagum, and Mati, and the municipalities of Malita, Matanao, Nabunturan, Compostela, and Lupon.

Kim said the youngest among the male and female participants was a three-year-old, while the eldest is 30.

“I have been on this journey for a long time already. Paolo [Duterte]

was young back then when I trained him (in taekwondo). He was not yet a politician at that time. We are grateful for his support to the club and to our taekwondo athletes,” Kim said.

Kim said the Pulong Duterte tournament serves as a proper preparation and tune-up for athletes planning to compete in the national and international taekwondo championships.

The tournament, which led to an influx of visitors who watched the games, helped boost Davao City’s tourism industry and local businesses.

Kim invited everyone interested in taekwondo to take up the sport.

Taekwondo is an Olympic sport. “It is a very dynamic martial arts form. Its events are very family-friendly,” Kim said.

“Many people think that taekwondo is just all kicking and fighting.

It’s more of an exercise, the learning of proper skills and techniques, and, most significantly, disciplining oneself. If you look at Paolo Duterte now, he has grown up to be a fine and disci plined man,” Kim said.

To promote fitness, physical aware ness, and mental acuity, Kim said that taekwondo incorporates several techniques and mindsets, adding that this martial art provides its practi tioners with a wide range of advan tages and benefits.

Philippine Sports Commission held an ocular inspection of venues and alignment meeting with the Ilocos Sur Provincial Government this weekend, as the 2022 Batang Pinoy (BP) National Champi onships nears its scheduled start on Dec. 17.

Niantcho Tchuido in action

RONEL Suyom (2nd from right) with ABAP coaches, from left, ex-Olympian Elias Recaido, train ing director Don Abnett and coach Elmer Pamisa.

Filipino achiever completes scholarship from Canadian Bureau for International Education

FILIPINO student

Jeremih Lei

Liporada has recently finished the CanadaASEAN Scholarship for Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED) granted by The Canadian Bureau for International Education.

The fellowship funded by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development (DFATD), provides qualified applicants from Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with short-term exchange opportunities for study or research in Canadian postsecondary institutions at the college, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

Facilitated through institutional collaborations, the open call for applications was cascaded and facilitated by the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Halifax to its academic partner, the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where Liporada is currently pursuing her degree in Real Estate Management.

“I applied with no hesitancy because I believed that what was meant for me will always be for me,” Liporada shared.

“When I got in, the possible challenges and delays didn’t faze me because I’ve always believed life is not a race and everyone has their own timeline.

I began this journey in the middle of the pandemic. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it is to be courageous and faithful.”

Through SEED, Liporada enrolled in NSCC’s Open Entrepreneurship Program with a full scholarship. Her air ticket and travel insurance, visas and permits, as well as living expenses were all covered. She likewise received miscellaneous support for her book allowances.

In her nine-month stay at NSCC, Lipo rada attended and earned credits for two terms worth of courses, which included Professional Selling, Marketing Research, New Ventures, Finance I, Business Law, and Communications-Workplace Appli cations. She likewise completed classes in Contemporary Business Issues, Prin ciples of E-Commerce, Strategic Internet

Marketing and Management Strategies.

“One of the most important lessons I’ve picked up from my courses is not taking ‘no’ for an answer,” she added. “Although it mostly referred to sales, I think it was very timely and can be used in any situation in life. By doing so, we shall get comfortable with rejection and shall thrive in adversity.”

Liporada took this once-in-alifetime chance to likewise hone and exemplify her skills in an international environment. She engaged in organizations, served as project leader, and participated in hackathons and webinars outside the four walls of NSCC.

Liporada recalled how being alone in a foreign land felt daunting and exhilarating at the same time. “I didn’t know anyone in Nova Scotia but this allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and embrace different perspectives,” she explained.

Currently, Liporada is back in Manila to complete her final thesis.

Celebrating

reunions

The

From

YOUTUBE FanFest returned on-ground to celebrate its 10th anniversary and this year’s all-star edition featured electrifying and entertaining performances from Asia Pacific’s (APAC) biggest content creators, taking the fans through the region’s creativity and diversity of talents.

Fans have long awaited the return of FanFest on-ground and they were treated to more than just live performances. Fans were able to catch a glimpse of their favorite creators during the red carpet interviews and a select group of fans even had the chance to take exclusive photos with them during the meet and greet.

A celebration of culture and diversity

With more than 50 creators and artists representing 11 countries from APAC,

fans went through diverse cultural experiences with performances from Punjabi singer and actress Noor Chahal and Atta Halilintar’s heart-thumping number among others.

The trio of Ranz, Niana, and Natalia Guerrero wowed the audience with their dance moves and performed their original song “Noise.” Meanwhile, AC Bonifacio, widely known for her dance covers, surprised the audience with a performance of her original song “Fool No Mo”. P-pop group SB19 completes the list of Filipino performers in the show with their special video performance of “WYAT”.

Ninong Ry, Claudine Co, and Tita Krissy Achino also had special virtual appearances during the show, giving a glimpse of their channel’s content.

There was no shortage of pop groups in FanFest 2022, all of which brought an equal amount of hype to the audience. Among the pop groups who joined the show were Travis and akanekikaku from Japan, Billie from Korea, and StarBe from Indonesia.

Jerome Polin (Nihongo Mantappu) and Benjamin Kheng gave the audience a pleasant change of pace in between the pop performances with their heartfelt ballads and R&B numbers. Benjamin serenaded the crowd with his original hits “Fresh Feelings” and “Lovers Forever”.

The 10th year of YouTube FanFest was surely a night to remember. Relive the experience and head to YouTube FanFest’s

the

With a new

that befalls every Filipino —a post-pandemic one, so to speak—there is a call to reignite joy, which is only possible through amazing experiences. Sofia Zobel-Elizalde concludes, “If there’s one thing to bring back the magic and the spirit of Christmas for Filipino mallgoers, it’s to bring back The Nutcracker. Let’s bring back the magic.”

In addition to The Nutcracker mall tour, Ayala Malls is setting up a series of Sweet Festivals that will satisfy cravings and elevate the day with exciting new memories.

In line with Ayala Malls’ main Christmas show, there will also be The Nutcracker fairs where patrons can indulge in sweet treats and meet fellow coffee lovers, sweet tooths, and milk tea fanatics. The treats also make thoughtful gifts, which patrons can bring to their next Christmas party. Spend the weekend by exploring a world of sweets at your nearest Ayala Malls.

THE most wonderful time of the year can finally be experienced live and in person together with family and friends, both young and old—just like the kind of Christmas we all love and miss.

Amidst brightly-lit halls and open spaces, Ayala Malls and Pandora are spreading the spirit of Christmas starting with the magical staging of The Nutcracker by Steps Dance Studio. Ayala Malls President Christopher Maglanoc shares, “Ayala Malls has always championed amazing experiences. We create opportunities for people to bond and build new memories. This year, we are celebrating sweet reunions and we do this by gathering families to spark or rediscover traditions, such as watching The Nutcracker together, which is truly a Christmas classic.”

A purveyor of the arts, Steps Dance Studio Director Sofia Zobel-Elizalde elaborates on the significance of The Nutcracker and its role in bringing families together. She muses, “Christmas is not the same without The Nutcracker. All over the world, they play The Nutcracker every Christmas. Christmas is not the same without bringing your children, lolos and lolas, to see The Nutcracker.”

imaginative and wondrous setting of The Nutcracker makes it a timeless tale that captures even the youth. Retold from generation to generation, the story comes to life once again yet on a grander scale.

November to December, Steps Dance Studio is touring the malls to bring the show to more Filipinos in different parts of the country, with accompaniment by the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir in Manila and Loboc Children’s Choir in Cebu The Nutcracker premiered on November 18 to 20 at Greenbelt; followed by November 26 at TriNoma; December 3 at U.P. Town Center; December 4 at Ayala Malls Circuit; December 10 at Ayala Center Cebu; December 11 at Alabang Town Center; December 17 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay; and December 18 at Glorietta.

chapter

YouTube channel to watch all

performances from the show.

sweet

this Holiday Season Filipino

join biggest content creators on stage for YouTube FanFest’s 10th year

SEED Scholar and Benilde Real Estate Management student Jeremih Lei Liporada at Citadel Hill

Liporada at the Halifax Waterfront to attend the Evergreen Festival

Jeremih Lei Liporada (rightmost) with friends Hana and Naru at the Downtown Dartmouth

Liporada (left) with Amanda Tate, her Marketing Research professor in NSCC

From left: Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Sr., Beatriz Zobel de Ayala, Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Steps Dance Studio Founder, Patxi Elizalde, and Francisco Elizalde

Ayala Malls and Pandora are spreading the spirit of Christmas with the magical staging of ‘The Nutcracker’

Attendees at the 10th YouTube FanFest

The imaginative and wondrous setting of ‘The Nutcracker’ makes it a timeless tale that captures even the youth

Jump into the ‘K-Love’ craze

UNEXPECTED meet-ups, painful breakups, kilig matchups... it’s been a “daebak” ride so far in the top series on Viu PH as of date, K-Love

This Viu Original captured those looking for feel-good vibes that K-dramas give. The series just hit mid-season, and the show keeps us right in the feels. With each endearing and hilarious scene, K-Love brings comfort to viewers with “100 percent relate” moments.

The series follows five urbanites riding out the rollercoaster of life from loss, love, work, and everything in between. What gets them going with that “fighting” spirit? K-drama.

We meet Tish (Iza Calzado), a career woman who faces the pressure of settling down after a failed relationship. Right when she’s in shambles, her high school sweetheart arrives in the country, Jay (Jake Cuenca). They reunite at a party and start to rekindle the old flame.

Tish’s BFF, Shiela (Isabelle Daza), is a wannabe “momfluencer” and an ubercompetitive batchmate, out to prove that she’s still the best. A lot like her is Val (Sue Ramirez), a palaban startup entrepreneur who tries to dominate the world of fashion and technology.

If there’s one person who ties them together, it’s K-lover Frances (Gabby Padilla). One fateful evening, the group unexpectedly gathers at Tish’s place

where Frances shares The Kure: healing K-dramas to get them through life.

With their newfound K-Love and weekly binge-watch sessions, they try to overcome challenges and pursue their own happy endings.

Mid-Series Musings

“What is it about K-drama that draws people?”

This is the question that the narrator asked, and K-Love answered.

Much like a K-drama, K-Love connects with the audience in so many ways as it points to the important values of life –family, friendship, and relationships. One more thing we love is that the execution is fresh, light, and never boring. K-Love injects brevity and laughter into most of the scenes, so it’s never too heavy no matter how serious the narrative gets.

As the plot branches out to reveal the stories of each character, we can’t help but laugh, cry, and cheer them on while anticipating what’s coming next. We found ourselves tearing up with Tish in her just-broken-up phase… we’ve all been there, right? Or laugh at Shiela’s classy “Marites” moments whenever she’s too occupied minding others’ business, which is like, 80 percent of the time. Her hilarious tittle-tattles are definitely icing on the cake, especially with her super confused husband right in front of her.

This is why right off the bat, we couldn’t agree more on why the team chose the cast to play the parts. Sassy and significant subplots intersperse in K-Love, revealing each cast member’s stellar executions.

Isabelle Daza as Shiela definitely provided

humor and added to the delightful vibe. In one of her biggest acting roles to date, Gabby Padilla effortlessly showed that she’s a star to watch out for. We can’t leave out Iza Calzado and oppa material Jake Cuenca’s stunning performances and undeniable chemistry on screen, leaving us wanting more. Sue Ramirez gives us a breath of fresh air after her heavy role in The Broken Marriage Vow Admirably, the series is serving us quite an age range in terms of characters. Having twenty-somethings to past sixtysomethings makes K-Love sane in tackling the realities that they are facing. We knew that their stories would hit home, just like how the contrast between Tish’s parents’ marriage and Jay’s parents symbolizes that not all endings are happy. It’s also worth noting how Shiela struggles to get closer to her Gen Z daughter, to the point that she’s also on TikTok.

K-Love incorporates a dose of meaningful messages and moments not just for the young ones, but for all ages without losing focus on the most essential thing in the story: the characters’ friendships. From letting go to kilig second chances and a whole lot of funny moments in between, they always lean onto each other as they find comfort in K-drama.

Watching K-Love have us doubled over in chuckles one second and heartfluttered the next. Though some of the scenes depict the realities of life, the way it’s executed in the story is guaranteed to put you in a good mood.

Why should you watch K-Love?

If you are a K-drama lover, you’ll

definitely relate to the fangirling moments here. Them swooning over Gong Yoo’s hot looks is such a mood. On episode 7, when the K-Squad goes to an oppa fanmeet episode is exactly us, bardagulan with other fans just to get VIP tickets to see our favorite K-drama star.

But much more than that, K-Love has all the makings of a successful show. Multifaceted characters, surprisingly finger-heart-worthy love teams, a brilliant main and even supporting cast, and an engrossing script by acclaimed writers. Put these all together and the screen fills up with magic. You wouldn’t want to miss out on that, right?

What we also love about K-Love is how visually immersive the experience is. From the glossy shots of an outstanding production composed by award-winning crew to the fashion Pam Quinones brings to the table, every scene is a delight to the viewers reminiscent of K-drama.

The story is very Filipino, but told in a really stylish way. Veering away from your usual Filipino TV series, there are no kabits, no sampalans, just a light take on an exciting plot about Filipino families and modern-day relationships.

K-Love’s faster-paced storytelling at 25 minutes per episode will also get a nod from TikTok and IG Reels natives, the Gen Zs. But despite the shorter format, K-Love is made for a very compelling watch to look forward to every Friday, one that Filipinos of all ages will love. No wonder it’s currently the #1 most-viewed series on the Viu PH platform.

P-POP girl group BINI has teamed up with Viber to launch their own Viber Lens making them the first Filipino artist to have augmented reality (AR) lenses on the messaging app.

The Viber Lens contains the signature BINI flower decorated with stars and butterflies perfect for a cute selfie or a fun “groufie” with friends.

BINI members Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha, Jhoanna, and Sheena are also inviting their fans called BLOOMs to join the #BINIxViberLens challenge where

they can win a video shoutout from the group, exclusive signed merch, and other exciting prizes.

To join the challenge, use the Viber Lens while recording an impression of BINI’s “I Feel Good” and make sure to do the BINI infinity sign in the video. Download the video from Viber and upload it on Tiktok using “I Feel Good” as background music. Add invideo text and complete the sentence, “I Feel Good because…” Don’t forget to use the hashtags #BINIxViberLens and #BINI_IFeelGood. Videos must be public and downloadable for them to count.

entries will be posted on Backstage Pass Channel on Viber chosen based on concept, visual aesthetics, creativity, and performance. Submission of entries will be until December 1 and the announcement of winners will be posted on BINI’s social media accounts.

Meanwhile, the nation’s girl group as dubbed by their fans recently released its sophomore album Feel Good. The group also conquered the stage of ASAP Natin ‘To Live in Las Vegas with a fierce performance of its latest single “Strings.”

The creative team behind the first film, which garnered praise from critics and audiences alike, has reunited to create the magic again in Magic Mike’s Last Dance: Channing Tatum reprises his role as Mike Lane and Steven Soderbergh returns to the helm with a script from Reid Carolin, who also wrote the first two films. Also starring alongside Tatum is Salma Hayek Pinault

“Magic” Mike Lane (Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite (Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can’t refuse…and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he’ll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?

The film’s producers are Nick Wechsler, Gregory Jacobs, Tatum, Carolin, and Peter Kiernan Julie M. Anderson serves as executive producer.

Completing the cast are Ayub Khan Din, newcomer Jemelia George, Juliette Motamed, and Vicki Pepperdine A Warner Bros.

Pictures

Shortlisted

Iza Calzado (left) and Jake Cuenca as Tish and Jay, respectively

A scene from ‘K-Love’ with the squad enjoying a mukbang

Gabby Padilla (left) and Sue Ramirez in a scene from ‘K-Love’

P-pop girl group BINI

JUST in time for Valentine’s Day 2023 comes the third installment of the blockbuster Magic Mike film franchise, the musical comedy Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

Presentation, Magic Mike’s Last Dance slides into theaters across the Philippines next year in February.

Channing Tatum (center) in ‘Magic Mike’

Homemade versus commercial cat food

By Mariana Burgos

THE welfare of a cat is impacted in various ways when it is kept indoors since it is dependent on its humans to decide when, what, and how much to eat. Cats kept as pets sometimes have weight issues and behavioral issues, and while these issues are multifaceted, they may be connected to the manner in which these cats are eating.

Unowned cats, stray cats, and cats in the wild have different situations. Since they can adapt to a variety of prey, feral cats are generalist predators that probably can survive in a variety of habitats. The resources that are accessible have a significant impact on how feral cats naturally feed. Unowned stray cats that were not supplemented by people mainly hunted and consumed small rodents and birds, though fish, insects, reptiles and amphibians were also eaten.

Cats, owned and unowned maybe, have a common ality---predatory behavior. Predatory behavior is not entirely eliminated by the human provision. One study by Cole C. Hawkins, William E. Grant and Michael T. Longnecker in their paper, “Effect of house cats, being fed in parks, on California birds and rodents” (https://cals. arizona.edu/pubs/adjunct/snr0704/snr07042l.pdf)says, they discovered that in a national park, native rodent and bird populations were considerably lower in regions where cat colonies were fed compared to areas where cats were not seen.

Cat Diet

From what I have observed with my own cats, they require a diet strong in fat and protein. They also need other crucial nutrients. They often consume a number of little meals during the course of the day, so they can easily follow a free-choice feeding plan to maintain their regular body weight.

According to the article, “Feeding Your Cat” of the Cornell Feline Health Center of the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Cornell University website (https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centersand-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/healthinformation/feline-health-topics/feeding-your-cat), as obligate carnivores, cats only consume food that contain animal products as a source of nutrition. Since they evolved as hunters who consumed prey that contains a high amount of protein, a moderate level of fat, and a low amount of carbohydrates, they still need to eat prey that has these broad proportions in their diet even to this day.

As we previously stated, even with human provision, its predatory behavior is never eliminated.

Additional nutrients that cats need include vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.

What available purchasable food can pet cats eat?

In order to provide your cat with the ideal ratio of nutrients and calories, commercially prepared cat meals have been designed. The Cornell Feline Health Center says that the Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) Subcommittee of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has

determined the fundamental minimum nutritional requirements for cats, and producers apply these guidelines when creating cat feeds.

The Cornell Feline Health Center says that there are three types of commercial cat food. These food are formulated as dry, semi-moist, and canned. The amount of water, amount of protein, caloric density, palatability, and digestibility of these goods vary.

Due to its low cost and ability to be fed "free choice," dry cat food is a convenient option for owners. However, a cat may prefer moist or semi-moist food more than dry food, and depending on the type and quality of the ingredients, dry food may also be less digestible as the Cornell Feline Health Center claims.

Semi-moist food, which contains about 35 per cent moisture, mostly consists of meat and meat byproducts as its main constituents. The finished item also contains preservatives and other ingredients including soybean meal, cereals, grain byproducts, and so on. Food that is only slightly wet typically has a moderate price. The Cornell Feline Health Center says that some cats may prefer semimoist food to dry cat food, and they might be given the option to choose their own meal.

The third type of available commercial food for cats is canned cat food. Since canned cat food contains at least 75 per cent moisture, it is a good dietary supply of water as the Cornell Feline Health Center says. Even though it is typically the priciest kind of cat food, most cats find it to be quite appetizing. There are many different options available, which is beneficial if your cat is a picky eater. Unopened cans of food have the most extended shelf lives. However, opened cans of cat food should be refrig erated if any of it is left over in order to preserve quality and stop deterioration.

Homemade cat food: Is it better?

Because the recipe might not contain the proper amounts and ratios of nutrients for your cat, making your cat food is challenging and time-consuming. Unless a doctor advises a home-formulated recipe for medical reasons, the Cornell Feline Health Center says it is typically advised that cat owners purchase nutrition ally balanced commercial cat diets. In that case, your doctor is likely to suggest a recipe created by veterinar ians who have obtained certification in animal nutrition.

If cats are to thrive, they need a balanced diet. Serious health issues can result from nutrient surpluses and deficits.

Additionally, a lot of homemade cat food recipes, according to Jennifer Coates, DVM, in her article "Is Homemade Cat Food Better?" contain either too little

What you should know about horses before getting one

SINCE my daughter was two years old, she has been crazy about horses. Every time she was asked what she would want for a gift for her birthday, she would always say, "Horse!” And I would always tell her that a horse is not a toy. I would always tell her how a person must take care of a horse so that it will always stay healthy and happy its entire life. So, she was somewhat content to just have a toy horse instead.

Throughout the years, she has accumulated a lot of stuffed toy horses and other kinds of toy horses. She is turne4d 18 on the 18th of November. She still loves horses but she now knows that it is not that simple to have a pet horse.

Horses are herd animals that prefer to live and roam in herds over wide open spaces so they can escape danger. The website, Keeping Britain's Horses Healthy (KBHH), with their article, Five Freedoms for Horse Health and Welfare (https://www.msdanimal-health-hub.co.uk/Healthy-Horses/Health/ FiveFreedoms), tells us that horses are gregarious and nomadic creatures. Naturally, they groom each other in order to strengthen their bonds and create a hierarchy within the herd. This is what they call the 'pecking order’.

KBHH says that horses are meant to spend a considerable portion of their day chewing or engaged in feeding, and they have evolved as trickle feeders (16-18 hours). Since the majority of their diet should consist of forage (hay, haylage, and grass), which

is because their digestive systems are primarily built to break down fiber.

Horses do need some protection from the weather, such as shelter, trees, and barns, but they do not need to live in warm places because research has shown that they can survive in low temperatures without suffering any discomfort. According to KBHH, horses have winter coats that naturally insulate them, but those whose coats have been cut may require rugs to keep themselves at a comfortable temperature. Fit and maintenance are essential for everything a horse wears, including rugs, head collars, bridles, and saddles.

KBHH says the implementation of a preventative health care strategy that includes immunizations and deworming is necessary. Your local veterinarian can talk about a suitable strategy for your horse. Make sure that fencing and stalls are routinely inspected for issues and fixed to help prevent injury.

Due to their inherent nervousness, horses can be particularly sensitive while being handled. Developing a trusting bond with your horse is crucial. They are sociable creatures, therefore isolating them in isolated stables or paddocks may not be enough to satisfy their social and mental demands. Stress may be brought on by a lack of space and social interaction. According to KBHH, this issue can be mitigated by turning horses out frequently and in groups.

In their natural state, horses are grazing creatures. They consume a consistent supply of water and feed throughout the day as they nibble on grass.

You have to give food in defined intervals each day because they don't control how much they eat and will feast on feed if they have access to a lot of it. Additionally, you must guarantee that horses have access to a constant supply of fresh, clean water.

Horses require a lot of time as pets. They are not creatures

housing where it is kept after its time of grazing in the field. Feed and supplements are additional food that the horse needs since it is being kept as a pet and not able to let it eat in its natural way.

Tack and equipment are the things you need to use when you ride your horse. It would be best if you kept it all in good condition so that it will not hurt the horse when you put the gear on it.

Bedding means the animal's bed. It must be kept clean every day from dung and pee so it will not affect the horse's health.

Farrier service is the service you need for your horse's hooves not unless your horse has been bare foot since birth.

The lessons are what you, the owner, need to know if you intend to ride your horse. Riding one is, actually, quite challenging. Dangerous even, if you have not ridden one ever before. Hence, the lessons.

Veterinarian and dental checks speak for themselves.

Lastly, insurance is something of a necessity if you have invested a huge amount of money in something. Having a pet horse is definitely a big investment.

So, there you have it. If you're planning to have a horse for a pet, these are what you should know first before getting one. Mariana Burgos

(istockphoto-1359173333-612x612 from iStock)

or too much of one or more essential nutrients (11 February 2021). Coates says, 114 recipes for homeprepared maintenance diets (HPMD) for cats that were gathered from books and online sources were analyzed in a study that was published in 2019. All of the examined HPMD recipes had issues with nutritional adequacy, according to the authors.

But Coates claims homemade diets might just work if you get your recipes from a veterinary nutritionist with board certification.

These experts can create recipes that consider the age, weight, and health issues of your cat, according to Coates. She says you can seek out a veterinary nutritionist through your primary care physician.

Editor’s Note: We have found that with both cats and dogs, a combination of commercial (dry and wet food) and homemade food is best. Just recently, a complete bloodwork of our senior cat Angel and 12-year-old rescued dog Georgy showed their liver, kidneys and other values to be in good condition. We attribute that mainly to the food we give to them.

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