Manila Standard - 2022 December 1 - Thursday

BSP sees inflation decline

Forecast Nov. rate to rise further to 8.2%, but decelerate gradually after

By Julito G. Rada

THE rate of inflation, which hit an almost 14-year high of 7.7 percent in October, could rise further in November before gradually declining in the succeeding months, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Wednesday.

The BSP said November inflation could go from a range of 7.4 percent to 8.2 percent, driven mainly by higher

rates and increases in the prices of agricultural products due to the dam age caused by typhoon “Paeng” and

higher prices of cooking gas (see related story on A1 – Editors).

On the other hand, cuts in the price of gasoline and pork, as well as the peso’s appreciation, could ease price pressures for the month, moving infla tion toward the lower end of the BSP estimate of 7.4 percent.

The BSP’s Department of Economic Research said inflation is expected to

PBBM, VP Sara get high trust, performance marks in OCTA survey

By Vince Lopez

OCTA’s “Tugon ng Masa” survey showed the President registering an 86-percent trust rating and a 78-percent performance rating.

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio also earned majority trust

and approval scores at 86 percent and 80 percent, respectively.

In terms of awareness, 100 percent of adult Filipinos are aware of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio, according to the OCTA survey.

OCTA Research conducted its latest survey from Oct. 23 to 27 with 1,200 adult respondents across the country.

According to the survey, only 4 percent expressed distrust in Mr. Marcos,

President calls on Filipinos to defend freedom

By Vince Lopez and Maricel V. Cruz

price up by 2.15 to 2.27 per kilo

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PETRON Corp. and Isla LPG on Wednesday announced a price hike in cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by P2.25 to P2.27 per kilo, or P24.75 to P24.97 per 11-kilo tank, effective today.

“Petron will implement a P2.25 per kg increase (VAT-inclusive) in LPG prices effective 0001H Dec. 1,” the oil firm said in its advisory.

It said AutoLPG prices would likewise increase by P1.26 per liter.

“These reflect the international contract price of LPG for the month of December,” Petron said.

Isla LPG said its Solane-branded

Mr. Marcos laid a wreath at the Monumento Circle in Caloocan City

Spanish rule.

Bicam to fund pension hike of indigent seniors

Govt probes human traffic modus using ‘fake exit stamp’ at NAIA

By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE government, through the Department of Migrant Workers, is probing a supposed human trafficking scheme where Chinese companies are allegedly recruiting Filipinos to work in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar for cryptocurrency scams, Secretary Susan Ople said Wednesday.

Disclosure of this alleged venture fol lowed a showing by the office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday of what she called a fake exit stamp, allegedly used by traffickers to bypass Immigration officials at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

An alleged human trafficking victim said during the hearing of the Sen-

ate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality that escorts facilitating the departure of trafficked individuals at NAIA gave them fake exit stamps to bypass the Bu reau of Immigration (BI).

In a related development, the Manila International Airport Authority is con ducting its own investigation into the reported human trafficking happening again at the country’s premier gateway.

The move came after Hontiveros revealed a new modus of outbound trafficking of Filipinos into Myanmar, which she said was being carried out by individuals allegedly connected with erring officials of the Bureau of Immigration and NAIA.

Hontiveros, who did not hide her dismay over the issue, presented an

PH bans poultry products from US, Japan, Hungary

It

official

shall

power

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

FUNDING for the increase in social pension for around four million indigent seniors in the 2023 national budget is still being finalized, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said Wednesday. Angara, chairman of the Senate finance committee, said they were still

THE Department of Agriculture has issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products from the United States, Hungary, and Japan.

The DA issued three separate memorandums signed by Agriculture Senior

Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban declaring the ban on the importation of poultry meat, day-old chicks, eggs, and semen from the three countries.

The ban calls for the immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application, and issuance of sanitary

and phytosanitary import clearance of these commodities.

said shipments coming from affected areas that are in transit, loaded, and accepted unto port before the

communication of the order

A GREAT majority of Filipinos approve of and trust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., based on the latest survey of the OCTA Research firm released on Wednesday.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on Filipinos to remain vigilant in defending the country from societal problems and other dangers to the nation’s liberty, as the country celebrated the 159th birth an niversary of national hero Andres Bonifacio on Wednesday.

in honor of the founder of Philippine revolution against

“Today, we cherish the freedoms we

BONIFACIO DAY RITES.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his speech at the Andres Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan City on Wednesday to mark the 159th birth anniversary and national holiday in honor of the Katipunan founder. Before that, Mr. Marcos is joined by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez and Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan as he waves to his supporters (inset). Ver Noveno

RM AWARDEES. Japanese ophthalmologist Tadashi Hattori, Cambodian psychiatrist Sotheara Chhim, Filipina pediatrician Bernadette Madrid, and environmental advocate Gary Bencheghib from Indonesia (from left) receive their trophies for the Ramon Magsaysay Awards, the region’s highest honor and version of the Nobel Prize, on Wednesday (see story on A2).

MISS EARTH QUEENS.

Miss Colombia Andrea Aguilera, Miss Korea Mina Sue Choi, Miss Palestine Nadeem Ayoub, and Miss Australia Sheridan Mort lock pose after the coronation night of the 22nd Miss Earth pageant in Manila on Wednesday (see story on A2). Teddy Pelaez

SC: Don’t exploit ignorance of law

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court has enjoined Filipino lawyers not to exploit a person’s ignorance” and should not refuse “legal assistance to any person by reason of poverty.”

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo stressed that lawyers should instead “should look after the disadvantaged and the marginalized, in order to give them a voice, to give them the chance to be equal with others, if not in life, at least in law.”

Gesmundo made the statement in his speech during the four-day legal aid summit that ended Wednesday in Bacolod City. The summit is focused on two con

President...

From A1

hold with even greater fervor as we commemorate the birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio. His spirit lives on in the stories we tell and use to build on his legacy, breathing new life into his words with our sense of duty and patriotism,” Marcos said.

“It is through the bold ideas of the Father of the Philippine Revolution that our heroic ancestors were able to muster the will and the courage to fight their oppressors, thereby paving the way to our motherland’s eventual emancipation,” he added.

The President said it was Boni facio’s deeds “that provided the impe tus for our collective liberation, which we are challenged to preserve and pro tect amid these trying times.”

“The shackles that once held our forebears may no longer constrain us, but we must remain vigilant in pro tecting our country from social ills and other elements that threaten our liberties,” Marcos said.

“I call on my fellow Filipinos to honor Bonifacio’s life of extraordi nary selflessness by becoming duti ful and law-abiding citizens who will contribute towards a brighter and freer future for all Filipinos,” he added

President Marcos Jr. also urged the Filipinos to be the best version of themselves and imitate the loyalty and love of country of Andres Bonifacio.

“This is why we must do anything to make ourselves best; to be a Filipi no who is trustworthy and with love of country which is on par to our national heroes like Gat. Andres,” President Marcos said.

“We can do this with the help of our modern-day heroes, our doctors, nurs es, soldiers and policemen and wom en, the OFWs, and every ‘Juan and Juana’ with full dedication to serve our countrymen,” Mr. Marcos said. He said it was one of Bonifacio’s legacies that everyone can be a hero in his or her own way.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, who was with the President at the cer emony, urged Filipinos to honor Boni facio and other heroes of the country by contributing their share to nationbuilding.

“We honor the sacrifices of our he roes by performing our respective civ ic duties and each contribute to nationbuilding. And in doing so, we become the heroes of our time,” Romualdez said.

Vice President Sara Duterte ex pressed hope that Andres Bonifacio’s courage and heroism will instill a deep sense of patriotism among Filipinos as the country commemorates his 159th birth anniversary.

In a statement, Duterte highlighted Bonifacio’s love for the country and

stitutional mandates – full protection of human rights and no denial of legal assis tance to any person by reason of poverty.

The top magistrate said the nobility of the legal profession “as it is used to se cure peace and order in society through the preservation of the rule of law.”

“It carries with it a public dimension.

As it is involved in the administration of justice, it exists for the society and the public in general,” he added.

He pointed out that the legal profession is a public service. “It is a service to oth ers in need of justice. It is a service to oth ers in search of truth,” he said.

In a statement, the SC’s Public Infor mation Office said that more than 200 representatives are in attendance in the four-day summit.

The participants are from the SC, Philippine Judges Association, Depart ment of Justice, Department of Mi grant Workers, Commission on Human Rights, Integrated Bar of the Philip pines, Philippine Bar Association, Phil ippine Association of Law Schools, Free Legal Assistance Group, Alternative Law Groups, National Union of Peo ples’ Lawyers, Public Attorney’s Of

fice, Legal Education Board, University of the Philippines-Office of Legal Aid, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates, several law firms, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), European Union GoJust II Programme (GOJUST), and The Asia Foundation Programme (TAF).

In his message, SC Senior Associate Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen — chairperson of the SC’s Commit tee on Access to Justice/Underserved Areas – stressed to the participants to make the law relevant by taking time “to reflect critically on what we do, and proceed with conscious, deliberate, and critical effort to practice law, and also for us to decide our cases.”

Korean crowned Miss Earth 2022, first in 20 years

SOUTH Korea’s Mina Sue Choi made history for her country after being crowned Miss Earth 2022, the first Ko rean to win a major international title since compatriot Kim So-yoon won the Miss Asia Pacific Quest in 2002. Choi, 24, who was born in Sydney, Australia, is a communications stu dent the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign. Choi bested over 80 con testants and was crowned by outgoing Miss Earth 2021 Destiny Wagner of Belize during the finale held at Cove Okada Manila, Tuesday night.

Named Miss Earth Air 2022 was

BSP...

gradually decelerate in the succeeding months as the effects of weather distur bances and transport fare hikes dissipate.

It said the “timely implementation of non-monetary measures” will also help ease price pressures in the months ahead.

“The BSP continues to monitor close ly emerging price developments to en able timely intervention that could help prevent the further broadening of price pressures, in accordance with the BSP’s price stability mandate,” it said.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is work ing to slow down the rise in fuel and power costs at least heading into Christ mas, saying Filipinos have already suf fered much from the spiraling prices of goods amid worldwide inflation.

In a press conference in Los Banos, Laguna, the President admitted he was worried by the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Court of Ap peals (CA) that could raise electricity rates for millions of customers of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

“We are focusing our work on not raising the price of fuels, at least for this Christmas. If we could postpone and slow down the increase of prices, making the rise slower and keep the prices of fuel down, and if it rises at

Sheridan Mortlock of Australia, Miss Earth Fire 2022 Andrea Aguilera of Colombia, and Miss Earth Water 2022 Nadeen Ayoub of Palestine.

“If there’s something I would correct in this world it would be being empa thetic. We often mistake kindness as being empathetic but what being em pathetic is putting yourself into some one else’s shoes and when it comes to climate issues and other issues in this world one has to be empathetic,” Choi answered in fluent English

“You really need to see how the other person perceives this world, you need to

least gradually. It’s very difficult—the people have suffered much” Mr. Marcos said in Filipino.

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund said the BSP must respond with a tighter policy stance if inflation contin ues to accelerate in the coming months.

This was contained in the recent con clusion of the 2022 Article IV consulta tion with the Philippines by the IMF’s executive board.

The IMF said BSP’s prompt action to fight inflation was welcome, but further monetary tightening might be needed to keep inflation expectations well anchored.

“The current policy stance remains accommodative, and BSP should aim at bringing the policy rate close to the neu tral real rate to securely bring inflation within the target range. Should infla tion pressures continue to rise, the BSP should respond with a tighter policy stance,” IMF said.

“Similarly, if inflation proves less persistent, or if significant downside risks to growth materialize, monetary policy tightening would need to be re calibrated. Clear communication about inflation and the BSP’s policy inten tions can help reduce uncertainty and improve policy transmission,” it said.

On Nov. 17, 2022, the policy-setting Monetary Board of the BSP raised the benchmark policy rate by 75 basis points to a near 14-year high of 5 per

in California affecting domestic birds.

understand their pain by being in their shoes,” she said when asked “What is the one thing that you want to correct in this world and how would you correct it?” during the final Q&A round.

Finishing in the Top 8 were Miss es Zimbabwe, Belgium, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands, while in the Top 12 were Brazil, Cuba, Portugal and Nigeria.

Miss Philippines Jenny Ramp made the Top 20 semi-finalists with Ethio pia, Ireland, Namibia, Norway, Slove nia, Vietnam, and the Czech Repub lic. Eton Concepcion

cent in a bid to rein in inflation and sup port the peso.

October’s high rate brought the 10-month inflation average to 5.4 per cent, well over the target range of 2 to 4 percent earlier set by the government.

On Wednesday, various groups marched and gathered in Manila on Bonifacio Day to protest the effects of the “cost-of-living crisis.”

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bay an) Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. said in a statement that their group joined Filipino workers in demanding a substan tial wage increase and for government ac tion to stem the rise in prices.

“The holiday cheer has already been dampened by the shrinking basket of goods that the ordinary Filipino can af ford given the insufficient wages and soaring prices,” he said.

Reyes called on the President to issue a public statement regarding wage hikes.

“Is he for or against a substantial wage increase? Is he for or against an increase in the salaries of public sector workers? Will he push through with new taxes amid rising inflation?” he said.

“There are very urgent issues that re quire a clear and categorical response from the chief executive.”

Also on Wednesday, the Philippine Egg Board Association said recent in creases in the price of eggs could be traced to bird flu, low production, and an increase in feed prices.

Bacs-Kiskun, Hungary.

PH’s Madrid, 3 others receive Magsaysay prize

FILIPINA pediatrician Bernadette Madrid led three other leaders from different parts of Asia who head trans formative initiatives toward humani tarian and environmental advoca cies in this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award, the region’s highest honor and version of the Nobel Prize. Madrid, who heads a multi sectoral, multidisciplinary effort in child protec tion, devoted her career to setting up a medical system for abused children. She received the award on Wednesday. As head of the Child Protect Net work, Madrid designed programs, and engaged with stakeholders and policy makers in advancing the cause of child protection. She has been at the fore front of efforts to provide medical, le gal, and psychosocial care to children and women who are victims of abuse.

“Violence against children is a cri sis. Children are fast becoming an en dangered species, and with them goes our humanity,” Madrid said in her speech during the awarding ceremony held at the Ramon Magsaysay Foun dation Center in Manila, which was also livestreamed online.

“The Ramon Magsaysay Award has made me realize how much peo ple care and that we are not alone,” she added.

Environmental advocate Gary Ben cheghib from Indonesia also received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for his fight against marine plastic pollution, and efforts to clean up Indonesia’s pol luted waterways.

Bencheghib produced videos on plastic pollution and environmental protection seen by millions. He and his team kayaked and filmed an expe dition on the Citarum river, one of the most polluted rivers in the world.

It generated wide public interest and triggered the Indonesian government to embark on a seven-year Citarum River rehabilitation program.

Bencheghib and his siblings estab lished Sungai Watch in 2020, which puts up trash barriers in rivers to col lect the garbage.

“I am deeply honored to be receiv ing the Ramon Magsaysay Award for my work as a garbage man,” Ben cheghib said.

“We need a radical shift in how we think and how we use plastics. And it starts directly in our rivers, where we can still stop this disaster from destroy ing our planet and our health,” he added.

LPG...

cooking gas price is also rising by P2.27 per kg VAT inclusive, effective Dec. 1 at 6 a.m.

LPG sells from P797 to P1,000 per 11-kilo tank based on the monitoring of the Department of Energy (DOE).

On Tuesday, oil firms cut the price of diesel by P3.95 per liter, gasoline by P0.85 per liter, and kerosene by P2.65 per liter.

be allowed, provided that the products were slaughtered/produced on or before Aug. 4, 2022.

The agency said that based on the reports submitted by the United States Department of Agriculture in Wash ington DC to the World Organization for Animal Health in August, there were additional outbreaks of H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza

gate the alleged fake airport passes “to aid in human trafficking attempts.”

The DA said the rapid spread of H5N1 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in the US in a short period of time neces sitates a wider coverage of trade restric tions to prevent the entry of the HPAI virus and protect the health of the local poultry population.

The agency also cited the report submitted by Ministry of Agriculture of Budapest to the WOAH on Nov. 4, 2022 that there were outbreaks of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza virus in Kiskunmajsa and Bugac,

It also received a report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan to the WOAH on Nov. 1, 2022 that there were outbreaks of High Pathogenicity Avian Influen za virus in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, and Atsuma Town, Hok kaido Prefecture, Japan.

Meanwhile, the DA lifted the tem porary ban on the importation of do mestic and wild birds and their prod ucts from Nova Scotia, Canada, and Poland. Alena Mae S. Flores

Rodela Romero, DOE director for the Oil Industry Management Bureau, attributed the price rollback to the COVID-19 surge in mainland China, the increase in the fuel inventory data of the US, and the higher price cap for Russian crude by the European Union.

On Nov. 22, oil companies cut pric es per liter of gasoline by P0.40, diesel by P2.15, and kerosene by P2.10.

This resulted in the total year-to-date adjustments at a net increase of P17.75/ liter for gasoline, P33.85/liter for diesel, and P27.85/liter for kerosene.

individual under the byname “Paulo” who thought he had been recruited to work as a customer service represent ative in Thailand but found out he was going to be sent to work as a scammer in Myanmar.

Senator Raffy Tulfo then said the Manila International Airport Authority should be the first one to be questioned, as the ID pass provided to Paulo was is sued by the agency.

Hontiveros said MIAA’s manager was invited but was not able to attend the hearing due to COVID-19.

Tulfo quickly interjected that this shows the MIAA is “guilty.”

“Guilty. As simple as that. Put it on record sinabihan ko silang guilty (I told them they are guilty),” Tulfo said.

MIAA general manager Cesar Chiong also tapped his men to investi

Ople said an information campaign targeting Filipinos seeking to work abroad was necessary to help protect them from groups that would recruit them to work as scammers.

In a TV interview, Ople said that aside from Myanmar, the DMW was also looking at human trafficking in cidents involving Filipinos in Cambo dia and Laos, adding they were able to bring home several survivors from these countries.

“We need an information and educa tion campaign. Let’s not hide this in the darkness. The more we don’t talk about it, the more we try to downplay it, the more victims there will be,” she said in an ANC interview.

“It’s online recruitment. It’s when you are at home. This is different from going outside and meeting an il legal recruiter. Here, it’s just one on one,” she added.

working on it because the bill for it was passed in June this year, but said it would be fully funded by the time the bicameral conference committee fin ishes its work.

The bicameral conference committee to reconcile the disagreeing provisions in the Senate and House versions of the national budget started Saturday.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund

Villafuerte echoed Angara, saying he is hoping the budget panel would be able to realign outlays for certain state offices and programs to bankroll, among others, the Libreng Sakay free bus and train rides in Metro Manila along with the higher pen sion for indigent senior citizens next year.

Villafuerte made the statement as Speaker Martin G. Romualdez ex pressed confidence over the weekend that the Senate contingent to the bicam panel would support the House-pro posed P77 billion worth of amendments to augment next year’s spending plan

Metro Manila to 92 percent in Mindanao.

In terms of socioeconomic classes, the Chief Executive’s trust ratings ranged from 78 percent to 90 percent.

for transportation, safety nets, educa tion, health, and other social services.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said they hope to have the final budget ready for signing by the President be fore Dec. 15.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano called on his colleagues in the bicameral con ference committee to align the P5.268 trillion national budget for 2023 with the administration’s priorities and make it responsive to the country’s ef fort to recover from the economic reali ties of the pandemic.

The President’s performance ratings ranged from 74 percent to a high of 85 percent in Mindanao.

while 5 percent were not satisfied with his performance.

In terms of geographical areas, the Presi dent’s trust rating ranged from 82 percent in

Mr. Marcos got the highest boost from adult Filipinos belonging to Class E, or the “poorest of the poor,” register ing 90 percent.

OCTA earlier reported that 85 percent of Filipino adults strongly agree that the country under the Marcos administration is headed in the right direction, with only 6 percent expressing disagreement.

BuCor to set free 300-500 PDLs before year’s end

SOME 300 to 500 prisoners, also called persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) may yet have a very merry Christmas with their freedom regained.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Wednesday said it intends to set free even as many as 700 inmates before 2022 ends in connection with the jail decongestion program of the government.

BuCor officer-in-charge Gregorio Catapang, Jr. said the government also eyes the transfer of some 3,000 PDLs from the National Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City by next year when they finalize the tripartite agreement with the Department of Justice, the Department of Health, and the Department of National Defense.

At a public briefing, Catapang said some 300 to 1,000 prisoners qualified for parole or clemency may also be released following completion of pertinent documents.

The bureau will also recommend issuing executive clemency to elderly individuals in prison or those aged between 60 and 70, he disclosed.

“There’s a law saying when you are 70 years old and above, you can apply for parole or executive clemency. So we are planning to apply it to our PDLs who are 65 to 70 years old and above,” Catapang said.

According to him, all penal facilities including the NBP are currently “super congested.”

He also revealed that the government has released P300 million for the construction of new buildings to decongest existing ones.

Catapang said the buildings being constructed can hold 1,000 to 1,500 PDLs.

“So if you add the three colonies that were given P300 million to construct new buildings, more or less that’s 4,000 inmates from NBP that may be transferred.”

The remains of some 70 PDLs are also set to be buried on Friday, according to Catapang.

Comelec: BSKE voters’ registration begins Dec. 12, opens in five malls

THE registration of voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will begin on Dec. 12, 2022 and will last on Jan. 31, 2023, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Wednesday

Overseas voters registration however, will start a bit earlier, on December 9, 2022, Comelec chair George Garcia said.

Registrants can also go to Comelec satellite registration offices nearest their place of residence Monday to Saturday, including holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Meanwhile, the poll body also announced that the Register Anywhere Project (RAP) will be pilot tested in five malls in Metro Manila starting next month.

The BSKE was supposed to be held this December, but Congress moved it October 2023.

Overseas Filipinos wanting to cast their votes in the BSKE can register in Philip-

pine embassies and Consular Offices worldwide, Garcia said.

“[Several important Comelec activities] include the commencement of the overseas voter registration on December 9, 2022 on most of the Philippine Embassies and Consulate Generals worldwide,” Garcia said in a statement.

Overseas voter registration at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan will also start on the same date.

On the other hand, voter registration in embassies that operate only Sunday to Thursday will start registration on Dec. 11, 2022.

Overseas voting registration period

will run until September 30, 2024.

Office of Overseas Voting director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada said Filipinos who are set to leave the country can register for overseas voting in Manila.

“Kasama rin po sa resumption ng overseas voting registration yung registration here in Manila, specifically, sa Office for Overseas Voting,” Lozada said.

“This is for our countrymen who are about to leave the country. They know that they’ll be abroad on election day in 2025. So, they can register before their deployment, deploy,” she added.

The overseas voting registration period will run until Sept. 30, 2024. In a statement, Comelec spoke man John Rex Laudiangco said the initial test for the RAP would be conducted at the SM Fairview in Quezon City, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, SM South Mall in Las Piñas City, Robinsons Place Manila, and Robinsons Galleria in Quezon City.

“It (RAP) will start on Dec. 17, 2022 and until Jan. 22, 2023. It will be held on Saturdays and Sundays,” Laudiangco said.

Aside from the malls, the Comelec also mulls the inclusion of the Senate office in Pasay City, the House of Representatives in Quezon City, and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) main office in Pasay City in the RAP scheme.

Likewise, he said they are planning to include Bicol and Eastern Visayas as additional places for the pilot test of the RAP.

Under the RAP, qualified applicants residing anywhere in the Philippines may register at the RAP booths by submitting their application form and documentary requirements, and having their biometrics taken on-site.

Those who are eligible to register as barangay election voters are Filipinos 18 years and above, have been residing in the country for at least one year, and in the area where they intend to register for at least six months before election day.

PBA IMPORT CALLS ON THE SPEAKER.

Gilas Pilipinas prospective player and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) import Justin Donta Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra pays a courtesy call on Speaker Martin Romualdez at the House of Representatives Tuesday afternoon.

Ver Noveno

Nuclear plant proposal draws mixed reaction among senators

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

MAJORITY leader Joel Villanueva on Wednesday said he is open to discussions on the plan of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos to secure potential deals with South Korea, France, and the United States for the construction of nuclear power plants in the Philippines.

However, Villanueva said he has reservations about this idea.

“We are all aware that nuclear power plants contain radioactive material that is extremely harmful to humans and the

environment,” he said.

“We also need to conduct a thorough evaluation of potential sites for the power plant and waste storage,” he added.

“Can this technology be efficiently utilized in an archipelagic country such as the Philippines?” he inquired.

Pointing out that nuclear power plants would cost billions of dollars, he questioned how the Philippines can afford such projects.

Assuming that the project would be cost efficient, he asked how long it would take to get a return on investment.

On this note, Villanueva said he

NLEX to build 3rd span over Candaba swamp

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE operator of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) plans to build a third highway alongside the two 5.3-kilometer viaducts crossing the Candaba swampland in Bulacan and Pampanga, a legislator from Central Luzon said.

NLEX officials revealed their plans on Tuesday during a consultative meeting organized by Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., who has called for the construction of new long bridges that would replace the 46-year-old viaducts due to safety concerns.

Gonzales said he was elated to hear of the operator’s intention to build a third viaduct or diversion bridge that would complement the two existing bridges, which are being repaired and retrofitted.

“The new road and the improvement of the present expressway will ensure

the continued interconnectivity of Metro Manila and areas south of Luzon, on one hand, and central and northern Luzon, on the other,” he said.

He said aside from thousands of motorists and commuters, billions of pesos worth of goods are transported between the National Capital Region and central and Northern Luzon through NLEX, of which the long elevated bridges across the 30-meter deep Candaba swamps are a major part.

“So safety issues arising from \the two viaducts’age and their constant use and heavy load are a real concern. I am glad that the expressway operator is addressing these,” he added.

The Pampanga lawmaker, a civil engineer by profession, pointed out that he had foreseen such issues in 2016, when he told the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry that a new viaduct needed to be constructed.

is more open to exploring the use of modular types of nuclear plants for the country.

Using small modular reactors, he noted, could prove to be an affordable option and manageable in size and scale for the country.

“We have seen these in other countries but we wanted to study further.”

Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III said generation of electricity through nuclear technology must be authorized first by law.

He said the legal framework must first be approved. Then the regulatory body must be put up to approve the project

before even a square inch of construction is started.

“There must also be a law on how the nuclear waste is managed. In short, the decision to adopt nuclear power generation is not for the executive branch alone to decide. Congress must be involved in formulating this policy,” Pimentel said.

“And then under the Local Government Code written by my father the late Senate President Nene Pimentel, the LGUs and their people should also now be consulted especially if their area is a chosen or potentialsite of the nuclear power plants,” he added.

LTO going after corrupt doctors, medical clinics

By Rio N. Araja

THE Land Transportation Office on Wednesday warned accredited doctors and other medical clinics to stop their no-show attitude or face suspension or worse, permanent closure. Meanwhile, the LT said that it will heighten its policy against drunken driving to prevent road accidents this holiday season.

LTO chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo Tugade issued the warning amid reports that certain medical clinics and doctors were issuing medical certificates to driver’s license applicants without any actual physical examination.

“My marching orders to all regional and district offices nationwide was to weed out corruption not only in LTO offices themselves, but also those in accredited partners like medical clinics, whose services are part of the process for securing driver’s licenses or motor vehicle registration,” he said.

A medical certificate is a pre requisite in securing driver’s license to determine if the applicant is fit to operate a motor vehicle, Tugade stressed.

“We continue to remind the public that a driver’s license to operate a motor vehicle is not a right but a privilege granted by the government. No one should circumvent the process in the issuance of a driver’s license, and the job of the LTO is to make sure that it is issued only to qualified drivers as part of promoting road safety,” he said.

The LTO chief cited the case of a medical clinic in Bacolod City, which was slapped with a 60-day suspension by the LTO Region 6 for reportedly issuing too many medical certificates in a single day.

Baguio, Borongan set to open new airports—CAAP

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is set to open two airports, one each in Baguio and Borongan cities this December.

The Philippine Airlines (PAL) will launch on Dec. 16 direct flights between to Baguio City and Cebu City, operating four times weekly with convenient morning departures.

PAL recently made a test flight at the Baguio Loakan Airport using a De Havilland Dash 8-400 New Generation aircraft with a seating capacity of 84 passengers.

PAO beats private lawyers in national survey

THE Public Attorney’s Office got a +58 percent trust rating of professionals in the justice sector, beating the private lawyers’ +43 percent, judges at +37 percent, prosecutors at +35 percent and police at +33 percent.

Hector Diaz Soliman, senior adviser to Justice Governance in Justice Programme, conducted the survey during a legal aid summit in Bacolod City on Nov. 27-30 to determine the situationer on access to justice entitled “Justice Needs Survey and the Access to Justice Study (GOJUST).

The survey involved a Social Weather Stations study from August to September 2021, and a total of 3,900 respondents broken down into 1,200 in a national survey, justice zone survey in six cities with 1,800 respondents and three of the poorest provinces—Camarines Norte, Eastern Samar and Lanao del Sur with 300 correspondents each.

Based on the Justice Governance in Justice

Programme survey, 36 percent of all Filipinos have experienced a justiciable issue in the past five years (translated to 25.6 million Filipinos).

Of the 36 percent who encountered a legal problem, a good 63 percent acted on the matter typically by reaching out to the other party or taking the case to the barangay for advice or mediation, while 37 percent did not take any action at all.

Public lawyers topped the list in the trust rating of professionals in the justice sector.

Moreover, PAO got +57 percent trust rating of institutions in the justice sector, followed by the city or town government (+52 percent), barangay (+50 percent), Philippine National Police (+47 percent), Supreme Court (+42 percent), Integrated Bar of the Philippines (+41 percent) and trial courts (+40 percent). Rio N. Araja

“Before parang sinasabi natin delikado. Of course iyong haze talaga ay isang challenge iyon. That’s why tiniming natin sa historical data, hindi siya nagkaka-haze, so iyon po between 10 and 11 a.m. clear ang weather sa mountains,” PAL president and chief operating officer Capt. Stanley Ng said.

(We used to say it was dangerous, with the haze posing a challenge But according to historical data, the weather is clear and haze-free in the mountains between 10 and 11 a.m.)

PAL earlier said opening the Baguio route is a homage to the flag carrier’s beginnings. It first flew to Baguio from Manila as a newly incorporated airline on March 15, 1941.

The Loakan Airport was used as a heliport during the 1990 killer earthquake for search and rescue operations and transporting goods.

BEAUTIES AT DAKAK. Candidates of the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant take at break at the Dakak Resort in Dapitan, Zamboanga Del Norte. The 52nd edition of the contest will have its coronation night at  the FilOil Eco Oil Center in San Juan City on Dec. 4, 2022. This year, four winners will be chosen; Mutya ng Pilipinas, Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International, Mutya ng Pilipinas-World Top Model, and Mutya ng PilipinasOverseas Communities. Danny Pata

HAPLESS AND HELPLESS. Victims of a re that swept through a residential area in Barangay Masambong, Quezon City helplessly look at the charred remains of their homes. The blaze reached the third alarm, but there were no reports of casualties brought to the attention of the Bureau of Fire Protection. Manny Palmero

PNR extends hours due to Christmas rush

THE Philippine National Railways (PNR) has extended its operating hours in Metro Manila routes in anticipation of the holiday rush.

The PNR said in the extended operating hours, the first train leaves Tutuban at 4:11 a.m., while the last train leaves Tutuban at 9:16 p.m.

The PNR also included the following additional train trips including Tutuban to San Pedro at 8:16 p.m; San Pedro to Tutuban at 4:50 a.m; and Sucat to Tutuban at5:01 a.m.

According to the PNR, it has daily trips of around 44 to 50, and increased this to 55 to 60 due to the extended operating hours.

It also recorded a 17% increase in ridership boarding in Tutuban station during the holiday season in 2019.

4 notorious robbery gang members fall in Taguig

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Rhodel Ser monia, on Wednesday lauded the Police Regional Office in Calabarzon (PRO 4A) for the arrest of four members of a noto rious robbery-hold up gang operating in Calabarzon and National Capital Region (NCR).

Sermonia commended the swift police action and intensified intelligence operations of the operating units that led to the arrest of the four suspects.

“The quick action of our police is the result of the cooperation and collaboration of our countrymen through information and other details that helped to immediately identify the culprits involved in the robbery that occurred in the past month),” Sermonia said in a statement.

PRO 4A director, Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., identified the suspects as Larry Gilbero, Jessierell Eusebio, John Clister Balderama and Diosdado Tamondong Jr., who were all arrested in an operation in Barangay Calzada in Tipas, Taguig City on Nov. 26.

Ople expects OFW remittances to post a sharp increase in Q1

Filipinos working abroad grew 4 percent in September to $3.15 billion.

“I think we are looking at a sharp increase in remittances by the first quarter of 2023,” DMW Secretary SusanOple, quoted in an ABS-CBN News report, said. “Unless any cataclysmic event oc-

curs, we are looking at perhaps, may I be optimistic? Baka doubling of remittances,” she said.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that personal remittances by

The increase in personal remittances was due to remittances sent by landbased workers with work contracts of 1 year or more and sea- and land-based workers with contracts of less than 1 year, the BSP said, adding that sash re mittances up 3.8 percent to $2.84 billion in September

Ople cited three reasons for the possible spike in remittances including the

reopening of Saudi Arabia market, new labor markets in Europe, and acute labor shortage.

The Middle East state, the DMW chief said, is “the biggest labor destination country” of migrant Filipino workers.

In the first quarter of next year, the Philippines will also open new labor markets in Portugal, Romania and Hungary, she said.

In Canada, meanwhile, an entry-level salary of 74,000 Canadian dollars (around

The operation was conducted by joint operatives of the Regional Intelligence Division 4A Special Operations Unit and members of the Binangonan, Rizal, and Bacoor and Imus City police, in coordination with the local police.

Nartatez said the operation stemmed from the information they received on Nov. 25 from the crew members of a convenience store in Imus City, Cavite that was robbed by the suspects.

New ‘pagoda’ park rises in Marikina City

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has inaugurated its 9th and latest park - the Chinese Pagoda in Barangay Sta. Elena, Marikina Cityunder a program to lessen urban decay and provide areas for family events and wellness activities.

The MMDA has refurbished the Chinese Pagoda, which has a lot area of 2,100 square meters, and improved its architectural designs. The agency likewise installed softscapes, lighting fixtures, and stalls that will sell Chinese food.

MMDA chairman Romando Artes said the refurbishment of the Chinese Pagoda will give Marikeños a better spot to enjoy the view of the Riverbanks.

“This park could give the residents of Marikina a new outdoor space where they can spend time with themselves, or with their families,” Artes said.

“The re-opening of this park marks the beginning of many more projects and partnership between the MMDA and the Marikina local government unit. We are committed to giving continuous service for the betterment of your city and your residents,” he added.

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro thanked the MMDA for its initiatives to pro vide open spaces for his constituents. He also said that the park is a reminder of the city’s rich Chinese heritage. Joel E. Zurbano

P3 million) per year awaits Filipino nurses in Saskatchewan province as it turns to Southeast Asia, including the Philippines to boost its health care workforce.

In an interview Tuesday night, visiting Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman said recruitment is ongoing for Filipino healthcare workers, specifically nurses and continuing care assistants (CCA).

The starting rate, he said, is on top of the pension, health care, and other benefits offered by Canada.

Court

convicts man

in

attack of Filipina, 67, in New York

NEW YORK—The man convicted for the savage attack on a 67-yearold Filipino woman in Yonkers in March has been sentenced to 17 1/2 years imprisonment.

Tammel Esco, 42, received his sentence on Tuesday (US time) after pleading guilty to the crime.

Esco has been convicted of Attempted Murder and one count of Assault Under Hate Crime Law. He did not issue a statement during Tuesday’s proceedings.

The attack on the victim was caught on security camera. It happened while the victim was about to enter her apartment building.

According to reports, Esco punched and kicked the victim multiple times, and even spat on her before leaving her sprawled and weak ened on the floor.

Westchester County Judge Anne Minihan said it was a miracle that the victim survived the vicious attack.

The victim told the court that the incident traumatized her and forced her and her family to move to a different area for their safety.

SURVIVOR.

Cancer survivor Nelia Patague recounts her struggle with lung cancer during the ‘Lung Cancer Awareness Month: Let’s Take the Plunge’ held in Ortigas Pasig City. The event is held annually in November and highlights the need for more cancer research.

Manny Palmero

NDF consultant Acosta, 2 NPA rebels slain in Negros clash vs. gov’t troops

political wing, National Democratic FrontNegros, confirmed that one of them is their consultant Ericson Acosta, who was in Kabankalan “to consult” with farmers in southern Negros, together with a peasantorganizer, who was the other fatality, but whom they did not name.

the

Troops

Capt.

Army’s

a.m.

The military has yet to identify the fa-

In a report, the 94IB said two clashes took place – at 2:10 a.m. and 2:15 a.m. – after the joint troops responded to reports on the presence of NPA rebels asking for food supplies.

These rebels are believed to be among those involved in the series of armed encounters in Barangay Cabalan of the neighboring Himamaylan City last month, the report added.

After the clash, the troops also recovered a KG9 assault rifle and two caliber .45 pistols with magazines and ammunition, and two hand grenades, as well as CPP-NPA flags, Mao caps, subversive documents, and lecture materials.

US, PH planning bigger ‘Salaknib’ military exercises in 2023, Army spox

PHILIPPINE Army (PA) and US Army Pacific (USARPAC) planners have begun their week-long planning session for larger “Salaknib” military exercises in 2023.

In a statement Tuesday night, Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the planning conference, held at the Hotel Conrad in Pasay City, began on November 28.

“PA and USARPAC Salaknib planners are finalizing plans for the combined exercise that will include around 3,000 troops from the USARPAC’s 25th Infantry Division and various PA major units,” he added.

“Salaknib”, which means shield in Ilocano, is an annual combined exercise geared at strengthening the interoperability of Filipino and American armies in a spectrum of military operations.

About 2,200 Filipino and US Army troops participated in this year’s edition of “Salaknib”, which took place in March.

These troops focused on the capability development of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, the PA’s primary combined arms, and rapid deployment unit.

“When you plan, you plan to succeed. And

so, as we all work towards yet another successful execution of Exercise ‘Salaknib’ next year. May every planner from both sides be all the more committed and dedicated as we finalize the concept of operations, settle the schedule of events and activities, confirm force commitments and asset requirements, and complete all essential requirements for the execution proper,” PA deputy assistant chief of staff for education and training, Col. Emmanuel L. Cabasan, said during the open ing of the conference.

PA

Alog

says

Jr. earlier said the annual combined exercise is a testament to the “long-standing bilateral relations” between the Philippines and the US that would contribute to the pursuit of a common goal of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Reservist caravan in Congress Meanwhile, Trinidad said the PA held a reservist caravan and information drive aimed at encouraging lawmakers and their legislative staff to join the Army’s reserve force at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Arrest warrant out against detained Abu Sayyaf leader

The

Mangkabong

March 22, 2021, in this city for kidnapping charges.

Alog said the accused was involved in the kidnapping of five Indonesian fishermen on Jan. 15, 2020 in the vicinity of Tambisan, Sandakan City, Sabah, as well as Filipinos in the island provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

He said Mangkabong is a sub-leader under the group of ASG leader Idang Susukan operating in the two provinces.

Policemen arrested Susukan on Aug. 13, 2020 in Davao City.

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it is expecting remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to record a sharp increase by the first quarter of 2023.

BACOLOD CITY – Two more fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in a clash with government troops in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, two days after two of their comrades died in a skirmish as soldiers responded to the rebels’ continued harassment and extortion activities in the remote areas of central and southern Negros.

of

Philippine

94th and 47th Infantry Battalions (IB) found two bodies after engaging about 10 communist terrorists in Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi in Kabankalan City at past 2

Eduardo Rarugal Jr., 94IB civ il-military operations officer, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the bodies have been brought to Sola Gracia Funeral Services in the southern Negros city.

talities but a statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA’s

commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Government operatives have served a warrant of arrest for 25 counts of frustrated murder with a P5 million recommended bail against an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) leader detained for kidnapping charges in Tawi-Tawi, an official said Wednesday.

Maj. Allan Alog, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Tawi-Tawi office chief, said the warrant was served against ASG sub-leader Injimar Mangkabong, alias Bensar Jakari, around 3:12 p.m. Tuesday at the provincial jail in Bongao, the capital town of the province.

said the warrant dated Feb. 7, 2012, was issued against Mangkabong by the court of Jolo town in Sulu province.

court has set bail at P200,000 for each count of frustrated murder charges against Mangkabong totaling P5 million.

was arrested by policemen on

HONORING BONIFACIO. Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna delivers her speech as student actors perform the Katipunan Cry of Revolution and honor guards walk past the monument of Andres Bonifacio (inset photos), during the Filipino hero’s 159 birth celebration held along Claro M. Recto in Divisoria. Norman Cruz.

KAPIHAN Q&A. Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno answers media questions during the weekly ‘Kapihan sa Manila Bay’ on November 30. Related story on Business page B1 Norman Cruz

DMW Secretary Susan Ople

EDITORIAL Taiwan politics at crossroads

THE result of last week’s elections in Taiwan places both major parties, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), at the crossroads.

Both hope to capture the presidency in 2024, when the incumbent, Pres. Tsai Ingwen completes two full terms in office.

Tsai was elected in 2016 after defeating the KMT candidate, Eric Chu, then the popular mayor of New Taipei City for eight years, after serving as legislator and magistrate for Taoyuan County, now a bustling metropolis where the international airport is.

Although the KMT was a clear winner in the last local elections, this does not necessarily translate into easy sailing come 2024.

Personalities and local issues take center stage during their mid-term elections. Foreign policy and macro-economic issues determine the presidential elections.

In 2018, the KMT also won resoundingly in the major cities and counties, where the folksy Han Kuo-yu stole Kaohsiung from long-time DPP dominance, as well as another major city, Taichung.

Yet when the KMT fielded Han against Tsai in 2020, the latter was re-elected resoundingly.

Both the DPP and the KMT will have to map out their strategy for 2024 very carefully, especially in choosing who to field for president

In 2016, the highly accomplished Eric Chu, young by Taiwan standards at 55, was chosen by the KMT to succeed then incumbent Pres. Ma Ying-jeou who served two full terms.

DPP on the other hand, fielded lawyer and economist Tsai Ing-wen who was more a technocrat than a politician, having distinguished herself in trade negotiations. She ran against Ma in 2012, but lost yet redeemed herself four years later to capture the presidency.

But the DPP prepared well, and organized more young voters into its fold, promising a more independent stance vis-à-vis the People’s Republic of China, while the KMT was still dominated by a hierarchy of supersenior citizens who were out of touch with the electorate’s changing mood.

In the local elections of 2018, midway through Pres. Tsai’s first term, the KMT regained its local strength, and the newlyelected Kaohsiung Mayor Han was groomed for the presidency.

However, his own lackluster performance in Kaohsiung, coupled with the protests in Hong Kong which was met by China’s repressive tactics against these, got Taiwanese voters to go strongly for the DPP and re-elected Tsai with an overwhelming majority.

As Tsai reaches her lame-duck years (Taiwanese presidents serve for a term of four years, with one re-election, similar to the US of A), and with her party suffering a rout in the mid-terms held last Saturday, the KMT’s hopes of recapturing the presidency in 2024 have been rekindled, its choice of Eric Chu as new chair proving to be a wise

foil to previously fossilized imagery.

But it is how the two parties and their presidential candidates position themselves vis-à-vis the People’s Republic under Xi Jin-ping and the state of the economy in a post-pandemic yet turbulent international situation, that is likely to determine Taiwan’s politics.

A blue wave (KMT’s color) trounced the DPP greens in major cities, but especially felt was KMT’s victory in the capital Taipei, where it fielded 43-year old Chiang Wan-an, supposedly a greatgrandson of strongman Chiang Kai-shek who captured Taiwan after his defeat at the hands of the Communists led by Mao Zedong in the mainland.

Victory in key areas such as Taichung, New Taipei, Taoyuan and Keelung reinvigorated the Kuomintang.

Chiang prevailed over the popular exhealth minister Chen Shih-chung of the DPP and the third force Taiwan People’s Party candidate, who was supported by the incumbent mayor, Ko Wen-je, who himself has moist eyes for the presidency.

TPP, while it lost the big apple, however, won in another populous manufacturing center, Hsinchu, and is likely to be a contributory force to whoever it chooses to support for the presidency in 2024, assuming of course, that Mayor Ko will not himself run.

Both the DPP and the KMT will have to map out their strategy for 2024 very carefully, especially in choosing who to field for president.

Incumbent Vice-President William Lai, the charismatic former mayor of Tainan who delivered the city once more to the DPP, does not seem to be favored by the incumbent Tsai.

But the president herself resigned as party chair after the humiliating defeat last Saturday. Vice-president Lai will have to marshal enough support from party bigwigs to be nominated as candidate in 2024. Will the KMT chairman, Eric Chu, try once more for the presidency?

Key to garnering electoral support will be how he and the KMT will position themselves on foreign policy, particularly the “independence” from PRC.

Can the DPP, whoever it finally chooses as its presidential candidate, rise from its stunning local loss in 2022? Again, how the external political and economic environment impacts on Taiwan will be a determining factor.

The Taiwanese, no matter how many now try to distinguish themselves from their mainland “cousins,” are a very pragmatic people, more drawn to issues of economic well-being when it comes to their politics.

Both the Kuomintang and the DPP find themselves at a political crossroad.

And whichever captures the presidency in 2024 will impact greatly on the peace and stability of our region.

Reacting to Taiwan’s recent elections where its nemesis, the DPP , performed badly, the PRC stated that “the results revealed that mainstream public opinion in the island is for peace, stability and a good life.”

Unless accidents of fate intervene, we should read China’s statement with a sigh of relief —Xi is on wait-and-see mode.

Foundation urges planting of more trees

By Thor Cuatro

“PLANT a tree and gain immortality. “

This saying behooves everyone to take heed in the face of the existentialist threat posed by global warming and climate change.

As the country observes Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week, the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI) has urged all stakeholders to support the priority programs of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to ensure an integrated approach to the problem of climate change.

In a statement, MTFI President and Executive Director Melandrew T. Velasco said mitigating the effects of climate change needs the cooperation of all stakeholders.

He cited that among the government priority programs, MTFI is committed to continue its support to the reforestation program and initiatives to ensure water security and resilience in high water-stressed areas.

“Our goal is to plant more trees and grow them. MTFI’s objective is really to grow trees in critical watersheds and continue the gains of the Annual Million Tree Challenge,” Velasco said.

“We make sure the tree species we plant are compatible with the type of soil,” he said,

adding, “this contributes to the success in reforestation.”

MTFI targets to plant 10 million more tress by 2030.

It has succeeded in planting 5.2 million trees in seven critical watersheds in Angat, Ipo, La Mesa, Umiray, Laguna Lake, Kaliwa and Upper Marikina that supply potable water to Metro Manila and its environs from 2017 to 2021 through the Annual Million Trees Challenge of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

According to Velasco, reforesting the watersheds contributes to water security.

For his part, MTFI Chairman Emeritus Gen. Reynaldo V. Velasco said it is “our obligation to care for our environment.

“Trees capture carbon dioxide and intensifying tree-planting means more trees to absorb carbon emission.”

MTFI has partnered with various organizations and the business sector to pursue its reforestation program.

One of its partners is San Miguel Corporation, the country’s leading conglomerate.

Bolstering its climate action initiatives, SMC subsidiary SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. planted over five million new trees and mangroves from 2019 to date, under its multi-year, nationwide

Rubouts are out, rehab is in

FOR Interior Secretary

Benhur Abalos, the war on illegal drugs will not stop, it will be merely refocused.

We know the previous administration took an unequivocal and consistent stand against the drug menace with its marching order for the police to “kill, kill, kill” drug traffickers, whether big-time or the street-level variety, even just drug users caught with a gram or two of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu” on their person.

The police claim that some 6,200 drug suspects were killed in the 6-year war on drugs launched by Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022 because they fought back when accosted by operatives.

But human rights groups claim that as many as 20,000 to 30,000 were summarily executed by unknown assailants in what has been de scribed as extrajudicial killings or EJKs.

This is the reason Duterte and his police chiefs then are now under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

To its credit, the Marcos administra tion has shifted the focus of its intensified campaign against illegal drugs by reducing demand and rehabilitating users under a

To those who want to turn over a new leaf, Abalos gave the assurance that the government is ready to help them so they can lead productive and drug-free lives in the mainstream of society

program called “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” or BIDA.

The BIDA approach does not mean, how ever, that law enforcers will henceforth stop going after drug pushers and big-time drug personalities.

Abalos’ message, delivered during the launch of the government’s new anti-illegal drugs campaign, has been loud and clear:

“To the drug pushers: we will send you to jail. We will enforce the law and fill the jails with the likes of you who destroy the future of our youth and families.”

To those who want to turn over a new leaf, Abalos gave the assurance that the govern ment is ready to help them so they can lead productive and drug-free lives in the main stream of society.

Abalos said the anti-drugs campaign un der the Marcos administration will imple ment a different approach that will work within the framework of the law, respect hu man rights and focus on rehabilitation and socioeconomic development.

“The challenge is to get to the root of the drug problem. Under BIDA, we will involve the grassroots and not only the police and other law enforcement units,” he said.

BIDA will also involve families, schools and the church in keeping the youth away from illegal drug use.

Barangays will also take an active role in identifying the drug users in their area and convince them to undergo rehabilitation.

On the part of the police, PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said they will be “ob serving different approaches in our drug campaign to minimize, if not avoid, armed confrontations.”

Will the new approach to solving the drug menace work? Let’s hope it does, and does get results soon.

VP Kamala Harris’ visit

offered no objections to the desire of the United States to add five more facilities to the original five identified under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The US has apparently already earmarked funds for the construction of these facilities including the ones to be located in the provinces of Cagayan and Palawan.

As usual, however, not everyone in this country is convinced that we should be letting all these things happen.

want to get involved were invaded just the same and that should be a lesson to us.

Japan and South Korea are two very rich countries who can afford to buy and manufacture all or most of their defense requirements but still must rely on their military alliance with the US to bolster their defense capabilities.

Both countries accept the hard truth that alone, they do not stand a chance with a prospective enemy.

This,

In the past, such a visit would have taken just a day with the visitor always in a hurry to leave to go somewhere else.

This time, however, VP Harris lingered. The optics also could not have been better.

She was careful not to concentrate on alms giving but more on cooperation on areas of mutual interests like trade. She for instance offered to help in the area of nuclear power technology which is favored by PBBM.

She also offered technical help in the processing of cobalt and nickel, two minerals that are abundant in the country.

Most important of all, VP Kamala Harris reiterated the usual ironclad guarantee of military assistance in case any Philippine government vessel or plane is attacked in the West Philippine Sea.

She made it clear that such an attack will automatically trigger the activation of the Mutual Defense Treaty of the two countries.

That must have been music to the ears of PBBM and his national security team.

She also visited Palawan which is the nearest Philippine territory to the contested areas in the WPS and interacted with the fishermen who are often prevented from fishing in our own exclusive economic zone.

These indicate that a lot of preparation went into this visit and shows that US strategic views on the importance of the MDT and EDCA have become more important.

During the visit, our defense officials also

This issue of US military presence in the country has been a thorny issue for some time and that is understandable

There are those who sincerely believe that building these facilities will give reason to a prospective enemy to target the country in case hostilities will break out between the powers in the region.

These people do not seem to realize that whether we like it or not, we will not escape getting involved for reasons of geography.

PBMM has also pointed this out in a couple of interviews.

To do what the critics want, we have to abrogate our MDT with the US, declare our neutrality and pray that countries in the region will respect it and leave us alone.

But that is wishful thinking.

We also have to build a strong defense force like what Switzerland has done so that we can defend ourselves.

The only problem is that we do not have the funds to build a strong and modern military force.

The two World Wars have taught us that those countries who were neutral and did not

Bolstering its climate action initiatives, SMC subsidiary SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. planted over five million new trees and mangroves from 2019 to date, under its multi-year, nationwide forestation and carbon capture program

forestation and carbon capture program.

The company said it is also expanding the scope of the project to reforest areas around its new Battery Energy Storage System facilities —the first and largest such network in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

SMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said as of October 2022, SMCGP’s “Project 747” initiative has yielded a total 5,010,116 upland and mangrove trees, across some 1,500 hectares of land.

The project’s goal is to plant seven million trees on some 4,000 hectares of land, in at least seven provinces.

Thus far, SMCGP has planted in eight: Albay, Bataan, Bulacan, Davao Occidental, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan, Quezon, and Zambales.

SMC Global Power Holdings has partnered with the Dumagats to plant white and red lauan, palosapis, apitong, yakal, guijo, bignai and narra, among others in the first 16 out of 55

hectares of land identified for reforestation.

SMCGPH aims to plant seven million trees and mangroves on more than 4,000 hectares of land.

Meanwhile, in Angat, Bulacan a total 54,056 trees and mangroves have been planted including those planted by employees of the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project on 14 hectares at the Angat Dam Watershed.

“The tree-planting activities of SMC contribute greatly to the government’s reforestation campaign. I hope other organizations will follow and do their share in protecting the environment,” Gen. Velasco said.

Last month, DENR gathered over 200 industry and sector leaders to a multi-sectoral forum to strengthen the country’s environmental resilience.

During the event, Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga reaffirmed DENR’s commitment to protect the country’s natural resources.

Among all the countries in the region that are allied to the US, we are the weakest. We know this as well as everyone else. Even with our modest defense modernization program, we are still the weakest and it will remain that way for some time.

After six years of interregnum, this administration seems to want to invigorate our military alliance with the US.

The country also wants to explore some kind of visiting forces agreement with Japan which, to my surprise, is not generating any objections from the usual critics.

It seems that the opposition is only directed at the US and not Japan and Australia with whom we also signed a kind of defense agreement.

Does that mean that it is alright for us to sign a visiting forces agreement with Japan but not with the US?

This issue of US military presence in the country has been a thorny issue for some time and that is understandable.

After all, it has not always been smooth sailing for our two countries.

Will we be better off without an MDT as some are suggesting? I doubt it.

But if there are outstanding issues for resolution, we should be able to sit down with the US and talk about it.

There is no reason why we cannot invigorate the alliance to enhance our capability to defend ourselves while at the same time try to maintain friendly relations with as many countries in the region to further our economic development. That, after all, is what most countries are doing.

She cited the need for inclusive and multidisciplinary dialogue to make this possible.

The observance of Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week every November 19-25 is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 1667 issued by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on November 18, 2008.

The Proclamation enjoins all government offices including government-owned and controlled corporations to observe the event through the conduct of relevant activities “in coordination with private sector institutions and in liaison with the UN family of agencies and regional groups” in the country.

This year’s observance of Global Warming and Climate Change Consciousness Week immediately comes after the holding of the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Egypt last November 6-18, 2022.

Global warming and climate change have led to catastrophic impact of massive flooding and tsunamis in various parts of the planet and everyone must act now to counter this existentialist threat before it wipes out the entire humankind.

(The writer is a freelance journalist who writes about practically everything under the sun and trees with particular interest in the environment, cars, trade and industry, and farming.)

BY THE looks of it, the three-day visit of United States Vice President Kamala Harris was a resounding success.

in spite of the protests staged by the usual suspects of progressive politicians and negative reactions of so-called national security experts.

COMMENCEMENT ORDER

This is a verified Petition filed by petitioner HDI ADMIX, INC., for a courtsupervised corporate rehabilitation with a prayer for staying of all claims, actions and proceedings.

The petitioner alleges that: HDI Admix, Inc., was incorporated on September 28, 2012, with Company Registration No. CS201217918, with principal address at No. 159 Ermin Garcia St., Brgy. E. Rodriguez Sr., Cubao, Quezon City. The Petition was filed with prior approval of the majority of the board of directors and authorized by the vote of the stockholders representing at least two-thirds (2/3) of the outstanding capital stock of the petitioner.

The petitioner is engaged in the general business of Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising, a form of advertising that can be found outside of a consumer’s home which includes billboards to bus shelters, benches, and everything in-between.

The petitioner started as a corporate social responsibility project by its Chairman Emeritus Peter Chia who saw Filipino commuters being forced to wait for public transport. He approached the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and expressed his intention to construct waiting sheds, free of charge. To cover the maintenance costs, he proposed to place advertisements on top of the sheds. Thus, in 1991, HDI Stopovers, Inc. was born.

In 2003, HDI Adventures, Inc. was founded to address the need for diversity in out-of-home advertising formats. Thereafter, in 2012, petitioner HDI Admix, Inc. was established to answer the growing digital advertising requirements of its clients. Since then, HDI Stopovers, HDI Adventures, and petitioner HDI Admix have grown to become one of the biggest and most innovative out-of-home media companies in the country.

When it was incorporated, HDI Admix Inc. envisioned to conquer the advertising industry through the following means: to acquire and offer several structures for lease and sublease as advertising and commercial spaces; to manufacture cards, signs, posters, handbills, banners and flags to be placed in all kinds of conveyances used by passengers; and to display contents, and ideas for and on behalf of its clients.

Petitioner has helped hundreds of its clients in expanding their advertising avenues through services such as digital advertising. Petitioner prides on establishing relationships with over hundreds of clients in all industries. Some of them are FEU Diliman, Honda Philippines, Inc., Smart Communications, SB19, and Globe Telecom, Inc., just to name a few. It is also prospecting major clients such as Century Pacific Foods, Inc. (CNPF), Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Marikina Shoe Exchange (MSE), Mayor Isko’s Presidential Campaign, and VIU Philippines.

Petitioner is also an accredited sales agent of Bantayog at Bayanihan Advertising Corp. (BBAC). It has the following projects along EDSA: Mass transit OOH in the thirteen (13) stations of the MRT; and Grand Center Island Boards (GClB), Center Island Mini Boards (CIMB), Center Column Banners (CCB) and Side Column Banners (SCB), Pole Banners (PB), Full Beam Billboards (FBB), Half Beam Billboards (HBB), Twin Column Banners (TCB), and Fence Streamers (FS). It has 3-LED Billboard Series in Camp Aguinaldo, EDSA and a digital billboard in Greenhills Promenade.

Petitioner also has existing cross-selling arrangement for all OOH properties of HDI Adventures and HDl Stopovers. With regard to this, it has: Bulletins (billboards) and wallscape/spectacular along NLEX; and Street furniture referring to bus shelter/mini billboards, ad boxes and alternatives including lamp post banners and traffic sign ads (with directional signage) along Metro Manila - EDSA.

Moreover, it has media in Transit/Mobile Out-of Home (OOH) advertising format. These are the advertisements posted in UV Express, Jeepney, Roving Truck, Taxi, Bus or Tricycles also found in the major roads in Metro Manila-EDSA.

Petitioner’s cause of insolvency and its decision to rehabilitate can be traced back to its joint venture agreement with Media Puzzle, Inc. (“MPI) for the restoration of MRT ad spaces. From thereon, petitioner ran into several legal impediments caused by management conflict which consequently hampered its operations.

In 2015, when the petitioner had already invested in several LightEmitting Diode (LED) Billboards either on its own or under joint ventures, an opportunity was offered to re-activate the MRT ad spaces which have not been operating since 2010. Considering that these out-of-home (OOH) advertising properties had a sales potential valued at One Billion Pesos (Php1,000,000,000.00), petitioner agreed to invest therein.

In 2016, petitioner started to aggressively sell MRT ad spaces in partnership with MPI. MRT ad spaces were also being bundled with OOH properties of petitioner, HDI Adventures and HDI Stopovers to give more value to customers. This helped in the revenue generation efforts of the petitioner.

In late 2017 to early part of 2018, petitioner decided to sell its shares in MPI to the latter and get out of the partnership due to conflict in management style. The management of the MRT ad spaces was turned over to MPI as part of the agreement.

During the second quarter of 2019, the operation of the petitioner was severely affected as key officers were not available to manage its day-today operations. Consequently, management of cash flow was affected which caused delays or even non-payment of due obligations.

The said officers were able to get back to operation only in the fourth quarter of 2019. The company could have registered a reasonable end year profit were it not for the legal expenses incurred.

In 2020, the petitioner started to align all of its dues and set out a plan to pay them off within the year. The MRT bookings came in the first quarter of the said year and numbers were looking good for the petitioner.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic came in the same year and the operations of the petitioner got seriously affected, as follows:

a. Declines in revenue for about Php 21 million from LED Billboards and another Php 112 million from MRT ads during the first nine (9) months of 2020 versus the first nine (9) months of 2019. However, the losses incurred from MRT ads were actually because of losing the accreditation given by the MRT Development Corporation (DEVCO) for the MRT ad spaces in 2020.

b. Limited clientele support for early payment discount schemes. Out of the then existing clients of the petitioner, only four (4) of them were able to avail the discount offer. Thus, the original intention of increasing the operating cash flows of the petitioner was not entirely met. It only goes to show that the pandemic has taken a toll on the operations of most industries.

c. Loss of a major client account. With an accounts receivable of Php 8.8 million, petitioner lost the ability to immediately collect such amount when Philippine Airlines (PAL) filed a petition with a United States bankruptcy court in relation to its recovery plan to eliminate its $2.1 billion debt.

In 2021, the uncertainties in the economic environment caused the petitioner and other OOH advertisers to shift their focus on the social medial online ads platforms.

Thus, the petitioner decided to consolidate its efforts in selling only properties that generate good margin. Tactical campaigns (one to threemonth duration with shorter payment cycle) were prioritized. Petitioner also discontinued underperforming sites that eat up cash to operate. 27. In the latter part of the third quarter towards fourth quarter c of 2021, the petitioner started to work on cross-selling OOH properties from HOI Adventures and HOI Stopovers. It also focused on MRT-BTR, Camp Aguinaldo LED Billboard and Greenhills Promenade LED Facade Billboard.

However, the potential earnings of the petitioner were still hindered by dense competition in the industry.

Based on the petitioner’s latest Audited Financial Statement as of 31 December 2021, its total assets as of the year 2021 are in the total amount of FIFTY-SIX MILLION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTEEN PESOS (Php 56,918,718.00), while its total. liabilities are in the total amount of TWO HUNDRED TWENTYFIVE MILLION TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY-THREE THOUSAND EIGHTY PESOS (Php 225,273,080.00).

Thus, the liabilities of the petitioner are more than its assets, clearly making it insolvent.

Further, the petitioner’s latest Audited Financial Statement shows that it reported total comprehensive losses in the total amount of TWENTY-THREE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX PESOS (Php 23,468,526.00).

Considering its state of insolvency, the petitioner foresees the impossibility of meeting debts when they respectively fall due resulting in financial distress that would likely adversely affect its financial condition and/or operations. As such, petitioner prays that it be allowed to rehabilitate voluntarily pursuant to the FRIA and FR Rules.

The petitioner has been operational but became distressed or insolvent primarily because of the COVID 19 pandemic and the legal controversies its management had faced. In view of the petitioner’s huge outstanding liabilities, the economic slowdown brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the dense competition in the industry, the petitioner finds it difficult to operate in a manner that effectively achieves a healthy cost profit ratio. Resultantly, the petitioner foresees its inability to meet its debts as they fall due.

The petitioner submits that its rehabilitation is possible, feasible and reasonably attainable. It is optimistic that it can substantially improve and maximize its revenue potential in the coming years.

Petitioner believes that a Rehabilitation Plan during the ten (10) year rehabilitation period conducted under the supervision of the Court will enable it to continue its business and, in due time, comply with all its obligations. The petitioner only needs time and opportunity to systematize and streamline its business to substantially minimize cost and maximize its profits to attain its goals.

The petitioner is highly optimistic that the successful implementation of the said Rehabilitation Plan will allow it to settle its outstanding obligations in an orderly manner, restore itself to stable solvency, and even result in profitability.

Consequently, petitioner prays for the issuance of a Commencement and Stay or Suspension Order pending proceedings before this Court, and after due hearing, for the approval of petitioner’s Rehabilitation Plan.

A careful examination of the petition shows that the same conforms substantially with Section 2, Rule 2 of the Financial Rehabilitation Rules of Procedure (2013) in relation to Section 1, Rule 3 of A.M. No. 15-04-06-SC the Financial Liquidation and Suspension of Payments Rules of Procedure for Insolvent Debtors.

IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, this Court issues this Commencement Order/Suspension of Payment Order, in accordance with Section 8, Rule 2 of the Financial Rehabilitation Rules of Procedure (2013) in relation to Section 2, Rule 3 of A.M. No. 15-04-06-SC the Financial Liquidation and Suspension of Payments Rules of Procedure for Insolvent Debtors (2015).

1. Declaring the petitioner HDI Admix, Inc. under court supervised rehabilitation.

2. Appointing Atty. Kennerly Albert R. Malinao, CPA as rehabilitation receiver who shall be considered as an officer of the court and who shall have the powers, duties and functions as provided in Section 26, Rule 2 of the Rules. The Rehabilitation Receiver must post a bond of Php300,000.00 before entering upon his powers, duties and functions and must take an oath, as provided under Section 29, Rule 2 of the Rules.

The petitioner corporation is directed to serve immediately a copy of this Commencement Order/Suspension Order upon the rehabilitation receiver, who shall manifest his acceptance or non-acceptance of his appointment not later than five (5) days from his receipt hereof.

3. Suspending all actions or proceedings in court or otherwise, for the enforcement of all claims against the petitioner and all actions to enforcement any judgment, attachment or other provisional remedies against the petitioner.

4. Prohibiting the petitioner from selling, encumbering, transferring or disposing in any manner any of its properties except in the ordinary course of business.

5. Prohibiting the petitioner from making any payment of its liabilities outstanding as of the commencement date except as may be provided under the Rules.

6. Prohibiting the suppliers of the petitioner from withholding the supply of goods and services in the ordinary course of business for as long as the petitioner makes payment for the services or goods supplied after the issuance of this Commencement Order/Suspension Order.

7

. Directing the petitioner to pay in full the payment of administrative expenses incurred as they fall due after the issuance of this Commencement Order Suspension Order.

8. The petitioner is further directed to furnish by personal delivery copies of the petition and its annexes on (a) each creditor holding at least ten percent (10% ) of the total liabilities of the debtor as determined from the schedule attached to the petition; (b) the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); (c) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); (d) the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); (e) Insurance Commission (IC); (f) the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB); and (g) the Energy Regulatory Board (ERC), within five (5) days from issuance of the Commencement Order/ Suspension Order.

9. Directing all creditors to file their verified notices of claims with the Court at least five (5) days before the initial hearing date, and they are put on notice that their failure to do so will bar them from participating in the proceeding before this Court.

10. All creditors and all interested parties including the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are directed to file with this Court and serve upon the petitioner a verified comment on or opposition to the petition, with supporting affidavits and documents, not later than fifteen (15) days before the date of the initial hearing as set forth above.

11. The petitioner is further directed to have a copy of this Commencement Order/Suspension Order published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for at least two (2) consecutive weeks, with the first publication to be made within seven (7) days from the time of its issuance, all at the expense of the petitioner.

The initial hearing on the petition is set on December 19, 2022 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning.

All parties are directed to provide this Court with their email address (es) and contact numbers immediately upon receipt of this Commencement Order/Suspension Order.

The Sheriff and/or the Process Server of this Court is ordered immediately to serve copies of this Commencement Order upon: 1) the petitioner HDI Admix, Inc.; 2) Atty. Ismael L. Sarangaya Jr / Atty. Mary Joanne M. Manalo of Saranggaya Law Offices (counsel for the petitioner); 3) Atty. Kennerly Albert R. Malinao, rehabilitation receiver; 4) the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and 5) all known creditors listed in the Petition.

SO ORDERED. October 20, 2022, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

(Sgd.) MARIA ZORAIDA S. ZABAT TUAZON Presiding Judge cc: Sarangaya Law Offices Atty. Ismael L. Sarangaya Jr Atty. Mary Joanne M. Manalo Counsel for the Petitioner Unit 110 Regalia Park Towers P. Tuazon, Cubao, Quezon City isaranqayajr@gmail.com 09178989148 manalomaryjoanne@gmail.com 09054802017

HDI Admix, Inc., through its President Raoul L. Buencucillo No. 159 Ermin Garcia St., Brgy. E. Rodriguez Sr., Cubao, Quezon City Petitioner

Protesters clash with cops in city in south China

SHANGHAI—Protesters clashed with police in the southern Chinese megacity of Guangzhou overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, according to witnesses and footage, part of a wave of demonstrations across the country triggered by Covid restrictions.

Security personnel in hazmat suits formed ranks shoulder-toshoulder, taking cover under see-through riot shields, to make their way down a street in the southern city’s Haizhu district as glass smashed around them, videos posted on social media showed.

In the footage — geolocated by AFP — people could be heard screaming and shouting, as orange and blue barricades were pic tured strewn across the ground.

People are seen throwing objects at the police, and later nearly a dozen men are filmed being taken away with their hands bound with cable ties.

A Guangzhou resident surnamed Chen told AFP on Wednesday that he witnessed around 100 police officers converge on Houjiao village in Haizhu district and arrest at least three men on Tuesday night.

China’s vast security apparatus has moved swiftly to smother protests across the country, as frustration over heavy-handed Covid rules bubbled after a fire in a locked down building in Urumqi in the northwestern Xinjiang region killed 10 people last week.

Haizhu, a district with more than 1.8 million people, has been the source of the bulk of Guangzhou’s Covid-19 cases. Much of the area has been under lockdown since late October. AFP

UNITED NATIONS—UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for action in three areas to prevent the disaster of biological weapons.

Guterres made the appeal in a video message to participants of the Ninth Biological Weapons Convention Review Conference in Geneva. The first area of action is to give teeth to the convention’s ac countability provisions to ensure that scientific advances are not exploited for hostile purposes, said Guterres. “Let’s make sure that science and technology are used for the benefit of humanity -- not its destruction -- and that peace remains at the heart of all scientific development and cooperation.”

Second, update the thinking on verification and compliance to fit today’s threats. The world has changed dramatically over the last five decades. The convention should change with it, he said. Third, give the convention the increased financial and human re sources it needs to carry out this important work, said Guterres. AFP

UN chief: Let’s act to avoid biological weapons disaster IN BRIEF

William, Kate visit US anew after 8 years

PRINCE William and his wife Kate head to the United States this week for their first visit in eight years, and the popular couple’s inaugural trip as prince and princess of Wales.

The three-day visit to the northeastern city of Boston cul minates on Friday evening with a star-studded ceremony for William’s Earthshot Prize initiative to tackle climate change.

The awards ceremony — described by royal insiders as Wil liam’s “Superbowl moment” — is now in its second year, and rewards five innovators with £1 million each ($1.2 million).

A host of stars are expected at Boston’s MGM Music Hall, including singers Billie Eilish and Annie Lennox, sisters Chloe x Halle, and actor Rami Malek.

As last year, the British naturalist and television presenter David Attenborough will contribute, alongside the actress Cate Blanchett, who is on the judging panel. AFP

USGS: Mauna Loa lava gushes 200 feet

FOUNTAINS of lava up to 200 feet (60 meters) high have been fired into the air from Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, geologists say, generating rivers of molten rock from the world’s largest active volcano.

Four fissures have now opened up on the mammoth moun tain, which burst into life on Sunday for the first time in al most 40 years.

Vast clouds of steam and smoke were billowing into the sky from the volcano, which makes up half of Hawaii’s Big Island.

“Estimates of the tallest fountain heights are between 100–200 feet” but most are much smaller, the United States Geological Survey said in an update Monday. AFP

YELLOW BLACK

ROCKET LAUNCH. A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-15 spacecraft with three astronauts to China’s Tiangong space station, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China’s Gansu Province late on November 29. China launched the rocket carrying three astronauts to its space station, where they will complete the country’s first-ever crew handover in orbit, state news agency Xinhua reported. AFP

Bump on the road: Silang horse stable jams CALAX

THE tropical savanna climate of Silang town in Cavite province for years has been a magnet for local tourists. Its average low temperature of 18 degrees celsius in January and February lures people from Metro Manila to enjoy the town’s cool weather.

Many have also moved in to the town and decided to settle. The picturesque Silang and its rollings hills are now home to many Metro Manilans. The town gave them a permanent break from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis.

But Silang lately has found itself at the heart of an infrastructure logjam—a small horse stable owned by a prominent politician is blocking the completion of a critical toll road project that aims to ease the notorious bottleneck along the 41-km Aguinaldo Highway in Cavite. The right-of-way furor is even threatening the ambition of Silang to become a city by 2025 and could tarnish its reputation as the “Botanical Garden of the Philippines.”

The proponent of the P35.7 billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway, or CA LAX, is naturally dismayed over the ROW problem. Five years of delays in acquiring the ROW have raised the proj ect cost by 15 percent and deferred the interchange’s operation several times.

Business and livelihood opportunities in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon are being lost as a result of the delay. Each day of delay for Silang alone meant foregone tourism revenues for 300,000 residents. Silang Mayor Kevin Anarna has complained that his town cannot proceed with the construction of inner roads with the ROW deadlock over a vital section of the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange of CALAX.

Silang lately has difficulty in drawing more tourists and investors because of the ROW impasse. The lost business and job opportunities do not count the 40,000 daily motorists who stand to benefit from the completion of CALAX.

Mayor Anarna has urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to step in to break the five-year deadlock that has held up a critical section of the CALAX.

“We are very willing to help MPCALA and the national government to fast track the opening of the Calax Silang [Aguinaldo] Interchange. Right now, we are planning to set up a meeting with the owner of the land to discuss the right-of-way issues.

Jack Ma spotted in Japan amid tech crackdown

TOKYO—Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been living in Tokyo for al most six months after disappearing from public view following China’s crackdown on the tech sector, the Fi nancial Times reported Wednesday, citing multiple unnamed sources.

The billionaire has kept a low pro file since the crackdown, which has included Chinese regulators scrap ping the IPO of Ma’s Ant Group and issuing Alibaba with record fines.

But the FT said he had spent much of the past six months with his fam ily in Tokyo and other parts of Ja pan, along with visits to the United States and Israel.

The British newspaper said Ma has frequented several private mem bers’ clubs in Tokyo, and become an “enthusiastic collector” of Japanese modern art, as well as exploring ex panding his business interests into sustainability.

Ma has been spotted elsewhere since he effectively disappeared from public view in China, includ ing on the Spanish island of Mal lorca last year.

In recent years, Chinese officials have taken aim at alleged anti-com petitive practices by some of the coun try’s biggest names, driven by fears that major internet firms control too much data and expanded too quickly.

This July, a report said Ma planned to hand over control of Ant Group to appease Chinese regula tors and revive the digital payments unit’s initial public offering.

His e-commerce giant Alibaba re ported flat revenue growth in August for the first time as China battled an economic slowdown and resurgent COVID-19 cases. AFP

Maybe, we can get a compromise agreement before the end of the year,” says Anarna.

Only 64 percent of the CALAX Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange subsection, the fifth of eight segments of the 45-kilometer expressway, has been finished, per the progress report of project proponent MPCALA Holdings Inc., a unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

The fifth of the eight segments of the 45-kilometer expressway covers 3.9 km from the Silang East Interchange to Aguinaldo Highway. Upon completion, it will serve more motorists, including 298,000 Silang residents.

The average daily traffic from Mamplasan to Silang Ease interchange stands at 33,000. This is expected to increase to 40,000 when the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange opens, easing the traffic along the 41-km Aguinaldo Highway—the busiest main thoroughfare in Cavite—as well as Governor’s Drive and Sta. RosaTagaytay Road.

An undelivered ROW over a 450-meter long stretch of the property, owned by a prominent politician, has deferred work on the project. The ROW interestingly covers illegally built stables for race horses.

“We’re checking what legal remedies are available to us,” Mayor Anarna says.

MPCALA has to demolish the unauthorized horse stables to build a bridge and drainage systems connecting to the rest of the expressway.

“Because that vital portion of the CALAX is unfinished due to ROW concerns, our tourist attractions are not being developed and visited well,” says Mayor Anarna, adding that Silang’s cityhood depends on the completion of the CALAX.

MPCALA can operate CALAX’s Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange by the first quarter 2023 if it succeeds in obtaining the ROW by the end of the year. The company has already moved the road’s opening date several times, with the most recent one in December this year.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com

Most Asian stocks rise as China unrest eases

Focus is also on Fed boss Powell’s speech later Wednesday on the labor market, with many expecting him to outline the bank’s plans for future interest rate hikes.

Traders were also nervously awaiting a key policy speech by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell later in the day that could outline the bank’s strategy for tackling inflation in light of a recent slowdown in price gains.

A spectacular rally in Hong Kong on Tuesday led gains across Asia as investors looked past weekend demonstrations in China after officials announced moves aimed at softening their zero-Covid strategy.

Leaders said they would step up their drive to vaccinate the elderly, while the National Health Commission appeared to blame local governments for instituting extreme measures such as tight lockdowns, one of the main reasons for the unrest.

However, in a sign that the leadership was determined to maintain its authority, the country’s top security body called for a “crackdown” against “hostile forces”.

The warning came after security services were sent out in force to prevent further demonstrations, the likes of which

had not been seen in decades.

The developments saw Hong Kong stocks swing between gains and losses in the morning, having soared more than five percent Tuesday, while Shanghai fluctuated.

Data showing China’s factory activity shrank further in November highlighted Covid-zero’s impact on the country’s economy.

“Due to a more reflective approach to the recent zero-Covid measures, Chinese stocks have taken substantial leaps and bounds this week,” said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.

“Still, the global investment community is keeping close tabs on China... Any antagonistic escalation risks a walk back of current positive momentum, especially with folks playing the trade-off thinking that a calming in protests might hasten a shift away from zero-Covid policies.”

There were also gains in most other Asian markets, with Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei, and Jakarta in the green, though Tokyo dipped.

After lifting borrowing costs 75 basis points for the past four meetings, officials are widely seen as taking their foot off the gas when they gather next month following a recent batch of weak data, including a below-forecast inflation print for October

But a string of policymakers has lined up in recent weeks to ram home their intention to keep lifting until they are satisfied inflation has been slayed, with warnings there will not likely be any cuts until 2024.

The sharp lift in rates this year has fanned bets that the world’s top economy will tip into recession.

“The Fed has hiked enough -- and quickly enough -- to make recession a base-case scenario in our book,” Lauren Goodwin at New York Life Investments said.

“Volatility and risk premia are likely to remain elevated as long as the Fed is fighting inflation in a growth slowdown.”

The remarks by Powell come just before the Friday release of US jobs data for November, which will provide the latest snapshot of the economy. AFP

Musk’s Twitter lifts COVID misinformation rule

SAN FRANCISCO, United States—Twitter said it has stopped enforcing a policy intended to prevent the spread of Covid misinformation, as new owner Elon Musk—who has clashed previously with US officials over pandemic safety rules—continues to remake its content moderation policies.

The move comes after the mercurial billionaire reinstated a slew of accounts on the social me dia network that had previously been banned for violating its content rules, such as that of former president Donald Trump.

“Effective Nov. 23, 2022, Twitter is no longer enforcing the Covid-19 misleading information policy,” read a message posted on a Twitter trans parency web page.

During the pandemic, Twitter took to labeling misleading tweets about Covid and booting users who persisted in spreading such misinformation.

Banned content included statements intended to influence people to violate health authority guidelines, along with bogus cures or denial of scientific facts, according to a Twitter blog.

As of September of this year, Twitter had sus

pended 11,230 accounts under the policy, the blog stated.

Musk, who also runs Tesla, clashed with officials in 2020 over pandemic safety orders which tempo rarily shut down the electric car giant’s plant in Cali fornia, calling shelter-in-place orders “fascist” and “an outrage” that infringed on personal freedom.

Under Musk, who calls himself a “free speech absolutist,” Twitter has begun reinstating roughly 62,000 accounts in what is being referred to in ternally as “the Big Bang,” according to the Plat former news blog.

Since taking over the platform last month, Musk has cut around half of Twitter’s workforce, including many employees tasked with fighting disinformation, while an unknown number of others have voluntarily quit.

Yoel Roth, the former head of trust and safety at Twitter who left after Musk took over, said during an interview Tuesday at a Knight Founda tion conference that he was not certain how many employees were left at the company to moderate content. AFP

HONG KONG—Markets mostly rose Wednesday on hopes that China will further ease its strict Covid containment measures following widespread political unrest, though gains were tempered by leaders’ warnings of a crackdown on dissent across the country.

ECONOMIC MEETING. From left are managing director of Development Policy and Partnership of World Bank Mari Elka Pangestu, International Labour Organization (ILO) director-general Gilbert Houngbo, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, director general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) secretary-general Mathias Cormann attend a meeting of the heads of international financial and economic organizations and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) in Berlin, on November 29, 2022. AFP

WINE FAIR. A visitor walks past wine globes made of glass used to age wine during the Vinitech world vitiviniculture, arboriculture and market gardening professional fair in Bordeaux, southwestern France on Nov. 29, 2022. AFP

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Tuesday,

Currency UnitUS DollarPeso

United States Dollar 1.00000056.7960

Japan Yen 0.0071970.4088

UKPound1.19610067.9337

Hong KongDollar0.1279797.2687 SwitzerlandFranc1.05363059.8420 CanadaDollar0.74090542.0804 SingaporeDollar0.72511141.1834 AustraliaDollar0.66480037.7580 BahrainDinar2.652520150.6525 Saudi Arabia Rial 0.26617015.1174

BruneiDollar0.72249141.0346 IndonesiaRupiah0.0000640.0036 Thailand Baht 0.0279721.5887 UAE Dirham0.27227915.4644

EuroEuro 1.03410058.7327

Korea Won 0.0007460.0424

ChinaYuan0.1387627.8811

IndiaRupee0.0122490.6957

MalaysiaRinggit0.22346412.6919 New Zealand Dollar 0.61630035.0034 TaiwanDollar0.0322781.8333

ERC freezes collection of FIT-All in next three months

Gov’t financial institutions back sovereign wealth fund

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE national government and state-owned banks and financial institutions will raise more than P200 billion to fund the proposed Maharlika Wealth Fund, according to Finance

Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

Diokno said in an interview at the sidelines of Securities and Exchange Commission’s 86th anniversary Tues day evening the government has enough funds to support the creation of a sover eign wealth fund.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier filed House Bill No. 6398 calling for the establishment of the Maharlika Wealth Fund—patterned after the sover eign wealth funds of other countries “to

maximize the profitability of investible government assets for the benefit of all Filipinos”.

A sovereign wealth fund is a govern ment-owned fund that invests in vari ous assets such as real estate, foreign currencies, equities, corporate bonds, precious metals and other investment instruments.

Diokno said state pension funds and government-owned banks and financial institutions agreed to support the pro posed investment fund.

“There is already a commitment from Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System, Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines and the national gov ernment,” Diokno said.

“We have money for it,” he said.

The proposed Maharlika Wealth Fund is patterned after the SWFs of 49 coun tries including Singapore, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, Indone sia, Taiwan, Vietnam and East Timor.

“The president will appoint people, and there will be a governing council. Some cabinet members will be there. It will be an independent body,” Diokno said.

Romualdez said in his proposed bill the creation of MWF would provide an “opportunity to ensure their respective funds’ optimal asset allocation as well as ensure that resources are efficiently channeled to investments that will pro vide the most value not only to the par ticipating GFIs but also to the country.”

The House committee on banks and financial intermediaries already ap proved in principle HB 6398, which proposes an initial investment of P250 billion from the GSIS, SSS, LandBank and DBP and another P25 billion from the national government.

The bill states that governments in vest wealth funds in an array of both real and financial assets to stabilize national budgets, create savings for their citizens or promote economic development.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

EASTERN Communication said Wednesday it completed the cable landing station in Boracay for the $150-million Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network project, the longest undersea fiber network in the Philippines .

Eastern said the $150-million PD SCN project in partnership with Globe and InfiniVan would improve both mobile and broadband connectivity through fiber internet in previously un served areas across the country.

This also supports the goal of the government to convert the Philip pines into a more digitally-advanced nation through innovation, e-gover nance, and increased digital adoption among Filipinos.

“We wish to bring quality service to the business communities to help tourism emerge from the recent pan demic. Hopefully this will further for tify and cement Boracay as the desti nation of choice,” said Delfin Lopez, Eastern Communications’ head of network planning, engineering and implementation Division.

The project kickstarted in July 2022 in Subic, Zambales and already landed in 20 sites. After Boracay, the 2,500-kilometer submarine fiber ca ble network will be deployed to other areas including Camiguin, Camarines Sur, Surigao City and Zamboanga in 2023.

Longest local submarine fiber cable network lands in Boracay SEC postpones release of rules on

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Energy Regulatory Commission said Tuesday it suspended the collection of the feed-in tariff allowance for three billing months from December this year to February 2023.

THE Securities and Exchange Com mission deferred the release of the rules on digital assets and coin offer ings following the collapse of FTX, one of the world’s biggest cryptocur rency exchanges, a top official said Tuesday night.

“The Philippines is practically being visited by almost 20 tropical cyclones a year, and this is a force of nature that we cannot control but can only prepare for. This is one of the reasons for planning this project. So we can have a redundant submarine cable network and achieve a reliable medium of communication, es pecially in the time for preparations and management of disasters,” said Lopez.

SEC chairperson Emilio Aquino said in an interview at the sidelines of the SEC’s 86th anniversary and recog nition ceremony the corporate regula tor would review the proposed rules to make sure that proper safeguard mea sures are put in place.

It said it reviewed the FIT-All fund balance and found that its present healthy status would be sufficient to cover the FIT-All payment requirements for the next three months.

The ERC said it issued the resolution to mitigate the impact of the rising cost of living and inflation on the public, including the rising cost of electricity.

The SEC has been reviewing the rules governing cryptocurrency offer ing and trading since 2017. It delayed the issuance of the rules amid the pro liferation of scams and scandals.

Robinsons Land opens mall in Gapan, Nueva Ecija

PROPERTY

“The commission is sensitive to the impact of the rising level of inflation and cost of living to millions of Filipino households. We join the rest of government in introducing remedies to ease inflation pressure on our citizens, including those that impact on their ability to pay for the rising cost of electricity due to external pressures,” ERC chair Monalisa Dimalanta said.

It issued the draft rules on digital as set offerings and digital asset exchang es in 2021 to provide the investing public with more investment options and protect them from the misuse of such emerging assets.

“As a growing and rapidly-developing city, Ga pan is a significant location for our next Robinsons Malls as it provides us a better opportunity to serve our customers not only within the area but also those from nearby communities. We are both excited and delighted to welcome Nueva Ecijanos to their new favorite place for shopping, dining, and entertain ment experiences at Robinsons Gapan,” RLC execu tive vice president Faraday Go said.

Robinsons Gapan is built on a five-hectare property with a gross floor area of over 40,000 square meters spread over three levels and has over 600 parking slots. Jenniffer B. Austria

FIT-All is a uniform charge imposed on electricity consumers and is a component of the electricity bill that ensures the development and promotion of renewable energy in the country. Power customers are paying a FIT-All rate of P0.0364 per kWh.

“I think we are ready to present it. We have already exposed everything to public comment but then again here comes FTX. FTX was registered in the Bahamas. They have Digital As set Registration Act that we were sup posed to follow suit. But is seems we are again reviewing just to make sure that the same failures do not happen,” Aquino said.

Gogoro to roll out electric scooters in PH

GLOBE’S 917Ventures and Ayala Corp. teamed up with Taiwan’s Gogoro to roll out electric twowheel scooters in the Philippines.

FTX, an exchange founded by Sam Bankman-Fried in 2019 with over a million users, filed for bankruptcy pro tection in the US.

The ERC said the FIT-All fund had a balance of P4.245 billion as of Nov. 7. The average monthly cost recovery collection from January to November 2022 was P1.795 billion.

“We don’t want out kababayans to blame us, especially there were a lot of internal control and regulatory fail ures. We need to pause and rethink our present policy direction,” he said.

Aquino said despite the negative de velopments from the cryptocurrency industry, he still believed that digital assets offering should be allowed in the country.

“Most definitely we should allow it to flourish, but only with proper safe guards,” Aquino said.

Aquino said many Filipinos also lost money from the FTX collapse.

“We don’t have that data [on how many Filipinos were affected] but I know it [cost of losses] is in the bil lions,” Aquino said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Therma Marine Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp. starts the commercial operations of a 49-megawatt battery energy storage system in Maco, Davao de Oro. The facility, which the company sees as a model for future battery investments and hybrid renewable energy projects, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia to be built on a floating platform.

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THERMA Marine Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., said Wednesday its 49-megawatt battery energy storage system in Maco, Davao de Oro began commercial operations.

The facility, which the company sees as a model for future battery invest ments and hybrid renewable energy projects, is the first of its kind in South east Asia to be built on a floating plat form, it said.

“Aboitiz Power sees battery technol ogy as a great opportunity to address concerns about the reliability, afford ability, and sustainability of energy supply,” Aboitiz Power president and chief executive Manny Rubio said in a statement.

“We respond to the needs of our cus tomers and communities while support ing economic growth by ensuring the grid’s stability,” Rubio said.

BESS is a type of energy storage that

uses batteries to store electrical energy when there is a supply surplus in the grid and releases energy when custom ers need power the most.

The Maco BESS will complement TMI’s diesel engines by providing an cillary services to sustain the transmis sion capacity and energy essential in maintaining the Mindanao grid’s power quality, reliability and security.

It is among 12 projects with a total capacity of 248 MW for regulating and contingency reserves that Aboitiz Pow er aims to develop this decade.

Aboitiz Power is one of the largest energy and ancillary services providers.

“We are excited to finally begin com mercial operations of our first BESS facility, which will help reinforce the Mindanao grid,” Rubio said.

Aboitiz Power is also implementing another BESS project under SN Aboitiz Power Group—the 24-MW Magat BESS project at the SNAP Magat hydroelectric power plant in Ramon, Isabela.

Bank loans grew 13.9% in October despite rate hikes

BANK loans grew 13.9 percent yearon-year in October, faster than Sep tember’s 13.4-percent expansion, on sustained demand for credit despite the rising interest rates, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

The BSP said that on a month-onmonth seasonally adjusted basis, out standing universal and commercial bank loans, net of reverse repurchases or RRPs, went up by 1.1 percent.

“The sustained growth in credit ac tivity and ample liquidity will continue to support the recovery of economic activity and domestic demand,” the BSP said in a statement.

“The BSP will continue to take all necessary action to ensure that liquid ity and bank lending conditions remain consistent with promoting price and fi nancial stability,” it said.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort ear lier said bank loans and domestic liquid ity could still accelerate in the coming months amid measures to further reopen the economy towards greater normalcy.

He said government measures such as the resumption of in-person school ing and further boosting of local and foreign tourism would support the ris ing demand for loans.

Outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, increased 13.4 percent in Oc tober after growing by 13.1 percent in the previous month.

Outstanding loans for production activities went up by 12.5 percent in October from a 12.3-percent expansion in September, driven by the growth in loans to key industries such as real es tate activities (14.0 percent); manufac turing (17.7 percent); wholesale and re tail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (11.5 percent); financial and insurance activities (12.8 percent); information and communication (25.0 percent); and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (10.9 percent).

Piloting in Metro Manila in the first quarter of 2023, Gogoro’s Smartscooters will serve as an ecofriendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles used by the logistics and last-mile delivery industry. Gogoro Smartscooters are powered by Gogoro’s battery swapping platform through con veniently located swap stations, where users can quickly swap depleted batteries for fully-charged ones in seconds.

Vince Yamat, 917Ventures managing director, said the partnership would reduce the use of fossil fuel by the logistics industry which is known to release significantly more emissions per vehicle per day than consumer riding.

“We are committed to help address the climate crisis by introducing Gogoro to logistics business es, helping them in their sustainability efforts. In addition, because of the Swap & Go technology that enables riders to be fully charged in just sec onds, we hope Gogoro will also help address hesi tations surrounding charging electric vehicles and even finding parking slots. Hopefully, this tech nology will encourage more Filipinos to switch to EV,” Yamat said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Unicapital bags ‘innovative deal of the year’ award

UNICAPITAL Inc., a leading independent, fullservice investment house, won the 2022 “Innova tive Deal of the Year” award from Singapore-based business magazine Asian Banking & Finance for the successful P6.4-billion initial public offering this year of the country’s first renewable energyfocused real estate investment trust.

Unicapital received the ABF award in recogni tion of the crucial role it played as financial ad visor, issue manager and lead underwriter for the offering of Citicore Energy REIT Corp.

“This recognition from ABF highlights Unicap ital’s strength and creativity in packaging financial solutions for clients even under challenging mar ket conditions. Our full range of financial services, extensive experience, expertise and familiarity in handling customized financial solutions helped turn CREIT into an IPO success story,” Unicapital president and chief executive Jaime Martirez said.

“The support we gave CREIT typifies the kind of service we provide our clients,” Martirez said.

Nearly 20,000 investors swamped CREIT’s offer ing despite political and economic uncertainties hov ering over the stock market during CREIT’s five-day offering period in early February this year.

Martirez said during the ABF online award ing ceremony that Unicapital showed innovation and creativity by positioning the CREIT deal “as a defensive ESG [environmental, social, and gov ernance] stock investment, which we believed was well suited to the market conditions at the time.”

ABF holds the annual awarding ceremony to honor “The Best of the Best” financial institutions in Asia for their noteworthy performance in deliv ering exceptional services to their customers.

“The IPO allowed CREIT’s parent company to recycle invested capital in its 163-megawatt installed renewable energy projects [and to] raise P6.4 billion in fresh capital to partially fund its robust 1.5-gigawatt pipeline of renewable energy projects,” Martirez said.

developer Robinsons Land Corp. opened a shopping mall in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija, its 54th in the country.

RLC said in a statement the full-service mall lo cated along the Pan-Philippine Highway in Gapan is very accessible to nearby progressive cities such as the provincial capital Palayan and Cabanatuan and the flourishing towns of Bulacan province. Robinsons Gapan is RLC’s 12th mall in northern and central Luzon and its second in Nueva Ecija.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

UNIQLO IN LAGUNA. Sta. Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas (center) attends the opening of Uniqlo Roadside in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Nov. 18. With Arcillas during the ribbon-cutting ceremony are Uniqlo chief operating officer Geraldine Sia (left) and Ayala Land senior estate development head for Metro Manila and South Luzon Cris Zuluag. The 1,400-square-meter Uniqlo Roadside, which features a ‘green park’ becomes a new landmark along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road. Roy Tomandao

NLEX routs

Meralco to keep ickering hopes alive

EARL Clark scored 40 points to go with 14 rebounds as the NLEX Road Warriors put the Meralco Bolts out of contention, 92-81, on Wednesday in the 2022-23 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Clark drilled in 13 points in the last period, as the Road Warriors came up with a big offensive in the last six minutes of the contest.

“It’s the boys making stops that triggered their offense. They enjoyed going on offense,” said Road Warriors’ coach Frankie Lim.

NLEX went on the attack in the last 6:06 off Clark’s triple which broke a 77-all deadlock.

Clark went on to tally eight points during a 14-0 run that followed as the Road Warriors took a 88-77 edge in the 1:50 mark.

The Road Warriors, who got 16 points from Don Trollano, finished the eliminations with a 5-7 win-loss record in 10th place.

The Bolts’ setback gave them a 4-7 record and handed the San Miguel Beermen, NorthPort and Phoenix Super LPG a free ride to the quarterfinals.

NLEX is still hopeful that it will still have a shot at the playoff for the eight spot in the quarterfinals.

The chances of the Road Warriors now hinge on a loss by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in their clash with the Magnolia Hotshots on Friday.

If the Hotshots win, this will force a playoff for the No. 8 spot.

Peter Atencio

Golden trophy worth P14M at stake in MPBL finale

THERE’S more than just the title and the bragging rights that will be disputed in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Season 4 National Finals between Nueva Ecija and Zamboanga.

MPBL lead executive Joe Ramos said the winner of the best-of-five title series beginning on Friday will be awarded a golden trophy worth P14 million.

On top of this, members of the victorious team will receive championship rings easily worth P100,000 each. The title series begins on Friday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

“Aside from the trophy with three kilos of solid gold, 22 sets of championship rings will be awarded,” Ramos told Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“Every year we have a new trophy made and is awarded to the team owner,” added Ramos during the forum presented by San Miguel Corporation (PSC), MILO, PSC, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

MPBL commissioner Kenneth Duremdes also graced the forum along with operations head Emerson Oreta, legal counsel Atty. Glen Gacal, Nueva Ecija coach Jerson Cabiltes, Zamboanga coach Vic Ycasiano, Nueva Ecija players Jonathan Uyloan, Hesed Gabo and Renz Palma, and Zamboanga’s Jerald Bautista, Chito Jaime and Adrian Santos.

Games 1 and 2 (Dec. 5) will be played at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum followed by Games 3 (Dec. 9) and 4 (if necessary on Dec. 12) at the Mayor Vitaliano D. Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga. If needed, a Game 5 will be played in Nueva Ecija on Dec. 12.

Duremdes expects a slam-bang affair and packed arenas between the Rice Vanguards of Nueva Ecija, the Northern division champions, and Family’s Brand Sardines, the South division champions.

“Napakadaming tao. So, we need additional crowd-control. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, it was already difficult to control the crowd. Lalo na ngayon na national finals,” he said.

Both coaches vowed to give their best.

“Ibibigay namin lahat,” said Cabiltes, whose wards dropped Game 1 of the North division finals against San Juan before sweeping the next two games to advance to the National Finals.

“Kailangan siguro naming maramdaman ‘yung pagkatalo. It toughened us. It was a blessing in disguise kasi nawala ‘yung pressure to sweep the tournament. Mas manghihinayang ako ngayon if hindi namin makuha ang (national) championship,” he added.

Eagles earn no. 1; Archers, Falcons dispute no. 4 slot

By Peter Atencio

BASKETS from Angelo Kouame and BJ Andrade in the dying seconds lifted Ateneo to a 66-61 beating of Adamson to grab the no. 1 seeding in the Final Four Wednesday of the 85th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Blue Eagles notched their 11th win in 14 games in a tie with the University of the Philippine Fighting Maroons, but clinched the top seed due to a higher quotient.

Kouame connected with a putback with 35 ticks left, giving the Blue Eagles a three-point cushion, 64-61, en route to the win that denied the Falcons an outright semis seat.

After Andrade’s two charities finalized the count with 8.4 ticks left, the Fal-

cons slipped to a share of fourth and fifth with La Salle with their 7-7 card.

Adamson’s loss, coupled with a La Salle win earlier, set the stage for a playoff for the no. 4 seeding between the two.

Bryson Ballungay sank a team-high 18 points for the Blue Eagles, while Andrade and Kouame provided 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Earlier, four charities from Evan Nelle in the last 20 seconds sealed the deal for the undermanned Green Ar-

chers, who pulled off a 77-72 stopping of the University of the Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.

The 5’10” Nelle knocked in 25 points for the Green Archers.

Nelle drew fouls from Nico Cabanero and Miguel Pangilinan and calmly sank his pair of charity shots in the last 19.8 seconds and 5.6 seconds to carry the Archers to the victory.

“The boys manned up out there. It was a total team effort,” said Green Archers’ coach Derrick Pumaren.

The Growling Tigers, who ended their season with a 1-13 win-loss record, enjoyed a nine-point edge early in the last period.

They were in front, 69-60, following Royce Mantua’s three-pointer at the 8:26 mark.

But the lead was gone when La Salle rallied with a triple from Mark Nonoy and a three-point play from Nelle in

the final 3:56.

Nonoy, who had 10 points, then tied the contest, 69-all off a split charity in the remaining 2:25.

La Salle moved ahead on Jan Macalalag’s jumper and Benjamin Philip’s two charities, 73-69, with 1:50 left.

“I told the boys that we have to win this first, before we can talk about our next game,” added Pumaren.

The Green Archers played without two key players, Mike Phillips and Kevin Quiambao, who are reportedly ill. The scores:

La Salle 77—Nelle 25, Cortez 13, Nonoy 10, Phillips 8, Macalalag 6, Austria 5, Estacio 3, Abadam 2, Buensalida 2, Manuel 2, Nwankwo 1, Winston 0.

UST 72±Mantua 17, Cabanero 16, Calimag 10, Faye 9, Pangilinan 5, Manalang 4, Laure 4, Manaytay 4, Lazarte 3, Duremdes 0, Garing 0, Escobido 0. Quarters: 21-27, 37-42, 55-59, 77-72.

Tiger Spikers force winner-take-all tiff with Bulldogs

UNIVERSITY of Sto. Tomas roared back at fancied National University and lived to fight another day, overcoming a 0-2 set deficit and hacking out a 21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12 thriller yesterday to force a winner-take-all match for the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge crown at the Paco Arena.

Rookies Josh Ybañez and Gboy De Vega played like veterans as they combined to stun the Bulldogs with the former unloading 25 points on top of 19 excellent digs and eight excellent receptions and the latter dropping 24 points he spiked with 15 receptions.

Dux Yambao, another top rookie, also played a crucial role in the win that halted the Bulldogs’ win run at eight and foiled their sweep bid. He produced 20 excellent sets on top of eight points built on five attacks, two kill blocks and an ace.

“Take every chance as a learning experience. Matuto kayo, you can identify what is effective and ituloy niyo. Kung ano ‘yung pagkukulang niyo, i-improve niyo,” UST head coach Odjie Mamon told his wards after NU took the first two sets.

“‘Yun lang, more on learning lang yung

sinabi ko sa kanila nu’ng down kami. Matuto, matuto, matuto,” he added.

They dispute the crown tomorrow.

After UST bounced back with backto-back set wins of their own, the Tiger Spikers kept the momentum of that big surge and led, 9-5, in the decider then padded it to 12-7 on an Ybañez’s kill.

The Bulldogs answered back with a four-point binge to threaten within one but De Vega scored from the backrow and Ybañez converted an ace to push UST at match point.

Michael Buddin scored off a ball touch to keep the Bulldogs in the hunt but Edlyn Paul Colinares foiled him in NU’s ensuing offense to cap the Tiger Spikers’ improbable comeback against a squad that toppled the seasoned teams in the recent Spikers’ Turf.

Buddin fired 27 points for NU, which also drew 18 points, 21 receptions and six digs from Nico Almendras while Kennry Malinis finished with 11 markers.

Meanwhile, Almendras and Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos shared MVP honors during awards rites with the former bagging his second trophy after steering the Bull-

Southwoods pads lead to 11 over Luisita

BAGUIO—With

veteran Jun Jun Plana firing an impressive round at the tough Baguio Country Club course, Manila Southwoods scored 109 points extended its lead further to 11 points over rival Luisita in the Fil-Championship of the 72nd Fil-Am Men’s Invitational.

Plana hit 10 greens at the par-61 layout and posted a two-over 63 worth 34 points. With Theody Pascual’s 26, Manfred Guangko’s 25 and Raul Miñoza’s 24, Southwoods has a 357 total with one round left in the premier senior division.

“This is not yet a safe lead. No lead is safe in BCC. For sure, it’s going to be man for man. Anything can happen. A guy can suddenly score high at BCC,” said Southwoods skipper Freddie Mendoza.

Luisita, on one hand, pooled in 103 for 346. Dan Cruz and Benjie Sumulong made 28 apiece, Eddie Bagtas contributed 25 and Marty Ilagan

added 22.

“There’s one more day, so we still have a chance to make it. Since we are playing BCC, no lead is safe here. But it is going to a huge task because this means each of our player must beat the other by at least 3 points,” said designated captain Sumulong.

In other developments, Camp John Hay Hotels and Baguio Blue Bloods have wrapped up the titles in their respective divisions.

Camp John Hay Hotels produced a wire-towire victory as it finished with 367 and a 16-point win against Hotel Bahia in Fil-A. Monet Garcia poured in 27 points , Shean Bedi signed for 22, while Federico Mandapat and playing captain Jimmy Borromeo each had 18 for 85 points.

Baguio Blue Bloods scored 102 and a closing 344 points for the Am-A crown. Pradera Verde finished runner up with 326.

Ateneo’s Ange Kouame’s baskets in the endgame carried the Eagles to the win over the Adamson Falcons.

Riera

Jun Plana

Ateneo’s Faith Nisperos holds her MVP trophy. dogs to the Spikers’ Turf crown. Nisperos also took the 1st Best Outside Hitter award.

Other awardees were Buddin (2nd Best Outside Hitter) and fellow Bulldogs Obed Mukaba (2nd Best Middle

Blocker), and Joshua Retamar (Best Setter), Ateneo’s Jettlee Gopio (1st Best Middle Blocker) and Ken Batas (Best Opposite Hitter); and John Phillip Pepito (Best Libero) of the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.

Angels, HD Spikers start title showdown

Arcilla, Pague ease through Brookside net quarterfinals

JOHNNY Arcilla scored an abbreviated 1-0 (ret.) win over Elvin Geluz while Jose Maria Pague crushed Alberto Villamor, 6-0, 6-3, as they towed six other seeded bets into the quarterfinals of the Brookside Open National Tennis Championships at the Brookside Hills courts in Cainta, Rizal yesterday.

THEY braced for a crack at a team that has figured in the Premier Volleyball League finals the last seven conferences, winning five of them. But Petro Gazz and Cignal ended up facing each other for the coveted crown in the Reinforced Conference that has been nothing but astounding.

But the Angels and the HD Spikers expect to provide something novel for the volley fans to relish with their locals eager to take center stage and their imports with contrasting styles and skills raring to anchor their respective team’s drive for the championship.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series is set at 5:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with neither squad holding a distinct advantage over the other in a clash of power, blocking and gambits and in a title duel tipped to herald a new league rivalry.

“Masaya na may bagong rivalry, lumalabas ‘yung laro namin pareho sa mga games namin,” said Petro Gazz coach Ralf Ricafort. “Sana ma-maximize ulit namin at maipakita kung ano ‘yung ginawa namin (Tuesday). Mahaba pa ‘to—three games pa.” He also vowed his wards will make the most of their chances aided by a rival team.

“We’ll make sure that we make the most of this finals dahil binigay ng ganitong way,” said Ricafort, referring to the Chery Tiggo Crossovers’ spoiling of the Creamline Cool Smashers’ finals drive and quashing the latter’s ambitious grand slam bid, also Tuesday.

Petro Gazz does appear to have the slight edge in strength and upfront if one were to pick on the result of their Tuesday’s match where the Angels, led by Lindsey Vander Weide’s fiery 30-attack output, overwhelmed the HD Spikers in spikes, 60-44, and lorded it over the net, 13-4.

But Cignal has almost always found a way to extricate itself even from the deepest of holes. Facing the specter of missing the finals altogether despite sweeping their first two semis matches, the HD Spikers saved three match points against the Angels and averted a straight-set loss.

Tiger aims to play majors in 2023 despite ailing leg

MIAMI—Tiger Woods, still hindered by the leg injuries he suffered in a 2021 car wreck, said Tuesday he is hoping to play the major championships in 2023 despite setbacks this year.

“My goal is to play the major championships and one or two more,” Woods told a press conference before the Hero World Challenge at the Albany in the Bahamas. “Physically that’s all I can do. I don’t have much left in this leg.”

Woods, who hosts the unofficial event that benefits his TGR Foundation, withdrew from the tournament on Monday because of painful plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which he said was related to the injuries from the crash outside Los Angeles in February of 2021.

The 15-time major champion revealed he had undergone two additional surgeries in 2022, although he declined to discuss specifics.

Woods appeared in just three professional tournaments in 2022—making his return elite competition with a 47th-place finish at the Masters in April.

He withdrew after 54 holes at the PGA Championship, struggling with stamina after making the cut, then

missed the cut at the Open Championship at St. Andrews.

Woods said last year that in the aftermath of the crash it was “50-50” as to whether part of his right leg would have to be amputated.

On Tuesday he said it’s still a challenge to practice enough to be competitive while preserving his health.

“How hard do you push it to make progress while not pushing it too hard to go off the edge and you set yourself back two, three days,” he said.

The plantar fasciitis—inflammation in the foot that causes heel pain—began when he began increasing his playing time in preparation for this week’s tournament.

“It was a tough decision, just because I want to play,” Woods said of pulling out.

“I like playing, I like competing, but unfortunately, I can hit the golf ball and hit whatever shot you want, I just can’t walk.

“And so I’ve had a few setbacks during the year that I still was able to somehow play through, but this one I just can’t.

“Only time can heal this one, and stay off my feet and get a lot of treatment done.”

Lightning in a bottle Woods still plans to play in a 12-hole exhibition match on December 10, teaming with Rory McIlroy against Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

He’ll be able to use a cart for that event and in the PNC Championship December 17-18, where he’ll play with son, Charlie.

“The (PNC Championship) will be a very easy week,” he said. “Charlie will just hit all the shots and I’ll just get the putts out of the hole, so pretty easy there.”

Woods reiterated that he would never seek permission to use a cart in a tourlevel event, firmly believing that walking is part of the game. Given his limitations, he said, he’ll “gear up for the biggest ones and hopefully, you know, lightning catches in a bottle and I’m up there in contention with a chance to win.

“Hopefully, I remember how to do that.” AFP

Seeking a follow-up to his Open romps in Puerto Princesa and in San Carlos, Negros Occidental, the multi-titled Arcilla held off Rodolfo Barquin, 6-4, 6-3, coming off an opening round bye then advanced to the Last 8 of the Group A championship when Geluz retired due to injury.

The top seeded nine-time PCA Open champion faces No. 11 Loucas Fernandez at 8 a.m. today for a berth in the semis after the latter, who also drew a bye in the first round, thwarted Giulian Bandoquillo, 6-0, 7-5, and Alexis Acabo, 6-3, 6-4.

Pague, on the other hand, survived Ibarra Ortego, 6-2, 7-6(7), in the second round then the second ranked bet from Zamboanga, Sibugay smothered Villamor to arrange a showdown with No. 8 Noel Damian, Jr. at 9:30 a.m.

Damian repulsed top junior campaigner Eric Tangub, 3-6, 6-3, 10-3, then bested Rollie Anasta, 6-3, 6-4, in the lower half of the 64-player draw of the week-long championship sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala, Rep. Jack Duavit, BHTC president Allan del Castillo, Ret. PNP Dir. Gen. Oscar Calderon, Ret. Gen. Louizo Ticman and Selective Security Services.

Meanwhile, top ranked Hannah Divinagracia bagged the girls’ 16-and-under crown in last week’s PPS-PEPP Brookside Open national juniors championships, also at Brookside Hills, overpowering Chloe Mercado, 6-1, 6-0, in the finals.

The Bacolod City star actually shook off a shaky campaign, escaping with a 0-4, 4-0, 10-8 win over Kaye Mustaza in the second round before trouncing Joy Ansay, 6-4, 6-0, in the semis.

Others who advanced in the Open were third seed Vicente Anasta, who disposed of Joseph Singson, 6-1, 7-5, and Miguel Iglupas, 60-0, 6-1; No. 10 Nilo Ledama, who crushed Noel Salupado, 6-2, 6-2, and John Renest Sonsona, 6-4, 6-0; fifth-ranked Ronard Joven, who subdued Marco Macalintal, 6-4, 6-3, and Kristian Tesorio, 6-1, 6-4; and fourth seed Charles Kinaadman, winner of the Gov. Edwin Jubahib Cup in Davao del Norte last September, who overwhelmed Rafael Liangco, 6-1, 6-3, and another junior star Marc Jarata, 6-0, 6-3.

Fury puts friendship aside for third shot at Chisora

LONDON—Tyson Fury has vowed to put a burgeoning friendship with Derek Chisora to one side as he aims to beat his fellow Brit for a third time on Saturday.

Fury is the huge favourite to maintain his unbeaten professional record and retain the WBC world heavyweight title.

The fight with Chisora at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was agreed after negotiations over a much-anticipated bout with Anthony Joshua broke down.

Fury could also face Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk next year in a bid to unite the heavyweight division, but he insisted he would not take his eye off the ball against Chisora.

The two, who last faced off in 2014, have struck up a friendship in recent years and shook hands between

media duties on Tuesday.

“You’re going to see Del Boy get knocked sparked out. I’m not playing games. This is not fun and games for me. This is strictly business,” said Fury.

“People say, ‘Oh well, I’m the overwhelming favourite’. But I’m only a man with a chin, and so is he. I could get knocked out and he could get knocked out.

“We can be friends out here and shake hands, go for a burger afterwards, but in here there’s no friends.”

The standoff between Fury and Joshua’s camps has given the 38-year-old Chisora an unlikely final shot at claiming the scalp of the “Gypsy King.”

“I’m in great shape,” said Chisora. “Tyson looks like he’s in great shape.

“Do I have to knock him out? Yeah, that’s the whole point.” AFP

Pacio planning surprise for Brooks

ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua “The Passion” Pacio is raring to show the new dimensions that he’s added to his game, and on Saturday, 3 December, he’ll have the perfect chance to do so. Pacio defends his strap against red-hot Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks at ONE 164 inside the Mall of Asia Arena, and the Filipino believes that this will be the fight in which he showcases his entire arsenal.

In his previous fight with Yosuke Saruta, it didn’t take long for Pacio to put a lid on that trilogy, knocking out his Japanese counterpart in just a single round.

Expecting a longer fight against Brooks, Pacio believes now’s the perfect time to show his improvements.

“I have tools that I haven’t shown yet. In my last outing, I wanted to show a lot of things, but the match ended quickly,” Pacio said.

“I know this is going to be a tough fight, and I’ll be able to show the new things that I’ve learned through the years.”

Pacio will also have to find a solution to stop Brooks’ wrestling, and the Team Lakay star knows that’s not going to be easy. But he promises to make things harder for the American by surprising him with a few tricks.

“Of course his wrestling will give me problems, but I’ve trained for it. We’re ready for it. But expect me to be a problem for him as well,” he said.

“I have tools that I haven’t shown yet. I know this is going to be a tough

fight, and I’ll be able to show the new things that I’ve learned through the years.”

Pacio won’t be actively looking for a finish, as he’s focused on beating Brooks at every facet of the game.

“This fight will all boil down to who wants it more. I’m the champion here, and I’ll prove that to him,” he said.

“I’m not looking for a finish. I’m not looking for a knockout or submission. I’m looking to showcase the well-improved aspects of the game. And at the end of the day, my hand will be raised.”

Tickets for ONE Fight Night 5 and ONE 164: Pacio vs. Brooks at the Mall of Asia Arena on December 3 are available at https://linktr. ee/ONEPH.

US golfer Tiger Woods, still hindered by the leg injuries he su ered in a 2021 car wreck, said he is hoping to play the major championships in 2023 despite setbacks this year. AFP

WBC heavyweight title holder Britain’s Tyson Fury is set to fight against WBA International heavyweight champion, Derek Chisora on December 3. AFP

Joshua Pacio gets a victory ride from teammate Eduard Folayang.

Lovi Poe eyes more action in her future

By Patricia Taculao

AS the daughter of Fernando Poe Jr aka “The King of Philippine Movies” (or Da King for short), now Kapamilya actress Lovi Poe feels the calling to participate in action-packed projects in her blood. It’s evident in how she efficiently portrayed Iris Castillo-del Rosario in the Philippine adaptation of the hit K-drama series Flower Of Evil.

Siguro nasa dugo talaga kasi nga matagal ko ng gustong gumawa ng mga ganitong klaseng eksena and a part of me that I feel it has something to do with him,” she said during an media conference.

Lovi is also very vocal

about her desire to participate in any reboot or rendition of Ang Panday The original version of the film, released in 1980, stars her father and proves why he deserves the title of King in movies and action.

With Flower of Evil, Lovi had a taste of doing stunts herself, and the production team did not hold back on her account. One feat, in particular, challenged Lovi to bring out her A-game on set, as it took three days to shoot.

The actress even said that among all the scenes they shot, the one where her character dives into the pool to save Jacob del Rosario ( Piolo Pascual) left an impression on her because of its complexity.

“Madugong-madugo ‘yung pag-film namin doon because there was one time na we had to do it na naka-harness ako without the water. Tapos there was a

another day na underwater talaga and nakaka-stress kasi si Papa P nasa ilalim siya ng tubig at binibigyan na lang siya ng oxygen sa ilalim ng nakatali siya,” Lovi said.

Her task was to untie Piolo’s hands from the bonds, no easy feat done underwater. Eventually, they shot the scene and gained praise from the viewers. Meanwhile, Lovi commends everyone who worked on the sequence, especially those who worked the camera and did their magic in those circumstances.

“Doon mo makikita kung gaano ka dedicated sa trabaho ang lahat, even our cameramen who had to shoot under water as well. It’s just like everything was memorable to me kasi doon mo makikita lahat was game to do it,” she said.

Before shooting the scene, Lovi received a fair warning from their

Beyond blessed: Singer-actor LA Santos is grateful

NA-ATTACH po ako mismo sa art of acting,” singer-turned-actor LA Santos spoke about acting on TV with so much passion.

The fresh-faced 22-year-old star was initially launched as a recording artist under Star Music in 2017 and the main man of 7K Sounds in 2020 but has recently transitioned to being a mainstream TV actor.

“Ever since, never naman po ako na-attract sa acting dahil sa fame o sa pera. Na in love ako sa experience na para akong napupunta sa ibang mundo,” he added.

The shift from music to acting seemed to be a smooth one with the help of workshops and training. Observably, LA is a natural when delivering his lines. When commended, he said, “May one-onone workshop po ako with Ms. Malou Crisologo. The seasoned actress made a mark with her stints in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and The Broken Marriage Vow These days, LA is visible in ABSCBN’s primetime offering, Mars Ravelo’s Darna, where he plays the role of Richard Miscala, one of the paramedic team members. The budding actor is privileged to share the screen with the lead stars Joshua Garcia Janella Salvador, and Jane De Leon. Before this, he also appeared alongside Sam Milby, Iza Calzado, and Jodi Sta. Maria in Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin

“Take your time, mag-relax, at huwag

the common tips his more experienced coactors have given him. When it comes to working with Joshua, Jane, and Janella, he is thrilled about the bond he has formed with them. “Parang family na rin talaga po kami. Nakabauo kami ng family dito sa Darna. Ang pinakanaa-appreciate ko po kina Jane, Janella, at Josh, nagtutulungan po kami. Sobrang bait talaga,” he raved.

There was a particularly striking advice LA has received from one of his co-stars in Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin. He shared, “’Yung

pinakanag-stick po sa ‘kin galing kay Ms. Jodi Sta. Maria. Sinabi niya po sa ‘king huwag na huwag kakalimutan kung bakit ko ito ginagawa.”

LA admits that the spotlight can distract and make an actor lose sight of his goals. His family’s support, to be specific, keeps him grounded. “Maganda pong reminder to think about my purpose 'yung sinabi po ni Ms. Jodi,” he added.

In terms of goals, LA smilingly shared a long-time wish, “Gusto ko po talagang

maging anak ni Ian Veneracion sa isang teleserye.” The older actor, known as a classic heartthrob since the ‘80s, has been LA’s long-time family friend. LA used to join Ian’s concerts abroad and perform for the front acts.

Looking ahead, LA Santos is bent on improving his craft and he remains grateful for the people who consistently show him support. Filled with love, encouragement, and support in his life, LA plans to pursue being an actor. “Personally, sa acting ko na

director, telling her to prepare. Nonetheless, she didn’t expect it would be that intense.

Yet one part of the experience that left Lovi weak was encountering Piolo for the first time. In Flower Of Evil, they portrayed a husband and wife, and they had to be comfortable around each other to be convincing.

At first, Lovi was nervous about working with an actor she had looked up to and couldn’t even meet Piolo’s eyes during their workshop. Eventually, Piolo made her feel safe and comfortable around his presence so they could do their scenes smoothly.

Flower Of Evil is just the beginning of a different chapter in Lovi’s career. There’s more in store for Lovi as she teases another project soon. In the meantime, fans will have to wait before she makes the announcement.

Letrang Norte duo deals with heartbreak in “Hahanapin Mo”

FOLK-pop duo Letrang Norte has a new digital single that earned a spot on Spotify’s Fresh Finds Philippines playlist. The track “Hahanapin Mo”, released November 4, is the group’s third single this year, following “Tamachine” and “Salamat Na Lang Sa Lahat.” The duo’s debut “Kalma” came out in 2021.

po nakikita ang career path ko po eh ‘Yung music ko po at pagiging singer sobrang blessed ko na lang po. Kumbaga, bonus na lang,” he said. Speaking of bonus, LA lent his voice for the single 'Di Maghihiwalay included in the Darna official soundtrack. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=n6IrqjxLcWc

If he didn’t pursue showbiz, LA said he sees himself as a veterinarian. “Next to music and acting, animals po talaga passion ko. Someday din po, gusto ko pong makabuo ng zoo,” he happily shared. Putting up the establishment that maintains an animal collection is the closest thing to his family’s inclination to business that he’s willing to get involved in. He remains focused on the entertainment scene.

Since he has yet to spill the details of his upcoming projects, does LA have the time for finding love? When asked if he is given the freedom to date, the young man laughingly yet sparingly answered, “Lovelife? Puwede naman po may love life. Aayusin lang ang priorities.” If he is romantically involved these days, we have yet to find out. But we are sure that he receives more than what he needs when it comes to family’s, friends,’ and workmates’ love.

GMA Network dominates 44th Catholic Mass Media Awards

FOR consistently delivering stellar and value-filled news, public service, and entertainment programs, GMA Network dominated the 44th Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) with 18 recognitions during the awarding ceremonies held last November 23.

The Kapuso Network’s “Love Together, Hope Together: GMA Christmas Station ID” took home the Best Station ID award. A holiday treat that Kapuso viewers look forward to every year, the network’s Christmas station ID in 2021 also served as a reminder to everyone that as long as there is love and hope in each other’s hearts, Christmas will always be brighter and better if Filipinos are together.

GMA Integrated News programs earned top plums for their respective Super Typhoon Odette coverage.

For the second year in a row, Saksi won the Best News Program award. Anchored by GMA News pillar Arnold Clavio and seasoned broadcast journalist Pia Arcangel, the late-night newscast provided extensive coverage of the typhoon’s wrath in Central Philippines and the Visayas. Saksi captured not just the devastation but also the government’s relief and rescue efforts, ending with a montage of the patented Bayanihan spirit.

Meanwhile, GMA’s flagship newscast and CMMA Best News Program Hall of Famer 24 Oras earned the Best Special Event Coverage award also for its outstanding coverage of Super Typhoon Odette. Anchored by GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco Mike Enriquez, and Vicky Morales 24 Oras provided viewers the information and public service at a time when they needed it the most.

Wish Ko Lang added another feather to its cap as it took home the Best Drama Series/Program. Hosted by Vicky Morales, Wish Ko Lang recently celebrated 20 years of granting wishes with cinematic anniversary episodes and the biggest presents to date.

Championing sportsmanship among viewers, GMA Synergy’s Stronger Together, Buo ang Puso: NCAA Season 97 was hailed as the Best Children & Youth Program. NCAA Season 97 marked the much-awaited return of the Men’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball tournaments.

The Kapuso Network also dominated the Radio category with its flagship AM and FM stations Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! taking home numerous awards.

Winning the Best News Program was DZBB’s newscast Super Balita sa Umaga Nationwide. The tandem of Arnold Clavio and Connie Sison in One on One, Walang Personalan was named Best News Commentary, while earning the Best Public Service Program award was Serbisyo on the Spot

Taking home the Best Entertainment Program, on the other hand, was “Barangay Love Stories” hosted by Papa Dudut of Barangay LS 97.1 Forever!

GMA Synergy’s Limitless: A Musical Trilogy – Breathe was conferred with Best Digital Advertisement – Public Service category. Breathe is the first installment of the one-a-kind musical journey Limitless A Musical Trilogy headlined by Julie Anne San Jose Limitless also won the Silver World Medal at the 2022 New York Festivals TV and Film Awards.

Several Kapuso programs and projects were also conferred with Special Citations.

Earning Special Citations for Best TV Special are GMA Public Affairs’ specials The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews and Year of the Superhero

Hosted by GMA News pillar Jessica Soho The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews set the bar high for future election specials, with Soho boldly asking four of the leading presidential aspirants tough questions. Meanwhile, Year of the Superhero was GMA

“‘Hahanapin mo’” is a love story turned into a heartbreak,” informed the boy and girl act. “It talks about a long distance connection between two potential lovers, with the perspective of the song being set on the one having doubts and hesitations on love and committing.”

The single is released under Widescope Entertainment. The singing-songwriting tandem of Louie Kem Anthony Babaran and Rebecca Ruth Resuello penned and arranged the track.

Letrang Norte is benefiting from the solid support of their label’s executive producer Vic de Vera, supervising producer Neil Gregorio, and A&R manager Ebe Dancel Yes, the hitmaker who fronted Sugarfree in its heydays is among the creative and corporate geniuses backing up the duo that won as grand champion in a national songwriting competition spearheaded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

“Hahanapin Mo” features Rebecca Ruth on acoustic guitar and drums, and Louie Kem on guitar, bass, and piano, with their beautiful vocal blending carrying much weight. The two mixed the song with the help of Rojh Dychangco Baquiran who mastered it.

Letrang Norte further expressed, referring to their latest record, “What starts off as a leap of faith in love, turns out to be a move too late, because ‘may nauna na pala.’ The chorus resonates feelings of regret and bitterness, but as the song progresses, the message of acceptance brings it to its end.”

Interestingly, both of the group’s multitalented members belong to the healthcare community. Louie is a registered nurse, while Ruth is a registered pharmacist.

Letrang Norte translates to ‘Lyrics of the North.’ Both Louie and Ruth are from Cagayan province, serving as producers and sound engineers for Northern Root Records.

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

Also

“Dapat

“

News and Public Affairs’ year-end special, which featured inspiring stories behind some of the most heroic moments of 2021. The special was hosted by Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. Hit primetime series First Lady won a Special Citation as Best Drama Series/Program. The sequel to the Philippines’ No. 1 show for 2021, First Yaya (The First Nanny), First Lady stars Gabby Concepcion and Sanya Lopez GTV’s public affairs show I Juander likewise earned a Special Citation as Best News Best Adult Educational / Cultural Program.

Hosted by Susan Enriquez and Mark Salazar I Juander feeds Filipinos’ inherent curiosity about their identity and culture.

Lovi Poe enjoys the distinction of being called ‘The Queen,’ a nod toward her father’s legacy

The singing-songwriting tandem of Louie Kem Anthony Babaran (right) and Rebecca Ruth Resuello penned and arranged their latest single 'Hahanapin Mo’

‘GMA Regional TV Live!’ takes home the Special Citation for

Best Public Service TV Program

LA Santos (right) with Jane De Leon

LA Santos’s transition from singing to acting is a smooth one thanks to workshops and training

From left: Zaijan Jaranilla, LA Santos, Joshua Garcia, and Rio Locsin on the set of ‘Mars Ravelo’s Darna’

STAND-ALONE STATE-OF-THE-ART

CANCER FACILITY IN THE COUNTRY OPENS IN LAGUNA

She was 14 when one of her aunts died because of the disease. As a teenager, she couldn’t fathom what was happening and she was in deep emotional pain that she didn’t attend the funeral.

“I did not understand what cancer was, all I remember as a teenager, it wasn’t explained to me well, that if you have cancer, you’re going to die for sure. Seeing my tita lose her hair, and her health deteriorated, it really felt traumatic,” Davila recalled.

When her father was diagnosed with stage 1 bladder cancer, she realized that it can be treated if “you catch it early.”

“When they say that cancer is no lon ger a death sentence, that is true. But of course, according to doctors, the best way to cure cancer is to prevent it. Prevention is always the best solution. It takes a lot of effort and time,” she said.

Davilla was the guest of honor at the opening of Global Care Cancer Institute (GCCI) in Bay, Laguna on November 26. The institute is the very first standalone cancer facility in the Philippines with complete facilities, renowned med ical talents, and care. It is accessible to the country’s capital and its nearby cit ies in Southern Luzon and is transform ing the way cancer patients are treated with new means of understanding the disease.

“This is a miracle in itself. In the movie Field of Dreams, which stars Kevin Cost ner, the motto was ‘If you build it, they will come.’ And I would have to say that this institute is the very living example of that motto. It’s not easy to establish this

Parokya Ni Edgar

kind of institute. I spoke with the doctors and the founders, this took a billion pesos to build. Not everyone has the guts to take the courage to take that loan to start this institute. First, you don’t know if you’re going to get your money, or when you’re getting your money back. It’s the very vi sion of having a free-standing cancer insti tute in Laguna, the dream itself. You know, the universe rewards the brave,” she said during the press conference.

Patients outside the country’s capital are challenged to receive the appropriate medical care but with GCCI, extensive on cological care can now be obtained even if

you’re not in Metro Manila.

Established in 2018, this stand-alone cancer facility in Bay, Laguna, the insti tute aims to be the preferred center for holistic cancer care and management in Southern Luzon.

“Our mission and vision are to provide safe, timely, efficient, equitable, effective, patient-focused cancer care by expert, multi-disciplinary health care teams com mitted to delivering responsive, compas sionate, comprehensive cancer manage ment,” said Engr. Ricardo Celino, Board Member of GCCI and Overall Chairman of all Global Hospitals.

With its tagline “The skill to heal. The will to care,” GCCI has everything under one roof. “It has top-of-the-line facilities so you don’t have to go anywhere any more,” said Oliver Perez, VP & Head of Diagnostic Imaging Siemens Headliners.

You are always sure that if you go to GCCI you will get the best-personalized care not only for cancer but even after cancer care. Staffed with trained on cologists, and medical specialists that provide service to the other pillars of oncology like surgery, nutrition, psy chiatry, and more, this Covid-free fa cility is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for chemotherapy, radiation, nutritional guidance, minor surgery, and nuclear medicine.

According to GCCI President Dr. Necy Juat, “It’s like a home. It is like your home here in Bay. As you would be part of our family, we’ll treat you as one. Here, you will have a healing environment.”

Cancer is the leading cause of mortal ity worldwide. In the Philippines, it has been one of the leading diseases that kill Filipinos.

In a study conducted by the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics in 2018, 189 out of 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with cancer. Four Filipinos die every hour or 96 patients every day.

To know more about Global Care Can cer Institute, visit and like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/globalcarecancerinstituteinc

OPERATION Smile Philippines was born 40 years ago in Bicol, thanks to a basket of bananas. In 1981, Dr. William (Bill) P. Magee, Jr., a plastic surgeon, and his wife, Kathleen (Kathy), a nurse and clinical social worker, traveled to the Philippines with a volunteer medical organization called Interplast upon the invitation of then Gov. Felix Fuentebella of Camarines Sur.

There were hundreds of parents with their children who had cleft lips and cleft palates but the group couldn’t operate on all because Interplast also handled other medical cases. It was heartbreaking.

On the last day of the surgical mis sion, Bill and Kathy saw a woman and her daughter (who had not been operated on) with a basket of bananas. The woman said, “Thank you for coming here to help our children.”

The Magees were so touched by the en counter and they vowed to come back with a group of medical volunteers to repair children’s cleft lips and cleft palates.

CELEBRITY dads Gary Valenciano

say their definitions of love and commitment have changed through the years. For them, love also means keeping your loved ones protected from any eventuality. This is why they were chosen by AIA Philippines and BPI AIA to encourage more Filipinos to ex press their love both in words and in ac tions.

“Love always changes just as situ ations and circumstances change. Out looks and perspectives change too. Even in marriage, change and vows are tested through years of being together. It’s only here that you see what unconditional love

Chito shares, “Love, for me, changed, not only in definition, but also how it felt, when I became a husband and a dad. Before, it simply meant being attached to someone emotionally. Now, it means, prioritizing someone else’s happiness, and overall well-being above one’s self, and being happy with it.”

The pandemic gave rise to many life realiza tions. For Gary, it was the importance of treasur ing the moments you have with your loved ones. “It was a time none of us had ever experienced before. We hardly saw each other in 2020. It wasn’t easy how life became for my children. I knew they were struggling, but during the pan demic, there was only so much that any parent like myself could do.”

He says he also now values his audiences more. “The pandemic has been the link that sort of bonds us as it was that one event that hit us all in ways we would never have expect ed. Cherishing time together is so important.”

It also made him feel the grace and goodness of God, who kept him and his family safe and provided for.

Chito says his priorities were reshuffled during the pandemic. “I gained a much deeper understanding of what really matters in life, and what my priorities should be. My family’s health and safety have always been my prior ity, but the pandemic showed me how I should properly prepare to secure their health and safety, how important it is to spend time with family, and to focus on things that we often took for granted.”

Both dads say that they also realized the importance of keeping their family secure through protection from the trusted insurance coverage of AIA Philippines and BPI AIA, which has over 85 years of combined experi ence in helping people live healthier, longer, better lives.

“It is important to provide insurance coverage for your family. This way they are assured of medical benefits when sick ness hits them. Partnering with a company like AIA feels special because they are a

WITH all the information available online, sometimes you feel that you are already an expert when it comes to skincare. But before you go further and (skin) deeper, ask yourself first – are you really sure about that product for your skin type? Is that product endorsed by an influenc er really meant for your skin? Are you making the right choices when it comes to skincare or are you just unwit tingly harming your skin?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions, why don’t you talk about skin with someone who is passionate about skin perfection?

Dr. Sheena Joyce Bautista-Angeles, a certified Aes thetic Physician and CEO of Sheena’s Choice Skincare and Beauty, is a fast-rising beauty specialist who is now known for her personalized patient care and curated der matological solutions.

Sheena’s Choice was born during the pandemic – with Dr. Sheena using social media to market her products

as clinics were not allowed to open because of the lock downs.

“Even with the challenges of the pandemic, I still con sidered myself very lucky… my products were all sold out just days after launching online,” she said.

Her clients and patients welcomed her new prod ucts, which sparked a successful business startup. From products for skincare, weight loss, whitening, and oral healthcare, Sheena’s Choice helped women maintain their beauty and achieve younger-looking skin despite being in lockdown in their homes.

Dr. Sheena named her brand “Sheena’s Choice,” which was inspired by Son Ye-jin, a businesswoman whose brand (a curated clothing shop) is “Seri’s Choice” in the popular K-drama Crash Landing on You. Sheena’s Choice is somewhat similar to the fictional Seri’s Choice as Dr. Sheena also personally curates the skincare regimen or treatment for each patient.

Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano

Thanks to their friends, including evan gelist Pat Robertson who donated $30,000, the Magees came back in 1982 and Opera tion Smile was born. Before Bill became a reconstructive surgeon, he was a dentist.

The Magees assembled a volunteer team of 18 doctors, nurses, and technicians for their own medical mission to the Philip pines. They helped approximately 100 more patients, but again, hundreds waited to be treated.

Today, Operation Smile is an interna tional medical charity with a global net work of thousands of medical volunteers, including doctors, nurses, and other per sonnel, from more than 80 countries dedi cated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults from more than 60 countries.

As Operation Smile Philippines turns 40, a medical team arrived in Naga City on November 21 and conducted operations on children and young adults. The doctors stayed until November 25 when all the children were discharged.

With the purpose of putting a smile on customers’ faces, Watsons Philippines be gan its partnership with Operation Smile nine years ago. Since then, the partnership has changed the lives of 2,152 children, who were born with cleft lip and palate conditions, through free surgeries.

Curated dermatological solutions such as having a skincare regimen allow the skin to look younger and healthy. There is no “one skincare product that fits all.” “We don’t sell something that we really haven’t tried, or we don’t believe in,” Dr. Sheena said. “Each skincare product is carefully chosen, tested, and curated.”

As the pandemic restrictions are easing up, people are once again looking into their skin as they’re going out. Even though skincare prod ucts are very popular now – from local to in ternational brands – a lot of consumers don’t know how to properly use them. This is where Dr. Sheena comes in as her personalized skin care considers a client’s needs, budget, and even personality.

Nickie

and Chito Miranda

SEASONED broadcast journalist Karen Davila is no stranger to the struggles of cancer patients seeing how they battle the deadly disease firsthand. She even admitted that the first experience she had with the Big C in the family “was quite traumatic.”

From left: Dr. Mildred B. Llanto, Ricardo F. Valenzuela, Chairman Dr. Celso S. Ramos, Karen Davila, President Dr. Necy S. Juat, Medical Director Dr. Catherine S. Teh, and One Global Hospital Over-all Chairman Engr. Ricardo D. Celino

Karen (center) with doctors and founders

The

Global

Operation Smiles PH celebrates 40 years of changing lives and giving smiles

Smile is an international medical charity dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children and young adults FIRST

frontman Chito Miranda

is all about. The challenges and tests are meant to deepen and broaden what love means to any individual,” says Gary.

passionate group of professionals who make you feel that they care for your well-being and financial secu rity. You know that they will be there for you during crisis situations. So choosing the right partner will surely make you confident about protecting potential health or life challenges,” Gary explains.

Dr. Sheena Bautista-Angeles (second from left), the founder and CEO of Sheena’s Choice Skincare and Beauty, receives the Plaque of Authenticity from Merz Aesthetics

Meet your most beautiful self