Manila Standard - 2022 December 3 - Saturday

Frozen fish still in wet markets

BFAR halts ban on imported fish sale while it reviews regulations

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Friday declared a moratorium on its crackdown on imported pink salmon, pompano, and other imported frozen fish products in wet markets effective immediately.

The Department of Agriculture’s BFAR said it took into account the recommendations from fisheries stakeholders and lawmakers who were vocal against its ban.

BFAR said it would revisit the regulations and policies governing the importation of fresh, chilled, and frozen fish and aquatic products, particularly the Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195 series of 1999, which authorizes the importation of these products for the

PALACE AUDIENCE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. speaks to the country's newly-appointed ambassadors on Friday, then welcomes officials of Radio Mindanao Network Inc. led by its president Eric Canoy (inset) in a courtesy call at Malacañang. Presidential

New envoys asked to do more than diplomacy

By Vito Barcelo and

One group eyed in missing ‘sabungeros’

By Rey E. Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said government investigators see one group could be behind the disappearance of 34 cockfight enthusiasts or “sabungeros” last year.

Remulla stopped short of saying a criminal syndicate was behind the missing

cockfight enthusiasts and declined to speculate who might be the mastermind.

“That’s not my province. That’s not within the bounds of my job. We do not speculate in my job. We only find out based on evidence,” he said.

The Philippine National Police admitted that there is still no credible lead on the whereabouts of the sabungeros.

44m doses of COVID vax gone to waste due to short shelf life

By Willie Casas

THE Department of Health (DOH) said Friday the number of wasted or expired COVID-19 vaccine doses bought by the government and the private sector had increased to 44 million doses, 24 million of which expired due to short shelf life.

“Shelf life” is a food industry term, which, in health care, refers to the length of time that a blood product, therapeutic or other product may be stored under appropriate conditions before it must be discarded by law.

Some 3.8 million shots were from "operational wastage" such as temperature excursion, discoloration, and natural disaster, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.

The DOH is also determining how the other 5 percent went to waste.

Majority of the wasted vaccines were procured by the private sector and local governments, Vergeire said.

Last month, the health agency disclosed that over 31 million COVID-19

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo also said they are looking into the possibility that one group is behind the disappearances.

Remulla earlier met with the police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the families of 16 families of the missing cockfight enthusiasts.

Senate to look into sovereign wealth fund bill

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

THE Senate will examine the importance of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund, also known as the Philippine Sovereign Wealth Fund, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Friday, stressing the need for full transparency and efficient use of taxpayers' money should the government push for its creation.

DOJ, PAO align on Dengvaxia cases, assure justice

By Maricel V. Cruz

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Friday said the growth forecast for the Philippines next year by a respected international credit rating and financial research agency proves that the Marcos administration is pursuing the right economic policies.

“Moody’s Investors Service’s positive forecast for the Philippines in 2023

confirms we are on the right track, and that our economy is in full swing toward recovery, gaining more momentum,” he said.

Romualdez was reacting to Moody’s forecast that the Philippines would post the fastest gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the Asia-Pacific region next year with 6.4 percent.

In the past, China posted the largest economic expansion in the region.

LA TORRE, 89

'SABUNGERO' GAB. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla meets the families of the missing cockfight enthusiasts or 'sabungeros' on Friday. During the meeting, Remulla said they have agreed to meet regularly to always inform the families on the investigation of and search for their loved ones. Danny Pata

YPO-MVP TALK. MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan (third from right) shares his insights with the Young Presidents' Organization on contemporary business themes that shape the context and contours of the MVP Group's latest thinking. Pictured from left are David Chua (YPO Gold chair), Enrique Y. Gonzalez (YPO), Liza Yao Bate (YPO), Kristine Romano (YPO), Randy Roxas (YPO Gold), and Patricia Riingen (YPO Gold).

SYLVIA La Torre, a local singing legend known as the “Queen of Kundiman,” passed away on December 1, according to her family. She was 89. Her granddaughter, American actress

Zenaida Angping has asked for some time off as head of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and received the blessing of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Malacañang said Friday.

THE Department of Justice (DOJ) and one of its attached agencies, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), have committed to observing the rule of law in a case

Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

called on newly appointed envoys to “look for opportunities” for business and partnerships for the Philippines. Mr. Marcos issued the challenge

during a courtesy call of the newly appointed ambassadors on Thursday in Malacañang, where he discussed SYLVIA

photos

AFP: NPA fronts down to just 24

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday said it continues to make significant gains against communist insurgents, reporting that guerrilla fronts of the New People’s Army (NPA) have been reduced to 24 in 2022, down from 89 in 2016.

AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar, quoted in an ABS-CBN News report, said of the 24 remaining guerrilla fronts, only 5 are active while 19 have weakened significantly.

Aguilar said if the AFP can sustain its efforts, the communist fronts will weaken and eventually dismantled.

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purpose of canning and processing, and trade to institutional buyers.

“In the interest of the Filipino consumers and fisheries stakeholders, the bureau remains committed in carrying out its mandate to ensure food security and food sufficiency, especially since the Christmas season is fast approaching while strengthening the implementation of fishery laws and other necessary regulations,” it said.

Meanwhile, the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council, the policy-making advisory and recommendatory body on Philippine

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The Justice chief said they agreed to hold regular dialogues regarding the cases.

“We’re talking about eight… clustered cases. And I think four of them have been filed, some of them still have to be filed. There are leads in other cases that are still being followed up,” he said.

One of the cases involved 15 sabungeros who all disappeared in one day.

He said the eight clustered cases included the complaint filed on Thursday by the family of Michael Bautista, the sabungero who was seen in a video handcuffed at a cockfighting arena in Laguna accompanied by two alleged policemen.

Meanwhile, retired Master Sergeant Mario Velasco, the father of a missing sabungero, asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the resolution on

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Zubiri's statement came as Senator Imee Marcos expressed fear the proposed Philippine fund might suffer the same fate as Malaysia's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was hounded by graft issues.

Marcos, the President's older sister and vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, also questioned the timing of the creation of the sovereign wealth fund, given the current economic crisis and the government's unpaid foreign debts and unfunded social services.

The senator agreed the government must consolidate the capital of government financial institutions and the government-owned and controlled corporations, but it should be used for projects such as dams, which she said, can be utilized for the irrigation of agricultural lands and the generation of power.

The official also said the AFP believes the government’s Community Support Program (CSP) has been effective in solving the insurgency problem in the countryside.

He said right now, local government units are heading the CSP. The AFP has also been successful in addressing the

fisheries, said it stands firmly on the strong implementation of regulatory policies pertaining to the importation of fresh, chilled, and frozen fish such as Fisheries Administrative Order 195.

The group asked the BFAR to continue enforcing measures that curb illegal acts of unauthorized and undocumented importation of frozen fish, saying their proliferation in wet markets hurts the local fish industry.

The group said the focus should be on the scrupulous importers who violate the policies and not the small fish vendors in wet markets.

“Contrary to some feedback, the implementation of the order is not discriminatory to anyone. In fact, it protects one of the most vulnerable sectors in the country, the marginalized

the case as soon as possible.

“We asked him (Remulla), as a Christmas gift, to release the resolution so that the issue will become clear and we will obtain justice,” Velasco said.

In response, Remulla said: “I cannot promise anything that I cannot control. But I can urge them to resolve it in the soonest possible time.”

The PNP on Friday announced that its investigators have filed anothercase of kidnapping and serious illegal detention against two more suspects tagged in the case of a missing sabungero in Laguna.

Named as respondents in the complaint was Julie Patidongan also known as "Dondon," reportedly a staff of a farm in Barangay Palasan, Sta. Cruz, Laguna and a “John Doe.”

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed the charges on Thursday before the National Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice.

The charges were based on the

Gatchalian, Grace Poe, Mark Villar, and Alan Cayetano, who chair the committees on Finance, Ways and Means, Economic Affairs, Banks and Financial Institutions and Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations, respectively, to look into the proposal and give the Senate feedback on the essence of the fund.

"We must first ensure [that] the Sovereign Wealth Fund is necessary...

If so, we need to ensure that it is managed properly and the safeguards are in place so that it would not be misused or prone to corruption," Zubiri said.

"We must make sure there is full transparency and efficient utilization of this fund," he added.

Gatchalian made a similar statement, saying full transparency and checks and balances must be in place if the Philippine government will push for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund.

threat of local terrorist groups, according to Aguilar.

The AFP further reported that around 50 suspected members of local terrorist groups have been neutralized in the first three months of the Marcos administration.

“During the first three months of the President, we have neutralized more or less 50 members of the local terrorist groups,” Aguilar said at a televised public briefing.

According to Aguilar, firearms were also recovered from the neutralized rebels.

fishers, and the whole industry from competition against imported fish in wet markets,” it said.

The NFARMC said it supports BFAR in its initiative to revisit FAO 195 to make it more responsive to the needs of the times.

“However, it should undergo a process of consultation with the council as mandated by RA 8550 as amended by RA 10654,” it said.

Earlier, BFAR came under fire for banning the sale of frozen imported pink salmon and pompano in wet markets.

In an interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, BFAR chief information officer Nazario Briguera said the bureau would seize imported pompano and pink salmon sold in wet markets starting Dec. 4 to protect the local fishing industry.

complaint of the kin of victim Michael Bautista of Barangay Poblacion 1, Daang Barrio Road, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, who has been missing since April 28, 2021.

"Patidongan and a John Doe were tagged as the persons seen on a video footage obtained by CIDG as the same persons who were holding the handcuffed Bautista outside the farm," PNP officer in charge Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, said in a statement.

In a meeting with CIDG chief Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, Bautista was positively identified by his wife and brother as the handcuffed man in a "secret video" obtained by investigators, saying they recognized him from his haircut, body build, and personal belongings.

Bautista is among 34 missing "sabungeros” who are the subject of a massive search and investigation that earlier led to the filing of kidnapping charges against eight persons on March 18.

Based on this video evidence, police

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Moody’s said Vietnam would attain the second fastest growth next year with 6.1 percent, followed by China’s 5.1 percent, India’s 5 percent, Indonesia’s 4.7 percent, Thailand’s 3.9 percent, and Malaysia with 3.8 percent.

According to Moody’s, the Philippines’ growth would be spurred by pent-up demand for goods and services, as well as the government’s fiscal policy that promotes education, public health, and infrastructure development.

Romualdez said Moody’s projection on the country’s economic performance in 2023 is supported by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s own statement that GDP growth would likely reach 7 percent or at least 6.5 percent this year.

Aguilar made the statement when asked about the status of the campaign of the AFP against the Abu Sayyaf Group and other local terrorist groups.

Aside from addressing violence, Aguilar said the AFP is also working on preventing these groups from recruiting more people as their fighters.

In November, AFP chief Lieutenant General Bartolome Bacarro said the outlawed New People’s Army is left with only 2,112 members.

The firearms of the rebels have also been reduced to around 1,800, Bacarro added.

But Senator Raffy Tulfo said he smelled something fishy and demanded to know the real reasons behind the ban on the sale of pompano and pink salmon.

In a privilege speech, Tulfo pressed BFAR for the basis of its prohibition, saying he was unconvinced by the agency’s explanation.

He said while the administrative order is about the importation of fish, the implementation targets small and poor vendors in the markets.

He said BFAR’s campaign should be waged in ports in coordination with the Bureau of Customs.

“Why are they making a show at wet markets with these fish vendors?

They only bought these fish, they were not importers,” Tulfo said.

digital forensics technicians developed computerized facial composites of the two suspects, Sermonia said.

“With these developments, we are confident that the investigation onthe missing sabungeros is gaining solid ground and will find closure in due time,” he said.

Patidongan and the unnamed suspect were seen on a cell phone video accompanying the handcuffed Bautista outside a cockfighting arena in Laguna on the night of April 28, 2021, just before he went missing.

A witness and Michael’s brother both identified Patidongan to be the manager of the AA-Cobra Farm in Brgy. Palasan in Santa Cruz, Laguna, the same area where the cockfighting arena is located.

The PNP has released composite sketches of the two suspects.

CIDG chief Police Brigadier General Oliver Lee said the two men could be involved in the disappearance of more than 30 cockfighting bettors.

managers,” he said.

The Speaker said lamented that some concerns “may impede our growth momentum, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the continuing specter of the COVID-19 virus.”

“The House of Representatives remains committed to passing the priority legislation of the Marcos administration to address these concerns and ensure sustainable, resilient, innovative, and inclusive economic growth,” Romualdez said.

“With the prudent fiscal and economic policies of the Marcos administration, a strong partnership between the government and the private sector, and the cooperation of our people, we have a good reason to look forward to a better life for our people in the coming year,” he said.

Fidel Nemenzo pushed as next president of UP

THREE National Artists, three National Scientists, a former UP President, former chancellors of UP Baguio, UP Visayas, and UP Open University, and over 40 UP Professors Emeriti issued late Wednesday evening a statement supporting the candidacy of Dr. Fidel Nemenzo for the UP presidency.

“It is our most informed and judicious view,” declares the statement, “that, among the current aspirants for UP President, only UP Diliman Chancellor FIDEL R. NEMENZO fulfills all of our criteria for an ideal and exemplary academic leader.”

The signatories are well-respected, highly accomplished members of the Philippines’ academic, artistic, and scientific communities. They come from a diverse range of disciplines and UP campuses, such as Baguio, Cebu, Diliman, Los Baños, Manila, Visayas and Open University.

Growing up in UP and coming from a family of academics, Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo, a mathematician, rose through the ranks, from instructor to professor, and eventually became chancellor of UP Diliman in March 2020.

National Artists and National Scientists have made “significant contributions to the arts and letters,” and to science and technology, respectively. Two signatories are “Academicians,” a label that refers to membership in the prestigious National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). “Professor Emeritus” is a title conferred on select retired faculty members for their “exceptional achievement and exemplary service to the University.”

The UP Board of Regents, the university’s highest policy-making body, will vote on the next UP president on 9 December 2022. The other nominees are Patrick Alain T. Azanza; Salvador B. Belaro, Jr.; Angelo A. Jimenez; Benito M. Pacheco; and Fernando C. Sanchez Jr.

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the different tasks of ambassadors in advancing the country’s interests, particularly as economies grapple with multiple challenges.

“It is a different kind of mission. You no longer are concerned solelywith diplomatic contact and the diplomatic exchanges. We are no longer limited by distance, by geographical and physical positioning,” the President said.

He urged the diplomats to continue to communicate and promote the interest of the Philippines and to “foster partnerships with all our neighbors.”

“And whether or not they are allies, whether or not they are friendly, nonetheless, it is very important that we continue to communicate, that we continue to engage, that we continue to have a way to explain what the Philippines is trying to do, how the Philippines sees its role in the community of nations,” he said.

In a statement, Zubiri said he would ask Senators Sonny Angara, Sherwin

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with existing DOJ rules of procedure covering preliminary investigations and appeal before the Secretary of Justice.

Several parents of children who died allegedly after getting Dengvaxia filed criminal complaints against former Health officials and the distributors and manufacturers of the vaccine for reckless imprudence.

PAO had endorsed the cases to the DOJ panel of state prosecutors but had raised a conflict-of-interest issue against Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes T. Andres, who has supervision over the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service (NPS).

Andres’ law firm had represented Dr. Janette Garin, the former Health secretary and current Iloilo congresswoman, who was one of the subjects of the PAO complaints related to the Dengvaxia case.

But as early as June 2022, before Andres assumed office as head of the NPS, his law firm had already withdrawn as Garin’s counsel in the Dengvaxia case. Undersecretary Andres had also inhibited from the case as early as July 7, 2022 within one week from his assumption of office.

“The DOJ and the PAO take this opportune time to express their united sympathy for those who have lost their

In an interview with reporters, Gatchalian said the Philippines was "ready" for the creation of the fund and there were measures that could be established in law to address possible corruption. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

loved ones,” said the joint statement. “There is no legal process nor remedy in law that will ever bring back those that have gone before us.”

“On the cases at hand, the DOJ assures the PAO, the parties to the Dengvaxia cases and the general public of strict observance of due process in addressing the pending issues in the cases,” it added.

The statement said there was no factual basis to exclude the DOJ panel from conducting a preliminary investigation of the Dengvaxia case and hand over the task to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office as earlier suggested.

The DOJ stressed that the integrity of the Panel of Prosecutors for the DOJ is also upheld.

“Their discretion is completely independent,” the joint statement said. “The DOJ and PAO will guard against being swayed by undue accusations coming from its clients. There is indeed no place for undue influence coming from litigants in the legal process.”

“Undersecretary Andres’ action prior to his assumption to office and shortly thereafter are consistent with the rules of professional responsibility of lawyers,” the DOJ-PAO statement added.

“The DOJ and PAO are one in seeking justice,” it said. “There has never been and never will be any conflict of interest in the resolution of the cases.” Rey E. Requejo

“Taken together, they validate the rationality of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to relax pandemicrelated restrictions, the soundness of his administration’s economic policies and the competence of his chosen economic

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vaccines went to waste, with an estimated cost of P15.6 billion.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region, where 13 million people live, climbed to 11.9 percent, independent group OCTA Research reported.

In a tweet, OCTA research fellow Dr. Guido David said the NCR COVID-19 positivity rate increased from 9.4 percent on November 23 to 11.9 percent on November 30.

The positivity rate refers to the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested.

“This rate of increase in the positivity rate in the NCR is around the same rate of increase during the Omicron BA.5 wave (from June) and the XBB (from September). This projects to a December BQ.1 wave similar to the BA.5 and XBB waves,” David said.

BQ.1 is a sublineage of the highly transmissible BA.5 subvariant.

Citing results of the latest genome sequencing, the DOH earlier reported that at least 14 cases of BQ.1 had been detected in the Philippines.

Of the 14 cases, 13 were local cases from the Cordillera Administrative

Region, Regions 1, 4A, 7, and National Capital Region, the DOH said.

Last week, the House leader told an economic forum that the nation is set to attain its economic growth target this year during the first six months of the Marcos administration and is on the road to full recovery. (See full story online at manilastandard.net) DOJ...

David, meanwhile, said the reproduction number in the NCR increased from 1.11 on November 21 to 1.32 on November 28.

The reproduction rate refers to the number of people infected by one case. A reproduction number below 1 indicates that the transmission of the virus is slowing down.

The OCTA research fellow said the weekly new cases increased from a seven-day average of 264 on November 24 to 411 on December 1, with a oneweek growth rate of 56 percent.

He said the average daily attack rate (ADAR) in the region increased to 2.85 per 100,000 population.

ADAR is the incidence showing the average number of new cases in a period per 100,000 people.

“Hospital utilization in the NCR remained low but did register an increase from 26 percent on November 23 to 28 percent on November 30,” he added.

The DOH logged 1,238 new COVID-19 infections nationwide on Thursday, as the active tally increased to 18,412.

This came after two straight days of fewer than 1,000 cases were reported.

Reports on wasted COVID-19 vaccine doses and positivity rate surfaced as health authorities claimed they have detected two additional cases of omicron subvariant BQ.1, raising its tally to 16.

“I think it is important [that] we now look and be very, very conscientious about finding opportunities for the Philippines,” the President added. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, confirmed her death through an Instagram post.

Anna shared that Sylvia passed in the morning, 7:02 a.m., in the presence of her husband, Celso Perez de Tagle, and their children, Artie, Bernie, and Cheche.

Anna, known for her roles in “Hannah Montana” and “Camp Rock,” also used the post to express her fondness of her grandmother.

La Torre, born in 1933, began her singing career at five after winning a singing competition in Manila. She made her first film appearance at seven in 1941’s “Ang Maestra.” She made her stage debut two years later and soon became a regular performer at the Manila Grand Opera House. Patricia Taculao

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The Office of the Press Secretary said in a short statement: “Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary Naida Angping has asked to take some personal time for herself and her family, and the President agreed.”

The OPS issued the statement after rumors spread on social media that Angping had resigned. The Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) is still clarifying if Angping has indeed stepped down or if she is just taking a leave from work. Vince Lopez

Belmonte vows Kadiwa in QC will continue

By Rio N. Araja

AMID skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has assured the public that the local government will continue to fi nd ways to offer cheap but quality food and nonfood items.

She made the commitment following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to the Kadiwa ng Pasko at the Quezon City hall grounds.

Mr. Marcos tagged the local government as the model city for the national government’s programs, citing its best practices and swift response to the recent

price hike on basic commodities.

“We have to thank siyempre ang ating mga LGU dahil sila talaga ang nagtake ng initiative nito and again to Mayor Joy Belmonte who was one of the first to put up Kadiwa, mabilis siyang nagrespond agad nung nagtataasan na ang presyo,” the President said during his meeting with Belmonte.

Quezon City hall is one of at least 20 sites nationwide taking part in the flagship project of the Marcos administration, aimed at providing a market to the country’s local agriculture producers and giving the public access to affordable and quality products.

Mr. Marcos further said this is why Quezon City is the “model” because “you do it on a different scale than the others. Kaya kung kakayanin nung sistema ninyo, eh kakayanin ‘yun ng mas maliliit [LGUs]. Kaya we were looking and seeing ano ‘yung mga tinatawag ko na best practices ay tinitingnan namin para mas maging maganda,” Mr. Marcos said.

Belmonte expressed her gratitude for having the city as part

Sandigan finds Paulate guilty of graft, falsification

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Sandiganbayan has found actor and politician Roderick Paulate guilty of graft and falsification charges in connection with the hiring of ghost employees during his stint as Quezon City councilor in 2010.

The anti-graft court, in a 130page decision dated Nov. 25, also sentenced him to at least 10 years minimum jail time for the offense stated.

The court said Paulate recommended the hiring of 30 individuals under job contracts who received wages from July to December 2010 even if their Personal Data Records were questionable.

“Given the above findings and in addition to the other pieces of evidence presented, the prosecution has well established that the entries in the Personal Data Sheet (PDS) of the job contractors were indeed falsifi ed,” the anti-graft court said.

“The defense did not give any logical explanation for the glaring inaccuracies of the entries in the PDS or adduce any

evidence to show the truth thereof,” it added.

Aside from Paulate, the antigraft court sentenced his co-accused, Vicente Bajamunde, who served as his then-driver/liaison officer, to 6 to 8 years jail time and perpetually disqualified from public office for their graft conviction.

In addition, the court also ordered Paulate and Bajamunde to jointly and severally pay the government P1.109 million, with an interest of 6 percent per year, until fully paid.

Paulate was also sentenced to six months to six years in jail and pay a fine of P10,000 for each of the eight counts of falsification of public documents. Bajamunde was acquitted in these same eight cases for the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The Sandiganbayan also sentenced Paulate with 6 months to 6 years in jail time and a fine of P10,000 for his conviction on the falsification by a public officer charge.

Paulate and Bajamunde have yet to issue a statement on the matter as of press time.

IN BRIEF

vows to deliver more ‘Beep’ cards

In a radio interview, LRTA administrator Hernando

“The shortage would be eased. We’re hoping that they will deliver their deficiency within December),” the official, quoted by a GMA News report, said.

He added that for Line 1, only 34,500 of the 70,000 committed Beep cards have been delivered so far while 59,000 of the 70,000 Beep cards have been delivered for Line 3.

Cabrera said a shortage of Beep cards was reported in the third and fourth quarters.

Earlier, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) warned of a shortage of the stored-value passenger train cards due to global chip supply chain problems.

Cabrera said scalpers took advantage of the shortage and sold old, near expiration, and overpriced Beep cards online.

“Our initial investigation showed that the scalpers are selling used, old, and near expiration Beep cards they have collected.)

Cabrera said train passengers tend to buy more than one Beep card as a reserve, collection of different series, and souvenirs that may aggravate the shortage.

He added that many train passengers also tend to neglect and lose their Beep card because it is cheap.

Due to this, Cabrera said there is a proposal to slightly increase the price of the Beep card, which is currently P30.

“May proposal ‘yan, ‘yan ang tinitingnan namin na taasan natin nang kaunti para bigyan nila ng kahalagahan ‘yung card at pag-ingatan nila kasi somehow the government is spending for that,” he said.

(There is a proposal and we are looking at increasing the price of Beep cards so passengers will value and take care of it because somehow the government is spending for that.)

Meanwhile, Cabrera said the pilot test on the use of QR codes as tickets in the train systems has been finished. He said they are now working on making a contract for its implementation.

More unclaimed cadavers buried in NBP

THE New Bilibid Prison (NBP) reported that 70 more unclaimed cadavers of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were buried at the NBP cemetery.

A total of 140 PDLs out of the 176 bodies that were left at the Eastern Funeral Homes, the solely accredited funeral home of the Bureau of Corrections, have been buried.

A funeral Mass was held before the burial, where seats usually occupied by family members and loved ones were left mostly empty.

Director Ma. Cecilia Villanueva of the Health and Welfare Services said during the Mass, that “it’s difficult to bury them because we can’t help but think that they have been forgotten. Maybe not on purpose by their families.”

“But like me, I’ve been at BuCor for 32 years, and at one time or another, these PDLs have seen me, have consulted, or have mingled with me. So I am treating them as my family. If someone in our family passes away, we feel sad,” the official, quote by a GMA News report said. According to Villanueva, one Japanese national was also among those buried. “The family was informed but they were no longer interested to claim the body so the embassy has a written request to include him in the burial.”

of the national government’s program.

“We are truly glad that Quezon City has been chosen as part of the Kadiwa program of our beloved President and the Department of Agriculture. We will continue to regularly provide avenues for food producers to sell their goods directly to our QCitizens,” she said.

According to the President, the Kadiwa ng Pasko program will continue to be available next year.

In partnership with QC Small Business and Cooperatives Development Promotions Office, the program hosts about 40 to 60 stalls consisting of of vendors from the DTI Diskwento Caravan and QC Fresh Market.

LRTA

RECYCLABLES. Workers bring in used light bulbs, car batteries, paint cans, electronic discards, and old air conditioners as companies in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) take part in the twoday “11th Recyclables Collection Event (RCE)” organized by the SBMA yesterday. Joseph Muego

MORE Beep cards have been delivered for commuters in the fourth quarter of this year which may ease the ongoing shortage, the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) reported.

Cabrera said concessionaire AF Payments Inc. has fulfilled its commitment of delivering 45,000 Beep cards for Light Rail Transit Line 2.

‘Congress to prioritize seamen’s bills’

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on said Friday said the House of Representatives will prioritize the approval of legislative measures that would benefit Filipino seamen or seafarers across the globe.

In his speech at the 20th commence ment exercises of the Maritime Acad emy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in Mariveles, Bataan, Romualdez said the Congress is giving “top priority” to the passage of the proposed Magna Carta for Seafarers.

“In fact, it was among the 32 legis lative measures specified as priority

under the common legislative agenda of the Senate and the House of Repre sentatives,” Romualdez said.

He said the list was agreed upon in the first meeting of the Legislative-Ex ecutive Development Advisory Council or LEDAC last October 10, which was presided over by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

PH levels up digital immigration platform with new eArrival Card

THE Philippine government on Friday set in motion a new online registration platform for incoming travelers called the eArrival Card.

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), in a Facebook post, said the setup integrates the quarantine and immigra tion requirements for arrival passengers.

The OPS said passengers visiting www.onehealthpass.com.ph website will be redirected to the new eTravel domain.

The eTravel platform provides the electronic version of the hard copy of the Arrival Card that travelers must submit upon arrival in the Philippines for immigration clearance.

The old One Health Pass domain will be deactivated starting December 5, and the Bureau of Immigration will discontinue using the paper Arrival Card on the same day, the OPS said.

The One Health Pass website was the previous domain of the first electronic health declaration for travelers. It also hosted the recently implemented eAr rival card.

Early on, Senator Pia Cayetano warned on the fake and sponsored website offering electronic registration card or arrival card for US70.

Cayetano said her daughter who’s coming from abroad came upon the du bious website.

Cayetano sounded the alarm to pro tect travelers from being victimized by scammers, saying the overseas Filipino workers and tourists might fall prey to the rip-off.

According to the senator, this can also be considered economic sabotage.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri described the crime as a highway rob bery. Macon Ramos-Araneta

The Speaker informed MAAP graduates, students, faculty, and of ficials that the other measures pend ing in the House include the proposed Maritime Education and Training Act, which seeks to adopt a modern maritime education and training re gime and support the needs of mari time students and professionals.

Another is the International Maritime Instrument Domestication Act, which calls for the full and effective imple mentation and enforcement of interna tional maritime instruments and other international conventions, to which the Philippines is a state party, he added.

Romualdez said he and his col

leagues in Congress are aware of the importance of the seafaring sector to the economy, the country being one of the largest suppliers of manpower to the maritime industry.

He said the MAAP and other mari time schools “help our economy afloat in trying times by producing worldclass seafarers, who continue to make us proud in the global arena.”

According to him, there are not even enough Filipino sailors to fill a growing demand for their skills and credentials.

Romualdez said the 19th Congress “will support your endeavors to provide quality education and topnotch gradu ates for the maritime industry.”

Makati City gains two GCash digital excellence awards

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Makati City government has received two awards for excellence from GCash; one for effective dis bursement of government financial assistance, the other for early adop tion of digital technology to enhance public services.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the GCash Digital Excellence Awards recognized and gave Makati the Excellence in Digital Sustainability and Digital Pub lic Aid Distribution awards.

“I would like to thank GCash for these awards. GCash has been our partner since our digital transforma tion journey started. Together, we have worked hard to make digital payments and services accessible, reliable, and convenient for our citi zens,” Binay said.

The mayor said the Makatizen Card’s GCash feature has helped im prove access to financial services for Makatizens, especially at the height of the pandemic.

“The Makatizen Economic Relief Program, better known as MAKAtu long 5K, was a great success. With the help of GCash, we were able to distribute financial assistance and emergency aid safely and efficiently to residents. There was no confusion, no long queues, and no administrative hassle. The process was fast, reliable, and efficient,” she said.

The mayor said Makati was the first city in the country to implement the cashless distribution of financial as sistance through a mobile wallet.

The local government released P364 million to over 72,000 resi dents in just one day through Maka tizen Card’s GCash.

“The GCash Digital Excellence Award is more than just a recognition of our success. It affirms our commit ment to bridging the gap between tra ditional financial services and digital payments,” Binay said.

QC solon files bill seeking 20% discount on toll fees for PWDs

A FIRST-TERM legislator has filed a bill giving persons with disabilities (PWDs) a 20-percent discount on toll road fees.

BUREAU of Customs (BoC) agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Air port (NAIA) have seized a shipment of 23 smuggled tarantulas at the Central Mail Exchange Center in Pasay City.

The parcel came from Hanoi, Vietnam and consigned to a claim ant in Makati City, was declared as “Snacks and other Foodstuffs.”

When examined, 23 tarantulas were discovered concealed in plas tic containers.

The arachnids were turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for moni toring and safekeeping.

The importer will be charged with violation of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

Port of NAIA district collector Carmelita Talusan said the Bureau of Customs supports the initiatives of the government in upholding the conser vation and protection of wildlife, thus prohibiting wildlife smuggling.

“Together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resourc es, the Port upholds wildlife protec tion and its conservation initiatives,” she said.

Two months ago, the Customs bu reau and the DENR won legal cases against the owners of smuggled wild life species from Poland and Malaysia.

Joel E. Zurbano

Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo filed House Bill 5275 proposing to grant PWDs “a 20 percent discount on the toll fees that are also payable through radio frequency identification (RFID) or similar systems.

“Once enacted, our measure will surely

give more substance to the mandate of the Constitution for the State to prioritize the needs of Filipinos who are highly vulner able to marginalization,” Rillo said in a statement on the eve of International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

December 3 of every year is observed worldwide to promote the rights and welfare of individuals with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sen

sory impairments.

An estimated 12 percent of Filipinos aged 15 years and above experience se vere disability, according to the Philip pine Statistics Authority’s National Dis ability Prevalence Survey.

The survey also showed that “severe disability” affects more Filipino women (15 percent) than men (9 percent).

Under Rillo’s bill, to avail of the 20

percent discount, the motor vehicle us ing the skyway or expressway must be registered in the name of the PWD, who must submit a copy of his or her PWD ID card to the tollway operator when applying for an RFID tag.

The Department of Transportation’s Toll Regulatory Board would be re quired to issue the rules to enforce the discount. Maricel V. Cruz

Paltok residents raise alarm over burglaries

CONCERNED residents of Barangay Paltok, Quezon City are seeking police assistance in preventing criminality from ris ing in their community.

Barangay chairman Sonny Paragua issued the call follow ing cases of burglaries allegedly perpetrated by motorcycleriding criminal elements in their neighborhood.

One of the latest victims, Jay Jadulan, 46, of 51-D Nativi dad Street allegedly lost P50,000 and undetermined amount of checks to robbers who broke into his Honda car on Friday.

He said the thieves smashed the right side window of his vehi cle to get inside and search for valuables.

LTFRB to issue permits for additional buses

By Rio N. Araja

THE Land Transportation Franchising and Reg ulatory Board (LTFRB) will open the application for special permits for additional bus units to be deployed during the Christmas season.

LTFRB executive director Robert Peig said

the board has already coordinated with con cerned government agencies for the security and operations in various terminals during the Yule tide season.

“We will simultaneously open the application for special permits to complement the volume of passengers going to the provinces,” Peig said.

A few days earlier, Andrea Aying, 20, a student, was also victimized by riding in tandem snatchers just a few blocks away from her house on Natividad St. Aying said she lost her mobile cellular worth P12,000 and a wallet with P500.

In an interview, Paragua said both incidents have been re ported to the police.

“The burglars were previously identified, and they are resi dents of Brgy. Damayan. Upon coordination with officials of the said barangay, they said that the same modus was done by the suspects in their vicinity. All the CCTVs in our barangay are functioning, which led to the identification of the suspects that are now subject to a manhunt operation. We vowed to intensify our barangay tanod’s visibility in our streets,” Paragua said.

BoC foils bid to smuggle spiders from Vietnam

MAAP GRADUATION RITES. Speaker Martin Romualdez and by Maritime Academy of Asia Pacific president retired Vice Admiral Eduardo Santos salute the colors as they troop the line during the graduation ceremonies at the MAAP West Campus in Mariveles Bataan. Inset shows the Speaker delivering his speech at the school’s 20th commencement exercises. Ver Noveno

PRICE CHECK. Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary and head of consumer protection group Ruth Castelo checks if the prices are right for noche buena products in a supermarket in Blumentritt, Santa Cruz, Manila. Norman Cruz

SMUGGLED TARANTULAS. Customs agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport intercept 23 tarantulas being smuggled into the country from Hanoi, Vietnam, declared as “snacks and other foodstuffs” consigned to a certain individual in Makati City. BOC Photos

Litany of broken promises

THE return of the US military bases in this country is a continuation of Washington’s promises it made made long before we gained our independence.

It is the worst kind of promise for it insulted our dignity as a sovereign and independent state.

Perhaps, we are the only country that ate what we have regurgitated and are proud to proclaim that we the did the right thing to pro claim our freedom and democracy.

The incumbent president is a complete frus tration to the majority of the Filipino people.

BBM is rather acting contrary to the expec tation of many who cast their votes for him.

Most important, he forgot that the great ma jority of the Filipino people already expressed their sentiment against the presence of foreign military bases in the country, and ratified it in the referendum on February 11, 1987, to quote Section 25, Article XVIII:

“Sec. 25. After the expiration in 1991 of the Agreement between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America concerning Military Bases, foreign military bases, troops or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate and, when the Con gress so requires, ratified by a majority of the votes cast by the people in a national referen dum held for that purpose, and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

The US made the Philippines a laughing-stock in the region for this is the only country that ordered the removal of the US bases only to ask for their return after 30 years

The word “expiration” in 1991 in Section 25, Article XVIII refers to the Marcos-Johnson Communique issued during the visit of the President in 1965 to Washington, that the pres ence of the US bases in the country would be for twenty five (25) years from issuance of the Communique’.

The country’s commitment to ban the nu clear weapons bolstered the provision of the Constitution which states in Article II, Section 8, to quote:

“Sec. 9. The Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.”

The groundwork of the establishment of the future Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ) was signed on No vember 27, 1971, when the five original mem bers of the ASEAN – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand – met in Kuala Lumpur, and signed the declaration on ASEAN’s Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neu trality (ZOPFAN).

Because of tense political atmosphere, in cluding rivalries among the members and con flicts in the region, the SEANWFZ agreement was signed.

The treaty was finally signed by the heads of government of 10 ASEAN member states in Bangkok on December 15, 1995, and the treaty took effect on March 28, 1997 and became ef fective on June 21, 2001.

To prove the country’s sincerity to its ob jective as founding member of the ASEAN, the Philippines signed the ASEAN’s Zone of Peace; that as member, it obligates itself not to develop, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or have control over nuclear weapons.

The treaty includes a protocol under which the five nuclear-weapon states recognized by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) – China, the United States, France, Russia and the United Kingdom – un dertake to respect the Treaty and not contribute to violate it.

The Philippines under the Constitution is required to have an agreement that will pro hibit, install or grant foreign military bases in the country unless ratified by the Senate and the people.

The US has induced the Philippines to vio late our Constitution just to accommodate the return of the US bases.

The US made the Philippines a laughing

stock in the region for this is the only country that ordered the removal of the US bases only to ask for their return after 30 years.

Our membership in the ASEAN is now questionable because we violated our own declaration not to allow any US bases in this country but are even seeking to increase their number including the return of the US naval base that allowed the proliferation of prostitu tion and the commission of crimes with US servicemen often getting away with it.

This single issue of jurisdiction was fought tooth and nail by the former Marcos adminis tration during his time with his son giving them away with open arms to our former colonizers the remaining symbol of our sovereignty.

The excuse made is to secure the country against Chinese aggression.

They introduced novel ideas like allowing the bases to be leased, used as training ground from countries like Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Canada, and UK, and build facilities and warehouses for them.

First, the lease strictly is in derogation of our sovereignty as independent state.

The foreign military bases cannot be leased, used as training ground or build facilities or warehouse to a third party not a signatory to a defense agreement treaty approved by Con gress.

Second, a tenant state cannot allow any country to lease or sublease those bases with out impinging on the lessor’s right to sover eignty and independence.

Third, the status of a lessor state does not automatically make that country an ally and/or obligated to defend the country renting those areas as military base.

Fourth, the country must first and foremost enter into a defense treaty to formalize the ar rangement.

Fifth, the Philippines made a unilateral com mitment to adopt a one-China policy when it opened diplomatic relations with China in 1975, which document was patterned after the declaration stated by the US in the Shanghai Communique in 1975, to quote in gist: “x x x The United States acknowledges that all Chi nese on either side of the Taiwan Strait main tain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States Government does not challenge that position.”

Sixth, the US cannot proceed to interpret EDCA to include new and separate defense agreement with the Philippines.

In substance, we cannot sublease or sub contract our defense agreement to Taiwan or to Japan, Australia or to any country without entering into a defense agreement with those countries.

Seventh, we cannot collaterally join any de fense alliance agreement with other countries without the benefit of entering into a formal de fense agreement with them and ratified by our Congress, and reciprocally by them.

Moreover, the Philippines has no treaty obli gation to defend Taiwan.

The only treaty obligation we have is with the US which was signed under the Mutual De fense Agreement in 1948, the joint military as sistance agreement, and the US military bases agreement.

We purposely blurred our intention in the South China Sea to keep alive the tension in the area.

It is inconceivable for the US to leapfrog the Pacific Ocean just to come to the rescue of its former colony from what it perceived as a threat of China invasion of Taiwan except to secure the sale of military arms and keeping the sale of arms viable to countries peripheral to the South China Sea.

Geopolitical analysts doubt much whether the US can militarily defend Taiwan in the event of invasion.

It is even doubtful whether the US naval force stationed in the Philippines, guarding the Taiwan Strait can withstand the blitz of attack in the event of war with China or even contain China from overrunning South China Sea.

These are suppositions for the US defense planners to make a big profit before the big ship finally sails in the Pacific Ocean.

The US can never defend the Philippines as envisioned by Ambassador Romualdez like inducing the country to buy more arms just to keep alive the sale of the US arms industries (rpkapunan@gmail.com)

By David Stout

THE motivation to keep fighting the Russians is simple for Viking, a Ukrainian soldier near the northeastern frontlines as cold weather and artillery onslaughts bogs down both sides. He wants revenge.

“I can say that the hardest thing for me is the death of my friends. I had motivation before... but the anger, aggression and hatred reinforc es it,” says Viking, the nom de guerre of the 26-year-old tank gunner.

But despite the heavy losses incurred by the Ukrainian military over nine months of fighting since the Russian invasion in February, Viking and others in his tank platoon remain confident they will win the war.

“We plan to push the Russians to the borders and even further,” he laughs.

His platoon took part in the breakthrough offensive in September that crushed the Rus sian’s northeastern flank, sending their troops in a desperate flight east over the Oskil River in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.

And while the speed of the counter-offen sive has since slowed after the Russian’s re formed their defensive lines, the Ukrainians say they continue to push even as the winter cold sets in—straining supply lines as road conditions and bad weather periodically af fect combat.

“We pushed back the Russians, gained a foothold, and are advancing little by little,” ex plains Patriot, a 23-year-old member of the pla

EDITORIAL

Let’s reform the K-12 program

IT’S high time the Department of Education headed by Vice President Sarah Duterte gave priority to reviewing and eventually

Filipino students face a serious gap in learning as a result of the world’s longest community lockdown that put them out of physical classrooms for nearly two years.

What has been trumpeted as a savior for poor families which cannot afford to complete four years of college education turned out to be a failure – inadequately and poorly programmed.

Waste of money and time for parents and students for the two years of delay. Adding woes was the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in two more years of stunted education.

The Philippines, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the World Bank, had the

Education officials just need to open their minds and look at best practices in the global stage to provide the best option in refining the K-12 program and make it useful to the next generation

longest pandemic-induced school closures among the 122 countries covered, breaking the 70-week mark since the pandemic began in 2020.

Prolonged school closures, the Word Bank added, would aggravate the learning gap and result in decreased productivity and earnings by the time the students join the workforce. And then there’s the inutile K-12 program

that only added woes to parents scrambling for resources to sustain their children’s education.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued a directive to have a thorough review of the K-12 program.

The late president Benigno Aquino III signed the K-12 law as his administration’s legacy in education, despite pleas from teachers, parents, and other stakeholders to delay its implementation.

What now with K-12?

Like-minded educators are proposing that K-12 be optional, especially for industries that can accommodate short-course holders.

Examples are Electrical and mechanical courses whose two-year course graduates from K-12 program could progress to the engineering profession if they pursue college degrees.

But as it is, graduates from the technical program can already be employed as electricians or small engine technicians.

In the hotel and restaurant industry, short courses like housekeeping or bar-tending could progress to full HRM courses if they need to.

Education officials just need to open their minds and look at best practices in the global stage to provide the best option in refining the K-12 program and make it useful to the next generation.

Redemptive suffering as Advent message

At this point, he was clearly entering the part of his life’s journey marked by failing health and suffering.

As then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, would describe him: “The pain is written on his face. His figure is bent, and he needs to support himself on his pastoral staff. He leans on the cross, on the crucifix….”

WE ARE now on the second Sunday of the four Sundays of Advent, and today we hear the great voice of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist is the cousin of Jesus and the precursor of the Messiah.

He led an ascetic life in the wilderness, clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey.

He preached repentance to the surrounding communities to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.

A man alone in the desert with no worldly possessions and was naked before the whole world, John came with a powerful but simple message: “Get ready for the coming of the Lord. Make open your hearts to receive him.”

For St. Pope John Paul II, the message of Advent is that of love. He advocated uncompromisingly the need to give human beings the deepest value. And from this flowed everything.

Much like John the Baptist, St. John Paul II was also the prophet of our generation. He like the Baptist courageously fought for what he believed was right, mindless of the consequence.

It is no secret that in his youth and early on in his pontificate, JP2 was a picture of health and athleticism.

However, in 1981, he almost fell from an assassin’s bullet but survived only by a hair’s breadth which the pope attributed to the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In the early 90s, a series of health problems began to overtake the aging pontiff. In 1992, the pope had colon surgery, involving the removal of a noncancerous tumor. The next year he fell and dislocated a shoulder.

In 1994, John Paul suffered a broken femur in another fall. An appendectomy followed in 1996.

During these years, moreover, a Parkinson-like condition, if not the disease itself, began to reveal its visible effects.

toon camped in a bucolic meadow surrounded by pine trees near the front.

‘A lot of shelling’

“There is a lot of shelling. In the last month, I heard about 100 to 200 attacks,” he tells AFP, during a trip to their position organized by the Ukrainian military.

Nearby, a 44-year-old mechanic from the unit, who asked not to be named, labors away on the engine of a Russian tank the platoon had captured during September’s counter-offensive and is now using against its former owners.

“The condition of Russian equipment is very bad. Everything was covered in diesel and dirty,” he says of the tank when they first found it.

“It is almost ready,” he adds.

After nine months in the field, the unit’s Soviet-era hardware reflects the greater dy namics at play in the war—one tank was pro vided by the Ukrainian military, another was taken from the Russians, and a third donated by Poland.

The ammunition required to fight is supplied in part by Russian stocks captured on the battle field.

“It’s the Russian lend-lease act,” jokes an other member of the team who goes by the call sign Agronome, in reference to a US deal to

In his apostolic letter Salvifici Doloris, John Paul meditates on human suffering in the light of the cross of Christ.

Most powerfully, Christ’s resurrection reveals that all of this—these broken relationships, suffering, death itself —is temporary for those who have been saved by Christ and given themselves to him

Its theme was suffering in general in the light of the cross and salvific or redemptive suffering in particular.

According to him without a God, suffering would be simply an added cruelty to an already absurd and accidental existence.

But in Salvifici Doloris, John Paul asserts that suffering, in reality, is not only the gateway to strength and to hope, but it also has a divine meaning, lifting, therefore, our own sufferings into a kind of glory.

God created humanity in a relationship (“man and woman, he created them”) and with the purpose of eternally praising God in creation.

However, in Eden, the serpent undermined our relationships with God and each other. That led to strife, toil and eventual death.

In the Old Testament, death essentially paralyzes the person. In She’ol, the dead merely exist; disembodied, they can no longer praise God or work in creation.

John Paul discerns three principal things that are good within the evils of suffering: First, suffering happens to us individually, but properly engaged, it leads us to communion and solidarity.

Second, suffering is a temporal experience, but if it is temporal, we can recognize that we are meant for eternal life, which Christ mercifully offers to us.

Third, suffering is linked to hope and to love. But God’s love is so great that he became incarnate, took on human suffering (“My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”) and suffered the dissolution of his body.

But whereas Adam and Eve died of disobedience, Christ “emptied himself” and was obedient, even to death on the cross, thus winning salvation.

Most powerfully, Christ’s resurrection reveals that these — these broken relationships, suffering, death itself — are temporary for those who have been saved by Christ and given themselves to him. Suffering will end in an eternal and loving embrace. And death itself will relinquish its sting.

In these times of uncertainty for me, contemplating my own sickness, suffering, and death, I am consoled by the final words of John Paul in Salvifici Doloris:

“Thus to share in the sufferings of Christ is, at the same time, to suffer for the kingdom of God. In the eyes of the just God, before His judgment, those who share in the suffering of Christ become worthy of this kingdom.

“Through their sufferings, in a certain sense they repay the infinite price of the passion and death of Christ, which became the price of our Redemption: at this price the kingdom of God has been consolidated anew in human history, becoming the definitive prospect of man’s earthly existence.

“Christ has led us into this kingdom through His suffering. And also through suffering those surrounded by the mystery of Christ’s Redemption became mature enough to enter this kingdom.”

Website: tonylavina.com. Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

As for the fighters on the ground, the dropping temperatures matter little when compared to Russia’s artillery barrages

supply weapons to Ukraine.

The tank platoon’s fight is part of a larger push by the Ukrainian military in the northeast that is hoping to capture a key highway sup plying the Russian occupied cities of Severo donetsk and Lysychansk.

The two cities were captured by Russian forces following a brutal summer campaign in Donbas, with both sides believed to have lost large numbers of troops.

‘Don’t feel the cold’

The loss of the cities would add only fur

ther humiliation and stymie Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated goals of capturing the Donbas region, after suffering repeated set backs triggered by Ukrainian thrusts in both the northeast and the south in Kherson.

“On this part of the frontline we are in charge of holding our position and sometimes launch ing counter-offensives,” says Roman, a mem ber of the overall tank battalion operating in the area.

“The situation is completely under control and we are ready for new and sometimes unex pected challenges.”

Analysts predict that the tempo of fighting may surge again soon as colder conditions al low for fresh assaults along the frontline.

“Temperatures are forecast to drop across Ukraine over the next week, which will likely freeze the ground and expedite the pace of fighting as mobility increases for both sides,” according to a recent assessment by USbased think tank The Institute for the Study of War.

As for the fighters on the ground, the drop ping temperatures matter little when compared to Russia’s artillery barrages.

“When we know we can get hit at any mo ment, the adrenaline keeps us warm,” says Pa triot. “We don’t feel the cold.” AFP

reforming the K-12 program.

Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano

Joyce

‘Little by little’: Ukraine grinds away on the northeastern front

Peru

culls 37k poultry after bird flu outbreak

LIMA—Peruvian authorities have culled at least 37,000 birds on a chicken farm due to bird flu, offi cials said Thursday.

After previously affecting wildlife in several areas nationwide, this outbreak took place at a farm in Hua cho, north of Lima, the national agricultural health agency SENASA said Thursday.

“They have all been slaughtered; this infectious focus has already ended on a small farm in Huacho (north of Lima), with a population of approximately 37,000 birds,” said Jorge Mantilla, head of SENASA’s disease control, quoted by state news agency Andina.

Killing infected birds is part of the protocol to con trol avian flu outbreaks.

“The aim is to prevent the disease, which is highly lethal in birds, from spreading to other locations,” said veterinarian Mantilla.

Some 14,000 seabirds, mostly pelicans, have died from bird flu in the country in recent weeks.

In addition to the slaughter of the poultry in Huacho,

Zelensky aide: 13k Ukrainian soldiers killed since invasion

KYIV––As many as 13,000 Ukrai nian troops have been killed since Russia’s invasion in February, a se nior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

“We have official estimates from the General Staff... And they range from 10,000 ... to 13,000 dead,” Mykhailo Podolyak told Ukraine’s Channel 24 on Thursday.

Zelensky would make the official data public “when the right moment comes”, he added.

In June, as Russian forces battled to take full control of the easternmost Lugansk region, Zelensky said Ukraine was losing “60 to 100 soldiers per day, killed in action, and around 500 people wounded in action”.

Russian Defense Minister Ser gei Shoigu in September said 5,937 Russian troops had been killed in the nearly 7 months of fighting to that point.

Both sides are suspected of mini mizing their losses to avoid damag ing the morale of their troops.

Top US general Mark Milley last month said more than 100,000 Rus sian military personnel have been killed or wounded in Ukraine, with Kyiv’s forces likely suffering similar casualties.

Those figures -- which could not be independently confirmed -- are the most precise to date from the US government.

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the worst fighting in Europe in decades.

Meanwhile, Finnish Prime Minis ter Sanna Marin on Friday offered a “brutally honest” assessment of Eu rope’s capabilities in the wake of Rus sia’s war on Ukraine, stating bluntly that “we’re not strong enough” to stand up to Moscow alone.

Visiting Australia, the leader of the pending NATO member said Vladimir Putin’s invasion and occu pation of neighbouring Ukraine had exposed both European weaknesses and strategic blunders in dealing with Russia. AFP

another cull took place in the city of Lambayeque, in northern Peru, where some 700 birds were slaughtered to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Peruvian Poultry Association ruled out that the outbreak puts “the consumption of birds and eggs” in the country at risk.

Peru declared a 90-day national health emergency on Wednesday after confirming cases of H5N1 avian influenza in farm-raised poultry.

According to SENASA, the disease is being trans mitted from “wild birds that come from North Ameri ca” and reach Patagonia.

The first outbreak of avian influenza in the Ameri cas occurred in Canada last year, and in January 2022 the virus was detected in the United States, affecting poultry production, according to Peruvian authorities.

Avian flu is a disease that has no cure or treatment and causes high mortality in wild and domestic birds such as ducks, chickens and turkeys, among others. AFP

Biden, Macron vow US-French alliance on Ukraine, democracy

Ukrainians to make a compromise that will not be acceptable for them.”

TRADE DISPUTE

Following lengthy Oval Office talks they also signaled they’d calmed the waters on a burgeoning US-EU trade dispute.

Addressing a joint press conference on the second day of Macron’s rare state visit to Washington, both leaders emphasized their desire to forge a pow erful transatlantic alliance supporting democracy -- and facing down Russia and China.

On Ukraine, Biden said, “We reaf

firm that France and the United States together, with all our NATO allies and the European Union and the G7, stand as strong as ever against Russia’s brutal war.”

The US leader also said that he would be ready to meet with Putin but only “if he is looking for a way to end the war.”

It was Biden’s strongest suggestion so far that he would be prepared to sit down with Putin, but Macron said they both agreed “we will never urge the

The state visit -- the first such formal occasion since Biden took office in Janu ary 2021 -- symbolized how Washington and Paris have buried last year’s bitter spat over the way Australia pulled out of a French submarine deal in favor of ac quiring US nuclear subs instead.

At a lavish, late dinner under a glass pavilion on the White House South Lawn, Biden concluded his toast by saying, “Vive la France!” or “long live France.”

In his toast, Macron quoted from the US Constitution and said both countries had often fought together to protect de mocracy. Referring to election deniers

trying to overturn polls in the United States, he said that it was time to stand “shoulder to shoulder” again.

The occasion had seemed to be at threat of being overshadowed by a dis pute over US subsidies for the emerging green technology economy. However, both leaders signaled they had managed at least to defuse the row following one hour and 45 minute talks in the Oval Of fice in the morning.

“We agreed to discuss practical steps to coordinate and align our approaches so that we can strengthen and secure the supply chains, manufacturing and in novation on both sides of the Atlantic,” Biden told their joint news conference.

“We agreed to resynchronize our ap proaches,” echoed Macron. AFP

IN BRIEF

Unveiled: B-21 stealth bomber

WASHINGTON—The US Air Force on Friday will unveil its new B-21 Raider, a high-tech stealth bomber that can carry nuclear and conventional weapons and is designed to be able to fly without a crew on board.

The B-21—which is on track to cost nearly $700 million per plane and is the first new US bomber in decades—will gradually replace the B-1 and B-2 aircraft, which first flew during the Cold War. “The B-21 will be the backbone of our future bomber force. It will possess the range, access and payload to penetrate the most highly-contested threat envi ronments and hold any target around the globe at risk,” US Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek told AFP.

The first B-21 flight is expected to take place next year, and the Air Force plans to buy at least 100 of the aircraft, Stefanek said.

Manufacturer Northrop Grumman said six of the planes are currently in dif ferent stages of assembly and testing at its facility in Palmdale, California, where the unveiling will take place.

Many specifics of the aircraft are be ing kept under wraps, but the plane should offer significant advances over existing bombers in the US fleet.

Appeals court deals Trump a setback in classified documents case

US

ATLANTA

The federal appeals court in Atlanta, Geor gia unanimously overruled a previous order by a Florida judge to appoint a “special master” to review documents seized at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach in August, preventing the Justice Department from using them in its in vestigation of Trump’s behavior in the docu ments case.

The seized papers include thousands of White House records that were property of the

The appointment of the special master, and related orders by the Florida judge, delayed and threatened to disable the Justice Depart ment’s criminal investigation of Trump for unauthorized possession of national defense information, which falls under the Espionage Act, and for obstruction of justice.

But three Atlanta appeals court justices said there was nothing illegal about the August 8 search and document seizure, and that the Flor ida judge had no jurisdiction to place limits on the Justice Department’s examination of the documents. AFP

US High Court to rule on Biden’s student debt cancellation

WASHINGTON—The US Supreme Court agreed Thursday to rule on the legality of President Joe Biden’s landmark effort to cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in student debt.

The court will hear the case in February or March, according to a short statement it posted online.

In the meantime, it declined to lift a lower court ruling that has put the policy on hold for now.

The Democratic president, who has posed the measure as a boost for the middle class, announced in August that the federal government

would forgive a huge portion of the often-crushing student debt held by Americans, erasing up to $20,000 per person.

In total, some 45 million borrowers nationwide owe a collective $1.6 trillion, according to the White House.

The plan, which would cost an estimated $400 billion over the next decade, was immediately challenged in court by several conservative states, which called the move an abuse of power ahead of the midterm elections.

Last month, a federal appeals court

blocked the measure, and current and former college and university students who had already begun to apply for the relief were told their claims were on hold pending legal action.

The White House then asked the Supreme Court to take up the case, in hopes it would overturn the previous decision.

At the same time, the administration once again extended until June a moratorium on student debt payments, which was originally implemented at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. AFP

Among the new capabilities offered by the B-21 is the potential for uncrewed flight. Stefanek said the aircraft is “provisioned for the possibility, but there has been no deci sion to fly without a crew.” AFP

Pneumonia claims Japanese cannibal

TOKYO—Issei Sagawa, a Japanese mur derer known as the “Kobe Cannibal” who killed and ate a Dutch student but was never jailed, has died aged 73.

Sagawa died of pneumonia on No vember 24 and was given a funeral at tended only by relatives, with no public ceremony planned, his younger brother and a friend said in a statement.

In 1981, Sagawa was studying in Paris when he invited Dutch student Renee Hartevelt to his home.

He shot her in the neck, raped her, and then consumed parts of her body over the course of several days.

Sagawa then attempted to dispose of her remains in the Bois de Boulogne park and was arrested several days later, con fessing his crime to police.

But in 1983 he was deemed unfit for trial by French medical experts and was initially held in a psychiatric institution before being deported to Japan in 1984.

Hartevelt’s family pledged at the time to push for Sagawa to be prosecuted in Japan so that “the murderer would never go free”.

But on his arrival, he was ruled sane by Japanese authorities, who decided Sagawa’s only problem was a “character anomaly” and that he did not require hos pitalisation.

Japanese authorities were unable to get his case files from their French coun terparts, who considered the case closed, leaving the murderer to walk free. AFP

WASHINGTON — US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron emerged from White House talks Thursday pledging to close ranks in helping Ukraine and pressuring Russia’s Vladimir Putin to make peace.

—A US appeals court dealt former president Donald Trump a fresh blow Thurs day, rejecting his effort to keep prosecutors from examining thousands of government documents he held in his Florida home after leaving office.

National Archives, and over 100 classified documents, some of the marked with the high est secrecy designations.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

INDIAN SIGN. A social activist paints his palm with ‘Stop AIDS’ message during an awareness campaign organised to observe ‘World AIDS Day’ in Kolkata, India on December 1. AFP

HOUSE WELCOME. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden (right) welcome French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron to the White House in Washington, DC, on December 1. AFP

Former US President Donald Trump and rapper Kanye West

Stocks tumble; Peso hits 55.74 a dollar

STOCKS tumbled Friday on profittaking, trailing losses on Wall Street as investors awaited the release of US employment data.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Ex change, lost 245 points, or 3.6 percent, to close at 6,489.65 Friday as all six sub sectors declined.

The broader all-share index also went down 81 points, or 2.3 percent, to settle at 3,419.65 on a value turn over of P6.3 billion. Losers outnum bered gainers, 108 to 75, while 56 is

IMF chief says global economic growth may fall below 2% in 2023

WASHINGTON—IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva warned Thursday that the chance of global growth dropping below two per cent—last seen during the corona virus outbreak and the global finan cial crisis of 2009—is increasing as major economies slow.

Her comments come as the world’s biggest economies grapple with the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent food and energy prices soaring, along with surging in flation and a slowdown in China.

“The probability of growth slow ing even further, falling below two percent, was one-in-four,” said Geor gieva at the Reuters NEXT confer ence Thursday, referring to the fund’s recent expectations for 2023.

“When we look at the most recent indicators, we are concerned that this probability may be going a bit further up,” she added.

The International Monetary Fund expects more than a third of the global economy to shrink this year or next, with the United States, Euro pean Union, and China stalling.

It is also concerned about a “simul taneous slowdown in the US, in Eu rope, and in China,” said Georgieva, adding that slowing growth in China is particularly significant.

This is worrying given that the world has relied on China for a boost, with “some 35, 40 percent of global growth” coming from expansion in the world’s biggest second economy.

“This is not the case now, it’s not going to be the case next year,” she said.

The IMF is set to give an update on its economic outlook in January, and it is among key global institu tions to visit China next week for talks. AFP

sues were unchanged.

All 10 most active stocks ended in the red, with SM Investments Corp. falling 8 percent to P901.50 and Bank of the Philippine Islands retreating 4.8 percent to P99.00.

Meanwhile, the peso climbed 0.48 percent Friday to close at 55.74 against the US dollar Friday, the highest in more than three months, from 56.22 on Thurs day. Despite the local currency’s more than 2 percent gain this week, it was still down 9.32 percent this year.

The US dollar struggled to recover Friday from its recent sell-off as traders grew confident the Federal Reserve will slow its pace of interest rate hikes, while a recent equities rally sputtered as focus turns to key US jobs data.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort ear lier said the US dollar continued to soften versus major global currencies amid mostly softer US economic data that could support moderate future Fed rate hikes.

“The peso [is] also stronger after the latest signals from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell of a possible moderate/smaller Fed rate hike in De cember 2022,” he said.

Another positive inflation data release out of the United States added to expectations that the US central bank will take a lighter approach to lifting borrowing costs at its December meeting.

The personal consumption expendi tures price index data came a day after

Fed boss Jerome Powell indicated that the days of 75 percentage-point rate in creases were gone as officials pore over the impact of tightening on the economy.

A report showing factory activ ity shrinking in November added to the sense that the Fed moves were kicking in.

The developments gave forex traders another reason to shift out of the dol lar, pushing it down against its major peers—having surged this year on the back of hawkish Fed policy.

The greenback was under particular pressure from the yen Thursday, having hit a three-decade high in October, while sterling and the yuan were also well up from the record lows touched recently.

TOP GAINERS

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CHANGE CHANGE 1 MACAY 6.88 2.29 49.89% 2 DIZ 4 0.79 24.61% 3 MBC 7.3 1.38 23.31%

4 MAB 0.011 0.0015 15.79%

5 ACE 1.6 0.2 14.29%

6 APVI 12.98 0.96 7.99%

7 MREIT 12.28 0.68 5.86%

8 ALCO 0.55 0.03 5.77%

9 PXP 6.28 0.32 5.37%

10 ABSP 8.4 0.4 5.00%

TOP LOSERS

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1 MVC 6 -0.72 -10.71%

2 SM 901.5 -78.5 -8.01%

3 ZHI 0.127 -0.011 -7.97%

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5 MONDE 11.9 -0.8 -6.30%

6 FEU 555 -37 -6.25%

7 LPC 0.159 -0.01 -5.92%

8 X 0.255 -0.015 -5.56%

9 MM 1.32 -0.07 -5.04%

Musk to roll out human brain implants within six months

SAN FRANCISCO, United States— Tech billionaire Elon Musk said on Wednesday one of his companies would in six months be able to implant a de vice into a human brain that would al low communication with a computer.

The interface, produced by Musk’s start-up Neuralink, would allow the user to communicate directly with comput ers through their thoughts, he said.

“We’ve submitted, I think most of our paperwork to the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), and we think prob ably in about six months we should be able to have our first Neuralink in a hu man,” he said in a company presentation.

“We’ve been working hard to be ready for our first human (implant), and obvi ously we want to be extremely careful and certain that it will work well before

putting a device in a human,” he said.

Musk—who bought Twitter last month and also owns SpaceX, Tesla and several other companies—has been known to make ambitious predictions about his companies, with several not becoming reality.

In July 2019, he vowed that Neuralink would be able to perform its first tests on humans in 2020.

The prototypes, which are the size of a coin, have been implanted in the skulls of monkeys.

At the Neuralink presentation, the company showed several monkeys “playing” basic video games or moving a cursor on a screen through their Neu ralink implant.

Musk said the company would try to use the implants to restore vision and

mobility in humans.

“We would initially enable someone who has almost no ability to operate their muscles... and enable them to oper ate their phone faster than someone who has working hands,” he said.

“As miraculous as it may sound, we are confident that it is possible to restore full body functionality to someone who has a severed spinal cord,” he said.

Beyond the potential to treat neuro logical diseases, Musk’s ultimate goal is to ensure that humans are not intellec tually overwhelmed by artificial intelli gence, he said.

Other companies working on similar systems include Synchron, which an nounced in July that it had implanted the first brain-machine interface in the United States. AFP

Tesla electric ‘Semi’ to shake up heavy-duty truck market

By Juliette Michel

NEW YORK—After years of de lays, US automaker Tesla is expect ed on Thursday to deliver its first battery-powered semi truck, with which it hopes to get a jump start on the nascent electric heavy-duty vehi cle market by offering longer ranges without recharging.

The Elon Musk-led company is scheduled to hand over the keys to its first electric truck -- dubbed “Semi” -- at its Nevada manufactur ing plant to multinational food com pany PepsiCo.

With its sleek design, the Tesla elec tric semi has been highly anticipated since Musk unveiled a prototype in 2017, but the launch of full-scale pro duction has been delayed well past the initial 2019 expectation.

Other manufacturers have mean while entered the market, from tradi tional truck makers such as Daimler, Volvo, and China’s BYD, to startups like US company Nikola.

The competition has also begun to roll out their deliveries and has many orders of their own waiting to fill.

However, the truck that “the mar ket has been waiting for... is the one from Tesla,” says Dave Mullaney, a transportation specialist with sus tainability thinktank RMI.

Legacy manufacturers have pri marily converted their diesel-de signed trucks to electric.

“The Tesla, on the other hand, was designed to be electric from the very first design,” says Mullaney, who also underlined the company’s 15 years of experience in electric ve hicles.

If the Tesla vehicle lives up to expectations, “it’s going to be a huge difference,” Mullaney says.

In a tweet on Saturday, Musk said that one Semi had driven 500 miles (800 kilometers) with a total weight of 81,000 pounds (nearly 37 tons).

The electric vehicles currently on offer only have a range of 250 to 300 miles.

Physical limitations?

To carry heavy loads over such long distanc es, the battery “needs to be very large—that makes it very heavy, takes up a lot of space, and is very costly,” says Mike Roeth, director of the North American Council for Freight Ef ficiency (NACFE).

“The industry has kind of been wonder ing whether you can physically package that much battery” and keep the truck’s weight low enough to be able to do the job, Roeth adds.

With the ability to travel up to 500 miles without recharging, long-distance trips in elec tric trucks would be much more feasible, al lowing drivers to return to warehouses on the same day.

Even longer trips could be taken over sev eral days if drivers can find charging stations at

truck rest stops.

The use of electric light-duty vehicles for short-haul deliveries has been steadily growing for some time, but new regulations are pushing manufacturers and transporters to speed up the transition and build out long-haul capabilities.

The most populous US state, California, has passed a law phasing out combustion engine trucks, which has since been followed by other states.

The European Union is also expected to de bate new standards in the coming months.

Companies are also facing pressure to have more environmentally conscious reputations.

They “want to be on the right side of his tory,” says Marie Cheron of the Europe-based association Transport & Environment.

Those who do not commit to a decarboniza tion strategy, some of whom say they are wait ing for technologies to improve, “are falling behind,” she says.

Another motivation to transition, Roeth says, is that drivers who have been able to test them “love the electric trucks a lot.”

“They’re very quiet, they don’t have the smells of the exhaust, and they are comfortable to drive.” AFP

EU

10 SPNEC 1.35 -0.07 -4.93%

MOST ACTIVE

1 SM 647,500 593,883,875

2 GTCAP 832,710 364,188,220

3 SMPH 7,677,100 264,154,925

4 BDO 1,891,220 246,169,238 5 ALI 8,367,200 245,523,105 6 ICT 1,130,800 222,500,763 7 BPI 2,114,110 211,299,313 8 JFC 797,740 191,813,262 9 GLO 83,825 191,022,330 10 CNVRG 12,227,300 189,458,180

BRUSSELS, Belgium—European

Union

Europe will begin enforcing an embargo on Russian crude ship ments from Monday, so the price cap will apply to oil exported by sea by Moscow to ports around the world.

Measures will be taken to pre vent tankers from shipping Rus sian oil sold above this price, for example, by refusing to allow British and EU insurers to cover vessels and shipments.

The EU was already in agree ment with Washington on the need to cap the price Western clients pay for Russia’s oil to prevent Moscow from profiting from price rises trig gered by its own war on Ukraine.

The European Commission had suggested the ceiling along with an order that if the trading price of oil falls below $60, then the cap will be cut until it is five percent lower than the market.

The price of Urals Crude, the main variety sold by Russia, is volatile, but it was trading at around $65 per barrel as EU am bassadors met to discuss the level of the cap. AFP

votes either by a show of hands or by the verbal casting of votes, at the time the relevant matter is discussed and submitted for approval during the meeting. The participants acting as proxies shall likewise verbally cast the votes of the member/s they represent.

Members shall no longer be allowed to withdraw, amend, or submit their respective votes after the Corporate Secretary has tallied and announced the votes cast in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph.

An audio recording of the meeting will be taken and kept by the Corporate Secretary for future reference and verification of the accuracy of the minutes.

For your guidance please.

With Julito G. Rada, AFP

members near deal on capping price of Russian oil at $60 a barrel

member states are close to agreeing on a $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil, diplomats said Thursday, with just Poland left to give the final nod.

A sketch of Tesla’s first batterypowered semi truck.

Source: Tesla website

TOKYO TRADING. A man walks past electronic signs showing the closing numbers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Japanese yen’s rate against the US dollar along a street in downtown Tokyo on Dec. 2, 2022. AFP

6,489.65

IN BRIEF

DMCI Homes eyes P35-b reservation sales in

2023

DMCI Homes, the property arm of con glomerate DMCI Holdings Inc., expects reservation sales to reach P35 billion in 2023 despite the rising interest rates, a top executive said.

DMCI Homes president Alfredo Aus tria said in a news briefing the company was expected to end 2022 with P32 bil lion in reservation sales, up from its tar get of P27 billion, amid continued strong demand for housing projects.

Austria said the company recorded a strong rebound in the third quarter follow ing the launch of two transit-oriented proj ects—Fortis Residences under the DMCI Homes Exclusive segment in Makati City and Sage Residences in Mandaluyong City.

“Fortis Residences is particularly ex ceptional because it will be part of Maka ti’s next commerce, culture and recreation hub through the city’s redevelopment plan, called Makati Southwest Gateway,” Austria said.

“We’re also building an adjacent build ing that will include office, retail and commercial spaces called One Fortis Pla za, so residents can have easy access to shops, restaurants or even work,” he said. Jenniffer B. Austria

DPWH to partially open Davao bypass by 2024

THE Department of Public Works and Highways expects to partially open by 2024 the first 10.7-kilometer central portion of the 45.5-km. Davao City Bypass Con struction Project by accelerating ongoing excavation activities in the twin tube road mountain tunnel.

DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain expressed optimism that excava tion works for the 2.3-kilometer, the first long-distance mountain tunnel in the Philippines, would be completed by De cember 2023.

The Davao City tunnel, with a north portal in Barangay Waan and south portal at the other end in Barangay Matina Biao, is a major component of the 10.7-kilome ter contract package 1-1. “We are fasttracking the simultaneous construction of the road mountain tunnel in four areas of its north and south portals”, Sadain said.

The tunnel construction works for the Davao City Bypass Construction Project started at north portal on Nov. 19, 2021 for southbound direction and on Dec. 10, 2021 for the northbound direction.

Darwin G. Amojelar

UNESCO honors Salceda as outstanding public servant

THE United Nations Educational, Scien tific and Cultural Organization named Al bay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda as the 2022 UNESCO Club Outstand ing Public Servant in Good Governance awardee for his achievements and advo cacies aligned with the “ideals and thrusts of the international body.”

Salceda, a veteran public servant, will be conferred the award in rites slated on Dec. 11 at the Bayview Hotel in Manila. He has been a frequent awardee of vari ous national and international agencies. In 2016, UNESCO declared Albay as a biosphere reserve, and is now one of only three sites in the country bearing the title, which materialized through Salceda’s ef forts when he was its provincial governor. Now on his third and last term as a member of the House of Representatives, Salceda chairs the chamber’s committee on ways and means. Salceda has crafted legislations that revolutionized the coun try’s educational and taxation systems and strengthened the economy.

URC PROGRAM.

Diokno defends 12% VAT on digital transactions

By Julito G. Rada

FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Friday the imposition of 12-percent value-added tax on digital transactions is a right move that will level the playing field with traditional businesses.

Diokno’s statement came in the wake of the House of Representatives’ ap proval on Nov. 14 of a bill that seeks to clarify the imposition of VAT on digital transactions.

House Bill 4122, or the proposed law Imposing Value-Added Tax on Digital Transactions in the Philippines, does not impose new taxes, but clarifies the imposition of VAT on electronic or digi

tal services such as digital advertising, subscription-based services and other services using information communica tion technology-enabled infrastructure.

Educational services such as online courses and webinars rendered by ac credited private educational institutions are exempted from the imposition of VAT.

“It is only right that we allow our businesses to operate on even ground, and this bill rightfully clarifies which digital services to tax,” Diokno said.

“It is not fair to only tax traditional businesses like restaurants and retail stores, and not tax online platforms like Netflix,” Diokno said.

Digital service refers to any service that is delivered or subscribed over the internet or other electronic network.

Digital services cannot be obtained without the use of information technol ogy and the delivery of such services

may be automated.

Digital service providers offer digital services or goods to a buyer. This may be through operating an online platform for the purpose of buying and selling goods and services or by making trans actions for the provision of digital ser vices on behalf of any person.

HB 4122 will level the playing field between digital and traditional busi nesses, especially those that cannot shift to the digital platform. This effectively treats businesses equally regardless of their nature.

The bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the House, aims to in crease government revenues by taxing entertainment-based streaming services and other digital transactions. Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda earlier estimated that the bill would contribute around P19 billion in government rev enues annually.

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Prime Infra buys Cebu company as it ventures into waste management

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PRIME Infrastructure Capital Inc., the infrastructure arm of the Razon Group, said Friday it is acquiring a waste management company in Cebu City.

Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. will acquire ARN Central Waste Management Inc. which collects around 1,000 tons of Cebu province’s municipal solid waste daily.

PIWSI will invest in modernizing ACI and bringing it at par with world-class materials recovery facilities in other de veloped countries like Singapore.

ACI, headquartered in Cebu City, is the first waste management busi ness that Prime Infra is developing and upgrading.

PIWSI is also set to break ground on waste management facilities fo cusing on resource recovery in other strategic parts of the country within the next two years.

PIWSI aims to immediately ad dress methane emissions, pre vent ocean, water and air pollution through efficient waste management and enhance the quality of life in sur rounding communities by supporting critical infrastructure in Cebu.

AbaCore unit gets NCIP consent to monetize Surigao del Sur coal assets

ABACORE Capital Holdings Inc. said Friday subsidiary Abacus Coal Explo ration Development Corp. received a regulatory approval from the National Commission on Indigenous People on the monetization of its coal assets in Su rigao del Sur province.

The company said in a statement the NCIP certified that Abacoal had ob tained the consent of the Manobo indig enous cultural communities who live in Marihatag, Cagwait, Tago and Bayabas in Surigao del Sur.

The regulatory authority also issued a certification of precondition to Aba coal for its coal operating contract in the area. The approval allows Abacoal to

be one step closer in generating income from its coal assets in the province.

The company is set to earn income from the coal operation that its joint venture partner Oriental Vision Mining Philippines Inc. will conduct.

“We are pleased to hear that the in digenous people in Surigao del Sur have accepted our plan to responsibly mon etize our coal assets in the area,” ABA chairman and chief executive Raul de Mesa said.

“While we believe this initiative will diversify the income sources of ABA, we are also fully committed to ensuring that the work we do will not adversely impact the environment and the communities that

live near our coal assets,” it said.

ABA said it also executed a memoran dum of agreement in November between wholly-owned subsidiary Philippine Re gional Investment Development Corp. and Highsource Prime Building, Inc.

The parties will set up a joint ven ture to develop a four-star hotel, land and water amusement park with sup porting facilities, 3D Glass Paradise, a residential community and commercial establishments to be located at the Mon temaria Project in Pagkilatan, Batangas tourism site.

Highsource will invest up to $400 million in the project.

Alena Mae S. Flores

AllHome

By Jenniffer B. Austria

ALLHOME Corp., the country’s pio neering one-stop-shop for home im provement needs, is boosting its renew able energy use in store operations as part of the group’s push for sustainability.

AllHome

sites in communities within Luzon and Visayas.

Globe Telecom expects healthcare app KonsultaMD to become the country’s next unicorn

By Darwin G. Amojelar

DIGITAL solutions platform Globe said Friday the healthcare business of whollyowned corporate venture builder 917Ven tures has the potential to become the country’s next unicorn, or startup with at least $1 billion in valuation.

Globe president and chief executive Er nest Cu was referring to telehealth service KonsultaMD which is undergoing a major transformation.

“I think the potential relates to the size of the problem that we are trying to ad dress, and that has to do with healthcare. So I would have to say that the biggest potential would be in the healthcare busi ness, which is KonsultaMD,” said Cu.

About 47 percent of Philippine barangays do not have health centers. KonsultaMD ad dresses the problem by providing people ac cess to various medical services simply by calling the hotline or logging on to the app.

“KonsultaMD may fulfill our shared

vision of providing healthcare for all. We think this can be the healthcare Super App that Filipinos will use around the country for services, diagnostics and medicine de livery,” Cu said.

917Ventures is building an all-in-one digital healthcare solution and is looking into more elaborate types of consulta tions, remote monitoring of chronic dis eases, and referrals to brick-and-mortar laboratories and hospitals.

This comes with the consolidation of

KonsultaMD with HealthNow and AIDE, creating the largest health tech play in the Philippines and representing the largest user base of over 2 million. The move unifies the market leaders in teleconsults, medicine de livery, labs, and home care under one roof.

Synergies among the three health pro viders are expected to be fully unlocked when KonsultaMD launches its super app in the first quarter of 2023 to bring a com plete, holistic and seamless experience to its members.

“We are looking forward to work ing closely with the local government of Cebu City to successfully achieve our strategic objectives and make the city a showcase for waste-to-value initiatives in the country,” said Prime Infra market sector lead for waste Cara Peralta.

PIWSI and WasteFuel Philippines, another Prime Infra subsidiary, make up the company’s waste business.

WasteFuel aims to convert organic waste and agricultural feedstock into fuels such as green methanol and sus tainable aviation fuel. WasteFuel is targeting to develop its first biorefin ery in Cebu City.

Prime Infra is businessman En rique Razon Jr.’s infrastructure arm that focuses on building assets to support the most urgent sustainabil ity priorities –energy, access to clean water, waste management and viable critical infrastructure.

ful

It recently kicked-off its renewable

efforts with the installation of

at its

and was followed

deploy ment in AllHome branches in Sto. To mas, Silang, Vibal, Santiago, Antipolo, Sta. Maria and Imus.

Nine AllHome outlets, including six large format stores, have been installed with solar panels.

AllHome said the conversion to re newable energy sources provided an estimated 8-percent to 10-percent en ergy savings to the stores’ consumption. These solar panels also require little to no maintenance for the company.

AllHome also said its board of di rectors approved the declaration of P288.8 million in cash dividends to stockholders as of Nov. 29. This is equivalent to 20 percent of AllHome’s 2021 net income.

The cash dividend is payable on Dec. 29.

“In spite of a shift in focus of the ‘re venge spending’ from retail to leisure, we have stayed the course, sustaining our improvement over pre-pandemic performance in 2019 and even im proved on our gross and EBITDA margins,” AllHome chairman Manuel Villar Jr. said.

plans to tap renewable power for operations of all 59 stores nationwide

said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it pipelined renewableenergy initiatives for all 59 stores in re sponse to calls for more concerted efforts to ensure a sustainable future.

“AllHome will always push to remain on the cutting edge of industry trends, es pecially in retail. There has been a strong clamor all over the world for business enti ties to be cognizant on their responsibilities as members of larger communities. Re newable energy not only slows the harm

MAP AWARDEE. DMCI Holdings Inc. chairman and president Isidro Consunji (center) receives the ‘MAP Management Man of the Year 2022’ from the Management Association of the Philippines. MAP confers the award on individuals in business or government, whether a member of the MAP or not, who have attained unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and have made valuable contributions to economic progress of the country and in re-shaping national values. With Consunji are (from left) Atty.

Michael Toledo (emcee of the awarding ceremony for 16 consecutive years), MAP MMT judging committee chair Edgar Chua, MAP president Rogelio Singson and MAP MMY search committee chair Aurelio Montinola III.

Universal Robina Corp. president and chief executive Irwin Lee (left) and La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalando-on take part in the covenant signing for URC’s third monthly collection of used plastics in Barangay RSB as part of the waste management program Juan Goal for Plastic, which was launched in July 2022. JGFP is a Gokongwei Group-wide plastic waste management program that aims to help keep plastics away from nature through collection and recycling. URC piloted the program in La Carlota City, and now has seven collection

effect of industry to our planet, but offers us efficiencies in operations,” said AllHome vice chairman Camille Villar.

energy

solar panels

Bacolod branch

by solar panel

Sports

President wants more successful campaign in Paris, says Tolentino

PHILIPPINE Olympic Committee president

Rep. Abraham Tolentino on Thursday revealed that president Ferdinand Marcos Jr.s order was to win more medals in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“The President wants more medals in Paris, and that’s an order we would more than happily want to accomplish,” Tolentino said during the POC’s last General Assembly for the year at the East Ocean Seafoods Restaurant in Parañaque City.

President Marcos, Tolentino said, is very much aware of the successful campaign last year in Tokyo where weight-

NU holds off UST, captures V-League college crown

FOILED in its sweep bid, National University took the V-League Men’s Collegiate Challenge crown just the same, holding off UST, 25-23, 25-23, 25-21, in their do-or-die clash at the Paco Arena last night.

The Bulldogs nearly blew a huge 16-6 lead in the third as the Tiger Spikers fought back to threaten within three, 20-23, behind Josh Ybañez, Gboy De Vega, Edlyn Colinares, and Charles Magpayo.

Kennry Malinis, however, scored on a hit to put NU at championship point but Nico Almendras served into the net, giving UST a crack at extending the match.

But Malinis broke free in a combination play, lifting the Bulldogs to victory, their second straight championship after beating the Cignal HD Spikers in the recent Spikers Turf.

“I just told the President that we delivered a lot of Olympic medals during the past administration, and he replied that it’s not enough and he wants more,” Tolentino said. “So I answered ‘Yes Mr. President, we’ll do more in the Paris Olympics.”

To date, Tolentino is looking at a minimum of 12 athletes who could qualify for Paris 2024, but would be expecting more and perhaps surpass the 19 Olympians the country sent to Tokyo.

He didn’t name his potential Paris qualifiers though, but expressed optimism to a “bountiful” Paris campaign with the POC enjoying a more harmonious relationship with the Philippine Sports Commission, Malacañang’s sports arm that funds the country’s sports machinery.

“That’s the secret, our relationship with the PSC is getting better and better,” Tolentino said.

Marcial responds to German boxing fan’s snail mail

By Randy Caluag

FOR this German boxing fan, memories are forever, and he does not mind going out of his way— the old fashioned way—just to get an autograph from his Filipino boxing idol, Eumir Marcial.

Marcial, bronze medalist in the Tokyo Olympics held last year, is used to receiving words of encouragement and admiration through social media.

But the one he recently received halfway around the world through postal mail was unique-at least by today’s standards-and truly heart-warming.

It was a note that says: “My name is Marco (Koehler) from Germany. I’m 42 years old and a great fan of yours. Therefore. I would be happy

if you could send me and my friend some handwritten autographs of you. Many thanks in advance and all the best to you.”

It was accompanied by three photographs, begging for his signature, taken during his victory pose in the Tokyo Olympics boxing.

Marcial posted the mail on his social media page and acknowledged the fan’s effort.

“I appreciate fans from other countries doing things like this just to get my signature. Thank you for your time and effort. Be well.”

Marcial, a proud son of Zamboanga City, is currently campaigning as a professional middleweight even as he continues to be part of the Philippine national team.

He won all his first three professional bouts, the last one against

The Filipino dominated the fight even though he suffered a deep cut following a clash of heads in the second round.

Praised by his trainer Jorge Capetillo for maintaining his calm under pressure, he’s bound for more fights under the aegis of MP Promotions.

These qualities of a fighter have endeared Marcial, not just to fans from the Philippines, but all over the world, including Kohler.

“All these tests definitely will make him a better fighter. A fighter, who already got dropped, already got cut, already got the experience to go the rounds makes him a better fighter,” said Capetillo in a previous interview.

Arcilla, Kinaadman to dispute Brookside Open title

JOHNNY Arcilla and Charles Kinaadman hacked out a pair of three-set victories yesterday to arrange a showdown for the Brookside Open National Tennis Championships singles crown at the Brookside Hills courts in Cainta, Rizal.

The top-seeded Arcilla continued to roll back the years, thwarting No. 3 Vicente Anasta, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2, in the semifinals while the fourth-ranked Kinaadman upended second seed and doubles partner Jose Maria Pague, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, in the lower half of the 64-player draw of the Group A tournament presented by Dunlop. They dispute the crown today (Saturday).

Arcilla and Kinaadman will likewise clash for the doubles trophy in the week-long event serving as part of the PPS-PEPP circuit put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/ CEO Bobby Castro. The former and partner Ronard Joven repulsed Nilo Ledama and Noel Damian Jr., 7-5, 3-6, 10-2, while the latter and Pague routed Hilbert San Jose and Kristian Tesorio, 6-1, 6-2, in the semis.

Arcilla, the 9-time PCA Open champion seeking a follow-up to his victories in Puerto Princesa and San Carlos, Negros Occidental, crushed Loucas Fernandez, 6-1, 6-3, in the

singles quarters but after routing Anasta in the first set behind a four-game run from a 3-1 lead, he struggled in the next, enabling Anasta to force a decider.

Anasta surprised Arcilla by breaking him in the first game of the second frame, held serve then shattered the Davis Cup veteran again in the third before holding

serve again for a 4-0 lead.

Arcilla took the fifth at serve but Anasta won the next two games to send the match to a third set.

After the duo traded serves, Arcilla re-imposed his will and broke Anasta then came out of a hold-hold-hold duel by breaking his rival again in the seventh on his way to vic-

tory for another shot at the crown in the event 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.

Kinaadman, who disposed of Ronard Joven, 6-1, 6-3, in the quarters, fought back from a lopsided opening set loss by breaking Pague in the fourth game of the second set for a 3-1 lead. Pague, winner of the Buglasan Open last Oct. but who retired to injury in the finals against Arcilla in the Pintaflores Festival in San Carlos, struck back in the fifth and the pair traded serves until Kinaadman broke again in the 10th in shutout fashion to force a decider.

The 24-year-old ace from Lapu-Lapu City, who beat Arcilla in the semis then went on to clinch the Gov. Jubahib Cup crown last Sept., held serve then broke Pague to seize a 2-0 lead then after yielding the third game at serve, Kinaadman broke back in the fourth and swept the next three games to complete the come-from-behind victory.

“Itong do-or-die namin nakita ko talaga na gusto ng bata na magchampion, hindi tulad nu’ng Game Two medyo nag-relax kami, nakampante kami sa ginagawa namin,” said NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin, who also credited the organizing Sports Vision for putting up the tournament in the runup to the collegiate volley wars.

“Sobrang laking tulong ito. First day pa lang ng tournament thankful na ako sa Sports Vision na ginagawa nila ito, na lahat gagawin nila para ‘yung men’s division ay umangat,” added Alinsunurin.

UST actually led by two late in the second frame, but back-to-back errors enabled NU to tie the count at 22 before Obed Mukaba shoved them on top on a drop shot.

De Vega countered to draw level again but Mukaba did what he does best, controlling the middle, his back-to-back blocks giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 set cushion.

Mukaba came through with 14 points on eight attacks, five blocks and an ace, while Almendras, the tournament MVP, and Malinis punched in 12 points each. Almendras also finished 21 excellent receptions and six digs.

Ybañez led the Tiger Spikers with 15 points and 12 receptions while De Vega had 14 points and 18 receptions.

NU took Game One and the Bulldogs were on course to completing a tournament sweep after winning the first two sets in Game Two. But the Tiger Spikers struck back and went on to pull a 21-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12 squeaker to force the sudden death.

PH fencers bag silver, 5 bronze medals in KL

THE Philippines claimed a silver and five bronze medals on Day 1 of the 1st Malaysian Fencing Federation Minime International Tournament at the Arena Tan Sri Hamzah gymnasium inside the Olympic Council Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.

Canlas Fencing bet Jodie Danielle Tan dropped a closely-fought contest with Hong Kong’s Fong Chi Yau in the finals of the 12-under girls’ foil action.

Fong made it to finals after she slipped past another Filipina bet, Victoria Ebdane, 10-1, in the semifinals.

Ebdane, who eased out Willia Liana Galvez, 10-3, in the round of 16, went on to claim the bronze medal, after reaching the quarterfinals and beating Liu Yihan, 10-0, in the fight for a semis seat.

Jade Uy settled for the bronze medal in the 8-under girls’ foil, while Elijah Timbol also finished in third place in the under-10 boys’ foil.

Cousins Samantha Canlas and Nicol also brought home a bronze medal each in the under-10 girls’ foil and under-12 girls’ sabre.

The event is organized by the Malaysia Fencing Federation, led by its president Rusni Abu Hassan.

Tan and Ebdane are recent winners in the Thailand Fencing Federation meet.

Peter Atencio

Triumphant NU spikers raise their

V-League championship trophy.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

American Steven Pichardo via unanimous decision in their sixround bout.

lifter Hidilyn Diaz Naranjo won for the country its first Olympic gold medal. And with boxers Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio delivering silvers and

Eumir Felix Marcial clinching bronze, Tokyo went down as the most successful Olympics for the Philippines in almost a century.

Rep. Abraham Tolentino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Eumir Marcial

Johnny Arcilla and Charles Kinaadman arrange a showdown for the title.

BAMBOO CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY WORKSHOPS OFFERED

BASE Bahay Foundation, Inc. (Base Bahay) is holding online and in-person workshops as part of its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs under the Base Bamboo Academy. These programs are key to the Foundation’s advocacy to propel bamboobased technology and other alternative building technologies into the mainstream construction industry.

WITH turnover scheduled for the first half of 2023, Ridgewood Towers Premier is putting the finishing touches, and getting ready to receive its residents.

“We have reached this construction milestone despite the many difficulties during the height of the pandemic,” said C-5 Mansions Development Corp. Chief Operating Officer Alfonso Keh Jr.

“We are confident that we will meet our turnover target within the third quarter of 2023,”said Located just across the booming Bonifacio Global City, Ridgewood Towers Premier features spacious units and a number of amenities such as a lap pool and indoor gym, as well as a play area. Commercial spaces on the ground and

Health it up

second

inverter refrigerator. Buyers who place a minimum 10% down payment will automatically receive a free Everest air conditioning unit.

Learn more about how Ridgewood Towers Premier by calling 8882-7995 or (0917) 808-4905.

METRO Pacific Investments Foundation Inc. (MPIF), the corporate social responsibility arm of infrastructure conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), recently mobilized Health It Up! (HIU), a two-day medical mission for coastal community residents of nine municipalities in Siargao. Health it Up is a partnership of MPIF and Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMCF) to address the health concerns of fisherfolks and coastal communities in Shore it Up’s partner sites that help protect and restore the ocean. MPIF flew in doctors, nurses, and medical practitioners to provide quality healthcare services such as surgery, optical, dental, pediatrics, general medicine, OB-GYN, E.N.T., and orthopedics to almost 2,000 Siargaonons from the municipalities of General Luna, Del Carmen, Burgos, Dapa, San Benito, Pilar, San Isidro, Socorro, and Santa Monica. “MPIF’s commitment to our partner sites nationwide goes beyond environmental and socioeconomic impact and now promises to bolster the health and wellbeing of its people as part of a healthy ecosystem in the years to come,”

water

turning over Well-on-the-Go kit and

Accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission to conduct CPD programs for industry professionals, the Base Bamboo Academy has been conducting free learning modules for workers and professional builders such as architects and civil engineers since 2021.

Last September, the Academy held online and in-person workshops on Bamboo Standards for architects, contractors, civil engineers, and professional builders.

INNOVATIVE MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

For contractors, Base runs an accreditation program which, when completed, unlocks access to a series of training programs, research, and more information on the latest technology in bamboo housing and other alternative construction materials.

For industry workers, the Academy offers TESDAaccredited programs on masonry and carpentry and also covers the basics of employing Base Bahay’s signature Cement-Bamboo Frame Technology. Base’s skills training programs allow workers to earn their TESDA NC II Certifications which they can use for other projects.

To date, Base has trained over 500 civil engineers and architects in its CPD program, and certified

more than 100 workers through its TESDA-accredited programs.

“We welcome these learning programs as we continue to look for innovative materials and construction methods to provide solutions to our housing problems and backlog in our country”, said Said Martin Lenin Santos, Architect and Urban Planner of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD): AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY HOUSING TARGETED Base Bahay continues to work with different organizations engaged in building affordable yet high-quality housing solutions with Base’s Cement-Bamboo Frame Technology. To date, over 1,200 have been built with another 500 in the pipeline through ongoing builds.

“Looking at available data between 2011 and 2016, the Philippines has a huge housing backlog of 5.7 million. This translates to a need to build 2,602 homes per day over the next six years,” explained Pablo Jorillo, Base Bahay Foundation general manager. “Architects and civil engineers are key to providing resolution to this backlog. Renewal of their professional licenses requires 15 CPD units. We offer the continuous learning opportunities they need through our Base Bamboo Academy.”

Navigating the shifting landscape

DAMOSA Land Inc. (DLI) recently celebrated 18 years of transforming communities as a homegrown de veloper of Mindanao. Damosa Land has long been recognized for its sus tainable developments.

The company has continued to boost the economic recovery of Davao, while ensuring that their properties are centered on ecofriendly amenities that are anchored in Davao’s agricultural heritage.

One of the company’s recently awarded properties is Ameria - a nine-hectare residential subdivision (Shown here).

Dubbed as Best Eco-Friend ly Housing Development by the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards, Ameria boasts wide open spaces, nature-centric parks, and sustainably-built houses that are future-proof, durable, and environ mentally friendly.

HOME FOR EVERY FILIPINO. The Senate and House committees on housing and urban development and the Department of Finance recently outlined their agenda to resolve issues faced by the housing sector at the Philippine Housing and Real Estate Summit held by the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA). Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Resettlement, said that the real estate and housing industry is in a good position to lead the country out of the twin crises of the housing backlog of 6.8 million units. and the economic woes arising from the COVID pandemic. Shown in photo is CREBA National President Noel Toti M. Cariño who reported that the House Committee on Urban Development and Housing had already passed the InCity Housing Bill ,and is deliberating the Sustainable Cities Bill in response to the sustainable development goal and urban agenda of the United Nations.

said MPIF President Melody del Rosario (shown in photo

portable

filters to Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II).

MINI Resolute Edition: Thrilling drive with unconventional appeal

MINI Asia and British United Automobiles Inc. (BUAI) today announced the launch of the MINI 3-Door in a specific special edition – the MINI Resolute Edition. This edition vehicle clearly emphasizes the individuality, traditional style, self-confidence, and unmistakable charisma of the original in the premium segment of the compact vehicle class.

MINI combines a thrilling drive with an unconventional appeal that is attractive to different target groups, characterized by its hallmark design and modern premium character. The result – a unique position and high value proposition for MINI in this competitive environment. The MINI 3-Door with the classic MINI body concept and extended functionality stands for experience-oriented urban mobility in the 21st century.

The MINI Resolute Edition is offered exclusively in the Philippines as the Cooper S 3-Door. The exclusive design and equipment features of the Resolute Edition reinforce these hallmark characteristics of the MINI models, and combine them with modern, highquality design accentuations. Exterior design features include both a traditionalstyle color scheme and an elimination of chrome elements, which will be a matter of course on future MINI models for reasons of sustainability. The Rebel

This

Signature design features are finished in exclusive Resolute Bronze – these cover the headlight surrounds, radiator grille and rear lights, side scuttles on the front side panels, handles of the doors and tailgate, air intakes in the front apron, and the fuel filler cap. The brand logos and model lettering provide an attractive contrast in Piano Black, as do the inner frame of the radiator grille, the tailpipe trim of the exhaust system, and the horizontal radiator grille strut. In addition, there is also a black strip running around the lower edge of the windows.

Both the bonnet stripes and the door sill panels of the MINI Resolute Edition feature a pattern of parallel lines with a color gradient between a light and a dark shade of gold as well as the lettering “RESOLUTE”. The asymmetrical design gives them a particularly high-quality and unconventional look in unique MINI style. The discreetly sporty appearance of the edition vehicles is completed by 18-inch alloy wheels in Pulse Spoke Black design with run-flat tyres.

The exclusive flair of the interior of the edition vehicles is enhanced by sports seats in MINI Yours Leather Lounge in Carbon Black with particularly striking stitching and piping. This color scheme harmonizes perfectly with the Rebel Green paint finish and the black and gold exterior design features. The Nappa

sports leather steering wheel bears an edition emblem on the lower spoke, and the roofliner of the MINI Resolute Edition is in anthracite.

In similar fashion, the interior surfaces created especially for the Resolute Edition emphasize the cars’ premium style. Parallel and evenly curved lines in a light shade of gold form a dignified pinstripe pattern on the black background of the surfaces. At the same time, they pick up on the structure of the bonnet stripes. The specific design features are staged with the help of the lighting package, whose LED units provide targeted interior illumination, as well as with the Ambient Light, light piping in the doors and cockpit area, as well as illuminated door handles and door entry areas.

Top 5 reasons why the PCX160 is your next level holiday ride

WHETHER you’ve been naughty or nice, the PCX160 is a ride worth the splurge this Holiday Season. With its sterling reputation of being the best in style, comfort, and convenience, expect nothing but joy once you experience its superb riding capability like no other.

For the country’s No. 1 motorcycle manufacturer, Honda Philippines Inc., Here are the top 5 reasons why this is

A bang for the buck

In these times of rising fuel prices, the PCX160 delivers uncompromising power and performance. It boasts 11.8kW @ 8,500 rpm but runs at 45.1 KM/L fuel consumption, which is one of the most valuable features for urban dwellers. The fuel tank is likewise made bigger at an 8-liter capacity for longer and more enjoyable journeys.

Go high and low, wide or narrow--expect that the PCX160 is perfectly suited for anyone’s on-the-go lifestyle with the promise of more savings and toughness on the road.

Scene Stealing Style

If an elevated look is what you’re after with a bold take on design that combines form and function, then you’re ready for a PCX160.

For instance, its new LED headlight, position light, and taillights style make for a sleek and imposing build. A revamped wheel design with bigger tubeless tires completes the impression while delivering better comfort and handling. There’s also a new and wider digital meter panel for improved information visibility.

Both sporty and muscular, you will

certainly turn heads in every twist and turn or while you cruise the streets on PCX160.

Improved driving performance, and comfortable riding Aside from the sophisticated looks, PCX160 is installed with 157cc engine displacement that applies a 4-Valve, Single Overhead Cam (SOHC), Liquid-Cooled mechanism. It also features eSP+, or Enhanced Smart Power Plus, for increased driving performance. The combination produces potent engine power with an 11.8kW@ 8,500rpm.

Its sophisticated engineering suited for urbanite dwellers provides ease of use, enhanced by its twin-shock rear suspension for smoother rides. Not to mention, its sizable 30-liter utility box is another plus point for active riders who want to turn their passion into a profession.

Safety features with next-level technology

To ensure safety, the ride offers two brake variations, namely, the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) type and the CombiBrake System (CBS) type. Both variants are equipped with front and rear disc brakes for optimal braking performance. ABS variant also equipped with a Honda Selectable Torque

Control (HSTC). The ABS and HSTC are perfectly combined to ensure rider safety: HSTC controls safety on wheel traction, while ABS provides safety rebound to prevent braking lock-up.

PCX160 also comes with an upgraded USB-type power outlet for convenient gadget charging and seamless connection, plus the Anti-Theft Alarm and Answer Back System for better motorcycle security. Dependable, not disposable Not only it boasts a high degree of performance and perfection, expect durability and dependability when you own a PCX160.

From the looks, comfort, safety, and efficiency, there’s nothing quite like PCX160 if you’re looking for a next-level maxi scooter ride.

Tis the season with a ride that will fuel your passion. The PCX160 is a complete package for an elevated road experience and worthy investment this Christmas season.

For more details about Honda products and promos, visit www.hondaph.com and follow HPI on Facebook at Honda Philippines, Inc., and Instagram, at @hondaph_mc. You can also contact (02)-8581-6700 to 6799 and 0917-884-6632.

GAC Motor PH, Astara Philippines forge partnership

To mark the occasion, Astara

Picello and

Officer

joined today GAC Motor’s seven dealer partners in a contract signing ceremony, re-affirming the commitment of both Astara Philippines and GAC Motor dealers to provide top-notch vehicles and services to all its customers.

“The Philippine market is an important one with great potential. At present, a lot of Chinese brands have achieved annual sales of more than 10,000 vehicles. It is believed that with the full cooperation of GAC and Astara, GAC Motor’s market share in the Philippines will increase rapidly, becoming the travel choice of more and more Filipino consumers and bringing the high-quality and high-tech driving experience to more Filipino families,” shared Zeng

The burgeoning after-sales market

ees for precious space as the whole area was cramped with small and huge vehicles.

WE were able to catch up with the recent Manila Auto Salon 2022 last Sunday and the cavernous SMX Convention Hall was teeming with car enthusiasts and even gun lovers as the gun show is a part and parcel of it.

We were surprised to hear and see the organizer, Sophie de los Santos, hosting the awarding ceremony as trophies were awarded to the various winners of the competition when we arrived.

We toured the whole area and, as usual in all car shows, grappled with the other attend-

Carryboy Philippines Inc., according to its company presentation, has been engaged in automotive business providing fashionable and functional accessories for pick-up trucks, cars, SUVs, and AUVs and also one of the major suppliers of OEM-car assembler in the Philippines as well as aftermarket requirements for most of the biggest car dealers and car accessories retail shops. And Jun started it all with his former Gator Cab in the late 90s.

As soon as we were introduced, Jun Ylagan immediately rattled off introductions to all their exhibits such as the stylish and trend-setting canopies atop rugged pick-ups, roll bars, roller-lids, “superlids”, serving as pick-up bed covers.

A roof top tent that is very popular nowadays as camping overnight and enjoying the

Astara Philippines Announces Launch of Empow and the All-New GS8 SUV in January

Under Astara Philippines, GAC Motor is already gearing up to make headway in 2023. For its initial salvo next year, the company is set to launch two new models on January 10: the highly-anticipated Empow and the All-New GS8 SUV.

The Empow is a compact sedan whose sleek, sporty lines and powerful presence will surely draw awe and admiration. The sculpted silhouette and attention-grabbing design elements define its sporty profile, while its interiors, driving performance and technology are engineered to thrill the senses.

With its bold and futuristic design style, surging power and pioneering smart configurations, the All-New GS8 is a smart and high-tech full-size seven-seater sports utility vehicle (SUV) that has been upgraded to bring prestige to premium buyers.

outdoors is on hand for everybody to see. Jun said that it is fully packed with accessories that can be set up within 10 minutes on the rooftop of your pickup truck. A durable high quality poly-cotton breathable fabric covers your family as you enjoy camping outdoors. Ahhh…with the roof tent and your pickup truck, it’s very easy to conquer the countryside at any given time and weather.

One piece of advice from Jun: “It is much better if those who would want to go camping with their pickup truck must have a 4 x 4 since they can easily traverse the muddied tracks.”

More on camping, Jun also showed us the growing popularity of having retractable camping boxes placed on bedliners complete with all the amenities of cooking and eating outdoors from cooking stoves, kitchen wares to sinks.

And yes, we definitely love those various bed covers which Jun painstakingly introduced to us one by one.

There’s the T-Rex Hard Folding cover that has an all-new 3D carbon fiber pattern, light-

weight, water resistant, strong and durable that has an optional tailgate remote lock/unlock with 4 doors of pickup. The GMX2-R Sportslid Bed Cover is designed to fit up to 2 bikes or deck baskets that can be kept securely at the back of the pickup truck.

But one thing that caught our eyes was the new cover named Revolver by Der Armor that needs no removing the whole cover so you can access the bed in full. It is very sturdy and can be rolled up quickly, manually or electrically. “This is getting to be very popular now among the pickup owners since it is very strong and durable and can easily be rolled up very quickly. It is readily available for Hilux, Navara, D-Max, Wildtrak, Raptor, and BT-50s,” according to Jun.

With this number of innovative ideas on car accessories being presented by Jun Ylagan III and also by a great number of his colleagues who participated in the successful Manila Auto Salon 2022, no wonder why the after-sales market is really burgeoning.

Advanced technology at your fingertips. The Resolute Edition’s exclusive design features make up a carefully crafted package for premium exterior and interior style. They also tie in particularly harmoniously with the clear and purist MINI design language. In the interior, the classic sporty flair of the colors and materials is combined with advanced digital technology.

The sports multifunction steering wheel in the MINI Resolute Edition has controls laid out in smooth Piano Black. Its keypad structure optimizes operation of the audio and telephone functions, voice control, cruise control, and speed limiter functions. A multifunctional instrument display behind the steering wheel is fitted as standard – this digital color display in black panel design has a 5-inch diameter and displays all driving-relevant information as well as check-control messages and status displays of the driver assistance systems.

The latest generation of the MINI operating system optimizes the quick and intuitive control of vehicle functions, audio programme, communication, navigation and apps. Live widgets on the 8.8 inch touch display of the central instrument are used to activate the desired menu item, which can be selected with a swiping motion similar to that on a smartphone. Wireless Apple CarPlay is also available for drivers to stay plugged in on the go. The Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system is fitted as standard –its 12 high-performance speakers with a generous output of 360 watts was designed specifically for the vehicle interior, and provides sound as authentic as the recording artist intended.

Lexus Hybrid Electric Vehicles exempted from number coding

THERE are many benefits to driving a Lexus hybrid electric vehicle. They help reduce carbon emissions, are fuel efficient, cheaper to run, and now—it exempts you from number coding in Greater Metro Manila.

Lexus hybrid electric owners can breathe a sigh of relief these days because according to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the newly passed Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA) law, all electrified vehicles (EVs) or battery electric vehicles (fully electric), hybrid vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will not be apprehended during number coding days by MMDA.

Lexus continues to be driven in offering its customers with hybrid electric vehicles that provide comfort, practicality, and sustainability which, because of the new law, you can now use daily.

Each feature hybrid technologies which are a result of genuine and ongoing concern for the harmful effect vehicle emissions can have on the environment while simultaneously enhancing personal mobility.

The UX is a showcase of Lexus’ innovative design, luxury features, and advanced safety. It is a package that combines charismatic styling elements and an ultra-efficient powertrain. These features—which draw from a vibrant Japanese heritage— are proudly built and engineered by master craftsmen. Available in the UX 250h F Sport and UX 200h , these models are very responsive to drive and, like all Lexus hybrids, offer better fuel efficiency and lower emissions. They also require no plugging in for recharging and have no issues where driving range is concerned.

The hybrid Lexus NX 350h Premier and NX 350h Executive are powered by a powerful engine with a high-output electric motor, and uses a control logic exclusive to Lexus to achieve an optimized balance of acceleration performance and reduced fuel consumption.

The gasoline engine develops 190hp and 239Nm of torque, while the front and rear motor generators add 182hp and 54hp respectively. The NX 350h Premier comes with electric folding rear seats; a 17-speaker Mark Levinson Surround Sound system; and a power rear hatch with a kick sensor.

Green exterior signals pure sportiness; this color was previously only available for the top athlete MINI John Cooper Works.

paintwork is combined with a Pepper

White roof finish and matching Pepper

White exterior mirror caps.

ASTARA strengthens momentum as it enters its second year of operations in the Philippines with the addition of GAC Motor to its automotive distributorship portfolio. The partnership with GAC Motor positions Astara Philippines as a key player in the local automotive sector with two global auto brands under its belt since launching Peugeot in January this year.

Philippines Managing Director Raoul

Chief Financial

Adolfo Careaga

Hebin, General Manager of GAC Motor.

Astara is one of the biggest automotive distributors in the world and has carried out a successful path as a leading group

in distribution and mobility services for decades. The company has sold over three million cars as a strategic partner of the world’s leading automotive groups including GAC Motor, which Astara presently distributes in Chile and Peru.

Globe At Home

cements Netflix speed index dominance

LEADING digital solutions platform

Globe once more emerged in the driver’s seat after scoring the fastest internet speeds through its Globe at Home Broadband Business in October. This cements its dominance in the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) performance rating of subscription-based streaming service Netflix in the Philippines.

Globe at Home topped the October 2022 Netflix ISP Speed Index with a score of 3.6 Mbps, a boost of 0.2 Mbps from its 3.4 Mbps result in September.

“Topping Netflix ISP Speed Index anew is proof of our commitment to providing the best internet services to our customers. Faster Netflix performance generally means better picture quality, quicker start times and fewer interruptions,” said Janis Legaspi-Racpan, Head of Globe At Home Brand Management.

Globe at Home has been taking the Netflix ISP top spot for the past 10 months or since January, as the company continues to enrich the experience of customers by providing a #1stWorldNetwork.

As of the third quarter of the year, Globe has spent P74.4 billion in capital expenditure (CAPEX) to build new cell sites, upgrade existing sites to 4G/ LTE, accelerate rollout of 5G connectivity and fast-track the fiberization of Filipino homes nationwide.

Globe at Home’s score was at par with that of 31 countries, namely Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Its performance was also better than the 3.4 Mbps average speed in the Philippines, Argentina, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, France, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, and Vietnam.

Last year, Globe at Home dominated the Netflix ISP Speed Index for 10 out of the 12 months, taking the top spot from February to November.

Netflix is one of the world’s leading streaming entertainment services with 223 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries, feature films and mobile games across a wide variety of genres and languages.

The Netflix ISP Speed Index measures the performance of a particular ISP. Speed is vital for Netflix streaming since its videos load quickly on networks with faster data transmission and minimal delays. Otherwise, viewers may encounter issues such as buffering and pixelation while streaming content.

Tech & Gadgets

INFINIX HOT 20S

Best gameplay experience in budget-friendly package

By Jessica Luna

WHEN you talk about sports, where Filipinos are usually dominant, what comes to mind? Boxing, courtesy of Manny Pacquiao? Bowling, featuring Paeng Nepomuceno? Billiards, with Efren “Bata” Reyes? Recently, it’s weighlifting, gymnastics and even pole vaulting, through Hidilyn Diaz, Caloy Yulo and Ernest John Obiena.

And then there is esports.

Filipino gamers, as evidenced by our recent successes in various esports competitions internationally, are a worldclass bunch. Online gaming or esports has been such a smashing success in the country, that it has become a pastime for many and a vocation for professional esports athletes themselves.

And because gaming is such a hit now, you need a smartphone that can withstand the rigors of the long hours and high specs needed to give yourselves an awesome esports experience.

And if such a phone costs less than P9,000, then that is a winner.

Infinix’s latest offering, the all-new HOT 20S Free Fire edition is that kind of a winner.

With an SRP of less than P7,999 on Shopee and Lazada and Tiktok Shop, the HOT 20S is a value for money for gamers as the phone packs a Helio G96 Premium Gaming Processor and up to 13 GB of RAM, which powers all your favorite games and allows it to perfectly handle the toughest and latest titles. You can have a wide selection of games to download and stomp other players in thanks to its 128GB ROM storage.

Don’t miss a single detail in the action thanks to the HOT 20S’s 120Hz 6.78-inch Full HD+ HyperVision Gaming Pro display, which gives bright and vivid high-resolution visuals no matter what you’re running. Your sessions can also go for as long as you want thanks to its 5000mAh Power Monster battery that fills up quickly with its 18W Power Charge.

The awesome gaming experience is aided by the phone’s Bionic Breathing Cooling System, which keeps the phone humming and going through great heat

and

The Infinix HOT 20S is so confident of its gaming capabilities that a pre-installed PUBG is available, together with the AHA Games for the casual gamers.

But the Infinix HOT 20S is not just for esports enthusiasts.

Those who yearn for brilliant-looking content on their social media accounts, the HOT 20S also features a solid 50MP Super Nightscape Triple Camera setup,

which lets you take dynamic photos and videos, especially in low-light settings.

Following the release of Infinix’s game-changing ZERO ULTRA, the HOT 20S is the perfect follow-up. And when it’s time to hunt for that gaming phone that won’t burn a hole in your pockets, just keep in mind the hashtags #MoreThanWhatYouPayFor and #MoreSmoothGameplay to be reminded of how perfect the Infinix HOT 20S is for your needs.

For more info on the HOT 20S, visit the official Infinix website (https:// www.infinixmobility.com/ph/).

SM Foundation upskills Batangas residents with 15 tech-voc graduates

investments in education, health care, livelihood and shelter to help undeserved Filipinos improve their lives, promoting initiatives to protect and enhance the Philippines’ unique and diverse ecological heritage.

SM, through SM Foundation, has been providing deserving and qualified students with access to technical-vocational studies to facilitate equitable access to employment opportunities since 1993.

To date, SMFI has produced more than 4,500 tech-voc scholar graduates nationwide.

The SMFI has targeted social

“We will do this by working directly with communities to give them the assistance they require, by leveraging our corporate assets to secure resources and build awareness and by engaging with strong partners to create programs that promote a cycle of positive change,” said the SMFI website.

Most employees fear robot hacking, but believe they should be used more in production

A RECENT Kaspersky study on the consequences of automation and increased use of robots showed the growing level of robotization in companies but highlighted the increased number of cybersecurity risks this causes.

Today, 79% of employees believe that robots should be more widely used across different industries, however, 85% of them fear robot hacking.

Nowadays, robotics is being used to command industrial control systems, production processes and other information technology. It replaces manual labor, improving efficiency, speed, quality and performance. With this in mind, Kaspersky conducted a study to learn the opinion of employees of manufacturing companies and other large organizations around the world about the consequences of automation and increased use of robots.

The goal was to gather employees’ thoughts about the security of robots and automated systems in their companies. The survey was conducted across 15 countries: USA, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey.

Employees reported an increase in robotization levels in their companies over the last 2 years. Forty-one percent of employees said their organizations already use robots, and 29% of organizations plan to

use them in the near future.

One of the findings in the research was that respondents believe robots can help industries increase economic benefits as well as saving people from dangerous duties.

This point of view is shared by more than half of the surveyed employees, as 52% think use of robots can accelerate and increase the efficiency of production processes and cut down costs, and 60% believe robotization can free people from hard or dangerous duties, reducing risks to life and health in the future. This, in turn, will help employees avoid routine and boring duties and retain more interesting and highly paid positions (36%).

More than one third of respondents consider that one of the key tasks that robots can successfully perform is to build a safe environment and reduce the likelihood of accidents due to human error. This point of view was shared by 36% of employees.

Another important finding was that cybersecurity risks increase because of robotization.

The majority of respondents (85%) believe that robots can get hacked, and 51% know of incidents such as these occurring in their company or other local businesses. Respondents are split in their assessment of how protected robots are: almost one half of employees (44%) believe that not enough cybersecurity measures are in place to protect the robots in differ-

ent industries while 40% believe that sufficient protective measures are in place.

“Cyber-physical systems use industrial robots more often to increase production efficiency. However, new technologies like these bring new cyber risks because they are potentially vulnerable to cyberthreats. Kaspersky sees ensuring that cybersecurity remains at the forefront of robot technology adoption as its mission, helping to tackle the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities that robotization presents,” comments Andrey Strelkov, Head of Industrial Cybersecurity Product Line at Kaspersky.

Nowadays, robotics is being used to command industrial control systems, production processes and other information technology.

NASUGBU, Batangas—Fifteen tech-voc graduates received their certification on Shielded Metal Arc Welding and Electrical Installation and Maintenance during the recently held graduation ceremonies led by SM Foundation.

pressure. Meanwhile, the All-Around Gaming Network Enhancement Turbo increases its performance during playtime even further.

In nix HOT 20S Free Fire edition

AHA Games

Sharp imagery

The SMFI scholars (left) are shown prior to their graduation.