Manila Standard - 2022 December 4 - Sunday

DSWD grants more aid to poor

Allots P5.2b for TCT beneficiaries, covers PWDs in cash-for-work plan

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will start distributing this month P5.2 billion in cash aid to 12.4 million beneficiaries under the Targeted Cash Transfer (TCT) program, Undersecretary Edu Punay said on Saturday.

The amount is an additional grant for the third tranche of the cash aid, the DSWD official said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

This developed as the agency will now include persons with disabilities (PWDs) in its Cash-For-Work pro gram, DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo said Saturday.

“Starting today you are included in

the Cash-For-Work program of the DSWD in your community,” Tulfo said at the “BUHAYanihan” event in Pililla, Rizal, as the country celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Through their participation in various community work or services, PWDs will receive up to P4,000 in cash assistance.

Radio Veritas poll shows Pinoy

MOST

In the Veritas Truth Survey (VTS) conducted from Nov. 1 to 30, 1,200 respondents were asked what kind of gift they would prefer for Christ mas.

Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said they wanted to receive “gifts in cash” this holiday season, while 32 percent preferred to have “gifts in kind”.

Twenty-two percent said they wanted to get either cash or in-kind and eight percent were undecided.

CONTINUED ON 2A

n By VINCE LOPEZ

CHRISTMAS “is really for the chil dren” even as his young administra tion “has made and done everything to ensure every Filipino child” has a reason to celebrate, President Ferdi nand Marcos Jr. said Saturday.

The Chief Executive said this as he led the Christmas tree light ing ceremony at the Kalayaan Grounds in Malacañang to offi cially start the Yuletide season

celebration for the country.

During his speech at the Palace, Mr. Marcos said it was the first time under the pandemic that Filipinos could really celebrate Christ mas like only they could, as last year’s revelry was still laden with strict COVID-19 restrictions.

“It’s been three years that we haven’t had a

THIRTY percent of Filipinos be lieve their quality of life has gotten better than a year ago, according to a recent survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released Saturday.

On the other hand, 29 percent said their quality of life got worse, CONTINUED ON 2A

By ALENA MAE S. FLORES

Rodela Romero, Department of Energy director for the Oil Industry

PASAY PARADE. Dancers are clad in neon green as Pasay City celebrated Friday its 159th Foundation Anniversary on the theme ‘Moving Towards One Eco City,’ as residents welcomed the return of the Lights Parade and Street Dance Competition from EDSA Tramo to Pasay City hall, followed by the Christmas Tree Lighting and Serenade by the Pasay City Symphony Band. Danny Pata

A SEA IN THE MOUNTAINS. Tourists flock to the Mirador Jesuit Villa Retreat House and Eco Park in Baguio City, the summer capital’s newest attraction, to watch a sea of clouds and await a setting sun on Friday. Dave Leprozo

DA, BoC seize P30m in smuggled yellow onions in warehouse raid

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) have foiled attempts to smuggle into the country onions estimated at P30 million.

In a statement, the DA said some 100,000 kilos of yellow onions declared as bread pastries were discovered on Nov. 29 as the government continues to look into the perceived shortage of onions in the country.

The DA monitoring has established that the price of red onions has peaked to P300 a kilo.

Nevertheless, the DA said supply of the onions appeared sufficient.

DOJ chief to meet with UN rapporteur

UNITED Nations special rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children Mama Fatima Singhateh is set meet with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) con firmed on Saturday.

DOJ spokesman Assistant Secre tary Mico Clavano said Singhateh will visit the DOJ office upon Remulla's invitation.

"The purpose of the meeting is for Secretary Remulla to express his gratitude to the UN representative for visiting the Philippines and to answer any questions she may still have after her visit to the different local govern ments around the country," Clavano said in a statement.

“We invited a third special rapporteur on EJKs. Why? Because we want to increase or do capacity building for our forensic pathologists in the country,” Remulla said.

“Right now, we only have two licensed, legal, legitimate and actually internationally accepted forensic pathologist in our country,” he added.

Singhateh became the first UN spe cial rapporteur to visit the Philippines since 2015 Clavano said Remulla wants to give Singhateh "a more macro perspective" of the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children situation.

Remulla will also explain the role of the national government in putting an end to criminal activities involving minors, said Clavano.

"We are looking forward to the UN Special Rapporteur’s visit to DOJ. Even more, we believe that this visit will provide more momentum in our war against OSAEC (Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children)," Clavano said. Rey Requejo

DSWD..

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

Tuesday it released P5.2 billion to cover the one-month requirement of the DSWD’s TCT program, in which beneficiaries will receive P500 a month for six months.

The unconditional cash transfers will benefit the most affected house holds or “vulnerable populations” for half a year in a bid to mitigate the effects of fuel price increases and other commodities.

It includes those identified as the “poorest of the poor” — four million “4Ps” beneficiaries — and six million former Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) beneficiaries, including social pensioners who are indigent senior citizens, and 2.4 million additional beneficiaries coming from DSWD’s Listahanan program, which Punay said are currently being validated.

Beneficiaries will receive their P500 via a cash card issued by the Land Bank of the Philippines, which the DSWD will top up.

The DBM previously released a total of P10.33 billion to the DSWD covering two months of cash trans

Import documents indicated that the shipment “did not undergo any food safety regulations,” the DA said.

“Smuggled agriculture products pose danger to the local agri-fisheries sector because “cargoes may be carriers of transboundary diseases,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary James Layug said.

Authorities from the agriculture department will recommend the filing of charges to the Bureau of

Customs. The DA however has yet to decide on whether or not to import red and white onions, pending the recommendation of the Bureau of Plant Industry.

Meanwhile, over a thousand bags of white onion were seized by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau of Customs, and Department of Agricul ture from a warehouse in Tondo, Manila on Friday evening.

Authorities raided the storage facility on Sto. Cristo Street past 7 p.m.

According to BPI Project assistant and team leader Melvin Banagbanag, they had been moni toring the unit for a month.

PINAGLABANAN

BLAST. San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and his family, along with city officials, spearheaded the Christmas Tree lighting at the Pinaglabanan Shrine open parking ground on Friday night, followed by a fireworks display and Christmas bazaar. Manny

First Lady attends 17th Go Negosyo anniversary

FIRST

Mr. Marcos noted in his prepared speech the importance of thecontribu tion of migrant workers and their role in reviving the pandemic-hit economy.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual read the President’s message on his behalf, which described overseas Filipino workers (OFW) as modern-day heroes.

The First Lady then announced that the “Kabayan” awardees will be given P200,000 each, courtesy of the Office of the President. She lauded the winners of the Ka bayan Awards, which recognized nine “most inspiring OFWs” who have “compelling journeys” as migrant workers, according to a statement from the Philippine Center for Entrepre neurship (GoNegosyo).

Mr. Marcos urged all OFWs to consider opening small businesses to “generate additional income to support their needs.”

“It is my hope that you will join the summit with an open mind, allow ing yourselves to widen your options for income-generation and explore opportunities in the Philippines as an alternative for employment,” his speech read.

“In today’s activities, we aim to make entrepreneurship as an avenue where we can help OFWs and their families,” the President said.

Bataan solon pushes Kadiwa store chain

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

BATAAN Rep. Geraldine Roman on Saturday pushed the passage of a bill institutionalizing the "Kadiwa" store project.

Roman filed House Bill 5601, to be known as the “Magna Carta for Agricultural Workers and Revitalized Agriculture Value Chain of 2022," stressing that expanding the scope of the Kadiwa store project will be good for both the farmers and the consumers.

Roman said the Kadiwa system en ables the public to buy goods at cheaper rates, while at the same time enable the farmers to earn from their harvests without passing the bur den of high costs to the buyers.

Binay dares youth to help fight climate change

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO

“Since

fers for 10 million target household beneficiaries.

In a media briefing, Tulfo said assistance for PWDs is currently not in the budget of DSWD for 2023, but funds will be available from the agency’s other programs such as the KALAHI-CIDSS Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation.

The DSWD Secretary said he will appeal to Congress for the monthly compensation of PWDs – coinciden tally, his brother is Sen. Raffy Tulfo.

PBBM:... Christmas celebration like how we do it here in the coun try, because it is very different, how we celebrate Christmas here in the Philippines,” he said, noting that the children present at the tree lighting were the “real guests of honor.”

“I always have believed that Christ mas is really for the children, and so we have made, done everything that we can to make sure that every child, every Filipino child has a Christmas,” the President said.

“And that is something that I think is a good goal for us this Christmas since we have been blessed, all of us, despite all of the challenges we have faced, here we are, we have all been blessed,” he added.

A fireworks display that lasted for about 5 minutes concluded the lighting ceremony for the Christmas tree, which is filled with locally-made parol

solution.

the Children Address (SOCHA) at the Makati Coliseum.

She urged her young constituents to emulate Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenaged environmental activist

that joined the “Isang Bituin, Isang Mithiin” lantern-making competition.

Among those who attended the event were Vice President Sara Dute rte-Carpio, former first lady Imelda Marcos, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Some members of the Marcos Cabinet also attended, along with the families of the staff working under the Office of the President (OP).

RADIO... Thirty-nine percent of the female respondents said they wanted to receive cash gifts, higher than the 37 percent posted by their male counterparts.

When analyzed by age, among teenagers (ages 13-20 years old), 58 percent preferred gifts in kind; 17 percent wanted cash gifts; 17 percent said it does not matter (whether cash or kind) and that it is the thought that counts; and eight percent were left undecided.

For young adults (ages 21-39 years old), 53 percent preferred cash gifts, 25 percent for gifts in kind, 15 percent said either of the two, and seven percent were unde cided.

Thirty-five percent of the respon dents from the 40-60 age bracket said they preferred cash gifts, and another 35 percent wanted them in kind.

Twenty-seven percent said it does

not matter while three percent were undecided.

For elderly respondents (ages 61 and above), 34 percent preferred gifts in cash and 31 percent wanted in kind; 23 percent said it does not matter, and 12 percent were undecided.

The survey used a stratified ran dom sample of 1,200 respondents nationwide for a +/- 3% margin of error, gathered through a text-based and online data-gathering process from an existing database of previous face-to-face on-ground interviews.

OIL... Management Bureau, said consumers can expect another roll back on prices of petroleum prod ucts on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

Romero said this is due to the "ongoing escalating protests in several major Chinese cities (that) ramped up concerns over increased economic disruptions in the world’s largest crude importer."

"But the market is somewhat being ‘balanced’ by the expect ed supply cut by OPEC+ as they meet early this December, and as the EU sanctions and price cap will be implemented," Romero said (see related story on World, page A3 – Editors).

On Nov. 29, local oil firms also cut pump prices.

They implemented a price roll back of P3.95 per liter for diesel for the sixth consecutive week and cut

“What we experienced during the pandemic should be a lesson learned in terms of logistics and supply chain planning,” Roman said.

In her proposed measure, Roman, chairperson of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality, said the Kadiwa must be institutionalized as the government arm to buy directly to agricultural workers, ensuring a rate of return that would allow them to live comfortably and still have the posses sion to engage in a revitalized agricul ture value chain.

the price of gasoline by P0.85 per liter and kerosene by P2.65 per liter.

On Nov. 22, oil companies also posted rollbacks of P0.40 per liter for gasoline, P2.15 for diesel, and P2.10 per liter for kerosene.

SWS... while 41% said it was the same, results of the SWS survey done from September 29 to No vember 2, 2022 showed.

This resulted in a net gainers score of zero (39% “gainers” or those who viewed their quality of life to have gotten better, minus 29% “losers” or those who said otherwise, correctly rounded.)

The net gainers score of zero is regarded by SWS as “fair” (with in the range of minus-9 to zero). Such score is a slight improve ment from the fair -2 net gainer score in June and April 2022, SWS added.

However, it is 18 points below the very high +18 net gainer score in December 2019 before the pandemic.

Compared to June 2022, net gainers rose from high to excel lent among college graduates, up by 18 points from +2 to +20.

It stayed high among junior high school graduates, up by 2 points from +3 to +5, while it fell from fair to mediocre among elementary graduates, down by 5 points from -7 to -12.

MAKATI Mayor Abigail Binay has challenged the youth to participate in the city’s continuing efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, saying their own future is at stake.

it is your future that is at stake, you should do your part and cooperate with the city government You ought to be part of the

Even just by observing proper waste segregation and disposal and conserving water and electricity, you can make a posi tive impact on the environment,” said Binay in her recent State of

who became famous for calling out on world leaders about the worsening impact of climate change.

Binay said she declared a state of climate emergency in the city to accelerate unified action among all stakeholders – from individ uals, households and barangays to the local and national govern ments, the business sector, and civil society.

Palmero

Lady Liza Araneta Marcos at tended the Go Negosyo summit and its 17th anniversary held at the SM Mall of Asia’s music hall on Saturday on Presi dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s behalf.

Tulfo said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DSWD to assist and look after PWDs, who the secretary said were often being left behind or forgotten by society.

said

FromtheFRONTPAGE

EU agrees to impose $60 price cap on Russian crude oil, joins G7 bloc

BRUSSELS -- The Euro pean Union will join the G7 powers in imposing a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil, the Polish ambassa dor to the bloc said Friday, three days ahead of an EU embargo on imports by sea.

Poland had delayed approving the adoption of the plan while it pushed for a lower price ceiling and tough new sanctions to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine and starve its military of funds.

“We can formally agree to the decision,” Poland’s EU ambassador Andrzej Sados said, explaining that Warsaw’s fellow EU members had agreed to push forward with a new ninth round of sanctions against Russia.

“We’re working on the next package of sanctions, which will be painful and expensive for Russia,” Sados told reporters.

Oil ministers from the OPEC+ oil producers’ group will meet in Vienna on Sunday.

At their last ministerial session in October the 13-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries headed by Riyadh and its 10 allies

led by Moscow, collectively known as OPEC+, agreed to reduce output by two million barrels per day (bpd) from November.

The OPEC+ reduction amounted to the biggest cut since the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020.

The alliance should vote for a “rollover of the previous decision” to cut two million bpd, an Iranian source told AFP Thursday, arguing that the market was “very uncertain” in light of imminent European sanctions.

The EU presidency, currently held by the Czech Republic, confirmed member state ambassadors had reached an agreement on the price

cap and that the decision would enter into force when published in the EU official journal this weekend.

- Painful and expensiveThe oil price cap will run alongside the EU’s ban on imports of Russian oil, which comes into effect on Mon day.

Member states hope it will be the most damaging hit yet against the industry fuelling President Vladimir Putin’s Russian war machine.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Twitter that the price cap would help to “stabi lise global energy prices, benefitting emerging economies around the world”. AFP

Macron caps US visit with New Orleans trip

NEW

The French president, on the third day of a US trip that includ ed a lavish reception at the White House a night earlier, strolled New Orleans’s historic French Quarter -- and held an unannounced faceto-face meeting with Twitter owner Elon Musk.

Macron said the two had a “clear and honest” discussion during an hour-long meeting, and that he con veyed to Musk his -- and Europe’s -concerns about content moderation on the influential platform.

“Transparent user policies, signif icant reinforcement of content mod eration and protection of freedom of speech: efforts have to be made by Twitter to comply with European regulations,” Macron tweeted after the meeting.

Macron arrived in the iconic Louisiana city to a colorful welcome by a jazz band on the tarmac at the airport, before walking the French Quarter’s lively streets with his wife, Brigitte. AFP

‘Myanmar sentences 7 students to death’

A junta spokesperson did not re spond to calls from outside Myanmar seeking confirmation of the latest death sentences. The United Nations accused it of using capital punish ment as a “tool to crush opposition”.

Myanmar has been in chaos since Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian gov ernment was toppled in a military coup in February 2021, ending the southeast Asian nation’s brief period of democracy.

At least seven male university stu dents were sentenced to death by a military court behind closed doors on

a

High

INDIAN CHRISTMAS. A woman with a child visits an installation made on the theme of Christmas after it was inaugurated inside a mall ahead of Christmas celebrations in Chennai, India on December 1. AFP

ORLEANS -- President Em manuel Macron on Friday visited New Orleans, a city emblematic of historic Franco-American ties, to promote the French language and conclude his state visit to the United States.

BANGKOK—The Myanmar junta handed out at least seven more death sentences this week, taking the tally of those on death row to 139, accord ing to the United Nations.

Wednesday, UN

Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in

statement. AFP

Silang Mayor Kevin Anarna

Mayor expects infra project to help Silang attain cityhood

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THERE’S no stopping Silang, a first-class municipality in Cavite province, from emerging as a new cityin-the-making with its constant growth and development—since the P35.7 billion Cavite Laguna Expressway project of MPCALA Holdings Inc. became operational three years ago.

“The opening of CALAX has been a big help to us,” Silang Mayor Kevin Anarna said, while citing that beyond having efficient transport facilities and faster flow of traffic, more businesses have sprouted and visitors have come in droves to see the town’s various attractions, which are very crucial to its cityhood by 2025.

Seen to fast-track its cityhood ambition is the soon-to-be-completed Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange, the fifth of the eight segments of CALAX that spans 3.9 kilometers from

While the municipality—the second largest in Cavite with a total land area of 15,641 hectares—is predominantly agricultural, various industries have also risen in the area such as economic zones, business establishments, as well as commercial, real-estate travel and leisure developments.

It is now home to a light industrial park along Maguyam town road.

Two more processing zones will soon rise in Sabutan area (10 hectares) and East-West Road (18 hectares), where business locators, mostly manufacturing companies, are starting to invest in, per the local chief executive.

Investors are coming in

“Since the opening of CALAX, potential investors are coming in,” Anarna said.

Other business players have also penetrated Silang, including Alfamart, which opened its biggest distribution hub in the country six months ago.

Logistics company DHL is applying to set up its facility there.

This part of Cavite is also in the radar of major retail and mall operators.

Adding to the Villar family-owned AllHome Premier, Walter Mart, founded by Wilson Lim of the Abenson Group of Companies and now part of the SM Group, is set to open shop next year.

The SM Group is also planning to put

up its own mall upon the acquisition of an eight-hectare land near the Silang exit.

“Apart from businesses brought in by our new roads, infrastructure [projects like CALAX also] generate jobs. Also, they create buying power for our constituents. Because of their patronage, even small businesses like sari-sari stores make profits,” Anarna said.

“So there’s a domino effect. In return, the economy revolves, generating additional income and employment,” he said.

Due to property value appreciation brought about by public works projects, key real estate players also entered Silang, with horizontal and vertical projects of Cathay Land and Ayala Land dotting its residential areas.

Tourism boom The partially operational 45-km controlled-access tollway CALAX and its soon-to-open Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange have been beneficial not only to local residents, but also to those from nearby places.

Apart from serving over 298,000 Silangeños in their daily commute, the expressway provides a smooth ride for motorists going to and from South of Luzon, including the tourists who want to see its scenic and panoramic views, heritage attractions like the Church of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (the earliest religious site in the province having the oldest retablo in the

Startup helps Filipinos manage finances

A LOCALLY-DEVELOPED app, downloaded more than a million times in just a year, is helping Filipinos manage their finances.

The possibilities for Lista PH as a financial management app are endless, and investors are already taking notice as they infused $5.8 million or around P336 million into the startup company which was established by 25-year-old Aaron Morada Villegas and 32-year-old Khriztina Lim.

The co-founders met as members of the small local startup community where everybody knows each other, says Villlegas, who serves as chief executive of Lista.

“When we started this, the problem that we saw was there were no available tools in the market in terms of managing our finances. The tools that were out there were either too complex or were not built for Filipinos. So we came out with this stuff, which is a simple financial management app, and our goal essentially is to help fellow Filipinos improve their finances,” he says.

“We have been so lucky that within just a year, we have seen a wide range of users— from vendors to stay-at-home moms and young adults—who keep track of their expenses or who collect loan payments. Within just a year, we had 1.4 million downloads. We are now in over 300 cities,” says Villegas, who describes himself as a former overseas Filipino worker in Italy.

“We are grateful for the trust and support we received from international investors who believe in our mission and who believe that there is an opportunity to build something good here in the Philippines. We have been able to raise $5.8 million or around P336 million this year,” he says.

Lim, a Bachelor of Arts graduate from the University of the Philippines who worked for

Grab as a marketing manager before forming Lista, says managing household finances is a serious challenge especially for young adults.

“Like me personally, when I was a fresh graduate, I didn’t know how to start saving. When I received my salary, I didn’t know where it went. So it is also a problem. But with Lista, you can start by listing down your expenses, understand it and start saving, no matter how small the amount it,” she says.

Lim says they are exploring various opportunities for the continuous growth of Lista.

Villegas, who handles growth strategy and fund raising activities for Lista, was born in Milan, Italy but grew up in the Philippines.

“I was always passionate about startups, about building something from the ground. With Lista, we are proud that it is being used

by and helps so many Filipinos. It also inspires others to form their own startup companies. In that way, there are more solutions to resolve problems for Filipinos,” he says.

He says while the plan is to certainly grow Lista, “right now we focus on how we can improve the financials of the users, what products we can offer.”

“What we have done from day one is we built Lista around a tightknit community on Facebook. They are really passionate about Lista, and we built what they wanted us to build. We really grew with them. If they say they want a certain feature, then we can consider it,” says Villegas who manages a team of 40 people based in their main office in San Juan City and a co-working space in Rockwell Center, Makati City. Roderick T. dela Cruz

Ed-tech platform Bukas funds more than P500m worth of tuition

FOUR years into its mission of bridging the ed ucation gap in the Philippines, Bukas hit a mo mentous milestone of funding over P500 million worth of tuition for Filipino students in hopes of a brighter future.

Bukas, a technoogy-enabled education financing platform by parent company ErudiFi, stemmed from the vision of building a better tomorrow for Filipino youth starting with affordable tuition loans. In the course of its operation, the student-first brand has helped over 15,000 students across 90 partner campuses nationwide, a proof of its consistent

year-on-year growth.

Having onboarded more partners this year including expansions in Bacolod and Zambo anga, Bukas broadens its reach to help more Filipino students.

Partners in Metro Manila include De La Salle University, Centro Escolar University, Technolog ical Institute of the Philippines, Adamson Univer sity, Mapua University, National Teachers College, Our Lady of Fatima University, Far Eastern Univer sity and FEU Tech, among others.

In line with the vision of delivering inclusive and accessible education, Bukas also teamed

up

country) and other natural wonders and attractions.

Seen to attract more local and foreign visitors, Silang is hosting two international horticulture events in January and April 2023.

“We want to be known as the ‘Botanical Garden of the Philippines,’” said Anarna who is bullish on attaining this goal with the upcoming operations of the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange.

Traffic decongestions

Anarna said thousands of motorists going to and from South of Luzon via CALAX daily stand to benefit once the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange becomes operational. Upon completion, this will serve more motorists, including the 298,000 Silangeños, given the reduced traffic situation.

Current average daily traffic is 33,000 from Mamplasan to Silang Ease interchange. This is expected to increase to 40,000 when the Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange opens, thus easing the usual bottleneck along the 41-km Aguinaldo Highway—the busiest main thoroughfare in Cavite—not to mention Governor’s Drive and Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road.

As construction works are underway, the local chief executive conceded that traffic in their area is heavy, especially during weekends.

“As of now, we don’t allow sixwheeler trucks that make are town as a pass road going to Tagaytay, Amadeo

or Alfonso,” he said, while citing the communities of Maguyam, Kaong and Tibig as shortcut routes. “Due to different constructions, we closed them for the meantime for six-wheeler trucks and up to help lessen the volume of traffic.”

Hopeful for the project’s rapid completion, Anarna expects the interchange to ease the traffic, encouraging more people not only to pass by their municipality to neighboring towns and cities, but also to visit and see its natural wonders, tourist spots and other attractions.

The mayor urged the Department of Public Works and Highways and a private land owner to address the right-of-way issues of the CALAX Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange to speed up its completion.

To date, 64 percent of the subsection of the expressway has been finished. The ROW concerns prevent the progress of continuous works, including construction of drainage and bridge, excavation and roadway earthworks and installation of fence and coco net.

“We are very willing to help MPCALA and the national government to fast track the opening of the CALAX Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange,” Anarna said.

“Right now, we are planning to set up a meeting with the owner of the land to discuss the right-of-way issues. Maybe, we can get a compromise agreement before the end of the year,” he said.

EastWest taps industry leaders in the fight against cyber threats

AS CONCERN for bank fraud and other scams mounts, EastWest Bank has at the helm of its cybersecurity and information departments two men who share decades of experience in the field.

Rick Pusag is the executive vice president, chief information officer and head of tech nology and productivity, while Joey Regala is the first vice president, chief information security and data protection officer.

With Pusag manning systems and infra structure and Regala manning cybersecurity, EastWest Bank customers can feel at ease knowing that these industry experts are on their side, at all times.

in this challenging climate, EastWest remains vigilant in its efforts to keep the bank and its customers secure against future attacks.

Joey’s group is chiefly concerned with data protection and cybersecurity, while Rick’s group handles the IT infrastructure that both customers and employees interact with—the two collaborate closely together to keep EastWest’s cybersecurity up to date.

“EastWest is constantly adjusting to the cyber terrain, looking for vulnerabilities and mitigating them accordingly,” says Rega la. “Our office, the Information Security and Data Protection Office, consistently coordi nates with the IT Group to further strengthen cybersecurity.”

DEFENSE IN DEPTH

Regala stands in the way of cybersecurity threats to protect the bank and its customers. He transitioned from auditing to accounting to IT auditing and now cybersecurity working for nearly 30 years of wide information tech nology experience.

He has worked with different companies and banks along with being a trailblazer in the Information Security Officers Group where he was the former president. He is member of the PNP-Anti CyberCrime Advisory Council and the BAP Cyber security Working Committee. What Regala deems vital in his line of work is a learning mindset. “You have to learn the behavior of people, of people on the other side, in order to prevent potential attacks. The cybersecurity officer continues to stress the importance of knowing how threats are formed and how they will attack. “You have to learn from the hacker, learn to think like the hacker.”

He says cybersecurity defense is like a castle with many layers of protection. He uses the term ‘Defense in Depth’, a security strategy that enacts multiple security mea sures to protect against threats. He also un derscores the significance AI and machine learning when it comes to identifying and solving IT threats.

“The power of AI is a big help in detect ing threats and identifying errant behavior to prevent attacks. Machine learning assists in identifying fraud management, and there are analytical tools using geolocation, or other means to identify abnormal behavior in ac count movements.”

The company’s growth attests to the real demand for accessible education financing in the country. “Despite the pandemic the past 2 years, we’ve managed to continuously grow our portfolio. We’re confident that we can scale the business to help even more students continue their studies for a better tomorrow,” says Jon Robert Emlano, president of Bukas.

An avid cyclist, Regala draws parallels from safety in the road while on a bike to his line of work. “Biking is like cybersecurity. You have to keep on pedaling, or you will fall, just like in cybersecurity you need to keep on looking for new ways to defend the cyber space. You have to stop, look, and listen. Always find time to identify possible threats and navigate the terrain to find the best course of action”.

Silang East Interchange to Aguinaldo Highway.

EastWest Bank executive vice president, chief information officer and head of technology and productivity Rick Pusag (left) EastWest first vice president, chief information security and data protection officer Joey Regala

with schools outside the metro including Saint Louis University, Cebu Institute of Tech nology-University, PHINMA Education, and University of the Visayas and is looking forward to growing the list soon.

Lista PH cofounders Aaron Morada Villegas and Khriztina Lim

Jon Robert Emlano, president of Bukas

Representing LGBTQ+ in the manga and anime world

By Julian Cardenas and Marron Joshua F. Mendoza

AS THE number of people worldwide who identify as part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and more (LGBTQ+) community continues to rise, the need for positive and authentic representation of the community in media also arises.

In the media and entertainment industry, the influence of Japanese anime and manga series is widespread as far as the eye can see. They absorb every aspect society gives them, and LGBTQ+ isn’t an exception.

In this world, they are seen as equals and not discriminated against as otherwise.

Even though Japan does not openly support LGBTQ+ rights, despite implementing laws that protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, it gives the community apt representation in the media they’re famous for—anime and manga. Works such as Classmates Yuri on Ice, the Finder series, Given, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and Ouran High School Host Club have shown that anime and manga are progressing faster than most Western media.

Jed Kendrick, a 34-year-old Philippine-based established manga artist, said that it’s not just manga but art in general that gives artists the freedom of expression as long as they are being

respectful to the world around them.

“In the world of manga and anime, LGBTQ+ means carefree or joyous. It is represented in a way that makes everyone in that world happy. The key to ending all strife is by keeping an open mind and accepting people who are different in the society so that everybody wins,” Jed said.

When it comes to strife in society, dis crimination is a heavy factor behind them all when close-minded individuals fail to understand and empathize with people with different lifestyles. Jed wants to end this cycle of hate through his works to promote a sense of acceptance amongst the people since, in the fictional world, individuals never discriminate against one another.

“Discrimination is one of the major reasons for conflict in the community and race. In inspiring them, we should teach or show them acceptance of each other,” the manga artist said.

A weeb (a devoted fan of anime and an admirer of Japanese culture), going by the

alias “Harley,” is an active fandom member of Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter and YuYu Hakusho series. She feels that anime is doing a great job of representing the com munity and spreading a message of equality in a society that people can learn.

“When it comes to showing equality in all aspects of life, may it be race or sexuality, nobody does it better than anime and manga,” Harley said.

Harley further emphasized that anime also shows the significant positive sides of the LGBTQ+, such as the high intelligence and emotional strength of characters to carry themselves forward in a lesson of dignity to all.

However, it’s not all positive. As Harley pointed out, many problems are present in numerous anime and manga fandoms, especially the fandom of Kōhei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia. Homophobia exists in some fandoms, which butchers the purity of the series and leads to an internal conflict within the fandom and toxicity, which

could

Even though some anime and manga fans remain critical of having LGBTQ+ characters in the anime and manga series they consume, Japanese creators strive to have LGBTQ+ characters in their works and lead the world in media representation of the LGBTQ+ community.

HOLIDAY READS 2: Poetry in English and Filipino

Four well-being tips for remote and hybrid work

THE pandemic has opened doors to diverse arrangements with employment.

While some grant the autonomy to set up shop where we most feel productive, it is still essential to take care of your mental health.

Boston University (BU) Employee Well ness experts under stand that dedication can take away from one’s own time, as well as physical, emotional, intel lectual, environ mental, social, and spiritual welfare.

“Regardless of the location and mode of communi cation, it is important to give priority to your well-being,” the team noted. “Some challenges are encountered by those who are working remotely, hybrid, or even both that require much attention.”

Echoing BU Employee Wellness is the Benilde WellBeing Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, which shows its appreciation to the general workforce who remain committed and passionate in their jobs despite the rapid changes in work measures.  Here are four points to keep in mind:

Maintain boundaries

When home becomes associated with work, it may be difficult to separate personal and professional time. Work-life balance, relationships, and activities may be neglected by the extra time spent working.

Establish healthy boundar ies by creating a structure. Change into and out of work clothes to differentiate work time. Set your office hours. Do not respond to emails once you’ve clocked out.

Make breaks a priority

Take 10-minute breaks. It enables the brain to rest and reset. It reduces the build-up of stress in a day. Stretch and walk. This reduces physical strain of sit ting for long periods of time. Quick meditation can make a big difference.

Avoid tech fatigue

The shift from in-person to virtual meetings (and vice versa) can cause eye irritation exhaustion and fatigue. A Stanford Research suggests reducing window size to lessen the excessive amounts of close-up eye contact. An external keyboard and camera increase the personal bubble space. It also diminishes immo bility brought by staying in the field of view.

You may use the “hide self-view” option to avoid looking at yourself during virtual meetings. Simply turn off your camera periodically to stand up and walk around. Having audio-only calls allows you to direct your gaze away from the screen.

Cultivate wellness

Develop and sustain healthy lifestyle practices. Engage in regular exercises. Practice work-life balance. Avoid negative outlets such as alcohol and drugs.

HERE’S my second column on holiday gift book recommendations – five poetry books in Filipino and English that will inspire deep thought and flights of fancy.

Why buy – and gift -- a book of poetry? When people think about books, it’s usually fiction, and usually a novel or collection of short stories. Many readers like the flow of narrative that takes them outside of them selves and into another world created by the writer.

But poetry is also rich in narrative; the difference is that it packs the story in a few lines or maybe a page or two of verses. This is why writing poetry is more difficult – be cause it has to tell a lot in a few words. And these books are among the best of contemporary Filipino poetry today.

* * *

Poet Rio Alma returns this season with Mga Póon, Mga Piyón, Mga Pusóng, Isang Púsong (148 pgs., pb, San Anselmo Press, 2022). ‘Rio Alma’ is the poetry penname (“pangalan sa pagtula) of National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines.

The book is a collection of poems sorted into four sections. The themes are corruption in politics, the machinations of the powerful, and the plight of the poor and marginalized in society. In particular, the third section contains poems recounting the poet’s participation in this year’s national elections, as he campaigned for Leni Robredo for president.

In “Ang Lugaw ni Leni,” he takes a derogatory term coined by Robredo’s detractors and recasts it as heroic and salvific, a missed chance, the road not taken: “Hindi lamang iyon, mga mare, pare/ Doon po sa aming isang bayang apí/ Nang minsang ilugmok ng gútom at peste/Naligtas ang lahat sa Lugaw ni Leni./ Ang Lugaw ni Leni pag inyong natikman/ Iibig ang puso’t rosas ang kakulay;/ Babangon ang patay at para isigaw: / Magkaisa tayo at maging marangal.”

In “Trabaho Lang Po,” he shreds a common excuse for abuse of power and authority: “Kailangang linawin na: / Ito ang pinakahamak na katwiran/ Ng tulad mong isip-alipin at utak-pulbura/ Upang manlinlang, pumaslang/ At yumurak sa karapatan ng iba.”

In this collection, Rio Alma shares sharp and pointed political and social commentary that aims to open minds to Truth (with a capital T) by speaking to power.

* * *

Fans of Nicolas B. Pichay will be glad to know that his Palanca Award-winning collection of poetry is available in an edition that makes it more accessible to the rest of the world.

Translated into English by Rose King-Dominguez Gerardo Z. Torres, and Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., the poems in Ang Lunes na Mahirap Bunuin (The Intransigence of Mondays, 146 pgs., pb, Librong Lira, 2019) were first published in Filipino in 1993.

The 2019 republication, with the English translations and introductions by National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario and writer/TV personality Lourd De Veyra, brings Pichay’s first book to a wider audience.

The poems are slices of Filipino life, that throw emotion, place, and cultural norms into sharp relief. Consider this part of “Kaklase ko sa Makiling,” written in honor of Zaldy Crispino: “Sinambit niya ang katagang ‘patay’/ na parang sumusubo / ng madaliang panangha lian,/ ang kanin umiigwas / sa kaniyang  mga bibig, / nginunguya pati ang buto / ng adobong manok.”

Pichay translated it himself thus: “She uttered the word ‘dead’/ as if eating/ lunch with quick swallows/ with beads of rice spilling / from the corners of her mouth/ the crushed bones of the chicken adobo/ flying in splinters.”

With that crisp and immediately evocative image, I can see that character clear as day, and taste the saltsour tang of adobo in my own mouth.

This collection is perfect for those who want to be re/introduced to the works of Pichay and savor a twoin-one for the price of one book.

* * *

King Llanza pulls us into the brave new world of ecopoetry in All My Distances Point to Home (92 pgs., pb, UST Publishing House, 2022).

His examination of the human condition through a queer lens is juxtaposed with humor, longing, optimism, and an expression of the lyricism he finds immanent within humans, animals, and the natural world.

In “Before I Have Time to Grieve,” he melds the urban landscape with trees and porifera – “Coming here barefoot, my soles fully / imprint on the surface of moist soil, resonating / with the warmest sunset tones of Manila Bay. / Somewhere, a sponge is aching as it absorbs / everything like ears collecting the muffled sounds / that go past the tree-lined street.”

I find it amazing how he manages to layer different aspects of the world to create a complex image without losing the nuance or meaning or slipping into an inchoate mess of verbiage. It is soul-satisfying to read more about the natural world than we usually find in books of poetry. In this, Llanza’s first book, we are reminded of our own link to nature and the importance of recognizing and honoring that connection.

“Remember, before they turn into dreams.”

* * *

Babeth Lolarga’s much-anticipated poetry omnibus Moon Hanging Low Over My Window and Other Poems (310 pgs., pb, UST Publishing House, 2022) is a rich and detailed consummation of the poet’s love of life and the writing craft over the year of her career.

Most of the poems were written under the nom de plume “J. Likha Yatco,” the reasons for which Lolarga explains in a brief foreword. The themes in this collec tion span lifetimes and worlds; there’s something in it for everyone. As literary critic Elmer A. Ordoñez puts it: “Her poems are rich in epiphany, irony, and imagery; musings on the arts, painting, literature, and the human condi tion. Add satire, social commentary, and advocacy which come from a sharp historical and political sense.”

Lolarga’s verses are rich in vocabulary, lyricism, imagery, and cultural nuance; even those written with the sparsest words convey depths of meaning. In “The Sharing,” she dis cusses how food is an integral part of our lives and deaths: (The sharing) “that goes on/ on Filipino tables/ is a trait / uniquely ours / even if there’s / a death / in the family / the

‘mermaids’ is a  reference to the term ‘sirena,’ a slang word for ‘gay.’

But while looking at the world from a queer perspective, his poems are universal to all  Filipinos who are ‘mermaids’ and ‘mermen’ by virtue of being born on an archipelago. Wherever we live in the Philippines, we are never very far from water. And Prudenciado reminds us of that and our seafaring roots.

In “Apocalypse,” he writes: “In this poem, we are amidst the sea/ cradled by a small outrigger boat, I don’t know/ how we made it here but I’m guessing the / ice caps and glaciers have finally melted. Maybe, / this place was once a city before the sea desired / the beauty of its lights and took it as its own.”

Somehow, he packs a ton of cultural references in just these few lines – the voyage of the balangays, the end of the last Ice Age, Atlantis and the swallowing by the ocean of eons-old civilizations, and global warming’s effect on land and sea.

Prudenciado is an amazing talent and I look forward to his forthcoming works. *

grieving / still prepare / a feast / no Filipino eats / unless she or he shares / the food with someone.” This is an excellent read, and at over 300 pages is thicker than most poetry books. This will give the reader hours of pleasurable reading and musing while curled on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate.

James Prudenciado’s Made of Saltwater (116 pgs., pb, Isang Balangay Media Productions, 2022) takes us to the watery worlds of the island of Samar, the poet’s hometown. He dedicates the book: “for mermaids, for us” and this makes sense when we learn that he is a young, queer, self-taught poet,  and

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

spoil the series’ image. The demand for proper LGBTQ+ representation in media and entertainment continues to increase as communities advocate for inclusivity. Western media must catch up with Japanese anime and manga in positive and genuine portrayals if they want to dominate the market.

Philippine-based manga artist Jed Kendrick

A sketch from one of Kendrick’s panels

Rio Alma’s collection of poems explores corruption in politics and the plight of the poor

The

James Prudenciado’s ‘Made of Saltwater’ transports readers to the island of Samar

‘All My Distances Point to Home’ is King Llanza’s way of pulling readers into ecopoetry

There’s something for everyone in Babeth Lolarga’s ‘Moon Hanging Low Over My Window and Other Poems’

n By PETER ATENCIO

YOUNG sisters, Elle and Deandra Castro nuevo, just wanted to have fun when the family stayed at home in Imus, Cavite after the COVID-19 lockdowns were imposed nationwide in 2020.

Their uncle, Robert Franz Grafil, began introducing them to chess pieces, and later showed them how to play and enjoy the sport in the months that followed.

Soon enough, the girls were learn ing to compete online, with family, friends, and competitors, and began joining tournaments sanctioned by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP). And they love what they’re doing.

Last year, the pair enjoyed their experience in being in online na tional age group championships and started making waves in the chess community.

The year 2022 was different, though, their parents, Bridson and Abi decided to bring them out of the virtual world and into a face-toface confrontation with other young rivals when lockdowns began easing in March and April in Cavite.

Elle and Deandra showed their fighting form in the National Youth Age Group Championships, landing at second and third places, respectively, in their first-ever face-to-face events.

They traveled last July to Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte for the National Youth and School Championships, a tournament that served as qualifiers for the 6th Eastern Asia Youth Chess Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.

It yielded great results with Elle making it to the second spot and Deandra at no. 4 in the under-9 cat egory, and in a trip that was support ed by the NCFP and the Philippines Sports Commission.

Inspired, their parents Bridson and Abi sent them first to Kuala Lumpur to join a chess festival to

HOBBIES & COLLECTIONS

ELLE AND DEANDRA CASTRONUEVO:

Chess champion sisters forged by Covid lockdown

have them get a feel of how to com pete in an international event.

Bridson, an information technology employee at the BPO in Makati, and Abi were surprised at the result as Elle and Deandra returned home as under-8 and under-10 champions.

“Nag-champion iyung dalawa.

Pinadala namin sila duon para matu to maglaro sa board. Kasi, puro online games ang natutunan nila,” said Abi in an interview with Manila Standard.

BANGKOK SOJOURN

They went to Bangkok for the East Asia event from Nov. 4-13, with Elle earning a Women’s Candidate Master (WCM) norm for winning 23 and 25 games she played there.

At age eight, she has become one of the youngest candidate masters be sides Bince Rafael Operiano of Albay. Elle and Bince were among the 10 candidate masters who were named. This happened after Elle took home

Zamboanga, Buntan survive foes; Folayang falls

Thai bout to also get back to winning ways.

Meanwhile, Eduard “Landslide” Fo layang’s return to Manila took a dampen er, dropping a second-round TKO loss to Edson Marques in the lead card.

dropped face first on the canvas. While he did recover quickly, ref eree Olivier Coste felt that Folayang falling flat was enough for him to stop the bout.

three gold medals in the individual category, first for winning seven of nine games in the standard event, then sweeping seven matches in the rapids, and emerging unbeaten in nine rounds of blitz.

As for Deandra, she settled for the two team golds with teammates Janelle Tan of Cagayan de Oro City and Ann Hilario of Bulacan in the rapid and blitz events.

“Masaya po ako at nakapag fin

ish po ako. At nagkaroon ng mga friends,” said Elle, a grade 3 student at the Imus Pilot Elementary School, of her experience with Deandra. Deandra also expressed happiness in joining two international meets and she dreams of someday following the footsteps of chess legend Judit Polgar. Bridson and Abi hope that their daughters would shine even more next year when they compete in more international tournaments.

Brazilian mentor to take care of PH beach volley squads

BRAZIL’S Joao Luciano Kiodai was added to the Philippine National Vol leyball Federation (PNVF) national team program to handle the beach volleyball squads, according to PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

Kiodai arrived in the country last Tuesday and went straight to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to start handling the national beach volleyball squads preparations for the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures set from December 8 to 11 at the Subic Bay Sand Court.

Kiodai is the second Brazilian in the PNVF national team program under the auspices of the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB. Jorge Edson Souza de Brito has been han dling the women’s volleyball program since July last year.

“Coach Joao’s arrival is a big boost to the national beach volleyball in as much the same way as Coach Jorge is to the volleyball teams,” said Suzara, who welcomed Kiodai along with PNVF secretary general Don Caringal.

Kiodai, 43, was a beach volleyball

pro for 10 years and coach for 15 years, having coached the national teams of Iran and Azerbaijan.

His most notable players are threetime Olympic champions Kelly Walsh Jennings and Brooke Sweat.

Two teams from Singapore, meanwhile, arrived Saturday and will play exhibition matches against the Philippine teams on Monday at the spruced-up Subic Bay Sand Courts.

The Singaporeans will play against the national pairs of Dij Rodriguez and Gen Eslapor, Sisi Rondina and Jovelyn Gonzaga, and the young tan dem of Grydelle Matibag and Khylem Progella.

The men’s squad is made up of Jude Garcia and Krung Arbasto, Ran ran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton, and James Buytrago and Pol Salvador.

A test event will be held Wednesday while the qualification matches will be on Thursday. The 16-team main draw will be from December 9 to 11.

The Futures is one of three tiers of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour besides the Challenge and Elite 16.

The third-ranked atomweight Zam boanga made her Philippine debut with ONE in style after a tough, split decision win over dangerous Chinese striker Lin Heqin.

With a lot of people expecting her to wrestle against Lin, Zamboan ga turned to her refined striking to hurdle the Chinese knockout artist and get back to winning ways after dropping consecutive losses to Ham Seo Hee.

Filipino-American striking sensa tion Buntan also finally had her mo ment in the country as she outpointed Amber Kitchen in a catchweight Muay

The former ONE Lightweight World Champion actually looked fluid on the feet, landing beautiful body punches and leg kicks to frustrate the Brazilian striker for most of the first round.

However, all it took was just one solid punch from Marques in the sec ond round to put down Folayang and end the fight for good for the Filipino at the 2:53 mark of the second round.

With Folayang swarming after landing a few solid body punches, Marques showed great composure as he stepped back and connected on a beautiful right hook right on the Filipino’s chin as the Team Lakay star

“[I was] going into a clinch, and then ita-try ko rin sanang going into my right then nasabayan ako ng suntok. Pero hindi, hindi naman ako na-blanko eh. I think napasubsob lang talaga ako,” Folayang said.

“Then, I immediately got up kasi kung nahilo talaga ako dun, nablanko. Hindi. I can still recall tapos I think napaaga masyado yung ano, yung pag-stop.”

Folayang however, has no qualms about the decision.

“Wala naman, I think nagawa na yung decision eh. It was [heat of the] moment pero nagawa na yung deci sion, it’s very difficult para habulin.”

Arnibal’s record-breaking feat boosts UST in UAAP junior athletics

JEANNE Arnibal starred as the Univer sity of Santo Tomas continued to pull away in the girls’ division of the ongoing UAAP Season 85 Athletics Champion ships, Thursday at the Philsports Track and Field Oval in Pasig City.

With 126 points in the third day after a four-gold romp, the Junior Female Tiger Tracksters now have 317 points, a huge 115 markers ahead of the second-running University of the East with 202.

Arnibal, a former Palarong Pam

bansa standout from Quezon Prov ince, opened the day for UST with no less than a new UAAP record in the triple jump with 11.66 meters, break ing the previous mark of UST’s Anna Sinconiegue in Season 82 of 11.27.

Arnibal’s jump was just ahead by a few centimeters of Adamson Univer sity’s Rhea Lego with 11.34, which also surpassed Sinconniegue’s record. UE’s Desiree Narido completed the medal ists with a jump of 9.08.

Faith Burdeos bagged her second gold of the season with a winning mark of 34.85 meters in the discus throw. Adamson’s Lea Pareja and Jazen Arano came in distant second and third with 29.11 and 29.02, respectively.

Lyka Raterta and Fiona Tolentino then made it a 1-2 finish for UST in the 1500 meters. Raterta captured her second title of the competition with 5:29.99 minutes and Tolentino crossed the line with 5:46.70. Jyzel

Gabriel of UE denied the Tiger Track sters the podium sweep, finishing in third with 5:51.29, five seconds ahead of UST’s Madelyn Flores’ 5:56.04.

Arnibal then anchored the squad also composed of Lyka Miravalles, Christine Guergio, and Charize Mon tes to the gold in the 4x100m relay with 52.57, just 0.03 seconds ahead of AdU’s Gwyneth Santoluma, Lego, Leanne Flores, and Juvelle Matnog’s 52.60. UE came in third with Gabriel,

Jenevie De Costa, Narido, and Jane Gochoco at 55.12.

Matnog broke the UST onslaught with the gold in the 400m and fin ished with a time of 1:01.67, ahead of two Thomasians in Guergio with 1:02.73 and Miravalles with 1:03.76.

On the other hand, Adamson University continued to dominate the boys’ side with 296 points, withstand ing UST’s own moves in the standings that closed at 233 markers.

FILIPINA fighters Denice Zamboanga and Jackie Buntan took hard-earned victories in the ONE Fight Night 5: De Ridder vs. Malykhin on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in the Philip pines.

BRAZILIAN coach Joao Luciano Kiodai (sixth from left) poses with the men’s national team— (from left) James Buytrago, Ranran Abdilla, Jaron Requinton, Jude Garcia, assistant coach Jason Gabales, head coach Rhovyl Verayo, strength, and conditioning coach John Paulo Agir, Pol Gringo Salvador and Anthony Lemuel Arbasto Jr.

Denice Zam boanga (right) and Chinese striker Lin Heqin go toeto-toe in their atomweight tussle

Elle Castronuevo and other medallists.

Deandra and Elle Castronuevo and their parents visited Philippine Olympic Com mittee (POC) president and Tagaytay City Mayor Bambol Tolentino.

Deandra Castronuevo prepares to make next move

An extra lookback at Darna’s past enemies and their superpowers

FROM the trending fight with the Martean warrior Luna (Kira Balinger) to the thrilling confrontations with Valentina (Janella Salvador), the new season of Mars Ravelo’s Darna came in swinging with action-packed scenes that showcased Darna’s (Jane de Leon) powers and abilities.

With new villains and even more exciting face-offs that are unfolding this season, take a look back at Dar na’s previous enemies, the “Extras,” that tested her wisdom and strength as “protector.”

While Extras may seem as bad in the eyes of many, Darna believes that they are also victims who need help. It is certainly true for Javier (Dominic Ochoa) who tried to expose the corruption behind the construction of a government facil ity that was being built using sub standard materials. After being bur ied alive, Javier emerged as “Lindol Man” who has the ability to gener ate earthquakes.

On the contrary, Silent Shock

Reaching for the STARS

n By ANGELICA VILLANUEVA

AS I was about to write this arti cle, I started listening to a familiar song close to my heart—“Kon Nun Tong Pen Tur (That Person Must Be You)”—a song from a hit Thai series that kept me sane during the pan demic.

Suddenly, flashbacks of the pan demic began to dwell in me—the lockdown and how this series left a special spot in my heart.

It was two years ago when I first came across two of Thailand’s brightest and most phenomenal stars, Bright Vachirawit and Win Metawin through their BL show, 2gether The Series

The interest in watching it first came to me when the series start ed landing on the number one spot of Twitter’s trending list every Friday night and to feed my curiosity, I ended up watching it. Later on, I found myself becoming more hooked on the story and became one of those who were waiting for the series to have its sequel.

With the success of their first TV show, their fan base across Asia including the Philippines and oth er neighboring regions started to boom making virtual fan meetings possible.

Fast forward, these young actors were given the chance to portray the roles of Thyme and Kavin in F4 Thailand alongside Dew Jirawat and Nani Hirunkit who played Ren and MJ, respectively.

Two years had passed and well, the long wait was really over for fans like me because last weekend, I started to wave goodbyes to virtual fan meetings as I was able to watch them performing in front of me—in the flesh—not just my stans, Bright and Win, but also Dew and Nani.

Just like any fan, I screamed at the top of my lungs cheering for

their respective song. I would not deny nor lie that I became more ex tra in shouting BrightWin’s names during their performances.

But there was this one song that made me emotional—Win’s song, “Kon Nun Tong Pen Tur.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I re member myself two years ago think ing if I would have the opportunity to meet them in person since we were all stuck due to the pandemic.

I never thought that I would be able to hear Win performing this song to gether with his Filipino fans. There were times during the concert that I would ask my fellow fan, Leanne, if it was really happening in front of our eyes.

Enough with the concert, because the most exciting part of their Ma nila tour was during their fan meet on the next day with Globe’s Reach 4 The Stars at Bonifacio High Street where fans were able to see them once again before they go back to Bangkok.

Before going up on stage, I got the chance to see them up close, like lit erally, the four of them were sitting in front of me. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be able to have a quick interview

er (Boom Labrusca) opposed Darna’s way of serving justice and prefers Valentina’s killing spree to eradicate the evil beings in Nueva Esperanza. He also used his elec trokinesis abilities to orchestrate several accidents that tarnished Darna’s reputation.

Another memorable Extra is the Ex-Triad group consisting of Inno/ Drag Mouth (Karl Gabriel), who spits acidic liquid from his mouth; Klara/The Seductress (Jef Gai tan), a red-haired extra who uses hypnotism to manipulate minds; and Miguel/Boy Chop-Chop (Henz Villariz) who can detach his limbs from his body.

No one is safe from becoming an

Extra, not even Brian Robles (Josh ua Garcia) who had an evil clone. His doppelgänger was brought to life when shards of chrysalis landed on the mirror that Brian was look ing at. His duplicate known as “Dark Brian” locked up the real Brian in a cell and used his position as a police officer to fulfill his evil desires.

Some other Extras that Darna also fought are Strength Man (Jerald Napoles), Killer Ghost (Christian Bables), Clone Man (Neil Coleta), Human Urchin (Loren Burgos), and Levitator (Enchong Dee).

As Darna wholeheartedly fulfills her mission, who will be the next villains to challenge her grit and strength?

Local apparel welcomes cosplay icon Myrtle Sarrosa as new ambassador

GUITAR welcomes cosplayer and tele vision personality Myrtle Sarrosa as its newest clothing ambassador. The event was held at Beanleaf Coffee & Tea in Fisher Mall on November 30.

“I am so happy to be part of the brand that has been in the market since 1960. They are so welcoming so I am excited to collaborate with them and share my creativity as well for a line that might be co-branded as Myrtle Collection,” Myrtle shared with the press during the event.

As the new ambassador, the 27-yearold actress will be joining the brand’s other ambassadors including Gloc-9 (Rap Icon), Rachel Anne Daquis (Volleyball Icon), and Mark Mugen Striegl (MMA Icon), in their cam paign “What Icons Wear.”

Guitar Underwear is known and la beled as a premium brand of under wear since its launch in the ‘60s. While the market is continuously evolving, the brand has evolved as well, expand ing its product line from basic under wear to innerwear and sleepwear, to basic polo shirts, school uniforms, and denim/casual jeans.

Guitar apparel is available in lead ing department stores nationwide. For updates about their latest and sale col lection, follow Guitar on Facebook and Instagram at @guitarapparel1960 and their website at www.guitar1960.com

Shedding some light on a viral TikTok song

n By MARRON JOSHUA F. MENDOZA

A SONG with lyrics that goes “Ting Ting Tang Tang Tang” has been stuck in the heads of many TikTok users re cently. Numerous people have used it in many videos on the video-sharing site, especially those dancing to it, but only a few are aware of the song’s or igin.

with them.

Looking fresh on his white shirt top and denim pants, Bright couldn’t help but to say yes to his Filipino fans asking him to sing his version of Eraserhead’s “With A Smile” during the event. It felt nostalgic hearing him singing an iconic OPM song that was used as an OST to the dubbed version of their sequel, Still 2gether

While, Win, who always shows his iconic bunny smile, shared how he loves the Philippine mangoes de scribing their taste as “so good.”.

Dew didn’t even think twice about making his fans kilig as he told them, “Mahal kita, baby.” He really knows how to make our hearts skip a beat.

Nani, being the shy guy that he is, shared some encouraging words to his fans who look up to him to “Be yourself. Then the people will love you as you are If you respect your self, people will love you.”

Fans were also able to participate during the game segment “Name that Star” and “Who’s Most Likely To...”

The event ended with the gen tlemen saying “I love you” in Thai while Filipino fans replied, “Mahal ko kayo.”

If someone puts the words “ting ting tang” on TikTok’s search bar, results such as “ting ting tang dance” and “ting ting tang dance tutorial” come up, fueling the curiosity of many TikTok users.

The song is from a remixed version of the Vietnamese pop or V-Pop song titled “See Tình” by Vietnamese ac tress and singer Hoàng Thuý Linh

Among the few TikTok users who know about the song’s origins is Tita G. After her friends invited her to dance to it at a Christmas gathering. After some research, Tita G discov ered it was in another language.

Aaminin ko sa inyo, nung una akala ko ibang language siya. Like Japanese, Korean, Chinese? Kasi naman yung mga languages naman na ito ay talagang magkakatunog, di ba? Surprisingly, this is VietPop or Vietnamese pop,” she added.

“See Tình,” translated as “see love,” went viral worldwide. It sparked many dance videos to the song, in cluding one from the official TikTok account of the GMA Network game show Family Feud. Its host, Ding dong Dantes, danced with model and actor Eric “Eruption” Tai and his Family Feud teammates Kiko Matos, Kenjhons Serrano, and Mammoth Estroso

Released on February 20, 2022, the song started trending after a K-Pop fan account clipped videos of South

In an interview with L’Officiel Viet nam magazine, Hoàng said that while she looked for inspiration for the song, she remembered feeling 17 to 18 years old when she learned how to love.

Hoàng starred in many Vietnam ese films and television series before starting her music career, where she released four albums and numerous singles that became hits in her home country.

In 2007, she was involved in what was known as the “biggest scandal ever in the Vietnamese entertainment industry” after a video was leaked on line of her and her boyfriend having sexual intercourse. It halted the dra ma series she then starred in, prompt ing her to release a public apology on Vietnamese state television and maintain a low profile for years. She later began her music career in 2001.

The scandal ranked third in the list of Asia’s top 5 celebrity sex scandals by CNN, a list topped by the sex vid eo scandal involving Filipino actress Katrina Halili and celebrity doctor Hayden Kho, Jr.

Yet since everyone deserves a second chance to redeem themselves, Hoàng’s song and the discovery of its origins tracing back to her signify that she’s slowly inching back to brighter days for her career. It also placed Vietnamese pop on a global platform and showed how music could connect people re gardless of culture, language, or race.

Korean groups such as BTS and Twice performing on stage with a sped-up version in the background.

Several viral TikTok dance videos posted by South Korean artists, such as rapper Lee Seung-hoon, Super Junior member Shindong, and The Boyz member Sunwoo, fol lowed shortly.

Jane De Leon aptly showcases Darna’s powers and abilities through the show’s

action-packed scenes

Enchong Dee as Levitator

Christian Bables as Killer Ghost

Dominic Ochoa can generate earthquakes as Lindol Man

Loren Burgos as Human Urchin

Cosplayer and television personality Myrtle Sarrosa

Vietnamese actress and singer Hoàng Thuý Linh

F4 Thailand’s lead cast (from left) Dew Jirawat, Bright Vachirawit, Win Metawin, and Nani Hirunkit serenading their fans during the fanmeet

Eager fans documenting the opportunity to see the cast of F4 Thailand up close

Does your cat have what it takes to be a cat influencer?

By Rowena David

cute, they’re cuddly, and they are as famous as any A-list Hollywood celebrity. Meet the adorable cat influencers. When we hear the word influencers, we immediately think of people

by

media. But what exactly are cat influencers?

Cat influencers, or catfluencers, are cats who have millions of followers on social media, especially on Instagram. They receive free stuff, discounts, and compensation in exchange for pro moting products and services. And because they have a huge social media following, they can influ ence people.

Lil Bub, one of the most famous cats on the planet un til her death in 2019, helped raise $700,000 for animals with special needs. Not a small feat for a cat.

Perhaps the cat who started the rise of cat influencers was Grumpy Cat whose real name was Tardar Sauce. Her grumpy

look was caused by an underbite and feline dwarfism. She became famous when her photo was posted on Reddit and became the subject of numerous memes. She later became the official spokescat for Friskies

when her photo was numerous memes. She cat food. Cat most number of follow

However, having millions of followers does not guarantee that a cat can be an effective influencer. Cole & Marmalade, whose Instagram followers is just 676,000, are considered one of the best cat influencers around because their posts have higher engagement rates than those of accounts with larger followings. High engagements matter.

Some cats become famous on Instagram because they serve as inspiration for cats who have unique physical appearances. Roux the legless kitty was born without front legs and she has 483,000 followers. Although she is missing two front legs, she has strong back legs that allow her to move around effortlessly.

which makes her the second highest-earning pet on Instagram. The top spot is occupied by a cute Pomeranian named Jiffpom.

As a cat parent to a celebrity cat, you can also help the animal community by donating to animal shelters and helping rescued cats find forever homes. Cole & Marmalade supports cats by endorsing a certain type of nutritious cat treats on their website.

Both the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa and the neighborhood cat shelters receive a share of the proceeds from sales. Furthermore, as a cat parent to an influential cat, you can help other cat owners by giving advice or sharing tips on pet care.

Simple tips to help your cat become famous on social media

1. Post interesting photos of your cat. Among my cats, Diego is my secret favorite. I wanted to create a Facebook account for him so I could show off his cuteness. Unfortu nately, I could not produce a single interest ing photo of him as he prefers to take long naps during the day. What I got were photos of him sleeping on the bed, him sleeping on top of the fridge, and him taking a nap on my laptop. In short, they were boring photos that no one would be interested to look at. So, I abandoned all hope of having a wellknown Puspin. If you have a playful kitten, always be ready with your camera so you can capture your cat’s awkward and funny mo ments. People are more likely to share your post if it makes them laugh.

2011 but now she has a pet food line

Nala Cat currently holds the record for the most number of followers on Instagram with 4.4 million followers. Hers is a rags-to-riches story. She was adopted from an animal shelter in 2011 but now she has a pet food line and a net worth of 10 million dollars.

@lilbunnysueroux/Instagram

In the Philippines, the cat with the most number of Instagram followers is Panther with 31,000 followers. She is a cat model for pet brands here and abroad. There are sev eral Puspins (Pusang Pinoy) who are famous among Filipino cat lovers even though they have no social media accounts of their own. They are well-known because they have in teresting personalities or they have celebrity parents who constantly post their photos on social media.

Hamsters as Pets

By Mariana Burgos

SMALL rodents known as hamsters are frequently kept as pets in homes. They can be identified from other rodents by their small ears, stubby legs, and short tails. My nephew, when he was still in the elementary level, had a few hamsters for pets. He had them a number of times. Each time he acquired a few, it would only last for a couple of months and then, they would die. I think it is because he did not quite know how to really take care of this type of creature.

I have known a few people that think that a hamster is a great pet for starters, especially for very young children. You know….to teach them responsibility and all that kind of stuff.

I like what PETA said with their article, “What You Need to Know Before Considering a ‘Pet’ Hamster” (20 October 2021). They claimed that hamsters are frequently referred to as "starter pets," a derogatory term that implies that they are less valuable and require less care than other animals and may be used as a "learning experience" for kids who are only beginning to learn how to handle responsibility. They said this kind of thinking is an illustration of “speciesism,” the mistaken notion that one species is more significant than another. And they adamantly assert that there is no such thing as a "starting pet." And I, one hundred percent, agree with them!

I also agree with what they said about animal breeding to be sold as pets as the main cause of the ‘homeless animal crisis’ in the whole world. They pointed this out as the very first thing you should be aware of when acquiring a hamster for a pet. It is because when you try to get one, you usually “buy” them from a pet store. The act, itself, may seem insignificant or like there is nothing wrong with buy ing from a pet store if you do not know the whole picture of the situation. There are thousands upon thousands of homeless animals in various animal shelters. The main cause of this is inconsiderate animal breeding. The ‘pet hamster business’ is, sadly, one main thing with these cruel breeders. So, if you buy a hamster for a pet, you are actually supporting this type of cruelty to animals, specifically to innocent, gentle rodents called hamsters.

If ever you do get to have a pet hamster, you should truly research thoroughly first what you need to do to care well for such animals. That is because they are living beings and not some miniature lifeless toys or things you can put in a container in one corner and forget about for most of the day. Which is what many children who have hamster pets do. That is why what happened to my nephew’s hamsters is what usually happens to many pet hamsters of kids---- they die easily.

discoverable. The most frequently used hashtags for cats are #cats #catsofinstagram, and #catlovers, to name a few.

5. Be authentic. Never sacrifice your cat’s health and reputation for free stuff. Your cat’s safety and well-being should always be your priority as a cat parent.

Whatever the reason is, they have captured the interest of Pinoy cat lovers. They are Archer, the DLSU cat (who also passed away in 2019); Nala, Marc Nelson’s rescued cat; and Fleur, PAWS’ resident cat, just to name a few.

They are Archer, the DLSU cat (who also just to name a few.

How can cat parents benefit from their Instagram-famous cat?

Being the cat parent of a successful cat influencer is undoubtedly financially rewarding. Nala Cat earns $14,419 per post

2. Make your cat's personality stand out. If your cat tends to look at people with disdain, let that show through your post, and don’t forget to add a funny caption. Funny captions help increase audience engagement and that’s a good thing.

3. Tell your cat’s story. Share how your cat became a member of your family, for instance. People tend to form an emotional connection to cats if they know the cats’ history.

4. Do not underestimate the power of hashtags. Hashtags make your post more

6. Take good care of your cats. Famous or not, our cats deserve to be treated properly because it’s part of responsible pet ownership.

About the author: Rowena David is faculty member at College of Computer Science in the University of Makati, is a freelance writer (Tagalog short novels), admin of Philippine Pet Lovers Society Facebook page, an animal rescuer and animal welfare advocate.

What you must know if ever you do get a hamster for a pet

Alina Bradford and Ailsa Harvey, in their article, "Hamsters: Diet, habits & types" (3 March 2022), mentioned that the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare claimed there are 24 species of hamsters and that these animals come in a wide range of sizes.

The two also mentioned a publication called Biomarkers in Toxicology that says some of the largest varieties of hamsters are the European breed, which can reach lengths of up to 12.5 inches (32 cm).

The dwarf hamster, so the saying goes, lives up to its moniker. These little hamsters reach lengths of 2 to 4 inches (5.5 to 10.5 cm).

The Syrian hamster, sometimes referred to as the teddy bear hamster or golden hamster and the most popular pet hamster, typically reaches a length of 6 inches (15.24 cm), says Bradford and Harvey.

What I have learned about hamsters since I was a kid is that these creatures are nocturnal. Meaning, they sleep during the day and are awake during the night. With their natural habitat, they dig burrows to live and breed in. That is why they like tunnels and they love to go under things and other stuff.

Bradford and Harvey said that while some hamsters prefer to be alone, others are quite gregarious. The Syrian ham ster, for instance, dislikes

being around

other hamsters. They should never be kept in a cage with other hamsters since they are quite territorial. The other hamster will get bitten by it, and it might possibly die. On the other hand, dwarf hamsters are gregarious animals and want to be around their friends.

Bradford and Harvey referenced information from the Hamster Society Singapore that stated that ham sters enjoy eating seeds, grains, nuts, broken corn, fruits, and vegetables. Insects, frogs, lizards, and other small creatures are also consumed by wild hamsters.

According to Bradford and Harvey, who quoted the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies, a confined hamster's diet should contain at least 16 per cent protein and five (5) per cent fat.

When mating, male and female hamsters don't waste any time. In a cage with two hamsters of the opposing sexes, the female will swiftly become pregnant. Accord ing to the Young People's Trust for the Environment (YPTE), which was mentioned by Bradford and Harvey, their gestation period lasts 15 to 20 days.

The young are weaned three to four weeks after birth and remain blind until they are two weeks old.

Bradford and Harvey cited the publication Scientific Reports as evidence that female European hamsters often have two to three litters every year. Although they can live up to three years in captivity, hamsters normally survive for one to two years.

normally survive for one to two years.

A mother hamster is fiercely guarded. She will place her young in her mouth pouches and bring them to safety if she thinks they are in danger.

To know more about hamsters, Bradford and Harvey suggested reading the RSPCA website article "Hamsters," specially if you're thinking about keeping a hamster as a pet.

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

EFFITIX, a topical so lution for dogs used for the treatment and prevention of flea and tick infestation, can also repel mosqui toes, said Virbac, an animal health phar maceutical company.

It will be available in the Philippines midDecember.

Because this inno vative product has an added repellent property against mosquitoes, dogs will be safe against heart worm. Virbac explained that mosquitoes transmit heartworm.

“With active ingredients fipronil and permethrin, Effitix is indeed an effective spot on solution, which keeps your dog safe from external parasites for up to four weeks,” Vibrac said.

Fleas and ticks are killed within 24 hours following treatment. One treatment prevents further infestation for a month as it remains effective after bathing, shampooing, water immersion or sunlight exposure.

“The product can be used as part of a treatment strategy for the control of Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD), reducing the risk of transmission of tick-borne diseases (canine ehrlichiosis, babesiosis) from infected ticks, and repellent (antifeeding) activity against mosquitoes (Culex pipiens, Aedes aegypti),” Virbac said.

“What’s more, for easy and convenient application, Effitix features a unique drop-stop pipette technology that lets you apply the product in just the right place on your pets – with no mess and no fuss,” Virbac added.

The topical solution is available for pups and dogs eight weeks old or older in three dose sizes for dogs from 4 to 40 kilograms.

“With Effitix, you can sleep soundly at night knowing that your pet dogs are safe and protected from the dangers of external parasites,”Virbac said.

Virbac Effitix will be available beginning December 16, 2022 at authorized online pet stores, and February 2023 at leading physical pet shops and vet clinics.

To know more about the product, visit their website at https://ph.virbac.com/home.html, their Facebook

@Vir bacPH, and Instagram profile @virbac_philippines.(Mavitch)

THEY’RE

who have the power to persuade potential customers to buy a product or service by endorsing it on social

Diego, Rowea’s cat that she adores so much.

Roux,

Virbac brings spot-on Effitix to PH to protect dogs from the deadly erlichia and heartworm

Unique drop system of Vibrac Effitix as demonstrated by Dr. Sheila Chavez

A human carries a hamster on both palms. A grey hamster with some nuts. (Photo from Piqsels)