Manila Standard - 2022 December 15 - Thursday

ADB RAISES PH GROWTH IN 2022 TO 7.4% FROM 6.5% IN SEPT.

By Julito G. Rada

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) raised its growth forecast for the Philippines this year to 7.4 percent from 6.5 percent made in September, considering the strong 7.7-percent expansion in the first three quarters as the economy remained resilient despite the global headwinds and the lingering pandemic.

The latest projection was contained in the Asian Development Outlook Supplement report for December 2022.

The 2022 projection for the Philippines was the second highest in the Southeast Asian region next to Vietnam’s 7.5 percent from 6.5 percent.

Next year, however, ADB lowered the projection for the Philippines to 6 percent from the previous estimate of 6.3 percent last September 2022 on a “gloomy global outlook.”

“Growth in major advanced economies is expected to slow considerably in 2023,” ADB said.

IMF, ADB favor wealth fund

Budget

chief

says both int’l agencies see SWF benefits for country

PBBM wants PH-EU free trade pact past negotiation stage

By Vince Lopez and Vito Barcelo

Jr. on Wednesday pitched a free trade agreement between the Philippines and the European Union to shore up economic re covery following the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During his speech at the Commemorative Summit be tween the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union in Bel gium, the President said he hopes to see the proposed

Speaker: Gov’t to obey EMSA rules

By Rey E. Requejo

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to veto “two to three” items in the Congress-approved proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday.

“I think we will have two vetoes, two to three direct vetoes, and all the rest are just conditional and general observations,” Pangandaman said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

Early last week, the bicameral committee of Congress approved the 2023

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives committee on constitutional amendments has pledged a series of hearings

By Julito G. Rada,

Lopez, and Maricel V. Cruz

HE International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, and even the USbased think tank Milken Institute have recommended the creation of a sovereign wealth fund (SWF), Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday.

During the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Pangandaman said the country’s two development partners and Milken Institute have endorsed the creation of the country’s own SWF. The ADB also said on Wednesday that the establishment of a sovereign wealth fund would not only benefit the economy but could also deepen the domestic capital market.

Meanwhile, Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said he would leave it to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. if the bill creating the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) would be certified as urgent.

In a press briefing Tuesday morning (Manila time) in Belgium with members of the Philippine media, Romualdez pointed out that despite initial concerns over the proposed measure, more lawmakers have expressed their desire to be included among the coauthors of the bill.

Pangandaman said discussions about such a fund began during the Duterte

House sets hearings on Cha-cha

“We will start our hearings shortly after we resume sessions on Jan. 23. So, we start on Jan. 26 (Thursday) and every other week thereafter,” panel chairman Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City told legislators and the media on Wednesday.

President picks Guadiz new LTFRB head

Vince

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos

Marcos seen to veto 2 to 3 budget items

beginning January next year on measures proposing to amend the 1987 Constitution.

THE administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will strictly comply with the standards of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) within three months to put an end to the woes of the country’s maritime industry.

Speaker Martin Romualdez made

this assertion on Tuesday in Brussels, stressing that addressing issues of Filipino seafarers in Europe is a priority of the Marcos administration.

EMSA had flagged the country for deficiencies in seafarer training and

Southeast Asian Nations and Bel-

DONE DEAL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shakes hands with European Council President Charles Michel (right) after securing commitments on trade and climate change mitigation, among others, during their meeting Tuesday in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Marcos also met with businessmen from across the continent during the ASEAN-EU Business Summit (inset). OPS Photos

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed lawyer Teofilo Estrada Guadiz III as the new Chairman of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board

(LTFRB) under the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Mala

PAG-IBIG APP LAUNCH. The Pag-IBIG Fund celebrated its 42nd anniversary Wednesday with the launch of the agency’s most comprehensive virtual app, complete with all key features for a seamless user experience. Pictured are Pag-IBIG CEO “Manang” Marilene Acosta (second from left) with the Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City. Peter Paul Duran

ATENEO STAYS ALIVE. Ateneo’s Dave Ildefonso (right) darts past a University of the Philippines defender during Game 2 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum

Speaker: PBBM going to Davos gab

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will be attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2023, Speaker Martin Romualdez said Tuesday in Brussels (Wednesday in Manila).

“Yes, I believe so. Yes. It looks like he’s confirmed it. So that will be exciting,” Romualdez told Palace reporters in a press briefing in Belgium, where he joined Mr. Marcos’ official delegation to a European Union summit with Southeast Asian nations.

Meanwhile, the President secured a P4.7 billion investment from multinational consumer goods firm Unilever on Wednesday, as it gears towards automating and digitalizing its operations in the Philippines.

After his trip to Brussels, Marcos Jr is expected to fly to China in early January for a state visit.

Back in November, the President said he was still considering WEF Founder Klaus Schwab’s invitation for him to attend the Forum next year because he was already “traveling too much.”

“So, I am undecided yet. It’s traveling too much. That’s already the end of January. I’m going to China on the third. It’s like my mom says, ‘Kailan ka nag-oopisina? (When are you going to the office?),’” he said.

Unilever officials, led by Matt Close, president of the global business group, met with the President on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (ASEAN-EU) Commemorative Summit in Brussels.

Close pointed to the multibillionpeso investment as proof of their commitment to the Philippines, which they consider as one of Unilever’s important locations for investments.

In the last three years, Unilever officials said they invested heavily in their Philippine factories, with an eye on using renewable

IMF...

From A1

From

Despite the reduction in GDP growth forecast, the 6-percent for the Philippines next year is the second highest next to Vietnam’s 6.3 percent.

The Philippine economy expanded by 7.6 percent in the third quarter this year, faster than the 7 percent a year ago, bringing the average in the first three quarters to 7.7 percent. The last time the economy grew by 7.7 percent in the first three quarters was in 2010.

“The Philippine economy has shown strong underlying growth momentum and resilience in 2022 and this is expected to continue in 2023, with GDP growth converging towards its longer-term growth rate of about 6 percent,” said ADB Philippines country director Kelly Bird.

“There are downside risks to growth in 2023, including inflation stickiness, further increases in interest rates, and a sharper than expected slowdown in GDP growth in advanced countries,” Bird said.

Growth in the Philippines will be at the high end of the range as compared with those of its Southeast Asian neighbors. The 2022 growth forecast for the region was raised to 5.5 percent from the previous 5.1 percent despite the overall dimmed outlook for Asia and the Pacific, according to the report.

GDP growth in Southeast Asia is expected to slow to 4.7 percent in 2023.

The ADB said upward pressures on commodity prices, including oil which will weigh heavily on the predominantly oil-importing Philippines, are expected to be sustained in 2023 with continued uncertainty arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Inflation is expected to quicken to 5.7 percent this year from the previous forecast of 5.3 percent before slowing in 2023, with the forecast for next year maintained at 4.3 percent.

The government has said that it expects to continue to invest on its flagship infrastructure projects to spur employment and lay the foundations for a more vibrant and resilient economy.

administration, when Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno was still the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor.

“During the pandemic, it was also the same time when INA [Indonesia Investment Authority], the sovereign wealth fund of Indonesia, was established. It was all over the news during that time,” Pangandaman said.

“And then Secretary Ben Diokno, BSP governor then, asked us to review and check if the BSP can establish its own sovereign wealth fund,” she said.

Pangandaman said both the ADB and IMF were “okay” with Diokno’s proposal, but adamant that the BSP not be the primary vehicle for the creation of a sovereign wealth fund because that was not part of its mandate.

“During that time, we really had a surplus in our reserves. The IMF has said we should only have at least three months of our reserves, but during Governor Diokno’s time, it was 10 months -more than enough,” Pangadaman said.

“So, he [Diokno] said, let’s study how we can go about this. We did research, a TWG [technical working group], we even met with ADB [and] the IMF,” she said.

“Both development partners said it’s okay, but not from the central bank because it’s not part of its mandate. It’s possible, but you [the government] need to revise the mandate and the charter of the BSP,” she said.

Pangandaman also said the SWF was discussed at a Cabinet meeting during

energy and ensuring sustainability. Despite issues on energy and labor, Unilever said it would recoup through automation and digital transformation, where Filipinos excel.

the time of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The DBM chief said they tapped the Milken Institute to help the technical working group, whose report about the SWF was released on Dec. 14.

She said the technical working group met with representatives of the Milken Institute of Singapore.

“They will release a report soon, and I think the report will say that the time is now. We don’t have to wait to start and create our own sovereign wealth fund,” Pangandaman said.

She said the Milken Institute report has not been released to the public yet.

Pangandaman added that Diokno also met last week with the World Bank to discuss the planned Maharlika Investment Fund.

ADB Philippines country director Kelly Bird said the sovereign wealth fund would create a lot of institutional investors.

Earlier, the country’s economic managers expressed their support for the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund as a vehicle to move forward the agenda for prosperity and achieve the economic goals of the government.

Diokno, Pangandaman, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla signed a joint statement saying that a sovereign wealth fund was a tried and tested investment vehicle used by governments in both developed and developing countries to achieve their economic objectives.

At Wednesday’s forum, Pangandaman said public concerns on the MIF were being addressed.

In response to the public’s concerns,

man said, referring to the items that are expected to be vetoed by the President.

the House committee on appropriations removed the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) as sources of funds for the MIF, she said.

“Our legislators listened and now, they are fine-tuning the bill. I’m sure that when it gets to the Senate, the economic team will be called. Everyone who wants to share their amendments will be considered, so let’s respect the process of legislation,” Pangandaman added.

She said the process of legislation will enable the public to express their suggestions to ensure that the law is created for the people. “It’s democracy at work,” she said.

In the House, “the Majority Floor Leader (Manuel Jose Dalipe) told me that we had over 220 [co-authors] and I think by the time I get back it might reach 250,” the Speaker said.

“So, there will be over two-thirds of the House who will be co-authoring [the bill] because there have been exhaustive briefings,” Romualdez, who is part of the official delegation of President Marcos in Brussels, said.

Despite having the numbers in the House to pass the MIF, Romualdez said it is still up to the President if he wants to certify the bill as urgent so it could be approved on third and final reading before the House adjourns for its Christmas break.

If the bill is certified as urgent, the House can dispense with the three-day rule---the requirement of the Constitution that no bill shall become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days.

DOH giving COA docs on vaccines today—Vergeire

By Willie Casas

THE Department of Health (DOH) said it will submit all documents related to the national government’s procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to the Commission on Audit (COA) on Thursday.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire made the statement during the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the Health Department’s alleged refusal to release the details of the vaccine procurement contracts on the pretext of a supposedly existing Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

During the hearing on Wednesday, committee chairperson Senator Francis Tolentino pressed the DOH to provide a date when they would submit the documents that will allow the COA to start the audit on the vaccine procurement.

“This committee is more interested in the NDAs and that’s probably part of the mandate of COA to have the unredacted, non-redacted contract even the pre-agreement sheets to be in your possession,” Tolentino said.

“So the question is when can you provide the COA copies of this? You said earlier that for every agreement, they had to request it. In open session today, they are now requesting that they’d be provided. How fast can you provide the COA with copies of this?” he asked the DOH.

Vergeire said: “We’re already preparing, and we will be submitting as soon as possible... maybe by tomorrow before lunch time if that is okay.”

PBBM...

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PH-EU free trade agreement move beyond the negotiation stage.

“I look forward to closer economic cooperation both on our bilateral and bloc-to-bloc relations at this time of economic recovery from the ravages caused by the pandemic and the current threats on the supply chain,” Mr. Marcos said.

“I hope to see the proposed Philippine-EU free trade agreement move beyond scoping negotiations soon. With the entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) among Asia-Pacific countries the European Union misses out on the benefit of having a similar agreement with ASEAN,” he said.

Meanwhile, the President secured various key investment pledges from European businesses in the renewable energy and infrastructure sectors, which are among the key administration’s prioritized agendas.

budget bill.

“During the bicameral committee, while in the Senate, they removed it, but during the ratification, it was restored and all of these were in the NEP (National Expenditure Program) already,” Panganda-

ficials and 54 senior military officers.

Speaker Martin Romualdez said Mr. Marcos is expected to sign the proposed P5.268 trillion budget for 2023 into law later this week.

The Department of Budget and Management chief, meanwhile, said the appropriations measure has roughly P70 billion worth of budget realignments.

“Upon our initial analysis and checking of the numbers, most of it went to our [priorities], like education, social assistance,” she said.

In July, during the Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Economic Briefing in Pasay City, Pangandaman said the government’s top budget priorities are for education, health, social safety nets, infrastructure, and agriculture.

Acciona, a leading global group in the field of development and sustainable infra-solutions, has given its commitment to investing in the Philippines’ energy sector.

Various Acciona officials spearheaded by their Chairman, Jose Manuel Entrecanales, are also looking at the Philippines, particularly Manila, as their “main hub’ in Southeast Asia.

on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday finally confirmed the ad interim appointment of Socio-economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, two Commission on Elections commissioners, six Department of Foreign Affairs of-

Guadiz took his oath of office under Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin at Malacañang Palace. The former Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 1 director replaces Martin Delgra III, who was appointed during the Duterte Administration.

Guadiz will now be at the helm of the agency tasked to regulate the

transportation franchises of all land vehicles taking passengers to their points of destination.

He previously held key positions in the Transportation Department, such as at the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA).

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista also moved him as the DOTr Assistant Secretary for the Road Sector when

he was replaced by Jose Arturo Tugade, son of Bautista’s predecessor Art Tugade, as the LTO Chief.

He also spearheaded the fight on the numerous controversies circled LTO during his time at the office as its chairman, such as the slow processing of various transactions and the millions of backlogged license plates. Vince Lopez and Rio N. Araja

Earlier, Mr. Marcos said there was a growing need for collaboration between ASEAN and the EU as the world grapples with problems brought about by geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions and rising food prices.

He said ASEAN is well positioned to accelerate intra-regional trade and growth with mega trade deals such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). With AFP

optimism that Beijing and Manila will develop “trust and understanding” towards each other as soon as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping next year.

Huang disclosed that China is already “working very hard to prepare” for the state visit of Mr. Marcos set on January 3, 2023, without mentioning the reports of Chinese boats massing near Palawan.

Meanwhile, the 2023 edition of the annual “Balikatan” joint exercises between American and Filipino troops will have a segment dedicated to operations in urban terrain.

“The 2023 iteration of ‘Balikatan’ is projected to include field training exercises composed of combined and livefire exercises and military operations in urban terrain,” Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Tuesday night.

Despite the reported swarming, DND officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. maintained that local military forces would continue to conduct routine maritime and aerial patrols in the WPS.

While the DND remains open to dialogue, Faustino said the information gathered in their patrols “are submitted to relevant authorities for appropriate action.”

“We maintain that activities which violate our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, and undermine the peace and stability of the region, are unacceptable,” he said.

“The President’s directive to the Department is clear — we will not give up a single square inch of Philippine territory,” Faustino added.

“The Philippines remains committed to maintaining a rules-based order in the West Philippine Sea and the larger South China Sea and reserves the right to deal with any situation that violates or threatens our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” the DND OIC added.

education, and about 50,000 Filipino seafarers working in European vessels risks being banned if the concerns are not immediately addressed, owing to the Philippines’ repeated failure to hurdle the EMSA evaluation in the last 16 years.

In response, the Chief Executive ordered the creation of an advisory board

to address deficiencies identified by EMSA in Filipino seafarers’ education, training, and certification system.

“There’s a three-month period which we have to actually comply. If not, our graduate certificates will not be recognized, will lose their effect. It’s such an unfortunate condition. We all know that Filipino seafarers are the best,” said Romualdez in an interview on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-European Union (ASEAN-EU) commemorative

lator from Mindanao assured.

“Anyway, this (charter change discussions) has been passed thoroughly in the past seven Congresses. Our people should not worry at all because this would not be rushed,” the senior administration legis-

The constitutional amendments committee on Wednesday began its initial deliberations on bills and resolutions filed to effect Charter Change.

Lawmakers backed the decision of the Rodriguez panel to hold marathon hearings to determine the fate on whether the proposed “Cha-cha” meas-

summit in the capital of Belgium.

Romualdez said there is a “sense of urgency” in tackling legislation in the hope of improving the educational system for the maritime industry.

“There are always a number of legislations seeking the best for the welfare of our seafarers,” the Speaker said.

Romualdez said, however, there are other countries that “perhaps have a more liberal view, and that’s what makes us less competitive.” Maricel V. Cruz, Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez

ure will fly at this time.

“We should hold a marathon hearing on this as early as possible. We ought to fast-track this because if we wait for another year or so, the people will not believe us anymore. We need this, the 1987 Constitution needs to be changed,” Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante said.

President Marcos thanked the company for its strong commitment to the Philippines, saying that over the years, it’s good to see that Unilever is continuing with that trend. Vince Lopez

BRUSSELS PRESSER. Speaker Martin G. Romualdez answers questions from reporters during a press conference on Tuesday in Brussels, Belgium (Wednesday Manila time). OPS photo

Agents seize frozen goods from China

By Joel E. Zurbano

BUREAU of Customs (BOC) agents assigned in Manila North Harbor seized P131.9 million worth of smuggled frozen goods from China

The three reefer vans, consigned to Victory JM Enterprise OPC, were placed under physical examination on Dec. 12. after the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service - Manila International Container Port received derogatory information about misdeclared and undeclared items in the shipments.

“We will file the appropriate criminal charges against the consignees as soon as the proper paperwork is done. We need to apply the fullest extent of the law against these groups. They have been making a mockery of our laws and the agency itself for believing that their modus will work every single time,” Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz said.

The consignees declared the shipments to contain only frozen prawn balls but upon examination, Customs agents found frozen meat, garlic short rib, and smoked duck breast in the containers.

The CIIS-MICP first requested the issuance of Pre-Lodgement Control Orders (PLCOs) on these shipments last Dec. 7, 2022 for suspected violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

Customs Deputy Commissioner Juvymax Uy took pride in this latest operation, noting the proper coordination among the different departments.

“This demonstrates the accuracy of the information we get from our sources and the immediacy by which we act to eventually put these people behind bars. As an agency that work against syndicates, smugglers, and many other criminal groups, we are always up against a big challenge but I’m also confident our team can handle it,” he said.

Policemen nab drug gang head in Taguig City

By Joel E. Zurbano

POLICE arrested a gang leader and another high-value target, and seized more than P27 million worth of shabu in two separate operations Tuesday in Taguig and Las Pinas.

Southern Police District director Brig. Gen. Kirby Kraft identified one of the suspects as Basser Utto, 32, who was arrested along with female companion Normina Datuan, 25.

Members of the Taguig City Police MCU Substation 7 and Station Intelligence Section were conducting its routine Oplan Sita patrol operation along Pendatun corner Old Housing Streets in Barangay Maharlika, Taguig around 11:45 p.m. when they chanced upon a blue Toyota Vios with registration plate EAD 2382.

The lawmen initially flagged down the car driven by Utto for reckless driving. But when they noticed a Chinese tea bag with plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance inside the car, they searched the vehicle.

The authorities then placed Utto and his companion under arrest after discovering more Chinese tea bags with the same content, believed to be shabu, worth more than P20.4 million.

Kraft said Utto is the leader of Utto Criminal Group responsible in the proliferation of illegal drugs in Taguig and nearby cities in south Metro Manila.

Earlier in Las Pinas, a buy-bust operation resulted in the arrest of Jayson Lucas, 37, alias Brad, tagged by the police as a high-value individual in the government’s campaign against drugs.

Also found from Lucas’ possession was a Chinese tea bag containing one kilo of shabu valued at P6.8 million.

Suspect’s death under custody shocks Maasin

By Ronald O. Reyes

TACLOBAN City-Local residents, a lawmaker and religious officials expressed shock over the death of a 34-year-old suspected theft under police custody in Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

On Tuesday, December 13, the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas formally filed a homicide case against police officer Staff Sergeant Ronald Gamayon, 36, who arrested Gilbert Ranes in relation to a theft incident at about 7:30 p.m. of December 9, in Barangay Mantahan in Maasin.

“Rest assured that this Police Regional Office will closely monitor this case or similar incidents involving officers under my watch. Here in Eastern Visayas, we

‘PANDESAL FORUM.’

do not tolerate misfits among our rank and file,” said Brigadier General Rommel Francisco Marbil, police regional director.

Information released by the Police Regional Office identified Gamayon as an officer assigned to the Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of the Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office (SLPPO).

According to the medical report released by SLPPO, Ranes died from “severe head trauma.”

SLPPO director Colonel Hector Enage said he and the entire police force in the province were “ in sorrow over what happened.”

According to the police regional command, Gamayon has been placed under restrictive custody of SLPPO.

Four responding officers of Maasin City Police Station “were already reassigned to the Provincial Office effective December 12,” relative to the incident.

Congressman Christopherson “Coco” Yap, of the Second District of Southern Leyte, also commended the SLPPO and Enage “for responding to this matter with dispatch and transparency, for bringing those responsible for this act of inhumanity to justice, and for reassuring the public that our Philippine National Police (PNP) will not hesitate to prosecute even their own.”

IN BRIEF

DILG recognized for competence programs

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has been recognized for scaling up the competence level of its officials.

The Career Executive Service Board (CESB) cited the DILG as the fifth best national government agency (NGA) with the highest Career Executive Service Performance Evaluation System (CESPES) compliance rate for 2021 (90%) and one of the Top 5 NGAs with the highest CES occupancy rate (58.10%) as of September 30, 2022.

DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos, Jr. said both awards are testimonies to the agency’s commitment and support to upskill and reskill government workers; its excellent contribution to the digitalization of the CESPES; and for placing CES Officers and CES Eligibles to career positions.

He expressed gratitude to the CESB for the accolades which are manifestations of the department’s hard work and dedication to raising the level of competence of its human capital and nurturing them to become reliable civil servants.

Joel E. Zurbano

DOJ chief urges ASEAN on efforts vs. trafficking

DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ)

Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has called on other countries to participate in the joint efforts of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations of holding dialogues to discuss the fight against human trafficking.

In his speech before the 8th Manila International Dialogue on Human Trafficking held last December 13, Remulla expressed thanks to the governments of the United States, Australia, Britain and The Netherlands for supporting the dialogues over the years.

Remulla also said the government of Finland, through its ambassador, signed the declaration for cooperation to combat human trafficking.

SC to lawyers: Don’t post client info on socmed

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday warned lawyers against posting their communications with clients in violation of the lawyer-client privilege, which could result in their disbarment.

Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen stressed that selfies are okay, but they noticed some lawyers have been posting

LGUs honored on Manila Bay efforts

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE government has awarded outstanding cities and municipalities for their contributions to rehabilitate and protect the Manila Bay watershed and for being compliant with the Philippine Fisheries Code.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. the eight local government units (LGUs) receiving the Manila BaYani Awards and Incentives and five recognized through Fisheries Compliance Audit are testaments to their efforts to protect the country’s body of water and natural resources.

The DILG chief urged LGUs to continue protecting the coastal areas and aquatic resources, saying “there’s more to be done, especially in the face of climate change.”

Among the MBAI awardees for 2018 to 2020 are Baliuag (Bulacan), Kalayaan (Laguna), and Magallanes (Cavite) for the Municipal category; while Balanga (Bataan), Biñan (Laguna), Imus (Cavite), Makati City, and Navotas City bagged the award for the City category.

For the year 2021, the local governments of Biñan and Kalayaan (Laguna), Baliuag (Bulacan), and Balanga (Bataan) were recognized anew for the MBAI Award.

The MBAI Award aims to incentivize LGUs and recognize their exemplary performance in advancing effective waste management, uplifting the welfare, safety, and living conditions of informal settler families and the general public, promoting the protection of coastal and marine resources, and strengthening their institutional mechanisms, all of which contribute to the rehabilitation and protection of Manila Bay.

such as letters, text messages, and even gifts from their clients or photos of documents they will be filing in court.

“Selfies are okay, but lately, we have been noticing that lawyers posting photos of letters from their clients who liked their work, or they will post about documents they will be filing in court. They are probably excited, but that is not allowed,” Leo-

“absolutely

ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST

“It is our fervent hope that more countries become a part of the declaration and more missions in the Philippines become involved in the technical working group,” the DOJ chief said.

Rey E. Requejo

PH donates P11M to UN emergency response fund

THE Philippine government has pledged $200,000 (approximately P11.1 million) for the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2023, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

The announcement was made by Permanent Representative to the United Nations Antonio Lagdameo at the CERF High-Level Pledging Event (HLPE) for 2023 on December 9.

The event, led by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), aimed to mobilize financial resources to ensure that CERF is well-positioned as one of the most effective financing tools to provide time-critical, life-saving humanitarian assistance.

“Our pledge is an indication of our commitment to humanitarian action and of our responsible membership in the community of nations,” Lagdameo said. “Being one of the world’s most atrisk countries, the Philippines invests in disaster preparedness and early warning systems at national and local levels,

with inter-

on social media communications

nen warned. Leonen along with Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Associate Justices Jose Midas Marquez and Japar Dimaampao were present during the SC Meets the Press: Dialogue and Thanksgiving event. According to Leonen, mostly young lawyers are probably posting communications on social media “just to brag,” but such actions are

prohibited.”

through strong engagement

national humanitarian organizations, civil society, and the private sector.”

Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama (standing) is flanked by Lamoiyan Corp. president Cecilio Pedro and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian as the special guests at the “Pandesal Forum” held at the Kamuning Bakery Café in Quezon City on Wednesday. Joey O. Razon

HUGE HAUL. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) participated in the public condemnation of P395 million worth of smuggled cigarettes at Barangay Baliwasan, Zamboanga City on December 13.

PCG-BOC photo

26 Makati gov’t workers receive awards for loyalty

MAKATI Mayor Abigail Binay on Wednesday president at the awarding ceremonies at 26 city hall employees who served with the city government for over three decades, and paid tribute to 102 civil servants who retired this year.

The Loyalty Service Award, held at the city hall, is given to city employees who have rendered ten continuous years in public service.

“We are proud of the long service of these employees, and this award is our way of demonstrating our appreciation for their hard work and dedication. We hope that this will encourage others to perform their duties with the same level of commitment,” the mayor said.

The Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) has identified nine 40year awardees from various offices. They are Arlyn Ebag Dulay, Public Safety Department (PSD); Aurelia Bonifacio Albarracin, Business Permits Office; Corazon Musni Yabut, Makati Health Department (MHD); Elizabeth Escober Salusa, MHD; Fernando Elviña Bello, Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW); Gertrudes Baleares Cariasa, Education Department; Mercedita Catalan Isidro, General Services Department (GSD); Myrna Casta Del Rosario, MHD; and Nelson Molina Diego, Budget Department.

Seventeen employees recognized for over 30 years of service included Aida Plata Rustia, Law Department; Clarita Ebang Balicnang, PSD; Digna Laruscain Condes, Ospital ng Makati; Eliza Certeza Aderes, Economic Enterprise Management Office; Elsa Alforja Tan, Urban Development Department; Felimelda Plana Ostonal, Makati Social Welfare Department; Flordeliza Noprada Silva, Accounting Department; Juliet Gaa Del Mundo, Finance Department; Lito Cagurungan Tumaliuan, DEPW; Lydia Macale Ariones, Makati Action Center; Marissa Dela Peña Maniego, Assessment Department; Rossana Nonato Baldon, HRDO; Shamin Dela Cruz Diaz, Office of the Vice Mayor; Sonia Ibay Suarez, GSD; Teodoro Soledad Manalo Jr., Department of Environmental Services; Windelina Reyes Omar, Youth and Sports Development Department; and Zenaida Gerodias Cayabyab, MHD. Joel Zurbano

Kalibo Airport set to receive flights from Taipei, Seoul

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Wednesday announced that the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) is set to open new international flight routes cope with the expected increase in the volume of air passengers.

The airport at present serves international flights to and from Incheon, South Korea by Air Seoul (Wednesday-Thursday-Saturday-Sunday), and T’way Air (daily).

The Kalibo Airport will start accommodating Tiger Air flights from Taipei starting on Dec. 29.

The CAAP said the additional international flights would dramatically boost Philippine tourism.

The new routes will provide travelers greater access to the region and support the growing tourism industry in the area, as tourist hotspot Boracay Island is also located in the province of Aklan where KIA is located.

The development is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the Kalibo community, including the creation of new jobs and the expansion of local businesses.

Piñol on his libel case victory: Press freedom is not absolute

FORMER Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol considers as a “lesson” his victory in a cyber libel case he filed against a Baguio City-based reporter, adding that press freedom is “not absolute.”

Meanwhile, journalist Frank Cimatu said he would appeal the decision of the Quezon City court that found him guilty of cyber libel over a 2017 social media post he made about Piñol.

In a related development, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) welcomed a move by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros to file a bill decriminalizing libel.

Piñol said in a Facebook post that the Quezon City court’s ruling that Cimatu was guilty of cyber libel was a “very important lesson on responsible and accountable journalism.” to

convict Cimatu over a 2017 post the latter made about him was a “vindication” and a “very important lesson on responsible and accountable journalism.”

“The purveyors of fake news who slander and shame people to the point of dishonoring them and destroying their lives must not be allowed to seek refuge behind a mantle called Press Freedom when called to account for the transgression they have committed,” said Piñol, himself a former journalist and sports commentator.

In a decision dated Dec. 12, the

Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 93 sentenced Cimatu to up to 5 years, 5 months and 11 days in prison, plus P300,000 in moral damages to Piñol.

The case stemmed from Cimatu’s social media post that read, “Agri Sec got rich by 21 M in 6 months. Bird flu pa more.”

The court found the post defamatory because it imputed a crime, making it appear that Piñol was involved in corruption. Piñol said Cimatu’s post “was not only malicious, but also outright erroneous.”

In explaining the P21-million increase in his assets, Piñol said the amount in his net worth did not represent money but “the value of ‘Biological Assets’ I have accumulated through the years in my farm.” Rio Araja

FACT-CHECK. Members of the Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Kilos Ng Manggagawa crosscheck at a Quezon City store if the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) claim that grocery food items amounting to P488 are enough to feed a family of five in one day, meaning that the workers’ minimum wage of P575 a day can feed a modestsize family. The group said they paid P570 for the items listed in the DTI list, indicating that the existing minimum wage level is insufficient.

Bill shields OFW remittances from exorbitant fees

By Maricel V. Cruz

DAVAO

Duterte called for the approval of House Bill (HB) 4469 along with other similar measures that aim to protect OFW remittances from oppressive charges as

the nation currently commemorates the Month of Overseas Filipinos.

Passing the measure would also complement the OFW-friendly legacy of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, which was the establishment of the Overseas Filipino Bank (OFBank), the first branchless and digital-only bank in the country exclusively catering to the financial needs of Filipinos based abroad, the

Davao City lawmaker said.

“The billions of dollars in remittances sent home by our OFWs, who we consider as modern-day heroes, have always been one of the country’s major economic drivers. The money they send home helped the country ride out the economic shock triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important that we protect their hardearned earnings,” Duterte said.

Solon in talks with Israel, Netherlands envoys

In a statement, Salceda said he is also communicating with the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the

DICT bares SIM Card registration rules, infractions

THE government on Wednesday warned that falsifying documents and sale of registered SIM cards are considered criminal offenses and punishable by fines or imprisonment under the newly enacted SIM Card Law.

The National Telecommunications Commission on Monday released the implementing rules for the law mandating the registration of all SIMs within 180 days starting Dec. 27.

Falsifying documents and (giving) wrong information during the registration are subject to fines by not lower than P100,000 or imprisonment of 6 months to 2 years, Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo told Teleradyo.

“Penalized po yun by law, kung magsisinungaling po, or if you’re going to provide false of fictitious information or magbibigay po kayo ng fictitious identities or fraudulent identification document, meron yan penalty,” she said.

Also prohibited under the new law are breach of confidentiality, selling of registered SIMs, negligence resulting in other offenses, spoofing to make it appear the message was sent from another number, and stealing registered SIMs.

Lamentillo said the registration period would be done online, which would allow overseas Filipinos to register their roaming SIMs.

Meanwhile, SIMs of minors should be registered under the names of their parents, she said.

SIM card holders seeking to register should present any of the following IDs with photos: passport, national ID, Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, police clearance, National Bureau of Investigation clearance, and Professional Regulations Commission.

Jimenez wants to spread out ‘UP grade’ education

THE incoming president of the government-run University of the Philippines (UP) intends to broaden the scope of what he called “UP-grade education” to cover state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Angelo Jimenez, who is set to take over the reins of the UP in February, said his idea is to close the gap in quality learning between UP and other higher education institutions owned by the government.

Salceda, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, head a technical working group crafting a

on the creation of the Department

Salceda said Israeli ambassador Ilan Fluss, expressed enthusiasm “for your interest in Israel’s technology and innovation” in the water sector.

The envoy also offered to collaborate with Salceda on water issues and even invited the Bicol lawmaker to a study tour in Israel on the matter.

“These two countries are the best partners to learn from. One had too little water and is now an agriculture giant in the Middle East. The other is in an existential battle against too much water, and is now the world’s most important source of water management technology. They handled the extremes. So, they would have the best insights into both a lack of water and an excess of it,” Salceda explained.

Salceda also said he aims to generate investments in the water sector from the two countries. Maricel V. Cruz

“I want to be able to close the gap in quality of learning or teaching in all the constituent (universities of the) University of the Philippines... Once you close that gap, we will spread UP-grade education towards regional centers of excellence that we shall identify among the state universities and colleges,” Jimenez said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Through this, students will no longer need to enroll in UP to avail of “UP-grade education,” he added.

He deems it an anomaly that only one university is leading in quality education.

ALBAY Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said he has been working with the embassies of Israel and the Kingdom of the Netherlands to address issues in the country’s water sector.

bill

of Water Resources.

water issue.

City Rep. Paolo Duterte has appealed to Congress for the speedy passage of a bill seeking provide overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) discounted remittance fees.

Manny Palmero

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM. Students of the Rafael Palma Elementary School in Manila perform during their Christmas Cantata 2022 being held inside their campus.

Norman Cruz

COVID VACCINE MESS. Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman Senate Blue Ribbon Committee grills Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, former chief of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Gen. Carlito Galvez, and ex-Health Secretary Francisco Duque during the panel’s inquiry on the non-disclosure of details of the DOH’s purchase contract for COVID vaccines (Story on A2). Lino Santos

A POLITICALLY-savvy businessman told his friends after the May elections that we should give Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. six months to be able to judge whether we are going in the right direction or not.

The 100-day metric used in other countries does not apply to the Philippine situation, we both agreed. This is especially since the newly elected president, although winning by a huge majority over his rivals, needed time to select the people who would help him man the ramparts of his government.

The business community and most of us were quite assured with the choices of his economic team—Diokno, Balisacan, Medalla, and key department heads like Bautista, Ivan Uy, Garcia-Frasco, and the vice-president to oversee basic education, one of the largest and most important agencies of the Philippine government.

Some raised eyebrows over VP Inday Sara, who is not an educator, becoming education secretary, yet she brings to the department the political gravitas of her huge electoral mandate.

Much is expected of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and we can only hope and pray that he succeeds

This is what she can use to preside over a bureaucracy which verily shapes the future of our young.

We continue to wonder why defense, health and so many critical agencies still have stand-ins for whoever. That these posts are “reserved” for election losers does not augur well for good governance.

We have reserved judgment on controversial intelligence and confidential funds lodged in several departments and agencies other than the Office of the President.

In a country like ours besieged with so many problems, quick action must at times include some “escape” from burdensome bureaucratic and auditing procedures.

Will they use these funds properly? The proof of the pudding should be in the eating. And so we wait for results on how these funds will be spent.

We understand why the president has gone abroad several times within the first six months, with one to China on the first week of the coming new year.

Most of the important international summit meetings are scheduled in the second half of the year—ASEAN, APEC, for instance.

And we quite understand the personal perspective of our peripatetic new leader, as one who seeks to redeem the imagery which rightly or wrongly many in the world, particularly the West, has of his family.

Indeed, if this president does right by our people, especially as it comes to resolving the deep inequalities of our society, reforming a corrupt political system, reinforcing the rule of law, and saving the majority from the clutches of poverty, not only will he redeem that image, but will be remembered as being a transformative leader.

We also know, from the experience of many of our past leaders, that investment pledges shall remain pledges for now, awaiting the direction of our economic policies, and weighing these against the externalities which currently bedevil the globe, on top of domestic problems in the

home countries of would-be investors and debtors.

The president also inherits a close to P14 billion debt, and counting.

Inflation is quite high, and despite some relief from petrol prices, the prices of practically all food commodities are up, and seemingly up and away.

We are so food insecure. We face an energy crisis. Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Which is why it isn’t easy to be president at this point in time.

Which is also why government, in all three branches cannot and should not, do business as usual.

The unfortunate experience of a hastily conceived sovereign wealth or investment fund, and its apparent railroading in the House of Representatives by what appears to be a gaggle of yes-men beating a deadline, is not a very encouraging sign. We now look forward to the ladies and gentlemen of the other chamber, the “august” Senate, some of them call it, to review what the HoR seems bent on passing by the first week of February next year.

Opposition leader Edcel Lagman is asking his colleagues to defer passing the Fund and its companion new GOCC bill, and make use of the recess to consult their constituencies and ponder on both wisdom and timeliness of the measure.

Congress adjourns today for a Christmas recess. Will his colleagues listen to this veteran legislator?

And will the president take heed of his legal counsel’s advice, coming as it does from one who has been in government and politics for three generations running, to go slow on this measure?

Vamos a ver.

Congress has passed a P5.268 trillion budget for 2023, which Speaker Romualdez said the president will sign into law when he gets back from Brussels.

After all the noises coming from the few, Congress passed the appropriations bill almost without touching the President’s budget as sent to it.

The noise mostly zeroed in on the confidential and intelligence funds and the NTF-Elcac, but hardly did anyone raise any noise about the built-in earmarks in the budgets of line agencies which are nothing else but pork barrel for our legislators to share.

Congress merely circumvents the Supreme Court decision on the “priority development assistance funds.”

Fact is, the congressmen who were stoutly defending the wealth fund admitted that they cannot do away with the “needs” of their constituencies, which to them is justification for the Fund.

For our politicians, it is business as usual.

For far too long, they pander only to their personal and political interests, on using public resources for political and familial gain.

Of course there are exceptions, but they are few and, oftentimes, the public they serve do not show enough appreciation.

Only the president, as head of state and of government, can show by his leadership and his direction, that we cannot do business as usual.

Much is expected of Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., and we can only hope and pray that he succeeds.

A print dictionary in Google Age?

Contemporary English-Ilokano Dictionary.

Properly, finding words in a print dictionary or thesaurus exercises kids’ minds and helps them develop their problemsolving skills.

Enhancing civic consciousness

WHAT should be the direction of basic education in this country?

We don’t have to go further than the Constitution to tell us what that should be: “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.”

So the two questions posed by a lawmaker are relevant: Are young Filipinos so glued to social media that they lack critical thinking? Why not make current events part of the K-to-12 curriculum?

These are valid questions to ask in the era of social media dominated by Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Tiktok, and Instagram, among other platforms.

Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia seeks to counteract the apparent propensity of today’s youth to rely mainly on social media to appreciate what’s really happening around them.

In filing House Bill No. 6418, or the Current Events Education Act, the lawmaker wants to include current events in the K-12

Schools must subscribe to such materials as newspapers, magazines, and books

curriculum, such as in social studies, civics or media studies and other subjects “as may be determined by the Department of Education (DepEd).”

The proposed measure, which has been referred to the House committee on basic education and culture, aims to “strengthen the civic consciousness of Filipino learners” and encourage them to be active in political discourse.

The legislator cited two studies to support his measure.

One is a 2018 Far Eastern University Public Policy Center research showing that 86 percent of Gen Z students age 17 to 24 “never take a stand as far as their political views or opinions are concerned” and concluded that “Filipino youth are generally apathetic toward political discussions.”

Moreover, 2021 Social Weather Stations survey showed that 51 percent of Filipinos have difficulty distinguishing fake news from real ones was an “alarming reality

of the lack of an informed and politically engaged citizenry.”

The bill defines “current events” as “any factual political, economic or social occurrences of interest, relevance or importance in the locality, country or the world happening in the present time.”

The measure, according to the lawmaker, would strengthen students’ understanding of national and global events and “train teachers in media literacy and innovations in their pedagogy.”

The bill wants DepEd to ensure that current events materials will remain as factual as possible and to train teachers in handling current events discussions and provide them with relevant instructional materials.

Schools must subscribe to such materials as newspapers, magazines, and books.

But the bill’s most important provision, from where we sit, is this: “Students in class activities discussing current events shall be afforded their constitutional freedom of expression.”

That’s comforting to know.

But won’t that make students critical of corruption and malfeasance in government unwilling recipients of unwanted attention from those who will be able to benefit from the DepEd’s confidential and intelligence funds in next year’s budget?

A question of priorities

Chiefs of Staff serving for just a few months. The way the law came out, however, was that it included scores of other positions which cannot help but affect the careers of many officers. This proposed amendment, therefore, is intended to correct a bad situation before the problem gets out of hand.

THERE

One lawmaker wants to amend the law so that the age to be considered a senior citizen will be brought down from 60 to 56.

This is at a time when a new law was just signed increasing the retirement age of selected military officers on the grounds that retiring at 56 is too early.

This might be alright if the Filipino life expectancy will remain stagnant at 67.

But it has been increasing over the years and is now about 72 and will continue to go up. It would also be interesting to know whether the current crop of 56-year-olds would really want to be considered senior citizens at 56 considering that 60 is now the new 40 as some people are saying.

56 years is a bit too early to be considered old.

There is also another bill intended to grant paid leave to military reservists who are called for temporary active duty.

The military operates differently compared to civilian agencies.

The military has its own personnel management system which, in many ways, is considered a lot more generous than its civilian counterparts. So, although the intention is good, this is perhaps totally unnecessary.

Another bill being considered is the amendment of RA 11709 fixing the term of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff and other AFP senior positions to three years which in hindsight is not really surprising.

The original intention of the law was to fix the term of the AFP Chief of Staff only to avoid the revolving door policy of having

Let us first worry about taming inflation which, as things stand, will last a lot longer than government predictions

There are others but the most important initiative is the much discussed sovereign wealth fund aka the Maharlika Investment Fund which we now debating.

There are some sectors that include government supporters cautioning against going thru with this or, at the very least, postpone or study it further.

It appears, however, that the proponents are bent on going thru with it with House Bill 6398 already filed in the House of Representatives.

It probably would have been better if we had simply called it a rainy day fund because that is what it really is.

It is money that the country can grow to access in times of need like wars or pandemics. Instead of raiding our current precarious financial resources, the funds needed can be started by appropriating P20B of our yearly national budget which can be increased every year.

Within a few years, we can accumulate a sizable sum which the government can invest if it wants to without endangering the other financial resources of the country.

Under certain conditions there are certainly merits of having some kind of a

revelation during my eureka moments.”

By Armenio Manuel INDUBITABLY.

For a good print dictionary, which allows you, the reader, to linger, explore and truly search for the term being gripped, can help you understand your subject better, improve your communication and improve your grades—if you are in school—by making sure you are using words correctly.

In addition to its basic function of defining words, a dictionary may provide information about their pronunciation, grammatical forms and functions, etymologies, syntactic peculiarities, variant spellings, and antonyms.

With dictionaries, unknown words become solvable mysteries. Why leave them up to guesswork?

Wikipedia and Google answer questions with more questions, opening up pages of information you never asked for. But a dictionary builds on common knowledge, using simple words to explain more complex ones.

To find a word, they have to consider order and sequencing, alphabetization, spelling, context, and much more. Faster isn’t always better when it comes to literacy and learning.

The dictionary encourages them to analyze different meanings of an unknown word with example sentences and understand which one makes the most sense in their context.

The same page also exposes students to many other words they may not know, improving spelling and expanding vocabulary.

One such dictionary that has reached our rack is the 962-page Contemporary English-Ilocano Dictionary by professor and lexicographer Aurelio Solver Agcaoili, the Ilocos Norte-born Program Coordinator of Ilokano at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu.

It is the only academic program in the world that that offers a bachelor’s degree in the arts with focus on studies of Ilocano language and literature.

Dr. Agcaoili’s is a bilingual dictionary, one that has the word you are looking for translated into your own language, in this

The author must have also thought of non-Ilokanos who would want to enrich their language skills and feel, as it were, the culture of the people who come from northern Philippines...

case the Ilokano language spoken by 11 percent or 12.5 million—about two million speaking it as a second language—of the country’s population of 114 million.

The Ilocano people are believed to be the third largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines after Tagalog and the Cebuan or Sugbuhanon.

Agcaoili admits that his more than 18,000 entries of this perhaps latest dictionary written by an Ilokano “came to light and life sometimes as an apparition or in an apocalypse, sometimes in the sanctity of

We have this stalking soft-heartedness the dictionary has been written primarily for Ilokanos whose first language has been English and are interested and rushing to the authentic stockpile of the lexicon of their ancestors.

And the author must have also thought of non-Ilokanos who would want to enrich their language skills and feel, as it were, the culture of the people who come from northern Philippines.

And some who have migrated to other provinces in the Philippines as in Mindoro and other areas in Mindanao in the far south of the country.

Not to mention those who have become dual citizens in Hawaii and other states in the US mainland, where the elders, whacked by the twang of a foreign tongue including accent and syntax still hold close to their chests the language of their Philippine roots.

Roots resolutely.

I have chosen to approach, the author said, “the Ilokano language following the framework of a repertoire of the language as used by all possible speech communities in their diversity and difference.”

He could not have gone wrong in such motivation.

rainy day fund.

But I would think that the public would prefer that the government focus its attention to the very serious problem at hand which is inflation before anything else.

It all boils down to priorities.

Inflation is making life miserable for Filipinos especially those on fixed incomes. Even President PBBM himself alluded to this problem.

If we look at what is going on, the increase in food prices is no longer governed by the law of supply and demand.

The Department of Agriculture keeps on saying there are sufficient food supplies but prices of basic commodities keep on going up. Pork, onions, and sugar are just a few examples.

The Departments of Agriculture and Trade and Industry cannot seem to enforce their own regulations.

This clearly shows that there are certain sectors taking advantage of the situation to make a killing and they should be dealt with aggressively.

Perhaps the government should consider forming a special police force to go after these people because the problem has become a law enforcement problem.

There is a need for good intelligence to root out those responsible including those in government who may be in cahoots with the price manipulators.

The government must simply do a lot more instead of coming out with instructions on how to make do with P500 for Noche Buena for a family of five which by the way cannot be done.

This year’s Christmas celebration must be bleaker for many of us Filipinos because of the much higher food prices.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Filipinos work hard the whole year to prepare for the Christmas holidays because it is our most important holiday season.

Let us first worry about taming inflation which, as things stand, will last a lot longer than government predictions.

Then we can go back to other issues such as sovereign funds and all.

He adds: “My aim in accounting this repertoire is to celebrate and cerebrate Ilokanoness in all its forms as articulated and rearticulated by the various dialects of this language, dialects that prove that the Ilokano language is alive and its energy able to express the imaginary (sic) of a people employing this language in their own act of self-understanding and self-reflection.”

But—and this is not a jab at the efforts put by Agcaoili and colleagues, researchers and students who assisted him, whose shots we must admit are pretty much praiseworthy for which the generations of Ilokanos must be grateful.

We find chambers for improvement, if only to accept Agcaoili’s “all possible speech communities” to benefit from this much acknowledged volume that definitely can enrich any Ilokano library.

We take, just one word, which is no reflection on the sum total of the endeavor, the word serenade on page 766 which the author translated as, in its noun form, tapat.

While this may be the word used in some Ilocano towns, many others use the term harana, with tapat meaning in the latter going to sing Christmas carols in the neighborhood.

are currently several Congressional initiatives to draft laws but none of these appear to have anything to do with inflation which is now our biggest headache.

Rolando

Agcaoili, Aurelio Solver. 2011.

Quezon City: Cornerstone of Arts and Sciences.

Ukraine gains $1b in winter aid

PARIS—Ukraine’s Western allies pledged an additional one billion euros ($1.1 billion) in emergency winter aid on Tuesday, responding to pleas from President Volodymyr Zelensky to help the country withstand Russia’s onslaught against its energy grid.

Around 70 countries and international organizations gathered in Paris for a meeting aimed at enabling Ukrainians “to get through this winter”, said French President Emmanuel Macron.

In a video message, Zelensky said Ukraine needed assistance worth around 800 million euros in the short term for its battered energy sector.

“Of course it is a very high amount, but the cost is less than the cost of a po -

Biden signs US same-sex union protections law

WASHINGTON—US President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law a bill granting federal protections to same-sex marriage, with a large crowd of guests gathered at the White House to celebrate the legislative milestone.

Biden -- who as vice president took a public stand in favor of same-sex unions well before they became legal throughout the United States in a 2015 Supreme Court decision -- touted the landmark law as a rights victory.

“America takes a vital step toward equality, for liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone,” he said during the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon.

“Love is love. Right is right. Justice is justice,” he said.

After the US Supreme Court -- now significantly more conservative -- overturned longstanding abortion rights last June, lawmakers from the left and right came together to prevent any subsequent move to curb same-sex marriage rights.

The legislation’s final adoption by Congress last week marked a rare show of bipartisanship in deeply divided Washington.

In celebration, Biden gathered with a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the White House grounds, along with advocates and plaintiffs in marriage equality cases across the country, as Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” roared from the speakers. AFP

tential blackout,” Zelensky told the conference via video link.

Pledges for the energy sector comprised 400 million euros of the funds raised on Tuesday, France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said.

Ukraine needs spare parts for repairs, high-capacity generators, extra gas as well as increased electricity imports, Zelensky said.

“Generators have become as neces-

sary as armored vehicles and bulletproof jackets,” he said.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said 40 to 50 percent of the country’s grid was out of action because of Russia’s strikes.

Many areas of the country have power for only a few hours a day.

Another 1.5 million people were left without power in southern Odessa over the weekend after Russian drone attacks.

“They want to put us into darkness and it will fail, thanks to our partners all over the world,” Shmygal told delegates.

Bridge attack

On the battlefield Tuesday, local authorities in the Russian-occupied city of

Melitopol said pro-Kyiv forces had used explosives to damage a strategic bridge.

Melitopol is an important transport hub for Russian forces in the region of Zaporizhzhia and is key for Ukraine’s hopes of liberating the south of the country.

The bridge in the eastern suburbs “was damaged by terrorists”, Vladimir Rogov, a Moscow-installed regional official, said on the Telegram messaging app.

He did not specify the extent of the damage, but images on his social media accounts showed that a middle section of the bridge had collapsed.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Belarus held a surprise inspection of its armed forces, raising fears of a possible escalation in the conflict. AFP

Japan overhauls defense policy on China threats

TOKYO—Japan is expected to announce its biggest defense overhaul in decades this week, hiking spending, reshaping its military command and acquiring new missiles to tackle the threat from China.

The policies, to be outlined in three defense and security documents as soon as Friday, will reshape the defense landscape in a country whose post-war constitution does not even officially recognize the military.

“Fundamentally strengthening our defense capabilities is the most urgent challenge in this severe security environment,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at the weekend.

“We will urgently ramp up our defense capabilities over the next five years.”

The shift is the result of Tokyo’s fears about China’s growing military strength and regional posturing, as well as threats ranging from North Korean missile launches to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Key among the new policies is a pledge to boost spending to two percent of GDP by 2027 to bring Japan in line with NATO members.

That marks a significant increase from historic spending of around one percent and has sparked criticism over how it will be financed.

The money will fund projects including the acquisition of what Japan calls “counterstrike capacity” -- the ability to hit launch sites that threaten the country, even preemptively. AFP

US to Africans: China, Russia ‘destabilizing’

WASHINGTON—The United States warned Tuesday that China and Russia were destabilizing Africa with their growing inroads as it rolled out the red carpet to the continent’s leaders and pledged billions of dollars in support.

Forty-nine African leaders flew into the Washington cold for the first continent-wide summit with the United States in eight years as President Joe Biden seeks to use personal diplomacy to win back influence.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, at a panel with several African presidents at the start of the three-day summit, charged that US rivals had a different approach.

Austin said China was expanding its footprint in Africa “on a daily basis” through its growing economic influence.

“The troubling piece there is they’re not always transparent in terms of what they’re doing and that creates problems that will be eventually destabilizing, if they’re not already,” Austin said.

Russia is “continuing to peddle cheap weapons” and deploying “mercenaries across the continent,” he added. AFP

US charges crypto tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried with ‘massive’ fraud

NEW YORK—Disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried was hit with multiple criminal charges Tuesday, accused of committing one of the biggest financial frauds in US history.

The 30-year-old founder of the FTX platform, who was arrested in the Bahamas Monday at the request of the United States, is facing a raft of accusations,

including from US market regulators who say that the investor knowingly built a fraudulent house of cards.

A Bahamian judge denied BankmanFried bail and remanded him into custody as the one-time high-flyer began to battle his extradition in a Nassau court room, with his parents looking on.

A new Bahamas court date to exam-

Flooding kills more than 120 in DR Congo capital

KINSHASA—More than 120 people were killed Tuesday as the worst floods in years battered DR Congo’s capital Kinshasa following an allnight downpour, authorities said in a provisional assessment.

Major roads in the centre of Kinshasa, a city of some 15 million people, were submerged for hours, and a key

supply route was cut off.

The death toll -- which was first estimated in the late afternoon to be at least 55 -- jumped to more than 120 by nightfall.

The government has announced three days of national mourning beginning Wednesday, according to a statement from Prime Minister JeanMichel Sama Lukonde’s office.

City police chief General Sylvano Kasongo told AFP that the bulk of people dead were on hillside locations where there had been landslides.

An AFP reporter saw the bodies of nine members of the same family -including young children -- who had died after the collapse of their home in the Binza Delvaux district. AFP

UN: Aid, support stave off Somalia famine for now

GENEVA—Humanitarian aid and support from local communities have helped avert a dreaded famine declaration in Somalia this year, but the situation remains “catastrophic,” the UN said on Tuesday.

The United Nations humanitarian agency OCHA said the latest assessment

found that, technically, Somalia was not yet in the grip of full-blown famine.

The report “does not lead to a declaration of famine at this point, in large part thanks to the response of humanitarian organizations and local communities,” OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva.

But, he warned, that “does not mean that people are not experiencing catastrophic food shortages.”

“They have kept famine outside the door, but nobody knows for how much longer,” he said.

“The underlying crisis has not improved.” AFP

ine the US request for extradition was set for February 8, local media reported.

Given the seriousness of the accusations, legal analysts said that Bankman-Fried risked as much as life in prison, recalling the fate of financier Bernie Madoff who died in a US prison last year after running the largest Ponzi scheme in US history.

In their indictment, US prosecutors

said Bankman-Fried also carried out money laundering, violated campaign finance laws and committed wire fraud since the start of his company in 2019.

“It’s hard to compare these things, but this is one of the biggest financial frauds in American history,” said US Attorney Damian Williams when asked to compare the case to the Madoff affair. AFP

BRAZIL RIOT. A vehicle burns at a gas station following clashes between riot police and supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro protesting the arrest of an indigenous leader in Brasilia, on December 12. AFP

PYROTECHNIC PROTEST. Supporters of former Peru President Pedro Castillo launch firecrackers at riot police during a protest near the Congress in Lima on December 12. Two more protesters died in Peru Monday as violent demonstrations over the ousting of the former president showed no sign of dying down -- despite his successor’s efforts to quell the unrest. AFP

BACKGROUND STARS.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers a speech at the opening session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, on December 12. AFP

Stock market rises; Globe tops gainers

STOCKS rose Wednesday and the peso rebounded against the US dollar, as investors expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to raise the benchmark interest rates again to contain the elevated inflation.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, gained 32 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 6,615.07, as five of the six

subsectors advanced.

The broader all-share index also went up 17 points, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 3,449.57 on 62,479 trades of 5.5 billion shares.

Six of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Globe Telecom Inc. which climbed 3.1 percent to P2,224.00 and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company which rose 2 percent to P55.10.

Meanwhile, the peso rebounded Wednesday to close at 55.74 against the US dollar from 55.9 on Tuesday. Investors were expecting the BSP to implement an interest rate adjustment of at least 50 basis points Thursday.

Globally, investors welcomed softerthan-expected US inflation data that

could allow the Federal Reserve to slow down its pace of interest rate hikes.

The reading provided some muchneeded Christmas cheer on trading floors and came the day before the US central bank’s last policy decision of the year, which will be pored over for clues about its plans for 2023.

There is also some focus on China as it continues to roll back its strict zeroCovid strategy that has battered the world’s number two economy, though fears of a sharp surge in infections are causing some unease among dealers.

All three main indexes on Wall Street ended in positive territory Tuesday in reaction to data showing consumer prices rose

7.1 percent last month, less than forecast and the slowest pace since December 2021.

The reading followed an October slowdown and fueled hopes that inflation has finally peaked, after several months of Fed rate hikes.

It “came with the caveat that it was ‘just one month of data’ but the November numbers add further weight to the interpretation that the long-awaited goods disinflation is showing up in the data,” said National Australia Bank’s Taylor Nugent.

Asian markets tracked Wall Street higher, though the gains were limited ahead of the Fed meeting with traders accepting that seven percent inflation was still very high. With AFP

TOP GAINERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 FERRO 2.45 0.47 23.74%

2 OPM 0.012 0.001 9.09%

3 TECHW 0.63 0.05 8.62%

4 T 0.58 0.04 7.41%

5 BCB 4.5 0.3 7.14%

6 ARA 1.15 0.07 6.48%

7 PMPC 5.37 0.31 6.13%

to policymakers

US consumer price index fell to 7.1% in November, brought relief

WASHINGTON, United States—US consumer inflation eased in November, according to government data released Tuesday, bringing some relief to policymakers with the smallest annual increase over the past year.

Officials are closely eying the monthly inflation report for signs that painfully high consumer prices are definitively moderating at last, as surging costs of living force households to dip into their savings.

The consumer price index, a closely watched measure of inflation, jumped 7.1 percent from a year ago, down from 7.7 percent in October, according to Labor Department figures.

But the overall number is still about three times the pre-pandemic pace.

Prices ticked up 0.1 percent from October to November, a smaller-thanexpected increase after a prior 0.4 percent jump, the latest data showed.

Meanwhile, core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy segments, rose 0.2 percent in November, down from a 0.3 percent pick-up in October.

“The index for shelter was by far the largest contributor to the monthly all items increase, more than offsetting decreases in energy indexes,” the Labor Department said in a statement.

Food inflation nudged up as well, underscoring the financial squeeze that households are still experiencing.

While an improvement from before, the data likely reinforces official views that costs remain far too high, and US central bankers are poised to push on in their quest to cool the world’s biggest economy.

The Federal Reserve has raised the benchmark lending rate six times this year in hopes of lowering demand, walking a fine line between reining in prices and triggering a recession. AFP

AIRLINE RECOVERY.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive Stan Deal speaks to reporters after a joint press event with United Airlines at the Boeing manufacturing facility in North Charleston, South Carolina, on Dec. 13, 2022. Betting on robust demand for international travel, United Airlines on Tuesday unveiled an order of 100 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for an additional 100 jets. AFP

China growth ‘very likely’ to slow down on COVID surge

WASHINGTON, United States—A lower growth forecast is “very likely” for China this year and next, with easing Covid-19 restrictions bringing a surge in infections and temporary difficulties, IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva told AFP Tuesday.

Her comments on the sidelines of a panel about a newly created IMF fund come as the world’s second-biggest economy grapples with soaring coronavirus cases as it loosens virus controls after nearly three years.

While China’s zero-Covid policy has battered its economy, “the easing of restrictions is going to create some difficulties over the next months” as well, Georgieva said.

This is because a spike in infections will be inevitable, with more people temporarily unable to participate in the labor force.

SAN Simon town in Pampanga province used to be a wasteland about three decades ago. Except for a few motorists who make Quezon Road their alternative and shorter route to the towns of Sta. Ana and Arayat in Pampanga, and to Cabiao as gateway to neighboring Nueva Ecija province, San Simon was not an eventful ride.

The rainy season from June to November can easily flood the rice fields along Quezon Road and submerge the highway. It is a risky ride—a motorist can easily find himself engulfed by rising floodwaters.

But San Simon overtime has transformed itself into a booming industrial town after the local government reclassified the entire stretch of Quezon Road as industrial and commercial zone. Quezon Road was fortifi ed to accommodate more buses and heavy trucks. Its strategic location as part of the growth corridor of Central Luzon, with access to major road networks and arteries traversing several provinces of Central Luzon and Metro Manila, made it a natural industrial center.

Factories soon relocated to San Simon, which is just about 45 kilometers from Metro Manila and seven kms from capital San Fernando City, and about 20 kms from the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City.

San Simon’s golden age, however, may come to an abrupt end if it doggedly pursues an anti-business stance. The town has started collecting what are clearly illegal toll from truckers and haulers passing the town to deliver raw materials and products for the local business community.

The San Simon local government unit has been collecting a daily fee of P300 from truckers and haulers transporting goods and various essential materials to business establishments operating in the town. Legal experts contend that the fees are illegal, citing that the route is a national road and not part of San Simon’s jurisdiction.

Alarmed by the negative impact of the

“But it is likely that as China overcomes this in the second half of the year, there could be some improvement in growth prospects,” she said.

The zero-Covid policy, characterized by snap lockdowns, international travel restrictions, and mass testing, took a heavy toll on consumers and businesses, with demonstrations against the measures eventually erupting in major Chinese cities.

The IMF earlier warned that tough virus restrictions have been especially hard on China’s residents.

The fund cut its growth projection for China in October to 3.2 percent this year —the lowest in decades—while expecting growth to rise to 4.4 percent next year.

But “very likely, we will be downgrading our growth projections for China, both for 2022 and for 2023,” Georgieva said.

For now, the country has to adjust its Covid policy, such as by being more targeted with restrictions and boosting vaccinations, especially for elderly populations. There is also a need to use more antiviral treatments, Georgieva added.

With 2023 set to be a “very difficult year” as well, she reiterated that the likelihood of further downgrades in IMF growth projections will be “high.”

Apart from challenges in China, the US and European Union are also expected to slow simultaneously, with projections for half of the European Union to be in recession next year, she said.

While the Washington-based fund earlier said there was a one-in-four chance global growth would fall below two percent next year, Georgieva added Tuesday that this probability had gone up. AFP

Justice

to date, however, has not ruled on the MR, prompting San Simon to continue with the toll collection.

Business complaints

toll on San Simon’s investment-friendly image, the town’s Sangguniang Bayan, in a special session presided by Vice Mayor Romanoel ‘Dading’ Santos and attended by municipal councilors and representatives of the local business community, passed on Nov. 24 an ordinance suspending the collection of the P300 fee from hauling and trucking services and other heavy equipment units.

The SB meeting was in response to the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2021-01 issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Finance and the Anti-Red Tape Authority in April last year. The JMC was issued to suspend the imposition and collection of illegal fees and taxes on goods and products.

It was a turnabout from the Revised Revenue Code in 2008 that the local government unit enacted in the same year, including the collection of P300 toll from hauler and trucking services.

This revenue measure did not sit well with one smelter plant. It filed a court complaint against the code in 2010, arguing that the law was not supporting the growth of the local business community and the national economy.

Former San Simon Mayor Leonora Wong in 2012 countered through a motion for reconsideration (MR) in the Regional Trial Court of Macabebe, Pampanga, seeking the continuance of the toll imposition.

The RTC denied the MR and ordered the San Simon LGU to stop the collection from haulers and truckers, pending the final approval of the MR. The Macabebe court

Vice Mayor Santos said the SB passed the new ordinance following complaints from haulers and the local business community. The SB forwarded the new ordinance to the office of Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr., who refused to sign it and issue an executive order for its proper execution.

Mayor Punsalan has 10 days to sign the SB Ordinance from the date of its issuance. If he fails to sign it, it becomes an executive order and will be implemented as scheduled effective on January 1, 2023.

It is not clear how the LGU will use the proceeds from the toll collection. The toll would reach to about P100 million a year, an excessive fee for a municipality the size of San Simon.

Robert Ramos of RTR Trucking has asked help from the national government. “If the government is committed to supporting ease of doing business to push the country’s economic growth, they need to take action in suspending the collection of illegal toll fees in San Simon,” says Ramos.

The logistics transport services sector in the Philippines, including the trucking industry, contributes about 4 percent to the total gross domestic product. Any disruption to its operations could derail the country’s economic growth.

San Simon LGU’s defiance creates a serious dent on the current administration’s call for unity and promise of extending support to local companies’ ease of doing business.

More importantly, consumers will bear the brunt of the additional toll collected by the LGU. The cost of products and goods will be more expensive as truckers will have no recourse but to pass on the cost of toll to consumers.

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

8 X 0.265 0.015 6.00%

9 ALCO 0.53 0.03 6.00%

10 EVER 0.27 0.015 5.88%

TOP LOSERS

LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE

1 DIZ 3.52 -1.26 -26.36%

2 ALHI 5.11 -0.82 -13.83%

3 RLT 0.198 -0.021 -9.59%

4 MJC 1.33 -0.13 -8.90%

5 NI 0.76 -0.06 -7.32%

6 ROCK 1.33 -0.08 -5.67%

7 ANI 7.23 -0.35 -4.62%

8 RCB 23.5 -0.75 -3.09%

9 MWC 18.24 -0.58 -3.08%

10 TEL 1610 -49 -2.95%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME VALUE (PHP)

1 BDO 5,442,430 618,003,008

2 TEL 341,625 552,298,955

3 ALI 11,492,800 338,994,900

4 JFC 1,182,350 278,499,182

5 SM 243,360 226,730,425

6 GTCAP 505,080 212,576,016

7 SMPH 6,009,600 210,452,625

8 MBT 3,248,520 177,475,930

9 ICT 845,000 172,819,479

10 GLO 77,845 171,055,790

fines

WASHINGTON,

The Danish bank misled US banks about its Estonia branch’s anti-money laundering controls so as to facilitate access to the US financial system for high-risk customers outside Estonia, including in Russia, the department said in a statement.

“Today’s guilty plea by Danske Bank and two-billion-dollar penalty demonstrate that the Department of Justice will fiercely guard the integrity of the US financial system from tainted foreign money—Russian or otherwise,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.

The bank was accused of laundering some 200 billion euros ($212 billion at today’s exchange rate) from 2007 to 2015. The scandal erupted in 2018.

Danske Bank Estonia had a profitable business line with non-resident customers called the NRP, which it lured by saying they could transfer large amounts of money through that bank with little to no oversight, the Justice Department said.

Danske Bank employees conspired with NRP customers to hide the true nature of their transactions, including by using shell companies to conceal the true owners, it added.

“Access to the US financial system via the US banks was critical to Danske Bank and its NRP customers, who relied on access to US banks to process US dollar transactions,” the statement said.

It said Danske Bank Estonia processed $160 billion through US banks on behalf of the NRP clients.

“Today, Danske Bank accepted responsibility for defrauding US fi nancial institutions and funneling billions of dollars in suspicious and criminal transactions through the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Separately, the bank has agreed to pay the US Securities and Exchange Commission $413 million to settle charges that it misled investors about its compliance with antimoney laundering requirements, the SEC said. AFP

Pampanga’s San Simon town is no longer business-friendly

Department

Denmark’s biggest bank $2b for money laundering

United States—Danske Bank, Denmark’s largest, has pleaded guilty to defrauding American banks in order to sneak money from criminals in Russia and elsewhere into the US financial system and will forfeit $2 billion, the Justice Department said Tuesday.

IN BRIEF

Spot market power rates increased this month

THE Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines said Wednesday spot market prices went up to P9.12 per kilowatt-hour in the first few days of December, an increase of P0.59 per kWh from November.

IEMOP, the operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, said there was an increase in demand and a decrease in the level of supply based on data until Dec. 11.

Data showed that WESM prices for the November billing were at P8.53 per kWh.

Officials said they would determine the final WESM price for December at the end of the billing period.

Power demand increased in December to 10,499 megawatts while supply was at 12,534 MW, translating into a supply margin of 2,085 MW.

IEMOP knowledge management services assistant manager Jocell Co said power demand could still grow this month because of the Christmas celebration. Alena Mae S. Flores

BPI’s P5-b o er quali es as ASEAN social bonds

THE Securities and Exchange Commission said the Bank of the Philippine Islands’ planned offering of P5-billion 1.5-year peso fixed-rate Reinforcing Inclusive Support for MSMEs Bonds will qualify as ASEAN social bonds.

BPI is at the final stages of the planned bond offering due 2024.

ASEAN Social Bonds are an emerging class of investments developed by the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum to support the region’s need for sustainable development instruments. Bonds carrying the classification have been independently verified to have systems in place to ensure that proceeds raised will be directed toward projects that benefit society. This gives bondholders confidence that their investments will be used to make a positive social impact.

“With the BPI RISE Bonds, the bank intends to demonstrate its continuing commitment to achieve positive social outcomes and create value not only for its business, but also for other stakeholders towards nation building,” BPI said in a statement. Julito G. Rada

DOTr to begin preparation on three transport projects

THE Department of Transportation said Wednesday it secured funding from the Public-Private Partnership Center for the project preparation studies on three transport infrastructure projects.

The Committee on Public-Private Partnership Center Project Development and Monitoring Facility approved the funding for project preparation studies of the North Long Haul Inter-Regional Railway (NCR-Ilocos, Cagayan), NCR EDSA Busway and the Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry.

Forming part of the Luzon Railway Network along with the Subic-Clark Railway and the South Long Haul, the North Long Haul Inter-Regional Railway is slated to connect the National Capital Region to the regions of Ilocos and Cagayan.

The NCR EDSA Busway will greatly enhance the existing EDSA Carousel. New stations will be developed and existing facilities will be enhanced to be universally accessible, gender responsive, and climate resilient.

The Manila Bay-Pasig River-Laguna Lake Ferry is set to be a high-capacity and highquality mass transit ferry system, benefiting commuters, students and tourists. New ferry stations will be built and existing facilities will be improved with intermodal transfers with other transit systems and active mobility networks. Darwin G. Amojelar

MAXWEALTH ASSISTANCE.

Maxwealth Infinity Holdings, a privately managed holding company led by chief executive Alfonso Huang, works with local government units to uplift the lives of marginalized Filipinos.

Huang also worked with the national government to deliver aid to families affected or displaced by Typhoon Paeng in October. Maxwealth donated 7,000 sacks of rice to the Department of Social Welfare and Development as relief aid for the families affected by the typhoon.

LT Group drops plan to sell distillery to Victorias Milling

By Jenni er B. Austria

LT Group Inc., the listed holding company of beer and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan, cancelled plans to sell its Negros Occidental-based distillery to Victorias Milling Co. Inc. for P2.21 billion.

LT Group and VMC said in separate disclosures to the stock exchange they agreed to drop the sale and purchase agreement because of the recent global and local developments, “unusual market developments” in the sugar industry and the “steady pressure against the peso”.

“In view of the recent global as well as

local economic and political events affecting the relevant industries, both parties have mutually agreed not to proceed with the transaction,” LT Group said.

“The unusual market developments in the sugar industry, not to mention the steady pressure against the Philippine peso in an industry that requires heavy capital expenditures constrained Victorias Milling Company Inc. to take a more prudent position on the transaction consistent with its status as a company under corporate rehabilitation,” it said.

LT Group said in September unit Tanduary Distillers Inc. and two other minority shareholders signed a share purchase agreement with VMC for the sale of their entire interest in Asian Alcohol Corp.

ACC is the second biggest distillery in the Philippines located in Negros Occidental. It employs distillation process that uses molasses, yeast, water and other ingredients. It has a 10-hectare plant

in Negros Occidental, considered the sugar industry capital.

The plant also houses a modern wastewater treatment plant which converts distillery waste into biogas energy for power requirements. It has a daily rated capacity of 210,000 liters of quality ethyl alcohol.

The acquisition was supposed to provide VMC with long-term value as this would increase the profitability and cash flows of the group and raise the group’s market share in the ethanol industry.

LT Group is primarily engaged in banking and financial services, real estate, liquor and beverage business. It also holds a 30-percent interest in VMC.

LT Group reported a 105-percent growth in attributable net income to P20.41 billion in the first three quarters from P9.95 billion a year ago, as revenues rose 6 percent to P71.34 billion from P66.94-billion.

3,449.57

Dollar 1.00000055.8150 Japan Yen 0.0073760.4117 UKPound1.23580068.9762 Hong KongDollar0.1286397.1800 SwitzerlandFranc1.07665860.0937 CanadaDollar0.73806241.1949 SingaporeDollar0.74255641.4458 AustraliaDollar0.68530038.2500 BahrainDinar2.652731148.0622 Saudi Arabia Rial 0.26601414.8476 BruneiDollar0.73980941.2924 IndonesiaRupiah0.0000640.0036 Thailand Baht 0.0287361.6039 UAE Dirham0.27227915.1973 EuroEuro 1.06340059.3537 Korea Won 0.0007760.0433 ChinaYuan0.1438858.0309 IndiaRupee0.0121400.6776 MalaysiaRinggit0.22593812.6107 New Zealand Dollar 0.64620036.0677 TaiwanDollar0.0326631.8231

November car sales grew 34% to 34,037 units

By Othel V. Campos

VEHICLES sales in the Philippines accelerated by 34.2 percent in November to 34,037 units from 26,456 in the same period last year, two industry groups said Wednesday.

The Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. and Truck Manufacturers Association said in a joint report the passenger car and commercial vehicle segments posted signifi cant increment in sales last month.

“The auto sales performance has been improving, recording doubledigit growths for nine successive months. With the continued growing consumer demand for new motor vehicles, the industry is convinced and confi dent in exceeding its sales forecast of 336,000 this year,” said CAMPI president Rommel Gutierrez.

“The automotive industry underscores the importance of pent-up demand from consumers supported by continued economic recovery, boosting business and consumer confi dence. These, alongside the containment of the pandemic, are signifi cant factors towards sustained growth,” he said.

Data showed that passenger car sales went up by 8.8 percent in November to 8,931 from 8,205 units a year earlier, while commercial vehicle sales jumped 43 percent to 26,106 from 18,251 units.

DOE explores development of hydrogen, ammonia fuel for green future

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Energy is looking for partners to develop clean energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia fuel in its quest for a green energy future.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said in a recent forum “partnerships that would enable the country on the proper application of hydrogen in the Philippine setting is welcome.”

He said the DOE created the Hydrogen and Fusion Energy Committee in November 2021 to explore hydrogen as a viable alternative and cleaner energy source and other beneficial applications for the country.

“Hydrogen is touted as the future of low-carbon energy system. Its use in power generation and transportation is already well-established,” he said.

Lotilla said the remaining obstacles to its widespread adoption are the costs of manufacturing green hydrogen and the issues related to transporting hydrogen.

“We should keep abreast with these, and already begin to map out policies for the quick integration into our energy mix once breakthroughs happen at a fast phase,” the energy chief said.

Lotilla said fresh ammonia could also be readily produced from green hydrogen through existing processes.

“Once green hydrogen becomes cost-

effective, converting it to ammonia provides a natural pathway for the utilization of hydrogen. The logistics supply chain for ammonia has been established in advanced countries,” he said.

“The added benefit of hydrogen and ammonia is our potential to locally produce them using renewable energy, and possibly the production of needed fertilizer for the agriculture sector [ammonia being the chief feedstock for fertilizers],” Lotilla said.

He said the key priorities of the government are to promote and accelerate the development and use of renewable energy, implement energy efficiency and conservation measures and foster private sector participation.

AGG

Monthly sales also increased 9 percent from 25,456 units delivered in October, with passenger car sales rising 7.68 percent from 8,205 units and commercial vehicles climbing 9.4 percent from 23,852 units.

Total sales in the first 11 months reached 315,337 units, up by 31 percent from 240,742 vehicles sold in the same period in 2021. Passenger car sales from January to November grew 0.6 percent to 77,283 units from 76,813 units, underscoring the consumers’ growing preference for taller and bigger vehicles.

Commercial vehicle sales jumped 45.3 percent in the 11-month period to 238,054 from 163,829 units a year ago.

PEZA reminds BPO firms of deadline for transfer of registration

INFORMATION technology-business process management companies have until Dec. 16 to submit their application for the transfer of registration to the Board of Investments, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority said Wednesday.

PEZA deputy director for operation Vivian Santos said the agency imposed a cut-off to review and endorse the applications to the BOI on or before the final day of endorsement on Dec. 31, 2022.

“We asked the BOI if we could still

receive applications as of Dec. 31 as indicated in the FIRB [Fiscal Incentives Review Board] resolution, but the BOI will not extend the endorsement deadline,” she said.

“However, we are committed that all applications, provided that they have complete requirements, will be endorsed to the BOI,” she said.

The transfer of registration of ITBPM companies to the BOI from PEZA will allow these companies to practice

work-from-home setup.

Registered business enterprises that re-registered with the BOI would retain their fiscal and non-fiscal incentives from PEZA under the sunset incentives provision of the CREATE Law.

Santos said, however, that ITBPM fi rms with applications for new projects and expansion would qualify for the incentives of the BOI, and not of PEZA upon the expiry of the sunset incentives. Othel V. Campos

AGI chief executive Kevin Tan told reporters late Tuesday the group was expecting a second wave of revenge spending and revenge travel from Chinese visitors once mobility restrictions

“We are looking forward to the second wave of pent-up demand because China is now starting to open,” Tan said.

“When that happens, Philippines, with its very prime location, is in the right place to accept that second wave of revenge spending and revenge travel from Chinese tourists,” Tan said.

He said the group’s gross gaming revenues under Newport World Manila exceeded their pre-pandemic levels as players from Taiwan, South Korea and parts of Southeast Asia returned.

“But really China is market that we are after if you talk about hospitality and gaming. It is always the largest source of market for quite a number of ASEAN countries,” Tan said.

Analysts expect China to fully open

up their economy in 2023 after starting to ease COVID curbs.

The casino industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors during the pandemic amid foreign travel restrictions. The industry started to slowly recover owing to domestic players.

Tan said as the local economy recovered, property unit Megaworld Corp. also planned to launch a number of hotels and townships across the country. Megaworld has 30 township projects.

He said liquor unit Emperador Inc. had no immediate plans to conduct fund-raising activity after completing its secondary listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange.

Tan said the market should improve first before Emperador would consider any equity raising activity.

“We have to gauge it for next year. It will depend on the market, and if there will be flows of capital in this region. For now, we have no capital-raising plans” Tan said.

Emperador is a leading high-growth international spirits company with a deep portfolio of globally-recognized, market-leading whisky and brandy brands distributed in more than 100 countries. Jenniffer B. Austria

bullish on recovery of PH gaming industry on China’s lifting of restrictions

ALLIANCE Global Group Inc. is bullish about the recovery of the Philippine gaming industry in 2023 and 2024 as China relaxes COVID restrictions.

were fully lifted.

DOF-LANDBANK DEAL. The Department of Finance and Land Bank of the Philippines sign a memorandum of agreement for the Government Purchase Card program to facilitate a more streamlined and efficient payment method for the procurement of goods and services. Attending the signing ceremony at the DOF Building in Manila are (from left) Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, LandBank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo and LandBank executive vice president Liduvino Geron.

Research: New Olympic sports led to many injuries in Tokyo

PARIS—Athletes competing in the newly introduced Olympic sports of BMX freestyle, karate and skateboarding suffered some of the highest rates of injuries at the Tokyo Games, new research showed Wednesday.

The three new events were among the top five with the most injuries at the 2020 Summer Olympics, which was held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Boxing and BMX racing had the highest rates, with 27 percent of competitors getting injured, according to a study carried out by researchers from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Next came the new events of BMX freestyle, which had 22 percent of its athletes injured, followed by skateboarding with 21 percent and karate with 19 percent, said the study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Other new events had fewer injuries, including sport climbing with a rate of 15 percent, surfing with 13 percent and 3x3 basketball with 11 percent.

The study’s lead author Torbjorn Soligard, who works in the IOC’s medical and scientific department, told AFP “it is important to note that more than half the injuries recorded did not lead to any time lost from competition”.

IOC researchers have tracked injuries and illnesses in every Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games. More than 11,300 athletes from 206 national teams were monitored in Tokyo, with more than a thousand injuries recorded.

Overall, nine percent of athletes in Tokyo suffered an injury, comparable to eight percent at the 2016 Rio Games, 11 percent at the 2012 London Olympics and 10 percent in Beijing.

Tokyo saw the lowest rate of sickness ever recorded at an Olympics—it was conducted under strict Covid-19 restrictions—with 3.9 illnesses per 100 athletes, compared to 5.4 in Rio and 7.2 in London.

“This might largely be attributed to the extensive countermeasures put in place to mitigate Covid-19, effectively reducing transmission of Covid-19 and all respiratory infections,” the study’s authors said.

Less than 0.2 percent of the athletes caught Covid.

Newly introduced sports were also among the most injury prone at the Tokyo Paralympics, with taekwondo and badminton among the top four with the highest rates, according to a parallel study.

Eight percent of Paralympians were injured in Tokyo, a drop from the 12 percent recorded at both the Rio and London Games, however the injuries that were suffered were more severe, the researchers found.

Aspire Football Academy: Winning not everything

By Lito Cinco

MANY sports have been focused on winning more than anything else, but do not tell that to the people and coaches behind the Aspire Football Academy.

For them, it goes way beyond winning. And won games are simply mathematical results

This is according to three young coaches from the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the academy following their trip to Thailand for the Bangkok Super Cup.

They brought two teams to the Bangkok tournament, a mixed U-9 and an all-boys U 11 team, with most participants on their first international stint. Among the teams they played came mostly from Asian football countries, like host Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore and Australia.

Both teams came home with similar 4-9 win-loss records, enough to land them at 14th spots out of the 28 teams in their groups.

“We were really not expecting anything at all from these kids, it was just a good opportunity for them to play and put into use what we have been teaching them, both from the skills and attitudinal aspects of the game,” said Steven Rivera, coach of the U-9 side.

Sports

Eagles whack Maroons, force do-or-die Game 3

By Peter Atencio

THE Ateneo Blue Eagles held the University of the Fighting Maroons to their lowest output this season as they prevailed in a 65-55 triumph on Wednesday in Game 2 of the 85th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball fi nals at the Araneta Coliseum.

Angelo Kouame held sway with 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Blue Eagles, who forced a deciding Game 3 on Monday, also at the Big Dome.

Carl Tamayo shot 24 points for the Fighting Maroons, who scored lower than their second round 67-75 setback to the Blue Eagles, who now have a chance to go for their 12th title with

the best-of-three finals series now tied at 1-all.

Bryson Ballungay drilled in 15 points, while Rence Padrigao added 11, including nine in the first half at the Blue Eagles took charge early with a 41-33 halftime lead.

Ballungay put the Blue Eagles up to their biggest lead of 16 at 56-42, with his triple early in the third.

The Maroons managed to trim it down with Tamayo’s eight points he knocked in the remaining 5:02, 54-63, but it was the best UP could muster as Ateneo pulled off the bounce-back triumph.

Meanwhile, Senegalese big man Malick Diouf of UP snatched the MVP award just before the start of Game 2.

The 6’11” big man averaged 10.79 points, 10.86 rebounds, 2.86 assists, 1.57 blocks, and 1.5 steals during the elimination round and tallied 73.9 statistical points to beat teammate Carl Tamayo for the top honors.

Kevin Quiambao of La Salle earned the Rookie of the Year award.

Joining the Mythical Five with Diouf and Tamayo are University of the East’s Luis Villegas, Ateneo’s Sean

Dragons scrape past Beermen in Game 1

KOBEY Lam scored the winning basket as the Bay Area Dragons barely scraped past the San Miguel Beermen, 103-102, on Wednesday to take Game 1 of their Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at the Philsports Arena.

Lam hit the go-ahead lay-up off a fastbreak with seven seconds left, handing the Dragons the marginal points and the good head-start in their bestof-five affair.

The 6’2” Lam went on to finish with 12 points for the Dragons, who will seek their second straight win against the Beermen on Friday.

Coach Brian Goorjian commended the Dragons in their effort to get on top of their physical encounter with the Beermen.

“I’m proud of the way we got on top of it. We stayed in the game. We never let it go,” said Goorjian.

Duncan Reid showed the way for the Dragons

with 30 points and 15 rebounds, while Zhongwei Zhu added 19.

Junemar Fajardo shot 11 points for the Beermen, with his floater in the last 50 seconds handing the Beermen their last taste of the lead, 102-99.

Hayden Blankly, who had 15 points, kept the Beermen from pulling away, by keeping the Dragons close, 101-102, with his layup off Glen Yang’s assist, before Lam hit his winning basket.

CJ Perez banged in 24 points for the Beermen including seven in the fourth.

Perez scored all of his baskets in the final period during a 7-0 blast in the last 5:54, wiping out a 9396 deficit and put the Beermen ahead, 100-96, in the final 2:57. Peter Atencio

Ildefonso and Rence Padrigao.

“We lived to fight another day. Both of these schools, both of these teams. Everybody what sports fighting is tonight,” said Blue Eagles’ coach Tab Baldwin.

The Fighting Maroons lost one of they key guys in Zavier Lucero while they were down, 44-59, after he tried to attack the basket.

Lucero, who was getting screened by Chris Koon and Anton Quitevis, hurt his left knee, during the play, resulting in an awkward execution as he sprinted towards the net. He had to be carried out of the court afterwards.

“First of all, I want to say I hope Zav Lucero is okay. Nobody wants to see that, our players don’t want to see that. We hope that its not serious,” added Baldwin.

PNVF national beach volley team to set up training camp in Club Laiya

and

“We gladly and sincerely appreciate this partnership with Club Laiya on the beach volleyball training camp,” Suzara said. “The timing is perfect now that we achieved a breakthrough on the global beach volleyball stage.”

PNVF vice president Dr. Arnel Hajan, secretary-general Donaldo Caringal, Landco Pacific Corp. VP for Sales and Marketing Gerard Peñaflor, Philippine Olympic Committee deputy secretariesgeneral Carl Sambrano and Karen Tanchanco Caballero and members of the national men and women teams witnessed the ceremony staged on Court 2 of the Subic Bay Sand Court inside the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

“We at Club Laiya welcome the national beach volleyball teams,” said Gregorio, Tourism and Hospitality consultant for Millennial Resorts Corporation. “It’s a pleasure for us to have our national beach volleyball athletes hold their training camp in our resort.”

The one-year partnership starts in January 2023.

Under the agreement, two beach volleyball courts will be built at Club Laiya with 10 of the 18 members of the national men and women team holding camp seven days a week in Batangas. The rest of the national athletes who are still students will be in Laiya on weekends.

Philippine beach volleyball achieved a milestone last Sunday after the Sisi Rondina-Jovelyn Gonzaga and the Genesa Jane “Jen” Eslapor-Floremel Rodriguez duo won gold and silver at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures, the best finish by any national team in a major international competition.

THE national beach volleyball teams will hold training camp at the Club Laiya in Batangas following a partnership forged

between the Philippine National Volleyball Federation and Landco Pacific Corp. PNVF President Ramon “Tats” Suzara

Ateneo’s Rence Padrigao scores against UP’s Cyril Gonzales in a game won by the Eagles, 65-55.

Bay Area’s Kobey Lam scores against SMB’s Devon Scott.

Club Laiya consultant Patrick “Pato” Gregorio signed the memorandum of agreement over the weekend during the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Futures, where the Philippines won gold and silver—a breakthrough achievement—in the women’s competition.

PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara (seated left) and Club Laiya consultant Patrick “Pato” Gregorio (seated right) seal their partnership. Joining them are (standing, from left) PNVF vice president Dr. Arnel Hajan, national athletes Alnakran Abdilla, Jaron Requinton, Bernadeth Pons, Grydelle Joanice Matibag and Khylem Harl Progella, PNVF secretary-general Donaldo Caringal and Landco Paci c Corp. VP for Sales and Marketing Gerard Peña or.

Go, Singson join Malixi in Malaysian Am golf hunt

LOIS Kaye Go and Mafy Singson gear up for strong starts as they join Rianne Malixi in the title hunt in the 118th Malaysian Amateur Open, which gets under way Thursday at the Palm Resort Golf and Country Club’s Cempaka course in Johor Bahru.

Go tees off at 8 a.m. with Korean Kim Ye Rim and Malaysia’s Wang Xin Yao and Chong Shin Ling, while Singson drew an 8:40 a.m. start, also on No. 10, with Canada’s Lucy Lin, Mirabel Ting from Sarawak and Wong Xian Xuan from W. Persekutuan.

But focus will be on Malixi, who also expects to get going in soft conditions in the World Amateur Golf Ranking event with the rising ICTSIbacked star slugging it out with local bets Kaathiyayani Gunasegar and Pang Hee Jie and Indonesia’s Natalia Yoko in the 7:50 a.m. group, also at the backside of the par-72 layout.

“I like the course layout, not easy with the wet and dewy conditions but knowing where to place and execute your tee shots and irons leave a great chance for an easier target angle to the pin and putt,” said Malixi.

“I just have to open doors for birdies to go low tomorrow (Thursday),” she added.

Malixi has had title cracks in the Thailand Amateur Open last October and the Women’s Asia-Pacific Championship and the ICTSI Villamor Match Play, both last month, but shaky putting stymied her bid to add more crowns to her growing trophy collection.

She, however, has had more success than setbacks, racking up six victories, including two on the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) Tour while winning all her three stints on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

The 15-year-old Malixi, who has added 5-10 yards to her distance off the mound, also won the Thai Junior World Championship.

Tipped to lead the charge are Koreans Hyo Jin Yang, Hyo Bong Lee and Singapore’s Aloysa Atienza, Inez Ng and Chen Xing Tong.

Meanwhile, Elee Bisera and Shinichi Suzuki vie in the men’s side of the World Amateur Golf Ranking event with the former clashing with Korean Minchul Kim, Indonesia’s Aldwin Kendarwan and Selangor’s Zia Bin Abdul Rashid at 8:30 a.m. on No. 1.

Fan-fuelled Morocco stands in France’s way at World Cup

DOHA—France face World Cup historymakers and fan-fuelled Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, with Lionel Messi’s Argentina lying in wait after another dazzling performance from the diminutive magician.

The Copa America champions swept aside 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia 3-0 on Tuesday to give the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner the chance to crown his career in style.

Defending champions France know victory against surprise package Morocco would leave them just one win away from becoming the first team in 60 years to successfully defend the trophy.

Didier Deschamps’ France are heavy favourites to win at the Al Bayt Stadium but face a team that have conceded just once in their extraordinary run to the semi-finals.

France captain Hugo Lloris is desperate to avoid the whiff of complacency for a team who have become used to competing at the sharp end of tournaments.

“When a team is capable of beating Belgium, Spain and Portugal, and

finish top of their group, it is because they have lots of quality on the field and undoubtedly off it too, in terms of cohesion and team spirit,” Lloris said. “They will be formidable opponents, and on top of that there will be a hostile atmosphere in the stadium.”

Deschamps’ team are closing in on a third World Cup triumph in seven tournaments but will be aware that no team have retained the World Cup since Pele’s Brazil side performed the feat in 1962.

The world champions are unlikely to have it all their own way against a tough Morocco team.

They topped a group containing Croatia and Belgium before beating Spain on penalties and then dumping Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal out of the tournament. Morocco are the first African side and the first Arab nation to reach the semi-

finals

of a World Cup. Fan factor

The game will have added spice given France was Morocco’s colonial power and more than a million Moroccans live in the country. Their not-so-secret weapon on Wednesday will be the incredible support from fans in the stadium and across the Arab world.

“There is a popular fervour behind them,” said Deschamps. “It will be very noisy and my players have been warned about that. They know what to expect.”

Morocco coach Walid Regragui, who was born near Paris and spent most of his playing career in the French league, believes his team have become the neutral’s favourite.

But he is adamant his side are not just there to make up the numbers.

“If we are happy just to reach the semifinals and some see that as enough, I don’t agree,” said Regragui.

“If you get to the semi-finals and you are not hungry then there is a problem.”

“The best team in the tournament, Brazil, is already out. We are an ambitious team and we are hungry but I don’t know if that will be enough,” he added. AFP

Santo Tomas HS jins pull o dominant UAAP title run

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas completed a dominant 4-0 sweep to claim its fourth consecutive championship at the conclusion of the UAAP Season 85 High School Boys’ Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships, Tuesday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

The Junior Tiger Jins took a leaguebest 14th title overall in the event—the school’s fifth in the high school division for the season.

“I think, mind-setting talaga. Kahit anong sabihin natin—players na bagong balik, bagong salta, many of them, nagkita lang kami after nu’ng pandemic. Hindi naman sa ‘min nanggaling eh,” UST coach Gershon Bautista shared on what kept the championship run going.

“The program is strong because of the mindset of the players and they believe in the training regimen. We believe in them and they, in turn, believe in us,” he continued.

UST took care of UAAP Season 82

third-placer Nazareth School of National University, 4-1, to open the day, before stamping its class over Ateneo de Manila University, 5-0. The defending champions then outlasted the most-recent runner-up Far Eastern University-Diliman, 4-1, to seal the championship.

Eventual Most Valuable Player Legolas Peñaredondo carved the most crucial win in the match, taking down Baby Tamaraw Vinn Pineda, 2-0 (4-1, 13-6) to virtually secure the title for the Junior Tiger Jins for a 3-1 lead in the team match.

UST earlier took the first and the third matches to go ahead, 2-1, against FEU.

Sean Duenas outplayed Timothy Melicado, 2-1 (5-0, 2-3, 11-5), while Jose Jacob Cartagena set the stage for Peñaredondo with a 2-0 sweep of Juztene Buan, 7-0, 13-5.

The Junior Tiger Jins then closed out their campaign with a 5-0 romp of De La Salle-Zobel.

The Baby Tamaraws came from a 1-2

deficit to keep their silver trophy over the Bullpups, 3-2.

FEU tallied a 3-1 record while NSNU recorded a 2-2 slate to complete the podium finishers.

Pineda outlasted consequent Rookie of the Year John Balido, 2-1 (1-8, 2-0, 5-0), to level the contest before Camillo dominated Kurt Bodegas in the decider to take the win, 2-1 (13-2, 0-1, 11-2).

Peñaredondo also led the individual gold medalists with UST winning the fourth category (63-70 kg). Duenas and Cartagena took the first (under-48 kg) and third (55-63 kg) category titles, respectively.

Pineda of FEU took the silver in the fourth category and NSNU’s John Balido took the bronze.

Joining Duenas as first category medalists are Rodito Sinugbojan Jr. of NSNU and Melocado, while NSNU’s Kent Banzon and FEU’s Buan completed the third category podium.

7 prospects star in Chooks 3x3 national guard tryouts

SEVEN out of 56 prospects stood out in the first-ever Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 national tryout for guards at the Activate Hoop Arena in Mandaluyong, Tuesday.

Paul Desiderio leads the batch of possible new additions to the program’s talent pool, which is being expanded for the 2023 season—a year so crucial for the country’s hopes of qualifying to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The comebacking cager is joined by celebrity athlete Gerald Anderson, as well as seasoned pros Jaypee Belencion, Shaq Alanes, and RJ Deles.

Also making the cut are Ian Pardo and Zaljun Cartagena, players that could inject more youth as they are only aged 23 and 25, respectively.

“With the 2023 FIBA 3x3 season being crucial in our drive to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics and OQT, we want to find the best players possible. And this tryouts for guards is an excellent jumpstart to it,” said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas.

“We are hoping that more players can join us in our invitational tryouts for bigs which we will announce soon!”

The aforementioned were put to the test right away as they figured in a 3x3 match together with national players Mac Tallo, Brandon Ramirez, Dennis Santos, and Vince Tolentino to cap off the open trials.

Chooks 3x3 head trainer Chico Lanete, however, said that nothing is set in stone yet as the seven will still have to undergo a thorough screening by the program’s top brass together with new consultant MIlan Isakov.

Once the chief mentor of long-time 3x3 powerhouse Liman, the former cager from Serbia arrived in Manila at 12 a.m.— hours before the tryouts.

“Sa seven prospects, pareho kami ni Coach Milan ng mga nakita,” said Lanete. “As of now sila ang prospects natin, pero wala pang final.”

A total of 56 aspirants tried their luck, all of whom are hoping to realize their dream of representing the Philippines in the Olympic 3x3 stage.

The one-day tryout served as Chooks 3x3’s closing event for what has been a fruitful year for the program, with its sights set on the new year looming where it tries to earn as many points from an outright qualification to Paris.

Chooks 3x3 was the main driving force behind the country’s run to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in the previous Olympic cycle.

Muntinlupa pays tribute to rising PH swimmers

sa ating mga kababayan, higit pa sa mga kabataan, ay tiyak na nabibigyan ninyo ng pag-asa para magpursige sa sports o sa bagay na pangarap nilang matupad,” said Biazon during the awarding of plaques of appreciation.

Biazon stressed that the aquatic center is just part of the city’s wide range of sports facilities as he plans to turn Muntinlupa as a ‘sports hub’ in the South.

“Yung sports-tourism ay priority sa programa namin,” said Biazon.

now currently part of the Philippine Team seeing action in the 2022 FINA World Short Course Championships in Melbourne, Australia.

Affairs and Sports Development Office last December 3.

“‘Yung mga nakakamit ninyong karangalan para sa bayan at inspirasyon

The 24-year-old Isleta is an eighttime Philippine national record holder and the country’s lone swimming gold medalist at the 2022 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.

She participated in several FINAsanctioned events abroad and is

Mojdeh, 16, the pride of Brent International School and member of Behrouz Elite Swimming Team, was dubbed ‘Water Beast’ with her dominance in the junior level, where she holds four junior records and topped the Palarong Pambansa for years. She become the first Filipina to make it to the semifinals of the tough FINA Junior Swimming Championships last August in Lima, Peru.

The junior veteran internationalist is part of the 43-man Philippine Team set to participate in the 44th SEA Age Group Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tunisians wave Moroccan ags as they celebrate Morocco’s victory in the quarter- nals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup football match against Portugal, on Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis. His country is in diplomatic crisis with Morocco, but that’s not stopping Tunisian Wissam Sultani supporting the rst ever Arab or African team to reach a football World Cup semi- nal. AFP

UST taekwondo jins at the winners’ podium

MUNTINLUPA City Mayor Ruffy Biazon recently paid tribute to 10 of the country’s most accomplished and up-and-coming swimmers, including Southeast Asian Games gold medalist and FINA World campaigner Chloe Isleta and World Junior Championship semifinalist Michaela Jasmine Mojdeh.

Biazon acknowledged the triumph and achievements of the two national team members during the opening of the Muntinlupa Aquatic Center, coinciding with the hosting of the 1st Ruffy Biazon Swim Cup in collaboration with the city’s Youth

Muntinlupa Mayor Ru y Biazon and Rep. Jaime Fresnedi (center) are shown with SLP president Fred Galang Ancheta (far right) and SLP chairman Joan Mojdeh (second from right) after their tribute to Filipino swimmers during the1st Ru y Biazon Swim Cup held at the newly built Muntinlupa Aquatic Center.

Kelvin Miranda realigns personal and career goals

By Kyla Marie Victoriano

AS HIS showbiz career continues to soar, Unica Hija star Kelvin Miranda expressed how being in a serious relationship may not be for him at this point in time.

In a virtual conference for his new released single “Sumayaw,” the 23-yearold actor said that “sa totoo lang parang sa estado ng buhay ko ngayon, ang hirap din magpapasok pa kasi okay lang naman yung usap-usap. Natural naman yan nakikipagdate, pero yung talagang intimate na, parang hindi pa masyadong kaya ng sarili ko mismo dahil sa obligations and responsibilities.”

When asked about his perspective in

love and life, Kelvin pointed out that “love life” is not always about having a romantic partner, “Everyday naman nag-ggrow, nag-dedevelop araw-araw may panibagong natutuklasan kaya feeling ko healthy naman yun, kasi hindi naman porket sinabing love life is may kaakibat na ibang tao. So, parang love life is self love. Pwede din siya sa kaibigan, sa mga magulang, sa mga kapatid. Parte siya ng love life.”

Having said that, Kelvin is still opening his doors into dating. However, he prefers to be with someone not from showbiz. “ Kasi parang pag sa showbiz parang mahirap , kumbaga alam ko na yung nangyayari Kung magkakaroon man ako, sana gusto ko

yung non-showbiz para tahimik lang ,” he said.

Being grateful for all the opportunities and projects he received, Kelvin admits that the workload might be too overwhelming to balance his acting and singing career. However, while he has a goal to achieve he enjoys the journey and at the same time finds time for other hobbies such as martial arts, jogging, listening to music, watching movies, and catching up with his friends.

“Sa mga napagdaanan ko talagang nakaka-drain, so kailangan ko parin humanap ng paraan para ma-enjoy ko pa rin mga ginagawa ko at hindi ako magsawa, hindi ulit ako panghinaan ng loob Kasi once na marating ko nanaman

yun mahirap nanaman bumalik.”

Compared to his previous single “Slow Dance,” which is quite sappy and more sentimental, he describes his new single, “Sumayaw,” as more upbeat where you allow yourself to just go with the flow.

“Sumayaw” is composed by his friend Viktor Sabiniano While Kelvin is still exploring other genres and styles, he is open to recording songs by other artists and hopes to be able to release songs that will feature his own material.

In the past two years, Kelvin landed lead roles in television series such as The Lost Recipe, Tols, Stories from the Heart: Loving Miss Bridgette, and the ongoing afternoon soap, Unica Hija

Night of Filipino achievers in America

LAST November 19, on what was my first visit to Los Angeles, I witnessed the 21st edition of Gawad Amerika Awards which recognized the excellence of some achievers in the Filipino-American community. It was nice to see that some recipients are friends from way back.

That evening, I saw again after many years my old friend Rally Vargas who on social media aptly describes himself as “half radio, half human.” The seasoned radio broadcaster known to many listeners as Papa Gio is the founder and CEO of V81 Radio Los Angeles which was hailed as Best Filipino Online Radio Station, a citation it also won last year. A former senior DJ at Barangay LS 97.1 and operations manager at Energy FM, Rally received the award with his partner-operator Bernard Kho Days later, I went to visit their stateof-the-art California Talk Studio that houses their station. Right from the moment I entered, with its slick design and incandescent ambiance, I could say they truly deserve the award.

Colleague Joey Sarmiento, also a radio jock and entertainment columnist, was likewise around and did hosting for the occasion.

Now US-based Bryan Termulo, a singer whom I first met when he was new in the Manila music scene, was named International Male Entertainer of the Year. Another winning singing act I’ve previously written about more than once is Alisah Bonaobra (Best Female

Pop Vocal Performer of the Year) who’s currently in the US to surely thrill crowds with her superb voice.

Halfway through the event, one of the elegantly dressed attendees with a trophy in her hands approached me and to my surprise, she’s rising artist Kristine Lim. She’s gaining ground by collaborating with songwriter Jonathan Manalo through her paintings. In the past, I helped promote Kristine’s entrepreneurial pursuits while at one point I wrote a set of lyrics that Jonathan turned into music.

Since everyone’s friendly and welcoming I was also privileged to be introduced to other empowered women. There’s Mic Diaz who was awarded Most Outstanding Producer. Small wonder she’s spearheading the “Sing & Dance Holiday Party” at Kusina Filipina in Eagle Rock, L.A. on December 17 to raise funds for the nonprofit organization Eyes of a Mother. That she is doing it for underserved families speaks about her conviction to

party for a cause.

Mic also partnered with the FilipinoAmerican Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) to stage the foodfest and afternoon dance on January 28 as a nod to the Historic Filipinotown, one of the six Asian Pacific islander neighborhoods designated by the city of Los Angeles.

Then there’s “Queen of Queens” awardee Corazon Ugalde Yellen who said, “I’m thankful for this recognition and honor. I cherish every award because it recognizes my work. I want to be a role model for the younger generation.”

Later in the night, I encountered gifted male singer Kenneth Laurente (Promising Performer of the Year), and Outstanding Young Entrepreneur awardee Tommie Mopia

The spectacle was wrapped up by showbiz reporter and talent manager Ogie Diaz who in his acceptance speech urged, “Ipagpatuloy niyo po ang pagiging successful sa America.”

PH’s first idol survival show earns praises from Youtubers abroad

rankings and who will bow out of the competition in the show.

Since it premiered, Dream Maker the first idol survival show produced by ABS-CBN, MLD Entertainment, and Kamp Korea Inc., has been trending worldwide and nationwide for its top-notch production, set design, and camera work plus its impressive lineup of Korean and Pinoy mentors.

Dream Maker airs every Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, A2Z, iWantTFC, and TFC IPTV.

GMA Network’s Digital Video

Lab wins Google News Initiative Challenge for ‘InoculatED’

GMA Digital Lab’s winning project “InoculatED” will focus on combating online misinformation using Artificial Intelligence (AI). By creating digital tools and news products, “InoculatED” aims to protect Filipino internet users from fake news. Google will provide support of $125,000 for this new initiative.

The GNI Innovation Challenges empower news organizations from around the world that pioneer new thinking in online journalism, develop new paths to sustainability and better understand their communities.

“InoculatED” was developed by GMA Digital Video Lab head Bernice Sibucao and digital video specialist Lala Lacsina under the supervision of GMA Network

Assistant Vice President and Head of Online News Jaemark Tordecilla

bunk fake news with the help of AI tools. We decided to do a pre-bunking project with Google as a way to combat fake news even before it spreads. As with medicine, the idea is to inoculate the public against misinformation so they can develop a resistance against the virality of fake news,” Sibucao explained.

The project will be a collaborative effort among GMA’s Digital teams, including GMA News Online, and the award-winning social media teams of GMA Integrated News and GMA Public Affairs — the same digital teams behind the Eleksyon 2022 campaign “Dapat Totoo” that won “Best in Audience Engagement” at the WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Worldwide 2022. GMA Digital Lab will also tap other external collaborators to amplify the project’s impact.

Prior to this latest achievement, GMA Digital Video Lab received Facebook’s Accelerator Grant twice.

ABS-CBN’s

Various YouTube bloggers Alex Oh, Wilson Chang, Jeevan, and Volkan Dağcı highly commended the production quality of the music video and showed interest in the potential of the 62 Dream Chasers.

“Take My Hand” served as the first challenge of the Dream Chasers. It helped the dream mentors determine the skill set of each Dream Chaser for the first mission. As of this writing, the music video garnered one million views.

For their first mission, the Dream Chasers were split into ten groups and will be fighting in a head-to-head battle. The results of their first mission will determine their next

“We hope to harness the power of technologies like AI to increase our surveillance capabilities and the production of pre-bunking stories. We will take advantage of the reach of GMA Network, including our audience on traditional media and our millions of followers on emerging digital platforms, to make this a comprehensive effort,” Tordecilla said.

Under the project, GMA Network is set to develop news products that would “inoculate” audiences by empowering them to be more resistant to misinformation–the same way vaccines protect and immunize the population from various illnesses.

“InoculatED is a project that aims to build a surveillance team that will pre-

In 2018, GMA Network also won the Google News Initiative Challenge for the pioneering mobile journalism newscast Stand for Truth Aside from Stand for Truth, the GMA Digital Video Lab has developed and produced original digital programs, including GMA News Feed, a hit series featuring bite-sized mobile news; Need to Know, an explanatory journalism series featuring the novel use of animation and information graphics; The Howie Severino Podcast; and The Mangahas Interviews, among others.

Its programs have been showcased at international events, including the Video Business Accelerator Program of the Facebook Journalism Project, the International Center for Journalists, and the Korean Press Foundation Journalism Conference.

BROADCAST giant and online leader GMA Network, through its Digital Video Lab, has won at the latest round of the Google News Initiative (GNI) Asia Pacific Innovation Challenge for a project aimed at fighting misinformation.

Senior

first idol survival show Dream Maker has drawn praises from global YouTubers for the catchy song “Take My Hand” performed by the show’s aspiring idols called Dream Chasers.

BY YUGEL LOSORATA

TOUCHBASS

Kapuso star Kelvin Miranda is open to dating, but nothing too serious yet

Rally “Papa Gio” Vargas (right) of Best Filipino Online radio V81 Radio Los Angeles and Male Entertainer of the Year Bryan Termulo

Gawad Amerika’s Most Outstanding Producer Mic Diaz

The author (left) with visual artist Kristine Lim

International YouTubers (left) complimenting the production of ABS-CBN’s ‘Dream Maker’

From left: Bernice Sibucao, Jaemark Tordecilla, and Lala Lacsina

Incorporating fitness into your everyday life

IHAVE been going to the gym for the past 10 months, albeit not as often as the more active ones in the fitness center I regularly visit, incorporating physical activity in the middle of a busy week allows me to boost my energy and cardiovascular health.

One of the reasons why I exercise is to train my lower back. At the height of the pandemic, I suffered from extreme lower back pain that prevented me from doing even simple movements like getting out of bed, walking straight, and standing up after sitting even on a comfortable chair or coach.

I immediately consulted a specialist to have it treated. Eight therapy sessions later, the muscles in my lower back loosened and I could perform regular activities again. During my post-therapy assessment, the specialist told me that this condition could recur and advised me to visit the gym and hire a coach. I need a program that centers on strengthening my core and lower back muscles, the specialist said.

Coincidentally, Surge Fitness & Lifestyle – the fastest-growing, premium fitness lifestyle center in the country – has a branch in my area and it was gradually opening its doors to clients who prefer face-to-face fitness instruction. I thought it was also the perfect time for me to renew my commitment to fitness while addressing my lower back problem.

Meanwhile, on December 6, the fitness center held a party for its clients and employees at House Manila in Newport World Resorts. The event was attended by its ambassadors LA Tenorio, Zanjoe Marudo, and Sunshine Cruz. Confirming my attendance at the event was an easy yes because Surge, together with my amiable and dedicated physical trainer, has become my companion in my fitness journey.

The company believes that health and fitness should be at the forefront of priorities post-pandemic, and that’s quite aligned with my personal goal.

Surge has built six facilities and over

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At the Surge party, Manila Standard Lifestyle was able to talk to actress Sunshine Cruz. She was accompanied by her daughters Sam and Angel Sunshine was keen to talk about her fitness routine and how her children encourage her to engage in physical activities.

“I don’t encourage my children [to work out], they are the ones who encourage me. Sometimes they would already wear their workout clothes before inviting me leaving me without any other choice but to go with them,” the actress, who has an upcoming Vivamax movie opposite Allen Dizon, shared.

At 45, Sunshine believes that it would be hard for her to maintain her figure if she doesn’t have a regular fitness routine

“I work out three times a week. If I have a taping, I would do online sessions. Surge has online classes that help me work out without physically going to the gym. I believe that for you to keep fit, you need to make it a commitment and incorporate working out into your lifestyle,” she stated.

While Sunshine promotes a healthy and active lifestyle, she admitted that she also has cheat days. And she looks forward to having cheat days being a big foodie herself.

“I watch what I eat, but I have cheat days, too. I look forward to my cheat days. I eat a lot but I work out a lot as well,” Sunshine said.

Surge Fitness & Lifestyle operates six branches in Holy Spirit Drive and MPlace Mall in Quezon City, Glorietta 3 and Jupiter Street in Makati, and Westgate Commerce Avenue and Festival Mall in Alabang. It’s also opening four more branches by next year.

Ending the year right by caring for my health and wellness

WHEN I started this column a year ago, I had yet to decide what to write about. My good friend and editor Nickie was the one who suggested the name Job Well Done while our group was on a holiday at our favorite beach town up North.

It just came naturally to write about health and wellness and just about any endeavor done well, because it was that time when I started to seriously take care of not only my physical but also emotional and mental health. It is a continuous journey and not an easy one.

There have been times when I forget to give my body the proper care it needs, but when I allow myself to pause, it all goes back to me — the importance of taking care of myself so that I can serve others. Most important is to walk the talk and to take it to heart so that I will not forget. Work hard, then rest with the same intensity.

This Christmas season is one of the merriest but also the busiest time for many of us. Apart from having proper rest, taking natural supplements has been helpful to me in avoiding sickness. My current favorite supplements are from LifeFood, the natural supplements brand of Unilab.

I take the LifeFood Curcumin which has 500mg of Meriva, a patented form of curcumin formulated to support in managing general inflammation. Turmeric or Curcuma longa has a long history of medicinal applications in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine, the most well-known being its anti-

inflammatory effects. Curcumin has been demonstrated to support the body’s healthy inflammation response to maintain a healthy balance in all areas. Aside from that, it helps the heart in reducing risk factors like hypertension and dyslipidemia. It also aids in digestion, helps maintain a healthy gut, and lifts the mood as curcumin help manage anxiety and depression symptoms. The antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties of turmeric can also help make your skin healthier and blemish-free.

The LifeFood Astaxanthin, another one I’m currently taking, is considered to be one of the strongest anti-aging molecules as it’s 500 times stronger than Vitamin E and 6,000 times stronger than Vitamin C. It helps support the body’s anti-aging functions, improve the skin’s integrity and moisture levels, and prevent UV-induced skin damage. It also helps reduce the size of wrinkles and improve skin microtexture. Astaxanthin, known as one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants, lessens the effects of free radicals that can cause diseases and oxidative stress to the skin that can lead to premature aging.

As someone who runs to de-stress, it is good to note that Astaxanthin also boosts

muscle endurance and recovery; lowers lactic acid and fatigue; and reduces muscle damage and inflammation. You can check out LifeFood at lifefood. com.ph. as well as @LifeFoodPH on Facebook and Instagram for health info and life-enriching tips.

The coming weeks are still going to be very busy, as we approach the new year. I hope that as we continue serving our purpose and helping others, we will never neglect our health and well-being.

For feedback, I’m at joba.botana@ gmail.com.

Nickie

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6,000 square meters of fitness lifestyle facilities to encourage and motivate people to live an active and healthy lifestyle. It has invested in spacious facilities to ensure social distancing and overall better sanitation, hygiene, and comfortability

are observed while its clients are doing their workouts.

A few of our notable facilities at Surge Fitness & Lifestyle are our heart rate monitored facilities, a group class studio suitable for families, groups of friends, and indi-

viduals who wish to join the group session, a sauna for detoxification, pain reduction, stress relief, and more, a video game playzone which also has its own billiard table, air hockey and a co-working space where clients can comfortably work.

LA Tenorio (left) and Zanjoe Marudo enjoying the facilities at Surge Fitness & Lifestyle

Sunshine Cruz (rightmost) spending time with her daughters while prioritizing fitness

Surge Fitness & Lifestyle ambassador Sunshine Cruz

From left: LA Tenorio, Jonas Gaffud, Corrine Abalos, Surge CEO Raymond Delos Santos, Pauline Aviles, Nellys Pimentel (Miss Earth 2019), and Zanjoe Marudo