VATICAN CITY—Pope Francis said Wednesday that former pontiff Benedict XVI, 95, whose health has steadily been deteriorating, is “very ill” and he is praying for him.
“I would like to ask all of you to pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict,” Francis said at the end of his general audience. He called on people to “remember him, because
THE Philippines is planning to impose strict travel requirements on Chinese nationals visiting the country as COVID-19 cases in China surge one week before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is scheduled to go there on a state visit.
“I think we should be very cautious if they have many COVID-19 cases,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said in a mix of English and Filipino. “We should be careful about letting the Chinese into the country.”
He said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) would work on the problem and said the Philippines may require RT-PCR testing upon arrival for travelers from China.
“In Hong Kong, they are open but they require an RT-PCR test.
THE country’s telecommunications companies were ordered to submit incident reports on anomalies regarding their SIM card registration processes by Wednesday, the National Telecommu-
By Darwin G. Amojelar
THE government will privatize the operation of the EDSA Bus Carousel service by the first half of next year as free rides on the circuit will end on Jan. 1, 2023, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said on Wednesday.
Bautista graced the opening of a new bus stop for the EDSA Bus Carousel at Tramo in Pasay City and said that privatizing the circuit’s operations is on the Department of Transportation’s wish list for 2023.
NO LONGER FREE NEXT YEAR.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista converses with a driver of an EDSA carousel bus during the launching of the newly-opened Tramo Station in Pasay City on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022. The government will privatize the operation of carousel service by the first half of next year as free rides end on Jan. 1, 2023.
nications Commission (NTC) said.
In a memorandum issued Tuesday, the NTC said the order was in response to “numerous incidents involving unsuccessful or incomplete SIM registra-
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Customs official Ariel Nepomuceno as the new administrator of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), just as the country is suffering from inclement Christmas weather that has claimed the lives of 25 people so far. In a statement, the Office of the Press Secretary also said the President has tapped lawyers Angelito Magno and Glenn Ricarte as new Assistant Directors of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Mr. Marcos has likewise appointed Richard “Dickie” Bachmann as the new Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairperson, replacing Noli Eala who was named to the post just last August (full story in Sports, page B1 – Editors).
The OPS on Wednesday released photos of Nepomuceno, Magno, and Ricarte taking their oath before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. However, the office has yet to release copies of their appointment papers.
Nepomuceno was the former Bureau of Customs (BOC) deputy commission-
tion from the general public.” It also noted several initial social media reports from users that complained of registration sites being down or inaccessible.
This was as the country’s three mobile operators said Wednesday nearly 2.5 million subscribers – out of a combined 173 million postpaid
A LOW pressure area that could develop into a storm is expected to dump more rain over the southern and central regions in the country -- the hardest-hit areas during the Christmas weekend floods where the death toll has risen yesterday to 29.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said six deaths were recorded in Region 5, three in Region 8, two in Region 9, and 18 in Region 10.
Four of the fatalities have been confirmed while 25 remained for validation.
Some 25 persons remain missing,
CONSUMERS
DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez said that in select markets in Metro Manila, the price of large onions was already at P550/kg, while smaller ones were priced at P440/kg.
He said the SRP of onions was just P170/kg, while the farmgate prices were around P300/kg.
“It seems like a lot of people will be angry with me on this, but to be reasonable and practical, let’s not buy a kilo of onions. Let’s buy only what we can afford,” Estoperez said in a Super
WITH New Year’s Eve just a few days away, government hospitals across the country have raised the “code white alert” for possible firework-related injuries.
Code white alert means that emergency services are on standby 24/7 and doctors and nurses are on call for duty.
The East Avenue Medical Center has prepared medical equipment, medicines, and disinfectant for firecrackerrelated injury treatment at the emergency ward.
“As of yesterday, we’ve had no fireworks-related injury. Based on previous years, we’d have some cases by now,” said Dr. John Paul Ner, medical special-
ist 2 at East Avenue Medical Center.
Some seven more cases of fireworksrelated injuries were logged in the Philippines, bringing the caseload 39 percent higher than last year, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.
Based on the DOH’s recent fireworksrelated injury surveillance report, the cumulative number of fireworks-related injuries from Dec. 21 to Dec. 28 now stood at 32.
This was an increase from the 23
cases reported during the same period in 2021.
Of these 32 cases, seven were logged in the Western Visayas, while four each came from the Bicol Region and Soccsksargen, the DOH said.
Central Visayas and the National Capital Region (NCR) recorded three cases each, while Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Davao Region had two each.
One case was each registered in Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
A total of 16 of these cases sustained injuries on the eye, 12 on the hand, four on the forearm or arm, one on the head, one on the neck, one on the chest, one on the back, and another one on the
the service was halted due to COVIDrelated border restrictions.
foot.
The DOH said 22 victims got the fireworks-related injuries at home, while 10 got the injuries on the street.
Five of them were also allegedly intoxicated at the time of the accident.
The top fireworks involved were boga, whistle bomb, 5-star, kwitis, and camara.
There were still no reports of firework ingestion or stray bullet injuries so far, the DOH said.
An official of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI), meanwhile, warned that cases of asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses usually increase during the celebration of New Year due to smoke emitted from fireworks.
surge in ticket prices.
“We are planning to privatize the EDSA Busway and entertain proposals by first quarter of next year,” he said, adding the government planned to award the O&M (operation and maintenance) contract to the winning bidder within the first six months of 2023.
There are groups interested in the operations of the bus system along the busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila, the DoTr chief said, but none have submitted proposals so far.
“We’re preparing the TOR (terms of reference). If we want this to be privatized, it will be done by the private sector, which will have to conform to international standards,” he said.
In September, Bautista ordered a study on the possible privatization of the EDSA Bus Carousel.
the NDRRMC said.
A total of 105,971 families or 407,224 individuals were affected by the floods and landslides.
The forecaster said moderate to heavy rains were likely across southern and central regions on Wednesday and Thursday due to a low-pressure area off the coast that could develop into a tropical depression.
“Flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards,” the weather bureau said.
The disaster agency said relief efforts were under way to help people in areas hit hard by the flooding, as more than 81,000 people sheltered in evacuation centers.
Officials on Wednesday were to conduct aerial surveillance over Misamis Occidental to assess the extent of the damage.
The weather turned bad over the weekend as the disaster-prone nation of 110 million people prepared for a long Christmas holiday.
The Philippines is ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change, and scientists have warned that storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer.
The weather bureau said a low pressure area located east of Surigao del Sur would bring rain showers over Palawan, Visayas and four other areas.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian said Wednesday that China will always extend assistance to the country where people in Mindanao are bearing the brunt of recent flash floods.
Huang said said China stands ready to help “as a good neighbor, relative and partner to the Philippines in times of trouble like this.”
“We wish all those affected could overcome the grief and hardships, regain their strength, and rebuild their home at the earliest date,” he added.
AFP, Rey E. Requejo
We can also do that,” he said. “Look at what other countries are doing. Other ASEAN countries are also cautious in accepting Chinese visitors.”
Department of Health (DOH) officerin-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said the high COVID-19 count in an area should not keep people from doing their jobs. She made this statement when asked if President Marcos should skip the state visit to Beijing due to the number of COVID-19 cases in China.
“We need to understand that we are currently living with the virus, so going to a place where the virus detection is high should not hamper us from doing our work,” Vergeire said in Filipino at a press conference.
“The trips of our President to different countries are important to our economy,” Vergeire said.
The surge in COVID-19 cases in China has been attributed to the Omicron subvariant BF.7.
In the Philippines, four cases of BF.7 have already been detected, but the DOH said this is not yet a cause for concern.
The BF.7, a sublineage of the BA.5, is believed to be more transmissible and better at evading immunity.
Earlier, a former pandemic adviser to the government, Dr. Tony Leachon, said the President’s trip to China was “a potential super spreader event.”
He said the President should secure the real status of COVID-19 cases in China, which has not been forthcoming with its pandemic data.
“The state visit is not a life and death situation. He has to confirm if he had a bivalent vaccine from his UN-NYC trip. It’s a potential super spreader event,” Leachon said.
In November, Malacañang announced that Marcos had accepted the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit to China in January 2023.
Bautista said he welcomed the resumption of flights between the two countries, but said proper health protocols must be implemented.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) earlier announced that it is resuming flights between Manila and Xiamen, China by Jan. 13, 2023, almost three years after
Starting with one flight per week, operating every Friday, the PAL route to Xiamen will build up frequencies over time, in line with the easing of restrictions and applicable government authorizations.
During the pandemic, PAL operated a series of authorized regular charter flights to Nanjing (from July 2020 to September 2022), Hangzhou (August 2022 to September 2022), Tianjin (from July 2022 to August 2022) and Wuhan (from August 2022 to present), while scheduled services on the airline’s regular routes were suspended.
Before the start of the COVID-19 closures, PAL had previously served five cities in China, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou (Jinjiang).
Other local airlines are also planning to resume flights to China by next year.
Based on a Reuters’ report, the provincial government of Zhejiang, a big industrial province near Shanghai with a population of 65.4 million, said it was battling about a million new daily COVID-19 infections, a number expected to double in the days ahead.
Health authorities in the southeastern Jiangxi province also said infections would hit an apex in early January, adding that there could be other peaks as people travel next month for Lunar New Year celebrations, state media reported.
They warned that the wave of infections would last three months and that about 80 percent of the province’s 45 million residents could get infected.
The city of Qingdao, in the eastern Shandong province, meanwhile estimated that up to 530,000 residents were being infected each day.
Beijing’s sudden pivot away from containing COVID-19 has caused jitters around the world, with the United States saying it may restrict travel from China following its decision to end mandatory quarantine for overseas arrivals.
China late Monday scrapped quarantine for inbound travelers from Jan. 8 onward, dismantling the last remaining piece of its stringent zero-COVID policy and ending some of the world’s harshest border restrictions.
The move was greeted with jubilation by Chinese citizens, who rushed to book international flights, triggering a
But hospitals and crematoriums across China continue to be overwhelmed by an influx of mostly elderly people.
Reporters for Agence France-Presse saw dozens of mostly elderly COVID patients lying on gurneys in overflowing hospital emergency wards in Tianjin, 140 kilometers southwest of the capital Beijing Wednesday.
Medical staff are “pretty much all” expected to continue working despite testing positive for the virus, one doctor said.
Other countries have expressed concerns about the potential for new variants to emerge as China battles the world’s biggest surge in infections.
US officials said late Tuesday they were considering COVID entry restrictions on travelers from China, after countries including Japan and India introduced PCR testing on arrival for Chinese passengers.
“There are mounting concerns in the international community on the ongoing COVID-19 surges in China and the lack of transparent data, including viral genomic sequence data, being reported from the PRC,” the US officials said, referring to the People’s Republic of China.
The United States is “considering taking similar steps” to countries such as Japan and Malaysia, they added.
Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, said Wednesday that it would also screen travelers from the mainland for the virus.
China’s loosening of measures effectively brought the curtain down on a zero-COVID regime of mass testing, lockdowns and long quarantines that has stalled its economy and triggered large-scale nationwide protests.
“Currently the development of China’s epidemic situation is overall predictable and under control,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Wednesday.
“Hyping, smearing and political manipulation with ulterior motives can’t stand the test of facts,” Wang added, calling Western media reporting on China’s COVID surge “completely biased.”
All passengers arriving in China have had to undergo mandatory centralized quarantine since March 2020. The period of isolation fell from three weeks to one week in June, and to five days last month. With AFP
A joint undertaking of the DOTr, Metro Manila Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways, the EDSA Busway features the use of a dedicated median lane for buses with stations built at the median island, allowing for more efficient travel by avoiding conflict with connecting streets, driveways, commercial centers, and curbside drop-off points.
DOTr Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said the study aimed to determine the advantages in handing the busway system operations to the private sector.
The privatization needed study because it involves many components, such as bus units and infrastructures, which are under the jurisdiction of other agencies, Pastor added.
Asked if bus fares on the carousel would rise, he said it would be highly regulated and under the jurisdiction of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The board still needs to release a fare matrix for the EDSA Bus Carousel, Pastor noted. Based on the previous rates charged by buses along the EDSA route, the fare is P13 for the first five kilometers, with an additional P2.20 for every succeeding kilometer.
The EDSA Carousel runs from Caloocan City in the north to the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) in the south with 21 bus stops -- 17 median stations, four temporary curbside stations, and an integrated terminal exchange -- and the Tramo stop as the latest addition.
The government has been offering free rides on the EDSA Bus Carousel under its “Libreng Sakay” program, which is set to end on December 31, 2022.
he is very ill, asking the Lord to console and support him.”
The Vatican on Wednesday confirmed that the health of the ex-pontiff has worsened in the last few hours and he had been visited by Pope Francis.
Radyo dzBB interview.In a separate GMA News report, the price of red onions at the Las Piñas Public Market soared to P720 per kilo on Wednesday, 20 percent higher than the P600 per kilo on Tuesday.
The price increased because vendors had to pay their suppliers P680 per kilo on Wednesday, the report added. Vendors also had to pay for parking fees at the market and for shipping charges from their suppliers – even as onion prices could still rise in the next few days.
In October, the DA set an SRP of P170 per kilogram of red onions in wet markets in Metro Manila following the rise in prices of agricultural commodities.
Estoperez said the DA will still check if there is a need to import onions early next year if the supply does not normalize by then – following his announcement a day earlier that the Agriculture Department is no longer considering the importation of onions given the expected local harvest in January and February.
“Let’s see this coming harvest season in January and February if the onion supply will still be thin. Let’s decide by then what to do. We should ask ourselves: Are we really producing enough, or do we have to import? We may also have a problem with our government interventions as to why onion production is the way it is,” he said.
Estoperez earlier said the DA will focus on possible interventions for the commodity, including credit for farmers, and providing them assistance in terms of logistics, transportation, cold storage, and packaging.
er for enforcement but stepped down following the resignation of then-Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon under the Duterte administration.
The OCD, the implementing arm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC),
administers a comprehensive national civil defense and disaster risk reduction and management program.
It provides leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches as well as measures to reduce the vulnerabilities and risks to hazards and manage the consequences of disasters, the OPS statement said. Meanwhile, the NBI detects and investigates crimes and other offenses
form involved, the number of subscribers affected, geographical areas, and actions taken to address these issues, “as well as actions to mitigate or eliminate future incidents.”
against the laws of the Philippines upon its own initiative and as public interest may require and renders technical assistance upon request in the investigation and detection of crimes and other offenses.
It also coordinates with other national and local police agencies in the maintenance of peace and order and establishes and maintains an up-to-date scientific crime laboratory.
registrations, especially in the nation’s hinterland areas.
“I can confirm that in the last few hours there has been a deterioration due to advancing age. The situation at the moment remains under control, monitored continually by doctors,” spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.
Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries, has almost entirely withdrawn from public view.
The few photographs that have emerged of him have shown him to be in increasingly frail health.
Back in 2013, he had cited his declining physical and mental health in his decision to become the first pope since 1415 to give up the job as head of the worldwide Catholic church. AFP
from December 27 to check the stability and full optimization of the system.”
and prepaid clients nationwide -have completed their registration since it began on Dec. 27.
In a statement, Globe, with nearly 88 million subscribers, said it logged over 1.5 million SIM registrations as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, hours after its platform went back online after “finetuning and optimization for better customer experience.”
DITO Telecommunity Corp., which has 15 million subscribers, recorded 497,873 SIM registrations as of Dec. 28, as its chief administrative officer Adel Tamano described its list-up as “generally smooth.”
Smart, with 68 million subscribers, said it had a total of 388,522 SIM registrations across its postpaid and prepaid, Smart Bro, and TNT brands as of yesterday.
The NTC told the telcos to file reports on these incidents, including the plat-
NTC Deputy Commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo they have since received initial reports.
Salvahan also addressed concerns about the use of selfies for SIM card registration, saying it was an added verification measure.
He noted that during the public consultations on the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the SIM Card Registration Act, there were concerns about how to ensure the identity of subscribers using their SIM cards.
The telcos will also be rolling out assisted registration in their stores, especially for subscribers who are not familiar with using their online registration platforms, Salvahan added.
The NTC will also set up a task force to closely monitor updates on SIM card
For her part, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Spokesperson Anna Mae Lamentillo said the selfie requirement for registration complied with the law.
“The new law imposes a lot of penalties… a lot will try to subvert the system, submit fake IDs and fake names. But now, we warn our countrymen to be honest in what SIM cards they use and the information they give,” she told ABS-CBN TeleRadyo.
The DICT has also set up a 24/7 hotline—1326—for SIM card registration complaints and concerns.
Globe Group chief sustainability and corporate communications officer Yoly Crisanto said: “Our SIM registration platform is back up and running, and we’re happy to report that our customers are logging in to register. We shall continue to closely monitor the site’s performance using the 72-hour window
Smart regulatory affairs senior manager Kenneth Regañon said: “Our postpaid subscribers were able to receive their registration confirmation within two minutes. Some of our prepaid subscribers, meanwhile, may have experienced initial difficulties in accessing our portal and in completing the registration pro[1]cess due to the heavy volume of registration traffic throughout the day.”
Thousands of mobile phone users were unable to register their SIM cards on the first day of mandatory registration on Tuesday as technical glitches— and the sheer number of users—bogged down online portals set up by the telcos to accept their information.
The online registration will be free of charge and will require customers to provide their personal information (full name, date of birth, sex, present/official address) and a government-issued identification card. Darwin G. Amojelar
SSS released P236.3b in benefits from Jan. to Nov.
By Rio N. ArajaTHE Social Security System has disbursed P236.3 billion in benefits from January to November 2022, a growth of 13.2 percent from the P208.8 billion benefit disbursements it recorded for the same period last year.
SSS President and chief executive officer Michael Regino said the rise in disbursements this year is driven by the increases in number of benefit claims, number of members and pensioners, and amount of benefit releases for retirement, disability and death.
“For the first 11 months of 2022, we have received 4.58 million benefit claims. This is 7.3 percent higher than the 4.27 million benefit claims we received for the same period last year,” he said.
“Our pensioners, which stood at three million in 2021, grew to 3.18 million by November 2022, while our retirement, disability, and death benefit monthly disbursements, which averaged at P16.6 billion in 2021, increased to P19.53 billion for January to November this year,” he added.
From 2016 to 2021, the amount of SSS benefit disbursements and the number of claims also grew by an average of 11.4 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively, despite the 1 percent decrease in both in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The upward trend in SSS benefit payments in recent years is also attributed to the grant of additional monthly benefit, implementation of a new benefit program and higher salary base for benefit computation.
In 2017, the SSS granted a P1,000 additional monthly benefit for pensioners pursuant to an executive secretary memorandum dated Feb. 22, 2017.
In 2019, Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 was implemented, which, among other provisions, expanded the SSS’ mandatory membership coverage, introduced the Unemployment Benefit Program and Workers’ Investment Savings Program (WISP), and increased the minimum and maximum monthly salary credit.
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said it will open more than 4,000 slots for transport network vehicle service (TNVS) starting January 9, 2023 to bring the total vehicles to 11,000.
This as passengers complained of having difficulty in booking a ride due to the lack of TNVS units.
“First, they should be accredited by the transportation network company or TNC and the Board allows the TNC to help the accredited TNVS operators or drivers to process their application,” said LTFRB technical division head Joel Bolano.
“The Board wants to ensure that the applications the TNC will file are all genuine and already vetted,” he added.
The LTFRB will allow TNCs to have 100 applications for franchise and up to three accredited vehicles per individual.
The LTFRB also eased the requirement for applicants whose vehicles are under installment plan.
THERE were no Filipinos on death row executed this year due to the continuing government aid through its legal assistance fund (LAF), the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
For DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose De Vega, this is one of the agency’s major accomplishments in 2022 on top of the safe evacuation of Filipinos in war-torn Ukraine early this year.
“If you notice we have countrymen facing various cases overseas. There are no Filipinos executed abroad this year,” he said in a Laging Handa briefing Wednesday.
The diplomat attributed this zero execution to DFA’s close coordination with host governments as well as direct
engagement between the heads of state.
Based on the latest data from the DFA as of Nov. 11, there are 65 Filipinos on death row abroad.
DFA’s LAF is made available for overseas Filipinos and migrant workers from the time of arrest to the trial proper and at all levels of appeal, especially for those charged with crimes punishable by life imprisonment or death.
It may also be used for immigration or deportation cases and labor disputes.
The DFA has so far disbursed 99.69 percent of its P200 million LAF and assisted a total of 6,000 OFWs as of Dec. 23.
In addition to LAF, the DFA also utilizes its P1 billion assistance-to-na-
tionals (ATN) fund which covers welfare assistance for both documented and undocumented Filipinos in need of government assistance, mostly repatriation.
The agency has utilized 89.06 percent of the said fund and extended help to more than 120,000 Filipinos.
This year, thousands of distressed Filipinos were also sent home by the DFA with more than a hundred more trafficking victims expected to be repatriated from Southeast Asia.
De Vega said most of these trafficking victims were promised data encoding jobs and the likes but ended up working for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and scams.
“They will be given provisional authority to operate while waiting. The TNC may help them with the bank,” he said.
Meanwhile, the LTFRB reopened more than 40 pre-pandemic routes for public utility jeepneys (PUJ) in the National Capital Region.
“First, these are additional units for the riding public. Second, livelihood for drivers and more convenient commute for passengers because they may be more familiar with these routes,” Bolan said.
Among the routes to be restored are the San Rafael, Rodriguez, RizalCubao Central Terminal, NovalichesMRT North EDSA, Pasig-Quiapo, Southmall-Quiapo, Southmall-Lawton, Tandang Sora-TM Kalaw, and Cubao-Marikina.
Around 9,000 PUJ drivers are expected to return to the streets with the new LTFRB order.
By Joel E. ZurbanoPOLICE arrested five Vietnamese nationals for alleged robbery, extortion and illegal detention of a fellow Vietnamese in Makati City.
Southern Police District director Kirby Kraft identified the suspects as Thai Huy Tuan, 28 Phan Huu Dat, 25; Nguyen Ly Huynh, 30, Phan Van Thanh, 28; and Tran Trung Tuyen, 34.
An entrapment operation conducted by members of the Makati City Station Investigative and Detective Management resulted in the arrest of the suspects along Leviste Street, Salcedo Village in Barangay Bel-Air around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Kraft said the Makati City police con -
ducted the operation following the complaint filed by Do Mahn Tuan who told investigators that the suspects held him in custody inside the VIP Room of Yakale Restaurant in Barangay San Antonio on Dec. 22.
He added the suspects released the victim after paying P250,000.
“On Dec. 26, the complainant received a call and text messages from the suspects extorting P100,000 and threatened the victim that if he will not pay, he and his family will be kidnapped,” said Kraft.
This prompted the victim to ask police assistance and the entrapment was made leading to the arrest of the suspects.
The five foreigners are now detained at the Makati Police custodial center.
TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat—When the pandemic
restrictions nationwide,
Y.
Garcia conducted research on the industry and saw potential in the 14,000 hectares of palm oil fully-planted within the province. He envisioned the benefits of an Integrated Palm Oil Processing Facility that will refine crude palm oil and produce a variety of products such as cooking oil, confectionaries, cream, margarine, and shortening.
in the area. GARECO and its parent company have thus partnered with 63 farmers to manage their combined 3,065 hectares of oil palm.
“Our vision is to engage communities in palm oil production that will take them out of poverty and bring peace to the community, in the hopes of becoming a driving force for the Philippine economy,” said Garcia.
Through the LANDBANK term loan, the construction of the GARECO refinery mill started in July 2022 and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2024.
By Nash B. Maulana
THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has earmarked P247 million for administrative support and operational services of its Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).
Member of Parliament and MoST Minister Engineer Aida Silongan cited MP Architect Eduard Guerra’s leadership of the Parliament’s Committee on Finance, Budget, and Management, which approved the MOST 2023 budget.
The 2023 budget that the region has allocated for science and technology accounts for roughly 0.29 percent of BARMM’s P85.3 billion budget approved by BARMM Chief Min-
ister Ahod Ebrahim.
She also credited Member of Parliament Tarhata Basman who presented and defended the MOST-BARMM’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget.
The approved budget will enable the MOST-BARMM to continue to implement its programs and projects, such as research and development (R&D) for advancement of science and technology, S&T services, science, education grants, and Bangsamoro Standards and Halal Testing Laboratories.
Silongan said an additional P 49.5 million has been allocated and approved to support additional scholarship grants, R&D services, and improve BSHTL’s laboratory services.
The available crops and the potential market soon convinced Garcia to expand his family’s business and establish the Garcia Refinery Corp. (GARECO) under the A.C. Garcia Group of Companies in 2021. With the goal of being the first modern homegrown refinery in Mindanao, GARECO availed of a P450 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to make this a reality.
The LANDBANK loan has bankrolled the construction of GARECO’s main facility, which will become the first palm oil refinery plant in the South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos (SOCCSKSARGEN) region.
The refinery mill is expected to make oil palm products more accessible and affordable for the local market, and serve as a stable source of income for oil palm growers from Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.
More than being a private enterprise, GARECO aims to improve the socioeconomic status of oil palm growers
Its completion will likewise generate employment opportunities and expand the company’s workforce from five to about 35 to 50 workers composed of a mill manager, supervisors, operators, mechanics, electricians, laboratory analysts, and staff for administrative and marketing functions.
“LANDBANK looks forward to the completion of the very-first refinery mill in SOCCSKSARGEN. We remain committed to serve the development requirements of the palm oil industry and the whole agriculture sector towards inclusive and sustainable countryside development,” said LANDBANK President and CEO Cecilia C. Borromeo.
LANDBANK’s Term Loan Facility finances capital expenditures for businesses, including expansion, purchasing of additional machinery and equipment, and permanent working capital arising from expanded operations.
Interested borrowers can be a single proprietor, partners, or corporation which have projects on agribusiness, manufacturing, trading, and other services.
THIS will be our last article for the year, so we decided to write about some of the things that we would wish for the coming new year.
We take off from what Pope Francis said in his Christmas message, where he focused attention on “the problem of our humanity -the indifference produced by the greedy rush to possess and consume.”
If we decry the fact that our sovereign debt is now P13.54 trillion and counting, we should also look at the microeconomic side of our consumerist culture, inherited likely from our American colonialists and reinforced through the years by our aping American ways which has given rise to the descriptive—“little brown Americans.”
Our GDP relies heavily on consumption, and since most of what we consume, including food, is imported, our balance of trade is always on the negative side, as we export little else than bananas, coconut derivatives, and little value-added electronic and appliance assemblies.
And we rely on our OFWs to bring in the foreign exchange that makes it possible to finance our imports and sustain the same consumerism of their dependents.
Since 2023 will be a continuation of the difficulties we experienced this year, likely worse, we should mend our consumerist ways and try, despite inflation, to save more.
For starters, we should stop gawking with a mixture of delight and envy at those insensitive rich souls who flaunt their wealth.
We should un-subscribe to YouTube videos and Instagram accounts of “crazy rich” Filipinos, who boast of their collection of signature handbags, their $10,000 dinner sets, their luxurious mansions and opulent lifestyles, in the midst of so much poverty where the urban poor eat “pag-pag” and the rural poor subsist on “balinghoy” or cassava laced with kidney-damaging “bagoong.”
We should stop gawking with a mixture of delight and envy at those insensitive rich souls who flaunt their wealth
Conservative estimates tell us that some 12 percent of our population are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, and despite the 4Ps, it is a lingering problem with dire effects on the future of our young.
One of the best things that FM Sr. did at the beginning of martial law was to ban “society” sections in our newspapers after print media resumed.
Of course, his first lady flaunted her extravagance which, among others, led to their downfall.
Though Cory Aquino showed grace and simplicity, many others in government and the private sector revived the show-off culture.
Social media made it worse, as social climbers and plain show-offs found a convenient vehicle to parade their tasteless lifestyles.
So the first in my wish list for 2023: let’s all put an end to flaunting our wealth, and be sensitive to the poor who hardly eat two square meals a day.
***
Let me focus on tourism first in this wish list, as it remains a potential savior of our ailing economy.
NAIA is considered one of the world’s worst airports by almost every international travel observer.
Though there have been very sensible improvements of late, like removing those redundant X-ray checks as we enter the airport, or doing away with the senselessly tedious One-Health pass for arriving passengers, a lot more needs to be done.
We commend the current NAIA management for making life less miserable for both arriving and departing passengers, and we hope they would continue their good work in 2023, while we await the completion of both Bulacan and Sangley as international gateways.
***
Last Monday, we read about Sec. Frasco’s assurance to Duty Free Philippines employees who would have been “right-sized” off their jobs in 2023, per recommendation of the GCG. In the spirit of Christmas, perhaps. My wish is for the DOT to privatize Duty Free Philippines in 2023.
Government can never be good at business, particularly in retail. It’s byzantine control, purchasing and audit procedures leave no room for sensible business management.
The losses of DFP during the pandemic years will not considerably improve, and, in fact, if we examine its finances from the time it was put up as a government entity, it isn’t worth its supposed reason for being.
Private capital can modernize it, particularly the choice of merchandise it offers, and manage it well. Government cannot, no matter who they appoint to head it. ***
Despite the president’s veto of the congressional injunction in the 2023 budget against spending massively on changing the marketing slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines,” we agree with Senate tourism committee chair Nancy Binay’s admonition that we continue using that slogan.
We keep changing our tourism slogans with every change in DOT leadership, and, most of the time, they have been either sloppily produced and thus failures, at times even ridiculed.
The late “Sunshine” Joe Aspiras won plaudits and got more visitor arrivals with his famous line “The Philippines: Where Asia wears a Smile” at a time when there was yet no “smiley” logo and when Filipinos were indeed the most hospitable and gracious hosts to foreign visitors.
“It’s more fun in the Philippines” rekindles that product differentiation vis-à-vis our competitors in Southeast Asia, with the probable exception of Thailand.
Build on it, rather than change it. And adapt our campaigns to the market. It’s not all sun and sea that attracts foreign visitors.
“Amazing Thailand” and “Malaysia, truly Asia” have been running continuously and the success shows in the number of visitor arrivals.
The Tourism Promotions Board and the DOT should instead spend more on advertising, and replace those lethargic tourism attaches we have assigned to major visitor capitals, with incountry sales agents who get a commission for every tourist they produce. ***
With our traffic situation not expected to considerably improve within the next several years, and our sidewalks very pedestrian and biker unfriendly, let’s think of a less expensive and faster solution.
In Taiwan, sidewalk rules are strictly followed. There are properly marked pedestrian and biking paths in sidewalks that are at least three meters wide in their main thoroughfares.
In Metro Manila, easements for sidewalks are not followed, hence, bikers have to compete with motorcycles, cars and buses for use of our roads.
It should be rather easy and relatively inexpensive to construct a roofed, overhead walkway cum bike lane along the entire EDSA route. Intersections with ramp access can be placed in more or less 500 meter intervals.
We can expect loud objections from the residents of EDSA-peripheral mansions in Forbes, Dasmarinas, San Lorenzo, Bel-Air, Corinthian over their “security” but never mind them.
They can wall themselves in raised concrete fences, and the overpass need not be too high.
A person going to Buendia from Ayala Avenue or Pasay Road can walk instead of taking a cab or bus. So can a biker use the same overpass from Cubao to Makati safely on a dedicated lane.
The pressure on our decrepit public transport system can be relieved considerably; people can economize with convenience, and we encourage walking and biking which are good for the health.
Manila and Pasay can do the same in Roxas Boulevard, using the service road on its eastern side for the purpose. The walkway also provides a roof for underneath parking.
Since the load bearing capacity is low compared to motor vehicle passageways, these can be finished quickly and inexpensively.
Maybe Sec. Jimmy Bautista can find this suggestion worth his while. ***
We will begin our New Year columns on January 2 with similar wish lists containing this writer’s “So I See” suggestions for both government and the private sector to consider, all in the spirit of unity and a positive outlook. Happy New Year to all!
THE good news based on recent Palace announcements is that the Marcos administration is determined to build 6 million housing units for the lowincome and poor sections of the population during its term of office.
This is a positive development that bears watching.
After all, a roof over their heads is what the poor and the homeless wish for most of all, apart from food on the table and clothes on their backs.
The president reiterated his earlier promise to provide a million affordable houses annually for indigent families under the government’s public housing program.
He gave the assurance at the groundbreaking ceremony for the 11-hectare Palayan City Township Housing Project in Nueva Ecija.
This is a three-phase project that will entail the construction of 5,100 housing units, along with support infrastructure, such as an elementary school, livelihood center, administrative offices, a central park, basketball court, a mini-market and hawker area, aquaponics area, sewage treatment plant and materials recovery facility.
And this is just the beginning. The Chief Executive said he would continue with groundbreaking activities in different parts of the country.
The one million low-cost housing units annually will certainly help ease the country’s housing problem.
The socialized housing program, if implemented properly in the next five-and-a half years, will be a fitting legacy by the administration for the poor...
Last November, President Marcos told business leaders in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit that the Philippines has embarked on “a very aggressive housing program.”
“We are aiming for one million homes, one million low-cost and socialized homes a year. It is an ambitious number but we will try very, very hard,” he said.
The Pambansang Pabahay Para sa
Pilipino program aims to benefit at least six million families nationwide, with lease rights extending up to 100 years.
To support the government’s housing initiatives, several agencies, with the Government Service Insurance System in the lead, are collaborating on a housing program that will be launched next year.
According to the state pension fund, it will be working on the mass housing project in cooperation with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Home Development Mutual Fund, Social Security System, Land Bank of the Philippines, and Development Bank of the Philippines.
Under the Pabahay program, the award of the housing units would be in the form of lease rights for a maximum of 100 years, giving awardees the right to use and enjoy the housing unit as a residence by paying only the monthly rental.
The sale of rights would be granted only to first-time homebuyers, Pag-Ibig Fund members, and minimum wage earners.
The socialized housing program, if implemented properly in the next fiveand-a half years, will be a fitting legacy by the administration for the poor whose dream to have their own homes has remained just that – a dream that seemed impossible to achieve, until now.
For this and this alone, the city will continue to attract visitors regardless of some negative reports.
And if the city can restore many of the old tourist attractions that used to lure many visitors 30 to 40 years ago and add a few new ones, there will be a lot more to enjoy and see.
of being utilized as a cheap hotel surrounded by squatters.
Another area that needs redeveloping is the Father Carlo loop where the Baguio post office and the city cathedral are located.
LAST week, another social media article came out discouraging people from going up to Baguio due to traffic congestion.
Predictably, several readers reacted with some interesting observations.
One said the only thing different about the city from other places in the country is the cooler temperature.
The reader went on to say that, given the inconvenience brought about by the traffic, the tourist attractions that people are scrambling to see are not worth the hustle at all.
That reader is of course entitled to his or her own opinion but it does not seem to be shared by the vast majority of tourists who continue to flock to the city.
Indeed, the additional one day holiday this Christmas resulted in a lot more visitors this year than in previous years.
Another writer suggested that, to better enjoy the city and what it has to offer, tourists should try to interact more with the local population.
Someone reacted to this suggestion by saying that there is really no need because most of the residents of Baguio are basically transplanted people coming from the lowlands. There is some truth to all these observations, but Baguio in fact has a lot more to offer to tourists.
It just depends on one’s interests.
It is not only the more comfortable temperature all year round due to its elevation that tourists want to experience when they come to the city but a whole range of other activities as well.
I agree, however, that the cooler temperature is the biggest attraction.
There is no other urban center in the country that can offer the kind of comfort that the city offers to its visitors.
The famed Burnham Park, for instance, now needs professional landscaping help to upgrade and expand it. The old city auditorium where social events were held in the old days should be reconstructed and the athletic bowl should be transferred somewhere to widen the park. The old skating rink should also be brought back.
Although there is a need for more parking, the city should not put all its marbles on this solution
The park as it is right now is simply no longer enough to accommodate the increasing number of daily visitors.
It is to the interest of the city government and the Department of Tourism to partner and redevelop the park.
What is happening with the park instead is that more and more stalls are being allowed which is destroying its ambiance.
If Architect Burnham were alive today, I am sure that he will object to what is happening with the park.
The city government should also consider transferring the bus stations along Governor Pack road and develop it into another tourist center.
The old Baden Powell hall where the American colonial administration used to hold their sessions during summer can then also be restored as a tourist attraction instead
THE very day Russia launched its attack on her country, Svitlana Taranova enlisted in the Ukrainian army in the southern city of Mykolaiv, her birthplace.
“At 11 am on February 24 my contract with the territorial defense was signed,” said the former construction firm manager who is in her 50s.
“It was the only possible decision, not a sacrifice,” she said.
Mykolaiv came under threat rapidly after Kherson, 70 kilometers to the east, was taken by Russian forces.
President Vladimir Putin’s army needed to take Mykolaiv if it was going to conquer the Black Sea transport hub of Odessa, its main target and a two-hour drive to the west.
So the Russians began to pound Mykolaiv with artillery, massively and methodically.
Taranova, by now in the infantry, often found herself in close combat with Russian troops.
“In the beginning, I was terrified of the cluster bombs, my heart missed a beat every
time one went off,” she said. But then the fear gave way to grim determination. “I no longer feel I need to hide. All I want is revenge,” she said.
While an AFP team was in Mykolaiv in September and October, the city was bombarded almost every night.
‘We feed the soldiers’
As Taranova was battling Russians in combat, other women contributed to the war effort in different ways, an AFP team found.
“We’re fighting here, too,” said Svitlana Nitchouk, 41, a bakery employee. “We feed the soldiers.”
When AFP met with her, she was watching an emergency unit clearing the rubble of an old apartment block in the city center. The bakery where she works, on the ground floor, was badly damaged.
The remains of a nearby regional authority building miraculously holds up after a Russian missile destroyed seven floors.
Julia, a resident living nearby, said her apartment had already been hit three times.
The IT worker in her thirties took her daughter to the relative safety of western Ukraine, but regularly returns to Mykolaiv
A video on her Instagram account shows the 25-year-old Aleksandra Savitska in Kherson, wearing a helmet and flak jacket, after handing out food and hygiene products
—mostly to distribute cars or military equipment to the fighters, funded by online appeals she has launched.
In another neighborhood Julia Kirkina, a musicologist, sings and plays piano in a restaurant every Friday.
“Music is one of the best cures for the spirit,” she said. “My vocal therapy helps people stay calm and be optimistic.”
Mykolaiv remained within range of Russian artillery fire for 262 days, and escaped bombing for barely 50, according to local authorities.
Then, on November 13, Kherson was recaptured by Ukrainian troops and Mykolaiv
was no longer part of the war’s frontline.
By then more than 150 of the city’s residents had been killed and 700 injured. Between 300,000 and 500,000 people had fled. Four-fifths of the women have left, according to the regional administration, making Mykolaiv a city populated almost entirely by men. Millions of Ukrainian women have left their homes since the start of the war, some fleeing what the United Nations in a recent report called “alarming increases in genderbased violence”.
‘No time to panic’ Despite their increased vulnerability,
Currently, the post office building –constructed in 1933 – no longer looks like a post office because of the many stalls attached to the only existing American colonial building in the city.
The cathedral, on the other hand, has been fenced off and turned into a pay parking area and the church is now surrounded by buildings that ended the serenity of church worship.
There are scores of other tourist attractions that need attention like the Mines View Park and Mirador Hill that the city should also look into as well.
The city may also want to enhance the art scene like sponsoring concerts, a theater for performing artists and an honest-togoodness museum.
The City government at the moment is focusing its attention on improving the traffic situation.
Many of the sidewalks have also been upgraded to encourage walking.
The focus, however, is the construction of multi-level parking facilities around the central business district.
Although there is a need for more parking, the city should not put all its marbles on this solution.
This was already looked into before and the finding was that parking will have to be part of a multi prong approach to maximize results.
This was in the early 1980s when the first Baguio traffic and transport study was done. Some World Bank experts were invited to look at the problem and found out that the terrain features of the city somehow limits the maximization of traffic solutions.
Some solutions, however, were identified as being viable in ameliorating the problem like improving the efficiency of public transportation and driver discipline.
In the meantime, let us complain less and try to enjoy what is currently available.
A safe New Year to all.
many women in Mykolaiv refuse to see themselves as victims, said psychoanalyst Irina Viktorovna.
“They have no time to panic or lose themselves,” she said, although she acknowledged there had been cases of breakdowns.
The military threat has been repelled for now, but life remains precarious, residents told AFP by telephone.
Like elsewhere in Ukraine, cuts to supplies of electricity, heating and water are commonplace since Russia targeted civilian energy infrastructure.
Aleksandra Savitska, who used to work as a hairdresser, has not returned to her old job. Instead, she and her husband now run an NGO which distributes food and supplies to soldiers and civilians.
A video on her Instagram account shows the 25-year-old in Kherson, wearing a helmet and flak jacket, after handing out food and hygiene products.
“My life has changed radically,” she told AFP by telephone. “I used to make women look beautiful. Now I’m a volunteer. That’s my job.” AFP
THE Sandiganbayan has turned down a motion by Janet Lim Napoles contesting the admission of evidence in her Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam cases involving former Oriental Mindoro representative Rodolfo Valencia.
A resolution adopted on Nov. 15, 2022 by the Sandiganbayan’s 7th Division, the court admitted documents questioned by Napoles as purportedly irrelevant and failed to prove the purposes for which they were offered, among other reasons.
The anti-graft court stressed that admissibility of evidence should not be confused with its probative value.
“If a document offered for a purpose is admitted, it only means that the document is admissible under the rules, it does not mean that it has proven what it had been offered to prove,” the court
APARTY-LIST group called the Makabayan Bloc in the House of Representatives has drafted a resolution seeking the resumption of the peace talks between the government and the communist insurgency political wing National Democratic Front (NDF).
The group led by ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro urged the Marcos administration to pursue the stalled peace talks based on previous agreements between the two parties, including The Hague Joint Declaration of 1992 and the Stand-Down Agreement on June 28th.
The peace negotiations have gained milestone agreements since 1992. Ironically, the GRP and NDFP panels were set to formally sign a number of agreements, important components of an aspired-for Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reform (CASER) that would address the causes of the armed conflict, when President Duterte unilaterally “terminated” the peace talks in November 2017, the resolution stated.
These include common drafts of an agreement on land reform and rural development and on national industrialization and economic development. These are the gist of the negotiations and would start to address the roots of the conflict,” Castro added.
“The breakthroughs in the peace negotiations have generated much support among our people, including members of Congress,” she added.
She recalled House Resolution 636 in the 18th Congress calling for the resumption of the peace talks under the past administration, but it did not prosper.
Castro said the peace talks will address “glaring inequalities present in Philippine society.” “If these are not addressed, then it will only worsen until the present oppressive and exploitative system is replaced by a more just and humane one.”
The draft resolution came a few days after Jose Maria “Joma” Sison, who launched one of the world’s longestrunning Maoist insurgencies, died at 83 while on self-imposed exile in the Netherlands.
The former university professor went to the Netherlands after the collapse of the peace talks in 1987 when the rebellion that has claimed tens of thousands of lives was at its peak.
THE
said in the resolution penned by 7th Division chairperson Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, with the concurrence of Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Georgina Hidalgo.
The charges against Napoles, the so-called pork barrel scam queen, and Valencia were connected to the alleged anomalous use of the former lawmaker’s P7-million PDAF from 2007 to 2009.
The documents admitted by the court included printouts of whistleblower Benhur Luy’s hard drive containing cash and check daily disbursement reports he made as a former officer of Napoles’ JLN Corporation.
The court noted that the printouts were subjected to forensic examination, contrary to Napoles’ objection that the evidence violated the original document rule.
ZAMBOANGA del Norte’s political leadership is in a limbo, prompting thousands of supporters of unseated congressman Romeo Jalosjos Jr. to rally for his reinstatement.
Jalosjos’ name was removed from the official roster of the House of Representatives by virtue of an electoral protest now pending before the Supreme Court. (SC). His removal came barely a month after he was proclaimed winner in the congressional race for the first district of the province.
Surigao Rep. Ace Barbers, on be -
half of the Nacionalista Party, sought a clarification on the status of Jalosjos.
Barbers said House rules provide that if a candidate has been proclaimed winner by the Comelec and the proclamation’s validity was questioned in a judicial or administrative body, the candidate who was proclaimed winner and assumed office on June 30 following the election should remain a House member in the absence of a final and executory judgment on or resolution of the issue by the appropriate judicial or administrative bodies.
House Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin moved that the House secretary general refer the matter to the chamber’s legal affairs office “for further study and assessment.
One of the supporters of Jalosjos, Buddy Cagbabauan, chief information officer of Zamboanga del Norte, said a prayer and unity rally attended by more than 10,000 supporters of the congressman was held in Dapitan City calling for Jalosjos’ reinstatement so he could perform his congressional duties. Maricel V. Cruz
ly address complaints of overcharging by TNCs like Angkas and Joyride and check if the memo on pilot-testing for motorcyle taxis was being followed.
This prompted the Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, to call on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to act on complaints of motorcycle taxi passengers who were allegedly charged exorbitant fares by the drivers.
The complainants said the operators of motorcycle taxis even illegally deployed the so-called “habal-habal” after transportation network company (TNC) riders had turned off their apps at the height of the Christmas holiday rush.
Acop said the DOTr should immediate -
A law regulating motorcycle taxis is pending in Congress. Meanwhile, the TNCs were allowed to operate under a pilot-testing program governed by a provisional authority issued by a DOTr Technical Working Group (TWG).
Acop pointed out that the DOTr should also evaluate the fares charged by TNCs to determine if these are compliant with the memo regulations that allow them to charge up to twice the normal rates.
“Nakalagay sa memo na pwede magtaas ng charge up to twice ng normal rate,” Acop told the media. “Kailangan ng figures to determine kung nasusunod.” Maricel V. Cruz
Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) reiterates its call to the public not to patronize or engage in illegal online gambling to avoid falling prey to identity theft and credit card fraud.
Betting on illegal gambling activities is not only a criminal act; it also takes away from the government billions of pesos in revenues which can be used to fund priority programs that will benefit a greater number of Filipinos, PAGCOR said in a statement.
PAGCOR encourages gaming aficiona-
dos to take part only in its licensed onlinebased gaming like the Electronic games (E-Games) and Electronic bingo games (EBingo) for a truly enjoyable and safe gaming experience.
E-Games are virtual games of chance, i.e. casino games and mixed games of chance and skills, while “electronic gaming” means the conduct of electronic games and the taking of wagers through any computer or communication device connected to the Internet or the use of Internet-based technology and other communication devices that
THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) has conferred to a Filipino ambassador the highest award on diplomats in recognition of her contributions to promoting ties between the UAE and the Philippines, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
Philippine Ambassador to UAE Hjayceelyn Quintana was awarded the Medal of Independence of the First Order from President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a ceremony led by State Minister Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on December 21.
The DFA said the award was given in recognition of Quintana’s efforts and contributions in promoting closer relations between the Philippines and the UAE as well as in expanding bi-
lateral cooperation to new fields of endeavor.
The DFA said UAE’s Ministry of State expressed its deep appreciation for Quintana’s wide-ranging efforts in building robust and dynamic relations between the Philippines and the UAE.
The ministry also cited the envoy’s contributions towards the Philippines’ strong presence at the World Expo Dubai—an event where the Philippines signed with the UAE a commitment to enter into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that is currently being negotiated.
In her four-year stint in UAE, Quintana advanced bilateral relations with the signing of agreements on consular cooperation, agriculture, investment protection and promotion, space cooperation, the DFA said.
are necessary for gaming operations, the statement said.
E-Bingo game, on the other hand, is a game of chance played using electronic gaming systems with bingo or bingo-styled cards and numbers randomly generated by a Random Number Generator (RNG) and displayed on an electronic screen. It is played through a player terminal, typically an electronic bingo machine. When a player completes any predetermined pattern or combination, the player wins the corresponding prize displayed in the pay table or
the jackpot prize, it added.
To widely and
JOB security is in the offing for media practitioners.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has appealed to the Senate to prioritize the passage of a bill promoting the welfare of media personnel and ensure that the press remains free.
Villafuerte was referring to House Bill (HB) 454, also known as the Media Workers’ Welfare Act,” which aims to guarantee the rights of journalists to self-organization and additional economic benefits; and to create a “safe, protected atmosphere conducive to their productive, free and fruitful work.”
HB 454 has been roundly approved at the House following its referral to the plenary by the Committee on Labor and Employment chaired by Rizal Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles.
The House-approved bill was a consolidated with five similar measures, including HB 304 authored by Villafuerte with three other Camarines Sur legislators, namely, Reps. Miguel Luis Villafuerte and Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Rep. Nicolas Enciso VIII.
“Media workers risk their own lives being exposed to the perils and hazards outdoor just so we can receive our needed information. It is unfortunate that the very same people behind it are usually the ones whose labor rights are ignored, such as those pertaining to security of tenure, hazard pay, night shift differential pay and overtime pay, among others,” the bill stated.
The measure seeks to ensure that media workers should be provided with comprehensive benefits package at par with the current benefits enjoyed by those in the labor force in both the public and the private sector.
Villafuerte filed a similar pro-media bill in the previous Congress.
He agreed Speaker Martin Romualdez who believed that HB 454 highlighted the importance that the bigger chamber has given to advancing the welfare of media personnel and ensuring press freedom. Maricel V. Cruz
BUFFALO—The monster storm that killed dozens in the United States over the Christmas weekend continued to inflict misery on New York state and air travelers nationwide Tuesday, as stories emerged of families trapped for days during the “blizzard of the century.”
The number of deaths attributed to the winter storm rose to more than 50 after officials confirmed three more fatalities in western New York’s Erie County, the epicenter of the crisis.
The police department “expects that number to rise,” tweeted Byron Brown, mayor of the lakeside county’s biggest city Buffalo -- which has been paralyzed for five days by chest-deep snow
banks and power outages.
Kathy Hochul, New York state’s governor and a Buffalo native, described the storm aftermath as resembling “a war zone.”
“Certainly it is the blizzard of the century,” Hochul told reporters Monday.
As temperatures plummeted, commuters and some residents fleeing their freezing homes became trapped on highways, unable to be rescued.
The problem was compounded when some areas were rendered inaccessible to ambulances for dozens of hours and snowplows were unable to perform their job due to the ferocity of the storm -- necessitating rescuers being rescued in certain cases.
The family of one 22-year-old Buffalo resident, Anndel Taylor, said she died in her car after getting stuck on her way home from work.
A video sent by Taylor and posted by her sister shows her vehicle covered up to its windows in snow.
Emergency responders, who themselves became stuck attempting to rescue her, found her dead 18 hours later, possibly due to carbon monoxide poi-
soning, her family in North Carolina told local TV station WSOC-TV.
One father described being trapped in his vehicle on the streets of Buffalo with his four young children for 11 hours before being rescued, according to The New York Times.
Zila Santiago, 30, said he kept his engine running to provide some warmth and fed his children some juice found in his trunk. They were finally rescued at dawn by a passing snowplow.
In a city well-accustomed to snowstorms, some residents were blaming a travel ban they said was enacted too late on Friday morning as contributing to the mayhem. AFP
THE United Nations Security Council on Tuesday called on the Taliban to reverse policies targeting women and girls in Afghanistan, expressing alarm at the “increasing erosion” of human rights in the country.
In the latest blow to women’s rights in Afghanistan since the Taliban reclaimed power last year, on Saturday the hardline Islamist rulers banned women from working in non-governmental organizations, sparking international outcry.
The Taliban have already suspended university education for women and secondary schooling for girls.
The 15-member UN Security Council said in a statement it was “deeply alarmed” by the increasing restrictions on women’s education, calling for “the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghanistan.”
It urged the Taliban “to reopen schools and swiftly reverse these policies and practices, which represents an increasing erosion for the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
In its statement, the Council also condemned the ban on women working for NGOs, adding to warnings of the detrimental impact on aid operations in a country where millions rely on them.
“These restrictions contradict the commitments made by the Taliban to the Afghan people as well as the expectations of the international community,” it said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the Security Council’s message, calling the latest restrictions on women and girls “unjustifiable human rights violations” that “must be revoked.” AFP
SEOUL—Kim Jong Un announced new goals for North Korea’s military in a report to party leaders, state media reported Wednesday, hinting that sanctions-busting weapons tests will continue next year.
Kim is currently presiding over a major party meeting in capital Pyongyang, during which the top leader and other senior party officials outline their policy goals for 2023 in key areas including diplomacy, security, and the economy.
Kim “set forth new key goals for bolstering up the self-reliant defense capability to be pushed ahead with in 2023,” the official Korean Central News Agency reported Wednesday, without giving any details.
The report “analyzed and assessed the new challengeable situation created in the Korean peninsula,” KCNA said, in an apparent reference to the recent sharp escala-
tion in tensions between North and South.
Kim made clear the “orientation of struggle against the enemy to be adhered to by our Party,” KCNA added.
North Korea has conducted a record-breaking number of weapons tests this year, including firing intercontinental ballistic missiles, which it is banned from testing by UN sanctions.
Pyongyang has also ratcheted up tensions with Seoul, including firing artillery into maritime buffer zones and this week sending unmanned drones into South Korea’s airspace.
The incursion by the five drones -- the first such incident since 2017 -- prompted Seoul to fire warning shots and deploy fighter jets and attack helicopters to shoot them down. AFP
LAWEUENG, Indonesia—Some died of sickness. Others of dehydration. But after more than a month adrift on the Andaman Sea without much food, medicine or a working engine, nearly 200 Rohingya reached western Indonesia’s Aceh province after their overcrowded, rickety wooden boat finally reached shore on Monday.
Among the emaciated refugees who survived the harrowing voyage, some were so malnourished they could barely walk, and many had to be rehydrated via IV drips.
Gaunt young children, as well as men and women, queued for food, baths and haircuts after spending the night on the floor of a local mosque.
“Some people died in the boat. Around 26 people. We threw them out to the sea,” said Rasyit, an exhausted-looking refugee.
Every year when the monsoon season abates, thousands of Rohingya flee violence in Myanmar and squalid refugee camps in Bangladesh on perilous sea voyages run by human traffickers who promise sanctuary abroad. AFP
MEXICO CITY—Mexico’s president on Tuesday urged people not to be tricked by drug traffickers giving out Christmas gifts, after suspected cartel members were filmed handing out toys in a major city.
Authorities said they had launched an investigation after images on social media showed alleged criminals distributing presents from trucks adorned with Christmas decorations to residents of Guadalajara.
“Don’t let yourself be manipulated, even if they give you food. It’s not in good faith but to use the
people as a shield,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters.
He said the gang members’ aim was to encourage residents to alert them so that, for example, “if cocaine is seized, the community comes out and protects the traffickers,” he said.
According to local media, the gift givers were believed to be members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most powerful and violent in a country plagued by drug-related bloodshed. AFP
1 VVT 15.9 3.08 24.02%
2 ROX 0.77 0.12 18.46%
3 NI 0.78 0.08 11.43% 4 VMC 2.98 0.3 11.19% 5 HOME 1.69 0.17 11.18%
6 JOH 6.11 0.53 9.50%
7 V 0.8 0.06 8.11%
8 PNX4 349.8 24.8 7.63%
9 CNVRG 15.66 0.96 6.53%
10 PIZZA 7.65 0.45 6.25%
LAST % PRICE CHANGE CHANGE
1 MBC 5.93 -1.06 -15.16%
2 COAL 0.2 -0.03 -13.04%
3 BCOR 7.04 -0.86 -10.89%
4 KEP 2.8 -0.2 -6.67%
5 X 0.255 -0.015 -5.56%
6 MEDIC 0.69 -0.04 -5.48%
7 T 0.52 -0.03 -5.45%
8 DFNN 3.32 -0.18 -5.14%
9 DWC 1.3 -0.07 -5.11%
10 MWIDE 3.03 -0.16 -5.02%
VOLUME VALUE (PHP)
1 SM 442,540 404,663,805
2 TEL 201,940 265,205,665
3 BDO 2,123,090 225,500,373
4 CNVRG 12,495,900 189,819,266
5 ACEN 23,818,200 181,482,544
6 JFC 659,040 151,672,120
7 SMPH 4,107,700 144,080,995 8 GLO 59,990 132,259,130 9 AREIT 3,070,300 108,403,905 10 BPI 1,083,670 107,278,099
MADRID, Spain—The Spanish government on Tuesday announced a new package of measures worth some 10 billion euros ($10.6 billion) to alleviate the cost of living, including axing the value-added tax on basic foodstuffs.
The new package was announced at an end-of-year news conference by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
“For six months, we will reduce VAT on all basic foods from 4.0 percent to 0.0 percent,” he said of a list including bread, milk, eggs, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and cereals.
VAT on oil and pasta would also be reduced from 10 percent to five percent, he added.
Sanchez also unveiled a one-off payment of 200 euros to “families with incomes lower than 27,000 euros” to offset food prices, that will cost some 4.2 million euros.
The new aid plan is the sixth package of measures aimed at responding to the “economic and social consequences” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It raises to 45 billion euros, the overall amount released by Spain’s government to help those struggling with soaring inflation and runaway food and energy prices.
But Sanchez said the 20 cent discount per liter of fuel, which had been available for all consumers, will now be limited to “the most affected sectors,” such as lorry drivers, farmers, shipping companies, and fishermen.
Spain’s efforts to address soaring inflation have borne fruit in recent months, with the figure falling from a record 10.8 percent in July to 6.8 percent in November.
However, food prices have remained stubbornly high, rising by 15.3 percent year-on-year in November.
Sanchez also extended by six months the discount on electricity and gas prices and said the ban on cutting energy supplies to vulnerable households would remain in place throughout 2023. AFP
STOCKS slightly rose Wednesday on window dressing even as most Asian markets traded lower following declines on Wall Street as China’s move to reopen after abandoning its zero-Covid policy revived inflation fears.
The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark, picked up 1 point to close at 6,566.54, as four of the six subsectors advanced, led by mining and oil shares.
The broader all-share index also went up 7 points, or 0.23 percent, to settle at 3,449.33, on a value turnover of P3.7 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 110 to 69, while 47 issues were unchanged.
Six of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Converge ICT Inc. which climbed 6.53 percent to P15.66 and PLDT Inc. which gained 4.04 percent to P1,313.00. Globe Telecom Inc. added 3.14 percent to finish at P2,236.00.
Other markets in the region went down as investors expressed concerns over inflation. China has abruptly reversed tight pandemic restrictions that kept the world’s second-largest economy isolated for the past three years.
Beijing announced Monday it was ending quarantine measures for overseas arrivals from Jan. 8, the latest move to loosen its zero-Covid regime, after it dropped mandatory testing and lockdowns earlier this month.
China’s scrapping of pandemic restrictions has spurred hopes for its economic revival but also raised fears it will add to inflationary pressure.
Moving to reopen even as the Asian
giant battles a massive spike in Covid cases has caused jitters, with the United States and several other countries saying they may restrict travel from China and introduce mandatory PCR tests for arrivals.
“While a full China reopening could provide a much-needed and timely boost to the global economy, it may come with unwelcome ambiguous strings attached,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.
“The good news is that inflation subsides as China reprises its role as a supplier of low-cost goods globally and supply chain bottlenecks ease,” Innes said.
“Still, the bad news is as growth accelerates through Q1, China’s insatiable demand for raw materials and all things energy will push up prices of those commodities, much to the consternation of the Fed and ECB.
Indeed, reopening is rekindling some inflationary spirits.” With AFP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—With foreign workers making up the vast bulk of private sector jobs in the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf’s secondlargest economy wants to boost opportunities for its own citizens.
The UAE—like other oil-rich Arab Gulf states—has often used the public sector as an employment vehicle for its nationals.
But times are changing, said 34-year-old Emirati researcher Khalifa al-Suwaidi, who has himself been looking for a private sector job since quitting a government post in June.
“We’ve reached a point where we have a diversity among Emiratis in terms of skill sets and expertise,” said Suwaidi.
“The public sector can no longer accommodate many of those talents”.
Just 12 percent of the country’s more than nine million residents are UAE nationals, with over 90 percent of private sector jobs taken by foreigners, according to International Labour Organization figures.
Suwaidi, author of a forthcoming book titled “UAE after the Arab Spring,” said he believed some employers overlooked his application because they presumed an Emirati would demand the high wages often paid in lucrative government posts.
“The private sector needs to be more accommodating,” he said. “I’ve been applying for jobs for a while to no avail.”
‘Larger push’ The government is now strong-arming private firms into hiring local talent, with the aim of ensuring Emiratis make up 10 percent of the private sector workforce by 2026.
Next month, firms with more than 50 employees that fail to fill two percent of their skilled jobs with Emiratis face being fined.
That has sparked a hiring drive, with recruiters noting a “flood of vacancies” from companies -- many of which won’t be able to meet their targets.
“It’s going to be a tough run,” said Hamza Zaouali, the founder of recruitment agency Iris Executives, but noting it was “not possible” for the UAE government to keep growing and hiring. AFP
PARIS, France—This was supposed to be the comeback year for the world economy following the Covid pandemic.
Instead, 2022 was marked by a new war, record inflation and climatelinked disasters. It was a “polycrisis” year, a term popularized by historian Adam Tooze. Get ready for more gloom in 2023
“The number of crises has increased since the start of the century,” said Roel Beetsma, professor of macroeconomics at the University of Amsterdam.
“Since World War Two, we have never seen such a complicated situation,” he told AFP.
After the Covid-induced economic crisis of 2020, consumer prices began to rise in 2021 as countries emerged from lockdowns and other restrictions.
Central bankers insisted that high inflation would only be temporary as economies returned to normal. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February sent energy and food prices soaring.
Many countries are now grappling with cost-of-living crises because wages are not keeping up with inflation, forcing households to make difficult choices in their spending.
Central banks have played catchup. They started to raise interest rates this year in an effort to tame galloping inflation—at the risk of tipping countries into deep recessions since higher borrowing costs mean slower economic activity.
Inflation has finally started to slow down in the United States and the eurozone.
Careful spending
Consumer prices in the Group of 20 developed and emerging nations are expected to reach eight percent in the fourth quarter before falling to 5.5 percent next year, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The OECD encourages governments to provide aid to bring relief to households.
In the 27-nation European Union, 674 billion euros ($704 billion) have been earmarked so far to shield consumers from high energy prices, according to the Bruegel think tank.
Germany, Europe’s biggest economy
and the most dependent on Russia energy supplies, accounts for 264 billion euros of that total.
One in two Germans say they now only spend on essential items, according to a survey by EY consultancy.
Rising interest rates have also hurt consumers and businesses.
Both the US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank began to slow the pace of their rate hikes in December, but signaled they still need to go higher to get a grip on inflation.
Economists expect Germany and another major eurozone economy, Italy, to fall into recession. Britain’s economy is already shrinking.
Rating agency S&P Global foresees stagnation for the eurozone in 2023.
But the International Monetary Fund still expects the world economy to expand in 2023, with growth of 2.7 percent. The OECD is forecasting 2.2-percent growth.
The easing of Covid curbs in China is raising hopes for the revival of the world’s second-biggest economy and major driver of global growth.
The curbs had torpedoed China’s economy and sparked nationwide protests.
China signaled this week that it was reopening to the world as it announced that it would end quarantines for overseas arrivals from January 8.
Climate costs But for Beetsma, the biggest crisis is climate change, which is “happening in slow motion”.
Natural and man-made catastrophes have caused $268 billion in economic losses so far in 2022, according to reinsurance giant Swiss Re. Hurricane Ian alone cost an estimated insured loss of $50-65 billion.
Floods in Pakistan resulted in $30 billion in damage and economic loss this year.
Governments agreed at United Nations climate talks (COP27) in Egypt in November to create a fund to cover the losses suffered by vulnerable developing countries devastated by natural disasters. AFP
DHAKA, Bangladesh—Bangladesh’s sprawling capital inaugurated its firstever metro rail line on Wednesday as authorities work to ease congestion that has throttled growth and inflamed tempers in the gridlocked metropolis.
Dhaka is one of the world’s most densely populated cities, and daily commutes along its car-clogged roads are a source of constant frustration for its 22 million people.
Local researchers say the capital’s
economy loses upwards of $3 billion each year in lost work time due to traffic jams, often worsened by regular street protests and monsoonal downpours.
The new elevated train network has been in development for nearly a decade and is slated to grow to over a hundred stations and six lines crisscrossing the city by 2030.
Wednesday saw the start of operations on a section of the first line connecting a neighborhood on Dhaka’s periphery
with the city center, built with a $2.8 billion price tag and largely funded by Japanese development funds.
“This metro rail is also another matter of pride for us,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a ceremony to mark the first service.
“We promised to eradicate traffic jams from Dhaka,” she added. “With the six metro rail lines, we will be able to do so.”
The line is expected to carry 60,000
people each hour when it is fully operational and its opening has been keenly anticipated by commuters.
“We are counting on it. It will reduce public suffering,” Mostafizur Rahman, who spends nearly three hours riding a bus to work each morning, told AFP. Hasina used the opening ceremony to commemorate six Japanese rail engineers working on the project who were killed during an attack on a Dhaka cafe by Islamist extremists in 2016. AFP
THE Governance Commission for GOCCs, the central advisory, oversight, and monitoring body for government-owned or -controlled corporations, has launched an anti-corruption and integrity program during a recent meeting of the Asia-Pacific Network on Corporate Governance of State-owned Enterprises in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Commissioner Geraldine Marie BerberabeMartinez said during the meeting that in 2014, the Governance Commission issued its whistleblowing policy for the GOCC sector to enable any concerned individual to report and provide information on matters involving the actions of directors/trustees, officers, and employees of GOCCs.
It was then revised in 2016 in response to the key learnings of the Commission from the initial implementation of the policy.
Government corporations are required to establish their own whistleblowing systems as well as an online link in their official websites to the GCG’s Whistleblowing Web Portal.
“We needed to enumerate specific acts or omissions so that it will be easier for us to respond… this is to clearly inform stakeholders the nature of acts that may be reported so that this will not be merely customer service complaints,” BerberabeMartinez said.
Under the revised policy, the Commission created an Integrity Division to serve as the dedicated unit that implements the whistleblowing policy of the GOCC Sector.
She also introduced the GCG’s Anti-Corruption and Integrity Program to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which will enforce accountability in the GOCC Sector. Julito G. Rada
FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday the lower personal income tax starting January 2023 will enable taxpayers to give their share to national development.
Majority of taxpayers will receive further personal income tax cuts beginning Jan. 1 pursuant to Republic Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law which adjusted personal income tax rates, to make the tax system simpler, fairer and more efficient.
“The TRAIN law adjusted personal income taxes and fixed the inequity of our tax system. We want our taxpayers to reap the fruits of their labor while enabling them to contribute their fair share to national development,” Diokno said in a statement.
Individuals with an annual taxable income below P250,000 are still exempted from paying personal income taxes under the adjusted tax rates. The revised tax schedule reduces personal income taxes for those earning P8,000,000 and below, compared to the initial tax cuts for Jan. 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022.
Meanwhile, to maintain the progressivity of the tax system, the tax rate for individuals earning P8,000,000 and above annually will be maintained at 35 percent. Julito G. Rada
MORE British companies are keen on exploring investment opportunities in the Philippines following a recent roadshow organized by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office that showcased areas of investments open to foreign firms at the New Clark City in the province of Pampanga.
“We are extremely proud of this collaboration with the Philippine government, in particular the BCDA, and we are excited for the wider UK stakeholders to likewise be involved in the array of opportunities opening in New Clark City. As the country’s first smart, resilient and green metropolis, New Clark City offers a unique opportunity for the UK to work with the Government of the Philippines in boosting investment and driving local growth that opens up transparent, competitive opportunities for international business, including British business,” said UK Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau Laure Beaufils.
BCDA and UK FCDO urged British companies to participate in the development of the Philippines’ first smart, sustainable and green metropolis in an investment briefing dubbed, “New Clark City: The Philippines’ Sustainable Future City and Green Investment Destination,’’ at the Regent’s University in London, UK. Othel V. Campos
Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday the “worst is over” for the Philippine economy, and the 2022 gross domestic product growth may expand faster than the target range of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent despite the threats of continuing domestic and external headwinds.
“After the highly unprecedented pandemic, followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a weakening China growth,
the global economy is likely to face a mild recession next year. But for the Philippines, the worst is over, and better years are expected,” Diokno said in his assessment of the economy.
He said the Philippines did very well in 2022 politically and economically, given the smooth transition of power after the peaceful presidential elections in May 2022.
“On the economy, after a modest recovery in 2021, the Philippine GDP will likely grow much faster than the official target range of 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year. All sectors will be surging, led by manufacturing and construction, while strong domestic demand is supplemented by exports,” he said.
Diokno said several factors would boost economic growth in 2023, such as the improvement in the labor market, recovery of manufacturing, manageable inflation, early approval of 2023
national budget, stable banking system, strong credit profile, hefty international reserves and the continued push for infrastructure projects.
He said the manufacturing sector is one source of optimism. The S&P Global Philippines PMI has mostly been on an expansion mode, reaching 52.7 percent index points in November. Jobs in the manufacturing sector increased 10.42 percent year-on-year in October as improved sales signaled business expansions and higher capacity use.
Unemployment rate slid to 4.5 percent, lower than 5.3 percent during the pre-pandemic period. There were 4.6 million new jobs in October 2022 compared to the level posted in the prepandemic period. Underemployment in October at 14.2 percent was lower than 14.8 percent registered in January 2020 at the outset of the pandemic.
THE Department of Transportation on Wednesday said it is looking at auctioning off the rehabilitation and development of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by next year.
“We have communicated with the ADB [Asian Development Bank] for TOR (terms of reference) regarding the privatization of the Manila International Airport,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
The NAIA rehabilitation and development project aims to alleviate the worsening air traffic congestion at the main gateway and resolve capacity constraints by reconfiguring and renovating facilities and enhancing operation and maintenance.
The rehabilitation project also aims to broaden NAIA’s role as a key economic and tourism driver for Metro Manila and the whole Philippines, deliver capital infrastructure investment to improve the airport’s efficiency and increase its capacity to meet the growing passenger demand from the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region.
THE Energy Regulatory Commission said Wednesday it ordered the creation of a restricted fund by the distribution utilities where over-collections are maintained and earmarked to repay customers in subsequent billing months.
The ERC issued Resolution No. 14, Series of 2022, which calls for the creation of a restricted fund. This is a mechanism where DUs, including electric cooperatives, will be able to implement more timely refund without being subjected to regulatory lag under certain conditions.
Article 5 Section 2 of the resolution
states that the DUs should submit to the ERC, every 31st day of May an annual bank statement or statement of account detailing the account transactions during the year.
The ERC said this would be a part of efforts for a more transparent collection of pass-through costs or charges by distribution utilities in 2023. Pass-through costs are collected by DUs for charges other than the distribution charge or the payment for the use of the DUs facilities.
The DUs collect these amounts from electricity consumers and pay the power generation companies for energy generated and the system operator for the use of transmission facilities.
Other pass-through charges include taxes, feed-in tariff allowance and universal charge which are remitted to the government. The principle of “passthrough” dictates that the DUs should not gain or lose from these charges.
The pass-through costs to be collected under the 2022 revised rules cover generation charges, or the payment for the supply of electricity; transmission charges, or the payment for the use of the high voltage transmission grid; and other subsidies and mandatory payments, such as lifeline and senior citizen subsidies, mandated by laws, system loss; and other pass-through costs as may be approved by the commission.
The NAIA Consortium, which includes Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp., Filinvest Development Corp. and JG Summit Holdings Inc. earlier submitted a proposal to rehabilitate NAIA for P102 billion.
The members of the consortium, on the other hand, informed the government last July 2020 they were not confident about financing the project and pushing through with it. Megawide Construction Corp. and partner India-based GMR Infrastructure Ltd. also submitted a proposal to rehabilitate and upgrade NAIA for $3 billion with a contract period of 18 years.
Megawide-GMR is the same group that built the new Mactan terminal facility.
By Jenniffer B. AustriaBoth Bank of the Philippine Islands and AC Energy received scores at par with the Asia’s regional average, with BPI besting other Philippine banks.
Ayala said in a statement it received a B rating, higher than the Asia regional average of C, as it obtained very high scores in the areas of governance, opportunity disclosure and risk management processes.
Ayala became the first Philippine company in 2021 to commit to a net zero target by 2050, aligning its business strategy with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial levels.
By Othel V. CamposTHE Department of Trade and Industry said Wednesday it registered 932,097 business names in 2022, the highest in the last 10 years.
“The rising number of sole proprietors registering their business names is indeed a positive sign that the Filipino entrepreneurial spirit is alive and recovering from the pandemic. We are pleased that more sole proprietors have undertaken the necessary first step of
registering their businesses, starting with their business names,” said Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
New business names registered reached 827,491 and accounted for 88.8 percent of overall registrations. The remaining 104,606 involved renewal of registered business names.
The biggest chunk of business registrations, based on the Philippine Standard Industrial Classification, covered retail selling in sari-sari stores with 180,406 applications.
This was followed by other restaurants and mobile food services activities; and real estate buying, selling, renting, leasing, and operating of selfowned/leased apartment buildings, non-residential and dwellings with 75,391 and 32,764 registrations, respectively.
Registered business names totaled 916,164 in 2020, but the number declined 5.2 percent in 2021 to 867,647.
Registrations rebounded 7.4 percent in 2022, records showed.
“We’re very happy with the scores Ayala and its business units received from the CDP. These scores play an important role in keeping our companies on track when it comes to climate action,” said Ayala chief financial, sustainability and risk management officer Albert de Larrazabal.
“These not only prove our strong commitment to protecting the environment but also our strong adherence to the highest standards of disclosure,” he said.
Ayala’s major subsidiaries also obtained high ratings from CDP. Ayala Land Inc. maintained its A- rating, besting other real estate companies in the Philippines, while Globe Telecom Inc. kept its B rating.
Founded in 2000, CDP was the first platform to leverage investor pressure to influence corporate disclosure on environmental impact. The insights that CDP holds empower investors, companies, cities and national and regional governments to make the right choices today to build a thriving economy that works for people and planet in the long term.
According to CDP, a record-breaking 18,700+ companies representing half of global market capitalization disclosed through CDP in 2022. This was 42 percent higher than last year, and over 233 percent more than when the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.
More than 680 investors with over $130 trillion in assets requested companies disclose through CDP on climate change, water security and forests.
Ayala Corp. gets highest rating from global non-profit group CDP DTI-registered business names hit 10-year high of 932,097 in 2022CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said Wednesday it received the highest rating from UK-based Carbon Disclosure Project—a global non-profit group that runs the global environmental disclosure system.
Bachmann will come aboard the government sports agency with newly appointed commissioners Philippine Paralympic Committee secretary general Walter Torres and Edward Hayco, who recently stepped down as head of the Cebu Sports Commission, which he headed for 12 years.
Torres used to be a fencer, who competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics and is currently part of the PPC, the national sports association for physically impaired athletes.
The appointments, made by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., were confirmed by Office of the Press Secretary officer-in-charge Undersecretary Atty. Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil in a message to the Malacañang Press Corps.
Bachmann was known for his stint in college with the La Salle Green Archers and later with Alaska Milk, first as a player, and then later as team manager.
He is currently in the United States and is expected to assume office by the first week of January.
In the past months, Bachmann worked as basketball commissioner of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and PBA 3×3 chairman.
Bachmann, Torres and Hayco will join Bong Coo, who was earlier named one of the commissioners. Only only slot for commissioner remains unoccupied.
Eala is set to be replaced just four months following his appointment by Malacanang to take care of the government’s sports agency.
Eala recently organized the 2022 Batang Pinoy in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, and reviewed the agency’s grassroots development program. He also made plans to improve the PSC’s projects via his version of Project: Gintong Alay. Peter Atencio, Vince Lopez
THIS time, it was the Bay Area Dragons’ turn to dominate as they pulled off a 99-82 swamping of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings in Game 2 of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioners’ Cup Best-of-Seven Finals Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Andrew Nicholson led the charge with a monster double-double of 30 points and 15 rebounds for the Dragons, who equalized the series at 1-1.
Nicholson banged in 12 points in the second period, including five points during a decisive 9-0 blast, which saw the Dragons moving away with from a shaky 27-24 lead and into a 36-24 spread.
on to experience their biggest halftime deficit, after the Dragons finished the half with a 17-point edge, 52-35, off Hayden Blankly’s triple with a second left in the second quarter.
Bolts barely won that game in the end, 104-102.
A matchup between Zhu Songwei, who had 25 points, and Brownlee transpired in the fourth period, as the 6’9” Chinese cager was able to hold down the Gin King cager to just nine points in the last 12 minutes.
“Brownlee’s the key situation. We talked about this. He (Zhu) got three fouls early. He is a matchup to Brownlee. Tonight, Brownlee started on this team that’s well-disciplined and wellcoached. Brownlee was a key factor. And they matched it up tonight, but he (Zhu) kept it under control and this helped us get the win,” said Dragons’ coach Brian Goorjian.
the third period, 60-68. Brownlee shot nine points at the start of the second half, with Stanley Pringle ending the third with a layup in the final 33 seconds, to put Ginebra close by eight.
Coming back with seven points in the final period, Nicholson led another 9-0 spurt, and the Dragons went on to enjoy a 15-point edge, off Glen Yang’s free throw, 87-72, with 9:57 remaining.
The Dragons also won the board battle with 11 rebounds, with Nicholson hauling four.
sputters with 78, trails leader by 9 in Citrus Golf Trail
The Gin Kings, led by Justine Brownlee with 32 points and 11 boards, went
The last time Ginebra experienced this situation in a finals’ game was when the Meralco Bolts led the Kings, 63-46, in Game 2 of the 2019 Governors’ Cup title series at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena. The
With the series tied, the Gin Kings and the Dragons will seek to break the deadlock in Game 3 on Jan. 4.
Nicholson was held to seven points in the third period as the Gin Kings fought back to within eight points at the end of
The Scores: BAY AREA 99 – Nicholson 30, Zhu 25, Blankley 17, Lam 11, Ju 9, Yang 5, Reid 2, Song 0 GINEBRA 82 – Brownlee 32, Malonzo 10, Thompson 9, Tenorio 8, Standhardinger 8, Pinto 5, J.Aguilar 5, R.Aguilar 3, Pringle 2, Gray 0, Mariano 0
QUARTERS: 22-16, 52-35, 68-60, 99-82
FILIPINO online basketball pages on social media have called on local fans to support Filipino-American basketball star Jordan Clarkson for his inclusion in the coming National Basketball All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, USA.
proud of his Filipino heritage and has made himself available for Gilas Pilipinas in FIBA tournaments, including the World Cup to be hosted by the Philippines in August, 2023.
Malixi shot just one birdie against five bogeys and a double bogey while seeking to feel her way around the tough course as she dropped to 40th in a field of 96 with a six-over card marred by a backside 41.
“She didn’t play well – jetlag, weather and non-familiarity (with the course) affected her game,” said Malixi’s father Roy. “She played while her body and mind clock were on sleep mode. I hope she would adjust and acclimatize in the second round.”
Holing out with a par on No. 5 to launch her campaign in the 72-hole championship in a shotgun start, Malixi missed a chip-in bid for birdie on the sixth, birdied the next and muffed a chance from six feet on No. 8 and another on the ninth.
She failed to get up and down on the 10th, hit the flag on her approach shot on the next for par and missed a long birdie try on No. 12. After a regulation par on the par-3 13th, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker dropped two strokes on the next and lost her rhythm and touch the rest of the way.
The recent Thai Junior World champion bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 and yielded more strokes on the first and third holes to fall way off Zhang, whose three-under card netted her a one-stroke lead over Angela Zhang of the US, who turned in a 70.
Malixi, out to improve on her No. 159 world ranking, had looked forward to a strong start coming off a run of impressive finishes the last three months, including three runner-up finishes and two third-place efforts in her last seven tournaments overseas.
“Tayo naman. Ibalik natin suporta para kay CJ. It’s out turn na tulungan ang ating kababayan na si Jordan Clarkson na maging All-Star ngayon 2023. Magiging malaking karangalan ito sa ating bansa,” posted a page dedicated to Kai Sotto.
Another Filipino basketball page, Hoops Swish, also rallied support for Clarkson. “He represents us, Filipinos in the NBA and international tournaments. He gives love and pride to our country. Now, it’s our time to show him our love and support.”
The Utah Jazz star has always been
The 72nd NBA All-Star Game takes place on Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City, home of the Utah Jazz with a worldwide audience from more than 200 countries, including the Philippines.
To vote via the NBA App or NBA. com website, global fans can sign up for NBA ID, the league’s new global membership program. Click this link: https://vote.nba.com/
According to NBA.com, fans can submit one full ballot each day to vote for two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference.
“Throughout the four-week voting period, fans with NBA ID may submit one full ballot each day via the NBA App and NBA.com. One
full ballot comprises three frontcourt players and two guards from both the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. All current NBA players will be available for selection.”
NBA players and media will continue to join fans in selecting the NBA All-Star Game starters.
Fans will account for 50 percent of the vote, while all current players and a media panel will account for 25 percent each. Players and media will be able to complete one ballot.
The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference will be named NBA All-Star Game starters. Fan voting will serve as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score.
NBA fans can access the NBA App on Android or iPhone or through the NBA.com voting page at vote.NBA. com.
OFFICIALS of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation worked during holiday on Monday by forging a Training Exchange Program with the Japan Volleyball Association.
PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara met with JVA head Shunichi Kawai at the JVA headquarters in Tokyo to seal the program that involves the national indoor and beach volleyball teams of both nations.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be working alongside such strong federation with a grand tradition and rich history in the sport,” said Suzara, who was accompanied in Tokyo by PNVF executive director Marie Louise Prin-
cipe and executive assistant Antonio Carlos Jr.
“This collaborative partnership of PNVF with JVA helps underline the FIVB’s initiatives under its Empowerment Commission, to strengthen national training programs of different federations through knowledge transfer and sharing of best practices,” added Suzara, who was appointed by the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB as secretary of its Empowerment Commission.
Under the general terms of reference of the program, Japan’s men’s volleyball team will arrive ahead of the Volleyball Nations League that the country
is again hosting in June next year for friendly exhibition matches with their Philippine counterpart on top of promotional efforts for the event.
Japan’s national beach volleyball teams will also hold a winter training camp at Club Laiya in Batangas in January and February.
The Philippine indoor squads, on the other hand, will hold training camps with Japanese university or club teams for two weeks in April, while the beach volleyball teams will have theirs at Japan’s national volleyball training center at the Toyota Center in Hekinan City in Aichi Prefecture in February and March.
France (AFP) -- World Cup winner
Lionel Messi is set to return to work at Paris Saint-Germain next week, his club coach Christophe Galtier said on Tuesday.
Messi, 35, was the lynchpin of the Argentina side that won the World Cup in Qatar nine days ago, scoring twice in the final against France which finished in a penalty shoot-out victory.
He then returned to Argentina with his teammates to celebrate their third World Cup triumph.
“Leo had a very big World Cup with his victory,” said Galtier on the eve of PSG’s meeting with Strasbourg as Ligue 1 kicks off again on Wednesday after the World Cup break.
“He had to return to Argentina for the celebrations and we decided that he was going to be off until January 1.
“He will come and join us either on the second or third (January) to pick up the season with us.
“He will have had between 13 and 14 days of recovery.”
Messi looks likely to miss two Ligue 1 matches and the French Cup match at Chateauroux, possibly making his return at home against Angers on January 11.
He is also expected to sit down with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and other top club officials to pen a oneseason extension to his current deal in the French capital which expires in the summer.
PSG’s other World Cup players, notably Kylian Mbappe and Neymar “will be available for the match tomorrow (Wednesday)”, said Galtier.
Mbappe could even start, having returned to training just three days after the disappointment of losing the World Cup final, in spite of his hattrick.
“We made sure to manage on a case-by-case basis,” said Galtier. “After talking with him, Kylian wanted to join us fairly quickly.” AFP
SYDNEY—Australian supermaxi Andoo Comanche secured a fourth line honours victory in the gruelling Sydney-Hobart ocean race Wednesday, but fell short of setting a new course record.
The 100-foot yacht, skippered by John Winning Jnr, triumphed in a nail-biting finish in the early hours of Wednesday after leading the blue water classic for much of the race.
It completed a quartet of line honours wins for the boat in the prestigious event since 2015 under a third different owner.
Andoo Comanche crossed with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds -- about 20 minutes in front of rival supermaxi Law Connect -- and just under three hours short of its own record.
The current race record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds was set by the same Comanche boat un-
der a different skipper in 2017.
Winning Jnr was part of the team that won the event in 2016, but said it was something special to skipper his own crew.
“To do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional,” he told national broadcaster ABC.
Last year’s defending champion Black Jack crossed third, followed by Wild Oats, which fell behind after tearing one of its sails earlier in the race.
The 109-strong racing fleet set off from a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour on Monday afternoon, charting their way through the 628-nautical mile course
(1163km) to Hobart.
Favourable weather early in the race raised the prospect of toppling that mark, but the strong winds faded as the boats barrelled towards the finish line in Hobart.
The Bass Strait, which separates Tasmania from the mainland, can unleash perilous conditions.
A deep depression proved catastrophic for the fleet in 1998, when six sailors were killed and 55 more were rescued after five boats sank.
Race officials on Tuesday evening said only three of the starting fleet had been forced to retire so far.
One of them, 40-foot yacht Yeah Baby, withdrew less than four hours into the race after reportedly colliding with a massive sunfish.
Dozens of smaller yachts were still in the water Wednesday morning, competing for the handicap prize, which compensates for boat size. AFP
SYDNEY (AFP) -- A “highly motivated” Rafael Nadal welcomed rival Novak Djokovic’s much-anticipated return to the Australian Open as “good for tennis” Wednesday, while brushing off suggestions this may be his last tilt at the seasonopening Grand Slam.
The 36-year-old Spanish great, who recently became a father, is beginning his new season at the United Cup, a new mixed-teams event starting Thursday in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
It will provide a warm-up for his defence of the Australian Open title next month at Melbourne Park, where he swept past Russian Daniil Medvedev to win this year in an epic five-setter.
That victory came after arch-rival and nine-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic was detained and deported ahead of the tournament after refusing to get vaccinated for Covid-19.
Australia has since lifted its require-
ment for visitors to show proof of vaccination against Covid. The Serb arrived back in the country on Tuesday for the first time since being turfed out.
Nadal, who has a record men’s 22 Grand Slam titles to Djokovic’s 21, said he was happy to see his superstar rival back.
“Novak is here, good for tennis, good for probably the fans,” the world number two said in Sydney. “Let’s see, no? Best players on court always win.”
Fifth-ranked Djokovic will begin his quest for an incredible 10th title at Melbourne Park at the Adelaide International from Sunday.
Nadal backed up his Australian Open win this year with a 14th French Open but struggled with injury after withdrawing from the Wimbledon semi-final with an abdominal tear in July.
Despite a poor second half of the year, Nadal said he was raring to go again with
a clash first up at the United Cup against British world number 14 Cameron Norrie ahead of a blockbuster showdown with Australia’s Nick Kyrgios.
“The highest motivation to try to start well. It’s always important to start well for me, for the confidence,” he said.
“The last few months haven’t been easy for me. Main thing for me now is recover the positive feelings on court, being competitive. I hope to. I am ready to make that happen, but let’s see.”
Nadal played his first Australian Open in 2004. He is now a father, and with a history of injuries he was asked if this could be his last trip to Australia.
“As a professional, you never know, hopefully not,” he said.
“I mean, when you are at the age of 36, you never know when it’s going to be the last one. It’s obvious, but I don’t like to talk about that because I am not in that mood now. AFP
Ronaldo’s rollercoaster second spell at Old Trafford came to an end during the World Cup break after an explosive interview in which he took aim at Ten Hag and the club’s owners.
On the field, his influence had already waned since the Dutch coach took charge at the start of the season.
Rashford has been a player transformed under Ten Hag and carried his fine form for England at the World Cup into the Premier League’s return.
“Our players performed really well in the World Cup, I was happy to see that and now they continue,” Ten Hag told Amazon Prime. “They have to stay on that level, keep going and progress from game to game.”
A brilliantly worked corner opened the floodgates for United as Christian Eriksen picked out an unmarked Rashford inside the area to sweep into the top corner.
Forest were without their first choice goalkeeper Dean Henderson as he is on loan from United and his understudy Wayne Hennessey was culpable when the home side doubled their lead just three minutes later.
Rashford’s burst down the left and teed up Martial at the edge of the box, but the Frenchman’s strike should not have had enough power to beat the Welsh international goalkeeper.
United were also short handed at the back with Lisandro Martinez absent following Argentina’s World Cup celebrations, Diogo Dalot injured and Harry Maguire still feeling the aftereffects of an illness.
As a result Raphael Varane was forced into starting just nine days after playing 113 minutes for France in the World Cup final, while Luke Shaw lined up as a centre-back in a back four for the first time. AFP
PARIS—World Cups in cricket, rugby union and women’s football while world titles in swimming and athletics are up for grabs in 2023.
events:
Sport looks at the showpiece
CRICKET WORLD CUP
Where: India
When: October-November (dates to be decided)
The 13th edition of the global 50over showpiece will see England defend the title they won in thrilling fashion on home ground in 2019. Despite the event stretching over seven weeks and featuring 48 games, only 10 teams are taking part. The top seven countries from the Super League plus hosts India will make it through as well as two teams from a qualifying tournament to be held in Zimbabwe in June/July. There is, however, already controversy with former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ramiz Raja having hinted his country could boycott the World Cup if India refuse to play the Asia Cup scheduled for Pakistan also in 2023.
RUGBY UNION WORLD CUP
Where: France
When: September 8-October 28
—All eyes will be on Antoine Dupont as he leads strong favourites France into a home World Cup featuring 20 nations playing at nine venues. The opening game pitches France against New Zealand in what promises to be a thrilling start. Reigning champions South Africa are drawn in the same pool as Ireland, while Wales are in a pool alongside Australia, Georgia and Fiji, the first two of which they lost to in the Autumn Nations Series. England go into the tournament in a state of flux having axed coach Eddie Jones in favour of Steve Borthwick.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Where: Budapest When: August 19-27
—World athletes of the year Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlinLevrone will bid to recreate their world record-setting victories in the Hungarian capital. Coming a year after the Covid-delayed world champs in Eugene, Oregon, the biennial event will play host to a raft of up-and-coming track and field stars. All eyes will be on
WORLD SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Where: Fukuoka, Japan
When: July 14-30 —As swimming tries to catch up after the pandemic, Fukuoka hosts the second of three World Championships in 19 months. The meet was originally scheduled for 2021 but was elbowed aside when the Tokyo Olympics were pushed back. Fukuoka says it has a ‘concept’: “Water Meets the Future”, expressing “the hope that all the participants will meet the future.” Yet, as established stars, with one eye on the 2024 Olympics, skipped major events swimming did meet its future in 2022.
Romanian David Popovici, Australian Mollie O’Callaghan, Canadian Summer McIntosh, Italian Benadetta Pilato
and American Torri Huske, can all arrive in Japan to defend world titles they won last June as teenagers.
WORLD CUP
Where: Australia and New Zealand
When: July 20-August 20
The all-conquering United States women’s national team face stiff competition from a series of emerging European contenders for the World Cup. The Americans have won four of the eight previous editions of the tournament, including the last two, but have been beaten by Germany, England and Spain this year. England are looking to back up their victory on home soil at Euro 2022, while co-hosts Australia will be hoping Chelsea star Sam Kerr can lead the Matildas beyond the quarterfinals for the first time. Ten venues across nine host cities in Australia and New Zealand will host the first 32-team women’s World Cup, which is set to smash records for attendance and viewing figures in a further indication of the growing popularity of the sport.
Mikhail Red’s psychological film Deleter was named Best Picture at the 48th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Gabi ng Parangal held on Tuesday, December 27, at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City.
The 31-year-old filmmaker edged out Shugo Praico (Nanahimik Ang Gabi), Lester Dimaranan (Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told), Joel Lamangan (My Father, Myself), and Paul Soriano (My Teacher) in the Best Director race.
The techno-horror film also took home the most number of trophies, earning the awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Actress for Nadine Lustre Nadine, who walked home with her first MMFF Best Actress trophy, beat Heaven Peralejo of Nanahimik Ang Gabi Ivana Alawi of Partners in Crime and Toni Gonzaga of My Teacher in the top acting category.
“We’re all happy that Filipino films are returning,” Nadine, who wore a figurehugging caramel-tone long gown, said in her acceptance speech.
“I dedicate this award to my family, my friends who continuously support me, my boyfriend Chris, my Viva family, and Deleter team,” the actress, who was also named Female Star of the Night, went on.
Meanwhile, Nanahimik Ang Gabi star Ian Veneracion was named Male Star of the Night, but his biggest win was his first Best Actor plum.
“I’ve been in the movie industry for 40 years and this is the first time I received
ABS-CBN announced the retirement of Integrated News and Current Affairs head Regina “Ging” Reyes by the end of the year after 36 years of dedicated service and excellence in the field of broadcast journalism, including 12 years as the news chief of one of the country’s leading media companies.
Ging successfully transformed ABSCBN News into a fully integrated news organization that delivered news and public service to Filipinos worldwide across different platforms even during the pandemic. She was also hailed as the 2022 Southeast Asia Laureate for Women in News Editorial Leadership by the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) in Spain last September for her editorial integrity and outstanding leadership.
Under Ging’s leadership, ABS-CBN News won numerous awards such as the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards, Society of Publishers in Asia, and the U.S. International Film & Video Festival Awards. She also became part of the advisory board of the New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Film Awards.
Ging leaves a remarkable legacy of excellence and service, which she started to build when she joined the network as a production assistant in 1986. She rose from the ranks to become executive producer and head writer of the awardwinning “The World Tonight” and other special events before being promoted to director for news production.
Prior to her appointment as news chief in 2010, Ging led the expansion of ABS-CBN News’ operations in the United States of America and Canada as North America news bureau chief for eight years. She was even named by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the U.S.
TOUCHBASS BY YUGEL LOSORATAI RECENTLY encountered a witty comment from Parokya Ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda over someone’s post asking when his band would do a “reunion” concert. He said they needed to disband first.
Well, the poor person who had the audacity to ask such a question must be living hiding under a rock not to know that PNE is still an active band. In the aftermath of Eraserheads doing their latest big stage reunion last week, such a netizen’s misfire led me to thinking that hardly anyone is disbanded.
At least in the local band scene, many of the biggest bands coming from the pool that emerged in the 1990s remained intact. The word ‘intact’ is debatable because most of them aren’t the same as when they hit it big. If some people salivate at the idea of a Rivermaya concert with Bamboo Manalac and Rico Blanco on board, they’re thinking of the classic line-up that scored the group’s first three albums.
Rivermaya was highly visible during the run-up to the national elections earlier this year. Drummer Mark Escueta
Original
Gender Sensitivity: My Teacher
Supporting Actress: Dimples Romana, My Father, Myself
Best Supporting Actor: Mon Confiado
Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Director: Mikhail Red, Deleter
Best Actor: Ian Veneracion, Nanahimik Ang Gabi
Best Actress: Nadine Lustre, Deleter
3rd Best Picture: Nanahimik Ang Gabi 2nd Best Picture: Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
Best Picture: Deleter
retire while still at the top can’t really be answered by just a yes or no. It has been proven that a group without its biggest draw can still fill venues. Queen, who lost perhaps the greatest frontman ever way back in 1991, has shown that. It’s their great music that draws people in.
I’m not surprised that an Eraserheads fan is declaring on social media that he’d follow the group on their apparent world tour next year. Some fans don’t need to get a life because for them being a fan is “the life.”
has somehow succeeded in keeping the band, pun-intended, steady even with the departure of the group’s acknowledged main men. I recall he once implied that a band’s life is about those who stay. There’s simple logic to it.
True Faith is still in the game with Meds Marfil being the lone soldier from the “perfect” lineup. Hard to resist that play on their signature hit. But yes, Meds has done a good job keeping his band on the road.
While the Eraserheads made headlines 20 years ago for calling it quits, most of their contemporaries are celebrating
longevity. But they can’t do what an ultraelectromagneticpop group does.
Eheads in a way showed everyone that knowing when to leave the party should do you more good in the long run. Had they kept themselves intact, and continued releasing albums after Carbon Stereoxide, they wouldn’t have been missed.
Mick Jagger, however, pointed out that The Beatles weren’t able to experience state-of-the-art stadium shows because they ceased to tour early on. Can’t deny that his own Rolling Stones is still a crowd drawer to this day. Whether or not a famous band should
At the end of the day, it’s the members of a successful band, or whoever is left, that have the final say to determine what works for them. I found it classy that The Beatles didn’t do one show without John Lennon and only reunited for two tracks by way of advanced technology, both featuring the assassinated rock star on lead vocals. Yet, there’s nothing I could have done had they decided to enjoy the big money being offered to them in exchange for getting back together on stage.
Every critic may argue that Ely Buendia and boys should have informed promoters that they already had their final set in 2009. They went with the offer and delivered a relatively memorable spectacle, performing tracks from their biggest album in their proper order. Truth be told, nothing is being taken away from their legacy even if they reunite every once in a while. Such is the power of beloved
Adding a novel spin to the show are the new cast members freshly minted from the auditions held in July. Veteran recording artist and music producer Nino Alejandro lends his voice and acting chops as Anthony. Indie folk artist Bullet Dumas who recently made his theater debut this year will be taking on the role of Emman in the musical. Rising singer and GMA-7’s The Clash grand finalist Anthony Rosaldo will play young Hector. Completing the lead cast lineup are Gawad Buhay award-winning theater actor Paw Castillo as young Emman, and professional voice teacher Katrine Sunga as Joy.
Tickets will soon be available at all TicketWorld and SM Tickets outlets: P3,776 (SVIP) P3,236 (VIP), P2,696 (Gold), P1,942 (Silver), and P1,079 (Bronze). For inquiries and early bird offers, contact the Newport World Resorts National Sales Team via Jimmy Iglesias at 0917 872 8734, Girah Manaligod at 0917 872 8309, and Archli Enriquez at 0917 823 9602 or call Ticketworld (02) 8891-9999, or SM Tickets (02) 8470-2222.
AFRIEND and colleague in the industry has been hosting an annual gettogether among industry friends in her home for the past years and it’s one those parties I enjoy going because 1) she’s a great host, 2) many of my PR and media friends attend this gathering, 3) I get to meet new people who become friends, 4) it really is a fun party with lots of laughter going around.
At our table, while enjoying our drinks and food, someone proposed that each one of us shares the gist of his or her 2022. In essence, we were asked how was the year 2022 for us. How would you describe it?
Suffice it to say, it has been different per person. There were 12 of us with different stories to tell. For some, it has been a year of blessings, to others, it has not been such a good year, while there are a few who consider this as a year of learning and transition. We all agreed that it has been a year to be grateful for. No matter the events and circumstances that transpired this year, just being alive and healthy is something we should always be grateful for. I remember a colleague telling me in jest that he is “tired of living in unprecedented times.” We all are. But to be able to maintain a happy disposition despite all the challenges is a gift that can positively impact the people around us.
When it was my turn to answer the question. I paused to quickly recall the events that transpired this year. Essentially, it has been a year full of blessings mostly in the form of people who never left my side. 2022 has been a year of transition for me. It’s also a year of starting all over again and then doing it again. It has been a year of faith and hopes that no matter what, all will eventually fall into place.
I’m grateful for the opportunities to travel, rest, and be with people I haven’t seen in years. I’m thankful for the time to take a break and focus more on my health and well-being. Most of all, I am grateful to be surrounded by people who love and support me. There are so many things to be thankful for. How about you? How was the year 2022 for you?
***
New compounding solutions for patient care in the Philippines Apotheca Integrative Pharmacy, (AIP), an FDA-licensed specialty compounding pharmacy in the Philippines introduces a new line of compounded solutions to continuously improve patient care for all Filipinos. These new solutions form part of the company’s existing categories of compounded medications, namely Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), Weight Loss Management, Intravenous (IV) Nutrition, Thyroid Medication, Erectile Dysfunction, Pain Management, Hair Loss, Dermatological Preparations, Pediatrics, and Nutraceuticals.
Its new solutions for weight loss management include Bupropion and Naltrexone Capsules, a prescribed medication not readily available in the local market. Studies have shown that this combination
helps to improve weight loss by helping curb appetite and food cravings. Bupropion, known as an antidepressant that helps suppress appetite, works hand in hand with Naltrexone, which is used for patients with alcohol addiction problems, to give the desired results for the patients. These medicines require direct medical supervision and are not advised for pregnant women and those who have uncontrolled high blood pressure, seizures as well as eating disorders.
The pharmacy’s new compounded skin medications now include a Coenzyme Q10 Cream developed for the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles from photo-aged skin. Another skin solution is the Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+), an effective topical antipsoriatic agent for psoriasis rashes. It also offers Phosphatidylcholine parental solutions, which healthcare practitioners inject under the skin to help treat excess fat around the eyelids and yellowish cholesterol deposits under the skin’s surface. All compounded medication solutions of AIP require a doctor’s prescription. The company is committed to providing superior pharmaceutical care through high-quality compounded medications based on prescription, mixing individual ingredients in the exact strength and dosage form.
To date, AIP has grown its portfolio to more than 950 active formulas being compounded per prescription from its database of 2,500 formulas. It has served over 1,600 medical doctors and more than 15,000 patients and has supplied over 115,000 quality prescriptions.
It is recommended by more than 100 hospitals across the country, specifically in the pediatric category.
The specialty compounding pharmacy continuously works with the Philippine Pharmacists Association Inc. (PPhA), the integrated national organization of licensed Filipino pharmacists, and other organizations in the field to help advance pharmacy practice in the country. To learn more about Apotheca Integrative Pharmacy’s services and products, visit its website at apotheca. com.ph and social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For feedback, I’m at joba. botana@gmail.com.
AS WE reflect on the past 12 months and reset our to-do list with new hopes and dreams, let us prepare ourselves for the possible challenges. Events may not always go as planned. When a particular resistance hinders your goals, you may feel angry, annoyed, or disappointed. Remember: These emotions are common and valid.
“The choices that you make when faced with frustration can determine whether you will experience growth, decline, or stagnation,” seasoned psychotherapist Sean Grover, L.C.S.W explained.
Grover, a sought-after inspirational speaker, designer of award-winning youth programs, and author of Publisher Weekly’s Best New Nonfiction When Kids Call the Shots: How to Seize Control from Your Darling Bully and Enjoy Parenting Again, understands that some have difficulties to address the situation and choose the right path.
“Confronting it is the fuel that drives maturity,” he added. “When you engage and resolve frustration, you trigger a leap in maturity, a surge of confidence, and a healthy burst of self-esteem.”
situation? What steps can you take to address it? Who are the players involved? Engaging frustration is never easy. But personal determination awakens courage. Consider options. Journal your concerns. Make a list. Plan. Rehearse. Gather support. 3. Test
Anxiety can spike when you confront problems. You may experience doubts and push-backs. Others may be critical of you. They may discourage you, deny your requests or undermine your plans. Obstacles frequently appear during this time. Remember: an object moving forward through space meets resistance. It is the same when you push yourself out of your comfort zone and take chances.
4. The tipping point Do you back down from the challenge or do you press forward despite resistance? The tipping point is both exciting and terrifying. If you quit, lose your patience, or do something destructive, you return to step one: frustration. This doesn’t mean you failed. It means you have to start again.
The Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde likewise encourages everyone to usher in a more positive, productive, and fruitful new year with a renewed energy to face life’s adversities.
BWC echoed and shared Grover’s five-step process in transforming frustration into fuel, as shared on PsychologyToday.com, one of the world’s largest publishing enterprises exclusively dedicated to mental health and behavioral science.
Here are some reminders to embrace this coming 2023:
1.Confront frustrations
At the root of it all is discomfort. Chances are you are dissatisfied. Perhaps you feel stuck at work or unhappy in a relationship. This leads to tense moments and more stress.
2. Set determined goals It is now time to consider your options. How can you confront the
5. The breakthrough Hang in there. Do not quit. Persevere. Your breakthrough will come. It may be a surge of confidence, maturity, or self-esteem. Each time you make it through these five steps, you will feel inspired and enlivened.
FOR many skincare gurus today, effectiveness is no longer the strongest barometer in choosing what goes into their daily beauty regimen. Most of them are also choosing clean beauty.
While there’s no official definition of clean beauty, skincare experts agree that these products are free from harmful toxins like parabens and phthalates –known to interfere with hormone functions – that can be absorbed by the skin. This is why many clean beauty brands opt for natural ingredients to avoid industrial chemicals that can be carcinogens or even pesticides.
Choosing clean beauty also helps divert toxic chemicals away from water sources like streams and rivers, helping reduce marine pollution that can threaten wildlife and ecosystems. Clean beauty products aren’t only good for you, they can also be great for the environment and are made cruelty-free. One of the significant tenets of clean beauty philosophy would be traceability, as beauty experts, safe personal care product advocates, and even environmentalists believe that transparency in busi-
ness is one of the best ways to ensure that a beauty brand is delivering on its promise.
Filipino “skinthusiasts” can experience a new approach to skincare, one that promises healthy beauty without compromises,
Artistry Skin Nutrition works like supplements for the skin, thanks to its cuttingedge skin science and the infusion of powerful phytonutrient botanical ingredients like acerola cherry, pomegranate, and spinach from Amway’s Nutrilite, the only vitamin brand in the world to grow, har-
vest and process plants from their own organic farms which are maintained using sustainable, chemical-free methods with the careful guidance of Amway’s own agricultural experts and scientists.
This makes Artistry Skin Nutrition the only brand in the world that can truly claim traceability from seed to skin so you’re sure that the products are pure, safe, and effective. This also means that the beauty brand can identify the manufacturing location, extraction location, all the way to the specific crop of the raw material for every final product that touches your skin.
Every Artistry Skin Nutrition formula is infused with White Chia Seed grown in certified-organic Nutrilite farms, the line’s star ingredient, which is a nutrientdense, ancient grain superfood packed with omega-3, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to effectively achieve healthy-looking skin.
Artistry Skin Nutrition products are also formulated without parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and over 1,300 other iffy ingredients that discerning clean beauty followers may be concerned about. The brand also conducts clinical, consumer,
safety, in-vitro and ex-vivo testing to support its safety and efficacy claims for its formulas. These studies are performed to ensure the products are well-tolerated and effective and satisfy consumer expectations.
As a responsible beauty brand, Artistry Skin Nutrition formulas are free from animal-derived ingredients and are registered with The Vegan Society, one of the oldest vegan organizations in the world that are based in the United Kingdom and work to educate consumers about the value of going vegan.
The brand has also taken concrete steps to improve operational sustainability. Artistry Skin Nutrition cartons are produced from paper, a renewable resource. The paper comes from sustainably managed forests practicing responsible forest management. These products are also produced in a 90 percent landfillfree facility. It can also be highlighted that 100 percent of the electricity required by Amway to manufacture Artistry products in the United States is offset by the company’s continuing investment in sustainable wind power.