Manila Standard - 2023 January 4 - Wednesday

PBBM, Xi meet to boost ties

Mr. Marcos

By Vince Lopez, Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo

BEIJING—President

says state

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping today where he will raise “politicalsecurity issues,” including the South China Sea situation.

“I look forward to my meeting with President Xi as we work towards shifting the trajectory of our relations to a higher gear that would hopefully bring numerous prospects and abundant opportunities for peace and development to the peoples of both our countries,” Mr. Marcos said in his pre-departure speech yesterday.

“I also look forward to discussing political-security issues of a bilateral and regional nature. The issues between our two countries are problems that do not belong between two friends such as the Philippines and China. We will seek to resolve those issues to the mutual benefit of our countries,” he added.

Mr. Marcos arrived in Beijing last night for a three-day state visit until Jan. 5, his first outside Southeast Asia upon the invitation of Xi.

The President expressed confidence his visit will open “a new chapter in our Comprehensive Strategic Cooperation with China.”

“We will seek to foster meaningful relations and broaden our cooperation in various areas such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, science and technology, trade and investment, and people-to-people exchanges, amongst others,” he said.

“I hope to return home to the Philippines with a harvest of agreements and investments that will benefit our

visit

to

bring PH-China relations ‘to higher gear’

Some Chinese travelers positive for COVID, placed in isolation

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas

“Many Chinese have arrived, but we only require antigen tests for those who

were partially vaccinated,” said the bureau’s director, Roberto Salvador Jr., speaking in Filipino to GMA News.

Salvador did not say how many had tested positive, but said there were only a few of them.

CAAP says provincial airport operations back to normal

By Joel E. Zurbano, Darwin G. Amojelar and Maricel V. Cruz

MORE than 20 provincial airports have resumed normal operations, two days after a power failure and a technical

THE

the income ceiling to P90,000 would not affect its operations.

Beijing may hit back on nations over travel rules

CHINA called the mounting international restrictions on travellers from its territory “unacceptable” on Tuesday after more than a dozen countries placed fresh COVID curbs on visitors from the world’s most populous nation.

“Some countries have taken entry restrictions targeting China,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular briefing.

“This lacks scientific basis and some practices are unacceptable,” she added, warning China could “take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity.”

The United States, Canada, Japan and France are among the countries insisting all travelers from China provide negative COVID tests before arrival, as concerns grow over a surge in cases.

China’s steep rise in infections comes after Beijing abruptly lifted years of hardline restrictions last

4 Senate resolutions filed to probe airport glitch, similar House act up

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

FOUR senators have filed separate resolutions for an investigation into the shutdown of the country’s airspace on New Year’s Day due to what the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) called a technical glitch.

The chairman of the House committee on transportation also committed to file a separate resolution this week.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) suffered a power outage that led to the breakdown of its air traffic control system, disrupting a total of 282 flights and affecting about 56,000 air passengers on Sunday alone.

On Tuesday, Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. filed a reso-

lution calling on the Senate committee on public services to conduct an investigation into the incident.

“The malfunction that affected the NAIA Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Systems for Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) had a domino effect that not only affected those traveling that day but in effect affected other industries such as logistics, tourism and even our OFWs (overseas Filipino workers). So this should be investigated,” said Revilla, vice chairman of the Senate committee on public services.

Senators Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva and Jinggoy Estrada filed separate resolutions also calling for a

Rolling stock problems snag MRT-3 service

By Darwin G. Amojelar

ANOTHER public transport system suffered a temporary breakdown on the first working day of 2023, as the operations of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3 were disrupted Tuesday afternoon due to a rolling stock

A FEW travelers from China tested positive for COVID-19 and were now in isolation, the director of the Bureau of

Quarantine said Tuesday, but he added that only the partially vaccinated or unvaccinated were tested upon entering the country.

Foreign travelers who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are required to present a negative test result from an antigen or RT-PCR test before traveling or upon arrival in the Philippines.

glitch wrought havoc at the Ninoy

Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said Tuesday.

These airports include Bicol International Airport, Tacloban Airport, Zamboanga Airport, Pagadian Airport, Dipolog Airport, Jolo Airport, Tawi-

rollout of PhilHealth new benefits scheduled for implementation this year this year might be adjusted following the suspension of the increase in premium rates.

In a radio interview, Philippine

Health Insurance Corp. spokesman Rey Baleña said the suspension of the premium rate hike and the raising of

STATE VISIT.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise AranetaMarcos arrive in Beijing Tuesday evening for a three-day state visit.

countrymen and further strengthen the foundation of our economic environment,” Mr. Marcos added.

Mr. Marcos pushed through with the state visit despite the current spike of COVID-19 cases in China as the host government ensured that “bubble” arrangements were made to guarantee his and the entire Philippine delegation’s safety.

President Marcos is also set to meet Li Zhanshu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, today at the Shanghai Hall of the Great Hall of the People (GHP).

He is also slated to meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the West

Hall of the GHP before he is accorded a welcoming ceremony by President Xi, whom he first met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand last November 17.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo will sign three agreements with the Chinese government during the state visit, DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.

Manalo is expected to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative; the Memorandum of Understanding on Communication Mechanism on Maritime Issues; and the Joint Action Plan on Agricultural and Fisheries Cooperation, on behalf of the Department of Agriculture.

DFA Assistant Secretary for Asia and Pacific Affairs Nathaniel Impe -

rial earlier said renewing the Philippine agreement to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as well as establishing a “hotline” to handle South China Sea concerns, are expected to be delivered during the visit.

The hotline, which will link the foreign ministries of the two countries, aims to avoid “miscalculation and miscommunication” in the contested waters of the South China Sea, Imperial added.

More than 10 key bilateral agreements are expected to be signed during President Marcos’ visit, in addition to over 100 agreements already forged by the country with China.

The Chief Executive is joined by key private sector representatives “who have been and will continue to be the government’s partners in

people may have been infected.

boosting the economy” that it tries to accelerate post-pandemic.

Before assuming the presidency, Mr. Marcos said in a speech on June 10 that China is the Philippines’ “strongest partner” and that he sees the future of the two countries “developing in many ways.”

The President, however, swore to protect national sovereignty by speaking to Beijing “with a firm voice” on the maritime dispute in the South China Sea.

Marcos earlier told Chinese officials on the sidelines of ASEAN Summit in Cambodia to uphold international law and follow the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding areas of the South China Sea, as he gave importance to the impact of trade that flows through the vital waterway.

Manila suspends work, classes for Jan. 9 Nazareno

WORK and classes are suspended in the city of Manila on Jan. 9 in observance of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, the city government announced Tuesday.

Mayor Honey Lacuna said she was set to release an executive order (EO) for the occasion and added that a liquor ban will be imposed in the capital for three days from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9.

For another popular Christian festival, the Cebu City government said it is working double time to prepare the new venue for Sinulog 2023 in anticipation of about 2 million spectators.

Unlike a growing number of countries, the Philippines has not imposed stricter COVID-19 measures on travelers from China, which is experiencing a surge in cases.

Senator Grace Poe said the government should decide on the appropriate measures and let travelers know before they fly.

China, which has dropped its zeroCOVID policy amid a surge in cases is expected to lift travel restrictions on its citizens on Jan. 8.

Poe noted that other countries like the US, UK, France, Canada, Japan, South Korea, India, Israel, Morocco, Italy and Spain have all reimposed their mandatory COVID tests and other rules for travelers from China.

She said the lack of proactive policies based on what is happening in China was a cause for concern.

“Our experience in the past three years of the pandemic has shown that delayed and uninformed COVID-related policies are sometimes more deadly than the pandemic itself,” she said.

“Now that we have reopened again, we need to build confidence that the Philippines is well-positioned and, hopefully, now better informed in the fight against COVID,” she added.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said at least 73.7 million Filipinos or 94.46 percent of the government’s target population are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The number of boosted individuals also increased to 21 million, it added.

At least 6.9 million senior citizens, or 79.45 percent of the target A2 population have also received their primary vaccine series.

The Philippines recorded 3,458 new COVID-19 infections from Dec. 26, 2022, to Jan. 1, 2023, the DOH said.

According to the DOH’s latest bulletin, the number of cases logged over the past week was 39 percent lower than the 5,690 cases recorded from Dec. 19 to Dec. 25.

The daily case average for the recent week decreased to 494 from the previous 813.

The past week is the ninth week with fewer than 10,000 weekly cases.

The latest data from the DOH also showed a total of 164 additional verified COVID-19-related deaths were belatedly recorded. These deaths were registered from August 2020 to December 2022.

month, with hospitals and crematoriums quickly overwhelmed.

But Beijing has pushed ahead with a long-awaited re-opening, last week announcing an end to mandatory quarantines on arrival in a move that prompted Chinese people to plan trips abroad.

Asked about China’s reaction, France’s Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne defended the new rules.

“I think we’re performing our duty in asking for tests,” Borne told franceinfo radio.

“We will continue to do it.”

The rules imposed affect all travelers coming from China – not just Chinese nationals – while Beijing continues to restrict inbound visitors and not issue visas for tourists or international students.

Countries including the United States have also cited Beijing’s lack of transparency around infection data and the risk of new variants as a reason to restrict travelers.

China has only recorded 22 COVID deaths since December and has dramatically narrowed the criteria for classifying such deaths – meaning that Beijing’s own statistics about the unprecedented wave are now widely seen as not reflecting reality.

As health workers nationwide battle a surge in cases, a senior doctor at one of Shanghai’s top hospitals said 70 percent of the megacity’s population may now have been infected with COVID-19, state media reported Tuesday.

Chen Erzhen, vice president at Ruijin Hospital and a member of Shanghai’s Covid expert advisory panel, estimated that the majority of the city’s 25 million

“Now the spread of the epidemic in Shanghai is very wide, and it may have reached 70 percent of the population, which is 20 to 30 times more than (in April and May),” he told Dajiangdong Studio, owned by the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

Shanghai suffered a gruelling twomonth lockdown from April, during which more than 600,000 residents were infected and many were hauled to mass quarantine centres.

But now the Omicron variant is spreading rampantly across the city.

In other major cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing and Guangzhou, Chinese health officials have suggested that the wave has already peaked.

Here is why China’s huge COVID-19 surge after years of hardline containment restrictions is sparking concern:

Unreliable data

Beijing has admitted the scale of the outbreak has become “impossible” to track following the end of mandatory mass testing last month.

The National Health Commission has stopped publishing daily nationwide infection and death statistics.

That responsibility has been transferred to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which will only publish figures once a month after China downgrades its management protocols for the disease on January 8.

Authorities admitted last week that the scale of data collected is “much smaller” than when mandatory mass PCR testing was in place.

CDC official Yin Wenwu said authorities are now compiling data from

cation and mounted by the airlines on a case-to-case basis,” said CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio in a statement.

hospitals and local government surveys as well as emergency call volumes and fever medicine sales, which will “make up for deficiencies in our reporting.”

Chinese hospitals and crematoriums are struggling with an influx of patients and bodies, with rural areas hit particularly hard.

Piecemeal estimates

Last month, a few local and regional authorities began sharing estimated daily infection totals as the scale of the outbreak remained unclear.

Disease control authorities in the wealthy coastal province of Zhejiang said Tuesday that the number of new cases jumped one million in the past few days, and “the epidemic is expected to enter a peak plateau in January.”

The Zhejiang cities of Quzhou and Zhoushan said at least 30 percent of the population had contracted the virus.

The eastern coastal city of Qingdao also estimated around 500,000 new daily cases and the southern manufacturing centre of Dongguan forecast up to 300,000.

Officials in the island province of Hainan estimated Friday that the infection rate there had surpassed 50 percent.

But top health official Wu Zunyou said Thursday that the peak had passed in the cities of Beijing, Chengdu and Tianjin, with Guangzhou city officials saying the same on Sunday.

A senior doctor at a Shanghai hospital estimated Tuesday that up to 70 percent of the city’s 25 million population may have been infected in the current wave.

Leaked notes from a meeting of health officials last month revealed they believed 250 million people had been infected across China in the first 20 days of December. AFP

travel experience in the Philippines,” Apolonio said.

The Sinulog Foundation Inc. expects millions of spectators to descend on the Queen City of the South to witness the physical comeback of the festival, one of the grandest in the country celebrating the Feast of the Child Jesus or Señor Santo Niño.

In the past two years, the Sinulog was held virtually with a replay of past performances.

“Yes, we will issue an executive order regarding the liquor ban, and that includes the executive order declaring January 9 as a holiday in the City of Manila,” Lacuna said at the press briefing on the preparations for the Nazareno 2023.

On the other hand, organizers of the annual religious event issued a list of things that are allowed at the events in Quirino Grandstand and Quiapo Church.

Alex Irasga, Quiapo Church adviser, said devotees or attendees are allowed to bring water canisters, sandwiches and snacks, cellphones, registered VHF radios, and images of the Black Nazarene, two feet and smaller, that can be carried in one hand.

They may also bring a transparent raincoat/poncho, shoes and slippers, small cameras, wheelchairs, singleseat, light chairs, flashlights, portable/ small candles, and matchboxes.

Irasga reminded the public that they are prohibited to bring the following: medium-size to life-size Nazareno images; istandarte or banners, carriages or “andas”; firearms and deadly weapons; pyrotechnic devices, professional camera and video recorders, selfie sticks, large bags, blankets, hampers, storage boxes, portable appliances, liquified petroleum gas (LPG) tanks and stoves, tents, tables, and other picnic items.

Tawi Airport, Laguindingan Airport, Camiguin Airport, Ozamiz Airport, Dumaguete Airport, Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Puerto Princesa International Airport, Tuguegarao Airport, Cauayan Airport, Basco Airport, Iloilo International Airport, Kalibo International Airport, Bacolod-Silay Airport, Roxas Airport, Antique Airport, Butuan Airport, Siargao Airport, Surigao Airport, San Jose Airport, Romblon Airport, General Santos Airport, Cotabato Airport, and Davao International Airport.

“Recovery flights from diverted and delayed flights in these airports have been successfully dispatched to their lo -

Meanwhile, other passengers have been re-booked to other scheduled flights with the assistance of their airlines.

Apolonio said the agency has been working on resuming normal operations and providing assistance to passengers affected by delayed flights for the past two days.

The CAAP apologized for the inconvenience caused by the disruption of services and said it appreciated the patience and understanding of the affected passengers.

“CAAP is committed to ensuring the safety and efficiency of its operations and will continue to quickly work towards correcting and improving the air

The CAAP said that while the country’s air traffic system was “not completely obsolete,” upgrades are necessary after a technical glitch forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights in and out of Manila.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista earlier said the air traffic management center, which controls inbound and outbound flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), “went down” due to a power outage that resulted in the loss of communication, radio, radar and internet.

Some 56,000 passengers were stranded on Sunday due to the incident.

AirAsia Philippines said it had to cancel 90 fights affecting 8,000 passengers on New Year’s Day.

The public is also not allowed to bring umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, smoking/vaping devices, laser pointers, large chains, spikes and other big metal objects, scooters, skateboards, skates, vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles (unless authorized), heavy meals, plastic and glass bottles, food sticks, pets, black plastics, and jackets.

The image of the Black Nazarene will be on display at the Quirino Grandstand from Jan. 7 to 9.

Four Masses will be held at the venue -- Jan. 7, at 12:01 am, for the devotees to be officiated by Fr. Hans Magdurolang and at 6 a.m., for volunteers, local government unit personnel, non-government organization (NGO) members, uniformed personnel and members of the media to be officiated by Fr. Earl Valdez.

On Jan. 8, the 12:01 am Mass will be presided over by Fr. Rufino Sescon, Jr., rector of Quiapo Church to be followed by the Walk of Faith.

problem.

In an advisory, the MRT-3 management said it implemented a provisional service from North Avenue station to Shaw Boulevard station, and vice versa, “due to a rolling stock problem reported at the interstations of Taft and Magallanes (northbound)” at around 4:26 p.m.

At least six stations were closed temporarily, south of the Shaw Boulevard station – the Boni, Guadalupe, Buendia, Ayala, Magallanes, and Taft Avenue stops.

At around 4:30 p.m., the train system running the length of Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) resumed, with 17 train sets running on the mainline from North Avenue to Taft Avenue station (vice versa).

Earlier, MRT-3 General Manager Federico Canar Jr. conducted a surprise inspection of the MRT-3 mainline from North Avenue to Shaw Boulevard stations to check the operational status and enforcement of health and safety protocols at the MRT-3. Canar inspected commuter welfare desks, station control rooms, ticketing booths, comfort rooms, escalators, and elevators.

“These will not affect the operations of PhilHealth,” he said.

“It is only the new benefits packages that will have a possible adjustment in deployment but the current benefits packages will not have any changes,” he added.

Among the new benefit packages to

be implemented this year are the severe acute malnutrition package as well as the outpatient mental health package, according to the PhilHealth official.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered the PhilHealth to suspend the increase of its premium rate and income ceiling for 2023.

The memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, refers to the “scheduled increase of the premium rate from 4 percent to 4.5 percent, and

income ceiling from P80,000 to P90,000 for CY (Calendar Year) 2023 under Section 10 of Republic Act No. 11223.”

“In light of the prevailing socioeconomic challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide financial relief to our countrymen amidst these difficult times, please be informed that the President has directed PhilHealth to suspend the above-mentioned increase in premium rate and income ceiling for CY 2023, subject to

applicable laws, rules, and regulations,” the memorandum read.

Philhealth earlier argued that the impending 4.5-percent increase in premiums would enable the country’s health insurance corporation to sustain the benefits currently enjoyed by its members. Under the Universal Healthcare (UHC) law, it mandates the increase in member premiums by 0.5 percent every year, starting in 2021 until it reaches its 5-percent limit in 2025.

Senate investigation.

Tolentino said the CAAP must explain to the public why their backup facilities did not kick into gear, causing massive flight cancellations of both foreign and domestic flights scheduled out of the country, and forcing incoming flights to divert to other routes.

Estrada said the incident aggravates the already unpleasant image of NAIA, which he said has often been labeled as among the worst and most stressful airports in the world.

The investigation should identify the needed infrastructure, as well as possible government or private sector support, to modernize and fully equip NAIA at the soonest possible time.

Estrada also said former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade must be invited to the Senate’s investigation.

This after Bilyonaryo.com reported that Tugade allegedly used the P13 billion budget for the CNS/ATM for other purposes such as the installation of electronic billboards and the concreting of parking spaces outside the NAIA terminals.

“Maybe we also have to invite former Secretary Tugade to shed light on it If he really spent it on other items. Although

I think he already gave a statement that the P13 billion was not spent for something else,” Estrada said.

Senator Christopher Go, vice chairman of the Senate committee on national defense, said the incident has huge national security implications.

“It appears that all it takes to paralyze the entire Philippine airspace is just one technical glitch,” he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the human and economic cost of the recent New Year’s Day meltdown at the country’s airports was incalculable.

She said she too would file a resolution to find out why things went terribly wrong.

She said many Filipinos working

overseas were worried about losing their jobs because of flight cancellations.

“Our migrants and OFWs deserve better service,” she said.

She added that dismissing Sunday’s meltdown as the result of an ordinary glitch was to ignore the systemic problems at the countryu’s airports.

“Let us not take the easy way out and blame the equipment outright. The fact that the back up also failed could mean there are more unseen problems down the line,” Hontiveros said.

“Before we get the much-talked about ‘upgrade,’ let’s see if the problem was compounded by human error or negligence in maintaining the equipment.,” she added.

BOC impounds P19m worth of smuggled onions

By Joel E. Zurbano

BUREAU of Customs (BOC) agents have impounded three container vans of smuggled yellow onions and used clothing worth P19 million.

The shipments, which arrived from China and were consigned to SB Express Logistics and Business Solution Inc., were placed under 100 percent physical examination on orders from Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz.

Based on the import documents, the shipments were declared as plastic buckets, ladies’ blouse, ladies’ slippers, dish plates, and cat litter. But examination showed that the vans contained sacks of yellow onions in between plastic bags of used clothing.

Amid the bureau’s intensified campaign against the smuggling of agricultural products, particularly onions, Commissioner Ruiz expressed his gratitude and commended his men behind each operation.

“The bureau has, so far, examined, detained, and seized hundreds of millions worth of shipments that contain agricultural products this month alone. If they think they can use the ukay-ukay to hide the onions, they are mistaken,” said Ruiz.

“We swore to protect the country’s borders from this kind of illegal activities. But much more than that, we are also trying to protect our people, many of whom are deeply affected—and have been crying out—against the prices of the most basic of our food products,” he added.

The Customs chief said a number of small business owners pay the right fees to bring ukay-ukay or used clothing products into the country legally, while unscrupulous groups bring in millions worth of them without going through the proper process.

IN BRIEF

‘Rains leave P1.38b infra, agri losses; 51 dead, 19 missing’

HEAVY rains over the week past Christmas Day have left losses to infrastructure and agriculture estimated at P1.38 billion, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Tuesday.

Mindanao.

“Partially damaged” houses were counted at 3,704 while “totally damaged” was at 836.

The number of injured was 16, with only two validated while the number of reported missing was 19, seven of whom have been confirmed.

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday vowed to implement more programs and deliver better services for “QCitizens” to welcome 2023.

“We are so lucky that we are (still) given the chance to start a new beginning from our family up to our community, to reflect what has happened in the past and to focus more on what other things we have to do in the future,” Belmonte said.

“As far as the local government unit of Quezon City is concerned, we promise to attain success from our inspirations in 2022 so we could level up the quality of our leadership,” she added. Rio N. Araja

P’que resident takes P19.5-m 6/45 lotto pot

A PARA ÑAQUE resident cannot be any happier for the rest of his life, being an instant millionaire as a solo winner of the P19.5million jackpot of the Mega Lotto 6/45 draw on Monday night.

The state-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said the lucky bettor had the correct six-digit combination of 04-26-38-15-34-17 to pocket the P19.5-million pot.

The winner can claim his prize at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City by presenting the winning ticket and two identification cards.

As provided in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, lotto winnings of more than PHP10,000 shall be subject to a 20 percent tax.

Winners have one year from the date of the draw to claim the prize, as specified in Republic Act 1169, the law on PCSO lotteries.

In an updated report, the agency said the figure included P1.14 billion worth of losses to infrastructure and some P245 million in agricultural damage in the regions of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao provinces, and Caraga.

The agency said there were 51 reported fatalities, 13 of whom have been confirmed as of press time. Nineteen others were reported missing.

The NDRRMC also said 5,540 houses were damaged in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim

The number of affected families was placed at 150,480 or 597,858 persons in 10 regions.

Meanwhile, 2,811 displaced families were still staying in 78 evacuation centers across the country, the NDRRMC said.

The NDRRMC said some P49 million worth of assistance was already provided for the affected regions.

By Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Health (DOH) reported on Tuesday that 51 additional cases of fireworks-related injuries, bringing to 262 the total of casualties due to firecrackers since last Dec. 21.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported three injuries due to stray bullets.

This year’s fireworks-related injuries was 42 percent higher than the previous year’s 185 cases, but 15 percent lower compared to the five-year average of 308 cases during the same period, the DOH noted.

The National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of fireworks casualties at 125, followed by Western Visayas with 31, Ilocos Region with 23, Central Luzon with 22, Calabarzon with 13, and Bicol Region with 12.

There were also eight cases in Cagayan Valley, seven in Central Visayas, six in Soccsksargen, four in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), three in Mimaropa, two each in Northern Mindanao and Davao Region, and one each in Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula.

PNP to revoke gun licenses for unlawful firing

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has warned that the gun licenses of those involved in indiscriminate firing during the holiday revelries would be revoked.

PH cops gold award for CHM website

THE Philippines has gained global recognition for undertaking the “most significant progress” in developing its existing national Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM) website, making biodiversity information accessible in the country.

The country received the gold award in a ceremony held during the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD (CBD COP 15) in Canada last Dec. 18, 2022.

Other awardees were Malaysia which got the bronze, and Mexico had silver.

The CHM serves as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) platform for information sharing.

Through CHM websites, significant data are made available to help policymakers make science-based

biodiversity-relevant laws and regulations.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations CHM, on the other hand, received a certificate of achievement as an existing regional CHM.

The ASEAN CHM serves as a single point of access to the national CHMs of the 10 ASEAN member states.

It also offers a variety of services, such as biodiversity information and tools and resources for capacity development, to assist the ASEAN member-states with conservation planning, monitoring, and decision-making.

It highlights the regional status of protected areas, among other regional assessments that can be utilized as a foundation for the prioritization and conservation of species and protected areas.

“As I have warned at the onset of the holiday security operations, criminal liability for indiscriminate firing is further aggravated if the offender belongs to the uniformed services. The Chief, FEO (Firearms and Explosives Office) is directed to consolidate the names of those who violated the law on firearms use and to cause the revocation of their licenses without delay, likewise to initiate the filing of appropriate criminal cases,’ PNP chief Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said in a statement.

PNP information officer Col. Redrico Maranan said at least three cases of indiscriminate firing took place in Iloilo, Manila and Quezon City from Dec. 31, 2022 to Jan. 1, 2023.

A member of the PNP Special Action Force has been relieved from his post due to indiscriminate firing in Barangay Tuao North, Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya last Dec. 30.

Maranan said aggressive law enforcement operations resulted in the arrest of three suspects for alleged indiscriminate firing during the New Year celebration—two civilians and a member of the Philippine Coast Guard.

GEARING UP FOR BLACK NAZARENE FEAST. Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna, Manila Police District director Brig.

Gen. Andre Dizon, government representatives, and Church leaders are briefed on the forthcoming religious event by adviser Alex Irasga during a press briefing at the Benedict XVI Building in Quiapo Manila. Norman Cruz

Belmonte vows to do better for ‘QCitizens’

SIGHT OF NORMALCY. On Tuesday, the first day of work for 2023, motorists run into bumper-to-bumper traffic along the southbound lane of E. de los Santos Ave. in Kamuning, Quezon City. Manny Palmero

PEACE MISSION. Missionary Visual Artist, Kristine Lim pulls a good size crowd of Muslim children during her visit to strife-torn Basilan Island as an ambassadress of peace from the Philippine Navy which she has joined as a civil military operations officer.

Norman Cruz

Comelec moves poll summit to March 8

THE holding of the first National Election Summit has been moved to March, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Tuesday.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia, in a press briefing, said the poll summit was pushed back from its original schedule set on the last week of January.

“We will be meeting with our officials in the main and field offices to discuss preparations for the election summit this March,” he said.

Commissioner Nelson Celis, head of the poll summit’s organizing committee, added that the event will be held from March 8 to 10.

He noted that the decision to move the holding of the summit to be able to give way to the special elections in the seventh legislative district of Cavite on Feb. 25.

“(In order) to give way for the special elections in Cavite on February 25, we will just move by about a month,” Celis said.

He added that they have so far held 26 pre-summit activities since October 2022.

“So far, we have had discussions on the new technology that could be possibly implemented for 2025 elections, full implementation of the digital signature, and the possibility of implementing blockchain technology, among others,” Celis said.

The election summit aims to provide a platform for a national dialogue and interaction with, consultation and participation of election stakeholders in the review, formulation, or enhancement of policies, plans, and programs in election administration and electoral enforcement and adjudication.

The recommendations from the summit will be endorsed for consideration by the Comelec en banc.

Lawmakers back PBBM move to halt PhilHealth hike

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATE President Migz Zubiri and Senators Bong Go and Nancy Binay aired their support to the decision of support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to suspend the increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) premium rates and income ceiling for this year.

Zubiri commended the President’s move and said this would ease up the burden of the general population in these difficult times coming out of the pandemic.

Malacañang earlier released a memo asking PhilHealth and the Department of Health to suspend the increase of monthly contributions from its members.

The increase was originally set under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act, which mandates a gradual increase in premium rates from 2.75 percent in 2019 to 3.5 percent in 2023 and eventually 5 percent in 2024.

“The premium rate hikes may be established after we have brought down our inflation rate at a more comfortable level in the near future. Once again, we thank the President for this as this will allow a larger take home pay for all salaried workers for the meantime,” Zubiri said.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go said he sees no reason why this will adversely affect the various benefits and services to be provided by PhilHealth to its members. At the same time, he renewed his call to Philhealth to give services due to its members, especially for indigents.

Binay meanwhile said under the UHC Act, there is a yearly increase in member premiums by 0.5% starting 2021 until it reaches the 5% limit in 2025. “We also understand the situation of our people esoeically those who were directly affected by the pandemic,” Binay said. “So this suspension of a premium hike is a huge help,” she added.

House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Tuesday also welcomed the deferment of the PhilHealth hike.

DOJ: Bantag’s motion to be resolved soon

By Rey E. Requejo

THE motion of former Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag will be resolved soon, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said.

Bantag earlier filed a motion to inhibit to a panel of prosecutors created by the DOJ to conduct a preliminary investigation into the two murder complaints against Bantag.

The DOJ’s panel of prosecutors has been created to probe the two murder complaints filed against Bantag in connection with the killings of radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and inmate Cristito Villamor Palana.

Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento on Tuesday confirmed that

the panel has submitted for resolution Bantag’s motion. “The panel will resolve it soon,” Malcontento said.

Bantag’s camp also claimed that it is the Office of the Ombudsman which has jurisdiction to investigate the complaints filed against him.

He had earlier been summoned and ordered to file his counter-affidavit on the murder complaints. Instead, through his lawyer Rocky Balisong, Bantag sought the inhibition of the panel.

The complainants in the two charges—the Philippine National

Police (PNP), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Mabasa family – have been asked to filed their comments on the motion to inhibit.

Bantag was allowed to file his reply to the comments and the complaints were given opportunity to file their rejoinders to the reply.

Lapid was killed on Oct. 3, 2022 in Las Pinas City.

Joel S. Escorial confessed to the killing and pointed to Palana as his middleman in the slaying. He also implicated other persons. The PNP has filed murder complaint against Escorial and his alleged accomplices.

When the PNP and the NBI filed the two murder complaints against Bantag and other respondents, the DOJ’s panel of prosecutors decided to consolidate all the complaints for preliminary investigation.

IN BRIEF

Reward for info on killing of Davao businesswoman

A P1-MILLION reward will be given for any information on the whereabouts of the perpetrators behind the recent killing of a businesswoman at a subdivision here, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) said Tuesday.

Col. Alberto Lupaz, the DCPO director, said several concerned citizens offered the reward money to help fast-track the investigation.

“They don’t want to be named. If you know the identity and can give the information of the gunman and his cohort, you can immediately contact us,” Lupaz said in a press briefing here.

The victim, Yvonnette Plaza, was shot at close range by gunmen riding in tandem on a motorbike in front of her rented house at Green Meadow Subdivision, Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok District here on Dec. 29, 2022.

A closed circuit television (CCTV) footage making rounds on social media showed two unidentified assailants—one aiming the gun at the victim’s head while the other settled on the driver’s seat of the motorcycle—at the time of the incident.

The incident prompted Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr., Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11) chief, to create a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) on Dec. 30, 2022 to focus on the case.

Agents intercept two foreign fugitives at NAIA

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) intercepted two foreign fugitives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 airport who were both wanted in their respective countries.

DSWD crisis aid program to resume in two weeks

THE distribution of government aid under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) may resume within two weeks, a DSWD official said.

DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Romel Lopez, quoted by a GMA News report, said the distribution was halted as the department is still waiting for their fund for 2023 to be downloaded.

“We are expecting this within a week or maybe two, maybe this is already the maximum. Maybe within the week, the fund will be downloaded already. We will immediately resume the distribution of the cash assistance,” Lopez, in the GMA News report, said.

Despite this, the official said the agency can still process assistance from clients whose service providers acknowledge the guarantee letter of the agency.

“We can still process assistance from

clients whose service providers accept or acknowledge the guarantee letter of the DSWD,” the official said, “‘Yun nga lang po, uulitin ko po, suspindido po muna ‘yung outright cash assistance sa ilalim ng AICS dahil po hinihintay po natin maisaayos po ‘yung pondo natin ngayong taon. (However, I will repeat, the outright cash assistance under AICS is suspended because we are waiting for our funds for this year),” Lopez further said.

Intercepted at the airport was Yoon Suk Bae, a South Korean, who is a subject of an Interpol alert. Yoon was reportedly wanted in his home county for violation of article 347 of the Criminal Law of South Korea, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

Yoon attempted to enter the country via a Qatar Airways flight from Doha, but was immediately excluded and sent back to his country of origin.

Also intercepted on New Year’s eve was an Antigua and Barbuda national identified as Wang Lingling, 49, who attempted to depart to Tokyo, Japan via a Philippine Airlines flight.

‘Grant tax incentives to volunteer doctors’

By Maricel V. Cruz

A GROUP of legislators sought the grant of tax incentives to doctors volunteering their services for free to indigent patients as a way of recognizing their “selfless and committed” efforts in helping provide quality healthcare to Filipinos.

Under House Bill (HB) 5672, Reps. Paolo Duterte of Davao City, Eric Yap of Benguet, and Edvic Yap and Jeffrey Soriano of ACT-CIS proposed that physicians continuously rendering pro bono services to poor patients be given tax credits to be deducted from their gross income.

Duterte, the bill’s principal author, lauded doctors who, with or without the pandemic, “have braved the frontlines” to be able to extend their services for free to un-

derprivileged and marginalized Filipinos.

The University of the Philippines’ latest estimates show that on average, there are 3.7 doctors in the country for every 10,000 Filipinos, which is way below the World Health Organization (WHO)-prescribed ratio of 1 for every 1,000 (or 10 for every 10,000 people).

Duterte said that despite this dismal ratio, many doctors still choose to render pro bono services, especially in far-flung communities where healthcare remains scarce.

“These volunteer physicians took the initiative to extend their helping hands to the poor and marginalized as a response to the unreachable gap in access to quality healthcare,” Duterte and his co-authors of the bill said.

Vito Barcelo

BLUE CARD. Residents from various barangays in Malabon City register for the local government’s blue card program, which makes it easier for residents to get access to various social services. Andrew Rabulan

CALL TO REGISTER.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Garcia along with Commissioners Nelson Celis and Rey Dulay on Tuesday urged the public to register as the Comelec opened registration areas in malls nationwide and other designated locations. Danny Pata

HONORING PELE. Members of the Philippines and Indonesian football teams take a moment of silence to honor the life of football great Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) during the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 match between the two countries at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Monday. Danny Pata

Inflation and interest rates

to as high as 6.0-6.25 percent this year, although recent comments from Medalla suggest that he is open to a potential ‘BSP pivot’ sometime in the second half of 2023.”

Interest rate is the price you pay for money.

‘Simple, solemn and sober’

IN 2023, the man of the hour—and possibly, the hero of the year—is our central banker, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Manguiat Medalla, 73, a veteran economist and a committed public servant all his professional life.

Medalla was dean of the UP School of Economics which produced most of the Philippines’ economic planners.

He took his economics and accounting from La Salle Manila, and his MA in economics from UP. He has a Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University, Illinois.

He served as economic planning secretary of President Joseph Estrada who inherited a recession and licked it in his first three months.

Medalla became BSP governor on June 30, 2022.

BSP says its main responsibility is to formulate and implement policy in the areas of money, banking and credit with the primary objective of preserving price stability.

Price stability refers to a condition of low and stable inflation. By keeping price stable, the BSP helps ensure strong and sustainable economic growth and better living standards.

As the chief monetary authority, Medalla’s main job thus is fighting inflation, the bane of every Filipino and of every businessman worth his salt.

To fight inflation, Medalla has resorted to something drastic – raising interest rates.

Amidst the continuing increase in the prices of basic goods, 66 of every 100 Filipinos say controlling inflation is issue No. 1 for the administration of President Marcos Jr.

Accordingly, in less than a year, the BSP

CEO more than doubled the interest rate banks pay for borrowing money from the central bank overnight, from 2 percent in February 2022 to 5.5 percent by December.

The job is not done yet. More rate increases are due.

According to ING, BSP expects inflation to settle at 5.8 percent in 2022 while 2023 inflation is now forecast to average 4.5 percent (from 4.3 percent).

ING’s chief economist Nicholas Mapa “expects inflation to stay elevated well into 2023 given the prevalence of second-order effects, or price increases driven by the initial energy price shock.

With inflation expected to stay high, we believe BSP will retain its hawkish stance going into 2023, taking its cue mainly from the Fed while also monitoring the path of inflation.”

Mapa expects “the BSP to bring its policy rate

If the price is high, you lessen the demand for money. With less money, a consumer buys less, because his demand is dampened. With less demand for goods, the rise in prices of such goods slows down.

That is the theory.

The rate of an increase or decrease in prices is called inflation. Inflation is the biggest enemy of poverty. It cuts or reduces the purchasing power of one’s income.

If a year ago, you had 100 pesos and the price of goods you buy with the 100 rises by 8 percent, this year, then your purchasing power is reduced to just 92. The 100 pesos you had a year ago is now worth only 92, thanks to 8 percent inflation.

Imagine if with your 100 pesos a year ago you could buy two kilos (2,000 grams) of rice, at P50 per kilo.

But the price of rice goes up by 8 percent, to P54. That means with the same 100 pesos, you can buy only less than two kilos, or just 1.84 kilos or 1,840 grams – 160 grams less.

On average, a Filipino eats 320 grams of rice a day. So a reduction of 160 grams, because of an 8 percent inflation, means missing half of your meal in one day.

If the 8 percent inflation persists for one year, you will be eating only half of your daily meal requirement each day for 365 days. That’s bad. You will feel bad.

You will hate your government. Or at least blame somebody for that somebody having messed up your daily meal because there is not enough rice while demand is constant or rising so that the cereal’s price has to increase to dampen demand.

That is exactly what is happening in most places in the Philippines today.

Food is 50 percent of a poor man’s daily expenditures; 50 of every 100 pesos, daily. Of that 50, P15 is allotted for rice, which unhappily is in short supply.

Not surprisingly, in September 2022, respected pollster Pulse Asia found out that most Filipino adults (66 percent) are concerned about the soaring prices of basic commodities; public concern regarding this matter became more pronounced between June 2022 and September 2022 (+9 percentage points).

Amidst the continuing increase in the prices of basic goods, 66 of every 100 Filipinos say controlling inflation is issue No. 1 for the administration of President Marcos Jr. This view is widespread, in all geographic areas (56 percent to 81 percent of people surveyed), and all income classes (51 percent to 71 percent).

Accordingly, almost half of Filipino adults cite increasing workers’ pay as an urgent national concern (44 percent) while around a third of them are concerned about job creation and poverty reduction (35 percent and 34 percent, respectively).

A companion problem is corruption.

Filipinos are irritated that a government that cannot control inflation also cannot control corruption.

“Nearly a quarter of Filipino adults (22 percent) say the present dispensation should immediately take steps to combat corruption in government,” says the Pulse Asia September 2022 survey.

So there, when inflation is high and corruption is rampant, you have what you call misery. Misery, of course, is a precursor to outrage. biznewsasia@gmail.com

Holiday logistics nightmare

on their Facebook page, who knows when they would have returned the packages, and when the sellers could refund the customers.

The company’s Facebook is flooded with angry complaints from customers.

Here are some of them:

WITH the onset of the pandemic came a greater need for logistics services, particularly those that offer door-to-door delivery. There are very few of us now who do not know what Lazada and Shopee are, for instance.

I remember when Lazada was starting out and most of the complaints people had was with regard to their delivery service. It’s not hard to iron out the app’s kinks or weed out disreputable sellers, but customer satisfaction will rise and fall on the delivery service.

Once again, J&T Express has made people unhappy, this time over the holidays.

In June 2020 they went viral for the epic “mishandling” (as the news platforms put it, and that’s putting it mildly) of customers’ cargo.

The company apologized days after a video spread across the internet showing handlers carelessly tossing packages into vans.

A side note for marketers and students: look up the “United breaks guitars” case to see how execrable service can cost you public goodwill big time.

The latest J & T misstep came this holiday season.

Many people have not heard about their parcels, while other customers were told to pick up their parcels from the J & T warehouses.

Otherwise, they said, the parcels would have to be returned to the sellers.

That would have been a whole ‘nother nightmare. Dealing as they are with the “delay in delivery due to the high volume of parcels this holiday season,” as J & T put it

Crystalstar A.: PLEASE EXPEDITE THIS PARCEL BEEN 3 WEEKS ALREADY IN TAGUIG [redacted]! my client is already very angry CANT CONTACT YOUR HOTLINE

Troy A.: Ive been waiting for my package since Dec 12 so its been 20 days and its been transit for 17 days. How does that makes sense? Tracking no. [redacted], its here its so close in taguig PLEASE GIVE IT A FOLLOW UP

Jen M.: Good job J&T for NOT actually delivering the parcels at the address this peak season and then your couriers will mark that delivery is unsuccessful kahit na nasa bahay naman yung receiver. What kind of service is this? You should already be reported! Now the seller won’t refund.

Okay, so you get the gist.

Here’s my personal horror story. I ordered food items and Christmas decorations from various sellers on Lazada well before Christmas. Everything arrived on time –baking equipment, household items, and so on – except for two parcels.

I was informed on the app that there was a delay and that they would arrive Dec. 28.

I thought to myself, still okay, in time for New Year’s, although I was disappointed about the holiday décor not arriving as I hoped. But still nothing on Dec. 28.

Then I realized those two packages were to have been delivered by J & T, and then I came across the complaints. The penny dropped. It was not a merchant problem, it was not a Lazada problem.

The other day, I got a message that J & T tried to deliver but they were unable to due to not having the “seller’s” address. What? See Jen M’s complaint above.

Then, yesterday, a message came from their Dasmariñas, Cavite warehouse that I

THAT is in line with the wishes of former Pope Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday at age 95, who wanted his funeral tomorrow at 4:30 p.m., Manila time, to be “simple, solemn and sober.”

Papal funerals have consistently drawn heads of state and government from round the world, but the Vatican has said that official delegations will come only from Italy and from Benedict’s native Germany, where he was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, suggesting the event will be relatively low key.

Representatives from other countries or organizations can attend in a private capacity, diplomats have been told.

The Vatican has confirmed that after the ceremony, to be presided over by Benedict XVI’s successor’s Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina 86 years ago), Benedict’s body will be taken back inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

The body will be buried in the Vatican Grottoes, beneath the church, where more than 90 popes have found their final resting place.

In 2020, Benedict’s authorized biographer, Peter Seewald, was quoted as telling Bavarian

We join the 1.3 billion Catholic faithful at home and overseas in mourning the death of the pontiff known for criticizing what he saw as the modern world’s rejection of God and Christianity’s timeless truths

newspaper Passauer Neue Presse the emeritus pope had prepared a spiritual testament stating he wanted to be buried in the same crypt where John Paul II was originally laid to rest in 2005.

John Paul’s body was later moved following his beatification in 2011 to a chapel on the main level of the basilica next to the one where Michelangelo’s Pieta is displayed.

The German-born Benedict was the first pope in 1,000 years to resign from office, saying on Feb.

11, 2013, that the modern world was changing so quickly and profoundly that someone of his age and era was “no longer suited” to the papacy. He was 85 at the time. When he was elected on April 19, 2005, he was already the oldest pope in centuries.

Benedict, who stood as a totally orthodox man, shocked the world with his unconventional decision to resign in 2013.

Some immediately praised the decision as an expression of humility; others said it made the office look a bit like a secular CEO.

The surprise, and the orthodox instinct to cast things as being totally in keeping with the past, led many Vatican experts to spend the day arguing about what verb to use to describe his action, because “retiring” seemed technically impossible.

His body has been on display in an open casket at St Peter’s Basilica, with people, including some Filipinos, allowed to pay their respects until 7pm each evening.

The four popes who resigned in the past 1,000 years before Pope Benedict XVI were: Pope Benedict IX, in 1045; Pope Gregory VI, in 1046; Pope Celestine V, in 1294: and Pope Gregory XII, in 1415.

The last resignation occurred when Gregory stepped down to end the Western Schism in the Catholic Church.

As the clock keeps ticking closer to the funeral hour, we join the 1.3 billion Catholic faithful at home and overseas in mourning the death of the pontiff known for criticizing what he saw as the modern world’s rejection of God and Christianity’s timeless truths.

Will a wealth tax work?

MORE and more, we’ve been encountering proposals for the Philippine government to impose a wealth tax on the very rich who hold the levers of economic power in this country.

It was the Laban ng Masa political coalition organized in 2021 for the May 2022 polls that first raised this as a key component of their platform.

Then, more recently, the Makabayan bloc in Congress suggested the wealth tax as an alternative to the Maharlika Investment Fund, a form of sovereign wealth fund proposed by pro-administration allies at the start of the 19th Congress.

From another direction comes another proposal for a wealth tax, this time by a Philippine-based researcher contracted by the Brookings Institute, a renowned independent think-tank based in Washington, D.C.

The research group, established way back in 1916, analyzes public policy issues and suggests pragmatic and innovative ideas on how to solve problems faced by society.

But what exactly is a wealth tax? Internet research yields useful information on the subject.

A wealth tax, also called capital tax or equity tax, is a tax based on the net fair market value (assets minus liabilities) of a taxpayer’s assets, including cash, bank deposits, shares, fixed assets, vehicles, real property, pension plans, money funds, owner-occupied housing, and trusts.

A wealth tax seeks to distribute the tax burden more fairly in a society with a huge gap between the rich and the poor.

At present, only four countries, namely France, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland, levy a wealth tax.

In the early 1990s, however, 12 countries imposed a wealth tax, a clear indication that the attraction of this form of taxation has greatly diminished.

Direct wealth taxes have been junked in several countries over the past few decades, partly because they tend to drive away wealthy people and hinder foreign investment.

Wealth tax drumbeaters see it as one way to boost the government’s resources for public spending by taking extra money from those who don’t really need it.

This tax generally only applies to the wealthiest, on the assumption that the taxes they pay to the government will have very little or no impact on their quality of life.

Those in favor of wealth taxes are convinced that this type of tax is more equitable than an income tax alone, particularly in societies with significant wealth disparity.

They say that a system that raises government revenue from both the income and the net assets of taxpayers will promote fairness and equality by taking into account taxpayers’ overall economic

status, and thus, their ability to pay taxes.

Critics, however, claim that wealth taxes discourage the accumulation of wealth, which they insist drives economic growth. They also emphasize that wealth taxes are difficult to administer.

The enforcement of a wealth tax presents challenges not typically found in income taxes.

The difficulty of determining the fair market value of assets that lack publicly available prices leads to valuation disputes between taxpayers and tax authorities.

Uncertainty about valuation could also prod wealthy individuals to resort to tax evasion.

To recap, a wealth tax is difficult to administer, tends to encourage tax evasion, and has the potential to drive the wealthy away from countries that enforce it.

These, along with questions on how to implement it fairly, perhaps explain why so few countries in the world impose such a tax on their residents at present.

But maybe one or two will surprise us and willingly part with some of their accumulated wealth

What’s the difference between an income tax and a wealth tax?

An income tax computes the flow of the additions in value that a taxpayer realizes, whether as earnings, investment returns such as interest, dividends, or rents, and/or profits on disposition of assets during the year.

A wealth tax, on the other hand, involves the net value of the assets accumulated over time and owned by a taxpayer as of the end of each tax year.

Some developed countries choose to tax wealth, although the United States has historically relied on taxing annual income to raise revenue.

An ad valorem tax (computed in proportion to the estimated value of the goods taxed) on real estate and an intangible tax on financial assets are examples of a wealth tax. Generally, countries that impose wealth taxes also impose income and other taxes. In the United States, federal and state governments do not impose wealth taxes.

Instead, the U.S. imposes annual income and property taxes.

However, some consider property tax a form of

wealth tax, as the government taxes the same asset year after year. The U.S. also imposes an estate tax on the death of individuals owning high-value property.

Given all this, do you think a measure imposing a wealth tax can prosper in our own Congress?

That’s highly unlikely, considering that most legislators belong to the affluent sections of society.

Will the superrich here – the multi-billionaires consistently ranked among the richest in Asia –take kindly to the idea of parting with money they say they’ve earned through blood, sweat and tears over the decades?

That, too, seems to be an impossibility as they are likely to fight tooth and nail to keep their wealth intact.

They will say that they already give many people jobs and create wealth that makes the economy grow.

But maybe one or two will surprise us and willingly part with some of their accumulated wealth.

Or perhaps even give up all or most of their wealth to charitable and humanitarian causes.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

resume

And when you can’t count on someone or something, it’s time to move on and find that company that literally delivers the goods as promised

had to pick up my two parcels myself.

I have no means of transportation, so I sent a Grab rider to pick them up. He sent me a photograph of many people standing in a long line to retrieve their parcels.

His comments? “Ma’am, ang tagal po, haba ng pila, gusto ko pa naman mag-book ng iba dahil may baby po ako, huhuhu.”

I asked him to hang in there, promising a substantial tip.

When he finally arrived at my home, he told me there were only two people in the warehouse releasing the packages, and that they were having difficulty coping with the deluge of customers.

So it’s not a J & T personnel problem -the poor guys on the ground forced to deal with a heavy backlog and irate folks seem to be doing their best and they were very apologetic.

It’s a J & T management and corporate problem. If I were the management of online selling platforms, I would cut ties with J & T. These incidents are not isolated. The company is unreliable. Their service is poor. Their operations are badly managed.

How else I can say this? They suck. Not only did they fail to deliver my package door-to-door, they took my shipping fee and did not render the service I paid for.

So where’s that shipping fee money gone?

Do I get a refund because I had to send someone to pick up my parcels?

I had to shell out the Grab fee and tip the courier for his assistance. Will I get reimbursed for that, J & T? How about

everyone else who was subjected to this hassle?

Well, at the very least I got another “what not to do” case study for my marketing classes.

It’s 2023, a new year, and time for us to claim better treatment for ourselves, particularly when we are paying our hardearned money for services that we rely and count on.

And when you can’t count on someone or something, it’s time to move on and find that company that literally delivers the goods as promised.

And before I go -- a very happy new year to my readers! Thanks for following my column and occasionally commenting.

Your feedback is much appreciated. Please check out my Facebook page at @DrJennyO, where you can leave longer comments.

•••

* * * Dr. Ortuoste is a board member of PEN Philippines, member of the Manila Critics Circle, and judge of the National Book Awards. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Rolando

IN BRIEF

7 killed as police recapture prisoners

SEVEN people were killed Monday in northern Mexico’s Ciudad Juarez during a police operation to recapture prisoners who escaped after an attack at their facility, state authorities announced.

Gunmen attacked the border city’s state prison on Sunday at dawn, leaving nearly 20 people dead and allowing the prisoners, which include a gang leader, to flee.

Monday’s deaths – two agents from the state prosecutor’s office and five alleged criminals – took the total fatalities related to the attack to 26, according to a statement from the Chihuahua Public Security Department.

Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval had earlier told reporters that ten guards, seven prisoners and two attackers had died in Sunday’s assault on the prison, which has been attributed to drug traffickers.

Fourteen inmates and a guard were injured and five attackers were captured, Sandoval said.

The 25 escapees included Ernesto Alfredo Pinon, known as “El Neto,” the leader of a gang allied with the Juarez drug cartel, Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez said. AFP

4 killed in chopper crash in Australia

A BRITISH couple were among four killed in a mid-air collision that left two mangled helicopters on a sandbank near an Australian tourist hotspot, investigators said Tuesday.

One helicopter was taking off for a “tourist joy flight” along Queensland’s scenic Gold Coast when its rotor blades smashed into the cockpit of another helicopter coming in to land, air safety commissioner Angus Mitchell said.

“In the process of that collision the main rotor blades and gearbox of the helicopter taking off have separated from the aircraft, causing it to tragically crash down onto a sandbar,” he told reporters.

Both helicopters were operating out of Sea World, Mitchell said, a popular theme park and aquarium.

There were seven people on board the helicopter that was taking off –the pilot and six other passengers.

Three adult passengers were killed, police said Tuesday, alongside pilot Ashley Jenkinson. AFP

Israel extreme right minister visits Al-Aqsa

ISRAEL’S extreme-right firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound Tuesday for the first time since becoming a minister, his spokesman said, enraging Palestinians who see the move as a provocation.

“Our government will not surrender to the threats of Hamas,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement published by his spokesman, after the Palestinian militant group warned such a move was a “red line.”

Ben-Gvir’s visit comes days after he took office as national security minister, a position which gives him powers over the police.

Al-Aqsa mosque is the third-holiest place in Islam and the most sacred site to Jews, who refer to the compound as the Temple Mount.

“The Temple Mount is the most important place for the people of Israel, and we maintain the freedom of movement for Muslims and Christians, but Jews will also go up to the mount, and those who make threats must be dealt with – with an iron hand,” he said. AFP

Up to 70% of Shanghai people COVID positive

ASENIOR doctor at one of Shanghai’s top hospitals has said 70 percent of the megacity’s population may have been infected with COVID-19 during China’s huge surge in cases, state media reported Tuesday.

The steep rise in infections came after years of hardline restrictions were abruptly loosened last month with little warning or preparation, and quickly overwhelmed hospitals and crematoriums.

Chen Erzhen, vice president at Ruijin Hospital and a member of Shanghai’s COVID expert advisory panel, estimated that the majority of the city’s 25 million people may have been infected.

“Now the spread of the epidemic in Shanghai is very wide, and it may have reached 70 percent of the population,

which is 20 to 30 times more than (in April and May),” he told Dajiangdong Studio, owned by the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

Shanghai suffered a gruelling twomonth lockdown from April, during which over 600,000 residents were infected and many were hauled to mass quarantine centres.

But now, the Omicron variant is spreading rampantly across the city and experts predict infections there will peak in early 2023.

In other major cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing and Guangzhou, Chinese health officials have suggested that the wave has already peaked.

Chen added that his Shanghai hospital was seeing 1,600 emergency admissions daily – double the number prior to restrictions being lifted – with 80 percent of them COVID patients.

“More than 100 ambulances arrive at the hospital every day,” he was quoted as saying, adding that around half of emergency admissions were vulnerable people aged over 65.

At Tongren Hospital in downtown Shanghai, AFP reporters saw patients receiving emergency medical attention outside the entrance of the overcrowded facility on Tuesday. AFP

Seoul: Talks start for joint nuke exercises

SEOUL and Washington are discussing joint planning and exercises involving US nuclear assets to counter growing threats from the North, South Korea’s presidential office said Tuesday, after US President Joe Biden said there would be no such joint drills.

The statement was released after Biden said the United States was not discussing joint nuclear exercises with South Korea, seemingly contradicting comments by Seoul’s President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier this week.

The two security allies are “in talks over information-sharing, joint planning and the joint implementation plans that follow with regard to the operation of US nuclear assets to respond to North Korea’s nuclear weapons”, Yoon’s office said in a statement.

In an interview with the Chosun Ilbo newspaper published Monday, Yoon said the United States’ existing “nuclear umbrella” and “extended deterrence” were no longer enough to reassure South Koreans.

“The nuclear weapons belong to the United States, but the planning, information sharing, exercises and training must be done jointly by South Korea and the United States,” Yoon said, adding that the US was “quite positive” about the idea.

Hours after that interview was published, Biden gave an emphatic “no” in response to a question on whether the two sides were considering joint nuclear exercises.

Yoon’s office acknowledged Biden’s response but said the US president had been “left with no options but to answer ‘No’ when directly asked... without any context.” AFP

Tens of thousands queue to pay tribute to ex-pope Benedict XVI

TENS of thousands of people paid their respects on Monday to former pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, at the start of three days of lying-in-state in St Peter’s Basilica before his funeral.

They began queueing before dawn to view the German theologian’s body, which was transferred early in the morning from the monastery in the Vatican grounds where

he died on Saturday aged 95.

“I arrived at 6:00 am, it seemed normal to come and pay homage to him after all he did for the church,” said an Italian nun, sister Anna-Maria, near the front of the line that snaked around the vast St Peter’s Square.

Benedict led the Catholic Church for eight years to 2013 before becoming the

first pope in six centuries to step down, citing declining health.

His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on Thursday in St Peter’s Square before Benedict’s remains are placed in the tombs beneath the basilica.

He will be buried in the tomb which held pope John Paul II’s remains until 2011, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni

said Monday.

Benedict’s body, dressed in red papal mourning robes and a gold-edged mitre, was laid out on a catafalque draped in gold fabric in front of the altar of St Peter’s, flanked by two Swiss Guards.

Many of those filing past took pictures on their smartphones, while some prayed or made the sign of the cross. AFP

French retirement age hike to 65 ‘not set in stone’–PM

THE French government is prepared to show flexibility on a plan by President Emmanuel Macron to raise the retirement age to 65, the prime minister said Tuesday ahead of crunch talks with unions.

The age of 65 is “not set in stone,” Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told FranceInfo radio, adding that “other solutions” could help the government reach its target of balancing the pensions system by 2030.

She said the plan, a flagship domestic policy of Macron’s second presidential mandate, would be presented to the cabinet on January 23 before being debated in parliament at the beginning of February, she added.

The full details of the plan – whose banner policy of raising the retirement age from the current level of 62 has been rejected out of hand by the unions – are to be unveiled on January 10, she confirmed.

Macron’s overhaul would be one of the most extensive in a series of pension reforms enacted by successive governments on both the left and right in recent decades aiming to end budget shortfalls.

The revamp was supposed to have been announced in mid-December but Macron, whose ruling party lost its overall parliament majority in polls last year, delayed the announcement to allow further talks.

AFP

FOR THE YEAR OF RABBIT.

A cleaner wipes the floor under the red lanterns of Chinese New Year decorations at the Thean Hou Temple ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which marks the Year of the Rabbit, in Kuala Lumpur on January 3, 2023. AFP

OVERWHELMED HOSPITAL. Patients on stretchers are seen at Tongren hospital in Shanghai on January 3, 2023. AFP

AIR POLLUTION.

Men ride on a horse cart along a street amid smoggy and foggy conditions early in the morning in Lahore, Pakistan on January 3, 2023. AFP

1 MBC 6.98 1.05 17.71%

2 APX 2.08 0.23 12.43%

3 PXP 8.59 0.92 11.99%

4 OPM 0.011 0.001 10.00%

5 MJC 1.48 0.13 9.63%

6 MONDE 11.92 0.84 7.58%

7 APL 0.035 0.002 6.06%

8 COAL 0.212 0.012 6.00% 9 NIKL 6.19 0.35 5.99% 10 AT 3.85 0.21 5.77%

1 IMP 1.07 -0.25 -18.94%

2 WPI 0.405 -0.055 -11.96%

3 2GO 6.5 -0.75 -10.34%

4 HTI 1 -0.08 -7.41%

5 SUN 0.92 -0.07 -7.07%

6 PNX4 349.4 -24.6 -6.58%

7 RLT 0.185 -0.012 -6.09%

8 APC 0.195 -0.011 -5.34%

9 DFNN 3.4 -0.19 -5.29% 10 EURO 0.83 -0.04 -4.60%

MOST ACTIVE

VOLUME VALUE (PHP)

1 BDO 2,067,160 222,050,662

2 ICT 1,052,760 208,335,860

3 SM 230,080 208,143,570

4 TEL 134,960 181,304,840

5 BLOOM 18,932,200 150,297,826

6 ACEN 18,527,000 146,093,239

7 SMPH 3,397,000 120,299,780

8 ALI 3,853,800 117,272,320

9 BPI 1,050,940 104,316,828

10 MONDE 8,714,000 102,429,800

Market opens 2023 trading on positive note; Monde up

STOCK trading started 2023 on a positive note, but investors were still worried about interest rates, China’s growth and the Ukraine war.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, picked up 19 points, or 0.30 percent, to close at 6,586.01 Tuesday, as four of the six subsectors advanced.

The broader all-share index also went up 14 points, or 0.42 percent, to settle at 3,476.70 on a value turnover of P3.43 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 94 to 89, while 50 issues were unchanged.

Five of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Monde Nissin Corp. which climbed 7.58 percent to P11.92 and Bloomberry Resorts Corp. which rose 5.23 percent to P8.05. PLDT Inc. was up 2.89 percent to P1,355.00.

Most Asian markets bounced from early losses, and the yen hit a seven-month high Tuesday. While 2022 was painful for investors, there is a fear that the next 12 months could be worse, with the head of the International Monetary Fund warning a third of the global economy could slip into recession.

Eyes are on China, where the swift removal of most zeroCovid measures has sparked a massive surge in infections that has filled up hospitals and left crematoriums overloaded.

The widespread outbreak has fanned fresh concerns for the economic outlook as businesses are being forced to shut down, after having already been battered by the strict containment measures put in place for almost three years.

Analysts said infections may have already peaked in major

cities including Beijing, where activity is picking back up. But there are fears that travel over the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of the month could see cases spread to the countryside and further impact the economy.

“With the ongoing Covid tidal wave, investment sliding to a 10-quarter low, and new orders continuing to get battered, a meaningful first-quarter recovery is increasingly unrealistic,” Derek Scissors, of CBBI, said. IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva said with China’s economy looking shaky just as the United States and European Union edge towards contraction, the outlook for the world was downbeat for 2023.

She told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that this year will be “tougher than the year we leave behind”.

While the United States may avoid it, she warned half the 27-nation European Union will be in recession, as the bloc is “very severely hit” by the Ukraine conflict. With AFP

Morocco ‘argan’ cosmetic oil craft faces uncertain future

By Kaouther Larbi

ESSAOUIRA—Morocco’s

argan oil is highly prized by the cosmetics industry, yet it is now mostly produced by elderly workers, raising questions about how long the artisanal practice can continue.

A dozen women, sitting on the floor of a workshop inland from Essaouira, a port town on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, work to deftly shell argan nuts, crush them and extract the oil.

It is a time-honored and laborintensive craft, but one increasingly shunned by young people in the North African kingdom.

The women, mostly aged over 60, manually pulp the small yellow fruits at Cooperative Marjana, while others use hammers to crush the robust shells and remove the nuts.

The fruits are then sorted, roasted, ground and pressed for their oil, which is used in cooking but has also long been famed for its moisturizing and anti-aging properties for skin and hair.

“It’s difficult work, and it requires experience and, most of all, patience,” said Samira Chari, who at 42, is Marjana’s youngest artisanal worker.

Cooperative founder Amel El Hantatti says the job’s physical nature is one reason “young people aren’t taking up this craft anymore”, despite a lack of local employment.

The area’s otherwise arid landscape is home to vast argan orchards. Tourists stopping to see the production process and buy argan products are warmly welcomed by Marjana’s allfemale staff.

Argan is so important to the region

between the towns of Essaouira and Agadir that in 1998 UNESCO declared a biosphere reserve in the area and later added the tree’s cultivation to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Argan oil is the main source of revenue in this part of southern Morocco, where few other crops survive the low rainfall and searing summer heat.

It is also widely used in Moroccan cuisine and has been certified with an Appellation of Origin since 2010.

Hantatti founded the cooperative in 2005 and says it now employs 80 women, some working in production and others in sales.

But today, she says, “I really fear that the artisanal production of argan oil might disappear”.

‘A spiritual quality’

The cooperative’s younger workers prefer to work in the gift shop, selling argan soap, shampoo and moisturizer.

One of them, Assia Chaker, 25, said: “I tried

to work a few days with the craftswomen, but I couldn’t carry on, it’s a hard process and really tiring.

“I like having contact with people and practicing other languages with tourists who come into the shop every day, instead of spending the whole day crushing and pulping argan nuts.

“Anyway, one day the job will be done by machines,” she added.

But Hantatti said the process is hard to mechanize, insisting that “oil extracted by machines will never have the same flavor as what the women produce.

“It contains all the positive vibes of these artisans, their laughter, the stories they share as they’re working. There’s a spiritual quality that makes it special and unique.”

The cooperative produces up to 1,000 liters (about 265 gallons) of oil a year and works with tour companies bringing groups of visitors as they pass through the popular coastal region. AFP

Tesla posted disappointing deliveries, below expectations in 2022

NEW YORK—Tesla said Monday it had delivered 1.31 million electric vehicles in 2022—a record for the US automaker and a 40 percent jump from a year before, but still short of its own and Wall Street’s expectations.

The Elon Musk-led company has set a long-term goal of increasing its deliveries by 50 percent a year on average.

Tesla regularly says the objective may fluctuate based on operations, and in a statement Monday, it noted “significant

Covid and supply chain-related challenges” had affected its 2022 output.

Production was suspended at its Shanghai plant for several weeks during the course of last year due to Covid restrictions.

In October, the company’s chief financial officer Zach Kirkhorn said that Tesla might fall short of its goal.

Analysts had hoped for better results -they predicted delivery of 427,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter, according to estimates

To boost sluggish sales, Tesla had offered rare promotions to customers willing to take delivery of a new vehicle before the end of 2022.

In a company-wide email sent to employees last week and seen by CNBC, Musk had asked them to “volunteer to help deliver” as many cars to customers as possible before midnight on December 31.AFP

Singapore says economy grew by 3.8% in 2022

SINGAPORE’S economy grew more than expected last year, but much slower than in 2021, official data showed Tuesday, as analysts warned of weaker growth ahead owing to an expected recession in key markets.

While the 3.8 percent on-year expansion was welcome, it was weighed by a 3.0 percent contraction in the key manufacturing sector in the final three months.

Growth in the fourth quarter came in at 2.2 percent, sharply down from 4.2 percent in July-September, according to advance estimates by the trade ministry.

Exports for computer chips and other products have been hit by softer global demand caused by surging inflation and sharp increases in interest rates.

The city-state’s economic performance is often seen as a useful barometer of the global environment because of its reliance on trade with the rest of the world.

Last year’s growth beat the 3.5 percent expected by the government but was half the 7.6 percent rise enjoyed in 2021.

“While the slight outperformance suggests some resilience in economic activities, for now, the overall trend remains on the downside,” Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at online trading firm IG, said in a note. AFP

compiled by FactSet, but the company only managed to deliver 405,000.

RAILWAY STRIKE. Passengers use Kings Cross station in London on Jan. 2, 2023 ahead of strike action on National Railways this week. Strikes are planned for this week starting Jan. 3, called by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union. The union says more than 40,000 members across Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will take strike action. In addition, the train drivers union, Aslef announced strike action for Jan. 5. AFP Manila Standard TODAY

A tourist buys a bottle of argan oil at a shop near Morocco’s western Atlantic coastal city of Essaouira, on Oct. 15, 2022. AFP

Mitchell erupts for 71 points, lifts Cavs past stunned Bulls

LOS ANGELES—Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored a stunning 71 points—matching the eighth-most ever in an NBA game—as the Cavaliers erased a 21-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime on Monday.

Mitchell’s performance was the highest single-game points total since Lakers great Kobe Bryant scored 81 against Toronto in 2006.

Wilt Chamberlain holds the singlegame scoring record with 100 for Philadelphia against the New York Knicks on March 2, 1962.

Mitchell became just the seventh player to score 70 or more points in a game.

He’s the first Cavs player to have a 60-point regular-season game—and he handed out 11 assists and grabbed eight rebounds to boot.

“First and foremost, my teammates,” Mitchell said in an on-court interview after the game, during which he was cheered rapturously by Cavs fans.

“I know I scored 70 and all, but I wouldn’t be here without them. We wouldn’t be in this position without guys making crucial plays and that’s the honest truth.”

The Bulls led by as many as 21 in the second quarter and by as many as 18 in the third.

The Cavs clawed back, however, and Mitchell forced overtime when he grabbed the rebound of his own intentionally missed free throw and drained an unlikely layup with three seconds remaining.

“We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA,” Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said.

Mitchell connected on 22 of 34 shots from the field, drilling seven three-pointers as he carried a Cavs team that was without star guard Darius Garland and forward Evan Mobley.

DeMar DeRozan scored 44 points for the Bulls—who never trailed in regulation.

Mitchell scored 13 points in overtime—including the step-back threepointer to open the extra session that put the Cavaliers up for the first time —and for good.

“It’s humbling,” Mitchell said of putting himself among some of the game’s greats. “Not only did I do that, I did it in an effort where we came back and won.”

There was drama in San Francisco where Klay Thompson scored a season-high 54 points as the league’s defending champions, the improving Golden State Warriors, beat the Atlanta Hawks 143-141 after double overtime. AFP

Sotto named Asia’s best young player in fan voting

By Randy Caluag

Sotto was adjudged Asia’s Young Player of the Year 2022, following an online fan voting conducted by the International Basketball Federation or FIBA.

The 7’3” player beat out other Asian contenders Youssef Khayat (Lebanon), Derrick Michael Xzavierro (Indonesia), Yang Hansen (China), Lee JooYeoung (Korea), Yuto Kawashima (Japan) and Mohammad Amini (Iran).

“We’re taking the time to celebrate some of the best in Asia over the past year and letting you decide in a fan vote, who stands out the most,” the FIBA said in an article on its website.

“We start off by celebrating some of the best young men’s basketball players aged 20 or under that we’ve seen in action, ranging from champions to MVPs to players who have been a part of making history for their national teams.”

Sotto took time out from his professional team duties with Adelaide to play a major role in the Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the 2023 FIBA World Qualifiers in Manila and Saudi Arabia.

With Sotto in the middle, the Philippine team completed back-to-back wins over Saudi and improved its record at third place in Group E.

Sotto will be back in a Gilas uniform when the team hosts Jordan and Lebanon for the sixth and final window of the qualifiers in February.

With Adelaide, Sotto is beginning to earn the trust of his coach as he helped the 36ers to a four-win streak in Australia’s 45th National Basketball League 2022-23 regular season since becoming a starter with the team. They recently lost to Cairns Taipans, 86-83, though.

Sports

Gin Kings, Dragons clash in Game 3 to break 1-1 tie

By Peter Atencio

“We didn’t have a whole lot of focus from the start. They got everything they wanted and we didn’t get anything that we wanted to do. They did a great job of disrupting us,” said Cone as they brace for action at 4:45 p.m. today.

Both squads are seeking a way out

of a 1-1 stalemate after the Dragons bounced back from a 81-96 loss to the Gin Kings in the series opener.

In Game 2, the Dragons managed to score 36 points from turnovers, almost matching the Gin Kings’ effort (38).

“The adjustments we made offensively allowed us to get some touches, and open up the perimeter,” said Dragons’ coach Brian Goorjian.

In the last two games of the finals, the Dragons averaged 90 points, while

PH bows to Indonesia, 1-2; Schrock plays last game with Azkals

INDONESIA turned back the Philippines, 2-1, Monday night in the 2022-23 ASEAN Football Football Federation-Mitsubishi Electric Cup at the Rizal Memorial Stadium during team skipper Stephan Schrock’s final game with the Azkals.

Schrock, a 36-year-old Fil-German midfielder, retired after playing his 55th match with the Azkals.

Despite the loss, Schrock said he played with a performance that all his fans can be proud of.

“I gave it a good fight. And the performance from all of us is something that we can be proud of,” said Schrock, who has played for the Azkals for the last 11 years

The Garudas, who formally earned

Zamboangueños Barroca, Marcial support hometown team Valientes

TOP Zamboangueño athletes have united to fully support the campaign of their hometown squad, the Zamboanga Valientes in the Asean Basketball League Invitational 2023, which started on Tuesday at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.

Magnolia’s Mark Barroca and Converge’s Mike Tolomia from the Philippine Basketball Association, together with Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist middleweight boxer Eumir Felix Marcial and bantamweight pug Jonas Sultan have thrown their support behind the Valientes, and are also encouraging fellow Filipinos to do so.

“The Zamboanga Valientes are all primed up because of the encouraging messages they received from fellow top Zamboangueño athletes like Barroca, Tolomia, Marcial and Jonas,” team owner Junnie Navarro said.

“This is very meaningful to all Zamboangueños since this is the first time that they will be representing the country in the ABL,” Navarro added.

“Before the Valientes flew to Singapore, Barroca appeared during the

team’s last practice session last week.”

Marcial, the reigning Southeast Asian boxing king, expressed his all-out support to the Zamboanga Valientes, while training for his coming fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the other hand, Sultan will be flying to Singapore to cheer for the team.

The Zamboanga Valientes are competing as off press time with Louvre Surabaya Indonesia in their first game at 6 p.m. The game was shown live in IBT Divisoria and at the Golden Boys Gym.

Zamboanga City Mayor John Dalipe also showed support to the Zamboanga Valientes, owned by Cory and Junnie Navarro and MLV Accounting Mike Venezuela.

American imports Antonio Hester, Will Deng, Ryan Smith and heritage player Jeremy Arthur are spearheading the team. Also part of the Valientes are former Gilas standouts JR Cawaling and Kemark Cariño, and homegrown players Rudy Lingganay, Jeff Bernardo and Denver Cadiz.

a place in the semifinals with their win over the Azkals, scored their first goal off Dendy Sulistyawan in the 21st-minute, off a header following a long throw-in to the penalty box that Azkals’ goalie Anthony Pinthus could not catch.

Marselino Philipus then volleyed a 43rd-minute goal from just the edge of the box and out of Pinthus’ reach.

The Philippines tightened up on its defense afterwards and found a chance to score when Sebastian Rasmussen headed in a cross from Schrock on the 83rd minute.

The Azkals missed the knockout stages for the second straight time, dropping to fourth place in Group A with only their

5-1 win against Brunei last week to show.

“In this tournament. I’m very proud of the veterans. They showed awesome commitment,”said Azkals’ coach Josep Ferré.

Indonesia settled for the second seed in Group A after Thailand defeated Cambodia, 3-1, in a simultaneous showdown.

Over at the Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit, Thailand got the scoring chances in the second half, with Teerasil Dangda converting a penalty shot in the second minute of stoppage time to put the Thais ahead.

Sumanya Purisai then started the second half with a 50th-minute strike to give the Thais a 2-0 cushion.

ADELAIDE 36ers’ Filipino center Kai

THE Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings will have to be ready for any disruptions that the Bay Area Dragons will throw at them in Game 3 of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven titular series today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Riera U. Mallari, Editor;

Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

Mark Barroca and Eumir Felix Marcial

Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff on Donoval Mitchell’s 71 points: We were treated tonight to one of the greatest performances in the history of the NBA.

The Valientes will be coached by Ateneo De Zamboanga mentor Bobedick delos Santos, who is the mentor of successful players like San Beda star Peter Alfaro and Rhayann Amsali, Forthsky Padrigao, Jens Knuttel and Tolomia.

Zamboanga City has produced talented point guards like RR Garcia, Padrigao, Barroca and Tolomia, among others, while Tokyo Olympics’ gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz, pool masters Cheska Centeno and Roberto Gomez are also from Zamboanga City.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone huddles with his players.

Coach Tim Cone said this after the Dragons managed to put their game out of sync following an 82-99 setback in Game 2 on Dec. 28 at the Araneta Coliseum.

the Gin Kings normed 89. The Dragons have a lot of firepower from Andrew Nicholson, who averag-

es 38 points to go with 11.5 rebounds. For the Gin Kings, Justin Brownlee averages 8.17 ppgs and 10.5 rebounds.

Stephan Schrock

Kai Sotto

Rodgers pushes Packers a win away from playoffs

MIAMI After losing eight of their opening 12 games of the regular season, few would have backed Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers to make the NFL playoffs.

But on Sunday, the historic franchise know a victory against the Detroit Lions will earn them a place in the post-season with the seventh seed in the NFC.

Six of the seven berths from the NFC have been booked, leaving the Packers with a simple scenario -- win and they are in as a wildcard.

A win against division rivals the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday capped a roll of four straight victories that has transformed a season that looked to be a write-off into one where anything is still possible.

The run has recalled their campaign in 2016, when the Packers were 4-6, but, after losing four straight contests, they won the last six and went on to

Djokovic dominant in 1st singles’ tiff in Australia since deportation

ADELAIDE—Novak Djokovic swept to victory in his first singles match on Australian soil since being deported a year ago, crushing Frenchman Constant Lestienne at the Adelaide International on Tuesday to kick-start his bid for another Grand Slam title.

The Serbian superstar was given a warm welcome when he played a losing doubles clash on Monday and received similar treatment on a packed centre court.

He won comfortably 6-3, 6-2 in 74 minutes, breaking once in the first set and twice in the second.

“For the first match I can’t complain, I played very well,” Djokovic said. “I thought the first probably six games were very competitive.

“I’ve never faced him before today’s

match. He’s a counter-puncher. He doesn’t make too many mistakes and he kind of absorbs the pace from his opponent, kind of tricky serve, hits his spots.

“But once I made that break at 3-2 first set I felt like I stepped it up one or two levels and played really good tennis the rest of the match.”

It was his first singles clash in the country after being kicked out before the 2022 Australian Open for not being

vaccinated for Covid-19. Djokovic was subsequently barred from re-entering for three years.

The ban was lifted in November, allowing him a chance to win an unprecedented 10th Australian Open crown at Melbourne Park later this month.

Danill Medvedev, who lost to Djokovic in the 2021 Australian Open final, also tasted victory, saving an incredible nine set points on his way to a 7-6 (8/6), 2-1 win over Italian Lorenzo Sonego who retired hurt.

Top seed Djokovic served to love to open his account and it went with serve until he pounced in game six, working two break points with Lestienne netting a forehand to go 4-2 behind.

He calmly closed out the set in 38 minutes and took full control in the second, quickly breaking twice to

move 3-0 clear before cruising home.

Djokovic will play another Frenchman Quentin Halys next for a place in the quarter-finals of a tournament he won in 2007.

Before his haul of 21 major trophies, the then 19-year-old Serb beat Chris Guccione in the final ahead of his breakthrough triumph over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Australian Open a year later.

Former world number one Medvedev, seeded two, also progressed but was given a tough workout by Sonego, a champion in Metz last year.

They played a cracking 80-minute first set in their maiden meeting.

Sonego fended off three break points, but the tables were turned in game nine with the Russian forced to save six set points after a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors. AFP

Ronaldo’s Al Nassr move underlines Portugal star’s decline

LONDON—Unwanted by Europe’s elite clubs, Cristiano Ronaldo’s steep decline has been laid bare by a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr that signals the end of his reign as one of football’s most feared strikers.

Ronaldo will be officially unveiled by Al Nassr on Tuesday after agreeing a contract that runs until 2025 and is reportedly worth more than 200 million euros.

But the riches and fanfare that await the 37-year-old in Saudi Arabia are at odds with his reduced status as a fallen star trading on past he roics.

For Ronaldo to be forced to play out what will surely be the final chapter of his glit tering career in the football backwater of Saudi Arabia is a damning indictment of his lacklustre form over the last 18 months.

Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, heads to the Gulf after a painful year that saw him relegated to the Portugal bench and cut adrift by Manchester United.

His second spell with United imploded in November with his departure

by mutual consent, shortly after he criticized boss Erik ten Hag and the club’s hierarchy in an explosive television interview.

As his relationship with United soured, Ronaldo was linked to a string of Champions League contenders including Chelsea, Bayern Munich and

A return to his first club Sporting Lisbon was also rumoured, while there was talk of a move to the MLS to join Inter Miami, part-owned by former United team mate David Beckham. But none of those deals came to fruition and when United decided his diminishing contribution, coupled with his public displays of dissent, made him a pricey luxury they no longer needed, it was instructive to note the absence of a rush to sign the ageing icon.

Coming at the same time as his acrimonious United exit, Ronaldo’s failed quest to finally win the World

Cup underlined his descent to the ranks of football’s mere mortals.

Tears in Qatar

In a move that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, Ronaldo was left out of the starting line-up for Portugal’s last 16 thrashing of Switzerland.

And when Portugal suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against Morocco in the quarter-finals, Ronaldo started on the bench, made little impact after his eventual introduction and was last seen trudging down the tunnel in tears after the final whistle.

There was a sting in the World Cup tale for Ronaldo as it was his old sparring partner Lionel Messi who got his hands on the trophy for the first time instead.

The sight of Messi lifting the World Cup after Argentina’s final victory over France in Qatar will have pained Ronaldo given their long-standing rivalry.

Few would question Ronaldo’s right to be regarded as one of the all-time greats after winning five Champions League crowns and a combined seven domestic league titles with United, Juventus and Real Madrid.

He is also the record goal-scorer in the Champions League and with the Portuguese national team, who won the 2016 European Championship -- Ronaldo lasted less than half an hour before going off injured in the final against France. AFP

win two playoff games to reach the NFC Championship game.

Rodgers, a Super Bowl winner with the Packers in 2010, said the turnaround has shown the power of belief.

“I do believe in the power of manifestation and I do believe in momentum and I believe very strongly in the force of the mind. When you start to believe something strongly, some miraculous things can happen,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game.

“I had faith, much like at 4-6 in 2016. Sometimes you’ve got to fool yourself a little bit into believing a little bit more. But I definitely had faith I was going to go down scrapping,” added the quarterback.

The Packers began their campaign with a 23-7 loss to the Vikings in week one, but showed how far they have come on Sunday when they crushed the rival team 41-17. AFP

Berrettini beats Ruud at United Cup as Sakkari puts Greece thru

BRISBANE—Matteo Berrettini put Italy into the city final of the inaugural United Cup with a brilliant attacking win over world number three Casper Ruud in Brisbane on Tuesday, while Maria Sakkari helped send Greece through. Berrettini broke Ruud once in each set for a clinical 6-4, 6-4 triumph that gave Italy an unassailable 3-0 lead over Norway.

Italy will play either Poland or Switzerland in the Brisbane final, with the victor of that tie to be decided later Tuesday.

The winner of each city final in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth will play the semi-finals in Sydney, along with the best-performing team from the beaten finalists.

Ruud, who had a brilliant 2022, went into the match as the slight favourite, but Berrettini was superb from the outset.

He served well throughout and his powerful groundstrokes put the Norwegian under enormous pressure.

Berrettini hit 10 aces and eight forehand winners, with the power and placement of his shot-making causing big problems.

Berrettini, who has slipped to 16th in the world, said he knew he had to serve well against Ruud.

“He’s improved so much in the last year so I knew that I had to serve my best,” he said.

“We know each other pretty well so I knew I had to serve like that, but it’s one thing knowing I had to and one thing doing it.”

Lucia Bronzetti later made it 4-0 to the Italians with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Ulrikke Eikeri.

In Perth, world number six Sakkari ensured Greece moved through to the final when she downed Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-1, 7-5.

The Greeks went into the match needing to either win the tie or lose 3-2 to progress to the city final against either Croatia or France.

AFP

From F1 to CR7, oil-rich Saudi Arabia’s sports shopping spree

The conservative

Here are some of the moves that have turned Saudi Arabia into a major player in sports:

Winter sports

Saudi Arabia, a mostly desert country where summer temperatures touch 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), raised eyebrows in October when it was chosen to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

The event, which has already earned the wrath of environmental campaigners, will be held at NEOM, an under-construction $500 billion megacity that is planning a year-round winter sports complex.

Five years later, the capital Riyadh will put on the 2034 Asian Games, an Olympic-style multi-sports event. Hosting an Olympics is the kingdom’s “ultimate goal”, Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal told AFP in August.

Formula One

The glitzy world of F1 zoomed in to Jeddah, the Red Sea city that is a gateway for pilgrims headed to Mecca, in 2021 with a night race flanking the coastline. It is one of four grands prix to be held in the wealthy

Gulf this year.

Last year’s edition was overshadowed by an attack by Huthi rebels from Yemen, Saudi’s war-torn neighbour, that left oil facilities belching black smoke within sight of the circuit during practice sessions.

Football In October 2021, well before the swoop for Ronaldo, a Saudi-funded consortium completed its takeover of English Premier League club Newcastle United following a protracted wrangle with regulators.

Fans of the “sleeping giant”, who had been at odds with the previous owner for years, celebrated by donning Arab headdresses at St. James’s Park stadium. Newcastle have enjoyed a rise in fortunes and currently lie third in the table.

Meanwhile Saudi Arabia, which will host the 2027 Asian Cup and hopes to hold the women’s edition in 2026, has held talks with Egypt and Greece about a joint World Cup bid, according to officials. Golf

Saudi money has created a schism in the golf world with the heavily funded LIV Tour, which has lured some top players with record-breaking prize money and eye-watering signing-on fees.

Former world number one Dustin Johnson has been one of the prime beneficiaries, scooping $35 million in total prize money in the inaugural season -- on top of a reported $150 million just for agreeing to play.

Despite enraging golf’s establishment, LIV will expand its 54-hole, part-team format this year with a 14-tournament international schedule offering a record $405 million in prize money.

Boxing British heavyweight Anthony Joshua has fought twice in Saudi Arabia, earning a big payday each time while swatting off criticism over alleged sportswashing.

Joshua won his revenge match against America’s Andy Ruiz in King Abdullah Sports City in December 2019, before returning in August last year when he was outclassed by Ukrainian maestro Oleksandr Usyk.

Cricket

Last year Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil exporter and one of its richest companies, embarked on a sponsorship of major events organised by the International Cricket Council, including the men’s and women’s one-day and T20 World Cups.

Rallying

The Dakar Rally, initially raced between Paris and the Senegalese capital, has been held on Saudi Arabia’s unforgiving terrain since 2020.

Last year’s edition was plunged into controversy when French driver Philippe Boutron was seriously wounded in an explosion that French investigators said was caused by an improvised explosive device stowed on his car. AFP

RIYADH—Al Nassr’s surprise capture of football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is the latest in a string of highprofile sports acquisitions by oil-rich Saudi Arabia.

Gulf monarchy, often criticised over its human rights record, is attempting to burnish its image and attract foreign interest as it diversifies its economy away from oil.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic takes selfies with fans after winning his first-round match against France’s Constant Lestienne at the ATP Adelaide International tournament in Adelaide. AFP

Saudi driver Dania Akeel drives her vehicle during the prologue of the 2023 Dakar rally by the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu. Akeel is one of two Saudi women competing in the 2023 race and one of only 31 women among 790 competitors. She represents a visible change in the ultraconservative kingdom where women have only been allowed to drive since 2018, but, sponsored by the Saudi Ministry of Sport, the country’s motor sports federation and a leading Saudi car dealership, she is vulnerable to accusations that she is part of a ‘sportswashing’ campaign.

Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo poses with the club’s number seven jersey in Madrid upon signing for the Saudi Arabian club. AFP

FOR more than three decades, GMA Public Affairs has been at the forefront of producing stories that not only touch Filipinos’ lives but also effect change.

Vicky Morales, Susan Enriquez, Doc Ferds Recio and Doc Nielsen Donato, Emil Sumangil, and Kim Atienza proudly wear the Tatak Public Affairs badge. Their work, and to an extent their lives, revolve around the tenets of courage (Tapang), wisdom (Talino), and truth (Totoo).

Advocating the good Award-winning broadcast journalist Vicky Morales believes that for a show or a story to have that Tatak Public Affairs brand, there should be fairness, heart, truth, and social relevance.

“Dapat kumpleto ‘yung apat na elemento na ‘yun,” she says.

The “Journalist with a Heart,” Vicky has witnessed first-hand how GMA Public Affairs upholds these elements.

“I’m very proud to be part of Public Affairs dahil alam ko ang work ethic dito, I know the hard work that goes with it. I’ve experienced that since day one.”

She adds that she is able to inspire people to actually do good and not just be good. Her long-running show, Wish Ko Lang is a perfect example of this. The drama anthology, which celebrated its 20th year recently, continues to spread positivity to its featured case studies as well as the audience.

“The greater value of Wish Ko Lang is touching the audience and planting a seed in them, making them feel that they want to do good,” she shares.

Radiating with good vibes as well is Good News Kasama si Vicky Morales, a show that has been featuring travel destinations, food spots, and must-try activities to re-energize one’s self.

“People want to be able to feel that there is goodness in the world. People want positive content. People long for good news. [They want to] push changemakers to the right directions,” she adds.

Connecting people Tatak Public Affairs resonates with the public.

“Kapag sinabi mong Tatak Public Affairs, ito ay tumitimo sa kamalayan ng mga manonood. May iniiwan laging bakas,” shares veteran broadcast

On courage, wisdom, and truth in story-telling

journalist Susan Enriquez.

Stories of ordinary people become extraordinary when they inspire many. Susan believes it is essential to tell their stories truthfully because this way, the audience gets connected not only to the narrative but to the people to whom the story originated.

And to connect with people is what Susan is good at, thus she is fondly called, “Kumare ng Bayan.” Her ability to relate to the audience is probably one of the reasons why her shows I Juander and Pera Paraan have been going strong.

For more than a decade already, I Juander has featured stories that satisfy Filipinos’ inherent curiosity about their identity and culture while making them relevant to the present world.

Pera Paraan, on the other hand, is a show that was conceptualized at the height of the pandemic. It continues to offer practical tips on handling household finances and earning additional income in the new normal.

Susan says she is privileged to be able to share these stories. [‘Yung] Handa kang makinig sa kuwento ng bawat taong makakausap mo at handa mong ilahad ang totoong kuwento ng mga taong nagbigay sa’yo ng pagkakataon na ilahad sayo ang kuwento nila – pribilehiyo mo yun. Kung siya ay nagbigay sayo ng tiwala isa itong pribilehiyo na nagpapataba ng puso mo bilang Public Affairs [host].”

Instigating Change

For Wildlife Warriors Doc Ferds Recio and Doc Nielsen Donato, Tatak Public Affairs means facing the challenges and the consequences that come their way in producing stories, especially about the environment and wildlife.

“Ang Tatak Public Affairs, hindi bastabasta umuurong sa mga hamon ng storya Matapang na tinatalakay ang mga

Tom Cruise attempts ‘biggest stunt in the history of cinema’ for ‘Mission: Impossible’

PARAMOUNT Pictures has released an extended behind-the-scenes look for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One in which Tom Cruise is attempting the biggest stunt in cinema history.

The featurette shows the action star and his team preparing for a stunt years in the making, where he will jump a motorcycle off a cliff and turn it into a base jump.

“This is far and away the most dangerous thing we’ve ever attempted,” Cruise says.

Dead Reckoning is the seventh installment of the spy thriller franchise, which stars Cruise as Ethan Hunt, a special agent of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF).

Joining

isyu, in our case issue ng environment, wildlife,” says Doc Ferds, who together with Doc Nielsen, hosts the environment and wildlife show Born to be Wild

Now on its 15th year, Born to be Wild has changed the public's view on the environment and wildlife - an achievement Doc Ferds and Doc Nielsen are most proud of.

Pag lumabas ka sa kalsada, nakikita nila Born to be Wild alam nila na you are protecting the nature—dun pa lang yun na ang biggest achievement na nagawa ng show at tayo as hosts," shares Doc Nielsen.

“We were given a platform to instigate change, to educate people about wildlife, by showcasing the current status of our environment. Ang mabago yung paniniwala na meron tayo,” says Doc Ferds. "Halimbawa, kapag nakakita ng bayawak, kakainin, sawa, papatayin, lahat ng ahas makamandag. Yung mga first few years namin sa Born to be Wild, pag nakakakita kami ng ahas, patay na. Ngayon buhay na. 'Saan mo natutunan yan? Napanood po namin sa Born to be Wild."

Doc Nielsen agrees. "That's the impact of the show. Tulad ng king of cobra, kelan lang ba tayo naka shoot na buhay? Parati 'yang patay. Malaki ang impact natin, hindi lang sa Pilipinas. When we do live, makikita mo eh, may mga nanonood din mula sa ibang bansa."

As part of GMA Public Affairs, they take their integrity and professionalism everywhere they go. “Parang habang buhay na naming magiging responsibilidad ang pagtulong when it comes to wildlife. Unconsciously, nakatatak na sa amin ang Public Affairs–the way we think, the way we behave inside and out of our work as journalists,” Doc Nielsen adds.

Public Service with a heart Emil Sumangil has been in the industry for more than two decades but he is still driven by his passion to give public service to Filipinos. As one of the anchors of the news magazine show Dapat Alam Mo!, Emil not only delivers the news of the day but also extends Serbisyong Totoo to viewers in need of help.

For “Mr. Exclusive,” what makes GMA Public Affairs a cut above the rest is its genuine concern for the public in every program and project it produces.

“Mas komprehensibo, mas malalim, mas malawak, mas nahahawakan nito ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino – ito ang ibig sabihin ng Tatak Public Affairs,” says Emil. “Mas may malasakit sa bawat Pilipino. Sasamahan pa ng impormasyon kaya ang taong bayan ang nakikinabang sa lahat ng ating gawin.”

Being able to provide public service is rewarding, he adds. “Sa oras na matugunan ‘yung immediate concern ay tuwang tuwa na tayo. Ibang klase ang fulfillment.”

Emil, who puts God at the center of his life, believes that being a journalist is a vocation. “Ang pagiging mamahayag ay isang calling. Ibang klaseng tungkulin meron tayo rito. Ang tunay na public servant ay maituturing kong isang reporter, [ang] pagiging mata at tenga sa lahat ng nangyayari sa ating bansa. Ginamit tayo ng Diyos para makapaghatid ng tulong.”

Making learning fun

Like Emil, Kim Atienza considers his job as a vocation.

Lahat ng tao binigyan ng iba’t ibang bokasyon. I’ve been on TV for 19 years.

My vocation on TV is to give information in the easiest way that the kid and adults can understand,” shares the co-host of

Dapat Alam Mo!

As a versatile host, triathlete, and wellness and biodiversity advocate, Kuya Kim continues to challenge himself personally and professionally. Fondly regarded by many as a trivia man for his penchant for sharing stories behind the existence of things and phenomena, “The Explorer” inspires viewers to never stop learning and discovering while having fun. And for him, Tatak Public Affairs has perfected that art.

“Ito ay ang paghahayag ng impormasyon na tama sa isang paraan na nakakaaliw at malinaw na naaabot ng lahat ng strata ng lipunan. Kapag tatak Public Affairs, abot lahat. Pasok sa panlasa ng marami – mahirap, mayaman, bata, matanda – yan ang Public Affairs,” he shares.

Every story, he adds, is backed by research. “Napakalalim ng research at sinisigurado na tama ang binibigay na imporasyon pero binibigay [ito] sa isang paraan na engaging to watch, hindi siya limiting. Dito kakaiba, pero ang values na tinuturo ay angkop sa henerasyon ngayon,” he adds.

“One of the things that is difficult on TV is longevity. Maraming magagaling pero di tumatagal. Because it’s not about us. It’s about the content that I give. At ang content ng Public Affairs ay napaka masinsin, napaka pinagaralan talaga at napaka lalim. Walang palya ika nga.”

Vicky, Susan, Doc Ferds, Doc Nielsen, Emil, and Kim join Jessica Soho, Kara David, Maki Pulido, Drew Arellano, and Atom Araullo in upholding Tatak Public Affairs: Tapang. Talino. Totoo.

Spanning three decades of blazing the trail in producing compelling stories, GMA Public Affairs has indeed instilled its unique brand in every Filipino.

How failed relationships shaped James Reid

will be shown in the country this January. His first recognition came at the 16th Toronto Film and Script Awards in Canada on November 23, 2022. After that, he nabbed the same recognition at the Five Continents International Film Festival in Venezuela on December 23, 2022.

The competent lad couldn’t believe his triumphs in the mentioned international film festivals. The awards he received are additional blessings he got this year after becoming a first-time dad in April.

Mission:

IN A recent interview, James Reid pointed out that he has no regrets with his past break-ups because these helped shape him to be a stronger and much better person.

“I just don’t live with regret,” he averred. “When you’re feeling lonely after a break-up, like with all the relationships that I’ve had, there were moments when I completely question everything.

“When you’re at your low moments, I think that’s also very natural. But in the end, I really don’t regret anything. As I’ve said, I just don’t live with regret. It’s not something I want to have in my life, and everything that happened I just had to accept that it happened. And the good thing is, it really shaped who I am.”

So far, what are the things he learned when it comes to love?

“Oh, a lot of things actually! What love used to mean to me before was to be understood by someone. And that has changed a lot over the years, like through relationships.

“I also realized that being understood

by someone and then it turned into a commitment, like that’s what love meant to me, that it’s really a choice. So, it’s evolving for me and it’s still something I’m learning about every day.

“It’s not so simple, like love is being there for someone… so many things.

“That’s why I love writing about it so much, I feel like I can go on forever,” James said.

***

Joaquin Domagoso is definitely starting 2023 with a big bang.

The young actor recently won as Best Actor in Sweden’s Boden International Film Festival (BIFF) 2022 for his work in “That Boy in the Dark.”

Interestingly, this is his third Best

Actor trophy for the said project which

Co-starring with Joaquin in “That Boy in the Dark” are seasoned thespians Glydel Mercado and Lotlot de Leon along with Aneeza Gutierrez and Kiko Ipapo

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie is based on the television series created

by Bruce Geller. Produced by Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, executive produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and Tommy Gormley, the film is set to hit cinema halls worldwide on July 14

Cruise in the cast are Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, Shea Whigham, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Henry Czerny, Rob Delaney, Cary Elwes, Indira Varma, Mark Gatiss, Charles Parnell, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Frederick Schmidt

Impossible - Dead Reckoning - Part One is distributed in the Philippines by Paramount Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Doc Nielsen Donato

Doc Ferds Recio

Emil Sumangil

Kuya Kim Atienza

Susan Enriquez

Vicky Morales

Filipino singer-actor James Reid

Young star Joaquin Domagoso

Tom Cruise continues to amaze viewers with action-packed scenes in ‘Mission: Impossible’

award-winning actor

75 faces of French-Philippine connections

IN CELEBRATION of the 75th anniversary of French-Philippine diplomatic relations, Alliance Française de Manille (AFM), in cooperation with the Embassy of France, SM, and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts recently unveiled the Happier Together: 75 Faces of French-Philippine Connections portrait exhibition at The Podium.

The touring exhibition features 75 personalities who embody the joy that French-Philippine relations bring, and symbolizes the rich and vibrant links between the two countries. They include members of government, the diplomatic corps, nongovernment organizations, the arts and culture community, business sector, and the academe.

AFM executive director Xavier Leroux shared, “This exhibition of 75 portraits is highly symbolic. It has been, from the beginning, a

very participatory project, as we did not know upon the start of the project what the final list of the 75 portraits on display would be”.

“We started with the personalities associated with the Alliance, the France-Philippines Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy, and we incorporated your suggestions. The result is stunning: we were truly impressed by the richness of the journeys that embody this bilateral relationship,” Leroux said.

The ceremonial toast was led by French Ambassador Michele Boccoz who was joined by former Philippine Ambassador to France and Monaco and current president of AFM Cristina Ortega, AFM executive director Xavier Leroux together with SM’s Steven Tan and Millie Dizon

Among the featured personalities attending the vernissage were Jewelmer co-founder and

Rear Admiral in the Philippine Coast Guard Jacques Branellec; book author Lourdes Montinola whose family founded the Far Eastern University; former president of BPI, Chairman of FEU, Former President of AFM and Chevalier-Légion d’Honneur Aurelio Montinola III

Featured personalities from the arts and culture community also came to celebrate the milestone anniversary exhibition. These included designer Lulu Tan-Gan, Cannes Film Festival best director Brillante Mendoza filmmaker Raymond Red, artists Poklong Anading and Manny Baldemor, Altromondo owner and artistic director Remigio David,

and French Embassy cultural attache Martin Macalintal Likewise, members of the NGO community like Hubert d’Aboville with his foundation Together Ensemble, and Nanette Repalpa, the National Representative at France Volontaires, together with the French-Filipino community’s Bruno Vergnes and the Le Club team, Bobby de Ocampo from the France Alumni Philippines Association, and John Fisalbon, president of France Philippines Young Professionals, were seen celebrating the happy occasion.

Over the years, The Podium and SM have been supportive in the promotion of French

culture in the Philippines beginning with the 2003 French Spring Festival, one of the earliest cultural events at The Podium since it opened in 2002.

The exhibition is one of the highlights of the 75th anniversary celebration of diplomatic relations between France and the Philippines, and will tour select SM Malls in early 2023.

Happier Together: 75 Faces of FrenchPhilippine Connections is presented by Alliance Française de Manille, the Embassy of France to the Philippines, National Commission on Culture and the Arts, together with SM Supermalls, The Podium, and Café Kitsune.

But I know some friends who really take to heart their resolutions for the coming year. Some hope to follow a healthier lifestyle, while others advocate work-life balance. There are some who promise to find new hobbies and interests, while there are few who hope to engage in more civic work.

People have different reasons for doing their New Year’s resolutions. While there are those who do it out of habit and as an annual tradition, most people see New Year’s resolutions as opportunities to make things right. It is also their way of taking control of their lives.

Setting intentions, goals, and expectations can’t be a bad thing, unless we get so obsessed with it that we forget to really live life to the fullest and lose control over what is happening in our lives.

History has it that the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions has probably started in ancient Babylonia, about 4,000 years ago. Back then, the Babylonians would celebrate Akitu, a 12-day festival starting on the vernal equinox and included New Year’s Day.

When the farming season began, the Babylonians would crown their king and make promises to pay their debts. They also resolved to return borrowed farm equipment to the medieval knights who would renew their vow to chivalry. This became the predecessor of the New Year’s resolutions we know today.

Eventually, the ancient Romans adopted the tradition, especially when Julius Caesar modified the calendar, establishing January 1 as the start of the new year in 46 B.C.

During the month, the Romans would offer sacrifices and make promises to be in their best behavior throughout the year to the Roman god Janus, after whom the month was named after. The people believed that they had to keep the promise or fall from the god’s good graces and suffer the consequences.

In the Middle Ages, medieval knights renewed their knightly values through the Peacock Vow, where they took chivalry oath by placing their hands on a peacock.

In more recent times, New Year’s resolutions have been practiced by different religious groups. Early Christians reflected on their past mistakes and resolved to do better on the first day of the new year.

English clergyman John Wesley who established Methodism, created the Covenant Renewal Service in the 18th century; while Protestants spent the first day of the year praying and making resolutions.

Nowadays, making New Year’s resolutions has become more secular, rather than spiritual in nature. Before, people made resolutions to reflect on past deeds and develop a stronger moral compass. Today, resolutions focus on denying physical indulgences and self-improvement, promises made only to oneself.

If I have to make a New Year’s resolution/s in 2023, I would be resolute in being more assertive and mindful; looking at the world through a more nurturing lens, while still grounding myself and being true to my thoughts and feelings.

***

I’ve talked to people I look up to and found out what they look forward to in the coming year:

“I look forward to our people, especially the parents, to realize the grave educational crisis the nation is in. In dire need of attention is how to enable the youth to distinguish fact from opinion and the teaching of history as not a mere memorization of dates and events but understanding their deep significance.” – Felipe de Leon, Jr., professor and former NCCA chairman

“In 2023, I look forward to the economy picking up and, along with it, the renewed confidence of the public in going back to watch and attend live performances and events.” – Dennis Marassigan, CCP artistic director

“To be back to normal times. A face-to-face interaction with people. A wish to continue living a life for truth, freedom and creativity in a world of disinformation. To love.” – Egai Talusan Fernandez, visual artist

“I hope that the coming year 2023 will be productive for the artistic profession. May every artist produce more artwork. As an artist, I have been working 24/7! My inspiration is Mother Earth, and almost all my works are landscape-based compositions.” –Raul Isidro, visual artist

“On top of my list - What matters to me the most is having a healthy family. Health is the biggest wealth anybody can have. I look forward to a re-staging of a Philippine Opera Company production this coming 2023.”

– Karla Gutierrez, Philippine Opera Company artistic director/ founder

“My wish for 2023 is to see and experience the full revival and flourishing of the artistic and cultural life of the country – a revitalized visual and performing arts scene, especially in the regions; more groundbreaking artistic creations; and more jobs and stable income for our artists and cultural workers.” –Nestor Jardin, former CCP president and art consultant, SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation

“Film projects, and for the tourism business especially in San Vicente, Palawan to come alive!” – Ina Feleo, theater and film actress

“Finally doing our shows! We aren’t announcing it yet; we will probably announce it by February or March.” –Robbie Guevara, creative director, 9 Works Theatrical

“More original songs to be released, collaborations with my idols Martin Nievera, Regine Velasquez, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Ben & Ben, Sarah Geronimo, and Lea Salonga for a new song, music video, concert, and/or event. To be part of a new series, local or

GLAZING LIFE

BY GLAIZA LEE

international, and a new Original Pilipino Musical. More jobs for the entertainment industry people, and of course, my concert Ang Musika, Ang Teatro at Ako on January 14, 2023 in CCP.” - Poppert Bernadas, performing artist

“I look forward to the focusing of the spotlight on the arts, culture, and heritage of the regions - local artists giving form to specific experiences in ways expressive of their local cultures. And a government and private sector supportive of these initiatives. The tide has changed.” – Chris Millado, theater director

“I look forward to the new challenges, and the opening of Bereber Pilates and Wellness Center.” – Novy Bereber, Sayaw PD founder/dancerchoreographer

“On a personal level, pagkatapos ng Maria Clara at Ibarra, excited akong lumikha ng pelikula ngayong 2023. Makapagsulat at makapagdirek ulit. Pero bago ang lahat, looking forward ako na makapagpahinga muna, ma-iground ang sarili, at mag-recalibrate kaugnay ng mga nilalayon at saysay sa buhay. May international festival akong pupuntahan for Black Rainbow and also, another international festival kung saan jury member ako Excited ako na muling mabuhay ang aking kaluluwang pampelikula. At syempre, looking forward din tayo sa mas marami pang magawang de-kalidad na pelikula at teleserye, mga likhang nagbibigay halaga sa kultura at kasaysayan ng bansa. At sana magtuloy-tuloy ang pagbangon at paglago ng film industry Gumagapang pa rin ang industriya, pero kaya natin ‘yan. Kapit-bisig sa pagpapatuloy sa paggamit ng ating sining para magsilbi sa bayan.” – Zig Dulay, filmmaker

THE Newport Mall brings Art of this World with Leeroy New, the largerthan-life installations from one of the country’s fast-rising multidisciplinary artists, Leeroy New. Take in the vibrant and fascinating sights of “Neon Spaceship,” “Sapphire Forest,” and “Bamboo Cave” throughout the three immersive rooms at Newport Mall.

Begin the extraordinary journey with the “Neon Spaceship” installation, a glowing front end of a spacecraft with hundreds of neon and LED signages on its surface. Onto the next destination, the “Sapphire Forest” showcases an enchanting view of blue synthetic trees made from plastic water containers and PET bottles. The “Bamboo Cave” makes for an enthralling finale as weaved bamboo and plastic cover the walls and posts of the whole room.

New

and more.

Art of this World with Leeroy New is ongoing and can be viewed at GF, Newport Mall.

Nickie Wang Editor Patricia Taculao Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

IT HAS been years since I wrote my last New Year’s resolutions. I have stopped doing so partly because I could not fulfill them all, which made me feel bad for not keeping the promises.

is prominent for his largescale creations crafted from reclaimed and reused plastics turned into décor. Some of his notable projects are the sculpted silicone bustier for Lady Gaga worn in the “Marry the Night” music video, solo show at Pintô International in New York, an exhibit at Palais de Tokyo in Paris,

French Ambassador Michele Boccoz (second from left, seated) and AFM executive director Xavier Leroux (rightmost, seated) with a number of the featured personalities at the vernissage held recently at The Podium

From left: Sundowner Beach Villas owners Christopher Bruant and Regis Bruant, with Coffral Asia Business Development head Bruno Vergnes at the vernissage of Happier Together 75 Faces of French-Philippine Connections at The Podium

From left: French Ambassador Michele Boccoz, AFM executive director Xavier Leroux, former Philippine Ambassador to France and Monaco and current AFM president Cristina Ortega, SM’s Millie Dizon, and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan

Maylis Charlat, president of France-Philippines United Action and Managing Director of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, beside her photo in the exhibit

Multi-disciplinary artist Leeroy New (center), joined by Newport World Resorts Chief Marketing Officer David Jorden (left) and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls-Newport Mall General Manager Roshele Moreno (right), opens an immersive installation