THE Philippines will not yield to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court after the latter announced it will resume it probe into the deaths associated with the anti-illegal drugs campaign waged by former president Rodrigo Duterte.
WASHINGTON has confirmed the visit of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III to South Korea and the Philippines next week aimed at reaffirming the "deep commitment” of the United States to its allies in the region.
"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III will depart Jan. 29 for a trip to the Republic of Korea and the Philippines," the US Department of Defense said in an advisory.
"During his visits, he will meet with senior government and military leaders in both countries to advance regional stability and further strengthen the defense partnerships with the United States. This trip reaffirms the deep commitment of the United States to work in concert with allies and partners in support of the shared vision of preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific," the advisory read.
Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said Austin wants to meet his Filipino counterpart, Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
"The main purpose is really to be able to again be able to interact with our defense establishments, especially with our new Defense secretary," Romualdez said.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. discussed at least seven priority measures – including the ratification of a regional trade pact, the proposed sovereign fund, and a measure limiting the military officials who will be entitled to a fixed term of three years – in a meeting with the top leaders of Congress on Friday.
Mr. Marcos underscored the importance of ratifying the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – during his meeting with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Zubiri said the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund was also raised, and the President agreed there is no need to rush its passage.
“I thank the President as he agreed not to rush this proposed measure so we can fine tune further the different provisions of the MIF and put in place enough
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, to discuss his administration's priority measures.
THE prevailing retail prices of onions have dropped to as low as P170 per kilo for the loc white variety amid higher supply as imports arrived on schedule.
The Department of Agriculture's Bantay Presyo showed the lowest price was recorded for local white onions at P170/kg,
safeguards to protect the funds from corruption or mismanagement,” the Senate President said.
He said the economic cluster of the Cabinet will brief the Senate on the MIF on Monday, January 30.
The proposed MIF has already been approved by the House of Representatives on final reading last month. At the Senate, a bill filed by Sen. Mark Villar was referred to the committee on banks, financial intermediaries, and currencies on Jan. 23.
Other priority measures discussed during the meeting are as follows: the condonation of unpaid amortization and interest on loans of agrarian reform beneficiaries; amendments to the law on the fixed three-year term for some military officials; the Medical Reserve Corps Act; the Center for Disease Prevention and Control Act; and the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines Act. Congress has committed to pass the three health-related measures within the first quarter of the year, Zubiri said.
THE Department of Justice will investigate Immigration officials who may have been in cahoots with a Japanese national in running a series of robberies in Japan while being detained in a Bureau of Immigration facility.
“I will hold them accountable if it is found out that they were operating a criminal enterprise inside. We will hold them accountable,” Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla said.
Remulla said the DOJ will also look into the pending criminal case for violence
with the highest at P300/kg.
Imported white onions are set at P250/ kg to P260/kg. The prevailing price range of local red onions, on the other hand, stood at P240/ kg to P350/kg, higher than the price range of imported red onions set at P200/kg to
against women and children filed against Yuki Watanabe, suspected of being part of the Japanese robbery group, to determine whether it was a “simulated case” to prevent his deportation.
“We cannot act on a deportation of a person with a pending case, that's why we’re looking at the case if it’s a simulated case, if it’s a real case or a simulated case,” the Justice chief said.
Watanabe, who also goes by the aliases Kenjie Watanabe and Kenjie Shimada, was
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P250/kg.
DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said the government is working on bringing back the prices to peak harvest levels.
“The lowest price was as low as P67/kg or
BIKERS’ HAVEN.
Bikers can take their routine round and at the same time enjoy the scenic view at the Lakeshore in Taguig City, courtesy of the local government unit, in collaboration with pertinent government agencies.
Danny Pata
COVID-19 has significantly slowed down, but still kills thousands across the globe.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun discussions—its 14th meeting since the start of the pandemic—on lowering the alert level over the coronavirus.
WHO sources said however, that no decision would be announced before Monday.
The WHO's emergency committee on COVID meets every three months to discuss the crisis, then brief WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The WHO currently classifies the coronavirus pandemic as a "public health emergency of international concern," the highest level of alert defined by the
CUSTOMS Commissioner Yogi Filemon
Ruiz has given assurance that his agency remains committed to the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to protect the country’s borders against smuggling, especially of agricultural products.
Meanwhile, amid mounting complaints from consumers, industry associations and some non-government organizations against the Department of Agriculture (DA), a group based in Central Luzon offered to help the national government achieve food security.
Ruiz made the assurance following the seizure of P9.49 million worth of red onions being smuggled into the country aboard two vessels intercepted off Zamboanga City.
“Onions are being sold at higher prices in our local markets. This should not have been a predicament for an agricultural country like us. The more empowered these people feel about smuggling these products, the more our economy will suffer. So, we cannot let that happen because the people will be the most affected,” Ruiz stressed.
On Jan. 22, Customs operatives at the Port of Zamboanga intercepted the wooden vessel “Timzzan” and seized 1,624 mesh bags of imported red onions worth more than P2.5 million off Barangay Labuan.
Another vessel, “MJ Marissa”, was also flagged the following day at Varadero de Cawit in Barangay Cawit, and Customs agents confiscated 4,308 bags of red onions worth more than P6.8 million found aboard the boat.
Investigation showed that the shipments have no Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) - Bureau of Plant Industry.
organization.
Last month, top German virologist Christian Drosten said "the pandemic is over" and the virus had become "endemic," with infection rates not rising or falling significantly.
Before Friday’s meeting, Tedros said more than 170,000 COVID-19 deaths had been reported in recent weeks.
"The actual number is certainly much higher," he added.
Although the weekly rate had dropped below 10,000 in October, deaths have been rising since December, driven by new waves of infections in China.
Tedros said over the past week "almost 40,000 deaths were reported to WHO, more than half of them from China."
China significantly reduced COVID-19 restrictions in December, leading to a surge in cases. Infection rates
appeared to have stabilized in major cities by midJanuary. Global response 'hobbled' by uneven distribution
The WHO chief said the fight against COVID-19 was still deterred by lack of vaccines, tests, and treatments.
"The global response remains hobbled because, in too many countries, these powerful, life-saving tools are still not getting to the populations that need them most — especially older people and health workers," Tedros said.
Tedros also said trust in health care was being undermined by a "continuous torrent" of misinformation and that health authorities were struggling to cope with the burden of COVID-19 cases.
"While we are clearly in better shape than three years ago when this pandemic first hit, the global collective response is once again under strain," Tedros said earlier this week.
THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has suspended the recruiter of slain overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jullebee Ranara, whose burned body was found on Sunday in the desert in Kuwait.
Meanwhile, the DMW mulls a review of the bilateral labor agreement (BLA) between the Philippines and Kuwait following the murder of Ranara by a son of her employer. In a press briefing, DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia said
Ranara’s recruiter could not hire OFWs while under preventive suspension.
“The preventive suspension will later on lead to a blacklisting upon the termination of the proceedings," Olalia added. However, he did not identify Ranara’s recruiter.
The DMW is also set to file cases against the recruitment agencies of Ranara.
"After examination of the facts involved, by next week, there will be a recruitment
A CHRISTIAN was the lone winner of the Salamat Excellence Award for Leadership (SEAL) spearheaded by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Mayor Reynalbert Insular of the least-known South Upi in Maguindanao del Norte brought home P 2 million worth of project funds to support a priority program of his choice in his municipality.
Insular expressed disbelief in having won the SEAL award even as he was called on stage to receive the honor and the financial
violation case that will be filed against the PRA (Philippine recruitment agency) and the FRA (foreign recruitment agency) involved," Olalia said.
“The directive of Secretary Toots (Susan) Ople (is) that it is time to revisit or review the labor agreement to further strengthen the protection of OFWs,” DMW Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said during the Saturday News Forum at a restaurant in Quezon City.
INCLEMENT weather continued to hamper the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the missing Cessna plane with six people on board in Isabela province.
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) officials said the military and civilian efforts to find Cessna 206 RP-C1174 will continue depending on the weather conditions.
CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the “ongoing SAR operations for the missing aircraft utilizing two Air Force Huey helicopters had been suspended due to bad weather in the area this morning.”
“The aerial surveillance continues as soon as weather permits,” he added.
Joel E. Zurbano
THE Chinese Embassy in Manila thanked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for rescuing seven Chinese fishermen found drifting off Eastern Samar after their boat sustained hull damage.
Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said the PCG informed him directly that the seven fishermen were in good physical condition.
“Our sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to Commandant Abu (Coast Guard Admiral Artemio Manalo Abu) and PCG for their immediate response and humanitarian efforts to help the Chinese fishing vessel and seven fishermen on board,” Huang said in a statement.
The envoy said the incident showed the “concrete implementation” of the consensus reached by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping to strengthen communication and improve dialogue mechanisms between the two Coast Guards, as well as to manage maritime differences through consultation while expanding practical cooperation on the sea.
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that the campaign period for the twin plebiscites in Marawi City and Lanao del Sur province will begin on Feb. 25. The March 18 plebiscites will decide the proposed creation of Barangay Boganga II and Barangay Datu Dalidigan.
The information and campaign period will be until March 16, during which it is prohibited to remove, destroy, deface and tamper lawful plebiscite propaganda materials. From Feb. 15 to March 21, the firearms ban will be in effect, along with reshuffle of government personnel. Suspension of local elective officials and release of prisoners are also prohibited during this period. On plebiscite day itself, selling, buying, serving and drinking intoxicating liquor will not be allowed.
THE Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) law is still in the making, but the Department of National Defense (DND) and the military, along with the Department of Education (DepEd) are already keen on implementing the proposed military training program. In a statement on Saturday, Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. expressed his appreciation to legislators, led by Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who are pushing the passage of the ROTC bill.
“We commit to take an active part in the legislative process through our full cooperation and inputs, whenever and wherever they are needed," Galvez said.
Galvez added that the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), along with the Commission on Higher Education and other supporting agencies,
package to for his priority project. He gave assurance that the funds would go through proper government auditing and accounting.
BARMM officials, including Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, Senior Minister Abdulraof Macacua along with Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., and his BARMM counterpart Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, joined Insular on the stage for the turnover of the P2-million check. In 2020, the MILG launched the SEAL Program and has developed the criteria for the nomination and assessment of local chief executives.
have already proposed a concept on how the ROTC program would be enforced. "We can implement it using a phased approach wherein we will have pilot and simulation runs in selected universities, while preparing our personnel, logistical and budgetary requirements for its full implementation," Galvez said. Implementation of the ROTC will consist of preparation; curriculum development; selection and training of implementers; personnel, logistics and budget planning; selection of pilot volunteer schools based on results of evaluation of their facilities and capacities; pilot programs and simulation in volunteer schools; expansion to regions; progressive implementation; evaluation and further fine-tuning; and full implementation in all schools.
People walk into the Tama river for cold water purification during the Tamagawa Suijin Festival in Kawasaki city, Kanagawa prefecture in Japan on January 28, 2023. AFP
A NEW Jersey man was sentenced Friday to nearly seven years in prison for shooting bear spray in the face of a police officer during the 2021 Capitol riot.
The 42-year-old officer, Brian Sicknick, died the next day in the hospital of what initially were said to be natural causes, but the spraying was believed to be a contributing factor.
The 80-month prison term handed to Julian Khater was one of the longest sentences so far given to any of the more than 900 people charged after the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
In a video cited in his indictment, Khater asks another protester to pass him “that bear thing,” before taking a spray can out of the latter’s backpack. A little later, he sprayed the can toward the faces of three officers, including Sicknick. Khater was charged with nine counts, including “assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon” but was not prosecuted for homicide. AFP
RECORD levels of torrential rain in Auckland left three dead with a fourth person missing, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Saturday after flooding devastated the country’s largest city.
During a press conference after visiting some of the waterlogged communities, Hipkins said flash flooding had led to “three fatalities with one person still missing as a result of the weather.”
“The level of devastation in some areas is considerable,” he added.
AFOUR-STAR US Air Force general has warned of a conflict with China as early as 2025 – most likely over Taiwan – and urged his commanders to push their units to achieve maximum operational battle readiness this year.
In an internal memorandum that first emerged on social media on Friday, and was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon, the head of the Air Mobility Command, General Mike Minihan, said the main goal should be to deter “and, if required, defeat” China.
“I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” Minihan said.
Laying out his reasoning, Minihan said Taiwan’s presidential elections next year would offer Chinese President Xi Jinping an excuse for military aggression, while the United States would be distracted by its own contest for the White House.
TWO Indian Air Force fighter jets crashed Saturday in an apparent mid-air collision while on exercises around 300 kilometers (185 miles) south of the capital New Delhi, police at the crash site told AFP.
Both aircraft had taken off in the morning from the Gwailor air base, around 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of where they came down.
“We have located the wreckage of one of the planes and found an injured pilot in the Pahadgarh forests,” officer Dharmender Gaur told AFP from the scene of the crash.
“The other plane has likely fallen further away from the site and we have sent teams to locate it.”
The air force was investigating whether the planes had collided in mid-air, local broadsheet the Hindustan Times reported.
The Su-30 was carrying two pilots and the Mirage jet had one on takeoff, according to
DOJ:.. "We want to express to ICC and to the special prosecutor, Mr. Karim Khan, just to give us time to conduct our own investigation, and on the basis of complementarity principle, to respect our sovereignty and judicial system," DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said.
"It (sharing of findings) is a matter of respect and cooperation, out of comity. This is not submission to their jurisdiction but only out of respect," Clavano added.
Duterte, for his part, said he does not care if the investigation on his war on drug" will re-open, former Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Saturday.
“He said, 'I don't care what they do. As far as I'm concerned they have no jurisdiction. They have to show me their jurisdiction,'" Panelo said, quoting Duterte.
"He said, 'If I'm guilty of anything, there would be a Filipino judge hearing my case. If I’m convicted, I will serve my term in a Filipino prison. They can do their worst, I don’t care.'"
Clavano said the government's own "genuine" probe will be thorough, and as such will take time to conclude.
"We are going to conduct a fullblown investigation on the past administration's war on drugs. It's not fast. It cannot not be done immediately. We have to collect the right evidence. We have to obtain the witnesses in these cases. And we have to properly screen all the facts of the
the report.
“I have instructed the local administration to cooperate with the air force in quick rescue and relief work,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted.
“I pray to god that the pilots of the planes are safe.”
The crash is the latest in a string of aviation accidents involving India’s military air fleet.
Five army soldiers were killed last October when their helicopter crashed in Arunachal Pradesh state, near the country’s militarised and disputed border with China.
It was the second military chopper crash in the state that month,coming weeks after a Cheetah helicopter came down near the town of Tawang, killing its pilot.
India’s defence chief, General Bipin Rawat, was among 13 people killed when his Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter crashed while transporting him AFP
cases. So, it takes time. You cannot give immediate conviction but that is the goal," Clavano said.
For his part, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman on Saturday underscored the need for the Philippines to participate in the ICC probe.
Lagman said the Philippines, as a legitimate member of the world community, must accede to the jurisdiction of the prosecutors of the ICC on the subject.
"The rule of law is not limited to parochial confines. It must conform to the world order," Lagman said.
"Perforce, the Philippines must submit to the jurisdiction of ICC’s prosecutors over crimes against humanity consequent to the brutal anti-narcotics campaign which were committed prior to the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute on 17 March 2018," he added.
PBBM... "Our promise to the President is that we will work hard to pass the bills that will help make a big impact on our economy, but most especially on all our kababayans so that the economic growth is felt by them as well," he said.
Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chair of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, is not in favor of "discussing political amendments" as lawmakers revive efforts to revise the 1987 Constitution. Rodriguez said the focus should be on provisions related to the economy.
"How do we open our country for more foreign investments? I think now is the time to help the president," the lawmaker said.
"How can we attract foreign investors
“Xi’s team, reason, and opportunity are all aligned for 2025,” he added.
The memorandum also calls on all Mobile Command personnel to go to the firing range, “fire a clip” into a target and “aim for the head.”
A Pentagon spokesperson responded to an AFP email query about the memo saying, “Yes, it’s factual that he sent that out.”
Senior US officials have said in recent months that China appears to be speeding up its timeframe to seize control of Taiwan, a self-governing democracy claimed by Beijing.
China staged major military exercises in August last year, seen as a trial run for an invasion after a defiant visit of solidarity to Taipei by then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who at the time was second in line to the White House.
The United States switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but sells weapons to Taiwan for its self-defense.
A growing number of US lawmakers have called for ramping up assistance, including sending direct military aid to Taiwan, saying that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine underscores the need for early preparation. AFP
Hipkins said Auckland experienced “its wettest day on record” on Friday.
“This is an unprecedented event in recent memory.”
It is his first major incident since Hipkins took office on Wednesday following Jacinda Ardern’s shock resignation.
“Having just surveyed the extensive damage both on the ground and (from) the air, it’s clear it’s going to be a big clear up job,” he warned.
Hipkins offered his condolences to the families of the deceased.
“The loss of life underscores the scale of this weather event and how quickly it turned tragic.” AFP
THE US city of Memphis on Friday released graphic video footage depicting the fatal police assault of a 29-year-old Black man, sparking small protests against police brutality in a number of US cities but none that flared into the violence that officials had feared.
Five Memphis officers, all also Black, were charged with second-degree murder in the beating of Tyre Nichols, who died in hospital on January 10 three days after being stopped on suspicion of reckless driving.
The lengthy video footage from police body cameras shows a group of officers detaining Nichols, attempting to take him down with the use of a Taser, then giving chase as he evades them.
Subsequent segments – the footage runs about an hour in total, and is audio-only in parts – show Nichols crying out for his mother, and moaning as officers repeatedly kick and punch him.
Addressing an emotional press conference earlier Friday, the victim’s mother RowVaughn Wells called out the officers who she said beat her son “to a pulp,” telling them: “You disgraced your own families when you did this.”
President Joe Biden, who has joined local officials in calling for protests to remain peaceful, spoke with Wells Friday to offer his condolences and commend “the family’s courage and strength.” AFP
if they can only have a 40 percent share? We are going to look at that. Not so much on the political amendment,” Rodriguez added.
US... Romualdez made the statement after it was disclosed that there has been a serious discussion between Manila and Washington on conducting joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea. But Romualdez clarified that joint patrols are not confined with the United States, but they are also possible with other allies such as Japan and Australia.
"First and foremost, we have the VFA, we have the EDCA, we have the Mutual Defense Treaty so that's only part of the many aspects of our defense relationship or defense alliance with the United States," he said.
"Joint patrols does not really mean that it's directed to any one country. It basically means that it is really for us to be able to, like the VFA, have an interoperability... that's the operative word that I'd like to use... that we will always be able to be ready if in any event there is conflict..." the Filipino diplomat added.
GOV'T... arrested by the bureau in April 2021. He is supposedly known as “Luffy,” the alleged ringleader of a robbery group suspected of giving people instructions to carry out the burglaries in Japan via the encrypted messaging app Telegram remotely from the immigration facility.
“The Japanese government is the only one who can confirm it [identity] when we show them the person in custody,” Remulla said.
A second Japanese national under Immigration custody is Imamura Kiyoto,
who was initially suspected of being “Luffy” but turned out to be only a member of the group, the DOJ said in a briefer.
“We already banned telephones so they will have no means of communication,” Remulla said.
The robberies began last year and appear to have been carried out by people who were instructed by ringleaders through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.
Among the cases was the murderrobbery of 90-year-old Kinuyo Oshio in her home in the city of Komae in Tokyo on Jan. 19. The incident struck a nerve in Japan, a country known for low crime rates and safety relative to other countries.
Analysis of phones belonging to some of those arrested in connection with the robberies shows they received instructions from three names —Luffy, Kim and Mitsuhashi.
The telephone number linked to Luffy suggested he was in the Philippines, according to Japanese police.
LOW ... Benito Nieto Elementary School in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan on Thursday.
Last week, a 13-year-old student died after being stabbed by a fellow student inside the Culiat High School in Quezon City. Poa said violent incidents involving students may be related to mental health issues.
“The problem is deeper than security,” he said. For her part, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said stricter security measures will be implemented in all Quezon City public learning institutions following the fatal stabbing of a senior high school
student at Culiat High School.
Belmonte issued the directive during a consultative meeting with key officials of various city departments and stakeholders, including the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Social Services and Development Department (SSDD), Schools Division Office (SDO), Education Affairs Unit (EAU), Office of the Assistant City Administrator for Operations, QC Public School Teachers Association, QC Parent-Teachers Association, Northcom Security and Investigation Agency and barangay officials.
“While we consider this an isolated case, the incident underscored the need to come up with additional security interventions in our public learning institutions,” said Belmonte, adding that random security checks will also be conducted in schools as part of the security measures to help guarantee the safety of teachers and learners.
less than P70/kg. So, that's what we're looking into, how to bring back that level of price, although this price was during the peak of harvest,” she said.
To achieve this, the DA said discussions with other layers in the entire value chain have to be made.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a meeting of onion industry stakeholders on Monday.
Evangelista acknowledged that "too many layers of traders" had pushed up the prices of local onions.
“Locally, we have seen that there are players and many layers of traders, and that definitely affects the price in the retail market,” she said.
HAVING her own export business is a dream project for Joam Basalo. It took her a decade and a half to break free from being an apprentice to become the self-made woman she is now.
Her roots, like many others, was humble. But her dreams, big.
Her journey spans companies and numerous exploits of trade fairs and exhibits from where she drew a blueprint of her future plans. The last company she worked for before becoming an entrepreneur was a Japanese firm that exports Philippine-made handicrafts.
When she formed her company, Dierde Export Trading, Inc., it was like reaching for the skies because while financing was a challenge she anticipated, her company’s lack of track record stood in the way of acquiring capital.
So, with the little savings she had and some help from her sister who works in Germany, she managed to pull-off her dream project.
“Dierde comes from German truncated word which means the earth or of the earth. We produce handicrafts in their natural colors, which are the colors of the earth.These are all natural, not hand painted products.
I have a community of Filipino craftsmen working for me. They are part of the company’s success,” Basalo said. Her company was only over a year old when the pandemic struck. But hers was among the lucky enterprises that survived the crisis.
“Buyers then were cramming. I assumed they were in panic to deliver commitments with the shutdown and lockdown that were happening around the globe. But while many companies have folded, it was a blessing that we continue to exist. My staff continued to work for me, though I must admit that I had to trim my workforce in the middle of the pandemic since orders have been coming in sparsely and growing less in between,” she recalled. As order slows down, Basalo knew there’s no other way to sustain operations but to streamline the workforce. From 13 workers, she only kept 6. She felt sorry for the workers she let go but promised to take them in again, once the dire situation improves. She finds it easy to work with her team since majority her workers came from her previous company. She is also supporting a group of basket weavers from the mountain parts of Cebu who are also part of her production team. Her weavers are skillful workers who works fast and keep with pace of the business.
“I’m very happy that we’re able to surpass this (challenge) and being young in the industry I know it’s very competitive. It’s because of the uniqueness of the products we are making that we are able to compete in the market for handicrafts,” Basalo said, fully aware of the distinct value proposition of her crafts in the global market. Under the Dierde Designs brand, Basalo did the round of local trade fairs not for spot sales but for after sales. She said many of her booked orders were a result of after sales engagement.
Many of her clients follow her through trade shows. She does not have a showroom yet which works for her since majority of her followers and clients are forced to meet up only during trade shows. A good deal of clients from her previous job have also followed her, secure with the knowledge that she will deliver better products at better prices.
During the trade shows where her previous employers participate, she noticed that visitors were genuinely interested to buy products if not for the lofty prices. This is one of the reasons that compelled her to set up her own handicraft business. Products made by Dierde Designs are 30 percent more affordable compared to competition.
Dierde Designs crafts and sells custom made and OEM handicrafts - from lamp shades to soap dish, from cutleries to woven baskets, back scratch, napkin holders, bags, coasters, anything and everything imaginable but within the visual limits and capacity of Basalo’s team of designers and staff.
Using natural wood and vines from the mountains of Cebu, Deirde Design products are one of a kind. The combination of grey wood, jackfruit wood, black wood and brown wood creates harmony that is pleasing and decorative, useful yet lasting.
All Dierde Designs products are utilitarian “but the beauty is still there. Every piece has a purpose,” Basalo said.
A year after she went on her own, Basalo was fortunate to run into a client from her previous company who helped her join Manila Fame in 2019. Known worldwide, Manila Fame is one of the premier trade shows in the Philippines. A biennial event, Manila Fame features the best designs and designers in the country in one massive show. Deirde Designs was fortunate to join the famed trade show for a second time during the pandemic before it moved on to doing more commissioned projects. Othel V. Campos
LEARN the tips and hacks for making compelling business pitches and winning big-ticket investors as John Aguilar, serial entrepreneur and the host of business reality TV show “The Final Pitch,” launched his book titled “The Art and Science of the Pitch: The Ultimate Playbook for Pitching to Partners, Investors, and Reality TV Shows.”
OVER 2 million active users in the Philippines have spent a total of 75,305 hours, or an equivalent of 9 years, using digital lending applications in 2022, according to a new report published by consumer credit service Digido.
“Our recent analysis of select digital lending services is a clear indication that responsible credit services continue to be an effective means of breaching inequality in accessing financial tools. We encourage the wider segment to continue in promoting responsible lending,” said Digido country manager Farit Shakirov.
Analysis of 10 digital lending platforms operating in the Philippines with access to iOS App Store and/or Google Play, including Digido, reveal that these companies have a combined total of 14.2 million downloads as of December 2022, representing 3.4 percent of the total downloads from finance categories across all devices and all platforms.
This is +2.2 percent or 307,000 more downloads compared to November 2022 and more than 35.2 percent compared to December 2021 (+3.7 million).
About 2.3 million active users of at least one of those 10 platforms — those who have consistently logged into the application at least once over the past 6 months to December 2022 — represent approximately 3.2 percent of the Philippine adult population aged 18 and over, by 2022 United Nations estimates. In other words, one out of every 30 adult Filipinos access the services of the 10 digital lending platforms at least once a month.
Monthly duration of use session of these apps averaged at 12 minutes and 46 seconds while duration of 1 session per user was at 1 minute and 14 seconds.
Significant bursts of user login activity in 2022 occurred in March, July and November, mainly due to the positive dynamics of certain platforms working with small and medium-sized businesses. This accounted for approximately 36 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Possible reasons behind these surges include ongoing promotions, favorable conditions, or the launch of specialized loan products for entrepreneurs.
Digido observes that micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are still heavily underfunded and limited in their ability to continuously grow and develop, which only increases the potential for the penetration of digital lending platforms.
The book features interviews of world-renowned investors and venture capitalists, successful startup leaders, communications and pitch deck experts, and identifies the components of a pitch that makes an impact. It explores insights gleaned from some of Aguilar’s travels, whether in-person or virtually, inside the world’s biggest tech companies and ecosystems, from Silicon Valley to Israel to the rising tech hubs of Southeast Asia.
“I am delighted to finally launch the book in the Philippines. I hope that through this book, we will be able to expand our impact to help more entrepreneurs and people with brilliant ideas and companies to get the funding and support that they need to take their
TO PROVIDE farmers better access to supplies for agricultural production, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) supported a project to digitize agri-supply stores through the GoEden online platform.
“GoEden consolidates products from various agri-supply stores into a one-stop online shop. This helps farmers cut travel time to multiple stores and avoid settling for products that fall short of requirements. The goal is to provide farmers a wide choice of products through an organized e-commerce platform,” said SEARCA director Glenn Gregorio.
The SEARCA Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS) funded the digital agriculture project implemented by startup company Zion Agricultural Ventures. Gregorio said the recently completed project called “Improving Farmers Access to Agricultural Technology, Products and Services through Digitization and Consolidation of local Agri-supply Stores”
expanding the GoEden online catalog for farmers and institutional buyers.
Zion Agricultural Ventures founder Julieane Lacsina said agricultural supply stores suffered from low foot traffic and reduced replenishment of their inventories during the pandemic.
“This project provided a systematic approach to managing store inventories for maximum value for money and product move-out. This digital transformation is a major shift from stores with no records or incomplete records using traditional pen and paper,” she said.
“By digitizing inventories, four brick-andmortar stores in Tarlac, Laguna and Batangas were able to add 841 products to GOEden,” she added. The products ranged from grafted seedlings and cuttings to fertilizers, pesticides, and small tools for agriculture.
Moreover, a cooperative group in Tarlac was one of the first few groups that started digitizing their agricultural rental services for trucks and tractors through a newly developed GoEden booking platform. The
endeavors to the next level,” Aguilar said during the official book launch.
“The Art and Science of the Pitch,” published by the world’s biggest publishing company, Penguin Random House, is now an international Best Seller in Kinokuniya in Singapore and is the No. 1 Bestselling Business Book in Fully Booked in the Philippines.
The Philippine book launch, in partnership with National Bookstore and Shangri-La Plaza, saw over a hundred business leaders, startups, and fans of The Final Pitch come together for an interactive book reading and signing event.
Aguilar is the founder of independent TV production company StreetPark Productions Inc.. He is the CEO of Dragon’s Nest, a Manila-based startup ecosystem enabler. His show “The Final Pitch” has successfully funded millions of dollars into Filipino entrepreneurs and the startup ecosystem, and has been a source of education and inspiration for future startups.
A seasoned business and motivational speaker, Aguilar shares in his book the valu-
able lessons, tips and techniques he picked up from the minds of founders who pitched their way to million-dollar valuations, and tackles lessons that can be learned from those who failed.
The best-selling author said his book is his love letter to the Philippine startup community. According to him, the book also bares challenges and triumphs of startups from the Philippines, which he describes as “a perfect case study of a country with an emerging startup community with boundless opportunities and a plethora of problems it is now poised to solve.”
“My personal motivation for writing this book is to distill the best practices in the world so we can increase our chances of success in the endeavors we will take on in the coming years. On a broader level, I also wanted this book to be a way that my readers can pitch effectively—with whoever they are pitching to, for whatever purpose or whatever stage of an idea or business,” he added.
booking service includes rental of other agricultural machinery such as combine harvesters and drones.
“Through GRAINS, we support innovators and startups who can translate and diffuse their ideas and technologies into benefits for farming communities. By promoting store digitization, farmers can now hope for
better access to the right and timely supplies for a successful season,” said SEARCA’s Emerging Innovation for Growth Department program head Glenn Baticados. Emerging Innovation for Growth is SEARCA’s flagship program in Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN).
TO HOLD nothing back is to be empowered to take on challenges that will surface as you follow your ultimate passion, Revlon Professional Philippines chats with Crosta Pizzeria’s co-owner Ingga Cabangon-Chua as she shares her brand of leadership.
Ingga willingly shared her inspiration, recalling how she learned from a stern and smart businessman whom she looks up to growing up. Ingga draws inspiration from her Dad’s rags to riches story, from selling popsicles and shining shoes to becoming one of the most successful businessmen in the country, and a dignitary when he became Philippine Ambassador to Laos.
Today, being the co-owner of one of Asia Pacific’s top pizza brands, Ingga’s busy and hustling lifestyle requires a bold partner, and this is where she revealed how Revlon Professional’s UniqOne Hair Treatment allows her to achieve salon-
treated hair instantly, giving her more time to do precious things.
“My personal favorite is UniqOne’s Green Tea scent as it is not only refreshing but its the best product to protect my hair against environmental damage, boosts hair color and keeps me in style in no time,” she says.
In a male dominated world, a lot of women leaders are making waves in the corporate space. But here’s a shred of insight from someone who believes that leadership is about the right culture where members can pitch their ideas that fosters creativity, teamwork, and empathy.
“My style of leadership revolves around listening and leading through actions.
Apart from the usual hard work and perseverance, I think leaders grow more when they take the time to listen to other people, by taking time to listen to you will
be surprised with the ideas your team members can contribute” Ingga says.
Ingga leads boldly by setting an example that collaborative efforts bring every organization to the next level, her brand of leadership eanables her ability to listen, process, and put them to work in synergy putting Crosta Pizzeria where it is today.
“Failure is not a bad thing, it is not a crutch or something to be ashamed of. The right mindset and building the right team and culture will help you overcome any organizational struggle. And what’s great is that women leaders are already more hardwired for this type of leadership due to our nature,” she adds.
Ingga built a successful pizza brand with the right perspective, a reliable partner and with Revlon Professional’s UniqOne products, the perfect ally for the leader you intend to be - passionate, willed, and powerful!
Filipinos spent 75,305 hours in using financial apps last yearDierde Designs owner Joam Basalo (right) with Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas (left) A collection of Dierde Designs products Colorful back scratchers in natural wood colors.
JORGE Gallent debuts for San Miguel Beer in his first formal act as new head coach for the Beermen as they take on Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters on Sunday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
Gallent was tapped to replace former head coach Leo Austria who had eight years with San Miguel, the league’s winningest ball club with 28 championships.
The Beermen opens a new chapter with Gallent assuming the mantle for the team which is now healthier and looking ready to contend for another crown with the help of import Cameron Clark.
The reigning Philippine Cup champs, losing semifinalists in the recent Commissioner’s Cup, are fancied for a winning conference debut versus a Phoenix side off to a scrambling start with back-to-back losses to the TNT Tropang Giga, 123-119, and to the Blackwater Bossing, 108-105.
It will not be a completely new beginning for Gallent and the Beermen since they had their seven-game ride when Austria went under health and safety protocols last conference. The team chalked up a 6-1 win-loss record in that brief run.
Gallent had an earlier head coaching experience with B-Meg in addition to his stellar mark as a six-time champion coach with Harbour Centre in the defunct PBL.
“Coach Jorge will take over bringing with him PBA head coaching experience and an exciting future for the franchise,” said team manage Gee Abanilla.
June Mar Fajardo and Co. surely ache to give Gallent a triumphant welcome and get a good start after losing their semifinal showdown with the Bay Area Dragons last conference.
Terrence Romeo, CJ Perez, Vic
Manuel, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and the rest of the team are all eager to come out and are looking forward to working with Clark, a returning PBA import after a previous tour of duty with the NLEX Road Warriors in the 2021 Governors Cup.
Underdog is the Phoenix side which is winless in two starts under its own new bench chieftain Jamike Jarin.
Jarin and his troops didn’t do badly in their first two outings but lacked the finishing kick to come out on top.
Du’vaughn Maxwell and his teammate gave TNT and Blackwater fits before losing both matches.
Now comes a sterner test versus the Beermen. (SB)
JANUARY 29, 2023
COLLEGIATE Center for Esports champion Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirate Esports relished a golden opportunity to strut its stuff in the country’s biggest virtual arena.
LPU, through an exclusive invitation by the Philippine Esports Organization (PESO), was among the few amateur squads selected in the Sibol National Team Selection qualifiers for the country’s representative in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games Mobile Legends: Bang Bang men’s division in Cambodia in May.
Led by coach and team captain Paul Adrienne “FAE” Huang, the back-to-back CCE champion poured everything it had even against a slew of professional squads led by powerhouse squads Blacklist International and Echo Esports.
Blacklist is the three-time MPL Philippines champion on top of a crown in the M3 World Championships while Echo Esports is the reigning world champion after sweeping the former in the All-Filipino M4 World Championships finale this month in Indonesia.
And while LPU may have fallen short of advancing in the tournament featuring the country’s Esports giants, the Pirates gained valuable lessons that they are expected to carry over to the collegiate scene.
Amidst a gallant stand from the Pirates bannered by back-to-back CCE MVP Mark Kenneth “Mark” Delos Reyes, Marc Joseph “Marc” Balcita, Remarch “Lust?” Eusebio, Ralph Joshua “Alas” Araz, and Merlin “MERL1N” Lintan, would fall at the hands of AP Esports with a 2-0 defeat in the quarterfinals.
Bren Esports won the Sibol qualifiers with its coach Francis “Duckeyyy” Glindro earning the chance to call the shots and select his squad from the semifinalists that also included Echo, Onic Philippines, and GameLab for the Philippines’ SEA Games roster.
The Sibol qualifiers were LPU’s second stint outside the collegiate ranks as the Pirates continue to test the waters and sharpen its saw in further advancing the sport within the academe, thanks to the school’s stature as the home to the country’s first academic Esports program.
LPU last time out made it to the semifinals of the historic MPS Southeast Asian Campus Invitational Summer 2022 which was won by Ateneo’s Loyola Gaming Helios.
STRONG Group prevented an embarrassing collapse by surviving the United Arab Emirates national team’ spirited comeback, 91-87, at the start of the 32nd Dubai International Championship at the Al Nasr Club early Saturday morning (Manila time).
The Philippine representative in the nine-team tournament seized control of the contest behind a blistering second quarter rally but still had to fend off a last-ditch run from the locals to prevail, much to the delight of the good-sized Filipino crowd in the venue.
But not Strong Group coach Charles Tiu and the very young team owner Jacob Lao.
Tiu actually blamed himself for the team’s not-so-good finish, saying: “It was an ugly win for us. I take responsibility and apologized to my team for taking my imports out a little early.”
“I thought we had the game in the bag up
14 in the last 2 minutes, and I was thinking ahead wanting to rest our imports for the game tomorrow,” said Tiu. Refusing to go down without a fight, UAE unleashed a fiery 11-0 run inside the final three minutes of the game that cut the once 16-point deficit (90-74) down to just three, 90-87 with 20 seconds left.
Good thing Fil-Am Sedrick Barefiel was there and he split his charities in the dying seconds to finally seal the deal for the team backed by Mighty Sports and Acrocity.
“Our All-Filipino line up didn’t do too well down the stretch. We need to do a better job of taking the ball, rebounding and getting back on defense. Those are the key areas we struggle with,” added Tiu.
To avoid the late struggles they encountered against UAE, Tiu and Lao said they have to build more chemistry and learn to move the ball better and faster in their game against Al Nasr from Libya on Sunday, 1
a.m. (Manila time).
“Barefield was great offensively. He really carried us today together with Shabazz (Muhammad),” said Lao.
Muhammad stamped his class with 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists forming a deadly one-two punch with Barefiel who wound up with 23 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Renaldo Balkman was also solid with a double-double of 12 points and 11rebounds while fellow former NBA player Nick Young added 13. With just two weeks to prepare, Strong Group had to shake off some jitters in the opening frame where it trailed, 27-19 at the end of the first 10 minutes of action. But the PH club rallied mightily and took a comfortable 52-41 lead at the break and even stretched it to its largest at 20, 70-50, with 3:30 remaining in the third quarter.
GMA Network, through GMA Synergy, recently partnered with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Basketball Association for the exclusive airing of the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship.
The deal allows GMA Network to exclusively broadcast all of the games of team Philippines – represented by the ‘Strong Group’ – on the Network’s free-to-air channels GMA and GTV; online via GMA Sports YouTube Channel; and to broadcast the games outside the Philippines via GMA’s international channels.
Present during the virtual signing held on Thursday, January 26, were GMA Network Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, and President of GMA Films, Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes and First Vice President and Head of GMA Regional TV and Synergy and Acting Head of GMA Integrated News Mr. Oliver Victor B. Amoroso.
Representing the UAE Basketball Association was Mr. Naji Al Jabri, a member of the Organizing Committee, UAE Basketball Association.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu witnessed the signing ceremonies.
Atty. Gozon-Valdes welcomed the UAE Basketball Association as GMA’s newest partner and asked Kapuso viewers to support the Philippine team Strong Group.
“Thank you for the trust you
UAE Basketball Association during the online-meeting. have put in us. We would like to invite everyone to watch the games that will be aired on GMA and GTV and in select territories of GMA International.
I hope all Filipinos will support Team Philippines Strong Group,” she said.
Meanwhile, Amoroso underscored the importance of airing the games of team Philippines on GMA.
“This year, GMA Synergy enters another milestone with the goal of delivering more quality sports content for our viewers. We are happy and excited to partner with the UAE Basketball Association to bring the games of the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship featuring Philippines’ Strong Group. This will be the first time on GMA Network that
players from the NCAA and UAAP will be in one team together with the Gilas players and former NBA superstars. We would like to thank the UAE Basketball Association for partnering with GMA Network and we hope this partnership shall remain sturdy and lasting,” shared Amoroso.
“GMA is a very strong TV network in the Philippines and we are very happy to have GMA as part of the Dubai International Basketball Championship. We serve Filipino communities in Dubai and we are happy to have them here and serve them. We put a team from the Philippines for the Filipino community to make them feel that they are at home. I wish all the best for the Strong Group to win
this championship. We are happy to collaborate with GMA,” said Al Jabri.
After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippines will once again participate in the International Basketball Championship, which is slated to happen from January 27 to February 5 at the Al Nasr Club in Dubai, UAE. Team Philippines took home the crown during the 31st International Basketball Championship in Dubai back in 2020, becoming the first non-Arab team to win the tournament.
The games will be aired on GTV on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, and 18 at 6:15 PM as well as on GMA on Jan. 29, Feb. 5, 12, and 19 at 10 AM. Online, the games will be accessible via GMA Sports YouTube Channel. Kapuso abroad can catch the action via GMA’s international channels in selected territories.
Strong Group is comprised of a selection of Gilas players Justine Baltazar, Lebron Lopez, and Karl Kevin Quiambao; National Collegiate Athletic Association of the Philippines (NCAA) cagers Will Gozum and Migs Oczon of the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde; University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) players Jerom Lastimosa, Joel Diomar Cagulangan, Bryan Andrade, and Inand Fornillos; and three former NBA players Nick Young, Renaldo Balkman, and Shabazz Muhammad who serve as the team’s imports.
As for the CCE with Stanley Lao as president and Waiyip Chong as commissioner, Sibol’s participation is another feather in its cap after steadily rising as the staple organizer of major collegiate Esports tournaments highlighted by the CCE University Clash, SEA Invitationals and the Friendship Games of the Commission on Higher Education.
“We are gracious for the acknowledgment that the PESO has given CCE and we hope to inspire more colleges and universities in the country to follow suit and embrace esports as a legitimate sport,” said Lao.
Up next for CCE is Season 3 of its own, proud league.
CCE currently has LPU, Letran, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Mapua, San Beda University, Arellano, Jose Rizal University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, College of St. Benilde and University of Perpetual Help System-DALTA as its pioneer members with hopes of expansion this year after gaining massive interest from other schools.
IMUS and Iloilo hope to ride the momentum of their big starts and stay on top against separate rivals out to rebound from their opening game defeat in Week 2 of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference eliminations at the Paco Arena in Manila today (Sunday).
Backed by Ivy Tuason Photography, the AJAA Spikers face the Air Force side at 3 p.m. while the D’Navigators take on the defending champion Archipelago Builders in the 5:30 p.m. main game of another explosive twinbill.
Imus and Iloilo, two of the four new squads in the 11-team field, matched convincing victories to kickstart their respective campaigns with the former, spearheaded by top playmaker Ish Polvorosa, trouncing the Santa Rosa Lions, 25-22, 28-26, 29-31, 25-16, in last week’s inaugurals of the league organized by Sports Vision.
The D’Navigators, with Jerome Cordez and Jade Disquitado on the firing end, put up a more impressive debut, shutting down the Airmen, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19.
Against the Santa Rosa Lions, former Cignal hitter Louie Ramirez came away with 17 points while middle blocker Kim Malabunga backed him up with 14 points and Josh Villanueva tallied 11 points for the Sammy Acaylar-mentored Imus squad.
But the Airmen are out to bounce back although Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino, who combined for 28 points in their losing stand, hope to draw solid support from the rest of the team, including Rodolfo Labrador, Mike Abria, Ralph Calasin and Ruben Inaudito, who groped for form the first time out.
It’s interesting to see how the multi-talented San Miguel Beermen, led by Junemar Fajardo, will respond and perform under the new system of coach Jorge Gallent. (Photo from PBA FB) Fil-Am Sedrick Barefiel of PH-Strong Group drives against UAE’s Qais Omar Alshabebi. (Courtesy of Herbert Iponla) Officials of GMA and Dubai International Basketball Championship (Clockwise from left) GMA Network Senior Vice President for Programming, Talent Management, Worldwide, and Support Group, and President of GMA Films, Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes; First Vice President and Head of GMA Regional TV and Synergy and Acting Head of GMA Integrated News Oliver Victor B. Amoroso; Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu; and Naji Al Jabri, member of the Organizing Committee,REVITALIZE any wardrobe and elevate style with this season’s transitional essentials that offer a playful take on modern prep. From classic trenches for men and women to the new TH Monogram – the new year welcomes an eye-catching new season.
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Professional interior designers Katherine Ann Correa, an advocate of heritage conservation, and Markee Madolaria, a consultant and art director, noted that this is the year to create spaces that make us smile.
“To gather by being together is how we will experience design spaces in 2023,” they started.
“We are out of our protective shells, yet cautious enough for our wellbeing, thus we ignite our social lives while still being mandated by certain health rules.”
“Spaces that enclose us will fade out,” they added. “The conundrum of whether we are safe inside or safer in an open space will definitely be answered. The designed environment will appear to have a better knowledge of what and how humans should interact
with each other. A new escape, a new experience will evolve.”
Correa, the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde Interior Design Program Chairperson, and Madolaria are both educators under Benilde School of Environment and Design (SED). They revealed that eco-conscious homes will be popular this year.
This is following the solar revolution report of global trend forecast WGSN, a team of over 250 specialists and data scientists that curates an online library of insights and inspirations.
With the increase of gas prices, people will look for an energy source that is free, local, and green.
“We want to design in harmony with the natural world while still being chic and upscale,” Correa and Madolaria stated. “We want to cre -
ate a sustainable space considering climate change. It is a solid investment. That way, we can also help save the environment.”
People will continue to bring the presence of nature inside their homes, from floral wallpapers and tiles to natural touches such as wood and stones. Fluted glass and panels are likewise top choices.
“We remain interested in textures that either mimic the natural environment or the use of the natural mate-
rials itself yet only applied in a new technology,” they shared.
For forms, there will be more of a geo-organic approach or a play of geometrical shapes in a very refined and organic way. Arches, soft-cornered cuboids, and spherical items will evolve.
“The pandemic reminded us to pause,” they explained. “This year, we will be reminded how important making great memories with each other is and how time can define
spaces that are curated and connected to the user.”
Ushering in a more positive future, the powerful and empowering Color of the Year Viva Magenta (PANTONE 18-750) will continue to encourage experimentation and self-expression in interior design. The professionals advised adding the right ratio of this shade towards a neutral background for a headturning visual play.
“Viva Magenta will help create a space that denotes passion and excitement, at the same time, glamorous! Depending on its glossiness or flatness, it would either pull a strong key as an accent or place it on as a textural component,” they described.
“It will give birth to spaces that inspire gatherings,” they added. “The word ‘viva’ means ‘to be alive’ in Spanish. This is a call for everyone to re-experience life as we hop on another journey of human evolution.” Correa and Madolaria confirmed that vibrant, rich, and saturated hues will define 2023, especially for open and airy layouts. Deep reds, browns, greens, as well as eyecatching pastels are in.
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THE 2023 design trends promise happiness as society continues to adjust to the ‘new normal’ as we open our doors to welcome families and friends into our homes.
Highly acclaimed trot singer and Korean superstar Young Tak is coming to the Philippines, as announced by global concert promoter Live Nation Philippines. The South Korean singer, songwriter, actor, and television personality’s first Manila visit is happening on February 6 and 7 for a series of shows and promo appearances.
Debuted in 2007 as a ballad singer with his first album Young Tak Disid, Young Tak started his career by releasing the trot album’Nuna You’re Perfect in 2016. In 2020, he became well-known by placing second in the TV Chosun and South Korean reality TV audition show for a singer who performed trot music out of 17,000 participants.
DUBBED as “Drag Pop Misis,” Viñas Deluxe is the latest drag queen-turned-recording artist to sign with Tarsier Records.
The ‘pambansang bunganga’ of Drag Race Philippines is set to launch a series of music releases under the ABS-CBN record label following another drag queen, Marina Summers, who dropped her song “Divine” last November.
Tarsier Records looks forward to paving the way for the drag pop genre in the Philippines spearheaded by Marina and Viñas, who share their talent as music artists.
“This year, one of our hopes for the label is to champion drag pop not just as a genre, but as a movement, in collaboration with these multi-talented queens,” Tarsier Records label head Marey Garcia excitedly shared.
Viñas is equally thrilled to start the New Year by embarking on her music career.
“This is the beginning, signing into ABS CBN Music through Tarsier Records is a very big step sa aking music career. Soon, makikita niyo po akong magrelease ng singles,” she teased.
The new member of the Tarsier Records family also shared that being a singer has been a childhood dream.
“Bata pa lang ako want ko ng gumawa ng song. Frustrated ako dahil hindi ako marunong ng instrument at sumulat,” she narrated. “Now na may tumulong sakin, sobrang nafulfill ng childhood dream na iyon. Doon ko narealize na hindi ko need gawin lahat, need ko lang ng tamang tao na tutulong sakin.”
Viñas is set to release a sexy, fun, and confident remake of the 80s hit “I’m Feeling Sexy Tonight.”
“I found this track very empowering dahil kahit ano man ang aking shape at itsura, if you feel sexy, magiging sexy ka because no matter how I look, if I feel sexy, I will be sexy. It’s all about confidence. Gusto kong impart sa mga nakakarining na may lalim yung song na ito,” she said.
Viñas single “I’m Feeling Sexy Tonight” dropped on January 27.
The trot is a popular genre of Korean music characterized by its repetitive rhythms and vocal inflections.
In the same year, Young Tak received accolades as the Newcomer CF Star Award at the 2020 MTN Broadcast Advertising Festival; Rising Star Award at the 2020 Trot Awards; nominated as Best Trot Song for “JJiniya,” won the Hot Trend Award and Best Songwriter Award at the 2020 Melon Music Awards.
His 2020 hit single, “Jjiniya,” has reached 4.5 million views on YouTube and serves as a sneak peek at the excitement his 2023 shows will bring. Young Tak’s latest album MMM released in 2022, was his first full record in over 17 years.
n By PATRICIA TACULAO
IT’S been three years since Bela Padilla acquired the script for the Philippine adaptation of Spellbound, the top-grossing 2011 South Korean romantic-comedy film. She received the project after the former pairing of James Reid and Nadine Lustre, collectively known as JaDine, declined after their on-screen love team ended.
Joining Bela in the lead role is Marco Gumabao, marking their first on-screen pairing. However, it was not the first time they had worked together on a project. Bela and Marco were colleagues in Jame Robin Mayo’s film Apple of My Eye (2019), with the former as a screenwriter and the latter as the lead actor.
However, much has happened since then, especially since the project hit several snags before completion. Viva Films announced the adaptation of Spellbound in 2019, but filming halted because of the Taal Volcano eruption and nationwide lockdowns due to COVID-19. Bela relocated to London in 2021 but returned to the Philippines to resume filming late in 2022. Now, Spellbound serves as Viva’s pre-Valentine offering.
in
Despite the challenges in production, Bela and Marco’s experience working with each other as a love tandem was agreeable.
“For me, acting and working with Bela was a breath. It was such a fun shoot, a fun set. this won’t be the last and sana magkaroon pa kami ng projects together,” Marco said during an online presser for their upcomBela resonated with Marco’s sentiments, saying it was “super easy” for her to share the spotlight with her first-time co-actor and leading “Marco has been a friend way
Sana maraming ing movie. reso man.
before we started Spellbound. We also started shooting before the pandemic, so parang ang haba ng process of us shooting this. Parang magandang catch-up na din siya when we finished filming last year,” Bela said.
She actress plays Yuri, a beautiful lady who became a ghost magnet after surviving an accident in her early years. Meanwhile, Marco plays Victor, a street magician who easily attracts people through his charm and good looks.
Bela found similarities between her character and her genuine personality.
“
Ang pinaka-close similarity namin ng character ko is parehas kaming sobrang duwag. In real life, kung mapapansin niyo, hindi ako gumagawa masyado ng horror films.
Before Spellbound, ang horror project pa lang na nagawa ko is a Halloween special for MMK (Maalaala Mo Kaya),” Bela said.
In the meantime, Marco found his character fun because he learned how to do magic by attending a workshop.
He’s ecstatic to know some tricks and hopes to perform them for others for fun—if he remembers how to.
Directing Spellbound is Jalz Zarate. Although it’s not the first time the Filipino filmmaking industry to adapt material from foreign movies,
there’s always the pressure of making it unique from the original piece.
For Spellbound, Zarate shared that they stuck with the original South Korean version, only adding Filipino touches like nuances and humor.
“The Korean version was medyo matagal na—in 2011. We had to mod-
ernize it a bit para relevant to our time today,” Zarate said.
Completing the cast of Spellbound are Rhen Escaño, Cindy Miranda, Benj Manalo Ronnie Liang, and Moi Bien
Spellbound opens in cinemas nationwide on February 1, 2023.
and scent cues.
I am a cat person and, right now, we have 13 adult cats and 4 kittens. Whisky, our oldest cat and first rescue, left before the pandemic and never returned. She would have been nine (human) years old now. We thought we knew her well and that she would always be our Whisky, that she would always come back home to us and never be any different from how we knew her to be. At first, she would come back but each time she returned, she would appear to be more and more different than before. She began to be grumpier. Until one day, she hissed at all of us after coming back from a stroll. We tried to see what was up with her, if she had wounded herself during her stroll outside, but she would not let us near her. When she mellowed down and we were able to hold her again, there were no wounds whatsoever. We never knew why she acted that way.
Days before we relocated here, at the farm (before the lockdowns began), she went out but did not come back until we had to leave the apartment already. I still went back to the apartment many times to look for her. I even slept there, alone, just to wait for her to come back. But she never did.
In her article "Cat Language: How Cats Communicate," Christine O'Brien described a study called "Meowsic," which was launched in 2016 by Lund and Linköping universities in Sweden to investigate how cats communicate with people. Adult cats were discovered to meow only to humans and not to each other. This proves that your cat is truly your fur baby. So, if you hear your cat talking, it is probably because she is trying to communicate with you rather than with another cat in the house.
Another study showed that the “meowing” of cats has specific "goals" on their humans. According to this study, cats have become very skilled at manipulating humans to get what they want, which is primarily food, shelter, and a little human affection.
Nicholas Nicastro, a self-described cat person who has documented hundreds of different feline vocalizations in the common house cat (Felis catus) and its ancestor, the African wild cat (Felis silvestris lybica ), was mentioned by Roger Segelken in his article, “It's
the cat's meow: Not language, strictly speaking, but close enough to skillfully manage humans, communication study shows”.
Nicastro’s research, which he presented on June 5, 2002, at the 143rd Acoustical Society of America meeting in Pittsburgh, compiled a sample of 100 different vocalizations from 12 cats to see how different "meow" vocalizations indicated how urgent and demanding the sounds were for their human parents.
Nicastro, a Cornell psychology assistant professor's laboratory student, discovered a clear negative relationship between pleasantness and urgency, which was rooted in how the calls sounded.
Amy Shojai, CABC, animal behavior expert and award-winning writer with over 25 years of hands-on experience training and caring for cats and dogs, shared her vast expertise in understanding cat language in her article, "Cat Language and Signals Explained". Shojai said cats primarily communicate through silence. She said cats communicate through complex combinations of body language, vocalization,
MY DAUGHTER and I were talking last week about what other interesting topics I could write about. And then, she remembered the horrifying issue she saw in the internet---- debarking or ‘bark softening’ as how others sugarcoat it.
I firmly believe that everything, every trait, that is given to a certain specie is needed for it to survive. That taking away one part will definitely affect the whole, one way or another.
I also believe in man's ability to develop science and technology in order to improve the living conditions and the lives of all living beings on this planet, particularly in resolving problems that threaten the survival of “any” specie. If that is the only intention.
Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Having read the science behind this so-called, “debarking,” I can understand the need for it ONLY in cases where it would definitely save the dog’s life. But in cases where it is requested to be done on a dog just for the convenience of the owner, then that is clearly a monstrous
act. In such a case, neither the right nor the welfare of the animal is protected.
What is debarking or bark softening?
In the article of Charlotte McGowan entitled "Debarking (Bark Softening) - Myths and Facts," it is described as a surgical procedure to reduce tissue in the vocal cords. To remove tissue, some vets use a punch. Other surgeons make varying-sized cuts, while some still use a laser. The surgery's goal is to reduce the volume of the dog's bark and the ability of the bark to reach a long distance. Debarking is medically referred to as venticulocordectomy. It is described in small animal surgery textbooks primarily for therapeutic purposes, such as laryngeal paralysis and the removal of vocal fold masses. Meaning, the procedure is deemed necessary to be performed on the dog by veterinarians if its actual barking poses a medical threat to its health. This is what American Veterinary Association (AVMA) is saying in their article, "Welfare Implications
of Canine Devocalization".
Barking is a natural behavior in dogs. Auditory cues supplement visual and postural cues as a form of communication, particularly when visual cues are obscured. Dogs can bark while playing, greeting, warning, gaining attention, or working. And, excessive barking is frequently associated with an underlying dog welfare issue, as AVMA puts it.
In other words, AVMA is saying, “it is not the dog’s fault if he is barking too much”. The AVMA emphasizes that devocalization reduces the noise associated with barking but not the motivation or behavior.
The risks of debarking
According to the AVMA, devocalization is performed under general anesthesia which has inherent risks and associated mortality. They also state that, as with any surgical procedure, pain and discomfort may occur during the healing process. Following vocal cord surgery, patients may experience bleeding, acute airway swelling, infection, coughing, gagging, and aspiration pneumonia. After laryngeal surgery, there is a significant risk of scar tissue and glottis stenosis (throat narrowing).
However, the AVMA reports that resumption of a near normal bark can occur within months. And I find this to be quite amusing!
How do you reduce excessive barking?
According to the AVMA, identifying the underlying cause of excessive barking is critical so that targeted therapies can be used, and this requires a thorough behavioral history. Punishment may deter behavior, but it has no effect on motivation. Hitting and yelling are
Cats use vocalizations to express emotion, Shojai said. Meowing, purring, hisses, growls, and other sounds are part of the feline repertoire, each with a different meaning depending on the context.
She added that cats' ears express emotion and intent. Ears facing forward show interest. In general, the more a cat's ears swivel sideways and backward, the more agitated or distressed the cat is. Backward ears and a hiss or swipe are telltale signs that your cat is feeling threatened or dissatisfied with what you are showing or giving her.
Cats communicate with their eyelids (how open or closed they are) as well as pupil dilation. A sudden dilation of the pupil is caused by arousal, which can be caused by fear, interest, or any other strong emotion. Wide-open eyes indicate trust, whereas slitted eyes indicate fear or aggression. According to Shojai, droopy, sleepy-looking eyelids indicate that your cat is relaxed and trusting.
Shojai said the cat tail communicates interest, affection, arousal, and other emotions. She said that the height of the tail, as well as its motion, has meaning. When cats want to be approached, they raise their tails, indicating that interaction is welcome. A flailing or thumping tail is usually a warning to keep your distance.
Cats communicate through their fur as well. The 'fur talk,' as Shojai described it. The fur of a healthy, calm cat lies smoothly against the body. Unkempt fur can indicate illness and should not be ignored by their human parents. A suddenly fluffed coat, including a "bottle brush" tail, indicates fear or aggression.
Cats are territorial, and the scents they leave behind are clearly designed to send the message to would-be intruders that "this territory is mine," according to Shojai. They use strong urine and feces marking, bunting (body rubbing), and clawing to leave scented messages that other cats read.
The cat’s overall body posture also indicates everything from confidence to fear or submission, said Shojai.
Although cat behavior research is limited in comparison to dog behavior research, it is well established that cats are intelligent creatures. So, while cats are naturally independent, know that they are communicating with you. You just need to pay closer attention to their nonverbal cues to truly understand what she is trying to tell you.
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 16 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.
counterproductive and unacceptable.
Because social facilitation can play a role in chain reactions of barking behavior, having more dogs in close proximity may increase nuisance barking. AVMA suggests that noise levels in large kennel facilities can be successfully reduced by good building and pen design, changing husbandry techniques, and implementing appropriate socialization and training programs.
The AVMA, along with many other veterinary organizations, including the American Animal Hospital Association and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, oppose non-therapeutic devocalization of dogs unless behavioral modifications and management methods have failed and as a last resort to surrender or euthanasia.
The AVMA also informs us that "carrying out a procedure which involves interference with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of the animal, other than for the purpose of its medical treatment" is an offense under the United King-
dom's Animal Welfare Act (2006).
The AVMA also cites the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals which includes devocalization among the surgical procedures that are prohibited "for the purpose of modifying the appearance of a pet animal or for other non-curative purposes."
The AVMA says, there are currently four states with laws prohibiting dog devocalization under certain conditions. Devocalization is illegal in Massachusetts and New Jersey unless it is deemed medically necessary by a licensed veterinarian. Devocalization of any dog for any reason is illegal in Pennsylvania unless performed under anesthesia by a licensed veterinarian. Furthermore, California and Rhode Island have made it illegal to make devocalization a mandatory condition of real estate occupancy for tenants who own dogs.
Debarking is not mentioned as a procedure that should be prohibited in the Philippines. But we all know it has to be because it is clearly a cruel act against dogs. So, in order for this to be included in an amendment to our Animal Welfare Act, we must all work together to petition for it. Mariana Burgos
IF YOU are a cat person, that does not necessarily mean that you can understand cats and their ways better than anyone else. Cats seem to never lose their mysterious trait however well you know them.Suki, the author’s cat, appears quite content with what is going on with her life at the moment. Steven, one of four kittens of the author, stretches while sun bathing. Socks, another cat of the author, just woke up from her nap.