Manila Standard - 2023 February 8 - Wednesday

PH mission off to Turkey, Syria

Joins other nations in rescue, medical efforts as death toll crosses 5,000

It

could likely happen here, too Phivolcs

AS A magnitude 7.8 earthquake recently hit Turkey and Syria, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Tuesday said such a magnitude is also likely to happen in the country.

“There’s always this possibility. In

Speaker slams agri traders to ‘moderate

greed’

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Tuesday urged “profit-hungry traders” manipulating or hoarding the supply and prices of agricultural products, particularly onions to “moderate their greed” or suffer the dire consequences of their actions.

Romualdez and other leaders of the House met earlier with representatives from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during which he called for an all-out war against profiteers preying on consumers.

“We’ll be working closely with the Executive, with the Department of

fact, it already happened on July 16, 1990… The 1990 Luzon earthquake was magnitude 7.8,” Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said in a briefing.

Bacolcol added that the country has many active faults that are capable of

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THE Philippines is joining other nations in offering aid to Turkey and Syria, as a contingent of rescuers and medical personnel are leaving today to assist in search and rescue operations following the massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Monday.

A massive rescue effort in both Turkey and Syria battled frigid weather in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said

the country’s aim was to send a contingent of rescuers and healthcare volunteers by Wednesday to assist in the search and rescue of survivors and victims of the strong temblor that devastated the two countries.

“We organized a group of about 85 personnel together with some goods,” Mr. Marcos said, adding he received assurance from an airline company that will be assisting the Philippine contingent to Turkey.

Citing figures from the attached agencies, the Department of Foreign Affairs said some 248 Filipinos in Turkish provinces were affected by the earthquake, while there are 60 in Syria.

As of Tuesday, Feb. 7, DFA said no

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WHO warns up to 23m people could be affected by 7.8 tremor

GENEVA—Up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake that has killed thousands in Turkey and Syria, the WHO warned on Tuesday, promising long-term assistance.

“Event overview maps show that potentially 23 million people are exposed, including around five million vulnerable populations,” the World Health Organization’s senior emergencies officer Adelheid Marschang said.

“Civilian infrastructure and potentially health infrastructure have been damaged across the affected region, mainly in Turkey and northwest Syria,” she said.

The WHO “considers that the main unmet needs may be in Syria in the immediate and mid-term,” Marschang told the WHO’s executive committee in Geneva.

She spoke as rescuers in Turkey and Syria braved freezing cold, aftershocks, and collapsing buildings, as they dug for survivors buried by a string of earthquakes that killed more than 5,000 people.

“It is now a race against time,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, explaining that the UN health agency was urgently sending aid to the area.

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Jan. inflation hit 14-year high 8.7% as prices of basic needs soar

By Julito G. Rada, Vince Lopez, Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and Othel V. Campos

INFLATION rose to its highest level in more than 14 years and showed no sign

of easing in January, rising to 8.7 percent from 8.1 percent a month ago and 3 percent a year ago, driven mainly by faster increases in the prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Tuesday.

“The January 2023 inflation was the

highest since November 2008 at 9.1 percent,” national statistician and civil registrar general Dennis Mapa said in a briefing.

PSA data also showed that core inflation — a measure of inflation that captures changes in the price of goods and services, excluding food and ener-

Labor group: Rising prices erode daily wage by P88

By Vito Barcelo

for all workers as relief from the shock of rising prices,” Rene Magtubo, PM national chair, said.

“The P570 minimum wage in NCR (National Capital Region) is actually just worth P482 by December 2022,” he added.

“P88 has been shaved off the real value of the minimum wage. Meaning, not only has the P33 minimum wage

hike in June 2022 been effectively wiped out by runaway inflation, workers’ real wages have been pushed back even further,” Magtubo said.

The labor group thus called for a new round of wage hikes to recover workers’ lost purchasing power not just in Metro Manila but across the whole country due to the surge in inflation.

gy — accelerated to 7.4 percent from 6.9 percent in December, the highest since April 1999.

The housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels index had an inflation of 8.5 percent in January 2023 from 7

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Omicron strain XBB1.5 here

THE Philippines has confirmed its first case of the coronavirus omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which experts said causes the most transmissible form of COVID-19, the Department of Health said Tuesday. Out of 1,078 samples sequenced by health authorities from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, 196 were found as XBB, including one case classified as XBB.1.5, the DOH

FLATTENED BY QUAKE. This aerial view shows residents searching for victims and survivors amidst the rubble of collapsed buildings following an earthquake in the village of Besnia near the town of Harim, in Syria’s rebel-held northwestern Idlib province on the border with Turkey, on February 6. Thousands have been reportedly killed in north Syria after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that originated in Turkey and was felt across neighboring countries. AFP

TAX CAMPAIGN. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is flanked by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. during the 2023 National Tax Campaign Kickoff at the PICC in Pasay City on Tuesday. Rey Baniquet

PBBM to Pinoys: Pay correct taxes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday encouraged Filipinos to pay the correct taxes critical to the government and moving the economy, as the Bureau of Internal Revenue promised to go after tax evaders during the BIR’s 2023 National Tax Campaign Kickoff at the PICC Complex in Pasay City.

“I also furthermore challenge the men and women of the BIR to work towards further gaining the confidence of the public in the tax system by upholding the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and competence in the performance of your duties,” Mr. Marcos said.

The President said taxes are important to revive the economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I assure the BIR that this adminis-

“We’re mobilizing emergency supplies and we have activated the WHO network of emergency medical teams to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable.”

Disaster agencies said several thousand buildings were flattened in cities across a vast Turkey-Syria border region -- pouring misery on an area already plagued by war, insurgency, refugee crises and a recent cholera outbreak.

Through the night, survivors used their bare hands to pick over the twisted ruins of multi-story apartment blocks -- trying to save family, friends and anyone else sleeping inside when the first massive 7.8-magnitude quake struck early Monday.

The situation is particularly dire in northern Syria, which has already been decimated by years of war.

“The movement of aid through the border into northwest Syria is likely to be or is already disrupted due to the damage caused by the earthquake,” Marschang said.

“This in itself would be a huge crisis already.”

She addressed a special meeting on the tragedy, which held a minute’s silence for the victims.

The WHO chief vowed that the agency would “work closely with all partners to support authorities in both countries in the critical hours and days ahead, and in the months and years to come as both countries recover and rebuild.” AFP

tration will always give support in your aspiration of developing a country that is conducive for employment opportunities, financial investments, and institution-building,” the President stressed.

Mr. Marcos also expressed his confidence that Filipinos will continue to cooperate, collaborate, and coordinate with the government in improving the tax collection system.

Public cooperation will result in more opportunities for growth, “especially

now that the country is recovering from the adverse impacts of the global health crisis,” he said.

The President assured the people that the government will remain committed to managing and utilizing their contributions for the benefit of the country.

He acknowledged BIR’s accomplishments last year, particularly the intensified implementation of the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE), which resulted in the filing of 15 cases with the Department of Justice (DOJ) amounting to P5.1 billion in tax liability. This is in addition to 38 cases filed with the Court of Tax Appeals (CA) amounting to an estimated P5.32 billion in estimated tax liability.

Just recently, 74 criminal complaints

for tax evasion were filed before the Department of Justice, with about P3.58 billion in tax liabilities.

Through the agency’s “Oplan Kandado” program, the BIR has brought more than P550 million to the government repository, the President said.

The BIR has likewise broadened the country’s tax base through the aggressive Tax Compliance Drive, which enabled it to collect more than P250 million in 2022, doubling the collection compared with the previous year.

This growth is a remarkable increase -- 13 percent higher than the BIR’s own target of 3 percent for the year and covered around 5.2 million business taxpayers, according to the President.

Vince Lopez

Palace reveals new appointees for OP, LWUA

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday released the latest appointments in two departments under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Among the new appointments was Mary Lyn Charisse Lagamon, who was named as Presidential Assistant I of the Office of the Appointments under the Office of the President. Lagamon’s appointment date was Jan. 18, 2023, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

Marcos also named Vicente Homer Revil as acting administrator and member of the Board of Trustees of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA).

Filipinos have been reported as casualties of the earthquake and its aftershocks that hit the Turkish city of Gaziantep early Monday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it would deploy 33 military personnel to help in ongoing search and rescue efforts in Turkey. The personnel are trained in search and rescue operations and have the equipment for the special task, AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Andres Centino said.

“We are sending two groups, from the Army and the Air Force. A total of 33 personnel -- 21 from the Army, 12 from the Air Force,” Centino told reporters on the sidelines of the inspection of responding troops and equipment at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

While this is the first time for the troops to be deployed abroad, Centino said they have responded to various calamities and typhoons in the Philippines, including the aftermath of Typhoon Odette in December 2021.

A massive rescue effort in both Turkey and Syria battled frigid weather in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people.

Tremors that inflicted more suffering on a border area already plagued by conflict left people on the streets burning debris to try to stay warm.

Turkey put the latest death toll at 3,419 in that country alone -- bringing the confirmed tally in both Turkey and Syria to 5,021.

Rescuers were working on collapsed apartments with heavy equipment as a worldwide relief effort promised food, search teams, and equipment for the disaster zone.

The United States, the European Union, and Russia led international messages of condolence and offers of help.

There are fears that the toll will rise inexorably, with WHO officials estimating up to 20,000 may have died. They warned that up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake and urged nations to rush help to the disaster zone (see related story on A1 – Editors)

President Joe Biden promised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the United States will send “any and all” aid needed to help recover.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to provide “the necessary assistance” to Turkey, whose combat drones are helping Kyiv fight the Russian invasion.

Chinese state media said on Tuesday that Beijing was sending rescuers, medical teams, and other supplies.

Turkey is in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.

The country’s last 7.8-magnitude tremor was in 1939 when 33,000 died in the eastern Erzincan province.

The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999 when more than 17,000 people died.

Experts have long warned a large quake could devastate Istanbul, a megalopolis of 16 million people filled with rickety homes.

“We live on the first floor out of three, we’re too scared to return,” said Imam Caglar, 42, in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa. “Our building is not safe at all.”

“My mother-in-law, my father-in-law, and two of my father-in-law’s sons (are trapped),” said Mahmud al-Ali in the Syrian city of Aleppo. “We are sitting here in the cold and rain and waiting for the rescuers to start digging.”

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck Monday as people slept, flattening thousands of structures, trapping an unknown number of people, and potentially impacting millions.

Whole rows of buildings collapsed, leaving some of the heaviest devastation near the quake’s epicenter between the Turkish cities of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.

The destruction led to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declaring Tuesday a three-month state of emergency in 10 southeastern provinces.

Fears toll will rise

A winter storm has compounded the misery by rendering many roads -- some of them damaged by the quake -- almost impassable, resulting in traffic jams that stretch for kilometers in some regions.

The cold rain and snow are a risk both for people forced from their homes -- who took refuge in mosques, schools or even bus shelters -- and the survivors buried under debris.

“It is now a race against time,” said World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“We have activated the WHO network of emergency medical teams to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable,” he added.

The Syrian Red Crescent appealed to Western countries to lift sanctions and provide aid as President Bashar al-Assad’s government remains a pariah in the West, complicating international relief efforts.

Washington and the European Commission said on Monday that humanitarian programmes supported by them were responding to the destruction in Syria.

‘My family under rubble’

The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO also said it was ready to provide assistance after two sites listed on its World Heritage list in Syria and Turkey sustained damage.

In addition to the damage to Aleppo’s old city and the fortress in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, UNESCO said at least three other World Heritage sites could be affected.

Much of the quake-hit area of northern Syria has already been decimated by years of war and aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russia forces that destroyed homes, hospitals, and clinics. Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo and AFP

His date of appointment was Feb. 6, 2023, the PCO said.

Meanwhile, Jovy Bernabe was appointed as an acting member of the LWUA’s Board of Trustees. Bernabe’s appointment date was Feb. 6, 2023.

Mr. Marcos administered the oath of office to Lagamon, Revil, and Bernabe in Malacañang Palace on Monday.

The LWUA is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) with a specialized lending function mandated by law to promote and oversee the development of water supply systems in provincial cities and municipalities outside of Metro Manila.

It holds office in its own building at the MWSS-LWUA Compound located at Balara, Quezon City. Vince Lopez

Jan. inflation...

From A1

percent in December 2022. This was followed by food and non-alcoholic beverages at 10.7 percent, up from 10.2 percent in December 2022.

Also contributing to the faster inflation was restaurants and accommodation services with an inflation of 7.6 percent from 7 percent in December 2022.

Higher annual increases were also observed in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 10.9 percent; clothing and footwear, 4.4 percent; furnishings, household equipment, 5.2 percent; health, 3.3 percent; recreation, sport and culture, 4.2 percent; and, personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 5 percent.

Agriculture, to make sure these hoarders and all these foolish activities of traders are stopped,” Romualdez said in an interview.

“My message is: moderate your greed, release the supply of these basic commodities –these vegetables, whether they be onion, garlic. Moderate your greed, and give us fair prices, if not, your days are numbered, we’re going after all of you,” he stressed.

In a separate statement issued shortly after the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the House of Representatives and Ateneo de Manila University for a Research Partnership Project, Romualdez said he has already directed House Committee on Agriculture chairman and Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga to get to the bottom of the situation.

“We’d like to tell the public that the House of Representatives will use all its resources, and employ all its efforts to ensure that we bring back stable prices and stable supply of these basic commodities,” the Speaker said.

According to Romualdez, there is no reason for the prices of commodities such as onion and garlic to soar sky-high because there is sufficient supply based on the information reaching the House.

“It only points out to one thing, there is hoarding, there is price manipulation. So we are warning those who are behind these nefarious activities—that your days are numbered, the House will be going after you,” Romualdez said.

“So stop this foolishness, bring back the supply, stabilize it, work with us. And if not, you’re against us — your days are numbered,” he added.

During the meeting on Tuesday, Romualdez told officials of the DA and DTI to name traders suspected of manipulating the supply and prices of onion, garlic, and other agricultural commodities so the House can invite them in the forthcoming congressional investigation to be conducted by the Committee on Agriculture.

It cited that inflation in January 2023 reached 8.7%, slightly higher than the 8.1% in December, adding that the inflation figure was the highest recorded since December 2008, which was in the context of the onset of the global financial crisis.

“Inflation is higher in areas outside

said in its latest biosurveillance report.

The report showed that XBB cases were found in all regions except Region 8 (Western Visayas) and the Bangsamoro.

The DOH said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control classified XBB.1.5, an offshoot of the XBB

generating a magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

Based on instrumental records, the 1990 Luzon earthquake was the strongest to hit the country, producing a 125-kilometer-long ground rupture that stretched from Dingalan, Aurora to Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya.

The quake was caused by strike-slip movements along the northwest segment of the Philippine Fault Zone and its splay, the Digdig Fault.

“We have several active segments in the Philippines. It’s more than a hundred segments, but the longest is the Philippine Fault – 1,200 kilometers from Davao to Luzon,” Bacolcol said.

Metro Manila. The consumer price index for January 2023 in Metro Manila was 118.2, while areas outside it was 122.3, according to statistical tables released today by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PM’s demand for a wage hike is based on a computation by the group using the PSA data,” the labor group said. “We reiterate the call we made in May 2022 — before the recent round of minimum wage hikes in June 2022 by different regional wage boards — for a

subvariant, as a variant of interest due to its increasing prevalence globally and enhanced immune-evading properties. The variant has been detected in 59 countries across 6 continents, according to sequence submissions in GISAID. Based on estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the subvariant accounted for 66.4 percent of cases in the US from Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, 2023.

The Phivolcs chief added that the Philippine Fault moved just last week, causing the magnitude 6 earthquake in Davao de Oro.

He said he thinks that people are more prepared now compared to 20 years ago, regularly participating in quarterly earthquake drills.

“People now are more aware than they were 20 years ago, and especially with the advent of social media. They see the effects of strong earthquakes like what happened in Turkey,” he said. Participating in earthquake drills helps in developing a culture of preparedness, making people aware of what to do during actual events, he said.

Bacolcol reminded the public to duck, cover and hold in case of earthquakes, and to go out in an orderly manner once

P100 wage increase. This should be for all workers, not just those at the minimum salary level, since all have suffered from wage erosion,” he said.

The group clarified that the wage hike demand is merely wage recovery.

“We are not yet even talking of workers claiming a just share in the fruits of their labor. From 2001 to 2016, real wages stagnated but labor productivity increased by 50% and the GDP doubled,” Magtubo said.

According to the rapid risk assessment conducted by the World Health Organization, there is moderatestrength evidence for increased risk of transmission and immune escape, the DOH report read.

However, currently available evidence for XBB.1.5 does not suggest any differences in disease severity and clinical manifestations compared to the original omicron variant. Willie Casas

the ground shaking stops.

The epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude quake in Turkey was located in the province of Kahramanmaras near the Syrian border, Turkey’s Afad disaster management agency. Another 6.6-magnitude earthquake was measured shortly after in Gaziantep province, Afad said.

Turkey has long been of particular interest to earthquake researchers.

The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) in Potsdam installed measuring equipment in Turkey and has been conducting seismic monitoring in the country since the 1980s.

GFZ records show that the earthquake risk is very high throughout the region around the Sea of Marmara, for example, where Istanbul lies.

“The question is not whether an

“On housing, rents were adjusted especially amid the reopening of the economy. Rates were steady during the pandemic but adjustments were noted at the end of 2022. We will monitor if there will be changes in the months ahead,” Mapa said. Asked if faster inflation could be expected in the coming months, Mapa said the risk would come from the prices of food. He also said although onions had a lower weight in the food basket, its inflation increased by 132.2 percent, making it the “major contributor to food inflation” for the month.

The January 2023 inflation went beyond the projected target range of 7.5 percent to 8.3 percent for the month of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Michael Ricafort, the chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said that global crude oil and other global commodity prices went up after the economic reopening of China in December 2022, thereby leading to higher local prices of gasoline, diesel, LPG, and other fuels.

“Other global commodity prices also corrected higher during the month, such as grains and metal prices, amid the economic reopening narrative in China, which is the world’s second largest economy and the world’s biggest buyer of crude oil and other major global commodities,” Ricafort said.

earthquake will come. The question is when it will come,” Marco Bohnhoff, a seismologist at GFZ and an expert on the region, said in 2019.

Bohnhoff and other experts base this estimate on the occurrence of several strong earthquakes throughout Istanbul’s history, the ongoing continental drift beneath the Sea of Marmara and the existence of an area of the earthquake zone located just outside Istanbul that has long been suspiciously quiet.

Bohnhoff said that there was a lot of evidence suggesting that the plates in this area were “snagged,” causing tension to build up.

Eventually, he suggested, the rock would not be able to withstand the tension anymore and the plates pushing against each other would move in a jolt of several meters in a matter of seconds. With AFP

Remulla moves to deactivate BI Port group over anomalies

By Rey E. Requejo

DEPARTMENT of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday said he will issue an order mandating the deactivation of the Bureau of Immigration’s Port Operations Division (BI-POD) due to recent controversies involving the agency’s personnel.

“I am about to sign an order that deactivated that office at the Bureau of Immigration that we believe is part of the defect of the immigration system right now. That is the Port Operations Division, centralizing port operations under one person,” Remulla stressed.

According to Remulla, the deactivation of BI-POD is in response to other controversies that the agency is currently facing, particularly on the process of immigration in the country.

The BI-POD is headed by lawyer Carlos Capulong.

The DOJ Secretary noted that the BIPOD is an office that centralizes the opera-

IN BRIEF

CHR probes rape cases in Laguna, Cavite

THE Commission on Human Rights

(CHR) regional office in Calabarzon is now conducting a motu proprio probe into two separate alleged rape incidents involving police officers in Laguna and Cavite.

“The Commission welcomes and acknowledges the swift action demonstrated by the Philippine National Police and the regional trial court. We note that both suspects are now facing criminal and administrative charges for the alleged human rights violations. To aid the progress of these cases, CHR is open to explore areas of cooperation with concerned agencies in order to ascertain the truth and deliver justice, including the provision of financial and legal assistance for the victims,” the CHR said.

“The Commission reiterates that, as primary duty bearers, government must continue to fulfill its obligation to protect women and children from human rights violations and abuse. Rio

N. Araja

DENR-EMB seeks zero waste goal

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is urging the public to be part of the solution to take action to achieve zero waste.

The agency through its Environmental Management Bureau called on the people that it is high time to take responsibility and do their “best to properly dispose waste with zero waste living— reuse, reduce, recycle—on top of everyone’s mindset.”

The DENR said each person’s action matters as the country is already suffering from garbage overload, lack of land to serve as sanitary landfills and even the mismanagement of solid waste disposal systems.

The bureau said it is vital that households and communities have zero waste strategies in place, especially since Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 has been in effect for 22 years now. Rio N. Araja

MMDA tests EDSA stop-go tra ic scheme

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Tuesday enforced a four-day Stop-and-Go Traffic Scheme along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Mandaluyong City in connection with the 52nd Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO).

“The MMDA will implement a stopand-go traffic scheme along EDSA Shaw Boulevard Northbound until February 10, for the 52nd SEAMEO Council Conference,” the agency stated in its advisory.

The event is being held at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. MMDA chief information officer Sharon Gentalian said a total of 685 personnel will be deployed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the area.

The SEAMEO is a regional intergovernmental organization established in 1965 among governments of Southeast Asian countries to promote regional cooperation in education, science and culture in the region. Joel

E. Zurbano

tions of the different ports in the country. Remulla stressed the duties and responsibilities of the BI-POD will be decentralized and command responsibility will be assigned to every person heading the operation in every airport.

Remulla said he would be discussing with BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco about the possible disciplinary measures to be imposed against immigration personnel who have violated immigration laws and procedures.

“We will investigate those who will have to be investigated. We will not hesitate to look into anybody who has to be questioned. All offices are fair game here. There are no sacred cows as far as we are concerned here at the Department of Justice,” Remulla vowed.

Earlier, three immigration officers were relieved from their posts for their alleged involvement in human trafficking activities at the Clark International Airport (CIA) and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Anti-narcotics campaign nets P30.9b worth of drugs in 2022

By Vince Lopez

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported that the government’s intensified anti-narcotics campaign has resulted in the seizure of some P30.9 billion worth of illegal drugs in 2022.

In its 2022 accomplishment report presented to Malacañang this week, the PDEA said that aside from the multibillion worth of drugs seized by law enforcement agencies, it also destroyed some P27.8 billion worth of drugs, controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECS).

The PDEA also said through more than 37,000 operations conducted by the agency and other law enforcement units, a total of 53,002 drug personalities were arrested.

Some 237 marijuana sites were also eradi-

cated, resulting in the destruction of P738.6 million worth of marijuana plants and derivatives, according to the PDEA report.

To reduce the demand for illegal drugs, PDEA conducted 257,588 Preventive Education and Community Involvement (PECI) activities and established 111 Balay Silangan Reformation Centers, producing around 2,000 graduates and employing 894 individuals.

The PDEA said more than 300,000 Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUDs) in drugcleared barangays underwent community-

based drug rehabilitation programs, while 67,045 PWUDs were given intervention programs. Out of 25,306 resolved cases last year, the PDEA said 21,112 or 83 percent resulted in convictions while 1,439 cases or 6 percent were dismissed by the courts.

Police officers in Metro Manila meanwhile seized over P10.7 million worth of illegal drugs from Jan. 23 to 29, while Bureau of Customs agents intercepted illegal drugs worth more than P2.4 million at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC), Pair Cargo, and DHL Warehouse in Pasay City.

NCRPO deputy regional director for operation, Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, said these illegal drugs were seized in 348 police operations during the period. He said a total of 486 drug suspects were also arrested. Wanky added that these operations also resulted in the arrest of 17 persons for illegal possession of firearms while 19 firearms were seized. Vito Barcelo

Women’s club conducts tree planting in La Mesa

IN observance of its 102nd founding anniversary, the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines (NFWC) led by its president Linda Gonzalez conducted a tree planting activity the other day at the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center inside the La Mesa Watershed in Quezon City.

“This is a milestone project for NFWC as we observe our anniversary by planting trees and becoming a new partner of the Million Trees Foundation Inc. in our collective effort to save the watersheds that are sources of water and in our fight against climate change,” Gonzales said.

Other prominent NFWC officers present include past presidents Mary Jane Ortega and Ester Santa Ana, and officers VP Erlinda Tiu, VP Merlinda Sualibios, Lariden Honorio, Marilyn Aggabao, Maria Theresa Timbol, Fe Soriano.

In a video message, MWSS Trustee and NFWC Director Melanie Lambino cited the importance of planting trees and protecting the watersheds for water security.

For his part, MTFI president and executive director Melandrew Velasco, who served as guest speaker, lauded NFWC and its members for their continuing effort to serve God, country and home by embarking on a nationwide advocacy to plant trees for Mother Earth.

“Thank you for continuing with your mothering duties and in loving and serving our country, this time by joining the movement to plant million of trees to protect our watersheds. I am one with NFWC having published a book on Angela Valdez Ramos, mother of former President Fidel V. Ramos. Angela or Ilang Ramos was one of the leading icons and leaders for women’s right to vote in 1937 and in NFWC’s eminent role in then led by its president Josefa Llanes Escoda taking care of the Prisoners of War (POW) at Camp O’ Donnel in Capas, Tarlac during World 2,” Velasco said.

Senate bills seek to protect more habitats across country

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SEN. Cynthia A. Villar is seeking to include more protected areas in the Philippines to preserve the country’s biodiversity.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, said there are still many places in the country experiencing high rates of habitat degradation and biodiversity loss.

In her opening remarks during Tuesday’ committee hearing on the country’s protected areas, Villar lamented that hotspots have lost around 86% of their original habitat. They are also considered to be significantly threatened due to manmade exploitation and by climate change.

“Hence, there are still many areas in the country, such as wetlands, marine sanctuaries, tropical forests, watersheds, wildlife sanctuaries, among others, that remain under-protected and one certain way of affording protection to these areas is by designating them as protected areas through legislation,” she said.

The senator noted that adding more protected areas becomes even more urgent and relevant now due to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which runs from 2021 to 2030.

This was declared so that all nations can massively scale up the restoration of destroyed ecosystems in their respective jurisdictions.

Due to this, Villar said it is an opportune time to discuss the merits of the seven bills on six proposed protected areas.

The following bills are:

• Bill expanding the area of an existing legislated protected area;

• SB No. 354 and SB No. 1259 referring to the Paoay Lake Protected Landscape in Ilocos Norte;

• SB No. 1536 referring to the expansion of the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park, a protected area in Las Piñas and Parañaque;

• SB No. 1691, which refers to the San Francisco Protected Landscape (commonly known as the Mulanay Watershed Forest Reserve) in Quezon Province;

• SB No. 1725 referring to the Alibijaban Protected Landscape and Seascape also in Quezon Province;

• SB No. 355 referring to the Taklong and Tandog Group of Islands Natural Park in Guimaras; and

• SB No. 517, which refers to the Bantayan Group of Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape in Cebu.

Agri group opposes new economic partnership plan

FEDERATION of Free Farmers Board

chair Leonardo Montemayor said the group is strongly opposing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), adding that tariffs on salt, monggo, onions, and other products remain high. Montemayor, facing the hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Foreign Relations, that the agri-fishery sector was kept in the dark even before former President Rodrigo Duterte signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on September 2020.

The Senate panel is chaired by Senate Pro Tempore Loren Legarda. The Senate until now has not ratified the FTA which calls for the Philippines to partner with countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and China.

The Senate inquiry was conducted to look into the RCEP’s effects on the country’s economy, particularly the agricultural sector and the life of every Filipino. Montemayor also divulged they did not know about the RCEP and FTA not until it was signed by the former president Montemayor also said the group is small, as it makes up 25% of the labor force which includes farmers, fishers, and other agricultural producers.

Furthermore, he said their contributions to the gross domestic product (GDP) is 35%. Montemayor also lamented that despite their huge contribution, the highest poverty incidence is found in the rural sector that include the agricultural workers. He said they have long been waiting for

the measures of the government so that the country’s agricultural products will not be affected by the FTA.

Senate President Migz Zubiri said they did not ratify the RCEP in the previous Congress due to their concerns to the agricultural sector. Trade chief. Alfred Pascual guaranteed that the department will carefully look into the negotiations. He said products sensitive to Filipino farmers like onions and meat will not be included in the tariff.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chairperson of the House of Representatives committee on ways and means, meanwhile has vowed to address issues regarding “the value added tax treatment of indirect exporters and local suppliers of direct exporters.” Macon RamosAraneta and Maricel V. Cruz

MISDECLARED. Bureau of Customs (BOC) agents intercepted a parcel with shabu with an estimated street value of P1.743 million at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport recently. The parcel was declared “Antique French Phone” and came from France. BOC Photo

TREE PLANTING. O cer of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs of the Philippines led by its president Linda Gonzales and NFWC foundation president Mary Jane Ortega participate in the Million Trees Foundation tree-planting activity at the La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City.

FIRST DAY. Newly-appointed Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchailan on Tuesday recently went to the DSWD’s Reception and Study Center in Bago Bantay, Quezon City for a routine visit. Gatchalian was recently appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to replace Erwin Tulfo. Manny Palmero

Solon hails House passage of right-of-way measure

A PAMPANGA lawmaker on Tuesday cited the passage by the House of Representatives thanked the leadership of the House of Representatives of a consolidated bill expediting the acquisition of right of way (ROW) for national government infrastructure projects.

The lower chamber overwhelmingly approved the bill on third and final reading on Monday night.

SAYS EMBASSY IN TOKYO

‘PBBM Japan trip to bring in P150b, 8k jobs’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s working trip to Japan is seen to generate P150 billion in investment pledges that could employ about 8,000 Filipinos, the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo said Tuesday.

Philippine Ambassador to Japan

Mylene Garcia-Albano, in an ANC interview, said several letters of intent and agreements “to significantly expand Japanese investments” in the Philippines would be signed during the visit.

“We are expecting that substantial returns in terms of new projects, the value of which we currently estimate at 150 billion pesos and we estimate too that this will generate employment for 8,000 Filipinos,” she said.

Marcos will deliver a keynote address during a Philippine Business Opportunity seminar to be attended by “hundreds of top Japanese businessmen.”

He will also meet with chairpersons and top executives of electronics, semiconductors, printers and wiring harness manufacturing companies at a roundtable meeting, Garcia-Albano said.

media users

THE Philippines is No. 1 in terms of social media users aged 16 to 64 years old, a report by two international researchers stated.

According to the 2023 Global Digital Report by Meltwater and We Are Social, 46 percent of Filipino social media users aged 16 to 64 admitted they follow influencers and other social media experts.

Next to the Philippines is Nigeria (45.4 percent), Brazil (41.7 percent), Kenya (35.2 percent), South Africa (34.6 percent), Indonesia (34.4 percent), Saudi Arabia (30.1 percent), Colombia (29.6 percdent), Mexico (28.2 percent) and Malaysia (28.1 percent).

Russia is at the tail-end with 6.3 percent, while Turkey had 11.7 percent; Japan, 12.8 percent; Greece, 14.0 percent; and China, 14.5 percent.

Globally, the report said that of the social media users from ages 16 to 24 years old, 30.6 percent are females and 24.3 are males. For ages 25-34, 27.3 percent are female and 22.8 percent are male.

The Philippinees also topped in internet users who watch vlogs each week, as well as the ratio of internet users who play video games, based on the same report.

The 2023 Global Digital Report showed various data from market research agencies, internet and social media companies, governments, public bodies, news media, and private individuals, as well as extrapolations and analysis of that data.

Meltwater is a software and online media monitoring company, while We Are Social is a creative agency actively involved in social media.

During the meeting, ways to ensure the success of these businesses in the Philippines will be discussed.

Marcos will be in Japan for an official visit from Feb. 8 to 12.

The DFA earlier confirmed that the two nations would also ink seven key bilateral agreements, covering infrastructure development, defense, agriculture, and information and communications technology.

Among the documents to be signed is the exchange of notes on the loan agreements on the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) from Malolos to Tutuban and the NSCR extension.

This will involve about $3 billion worth of loans that will later be signed by the Department of Finance.

Vince Lopez

CHIEF Justice Alexander Gesmundo has urged the officers and members of the Philippine Bar Association, the country’s oldest voluntary organization of lawyers, to support the Supreme Court’s five-year reform program for the judiciary.

In his speech during the oath-taking of PBA officers and members of the board of trustees and council of advisers, Gesmundo reiterated that the reform program under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (SPJI) was meant to dispense justice “efficiently, effectively, and timely.”

Gesmundo said the SPJI for 2022 to 2027 “is anchored on four guiding principles: timely and fair justice, transparent and accountable justice, equal and inclusive justice, and technologically adaptive management.”

“These principles will propel the Court towards achieving three outcomes: efficiency, innovation, and ac-

Justice

chief vows to stop fugitives from hiding in PH

By Rey E. Requejo

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday vowed to prevent the Philippines from being a haven for transnational fugitives evading prosecution in their home countries Remulla issued the pledge on the heels of Tuesday’s deportation of two Japanese nationals suspected of being the leaders of a crime syndicate in Japan.

Two more Japanese fugitives, Tomonobu Saito and Yuki Watanabe, are set for deportation today. The Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) dismissed the criminal charges against Saito and Watanabe, in effect, paving their way for their deportation.

The DOJ shipped out on Tuesday Imamura Kiyoto and Fujita Toshiya on board a Japan Airlines flight 746 bound for Narita, Japan.

The four Japanese nationals were pre-

viously detained at the Bureau of Immigration (BI), and the Japanese government asked Manila for their deportation.

The DOJ said the deportees had been “identified by Japanese police to be the leaders of a criminal organization in their home country and have been charged with robbery and theft.”

The DOJ had expressed hopes that the actions taken against the Japanese fugitives “signal to the international community that we are willing to cooperate in the fight against criminality.”

In dismissing the criminal charges against Saito and Watanabe, Remulla said the Pasay City RTC acted on the motions of government prosecutors to withdraw the complaints.

“The court upheld the grounds that we have been speaking about these cases looking like fabricated cases, done as an afterthought or only as a means of frustrating the government to deport the fugitives,” Remulla said.

CJ asks lawyers to back SC’s reform plan for judiciary

cess,” he added.

The top magistrate administered the oaths of office to the new PBA officials at the SC’s session hall last Monday.

The PBA’s new set of officers are Ernestine C.J.D. Villareal-Fernando, president; Joel Raymond R. Ayson, 1st vice president; Peter Irving C. Corvera, 2nd vice president; Joseph Manalo R. Rebano, 3rd vice president; Rodolfo A. Gamboa, vice president for administration and finance; Chrysilla Carissa P. Bautista, treasurer; Victor E.M. Pangilinan, assistant treasurer; Arnel Victor C. Valeña, corporate secretary; and Israfel D. Fagela, assistant corporate secretary.

The board of trustees is composed of Jose Luis V. Agcaoili, Joel Raymond R. Ayson, Chrysilla Carissa P. Bautista, Rodelle B. Bolante, Rico V. Domingo, Israfel D. Fagela, Abdiel Dan Elijah S. Fajardo, Ernestine C.J.D. VillarealFernando, Alfredo B. Molo III, Miguel

Luis H. Orosa, Victor E.M. Pangilinan, Joseph Manolo R. Rebano, Maria Teresita Geraldine C. Sison-Go, and Arnel Victor C. Valeña; while the council of advisers are Avelino J. Cruz, Jr., Rodel A. Cruz, Ruben O. Fruto, Llewellyn L. Llanillo, and Fina Bernadette Dela Cuesta-Tantuico.

“We are thankful that we can count on the PBA to support us in our endeavors. I know that together we can make sure that our people can reap the fruits of these reforms sooner rather than later, and that together, we can usher in the new standard of justice— and in doing so, cultivate a wider, deeper, fuller adherence to the rule of law in our country,” the Chief Justice said in his speech. He said he “looks forward to the PBA’s more diverse program of activities in complement to the Court’s reform program, the SPJI.” The PBA was founded in 1891. Rey E. Requejo

Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. was one of the principal authors of the proposed law, having filed the first ROW measure, House Bill 183, on June 30, 2022.

Gonzales, a civil engineer, said delays in ROW acquisition “do not only hamper national growth and development, but expose the government to unnecessary expenses that can be avoided.”

“Construction laws need to be updated for the prompt completion of infrastructure projects and their timely use and enjoyment by our people,” he said.

Romualdez said ROW issues are holding up the implementation of public works projects like highways, expressways, railways, ports, and other mass transportation systems.

“The speedy implementation of these infrastructures will benefit our people, as it will definitely hasten mobility and interconnectivity, which in turn will result in lower transportation costs,” he said.

The consolidated bill was endorsed by the committee on public works and highways chaired by Surigao del Sur Rep. Romeo Momo, a former undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Maricel V. Cruz

UN criminologist tapped to train

Pinoy pathologists

JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Tuesday disclosed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is organizing a group of 35 medical doctors to undergo training on forensic pathology under the tutelage of forensic expert Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, also the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings.

Dr. Tidball-Binz, who arrived in Manila last February 6, will be in the country until Feb. 8.

He was invited by Remulla, not as the UN Special Rapporteur, but as a forensic expert.

The Justice chief said earlier that Tidball-Binz visit would help the Philippine government rectify what he described as “wrongful death tragedies” in the country.

According to Remulla, Tidball-Binz will return to the Philippines in May or August this year to help in the capacity building program for Filipino forensic pathologists.

“We’re looking forward when he comes back. We would have already prepared a class for 35 medical doctors,” he said.

Aside from the medical doctors, Remulla said government prosecutors would also be asked to join the training program under Dr. Tidball-Binz.

“The capacity building is not only for forensic pathology, but also (for those) with investigative work,” he explained.

The training will be funded by the UN Joint Program with the Philippines. Rey E. Requejo

UP prof slams cops who arrested her

A UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) professor on Tuesday deplored alleged irregularities being committed by the police in arresting her for purported non-remittance of Social Security System premiums of a domestic helper.

Melania Flores, a faculty member at the UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan and former president of the All UP Academic Employees Union, was reportedly arrested on Monday right inside her home at the UP campus in Quezon City.

Flores said the arresting officers introduced themselves to her as personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Speaking to ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo, Flores said she was arrested for allegedly violating Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, specifically for failing to remit the Social Security System (SSS) contributions of a former domestic helper. She assailed her arrest as “politically

motivated.”

The case was filed by the SSS, according to Flores.

The Quezon City Police District said the arrest warrant against Flores was issued by QC RTC Branch 230 Judge Maria Gilda Loja Pangalinan, with recommended bail of P72,000.

But the educator-unionist said she was not aware of the charges, nor did she receive any subpoena supposedly for her to attend any hearing.

In a separate interview on ANC’s Dateline Philippines, Flores said her household helper left them in 2013, and she had relayed this to the SSS.

The arresting officers also allegedly violated a 1992 agreement between UP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which requires law enforcers to coordinate with the university administration before conducting any operation on campus, Flores said.

CONGRESS-ADMU PARTNERSHIP ACCORD. Speaker Martin Romualdez and Ateneo De Manila University president Dr. Roberto Yap seal a memorandum of agreement for a Research Partnership Project in a signing ceremony held at the Romualdez hall of the House of Representatives. The accord involves the formation of a “Research Team” to conduct studies on sectors identified in the 8-Point Agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Also in photo are Tingog partylist Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, House secretary general Reginald Velasco, Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo, and Dr. Ser Percival Peña-Reyes of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development. Ver Noveno

HOMEWARD-BOUND. Two Japanese fugitives wanted by the law in Japan are being deported on board Japanese Airlines flight from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Danny Pata

The Manila Metropolitan

Operations, the Manila Police District, and

Norman Cruz

Roberto V. Ongpin, 86, patriot and hero

TEN minutes after Roberto Velayo Ongpin passed into eternity at 1:08 early morning of Feb, 5, 2023, Sunday, Lia, his youngest grandchild, awakened and cried, “Lolo has floated away!”

The four-year-old toddler’s plaintive whine awakened the whole Ongpin household in his palatial villa overlooking Lamon Bay, in the fabled Balesin island resort in Quezon province he built from scratch in the past 10 years.

They tried to revive Bobby. To no avail. One of the country’s most accomplished and controversial tycoons had gone to his Creator for good.

Born Jan. 6, 1937, Bobby or RVO, as he was fondly called, was 86. Ongpin was a management expert, public servant, entrepreneur and wheeler-dealer par excellence.

Very few in the business world could match his guts, self-confidence, visioning, and power of execution.

In defining Ongpin’s legacy, remember five things. They make him a true patriot and hero in the mold of his great, great grandfather, the 19th century candlemaker Roman T. Ongpin (18471912) of Binondo, who funded the Philippine Revolution.

Roman’s son, Alfonso, was Bobby’s father, Luis Ongpin, a stockbroker.

One, Bobby Ongpin built the Philippines’ premier high-end property development company, Alphaland Corporation which has had four major projects: the members-only 494-hectare Balesin Island Club; the Alphaland Makati Place (which has a hotel and a members-only City Club); the Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges; and the Alphaland Southgate Corp., a Makati commercial building which was later sold to generate funds to pay all of Ongpin’s bank debts and bank-roll the startup of an ambitious Boracay-type beach resort, the 749-hectare Patnanungan island.

Today, Alphaland is estimated to have an intrinsic value of $2.6 billion.

Ongpin’s networth was valued at $2.1 billion.

A geopolitically tense crisis

THE shooting down on February 4 of a high altitude, large, slow-moving Chinese spy balloon by the US military suggests more than what the observant diplomatic eye can see.

1983-early 1986, by setting up the Binondo Central Bank (BCB), a de facto black market foreign exchange operations to prevent the peso from devaluing into depths beyond the reach of everyone.

The Aug. 21,1983 assassination of opposition leader Benigno S. Aquino Jr,. triggered the most debilitating economic crisis ever which triggered massive capital flight, phenomenal loss of investor confidence, an unprecedented debt crisis, runway inflation, and a run of the country’s precious foreign reserves.

At one point, the dollar reserves fell to as low as $1 million, with the peso threatening to lose its value, from P8.54 to $1 in 1982, to $11.11 in 1983 post-assassination, and as high as P20 per dollar before 1984.

Using Marcos’s martial law powers and toughas-nails management, Ongpin nurtured the peso rate to a manageable P16.69 in 1984, P16.60 in 1985 and P20 per dollar by the time the strongman was ousted in the February 1986 People Power.

To stabilize the peso-dollar rate, Ongpin gathered daily seven major forex traders responsible for generating most of the country’s dollar earnings.

All their dollars must be surrendered daily to the BCB and profits were capped at a certain ratio of the peso-dollar rate. The annals of the central bank do not give credit to Ongpin’s herculean and patriotic efforts.

Five, unfortunately, Ongpin’s peso-dollar stabilization helped trigger the 1986 EDSA

People Power.

Not many people know it but EDSA I was triggered by greed and was won by a lie. The crowds that massed on EDSA on Feb. 24, 1986, Monday, and Feb. 25, Tuesday, were there not to stage a revolt but to hold a picnic.

June Keithley had announced on radio at 7 a.m. of Feb. 24, 1986 that the Marcoses had left. It was a lie. In their glee and feeling that finally it was all over, people trooped to EDSA to celebrate.

The greed arose from a Chinese forex trader who violated the peso-dollar trading band imposed by the then unofficial central bank, the Binondo Central Bank managed and headed by then Trade and Industry Secretary Ongpin.

Ongpin had the erring trader arrested and loaded into a van.

Two, he was the youngest head of the SyCip, Gorres, Velayo and Co. (later simply SGV) and built it to become the largest professional services firm (accounting, audit, tax, and management services) west of the Mississippi.

At its peak, more than 80 percent of the Philippines’ largest corporations had SGV as their auditor. Engaging SGV gave its clients the seal of good housekeeping and immense credit credibility.

Three, he was the most visionary of all Philippine ministers of trade and industry. Defying a colossal economic crisis, Minister Ongpin envisioned massive Philippine industrialization with his overarching 11 major industrial projects (MIPs). These included an integrated steel mill, copper smelter, aluminum smelter, petrochemical complex, phosphate fertilizer plant, diesel engine manufacturing, cement industry expansion, integrated pulp and paper mill, heavy engineering industries, and an alcogas plant.

The MIPs would have transformed the Philippines into a NIC (newly industrializing country) almost overnight but a debt crisis, cronyism, and the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1986 sent Ongpin’s projects into oblivion.

Today, those projects, if undertaken at 10 to 20 times their original costs, would still be valid and viable.

Four, he helped stabilize the Philippine economy at its moment of gravest peril, from

Unfortunately, the forex trader died.

Unfortunately again, the trader happened to be a man of then-Armed Forces chief Fabian C. Ver.

Angered, the dreaded military chief had 22 of Ongpin’s security men, provided by RAM leader Gringo Honasan, arrested.

They were marching in full battle gear and dressed in SWAT uniform at about 4 a.m. inside Fort Bonifacio when arrested on Feb. 22, 1986, a Saturday.

At 11 a.m., Feb. 22, 1986, at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Makati, Ongpin went looking for his security men.

He called up then-Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile who was with the Club 365 at the Atrium in Makati.

Enrile thought the arrest of the 22 Ongpin security men, who turned out to be all Honasan RAM Boys led by Major Mike Asperin, was part of the crackdown against the plot to oust Marcos.

Enrile summoned his boys to his house on Morado Street, Dasmariñas Village.

There they plotted their next moves.

They decided to make a last stand at the armed forces headquarters, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

At 2 p.m., Enrile called then Vice Chief of Staff Lieut. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos. “Are you with us?” JPE asked Eddie. “I am with you all the way,” FVR assured. biznewsasia@gmail.com

While South Carolina, USA is 14,272 kilometers away from the Philippines, the world has become, in the words of Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan, a global village that events in the former may have some impact in the latter.

China has expressed its “strong dissatisfaction and protest” against the decision, accusing the United States of “overreacting” and “seriously violating international practice.”

But an unnamed US senior defense official has said “Shooting the balloon down addressed the surveillance threat posed to military installations and further neutralized any intelligence value it could have produced, preventing it from returning to the People’s Republic of China.”

China has insisted the balloon is a Chinese civilian unmanned airship that flew into US airspace by mistake, calling it “an accidental incident caused by force majeure.” If indeed it was an “accidental incident” why did not Beijing inform Washington about the flight by mistake as from Alaska to Montana to

We wait for the next

show clean hands?

The presence of the balloon was made public on February 1 as it flew above Montana, home to one of three US nuclear missile silo sites.

On the afternoon of February 4, an American F-22 fighter jet finally brought it down with an air-to-air Sidewinder missile over the Atlantic Ocean near South Carolina.

The incident gets close to home as the United States is also in the process of establishing access to two key military bases in Luzon – vital to any operations in the South China

Wayward contract

WHAT’S going on in Parañaque City these days?

After we wrote last week about the garbage crisis in the city, we’re told that members of the City Council have urged Mayor Eric Olivarez to immediately replace the city administrator for failing to submit to them the terms of reference for the P414 million garbage contract awarded last year to Metrowaste Solid Waste Management Corp.

Councilor Marvin Santos, chairman of the rules and oversight committee, said city administrator Voltaire de la Cruz ‘betrayed’ the city government when he asked Olivarez to sign the multimillion contract despite allegedly knowing that Metrowaste had no business permit at the time of the bidding.

It was learned that de la Cruz has a pending administrative complaint before the Civil Service Commission for lack of residency filed by a concerned citizen late last year.

The complaint stated Olivarez should not have appointed de la Cruz as city administrator when the mayor assumed office on July 1, 2022. De la Cruz was the Malabon City administrator for nine years during the incumbency of Mayor Len Oreta. He also resided in Malabon during those years.

Under the law, any appointive official must have a six months residency requirement before he or she can be appointed.

Since January 24, when the city council conducted a probe of the controversial contract, Santos said de la Cruz disregarded the directive of the committee to immediately hand over a copy of the TOR, pertinent documents and the Metrowaste contract.

A14-page joint committee report said the contract awarded to the new garbage hauler was tainted with irregularities and defective, and therefore unenforceable since it had no authority from the members of the city council.

“The garbage crisis in the city this new year arose due to the inadequacies demonstrated by Metrowaste, which was chosen by the bids and awards committee headed by de la Cruz and who had signed a contract with Olivarez,” said Santos. Councilor Christopher Aguilar said de la Cruz should have immediately halted the ‘public’ bidding last December 22, since he already knew that Metrowaste had no business permit at that time.

It was learned that Leonel did not participate in the bidding on December 22 for still unknown reasons, leaving Metrowaste as the lone bidder

Metrowaste failed again to secure a city business permit when Olivarez signed the multi-million contract last December 27. At the time, the 2022 contract with the former garbage contractor Leonel Waste Management Inc. had not yet lapsed as it was supposed to end only on December 31.

“If City Administrator de la Cruz really drafted the terms of reference for those who will participate in the bidding, he should have immediately disqualified Metrowaste because it did not have a business permit, “Aguilar pointed out. The business permit is a key document that allows a business enterprise to legally operate in the area where it is registered.

National Cancer Consciousness Month: Are we aware?

THE Philippines is observing National Cancer Consciousness Month this February, while World Cancer Day was on Feb. 4. National Cancer Consciousness Week was last January, during the third week of that month.

All in all, recent official observances of cancer awareness come and go with varying degrees of success (or failure) in terms of public awareness.

Cancer remains one of the most common and deadly diseases in the country, yet when it comes to awareness, it seems relegated to cancer patients, survivors, and their families.

Quite a few types of cancers are lifestylerelated, yet many Filipinos still engage in behaviors that increase their risks of those types of cancers.

To improve quality of life for everyone, it’s important to advise Filipinos that cancer risk exists even for those without familial incidences of cancer.

This is where the importance of cancer awareness campaigns cannot be exaggerated.

Filipino people need to be armed with knowledge to help reduce the severity and spread of this terrible illness.

The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer cites 2020 Globocan figures for the following statistics: breast cancer is the number one cancer in the Philippines, accounting for 17.7 percent of all cancers, followed by lung cancer at 12.5 percent, colorectal cancer at 11.3 percent, liver cancer at 6.9 percent, and prostate cancer at 5.4 percent.

Other types of cancers make up the rest.

According to the same study, lung (19.9 percent) and colorectal (14.3 percent) are the top two cancers that affect Filipino men, while breast (31.4 percent), cervix uteri (9.1 percent),

and colorectal cancers (9 percent) affect Filipino women the most.

Overall, most new cases are of breast cancer while the highest number of deaths result from lung cancer.

All the cancer awareness observances this month and the last makes this an ideal time to increase awareness and education around this insidious disease.

Cancer is a serious issue that affects our population, and it is crucial that we become a society that is much more conscious of how we can minimize our risk and properly manage diagnosis and care. Effective communication campaigns can be a powerful tool to spread the message and encourage citizens to take proactive steps to protect their health.

Perhaps the biggest and most effective cancer awareness campaign is the “Pink Ribbon for a Cure” campaign for breast cancer. Due to this, pink ribbons became a widely recognized symbol of breast cancer awareness in the United States and globally.

The original inspiration for this began in 1979 when a wife of a hostage in Iran placed yellow ribbons around trees in her yard.

Eleven years later, AIDS activists redesigned the ribbon, turning it red and presenting it to the public at the Tony awards to represent people affected by that illness.

In 1982, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization began to use the color pink to promote awareness and this came to include an abstract female runner outlined with a pink ribbon for the mid-1980s to early 1990s.

A year later, the first breast cancer survivor program was launched at the Komen National Race for the Cure, using pink visors as recognition and in 1991 ribbons were

distributed to participants at the New York City Race for the Cure.

In 1992 Self magazine created their own ribbon and gave it out with cosmetics in New York City stores and this became the iconic pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness. Nowadays, generic pink ribbons can be used to represent breast cancer. Other colors have been adopted for other cancers, such as blue for colon cancer. These campaigns have shown that communication campaigns can be effective in raising cancer awareness and inspiring the public to take proactive steps to protect their health.

By making use of traditional and digital media outlets combined with inspiring stories of survivors, these campaigns have urged the public to make their health a priority. Local campaigns exist as well. Among the most visible is the ICanServe community for breast cancer awareness. They have a highly

active Facebook page. Other cancer-related communities have their presence on social media.

However, to minimize the risk of lifestylerelated cancers, the government needs to be more aggressive in their campaign to spread the message of a responsible, safe, and healthy lifestyle.

We must also strive to develop a greater public understanding of the potential effects of lifestyle on cancer risk. This should go beyond just abstaining from unhealthy habits like smoking and heavy drinking, but also exploring the psychological and social implications that can affect a person’s risk.

Understanding the importance of proper nutrition and regular physical activity should also be part of the discussion.

For the private sector, investing in medical research and funding universities and other research bodies could lead to scientific breakthroughs that can help detect and treat cancer even more effectively.

Sadly, the burden of this serious illness is compounded by limited awareness, access to care, and resources within the country.

Without sufficient education, many Filipinos are unaware of the symptoms and risk factors associated with cancer, and often wait too long to seek out potentially lifesaving treatment.

It is therefore essential to focus on prevention through early detection and screening. As such, the national government should prioritize the mobilization of resources for screenings, diagnostic tools, and ongoing education.

This means stepping up efforts to screen for the main types of cancer that afflict Filipinos.

The Philippine government should also work towards increasing access to cancer care across

Sea where an agreement has been reached for Manila and Washington to have joint patrol in the area.

We remember the United States launched major offensive operations against North Vietnam out of then Clark Air Base, home of the 13th US Air Force, and Subic Bay naval base, homeport at the time of the US Seventh Fleet, during the Vietnam War.

Nearly 63 years ago, on May 1, 1960, an American pilot, Francis Gary Powers, took off from a military airbase in Peshawar, Pakistan, in a top-secret U-2 spy plane to fly 3,000 miles across the Soviet Union, and take high resolution photos of military facilities.

We do not know what’s on the Chinese spy balloon, but experts say there is the probability there are different kinds of cameras collecting different types of information. These days, imaging is conducted across different regions of the elecromagnetic spectrum, with humans seeing in a certain range of this spectrum, the visible spectrum. But the cameras can also gather different kinds of information in other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, like the infrared. If it’s night time, a camera operating in the visible part of the spectrum is not going to show you anything. It’s all going to be dark. But an infrared camera can pick up things from heat in the dark.

The committee report stated while it is already apparent that Metrowaste could not provide better services than the city’s previous garbage collector, de la Cruz still allowed Metrowaste to participate.

During the public hearing, de la Cruz confirmed based on the TOR of the contract with Metrowaste, the latter was required to provide a fewer number of compactor trucks compared to the previous TOR of the city for the same service, as had been engaged by the City’s previous collector.

Aguilar said Olivarez and de la Cruz executed the contract with Metrowaste despite the fact that no ordinance was enacted, giving Olivarez “blanket authority” from the council to sign contracts in behalf of the city.

The award of contract in a bidding with a lone bidder is a situation contemplated by the law as acceptable provided the lone bidder meets all the necessary eligibility requirements.

Aguilar said the bidding last December 22 in an undisclosed room at the city hall was questionable because the new garbage hauler who only joined the bidding had no business permit.

It was learned that Leonel did not participate in the bidding on December 22 for still unknown reasons, leaving Metrowaste as the lone bidder.

De la Cruz and the chief of the city’s environment and natural resources office also admitted the contract with Metrowaste had glaring shortcomings because of its inadequate transport vehicles and routes.

How will this garbage crisis in the city end?

We’re as eager to find out as the city residents really want to put behind them this unfortunate turn of events not of their own making.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

all socio-economic levels, including investing more in research and more modern technologies for detection and treatment.

Another key step is to ensure that people facing a cancer diagnosis have access to the necessary treatments and financial support they need.

This means ensuring access to social protection and benefits such as health insurance or other initiatives that can financially help those affected by cancer.

One law that can help is the National Integrated Cancer Control Act of 2019.

It provides for the creation of a National Integrated Cancer Control Program and a Council that “shall act as the policy making, planning and coordinating body on cancer control.” Whatever happened to that, by the way?

If we are to make progress towards reducing the threat of cancer and increasing survival rates in the Philippines, providing the right resources and education is key.

As we observe National Cancer Consciousness Month, let us remember the importance of recognizing and addressing the full scope of what it takes to truly tackle this serious disease.

Share this column on your social media to help spread awareness about cancer and its risks!

* * Dr. Ortuoste is a board member of PEN Philippines, member of the Manila Critics Circle, and judge of the National Book Awards. She is a cancer patient twice over, for breast and colon cancers. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO

Not many people know it but EDSA I was triggered by greed and was won by a lie

few days, or even weeks and months—and hope this will be resolved in favor of peace

If we are to make progress towards reducing the threat of cancer and increasing survival rates in the Philippines, providing the right resources and education is key

UN chief fears world headed for ‘wider war’ over Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS chief Antonio Guterres warned nations Monday that he fears the likelihood of further escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict means the world is heading towards a “wider war.”

The secretary-general laid out his priorities for the year in a gloomy speech to the United Nations General Assembly that focused on Russia’s invasion, the climate crisis and extreme poverty.

“We have started 2023 staring down the barrel of a confluence of challenges unlike any in our lifetimes,” he told diplomats in New York.

Guterres noted that top scientists and security experts had moved the “Doomsday Clock” to just 90 seconds to midnight last month, the closest it has ever been to signaling the annihilation of humanity.

The secretary-general said he was taking it as a warning sign.

“We need to wake up -- and get to work,” he implored, as he listed his urgent issues.

Top of the list was Russia’s war in Ukraine, which is approaching its oneyear anniversary.

“The prospects for peace keep diminishing. The chances of further escalation and bloodshed keep growing,” he said.

“I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. I fear it is doing so with its eyes wide open.”

Guterres referenced other threats to peace, from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Sahel and Haiti.

“If every country fulfilled its obligations under the (UN) Charter, the right to peace would be guaranteed,” he said,

He added it is “time to transform our approach to peace by recommitting to the Charter -- putting human rights and dignity first, with prevention at the heart.”

More broadly, Guterres denounced a lack of “strategic vision” and a “bias” of political and business decision-makers towards the short term.

“The next poll. The next tactical political maneuver to cling to power. But also the next business cycle -- or even the next day’s stock price.

“This near-term thinking is not only deeply irresponsible -- it is immoral,” he added.

Stressing the need to act with future generations in mind, the secretarygeneral repeated his call for a “radical transformation” of global finance. Climate ‘ambition’

“Something is fundamentally wrong with our economic and financial system,” Guterres said, blaming it for the increase in poverty and hunger, the growing gap between rich and poor, and the debt burden of developing countries.

“Without fundamental reforms, the richest countries and individuals will continue to pile up wealth, leaving crumbs for the communities and countries of the Global South,” he added.

The UN Development Program estimates that the world has gone back five years in terms of human development, including health, education, and living standards. AFP

undivided shares in TCT No. 467776-R (Tax Dec. No. 09004-00305) Bundagul, Mabalacat, Pampanga;

• 454.38 sq.m. undivided shares in TCT No. 467777-R (Tax Dec. No. 09004-00306) Bundagul, Mabalacat, Pampanga;

• Stock Cert. No. 175 (385 shares) in Carpa Realty Devt. Corp.

As per Doc. No. 269; Page No. 54; Book No. II;

Series of 2022 before Notary Public ATTY. SHEILA

C. CENIT-BELGICA. (MS-FEB. 8/15/22, 2023)

GENEVA -- Poverty and the prospect of better-paid work, rather than ideology, are what fuel recruitment to jihadist and other violent groups in Africa, the United Nations said Tuesday.

The conclusion casts doubt on conventional wisdom that religious doctrine is the main lure for joining groups like Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and the Al-Qaedalinked Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM).

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) in 2021 interviewed nearly 2,200 people across eight countries torn by jihadist or other violent groups -Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan.

The interviews included nearly 1,200 former members of extremist groups, of whom nearly 900 had joined voluntarily while the others had been coerced.

Of those who had voluntarily joined, a quarter said the prospect of paid work had been their primary motive, UNDP said in a report.

That marks a 92-percent increase for that justification, compared to its previous report on the issue in 2017. AFP

Optimistic

Biden to try to lift US via State of Union speech

WASHINGTON—An optimistic President Joe Biden will seek to lift an often-unenthusiastic nation Tuesday with a State of the Union address showcasing his efforts to rebuild the US economy -- and setting the stage for the 80-year-old’s bid for re-election in 2024.

After two years of managing the exit from the Covid pandemic, an end to the 20-year Afghan war debacle, the Western response against Russia’s Ukraine invasion, and extreme US political tensions, Biden feels he has much to celebrate.

“I want to talk to the American people and let them know the state of affairs—what’s going on, what I’m looking forward to working on,” Biden said Monday.

On Capitol Hill, he’ll address the full Congress, nearly every senior government member, and a vast television audience, buoyed by news that the economy is recovering strongly from the pandemic, with the lowest unemployment in 50 years.

“This is a president who is incred-

N. Korea pledges military ‘expanded, intensified’ drills

ibly optimistic,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

But the dramatic downing on Saturday of a huge Chinese balloon by a US Air Force fighter leaves the unstable relationship with the communist superpower literally looming over the Biden administration.

And there are troubles closer to home, with two new polls showing that well over half of voters do not want Biden to seek a second term in 2024.

Biden spent the weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David, huddled with top advisors and speech writers to finesse the speech. They’ve been writing for weeks, Jean-Pierre said, but tweaks are ongoing “until the last minute.”

Here’s the good news.

Inflation, which just a few months ago seemed a near-existential threat to the Biden presidency, is steadily ticking downward. Hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are starting to flow out into programs passed under Biden to spur high-tech manufacturing and repair infrastructure. AFP

SEOUL—North Korea’s top army officials have said they will expand and intensify military drills to ensure their readiness for war, state media reported Tuesday, ahead of a massive parade.

The pledge came at a Monday meeting overseen by leader Kim Jong Un and follows last week’s staging of joint air drills by South Korea and the United States.

The agenda was topped by “the issue of constantly expanding and intensifying the operation and combat drills of the (Korean People’s Army) ... strictly perfecting the preparedness for war”, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The meeting of North Korea’s central military commission comes as commercial satellite imagery suggests “extensive parade preparations” are underway in Pyongyang ahead of key state holidays this month.

North Korea celebrates the founding anniversary of its armed forces on Wednesday and the “Day of the Shining Star” on February 16. The latter is the birthday of Kim Jong Il, son of North Korea’s founder Kim Il Sung and father of Kim Jong Un. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday it was closely monitoring areas surrounding Pyongyang’s parade training ground, adding it had seen a “great increase in personnel and vehicles” in recent days.

North Korean balloon Seoul and Washington have moved to bolster joint military drills following a year of sanctionsbusting weapons tests by North Korea, infuriating Pyongyang, which sees such joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion.

Last week, the security allies staged joint air drills featuring strategic bombers and stealth fighters, prompting Pyongyang to warn such exercises could “ignite an all-out showdown”.

The joint exercises, their first this year, came a day after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart vowed to boost security cooperation to counter an increasingly belligerent nuclear-armed North.

North Korea’s foreign minister has said the move to ramp up joint drills crossed “an extreme red line”.

On Monday, Seoul’s defence ministry said a North Korean balloon had crossed over to its airspace at the weekend but concluded it did not pose a threat. AFP

Pakistan lifts ‘blasphemy’ ban on Wikipedia

ISLAMABAD—Wikipedia was back online in Pakistan on Tuesday, after the country’s prime minister ordered authorities to lift a block imposed on the online encyclopedia over “blasphemous content.”

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, and Facebook and YouTube have previously been banned for publishing content deemed sacrilegious.

Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted a copy of the order that stated: “The Prime Minister is pleased to direct that the website (Wikipedia) may be restored with immediate effect.” The Wikimedia Foundation—the

non-profit fund that manages Wikipedia -- told AFP on Monday that it “was made aware that the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) had been directed to restore access to Wikipedia” and hoped to see online traffic in Pakistan “resume soon.”

Last week, the PTA gave Wikipedia 48 hours to remove content deemed “blasphemous”, before it blocked the website.

An agency spokesman had said Saturday that Wikipedia would “remain blocked until they remove all the objectionable material”, without specifying what content was at issue.

On Tuesday, the website was once again accessible. AFP

UNDP study: Jobs, not doctrine, lure for Africa’s jihadists

FOOD FOR THE TROOPS. Tetiana Bessonova (center) sells her homemade local food pirozhki and chebureki along a road to a Ukrainian serviceman in Ozerne on February 6 amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP

MOURNING AN ACTIVIST. A mourner holds a painting of environmental activist Manuel Teran, who was killed by law enforcement during a raid to clear the construction site of a public safety training facility that activists have nicknamed “Cop City,” during a press conference in Decatur, Georgia on February 6. Teran was allegedly shot by police on January 18 during a confrontation as officers cleared activists from a forest, the planned site of a police-training facility. AFP

DIVING FOR LUNCH. A pelican dives for fish on February 6 on the coast near Tulum, Quintana Roo state, Mexico. AFP

Peso and stocks slide on inflation report

By Julito G. Rada

BOTH the Philippine peso and local stocks tumbled for a second day after the government announced that inflation rate hit 8.7 percent in January, the highest in more than 14 years, raising fears that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may continue to hike interest rates.

The peso fell 1.28 percent Tuesday to close at 55.085 against the US dollar, near a one-month low, from 54.39 Monday and 53.68 Friday. It was the local currency’s weakest level since it settled at 55.29 on Jan. 12, 2023. Total volume turnover reached $1.274 bil-

PSEi February 7, 2023

TOP GAINERS

lion, up from $1.053 billion Monday. Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said that aside from faster inflation, the peso’s weakness was due to the continued upward correction of the greenback following the recent hawkish signals from

the US Federal Reserve.

“The peso also weakened after recent geopolitical risks,” Ricafort said, citing the US military’s shooting down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon off the Carolina coast.

“The dollar-peso exchange rate also corrected higher after the local stock market gauge, the Philippine Stock Exchange Composite index, again corrected lower for the second straight day, considered a healthy profit-taking, by -55.35 points or -0.8 percent to close at 6,881.26,” Ricafort said.

Meanwhile, the PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, shed 55 points, or 0.8 percent, to close at 6,881.26 Tues-

day, as four of the six subsectors declined, with the services index posting the biggest loss.

The broader all-share index also went down by 18 points, or 0.52 percent, to settle at 3,655.75 on a value turnover of P6.14 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 97 to 88, while 51 issues were unchanged.

Only 1 of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green—SM Investments Corp. which inched up 0.55 percent to P915.00.

Manulife Investment Management and Trust Corp. head of fixed income Jean de Castro said the recent rally in bond markets was driven by expectations that the Fed would pause soon, which may also lead to the Bangko Sen-

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

US tech giant Dell to lay off 5% of its global workforce

WASHINGTON—American computer firm Dell said Monday that it will lay off some five percent of its global workforce, or around 6,650 employees, the latest casualties of a job-slashing wave hitting the US tech sector.

The cuts follow similar steps by tech giants Microsoft, Facebook owner Meta, Google-parent Alphabet, Amazon and Twitter as the industry girds for an economic downturn.

They also come after a major hiring spree at the height of the coronavirus pandemic when companies scrambled to meet demand as people went online for work, school, and entertainment.

But “market conditions continue to erode with an uncertain future,” said Dell Technologies vice chairman Jeff Clarke in a memo released Monday.

“The steps we’ve taken to stay ahead

Nintendo cuts net profit forecast as chip shortage hits console sales

TOKYO, Japan—Nintendo cut its full-year net profit forecast on Tuesday, saying the global chip shortage and other supply chain problems had hit console sales in the nine months to December.

The Japanese gaming giant also trimmed the annual hardware sales forecast for its Switch console to 18 million units from the previous target of 19 million.

New games such as “Pokemon Scarlet and Violet” and “Splatoon 3” have performed well, the Kyoto-based company said.

But hardware sales by unit declined 21 percent on-year in April-December, “mainly due to a shortage of semiconductors and other component supplies that impacted production until around late summer”.

That in turn affected total software sales, which declined four percent onyear, Nintendo said.

The company now predicts a net profit in 2022-23 of 370 billion yen ($2.8 billion), down from its previous forecast of 400 billion yen.

In 2020-21, Nintendo’s annual net profit soared to a record of 480 billion yen, thanks to booming demand for indoor entertainment during Covid-19 lockdowns.

The firm nearly matched that figure in the last financial year, with its Switch

console continuing to perform well and software sales staying strong.

But sales of the Switch, which was launched in 2017, as well as its Lite and OLED variations, are slowing as the console ages.

Hideki Yasuda of Toyo Securities told AFP ahead of the earnings release that “it would be a big surprise if Nintendo were to increase the production of Switch” at this stage of its life cycle.

Despite rumors swirling over Nintendo’s next big hardware product, he cautioned that “it’s still too early to talk about the next game console”.

There are still bright spots on the horizon, however, with the chip shortage now easing and big titles coming up for Nintendo, including the new “Legend of Zelda” game.

Amir Anvarzadeh of Asymmetric Advisors said that to stay desirable, the Switch “needs a fairly urgent graphics processing unit upgrade” because the OLED screen version, released in 2019 with upgraded graphics and memory, “didn’t seem significant enough”.

The Switch serves as both a handheld and TV-compatible device, a selling point that has borne fruit so far.

But “with chips getting faster but battery technology not keeping up, Nintendo might have to reconsider its ‘one console’ strategy,” Anvarzadeh said. AFP

of downturn impacts –- which enabled several strong quarters in a row –- are no longer enough,” he added.

Dell, based at Round Rock in Texas, had 133,000 employees at the start of last year with nearly a third of them in the United States.

On Monday, Clarke said the company now has to make “additional decisions to prepare for the road ahead.”

He warned of coming changes for the firm’s global sales and services segments, adding that “unfortunately, with changes like this, some members of our team will be leaving the company.”

“There is no tougher decision, but one we had to make for our long-term health and success,” he added.

Dell’s revenue fell six percent in the third quarter of its 2023 fiscal year, according to results released in late No-

vember.

Product sales, such as desktops, laptops, and workstations, which represent the bulk of the group’s business activity, fell by 10 percent.

The group’s executives pointed to the decline in demand for personal computers as people in the United States and around the world contend with high inflation and rising interest rates.

But the company has navigated economic downturns before and “emerged stronger” from them, Clarke stressed in the memo.

He added that Dell will “be ready when the market rebounds.”

According to the specialist site Layoffs.fyi, just over 88,000 tech employees have lost their jobs since the beginning of January worldwide, not counting Dell’s announcement on Monday. AFP

tral ng Pilipinas following suit.

“While the volatility of the foreign exchange market last year demonstrated the significance of the Fed’s actions on domestic monetary policy, a peaking of domestic inflation remains key to the end of the BSP’s tightening cycle. While it may be too early to say that inflation has peaked, we are optimistic that inflationary pressures coming from global commodity markets have moderated and that the worst is over for bond markets,” she said.

Manulife head of equities Mark Canizares said Philippine stocks had largely priced in the prospective rate actions of the US Fed and the BSP this year.

West’s new oil sanctions tighten screws on Russia

LONDON—The West’s latest wave of sanctions on Russian energy exports seeks to hit Moscow harder than its previous moves over the Ukraine war.

An EU-wide ban on Russia oil products—like diesel, gasoline and jet fuel—came into effect Sunday alongside a Group of Seven (G7) price cap on the same items.

That expanded on an EU embargo on seaborne oil deliveries introduced two months ago -- when it also established with G7 partners a $60-dollarper-barrel cap for exports around the world.

There are two price cap levels, $100 per barrel for more expensive fuel like diesel and $45 for lower-quality products such as fuel oil.

Key energy producer Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine almost one year ago, on February 24, 2022, sparking international condemnation and economic retaliation.

- More profound impact -

“The caps and ban on Russian petroleum products are likely to have a more profound impact than the similar measures that targeted crude oil in December,” said PVM Energy analyst Stephen Brennock.

“Unlike with its crude exports, there are no readily available markets to accommodate its surplus fuel supplies.”

Prior to the conflict, the 27-nation European Union was the main buyer of Russian diesel, consuming almost 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) or half of its imports of that product.

Despite a sharp drop over the last year, more than one-quarter of EU diesel imports still originated in Russia in the first few weeks of the year, according to S&P Global data.

That amounted to an average of 450,000 bpd.

Moscow will be forced to find new markets for its oil products to preserve revenues that help finance its ongoing war in Ukraine.

The most obvious candidates are Asian superpowers China and India.AFP

Google to release Bard chatbot to rival ChatGPT’s app

By Glenn Chapman with Laurence Benhamou in Paris

SAN FRANCISCO—Google said Monday it will release a conversational chatbot named Bard, setting up an artificial intelligence showdown with Microsoft which has invested billions in the creators of ChatGPT, the hugely popular language app that convincingly mimics human writing.

ChatGPT, created by San Francisco company OpenAI, has caused a sensation for its ability to write essays, poems or programming code on demand within seconds, sparking widespread fears of cheating or of entire professions becoming obsolete.

Microsoft announced last month that it was backing OpenAI and has begun to integrate ChatGPT features into its Teams platform, with expectations that it will adapt the app to its Office suite and Bing search engine.

The potential inclusion in Bing turned the focus on Google and speculation that the company’s worlddominating search engine could face unprecedented competition from an AI-powered rival.

Media reports said the overnight success of ChatGPT was designated a “code red” threat at Google with founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page -- who left several years ago -- brought back to brainstorm ideas and fast-track a response.

The pressure to act was heightened by the poor earnings posted last week by Google-parent Alphabet, which fell

12,000 people as it put more emphasis on AI projects.

Google’s announcement came on the eve of an AI-related launch event by Microsoft in yet a further sign that the two tech giants will do battle over the technology, also known as generative AI.

“Generative AI is a game changer and much like the rise of the internet sank the networking giants that came before (AOL, CompuServe etc.) it has the potential to change the competitive dynamic for search and information,” said independent tech analyst Rob Enderle.

“Google still largely lives off the fact

their search engine is the most widely used, this could change that, relegating them to history,” he added.

‘High-quality responses’

In his blog post on Monday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that Google’s Bard conversational AI was to go out for testing with a plan to make it more widely available “in the coming weeks.”

Google’s Bard is based on LaMDA, the firm’s Language Model for Dialogue Applications system, and has been in development for several years.

“Bard seeks to combine the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence, and creativity of our large language models,” Pichai said. AFP

CAR ALLIANCE. The boards of French automaker Renault and Japanese partner Nissan approve a major overhaul of their rocky 24-year alliance following months of negotiations. Announcing the agreement in London on Feb. 6, 2023 are (from left) Nissan chief executive Makoto Uchida, Renault chairperson Jean-Dominique Senard, Mitsubishi Motors chief executive Takao Kato and Renault chief executive Luca de Meo. AFP

This file illustration photo taken on Feb. 14, 2020, shows the US multinational technology and Internet-related services company Google logo in Brussels. AFP short of investor expectations. The company last month announced that it was laying off

BUSINESS

MPIC buying 34.7% of Axelum for P5.32b

By Jenniffer B. Austria

METRO Pacific Investments Corp. is acquiring a 34.76-percent interest in coconut manufacturer and exporter Axelum Resources Corp. for P5.32 billion, as the conglomerate continues to ramp up investments in the agriculture sector, parent firm First Pacific Co Ltd. said Tuesday.

MPIC said unit Metro Pacific Agro Ventures Inc. signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 200 million redeemable preferred shares in ARC for P4.82 billion. It also agreed to acquire P500 million worth of ARC shares.

IN BRIEF

Cebu Landmasters reports

P18.9b

in reservation sales

PROPERTY developer Cebu Landmasters

Inc. said Tuesday it booked P18.88 billion in reservation sales last year, up 14 percent from 2021 on continued strong demand for houseand-lot developments.

CLI said in a stock exchange filing about 73 percent of reservation sales came from newly-launched developments, with the rest coming from ongoing projects.

It said among the market segments, midmarket residential projects surged 95 percent year-on-year to P8.83 billion and accounted for 47 percent of total reservation sales in 2022. CLI’s economic housing brand Casa Mira followed with 39 percent.

“Our numbers tell us that Cebu Landmasters made the most of the post-pandemic growth surge, and we are very grateful. The new residential units that we launched were immediately absorbed by the market as shown by our record-high sales velocity. Several of our new projects were sold out in a matter of days,” CLI executive vice-president and chief operating office Jose Franco Soberano said.

CLI launched close to 5,000 units across 16 projects with total sales value of P28.4 billion in 2022. Jenniffer B. Austria

2 firms tap MSpectrum for solar rooftop projects

MSPECTRUM Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manila Electric Co., said it collaborated with perfume label Aficionado and Japanese food house Takoyatea for new solar rooftop projects to help them achieve more savings through a cleaner energy source.

Spectrum will install solar photovoltaic systems with a collective capacity of 89.82-kilowatt peak in four sites–Takoyatea’s commissary and Aficionado’s main office in Sampaloc, Manila and Aficionado’s manufacturing plant and warehouse in Meycauayan, Bulacan.

The project is expected to translate to around P951,000 in annual savings and will help the two brands reduce their carbon footprint by 87.34 tons equivalent to planting 4,020 trees or reducing nearly 348,000 kilometers in car travel based on Meralco’s rates for January 2023.

“Apart from being empowered to achieve sustainability and financial goals, our partners are also assured of good quality and reliable service. Through our end-to-end solar solutions, Aficionado and Takoyatea are certain to get the necessary support they will need from Spectrum as they continue to move forward towards becoming a sustainable business,” Spectrum president and chief executive Ferdinand Geluz said. Alena Mae S. Flores

WESM operator proposes

more than P1b in market fees

THE Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines and the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. asked the Energy Regulatory Commission to approve the proposed market fees of P1.016 billion for 2023.

IEMOP is the operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the trading floor of electricity, while PEMC is the governing body.

The amount translates into P0.0093 per kilowatt-hour to be charged to all generation companies registered in the WESM based on their actual generation, the parties said in a filing with the ERC.

“As in any enterprise, sufficiency of resources is imperative considering the need to finance even the minimum requirements for a normal level of operation,” the applicants said. It said the WEWSM needs sufficiency of resources as it is being operated on a 24x7 basis and is highly critical to sustaining a transparent and competitive electricity market. Alena Mae S. Flores

ARC, a company led by businessman Romeo Chan, is engaged in manufacturing and toll manufacturing of coconut water and other coconut products for domestic and international markets. Its main production facility is located in Medina, Misamis Oriental, while man-

ufacturing and distribution facilities are in the US and Australia.

It is the leading manufacturer and exporter globally of high-quality coconut products, and one of the major suppliers of Vita Coco, the global market leader in coconut water. Its export markets include the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Middle East, Japan and other major countries in Asia.

“The company believes that transaction will allow MPIC and the group to diversify their investment portfolio, through the purchase, into agricultural sector in the Philippines and represent a growth opportunity for MPIC,” First Pacific said in a disclosure to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Globe’s net income jumped 46%

By Darwin G. Amojelar

DIGITAL solutions platform Globe said Tuesday net profit grew by 46 percent last year, despite the challenging economic conditions.

Globe Group reported a net income of P34.6 billion in 2022, up from P23.7 billion in 2021. Core net income, which excludes the impact of non-recurring charges and foreign exchange and mark-to-market charges, reached P19.2 billion last year, down from P21.2 billion in 2021. Normalized core net income was 1 percent higher.

“Despite 2022 being a challenging year marked by inflationary pressures, high interest rates and weakened consumer confidence, Globe once again showed resilience. We are happy that

to

the Globe Group closed the year with strong topline and EBITDA growth,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

Globe Group closed the year with alltime high consolidated service revenues of P158 billion, up 4 percent year-on-year.

Corporate data and mobile services, complemented by the continuous growth from non-telco services, drove the topline expansion as more Filipinos adopted the digital lifestyle. Its mobile business sustained an upward performance, ending the year with P107.5 billion, representing an 8-percent growth, while Home broadband business declined 8.4 percent to P27.1 billion.

Corporate data posted an all-time high revenue of P17.2 billion, up 21 percent compared to 2021.

The deal will not trigger the mandatory tender offer rule as the acquisition is below the 35-percent threshold.

MPIC said the acquisition would strengthen its bid to become a serious player in the agriculture sector. “The north star of our agriculture business is helping our country achieve food security. This investment into ARC will mean more income opportunities for coconut farmers, as well as a broader landscape for Philippine agriculture,” MPIC chairman, president and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

Chan, the chairman and chief executive of ARC, said the partnership would enable the company to further develop the Philippine coconut industry and uplift the marginalized coconut farming

P34.6b in 2022

Globe budgeted $1.3 billion in 2023 capital expenditures, a reduction of over 30 percent from the 2022 peak level. It aims to eventually bring down the annual capex to $1 billion by 2024.

“As we strive to future proof our network performance, provide better customer experience and continue with various digital innovations to address the everyday pain points of our fellow Filipinos, we are optimistic that our beyond-telco initiatives will help enable the Philippines to become a truly digital nation,” Cu said.

Globe deployed over 1.4 million fiber-to-the-home lines in 2022, compared to 1.45 million lines from a year earlier to address the growing need for connectivity nationwide as the economy opens up and mobility improves.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Tuesday,

DTI chief urges Senate to ratify RCEP trade accord to lift exports

By Othel V. Campos

TRADE Secretary Alfredo Pascual

called on the Senate to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership amid rising protectionism and ongoing geopolitical crisis.

“The signing and entry-into-force of RCEP reflects the ASEAN region’s unwavering commitment to a rules- based trading system that maintains an open, stable, free and fair-trading environment. RCEP is expected to further promote economic efficiency of member states, strengthening linkages in sectors such as manufacturing, technology, agriculture, and natural resources. As well as reinforcing MSME participation in the global value chain networks,” Pascual said in his

opening remarks during the Senate hearing on the trade agreement.

He said the regional partnership would address the country’s need for stronger multilateral trade and more foreign direct investments.

RCEP is not only a policy tool for trade liberalization and market access, he said, as it provides a framework of rules and disciplines to ensure regulatory consistency, creating a conducive business environment that is key to ensuring the confidence of the business and spurring further economic growth.

“I’d like to emphasize that RCEP is not a magic bullet that will solve our problems in various sectors. It only provides an enabling environment; the government and business will still need

to do their part to make our industries more productive and more competitive,” Pascual said.

He said the delays in the Philippine participation would result in the diversion of trade and investments towards other countries which are already within the regional bloc at the expense of Philippines industries and people.

The DTI said other countries in the region enjoy preferential treatment arising from enhanced market access, wider sourcing of raw materials and a strengthened and transparent trading system. It said the linkages of the Philippines to the global value chain might deteriorate as investors and businesses would look to other countries for better economic environment and opportunities.

communities.

“We proudly welcome our new partners, MPAV and the entire MPIC organization, and we thank them for sharing the same values and ambition to advance the coconut industry by synergizing our resources and expertise,” Chan said.

ARC is also a major exporter of desiccated coconut, coconut milk/cream, coconut cooking oil and other coconut products.

MPIC said it would continue to look for other opportunities in the agriculture sector, while aiming to achieve a wider presence in the dairy industry.

MPIC ventured into agriculture in June 2022 when it acquired a 51-percent stake in ice cream and dairy firm Carmen’s Best from the Magsaysay family.

PSE clears P1.87-b maiden offering of Alternergy Holdings

THE Philippine Stock Exchange said Tuesday it approved the P1.87-billion initial public offering of Alternergy Holdings Corp., a renewable energy company founded by former energy secretary Vince Perez.

The PSE said in a memorandum Alternergy planned to sell 1.15 billion primary shares, with an over-allotment option for another 115 million shares, at an offer price of P1.48 apiece. Alternergy reduced the IPO size from an initial target of P2.2 billion. The company has yet to finalize the timetable for the offering.

The shares will be listed and traded on the main board of the PSE under the stock symbol “ALTER”.

The company plans to use the proceeds from the maiden offering to fund the development and construction of the Solana solar and Lamut hydro projects; payment for acquisition of Kirahon Solar Energy Corp. shares; and fund the pre-development expenses of pipeline projects.

These include the Ibulao hydro and the Tanay Alabat and Calavite offshore wind projects.

Alternergy is a renewable energy holding company with a solid portfolio of project companies engaged in different renewable energy projects including wind, run-of-river hydro, solar farm and commercial rooftop, battery storage and offshore wind projects.

It has developed 67.24 megawatt of operating assets in wind and solar and an additional 62 MW of hydro and solar projects under construction since 2008.

Alternergy aims to develop 1,245 MW of additional renewable energy projects in the next five years.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Chevron added 28 Caltex retail stores last year to continue expansion in PH

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CHEVRON Philippines Inc. said Tuesday it opened 28 new retail sites under the Caltex brand across the country in 2022, capping a year of milestones for the fuel company.

“Each new Caltex station is a feat for us. Every year, we aim to make our products and services more accessible to our customers to make sure their journeys remain seamless and worry-free,” said CPI country chairman Billy Liu.

Caltex opened stations in Metro Manila, Isabela, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas and Palawan in Lu-

zon; Bohol in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

Caltex said it opened five stations in Palawan to cater to the growing fuel needs of residents and tourists. These new stations are located in Orduja, Mangingisda, Puerto Princesa City, Brookes Point and Roxas to make traveling smoother and easier for local residents and foreigners. Chevron said it continued to build and strengthen power partnerships last year through collaboration with Quezon Power Philippines Ltd. Co., which powers the 460-megawatt coal plant in Mauban Quezon and Aboitiz Power Corp., one of the country’s leading energy providers.

UNIONBANK’S SRO. Union Bank of the Philippines concludes its P12-billion stock rights offering with the listing of its shares at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Proceeds from the SRO will be allocated for capital infusion in wholly-owned UnionDigital Bank and for loan availments of the bank’s various customer segments. Attending the listing ceremony are (from left): Aboitiz Equity Ventures chief finance officer Jose Emmanuel Hilado, UBP director and chief finance officer Manuel Lozano, UBP directors Ana Maria Delgado and Samel Aboitiz, UBP president and chief executive Edwin Bautista, PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon, PSE COO Roel Refran, PSE Issuer Regulation Division head Marigel Garcia, Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines COO Renee Rubio and PSE general counsel Veronica Del Rosario.

CYBERPARK 3 PROJECT. Executives of the Araneta Group and Binibining Pilipinas 2022 queens lead the ceremonial first concrete pouring at Cyberpark 3 on Feb. 6 to mark the resumption of the P20-billion Cyberpark development. Cyberpark 3 is the third office building to rise in Araneta City’s 8-hectare Cyberpark Office district. It will be a 30-story office building that features state-of-the-art facilities including a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

Eala won’t play in 32nd SEA Games

By Peter Atencio

FOR now, playing in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games is not part of the plans of Filipina tennis star Alex Eala.

The 17-year-old Eala, who has returned home to Manila for a short visit to be with her family, said this as she tries to join and qualify in as many Grand Slam tournaments, including the French Open this year.

Ranked no. 217 in the world, Eala explained that the Women’s Tennis Association has allocated her 20 professional tournaments to join before she turns 18 on May 23.

After joining 15, Eala felt that she may run into scheduling conflicts if she suits up for the national team in the SEA Games.

The matches of the 2023 French Open begin on May 28 at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, while competitions in the SEA Games in Cambodia are slated from May 6 to 16.

Yulo, Obiena, Filipinas lead PSA’s 2022 major awardees

WORLD Championship medalists Carlos Yulo and EJ Obiena, along with history maker Philippine women’s football team will be the recipient of Major Awards in next month’s San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

Yulo clinched a silver and bronze in the men’s vault and parallel bars during the 51st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool England, while Obiena vaulted to a new Asian-high mark of 5.94 meters on his way to bagging a historic bronze in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

And the Filipinas? They just punched a first ever ticket to the FIFA Women’s World Cup following their third place

PhilCycling revamps PH road team, coaching staff

THE PhilCycling revamped the national team and coaching staff for road during its annual board meeting Tuesday at the Manila Hotel.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who also heads PhilCycling, said the revamp was prompted by the federation’s campaign to deliver medals in road events at the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games in May.

Interested coaches may apply through the federation email philcycling@ gmail.com.

Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance coach Reinhard Gorantes and former top women’s rider Marita Lucas were named interim coaches of the national men and women road teams.

The PhilCycling also revamped the composition of the national road team for men and women which are composed of the top performers in the 2022 National Championships for Road.

With Tolentino in the board meeting were PhilCycling chairman Bert Lina and vice president Oscar “Boying” Rodriguez.

The national teams for mountain bike and BMX remained intact.

finish in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup under coach Alen Stajcic.

Twelve others are also going to be given Major Awards in the March 6 gala night presented by the Philippine Sports Commission and Cignal TV, and backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino, MILO, Smart, MVP Sports Foundation, Rain or Shine, 1Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, Philippine Basketball Association,

OKBet, and ICTSI.

In the mix with Yulo, Obiena, and Filipinas are boxer Carlo Paalam, juijitsu bets Meggie Ochoa and Kimberly Anne Custodio, karateka Junna Tsukii, pool players Rubilen Amit, Carlo Biado, and Johann Chua, weightlifter Vanessa Sarno, the volleyball duo of Jovelyn Gonzaga and Sisi Rondina, Esports organization Blacklist International, jockey Jessie Guca, and champion horse Boss Emong.

The country’s first ever Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is the recipient of the coveted Athlete of the Year award for the second straight time.

Aside from his World Championship stint, Yulo, 22 also won three gold medals in the 9th Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Doha, Qatar, following his first place finishes in the vault, parallel bars, and floor

exercise, while adding a silver in the all-around. The feat enabled him to earn an outright berth in the World Artistic Gymnastics.

The Filipino gymnast emerged, too as the most bemedalled athlete of Team Philippines in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam with five golds won in artistic all-around, floor exercise, still rings, vault, and horizontal bar.

Obiena also topped a number of pole vault tournaments in Europe and retained his gold in the Vietnam SEA Games by setting a new meet record of 5.46 meters at the My Dinh National Stadium.

The Filipinas added to their FIFA World Cup ticket a first ever title in the Asean Football Federation Women’s Championship, which they ruled following a 3-0 shutout of four-time champion Thailand in the gold medal play.

“I know that it’s in May. But I have to sit down with my team and discuss this if it can be included,” said Eala during a homecoming press conference on Tuesday at the Globe Tower inside the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Eala, who is now supported in her campaign by both Globe Telecom and Bank of Philippine Islands, fell three notches down this week from no. 214 in the WTA rankings to 217,

She returned to Manila last with her father Michael, after Eala got eased out of the 2023 Women’s Tennis Association Thailand Open first round where Maria Tatja of Germany coasted to a 6-2, 6-2 win over the Filipina in the first round of the women’s singles at the True Arena in Hua Hin.

She described the game of Tatja as unconventional, and playing against her gave Eala an idea on what she needs to improve on.

“This was expected. She performed well. She got through the qualifiers and into the main draw, and went up against someone who was in the semifinals of Wimbledon. Although she lost, she learned a lot of things that will give her an insight on what she needs to do in her next games,” said her dad Michael.

Remulla named Chef de Mission to Paris Olympics

THE Philippine Olympic Committee announced on Tuesday the appointment of Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla as Team Philippines Chef de Mission to the Paris 2024 Olympics.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino also bared the appointments of wrestling association chief Alvin Aguilar as CDM to the World Combat Games and rugby federation head Ada Milby to the 2024 Winter Olympic Youth Games.

The Paris Olympics are set July 26 to August 11 and the Winter Olympic Youth Games from January 19 to February 1 in Gangwon Province in South Korea both next year. The World Combat Games are from October 21 to 30 this year in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Remulla replaced Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, who de-

clined the task for Paris citing his already hectic calendar as SBP head and CEO of PLDT and Smart.

“We understand Al’s [Panlilio] situation so we decided to appoint a new CDM for the Paris Olympics, somebody who has a great passion for sports, a true sportsman, somebody who has leadership, a workhorse and that’s Governor Jonvic [Remulla],” Tolentino said.

Remulla, 55, is the honorary chairman of the rowing association and team manager of the University of the Philippines men’s basketball team. He’s credited for helping hone the Fighting Maroons to championship form.

“The POC wanted a dedicated sportsman or personality who could live up to the responsibilities and obligations as

CDM to Paris,” said Tolentino.

What makes Paris much more significant, Tolentino explained, is that the Philippines is celebrating its 100th year of participation in the Olympics in the same venue in 1924.

Tolentino said the appointment of a nonnational sports association head as CDM has its precedent in then First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. He was appointed CDM in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games that Manila hosted.

“He [Remulla] accepted the position without hesitation and he’s really happy and excited about his role as Paris Olympics CDM,” Tolentino said. “We at the POC are confident that he can get the job done .. he’s a true sportsman and very dedicated to helping athletes.”

STA. Rosa, Laguna—Jay Bayron recovered from a shaky start with a string of birdies midway through then bucked a late double bogey mishap with a clutch birdie on the tough finishing hole as he rescued a 73 and forced a four-way tie for the lead at the start of The Country Club Invitational here yesterday. Bayron’s up-and-down round typified the elite 30-player field’s struggle on the TCC course that proved as exacting for its sheer length (7,652 yards) with the dreaded winds practically not much of a factor in the first 18 holes of the P6 million championship, the highlight event of each Philippine Golf Tour season. While majority of the early contenders fell prey to the water-laced No. 18’s challenge, Bayron pulled off two brilliant shots against a strong gust of wind to set up a birdie putt, one of the only two feats made on the dogleg 476-yard hole, regarded as one of the best finishing holes in

Asia, where bogey is a norm rather than the exception.

But it was his birdie-blast on the par-4 No. 9 that put him back in play after dropping shots on Nos. 1 and 5, saying: “It (birdie) boosted my confidence and from there I regained my touch and birdied Nos. 12 and 14.”

A bogey on the 15th and a double bogey on the next, however, stymied his charge but a solid drive on the 18th coupled with a superb rescue approach shot to within eight feet led to a birdie and a shared view of the top.

“I didn’t expect to be in the lead (share) but I hope to keep going up to the last day,” said Bayron, who with brother Rufino lost to Frankie Minoza in sudden death here in 2013.

Unlike Bayron, Jerson Balasabas failed to hurdle the last-hole test and finished with a bogey, ruining his bid for solo control.

The former Philippine Masters

champion actually posted the strongest start with back-to-back birdies, including the par-5 No. 2, then fought off three bogeys (Nos. 6, 9 and 11) by dominating the two other long holes (Nos. 8 and 14) to stay ahead at one-under.

He clung on to the solo lead despite another miscue on the 16th but squandered it with that closing bogey, enabling Bayron, Guido Van der Valk and Clyde Mondilla to draw level and make it a crowded leaderboard in the early going of the 72-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

Three others matched 74s, including Jhonnel Ababa, Marvin Dumandan and Mars Pucay, who all bogeyed the 18th, while Michael Bibat missed forcing a fiveway tie for the lead with a closing double-bogey, ending up with a 75 and dropping to joint eighth with Albin Engino, Sean Ramos and Rupert Zaragosa.

CIGNAL BEST PLAYER. San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez registered 17.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in a three-game stretch, thus gaining the nod as the Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period Feb. 1 to 5. His steady numbers helped the Beermen sweep all of their three games in a week against Blackwater, Terrafirma, and Magnolia to catch Converge and NLEX on top of the standings (4-0).

Bayron birdies no. 18, forces 4-way tie for TCC lead

Jay Bayron studies the line of his putt. Manny Marcelo

Alex Eala

Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla

Gomera scores PPS Bais double; Gauran wins

MCLEEN Gomera nailed a third crown in as many starts, including a sweep of the boys’ 16- and 18-andunder trophies, while Therese Gauran shone in the girls’ side of the PPSPEPP Mayor Luigi Goñi national tennis juniors championships at the Bais City Tennis Club courts in Negros Oriental over the weekend.

Gomera lived up to his billing in the two top divisions of the Group 2 tournament but needed to grind it out before snaring the 16-U title, surviving fourth seed Kurt Barrera, 6-7(4), 7-5, 10-6, in the semis before subduing No. 2 Ariel Cabaral, 6-3, 4-6, 104, in another tense-filled duel.

The rising Lanao del Norte star, however, settled down in the tougher 18-U category, holding off No. 4 Herman Illusorio, 6-2, 7-6(3), in the semis before blasting second-ranked Vince Serna, 6-4, 6-1, to complete a two-title romp following his victory in the 16-U division of the Masters Top 8 in Negros Occidental last month.

Gauran, on the other hand, foiled Aleeva Suace, 7-6(5), 6-2, in the 18-U finals in a victory that more than made up for her 1-6, 2-6 setback to top seed Louise Paliwag in the 16-U championship of the event hosted by Mayor Luigi Goñi and presented by Dunlop.

The Taysan, Negros Oriental native’s 1-2 finish in the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro proved enough to net her a share of MVP honors with Gomera.

Other winners were Lanao’s Benedict Lim and Queen Villa from La Carlota, Taysan’s Callao and Rousey Paliwag from Valencia, Negros, and Clemente Barrera III, also from Taysan.

Lim clobbered Andrian Rodriguez, 6-0, 6-2, while Villa crushed Beatrice Mongcal, 6-0, 6-0, for the 14-U titles; Callao routed Gabria Serillo, 6-0, 6-3, while No. 2 Rousey Paliwag upended top seed Alexa Cruspero, 6-0, 3-6, 103, for the 12-U diadems; and Barrera smothered David Gauran, 4-1, 4-1, in the 10-U division of the event backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).

Meanwhile, women’s tennis takes center stage as the first Rina Cañiza Open got under Monday at the PCA courts in Plaza Dilao with the singles and doubles competitions on tap. The National Collegiate Championship, featuring team and individual competitions, will start Feb. 13. For details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

GM Laylo arrests 17-year Nat’l Chess title drought

GRANDMASTER

Darwin Laylo drew with International Master Daniel Quizon in 34 moves of a Reti Opening in the ninth and final round Monday night to essay his first victory in the National Chess Championship in 17 years at the Malolos City Hall Auditorium in Bulacan.

The 42-year-old Army man thus capped his impressive showing with 6.5 points on four wins and five draws to claim his first title conquest since ruling the annual meet in 2006 and third overall.

For his feat, the Olympiad veteran took home the top purse worth a cool P100,000 and a beautifully-carved tro-

phy courtesy of host Malolos City Mayor Atty. Christian Natividad.

“It was a blessing to win again here after 17 years,” said Laylo, who thanked his family and Army Special Service Center Director Col. John Oliver Gabun.

IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia split the point with Woman Grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna to wind up second with six points and a purse worth P80,000 while IM Michael Concio, Jr. halved the point with IM Paulo Bersamina to take third and P50,000 in the tournament backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, National Chess Federation of the Philippines and Philippine Olympic Committee.

Rounding out the top 10 were Bersamina, Frayna, Mark Jay Bacojo, Quizon, GM John Paul Gomez, GM Joey Antonio and WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego.

Laylo rode on a strong start wherein he scored five points in the first six rounds that he highlighted with wins

over Frayna, San Diego, Bersamina and Antonio. He never looked back from there.

Villar Cup to promote active lifestyle among Las Piñas youth

By Maricel V. Cruz

DEPUTY Speaker and Las Piñas Rep.

Camille Villar has cited the importance of post-pandemic physical activity in a bid to improve overall health and well-being of the public, particularly her constituents, her Las Piñeros.

She made the statement after Villar Cup Las Piñas inter-barangay Basketball and Volleyball League concluded recently, successfully drawing the strong participation of Las Pinas residents in a bid to promote an active and healthy lifestyle among the youth.

“We support sports programs for our youth to strengthen the unity and sportsmanship of each one. This is also an avenue to display their skills and develop their potential,” said Villar.

The Villar Coliseum, where the games were held is a product of collaborative efforts of Rep. Villar, Senator Cynthia

Rose nails 1st Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf title in 4 years

SAN FRANCISCO—Justin Rose captured his first title in four years on Monday, making three morning birdies after a back-nine restart to win the US PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Rose made long birdie putts at the 11th and 13th holes and birdied 14— all in response to birdies by his closest rivals—to secure the triumph.

Former world number one Rose grabbed his 11th career PGA victory and his first since 2019 at Torrey Pines, another California oceanside course.

“Time flies by, doesn’t it?” Rose said. “It’s amazing how long it has been.

“Sometimes you just do need a result. You can believe you’re making progress but there’s nothing like lifting some hardware to give you that peace of mind and that little bit of confidence.”

The 42-year-old Englishman finished on 18-under par 269 after going three-under on Monday to complete a final round of six-under par 66.

“This is just a moment to say thanks to people who believe in me than probably more than I do,” Rose said. “My team have been incredible. My family at home... this one is for you guys.

“What a place to win a tournament... waves crashing up. It was just an epic scene. It makes me emotional almost to win here at Pebble.”

Rose closed with four pars to become the first European champion at the event over the famed Monterey Peninsula layout, defeating Americans Brendon Todd and Brandon Wu by three strokes with US players Keith Mitchell, Peter Malnati and Denny McCarthy another stroke adrift.

The victory earned Rose berths at the Masters in April and PGA Championship in May.

“Just had an unbelievable week,” Rose said. “Incredible week from start to finish with so much happening in my favor.”

A high wind delay on Saturday had ensured a Monday finish, one of many distractions Rose navigated, including playing alongside amateurs in earlier rounds, something Rose said helped keep him calm.

“That’s the beauty of this tournament,” Rose said. “There is a lot going on. There are the amateurs. There’s the odd bounce on the greens or wobbly putts or forecast that doesn’t make sense. There’s a lot that can be thrown at you.”

Rose, ranked 71st, was on 15-under par when the final round was halted by darkness on Sunday—two strokes ahead of Malnati, McCarthy and Todd. Rose sinks clutch putt Rose, whose lone major triumph came at the 2013 US Open, returned to the course in the 10th fairway and went on to par the hole.

Villar, and former Public Works Secretary and now Senator Mark Villar.

“We need to have sports programs to prosper that is why we moved to construct our very own indoor sports venue for our fellow Las Piñeros,” she added.

The House leader also congratulated the teams that dominated the basketball and volleyball tournament, as well as players who showed exceptional skills during those matches.

Brgy. Talon 4 emerged as the champion in the basketball league, beating Brgy. Daniel Fajardo, while Brgy. CAA was the top seed in volleyball beating Brgy. Talon 3. The teams got trophies and cash prizes.

Joshua Malabanan was named the most valuable player in the basketball finals, while Jefferson Galo was volleyball finals MVP.

Ezekiel Cochon (Brgy. Talon Dos), Christian Allen Vergara (Zapote), Joshua Malabanan and Alfred Estinopo (Talon 4),

and Glenn Lorete (Daniel Fajardo) made it to the mythical team for basketball.

In the volleyball tourney, Sam Gadil, Kentrindel Gaylawan and Jasoer Hemor (Brgy. CAA), Christian Tañaquin (Talon 3), Bryllian Mae Husayan (Talon 3), and Alex Enverzo (Daniel Fajardo) were named in the Mythical Six.

“We are looking forward to more sports activities in the future to strengthen camaraderie in our communities,” said Villar.

The final leg of the Villar Cup also featured an exhibition match between Tropang Villar and the Las Piñas All Stars, a team composed of basketball players from select barangays.

The Villar Cup featured basketball and volleyball teams from 20 barangays in Las Piñas.

Villar was one of the authors of a law establishing the National Academy of Sports which will be established at the New Clark City in Tarlac province.

Todd opened his Monday with a birdie at the 13th, a putt from just inside eight feet pulling him within one of the lead.

Rose, the 2016 Rio Olympic champion, responded by sinking a birdie putt from just inside 27 feet at the 11th to reach 16-under and restore his twostroke margin.

“I wanted to stay on the front foot. I knew some guys were going to make a run,” Rose said.

“Making that first five-footer of the day I felt was huge and then rolling in a 30-footer right on top of it at number 11 was exatly what I was looking for.

“I was able to build on that and make another couple of nice putts for momentum.”

Todd sank a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 14th, but Rose struck back again by rolling in a 19-foot birdie putt at the 13th to reclaim a two-shot edge, a fist pump showing his excitement. AFP

National MILO Marathon returns March 26 at MOA concert grounds

THE longest-running marathon in the country, the National MILO® Marathon is set to make its comeback on March 26, 2023 (Sunday) at the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds.

Because of the past few years of limited and restricted physical activity, MILO® launched its ACTIVE PILIPINAS campaign to energize and inspire Filipino families to live an active lifestyle through sports programs and events.

Through the return of the National MILO® Marathon, the brand brings together Filipinos of all ages and walks of life to run towards a common goal of energizing the nation to go from couch to court. The slow and cautious return of

the event takes safety as the primary concern, hence focusing on selected runs in key cities this year.

“‘Excited’ doesn’t even begin to cover how it feels to be able to bring back this much-loved running event to our fellow Filipinos, especially since there will be more runners at the starting line. When the race was announced, we saw and felt the shared excitement of the country, so we look forward to once again energizing the nation on March 26. We are excited to see everyone again at the starting line, where our Champions Coach Rio de la Cruz and First Olympic Marathon Champion Mary Joy Tabal had their early marathon experiences before becoming the

champions they are today,” said MILO® Sports Head Carlo Sampan.

Casual and professional runners are invited to kick off their Champion journeys at the National MILO® Marathon starting line. For the first time, registration for the run will be made available online via www.bit.ly/milomarathonisback. With race categories from 3K to 42K, runners are sure to find a category fit for their preferences and active goals.

Fit To Run medical certificate required Coach Rio shares “Finally it’s back! RunRio is honored to partner again with MILO® Philippines in bringing back the MILO Marathon. We share

the same vision of seeing more Filipino families being active and joining sporting events such as the MILO Marathon. While we are not staging

the usual qualifying and nationals format, we are hopeful to see more active Filipinos enjoying their time at the Manila leg and other upcoming races.”

Justin Rose of England celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after winning during the continuation of the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. AFP

Grandmaster Darwin Laylo

Rep. Camille Villar

Harry Styles in Manila on March 14 for 'Love on Tour' concert

Alfred Vargas fulfills dream of working with Philippine cinema icons

of Rebecca.

“It’s a dream come true for me. I’m able to tick this off my bucket list now. I can only imagine na sa red carpet, to walk with Nora Aunor, National Artist pa. For me, I’m just excited to work with Nora Aunor,” Vargas told the movie press in a recent media conference.

ALFRED Vargas continues to challenge himself as an actor and producer with his new project Pieta which starts filming this month.

HARRY Styles’ Love on Tour will banner Smart Live’s 2023 lineup of the biggest concerts and events, as the former One Direction member is expected to bring “Harry’s House” down for his Filipino fans at the Philippine Arena on March 14.

Known for his eclectic sense of style and fashion, Styles is an English singer, songwriter, and actor who rose to fame as a member of One Direction, which was formed during the 2010 season of the X-Factor talent search in the UK.

After the band went on hiatus in 2016, Styles launched a successful solo career with the release of his selftitled debut album in 2017 featuring hit songs like “Sign of the Times” and “Sweet Creature,” receiving widespread critical acclaim and established Styles as a solo artist and performer.

He recently won Album of the Year for Harry’s House in the recently concluded 2023 Grammys.

Tickets will be given away to Smart subscribers who are avid supporters of Styles’ swagger and suaveness.

“Smart’s thrust has always been to enable Filipinos to live more and make the most out of their present through meaningful innovations and empowered experiences like never before,” said Francis E. Flores, Head of Consumer Wireless BusinessIndividual at Smart.

“This is why we are excited to bring a truly dynamic event like Harry Styles’ ‘Love on Tour’ concert to provide our subscribers with a live experience that they will surely treasure forever.”

Simply visit the Smart Live site at https://smart.com.ph/Pages/ smartlive and click on the raffle registration for Harry Styles’ Love on Tour to get a link to the registration form. Promo runs until February 21.

Viola Davis secures EGOT status with Grammy win

American actress Viola Davis

ACTOR Viola Davis on Sunday joined the rare firmament of showbiz luminaries to have won competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards – the so-called EGOT – after taking home the gramophone for best audiobook, narration, and storytelling.

The 57-year-old Davis earned the Grammy for voicing the audio version of her best-selling 2022 memoir Finding Me

“I wrote this book to honor the sixyear-old Viola,” she said at the pre-telecast ceremony in Los Angeles. “To honor her life, her joy, her trauma, everything. And, it has just been such a journey -- I just EGOT!” Davis bested a rather formidable field: comedian Mel Brooks, who already has an EGOT; composer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is an Oscar away; and actor Jamie Foxx and musician Questlove, who are both Oscar and Grammy winners.

Davis won an Oscar in 2017 for best supporting actress for Fences opposite Denzel Washington, and a Tony – her second – for the same role in August Wilson’s play in 2010.

She won an Emmy for best actress in a drama for How to Get Away with Murder in 2015.

Davis is the 18th person to achieve the feat. The most recent before her was Jennifer Hudson in 2021. Other winners include actors Whoopi Goldberg and Rita Moreno, Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, and crooner John Legend AFP

In the movie directed by Adolfo Alix, Jr., he plays the role of Isaac, who was just released from prison but believes he is wrongfully accused of the death of his father years ago when he was young. Now, he is looking for an answer to know the truth.

Vargas will be acting with two of the most revered thespians in Philippine cinema in this cautionary tale of a mother and son trying to find answers from their tainted past as they seek redemption.

No less than the Superstar and National Artist for Film and Broadcast Nora

Aunor and muti-awarded actress Gina Alajar, who play pivotal roles in the film.

Aunor plays Rebecca, Vargas’ blind mother who grapples between her memories of the past while Alajar is Beth, Aunor’s friend who hold selflessly devotes herself to taking care

“I will do my best here. Gagamitin ko lahat ng kaalaman ko, talento ko, ilalabas ko talaga kasi the Superstar deserves nothing less. Nakakataba ng puso na malaman na hindi pala lahat ng projects, tinatanggap niya. Suwerte akong nakita niya na itong project with me is something worth doing, being who she is,” the 41-year-old actor and former politician said.

Produced by Alternative Vision Cinema and Noble Wolf Films, the story follows Isaac who tries to navigate the outside world after spending years in jail for killing his father. He goes home to his mother, Rebecca. He wanted to know the truth about his father’s death for he believes that he was wrongly accused.

But Rebecca, the key to finding out the truth is now suffering from Alzheimer’s and is now barely able to see. She can’t recognize her own son and can’t even remember what happened in the past, mumbling rumbling thoughts and memories. Rebecca is being taken cared of by a loyal friend, Beth who selflessly devoted herself to her.

As Isaac spends his days with his mother and warms up to her, he heeds the advice of Beth to abandon his search for the truth about what happened on the day his father died.

The important thing is that he’s now with

Rebecca, who needs him. He may now start a new life, on a clean slate.

But Isaac will be entangled in a mess due to his previous relationships, as well as the things he accidentally committed while in jail, while trying to save a friend’s life. Isaac will be haunted by his enemies, as events unfold regarding Rebecca’s role in his father’s death, and Beth’s efforts to hide the truth. What follows is an unconventional tale that will test our notions of what love can and cannot do.

‘Nego King’ starts haggling today

FILIPINOS are in for the best deals and loads of laughter as the Philippine version of South Korea’s hit web variety show Nego King tonight at 8:00 on ANIMA Studios’ YouTube Channel and LazLive on the Lazada app.

KROMA Entertainment’s ANIMA Studios partnered with leading global entertainment company A+E Networks Asia to bring this one-ofa-kind show that will delight every Filipino who loves a good bargain.

“Fueled by our desire to expand our content portfolio, we now bring to our audience a fresh and original unscripted show that is excellently delivered by our talents and creatives at ANIMA. And on top of our objective to wildly entertain our viewers each and every episode, we also want to reward them royally with unprecedented deals courtesy of our episode partners,” says Bianca Balbuena, Head of ANIMA.

“As a global IP Media Group, we’re constantly creating new formats that transcend cultures and languages. We’re thrilled to have found a like-minded partner in Kroma, to bring Nego King to the Philippines. Nego King is a digital show made by A+E Korea that has secured millions of fans and popularity with brands as the ideal advertising vehicle. We hope

our Filipino viewers enjoy the show and the great deals our Nego King gets just for them,” says Saugato Banerjee, Managing Director, A+E Networks Asia.

The Philippines’ very own Nego King is television and radio personality Sam YG, who negotiates with company executives to lower product prices and come up with irresistible offers for the Filipino audience.

In the show, Sam roams the streets of Metro Manila to interact with potential customers to ask them how they feel about a certain product and what would make them purchase it. Sam, the “Nego King,” uses these customer sentiments to negotiate the best possible deals with CEOs and business owners, getting huge discounts or freebies that viewers can avail themselves.

Since the original South Korean Nego King premiered two years ago on YouTube, it has aired 60 episodes across four seasons and continues to attract millions of global viewers. Considered as one of the most successful YouTube shows in Korea, the show is a hit with both brands and consumers.

Lazada, the top online shopping platform in the Philippines, is the official partner of Nego King Philippines

MVP, TV executives meet Coco Martin and cast of ‘FPJ's Batang Quiapo’

MEDIAQUEST Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan and primetime king Coco Martin, along with other cast members of FPJ’s Batang Quiapo such as Cherry Pie Picache, John Estrada, Mark Lapid, McCoy de Leon, and director Malu Sevilla, recently met in a dinner event.

The event was attended by Smart President and CEO Al Panlilio Mediaquest and Cignal TV President and CEO Jane Basas, and TV5 President and CEO Guido R. Zaballero. Additionally,

executives from ABS-CBN Corp. were present, including Chairman Mark Lopez, President and CEO Carlo Katigbak, COO for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, and Chief Partnership Officer Bobby Barreiro

The dinner was held to welcome the cast members of the highly anticipated television series FPJ’s Batang Quiapo The TV executives got to meet the crew up close and personal. Coco Martin, in particular, eagerly and passionately talked about his work and vision for Batang

Quiapo throughout the event. The star’s active involvement with the show’s production and deep understanding of his audience made it very clear why he has been dubbed “Hari ng Primetime.” After the successful run of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, the Filipino audience can now look forward to another FPJ classic, Batang Quiapo, a tale of hope, resilience, and the power of the human spirit. It’s a story that reminds us that even in the darkest of places, there

is always the chance for love, kindness, and bravery to shine through. With an all-star cast, stunning cinematography, and a talented creative team, Batang Quiapo is a powerful series that captures the grit, humor, and heart of life in the city. Batang Quiapo promises to be a timeless classic, much like the legendary Fernando Poe Jr.’s other works. The series premieres on Monday, February 13 on TV5.

The Philippines’ Nego King is television and radio personality Sam YG

Coco Martin (fourth from right) with Mediaquest and ABS-CBN top executives

From left: Alfred Vargas, Nora Aunor, Gina Alajar, and Adolfo Alix Jr. Alfred Vargas

English singer-songwriter Harry Styles

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

PH’s biggest bakery fair returns to World Trade Center LIFE

The biggest baking trade show in the country is holding its 2023 edition at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, bringing together thousands of baking enthusiasts, pastry experts, operators, and other entrepreneurs.

Led by Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association Inc. (FCBAI) helmed by its president Gerik Chua, Bakery Fair 2023 aims to uplift the standards and nationwide popularity of the baking industry while doing its share in sustaining the Philippine economy.

“We started in 2001 as a biennial event. Our last edition was held online due to the pandemic but now, we’re back to doing it as an F2F (face-to-face) fair. Our main goal here is for the industry players exhibit their products and services, and for the consumers to try them out,” Chua told Manila

Standard Lifestyle in an interview.

“As a non-profit organization, earning money out of this event is not our main goal. We wanted this event to be an avenue where new trends and technology can be showcased. And we have around 137 exhibitors, so people can look forward to a lot of things,” he added.

Chua announced that FCBAI’s muchawaited “Bakery Fair 2023” will be held on March 2, 3, and 4 at the World Trade Center in World Trade Center and all baking, pastries, and food enthusiasts, and the public are invited. The “Bakery Fair” is a civic project of FCBAI to promote and uplift the Philippines bakery industry and support socioeconomic development. FCBAI is also part of the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc.

(FFCCCII).

Chua is the Vice-President for Operations of Eng Bee Tin bakery business, which includes The Great Buddha Cafe on Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila, Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli, Cafe Mezzanine, and Mr Ube Rice and Noodle House.

A graduate of BS Business Administration Major in Marketing Management from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 2012, Chua trained in Baking Science and Technology at the American Institute of Baking in 2012. He is also the Executive Director of the Filipino Chinese fire volunteer brigade called “TXTFIRE Philippines.” Chua is also the Past President of the Philippine Society of Baking (PSB). To pre-register to enter the Bakery Fair 2023, follow the online link https://www. bakeryfair.ph

Kristine Lim leads National Arts Month celebration with historic solo exhibit

THE Manila Clock Tower Museum commenced its first National Arts Month

Celebration with its first female solo exhibit by renowned and internationally celebrated missionary visual artist, and Philippine Navy Reservist, CMO2 Kristine Lim PN (Res).

The exhibit and art installation are part of the Kuwento Ng Alon international exhibit tour, an unprecedented project where the missionary visual artist interprets the songs of composer, songwriter and record producer Jonathan Manalo

The international tour, staged in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Service Institute, will be visiting 10 counties outside the Philippines namely Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, UK, France, USA, Canada, and Dubai.

Opening and Artist Reception at the Manila Clock tower was held on February 1 and was graced by Manila

City Mayor Maria Sheilah “Honey”

Lacuna

Two paintings were also unveiled during the event by Lim. Both paintings are gifts from Councilor Numero Lim and Hon. Jasper Lim . The first is an opulent portrait of Mayor Lacuna, and the second one is a huge masterpiece entitled “Himig Sa Maynilad,” which will be an iconic piece inside the museum.

Kuwento Ng Alon at the Manila Clock Tower is presented by The Manila City Hall, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts of Manila, together with the Naval Reserve Command, Naval Reserve Forces NCR, Naval Reserve Center NCR, NRPAU Naval Reserve Public Affairs Unit, and Art Lounge Manila, and for the benefit of Sustainable PH, Operation Mobilization Philippines, Artists On A Mission, and ABS-CBN Foundation.

Meanwhile, a simultaneous art in-

GLAZING LIFE

BY GLAIZA LEE

HOW was your weekend?” a friend asked when we met yesterday for our weekly tête-à-tête. I paused for a while to think about how to possibly sum up my weekend. In my mind, I relived what had transpired in Pasinaya 2023 over the weekend.

Honestly, it was tiring. As Ariel Yonzon, head of the Production and Exhibition Department, said after the curtain call on the last day of Pasinaya, it takes a whole village to bring the different components of the festival to life.

From conceptualizing to looking for stage managers and volunteers, asking performing groups, partner museums, and galleries to join, and down to setting up the stages in different venues and running the shows, mounting a festival required so much, especially for the production team.

But at the end of the day, it was fulfilling. Seeing people flocking to the venues, participating in the Sulong Pasinaya dance, enjoying the shows, and reading their stories on social media posts – was all worth it. Looking at the photos that media friends took published on the front pages of major newspapers, made me teary-eyed. All our efforts weren’t in vain.

As Nikki Torres, our production manager, posted on her social media account: “As I was trying to describe Pa-

stallation was also held for Kuwento Ng Alon together with the Department of Tourism, Intramuros Administration, together with the Naval Reserve Command, Naval Reserve Forces NCR, Naval Reserve Center NCR, NRPAU Naval Reserve Public Affairs Unit, and Art Lounge Manila. The opening was held at Fort Santiago, Intramuros Manila and is entitled Hindi Mabigkas na mga Sanaysay . It’s a group art exhibit featuring Christian + Collective Visual Artists Members. It showcased the works of Christian Mirang, Diego, Inka Madera, Kristine Lim, Rodel Buban, Randie Tojos, Sherwin Tan, Shun Ablazo

II, and Sim Tolentino On Kristine Lim’s curator’s note, she

RETURNING WITH MUCH FLAIR

Pasinaya enlivens culture and arts scene with grand showcase and performance

Pasinaya brings culture and color to the public

sinaya to someone, I found myself saying that Pasinaya is about the generosity of performers who came from as far away as Tawi Tawi to share their art – with No

Pay; The generosity of most of the members of our team who spent sleepless nights making sure all would be well. My stage managers came on board with no thought of payment and yes, we had over a hundred volunteers for the task.”

She continued: “The generosity of the audience who came to laugh, to cry, to support; And yes, the generosity of the CCP for

putting up this mammoth event. We can talk about numbers. We can talk about marketing. We can talk about targets. But in the end, it is about the sharing of arts, of stories of cultures.”

Pagtitipon was attended by about 50 local government units, NGO’s and cultural organizations, who were part of the Kaisa sa Sining network. For Palitan, 50 art organizations were able to pitch their programs to 50 Philippine embassies all over the world.

Palihan, with 52 workshops, welcomed 10,000 people, while Palabas had 55 shows,

performed by 89 performing groups. There were about 3,000 performers and artists, sharing their talents and creativity generously. We had an estimated 38,000 audiences during the three-day festival.

As CCP artistic director Dennis Marasigan said: “Ano napala, nakuha natin? Nakita na buhay na buhay ang sining. Kulungin mo ito, gaya ng nangyari sa pandemya, at pilit itong pipiglas. Habang ginagawa ang Tanghalang Pambansa, magpapatuloy ang Pasinaya.”

There are already talks about bringing Pasinaya to Mindanao and Visayas in the coming years. It would be a totally different monster to

wrote: “There are stories and emotions no words can suffice expression, and they are too profound for anyone to verbally convey their most authentic and honest form. Hindi Mabigkas na mga Sanaysay is a collection of distinct and unique narratives that are bonded with common intents; to be bold, to be honest, to share a part of oneself, to be grateful, to be patriotic, to do something for a greater purpose that goes beyond the art and the artist.”

The celebrated visual artist added that the exhibit will “transports you through each one’s ongoing journey. I pray that the bits and pieces of turning points, highlights, realizations, climaxes, pitfalls, and triumphs, encapsulated in what you see, not only present you with how these have molded who the creators are and how they impacted those around them. May you also allow yourself to embrace the distinctness of everyone and find a part of who you are connected to who they once were and have become. These artworks maybe go beyond all known lexicons yet all are stories worth sharing and a testament to how the Divine continues to be the great Waymaker in their every breathing moment.”

Lim is one of the founders and officers of Christian + Collective.

A painting entitled Beyond Our Borders by Lim was also unveiled and formally turn over to the Foreign Service Institute and the Department of Foreign Affairs Republic of the Philippines and will be displayed as a permanent part of the library of the Government Agency.

The exhibit runs until February 15 at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

There are already talks about bringing Pasinaya to Mindanao and Visayas in the coming years

tackle, but CCP is definitely ready to slay it. We are up for the challenge.

As I watched the CCP team dance Sulong Pasinaya for the last time after the closing program and while the production team started to strike out the equipment, the stage, and other setups, I couldn’t help but think that there is nothing like working at the CCP. Even if sometimes the “kinauukulan” wouldn’t recognize the efforts of its cultural and production workers, it is a job that feeds your soul to the brim.

Let me give pats and hugs to all the people who made Pasinaya possible. In my world, you deserve a beach break.

Filipino-Chinese Bakery Association Inc. President Gerik Chua Gerik Chua (left) with Jerry Midel, Secretary General of Filipino Chinese Bakery Association Inc.

The opulent portrait of Mayor Honey Lacuna

‘Himig Sa May Nilad’ by Kristin Lim

The attendees of the unveiling and exhibit at the Manila Clock Tower Museum

Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna (left) giving Kristine Lim a heartfelt embrace

Lively dancers at Pasinaya