Manila Standard - 2023 February 20 - Monday

LPA TRIGGERS FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES

DFA notes ‘daily bullying’ in SCS

Complains Chinese harassment deprives PH rightful use of its EEZ

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

REGULAR harassment by Chinese in the disputed South China Sea has deprived the Philippines of the rightful use of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told a security conference in Munich, Germany over the weekend.

Speaking during a panel discussion on “Defending the United Nations (UN) Charter and the Rules-Based International Order,” Manalo said these actions had hindered Manila from maximizing the resources in its 200-nautical-mile EEZ.

“On a day-to-day basis, there are still many events occurring in the South China Sea, and there are daily incidents, at least as far as we see it, of cases of harassment or land reclamation, which in many cases have been depriving the Philippines of the use of our exclusive economic zone,” he said during the Munich Security Conference panel session on Saturday, a recorded video of which was released by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“It is these challenges which the Philippines and other countries in our region face, especially those who have claims

PBBM says Japan trip gains indicate growth on right track

THE Philippines is heading in the right direction toward achieving its goal of sustaining its growth momentum, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said over the weekend.

In a vlog uploaded on his official Facebook page on Saturday, Marcos said the P708 billion in investment pledges secured during his five-day working visit to Japan from Feb. 8-12 is an indication that

ICC gives Manila more time to appeal drug war probe

By Rey E. Requejo

the investigation on the killings in the drug war in the country to resume.

his administration is on the “right track.”

“We all know that they are businessmen. They could not be pleased just by mere appeals. They need to see the Philippines’ potential for good operation (of businesses),” Mr. Marcos said in Filipino.

“With the signing of LOIs (Letter of Intent, a document outlining the general plans of an agreement between two or

Aparri vice mayor, five others died in ambush in N. Vizcaya

By Abe Almirol

THE vice mayor of Aparri town in Cagayan province and five of his companions were killed in an ambush in Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday, police said.

THE International Criminal Court has granted the Philippine government’s plea for more time to file an appeal over an ICC Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling allowing

Memo on pay deduction fake news—Palace

By Vince Lopez

In a February 17 decision, the ICC Appeals Chamber gave the Philippines until Monday, March 13, 2023 at 1600 hours Central European Time (4 p.m. in the

Netherlands, 11 p.m. in Manila) to file an appeal brief that would contain the government’s arguments against the resumption of the ICC probe.

“The Appeals Chamber considers that

The fatalities were Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda, who was on his third term and was being groomed to run for mayor in the next elections, and his aides, initial police reports said.

Cessna plane wreck spotted near Mayon

THE wreckage of a Cessna plane was found Sunday morning near the crater of famed Mayon Volcano, 32 hours after one was reported missing in Albay.

The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Camalig town said the Philippine Air Force was verifying whether the debris near the Mayon crater was in fact the

crash site of the Cessna that went missing on Saturday.

In a statement, Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo confirmed that the aircraft that crashed on the upper part of Barangay Quirangay along the Anoling gully, two kilometers from an Incident Command Post of the Forest Rangers at Mayon, was the missing Cessna.

PLANE FOUND. In this handout from the Office of Civil Defense in Region 5, the missing Cessna 340 aircraft with tail number RP-C2080 is spotted 350 meters away from the crater of Mayon Volcano, on Sunday morning. The picture was taken from 6,500 feet above the volcano. Search and rescue groups are still looking for the plane’s pilot and passengers, including Australians Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santanan (inset). Jesar Adornado/OCD 5

FLORAL FLOAT. A woman waves from Entry No. 11, which eventually won second prize, of the 27th Baguio Flower Festival Fluvial Floral Float Parade at Baguio City’s Burnham Park Lake on Sunday. It was the first flower boat contest in more than two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic but is one of the lead-up events to Baguio’s famed Panagbenga Festival, which culminates March 4. Dave Leprozo

AMBUSH. Police cordon off the site where the van of Aparri Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda was ambushed by unknown assailants along the highway in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya on Sunday. Alameda and five companions did not survive the attack, which left their van riddled with bullets. Victor Martin FB photo

Court amends rules for child cases

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court has adopted rules to expedite court processes for the return of a child who is below 16 years of age and abducted from his or her country of “habitual residence” and taken to the Philippines.

The SC stressed that under the Rule on International Child Abduction Cases, the prompt return of the child is “based on presumption that, save in exceptional circumstances, such wrongful removal or retention is not in the best interest of the child.”

According to the high tribunal, the rule “also aims to ensure thatrights of custody

PBBM...

From A1 more parties before a legal agreement is finalized), it proves that we are on the right track in managing our economy, that we are heading in the right direction,” he added.

Around 35 LOIs and agreements have been signed between the governments of the Philippines and Japan, as well as different business companies from both nations, to deepen their partnerships in various sectors such as manufacturing, infrastructure development, energy, transportation, healthcare, renewable energy, and business expansion.

The investment pledges from Japanese business leaders are expected to generate around 24,000 jobs for Filipinos.

Mr. Marcos expressed optimism that the latest development would make the Philippine economy more robust.

‘New Philippines’

He said his foreign travels are aimed at fulfilling his administration’s desire for a “new Philippines.”

“Our overseas trips, including Japan, to encourage more investments is a big part of our roadmap toward a new Philippines,” Mr, Marcos said.

“We will nurture our connections and partnerships we need to achieve our goals. A new Philippines shows not just our recovery but also development.”

Malacañang announced on Friday that Marcos’ foreign trips have so far generated a total of 116 investment projects worth P3.48 trillion ($62.926 billion), based on a report from the Department of Trade and Industry.

Mr. Marcos said his administration welcomes and is open to “new and modern” ways of boosting the Philippine economy.

He also reiterated that he would strengthen the public-private partnership (PPP) under his watch, as he acknowledged its crucial role in revitalizing the economy.

“We need the help of every sector in society. The biggest part of society is the private sector,” Mr. Marcos said.

“All of our goals can only be attained if the public and private sectors have good relations. We will continue to strengthen public-private partnership or PPP,” he added. Vince Lopez (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Aparri...

From A1

The victims were on board a black Hyundai Starex van headed for Aparri when masked gunmen wearing police uniforms opened fire on the vehicle.

The assailants, on board a white Mitsubishi Adventure with government plates, blocked the highway near the MV Duque Elementary School in Bagabag town and when Alameda's car approached, they riddled it with bullets.

The victims were taken to the Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center but were declared dead on arrival.

The killers later fled toward Solano.

In a separate incident, the suspect in the 2022 killing of the police chief of Ampatuan town and his driver in Maguindanao del Sur province was killed in a police operation Saturday.

Abdulkarim Hasim (alias Boy Jacket) was killed at 6:30 a.m. in Purok Yellow Bell, Barangay New Isabela, Tacurong City, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Sunday.

Hasim was identified as the main perpetrator in the slaying of Ampatuan police chief Lt. Reynaldo Samson and his driver, Cpl. Salipuden Endad, in Barangay Kapinpilan in August 2022.

Azurin said Hasim was gunned down by security forces as he resisted arrest during the serving of a warrant of arrest for murder and double frustrated murder.

Azurin has ordered a gun ban in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Cotabato after Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr. was ambushed Friday.

Adiong's convoy was en route to Wao, Lanao del Sur at 4 p.m. when they were attacked by unidentified gunmen in Kalilangan, Bukidnon. Three of the governor's police escorts and his driver were killed. Adiong and a staff member were injured.

and of access under the laws of the state or country of the child’s habitual residence are effectively respected.” The high court said the rule “shall apply to all international child abduction and retention cases in accordance with the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction of

DFA...

From A1 also in the South China Sea,” Manalo said.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a statement on Sunday that its troops are "always ready to provide a safer, more peaceful and progressive country."

The AFP said it “will always be resolute in ensuring the interest of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea,” under the guidance of PresidentFerdinand Marcos Jr.'s vision laid out in his speech during the alumni homecoming at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City on Saturday.

President Marcos reiterated his pledge to keep every inch of Philippine territory.

"This country will not lose one inch of its territory. We will continue to uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty in accordance with our Constitution and with international law. We will work with our neighbors to secure the safety and security of our peoples," Marcos said.

Also, the AFP asked Filipinos for their "support and prayers for the Armed Forces, and the Philippine Coast Guard in the conduct of maritime patrols to protect and preserve what rightfully belongs to us," the statement added.

Since the beginning of 2023, the DFA had lodged nine notes verbales and diplomatic protests before China, whose “increasing intensity of actions” against Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have been openly criticized by President Marcos.

Manalo said the Philippines continues to abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling, which stated that China’s nine-dash line over the vital sea lane is illegal.

As Manila asserts this decision, Manalo said the UN could further help by creat-

Memo...

From A1

Secretary is also “coordinating with authorities” to investigate the fraudulent memo. The counterfeit memo was made to look like it was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin by the authority of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“The unfortunate earthquake that occurred in Turkey on 6th February 2023 has caused significant human and livestock casualties as well as widespread damage to private homes and public infrastructures. Damage to infrastructure has worsened the humanitarian situation.

To extend maximum support to the Turkish government and people to help them cope with the destruction caused by the earthquake, a fund has been established/opened as ‘President’s Relief Fund For Turkey Earthquake Victims’.

It is further proposed [that there will be a] deduction of salary from government employees. The President considered the proposal and approved the deductions…” the document read.

It stated that officers and officials working in ministries, divisions, departments, authorities, corporations, companies, financial institutions, and commissions working under the “federal

1980 (HCAC).

The Hague Convention, signed by more than 100 countries including the Philippines, “covers international parental child abduction and provides a process through which parents can seek to have their child returned to their home country.”

Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro Javier, chairperson of the Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns, recommended the adoption of the rule before the Court En Banc.

With the approval by all members of the SC, the rule – under A.M. No. 22-0915-SC) — will take effect 15 days after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation.

Under the rule, the petition should be filed by the “left behind parent” or any authorized person, institution or any other body claiming that a child has been wrongfully removed or retained in breach of custody rights before the regional trial court (RTC) acting as a family court.

The “left behind parent” is defined in the rule as “any person, institution, or any other body exercising rights of custody or access over the child by operation of law or by reason or a judicial or administrative decision or agreement having legal effect under the law… immediately prior to the breach of such right of custody or right of access.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Turkey ends all rescue efforts except in 2 areas

ISTANBUL—Turkey has ended rescue efforts in all provinces except the two hardest hit by last week's massive quake that killed tens of thousands of people, the Turkish disaster agency said Sunday.

"In many of our provinces, search and rescue efforts have been completed. They continue in Kahramanmaras and Hatay provinces," the agency's chief Yunus Sezer told reporters in Ankara.

The epicentre of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on February 6 was in Kahramanmaras.

In other developments, former Ghana international football star Christian Atsu was found dead on Saturday under the rubble of his home, almost two weeks after a devastating earthquake in Turkey.

Atsu, 31, was caught up in a 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 46,000 people in both countries.

There were initial reports the former Chelsea and Newcastle player had been rescued a day after the quake, but these turned out to be false.

His manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, told DHA news agency on Saturday that his body had been found under the rubble of luxury flats that crumbled in the Turkish southern province of Hatay. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

ICC...

From A1

ing greater awareness on the importance of a rules-based maritime order.

Manalo said the Security Council could initiate an open debate not necessarily on the arbitral award but on “rule and order to prevail in the maritime domain and the South China Sea”.

“I think discussions like that would help create greater awareness on the importance of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and also maintaining a rules-based order so that any disputes or conflicts are settled through the rule of law and through peaceful means and not through coercive measures or aggressive moves,” he said.

The call came amid heightened tensions between the Philippines and China after the latter’s coast guard flashed a military-grade laser against a Filipino vessel on Feb. 6, temporarily blinding its crew.

In the same panel discussion, Manalo clarified that the maritime row over the WPS would not be the sum total of Beijing and Manila relations.

“It's a very complex situation, the Philippines and other countries in the region have very strong links with China on the economic and cultural front. So that creates greater, more complexity to the situation,” he said.

While in Munich, Manalo said he had a “candid exchange” with Ambassador Fu Ying, vice chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.

“We talked about the latest incidents around Ayungin Shoal and how to further strengthen (Philippine-China) relations while managing our maritime differences and regional security challenges in IndoPacific,” Manalo said.

International attention

In a radio interview on Sunday, Senator Francis Escudero said the government is on the right track in handling the WPS while commending President Marcos for

government” will receive a two-day salary deduction. The fraudulent memo also stated that officers and officials of civil and armed forces, officers and officials holding posts on contract as well as lump sum pay packages, and officers and officials locally recruited in foreign missions will also have a two-day salary deduction.

The Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines Facebook account warned of the fake memorandum titled “Two Days Salary Deduction For the Month of March 2023 From All Government Employees For President Relief Fund For Turkey And Syria.”

“Government officials and employees are hereby advised to practice precaution and to observe vigilance against this deceptive information. For more info on Presidential issuances, visit theOfficial Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines Website and Facebook page," the Official Gazette Facebook post said.

Earlier, Mr. Marcos sent an 87-member Filipino contingent, composed of rescuers and medical personnel, to assist in search and rescue operations in Turkey. Reports showed that more than 46,000 people have been killed in the magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, with many still missing and several buildings destroyed (see story on A2 – editors).

maintaining strong relations with China and the United States.

Escudero also noted that the administration, including the military, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the DFA are more active in issuing separate statements compared to previous administrations.

The latest incident involved a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel reportedly directing a military-grade laser light at a PCG ship on a rotation and resupply mission of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin Shoal at the WPS on Feb. 6.

Escudero said the actions taken by the government gained international attention as some countries, including the US, Australia, and Japan, also condemned the Chinese action.

Mr. Marcos' comments came days after the Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest over China Coast Guard's use of military-gradelaser, and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Malapascua on Feb. 3.

In the same speech, the President also said the laser-pointing incident was only a part of the rising tension over the maritime dispute.

"The laser-pointing incident was only a part of what we are seeing as intensifying or escalating the actions of the militia—marine militia of China, the coast guard of China, and the navy of China,” he said.

But Mr. Marcos also emphasized what he told Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian during their meeting in Malacañang: “We have to find a wayaround this because if we are such close friends such as China and the Philippines, these are not the kind of incidents that we should be talking about."

Also over the weekend, Senator Francis Tolentino disagreed with a suggestion that the laser incident was cause enough to invoke the country's Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.

Cessna...

From A1

The Office of Civil Defense in Region 5 then produced a photo, taken 6,500 feet above the active volcano, that it said was “the missing Cessna 340 aircraft with tail number RPC2080 (which) was found at6:53 a.m. yesterday. It was taken 350 meters away from the crater of Mayon Volcano.”

But only the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines can confirmif it is the missing Cessna, “as they are the only ones who can identify that plane,” Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office head Dr. Cedric Daep said in a dzBB interview, adding the crash site was difficult to access.

This is the second Cessna plane to go missing in Luzon this year, with the first disappearing in Isabela province in January.

For the one that went missing in Albay, Pilot Capt. Rufino James Crisostomo Jr., crew Joel Martin, and the plane’s Australianpassengers, Simon Chipperfield and Karthi Santanan, have yet to be found.

Australian citizens Chipperfield and Santanan are technical consultants of the Energy Development Corporation, which runs theBac-Man geothermal power plant straddling the towns of

the Republic of the Philippines has provided valid reasons in support of its application. In particular, it notes the new administration’s logistical and administrative constraints,” ICC Appeals Chamber Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut said in the decision.

The development comes a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Saturday that the Philippines will not cooperate with the ICC because it has a “good” and working justice system.

Speaking to reporters in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City, Mr. Marcos said the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines, which he emphasized is a “sovereign nation.”

“My position has not changed. I have stated it often, even before I took office as president, that there are many questions about (ICC’s) jurisdiction, and what we in the Philippines regard as an intrusion into our internal matters and a threat to our sovereignty,” he said.

The government, led by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, notified the ICC Appeals Chamber on Feb. 3 of its decision to appeal the whole decision of the ICC PreTrial Chamber (PTC) to allow the ICC Prosecutor to resume its probe on the drug war killings in the Philippines, as well as deaths connected to the Davao Death Squad.

The appeal brief was supposed to be due on Sunday, Feb. 19. But on Wednesday, Feb. 15, the government asked for an additional 20 days to file the brief, citing the election of a new President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and the difficulties of “newly appointed heads of government agencies” in gathering “comprehensive data and relevant records due to logistical and administrative constraints.”

“The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) awaits a reply from other relevant government agencies on its request to submit a status update on the pending investigations related to crimes committed on the Philippine territory between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ campaign. It has received responses and documents on separate occasions, but needs additional time to assess the relevance of these documents,” it said (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Bacon, Albay and Manito, Sorsogon.

Manila-based EDC said the missing plane belonged to the company and it was seeking to confirm if the wreckage spotted on Sunday in "very steep terrain and high altitude of about 6,000 feet" was theirs.

Regional police said rescue teams with sniffer dogs had been deployed to find the crash site. An aerial search will continue Monday to locate the missing people.

"The problem is the weather is bad and it hampers the visibility of the ground search," CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio told AFP.

"There might be a sudden ash explosion and we could be added to the casualties," Daep told local radio DZBB. "We are not discounting the possibility that they could still be alive."

The plane, a Cessna 340A, left the Bicol International Airport (BIA) at 6:43 a.m. on Saturday bound for Manila before disappearing. It was supposed to land in Manila by 7:53 a.m.

“Authorities are presently investigating the crash site to map out factors that led to the recent incident in town,” said Baldo.

“Search and rescue operations are still in effect unless dead bodiesare found, then it will be declared as search and retrieval operations,” he added. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

‘CHACHA’ CONSULTATION. Lawmakers join local government officials, political analyst, and representatives of different sectors from Bulacan in the Public Consultation on Constitutional Reform at the City Convention Center in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan on Saturday. Pictured from left are Rep. JC Abalos, 4PS Partylist; Mr. Antonio L. Tinio, President ACT Teachers Party List; Rep. Zaldy S. Villa of Siquijor; Rep. Danny A. Domingo, 1st Dist. Bulacan; Rep. Rosanna V. Vergara, 3rd Dist. Nueva Ecija; Host Rep. Florida P. Robes of San Jose Del Monte City; Rep. Divina Grace C. Yu, 1st Dist. Zamboanga del Sur; Rep. Richard Gomez, 4th Dist. Leyte; Rep. Stella Luz A. Quimbo, 2nd Dist. Marikina City; Rep. Loreto S. Amante, 3rd Dist. Laguna; Bulacan Vice Governor Alexis C. Castro; San Jose Del Monte City Mayor Arturo B. Robes; and political analysts Dr. Clarita R. Carlos and Prof. Michael Eric Castillo. Manny Palmero

LPA triggers floods, landslides

SEVERAL floods and landslides were reported in parts of Visayas and Mindanao over the weekend as the trough of a low-pressure area brought persistent rains.

Thousands of residents in Butuan City as well as in the neighboring provinces of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur fled their homes Saturday.

In Butuan City alone, some 5,026 families from 38 villages moved to evacuation centers for safety.

A landslide was also reported in Barangay De Oro on Saturday morning but was immediately cleared out in the afternoon.

Thieves present even in Jesus’ time–Escudero

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE disclosure of Supreme Court

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen that hoodlums in robes remain came as no surprise for Senator Francis Escudero.

“Even during the time of Jesus, there were already thieves,” Escudero said. “The problems of the world did not change.”

“If it came from him [Leonen], I have no doubts he’s drawing it from something and he has knowledge of it,” the senator added.

Leonen on Thursday urged lawyers to speak out against corruption, which he said continues to exist in government and in the judiciary.

“Impartiality suffers when corruption infects courts… Corruption weakens the rule of law and therefore the confidence of people in the government,” Leonen said during the 19th National Convention of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Davao City.

He called on lawyers to report any member of the judiciary, including former judges or justices, who offer to “facilitate the outcome of a case.”

“You are obliged to report them to us, through the Office of the Chief Justice,” he added.

Escudero said he would welcome efforts by the judiciary to clean its own ranks even if he acknowledged it would be difficult.

“I believe discretion always equals corruption. The judiciary is purely discretionary. Oftentimes, 90-95% of cases are new and unique so discretion will enter,” Escudero said.

“We remind our residents in Butuan to be always on alert, especially in times of disasters, to save lives,” the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said Sunday as it distributed some 2,543 food boxes to affected residents.

In Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office reported that 15 villages were hit by flooding, with a

total of 803 families or 3,516 individuals directly affected and are temporarily sheltered in 22 evacuation centers.

In Jabonga also in Agusan del Norte, four villages were affected by flooding that sent 216 families or 720 persons to evacuation sites while in Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, at least 83 families also abandoned their flooded homes.

Landslides were reported in the town of Sibagat in Agusan del Sur, particularly in Barangay Kioya and in Purok 1, Barangay Mahayahay; and in Barangay Tigbao in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands. In the Visayas area, some 15 people in

Barangay Rizal of the town Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte were affected by landslides triggered by the LPA’s rains.

The Wright-Taft Road in Eastern Samar was also closed to traffic after the national highway in Binaloan town was hit by a landslide.

In its advisory on Sunday, the state weather bureau said the LPA will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar. The LPA, however, remains less likely to develop into a tropical depression.

DENR hails Million Trees Foundation

AS THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) trains its sights on the protection, preservation and management of the environment, it commends its partners from the private sector, academe, civil society, and other national government agencies for their contributions to the government’s various environmental programs and projects.

At the recently concluded Stakeholders and Partners Forum with the theme “Environmental Partnership for Sustainable Future” held at the Park Inn by Radisson in Quezon City, these program and project partners were awarded plaques of recognition “for their invaluable support to the programs, projects and activities of the DENR National Capital Region.”

Among those recognized was the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI), a non-stock, non-profit organization incorporated on March 16, 2021. Its primary objective is to ensure the sustainability of the Annual Million Trees Challenge (AMTC), a watershed rehabilitation program of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). MTFI is the non-government partner organization of MWSS in the implementation of the AMTC.

GROUNDBREAKING.

2 Maguindanao clans end decades-long political feud

By Nash Maulana

TWO prominent Bangsa Iranun clans have finally ended a decades-long political feud after the Bangsamoro government pushed for dialogues that led to the reconciliation.

Chief Minister Ahod Balwag Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) cited the role of local chief executives, regional agencies and the security sector in supporting reconciliation efforts between the Tomawis clan and the Ibay clan.

BARMM’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) said the dialogues

“silently ended” on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, at the Office of the Chief Minister Ebrahim at the Bangsamoro Government Center in

Cotabato City.

Key officials and members of both families attended the final meet up, mainly represented by former Mayor Barok Tomawis for the Tomawis clan and by former Mayor Ibrahim Ibay for the Ibay clan. Ebrahim said both parties have long wanted mutually to be bound by settlement.

AMTC surpassed its target of five million trees planted in five years. The MTFI targets to plant 10 million more trees by 2030. It manages the Million Trees Nursery and Eco Learning Center, the center of AMTC programs and initiatives, situated inside the La Mesa Watershed compound.

The award was received by MTFI President and Executive Director Melandrew T. Velasco who said that the 10-million more trees target is very doable.

At the forum, DENR Regional Executive Director-NCR Jacqueline A. Caancan presented DENR-NCR’s program for 2023 and asked for the continued support of the program partners to ensure a climate resilient and sustainable Metropolitan Manila. The forum utilized hashtags #NurturingCitiesForASustainableFuture #TayoAngKalikasan.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION. TBPeople Philippines Organization Inc., a key affected population committee member of the Philippine Country Coordinating Mechanism (PCCM), joined a recent country dialogue at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Manila on February 1 to 3, 2023. The country dialogue is the culmination of a series of consultations with different constituencies like government agencies, development partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, and key affected populations. PCCM’s final proposal will be submitted to the Global Fund to Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria on March 20.

Only 8 of 164 Dengvaxia cases filed in court, PAO chief laments

By Rio N. Araja

LESS than five percent or only eight of the 164 Dengvaxia-related cases have been filed at a family court in Quezon City, according to the Public Attorney’s Office.

PAO chief Persida Acosta said 158 other cases are still pending before the Department of Justice’s National Prosecution Service.

“We are talking about only eight cases filed here, while 158 others are still pending. (Zuellig) Pharma (Corp.) has filed a petition with the Court of Appeals questioning the lower court’s jurisdiction of the civil cases filed against it,” Acosta said.

She noted that Branch 13 Judge Lily Ann Marcos-Padaen has set another hearing on the continuance of the testimony of a wit-

ness of the Dengvaxia victims on Feb. 23 after its previous setting on Feb. 16.

Acosta also expressed disappointment over the court’s order to strike out several questions and answers under the judicial affidavit of witness Dr. Clarito Cairo during the Feb. 16 hearing.

“PAO cannot do anything about it. It is the (city) prosecutor that has the control over it. Nevertheless, the boxing (game) is not yet over. It hurts,” she told reporters.

“PAO will do everything to help the victims of Dengvaxia,” she added.

Parents of children whose deaths were linked to the Dengvaxia vaccine, through the PAO, have filed charges against former Health secretary Janette Garin and Francisco Duque III and 37 others before the justice department.

(From left) House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Rep. Bingo Matugas, Dapa Mayor Elizabeth Matugas, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Department of Health OIC Maria Rosario Vergeire, and William Scheirman of the Schierman Construction Corp. lead the groundbreaking ceremony of the Siargao Medical Center (SIMC) located in Eastern Tacloban. The Level 2 medical facility will be capable of housing up to 100 beds, isolation and surgical facilities, departmentalized clinical services, respiratory units, general intensive care units, high-risk pregnancy units, NICU, and a dental clinic.

IN BRIEF

Solon to Palace: Name new air traffic czar

4PS party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan wants Malacañang to designate a new air traffic czar who can roll out a package of initiatives to decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), including the relocation of more flights to Clark International Airport.

“We would urge Malacañang to look for an air traffic czar who can manage commercial flight activity, compel airlines to reschedule flights if necessary, and to oversee the shift to Clark. This is the only way we can fix NAIA’s congestion and improve travel experience,” he said.

Persistent flight delays at NAIA often cause holdups in airports across the country.

“Airlines can be persuaded to move more flights to Clark. In fact, the government can subsidize some of their relocation costs,” Libanan said. Rio N. Araja

Transport groups back review of traffic code

THE so-called Magnificent-7 in the transport industry is supporting the review of the Land Transportation and Traffic Code of 1964 for road safety, the safety of motorists, the riding public, and pedestrians.

The Magnificent-7 is composed of Pasang Masda, the Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap), Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston), Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (ACTO), Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), Stop and Go, and Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators ng Pilipinas (LTOP).

Roberto “Ka Obet” Martin, Pasang Masda president, along with the six other major transport groups, believes that the law’s review and update as well as the integration of traffic rules and regulations as component in the basic education curriculum could help address severe traffic problems on major roads and lower the incidence of road mishaps.

Rio N. Araja

Rumbaoa unveils new CMFC in Santiago City

ACTING Philippine National Police

Regional Director in Region 2, Police Brigadier General Percival A. Rumbaoa has unveiled the Santiago City Mobile Force Company (CMFC) as a drug-free workplace in partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 2 office.

Executive Order No. 66 series of 2018 mandates that government organizations remain drug-free for the effective and efficient provision of public services.

In a statement, Rumbaoa said “to guarantee administrative and operational goals being accomplished, assessment of status on personnel performance in precipitation of their duties must be prioritized. Good leadership means being disciplined and realized by the power of example.” Brenda Jocson

‘REYNA NG SIKHAYAN.’ Sofia Margaret Austria from Barangay Sinalhan was crowned as the “Reyna of Sikhayan.” Winners during the competition include Barangay Sinalhan (4th place), Barangay Macabling (3rd place), Barangay Caingin (2nd place), Barangay Pooc (1st place). Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene Arcillas (inset) speaks at the end of the parade, followed by the Sikhayan Street Dance Competition. (See story below) Roy Tomandao

BOC seizes P150m worth of smuggled agri products

Rey E. Requejo

ASERIES of inspection of 24 warehouses in Metro Manila on Friday resulted in the seizure of P150 million worth of smuggled agricultural products following the intensified campaign of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to curb agricultural smuggling.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido

Rubio said agents of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation ServiceManila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP), the Philippine National Police-Crime Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) implemented

the Letters of Authority (LOAs) on 24 warehouses and storage areas believed to house P150 million worth of smuggled agricultural products, such as fresh onions and fresh garlic.

“We will be relentless in the fight against agricultural smuggling. Rest assured that the BOC is steadfast in pa-

Group backs

JV measure on anti-smuggling

trolling our borders and protecting our local farmers against illicit traders of agricultural products,” Rubio said.

The warehouses, majority of which were located in Tondo, Manila, while one each in Malabon City and Binondo, were found with fresh onions, fresh garlic, and other products.

The BOC also coordinated with the respective barangay officials and the PNP before the operation. Warehouse representatives acknowledged the LOAs and allowed the team to inspect the warehouses.

After finding the alleged smuggled products, the team proceeded to temporarily padlock and seal the warehouses and storage areas.

MEETING WITH THE MAYOR.

Tabaco City Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro meets with DTI provincial director Dindo Nabol and his team from DTI Albay on the proposed development of the Tabaco City metalcraft industry. Norman Cruz

Arcillas hails Sta. Rosa’s march toward becoming an industrial city

By Roy Tomandao

--Mayor

Arlene B. Arcillas has recognized the efforts of Santa Rosa residents in this year’s Sikhayan Festival held February 18 at the City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex.

“Sikhayan” was derived from the words “sikap” at “kabuhayan” which intends to celebrate and recognize the efforts of the people in the city.

In her message during the opening of the festival, Arcillas said that the “pagsisikhay” of the citizens was the key to the develop-

ment of Santa Rosa from the former municipality which thrives from farming and fishing towards becoming a commercial and industrial city that it is today.

In addition to the investors that entered and have continued to stay inside the city for many years, Arcillas also called on

everyone’s participation in the continuous development of Santa Rosa consistent with the theme of Sikahayan 2023.

“Sikhayan is a testament to the unity and efforts not only of the City Government, not only of the industries but of every Santa Rosa family,” she said.

A CONSUMER group on Sunday called for the immediate passage of Senate Bill 1688 filed by Senator JV Ejercito which expands the coverage of RA 10845 or the “Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016” to include hoarding, profiteering, cartel and “other market abuses.”

The Malayang Konsyumer (MK) also said that the proposed amendments of Ejercito “are a timely intervention given the rising prices of goods like onions.”

MK spokesperson Atty. Simoun Salinas likewise criticized a separate but concurrent move at the Upper House adding tobacco and tobacco products as “wasteful,” stressing that the inclusion of nonessential items to the anti-smuggling measure “does not make sense and dilutes the purpose of RA 10845.”

Salinas was referring to Senate Bill 1812, proposed by Senator Lito Lapid, which seeks to insert both raw and processed tobacco products such as cigarettes to the current Anti-Smuggling Law’s short list of rice, corn, vegetables and other core household food items.

According to Salinas, “at the Senate we have a good proposal and a bad proposal, and it is clear to us that the Good One has the better bill for consumers.”

“JV is the Good One” was the slogan used by Ejercito in the 2022 national elections.

Salinas explained that “amendments aimed at improving the law should focus on offenses that are harmful to Filipino consumers and households, those crimes we consider to be large-scale and prevalent as to amount to economic sabotage. That’s why SB 1688 includes profiteering, hoarding and the like.”

“The Ejercito measure gives us that. It adds substance to the law. Compare that to the Lapid bill which has a different focus altogether. It’s illogical, ill-timed, and does not benefit food consumers. Tobacco is in a completely different class of non-essential, non-food products that do not deserve legal protection under RA 10845,” added the lawyer.

SCB denies issuing certificate to PAGCOR auditor

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

NEW York-based Soleil Chartered Bank (SCB) has categorically denied issuing a bank certificate that helped third-party auditor Global ComRCI consortium win a P6 billion contract with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to

audit the revenue of Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

It can be recalled that PAGCOR presented during a Senate committee hearing a bank guarantee purportedly issued by Soleil to Global ComRCI for $25 million in compliance with a capital requirement set by PAGCOR in contracting an independent auditor for POGOs.

Due to this, Senator Win Gatchalian, who is leading the Senate probe on POGO’s financial matters as chairperson of the Senate ways and means committee, called for the immediate termination of the deal.

“The contract between PAGCOR and Global ComRCI should be terminated immediately,” Gatchalian said.

Jetti, Akyat Aral conduct medical mission in Jomalig

JETTI Petroleum has partnered with the nonprofit organization Akyat Aral on a back-to-school and dental mission for the children of Jomalig Island in Quezon province.

Alyat Aral, currently headed by Albert Atienza, has been operating since 2010. Jomalig Island is a fifth-class mu-

nicipality in Quezon with roughly 7, 667 people.

Aside from Jetti Petroleum, the back-toschool and dental mission was also a direct collaboration of Akyat Aral and the Las Pinas Dental Doctors Inner Wheel Club, in coordination with the Jomalig rural health unit and tourism offices.

The mission was held inside the Jomalig covered court. Aside from the dental mission, volunteers also conducted free haircuts, zumba sessions, hair treatment (lice removal), and a gift-giving activity.

Participants in the mission included parents and children from five participating barangays in Jomalig.

SANTA ROSA CITY LAGUNA

DENTAL MISSION IN JOMALIG. Jettit Petroleum and Akyat Aral recently held a back-to-school and dental mission in Jomalig Island in Quezon province. The dental mission was conducted by the Innerwheel Dental Team, in coordination with the local government of Jomalig.

Save Masungi

sungi for office headquarters, including the award of residential plots to their officials and employees, so far away from the penitentiary?

Catapang has averred that the Masungi area will not be a penitentiary, and no prisoners will be housed therein, just offices and residences.

Two-pronged approach in SCS

of aggression in the South China Sea.

I HAVE yet to visit the Masungi Georeserve. But I have seen it several times on Youtube.

My 10-year-old granddaughter visited the place last year in a field trip organized by her school. She was raving about it, and has since become very interested in environmental conservation.

The family went after a few months to a campsite in Tanay, where my grandkids learned about life outside the urban sprawl where they grew up -- kindling a fire, sleeping in a tent without air-conditioning, fetching water from a nearby brook, and breathing fresh air.

Last year, we read Masungi was in the headlines because some armed men who must have been agents of a land developer or a quarry company, parked their unwanted selves inside, claiming part of the georeserve for their private destruction.

Now it is the controversy-laden Bureau of Corrections, devoid of a Bantag and now headed by a Catapang, which wants to build its headquarters and housing for personnel in some 270 hectares of the area.

Twenty BuCor personnel went to Masungi upon orders of Catapang to conduct an inspection of their future “development” site.

What history once referred to as the Pearl of the Orient will forever be marred and defaced, all because there is no foresight, no urban planning, no pride of place, only monumental greed

Catapang has a newly minted original certificate of title dated September 22, 2022, based on Presidential Proclamation 1158 issued by then PGMA on September 8, 2006, for use as the new site of the New Bilibid Prison which now occupies about the same area of land in Muntinglupa.

Government, then and now, is looking at privatizing the present site of NBP to raise revenues. The area, once farmland, has become part of a metropolis that keeps crying out for land for people to dwell in.

What we used to call Munti has since become prime real estate in a rent economy, coveted by the rich and entitled.

DOJ Secretary Boying Remulla, who has announced a policy of regionalizing our prisons system, transferring the main jail in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, already a penal colony since yesteryears, now supports his BuCor director’s plan to hold office at Masungi, far from Sablayan.

Why in heaven’s name should supervisors be far from the supervised? Move both HQ and prison to Sablayan, for chrissakes.

The national penitentiary also has longreserved sites in Iwahig, Puerto Princesa, in Davao del Norte, San Ramon in Zamboanga City, and Abuyog in Leyte.

There was a time when the huge army reservation in Laur, Nueva Ecija, on part of which stands Fort Magsaysay, was eyed as a transfer site for the Munti penitentiary.

One wonders why Catapang wants Ma-

EvEryman

By Prof. Edmund S. Tayao

IT APPEARS we have not learned much from substantive exchanges we have had several times before in considering revising the Constitution.

With the revival of discussions on the subject, I am hearing the same arguments against.

I am hearing the same arguments for other options other than revising the constitution.

The same reasons are being raised by those who do not favor any amendment to the Constitution, and the same cautionary points are being raised by those who would say they support revising the Constitution, except that they favor particular changes, if not approaches to changes, or even the most oxymoron of arguments: that the timing is not right.

Let’s start with this most common of questions and or reservation, that it is not yet time, or that it is not timely to amend the Constitution, that there are so many issues that we should be concerned with and therefore prioritize.

There are also those who are more categori-

Wow! He wants to be like justices of the Supreme Court who have Baguio City offices and residences where they meet during the hot summer months?

Masungi is not as cool as Baguio, but it certainly is cooler than Munti.

Masungi should be a tad colder that the highlands of Tanay before retired generals got titles or tax declarations to government land and parked themselves, their fighting cocks, and now weekend resorts thereat.

What used to be beautiful scenery has now become a hodgepodge of commercial and residential areas, sooner than soon densely populated as well.

That is what will happen to the Masungi Georeserve, its flora and fauna now conserved well by a foundation under an agreement with the DENR in 2002. It is part of the wooded landscape that protects the Upper Marikina watershed.

There is so much more government property in Region 4 if the justice secretary wants to have a prison compound other than in Region 4-A whether in Batangas, Laguna, or even his native Cavite.

Not a beautifully preserved environment such as Masungi, please!

President Marcos Jr. must revoke a proclamation signed by his predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in order to save Masungi for generations yet to come.

That would be key for the Land Registration Authority, which like the Bureau of Corrections is under the supervision of the DOJ, to revoke the OCT it issued last year.

***

Several Facebook and Instagram posts taken from the poolside area of Sofitel show the bay overtaken by gray sand, the result of reclamation granted willy-nilly by the Philippine Reclamation Authority and local government units with jurisdiction over their municipal waters.

It is a clear uglification of Manila Bay.

Through it all, the DENR, then under a retired general, now under a wealthy landowner steeped in the hallowed halls of academia, has been eerily silent.

Manila, or Metro Manila, is one of the most densely populated urban centers in the world. Uncontrolled migration into the metropolis has been going on since after the Second World War.

Open spaces and green patches have been taken over by informal settlers from west to east, north to south.

Now developers are rushing reclamation using sand from Zambales and other parts to fill up the sea in some 18 approved projects from Navotas in the north to Cavite in the southwest.

Some of these have been awarded to developers willy-nilly, that their metes and bounds overlap.

Once construction starts in the reclaimed areas, more workers will migrate to the metropolis, and will never return to the countryside, depleting our farms of manpower, and congesting NCR further, well beyond carrying capacity.

And then, construction work finished, they will re-populate our fetid slums.

And for what? For wealthy foreigners to buy condominium units facing our fabled sunset at the expense of the inner cities and the environment, while adding to the billions already owned by its developers?

What history once referred to as the Pearl of the Orient will forever be marred and defaced, all because there is no foresight, no urban planning, no pride of place, only monumental greed.

What a country!

“THE country will not lose one inch of its territory,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told graduates of the Philippine Military Academy last week, reiterating what he said during his inauguration on June 30 last year.

That he is taking a consistent position on the territorial and maritime dispute with China in the South China Sea is a positive development.

It demonstrates his firm resolve to uphold national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the national interest as mandated by no less than our fundamental law.

The Philippine government should not budge an inch from its duty to defend our Exclusive Economic Zone from Chinese incursions and harassment because we stand on the side of international law and a rules-based international order.

We won our case before the Permanent Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague that affirmed our maritime rights in our EEZ and invalidated China’s outlandish claim of ownership over practically the whole of the South China Sea based on a mythical “nine-dash-line.”

Hence, China has no cogent reason to harass our Coast Guard from defending our EEZ as what its Coast Guard recently did, which was to flash a military-grade laser in the direction of our own Coast Guard vessel performing a resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal we claim as part of our EEZ. We need to take a two-pronged approach to this issue.

We need to muster much broader international support to deter China from committing more acts of aggression in our EEZ

On one hand, we should continue to build a credible defense posture and modernize our military so we can effectively counter bullying and intimidation by the China Coast Guard and maritime militia disguised as civilian fishing vessels in our EEZ. And on the other, we should intensify diplomatic efforts to gain international support behind our stand against China’s intensified acts

Our treaty ally United States was the first to issue a statement of support: “The PRC’s conduct was provocative and unsafe (as it interfered) with the Philippines’ lawful operations in and around Second Thomas Shoal.”

The Japanese embassy in Manila agreed with this stand: “All states should respect maritime order based on international law, in particular UNCLOS, and recall that 2016 Arbitral Award is final and legally binding. We firmly oppose any action that increases tensions.” Canada expressed its “firm and unwavering” support for Manila, urging Beijing to comply with its international obligation as party to UNCLOS. “Recent actions that disrupted the lawful operations of Philippine vessels off the coast of the Philippines are in violation of international law and contrary to the maintenance of regional peace and stability, and the rules-based international order.”

Germany also called out China’s “intimidatory action” against the PCG: “All states must abide by UNCLOS. The 2016 Arbitral Award is final and legally binding.”

And Australia also described China’s actions toward the Philippines “unsafe and intimidatory… We continue to call for peace, stability and respect for international law in the South China Sea, a vital international waterway.”

We need to muster much broader international support to deter China from committing more acts of aggression in our EEZ, or else we will wake up one day to find what is rightfully ours irretrievably lost.

‘Critical Infrastructure EO’ to fast-track sustained prosperity

WE ALL want to move on and recover from the deep economic scars inflicted by the COVID 19 pandemic.

We have survived and have learned to live with this virus and will hopefully soon develop natural resilience the way we can routinely handle the common cold.

However, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked a dangerous geopolitical conflict that is radiating economic shock waves across the interlinked economies of the world, hitting the country with high fuel prices and inflation that has further added to the daily burden of all consumers and business enterprises.

In this complex environment the government has aptly avowed to focus on economic recovery in response to the most urgent concerns of a people who are striving to make up for three years of difficult disruption and needs an empowering ecosystem to pursue their dreams of prosperity to which government is duty bound to deliver.

Responsive policy making is very critical in this mission to accelerate the velocity of economic growth in an inclusive, sustainable, and people centered approach, and, to be responsive entails an accurate appreciation of the problems and the potential of drivers of the economy, which is the private sector.

It is very encouraging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been engaging the Private Sector Advisory Council wherein the country’s industry leaders in the infrastructure sector have vowed support for the execution of infrastructure programs of the administration.

The state of Philippine infrastructure has been one of the uncompetitive factors for attracting foreign investments.

We need to build a robust manufacturing industry that would create millions of quality jobs for our skilled and young workforce instead of losing to other countries with job opportunities that are often less optimal for their qualifications. The country’s digital, transportation, and power infrastructure are key indicators of competitiveness.

The 2022 annual global competitiveness

report of the International Institute for Management Development Yearbook ranked the Philippines 48th out of 63 economies which is a four-step improvement from the previous year but for five years remains second to the last among 14 countries among Asia-Pacific neighbors.

Anyone who has visited other Asian countries will immediately feel how better infrastructures are and how nice it is to do business and be a tourist.

This ‘Critical Infrastructure EO’ may prove to be the President’s developmental legacy that will be valid beyond the myopic 6-year political timeline

Coming back to our old airports, traffic jams, connectivity issues are often frustrating reminders of how our infrastructures are below global standards.

The PSAC and The Anti-Red Tape Authority have jointly called for the issuance of an Executive Order to institutionalize the ARTA Telecommunications Sector initiatives that took effect through Joint Memorandum Circulars that have resulted in substantial increase in telecommunications towers but must be further sustained to catch up with a backlog delayed by decades of red tape.

More than the JMC guidelines to speed up permits and licenses to build digital infrastructure, the proposed EO should adopt provisions of Republic Act 11494 of the Bayanihan to Recover Act in Section 4 “Undertaking measures in partnership with appropriate internet and communication service providers in the acceleration of

the deployment of critical Information and Communications Technology infrastructure” and authorizing measures for the “Temporary suspension of requirements to secure permits and clearances for the construction of telecommunications and internet infrastructure”;

“Streamlining of regulatory processes and procedures for the development and improvement of digital, internet and satellite technology infrastructure”; and directing all government agencies and LGUs to “act on all pending and new applications for permit, license, certificate, clearance, authorization and resolutions within a non-extendable period of seven working days.”

Furthermore RA 1194 directs “the DPWH and other government agencies to expedite the implementation of infrastructure programs and projects to generate local employment and stimulate the local economy”; that “infrastructure flagship projects identified by the National Economic and Development Authority shall be fasttracked to pump prime the economy and help promote national economic recovery; all permits and licenses including local government permits, licenses, clearances and registration requirement for infrastructure flagship projects shall be deemed waived for a period of one year; permit requirements relating to environmental laws, health and occupational safety shall continue to be applicable and subject to a processing time of seven working days; that all laws requiring the permits waived under this provision shall be deemed amended during this one (1)-year period of fast-track development.”

Adopting these provisions to the Executive Order being pushed by PSAC and ARTA, and extending these to all critical infrastructure such as land, air, and maritime transportation, will address the bureaucratic blockades that have been suppressing our potential to be a robustly prosperous nation endowed with rich natural and human resources with the skills and driving spirit to excel.

This “Critical Infrastructure EO” may prove to be the President’s developmental legacy that will be valid beyond the myopic 6-year political timeline.

Charter Change, timing and mode of change (1)

cal and rather simplistic with their reservation of changing the constitution under the current President, being a Marcos.

Perhaps the limitation is borne out of perspective, of the work they have been doing all this time.

I have been involved in initiatives to change the Constitution since the time of former Presidents Ramos, Erap and GMA, and the reservation has always been “not at this time.”

Not during the time of Ramos, not during the time of Erap and not during the time of GMA.

Now again, here we are, hearing the same, not during the time of President Marcos.

What many do not realize is that if we will be tied with this reservation, I am afraid we will never be able to change our Constitution.

Of course, that would be preferred by some.

This will be quite unfortunate, however, as many of the issues we have been facing, especially development issues, are due largely to the kind of government that we have, to the limitations in choices of leaders, and especially to the lack of accountability in government.

These are all issues of “mechanisms” that are all defined by the kind of political system, of the processes we have in choosing our leaders.

As long as we continue with the current setup, we will be electing the same kind of leaders that some will likely not trust enough to change anything fundamental such as the constitution. Then there are those who say that we actually have a good, even perfect constitution, that there are good provisions but have simply not been im-

plemented as there is no legislation yet enacted to implement it.

One supposed constitutionalist argued incessantly that all that Congress would have to do is pass legislation to implement the “antipolitical dynasty” provisions in the Constitution and that should address political issues, that we have been electing the same people, that our choices are limited only to political families or dynasties.

There are also those who argue that we have to enact laws to effectively implement the good “social justice” provisions in the Constitution and it will then level the playing field in the economy, labor and other related issues.

What we don’t realize or even perhaps would not want to consider is, however we raise our voices to complain the non-passage of important, game changing legislations, it will never be passed.

How many congresses have we had where proposals for an anti-political dynasty law have been just ignored?

Until such time we change the rules of elec-

tions, representation and even executive-legislative dynamics, we will never have a legislature that will pass critical legislations.

We have not been electing our leaders on the basis of what they have in mind to champion if elected, right?

Why are we expecting them to be suddenly inclined to pursue compelling legislations? I have written considerably in this regard. We’ll never get the government we deserve, for example.

The point is, revising the Constitution is a political decision, it is never a question of timing. (To be continued)

(The author is currently a faculty at the San Beda University Graduate School of Law and Executive Director of the pioneer NGO on Local Governance, the Local Government Development Foundation or LOGODEF. He was also a member of the Consultative Committee to Review the 1987 Constitution convened by former President Rodrigo Duterte that drafted the ‘Bayanihan Federal Constitution of the Philippines.’)

Revising the Constitution is a political decision, it is never a question of timing.

PORING over family photographs, Jessica Watt Dougherty voices anguish over her father’s death—which she attributes to misinformation on an online platform, an issue at the heart of a knotty US debate over tech regulation.

The US Supreme Court will this week hear high-stakes cases that will determine the fate of Section 230, a decades-old legal provision that shields platforms from lawsuits over content posted by their users.

The cases, which are among several legal battles nationwide to regulate internet content, could hobble platforms and significantly reset the doctrines governing online speech if they are stripped of their legal immunity.

“I watched my father die over the screen of my phone,” Dougherty, an Ohio-based school counselor, told AFP. Her father, 64-year-old Randy Watt, refused to get vaccinated and died alone in a hospital last year after struggling with COVID-19.

After his death, his family discovered that he had a secret virtual life on Gab, a far-right platform that observers call a petri dish of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

To his vaccinated family members, his Gab activities explained why he chose not to get inoculated against COVID-19, a decision that ultimately had fatal consequences.

The influence of vaccine misinformation on Gab was also apparent after Watt drove himself to the hospital and started what his family called an “illness log,” documenting to his followers how he treated himself for the coronavirus.

He wrote that he was on drugs such as ivermectin, which US health regulators say is ineffective, and in some instances dangerous, to use as a treatment for COVID-19. Gab, which has millions of followers, is rife with posts promoting ivermectin.

“I feel very, very strongly that the content (on Gab) is careless and disrespectful, racist and scary,” Dougherty said.

“My dad spent a lot of time virtually surrounded by people with ideas about the pandemic being a hoax, COVID being fake, the vaccine being unsafe, the vaccine being deadly... Those are the belief systems (he) took on.”

Such assertions that platforms are responsible for false or harmful user content are at the core of the Supreme Court cases. AFP

or sovereignty, and,

US SECRETARY of State

Antony Blinken warned China not to repeat its “irresponsible act” of sending a spy balloon into American airspace, as he held rare talks late Saturday with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.

The highly anticipated meeting of the two senior officials came on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

The US has been in a state of alarm since a huge white balloon from China was spotted over a series of secret nuclear weapons sites, before being shot down just off the east coast on February 4.

The incident led Blinken to abruptly call off a rare trip to China.

During their encounter Saturday, Blinken “directly spoke to the unacceptable violation of US sovereignty and international law by (China’s) high-altitude surveillance balloon in US territorial airspace, underscoring that this irresponsible act must never again occur,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said.

“The Secretary made clear the United States will not stand for any violation of our sovereignty,” he added.

He also warned Wang “about the implications and consequences if China provides material support to Russia or assistance with systemic sanctions evasion,” Price said.

Blinken was “very direct and candid” during the talks, which lasted around an hour, according to a senior State Department official.

He was also “quite blunt” as they spoke about Russia, the official said.

In turn, Wang told Blinken that their countries’ relations had been damaged by how Washington reacted to the balloon.

was born on August 6, 1998, in Manila Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of People’s Republic of China (P.R.O.C.)

4. My father's name is TAN KIAN TING A.K.A. JAMES B. TY and he was born on January 26, 1960, in Manila. He is a citizen or subject of People’s Republic of China. My mother's name is ZHUANG WEIXUAN and she was born on March 11, 1978 in Fujian,

Beijing denies it uses spy balloons and says the craft was for weather research. Subsequently it accused Washington of sending its own espionage balloons over Chinese territory, which the US has denied.

Wang “made clear China’s solemn position on the so-called airship incident,” and “urged the US side to change course, acknowledge and repair the damage that its excessive use of force caused to China-US relations,” state news agency Xinhua reported. AFP

a VIP preview at Art Wynwood in Miami, and some collectors thought it was performance art or a staged stunt.

The sculpture sat alone on an acrylic base emblazoned with Koons’s surname.

“I saw this woman was there, and she was tapping (the sculpture), and then the thing fell over and shattered into thousands of pieces,” artist Stephen Gamson told a Fox News affiliate in Miami.

Gamson told reporters he thought the woman tapped on the artwork to see if it was a real balloon. A bystander took a video as gallery employees swept up the glass shards.

“I can’t believe somebody would knock that over,” a voice is heard to say on the video. AFP

NORTH Korea said Sunday it had test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile as a warning to Washington and Seoul, saying the successful “surprise” drill demonstrated Pyongyang’s “capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack.”

Leader Kim Jong Un ordered the “sudden launching drill” at 8 a.m. Saturday (2300 GMT) and a Hwasong-15 missile—a weapon first tested by the North in 2017 –was fired from Pyongyang airport that afternoon, the official KCNA reported.

and mighty counterattack,” KCNA said.

The launch was “actual proof” of the country’s “capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces,” it added.

The sanctions-busting launch came just days before Seoul and Washington are due to start joint tabletop exercises aimed at improving their response in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.

Israeli strike hits heart of Syria’s security elite

AN ISRAELI missile strike aimed at Iranian and Hezbollah targets early Sunday killed 15 people and destroyed a building in a Damascus neighborhood home to much of Syria’s security apparatus, a war monitor said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike, which hit close to an Iranian cultural center, had killed 15 people including civilians.

predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

It is my true and honest intention to

South Korea’s military said it detected an ICBM launch at 17:22 (0822 GMT) Saturday, which Japan said flew for 66 minutes before splashing down in its Exclusive Economic Zone, with their analysis indicating it was capable of hitting the mainland United States.

North Korea’s leadership hailed the test – the country’s first in seven weeks—saying it showed “the actual war capacity of the ICBM units which are ready for mobile

Pyongyang had last week warned of an “unprecedentedly” strong response to upcoming drills, which it describes as preparations for war and blames for the deteriorating security situation on the Korean peninsula.

The Saturday test is significant as “the event was ordered the dayof and so this is not so much a traditional ‘test’, but an exercise,” US-based analyst Ankit Panda told AFP.

“We should expect to see additional exercises of this sort,” he added. AFP

“Israeli missiles targeted sites including Iranian militias and the Lebanese Hezbollah,” it added.

During more than a decade of war in Syria, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes against its neighbor, primarily targeting positions of the country’s army, Iranian forces and Hezbollah, allies of the Damascus regime. But it rarely hits residential areas of the capital.

Sunday’s strike hit in Kafr Sousa, home to senior officials, security agencies and intelligence headquarters.

“At 00:22 am (2222 GMT), the Israeli enemy carried out an aerial aggression from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights targeting several areas in Damascus and its vicinity, including residential neighborhoods,” Syria’s defense ministry said in a statement. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

GHOST TOWN. A man walks amid damaged buildings in an area heavily affected by the earthquake in Antakya, Turkey on February 18, 2023. The 7.8-magnitude tremor caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and has killed more than 44,000 people. AFP

SAMBA PARADE. A reveler performs during a street party called ‘Amigos Da Onca’ close to Flamengo beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The carnival has been under way for weeks in the iconic beach city, with massive street parties known as ‘blocos.’ AFP

US Supreme Court takes on immunity shielding technology firms from suits

WASHINGTON—The US Supreme Court this week examines a quartercentury-old law that has protected tech companies from lawsuits and prosecution for content posted by their users, with a chance that the rules governing the internet will no longer stand.

Enacted when Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was just 11 years old and Google’s creation still two years off, Section 230 is seen as a fundamental law of the internet and considered inviolable by its staunch defenders. Section 230 was part of the Communication Decency Act, an anti-pornography law signed in 1996, that helped set the rules of the road for the internet, which was still in its infancy as an online playground for all.

The idea was to protect the then embryonic internet sector from cascading lawsuits and to allow it to flourish while encouraging tech companies to moderate their content.

At the time most of the attention went

on limits put on sexual content, a part of the bill that was backed by thenpresident Bill Clinton and that was later struck down by the Supreme Court in a landmark case.

But inserted into the legislation was Section 230 which stated that “no provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher” or hold responsibility for content that came from an outside party.

This immunity is largely seen as the regulatory tweak that would eventually free the way for Google search and sow the seeds for the social media revolution.

Under the protection of Section 230, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube became the conduits of a world conversation without ever being at risk of lawsuit by someone taking offense at a tweet or a controversial video.

The law also protects Wikipedia or classified ads sites such as Craigslist whose success would also upend traditional media. AFP

Career cushioning and elevation of Management

“WHEN my friends were laid off two years ago, I thought it might also occur to me,” remarked Lito, as we talked about his redundancy. “I was the sole earner in our family, and my two kids were still young. Given my responsibilities, I looked for a side hustle and discovered VA [virtual assisting] work. I became so good at it that now, two hours of VA work equate to eight hours of income in my regular job. So this layoff is a welcome change.”

Lito cushioned himself against a potential job loss and was ready when it happened. As a coach to individuals who lost their employment from layoffs, I found people who prepared for possible organizational restructuring in the minority.

After three years of global dismissals, career cushioning has become a buzzword today. According to The Society for Human Resource Management, career cushioning is looking for a new job while employed to soften the financial impact of a job change.

It’s having a plan B in case of layoffs or unfavorable situations at work.

Organizations experience a viral affliction from several factors that weaken employee confidence in their employers. As firms wrestle to find new workers to compensate for those they lost from “The Great Resignation,” this situation intensified the “War on Talent.”

Other trending HR issues include workforce quiet quitting and concerns about company stability due to growing global complexity from political, economic, social,and technological factors brought by the war on Ukraine, recession fears, changing consumer preferences, climate change, and hightech advances have exacerbated the need to practice career cushioning. Unfortunately, career cushioning is just a symptom of job insecurity.

According to sociologists Grunberg and colleagues, job insecurity is an employee’s perceived threat of involuntary job loss in the near future. This insecurity may stem from external factors within the organization or employees’ positions and beliefs on whether they can control their situation. Last year, the research by Salvador and colleagues published in Social Sciences highlighted that job insecurity results in lower health and wellbeing, commitment, performance, and organizational citizenship behaviors. It also increases resistance to change and the intention to resign.

Now, companies scramble to fulfill their employee value proposition frameworks. However, organizations continue to suffer from fever caused by environmental factors, and the heavy emphasis on compensation and benefits failed to cure the illness. While it is understandable because these aspects are more concrete than the abstract factors of culture, career, and work environment, this wrong focus may not provide a long-term solution. While an increase in income is significant, the other aspects that enable employee engagement are also critical.

What can organizations do to recover their health? Unfortunately, no pill can quickly cure or rapidly strengthen organizations against job insecurity. But some exercises can boost firms through consistent practice.

First, I recommend practicing humanistic management. Humanistic Management International defines it as “a perspective on management in which people matter.” It treats employees as humans rather than as factors of production. It’s not only about organizational financial results but showing concern for workers’ flour-

GREEN LIGHT

ishing and well-being.

Given its thrust on the dignity of employees, it is no surprise that humanistic management encourages positive work culture. It highlights the need for humane working conditions, work-life balance, diversity, equity, inclusion, employee empowerment in decision-making, and realistic performance requirements.

While several companies still prefer automatons, factors of production that mindlessly obey programming keyed in strategic and tactical plans, others have empowered their employees to speak up. Virgin Enterprises, the company managed by Richard Branson, listened to a front line’s recommendations, revamped their train menu, and it became a hit with passengers. Technology companies like Cisco and Factset created idea-generating initiatives where personnel can submit ideas for evaluation and implementation.

Second, update employees about the social contract. Employees need to own their development. It’s been a long time coming that employees realize that companies can no longer uphold their end of the bargain in the social contract: employees work hard, and employers guarantee the stability of tenure. External factors rendered this belief obsolete. While I like that employees realized this, I do not like the motivation behind this shift: job insecurity. Instead of having a source of a positive force for people to grow, the negativity caused by job insecurity worsens individuals’ well-being due to stress and anxiety.

Third, while companies started to upskill and reskill employees in preparation for further change and re-engagement, decision-makers need to address the elephant in the room: workers have an option outside the company. Instead of hiding that fact, which employees know anyway, directly address why staying in your company is the better choice.

However, it’s not only a matter of rhetoric but having authentic, humanistic practices that make you superior to the company next door. Internal employees constantly compare their organization with similar companies. At the same time, outsiders have more visibility of the inner workings of a company using job search and review websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, and Jobstreet.

Career cushioning is a complex challenge for companies. However, this situation also presented an opportunity to elevate our overall approach to management as organizations are hard-pressed to use employee-centric means to attract and retain talents while generating the company’s bottom line.

The name of the person mentioned in the article has been changed for anonymity.

Hannibal George A. Marchan is an executive coach and workshop facilitator. He is a Ph.D. in Business student at the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business, De La Salle University, where he also teaches. He can be reached at hannibal_ marchan@dlsu.edu.ph.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

PSEi February 17, 2023

TOP GAINERS

Cautious trading seen this week on rate hike concerns

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LOCAL stocks are expected to continue moving sideways this week as high inflation and interest rates weighed on investor sentiment.

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

Analysts said investors were worried the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas would continue to deliver big rate hikes over the short term as inflation rate remained elevated.

“Inflation-interest rate related gyrations should keep the market anxiety up over the near term period,” online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said.

The BSP on Thursday raised the benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 6 percent, the highest in 16 years. BSP Governor Felipe Medalla hinted the central bank would continue its tightening cycle to curb inflation which accelerated to a 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January, faster than 8.1 percent in December 2022.

The BSP also raised the 2023 average inflation forecast to 6.1 percent, from previous estimate of 4.5 percent.

Online brokerage firm Utradeph.com research analyst Neil Andrew Maderaje said stocks were moving on a downward path, as investors needed to pricein inflation concerns and the BSP’s latest policy rate hikes. Investors were also worried over the continued rise in inflation and interest rates that could push businesses and consumers to cut back on spending and affect economic growth.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index slipped 1.42 percent last week to close at 6,779.02 on Friday, while the broader all-share index dropped 0.86 percent to 3,621.69.

The influx of corporate earnings, however, could provide the market some boost this week. Analysts said investors would search for clues in corporate earnings, including their 2023 growth targets and capital spending to plot the PSEi direction.

Among the companies reporting 2022 earnings this week are Ayala Land Inc., SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Wilcon Depot Inc.

Meanwhile, global stocks mostly fell Friday to conclude a lackluster week as markets grappled with fresh inflation data that raised worries of further central bank tightening.

After a down day on European and Asian equity bourses, US stocks also opened lower in the wake of hawkish comments from some Federal Reserve officials.

US equities moderated later in the day as the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note edged lower, cutting losses on the Nasdaq and lifting the Dow to a modest gain. Analysts pointed to limited volume in US trading ahead of a holiday on Monday in observance of President’s Day.

“It isn’t just Fed expectations that are rising, traders are also expecting the [European Central Bank] to send rates much higher,” said Oanda’s Edward Moya.

“It looks like global growth will definitely take a harder hit as monetary policy gets even more restrictive over the next few months,” he said. With AFP

Silicon Valley sensation ChatGPT sparks investor ‘gold rush’

By Thomas Urbain

NEW YORK—ChatGPT, Silicon Valley’s latest app sensation, has investors rushing to find the next big thing in generative AI, the technology that some hail as the beginning of a new era in big tech.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly present in everyday life for decades, but the November launch of the conversational robot from start-up OpenAI marked a turning point in its perception by the general public and investors.

“Every so often we have platforms that come along and result in an explosion of new companies. We saw this with the internet and mobile, and AI could be the next platform,” said Shernaz Daver of California-based Khosla Ventures.

Generative AI, of which ChatGPT is an example, wades through oceans of data to conjure up original content - an image, a poem, a thousand-word essay - in seconds and upon a simple request.

Since its discrete release in late November, ChatGPT has become one of the fastest-growing apps ever and pushed Microsoft and Google to rush out projects that

ChatGPT logo

had until now stayed carefully guarded over fears that the technology wasn’t yet ready for the public.

“Just five days after its release, a million people used ChatGPT - about 60 times faster than it took Facebook to reach one million users,” said Wayne Hu, a partner at SignalFire, another venture capital firm..

“Suddenly investors are all talking about how ChatGPT might eliminate millions of knowledge worker jobs, disrupt trillion-dollar industries, and fundamentally change the way we learn, consume, and make decisions,” he said.

The explosion of generative AI comes at an otherwise morose time

for the tech sector, with tens of thousands of layoffs cascading through the world’s biggest companies as well as smaller ones that are struggling for survival.

“While other categories are facing a contraction in valuations and raising capital, generative AI companies are not,” said Daver.

Hu said that the market valuations for generative AI companies have been sky-high, while they have contracted for everything else.

‘Hard to keep up’

OpenAI, the ChatGPT creator, is valued by Microsoft at nearly $30 billion despite still burning through money at a high speed, he said.

Entrepreneurs specializing in generative AI say they no longer need to scream out for attention when hunting for cash or walk through the details of what they are trying to offer.

“It’s helped us a lot,” said Sarah Nagy, founder of Seek AI, a start-up that allows non specialists to extract technical data from a database using queries in everyday language.

“Before ChatGPT... I had to explain what generative AI is, and why it matters,” she added.

Now the appetite for ChatGPT-like capabilities is seemingly limitless, and not only from investors.AFP

HANNIBAL GEORGE A. MARCHAN

BOAT SHOW. A general view shows the Miami Bay, with boats on display during the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, in Miami, Florida, on Feb. 18, 2023. AFP

PH garments industry expects 50% rise in 2023 exports on global developments

By Othel V. Campos

THE local garments industry expects exports to jump 50 percent in 2023 to $1.5 billion from $1 billion in 2022 amid the emerging global developments, the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines said over the weekend.

“The prospect is that there will be headways in the garments industry in 2023. All in all, our prayer is to reach the $1.5-billion target by yearend,” said FOBAP president Robert Young, who is also the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. trustee for textile, yarn and fabric sector.

He said among the headways expected this year are the transfer of small, yet multitude projects from Vietnam and China to the Philippines.

“They [Vietnam and China] are more geared for bigger quantities due to their robotics and automation system,” Young said.

He said another factor is the ongoing US campaign of “anything but China” that is gaining momentum. Production is now spread among ASEAN countries including Philippines.

The political issues in Myanmar are also expected to benefit Philippine garment stakeholders, as the apparel orders shifted to other Southeast Asian countries.

The local industry failed to hit the target sales of $1.5 billion in 2022 because of headwinds such as political strife and lackluster demand on a global scale.

Data showed that in 2023, the Philippines already received new orders worth $6.48 million from Japan’s Nichiun Co. Ltd. of Konoike Group—a breakthrough in bolstering the bilateral relations.

Young said the Konoike Group indicated the orders during the PhilippinesJapan business matching at the sidelines of the official working visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Tokyo.

‘Aggressive’ approach needed vs. inflation

By Julito G. Rada

FINANCE

Secretary Benjamin Diokno said over the weekend there should be a “more aggressive” approach in the war against inflation that accelerated to a 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January.

Diokno said in a Viber message that while monetary authorities had already done their part, the war against inflation is an all-of-government campaign.

“The executive department, including LGUs [local government units], have to do more, be more aggressive and focused. In the fight against inflation, monetary policy is not the only game in town,” he said.

Diokno said the main sources of in-

Coal plant firm demands P1.37b from Dasureco

By Alena Mae S. Flores

GNPOWER Kauswagan Ltd. Co., the operator of a 552-megawatt coal-fired plant in Kauswagan, Lanao Del Norte, is seeking to recover P1.371 billion from Davao Del Sur Electric Cooperative for payment of deferred power generation capacity covering June 2020 to September 2022.

GNPower Kauswagan filed a petition for dispute resolution against Dasureco with the Energy Regulatory Commission on their power purchase supply agreement executed on Nov. 21, 2012.

“Despite the extension and accommodation of assistance and attempts to come up with an amicable arrangement in respect to the offtake of the allocated contracted capacity, Dasureco has not made any commitment to GNPK that it will abide by its earlier undertakings,” the company said.

GNPK said it faced “financial ruin as it will greatly affect its ability to recover its capital investments made to construct the power plant” over Dasureco’s alleged refusal to honor its obligations under the PPSA.

GNPK asked the ERC to issue a show cause order against Dasureco “to explain why it should not be held administratively liable for non-fulfillment of Dasureco’s obligations under the PPSA, violation of the least-cost principle and violation of the CSP [competitive selection process] rules,” it said.

The Association of Mindanao Electric Cooperatives Power Supply Aggregation Group Corp., the participating electric cooperatives including Dasureco and GNPower Ltd. Co., signed a memorandum of agreement and a PPSA in 2012.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Maritime Industry Authority said over the weekend it is investigating the alleged “suspicious” activities of Chinese vessels operating in the Manila Bay, following the alarm raised by the National Coast Watch Center—an inter-agency maritime surveillance and coordinated response facility.

“Based on the special report of NCWC,

flation remained on the supply side, which should be the responsibility of fiscal authorities. He said evidence of second-round effects increased, and the previous direct actions by government agencies had yet to work.

“The Executive Department and the LGUs should intensify the implementation of more direct, non-monetary measures to help address the supply issues,” he said.

“Our monetary policy is the most aggressive in the region and its impact is also working its way. From January 2022 to the most recent Monetary Board policy meeting, we implemented 400 bps [basis points] while it was only 250 bps for India, 225 bps for Indonesia and only 100 bps for Thailand and Malaysia,” he said.

Diokno listed a number of recent initiatives to fight further increases in consumer prices. These included the additional importation of sugar and onion.

The plan is to import 440,000 metric tons of refined sugar to help bring down its price to P85 per kilogram.

He said some of the imported sugar would be released upon arrival to temper the high retail prices without hurting the farmers. About 200,000 MT of the imported sugar would be for consumer

use, while 240,000 MT would be set aside for a two-month buffer stock.

Diokno said that for onion, prices were expected to gradually stabilize in the first and second quarters of 2023 with the arrival of imports intended to temporarily pacify the gap between demand and supply and the forthcoming peak harvest season of locally-produced onions.

“But timely importation of food items in short supply is not enough. There has to be a focused effort to ensure that the imported goods reach the intended markets as soon as possible. The Bureau of Customs should release the imported food items with the same sense of urgency that we have given the importation of COVID-19 vaccines,” Diokno said.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

He said local authorities should facilitate, not impede, the movement of essential food items to the intended markets.

He said restricting the free movement of essential food items is one sure way of prolonging inflationary pressures.

Diokno said the government planned to form a small technical working group—consisting of the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Agriculture—for an objective and timely assessment of supply and demand conditions of key food items.

“This responsibility should be taken away from vested groups. This will help ensure timely actions to avert short-term upticks in food prices,” Diokno said.

DOTr gets grant to study two new railway projects

CEMEX’S AWARD. CEMEX Philippines makes a distinct achievement as the first cement company in the country to be certified as a Great Place to Work. The recognition showcases the company’s commitment to creating a positive and inclusive work environment for its employees. The certification is given by Great Place to Work, the global authority in workplace culture. They provide workplace culture assessments that validate employee experience and are the data scientists behind Fortune’s annual list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

New Zealand Dollar 0.62540034.5327

TaiwanDollar0.0329591.8199 Source: BSP

Local, foreign business groups push for RCEP ratification

LOCAL and foreign business chambers expressed support for the Senate ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership mega free trade deal, saying the country could not afford to be left further behind.

The Philippines is the only memberstate of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which has yet to ratify the agreement.

Employers Confederation of the Philippines president Sergio Ortiz-Luis said that “among our ASEAN neighbors, we are at the tail-end.”

He said the ratification by the Senate, which votes on Tuesday, “will bring us competitive with others, at least to a certain degree.”

“We can’t afford not to have trade agreements and, at the same time, to not be part of it,” he said.

“Everyone has joined already,” he said.

Philippine Chamber of Commerce

several foreign vessels were allegedly engaged on suspicious activities and were observed to be operating outside their approved areas of operation as against the issued special permit by MARINA,” the agency said in a report.

The NCWC, which is led by the Philippine Coast Guard, earlier reported that the Chinese vessels were operating without a dredging clearance from the Department of Public Works and Highways and

and Industry president George Barcelon said in a letter to Senate President Miguel Zubiri RCEP “will play a key role in sustaining the Philippines growth trajectory, provide unparalleled opportunities for Philippine businesses and prime the country for further economic growth and development.”

“We cannot afford to miss out on the RCEP. Non-joining will disadvantage our exports in the world’ fastest growing area. Furthermore, it is detrimental to our goal to bring in foreign investments as investors would rather look at an RCEP signatory country to obtain preferential treatments among the RCEP countries,” Barcelon said.

The American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines Inc. issued a similar statement strongly supporting RCEP ratification.

“The Philippines cannot afford to leave

no environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

NCWC also said the Chinese dredgers had no memorandum of agreement with the DENR and no accreditation from the MGB.

“The NCWC also asserted that the Chinese dredgers allegedly failed to secure a ‘No Objection Clearance’ from the Office

itself out of the bloc since being a member will harness economic benefits that will hasten economic recovery from the scars, higher debt and economic damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” it said.

“The chamber believes that the Philippines’ participation in RCEP will boost the country’s competitiveness and will reflect a strong, rules-based economy. This will encourage more foreign direct investments in the country which ultimately translates into more jobs for Filipinos,” AmCham said in a statement.

“We strongly urge the honorable members of the Philippine Senate to immediately ratify RCEP,” the chamber said, noting that the agreement is already in force in Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Othel V. Campos

of the National Security Adviser,” MARINA said.

Another issue flagged by the NCWC, based on the MARINA report, was that the Chinese dredgers had been operating with false Automatic Identification System which allows the authorities to properly monitor and record their exact movements inside Philippine territorial waters, and that they turned off their AIS during operation and while berthed.

THE Department of Transportation said it obtained a grant assistance from the Project Development and Monitoring Facility to undertake feasibility studies for Mindanao Railway Project Phase 3 and San Mateo Railway Project. Transportation assistant secretary for planning and project development Leonel De Velez said the Public-Private Partnership Center Project Development and Monitoring Facility Committee approved some P100 million in funding each for the feasibility studies of the two projects. PDMF is a revolving fund managed by the PPP Center to enhance the investment environment for PPPs and develop a robust pipeline of viable and well-prepared PPP infrastructure projects. De Velez said both projects follow President Marcos Jr.’s directive on Build Better More in line with the recently-approved Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 that prioritizes mass transit systems throughout the country. Once the project studies are completed, they will be submitted for the approval of the Investment Coordination Committee to confirm their viability for PPP implementation. Darwin G. Amojelar US Fed’s action to affect

peso-dollar movement

THE movement of the peso this year will largely hinge on the actions of the US Federal Reserve whether it will raise or cut its key interest rates in the coming months, Bank of the Philippine Islands said in a report over the weekend.

BPI said with demand continuously improving, the peso might continue to weaken in the near term given the sizeable import requirements to stabilize prices.

“But the behavior of the local currency in 2023 may largely depend on what the Federal Reserve will do. If a recession in the US happens, the US central bank may cut interest rates eventually,” BPI said.

BPI said a rate cut by the Fed would diminish the strength of the US dollar and provide support to other currencies like the peso. It said that in this situation, the appreciation of the local currency would likely be smaller compared to other currencies given the substantial current account deficit of the Philippines.

The peso fell 12 centavos to close at 55.24 on Friday, its lowest level in a month. Julito G. Rada

Figaro booked 47% growth in six-month net income

FIGARO Coffee Group Inc. reported a 47-percent increase in net income in the first six months of its fiscal year ending December 2023 to P265 million from P180 million a year earlier on aggressive store expansion.

Figaro starts its fiscal year in July and ends in June of the succeeding year. The company said system-wide sales grew 79 percent in the first six months of its fiscal year to P2 billion from P1.14 billion a year ago.

“This was brought about by the opening of stores which brought the total number of stores to 150 by end of December 2022,” Figaro said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

Net revenues went up 88 percent to P2.04 billion from P1.08 billion, while gross profit increased 91 percent on higher volume from store expansion and opening. Gross profit margin slightly declined from 49 percent to 48 percent because of the inflation of major raw materials. Jenniffer B. Austria

PALENG-QR. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (sixth from left), flanked by local executives, inspects the rollout of Paleng-QR at the Lapu-Lapu City Public Market, now powered by Maya. Maya, the country’s leading digital bank and money app, continues to lead the rollout of the national QR standard for retail payments in Cebu with the launch of Paleng-QR Ph in Lapu-Lapu City.

Mac McClung (left) of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. At right, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers participates in the Three-Point Contest. AFP

Lillard wins 3-point title; McClung is dunk champ

SALT LATE—Portland’s Damian Lillard won the Three-Point Contest and unheralded Mac McClung captured the Slam Dunk Contest crown on Saturday at NBA All-Star Game weekend festivities.

Seven-time NBA All-Star Lillard, a member of the US Tokyo Olympic gold medal team, was a college star at nearby Weber State, adding to his joy at winning the long-range shootout in his third attempt.

“It makes it that much more special,” Lillard said. “They say the third time is the charm and I’m happy that it happened here. It’s a perfect situation. I’m happy I could do it in my homecoming here to Utah.”

The shocker came in the Slam Dunk Contest when McClung, called up from the developmental G-League by the Philadelphia 76ers earlier in the week, captured the dunk crown with a perfect score in the final.

Hatch rips PH record, becomes 2 nd swimmer to earn SEAG slot

By Peter Atencio

But the 25-year-old Hatch still battled fatigue to become the second prospect to make the national team on Sunday during the ongoing Official National Swim Tryouts for the Cambodia 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

The Mission Viejo, California-based Hatch shattered a 38-month record in the men’s 50-meter freestyle preliminaries and surpassed the qualifying-A time with his clocking of 24.27 seconds.

Hatch became the second possible member of the national squad after La Salle student Xiandi Chua hit the QT-A mark in the women’s 200-meter backstroke finals on opening day Wednesday.

So far, Hatch is also a prospect for the national pool in the men’s 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly.

“I may not be ready, because I’m in a deep training block. So I was pretty tired. But I was able to to turn around quickly with my coaches getting me ready,” said Hatch before he plunged into action on the final day.

Hatch now holds three Philippine records after he erased Luke Gebbie’s 24.34 seconds in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and eclipsed the 24.30-second QT-A of the SEA Games.

He also owns the national record 100-meter butterfly and the 4x100 meter freestyle relays.

He outpaced Rafael Barreto (24.86), who made the qualifying time B (24.93 seconds).

Meanwhile, the 21-year-Chua is expected to be on her third stint in the SEA Games in Cambodia with her

2-minute, 17.79-second showing in the women’s 200-meter backstroke finals. Chua, who has been training in Australia since December, said her qualification was unexpected but her preparations are paying off and it showed with

her time of 2:17.90, which was below the QTA of 2:19.90.

The graduating La Salle student had just recovered from the flu when she improved on her personal best clocking and beat Mikhaela Sy’s 2:26.66 for the gold medal.

“It wasn’t something I was expecting, because I came from a fever just last week. I had to go back to a lot of training,” said Chua, who is getting coaching tips from Pinky Brosas while here in the Philippines.

Organizers said a total of 21 swimmers have meet the qualifying time-B, which will put them in evaluation after hitting lower qualification standards.

Two-time Olympian Jasmine Alkhaldi has so far hit the QT-B times with her gold medal wins in the women’s 100-meter butterfly, and in the 100-meter freestyle. A total of 188 swimmers from 102 clubs from as far north in the Ilocos provinces to down southern Mindanao are converging at the New Clark City for the tryouts.

Top netters clash as Escudero Cup unwraps

JOHNNY Arcilla and Jose Maria Pague headline a stellar roster making up the Escudero Cup National Tennis Championship cast, both girding for fierce battle in their respective draws in pursuit of the singles Open crown at the Aera Tennis Club in San Pablo City, Laguna.

The top two ranked bets actually drew opening round byes today (Monday) but 14 other matches are on tap, ushering in the return of the Don Arsenio Escudero Sr. Cup after a long absence on the PPS-PEPP calendar.

Third seed Charles Kinaadman faces Jay Papa, No. 4 Vicente Anasta clashes with Riku Komiya, fifth-ranked Jed Olivarez tangles with Mateo Rivas, No. 6 John Mari Altiche collides with Arthur Arrogancia, seventh seed John Tomacruz mixes it up with Jeson Blando, and No. 8 Alexis Acabo tests Stephen Catipon’s mettle in the featured matches in the 32-player draw of the event organized by Aera Tennis Club, headed by president Raul de Vera and held in partnership with PPS-PEPP,

Team PH aims for 1st crown in Queen Sirikit Cup

TEAM Philippines is looking to make history as it guns for its maiden victory in the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup, or the Amateur Ladies-Asia Pacific Invitational Golf Team Championship, which unfolds on Tuesday at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club (Masters) in Carmona, Cavite.

Leading the way for the host squad are Lois Kaye Go, Mafy Singson and Rianne Malixi, who will face a daunting task against a formidable field from China, Korea, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and defending champion Japan.

Japan is the heavy favorite to repeat as Mizuki Hashimoto and Miku Ueta, holdovers from last year’s winning squad, are confirmed to play alongside new recruit Yuna Araki. Thailand might spring a surprise too with its two leading amateurs Thitikarn Thapsit and Achiraya Sriwong in the roster. The road to success, though, would not be easy for everyone as they will play the Masters, the signature layout designed by golf great Jack Nicklaus, which has been proven to challenge even the best amateurs and professionals alike in the past.

led by president/CEO Bobby Castro, and the Escudero family.

But focus will be on the 10-time PCA Open champion and Davis Cup veteran Arcilla, who has stayed in top form through the years, winning five Open titles in the Palawan Pawnshopsponsored circuit last year, including the seasonending Naga Open in Cebu last December.

But a slew of young guns are out to stop his run, led by Ipil, Zamboanga’s Pague, Kinaadman from Lapu-Lapu, Cebu, and Army’s Anasta, among others, guaranteeing a week-long battle of power and style in the Group A tournament backed by Rep. Loreto Amante, Converge, Mitsubishi Motors, Dunlop and Slazenger, which also serves as part of the UTP (United Tennis Philippines) and UTR (Universal Tennis Ranking).

Meanwhile, the juniors take center stage from Feb. 23-28, according to tournament

“It’s great. I’m truly blessed and grateful to the NBA for giving me this opportunity,” McClung said. “I don’t get surprised by things like this but I’m very appreciative.”

The 6-foot-2 (1.88m) guard from rural Virginia had played only four NBA games but from his high school days was known for acrobatic dunks and after accepting the trophy from Julius Erving vowed to defend his crown, something few NBA stars do.

“If you’ll have me I’ll be back,” McClung said.

McClung added his name to a history of dunk champions that includes Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant.

Among past 3-point champions were Larry Bird, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

“The best shooters in the history of our game, most of them have one of these,” Lillard said of the 3-point trophy. “To be in this competition a few times and not have one, I just wanted to get it done at least one time.

“I’m happy I got it. Now I can retire from it.”

Tyrese Haliburton and 2020 3-point contest winner Buddy Hield, both of the Indiana Pacers, joined Lillard in qualifying for the final. It was Lillard who shot last and eliminated Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Utah’s Lauri Markkanen. AFP

IRONMAN 70.3 honors Davao’s 11 tribes

THE Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines goes diverse as it marks its return to Davao on March 26 at Azuela Cove, unveiling an 11-man Team Maisugon competition in honor of the 11 tribes of the host city with a winner-take-all prize of P550,000 at stake.

“Every IRONMAN race has its own uniqueness per location. This is our way of showing how this can be diverse. We are showcasing the 11 tribes of Davao City and it’s going to be a prestigious award only in Davao City,” said Mayor Sebastian Duterte. The grand prize was initially pegged at P500,000, put up by the city government, but Davao Light Power Company, Inc. added P50,000 to the purse.

The special category is open to teams made up of 11 age-groupers, regardless of age, gender, race, nationality or color. The team with the fastest total time will win the coveted the Tribu Maisugon award, including a perpetual trophy handcrafted by noted homegrown artist Kublai Millan.

The Tribu Maisugon team competition will thus be included in the third IRONMAN 70.3, which Davao City is hosting after 2018 and 2019. It will also mark the pros’ return to one of the highlight events of each triathlon season and the only pro-laced race offered this year, according to the organizing The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc.

The four-day tournament is organized by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines, in partnership with R&A, Monde Nissin, Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, National Golf Association of the Philippines and Manila Southwoods through chairman Robert John Sobrepeña.

The Queen Sirikit Cup has been important stepping stone to international fame for past champions like Karrie Webb and Minjee Lee of Australia, Lydia Ko of New Zealand, Feng Shanshan of China, Ai Miyazato of Japan, Pak Se-ri and Shin Ji-yae of Korea and Tseng YaNi of Chinese Taipei.

“It’s a continuity of first two (IRONMAN 70.3 Davao) races – from race for peace, culture, then now, it’s a race for oneness,” said Millan.

Registration is ongoing. For details, log on to ironman.com/im703davao-philippines-athletes. AFP

CAPAS, Tarlac—Fil-American standout Jarod Hatch only had a week’s time to prepare before going to the Philippines.

Lois Kaye Go

Johnny Arcilla

Jarod Hatch

Tolentino named PSA Executive of the Year

FOR steering Philippine sports to greater heights in 2022, the head of the country’s Olympic governing body will be among those to be feted in the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino is the recipient of the Executive of the Year award anew from the country’s oldest media organization which holds its traditional gala night on March 6 at the grand ballroom of the Diamond Hotel.

Tolentino will be recognized for being the leading force in helping Philippine sports sustain the huge strides it gained back in 2021 when the country had its most successful Olympic campaign ever.

The year that passed saw Philippine sports achieved a high level of success once more behind Hidilyn Diaz’s golden treble in the 88th IWF World Weightlifting Championships, Alex Eala becoming the first Filipino player to bag a junior singles grand slam

McLaren’s Piastri in confident mood ahead of Formula 1 debut

SYDNEY—Rookie McLaren driver Oscar Piastri Sunday said he believed he could beat new teammate Lando Norris in his maiden Formula One season, but admitted a steep learning curve awaited him.

The 21-year-old, seen as one of the sport’s hottest young talents, will make his bow in Bahrain testing this month after replacing fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who has returned to Red Bull as a reserve driver.

Piastri said he had confidence in his ability to better Britain’s Norris, but was also realistic about expectations. Asked if he could beat Norris, Piastri told Australian national broadcaster ABC: “Yeah, I think so.

“I think everyone has to have that self-belief that they can win, or if they’re not in a position to win to do the best that they can with what they have.”

But the Australian said his main focus in 2023 was to set the foundations for a long F1 career.

“Putting (points and wins) numbers on my expectations is pretty difficult, especially in F1, I think it will depend where we are as a team, where the car is at,” he said.

“For me, a successful year would be me setting the foundations for later in the year and the years to come, hopefully, and doing everything the right way from the beginning... starting good habits.

“If there’s any results that come out of that, then that’s a bonus.”

Piastri was caught in a tug-of-war between Alpine -- where he was a reserve driver—and McLaren last year with the former claiming he was contracted to them, even announcing him as part of their 2023 line-up.

But the Australian forced them into an embarrassing U-turn when he said he had no such arrangement.

An International Motoring Federation (FIA) arbitration panel judged in McLaren’s favour, which saw the under-performing Ricciardo’s contract terminated a year early so Piastri could join.

Piastri received plenty of negative publicity at the time and told ABC there had been “not too much” contact with Ricciardo since.

But he said he was grateful for the way his fellow Australian handled the situation.

“We got in touch through texts I guess once everything had unfolded

last year and he was very supportive of me both personally and on the media front as well... which I’m very thankful for,” he said.

“I’m sure I will see him around in the F1 paddock this year, he’s back working with Red Bull.”

Piastri’s credentials face their first test at the opening race of the season in Bahrain in two weeks’ time, before a huge occasion at his home Grand Prix in Melbourne, where he was born, on April 2.

“I grew up 10-15 minutes down the road from Albert Park,” he said of the Australian Formula One circuit which will host the third race of the 2023 season.

“I was there last year as a reserve driver and it was a pretty electric atmosphere. So knowing that the crowd is going to be there, with me as the home driver now. It’s going to be a very special event.” AFP

Blind Saudi horseman clears jumps to gain recognition

RIYADH—Badr Al-Sharari refused to let his disability curb his passion, and despite being blind, the Saudi rider has now trailblazed his way to official recognition in horse-mad Saudi Arabia.

The 35-year-old had to train at least three times a week for nearly two years before finally being admitted this month into the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation as its first blind member.

But the data sector worker told AFP that just as important as his journey into the official ranks was the parallel one to self-empowerment.

Clutching the reins and speaking from the saddle of his horse Star, after completing an obstacle course of wooden fences, he described his life before being bitten by the horse riding bug.

“I was an introvert, and didn’t leave the house much,” Al-Sharari said from a sandy track flanked by palm trees.

“My relationship with horses broke the barrier of introversion. If I can tame a horse, then I can do anything.”

Like his mother and younger brother, Al-Sharari was born blind.

He travels 140 kilometres (90 miles) every day from his home in western Riyadh to the Medhal equestrian centre east of the city, where he is helped in his training by his Afghan assistant, Nasim.

Sensory skills

He is coached by Abu Mahmoud, an Egyptian, who

AFP

looked on during an early-morning session as AlSharari flawlessly navigated a showjumping course, barely brushing against any of the fences.

“You see how he jumps without touching it? It’s as if he can see,” Abu Mahmoud nodded approvingly.

Equestrianism is popular in Saudi Arabia, the world’s

leading producer of purebred Arabian horses and home to several clubs.

Official data shows that disabled people make up seven percent of the kingdom’s population of 34 million, and of these some 811,000 have visual impairments.

Until recently, such people were often unable to join their sighted counterparts in the joys of horse riding. However, some riding schools now offer programmes tailored specifically to blind and autistic students, as a way of helping to improve their motor and sensory skills.

Abdul Rahman Al-Otaibi joined the Medhal equestrian school three months ago.

“I have come to regard horses as my brothers,” said the 31-year-old, who suffers from severe visual impairment.

Just like Al-Sharari, Al-Otaibi said horseback riding made him “more social” and allowed him to “integrate” with society. Saudi Cup

“I have made more friends and developed new relationships,” he said.

Al-Otaibi is not completely blind, but does struggle to see the fences on the course. Initially this made him fear he might take a tumble.

“I was afraid of the jumps... but with time I broke this fear,” he said. AFP

crown in the 142nd US Open, the women’s football team clinching a first ever berth in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and winning the ASEAN Women’s Championship, EJ Obiena rising to become the world no. 3 pole vaulter after a historic bronze medal finish in the World Athletics Championship, and gymnast Caloy Yulo claiming three golds in the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships and a silver and bronze in the World Championships. There’s also karateka Junna Tsukii bagging the gold in the World Games, Carlo Paalam bringing home the gold in the Asian Boxing Championships, the billiards team of Rubilen Amit, Carlo Biado, and Johann Chua topping the World 10-Ball Teams Championships, Meggie Ochoa and Kimberly Anne Custodio doing the same in the Jiu-Jitsu World Championships, and Team Philippines finishing a fighting fourth in the 31st Southeast Asian Games despite the difficulty of training and campaigning amidst the pandemic.

PH loses to Scotland in Pinatar

Cup

By Peter Atencio

THE Philippines went down fighting.

Team captain Tahnnai Annis said this after Scotland got past the Philippine national women’s football team to claim their first Pinatar Cup win on Sunday in San Pedro del Pinatar, in Murcia, Spain.

“Again, we fought all the way until the end, and we’re able to get that late goal. So, you know, our effort and our resilience are always there,” said Annis in a statement to scribes in Manila.

The Pedro Losa-coached Scottish side managed to score for the second time following a much-improved second half performance.

Scotland scored its first goal in the 39th minute when Lauren Davidson cut inside of the right wing and fired past Filipinas’ goalie Olivia McDaniel.

“I think we did create some better opportunities for ourselves (compared to the last game). And, you know, we had those chances that could have changed the way the game played out,” added Annis.

Scotland stepped it up at halftime following the entry of Real Madrid’s top player Caroline Weir at half-time.

Weir’s control and clever passing of created more openings for Scotland in the second half though.

She opened up the Philippines’ defense completely as Corsie found her chance from inside the box on the 65th minute.

The Philippines managed to score its only goal off Meryll Abrahamsen from a free kick with a left footed shot to the bottom left corner on the 90th minute.

Taiwan’s no. 1 banners LPGT Anvaya Cove International

to be a wild, furious race to the finish in windy Anvaya Cove layout.

Ya-Chun

THE Anvaya Cove Ladies International shapes up as one of the best in the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour events cosanctioned by Taiwan LPGA Tour with Taiwan’s top player Ya-Chun Chang and a slew of Thailand LPGA Tour campaigners setting up a stellar cast in the $100,000 championship unfolding Wednesday in Morong, Bataan.

The 22-year-old Chang, a Univ. of Arizona product who ruled the weather-hit Wistron Open last December and posted a number of Top 10 finishes to emerge the top player after the 2022 TLPGA in her rookie season, headlines the crack Taiwan side ready to do battle with the local aces and the big guns from Thailand in what promises

Yu-Ju Chen, winner of the Digital Open and No. 14 in the TLPGA rankings, is also in the fold, along with Hsuan-Ping Chang, Yi-Tsen Chou, Hsian-Ling Wu, Chih-Yun Wu, PeiWen Huang, Tsai-Ching Tseng, YuNing Huang and former LPGT Midlands leg winner Ching Huang.

But Thailand is also coming into the 54-hole championship organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. in full force with multi-titled PK Kongkraphan, No. 2 in the Thai LPGA Tour Order of Merit ranking, leading the crack cast that includes former LPGT leg champions Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng, Onkanok Soisuwan

and Wannasiri Sirisampant.

Beefing up the Thai roster are Chonlada Chayanun, Ornnicha Konsunthea, Punpaka Phuntumabamrung, Kultida Pramphun, Saraporn Chamchoi, Mookharin Ladgratok, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueng, Pimnipa Panthong, Tiranan Yoopan and Parinda Phokan.

Also all geared up for the title chase are Japanese Akiko Echikawa, Mayuna Furukawa, Kotona Tateura, Hana Mori and Rirua Furukawa, Hong Kong’s Isabella Leung and Manilabased Korean Kim Seo Yun.

Meanwhile, reigning LPGT Order of Merit winner Chihiro Ikeda, last year’s three-leg titlist Chanelle Avaricio and Pradera Verde leg and Match

Play champion Harmie Constantino anchor the local challenge in the event also serving as the kickoff leg of this year’s LPGT.

Former Junior World champion Daniella Uy, who scored an LPGT breakthrough at Riviera two years ago before embarking on a US campaign, is also in the list, ready and raring to slug it out with the stellar 70-player field, along with Marvi Monsalve, Gretchen Villacencio, Pamela Mariano, Sarah Ababa, Rev Alcantara and Yvon Bisera, among others. Meanwhile, the pros test the up-anddown, seaside layout one last time on Tuesday as they team up with amateurs and guests of the sponsoring ICTSI in the traditional pro-am.

British driver Lando Norris (left) and McLaren’s Australian driver Oscar Piastri pose beside the McLaren MCL60 Formula One racing car for the 2023 season at their base in Woking, west of London. AFP

Saudi blind jockey Badr al-Sharari gets onto a horse during a training session at Medhal equestrian center in eastern Riyadh. Equestrianism is popular in Saudi Arabia which is the world’s leading producer of purebred Arabian horses and is home to several clubs. But disabled people who constitute 7 percent of the kingdom’s population of 34 million had long been sidelined—including the 811,000 who suffer visual impairments, as per official data.

Chang (rizonawildcats.com)

POC president Rep. Abraham Tolentino

David Licauco The next big star

WHO is David Licauco off cam?

That was the question I asked the 28-yearold heartthrob during our quick interview in a restaurant in Cebu where he and the cast of Maria Clara at Ibarra went for a series of mall shows during the Sinulog Festival

In his usual boyish demeanor, he said, “I’m a very chill person, I’m actually very shy. I would say I’m an introvert. I tend to shy away from big groups of people.”

“If you noticed kanina during the press conference, I felt really nervous, but now I feel relaxed and I can talk more,” he carried on.

David is not your typical celebrity.

At a young age, he already has several businesses to his name – a few restaurants, a fitness club, an online shop for holistic lifestyles, and a fooddelivery service. It’s also good to note that his intentions as an entrepreneur are not solely profit-motivated.

Onscreen, he portrays an image that melts the hearts of many. On social media, he makes every girl blush, and makes them drool for more. Thanks to his genes and his diligent effort to hit the gym twice a day.

But did you know David start off his day at 6:00 in the morning with a mental exercise? He reads books in the morning.

“Working out clears my mind and

David is not your typical young star as he has several businesses to his name

Start Leaders Eat Last

How about his normal day? It

makes me feel happy and energetic throughout the day. But I do read books like with Why and I study marketing. Or for work, I study films that can help me with the emotions required by my character,” he said. depends on his mood.

in the morning will dictate what you’re going to do throughout the day. If I’m an actor today, I have a different preparation. The same thing goes when I want to be a business for the day. It really varies from day to day.

“I believe that what you do have a different preparation. The Minsan ,” he comes clean.

tamad din ako

is

young people.

seamless transformation from

Undoubtedly, David is one of the brightest names in local show business. He’s made a seamless transformation from an eye candy and a budding talent into one of the most bankable male leads today. His role in the GMA

Inaugural Summer MMFF receives overwhelming number of submissions

THE upcoming summer edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) slated for April elicits an overwhelming response from filmmakers and producers after receiving a total of 33 film submissions. Of the overall number of films submitted, 23 are new films, while 10 are resubmissions from the December 2022 MMFF.

MMDA Acting Chairman and MMFF

Over-all Chair Atty. Don Artes described the first Summer MMFF as “historic” as it received the highest number of film submissions since the MMFF started.

“With the record-breaking number of films that have been submitted to us, we can say that our local movie industry is back

The first Summer MMFF will run in all cinemas nationwide from April 8 to 18

in their game and is starting to create more quality films again for us to enjoy in the firstever Summer MMFF,” Artes said.

“The MMDA and the film industry are both excited and looking forward to the success of the summer film fest which is another avenue to showcase local talent in

making world-class Filipino films,” he added.

“The MMFF’s victory is the victory of the whole Philippine film industry.”

The eight official entries to be included in the film festival will be announced on February 24. They will be selected based on the following criteria: artistic excellence (40 percent), commercial appeal (40 percent), Filipino cultural sensibility (10 percent), and global appeal (10 percent). The first Summer MMFF will run in all cinemas nationwide from April 8 to 18, with the Parade of Stars scheduled to be held in Quezon City on April 1 and the Awards Night will take place on April 11.

Vice Ganda renews ties with Kapamilya, celebrates MMFF success

Network series Maria Clara at Ibarra obviously has done so many good things in his booming career as an actor making him a household name. “Now I get video greeting requests from people who used to bully me,” he said in jest. “But kidding aside, not everyone gets this opportunity, not everyone can pull off a role like this so I feel blessed because this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.”

opportunity, actor, doesn’t get into his head. reputation for speaking

A mark of a humble actor, his popularity doesn’t get into his head. David is also building a reputation for speaking his mind, recognizing his status as a role model for

“I like going out, and sometimes I get conscious because whenever I go out, by the next day I would already see videos of me on TikTok. In a way, that made me feel responsible for my actions especially when I’m outside because people now look up to me. I need to be careful with my actions and set a good example.”

Just like Fidel, his character in Maria Clara at Ibarra, who is also known as “The Pambansang Red Flag,” David has gone through some sort of “character development” in real life.

“I guess we have to be aware sa lahat ng bagay na nagyayari sa paligid natin. Just like Fidel now, he tries to put himself in others’ shoes before he makes any actions,” he ended.

Look who’s talking

JOHNSON, manhood, prick, pecker, phallus, and cock are some of the more popular slang terms used as substitutes for the penis. Reading in the king’s language, borders on the clinical and safe.

However, once you translate it into our mother language, giggles, and nervous laughter ensue. Discomfort and disbelief follow. Cheeks blush, with dagger looks thrown at the person who utters it as “tite.”

That is why, V-Roll Media Ventures in cooperation with Trifecta Brand Lab dares to address the taboo and in this day and age, many in the majority deem as vulgar with DickTalk, written by Benj Cruz Garcia and Ara Vicencio, with Phil Noble as director.

Delivering 20 minutes of monologues on stage are Gold Aceron as Gaylord Salvador, a teenager with a curved penis, Nil Nodalo as Rob Robles, a trans man, Mikoy Morales, the effeminate metrosexual, Archie Adamos as the seasoned daddy/papa, and Jake Cuenca as Peter North Tevez, the gifted porn star whose glory days are over.

“More than it being fun and provocative, the monologues which the cast will deliver gives the audiences on the rites of passage and journey in life of different kinds of men,” begins director Noble as he talks about DickTalk Ayoko siyang maging bastos at siguradong hindi ito bastos because what we will present is the peeling of one’s masculinity and sexuality, questioning the correlation of love and lust, the ups and downs of being a man, their curiosity, fascination, resentment, relationship with their penises and what sorts of feelings and vulnerability it gives them,” Noble affirms. The effeminate metrosexual Cecil is GMA 7 star Morales, “The youngest in the family who grew up in a household of sisters and a doting mother. Because of his upbringing, he is sensitive, clean, always smelling good, mildmannered, and knows how to take care of himself. Because he is not like the usual men we see, people box him as gay. Even if he knows he is not.”

kind of man who feels na siya ay God’s gift to women at the fact na he is gifted, ipinagmamayabang niya yun. His being macho is so dated na hindi na bagay sa ngayon. Siya yung wham bang, thank you mam kind of man. Sex is a contact sport and a conquest for him. He faces a difficult time in his life with the fact na laos na siya and all that remains are memories and his enormous package.”

Cuenca goes on: “My character is OA ang toxic masculinity. Perfect example of a male chauvinist pig. Proud siya of what he possess pero at the same time, he thinks it is a curse. Feeling niya kasi yung dick niya lang ang gusto sa kanya and every one sees him as just man meat in the market na ngayong sawa na ang lahat sa kanya, what happens now and next to him, he is clueless.”

Cuenca concludes: “I admit that one season of my life, all I did was follow the commands of my penis. But now, that person is a thing of the past. Life and love have made me wiser.”

DickTalk performances will have a limited run at the RCBC Theater on April 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 23. Tickets are available now at Ticketworld.

TV host and comedian Vice Ganda has once again reaffirmed his love and trust in ABS-CBN as he officially renewed his contract with the company he calls home during an event held on February 15 aptly called The Unkabogable Day

Apart from the contract signing, Vice expressed his gratitude to the “Madlang Pipol” as he celebrated the success of his recent film Partners In Crime, which served as his comeback in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) and was listed as one of the top-grossing movies in last year’s MMFF.

During the contract signing, Vice looked back on his decades-long career in the industry.

“The journey has been quite long na rin There were difficult times, but there were a lot of fun times. It was colorful pero kung susumahin mo, it’s a winning journey,” Vice said. Several Kapamilya artists, colleagues,

friends, and loved ones also gave their heartfelt tributes to the Unkabogable Star.

“Thank you for your Unkabogable loyalty and love for ABS-CBN and for all of us. With or without a contract, you stood by us even in our most difficult times. Binigyan mo ng lakas ang lahat ng ating mga Kapamilya sa gitna ng lahat ng ating pagsubok,” said ABS-CBN COO of Broadcast Cory Vidanes

Vice then expressed his gratitude to the ABS-CBN bosses. “Maraming maraming salamat po sa patuloy na pagtitiwala, pagbibigay ng trabaho, oportunidad, pagkakataon… I am so grateful.” Nakapirma na talaga yung puso ko rito. ‘Yung paa ko nakabaon na dito sa bahay na ‘to. Ayoko na lumabas… I’d rather be here inside my home. This is the safest place for me,” the comedian added.

Among the ABS-CBN executives present were chairman Mark Lopez, ABS-CBN Group CFO Rick Tan, Star

Magic and Entertainment Production head

Laurenti Dyogi, and ABS-CBN head of Non-scripted Format Louie Andrada Vice Ganda rose to fame in the noontime variety show It’s Showtime and has scored multiple box office hits through the years. Vice has also received various awards as a Kapamilya star. In 2021, he was named as the Best Entertainment Program Host at the Asian Academy Creative Awards and Most Trusted Entertainment/Variety Presenter at the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards.

Recently, Vice was voted by the De La Salle Araneta University community as Most Outstanding Twitter Influencer, Most Outstanding Social Media Personality, Most Influential Multimedia Filipino Celebrity, and Most Outstanding Entertainment Show Host at the 5th Gawad Lasallianeta. Vice also won Best Variety Show Host at the 2023 Platinum Stallion National Media Awards of the Trinity University of Asia.

“Through Cecile, I hope we can start a conversation and a better appreciation of men who do not behave the way culture and society dictates,” he adds describing his character. The award winning actor Aceron is Gaylord Salvador Jr., nicknamed JunJun, a teen aged-boy who discovers the magic and joy of masturbation, Si JunJun kasi ay nasa kasibulan ng kanyang pagbibinata. Ito yung mga araw at panahon na magical ang pakiramdam mo habang ini-explore mo ang mga nangyayari sa katawan mo, especially sa pagkakalaki mo.”

“First time ko to do a monologue kaya grabe ang kaba ko. I hope ‘pag pinanood nila at pinakinggan ito mage-gets nila bakit ito pinagdadaanan ng mga nagbibinata. Yung sa character ko kasi, baliko ang sa kanya kaya takan-taka siya bakit ganun?”

Cuenca on being the porn star whose glory days are over and done with says: “Peter North Tevez is the

David (left) with ‘Maria Clara at Ibarra’ co-star Barbie Forteza

David (left) and Shaira Diaz team up for the movie ‘Without You’

The Unkabogable Star Vice Ganda (center) with ABS-CBN heads

The cast of ‘DickTalk’, standing are Mikoy Morales and Archie Adamos, seated center is Jake Cuenca, in front are Gold Aceron and Nil Nodalo

LIFE

on your next flight  discounts Score huge

PHILIPPINES’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific, is set to restore 100 percent of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March this year. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to bring back all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year.

In this respect, CEB encourages travelers to fly now to their dream vacations with a promo that allows them to save up to 28 percent on their baggage, seat, and fees when booking their flights across the airline’s domestic and international network.

CEB is giving travelers more opportunities to reach their destination of choice by offering three kinds of Fare Bundles, depending on their travel needs: Go Basic, Go Easy, and Go Flexi.

By availing Go Basic, you can pay

Those of us in the tourism industry welcome this year, the Year of the Rabbit, with a lot of hope and buoyancy because the rabbit, according to Chinese culture, symbolizes prosperity and longevity.

This is the reason why the Philippine Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the biggest tourism organization in the world, unleashed its first energized salvo for the year during its recent Business Assembly, the coined term for its General Membership Meeting.

The association’s unbridled optimism over its limitless growth opportunities starting this year has given its members enough reason to celebrate, now that health restrictions have been drastically lowered and the world has opened its borders to travelers from all over.

It is PATA’s practice to have a mini-B2B set up prior to the start of its Business Assembly where some members put up display counters to market their products and services to the rest of the members. There were ten enterprises that participated – Marketing Highlands, Hotel 101, Seda Hotel BGC, Crown Regency Hotels and Resorts, Kingstar Travel, Kabayan Hotel Pasay, Ark Travel Express, Le Soleil de Boracay, Hilton Manila, and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the Platinum Sponsor of the event.

MERCURY RISING

PATAis hopping forward

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

for your airfare and get one hand-carry baggage weighing up to seven kilograms for free. With Go Easy, you can choose your own standard seat and check in one piece of baggage weighing up to 20 kilograms. Score the biggest discount on your seat and baggage fees and automatically get a CEB Flexi add-on with Go Flexi. This means you can voluntarily cancel your flight and store its amount in your Travel Fund and get all the benefits of the Go Easy bundle.

To avail, simply choose any of these Fare Bundles when booking your flights through CEB’s website or mobile app. The bundles may also be purchased through CEB’s ticket offices and as well as third-party sales offices. Each Fare Bundle must be purchased at initial booking for the discount to apply. CEB Fare Bundles may not be refunded, transferred to another passenger, or stored in a Travel Fund without a purchased CEB Flexi add-on. Book your seats now via www.cebupacificair.com

City of Dreams’ Nüwa Manila earns sixth Forbes Travel Guide five-star rating

NÜWA at City of Dreams Manila retains its FiveStar rating both for the hotel and the Nüwa Spa in the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide (FTG). Both are honored by the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruises in this year’s Star Awards which are announced today on ForbesTravelGuide.com

Nüwa Manila and Nüwa Spa maintained their FTG ratings for the sixth and fourth consecutive years, respectively, since 2018, contributing to the 17 Five-Star awards and a total of 97 stars achieved in the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide by Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s (Melco) portfolio of integrated resort properties in Macau and Manila, across its entire hotel, dining, and spa facilities.

FTG is the world-renowned authority on excellence in hospitality, evaluating properties based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service to help discerning travelers select the world’s best experiences. Its global team of inspectors is anonymous and inspects both service and facility.

Melco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Lawrence Ho said, “We thank FTG sincerely for the honors. The accolade highlights Melco’s continued dedication to providing guests with exceptional hospitality across our hotels, restaurants, and spas.”

“While pandemic-related challenges have indeed been felt over the past few years, we are ready to welcome back the steady influx of tourists to our global resort properties by further enhancing Melco’s signature culture of service excellence with dedication and commitment. We also anticipate extending our service excellence to more guests from the world over at Melco’s soon-to-open Studio City Phase 2 and City of Dreams Mediterranean,” Ho added.

City of Dreams Manila Property President Geoff Andres shared, “It is a distinct honor for our three hotels and the Nüwa Spa to be consistently recognized in the illustrious annual Forbes Star Rating list, as this achievement affirms our commitment to provide luxury service. I thank and commend our colleagues for warmly demonstrating our commitment to service excellence every single day.”

City of Dreams Manila’s two other luxury hotels, Hyatt Regency Manila and Nobu Hotel Manila which earned their sixth Four-Star rating this year are also showcased with other 2023 Star Award honorees on ForbesTravelGuide.com

a clear picture of the current recovery process of our country’s tourism industry.

approved procedures in all their business transactions.

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE

DOT Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso who is also vice-chairman of our association, gave us an update on the latest activities and promotional efforts of the DOT. It is worth mentioning that PATA is unique because it is the only tourism organization in the Philippines that has direct access to the Department of Tourism.

Q: A man, shocked by how his buddy is dressed, asks him, “How long have you been wearing that bra?”

A: The friend replies, “Ever since my wife found it in my car’s glove compartment.”

Farid Schoucair, the amiable general manager of The Heritage Hotel Manila (THHM), the venue for the event, gave the welcome remarks and briefed the audience with very important statistics that gave

In my capacity as chairman of the association, I asked everyone to give ourselves a big round of applause for having survived the pandemic, and for having the Herculean strength to overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges we were all faced with during the two-and-a-half-year scourge. I also encouraged the members to continue supporting each other to ensure the continued success of our dedicated efforts in bringing our industry back to pre-pandemic levels.

The event’s main speaker was Virgilio Maguigad, director, Office of Tourism Standard and Regulations of the Department of Tourism (DOT). Prior to this posting, he and I used to work together as part-time faculty members at the Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Maguigad spoke about the requirements and the benefits of the much talked about DOT accreditation, which is a primary requirement of membership to our association. Such precondition is PATA’s way of policing our ranks, and seeing to it that all our members observe the proper and

Our Constitution and By-Laws require that our vice-chairman and our secretary general should both be highranking officers of the DOT, and they are Usec. Buensuceso and Director Rowena Sorioso, respectively. This, definitely, is an added incentive to PATA’s membership because the challenges they are faced with are immediately brought to DOT’s attention.

To further emphasize our enthusiasm over the new Lunar Year, the customary dragon dance was performed during dinner, much to the delight of the audience. A group of young men later performed the newest dance craze to get everybody into a dancing mood. Sure enough, after dinner, members were seen tripping the light fantastically, without a care in the world, enjoying every beat of the music, in jubilation over our reenergized tourism industry.

It certainly was a good start for the Lunar Year, as our tourism stakeholders have now equipped themselves with the resolve to bring back our Industry to its pre-pandemic golden years. So, there goes PATA…hopping forward…with grit, determination, and perseverance!

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

“Travel is in an incredible position for continued growth, as people prioritize authentic, in-person experiences,” said Amanda Frasier , president of Ratings for Forbes Travel Guide. “The hotels, ocean cruises, restaurants, and spas on our 2023 Star Rating list demonstrate an impressive commitment to creating memorable environments that nurture connection, joy, and sense of place as we experience the world to its fullest.” For more information on City of Dreams Manila’s 2023 Star awardees call 8800-8080 or visit www.cityofdreamsmanila.com To view the new Star Award winners, visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.

DOT Director Virgilio Maguigad is the event’s main speaker

The Heritage Hotel Manila’s General Manager, Farid Schoucair, giving his welcome remarks

DOT Undersecretary Verna Buensuceso, who is also PATA ViceChairman, giving an update on the Department’s current activities and promotional efforts

maintains

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