Manila Standard - 2023 February 23 - Thursday

House opens plenary debates on Charter change resolution

TWO days after hurdling the committee level, the Resolution of Both Houses No. 6 calling for a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Charter has reached the plenary of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The Lower Chamber began its

plenary debates on Charter change (Cha-cha) even after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said it was not his administration's priority.

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez, chairperson of the

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PH, Australia in sea patrol talks

Marcos

T

HE Philippines and Australia confirmed Wednesday they are discussing possible joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) – an arrangement that Manila is also exploring with the United States and Japan.Deputy

SHARED SECURITY CONCERN. Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (left) and Philippine Secretary of Defense Carlito Galvez Jr attend a joint press conference at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on February 22, 2023 where they announced both countries are exploring the possibility of joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea. (Inset) According to the Philippine Coast Guard, some 26 suspected Chinese militia and coast guard vessels were spotted near Ayungin Shoal in the WPS. AFP, Philippine Coast Guard

AT LEAST 26 suspected Chinese maritime militia and coast guard vessels were spotted by a local airship flying near Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Wednesday.

PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said photos from its Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight confirmed the continued presence of the Chinese ships within the country’s maritime domain.

The PCG also received radio challenges both in English and Chinese from the Chinese Coast Guard when its MDA aircraft entered Sabina Shoal’s airspace, Tarriela added.

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Senators, EU lawmakers discuss war on drugs, ICC

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

DESPITE some tense moments, Philippine senators and visiting European Parliament members on Wednesday had a "constructive and fruitful" discussion on various human rights issues, especially the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Senator Francis Tolentino and Hannah Neumann, the head of the European Union delegation, shared this in a press conference after the dialogue between the members of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee and the EU Parliament members.

Both sides agreed to move forward and do more engagements that local

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the abolition of the Department of Finance’s One-Stop-Shop InterAgency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center (OSS Center), whose officials and employees were found to have committed a series of tax credit scams involving billions of pesos over the years.

The abolition is also in line with the administration’s rightsizingpolicy, said Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who recommended the move to the President.

The OSS Center has not processed and issued any tax credit certificates since 2016, Diokno also pointed out.

“It is not practical for the government

to provide for its budget every year since it does not perform its functions anymore,” he said. The agency has about 40 officers and staff who may apply for any available positions in the DOF or any of its attached agencies, or those in other government agencies, Diokno told the Standard.

Graft court junks ill-gotten weath case vs. FM, allies

By Maricel V. Cruz

ASH MARKING. Catholic faithful pray inside a chapel after receiving ash on the observance of Ash Wednesday at a church ground in Paranaque City suburban Manila on February 22, 2023. AFP

By

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Vito Barcelo and

evidence.

and Don Ferry secured gargantuan

By Vince Lopez and Rey E. Requejo

President Ferdinand

Jr. said the visit of Australian

Prime Minister Richard Marles "'will be an important part of the response’ to the recent acts by the Chinese Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Foreign chambers hail RCEP okay

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE seven members of the Joint Foreign Chambers in the Philippines on Wednesday lauded the Senate’s ratification of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, saying the country’s inclusion in the largest trading bloc in the world would expand the network of foreign markets accessible to Philippine exports.

“It reinforces the decision of many of our members to invest in the Philippines and will attract more investment from our home countries,” the group said in a statement. It also builds on significant economic

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Mr. Marcos added the Australian official’s visit will "form a stronger alliance with the Philippines’ Indo-Pacific neighbor."

“I truly believe that the future lies in strong alliances and in a united front in promoting again the values that we consider important to our countries,” the President said, as quoted by the PCO

In an earlier joint press briefing with Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. in Manila, Marles said he hoped the joint patrol talks would come “to fruition soon.”

"(We are) looking at ways which we can pursue joint patrols together in the South China Sea, and looking at ways in which we can do more exercises together," said Marles, who also serves as Australia's defense minister.

Marles said Australia is sending one of its largest contingents ever to this year's iteration of "Exercise Balikatan," which will take place in April.

"And we look forward to the Philippines, for the first time, sending observers to Exercise Talisman Sabre in Australia in August," he added.

Marles also said Australia and the Philippines have a greater strategic alignment

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“While over Sabina Shoal, PCG Cessna Caravan 2081 observed at least twenty-six (26) suspected Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels anchored in and around the vicinity of the shoal. CCG-5304 maintained a constant close distance of not more than one (1) nautical mile from BRP Sierra Madre,” the PCG said.

The Ayungin (or Second Thomas) Shoal is located some 100 nautical miles off Palawan but is likewise near Mischief Reef, an area in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) reportedly occupied by China. The PCG said they ordered China Coast Guard 5304 to leave the area in response to a Chinese and English radio challenge from the Chinese ship, highlighting that the MDA is being conducted over the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.

This developed a day after Tarriela said in an interview on CNN Philippines that the PCG plans to include laser technology in its revised rules on the use of force after the February 6 laser-pointing incident in Ayungin Shoal involving the

DOF’s...

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“Others may choose to retire or avail of benefits given to those reorganized out of government,” the Finance chief said of the workers of the OSS Center, which is headed by an Executive Director.

It was not immediately known which officials of the center wereinvolved in the scams, or how much they had scammed out of government coffers.

Under Administrative Order No. 4 which was signed by ExecutiveSecretary Lucas Bersamin on February 20 and released on Wednesday, the OSS Center’s functions of processing and issuing tax clearance certificates (TCCs) and duty drawbacks will be transferred to the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs, respectively.

“All other assets and liabilities of the OSS Center shall be transferred to the Department of Finance in accordance with pertinent auditing laws, rules, and regulations except all cash separately held in trust or otherwise by the OSS Center, which shall be directly remitted to the National Treasury,” the order read.

In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office, Diokno said:

“Among the two main reasons for the abolition of the OSS Center were: First, some OSS Center officials and employees

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President said yesterday in a social media post.

“As we prepare for the season of Lent, may the love of Christ inspire us to endure and faithfully continue our service to others,” Mr. Marcos added.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the 40-day period of Lent. It is observed

reforms aimed at liberalizing investment rules, the group said. The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, Korean chambers

than they had at any moment in their respective histories.

"Both countries are allies of the United States, both countries have China as our largest trading partner. Both the Philippines and Australia are completely committed to a global rules-based order," he added.

This affirmation, Marles said, is "deeply connected to the two nations' respective national interests that the rules of the road as they apply to a body of water such as the South China Sea, the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, the freedom of navigation (and) the freedom of overflight."

"All of these principles are completely central to our national interests, and to our collective security," he added.

Galvez said Marles’ visit demonstrated the steadfast commitment of the Australian and the Philippine governments to further deepen the bilateral defense relations between the two nations.

The latest announcement comes amid growing tensions between the Philippines and China over their territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

Earlier this month, the Philippine Coast Guard said a Chinese Coast Guard vessel aimed a military-grade laser at one of its ships on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, which the Philippines occupies.

The United States, Canada, Australia

Chinese Coast Guard (CCG).

Tarriela said the inclusion of lasers in PCG’s rules needs the approval of the National Task Force WPS (NTF-WPS), which is chaired by the National Security Adviser—currently Secretary Eduardo Ano—and counts undersecretaries from 16 government departments and agencies as members.

Ano, a former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Interior Secretary under the Duterte administration, or the task force have yet to comment on the issue as of press time.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian and told him “close friends do not use military-grade lasers against each other,” referring to the incident in which a Chinese coast guard vessel aimed a supposed military-grade laser at a PCG ship carrying out a resupply mission in Ayungin.

The crew of BRP Malapascua said they suffered temporary blindness. China denied pointing military-grade lasers at the PCG ship, as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the Chinese Coast Guard only used a "hand-held greenlight pointer" to mea-

have been found to have committed a series of several tax credit scams involving billions of pesos over the years.”

“Second, its abolition and transfer of functions under the BIR and the BOC are in line with the Marcos Jr. administration’s push to right-size government. This will streamline revenue operations and reduce administrative expenses,” he added.

AO No. 4 provides that OSS Center personnel who would be affected by the move will “receive separation benefits… unless they are appointed to other positions in the government.”

The OSS Center was created under Administrative Order No. 266 issued in 1992 for the orderly and expeditious processing of tax credits and duty drawbacks under various laws.

“[It] is the policy of the National Government to rationalize the functional structures of agencies with complementary mandates andpromote coordination efficiency and organization coherence in the bureaucracy,” the AO issued by Bersamin said.

Within 90 working days upon the effectivity of the order, the Finance Secretary “shall fully implement the abolition, including the disposition and transfer of the OSS Center’s functions, personnel and assets as may be necessary.” Julito Rada, Vito Barcelo and Vince Lopez

by the Catholic Church as a holy day of fasting and praying. Its name comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting, using ashes from the palm fronds blessed by priests on Palm Sunday of the previous year.

Churches across the country this year allowed priests to put ashes on the foreheads of Catholics on Ash Wednesday, a tradition that was temporarily halted during the height

and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters, Inc. It represents over 3,000 member companies engaged in around $100 billion worth of trade and some $30 billion worth of investments in the Philippines.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said after the ratification of the agreement, the government is optimistic that the country will reap the benefits and advantages of the mega-trade deal.

“With the country’s participation to RCEP, the Philippines has now further strengthened its position as an ideal investment hub in the region as we expand market access, facilitate trade, and align our rules and procedures with participat-

and Japan all issued statements denouncing the Chinese action.

Also on Wednesday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III spoke with Galvez to discuss concerning developments” in the South China Sea.

In a statement, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said among the topics tackled was the Feb. 6 incident in Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese coast guard pointed a military grade laser at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

"Secretary Austin underscored the United States' commitment to supporting the lawful rights and operations of the Philippines in the South China Sea, including around the Second Thomas Shoal, which the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal unequivocally ruled is a part of the Philippine exclusive economic zone," Ryder said.

The US refers to the Ayungin Shoal as Second Thomas Shoal, an atoll located some 100 nautical miles off Palawan and is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

According to Ryder, Austin "reiterated that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, aircraft, and public vessels, including those of its Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea, would invoke US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty."

sure the distance and speed of the Philippine vessel.

The PCG is also planning joint patrols with the US Coast Guard, in line with the freedom of navigation efforts of the United States in the South China Sea.

Tarriela said the joint patrols would gain cooperation among other countries in the region and would benefit the vessels that are passing through the area (see related story on A1 – Editors).

The PH Coast Guard also hopes to modernize and increase its assets, as it only has three offshore patrol vessels when it needs about 20 to cover the country’s entire maritime area.

The Philippines should keep pushing back against Chinese aggression in the WPS to regain ground lost because of the previous administration's policy of appeasement, a maritime expert said Monday.

In an interview on the ABS-CBN News Channel, Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the Marcos administration has been more open and transparent on developments in the West Philippine Sea.

At a high-level security conference in

Graft...

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The prosecutors also claimed that the defendants obtained, under "favored and very liberal terms," huge loans from the Government Service Insurance System in favor of Philippine Integrated Meat Company (PIMECO)—a corporation beneficially held or controlled or both by Sabido and the other defendants. They also alleged that Peter Sabido installed himself as chairman of the board of Lianga Bay Logging Co. (Lianga)—a domestic corporation that owned and operated a lumber concession in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, and “performed acts of depredation against the best interest of the lumber workers.”

The anti-graft court also said in its ruling "that the plaintiff (the Philippine government) failed to prove by preponderant evidence that the properties alleged in the complaint are ill-gotten or were beneficially owned and controlled by former President Marcos and his family."

Similarly, the anti-graft's ruling said the state prosecutors "relied heavily on the affidavit of Rolando Gapud wherein it said that serving as financial advisor of the former President, he had personal knowledge that the latter used his close

of the coronavirus pandemic.

Catholics observe the liturgical event as a primer for the month-long reflection before the Holy Week, which starts on the Holy Wednesday (April 5 this year) and ends on Easter Sunday (April 9).

Filipinos observe the Holy Week with various activities such as "Senakulo" or the re-enactment of the Passion of Christ and "Pabasa" or book reading of the passion of Christ, which is common in

ing economies, ” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

RCEP consolidates existing ASEAN regional free trade agreements among members and covers trade in goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, as well as dispute settlement.

The country’s economic managers say the Philippines has an advantage as it can serve as a gateway to the ASEAN region, and boasts of a young, growing workforce, and stable legal regime, particularly on intellectual property and competition policy. This makes the country an ideal manufacturing and research and development hub, even for non-RCEP countries. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Austin also emphasized to Galvez the US' commitment to "supporting the lawful rights and operations" of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, including Ayungin Shoal.

In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by the Philippines, invalidated China's expansive nine-dash line claim covering the entire South China Sea.

The arbitration court also ruled that Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank are all within the Philippines' EEZ as provided by the UNCLOS and outlawed China's action of preventing Filipino fishermen to access Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal. But Beijing refused to acknowledge the arbitral court's ruling.

China earlier denied pointing at military grade laser at the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, which Beijing accused of intrusion.

This prompted the Philippines to file a diplomatic protest against China following the laser-pointing incident.

The US official also said Austin and Galvez also discussed proposals to deepen operational cooperation and improve the US and the Philippines' shared security, including joint maritime activities in the South China Sea.

Germany, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said harassment by the Chinese has become adaily situation faced by Filipino fishers and the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.

At a roundtable discussion in Munich over the weekend, Manalo said thePhilippines was determined to address the territorial dispute through peaceful and legal means.

He said the daily incidents of harassment that Filipinos experience inthe South China Sea as well as land reclamation activities have deprived the Philippines of the use of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Foreign Affairs chief also said he recognized the complexity of the country's relations with China.

In his speech before the Munich conference, Manalo said the “very strong links” of the Philippines—as well as other countries in the region—with China on the economic and cultural fronts create a more complex situation.

“We have this issue on the South China Sea with China, but at the same time we’ve also agreed with China that this issue is not going to be the sum total of our relationship,” he said.

business associate Yulo as his dummy in YKR and PIMECO. The material allegations in the amended complaint were corroborated by the subject affidavit. However, Gapud was not presented in Court to testify on the matters alleged."

"In a replete number of cases, the Supreme Court ruled that failure to put the affiant on the witness stand is fatal to the case as it renders the affidavit inadmissible under the hearsay rule," the Sandiganbayan added.

Government prosecutors had argued that Gapud’s testimony should be given full credence as it was acknowledged before the Philippine Consular Office in Hong Kong.

But the anti-graft court disagreed.

"The Court is not convinced. While it is true that the affidavit was notarized, the general rule is that affidavits are classified as hearsay evidence, unless affiants are placed on the witness stand," it said.

"In view of the foregoing, this case is for reversion, reconveyance, and accounting against defendants Peter A. Sabido, Luis A. Yulo, Nicolas Dehesa, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Rafael Sison, and Don M. Ferry, is dismissed for failure of the plaintiff to prove by preponderance of evidence," the Sandiganbayan added.

The court also lifted the sequestration orders against Lianga Bay Logging Co. and Yulo King Ranch.

provinces and rural areas.

In another Facebook post, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) hoped for a solemn celebration of Ash Wednesday. The PCO said the occasion serves as a reminder for Catholic believers to pray and fast.

“As the Lenten season begins, this day is an opportune time to pray and fast as a way of acknowledging Jesus Christ’s sacrifice,” it said.

’Gov’t to study EO on devolved local functions’

By Vince Lopez

THE national government is studying "very seriously" Executive Order No. 138, considering the existing technical capabilities of local government units (LGUs) and reduced tax allotment this year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.

"We will now use this one year to carefully study the 138. Let's see if there are functions that are given locally, but they shouldn't really be local," the President said in a speech during the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Manila Hotel.

"And so that’s what we are examining, expect as I said that we are taking very seriously the issues that have come out from the Mandanas ruling and how we will implement it because hopefully by next year, by 24 our collection will improve, because on 2021, it improved slightly, our economy slightly flourished, maybe we can get something really," the President added.

EO No. 138, which directs the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to the LGUs, was issued to aid the efficient implementation of the Supreme Court Ruling on the MandanasGarcia case and strengthen the autonomy and empowerment of LGUs.

The President described the implementation of the Mandanas ruling as one of the most significant issues faced by the government.

"I’m sure everybody is aware of that and wondering what is really going on," the President said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

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constitutional amendments panel, sponsored the measure on Wednesday.

"The compelling reason is that this institution cannot turn its back from the truth and reality that the 1987 Constitution needs to be reviewed for it is the third most restrictive in the world and the most restrictive in ASEAN. Its inflexibility and restrictiveness hampers foreign direct investments to come in as much as they do in other countries," Rodriguez said.

He cited the public hearings conducted by the House which showed that majority of the stakeholders were in favor of the proposed amendments.

“The result shows that out of 552 reactors and respondents, 424 or 77% are in favor, 109 or 20% are against and 19 or 3% abstained. In the mode preferences, 226 or 41% are for Constitutional Convention, 91 or 16% are for Constituent Assembly, 77 or 14% are for People’s Initiative and 158 expressed their no preference or 29%,” Rodriguez said.

Deputy Speaker Aurelio Dong Gonzales said Filipinos are "expecting an exhaustive deliberation of this Resolution of Both Houses No. 6." (See full story online at manilastandard. net)

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lawmakers hoped would “eventually lead to a richer economic partnership” between the country and Europe.

"As you are all aware, the EU has been quite worried about the war on drugs and the extrajudicial killings happening in the past. We werediscussing this, and we are also very relieved to hear that right now the Philippines is working more towards rehabilitation and prevention," Neumann said.

"We have also discussed other issues of human rights and I think it has been a fruitful and constructive meeting that makes me believe that we are moving towards a more constructive engagement for the future," she added.

During the closed meeting, Tolentino said senators were able tomaintain that ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines and explained the country's side on the issue of extrajudicial killingsduring the past administration, as well as the resolutions filed in Congress defending Duterte from ICC prosecution.

Tolentino also downplayed the “bickering” between fellow Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa – the national police chief during Duterte’s regime -- and a Spanish parliamentarian. He said the Spaniard's voice was just loud because he was talking through an interpreter, as he does not know the English language.

The dialogue, also attended by EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron, was fruitful, said Tolentino, who chairs the Senate justice panel.

"We discussed a lot of issues concerning the entire universe of human rights issues. Moving forward, we look at revitalizing our gaps. We answered some of their concerns as well," he said.

Neumann stressed that relations between the EU and the Philippines have always been very close.

Responders likely reached Cessna crash site—CAAP

By Alena Mae Flores

ACOMPOSITE search and rescue (SAR) team was expected to have reached as of press time the site at the Mayon Volcano where a missing Cessna plane with six people on board was believed to have slammed on the mountainside shortly after take-off from the Bicol International Airport last Saturday.

It was supposed to arrive in Manila an hour later.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the SAR used a Black Hawk chopper to reach the crash site, and were believed to be only 300 meters away as of 3 p.m. yesterday.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the responders, composed of 11 men from the Philippine Army and six from the Bureau of Fire Protection, departed the headquarters of the Tactical Operations Group 5 at 7:08 a.m. for the drop off point at Mayon Volcano utilizing the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter.

The CAAP Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board (AAIIB) earlier confirmed that the wreckage captured by the SAR team surveying the area was that of the missing Cessna aircraft owned by the state-run Energy Development Corp. (EDC).

“Once the wreckage site has been reached and the passengers are identified, they will be airlifted to an undisclosed area for further medical assessment,” Apolonio said.

The Cessna aircraft with registry number RP-C2080 went missing somewhere in Camalig, Albay on Saturday.

AAIIB records showed that Cessna (now Textron Aviation) aircraft has recorded 13 accidents, 10 incidents, and

BARMM cops kill suspect in Adiong assassination bid

POLICE have reportedly killed one of the suspects in last Friday’s assassination attempt on Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr.

Philippine National Police public Information chief Col. Redrico Maranan, in press briefing in Camp Crame, identified the suspect as alias “Otin,” son of an alias “Fighter” who was among the five principal suspects in the ambush on Adiong.

Maranan said the information was based on a report by Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM).

Maranan said the suspect was slain during a hot pursuit by BARMM police led by Guyguyon on Saturday.

Police seized from the suspect a .45-caliber pistol with loaded with six live bullets.

Meanwhile, PNP chief, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., said an investigation was underway to determine the motive for the

ambush, which includes a possible retaliation against the governor’s crackdown on marijuana plantations in the province.

“We will continue investigating and determine the real motive of the ambush of Governor Adiong. But we are very careful in investigating and looking at the possible persons of interest in order to ensure that we get the right persons,” Azurin said.

He also said PNP investigators were constantly monitoring and coordinating with the victims and their families to get their statements regarding the incident for the filing of appropriate charges.

“We condemn this senseless act of violence against our public servants. We assure the public that the PNP will exhaust all efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. We stand in solidarity with the families of the victims, and we will not rest until those responsible are held accountable for their actions,” Azurin said.

Tap foreign relations for PH growth—Group

“THERE is a need to continuously explore both bilateral and multilateral infrastructure development partnerships and engage in public-private partnerships to maximize potential gains for the Filipino nation.”

ADRi president Dindo Manhit issued this statement on Monday at a forum entitled “The Geopolitics of Infrastructure: Opportunities and Challenges for the Philippines and the Indo-Pacific,” organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute think tank group. Manhit said bilateral and multilateral cooperation with like-minded nations can usher in prosperity and development for all.

He added however, that inter-governmental partnerships must still be guided by the Philippines’ independent foreign policy and national interests.

“The current administration must ensure that it safeguards the Philippines

11 serious incidents in the last four years (2019-2023).

Apolonio explained that Accidents are occurrences in the operation of an aircraft in which either a person is fatally of seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure, and/or the aircraft is mission or is completely inaccessible.

Incidents, on the other hand, are occurrences associated with the operation of an aircraft which affects or could affect the safety of operation while Serious Incidents involves circumstances that indicate that there was a high probability of an accident.

The latest incident (Cessna 340) happened more than three weeks following the disappearance of another Cessna plane with six persons on board that also went missing in Isabela Province.

EDC chairman Federico Lopez told reporters that as of Wednesday morning, the rescuers were already near the site but the steep terrain has posed a challenge to the search and rescue mission.

“Even if you’re only a kilometer away, it’s very hard to get to. So there’s a safety issue also on the part of the rescuers. They have to make sure they do it right given that Mayon is at Alert Level 2. And they have to make sure they have the right route too because it’s subject to flash floods if you get rain. So they’re being very careful,” Lopez said.

from potential economic, financial, and security risks, I refer back to what I was sharing earlier on non-traditional security risks, that may arise from these partnerships by ensuring that appropriate studies are conducted on the feasibility and sustainability of projects that it engages in,” Manhit explained.

“Amidst the current geopolitical landscape and as we transition to a path of postpandemic recovery, the current administration must increase its efforts in building and modernizing our infrastructure networks while further improving the ease of doing business and creating a more enabling regulatory development for both local and foreign investors to take part in infrastructure development,” he added.

Former Public-Private Partnership Center executive director and Aboitiz InfraCapital president and chief executive officer Cosette Canilao said private sector participation in infrastructure projects

DFA warns OFWs in Hawaii, Samoa vs. crytocurrency scammers

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Department of Foreign Affairs

(DFA) on Wednesday warned Filipinos in Hawaii and American Samoa against being duped by a criminal syndicate who ostensibly offer jobs as call center agents in Southeast Asia, might end up as crypto scammers.

The DFA through the Philippine Embassy in Honolulu raised

the warning for those under its jurisdiction, noting that some “Filipino victims are enticed” by these “spurious job offers.”

“Once they are recruited, the Filipino victims are issued tickets to fly to a Southeast Asian country, from which they are taken to adjacent countries and brought to remote areas,” the embassy said.

The embassy said the recruits “forced

to work as online scammers engaged in cryptocurrency” and others.

The embassy also said the victims usually experience many forms of abuse, including physical and psychological abuse, prolonged working hours under difficult work conditions, nonpayment of wages and confiscation of passports and devices.

Some are even held hostage, demanded to pay an exorbitant amount

in exchange for freedom, and worse, amputation and death, the embassy added.

It also feared of some victims being sold by syndicates to be engaged in other forms of slavery, including sexual slavery.

It can be recalled that the DFA rescued a number of Filipinos from Myanmar and Cambodia who were victimized by such syndicates.

Pampanga raids net P754.8m worth of illegal drugs, arrest of 4 suspects

By Rio N. Araja

A COMPOSITE anti-narcotics team lead by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has seized P754.8 million worth of shabu in two buy-bust operations over the weekend in Pampanga. One of the raids netted 81 kilos of the illegal drugs worth P550.8 million in a buy-bust operation on Feb. 19 in a townhouse in Barangay Pampang.

A suspect, identified as Chinese national Willy Tan Zhang, a 51, collapsed upon arrest and was brought to the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center where he was declared dead on arrival.

A 30-year-old Filipina, was also arrested during the raid.

Also on Feb. 19, another operation was conducted along Poinsettia Avenue in Barangay Pampang, resulting in the seizure of 30 kilos of suspected shabu worth P204 million from drug suspects Yi Xin Li, 49, a Chinese resident of Tondo, Manila, and Mark June Barsaga, 23, of Lucena City in Quezon province.

The suspects also yielded non-drug evidence, including several mobile phones, a gray Toyota Avanza, identification cards and the buy-bust money.

All the suspects would face drug charges.

provide a number of benefits such as increased financial capability, availability of technology, experts and managerial competence, and improved service efficiency, if public-private contracts are done right.

“[As] PPP investors, we look for projects that are bankable – where risks are fairly allocated between the government and us. And we prefer investing in a market where there is very steep commitment by the government to undertake an effective PPP program,” she explained.

“What we are hoping for next is the speedy evaluation and approval of numerous projects in the pipeline. It will also occur well for the private sector if there’s clear and consistent communication of directions and timelines when projects are expected to be evaluated or approved. Currently, the infrastructure efforts of the government are kind of reactive – reactive responses to existing problems to society.

IN BRIEF

MMDA, Makati City open three new parks

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Makati City government on Wednesday unveiled the three AdoptA-Park project sites in the city.

The three parks - EDSA-Buendia Park, EDSAPinagkaisahan Park and Magallanes Interchange Phase A - Mini Park - have a combined lot area of 3,000 square meters. The parks were designed by the city’s Department of Environmental Services. MMDA chairman Romando Artes, deputy chairman Undersecretary Frisco San Juan Jr. and Makati administrator Claro Certeza led the inauguration and turnover of the parks.

Artes said improvement of the facilities serves as an avenue for social interactions and family gatherings to be enjoyed by the residents living in Makati.

“These parks could give the residents of Makati the opportunity to spend quality time among members of the families and communities,” Artes said, adding that the agency is in constant coordination with the local government for future projects.

Certeza, for his part, expressed his gratefulness to the MMDA for its initiatives to provide open spaces in the city. Joel E. Zurbano

PH passes 66k mark in COVID deaths—DOH

THE Philippines has surpassed the 66,000 mark in COVID-19 deaths, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.

As of February 21, a total of 66,039 patients died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, the DOH COVID-19 tracker showed.

Quezon City had the most number of COVID-related deaths with 2,672, followed by Cebu with2,612; Bulacan with 2,207; Cagayan with 2,047; and Manila, 1,925.

The Philippines logged the first COVID death outside China in February 2020, in a 44-year-old man who arrived from Wuhan, China.

Meanwhile, a 67-year-old woman in Manila was the country’s first local death due to the coronavirus.

As of February 20, the Philippines has 9,211 active COVID cases.

Since the pandemic started, the country has recorded over 4 million coronavirus infections, of which majority have recovered from the disease.

To date, more than 73.8 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID.

Of this number, around 21.5 million people have received their first boosters while 3.9 million given their second boosters. Willie Casas

Taguig so far chalks up P4.38b revenues

in ’23

THE Taguig City government has collected business taxes amounting to ₱4.38 billion through its Business One Stop Shop (BOSS) this year, a whopping ₱1.17 billion increase over the figure reported for the same period in 2022.

Mayor Laarni Cayetano thanked the traders for doing business in Taguig and paying their taxes, emphasizing that the revenues go back to the people in the form of services and benefits.

City treasurer Voltaire Enriquez noted the marked improvement not just in collection of taxes, but in the overall operation of BOSS and customer satisfaction: “Payment and releasing were fast; taxpayers did not line up until midnight to settle their taxes or wait for their business permits; there was no rush to beat the deadline; and there were no irate customers protesting,” he said.

Carrying out the orders of Mayor Cayetano, Taguig rolled out a new system that allowed business owners to apply for permits and pay taxes quickly, accurately, and hassle-free.

The Business Permits and Licensing Office and the City Treasurer’s Office integrated the payment of Barangay fees. Business owners no longer needed to secure clearances from the barangays separately.Joel E. Zurbano

ASH WEDNESDAY. Catholic devotees queue up for the ash on their forehead signifying the canon ‘from dust to dust’ in humanity’s existence, at the Baclaran Church in Parañaque City. Ash Wednesday also marks the onset of the Lenten season in the whole Christendom. Norman Cruz

OPLAN LINIS GANDA CABLE. An initiative of Valenzuela City Mayor Wes Gatchalian, “Oplan Linis Ganda Cable” aims to clear the city’s thoroughfares of obstructions that create traffic jams. The project is being undertaken in collaboration with private corporations including PLDT, Meralco and Globe Telecommunications. Andrew Rabulan

EVANGELISM KNOWS NO BOUNDARY. Pastor Danny Eduria from the Cathedral of Praise reads the Holy Bible inmates at the Quezon City Jail, reminding them that sometime, somehow, they would regain their freedom. Manny Palmero

DTI: Marcos efforts bearing fruits

By Vito Barcelo

PRESIDENT Ferdinand

Marcos Jr.’s aggressive but strategic promotion initiatives abroad continue to bear fruits as the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Investments (DTI-BOI) expressed optimism to hit its P1 trillion investment approvals target for 2023.

In a statement, the DTI said the government has already secured nearly half of its full-year target for investment approvals after only six weeks into the new year. Based on the latest BOI figures

IN BRIEF

Solon seeks inventory of seized illegal drugs

SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, chairperson of the House committee on dangerous drugs on Wednesday asked anti-drug law enforcement agencies to account and submit to the committee the complete inventory list of all seized illegal drugs that remain under their custody pending court resolution of their cases.

Barbers made the call even as the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Virgilio Moro Lazo’s revealed about the alleged agency’s previous policy of paying 30 percent of confiscated drugs to assets or informants as reward for successful drug seizures.

“As of now, we have no clear knowledge or understanding on the disposition of previously seized drugs that are still under the custody of law enforcement agencies such as the PDEA, the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation,” Barbers said. Maricel V. Cruz

S. Korea eyes DOJ aid to deport fugitives

WITH the prompt action of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to the request of Japan for the deportation of fugitive Japanese nationals, the government of South Korea is now seeking the deportation of its three fugitive nationals.

Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano on Wednesday said Korean Ambassador Kim Inchul himself made the request during a courtesy call to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“Secretary Remulla assured Ambassador Inchul that he would look into the request immediately and assist if ever the request warranted swift action,” Clavano said.

The names of the South Korean fugitives were not disclosed by Clavano who recounted that during the courtesy call, the Korean ambassador congratulated Secretary Remulla for the swift deportation of four Japanese fugitives.

“They then spoke about the request by the Korean government to likewise have three (3) Korean nationals deported back to South Korea. The official request, the Ambassador mentioned, was already sent by his consul-general,” Clavano revealed. Rey E. Requejo

PBBM vows to continue promoting PH culture

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday reiterated his continuous commitment to promoting Philippine culture as well as the preservation and protection of the country’s cultural heritage.

The President made this remark in a speech at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Ani ng Dangal (Harvest of Honors) awarding ceremony in Malacañang.

“You can hope that this government and administration will be with you in promoting and enriching our art and culture,” he said. “I am confident that if we develop this industry, we will be able to contribute more to the growth of our economy and lift Filipinos everywhere in the world.”

Mr. Marcos also called on NCCA to support Filipino artists who make significant contributions to the development, and promotion of Philippine culture and the arts. Vince Lopez

PBBM issues order revising rules on SCS

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an executive order this week revising the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the scientific career system (SCS) under a previous presidential order.

In issuing Executive Order No. 17, “Revising the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Scientific Career System Under Executive Order No. 901 (S.1983),” the President said there’s a need to update the existing implementing rules and regulations of the SCS to effectively respond “to the evolving needs of the country’s science and technology human resources in government service.”

Under the President’s order dated February 20, the SCS will be a system of recruitment, career progression, recognition, and reward of scientists in public service aimed at developing a pool of highly qualified and productive scientific personnel.

The system will be characterized by an entrance to and a career progression or advancement based on qualifications, merit and scientific productivity, career path to scientists, as well as incentives and rewards to ensure attraction and retention of highly qualified personnel in the science and technology sector.

(January to February 9, 2023), the bulk of foreign capital is from Germany with P157 billion, followed by The Netherlands (P2.7 billion), Japan (P524 million), the United States (P509 million), and the United Kingdom (P194 million).

The renewable energy/power sector remains dominant, with P398.7 billion in approvals to date, up by 138 percent from the same period last year with P167.9 billion.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the agency still has P344 billion in potential investment leads that will be processed.

Pascual said the aggressive investment promotion efforts led by President Marcos are complemented by the country’s strong economic performance with a 7.6 percent GDP

growth.

“And more likely, than ever, we may have 80 to 90 percent of the target even before the middle of the year,” according to Pascual.

The increase in investments, he added, proves that the Marcos administration’s foreign trips are working as investors from Southeast Asia, the United States, Belgium, China, and Japan have expressed a strong desire to put in more investments into the country.

The DTI chief also noted that BOI’s foreign investment approvals performed even better, accelerating to P163 billion in the same period, a 65,436 percent growth from the same timeline in 2022.

It accounted for nearly 40 percent of the aggregate total, with domestic investment nods taking up the rest

with P251.3 billion, a 47.6 percent rise from P170.3 billion last year, he added Mr. Marcos recently sealed $13 billion worth of agreements during his five-day working visit to Japan.

Japan pledged to provide development loans for the NorthSouth Commuter Railway for MalolosTutuban and the North-South Commuter Railway Project Extension totaling 377 billion yen, which is about $3 billion.

Mr. Marcos said the completion of these projects, along with other ongoing large-scale Official evelopment Assistance (ODA) projects such as the Metro Manila Subway Project and many more across the country, is expected to translate to better lives for Filipinos through improved facilitation of the movement of people, goods and services.

‘DA followed sugar importation directives’

By Vince Lopez

DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) Senior

Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban said the department followed recommendations sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding sugar imports.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Panganiban said the DA acted on the directive of the President to immediately address supply issues.

In a memorandum from the Office of the Executive Secretary dated January 13, 2023, the DA was ordered to implement its recommendations to President Marcos, who is also the Agriculture Secretary, on the 2nd Sugar Importation Program for the Crop Year 2022-2023.

By Maricel V. Cruz

ACT-CIS partylist group nominee Jeffrey Soriano has resigned from his post, prompting the House of Representatives to remove him from its rolls of members.

Former Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo, the fourth nominee of ACTCIS, is rumored to replace Soriano.

During Wednesday’s plenary session, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe revealed that Soriano submitted a letter dated February 6 to Speaker Martin G. Romualdez to informing the House leadership of his resignation from his House seat.

“Mr. Speaker I move that we accept the resignation of Jeffrey Soriano and for the

The memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, said that around 100,00 metric tons of sugar “shall be automatically classified as ‘B’ or Domestic Sugar” while a total of 350 metric tons “shall be made available to the domestic market or otherwise designated” Panganiban said he selected from the list given to him three sugar importers, whom he considers “the most capable importers that we have”.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros earlier identified three companies in the shipment of 440,000 metric tons of imported sugar, which she branded as “smuggled” since the shipment was not covered by any sugar order.

The sugar imports arrived at the Batangas port on February 15, before Sugar Order (SO) No. 6 was signed, she said.

Secretary-General to be instructed to drop from the roll of members of the House of Representatives representative Soriano effective immediately,” Dalipe said.

Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, who presided over the session carried the motion after hearing no objection.

Aside from Soriano, other nominees ACT-CIS are Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, the spouse of Senator Raffy Tulfo.

Former House of Representatives Deputy Secretary General Brian Raymund S. Yamsuan meanwhile was sworn into office as the new representative of the Bicol Saro Party-list.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez administered the oath of office to Yamsuan during this afternoon’s plenary session, completing the process of the latter’s assumption as a member of the House in the 19th Congress.

“It is clear that this importation was not covered by SO No. 6 and is not even covered by the past sugar orders,” she said, adding that the shipment of imported sugar is thus “muggled.”

Hontiveros named the companies as All Asian Countertrade, Sucden Philippines Inc. and Edison Lee Marketing Corporation. However, she did not name which among these sugar importers was flagged down earlier on another government sugar importation issue.

Hontiveros said that based on the information she got from producer organizations and independent sources, 260 20-foot containers imported by All-Asian Countertrade Inc. arrived in the country from Thailand on February 9.

According to Hontiveros, SO6 should have been signed first and once published, the award of allocation should be given to importers.

It will apply to scientific personnel with master’s and doctorate degrees in sciences who are directly involved in research and development, covering biological sciences, engineering and technology, mathematical and physical sciences, health and agricultural sciences, as well as all scientific disciplines determined by the Scientific Career Council (SCC).

The SCS’s administration system will be composed of the chairperson of the CSC as ex-officio chairperson, the secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as ex-officio co-chairperson, and other ex-officio members.

A Technical Working Group and Special Technical Committees (STCs) will be established by the SCC to serve as an advisory body and screening committee.

STC’s in different fields of specialization will be created with each technical committees composed of at least five members recognized by authorities in their respective fields and who will serve for two years.

The appointments of scientists under SCS will be based on rank, from Scientist 1 to Scientist V, who will be admitted to the system to the extent that they meet the minimum qualifications.

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday commended the government’s intensified and relentless campaign against smuggling as he also thanked law enforcement agencies for heeding his call to raid warehouses in suspected of hoarding onions and garlic.

The lawmaker said they have been coordinating with law enforcement agencies regarding raids of warehouses suspected to hoarding agri products such as onions.

“Kinausap natin ang ating law enforcement agencies para i-raid ang warehouses na hinihinalang nasa likod ng hoarding ng sibuyas at bawang. Ito ang nagpapahirap sa taong-bayan na dahilan ng inflation at pagtaas sa presyo ng mga bilihin,” Romualdez said after an interagency task force led by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) immediately delivered results in the fight against hoarding of onions and garlic.

Romualdez issued the statement after the BOC, under the newly-minted leadership of Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio, reported the discovery of around P150 million worth of imported onions and garlic stored in 24 separate locations — many of them warehouses —in the cities of Manila and Malabon.

“I reiterate my warning to these evil hoarders and unscrupulous businessmen. We are breathing down your necks. Tuldukan na ninyo na ang inyong mga gawain na nagpapahirap sa ating mga kababayan,” Romualdez said.

PBBM SPEAKS AT LMP ASSEMBLY. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. leads the 2023 General Assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at The Manila Hotel in the City of Manila on Wednesday. Rey Baniquet.

SENATE HEARING. Rep. Bonifacio Bosita (left) and Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Guttierrez (right) of 1-Rider partylist face lawmakers during a Senate hearing on an act amending Republic act no. 11235, otherwise known as the “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.” Lino Santos

OATH OF OFFICE. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez administers the oath of office to Bicol Saro Partylist Rep.Brian Raymund Yamsuan during an oath-taking ceremony at the plenary hall  of the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Ver Noveno

A most difficult job

developments from our agricultural science community, whether through UP Los Banos, PCARRD under DOST, the Food Development Institute, and other agencies.

Apart from these, there are a lot of technological innovations from Japan, Taiwan, China, and elsewhere which could be tapped and adapted to the Philippine situation.

Tweaking the ODA Law

BUT that’s why he is President.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., by the grace of God and the will of the people the president of the land, should have known, when he decided to be the concurrent agriculture secretary, what a difficult job he has chosen to undertake.

Or whoever advised him to take on the additional responsibility should have studied first whether the president’s experience as a local executive was enough background for the job. To be fair, looking for someone to handle agriculture at this point is itself very difficult.

Food security, which, simply put, is having accessible and affordable food for the population, is almost wholly in the hands of the Department of Agriculture.

Although food processing, classified as manufacturing, may be under the ambit of the DTI, the fact is the local raw materials that are processed are DA’s concern.

And because we have not been self-sufficient in food products, processors have turned largely to imports which are cheaper and where volumes required are assured.

Let me list down the many problems of Philippine agriculture, which make the job of secretary very challenging.

First, we have a very large population

It is an

compared to the size of our arable land, dispersed as these are into several islands.

112 million mouths have to be sustained by 30 million hectares, steep mountain terrain included. By contrast, 68 million Thais are sustained by a huge land mass of more than 51 million hectares.

Worse, when the price of viands, whether fish, pork, chicken, eggs or vegetables, rise beyond the poor family’s purchasing ability, the per capita consumption of rice goes further up.

Next problem is irrigation, which has been hugely mismanaged for decades since after President Marcos Sr.

Add to that the fact that we do not have as great freshwater sources of water, no big rivers like the Mekong in IndoChina.

Mindanao has the Agusan River and the Rio Grande, plus Lake Lanao and Mainit, which, properly developed, could be sources of irrigation water.

However the soil in many parts of the island are not necessarily optimal for palay, although lack of nutrients can be solved by technology.

Palay, we have often written in this space, is a grass that requires huge volumes of water.

However, when the palay stalks are nearing harvest, and too much rainwater floods the plains, we have a problem.

And using hybrid seeds instead of certified inbred seeds does not solve the problem.

The cost of hybrid seeds plus the inputs required will make rice even more expensive, catering to a limited consumer segment, while farmers with small uneconomical plots of land can hardly afford the same.

A major variable that bedevils farm productivity is climate, and in this era of climate change where storms get stronger than usual, the variables multiply.

Another are the diseconomies of scale in farms that have been partitioned to small plots due to agrarian reform.

The application of suitable technology, mechanization, even management skills become difficult due to lack of scale and capital.

Well-functioning cooperatives need to be organized and assisted, but the general experience, particularly in far-flung areas, has been dismal.

An unintended consequence of the devolution of responsibility over agriculture and other concerns brought about by the Local Government Code has had patchwork effects.

With agricultural extension work by trained national government experts now largely a function of the LGU, technical assistance depends on the mayor or governor’s priorities.

Some place unqualified political favorites as provincial or city agricultural officers.

Some others would rather spend their IRA on gaudy holiday decorations and tasteless beautification projects.

To be fair, there are quite a number of exceptional LGU officials who have put a premium on assisting their farmers and agribusiness constituents to maximize income and productivity. Harnessing LGUs is in fact a major key to agricultural production and enhancing food security. With logistics a costly enterprise in our archipelago, DA should seriously match production with, as much as feasible, local markets. The anomaly of produce always being brought to NCR and then re-sent to other parts can be transformed into a more systematic flow from farm to market.

And then, too, the department should make full use of the research output and technological

It is good the president and his undersecretaries in the DA, along with Congress, are finally (and hopefully) serious about investing in modern cold chain and postharvest facilities that would allow farmers to time their marketing and prevent spoilage. The recent onion fiasco, though unprecedentedly ridiculous, has at last awakened policy-makers on the need for these.

DA is also over-stretched with a multiplicity of functions.

If memory serves me right, there are more than 40 agencies and GOCCs under its control and policy supervision.

And while undersecretaries and assistant secretaries, along with hundreds of regional directors ought to be well-equipped to handle their areas of responsibility, political appointees who bring little to the table, and oftentimes have a predilection for corruption, have created a hugely demoralized institution.

Career officials are more often than not under-utilized, their long experience and technical expertise wasted.

Worse, many have been sacrificial lambs when corrupt schemes are discovered, even if they were just following orders from above, the latter getting away with it.

Often mentioned as problems, especially when shortages and price spirals occur, are the value chain middlemen, derided as cartels.

The present approach of cutting off the middleman is an exercise in futility.

Kadiwa, no matter how well-intentioned, can only skim the market surface, and its viability well nigh impossible with bureaucratic and audit procedures.

Good management should know how to deal with the middlemen, which are, like it or not, an important cog in the value chain without whom there would be dysfunctions in the market.

Then there is the seemingly unabatable smuggling of agricultural products. DA and its agency officials and employees are not allowed inside BOC territory. There was a time when a private-public partnership in monitoring the flow of agricultural imports was in place. As far as I know, that has been scuttled.

Maybe pre-inspection services could be resumed, using highly credible inspectors such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, Omni, etc. The expense may be well worth it.

Finally, although there are other problems in agriculture that I may not in this article recall, Congress and the President should consider creating a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The DA, which handles soil-based plants, plus poultry and livestock, should be spared from the quite distinct problems hounding our fisheries sector, including the high cost of fish, a puzzle considering that we are surrounded by water.

The late Camarines Sur political giant, Luis Villafuerte Sr., who was tasked also to craft a government reorganization and rightsizing plan by former President Cory Aquino, included this proposal as early as 1987. He kept filing the same legislation in several Congresses, but like the National Land Use Act, nothing has happened. Our food security situation is a race against time.

The average farmer is in his mid-fifties, just a few years away from weary retirement, his next generation unwilling to farm and would rather work in the urban centers, or abroad.

It is an existential problem for our people, and we can only wish our president well as he chooses who to entrust a most difficult job to.

HOW can we modernize the Philippine military if we do not have enough money to do it?

For a leading member of the House of Representatives where bills involving funding originate, we can raise enough money for the armed forces by the simple expedient of tweaking the existing ODA law.

Here’s how we can do it, according to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House Ways and Means committee. Under the existing ODA Law, the country is restricted by provisions that put a cap of 40 percent on the grant component of total ODA loans, and at least 25 percent on each loan.

There are other limitations.

The lack of provision for private sector participation in financing is one.

Another is the public bidding requirement, which can prevent us from getting loans for defense equipment which are usually provided by a single eligible supplier.

These restrictions, the lawmaker pointed out, keep the country from acquiring state-of-the-art aircraft and naval vessels.

The bottom line here is that even as the 1987 Constitution makes it very clear that the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, we should be ready at all times to defend our territory

The French have already offered to provide loans for us to acquire submarines so that we can adequately defend our coasts.

The country also needs to acquire sophisticated air assets like the F-16 fighter jets to augment the AFP’s capability in defending the West Philippine Sea.

The laser incident

THE most recent Ayungin Shoal incident involving the use of lasers by the Chinese Coast Guard on our Coast Guard patrol ship is simply telling us we need a new approach to such incidents.

Question is what it will be.

Ever since we have been having these standoffs with China, we have always been at a disadvantage due to the immense military power of China.

Perhaps, this is because we lack the resolve or due in part to what has continuously been drilled in our minds that we cannot win against China.

As former national security adviser Clarita Carlos said, our responses to what China has been doing in the WPS have always been meek and mild and needs to change.

Former President Duterte, the architect of the pivot to China policy, visited Beijing many times to show his good will and pay homage as some of his critics have been saying.

Unfortunately, Beijing never reciprocated in any meaningful way. But with a new administration, it appears that change is in the air.

There is a growing consensus among our leaders that we should not allow this kind of humiliation all the time.

But if we analyze the options available to us, the situation is really not that simple to navigate.

One option is the possible joint patrols with the United States. This has been mentioned by our defense officials and appears to be the one under serious consideration.

This, however, is fraught with unpredictable consequences. Others include pursuing broader defense agreements with Australia, Japan and the US in what could be a quadrilateral defense arrangement.

Another is accepting the explanation of the Chinese envoy that the Chinese Coast Guard ships do not carry military grade lasers.

That what was used in the Ayungin Shoal incident was simply a harmless civilian laser with the intention of simply guiding the PCG ship to proceed to a particular direction. But if we choose this option, it would be business as usual.

Besides, based on the video and what the crew said, the glare was much stronger because the beam was directed to their eyes which caused temporary blindness.

Considering what former President Duterte did in moving the country closer to China, it is inexplicable why China maintained its strong arm responses to such incidents instead of a soft hand approach.

As former national security adviser Clarita Carlos said, our responses to what China has been doing in the WPS have always been meek and mild and needs to change

Take the issue of fishing, it would have generated so much good will from us if the Chinese simply allowed our fishermen to fish in their traditional fishing grounds free from any harassment.

But no, China has to show it has control over its territorial claims even if this is not supported by international law.

After the recent trip of PBBM to Beijing, he came home announcing that disagreements with China in the WPS will henceforth be resolved in a friendly and peaceful manner. But, after only several days, we had the laser incident, prompting PBBM to take the very unusual step of summoning the Chinese Ambassador to tell him that the use of lasers was not the agreed way of settling any misunderstanding in the WPS.

Then the Chinese envoy was quoted as saying

Salceda maintains we need to strengthen our military so we can deter other countries with similar territorial claims from thinking that “they can push us around so easily.”

“Countries like us shouldn’t declare that our only option is diplomacy. No one wants war, but defenders don’t decide that. Aggressors decide whether they want war. And defenders have to be ready,” he said.

We agree completely

A big advantage of tweaking the ODA Law is that the loans for upgrading our defense capabilities are concessional.

The lawmaker believes ODAs are the cheapest way to borrow as the interest rates are lower and feature longer payment terms than in the capital markets, which do not give a grant component. And ODAs also come with technical assistance and knowledge sharing. We need to move fast because the ODA Law was written in the 1970s when the county had to cope with political and economic crises.

As we are now on the verge of being an uppermiddle income country, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) might decide we’re no longer eligible for any ODA.

The bottom line here is that even as the 1987 Constitution makes it very clear that the Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national policy, we should be ready at all times to defend our territory.

there is a third country causing the friction between the Philippines and China, referring of course to the US because he could not have been referring to any other country.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman also bluntly said in his briefing after the laser incident that The Hague Arbitral decision in 2016 was just a political drama orchestrated by the US and that this will not lessen Chinese resolve in the WPS.

Both gentlemen seem to assume that we are incapable of independent action like filing that arbitral case in The Hague on our own.

They also seem to imply that our senior officials do not know what they are doing to protect the interest of our country without consulting the Americans. It shows how low these Chinese officials look upon us and are insulting to say the least.

Let us hope, therefore, the WPS issue will be resolved peacefully and will not develop into a more serious problem.

Since we and China want a peaceful resolution of the WPS issue, an enforceable agreement with China thru negotiations is a good step forward and worth exploring if still possible.

Responding forcefully may not be the best way forward because we have to vastly increase our naval resources both in numbers, training and equipment.

We obviously cannot do that with our Coast Guard just having three available ships. If we take Japan’s example, that country recently announced a $340B defense upgrade for the next 10 years which is a staggering amount. We cannot even raise two per cent of that sum.

But that is the kind of money needed to build a credible defense to confront a behemoth like China.

And it will take years in order for us to achieve anything resembling a credible defense force. This should, therefore, be food for thought to our leaders who are trying to figure out what to do with future Chinese provocations.

It is a sobering thought because at the moment, we virtually have nothing.

The women who lived as sex slaves to an Indian goddess

By Aishwarya Kumar

DEDICATED to an Indian goddess as a child, Huvakka Bhimappa’s years of sexual servitude began when her uncle took her virginity, raping her in exchange for a saree and some jewelry.

Bhimappa was not yet 10 years old when she became a “devadasi”—girls coerced by their parents into an elaborate wedding ritual with a Hindu deity, many of whom are then forced into illegal prostitution.

Devadasis are expected to live a life of religious devotion, forbidden from marrying other mortals, and forced at puberty to sacrifice their virginity to an older man, in return for money or gifts.

“In my case, it was my mother’s brother,” Bhimappa, now in her late 40s, told AFP.

What followed was years of sexual slavery, earning money for her family through encounters with other men in the name of serving the goddess.

Bhimappa eventually escaped her servitude but with no education, she earns around a dollar a day toiling in fields. Her time as a devotee to the Hindu goddess

Yellamma has also rendered her an outcast in the eyes of her community. She had loved a man once, but it would have been unthinkable for her to ask him to marry.

“If I was not a devadasi, I would have had a family and children and some money. I would have lived well,” she said.

Devadasis have been an integral part of southern Indian culture for centuries and once enjoyed a respectable place in society.

Many were highly educated, trained in classical dance and music, lived comfortable lives and chose their own sexual partners.

“This notion of more or less religiously

sanctioned sexual slavery was not part of the original system of patronage,” historian Gayathri Iyer told AFP.

Iyer said that in the 19th century, during the British colonial era, the divine pact between devadasi and goddess evolved into an institution of sexual exploitation.

It now serves as a means for poverty-stricken families from the bottom of India’s rigid caste hierarchy to relieve themselves of responsibility for their daughters.

The practice was outlawed in Bhimappa’s home state of Karnataka back in 1982, and India’s top court has described the devotion of young girls to temples as an “evil.”

Campaigners, however, say that young girls are still secretly inducted into devadasi orders.

Four decades after the state ban, there are still more than 70,000 devadasis in Karnataka, India’s human rights commission wrote last year.

‘I was alone’

Girls are commonly seen as burdensome and costly in India due to the tradition of wedding dowries.

By forcing daughters to become devadasis, poorer families gain a source of income and avoid the costs of marrying them off.

Many households around the small southern town of Saundatti—home to a revered Yellamma temple—believe that having a family member in the order can lift their fortunes or cure the illness of a loved one.

It was at this temple that Sitavva D. Jodatti was enjoined to marry the goddess when she was eight years old. Her sisters had all married other men, and her parents decided to dedicate her to Yellamma in order to provide for them.

“When other people get married, there is a bride and a groom. When I realised I was alone, I

started crying,” Jodatti, 49, told AFP. Her father eventually fell ill, and she was pulled out of school to engage in sex work and help pay for his treatment.

“By the age of 17, I had two kids,” she said. Rekha Bhandari, a fellow former devadasi, said they had been subjected to a practice of “blind tradition” that had ruined their lives.

Campaigners, however, say that young girls are still secretly inducted into devadasi orders

She was forced into the order after the death of her mother and was 13 when a 30-year-old man took her virginity. She fell pregnant soon after.

“A normal delivery was difficult. The doctor yelled at my family, saying that I was too young to give birth,” the 45-year-old told AFP.

“I had no understanding.”

‘Many women have died’

Years of unsafe sex exposed many devadasis to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

“I know of women who are infected and now it has passed on to their children,” an activist who works with devadasis, who asked not to be named, told AFP. “They hide it and live with it in secrecy. Many women have died.”

Parents are occasionally prosecuted for allowing their daughters to be inducted as devadasis, and women who leave the order are given meager government pensions of 1,500 rupees ($18) per month.

Nitesh Patil, a civil servant who administers Saundatti, told AFP that there had been no “recent instances” of women being dedicated to temples.

India’s rights commission last year ordered Karnataka and several other Indian states to outline what they were doing to prevent the practice, after a media investigation found that devadasi inductions were still widespread.

The stigma around their pasts means women who leave their devadasi order often endure lives as outcasts or objects of ridicule, and few ever marry.

Many find themselves destitute or struggling to survive on poorly paid manual labour and farming work.

Jodatti now heads a civil society group which helped extricate the women AFP spoke to from their lives of servitude and provides support to former devadasis.

She said many of her contemporaries had several years ago become engrossed by the #MeToo movement and the personal revelations of celebrity women around the world that revealed them as survivors of sexual abuse.

“We watch the news and sometimes when we see famous people... we understand their situation is much like ours. They have suffered the same. But they continue to live freely,” she said. “We have gone through the same experience, but we don’t get the respect they get.

“Devadasi women are still looked down upon.” AFP

existential problem for our people, and we can only wish our president well as he chooses who to entrust a most difficult job to

UN to convene as Ukraine, allies seek votes for ‘peace’

THE UN General Assembly meets Wednesday, two days ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Kyiv and its allies hoping to garner broad support for a resolution calling for a “just and lasting peace.”

The draft resolution, sponsored by some 60 countries, is to be voted on after the close of debate – not expected until at least Thursday.

The text “underscores the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

Like previous resolutions, it reaffirms the UN’s “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine” and calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The text, which unlike a Security Council resolution would not create a binding law, demands Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine.”

Kyiv hopes to garner the support of at least as many nations as in October, when 143 countries voted for a resolution condemning the annexation of several Ukrainian territories by Russia.

To that end, Ukraine stopped pushing for the immediate inclusion of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s 10-point peace plan which he presented in November, according to diplomatic sources.

“I think we have come up with a text which really tries to gather the international community, tries to be as cohesive and as positive as possible,” said one European diplomat.

A year after the invasion of Ukraine, it will also be a message to Russia that “it cannot achieve its objectives through force,” the diplomat added, hoping that if Moscow “feels isolated, at a certain point the pressure will be too strong to be resisted.”

The days-long debate on the resolution, which will feature a host of ministers visiting New York, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is set to begin Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. local time (2000 GMT).

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to “systematically” continue his offensive in Ukraine, in an anti-Western speech reminiscent of the Cold War. AFP

landmine casualties surge after coup’

LANDMINES and unexploded munitions injured or killed more than one person every day in Myanmar last year, the United Nations said, pointing to a 40 percent spike in casualties compared to 2021.

The military’s toppling of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government in 2021 sparked renewed fighting with ethnic rebel groups and the formation of dozens of “People’s Defense Forces” in areas previously untouched by decades of conflict in Myanmar.

The Southeast Asian nation is not a signatory to the United Nations convention that prohibits the use, stockpiling or development of antipersonnel mines.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, on Tuesday reported 390 people had been wounded or killed by landmines or unexploded ordnances in 2022, an almost 40 percent spike compared to the previous year.

Around two-thirds of the incidents were reported in border areas where ethnic rebels have

A US grand jury probing attempts by Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in the key state of Georgia has recommended multiple indictments, the forewoman revealed Tuesday.

In unusually public remarks on the closed-door legal process, especially since no indictments have been formally announced, Emily Kohrs said her 23-member panel had recommended charges against more than a dozen people, without naming anyone. “There are certainly names

battled the army and each other for decades over autonomy and control of resources like timber, jade and the drugs trade.

And almost one-fifth of the casualties were reported in northern Sagaing region, an area that was largely peaceful before the coup but has since emerged as a hotspot of resistance to military rule.

In 2020, the year before the coup, there were 254 victims, according to UNICEF.

Myanmar’s military has been repeatedly accused of atrocities and war crimes during decades of internal conflict.

Last year Amnesty International said its troops were laying landmines on a “massive scale” as they battled anti-coup fighters, including around churches and on paths to rice fields.

The UNICEF figures did not include casualties resulting from the targeting of “local administrations and security forces” by anti-junta fighters, the agency said. AFP

THE families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks cannot seize $3.5 billion in funds belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank, a New York federal judge ruled Tuesday.

The assets, held in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, were frozen on August 15, 2021 – the day the Taliban entered Kabul and toppled the US-backed Afghan government. US President Joe Biden later said the money could be made available to the families of 9/11 victims.

A group of families—who years earlier sued the Taliban for their losses and won—has since moved to seize the funds to pay off the judgment debt.

But Judge George Daniels of the Southern District of New York said Tuesday that the federal courts lack the jurisdiction to seize the funds from Afghanistan’s central bank.

“The Judgment Creditors are entitled to collect on their default judgments and be made whole for the worst terrorist attack in our nation’s history, but they cannot do so with the funds of the central bank of Afghanistan,” Daniels explained in a 30-page opinion.

“The Taliban – not the former Islamic Republic of Afghanistan or the Afghan people – must pay for the Taliban’s liability in the 9/11 Attacks.” Daniels also said he was “constitutionally restrained” from awarding the assets to the families because it would effectively mean recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. AFP

that you would recognize, yes,” she told NBC News in a televised interview. “There are names also that you might not recognize.”

She told several outlets that in the jury’s final report, the result of seven months of work, the people and crimes referenced “is not a short list.”

Prosecutors have spent two years looking into whether the former president and his allies committed crimes in their bid to overturn his defeat in the southern state to Joe Biden by fewer than 12,000 votes. AFP

US judge rules 9/11 victims can’t seize $3.5b Afghan funds Nokor

NORTH Korea rejected on Wednesday condemnation by the United Nations chief of its recent ballistic missile launches, saying it was “unfair and unbalanced” and ignored Pyongyang’s right to selfdefense. The nuclear-armed North has fired three banned missiles in the past five days, including an intercontinental ballistic missile test Pyongyang said showed its capacity for a “fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio

Guterres responded to Saturday’s ICBM launch with a statement calling for Pyongyang to “immediately desist

from taking any further provocative actions.”

North Korea’s vice foreign minister expressed “strong discontent and protest against the extremely unfair and imbalanced attitude” of Guterres, according to a statement carried by KCNA state media. Kim Son Gyong said Guterres’ assessment ignored “dangerous” joint military drills by Washington and Seoul and that he should “adopt a fair and balanced attitude.”

Kim described North Korea’s missile launches as a justified “countermeasure” to the recent US deployment of strategic bombers to the Korean peninsula.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, had already said Pyongyang was closely monitoring moves by Washington and Seoul to deploy more US strategic assets to the region. “The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the US forces’ action character,” she said in a statement on KCNA on Monday. Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in decades. North Korea declared itself last year an “irreversible” nuclear power and Kim Jong Un called for an “exponential” increase in weapons production, including tactical nuclear weapons. AFP

‘Myanmar

slams UN chief’s ‘unfair’ missile condemnation

Market declines on fears of more interest rate hikes

STOCKS retreated Wednesday following hefty losses on Wall Street as still-strong economic data fanned expectations that US interest rates will go higher and stay there longer than expected.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark, lost 101 points, or 1.50 percent, to close at 6,699.23, as all six subsectors went down.

The broader all-share index also tumbled 42 points, or 1.17 percent, to settle at 3,579.36, on a value turnover of P4.93 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 134 to 45, while 43 issues were unchanged.

Nine of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, with BDO Unibank Inc. rising 0.08 percent to P124.

Meanwhile, the peso shed 0.17 percent of its value to close at 55.18 against the dollar Wednesday from 55.08 Tuesday.

Asian markets traded lower as traders await the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting hoping for an idea about officials’ views on how much and how far to lift borrowing costs.

All three main indexes in New York plunged at least two percent Tuesday, with forecast-beating purchasing managers index data showing the US economy remained in rude health despite almost a year of rate hikes and elevated inflation.

The readings followed a massive surge in new jobs in January and a slower-than-hoped drop in inflation, piling pressure on the Fed to continue tightening policy, which many fear could spark a recession.

Adding to the dark mood were downbeat 2023 projections from retail titans Walmart and Home Depot, who noted the impact of inflation and higher interest rates on consumer health.

They also essentially put to bed any talk of the Fed pausing its rate hikes and even cutting rates by the end of the year.

“A tight labor market and resilient consumer demand could goad the Federal Reserve to maintain its rate hiking campaign into the summertime,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist for LPL Financial.

“Investors should expect volatility until markets and central bankers come to agreement on the expected path for interest rates.”

Tokyo, Seoul and Jakarta were down more than one percent, while there were also losses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Mumbai, Bangkok and Taipei.

London, Paris and Frankfurt all fell at the open.

The Fed minutes, which are due to be released later Wednesday, are a key focal point for traders.

They come after a number of policymakers have lined up to warn of more tightening to come as they try to bring inflation back down to their two percent target from the current levels above six percent. With AFP

Hong Kong unveils $97-b budget for post- COVID recovery

HONG KONG, China--Hong Kong’s finance chief unveiled a HK$761 billion ($97 billion) budget on Wednesday, plunging into the coffers to pay for the recession-hit city’s post-COVID recovery. Hoping to kickstart the finance center’s economy, Finance Secretary Paul Chan announced tax cuts and more consumer spending vouchers.

Hong Kong’s leaders are keen to resuscitate its fortunes after posting recessions in three of the past four years—a tumultuous period that saw the economy battered by protests, virus controls and Beijing’s authoritarian crackdown. While rival financial hubs reopened to the world long ago, Hong Kong only fully emerged from pandemic

McKinsey plans to slash 2,000 jobs on cost savings

SAN FRANCISCO, United States

—Global consulting giant McKinsey plans to let go 2,000 of its employees, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday. The round of layoffs would be one of the company’s biggest ever, according to Bloomberg, which said the firm had increased its headcount from 28,000 to 45,000 over the past five years.

Citing anonymous sources, Bloomberg said the number of employees affected could still change, and is expected to primarily target administrative staff who do not in-

teract directly with clients.

McKinsey is seeking to centralize its support services for its consultants in a bid to save money after having recruited heavily in recent years.

Founded almost 100 years ago in Chicago and now operating in more than 130 countries, the consultancy had a record revenue of $15 billion in 2021, and exceeded that figure in 2022, according to a Bloomberg source.

Many large US companies, especially in the tech sector, have rolled out layoffs in recent months, fol-

PHILIPPINE Offshore Gaming Operators, or POGOs, are hard put these days to win the publicity war against them because of the so-called moral crusaders who see nothing good in the industry. But a hardnosed rationalization of the sector and swift response from authorities will easily allay the fears of its many detractors.

A few POGOs were linked to illegal activities like prostitution, illegal recruitment and employment of minors in the past, while some unscrupulous players were taking advantage of the lax enforcement of the law. A strict implementation of the law, however, has neutralized the notoriety of the few.

Recent actions of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have put a stop to crimes supposedly involving POGO employees. The social costs of POGOs, as their critics claim, can be contained with political will, effective enforcement and proper regulation.

The PNP simply improved police visibility and were more vigilant in guarding against POGOrelated crimes. The moves instantly produced the desired results. By the Senate’s second hearing, the PNP reported that there were zero crimes involving POGOs.

Like any industry, POGOs will have their bad eggs, as Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian pointed out in the Senate’s POGO inquiries. There will be POGOs who do not fully comply with government requirements and there will be those that do not remit the proper revenues.

But just because 10 percent or less of the industry are non-compliant doesn’t mean we should shut down the over 90 percent legitimate POGOs, who employ thousands of Filipinos and pump billions of pesos into the economy.

There are Filipino businesses that do not remit the proper taxes and take steps to avoid paying the Bureau of Internal Revenue. What the government does in these cases is go after the erring parties. That is what’s needed with regard to POGOs―go after the guilty (assuming there are ones) and leave the innocent, lawabiding POGOs alone. Why condemn the majority for the sins of a very small minority? One bad apple does not necessarily spoil the rest of the bunch. Blaming the entire industry would be an overreaction on the part of government. It is overacting, or OA in the Filipino vernacular. Banning them would be an extreme measure. The Senate’s POGO hearings, in fact, reveal they are job-generating enterprises that compensate their

lowing years of rapid growth fueled by the accelerated digital transition during the pandemic.

The layoffs come two years after McKinsey’s approximately 650 senior partners chose Bob Sternfels to replace Kevin Sneader at the helm of the company.

Sneader’s short tenure atop McKinsey was marked by US lawsuits accusing the company of having contributed to the nation’s deadly opioid crisis through work with pharmaceutical companies, such as OxyContinmaker Purdue Pharma. AFP

isolation earlier this month when it restored its border with mainland China, its main economic pipeline.

“Our economy is at the early recovery stage, and members of the public as well as a large number of enterprises are still weighed down by tremendous pressure and require support,” Chan

HUI WONG to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139. SCN CASE NO. 0000815

Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares:

1. My full name is Charles Melvin Hui Wong but I have also been known since childhood as Bin or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) N/A

workers over and beyond what other industries are capable of paying.

POGO critics have simply gone overboard in attacking the industry. One of their exaggerated claims is that allowing POGOs in the country will hurt the country’s attempts to lure Chinese tourists to the Philippines. They contend the Chinese government will “blacklist” the country and discourage their citizens from visiting our shores if we allow POGOs to operate, an assertion made by our very own Senate President––but debunked by the Chinese Embassy itself.

Recent developments have shown that the Chinese government on the contrary are encouraging their citizens to visit the Philippines. When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Beijing last month, he returned from his State Visit with 14 bilateral agreements, one of which is the implementation of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on tourism between the Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China.

The agreements immediately bore fruits. Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian and Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco in the last week of January welcomed over 200 travelers from China at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Huang says the Philippines is one of the first 20 countries that the Chinese government included in a pilot program to resume outbound group travel for Chinese citizens––one of the “deliverables” of President Marcos’ visit to China.

Adds Huang: “We hope and believe that the Philippine government will continue to provide convenience and facilitation to Chinese tourists and ensure a pleasant, convenient and safe journey.” That does not sound like a foreign government that plans to blacklist the Philippines.

POGO employees are fortunate that Mr. Marcos has shown more empathy than those in the Senate or in his Finance team who want POGOs out. He knows jobs are at stake, and the Chief Executive has approached the issue with an open and mind, one that recognizes that the benefits of POGOs cannot be denied.

The President acknowledges that banning them comes with costs––thousands of unemployed Filipinos, billions in foregone revenues––that will outweigh whatever purported problems the prohibition of POGOs seek to cure.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com

and she was born on 23 February 1971 in Hong Kong. She is a citizen or subject of Hong Kong.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is Asst. Store Operations Manager and from which I

told legislators while announcing his 2023/24 budget.

The latest blueprint for reversing the downturn allocates HK$5,000 (US$637) handouts for more than six million people, half last year’s amount as Chan is under pressure to rein in fiscal spending. AFP

the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

14. My character witnesses are Rochelle L. Ongchap and Alan L. Tan both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at Quezon City and Quezon City respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

6. My civil status is SINGLE. I was married on N/A_ in N/A my wife’s husband’s name is N/A and she/he was born on N/A in. N/A She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A

7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A

8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: .

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of ChildName and Place of SchoolDate of Enrollment N/A N/A N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and 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.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to Hong Kong of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in

Banning POGOs is not only histrionic, it is also arbitrary

PAY RAISE. In an aerial view, a sign is seen posted on the exterior of a Home Depot store on Feb. 21, 2023, in El Cerrito, California. Home improvement retailer Home Depot announced plans to spend an estimated $1-billion to raise pay and benefits for hourly workers at its stores. AFP

GDP expected to expand at slower rate amid global headwinds this year

THE Philippine economy is expected to continue growing in 2023, but at a slower rate in the face of global headwinds, government and private sector economists said.

Department of Finance assistant chief economic counselor director Marites

Oliva, Bank of the Philippine Islands economist Rafael Alfonso Manalili and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry secretary-general Ruben Pascual shared a positive outlook on the economy at a webinar organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies.

The webinar featured the study “Macroeconomic Prospects of the Philippines in 2022-2023: Steering through Global Headwinds” by PIDS senior research fellow Margarita Debuque-Gonzales, supervising research specialist John Paul Corpus and research analyst Ramona Maria Miral.

Oliva said the economy’s 7.6-percent growth in 2022 surpassed the Develop-

ment Budget Coordination Committee’s assumption and market analysts’ and multilateral agencies’ projections. She said all major production sectors grew last year, suggesting broad-based expansion despite increasing global and domestic commodity prices. The services sector registered the highest growth at 9.2 percent, followed by the industry and agriculture sectors, which grew at 6.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively.

“As we expect a gloomy world outlook this year, we will remain vigilant to ensure that the country will be resilient and on its path toward economic growth. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will take further tightening measures in early 2023 to curb elevated inflationary pressures,” she said.

Risks to inflation include high international food prices due to supply chain constraints and high fertilizer prices, trade restrictions, the impact of weather disturbances on agricultural stocks and potential wage hikes.

SpaceX satellite internet goes live in PH

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SPACEX of US billionaire Elon Musk announced Wednesday that its satellite internet service is now available in the Philippines.

“Starlink is now available in the Philippines Pilipinas,” SpaceX said in its official twitter account, without providing additional details.

Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc., the Philippine unit of SpaceX which secured the approval of the National Telecommunications Commission as a value-added service provider was supposed to roll out satellite broadband services in the Philippines in December 2022.

Starlink’s VAS registration allows the company to directly access satellite systems, build and operate broadband facilities to offer internet services.

Sought for comment, Department of Information and Communications Technol-

Fernando Zobel returns

as advisor to ALI board

FERNANDO Zobel de Ayala is returning to Ayala Land Inc. as advisor to the board, five months after he resigned from all his posts in the company over health reasons.

“Our board appointed Mr. Fernando Zobel de Ayala as advisor to the board. Mr. Zobel de Ayala was our chairman of the board for 23 years,” ALI said in a stock exchange filing Wednesday.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. also reported on Feb. 2 that Zobel would resume his chairmanship of the board’s corporate governance committee.

Zobel de Ayala resigned from all his positions in Ayala Corp. and other listed firms in September 2022 to focus on his health and recovery. Prior to his resignation, Zobel took a temporary leave of absence.

Jenniffer B. Austria

First Gen underscores decarbonization plan

THE Philippines needs a decarbonization and adaptation plan to address the growing impact of climate change, the top executive of First Gen Corp. said Wednesday.

“We need a comprehensive, integrated and well-studied national decarbonization and adaptation plan of our own, backed by constant feedback from what science is telling us,” First Gen chairman Federico Lopez said during the 4th Philippine Environment Summit.

He said the decarbonization and adaptation plan should cut across all affected sectors such as agriculture and energy. “There’s so many aspects there. Decarbonization has many aspects, not only energy but also agriculture, waste, food,” he said. Lopez said the Philippines should also focus on climate adaptation because it is one of the more vulnerable countries to climate change.

Oscar M. Lopez Center teamed up with the UP College of Engineering and Singapore Observatory to conduct studies on rising sea levels.

Alena Mae S. Flores

IPOPHL, industry group combat counterfeit apparel

THE Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines teamed up with the Confederation of Wearables Exporters of the Philippines to protect consumers and intellectual property rights holders against the sale and manufacture of counterfeit apparel and footwear products both in physical and online markets.

They signed on Feb 13. a memorandum of understanding that sets a framework to cooperate and ensure the protection of IP rights of CONWEP members and adequately address trademark infringement and counterfeiting issues.

“If left unchecked, counterfeit apparel and footwear products may pose grave danger to the health and safety of consumers. It may also negatively affect brands, which have built their reputation on the high quality of their products and their compliance with legally set safety standards,” said IPOPHL director-general Rowel Barba.

IPOPHL and CONWEP agreed to pool resources to protect the IP rights of legitimate manufacturers as both also refused to tolerate activities that put manufacturers, brand owners and consumers at a disadvantage. Othel V. Campos

ogy Undersecretary Anna Mae Lamentillo said: “We will have a formal event. We’ll inaugurate the first earth station.” Lamentillo did not provide more details.

The company earlier said its router kit, a one-time equipment purchase, costs $599 (P33,000), while the monthly subscription fee would be $99 (P5,500) with no data caps.

The Philippines is expected to be the first country in Southeast Asia to enjoy Starlink services which offer highspeed low-latency satellite internet with download speed between 100 megabits per second and 200 Mbps.

Using advanced satellites in a low earth orbit, Starlink will enable video

calls, online gaming, streaming and other high data activities that historically have not been possible with satellite internet.

Starlink earlier teamed up with Data Lake, a company led by billionaire Henry Sy Jr., to bring satellite broad-

band services across the country.

Data Lake and Starlink executives early this month assured President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the high-speed, low latency broadband internet would be launched in the country in the first quarter. The National Telecommunications Commission also approved the request of Starlink to exempt its equipment from radio station licensing to expedite the commercial rollout of its satellite internet services.

The NTC said in a statement it “deemed approved the request of Starlink Internet Services Philippines Inc. that its Starlink user terminals be classified as customer premise equipment and not to subject the same to radio station licensing as it nears its commercial roll-out.”

The NTC’s approval, however, requires Starlink to comply with filing of application for the modification of its type acceptance certificates with the NTC’s Equipment Standards Division.

BAKERY KITS.

AP Renewables Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., donates a newly-refurbished bakery and bakery livelihood kits to the women’s organization of Limao, Calauan in Laguna province. Attending the turnover of bakery livelihood kits are (from left) APRI vice-president for corporate services

Leonardo Robel, APRI assistant vice-president Antonio Jun Layog, Samahan ng Serbisyong Tama ng Kababaihan of Limao president Mercia Domingo, Limao Barangay chairman Romeo Alvarez and Calauan Mayor’s Office executive assistant Erwin Sacluti.

AgriNurture investing P2.6b in 20,000-hectare corn plantation

By Jenniffer B. Austria

BUSINESSMAN Antonio Tiu is bent on re-energizing his listed agribusiness firm AgriNurture Inc. by investing P2.6 billion in a new corn plantation and possibly taking in a strategic investor.

Tiu said in a news briefing Wednesday the company would start developing 20,000 hectares in Bansalan, Davao del Sur for corn production.

He said ANI had obtained P2 billion in long-term loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines to fund the project. The company will invest another P600 million, representing 30-percent equity in the project.

“This will be a game-changer for the company as this will provide a new

By Julito G. Rada

THE Philippine Statistics Authority and Land Bank of the Philippines onboarded 8.4 million unbanked Filipinos last year, including 5.8 million who were able to open transaction accounts.

The PSA said in a statement this achievement was in line with the government’s push for financial inclusion.

PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa,

growth cycle for group,” Tiu said.

Tiu said the project, which would start this year, would double the company’s revenues to P10 billion from P5 billion in 2021.

The corn plantation will have a production capacity of 4 to 5 metric tons per hectare or an annual output of 200,000 MT.

The company intends to ramp out annual production to 1 million MT over the next three years.

Tiu said while rice is the main staple of most Filipinos, corn rice is a good alternative because it is cheaper and healthier. It has more protein, less carbohydrates and has a lower glycemic index.

Tiu said AgriNurture received offers

who is also the national statistician and civil registrar-general, said “the opening of bank account is the first step towards financial inclusion, which is one of the benefits from PhilSys.”

“In partnership with LandBank, millions of Filipinos were able to open their very first bank account that they can use for savings, safer and faster money remittance, payment of bills and other online transactions,” Mapa said.

from both local and foreign investors to be a strategic partner, but did not identify them. He said he was willing to give a minority interest to the strategic investor.

Tiu recently stepped down as president of two listed firms—Ever-Gotesco Resources and Holdings Inc. and Philippine Infradev Holding Inc., as he planned to focus aggressively on growing ANI.

Tiu said there were many opportunities coming up in the agriculture sector, given the Marcos administration’s thrust to revitalize and improve the domestic farm sector.

Tiu said he would continue to own minority interests in both Ever-Gotesco and Philippine Infradev.

The PSA and LandBank achieved this goal through a co-location strategy, where registered persons were able to open transactional accounts with LandBank in PhilSys registration centers after their step 2 registration.

The service is free and provides registered persons formal access to financial services with the issuance of a banking card that requires no initial deposit and no maintaining balance.

THE Civil Aeronautics Board said Wednesday airfares are likely to increase next month on the back of higher fuel surcharge.

CAB executive-director Carmelo Arcilla said the fuel surcharge level for March 1 to 31 would be at level 7, as the cost of jet fuel averaged between P39 and P42 per liter. Last month, the fuel surcharge level was 6. Level 7 of the new passenger fuel surcharge matrix allows airlines to collect a fuel surcharge of P219 to P739 for domestic flights and P722.71 to P5,373.69 for international flights.

Under Level 6, airlines can impose a fuel surcharge per passenger of P185 to P665 for domestic flights and P610.37 to P4,538.40 for international flights.

For cargo, airlines are allowed to collect fuel surcharges between P1.2 per kilogram and P3.29 per kg for domestic and P3.72 per kg to P27.62 per kg for international.

“Airlines wishing to impose or collect fuel surcharge must file its application with CAB on or before the effectivity period, with fuel surcharge rates not exceeding the above-stated level,” Arcilla said.

The CAB said airline fuel surcharge is an optional fee, imposed and collected by airlines to recover fuel costs and stem losses caused by upward spikes in fuel cost.

Sought for comment, PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said the airline would adhere to the guidance from CAB on the higher fuel surcharge that takes effect next month.

Darwin G. Amojelar

PhilSys registrants who were issued LandBank prepaid cards used their accounts for various financial transactions.

LandBank recorded 108,473 transactions made by registered persons through their mobile banking application, point-of-sale, and over-thecounter transactions through various branches amounting to P275.8 million as of end-2022.

MINING HONCHOS. Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual (second from right) meets with some of the top mining industry officials and executives to discuss the prospects of mineral processing for copper, gold and nickel. With Pascual are (from left) Philippine Nickel Industry Association executive-director Charmaine Olea-Capili, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines executive-director Atty. Ronald Recidoro, Carrascal Nickel president Antonio Co, Philex Mining Corp. president and chief executive Eulalio Austin Jr., Sagittarius Mines Inc. president Joaquin Lagonera, the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines chairman and Silangan Mindanao Mining Co. Inc. chief operating officer Atty. Michael Toledo and CMP vicechairman and Nickel Asia Corp. chairman Gerard Brimo.

SpaceX founder, CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk

Nueva Ecija, Zamboanga rip foes, share MPBL top spot

NUEVA Ecija and Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines trounced their respective opponents on Tuesday to share the early lead in the 2023 MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Pre-Season Tournament at the Lagao Gym in Brgy. Lagao, General Santos City.

The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards showed their lethal form in the second half to subdue the Imus SV Squad, 8878, while the Zamboanguenos waxed hot from start to finish to dump guest team BUlalakaw, 102-75, of MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao.

World ‘breaking’ Fil-Am champ potential Olympic gold hopeful

By Randy Caluag

AFTER weightlifting gave the Philippines its first gold medal courtesy of Hidilyn Diaz in the Tokyo Games, another potential Olympic gold-medal producer may have emerged in the new Olympic sport of breakdancing.

Fil-American Logan Ellana Edra, the 2021 Red Bull BC One Women World Breakdancing champion, has recently made a brief stop in Manila, where she acquired her Filipino passport with the intent to represent the Philippines in breakdancing in international competitions.

A Manila Standard source said Edra’s trip to Manila was kept under wraps so

Obiena’s financial woes over

By Peter Atencio

WORLD no. 3 pole vaulter Ernest John

“EJ” Obiena has resolved his financial situation involving his coach Vitaly Petrov and his support group.

A weeklong visit to the Philippines and talks with the Philippine Sports Commission and officials of the Philippine Athletic Track and Field Association have given the 27-year-old Obiena a chance put his financial problems out of the way.

“I’m fulfilling some commitments that I actually promised at some time. I need to talk and coordinate with the PSC and the PATAFA,” said Obiena, who is continuously training at the Philsports oval in Pasig, while in the country.

Dinner with PATAFA president Terry Capistrano and Kho on Monday gave Obiena a chance to strengthen ties with the association’s leadership.

Obiena, who arrived in the country last Saturday, is receiving payment of more than P7 million from the PSC following a visit with PSC chairman Richard Bachmann.

The amount will cover unpaid financial assistance in 2022 for his coach Vitaly Petrov, and his two physiologists.

Obiena finished his indoor season with a 10th-place finish in the Meeting Hautes-de-France Pas-deCalais on Thursday last week at Arena Stade Couvert de Liévin in France. He missed the height of 5.82 meters on three tries.

At the moment, Obiena seeks to help an organizer in a street pole vault tournament in the Philippines with the world’s top pole vaulters, whom he has invited.

she can process her Filipino passport without hassle.

She was accompanied by DanceSport Federation of the Philippines president Becky Garcia to Senator Francis Tolentino, who helped the Florida-based Edra in acquiring her Filipino passport.

Tolentino, brother of Philippine Olympic Committee president and Tagaytay City mayor Bambol Tolentino, is president of the Samahang Kickboxing ng Pilipinas.

“Breaking” or breakdancing will be played as an event under dancesport.

Edra, known in the breakdancing community as BGirl Logistix, will now become the country’s best bet for breakdancing in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia this May, the 2023 Asian Games in China, the 2023 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Bangkok, Thailand. She will also compete under the Philippine flag in a series of qualifying events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

To be officially called “breaking” by the International Olympic Committee,

Earlier, host General Santos City beat Valenzuela XUR Homes Realty Inc., 82-73, in the opener of the eight-team, weeklong event dangling P3 million to the champion. Playing lackluster ball, defending national champion Nueva Ecija barely led undermanned Imus at halftime, 38-35. A tongue-lashing from Coach Jerson Cabiltes during the break, however, roused the Rice Vanguards to play harder as they led by as many as 18 points, 74-56, before cruising to victory.

John Bryon Villarias and Pamboy Raymundo led Nueva Ecija with 13 points, followed by Michael Mabulac with 11.

Cabiltes tested new recruits Harvey Pagsanjan, Joshua Fontanilla and Rich Guinitaran, who managed to contribute, 6, 3 and 2 points in that order.

Zamboanga, the South Division champion, showed balanced firepower in whipping Bulalakaw.

With the game under control, Zamboanga coach Vic Ycasiano fielded the full complement of his 14-man roster, all of whom managed to score.

New acquisition Judel Ric Fuentes lived up to expectations with a teamhigh 14 points, followed by Jhapz Bautista with 13, 2022 MPBL MVP Jaycee Marcelino with 12, Jayvee Marcelino with 10 and Ralph Tansingco also with 10 plus 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.

Bulalakaw got 20 points from Don Diamante, followed by Pacquiao with 17 and EJ Dialogo with 12.

The tournament serving as a prelude to the MPBL Fifth Season starting on March 11 continues on Wednesday with another triple-bill at the same venue.

the younger market to sustain the evolution of the Olympics’ program. Breaking made its successful debut at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires back in 2018.

World breakdancing champion Logan Ellana Edra (2nd from left) with DanceSport Federation of the Philippines president Becky Garcia and Senator Francis Tolentino and her coach-manager Lee Razalan, Jr. ( rst from right) Monty Mondigoria breakdancing will be played for the first time in the Olympics in Paris next year, along with other new sports like surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing. The IOC has been recently focusing on

Batangas City, the 2018 MPBL Rajah Cup champion, and Sarangani clash in the first game at 5 p.m. Other matches pit Imus against Valenzuela at 7 p.m. and GenSan against Nueva Ecija at 9 p.m.

South Korea pads lead to 4; Malixi slides to 2nd

CARMONA—The South Koreans battled firm greens and a moderate windy condition at the Masters, playing the second round with enough aggressiveness to extend their lead in the team competition after the second round of the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup held at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club here.

Yoo Hyun-jo and Kim Minsol each shot a 71 for 142 to hike the Koreans’ total to 281. Four shots at 285 was India, which got a monster performance from Avani Prashanth, who had a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie finish in the final four holes for a

six-under 66, with Vidhatri Urs’ 77 counting in the three-to-play, two-to-count format.

Defending champion Japan, China and Hong Kong were all tied at 288, followed by Thailand 289 and the host Philippines 290.

“Our girls were not able to adjust to the sudden shift of conditions at the Masters,” said Philippine captain Ann Granada, noting that Rianne Malixi struggled to a one-over 73, Mafy Singson a three-over 75 and Lois Kaye Go an eight-over 80.

Although down by nine, Granada is still hopeful of a shot at the title, or at least a podium finish, but

Thai storms ahead as Pagdanganan wavers

MORONG, Bataan—PK Kongkraphan outdueled Bianca Pagdanganan in a clash of nerves in the wind at the finish, pouncing on the Filipina ace’s double bogey mishap on No. 16 then birdying the 17th to grab a one-stroke lead with a 68 after 18 holes of the Anvaya Cove International here yesterday.

The troika in the featured threesome, including Taiwan’s No. 1 Ya-Chun Chang, lived up to the hype, sizing each other up in an otherwise subdued battle at Anvaya Cove’s Mountain Nine (frontnine) then turning it into a virtual shootout and a test of poise in the windy Seaside Nine (backside).

Pagdanganan sizzled with an eagle-birdie-birdie run from No. 10 to wrest control at 5-under but dropped to a share of lead with the Thai with a double-bogey on the par-3 No. 16 after overshooting it. She needed two shots to get into the green then two putted for 5 and yielded the lead as Kongkraphan drained a clutch birdie from 12 feet on

the penultimate hole.

The Filipina ace settled for a 69 while Chang survived a rollercoaster backside of four birdies against a double bogey and a bogey to salvage a 70 for joint third with compatriot Yi-Tsen Chou and Thai Kusuma Meechai.

Taiwanese Ching Huang, a former Ladies Philippine Golf Tour winner at Midlands, and Thai Kultida Pramphun matched 71s, while Hsuan-Ping Chang and fellow Taiwanese Tsai-Ching Tseng and Thais Pakin Kawinpakorn and Preenaphan Poomklay matched par 72s.

The rest of the locals, however, wavered in tough conditions, including last year’s three-leg winner Chanelle Avaricio, who limped with a 77 in a tie with reigning LPGT OOM champion Chihiro Ikeda for joint 27th, while Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy struggled with 78s with 36 holes left in the $100,000 event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and co-sanctioned by the LPGA of Taiwan.

That Kongkraphan, Pagdanganan and Chang took the top 3 spots hardly came as a surprise for a gallery that was treated to top-notch shotmaking not just from the fancied three but from the rest of the 69-player field made up of the top TLPGA, Thai LPGA and LPGT campaigners. And the world-class Kevin Ramseydesigned course dotted with water hazards and strategically-placed bunkers and which requires a variety of shots from steep uphill and downhill lies, put into focus not just the field’s talent and skills but also its physical and mental stamina.

“You don’t have to be too aggressive on this course,” said Kongkraphan, the best-credentialed player in the fold with an eight-year LPGA Tour experience and winner of the Thai LPGA Tour Order of Merit trophy last year.

She unleashed a fist-pump after hitting a lead-grabbing birdie that capped a near-impeccable round spiked by birdies on Nos. 2, 7, 10 and 11 against a bogey on the 16th.

she would need to have big games from Go and Singson.

“I am looking forward to that moving day on Thursday. We need to forget what happened today and see how we can get into title contention tomorrow,” she also said.

In the individual play, India’s Avani claimed solo leadership with a 10-under 134 total in 36 holes. Malixi, Yoo and Fiona Xu of New Zealand were tied at threeunder 141. An Tong of China, Arianna Lau of Hong Kong, Huang Ting-Hsuan of Chinese Taipei and Sriwong Achiraya of Thailand were bunched at 143.

Zamboanga’s Judel Fuentes tries to shake off Bulalakaw’s Manny Pacquiao in the MPBL Pre-Season Tournament on Tuesday.

Rianne Malixi struggled to a one-over 73,

Plans on government eligibility grant to PH athletes revisited

THE Civil Service Commission and the Philippine Sports Commission have agreed to revisit plans on the possible granting of government service eligibility to national athletes who won medals in various international games.

“As the CSC welcomes the chairmanship of PSC chairman Richard Bachmann, we also want to reiterate our support to our national athletes who achieved podium finishes for the country,” said CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada in her courtesy visit at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex last Tuesday.

Lizada added that “the current examinations for eligibility would not totally capture the skill set of our national athletes. That is why we are pushing for th is special grant so that they may still be in government service after their careers and help them ensure their future.”

“We thank the CSC for this initiative in supporting the PSC’s vision of changing the lives of our national athl etes for the better, whether at their current or post-sports careers,” said Bachmann.

The sports agency chief believes that it is good to have athletes in corporate and government institutions because of their undivided dedication and commitment to serve.

In February 2020, the CSC initially proposed this plan to the PSC, noting that the crafting of terms of this future agreement shall be derived from the existing policies of the Republic Act No. 6847 – the Philippine Sports Commission Act, and Republic Act

No. 2260, also known as Civil Service Act of 1959. Under the Civil Service Act, Sub-Professional Eligibility qualifies applicants for first level posi-

tions such as clerical, trade, and custodial service positions which require less than four years of college education. On the other hand, Professional

Melencio’s passion for dancesports continues

VETERAN international dance athlete Judith Anne Melencio never stops jiving, and winning.

At 32, Melencio of San Rafael, Bulacan remains an active dance competitor throughout the years and keeps inspiring the youth to excel in international dancesports against foreign counterparts.

She has been weaving her magic on the dance floor since 1998, actively competing locally and globally via Latin and Standard categories as a national athlete under the DanceSports Council of the Philippines Inc.—the country’s highest governing dancesports body. Her journey as a national dance athlete and certified instructor is acceler ating anew after a break in starting a family and further delays from the pandemic, having promised to be more competitive in achieving her dreams of further success and glory for the Philippines in the field of dance sports.

She ruled the 2022 Penang Open Championships last September 10 and captured the crown in Danspiration Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the following day, before snaring the Amateur Latin crown in

Griner rejoins WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury

WASHINGTON—Brittney Griner, the American basketball star imprisoned in Russia for nearly 10 months last year, has signed a one-year Women’s NBA deal with the Phoenix Mercury, the team announced Tuesday.

Griner rejoined the team she helped lead to a 2014 WNBA crown and played for over nine seasons before missing last year’s campaign while in Russia.

After she was released in a prisoner exchange last December, Griner said she planned to return to her WNBA career and play again for Phoenix.

“It’s a great day for all of us to announce that Brittney Griner has officially signed to play for the Mercury in 2023,” Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said.

“We missed BG every day that she was gone and, while basketball was not our primary concern, her presence on the floor, in our locker room, around our organization, and within our community was greatly missed.” Griner, a 32-year-old center who helped the US women capture Olympic gold at Tokyo and Rio, was arrested on drug smuggling charges last February after a small amount of cannabis oil was found in her luggage.

Her detention became a major global issue, deemed wrongful imprisonment by US of ficials.

“We will continue to use the resources of our organization to support her, on and off the floor, and we are thrilled for her that she gets to return to basketball, which she loves so dearly,” Pitman said.

“This is a special signing and today is a special day for all of us.”

Eligibility, qualifies one for first and second level positions such as professional, technical, and scientific positions that require four years of college education.

Griner last played for the Mercury in 2021, when she helped Phoenix reach the WNBA Final, which was lost to Chicago.

Phoenix’s season opener is set for May 19 at Los Angeles with the home debut two nights later against Chicago.

“I know none of us will ever forget what it will feel like to welcome her back onto her home floor on May 21,” Mercury business operations president Vince Kozar said.

“To know BG is to love and appreciate BG and we can’t wait to show her that in person.” AFP

the 10th Singapore Open Dancesports Championships last November 5.

Melencio, together with partner Jumil Edera Bacalso, will be rocking the global dance floor when they compete in the Amateur Open Latin of 2023 Asia Open Dance TourAsian Open Dance Championships in Tokyo on February 26 against 30 competitive couples.

“I have been in the dance sports competitions since I was six or seven. I really love this sport. And aside from competing, I also teach aspiring dance athletes in different fields— basics and advance,” Melencio said.

“But I still compete internationally, which I love most. I love winning not only for myself but also for our country,” she added. “It’s not just expressing our inner self when we dance, it also shows the proper perfect movement, the grace and how competitive you are.”

Melencio and Bacalso are also set to dance in the 2023 World Grand Prix Open in Taipei, Taiwan on April 9, before throwing joining the 2023 Blackpool Dance Festival on May 20 to June 2, 2023 at the Winter Gardens Church Street Blackpool in London.

The eldest among the family of dancers was also a champion in Singapore Millennium International Open DanceSports Championships in both junior Open Standard and Latin categories in August, 2004.

Melencio has proven herself at the local and global stages, winning the Juvenile Latin and Standard titles from 1998 to 2000 in the Philippines and the 2002 junior Latin and Standard crowns in the World Superstars Dance Festival in Tokyo, Japan.

Melencio has many achievements throughout her career, including her ninth-place finish among hundreds of participants in the 2nd International Sports Games “Children of Asia” Sports Dancing Event Junior 1 Latin American Discipline in Yakutsk, Russia in 2000.

Besides winning, Melencio has trained and produced a lot of competitive dancing pairs since 2007, when she was 17, up to now, including rising star amateur level younger sister Judilyn Melencio and Benny Co.

“It’s a great feeling to share your knowledge in dancesports as well, but I still love to compete and win,” she said.

OKBet opens flagship outlet for avid sports fans

AVID local sports fans have new place to go to support their favorite players and teams.

Along with officials of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, the OKBetting station was launched on Feb. 15 at the Newport World Resorts in Pasay City.

Gracing the ceremony of the flagship outlet of the Filipino sportsbook and e-games platform were OKBet executives Kah Leong Kong and Wayne Thong, and MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes and executive Joe Ramos.

OKBetting Stations are gaming facilities where registered players can top up their account balance, place wagers, and withdraw their winnings in-person.

New users can also sign up and have

Arcilla, Pague blast rivals, reach Escudero Cup semis

JOHNNY Arcilla and Jose Maria Pague trampled their respective rivals to stay on title collision course but Charles Kinaadman and Vicente Anasta likewise fashioned out convincing victories to reach the semifinals of the Escudero Cup National Tennis Open Championship in San Pablo City yesterday.

The top seeded Arcilla trounced Chat Conta, 6-4, 6-2, then smothered John Tomacruz, 6-2, 6-1, to set up a Final Four duel with No. 4 Anasta, who routed Jeson Blando, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round then posted a pair of 6-3, 6-0 romps over Hans Asistio and Lance Fernandez to get a crack at the finals of the Group A tournament marking return of the Don Arsenio Escudero Sr. Cup after a long absence on the PPS-PEPP calendar.

absence on the

their accounts verified in these government-accredited locations, with the assistance of in-house representatives.

During the program, the company announced that it will be opening more outlets across the entire country, starting in the cities of Metro Manila and Cebu apart from owning a team in the MPBL—the OKBet Makati Kings.

This nationwide expansion aims not only to cater to more players, but to provide more opportunities to Filipino workers and help boost the contry’s economy.

The launching of the flagship outlet was part of the company’s Grand Launch billed as “Together, We Rise” where local artists, athletes, celebrities, and other public figures attended to celebrate the gaming firm’s several milestones and advocacies.

The No. 2 Pague, on the other hand, held off Marco Macalintal, 6-4, 6-2, then ripped Alexis Acabo, 6-2, 6-1, to seal a tough semis duel with No. 3 Kinaadman, who dispatched Jay Papa, 6-1, 6-4, ripped Bryan Saarenas, 6-2, 6-0, and thwarted John Mari Altiche, 6-4, 6-4, at the Aera Tennis aClub.

That sealed an interesting showdown for the final berths with Anasta and Kinaadman both going all out for reversals in the week-long event organized by Aera Tennis Club, headed by president Raul de Vera and held in partnership with PPS-PEPP, led by president/CEO Bobby Castro, and the Escudero family.

Pague and Anasta, meanwhile, got past Blando and Saxon Omandac. 6-3, 6-0, to likewise advance to the semis of the men’s doubles against Rollie Anasta and Noel Salupado, who upended Kinaadman and Fernandez, 7-6(1), 7-6(4), in the event backed by Rep. Loreto Amante, Rep. Edwin Olivarez, Rep. Sonny Lagon, Arman Santos, Converge, Mitsubishi Motors, Dunlop and Slazenger.

PSC chairman Richard Bachmann meets with Civil Service Commission commissioner Atty. Aileen Lizada in a courtesy visit at Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila on Tuesday.

OKBet executives Kah Leong Kong and Wayne Thong and MPBL Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes, and Joe Ramos lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Tomacruz, 6-2, 6-1, to set up a Final Jeson Blando, 6-1, 6-2, in the first round

PPS-PEPP calendar.

Judith Anne Melencio and Jumil Edera Bacalso

THE highly anticipated and much talked-about drama, The Whale starring Brendan Fraser, is screening now in the Philippines.

Academy Award-winning director, Darren Aronofsky ( Black Swan

By Patricia Taculao

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2023

Nickie Wang, Editor; Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant

ENTERTAINMENT C3

E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Brendan Fraser delivers moving performance in comeback movie ‘The Whale’

Mother! ), helms what critics have touted as Fraser’s “triumphant comeback”.

The actor, who’s known for his leading man roles in films like Bedazzled George of the Jungle , and the megablockbuster franchise The Mummy , took over a decade of break before returning to the big screen.

Fraser’s portrayal of a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter has since earned him nominations in the Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards to name a few, and the top bet to win the Academy

Rex Smith makes new memories in the Philippines

SINCE 2000, American singer Rex Smith has been coming to the Philippines to share his music with Filipino fans. He even calls the Philippines his second country.

Throughout his comings and goings, Smith made relevant memories in the country as he continued to immerse himself in the local community. However, he couldn’t return for three years because of the pandemic.

Last night, Smith serenaded his Filipino fans in a one-night concert at the Winford Resort & Casino Manila’s Grand Ballroom.

“The Philippines is the most musical nation in the world. There’s a double helping of joy in my heart that I’ve not only been accepted but embraced here. There’s a part of my heart here, and I’m so glad to be back,” Rex said during a press conference at Winford Resort & Casino Manila.

Rex’s musical repertoire included his hit songs “Forever,” “You Take My Breath Away,” and “Let’s Make A Memory.”

“I love singing ballads, but you’ll find out in my concert when I perform here that I have really fun uptempo music because I love to get the audience involved,” he said.

One of his songs, “Simply Jessie,” is a well-known hit in the country as many radio stations play it throughout the week, especially on Sundays when they replay top music sensations through the decades. Yet Rex had no idea that his song would become popular in the Philippines. It also marks one of the most relevant memories of the singer’s first trip to the country.

Two hours into his flight to the country, the stewardess began singing the intro to “Simply Jessie.” Moments later, the whole plane sang in reply, much to his delight.

Local artists Joaquin Garcia and JV Decena shared the stage with Smith for the one-night-only concert. They worked with other international music icons like Brian McKnight and David Foster

Although they have experience performing alongside Smith and other stars, Garcia and Decena always find working with the singer pleasurable. They also shared how the American singer teaches them new things about life and industry in their encounters.

Besides being a rock star and balladeer, Smith has experience on Broadway after debuting his acting career in the musical Grease in 1978. Like many others, he auditioned for the part but was fortunate enough to land it for himself. If given an opportunity, Smith hopes to sing alongside Lea Salonga. He even shared that they have a good rapport with each other.

Eric Caeg, president of the International Council for Small Business, is ecstatic to have Rex at Winford Manila because of their dedication to bringing good music to Filipinos. The concert was in partnership with the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) and the International Council for Small Business (ICSB).

Still the academe’s choice

GMA Network continues to receive recognition for its world-class entertainment, credible news reportage, and unparalleled public service—this time reaping several awards at the 2023 Platinum Stallion National Media Awards and 5th Gawad Lasallianeta.

Taking home 28 awards, GMA was conferred once again the TV Station of the Year by the Platinum Stallion National Media Awards organized by the Media and Communication Department of Trinity University of Asia. GMA was also the winner in the last Platinum Stallion National Media Awards in 2021.

Further, for the sixth year, the network’s regional arm, GMA Regional TV, was recognized as Regional TV Network of the Year for ‘its zeal for social service, inspiring accomplishments and outstanding contribution in the growth and furtherance of the media industry.’

The network’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594 was once again chosen as AM Radio Station of the Year with Mike Enriquez recognized as AM Broadcast Journalist of the Year.

Several Kapuso shows also emerged as winners again this year.

24 Oras won as Best TV News Program

with one of its anchors, Vicky Morales, taking home the Female News Anchor of the Year award. Atom Araullo, on the other hand, was named Male News Anchor of the Year for GTV’s State of the Nation Earning another Best Magazine Program trophy was Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho with program host Jessica Soho being awarded the Best News Magazine Program Host. Unang Hirit was once again chosen as Best Morning Show while Drew Arellano won Best Educational Program Host for AHA!.

I-Witness also won another Best Documentary TV Show award with Atom Araullo’s ‘Reclamation Nation’ episode getting the Documentary of the Year honor.

Taking home the Best Election Special Coverage was The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews.

GMA Network also earned several wins at the Platinum Stallion National Awards for its various ground-breaking shows and stellar personalities.

The country’s most-talked-about and top-rating drama Maria Clara at Ibarra emerged as the Culturally Relevant TV Series while winning Best Primetime Drama Series as well. Some of its lead actors were also recognized, namely Dennis Trillo as Best Drama Actor; Barbie Forteza as Best Drama Actress; David Licauco as Best Actor in a Supporting Role; and Andrea Torres as Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Top-rating GMA Afternoon Prime series Abot Kamay Na Pangarap, in turn, was hailed as Television Drama of the Year.

Dingdong Dantes’ Family Feud was awarded Best Game Show while his other show, Amazing Earth, was recognized as Best Educational Program.

Bubble Gang won Best Gag Show, while Pepito Manaloto took home the Best Comedy Program award.

Magpakailanman, hosted by Mel Tiangco, was awarded as Best Drama Anthology Program.

Awards for Best Actor.

The Whale is based on the acclaimed play by Samuel D. Hunter

It also stars Sadie Sink ( Stranger Things ) and Hong Chau ( The Menu ), who also received a Best Supporting Actress nod from major award-giving bodies for her role in the fi lm.

The film, produced by A24, is distributed by TBA Studios in the country. This marks the second A24 film that TBA Studios is bringing to the Philippines. Last year, TBA Studios successfully brought to Filipino audiences the Michelle Yeoh multiverse adventure, Everything Everywhere All At Once

Last November, TBA Studios President and COO Daphne O. Chiu per-

sonally met with A24 and director Aronofsky during a special screening of The Whale

“As a film fan myself, it was an honor to meet the producers and director of The Whale. We believe that this is an important movie and we couldn’t be happier that the Filipino audience can finally see this gem. More than that, we’re so proud that a fellow Filipino, Matthew Libatique, has worked on this film. That alone brings this movie close to home,” Chiu said.

Libatique is a Filipino-American cinematographer, a two-time Academy Award nominee, and a longtime collaborator of Aronofsky. He’s known for his work on films like Black Swan, Mother!, Requiem

for a Dream, Pi, A Star Is Born, Birds of Prey, Iron Man, and Venom.

In the past year, TBA Studios have distributed international films with Filipinos working in front or behind the camera. This includes Triangle of Sadness, Fanny: The Right To Rock Plan 75, and Nocebo The Whale is now showing in 56 cinemas nationwide.

Los Angeles dreamin’

IT’S one thing to see and be in the city of Los Angeles. It’s another thing to meet a person who’s been here for more than 40 years, embracing the place so much that in his own words, “It’s the greatest place on the planet.”

Meeting Cerdan Smith is a highlight reel for my personal venture to know and learn more about a city counted as the entertainment capital of the world, where Hollywood is, where the Lakers play for, and where the Mamba Mentality was nurtured right before our mesmerized eyes.

Cerdan, a multi-hyphenate of a figure who does designing, painting, acting, singing, videography, poetry, and celebrity interviews, is certainly the type of person I’d love to converse with. Having a coffee chat with him is being with a legitimate professional authenticating the great things that have been said about L.A.

“I’ve been in Los Angeles since 1977,” he said, beaming. “You just have to look for the good in L.A. There’s so much to enjoy and learn about here. Be aware of your surroundings. It’s the greatest place. It really is.”

The contagiously positive thinker who brought along his partner, blues singer Lady GG, at our first meet-up, showed me some of his laudable artworks, age-old copies of several features about him, and how a man grateful for a life where he should be could look way younger than his actual age. I marveled hearing his experiences meeting world-renowned sports figures, actors, singers, and public servants, and absorbing his genuine optimism, with one-liners like: “Los Angeles has it all, the weather, the resources…” Celebrities who have his artworks include Magic Johnson, Simon Cowell, and Ellen Degeneres. His list of interviewees is as

GMA Synergy’s Game On! host Martin Javier was recognized as Best TV Sports Program Host.

Rounding off the list of Kapuso winners was Born to be Wild’s executive producer Richelle Joy Figueroa, who was recognized as Trinitian Media Educator for Television. Kapuso shows likewise earned the approval of the De La Salle Araneta University community during the 5th Gawad Lasallianeta Awards.

24 Oras emerged as Most Outstanding News Show. Atom Araullo was named Most Outstanding Male News Anchor for State of the Nation while Mariz Umali won Most Outstanding Female Correspondent.

I-Witness added new awards to its list, earning once more the Most Outstanding Documentary Show trophy. Two of its hosts, Atom

stellar, having spoken with the likes of Jerry Brown, former governor of California, baseball great Tommy Lasorda, and actor Lou Diamond Philips whom he described as a “great guy, marvel of a man.”

He was pleasantly surprised that Philips’ mother is a native of Zambales, Philippines, then amiably said it didn’t surprise him that the actor’s very nice. He took pride in saying he has Filipino friends, with one of them, Pascuala Garcia, instrumental in helping his career take off.

When asked about his thoughts on Hollywood being the go-to place of wannabe stars, he expressed, “The Hollywood dream is more lucrative than it has ever been, and more difficult than ever. You have yin and yang. People have to determine whether or not they’re able to endure the rejections; they have to determine how much rejection they can take.”

Just two years back, Cerdan’s request for access to the 93rd Oscars Virtual Media Center was approved. That’s a cool case of approval having it. Breathing glitz and glam way back before

Araullo and Kara David, were conferred Most Outstanding Male and Female Documentarists, respectively. Atom was also recognized as Most Outstanding Male Documentarist for The Atom Araullo Specials Taking home back-to-back triumphs was Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, which won Most Outstanding Magazine Show and Jessica Soho as Most Outstanding Magazine Show Host for the second year in a row.

Imbestigador was named Most Outstanding Public Affairs Show while Unang Hirit and Born to be Wild won Most Outstanding Morning Show and Most Outstanding Educational Show, respectively. Awards keep pouring in as well for various GMA Entertainment shows. Maria Clara at Ibarra took home the

social media came into the scene, he feels compelled to promote the importance of proper guidance. He said, “The generation of today does not have access to the guidance that the generation prior had. Sadly, in the ethical sense, they’re not getting their fair share of the American dream. That’s why you see outrageous things on social media. They do whatever and don’t care about how they can become famous. ”

At present Cerdan is working on a documentary about himself and the people who have touched his life in one way or another. He shared, “We’re gathering video clips. It’s about talented people that have a dream; the struggle to be successful. People who help me will tell my story through them, will tell their story how hard it was, who they sang with.”

With the various versions of himself spreading wings and flying high, Cerdan Smith is like a song with strong recall, blessed with good renditions, and all of which loudly heard in the airwaves for in the last 45 years, he has been in the right place, and the right vibe.

Most Outstanding Teleserye award and was conferred the Green Zeal Award for Excellence in Bridging Boundaries Through Culture and Arts. Pepito Manaloto: Tuloy ang Kwento won Most Outstanding Comedy Show. Michael V. was recognized as Most Outstanding Comedian both for Bubble Gang and Pepito Manaloto Family Feud likewise earned the award for Most Outstanding Entertainment Show (Talent / Reality / Game Show).

For the radio category, Barangay LS 97.1 Forever!’s Papa Dudut was named as Most Outstanding Male FM DJ.

Last but not the least, Sparkle Star Heart Evangelista was recognized for her social media influence, winning the award for Most Outstanding Instagram Feed.

TBA Studios President and COO Daphne O. Chiu (left) with 'The Whale' director Darren Aronofsky

Brendan Fraser in ‘The Whale’

L.A-based multi-hyphenate Cerdan Smith (left) with Joss Gomez, film producerdirector-actor who publishes Magic Image Hollywood magazine

the Mamba Mentality was nurtured right just

The author (right) with Cerdan Smith

Atom Araullo (left) and Kara David (right) with ‘I-Witness’ Program Manager Joseph Conrad Rubio.

respectively,

Gawad Lasallianeta

Rex Smith (third from left) returns to the Philippines for another concert

48th International Bamboo Organ Festival opens today

THE International Bamboo Organ Festival welcomes again the general public at St. Joseph’s Parish Church to attend the live concerts for the 48th year in a row.

The festival opens today with a gala performance for the sustaining members and sponsors of the International Bamboo Organ Festival with a repeat performance tomorrow and on February 25 featuring “Baroque Music from Europe and Latin America.”

Eudenice Palaruan will conduct an ensemble composed of the Collegium Vo-

cale Manila (formerly Villancico Vocal Ensemble), the Manila Baroque Ensemble, and soloists Raphael Leone, piccolo (Austria), Carolyn Kleiner-Cheng, harpsichord, and Armando Salarza, organ.

On Saturday, February 25 at 5:00 p.m., David Kendall, Ph.D., visiting professor of music at UST, will give a lecture on “Music in the Philippines during the Spanish Era,” preceding the concert that follows at 8:00 p.m. The yearly Festival Mass will be held on

Sunday, February 26, at 4:00 p.m. at the San Ezekiel Moreno Oratory (SEMO) located along the C5 Extension in Pulanglupa, Las Piñas (Villar Sipag Compound). Presiding

Las Piñas Boys Choir

Collegium Vocale Manila

the celebration will be Fr. Sam Agcaracar, SVD, rector of the SVD Seminary in Tagaytay concelebrating with Msgr. Olaguer, parish priest of St. Joseph’s Par ish in Las Piñas. Organists are (Belgium) and Armando Salarza together with the Las Piñas Boys Choir directed by Rey Joseph Peña

The guest organist of this year will be

Luc Ponet, visiting the festival for the sixth time since 2001. Those who would like to

and one in Betis, Pampanga (March 2). The closing concert will be on March 2 at 8:00 p.m. at SEMO (800 seats) and on March 4 at 8:00 p.m. at St. Scholastica’s College Chapel for the performance of excerpts from the St. Matthew’s Passion by J.S. Bach. This masterwork will be heard for the first time in Manila, performed by the Collegium Vocale Manila and the Manila Baroque Ensemble under the competent direction of Beverly ShangkuanCheng. The first part will present music for the holy week with the Las Piñas Boys Choir and Armando Salarza at the organ. Tickets are available at SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com) or you can call the Bamboo Organ office at 8825-7190 / 8820-

the Bamboo Organ and the

Bobby ParLuc Ponet variety of sounds it can produce have to attend this recital scheduled for Monday, February 27. He will have two more organ recitals; one in San Beda Manila (February 25)

hear Organ / 0795 and look for Beth Dela Cruz You can also visit our new website at www.bamboo-organ.com for the latest news and updates about the festival, and don’t forget to follow our Facebook page, The International Bamboo Organ Festival.

skin problem Social mediastar sends a message to young girls battling

SKIN problem is an inconvenient reality for teens, and it’s an absolute nightmare for some. Washing your face and using home remedies are not enough or effective to arrest this issue, and social media star Queenay Mercado can attest to that.

While the 21-year-old Tiktok sensation loves sharing photos of her on Instagram, she’s also open and honest about her skin imperfections.

“When I was a teenager, I had acne problems. My skin wasn’t always blemishfree when I was young,” Queenay said in vernacular. “I was only using warm water and calamansi to treat my acne but to no avail and I have very sensitive skin.”

As a teenager, Queenay realized that washing your face alone wouldn’t do the job, you need a skincare routine and a product that wouldn’t hurt your skin. And in her effort to find the right product for her face, Queenay found Jullien Skin.

“In just one month, I could already see the difference on my face. There’s mild peeling and it removes the traces of acne. So my message for young girls out there who may have the same problem, don’t fret, pimples and acne are not forever. You just have to find the right product that will work for your skin,” Queenay shared.

According to Jamira Magcale, president of JDM Corporation, distributor of the new skincare brand, they chose the Tiktok star because she best represents the brand.

Queenay Mercado (right) with Jamira

“She’s beautiful, pretty, and gorgeous, she embodies our brand and she’s doing it very well. We give her the freedom to market the product the way she wants it. We trust her because having a massive following on social media means a lot of people trust her, too,” the young entrepreneur said.

The beauty brand formally launched its much-awaited rejuvenating set that assures Filipino consumers of healthy and radiant skin without breaking the bank.

The Jullien Skin Rejuvenating Set, which contains a Kojic cleaning soap, a rejuvenating

Social media star Queenay Mercado

toner, a hydrating sunscreen, and a rejuvenating night cream, promises users clear, protected, and hydrated skin in just 30 days of regular use. It is exclusively sold at Puregold for only P299.

“Everyone wants to feel beautiful in their own skin. We created Jullien Skin para mailabas ang ganda ng bawat Filipino. It is all about offering quality and effective skincare at an affordable price that Filipinos everywhere can enjoy.”

During its media launch, Jullien Skin presented Queenay as its celebrity endorser. Queenay, who commands over 13 million followers on the platform, represents the Jullien Skin market that aspires to have beautiful and healthy skin. Her enthusiasm for Jullien Skin’s rejuvenating set can barely be contained. “Ang laki po ng impact ng skincare sa aking beauty routine,”

Despite her love posting selfies, Queenay admits to having skin problems previously

said Queenay. “That’s why I’m so grateful for being chosen as an endorser for Jullien Skin. Having skin that feels and looks good on the outside helps me exude self-confidence! That’s the feeling I want to share with everyone who picks up a Jullien Skin Rejuvenating Set.”

As the latest name in the Philippine beauty industry, Jullien Skin hopes to leave a strong first impression through its initial product offering – the rejuvenating set.

Magcale speaks about what distinguishes the brand from its competition. “Unlike other skincare products, the ingredients used in Jullien Skin are gentle on the skin,” she said. “We also offer Jullien Skin at an affordable price because we want it to benefit as many people

as possible without sacrificing the quality and efficacy that customers have come to expect.” All four products in Jullien Skin’s rejuvenating set eschew ingredients that may be harsh on the skin, ensuring a soothing and nurturing touch for all its customers.

Jullien Skin is set to be sold exclusively at Puregold, one of the country’s major retail shopping brands. With hundreds of Puregold branches nationwide, Filipinos who aspire for more vibrant skin will have easy access to the rejuvenating set.

To top it all, the affordability of Jullien Skin’s rejuvenating set ensures that Jullien Skin’s mes sage of self-care and skin health will reach as wide an audience as possible.

ENTREPRENEURS Don Ramon Bagatsing and Alessandra Atienza, the dynamic couple behind the first green service hotel in the Philippines, take the lead in championing green living and sustainable business through its chain of eco-friendly hotels strategically located in various travel destinations in the country.

Eco Hotel President and CEO Alessandra, the creative force behind the brand, founded Eco Hotel in 2013. The business became the pioneer in promoting ecotourism in the Philippines by advocating development that balances social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

tect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by the year 2030.

as a primary focus of government sustainability programs, Eco Hotel has been classified as the first green service hotel in the Philippines, a recognition for environmentally responsible lodging that follows the practices of green living. It promotes sustainability by harnessing the power of nature as it consciously upcycles, reuses, and redesigns discarded materials utilized in every Eco Hotel space to minimize its impact on the environment. Eco Hotel Chairman and Chief Vibe Officer, Don Ramon, who on his own, is also a successful entrepreneur, says that together with his business partner and wife, Alessandra, they saw the potential of the tourism industry and countryside development. In the last 13 years, they

Entrepreneurs Don Ramon Bagatsing

Showcasing how recyclables like wood from old homes can be used to build a structure, Cabins by Eco Hotel in Tagaytay

and

With ecotourism A look inside the PH’s first green service hotel

became the first Eco Hotel built in 2015. Using sustainable materials like bricks and integrating biophilic design and upcycled artworks inspired trendy and environmentally-themed spaces to meet the rising demand for modern, aesthetic, and functional yet affordable accommodations. Since its first branch, Eco Hotel grew and expanded to tap unchartered territory.

Eco Hotel’s expansion plans include building and operating more branches of Eco Hotels in prime tourist spots and future nature destinations in the Philippines. To date, there are five fully operational ecofriendly hotels under the Eco Hotel chain and three in Pops District (Commercial Walking Street) situated in major tourism destinations across the country.

Under the brand Eco Hotel, locations are Surf Kamp Caliraya Lake, Containers Tagaytay, Cabins Tagaytay, Villas Mataasnakahoy Batangas, and Suites El Nido. Pops District commercial walking streets are located in El Nido and Puerto Princesa while Cloud9 Siargao is now on its way to reopening.

Every year, Eco Hotel has been a proud and constant recipient of Agoda’s Golden Circle Awards under numerous categories raising the level of Eco Hotel at par with well-known international hotel brands. The award gives recognition to property partners with superior service, excellent reviews, competitive rates, high customer response rate, and flexibility. For information about Eco Hotel, visit https://ecohotels.com.ph/.

Manila Baroque Ensemble

First green service hotel in PH champions ecotourism and sustainable business

Eco Hotel takes the lead in championing green living and sustainable business

acquired land of more than 200 hectares, enough for 10 years of development, in 20 potentially high-growth areas which are prime tourist destinations in the Philippines. Don Ramon, with his expertise in real estate, is the proponent for furthering the growth of their business as he oversees its expansion to other parts of the country. With Eco Hotel as an independent, locally-owned, and responsible business, Don Ramon and Alessandra believe that they have the power to promote positive change in society to inspire a sustainable economy. As business partners, they work together to contribute to society and help transform the communities they serve to become environmental advocates and instruments of change.