Manila Standard - 2023 March 4 - Saturday

MARCOS: GOV’T LAGGING IN DIGITALIZATION

EX-PAGCOR CHIEF, FORMER PSC HEAD GUILTY OF GRAFT

No break in classes—DepEd

Allows online learning and use of modules amid

By Bobby Lagsa, Vince Lopez and Joel E. Zurbano

THE Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday said it will not suspend classes during a planned week-long transport strike next week.

DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said students who are unable to attend faceto-face classes during the strike “should

PBBM assures better transport to spur growth

By Vito Barcelo and Darwin Amojelar

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

on Friday vowed to modernize and improve the country’s transportation system, saying an efficient transportation system will have a multiplier effect on employment and on the economy.

This was after Mr. Marcos witnessed the signing of the contract for the electromechanical systems and track works for the North-South Commuter Railway project (CP-NS01).

“I assure the Filipino people that the government will strive to modernize and improve the country’s transportation system. This will be one of the cornerstones of our progress as we move full speed ahead into a brighter tomorrow,” the President said.

“It will strengthen what we have seen our weaknesses in the supply chain, that have been brought about by the

be able to continue learning through alternative delivery modes,” including online classes and modules.

transport strike threat

This developed as Malacanang downplayed the impact of the planned strike, as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reported that only about 6 percent of the public utility vehicles (PUVs) nationwide are expected to join the protest. A number of schools have announced that they are temporarily shifting to online learning for most of the duration of

Town affected by oil spill declares state of calamity

By Charles Arvin Dantes, Alena Mae Flores, and Maricel V. Cruz

THE town of Pola in Oriental Mindoro has been placed under a state of calam-

ity after an oil spill from a sunken tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel turned its seawater and shoreline black and resulted in fishkill, Mayor Jennifer Cruz said Friday.

In an interview on Dobol B TV, Cruz

said she and all the barangay captains declared a state of calamity after the tanker MT Princess Empress sank near the town’s boundary with Naujan.

“You can see the oil spill in the waves.

the transport strike, which is expected to run from March 6 to 12.

About 40,000 jeepney and UV Express drivers, under the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations, Manibela, and Piston, are reportedly expected to join the strike to protest the planned phaseout of traditional jeepneys in favor of modern electric vehicles.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said

the government has prepared several contingencies to help commuters who will be affected by the disturbance, despite the LTFRB’s assurance that 94 percent of jeepney drivers are not joining the transport group strike. During the inter-agency meeting presided over by Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Hubert Guevarra on Friday,

Fuel price hike forecast next week, electricity rates to go up this month

By Alena Mae S. Flores

DOMESTIC pump prices may go up by up to P1.30 per liter for diesel and gasoline by P0.20 per liter next week to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market, industry sources told the Standard on Friday.

This developed as the Manila Elec -

tric Co. (Meralco) said consumers in Metro Manila and neighboring provinces are in for higher electricity rates this month, with a final figure to be announced next week.

Meralco Regulatory Affairs head Ronald Valles said that owing to the Malampaya natural gas shutdown last

PNP: AUV driver in Salilig hazing slay found dead at Taguig home

Meanwhile, three more persons of interest in the hazing death of chemical engineering student Salilig said they want to surrender, police in Laguna said Friday.

Galvez: EDCA meant for defense; US-Japan-PH trilateral deal sought

THE Philippines’ Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States is aimed at improving the country’s defensive capabilities and is not meant for war, Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said.

In a statement Thursday night, Galvez emphasized that the bilateral agreement does not seek to interfere with the domestic affairs of other nations.

“The geopolitical situation is becoming more precarious by the day. Our projects under EDCA and our other defense part-

nerships are not intended for aggression. We are not preparing for war, rather we are aiming to develop our defense capabilities against eventualities and threats to our security,” he added.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim believes it will be beneficial for all the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) if the organization takes a common position on the issue of China and the disputed territories in the

The police withheld the identity of the fraternity member in consideration of his grieving family.

The police said they already have in their custody the green AUV (Asian Utility Vehicle) that was used to bring Salilig’s remains to Imus, Cavite, where

Anwar: Sides taking ‘cordial approach’ on Sabah dispute

MALAYSIA is taking a cordial approach to its territorial dispute with the Philippines over the territory of Sabah, as Manila also does, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in an exclusive interview with ANC’s Headstart that aired Friday.

“Let it rest for a while, and there should not be an issue that easily provoke or cause antagonism because there are too many things in common,” Anwar said.

A MEMBER of the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity who allegedly drove the vehicle carrying the remains of hazing victim and Adamson University student John Matthew Salilig was found dead in his house in Taguig City, the Philippine National Police said Friday.

TANKER CATASTROPHE. The diesel oil that spilled from the motor tanker that sank at Balingawan Point in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro has reached at least three towns in the province, with up to 16 barangays affected, according to Governor Humerlito Dolor. Fishermen of Pola show some of their catch that have already died from the oil spill. Philippine Coast Guard and Paul Hernandez of Balitang Southern Tagalog

AND FIRE. Malabon Zoo owner Manny Tangco and members of the Malabon Bureau of Fire Protection show ‘Mamba,’ the giant reticulated python. in the

RAILWAY DEAL. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. beams during the contract signing ceremony of the North-South Railway System in Malacanang with (from left) Transportation Secretary

Jaime J. Bautista, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Embassy of Japan Minister for Economic Affairs Nikei Daisuke, and Sakamoto Takema, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Revoli Cortez

PBBM: Gov’t lagging in digitalization

By Vince Lopez

THE government was lagging in digitalization, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lamented Friday, as he appealed to concerned sectors to help fast-track improvements on connectivity.

During his speech at the FICTAP’s 23rd International Cable Congress and Exhibit, the President noted that cable television and internet have revolutionized society and are an important part of Filipinos’ daily life.

But while Filipinos have tapped the internet for food, banking, and other daily needs, Mr. Marcos said the public seldom use digital means to reach out to the government.

The President said the government

pandemic economy, that have been brought about by the crisis in Ukraine, and that we now must attend to if we are going to be able to say that we will grow the economy,” he added.

The Department of Transportation said it signed a P110.4-billion contract with Mitsubishi Corp. of Japan for the electrical and mechanical systems and track works of the North-South Railway Project, which is expected to start operations in three years.

Contract Package NS-01, which was awarded to Mitsubishi, covers track works, signaling system,s and telecommunications for the mainline and depots. Also included are the power supply at the substations, power distribution system, and overhead contact line system.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said during the contract signing the section of the project from Malolos, Bulacan to Clark, Pampanga would be operable by 2026.

Mr. Marcos described the project as a “landmark initiative” that will make the Philippines more connected than ever as “these endeavors will mark a new era of prosperity for the Philippines at a time when we are navigating ourselves in what has become called the New Normal.”

The President thanked the Department of Transportation for the milestone project that will significantly reduce the travel time between Clark International Airport and Calamba City, Laguna upon its completion.

“Indeed, this service that you have shown in materializing our grand vision [of] a Philippines [that] is ready to take on the future, is a very important part of the transformation of our economy,” Mr. Marcos said.

He also thanked the Japanese government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for their financial support in the implementation of CP NS-01 and for being active partners in the country’s infrastructure development.

“We expect partial operations of the Malolos to Clark Airport section by the third quarter of 2026,” Bautista said, adding that “[in] three years more, we should see full operations of the whole NSCR.”

The project is expected to bring ease of mobility and connectivity within the regions of the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.

It would also generate 110,000 direct and indirect employment during construction, Bautista said.

has pursued key initiatives such as the National Broadband Program named “BroadBand ng Masa.”

It is a free Wi-Fi for all Program of the Marcos Administration which will be placed the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure and the establishment of shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure Sites, among others.

These initiatives will build up the country’s digital infrastructure and achieve its targets in the Philippine De -

velopment Plan 2023-2028, the Chief Executive noted.

Mr. Marcos said that the cable television and cable internet industry has not only revolutionized and modernized Philippine society but has also served as an important platform that enabled people to survive during calamities and emergencies.

Meanwhile, the President said that since he took the highest position of the land, he has implemented various reforms and established mechanisms to ensure that the Philippines will be an “ideal player” in the export sector.

He made the remark in his speech during the event dubbed as “Tanyag: An Evening with International Trade Partners” held at the Shangri-La, The Fort in Taguig City.

“For instance, we are creating highvalue and competitive Philippine products and services capable of serving the needs of consumers and producers worldwide. Various initiatives and reforms have likewise been made for an enabling environment for businesses,” the President pointed out.

“Moreover, digital transformation initiatives are ongoing to spur economic activities and to allow us to make transactions faster and more securely, than we have ever had before,” Mr. Marcos said. He took note that his administration is exerting all efforts to improve the country’s infrastructure and expand domestic capabilities for the growth and development of the export sector.

Sara spurs tourism stakeholders to boost investments

By Bobby Lagsa

VICE President Sara Duterte-Carpio

on Friday urged tourism stakeholders to increase investments in sector-specific tourism amenities to diversify the country’s opportunities and potentially increase the revenue streams in the industry.

Duterte-Carpio made the statement before tourism trailblazers at the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) Conference 2023 Closing Ceremony at The Tent,

Ex-Pagcor chief, former PSC head guilty of graft

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Sandiganbayan has found Efraim Genuino, the former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chairman, and two others guilty of graft and sentenced them to six to 10 years of imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office.

Genuino, former Pagcor president Rafael Francisco, and former Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez violated the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices or Republic Act 3019, the anti-graft court said.

This was in connection with the direct release of P37.06 million by the state gaming agency to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) in 2009, funds that were supposed to be used for the training of swimmers to be sent to the London Olympics in 2012.

Azuela Cove on Friday night.

The MICE industry creates employment, helps build a reputation for the country and the venue, and nurtures many business opportunities and investments. The industry improves competitive destinations because MICE events and activities are often held in locations with safety and security.

“I enjoin our tourism stakeholders to work with other industry leaders to invest in medical tourism, heritage tourism, retirement havens, entertainment spots, open-space recreation, and more

to mobilize its regional assets to assist those who will be affected by the transport strike, deploying at least 41 transport vehicles to ferry commuters to their destinations.

various government agencies came out with contingencies to mitigate the effects of the strike.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and local government units also said they are prepared for next week’s transport strike.

On Wednesday, Mr. Marcos said that the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) –which the jeepney groups are protesting -- is necessary, but its implementation needs more detailed discussions among its stakeholders.

The President also said that while he sees the need to modernize public utility vehicles, the proper program implementation is necessary.

Among the efforts of the government are the deployment of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel to monitor the situation on the ground and to maintain peace and order in the affected areas and routes.

The PNP has also been instructed

February, power plants that run on natural gas had to use more expensive fuel.

Electricity prices in the spot market also rose due to tight supply, he added.

On oil, the industry source told the Standard: “As of Thursday, the indicative movement on pump prices next week computed based on this week’s first four days Mean of Platts Singapore and forex average versus last week’s full week MOPS and forex average is a possible increase of P1.20 to P1.30 per liter for diesel and possible increase of

days after he was first reported missing.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines will also be mobilizing 106 of its transport vehicles to help commuters which will be affected heavily by the strike.

MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan said contingency measures will be in place to ensure that the commuting public will not be affected by the week-long protest.

She said MMDA Chairman Romando Artes has asked the local governments in Metro Manila for an inventory of assets that can be used to provide free rides to commuters during the strike.

The MMDA was also in close coordination with Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officials so they could provide assistance to commuters.

Ready for deployment are at least 20 MMDA vehicles, including 11 commuter vans, six buses, and three military trucks.

P0.10 to P0.20 per liter for gasoline.”

Department of Energy director Rodela Romero confirmed the possible oil price hike next week “due to a sign of a strong economic rebound of top crude importer, China; and easing worries of aggressive US interest rate increases.”

There’s also “Russia’s plan to deepen oil production cut,” Romero said.

On Feb. 28, the country’s oil firms cut the price of kerosene by P1.80 per liter, diesel by P1.30 per liter, and gasoline by P0.70 per liter.

Valles said for the replacement fuel alone, the equivalent increase is around P0.70-P0.80 per kilowatt-hour but added this is not yet Meralco’s final computation

community-based travel destinations,” Duterte-Carpio said.

“Let us work together to revitalize our tourism sector with diverse packages, incentives, and strategic investments with a focus on service quality, public health, transportation, and most of all, enriching the immersive experience of our visitors,” she added. When MICECON was held in Davao City ten years ago, the city’s standing as a significant player and desirable destination for conventions and exhibits was reinforced.

The agency’s Metrobase will monitor through closed circuit television (CCTVs) cameras major roads in Metro Manila that will be affected by the transport strike so that “Libreng Sakay” vehicles can quickly be deployed where they are needed.

The MMDA will also deploy traffic personnel and Road Emergency Group members in various parts of the National Capital Region to assist motorists and commuters who are affected by the transport strike.

“We are ready, but we will not deploy our assets right away unless there is a shortage of rides in these areas,” Carunungan said in Filipino.

Artes said his agency is considering suspending the number coding scheme in Metro Manila during the strike.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte ordered the city’s Traffic and Transport Management Department (TTMD) to place bus service units on standby for possible deployment to areas including Cubao, Commonwealth Avenue, Welcome Rotonda, Novaliches Bayan, LTFRB, East Avenue, Quezon Memorial Circle and Fairview. With Butch Gunio

for the overall adjustment for March.

Meralco plans to write the Energy Regulatory Commission to ask for advice on how to mitigate the impact on consumers, he added.

The company also intends to communicate with generators if they can stagger the collection of some charges to ease the impact on consumers.

Meanwhile, DOE undersecretary Alessandro Sales said during the two-day LPG Summit the promulgation of Republic Act No. 11592 or the “LPG Industry Regulation Act” on October 14, 2021 paved the way for additional mandates of the different government agencies involved in liquefied petroleum gas-related activities and concerns.

Genuino’s lawyer manifested in open court that he will avail all possible remedies after the conviction.

The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division said that Genuino, Francisco, and Ramirez “acted with manifest partiality in providing Pasa with the funds — as it should have been coursed through the PSC.”

Ramirez, the Sandiganbayan decision said, wrote a letter to Genuino authorizing Pagcor to deduct from the PSC’s legal monthly income share the amounts due to Pasa, in violation of Section 26 of RA 6847 which established the PSC.

“Plainly, the direct release of a portion of the PSC’s share from PAGCOR to PASA was illegal as it directly contravened the above-quoted provision of the law,” said the decision written by Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, Third Division chairman and the antigraft court’s presiding justice.

Town...

Fish were dying. Our white sand is now black sand,” she said in Filipino.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government was prepared to provide aid to families affected by the oil spill.

In his social media post, President Marcos said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is prepared to help the families and individuals affected by the Feb. 28 oil spill.

“We are closely monitoring the situation with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as the lead agency. Special attention will be given to the affected f isherfolk who will be losing their source of livelihood because of the oil spill,” the President said on Twitter.

Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor ordered the province’s 18,000 registered fishermen to stay on shore until it was safe to fish. In the meantime, they would receive food packs, he said.

Mayor Cruz said thousands of fishermen in her town were affected because she has prohibited fishing due to the health risk posed by the oil spill.

Swimming in the affected waters has also been prohibited, as the oil spill is threatening the region’s rich marine life and economy.

An estimated 591 hectares (1,460 acres) of coral reefs, 1,626 hectares of mangroves, and 362 hectares of seaweed could be “potentially affected” by the oil spill, Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Loyzaga said.

he was buried in a shallow grave.

“He was part of the group, an alumni. He’s not currently enrolled. He drove the AUV. Unfortunately, we did not get to him when he was still alive,” said police Lt. Col. Virgilio Jopia of BinanPNP in a television interview.

In another TV interview, Laguna Provincial Police Director Col. Randy Silvio said the three persons of interest asked about the procedures for surrendering.

They were told to proceed to the Biñan City Police or to the nearest police station and they would be escorted to Biñan City Police, Silvio said.

At least 10 persons of interest are still at large. Seven are already in police custody, six of whom have already been charged with violating the Anti-Hazing Law.

Police said they already have the addresses of the remaining persons of interest.

The battered and decomposing body of Salilig, 24, was found in a shallow grave in Imus, Cavite on Tuesday, 10

Police earlier found a vehicle used to transport Tau Gamma Phi fraternity members involved in the hazing. It was found in the house of the parents of one of the suspects, Aaron Cruz, in Parañaque City.

Police said Salilig sat on the passenger side of the SUV when the suspects noticed that he was already dead and transferred him to the compartment of a second vehicle.

One suspect told the police the location of the paddle that was used to beat Salilig.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday dismissed the complaint for obstruction of justice against the father of a person of interest.

Justice Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano said the complaint against the father was dismissed for lack of probable cause with reasonable certainty of conviction.

“I haven’t read the resolution myself… all I know is that the resolution was for dismissal. It did not reach the level of probable cause with reasonable certainty of conviction,” he said. Charles Arvin Dantes, Rey E. Requejo, Rio N. Araja, and Macon Ramos-Araneta

South China Sea.

Anwar said he and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. -- who welcomed the visiting Malaysian leader on a two-day official visit that ended Thursday -both believe that the best way to deal with China is to take a position without provoking tension in the region.

The premier said taking a multilateral approach in dealing with Beijing is better since all claimant countries have similar issues with China.

Aside from the Sabah issue, Anwar -- who completed a two-day official visit to the Philippines from Wednesday to Thursday -- shared in the ANC interview his thoughts on the disputes in the South China Sea, the crisis in

“We did tackle the subject which is quite contentious because of the position we have with China but both of us agree that the mechanism should be bilateral and multilateral to try and engage with the Chinese and to take a position,” he said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.

Anwar added: “We have to take a common position and then engage with the Chinese because if we take too combative a view, we will not dissolve, we will not ease the tension. So I think let us start first with an option to get the consensus within ASEAN and take a position with the Chinese to suggest that these are our concerns and I think the best route is to

Myanmar, and the 1MDB scandal in his country, among others (see related stories on A1 – Editors).

Sabah is located east of Malaysia’s northern Borneo and southwest of Sulu in the Philippines -- which lays claim over the area, citing a land lease agreement in 1878 between the Sultanate of Sulu and the British North Borneo Chartered Co.

get into an amicable resolution to this.”

Meanwhile, an expert from a Japanese think tank on Friday said there is a need for a trilateral defense cooperation among Japan, the Philippines, and the US amid China’s continued aggressive behavior over disputed waters in the South China Sea, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

In a forum organized by Stratbase ADR Institute, Miyake Kunihiko, director of Japan-based thinktank The Canon Institute for Global Studies’ Research, said there is a need for a multi-layer security and maritime policing mechanism involving the three countries. Rey E. Requejo

“To be fair to the Filipino position, they’re not [hostile]... Let us evolve slowly. Although, it is tough for us because our people in Sabah feel that we should be more assertive in defending. But I think the President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] has been very cordial. That’s the Philippine position, that’s the Malay position,” Anwar said.

Makati lifts Smart closure order after compromise deal, PLDT says

THE local government of Makati City has lifted the closure order against carrier PLDT’s mobile telecommunications arm Smart Communications Inc. after the two parties entered into a compromise deal.

PLDT in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange said the Makati City government issued an order dated March 2 lifting the February 27 closure order against Smart, GMA News reported.

On Monday, the Makati City LGU shut down Smart’s headquarters in Barangay San Lorenzo on Ayala Avenue for allegedly violating Section 4A.01 of the Revised Makati Revenue Code or City Ordinance No. 2004A-025 as it failed to settle its P3.2-billion franchise tax deficiency from January 2012 to December 2015 and for reportedly operating without a business permit since 2019.

On March 1, Smart said it has already submitted the documents requested by the

IN BRIEF

South Korea seeking fugitives’ deportation

AFTER Japan, the government of South Korea is now seeking for the deportation of its three fugitive nationals.

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

Clavano did not disclosed the names of the South Korean fugitives.

The DOJ official recalled 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 said

Earlier, Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko had sent Remulla a letter which expressed the Japanese government’s gratitude in helping in the deportation of the four fugitive Japanese who were detained at the facility of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) in Taguig City. Rey E. Requejo

Makati City government, the GMA News report said.

Earlier, Makati City ordered the closure of Smart headquarters for operating without a business permit since 2019.

The city government issued the closure order on Feb. 23 against the headquarters, located at 6799 Ayala Avenue in Barangay San Lorenzo, Makati City.

“You are hereby commanded to cease and desist from further operating your business establishment until such time compliance with the said ordinance is made,” stated the order.

The company said its legal and tax teams are in talks with the Makati City local government over the alleged P3.2 billion tax de-

ficiencies and for operating without a business permit since 2019.

“Smart remains committed to complying with Makati City’s local tax ordinances, and with applicable national laws, in respect of local taxation,” the company said.

“Smart has filed the appropriate cases to resolve outstanding legal issues; these cases remain pending,” it added.

The company also assured the public that its services will remain available and accessible to its subscribers.

The local government said Smart “failed to settle or obtain any relief from the courts over its franchise tax deficiency worth over P3.2 billion covering the period January 2012 to December 2015.”

In 2016, the Office of the City Treasurer (OCT) launched an examination of the company’s tax payments and documents.

Makati City Administrator Claro Certeza said the city asked the company to submit

BOC records

a breakdown of paid revenues and business taxes for all of its branches nationwide but it refused to present documents.

Smart Communications filed a petition for review at the Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 133 in 2019 seeking to nullify the OCT’s notice of assessment.

The RTC granted the Makati government’s motion for the production and inspection of Smart’s documents.

On May 31, 2019, Smart Communications opposed the city government’s motion and challenged the RTC’s decision before the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA).

However, the CTA denied the company’s petition and affirmed the RTC’s approval of the Makati government’s motion in 2022.

The telecommunications company said that the Makati City government has “no jurisdiction to audit the company’s financial statements and operations in other branches nationwide.

P1.19-billion surplus in its Feb. earnings

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has recorded a surplus of nearly P1.19 billion in its revenue collection for the month of February.

Citing its preliminary report released Friday, the Bureau exceeded its P61.82 billion target by collecting P63.015 billion in revenue last month.

Last month’s collection was also higher by P3.58 billion than the P59.43 billion collection in the same month last year.

In a statement, Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio vowed “to continue to innovate and implement sustainable reforms to boost the Bureau’s collection efficiency, which will contribute to the expansion and recovery of our national economy.”

“For this to be possible, we will also prioritize fostering a healthier trade environment through enhanced and modernized mechanisms for efficient trade facilitation and improved Customs operations for all our stakeholders,” he added in a statement.

The BOC also reported that as of Feb. 28, it already garnered a total revenue of P133.380 billion up by P8.641 billion from its target of P124.738 billion for the first two months of the year.

Aligned with the overarching directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Rubio leads the BOC in boosting revenue collection, enhancing trade facilitation, and strengthening border protection while upholding good governance and curbing corruption.

Agents seize P190-m shipment of misdeclared items in Subic

By Joseph Muego SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Coordinated

ANGELES CITY—Mayor Carmelo

Lazatin, Jr. on Wednesday carried out a house-to-house distribution of cash assistance and Vitamin C supplements to 6,533 seniors in five barangays here.

The distribution to the remaining 28 barangays will be via a set schedule.

Assisted by the Office for Senior Citizen Affairs, a total of 6,533 elderly were given the regular P1,000 cash assistance and 90 pieces of Vitamin C supplements in Barangays Sapangbato (1,411); San Jose (1,159); Pampang (2,101); Margot (972); and Cuayan (890) during the first day of distribution.

The city government, under the leadership of Lazatin, has been distributing cash assistance and Vitamin C supplements to all senior citizens in the city since 2020.

This year, a total of 48,439 registered senior citizens from the 33 barangays are set to receive the said assistance as concurred through a meeting presided by Chief Adviser IC Calaguas with Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, OSCA Deputy May David and Gender and Development Officer-in-Charge Mina Cabiles. Butch Gunio

Mayor leads cash aid distributon in Angeles Angeles City automated slaughterhouse opens

MAYOR Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. on Tuesday has formally inaugurated the first automatic and humane slaughterhouse accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service.

Located in Sta. Trinidad, processed meat from the newly-renovated Angeles City slaughterhouse can also be distributed outside the city “We will ensure that under our watch there will be no more inhumane, animal torture, and abuse animals,” Lazatin said.

In the new slaughterhouse, automated poultry dressing plant, wastewater treatment facility, and its very own ice plant have been installed.

The environment-friendly slaughterhouse will be able to process 4,000 to 5,000 chicken per hour; 700 to 1,000 hogs per 12-hour operation; and 100 to 200 cattle and carabaos per 12hour operation.

In terms of treating the animals humanely, the new facility will employ a humane strategy, where animals will be stunned first before they are processed. Butch

efforts by government agencies here have led to the confiscation of misdeclared items worth a total of P190 million.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), together with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) yesterday inspected about 60 containers.

SBMA chairman and Administrator Rolen

C. Paulino, the BOC Port of Subic thru the information from the DA, discovered the containers loaded with 30,000 sacks of misdeclared refined sugar worth P150 million.

District Collector Maritess Martin said that the agency is set to issue a warrant of seizure and detention (WSD) against the subject containers for violation of Section

1400, in relation to Section 1113 (f) of the Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), and Sugar Regulatory Authority and BOC Joint Memorandum Order No. 04-2002.

“Aside from the 58 containers, we also examined two containers of squid rings inside several misdeclared assorted frozen meat products that costs around P40 million. We will also issue a WSD against the two containers with misdeclared frozen meat for violation of pertinent provisions of the CMTA,” she said.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio lauded the vigilance of the pertinent agencies, citing, “the BOC continues to maximize its intelligence resources and intensify enforcement measures to thwart all attempts of smuggling, especially those involving agricultural products that negatively impact our local farmers and businesses.”

IKEA Phils. strengthens campaign against scammers, fake websites

By Angelica Villanueva

IKEA Philippines on Friday said it is taking action to address issues of rampant scamming by fake websites posing as the company’s online sellers.

IKEA said its product requirement and compliance team had already filed a formal report with the cybercrime division of the Philippine National Police regarding the fake websites.

In a forum, IKEA met with Attorney Gel

De Gracia of the Department of Justice –Cybercrime Division who gave insights on what legal actions victims and consumers could do after encountering scams.

In June 6, 2021, the IKEA store in Pasay City received a report from consumer who saw a Facebook ad using the global home furnishing retailer’s name and logo. It did stop for a while after it was being reported until holiday season came and scammers took the opportunity to post more clickbait ads directing to fake websites.

“So that was taken as an opportunity for these people. So not only here in IKEA Philippines, but we also have fraudulent websites that happened in IKEA Singapore and IKEA Malaysia. So all three countries posted on social media to make sure that they only go to the official website. So from what happened in June it stopped and then it happened again in December and then until now,” shared IKEA Philippines

Customer Contact Center Manager Catherine Egagamao.

As of March 1, there are already a total of 64 fake websites that have been reported. Meanwhile, there are currently around 700 scam complaints have been reported to IKEA Philippines. The Swedish furnishing brand launched its physical store in 2021.

Daniel Rivero, store manager of IKEA Philippines, meanwhile, expressed his dismay toward the continuous growing number of scammers who use the IKEA in victimizing Filipino consumers.

NLEX plans new interchange in Pampanga

By Maricel V. Cruz

NLEX Corp., the operator of North Luzon Expressway, has announced plans to build a diamond-type interchange in the MexicoSan Fernando City section of the highway in Pampanga.

Officials of the company made the announcement in an inter-agency consultative meeting presided over by Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. at the House of Representatives recently.

Officials said the plan is to expand the existing Mexico exit/entry toll plaza, which is located on the eastern part of the expressway, into a “full diamond interchange” that would have a separate toll station on the San Fernando City or western side.

They said they would also interconnect the interchange to the Aquino byway extension

that would link Mexico and San Fernando.

The byway extension is a convergence road project of Gonzales.

The lawmaker welcomed the NLEX operator’s plan, saying the envisioned complete interchange would decongest vehicular traffic on both the eastern and western parts of the highway, especially the San Fernando City side, including the old MacArthur Highway.

“It will hasten access to the expres way by thousands of motorists and cargo truck drivers coming from San Fernando, Angeles and Bacolor who currently are using the Mexico entry/exit,” he said.

“They would not have to cross the highway through a bridge to access the present toll plaza on the eastern side if a diamond interchange that includes a separate toll station on the San Fernando side were built,” Gonzales said.

MISDECLARED SUGAR. Photo shows (left to right) Port of Subic district collector Maritess Martin; DA Assistant Secretary James Layug; SBMA chair and administrator Rolen Paulino; and Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Y. Rubio witness the sampling of misdeclared refined sugar during their inspection of the 60 containers loaded with 30,000 sacks of refined sugar and assorted frozen meat products. Joseph Muego

PALENGKE. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Cong. Roman Romulo, and Pasig Vice Mayor Robert Vincent Jude “Dodot” Bautista Jaworski Jr. lead the launching of Paleng

TOFIL AWARDEES. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. poses with awardees of The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) 2022 and dignitaries of the Junior Chamber International Senate Philippines (JCISP) in Malacañan Palace. Among the recipients of the TOFIL award are Dr. Persida V. Rueda Acosta, Engr. Maria Catalina Estamo Cabral, Mr. Nemesio R. Miranda Jr., Mr. Hans T. Sy and Dr. Ruben I. Villareal. OPS Photo

Gov’t identifies sources for P9.3-b cash aid program

By Julito Rada

THE government has identified the funding sources for the planned P9.3-billion cash aid to the poorest of the poor under the Targeted Cash Transfer program which may be released within this month, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

Of the total amount, Pangandaman said in a briefing that P7 billion will come from an “unreconciled” portion of the previous cash aid implemented by the government under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion or TRAIN Law, while the balance will come from the contingent fund.

“This was earmarked from the TRAIN Law, and there were unreconciled amounts for some reasons. There is around P7 billion that is intact and still with the Land Bank [of the Philippines], on top of the P18 billion released,” Pangandaman said.

“So there is already a source for the P7 billion. The remaining will come from the contingent fund…,” she said. “Maybe we can release the first P7 billion initially, then next is the P2 billion,” she said.

Contingent fund is used exclusively for requirements of new and/or urgent projects and activities that need to be implemented during

the year, except for the purchase of motor vehicles, including any improvements thereon.

All releases from this fund require the prior approval of the President.

Last week, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the government was planning to roll out around P9.3 billion cash aid to the poorest of the poor under the TCT program to lessen the impact of the elevated inflation to consumers.

In an interview at the sidelines of the annual reception for the banking community, Diokno said 9.3 million poor individuals will get P1,000 that will be divided for distribution for two months. Diokno said the cash aid would be an extension of the TCT program that was launched during the Duterte administration wherein beneficiaries received P500 a month for six months.

The Department of Budget and Management earlier allocated around P206.50 billion of ‘ayuda’ in the form of cash transfers and subsidy programs under the 2023 national budget to help mitigate the impact of rising prices of basic commodities and fuel costs to the society’s most vulnerable sectors.

Inflation in January 2023 accelerated to more than 14-year high of 8.7 percent from 8.1 percent a month ago and 3 percent a year ago, driven mainly by faster increases in the prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and fuels.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that the January inflation was the fastest since November 2008 at 9.1 percent.

Bodycams eyed for OTS teams at NAIA

By Maricel V. Cruz

BATANGAS Rep. Ralph Recto on Friday urged

the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to consider providing body cameras for Office of Transportation Security personnel manning X-ray machines and other airport security checkpoints that put them in close contact with plane passengers.

Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) eyes some measures to address long lines at the Immigration counters of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“This simple device would deter pickpockets

UNIVERSE GLOBAL.

PNA urges DOH to act and stop brain drain in nursing

By Willie Casas

A NURSES’ group urges the Department of Health (DOH) to be aggressive in recruiting nurses in the country.

According to Melvin Miranda, president of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA), the recruitment of Filipino nurses by foreign countries is alarming.

He said the Philippines needed 617,000 nurses, but only 125,000 currently are

working in the country. He said, foreigners are coming to the Philippines entice local nurses to go abroad. According to Miranda, due to aggressive recruitment and offers from other countries, many Filipino nurses are resigning to go abroad.

He said that the DOH does not have a retention plan, so the Philippines lacks a nursing workforce, at the same time as there is an implementation of the Universal Healthcare Act. He said that there is also a lack of teachers

teaching in nursing schools in the Philippines.

He said that the DOH must fix the plantilla positions of nurses.

Also among the things that can be arranged is the better provision of health emergency allowance to nurses, saying that high pay is said to increase the motivation of nurses to go to other countries that offer better salaries.

Recently the DOH said the country needs 350,000 nurses aside from the ones working in the Philippines. With Willie Casas

Bill eyes free medical checkup for PhilHealth members

A MINDANAO lawmaker on Friday cited the need for Congress to enact a law mandating the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to provide free annual medical checkups for its members.

“To promote health, identify risks, and ensure early diagnosis, PhilHealth shall establish a system that allows access to a free annual medical check-up and ensure that Filipinos shall be accorded the quality health care services that they deserve,” Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte.

Dduterte filed House Bill 5074 seeking to ensure that every Filipino gets access to preventive care and are able to address potentially serious health conditions possibly

in their early stages.

Duterte said “investing in free medical checkups for every Filipino will help save lives and ensure that no one gets left behind when it comes to health care.”

Detecting potentially serious medical conditions in its early stages will not only benefit every Filipino but also PhilHealth, as this would bring down the costs of providing coverage for expensive medical procedures that usually come with treating life-threatening diseases, Duterte added.

Under the bill, Filipinos can avail of the free medical checkup in any government-run hospital or medical institution.

On top of free cholesterol and blood sugar

tests, the three lawmakers also proposed the inclusion of expanded laboratory and diagnostic tests in the free annual medical checkup benefit “subject to the availability of PhilHealth funds.”

“The State is tasked to institutionalize regular checkups for its citizens in order to determine their potential health concerns and avoid further complications. Every citizen must be able to exercise his or her right to health without incurring any financial burden,” the bill’s authors said. With all Filipinos automatically becoming PhilHealth members under the Universal Health Care Act, free medical checkups should form part of their benefits, Duterte said.

Maricel V. Cruz

SAN JOSE del Monte Rep Florida Robes on Friday batted for a wider government intervention to address what she described as “alarming” incidents of mental health problems among the youth.”

“It is alarming to know that, in 2021, around 1.5 million Filipino youth or seven percent attempted to commit suicide,” Robes, chair of the House committee on public accountability, said in a statement.

Robes revealed that depression, suicide, and mental health disorders have been plaguing the Filipino youth prior and even after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Citing a study conducted by Global SchoolBased Student Health Survey Philippines, Robes said an estimated 17 percent of 13-17 years old have attempted suicide at least once a year.

“Ironically, the quarantine restrictions at the start of the pandemic kept parents and their children in the confines of their home but still many families failed to address issues on depression and suicide. The 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study revealed that symptoms of depression among our youth

in uniform and at the same time ward off rude passengers who harass airport personnel who are just doing their duty," Recto said in a statement. Recto made the suggestion following two recent incidents of thievery at the airport where OTS personnel were allegedly involved.

Recto said a bodycam protects both the checker and the checked.

“May footage habang binubuksan ang isang bag na may kadudadudang laman. At may resibo kung ang bag naman na iyon ay inatake ng salisi gang na naka-uniporme,” Recto said. He said the DOTR and the Office for

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) said a five-member advisory group was looking at documents belonging to 131 senior police officials in a bid to detect police complicity in the illegal drugs trade.

Meanwhile, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., formally installed Brig. Gen. Rudolph B. Dimas as Director of the PNP Special Action Force, its national maneuver force. Dimas replaced outgoing SAF commander, Maj. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo, who was designated as National Capital Region Police Office head.

The PNP said the probe also covered police generals and colonels to cleanse the ranks from possible involvement in illegal drugs.

“The advisory group marked the third session of its evaluation and screening of PNP senior officers in relation to the internal cleansing campaign of the PNP," PNP spokesman Col. Redrico Maranan said in a statement.

The panel has so far evaluated a total of 466 senior officials and is set to evaluate and process the remaining senior officers in the coming weeks.

According to the advisory group, those

A TOTAL of 121 new cases of Omicron subvariants have been detected in the country, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Among the recent samples logged from February 20 to 24 by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and University of the Philippines’ Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC), 60 were classified as BA.2.3.20.

Some 33 were classified as XBB including three cases classified as XBB.1.5, eight as XBC, and 20 as other Omicron sublineages. Of the additional BA.2.3.20 cases, the DOH said 59 were local cases from Regions

PHILIPPINE Navy (PN) personnel have assisted the passengers and crew members of passenger ship that ran aground off Talibon, Bohol last Feb. 28.

The Naval Forces Central through Naval Task Force 50, deployed two patrol ships BRP Filipino Flojo (PC-386) and BRP Enrique Jurado (PC-371) to assist M/V Starlite Saturn, a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) passenger vessel that ran aground off Bilangbilangan Island in Talibon town.

“The said commercial vessel carries 157 individuals including 102 passengers and 55 crew members. The immediate response of PC-386 and PC-371 together with PCG (Philippine Coast Guard) vessel BRP

spiked from 2013 to 2021, she said.

The same study showed a doubling of suicide ideation and suicide attempts among our youth from 2013 to 2021 showed that young adults (aged 15-24) have considered ending their lives, “when this is the stage where it is supposed to be the time that they are building their dreams and conquering the world”.

The same survey said that in 2013, 574,000.00 or three percent of Filipino youth attempted to end their life. What the data presented, Robes lamented “is an autopsy of what is going wrong in our families” as cases of suicide, depression and mental health problems are just the symptoms.

To address the problem, Robes proposed “a wider government and community intervention to address these problems.”

She said several government agencies, especially the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine Commission on Women and Children have to come up programs and activities that will “create mental health awareness among families, initiate

Transportation Security cannot plead poverty in not buying bodycams, a device even food riders have, made affordable in this age of live-streaming. “Ang X-ray machines ay parang toll gate.

Bawat pasaherong dumadaan ay bayad ng P60 na Airport Security Fee kung sasakay ng international flights at P15 kung domestic,” Recto said. Apart from close coordination with the Bureau of Immigration (BI), the MIAA said immigration counters at the NAIA will be increased, electronic gates (e-gates) will be opened, and airlines would be requested to operate their check-in counters much earlier.

found to be of reputable character upon screening and without any derogatory information throughout their service will be recommended to continue their police service.

On the other hand, the senior officers found to have derogatory reports will be subjected to further scrutiny and investigation.

The group is also set to prepare a comprehensive report to the Interior and Local Government Secretary and National Police Commission chairperson Benjamin Abalos Jr. for his subsequent endorsement to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“Moreover, the Group aims to culminate the screening process earlier than the imposed 90-day period. However expeditious the process may be, fairness, objectivity and due diligence in the conduct of the review proceedings is always observed,” Maranan said. Okubo expressed gratitude to the SAF personnel for their unwavering support during his term.

He also thanked the PNP leadership for the opportunity to lead the elite unit and for their trust and confidence in him.

2, 3, 4B, 11, 12, and National Capital Region (NCR), while one case was classified as from a Returning Overseas Filipino (ROF). The Health department said among the 33 recently reported XBB cases, one case was a ROF while 32 were local cases from Regions 3, 4B, 11, 12, and Caraga (including three XBB.1.5 cases). It added that all additional XBC cases were local cases from Regions 4B, 11, and 12. Omicron subvariants under World Health Organization monitoring are BF.7, BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5, and XBF as of February 9. Willie Casas

Malamawi (FPB-2403) and some civilian motorized boats in the area to the said distressed vessel resulted to the safe transfer of 88 passengers to a SuperCat watercraft M/V St. Camael which subsequently ferried the said passengers to Pier 5, Port of Cebu, Cebu City,” Naval Forces Central public affairs office chief Lt. Michael John B. Savillo said.

Meanwhile, 14 other driver-passengers volunteered to remain onboard to look after their vehicles.

Savillo said the Naval Forces Central remains committed to providing responsive and effective assistance at-sea to ensure the safety and protection of all Filipinos.

dialogue between parents and children, capacitate both parents and their children to effectively express themselves and engage in healthy and affirmative conversations with passion.” She also urged families and communities to take initiatives supporting effective communication within families. I am aware that there are many Non-Government and Civic Society Groups that voluntarily provide services supporting the promotion and welfare of families.

Robes earlier filed a measure declaring the month of February as the “Buwan ng Nag-uusap na Pamilya”, to raise mental health awareness among family members.

She said that in San Jose del Monte alone she and her husband Mayor Arthur Robes already launched a project called “One-Like-For-Life”, a community campaign organized with doctors, nurses, psychologist and other mental health practitioners which provided counseling to the youth and children.

“There is, therefore, a need to provide avenues to bring families to talk again,” she added. Maricel V. Cruz

PBBM GRACES CABLE TV CONGRESS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. graces the ongoing Federation of International Cable TV and Telecommunications Association of the Philippines (FICTAP) 23 rd Congress and Exhibit at the Manila Hotel. Alfred Frias

MISS

Mitzy Gil, national director of Miss Global Universe Philippines and Mayor Kevin Anarna crown Jhan Nicole Ambata of Silang, Cavite as this year’s winner of the Miss Global Universe Philippines pageant in ceremonies held at the town’s new municipal hall. Dennis Abrina

AIRPORT SECURITY CHECK. An airport security personnel checks the documents of passengers entering the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 as the  Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) enforces a “no pocket policy” following the arrest of an employee for alleged theft of a passenger’s wrist watch. Danny Pata

Transfigured in suffering

OUR Christian faith views suffering as an intrinsic part of the human experience due to the existence of sin and brokenness in the world.

Nonetheless, it also holds a distinct perspective on suffering, recognizing that it can have a redemptive purpose in one’s life.

We Christians believe Jesus Christ underwent immense suffering, including physical torture, rejection, and death on the cross.

Through his suffering and death, they believe Jesus atoned for humanity’s sins and paved the way to eternal life.

Moreover, we believe that suffering can help one develop faith and foster a deeper relationship with God. It can also instill empathy and compassion towards others who are undergoing hardship.

Christians are called to share one another’s burdens and console those who are suffering, following the example of Jesus Christ. Suffering is not the final chapter.

In the name of brotherhood

innocent prospects.

journey. He spoke of the hope and joy that arise from the resurrection of Christ and urged those who were suffering to hold fast to this hope, knowing that their pain and struggles would ultimately be transformed into glory.

In his message during the First Annual World Day of the Sick which he instituted during his pontificate in October 1992, Pope John Paul II,now Saint Pope John Paul II, said we always see the sick and suffering, very sad images of individuals and whole peoples who, lacerated by war and conflicts, succumb under the weight of easily avoidable calamities.

It is difficult to turn our gaze from the imploring faces of so many human beings, especially children, reduced to a shell of their former selves by hardships of every kind in which they are caught up against their will because of selfishness and violence.

We cannot forget either all those who at health-care facilities — hospitals, clinics, leprosariums, centers for the disabled, nursing homes — or in their own dwellings undergo the calvary of sufferings which are often neglected, not always suitably relieved, and sometimes even aggravated by a lack of adequate support, the Holy Father added.

WHAT do fraternities exist for?

Promising assistance and support when needed, belongingness, and brotherly love, fraternities continue to thrive and multiply through the years.

But what happens when that promise of affection instead brings death to someone in what the members call family?

Hazing, an often-deadly initiation ritual conducted by fraternities, led to numerous deaths of innocent students seeking camaraderie into the fold of these violence-marred organizations luring members in the name of brotherhood.

There’s this so-called anti-hazing law but it has not been proactively implemented.

Young people are still dying. A senator, himself a member of a popular fraternity, has called on his fellow lawmakers to re-visit the law.

The anti-hazing law is rendered inutile because it does not nip the bud of the problem.

Some fraternity groups are notorious

By Mathias Cena

The law should be harsh to deter violence in schools which are supposed to be a house of education and not a center of recruitment for sadistic gangs masquerading as brotherhood organizations

for provoking clashes against frat rivals. In some instances, they prey on hapless students who don’t have any frat connections. While some schools have declared a ban on fraternities inside their campuses, there is a lax implementation that frat members can still freely recruit

What’s worse is that there are teachers who are senior frat members themselves and are responsible for recruiting their students.

The death due to the hazing of a student from Adamson University and another from the University of Cebu have put the anti-hazing to the test once again. Is it really working to make our sons and daughters safe in school?

The law should start with identifying gangster-type fraternities from the real civic-centered organizations and those which have a history of violence should be banned, as in totally banned.

A mere mention of the frat’s name or mere possession of its insignia should cause an investigation by the school and subsequent expulsion.

And no teacher or school official should be a member of any banned fraternity group.

The law should be harsh to deter violence in schools which are supposed to be a house of education and not a center of recruitment for sadistic gangs masquerading as brotherhood organizations.

Japan’s rare intimacy coordinators in demand after abuse scandals

‘Lack of solidarity’

Christ’s resurrection engenders hope and pledges that one day all suffering and pain will be vanquished.

During his pontificate, Pope John Paul II addressed illness on numerous occasions, providing solace and guidance to those who were struggling with physical and emotional distress.

In a particularly poignant homily delivered during a Mass for the sick in 2004, the Pope reminded those present that illness can serve as a powerful reminder of our dependence on God and our interconnectedness as human beings.

He acknowledged while illness can elicit feelings of isolation and hopelessness, it can also offer opportunities for spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of God’s love.

The Pope stressed the significance of caring for the sick and vulnerable, not only as a way of serving Christ, but also as a means of strengthening the human community.

He implored all those in attendance to extend love, compassion, and practical support to those who were suffering.

Throughout his homily, Pope John Paul II emphasized the inherent dignity of every person, even in the midst of illness and adversity.

He encouraged those present to view themselves as members of a unified body, connected through Christ and bound together by love.

Finally, the Pope conveyed that illness does not represent the end of the

According to the Holy Father, illness, which in everyday experience is perceived as a frustration of the natural life force, for believers becomes an appeal to “read” the new, difficult situation in the perspective which is proper to faith.

He then asked difficult questions, like, how can we discover in the moment of trial the constructive contribution of pain?

How can we give meaning and value to the anguish, unease, and physical and psychic ills accompanying our mortal condition?

What justification can we find for the decline of old age and the final goal of death, which, in spite of all scientific and technological progress, inexorably remains?

For the Holy Father, satisfactory answers can only be found in Christ, the incarnate Word, Redeemer of mankind, and victor over death.

In his Apostolic Letter Salvifici doloris, in the light of Christ’s death and resurrection, illness no longer appears as an exclusively negative event; rather, it is seen as a “visit by God,” an opportunity “to release love, in order to neighbor to works of love towards neighbor, in order to transform the whole of human civilization into a civilization of love.”

Those of us who are sick and/ or suffering, through faith, can be transfigured as the apostles were in the gospel tomorrow, the Second Sunday of Lent.

Let our hearts be grateful for that grace.

ON A set outside Tokyo, Momoko Nishiyama sits with the drama’s director and watches as a man undresses a woman, guiding the love scene as one of just two “intimacy coordinators” in Japan.

The country’s film and television industry has been hit by a string of recent sexual abuse allegations that have led to apologies and movies being pulled.

But while Hollywood has embraced intimacy coordinators in the wake of the #MeToo movement, they are still relatively new in Japan, where public reaction to the latest scandals has been muted.

“In the United States, everyone knows what an intimacy coordinator is, but in Japan, I have to start by explaining what it is that I do, and that I’m not the director’s enemy,” Nishiyama told AFP.

The 43-year-old’s recent projects include a TV series with multiple intimate scenes.

On set, she confers with the director and observes actors, advising them how to move and adjusting their outfits.

But her work starts well before anyone shouts “action”, beginning with a close read of the script.

“I say to the director: ‘Here it says A embraces B, will it go further than that?’ or ‘What clothes will the actors be wearing?

How undressed will they get?’” Nishiyama explained.

She then meets privately with each actor to determine their boundaries.

“This is a scene without a bra. If we don’t show your chest, are you okay with it?” is one question she might ask.

For 23-year-old actor Asuka Kawazu, Nishiyama offers reassurance.

“Her presence made discussions easier,” she told AFP.

Without an intimacy coordinator, “a case could arise where we agree on something, but then when shooting we realise we’re going much further than we had planned,” she said.

Despite several high-profile allegations, the #MeToo movement was less pervasive in Japan than in some other developed countries.

But Nishiyama has seen demand for her services increase after multiple accusations of sexual harassment and abuse in her industry.

Some of the allegations prompted a group of directors including celebrated auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda to call for change, but the reaction from other professionals in the field was more subdued.

Miwa Nishikawa, who is part of the group,

preparing

gathers props

keep

while protecting actors

told AFP the directors “were shocked” both by the accusations and the industry’s inaction.

“Unlike in the West or South Korea where the #MeToo movement took hold, the Japanese industry wasn’t able to change.”

“I think it shows a lack of solidarity between workers in the industry, where there is no organization to unite and protect them,” she said.

The group hoped its statement “would make it easier for people to speak out”, said Nishikawa.

The directors back the use of intimacy coordinators, though Nishikawa cautions that won’t be enough to end abuse off-set.

Still, their presence shows that “the safety

Lent, a 40-day season of prayer

observed by Christ or His apostles.

moves from the winter solstice toward the spring equinox.

IN PREDOMINANTLY Christian

Philippines (population 114 million) – from as far north as Batanes to the villages of Mindanao which were baptized into the Cross, Lent has become a major portion of the people’s tradition and culture.

Lent, whose last week is popularly known as Semana Santa, is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and alms giving that began on February 22, Ash Wednesday, and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday, April 6.

On the first day of this period of preparation to celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter, many Christians— the Catholics and Aglipayans included— allow the priest to mark their foreheads with ash in the shape of a cross, fast or abstain from certain foods or physical pleasures for 40 days. The word “Lent” comes from the old English “lencten” which means “spring.”

In Middle English the words lenten, lente, lent are derived; related to the Dutch, lente, the German, Lenz, also meaning “spring.”

In Old German lenzin, lengizin, and lenzo are related words, which probably comes from the same root as “long” and referring to “the lengthening days,” as the earth

Why is Lent 40 days?

In Genesis, the flood which destroyed the earth was brought about by 40 days and nights of rain.

The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness before reaching the promised land. Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Jesus spent 40 days praying and fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry.

For many Christians, Lent is a time where they make space to pray, read the Bible and reflect on God’s love. This collection of Lent scriptures remind us that when we seek God, we will find Him.

For Lent, violet is the liturgical color and the color too of the stole worn by the priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Violet is a somber color which symbolizes, according to theologians, mourning, suffering, humility, regret, and the willingness to do penance, particularly fasting.

For some Catholics the prospect of 40 days of giving up something can be

disconcerting..

Unlike New Year’s, Epiphany, Christmas, Halloween, St. Valentine’s Day and other pagan holidays celebrated by the secular, non-religious world, Lent is observed by zealous religious believers.

Some Church observers say people who observe Lent may be religious, dedicated and sincere—“but they are sincerely wrong.”

Some propose an examination of Lent, its practices and customs, its historic and religious origins,and its true meaning from the Bible’s perspective, not from the “traditions of men” (Mark 7:7-9).

Some Bible scholars say Lent was never

He commanded them to “Go you, therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).

These scholars say Jesus never commanded them to observe Lent or Easter.

But he commanded them to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.

In fact, during His last Passover on earth, Christ gave detailed instructions on how to observe the Passover service. He also instituted new Passover symbols (John 13:1-17).

Many theologians say Lent was not observed by the first century Church.

It was first addressed by the Church at Rome during the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, when Emperor Constantine officially recognized that Church as the Roman Empire’s state religion.

Any other brand of Christianity that held to doctrines contrary to the Roman church was considered an enemy of the state.

In A.D. 360, the Council of Laodicea officially commanded Lent to be observed.

Originally, people did not observe Lent for more than a week. Some kept it for one or two days.

and dignity of actors and staff” are more protected.

“That can create an atmosphere that discourages harassment.”

She and her fellow directors also want sensitivity training and industry guidelines for casting and shooting, warning that otherwise “incidents and accidents” will keep happening.

Modesty garments

On set in Tokyo, director Kenji Kuwashima is happy having Nishiyama there, and sees her as “defending both parties”.

“In the end, everyone wants the same thing: to make the best production possible,” he told AFP.

“Until now, relations were much more top-down, with the director saying ‘do this’, but it’s become more equal and both sides benefit.”

When preparing to go on set, Nishiyama gathers props that help keep scenes realistic while protecting actors.

She’s never without a range of silicone patches that prevent contact between intimate parts of the body, as well as “maebari” – a made-to-measure modesty garment.

From a bag she pulls out a collection of underwear ranging from panties to thongs in different skin tone shades.

“I’ve always got about 30 with me,” she said, laughing.

Nishiyama started her career as a production coordinator, mainly for Japanese shoots abroad, and took up her current role after an intensive online US training course.

The rising demand for her services suggests “things are changing, little by little”, she said.

But she admits feeling “a little powerless” to hear that some industry players accused of abuse have continued to work unchallenged.

“There are people who want to change things, and there are more and more film sets with a healthy atmosphere. But I think that things must change more.” AFP

Others kept it for 40 consecutive hours, falsely believing only 40 hours had elapsed between Christ’s death and resurrection.

Eventually, it became a 40-day period of fasting or abstaining from certain foods.

As the largest predominantly Catholic nation in Asia, Filipinos regard the Lent as one of the most important religious events when their religiosity is at its high as depicted in various traditions.

During Holy Week, Christians recall the events leading up to Jesus’ death by crucifixion and, according to their faith, His Resurrection.

The week includes five days of special significance. The first is Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ humble entry on a donkey into Jerusalem to observe Passover.

Holy Week is the most important week in the Church’s year, which chronicles the Lord’s Passion, the final period of Christ’s life in Jerusalem.

It is a time when Catholics celebrate His life, death and resurrection, remember His actions, reflect on His messages and recommit to living as His disciples in the world today.

When

to go on set, Nishiyama

that help

scenes realistic

Those of us who are sick and/or suffering, through faith, can be transfigured as the apostles were in the gospel tomorrow, the Second Sunday of Lent

Scholz to weigh next steps for Ukraine

BERLIN — US President Joe Biden hosts German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on Friday for talks on charting the way ahead in their support for Ukraine, after friction over tank deliveries to Kyiv.

Scholz’s first trip to Washington since February 2022 offers the leaders the opportunity to demonstrate their resolve in backing Ukraine against Russia.

But the talks will likely delve into thorny issues dividing the two, including Germany’s fears over Washington’s green subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act, and US caution over Berlin’s continued strong economic ties with Beijing.

“I think the two of them are now more concerned about the way ahead -- what will the next months in Ukraine look like?

What does that mean for the support that the allies can organise for Ukraine?” said Scholz’s spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.

They will “certainly discuss one or two other topics”, he said, but added that he did not wish to mention them.

In an address to parliament on the

eve of the meeting, Scholz said the two countries’ partnership was “closer and more trusting than ever”.

As the war in Ukraine entered its second year, Scholz also offered a hint at the ongoing ruminations among allies.

“We are speaking with Kyiv and other partners over future security guarantees for Ukraine,” he told the Bundestag. But the chancellor’s visit also comes after a period of tensions, namely over the delivery of modern battle tanks sought by officials in Kyiv, which was finally agreed to at the end of January.

- ‘Alliance unity’ -

In an extraordinary admission of the friction between the two of the biggest armaments suppliers to Ukraine, US national security advisor Jake Sullivan told broadcaster ABC News on Sunday that Germany had said no Leopard tanks would be sent “until the president also agreed to send Abrams”.

Biden relented “in the interests of (NATO) alliance unity and to ensure that Ukraine got what it wanted”, Sullivan said. AFP

China’s Xi to secure third term as president, brushes off crises

BEIJING Xi Jinping will secure a third term as China’s president at a rubber-stamp parliament that starts this weekend, enjoying unchallengeable status despite criticism over his handling of Covid and the economy.

Xi is certain to be reappointed as president after he locked in another five years as head of the Communist Party (CCP) and the military — the two more

significant leadership positions in Chinese politics — in October.

Since then, 69-year-old Xi has faced unexpected challenges and scrutiny over his leadership, with mass protests over his zero-Covid policy and its subsequent abandonment that saw countless people die.

But those issues are almost certain to be avoided at the National People’s Congress (NPC), a carefully choreographed event that will also see the unveiling of an ally of Xi as the new premier.

Starting on Sunday, the NPC is expected to last around 10 days and

culminate with Xi’s presidency being endorsed by the 3,000 delegates casting votes in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

“Public opinion is probably not very good about him — zero-Covid has damaged people’s faith,” said Alfred Muluan Wu, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Yet Xi still enjoys a “pretty strong” position at the top of the party that makes him virtually unchallengeable, Wu said.

China maintained some of the world’s strictest Covid curbs until late last year, pounding growth and social life under

Lawyer found guilty of killing wife, son

WASHINGTON

A US jury on Thursday found disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son on their hunting estate in a trial that has drawn global attention.

a constant barrage of testing mandates, quarantines, and travel restrictions that Xi himself championed.

Public resentment exploded in November into the most widespread public demonstrations for decades, followed by the rapid dismantling of the policy and a maelstrom of infections and deaths that went mostly unreported by authorities.

The country is still tentatively emerging from the outbreak, after three years in which business, employment and even education were subjugated to the government’s demand to shut out the virus at any cost. AFP

WAGON DEBRIS.

UNITED NATIONS — The world cannot recover from a spate of crises if its poorest nations are forgotten, the UN envoy for the least developed countries told Agence FrancePresse AFP ahead of a key summit.

The 1.2 billion people that comprise the planet’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs) are “possibly bearing the heaviest brunt” of coronavirus, climate catastrophes and Russia’s war in Ukraine, said Rabab Fatima.

“The Covid-19 pandemic took back the development progress, especially on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) for the LDCs by a decade or more,” said the Bangladeshi diplomat, making a plea ahead of a conference on their development in Doha starting this weekend.

“If we really want to turn the tide, and to see to it that they can be brought back onto track to achieve the SDGs, especially in this final decade of action, we have to invest more efforts and resources to the LDCs,” added the high representative.

UN member states adopted 17 SDGs in 2015, including the aim of achieving food security, eliminating poverty, and providing access to clean and affordable energy by 2030.

“There can be no sustainable recovery, there can be no Agenda 2030 to celebrate in 2030, if those who are furthest behind are left behind,” said Fatima.

While she hopes traditional donor countries will come to Doha with “concrete commitments,” she emphasizes that it is in poorer countries’ interest not to be so dependent on official aid.

We need to “support them in building the resilience against future such shocks,” Fatima insisted.

The fifth UN Conference on Least Developed Countries runs from March 5 to 9.

The aim is to “build the structure and capacity of the LDCs themselves so that the aid dependence can be reduced (and) their capacity for trade and investment, enhanced,” Fatima said, giving the example of her native Bangladesh. - ‘Potential’ -

“It has now been able to achieve food security (and) grow enough rice, food to feed 165 million people. They have moved into services and manufacturing and have emerged as the second largest exporter of readymade garments in the world after China,” she noted. AFP

PORT VILA, Vanuatu — The Pacific nation of Vanuatu was under a state of emergency

Friday, after two earthquakes and two cyclones hit in as many days. As the country cleared roads and restored power lines cut by Cyclone Judy, residents were jolted early Friday by twin earthquakes and told to hunker down for a second approaching storm -- Cyclone Kevin.

“It’s crazy, Vanuatu is used to natural disasters, but I think this is the first time it has

KUALA LUMPUR — A Malaysian court acquitted jailed former prime minister Najib Razak of a corruption charge on Friday but he will continue to serve a 12year prison term from another case. High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan said state prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove their case that Najib tampered with an official audit report on scandal-wracked state fund 1MDB for his benefit.

had two cyclones back to back,” UNICEF’s Eric Durpaire told AFP. Authorities have reported no casualties from Cyclone Judy, which tore off roofs, flooded roads and uprooted countless trees. Hundreds of people remain in emergency evacuation centres in the capital Port Vila, according to police, and some parts of the capital have been without power for two days. No casualties were immediately reported

Najib’s co-accused, former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was also acquitted.

“The first accused (Arul Kanda) is discharged and acquitted from the charge. The second accused (Najib) is discharged and acquitted against the charge made against him,” the judge said in court.

The charge dismissed Friday — which carried up to 20 years in jail on

Police and emergency crews examine the debris of a crushed wagon on the second day after a train accident in the Tempi Valley near Larissa, Greece, March 2. At least 46 people were killed and another 85 injured after a collision between two trains caused a derailment near the Greek city of Larissa late at night on February 28, authorities said. AFP

Scion of an elite South Carolina family of judges and attorneys, Murdaugh, 54, was described as having killed his son Paul with a shotgun and his wife Maggie with the assault rifle Paul used for hunting wild pigs on the family’s sprawling property.

Following the reading of the verdict, which the jury reached after less than three hours, the defence requested a mistrial which Judge Clifton Newman quickly denied.

“The evidence of guilt is overwhelming,” Newman said.

Murdaugh, who wore a blazer and showed little emotion, was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs, concluding a complex case that has often touched on the bizarre.

The jury heard how Murdaugh murdered his family members on June 7, 2021 after realizing his years of stealing millions from his law firm and from clients to feed his hidden opioid addiction was about to go public. AFP

Massive fire engulfs HK high-rise build site

HONG KONG — A skyscraper under construction in the heart of a historic Hong Kong shopping and tourist district was left scorched on Friday by a massive fire, with authorities saying the blaze had been largely extinguished.

An AFP journalist at the scene saw blackened concrete walls and the tattered remains of bamboo-and-tarpaulin scaffolding around the building on Friday morning, as municipal workers swept roads clean of debris. Officials said the fire in Tsim Sha Tsui on the city’s harbourfront was “largely put out” by 8:30 am local time (00:30 GMT) on Friday, nine hours after it first erupted.

A major section of the neighbourhood’s Nathan Road thoroughfare — one of Hong Kong’s main transport lifelines — had been shut, authorities said, causing traffic disruptions. No casualties were reported with two people treated for minor injuries, the fire department said. Police told AFP that 170 people from nearby residential blocks were relocated to a safe distance as embers fell to the ground.

AFP

from Friday’s 6.5 and 5.4 magnitude quakes. But the situation on outlying islands remained unclear.

“People on (Espiritu) Santo felt the earthquake, but couldn’t go outside to assess the damage because of the high winds,” Dickinson Tevi, secretary general of the Vanuatu Red Cross Society told AFP.

“They told me they didn’t sleep well as the earthquake hit when they were already awake from the cyclone.” AFP

conviction — focused on allegations that Najib used his position to order a report on the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund by the government’s official audit body to be altered in February 2016.

The changes were aimed at exonerating him from any criminal liability, according to the charge. He was allegedly assisted by Arul Kanda, who was president and chief executive of the fund at the time. AFP

US, EU pledge billions in ocean aid at int’l gab

PANAMA CITY — A global conference to save the world’s oceans kicked off Thursday in Panama with urgent calls to adopt an international protection treaty, along with billions of dollars in US and EU pledges for research, monitoring and conservation.

Political and business leaders, environmental activists and academics at the two-day conference are grappling with how best to address a multitude of threats facing the oceans — from climate change and pollution to overfishing and mining.

The Our Ocean Conference is “so incredibly important because it is a conference that is focused on action, not on talk. It’s about real commitments and real solutions,” White House climate envoy John Kerry said at the meeting’s opening.

The former secretary of state announced US commitments of nearly $6 billion across 77 projects to protect the high seas in 2023, including technical cooperation to facilitate “green shipping corridors”. AFP

PHNOM PENH — A Cambodian court on Friday sentenced top opposition leader Kem Sokha to 27 years in jail for treason, in a case rights groups say is politically motivated. Kem Sokha was the joint founder of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party and has long been a foe of Hun Sen — Asia’s longest-serving leader.

“Kem Sokha... is sentenced to 27 years in prison on the charge of collusion with foreigners committed in Cambodia and other places,” Judge Koy Sao said at the court in Phnom Penh. Immediately after the verdict, the 69-year-old was placed under house arrest, where he will be banned from meeting anyone who is not a family member.

He has one month to appeal the conviction and jail sentence, Ang Udom, a lawyer for Kem Sokha told reporters. The court also stripped him of his right to vote and barred him from running for political office.

Arrested in 2017 in a midnight swoop involving hundreds of security forces, Kem Sokha was accused of hatching a “secret plan” in collusion with foreign entities to topple the government of longtime ruler Hun Sen. He has repeatedly denied the charges against him.

Critics say Hun Sen has wound back democratic freedoms and used the courts to stifle opponents, jailing scores of opposition activists and human rights defenders. AFP

SCHOOL CLASH. Demonstrating students and university security clash as they attempt to gain entry to the Great Hall at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) in Johannesburg on March 2. The students were protesting what they allege is a lack of adequate support from the university for unhoused students and those with outstanding fees. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

DRAGON FLIGHT. This timed exposure image shows the trail of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft as it lifts off from pad 39A for the Crew-6 mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early on March 2. AFP

Stocks advance on smaller rate hike hopes

pressure on equities.

TOP GAINERS

LOCAL stocks tracked a Wall Street rally on Friday after a top Federal Reserve official said he would back a small interest-rate hike at its next meeting but hinted at a possible summer pause to see how tighter policy has impacted inflation.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 32 points, or 0.50 percent, to close at 6,655.37 as five of the six subsectors advanced, with only the

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

property shares losing value.

The broader index representing all shares also went up 15 points, or 0.43 percent, to settle at 3,564.42 on a value turnover of P6.48 billion. Gainers led losers, 84 to 73, while 52 issues were unchanged.

Seven of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Metro Pacific Investments Corp. which climbed 7.40 percent to P4.50 and Bank of the Philippine Islands which added 3.65 percent to finish at P107.90.

Meanwhile, the peso appreciated 0.35 percent to close at 54.82 against the US dollar Friday from 55.01 Thursday.

Asian markets also recovered Friday.

A strong run of data sent chills through

Ericsson to pay $207m for breach of US bribery deal

STOCKHOLM,

Sweden—Swedish

telecom equipment maker Ericsson has said it will pay a $207-million fine for breaching a deal with US authorities by not disclosing an investigation relating to suspected bribes to the Islamic State group in Iraq.

The company entered “a guilty plea regarding previously deferred charges relating to conduct prior to 2017,” for not disclosing an internal 2019 investigation relating under a 2019 Deferred Prosecution Agreement, it said in a statement late Thursday.

“The entry of the plea agreement will bring the 2019 DPA to an end,” the company said of the 195 million euro fine.

The Swedish company had already announced in January that it had earmarked 2.3 billion kronor ($220 million) to cover potential fines over the issue, which would be booked in the fourth quarter of 2022.

It had already agreed in 2019 to pay $1 billion in penalties to US authorities to close corruption cases in Djibouti, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Kuwait.

Ericsson said it had entered the deferred prosecution agreement “to resolve previously disclosed Foreign Corrupt Practices Act [FCPA] violations relating to conduct in several countries between 2010 and 2016.”

The company said that since its deal the US Department of Justice (DOJ) had “not alleged or charged” Ericsson with any new criminal conduct, and said the new fine related only to a failure to disclose documents to the DOJ in a timely manner.

“This resolution is a stark reminder of the historical misconduct that led to the DPA. We have learned from that and we are on an important journey to transform our culture,” Ericsson’s chief executive Borje Ekholm said in the statement. AFP

trading floors in February -- wiping out almost all January’s rally—as investors realized the US central bank had more work to do to control prices.

The unease largely overshadowed optimism about China’s recovery after officials ended three years of strict zeroCovid containment measures that battered the world’s number two economy.

Several Fed policymakers have lined up this year to insist that while inflation is coming down, they remain determined to keep hiking rates until they hit their two percent target.

The latest indicators have led investors to bet on rates hitting a peak of 5.5 percent, though six percent has also been mooted, putting further downward

UAE’s ADNOC Gas to raise $2.5b from biggest IPO in 2023

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—

The UAE’s state oil giant ADNOC said it will raise about $2.5 billion in a flotation of its gas business—the world’s biggest IPO this year—as it announced final pricing on Friday.

The ADNOC Gas offering was set at 2.37 dirhams ($0.65) per share, towards the top of its range, implying a market capitalization of about $50 billion, the company said in a statement.

Total demand topped $124 billion, making it more than 50 times oversubscribed, ADNOC added, calling it the biggest demand yet seen for an initial public offering in the Middle East and North Africa.

The offer was expanded from 4.0 percent to 5.0 percent this week in

reaction to demand.

ADNOC Gas, hived off from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) at the start of this year, is expected to start trading on the UAE capital’s stock exchange on March 13.

“ADNOC is delighted with the unprecedented demand for ADNOC Gas shares from UAE retail investors as well as the local and global institutional investor community,” ADNOC Group CEO Khaled Al Zaabi said in the statement.

ADNOC, one of the world’s largest oil producers and the Gulf monarchy’s key revenue earner, will retain a 90 percent stake in the subsidiary formed from its former gas processing, LNG, and industrial gas

units.

The rapid turnaround of the ADNOC Gas IPO follows increased activity in the market following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent European countries scrambling to find alternative suppliers.

Gas is also being touted as a cleaner fuel as countries around the world strive to reduce their emissions in an attempt to contain global warming.

“The strong demand for the IPO reflects a number of factors, including the important role that gas will play globally as a cleaner transition fuel and the strong demand outlook from Europe,” Monika Malek, chief economist at UAE bank ADCB, told AFP. AFP

However, while talk has been swirling that the central bank could hike rates by 50 basis points at its March meeting, traders were given some much-needed hope by Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic, who said he favored a 25-point move.

He also questioned whether it should go much higher than 5.25 percent from the current 4.5-4.75 percent. That would allow the bank to pause its tightening in the summer.

“I let the data guide me,” he said. “If the data continue to come in suggesting the economy is stronger than I had projected, I’ll adjust my policy trajectory.” With AFP

China setting lowest growth target in years

BEIJING—China will likely set one of the country’s lowest growth goals in decades at the annual National People’s Congress next week, experts told AFP, hit by long-running property woes, a sluggish global economy, and geopolitical tensions.

Thousands of party delegates from across China will converge in Beijing for a rubber stamp conclave set to confirm key personnel appointments and make policy for the coming year.

Among the first declarations is expected to be a target for gross domestic product growth over the coming 12 months, announced by outgoing Premier Li Keqiang at Sunday’s opening ceremony.

Last year, the economy expanded just three percent, one of its weakest in decades on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, and a real estate crisis.

And economists surveyed by AFP predicted goals for 2023 will be conservative, expecting policymakers to aim for 5.3 percent, one of the lowest targets in decades.

China’s housing market, which along with construction accounts for more than a quarter of GDP, remains in a slump, having been dealt a hefty blow since Beijing started cracking down on excessive borrowing and rampant speculation in 2020.

Real estate sales have since fallen in multiple cities and several developers are struggling to survive, while many homebuyers last year refused to pay mortgages on incomplete properties.

“Sales, commencements, and prices are all lower,” Moody’s economist Harry Murphy Cruise said.

“Property developer defaults in late 2021 left more than a million pre-sold homes unfinished, spooking households, and prompting many to turn their back on the market.” AFP

TikTok closing in on Netflix on app time spent by US adults

SAN FRANCISCO, United States—TikTok is closing in on streaming giant Netflix when it comes to the amount of time US adults spend on the platforms, according to a report released Thursday by Insider Intelligence.

TikTok use eclipsed that of YouTube two years ago and has continued to grow faster than the Google-owned video-sharing platform, particularly among US adults in their prime earning years, the report indicated.

“The amount of time US adult TikTok users spend on the app is rising quickly,” the market tracker said in the report.

“It’s well ahead of YouTube user time and closing the gap with Netflix.”

TikTok is proving particularly addictive for US adults ranging from age 25 to 54 years old, according to Insider Intelligence.

US adult users will spend an average of nearly 56 minutes per day on TikTok this year, six minutes less than the time spent watching Netflix, the market tracker forecast.

“TikTok is a huge reason for the sustained growth in overall time spent with social networks since the pandemic,” the report said.

“TikTok users ages 18 to 24 are watching the equivalent of a full-

Meanwhile, time spent by “millennials and Gen X” watching traditional television is falling and it is likely many TV viewers are “second-screening” with TikTok, according to the report.

A panel of US lawmakers voted

this week to advance a bill that would make it easier to ban Chinese-owned video sharing app TikTok, amid criticism that the proposal threatens free speech.

The Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries (DATA) Act passed the Republican-led House Foreign Affairs Committee on a par-

Lille, northern

ty-line vote but will face opposition from free speech campaigners and Democrats when it

up for vote in the full House and Senate. TikTok

owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, which is being scrutinized in multiple countries over privacy and surveillance concerns. AFP

CUBAN CIGAR. Employees organize cigars at the Partagas cigar factory in Havana on March 2, 2023. The 23rd edition of the Habano Festival being held in Cuba ends on March 3. AFP

This file photo taken on March 24, 2022 shows the logo of networking application TikToK displayed on a tablet in

France. AFP length comedy movie on the app every day.”

comes

is

BUSINESS

Customs surpasses collection target

By Julito G. Rada

THE Bureau of Customs surpassed its revenue target of P124.738 billion in the first two months by collecting P133.380 billion on improved collection efficiency, a top official said Friday.

The agency said that in February, it also exceeded the P61.827-billion target by raising P63.015 billion from import duties. This was also higher than P59.433 billion registered in the same month last year.

“We will continue to innovate and implement sustainable reforms to boost the bureau’s collection efficiency, which will contribute to the expansion

IN BRIEF

PAVI set to commission 20-MW solar project

PRIME Asset Ventures Inc. said Friday it will start the testing and commissioning of its 20-megawatt solar project in Orion, Bataan this month.

The Bataan solar project under PAVI Green

Renewable Energy Inc. forms part of PAVI’s commitment to construct 1,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

PAVI Green is a fast-emerging renewable energy player and serves as the green arm of PAVI founded by Manuel Paolo Villar.

“The newly completed plant will be operational by March 2023 and will contribute greatly to the energy supply in some areas of Luzon, one of the country’s major industrialization and investment hubs,” said PAVI Green chief operating officer Robert Pereja.

The Bataan solar plant will generate enough energy to power up to 5,000 households once fully operational. Alena Mae S. Flores

DA, Nestle to roll out Robusta coffee project

THE Department of Agriculture and Nestlé Philippines Inc. teamed up to roll out the Mindanao Robusta Coffee Project to enhance the sustainability of Robusta coffee farming in the region by improving the farmers’ access to farm inputs, training and market opportunities.

Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban and Nestlé Philippines chairman and chief executive Kais Marzouki signed the memorandum of understanding for the project implementation on March 1, 2023.

“I thank everybody, most especially Nestlé, for embarking on a program that we all know is very important to Filipino farmers and the country. All of us will work together as one and I hope that this will be the start of a long activity that we shall be undertaking as far as the coffee industry is concerned,” Panganiban said. The project will primarily benefit Mindanao Robusta coffee farmers who are practicing monocropping and intercropping in coconut areas and other diversified farming systems suitable for coffee production.

“We are aligned with the DA in improving farmer productivity, profitability and sustainability. We also believe that it is time to go beyond sustainability. This is why we are channeling efforts to ramp up farmers’ understanding and adoption of regenerative agriculture practices like composting, intercropping, cover cropping and agroforestry. Doing these will enhance their livelihood and resilience to the effects of climate change,” Marzouki said.

Othel V. Campos

Demand for tablets seen gradually slowing down

THE tablet market in the Philippines is expected to gradually slow down this year, as most schools returned to in-person classes and businesses resumed operations under the new normal, according to International Data Corp.’s Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. IDC anticipates commercial tablet shipments to gradually return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 as local government units and enterprises are no longer encouraged to donate tablets to schools.

Despite new vendors entering the market, IDC expects consumer tablets to contract under unfavorable market conditions that will prompt existing players to operate conservatively. Based on IDC’s latest report, tablet shipments to the Philippines grew 6.5 percent year-on-year to 1.24 million units in 2022 from 1.17 million units 2021.

“Both Samsung and Cherry Mobile continued to dominate the tablet market space accounting for more than half of the total annual shipments the last three years since the pandemic started in 2020. Both brands greatly benefitted from the Department of Education’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan prompting mass procurement among DepEd Divisions and concerned LGUs,” said IDC senior market analyst Angela Medez. Othel V. Campos

and recovery of our national economy,”

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said in a statement.

“For this to be possible, we will also prioritize fostering a healthier trade environment through enhanced and modernized mechanisms for efficient trade facilitation and improved Customs operations for all our stakeholders,” he said.

Collections by the BOC climbed to

P862.4 billion (net of P4.8 billion tax refund) in 2022, outperforming the P643.6 billion raised in 2021 by 34.01 percent or P218.9 billion. The figure was also 19.53 percent or P140.9 billion above the P721.5 billion 2022 target.

The agency said the robust revenue performance was supported by efforts to ensure the recovery of deficient duties and taxes, improve tax compliance, tariffs on rice imports and public auctions of overstaying cargo. It said the December 2022 revenue of P73.2 billion was also up by 21.40 percent or P12.9 billion from a year earlier.

Aligned with the overarching directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Rubio leads the Customs in boosting revenue collection, enhancing trade facilitation and strengthening border

protection while upholding good governance and curbing corruption. Meanwhile, the Customs’ Port of Subic foiled over 30,000 sacks of misdeclared refined sugar worth P150 million on March 2 in Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales province. District collector Maritess Martin issued pre-lodgement control orders and alert orders following derogatory information from the Department of Agriculture about the subject shipments. Acting on the report received, Rubio, with Port of Subic District collector Martin, Agriculture assistant secretary James Layug and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Rolen Paulino led the examination of 58 containers which yielded more than 30,000 sacks of misdeclared re-

fined sugar with an estimated value of P150 million.

The BOC said it would issue a warrant of seizure and detention against the subject containers for violation of Republic Act 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Sugar Regulatory Authority and BOC Joint Memorandum Order No. 04-2002.

The Customs also examined two containers of squid rings where they found several misdeclared assorted frozen meat products valued for P40 million.

“The BOC continues to maximize its intelligence resources and intensify enforcement measures to thwart all attempts of smuggling, especially those involving agricultural products that negatively impact our local farmers and businesses,” Rubio said.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Friday, March 3, 2023 32.92 PTS.

6,655.37

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023 Currency UnitUS DollarPeso United States Dollar 1.00000054.9840 Japan Yen 0.0073120.4020

UKPound1.19450065.6784

GOKONGWEI GROUP’S AWARDS. Gina Roa-Dipaling (center), vice president for corporate planning and investor relations and head of sustainability at Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., receives the retail company’s Golden Arrow. With Dipaling during the awarding ceremony at the Sheraton Manila Hotel are (from left) Securities and Exchange Commission chair Emilio Aquino, Institute of Corporate Directors vice chair and president Boots Geotina-Garcia, Philippine Stock Exchange [resident and chief executive Ramon Monzon and ICD chair Cesar Villanueva. Four companies of the Gokongwei Group—RRHI, Cebu Pacific, Robinsons Land Corp. and Universal Robina Corp. are among the honorees at the Golden Arrow Awards.

Meralco watches nuclear energy developments

By Alena Mae S. Flores

POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. is keeping a “vigilant watch” on nuclear energy developments as the company studies the technology’s role in the sustainability mix.

“The best we can [do] for the moment is to really maintain a vigilant watch over what’s happening with the States, but we’re about five to 10 years away from making a decision,” Meralco chairman Manuel Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan also questioned the country’s readiness to educate the people on nuclear energy.

“But we should prepare for it now, by educating our people in nuclear energy. We should prepare for it though, and I think Meralco is prepared to sponsor

scholarship for Filipinos in that particular area,” he said.

Meralco president Ray Espinosa said the company had not allocated any budget for nuclear power projects including small nuclear reactors.

SMR are advanced nuclear reactors with up to 300 megawatts, or about a third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. They are smaller in size than conventional power reactors and easier to install.

“It’s very difficult to budget and forecast nuclear, for instance, because as you know, if you’re talking about SMR, the first of its kind will be delivered only in 2028,” Espinosa said.

He said nuclear pricing for SMR was unclear, and the NuScale Power Corp.’s SMR pilot project was still “a proof of

concept.”

Espinosa said the Philippines was also not socially ready for nuclear. However, Meralco plans to apply for a grant with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency for a feasibility study on SMRs for power generation.

“We are applying for a grant with the USTDA to do a feasibility study for SMR. So, it’s in process. But we’re looking into nuclear for feasibility study only,” Espinosa said earlier.

The USTDA links U.S. businesses to export projects by funding project preparations and creating partnerships.

Meralco is studying nuclear power as part of its sustainability strategy through 2050 in the wake of the government’s plan to pursue the technology in the country’s energy mix.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

CEBU Pacific kept its position as the country’s top domestic carrier with a 57-percent market share last year, up 5 percentage points from 52 percent in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Citing data from the Civil Aeronautics Board, Cebu Pacific said it flew close to 13.5 million domestic passengers in 2022, up 312 percent from 2021, indicating a strong recovery in both capacity and passenger traffic.

Combined with its international operations, the airline flew over 14.8 million passengers in 2022, or 335 percent higher year-on-year, for a seat load of 75 percent, which improved 14.7 percentage points from 2021.

“Higher travel demand both domestically and internationally, coupled with the easing of various travel regulations, drove the steep recovery for Cebu Pacific in 2022,” the airline unit of the Gokongwei Group said.

Cebu Pacific flew 4.4 million passengers in the fourth quarter, 6 percent higher quarter-on-quarter, for a seat load of 78 percent, up 3.6 percentage points quarter on quarter, as the holiday peak season encouraged a further uptrend in travel demand for both domestic and international destinations.

PORT TO DOOR. Contecon Guayaquil, the Ecuadorian business unit of International Container Terminal Services Inc. and concessionaire of Puerto Libertador Simón Bolívar, introduces Port to Door—an automated cross-docking service that allows customers to receive their cargo directly at their doorsteps. Attending the launch of the new service are (from left) Eduardo Navas, undersecretary of Ports and Maritime and RiverTransport; Sol Medina, CGSA inland services manager; Lancha de Micheo; Pablo Rizzo, president of the board of directors of the Port Authority of Guayaquil; and Andrés Tapia, general manager of the Port Authority of Guayaquil.

Wilcon’s profit rises 50% to P3.85b on private construction rebound

By Jenniffer B. Austria

WILCON Depot Inc. said Friday net income grew 50.2 percent in 2022 to P3.85 billion from P1.287 billion in 2021, lifted by resumption of private construction activities following the easing of mobility restrictions.

Wilcon said in a stock exchange filing net sales went up 22 percent in 2022 to P33.57 billion from a year earlier. The robust sales helped offset the increase in operating expenses.

“Our net sales grew 22 percent yearon-year, mainly driven by the turnaround of our older stores with our comparable sales growth hitting 14.2 percent for 2022. There was marked increase in private construction activi-

ties toward the end of the first quarter up to the end of the year despite strong inflationary pressures,” said Wilcon president and chief executive Lorraine Belo-Cincochan.

Same-store-sales growth reached 14.2 percent, with Metro Manila branches contributing the most to the increase.

Operating expenses also increased 17 percent year-on-year on higher volume of business and continuing store network expansion. Top contributing accounts included depreciation and amortization, utilities, manpower and trucking.

Wilcon opened 10 stores in 2022, including nine depots and one small store under the Home Essentials brand. All these stores are located in Luzon. Wil-

con was operating 83 branches across the country as of end-2022.

Net income in the fourth quarter surged 28.3 percent to P888 million from the same quarter in 2021, while fourth-quarter net sales increased 18.5 percent to P8.85 billion.

“Our results also reflected our resilience and adaptability in coping with the myriad challenges of operating in a pandemic-disrupted environment. We seized the country’s overall economic recovery with our timely investments in inventory, our people and in process improvements. This enabled us to continuously serve the requirements of our customers and provide them with our usual excellent customer experience,” said Belo-Cincochan.

PHILIPPINE Airlines said Friday it signed a strategic partnership with Traveloka, Southeast Asia’s leading travel platform, to strengthen tourism growth in the Philippines and in the region. PAL and Traveloka executives signed a memorandum of understanding in Manila on Feb. 28, 2023.

“We are pleased to forge this new partnership with Traveloka, which will help us fortify our connections with the global market. Philippine Airlines has always made it a top concern to build, sustain and develop the direct air links to countries in the region and beyond, which means reaching out to travelers living all over

“Key destinations such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan also eased their travel restrictions during the quarter, enabling the airline to accelerate recovery of its international network. Hong Kong, one of CEB’s largest markets, also lifted its mandatory quarantine requirements in December,” Cebu Pacific said.

the world,” said PAL president and chief operating officer Captain Stanley Ng.

“Our intent is for the partnership to unlock new travel options for our customers to fly with Philippine Airlines to various wonderful destinations all around the Philippines, and to diverse international destinations as well,” he said.

Based on the data from the Department of Tourism, around 83,000 tourists visited the Philippines from the Southeast Asian region during the early part of the pandemic in 2020, a dramatic drop from the over 526,000 in 2019 because of global border restrictions.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Cebu Pacific posted strong recovery in 2022

PAL, Traveloka sign partnership to boost tourism in Southeast Asia

Roderick T. dela Cruz, Editor Alena Mae S. Flores, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

SPORTS

Bethel Academy wins battle of U18 teams

BETHEL Academy stood out in a battle of Cavite teams following a hard-earned 25-21, 21-25, 25-19 victory over Santo Niño de Praga (SNP) in the Philippine National Volleyball Federation U-18 Championships on Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

“The girls have the skills, the technics and the fundamentals, what they need to polish is their attitude toward a match—to never doubt themselves,” said Ludlo Dulce, coach of Bethel Academy that is playing out of the City of General Trias in the tournament organized by the PNVF headed by Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

The victory was the second straight for Bethel Academy, while the loss sent the Trece Martires-based SNP to its first defeat in four matches.

Santa Rosa City beat Canossa Academy of Lipa City (1-1), 25-18, 25-15, to improve to 2-1 won-lost in Pool C in the other girls match of the tournament supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Rebisco and Akari.

De La Salle-Lipa defeated New Gen Volleyball Club (103) of Santa Cruz (Laguna), 25-11, 25-7, to stay unbeaten in two matches in Pool A and Nagcarlan (Laguna) rallied past Parañaque Thunderbolts Club (1-2), 21-25, 25-14, 2520, to improve to 2-2 in Pool B also of girls’ action.

“But I’m really happy that the girls have learned to trust each other—from setter, libero to our spikers—to just play their game,” said Dulce, who played varsity volleyball for the Lyceum of the Philippines University from 2012 to 2017.

Bethel Academy’s 17-year-old middle blocker Mary Shane Retarta, open spiker Atasha Doroja, setter Marga Adia, libero Alyana Viniegra and spiker April Treinta combined forces in the third set to quash their opponents’ bid to turn the game around.

It will be a busy weekend for Bethel Academy which takes on Team Hiyara of Angono (Rizal) at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Volida Volleyball Club (Manila) at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

PSC eyes integrated calendar, more world-class local talents

Southwoods extends PAL Interclub lead

CEBU CITY—Manila Southwoods showed the depth of its talents on Friday, posting 127 points at Club Filipino de Cebu in the penultimate round of the 74th Philippine Amateur Men’s Interclub golf team championships.

Three players scored in the thirties, led by Masaichi Otake’s 34, as Southwoods pulled away with 401 points going into the final day at the Cebu Country Club on Saturday.

Otake, bouncing back from a pedestrian 29 on Friday, bucked three pickups with an eagle and four birdies to fuel Southwoods’ assault.

Ryan Monsalve and Shinichi Suzuki added 33 and 32, respectively. One of the 28 of Kristoffer Arevalo and Lanz William Uy counted.

Despite the 19-point lead over Eastridge, Southwoods captain Thirdy Escano was disappointed over his team’s lackluster score.

“Any score below 130 is unacceptable,” said Escano who gave his players a piece of his mind. “This is not the score that we trained hard for. It seemed the players were just contented beating their flight mates.”

Escano said he wanted his players to excel and become successful pros someday like Tom Kim and Yuto Katsuragawa.

“How can we achieve that if we score poorly?” he asked.

Setting aside his disappointment, Escano said he can now sleep soundly after staving off the initial challenge posed by Eastridge.

The Binangonan-based squad posted 120 points, drawing 31 from Tonton Asistio, the 30s from Timothy Clark Co and Ronel Tagaan, and 29 from Loyd Labrador.

On 382, Eastridge leads CCC by six points.

Carl Almario and Jacob Cajita each scored 34 points to lead CCC which matched Eastridge’s output. Bayani Garcia and Jufil Sato counted with 28 and 24, respectively.

Del Monte also struggled with 119 to bring its total to 359. Scoring for the team were Raul Minoza 31, Mark Ivan Parilla 30, Julius Langamin 30 and Enzo Fregil 28.

In the hotly-contested Founders division, the Orchard took a two-point lead over Riviera and Alabang after tallying 115 points.

Tae Won Kim and Young Sook Kim posted 31 and 30, respectively as the Orchard hiked its total to 340.

Riviera was led by Patrick Gene Tambalque who turned in 33 points while Alabang leaned on a pair of 29s from Justin Tambunting and Wan Soo Kim.

AFTER doing the rounds of different national teams, sports associations and training venues and meeting stakeholders over the past weeks, the Philippine Sports Commission, board led by chairman Richard Bachmann, bared that plans for a consolidated national sports calendar and efforts to create more comprehensive grassroots sports programs to produce world-class athletes are in the works.

“We have to continue to cultivate the grass roots in order to feed the elite level with fresh talents,” said Bachmann, who is also batting for a consolidated national sports calendar.

“We do not have a lot of resources so a consolidated calendar would help us all avoid duplications, overlaps and allow us to prepare better.”

This week, Bachmann, together with his PSC Commissioners Edward Hayco, Olivia “Bong’’ Coo and Walter Torres visited Cebu and sat down with the Cebu City Sports Commission, Cebu City Local School Board in Labangon Elementary

School and Cebu City Sports Center, observing different local sports which trace their roots in the country’s oldest city.

The PSC officials also took part in the launching of the Guinness world attempt for the largest rhythmic gymnastics hula hoop workout. They also graced the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the PSC Regional Training Center for weightlifting, which was also attended by Tokyo Olympian and Southeast Asian Games medalist Elreen Ando.

The Carreta, Cebu City native is a current member of the Philippine weightlifting team and a product of Batang Pi-

noy (Philippine Youth Games), one of the PSC’s long-time centerpiece grassroots programs. The PSC is also set to establish satel-

lite offices all over the country to make sure the national sports agency has point persons to oversee the grassroots program in their respective areas.

Another Green type of player possible in returning NBTC

By Peter Atencio

THERE could be another young basketball star out there as talented as Jalen Green when the National Basketball Training Center returns.

NBTC founder Eric Altamirano said this with two weeks to go before action gets going in the Smart-NBTC national finals from March 15 to 19 at the Mall of Asian in Pasay City.

“We hope so, marami kasing darating,” said Altamirano of the five-day cagefest featuring 24 teams coming from the best high school teams and youth clubs in the country and abroad.

It will be recalled that Green played for the FilAm Sports USA team and went to the Philippines for the NBTC games in 2018 and 2019, drawing the admiration of Filipino fans for his great moves and plays.

Green was drafted two years later in the

NBA by the Houston Rockets and has been with for them ever since.

Altamirano said discovering the best talents here and abroad will mark the return of competitions later this month.

“After three years of hiatus, we couldn’t be any more thrilled to bring the NBTC back. It has always been our mission to put the spotlight on the grassroots level of Philippine basketball,” sad Altamirano, who noted that the Fil Am Sports squad is coming back again with a younger generation for Filipino-heritage players.

Altamirano talked about the tournament during a press conference at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Thursday, with SM Prime chairman Hans Sy, SMART first vice president and head of Sports Jude Turcuato, Gilas Pilipinas team manager Butch Antonio and Under Armour Senior Marketing Manager Jojo Neri-Estacio in attendance.

New league NUCAA opens with basketball tourney on Saturday

NATIONAL Universities and Colleges Athletic Association chairman Atty. Carmelo Arcilla welcomed all participating teams in the country’s newest scholastic league during the officers’ and athletic directors’ meeting at the Conference Room of the Civil Aeronautics Board last Wednesday in Pasay City.

For giving opportunities to their student athletes to show their wares and be discovered, and to fulfill their ambitions in the near future, outside of pioneer leagues NCAA and UAAP, among others, Arcilla, who heads the CAB as Executive Director and is a known sports enthusiast from Rizal Province, lauded the great efforts of the newly accredited NUCAA member-institutions, which will parade their banners and colors in the March 5 opening ceremonies at San

Juan Gymnasium in San Juan City.

The teams are Arandia College Rhinos, College of St. Catherine QC Wildcats, Enderun College Titans, University of Makati Herons, PCAF Elite Warriors, Electron College Warriors, SPCBA Tigers and PCCr Serpent Eagles.

The NUCAA board of trustees composed of men and women of integrity in sports are chairman Atty. Arcilla, vice chaiman Loreto Tolentino, president Solomon Padiz, vice president Red Dumuk, corporate secretary Atty. Joanne Marie C.Fabella, executive director Leonardo Andres, deputy executive director Arlene Rodriguez, treasurer Gene Tumapat, auditor Ricardo Andres, directors Arturo Cristobal, Turo Valenzona and Robert dela Rosa, PRO Danny Simon and commissioner Jun da Jose.

NBTC founder Eric Altamirano, with SM Prime Holding top exec Hans Sy, Under Amour’s Jojo Estacio and Smart VP for sports Jude Turcuato

NUCAA o cers, led by chairman Atty. Carmelo L. Arcilla (4th from right), are shown during their recent meeting four days before the league’s basketball opening ceremonies at San Juan Gym in San Juan City.

Bethel Academy goes 2-0, while dealing Santo Niño de Praga its fist defeat in four matches.

The PSC board, led by chairman Richard Bachmann, graced the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the PSC Regional Training Center for Weightlifting, together with Olympian and SEA Games medalist Elreen Ando held in Cebu City last March 2.

Masaichi Otake

A tale of two cities

Top three things that QC and Pasig have in common

MEGACITIES

Quezon City and Pasig are bound to be closer in the future.

In 2019, a 200-meter bridge over the Marikina River was opened to the public. In December 2022, the main boulevard of the Bridgetowne Destination Estate, with entrances from both C5 and Amang Rodriguez roads, became accessible to the public.

This year, Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) is set to launch a state-of-the-art infrastructure called ‘The Bridge,’ designed by the late National Artist for Architecture Francisco Mañosa.

Beyond the structural links, Quezon City and Pasig have more in common that strengthens their connection.

QC AND PASIG HOUSE THE BRIDGETOWNE DESTINATION ESTATE

Quezon City and Pasig houses RLC’s 31-hectare mixed-used development Bridgetowne destination estate. The Quezon City portion is envisioned to be the business center side of the estate as it already consists of multiple BPOs, and will soon welcome a worldclass shopping center and a five-star hotel. Meanwhile, the Pasig side of Bridgetowne is seen to host a wide range of residential condominium towers, including the recently launched Le Pont Residences.

Le Pont Residences is RLC Residences’ first premium highrise property consisting of bi-level penthouse units and a selection of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units equipped with smart home features and loggias. The property will also feature multilevel, first class amenities such as an infinity pool, private theater, and an indoor cycling room and fitness gym.

QC AND PASIG ARE BOTH RECOGNIZED AS ‘HIGHLY URBANIZED CITIES’

Quezon City and Pasig are both

recognized at the 2022 rankings of Highly Urbanized Cities by the Regional Competitiveness Committee. The assessment is based on the following indicators: economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure, innovation, and resiliency.

The credentials of these two cities make for an ideal real estate investment.

Accessible to both Quezon City and Pasig, the pre-selling units of Le Pont Residences are located near commercial

CREBA gears up for 50th year

areas, hospitals, and prominent schools like the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and La Salle Greenhills.

QC AND PASIG ARE SET TO BECOME SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Although known as highly urbanized hubs, QC and Pasig are also conscious of their impact on the environment. Quezon City prides itself on its Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department that leads

THE country’s largest association of real estate and housing industry stakeholders is preparing for its 50th founding anniversary this year. The year-long golden jubilee anniversary of the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA) will be launched at a grand event on March 16 at the Conrad Hotel Manila. CREBA is the Philippine umbrella organization of the real estate and housing sector composed of property developers, builders, contractors, suppliers and manufacturers of construction materials and other professionals and entities. Among the activities lined up is a Visayas-Mindanao Regional Housing Conference to be held in General Santos City from April 26-28. The high-point of the CREBA calendar for the year will be from September 26-28, where members, as well as speakers, both from the local and global real estate arena, will convene for its annual national convention, expo and gala night at the SMX Convention Center and Conrad Hotel in Pasay City. Shown in photo is CREBA national chairman Charlie A. V. Gorayeb and national president Noel Toti M. Cariño.

Torre Lorenzo, DLS-CSB spotlight young artists Manila scene, ‘abstract diversity’ theme lead digital mural contest winners

TORRE Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC) recently announced the winners of its Manila Digital Mural Art Contest, in partnership with the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). The following emerged as winners: Januel Adrei Pitoy for “This is Manila” (Shown here) and John Benedict Mangco”s “Abstract Diversity” (Inset photo), and Albertha Dorado & Mikhayla Renee Harlea for “Larga”.

The winning entries will be translated to actual murals, or stickers, that will adorn the various public spaces in TLDC’s upcoming serviced residence, lyf Malate Manila.

“Our aim for these digital murals is to showcase the rich culture of Manila and put a spotlight on young artists,” said Cathy Casares-Ko, TLDC’s Chief Operations Officer. “Our artists from DLS-CSB did not disappoint. These winning murals are poised to bring an authentic travel experience to lyf’s future guests.”

Pronounced ‘life’ or ‘live your freedom’, lyf Malate Manila features hip, co-living spaces designed for the next generation travelers. Its 202 units, ranging from studio to four bedrooms are IG-worthy with modern, and fresh interiors to give guests an avenue for socials, work, and creativity. The creatively designed shared spaces such as the connect lounge, social kitchen, laundromat, and fitness gym, allow guests to interact with one another.

The winners will receive cash prizes in a formal awarding ceremony. The winning murals will be installed in lyf’s shared spaces including the Connect Lounge, Coffee Kiosk, Social Lounge, Private Working Pods, and Roof Deck located at Torre Lorenzo Malate along Malvar St. corner Vasquez St. in Malate, Manila. The winning artworks were selected for its meaningful message, and creative interpretation of Manila City’s unique character.

Torre Lorenzo Malate stands in the midst of Manila’s historic and cultural capital – within walking distance of commercial establishments and lifestyle options.

the #QCTrashToCashback project, an initiative of the city to achieve a zero waste lifestyle. Pasig City is also known as ‘the green city’ because of its various environment-friendly initiatives to protect its waterways and greeneries.

Late last year, Pasig city implemented a new policy direction to preserve the 6.2-hectare Maybunga Rainforest Park. Complementing Pasig’s sustainability efforts, Le Pont Residences also boasts

of lush landscaped areas along the jogging trail where residents can bask in nature anytime of the day.

“Quezon City and Pasig are already distinguished cities in the metro,” said RLC Residences Marketing Head Karen Cesario. “But we confident that more opportunities await these cities especially as more developments come in Bridgetowne. For more info on Le Pont Residences, check out rlcresidences.com.

ZEN LIVING. Federal Land, Inc. recently topped off the Grand Midori Ortigas Tower 1, marking the structural completion of the first tower of the Japanese-inspired development. Designed by world-renowned architectural firm Tange Associates, the Grand Midori Ortigas offers Zen living in the heart of the Ortigas Center. The development is set to launch its second tower in Q2 2023. The Grand Midori Ortigas will feature minimalist interior design and Japanese gardens. At the topping-off ceremony were (from left to right): EEI Corporation Vice President Mr. Paul Visaya; FLI Sales Channel Head Mr. Allen Gafar Mindalano; FLI Sales Group Head Ms. Margarita SaenzResurreccion; FLI Brand Marketing Head Mr. Jose Eliseo Bringas; FLI Product Planning Department Head Ms. Robie M. Belgica; FLI Senior Design Manager Ar. Raymund C. Quimson; FLI Construction Management Group Head Engr. James Ryan Salas; GFP Architects and Partners Managing Partner Ar. Annette F. Gaddi-Liganor; EEI Corporation Executive Vice President Mr. Norman Macapagal; DCI President Senen Salvacion.

REVOLUTIONIZING THE PH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. Konstruk recently celebrated its first year of providing businesses in the construction industry with an accessible online platform to buy and sell products. The “E-Hardware ng Bayan” has made shopping for construction supplies easier for consumers, while providing a patform for merchants, manufacturers, and suppliers in the Home Improvement and Construction industry to expand their businesses online. Konstruk’s user base grew to more than 10,000 users in the first year, with a current engagement rate of more than 50% in the country. Konstruk plans to onboard provincial merchants that promote community selling – helping boost the local economy by empowering small businesses and promoting community engagement. It plans to onboard merchants in the future and become central office to manage micro Konstruk operations based on provinces. The company will collaborate with local government units (LGUs) in different provinces and launch their operations in key provinces outside Metro Manila, starting with provinces in Luzon, then Visayas and Mindanao.

ACTIVE WITH UNIQLO. Japanese global apparel retailer UNIQLO recently introduced its newest sport utility wear lineup via a golf tournament at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club.    “This season, we introduce Uniqlo’s dry-ex pieces made with quick drying technology and Airism that is cool and smooth to the touch, down to the ultra stretch active items that are so easy to move in, high quality, comfortable, and functional activewear that is perfect for all activities, even beyond sports,” said UNIQLO Philippines Chief Operating Officer Geraldine Sia, Sia. Uniqlo is a brand of Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., a Japanese retail holding company with global headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. At the ceremonial tee off were (from left to right): Uniqlo

Philippines Ambassador

Matteo Guidicelli;

Philippines COO Geraldine

Sia; Chairman of Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings Hans Sy’ Manila

Southwoods Chairman Robert Sobrepeña, and Manila Southwoods cofounder Toti Cariño.

Anton overall champion as Toyota concludes TGR Vios Cup; Sarmiento, Lao share spotlight

TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) officially wrapped up the 2022 season of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) Vios Cup in an awarding ceremony held recently in Taguig City.

After three successful legs of TGR Vios Cup Circuit Championship, Iñigo Anton of Toyota North Edsa-Obengers Racing Team was declared the overall champion in the Super Sporting Class.

Royce Sarmiento of RMS Cars Racing Team and Jay Lao of Happy Hotels/OTR Racing Team took home the championship in the Sporting and Promotional Classes, respectively. In the Autocross Challenge, Jules Aquino took the trophy in the Advanced Influencer Class while newcomer Miggy Romulo was declared the champion in the Beginner Influencer Class.

In the Media category, Jamil Lacuna was declared the overall champion in the Advanced Media Class while Pablo Salapantan won the Beginner Media Class. Lastly, Russel Reyes took the overall championship trophy for the GT Cup Class. TMP held the night to commend and show appreciation to the racers who not only contributed to the success of the 2022 TGR Vios Cup, but also served as ambassadors for TMP and TGR’s goal of promoting motorsports in the country. “TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup is one of our most celebrated milestones.

This would not be possible without you, our racers, and the whole team behind every driver. You gave life to this motorsports program,” TMP First Vice President for Vehicle Sales Operations Danny Cruz said.

Topping off the night’s celebration, the overall Team Award was handed to the Obengers Racing Team.

The team’s collective effort and skills on and off tracks made them the best among all the racing teams.

“We contribute to Philippine motorsports by developing more racers,” Obengers Racing Team Co-Principal Richie Uy said as he received the award on stage with the rest of the Obengers members.

Below is the compressed list of the 2022 season’s overall standings:

Honda PH, HARC-PRO kick off training camp for young factory riders

TOGETHER with the help of motorsports partner SDG Motorsports—HARC-PRO, Honda Philippines, Inc. has officially begun its “Road to Champion” campaign. The mission: To hone HPI’s two (2) young Filipino champions for the international stage.

Alfonsi Daquigan and Jakob Sablaya received hands-on training from Mr. Shigeki Honda, the founder of HARC-PRO himself. He was accompanied by three Japanese riders and coaches of the highest caliber: Mr. Yuki Kunii, a former rider for the Moto3 Honda Team Asia; Teppei Nagoe, a J-GP2 champion with MuSASHi RT HARC-PRO; and Haruki Noguchi, a competitor in the ASB1000 Race Category of the 2023 Asia Road Racing Championships. The riders discovered that future racing success depends on their ability to remain focused, disciplined, and persistent. The HPI riders believe it’s critical for racers to be psychologically, physically, and emotionally prepared for the task inside the track.

Honda recognizes top performances at 2023 Dealer Conference

HONDA Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) recognized dealers who excelled in sales and after-sales operations by holding its annual Dealer Conference last February 24, 2023 at the Grand Ballroom of Okada Manila. In addition, the said event served to promote various programs that enhance customer experiences throughout the network. This year’s Dealer Conference was attended by 663 dealer participants from HCPI’s 37 dealerships nationwide with the theme “Honda Charging Ahead: Drive to Transformation”.

Awarded Dealer of the Year was Honda

Cars Batangas (HCBT), who demonstrated steadfast excellence having also achieved 3rd place in 2020 and 2nd place in 2021. Honda Cars Marcos Highway (HCMR) came 2nd in this year’s conference, while Honda Cars Quezon City (HCQC) and Honda Cars Fairview (HCFR) both placed 3rd.

In addition, other sales and after-sales recognitions in different categories have been awarded: The event also included the awarding of winners of the 23rd National Skills Contest (NSC). The NSC showcases the dealer service associates’ valuable skills that are

in line with global best practices designed to elevate service quality. The following dealer associates were declared as winners under the seven (7) categories:

Winners will be the official Philippine representatives in the Asia Oceania Skills Contest in May 2023 and will have the chance to participate in the World Skills Contest in October 2023.

HCPI president, Masahiko Nakamura expressed gratitude for everyone’s hard work, and confidence in the capabilities of the Honda dealership network.

“We at Honda Cars Philippines Inc. are grateful for your efforts to ensure superior customer satisfaction in sales and aftersales services. Last year’s achievements, including sales of almost 14,000 units, reflect your dedication. Let’s keep the momentum going, maximize Honda’s advanced product technologies, and build on the after-sales improvements we have been working on. Through these, we can help realize a higher level of safety and reach out to more customers” said Nakamura.

As the 2022 TGR Vios Cup concludes, TMP continues its commitment of igniting the growing passion for motorsports in the county through its various motorsports activities that exhibit how it pushes the limits for better. The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Vios Cup 2022 was organized in cooperation with Bridgestone, and Petron, together with other sponsors Brembo, Denso, OMP, Tuason Racing, AVT, 3M, ROTA, myTOYOTA Wallet, and Kinto One.

Foton Iloilo wins ‘Dealer of Year’ at Foton Motor PH’s GRIT Awards

THE huge contingent of FOTON Motor Philippines Incorporated (FMPI) composed of the sales teams and dealership networks’ Dealer Principals, recently gathered to celebrate and honor efforts on pushing sales success for the company.

The annual GRIT Awards is a night of merriment and recognition of groups and individuals driving sales for FMPI’s five segments of products: the Gratour, Passenger Vehicles, Light-Duty Trucks, and Medium and Heavy Duty Trucks. Apart from these, service and parts teams and individuals were also awarded based on the satisfaction index of customers.

FOTON Iloilo was hailed as the 2022 Overall Dealer of the Year.

FMPI also conferred the first-ever digital marketing breakthrough awards for two dealerships: FOTON La Union and FOTON Bacolod.

In 2022, FOTON Philippines registered an 18% growth in sales at par with the industry’s performance, successfully penetrating the private, government, and huge fleet accounts. “This has been made possible not only because we are selling units that bring optimal mobility services and results to our clients, but dare I say, due to the grit and resolve each of you has brought to the table,” FMPI General Manager Levy Santos said in his speech to the attendees.

He also bared that this year, FOTON Motor Philippines is targeting to sell 6, 000 units – with a threefold action plan: launching new products such as the first all-electric light-duty truck in the country; reinforcing marketing and sponsorship deals being a mobility partner of Gilas Pilipinas for this coming 2023 FIBA World Cup; and continuously expanding dealership networks.

THE first five kilometer section of NLEX Connector between Caloocan and España interchanges has achieved substantial completion and is scheduled for opening within the month.

This was announced by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the grantor of the NLEX Connector project, during the final inspection of the road led by DPWH Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) President and CEO Rodrigo E. Franco and NLEX Corporation President and GM J. Luigi L. Bautista. The inspection was conducted as part of regulatory requirements to ensure the safety and convenience of the motoring public.

Now 98 percent complete, the NLEX Connector España Section is expected to reduce traffic congestion in the City of

Manila such as España Boulevard, Abad Santos Avenue, Rizal Avenue and Lacson Avenue as it will divert trucks and other vehicles from the capital’s major roads. The elevated expressway is being eyed to provide greater access to several areas in Manila including the University Belt. Designed to cater to all vehicle classes including trucks, the four-lane (2x2) NLEX Connector intends to stimulate economic growth by significantly improving the mobility of motorists thus boosting overall productivity.

In its entirety, the NLEX Connector stretches eight kilometers starting from Caloocan Interchange on C3 Road, Dimasalang, España Blvd., R. Magsaysay

NLEX Connector - España Section set to open this month

Ransomware is top menace for Southeast Asia enterprises

DIGITAL kidnappers are after enterprises in Southeast Asia. Global cybersecurity company Kaspersky predicts the trend will continue this year and beyond, albeit

in more sophisticated and targeted ways.

Ransomware is a type of malware that locks one’s computer and mobile devices or encrypts one’s electronic files. To get the “decryption” key or to get your data back, a ransom is required by the cybercriminals behind the attack.

As a threat, ransomware has come a long way since the first ransomware attack was carried out all the way back in 1989. Since 2016, the malicious actors behind this threat have shifted from targeting users to bigger enterprises. Known high-impact incidents include the Wannacry Ransomware, with an estimated $4 billion-worth of aftermath.

Because of its high return-of-investment nature, ransomware groups continue to attack enterprises globally, including businesses in SEA.

Fresh statistics from Kaspersky revealed that a total of 304,904 ransomware attacks eyeing businesses here have been blocked by Kaspersky’s business solutions last year.

Indonesia recorded the highest number of incidents foiled by Kaspersky B2B solutions (131,779), followed by Thailand (82,438), and Vietnam (57,389). The Philippines logged a total of 21,076 ransomware attacks; Malaysia had 11,750, and Singapore had 472.

Kaspersky’s telemetry also revealed that the most common types of ransomware targeting businesses in the Philippines are:

· Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypren

· Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Wanna

· Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Stop

· Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Gen

· Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Agent

“One of our fresh studies has already confirmed that three-in-five of businesses here have been victims of a ransomware attack. Some once, but half have fallen prey multiple times. Our 2022 data reveals this threat will continue to be a menace for enterprises in SEA because it makes good money for cybercriminals because some business

executives think ransomware is just overhyped by the media, and because enterprise security teams are actually overwhelmed and undermanned to detect and respond against it,” comments Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia.

The cybersecurity talent gap continues to haunt enterprises here. A study even logged a 2.1M gap in available local security staff urgently needed in the greater Asia Pacific region.

In addition, only 5% of enterprise leaders here confirmed that they have internal incident response capabilities, or they have a regular IT team or service provider to figure out a ransomware attack

This explains why a majority (94%) of them would need external help in the case of an incident.

“We sound the alarm against ransomware targeting enterprises in SEA but at the same time, we hear that IT security teams and business executives need help to build their cybersecurity capabilities. With the emerging trend of Ransomware 3.0-–a more

dangerous version of this threat-–expert cybersecurity that goes beyond your usual endpoint solution is necessary. At the center of this is equipping your security teams with expert detection and incident response tools like Kaspersky XDR (Extended Detection and Response),” adds Yeo. Kaspersky’s XDR is a holistic portfolio built upon the three pillars of any successful complex incident strategy. Namely, security teams must be: Equipped: Cybersecurity is one area of expertise where even a skilled worker can legitimately blame their tools. Protection from multivector attacks and other complex incidents requires a unified, consolidated platform that gives total visibility, eliminating obstructive silos and preventing “alert fatigue” and other routine tasks within the incident response process. Informed: The existing advanced expertise of IT-matured organizations must never be taken for granted. After all, the cybercrime horizon is constantly shifting and expanding. Using cyber-threat intelligence, it enables or-

ganizations staying ahead of your cyber-adversaries with in-depth visibility into cyberthreats targeting your organization at different levels. With a constantly evolving threat landscape, it’s also vital IT security specialists keep their cybersecurity skills up to date and relevant to help defend against even the most sophisticated threats or attacks. Reinforced: Should a complex incident or APT be discovered, even the most advanced IT security analysts should have access to external support for 3rd party insight, security assessment, managed threat hunting, and incident response. While complex incidents resulting from APTs are usually highly targeted, they rarely target only one victim. External expertise can shed a multi-sector global light on the likely paths of an APT, and deliver actionable advice on the most decisive way to eliminate it from the system.

OMDIA: TCL ranked Global Top 2 TV brand

TCL, one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics brand, announces its latest ranking of Global Top 2 TV Brand according to OMDIA’s Global TV sets report 2022, the data of which also suggests that TCL large size TVs have received significant growing momentum over the past year and remained No.1 in global 98-inch TV market share.

TCL has been the pioneer in Mini LED TVs and started off 2023 by exhibiting its latest display and smart innovations at CES 2023. TCL was also honored to have won two CES® 2023 Innovation Awards for its TCL Mini LED 4K TV C935 and C835.

In 2023, TCL’s new Mini LED Se-

VMware announces innovations at MWC ‘23

BARCELONA—Mobile World Congress 2023—Today, VMware, Inc.

(NYSE: VMW) announced innovations and expanded partnerships across its service provider and edge product portfolios to meet the evolving needs of Communications Service Providers (CSPs) and enterprises.

“It’s a time of change for service providers as they modernize their networks and monetize their services,” said Sanjay Uppal, senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider and Edge, VMware. “Meanwhile, enterprises are seeking more secure, reliable, and better delivery of apps, data, and services to the edge for branch offices, factory floors, clinics and retail stores. At Mobile World Congress 2023, we’re announcing innovations to help our customers with their transformation efforts by delivering multi-cloud solutions for service providers and enhanced networking and security capabilities to support the needs at the edge.”

Enabling CSPs to Modernize their Networks to Leverage the Power of 5G VMware today showcased deployment of the VMware Telco Cloud platform by CSPs as well as product advancements and an expanding partner ecosystem. Highlights include:

ries will be available in XL screen sizes which allow much bigger number of Mini LEDs applied on a TV with thousand-level local dimming zones, bringing million-level high contrast, stunning peak brightness in the imagery as well as prominent detail performance by TCL’s exquisite light control algorithm, which all help to reveal every detail in very bright areas, such as sunlight or darkness of caves.

TCL’s much-anticipated 2023

Mini LED and QLED TV series will be available to global markets starting from the first quarter. Please stay-tuned and contact your nearest TCL office or visit our social media channels for latest information.

• VMware introduced innovations and enhanced offerings to help CSPs more quickly modernize their networks. VMware unveiled its vision for the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework, which follows the O-RAN alliance’s approach of simplifying, optimizing and automating the RAN and its applications; and a new technical preview that will allow CSPs to complement VMware ESXi by running disaggregated and virtualized RAN functions directly on a bare metal server with VMware Tanzu.

• Additionally, VMware is providing next-generation networking within VMware Telco Cloud Platform with VMware NSX delivering telco-grade intelligent networking and lateral security capabilities. With recent advances, including the DPUbased acceleration announced last August, VMware offers accelerated networking and security performance for VNFs and CNFs, while enhancing network observability and increasing the host resources available to applications. VMware announced the availability of DPU-based acceleration of lateral security features like distributed firewall and distributed intrusion detection and prevention along with energy efficiency use cases for 4G/5G core load balancing needs.

Xiaomi launches Xiaomi 13 series in PH with Leica-powered cameras

XIAOMI collaborated with Leica, a prestigious camera and optics manufacturer, to provide users with an enhanced smartphone photography experience. The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro are flagship models with Leica professional optical lenses, advanced software capabilities, and the latest Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 and Surge battery management system for powerful performance.

At the local launch held on March 1 at the Ayala Museum, Xiaomi Philippines executives announced that Manila-based Xiaomi fans can pre-order the latest flagship phones at discounted prices from March 3rd to March 10th, 2023.

“Xiaomi is thrilled to bring the Xiaomi 13 Series to the Philippines, co-engineered with

Leica. This flagship smartphone features game-changing camera technology that will take mobile photography to new heights, empowering both enthusiasts and professionals to capture the world in a whole new light. We can’t wait for local Xiaomi fans to experience the power and innovation of the Xiaomi 13 Series,” Xiaomi Philippines Marketing Head Tomi Adrias said.

Master-level photography

The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro have a Master-Level photography system with Leica co-engineered cameras. The camera system’s hardware and image quality to UI/ UX design have been created in collaboration with Leica to deliver a pro-grade smartphone photography experience. Both models feature triple cameras equipped with Leica optical lenses.

Xiaomi 13 Pro boasts a Leica Vario-Summicron camera system with focal lengths ranging from 14mm to 75mm. It has a 23mm wide-angle main camera with a 1-inch

IMX989 sensor, a 75mm floating telephoto camera, and a 14mm ultra-wide-angle camera.

The IMX989 sensor is the largest ever used in a smartphone, and the 75mm telephoto lens uses a floating lens design with DSLRlevel internal focusing technology. Xiaomi 13 has an optical zoom range of 0.6x to 3.2x and features a 75mm telephoto lens.

Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro cater to both photography enthusiasts and professionals by providing detailed camera settings. The Master-Lens System offers optimal focal length and depth of field to capture flawless portraits. Users can choose between two photographic styles – Leica Authentic Look, and Leica Vibrant Look – that maintain accuracy while giving moderate saturation. Xiaomi 13 Pro supports 10-Bit RAW DNG Camera and Color Profiles designed by Adobe, providing professionals greater flexibility in post-editing with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro offer topnotch computational photography with

Xiaomi Imaging Engine, fast photo capture, ProFocus for moving subjects, 4K Ultra Night Videos, and HyperOIS video stabilization for exceptional video quality. Dazzling speed, reliable power with Xiaomi Surge

The Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 13 Pro feature the Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 mobile platform, boosting graphics by 42% and 49%, and CPU by 37% and 47%, respectively, compared to the previous generation. Xiaomi’s devices support Wi-Fi 7 with Qualcomm® FastConnectTM 7800, allowing for lightning-fast speeds. Both devices offer excellent image optimization and manual adjustment of shooting parameters in pro-mode. Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro feature Surge battery management systems, with 4,500mAh and 4,820mAh batteries, respectively. Xiaomi 13 supports 67W wired and 50W wireless turbo charging, while Xiaomi 13 Pro charges to 100% in 19 minutes with 120W HyperCharge.

Kaspersky foils more than 300K ransomware attacks aiming to kidnap businesses’ data in 2022

TCL rea rms its pioneering dominance in Mini LED and QLED TVs in 2023 with premium