Manila Standard - 2023 April 11 - Tuesday

2 FAILED SLAY TRIES ON GOV DEGAMO—DOJ

EDCA sites ‘not for attacks’

PBBM nixes ‘offensive actions’ from bases as Balikatan begins

By Charles Dantes, Vince Lopez, and Vito Barcelo

THE Philippines will not allow “any offensive actions” from the bases it has opened to US troops, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Monday.

The assurance comes as the Philippines and the United States kick off their biggest Balikatan military exercise today.

More than 17,600 military personnel -- 5,400 from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and 12,200 from the United States Forces — will be participating in the 38th Balikatan exercise scheduled from April 11 to 28 in various areas in Zambales, Aurora, Palawan, and Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

China ‘seals off’ Taiwan on 3rd day of military drills

PINGTAN, China—China simulated “sealing off” Taiwan during a third day of wargames around the self-ruled island on Monday, as the United States deployed a naval destroyer into Beijingclaimed waters in a show of force.

China launched the exercises in response to Taiwan President Tsai Ingwen’s meeting with US House Speaker

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CONSUMERS are facing higher fuel and power rates as oil companies implement a pump price hike of as much as P2.60 per liter on Tuesday while Manila Electric Co. said there is an “upward pressure” in the generation charge it passes on to its customers for April bills.

“There may be upward pressure on the generation charge in April. This is due to the collection of deferred generation costs from last month, equivalent to P0.20 centavos per kilowatthour this billing period,” Meralco spokesperson and vice president Joe Zaldarriaga said.

He said lower prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the trading floor of electricity, and lower average capacity on outages in March may mitigate the increase from the deferred generation charge.

“The peso’s appreciation may likewise temper any upward pressure on the generation charge,” Zaldarriaga said.

Kevin McCarthy last week, an encounter it had warned would provoke a furious response.

practiced an “aerial blockade”.

One of China’s two aircraft carriers -- the Shandong -- also “participated in today’s exercise”, the military added.

Policemen told to go on leave over shabu haul

INTERIOR Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has asked two police generals and other ranking officers to go on leave within the week or face suspension in connection with the 990 kilos of shabu discovered and seized in Tondo, Manila last October.

The stash, said to be worth P6.7 billion, is considered the largest shabu haul confiscated in the country, according to a 24 Oras report on GMA TV last night.

Asked to take a leave of absence were Police Lt. Gen. Benjamin Santos, Police Brig. Gen Narciso Domingo, Police Colonel Julian Olonan, Police Lt. Col. Glenn Gonzales, and ten others.

After two days of exercises that included simulating targeted strikes on Taiwan and encirclement of the island, the Chinese military said the wargames also included “sealing” it off, and a state media report said dozens of planes had

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

INSTABILITY in the Taiwan Strait

The United States, which had repeatedly called for China to show restraint, on Monday sent the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer through contested

caused by Chinese military drills will have a great impact on Philippine security, an expert on security said Monday.

On Day of Valor, Marcos eyes stronger pension system for veterans

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday honored the Filipino World War II heroes and asked the public to have faith and look to the future with confidence, as they face everyday challenges. He also held out the promise of a stronger pension system for war veterans. Speaking during the commemoration of the 81st Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) at the Mt. Samat National Shrine in Pilar, Bataan, President Marcos said that the Filipino nobility of spirit was once again demonstrated in the last worldwide crisis, where the nation’s men and women rose to the challenge of facing an unseen enemy – a new global challenge.

“Once again, Filipinos showed the world our purity of spirit and of compassion by willingly putting themselves in peril in the

THE SHRINE OF VALOR. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offers a wreath at the Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) on the Next page

Day

of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) together with (from left) United States Charge d’Affaires Heather Variava, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino, and Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko in Pilar, Bataan. Joseph Muego

Agencies join forces to avert El Nino water crisis

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

GOVERNMENT agencies are joining forces to stave off a possible water crisis brought on by El Niño, the weather phenomenon characterized by belownormal rainfall that can lead to dry spells and drought and is projected to start in the second half of this year.

This developed as Sen. Grace Poe said Monday the water crisis is avoidable if the correct policies are in place and are being implemented.

The National Water Resources Board is coordinating with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, National Irrigation Administration, and other agencies for contingency plans that will prevent a repeat of the water crisis in 2019, its top official said.

That year, tens of thousands of households in Metro Manila began to lose water supplies, and the water level at dams serving the megacity fell below their critical level of 69 meters

facilities and if the US decides to use these military facilities to act in any military contingencies in Taiwan, then surely the Philippines will be a target of possible China’s military action also,” said Rommel Banlaoi, president of the Next page Next page Next page

‘Upward pressure’ on Meralco bills with fuel hikes

Tensions across strait have great impact on PH security, expert says

CHINESE CARRIER. This handout photo taken on April 9 and released by Japan’s Ministry of Defense on April 10 shows a fighter plane taking off from the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong in the Pacific Ocean south of Okinawa prefecture, on the third day of China’s military drills around Taiwan. AFP

‘Unlimited pork import causing ASF’

By Maricel V. Cruz

AN AGRICULTURE business group said the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country is due to the “unlimited” and “untested” importation of pork into the Philippines.

In a statement, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) executive director Jayson Cainglet said the government should provide aid for local hog raisers and farmers, as there is no indemnification being given.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte meanwhile called on the Bureau of Animal Industry to mull over the implementation of a nationwide immunization drive to contain ASF.

“It will not matter if you impose

On Day of Valor,...

From A1

service of others,” the President said.

“So have faith. We can look to the future with confidence, guided with the knowledge that the most noble Filipino quality of heroism is aflame and burns brightly in every true Filipino,” Mr. Marcos said.

President Marcos expressed his gratitude to Filipino heroes “who fought and bled and died” in Bataan, saying they have shown the way how to make the best citizens of the republic.

That heroism, Mr. Marcos said, can be seen in Filipino war veterans who have passed on the shining legacy and treasure as well as in the eyes of every child who looks to the future with hope and eager anticipation.

As Filipinos toil and sacrifice to feed their families, help their communities and serve their country, the President called on the nation to celebrate these deeds that uphold the spirit of patriotism.

“We celebrate all the individual acts of valor and of sacrifice. We celebrate the Filipino spirit. We celebrate our countrymen’s deep, abiding love of every Filipino: love for our land, love for our people, and love for our freedom,” the President said.

“We have been called upon to stay true to that tradition, that tradition that Filipinos have demonstrated throughout our history. And so, it is today that the spirit of heroism is once again asked of us by our country,” the President said.

The President said these may not be grand acts displayed on the battlefield, but in the everyday challenges that Filipinos must face to defend themselves, the people, and the country.

Aside from the Day of Valor, the country also celebrates Philippine Veterans Week from April 5 to 11 every year to promote, preserve and memorialize the principles, ideals, and deeds of the war veterans as a means to enhance patriotism and love of country, especially among the Filipino youth.

In remarks to reporters, Marcos also said the government is seeking possible ways to strengthen the pension system for Filipino war veterans.

“What we are looking for is how we can strengthen the system of pension distribution for our veterans, because as of this moment, if we do not fix the system, it will not last long,” Marcos said.

With Vito Barcelo, Butch Gunio and Rey Requejo

Agencies...

From A1

above sea level (masl).

Last week, water firm Maynilad also warned its customers in the National Capital Region and Cavite of possible water interruptions for as long as 19 hours a day.

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area spotted east of the country is likely to develop into a tropical depression, the first typhoon in 2023, the state weather bureau said.

The LPA was last seen 890 kilometers east of the Visayas. Once it develops into a tropical depression, the storm would be named “Amang.”

“This weather disturbance may develop into a tropical depression as it moves generally westward towards the Southern Luzon-Visayas area over the Philippine Sea,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration bulletin stated.

PAGASA said the LPA will bring light to moderate to at times heavy rains over Eastern Visayas and Caraga.

Meanwhile, Poe said the coming of El Nino is a predictable phenomenon, which should have kept water authori-

movement protocols and biosecurity measures in local farms and transport of live hogs if we continue to have an unlimited entry of untested imported pork at the port of first entry,” Cainglet, quoted by GMA News, said. “Local producers, especially backyard hog raisers, are facing severe difficulties when it comes to ASF protocols; but our ports are open to imported pork where no ASF tests are being conducted,” he added.

EDCA...

From A1

They will be joined by 111 military personnel from the Australian Defense Force, as officials from 12 countries will be observers. Manila last week announced the locations of four more military bases it is allowing the US military to use on top of the five agreed on under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, known as EDCA.

The deal allows US troops to rotate through and store defense equipment and supplies.

But China warned last week the expanded military deal could endanger regional peace and accused Washington of a “zero-sum mentality.”

The four additional bases include sites near the hotly disputed South China Sea and another not far from Taiwan.

Mr. Marcos said China’s reaction over the expanded military deal was “not surprising,” but assured them the Philippines is only shoring up its territorial defense.

“We will not allow our bases to be used for any offensive actions. This is only aimed at helping the Philippines whenever we need help,” Marcos told reporters.

“If no one is attacking us, they need not

China...

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parts of the South China Sea.

“This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea,” the US Navy said in a statement.

It added that the vessel had passed near the Spratly Islands -- an archipelago claimed by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. It is about 1,300 kilometres (800 miles) from Taiwan.

The deployment of the Milius immediately triggered more anger from China, which said the vessel had “illegally intruded” into its territorial waters.

And Beijing warned Monday that Taiwan independence and cross-strait peace were “mutually exclusive”, blaming Taipei and unnamed “foreign forces” supporting it for the tensions.

“If we want to protect peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, we must firmly oppose any form of Taiwan independence separatism,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin warned.

ties and concessionaires on their toes to prepare for contingency measures.

“Instead, we are confronted with the same old scenarios during this season of the year – dry taps, parched soil, below normal dam levels, long queues of pails,” noted the chairperson of the Senate committee on public services.

But NWRB executive director Sevillo D. David Jr. said in a TeleRadyo interview: “I think we are more prepared than before. More facilities are now in place at Laguna Lake than in 2019.”

“We need to save water and recycle and be responsible about water use. All leaks should be fixed,” he added.

Climate projections by PAGASA earlier showed that El Niño will begin by the third quarter of 2023 or between July and September and will last until next year.

El Niño is the warm phase of the naturally occurring climate pattern El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), marked by changes in wind direction and sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.

Angat Dam, which supplies 96 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs, is currently at 199.37 meters, which is still at operating level, the NWRB official said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

The BAI earlier warned of a possible pork shortage due to the spread of ASF, with the estimated losses in Luzon estimated at P100 billion, GMA News reported.

“Since late last year, private and local government units [in the case of Cebu] were the ones compensating backyard farmers hit by ASF. Why is is it that the enthusiasm and zest to support and protect pork importers is not seen for local raisers?” Cainglet said.

The DA said all regions in the country were affected by ASF, save for Metro Manila which had no hog raisers in the region.

worry because we will not fight them.”

The pact stalled under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who favored closer ties with China.

But Mr. Marcos, who succeeded Duterte in June, has adopted a more USfriendly foreign policy, and sought to accelerate the implementation of the EDCA.

The President has insisted he will not let Beijing trample on Manila’s maritime rights.

His remarks came on the heels of China’s third day of war games around Taiwan on Monday, where it simulated “sealing off” the self-ruled island (see related story on A1 – Editors).

China launched the military exercises in response to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last week meeting US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, an encounter it had warned would provoke a furious response. Meanwhile, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the preparations for the Balikatan exercises are made a year in advance and the troops are ready.

The exercises will include work on maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Balikatan 2023 spokesperson Col. Michael Logico said this would be the

Meanwhile, Japan said on Monday it had scrambled jets in recent days as Chinese planes landed and took off from the Shandong.

‘No war’

On Beigan island, part of Taiwan’s Matsu archipelago that is within sight of China’s mainland, 60-year-old chef Lin Ke-qiang told AFP he simply did not want war.

“We, common people, just want to live peaceful and stable lives,” Lin said, adding that Taiwan’s military was no match for China’s.

“If any war happens, now that their missiles are so advanced, there’s no way our side could resist. This side will be levelled to the ground.”

China and Taiwan split at the end of a civil war in 1949. China views democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to take it one day.

The United States has been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would defend Taiwan militarily.

But for decades it has sold weapons to Taipei to help ensure its self-defense and offered political support.

From A1

Meralco’s rates went up by P0.5453 per kWh in March, bringing the overall rate for a typical household to P11.4348 per kWh from P10.8895 per kWh in February.

The impact on consumers would have been higher had the company decided not to defer the collection of a portion of the generation charge amounting to P0.40 per kWh for a total cost of P1.1 billion.

Meralco head of regulatory management office Jose Ronald Valles

Policemen...

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A quick search online showed that Santos was among 11 senior officers reassigned to different offices in the Philippine National Police last March, as he was posted to the Office of PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. Domingo, meanwhile, is chief of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group.

Yesterday, Abalos said the authorities discovered that high-ranking police of-

Villafuerte said an immunization drive to prevent the reported surge in ASF outbreak from getting worse “has now become doable.”

This follows Vietnam’s discovery last year and subsequent use of the world’s first vaccine to beat this deadly disease.

The lawmaker also noted the ongoing field trials local agribusiness companies “have already been doing here in our country to check the efficacy of this new drug in the Philippine setting.”

ASF is a viral disease infecting pigs with a fatality rate of up to a hundred percent, and that had decimated swine industries worldwide since its resurgence, first in China, in 2018.

first time the AFP and US forces would engage in live-fire drills at sea.

“It has always been an interoperability exercise to test our concepts for maritime defense, for coastal defense and maritime domain awareness,” Logico said.

The Balikatan exercise is being held amid the rising tensions over the territorial dispute between Manila and Beijing.

China warned the country that it might draw “potential conflict” after the designation of new EDCA sites in the Philippines.

The new EDCA sites will be the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

The five current EDCA locations are Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Mactan-Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro City.

Mao Ning, the spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the additional EDCA sites “may draw... [the Philippines] into the whirlpool of a potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait.”

Signed in 2014, EDCA grants US troops access to designated Philippine military facilities and allows them to build facilities, and position equipment, aircraft, and vessels. With AFP

Tsai met McCarthy outside Los Angeles on her way home from a visit to two allied countries in Central America.

In August last year, China deployed warships, missiles, and fighter jets around Taiwan in its largest show of force in years following a trip to the island by McCarthy’s predecessor, Nancy Pelosi.

Tsai meeting with McCarthy in the United States rather than in Taiwan, was viewed as a compromise that would underscore support for the island but avoid inflaming tensions with Beijing.

But China had repeatedly warned against any meeting and began the latest wargames soon after Tsai returned to Taiwan.

“These operations serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking ‘Taiwan independence’ and external forces and against their provocative activities,” Shi Yin, a PLA spokesman, said about “Joint Sword”.

Tsai responded to the drills by pledging to work with “the US and other likeminded countries” in the face of “continued authoritarian expansionism”. AFP

earlier said the deferred costs reduced the March month’s generation rates by P0.40 per kWh and will be billed on a staggered basis in April and May.

Meanwhile, oil firms raised the price of gasoline by P2.60 per liter, kerosene by P1.90 per liter, and diesel by P1.70 per liter effective Tuesday as world oil prices surged following the decision of Saudi Arabia and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut its oil output.

Saudi Arabia and OPEC announced last week a reduction in the oil output by 1.16 million barrels per day to boost prices.

“Cleanfuel will implement price ad-

ficials tried to cover up the involvement of Police Msgt. Rodolfo Mayo -- a member of the PNP DEG.

He presented to the media CCTV footage, which showed how Mayo was arrested and later released.

Azurin confirmed last October that two high-ranking PNP officials were being investigated for their involvement in the shabu haul, but did not reveal their names.

“They are on floating status. But this is unfair to them because their names are being dragged into this although there

40 tons of trash collected around Quiapo Church

THE city government of Manila on Monday reported that over 40 metric tons of garbage were collected in the vicinity of Quiapo Church on Quezon Boulevard during the observance of the Holy Week.

In a statement, the Manila Public Information Office (PIO) said that from April 6 (Maundy Thursday) until April 9 (Easter Sunday), a total of 16 trucks collected a total of 44 metric tons of waste left behind by churchgoers during their visit to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene for the observance.

Data from the city’s Department of Public Services also showed that Good Friday yielded eight truckloads of trash -- the biggest volume of garbage collected during the Holy Week. On the other hand, it added that the least number of garbage was collected on Black Saturday and Easter Sunday -- with two truckloads each.

The Quiapo Church Command Post has reported that a total of 179,508 devotees visited the basilica on April 6, 7 and 9.

The most number of people was recorded on April 6 and April 7 at 83,355 -- 57,005 of whom visited the church while 26,350 attended the procession. A total of 53,630 visitors were recorded on Good Friday—15,630 of whom went to Quiapo Church while 38,000 were present during the procession. On Easter Sunday, a total of 42,523 visited the basilica.

Tensions...

From A1

Philippine Society for Intelligence and Security Studies, on ANC’s “Headstart” TV program.

Banlaoi said the Philippines must pay serious attention to the developments in Taiwan Strait, focusing on the need to avoid military conflict and promote the peaceful management of ongoing tensions there.

China launched the military drills on Saturday, in what it called a “stern warning” to the self-ruled island’s government, after Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen met with the US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California.

As this developed, Senator Christopher Go urged the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to put preemptive measures in place for the welfare of Filipino workers in Taiwan.

“We must always be proactive and think ahead when it comes to the welfare of our fellow Filipinos abroad,” Go said.

“In light of recent events, we must take steps to ensure their safety and well-being, including preemptive measures like alternative livelihoods and repatriation plans,” he added. There are nearly 150,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan, according to the DMW.

On Sunday, the Department of National Defense insisted that the proposed four military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States will not threaten the country’s sovereignty – despite potentially drawing the country into a conflict with China over Taiwan, a US ally.

justment, effective Tuesday, April 11 at 4:01 PM. Diesel increased by P1.70 per liter and gasoline by P2.60 per liter increase,” the company said.

PetroGazz, Jetti Petroleum, and Seaoil Philippines also issued separate advisories of the latest oil price hike.

On April 4, the oil companies implemented a per-liter increase of P1.40 per liter for gasoline, P0.50 per liter for diesel, and P0.20 per liter for kerosene.

The Department of Energy said these resulted in a year-to-date net decrease for diesel at P3.65 per liter and kerosene at P5.35 per liter. Gasoline has a net increase of P6.05 per liter.

are no sufficient pieces of evidence so far,” Azurin told reporters then.

“These officers have careers, they worked hard for their careers and that is why we are very careful, we are not mentioning any names,” he added.

The generals’ names surfaced over their alleged links to Mayo, the police sergeant who owns the lending agency where 990 kilos of shabu were seized on Oct. 8.

Last week, Abalos assured the public that those responsible for sneaking the record shabu haul into the country would be identified and punished. Charles Dantes

PBBM clears farmers’ land debts, says Recto

By Maricel V. Cruz

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fi rst social legislation will free 610,000 farmers from debts in acquiring agrarian reform lands whose combined area of more 1.17 million hectares is 277 times the size of Manila.

Thus said House Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto, stressing, “this is emancipation of massive scale, from the number of beneficiaries, to the amount to be condoned.”

“The impact will also be huge. It financially emancipates the farmers while freeing resources that can be used to achieve food security,” he said.

While the P57.5 billion in loans up for write off may seem big, “but if you break it down per farmer, per

hectare, it is small compared to other government spending.”

“On a per hectare basis, the average debt to be forgiven is P49,000. That is a fraction of the current selling price of less than a square meter of a condominium in Metro Manila.”

On the other hand, every farmer who qualifies will get an average debt relief of P94,000, Recto said.

Recto said if corporations and high-income individuals have gotten tax breaks from recent laws slashing

income tax rates, “then why should not farmers get the same reprieve involving far smaller amounts?”

“We have bailed out banks and companies owned by billionaires. We have allowed power sector obligations to migrate as national debts. If we have pursued a debt forgiveness strategy for many troubled companies, why not one for poor farmers?” Recto said.

“We have forgiven bigger debts by a few in the past. This one, with a lesser amount, is owed by many,” Recto said.

Recto said the bill “emancipating agrarian reform beneficiaries from financial burden by condoning all principal loans, unpaid amortizations and interests and exempting payment of estate tax on agricultural lands awarded under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program” is up for President Marcos Jr.’s signing.

BI urged to investigate human tra icking involving airline staff

By Vito Barcelo

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has urged officials of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to investigate the possible involvement of airline personnel in facilitating the departure of victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said he issued the appeal after BI officers at the NAIA terminal 3 intercepted a woman who attempted to leave with a fake immigration departure stamp on her passport.

Tansingco said the woman narrated during questioning that she was assisted by an airline employee and the latter’s former officemate in queuing at the immigration departure counter. She said she was told to fall in line after her handler handed her passport and boarding pass which had the fake BI departure stamps on them.

The incident reportedly happened last April 5 when the passenger was supposed to fly to Kuala Lumpur en route to her final destination in the United Arab Emirates where she was recruited to

MIAA: more than 10m passengers flock to airport in first 3 months

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has recorded a total of 10,855,332 passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the first three months of 2023, more than 158% from the 4,200,575 passengers recorded on the same period last year. The number, according to MIAA, is only 6% lower than the pre-COVID total of 11,587,919 travelers during the same period in 2019.

In addition, flight movements during the first quarter of 2023 totaled 67,781, a 77% increase over the first quarter flight movement of 38,269 in 2022. This is also 4% more than the 65,161 flights in the first three months of 2019.

“With the reopening of borders in countries such as Hong Kong and China, as well as the easing of travel restrictions, many travelers have regained confidence to fly in and out of the Philippines for both leisure and business purposes,” said MIAA General Manager Cesar Chiong.

CAAP warns vs. pointing lasers at aircraft

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has reminded the public of the danger of pointing lasers at aircraft close to airports and flight paths.

“Such actions pose a significant risk to aviation safety and can potentially cause a catastrophic accident,” said CAAP director general Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo.

The CAAP made the appeal following a recent incident at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations stated that “No person shall intentionally project a laser beam or direct by a high-intensity light at an aircraft which can result in distraction, disruption, disorientation and, in extreme cases, incapacitation, adversely affect the ability of the flight crew to carry out their

By Rio N. Araja

responsibilities, especially during take-off and landing.”

The Civil Aviation Act of 2008 also stated that anyone caught doing so could face severe penalties, including imprisonment for not more than three (3) years or a fine not less than P50,000.00 but not exceeding P500,000.00 or both as determined by the court.

“Considering the critical threats to aviation safety, the public is hereby directed to refrain from pointing any laser/beam light on aircraft, areas proximate to airports and flight paths to avoid any untoward incident, leading to hazardous situations thereby endangering lives of people,” said Tamayo.

“Let us all work together to ensure the safety of our skies and the passengers and crew on board every flight,” he added. Joel E. Zurbano

Choing said they noticed a strong domestic market in the Philippines in the first three months of 2023.

He added 6,164,985 passengers traveled on 42,331 flights, surpassing the domestic flight and passenger movement set in the first quarter of 2019 when 5,451,655 passengers traveled on 36,206 flights.

“Because domestic borders opened earlier than international borders, airlines are deploying a lot of flights right now to serve our local destinations. Our domestic sector is thriving, and we are seeing the

work as a domestic household worker.

She was stopped from leaving after the BI officer who examined her passport noticed that it already had an immigration departure stamp that appeared to be spurious. The BI’s document forensic laboratory later confirmed that said stamp is counterfeit.

Tansingco declined to name the airline associated with the passenger’s escorts, saying the case was already referred to and being investigated by NAIA’s anti-trafficking task force and its airport police department.

The BI chief said the incident should warn airline personnel that they should not connive with human traffickers and illegal recruiters.

“They should stop preying on our poor countrymen who want to work abroad due to poverty and their desire to uplift the lives of their families. We thus urge airport authorities to dig deeper into these shenanigans and file the cases against those involved,” the BI chief added.

It will be recalled that last year, NAIA security guards caught several passengers who attempted to leave without immigration inspection by wearing fake NAIA passes in going to the airport’s boarding gate.

results of the government’s efforts to revive tourism,” Chiong explained.

“As the aviation industry recovers from the effects of the pandemic, passenger numbers are likely to rise further in the coming months and years,” the airport chief added.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest monthly flight and passenger totals have been March 2023’s 23,399 flights and January 2023’s 3,766,546 passengers.

Chiong had attributed the significant increase to people’s renewed confidence to travel.

OCD reports 19 persons still missing in ferry fire

THE Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported that authorities are still looking for 19 people missing from the fire that razed a passenger vessel off Basilan as the death toll remained at 32.

OCD spokesperson Undersecretary Raffy Alejandro, quoted by GMA News, said they are now conducting retrieval and recovery operations for the remaining victims.

“So far, 32 have been officially reported dead but there are still 19 people missing whom we hope to recover in the area of the incident,” the OCD official said.

Of the 32 deaths, 16 recovered cadavers have yet to be identified because they were burned, Alejandro said.

Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh said authorities are encountering difficulties in search, rescue, and retrieval operations due to an inaccurate manifest, GMA News reported.

Reports said MV Lady Mary Joy 3 was en route to Jolo, Sulu from Zamboanga City on March 29 when the blaze hit the maritime vessel at around 10:40 p.m. It was declared fire out at 7:30 a.m. on March 30.

To save the passengers, the PCG official confirmed the captain brought the vessel to Baluk-Maluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town.

one of the most

The Philippine Coast Guard said a total of 230 survivors were reported in the incident including the crew aboard the vessel.

Groups insist insu icient ‘ayuda’ for Mindoro Oriental in oil spill aftermath

A COALITION of scientists and environmental groups on Sunday cited “widespread economic impacts” and “lack of sufficient and sustained ayuda” for communities across Mindoro Oriental following the recent oil spill and subsequent fishing ban.

A report of Brigada Kalikasan, AGHAM

Advocates for Science and Technology for the People, Center for Environmental Concerns Philippines, and Serve the People

Corps - Southern Tagalog came after an independent fact-finding mission conducted last April 1 to 3. Local advocacy organization Angat Kabataan Mindoreño was also involved in the mission.

“On top of environmental issues, residents are having to deal with little to no income these past few weeks, causing trickle-down effects on their health and education,” CEC research coordinator Jordan Fronda said.

“The impacts of the oil spill and

fishing ban are also long-term, so it is not enough to just give one-time assistance,” he added.

The report, which covered two municipalities and six barangays across Mindoro Oriental and involved over 400 individual respondents, also documented that over 90% of individuals “do not earn enough to meet their family’s needs” following the oil spill.

While most residents have received aid over the past few weeks, nearly 100% of respondents also reported that the aid

they received was “insufficient.”

Ayuda packs would mainly come in the form of food, while other needs such as hygiene supplies for infants or money for allowances and transportation for children going to school were not addressed.

Residents claimed that the impacts of the oil spill and fishing ban “were worse than COVID” as the oil spill prevented them from catching food to eat.

“The scale of the impacts are immense, which really shows the need for immediate and more comprehensive ac-

tion responding to the needs of the people,” Berto Alinea of STPC said.

“Civil society is doing what we can but this is not enough. We need the national government to improve and hasten its response, especially in terms of addressing the socio-economic impacts. We enjoin the Mindoreños in seeking accountability to RDC Reield Marine Services for the grave ecological and environmental impacts caused by the oil spill,” he said.

The coalition plans to return to the community to assist in further relief efforts.

BACK IN MANILA. A passenger disembarks at a bus station in Manila after spending a long Holy Week vacation in the province. Norman Cruz

TRADITIONAL HEALER. Jonel Tomaroy is considered

reputable mananambal (traditional healer and practitioner of folk medicine) in Siquijor. He shows the process of making minasa or black wax used in creating palina (ritual smoke) and in producing anting-anting (amulets and charms) during the Panambal Festival. Teddy Pelaez

Task force set to file more raps vs. brains in Degamo murder

ASPECIAL task force meets today to assess additional cases that may be filed against the suspected masterminds in the assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.

This developed as initial investigations in the Degamo slay indicated that there were two prior attempts on the governor’s life before he was finally felled by assassins’ bullets last March 4, along with eight other innocent bystanders right in the governor’s home in Pamplona town.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has also said the Task Force Degamo would likewise evaluate who among the suspects could qualify as a state witness.

The first attempt to kill Degamo involved the use of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), while the second was through a sniper, but both plots fizzled out for “lack of manpower.”

New details about Degamo’s assassination plots were unearthed by a Department of Justice (DOJ) panel of prosecutors that issued a resolution indicting Marvin Miranda, one of the alleged masterminds in Degamo’s killing, for nine counts of murder, 13 counts of frustrated murder, and 4 counts of attempted murder.

The resolution quoted another suspect identified as Rogelio Antipolo, Jr. who reportedly told all he knew about the governor’s murder in a sworn statement.

Antipolo allegedly tagged Miranda as a former bagman of Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves.

Antipolo narrated that he met Miranda in an old house of Teves’ father in Bayawan, Negros Oriental sometime in October 2022, along with two other suspects, Winrich Isturis and Dahniel Lora.

Antipolo said he agreed to join a “project” which he later learned to be about Degamo’s assassination.

In his affidavit, Antipolo said sometime in December 2022, Miranda and Lora flew to Mindanao using Teves’ helicopter to procure RPGs and other explosives.

The first attempt on Degamo allegedly took place last December 23, with Joven Javier and Lora firing the RPG at Degamo, but it did not materialize.

The resolution stated that Teves told Miranda that “the mission was aborted due to lack of manpower.”

Three more men were eventually recruited — Eulogio Gonyon, Jr., John Louie Gonyon and Romel Pattaguan—for the plot.

The second attempt was on February 14, 2023, during a mass wedding, with a sniper deployed to pull the hit on Degamo, but this likewise was aborted.

In his statement, Antipolo said Miranda again reported to Teves about the failed second attempt, resulting in the recruitment of three more hitmen identified as Benjie Rodriguez, Jovic Labrador, and Osmundo Rojas Rivero.

It was Miranda, according to Antipolo, who distributed the firearms, ammunition, vests, and magazines, as well as an advance payment of P20,000.

Miranda supposedly arrived at the safehouse with his brother, said to be the closein security of Congressman Teves.

The group finally managed to kill Degamo on March 4, but four of the suspects were immediately arrested — Labrador, Javier, Rodriguez and Rivero. A fifth suspect, identified as Arnil Labranilla, was killed in the hot pursuit operations. Antipolo, himself, surrendered on March 18 while the 5 others surrendered on March 21.

Miranda was arrested in Antique on March 31.

72 drown during Holy Week break – PNP

By Charles Dantes and Vince Lopez

AT LEAST 72 people have died by drowning in the country since the start of the month, police reported on Monday, attributing the unusually high figure in part to millions hitting the beach for Holy Week.

Four others were reportedly killed in vehicular accidents.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was able to have a “very quiet” Lenten break.

The holiday is traditionally marked in the Catholic-majority nation by millions of people

UNFORGOTTEN

WAR HEROES. Roberto Isidro offers a prayer before the tomb of his grandfather, a World War II hero, at the Manila North Cemetery as the country marks Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) to commemorate the fall of Bataan and Corregidor on April 9, 1942.

IN BRIEF

DPWH finishes P83.3-m projects in Bataan, Iloilo

THE government has completed the construction of road projects worth P83.3 million designed to improve mobility and provide economic growth in Bataan and Iloilo provinces, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan said the department finished paving the Dumangas-Barotac Nuevo Diversion Road that would enhance mobility and connectivity in the northern part of Iloilo.

Stretching through Barangay Agcuyawan

Pulo in the town of Barotac Nuevo, the concreting of the 1.9-kilometer road was undertaken by DPWH Iloilo 2ndDistrict Engineering Office.

DPWH Region 6 Director Nerie Bueno said the concrete road will not only ensure the safety of motorists, but also facilitate ease of transportation in the area by reducing the flow of traffic in the town proper.

“The upgraded road will provide economic benefits to local communities as it increases the efficiency of goods and services delivery, boosts tourism development, and opens more job opportunities,” said Director Bueno.

Meanwhile, the DPWH also completed a road project in Barangay Old San Jose and the construction of a flood control structure in Barangay Roosevelt, in the Municipality of Dinalupihan, Bataan.

The DPWH finished the concreting of 1.67 kilometers of a local road that connects the community to the Angeles-PoracFloridablanca-Dinalupihan Road. Vito Barcelo

Solon eyes TESDA office in Davao City

DAVAO City Rep. Paolo Duterte eyes the establishment of a district office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Davao City.

Duterte filed House Bill 1756 proposing the setting up of a TESDA office in Davao City.

“This will enable more people in Mindanao to access better job opportunities through technical and vocational training,” said Duterte.

With 182 barangays and a population of 1.78 million, Davao City alone covers a large area that necessitates setting up a separate TESDA

office to enable the agency to effectively deliver its services and fulfill its goal of providing “quality-assured and inclusive” technical and vocational education, Duterte said.

The current TESDA provincial office, which caters to the entire province of Davao del Sur, also covers Davao City.

Establishing this separate TESDA office as provided under HB 1756 will provide “better and more focused technical-vocational education and training (TVET) for the people of Davao City,” which has the largest number of deliverables and scope of operations that Comprises at least 60 percent of the agency’s regional targets, said Duterte, who represents the city’s 1st District.

Davao City currently has 113 registered private technical vocational institutions, and three public TESDA training institutions, with 504 registered programs/qualifications, and 33 accredited assessment centers with 224 accredited programs/qualifications.

Maricel V. Cruz

DAR delivers 1,730 e-titles to farmers in Bicol Region

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has distributed a total of 1,730 electronic land titles (e-titles) to agrarian reform beneficiaries in the Bicol region.

Former Philippine National Police spokesman Reuben Theodore Sindac, DAR Bicol regional director, spearheaded the distribution of the e-titles covering 2,858 hectares with collective certificates of land ownership award (CCLOAs).

“The CCLOAs were subdivided into e-titles and awarded to 1,730 farmer beneficiaries across the region,” Sindac said. The e-titles were issued under the agency’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project designed to improve land tenure security and provide individual land titles to those who have been awarded CCLOAs.

“This was made possible by the Project SPLIT and indicates a brighter direction of the project in the region,” Sindac said.

The distribution activities are anchored on the plans of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “to empower the farmers and boost the agricultural sector.”

Sindac said from March 2021 to December 2022, the region validated 34,657 hectares of land with CCLOAs, of which 25,960 hectares have been issued with approved survey plans in preparation for individual titling in the upcoming months.

achieved

leaving the capital Manila to spend time with their families in the provinces.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said the high toll was partly due to “revenge travel” as the country emerges from years of mobility restrictions to contain the coronavirus.

“People got a bit excited to go to beaches and resorts,” Fajardo told AFP.

A breakdown of the fatalities was not immediately available, but Fajardo said the victims included children who were left unattended by guardians while swimming, as well as people who hit beaches while drunk.

Fajardo called the death toll “unusual” and higher than past years.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs does not recommend a total ban on the operations of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.

In his report, committee chairman Senator Ronald Dela Rosa noted that the POGOs can continue operating in the country under stricter regulations.

Dela Rosa also said the operations can only be conducted in recommended areas such as the economic zones.

In an interview, Dela Rosa cited the necessity of proper monitoring of the POGOs operations in the exclusive zones. He said the movements of those involved in POGOs can be closely monitored to deter the proliferation of POGO-related crimes.

Dela Rosa’s committee conducted an inquiry on POGO-related crimes like killings,

NCR’s COVID positivity rate up by 2.1% last week, says OCTA

By Willie Casas

THE COVID-19 positivity rate in the National Capital Region (NCR) increased over the first week of April, hitting 6.5 percent on Saturday, according to independent monitoring OCTA Research Group on Monday. OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David said the NCR’s positivity rate, or the percentage of people who were found positive for COVID-19 among the total number of individuals tested, increased from 4.4 percent on April 1, to 6.5 percent on April 8.

Other areas seen surpassing the 5 percent benchmark set by the World Health Organization (WHO) were Benguet, Camarines Sur, Cavite, Cebu, Davao del Sur, Isabela, Misamis Oriental, Negros Occidental, Palawan, Rizal, and South Cotabato.

Last week, Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the increasing number of new COVID cases in the country is still insignificant as hospital utilization remained low and manageable.

The Philippines logged 177 new COVID cases nationwide on Easter Sunday, the lowest

tally in four days.

This brought the active caseload down to 9,493.

NCR still logged the most number of new infections among all regions in the last two weeks at 1,065. It was followed by Davao Region with 385, Northern Mindanao with 335, Calabarzon with 328, and Central Visayas with 172. The DOH’s tracker noted that the new cases bring the country’s COVID total to 4,083,678.

The total of active cases decreased by 110 to 9,493, the lowest total in four days but the ninth straight day of more than 9,000 active cases. Total recoveries increased by 255 cases to 4,007,765 (from yesterday’s 4,007,510, while the death toll rose by four to 66,420.

The region with the most new COVID-19 cases in the last two weeks is Metro Manila with 1,065 cases, followed by Davao Region with 385, northern Mindanao with 335, Calabarzon with 328, and Central Visayas with 172.

Davao City recorded the most new COVID cases in the last two weeks with 288, followed by Quezon City with 229, City of Manila with 181, Cagayan De Oro City with 143, and Cavite province with 123.

“Resorts and beaches were packed. This also contributed to the number of drowning incidents,” she added.

The World Health Organization has said drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, with an estimated 236,000 fatalities annually.

PNP Chief. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. said that since April 6, incident reports came from Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

In the report, a total of 57 drowning incidents were posted with 62 deaths, with the latest reported in Batangas wherein three people died while two others went missing in the town of Lemery. With AFP

kidnappings, abductions and illegal detentions and illegal possession of firearms, among others.

The recommendations of Dela Rosa, a former police chief, were contained in a draft report which was contrary to the draft report of Senate Committee on Ways and Means chairman Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian who looked into the social costs of POGO operations and its ill effects on the lives of Filipinos. Gatchalian’s committee report proposed a total ban on POGO operations. He pointed out that based on data and studies they obtained, POGO operations have not provided enough employment and income to Filipino workers. Gatchalian’s draft report was still being routed for his colleagues’ signatures.

Dela Rosa disclosed that he also signed Gatchalian’s report since he still has reservations on allowing the POGOs’ operations.

PNP: Eight ‘focus’ crimes dropped by 14.69% this year

THE incidence of eight “focus” crimes being closely monitored by the Philippine National Police (PNP) substantially went down by 14.69 percent this year.

Citing latest statistics, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said a total of 9,345 crime incidents were recorded from Jan. 1 to April 8 this year d as compared to 10,954 cases recorded in the same period last year.

Azurin identified the eight focus crimes as murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, car theft and motorcycle theft.

He asserted that he had implemented measures to improve police visibility and strengthen police-community relations across the country.

Part of the security measures were the immediate response to the complaints of the people, police presence down to the communities and aggressive coordination with local officials and stakeholders to combat crimes, particularly illegal drugs at the barangay level.

The pro-active and preventive measures also included a campaign against loose firearms and the accounting of wanted persons.

Based on the latest data, around 2,000 people were arrested for possession of loose guns while almost 7,000 were seized since January this year.

On the other hand, more than 17,00 wanted persons have been arrested since January this year, the PNP chief said.

Dela Rosa says POGOs can stay, but on stricter rules

LOOK MA, A FLYING DRAGON! A kite in the shape of a dragon looms over C6 road in Taguig City, to the amusement and entertainment of passersby. Manny Palmero

SUNKEN GARDEN. Amazing rows of trees on opposite sides of the road provide a green canopy for joggers, bikers, and other early morning visitors of the University of the Philippines Sunken Garden in Diliman, Quezon City. Revoli Cortez

Danny Pata

An inspiring museum of Philippine customs

SOME 146 kiometers west of Manila, on the peninsula once soused by the blood of Allied freedom fighters, is an inspiring museum of Philippine customs and traditions re-born in a community now visited by Filipino and foreign tourists.

The customs and traditions of the Filipinos, from the 18th to the 20th century Philippines, is seen—thanks to costumed male and female cultural tour guides—in the reconstructed houses of stone, stilt houses built in that span, and the different dances performed by a dance troupe during the cultural night.

These houses were old and decaying architectural pieces of a bygone era and slowly fading into the background of urban life, according to Mabel, one of the weekend tour guides, who spoke her lines in impeccable Filipino. She explained before her assigned 20-something group of weekend visitors, from different parts of the country and some from overseas, how Filipinos lived during the 18th century, their manners and traditions -- no smiles during picture taking to stress the character of the Filipino women of the era -- and their lifestyle.

Some of the houses were opened to the visitors who had a quick travel back in time with Mabel who related how the Filipinos then lived in the different houses that today dot the 400 hectare-bayside area fronting Bagac Bay on the country’s western seaboard. The 27 architectural pieces were painstakingly reconstructed from different parts of the country and rebuilt, according to the tour guide, “brick by brick” and “plank by plank” and now stand dazzling against a backdrop verdant mountains as well as rain-fed rice fields and a running river that empties into the sea.

Bato” (stone house) style. The original house was generally a classic example of the passive cooling ventilation adopted throughout the entire structure.

Continuous lower eaves are found throughout the top of the second floor sliding windows, and the lower windows or the “ventanillas,” were also secured with decorative wooden grills.

The Paseo de Escolta, where many of the the weekend travelers were billeted, is a strip of supposedly commercial structures which are replicas of the typical Escolta buildings in Manila, the country’s capital, during the early 20th century.

The structures in Casa Escolta, which has 17 rooms with individual toilets and baths, were built based on old photographs found in magazines.

There is also Casa Cagayan, which has at present four houses along the shoreline of the property, which were originally from Cagayan province.

During the early 20th century, the wood houses were referred to as the Poor Man’s Houses—built on stilts with the three trunks in their natural shape used as posts and columns to give its residents extra space for relaxation, storage and livelihood activities.

The afternoon tour is capped by a dinner either at the Filipino restaurant or the Italian restaurant, soon after a cultural show, performed by the Las Casas Filipinas Dance Group that allows the visitors to have a glimpse of the different dances of the archipelago of 7,107 islands at low tide.

Good reason for hope

WHILE many believe that Easter was only two days ago, Easter time is the period of 50 days, spanning from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday, a single joyful feast called the “great Lord’s Day.”

Let him say not merely, “Christ is risen,” but “I shall rise.” “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.”

Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life – a line that must be uplifting, given the trials we are experiencing after the global health emergency and the challenges on our path as we approach the bridge of new normal.

As hospice counselor and book author

Kate McGahan says, “The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies.”

Jesus gave up His life, and from the grave He was raised to life again on the third day, suggesting strongly that new life rises from the ashes of death.

Today and during Eastern time we are celebrating Christ’s victory over the grave, the gift of eternal life for all who believe in Jesus.

Like other Christians we rejoice on Easter Sunday that Jesus has risen and saved us, through our weaknesses and wounds. And the Easter season of nearly two months,

Jesus gave up His life, and from the grave He was raised to life again on the third day, suggesting strongly that new life rises from the ashes of death

which culminates on Ascension on May 18, strongly suggests that Easter is celebrated by Christians as a joyous holiday, Theologians say it represents the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament and the revelation of God’s salvific plan for all of humankind.

In commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus, Easter also celebrates the defeat of death and the hope of salvation. Which brings us to the key message of

Forty days of solitude

no longer theoretical.

Easter which is hope – faith in the future, and a new beginning.

And as the Philippines confronts problems in the various rungs of society, including questions on foreign investments flowing in, not to mention geopolitical difficulties, perhaps this is the right time for investors to remember the Easter message.

Experts say on the average, investment markets will have at least some ‘chaos’ once every four years. There will be negative returns and some market pessimism that will test the resilience and faith of investors.

Market corrections are fairly regular and mostly accepted by investors as a part of investing.

As it is with any time of stress and pressure, people react in different ways.

Some panic, and flight mode takes over.

Keen observers say they lose faith in their portfolio asset mix and make changes.

Others see the jabbing inflation frames as major opportunities and double down.

But most stay on the sidelines in the belief that the markets will come back. They have faith.

We agree with the observation that it often takes longer than the three days that it took Jesus to rise from the dead for markets to recover.

In the past 70 years, the average bear market has lasted 14 months and prices have fallen on average 33 percent.

But we hold the Eastern message of hope.

the

The customs and traditions of the Filipinos, from the 18th to the 20th century Philippines, is seen in the reconstructed houses of stone, stilt houses built in that span, and the different dances performed by a dance troupe during the cultural night

One of the houses is the Casa Candaba, owned by a prominent family in Candaba, Pampanga used as the residence of the Spanish governor general when he visited the province.

The interior of the rebuilt house was sturdy but simple and devoid of external details, but the interior was neo-Gothic in influence—from the arches, brackets and column details.

We were also shown the Casa Luna, built in 1850, originally owned by a prominent family of Namacpacan (eventually renamed Luna), La Union.

The immense symmetrical house was constructed on a square plan typical of the Ilocano “Balay a Bato” or stone house, with the ground floor used for carriages and store room for garlic, onions and tobacco harvested at different times of the year.

The second floor, where the bedrooms are distributed round the grand living room, is shielded by the “volada” or short flight on the entire length of the façade.

The rear portion of the second floor is a grand dining room serviced by an equally large kitchen area with an “azotea” which is adjacent to the toilet and bath.

There is also the Casa Meycauayan, originally constructed in 1913 in San Fernando, Pampanga, which was constructed out of adobe stone on the ground floor and wood on the upper floor in the typical “Bahay na

By Diana Simeonova

The dances, include “maglalatik,” carinosa,” pandanggo sa ilaw,” “itik itik,” “sayaw sa bangko,” and “tinikling,”—the last a winner for the audience, when some were invited to make the rhythmic steps with “instant” dance instructors from among the young dancers, many of them college or high school students and out-of-school youth.

Like Mabel, others like Olive and Joy as well as Maylody Gonzales were very accommodating and ready with the necessary information travelers needed during the visitors’ overnight weekend stay.

Maximilian Santos, 7, of Toronto, Canada, was excited when he and members of his clan reached the community by private vehicle through 146 kms of the North Luzon Expressway via San Fernando and thickly asphalted roads of Pampanga and Bataan rolled past the side of Mount Samat through tree-lined national highway on the ground once drenched by the blood of Filipino and American freedom fighters.

”I’m excited, I want to swim now,” Maximilian told his grandfather when he heard the roar of furiously lapping waves after the tour of the stone houses that stand round village cobblestone streets that have witnessed visitors enjoying nostalgia and romance on horse-drawn carriages.

”It’s amazing,” his 3-year-old maternal cousin Mirko Alexander chased his line, to which the latter’s 5-year-old brother Mikhail Bernard agreed.

Felisa vda. de Dilon, 95, of Nueva Ecija, herself arrived in the community on a wheel chair with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but appeared happy to see members of her family, particularly the children, in-laws, and the younger generation enjoying the food at the Filipino restaurant.

Chris, Gerry and Lui and their motherin-law Maria Rosa themselves were having their day as Roel Roma and Hazel Corpus serenaded the family with two traditional Tagalog love songs and the Ilokano “O Naraniag A Bulan. (Oh Luminous Moon.”

The four were joined by their respective spouses Francisca, Hermione, Lord Bernardo and Amanidong as well as the three minors while the weekend winds blew softly through the second floor of the restaurant from the nearby bay.

The walk back to their Casa Escolta house for the weekend, on rain-washed cobblestones, accented their time travel.

DURING Lent, I decided to the best that I could to experience forty days and nights of solitude. I disengaged totally from social media and limited to a minimum personal and work meetings.

I spent the last days of the season, including Holy Week, at the Sacred Heart Retreat Center in the Sacred Heart Novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Novaliches, Quezon City.

SHN, a spiritual and environmental oasis in the metropolis (LRT 7 passes through it and it is sandwiched by Novaliches and the new city of San Jose Del Monte), has always been a special place for me.

I have done many retreats here, including eight-day retreats in 1980 and 1982, a 30-day retreat in 2015, and a six-day retreat in 2017.

It’s the place I return to to be grounded in the First Principle and Foundation from the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola:

“God created human beings to praise, reverence, and serve God, and by doing this, to save his or her soul.) ((#23 of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola)

“God created all other things on the face of the earth to help fulfill this purpose.

“From this it follows that we are to use the things of this world only to the extent that they help us to this end, and we ought to rid ourselves of the things of this world to the extent that they get in the way of this end.

“For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things as much as we are able, so we do not necessarily want health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, a long rather than a short life, and so in all the rest, so we ultimately desire and choose only what is most conducive for us to the end for which God created us.”

In this latest retreat, where the elephant in the room was my one year battle of cancer, the choice of a long versus a short life and health versus sickness is

In the retreat, I was surprised by two discoveries my spiritual director guided me to see: (1) that my actions in the past, mission-oriented as I have been, were also motivated by a need for approval and affection;

(2) that I failed to experience the full extent of God’s love for me because I was always in a hurry to pay it forward, to share and proclaim that love to each other even when I have not relished it enough.

In fact, I am in the process of radically simplifying my life – among others reducing my teaching commitments and withdrawing from many political activities.

I still have two remaining climate justice projects – globally and in Mindanao – but I am mentoring colleagues who will eventually take over what is essential work for our planet and people. I am also experiencing constant and persistent pain but I offer that to the Lord and unify my suffering with his.

I gladly, to use the words of our catechists in the Neocatechumenal Way, embrace my cross because it enables me to love more.

This brings me to the resurrection of Jesus Christ which Christians all over the world celebrated last Sunday.

This event, the most important liturgical celebration for Christians, is a testament to the immense power of God; that He has power even over death.

These two tendencies were described by my spiritual director as subtle because I thought I was doing good things but they hindered my relationship with God.

My cancer and near death experience has clearly been a gift. I would not have seen through my blindness if not for my sickness.

And so during the Paschal Triduum, I focused on experiencing Jesus washing my feet and on his suffering and dying for me. I participated in the liturgies with other retreatants and it was good.

Because of the forty days of solitude capped with eight days of silence and prayer, I am now able to accept God’s love freely and experience the sweetness of the love of Jesus.

I have no illusions about my stage 4 prostate cancer.

I now live in three-month cycles, ready any time to shift course and abandon my current activities and commitments.

God raised Jesus from the dead, and therefore to believe in the resurrection of Christ is to believe in God.

The resurrection validates who Jesus claimed to be as the Son of God and the Messiah as was foretold by the ancient prophets.

Jesus is either everything or he is nothing; a charlatan or the real deal.

But by his resurrection, he has proven His unique status as the Son of God.

If Jesus really rose from the dead then everything he claimed about himself and all of his teachings must be true.

With Jesus’ resurrection, we can believe in His promise to give His Holy Spirit to believers; that His resurrection gives faithful Christians a living hope of eternal life.

Christ has risen! Indeed, our Lord has risen!

Website: tonylavina.com. Facebook: tonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

Three years after giant protests, Bulgarians’ hopes dashed

BULGARIANS took to the streets in 2020 in the biggest protests since the end of communism, aiming to push out longtime premier Boyko Borisov who was mired in corruption claims.

Hoping it would be a first step to cleaning up public life, the protesters unleashed a spiral of elections.

As voters head to the polls Sunday for the fifth time in two years, the optimism felt by many of the demonstrators has proved shortlived.

The pessimists

Despite his frustration with the system, construction engineer Konstantin Varbenov, 57, said he would “absolutely” vote again. Even so, he sees little chance of a stable

government to end the string of interim cabinets appointed by pro-Russian President Rumen Radev, himself the target of recent protests.

“We are disappointed mainly by the fact that the people don’t know what they want... They like to be beaten on the head, to be stolen from,” said Varbenov, referring to the continued support for Borisov’s conservative GERB party, which protesters accuse of graft.

“I don’t know what awaits us,” he shrugged, lamenting the rise of pro-Russian ultra-nationalists in the Balkan nation with historically close ties to Moscow.

His two sons have already moved abroad, part of an exodus from the EU member by those seeking a better life. Bulgaria has lost 1.5 million people in two decades.

As voters head to the polls Sunday for the fifth time in two years, the optimism felt by many of the demonstrators has proved

Social researcher Aleksandra Kirova, 41, is so disillusioned she is not even planning to vote anymore.

“The political market offers products that don’t taste good to me,” she said wryly. “I can’t think of any party that has a vision of what Bulgaria should look like in five, 10 or 20 years.”

The optimists

Puppet theater director Mila Kolarova, 42, and her partner Vladimir Vasilev, 45, have not lost their spirit of resistance since AFP talked to them on the 100th day of the 2020 “revolution”, recently taking part in protests against Radev.

“I am more of an optimist... I think that we are moving in the right direction even if slowly and the hard way. Once woken up, people won’t calm down easily,” Kolarova said.

She has pinned her hopes on a new coalition of anti-corruption parties, We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria, to

bring out voters against Borisov’s GERB.

Vasilev said the couple would continue to push for change no matter the result.

“It’s like love, once you fall in love nobody can convince you that this is not going to work,” he said.

Despite their tiredness, “we will fight as long as we have to,” Kolarova added.

Niya Gicheva, a 45-year-old lawyer, attended all 116 days of the protests, which she called an “awakening”.

But she said it had been “awfully hard” to remain optimistic since.

“Unfortunately, the unity of the protests did not transfer into political life... the participants divided,” she said.

“Real change has begun and it will happen, but too slowly and painfully... It’s a process,” she said. AFP

short-lived

I am also experiencing constant and persistent pain but I offer that to the Lord and unify my suffering with his

Asian markets mixed on US job data results

HONG KONG, China—Asian equities were mixed Monday in holiday-thinned trade after US jobs data indicated the Federal Reserve would likely have to hike interest rates again but soothed recent worries about a possible recession.

The closely watched non-farm payrolls reading on Friday followed a string of figures last week showing the world’s top economy was slowing down and dented investor sentiment. Focus is now on the release of inflation figures later this week, which will play a crucial role in the Fed’s decisionmaking when it meets early next month.

While rates are seen going up, bets are for officials to end their hiking cycle earlier than previously thought, with a nervous eye on the banking sector after last month’s turmoil that saw two lenders go under and Credit Suisse taken over.

Some commentators have even sug-

gested that the Fed would announce cuts by the end of the year.

“It seems the Fed will unlikely ‘budge’ on cuts unless the US economy is amid a deep downturn,” said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes.

“And given the still sticky inflation outlook and the less dovish drumbeat from the Fed speak, cuts may need to be removed from the market unless we enter an actual recession—and of course, neither outcome is an excellent backdrop for equities.”

He added that the jobs report “was encouraging, signaling a subtle rebalancing of the labor market that again points to a soft landing”.

With much of the region still closed for the Easter break, trading was light again on Monday.

Tokyo, Seoul, Mumbai, Bangkok and Taipei rose, but Shanghai, Singapore and Jakarta turned negative.

Expectations for another Fed hike also lifted the dollar against its peers.

Oil prices edged down as investors weighed OPEC’s decision to cut output by more than a million barrels a day with the outlook for the global economy and the impact on demand.

“Economic data will form a key input this week for energy markets,” said Charu Chanana, at Saxo Capital Markets.

“Given that the OPEC decision was partly intended to drive out short sellers from the crude oil market, oil prices may be better able to reflect market fundamentals.”

European markets remained closed for Easter, though Wall Street reopens later in the day. AFP

WB, IMF meetings underway amid complex environment

WASHINGTON, USA—The World Bank and International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings get underway later this week with an ambitious reform and fundraising agenda likely to be overshadowed by concerns over high inflation, rising geopolitical tension and financial stability.

“Growth remains historically weak -— now and in the medium term,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said during a speech last week.

The fund now expects global growth to fall below three percent this year, and to remain at close to three percent for the next half a decade—its lowest medium-term prediction since the 1990s.

Close to 90 percent of the world’s advanced economies will experience slowing growth this year, while Asia’s emerging markets are expected to see a substantial rise in economic output —with India and China predicted to account for half of all growth, she said.

Low-income countries are expected to suffer a double shock from higher borrowing costs and a decline in demand for their exports, which Georgieva said could fuel poverty and hunger to increase.

Updated growth projections published in the IMF’s World Economic Outlook on Tuesday will provide a broader look at how different countries are coping, with additional publications to detail fiscal and financial challenges to the global economy.

Tackling inflation

This year’s spring meeting will be held against the backdrop of high inflation and ongoing concerns about the health of the banking sector following the dramatic collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Georgieva told AFP last week that central banks should continue battling high inflation through interest-rate hikes, despite concerns that it could further inflame the banking sector.

“We don’t envisage, at this point, central banks stepping back from fighting inflation,” she said during an interview on Thursday.

“Central banks still have to prioritize fighting inflation and then supporting, through different instruments, financial stability,” she said.

Ahead of the spring meetings, the IMF and World Bank also called on wealthier countries to help plug a $1.6-billion hole in a concessional lending facility for low-income countries that was

heavily-used during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many low-income countries are now facing mounting debt burdens due in part to the higher interest-rate environment. AFP

Chinese shopping app Temu wows US consumers despite TikTok fears

WASHINGTON, USA—Shopping online at Temu, Laurie Silva paid just $1.25 for earrings and $15 for a cardigan—she is among millions of US consumers the Chinese platform is wooing with low-cost bargains and a dizzying array of products.

Temu topped US app download rankings in early April, a spot it held since January, but its rapid rise comes as platforms with links to China face growing scrutiny and when a ban on youth favorite TikTok appears increasingly inevitable.

According to Sensor Tower data, some of the most popular platforms downloaded in the US currently have Chinese roots, including TikTok, video-editor CapCut and fashion upstart Shein.

Temu is positioned as an Amazon-like superstore, selling everything from make-up to homeware and electronics, and its quiet launch last September marked Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo’s first foray into the US market.

Based out of a Boston office block, Temu’s out-of-the-blue success makes it the second Chinese-made shopping app -- after Gen Z darling Shein -- to make a splash in America in recent years.

“I’ve seen so many things in their catalog... offered on Amazon and other online retailers for much more,” Silva, a 65-yearold in California, told AFP.

She has placed around 20 orders on Temu, buying craft supplies, jewelry and gifs. AFP

became part of the issued common shares of the Company.

The Company proposes to reclassify one hundred million (100,000,000) common shares to one hundred million (100,000,000) RPS resulting in a final authorized capital stock of five billion Pesos (Php5,000,000,000.00) divided into four-billioneight-hundred-million-Peso (Php4,800,000,000) common shares and two-hundredmillion-Peso (Php200,000,000) RPS:

a. 3,798,405,500 issued and outstanding common shares;

b. 201,594,500 common shares held in treasury;

c. 800,000,000 unissued common shares; and

d. 200,000,000 unissued RPS.

Currently, there are no holders of the RPS that will be affected by the amendments while the existing holders of common shares will also not be affected by the amendments. The amendments do not have the effect of changing or restricting the rights of existing holders of common shares, or of authorizing preferences in any respect superior to those of outstanding shares of any class.

The Company hereby presents the proposed amendments below:

1. Sixth Article: Increase in the number of directors from seven (7) to nine (9)

2. Seventh Article: Change in authorized capital stock from FIVE BILLION PESOS (P5,000,000,000.00), in lawful money of the Philippines, divided into (a) FOUR BILLION PESOS (P4,000,000,000.00) Common Shares with par value of One Peso (P1.00) per share and (b) ONE BILLION PESOS (P1,000,000,000.00) Redeemable Preferred Shares with par value of One Peso (P1.00) per share. to FIVE BILLION PESOS (P5,000,000,000.00), in lawful money of the Philippines, divided into (a) FOUR BILLION EIGHT HUNDRED MILLION PESOS (P4,800,000,000.00) Common Shares with par value of One Peso (P1.00) per share and (b) TWO HUNDRED MILLION PESOS (P200,000,000.00) Redeemable Preferred Shares with par value of One Peso (P1.00) per share.

3. Seventh Article. Change in the features of the Redeemable Preferred Shares as follows (provisions to be modified or deleted are indicated): The Redeemable Preferred Shares shall have the following features: a) Voting Rights The holders of the Redeemable Preferred Shares (the “Redeemable Preferred Shareholders”) outstanding from time to time shall have the same full and unrestricted voting rights as the holders of the Common Shares (“Common Shareholders”).

b) Dividends

The Redeemable Preferred Shareholders shall be entitled to participate pro-rata in any regular dividend declared for the Common Shares to be paid out of the corporation’s unrestricted retained earnings at the same rate and upon the same terms as declared and paid to the Common Shareholders. The Redeemable Preferred Shareholders shall also be entitled to such other dividends as may be determined and approved by the Board of Directors. Unless dividends on all outstanding Redeemable Preferred Shares shall have been paid or declared and set apart for payment, (i) no dividends shall be paid or declared and set apart for payment in respect of the Common Shares; (ii) no distribution shall be made in respect of the Common Shares as to distribution upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the corporation; (iii) nor shall any Common Shares, upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation, be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any payment made to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of shares of such stock) by the corporation.

c) Convertibility into Common Shares

The Redeemable Preferred Shareholders have the right to convert their Redeemable Preferred Shares to Common Shares at any time by notice to the corporation; provided, that no Redeemable Preferred Shares shall be converted until after three (3) years from its issue date. After conversion, the new Common Shares (which may consist of reissued treasury shares and/or new Common Shares from the corporation’s authorized capital) to be issued shall rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Common Shares of the corporation. The initial conversion ratio shall be one-to-one, subject to any adjustments set out in any effective shareholders agreement.

d) Liquidation Rights

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the corporation (but not on redemption of any of the Redeemable Preferred Shares or any repurchase by the corporation of any of the Redeemable Preferred Shares), the Redeemable Preferred Shareholders shall be entitled to receive out of the assets of the corporation available for distribution to the shareholders of the corporation, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Shares, distributions in the amount of the issue value per outstanding Redeemable Preferred Shares, plus declared and unpaid dividends to the date of distribution.

e) Priority No equity security shall be created or issued with preferences as regards participation in the profits of the corporation or in the assets of the corporation on a liquidation, dissolution or winding up or

f) Redemption The corporation shall have the option to redeem the Redeemable Preferred Shares if approved by the Board of Directors and the redemption shall be pursuant to a written redemption agreement executed by the corporation and the relevant holder of the Redeemable Preferred Shares. In no case shall the redemption price of the actual number of Redeemable Preferred Shares to be redeemed be less than the cost of such shares plus an 8% yield. (As amended by the Directors and Stockholders on July 26, 2017.)”

The corporation may, at any time, reissue any of the Redeemable Preferred Shares it has previously redeemed.

g) Payments Payments of dividends and any other distributions in respect of the Redeemable Preferred Shares or amounts payable upon redemption of the Redeemable Preferred Shares may be made in United States Dollars, at the election of the Redeemable Preferred Shareholder, insofar as and to the full extent permissible under Philippine law and regulations. In the event that, due to any change in Philippine law or regulations, force majeure events or any other circumstances rendering it illegal for the corporation to make any of such payments in United States Dollars (“USD”), the corporation shall not be under any obligation to make such payment in USD and any such payment will be made in Philippine Pesos (“Pesos”). Any conversion of amounts in USD to Pesos payable hereunder shall be calculated based on the FX Rate (as defined below) applicable for the purchase of Pesos with USD as at the date of the declaration of the relevant dividends, payment of redemption price or distribution, as the case may be. For the purpose of this paragraph, “FX Rate” means the USD:Pesos closing rate of a bank that the Board of Directors may reasonably nominate, on a day when banks are open for business in the Philippines (“Business Day”) immediately prior to such conversion.

If the due date for payment of any amount in respect of any Redeemable Preferred Shares is not a Business Day, then the holder shall not be entitled to payment of the amount due until the next following Business Day and shall not be entitled to any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay.

g) h) Notices

Notices to Redeemable Preferred Shareholders shall be given in accordance with the corporation’s By-Laws.

The corporation shall provide to each Redeemable Preferred Shareholder copies of all notices, circulars, annual budgets and annual reports sent to all holders of Common Shares.

h) i)Transfers

(i) A Redeemable Preferred Share may be transferred, in whole or in part, in accordance with the provisions of the corporation’s Bylaws and any effective shareholder agreement upon the surrender at the office of the corporate secretary of the certificate evidencing the Redeemable Preferred Share to be transferred, together with the form of transfer endorsed on it duly completed and executed by both the transferor and the transferee and the relevant documents of title and identity of the person making the request, subject to such reasonable regulations as the corporation may establish from time to time.

Title to the Redeemable Preferred Shares shall pass by registration in the corporation’s stock and transfer book. Registration of the Redeemable Preferred Shares on transfer shall be effected without charge by or on behalf of the corporation, but upon payment by the relevant holder of the Redeemable Preferred Shares in respect of any tax or other government charges which may be imposed in relation to such transfer.

(ii) The corporation shall be entitled to treat a registered holder of the Redeemable Preferred Shares as its absolute owner for all purposes, and no person will be liable for so treating such Redeemable Preferred Shareholder, in the absence of determination by the corporation’s corporate secretary that the registered owner holds such shares in trust for another or is not the rightful owner of such shares.

i) j) Replacement of Lost Certificates

If any certificate for a Redeemable Preferred Share is defaced or alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, a new certificate representing the same Redeemable Preferred Share may be issued to the holder upon request, subject to delivery of the old certificate, or (if alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed) compliance with Section 73 of the Corporation Code of the Philippines and such other conditions as to evidence indemnity and the payment of out-of-pocket expenses of the corporation in connection with the request as the Board of Directors may determine.

The above-mentioned conditions shall be printed in all certificates of stock for Redeemable Preferred Shares issued by the corporation.

Bank of Japan’s new governor Kazuo Ueda (left) arrives at the BOJ headquarters on April 10,

In accordance with Section 15 of the Revised Corporation Code, we are now submitting the abovementioned amendments for the approval of stockholders of record as of 03 March 2023 through written assent.

The Written Assent Form (“Form”) is attached to the Information Statement

2023. AFP

MUSICIANS’ PROTEST. Conductor Leo Margue (right) reacts with musicians as they perform during a concert by an ‘inter-orchestra/ entertainment workers’ symphonic orchestra to protest a pensions reform, as the Council of State is reflected in mirrors, on the Place du Palais Royal in Paris, on April 9, 2023. Protests continue in France after the president bypassed parliament on March 16, using the article 49.3 of the constitution, to pass a pensions overhaul that includes raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. AFP

Miners say ban on nickel ore exports to hurt local industry

By Othel V. Campos

NICKEL miners expressed opposition to a government’s plan to ban the export of nickel ore and warned that it would harm the mining industry.

The Department of Trade and Industry

earlier proposed to restrict nickel ore exports to institutionalize mineral ore processing and add value to mineral exports.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual earlier said the agency was studying a ban or duties on export of nickel ore to encourage the development of local nickel processing which fetches higher value. The government plans to follow the lead of Indonesia which also restricted

PSE INDEX CLOSING

exports of nickel ore to China and other countries.

Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. president Dante Bravo said the move would hurt not only nickel miners but also all mining companies operating in the Philippines.

“Killing the industry will not incentivize investments in value added processing. You promote investments in value added processing by promoting mining

investments first—with a stable and predictable policy. If we cannot show protection of mining investments, how can we show protection of investments in value added processing,” he said.

Imposing duties on nickel ore exports would also severely harm companies mining nickel especially as the industry is already heavily taxed, said Bravo, who is also the head of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association.

The twin proposals will only serve as added burden to the mining industry that is yet to recover from slump over years of mining ban which was lifted only in December 2021, according to the group.

The government reinstated mining as a major part of economic recovery, and taxing more than what the sector could

MSpectrum installs solar rooftop on Atkins facility

MSPECTRUM Inc., a renewable energy company owned by Manila Electric Co., installed a 976.8-kilowattpeak solar panel system on Atkins Import and Export Resources Inc.’s newest cold storage facility in Naic, Cavite.

absorb is an antithesis to what the government purportedly aims to achieve, the miners said.

Bravo said more taxes and the proposed ban on nickel ore shipment would disincentivize investors and pull them away from putting in more investments into the local mining industry.

He said that while FNI had plans to add value to nickel ores by means of processing, the company was focused on exploration and nickel resource banking.

“We are continuously studying different technologies that can be economically viable in the Philippines,” he said.

The nickel firm plans to expand its shipment from 6.5 million wet metric tons in 2022 to 8 million wet MT in the next two years.

Meralco said the timely energization of the cold storage facility supports the government’s thrust to achieve food security in the country. The recently-inaugurated Atkins facility is the largest in South Luzon and Atkins’ first to utilize clean energy.

The solar project is expected to generate 1,362,100 kilowatt-hours of clean energy every year and result in around P9.5-million annual savings in energy costs for Atkins.

It will also help reduce Atkins’ carbon footprint by 970 tons, equivalent to over 44,500 trees planted or reducing nearly 3.9 million kilometers in car travel per year.

Atkins engages in the importation and distribution of quality meat products mainly sourced from all over the world. The company joins the roster of companies that engaged Meralco and Spectrum to advance their sustainability goals through renewable energy. Alena Mae S. Flores

E-wallet users in PH seen reaching 81m by 2025

THE number of Filipinos using electronicwallet apps could reach 81 million by 2025, according to consumer credit finance app Digido.

Digido’s recent consumer analysis report showed more than 58 million active users in the Philippines spent a total of 4.4 million hours in using e-wallet applications in 2022.

The report analyzed 14 companies operating in the Philippines that have applications inside the iOS App Store and/or Google Play.

It revealed that these companies had a combined 114.4 million unique downloads as of December 2022, representing 20 percent of the total downloads from business and finance categories across all devices and platforms.

The report said while the 58 million active users in December 2022 was 8 percent less compared to December 2021, this grew by 466 percent from December 2018.

Othel V. Campos

LGUs sign 123 MOUs on housing program

THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development said the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing program is gaining headway with at least 123 memoranda of understanding signed by the agency with local government units across the country since September 2022.

BEST EMPLOYER. Cebu Pacific receives the Best Employer Brand, the highest award at the LinkedIn Talent Awards, in recognition of the airline’s strong commitment to engage talents in a meaningful way. Receiving the award on behalf of Cebu Pacific are (second to fourth, from left) 1Aviation HR head Jam Dela Vega, CEB talent management manager Chrissie Perfecto and CEB chief human resources officer Felix Dan Lopez. CEB was conferred the Best Employer Brand award among companies with 1,000 to 5,000 employees on LinkedIn.

Economic managers set to hold briefing for US investors this week

By Julito G. Rada

THE government’s economic managers are visiting the United States this week to hold an economic briefing for investors at the sidelines of the World BankInternational Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington D.C.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno will lead the economic team in trying to attract US-based multinational firms to invest in the Philippines which is one of the fastest-growing economies in the region. Diokno said in a message over the weekend that large US-based compa-

nies were expected to attend the Philippine economic briefing. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Felipe Medalla, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan are also joining the US trip.

“President Marcos Jr.’s economic team will be in the US this week to brief some 180 senior executives and representatives of large US-based businesses [such as Boeing, Carroll, GeoX, FedEx, Visa and Ford], industry associations and financial communities,” Diokno said.

“The message is one of optimism:

how the Philippines has transformed itself into one of the fastest-growing economies in the fastest-growing region in the world. Amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing global uncertainties, the Philippine government did not sit idly by and wait for the virus to fade,” Diokno said.

He said the government adopted new laws to open up the economy to foreign investors and make the economy vibrant and competitive.

Diokno underscored the country’s strengths such as robust economic growth, improving jobs market, strong

external position, among others.

The country’s gross domestic product expanded by a 46-year high of 7.6 percent in 2022, exceeding the growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee.

The 2022 growth also exceeded the median forecast of local private sector analysts (7.5 percent) and economic projections by the IMF ( 6.5 percent), the World Bank (7.2 percent), ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (7.3 percent) and the Asian Development Bank (7.4 percent).

Singapore renewable energy firm plans to put up more projects in PH

By Alena Mae S. Flores

VENA Energy of Singapore plans to put up 300 megawatts to 500 MW of renewable energy projects in the Philippines annually for the next two to three years, a top executive said.

“We want to do 300 to 500 MW of projects every year for the next couple of years. We do believe that given the number of projects which Philippines needs especially from RE, what is actually available and can be executed, there’s a gap there and together with partners like MGreen [MGen Renewable Energy, Inc.] we can go on and execute that,” Vena Energy Philippines head Samrinder Nehria said.

“It warms my heart that LGU leaders throughout the country have thrown their support to the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through the DHSUD, to truly provide our countrymen with homes they can safely and proudly live in,” said DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar.

“I thank the LGU chiefs who have partnered and will partner with us, hopefully soon. Thank you for embracing the administration’s vision, and know that by supporting the success of the 4PH, you are quashing the Philippines’ long-enduring pain that is the housing gap. Let the MOUs we have signed represent our unwavering determination to uplift the Filipinos’ quality of living and put an end to homelessness and poverty,” he said.

The DHSUD signed the most recent MOUs with the provincial government of Quezon on April 3, 2023 and with the island of Puerto Gallera on April 4, 2023. Othel V. Campos

SLEX operator’s income grew 33% to P3.49b in 2022

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SBITC’S ASSISTANCE. Subic Bay International Terminals, International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s business unit operating the New Container Terminals 1 and 2 at the Port of Subic, facilitates the safe and timely handling of the remotely operated vehicle Hydros in preparation for transport to Oriental Mindoro. The ROV, along with other support equipment, were loaded on the anchor handling vessel Pacific Valkryie and deployed to assist in the oil containment and recovery operations of the oil spill from a tanker that sunk in the waters off Mindoro. Shown is the Pacific Valkyrie docked at SBITC.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

CONGLOMERATE GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty family earmarked P26.9 billion in capital expenditures for 2023 to support the expansion of its banking, real estate and automotive businesses.

GT Capital said in a regulatory filing that at the parent level, it allotted P13.6 billion in capex mainly for investments and acquisitions. It budgeted between P3 billion and P5

billion for information technology invest-

ment of banking unit Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.

It also plans to spend P4.4 billion to fund the investment, land banking and leasing projects of property arm Federal Land Inc. The conglomerate said it would continue to realize the value of Federal Land’s huge land bank in Cavite this year. It also plans to put more assets into Federal Land NRE Group—a joint venture between

“It is all about how much demand is there in the market. At least for the next two or three years, 300 to 500 MW,” Nehria said during the inauguration of the 68-megawatt Garcia 2 solar project under Nuevo Solar Energy Corp., a joint venture of Vena Energy and MGreen.

He said the target projects would include ground-mounted and floating

Federal Land and Nomura Real Estate Group.

GT Capital also allocated P3 billion for new model introduction, specs upgrade and special projects of automotive subsidiary Toyota Motor Philippines Inc. The balance in the capex will go to insurance and automotive financing subsidiaries.

GT Capital said it planned to fund this year’s programmed spending through internally-generated funds and borrowings. The conglomerate expressed optimism

solar and wind power projects.

Nehria did not give a projected investment cost for the expansion program. Industry estimates show that solar and wind projects cost about $1 million to $1.5 million to develop a capacity of 1 MW.

“It [investment cost] would depend on the technology type, but we have support of the banks and partners,” Nehria said.

Vena Energy has about 280 MW of attributable RE capacity in the Philippines that include a wind project and five solar power plants.

Nehria also said they were studying participating in the Department of Energy’s planned Green Energy Auction Program 2, where the government plans to auction 11,610 MW covering the 2024 to 2026 supply period.

Vena Energy is a leading RE company in the Asia-Pacific region that owns, develops, constructs, operates, manages and commercializes a portfolio exceeding 40 gigawatts of solar, onshore wind, offshore wind, energy storage and hybrid RE projects.

on its 2023 outlook after its delivery of strong results in 2022.

“We remain optimistic with the outlook for the coming year and are confident in our strong market position in the key sectors we represent,” GT Capital president Carmelo Maria Luza Bautista said.

GT Capital booked a 67-percent growth in consolidated net income to P18.4 billion in 2022 from P11 billion in 2021. Consolidated revenues jumped 40 percent to P245.3 billion from P174.6 billion.

SMC SLEX Inc. said over the weekend net income grew by 33 percent in 2022 from a year earlier on the back of higher vehicle traffic with the easing of mobility restriction.

The operator of South Luzon Expressway said net income reached P3.49 billion last year, up from P2.62 billion in 2021 as revenue increased 16 percent to P6.44 billion from P5.57 billion. Last year’s revenue was also 3 percent higher than the pre-pandemic figure of P4.55 billion.

SLEX achieved an annual average daily traffic of 376,267 in 2022, up by 12 percent from 335,900 in 2021. This was 3 percent higher than the pre-pandemic figure of 366,189.

Volume increased across all classes, with highest growth in Class 1 and Class 2 by 13 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Average transaction mode for the period was 73 percent for RFID and 27 percent for cash.

The company said operating expenses decreased by 16 percent from P434 million to P366 million, on lower depreciation and amortization and decline in outside services due to prior year’s recognition of additional shared services.

SMC SLEX is the concessionaire of SLEX which spans 36.1 km from Alabang, Muntinlupa to Sto. Tomas, Batangas. SLEX is one of the three major expressways that links Metro Manila to the southern provinces of CALABARZON. To the north of the SLEX is the Skyway System, and to the south is the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road.

SLEX is a key logistical backbone to the southern corridor of Metro Manila.

PH women’s team tackles Hong Kong belles next

TEAM Philippines is playing strong and with lots of energy.

Skipper Tahnai Annis said this ahead of the Philippine national women’s football team’s crucial game against Hong Kong on Tuesday in the first round of Asian Football Confederation Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan.

Annis said their dynamic style of play has shown in how they brushed aside host Tajikistan, 8-0. She expects this to once again help them get past their rivals in their next encounter.

“I think it was a good team win. We came out pretty strong, with a lot of energy and we had a lot of goals in mind on what we wanted to work on and how to be effective against a set defense,” said Annis in a statement. With the win, the FIFA world no. 49-ranked Philippines is on top of Group E, with 6 points behind backto-back wins and a goal difference of plus-12.

Hong Kong, which is far behind in the FIFA rankings at no. 79, is in second place with six points but with a goal difference of plus-6.

“When teams sit back and kind of let us dictate where thing are going to go so we had to be a little more creative on the ball and I think after our first game we finally came out and did that,” added Annis.

The Filipinas scored six goals against the home side, with Sofia Harrison making the first mark in the 26th minute, before Annis doubled the team’s lead in the 28th minute.

Already in the second round are Iran, Vietnam, Thailand and India, as Group B, C, D and F of the first round drew to a close.

The Philippines and Uzbekistan are among the teams in contention for the two other first-round slots to the second round.

Peter Atencio

Mujtaba unfazed in US debut vs Northcutt

AHMED “Wolverine” Mujtaba might be a name that’s foreign to most casual American fans, but the Pakistani standout is motivated to make sure he walks out the 1stBank Center in Colorado with his name ringing.

Mujtaba takes on “Super” Sage Northcutt in a three-round lightweight MMA bout at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III on 6 May, and he’s eager to showcase what he’s made of in his opponent’s backyard.

Mujtaba is riding high on a twobout winning streak, and he knows that this is the biggest opportunity that he’s getting in more than a decade of fighting.

“Once again, I’m representing my country—this time, in the United States, the land of opportunity,” he said.

“So, I mean there’s a lot of people from Pakistan in the U.S. They are waiting for me to represent my country, and there are a lot of Pakistanis who will be at the event, who are going to be cheering for me.”

He doesn’t expect it to be easy, though, especially against Northcutt, who’s desperately trying to live up to his billing following a disastrous debut.

“Super” came in as one of the most hyped stars from the West, but that was quickly squashed when he got knocked out by Cosmo Alexandre seconds into his bout.

That’s why Mujtaba is expecting a determined Northcutt when they meet. However, that doesn’t mean he’s just going to lay down and allow the American to roll over him.

“He’s going to be hungry because the last time, he got knocked out. Plus, he’s going to be afraid as well due to the manner of his last fight and loss. I’m not an easy guy to fight against,” he said.

TNT’s Mikey Williams barrels his way inside in Game 1 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at the Araneta Coliseum. A better effort is expected from Williams and the Tropang Giga in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Jolas rues TNT’s poor shooting, promises better Game 2 showing

By Peter Atencio

MAKING better shots will allow the TNT Tropang Giga to bounce back in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series with the Barangay

Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings.

Coach Jojo “Jolas” Lastimosa said this, moments after their rivals, the Gin Kings took Game 1 of their best-of-seven finals series in the 2023 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

“Ganu’n talaga. Everybody plays

defense in the finals. But if you don’t make your shots in the finals, there’s no way you can win,” said Lastimosa following their 90-102 setback.

The Tropang Giga’s 90-point tally was one of their lowest outputs for the season. The squad had their conference-low

when they experienced an 85-89 setback to the Gin Kings in the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations on Nov. 20 last year.

In the coming Game 2 on Wednesday, Lastimosa will be keeping his fingers crossed that the team will improve on their 38.9 percent field goal percentage in Game 1.

“As badly as we played, we still rallied, we still made runs. But we still trailed by a lot,” added Lastimosa.

Game 2 on Wednesday is set at 5:45 p.m. at the Big Dome, with the Gin Kings seeking to establish a 2-0 lead and the Tropang Giga eyeing the equalizer.

A big Ginebra crowd is expected to cheer for import Justin Brownlee.

The recently naturalized Brownlee spearheaded Ginebra’s efforts the last time around with 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

The Tropang Giga will once have Poy Erram manning the slot.

They lost control of the boards when Erram left the floor, after committing back-to-back fouls on Gin Kings’ cager Christian Standhardinger with 9:51 to go in the fourth quarter.

They badly need a big man after they lost one of their bigs, Justin Chua, a few minutes into the game due to a knee injury.

Rahm submits to ‘wave of emotion’

AUGUSTA—Masters champion Jon

Rahm said he had felt a “wave of emotion” after securing the green jacket with a four-stroke victory at Augusta National on Sunday.

Rahm had been ice-cool on the course as he overtook third-round leader Brooks Koepka and then held onto his lead on the back nine, where so many Masters dreams have been dashed.

But once victory was secured on the 18th green, the steely determination gave way to the inevitable feelings of joy and pride—both personal and national.

“Obviously we all dream of things like this as players, and you try to visualize what it’s going to be like and what it’s going to feel like,” Rahm said.

“And when I hit that third shot onto the green, and I could tell it was close by the crowd’s reaction, just the wave of emotion of so many things just overtook me. Never thought I was going to cry by winning a golf tournament, but I got very close on that 18th hole.

“A lot of it was because of what it means to me, and to Spanish golf. It’s Spain’s 10th major, I’m the fourth (Spanish) player to win the Masters, and it is my second major win, right, it’s pretty incredible,” added the 2021 US Open winner.

“To play the way I did on Sunday, only one bogey in difficult conditions and coming in with a margin of (four shots) is hard to explain. A lot of pride, and I am

really proud of myself and what I did.”

Adding to the emotion was the knowledge that his victory had come on what would have been the late

Spanish great Seve Ballesteros’s 66th birthday and the 40th anniversary of his second Masters triumph.

“This one was for Seve. He was up there helping, and help he did,” said Rahm.

But on the immaculate fairways and greens of a course which had dried out after two days of rain interruptions, there was little sign of feelings bubbling inside the 28-year-old.

For those in awe of his steely demeanor, Rahm said his heart certainly had been pounding.

“What is going on on the outside is not always a reflection of the inside,” he said.

“I was calm. I never got frustrated. I never really felt like anything was out of control. But obviously you’re nervous. There’s tension out there.”

A bogey on the ninth hole, just as Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson were making a charge, certainly sent his pulse racing.

“(That) made those 10, 11, 12 holes harder. Again, I might have looked calm, but I was definitely, nervous out there. I’m glad that’s the way it looked. T hat’s what you strive for, right?

You don’t want to panic, and I never panic ked. I felt comfortable with my game, and I had a plan to execute, and that’s all I can do,” he said. AFP

Ateneo de Cebu standouts commit to play for Eagles

ATENEO de Manila University can finally reap the rewards of having a sister school in the Queen City of the South. Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Grade 12 standouts Raffy Celis and Michael Asoro made their commitment on Monday in a press conference held at the school’s campus in Mandaue City.

Last year, the duo led the Magis Eagles to back-to-back crowns in CESAFI.

Celis, a native of Bacolod, is a 6’3” versatile wing who made the Mythical Team of the recently concluded 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals by posting per game counts of 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steals. He also played in the 2023 NBTC All-Star Game by being adjudged the 21st-best HS player, as per the NBTC 24.

“Gustong-gusto ko talaga magAteneo hindi lamang dahil sa basketball—madami ako matutunan sa life at lalo na being under Coach Tab (Baldwin),” he said.

“I also graduated from Ateneo. Blue planted blue.”

The 19-year-old will be a muchwelcome do-it-all weapon for the defending champions who had lost Finals MVP Ange Kouame and Dave Ildefonso. He can play positions two through four in head coach Tab Baldwin’s equal-opportunity system.

For his part, Asoro, who hails from Lapu-Lapu City, was also an NBTC All-Star, and averaged 17.8 points, including three triples, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in the National Finals. “Gusto ko talaga mag-Ateneo kasi gustong gusto ko talaga dati na makalaro at mag-graduate sa Ateneo,” he said.

“Alam ko na hindi lang basketball ‘yung ituturo sa amin pati sa life and academics rin.”

Baldwin, who also made the trip to Cebu, welcomed the duo saying, “One of the limitations that we face as the Ateneo coaching staff is our ability to recruit players, which is affected by the academic process. We can confidently say that both of these guys possess the

academic ability to be part of Ateneo.

“I would like to thank Sacred Heart School for everything you’ve done to bring these two young men to this point. We are very proud that they will be part of our program.”

Also gracing the press conference were school president Fr. Michael Pineda, SJ.; director for formation Fr. Nono Levosada, SJ; Magis Eagles coaches Rommel Rasmo and Francis Auquico; and Landmasters executive vice president Franco Soberano.

“Ateneo de Cebu is extremely proud of Raffy and Michael for their contributions to our basketball program, leading us to a championship. We believe in their character and are grateful for both of them. They are happy to be going to another Ateneo school where they will be coached by Tab,” said Fr. Pineda, SJ.

“We know that they are in good hands and will be part of a team that will help build good relationships with them, as we believe that these relationships will matter in the end.”

Jon Rahm of Spain is awarded the Green Jacket by 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler of the United States during the Green Jacket Ceremony after winning the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. AFP

Cabaral, Manito brace for PPS duel

ARIEL Cabaral and Gio Manito gear up for a clash not just for one but two division titles as action in the PPS-PEPP national junior tennis circuit resumes Thursday (April 13) with the Mayor Aljun Diamante championships in Tuburan, Cebu.

Cabaral, from Bais, Negros Oriental, and the Pardo, Cebu-native Manito top-bill the boys’ 16- and 18-and-under categories but a slew of upcoming campaigners in the 32-player draws are also all primed for battle in pursuit of honors and ranking points in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

Juvels Velos and Kevin Tabura, meanwhile, seek to stir up play in the 16-U side while Nicholas Ocat and Jan Docor look to break the projected Cabaral-Manito title face-off in the premier side of the week-long tournament held as part of the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Meanwhile, the circuit, supported by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating), heads back to Luzon next week with Imus, Cavite hosting the next juniors event on April 20-24. Lucena City will take its turn on April 27-30 while Cainta, Rizal will stage the Open, juniors and legends tournaments on May 1-14.

For listup and details, contact tournament organizer Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

Keen competition is also seen in the girls’ category with Kate Imalay, Chloe Ortega, Davanee Velasco and Cheska Mamac bannering the 16-U cast and Mary Brigoli gaining the top-seeding in 18-U play that includes Velasco, Mamac and Jerahmay Enyong.

Claudwin Toñacao also sets out for a two-title mission with the Bogo, Cebu bet headlining the boys’ 12-U roster and gaining the No. 2 seeding behind David Sepulveda in the 14-U category that includes Al Jose Gairanod, Jr. and Patrick Rabaya while tipped to contend in the 12-U class are Andrio Estrella and Ian Gairanod.

Aside from the 16-U plum, Imalay is also shooting for the 14-U trophy although siblings Donna Mae and Danica Diamante, along with Mae Empalmado, Thea Castro, Hannah Co, Mary Brigoli and Beatrice Mongcal, are going all-out to foil her bid in the tournament serving as part of the host city’s continuing effort to boost the sport and discover fresh talents.

Warriors barrel into NBA playoffs; Lakers in play-in

LOS ANGELES—The Golden State Warriors roared into the NBA playoffs with a 157-101 blowout of Portland on Sunday, ensuring the Los Angeles Lakers will battle in the play-in after a 128117 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Every team was in action on the final day of the regular season, but all eyes were on the Western Conference where more than a dozen potential seeding outcomes rested on the results of four games.

The reigning champion Warriors moved quickly to simplify matters for themselves, exploding for an NBA first-quarter record of 55 points in the opening frame.

Klay Thompson made five of the Warriors’ 12 three-pointers in the period—a record for treys by any team in an NBA quarter.

Thompson—who finished with six three-pointers and 20 points—became the third player in NBA history to hit 300 three-pointers in a single season. Teammate Stephen Curry has done it four times and James Harden has done it once.

The Warriors led by 28 after the first quarter, and Curry took over with 10 of his 26 points in the second as the Warriors took an 84-53 halftime lead. They coasted home, with all the Warriors starters sitting out the fourth period.

“It’s been a very up and down season, but when you get to the playoffs none of that matters,” said Warriors talisman

World Cup-bound Blu Girls grace PSA Forum

THE Philippine Blu Girls bound for the World Cup will be the special guests in the resumption of the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Representing the team in the 10 a.m. session are captain Ann Antolihao, Cristy Joy Roa, and Celyn Ojare.

The Blu Girls suffered a 10-5 loss to Chinese Taipei in the battle for the bronze in the recently concluded Women Softball Asia Cup in Incheon, South Korea.

Nonetheless, they earned the fourth and final slot for Asia in the World Cup to be held this June in Europe.

The weekly sports program is presented by San Miguel Corporation, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, MILO, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The Forum is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and aired on a delayed basis over Radyo Pilipinas 2, which also shares it on its official Facebook page.

Draymond Green after the team clinched the sixth seed and a first-round series against the third-seeded Sacramento Kings. “The real season starts,” Green said, “And that’s what matters.”

The Los Angeles Clippers snagged the fifth seed with a 119-114 victory over the fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns— and the teams will meet again in the first round.

Kawhi Leonard scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Clippers finally got past the Suns, who played without Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

Leonard said the Clippers will have to do better against a full-strength Suns squad.

“The last two games teams have been sitting their stars, and we’re struggling,” he said.

The Lakers, meanwhile, finished seventh and will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in on Tuesday, the winner advancing to the playoffs as the seventh seed in the West.

LeBron James drained eight three-pointers on the way to 36 points for the Lakers, who

started the season 2-10 but have clawed their way to a post-season shot.

Anthony Davis scored 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and D’Angelo Russell added 17 points for the Lakers, who have won nine of their last 11 games.

“Our team is very well put together,” Ja mes said. “We got a lot of good balance We did a good job of putting together a team that fits around AD and myself after the break. We’re just trying to make it happen on the floor.”

Timberwolves tumult

The Timberwolves snatched the eighth spot from New Orleans with a tumultuous 113-108 victory over the Pelicans.

The Timberwolves never led until the fourth quarter. They were down by 12 when a heated exchange between forward Kyle Anderson and center Rudy Gobert during a se cond-quarter timeout ended with Gobert ta king a swing at his teammate before others s tepped in to separate the two.

“ Guys were just frustrated—we weren’t playing well, we weren’t sharing t he ball, we looked sluggish,” Timbe rwolves coach Chris Finch said. “But obviously it’s not something we’re going to be able to tolerate here.”

Minnesota quickly announced that Gobert would not return to the game, a nd Jaden McDaniels also had to leave the contest after injuring his hand punching a wall in frustration. AFP

LE Charme Suites-Subic’s Fitness Center is set to host the 2nd installment of its annual enduro challenge, called “FRIKE (Fun. Ride Bike) 2 Enduro Challenge”, which promises to be an unforgettable experience for biking enthusiasts.

The event takes place on April 30, 2023, at the Pamulaklakin Trail, Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

“Experience the excitement and adrenaline rush as you gear up for this thrilling challenge,” Le Charme CEO Jho said. “The event is open to all who are interested and looking for an unforgettable adventure.”.

Registration is now open. Interested individuals can register at https://lecharmehotels.com/frike/.

Mall registration is also available at PLAYGRND R.O.X., 2nd level SM OLONGAPO CENTRAL.

The registration fee is P900. Participants can choose from two race categories, namely Full Suspension Category and Hardtail Category.

The race kit includes race number, race bib, L.O.H.A.S. breakfast, discount coupon for all GGC outlets, packed lunch, raffle entry, and a finisher’s shirt.

The top three finishers in each category will receive a medal, trophy, certificate, GC, and cash prize. The event offers an excellent opportunity for participants to showcase their skills and be recognized for their achievements.

For inquiries or more information, interested parties may contact the front office at (047) 250-3333 / +63.995.980.7259 or email at frontoffice@ lecharmehotels.com.

Don’t miss this opportunity to push yourself to the limit and experience the thrill of the FRIKE 2 Enduro Challenge.

Get ready to have some fun, ride, and bike!

Top-seeded Tiafoe whips

Etcheverry to win ATP title

LOS ANGELES— Frances Tiafoe defeated Thomas Etcheverry 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (8/6) to win the ATP clay court title in Houston on a doubleduty day in Texas. The American, playing his first ATP tournament as the top seed, had to win twice on Sunday to secure the crown thanks to the weather delays earlier in the week.

After beating Gijs Brouwer 6-4, 6-1 in the semi-finals he

said he was up for the challenge.

“I’m running on adrenaline,” Tiafoe told the crowd after beating Brouwer. “I’m on a mission so I’m happy.”

By Sunday night it was mission accomplished as Tiafoe claimed his second ATP title and his first since 2018 in Delray Beach.

Since then he’d come up empty in four finals appearances.

The soggy week meant Tiafoe in

fact had to win four matches in two days, playing his first two of the week on Saturday.

He didn’t drop a set and was broken just once -- when he served for the title against Etcheverry at 5-4 in the second set.

He trailed 1-3 and 3-5 in the tiebreaker but clinched the victory on his second match point with his 12th ace of the contest. AFP

HISTORIC ROLEX CHINA SEA RACE WINNER: Veteran sailor Ernesto Echauz and all-Filipino crew members of the Standard Insurance Centennial 5 celebrate after receiving a trophy from Brahim Drissi, country general manager of Rolex Center Phils. and Hong Kong Yatch Club chairman Cameron Ferguson, for winning the Line Honours at the Rolex China Sea Race, this weekend. It marked the rst time in the Rolex China Sea Race’s 61-year history that a Philippine entry won the event in dominant fashion.

PBA MILESTONE. TNT's Jayson Castro raises his trophy as a member of the PBA's 2000 Defensive Rebounds Club. He is joined here by SMB Governor Robert Non, GAB chairman Atty. Richard Santos Clarin, PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy

Frances Tiafoe of the United States

Camera starts rolling in Tokyo for Vilma Santos-Christopher de Leon

reunion movie

“The last movie we did was Mano Po. Matagal na more than 15 years ago na. And now, here we are with a beautiful movie,” Christopher said in turn. Slated to come out in theaters in

TAR for All

Seasons” Vilma Santos and “King of Philippine Drama” Christopher de Leon are currently in Tokyo filming their 25th movie together aptly called When I Met You in Tokyo

During the grand press conference for the film prior to their flight to Japan’s capital city, the seasoned actors faced the media to talk about their much-anticipated big-screen reunion.

September this year, the romance-family drama is produced by newcomer JG Productions Incorporated. It is helmed by Rado Peru and Rommel

Pensa. The screenplay is by Suzette Doctolero

With a new theme, a new producer, and a new location, Vilma and Christopher are both excited to take on their latest movie, which is being shot in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The film revolves around the story of unconditional love, sacrifices, happiness, age, and aging from the perspective of two elderly Overseas Filipino Workers who are at the last stretch of their lives.

JG Productions’ Rajan Gidwani proudly shared that the film embodies how true love can carry people forward.

“I would like to think that love has no boundaries and as we find true love, the joy, and peace that fills our hearts will allow us to continue our journey in life,” he said.

Vilma plays Azon, a feisty and bubbly character who’s known for her generosity when it comes to time and affection. While Christopher gives life to Joey, an embittered divorcee who still harbors the scars of his ex-wife’s infidelity.

“This project is very special for me dahil alam niyo naman, ilang taon na rin ang huli kong pelikula. At hindi naman talaga nawawala ang pagmamahal natin sa industriya at sa pag-arte kahit saan pa ako dalhin sa mundo. Kaya masaya ako na ako ang napili ng JG Productions at siyempre, isa pang factor na talagang nagpapayag sa akin na gawin ito ay yung fact na makakasama ko ulit si Boyet,” Vilma said in a statement.

Christopher who also wears the hat as the film’s associate director, for his part revealed a special request that he made for the film.

“It’s a love story na nasa edad namin, hindi kami magbabata-bataan dito Vilma said of the film.

the na ,”

‘Star for All Seasons’ Vilma Santos and ‘King of Philippine Drama’ Christopher de Leon reunite for the love story ‘When I Met You In Tokyo’

Bong Revilla weighs up to returning to the small screen

AFTER the highly successful Agimat ng Agila, Senator Bong Revilla, Jr. will soon be back on the small screen via an action-comedy series to be aired on GMA.

In a recent interview, Revilla revealed they are starting taping for the program next month and it is called Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis, which is based on the 1994 action-comedy film with the same title. It starred Revilla opposite his wife, Congresswoman Lani Mercado. It even had a sequel in 1997 titled, Yes Darling: Walang Matigas na Pulis 2

“This early, I’m excited with the project which will air tentatively in June,” he states.

Will Lani be part of the show?

“No, she won’t be! Actually, I can’t divulge yet the identity of my leading lady here. Of course, she’s lovely. Let’s just wait for the official announcement of GMA,” he says.

“It’s like Agimat ng Agila but has elements of comedy. From what I know, it will air every Sunday,” Revilla adds.

Although this is good news to his fans who miss him terribly, the majority of them still prefer to see him daily on the small screen.

“It will be difficult for me at this point since I’m also juggling my time in the Senate. But I’m certain that I will be able to do that before I retire,” he promises.

Film buffs miss his presence at the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. Does he have plans of fielding an entry this year?

“Honestly, I’m thinking of that. There’s still time I guess. Let’s see. I don’t want to compromise my duties as a politician. But I miss the December film festival. That’s for sure,” ends the actor-politician. * * *

Television personality Amy Perez admits that she was offered to host the TV 5 show Face to Face once again but insists that talks circulating that she refused to accept it are not true.

“Actually, it’s not that I don’t like it,” she

Viewers can again watch Senator Bong Revilla, Jr. on television through an upcoming action-comedy series

avers. “It’s only that I can’t leave ABS-CBN just like that since they’ve been very good to me. Even if they lost their franchise and the pandemic struck, they still gave me shows. I never got vacant.”

Perez states that she’s very thankful to the Kapamilya despite not having an exclusive contract with the media company.

“I respect and value the fact that they never made me jobless. I’m simply grateful for that and I can say I’m happy and contented where I am right now. I don’t want to shake the boat, so to speak.”

She is the original host of Face to Face. Just in case, won’t she regret missing the opportunity to host it once again?

“Well, I’ve done it in the past so I think it’s time for a new host to step in, and perhaps, they’ll have a new flavor to offer the viewing public. Besides, my former co-host Hans (Mortel) is already gone. I don’t think I can do it once again without him.” The program, which is now titled, Face 2 Face will feature Karla Estrada as the main host. Comedian Alex Calleja will serve as her co-host. Interestingly, Perez reveals that Estrada called and saw her personally to inform her about the development.

“I really appreciate her for such a humble act, the love and respect she gave me. Personally, I don’t think that such was needed but I’m touched by her gesture,” says Amy.

Christopher gives life to Joey, an embittered divorcee who still harbors the scars of his ex-wife's infidelity

Vilma plays Azon, a feisty and bubbly character known for her generosity when it comes to time and affection

When I received the initial script, the character of Azon was a perfect choice for the reunion.

The first person that came to mind, whom I am very sure can give the role the talent it deserves, is actually Vi. And I was really grateful that our supervising producer, Ms. Redgie [Magno] agreed to reach out to her,” he explained. “At noong sinabi nila sa akin na pumayag si Vi na gawin ito, at na ito na ang aming 25th film na magkasama ay hindi ako makapaniwala. Working with her has always been familiar and fun, and having the chance to experience that once again through When I Met You In Tokyo is a huge blessing that I can’t wait to partake in,” Christopher went on. Proving their bankability and acting mettle over the years, Vilma and Christopher’s films have earned either a spot among the classics or a ranking among the roster of the top box office films of all time. Their notable works include Relasyon and Haplos (1982), Broken Marriage (1983), Imortal (1989), and Dekada ‘70 (2002).

The cast of ‘Voltes V’

‘Voltes V’ stars reflect on series’ learnings and emotional impact

By Angelica Villanueva

AFTER three years of waiting, Voltes V Legacy is finally hitting national television this May. Yet, before we get to watch the series, its lead stars talk about their journey in portraying their respective characters. Playing as the five pilots of the Voltes team in the most-awaited live-action adaptation of the ‘70s Japanese anime series, Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega, Radson Flores, Matt Lozano, and Raphael Landicho went back to the things they had learned from their roles.

Miguel, the ‘leader’ of the Voltes V team as Steve Armstrong, shared that his character taught him the importance of becoming ready in times of trouble.

Sa buhay natin, darating ‘yung time na bibigyan ka ng malaking challenge, bibigyan ka ng malaking responsibility on your shoulders, so you have to be ready all the time. Kailangan mo lang ng lakas ng loob,” stated Miguel. Ysabel, on the other hand, described her character Jamie Robinson as a strong person and an independent woman who has the drive to prove

herself, which she could relate to. Yet, one thing that she had learned from Jamie is to follow your heart.

“No matter what, as long as you listen to it, [what] your heart and mind say, talagang may patutunguhan ‘yung ipinaglalaban mo,” said Ysabel.

“And si Jaimie dito ang dami niyang ipinaglalaban. Ipinaglalaban niya ‘yung pamilya niya. Ipinaglalaban niya ‘yung buong mundo and at the same time, ipinaglalaban rin niya ‘yung puso niya,” she continued.

Radson, who played the distant and aloof Mark Gordon realized the significance of the people that surround you.

Magtiwala po kayo and maniwala kayo na kahit anong mangyari, may mga taong nagmamahal sa’yo and hindi ka pababayaan. Trust the people around you na nagpapakita ng motive na meron talaga silang mabuting gagawin for you,” granted Radson. Just like his co-stars, Matt also emphasized the importance of having the presence of their parents while growing up.

“Dapat i-cherish mo ‘yung every moment with your parents kasi you’ll never know kung hanggang

saan mapupunta ‘yung hangganan ng relationship mo with your parent. Kasi sa Voltes V, longing si Big Bert sa magulang and natutunan kong mahalin pa ‘yung parents ko dahil do’n,” Matt shared.

Being the youngest cast of the show, Raphael thought ahead of his age as he expressed his learnings from his character. Natutunan ko po as Little John is wala pong edad-edad, kahit bata ka pa po basta meron ka pong mituulong, ipaglaban mo po dapat,” Raphael stated.

Personally, as a kid who grew up watching this anime, Voltes V indeed has a lot of teachings—from loving your family and your friends to teach us how we can save the world in our own little ways.

I got the chills and goosebumps watching teasers and trailers, and now that we are finally getting the live-action series after almost three years, I really can’t wait to see how GMA will retell the story of my five childhood heroes.

Voltes V Legacy will soon air on GMA Telebabad in May yet fans will get to have a sneak peek of how the journey of five friends begins as they become this generation’s heroes with Voltes V: The Cinematic Experience on April 19 in selected SM Cinemas.

‘Super Mario’ movie hops to box office opening

IT’S only April, but Universal’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie racked up such huge numbers in its North American opening weekend that analysts say it could top the list for all of 2023.

The animated film, a joint effort of Universal, Nintendo, and Illumination studios, sold an estimated $146.4 million in tickets over the Easter weekend, and $204.6 million in its first five days, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday, adding, it “will easily be the #1 flick of 2023.”

“The numbers are sensational,” agreed analyst David A. Gross. He said the results were the best ever for a first-episode animation, largely due to the film’s broad appeal, drawing both families and young and old viewers, both male and female. With its foundation in one of the most popular video games of all time, “It’s a marketer’s dream,” Gross added. In second place for the weekend – with one-tenth the ticket sales of Super Mario –was Lionsgate’s neo-noir John Wick: Chapter 4, at $14.6 million.

The thriller has been praised for its action choreography, largely the work of director and former stuntman Chad Stahelski. Keanu Reeves stars as the titular hitman who finds himself fighting an international crime group. Third spot went to last weekend’s leader, Paramount and eOne’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, at $14.5 million. Based on the popular roleplaying game, it stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, and Hugh Grant Amazon Studios’ new release Air, on

the origin of Nike’s Air Jordan basketball shoe line, placed fourth, at $14.46 million, which Gross called “an excellent opening for a sports drama.” He attributed that to the film’s “elite cast” – Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis – as well as “outstanding” reviews and the worldwide familiarity of the Nike brand. And in fifth was horror flick Scream VI, from Paramount and Spyglass Media, at $3.3 million. AFP

The iconic duo Mario (left) and Luigi

Mental health advocate Steph

Naval glows in hand-painted floral organza kimona with a black pearl pendant necklace, a black and white pearl bangle, and a sterling silver ring

Restauranteur Ana de Ocampo highlights modern Filipina with a puff-sleeved printed top with zigzag ribbon trim

Olympian Swimmer Jasmine

Alkhaldi is on top of the game in an embroidered organza cropped camisa with a ruffled collar, accessorized with handbeaded faux amethyst earrings and eye-catching crystal bangles

Volleyball player Michelle Cobb in ikat weave cropped terno top, a baroque pearl choker, pearl earrings, and a pearl ring

Fitness coach Patricia Gatus wears a red silk terno top with floral-print sleeves, triplestrand dangling earrings, a gold-plated necklace with freshwater pearls, and a pearl and metallink bracelet

Educator Felicia Hunbg

Atienza wears a delightful button-down terno-sleeved top in floral brocade with a freshwater coin pearl cluster necklace and freshwater pearl rings

Beauty Queen Laura Lehmann in floral print terno bolero, quartz dangling earrings, a red beaded necklace with a baroque pearl pendant, a red bead cluster bangle, and a sterling silver ring with semi-precious stones

Celebrating every Filipina

KULTURA’S #CelebrateEveryFilipina series features a diverse range of amazing women who embody what it means to be an empowered Filipina in today’s society.

With this, it takes this opportunity to honor all the women that nurture and care for us and are the light of our homes; the soul sisters who have our backs and lift us up; the women artisans behind our handicrafts and local industries; and all the women whose wisdom, grace, and strength are the backbone of our communities.

Smart, passionate, courageous, beautiful, and strong, these women are gorgeous proof that we can achieve anything we put our minds to. More importantly, we can do all these things in style.

Journalist MJ Marfori wears an abstract print terno bolero and matching skirt with pearl rings with leaf accents and a necklace of colored stones, filigree, and square-shaped pearls

Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco in white cotton jacquard terno top, a Mikado silk skirt, and South Sea pearl stud earrings with diamonds

The list includes women in public service like Senator Grace Poe and Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco; as well as women in business like restauranteur Ana de Ocampo. With more and more Filipinas embracing fitness, also highlighted are Olympic swimmer Jasmine Alkahadi volleyball player Michelle Cobb, and fitness coach Patricia Gatus

Seiko marks 110th watchmaking anniversary with new BGC boutique

By Rendell Ron Pacho

THE start of the Japanese spring season became a special day for Filipino fans of Seiko, a Japanese company widely known as the manufacturer of great-value and excellently crafted watches, as the brand opened its premium boutique at Mitsukoshi Mall in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

Seiko also celebrates its 110th anniversary of watchmaking and the 55th anniversary of its Seiko 5 Sports collection. The new Seiko branch offers both Seiko and Grand Seiko timepieces. The shop’s appealing color scheme of warm tones and neutrals, along with the expertly produced watches, creates an atmosphere of subtle elegance.

“Firstly, we are proud to open our 10th Seiko Premium Boutique here in Mitsukoshi Mall, BGC, which marks a significant step in our continuous effort to serve our patrons and expand our offerings to meet the needs of our deserving customers. Secondly, we are thrilled to commemorate Seiko Watchmaking’s 110th anniversary,” said Edric Dy, Timeplus Corporation Vice President for Marketing. Seiko commemorates its 110th

anniversary as it released its first-ever GMT-equipped (a watch with a 24-hour format hand that additionally displays a second-time zone) Prospex lineup, with its Modern Re-interpretation of 1968 Diver’s (SPB381/SPB383), also including the SPB385 - Save the Ocean Limited Edition.

But there’s more for the Prospex lineup as Seiko revealed its 1970 Diver’s Modern reinterpretation through the Naomi Uemura Limited Edition (SLA069). It’s the brand’s way of remembering Naomi Uemura, a Japanese adventurer known for achieving remarkable feats, such as becoming the first person to ascend five of the Seven Summits of the world and the first mountain climber from Japan to reach the top of Everest.

For people who prefer classic design, particularly dress watches, Seiko also released its 110th-anniversary limited edition Presage Craftsmanship Series, which shows traditional Japanese watch dials. This series used different materials, including enamel (SPB393), Urushi lacquer (SPB395), Arita porcelain (SPB397), and Shippo enamel (SPB399). Moreover, a 110th Anniversary Seiko Presage Limited Edition (SPB359) was also released.

“Basically, it (SPB359) is a

reintroduction or reinterpretation of the original Laurel watch that was launched in Japan, Seiko Japan, in 1913. The Seiko Laurel watch is actually the first Japanese wristwatch, meaning the first Japanese wristwatch that was launched in Japan,” added Daniel Perez, Seiko Philippines Operations Manager.

King Seiko, the top of the Seiko range, presents a fresh lineup. The gradient dial of the SPB365 exposes a design influenced by the geometric pattern known as Kikkoumon, based on the hexagonal form of the tortoise shell. Moreover, SPB369, SPB371, and SPB373 are in stainless steel with white, dark blue, and green dials, respectively.

As the brand also celebrated its Seiko 5 Sports 55th anniversary this year, it released the 55th Anniversary Masked Rider Limited Edition (SRPJ91). It has collaborated with the popular television show Masked Rider, which debuted in 1971 and has fascinated viewers ever since.

The new Seiko Premium Boutique is on the first floor of the Mitsukoshi Mall in BGC. They are open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. For inquiries, email info@ seikophilippines.com.

Kultura also celebrates women with meaningful advocacies: educator and Philippine Eagle advocate Felicia Hung Atienza and mental health advocate Steph Naval Broadcast journalist MJ Marfori and beauty queen Laura Lehmann also bring their talent and good looks to the list.

From March until May, Kultura will be featuring one Filipina a week on its social media pages. Wearing fabulous modern Filipiniana, they will be sharing their thoughts, tips, and personal experiences – not just on being an empowered woman, but on uplifting other women as well. As Senator Grace Poe shares, “An empowered Filipina is someone who is confident, who can stand up for herself, but an even stronger Filipina is somebody who can stand up for everybody else.”

Catch Kultura’s #CelebrateEveryFilipina series on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

Senator Grace Poe in floral print terno top with an asymmetrical hem, white South Sea pearl studs, and a white South Sea pearl bracelet from Kultura

Reimer Neil Bonghanoy, a resident of Cebu, and Rossell Hinagpisan from Quezon province, are the awardees of beautiful BRIA Homes through their participation in All Easy’s ‘Easy Home with All Easy’

BRIA Homes and AllEasy give away new, modern house-and-lot units

THROUGH the years, BRIA Homes has given away a slew of contemporary homes in prime locations to Filipinos all over the country – made possible through tieups with TV shows and online shopping platforms. Then came AllEasy Pay, the newest player in the e-wallet market, which strived to forge a stronger online presence through a partnership with BRIA Homes, the country’s multi-award-winning affordable housing developer.

To encourage customers to use the e-wallet for transactions, AllEasy launched an exciting promotion called “Easy Home with AllEasy,” where participants simply had to achieve a specific number of transactions in order to have a shot at brand-new two-story house-and-lot units from BRIA Homes.

BRIA and AllEasy’s cleverly crafted promo yielded two lucky winners on two different months in 2022: Reimer Neil Bonghanoy, a resident of Cebu, and Rossell Hinagpisan from Quezon province. Both winners expressed their thrill and excitement as they looked forward to the fulfillment of their longtime dream: residing in their own homes with their families.

Indeed, by partnering with AllEasy, BRIA Homes took a step closer to its vision – a better life for more Filipinos, through well-designed, superior-quality homes. BRIA Division Head for Visayas, Glenn Guacena, says that BRIA is always

thankful for any opportunity to help hardworking Filipinos acquire their own home. “We are thrilled that this partnership with AllEasy has once again allowed us to reach out to even more people.”

AllEasy is also grateful for the chance to partner with BRIA Homes, an endeavor that bolstered its digital marketing efforts. “It is a joy to see our customers prosper and thrive through our Easy Home with AllEasy promo,” says AllEasy Operations Head Brutus Boleyley. “We will continue to provide innovative solutions that make transactions easy and rewarding for everyone.”

The “Easy Home with AllEasy” promo caught the interest of many netizens, flooding BRIA’s Facebook page and website with inquiries on how to win a BRIA Home. Meantime, Guacena asserts that BRIA is interested in partnering with various other platforms to make homeownership a dream come true for legions of Filipinos.

For more information on BRIA Homes properties, virtual tours are available via the BRIA website (www.bria.com. ph). Prospective homeowners may also send inquiries through the official BRIA Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/BriaHomesIncOfficial/), or reserve a property online through the BRIA reservation page (https://www.bria.com. ph/online-reservation/).