Manila Standard - 2023 April 30 - Sunday

MARITIME DISASTERS. Two maritime disasters were recorded over the weekend. On Friday, a Sierra Leone-flagged dredger capsized after colliding with another foreign-flagged vessel in the waters off Corregidor Island while an abandoned vessel caught fire that lasted for 10 hours or until Saturday morning off the shores of Punta Engaño in Cebu. Philippine Coast Guard

www.manilastandard.net

n By BUTCH GUNIO

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday said a Filipino and a Chinese national were among the casualties after two foreign-flagged vessels collided in the waters off Corregidor Island.

According to authorities, the collision involved a dredger, MV Hong Hai 189, that originated from Botolan, Zambales, and an oil product tanker, MV Petite Souer, that came from Mariveles, Bataan.

The PCG said the Filipino who died was a safety officer onboard MV Hong Hai 189. It added that out of the 20 crew members of the ship, 15 of them were rescued, and three Chinese nationals are still missing.

From the 15 rescued, the PCG said four were Filipino nationals.

All 21 crew members of MV Petite Soeur were reported to be in good physical condition, the PCG said.

The PCG further said BRP Capones was directed to proceed to the incident area after they were informed that MV Hong Hai 189 capsized.

On Saturday, the PCG said it has dispatched another vessel, aluminum boats and rubber boats, and is currently conducting an aerial survey to heighten its SAR operations.

More complex PH-US drills

Next year’s Balikatan to evolve amid growing threats in the region

n By VINCE LOPEZ

More complex and challenging Balikatan military exercises are likely on the table next year, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said Saturday as she acknowledged growing “threats” to the region, including “challenges to the rules-based international order through provocations in the West Philippine Sea.”

“What happens here is critical to what happens in the Indo-Pacific region,” she said “We’ve seen some threats to this region, probably more in the last several years.”

Carlson noted that this year’s military exercises that gathered some 17,000 Filipino, American and Australian troops, was “absolutely the most complex we have ever done.”

“Interoperability is hard... They will continue to make the complexity even more challenging because that is what we need to do to meet the challenges of the real world. We can expect the complexities to grow,” she said.

The ambassador said it is important for both countries to “strengthen our alliance so that we are better able to respond” to challenges in the region.

Amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea, US President Joe Biden is expected to

AFP: Sovereignty patrols in WPS to continue

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue with its sovereignty patrols after a Chinese coast guard ship caused a near-collision with a Philippine Coast Guard vessel Sunday last week.

PCG spokesman on the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, for his part, said the maritime patrol “did not undermine the interests of other states.”

Tarriela, however, upheld that the PCG was “under no obligation to request permission from other nations” when patrolling the waters near Ayungin Shoal.

reaffirm Washington’s continuous support for Manila during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit next week.

“I’m certain that at their meeting at the White House, President Biden will reaffirm the strong friendship between our two countries. We are not only friends, partners and allies, we are family… Those connections are deep and they are very, very strong,” Carlson said. President Marcos Jr. will leave for Washington today (Sunday afternoon) United States on Sunday afternoon for his 1st official working visit as President of the Philippines and is set to meet Biden at the White House on May 1.

DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said Mr. Marcos will be in the US until May 4 for his official visit, after which he will proceed to London for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla.

18,000 cops to be deployed as protests set on Labor Day

“Our chief PNP, Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr., gave instructions that we exercise maximum tolerance and that our paramount consideration should be respect for human rights and freedom of expression and speech,” said Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo over ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

DIGNITY IN LABOR. File

Acorda made the deployment of more policemen, two days after Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. tapped the PNP and local chief executives to ensure public safety during on Labor Day. Various workers’ organizations are set to hold protest rallies Monday to demand a wage increase, end contractualization, and the full recognition of the right to freely unionize.

The PCG also rejected Beijing’s claim that the Philippine ship’s “premeditated and provocative action” caused the near-collision, saying it was a “routine maritime patrol.”

“As for the AFP, we will continue our maritime patrols, our sovereignty patrols, especially in our territorial waters within our exclusive economic zone,” military spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said.

Aguilar, however, said the AFP will leave it up to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, headed by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, to make policy statements on the issue.

“The routine, seven-day maritime patrol carried out by the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea from April 18 to 24 was non-provocative,”

Tarriela said on his personal Twitter account.

Last Sunday, a larger Chinese coast guard vessel blocked PCG vessel BRP Malapascua, which was carrying journalists in the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal, in internationally recognized Philippine waters. The two vessels would have collided had the commanding officer of the PCG vessel not stopped his ship.

The Chinese foreign ministry claimed the Philippine boats had “intruded” without China’s permission.

“Throughout their maritime patrol operations, PCG captains consistently follow the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs),” he said. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said an investigation into the near-collision is already ongoing and appropriate diplomatic action will then be taken.

“First of all, I would like to emphasize that the Philippines has the legal right to carry out routine maritime patrols in our territorial waters and EEZ. The deployment of the BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua in the West Philippine Sea from April 18 to 24 was one such mission,” she said.

HOME AT LAST. After a difficult evacuation journey out of conflict-torn Khartoum in Sudan, the first batch of 17 overseas Filipino workers arrived in Manila Saturday afternoon. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo welcomed the evacuees at the airport. Twitter account of DFA Secretary Manalo

First 17 Pinoy evacuees arrive from war-torn Sudan

THE first batch of 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were evacuated from Sudan arrived in the country on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

“As I welcome the 1st batch of repatriates from Sudan, I’m inspired by their fortitude and resilience. I’m grateful to our DFA teams, PH agencies and international partners who work nonstop to ensure the safety of our kababayans. Protecting overseas Filipinos is our government’s solemn pledge,” DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said in a

Twitter post.

The evacuees flew out Friday from Athens, Greece and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the DFA said.

Eight of the evacuees were hotel workers in Sudan who left the conflicttorn state through a Greek military evacuation flight.

“The remaining nine overseas Filipinos, including one infant, fled Khartoum via Port Sudan where they boarded a C130 plane of the Saudi Royal Air Force bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,” the DFA said.

For

Data from the DFA showed some 610 Filipinos have been evacuated from Khartoum, more than half of which have crossed to the Egyptian border.

In a separate statement, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan Ople said some 340 OFWs in war-torn Sudan may be home safe soon.

n By JOEL E. ZURBANO AND VITO BARCELO

EIGHTEEN thousand policemen will be assigned to ensure peace and order situation before, after, and during the celebration of Labor Day on Monday.

photo shows two workers who, along with millions of other Filipinos, will mark Labor Day tomorrow (Monday).

DOH warns vs. sore eyes as new COVID strain sign

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday advised the public to be vigilant against the spread of conjunctivitis, commonly known as sore eyes or pink eye, saying it is one of the new symptoms of COVID-19, particularly the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 or Arcturus.

Meanwhile, the weekly COVID positivity rate in Metro Manila went up to 14.3 percent as of April 27, the independent monitoring OCTA Research Group reported.

Dr. Rontgene Solante, chief of Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine of the state-run San Lazaro Hospital, said persons with “Arcturus

Recto scores LTO for inefficient fiscal management

n By MARICEL V. CRUZ

BATANGAS Rep. Ralph Recto on Saturday said the P249 million needed by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to buy 5.2 million plastic driver’s license cards was being earned by the agency in just in three and one-half days.

“Not all procurement debacles stem from lack of money. Some are caused by inefficiency, by agencies rich in resources, but poor in foresight,” Recto said.

Recto said the LTO generated revenues of P26.68 billion last year, “which comes up to P73 million a day.”

“So it would only take three and onehalf days of LTO collections to fund the P249 million required to purchase a year’s supply of plastic driver’s license cards,” Recto said.

At P19.32 billion, motor vehicle user’s charge and other registration fees accounted for bulk of the LTO collections in 2022.

Next were license fees, which contributed P3.24 billion. Fines and penalties added P3.08 billion to the LTO coffers.

The LTO reported issuing 5.332 million new and renewed driver’s licenses and 1.640 million student permits last year.

Unlike typhoon damages whose rehabilitation costs cannot be predicted in advance, Recto said “the volume of driver’s license cards needed annually is more or less set, and so is the budget to be allocated.”

“When it comes to procurement, LTO should have heeded its advice to drivers -- to anticipate road conditions and be on the lookout for hazards,” he said.

Recto said “if procurement red tape is the usual suspect for the delay, then fix it and learn the lesson so it won’t happen again.”

pink eye” will also show other signs of COVID infection. According to Solante, sore throat, runny nose, and headache might be some of these manifestations, adding that coughing does not normally go with conjunctivitis. He stressed that sore eyes and COVID are both highly-transmissible.

“.They have to isolate themselves. Stay at home, and wash their hands every time they touch their eyes or face,” he said.

Independent monitoring group Octa Research Group earlier attributed the rising coronavirus infections to the Arcturus subvariant, which was first detected in a patient in Iloilo province.

The DOH said the patient was asymptomatic and has recovered.

OCTA fellow Guido David said the latest positivity rate, or the percentage of tests turning out positive for the coronavirus, rose to 14.4 percent from 9 percent as of April 20. David said however that deaths and

New El Niño team led by DILG formed in 10 days

hospitalizations in the National Capital Region due to COVID remained low at 22 percent, adding that “NCR has reported close to zero deaths.”

Aside from Metro Manila, the positivity rates in Calabarzon and Central Luzon were also rising, as well as in Central and Western Visayas, David said.

The increase in COVID cases developed amid the possible spread of omicron subvariant XBB.1.16, known as “Arcturus,” in the country.

XBB.1.16 is a descendent lineage of XBB, a recombinant of two BA.2 descendent lineages.

Groups help monitor Mindoro oil spill

CIVIL society groups, affected communities, and concerned organizations have joined hands to assist in monitoring and improving the availability of updates on the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

This came two months after the sinking of the MT Princess Empress. Tanker that dumped 800,000 liters of industrial fuel into Mindoro’s coastal waters.

Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect VIP (Verde Island Passage)

and director of the Social Action Center of Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro, said ‘Bantay Oil Spill’ is a citizen-led initiative that aims to provide affected communities, concerned groups, and individuals a space to report updates, images, stories, and information on the oil spill. “As we mark the second month of this environmental disaster, the Bantay Oil Spill initiative highlights the need to amplify the voices of oil spill-impacted communities seeking justice. 60 long

days have passed and with no end in sight still, we aim to let the government and responsible parties know that our communities are active, aware, and united in their fight to seek accountability and action,” Gariguez said.

On its first BantayOilSpill bulletin, Gariguez said the groups highlighted satellite data from SkyTruth, a nonprofit environmental watchdog that uses satellite imagery and remote sensing data to identify and monitor environmental threats. Maricel V. Cruz

Ex-MILF fighters drop nom de guerre, get birth certificates, legal identities

FORMER members of the Muslim separatist group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) can now drop their non de guerre or war names and use anew their legal identities. This after the erstwhile MILF combatants received their Certificates of Live Birth through the ‘Access to Legal Identity and Social Services for Decommissioned Combatants’ (ALIASDC) Project.

ALIAS-DC aims to resolve legal identity issues confronting the ex-fighters and facilitate their acquisition of Certificates of Live Birth, which is a fundamental requirement for government recognition

USAID funds BARMM ferry facility

n By NASH B. MAULANA

THE United States government supports the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government’s of a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) shipping service seen to boost local trade and investment in the region by linking Polloc Port in Parang, Maguindanao to Lamitan, Basilan.

A sustainable partnership comes to BARMM through the Regulatory Reform Support Program for National Development (RESPOND) project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) being implemented by the University of the Philippines Public Administration

Research and Extension Services Foundation, BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, represented at the launch by Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua, expressed his full support to the initiative which he described as “a manifestation that the peace accord is succeeding.”

The USAID will particularly provide support in the development of the BARMM RORO shipping services by training BARMM officials and staff on infrastructure development and facilitating a series of multi-stakeholder workshops that enables private sector support maritime connectivity in the region from the launch of the project on April 25.

and provision of services.

The project is being implemented by the Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment Through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS) Program, and funded by the European Union, Australian Embassy in the Philippines, Japan, and The Asia Foundation.

ALIAS-DC is set to be rolled out in the MILF six-acknowledged camps in Lanao province, Maguindanao and Cotabato.

It is among the commitments made by the Government of the Philippines (GPH) under the Normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

THE government is eyeing to assemble a new team which will focus on addressing the El Niño phenomenon “within 10 days,” Allan Tabel, director at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

Tabel, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said the current El Niño task force previously created must be abolished, as this is currently led by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

Tabel said President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. gave the order to create the new team to avoid the current setup of the task force.

NEDA, based on the President’s discussions with other officials, is focused on rehabilitation and post-impact of the weather phenomenon.

Tabel was also quoted saying that the new team will focus on El Niño to formulate a strategy centered on the phenomenon.

“The directive of the President is to form a new El Niño team to craft strategies,” Tabel said.

The official said the new team will likely be led by the DILG, with the Office of Civil Defense as part of this team, among other agencies. Among those proposed to be included in the team include the Department of Agriculture and a set of experts that could be part of their “support group,” noting the weather phenomenon’s impact in the agriculture, energy, marine, and water resources sectors.

Tabel further said agencies, such as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), will also be at the forefront of the new team

“These are just discussions. But definitely, this is DILG leading the team, with the Office of Civil Defense as co-lead,” Tabel said.

President Marcos, meanwhile, assured the public that there is ample supply of electricity despite the looming dry spell which might affect the country’s hydroelectric plants.

“We have enough supply to meet the demand. What is lacking is the reserve,” said Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella in a media forum in Quezon City.

Fuentebella noted that based on the Department of Energy (DOE) forecast, they are seeing a thinning electricity reserve, which means the country already hit the necessary demand but must secure an additional 4% percent reserve on the demand plus the regulating reserve requirement.

Lawmaker eyes dental services under PhilHealth

A PARTY-LIST lawmaker eyes further expansion of the state’s health insurance program to include dental health services.

Anakalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes hinted at a new law amending the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act to mandate the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to include dental health in its package of services.

Reyes, vice chairman of the House Committee on health, stressed the need to bring dental healthcare services closer to people in far-flung areas.

“If there is any takeaway from our dental missions, it is that there is a need for PhilHealth and local government units (LGUs) to focus on the expansion of their regular services and seriously move towards the coverage of the dental needs of our constituents,” Reyes in reference his group’s dental missions in five towns in Antique recently.

Reyes said he realized during the event many Filipinos especially those in the countryside could not access dental services due to prohibitive costs.

He added that dental problems should not be taken for granted as these could have a serious impact on health.

“Dental complaints have serious ramifications on productivity. It cannot be ignored, set aside for later or swept under the rug. If we are to seriously move towards economic recovery and rural development, these must be attended to,” Reyes said.

“We go back to our core advocacy to make use of congressional downtime to bring free health service missions to rural areas where these remain wanting,” he added.

Reyes said more than 500 residents from the towns of Valderrama, Patnongon, San Remegio, Sibalom, and Anini-y availed themselves of dental services, including consultation, extraction, dental filling, and prophylaxis during the medical mission.

Maricel V. Cruz

UNIQUE RIVER CRUISE. A motorized boat tugs a floating cottage along the Balingasay River in Bolinao, Pangasinan, enabling tourists to experience a water-borne adventure that offers a view of a 15-hectate mangrove, scrumptious meals, and side trips to the Bolinao Falls and the Balingasay Marine Sanctuary. Joey Razon

PRIESTESS. Aglipayan priestess Anna Marie Aldon Diaz, 29, blesses a devotee during an affair of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church) in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Teddy Brul

INFERNO IN TONDO. Firefighters wage a hard battle against a raging structural fire eating up the Pritil Market in Tondo, Manila. Norman Cruz

Fighting enters 3rd week in Sudan

WARPLANES on bombing raids drew heavy anti-aircraft fire over Khartoum on Saturday as fierce fighting between Sudan’s army and paramilitaries entered a third week, despite a renewed truce.

Sudan has plunged into chaos and lawlessness since the fightingerupted on April 15 between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his number two Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Burhan and Daglo have agreed to multiple truces since the start of theconflict, but none has effectively taken hold, with each side blaming the other for breaching them.

The latest three-day ceasefire was agreed Thursday after mediation led by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the African Union

Kim Jong Un’s sister warns vs. US-Sokor plan

NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister warned Saturday that a US-South Korean agreement aimed at strengthening deterrence against Pyongyang will lead to “more serious danger,” state media reported.

The United States and South Korea vowed this week that North Korea would face a nuclear response and the “end” of the leadership there should it use its own nukes against the allies, as the two countries’ presidents met in Washington.

In Pyongyang’s first response to the Washington summit, Kim Yo Jong said the North remained convinced that its nuclear deterrent “should be brought to further perfection.”

“The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the more nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, the stronger the exercise of our right to self-defense will become,” she said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

South Korean President Yoon Suk

Yeol and US counterpart Joe Biden on Wednesday issued what was called the Washington Declaration, bolstering the US nuclear umbrella over South Korea, which is increasingly nervous about Pyongyang’s aggression.

It will involve the “regular deployment of strategic assets” including the first South Korean port visit by a nuclear ballistic submarine in decades, a US official told AFP.

The agreement, however, would “only result in making peace and security of Northeast Asia and the world be exposed to more serious danger, and it is an act that can thus never be welcome”, Kim Yo Jong said.

North Korea has defied years of punishing sanctions to continue work on its banned nuclear and missile programmes, and last year declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear power, effectively ending the possibility of denuclearisation talks. AFP

and the United Nations aimed at securing a more lasting truce.

“We woke up once again to the sound of fighter jets and anti-aircraft weapons blasting all over our neighbourhood,” a witness in southern Khartoum told AFP.

Another witness said fighting had been ongoing since the early morning, especially around the state broadcaster’s headquarters in the capital’s twin city of Omdurman.

Residents across Khartoum – home to five million people – have largely sheltered at home despite supplies of food and water

dwindling to dangerously low levels, and a lack of electricity.

Some managed to sneak out only during brief lulls in fighting to buy desperately needed supplies. As battles raged on the ground, the two rival generals took aim at each other in the media, with Burhan branding the RSF a militia that aims “to destroy Sudan,” in an interview with US-based TV channelAlhurra. He also claimed “mercenaries” were pouring over the border from Chad, Central African Republic and Niger to exploit the chaos. Daglo denounced the army chief in an interview with the BBC, saying he was “not trustworthy” and a “traitor.”

The clashes have so far killed at least 512 people and wounded 4,193, according to the health ministry, with the death toll

feared to be much higher.

Some 75,000 have been internally displaced by the fighting in Khartoum and the states of Blue Nile, North Kordofan, as well as the restive western region of Darfur, the UN said.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled into neighbouring countries including Egypt, Ethiopia, Chad and South Sudan, while foreign countries have carried out mass evacuations of their nationals.

Britain said it would end evacuation flights for its citizens and their relatives on Saturday, after airlifting more than 1,500 peoplethis week.

The United Nations said on Friday that its last international staff had been evacuated from Darfur.

The World Food Program has said the violence could plunge millions more into hunger in a country where 15 million peo-

Russian strikes kill 26, including 5 kids

RUSSIAN strikes battered cities across Ukraine on Friday, killing 26 people including five children, as Kyiv said preparations for a counter-offensive against Moscow’s forces were nearly complete.

The deadly new attacks included a strike on a residential block in the historic city of Uman in central Ukraine, where AFP journalists saw rescue workers extracting victims’ remains from a destroyed residential building.

The barrage of almost two dozen missiles ended a weeks-long pause following the repeated Russian strikes that had aimed to paralyse Ukraine’s energy grid during the winter months.

On Friday evening, workers in Uman, the site of an annual Hasidic pilgrimage, pulled the body of another child from under the rubble. Authorities said Russian cruise missiles killed 23 people -- including four children –

PROTEST ACTION.

An indigenous woman participates in a protest march during the Terra Livre Indigenous camp in Brasilia. The camp will run until April 29, 2023, and is focused on raising awareness about indigenous rights and land issues and promoting indigenous culture. AFP

in Uman.

Earlier in the day, Dmitry, a 33-year-old resident from Lugansk, an eastern city under Russian control, was looking for his children.

“I want to see my children, they are under the rubble,” he said. Rescuers were using cranes to search for survivors among the remains of the multi-storey housing block in the city of 80,000 inhabitants.

“I’ve seen a lot, but I haven’t lost my children before. Now I want to see my children, alive or dead,” Dmitry said.

Russian missiles also hit the central city of Dnipro, already grief-stricken after a January strike on a tower block that killed more than 40 people.

Authorities said the strikes in Dnipro killed a 31-year-old woman and her twoyear-old daughter while they slept.

The young woman’s parents were

hospitalized.

“Neighbours say that it was a quiet and kind family,” regional authorities said.

Separately, authorities in the southern region of Kherson said on Friday evening that Russian forces shelled the village of Bilozerka, killing a 57-year-old woman and wounding another three people.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the latest barrage and vowed a response.

“Only absolute evil can unleash such terror against Ukraine,” he said in his evening address.

His advisor Mykhaylo Podolyak tweeted:

“If you don’t want THIS spread around the world, then give us weapons. Lots of weapons. And add sanctions.”

Moscow said it had targeted reserve units of the Ukrainian military and that “all assigned objects were hit”. AFP

ple – one-third of the population – already need aid to stave off famine.

In West Darfur state, at least 96 people were reported to have been killed in the city of Geneina since Monday, according to UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani.

The UN described the situation in Darfur as “alarming” while Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said there were reports of widespread looting, destruction, and burning of property, including at camps for displaced people.

“The current fighting has forced us to stop almost all of our activities in West Darfur,” said Sylvain Perron, MSF’s deputy operations manager for Sudan.

“We are incredibly worried about the impact this violence is having on people who have already lived through waves of violence in the previous years.” AFP

INBRIEF

Italy lifts its block on ChatGPT chatbot

ITALY has lifted its block on ChatGPT after temporarily banning it over data privacy concerns last month, the artificial intelligence chatbot’s owner said Friday.

“ChatGPT is available again for our users in Italy. We are delighted to welcome them back and remain committed to protecting their personal data,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. ChatGPT caused a global sensation when it was released last year for generating essays, songs, exams and even news articles from brief prompts.

But critics have fretted over how ChatGPT and its competitors collect and process their data.

In March, Italy became the first Western country to take action against the popular AI chatbot. AFP

Nikki Haley, others struggle to gain ‘24 ground on Trump

NINE months before the first 2024 US presidential primary, Donald Trump’s onetime UN envoy Nikki Haley is barnstorming early-voting New Hampshire, one of several Republicans scrambling to dent the huge poll lead of the nomination front-runner.

AFP

With Trump’s legal setbacks mounting, Americans are bracing for a parade of contenders positioning themselves as more moderate, less bombastic alternatives to the former president taking another stab at the White House. The lesser known candidates seek to defy early polling and the uncomfortable narrative – for them, at least – that Trump is already dominating the race to square off against incumbent Joe Biden in the general election.

Trump’s challengers “are like a facade on the front of a building.

They’ll end up going away,” Sandra LaRose, an office manager who voted for Trump, told AFP early Friday over a plate of bacon and hash browns at Manchester’s iconic Red Arrow diner.

Supporters of Haley and other hopefuls “are wearing rose-colored glasses,” LaRose, 58, added. “But if you pull back those glasses, does she really have what it takes to lead?”

The 51-year-old Haley, a child of Indian immigrants and a former governor of South Carolina, appeared undaunted Friday as she hosted an intimate town hall in Laconia – her third in three days – where she wore a sweater with “She who dares wins” knitted on the front. AFP

A RECORD number of inmates were serving time in France at the start of this month, official data showed Friday, as the country battles serious prison overcrowding.

France counted 73,080 inmates in prisons equipped to hold just 60,899 people on April 1, according to figures released by the justice ministry. That meant the country’s jails were at 120 percent capacity, it showed.

Prune Missoffe, of the France-based International Prison Observatory rights monitor, said the situation was “only getting worse, month by month.”

The government should “take measures to decrease the pressure on prisons until more structural measures are found,” she said. AFP

Inmates in France reach all-time high Biden to meet 18 Pacific heads in PNG

US President Joe Biden will meet 18 leaders from across the South Pacific when he visits Papua New Guinea in May, the country’s foreign minister said Saturday, signaling a renewed US drive to cultivate regional allies.

The United States and China are vying for influence in what was once a diplomatic backwater, but is increasingly seen as a vital space for commercial, political and military influence.

Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said Biden would attend bilateral talks with his hosts and is “also having a meeting with the 18 Pacific Island leaders” from the Pacific Island Forum – a regional bloc of mostly small states that are scattered across the vast swathe of ocean.

The prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand will be among those attending. Biden is set to become the first sitting US president in at least a century to visit Papua New Guinea when he touches down on May 22. AFP

SUDAN EVACUATION. Troops of the German Bundeswehr Armed Forces disembark from an Airbus A400M military aircraft upon arrival of the returning Sudan evacuation troops at the military air base in Wunstorf, on April 28, 2023. Between April 23 and 26, 2023, the German Armed Forces, in close cooperation with the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Police, evacuated more than 700 people from over 40 nations from Sudan by air. AFP

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY. An icon of Mary and Jesus is held as a gift for Pope Francis during a meeting with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and pastoral workers in St. Stephen’s cathedral in Budapest during the Pope’s second visit to Hungary in less than two years. The Pope will meet refugees, believers, students, church and state leaders during his three-day trip and celebrate a holy mass in front of the parliament building, at the Kossuth Square of Budapest on Sunday morning.

Boutique spa thrives in the new normal

FIRST-TIME entrepreneur Celine

“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much. The most optimistic I can get is just to break even. I even took out a loan in case my business does not do well in the first few months. But I was really amazed at how the beauty and wellness industry has gone back from zero during the pandemic to a thriving business these days,” she said.

Just over a month in operations, her very own hotel spa brand, Soothe Wellness Spa, has become a buzzword among hotel goers and visitors. The boutique spa opened March 4, 2023. It is located inside the Holiday Inn Hotel adjacent to Robinson’s Galleria Mall and the Crowne Hotel.

Gonzalez is no stranger to working in hotels. She previously worked at the Heritage Hotel after obtaining her degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the University of Santo Tomas.

Like any other beauty and wellness business, Soothe Wellness Spa offers beauty services from head to toe—from therapeutic massage to nail services to minor aesthetics services like facial and eyebrow microblading, except for hair services. The boutique spa is open 7 days a week from 12 noon to 12 midnight.

Most hotel guests are foreigners who are generous and cordial to the staff, especially to massage therapists. Mall access makes it even strategic for mall goers to cross over to the hotel to destress after hours of strolling and shopping.

Gonzalez said her masseuses are all TESDA-trained with skill certificates. She plans to hire more therapists as high demand for the service heaves her current staff drained.

“But before setting off, I always remind them to be mindful of their surroundings. Safety first. You’ll never know when there will be a time when a guest can get a bit rowdy or maybe a bit rough. So I tell them to look for the nearest exit, in case situations like these happen. So far, none of these worries have happened yet. And we have a guarantee from the hotel operator that we will always be protected,” she said.

The spa is on a hiring mode, particularly for nail experts who can also do lashes and simple facial procedures. Gonzalez realized how hard it is to keep skilled people, nowadays. They get pirated and sometimes

move on to better jobs, which is actually a good thing for them.

That’s why for specific aesthetic procedures, Gonzalez personally handles the clients. She enrolled into a microblading training herself and does the procedure to clients on scheduled sessions.

“It’s difficult to invest on skills. You pay for the training and then they leave, bringing with them the skill set you have provided for them,” she said.

Blessed with three equally pretty daughters, her fourth baby, she said, is her spa business.

Like raising an infant

“It’s like raising an infant and see it growing into a mature person. You experience the same birthing pains, similar growing pains. To nurture your business is also akin to taking care of your kids, you have to be patient and caring,” Gonzalez said.

The most challenging for her in setting up her brand was not the financial worries. As she already

made peace with herself that she is ready to spend and face the consequences, success or otherwise, she contracted a neurological affliction that limited her movements inside the home and to special visits to the hospital.

During the thick of preparations for her hotel spa, Gonzalez became afflicted with Bell’s Palsy—a neurological disorder that causes paralysis and weakness on one side of the face.

While the affliction was not severe, she refused to go out as the disorder left her with slightly uneven facial structure and uncoordinated eye movement. It took weeks for her to recover, all the while, errands for the business were piling up and she missed the spa’s target opening supposedly set for February 2023.

The layers of stress she was dealing with could have made her condition even worse. Good thing, her eldest daughter is a physical therapist working at the Veteran’s

Hospital. Gonzalez underwent therapy at the hospital for several weeks simultaneous to having more therapies at home, supervised by her daughter.

She admitted it was a dark time for her. Just when she was able to manage her emotions and start out a refreshed life after her husband died of Leukemia three years ago, another crisis was barely bearable.

Picking the fragments of her broken confidence, Gonzalez rebounded with renewed optimism for her family and her business. She made up for the time spent sulking and crying while recuperating.

She learned to manage her time in a manner her physical body could best allow, so as not to overwork herself as she also owns a nail spa franchise in Fairview.

“This is when I realized that relaxation is as important as working hard. We need to pause and breathe. What happened to me is an eye opener. Never take our health for granted however noble our goals are. The doctor said my condition was purely a result of a stressful life and I needed to slow down,” she said.

She runs a nail spa franchise a few blocks from her house in a subdivision in Fairview. She closed the first branch during the pan-

OFW entrepreneur builds hotel and convention complex

By Nash B. Maulana

COTABATO CITY - The Al-Nor Hotel and Convention Center is halfway into building a P1 billion resort complex integrating its elegant hotel rooms, fine dining, franchised coffee shops, a convention center, native and oriental food shops, and movie houses into a network of mix-used buildings.

Owner Hadji Kahar Nul, a former overseas Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia, said an on-going expansion southwest of the complex’s entrance gate translates to 216 hotel rooms which will be open for reser-

JLL Philippines named top investment broker

to over 200,000 investor and lender profiles, providing granular data on commercial real estate transactions.

vations and accommodation by mid-2023.

The extension stands on a 2,000 square-meter northeast adjacent area from its main one-hectare commercial complex.

Adding to the 8-storey hotel expansion is a 260unit condominium-type apartment development to be built on then former Episcopal Church estate, northeast of the Al-Nor Complex’s exit gate, along Sinsuat Avenue.

Nul said construction of the hotel may reach over P200 million since most of the finishing materials are imported.

He advised fellow entrepreneurs to refrain from getting loans on dead investments, instead, his fellow Moro businessmen should put money on income-generating ventures that generates employment, as well.

demic, but managed to keep the second one as the building owner was considerate enough to give her a 20-percent rebate on lease. Those times were difficult for everybody else, she knew that, but it was harder for those who have other family baggage like the battle she fought as her husband struggled with cancer.

Sundays are sacred days for her. This is the only day in a week where she can spend time with her kids on malling adventures, lunching out and shopping.

That is the single, most important rule her kids agreed on when she put up her spa—to spend Sundays together. And she’s holding out her part of the bargain pretty well except on instances when really important clients are insistent for a procedure that fend off a few hours of family bonding time. Sunday dinners are well spent with her parents and siblings.

Gonzalez admits she’s a travel addict in the same degree that she’s addicted to massage. Before owning a spa, back to the time when she still worked at Tamayo’s Catering as one of the senior management executives, she frequented the spas along the stretch of Banawe Street for a relaxing massage, before heading home. Othel V. Campos

Tetra Pak unveils sustainably-sourced packaging solution

TETRA Pak recently unveiled one of its most innovative packaging solutions giving food manufacturers the option to continue operating sustainably, and consumers, the choice to a better lifestyle. Viewed as the new home of food, Tetra Recart is an innovative future-proof packaging solution for shelf-stable foods as it is a safe, practical, and convenient packaging that also features size-flexible lines for low factory footprint, space efficiency and in store waste.

“We continue to innovate for the future of food, aware that there are many challenges that we need to address. The impact on people, businesses, and of course the planet are equally important,” said marketing director of Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Indonesia John Jose.

In the Philippines, major food and beverage manufacturers have collaborated with Tetra Pak as they move toward more sustainable ways of delivering their products to end-consumers.

Over 330 million liters of food and beverages packed in Tetra Pak cartons reached Filipino consumers in the Philippines in 2022. A welcome trend that could fuel the development of a circular economy in the country and contribute to solving the country’s perennial solid waste management problems.

Gonzalez can’t help but feel blessed that her wellness business is blooming after going through a rough patch.

Soothe Wellness Spa owner Celine Gonzalez with daughters

LIFE

A productive way for kids

to spend summer

By Patricia Taculao

EDUCATION and experience are vital during children’s formative years. But beyond the knowledge they can gain from inside the four corners of the classroom, children can immerse themselves in various social opportunities to learn valuable lessons to equip them better for life. During summers, parents often enroll their kids in

ARTIST’S CORNER

summer camps and workshops to realize new skills and values to aid their growth and development.

While most summer programs include classes focused on enhancing children’s physical and mental abilities,

PICK.A.ROO, the Philippines’ all-inone, on-demand, and premium lifestyle delivery app, offers a different approach that

concentrates on their cognitive and social skills.

Last April 22, the app officially launched its first-ever PICK.A.ROO Kiddie Shopper Summer Program. It’s available in select Landmark Supermarkets this May, allowing children aged four to eight to become a PICK.A.ROO Shopper for a day, picking out orders from PICK.A.ROO users and checking them while being guided and assisted by a PICK.A.ROO Shopper on-duty.

“Through our Kiddie Shopper Summer Program, we are giving parents an avenue to let their kids undergo a ‘summer onthe-job training’ by being a PICK.A.ROO Shopper. We want kids to have fun while also appreciating the hard work our shoppers put into their jobs, and perhaps even learn the values of hard work, teamwork, discipline, responsibility, and friendship,” said Eric Bataga chief executive officer of PICK.A.ROO.

Interacting with the shoppers will also help kids become more social as they’d have to work closely to accomplish

their tasks. Moreover, the program will show the fun side of daily tasks like shopping for goods.

Parents interested in enrolling their kids in the Kiddie Shopper Summer Program can get the sign-up links from emails and social media posts from PICK.A.ROO’s official pages. There is no sign-up fee, as parents and guardians can order via PICK.A.ROO on the day of their respective child’s schedule.

Schedules for the Kiddie Shopper Summer Program are on May 6, 13, and 20, 2023, in Landmark Bonifacio Global City, Trinoma, and Alabang. Sessions run for one hour per batch of about five kids, with the first one starting at 9 a.m.

Kids who sign up for the program will receive a Shopper Kit containing a shirt, apron, cap, and a bag, all of which they can wear during the activity.

PICK.A.ROO will accept registrations until May 6 only.

This summer also marks the official launch of PICK.A.ROO’s Pick-Up feature. Using the app, this feature lets users order from the shops, groceries, and restaurants available on PICK.A.ROO, pay for their orders via credit card, and collect them at their chosen time.

It offers an easy way for parents who spend weekends with their families to order groceries and pick them up on the way home so they can enjoy more time with their loved ones. Those reporting in the office can also use this feature to order their meals and pick them up during their break time. Download the PICK.A.ROO app on Google Play or Apple App Store now to enjoy its features and more.

Teaching children the relevance of recycling

RECYCLING is a word that Filipinos are familiar with. Many recycling industries have been developing in the Philippines to meet local waste management demands. Yet recycling doesn’t have to be limited to older audiences, as children can readily learn values through sustainable activity while advocating environmental preservation.

Cheese, Cheez Whiz, Oreo, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toblerone, and Chips Ahoy!, to name a few.

on Plastic Packaging Waste Law or the EPR Law.

POETRY has been a popular form of literature for centuries.

Authors use flowery words and other elements of prose to create a vivid image in their readers’ imaginations to achieve their goal of conveying a message or expressing their innermost thoughts and emotions.

Michelle Dacalos, a 25-yearold writer from Cebu, embraces the relevance of poetry in society and uses it to become her medium of expression. She finds the form more effective as it allows her to explore ideas beyond her comfort zone and discover more about herself as an individual.

“I began writing poetry during college when I was diagnosed with depression. I sought inspiration from poets like Charles Bukowski and Sylvia Plath because I felt their works resonated with me the most.

Eventually, I developed my own way of writing, which could be dark sometimes, but it allows me to appreciate good times when they come around,” she said.

Dacalos shared that her poetry has helped her through trying times. While she doesn’t write as often as before, she finds refuge in turning to pen and paper to express her thoughts and realize new things.

Escaping

the chasm (“

In the new episode of the YouTube series Miming and Friends, the process of recycling is explored more. This aims to help kids understand how they can impact and families know how else their plastic waste can be recycled in their communities.

Miming and Friends, led by CatFish Miming, flying lizard Buboy, and Unicorn Anacorn, is an animated YouTube channel that’s a treasure trove of knowledge for the younger generations. Besides the vibrant animations, the animated series also takes a musical approach to entice more of its young audiences to absorb its various valuable messages. In nearly six minutes, the newest episode of Miming and Friends gives a detailed yet uncomplicated lesson on the recycling process for plastic materials and how children and other community members can play a significant part in giving new life to old materials, all while avoiding excessive consumption of other resources.

The channel is the creation of Miming and Fwends Animation Studios, formed by partners Ramon and Meryll del Prado from Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.

Other video topics include values, how to count and sing, and the importance of caring for each other and the environment–all from the multilingual and multicultural perspective of the Filipino experience.

With a legacy of 60 years in the Philippines, the Mondelez Philippines’ purpose has been to empower people to snack right, with the right snack, for the right moment, and with quality products made the right way. Making snacks the right way means growing their business with a positive impact on

This newly passed law establishes a national policy on adopting a systemic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program. Among other provisions, identified companies such as Mondelez Philippines retrieve and divert 20 percent of their total plastic output starting this year.

“Beyond compliance, we have pledged to not only achieve what is required by law but as much as 100 percent of our plastic packaging output for 2023,” shares Caitlin Punzalan, CGA Lead of Mondelez Philippines. “In addition, we employ information and education campaigns, like our partnership with the Miming and Friends series, which is geared to inform our consumers of, among others, responsible management of plastic waste.”

Continuing Partnership with Save Philippine Seas

Providing waste management knowledge for the Miming and Friends series is Save Philippine Seas (SPS), led by Executive Director and “Chief Mermaid” Anna Oposa. SPS is an organization that aims to empower citizens toward environmental consciousness, leading to collective action and behavior change.

The cast of ‘Miming and Friends’ highlight the relevance of recycling plastic in their latest episode people and the planet.

One of its focus areas is using less packaging for its products, utilizing better packaging, and helping improve waste management and recycling systems.

And at the end of the day, loving arms welcome me home

While I lay safe waiting for another tomorrow to dawn

In 2022, Miming and Friends partnered with snacks company Mondelez Philippines to create content about waste management at home to serve as educational materials for children and their families. Mondelez Philippines is the maker of beloved snack products such as Tang, Eden

Miming and Friends for the Extended Producer Responsibility

Law Information and education campaigns like the partnership with Miming and Friends are one of the ways

“The first episode of our partnership launched last year was about waste segregation. Proper waste segregation increases the chances of materials finding their way to their recycling streams. While there is much to be developed, we have a growing recycling industry here in the Philippines. This episode aims to encourage us all to find partners in our communities, from individual waste collectors to junk shops, and work with them to ensure our waste does not end up in oceans.”

To find out more about how to be part of recycling efforts, watch Episode 2 of Miming and Friends at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=WEJDrrCsbzE&ab_ channel=MimingandFriends

PICK.A.ROO shoppers leading the kids inside The Marketplace in Uptown Mall, BGC to purchase goods

Capable on-duty PICK.A.ROO shoppers will guide their young counterparts throughout the PICK.A.ROO Kiddie Shopper Summer Program

Chief Executive Officer of PICK.A.ROO Eric Bataga during the program launch at Scout’s Honor in Uptown Mall

Parents can place their orders for their children through the PICK.A.ROO app

The author’s daughter working closely with the PICK.A.ROO shopper to accomplish their order

n By RANDY CALUAG

BARANGAY

Ginebra

playing assistant coach LA Tenorio believes the Gilas squad that will go to Cambodia will reclaim the men’s basketball title of the Southeast Asian Games.

“We have held the title for so long. Let’s get it back, kayang-kaya yan,” said Tenorio, who was part of the last men’s Philippine team that won the title, back in the 2019 SEA Games.

Interestingly, it was his first stint as a Philippine national athlete in the SEA Games and the 115-81 blowout against Thailand was still fresh in his mind on the night he scored 16 points to help Team Philippines bag its 13th straight gold medal in the biennial meet.

“I was happy and grateful to receive my first gold medal in the SEA Games. That was also my first time to play in SEA Games,” recalled Tenorio, who guested the recent partnership announcement of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the San Miguel Corporation for the World Cup.

Gilas opens its title-reclaiming bid against Malaysia on May 9, before facing Cambodia on May 11 and Singapore on May 13.

Bracketed in Group B are Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and defending champion Indonesia, which dethroned the Philippines in the Vietnam SEA Games last year.

Meanwhile, Tenorio also hopes that the Gilas team that will see action in the FIBA World Cup in August will make history.

“I hope magawa nila makapasok sa semifinals. They have a big chance na magawa nila yan. They have to seize the moment and cherish the experience of playing in front of our countrymen.,” said Tenorio on Tuesday during the partnership announcement of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and the San Miguel Corporation for the World Cup.

“They just have to work harder. Don’t get intimidated. It can be done,”

Tenorio exhorts SEAG-bound Gilas to reclaim crown

added Tenorio, who was tapped as one of the FIBA World Cup local ambassadors.

Tenorio has temporarily stopped playing basketball after he announced last month his battle with stage 3 colon cancer. His role as World Cup ambassador makes him more excited as he looks forward to doing things for the

Converge powers PBA Esports Bakbakan league playoffs

THE top four teams in the PBA ‘Esports Bakbakan’ league will face off on May 1 as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will be bringing its first esports tournament to an exciting conclusion powered by the pure fiber connectivity of Converge.

The eight-man esports teams of the Phoenix Fuel Masters, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, TNT Tropang Giga, NorthPort Batang Pier will battle it out at Ayala Malls Circuit, Activity Center in Makati for the P 1 million prize pool (P 750,000 will go to the champion, and P 250,000 to the runner-up).

The four teams will engage in the best-of-three tournament in the semi-finals. The finalists will then face off in a best-of-five format.

“The first esports tournament of the PBA has turned out to be as exciting and heart-pounding as the PBA games themselves. Converge is glad to be the connectivity partner of the PBA ESports Bakbakan, bringing all this action week after week to gamers, fans and followers. No better technology can bring this

level of competitive action with speed and quality like fiber technology,” said Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy.

The inaugural season of the PBA Esports Bakbakan featured all twelve franchise teams of the PBA competing in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament. Each franchise has an eight-man crew consisting of two PBA cagers, two gaming influencers or players, one student, and three fans.

Leading fiber internet provider Converge is the official connectivity partner of the PBA Esports Bakbakan, providing its high speed and high capacity internet connection to power up the high-intensity tournaments week after week. The partnership is aimed at showing the fiber capability of Converge in powering up the esports tournament.

Converge is making a mark in the gaming industry not just with its own franchise team in the PBA but through its tailored gaming product specifically catering to Filipino gamers: the Converge GameChanger.

Smart golfest boosts FIBA World Cup programs

SMART Communications Inc., gathered esteemed sports personalities, media, and special guests for a friendly round of golf games and a day of fellowship for the Philippine sports community at the Smart Sports Invitational, held recently at The Orchard Golf and Country Club in Cavite.

The event also served as a jump-off point for promoting Smart’s involvement in the FIBA World Cup Draw, which took on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum; and the FIBA in Manila Draw Festival, an all-day street festival celebrating the Filipinos’ love for basketball through performances, activations, and other exciting basketball-themed activities.

Hosted by television presenter and athlete Gretchen Ho and PLDT First Vice President – Head of Sports and Executive Director of MVP Sports Foundation Mr. Jude Turcuato, the

Smart Sports Invitational welcomed esteemed guests and discussed the partnership between FIBA and Smart and presented the available FIBA merchandise to the invitational participants. Smart took charge of several key promotional activities leading to the draw and games, including the 3D billboard activation, EDSA “shootboard”, and FIBA-themed bus waiting sheds within Bonifacio Global City. The invitational also revealed the remaining key events for FIBA in the Philippines, as discussed by Erika Dy, Deputy Event Director - Local Organizing Committee, FIBA World Cup 2023. These include the 100-day game countdown and individual game ticket launch in May, the launch of the Philippine Basketball Hall of Fame in July, and the World Congress for FIBA delegates in August leading to the games.

historic event.

“I look forward to activities na naka line-up and I’m happy to help SBP for this coming World Cup.” The former Gilas stalwart also revealed that he is doing well in his recovery as he

FOODPANDA crowned the champion team for this year’s Panda Legends: Ultimate Battle, a Mobile Legends online tournament for its Ka-panda delivery partners.

Out of the 128 teams who registered last March 14 and showcased their gaming skills, only one team prevailed, taking home a prize pool of P250,000. Aside from the cash prize, each winning team member also received P2,000 worth of gas vouchers, which they can use for their delivery shifts.

Before the finals round last April 21, the online tournament had a series of elimination games, with each round offering cash prizes to the participants.

The tournament is the third time Foodpanda opened the mobile game competition to its delivery partners. According to operations director Patricia Jacinto, Panda Legends aims to encourage Foodpanda’s Ka-panda delivery partners to play like a panda and foster friendly competition amongst the rider fleet. “There’s no doubt that eSports continues to boom and is a favorite past-time within the Ka-panda community. After our successful first run last 2021, we knew we needed another round of competition, and this year became the perfect time to do it again.”

“Nabuo yung grupo namin habang nag-aantay lang ng booking sa isang waiting shed. Di namin akalain na makaka-abot kami hanggang finals at mananalo pa,” narrates Ka panda Art Randy Maliwat from the winning team.

“Salamat foodpanda dahil bukod sa sobrang enjoy na makasama at makalaro yung mga kapwa Ka-panda ko, nanalo pa kami ng malaking premyo.” Yran Basco, a Ka panda working

NATIONAL University survived a scare against Ateneo de Manila University, claiming a 5-set victory, 21-25, 28-30, 25-14, 25-13, 15-13, to secure the second twice-to-beat incentive in the UAAP Season 85 women’s volleyball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldogs, who won six straight games, finished the elimination round with an 11-3 record.

NU’s Final Four opponent will depend on the results of Adamson University’s and the University of Santo Tomas’ final elimination matches against Far Eastern University and the University of the Philippines, respectively, on Sunday.

Faith Nisperos gave NU the match point after a failed attack attempt that did not cross over, but AC Miner got one back for the Blue Eagles with a running attack that went off the block, 14-13.

still does normal workouts, albeit slowly.

“So far, I’m still working out, doing slow cardio workouts, and a lot of walking by playing golf. I’m not stopping. Still doing the normal things, but I’m listening to my body.”

Tenorio had worn the Gilas uniform several times. His best achievement in Gilas uniform was when they won the 2012 William Jones Cup, finishing with a 7-1 record, capped by a victory over the USA squad in their last game.

Food Panda riders show wares in Ultimate Battle’s ML tourney

student from Marikina is elated to make it to the finals. “Pinag-igihan talaga namin yung practice para dito at nagbunga naman yung paghahanda namin dahil nakatungtong kami hanggang finals,” he shares. “Yung cash prize na natanggap namin, sobrang laking tulong para sa mga pansariling gastusin kaya malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa foodpanda dahil nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon na makasali dito.”

The champion team and finalists also received exciting and valuable prizes from the tournament’s co-presenters and official partners such as Panther Gaming Gear, Unioil, GCash, and Motivo Tech.

Mhicaela Belen, who tallied 26 points, sealed the victory with a hit that found the end line.

“We’re very happy kasi nakuha na po namin yung twice-to-beat this season pero despite that po, meron pa rin kaming kailangan iimprove lalo na sa game ngayon which is yung pagstart dapat namin nang maayos kasi nung first and second set po hindi po kami gaano katutok sa game,” said Belen,

The semi-finals and grand finals match were streamed live via Foodpanda ph riders’ official social media pages, with eight finalist teams competing for the title. Jacinto also added that initiatives like Panda Legends are a great way to bring a sense of community to their delivery partners from all corners of the country. “With initiatives like this, we are encouraging community-building nationwide as we provide a space for our Ka-pandas to take a break from their usual daily routine and come together for playful engagement activities – whether you’re a Ka-panda from Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao.”

who went 25-of-54 in spikes, had 19 excellent receptions, and made 15 digs.

On the brink of being swept, the Lady Bulldogs fought back in the third set, pulling away midway and taking the win, 25-14.

Alyssa Solomon, Belen, and Cess Robles then teamed up to stage another huge run in the middle of the fourth period to reach the decider, 25-13. Solomon was just behind Belen for the Bulldogs with 25 points on 22-of-46 attacks, two service aces, and a block.

Camilla Lamina, who tossed 17 excellent sets, also activated middles Erin Pangilinan and Sheena Toring with 13 points apiece, while Robles contributed 11 points. Gandler led Ateneo in her final collegiate game with 20 points and 16 receptions, while Nisperos added 17 points and eight digs.

NU ladies survive Ateneo, secure twice-to-beat edge

Former Gilas Pilipinas mainstay LA Tenorio told the Cambodia-bound men’s basketball team to reclaim the trophy. Naturalized Filipino Justin Brownlee will banner the team in SEA Games.

The Lady Bulldogs celebrate after getting a point.

Players-riders of Panda Heist ML, the champion of this year’s Panda Legends: Ultimate Battle, receive their prizes.

PBA Esports Bakbakan playoffs, powered by Converge, connectivity take place on May 1 at the Ayala Malls Circuit, Activity Center in Makati

JUST in time for Christian Bautista’s celebration of his now two-decade music career, Sam Concepcion reimagines his 2017 hit song “Kapit” and did not just one, but two versions of it. The multitalented singer recently made his return to his Universal

Records family and released two brand new mixes of “Kapit” that impressively took the song to even greater heights with its infectious groove.

Sam’s homage to Christian’s is indeed one-of-a-kind as he flawlessly puts his own spin on the track, infusing it with his signature sound and energy.

Recalling how he accepted the

Christian Bautista and as some people may already know, we spent a lot of time together in our careers, especially during the beginning. We have the same management, same network, and all that.”

he worked with two producers to make two mixes of “Kapit,” the singer said that there are two effective ways of interpreting the song.

versions of

“So fast forward, when the opportunity presented itself to remake a song that I really like, that I am aware of, and I’ve listened to countless times before, I took the opportunity to record and sing it, syempre,” he adds. When asked about the reason why

CONCEPCION SAM is winning hearts with flawless ‘KAPIT’

THE first Mister Pilipinas Worldwide (MPW) pageant was launched recently at Ascott Hotel, BGC, organized by Empire Philippines, led by Jonas Gaffud and Voltaire Tayag, Oxin Films, headed by Xion Lim and celebrity shoe designer

Jojo Bragais

The pageant aims to bring together three prestigious male searches under one roof, namely, Mister Pilipinas Supranational, Mister Pilipinas Manhunt Supermodel, and Mister Pilipinas Global.

“We’re putting the three male pageants together under one umbrella,” Gaffud said during the launching and press presentation of the nineteen official candidates.

The appointment of Joshua de Sequera, Manhunt International Supermodel 2022 first runner-up, as MPW national director was announced during the event as well.

The candidates are Joseph Pesay Valler (Bohol), Rei Aldrich Gregorio (Bulacan), Gilmer Galaros, (Cavite), Kenneth Estopace (Camarines Sur), John Tanting (Cebu City), Lorenzo Isip (Cebu Province), Oliver Dalman (Dipolog), Johannes Rissler (Davao Del Norte), Karl Maristela (Ilocos Sur), Gion Layug (Laguna), Joshua Dinio (Naga City), John Dave Apostol (Nueva Ecija), Ken Stromsnes (Mandaluyong City), Adrian Paulo Araneta (Pampanga), Drigo Francia (Rizal), Van Aikon Ignacio (San Jose City), Christian Annipot (Sorsogon), Jefferson Bunney (UK Filipino community), and Tyler Gaumer (USA Filipino community).

offer to cover a Christian Bautista hit, he shares, “It just happened. I learned that there’s a compilation album that’s being made for

Newest pageant for exceptional young Filipino men

Who will take home the three prestigious titles at stake? Find out on coronation night on May 6.

Mister International Philippines 2023 kicks off Meanwhile, 43 of the 55 candidates of Mister International Philippines 2023 were presented to the press at One Esplanade in Pasay City. The event ended with the announcement of the Favorite of the Press winners.

Quezon City’s Austin Cabatana, a student in Marketing Management at De La Salle College of Saint Benilde won first place, while Cebu City’s Nataniel Tiu and Palawan’s Jay Mark Omolon, were second and third, respectively.

The MIP organization also announced the appointment of Ameer Gamava as its new national director.

The Grand Coronation Finals is set on June 28 with five titles at stake, namely, Mister International Philippines 2023, Mister Global Philippines 2023, Mister National Universe Philippines 2023, Mister Tourism International Philippines 2023, and Caballero Universal Filipinas 2023.

NGO volunteer named Mrs. Philippines International 2023

In pageants for married women, Irma Payod-Bitzer, a 39-year-old, mother and native of Ormoc City won over 21 other finalists for the Mrs. Philippines International 2023 crown held recently at Okada Manila.

Payod-Bitzer, an entrepreneur and

volunteer of Bukas Palad Foundation, an NGO that provides sustainable development, education, livelihood, and healthcare strategy to children, the elderly, the urban poor, and victims of natural calamities, will represent the country in next year’s Mrs. International pageant.

“I hope to translate the vision of Mrs. Philippines International, to inspire people by sharing my life story of triumph over adversity,” said Payod-Bitzer.

In an unprecedented move, 3Stars Productions, headed by Aries Concepcion and Maan Cueto Aries, gave out separate crowns and titles to all the other thirteen finalists, as follows, Mrs. Philippines Planet 2023 Evangeline Pulvera, Mrs. Philippines National Universe 2023 Princess Joesel Bajamonde, Mrs. Philippines Global Classic 2023 Liz Tagimacruz, Mrs. Philippines Grand International 2023 Honeylane Labang, Mrs. Philippines International Global 202 Grezza Day Rosales, Mrs. Woman of the Year 2023 Mary Jade Luna, Mrs. Philippines International 2023 Analyn Roxas, Mrs. Philippines Earth 2023 Vernelie Diane Babasa, Elite Mrs. Philippines International 2023 Vanessa Magbojos, Mrs. Philippines Earth Classic 2023 Elma Lavajo, Mrs. Philippines Worldwide Woman 2023 Ruvigene Labong, Mrs. Philippines World Classic 2023 Maria Concepcion Mirabuena, and Mrs. Philippines World Universal 2023 Maria Lezylda Quadra

“There were two ways of approaching it and I worked with two different producers to come up with two different versions of the song. One is a bit more chill and laid back. The other has a faster tempo. So you get two, which is great because it completely changes the whole mood and it creates a different context for the song,” Sam ends

Rema, Selena Gomez’s infectious track

shoots up on Billboard Hot 100

STILL basking in the incredible success of his debut album, Rave & Roses, Afrorave trailblazer Rema releases the new version of his album track “Calm Down,” featuring Grammy and Emmy nominated Selena Gomez in her debut to the Afrobeat scene alongside an accompanying lyric video. Upon release, Rave & Roses went on to achieve No.1 in over sixteen countries, A-List at BBC 1xtra, went Top 10 in Billboard’s World Music chart, Top 10 in Apple Music, and Shazam charts week of release as well as making history as the highest-charting debut Afrobeats album in Nigeria. Rave & Roses spanned across 16 tracks and featured a handpicked selection of features including U.S singer Chris Brown, 6LACK, UK rapper AJ Tracey and French songstress Yseult

Coining a new sub-genre dubbed Afrorave, Rave & Roses is a masterclass in his range and musicality as he opens up and lets us explore his weird and wonderful universe.

Rema is now taking the album on the road playing an extensive US tour including multiple sold-out stops in Los Angeles and two nights at New York City’s Irving Plaza among others, after performances at the UK festivals Strawberries & Cream and Wireless this summer.

Rema will also be hitting the road for UK and EU tours later this fall, including his debut London headline show. Since his debut, Rema has come in and completely switched up the game, rapidly becoming one of the biggest and most internationally known names in the new wave of Afrobeats stars.

KLOOK, Asia’s leading travel and experiences platform, has launched tickets available for prebooking to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter on its platform.

The Studio Tour is set to open to the public on June 16 for the first time in Tokyo, and will take visitors behind the scenes of the world-renowned Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films to learn about the remarkable world of film production.

J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter stories have captivated and inspired hundreds of millions of people around the world for over 25 years. Japan

being a vacation favorite of Filipino Klookers, they now have a chance to experience the world’s largest indoor Harry Potter attraction without having to travel far and as part of their itinerary when in Tokyo.

Klook users can purchase tickets to the Studio Tour together with a transportation pass (SEIBU 1 Day Pass, SEIBU Kawagoe Pass, or Tokyo Subway Ticket) as a combo package, offering flexibility and convenience to move around Tokyo.

In a study released by Klook, themeparks are one of

their most booked attractions. Adding to the entire experience for food trips, shopping, and sightseeing, The Making of Harry Potter is a new addition to the Filipino traveler’s checklist in Japan. Download the Klook app now via the App Store and Google Play Store and be one of the first to experience the magic. The Harry Potter Studio Tour opens on June 16. Note that pre-booking is a must, which can be done through: https://www.klook. com/en-US/activity/84374warner-bros-studio-tourtokyo-making-harry-potter/

Nickie Wang, Editor; Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant

Multitalented singer Sam Concepcion

Mister Pilipinas Worldwide is the newest pageant in town

Afrorave trailblazer Rema (left) with Grammy and Emmy-nominated pop singer Selena Gomez

YOUR DOGS’ SPLEEN

Dog Splenomegaly: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options

By Mariana Burgos

SPLENOMEGALY is simply described as spleen enlargement. Enlargement of the spleen may be due to a disease (biological insult) or injury (traumatic insult). Cats appear to be more susceptible to splenomegaly (if it is due to a disease) than dogs. This is something I discussed in my last article.

According to Amy Breton, CVT, VTS (ECC) who wrote the article "The Spleen: Anatomy and Common Complications" for the VetFolio website, splenic masses, splenic torsion, and splenomegaly are the three types of biological insults. In this article, we will focus on splenomegaly (with a bonus brief discussion on cases of traumatic insults).

Due to a variety of diseases, including tumors (both neoplastic and non-neoplastic) and splenic torsion, the spleen can grow enlarged. It is a widespread problem that can afflict dogs of different ages, sizes, breeds, and genders, says Breton. It is, however, more usually identified in middle-aged dogs.

Breton claims that while evaluating a patient, it may not always be feasible to palpate the spleen; nevertheless, this does not indicate that it is not enlarged. Palpale means “to examine by touch especially medically,” according to https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.

Even though the spleen is not enlarged, it can sometimes be palpated. As a result, palpation should not be the only approach used to evaluate whether a spleen is enlarged. Some canine breeds, such as German shepherds and Scottish terriers, have a larger spleen than others. In deep-chested dogs and obese individuals, it is frequently impossible to palpate an enlarged spleen.

Types and Causes

Breton classifies splenomegaly into four types: the first type is inflammatory splenomegaly, which happens when the spleen becomes inflamed as a result of a disease. Both viral and bacterial infections can cause broad or localized splenitis (inflammation of the spleen)

Definition of SPLEEN

a highly vascular ductless organ that is located in the

left abdominal region near the stomach or intestine of m...

Hyperplastic splenomegaly, the second type, is uncommon. With this type of splenomegaly, the spleen frequently reacts to stimulation caused by hyperplasia, an “abnormal or unusual increase in the elements composing a part (such as cells composing a tissue),” says Merriam-Webster.

Hyperplasia is caused by the breakdown of red blood cells. Infections and autoimmune disorders, such as immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and Heinz body hemolysis, are also associated with hyperplasia.

The third type is congestive splenomegaly of which develops when the portal or splenic vein (the spleen's major veins) gets obstructed. Certain medicines, such as barbiturates, can induce increased blood pooling and, as a result, a little "back up" of blood to the spleen.

Patients with this condition may have lower PCV because their blood cannot filter adequately. Congestive splenomegaly can be caused by right-sided congestive heart failure, blockage of the caudal vena cava (as in heartworm disease), or splenic torsion.

Finally, infiltrative splenomegaly, which is one of the most prevalent causes of splenomegaly, arises when the spleen enlarges due to invasion by a biological source. (e.g., neoplasia). According to Breton, there is no distinction between infiltrative splenomegaly and cellular causes in veterinary medicine (unlike in human medicine); hence, tumors are listed as a cause of infiltrative splenomegaly. Splenic tumors, leukemia, malignant lymphoma (lymphosarcoma), and multiple myeloma are some of the causes of infiltrative splenomegaly.

Symptoms

The symptoms of an enlarged spleen in dogs vary depending on the size of the spleen. Weight loss, inap-

petence (loss or lack of appetite), vomiting, diarrhea, polyuria and polydipsia, and fever are signs that may be reported by owners.

If the spleen is ruptured and bleeding, how much, how quickly, and how long has the spleen been bleeding, all of these things will have a huge influence on how unwell your dog seems. The following are symptoms of a severely ruptured and actively bleeding spleen: lethargy that appears suddenly, gums that are pale, loss of appetite, abdominal enlargement, potbelly, unexpected weakness or collapse, the pulse rate is racing, and panting.

When the spleen swells, it causes a condition known as the big spleen syndrome. According to Breton, the main component that causes this condition is yet unclear.

Breton says if the spleen can get enlarged, this organ can also shrink. This phenomenon, however, happens only seldom in people and animals. Typically, therapies such as radiation therapy and spleen surgery are the major reasons for the organ shrinking.

With Injury Cases

Breton tells us of two (2) types of splenic injuries: the blunt trauma and the penetrating trauma.

When an animal is assaulted at fast speed and/or by significant weight, such as being hit by a car, falling out of a building, or being hit purposely with an item, blunt trauma occurs. Regardless of how the animal appears (the animal may seem normal to its owner), it is critical to encourage the client to bring the animal to the clinic for examination. Internal splenic injuries can sometimes go undetected for hours. The spleen might have burst, resulting in a gradual hemorrhage into the abdomen. Even

if the owner claims that his or her pet is "fine," it is critical that all trauma sufferers receive a thorough examination. Patients with a sluggish bleed are not always rushed to surgery. To assist the animal, provide pressure to the bleeding location, and put an abdominal wrap. Close monitoring of the patient's vital signs and blood testing can aid in determining if the bleeding has ceased. Penetrating splenic trauma (e.g., bullet, stick pierced abdomen, coyote attack) is less prevalent than blunt trauma. When penetrating damage does occur, however, owners usually respond immediately because the pet has a visible wound. The pet frequently has profuse bleeding. If feasible, apply pressure or a bandage to the region to stop the bleeding.

Treatment for Splenomegaly

The appropriate treatment choices will be determined by the underlying reasons of the enlarged spleen. Because an enlarged spleen is usually a symptom of some underlying medical disease, it is critical to determine the reason before determining the best therapy for your dog. In extreme circumstances, splenectomy (removal of the spleen) may be advised. Many common underlying medical problems can be treated with prescription medications. If the spleen is removed, your dog will need rehabilitation and its activities should be restricted.

About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She is a solo parent for 16 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.

Common Cat Ailments and Treatment Options

CATS are excellent at self-care. They are great at hiding what they feel, specially if they feel sick. Thus, establishing whether or not your cat is unwell or feeling badly may be tough and requires a certain level of skill. However, even your most vigilant feline cannot prevent some of the most frequent cat ailments and health difficulties.

If something is wrong with your cat, you may notice that the symptoms are commonly mild. Knowing when something is not right is an important part of being a responsible cat owner.

Even though your cat does not appear to be in discomfort, it is critical that he or she receives frequent health examination so that it is not too late when you detect an illness, in addition to the standard immunizations.

Cats Protection stated in their article, "Common Cat Illnesses,” that if your cat's behavior has altered, he or she may be in discomfort. They may exhibit any of the signs listed below, and you should schedule a visit to your veterinarian for a wellness check immedately.

Common signs of pain in your cat

Pain symptoms include any of the following:

- losing tolerance for others

- being more reclusive or secretive than normal

- sleeping more or slower than normal

- growing more afraid to leap down from furniture or go through the cat flap

- stiffness after resting, or utilizing a certain leg to move up and down stairs

- crouching in a hunched-up stance with squinty eyes

- decreased eating or drinking

- heightened anxiety or dread

- Sleep deprivation

- pacing, circling, or agitation

- a soiled or matted coat

- vocalization, particularly while moving or using the litter box

- excessive grooming

- In suffering, some cats will purr.

Certain ailments and issues are more common among our feline pals, according to veterinarians. As a cat parent, it is critical to identify the signs and symptoms of common ailments so that you can seek veterinarian assistance for your feline buddy as soon as possible.

The Cats Protection website gives us some of these common illnesses in cats.

Below are the most common ailments that most vets say they usually encounter.

Fleas

Fleas are quite frequent in cats and, also, in other pets. If your cat has fleas, you may notice them scratching more, they may have flea bites, and you may

have flea bites as well! The best approach to prevent fleas is to have your vet treat your cat and any other pets in your home on a regular basis with a flea treatment. Because fleas deposit their eggs in carpets and soft furniture, you should also treat your house.

Worms

Cats can become infected with a number of intestinal parasites, including several that are frequently referred to as "worms," which can produce a range of symptoms. Cats may show little to no visible indications of illness, and the infestation may go undiscovered while being a potentially major health issue. Some feline parasitic worms are also dangerous to human health.

Cat Flu

The upper respiratory system of a cat, which includes the nose, throat, and sinuses, is vulnerable to infections caused by a number of viruses and bacteria. Cats,

like people, can get flu (unique to cats

- humans cannot catch cat flu and cats cannot catch human flu). It can produce a runny nose, itchy eyes, and in severe cases, it can be deadly.

Diabetes

Believe it or not, cats can get diabetes also. Diabetes in cats is a complicated condition characterized by either a lack of or an insufficient response to the hormone insulin. After a cat eats, her digestive system breaks down the food into several components, including glucose, which insulin transports into her cells. When a cat's insulin production or use is impaired, her blood sugar levels rise. As a result, hyperglycemia develops, which can lead to a variety of serious health issues in a cat if left untreated.

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) was identified in the 1960s and is one of the most prevalent causes of mortality in cats. Because it does not often produce symptoms

right away, it is critical to get any new cats in your home tested before introducing them to your other pets.

FeLV impairs cats' immune systems, making them more vulnerable to renal illness, lymphosarcoma, and anemia. This virus primarily affects kittens under a year old. Keeping your cat's FeLV immunization up to date is the best method to prevent them from this potentially fatal disease.

Feline parvovirus infection/ feline infectious enteritis (FIE)

Feline parvovirus is a virus that causes significant sickness in cats, especially kittens, and is sometimes deadly. Vomiting, feeling hungry and thirsty yet unable to eat or drink, and watery diarrhea are all symptoms. If you suspect your cat has feline parvovirus, contact your veterinarian right once. You can protect your cat from contracting this disease by getting them vaccinated.

Chlamydia felis

In cats, chlamydia felis infection produces conjunctivitis and a thick yellow discharge from the eyes. If the infection has spread, vets may typically treat it with eye drops or medications.

It is critical to wash your hands after petting your cat if it has chlamydia. They can also be immunized to prevent recurrent infection.

When you suspect your feline pal is ill, every second matters. Because illnesses spread quickly, it's always advisable to seek veterinarian treatment at the earliest indication of difficulty. If your cat is feeling under the weather or acting strangely, contact your veterinarian straight away. Mariana Burgos

(Photo from Dreamstine royalty-free stock images.)

A vet studying an xray of a dog's spleen. (Photo from Dreamstine royalty-free stock images.)

This is an illustration of a dog's internal organs with highlight on the location of the spleen. (Photo from Dreamstine royalty-free stock images.)

A kitten after an operation in a veterinary clinic.

(Photo from Depositphotos royalty-free images) A rescued cat being treated in a vet clinic. (Photo from Depositphotos royalty-free images)

A cat an eye problem. (Photo from Depositphotos royalty-free images)