Manila Standard - 2023 May 20 - Saturday

VP Sara quits Lakas-CMD, vows to serve under Marcos

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

VICE President Sara Duterte on Friday left as a member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party as she lashed out at an “execrable political power play.”

"This is to announce my irrevocable resignation as a Lakas-CMD member effective today. I am grateful to all the party members for the support that also once possible to advance our

shared dreams for our fellow Filipinos and our beloved country," she said in a social media post.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., for his part, said he understands Duterte-Carpio's decision to leave Lakas-CMD.

“You know VP Inday Sara is very plain-spoken. She means what she says. She has too much work to do that she cannot be involved in any – that she cannot allow herself to be distracted. That’s the way I read it,” he said in an interview.

Marcos said Duterte must have been whelmed amid all her obligations to the people as the Vice President, Education Secretary

Next page

PH Navy unveils warfare tools, tech glitch mars SAM test

coast of San Antonio, Zambales. A technical problem with a target drone, however, prompted the Naby to scrub the demonstration of the country’s

first surface-to-air missile system.

“I am very happy to be able to join the brave men and women of our Philippine

4 House blocs voice support for Romualdez

By Vince Lopez and Maricel Cruz

PRESIDENT

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday shrugged off insinuations that there is more to the movement at the House of Representatives other than being "just a run of the mill" reorganization.

"I think we should be careful to not read too much into it," he said in an interview two days after former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced as senior deputy speaker.

Mr. Marcos made the statement as four more political blocs expressed their support for his administration and the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez.

"I really see it as just a run of the mill comes once in while... If you're in government long enough, you have seen many of this. In my time as congressman, I had two terms as congressman, I think it's the third time we've been like this and this is just part of reorganization," he said.

Meanwhile, Lakas-CMD, the

EO to give LGUs more autonomy set before yearend

By Vince Lopez PRESIDENT

year to ensure the "good" implementation of the Mandanas-Garcia decision of the Supreme Court that expands the share of local governments in

OFWs affected by Kuwait ban’

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

MORE than 3,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) applying for work in Kuwait this month will be derailed because the Kuwait government has stopped issuing new visas to Filipinos, migrant expert Emmanuel Geslani said Friday.

In a statement, Geslani said that talks between both sides ended in a deadlock

over issues on the “Welfare Centers” which the Kuwaiti government wants removed while the Philippine panel insists that is part of the mandate of the government.

Geslani said he doubts the deployment ban on new domestic and skilled workers to Kuwait would be lifted anytime soon.

Meanwhile the three thousand OFWs bound for Kuwait this month of May will

tax collection while devolving functions of certain social services within their jurisdictions.

Mr. Marcos made the pronouncement on Friday during the fourth general assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines in Clark, Pam panga.

In his speech, Mr. Marcos acknowledged that the full devolution of certain functions of the executive branch to LGUs as directed by the existing EO 138 could not be done.

THE Department of Education is planning to roll out the updated Kinder to Grade 10 (K-10) curriculum by school year (SY) 2024-2025, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said Friday.

In an interview, Poa said the target rollout date is consistent with DepEd’s commitment to gather all public comments in order to fine-tune the K-10 curriculum before its implementation.

By Vito Barcelo,

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BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers assigned at the country’s international airports were ordered to monitor and "intercept" suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who is facing murder charges, should he arrive in the Philippines. However, BI commissioner Norman Tansingco

WARM WELCOME. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly (right) shakes hands with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo during a bilateral meeting in Manila on May 19, 2023. AFP

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he will issue a new executive order by the end of the

By Vince Lopez, Maricel V. Cruz and Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on-

board the BRP Davao del Sur, witnessed a simulation exercise of the Philippine Navy that showcases tbe country's latest warfare naval assets on Friday off the

WARFARE ASSETS. An AW159 Anti-Submarine

Self-sustaining MUP pension pushed

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants a selfregenerating pension plan for both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

tended for their benefits.

“We’re working hard on making sure that we have a pension plan both for the AFP and for the police,” Mr. Marcos told reporters in a interview during the presentation of the 160-megawatt wind farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte on Friday.

The President said he wanted both the AFP and the PNP to have a self-sustaining pension plan to avoid a scenario where there will be no more funds in-

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National Unity Party (NUP), the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) as well as the Party-List Foundation Inc., (PCFI), reiterated their strong support for Romualdez. In a statement, Lakas-CMD cochairperson Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. said their party, being the country's most dominant political party, continues to be "united and supportive" of President Marcos Jr. under the stewardship of Romualdez.

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From A1 and co-vice chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or NTF-ELCAC.

“It’s true because if look at all her responsibilities, she cannot be involved in whatever it is that is going on. She has to concentrate on her job as Secretary for the DepEd and now NTF-ELCAC,” Mr. Marcos said.

“So, I can understand why she'd say 'fix this internal issue first on your own and I will do all the important things I need to do on my own," he added.

Duterte served as the chairperson of the party, alongside Speaker Martin G. Romualdez as the Lakas-CMD president. She made the announcement after former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was replaced as senior deputy speaker at the House of Representatives.

Duterte did not give a specific reason for her resignation but cited “political toxicity.”

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Navy on this important day as we conduct [a] test fire [of] our country’s first surfaceto-air missile system, the Mistral 3, and the other weapon systems that we have seen demonstrated here this morning,” President Marcos said before the firing exercise was canceled.

“With the fluid security situation in our region, it is imperative that the Armed Forces of the Philippines and of course the Navy is substantially equipped, trained, and always on alert to respond to any and all exigencies that may confront our nation. It is for this prime reason that we exert a continuous effort to strengthen the capacity of our Armed Forces,” he added.

Marcos said the administration will continue similar naval exercises while the government is completing and eventually commissioning the rest of the Navy projects in the pipeline.

“We are now working on horizon three of the AFP modernization program. As we do so, let us likewise ensure parallel training and capacity building for our personnel, especially for those who would actually operate and maneuver these major naval assets and with the backing of their highly technical training,” the President said.

“I urge the entire rank of the Philippine Navy to keep up the good work, continually guided by the national interest and the democratic ideals of the Republic of the Philippines,” he added.

Also in attendance were House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Department of Defense officer-in-charge Senior

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Rodrigo Duterte in June 2021 to implement the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, ordered that functions, services and facilities should be fully devolved to the local government no later than the end of 2024.

Mr. Marcos said his administration is currently identifying the functions that belong to the LGUs, as well as the services that should be carried out by the national government.

He noted that there are also "hybrid" areas such as health and education that the national and local governments must work on together "I think that's the right way to do it is to look at the very easily identifiable services

Carlito Galvez Jr. has appealed to the senators to consider the morale and welfare of the troops in tackling the proposed new pension system for the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) retirees.

one-half of the current system that provides a lump sum of 36 months of their salaries.

Galvez asserted that 70 to 80 percent of the enlisted personnel were eyeing early retirement to avail themselves of the current pension system.

Oil prices go up next week by as much as P0.40/l

By Alena Mae S. Flores

Mr. Marcos said these funds could start to shrink in five to six years as the government continues to re-evaluate the pension system for the military and police to avert a possible fiscal collapse.

“So even before that happens, we are taking preemptive steps. We are designing a better system,” he said.

Earlier, Defense Acting Secretary

"Through the darkest of storms and greatest of tribulations, we have proven time and again that our unity will never be torn down," said Revilla.

The NUP, in a separate statement, reiterated its commitment to the supermajority coalition that Romualdez formed.

"We are witnesses to how Speaker Romualdez has steered the House in legislating key reform measures included in the 8-Point Socio-Economic Agenda of the Marcos administration," NUP chairperson Ronaldo Puno said.

A separate statement from the NPC noted that the successes of the

"I am here today because of the trust of the Filipino people in me to lead and serve them and the country, and this cannot be poisoned by political toxicity or undermined by execrable political power play," Duterte said.

She said she remains committed to serving the Filipino people.

"Nothing is more important to me than being able to meaningfully serve our fellow Filipinos and the Philippines, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leading the way. Trust that my word, my commitment will be immutable," she said.

The Lakas-CMD said it respected Duterte’s decision.

"We thank Vice President Sara Duterte for the services she rendered to our party, the Lakas-CMD, as Party Chair, and for helping us build a Unity Team aimed at bringing meaningful change to Philippine society,” said Lakas-CMD Secretary General and Agusan del Norte Rep. Joboy Aquino.

"As we respect her decision, we understand her reason for leaving the political party," Aquino added.

Undersecretary Carlito Galvez and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.

For the firing exercise, the surfaceto-air missiles were fitted in the guided missile frigate, BRP Antonio Luna. A problem with the target drone, however, caused the main demonstration to be called off.

But the frigate fired off its Bullfighter Chaff Decoy, a 130-millimeter superrapid-booming offboard countermeasure designed to defeat radio frequency and infrared-guided missiles.

The Philippine Navy also showcased the capabilities of the Agusta Westland AW159 anti-submarine warfare naval helicopter, which demonstrated the use of its compact-FLASH dipping sonar and the BlueShark torpedo to detect, locate, and neutralize submarines.

Philippine Navy Flag Officer-in-Command, Vice Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr. said that the event has shown the Navy's increased capabilities, especially in air defense, electronic warfare, and vessel survivability.

"This modern acquisition not only signified our readiness to defend our maritime domain but also reflects the tremendous progress we have made in reinforcing our naval force," Adaci said in his speech.

"I am proud to say that our Navy remains resilient, continuously transforming into a formidable force to better safeguard our maritime nation," he added.

The weapons were acquired through the Philippine Navy's Frigate Acquisition Project Lot 2B awarded to MBDA Missile System based in France, with a budget of around P670 million. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

that should be done in the provinces," Mr. Marcos said.

"There are also hybrid services that could not be done by the provincial governments alone. It is supposed to be a joint effort between the province and the national government. So, that is what we are trying to calibrate," he added.

The President said the national government is also working toward providing "extra" funding to LGUs to give them a "breathing room" in carrying out their mandate.

"It does mean that there will be no devolution. Functions will be devolved but the difference here is there will be items, funding and training," Mr. Marcos said.

"The original concept was to give extra funding to local governments, especially those that are highly dependent on IRA

"In fact, the President also gave an instruction that he is very much concerned about the impact of this on the morale and welfare of the army personnel and policemen, and he wanted that there should be a continuous discussion to have a common ground," Galvez said.

In the proposed new MUP pension system, retirees will receive 18 months' worth of their salaries which is only

Marcos administration is largely due to Romualdez, who "worked closely with the President in realizing the administration's Eight-Point SocioEconomic Agenda."

"We continue and remain committed to be part of Speaker Romualdez’s supermajority coalition in the House of Representatives to better the Philippines’ standing on poverty alleviation and job generation," Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson Ilocos Sur and Rizal Rep. Jack Duavit of NPC said in a joint statement.

The PCFI headed by House appropriations panel chairperson and Ako-Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co said the

Opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay said the political maneuverings at the House of Representatives had something to do with the 2028 presidential elections. Lagman, Liberal Party president, said "the positioning and contest for the 2028 presidential elections have begun even before the 2025 midterm elections."

"The stripping of Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of her senior deputy speaker position and the subsequent resignation of Vice President Sara Duterte from the ruling Lakas-CMD party are obviously related," he added.

"The power play and intramurals in Lakas may result in further resignations by Arroyo and Duterte loyalists," Lagman said. "These political developments will have repercussions in the revamp of the Marcos Cabinet."

The Liberal Party, as the principal opposition party, will be keenly watchful of further developments as they unfold, Lagman said.

Speaking of Duterte, Aquino said the Lakas-CMD "also support her call for all political leaders to unite in support

3,000...

From A1 have to wait, while the fate of thousands of Filipino workers in Kuwait whose visas are expected to expire this month is not yet clear.

Kuwait is host to 280,000 OFWs with 180,000 working as domestic helpers and contributes more than $3 billion to the country’s coffers through their dollar remittances.

In 2022 more than 100,000 OFWs were deployed to Kuwait when the deployment ban to Saudi Arabia was in place from 2021-2022 over unpaid wages.

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Ople is scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on May 20 to discuss the payment of the 10,000 OFWs and she will be part of the Philippine delegation to the Kuwait talks.

Meanwhile, Ople said that the Hong Kong government has assured assistance to the family of “Lyn” who fell to her death in Hong Kong.

Ople made this assurance after a phone conversation with Secretary for Labor and Welfare Chris Sun where the latter vowed to extend as much assistance as possible to the bereaved family.

“Lyn” was 38 years old and unmarried at the time of death, and her two siblings are now in Hong Kong under the care of the Philippine Consulate and the Migrant Workers’ Office to facilitate the repatriation of the remains and to hold a meeting with their sister’s employer as well as the HK Employees’ Compensation Division.

In a statement, Ople said the Philippine government and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

[Internal Revenue Allotment]," he added.

The President assured local leaders present that his administration will include LGUs "in all of our plans," adding that there will be a series of consultations with local executives.

"There should be a good coordination between the local and national government. Expect that you are not working in a vacuum. We are watching, we are asking, we are consulting with you," he told the governors.

"In that way, we will come out with a good EO at the end of the year for a good implementation of the very important Supreme Court decision we now call the Mandanas ruling to even further strengthen the coordination and the partnership between the local government and the national government," he added.

"We should really look at the middle ground so that we can see that
the morale and welfare of our people will be taken care of," Galvez.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it supports the passage of the MUP pension reform, but stressed that it should only be applied to new members of the police force.

coalition remains a staunch partner of the supermajority.

"We laud Speaker Romualdez for his exemplary leadership, which was marked by a compassionate and fair treatment of partly-list organizations that were considered second-class solons in past Congresses," Co said in a statement.

In a statement Thursday night, Macapagal-Arroyo denied rumors that she was plotting to oust Romualdez. PDP-Laban, the Nacionalista Party, and the minority bloc earlier reaffirmed their support to Romualdez and the Marcos administration.

of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and for all of us to work for the success of this administration for the benefit of our people."

"We continue to believe in our shared vision that only a country united can lift the Filipino people out of poverty and ensure a better future for generations to come," Aquino said.

Lakas-CMD co-chairman Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. yesterday assured the public that the party will continue to be united.

Ahead of the 2022 national elections, Revilla offered his post as the party’s chairman to then Davao City Mayor Duterte-Carpio.

Revilla noted Lakas-CMD is the country's dominant political party.

He also said it would continue to support the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the stewardship of their party president, Speaker Romualdez.

“Our decades-long solidarity has witnessed and endured many trials which only strengthened our bond that is founded on our shared passion to serve our nation,” Revilla said.

of the People’s Republic of China will work closely together to prevent similar tragic cases from happening in the future.

“We will extend full assistance and support to her bereaved family while working closely with Secretary Chris Sun and his department to ensure that the principle of ‘safety above all else’ is carried out as part of employers’ obligations,” Ople said. The DMW recently issued an advisory for all employers to abide by the terms and conditions of the contract including the prohibition on windowcleaning.

Sun told Ople that he was “deeply troubled and saddened” by Lyn’s death.

“Secretary Sun and I discussed the need to remind employers of foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong about the prohibition in the standard employment contract on window-cleaning which has been in effect since 2017,” Ople said.

Based on the HK-approved standard employment contract for Filipino domestic workers, window-cleaning can only be allowed when the windows have grills and only the arms of the workers can stretch outside.

The Hong Kong government’s Immigration Authority said that as of April 30, 2022 there are 211,514 Filipinos in the Special Administrative Region with 181,067 working as domestic workers.

To protect overseas Filipino workers from illegal recruitment and human trafficking, Senator Robin Padilla has filed Senate Bill 2216 to tighten the screws against illegal recruitment syndicates.

Padilla's bill seeks to amend Art. 38 (b) of Presidential Decree 442 (Labor Code of the Philippines) and Section 6 of RA 8042, the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.

BI...

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"The BI wishes to clarify that such instruction is merely a part of the BI’s protocols in monitoring individuals who are the subject of high-profile cases," the BI said in a statement.

"Coordination with local law enforcement agencies is crucial in the proper implementation of BI procedures," it added.

Teves slammed the alleged order from Tansingco to "intercept" him when he returns to the country.

In a video message he posted on his social media Friday, Teves said in

OIL prices will likely go up anew next week at around P0.10 to P0.40 per liter to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market.

An industry source said gasoline and diesel will likely go up by P0.10 to P0.40 per liter while kerosene is estimated to go up by P0.10 per liter or will have no movement.

DOE director for Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero said the price movement estimate is based on the four-day Mean of Platts Singapore trading of petroleum products.

"There will be an increase in the prices of gasoline and diesel," Romero said.

Romero said world oil prices went up last week amid reports that leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations plan to tighten sanctions on Russia at their summit in Japan. Reports that the US plans to purchase oil for its strategic petroleum reserve and the raging wildfires in Canada fueled supply worries and also influenced domestic pump price movement.

Canada to boost PH's maritime security, defense

CANADA will help boost the Philippines' maritime capability to defend its sovereign rights in the South China Sea, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Friday. “In the context of the Indo-Pacific strategy, the Philippines is clearly a priority country for Canada. You will see more support when it comes to security,” Joly said in an interview with GMANEWS Online.

During her meetig with Philippine Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo yesterday, she said Canada has placed Philippines at the "core" of its Indo-Pacific strategy.

Joly's tour followed another top diplomat's visit from the Commonwealth. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong left Manila on Thursday after her three-day stay, where she announced new maritime cooperation initiatives and an increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the Philippines.

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“Of course, what we really like to happen is to get all the comments so we can consider and further tweak the K-10 curriculum,” he said, noting that the posted curriculum guide on the DepEd website is just a draft.

He said that in reference to the guide, the mother tongue shall still be used as a “medium of instruction.”

“It’s still a working draft, that’s why we want to get the comments. According to our curriculum guide, and we would like to clarify this, we did not remove the mother tongue as a medium of instruction. What we removed was mother tongue as a subject,” Poa said.

Currently, the DepEd’s curriculum strand is still in the process of collating all comments to help finalize the revised curriculum.

The DepEd also assured that once finished, the draft of the updated curriculum guide for Grades 11 and 12 or Senior High School (SHS) shall also be released for transparency.

“Again, we are still in the consultation process, and then after that, we will first have the review proper, then the revision),” Poa said.

Last November, the DepEd started the curriculum review for SHS to adhere to the administration’s goal to ensure employable graduates.

DepEd earlier created a national task force to review the implementation of the senior high school program for one year to identify ways to improve the job prospects of SHS graduates.

Filipino: "It's finally out. So this is the real reason why they want me to return home. There's now an order for me to be intercepted if I arrive."

In his video message, Teves showed an encoded text of the order.

"This order came out before they even filed charges against me. This means that there was already an order to intercept me before I had a case," Teves said. (

He also dismissed the BI order as "obviously political persecution” and an abuse of his human rights.

Teves was tagged as the mastermind of the March 4 assassination of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, a charge he denies. He has been out of the country since Feb. 28 and has refused to come back home for fear of his life. See full story online at manilastandard.net)

WHO assesses impact of 2-year COVID pandemic

NEARLY 337 million life years were lost in the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, as millions of people died prematurely, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Vaccine Expert Panel head Dr. Nina Gloriani of the Department of Health (DOH) said bivalent COVID vaccines would still be effective against the new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 or Arcturus.

The UN health agency’s annual world statistics report also showed a swelling threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

The most dramatic finding, based on data up to 2022, was the estimate of how many years of life Covid had taken, WHO said.

The pandemic has wreaked global devastation and officially killed nearly seven million people, with the true figure believed to be closer to 20 million.

The WHO report lays bare how the virus itself and the broader impact of the crisis abruptly cut short the lives of millions of people.

While the WHO officially registered 5.4 million Covid deaths in 2020 and 2021, its excess mortality data shows around 14.9 million people actually likely died due to the crisis over that period.

Even more striking, perhaps, it said the statistics show that during those two years alone, Covid resulted in the loss globally of 336.8 million years that otherwise would have been lived.

“It’s like losing 22 years of life for every excess death,” Samira Asma, WHO’s assistant chief for data and analytics, told reporters ahead of the launch. With AFP

BI bars woman with fake docs from leaving

IMMIGRATION officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) interdicted a Filipina who was about to leave for Cambodia to supposedly meet her foreign husband there, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the BI’s travel control and enforcement unit (TCEU) stopped the passenger from leaving the NAIA Terminal 3 before she could board an Air Asia flight to Kuala Lumpur en route to her final destination in Phom Penh, Cambodia.

The passenger, whose identity was not disclosed as mandated by law, was prevented from boarding her flight after officers discovered that she presented a spurious certificate of marriage to her alleged Chinese spouse whom she said was supposed to meet upon arriving in Cambodia.

“We commend our officers at the airport for a job well done. This ploy of using fake marriages to foreigners to sidestep our strict departure inspection formalities is an old trick that will no longer work.

We warn the public against allowing themselves to be lured by such a scheme,” Tensing said in a statement.

It was learned that the BI inspectors noticed many inconsistencies in the victim’s statement as well as discrepancies in the documents she presented. Vito Barcelo

MOUTHWATERING SUCCULENT LECHONS. Roasted pig artisans of La Loma, Quezon City, reputedly the lechon capital, are busy preparing for Sunday’s Lechon Festival, highlighted by of parade of cooked whole hogs on bamboo or aluminum stakes. Manny Palmero

MMDRRMC readies El Niño plans

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Metro Manila Disaster Risk Response and Management and Management Council (MMDRRMC) and local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) are setting up contingency plans in preparation for the looming water crisis amid the El Niño phenomenon.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman and concurrent MMDRRMC head Romando Artes who said all the 17 local governments in the NCR have formed their respective task force to formulate preparations and contingency measures to mitigate the effects of the El Niño in their respective cities.

He said each of the LGUs’ task force will submit their proposed plans to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) which is set to convene later this month.

The MMC is the governing board and the policy-making body of the MMDA. “Recommendations will be consolidated and coordinated with the con-

cerned government agencies for possible implementation and replication of efforts in other regions,” Artes said.

The MMDA was also closely coordinating with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) in monitoring water supply and regulating the use of water in Metro Manila.

“We are also coordinating with the MWSS on how to recycle the treated wastewater from various Sewerage Treatment Plants,” said Artes.

Artes also said the agency was mulling to procure a device that can collect water from the air with a filtration system that can produce potable water. He added that the collected water may be

used as an alternative water source.

On disaster preparedness, the MMDA was continuously conducting water search and rescue training of responders from different LGUs, monitoring closedcircuit television (CCTV) cameras along the waterways to monitor water level. Recently, the agency also procured four boats to be used for rescue operations.

“All of the 71 pumping stations are 100% operational and continuous declogging operations are conducted to mitigate flooding in the metropolis,” Artes said.

The weather bureau on Thursday said there is a 90 percent chance that the El Niño phenomenon will persist until the first quarter of 2024. With AFP

PNP happy with high trust rating in OCTA’s Q1 survey

By Charles Dantes

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday said it is “pleased” for having garnered a high trust rating in the recent Tugon ng Masa Survey by the OCTA Research.

In the survey conducted on March 24 to 28, eight out of 10 Filipinos nationwide indicated they trust the police, while79 percent expressed satisfaction with PNP’s performance.

The trust and satisfaction levels vary across regions and socioeconomic classes, but overall, the PNP said that it continues to enjoy public support.

“The PNP welcomes the result of this survey. This is a clear manifestation of the trust and confidence of the majority of the Filipinos to their Police. Indeed, the unwavering dedication of each member of the PNP reflects truly

in the result of this survey,” the agency said in a statement.

Meanwhile, 41 percent of Filipinos perceived an improvement in the PNP’s implementation of peace and order, while 9 percent said it has worsened with 48 percent believing that nothing has changed.

On the other hand, 41 percent of the respondents hailed PNP’s improved response to criminality, with 8 percent saying it has worsened, while 46 percent said that they did not saw any changes.

“This [survey] is also a testament that despite some issues hounding the PNP, majority of the people are still appreciating the everyday sacrifices of every police officer patrolling in every corner of the streets, investigating crimes, conducting operations against criminals and assisting those who are in need,” the PNP added.

BOC seizes P2.6m worth of kush, shabu in Bulacan, Clark

By Vito Barcelo

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized some P2.6 million worth of kush and shabu in two separate operations in Bulacan and Clark, Pampanga.

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said their agents foiled an at-

tempt to smuggle 1,028 grams of high grade marijuana or kush worth P1,69 million at the Port of Clark.

The contraband was declared as “cooking materials,” but was discovered to be illegal drugs after the X-R Inspection Project (XIP) personnel conducted physical inspection of the shipment.

Meanwhile, the BOC-Port of Clark, together with the Customs Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Force and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), arrested two claimants of the methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu worth over P1million..

Declared as “chocolates,” the shipment

was initially subjected to X-ray inspection and K9 sniffing, both of which raised suspicions of the presence of illegal drugs. After a physical examination of the shipment, one pack of Nerds gummies containing one medium pack and ten small packs of white crystalline substances was found.

DILG chief orders probe on Binondo freak mishap

DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government

Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. has ordered an investigation on the collapse of squatter shanties along the Estero de Magdalena in Binondo, Manila, killing three persons including a two years old baby.

Abalos directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFD) to conduct the probe.

A tree fell on the illegal structures, causing the collapse and the death of the trio, including a twoyear-old child.

In a statement, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said he directed the BFP to submit its report and recommendations to his office as soon as possible.

Go stresses importance of students’ mental health

SENATOR Christopher Lawrence Go on Friday stressed the importance of prioritizing the mental health of learners, especially in basic education, to further strengthen the foundation upon which the future of the country is built.

In a statement, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography said that while basic education equips the youth with knowledge,

skills and values, and empowers them to become responsible citizens and contributors to society, the well-being of students should not be overlooked in the pursuit of academic excellence.

“We must acknowledge the inseparable connection between education and mental health, as a child cannot thrive academically if his or her mental wellbeing is compromised,” he said.

Latest reports from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) stated nine others were injured in the incident.

Aside from the BFP and the MDRRMO, other fire volunteer groups responded and assisted in bringing the victims to safer grounds.

“We condole with the family of the victims of this tragedy. We also call on local officials to ensure that the affected residents are provided with assistance, and to do everything to make sure that similar tragedies of this nature do not happen again,’’ Abalos said.

ESTERO CLEANUP. National Housing Authority general manager Joeben Tai takes matters in his hands as he visits the Estero de Magdalena in Binondo Manila asses the damages of the recent accident that dumped tons of debris into the waterway. Norman Cruz

PATA GOLDEN YEAR. The Pacific Asia Travel Association, Philippines chapter, hosts a gala fund –raising dinner fashion show at the Manila Hotel to mark its golden anniversary. In photo are PATA officers (from left ) trustees Philip William Olympiada, Atty. Apolonio Anota and Agnes Macapia, Deputy Speaker Rep. Duke Frasco and his wife, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, vice chairwoman for tourism Verna Buensuceso, Maria Paz Alberto ,Teody Espallardo, Marlene Insigne, Roberto Zozobrado, Isabel Garcia-Lee,, and fashion designer Renee Salud .

Lawmaker calls for support for tax amnesty bill

REP. Wilbert T. Lee of AGRI party-list group called for support from lawmakers, especially senators, on the enactment of a bill that expands the coverage and extends the period of availment of the estate tax amnesty for two years.

Lee was referring to House Bill 7909 which was passed at the Lower House last Tuesday.

The bill, once enacted, shall provide taxpayers enough period to settle their tax obligations as the amnesty period is about to lapse on June 14, 2023, under Republic Act (RA) 11569, which amended RA 11213 or the “Tax Amnesty Act.”

According to Lee, the extension will

Nograles backs bill on entrep plan for workers

RIZAL Rep. Fidel Nograles, chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Labor and Employment on Friday expressed hope that a bill that would require employers to provide financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs to their employees would get the nod of Congress.

“As we try to cope with rising prices of goods, the prevalence of financial scams and predatory loaning, such programs could be a big help to employees. I hope that our colleagues will recognize the need for this measure and pass it,” Nograles said.

Nograles’ committee on Wednesday approved and consolidated various bills: House Bills 1633, 4389, and 4752 -- that would mandate employers to provide financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs to their workers.

The financial literacy programs would include 1) behavioral finance, 2) savings, 3) emergency resilience fund development, 4) debt management, and 5) investment, insurance, and retirement planning.

The lawmaker emphasized the importance of financial literacy and an entrepreneurial mindset, as he touted that the measure would also provide a platform for aspiring and deserving employee-entrepreneurs to avail of grants or loans to fund their enterprise.

“Financial literacy will help them identify areas that they can tap to stabilize and improve their family’s finances and avoid crippling debt,” Nograles said.

Earlier, Nograles had expressed support for the Department of Education’s plan to provide teachers legal and financial advice to protect them from falling prey to loan sharks. Maricel V. Cruz

also aid our farmers by providing them with additional time in settling their outstanding estate tax liabilities.

“By giving them a fresh start, we put them in a favorable position where there will be no penalties and interest due to non-payment,” Lee, one of the authors of the measure said.

He said he is optimistic that the measure will soon get enacted, and that legislators from both the House and the Senate will fast-track its approval.

Under this measure, the new deadline for filing for those who wish to avail of the Estate Tax Amnesty will be on June 14, 2025.

Another key feature of the bill is amending Sec. 4 of RA 11213—which originally grants amnesty to those who died on or before Dec. 31, 2017—to those who died on or before Dec. 31, 2021, with or without assessments duly issued, whose estate taxes have remained unpaid as of the end of 2021. According to the assessment of the National Tax Research Center (NTRC), “the grant of estate amnesty will unlock assets still registered under unsettled estates so that these may be used for commercial or economic activities that would create investment, jobs, and taxable transactions.” Maricel V. Cruz

7.5m Pinoys seen benefitting from targeted cash aid program

AROUND 7.5 million Filipinos are expected to benefit from the Targeted Cash Transfer (TCT) program of the government following the release of additional funds by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a statement Friday that the agency is now ready to facilitate the P500 cash transfers to assist millions of beneficiaries cope with the continuing effects of high inflation.

The DBM announced on Tuesday the approval of the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) amounting to P7.6 billion for the continuation of the DSWD-TCT program.

“The DSWD has set mechanisms to implement the TCT program in a timely manner. We hope that through this additional funding, we will be able to help our

kababayan (countrymen) for their daily subsistence,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Romel Lopez, said.

It can be recalled that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. instructed the concerned agencies to continue the implementation of the TCT program to assist vulnerable and needy citizens, who are in most need of support from the government.

Gatchalian has expressed the department’s appreciation to the TCT InterAgency Committee, that includes the DSWD, DBM, the Department of Finance, and the National Economic Development Authority for prioritizing the budget allocation for the continuous implementation of the program.

Meanwhile, Gatchalian said the digital transformation initiative will enable the DSWD to become a more agile and innovative organization, better equipped to meet the needs of its beneficiaries and stakeholders.

Solon urges Senate to tackle measure on Charter change

By Maricel V. Cruz

CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Friday urged the Senate to tackle the House resolution seeking amendments in the Constitution’s “restrictive” economic provisions.

Rodriguez, chair of the House committee on constitutional amendments, made the appeal a day after attending the forum sponsored by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) on efforts in Congress to introduce changes in the Charter.

He said the House had transmitted Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 2 and its implementing House Bill 7352 before the Halloween recess of Congress in March.

“We want to resolve this issue on Charter change during our first regular session or in the early part of our second regular session, if possible. If we delay it, we will be overtaken by the 2025 election campaign season, and people would again suspect our constitutional reform push of being politically motivated,” he said.

He said previous constitutional amendment efforts failed because they were undertaken when a sitting administration or Congress was about to finish its term.

“We should avoid that so that our initiative could succeed this time. As it is, we are fast running out of time,” Rodriguez stressed.

RBH 2 seeks the convening of a constitutional convention to propose amendments to the basic law. HBill 7352 implements the resolution.

In his speech before PCCI members, Rodriguez said the current Charter amendment push in the House is focused on tweaking the language of the Constitution’s economic provisions to give Congress flexibility in changing foreign investment/ownership restrictions.

He said though Congress recently introduced liberalization amendments in some laws like the Public Service Act and Foreign Investment Act, those changes did not alter constitutional limitations.

“We should consider that the Constitution is the fundamental law of the land. Unless and until the constitutional restrictions are removed, the apprehensions and hesitancy on the part of foreign investors will always remain,” he said.

The PCCI earlier expressed support for rewriting the Charter’s economic provisions. Rodriguez is set to attend another constitutional reform forum at the Ateneo de Davao College of Law on May 24.

Group seeks accountability on climate issues

THE Climate Change Commission (CCC) is lobbying for climate justice and developed countries’ accountability to mitigate the severe impacts of climate change.

During the recent Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Regional Consultation for Asia, Robert Borje, CCC vice chairperson and executive director urged wealthier nations to make appropriations, lamenting that developing countries that are least responsible for climate change will suffer the most.

Stressing the need to help developing nations adapt to extreme weather disturbances, Borje rallied vulnerable countries to work together for transformational global climate action.

“Allow me to reiterate the importance of working on the principle of climate

justice – for those who are least responsible for climate change, those with the least resources, and those who are most vulnerable and at risk, the world has to do more,” Borje said on Friday.

“Conversely – for those most responsible for climate change, with the most resources, they need to do more. For us, this is climate justice.”

Borje said climate action should be anchored on the principles of “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, and climate justice.”

He also emphasized the need to put a premium on Global Stocktake, a mechanism assessing global response to climate crisis; accelerated adaptation action; loss and damage from climate change; target to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees

Celsius; and climate financing.

On Wednesday, a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that for the first time ever, global temperatures are likely to breach 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming within the next five years.

The WMO also said there is a 98 percent chance that within the next five years, the world will experience the hottest on record, surpassing 2016 when global temperature impacted by about 1.3C (2.3F) of warming.

“It is only through global collective action that we can transform our developing countries’ vulnerabilities, and avert, minimize and address existing losses and damages in order to achieve climate resilience,” Borje said.

Official says Ria Atayde eyed as next spokesperson for MMDA

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is in need of a new spokesperson and is eyeing actress Ria Atayde as the right person for the position.

MMDA chairman Romando Artes personally submitted the recommendation and endorsement to Malacanang to recruit Atayde, saying the qualification of the young actress include her college degree (Communication Arts and work experience.

Artes said Atayde’s celebrity status could also help with the agency’s information dissemination. If she accepted the offer, Atayde will

replace lawyer Mel Carunungan who was designated as MMDA spokesman in an acting capacity.

Atayde’s publicist Chuck Gomez confirmed the offer made by the agency for the actress.

“Right now, Ria is in Cannes to showcase the action-the action-thriller Topakk, starring Arjo Atayde and directed by Richard V. Somes, which she produced as CEO of Nathan Studios. The screening in Cannes is in the hopes of securing a global distribution partnership for Topakk,” said Gomez.

“Regarding Ria Atayde being the MMDA spokesperson, yes there was an offer. This is all we can say for now about this matter,” he added.

Estrada bats for VAT refund for PH tourists

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

JINGGOY Ejercito Estrada is calling for the legislation of a value-added tax (VAT) refund mechanism for foreign tourists to further boost visitor arrivals in the country.

He said this will allow foreign tourists to get a rebate of the 12% VAT on goods they bought from the Philippines, similar to the practice of other countries.

The increase in the sale of locally made products will benefit not only micro, small and medium enterprises, but bigger companies as well.

“This will also generate employment for our people,” Estrada said.

Estrada, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, has filed Senate Bill No. 2148, titled “An Act Creating a VAT Refund Mechanism for NonResident Tourists, adding for the purpose a new Section 112-A to the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.”

Under the bill, tourists shall be eligible for a VAT refund on goods costing at least P3,000 purchased from authorized retailers in the country, within 60 days from the date of purchase.

The value of goods per transaction should amount to at least P3,000 and the secretary of the Department of Finance, upon the recommendation of the secretary of the Department of Tourism and the commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, is authorized to adjust the threshold based on administrative costs of processing refunds, inflation, and other market conditions.

RAINBOW UMBRELLAS. Residents walk under colorful umbrellas along Antonio Rivera Street in Tondo, Manila. Norman Cruz

PBBM IN PAMPANGA. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday graces the 4th General Assembly of the League of Provinces of the Philippines at the Royce Hotel in Clark, Pampanga. Alfred Frias

HISTORIC DISTRICT. An and history enthusiast views the exhibit featuring the district of San Nicolas at the Instituto Cervantes Plaza San Luis Compound in Intramuros, Manila. The district covers Manila’s historic Chinatown and was once the site of teeming interactions between the Spanish and Chinese in the Philippines which had a profound impact on the country.  Danny Pata

Invest in combat sports EDITORIAL

COMBAT sports contributed 32 out of the Philippines’ total gold haul of 58 medals in the recently concluded Cambodia Southeast Asian Games.

The Filipino indigenous martial art of arnis and taekwondo emerged as the top producers with 6 gilts each.

Wrestling and boxing had 4 each, while kickboxing and jiu jitsu had 3 each, kun bokator and karate 2 each and judo and wushu had one each.

Time and again, martial arts sports delivered for the Philippines even in the most adverse condition.

Some of the silver medals were hotly contested and could have been translated into gold, but no thanks to judges’ incompetence, hometown decisions and other human factors that led to questionable losses.

At the end of the regulation and an extra period, the score ended at 6-all although there was a clear punch in the waning seconds that should have been counted and served as marginal point for the Filipina.

The Vietnamese side refused to fight for another extra period and the technical committee proceeded to the “raffle” to determine a winner.

It was a rule being laughed at by other martial arts experts. The Vietnamese got lucky and got the gold via that raffle draw.

Nevertheless, it only showed that Filipinos can compete in any kind of combat sport despite being a newcomer in the sport and even when fared against athletes from the originator of the sport.

It’s about time the Filipino sports officials put more focus in the martial sports and come up with special programs that would make the Philippines’ combat athletes a dominant force.

Thailand had seen the potential of combat sports long time ago so it invested on its athletes in taekwondo, karate, wrestling, wushu, kickboxing, and others, providing the athletes with overseas training and exposures.

The Great Commission

“NOW the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

(Matthew 28:18–20)

The feast of Ascension, which we celebrated last Sundaty, is part of what we call the Paschal Mystery.

There are four interrelated parts: suffering and death; resurrection; ascension; and the sending of the Spirit. They are closely interlocked as one reality.

If we consider that the resurrection affirms the continued existence of Jesus after his crucifixion, the Ascension emphasizes that Jesus, who is alive, has now entered a state of glory, sharing the same level of honor as his Father.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us that as Jesus prepares to ascend into heaven and sit at the right hand of the Father, He imparts one final command to His disciples, both present and future: the Great Commission. This command serves as the driving force behind every community of believers.

Prior to granting this authority to proclaim, Jesus convinces them of his own power and tells them that he always enjoyed such authority from his Father.

The fundamental basis for evangelism and missions in the contemporary church lies in the Great Commission.

On the basis of this authority, it becomes imperative for all Christians to spread the gospel to those around us.

It is not solely the responsibility of priests and missionaries to proclaim the necessity of accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Rather, it is the duty of every Christian, regardless of age or life stage, to share their faith.

It implies a deeper level of commitment and engagement with the faith compared to merely gaining converts.

It involves guiding individuals on a journey of spiritual growth and helping them deepen their understanding of the principles and values of the faith they have embraced.

This process typically entails teaching, mentoring, and providing support to new believers as they strive to live out their faith in their daily lives.

At first glance, the Great Commission ignites a sense of excitement and urgency within us to share the message of Jesus with others.

However, upon closer examination, we realize the enormity of this commandment.

The task of making disciples of all nations seems overwhelming and beyond our own capabilities.

instills in us the confidence to embark on the journey of disciple-making.

Even before we take action, Jesus is already at work in the lives of those we seek to reach.

He prepares hearts to be receptive and removes the barriers that hinder His transformative work.

This phenomenon is occurring all around us, and all we need to do is be willing to go.

Despite witnessing Jesus’ appearances, some of His followers still harbored doubts.

They struggled to accept that the person standing before them was truly Jesus. This insight sheds light on why Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel of John, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

As believers who have chosen to have faith in Jesus without physically seeing Him, we are recipients of divine blessings.

It is important to remember that doubt is not inherently negative. God can use our doubts to draw us closer to Him, allowing us to experience a deeper dimension of faith.

When we encounter doubts about our faith or the tasks Jesus has assigned us, we should recall the promise Jesus left us in the closing verses of Matthew’s Gospel: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Our God remains by our side, regardless of circumstances. He stood with the prophets of the Old Testament in times of fear and doubt, and He continued to be present for His followers in the New Testament amidst persecution.

Fortunately, we have a compassionate Lord and Savior who understands the seemingly impossible task He has entrusted to us.

The fulfillment of the Great Commission hinges entirely on verse 18, for it is through Jesus that the impossible becomes possible.

Our God never abandons us, even in uncertain times. His presence provides the hope we need each day.

A case in point was the sport of Vovinam, an indigenous Vietnamese martial art that made its debut in the biennial meet.

Filipina Hergie Bacyadan fought a Vietnamese in the final of the women’s -65kg combat event. The scoring was so close, exchanging upperhand even as the Filipina was clearly pummeling her opponent.

Another proof of the pudding was Vietnams’ 136 gold medal haul to emerge as tops in the overall medal standing for second straight time since hosting the Games in Hanoi last year.

The Philippines can do the same and rival Vietnam for domination in this part of the world.

It is about developing disciples, not just gaining converts. Our task is clear. We are to share the good news with everyone, baptize believers, and teach them to follow Christ’s commands.

He has been granted all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the source of power behind the effectiveness of the Great Commission, enabling us to make disciples. Everything we do is dependent on the authority of Jesus, and without Him, everything crumbles.

Yet, it is precisely Jesus’ authority that

JOSEPH, Oregon—From the sun-dappled, treelined village of Joseph, Debbie Price can see the distant snowy peaks of the Seven Devils, a series of mountains in the Rockies that mark Oregon’s border with Idaho.

But for many eastern Oregonians like Price, that frontier no longer feels relevant. The 64-year-old retiree is part of a local movement that wants to redraw the region’s map so that they can secede to join the neighboring, more conservative state of Idaho.

“There’s a lot more freedom in Idaho than there is here,” said the former legal assistant, who traveled across the state border to remarry during the pandemic, at a time when weddings were banned in Oregon.

Among her list of grievances with Oregon are impending restrictions on carrying firearms, its decriminalization of the use of drugs, its prochoice stance on abortion, and its support for LGBTQ rights.

Price blames all these on the “woke agenda” radiating out from Portland, the progressive metropolis near the northwestern state’s coast.

“Maybe I’m old fashioned. I want things to stay like they are,” said the devout Christian, touting Idaho’s ban on abortion.

“I’m not anxious to move forward and try to be what the world is going toward these days.”

While Oregon has not elected a Republican mayor in 40 years, it is very geographically divided. At the midterm elections last November, only six out of 36 counties voted Democrat.

But those six are among the most populous, and they consistently control the state’s top offices.

‘Greater Idaho’

Out in the rural east, many voters are tired of what they describe as feeling dispossessed by the urban elite who live along the Pacific coast.

A radical solution has been brewing: to move the Idaho-Oregon border to the west and create a “Greater Idaho” encompassing half of present-day Oregon.

Of 15 counties in eastern Oregon, 11 have already voted to require local officials to discuss the plan.

On Tuesday, Wallowa County—where

Price lives—is scheduled to vote on a similar measure.

Signs demanding to “Move Oregon’s Border” sit alongside “Trump 2024” placards in the vast, rolling plains of this small corner of America, which has less than one person per square mile.

Locals decry “one-size-fits-all” laws that ignore their rural way of life.

Some complain that they can’t kill wolves threatening their livestock as easily as neighboring ranchers in Idaho.

Others blame the decline of the vital local timber industry on the state’s strict logging limits, which have forced many mills to close.

Many are afraid that Oregon could follow California in phasing out diesel and even gasoline-powered cars in favor of electric vehicles.

“The diesel ban is a horrible idea, and I think it would destroy our economy,” said Garrett

Mahon, a 41-year-old logger.

On a remote piece of land that has belonged to his family for a century, Mahon stacks giant tree trunks with an industrial machine that “you would never be able to run... on a battery,” he said.

Inland Oregon’s freezing winters sap the power of electrical farming and logging machinery, he explained. ‘Culture wars’

“I don’t think we’ll actually be able to not be Oregon: there’s so much still involved in trying to get it done,” admitted Mahon, a hunter who keeps a semi-automatic rifle in his pickup truck.

But he hopes that if his fellow rural Oregonians keep consistently voting for the project, politicians will have to “listen.”

Still, the dream of a “Greater Idaho” remains highly improbable.

THE bemedaled military and police officer, a Thomasian law alumnus with Latin honors after his name, retired a two-star general 10 years ago as Director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

He immediately ran for Congress as Representative of the Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Partylist and won a seat in the then16th Congress where he authored 38 House bills and resolutions and co-sponsored 114 measures.

In 2015, he was voted as Outstanding Congressman.

This is the face seen by the public of the man, a masteral degree holder from the Manuel L. Quezon University, who has five children and four grandchildren, who was born in Cotabato City on February 13, 1957 to Ilocano parents from Ilocos Norte: Army Colonel Samuel Pagdilao, Sr., and Anunciacion Duldulao-Pagdilao.

His parents later served as mayors in separate years of Pinili, the 17th municipality of Ilocos Norte, where warriors walked at the turn of the 20th century and during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s.

Not many are aware that the 66-year-old erstwhile public servant plays the B-flat trumpet, as he did in public when his father, then mayor of Pinili, celebrated his 70th milestone at the Manila Polo Club on November 8, 2002.

At dinner, attended by friends and kin from Mindanao and Ilocos Norte, the adoring 45-yearold Samuel Jr. played the Nat King Cole classic version of The Nearness of You and Glenn Miller’s 1940 recorded When I Fall In Love for his father, himself a minted music lover.

the age of 55.

GG: What do you do now that you are retired?

Or as an elderly.

SP: To keep my mind and body active, I’m very much involved in Rotary International activities as a district leader and in community work through my volunteer organization that I helped organized called Community Investigative Support. We advocate citizen involvement in promoting peace, order and safety in the community.

I play regular golf with my former PMA Classmates and fellow Rotarians and indulge in other physical activities like biking and jogging. I travel to places and other countries yearly.

And most of all, I visit and play with my grandchildren who give me the natural highs.

GG: Have you had any surgeries pre- or during retirement?

When we recognize Jesus’ authority and His central role in the Great Commission, the task of making disciples becomes less daunting. Without Jesus, the Great Commission would be overwhelming and seemingly endless.

However, with Jesus, it becomes a joyful purpose that brings personal and communal transformation.

Facebook:

Website: tonylavina.com.

tonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

every day? Do you drink sodas? Wine, etcetera.

SP: At least 5 to 6 glasses of water. I seldom drink soda and occasionally drink wine and hard drinks.

GG: At what age did you start feeling you are physically weaker than previously.

SP: At the age of 66.

GG: What is your secret, if any, for biologically aging gracefully?

SP: Exercise, right food, vitamins, enough sleep, relaxation and having fun.

GG: Are there things you now remember as an elderly that you should have done when you were younger?

SP: Travel and explore the many beautiful and pristine places in the country and in other countries.

GG: How do you address the fact of getting old?

SP: Accept it as a matter of fact and reality.

While we look older as time goes by, and there’s nothing we can do to prevent or reverse it, yet we can delay aging by not abusing our body with alcohol, unhealthy food and sleep deprivation. Feeling and thinking young will always have their positive effect.

GG: Would you hide your true age? If so, any reason, if not, why not?

SP: I don’t have a reason to hide or lie about my age. Aging is visible. It can be seen from one’s face, body and activity. Thank God, I am blessed with youthful body and energy . I am thankful for God’s gift of longevity.

GG: Lessons in life you would like to inculcate in the minds of your offspring?

Changing state borders would require the approval of both Oregon and Idaho’s legislatures, and then Congress in Washington, DC.

That is an extremely unlikely scenario, even in a nation with a long history of separatism —the Civil War gave birth to West Virginia in 1863, and California has endured more than 200 attempts to divide the state from within.

In eastern Oregon, local Democrats openly mock the notion. At a recent picnic, they handed out cardboard moving boxes for those who wish to leave.

But behind the laughter, there lies some unease.

“America’s democracy is in trouble...

There are so many culture wars,” said Devon Maxwell, a 27-year-old paralegal and member of the Democratic Party.

“What the greater Idaho movement is ultimately doing is inflaming the situation and the divides that are already in the community.”

And there are signs that the idea could be taking root more widely.

In February, Idaho’s House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution to discuss the project.

This has galvanized supporters of the “divorce” such as Curt Howell, a 67-yearold farmer who believes the movement could spread far beyond Oregon.

“You could redraw the lines all over the West... living amongst like-minded people is always easier,” he said.

He would personally favor a peaceful solution, but he fears that “if in Oregon, something doesn’t get better in the next five to 10 years, it could become ugly.” AFP

Musing about the elderly zone, the 2012 Ulirang Ama Awardee, who was also that year chosen as among The Outstanding Filipino, says “As people age, there are situations that may cause an elderly person to feel isolated such as when he has nothing to do or nobody to fellowship with or talk to.”

He admits retirement “can be a major life change for many seniors (and) can be challenging to adjust to a new routine and find meaningful activities to fill the day.”

But he admits “I am blessed to be still active in volunteer work as head of the CIS—a nationwide community-based volunteer organization as well as a civic leader in Rotary which keeps me mentally, socially and physically active that I don’t feel isolated at all.

“Most of all, I maintain regular bonding with my children and grand children.”

We had the opportunity for some exchange of thoughts, against his rather tight schedule despite as now a private citizen, his phrasal verbs reflecting his upbringing by both God-fearing parents.

GG: Any changes in lifestyle, diet after retirement; at what age did you start feeling the biological aging process?

SP: I have not changed my lifestyle. Same humble, frugal and simple lifestyle nurtured by Ilocano parents minus the regimented, stressful and pressure pack life and 24/7 alert duty of a uniformed personnel who is charged with maintaining peace and security.

At my age, DIET is now heavy on fruit, vegetable and fish and light on meat.

Biological aging started to manifest when my hair started to gray at the age of 60.

GG:Any maintenance medicines? How long have you been taking these?

SP: I take medicines to hold bad cholesterol at bay and stabilize my BP. I started taking these at

SP: Once, when i fractured my left fibula from a helicopter fall back in 1983.

GG: How do you handle physical and psychological stress now? Was there more stress when you were still working or what?

SP: I exercise, listen to music, play the trumpet, read, watch Netflix/movies, meditate, participate in a regular Bible Study, play golf, chat with fellow retirees and colleagues and travel.

Life in the active police service was more stressful. Work was almost always a 24/7 thing minding other people’s problems more than your own or your family.

Your physical and psychological needs were relegated to the back burner and added to the stress when they were not given due course.

GG: What time do you retire to bed? What time do you wake up now that you are retired or as an elderly. What’s your meal for breakfast, lunch, dinner now as an elderly?

SP: I usually retire to bed between 11:30 and midnight. I wake up at 6 am. My body clock has remained the same when I was in the service.

So I wake up at 6 am no matter how late I sleep. At my age now, I still don’t follow a fixed food regimen or diet except that I eat a balanced diet and in moderation.

GG: Are you active in any community activities, including those in religious organizations?

SP: Yes, I’m very active in Rotary activities, CIS community work and in a Bible Study Group.

GG: How many glasses of water do you take

SP: I want to teach my children the following values that will help them succeed in life:

To be kind and compassionate towards others and strive to make the world a better place. To be productive, responsible and law abiding members of society.

To work hard and earn a living and to live within their means.

I want them to maintain close relationships and be there for each other in good times and bad. I want them to be God-fearing.

GG: Do you let your children make their decisions on their own, or do you try to influence their decisions?

SP: As a parent and an elderly, I still wish my children consult with me before making important decisions affecting their lives and fortunes. However, when they are already emancipated from parental authority, it is best that we only give advice when solicited.

GG: Your philosophy in life, as a person, as a public servant.

SP: I always abide by the Bible’s Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

This has been a guiding principle in my life for as long as I can remember. This simple yet powerful philosophy has enriched my life in countless ways, shaping my interactions with others and shaping my understanding of the world around me.

It has taught me to put myself in other people’s shoes and to consider their feelings and perspectives and help me build stronger relationships.

In a way, the Golden Rule has given me a sense of purpose and direction in life and has inspired me to pursue a career in service of others so much so that I will continue to live my life always striving to do unto others as I would have them do unto me.

When we recognize Jesus’ authority and His central role in the Great Commission, the task of making disciples becomes less daunting

The Golden Rule has taught me to put myself in other people’s shoes and to consider their feelings and perspectives and help me build stronger relationships

Zelensky to attend G7 in person amid fresh sanctions vs. Russia

UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr

Zelensky will attend the G7 summit in Japan in person, officials familiar with his plans revealed Friday, as the bloc announced new sanctions targeting Russia's "war machine."

The surprise trip will be his first to Asia since the war began and would allow him to meet key allies like US President Joe Biden and the leaders of powerful unaligned nations who have been invited, including Brazil and India.

Zelensky had been expected to address the grouping by videolink on Sunday.

"Very important things will be decided there, and therefore the presence, the physical presence of our president is absolutely essential to defend our interests," Secretary of the National Security Council of Ukraine

Oleksii Danilov said confirming the trip.

An informed source in Hiroshima told AFP that Zelensky was now expected to appear, though the timing of his trip remained unclear. Zelensky recently embarked on a European tour, pleading for military support ahead of a long-anticipated spring offensive.

The Hiroshima summit would offer a chance to again push Kyiv's demand for modern US-made fighter jets, as well as tougher sanctions on Russia.

Earlier Friday, the United States and its G7 allies announced new measures targeting Moscow's lucrative diamond trade and more entities linked to the invasion of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine 15 months ago has prompted waves of sanctions that have helped plunge his country into recession and drained the Kremlin's war chest.

The G7 wants to tighten the screws further, strengthening existing sanctions, closing loopholes, and

subjecting more Russian firms and their international partners to punitive restrictions.

A senior US administration official said another 70 entities from Russia and "other countries" would be placed on a US blacklist.

"And there will be upwards of 300 new sanctions against individuals, entities, vessels and aircraft," the official said. As the G7 weighs how to collectively choke off Russia's $4-5 billion annual trade in diamonds – including through high-tech methods of tracing – Britain announced its own "ban on Russian diamonds."

London said it was also targeting imports of aluminium, copper and nickel.

"As today's sanctions announcements demonstrate, the G7 remains unified in the face of the threat from Russia and steadfast in our support for Ukraine," said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. AFP

Hong Kong court rejects Jimmy Lai challenge to nat’l security body

A HONG KONG court on Friday dismissed a legal challenge by jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai, conceding it had "no jurisdiction" over Beijing's national security apparatus in the city.

Lai, founder of the now-shuttered tabloid Apple Daily, is awaiting trial for "collusion with foreign forces" – an offense under a security law Beijing imposed in 2020 to quell dissent.

Three levels of Hong Kong's courts previously allowed Lai to be represented by veteran British human rights barrister Tim Owen, overruling repeated objections from the government.

But Beijing intervened in December, announcing that city leader John Lee would have the power to bar foreign lawyers from national security trials.

The National Security Committee – a top-level government body answering directly to Beijing –then advised immigration authorities to withhold Owen's working visa.

High Court judge Jeremy Poon – the same justice who backed Lai's lawyer choice in a ruling last year – on Friday ruled the media tycoon could not contest the committee.

"(Hong Kong's) courts have no jurisdiction over the work" of the National Security Committee, he wrote in a decision.

"The supervisory power over the (committee) is hence reserved to the Central People's Government exclusively."

Poon's Friday's ruling underscores Beijing's ability to trump Hong Kong courts, despite the city's guarantee of judicial independence separate from the mainland legal system.

Hong Kong's common law tradition, left over from British colonial rule and distinct from the mainland system, had been key to its appeal as an international legal and business hub.

But under the security law – imposed by Beijing to stamp out opposition after massive pro-democracy protests in 2019 – critics say Hong Kong has seen its autonomous status and freedoms steadily eroded.

Last week, in an echo of Beijing's December intervention, the city's opposition-free legislature imposed a blanket ban on foreign lawyers in national security trials.

Lai's trial, originally scheduled for December, was postponed to September due to the lawyer dispute.

More than 100 media leaders globally signed a Reporters Without Borders petition this week calling for the 75-year-old's release.

The Hong Kong government condemned the petition as a "wrongful attempt to interfere with the judicial proceedings." AFP

Asia must unleash potential’

XI JINPING called on China and Central Asia to "fully unleash" their potential in trade, economic and infrastructure cooperation Friday, as he wrapped up a landmark summit with heads of state from the strategically vital region.

The Chinese leader is hosting the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan at a summit in Xi'an in northern China this week – a meeting Beijing has said is of "milestone" significance.

Beijing says trade with Central Asia reached $70 billion in 2022 and expanded 22 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023.

The region is also a crucial link in China's trillion-dollar global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative.

Speaking to regional leaders, Xi said the countries must "fully unleash the potential of traditional cooperation in economy, trade, industrial capacity, energy and transport," according to a state media readout.

He also stressed the need to develop "new growth drivers... such as finance, agriculture, poverty reduction, low carbon, health, and digital innovation."

"China and Central Asian countries should deepen strategic mutual trust, and always offer

clear and strong support for each other on issues of core interests."

Belt and Road is a defining geopolitical project for Xi, with Beijing keen to restart cooperation and fill the vacuum left in former Soviet states by Russia's war in Ukraine.

On Friday, Xi said the region and China must "take the lead" in that project and "deepen strategic mutual trust."

And with a goal to "uphold everlasting friendship," the Chinese leader said the leaders would aim to meet again in Kazakhstan in 2025.

He also stressed the need to expand security cooperation on what Beijing dubbed the "three evils" in the region: separatism, terrorism and extremism.

"The six countries should resolutely oppose external interference in the internal affairs of regional countries and attempts to instigate 'color revolutions,'" Xi said, a reference to unrest in former Soviet states that Moscow and others allege is backed by the West.

Moscow's invasion of Ukraine has allowed China to carve out a greater role in Central Asia, leading many in the region to question their long-standing ties with Russia and seek economic, diplomatic and strategic assurances elsewhere. AFP

Iran executes three men linked to Amini protests

IRANIAN authorities on Friday executed three men convicted of violence against the Islamic republic's security forces during protests triggered by Mahsa Amini's death in custody last year, the judiciary said.

Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi were convicted of "moharebeh," or "war against God," for drawing a gun during a demonstration in the central city of Isfahan, leading to the deaths of three members of the security forces, the judiciary's Mizan Online news website said.

Iran witnessed waves of nationwide protests following the September 16 death of 22-year-old Amini, an Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for an alleged breach of strict dress rules for women.

During the protests, which Tehran generally labelled as

Modi aims to boost Delhi’s Indo-Pacific role

INDIAN Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Papua New Guinea and Australia on Sunday as New Delhi seeks to counter mounting Chinese influence in both the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Western nations regularly refer to the wider region as the Indo-Pacific, but New Delhi has been left far behind by Beijing's efforts in recent years to woo the small island states that dot the vast expanses of water with trade and aid.

Several Pacific island states have switched their diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in recent decades, and before the coronavirus pandemic enjoyed economic boosts from Chinese tourists.

At the same time, as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing has negotiated infrastructure deals with countries around the Indian Ocean including Sri Lanka,

the Maldives, Bangladesh, and Djibouti, sometimes accompanied by military agreements.

New Delhi sees the area as its backyard, and Beijing's activities have alarmed Indian officials.

In Port Moresby, Modi will co-host the Summit of the Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, before going on to Australia, a fellow member of the Quad – an alliance set up as a bulwark against China's growing assertiveness under President Xi Jinping.

"China has taken over South China Sea," said navy veteran and former Indian navy spokesperson DK Sharma, describing the strategically vital waterway as a "global common" that had to be treated and respected as such.

"Today or tomorrow, the enemy is the

same. Either you prepare now or react later," he told AFP. "India's visit to the islands is one of the last opportunities we have.

"One cannot deny the fact that the power we are all mustering strength against is too superior to be handled by any single one of us. Best way is to collaborate and have likeminded defense procedures."

Xi visited PNG in 2018, and Beijing struck a controversial security deal with Solomon Islands last year that sent shockwaves across the region when a leaked draft included measures that would allow Chinese naval deployments to the Pacific nation, less than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from Australia.

Modi will travel to Australia for meetings with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and business leaders, just two months after the Australian visited India. AFP

foreign-instigated "riots," thousands of Iranians were arrested and hundreds killed including dozens of security forces. Friday's hangings bring the total of Iranians executed in connection with the protests to seven. Kazemi, Mirhashemi and Yaghoubi were arrested in November and sentenced to death in January. They were also charged with membership of "illegal groups with the intention of disrupting national security and collusion leading to crimes against internal security," Mizan said. It noted "evidence and documents in the case and the clear statements made by the accused" showed that "the shootings carried out by these three people led to the martyrdom of three security forces.” AFP

Cyclone Mocha death toll reaches 145 in Myanmar

THE death toll from Cyclone Mocha has reached 145 in Myanmar, its junta's information team said on Friday, five days after the devastating storm barrelled through the country.

Cyclone Mocha brought lashing rain and winds of 195 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour) to Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh on Sunday, collapsing buildings and turning streets into rivers.

The storm – the most powerful to hit the two countries in more than a decade – churned up villages, uprooted trees and knocked out communications across much of Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The region is home to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya who live in displacement camps following decades of ethnic conflict.

"Altogether 145 local people were killed during the cyclone," the statement said.

This included four soldiers, 24 locals and 117 "Bengalis," it added, using a pejorative term for the Rohingya.

Widely viewed as interlopers from Bangladesh, Rohingya are denied citizenship and access to healthcare, and require permission to travel outside of their townships.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, officials told AFP that no one had died in the cyclone, which passed close to sprawling refugee camps that house almost one million Rohingya who fled a Myanmar military crackdown in 2017. AFP

‘C.

ONE WEALTHY FAMILY. (From left) European Council President Charles Michel, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US President Joe Biden, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose for a photo during a visit the Peace Memorial Park as part of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Hiroshima on May 19, 2023. AFP

Stock market rises; BDO, Ayala top gainers

PSEi May 19, 2023

TOP GAINERS

STOCKS rose Friday in line with a global rally as traders grow increasingly hopeful that US lawmakers will hammer out a deal to lift the debt ceiling and avert a calamitous default.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, gained 35 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 6,664.55 as four of the six subsectors advanced.

The index, representing all shares, went

TOP LOSERS

up 13 points, or 0.39 percent, to settle at 3,548.37 on a value turnover of P5.77 billion. Gainers matched losers at 84 apiece, while 65 issues were unchanged.

Seven of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by BDO Unibank Inc. which climbed 2.56 percent to P140.00 and Ayala Corp. which rose 1.61 percent to P694.00.

Most Asian markets rose, but the regional mood was tempered by losses in Hong Kong and Shanghai fuelled by worries over China’s economy.

After weeks of lumbering talks on Capitol Hill, congressional leaders appeared ready to put a proposal to lawmakers before the government runs out of cash, said to be around June 1.

In his most upbeat remarks yet on the high-stakes standoff, Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said: “We’re not there -- we haven’t agreed to anything yet -- but I see the path (where) we could come to an agreement.”

McCarthy secured the Speaker’s gavel in January by pledging to his party’s ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus that any raise in the borrowing limit would only come with an evisceration of the federal budget. He and Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer were planning to call for a vote in the coming days, and on Friday, a White House official said “steady progress” was being made.

The optimism was shared by other

lawmakers, with Texas Republican Kay Granger saying a deal was “close”. And Democrat Steny Hoyer said: “I think we are going to get a deal”.

But McCarthy ally Patrick McHenry, chairman of the US House Financial Services Committee, warned the two sides were “not close to being done”.

Still, all three main indexes on Wall Street rallied, extending the more than one percent gains enjoyed Wednesday.

In Asia, Tokyo raced higher again, building on a recent surge in the Nikkei to a three-decade high even as data showed Japanese inflation continued to sit well above the central bank’s target, adding to pressure for it to tighten monetary policy. With AFP

UK unveils £1b semiconductor diversification

LONDON, United Kingdom—The British government on Friday unveiled a new £1 billion semiconductor strategy to invest in infrastructure, research and security as the UK tries to diversify its chip supply chain.

The plan would “safeguard supply chains from disruption and protect tech against national security risks”, the UK government’s department for business, energy and industrial strategy said in a statement.

The investment over the next decade would include up to £200 million ($215 million) between now and 2025.

The new 20-year strategy would “boost the UK’s strengths and skills in design, R&D and compound semiconductors while helping to grow domestic chip firms across the UK”, the department added.

MOST ACTIVE

Japan inflation hit 3.4% in April to meet market expectations

TOKYO—Japan’s consumer prices rose 3.4 percent on-year in April, in line with market expectations, government data showed Friday.

The figure, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, followed a 3.1 percent rise recorded in both March and February.

Inflation in Japan is lower than the sky-high price increases seen in the United States and elsewhere that have prompted central banks to hike interest rates. Yet it remains higher than the Bank of Japan’s two percent target, which has been surpassed every month since April last year.

The Japanese central bank argues that the price rises are fueled by temporary factors, such as the war

Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT is coming to smartphones

in Ukraine, and so has stuck to its monetary easing policies in a bid to encourage sustained growth.

Analysts said the price increases would likely continue to slow from a January peak, when inflation measured 4.2 percent on-year -- the highest level since September 1981, fueled in part by higher energy bills.

Earlier this week, data showed Japan’s economy grew a faster-thanexpected 0.4 percent in the first quarter, helped by a recovery in inbound tourism after pandemic border restrictions were lifted in October.

The BoJ last month announced a review of its longstanding easing measures under new governor Kazuo Ueda, but said it would maintain them for the time being.

Excluding energy, the data released by Japan’s internal affairs ministry on Friday showed prices rose 4.1 percent in April, after a 3.8 percent rise in March. Increases in the cost of processed foods, durable goods and telecommunication fees, among other categories, contributed to inflation, it showed.

“Core CPI will likely remain in the level of 3.0-3.5 percent until this summer” due to high resource costs and the impact of the weak yen, said Saisuke Sakai, chief economist of Mizuho Research and Technologies.

But “in the latter half of this fiscal year and beyond, rises in core CPI will likely slow, reflecting falls in prices of import goods, led by energy prices,” he said before the data release. AFP

It comes as European carmaker Stellantis has warned it could close some UK factories should the British government fail to tweak Brexit trade rules to ease the supply of batteries for electric vehicles, for which semiconductor technology is a key part.

Visiting Tokyo Thursday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced Japanese investment of more than $22 billion into the UK, but accepted carmakers’ concerns about Brexit trade rules as he confirmed talks with the European Union.

“Semiconductors underpin the devices we use every day and will be crucial to advancing the technologies of tomorrow,” Sunak was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Our new strategy focuses our efforts on where our strengths lie, in areas like research and design, so we can build our competitive edge on the global stage,” he added. AFP

US and Taiwan conclude trade negotiations

WASHINGTON, USA—The United States and Taiwan have concluded negotiations on a trade agreement to deepen economic ties, amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.

“This accomplishment represents an important step forward in strengthening the US-Taiwan economic relationship,” US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai said in a statement on Thursday. The US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade looks to boost trade by streamlining customs checks, improving regulatory procedures, and establishing anticorruption measures between the United States and the self-governing island of Taiwan, which China has long claimed as part of its territory.

While the United States and Taiwan do not have official diplomatic relations, they do maintain unofficial ties through the de facto US embassy in the country, the American Institute in Taiwan.

Beijing has in recent years stepped up its threats and rhetoric against Taiwan, increasing military drills in the seas around the island and working to cut off its official ties with countries around the world.

The issue prompts rare bipartisan agreement in the United States, with politicians including Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his Democratic predecessor Nancy Pelosi both meeting publicly with Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen over the last 12 months, drawing

sharp criticism from China.

The first agreement under the initiative will allow American businesses “to bring more products to Taiwan and Taiwanese customers, while creating more transparent and streamlined regulatory procedures that can facilitate investment and economic opportunities in both markets, particularly for smalland medium-sized enterprises,” the statement said.

The agreement, which still needs to be signed by the two sides, will “deepen the trading partnership and enhance USTaiwan trade flows in order to promote innovation and inclusive economic growth for workers and businesses,” USTR said. AFP

Twitter says Microsoft broke developers rules

letter sent to Nadella.

Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft corporate vice president of modern life, search and devices, speaks during a keynote address announcing ChatGPT integration for Bing at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington, on February 7, 2023. Microsoft’s long-struggling Bing search engine will integrate the powerful capabilities of language-based artificial intelligence, CEO Satya Nadella said, declaring what he called a new era for online search. AFP

SAN FRANCISCO, USA—ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence bot that became a global sensation for its powers to churn out human-like content and provide answers on all subjects, is now available in the Apple app store.

OpenAI, the Microsoft-backed company behind ChatGPT, on Thursday said the release came after it heard from users that they “love using ChatGPT on the go.”

By moving to smartphones, OpenAI continues its encroachment on the search market, massively dominated by Google, which has been put under pressure by the rise of generative AI.

Offered free of charge, the app will allow users to “get precise information without sifting through ads or multiple results,” OpenAI said on its website, in

a subtle dig at Google’s search engine.

The app can also give “guidance on cooking, travel plans, or crafting thoughtful messages,” the company added.

OpenAI said it was starting the rollout in the United States and will expand to additional countries in the coming weeks. ChatGPT would be available on Android devices “soon,” it added.

ChatGPT’s powers are already available on smartphones, through Microsoft’s Bing search app, which uses technology from OpenAI.

The app store is also stocked with apps riding the wave of excitement around AI. Facebook_owner Meta last month warned of malicious software posing as ChatGPT or similar AI tools. AFP

SAN FRANCISCO, USA—Twitter on Thursday accused Microsoft of breaking the social network’s rules for developers who access the platform’s data, according to a copy of a letter seen by AFP.

“Microsoft may have been in violation of multiple provisions of the Agreement for an extended period of time,” read the letter signed by Musk attorney Alex Spiro and sent to Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.

Microsoft stopped accessing Twitter data in April, opting not to pay fees Musk demanded developers pay for APIs (application programming interfaces) that engage with the platform, according to the letter.

Twitter called on Microsoft to identify all Twitter content that has been in its control during the past two years; how it is stored and what has been done with it, according to the

Microsoft confirmed receiving a letter from a law firm representing Twitter with some questions about its previous use of the free Twitter API.

“We will review these questions and respond appropriately,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in response to an AFP inquiry. “We look forward to continuing our long-term partnership with the company.”

Twitter said in the letter it is looking into whether Microsoft exceeded the “reasonable request volume” in what could constitute “abusive usage.”

Twitter wants the information by June 7, the letter stated.

The demand comes as Elon Musk looks to generate revenue by getting developers to pay for Twitter platform access that had been free prior to the billionaire taking over.

Musk is also out to counter Microsoft and Google with his

recently-established X.AI artificial intelligence corporation based in the US state of Nevada, according to business documents. Musk last month fired of a Tweet accusing Microsoft of illegally using Twitter data to train artificial intelligence, writing “lawsuit time.” Big tech companies like Google, Meta and Microsoft have spent years working on AI systems -- previously known as machine learning or big data -- to help with translations, search, and targeted advertising. Microsoft is investing billions of dollars in ChatGPT creator OpenAI and has put its technology to work in its Bing internet search service.

Since taking over Twitter in late October, Musk has repeatedly courted controversy, sacking most of its staff readmitting far-right figures to the platform, suspending journalists, and charging for previously free services.

JAPAN STOCKS. A man walks past an electronic board showing the numbers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange along a street in Tokyo on May 19, 2023. AFP

BUSINESS

Gov’t extends CARS program by five years

By Othel V. Campos

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the implementation of the incentives program for vehicle manufacturers by another five years, according to the Private Sector Advisory Council.

The council said the president supported its recommendation to give the participants in the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy another five years to comply with the terms of the program.

CARS is a six-year incentives program designed to spur local vehicle manufacturing by requiring partici-

IN BRIEF

License plate confiscation prohibited, says LTO

THE Land Transportation Office said Friday motor vehicle license plate confiscation during apprehensions by law enforcers and deputized agents is prohibited.

LTO chief Jay Art Tugade issued a memorandum order to underscore the provisions under Joint Administrative Order No. 201401. The order stipulates that a driver’s license, student permit or motor vehicle can only be flagged if the apprehending law enforcer cannot immediately administer the relevant penalty to the vehicle or driver.

“In all instances where the penalty includes the confiscation, suspension or revocation of a driver’s license or student permit, as well as the suspension or revocation of the registration of a motor vehicle or impounding the motor vehicle, and the same cannot be immediately implemented, the driver’s license, the student permit, or motor vehicle, as the case may be, shall be placed on alarm until the proper penalty may be implemented,” Tugade said, citing the JAO. Tugade issued a clarifying memorandum after the numerous complaints raised by the public concerning license plate confiscation by LTO law enforcers and deputized agents.

Tugade said in his memo that all LTO law enforcers and authorized agents are forbidden from confiscating license plates if they cannot impound the apprehended motor vehicles. Darwin

G. Amojelar, Rio N. Araja

Globe to expand SIM registration sites

DIGITAL solutions platform Globe teamed up with local government units in Visayas and Mindanao to deploy and expand assisted registration sites.

“We have seen the lowest number of SIM registrations in Visayas and Mindanao, especially in rural areas. Our efforts to educate and encourage people to register are ongoing, and we are working with LGUs to make the process more accessible for those who need assistance,” said Darius Delgado, head of Globe’s consumer mobile business.

Globe also called on the government to support telecom companies to increase the number of registered users in underserved communities.

“We need government support to roll out infrastructure that can be leased by telcos in missionary areas such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Marawi and other regions where telcos have a weak presence. Local government units are also critical in pushing for the registration of their constituents,” said Globe general counsel Froilan Castelo.

Castelo said LGUs may provide access to SIM registration venues, on-site registration assistance and training for local agents who can help facilitate the process.

Darwin G. Amojelar

DBP offers loan programs to meet PH energy needs

STATE-RUN Development Bank of the Philippines said it is prepared to provide the necessary financing to all players in the energy industry in support of the national government’s efforts to accelerate initiatives to meet the country’s rising demand for power fueled by a rapidly-expanding economy, a top official said.

DBP president and chief executive Michael de Jesus said the bank’s loan programs for the energy sector would be beneficial to firms seeking to expand capacity or venture into power generation projects especially in underserved areas of the country.

“DBP is ready to provide the necessary financial and technical assistance to all firms that are seeking new opportunities to meet the expanding energy requirements, especially in areas of the country where there is a resurgence of economic activity,” de Jesus said.

DBP is the eighth largest bank in the country in terms of assets and remains a relevant and reliable partner of the national government in serving the financing needs of strategic and critical economic sectors, particularly infrastructure and logistics, micro, small and medium enterprises, social services and the environment.

pating car companies to manufacture 200,000 units in a span of six years or throughout the life of the program.

The incentives come in fiscal and non-fiscal support to qualified participants, but only Toyota Motor Philippines and Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corp. passed the accreditation process.

Under the CARS program, the participant-companies were required to place investments on capital equipment to sustain production of 200,000 units each of enrolled models, which are the Vios for Toyota and Mirage for Mitsubishi.

The two companies spent over P9.5 billion in capital investments on machineries and parts manufacturing.

Members of PSAC said the program proved its effectiveness and value as a high-end manufacturing operation which greatly helped in the creation of jobs, transfer of technology and boosting global competitiveness by supporting domestic automotive manufacturing and stimulating investment.

The program is anchored on the resurgence of the automotive manufacturing industry and in priming the country as a regional automotive manufacturing hub.

It offers P9 billion worth of timebound and performance-based fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to each qualified participant to support new investments in fixed-capital expenditures in new parts making capability and to encourage large-scale production in vehicle assembly.

The approval came as Mitsubishi’s compliance to CARS is about to expire before end-2023, while Toyota’s participation is expected to come to an end by 2024.

Participants in the CARS program

STRATWORKS EXECUTIVES.

Strategic Works Inc., an industry leader in PR and marketing communications, announces the appointment of a new managing director and key executives to lead the company. Key executives steering Stratworks are (clockwise from right, seated) Mark Christian Parlade, managing director; Rey Ganayo, vice president for strategic planning and data analysis; Robbie David, vice president for client service; and Liezl Rustia, senior vice president for activations and digital marketing. As managing director, Parlade will be responsible for the leadership and development of Stratworks’ business and will play a vital role in leading its high-performance team to meet the company’s growth goals.

Ayala Group inaugurates largest PH wind farm in Ilocos Norte

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—The country’s largest wind farm owned by Ayala Corp.’s energy platform ACEN Corp. is set to rise here by 2025 with a capacity of 160 megawatts.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the P11.8 billion 160 MW Pagudpud wind project here, together with his son Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos and Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta- Marcos and other government officials.

The president lauded the Ayala Group for its continuing investments in renewable energy, especially in Ilocos Norte.

“Ilocos Norte has been blessed with excellent wind energy potential and it is really a blessing because it is not something we can decide as a political decision,” Marcos said He said renewable energy is the way

TOWER DIGITALIZATION.

PhilTower Consortium Inc., the country’s leading digital shared infrastructure provider, announces an operations partnership with SiteSee and QNSI to digitize 1,350 cell towers purchased from Globe in September 2022. The SiteSee digital twin platform, combined with QNSI field surveys and audit tools, is enabling PhilTower to optimize its infrastructure and capture new revenue opportunities faster. The combination of SiteSee’s advanced tools and QNSI local service delivery capability is step by step replacing traditional engineering inspections and enhancing asset management practices.

to address climate change. “Climate change is, of course, the paramount concern. We have to adjust, we have to adapt to climate change. That’s number one priority,” the president said. Marcos urged Ilocos Norte officials to “continue to keep the province as a pioneer for renewables, leading the way for the whole country.”

The Pagudpud wind project in Barangays Balaoi and Caunayan in Pagudpud uses the latest wind technology Siemens Gamesa 132 and 145.

It comprises 32 wind turbine generators, each capable of producing 5 MW of power.

The first 80 MW of the project was completed in the first quarter with the full 160 MW expected to be delivered no later than December 2025 under the Green Energy Auction Program of the Department of Energy.

“We see this facility as a critical con-

tribution to further securing the increasing power requirements of the Luzon grid. We are happy to be able to complete the first phase of the power plant equivalent to 88 MW,” Ayala Corp. chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said.

The project, developed by ACEN subsidiary Bayog Wind Power Corp., can help power 123,875 homes and avoid 344,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

ACEN now has three operating wind projects in Ilocos Norte. The other two include the 52-MW NorthWind in the municipality of Bangui and the 81-MW North Luzon Renewables in Caparispisan, Pagudpud.

ACEN has the largest wind portfolio in the Philippines at 416 MW, with 266 MW in operation and 150 MW under construction. Nearly 90 percent of its wind projects are located in Ilocos

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Friday, May 19, 2023

35.91 PTS.

6,664.55

F oreign

Japan

UKPound1.24080069.4439

Hong KongDollar0.1277697.1508

SwitzerlandFranc1.10521761.8557

CanadaDollar0.74063141.4509

SingaporeDollar0.74211541.5340

AustraliaDollar0.66210037.0558

BahrainDinar2.652872148.4733

Saudi Arabia Rial 0.26667414.9249

BruneiDollar0.73937241.3804

IndonesiaRupiah0.0000670.0037

Thailand Baht 0.0290781.6274

UAE Dirham0.27238315.2445

EuroEuro 1.07720060.2877

Korea Won 0.0007500.0420

ChinaYuan0.1421067.9532

IndiaRupee0.0120890.6766

MalaysiaRinggit0.22055612.3439

New Zealand Dollar 0.62260034.8451

TaiwanDollar0.0325821.8235

STI Holdings’ nine-month net income jumped 95% to P579m on higher student enrolment

By Jennifer Austria

STI Holdings Inc., the owner and operator of one of the biggest networks of private schools in the Philippines, said Friday nine-month net income ended March 2023 jumped by 95 percent to P579.3 million brought about by the rise in enrollments.

STI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange nine-month gross revenues reached P2.4 billion, which was 27 percent higher than P1.9-billion revenues

recorded in the same period last year on higher the number of enrollees and improvement in the enrollment mix of the for the school year 2022-2023.

STI fiscal year starts on July 1 of every year and ends on June 30 of the following year.

Tuition and other school fees, which reached P2.1 billion in the nine-month period, increased by 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

The number of new students enrolled in Commission on Higher Education

programs improved by 17 percent to 25,849 for the current school year versus the previous school year of 22,142.

STI schools now have a total of 94,312 enrollees for school year 20222023, which is 14 percent higher than the 82,629 students population registered in the previous school year.

“STI Education Services Group’s wholly-owned and franchised schools registered an enrollment of 81,697 students, 8,947 or 12 percent more than the enrollment in SY 2021-2022. Percentage-wise,

earlier said they could not comply with the volume of production required by the program after the pandemic upended their long-term growth plans.

The PSAC also introduced a new recommendation which further supports MSME development. The Motorcycle Micro Business Program aims to create over two million jobs for “habal-habal” riders and provide access to transform their livelihoods, becoming platform for self-entrepreneurs.

The council is seeking for a nationwide expansion of the law through an executive order for the Motorcycle Micro Business Program. The Department of Transportation is reviewing the EO.

By Julito G. Rada

THE Bank of the Philippine Islands said Friday it will be “too premature” for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to cut interest rates this year as the economy remains strong.

BPI said in a report inflation slowed down recently, allowing the BSP to pause its hiking cycle. It said inflation remained elevated with upside risks still posing a threat. The BSP kept the policy rate steady at 6.25 percent.

“Food supply remains vulnerable to shocks given the current productivity of the agriculture sector vis-à-vis the country’s population growth. The projected El Nino in the second half of 2023 may exacerbate this supply problem further,” it said.

Another upside risk to inflation, it said, is the strong demand in the economy amid its recovery. Establishments like restaurants and those engaged in services have a compelling reason to adjust their prices higher because of strong demand, and they need to compensate for previous months of high inflation.

“Considering these risks, it might be too premature to expect rate cuts later this year. Interest rates may need to stay elevated to bring demand closer to a level that matches supply. Core inflation remaining sticky near 8 percent suggests that the gap between demand and supply remains wide,” the bank said.

“Aside from this, it seems the economy doesn’t need additional stimulus at this time given the recent GDP data. Economic growth remains healthy at around 6 percent despite high inflation and the increase in interest rates,” it said.

The gross domestic product grew by 6.4 percent in the first quarter.

BPI said bringing inflation back to the target range of the BSP is a growth stimulus in itself, making the stimulus provided by rate cuts unnecessary at this point.

STI West Negros University registered the highest increase at 35 percent for this SY compared to last SY,” STI said.

STI said its school network also reported an increase in revenues from other sources, such as educational services and royalty fees, on higher enrollments and more frequent face-to-face classes.

It said in the three-month ended March 2023, it recorded a net income of P355.9 million, up 48 percent year-onyear as gross revenues climbed 24 percent to P982 million.

SYNERGY Grid and Development Philippines Inc. said Friday the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines complied with its obligations under its franchise.

NGCP, the operator of the country’s transmission network, is SGP’s sole operating asset.

“NGCP believes and is confident that it has complied with its obligations under its franchise and the concession agreement and it shall continue to comply with all lawful directives and pursue its mandate faithfully,” SGP said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange.

SGP said NGCP relies on its overall good performance and service track record to defend against allegations of violations.

NGCP holds a 25-year concession and a 50-year Congressional franchise to expand and operate the country’s power transmission grid.

NGCP is the sole and exclusive operator of the Philippines’ nationwide transmission network linking power generators and distribution utilities to deliver electricity to end-users across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“NGCP has been investing hundreds of billions to strengthen the transmission system. Since taking over in 2009, transmission rates have gone down,” SGP said.

“Based on the ERC’s findings on performance metrics, transmission services have significantly improved. NGCP has doubled substation capacity and constructed substantial transmission lines all over the country including inter-island connection projects,” the company said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

NGCP underscores compliance with franchise obligations

Interest rate cut ‘too premature’ this year, says BPI

PH’s SEA Games’ gold, silver medalists shoo-ins for Asiad

GOLD and silver medalists in the 32nd Southeast Asia Games in Cambodia have the inside track in terms of inclusion to the Team Philippines heading for battle in the Hangzhou 19th Asian Games, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Toletino.

The other criterion, Tolentino said, will be based on Asian and world rankings which are essential as the Asian Games are a qualifier for Paris 2024 and the Hangzhou results fall within the Olympic qualifying window which starts June 1 and lasts for a year.

“That’s a parameter, gold and silver medalists in Cambodia will be strongly considered for the national team to Hangzhou,” Tolentino said on

Friday. “They’ll be funded under Group A classification. The rest will be in Group B, but they need to be evaluated.”

The POC has set a Group A classification for athletes who will be funded by the Philippine Sports Commission and Group B for those whose participation will be shouldered by their national sports associations.

The Philippines clinched 58 golds, 85 silvers and 117 bronzes for a total of 260 medals—a harvest that merited a fifth-place finish overall—in the SEA Games Cambodia hosted for the first time from May 5 to 17.

But not all gold and silver medalists in Cambodia are eligible for Hangzhou because they were won in sports that are not in the Asian Games program.

China is hosting the Asian Games for the third time—after Beijing 1990 and Guangzhou 2010— from September 3 to October 8.

The Philippines won four gold, two silver and 15 bronze medals at the 2018 18th Asia Games in Jakarta and Palembang. Olympic and world weightlifting champion Hidilyn Diaz won one, Yuka Saso had two in golf’s women’s individual and team play and Margiely Didal one in women’s street of skateboarding.

OKBet sponsors Cignal TV’s World Cup coverage

FILIPINO fans will not be missing out on the biggest basketball tournament of the year as OKBet sponsors Cignal TV’s broadcast of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

OKbet will be present in Cignal TV’s broadcast across different platforms, including free-to-air television on TV5 and One Sports and Pay TV on One Sports+ and OTT C-Play.

The sponsorship agreement was formalized last Thursday, May 18, at the Black Olive Restaurant and Events Hall in Pasig City.

Among those who attended were OKBet Assistant Business Director, PertereanBriñas; OKBet Brand Director, Christopher Cañadella; Cignal TV Vice President for Content Innovations, Solutions, and Channel Sales, Eric Centeno; and TV5 Cluster Head, Jackie Dulog. Centeno said that it will be a “very

of the games, which will be played in three host countries this year, namely the Philip-

Smashing debut for Formula E Resultado Team

ENFORCING strict rules on exercise, diet, and practice sessions reaped handsome dividends for the Formula E Resultado Team, which scored 32 podium finishes, highlighted by six championships, over back-to-back karting tournaments recently.

Led by coach Elson Carpio and team principal Theo Zaragoza, backed by major sponsor Malayan Insurance, with the help of Team Captain and Senior Expert racer Danzel Waytan and his Co-Captain and Senior Clubman racer Von Viray, the team’s hard work paid off, as seen in the first ROK GP and ROTAX MAX challenges of 2023.

The team’s first-ever ROK GP CUP held in Carmona Racing Circuit on March 25 - 26, 2023 resulted in a massive haul of 17 podiums and four titles.

Podium finishers were:

Senior Expert and Senior Overall: Danzel Waytan, 2nd runner-up (rounds

1 and 2); Senior Clubman: Von Viray, champion (rd. 1); Mikel Fuentes, 1st runner-up (rd. 1) and champion (rd. 2); Junior: Ryan Sy, champion (rds. 1 & 2); Luis Segundo, 1st runner-up (rds. 1 & 2), Akhina Santos, 2nd runner-up (rd. 1) and 4th runner-up (rd. 2); Minirok

Expert: Andretti Santos, 1st runnerup; Minirok Novice & Beginner: Lucio Reyes, 2nd runner-up; Martin Zaragoza, 3rd runner-up. The Formula E Resultado Team’s early success spilled over to its next tournament, the ROTAX MAX CHALLENGE held at BRC Palawan International Circuit on April 29 - 30, 2023. Karters again proved their strength and capabilities, despite having to learn a new track in a short amount of time, while battling changing weather conditions. Podium finishers were:

Senior Expert and Senior Overall: Waytan, 2nd runner-up (rd. 2); Gabriel

pines, Japan, and Indonesia.

“We welcome, acknowledge, and thank OKBet [as] one of our first

broadcast sponsors for this monumental event,” the media firm exec remarked. “We are looking forward to a fruitful relationship and beneficial partnership moving forward,” he added.

OKBet, Cignal TV aim to make the hardcourt action more accessible to the passionate fans at home, especially now that the country is hosting FIBA once again after over four decades.

Thirty-two teams, allocated into eight groups of four, are competing this year for the much-coveted Naismith Trophy. The Philippine men’s national basketball team Gilas Pilipinas will play in Group A, joining Angola, the Dominican Republic, and Italy.

The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup is set to kick off on August 25 at the Philippine Arena.

Bragging rights up for grabs in ladies golf PH Masters

MORE than the crown, bragging rights will be on the line when the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour stages the inaugural ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters on May 24 to 26 at the Villamor Golf Club in Pasay City.

Harmie Constantino and Daniella Uy headline the compact field all primed for a three-day duel of ball control and putting in pursuit of the championship in an esteemed event that used to serve as one of the men’s tour versions of four major championships.

It will be held side-by-side with the 72-hole men’s championship featuring the cream of the country’s pro crop.

Constantino and Uy figured in a sudden death in the last LPGT stop at Luisita with the former edging the latter to cap her fightback from four shots down in regulation and nail her fifth victory in a three-year pro career.

“Hopefully, I’ll play another good round at Villamor,” said Constantino.

But while she is ready for another title crack on a course she calls home, Uy and the rest of the 21-player cast are going all-out to stop the former national champion from reigning again at the quaint military layout kept in championship form year-round.

Constantino likewise ruled the first ICTSI Villamor Match Play Invitational last year, also via playoff over top amateur Rianne Malixi, making her the marked player in the upcoming P1 million event serving as fifth leg of this year’s LPGT organized by Pilipinas Golf Tourna- ments, Inc.

Harmie Constantino

4x400

team to get more international exposure

By Peter Atencio

MORE international exposure will be given to members of the Philippine national men’s 4x400 team, which won one of the four gold medals for athletics in the recent 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh.

Among them is the 25-year-old Frederick Ramirez after he finished with a gold medal with teammates Michael del Prado, Joyme Sequita and Umajesty Williams, with a clocking of 3:07.22 in the men’s 4x400 meter relays, and a bronze medal in the 400-meter run.

Improvements in Ramirez’s performance netted for him a slot in the national selection, which will be sent to the Taipei Open Championships, slated on May 27 and 28.

“The PATAFA is assembling a selection. Ramirez is going,” said national team coach Jojo Posadas.

Philippine athletics was not able to match its five-gold medal haul in Vietnam last year, but they believe that they still had a successful campaign with four golds and two new Southeast Asian Games records.

Posadas said that giving members of the national team more exposure will prepare them for the higher level competitions in the coming months.

The Asian Athletics Championships in Pattaya, Thailand this July, and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China are next in the pipeline for the team.

The Philippines also got its gold medal from the record-smashing campaigns of Ernest John Obiena in pole vault and Janry Ubas in long jump, and from Eric Cray, who claimed a sixth straight gold in the 200 meters hurdles.

FOOTBALL KINGS. Far Eastern University players are shown after securing the school’s 10th championship by overwhelming Ateneo de Manila University, 4-1, in the UAAP Season 85 Men’s Football Final on Thursday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

Members of the Formula E Resultado team at the podium with their trophies

Shown here are (from left) OKBet Brand Director, Christopher Cañadella; OKBet Assistant Business Director, Perterean Briñas; Cignal TV Vice President for Content Innovations, Solutions, and Channel Sales, Eric Centeno; and TV5 Cluster Head, Jackie Dulog. extensive coverage”

Chan,

4th runner up (rd. 2); Senior Clubman: Viray, champion (rd. 1) and 4th runner-up (rd. 2); Fuentes, 1st runner up (rds. 1 & 2); Junior: Sy, champion (rd. 1) and 2nd runner-up (rd. 2); Segundo, 2nd runner-up (rd. 1); Minirok Expert: Santos, 2nd runner-up; Minirok Novice: Reyes, 3rd runner-up; Minirok Begin-

ner: Reyes, 2nd runner-up; Zaragoza, 3rd runner-up. “The results speak volumes. It is a product of everyone’s effort, from the karters to the mechanics and coaches, all the way to the nutritionists,” said Carpio, who also carefully manages every racer through data-led analysis.

HOME/DESIGN

FEDERAL Land

recently launched the second tower of the Grand Midori Ortigas, offering more Filipinos the chance to experience a Zeninspired sanctuary in the city.

Federal Land tapped into the creativity of world-renowned Tokyobased architecture firm Tange Associates as the project’s Design Consultant. The firm is known for combining traditional Japanese artistry with modern perspectives as seen in its work on Yoyogi Gymnasium, St. Mary Cathedral, and the Tokyo Aquatics Center. For The Grand Midori Ortigas, Tange Associates forged the authentic infusion of Japanese design and innovation into the building’s architecture to create a unique living experience that is both elegant and purposeful.

Expression of elegance

The Grand Midori Ortigas features a façade that combines the Japanese tatami with the Filipino “banig” to craft a flowing weave pattern that provides a comforting feel of Filipino home. The façade’s horizontal and vertical louvers also serve as a form of climate control measure to improve air flow and quality as well as a sunshade device. Inside, amenity spaces are inspired by the Japanese concepts ‘wabi-sabi’ which refers to finding beauty in imperfection, and ‘miyabi’ defined by the expression of elegance and refinement, presents a unique living experience for mindful and contemporary urbanites.

The Grand Midori Ortigas offers thoughtfully-designed residential units that make elements flow harmoniously, with light and airy interiors framed by expansive windows. Potential homeowners can choose from a variety of unit types at Tower 2: studio (35.5 to 38sqm), one-bedroom (48 to 64sqm), and two-bedroom (69 to 107sqm) variations. All units are built in consideration of creative and practical space planning to provide homeowners the leeway for personal design and comfort.

Flex suite: a space that adapts to you

The Grand Midori Ortigas presents an array of Flex Suites configured to accommodate distinct needs for urban living. Available at Tower 2, the Flex Suite is a 64sqm one-bedroom unit

Harmony of elements at Grand Midori Ortigas

studio space or hobby room, health buffs can set up a work out area, or an employee can put up a home office fast and easy.

Zen-inspired communities

Zen-inspired indoor and outdoor amenities can be found throughout The Grand Midori Ortigas. Those who wish to engage in an active lifestyle would love the fitness gym, yoga room, exercise lawn, and lap pool. The game room, videoke room, pool lounge, and Jacuzzi are available for downtime after work or school.

There’s a study lounge and a conference room for those working or studying remotely but wish to do it out of their own units from time to time. The young and young at heart will make new friends at the children’s playroom, children’s pool and children’s play area. The Zen garden and landscaped area with lounge make for a perfect escape if you’re yearning for some peace and quiet.

Prime location

The Grand Midori Ortigas is located along the Exchange Road in Ortigas Center, with up-and-coming infrastructure developments such as the Metro Manila Subway System and Ortigas Greenway Project, providing residents convenient mobility options as they go around the metropolis. The Grand Midori Ortigas is also near the new BGC-Ortigas Center Link’s Kalayaan Bridge linking Pasig to Bonifacio Global City, efficiently cutting down travel time between both business districts to some 15 minutes.

with a 30sqm multipurpose area— better known as the Flex Space— that can be personalized specific to the homeowner’s current needs and lifestyle.

The Flex Suite comes with a builtin sliding room partition, an invitation to homeowners to carve out a space to pursue their passions. New parents can create a nursery, an artist can curate a

High-tea tablescape adventure

OPULENCE Design Concept, in celebration of Mother’s Day, recently presented Festa della Mamma, an Italian High-Tea Tablescape Adventure at its flagship store at The Podium in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

The “Queen of Tablescaping,” Pinky Tobiano, together with special guest Filipino entrepreneur and socialite Cat Arambulo, shared her tips and insights on how to recreate stunning tablescapes at home.

The three unique tablescape setups took the attendees on a tour of Italy by featuring elegant tableware collections

that gave them a taste of the various regions of the country. Shown here is the Versace tableware collection featuring the Medusa Green Amplified set. Opulence Design Concept is a luxury brand house that carries an array of European brands: Fornasetti, Versace Home, Misuraemme, Stosa Cucine, Versace by Rosenthal, Swarovski by Rosenthal, Sambonet, Thomas, and Vimar. The Opulence Design Concept store is the 3rd level of The Podium, 12 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila.

ABOITIZ INFRACAPITAL KICKS OFF LIMA ESTATE EXPANSION. Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC), the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, recently broke ground on a new 96-hectare industrial expansion in LIMA Estate, which is expected to accommodate the increasing number of investors seeking to establish their businesses in the Philippines in the coming years. LIMA Estate is an 800-hectare Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-registered economic zone. Designed to revolutionize industrial development in the countryside, LIMA Estate has been instrumental in CALABARZON emerging as the premier center for industry in the Philippines. The latest expansion is expected to generate up to 31,000 new jobs for Batangueños and residents of nearby provinces once the buildout of new locators is completed. At the groundbreaking were (from left to right): Roylan Ocampo, LIMA Land Assistant Vice President for Planning and Construction; Levy Agoncillo, Aboitiz Construction Vice President for Business Generation and Technical Services; Sarah dela Fuente, LIMA Land Manager for Project Development and Management; Clifford Academia, LIMA Land Vice President for Operations; Ganyfer Hernandez, Aboitiz Construction Manager for Business Generation; and Jolan Formalejo, LIMA Land Vice President for Inventory Generation.

Boosting agriculture through education

DAMOSA Land recently broke ground for the UP Professional School for Agriculture and the Environment (UP-PSAE) to be located in its premier integrated township Agriya.

Together with the Anflo Management and Investment Corporation (ANFLOCOR), Damosa Land and the University of the Philippines also signed the Deed of Donation declaring the turnover of the 31,800 square-meter property to the UP PSAE which is set to be home to 14 graduate and post-graduate agriculture-focused programs ranging from Agribusiness Management, Agroforestry, Animal Science, among others.

The UP PSAE campus, set to finish construction by October 2024, can accommodate up to 200 students of agriculture. It will be built on a 31,800 sqm property in the Agriya township, which will be donated by the Anflo Management and Investment Corporation and Damosa Land Inc.

The first building will be donated by the Anflo Group through the Don Antonio O. Floirendo Sr. Foundation. At the groundbreaking were : University of the Philippines President Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez; Director for UP-PSAE Dr. Maria Catalina T. de Luna; Principal Architect for Far East Associates Arch. Daniel T. Lim; Dean of Graduate School in UPLB Dr. Jomar F. Rabajante; Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development in UPLB Dr. Fernando O. Paras; Anflo Group

Board Member Anthony B. Sasin; Kensington Ventures, Inc. Vice President Jose Manuel Floirendo Lagdameo; Managing Director of the Anflo Resort and Development Corporation and the Don Antonio O. Floirendo Foundation, Inc Maricris Floirendo Brias; Anflo Group Vice Chairman Ricardo R. Floirendo; President of the Real Estate and Construction Group; Ricardo Floirendo Lagdameo, and Chancellor of UPLB Dr. Jose V. Camacho Jr.

WEREMOTE MCS DRAWS BEAD ON FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE INDUSTRY. Flexible coworking space brand Weremote, recently forged a partnership with the Rufino family’s Varsun Plaza Realty Corporation to launch its newest location at Makati Central Square (formerly Makati Cinema Square) along Chino Roces Avenue. When completed, Weremote Makati Central Square (Weremote MCS) would sprawl across a total floor area of 2,500 square meters, making it the flagship project of the flexible coworking space company. It will offer all the services for both individuals and organizations that the Weremote brand has become known for such as private offices, meeting rooms, coworking areas, and virtual offices. It will also have a build-to-suit option for those who need a specific setup for their operations. Weremote is the coworking brand of Wrkspace Office Management and Solutions Inc. It offers workspaces for freelance professionals, startups, and established business owners. To date, it has nine locations operating in strategic areas within Metro Manila. It is a portfolio company of AHG Lab, one of the largest independent venture builders in the Philippines. Shown in photo are (L-R) Carlo Rufino, who represents Varsun Plaza Realty Corporation, and Trish Reposo, Weremote Co-Founder and CEO

Motorcycle sales may surpass pre-pandemic figures—MDPPA

By Othel V. Campos

PHILIPPINE

motorcycle sales posted a 16.7 percent increase based on a monthly average of 149,000 units in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the monthly average sales of 127,000 in 2022, the Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, Inc. (MDPPA) announced Thursday.

MDPPA president Boying Mojica said the group is hoping that sales in 2023 will surpass the pre-pandemic sales of 1.7 million in 2019.

“We hope that the performance of the first quarter will be sustained. The market is so volatile as influenced by internal and external variables. Our conservative forecast this year is 10 percent growth, in light of the headwinds of imminent recession in the US and other regions,” said Monica.

Toyota Ilocos Sur promises bigger footprint for TMP up north

Greater mobility and affordability are the factors that continue to drive this increase in motorcycle sales. The group, composed of the country’s biggest motorcycle brands, reported sales hitting 447,429 units in the first quarter of 2023, which is 3,500 shy from total 2019 sales of 451,103 units.

Based on the report, the automatic category or scooters accounted for 60 percent of first-quarter sales this year with 269,652 units sold. This was followed by the business units at 28.6 percent or 83,616 units sold. Business units are usually used for commercial purposes.

Meanwhile, mopeds or underbone motorcycles took 17.2 percent of the total sales due to their affordability, with 77,152 units sold. The street and big bikes, commonly used for leisure and off-road adventure, account for 4 percent with 17,000 units sold.

MDPPA is the country’s biggest group of motorcycle manufacturers in terms of volume. The industry’s major players - Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha are the only members of the group.

The week that was

WE ATTENDED three significant automotive events in the course of a week, which somehow reoriented us to the reality of automobile ownership in this nation.

We are referring to the launch of the next-generation Ford Ranger Raptor (whose Ford Island Conquest real testdriving along with their latest Ford Ranger, Everest, and Territory is still ongoing at the off-road track at the Arca South in Taguig City) and the Suzuki S-Presso (a compact SUV-style vehicle that is now with an AGS or automatic gear shift). The third is the TransSport Show, which is still going on at Pasay City’s SMX Convention Center at Mall of Asia through tomorrow.

bringing in innovative automotive technology in such an accessible and enjoyable way. The Ford Raptor proved incredibly stable to drive and capable of tackling any terrain thanks to its very loaded 7 drive modes on and off the road. We drove it three times over the off-road course created by racing veteran and driving teacher Georges Ramirez. Even so, it has a very comfortable interior and plenty of comforts, from the sports seat with a jet-inspired design to the distinctive complete command console.

Present from left are: Randy Ang, group sales manager, Toyota La Union; Richmond So, general manager, Toyota La Union; Jasper Ong, executive vice president, Toyota Dagupan;

TOYOTA Ilocos Sur will soon serve the mobility needs of customers in Ilocos Region with its dealership rising in Barangay Langlangca II, Candon City, Ilocos Sur. This will be Toyota Motor Philippines’ (TMP) 74th outlet in the country.

Toyota Ilocos Sur will be a ‘3S’ Facility that provides sales, service, and spare parts. Situated in a 2-hectare lot, the dealership will have a total floor area of 5,868 sq.m. It will feature a 4-car

display showroom and a workshop with 37 General Service & Body Repair Bays.

“We are confident that with the strong guidance of our next generation leaders and their team, along with the supervision and partnership with TMP, we can lead in offering the best possible customer experience in Ilocos Sur and further expand our market in the whole of Region 1,” said Rene So, President of Toyota Dagupan Inc.

Group during the groundbreaking event.

“With the construction of Toyota Ilocos Sur, Toyota looks to maintain its position in the industry as the topof-mind car brand. We are excited to welcome this new dealership as we create mobility and happiness for all our customers in the province of Ilocos Sur,” said TMP Senior Vice President for Marketing Division Masando Hashimoto.

Caltex gives you chance to win a Ford Ranger Sport!

CALTEX continues to roll out its first national promo of the year with ‘Caltex Pickup Your Rewards’. Ending on July 17, 2023, every accumulated P500 spent on any Caltex fuels, automatically qualifies Caltex Rewards members for a raffle entry.

Three winners will get to take home a brand new Ford Ranger Sport while 400 winners will win 250,000 Caltex Rewards points.

All entries received from April 18 to May 25 can get the chance to be one of the 200 lucky winners

of 250,000 Caltex Rewards points on the first draw. Non-winning entries in the first draw will still get a chance to win 250,000 Caltex Rewards points in the second draw and all entries have a chance to win a Ford Ranger Sport. One winner from Metro Manila, one winner from the rest of Luzon, and one winner from Visayas/Mindanao will be picked for the major prize. A customer has a chance to win 1 (one) minor prize and one (1) major prize. has a chance to win 1 (one) minor prize and one

These three occurrences have a unique quality in common that will help you understand why our nation is still fascinated by cars powered by internal combustion engines (ICEs). Yes, ICE engines were used in the bulk of the vehicles displayed at these three exhibitions.

Suzuki’s best chance of competing in the compact car industry and luring the younger generation of car owners who are seeking their new vehicle at a lot more reasonable price is the S-Presso.

This is quite appealing to the new generation of automobile purchasers as it only goes for P660,000.

With the release of their “nextgeneration vehicles,” such as the Ford Everest, Ford Ranger, Ford Territory, and most recently the Ford Ranger Raptor, Ford is taking the lead in

Then we moved on to the following scene, which is Sophie de los Santos’s TransSportShow, which is packed with freshly restored vehicles of all ages, the most of which were ICEs. Even two 1950s-era cars and a ton of beefedup, multi-million dollar cars and mouth watering SUVs were photographed in magnificent stances with attractive females.

The future of car ownership in our nation will not be determined by these three events. However, they prominently display the types of cars that continue to be purchased by millions of auto fans and are frequently seen on our streets.

And for just this reason, the bulk of automakers and dealers continue to focus their attention on the sales of their ICE-powered automobiles. These are the lifeblood of their company and will continue to exist for a very long time.

Caltex Rewards registered members are those who have verified their mobile number and email. Fuel up now at any participating Caltex stations with Caltex Rewards to join. Not yet a Caltex Rewards member? Download CaltexGo app through Google Play or the App Store or simply register via www.caltex. com/ph/caltex-rewards. To know more about this promotion, visit www.caltex.com/ph/ pickupyourrewards.

Pocholo Molina, supervisor, TMP dealer development department; Rene So, president, Toyota Dagupan; Masando Hashimoto, senior vice president, TMP marketing division; Bernardino Arevalo, first vice president, TMP customer service operations department; Luis Villa, vice president, TMP dealer pperations support department.

Google’s new Cybersecurity Career Certi cate announced

GOOGLE announced a new Google Career Certificate in cybersecurity. Built by experts at Google and vetted by employers, the certificate will help organizations upskill their employees and enable people to qualify for entry-level jobs including cybersecurity analyst and information security analyst.

This new course – and the recently announced new advanced certificates in data analytics and business intelligence – are part of the existing Google Career Certificate program in the Philippines. With this, Google is working closely with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and is providing Cybersecurity Career Certificate scholarship for ICT practitioners in the government.

Outside of the scholarship program, anyone aged 18 and above can complete the certificate online in under six months of part-time study—with no degree or experience required.

Globally, cyber attacks increased nearly 40% over the last year, putting critical infrastructure such as governments, hospitals, electrical grids, schools, and businesses at greater risk. There are not enough workers to address these threats—a global shortage of 3.5 million cybersecurity workers is projected through 2025.

Google’s Cybersecurity Certificate will prepare people for entrylevel roles by training them to identify common cyber risks, threats and vulnerabilities, as well as how to mitigate them by protecting networks, devices, people, and data from unauthorized access and cyber attacks.

Learners will get hands-on experience using Python, Linux, and an array of security programs including Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tools. The program will also prepare people for the CompTIA Security+ exam, the industry leading certification for cybersecurity roles—they will earn a dual credential when they complete both.

“Creating more pathways for Filipinos to acquire the right digital skills and to competitively enter the cybersecurity field is essential. Google is deeply committed to working closely with our local partners across the public and private sectors to help develop the next generation of cybersecurity workforce and experts in the country,” said Bernadette Nacario, Country Director, Google Philippines.

“The Cybersecurity Google Career Certificate will help in the upskilling of the Filipino workforce to be globally competitive.

This will also equip them with the skills needed to have resilience against cyber attacks and to build a safer and more secure online world. The DICT thanks Google for this generous effort in helping the Philippines in its digital transformation journey and looks forward to more opportunities for cooperation,” said DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy.

To learn more about the Google Career Certificates, visit grow.google/ certificates.

Selling your verified digital wallet? Think again

THE recent spate of selling and even rental of verified digital wallets in the country should not be taken lightly. It is, in fact, alarming because its owners or account holders risk losing their identities with far-reaching consequences, according to cybersecurity and digital privacy company Kaspersky.

Since 2022, the local media have been reporting various apprehensions by police authorities of individuals allegedly involved in buying and selling of verified digital wallet accounts. Registered SIM accounts with verified digital wallet accounts are currently being bought for P350 each. On social media, the rates even go as low as P150 per account. These are then sold for an average of P600-P800 each.

This kind of transaction is a cybercrime offense under Philippine laws. If proven guilty, both seller and buyer are up for some jail time and penalties from P100,000 to P500,000.

But what’s stored in a digital wallet?

A digital wallet is usually loaded with personal details of its owner such as full name, date of birth, nationality, phone number, email address, and mailing address. Once verified by the digital wallet company as a legitimate account, all financial transactions can be performed within the digital wallet app.

The transaction limit varies but the maximum amount that can be received or sent per account is as high as P500,000, bypassing the use of credit and debit cards that are regulated and normally require security checks.

Mobile digital wallets are a popular alternative financial service among Filipinos. Unfortunately, some digital wallet users think that selling their account isn’t really a big issue. They believe their accounts are not tied to any bank accounts with a lot of funds so there is nothing to extort from them. And getting a new SIM is cheap and easy and verifying their digital wallet accounts is hassle-free.

“We’ve witnessed how the Filipinos

embraced the cashless lifestyle during the pandemic, out of necessity. The ease of access and convenience of digital wallets made everyone quite comfortable, with some now selling, renting out or even loaning their verified accounts. By doing so, cybercriminals do not need to put much effort into phishing anymore as Filipinos are practically giving away their personal data for a song, which is really dangerous,” says Yeo Siang Tiong, General Manager for Southeast Asia at Kaspersky.

“As sellers or lenders of their own digital wallet accounts, not only would they get into trouble with the law. Losing their identities is also very likely especially when their data gets into the hands of scammers. With enough information from you, scammers can already set up other financial accounts using your name and use your identity to benefit them. Possible scenarios would be getting harassed by a collection agent for a debt you’ve never owed. It could also mean losing out on job or education opportunities just because your name appeared with an unpleasant digital profile when searched,” adds Yeo.

What other damage can data thieves do?

By selling your verified digital wallet, you are essentially handing out your data to cybercriminals and helping them carry out their evil activities.

With your confidential information in their hands, data thieves can: Make purchases on your behalf

Use your personal details in online gaming. Cybercriminals use stolen identities for doxing (publishing your home address and phone number online for profit, fun, or humiliation) and swatting (reporting a fake emergency to law enforcement agencies to come to your place to intimidate you)

Use your personal information in online gambling. Fraudsters create networks of thousands of synthetic accounts, normally using stolen personal data and credit card information to accumulate bonus points and redeem their “winnings”. This particular type of fraud is extremely common in online poker and blackjack, where the result can be manipulated through game strategy.

Add themselves or an alias they can control as an authorized user so it’s easier to use your credit.

Use and abuse your Social Security number. Scammers may be able to take out loans and claim benefits under your name.

You may be banned from using the services of your favorite digital wallet company if your name appears to have availed of its loan services and that you cannot pay.

Sell your information to others who will use it for malicious purposes. Buying and selling of stolen personal information is big business on the dark web, the non-visible Web that can be accessed only by a specialized browser where cybercriminals provide illegal services to one another. Back in 2018, data from Kaspersky showed that criminals

can sell someone’s complete digital life in the dark web for less than $50 (or P2,761, today’s forex). In 2020, the cybersecurity company shared that personal identity details such as full name, date of birth, email and mobile can fetch from $0.5 to $10 each (or P27.62 to P552.33).

Is there still a way to save your stolen identity?

Once you have handed over your SIM account with your personal data in it, it is not easy to undo it. Experts suggest replacing your email address and telephone address as well as changing all affected passwords in all of your social media and financial accounts. If you believe you have been victimized by identity fraud, you can lodge a complaint through the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) here.

How else to protect yourself from identity theft?

Keep data to a “need-to-know” basis. If someone is asking for your personal information, ask why they need it and how they will use it. Bank safely. Make sure that you log into financial websites using a secure connection all the time.

Know who you’re dealing with. If you are requested for your personal or financial information, find out who they are, what company they represent, and the reason for the request. Contact the company to confirm before disclosing any of your personal data.

Infinix incorporates Sound by JBL to bring high-quality audio to next level of smartphones

SHANGHAI—Infinix announces its new collaboration with HARMAN’s legendary audio and technology brand, JBL, to bring Sound by JBL

audio excellence to the next generation of their highlyregarded NOTE Series. At Infinix, the user experience is a top priority, and sound quality plays a fundamental role in that experience. Together with the 75-year legacy of acoustic quality and expertise that the brand is renowned for, the upcoming release of the NOTE Series will be enhanced by the Sound by JBL tuning along with the latest innovations from Infinix.

Users can look forward to an upgraded audio experience in the next generation of Infinix’s NOTE Series, thanks to this exciting new collaboration with JBL. Stay tuned for more information on the release date and features of the new series.

“We’re incredibly excited about our collaboration with the JBL brand here at Infinix. Our hardware expertise combined with JBL’s acoustic technology means we can provide an enhanced audio experience to customers worldwide. With a device that delivers upgraded sound quality, we’re confident we’re in exceeding users’ expectations.”Liang Zhang, Deputy General Manager at Infinix.

Integrated with JBL Tech

When building the NOTE Series, Infinix collaborated closely with JBL engineers to optimize the soft-

ware system of their new generation NOTE Series. The software processing within the Note series was tuned to deliver JBL’s signature sound that ensures well-balanced mid-tones as well as rich bass, along with high-quality and faithful sound reproduction.

Incorporating advanced audio processing engineered and perfected by JBL, the new Note Series with Sound by JBL will deliver enhanced audio with distortion-free volume, deeper bass and JBL’s signature sound that users will enjoy, especially when listening to music or watching videos. This technological breakthrough demonstrates Infinix and JBL’s commitment to providing innovative products with superior sound quality.

“The JBL brand is all about delivering the fullest sound experience, and we are therefore extremely proud to collaborate with the Infinix team to deliver superior audio through Sound by JBL. Rooted in a shared passion for sound, we know the Infinix team is committed to audio excellence in their mobile devices, and we will continue to work together bringing upgraded sound quality to more consumers as we look forward to deepening our cooperation with Infinix for more product development.” - Roumu Hu, Vice President and General Manager, HARMAN Embedded Audio.

Green is in! vivo V27’s color-changing design elevates your style

IS summer heat cramping your swag? Don’t let the scorching weather restrict your style, adventures and activities this season. Who says you can’t be comfortable and still be classy even with this heat?

Whatever OOTD or summer escapade you have in mind, the vivo V27 5G can keep up with you. If you’re all about color coordination to get that perfect OOTD pic,

the Emerald Green. This vivo V27 variant combines elegance and playfulness for that stylish, premium vibe that complements your everyday look. Fresh and trendy vibe for all your summer style

The vivo V27 Emerald Green variant is your summer buddy that can go with any of your fashion styles or getup. The colorway exudes a fresh and light vibe that reflects the spirit of summer, if not takes some of the heat off. With vivo’s Photochromic 2.0 technology, the smartphone turns into a deeper, more vibrant shade of green when placed under the sun, mirroring the beautiful, sparkling lagoons of El Nido, Palawan for that stronger summer feels. The iconic, jade-like finish adds a whole new layer of elegance and delicate appeal that will boost your overall aura throughout the day. The vivo V27 comes in a

frame with a metal-like texture for that sleek, modern feel. Its minimalist design is further enhanced by the compact camera layout, creating a visual fluidity that is exclusive to the V series and exudes simple sophistication to elevate anyone’s style even more. Besides being functional, the aura light creates a visual focal point, which is indeed a fusion of art and technology.

Slim and light yet sturdy for all—and every—summer adventure

Beyond its premium build, the vivo V27 is designed with user convenience in mind. It has a slim frame and a curved surface on both front and back that not only creates a seamless look and prevents color distortion on the edges but also provides a tight yet comfortable grip.

The vivo V27 is thinner than its predecessors at 7.36mm body thickness. Weighing only 182g, it has an ultra-thin grip for a more comfortable hold.

All these mean a reliable smartphone that’s slim and light enough to fit snugly in your

Screenshots samples of social media ad post on for sale or rental digital wallet accounts

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