Manila Standard - 2023 May 22 - Monday

House is ‘in order’—Speaker

Says destabilization must be ‘nipped in the bud’

By Rio N. Araja

SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Sunday assured the public that the “House of the People is in order” as he underscored the need to “nip in the bud” destabilization plots that might distract lawmakers from passing key legislative measures.

“There is still much work to do, so occasional moves to destabilize the House should be nipped in the bud,” Romualdez said in a statement on Sunday after a reorganization at the Lower House that saw the replacement of for-

mer President and Pampanga Rep.

Gloria Arroyo as senior deputy speaker.

Arroyo earlier acknowledged that she “learned that there were reports that I was suspected of plotting a ‘coup’ against Speaker

Romualdez.” She flatly denied the allegation, adding that her interest in the Speakership when President Marcos won is no longer part of her political objectives.

At least seven political blocs in the House – Lakas-CMD, the National Unity Party (NUP), the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), the Party-List Foundation Inc., (PCFI), PDP-Laban, the Nacionalista Party (NP), and the minority bloc – have all expressed support to the leadership of Romualdez.

"We are witnesses to how Speaker Romualdez has steered the House in legislating key reform measures included in the 8-Point Socio-Economic

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PBBM: Conserve water, power to avert supply woes due to El Niño

By Vince Lopez and Julito G. Rada

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the public and local government units

(LGUs) to conserve water and power as the country braces for the El Niño phenomenon this year. In a YouTube post, the President said power demand far exceeds supply, and the 35 percent decrease in rainfall has

Marcos tells PMA graduates: Uphold democracy, rule of law

By Vince Lopez

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City –President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on the members of Philippine Military Academy “MADASIGON” Class of 2023 to continue upholding democracy and the rule of law as they of-

ficially join the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“As you join the military’s ranks, continue to fuel your undying and genuine love for country and commitment to public service. In all your tasks, diligently work for unity, respect for

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already affected several dams, irrigation systems and hydroelectric plants.

“The DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) was instructed to present to the LGU's our campaign to mitigate the impact of El

Niño such as saving water at home, in car washes, in watering the golf course and refilling swimming pools” the President said.

“This is expected to help maintain our supply,” he said. “We all have something

to help, we all have something to do.”

The government has been supporting projects that help generate or store more power for the Philippines, Marcos said, citing the tapping of more renewable energy sources.

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NEW BLOOD. Members of the Philippine Military Academy ‘Madasigon’ Class of 2023 celebrate after their commencement exercises at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

Inset photo shows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. giving the presidential saber to class topnotcher Warren Leono of Lipa City, Batangas. Rolando Mailo

sets ceiling for wholesale price of onions

By Othel V. Campos and Rio N. Araja

IN an effort to pull down the price of onions, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is setting a price limit to wholesale onions at P115 per kilogram for red on-

ions and P100 per kilo for white onions, based on their “cold storage price.”

In an interview on radio dzBB, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said stakeholders agreed to impose the “cold storage price” during a recent meeting with local farmers, traders, cold storage operators and

the government.

“From where the sellers get their onions, we decided to set a price. This is like a cold storage price since all of the onion harvest of farmers is with traders already. This means that all the onions kept in cold storage are likely owned by traders,” she said.

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MARITIME MISHAP. Photo shows a portion of a SuperCat Ferry Corp. fast craft which sustained damage after it collided with LCT Poseidon, a roll-on, roll-off vessel, off the waters of Mactan Channel in Cebu, leaving over a dozen passengers injured. A video of the incident was caught on camera by a passenger inside the fast craft, which was rescued by a tugboat and brought to Pier 1 of the Cebu City Port. The fast craft, which left Ormoc Sunday noon, was carrying at least 185 passengers. Nagiel Bañacia

measure

By Charles Dantes

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7 more Arcturus subvariant cases detected —DOH

File photo shows Speaker Martin Romualdez presiding over a plenary session of the House of Representatives in March.

Quad countries make thinly veiled swipe at Beijing’s actions in SCS

THE leaders of the Quad group—Australia, India, Japan and the United States—delivered a thinly veiled swipe at Beijing's behavior at a summit in Hiroshima.

US President Joe Biden and his three partners in the group did not mention China by name but the communist superpower was clearly the target of language in a joint statement calling for "peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain."

"We strongly oppose destabilizing or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion," the statement said, using diplomatic language that appeared to refer to China's economic tactics to gain leverage over poorer countries and also its military expansion in the Pacific.

"We express serious concern at the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coastguard and mari-

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Agenda of the Marcos administration," NUP chairperson Ronaldo Puno said.

"Through the darkest of storms and greatest of tribulations, we have proven time and again that our unity will never be torn down," said Lakas-CMD cochairperson Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. said. Romualdez, for his part, said Congress cannot be distracted from finding legislative solutions to issues that affect the lives of ordinary Filipinos.

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“Last time we extended the Malampaya service,” he said.

“We also support new technologies such as battery storage to make our renewable sources of energy more sustainable and reliable,” he added.

Aside from monitoring and mitigating the effects of the El Niño in the agriculture, energy and health sectors, the government has also begun preparing for a possible La Niña after the dry spell, the President said.

“Despite the severe drought, we are also preparing for La Niña or severe rainy season which also brings other problems,” he said.

“This requires the participation of every one of our fellow Filipinos,” he said.

Mr. Marcos, during the inauguration of the 160MW wind farm in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, emphasized the need to tap renewable energy to meet the power needs of the industrializing economy.

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“With prices set at the cold storage rate, traders can sell onions at a wholesale price of P140 to P150 per kilo,” Evangelista added.

Evangelista said the traders themselves have agreed to post the wholesale price of onions in cold storage facilities.

In a recent price monitoring, the DA reported that local red and white onions sell at P160 to P200 per kilo in select markets in Metro Manila.

The DA announced earlier it may release the suggested retail price (SRP) for onions today, May 22, and enforce the updated pricing by Tuesday May 23.

The DA has given the green light for traders to bring in 22,000 metric tons (MT) of imported onions to manage the demand as the local harvest is not sufficient to cover the domestic requirement.

But food producers expressed concern that the planned 22,000 MT onion importation will not be enough to meet the 70,000 to 80,000 MT demand for the year.

Also on Sunday, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez called on concerned authorities to pursue the leads uncovered by the House probe into the alleged onion cartel and file appropriate charges.

He issued the statement after Marikina City Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo named interconnected personalities and business entities involved in onion trade that --taken together with their operation, resources and influence — bear the hallmarks of a cartel.

“I call on the concerned authorities like the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Competition Commission and

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From A1 democratic ideals, institutions and mechanisms, and the rule of law,” Mr. Marcos said at the commencement exercises at Fort del Pilar in Baguio City on Sunday.

time militia vessels, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," the statement added, clearly referring to Chinese construction of bases on former offshore reefs and harassment of non-Chinese vessels in disputed waters.

The Quad leaders held their meeting while already gathered in Hiroshima for a Group of 7 summit.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had been meant to host Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sydney next week. However, Biden pulled out, saying he had to return to Washington from Japan on Sunday to negotiate with Republican opponents on

“I would rather that we, in the House of Representatives, remain focused on more urgent matters. The Uniteam, which the House Leadership has always been a part of, must continue to focus on finding immediate solutions to problems of ordinary Filipinos. The House chooses to focus on addressing low power supply, high electricity rates, telco issues and unstable commodity prices, instead of political destabilization,” he said. House Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto, for his part, said he is confident that what he described as “political tampuhan” shall pass.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said he is not expecting a surge in food prices in the coming months because a weak to moderate El Niño phenomenon will not significantly affect the agricultural sector.

Diokno said among the proposed short-term measures to mitigate food inflation is strengthening the implementation of biosecurity and hog re-population programs through continuous monitoring of the African swine fever and implementation of the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion or INSPIRE.

In the medium-term, Diokno said the solution to food inflation is to boost productivity and resiliency of the agricultural sector. This can be done by promoting private investment in facilities, transport, and logistics systems to bring safe and nutritious food closer to consumers.

“In preparation for El Niño, NEDA [National Economic and Development Authority] presented the latest forecasts, potential impacts, as well as proposed ac-

the Department of Agriculture to work together to stamp out this cartel and spare our people from further suffering caused by their unscrupulous trade practices,” Romualdez said.

“The extensive hearings conducted by the House have already provided good leads which our authorities can follow to build an air tight case and prosecute those involved,” he added.

Unfair trade practices may be prosecuted under the Philippine Competition Act penalizing businesses found to have engaged in anti-competitive agreements with a fine of up to P100 million, and imprisonment of up to seven years.

The fines may be tripled if trade of basic necessities, including agricultural products identified by the Price Act, are involved in cartel or abuse of dominance violations.

Romualdez said Congress remains committed to the task of protecting the public against unfair trade practices such as price fixing.

“The Filipino people deserve to have access to affordable food. We will not rest until we achieve this goal,” he said.

When prices of onion surged to over P700 a kilo in December 2022, he called for a congressional investigation in aid of legislation to address the issue.

He commended Quimbo for her painstaking work that led to the unmasking of onion cartel key players.

Quimbo tagged Lilia or Leah Cruz as the “Sibuyas Queen” who is at the center of her onion cartel, as well as the Philippine VIEVA Group of Companies and its allied firms, which she said had a stranglehold on the entire supply chain.

Class valedictorian Warren Leonor of Lipa City, Batangas, will join the Air Force. Leonor received the Presidential Saber, along with the Award of Excellence (cum laude), Philippine Air Force Saber, and the Joint United States Military Assistance Group Saber. Of the total 310 graduates, 158 (123

the US debt ceiling.

Biden apologized for forcing the change in plans and has invited Albanese to make a state visit to the White House.

In their statement, they stressed the Quad's support for infrastructure improvements across the vast Asia-Pacific region, while saying, in another apparent dig at China, that they wanted to assist such investments but would "not impose unsustainable debt burdens" on recipients of assistance.

China, for its part, expressed "strong dissatisfaction" with a communique issued by G7 leaders that took aim at Beijing on issues including the South China Sea, human rights and alleged interference in their democracies.

The bloc issued a statement calling on China "not to conduct interference activities" and expressed concerns about alleged human rights abuses in China,

“This is a tempest in a teacup that will not wash away a strong alliance between close partners who share a common vision of a prosperous and peaceful country,” he said.

“The fog of miscommunication will soon clear, the vow of cooperation will be renewed and attempts to drive a wedge between them shall have failed,” Recto added. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday shrugged off insinuations that there is more to the movement at the House other than being "just a run of the mill" reorganization. "I think we should be careful to

tivities to cushion its effects, especially on food security,” he said.

“A weak to moderate El Niño is projected until the first quarter of 2024. Because of this, we do not expect a significant reduction in local production –especially for rice and corn. As a result, we do not foresee a surge in food prices,” Diokno said.

Inflation reached a 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January 2023, before easing to 8.6 percent in February, 7.6 percent in March, and 6.6 percent in April.

The slowdown in the annual increases in consumer prices prompted the monetary authorities to keep the 6.25 percent policy rate last Thursday.

Diokno said the transition to El Niño is expected in the next months, with over 90 percent chance of persisting up to the first quarter of 2024. However, he said most models showed that the El Niño will be weak to moderate.

The latest forecast indicates that most parts of the country will likely receive below normal rainfall in October 2023. Forecasts further show that an enhanced

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help professionals translate their work experiences into academic credits.

"Under this program, professionals with an aggregate of five (5) or more years of work experience can use the knowledge, experiences, achievements, and skills and obtained through their jobs to earn school credits that are then deducted from the total number of units or credits that they are required to earn before they graduate," the bill read.

To qualify for the program, an applicant must meet the following requirements: a) must be a Filipino citizen, whether in the Philippines or abroad; b) at least five years of work experience; c) a birth certificate issued by the Philip-

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PBBM taps DSWD as Zero Hunger Task Force head

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos

particularly in the far-western regions of Tibet and Xinjiang.

They also said G7 countries were "gravely concerned" about territorial disputes in the South China Sea, indirectly accusing China of "coercion."

Beijing was also urged by the G7 to use its influence to put pressure on Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine.

But China's foreign ministry hit back on Saturday evening, saying the G7's "approach has no international credibility whatsoever."

"The G7 insisted on manipulating China-related issues, smearing and attacking China," a spokesman for the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"China expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition and has lodged an official protest with Japan, the host country of the summit, as well as other relevant parties." AFP

not read too much into it," he said in an interview.

"I really see it as just a run of the mill that comes once in a while... If you're in government long enough, you have seen many of these. 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.”

"The Speaker, it's his prerogative as to how he feels the House should be reorganized. I don't think not any of us know what it all means, where the chips will fall after all of this reorganization," the President added.

Southwest Monsoon is highly likely, especially July to August. Meanwhile, some areas in Visayas and Mindanao could experience the early impact of dry conditions.

Agriculture is one of the main sectors that could be severely affected by the El Niño phenomenon. Rice and corn account for the bulk of production losses due to El Niño. Initial estimates show that local rice production this year may slightly decline by around 1.8 percent while yellow corn will be lowered by 1 percent due to El Niño. There is also a minimal reduction in white corn production.

Production of onion and garlic are expected to remain unchanged since they are typically grown in the first half of the year. There is also a negligible impact on pork and chicken production. El Niño is beneficial for fishing but disadvantageous for aquaculture.

Activities to mitigate the impact of El Niño include the retooling and strengthening of the Disaster Task Force; weekly monitoring and updating of local field con-

pine Statistics Authority; d) is 23 years old or above; e) a resume or curriculum vitae or personal data sheet; f) a duly accomplished ETEEAP application form;

g) a service record or employment certificate signed by the employer; h) a job description signed by the employer; and

i) a Transcript of Records.

In the proposed bill, the Commission on Higher Education would remain to implement the accreditation program.

CHED will evaluate the experience and skill of the applicants to properly place them into the appropriate degree. It would also determine the deficiencies of an applicant that would need remedial studies or academic supplementation.

Written examinations, practical and laboratory works would also be part of the program.

"This (bill) will provide greater access

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

The DOH previously said the strain is capable of evading immunity and appears to be more contagious than previous variants.

The Health department has also said there is local transmission of XBB.1.16 since there is an increasing number of cases of the variant with no links to international cases or no known history of exposure.

The World Health Organization designated the XBB.1.16 as a variant of interest in April following a sus-

males and 35 females) will join the Army; 76 (57 males and 19 females) will join the Air Force; and 77 (59 males and 18 females) will be assigned to the Navy.

“As you encounter challenges along the way, apply the hard-won lessons that you have learned while in the halls of the Academy, clinging to the values

Jr. ordered the reorganization of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger and tapped the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as chairperson.

Mr. Marcos issued Executive Order No. 27 after the abolition of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, which used to head the task force.

The EO created the position of a co-chairperson which would be the executive director of the National Nutrition Council.

It retained the Agriculture Secretary — concurrently held by Mr. Marcos — as vice chairperson.

The Secretary of Education — also concurrently filled by Vice President Sara Duterte — will also be part of the task force as a member.

From the original 12 members, Mr. Marcos narrowed it down to only 10.

The Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (now the Presidential Communications Office) have been removed as task force members.

Retained were the secretaries of the Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Budget and Management (DBM), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Trade and Industry (DTI), Science and Technology (DOST), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The 10th member is a representative from the Office of the President.

ditions; information, education and communication; adjustment in the planting calendar during the wet season to avoid typhoons (target June planting, balanced fertilization), and promote early planting for the dry season in water-deficit areas.

For vulnerable areas, strategies to save production include appropriate water management and other related interventions, such as cloud seeding operations; shifting to high-value crops with lower water requirements; provision of pumps and engine sets; and the provision of short gestation or drought-tolerant seed varieties, planting materials, fertilizers, and pesticides and herbicides.

Also over the weekend, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) said it received an unsolicited proposal for the development of a potential new water source for Luzon and Metro Manila.

MWSS Deputy Administrator Jose Dorado Jr. said th unsolicited proposal, called the Kanan-Agos project, is being reviewed by the National Economic and Development Authority.

to education. This will also allow a sustainable implementation of the program given that there would be a continuous allocation to implement the program as the chair," Dr. Cherrie Diego, Director of CHED-Office of Programs and Standards Development said in a statement.

CHED said an allocated budget of P20 million to P25 million for the program.

"From our discussion, we are proposing that there would be a declaration of a separate unit," she added.

There is already an existing alternate education program run by CHED since 1977.

From 2019-2021, CHED said that around 5,000 individuals were enrolled in the alternative education program, with at least 3,000 students being able to finish their degree.

tained increase in its prevalence. It has so far spread to dozens of countries.

Also over the weekend, former adviser to the government on COVID-19 Dr. Anthony Leachon said he agrees with the authorities to give people the right to choose whether or not to use face masks.

When people are informed, he said that they learn to take care of themselves and learn to adjust their behavior and habits, he said.

"We should continue to educate them since we are in the age of fake news , misinformation and disinformation. People are gullible and they are excited to go back to normalcy," he said.

"But nothing is easy. It will take time and patience. We just need to be resilient and strong," Leachon said.

of courage, integrity, and patriotism. That way, you will never lose your way,” Mr. Marcos said. “Live up to the precepts that define your class identity — namely, honor, excellence, and ability to recover — and help lead our nation towards the progressive and prosperous future that we all aspire for,” he added.

The President also reiterated his commitment to the AFP Modernization Program through important military asset acquisitions and upgrades. He said the government is also undertaking a comprehensive study to improve the social protection benefits for military and uniformed personnel.

Affidavit of loss enough for lost land titles DAR

By Rio n. Araja

LANDOWNERS and agrarian reform

claimants who have lost their certificates of land titles can simply present an affidavit of loss to be able to proceed with their transactions.

An affidavit of loss is enough for lost duplicate copies of land titles, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) said.

DAR’s regional and provincial offices can proceed with the registration of electronic certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) under the Support to Parcelization of Land for Individual Titling (SPLIT) even without the owners’ duplicate copies of land titles.

“An affidavit of loss will do,” Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Research Joey Sumatra said.

Sumatra, who is also the SPLIT national project director, advised officials to execute affidavits of loss and insert them as attachments among the documents required for the subdivision of collective CLOAs.

The presentation of affidavits of loss in lieu of the owner’s duplicate copies of land titles was recommended by Gerardo Sirios, administrator of the Land Registration Authority.

DAR is exhausting all means to expedite the processing of e-individual titles for distribution to agrarian reform beneficiaries, who are members of farmers’ cooperatives to whose names the collective CLOAs are referred to.

Previous DAR administrations preferred the distribution of collective CLOAs in their efforts to save time and beat the expiry date of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

The enormous job of distributing over four million hectares of farmlands to some three million beneficiaries resulted in the extension of the program’s land distribution component for another 10 years and, again, for five years.

US sets training seminars for PH English teachers

By Rey E. Requejo

THE United States will host a series of intensive training workshops for more than 100 English teachers around the country until May 26.

In a statement, the US Embassy in the Philippine said the program aims to enhance the mentors’ teaching methods and skills in the English language.

The workshops will utilize a “training the trainers” curriculum designed specifically for the Philippines by USsponsored English language specialists Donna Brinton and Jan Frodesen.

It is expected to benefit more than 7,000 teachers and 250,000 students in the Philippines by preparing participants to lead follow-on training sessions with colleagues in their local communities, the embassy said.

The program also shares information, strategies, and techniques that enable participants to train fellow educators in their home communities.

During the first two weeks of workshops in Manila, more than 60 teachers from academic institutions in Mindanao—including public high schools in Basilan, Sulu, and TawiTawi—received training.

PARK IMMORTALIZES

DOG HERO. Kabang, a mix shepherd-askal (asong kalye) breed of Zamboanga City, is honored with a dog park named after her at the 5th floor of the posh Hilton Manila in New Port, Pasay City. Kabang, who died in her sleep on May 17, 2021 at 13 years old, the equivalent of 91 years for humans, gained international recognition as a hero for saving two children from a potentially fatal motorcycle crash, but lost her snout in the process, and taken to the United States for surgery.

Angkas eyes 1m jobs for MC owners

THE motorcycle taxi app Angkas has raised a proposal meant to empower the country’s estimated 18 million motorcycle owners and at the same time generate one million new job opportunities.

The proposal, dubbed Motorcycle Nanoprenuer Digital Jobs Platform “opens new opportunities for motorcycle owners to utilize their vehicles for business ventures.”

Angkas chief executive officer George Royeca served as a resource person during a meeting of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) where the proposal was raised.

Inspired by Angkas’ proposal, the

Private Sector Advisory CouncilJob Sector Group (PSAC-JSG) has taken the initiative to propose the establishment of a Motorcycle Micro Business Program. This program aims to support and empower motorcycle owners who are keen on utilizing their motorcycles for business purposes. The support of PSAC-JSG members and drivers of MSME sector like Go

Negosyo chair Joey Concepcion, was deemed critical to the program’s success.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. no less, welcomed the proposal during a recent meeting with the PSACJSG last May 18, demonstrating the government’s efforts to strengthen public-private collaboration and help boost the country’s job generation.

It has been the President’s top agenda to provide dignified jobs for the Filipino and the Motorcycle Micro Business Program is an avenue to make this happen, the group noted.

The Motorcycle Micro Business Program seeks to empower the informal sector, specifically, motorcycle nanopreneurs, by generating

a million job opportunities for habal-habal riders while ensuring the highest safety standards.

Additionally, the program addresses the financial exclusion of unbanked individuals by offering secure cash handling and easier motorcycle loans, promoting financial inclusion and providing safety and financial protection for riders and passengers alike, the PSAC said.

Royeca, who reputedly champions the informal worker, thank the President Marcos for supporting the Motorcycle Micro Business Program.

He hopes the President can “fasttrack the development and empowerment of the motorcycle nanopreneur.”

Salceda cites bill on site-blocking pirated contents

ALBAY Rep. Joey Salceda on Sunday said Congress has approved a bill for site-blocking of online pirated contents, saying cyber-piracy would kill digital creatives sector without enforcement measures.

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading House Bill No. 7600, amendments to the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, which establishes a mechanism for petitioning that a website containing pirated content be blocked by internet service providers.

Army kills nine NPA rebels in Negros Oriental

By Charles Dantes

NINE alleged members of the New Peo -

ple’s Army (NPA) were reported killed in a series of encounters with soldiers in Negros Oriental, the Armed Forces of the Philippines - Visayas Command said in a statement on Sunday.

Elements of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) encountered NPA rebels during their follow up operation in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, leaving four sus-

pected NPA members dead, and two others arrested.

The clash in Barangay Trinidad in Guihulungan City lasted for about 20 minutes. The military said the NPA rebels were part of the Central Negros 1 under Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor.

The troops seized a number of firearms including one M4 Firebird rifle, two M16 rifles; one Cal. 30m handgun, three Cal. 45 pistols, 15 assorted

magazines; several assorted live ammunitions; four rifle grenades; one improvised explosive device (IED), and several IED components.

Originally, the skirmish started in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, where five NPA members were reportedly neutralized by the troops, and seven firearms were recovered.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command (VISCOM), commended the active support of the

“In practical terms, it allows the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines to receive complaints and petitions to take down infringed content posted online, or to conduct site blocking. The complaints can be heard in a simplified manner that also adheres to the constitutional requirement of due process – including means for appeal. And within five days, the IPOPHIL can decide on the complaint, and 48 hours thereafter, compel an internet service provider to block the offending site,” Salceda said.

“Once pirated content becomes viral, it becomes very difficult to prevent other users from accessing it. Copyright laws become impossible to enforce on viral content. So, the point of any intellectual property enforcement law in the digital age must be to prevent infringement before it becomes viral,” Salceda stressed. Rio N. Araja

PhilGuarantee to return idle 22.6 ha. to SBMA

By

Butch

Gunio SUBIC Bay Freeport – The Philippine Guarantee Corp. (PhilGuarantee) has agreed to return to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) 22.6 hectares of unused lands under an accord forged by the two entities.

SBMA chairman and administra-

tor Jonathan Tan and PhilGuarantee president and chief executive officer Albert Pascual signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and deed of dacion en pago at the SBMA boardroom on Thursday. Tan said the PhilGuarantee will cede leasehold rights over 14.6-hectare

of the El Kabayo Stables, 2.4 hectares of the Times Square Complex, and 5.6 hectares of the Triboa Bay lots, amounting to over ₱2,77 billion.

Tan said that the agreement was in partial consideration or settlement of the company’s outstanding obligations since October 27, 2020.

Belmonte tops performance survey on city mayors

QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte has topped a “comprehensive survey to evaluate the performance” of city mayors nationwide.

The groundbreaking research, dubbed “Boses ng Bayan,” was conducted by the RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD), cov-

ering a total of 145 city mayors across the country.

“The study scrutinized the effectiveness of city mayors across seven crucial categories, including service delivery, financial stewardship, economic progress, leadership and governance, environmental management, social services, and pub-

lic engagement,” said RPMD executive director Dr. Paul Martinez. Belmonte emerged on top of the list with an “unmatched” score of 94.35 percent, giving her the distinction of being the “most accomplished city mayor in the Philippines” for the first quarter of 2023.

Danny Pata

SBMA-PHILGUARANTEE DEAL. Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority chairman and administrator Jonathan Tan (right) and PhilGuarantee president and executive officer Albert Pascual close a P2.77-billion contract whereby the latter turns over its leasehold rights on 22.6 hectares of SBMA property under a dacion en pago arrangement. Joseph Muego

BINONGEY FESTIVAL. Anda town of Pangasinan marks its 164th foundation anniversary with a 12-day Binongey Festival meant to honor its former political and civic leaders—captains, presidentes, kapitans, municipal alcaldes and mayors—among them its first lawyer and youngest mayor David Canta and Don Tomas Canta, a philanthropist who donated lots for a school building, the town hall, and an auditorium, among others.

Pension-funded MIF set for OK

THE Senate is set to approve a version of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) that will reinstate the use of workers’ pension funds following the removal of such funds in the House version, the Makabayan bloc revealed.

In a statement, the Makabayan bloc also said the Senate version of the proposed fund increased the capitalization of the Maharlika Investment Corporation to P500 billion from P75 billion, with portions coming from pension funds, GMA News reported.

The bloc said the “wording” in the Senate version of the measure allows the reinstatement of seed funding from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Social Security System (SSS), and Pag-IBIG.

“We are dismayed that the Senate is choosing to disregard the widespread sentiment expressed by its workers in the private and public sector throughout the country for the government to keep its hands away from their pension funds,” the Makabayan bloc, quoted by GMA News, said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III meanwhile said the proposed fund “should not be forced.”

“I have studied it for a long time and have tried to dig what’s really in their minds, but still, I’m not convinced,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said while the fund is a state-initiated investment, it can no longer be considered a sovereign wealth fund because it was open to the private sector.

Pimentel also said he is “baffled” and does not know the intentions of his colleagues in pushing for the MIF.

He also warned against the economic dangers and further questioned the need for the government to enter into this kind of investment.

“We already have investible funds assigned to banks,” he said. “So why do we

Speaker assures passage of law to extend PH housing charter

By Rio N. Araja

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday assured the passage of a proposed law seeking to extend the Charter of the National Housing Authority which will expire in 2025 to help President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. build a million new houses per year to meet the country’s 6.15 million housing backlog.

“It is our commitment to ensure the success of President Marcos’ housing program that would bring a meaningful change and significant impact to the lives of ordinary Filipino people,” he said.

“The proposal will drive progress and address the need for decent housing of every Filipino family,” he added. He said his leadership is actively collabo-

rating with lawmakers and stakeholders to advance the measure’s approval.

Romualdez and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos have joined forces in calling for the extension of the NHA Charter in the filing of House Bill No. 8156 or An Act Strengthening the National Housing Authority, Extending its Corporate Term, and Amending for this Purpose Presidential Decree No. 757.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino program, which aims to address the country’s housing backlog by building decent and sustainable houses, is seen to benefit around 30 million Filipinos through the construction of 6.15 million housing units within six years.

need to get it from the bank? It’s dangerous.”

He sounded the alarm that the Philippines will be indebted and the possible losses from the MIF. Pimentel also said there are still several issues in the MIF that should be considered.

LECHON FESTIVAL.

A colorful float is being prepared for the ‘La Loma Lechon Festival’ where hundreds of roasted pigs will be paraded. The festival is making a comeback after three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Manny Palmero

Chiz: Give 30% of seized assets to Ombudsman

By Macon Araneta-Ramos

SEN. Chiz Escudero has filed a bill to enable the Office of the Ombudsman to retain at least 30% of the value of ill-gotten assets acquired from the forfeiture cases won by the government against corrupt public officials.

He said the move will augment the financial resources of the country’s graft busters.

Under Senate Bill 292, Escudero said proposal hopes to give more funds to the Office of the Ombudsman to help its employees effectively perform their function and mandate.

At the same time, he underscored the importance of the role they play in weeding out corruption in public office.

“Funding is a major limitation to the Office of the Ombudsman when fulfilling its mandate of combating corruption,” he said.

The budget of the Office of the Ombudsman, he stressed pales in comparison with those allocated to its international counterparts. Consequently, he related that corruption goes unhampered eventually leading to massive losses in government revenues, further draining government coffers.

“This bill intends to augment the financial resources of the Ombudsman by giving it a share in any property forfeited in favor of the State under Republic Act No. 1379 or the Forfeiture Law; and thus increase its funding. This bill provides a mechanism wherein 30% of the value of forfeited assets shall be used as funding for the Ombudsman which will assist the continued progress of cases,” he added.

Pimentel also said he was surprised with the apparent “VIP treatment” the bill has been getting from the senators.

“I was surprised. Is this that important? Is this that earthshaking? This can be done on a regular phasing,” he said.

Escudero said institutionalizing the fixed percentage by amending RA 1379 will ensure additional funding to the Ombudsman and eliminate the need to reallocate funding from an “already stretched national budget.”

Solon supports plan to wean farmers away from expensive fertilizers

By Rio N. Araja

CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte is backing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s push for a balanced fertilization strategy involving the mixed-use of both biofertilizers or organic fertilizers and inorganic imports in farms.

The move is said to be a way for the government to finally wean farmers from decades of over-dependence on costly imported inputs that shrink their incomes and impair the environment.

“Freeing our farmers from the decadeslong chokehold of pricey imported chemical fertilizers in favor of the use of biofertilizers

or organic inputs is an audacious agricultural policy shift that should have happened a long time back, in order to boost palay productivity, raise farmers’ incomes and pull down rice prices while at the same time reversing soil degradation and fighting planet warming,” he said.

“It has to take a President who is concur-

rent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture to carry out this eco-friendly farming strategy, which makes sense as it will let him deliver on his multi-pronged commitments to modernize Philippine agriculture, slash rice prices, bump up farmers’ yields and incomes, nurture agribusiness and fight climate change,” he added.

Villar pledges more support for PH mango industry dev’t

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SEN. Cynthia Villar assured that she will continue to assist the local mango industry which produces the best-tasting mangoes in the world.

Villar, Speaking during the AANI Mango Industry Association Inc.’s two-day 19th National Mango Festival which started May 19, guaranteed that she will push for the industry’s development and promotion.

She currently chairs the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee.

The festival with the theme “Creating a Growth Strategies for the Mango Industry,” aims to promote the productivity, marketability, and viability of the country’s national fruit.

Villar acknowledged that the mango industry, which is composed of small farmers is not in organized plantation farms like the banana and pineapple industries.

Senate probe on Samal City power crisis

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SEN. Raffy Tulfo is calling for the investigation of the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (NORDECO) due to power outages in Samal Island which is now under a state of calamity.

Tulfo said it appears that NORDECO was the root cause due to negligence since the cooperative’s submarine cables are quite old. “They haven’t been replaced yet,” Tulfo said.

The antiquated submarine cable was installed 43 years ago, and it can no longer cover the entire capacity of the island, the senator said.

On average, the power outage in the area lasts 7 to 8 hours during peak load and 2-3 hours during off-peak daily. This has been going on since last year.

Lawmaker slams grid corporation for ‘gaslighting’

By Rio N. Araja

FOR SUSAN. Senator Grace Poe lights candles and offers flowers to the tomb of family matriarch Susan Roces at the Manila North Cemetery to mark Roces’ first death anniversary on May 20. Norman Cruz

COOK-OFF. Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval and food content creator Ninong Ry grace the cook-off battle, one of the highlights of Malabon City’s 1st Tambobong Cook Festival at the Malabon Sports Center to honor the city’s culinary heritage. Andrew Rabulan

Connectivity metrics for all public and private establishments

Across channels, e-commerce platforms, and social media applications were the most preferred channels of Filipino online shoppers.

Kuwait ups the ante

ACCORDING to the February 2023 report on internet usage in the Philippines published by STATISTA, improvements in internet infrastructure is driving the growth of internet users and considered as among the highest in the region.

The report said as of November 2022, “the average download speed of fixed internet in the country was 81.42 Mbps, while mobile internet had a download speed of 24.04 Mbps. 5G network has also been rolled out nationwide in multiple cities, further improving the country’s internet connection.

This means everybody inside an institution’s area of operations will have quality broadband access to all digital services they need to be productive

“In 2022, the average download speed of the 5G network was about 9 times faster than 4G.”

Filipinos spend an average 10 hours a day online, which is higher than the world average of under three hours.

The younger netizens are mostly logging in on Meta’s Facebook and Messenger, followed by TikTok and Instagram while the not so young (over 34 years old as classified by the report) are also doing social media stuff.

Since the pandemic, more access to the internet has made social media and e-commerce the go-to channels for online shoppers and has changed, I think even revolutionized, the Filipino consumers purchasing behavior opting for the convenience of using their devices to search and buy the products and services they need.

The report estimates by 2028 approximately 77.81 percent of the Philippine population will have access to the internet.

But if the government prioritizes investments in a nationwide expansion of digital infrastructure to make digital transformation initiatives happen, this can happen much sooner.

So far, the heavy lifting as far as investing to expand and upgrade the country’s digital infrastructure is being led by the private telcos.

Increasing internet usage also changed the shopping and banking landscape in the country.

This has led to the growth of e-commerce expenditures as more Filipinos were accessing a merchant’s website or shopping apps to buy products or services on any device.

I do consider myself as a heavy internet user and needing to be online practically 24/7 to keep track of work-related correspondence and like the 86.68 million mobile phone users (STATISTA May 2023), I also spend some time streaming video, and music for some entertainment.

The smart phone is the most important communications and productivity tool in this digital world but without the stable and fast broadband services to access all the digital platforms we need every day, all we can do with it is call and text, which we can already do using various messaging apps.

If the broadband connectivity is too slow or if there isn’t even any Wi-Fi signal, we are pretty much cut off and will need to physically look for a signal to reconnect with and respond to all the messaging tasks we need to do.

I’m sure you’ve been in this situation where you’re in a building and can’t go online because of poor internet connection and can’t log into that important virtual meeting or have annoyingly intermittent signals making even audio only conversations impossible.

This is a gap in our ongoing digital transformation journey that needs the involvement of all property owners in both the public and private sectors.

As telcos are aggressively investing to expand the reach of wireless and wired broadband services, there needs to be clear standards for all buildings and public spaces to have integrated facilities to provide connectivity for all tenants, workers, customers, and visitors in their premises.

Just as electricity and water are required utilities in the building code, all buildings should be able to provide access to broadband services on demand.

One way to push property developers to retool their existing buildings and ensure that new ones are digitally ready is to come up with a clear standard of rating internet services to reflect the actual speed and quality of digital connectivity available in an establishment.

A rating system being broached by the private sector is a “Connectivity Index Rating” that would be intuitively simple to understand, similar to the five-star rating system that hotels and resorts are using.

There shouldn’t be much debate about this as the clear direction is towards gearing up to become competitive and prosperous in the digital global market.

It is actually a big boost to the brand image of an institution, government or privately owned, to get a five-star rating in connectivity.

This means everybody inside an institution’s area of operations will have quality broadband access to all digital services they need to be productive.

Developing the metrics of the Connectivity Index Rating is a policy innovation that the President can initiate with the members of the Private Sectors of Advisory Council that I am sure can be crafted expeditiously.

This will force the alignment of broadband services to the volume of user traffic in all establishments.

How to cover Trump? CNN on defensive as media wring hands—again

NEW YORK—Donald Trump’s airing of falsehoods and insults in a prime-time CNN appearance triggered a deluge of criticism of the network, as media organizations once again grapple with how to cover the rulebreaking Republican seeking to win back the White House.

Thrust on the defensive, CNN pushed back Thursday, insisting the hour-long live “town hall” in New Hampshire was key to its “role and responsibility: to get answers and hold the powerful to account.”

But critics said it had merely provided Trump with a powerful platform to spread repeatedly debunked claims, attack a sexual abuse victim and praise violent rioters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021— all in front of an applauding audience and on national television.

During the broadcast late Wednesday, watched by more than three million people, Trump answered questions from registered Republicans and undeclared voters, with anchor Kaitlan Collins moderating and asking the 2024 candidate questions of her own.

The 76-year-old frontrunner for the Republican nomination repeated his false claim that the 2020 election had been rigged for President Joe Biden, which Collins pointed out was a lie.

Trump also said that if reelected next year, he would pardon a “large portion” of the hundreds of his supporters who have been jailed for their roles in the violent 2021 attack on Congress, to clapping from members of the audience.

Trump even insulted writer E. Jean Carroll, who won a sexual abuse and defamation lawsuit against him on Tuesday, as a “whack job,” with some in attendance laughing at the remark.

“There is simply no way CNN can feign ignorance about the fact that they set up a sexual assault victim to be targeted and attacked on national television a day after the verdict,” tweeted Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Criticism came from outside the ranks of

the Democratic Party as well.

“It’s hard to see how America was served by the spectacle of lies that aired on CNN Wednesday evening,” the network’s own media reporter Oliver Darcy wrote in a blog on CNN’s website.

WHAT should we make of the Kuwaiti government’s recent move to suspend the entry of OFWs to the Gulf State that has strained our bilateral relations?

It would appear this is nothing but a retaliatory act against the decision of our Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to stop the deployment there of OFWs, particularly household service workers, or HSWs, following the recent rape and murder of yet another Filipina in Kuwait.

What Kuwait seems to be doing is to force our hand and make us lift the ban on the deployment of HSWs that they clearly need.

Our HSWs keep the Kuwaiti economy humming by doing household work that would otherwise keep Kuwaiti families busy with daily chores.

And what was the official reason for their action?

The Kuwaitis apparently consider the shelter that our embassy has established there as an infringement on their sovereignty.

But the shelter, like others established in places where there is a big concentration of OFWs, was created by law so that our government can protect the rights and welfare of our workers who

We simply cannot compromise on the safety and welfare of Filipino nationals abroad, whether in Kuwait or anywhere else, because it is the duty of our government to ensure this

have encountered problems in their places of employment.

And yes, these shelters are there precisely to assist distressed OFWs who have been abused and mistreated by their employers.

The shelter in Kuwait, called the Migrant Workers Resource Center and also known as “Bahay Kalinga,” now accommodates a total 466 OFWs. That’s one too many abused

OFWs in one country.

Our Department of Foreign Affairs sent a team of diplomats to try to get the Kuwaiti government to rescind their order denying entry to OFWs.

The ban affected some 3,000 of our workers who had already spent considerable sums just so they could earn higher income in the Middle East than if they stayed here.

Unfortunately, the two-day meeting between the Philippine and Kuwaiti governments ended last week with still no resolution in sight.

It appears that Kuwaiti officials did not expressly demand the closure of the embassy-run shelters but only said that Kuwaitis should run such shelters.

Beyond this, according to reports, the Kuwaitis did not explain which provisions of the 2018 labor agreement between our two countries were violated.

The DFA deserves commendation for continuing to insist on the protection of our OFWs in Kuwait, which is part and parcel of its mandate and therefore non-negotiable.

We simply cannot compromise on the safety and welfare of Filipino nationals abroad, whether in Kuwait or anywhere else, because it is the duty of our government to ensure this.

Short shrift

SO MANY things happened last week in the benighted land.

On the political front, everyone was shocked when, on its Wednesday session, the leadership of the HoR suddenly demoted the former president who PFRM Jr. describes as an “invaluable asset” in his foreign trips, from her perch as Senior Deputy Speaker to one of a dozen deputy speakers.

Thrusting the knife deeper into the chest of the former president, her replacement was her kabalen, Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, who everyone in Pampanga politics knows to be not exactly friendly with the replaced.

One of the deputy speakers intimated to my source that they were called to a conference just before the session started, and were told that the former president will be replaced that evening. No explanations were given. Everyone was shocked, but just kept their mouths shut.

And so the decapitation proceeded without a hitch.

Speculation is that the Speaker learned of a coup plot against him instigated by the former president, which she of course denied. So the Speaker decided to make short shrift of her eminent position, recalling how she did it to Pantaleon Alvarez with utmost stealth in 2018.

The funniest post-facto explanation was given by the HoR majority leader who said they wished to “unburden” the former president of the heavy responsibilities of what in truth is a purely ceremonial function.

* * *

The day after, in a terse but well-written statement replete with such nice descriptives as “execrable political powerplay,” the vicepresident, who joined Lakas in late 2021, just before accepting to be the team-mate of then candidate FRM Jr. in what many say was a “match made in heaven” by the former president who was chairperson emeritus of the party, now gave short shrift to her membership.

The president a day later told us all not to read too much meaning into the tectonic political event, saying these things are “run of the mill” in the HoR.

So now we have a president without a political party of his own (does Partido Federal still exist, the one that Vic Rodriguez cobbled along with Tom Lantion in 2021?), and a vicepresident who is also without one.

But then again, who cares?

Like I always say, political parties are mere flags of convenience for personal ambition in this benighted land.

* * *

Expectedly, all the other parties coalesced under the Speaker reiterated their loyalty to his leadership and in the new seating arrangement at the HoR.

But of course! Nobody wants to lose chairmanships in the various committees, nor diminish their perks and their pork.

the oligarchs who rule the economy simply had to accept the new political order, where blood is thicker than water (naturalmente), never mind that their political stars were favored by the moonglow from Ate Glow when she was president for nine years, five months and 10 days, the second longest reign in our history after PFM Sr. who ruled the country for 20 years, one month and 25 days. There is no such thing as party loyalty in this country. There are only permanent personal interests.

* * *

Some over-analyze and say last week’s developments are a prelude to 2025 and even 2028.

The Cold War-Part Two, has begun, this time with most of Europe, the US, Canada and Australia on one side, and China, Russia, Iran, the Middle East and Central Asia comprising prospectively the other side

That’s the trouble with many of us who place politics over economics.

The common “tao” only cares about the price of rice and sugar, cooking oil and fish, sitaw at talong, baboy at manok, and the hindi mamataymatay na “pesteng” sibuyas (with apologies to Sen. Robinhood for borrowing his description of those who link the extension of the tax amnesty to the first family’s estate tax).

* * * Meanwhile, senators and other politicos want to nationalize NGCP because of “national security” reasons, while the Left habitually wants to nationalize every economic activity in the benighted land.

When it was an American and a Dutch company that controlled the extraction of natural gas in the Malampaya concession, nobody invoked “national security.”

When NGCP was formed during PGMA’s term, where 40 percent of the capitalization (perhaps more, who knows?) came from the state power firm of China, everybody applauded, and no one criticized the deal.

Now because we are back in the “loving” arms of mother America, our senators wave the flag, and blame the Chinese for our expensively insufficient power supply, after 20 years.

Why not ask what the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission to explain why we have such an “execrable” power situation?

How then do we attract foreign investments, not only in energy development but in every other economic endeavor with messages such as these?

Mercifully, the president gave short shrift to the senatorial knee-jerk, and cautioned against revoking the franchise of NGCP but focus on what ails the power sector.

* * * Elsewhere in the world, the G-7 summit in Hiroshima issued a communique where they launched a new initiative to counter what they called “economic coercion” and warned that these would fail.

And while it did not mention China explicitly, it was clear that they were referring to China, whose huge trade with them they want to curb.

Meanwhile, as if to pooh-pooh the G-7 summit, Xi Jinping hosted a conference in the ancient capital of Xian, with China’s western neighbors in Central Asia – the “stan’s” which are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

A bit of trivia: “istan” means home or place in the Turkic and Persian languages. So Afghanistan is a home for the Afghans, and Uzbekistan a home for the Uzbeks.

The sparsely populated region (75 million for all five countries) with a huge 400 million hectares of plains, high snow-capped mountains and lakes (compare that to the Philippines with 30 million hectares where 114 million reside), is rich in natural gas and oil, gold, silver, copper and other minerals, particularly aluminum, iron and coal.

Turkmenistan for one has the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world, and these Central Asian countries are also large producers of livestock, fruits, vegetables and grain, apart from cotton and fertilizers.

They became independent states after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and have become high middle income states except for Tajikistan which still largely relies on their migrant workers most of whom work in Russia.

China is expanding economic and security cooperation with these states, with a railway project that extends from Xinjiang to the Caspian Sea, from where it gains a footstep into Eastern Europe.

The oft-neglected region can also be a supplier of China’s hunger for oil and food.

So while the West and their Asian allies, Japan and South Korea were discussing the Ukraine fall-out and their redefinition of economic ties with China and Russia, Xi Jinping was expanding economic relations with its western neighbors after having consolidated ties with its south in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Cold War-Part Two, has begun, this time with most of Europe, the US, Canada and Australia on one side, and China, Russia, Iran, the Middle East and Central Asia comprising prospectively the other side.

Even ASEAN is divided into three groups: the pro-Chinese group of Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos; the non-aligned like Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei (although the latter is still closely linked with the UK); and the Philippines currently getting closer and closer to the embrace of its former American colonizers. Will Pax Americana end and Pax Sinica reign, and when?

CNN said in a statement carried by US media that Collins had “exemplified what it means to be a world-class journalist.”

“She asked tough, fair and revealing questions. And she followed up and fact-checked President Trump in real time to arm voters with crucial information about his positions as he enters the 2024 election as the Republican frontrunner.”

Darcy noted, however, that “Trump frequently ignored or spoke over Collins throughout the evening as he unleashed a firehose of disinformation upon the country, which a sizable swath of the GOP continues to believe.”

The New York Times described the broadcast—Trump’s first appearance since 2016 on a network he regularly denounced as “fake news”—as “a bracing preview of political coverage to come.”

* * * The parties, which are after all “owned” by

Forgotten lessons?

For many media organizations, outside the circle of conservative outlets sympathetic to Trump, it revived a familiar conundrum: how to cover the Republican frontrunner when so much of what he says is factually wrong and inflammatory.

“In a democracy you have to allow people to form their own independent judgments,” said Rutgers University journalism professor David Greenberg, who believes suppression is not the answer though he himself is critical of Trump. “It’s possible that people had forgotten how

Mag-isip isip naman sana kayo, maski paminsan-minsan lang.

appalling Donald Trump is, and that this could serve as a good reminder,” he told AFP.

But Matt Jordan, a media studies associate professor at Penn State University, said CNN had performed “a terrible disservice to the public interest” by airing “entertainment” and “not news.”

“Responsible journalism verifies fact before publishing it,” he told AFP.

It’s a familiar debate: back in 2016, some commentators accused media organizations of contributing to Trump’s election victory with disproportionate amounts of coverage.

“Has the media forgotten lessons learned

Hopefully, it does not happen with a Third World War preceding it.

from covering Trump in 2016?” asked a headline in the left-wing Guardian last month following wall-to-wall coverage of his historic court appearance on criminal charges in New York.

Many media organizations have ramped up their fact-checking teams since then but analysts point out that the extent and frequency of Trump’s falsehoods can make it hard to debunk them all.

“The terrible thing is that we’ve seen this show before, and we know how it ends. It ends with daily lying amplified because when a president says it, it’s news,” said Jordan. AFP

For many media organizations, outside the circle of conservative outlets sympathetic to Trump, it revived a familiar conundrum: how to cover the Republican frontrunner when so much of what he says is factually wrong and inflammatory

Domestic air travel surged 116% in Q1

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE domestic air travel surged 116.5 percent in the first quarter from a year ago on the back of strong demand at the start of the dry season, according to the Civil Aeronautics Board.

Data from the CAB showed that passenger traffic from January to March reached 7.06 million, up from 3.26 million in the same period last year.

The Philippines lifted most travel restrictions in the fi rst quarter to help

IN BRIEF

Grab releases P6.6m worth of refund

GRAB Philippines said over the weekend it has released P6.6 million worth of refund, and affected riders have until July 18 to claim the rebate vouchers via various channels.

The ride-hailing app said it took the “necessary steps” to immediately comply with the directives of the Philippine Competition Commission to notify affected riders of their unclaimed refunds.

“If you are one of these users, your rebate is waiting to be claimed via your inapp GrabRewards catalog,” Grab said in an advisory posted on May 19 which also included instructions on how to access the refunds.

Grab said some of its riders have yet to claim the three-year-old PCC-approved rebate vouchers.

“The reminders were also sent to users via in-app notifications, emails and SMS and were also posted on Grab’s social media platforms and published in major newspapers,” Grab said.

“Refund beneficiaries were likewise reminded that the rebates will expire on July 18, 2023, and unclaimed amounts will be remitted to the Philippine National Treasury per the PCC Resolution dated Feb. 2, 2023,” it said. Darwin G. Amojelar

Ortigas Land eyes P8-b sales from new condo

ORTIGAS Land Corp., a private real estate developer controlled by Ayala Land Inc. and SM Prime Holdings Inc., expects to generate P8 billion in sales from the newly-launched condominium project in the Ortigas central business district.

Ortigas Land assistant vice-president and residential business unit head Jenna Belardo said the 52-story Olin at Jade Drive offers 1,245 units priced between P6 million and P10 million each. Unit sizes range from 19 to 25 square meters for studio and 32 to 36 sq. m. for a one-bedroom unit.

The project, launched in April, was 54-percent sold out, while 671 units worth P5.5 billion were also reserved. Olin at Jade Drive is located along Exchange Drive in Pasig and is right across the Tektite Towers.

“The demand for property, despite market and economic changes, will likely be sustained due to finite land resources. Whether it will be used for personal purposes or as an income source, real estate is a worthwhile investment because housing will always remain a necessity,” OLC said. Jennifer Austria

DOE set to lead audit

of NGCP’s performance

ENERGY Secretary Raphael Lotilla said over the weekend the Department of Energy will lead a comprehensive performance audit of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines to help complete its delayed transmission projects.

“Our job is to make sure that we have the proper, called for a comprehensive study, audit that will be the basis for finding out what are the solutions for finishing these three major interconnection projects,” Lotilla said.

He said the Energy Regulatory Commission conducted the first financial audit in 2009.

“We’re going to do a more comprehensive study in terms of looking at the status of transmission lines, the nature of problems and what are the solutions to these,” Lotilla said.

He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wanted to finish the transmission projects to avoid a repeat of the recent yellow and red alerts.

“What is important is we finished these projects first and foremost. These are the ones that are going to free up stranded power, as discussed before because there’s 600 megawatts or even more that gets stranded in Bataan,” the energy chief said.

Lotilla said the ERC as the regulator would hold the full regulatory performance review, while the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. and the National Transmission Corp., as the counterparties to the concession agreement, would conduct a performance review. Alena Mae S. Flores

in the economic recovery from the pandemic.

Cebu Pacific carried the most passengers with 3.2 million, followed by PAL Express with 1.6 million and AirAsia Philippines with 1.3 million.

Cebgo and Philippine Airlines flew

454,858 passengers and 359,387 passengers, respectively.

International passenger traffic, on the other hand, reached 3.8 million in the first quarter. It said of the total, domestic airlines carried 1.83 million international passengers, while foreign carriers flew 1.96 million. PAL carried the most international passengers with 1.33 million, followed by Cebu Pacific with 230,895 passengers, Philippines AirAsia with 225,032 and Royal Air Charter Service with 41,767 passengers.

Meanwhile, domestic cargo traffic reached 59.01 million kilograms in the

first quarter, led by Cebu Pacific with 21.77 million kg. This was followed by PAL Express with 16.16 million kg., Philippine Airlines with 11.10 million kg., Philippine AirAsia with 7.56 million kg. and Cebgo with 401,628 kg.

Globally, the World Tourism Barometer of the United Nations World Tourism Organization showed that the sector’s swift recovery continued into 2023, with international arrivals reaching 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter. Asia and the Pacific accelerated its recovery with 54 percent of pre-pandemic

levels in the first quarter, but this upward trend was expected to accelerate now that most destinations, particularly China, have re-opened.

Some 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, or more than double the same period in 2022. In 2022, more than 960 million tourists travelled internationally, meaning 66 percent of pre-pandemic numbers were recovered.

International tourism receipts grew back to hit the $1-trillion mark in 2022, growing 50 percent in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel.

By Julito G. Rada

THE country’s balance of payments position posted a deficit of $148 million in April, lower than $415-million shortfall recorded in the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said over the weekend.

“The BOP deficit in April 2023 reflected outflows arising mainly from the national government’s payments of its foreign currency debt obligations,” it said in a statement.

PUREGOLD CONVENTION. More than 10,000 sari-sari store owners and trade partners troop to the World Trade Center on the rst day of the three-day Puregold Sari-Sari Store Negosyo Convention 2023 The event kicked o with the presence of Puregold president Vincent Co, Cosco Capital chairman Lucio Co, Puregold chairwoman Susan Co and Senator Imee Marcos who served as the event’s guest speaker. The event also marked the rst live appearance of Puregold’s o cial mascot for the Tindahan ni Aling Puring Program, which has over 800,000 members, composed of small and medium-sized enterprise owners.

Ilocos Norte’s onshore wind farms set to exceed 500 MW

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ONSHORE wind projects in Ilocos

Norte province will soon exceed 500 megawatts, a testament to the province’s strong wind potential, according to a Department of Energy official.

“We have around 400 MW [of wind projects] here in Ilocos,” DOE assistant secretary Mario Marasigan said.

Marasigan said wind projects in the province include ACEN Corp.’s three wind farms in Ilocos Norte: the 160MW Pagudpud wind project, the 52MW NorthWind project in Bangui and the 81-MW North Luzon Renewables in Caparispisan, Pagudpud.

Energy Development Corp. also owns a 150-MW wind project in

Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

“Ilocos has a huge wind potential. Even Ayala Corp. is looking for additional [capacity]. It might be to have more than 500 MW here Ilocos,” Marasigan said.

ACEN is developing the 70-MW Capa wind project and targets to get most of the wind turbines for the project operational within the next 12 months. It is also studying a possible expansion for the Caparispisan wind project.

“I think we are targeting 70-MW total expansion for the Caparispisan wind farm of North Luzon Renewables expansion,” ACEN president and chief executive Eric Francia said.

Both Marasigan and Francia said Ilocos Norte has more potential to

grow with the emerging offshore wind technology.

“I think that’s the next big opportunity in Ilocos. There’s still quite a bit of onshore wind opportunities, but I think the bigger opportunity is offshore, and the one constraint that needs to be addressed is transmission,” Francia said. He said the Northern Loop transmission project is critical “to really unlock the potential of the remaining onshore and of course, offshore wind in Ilocos.”

“Hopefully, that’s in the transmission development plans to really make the Northern Loop happen and to build it in such a way that it would harness all the potential here in Ilocos Norte,” Francia said.

CREATORS CRUISE.

2GO Travel, the country’s premier sea travel provider and a part of SM Investments Corp., sets sail with 119 content creators onboard for the 2GOKada

Creators Cruise, bound for a three-day voyage to Iloilo and Bacolod.

Tourism Promotions Board

Philippines chief operating o cer Maria Margarita

Nograles led the send-o ceremony aboard MV

2GO Masagana. Joining the event are (from left) content creator and host

Jasper Tiongson, Careless Music PH chief executive James Reid, Nograles, 2GO president and chief executive Frederic DyBuncio, Department of Tourism director for o ce of product and market development Paulo

Benito Tugbang, TikTok

Philippines head of public policy Toff Rada and celebrity 2GOKada

Bea Binene.

Stock market expected to advance this week after Bangko Sentral kept interest rates unchanged

By Jenni er B. Austria

THE stock market is expected to sustain its upward momentum this week amid strong indication of an end to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ monetary tightening. Analysts said the recent move by the BSP to keep interest rates at current level on Thursday supports the investors overall expectations of potential start of an easing cycle.

“The PSEi’s moving at a tight band in the 6,400 to 6,700 range for most of the second quarter hints at possibility price

breakthroughs; while technically the break could go either direction, strong positive catalysts can potentially propel the index closer to 7,000 in the medium term,” online brokerage fi rm 2TradeAsia.com said.

Investors, however, should watch out for profit-taking as they would want to lock in gains after the market has risen over the past trading days, it said.

The BSP last week kept interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities at 5.75 percent and 6.75 percent, respectively following the recent

downward trajectory of inflation and stronger-than-expected first quarter economic growth.

BSP Governor Felipe Medall said the central bank could maintain a “prudent pause” by keeping key policy rates steady in the next two to three policy meetings. He also hinted at the possibility of cutting the reserve requirement, which is the highest in the region.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the market was expecting a possible cut in reserve requirement as early as June 2023 as an option to ease monetary policy other

than a local policy rate cut.

Analysts said the pause on rate hike cycle would benefit the property sector, which was affected by cancellations because of successive rate hikes.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 86 points last week to close at 6,664 on Friday, with all sub-indices ending in the green, led by property and holding firms.

Foreign investors were net buyers last week by an average of P46.1 million, while the value turnover declined by 11.5 percent week-on-week to P4.68 billion.

It said despite the deficit in April, the cumulative BOP position registered a surplus of $3.3 billion in the first four months, higher than the $79-million surplus recorded a year ago.

Preliminary data from the BSP showed that the cumulative BOP surplus reflected inflows that stemmed mainly from personal remittances, net foreign borrowings by the government and foreign direct investments.

The BOP deficit hit $7.3 billion last year, a turnaround from the $1.3-billion surplus recorded in 2021.

The gross international reserves level increased to $101.8 billion as of endApril from $101.5 billion as of endMarch. The latest GIR level represented a more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.6 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

It was also about 6.0 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.1 times based on residual maturity.

BOP is the difference in total value between payments into and out of a country over a period.

The BSP adjusted its BOP deficit forecast this year to $1.6 billion from a previous assumption of a $5.4-billion deficit.

Car manufacturers support extension of incentives program

By Othel V. Campos

CAR manufacturers welcomed the government’s extension of the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy program for another five years.

“The extension of the CARS program is a very welcome development. The auto industry expresses its appreciation to the current administration for continuing the government’s strong support to the industry particularly the auto manufacturing sector,” said Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. president and Toyota Motor Philippines first vice president Rommel Gutierrez.

The extension, approved by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., seeks to sustain the gains in local automotive manufacturing and encourage more automotive firms to set up assembly and manufacturing operations in the Philippines.

“CARS program is a significant government support as it helps the industry, among others, maintain and promote employment not only to the manufacturers but also parts suppliers and other allied industries. With continued industry-government collaboration, we can further attract more investments for auto manufacturing which is a significant contributor to the Philippine economy,” Gutierrez said.

The program is a result of the Industry Roadmapping Project launched by the Board of Investments in 2012. Under Executive Order No. 182, the thrust of the program is to provide time-bound and output- or performance-based fiscal support to attract strategic investments in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and parts.

BOP position yielded $148-m deficit in April

UN outlines roadmap to slash global plastic pollution by 80%

PLASTIC pollution could drop by 80 percent by 2040 if countries and companies make deep policy and market shifts using existing technologies, a new report by UN Environment Program said.

The report, released ahead of a second round of negotiations in Paris on a global agreement to beat plastic pollution, outlines the magnitude and nature of the changes required to end plastic pollution and create a circular economy.

UNEP is the global champion for the environment with programmes focusing on sustainable development, climate, bi...

“The way we produce, use and dispose of plastics is polluting ecosystems, creating risks for human health and destabilizing the climate,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP executive director. “This UNEP report lays out a roadmap to dramatically reduce these risks through adopting a circular approach that keeps plastics out of ecosystems, out of our bodies and in the economy. If we follow this roadmap, including in negotiations on the plastic pollution deal, we can deliver major economic, social and environmental wins.”

The report recommended the elimination of problematic and unnecessary plastics to reduce the size of the problem in order to cut pollution by 80 percent globally by 2040. The report calls for three market shifts—reuse, recycle and reorient and

SMC aids corn farmers, buys over P23.9-b worth of crops

SAN Miguel Corp., through food unit San Miguel Foods, has purchased over 1.3 million metric tons of corn amounting to P23.9 billion from farmers nationwide since 2020 to date.

The purchase is part of the company’s initiative to source raw materials for its food products directly from local growers to help boost farm incomes, reduce the country’s dependence on imports and help achieve food selfsufficiency.

The program, launched in 2020, is designed to benefit farmers from all over the country. Initially, it covers 13 provinces that include Batangas, Bicol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Isabela, Ormoc, Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Zamboanga, with plans to expand by the end of the year.

“Through this program, we are assured of local corn supply for our food business while our local farmers are guaranteed a steady market and fair prices for their crops. Buying directly from them boosts their income and keeps their livelihood sustainable,” SMC president and chief executive Ramon S. Ang said.

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, San Miguel Foods purchased over 500,000 metric tons or 500 million kilos of corn to help farmers in various provinces affected by quarantine protocols and supply chain disruptions that saw their produce going to waste.

Isabela province farmer Marjorie Gante said SMC’s local corn buying program had given her and her family a renewed sense of security.

“Because of San Miguel’s program, we’re no longer afraid to plant and harvest. We are assured that our products will go somewhere, unlike in the past when we would have to go to different places to find buyers, and even then, there would be no certainty as to whether prices would be good, or if we could get paid properly,” Gante said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, Emity Durog, who has been farming for 20 years, says the program saves them time, effort and resources, as they no longer have to travel to different towns to sell their corn.

diversify products. The report said promoting reuse options, including refillable bottles, bulk dispensers, deposit-return-schemes and packaging take-back schemes, can reduce 30 per cent of plastic pollution by 2040. To realize its potential, governments must help build a stronger business case for reusables.

It said lowering plastic pollution by an additional 20-percent by 2040 can be achieved if recycling becomes a more stable and profitable venture. Removing fossil fuels subsidies, enforcing design guidelines to enhance recyclability, and other measures would increase the share

of economically recyclable plastics from 21 to 50 percent. The UNEP report added that careful replacement of products such as plastic wrappers, sachets and takeaway items with products made from alternative materials (such as paper or compostable materials) can deliver an additional 17-percent decrease in plastic pollution.

The report noted that even with these measures 100 million metric tons of plastics from single-use and short-lived products will still need to be safely dealt with annually by 2040—along with a significant legacy of existing plastic pollution. This can

be addressed by setting and implementing design and safety standards for disposing of non-recyclable plastic waste, and by making manufacturers responsible for products shedding micro-plastics

The report said the shift to a circular economy would result in US$1.27 trillion in savings, considering costs and recycling revenues. A further $3.25 trillion would be saved from other effects such as health, climate, air pollution, marine ecosystem degradation and litigation-related costs.

The shift could also result in a net increase of 700,000 jobs by 2040, mostly in low-income countries, significantly

Source: UNEP

improving the livelihoods of millions of workers in informal settings.

The UNEP said investment costs for the systemic change are significant, but below the spending without it: $65 billion per year as opposed to $113 billion per year. Much of this can be mobilized by shifting planned investments for new production facilities –no longer needed through reduction in material needs–or a levy on virgin plastic production into the necessary circular infrastructure.

The report said a five-year delay may lead to an increase of 80 million metric tons of plastic pollution by 2040. UNEP News

Restoring forests holds the key to a sustainable future

PRESERVING the world forests will generate new jobs and mitigate climate change.

Revitalizing degraded forest is critical for meeting the United Nations target of increasing global forest area by 3 per cent, in time for the 2030 deadline. Doing so would also help countries create new jobs, prevent soil erosion, protect watersheds, mitigate climate change and safeguard biodiversity.

It is estimated that two billion hectares of degraded land worldwide could potentially be restored.

The sustainable management of the world’s forests took center stage last week at the UN Forum on Forests at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Forests cover 31 per cent of the Earth’s land area, contain over 80 per cent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and store more carbon than the entire atmosphere.

“Forests are one of Earth’s most valuable ecosystems,” said Li Junhua, Under Secretary-General for UN Economic and Social Affairs, at the opening session of the forum. “They also form a vital social and safety net

Source: UN

from some communities that rely on forests for food and income.”

More than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for subsistence, livelihood, employment and income. Some two billion people, roughly one third of the world’s population—and two thirds of households in Africa—still depend on wood fuel for cooking and heating. Woodlands play a critical role in tackling poverty, providing decent work, and promoting gender equality, all

essential for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lachezara Stoeva, resident of the UN Economic and Social Council, told the forum Forests and trees provide clean air and water and sustain people regardless of where they live. Zoonotic diseases account for 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases, and they usually occur when natural landscapes, such as forests are cleared. Restoring forests and planting trees are an essential part of

Key consumer trends emerging from food and beverage sector

KUALA LUMPUR―Tetra Pak, a world-leading processing and packaging solutions company, released key findings and insights from its full report, Trendipedia 2023. The annual global report monitors changes in consumer behavior, identifying and analyzing interesting consumer trends and opportunities for businesses in the food and beverage industry to take advantage of.

“The world is always evolving, and we continue to be faced with emerging new trends. At Tetra Pak, we believe innovation is the answer, and through a collaborative approach, we gather customers, industry partners and experts, to tackle the most challenging issues in our industry,” said John Jose, marketing director of Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.

“We remain committed in playing our part to develop breakthrough solutions that will help shape a more sustainable tomorrow for people on our planet. The Trendipedia report holds many insights that can help our customers improve any dimension of their business and drive performance,” he said.

In the post-pandemic times, many have seen macro-level changes resulting in supply chain disruptions, pricing increases from inflation and labor shortages that have caused businesses to scale back services. This has caused consumers to rethink and change their ways.

“These days, consumers are setting new priorities and standards regarding where and when they use their money impacting their spending habits. As a result, companies need to be more creative in attracting consumers to choose their products today,” said Billie Ing, Global Head of Trends and Foresight at Ipsos Strategy3.

According to the latest report, the main trends in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia are ‘Flexi-shopping,’ ‘In Control,’ and ‘Eatertainment.’

Flexi-shopping refers to consumers that are living with a flexible mindset, cutting back where needed but treating themselves occasionally, especially where there are perceived additional benefits around health or sustainability.

“Despite rising inflation, Southeast Asian consumers say that health benefits and natural ingredients are more important factors than price, in determining if the food or beverage is of good value. Here, the ready-to-drink (RTD) category provides consumers with a convenient, accessible, and affordable way to drink beverages. This category continues to be popular due to its convenience and health-conscious varieties, supporting consumers with healthfocused lifestyles,” said Jose.

The In Control trend refers to how consumers are using the way they eat and drink to bring a feeling of control to their lives. The choice of whether to indulge or moderate their consumption can help people take their physical health into their own hands. In recent times, consumers have been embracing plant-based options in their diet to support a healthy living, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down.

On Eatertainment, some are looking to be entertained as they dare to try new flavors, recipes and trends from cyberspace. The food community is filled with Gen Zs, gamified, and creative consumers, empowered by social media. In Singapore, 54 percent of millennials and 53 percent of Gen Z experienced virtual gaming and played immersive openworld video games2.

an integrated “one health” approach for people, species and the planet.

“Forests offer solutions,” Forum chair Zéphyrin Maniratanga said, encouraging greater engagement of forest communities in all related processes in climate action in fighting against desertification, land degradation and climate change.

Deforestation

One of the main causes of deforestation in Bolivia, for one, is the expansion of mechanized agriculture. Every year, the world continues to lose 10 million hectares of forests, an area roughly the size of the Republic of Korea. The world’s forests are at risk from illegal or unsustainable logging, forest fires, pollution, disease, pests, fragmentation, and the impacts of climate change, including severe storms and other weather events.

In the reforestation site of Merea, Chad, children are planting acacia seedlings for the future. In the past 50 years, Lake Chad Basin shrank from 25,000 square kilometers to 2,000 square kms. UN news

FAO commodity price index increased in April

ROME―The benchmark index of international food commodity prices rose in April for the first time in a year, amid increases in world quotations for sugar, meat and rice, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported last week.

The FAO food price index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of commonly-traded food commodities, averaged 127.2 points in April 2023, up 0.6 percent from March.

At that level, the index was 19.7 percent below its level in April 2022, but still 5.2 percent higher than in April 2021.

The FAO sugar price index rose 17.6 percent from March, reaching its highest level since October 2011, due to reduced productions expectations and outcomes in India, China, Thailand and the European Union caused by dry weather conditions as well as to a slow start of the sugarcane crop harvest in Brazil, along with higher international crude oil prices, which can increase demand for sugarcane -based ethanol.

The FAO meat price index rose 1.3 percent during the month, driven primarily by higher pig meat quotations, followed by poultry prices, which increased amid Asian import demand and production curbs spurred by animal health issues. International bovine meat prices also increased due to a decline in cattle supplies for slaughter, especially in the United States of America.FAO News

Jahns upbeat for ICTSI PH Masters drive

KEANU Jahns returns to Villamor with high hopes of scoring a breakthrough after falling short the last time out at the military course, free from injury that had sidelined him after yielding the ICTSI Villamor Match Play crown last December.

But with a strong finish in the recent ICTSI Luisita Championship, the 28-year-old Fil-German exudes confidence while gearing up for the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters, which gets going May 24 at the relatively flat but challenging layout in Pasay.

“I’ve always felt comfortable playing at Villamor, so hopefully I can have another good finish this year,” said Jahns, who upended a slew of fancied rivals to earn a shot at the crown in the inaugural Match Play Invitational.

But a wrist injury kept him out of play in the first five tournaments of this year’s Philippine Golf Tour, including The Country Club Invitational where he also placed second to now PGA Tour campaigner Tom Kim in 2019.

He marked his return with a joint 16th place finish at Luisita.

“I had an OK start at Luisita considering that the last event I played before was the Villamor Match Play and I only started playing again the week before the event due to injury,” said Jahns. “Luisita was a good test for me to see if my wrist would handle tournament week again and it did.”

That makes him a marked player in the upcoming P2.5 million event put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., given his length and patience that helped anchor his bid in the head-to-head duel.

“Yes, my length is definitely an advantage but I feel what it would come down to is approach and short game. If I am able to get closer to the hole with my wedges and short irons, I’ll have a better chance making birdies,” added Jahns.

A birdie-hunt is indeed expected in the 72-hole, stroke play championship given the elite field’s form coming off four highly-competitive battles in Bacolod, Iloilo, Caliraya and Luisita with TCC Invitational back-to-back winner Guido van der Valk and Jerson Balasabas, winner of the last ICTSI PH Masters in 2018, headlining the 66-player cast.

While a number of top guns are competing overseas, including Match Play and Caliraya Springs leg champion Tony Lascuna, Bacolod leg winner Ira Alido and Luisita titlist Miguel Tabuena, Angelo Que and Clyde Mondilla, the depth of the PH Masters field remains deep with Jhonnel Ababa, Reymon Jaurala, Michael Bibat, Joenard Rates, Jay Bayron, Marvin Dumandan and Iloilo stop champion Rupert Zaragosa all ready for a stab at Masters glory.

Knights aim for ‘4-peat’ with rookie-laden team

By Peter Atencio

SIX rookies have committed to play for the defending champion Letran Knights in their coming campaign in the 99th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

New Knights’ coach Rensy Bajar said this after confirming the decisions of Jonas Napalang, James Jumao-as, Shad Chang, Paolo Galvez, Ira Mañas, and Nathaniel Montecillo to join the Murallabased school its bid to capture a fourth straight NCAA crown.

“Masaya kami sa mga additions na ito. Importante sa amin na may mga bata kaming handang tumulong at makipaglaban para mag-contend pa rin kami dito sa Letran,” said Bajar, who added that the five will be able to suit up in the coming season.

Napalang is a 5’11” playmaker, who was the second-leading scorer for Uni-

versity of the Philippines Integrated School with 16.71 points.

Jumao-as is a versatile 6-foot winger for the University of Santo Tomas in their Final Four run in in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior cagefest last season. He normed 13.18 points, 4.09 boards, 1.91 assists, and 1.09 steals in 22 minutes for the Tiger Cubs.

The 18-year-old Chang is a 5’11” guard, who played as a starter in 11 of 14 games for La Salle Zobel with norms of 3.93 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.43 rebounds in 22 minutes.

The 20-year-old Galvez is a 5’10”

skipper from St. Jerome School of Novaliches, discovered when he led GameChanger Novaliches to the NCR Division Finals of the Ballout Founder’s Cup.

Mañas, 18, is a 6’3” forward from Australia with averages of 9.8 points, 4.8 boards, and 1.0 steal.

Montecillo, who came from La Salle’s Team B, is a 5’10” guard, who averaged 3.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. He will play for the Knights in 2025.

Letran is looking to maintain its dynasty under Bajar, who replaced Bonnie Tan.

Veterans Kurt Reyson, Paolo Javillonar and Kobe Monje are returning to lead the Knights’ campaign.

Letran scored a three-peat when it blasted College of St. Benilde, 81-67, in Game 3 of their NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball finals in December last year.

The Knights captured the league’s first three-peat since 2018 when the San Beda Red Lions made the feat in Season 94.

URCC 85: Chope wants to get back at Paule

INTERIM welterweight champion Will “The Kill” Chope aims for revenge when he takes on Filipino challenger Brian Paule in the Universal Reality Combat Championship 85: UNDERDOG at the DD Night Club in Tomas Morato, Quezon City on June 2.

After capturing the vacant interim URCC belt against aretired Filipino fighter Arvin Chan last December, the 32-yearold former Ultimate Fighting Championship outlasted his three next opponents in different fight leagues before returning for a fight in the country.

“Since winning the URCC title, life is the same and hasn’t changed at all,” said Chope, a three-time URCC champion, who sports a 41-19 win-loss record. “I still actively coach and train and fighting as much as I can.”

Paule, an expert in boxing and wrestling, has already defeated Chope five years ago via knockout in an MMA bout in Dipolog City. And he’s out to prove that his victory was no fluke.

“It’s a mission on my part to get the title back for the Filipinos, URCC title is for Filipino fighters. And I want to prove that I can beat him again,” the 33-year-old fighter from Bulacan said. “I know how he fights so my wrestling prowess will take care of him, so I can avoid takedowns.”

Chope, however, said he will be wiser this time, when they face again.

“Fighting Brian is just another fight. It is nice to win against him because I get to avenge my loss to him when we fought in an exhibition match in 2017,” added Chope, who is now based and training in Thailand.

“That bout was just for fun, he weighed a lot more. This time on June second, it counts as a pro. I am a lot bigger, weight wise and also a lot better, skills wise. I am excited to get back in the URCC cage and get another win,” Chope said.

Paule sports a combined 8-1 win-loss record in MMA pro and amateur bouts.

“I will get the interim title from him for sure,” Paule said.

MVP: Of golds, goals and good sports governance

DONNING a gray suit jacket and a casual shirt, businessman, sports patron, and chairman of PLDT Inc. and the MVP Sports Foundation Manuel V. Pangilinan came into the small studio at Cignal TV to have an almost noholds-barred conversation on “Thought Leaders” about his views on how sports, particularly basketball, can play a huge part in nation-building.

The multi-awarded executive has been recognized not only for his business acumen, but also for his contribution to nation-building through his advocacies, particularly in sports development. He serves as a leader in various sports organizations and as the chairman of the MVSPF, which backs 17 national sports agencies and hundreds of Filipino athletes – including those who represented the country in the last Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.

“I think sports evoke very deep and emotional sentiments on my part, whether it’s collegiate basketball or Gilas Pilipinas. It’s an entirely different feeling when you see the Philippine flag unfurling on the world stage,” Pangilinan said.

He also expressed his delight in the successful stint of the men’s national basketball team in retaking the gold medal in the SEA Games.

“It was a tremendous feeling of relief. And of course, I’m

very happy for Gilas and the country. It was a huge job that Gilas did, a magnificent one, especially after the defeat from Cambodia in the first game,” he said, recalling that he was in the middle of work when the game happened. “I was able to catch the first half of the game and had a board meeting after that. But we were monitoring the scores. Everybody cheered when they won,” he shared.

Aside from supporting Gilas and other national teams, the MVP group also supports three basketball teams and two volleyball organizations in professional leagues. In fact, the teams under the TNT Tropang Giga banner won three championships this year: 2023 3x3 Grand Slam Champion, 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup Champion, and the inaugural PBA Esports Bakbakan Champion. When asked what the other teams can learn from them, he answered, “At the end, it’s your passion, your determination, and will to win. Of course, you must have the basic talent pool and the level of skills to power you through to the championship.”

PGA leader Koepka gets chance to ease Masters’ pain

ROCHESTER—Brooks

Koepka blamed himself for “choking” away the Masters last month after entering the final day with a four-stroke lead and 30 holes to play.

The four-time major winner, who squandered that lead and lost the green jacket to world number one Jon Rahm, will have his chance at redemption on Sunday at the PGA Championship.

Koepka fired a four-under par 66 for the second consecutive day on Saturday at Oak Hill to stand on sixunder 204 for 54 holes, one stroke ahead of Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Canada’s Corey Conners.

The American star, among those who departed the PGA Tour for the Saudi-financed LIV Golf League, said the hard-earned lessons of Augusta have helped him play well this week.

“I think that was a big thing for me,” said Koepka, who acknowledged earlier this week that he “choked” at the Masters.

“Learning what I learned at Augusta kind of helped today. I won’t do it again the rest of my career. That doesn’t mean that you can’t go play bad. You can play good, you’ll play bad, but I’ll never have that mindset or that won’t ever be the reason.”

Koepka has kept the lessons to himself but it clearly will change how he handles a lead in the final round as he chases his first major title since 2019 and his first since a major right knee operation in 2021.

Winning his first major since missing much of the past two years would be sweet, Koepka said.

“It would mean a lot,” he said. “To win one would be fantastic. Just got to go out and go play good tomorrow.”

Koepka would join Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only players with five major titles since 1990. He would have three PGA Championship triumphs, a career mark in stroke play exceeded only by Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

Koepka, a winner in last month’s LIV event at Orlando, has worked hard on conditioning in his comeback from knee surgery.

“I thought all I had to do was be healthy,” he said. “But having an off-season to bust mybutt and be in the gym every day, working on different recovery, it has been really good.

“Now it starts to look like a real knee, or as good as it’s going to look. I’m super pleased with it.”

Keanu Jahns exudes con dence after strong nish in the recent ICTSI Luisita Championship.

URCC co-owner/general manager Aleksandr Sofronov (middle) joins fighters (from left, top) of the URCC 85 card Shidjiroh Delantar, Dondon “Rugbiboy” Serrano, Allen Wycoco, Jerald Villarde and John Vallega, (from left, below), Dave Morata, Gemil Clarinio, Dan Ascano, Gerado Sismondo and Paolo Cruz during last week’s news conference at the DD Night Club in QC.

Catch Cathy Yang’s exclusive interview with Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan on Thought Leaders on Tuesday,

Bacolod, Nazareth U clinch seats in semifinals

BACOLOD Tay Tung High School and National U-Nazareth School extended their perfect runs with hard-earned victories against gritty counterparts to barge into the Final Four of the 2023 Shakey’s Girls Volleyball Invitational League Sunday at the San Andres Gym in Manila.

Bacolod needed everything it got to tame University of Santo Tomas, 25-22, 25-23, as NU-NS hacked out a 25-15-25-18 win over Far Eastern U-Diliman in the first set of the quarterfinal pairings.

Both squads were dominant in the sweep of their respective groups but met strong resistance this time in the knockout playoffs of the 16-team GVIL backed by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri and R&B Tea with the City of Manila as government cooperation partner.

Bacolod spikers encountered the bigger challenge as they trailed in both sets against the raging Junior Golden Tigresses before showing steely resolve behind Alexia Marie Montoro’s 11 points.

Jothea Marie Ramos and Mary Bontia contributed nine markers each as Bacolod, which topped Pool B, erased a 10-16 deficit in the second set to fend off UST, the No. 2 seed from Pool D.

“Medyo off kami sa simula. Off ‘yung receive, off ‘yung passing pati ‘yung blocking. Buti nakabawi kami sa huli,” said Bacolod mentor Ian Macariola, whose wards trounced Adamson, Kings Montessori School and Lyceum Cavite in the group play.

Earlier, Yesha Noceja and Celine Marsh hammered 12 and 10 points, respectively, as the Lady Bullpups shrugged off a shaky start to live up to expectations so far as the team to beat in the tourney also powered by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Toby’s Sports, Genius Sports and SM Tickets.

Kianne Louise Olango, who spearheaded their blowout wins in Pool A against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, La Salle Lipa and Gracel Christian College Foundation, added six for the reigning UAAP juniors champion.

“Semis na kami pero meron pa kaming mga kulang. Hindi pa kami ganoon ka-fluid, lalo na pagdating ng mga second set. Sa first, medyo okay na pero sa second, may hinahanap pa kami,” said NU-NS coach coach Vilet PonceDe Leon.

NU-NS will face the winner between Pool C leader California Academy and Pool B second seed Adamson while Bacolod clashes against either Pool D pacer Naga College Foundation or Pool A’s No. 2 team in La Salle Lipa.

The said four teams were still playing as of press time in their own quarterfinal duels to complete the Final Four cast.

All games of Shakey’s GVIL, in partnership with Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., (ACES), will be broadcasted live and on-demand through all social media platforms courtesy of Plus Network with CNN Philippines, Solar Sports and Tap Sports as TV partners.

No legs, no limits: Gurkha amputee scales Everest K

ATHMANDU, Nepal—Gurkha veteran Hari Budha Magar, who was almost killed serving with the British army in Afghanistan, has become the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Everest, a member of his team said Sunday.

“He reached the top of Sagarmatha at around 3 PM [Nepali time] on Friday. After successfully summiting the peak, he has now descended to the base camp, and will return to Kathmandu tomorrow (Monday),” Him Bista told AFP, using the Nepali name for Everest.

Magar, 43, lost his legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device in 2010 while on patrol in Afghanistan with the Gurkhas, a unit of Nepalis who

have fought with the British Army for over 200 years.

Two below-the-knee amputees have reached the peak in the past -- New Zealander Mark Inglis in 2006 and China’s Xia Boyu in 2018. Magar was fitted with prosthetic legs and aside from kayaking around the Isle of Wight climbed several peaks including Morocco’s Mount Toubkal as well as Ben Nevis in Scotland and Mont Blanc in Europe.

But the former corporal was prevented for several years from climbing the world’s highest mountain by a Nepalese law banning double amputees, and also blind people, from mountaineering.

Nepal’s top court quashed the law —which was not in place when Inglis climbed the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak—in 2018 under pressure from Magar and others.

“As long as you can adapt your life according to the time and the situation, we can do anything we want. There is no limit, the sky is the limit,” Magar told AFP last month before heading to the Everest base camp. On his website, his mission was promoted under the slogan “no legs, no limits”.

Kerley cruises in 1st 100m of season

YOKOHAMA—American sprint star Fred Kerley cruised to victory in 9.91sec in his first 100m of the season at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Japan on Sunday.

The 28-year-old Texan, who will attempt to defend his 100m world title in Budapest in August, was never troubled as he finished ahead of Australia’s Rohan Browning in second place.

Kerley clocked 9.88 in his heat to break the meet record in Yokohama.

He will face Olympic 100m champion Marcell Jacobs in Diamond League meets in Rabat on May 28 and Florence on June 2.

Kerley finished second behind Italian Jacobs at the Tokyo Games and the pair have not raced head to head since then.

Kerley has said he will aim for a 100-200m double at this year’s world championships.

He opened his Diamond League season with a 200m win in Doha earlier this month, clocking 19.92sec to finish ahead of fellow American Kenneth Bednarek.

He will race against reigning 200m world champion Noah Lyles at that distance in next month’s New York Grand Prix. AFP

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are mild and often treacherous Himalayan winds are typically calm.

Bigyan Koirala, a tourism department offi cial, told AFP that nearly 450 climbers have already scaled Everest this season.

Authorities have issued 478 permits to foreign climbers this year, with each paying an $11,000 fee.

Since most will need a guide, more than 900 people—a record— were expected to try to summit during the season, which runs until early June.

Nine climbers have already lost their lives this climbing season. AFP

Fin&Claw hands

Mandaluyong 1st loss

JAMES Jumao-As’ clutch layup in the final 9.0 seconds lifted Fin&Claw to a pulsating 87-85 decision over Mandaluyong Namayan last Saturday in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League 18-Under NCR Leg at the Central Recreational Facility in New Era, Quezon City.

Mark Llimet shone for Fin&Claw with 28 points, three rebounds and five assists, while Alexandrei Gazzingan added 23 points and six rebounds.

Jumas-As and Gabriele De Jesus also finished with 15 and 11, respectively as Fin&Claw improved to 1-1 and handed the Tigre their first loss in three games in the meet co-presented by SCD and Dumper party-list and

supported by J Project Clothings, MDC, Bluesky Advertising, NET 25, Wcube Solutions Inc., Hotel SOGO, and Converge.

Taytay scored a 71-66 victory over Batang Kankaloo in the other Metro Manila Leg tiff behind the trio of Thirdie Golez (16), Jashlie De Leon (12) and Asi Placido (10) that powered the Builders to a 2-0 start.

Batang Kankaloo slipped to 1-1.

In the Luzon Leg, Bagong Cabuyao tripped Calamba 77-69 to rise to 2-1 while dropping its victims to 1-2.

Over at the Cebu City Sports Institute, Consolacion (5-2) nipped Basak Where I Belong (0-4) 88-86, while GM Seafront (3-2) whipped Sherilin Khalifa City of Naga (5-1) 84-70.

Bataan thwarts Quezon; San Juan, Caloocan win

THE Bataan Risers dropped a closing 7-point salvo, the last four by James Castro, and bested the Quezon Huskers, 6461, on Saturday in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Bataan People’s Center in the City of Balanga.

With Quezon ahead, 61-57, following a twohanded slam by Ximone Sandagon, Bataan countered with a 3-point play by Jamil Gabawan, followed by a fastbreak drive by Castro, who sealed the count with two free throws, only 7.2 seconds to go.

Bataan leveled its record to 5-5 in the elimination round of the 29-team tournament while handing Quezon its third straight defeat after opening its campaign with seven straight wins.

Castro wound up with 11 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for Bataan, which drew 10 points from Kris Torrado, who went

scoreless and committed a bad pass in the fourth quarter, and 9 points plus 9 rebounds from Gabawan.

Quezon had one final chance to force overtime, but Mon Abundo missed a triple try with 4 seconds to go and Castro collared the defensive rebound to snap Bataan’s twogame slide.

Raffy Verano, who also missed a triple attempt with 11 seconds left, posted 16 points and 7 rebounds for Quezon, which is sorely missing the services of big man Will Gozum. Only RJ Minerva was able to provide scoring support for Verano with 10 as top gunners Jeric Teng and Alfrancis Tamsi were held to 3 points each.

Earlier games saw the San Juan Knights trounce the Negros Muscovados, 73-66, and the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo subdue the

Makati OKBet-Kings,

76-72.

San Juan climbed to 7-2 as it led wire-towire and as far as 70-5 behind the 18 points of AC Soberano and 10 each from Orlan Wamar, Marwin Taywan and Michael Calisaan, who also snagged 13 rebounds.

Negros tumbled to 4-6 as only Mark Maloles and Robin Rono struck back with 13 points each.

Caloocan rose to 6-4 behind the 13-point, 16-rebound output of Gabby Espinas and 11 points each from Jeramer Cabanag, Reil Cervantes and Paul Sanga. Makati fell to 5-4 despite the 26-point effort of Rob Celiz and the 15-point contribution of Emman Calo.

The MPBL visits the Baliwag Star Arena on Monday with Imus battling Bacolod at 4 p.m., Bacoor clashing with Rizal at 6 p.m. and GenSan tangling with Bulacan at 8 p.m.

Gurkha veteran Hari Budha Magar poses during an interview with AFP in Kathmandu. Magar scaled Mount Everest on May 19, his public relation team said, becoming the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb the world’s highest peak ay 8,849-meter (29,032-foot). AFP

Bagong Cabuyao’s Carl Joshua Barrio

Gabby Espinas powers Caloocan past Makati.

Filipino-American singer-songwriter

Bruno Mars is set to hold a two-day concert in the Philippines this June 24 and 25

Improved traffic management promised for Bruno Mars' two-day concert at Philippine Arena

By Nickie Wang ORGANIZERS

have assured concertgoers that they are implementing measures to enhance traffic flow at the Philippine Arena, ensuring a smoother experience for Bruno Mars’ highly-anticipated concert.

“The concert experience is about to get better as organizers improve the current systems in place, such as traffic flow management and transportation,” said in a press statement sent to Manila Standard Entertainment

The Philippine Arena will play host to a two-day concert featuring Filipino-American singer known for his hits such as

Tiana Kocher’s bittersweet, intoxicating music

IF the mere mention of Tiana Kocher’s unique sounding name arouses your curiosity, please visit your favorite search engine, read and learn about the impressive credentials of the rhythm and blues chanteuse that currently makes the heart flutter with her bittersweet and intoxicating kind of music.

Belonging to a family that is involved in arts, music, performance, film, theater, and politics, the lovely Tiana has an angelic face, sparkling and twinkling eyes, a winsome smile, and a voluptuous Rubenesque figure.

Her voice delivers the perfect blend of emotions to the lyrics of the songs she performs—cheerful, dramatic, fresh, sentimental, and youthful. Whether it’s her original compositions or cover renditions, the stories within them come alive with crystal clarity.

During a recent media conference, Tiana showcased some excellent song samples. The opening number was “Bye, Boy,” one of the songs from her first EP. It’s a bouncy, catchy, and danceable tune that sweetens the bitterness of a failed romance. Coming in second was her cover of SUV’s massive hit, “Weak.” Tiana’s interpretation captures all the necessary emotions, along with a delicious sense of longing.

Third song choice, with an intriguing title of “Tired.”

“All my songs are based on my experience. I believe that for my audiences and listeners to enjoy it, they must believe in me, I must speak of my truth with the songs I sing,” she states.

“I wrote this one when I was 17, I am 24 now so, I want to believe it has been only a minute. What I want to say in the song does not mean I am tired of a relationship. There are many things that make me feel that way,” she goes on.

Tiana brings a unique emotional twist to her rendition of Britney Spears’ classic song, “Lucky.” Inspired by Yebba’s cover, Tiana resonates with the message of the song, relating to the idea that true happiness lies in the simplicity of life and the support of loved ones.

“Billionaire,” “Treasure,” “Leave the Door Open,” and “When

I Was Your Man,” to name a few.

Following the resounding success of the Summer Blast 2023 event, which drew in a staggering crowd of 120,000 attendees, organizers have announced the additional date of June 25 to meet the “overwhelming demand” from Mars’ passionate fan base. Born in Hawaii to a Puerto Rican father and Filipina mother, Bruno Mars has expressed his love for his Filipino roots on several occasions. He even extended help to Pinoys before, such as when he donated $100,000 to Yolanda victims in 2014.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Arena has become a goto venue for international concerts, drawing artists from around the world with its impressive scale. Additionally, the arena acts as a gauge for measuring an artist’s fame, as demonstrated by the recent concerts of Seventeen, Blackpink, and Harry Styles Seventeen was the first K-pop group to fill the Philippine Arena with fans. On the other hand, Blinks or fans of Blackpink went full force for their idols’ two-night concert.

For ticket inquiries and further information on Bruno Mars’ concert, visit https://www.livenation.ph/

PH’s pioneering interactive channel turns one

PINOY Interactive

Entertainment, or PIE, celebrates its first anniversary with a brand new season of exciting programs, immersive experiences, and innovative ways to win, aiming to captivate the hearts of KaTroPIEs nationwide.

Originally positioned as a TraDigital platform –a perfect blend of traditional and digital content – when it launched last year, PIE enters its second year as an interactive and rewarding platform where people can have fun while increasing their chances of winning by simply clicking on their mobile phones or engaging via the website. With each click or “pindot,” our KaTroPIEs can earn points, win instant cash prizes, premium items, and build meaningful connections and experiences.

As PIE celebrates its 1st “PIEnniversary,” it introduces its exciting new campaign: “Pindot PIEnalo.”

Alex Asuncion, the PIE Channel Head, explains, “Pindot PIEnalo means experiencing the thrill of winning with a single tap, press, or swipe on any device.”

The campaign highlights the diverse ways in which everyone can win by actively participating in PIE’s various programs:

Through interactive game shows like Sinong Manok Mo? (featuring Jolina Magdangal alongside “Ate Girl”

Jackie Gonzaga and Eric Nicolas), Matching! Matching!

(hosted by Nikki Morena and singer Kevin Montillano), Pak na Pak! (led by Vivoree, Aljon Mendoza, Anji Salvacion, Jeremy G., Igi Boy Flores, Sheena Belarmino, and Gello Marquez), and Ur Da Boss (headlined by Melai Cantiveros), KaTroPIEs have the opportunity to win instant cash prizes and premium items.

Viewers who actively engage in the PIE experience by registering, referring others to PIE, voting, sending reactions, and attending PIE’s events in barangays, malls, and tourist spots around the country are eligible to earn online points. The KaTroPIE with the highest points can win exciting prizes such as cash, vouchers, premium items, and unique experiences through the channel’s various game shows.

KaTroPIE experience.

Tiana considers herself fortunate to have a supportive family, particularly her mother Katrina Ponce Enrile, who guided her artistic pursuits. Tiana acknowledges that her talent and opportunities come from God. Despite facing challenges and contemplating quitting at times, she has grown wiser and appreciates the freedom she has as an independent artist to create the music she loves and make decisions on her artistic journey.

Additionally, KaTroPIEs can enjoy new experiences and forge meaningful connections through new programs like Kung Saka-Sakali (a reality show exploring life’s what-ifs, hosted by Ogie Diaz), Mga Kuwento ng Dilim (paranormal stories hosted by Charlie Dizon), The Chosen One (TCO): Kakatacute (an interactive series

starring actress-singer Angeline Quinto and comedian Chad Kinis), TCO: Chugi Night (hosted by Jameson Blake and Karina Bautista), SPG: Saktong Pang Gabi (a naughty evening talk show featuring comedian Negi, supported by MNL48’s Rans Rifol and actor Argel Saycon), and Para Sa All (a teen narrative headlined by Mutya Orquia this month). Exciting innovations like the recurring feature “KatroPIE of the Month” and PIE’s new website chat function have been designed to enhance the

The fun continues with on-ground experiences, bringing the “Pindot PIEnalo” experience closer to KaTroPIEs’ homes and neighborhoods. Stay tuned for more details on the Grand PIE anniversary mall show scheduled for June and new editions of “PIE-sta on Wheels” in a barangay near you.

The journey to more ways of winning begins at pie. com

has grown wiser and appreciates the freedom she has as an

Kocher concludes her special press conference musical set with another original composition, Westlife: “I wrote this song for about 30 minutes. This is an homage to California since I have been there for quite some time.”

GMA Network still the top choice of Isko and Iska

Kocher’s musical inspirations are mostly soloist, girl groups during the ‘90s and early 2000. She affirms that there is a big market for her type of music, which is R&B and pop.

Kocher’s musical inspirations are mostly soloist, girl groups during the ‘90s and early 2000. She affirms that Up

She does not speak Filipino fluently but understands it. The Filipino song she knows by heart is “Tadhana” by Dharma Down. She sings a few lines from its chorus and it receives an enthusiastic approval and applause from all.

Tiana expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to showcase her talent as a Filipino artist, singer, and composer, considering it her first major introduction to the music scene. She describes her music as relatable and honest, aiming to create her unique sound and have people connect with and sing along to her special songs.

Tiana also emphasizes her long-term commitment to her musical and artistic career, expressing her belief that she has much more to offer and share in the future.

Tiana expresses her gratitude for the opportunity her musical and artistic career, expressing her belief that

With her smooth vocals, sunshiny personality, and songs that make all of us feel the delights and dramas of life and love, Tiana Kocher, her music and artistry, we like and want more.

Araullo and co-anchors GMA Integrated News’ flagship

BROADCAST giant GMA Network remains the top choice of the Isko and Iska, proudly earning 20 recognitions across all platforms at the 17th UP BroadSoc Gandingan Awards held on May 13 at Dioscoro L. Umali Hall, UP Los Baños, Laguna. Leading the list for the network were broadcasts Atom and Melo del Prado who were conferred as Best News Anchor and Best AM Radio Program Host, respectively. Araullo co-anchors GMA Integrated News’ flagship newscast on GTV State of the Nation, while Del Prado hosts the morning radio program Melo del Prado sa Super Radyo on Super Radyo DZBB 594. Besting other nominees as Best Field Reporter was DZBB reporter Isa Avendaño-Umali Several programs under GMA Public Affairs were once again honored at the Gandingan Awards. Winning Most Development-Oriented Documentary was The Atom Araullo Specials: Mata sa Dilim . Hailing

Julie’s rendition of her hit song ‘Tayong Dalawa’ for ‘Limitless A Musical Trilogy,’ in turn, receives a Special Citation in the Most Development-Oriented TV Plug category

triumphant as well was I Juander , which took home the Most DevelopmentOriented Magazine Program. Hapag: Mga Kwento ng Huli at Ani, Reporter’s Notebook Election Special was recognized as the Most DevelopmentOriented Investigative Story.

Winning the hearts of Isko and Iska as well was the GMA Synergy-produced Limitless: Breathe, which won the Most Development-Oriented Musical Segment/ Program. The first leg of Limitless: A Musical Trilogy, Breathe saw Julie Anne San Jose traveling to Mindanao for musical performances that allowed her to explore the island’s hidden gems. Julie’s rendition of her hit song “Tayong Dalawa” for Limitless: A Musical Trilogy, in turn, received a Special Citation in the Most Development-Oriented TV Plug category.

GMA Entertainment Group’s Maria Clara at Ibarra continues to earn recognition, taking home a Special Citation in the Most Development-Oriented Drama Program category.

The network’s flagship AM and FM radio stations, Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! added more awards to their growing list of honors. Under the radio category, Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! prevailed as the Most Development-Oriented FM Station while its radio program Barangay Love Stories won as the Most Development-Oriented Radio Drama. Several radio programs of

DZBB were also hailed as winners including Saksi sa Dobol B as the Most DevelopmentOriented AM Program and Kurtesiya Na, Disiplina Pa as the Most DevelopmentOriented Radio Plug.

Online, Atom Letter from Tawi-Tawi received a Special Citation in the Most Development-Oriented Photograph / Photo Story category. On top of the General Awards, GMA Network reaped several Core Awards. Mel Tiangco was conferred the Gandingan ng Kababaihan and Susan Enriquez was given a Special Citation as Gandingan ng Kabuhayan. Earning a core award as well was Maria Clara at Ibarra, which was recognized as the Most Development-Oriented Educational Program.

GMA Public Affairs’ Born to be Wild:

Born to be Kings won Most DevelopmentOriented Environment Program, while I-Witness: Transnene took home the Most Gender-Transformative Program award. Completing the list of Core awardees was DZBB’s Anong Say Nyo: 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which earned the honors for the Most Participatory Program. This year’s Gandingan Awards follows the theme “Kabuhayan, Buhay ng Bayan” as it aims to emphasize the importance of media in advancing the rights of Filipino workers under an extreme economic crisis brought about by the pandemic and other factors.

Critics laud DiCaprio-Scorsese epic collab

THE Hollywood cavalcade descended on Cannes Saturday for the premiere of Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese’s Native American crime epic, Killers of the Flower Moon , which received rave reviews. The three-and-a-half-hour movie sees DiCaprio play alongside Scorsese’s other long-time muse Robert De Niro, and charts a wave of murders among oil-rich Osage Indians in the 1920s and the birth of the FBI.

After hours of waiting in the rain that has drenched the French Riviera town all week, fans went wild as the trio arrived for the premiere alongside several native Americans in traditional outfits.

Co-star Jesse Plemons arrived with his wife Kirsten Dunst, while Salma Hayek, Cate Blanchett, and Tobey Maguire were also present.

Based on a nonfiction bestseller, the film sees DiCaprio play a weak-willed man who marries a wealthy Osage Indian and is drawn into the deadly schemes of his kingpin uncle (De Niro).

Words like “searing”, “triumph” and “masterpiece” were bandied about by critics who managed to get their hands on a ticket.

IndieWire said DiCaprio gives “his bestever performance”, while The Guardian awarded five stars for a “remarkable epic about the bloody birth of America.”

There were some dissenting notes, with The Times calling it “a damp squib” and Little White Lies saying Scorsese “guts the story of anything that might sully the high seriousness of the subject matter”.

Killers of the Flower Moon, funded by Apple, was screening out-of-competition in Cannes. AFP

KROMA Entertainment CEO Ian Monsod (second from left) and Head of Broadcast Jil Go (second from right) with ABS-CBN Chief of Staff Connie Lopez (leftmost) and PIE Programming and Operations Head Alex Asuncion

Making her music relatable to listeners, Tiana Kocher finds inspiration from her experiences

Nickie Wang, Editor Patricia Taculao, Editorial Assistant E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Tokyo, Singapore top the list of Filipinos’ most sought-after travel destinations in 2023

By Nickie Wang

BASED on a comprehensive list of the most sought-after destinations for the period between June and August 2023 by Google Flight Searches, Tokyo and Singapore ranked as top travel destinations for Filipinos.

Tokyo, the bustling capital of Japan, entices Filipinos with its rich history, stunning architecture, world-class cuisine, and cutting-edge technology. Singapore, on the other hand, offers a blend of cosmopolitan living, iconic landmarks, and diverse attractions that attract Filipinos seeking a vibrant travel experience. Bangkok, Thailand, secured the third spot on the list, followed by local destinations Caticlan and Cebu. In the sixth spot is Hong Kong then Manila takes the seventh spot. In 8th place,

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, attracts Filipino travelers because it blends ancient traditions and modern trends with historical landmarks, dynamic street markets, and vibrant K-pop culture. Kalibo, in the 9th spot, serves as a gateway to the scenic landscapes and warm hospitality of the idyllic Boracay Island. Rounding off the list is Taipei, Taiwan, offering visitors a blend of traditional temples, bustling night markets, and a vibrant food scene.

Best time to snag a deal

A question that is often on everyone’s mind: When’s the baest time to book a flight? By looking at historical pricing data on Google Flights for trips departing

from the Philippines, prices have usually been their lowest at around four to five and a half months before departure, with average prices bottoming out four and a half months before departure. Good

news—there’s still time to find great deals on flights now. Asia is a hot destination

Nothing beats traveling in Asia, though, so our region is still the top destination for most of us here. The top countries Filipinos are searching for on Google are Japan, Thailand, the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. The strong popularity of the Land of the Rising Sun is undeniable, appearing 22 times in the top ten lists of countries we studied and topping seven of those.

With Japan, Thailand, and South Korea making up the top five countries, it’s no surprise that Asia Pacific is the top region for travelers, with 70 percent of the destinations they want to visit soon in the region. Of these, a third are in Southeast Asia, with Bangkok emerging as the top city, followed by Bali and Singapore – a sign that travelers are looking forward to sunny beaches, vibrant cities, and amazing food.

Travel picks up in 2023 Google’s data also found the top inbound travel in the first quarter of 2023—visits by non-residents to the Philippines were from the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates. And if you’re wondering where they’re heading when they visit, it’s probably one of these places: Sundowners Beach Villas in Zambales, Igorot Stone Kingdom in Benguet, Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati, and the National Museum of Natural History in Manila. These could make ideal trips if you’re thinking about domestic travel instead of flying abroad.

The breathtaking view of Marina Bay in Singapore

Fashion gala marks tourism’s golden year

Is SIM Registration mandatory for tourists and foreign nationals?

YES, both tourists and foreign nationals visiting the Philippines are required to register their SIM cards. This requirement is in accordance with Republic Act No. 11934, also known as the SIM Registration Act.

Last year, the Philippines implemented SIM Registration Act with the aim of curbing fraudulent and criminal activities associated with SIM cards such as phishing, scamming, and extortion. This law applies to all residents, visitors, including tourists and foreign nationals.

In a blog post on smart.com, the telco says that “It’s important to note that the registration process is different for Foreign Nationals residing in the country and tourists in the Philippines for a vacation.”

To register a prepaid SIM, you will need to provide essential documents and information, including your mobile number, full name, nationality, date of birth, and a selfie photo.

Tourism Secretary Frasco, at the end of the show, sharing the good news with the jampacked crowd of tourism stakeholders

IN CELEBRATION

Renee Salud with models (from left) PAL VP Ria Domingo, Okada Manila’s Cielo Reboredo, Megaworld’s Cleofe Albiso, Tourism Sec. Frasco, Deputy House Speaker Cong. Duke Frasco, Hotel 101 Group GM Gel Gomez, Chroma  Hospitality’s Carmela Bocanegra, and PATA Philippines Chairperson Pat Alberto

Tourists are required to present their passport, proof of address in the Philippines, and a return ticket or any document indicating their departure date. Non-tourist foreign nationals with other visa types must provide additional documents such as Alien Employment Permit or Alien Certificate of Registration Identification Card.

50 years of Philippine Tourism this month, the Industry’s stakeholders took a fashionable break from the daily grind and staged a glittering affair for a noble purpose.

of Industry’s golden year through at

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) - Philippines Chapter came up with an attractive way to mark the Tourism Industry’s golden year through a dinner event, PATA GALA - A Fashion Show with a Heart the Ballroom of The Manila Hotel.

The event gathered together the leading tourism personalities and put up a dazzling show that drew in an overflow crowd.

The main objective of the milestone event was to raise funds for the organization’s dozens of tourism scholars currently enrolled in various universities in Metro Manila. Moreover, the boatmen of Pagsanjan Falls, who lost their livelihood during the pandemic, will also benefit from this golden anniversary celebration because part of the proceeds will fund PATA’s skills upgrading programs to accelerate the boatmen’s recovery from almost three years of zero earnings due to the pandemic.

The dinner fashion show highlighted the beautiful creations of young artists from the Fashion Institute of the Philippines, Wear Your Culture Boutique, and of celebrity designers Renee Salud and Philip Rodriguez. A total of twenty models, all leading personalities in our Tourism Industry, showcased our country’s beautiful textiles and weaves.

The show opened with Philip Rodriguez’s designs worn by Tourism Promotions Board COO Marga Nograles walking down the ramp in an elegant baro’t saya with a boldly striped tapis and a matching parasol, followed by Bluewater Resorts VP Sales & Marketing Margie Munsayac in a daintily embroidered patadyong. PAL COO & President Capt. Stanley Ng captivated the audience as he walked down the ramp in a meticulously

Nicole Ledesma and Conrad Manila Commercial Director Joanne

Gomez

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:

attire.

The next segment featured the creative designs of Wear Your Culture fashion boutique which has become a favorite of millennials who proudly wear native-inspired attire. The male models in this segment all looked dapper in their youthful jackets which proudly displayed local weaves and textiles: Hotel

Olimpiada Steve Dailisan, Salud Group VP for Sales & Marketing

101 Global Senior Sales Manager Philip , Air Asia Spokesperson DOT Undersecretary Shalimar Tamano, and Civil Service Commission Chairperson Karlo Nograles

The show’s last segment featured the grand masterpieces and stunning ternos of Renee worn by PATA Philippines Chapter Chairperson Pat Alberto, PAL VP for Marketing Ria Domingo, Chroma Hospitality Group VP for Sales & Marketing Carmela Bocanegra, Okada Manila VP for Sales & Marketing

Cielo Reboredo, Hotel 101 Global Group General Manager Geraldine Gomez, and Megaworld Hotels & Resorts Managing Director Cleofe Albiso

The show’s finale was the entrance of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco escorted by her husband Deputy House Speaker Congressman Duke Frasco, each in an elegant Filipino ensemble also by Renee Salud.

As a fitting end to a celebratory evening, Secretary Frasco shared with the audience how the Industry has successfully hurdled all challenges brought about by the pandemic and is, in fact, ahead of its targeted foreign arrivals for this year, She later told the jampacked crowd of stakeholders that we are well on our way to experiencing

After saying farewell to his congregation before moving on to a new parish, the priest was approached by one of his parishioners who said she was sure the replacement priest will not be as good as him. Feeling flattered, the priest said, “Nonsense.” But the parishioner insisted, “No, really! I’ve lived here under five different parish priests and each new one has been worse than the last!”

once again the pre-pandemic volume of visitors that has made our Tourism Industry a major revenue source.

This first-of-a-kind fashion celebration for and by our country’s tourism stakeholders is the Industry’s biggest social event this year, and was preceded by Cocktails which featured wines from Le Cellier and craft beer from the popular Engkanto Brewery. A silent auction of expensive jewelry, de luxe tour packages, and international airline tickets was also held during the Cocktails. Of course, the customary raffle of valuable luxury hotel packages, airline tickets, and lifestyle gadgets was conducted, much to the delight of the eager crowd.

PATA is currently the biggest travel organization in the world, with a membership of close to 10,000 coming from 55 chapters in different countries. It traces its history back to 1951 when it was first established in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Philippines Chapter, with approximately 100 carefully selected members, has existed since 1973 and lays claim to being the only tourism organization in the country that has tourism schools as members, in line with its advocacy of developing the culture of tourism among our youth. Membership to and additional information from PATA Philippines Chapter may be obtained through the Secretariat 09563409010.

The highly successful celebration was staged with the full support of the Department of Tourism, Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority, Tourism Promotions Board, Distileria Limtuaco, The Manila Hotel, Magical Gems, PAGCOR, Henann Resorts, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Wear Your Culture, Deluks Turizm, Engkanto Brewery, and Infinite Travel. For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

For non-tourist foreign nationals subscribed to Smart Postpaid plans, a simple text message with “YES” to 5858 will suffice, followed by a confirmation message.

Registered SIM cards for tourists are valid for 30 days only and will be deactivated automatically after this period. To extend your vacation and keep your SIM active, you must submit an approved visa extension while your SIM is still active.

To register your SIM, you can visit the SIM Registration Portal, which offers a quick and convenient process. Once you have completed the registration and submitted all necessary documents, wait for an SMS confirmation.

Note that the deadline for registration is July 25, 2023. Failure to register by this date will result in automatic deactivation of your SIM card. New SIM cards purchased in the country will also require registration before activation. Unregistered SIM cards will not function, preventing text messaging, calls, and mobile data access. –

Nickie Wang

Wear Your Culture’s Alvin Degamo (second from left) with his models (from left) Hotel 101’s Philip Olimpiada, Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo

cards

The bustling and vibrant Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan

Nograles, and DOT Usec. Shalimar Tamano

Philip Rodriguez with his models (from left) Bluewater Resorts VP Margie Munsayac, PAL COO & President Stanley Ng, TPB COO Marga Nograles, and Civil Service Commission Chair Karlo Nograles

the City of Pasig (7th Revision), within the jurisdiction of Revenue District Office No. 43 – Pasig City, Revenue Region No. 7B – East NCR.

This Order is therefore issued to implement the revised schedules of zonal values of real properties for purposes of computation of any internal revenue tax due on sale/ transfer or any other disposition of real properties. The zonal values established herein shall apply provided the same is higher than (1) the fair market value as shown in the schedule of values of the provincial or city assessor and (2) the gross selling price/ consideration as shown in the duly notarized document of sale or transfer of real property. This Order shall take effect immediately.

BENJAMIN E. DIOKNO Secretary of Finance

RECOMMENDED BY:

ROMEO D. LUMAGUI, JR. Commissioner of Internal Revenue

DEFINITION OF TERMS RESIDENTIAL LAND/CONDOMINIUM PRINCIPALLY DEVOTED TO HABITATION.

COMMERCIAL LAND DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO COMMMERCIAL PURPOSES AND GENERALLY FOR THE OBJECT OF PROFIT.

INDUSTRIAL DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO INDUSTRY AS CAPITAL.

AGRICULTURAL DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO RAISING OF CROP SUCH AS RICE, CORN, SUGARCANE, TOBACCO, ETC. OR TO PASTURING, INLAND FISHING, SALT-MAKING, AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL USES INCLUDING TIMBERLAND AND FOREST LAND.

GENERAL PURPOSE RAWLAND, UNDEVELOPED AND UNDERDEVELOPED AREA WHICH HAS POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT INTO RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, ETC. MUST NOT BE LESS THAN 5,000 SQUARE METERS.

VICINITY MEANS AN AREA, LOCALITY, NEIGHBORHOOD OR DISTRICT ABOUT, NEAR, ADJACENT PROXIMATE OR CONTIGUOUS TO A STREET BEING LOCATED.

NOTES:

identified hence, no values recommended.

(1) NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION In the absence of specific values per schedule, properties forming part of and/or members of neighborhood associations (Kapatiran, samahan, etc.) shall be valued based on the actual location of the property per issued TDCs.

(2) NEW - New road/property classification/condos/t’houses were introduced/added either due to the presence of newly constructed res/comml. establishments, newly identified streets, condos & t’houses and/or projects/streets inadvertently omitted in the previous revisions. PROVINCE: NCR

thereto.

(4) PARKING SLOT (PS) - If no zonal value has been prescribed for parking slots, the value should be sixty percent (60%) of the established amount of the unit sold.

NCR

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 43 – PASIG CITY

classified as APD in this compound, hence new classification codes of properties for “RR” and “CR” were introduced/added.

shall be added thereto.

(4) PARKING SLOT (PS) - If no zonal value has been prescribed for parking slots, the value should be sixty percent (60%) of the established amount of the unit sold.

were introduced/added either due to the presence of newly constructed res/comml. establishments, newly identified streets, condos & t’houses and/or projects/streets inadvertently omitted in the previous revisions.

(3) The ground floor of a residential condominium shall be classified as commercial and twenty percent (20%) of the established value shall be added thereto.

(4) PARKING SLOT (PS) - If no zonal value has been prescribed for parking slots, the value should be sixty percent (60%) of the established amount of the unit sold.

PROVINCE:

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 43 – PASIG CITY

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 43 – PASIG CITY

(1) NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION - In the absence of specific values per schedule, properties forming part of and/or members of neighborhood associations (Kapatiran, samahan, etc.) shall be valued based on the actual location of he property per issued TDCs.

(2) NEW - New road/property classification/condoS/t’houses were introduced/added either due to the presence of newly constructed res/comml. establishments, newly identified streets, condos & t’houses and/or projects/streets inadvertently omitted in the previous revisions.

(3) The ground floor of a residential condominium shall be classified as commercial and twenty percent (20%) of the established value shall be added thereto.

(4) PARKING SLOT (PS) - If no zonal value has been prescribed for parking slots, the value should be sixty percent (60%) of the established amount of the unit sold. PROVINCE:

were recommended for this sub-classification, values instead were recommended for specific interior roads already identified per documentation. For other interior lots, established values of the main street/road used in accessing the property shall be used as the basis in valuation. A lower value may be recommended subject to approval by the TCRPV. * All Other Condo/T’houses (RC) - No condo/t’house identified per this bgy, no values recommended.

NOTE:

(1) NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION - In the absence of specific values per schedule, properties forming part of and/or members of neighborhood associations (Kapatiran, samahan, etc.) shall be valued based on the actual location of the property per issued TDCs.

D12

MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE Quezon City DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 027-2023

May 8, 2023

SUBJECT : IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REVISED SCHEDULES OF ZONAL VALUES OF REAL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF GENERAL SANTOS, (4TH REVISION); THE MUNICIPALITIES OF ALABEL, GLAN, KIAMBA, MAASIM, MAITUM, MALAPATAN AND MALUNGON LOCATED IN THE PROVINCE OF SARANGANI (3RD REVISION), WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF REVENUE DISTRICT OFFICE NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, REVENUE REGION NO. 18 – KORONADAL CITY, FOR INTERNAL REVENUE TAX PURPOSES. TO : All Internal Revenue Officers and Others Concerned.

Under Section 4 of Republic Act 10963, otherwise known as the “Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN)” Law, amending Section 6 (E) of National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to divide the Philippines into different zones or areas and shall determine the fair market value of real properties located in each zone or areas, subject to automatic adjustment once every three (3) years.

By virtue of said authority, and after the conduct of public hearing on December 14, 2022, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue has determined the zonal values of real properties in the City of General Santos, South Cotabato (4th Revision) and in the Municipalities of Alabel, Glan, Kiamba, Maasim, Maitum, Malapatan and Malungon, Province of Sarangani (3rd Revision), within the jurisdiction of Revenue District Office No. 110 – General Santos City, South Cotabato, Revenue Region No. 18 – Koronadal City. This Order is therefore issued to implement the revised schedules of zonal values of real properties for purposes of computation of any internal revenue tax due on sales/transfer or any other disposition of real properties. The zonal values established herein shall apply provided the same is higher than (1) the fair market value as shown in the schedule of values of the provincial or city assessor and (2) the gross selling price/consideration as shown in the duly notarized document of sale or transfer of real property. This Order shall take effect immediately.

BENJAMIN E. DIOKNO Secretary of Finance

RECOMMENDED BY:

ROMEO D. LUMAGUI JR.

Commissioner of Internal Revenue

DEFINITION OF TERMS

RESIDENTIAL LAND/CONDOMINIUM PRINCIPALLY DEVOTED TO HABITATION.

COMMERCIAL LAND DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO COMMMERCIAL PURPOSES AND GENERALLY FOR THE OBJECT OF PROFIT.

INDUSTRIAL DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO INDUSTRY AS CAPITAL.

AGRICULTURAL DEVOTED PRINCIPALLY TO RAISING OF CROP SUCH AS RICE, CORN, SUGARCANE, TOBACCO, ETC. OR TO PASTURING, INLAND FISHING, SALT-MAKING, AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL USES INCLUDING TIMBERLAND AND FOREST LAND.

GENERAL PURPOSE RAWLAND, UNDEVELOPED AND UNDERDEVELOPED AREA WHICH HAS POTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT INTO RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, ETC. MUST NOT BE LESS THAN 5,000 SQUARE METERS.

VICINITY MEANS AN AREA, LOCALITY, NEIGHBORHOOD OR DISTRICT ABOUT, NEAR, ADJACENT PROXIMATE OR CONTIGUOUS TO A STREET BEING LOCATED.

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO D18

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

REVISED ZONAL VALUATION – RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

GUIDELINES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ZONAL VALUATION OF REAL PROPERTIES FOR RDO NO. 110 – GENERAL SANTOS CITY, SOUTH COTABATO

1. NO ZONAL VALUE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR A PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION OF REAL PROPERTY.

WHEREIN THE APPROVED SCHEDULE OF ZONAL VALUES FOR A PARTICULAR BARANGAY -

a.) NO ZONAL VALUE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR A PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION IN A PARTICULAR STREET/SUBDIVISION IN A BARANGAY, THE ZONAL VALUE PRESCRIBED FOR THE SAME CLASSIFICATION OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE OTHER STREET/SUBDIVISION WITHIN THE SAME BARANGAY OF SIMILAR CONDITIONS SHALL BE USED; AND

b.) NO ZONAL VALUE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR A PARTICULAR CLASSIFICATION OF REAL PROPERTY IN ONE BARANGAY, THE ZONAL VALUE PRESCRIBED FOR THE SAME CLASSIFICATION OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED IN AN ADJACENT BARANGAY OF SIMILAR CONDITIONS SHALL BE USED.

2. PREDOMINANT USE OF PROPERTY.

a.) ALL REAL PROPERTIES, REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL USE, LOCATED IN A STREET/BARANGAY/ZONE, THE USE OF WHICH ARE PREDOMINANTLY COMMERCIAL SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS “COMMERCIAL” FOR PURPOSES OF ZONAL VALUATION.

b.) THE PREDOMINANT USE OF OTHER CLASSIFICATION OF PROPERTIES LOCATED IN A STREET/BARANGAY/ZONE, REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL USE SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR PURPOSES OF ZONAL VALUATION.

3. ZONAL VALUES OF CONDOMINIUM UNIT/TOWNHOUSE:

IF THE TITLE OF A PARTICULAR CONDOMINIUM UNIT/TOWNHOUSE IS -

a.) A CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE (CCT), THE ZONAL VALUE OF THE LAND AND THE IMPROVEMENTS SHALL BE TREATED AS ONE; OR

b.) A TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE (TCT), THE LAND AND IMPROVEMENT SHALL BE GIVEN SEPARATE VALUES, i.e. ZONAL VALUE/GROSS SELLING PRICE/FAIR MARKET VALUE PER LATEST TAX DECLARATION WHICHEVER IS HIGHER AND, IN THE ABSENCE OF ZONAL VALUATION, PROPERTY SHALL BE VALUED PURSUANT TO RAMO 2-91.

THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM SHALL BE CLASSIFIED AS COMMERCIAL AND TWENTY PERCENT (20%) OF THE ESTABLISHED VALUE SHALL BE ADDED THERETO.

4. AREAS FOR PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT (APD).

THESE ARE AREAS IDENTIFIED AS AREAS FOR PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT CERTIFIED TO AS SUCH BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (DHSUD). IF IT IS UTILIZED FOR SOCIAL HOUSING, IT SHALL BE CERTIFIED TO AS SUCH BY THE PROPER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, SUCH AS PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON URBAN POOR (PCUP, NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (NHA), ETC. SECOND SALE OF LOT IDENTIFIED AS LOCATED IN THE APD SHALL NO LONGER BE VALUED AS AN APD AND SHALL BE TREATED AS AN ORDINARY REAL PROPERTY.

5. DIVISION OF A BARANGAY IN THE EVENT THAT AN EXISTING BARANGAY IS DIVIDED INTO TWO OR MORE BARANGAYS, THE ZONAL VALUE PRESCRIBED FOR THE EXISTING BARANGAY SHALL BE USED FOR THE NEWLY CREATED BARANGAY

6. PARKING SLOT (PS) IF NO ZONAL VALUE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED FOR PARKING SLOTS, THE VALUE SHOULD BE 60% OF THE AMOUNT OF THE UNIT SOLD

7. INSTITUTION (X) THESE ARE AREAS FOR SCHOOL, HOSPITAL AND CHURCHES. IF NO ZONAL VALUE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED, THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF THE PROPERTY NEAREST TO THE INSTITUTION, WITHIN THE SAME BARANGAY AND STREET SHALL BE USED.

8. ZONAL VALUE OR FMV ESTABLISHED IN THE SCHEDULE OF VALUES OF ASSESSORS. THE ZONAL VALUES ESTABLISHED HEREIN SHALL APPLY IN COMPUTING ALL INTERNAL REVENUE TAXES (i.e. CAPITAL GAINS, CREDITABLE WITHHOLDING, ESTATE, DONOR’S, AND DOCUMENTARY STAMP TAXES) DUE ON SALES, EXCHANGES, OR OTHER DISPOSITIONS OF REAL PROPERTY. PROVIDED, THAT THE SAME IS HIGHER THAN (1.) THE FAIR MARKET VALUE AS SHOWN IN THE SCHEDULE OF VALUES OF THE PROVINCIAL AND CITY ASSESSORS (i.e. LATEST TAX DECLARATION) AND (2.) THE GROSS SELLING PRICE AS SHOWN IN THE DULY NOTARIZED DOCUMENT OF SALE OR EXCHANGE AT THE TIME OF SALE OR EXCHANGE. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THE VALUE OF PROPERTY TO BE USED IN COMPUTING ESTATE AND DONOR’S TAXES SHALL BE (1) THE FAIR MARKET VALUE AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE (i.e. ZONAL VALUES) OR (2) THE FAIR MARKET VALUE AS SHOWN IN THE SCHEDULE OF VALUES OF THE PROVINCIAL/CITY/MUNICIPAL ASSESSOR, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.