Manila Standard - 2023 May 26 - Friday

Comelec junks DQ petition vs. Tulfo as ACT-CIS nominee

THE Commission on Elections on Thursday dismissed a disqualification case against former Social Welfare Secretary Erwin Tulfo as nominee of the ACT-CIS party-list.

In its resolution, the Comelec Second Division said the poll body has no ju-

risdiction to act on the petition for disqualification.

“Under Section 4(b), Rule 5 of Comelec Resolution No. 9366, a petition for disqualification of party-list nominees must be filed at any day not

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Brace for ‘Mawar’ impact

PBBM orders agencies to prepare for

By Vince Lopez and Joel E. Zurbano

THE government is taking the appropriate steps as the country braces for the possible effects of Super Typhoon Mawar, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the public on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, Marcos said the government continues to monitor the situation and updates on the expected onslaught of Mawar as it moves closer to

onslaught of super typhoon

the Philippine area of responsibility after hammering Guam.

“We are preparing for its possible effects not only on the northern part of the country but also in areas that might be possibly hit by the typhoon,” Marcos said in Filipino.

Marcos said Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. assured him that the national government and local government units (LGUs) are ready to provide assis-

Congress okays 4 of 42 priority measures

By Maricel Cruz

THE 19th Congress has approved only four of the 42 priority legislative measures of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ahead of its sine die adjournment next week.

The House of Representatives already approved 31 of the priority bills, including the four that were also passed by the Upper Chamber.

Of the House-approved measures, 27 are still pending with the Senate.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has yet to respond to requests for comment on the legislative performance of the Upper House.

Of the four measures passed by Congress, the President has signed into law three: the SIM Registration Act, the bill postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to October this year, and the measure amending the law on the fixed term of military officials. The fourth measure that seeks to condone unpaid loans and their penalties ob-

Gov’t launches free paper ‘The Philippine Gazette’

By Vince Lopez

MALACAÑANG on

Thursday launched a free newspaper in a bid to dis seminate the latest infor mation on the projects and programs of the Marcos administration.

The first issue of "The Philippine Gazette" focused on the administration's housing projects.

It also featured stories on government initiatives to push for renewable energy, the Kadiwa ng Pangulo centers, and President's recent visit to the United States, among others. Communications Assistant Secretary Francisco Rodriguez III serves as editor-in-chief of the free newspaper.

select LRT-2 stations (Recto, Cubao, at Santolan);

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tained by agrarian reform beneficiaries is still waiting for the President's signature.

“We are proud of our collective accomplishment - 31 out of 42 and counting. As of today, we have achieved a significant part of our goal in less than a year of session,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said in a statement.

“I thank our colleagues for their hard work, as well as the various political parties in the House which have committed to support the passage

tance to areas where Mawar may wreak havoc.

“We made sure that funds and food packs have already been positioned, response teams are on standby, and LGUs are ready to assist the areas that might be hit by the typhoon,” he said.

Mawar has maintained its strength and its “much closer approach” to the Philippines, the 11 a.m. weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

Mawar was last spotted 2,065 km east of southeastern Luzon, packing maximum winds of up to 185 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

Moving west at 10 kph, Mawar may enter PAR by Friday evening or Saturday morning and will be given the local name Betty.

House urged to adopt Senate version of Maharlika Fund bill

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Julito G. Rada

SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri

on Thursday expressed hope that the House of Representatives will adopt the Senate version of the Maharlika Investment Fund bill, which he said would include more safeguards to avoid possible misuse.

While the House passed its version late last year, Zubiri said he hopes the Senate will approve its version by next week.

"We are accommodating the last few members who want to interpellate on Monday. Then we can open the period of amendments immediately after," Zubiri said.

Because the bill was certified by President Marcos as urgent, the senators

PNP adopts ‘one-strike, no take’ rule vs. gambling

By Charles Dantes

THE Philippine National Police reaffirmed its commitment to crack down against illegal gambling, which will be supported by a "one-strike and no take policy."

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda said order came as part of the orga nization’s partnership with the Phil ippine Charity Sweepstakes Office

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(PCSO) to stop illegal gambling across the country.

“We will not tolerate the existence of illegal gambling activities that prey

“Together with the PCSO, we will deploy all necessary resources and implement stringent measures to put an end to this

menace.”

“With this strong stance, the PNP aims to leave no room for leniency in eradicating the illegal gambling men

illegal men-

ace,” he added. Police officials found guilty of negligence or inaction in their efforts to stop illegal gambling in their area

‘Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’ Tina Turner, 83

TINA Turner, the growling songstress whose explosive stage presence electrified fans the world over, left an indelible mark on 20th-century rock with five decades of hits —first with husband Ike Turner, but most memorably as a wildly successful solo act.

the

The Black eight-time Grammy winner lit up the stage from the 1960s onwards—and won a new generation of fans in a stunning comeback after escaping her violent marriage, making her popular music's ultimate survivor.

Abandoned by her parents, Turner emerged from Tennessee's cotton fields to become the "Queen of

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Rock and Roll" who, according to music lore, taught Mick Jagger how to dance—and the Rolling Stones frontman led the flood of tributes Wednesday, following the super star's death at the age of 83.

in Switzerland, where she lived her final years with husband Erwin Bach, a former record label execu tive who was her romantic partner for three decades before they wed in 2013.

for free in

‘Jobless Pinoys down to 8.7m in March’

By Vito Barcelo

ADULT joblessness in the Philippines was down to 19 percent or the equivalent of about 8.7 million Filipinos who are unemployed in the first quarter of the year, according to the latest survey released by pollster Social Weather Stations.

While the figure was 2.3 points below the 21.3 percent in December 2022 and seven points below the 26 percent in April 2022, it was still 1.5 points higher than the pre-pandemic record of 17.5 percent in December 2019.

SWS defines the labor force as adults, 18 years and above, who are presently with a job as well as those looking for a job.

Brace...

From A1

Mawar is forecast to continue intensifying in the next three days and may reach a peak intensity of 215 kph by Sunday.

PAGASA said the typhoon's rain bands may bring heavy rains over Cagayan Valley between Sunday and Tuesday next week.

A tropical cyclone wind signal may be hoisted in the coming days, as strong to gale-force conditions may be experienced in most areas of the region, except for Batanes-Babuyan Islands area which may have gale to storm-force conditions.

Mawar may also enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western parts of Luzon and Visayas beginning Sunday or Monday.

Congress...

From A1 of priority measures determined by the President and the LEDAC and the House itself,” he added.

The Speaker said the measures “aim to support the President’s vision of keeping the economy on the high growth path and generating more jobs and income opportunities for our people.

House...

From A1 can approve it on second and third reading in the same week.

But Senator Francis Escudero said the proposed investment measure willnot pass before Congress adjourns next week unless the House adopts the Senate bill without going through a bicameral conference to iron out differences between the two bills.

Senator Mark Villar, principal author of the Senate version, said theDepartment of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Treasury have a lot of amendments that still have to be introduced as committee amendments.

"Will await a clean copy (of the bill)," he said.

On the other hand, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III saidhe will pose more questions during the interpellation period and deliver his “contra” speech before amendments.

On Wednesday night, during the interpellation of the bill, SenatorSherwin Gatchalian batted to exclude the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as a source of capital, noting that it has yet to achieve its full capitalization.

He said the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) are capable of providing the funds needed.

Escudero on the other hand, asked if the MIF will fund projects that cannot be funded by the General Appropriations Act. He also asked how the MIF could be profitable.

Villar answered that if a highway will be built, there can be a toll to earn money. A former Public Works secretary, Villar said the agency spends hugeamounts on the operation and maintenance of roads. If roads are fundedby MIF, on the other hand, there will be no need to get funds from the General Appropriations Act, he said.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, meanwhile, said it was a positivedevelopment that the President certified as urgent the Senate version of the Maharlika Investment Fund bill.

Gov’t...

From A1

PNR (Tutuban), and at the Manila North Harbor Terminal and Victory Liner Terminal in Pasay. Communications Secretary Cheloy

The survey was conducted from March 26 to 29 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents nationwide — 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Based on the results, the Labor Force Participation Rate was at 62.4 percent or 45.9 million.

Adult joblessness was highest in Bal-

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is anticipating that eight airports will be affected by Mawar.

Those airports include Tuguegarao Airport, Basco Airport, Itbayat Airport, Cauayan Airport, and Palanan Airport, according to CAAP.

Additionally, airports in Laoag, Vigan, and Baguio are also gearing up for possible harsh weather.

As of Thursday, CAAP Tuguegarao Airport assisted in the delivery of 1,000 boxes of relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) Region 2 through C-130 aircraft from Tuguegarao to Basco Airport in preparation for the coming typhoon.

In a message, CAAP Area Center 2 Manager Mary Sulyn Sagorsor said precautionary measures are being undertaken by Tuguegarao Airport for the coming super typhoon, such as clearing of water-

Measures that have been approved by the House on third and final reading include: Magna Carta of Seafarers, EGovernance Act / E Government Act, creation of the Negros Island Region, Virology Institute of the Philippines, Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, National Disease Prevention Management Authority or Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Medical Reserve Corps, Philippine Passport Act, Internet Transaction Act

He said this is the best possible time to establish the fund for two reasons.

“First, the Maharlika Investment Fund will strengthen the economy’sresilience through investment-led growth. This is especially pertinent now amid a possible slowdown in the world economy, which the IMF predicts will grow by a mere 2.8 percent this year,” he said.

He said while the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals are intact, the government must take advantage of robust instruments to cement the growth momentum through investments in strategic, economically viable, and highimpact infrastructure and other development projects.

“And second, this is an opportune time to take advantage of the ample liquidity of our government financial institutions, which have investible funds,” Diokno said.

In his letter to Zubiri on May 22, the President tagged as high priority Senate Bill 2020 or the proposed MIF bill. Certifying the bill as urgent will allow the Senate to forgo thethree-day rule as mandated by the 1987 Constitution between the proposed measure’s second and third reading.

In the Senate version of the bill, the fund’s initial capital will come from the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines, dividends from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp, and from the privatization of government assets.

The proposed Maharlika Investment Corporation will also be allowed to issue bonds.

There will also be limitations in relation to investments in real estate, which shall be limited to major capital projects, as endorsed by the National Economic and Development Authority Board, to ensure that these are in line with the government’s socio-economicdevelopment programs.

Other changes are new provisions with the forms of joint ventures and coinvestments on the issuance of bonds as well as to the board of directors to reflect nine permanent members, instead of the original 15.

Garafil said the Philippine Gazette would be a monthly publication.

"The newspaper will serve as a bridge to deliver to Filipinos information about the programs and projects of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,” the PCO said in a statement.

ance Luzon at 21.7 percent; followed by Mindanao (19 percent), Metro Manila (17.5 percent), and the Visayas (13.5 percent).

The survey noted that compared to December 2022 figures, the quarterlyjoblessness fell from 24.8 percent in Metro Manila, 23.1 percent in Balance Luzon, and 18.6 percent in the Visayas.

However, it hardly moved from 18.1 percent to 19 percent in Mindanao.

SWS added that joblessness stayed higher among women at 30.2 percent than among men at 11.6 percent.

“Compared to December 2022, joblessness fell from 15.2 percent among men while it hardly moved from 29.7 percent among women,” it said.

As of March 2023, joblessness was highest among the 18-to-24-year-olds

ways and canals and cutting or pruning of branches of trees near the Passenger Terminal Building, especially at the arrival area and other areas inside the airport’s premises.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said airport personnel are positioned and ready to implement necessary measures to safeguard the facilities and ensure the safety of passengers.

“CAAP-operated airports are often well-prepared in the event of flight delays or possible cancellations brought by natural calamities, and utmost care is usually provided to affected passengers,” he said.

In other developments:

• The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced it alerted all of its search, rescue and retrieval units for possible humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations

/ E Commerce Law, Waste-to-Energy Bill, Free Legal Assistance for Police and Soldiers, Apprenticeship Act, BuildOperate-Transfer (BOT) Law, Magna Carta of Barangay Health Workers, Valuation Reform, Eastern Visayas Development Authority, Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone, Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery, National Citizens Service Training Program, and National Government

Queen..

From A1

Long before she snowballed into a global phenomenon, Turner's early career – originally as a soul and R&B siren – was a roller coaster for the singer, who admitted attempting suicide at the height of Ike's physical and emotional abuse.

Tina fled Ike in 1976, dashing across a highway to escape during aconcert tour. Her divorce was finalized in 1978, and she was left with nothing but her stage name.

But the rock star dream still gnawed at her.

"How can I fill stadiums?" Turner wondered, in comments played during her 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

"I wanted it. I wanted to do what Jagger and all the other guys at the time were doing."

Those dreams were fulfilled, and then some, when she struck crossover gold with her 1984 album "Private Dancer," whose Grammy-winning smash single "What's Love Got to Do With It" propelled her to superstardom at age 44.

Four years later, she set the record for largest paying attendance ofa performance by a solo artist when her Rio concert crowd topped 180,000.

As a Black woman who embraced rock over 1950s doo-wop and 1960s Motown, Turner was a double outsider. But she wrote – and then rewrote– the rule book for women in the genre.

"A Black woman owning the stage all by herself: that's the dream right there," singer and rapper Lizzo said of Turner.

Turner sold more than 100 million records worldwide, according to Billboard, and paved the way for performers like Janet Jackson, Madonna and Beyonce.

"I never in my life saw a woman so powerful, so fearless, so fabulous," Beyonce told Turner from the Kennedy Center stage in a 2005 Tina tribute. "And those legs!"

Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock on November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee, and her sister grew up in a family of modest means but conditions worsened when they were abandoned by

at 36 percent, followed by the 25-to-34year-olds at 23.8 percent, those 45 years old and above at 15.9 percent, and the 35-to-44-year-olds at 11.7 percent. The March 2023 survey found joblessness higher in urban areas at 21.6percent than in rural areas at 14.6 percent. Compared to December 2022, joblessness fell from 21.2% in rural areas while it hardly moved from 21.3% in urban areas. This widened the urban-rural joblessness gap from 0.1 points to 7 points. The urban-rural joblessness gap was double-digit in only 10 out of 117 surveys since September 1993.

Joblessness peaked at 45.5 percent in July 2020. It went on a generally downward trend from September 2020 to December 2022, reaching as low as 18.6% in October 2022.

in areas that might be affected by the looming Super Typhoon Mawar. AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said vehicles and personnel are being prepared to assist in the mandatory evacuation of residents in vulnerable areas. Aguilar added that air and naval assets are also on standby for deployment for future aerial assessment, transport, and evacuation operations.

• The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is on red alert status and ready for the possible onslaught of Typhoon Mawar. MMDA chairman Romando Artes said the agency’s Urban Search and Rescue Team composed of 20 men trained in water search and rescue operations is now on standby to render assistance in road clearing, rescue and quick response, traffic management, and other operations to different areas in the National Capital Region

Rightsizing.

Also finally passed and sent to the Senate is the Maharlika Investment or Sovereign Fund bill, authored principally by Speaker Romualdez, which the President has certified as urgent.

Two more bills are scheduled for House approval on third and final reading: the Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act and the Philippine Salt Industry Act.

their father, and then their mother.

When the grandmother who helped raise them died, Anna Mae moved in with relatives in St. Louis, Missouri at age 16.

There she met Ike Turner, a guitarist and bandleader eight years her senior who had already tasted fame, having written and recorded what was arguably the first rock and roll record, "Rocket 88," in 1951.

She convinced Ike to let her sing with him.

When he scored a 1960 hit with her lead vocals on "A Fool in Love," he gave her the stage name Tina Turner, and the pair performed as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. By 1962, they were married.

From early on, Tina was the fiery, dominant presence, stealing the limelight with a blend of thick, textured vocals, haunting howls and mesmerizing dance moves.

The Turner oeuvre reflected their personal tensions: it included "I Idolize You," "It's Gonna Work Out Fine," and their most famous number, a 1970 cover of "Proud Mary," in which Tina purrs about starting the song "nice and easy," but finishing it "nice and rough."

Even as she exuded raw sexual power as a performer, her singing was tinged with a palpable vulnerability.

"You sing with those emotions because you've had pain in your heart," Turner told Rolling Stone magazine in 1986.

After leaving Ike, she toiled in Las Vegas shows, released modestly selling solo records and toured heavily in Europe.

But with the success of 1984's "Private Dancer," her metamorphosis from manipulated co-star to resurrected rock goddess was complete.

The next year, she was onstage at Live Aid in Philadelphia for a memorable encounter with Jagger, who ripped off Turner's black leather miniskirt midperformance, revealing her in fishnet stockings and a leotard.

Turner grinned and ran fingers through her lion's mane of hair.

"I know, it's only rock and roll but I like it!" she belted out.

She starred opposite Mel Gibson in a Hollywood blockbuster, "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome;" co-wrote a

PNP...

From A1 will be met with “swift consequences,” such as being relieved from their post and being charged administratively under the doctrine of command responsibility, Acorda said. Acorda said that the one-strike policy will be applicable to

Marcos seeks revival of PH-EU free trade talks

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday called on the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) and the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (ECCP) to push for the resumption of the negotiations for a bilateral Philippine-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“I believe that we can all agree that the timing and conditions are now quite ripe for us to solidify the long-standing and historically beneficial trade relations: through a bilateral Philippine-EU Free Trade Agreement,” Mr. Marcos said during the EU-ABC Annual General Meeting Gala Dinner in Makati City Thursday evening.

He said a bilateral FTA will be a "winwin strategy"for both the Philippines and the EU.

“Hence, I take this opportunity to call upon our friends from the EU-ABC and ECCP to actively advocate for the resumption of negotiations for this purpose, as well as to strive for fair treatment and more beneficial reciprocity.”

A Philippines-EU trade deal, he said, promises to achieve mutually beneficial economic goals while remaining consistent with the EU’s core ideals of sustainable development and environment protection, as well as with its strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Vince Lopez

Comelec...

From A1 later than the date of proclamation,” Comelec said.

“But the Petition for Disqualification against Erwin Tulfo was filed nine (9) months after the proclamation of ACTCIS, or on 1 March 2023. Thus the Comelec no longer has jurisdiction over the petition for being filed out of time,” it added. Comelec said said the petitioner, Atty. Moises Tolentino Jr., still has five days to file a motion for reconsideration.

Tolentino, in his petition, cited the “question of citizenship” and “conviction by final judgment of a crime involving moral turpitude” against Tulfo.

Both issues were earlier raised against Tulfo, then DSWD chief, by the Commission on Appointments, resulting in his failure to get the CA nod and prodding the President to appoint another Social Welfare chief.

best-selling autobiography, "I, Tina;" and was the subject of a feature film, "What's Love Got To Do With It" starring Angela Bassett.

In the revealing 2021 HBO documentary "Tina," an uncomfortable reality emerges: her past trauma had become a focus for interviewers, with thestar repeatedly asked to recount her life's worst moments.

Turner, who had embraced Buddhism and saw it as "a way out" of her dangerous first marriage, pointed to the faith as a catalyst for rejuvenation and stability.

She often swatted away probing questions, once saying reliving the past was like a "curse."

But personal hardships were impossible to ignore, including the violence from Ike.

"He used my nose as a punching bag so many times that I could taste blood running down my throat when I sang," she wrote in her 2018 memoir, "My Love Story."

In life after Ike, her concerts became glitzy spectacles – and she kept the highoctane rock flowing for decades.

A Wembley Stadium concert in 2000 saw a 60-year-old Turner holding nothing back, grinding across the stage in stiletto heels and her trademark leather miniskirt.

In 2008, she embarked on her Tina! - 50th Anniversary Tour, which grossed some $130 million.

The grande dame enjoyed her later years with Bach in their Zurich home and a vacation mansion near the French Riviera, although tragedystruck in 2018 when Turner's eldest son Craig, from her early union with saxophonist Raymond Hill, committed suicide at 59.

Ike Turner died in 2007, and his one child with Tina, Ronnie, died last year at 62 of complications from colon cancer.

In 2013, after marrying Bach and taking Swiss nationality, Turner relinquished her US citizenship – but the former president Barack Obama was among those who paid the most poignant tributes.

"Tina Turner was raw. She was powerful. She was unstoppable," hewrote. "And she was unapologetically herself -- speaking and singing her truth through joy and pain; triumph and tragedy." AFP

officers one month after they assume office.

Part of the efforts to eradicate illegal gambling is the mobilization of the Anti-Illegal Gambling Special Operations Task Groups across the country.

The specialized groups will employ their expertise through intel gathering, conduct thorough investigations and execute strategic interventions, fortifying the nation's fight against illegal gambling.

IN BRIEF

SSS: Disability claims can now be filed online

THE Social Security System (SSS) on Thursday reiterated that its disability benefit claim applications can already be filed online through the My.SSS Portal since January 2023.

SSS president and chief executive officer Rolando Macasaet said the provision of the online facility was part of their continuing compliance with the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Services Delivery Act of 2018 through the streamlining, simplification and automation of all its benefit processes.

“With the implementation of Online Filing of Disability Claim Applications under our Social Security Program, we are proud to say that we have finally put all SSS benefit and loan programs onto online platforms. Our members can access them at their convenience 24/7, without the need to visit our branches,” Macasaet said. Rio N. Araja

Calamba cops net P190m shabu in buy-bust raid

THE Calamba City police arrested on Wednesday two “high-value” suspects in a drug buy-bust operation that also yielded P190 million worth of suspected shabu.

The suspects were identified as Donna Mateo Gall, also known as “Madam,” 37, of Barangay San Pablang Nayon, Sto Tomas City, Batangas; and John Erwin Matol Cadilife, alias “Erwin,” 37, of Barangay Lechena, Calamba City, Laguna.

“The suspected drugs were being transported from outside Calamba, using it solely as a drop-off point. However, due to our extensive and comprehensive operation, we were able to apprehend them,” Lt. Col. Milany Martirez said. Roy Tomandao

Young traveler with fake docs disallowed to leave

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) agents have intercepted a young female worker who intends to work as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia, but presented documents indicating she was much older.

BI officers stationed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 1 interdicted the young passenger before she was able to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Jeddah.

Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that the girl, who was apparently victimized by an unscrupulous agency, presented documents stating that she is 24 years old. Vito Barcelo

CJ cites court sheriffs’ role in justice system

CHIEF Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Friday underscored the significant role of the courts’ sheriffs in the country’s judicial system.

“Without sheriffs, we would have no one to rely on to serve summons, to execute writs, to implement court orders, or to enforce judgments. Sheriffs matter -for without them, even the wisest decisions of our courts would ultimately be nothing but ink and paper,” Gesmundo said, in his speech before the 21st convention of the Sheriffs’ Confederation of the Philippines (SCOPHIL) in General Santos City until Friday, May 26.

“In your hands lie our efforts to enhance the justice system, to make it more speedy, more innovative and more accessible,” Gesmundo said.

He acknowledged the challenges the country’s court sheriffs were facing, but he assured them that “the Judiciary is focused on empowering sheriffs, and all court personnel, by giving them the tools they need “not only to function, but to excel to deliver the kind of justice our people deserve.” Rey

E. Requejo

EDCOM 2-BRITISH COUNCIL TIE-UP.

The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) seals its partnership with the British Council and Teach for the Philippines, led by EDCOM 2 executive director Dr. Karol Mark Yee and British Council country director Lotus Postrado. Present at the signing rite are EDCOM 2 co-chairpersons Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, Representatives Roman Romulo, Mark Go and Kiko Benitez, and Senator Sonny Angara.

BIR files P1.8-b raps vs. illicit cigarette traders

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday said it has filed 69 cases of tax evasion amounting to at least P1.8 billion before the Department of Justice against illicit cigarette traders who were caught selling untaxed, fake and smuggled cigarettes during the agency’s first simultaneous raids conducted last January 2023 in different parts of the country.

BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui said the government was losing around P50 billion to P100 billion due to the illegal cigarette trading which was supposed to fund health services and various government projects.

“The total exposure we have filed today, including the penalties and fines, amounts to P1.8 billion based on the

result of our nationwide raids that we conducted last January 25 against illegal cigarette [traders]. Again, it was the first ever nationwide operation in the BI history,” Lumagui said in a press conference.

Lumagui warned that the bureau would continue its campaign against illegal cigarette traders by conducting more raids and filing of criminal cases.

DPWH to build more rainwater collectors in ‘23

According to him, the BIR would focus on Zamboanga City and Pampanga which were considered “hotspots” for cigarette smuggling.

The BIR’s raids last January covered 378 stores across the country.

Lumagui said all the revenue regions of the BIR participated in the nationwide raids since the illicit cigarettes were considered a national concern of the BIR.

“After the first BIR nationwide raid of illicit cigarette stores and warehouses last January 2023, we are now filing 69 criminal cases against the possessors and owners for tax evasion. This is a warning against all illicit traders. The BIR will not only raid your stores and warehouse, we will also file criminal cases against you. This will not be the last,” he added.

GEARING UP FOR THE STORM.

In anticipation of the incoming super Typhoon Mawar given the local name “Betty”, Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval together with Malabon police chief Amante Daro and district director Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones conduct flood control inspection to ensure that the city is prepared to deal with any exigencies.

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on Thursday said it would build more reservoirs or rainwater collectors systems (RWCs) across the country to negate the harmful effects of both floodings and long dry spells such as the El Niño phenomenon.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan, in a statement, said “it is high time to provide RWCs in public facilities to help mitigate the impact of climate threats.”

“The rainy season and the threat of El Niño increase the demand to build disaster-resilient infrastructure that will be beneficial in harvesting rainwater intended for agriculture, commercial, and domestic use,” Bonoan said.

The RWCs were expected to enable the country to overcome challenges on water supply and flooding.

Bonoan directed all the regional and district engineering officials to secure the respective lists of proposed RWC beneficiaries.

“Using the list of proposed beneficiaries, we will be able to determine the total serving population that will be benefited by the project and reduces the daily burden of people in areas with physical water scarcity,” Bonoan said.

The DPWH has earmarked A P582.9-million for the construction of additional RWCs throughout the country this year, under the agency’s INFRAgenda 2028.

Among the regions with the highest allocations include Calabarzon, Bicol, and Western Visayas with P47.64 million each; followed by Central Luzon and Central Visayas with P44.84 million each; and P42.04 million for Eastern Visayas.

The budget for the remaining regions ranges from P25.22 million to P39.23 million each.

PH, US to construct 14 projects in four new EDCA locations

By Charles Dantes

THE Philippines and the United States are eyeing 14 projects on the four new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Thursday.

“On the new sites, identified na rin yung mga projects to be constructed in those areas. So we’re looking (at) mess hall, rehabilitation of runway, construction of additional billeting facilities, acquisition of generators, installation of electrical system, (and) construction of pier with water

DBM

supply,” AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said in an interview.

The four additional EDCA locations were the Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta. Ana, Cagayan; Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

Also included in the proposed projects are the construction of humanitarian and assistance disaster relief (HADR) warehouses, hangars with electrical and water facilities, billeting or barracks complete with amenities for personnel, and a command and control fusion system.

releases P25.16b for health insurance

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) stands to receive some P25.16 billion for the one-year health insurance premiums of more than eight million Filipino indigents, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman has approved the release P25.16 billion to cover the insurance premiums of 8,385,849 qualified indigents enrolled in PhilHealth.

Pangandaman approved the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for PhilHealth on Tuesday.

The DBM said the funding would be taken from the authorized allotments in the 2023 General Appropriations Act.

Pangandaman said the appropriation was part of the Marcos administration’s effort to provide af-

fordable health care for all Filipinos.

“President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mandated his Cabinet to ensure that Filipinos are provided with affordable health care,” she said.

“The pandemic has shown us the importance of a better health care system. That’s why we are striving to make it more accessible to our countrymen, especially the needy,” she added.

PhilHealth was mandated to administer the National Health Insurance Program, which aims to provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available, and accessible health care services for all Filipinos.

In February 2019, former President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act making all Filipino citizens automatically enrolled in the government’s insurance program.

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NOT A STICKUP. A woman holds up a 9mm carbine on display during the opening of the 29th Defense and Sporting Arms Show spearheaded by the Association of Firearms and Ammunition Dealers of the Philippines (AFAD) at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Thursday. Danny Pata

IN BRIEF

Win to ERC: Punish NGCP for delays

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to penalize the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for delayed transmission projects that adversely impact the country’s electricity supply.

“I strongly suggest to the commission to enforce fines and penalties so we can impose discipline on NGCP,” he said.

“We are not seeing discipline because a lot of projects are delayed,” added Gatchalian, referring to the delayed projects of NGCP that include backbone projects.

At a recent public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Gatchalian, ERC Chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta disclosed that the completion of about 66 transmission projects is currently delayed, excluding six projects of national significance.

“The bottom line is that the projects are delayed and what are the penalties involved because we can’t just let this go,” she said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Modern firefighting systems needed’

430 village chiefs on drug watchlist

By Joel E. Zurbano

AROUND 430 barangay officials allegedly involved in illegal drugs are now being monitored by the Philippine National Police (PNP) – and many of them are in Western Visayas, top cop Gen. Benjamin Acorda said on Thursday.

Acorda said some of these village officials are included in the PNP’s list of high-value individuals and street-level Individuals in the war against drugs.

At the same time, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on those who want to run in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections

Defiant Teves blasts 60-day suspension

By Maricel V. Cruz

SUSPENDED Negros Oriental 3rd dis-

trict Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. on Thursday denounced the March 22 decision of the House of Representatives committee on ethics to suspend him for his continued absence without a travel authority.

He tagged as “unfair and illegal” the decision of the ethics panel to suspend him, as his 60-day suspension lapsed on Monday, May 22.

The House ethics panel is set to impose next week a new sanction against him subject to a vote in Congress plenary session.

In a virtual press conference, Teves recalled a phone conversation he had with COOP-NATCCO Party-list Rep. Felimon Espares, the House ethics panel chair, where he questioned the supposed “collegial decision” to impose a 60-day suspension on him for his apparent neglect of legislative duties.

It took Teves, the suspected mastermind in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, a month to question publicly the decision of the House ethics panel to suspend him.

(BSKE) this October to take a drug test.

“One of the biggest problems is drugs. Maybe you should take a drug test. Show us that you are ready to serve. I am calling out to all candidates,” said Abalos.

By doing this, the Department of Interior and Local Governments chief said, the candidates can significantly con-

tribute to the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” or BIDA program, the revitalized anti-drug advocacy campaign of the government. As for the village leaders, Acorda said: “They are subject to intelligence operations. We are hoping that this will be reduced in the coming days. Hopefully, those involved would eventually stop. If not, they will be subject to police operations.”

The PNP chief told reporters this on the sidelines of the launch of the BIDA program in private sector workplaces in Quezon City.

Acorda said these barangay officials

have varying involvement in illegal drugs, where some are pushers, some are protectors, and others are financiers.

“But based on our update, there are more or less 430 barangay officials (involved in the illegal drug trade), many of them are in Region VI (Western Visayas),” he added.

Acorda urged the public not to vote for candidates who are involved in illegal drugs.

“I want to take this opportunity to appeal to voters not to consider candidates, who have involvement in illegal drugs, to become our next set of barangay officials,” the top cop stressed.

BIDA PARTNERSHIP.

First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos (second and third from left, background) join representatives of the top 20 corporations in the country after the signing of the memorandum of undertaking for the BIDA Workplace: Private Partnership Launching at Richmonde Hotel in Eastwood, Quezon City on Thursday. Manny Palmero

HERITAGE sites must be equipped with modern fire prevention systems, Sen. Francis Tolentino said Thursday in the wake of the blaze that gutted the historic Manila Central Post Office last Sunday.

“It’s about time that modern fire prevention systems as part of the National Building Code should be placed along heritage sites across the country,” he said.

“The lesson learned should be – these kinds of buildings are not equipped with modern firefighting devices,” said Tolentino.

He stressed that the Post Office fire should be a wake-up call for authorities to assess the current state of existing heritage sites in the country—including those owned by private individuals— since these historic structures are the silent witnesses of the Philippines’ glorious past. Macon Ramos-Araneta

AnaKalusugan posts 1-year health report

ONE year into its term, AnaKalusugan party-list group has vowed to remain focused on providing healthcare access to every Filipino.

In a summary report of the group’s accomplishment, Rep. Ray Reyes said AnaKalusugan conducted a total of 28 medical missions with more than 8000 beneficiaries across the country in the past year.

Apart from medical missions, Reyes said AnaKalusugan continues to push for laws and policies that will improve public health.

In the past year, AnaKalusugan Party-list filed 66 bills in Congress -- the most notable of which is House Bill No. 0430, which aims to provide free checkups covering blood chemistry and sugar once a year for every Filipino, he said. Maricel V. Cruz

With Cha-cha stalled, Robin to call for PSA, Maharlika bills passage

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

WITH Charter change or “Cha-cha” seemingly dead in its tracks, Sen. Robinhood Padilla said Thursday he would settle for amendments to the Public Services Act (PSA) and the passage of the Maharlika Investment Fund bill, which he hopes will bring in foreign invest-

ments into the country.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday certified as urgent the Senate version of the Maharlika Investment Fund Bill to ensure its passage before Congress adjourns sine die next week.

In his letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri dated May 22, Mr. Marcos tagged as high-priority Senate Bill

Rufus to ABS-CBN: Absorb laid-off Teleradyo staff

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE owners of media giant ABSCBN should absorb the staff of its radio channel Teleradyo into their surviving broadcast-related businesses such as the cable-based ABS-CBN News Channel or ANC, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Thursday.

He made the appeal following the announcement by ABS-CBN chief operating officer Karlo Katigbak that Teleradyo, the successor of radio station DZMM, will stop airing by June 30 to reduce the company’s operating losses.

“We are anxious about the continued employment of the radio station staff, many of whom have worked for

ABS-CBN for many years. We are as well concerned about the welfare of their families,” Rodriguez said. He said the network’s owners should find ways to accommodate the staff in ANC and ABS-CBN’s residual businesses.

“They could also be absorbed in their joint ventures with other media companies,” Rodriguez said.

DFA head gets UNCLOS stamp after Post Office fire

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo has received the commemorative stamp marking the 40th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the landmark convention that was the basis of the Philippines’ arbitral win over China.

The stamp was issued by the Philippine Postal Corp. (PhilPost) days after a fire gutted the historic Manila Central Post Office.

“Grateful to receive the commemorative stamp honoring the 40th anniversary of UNCLOS, especially in the aftermath of the devastating fire that

engulfed @PostOfficePH,” the country’s top diplomat said on Twitter.

“This symbolic gesture reaffirms PH commitment to #UNCLOS & serves as a reminder of the resilience of our postal service,” he added. Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

2020 or the proposed MIF bill.

“We will pass it next week,” Zubiri said later in a text message.

Certifying the bill as urgent will allow the Senate to forgo the three-day rule as mandated by the 1987 Constitution between the proposed measure’s second and third reading. Padilla, Chairman of the Senate Com-

mittee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, also vowed to push for a term extension for the President and other local officials. Instead of the prevailing six-year term for the Chief Executive, Padilla – the first-time senator who has championed changes to the Constitution -- wants a four-year term with re-election. With Maricel V. Cruz

“THE court has the power, in the trial of a case, to exclude witnesses from the courtroom during the examination of other witnesses. This rule applies to trial [in both] civil and criminal cases” (Francisco, Evidence).

“The object of such order is obviously to elicit the truth by securing the testimony not influenced by the statements of other witnesses or the suggestions of counsel, as well as to prevent the collusion and concert of testimony among witnesses” (Francisco, Evidence).

The excluded witness is not prohibited from testifying but simply disallowed to be present while other witnesses testify.

This is to prevent the excluded witness from listening to the testimonies of others thereby avoiding testimonies based on another’s perception.

Based on the original provision of the 1989 Rules on Evidence, “the judge may exclude from the court any witness not at the time under examination, so that he may not hear the testimony of other witnesses” (Section 15, Rule 132).

The original provision gave the impression that the judge has the absolute discretion to exclude any and all witnesses in the courtroom, the reason being that the Rule did not provide the list of persons who are allowed to be present during the examination of a witness.

While maintaining the general intent of the original provision, the 2019 amendments to the Rules on Evidence supplied a list of those who cannot be excluded in the courtroom, namely:

(a) a party who is a natural person;

(b) a duly designated representative of a juridical entity which is a party to the case;

(c) a person whose presence is essential to the presentation of the party’s cause; or (d) a person authorized by a statute to be present (Section 15, Rule 132).

A lawyer must be quick to move for the exclusion of witnesses not authorized to be in court when another witness testifies

In addition, the amendments now expressly allow the judge to order the exclusion of witnesses upon his or her initiative or on the motion of any party. The list of those not authorized to be excluded was taken from the United Stated Federal Rules of Evidence (Section 615).

“Expert witnesses are excluded from the operations of the rule. In most cases, their evidence is not based upon the conclusion which they form from the testimony, but upon hypothetical questions or an assumed state of facts…” (Francisco, Evidence).

“[H]ence, it is not necessary that they should listen to the testimony of other witnesses. But if there is any reason to apprehend (believe) that expert witnesses are… to be influenced by the testimony of other witnesses, they should be treated in the same manner” (Francisco, Evidence citing Jones on Evidence and Johnson v. State, 10 Tex. App 571).

“The rule does not apply to an agent of the party, when the presence of such agent is necessary, as when the agent has gained such familiarity with the facts that his presence is necessary for the proper management of the action or defense” (Francisco, Evidence citing Ryan v. Couch, 66 Ala. 244).

The agent may also be treated as the equivalent of a representative of a juridical entity which is a party to the case now allowed to be present in court by reason of the amendments.

However, “corporate agents not necessary to conducting the case may be excluded” (Francisco, Evidence citing St. Louis…Co. v. Cox, 221 S.W. 1043).

“Ordinarily, witnesses called to testify to another witness’ character for truth and veracity are exempted from the rule” (Francisco, Evidence citing 14 Ency. of Evidence 596).

However, it is the author’s view that if a witness will testify on the notoriety of another then the other witnesses on the same subject matter will have to be excluded.

“In criminal cases, policemen, detectives, or other police officers, may in the court’s discretion, be exempted from the rule, especially where it appears that their presence is required in the courtroom either to guard prisoners on trial or in assisting in the prosecution of the case” (Francisco, Evidence citing 14 Ency. of Evidence 596).

A person who is not a witness but present in the courtroom may afterwards be called to testify if counsel did not previously know that it would be necessary to call him; but the court may decline to allow the witness to testify if the testimony is merely cumulative and if there was no reason given for the failure to call him on the witness stand (see Francisco, Evidence citing 88 C.J.S. 174). There is nothing in the Rule that prohibits the counsel of record to inquire from the witnesses, inside the courtroom, to verify or validate the statements of the adverse party’s witnesses. The information can later be used to crossexamine other witnesses.

The prevailing rule is that a witness who violates the order of the court “without the consent, connivance, or procurement of the party calling him or of the counsel representing such party, [will] not [be]… rendered incompetent to testify… [T]he party calling him cannot… be rightfully deprived of the testimony of such witness” (Francisco, Evidence citing 53 Am. Jur. 48-49).

However, “a disobedient witness may be punished for contempt of court, and his disobedience may be considered as affecting his credibility [if he later testifies].” If it could not be foreseen that a disobedient witness would be needed to testify, he or she may give rebutting testimony (Francisco, Evidence citing 53 Am. Jur. 48-49).

In the case of Design Sources International, Inc. and Kenneth Sy v. Lourdez Eristingcol, the principal issue is whether the Regional Trial Court (RTC) committed grave abuse of discretion in issuing assailed Orders disallowing petitioners from presenting Stephen as their witness (G.R. No. 193966, February 19, 2014).

The controversy arose from the objection of the respondent’s counsel to the presentation of Stephen as the petitioners’ witness considering that Stephen was already inside the courtroom during the presentation of witness (petitioner) Kenneth (G.R. 193966, February 19, 2014).

However, as aptly found by the Court of Appeals, the respondent failed to substantiate her claim that there was a prior request for the exclusion of other witnesses during the presentation of Kenneth. She did not even allege in her Comment that there was any such request (G.R. 193966, February 19, 2014).

“Excluding future witnesses… at the time another witness is testifying, or ordering that these witnesses be kept separate from one another, is primarily to prevent them from conversing with one another. The purpose is to ensure that the witnesses… [are not] influenced by the testimonies of the others.”

“However, without any motion from the opposing party or order from the court, there is nothing… that prohibits a witness from hearing the testimonies of other witnesses… [N]othing in the records… would show that there was an order of exclusion from the RTC, or that there was any motion from respondent’s counsel to exclude other witnesses… prior to or even during the presentation of the testimony of Kenneth.”

Without any prior order or at least a motion for exclusion from any of the parties, a court cannot simply allow or disallow the presentation of a witness solely on the grounds that the latter heard the testimony of another witness.

It is the responsibility of the respondent’s counsel to protect the interest of his client during the presentation of other witnesses (G.R. 193966, February 19, 2014).

Hence, a lawyer must be quick to move for the exclusion of witnesses not authorized to be in court when another witness testifies.

The lawyer’s inaction or delay in moving to exclude witnesses may be considered a failure to protect the interest of his or her client.

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.

Fair and equitable pension system

THINK about this: If, according to National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon, the unfunded liabilities of the Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) pension system currently amounts to around P9.6 trillion or 53.4 percent of the 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) and is expected to balloon further in the succeeding years, shouldn’t the government take decisive steps to remedy the situation?

That’s precisely the objective of a consultation roadshow organized by a technical working group (TWG) that will craft a measure that’s acceptable to stakeholders.

The consultation will gather inputs from officers and personnel of the armed forces, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Public Safety College, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Corrections.

This is a democratic way of addressing the issue.

The MUP pension system came under intense scrutiny after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised an alert on rising government liabilities to pensions of MUP, which the multilateral lender said might impact negatively on spending for social and infrastructure projects. The IMF noted that MUP pensions are indexed

The AFP has indicated that it is ‘amenable and open’ to modifications in the pension system so long as these are fair and equitable

to current wages and “kind of going up very fast,” and could “eat a large share of the national budget if it is not addressed and reformed.”

The Malampaya deal

LATE last year, the Department of Energy greenlighted the transfer of the operations of the Malampaya gas project to Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc.

As we know, Malampaya is a major source of fuel for big power plants that supply the Luzon grid with adequate electricity supply.

The transfer was a timely development as it recognized the urgent need to keep the gas field running safely while drawing nearer the end of its shelf life. Malampaya has so far generated at least $10 billion in government revenues. But the government deal with a private firm has not been without its critics.

Among them is Eduardo Mañalac, former energy undersecretary and Philippine National Oil Co. president under the Arroyo administration.

So why is he against extending Service Contract 38 governing Malampaya operations?

During his stint as energy undersecretary and PNOC chief, Mañalac managed to contribute to efforts to stabilize the supply of energy in the Philippines. He was involved in negotiations to sell five percent of the government stake in PNOC Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC), a unit under Mañalac as PNOC chief, to a South Korean company. The deal was not finalized after the National Economic and Development Authority, under then Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo Neri, opposed it and recommended to Arroyo that government keep its stake in PNOC-EC intact. Mañalac gave three reasons why he supported the aborted sale.

First, he said, it was an imposition by the DOE and the Executive Department then headed by Arroyo.

Second, it was a bid to recoup a 100 millionpeso loan spent on acquiring 10 percent stake in the state-owned company. And third, he supported the sale against his will. In other words, Mañalac was saying he was a good soldier. By heeding instructions that he now claims to be opposed to, Mañalac pleased higher authority and kept his job. That he chose to toe the line in this case, belatedly announcing it was against his will, is quite revealing of what he held dear to him.

The second transaction in which Mañalac played a key role was a tripartite deal with China and Vietnam called Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking or JMSU in 2005.

The agreement would have allowed China’s state-owned oil company CNOOC and Vietnam’s PetroVietnam to conduct scientific studies for the presence of oil or gas deposits on a 142,886 square kilometer area in the West Philippine Sea inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The truth is that Malampaya had been successfully operated by an all-Filipino team of experts for at least two decades and which has been retained by the new consortium and reinforced with more Filipino experts

Mañalac explained the JMSU came at a time of “high dependence on imported petroleum and rising oil prices in 2004.” It was, he said, part of the Arroyo administration’s ambitious five-point plan to achieve energy independence.

But as in the case of the aborted sale of five percent of PNOC-EC to a South Korean company, Mañalac disavowed ownership of the idea to cut the JMSU deal with China and Vietnam.

“It is not my idea. It is the idea of the government as part of its energy independence strategy,” Mañalac said. In other words, again, he was just being a good soldier.

He, however, brokered the JMSU despite the deal not being his “idea.” His signature as PNOC

public and private sectors.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno had even warned of a “fiscal collapse” resulting from the MUP pension, which is an “unfunded” liability that is expected to exceed P1 trillion by 2035 from P213 billion in 2023.

The finance chief pointed out the MUP is funded or shouldered fully by the government through borrowings, with no contribution from the pensioners themselves.

Hence, the Finance Department is pushing for a unified separation, retirement and pension system for the MUP that should apply to those in the active service and new entrants, and members across all MUP agencies. The AFP has indicated that it is “amenable and open” to modifications in the pension system so long as these are fair and equitable.

But Department of National Defense (DND) Officer-in-charge Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez has said while the DND and AFP recognize the financial implications and fully support measures to address the current MUP pension system issues, lawmakers should also consider the morale and welfare of the soldiers. Galvez lamented the discussion of proposals relating to retirement benefits, most especially the imposition of a pensionable age, has “already affected the morale and caused uneasiness not only from within the active ranks of the AFP, but even from our veterans and retirees.” So how will this issue be resolved? At this point, there’s no clear-cut solution but the two sides will have to find common ground sooner or later.

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. 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

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.

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

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

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

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 and 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

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

chief is on the transaction.

JMSU, he insisted, did not allow exploration but “data-gathering.” The deal isn’t a treaty but simply a “commercial and operative agreement between three national oil companies to jointly acquire seismic data.”

JMSU was signed after extensive consultations with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice to make sure it did not violate the Philippine Constitution which bans the involvement of foreign entities or individuals in energy development. But it failed the ultimate test of constitutionality in the Supreme Court which declared JMSU invalid for violating the Constitution.

Mañalac insisted JMSU was simply scientific in nature and “does not affect any territorial claims of any country either by the Philippines, China and Vietnam.”

The JMSU coverage is inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Now, Mañalac has come out in the open against the extension of SC 38 to operate Malampaya.

He believes Prime Infra does not have the technical qualification to operate Malampaya as it has no previous experience in natural gas extraction and supply.

But the truth is that Malampaya had been successfully operated by an all-Filipino team of experts for at least two decades and which has been retained by the new consortium and reinforced with more Filipino experts.

The DOE, replying to Mañalac’s position, said the technical qualification question had been answered in the first six months of the new consortium’s work, and found it highly capable of operating the facility.

Is it possible for Mañalac to change his mind regarding his opposition to the extension of SC 38 under the new Malampaya consortium despite the DOE explanation that the facility is in good hands?

Maybe, if upon deep reflection, he realizes it can actually serve the national interest as it will reduce the country’s dependence on oil imports and ensure a more stable supply of cleaner energy from an indigenous source.

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

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

Chinese hackers attacking critical infra–US, Microsoft

STATE-SPONSORED

Chinese hackers have infiltrated critical US infrastructure networks, the United States, its Western allies and Microsoft said Wednesday while warning that similar espionage attacks could be occurring globally.

Microsoft highlighted Guam, a US territory in the Pacific Ocean with a vital military outpost, as one of the targets, but said “malicious” activity had also been detected

Zelensky

elsewhere in the United States. It said the hacking, dubbed “Volt Typhoon,” had started in mid-2021 and was likely aimed at hampering the United States if there was conflict in the region.

“Microsoft assesses with moderate confidence that this Volt Typhoon campaign is pursuing development of capabilities that could disrupt critical communications infrastructure between the United States and Asia region during future crises,” the statement said. “In this campaign, the affected organizations span the communications, manufacturing, utility, transportation, construction, maritime, government, information technology, and education sectors.

says Russia ‘terrorizing’ Ukraine

PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of terrorising Ukrainians on Thursday, as his military announced it had shot down 36 Iranian-made attack drones deployed by Moscow’s forces.

“The enemy continued to terrorise Ukraine by launching 36 Shaheds. None reached their target,” Zelensky said in a social media post.

“I’m grateful to our air defense forces for the 100 percent result.”

Russia subjected Ukraine to a campaign of aerial bombardments on key infrastructure during winter months but those at-

“Observed behavior suggests that the threat actor intends to perform espionage and maintain access without being detected for as long as possible.”

China accused the US and its allies of waging a “disinformation campaign” Thursday after the hacking claim.

“This is an extremely unprofessional report with a missing chain of evidence, this is just scissors-and-paste work,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, claiming the allegations were “a collective disinformation campaign of the Five Eyes coalition countries.”

Microsoft’s statement coincided with an advisory released by US, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and UK authorities. AFP

4 HK students sentenced over 2021 bomb plot

FOUR Hong Kong students, including two minors, were sentenced Thursday over their roles in an antigovernment plot to set off bombs in public spaces.

A court sentenced the oldest of the four to more than five years in prison and sent the other three to juvenile rehabilitation centres in a case handled under the national security law, which China imposed on the city in 2020 to quell dissent.

The four defendants, now aged 17 to 21, were members of a little-known group called “Returning Valiant,” which promoted independence from China and had called for resistance after the security law was imposed.

The group allegedly planned to make bombs using the TATP explosive in 2021, and set them off in public areas including court buildings.

tacks had waned recently.

“In total, 36 barrage munitions were launched from the northern and southern directions. The enemy presumably aimed to attack critical infrastructure and military facilities in the western regions of Ukraine,” the defense ministry said.

“All 36 Shaheds were shot down!”

Ukraine has become increasingly adept at taking down waves of Russian cruise missiles and drones after appealing to Western allies for greater air defense capabilities. AFP

Myanmar delegation visits Rohingya camps

A Myanmar government team arrived in Bangladesh on Thursday as part of a mooted pilot scheme to repatriate around 1,200 of an estimated one million Rohingya refugees.

The refugees have been stuck in ramshackle camps in southeastern Bangladesh since fleeing a 2017 crackdown by the Myanmar military that is now subject to a United Nations genocide investigation.

Bangladesh and Myanmar are looking to return around 1,100 people to the violence-racked state of Rakhine in the coming weeks even though the Rohingya have expressed major misgivings.

The team of 14 Myanmar officials, all in civilian clothes, arrived by boat in the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf on Thursday morning and made no comment to reporters, an AFP journalist there said.

Shams ud Douza, Bangladesh’s deputy refugee commissioner, told AFP that the delegates would speak to Rohingyas who are earmarked to be repatriated, calling the visit a “confidence-building measure.”

Twenty Rohingya visited two resettlement camps this month in Rakhine, where the Myanmar junta plans to house them in what experts say is land that for generations belonged to the Rohingyas before being confiscated.

“We have no permanent representative in this repatriation process,” Khin Maung, a prominent Rohingya leader, told AFP.

“This repatriation process is just an eyewash. If they didn’t ensure our dignity, there is no point in returning to IDPs (internally displaced people),” he said.

One Rohingya who is meant to be repatriated in the pilot project told AFP on condition of anonymity that they did not want to go back and live in Myanmar “as non-citizens and stay in IDP camps.”

“Our place should be given back to us, our right to live like other ethnic groups should be legally guaranteed. Otherwise we cannot believe the mass murderers,” they said.

Another, Semon Ara, 53, said: “What will we do living in IDP camps? We are citizens of Myanmar, not guests. Myanmar should give back our rights and repatriate us.” AFP

Before they could procure the materials, Hong Kong’s national security police arrested them in July of that year.

Defendant Alexander Au, now 21, “is obviously more culpable – he was involved in renting the room, planning and preparation, and reconnaissance of targeted buildings,” said senior judge Alex Lee.

Lee sentenced Au to five years and eight months in prison.

The three others, aged 17 to 18, were “merely foot soldiers in the conspiracy” and failed to procure TATP ingredients, the judge said. AFP

Cambodian court jails woman union leader over strike vs. biggest casino

A CAMBODIAN court on Thursday jailed a woman union leader for two years for leading a strike against the country’s biggest casino to demand the reinstatement of workers laid off during the pandemic.

Chhim Sithar had long campaigned for the return of hundreds of workers laid off from the NagaWorld casino in Phnom Penh. She was first arrested in January last year at a protest site near the casino and was charged with incitement, a common tactic authorities use against activists.

Chhim Sithar was re-arrested in November for violating bail conditions upon her return from a conference in Australia.

Several dozen former casino workers protested outside the court after her sentencing on Thursday, shouting “injus-

tice” as Chhim Sithar was taken away in a prison van.

Rights groups have said the charges are baseless.

Five other union members from her group were given 18-month court monitoring orders and three more received one-year suspended jail sentences.

Prime Minister Hun Sen – who has ruled Cambodia for more than 38 years – has been accused by rights groups of using the courts to stifle dissent as he prepares for the July election.

Nagacorp – a Hong Kong-listed firm that operates NagaWorld – has an exclusive casino license to operate in Phnom Penh.

Cambodia has a complex relationship with gambling: while it has casinos, its own citizens are officially barred from playing in them. AFP

SEEING DOUBLE. Women wearing traditional Ao Dai dresses are reflected on a glass facade along a street in Hanoi on May 25, 2023. AFP

JAILED. Cambodia union leader Chhim Sithar waves to supporters as she leaves Phnom Penh Municipal Court in Phnom Penh on May 25, 2023. AFP

PAL Holdings names Tan’s grandson as new president BUSINESS

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PAL Holdings Inc. announced Thursday the appointment of the grandson and namesake of tycoon Dr. Lucio Tan as its new president.

The parent firm of Philippine Airlines and Air Philippines named Lucio Tan III as its president, taking over the post from his grandfather who retained his role as the company’s chairman and chief executive.

LT Group, the listed holding company of the tycoon, earlier named the younger Tan as its president, replacing his uncle

Michael Tan.

“As the newly-designated president of PAL Holdings, I am committed to providing stability and upholding the highest level of integrity within the company. I look forward to working closely with the PAL team, under the leadership of its president and chief operating officer, Capt. Stanley Ng, to ensure a collaborative and cohesive approach in serving the best interests of our customers,” the eldest son of the late Lucio Tan II said.

“We also aim to safeguard our shareholders’ investments by fostering a culture of transparency, accountability and long-term value creation,” he said.

PAL Holdings registered consolidated operating income of P17 billion in 2022, a turnaround from an operating loss of P4 billion in 2021.

The company attributed the turnaround

Pag-IBIG teams up with major TNCs and app-based couriers

PAG-IBIG Fund signed partnerships with the country’s top transport network and app-based courier companies to bring its membership to delivery riders on May 25. The agency also launched its ‘Pag-IBIG Asenso Rider Raffle Promo’ to encourage Pag-IBIG Fund membership among the estimated 420,000 delivery riders in the country.

“We are very happy to welcome delivery riders as part of Pag-IBIG Fund’s growing membership. More importantly, by being Pag-IBIG members, they may be able to avail of affordable home financing under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing or 4PH Program of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., which aims to make available 6 million housing units to underserved Filipino families by 2028. These are among our many efforts to solve the country’s housing backlog and enable more Filipinos and their families to secure homes of their own,” said Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, who leads the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund board of trustees.

Pag-IBIG Fund signed agreements with transport network and app-based courier companies Angkas, Food Panda, Grab, Lalamove and Pick A Roo. With the agreements, the delivery riders will have better access to the Pag-IBIG Fund benefits that include its regular and MP2 savings programs which provide competitive returns and its affordable home loan programs to enable them to purchase homes of their own.

to the implementation of PAL’s financial restructuring plan and the increased demand for air travel with the reopening of travel borders.

“I am grateful to our shareholders, our customers, the flying public, for their trust and support. We face major challenges just the same. We need to rebuild our product and our fleet. Philippine Airlines needs to be a stronger competitor and a leader in service and innovation,” the oldest Tan said.

PAL Holdings’ consolidated revenues jumped by 137 percent to P139 billion in 2022 from P59 billion in 2021 as the number of passengers increased 214 percent to 9.31 million from 2.97 million.

PAL recently inaugurated the ManilaPerth nonstop service and reopened routes between the Philippines and points in mainland China.

IN BRIEF

April hot money

posted

$352-m net outflows

FOREIGN portfolio investments or hot money posted net outflows of $352 million in April, a reversal from the $1.4-billion net inflows a year ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday.

The April net inflows resulted from gross outflows of $1.1 billion and gross inflows of $713 million. Most investments (or 57.3 percent) were in Philippine Stock Exchange-listed securities which were placed in banks, holding firms, property, food, beverage and tobacco and transportation services, while the balance went to peso government securities (42.7 percent) and other instruments.

Data from the BSP showed that in the first four months, hot money yielded net outflows of $680 million, a reversal of the $1.4-billion net inflows recorded in the same period last year.

Registration of inward foreign investments delegated to authorized agent banks by the BSP is optional under the rules on foreign exchange transactions. Portfolio investments are also called “hot money” because of the ease they are invested in and taken out of domestic financial markets. Julito G. Rada

Ayala Corp. raises P13.1b from preferred share sale

CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said Thursday it raised P13.1 billion from preferred share sale.

Ayala said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it sold 5.24 million preferred A shares at P2,500 apiece, comprising of 4 million shares as base offer and 1.24 million shares to cover oversubscription.

The preferred shares, with an initial dividend rate of 6.3587 percent per annum, will be listed on the Philippine Exchange Corp. on May 29 under the trading symbol “ACPAR”.

The preferred class “A” share offering is re-issuance of preferred shares that were previously issued and redeemed by the company. The deal was jointly underwritten by BDO Capital & Investments Corp. and China Bank Capital.

Ayala said it would use the process from the fund raising activity to refinance peso-denominated obligations and partially finance capital expenditures. The conglomerate has P10 billion debt due July 2023 and P4.5-billion short term debt in this June. It also plans to refinance the P10-billion preferred shares series B which is callable on November this year. Jenniffer B. Austria

MICT signs partnership with Autosweep operator

MANILA International Container Terminal teamed up with Intelligent E-Processes Technologies Corp., a subsidiary of San Miguel Corp. that manages Autosweep RFID, to enable a faster, more seamless gate process for trucks at the Port of Manila.

The partnership will enable RFID scanners at the terminal gates to read Autosweep tags and match the trucks’ plate numbers, resulting in faster gate access and process.

SHELL-DENR PARTNERSHIP. Shell Pilipinas Corp. president and chief executive Lorelie Quiambao-Osial (seated, left) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga (seated, right) sign a memorandum of understanding to signal collaboration on the identification and development of Nature-Based Solutions opportunities in the Philippines. NBS comprises activities related to the protection and enhancement of natural ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, wetlands and coastal zones or projects that improve agricultural sustainability to help absorb or prevent the release of greenhouse gases, while also delivering benefits to local communities and enhancing biodiversity of the area.

“Our investment in RFID technology is part of our constant effort to optimize the flow of cargo to and from the terminal. Over the years, one of the challenges we experienced with our automated gates is the low success rate of our license plate recognition cameras due to the poor condition of the plates mounted on some trucks. There were even trucks that just use laminated paper to display their MV file numbers,” said MICT information technology systems and services director Reynaldo Mark Cruz Jr. said.

“Using Autosweep’s RFID tags as a second alternative to identifying trucks addresses this problem and speeds up our gate operations,” he said. IETC is deploying personnel at MICT in May to offer free Autosweep tag installation for trucks transacting at the terminal.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Engineer topnotchers run AboitizPower’s first centralized control center in PH

DESPITE having their own unique sets of skills and experiences, the control engineers of Hedcor’s new National Operations Control Center (NOCC) are all equally on a learning curve, having been given the huge responsibility of operating a control center that is the first of its kind in the Philippine power generation sector.

“Every plant and unit of our assets are unique and I find it difficult to commit to memory all of their intricacies and quirks when it comes to operation,” shared NOCC Engineer King Joshua D. Arzadon. “Nonetheless, my colleagues continuously guide me through such and I, definitely, will learn all of those by heart through time and experience.”

King placed second in the September 2022

Registered Electrical Engineer Licensure Examination. Like most of his colleagues at the control center, being an NOCC Engineer is his first job.

“We oversee the efficient operation and dispatch of all generation assets to secure maximum energy generation and minimize resource losses while keeping up with regulatory compliance and requirements,” he explained. “Centralized and continual monitoring of the plants allows better management of resources leading to higher generation and faster communication of detected plant anomalies.”

Centralization of controls and data

Inaugurated in August 2022, the NOCC allows for the remote operation, monitoring, and controlling of 21 Hedcor run-of-river hydropower facilities in Luzon and Mindanao, as well as one solar farm in the Visayas, all in one location.

Despite most of the plants being in faraway, mountainous areas—the farthest of which is 1,181 kilometers away —observing and controlling them is now possible just with the clicks of a mouse and some keyboard strokes. Data from all assets are also centralized, making it easier to consolidate such for regulatory requirements asked by government bodies.

“Centralization of controls and the data coming from the plants is a real game changer in Hedcor’s operations. It streamlined operations and monitoring of Hedcor’s plants across the Philippines and opened up avenues to incorporate improvements such as data analytics, data science, and even artificial intelligence in our operations,” said NOCC Engineer Jezreel John P. Sannadan, who finished eight in the August 2021 Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination.

“Operation of a plant, coordination of its activities, along with numerous regulatory requirements can already get your hands full.

Imagine multiplying that by more than 20 times,” remarked NOCC Engineer Nathaniel Beaver Mendoza, who placed first in the August 2021

renewable

facilities

AboitizPower’s NOCC centralizes data from all assets making it a game changer in Hedcor’s operation.

Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination. “We are the first to implement this kind of system in the Philippines so it’s a daily experiment for us to see if we are effective or not. Though our system is new, we are constantly learning and growing with it.”

Months into the job, Jezreel realized that simultaneously operating many plants of different characteristics “requires excellent multi-tasking skills, great attention to detail, and the ability to make quick but correct decisions especially in critical situations.”

The young NOCC Engineers also shared how they see the potential significance of the NOCC in being an enhancer to the growth and development of Philippine society.

“The NOCC can lessen the complicated operation and disordered communication within its

control in one location

across the country. regulated ecosystem, helping companies maximize generation, as well as lessen downtime and losses of its power plants. This can help bring us out of the concurrent issue of energy supply struggling to keep up with demand,” shared NOCC Engineer Rhyan Jason G. Delizo, who ranked ninth in the September 2021 Registered Electrical Engineer Licensure Examination.

“Energy is one of the major factors in the development of a society. It may leapfrog or stunt the economy by stopping business operations with power outages,” Nathaniel added. “With systems like the NOCC, generation companies can run a power plant with lower costs. Mostly, it would just be a matter of plugging it in and adding another screen at the NOCC.”

Kaizen, or continuous improvement

Rounding up the NOCC team, which is mostly made up of young professionals who are new in the industry, are young veterans, namely, NOCC Engineers Dwight A. Oide and Arnold John C. De Leon.

“Working abroad prior to working at Hedcor helped me gain insights into company practices, management styles, and decisionmaking processes,” Dwight said. “For example, Japanese business culture emphasizes continuous improvement, known as ‘Kaizen.’ Having this kind of mindset as an NOCC engineer encourages me to seek ways to take a proactive approach to personal and professional development.”

Kaizen adheres to the values of making the work

environment more efficient, team-oriented, fulfilling, and safe. It treats improvement as a gradual day-to-day process that involves the participation of each individual team member to combine for a bigger and better impact.

“I have gained from my previous employment valuable experience in hydro construction, electromechanical installations, and solar installations. I have also obtained a deep understanding of the equipment used in various parts of the energy system, including power generation, transmission, and distribution,” Arnold elaborated. “This understanding allows me to effectively assist maintenance and support teams to proactively identify and resolve issues that may arise.”

The NOCC Engineers identified several challenges faced by the NOCC, including connection losses resulting from severe tropical storms, the challenging geography of the plants, and even the hiccups brought on by the transition from analog systems into digital ones.

“Digital transformation can be challenging, but with proper training and adaptability, we can harness these technologies to optimize plant operations at NOCC,” said NOCC Engineer Jayshey Baguidudol, who placed third in the August 2021 Mechanical Engineer Licensure Examination.

Still, the NOCC Engineers are also aided by multiple backup systems and other engineering methods made possible by supporting information technology (IT) and maintenance teams.

With the important task entrusted to them, the NOCC Engineers are aware of how they are playing a role in pioneering digital transformation in the renewable energy sector.

“The NOCC sets the path for upcoming developments in the energy sector by encouraging the adoption of new practices and technologies through the use of sophisticated monitoring systems and data analytics. This promotes collaboration in innovative research and development,” Dwight pondered.

“It is an aggregation of the advancements and technologies of the 21st century. As such, it is a testament to how Hedcor is equipped to transform energy that can cater to society’s demands whilst upholding sustainability and good resource management,” King added.

“In line with the Aboitiz Group’s vision of becoming the Philippines’ first Techglomerate, Hedcor rallies around a shared goal of pioneering the NOCC in the country to promote digital transformation, productive use of technology, and further the nation’s economic growth and development,” said Hedcor President and Chief Operating Officer Rolando Pacquiao. “The success of this world-class facility is driven by the collective talents, skills, and dedication of our Engineers, as well as Hedcor team members as a whole.”

Hedcor control engineers (from left): Jezreel John P. Sannadan, Dwight A. Oide, and Rhyan Jason G. Delizo are some of the young professionals recruited by AboitizPower to operate, monitor, and

over 20

energy

spread

young Filipino gymnasts

train with Yulo in Japan

By Peter Atencio

WORLD champion Carlos Yulo has welcomed his brother Eldrew and national team member, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Juan Miguel Besana in his training camp in Tokyo, Japan.

Carlos, Besana and Eldrew flew to Tokyo with national coach Reyland Capellan, a day after their competitions in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia ended last week.

Besana and Eldrew have been able to witness the practice sessions of Japanese gymnasts preparing for international meets with the 23-year-old Yulo.

“Nakakatuwa po na nakita po nila ang mga teammates ko dito. Natutulala po sila sa mga nakikita nila sa mga practice,” said Yulo in a Zoom meeting with scribes. Besana and Eldrew will be with Yulo for a month.

The 22-year-old Besana will be handled by Yulo's coach Munehiro Kugimiya, while

Uy stumbles, but recovers to pull away by 4 strokes

DANIELLA Uy checked an impending backside slide with a blazing four-birdie splurge in the last eight holes as she saved a 73 and doubled her overnight two-shot lead, this time over arch rival Harmie Constantino heading to the final 18 holes of the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters yesterday. It was indeed a stirring rebound for the former Junior World champion, who started the round two shots clear of Chihiro Ikeda and Marvi Monsalve but looked headed for an early foldup that has marred her drive for a second crown in two of the first four Ladies Philippine Golf Tour events this year.

Uy’s three bogeys at the front and a double mishap on the par-4 10th led to a crowded leaderboard although Korean Seoyun Kim, Harmie Constantino, Ikeda and Monsalve all failed to really cash in on to dislodge the erstwhile leader.

Instead, Uy struck back with a birdie on No. 11 then built on the momentum to gain clutch strokes on Nos. 13, 14 and 16 for a 39-34. With a 143 total, Uy found herself ahead by four with Constantino taking the challenger’s role again at 147 after a 72 and Kim staying on course for a breakthrough win with a 148 after a second straight 74.

“I struggled at the front, mahirap ang pin placements,” said Uy. “But I had three long putts for birdies at the back.”

Monsalve, who also fumbled with a frontside 39, likewise made three bogeys in the first six holes at the back but birdied the last hole for a 77 for fourth at 149.

Ikeda kept Uy within sight despite a frontside 39 but fell to fifth with a second 39 marred by three straight mishaps from No. 14, her 78 dropping her seven shots off the leader with a 150.

Eldrew will be under the care of Capellan, who has since gone home to Manila following a short stay in Japan

The Yulo brothers and Besana are getting ready for two major international competitions in Singapore next month.

It was Capellan who mentored the national men’s squad, which collected four golds and two silver medals in the biennial Cambodia meet.

Eldrew is preparing to see action in the 16th Asian Junior Artistic Championships on July 10 to 13.

On the other hand, Besana, who claimed the men’s vault gold in Cambodia, will be part of the national team that will compete in the 10th Asian Senior Artistic Gymnastics Championships from July 10 to 18 at the OCBC Arena inside the Singapore Sports Hub.

The elder Yulo came out as the country’s most bemedalled athlete in the regional meet for the third straight time, taking home a pair of golds and two silvers. Besana expressed hopes that he will be able to show improvement and join Yulo to the next world championships in Antwerp, Belgium in September.

Gretchen Villacencio carded a second 76 for a 152 while Sarah Ababa also matched her first round 77 for a 154 followed by Lucy Landicho, who likewise shot a second straight 78 for a 156 even as Mafy Singson fought back from a first round 84 with a 73 to seize solo eighth at 157 and boost her bid for another low amateur honors in the 54-hole championship put up by ICTSI.

Kim actually accidentally slipped at the hotel and played with a bandaged knee all day, catching Uy at the helm with a best frontside 35 on two birdies against a bogey. But she yielded strokes on the first two holes at the back and settled for six straight pars before holing out with another miscue for a second straight twoover par round.

Four-up and all-pumped up, Uy hopes to finally secure the win with a gutsy final round performance as she bids to erase the stigma of her sudden death loss to Constantino at Luisita two weeks ago that had the latter battling back from six shots down and outlasting the former in a playoff.

Constantino, meanwhile, stressed the need to work on her irons and come up with better placing off the tee as she seeks a second straight LPGT win and remain queen at Villamor after foiling top amateur Rianne Malixi in the inaugural ICTSI Match Play Invitational last November.

THE University Athletic Association of the Philippines has joined the Department of Interior and Local Government in its campaign against drug use in the country.

On Thursday, at the Richmonde Hotel in Eastwood City, the UAAP, together with professional leagues such as the Philippine Basketball Association and Premier Volleyball League, joined forces to represent the sports sector in the launch of the ministry's "BIDA (Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan)" program.

Atty. Rene "Rebo" Saguisag, the executive director of the UAAP, said involving athletes in the government's anti-drug campaign is a positive step forward since they serve as role models for the youth.

"We welcome this new approach to a long-standing problem – the landscape has changed significantly, and so must our strategies," said Saguisag, who is also a councilor in the first district of Makati City. "Today's studentathletes also play a crucial role in shaping society, and they can do so through constantly evolving platforms."

Also representing the UAAP were Season 85 Vice President Rodrigo Roque of University of the East and De La Salle University's representative to the Board of Managing Directors Emmanuel Calanog.

The UAAP will actively participate in this campaign through its sporting events.

MIAMI (AFP) – No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit in the NBA playoffs but after their win at the Miami Heat on Tuesday, the Boston Celtics clearly sense a chance of history.

The Heat, now 3-1 up in the series, still only need one more win to progress to the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets and remain clear favourites, so long as their flat second half performance proves to be just an aberration.

But having responded to the threat of a clean sweep from the Heat, Boston are hoping that with a raucous home crowd behind them on Thursday at The Garden they can force a game six.

"As cliche as it sounds, we just tried to take it one game at a time. We tried to break it down. We didn't play well the first three games, we didn't deserve to win, but we didn't want that to define us, define the season," said Jayson Tatum, who led the Celtics with 33 points.

"We've still got a long uphill battle to go. But (this) was a good start. Just to try to carry this momentum towards Thursday".

Another below-par performance, after Sunday's heavy 128-102 loss on home court, would have raised questions about the team's spirit and the future of head coach Joe Mazzulla.

But the Celtics again looked like the determined unit who finished second in the Eastern Conference regular season and dealt confidently with Atlanta and Philadelphia in the post-season.

"We didn't want to come out and lay an egg. We

wanted to come out and play together, wanted to come out and trust each other, come out and play some defense, have some pride about yourself and find a way to win a game. We're all more than capable of doing it. We got it done," said Jaylen Brown.

Heat fans had arrived hoping to celebrate a seventh NBA Finals appearance for the three-times champions but left the arena deflated.

The question is whether, after an unexpected run as the eighth seed in the East, the Heat players will suffer a similar loss of energy and spirit?

"I didn't sense any of that," said head coach Erik Spoelstra.

"At some point, this is great competition. You know, sometimes it can get skewed, because, whatever, the 3-0. But we have great respect for Boston, what they are capable of. They are a dynamic offensive team that takes extraordinary efforts and commitment to get the job done. Our guys really want this," he added.

A common refrain from the Heat players after the loss was that the team, who lost to Atlanta in their first play-in game and then beat top seeded Milwaukee in the first round before dealing with the New York Knicks, have been at their best when under pressure.

"We know and everybody else knows, we don't typically get things the easy way over here," said small forward Caleb Martin.

"This is right up our alley. This is the way it goes for us and guys like us. Again, I think it's only going to prepare us for the long run. This could be good for us."

Scorpions stay in hunt for semis seat

Games on Tuesday (Filoil EcoOil Centre)

2 p.m. – Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda vs CEU

4 p.m. – Wangs Basketball @27 Strikers-Letran vs Perpetual

CENTRO Escolar University outlasted the PSP Gymers in double overtime, 109-107, to stay in the race for a semifinal berth in the 2023 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Ron Rei Tolentino saved the day for CEU with the go-ahead trey in the last 18 seconds as the Scorpions improved to 3-2 record and set up crucial duel against Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda on Tuesday.

Franz Ray Diaz scattered 21 with five rebounds and seven assists to show the way for the Scorpions while Tolentino finished with 20-points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Another win by CEU against San Beda (4-1)

on Tuesday gives the Scorpions a bright chance of finishing the eliminations in the Top Two and the luxury of an outright semifinal berth.

“Wala na ‘yung Xs and Os dito eh. It’s all about heart. And hats off to our players for not giving up. Hindi sila sumuko against a veteran team like PSP,” said CEU coach Jeff Perlas.

“Like our game against Letran in OT, I challenged them and they responded. It’s a big win for us at iyon nga, still hoping na makaangat pa lalo sa rankings.”

The Gymers appeared on the way to another stunning win until Tolentino’s 3-point play late in regulation forced overtime.

Jerome Santos, Ayodeji Victor Balogun and Mark Anthony Anagbogu chipped in 16, 15 and 12 points, respectively, for the Scorpions, who battled the Gymers to 21 lead changes and 16 deadlocks.

With a couple of fire trees in the background, Daniella Uy checked an impending backside slide with a fiery four-birdie splurge in the last eight holes. Manny Marcelo

Jayson Tatum

CEU’s Franz Diaz is challenged by two defenders from PSP Gymers.

Carlos Yulo

PARIS – Twelve months ago, a despondent Wu Yibing was retiring with injury from a low-level clay court tournament in Italy, earning a meagre 530 euros ($570) for his troubles.

Fast-forward a year and 23-year-old Wu is his country's highest-ranked male player at 59 in the world and about to spearhead a landmark assault at the French Open where it has been 86 years since a Chinese man last played in the main draw. Wu will not be alone when the season's second major gets underway on Sunday as Zhang Zhizhen is also guaranteed a spot.

Shang Juncheng can make it three Chinese men in the tournament if he gets through the final qualifying round on Thursday.

"The excitement in China around the top Chinese male players is palpable now and there is strong media interest linked to the

breakthrough of these players on tour," ATP executive vice-president Alison Lee told AFP.

Kho Sin-Khie and Choy Wai-Chuen were the last men to represent China in the French capital back in 1937.

Long overshadowed by their female counterparts, Wu and Zhang have been racking up an impressive series of 'firsts'.

Wu was the first Chinese man to make the third round of the US Open in 2022 where it took world number one and defending champion Daniil Medvedev to stop him. He took his new-found celebrity status with good humour.

"I'm a good-looking guy, I guess," he replied when told he was the hottest topic on Chinese social media. Earlier this year, Wu became the first Chinese player to win an ATP Tour title in Dallas.

Unlike the small change he pocketed at Francavilla al Mare in Italy this time last year, Wu is guaranteed at least 69,000 euros ($74,300) just by playing his first round at Roland Garros.

A US Open junior champion in 2017, Wu, the son of a boxer, was sidelined for the best part of three years from March 2019 to January 2022 with elbow, back, shoulder and wrist injuries. Covid lockdown deepened his gloom. However, he rapidly made up for lost time. In March 2022, he was 1,869 in the world; in April this year, he reached a career

high of 55. Wu won his first ATP Tour-level match on clay in Rome last week and has already added two more in Geneva this week on his way to the quarter-finals. Zhang, 26, is currently ranked at 70 and has yet to win a main draw match in three attempts at the Slams.

- 'Sorry girls' -

He tried and failed to make the French Open main draw in 2021 but was defeated in qualifying. This spring, however, he went all the way to the quarter-finals on clay at the Madrid Masters from qualifying, defeating three top-30 players in a row in Denis Shapovalov, Cameron Norrie and Taylor Fritz. That made him the first Chinese man to make the last eight of a Masters event.

Zhang was the first Chinese man to break

the top 100 in October 2022 after becoming the first from China to play in the Wimbledon main draw in the Open era. Despite their landmark Paris appearances, Wu and Zhang are a long way from emulating female compatriot Li Na.

She was the first Chinese woman to capture a major at the 2011 French Open which she backed up by adding the 2014 Australian Open.

Zhang was only 14 when Li triumphed in the French capital and his memory of that historic moment is, by his own admission, vague.

"I'm very sorry, I really not watching too many matches from the girls," he said in Madrid.

The breakthrough of Wu and Zhang is timely following the pandemic and the fall-out from the Peng Shuai affair. AFP

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a consolidated resolution commending and congratulating the Philippine delegation to the 32nd Southeast Asian Games for winning 260 medals and placing 5th in the overall standing.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is the principal author of the resolution, with Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, Senior Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and Tingog Reps. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez and Jude Acidre as co-authors.

The Philippines bagged 58 gold, 85 silver and 117 bronze medals, for a total medal haul of 260, in the regional sports competition held in Cambodia last May 5 to 17.

The chamber adopted House Resolution (HR) 1009 in consolidation with other resolutions.

The Speaker and his co-authors said the “remarkable finish of the athletes and the entire

By Butch Gunio

ANGELES CITY — Mayor Carmelo “Pogi”

Lazatin, Jr. on May 24, 2023 distributed

₱1.059 million worth of cash incentives to the Central Luzon Regional Athletic Association winners.

The distribution was held at the Legislative Building, where the 93 studentathlete winners were present and greeted by Mayor Lazatin personally.

Mayor Lazatin was assisted by the members of the City Nutrition Office, led by Jermaine Jam Aguila.

“Congratulations student-athletes for bringing recognition and pride to Angeles City,” Lazatin said.

Angeles City garnered 21 gold, 19 silver, and 40 bronze medals during the annual sporting event last April 24 to 28.

Each gold medalist received ₱10,000;

Philippine delegation shows the Filipino spirit of rising above arduous obstacles brought by the pandemic and other challenging conditions, and inspires aspiring Filipino athletes to train hard and do their best to become sports heroes in their own fields.”

“It is but fitting and proper to congratulate and commend the indomitable spirit and exceptional performance and achievement of the Philippine delegation, including all athletes, coaches, trainers, and support staff for bringing honor and glory to the country through the gold, silver and bronze medals won in the various sports events,” they said. They credited the group’s accomplishment to the athletes’ “self-discipline, sheer determination, mental preparedness, and physical agility,” as well as to the support and training extended by a professional group of coaches and trainers.

“The top-caliber athletes and coaches displayed their heroism, sporting prowess and unrivalled sportsmanship during the multisports event,” the resolution stated.

It added that the sports competition

while silver achievers got ₱7,000. ₱5,000 were allotted for bronze medalists.

“We have exhausted a budget from the Local School Board and funds from the Office of the Mayor to accommodate giving these cash incentives for them. They indeed deserve this,” Lazatin said.

Lazatin also believes that these young breed of student-athletes will soon represent not just Angeles City, but also the country.

“It is our administration’s ultimate dream to produce an Angeleño Olympic medalist. It is not impossible, with these athletes who are very dedicated and hard working in the field of sports,” Lazatin added. He vowed that he will continue to support and prioritize sports development for the youth, while thanking Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, the City Council, and the Department of Education —

“promoted the advocacy of the country on gender-equality and paid tribute to women in sports when it fielded an all-female contingent during the opening parade.”

The authors also acknowledged the support lent by the government, particularly the Philippine Sports Commission led by Chairperson Richard Bachmann, and the Philippine Olympic Committee headed by former Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino, and other private organizations and individuals. They said such assistance allowed the athletes to continuously improve their performance through regular training.

The Philippines had the fifth largest delegation with over 840 athletes, sports officials, coaches, trainers, team managers, and other support personnel.

Besides the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam participated in the competition.

More than 6,200 athletes took part in 584 events across 36 sports.

Division of Angeles City, schools, teachers and coaches.

For his part, Division of Angeles City

Superintendent Ronaldo Pozon, said:

“Thank you very much po Mayor Pogi sa walang sawang suporta na binibigay ninyo sa mga atletang estudyante natin. Masayang masaya ang mga bata at mga magulang at siguradong magagamit ng tama itong mga incentives na binigay po ninyo.”

Among the gold medalists were Angel Luis Rendon, Althea Villavicencio, Sophia Legaspi, Jay-M Calahan, Richard Santiago, Jervie Bartaculo, Tristan Gabriel Yabut for ParaGames; Heinin Max Willem for Table Tennis; Quyncy Lee Ilan for Taekwondo; Sebastian Paul Soriano for Athletics; Carlos Joaquin Herrera, Ian Patrick Aquino, Ming Tai Chen, Cris Jemuel Mallari, Riannah Chantelle Coleman, Szyreal Jones Chaneco, Zoe Baldemor, Giada Denisse Antonio,

Rates hangs on as Van der Valk, Jahns make move

FUMBLING with a bogey-marred frontside finish that enabled two strong rivals to pull within, Joenard Rates kept his cool in tepid conditions and birdied the last two holes to rescue a 71 but he barely held on to a one-stroke lead over a fast-charging Guido van der Valk halfway through the ICTSI Villamor Philippine Masters at the Villamor Golf Club on Thursday.

That he did it while trying to withstand the pressure to deliver in the face of van der Valk and Keanu Jahns’ strong charges in separate flights spoke well of the caliber of the player who pounded the flat but tricky layout with a 65 Wednesday but had appeared to have cracked with three bogeys in the first five holes at the front after a backside 34 start.

But short in length, the 5-foot-3 Rates never ran out of brilliance – and fighting spirit, coming through with a couple of clutch shots that set up birdie putts on Nos.

8 and 9 as he salvaged a one-under card for a 36-hole aggregate of eight-under 136.

“I hit errant drives and had a couple of mishits at the front,” said Rates, who went nine-under overall with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 but yielded strokes on Nos. 2, 3 and 5 to enable van der Valk and Jahns to close in with their respective low rounds.

Van der Valk put himself back in title contention after missing the cut at Luisita with a 137, matching Rates’ closing birdies at the front for a 67 after a 70, while Jahns, seeking to complete an unfinished business on this military layout after losing the inaugural Match Play Invitational crown to absentee Tony Lascuña last November, mounted his own charge with his version of a solid fiveunder card after a 71 for third at 138.

The troika thus set up a shootout in moving day with Rates vowing to stay cool and relaxed, Jahns sticking to his game plan and routine and van der Valk tipped

to rely on his accuracy and consistency.

“Going to the last three holes, I told myself that I need to gain at least a stroke to save an even-par round. I played relaxed and made the most of my (birdie) chances. But there are still two days left, so the plan is to hit the fairways and greens and make the putts,” said Rates, seeking to end a five-year title spell in the circuit put up by ICTSI.

While a host of others remained four strokes behind or farther back the two-day leader, a spirited third round chase looms with Jhonnel Ababa pooling a 140 for fourth after a 71, Marvin Dumandan and Rolando Marabe, Jr. matching outputs for the second straight day (70) for 141s, and amateur Gary Sales bouncing back with a 70 for a 142.

Art Arbole also fired a 71 to tie Jay Bayron, who matched par 72, at 143 while Gerald Rosales fumbled with a 73 to slip to joint 10th at 144 with Reymon Jaraula, Japanese Toru Nakajima and Nilo Salahog, who all carded 74s.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez

Vaughn Cabrera, and Jerlin Raumei Valencia for Swimming; Maxine Rose Aquino, Arielle Charmaine Carreon, Charlize Amerieh Gozun, Krizia Nicole Mariano, Maria Michaela Santos, Ma. Juliana Turla, Nina Angea Berces, Svetlana Crystal Joan Cayanan, Railee Kitchie Lobo, Eshana Rose Nunag, and Maria Kristien Dawn Silos for Volleyball. Ethaniel Santos, Eiron Nallatan, Ijurly Archie Bautista, Aleny Therese Lopez, Ralf Aldhjren Fabian, Hanzson Manlutac, Rhafael Topacio, Santiago, Legaspi, and Calahan for ParaGames; Jhazz Mark Castillo, Alwin Cayzer David and Lebron James Pangilinan for Arnis; Ivan Zigmond Villanueva for Taekwondo; Bianca Valerio for Athletics; Sean Luis Tria, Liam Jacob David, Julian Willems, Shawn Matthew Tria, and Aquino for Swimming took home silver medals.

Loenard Rates consults with his caddy. Manny Marcelo

Yibing Wu of China plays a backhand against Kyle Edmund of Great Britain in their first round match during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. AFP

ACTRESS Beauty Gonzalez will portray the role of Tolome’s (character played by Senator Bong Revilla) wife in a weekly program, Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis, which will air starting on June 4. And according to Representative Lani Mercado of Cavite 2nd District, Beauty was her personal choice to star opposite her husband.

Lani played the same role in the film Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis (1994), as well as its sequel Yes

Darling: Walang Matigas Na Pulis… 2 (1997). In an intimate event with the showbiz press, where veteran columnist and talent manager Lolit Solis celebrated her 75th birthday, the couple arrived and graciously accommodate interviews.

“I said, ‘You know, there’s a different touch when it’s Bisaya.’ We have friends like that. I am amazed when I see a Bisaya wife, being assertive and speaking up. I find it amusing. I am amused. I say, ‘Oh! It’s nice to have a Bisaya partner for Sen,” Lani shared.

“And we have many Bisaya fans who can relate to that. So if Bisaya wives have

choice is Lani's Beauty

any experiences, please send your ideas to Senator Bong,” Lani went on.

Meanwhile, Bong talked about his latest bill – Teaching Supplies Allowance (TSA).

The actor-politician has played a crucial role in advancing Senate Bill No. 1964, also known as the “Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act,” during the recent plenary session on May 10. This bill aims to establish a permanent TSA for public school teachers.

Senator Revilla highlighted that similar measures had been successfully passed in the 17th and 18th Congresses, with his sponsorship and defense receiving unanimous support from fellow senators.

The bill’s objective is to institutionalize the Teaching Supplies Allowance, commonly referred to as the ‘chalk allowance.’

By institutionalizing the TSA through

this bill, Senator Revilla explained that it would no longer be subject to sudden adjustments or exclusion from the national budget.

“Currently, the allowance is provided

through a special provision in the General Appropriations Act, with teachers receiving P5,000. Under my proposal, teachers would receive P7,500 in 2024 and P10,000 pesos starting in 2025,” Bong told Manila

Standard Entertainment

The senator emphasized the need to institutionalize this allowance, as failing to do so could result in its removal by future administrations. He highlighted the importance of safeguarding the allowance by enshrining it in law.

Senator Bong, who has been advocating for this measure since the 18th Congress, projected that 904,034 public school teachers would benefit from its passage. He acknowledged that these educators often have to bear the burden of purchasing teaching supplies, such as chalk, ball pens, bond paper, and even internet load during the pandemic, using their own salaries instead of supporting their families.

To ensure the bill’s viability, the senator consulted with the Department of Budget and Management Secretary, Amenah Pangandaman, who expressed support for the measure. Additionally, he emphasized that the budget required for the implementation of this law would not exceed 1 percent of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) total budget.

The senator stressed that the amount requested, approximately 4.4 billion pesos, would not impose a significant burden on the nation’s finances. He recognized the hardships faced by teachers and highlighted the importance of addressing their needs.

The bill is scheduled for a Third and Final Reading in the Senate later this week, signaling its potential to become law.

Manila bet crowned Miss Chinese World 2023

FILIPINO-Chinese beauty Annie Uson

Chen, representing Manila, was named Miss Chinese World 2023 during the grand finals, held in Berjaya Times Square Hotel in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on May 20. Uson, who was appointed Miss Chinese World Philippines 2023 by the Mutya ng Pilipinas organization led by Cory Quirino, bested 16 other candidates representing Chinese communities from around the world. She was crowned by Miss Chinese World 2017 Yin Zhuo Qun from Shanghai, China. Uson, 26, a top 10 finalist of Eat Bulaga’s Miss Millennial Philippines 2017, also won the subsidiary title of One Doc Miss Charm. Her runners-up were Joan Angelina from Tangerang, Java, Indonesia (first) and Yoong Jia Yi from Melaka, Malaysia (second). Miss Chinatown Philippines 2022 Berjayneth Chee, representing Misamis Oriental,

PEOPLE …are talking about ...are not talking about

The national costume is a favorite

among pageant fans and participants

among pageant fans

participants because it allows creative freedom. But sometimes, it goes overboard, like with Joy, a Binibining Pilipinas candidate from Cebu. Although it was in her best intentions to dress up like a prominent religious figure of the region, she received backlash as many found it irreverent. She did don the garb, from the crown to the coat, so there’s no getting out of the hot water for Dacoron in the meantime.

Kris Aquino

won the subsidiary title Miss Kemm Ambassador. A showcase of local designers’ amazing creativity

The Binibining Pilipinas 2023 search is on the home stretch with the holding of the pageant’s National Costume x Fashion Show at the New Frontier Theater and the annual Parade of Beauties around Araneta City leading to the much-awaited Grand Coronation Night happening on Sunday at

Miss International 2022 Jasmin Selberg is arriving in Manila to crown the winner of Bb. Pilipinas International 2023

the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The forty lovely candidates’ national costumes showcased their regions’ rich, cultural heritage with amazing creations by talented local designers. The winner of the national costume award will be known on the finals night. Meanwhile, reigning Miss International 2022 Jasmin Selberg is arriving in Manila to crown the winner of Bb. Pilipinas International 2023.

MBC announces return of Aliwan Fiesta

ALIWAN Fiesta is making a comeback in the streets of Pasay and Manila from July 13 to 15, as officially announced by the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC).

The grand cultural showcase, known as the Festival of Champions, is being relaunched with great enthusiasm. MBC President Ruperto Nicdao, Jr. signed the memorandum of agreement alongside Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano and Dennis Marasigan, Vice President and Artistic Director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Barbie Forteza and David Licauco

GMA’s hit series Maria Clara at Ibarra continues to make waves today, but fans couldn’t help but feel the spark between its lead stars, Barbie and David. In a Twitter exchange, the pair shared some [mildly] sweet interactions, which David topped off with “Ikaw lang sapat na.” If this is a marketing strategy for their new movie, That Kind of Love, it’s working because fans are hooked on their relationship.

On the other hand, Barbie should also exercise some mindfulness because she’s romantically committed to Kapuso star Jak Roberto

Filipinos are no strangers to the Queen of All Media’s relationships over the years, so it was almost no surprise that she announced a new romance, presumably with Batangas Vice Governor Mark Leviste. For some time, Kris has been telling the public and Leviste that they’re friends, nothing more, nothing less. But in a recent Instagram appreciation post, she thanks “Marc” for “12 years of perseverance.” Whether it is the Vice Governor or a different Marc/k, Kris deserves love and happiness from her special someone.

Since its inception in 2003, Aliwan Fiesta has gathered participants from the north to the south of our festive islands, capturing regional pride through a vibrant showcase of their socio-cultural and economic profiles encompassing music, dance, pageantry, and physical theater.

However, due to the circumstances brought about by the pandemic, the festival was put on hold, and the Manila Broadcasting Company turned to its digital platforms to sustain the excitement and fervor.

The online search for Aliwan Fiesta Digital Queen (AFDQ) introduced charming young ladies from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, who exemplified social responsibility and community leadership.

This virtual search, which included the prestigious Pride of Place award, also provided an opportunity for young filmmakers who were confined to working from home during the lockdown to present the cultural traditions, ecotourism, and one-town-one product campaigns

of their respective regions. During the recent press launch, MBC unveiled the new Aliwan Fiesta logo, characterized by its multi-colored hues and shapes, while employing the Kagitingan font designed by Edsel Pingol, paying tribute to the courageous stance Filipinos took during the pandemic years. Former Reynas ng Aliwan Jamie Herrell (2013) and Marla Alforque (2017) along with AFDQ winners Jannarie Zarzoso (2020) and Marikit Manaois (2022) were present to witness this momentous occasion. When Aliwan Fiesta returns to the streets, albeit on a smaller scale due to road repairs along Roxas Boulevard, the nightly festivities and grand parade will be held within the CCP Complex. Nonetheless, it is a highly anticipated comeback that regional festivals all over the country have been preparing for since the government initiated the easing of public restrictions.

Representative Lani Mercado of Cavite’s Second District (left) with the senator and the veteran columnist and talent manager Lolit Solis (center)

Filipino-Chinese beauty Annie Uson Chen takes home the Miss Chinese World 2023 crown

The cast of ‘Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis’

Actor and senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. will play Tolome in ‘Walang Matigas Na Pulis Sa Matinik Na Misis’

The queens of Aliwan Fiesta

Have you ever ‘PHUBBED’ SOMEONE?

Zooming in on phone snubbing

ONE of the saddest things I’ve seen in a restaurant is a family dining together at a table with the adults tinkering on their phones while the kids were so engrossed with their tablets.

There was a time, I also spotted a couple waiting for their order and the lady was silently inspecting the venue’s interiors while the man was busy on the phone, playing a mobile game. Amid silence, focusing on gadgets when a person is or people are around screams disinterest or bluntly, disrespect.

In 2013, I came across a word that best captures the concept – phubbing. It has been ten years since but phubbing has yet to be widely recognized a societal sin.

Phubbing, a term derived from “phone” and “snubbing,” refers to ignoring someone in favor of using a mobile phone or other electronic devices. In recent years, with more mobile trends and games, phubbing has become increasingly more prevalent, affecting interpersonal relationships and social interactions. Effects of phubbing on individuals’ well-being and relationship satisfaction have been examined.

Studies have consistently shown that phubbing can have detrimental effects on interpersonal relationships. When individuals engage in phubbing, they send out a subtle yet strong message to their partners, friends, or family members that their virtual connections are more important. Feelings of rejection, neglect, reduced intimacy, and dissatisfaction in relationships are heightened.

To prevent phubbing and promote healthier relationships, several strategies are suggested through personal experience:

Start with yourself. Remember the Golden Rule? Treat others the way you want to be treated. Model the behavior and be mindful of your phone usage. If you expect

others to respect your presence, demonstrate the same respect by minimizing your distractions and focusing on the people around you.

Communicate and update. Discuss the issue of phubbing with your loved ones or social groups. Raise awareness, especially among the elders, about the concept’s negative impact on relationships and emphasize the importance of being fully present during social interactions.

Practice active listening. When conversing, make a conscious effort to listen actively and attentively. Maintain eye contact, ask follow-up questions, and show genuine interest in what others are saying. This can foster stronger connections and discourage phubbing behavior.

Set boundaries. Establish clear boundaries regarding phone usage within relationships. Agree on designated zones where and times when it is acceptable to use devices and communicate the importance of undivided attention during specific activities. Promote the development of phone etiquette guidelines among family and friends, or between romantic partners. This may include guidelines such as not checking phones during conversations, keeping devices on silent mode, or excusing oneself if urgent matters arise.

Phubbing is a behavior that can erode the quality of connections and relationships. By fostering a culture of mindfulness and respect for one another, we can minimize the negative effects of phubbing and make other people feel that they matter.

Phubbing can erode the quality of connections and relationships, so learn to adapt new habits that allow you to live in the moment and create deeper and more meaningful bonds

(right), and SM Store officials (left to right) Vice President- SBU Operations for North Luzon Cluster Ross B. Oquialda, Executive Vice President (Fashion Business Unit) Aldwin B. Co, and Executive Vice President Dhinno S. Tiu

Top 5 reasons to visit the new SM Store Bataan

THE recently opened SM Store at SM City Bataan offers a fusion of exceptional retail and captivating design. Its vibrant merchandise perfectly complements the mall’s Scandinavian interiors, featuring natural elements like wood, metal, and muted color palettes.

Situated at the heart of Balanga City, this two-level, approximately 12,200 square-meter store brings a delightful blend of local and global brands to Bataan.

Strategically positioned near the transportation terminal complex, schools, hospitals, and residential areas, it provides customers with a convenient and rewarding shopping experience, making SM Bataan the ultimate shopping destination for everyone.

Here are five reasons why a visit is worthwhile:

1. “We’ve got it all for you.” True to its tagline, SM Store Bataan offers everything for everyone. From everyday essentials to fashion and home finds, the store boasts an extensive selection of high-quality products at reasonable prices. Whether you’re looking for ladies’, men’s, or children’s fashion, accessories, home goods, or beauty products, this one-stop shop ensures affordability and excellent customer service.

2. Shopping is more fun with amazing deals and discounts. Until June 17, be one of the Lucky 100 shoppers and have a chance to win up to P300,000 worth of SM Gift passes. Additionally, enjoy exclusive discounts from our banking partners. Avail of special offers from

Studies have consistently shown that phubbing can have detrimental effects on interpersonal relationships

Nail care tips of 3 empowered moms

FOR many women, nail care serves as a means of self-expression, allowing them to showcase their individuality and indulge in a cherished self-care ritual.

The act of adorning their nails with polish holds a transformative power that goes beyond enhancing their appearance. It instills a profound sense of confidence, empowerment, and grace. In the midst of navigating the complexities of modern life, finding time to prioritize nail care becomes a treasured escape—a moment of self-pampering that rejuvenates both body and soul.

In celebration of Mother’s Day, this feature is dedicated to three exceptional moms who have successfully struck a harmonious balance between their personal lives and flourishing careers.

Agoo Azuna-Bengzon, Melissa GohingNacino, and Shari Poquiz reveal their favorite CND products that help them maintain impeccable nails amid their busy lifestyles. Unlocking radiant nails

Juggling her role as MEGA Magazine’s Beauty Director and her responsibilities as a mom, Agoo Azuna-Bengzon has mastered the art of time management.

“I believe it really all boils down to time management and scheduling things accordingly. I try to be aware as much as possible about what is happening both at home and at work so that neither one is neglected,” she says.

Agoo’s passion for self-care is evident in her daily routines, including a skincare regimen she enjoys. She treats herself to foot spas and paraffin treatments to stay pampered. With her beauty industry experience, she loves CND’s Solar Oil for strong, radiant nails. Its quick absorption saves her time.

An athlete’s path to luxurious hands

For Melissa Gohing-Nacino, a former pro-athlete turned lifestyle content creator, managing work-life balance with family is of utmost importance.

“Managing work-life balance with family can be challenging, but I make sure to prioritize both. I plan and organize my schedule to maximize my productivity and minimize stress. Like creating my daily to-do list, using a planner or calendar, and setting reminders for important deadlines,” she shares.

Melissa values her

“Me Time,” a day for selfindulgence and pampering. She enjoys salon visits, getting

her lashes and nails done, and ending the day with her favorite food, like ramen. For hand care, Melissa favors CND Scentsations Lotion in Black Cherry & Nutmeg. It nourishes her hands, has a captivating fragrance, and absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue, ideal for her busy lifestyle.

Triple-threat nail care routine

For Shari Poquiz, a content creator and entrepreneur, striking the right work-life balance is essential.

“Prioritizing and learning to say no to things that take me away from what’s important [is key for work/life balance]. Now, I make sure that all the things I allot time for are worth it. My family comes first, but also, I give myself grace to not feel guilty when I need my individual time away from my kids and need to breathe,” she shares.

Shari is devoted to self-care, which involves regular workouts, sports, massages, and maintaining her nails and hair. During the pandemic, she learned to do her own manipedi using the CND nail care system. Shari loves CND’s Cuticle Away gel formula for dissolving cuticles without harming the nails or surrounding skin. She prefers Shellac gel polish for its long-lasting effects and relies on CND’s Solar Oil to rejuvenate her nails after gel extensions. Shari’s dedication to self-care and use of CND products ensure her nails always look stunning.

Take your cue from these inspiring moms who continue to celebrate their unyielding dedication to balancing their thriving careers, and busy family lives while carving out much-needed “me-time” with their favorite CND products. As representatives of #CNDProMom, they stand as inspiring examples of the strength and resilience of modern moms who continue to set the bar for selfcare and empowerment.

(From left) Shari Poquiz, Melissa Gohing-Nacino, and Agoo Azcuna-Bengzon each have their favorite CND products that help them maintain impeccable nails amid their busy lifestyles