Manila Standard - 2023 June 6 - Tuesday

GAS, KEROSENE PRICES GO DOWN 60C, DIESEL 30C

Defense, DOH chiefs named

PBBM taps Gibo

By Charles Dantes

to lead DND anew, Herbosa for Health Dept.

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday appointed former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. to his old position and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa as Health Secretary, filling two crucial Cabinet positions a year into his administration.

Photos released by Malacanang showed Mr. Marcos talking separately to Teodoro and Department of National Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez, and with Herbosa and Department of Health OIC Dr. Ma. Rosario Vergeire.

Vergeire had said previously she was ready to become Health Secretary if the President wanted to, after ini

tially saying she valued being a career official at DOH, where she was also an undersecretary during the past Duterte government.

Teodoro was Secretary of Defense during President Gloria MacapagalArroyo’s administration, one of the youngest Cabinet officials at the time at 43 years old.

Photos

GSIS, SSS may invest in Maharlika projects—Diokno, Nat’l Treasurer

WHILE the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Social Security System (SSS) are barred from investing in the Maharlika Investment Corp. (MIC), they may invest in its projects, the government’s top economic officials said Monday.

In a press briefing, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon addressed fears that if the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) loses money, the pensions of state and

private workers would be put at risk.

“It’s prohibited [for the SSS and GSIS to invest in the MIF] directly and indirectly,” De Leon said in a mix of Filipino and English.

But De Leon and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno both said the two pension funds may invest in projects, but not in the MIC itself.

They added that a risk management

FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas displays the commemorative coin set for the 125th Anniversary of Philippines Independence at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañan Palace on Monday. Meanwhile, the Philippine Postal Corp. also unveiled two designs for commemorative stamps for the occasion (inset photos). Alfred Frias, Philpost photos

Kuwait getting DHs from Ethiopia with PH shut out

KUWAIT will import domestic workers from Ethiopia as it implements a contingency plan to ensure an adequate supply of manpower since it has yet to lift its suspension of new entry visas for workers and travelers alike from the Philippines, Gulf News reported.

Khaled Al Dakhnan, head of the Union of Domestic Labor Recruitment Offices in Kuwait, announced the group has reached a bilateral agreement with its Ethiopian counterpart to regulate the import of domestic workers from the African nation.

Onions go straight to retailers via gov’t contract farming program

By Othel V. Campos

THE government has rolled out its contract farming program for agricultural products, in particular onions, to im-

prove farmers’ access to markets and achieve fair prices for their produce.

The Farmer Retail Market program seeks to establish a direct linkage between onion farmers and institutional

Mayon alert raised to Level 2, airmen told to avoid Taal too

By Charles Dantes and Joel E. Zurbano

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level status of Mayon Volcano to Alert Level 2 on Monday.

“DOST-Phivolcs is raising the Alert Level of Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 1 (abnormal) to Alert Level 2

(increasing unrest). This means that there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to phreatic eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption,” Phivolcs said in a statement.

Phivolcs said that rockfall events have increased in frequency from a daily average of five. From 5 a.m. of

buyers by removing traders from the supply chain.

According to the Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB), the program will provide a reliable supply of local on-

ions, particularly during lean months.

The country’s big retailers -- SM Supermarkets, Robinsons, and Puregold -- agreed to take part in the program.

This developed as the Philippine government has repatriated some 644 overseas Filipino workers from Kuwait since May, the Department of Migrant Workers said yesterday. Kuwait and the Philippines had

PH, Australia set 15 defense activities in ‘24

THE Philippines and Australia will conduct 15 defense-related activities in 2024, the Philippine Army said Monday. These will include training on internal security, counterinsurgency, counter-terrorism, external defense, and disasters, the Army’s commanding general Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

“Most of these activities are focused on bilateral training, which will be continuous,” Brawner said in Filipino. “We can see where the Philippine Army falls short, so we are asking for help from our partners, who can teach us about their tactics, and also for us to be able to adapt to the new weapon systems that are out there.”

“This gives us a glimpse of the modern type of warfare. We would like to

NEW CABINET APPOINTEES. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. talks with Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro (top photo, left) and Department of Defense officer in charge Carlito Galvez, and later with Department of Health OIC Rosario Vergeire (above, center) and new DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa at Malacanang following their appointments to the Cabinet on Monday. PND

hands

Gas, kerosene prices go down 60c

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE country’s oil firms cut the prices of gasoline and kerosene by P0.60 per liter and diesel by P0.30 per liter effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market.

“Petron will implement the following price rollbacks effective 6 a.m. on June 6: P0.60 per liter for gasoline; P0.30 per liter for diesel and P0.60 per liter for kerosene. These reflect movements in the international oil market,” Petron Corp. said.

PTT Philippines, Cleanfuel, Petro -

GSIS,...

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unit within the MIC would determine where the money will be invested.

MIC can also form joint ventures with conglomerates for big-ticket Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, they said.

Diokno, who will head the MIC by virtue of his position as Finance secretary, said they will consider all possible investment projects, regardless of size. They will also work on developmental projects that could have a high return.

“The MIC can invest in the stock market or short-term bonds,” Diokno said in Filipino. “There’s an allocation for this. Long term, or short term, maybe high risk but high return. It’s the risk management committee that will determine this.”

Among the sources of funds for the MIF are proceeds from the sale of government assets. Some P2.5 billion worth of government properties are lined up for sale this year.

Diokno said the MIC is expected to be fully operational before the end of the year.

He said the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act of 2023 is expected to be signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. before his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July.

Once enacted into law, Diokno said: “We’re expected to prepare the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), and we’re expected to look for people to man the MIC.”

“That is the direction and I see this to be fully operational before the end of the year,” he added.

Congress approved the MIF Act of 2023 last week.

The sovereign wealth fund will be invested in a wide range of assets, including foreign currencies, fixed-income instruments, domestic and foreign corporate bonds, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and highimpact infrastructure projects, and projects that contribute to the attainment of sustainable development.

Diokno said the MIC would have at least P75 billion in paid-up capital this year.

Of the total, P50 billion will come from the Land Bank of the Philippines while the remaining P25 billion will be from the Development Bank of the Philippines. Julito G. Rada

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CPAB is also eyeing partnerships with the Hotel and Restaurants Association of the Philippines (HRAP), as well as with ALLDAY supermarkets.

In addition, Monde Nissin Corporation and Unilever Philippines Inc. also agreed to source shallots directly from the farmers for their seasoning products.

The Department of Trade and Industry intends to apply the same strategy to other agricultural products such as rice, garlic, corn, and sugar.

Through the Small Business Corporation (SB Corp.), the DTI also urged farmers to access the Diminishing Loan Assistance (DLA) to help agricultural producers gain access to financing.

CPAB said farmers face several challenges when accessing loans and grants, including the lack of collaterals, limited financial literacy, limited access to formal financing institutions, high-interest rates, complex application processes, and limited availability of grants.

The DLA is a loan program wherein the interest is calculated on the decreasing outstanding principal balance. With the diminishing loan method, the interest is calculated as a percentage of the outstanding principal balance at the beginning of each period, CPAB said.

Gazz, Seaoil Philippines, and Chevron Philippines also cut their pump prices.

Department of Energy Director for the Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero said the oil firms rolled back pump prices based on the movement of the Mean of Platts Singapore, the benchmark used by oil importers.

She said oil prices slumped last week weighed down by supply risks and weak China’s economic data.

“On the supply side, KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] warned of further cuts but the outcome of the June 4 meeting remains uncertain after Russian Deputy Minister and OPEC+ negotiator said, he would not expect new production cuts from the meeting,” Romero said.

She said slower factory activity in China, which pointed to the sluggish recovery in the industrial sector after a year of lockdowns also affected oil prices. Industry sources said last week gasoline will go down by P0.65 to P0.75 per

liter and diesel by P0.30 to P0.40 per liter.

Domestic pump prices are adjusted weekly, but oil prices depend on the brand, location, and market forces.

On May 30, the oil companies implemented a per liter increase of P1.10 for gasoline while the price of kerosene dropped by P0.60 per liter.

There was no movement in the price of diesel.

These price adjustments resulted in a year-to-date net decrease for kerosene at P6.75 per liter, and a net increase of P6.10 per liter for gasoline.

Diesel remains at a net decrease of P5.05 per liter.

P55m in shabu intercepted at Ninoy airport

By Joel E. Zurbano

CUSTOMS agents intercepted a shipment of shabu worth more than P55 million at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday.

The operation initiated by the bureau’s X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) also resulted in the arrest of a Liberian national who arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 via Qatar Airlines flight QR934.

The suspect was identified as Philip C. Campbell with Passport No. PP0074420.

Customs XIP personnel said the suspect came from Doha to Manila but his port of origin was Lagos, Nigeria. The foreigner brought two black baggage

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He also assumed the role of chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), which has since been reconstituted into the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The former presidential candidate also served as a three-term member of Congress, representing the first district of Tarlac.

Teodoro completed his law degree and graduated at the top of his class at the University of the Philippines. He

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June 4 to 5 a.m. of the next day, there were 49 rockfall events.

As of April 1, 2023, 318 rockfall events have been recorded by Phivolcs, while 26 volcanic earthquakes have been registered in the same period.

Additionally, as of May 9, 2023, the lava dome has increased in volume by about 83,000 cubic meters since Feb. 3, 2023, and a total of 164,000 cubic meters since August 2022.

Meanwhile, the last sulfur dioxide emission measurement was on May 23, 2023, at 162 tons per day, while the highest was tallied on April 29, at 576 tons per day.

“These low-level volcanic earthquakes, ground deformation, and volcanic gas parameters are overshadowed by recent steep increases in rockfall events, which may possibly lead to further dome activity,” Phivolcs said.

Phivolcs urged the public to be vigilant and avoid going near the six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone to

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prepare our Filipino soldiers to be able to operate in future wars,” he added.

Brawner said such bilateral training could send a message to the world: that armies in the Indo-Pacific are “one and together in our objective of preventing war in the region.”

“By training together, we not only develop our respective skills and capabilities, but more importantly, we also give the message to the world that we are one, solid, and can work together to prevent war, and in case war happens, that we are able to transition smoothly and work together effectively,” he said.

Brawner said the training with allies and partners does not target a specific country.

“We are training with our partners to strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Army so that we are ready to face any threat that might arrive,” he said.

The Philippine Army and Austral -

Submarine cable woes slow PLDT internet services

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PLDT Inc. on Monday said some of its customers experienced slower internet connection due to networks problem with one of its submarine cable partners.

“One of our submarine cable partners confirms a loss in some of its internet bandwidth capacity, thus causing slower internet browsing,” PLDT said in a statement.

The company did not disclose the identity of its submarine cable partner.

loaded with 8.1 kilos of shabu.

“We saw suspicious X-ray images, prompting us to put an X mark on the baggage for physical examination. In the presence of the passenger, both bags were found to contain balled-up white crystalline substances concealed inside packs of spices (of different varieties) and packs of dried small shrimps,” the Customs statement said.

A field test conducted by a task force from NAIA and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency confirmed that the content was ‘methamphetamine, weighing 8.138 kilograms with an estimated street value of P55,338,400.

The suspect is now in detention while the illegal drugs were turned over to

achieved the top rank in the 1989 Bar Examinations and furthered his legal education by obtaining a Master’s degree in Law from Harvard University.

Herbosa, on the other hand, obtained his medical degree from the University of the Philippines Manila and holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from UP Diliman.

He previously served as Health Undersecretary from 2010 to 2015, contributing to various initiatives such as the Hospital Accreditation Commission and the modernization of the Philippine Orthopedics Center, and promoting Public-Private Partnerships in health.

From October 2017 to April 2021,

minimize risks from sudden explosions, rockfall, and landslides.

In case of ash fall, people were advised to cover their noses and mouth with a damp, clean cloth, or a dust mask.

Civil aviation authorities were asked to tell their pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines on Monday issued a notice to airmen advising them to avoid flying near Mayon and Taal volcanoes.

CAAP chief information officer Eric Apolonio said the agency issued the notice due to increasing unrest in two volcanoes.

“With Mayon Volcano now on Alert Level 2 and Taal Volcano on Alert Level 1, flights have been prohibited to operate 10,000 feet from the surface and advised to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from the sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft,” Apolonio said.

Since 10:30 p.m. Saturday, the visible upwelling of volcanic fluids in the Main Crater Lake produced voluminous steam-rich plumes that rose to 3,000

ian Defense Force concluded the first part of their Kasangga bilateral exercise on Monday.

A total of 114 soldiers from the Philippine Army 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) and 43 soldiers from the Australian Defense Force took part in the three-week exercise.

The troops exchanged knowledge and skills on urban operations, combat tracking, long-range marksmanship, jungle warfare, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

Australian Defense Attache to the Philippines Col. Paul Barta said Australian troops learned so much about jungle warfare and survival from their Filipino counterparts.

“Kasangga or partnership, we have an Australian term, mateship or bayanihan. What we’ve seen in the recent weeks is soldiers who did not know each other coming together, training and developing trust and interoperability,” Barta said.

“The big thing is that Australia is part of the region and we are working with friends in deepening relationships and

PDEA for proper disposition.

The foreigner will be charged with violating Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Drug Act, and RA 10863, the Customs Modernization And Tariff Act (CMTA) before the Pasay City Prosecutors’ Office.

Airport authorities have heightened vigilance in the campaign against illegal drug trafficking in a bid to discourage international drug syndicates from using the Philippines as a transshipment point for illegal substances.

Customs bureau officials said their campaign against the drug trade is in full support of Commissioner Bien Rubio’s border control initiatives.

Herbosa served as the Executive Vice President of the University of the Philippines System, contributing to its development and growth.

He has held various key positions, including Chief Division of Trauma at the Department of Surgery, Philippine General Hospital, Chairman of the Board for Physicians for Peace Philippines, and 3rd Vice President of the UP Alumni Association.

Herbosa also served as a Special Adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, offering expert guidance and contributing to the formulation of strategies to mitigate the impact of the virus.

Joyce Pangco Panares

meters above Taal Volcano Island.

On Monday, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on directed the field offices (FOs) in the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions to prepare amid volcanic unrest recorded both in the Taal and Mayon volcanoes.

“The concerned regional field offices have been directed to stockpile their family food packs and ensure that they have sufficient standby funds as part of the preparation for both the Taal and Mayon volcanic unrest,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

He specifically ordered the regional directors of DSWD FO 4-A (Calabarzon) and FO 5 (Bicol) to get the “historic data” in their respective regions to include the number of families affected, the number of municipalities affected, and the duration of the volcanic unrest.

“The historic data will be very helpful in determining the approximate number of FFPs that need to be stockpiled. It is very important to closely monitor the activities of the Taal and Mayon and updates be sent in real-time,” he told the regional directors.

interoperability. We’re at the home of jungle fighters. Australia has not fought in a jungle in a long time, so we are learning a lot from Filipino soldiers.”

In the same way, Filipino soldiers gained knowledge and skills from their Australian counterparts, especially in urban operations and close-quarter battles.

Maj. Gen. Roberto Capulong said the training that Filipino soldiers gain from Kasangga will make them more confident when it comes to critical missions.

“With the kind of training they received from our Australian counterpart, it’s something new to them and will really help them be more effective in the performance of their mandate,” he said.

He said during the siege of Marawi in 2017, the Army lacked skills in urban operations, so this is one focus of their Australian counterparts.

The two armies also opened the second part of Kasangga on Monday. This time, a new batch of 122 soldiers from the 2ID will take part in the bilateral exercise, which will be held from June 5 to 25 in Rizal.

“We are now working with our partners to provide alternate capacity that would restore the browsing experience in the next few hours,” it added. PLDT has a total of 3.97 million fixed line and fixed wireless broadband subscribers as of March this year.

As of end-March, PLDT had expanded its total fiber footprint to over 1.1 million kilometers, consisting of over 231,000 kilometers of international fiber and over 874,000 kilometers of domestic fiber.

Its fiber infrastructure also supports Smart’s 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, and 5G network, which covers 97 percent of the country’s population.

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agreed to start deporting 50 Filipino workers to Manila daily amid their long-running dispute over worker protections and employer rights.

Meanwhile, Al Dakhnan predicted a substantial number of Ethiopian workers will be brought in to meet the demand caused by the halted recruitment from the Philippines, Gulf News reported.

He urged haste in finalizing the labor agreement with Ethiopia to prevent any potential crises, particularly with the upcoming school season in September, as he revealed ongoing discussions with other countries, including Kenya and Uganda.

Al Dakhnan assured that the value of employment contracts would align with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s decision and not exceed 500 Kuwait dinars (about P91,000), Gulf News reported.

The designated monthly wage is set at KD 90 (about USD 300 or P16,000), which is recognized as the highest among neighboring Gulf countries, the report added.

In Manila, DMW Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said the repatriated OFWs include “distressed workers with labor cases, those with problems with employers, and some who were overstaying their visas or had decided to stay without work permits.”

“Between May and June, we have 644 repatriated distressed OFWs from Kuwait. We still have two more flights arriving till June 8,” he said in an interview with TeleRadyo.

The Kuwaiti government has demanded that the Philippines close its shelters housing OFWs who have escaped from their employers.

The Philippines, however, has stood firm on maintaining the shelters, saying this is non-negotiable.

The DMW earlier imposed a deployment ban in February for newly hired or first-time domestic workers in Kuwait following the murder of Jullebee Ranara. Jimbo Gulle

Capulong said the two batches of Army personnel will cascade newly learned tactics and procedures to other units.

“Our training system is structured. We usually train the trainers. But if we feel the unit needs these types of skills, we program them in our in-house training,” he said.

Meanwhile, the United States and China have sent warships to the multinational naval drills that began in Indonesia on Monday, despite the rifts between the two powers.

Washington and Beijing are engaged in fierce competition on diplomatic, military, technological, and economic fronts.

The US military has stepped up its Asia-Pacific operations to counter an increasingly assertive China, which has recently staged several rounds of war drills around Taiwan.

But both dispatched warships to the 2023 Multilateral Naval Exercise ( MNEK) hosted by Indonesia in its eastern waters off Sulawesi Island from Monday to Thursday. Charles Dantes with AFP

IN BRIEF

Bill to cut procurement time from 72 to 27 days

SENIOR Deputy Speaker and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. is proposing to shorten the procurement process in the entire bureaucracy from 72 days to 27 days.

His proposal is contained in House Bill 7944 titled “Ang Bagong Pilipinas Government Procurement Reform Act.”

It would apply to all government agencies and offices, including local government units, state corporations, and state universities and colleges, and would repeal Republic Act 9184.

The measure was taken up by the House Committee on the revision of laws chaired by Manila Rep. Edward Maceda in a meeting before Congress went into its sine die adjournment last week.

Gonzales said the government procurement system “needs to be updated and streamlined to put an end to recurring delays in the acquisition of goods and services, and the awarding and implementation of infrastructure projects like roads, expressways, and school buildings.”

He said the huge increase in state expenditures since 2003, when Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act was enacted, necessitates the updating of the law. Maricel V. Cruz

US Embassy shows Progress Pride Flag

FLAG in hopes of raising awareness about the fight for equality of the LGBTQI+ community.

In a tweet, US Ambassador to the Philippines

MaryKay Carlson posted a photo of the flag being raised on one of the buildings of the embassy.

“We at @USEmbassyPH are proud to display the Progress Pride Flag as a symbol of our steadfast support for the LGBTQI+ community. Together, we persist in the fight for equality and acceptance. #PrideMonth #WithPride,” she said.

Developed in 2018 by non-binary American artist and designer Daniel Quasar, the Progress Pride Flag was based on the iconic rainbow flag from 1978.

While the rainbow colors represent the LGBTQI+ community, the addition of the five new colors represents the further diversity of the community—black and brown for people of color, and pink, light blue and white to represent trans, gender non-binary, intersex, and those across the gender spectrum.

The US Embassy in Manila likewise posted on Facebook in support of the Pride Month.

“Today and every day, we support the LGBTQI+ community in the fight for justice and acceptance,” it said. Rey E. Requejo

‘Cops need training on mental health too’

REP. Ray T. Reyes of AnaKalusugan partylist group on Monday urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to prioritize mental health training for its personnel to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively deal with individuals in crisis.

“This will not only improve the safety of our communities but also prevent unnecessary harm to individuals who may be experiencing mental health issues,” Reyes, vice chair of the House Committee on health, said.

“Being able to assess the situation effectively can help our uniformed personnel make informed decisions whatever situation they may be in, at any given time,” he added.

Reyes said mental health training will also help PNP personnel cope with the mental and emotional tolls their job entails.

He said the job of police officers is no joke as they are exposed to various dangers and sometimes threats to their lives.

“I believe that being at the peak of our health, both physically and mentally, helps us in providing help and care to the citizens more efficiently,” he added. For their part, the lawmaker said AnaKalusugan Partylist continues to review and improve existing mental health laws to ensure that they are aligned with international standards and best practices. Maricel V. Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz

HOUSE Ways and Means Chair Rep.

Joey Sarte Salceda has urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development to integrate its proposed food stamps program with the efforts of the Department of Agriculture to purchase and market domestic farm produce, emphasizing that “the poorest communities remain the rural poor of this country.”

“Food stamps, as envisioned and implemented in other countries, are really agricultural programs. They aim to bridge rural surpluses with food-poor urban communities. That way, we address both urban poverty and rural poverty,” Salceda said in a statement.

“Around 30 percent of farmers are poor. So, if you want to make this program sustainable, you link it with boosting farmer incomes,” the Albay lawmaker added.

Salceda made the statement in response to the DSWD’s proposed food stamp program, which has so far met some opposition from economic managers due to costs.

“As it was originally implemented in the US, where the food stamp program is most prevalent and arguably most successful, you can have a specific amount for general food items, and you can have a special stamp or voucher for surplus produce,” he said.

“What the farmers can get for surplus produce are food stamps for the general program. So, you help solve their food insecurity issues. You take out the surplus, helping manage prices. And you provide free surplus food to those who need it. It’s a great synergy,” Salceda added.

“So, I think the DSWD should really team up with the DA on this program,” he said.

Makati Mega Job Fair offers 7,400 openings

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Makati City government is set to hold a Mega Job Fair on June 8 at the Ayala Malls Circuit Activity Center where job-seekers can be hired on the spot.

The job fair, according to Mayor Abigail Binay, is in line with Makati’s 353rd Founding Anniversary celebration.

The Mega Job Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. will feature more than 7,400 job vacancies from 53 reputable companies across various industries to address unemployment concerns and support economic growth in the city.

“The Mega Job Fair is a collaborative effort between the city government of Makati and other sectors including the Department of Labor and Employment, Ayala Malls, and the participating companies. It is an excellent opportunity for job seekers to connect with potential

employers, expand their professional networks, and take significant steps toward their career aspirations,” Binay said.

Applicants can explore various career options and connect directly with potential employers. The job vacancies encompass diverse fields, including finance, information technology, hospitality, retail, healthcare, customer service, engineering, etc. Job seekers of all skill levels and experience are encouraged to attend the event.

The participants are encouraged to preregister in order to streamline the event and ensure a smooth experience for both

By Rey E. Requejo

job seekers and employers. To pre-register, they can visit the official registration page at https://bit.ly/mktmjf353rd.

Interested individuals are advised to bring multiple copies of their updated resume, valid identification, and other relevant documents to facilitate a seamless job application process.

Additionally, applicants are encouraged to dress professionally but may come in casual attire and be prepared for on-the-spot interviews.

The list of available job vacancies can be found at the following link: https:// bit.ly/3MDLaMV. Job seekers are encouraged to review the list in advance and identify the positions that align with their skills and interests.

For further information and updates on the Mega Job Fair, interested parties may contact the Makati City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) at (02) 8870-1230.

SOIL MANAGEMENT.

Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairperson Sen. Cynthia Villar views the exhibit during the Bureau of Soils and Water Management’s 72nd Anniversary celebration with the theme ‘Nurturing Soil and Water Resources Through Digital Innovation’ on Monday in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

ISRAEL Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Monday inaugurated the expansion of its embassy in the Philippines as the two countries mark their 65th year of diplomatic relations.

The inauguration came after Cohen arrived in the country for his two-day visit, which included a series of bilateral meetings with his counterpart, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.

“We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of our Embassy, reflecting the growing and flourishing relations between Israel and the Philippines,” the embassy said on Monday.

Cohen’s visit will boost the historically friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines spanning over six decades now.

The signing of various agreements, participation in meetings with the public and private sectors and boosting trade cooperation between the two nations are among the other expected activities of the Israeli official.

Cohen arrived in the Philippines on Sunday night to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries, particularly in areas where Tel Aviv is an expert of, such as economy, agriculture, water, innovation, and technology.

The Israeli Embassy in the Philippines said Cohen is also expected to pay a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and conduct meetings with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director General Arsenio Molina Balisacan.

An Israel business delegation will join Cohen in some of his activities to connect with Filipino business companies, the embassy said.

Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Flus said Cohen’s visit “reassures that Israel is a friend and an ally of the Philippines.

last week

THE country’s daily average of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID -19) cases decreased by 22 percent from May 29 to June 4, the Department of Health reported Monday, even as it tallied 9,107 COVID-19 cases last week.

In its latest case bulletin, the DOH recorded 1,301 daily infections, a 366case decrease from the 1,667 recorded between May 22 to 28.

The tally of severe and critical infections increased to 559 from the previous

week’s 554. Ten deaths were verified during the past week with three of them occurring from May 22 to June 4.

Only 18.9 percent or 397 out of the 2,099 intensive care unit (ICU) beds are in use, while 23 percent or 4,101 of 17,848 non-ICU beds are utilized. At least 78,443,972 or 100.4 percent of the country’s target population (78,100,578) have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including 82.16 percent of 8,721,357 senior citizens, as of

March 19.

A total of 23,811,248 have received booster shots out of the fully vaccinated population.

To date, the country has logged 4,148,401 million COVID-19 cases and 66,476 deaths since January 2020.

From May 29 to June 4, an average of 1,301 daily infections were logged in the country, which is 22 percent lower compared to the previous week.

This is the 12th straight week that the number of weekly cases is above 1,000,

according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

Of the latest infections, some 77 cases were considered severe or critical, the DOH’s latest case bulletin showed.

This is 1 percent higher than the previous week, or 5 admissions more than last week’s 554 cases, ABS-CBN IRG added.

As of Sunday, a total of 559 cases or 10.6 percent of total COVID-19 admissions were in severe and critical condition, the agency added.

SSS runs after contribution evaders, tells employers to remit delinquencies

gress. Unfortunately, some employers overlooked workers’ key role in the economy and neglect remitting their social security contributions,” he said. Of the 923 delinquent employers, 318 operate in Luzon with a total delinquency of P109.8 million affecting 3,344 employees. Mindanao came in second with 316 employers with a total delinquency of P69.2 million, affecting 3,669 employees. Rio N. Araja

Israel’s Cohen marks 65 years of ties with PH

‘DSWD, DA must sync on food stamps’

SCHOOLS FIXED. SM Foundation, through its School Building Program, completed the repair of six school buildings in elementary public schools in Antipolo City, Dagupan City, Legazpi City, Pulilan in Bulacan), the City of San Fernando, and Sorsogon. These were programmed for 2023 with a budget of P3 million and were turned over to the beneficiary schools ahead of schedule.

EAGLES’ THANKSGIVING. More than 800 beneficiaries from Barangays San Vicente, Parada, and Tumana in Sta. Maria, Bulacan receive groceries and rice from the Sta. Maria Magnificent Eagles Club in thanksgiving for the 52nd birthday of SMEC

President ‘Kuya’ Solomon Jover at Rosmen Pavillion on Sunday. Andrew Rabulan

PNP chief orders inspection of all detention facilities

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. has ordered the inspection of all police detention facilities has been ordered to ensure the protection of the rights of arrested individuals.

Acorda ‘s order came after members of the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) arrested a police station commander in Angeles City, Pampanga and six other policemen for alleged unlawful arrest and arbitrary detention of 13 civilians.

Acorda said the Chief of the Directorial Staff is set to issue an order including the status of custodial facilities in their areas of jurisdiction as a credential for the promotion of police commanders.

The PNP also said charges have been filed against the Angeles City policemen after authorities discovered that the policemen were allegedly keeping 13 individuals at the Angeles City Police Station 2 without any charges filed.

“Let this be a reminder to the commanders, provincial directors and even a city director, you should know what your men are doing, get out of your office, inspect,” Acorda told reporters during Monday’s press briefing held at Camp Crame.

Acorda urged the public to report rogue police officers in their community as he vowed to be “quick and decisive” in their

cleansing efforts.

“Don’t be afraid to report, the police should be ready to accept the reports and we will assure them that these reports that are given to us will be acted upon and protected as well. That’s what the whistleblowers are looking for—aasurance that they will be safe,” Acorda said.

According to the PNP chief, IMEG and the PNP Internal Affairs Service (IAS) would be given “more teeth” to weed out erring personnel from the service IMEG chief Brig.

Gen. Warren de Leon said station commander

Maj. Marvin Aquino, Master Sgt. Romulo Meligrito, Staff Sgts. Nikko Dave Marquez and Mark Steven Sison, and Corporals Richard Gozum, Diosdado Villamor Jr. and Jaypee Mangilit were arrested on Friday.

De Leon said the planned operation also resulted in the arrest of a civilian asset identified as Esmael Arviola for illegal possession of a .38-caliber revolver with four live ammunitions.

The operation stemmed from the complaint of the daughter of a recently arrested drug offender, who claimed the suspects asked for PHP30,000 in exchange for the lesser offense of illegal gambling instead of violations under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Charles Dantes

Acorda: Suspect in broadcaster’s death identified

By Charles Dantes

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday said they have already identified a suspect in the killing of radio broadcaster Cresenciano Bunduquin in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro last week.

(Police Re-

“Based

gional Office) 4B, the case, is I think it’s ready for filing, identified na rin yung second suspect and we will give the specifics, especially the names once they will be able to file the case. I was assured by the regional director (Brig. Gen. Joel Doria) that the investigation that is being done is foolproof,” Acorda told reporters during Monday’s press briefing held at Camp Crame. Acorda also said they have also

SIX regions with the reported presence of private armed groups and loose firearms will be monitored ahead of the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said told reporters during Monday’s press briefing held at Camp Crame said that “ahead of the October elections, PNP units in six regions of the country are continuously monitoring the activities of three active private armed groups, (PAGS) and 45 potential PAGs with an estimated more or less 200 members with almost 400 firearms that may be used for partisan activities in the 2023 BSKE.”

Acorda also said the PNP’s policing strategies have been adjusted to cope with the added requirements for a conducive peace and order environment that will guarantee secure, clean and fair elections in the country’s more than 42,000 barangays.

Acorda meanwhile said there is no serious threat in Negros Oriental amid a possi-

received “some information” regarding the suspect’s location.

“With regards to the motive, wala pa tayo (we don’t have it yet) and at the same time they had raised P150,000 for the arrest of this second suspect,” he added.

Bunduquin, the host of the Ayos Mandin show on dwXR 101.7 Kalahi FM, was gunned down in front of a store along C5 Road at Barangay Sta.

ble postponement of the BSKE in the province. He further said the PNP will only give “inputs” but the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will decide if the October polls in Negros Oriental will be moved.

“Our primary concerns include the existence of private armed groups and loose firearms. Also being monitored are the activities of communist terrorist groups and criminal gangs that, based on historical data, are known to act as armed goons for politicians during elections,” he said.

Acorda meanwhile said the PNP’s aggressive operations resulted in the apprehension of 897 gang members belonging to 200 neutralized criminal gangs in 690 police-initiated operations while 10 other gang members died in these operations and 84 other gang members surrendered and yielded 124 firearms from the gangs’ arsenal from January 1 to June 2.

In addition, Acorda said police operations against wanted persons and loose firearms remain on full steam in support of the overall security strategy for the 2023 BSKE.

UN rapporteur seeks SC approval as ‘amicus curiae’ in Ressa’s appeal

By Rey E. Requejo

UNITED Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan on Monday appealed to the Supreme Court (SC) to allow her to intervene as “amicus curiae” and to admit her amicus brief in the appeal of Rappler CEO and Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa on her conviction for cyberlibel by the Manila regional trial court.

In a motion for leave of court, Dean Rodel Taton of the Graduate School of Law San Sebastian College Recoletos-Manila, who is serving as Khan’s attorney-in-fact, stressed that while an amicus curiae or “friend of the court” is usually invited by

the court to provide insights to a case, Khan hopes to be allowed by the magistrates to intervene as an expert in Ressa’s case.

“She just wanted to be allowed to appear as an amicus curiae and for her submission to be admitted by the court. She is seeking the court’s permission for this purpose,” Taton said, in an interview with reporters after he filed the motion.

Khan’s briefer said as an expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council she has the mandate and task to gather relevant information in relation to alleged violations of right to freedom of opinion and expression.

According to her, she also has the authority and power to provide recommendations and suggestions to promote and pro-

Villar renews vow to protect oceans, wetlands as valuable resources

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

TO celebrate May as the Month of the Ocean, Sen. Cynthia Villar renewed her commitment to protect oceans and wetlands and preserve their roles in nurturing life and supporting livelihoods.

During the On-the-Spot Poster-Making Contest initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP), Villar underscored the importance of “the conservation, protection, and sustainable management of our country’s coastal and marine resources.”

“It becomes all the more important given that the Philippines is an archipelago endowed with vast coastal and ocean resources, including critical habitats, mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass beds, seascapes, and endangered and vulnerable marine flora and fauna, all of which provide both economic

and ecological benefits for the present and future generations,” Villar said.

Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, said while it is important to meet the needs of the growing population and demand for food and resources, “we should do so without neglecting the health of our oceans, which are a rich source of diverse marine life that sustain millions of people.”

“It is a sad reality that our oceans and wetlands are vulnerable. Habitat destruction and climate change have led to a decline in marine bounties and biodiversity. Wetlands, such as the LPPWP, a legislated protected area, are also under threat,” Villar said, adding that the proposed reclamation projects near or within the vicinity of LPPWP would result in the destruction of the park’s ecological functions, which are beneficial to Filipinos.

tect the right to freedom of expression.

The briefer said that the UN rapporteur is concerned that domestic law “fails to adequately protect the right to freedom of opinion and expression under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

Manila is among the signatories to the said international covenant.

“In particular, the Cybercrime Prevention Act raises serious concerns that it limits the ability of journalists to expose, document and address issues of important public interest, thereby violating the right to receive and impart information,” Khan said, referring to the cybercrime prevention act passed in 2012. It can be recalled that Ressa and

former Rappler staff Reynaldo Santos Jr.was convicted on June 15, 2020 by the Manila Regional Trial Court on the cyber libel case filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng.

The case stemmed from an article written by Santos claiming that Keng allegedly lent his sports utility vehicle to then Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Apart from this, the story also cited an intelligence report that said Keng had been under surveillance by the National Security Council for alleged involvement in human trafficking and drug smuggling.

Keng has denied all the allegations.

Ressa and Santos had appealed their conviction before the SC after they were turned down by the Court of Appeals.

Isabel in Calapan City on May 31. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Also on May 31, one of the suspects in the shooting was shot dead by the responding authorities.

Earlier, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security announced a P50,000 reward to anyone who can give information that could lead to the arrest of the gunman who remains at large.

IN BRIEF

MMDA orders road closure of Roxas Blvd.

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has announced it will temporarily close Roxas Boulevard to vehicular traffic in connection with the country’s 125th Independence Day celebration on June 12.

The road closure from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. will be implemented along both lanes of the boulevard from T.M. Kalaw to P. Burgos Street.

Meanwhile, Katigbak Parkway, South Rd, and Independence Road will be temporarily closed from 12 midnight to 10 p.m. of the same day to give way to a civic-military parade.

Affected trucks going to North Harbor are advised to reroute from South Luzon Expressway straight ahead to Osmeña Highway then right turn to Quirino Avenue, straight to Nagtahan Street, going to Lacson Avenue, left turn to Yuseco Street, and straight ahead to Capulong Street then right turn or turn left to R10 road to destination. Joel E. Zurbano

Bishop Santos is new Antipolo shepherd

BISHOP Ruperto Santos will be the new shepherd of the Diocese of Antipolo starting in July.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines news website reported on Monday that the 65-year-old prelate will be installed at 10 a.m. on July 22 at the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, more popularly known as Antipolo Cathedral, in Rizal province. Santos will oversee one of the Church’s fast-growing dioceses in the country, covering not just the city of Antipolo but also Marikina City and the entire province of Rizal.

“Please help me with your prayers. Remember me always at the altar of our Lord. Intercede for me to our Blessed Mother Mary that my episcopal ministry be like her: peace, good and full of grace,” Santos said in a statement.

Before being named to the post, Santos has been serving the Diocese of Balanga in Bataan province since July 2010. Santos will succeed Bishop Francisco de Leon, whose resignation from the pastoral governance of the diocese was accepted by Pope Francis on May 24.

3,000 Davaoeños get aid from TUPAD

MORE than 3,000 Davaoeños received their payout from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) in Davao City.

According to the office of Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte, 5,430 individuals were identified beneficiaries after they applied for the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) program. The latter conducts the assessment after profiling the applicants completed by the First Congressional District Office.

Meanwhile, 3,422 individuals have already received their payout. The distribution is ongoing, as thousands of recipients have yet to receive their payout in upcoming weeks. Among the recipients are carpenters, laborers, shine boys, street vendors, and fire victims. Duterte said the First Congressional District Office and the DOLE–Davao have been working together to assist thousands of impoverished residents through the TUPAD program. Maricel V. Cruz

Private armed groups in six regions under surveillance ahead of Oct. polls

REMEMBERING TIANANMEN. Members of Kalipunan ng Kilusang Masa dramatize their protest action on Monday at Boy Scout Circle in Quezon City to commemorate the 34th Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China. Manny Palmero

MOBILIZATION EXERCISE. San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Regional Peace and Order Council chair Francis Zamora leads the inspection of communication equipment in a demonstration of the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTFNCR) Mobilization Exercise at Pinaglabanan Shrine.

MASONIC TRIBUTE. Mayor Joy Belmonte joins o cials of the Grand Masonic Lodge of the Philippines including Popoy Lipana, Tony Ong, Noel Bulaong, Ren Galang, Angelo Nicolas, and Froilan Forteza (from left) during the  Unveiling and Dedication of the Bust of Brother Mayor Norberto S. Amoranto at Amoranto Sports Arena, in Scout Chuatoco St. Quezon City.

The DOTr dilemma: In between bad bids

assistant secretary. And the incoming replacement must be ready to sit at the frontlines of potential public scrutiny. My gulay! Will the replacement be brave enough to not cower to powers in the shadow?

Concerns over the Taiwan Strait

YET again, the recent passage through the sensitive Taiwan Strait by navies of the United States and Canada in a joint mission have sent ripples of concern in all directions lapping against the shorelines of neighboring countries.

AHEAD lies a bumpy, pothole-infested road for the next daring soul to take the helm as Land Transportation Office chief, once Arturo M. Tugade’s successor is tapped.

After a six-month stint, Tugade abruptly filed his resignation from the office, which took effect on June 1. His swift exit was brought about by “differing methods” with the Department of Transportation.

The LTO and the DOTr, he stated, “both aim to succeed in serving the public, but our methods to achieve that success differ.”

However, a closer look at the circumstances hounding the LTO -- and in particular the issue of the plastic card shortage for driver’s ;licenses -- more or less turns Tugade’s statement into pretext for the unsavory situation that merely fell into his lap.

Dilemma in between bids

Last week, the bidding for the DOTr’s procurement of 5.2 million of these cards ended in a showdown between two contractors, and a dilemma for the DOTr that we should all look out for.

One of these firms, Allcard Inc. (ACI), is a painfully familiar name for anyone who followed up on what’s taking our national IDs too long.

To refresh your memory, the snafu at one point laughably devolved into an official suggestion for citizens to print the ID themselves.

Meanwhile, bidder number two is Banner, Inc., that entered the bidding with P42 per card, an almost absurd offer considering ACI’s P33.88 price apiece.

While we await the next development on the bid, we pray as well for an intervention in this conundrum: are we about to shell out millions more of taxpayers money, or should millions more motorists expect their new licenses printed on a piece of paper?

That is the hundred-million peso question, my gulay!

New license plates

With the appointment of an LTO officer-in-charge, it is my fervent wish, together with many others, that the LTO may pretty soon issue me my new car plate.

It has been six years that my car has been sporting that old green plate -three years during pre-pandemic and three years during pandemic.

Every time I have my car registered, I feel cheated because the LTO does not issue me new license plates.

I have asked around, and the Philippines is about the only country that does not issue enough car plates when people register their vehicles.

What I cannot understand is that while the LTO had issued new car plates to some, I still have not been given my new car plates.

There had been many LTO managers, together with new Department of Transportation secretaries, but, Santa Banana, I still have to see my new car plates! Romualdez’ leadership

In my previous column, I commended the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez for pushing the enactment of the legislative agenda of President Marcos.

My gulay, it is not yet one year since the cousin of the President assumed the speakership, and out of 412 house bills filed, the legislative agenda, particularly the much debated Maharlika Investment Fund, has already been enacted into law by both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The House had earlier enacted the MIF, and now the House again adopted the Senate version in the final reading.

The waterway separates democratic selfruled Taiwan by only 160 kilometers from China. China claims Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to take it one day, by force if necessary, and has in recent years ramped up military and political pressure on the island.

Last week, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong led two other ships through the Taiwan Strait, in a show of force after Beijing conducted aerial and naval exercises around Taiwan in April.

The US 7th Fleet announced Saturday its destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Montreal were “conducting a routine Taiwan Strait transit on June 3 “through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law.”

According to the US Navy, “Chung-Hoon and Montreal’s bilateral transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the commitment of the United States and our allies and partners to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

While US naval ships frequently sail through the strait, the recent bilateral transit is rare – the last a joint US-Canada passage through the strait occurred was in September

While US naval ships frequently sail through the strait, the recent bilateral transit is rare – the last a joint US-Canada passage through the strait occurred was in September 2022

2022. On Sunday, China’s defense minister defended sailing a warship across the path of an American destroyer and Canadian frigate transiting the Taiwan Strait, telling a gathering of some of the world’s top defense officials in Singapore that such so-called “freedom of navigation” patrols are a provocation

So much goodness

RECOGNIZING and celebrating the goodness in life is a powerful way to foster gratitude, positivity, and happiness.

Whether we choose to acknowledge the small pleasures in our daily routine or take the time to appreciate the people and experiences that bring us joy, celebrating the goodness in life can help us maintain a positive outlook and feel more content.

By focusing on the positive aspects of our lives, we can also develop greater resilience and a deeper sense of purpose and meaning.

Celebrating life’s goodness can take various forms, from expressing our gratitude to others to engaging in activities that enrich our lives.

Ultimately, it is a way to honor and cherish the beauty and richness of the world around us.

With 5.2 million cards as the primary deliverable, that difference adds up proportionally.

But, according to one source, that may not matter after all as Banner allegedly, according to rumor, has all the backroom connections it needs for a shot at the hundred-million peso government contract.

Between a rock and a hard place

Santa Banana! It’s a classic “between a rock and a hard place” scenario.

A true lose-lose situation.

Tugade apparently got wind of this underhanded maneuver, and his refusal to be a part of the ploy earned him the ire of a dominant force in the DOTr —whom our source hinted as a retired high-ranking military official who allegedly invested on the pricier bidder.

Whoever it is, they evidently have enough influence to unseat a Cabinet

Much earlier, Romualdez inked an alliance with the country’s major political parties ensuring the “UNITEAM,” Santa Banana, in the House! Stalwarts of several political parties under the “supermajority” coalition of the Marcos administration have officially formalized and further solidified their alliance in the House amid rumors of another plot.

My gulay, I said it that that photo of the Speaker making “mano” and kissing the hand of former President and former Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, spoke more than a thousand words, dispelling everything about a coup plot, in addition to the firm denial of GMA herself of a coup plot after her “demotion” from senior deputy speaker to a mere deputy speaker.

So, my gulay, everything is well as it ends well, with the Speaker getting the firm assurance his term will last until 2028.

In the book “So Much Goodness . . . Stories and Thoughts in My Life Journey,” Bert Cacayan gives us a glimpse of the author’s struggles and triumphs towards becoming a better person and achieving a full life.

The book is a composite of essays, poems letters, parables, and stories celebrating goodness. For purposes of this review, I divide the book into two parts, namely, the first part is a collection of poems reflecting the author’s beliefs, principles, and feelings on a variety of subjects.

The second part is an anthology of literary pieces featuring selected friends who touched and contributed to enriching his life.

In the first part of this two-part series, I will focus more on the poems and other literary pieces of the book which Bert Cacayan composed during his bout with COVID 19.

The First part of the book is a collection, an anthology, of poems about the author’s innermost thoughts, reflections, and musings about life, hope, and deepest emotions.

In these first chapters of the book, the author expresses in the form of poetry deep emotions about life and hope, experiences, whether positive or negative, as navigates the journey of life.

Through his words, these poems touch on

various aspects of human existence, including the challenges faced, the moments of joy, and the quest for fulfillment.

They provide a powerful reminder of the human ability to overcome adversity and to find hope even in the midst of despair, bringing to light the beauty that can be found in life’s complexities. Amidst all this, the author verbalizes in a poetic form and prose, how goodness triumphs.

Cacayan expresses poetically the importance of remaining connected with one’s roots helps to preserve our cultural heritage, and promotes a sense of community and shared identity

One of the poems is titled – Be Humble Yet Be Brave – which is bravely and courageously turning into something positive all challenges, all adversities and negativities that we are faced with.

As the cliché says – when life gives you lemons, learn to make lemonade. Life can be full of struggles, and it’s easy to become jaded and cynical.

However, some individuals manage to remain humble and good, despite the difficulties they face.

They understand that life can be hard, but they don’t allow it to define them or change their character. Instead, they remain committed to doing what is right, even when it’s not easy.

They recognize that everyone is fighting

to China.

In his first international public address since becoming defense minister in March, Gen. Li Shangfu told the Shangri-La Dialogue that China doesn’t have any problems with “innocent passage” but that “we must prevent attempts that try to use those freedom of navigation (patrols), that innocent passage, to exercise hegemony of navigation.”

The Chinese vessel overtook the American ship and then veered across its bow at a distance of about 140 meters in an “unsafe manner,” according to the US Indo-Pacific Command.

The US added a Chinese J-16 fighter jet late late last month “performed an unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” while intercepting a US Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea, flying directly in front of the plane’s nose.

Those and previous incidents have raised concerns of a possible accident occurring that could lead to an escalation between the two nations at a time when tensions are already high.

The US has noted that since 2021 – well before Li became defense minister – China has declined or failed to respond to more than a dozen requests from the US Defense Department to talk with senior leaders, as well as multiple requests for standing dialogues and working-level engagements.

Li said that “China is open to communications between our two countries and also between our two militaries,” but said, without mentioning the sanctions, exchanges had to be “based on mutual respect.”

their own battles and that kindness and understanding can go a long way. By staying humble and good, these individuals inspire others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of positivity and hope in the world.

In another literary work, Detachment is the Ultimate Sacrifice, Cacayan extols the virtue of detachment from worldliness as the most profound form of sacrifice. Choosing to live a life that is not centered around these things can also be seen as a form of sacrifice, as it may involve giving up certain opportunities or experiences that are highly sought after by others.

For example, someone who chooses to pursue a career in the arts or in social work may not make as much money as someone who works in finance or law.

Similarly, someone who chooses to live a simple life in a remote area may not have access to the luxuries and conveniences that many people take for granted.

However, for the author, the rewards of life without fame and fortune can be just as valuable, if not more so.

In the poem of Roots and You, Cacayan expresses poetically the importance of remaining connected with one’s roots helps to preserve one’s cultural heritage, and promotes a sense of community and shared identity, which can be very important for individuals and society as a whole. Staying connected can also help us to understand ourselves better.

By learning about our family history, for example, we can gain insights into our own personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses.

The second part of the book, which we shall feature in the second part of the series, Cacayan gives a collection of stories about friends and other close associates who touched his life in the course of life’s journey.

Night-time shopping booms as Zimbabwe inflation soars

HARARE, Zimbabwe—After the sun sets in Harare, the streets of Zimbabwe’s capital suddenly burst to life.

Carts, cars and trucks turned into makeshift, unauthorized, shops sell anything from potatoes to babies’ nappies on the pavements of the city center.

Shopping is best done at night in times of hyperinflation and economic hardship.

Cash-crunched Zimbabweans are increasingly turning to informal vendors for their groceries shopping as, with little or no overheads, street hawkers can afford to undercut big supermarkets.

“Everything is always cheaper outside,” Blessing Steven, 23, a taxi driver, says, buying a bottle of juice for $0.50 at a roadside stall rather than in a supermarket where it costs $1. “I save money.”

The juice vendor, Shingirirai Goriondo, 23, claims that he gets more customers than the retail outlet he operates in front of.

“All beverages I sell here are being charged double there,” he said, pointing to a branch of supermarket chain Foodworld.

Inflation has shot through the roof in recent weeks as Zimbabwe prepares for presi-

dential and parliamentary elections expected in August.

Officially standing at more than 280 percent in April, analysts estimate the inflation rate is in fact somewhere over 700 percent.

No light, no police

Economists blame the crisis on a steep depreciation of the local currency on the black market—where most trading takes place.

Only last month, the Zimbabwean dollar was trading at around 1,000 against its more coveted US counterpart.

Today, one greenback costs between 3,800 and 4,000 Zimbabwean dollars on the street—although the official rate is 1,888.

The situation has created price madness in supermarkets.

AFP reporters have in recent days observed staff changing price tags on goods every morning to try to keep pace with the exchange rate.

This has brought back memories of 2008, when hyperinflation was so out of control that restaurant-goers would see the price of their dinner change before they could finish eating it.

The government has resorted to various expedients to stabilize the economy, including issuing gold coins and launching a gold-backed digital currency —but so far to no avail

Back then, the central bank even issued a 100-trillion-dollar note—now a collectors’ item.

The government was eventually forced to ditch the local currency and adopt the US dollar as legal tender. The Zimbabwean dollar was revived in 2019, but it seems to be suffering from much the same ailments as its previous

incarnation.

Most Zimbabweans prefer to do business, get paid and hold their savings in US dollars.

Many who earn a salary in local money, rush to currency exchange shops on pay day.

“It is now expensive to purchase groceries from the supermarket with our own currency,” said Tarisai Bera, 36, buying a range of toiletries from a hawker.

Kerbside shops take only greenbacks and prices there “rarely change”, said Bera.

Street trade gets busier after dark because there is less police to go around. Most hawkers are not allowed to operate.

“If we come earlier...we might end up having our goods confiscated and fined,” said Julius Munyanyi, 46, a vendor. Election largesse

The government has resorted to various expedients to stabilize the economy, including issuing gold coins and launching a goldbacked digital currency—but so far to no avail.

The central bank’s main interest rate is currently at 140 percent.

Ex-finance minister, Tendai Biti, now an opposition politician, has blamed his former

office’s current holder, Mthuli Ncube for much of the chaos.

“Treasury, the natural gate keeper has become the gate crasher,” Biti tweeted last week.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has instead pointed the finger at US dollar-loving businesses.

“Zimbabwe dollar-earning workers are now being forced to buy basics priced exclusively in foreign currency,” Mnangagwa wrote in a weekly newspaper column earlier this month.

Others, like economist Prosper Chitambara, believe Mnangagwa’s pre-election largesse might have something to do with the crisis.

Public workers received a 100 percent pay rise in March.

Whatever the reason, business is thriving for street traders like Munyanyi.

“Customers find it viable to buy from us. We literally don’t have competition,” he said.

Buying from a supermarket is “throwing away your money,” quipped Mike Mashuro, 51, after purchasing a bottle of cooking oil from Munyanyi’s stall. AFP

Russia repels ‘large-scale’ Ukraine offensive

MOSCOW—Russia said Monday it had repelled “a large-scale offensive” by Ukrainian forces in Moscow-annexed Donetsk, as fighting intensified along their border.

Kyiv has for months said it is preparing a major counteroffensive, hoping to reclaim territory lost since Russia launched its military operation in February 2022.

Its army said recently there would be no announcement on the start of the maneuvers.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported that on Sunday, in the south of Donetsk, “the enemy launched a large-scale offensive in five sectors of the front.”

“A total of six mechanized and two tank battalions of the enemy were involved,” it said in a Telegram post, adding that Ukrainian troops had hit “the most vulnerable, in their opinion, sector of the front”.

“The enemy did not achieve their tasks, they had no success.”

The ministry posted what it said was a video of the battle, showing Ukrainian armored vehicles coming under heavy fire.

President Vladimir Putin’s top commander in Ukraine, Valery Gerasimov, “was at one of the advanced command posts,” its statement added.

Large parts of Donetsk have been held by pro-Moscow separatists since 2014. It is one of four eastern Ukrainian territories that Russia formally annexed in September last year, along with Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

On the other side of the frontier, Russia’s

army also claimed to have repelled a “sabotage group of Ukrainian terrorists” seeking to cross the border near the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, in the Belgorod region.

“The enemy was hit by artillery. The enemy scattered and retreated,” it said in a statement.

Belgorod’s governor said Sunday that fighting was ongoing near Novaya Tavolzhanka and acknowledged pro-Ukrainian forces had taken Russians prisoner during cross-border clashes.

“A sabotage group came in, there is combat in Novaya Tavolzhanka,” Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

“I hope they will all be destroyed.”

It was the first time during the more than 15 months of conflict that a Russian official has admitted the capture of prisoners on Russian territory by pro-Ukraine forces.

Fighting around the village follows last month’s dramatic armed incursion from Ukraine into the Belgorod region which forced Russia to use its artillery and air force on home soil.

The border breach was claimed by antiKremlin Russian nationalists.

A video published by the nationalists and addressing the governor appeared to show three “prisoners” who their captors called “simple soldiers sent by your leadership to this war”. AFP

necessary to become a citizen of the Philippines and none of the disqualifications provided for by law);  Medical Certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation, or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent, and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any incurable contagious disease [please attach the following to the certificate: (1) Neuro-Psychiatric Evaluation Report (from a duly licensed psychiatrist (who is a medical doctor), not a psychologist); (2) Laboratory Test Results for Drugs Test and HIV Teat, and, (3) other laboratory test’s (Note: all laboratory tests must also conducted from a government hospital)]; Note: Petitioners for naturalization are required to have their medical examination/diagnostic procedures conducted in a government hospital or facility, and not merely hospitals or facilities which are accredited by the government. The mere fact that the government hospital or facility is not near the residence or place of work of petitioner is not a valid reason for petitioner not to have said medical examination or diagnostic procedure conducted in a government hospital or facility. Note: It must be clear in the medical certificate and the diagnostic/laboratory test results that the subject of said medical examination or diagnostic/laboratory test is the petitioner.  Certified true copy with school seal of the Diploma and Transcript of Records of the petitioner from the school’s he or she attended to and/or graduated from in the Philippines (Elementary, High School and College Note: If petitioner is still a student, please submit a Certification from the school where he/she is currently attending, stating his/her year level, that he/she is currently enrolled therein, and please attach proof of petitioner’s enrollment therein and submit a certification as to the amount of tuition fee and other required school fees paid (such as official receipt/s, certificate of matriculation, etc.) Note: if petitioner has no own income and is relying on another person for support, the person financially supporting petitioner must submit certifications as to the amount of tuition and other required school fees paid by said person for the education of his/her other dependents (example: the tuition and other required school fees of the children of the person financially supporting petitioner).  Certified true copy with school seal of the Diploma, Transcript of Records, or Certification (if applicable) from the school’s attended by, currently enrolled in, and/or graduated from by petitioner’s child children [the school’s must either be public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DEPED (Department of Education), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality); (Note: please submit a Certification from the school where said child/children is/ are currently attending, stating his/her year level, that he/she is currently enrolled therein, and please attach proof of said child/children’s enrollment therein and submit a certification as to the amount of tuition fee and other required school fees paid (such as official receipt’s, certificate of matriculation, etc.) for said child children’s enrollment in said school.  Clearances NBI Clearance; Barangay Clearance of the barangay where petitioner is currently residing (It should be a barangay clearance, not a residence certification); Police Clearance from the Police Station Police Office having jurisdiction of the place where petitioner is currently residing: RTC Clearance (Regional Trial Court), from the RTC which has jurisdiction over the place where petitioner is currently residing; MeTC/MTCC/MTC/ MCTC Clearance (Metropolitan Trial Court/Municipal Trial Court in Cities/ Municipal Trial Court/Municipal Circuit Trial Court, as the case may be) from the MeTC/MTCC/MTC/MCTC which has jurisdiction over the place where petitioner is currently residing); and Office of the Prosecutor Clearance, from the Office of the Prosecutor of the place where petitioner is currently residing. Note: All clearances must be current and must not be expired. 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition: SEC, ARTICLES AND BY LAWS AND GIS PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139. Dated at Manila City, Metro Manila, this Telephone Number: 09272110640 Email Address: trishal_2@yahoo.com Right Thumbmark of Petitioner Petitioner’s signature and right thumbmark REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF MANILA) S.S. I, LAVESH MANISH CHANDNANI of legal age and a resident of 7 RIYADH ST., MULTINATIONAL VILL., MOONWALK, PARAÑAQUE after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge. Name and Signature of Petitioner SUBCRIBED AND SWORN to before me at MANILA, this 16th day of March, 2023. SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139) 001816 16 day of March, 2023. LAVESH MANISH CHANDNANI Name and Signature of Petitioner LAVESH MANISH CHANDNANI

Trains resume service after deadly India crash

BALASORE, India—Passenger and freight trains were running again on Monday at the site of India’s deadliest train disaster in decades, which officials said was caused by failures linked to signal systems.

Trains rumbled past the debris of smashed carriages from Friday night’s crash near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha, where nearly 300 people were killed, and hundreds injured.

Officials had initially reported the death toll stood at 288, but the Odisha state government has since revised the toll down to 275 after some bodies were mistakenly count-

ed twice.

Of the 1,175 injured, 382 were still being treated in hospital, authorities said on Sunday.

However, many fear the death toll could still rise with medical centers overwhelmed by the number of casualties, many in serious condition. Green netting was erected on either side of the tracks, shielding the crumpled carriages, which had been pushed down the embankment, from the view of travelling passengers.

Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was seen folding his hands in prayer as he saw the first train cross the site of the disaster late Sunday.

The railways ministry said the first train, a goods train loaded with coal, started 51 hours after the crash.

It was not immediately clear if all the tracks had been fully repaired, with trains on Monday using only lines on one side.

There was confusion about the exact sequence of events on Friday, but reports cited railway officials saying a signaling error had sent the Coromandal Express running south from Kolkata to Chennai onto a side track.

It slammed into a freight train and the wreckage derailed an express running north from India’s tech hub Bengaluru to Kolkata. AFP

Prince Harry makes historic UK court testimony

LONDON—Prince Harry will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century when he testifies this week against a tabloid newspaper publisher.

Harry, 38, is expected to take the witness stand at London’s High Court in a trial considering unlawful information-gathering claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

Manila Standard TODAY

King Charles III’s younger son and other highprofile figures allege that the publisher engaged in illegal activities, including phone hacking, at its titles and are seeking damages.

The case is one of several that Harry has brought against

British newspaper groups since stepping down from royal duties in early 2020 and relocating to the United States.

The MGN trial, which is expected to last up to seven weeks, kicked off last month, days after Charles’s May 6 coronation which Harry attended.

The California-based prince also made a surprise appearance at the High Court in March for a privacy claim he and others have launched against Associated Newspapers (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail. Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made written submissions in that case but did not give in-person evidence, sitting near the back of the court during several days of proceedings. AFP

Hong Kong police detain over 20 on Tiananmen event

HONG KONG—Hong Kong police on Sunday detained more than 20 people, including key pro-democracy figures trying to commemorate the anniversary of the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown, as hundreds in Taiwan mourned the dead with a vigil.

For years, tens of thousands of Hong Kongers would converge on the city’s Victoria Park and its surrounding neighborhood to commemorate the events of June 4, 1989 -- taking part in candlelight vigils.

But since Beijing’s imposition of a national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 to quell dissent, the annual vigil has been banned and its organisers charged under the law.

This weekend, scores of police were deployed in the area, stopping people for searches and questioning. Some found with a candle -- regarded as a symbol of the Victoria Park vigil -- were questioned and detained.

More than 700 kilometers (430 miles) away on the self-ruled island of Taiwan, hundreds gathered at Taipei’s Liberty Square to chant “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong” as night fell.

They lit candles in the shape of “8964” -- numerals forbidden in mainland China because they refer to the events of June 4, 1989.

“We need to cherish the freedom and democracy we have in Taiwan,” Perry Wu, 31, told AFP.

“I feel really sad to see the news of people getting arrested today in Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong police said late Sunday they had detained 23 people between the ages of 20 to 74 who were suspected of “breaching the peace”.

One woman, 53, was arrested for obstructing police officers. AFP

5 at the site of India’s deadliest train disaster in decades, which officials said was caused by failures linked to signal systems. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF LAVESH MANISH CHANDNANI to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139. SCN CASE NO. 000834 x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is LAVESH MANISH CHANDNANI, but have also been known since childhood as N/A or I have been judicially authorized to use the alias name(s) N/A 2. My present place of residence is 7 RIYADH ST., MULTINATIONAL VILL., MOONWALK, PARAÑAQUE City/Municipality of PARAÑAQUE Province of METRO MANILA and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) 1992-2005 UNIT 510 SEAFRONT GARDEN, ROXAS BLVD., PASAY CITY 2005-2021 32 STA. ROSA ST., MAGALLAÑES VILLAGE, MAKATI CITY 2021 TO PRESENT 7 RIYADH ST., MULTINATIONAL VILL., MOONWALK, PARAÑAQUE 3. was born on NOV. 10, 1992, in MANILA Philippines. have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of INDIA. 4. My father's name is MANISH GHANSHYAMDAS CHANDNANI and he was born on AUGUST 01, 1965, in HYDERABAD. He is a citizen or subject of INDIA. My mother's name is NIKITA MANISH CHANDNANIand she was born on NOVEMBER 28, 1966 in HYDERABAD. She is a citizen or subject of INDIA 5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is BUSINESSMAN and from which derive an average annual income of 660,750.00 , inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is N/A and from which she derives an average annual income of P N/A (Where the above does not apply): am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained:BSBA MAJOR IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT (2) name of school: ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE and (3) years graduated: 2017] who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship. 6. My civil status is S, was married on N/A in N/A. My wife's/husband's name is N/A and she/he was born on in N/A in N/A She/he is a citizen or subject of N/A and presently resides N/A. 7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A 8. I have N/A child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows: Name Date of Birth Place of Birth Residence N/A 9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality: Name of School Place of School Dates of Study Highest Grade Completed COLLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN MAKATI 1999-2006 PRIMARY COLLEGIO SAN AGUSTIN MAKATI 2006-2010 SECONDARY ASIA PACIFIC COLLEGE MAKATI 2010-2017 COLLEGE 10. am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines: ENGLISH, TAGALOG 11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality: Name of Child Name and Place of School Date of Enrollment N/A N/A N/A 12. I shall never be a public charge. am of good moral character. believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139. I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

to INDIA of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship. 14. My character witnesses are ALILI PERLAS NIHALANI and PAULO AGUSTINE BANIQUED ALUNAN both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at 38 PETER ST., MULTINATIONAL VILLAGE, PARAÑAQUE and 6 SAN FELIPE ST., MAGALLANES VILLAGE, MAKATI respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization. 15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box):  Authenticated copy of Birth Certificate of petitioner [issued by PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority)]  Certified true copy of petitioner’s Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or I-Card Certificate [issued by BI (Bureau of Immigration)];  Certified true copy of petitioner’s Native-Born Certificate of Residence (NBCR), if available (issued also by BI);  Authenticated copy of petitioner’s Marriage Certificate, if petitioner is married (issued by PSA);  Authenticated copy of Death Certificate of his/her spouse if petitioner is widowed, or of his/her parent’s if petitioner is a student or candidate for a government licensure exam;  Certified true copy of Court Decree Judgment annulling/nullifying of petitioner’s marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact;  Authenticated Birth Certificate/s of petitioner’s child/children (issued by PSA);  Certified true copy of ACR or 1-Card Certificate/s of petitioner’s child/children (issued by BI);  Certified true copy of NBCR/s of petitioner’s child/children (issued also by BT);  Duty notarized Affidavit of Financial Capacity of the petitioner, or Affidavit of Support from the person financially supporting petitioner, if petitioner is either a student, a new graduate, spouse or war cities without income or a candidate for a government licensure exam, who has no own income. In addition, submit: (1)* Bank Certifications (two are required: [1] said bank certifications must indicate the present balance and [2] average daily balance for the past six months); (2)* Certificate of Employment if employed or Proof of Registration of Company if doing business (if doing business, please submit also the latest GIS (General Information Sheet) which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the financial statements of the company, which was submitted to the BIR/appropriate government agency]; (3)*Proof of Ownership of Real Property/ies such as condominium, etc.; and if owner of motor vehicle, proof of ownership of the same (4) Proof of Ownership of other property/ies, such as shares of stock, insurance, etc. Note: If petitioner is relying on support from another person, the said person must also submit the above-mentioned documents. Note: If petitioner is already a graduate but unemployed, submit a notarized affidavit of what petitioner is currently preoccupied with.  Latest Income Tax Returns (ITR) and Tax Documents (must show the receiving stamp of the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue)] for the past three (3) years of the petitioner or of the person supporting him/her, with Proof of Payment of said taxes (such as official receipts, alphalist, etc.) Note: If petitioner is employed in a family-owned company, the company’s ITR and the company’s Proof of Payment of Taxes must also be submitted, aside from the submission of petitioner’s own ITR and tax documents and Proof of Payment of Taxes. Note: The company’s latest GIS (General Information Sheet), which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the financial statements of the company, which was submitted to the BIR/appropriate government agency, must also be submitted.  Duly notarized Affidavits of at least two (2) credible and disinterested witnesses who must be Filipino citizens (preferably natural-born citizens of the Philippines), of good repute in their community,

Of fairy tales, uncertainties and valor

GROWING up, I was interested in the mystical, the magical and all things fantasy. I loved watching princesses break into a song.

I loved rooting for heroes while they fought the big bad villains and saved the day. And I loved reading about new worlds as if I were the heroine traversing across their marvelous terrains. But ultimately, what I loved most about these stories is, whatever happened, the characters always live happily ever after.

As a child, I envisioned an idealized “me” with a happy ending I hoped to achieve. I thought the key to achieving my dream was to study hard and graduate from college, and everything else would fall into place. So my academic years were spent in a whirlwind of never-ending classes and extracurricular activities, countless homework and projects and 9 to 5 internships—-not exactly a storybook plot. The magic of life I used to believe in as a fantasy-loving child diminished behind the monotony and rigors of schoolwork.

This monotony was thrown a startling plot twist. In March 2020, governments around the world started imposing lockdowns and quarantines as a new deadly and fast-spreading virus took lives by the thousands each passing day. The initial two-week lockdown was extended to one month. But then one month became three, and we started getting scared. Doing online classes in the seclusion of my room, I often asked, “How long will this last?”

Often, my friends and I expressed regret that we did not spend more time together. How could we have known it would take years to see each other again? I avidly followed the news, hoping they would inform us one day that the pandemic had ended. Everything felt so out of control that I simply wanted to cuddle up in my bed and sleep until things returned to normal.

Fast-forward to the present, here I am at 24 years old, happy and grateful to have come this far in my quest. Compared to the exciting imaginings my younger self had conjured, the situation for a grownup me seems gray and humdrum. I am looking at life now with less of the magical dust in my eyes. Like you, my happiness comes with a twinge of fear towards the uncertainty of our future. The arrival of COVID-19 three years ago had constructed a world that has become unfamiliar, unsettling and frightening, exacerbating the volatility of our times and dampening whatever inner child we once had.

We now face our next story quest. Our unknown waters appear in the form of a career choice. While looking at countless job openings, I feel both excitement and trepidation. I am excited to finally start working and earning money—to build my own independent life. But the cloud of trepidation hovers over me, a fear of failing— failing to impress during interviews, failing to get into a company or a role I desire, and probably the scariest, failing to start my career right. What if I start in the wrong industry or get stuck in a position without turning back?

In the many fairy tales I have encountered, the stories have a unique capability to teach their audience about life’s unbridled challenges and the relevance of certain heroic qualities that fulfill the course of one’s destiny. I remembered Mulan, who cut her own hair and went to war for her family’s honor despite being a girl. I remember Harry Potter, despite knowing nothing about the wizard world beforehand, took on numerous mysteries, creatures and adversaries to save the world. And I remembered The Avengers, how they pulled through every mission, their understanding of the world continuously shattered by the appearance of aliens, people with superpowers, gods, magic and more.

These characters did not know what awaited them, yet they waded through the unknown waters and dived straight into the whirlpool. In such fantasy epics, the protagonists actively shape their destinies by stepping out of their comfort zones, befriending the right beings and altering their lives. They take the plunge forward with great fear and enthusiasm.

Every one of us, at present, is in our own fairy tale journey as well, in the middle of our quest—graduating in a post-pandemic period with numerous uncertainties ahead. We would prefer to be at the conclusion of life’s quest, with the consolation of a happy finale. However, real life has a more complexity of turns and twists, and the end of our story is nowhere near our sights. Therefore, in the same manner, as the fairy tale’s protagonists, we shall venture into the world of “new normal,” new beginnings and new uncertainties post-pandemic. Like in the stories, we take steps of courage into the unknown deep. We cut our hair, ride the train to Hogwarts or take the ring even if we do not know the way to the Crack of Doom. We change our fate as the protagonists in stories do. We take control of a future yet to be crafted.

In these challenging times, our response to uncertainties should be: We look forward to the future with hope despite the disquieting circumstances thrown our way. The only certainty in these uncertain times is what we, the protagonists in our own epic, can do. We focus on what we can control and let go of what we cannot.

Our life may not consist of fairy tale adventures, the kind we envisioned when we were younger. But we have a family that supports us, lifetime friends in the fellowship of the ring and the many peaks of excitement and the troughs of dryness and dullness that assuredly strengthen our spirit and build our valor. We create our own kind of fairy tale. And with this, we hope all of us will receive our own happy endings.

Rachel Aguilar is a De La Salle University B.S. Applied Corporate Management, Magna Cum Laude graduate. A student servant-leader during her undergraduate studies, she is now an aspiring corporate leader embodying and championing continuous learning, inclusive collaboration and holistic growth. She delivered this speech during DLSU’s 195th Commencement Exercises on June 3, 2023.

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty, and its administrators.

FRENCH RAILWAY.

A worker looks at the construction site of the new Saint-Denis Pleyel Grand Paris Express railway station in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 30, 2023. Located close to the Olympic village and the Stade de France stadium the SaintDenis Pleyel station is essential for the Olympic Games and will connect the future Paris Metro lines 14, 15, 16, and 17 the Grand Paris Express Metro to eventually become the largest station in the Grand Paris Express network, with more than 250,000 passengers per day. AFP

Stock market rises; Online accounts grow 8.6% to 1.26m

By Jenniffer B. Austria

STOCKS rose Monday after a mixed US jobs report lifted hopes the Federal Reserve will skip an interest rate hike this month, while oil extended gains after Saudi Arabia slashed output.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, rose 9.63 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 6,521.64, as four of the six subsectors advanced.

The broader all-shares index went up 11 points, or 0.33 percent, to settle at 3,486.33 on a value turnover of P3.38 billion. Gainers outnumbered losers, 114 to 64, while 37 shares were unchanged.

Six of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Monde Nissin Corp. which climbed 4.46 percent to P8.20 and Robinsons Land Corp. which gained 2.85 percent to P14.42.

Wall Street surged Friday after data showed the US economy added 339,000 jobs last month, far more than expected, indicating the labor market remained strong despite more than a year of Fed rate increases.

However, the report also revealed wage gains moderated slightly, putting less pressure on inflation.

Analysts said the “Goldilocks” reading—neither too

good nor too bad—suggested the economy was not facing an immediate risk of a recession and could still give the Fed room to hold policy steady.

Asian traders welcomed the news, with Hong Kong extending Friday’s four percent surge, while Tokyo piled on more than two percent to a fresh three-decade high and Sydney added one percent.

Shanghai was helped by a Bloomberg News report that China was looking at measures to help its beleaguered property sector, which accounts for a huge portion of its economy.

Singapore, Mumbai, Seoul, Taipei nd Jakarta also rose.

Meanwhile, the PSE said the number of online stock market accounts reached 1.26 million in 2022, an 8.6 percent increase from the previous year’s level.

It said despite the muted growth in online accounts compared to previous years, the average value per online transaction rose 33.2 percent to P46,236 from P34,701 in 2021.

It said while close to 100,000 online accounts were added last

year, the number of non-online accounts decreased by more the 7,000 to 453,827. The total stock market accounts registered was at 1.712 million as of end2022, up by 5.7 percent from 2021’s 1.62 million accounts.

“The growth in accounts may have been subdued in 2022, but I expect an uptick in numbers again with the foray of new stock brokerage firms in the online trading space and the upcoming rollout of stock investing features in finance apps,” said PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon.

Monzon said the total number of stock market accounts was also affected by the clean-up of dormant accounts done by the trading participants in compliance with Republic Act No. 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Local retail investors accounted for over 98 percent of the total stock market accounts while institutional investors and foreign investors owned 1.9 percent and 1.7 percent of the total stock market accounts, respectively. The PSE’s stock market investor profile report showed an increase in accounts owned by investors in the 30 to 44 age range, accounting for more than half of the retail accounts in 2022.

The 45 to 59 year old investors comprised 20.7 percent of accounts, followed by the 18 to 29 year olds at 18.7 percent and investors aged 60 and above at 10.8 percent. Investors with an annual income of less than P500,000 annually made up 53.5 percent of retail accounts and 72.9 percent of online retail accounts. With AFP

Please be informed that the Annual General Meeting of the Stockholders of VITARICH CORPORATION (the “Corporation”) will be held on Friday, June 30, 2023, at 2:00 P.M., at Royal Woods Resort, Ilang Ilang Extension, Sta. Rosa II, Marilao, Bulacan.

The Stockholders’ Annual General Meeting shall have the following agenda:

1. Call to Order;

2. Certification of Notice and the Existence of a Quorum;

3. Approval of the Minutes of the Previous Stockholders’ Annual General Meeting;

4. Report of the President on the Results of the 2022 Operations and the 2022 Audited Financial Statements;

5. Ratification of the Acts of Directors and Officers;

6. Election of Directors;

7. Confirmation of the Appointment of External Auditor;

8. Appointment of Stock Transfer Agent;

9. Other Matters; and

10. Adjournment.

entitled to notice of and vote at said meeting and any adjournment thereof.

The Annual Stockholders’ Meeting will be held virtually through an online webinar platform for stockholders to attend by remote communication. They can join by registering online at https://www.abrown.ph/asmregister2023/ on or before 5:00 p.m. on June 20, 2023. The identities of those registering to participate online will be going through a process of verification, after which an email from the Company will be sent to them giving instructions as to how they will be able to watch the livestream of the annual stockholders’ meeting. Please see Guidelines for Participating by Remote Communication and Voting in Absentia

The stockholders are likewise encouraged to participate in the meeting by either of the following:

(i) by submitting duly accomplished proxies to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at 2704 East Tower, Philippine Stock Exchange Centre, Ortigas Center, Pasig City or via electronic copy by emailing corporatesecretary@abrown.ph on or before 5:00 p.m. on June 20, 2023.

For corporate stockholders, the proxies should be accompanied by a Secretary’s Certification on the appointment of the corporation’s authorized signatory.

(ii) by registering your votes on the matters to be taken up during the meeting through the e-voting platform set up for the purpose which can be accessed at https://www.abrown.ph/asmevoting2023/. The e-voting portal will be open until 12:00 noon of June 30, 2023.

Validation of proxies is set on June 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. The votes already cast using the e-voting platform by that time will also be verified on said date.

This Notice of Meeting will be published in the business section of two (2) newspapers of general circulation, in print

and online format, in accordance with the SEC’s Guidelines on Alternative Mode of Distributing and Providing Copies of Notice of Meeting. The following documents which are to be circulated in connection with the shareholders’ meeting may be accessed in the links indicated below:

(i) Definitive Information Statement: https://abrown.ph/kooroast/2023/05/A-Brown-Company-Inc._SECForm-20-IS-Definitive_ASM-2023.pdf

(ii) Annual Report on SEC Form 17A: https://abrown.ph/kooroast/2023/05/05_02_2023_A-Brown-

A brief explanation of each item which requires the approval and/or ratification by the stockholders are provided in the Information Statement. Stockholders can get the electronic copies of the SEC-20-IS Definitive Information Statement, SEC 17-A Annual Report with 2022 Audited Financial Statements and other pertinent information from the PSE’s EDGE system and the Corporation’s website at https://vitarich.com/company-disclosure/sec-filings/.

Only stockholders of record as of May 30, 2023, which is the record date fixed by the Board, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, this meeting.

Proxies must be submitted to the Special Committee of Election Inspectors of the Corporation located at Vitarich Corporation, Marilao-San Jose Road, Sta. Rosa I, Marilao, Bulacan, on or before June 19, 2023. Proxies shall be validated by the Special Committee on Election Inspectors at said office on June 23, 2023.

On the day of the meeting, you or your duly designated proxy are required to show this Notice together with your government-issued ID to facilitate registration. Registration shall start at 1:00 pm and shall close at 1:45 pm.

Romero couple sells 60% stake in AirAsia Philippines

By Alena Mae S. Flores

F&S HOLDINGS Inc., owned by businessman and 1-PACMAN Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero and his wife Sheila, sold its majority 60-percent stake in AirAsia Philippines to Asian aviation company AA Com Travel Philippines Inc. to focus on power and ports.

“We are excited at the opportunity to consolidate our business enterprises and realign them to focus more on our core businesses in power and ports,” said Sheila Romero, chairman of F&S Holdings. She did not provide additional details on the transaction, including cost and terms, because of confidentiality agreement.

“Needless to say, we did not want to undertake this while the pandemic was ongoing, and nearly every business― particularly air travel―was severely hampered. That would not embody the kind of relationship we had with our partners,” she said.

AA Com Travel acquired the shares of F&S Holdings for an undisclosed amount, making it the sole local owner

INNOVATION CENTER.

The University of Santo Tomas holds the solemn blessing and inauguration of the UST-Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center at its 40-hectare campus in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. The rites coincided with UST’s 412th foundation anniversary on April 28, 2023. The innovation center is named after its donor Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong (right), chairman and founder of Jollibee Foods Corp. Tan Caktiong graduated from UST in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He also received a Doctorate in Business Administration, honoris causa, from UST in 2018. With Tan Caktion are (from left) JP Morgan executive director Miranda Chan, Jollibee Group Foundation president Grace Tan Caktiong, Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines Very Rev. Fr. Filemon dela Cruz Jr. and UST Rector Very Rev. Richard Ang.

and majority shareholderof the country’s third-largest airline.

Capital A Bhd founders Tony Fernandez and Datuk Karmarudin Menarum control the remaining 40 percent of AirAsia Philippines.

“We wish nothing but the best to our former partner in AirAsia Philippines as well as to AA Com Travel Philippines. May they continue to fly high and reach new heights,” Shiela Romero said.

The budget airline earlier saw passenger volume increase 382 percent to 4.21 million in 2022 from 875,927 passengers in 2021. Its load factor rose to 89 percent from 80 percent.

AirAsia Philippines operates daily flights from Manila to Bacolod, Cebu, Cagayan, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, Caticlan (Boracay), Puerto Princesa, Tacloban, Tagbilaran and Zamboanga. Other

interisland destinations flying out of AirAsia’s Cebu hub include Cagayan, Davao, Caticlan, Puerto Princesa and Clark.

Its active international destinations include Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, Osaka, Incheon, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bali.

Meanwhile, CapitalOne Energy Corp. will be the holding company to integrate the Romero Group’s power generation companies.

These include investments in the renewable energy sector through Alterpower Digos Solar Inc., a 40-megawatt solar power plant operating in Digos, Davao del Sur and Fort Pilar Energy, which operates 100-MW battery energy storage system power plants in Zamboanga Del Sur, according to CapitalOne Energy chairman lawyer Joseph Omar Castillo.

Investments in economic zones grew 153% in 5 months

By Othel V. Campos

CUMULATIVE investments approved by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority grew by 153.74 percent in the first five months to P48 billion from P18.92 billion in the same period in 2022.

PEZA director-general Tereso Panga said the agency is close to reaching its 10-percent growth target in 2023. He said 20 projects registered in May would bring an estimated P14.93 billion worth of investments. The agency said of the 20 projects ap-

proved in the last week of May, 11 are into export manufacturing; seven are IT projects; one is a facility; and another is on ecozone development. The projects will be spread out in Makati, Pasig, Taguig, Baguio, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Cebu, Iloilo and South Cotabato.

The biggest project pre-qualified by the PEZA board for approval by the Fiscal Incentives Review Board is the P11.63-billion solar wafer cells manufacturing by Maxeon Solar Technologies using Maxeon 7 technologyin Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

Panga said the newly-approved projects were expected to generate about $293.55 million in exports and create 4,480 direct jobs.

“We are continuously seeing an uptrend with our investment approvals as we enter the first half of the year, and we are more aggressive in our initiatives to help our investors make the Philippines their smart investment choice, taking the cue from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who has been most active in promoting the Philippines in his outbound missions,” Panga said.

PEZA is constantly teaming up with

government agencies and various in-

dustry associations to address the pain points that hinder investors to unlock the untapped potentials of the Philippines, he said. PEZA officials recently met with Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Commission on Election Chairman George Garcia and National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan to discuss the concerns of investors and present PEZA’s initiatives in support of the investment attraction and facilitation strategy of the government.

Credit card group reports drop in payment delinquency to 3.26%

By Julito G. Rada

THE Credit Card Association of the Philippines, a group of 17 major credit card issuers, reported a decline in delinquency rate since the onset of the pandemic.

CCAP executive director Alex Ilagan said in a statement that from 4.36 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, the delinquency rate peaked at 8.37 percent at the height of the pandemic in 2020 before falling to 4.03 percent in 2021when mobility restrictions were relaxed by the government.

the highest since the pandemic started in 2020 as Filipinos took to shopping, traveling and buying goods after being on lockdown for nearly two years.

“The jump in credit card billings is an indicator of higher consumer spending, a major driver in the economy’s postpandemic recovery,” Ilagan said.

Ilagan said Filipinos should be responsible owners of credit cards. “We must bear in mind that a credit card is not ‘free money.’”

Ilagan said he expects the delinquency rate to continue to fall if more Filipinos become responsible credit card users.

ICTSI INVESTMENTS. Matadi Gateway Terminal, International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, unveils new investments that will advance terminal efficiency and provide easier access to the Port of Matadi for the benefit of clients and port users. MGT recently inaugurated four new hybrid rubber tired gantries, the first of their kind in African ports, to level up the terminal’s efficiency and productivity while ensuring minimal impact on the environment. MGT also launched the Western Urban Road Project with the ceremonial laying of the first stone led by Governor Guy Bandu Ndungidi (left) of Kongo Central Province. MGT will fund the construction of a 2.65-kilometer road that will connect the Port of Matadi to Kinkanda traffic circle.

The rate eased further to 3.32 percent in the same period in 2022 and to 3.26 percent in the first quarter of 2023. Card delinquency refers to the payment of less than the minimum amount of credit card debt for at least three billing cycles.

Ilagan said delinquency has been falling despite the 47-percent increase in gross billings to P410 billion in the first three months of the year from P279 billion a year ago.

The first-quarter 2023 growth rate was

To convert Filipinos into responsible borrowers, CCAP has been conducting credit awareness programs for colleges and universities as well as companies since 2017 to educate everyone on the proper use of credit cards.

CCAP said credit card users should avoid their use beyond one’s capability, only to repay the debt late. Spending beyond one’s means will result in unmanageable debt and additional charges that further inflate the balance, it said.

German chamber, Napocor team up to study use of green hydrogen, fuel cell

THE German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and state-run National Power Corp. teamed up to conduct a feasibility study on the use of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in off-grid areas.

The collaboration aims to promote knowledge transfer, modernization opportunities and the economic achievement of clean and affordable energy.

“Napocor is excited to partner with GPCCI in exploring the potential of green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in

off-grid areas,” said Napocor president Fernando Martin Roxas.

“With our mandate to provide electricity to rural areas and our commitment to optimizing power generation assets, this collaboration presents an opportunity to modernize power systems and reduce emissions. We believe this feasibility study will pave the way for a sustainable and climate-friendly energy transition in the Philippines,” Roxas said.

The purpose of the joint project is

to produce a comprehensive feasibility study titled “Feasibility Study for Green Hydrogen Technology in Off-Grid Areas in the Philippines.”

The study aims to support the modernization of power-generating assets in off-grid areas by exploring the potential replacement of diesel-powered systems with green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

The project, which will be implemented in three phases, aims to make a positive contribution to climate change by reducing emissions in an economically viable

manner.

It is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, with the goal to promote technologies to protect the environment. Two suitable sites will be selected based on criteria such as renewable resource availability, economic factors, accessibility and community support under phase 1 (set-up and coordination).

Alena Mae S. Flores and Othel V. Campos

Fernandes wants to form new ride hailing app in

PH

CAPITAL A, formerly known as the AirAsia Group, said Monday said it plans to launch a ride hailing platform in the Philippines to reduce transportation and logistic costs.

“Our dream is to move people in the sky and on the road. We need to go to the airport, right, we need to come to the airport. When you are traveling, you need someone to move you around as well,” said Capital A chief executive Tony Fernandes. Fernandes said he would meet with Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista to discuss the group’s plan to operate a ride hailing platform in the country.

“I hope we can discuss the license. We think it’s good. I’m all about reducing cost. So, yes we’re gonna join,” he said.

Capital A launched its ride hailing platform called AirAsia Ride in Malaysia in August 2021 and expanded to Thailand and Indonesia as part of its digital transformation in 2022.

Capital A also launched Airasia Super App, an integrated digital travel and lifestyle platform in April last year to further stimulate the country’s strong e-commerce market. Darwin G. Amojelar

Over 400 PH businesses accept Bitcoin payments

A PAYMENT financial technology provider is transforming the landscape of the Philippine digital economy by enabling more than 400 small businesses to accept and process Bitcoin payments.

Pouch.ph is tapping into the country’s vast pool of tiny merchants―from mom-and-pop stores to boutique hotels.

Pouch.ph utilizes Lightning Network built atop Bitcoin to make digital payments quicker, cheaper and more user-friendly. The payment protocol allows customers to pay by scanning a merchant’s QR code with any Bitcoin wallet. Pouch.ph then converts that Bitcoin to pesos and sends the money directly to the merchant’s bank or mobile money account, making the process easy and efficient for both parties.

“One of the most significant challenges for the growth of small businesses is the availability of payment methods, with credit cards charging fees up to three percent. With the growing number of internet and smartphone users in the Philippines, Bitcoin as a payment method will allow those who do not have credit cards or even local fiat currency to make online or in-store purchases. We’re helping businesses open up a vast market that was previously untapped,” said Pouch.ph chief executive Ethan Rose. More than 250 local businesses in the popular tourist destination of Boracay, including convenience stores, cafes, hotels and restaurants have enrolled with Pouch.ph and have been integrating Bitcoin payments into their daily operations.

PACEOS elects new set of officers for 2023

THE Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers Inc. elected a new set of officers for 2023 during its general membership meeting held recently at Conrad Hotel Manila in Pasay City. Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions maven Pamela Pascual was elected president of PACEOS and will serve with other board members to champion various initiatives that will help the exhibitions industry sustain its strong recovery this year. Other trustees elected are Monnette Hamlin (vice president-conventions), Patrick Lawrence Tan (VP-exhibitions), Agnes Pacis (VP-suppliers), Sonia Sayaman (corporate secretary), Deedee Ledonio (treasurer), Orly Ballesteros, Ma. Lourdes Mediran and Cynthia Mamon. Former president Joel Pascual was elected chairman.

“Together with the new board, we will continue to strengthen our facilities and programs to meet new challenges and maximize opportunities in the changing global market conditions in order to fulfill our mission of developing the Philippines as a leading exhibition and convention destination in Asia,” said Pascual.

Pascual has led the World Trade Center Metro Manila for the past 15 years, guiding it to a dominant position in the country’s exhibitions industry.

D&L names former NEDA secretary as independent director

By Jenniffer B. Austria

D&L Industries Inc. announced Monday the election of former National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua as an independent director of the company.

Chua replaced businessman Filemon Berba who served on D&L’s board from 2012 until his passing on April 4.

“We are pleased to welcome Karl to our board of directors. He brings a fresh perspective with his distinguished experience as an economist, working for the World Bank for over a decade and serving the government in various strategic leadership roles thereafter,” D&L president and chief executive Alvin Lao said. D&L said with the election of Chua, four of seven seats or a majority of the board continued to be held by independent directors.

The three other independent directors are Atty. Mercedita Nolledo, Corazon de la Paz-Bernardo and Dr. Lydia BalatbatEchauz.

“With independent directors continuing to hold a majority of our board, the company remains committed to upholding good governance and transparency,” Lao said.

Chua was previously with the World Bank as an economist, and more recently as National Economic and Development Authority chief and undersecretary of the Department of Finance.

He has extensive experience in the areas of economic and fiscal policy, statistical development, national identification, labor and social protection policy, poverty analysis and digital transformation, among others.

D&L announced during the company’s annual stockholders meeting a record dividend payout of P0.30 per share consisting of a regular cash dividend of P0.24 per share plus a special cash dividend of P0.06 to shareholders of record as of June 20.

Malone questions Nuggets’ discipline

DENVER—Denver Nuggets head

coach Michael Malone blasted his team’s attitude after their 111-108 loss to the Miami Heat in game two of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Malone was furious with his team after their first loss on home court during the post-season saying he was “perplexed” by their approach.

“Let’s talk about effort. This is NBA Finals, we are talking about effort; that’s a huge concern of mine,” said Malone, who was yelling at his team in the first time-out of the game, after a slow start.

Denver won the opening game but now head to Miami with the series tied at 1-1 and Malone said they were fortunate to be on level terms.

“You guys probably thought I was just making up some storyline after game one when I said we didn’t play well. We didn’t play well,” he said.

POC opens Para Games door to self-funded Pinoy athletes

By Peter Atencio

TAGAYTAY CITY—Philippine

Olympic Committee president and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino opened the door to more Filipino athletes joining the Hangzhou Asian Games, but have not met the qualifying standards, provided they can self-fund their trips.

Tolentino announced this following their hosting of the Asian Games Fun Run at the Kaybagal South District here on Monday.

“Yes, they (the national sports association) can send,

just like cycling, my own NSA,” said Tolentino after he welcomed representatives from the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee and Olympic Council of Asia during the early morning ceremonies.

Tolentino said these unqualified athletes can compete under the Group B banner and will still be provided with uniforms by the Philippine Sports Commission.

The POC chief explained that he aims to set an example with his own NSA, PhilCycling, by sending riders who have not made the criteria to the cycling events in the Asiad.

The criteria set for the Asiad is that gold and silver medal winners in the recent Cambodia Southeast Asian Games can go and get support from the PSC.

And cycling, according to Tolentino, was able to produce a silver and three bronze medals.

The silver medal came from Arianna Evangelista in the women’s mountain bike category, to go with a

bronze medal she earned in the team’s mixed cross country relay.

Meanwhile, games’ officials said the COVID-19 situation is Hangzhou is now under control and there will be no more restrictions for the delegations that will go there when the games are held from September 23 to October 8.

“There’s no more restrictions whatsoever. It is now safe, and Hangzhou is now open. One year ago, the OCA made a decision to postpone the games. What we see today made it the most correct and most wise that has been made,” said OCA spokesman Jeans Zhou Jian, director for media and broadcast.

OCA Projects and Operations Manager Wissam Trkmani of Lebanon was also around with HAGOC HR Director Chen Qiufang, who added that the Hangzhou Games will be different because of the innovations and the creativity that organizers are offering.

PH adds 3 golds to Para Games harvest

PHNOM PENH—Team Philippines bagged three more gold medals, including two in swimming, at the 12th ASEAN Para Games here on Monday.

Gary Bejino came up with another record-breaking performance, this time in the men’s 200-meter freestyle S6 event at the Morodok Techo National Stadium’s Aquatics Center. He clocked 2:38.55 to erase the old mark of 2:45.99 set by Myanmar’s Aung Myint Myat last year in Indonesia.

Channi Wongnonthaphum of Thailand took the silver medal in 2:53.10 while Thanh Hai Do of Vietnam settled for the bronze medal in 2:54.23.

“It’s my first time to compete in the 200m freestyle event and I’m happy that I won the gold,”

said the 27-year-old native of Tabaco, Albay province.

Bejino, who delivered the country’s first gold medal after claiming victory in the 400m freestyle last Sunday, has four more events -- three individual and one relay (4x100 medley).

“I think that I have a good chance. I will do my best,” said Bejino, who won three medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Ariel Joseph Alegarbes also won the men’s 50m butterfly S14 in 26.69 seconds, beating Malaysians Bryan Lau Sze Kai (27.060) and Muhammad Imaan Aiman (27.530).

It was the second medal for Alegarbes, the Philippine delegation’s flag-bearer during the opening ceremony parade, after

winning the silver in the 100m breaststroke on Sunday.

Ernie Gawilan (men’s 100m backstroke S7) and Edwin Villanueva (men’s 50m breaststroke SB7) finished third.

In athletics, Cendy Asusano registered 13.74 meters in the women’s javelin throw F54 event to collect her second gold medal.

Her compatriot, Marites Burce, got the silver medal in 11.96m while Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Ngoc Thuy won the bronze (11.56).

The other silver medalists in athletics were King James Reyes (men’s 1500m T46), Jolan Camacho (men’s long jump) and Jesebel Arevalo (women’s javelin throw F55).

The Philippines is ranked fifth with 11 gold, 17 silver and 15 bronze medals, as of press time.

Constantino launches 3-peat drive at Valley

THE pressure to deliver for a record run doesn’t bother Harmie Constantino a bit but the backto-back winner at Luisita and Villamor has underscored the need for consistency as she tries to make it three-in-a row in the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge, which gets under way today (Tuesday) in Antipolo.

“I don’t think there’s pressure,” said Constantino on the eve of the P750,000 event at the Valley Golf South where she placed a distant third in last year’s staging of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour event topped by amateur Rianne Malixi.

“I just want to play well and I’m confident to know that I can produce good rounds. I just need to play consistently,” added the former national champion who has racked up six victories in a two-year pro career.

But a souped-up field is out to halt her streak, including last year’s runner-up Chihiro Ikeda, who also placed second to Constantino in the inaugural ICTSI Villamor Philippine Ladies Masters two weeks ago, and Daniella Uy, who is mounting a personal battle after squandering a couple of shots at the crown with late miscues

at Luisita and Villamor. A talented cast of amateurs is also fancied to mix up title chase with Lois Kaye Go and Mikha Fortuna joining Mafy Singson and Koreans Minyeong Kim, Jiwon Lee and Eunhua Nam in the hunt in the 54-hole tournament put up by ICTSI that also features jungolfers Levone Talion and Rafa Anciano. While Singson has annexed a maiden pro win at Splendido Taal last year, the Cebu-based Go is gunning for her first although she missed her chance at Hallow Ridge last year while Fortuna expects to figure prominently, this being her pro qualifying tournament.

Meanwhile, Sarah Ababa, with a string of Top 5 finishes in the first five legs, including a runner-up effort in Bacolod, launches her own drive for a second LPGT win while going flat-out for a first victory are Florence Bisera, Pamela Mariano, Gretchen Villacencio, Lesley Icoy and Martina Miñoza.

Completing the 25-player field are Sheryl Villasencio, Lovelynn Guioguio, Lucy Landicho, Eva Miñoza, Apple Fudolin, Monica Mandario, Rev Alcantara and Korean Juyoung Yang.

“We had guys out there that were just whether feeling sorry for themselves for not making shots or thinking they can just turn it on or off, this is not the preseason, this is not the regular season.

This is the NBA Finals. That to me is really, really perplexing, disappointing,” he said.

Malone said he had demanded answers in the locker-room from his team about their performance.

“I asked the team, I asked them, you guys tell me why they lost, and they knew the answer. Miami came in here and outworked us, and we were by far our least disciplined game (of the playoffs).

“So many breakdowns. They exploited every one of our breakdowns and scored. If we’re going to try to go down there and regain control of this series and get home-court advantage back, we’re going to have to outwork Miami, which we didn’t do tonight, and our discipline is going to have to be off the charts,” he said.

Miami’s shooting was far more productive than in the opening game but Malone said he had warned his team that they wouldn’t get away with allowing open shots another time.

“As I mentioned after game one, the fact that they got 16 wide-open threes was concerning. They didn’t make them. So, we got lucky in game one. Tonight, they made them,” he said.

“So, it was definitely a breakdown in communication. It was definitely a breakdown in our game plan, and like I said, we just were not nearly as disciplined as you need to be in the NBA Finals.” AFP

Perpetual, Letran eye D-League semifinals

Games Tuesday (Paco Arena, Manila) 2 p.m. – University of Perpetual Help System-Dalta vs PSP Gymers 4 p.m. – Wangs Basketball @27 Strikers-Letran vs CEU

UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Wangs Basketball @27 Strikers-Letran eye quick entries into the semifinals of the 2023 PBA DLeague Aspirants’ Cup Tuesday at the Paco Arena in Manila.

On the strength of a superior quotient, the Altas and the Knights finished the eliminations as third and fourth seeds and enjoy the luxury of a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals over the PSP Gymers and the CEU Scorpions respectively.

Altas coach Myk Saguiguit, however, wants his troops to treat the the 2 p.m. duel as a do-or-die game.

“I don’t want the guys to be complacent because of that twice-to-beat advantage. I’m telling my players na hindi namin pwedeng bigyan ng chance ‘yung PSP na puro veterans. We need to get the win on Tuesday,” cautioned Saguiguit.

Perpetual defeated PSP, 93-82, in the elims.

As for the Knights, they look at the match as an opportunity to get even against the Scorpions, who dealt them a 92-85 overtime loss in the elims.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to bounce back. We’re ready for the Scorpions. They’re a strong team so we need to outhustle and match their energy for 40 minutes. Walang sukuan dahil playoffs na’to,” said Letran coach Rensy Bajar.

CEU coach Jeff Perlas admits their backs are against the wall but remained unperturbed.

Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket against Miami Heat’s Cody Zeller as his teammate Jimmy Butler looks on in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. AFP

Cendy Asusano displays the Philippine ag after winning the javelin gold.

Harmie Constantino

Djokovic-Alcaraz duel looms in French Open

ARIS —Novak Djokovic swept into the French Open quarter-finals for the 14th straight year on Sunday as world number one Carlos Alcaraz breezed past Lorenzo Musetti to stay on a collision course with the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Third seed Djokovic ended the surprise run of Peruvian outsider Juan Pablo Varillas, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, and has yet to drop a set through four matches.

The Serb, chasing a third Roland Garros crown, is into a record 17th French Open quarter-final after making the last eight at a 55th time.

“I’m proud of it, but my attention is already in the next match,” said Djokovic, who faces Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov for a place in the semi-finals, where Alcaraz could await.

“I know what my goal is here. I’m trying to stay mentally the course and of course not look too far.

“Obviously the performance of today gives me a great deal of confidence about how I felt, about how I played.”

Varillas, 27, was the first player from Peru to reach the second week of a Grand Slam since Jaime Yzaga made the US Open quarter-finals 29 years ago. Djokovic raced 4-0 ahead in the opening only for Varillas to break in the next game and then have a chance to get back

on serve in the seventh game.

But once Djokovic held for a 5-2 lead it was plain sailing for him as he closed out victory in just under two hours.

Khachanov made his third successive Grand Slam quarter-final after he recovered from a bad start to overcome Lorenzo Sonego 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1.

Djokovic holds an 8-1 record against Khachanov, winning their only previous meeting at the French Open in 2020.

Alcaraz looked every part the tournament favourite as he dismantled the talented Musetti in straight sets to return to the French Open last eight.

Musetti had not lost a set in three rounds but Alcaraz brushed the Italian 17th seed aside in barely two hours, triumphing 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to avenge last year’s defeat on clay in the Hamburg final.

“I think I played such a great level, really high quality of shots. I played a really complete match from the first ball until the last and I’m pretty happy to get through this tough round,” said Alcaraz. The 20-year-old faces a tough next assignment in 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas, who eased past Austrian qualifier

Malixi ranks 13th; Zhang scores record win in pro debut

RIANNE Malixi bogeyed three of the last seven holes while battling swirling winds, finishing with 33 points from a gross 75 and ending up 13th in the Mizuho Americans Open-AJGA Juniors ruled by American Yana Wilson in New Jersey Sunday.

Malixi flashed an awesome long game that saw her outdrive pros Swede Anna Nordqvist and Aussie Grace Kim on some holes and pulled off a number scrambling pars that impressed her playing partners. But she missed a number of greens and muffed birdie chances while flubbing a five-foot par-saving putt on the 18th that typified her backside struggle at the Liberty National course.

She actually drew level with a birdie on No. 10 after a one-bogey frontside card but failed to rescue a par on No. 12 and yielded a wet bogey on the next against a spate of pars for a 37-38 in stroke play worth 33 points.

Counting her earlier rounds of 31, 34 and 35, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker finished where she started after 54 holes, at 13th place, with a 133 total (300 in stroke play), 14 points off Wilson, who scrambled for a 71 worth 37 points to beat erstwhile co-leader Anna Davis by three

on a 147 aggregate. Davis, who forced a tie with a tournament-best 43 points off a gross 66 in the third round, faltered with a 74 for 34 points and wound up second with 144 points while Sara Im finished third with a 142 after 33 points from a 72.

While Malixi’s camp said it was not the kind of finish they had expected, the rising 16-year-old star learned valuable lessons from her first LPGA foray which she hopes to brandish when she vies in the US Women’s Open qualifying in Chicago this week.

“Not quite the finish we wanted. Being a pro is very difficult but scoring-wise, Rianne did better than three of the four pros whom she had played with,” said Malixi’s mom Michelle.

“She didn’t play her best but fought hard despite very tough strong winds today (Sunday). She had some really good shots, outdriving the pros quite a number of times,” added the elder Malixi, who also thanked their sponsors ICTSI, Skyflakes, TaylorMade USA, Lola Nena’s, friends and supporters.

Hangzhou Asiad Fun Run achieves goal in Tagaytay

TAGAYTAY City’s invitingly cool weather provided the perfect condition for the Philippine Olympic Committee’s successful hosting of the Hangzhou Asian Games Fun Run with more than 500 runners participating in the ceremonial campaign aimed to promote the games in September.

The field included some of the country’s medalists in last month’s Cambodia Southeast Asian Games, representatives from the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee and Olympic Council of Asia and students from the host city who gamely answered the gun at exactly 6 a.m.

“We are proud that the POC, Tagaytay City and the country have become part of this symbolic fun run that not only helps promote the Asian Games but also reiterates the Philippines’ very important and historic role why these very games were organized more than a

century ago,” said POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who’s also the mayor of Tagaytay City.

The Philippines is acknowledged as the birth place of the Asian Games when the first Far Eastern Olympic Games were staged in January and February 1913 in the very same Malate area where the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex stands.

“Everything’s perfect, Tagaytay City is perfect for this fun run,” Tolentino said moments before he was joined by HAGOC HR Director Chen Qiufang flagged off the runners in waves for the 6K, 3K and 1K categories.

Coupled with the fun run was Tagaytay City’s hosting of the Hangzhou Asian Games Children’s Art Competition where select masterpieces depicting the games were picked by POC, HAGOC and OCA officials from dozens of entries sent by Tagaytay City school children.

OCA Projects and Operations

Meanwhile, Rose Zhang marked her pro debut in smashing fashion, bucking a birdie-less closing 74 then edging fellow American Jennifer Kupcho in the second sudden death hole to snare the LPGA crown in the centerpiece event.

Kupcho rallied with a second straight 69 to tie Zhang at nine-under 279. But after both traded scrambling pars on the first playoff hole, No. 18, Zhang hacked out a solid hybrid shot to within 10 feet while Kupcho came up short of her approach and putted way past the hole and failed to save par.

Free of any pressure, the 20-year-old Zhang, with 12 wins at Stanford U, two national championships, an Augusta National Women’s Amateur title, a US Girls’ Junior tiara and a US Women’s Amateur victory, twoputted for par for her first pro victory worth $412,500.

She has also accepted an immediate LPGA membership.

Yuka Saso, on the other hand, carded a 70 and finished tied at seventh at 282 with South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Leona Maguire of Ireland after a 64 and 67, respectively.

Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0.

“The clash we’ve been all waiting for,” said Tsitsipas, the Greek fifth seed who has lost all four meetings with Alcaraz. “I think everyone was expecting it, weren’t they? And it’s here. It’s game on.”

Sabalenka tested but moves on

Aryna Sabalenka beat 2018 finalist Sloane Stephens 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in a topsyturvy encounter in the night session— the first women’s match to feature in the primetime slot this year.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka surged into a 5-0 lead in the opener but Stephens saved four set points as she reeled off five games on the bounce to level.

Second seed Sabalenka eventually edged the tie-break and again held off Stephens in a tight second set to continue her best run in Paris.

The Belarusian goes into a politicallycharged duel with Elina Svitolina who, playing her first Grand Slam since becoming a mother, reached the quarterfinals for the fourth time.

The Ukrainian defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) for a seventh win in seven meetings against the Russian who was a semi-finalist last year.

As with all her matches, Svitolina opted not to shake hands with her Russian opponent in protest at the war in Ukraine. Belarus is also a key military ally of Moscow.

Kasatkina still gave her rival a friendly thumbs-up. AFP

Manager Wissam Trkm ani of Lebanon and Media and Broadcast Director Jeans Jhou Jiann of China also graced the ceremony, along with Philippine-based Chinese representing the HAGOC. Among those who joined the fun run were Cambodia SEA Games medalists Ja-

son Balabal (wrestling), Sam Morrison (taekwondo), Jasmine Alkhaldi (swimming), Agatha Wong (wushu), Precious Cabuya and Mark Julius Rodelas (obstacle sports), as well as Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial (boxing), Nikko Huelgas (triathlon) and Cheska Altomonte (softball).

Wild start and finish loom as PGT Valley reels off

ANTIPOLO—The top guns aim to get into the heat of the battle early but the lesser lights seek to squeeze into the mix and muddle up the title chase in the ICTSI Valley Golf Challenge beginning today (Tuesday) at the Valley Golf Club here.

Bacolod leg winner Ira Alido oozes with confidence coming off a stint in the Asian Development Tour in Thailand, raring to get into the scoring act on a course so familiar for the touring pros but which has not hosted a Philippine Golf Tour leg the past nine years.

“There’s no other way to play the (Valley) course but to set myself up to get as much birdies as I can since it’s a really scoreable course that can present a lot of birdies when put in a good position,” said Alido, who clinched his second pro victory at Marapara in come-frombehind fashion last March.

Though he struggled for joint 18th in Iloilo, the former national champion who scored a breakthrough win at Riviera in 2020 placed fifth at Caliraya Springs and posted a runnerup finish at Luisita.

“Playing in Thailand helped me further my game in terms of playing a harder field and deeper scores,”

he added. “I’m playing at a high level right now mentally and physically and I know that I will have a chance to win week-in and week-out.”

So does Tony Lascuña, the runaway winner at Caliraya Springs, who likens the up-anddown course to the relatively flat Villamor layout in terms of challenges and tests it presents.

“Valley is like Villamor – ‘maraming trouble,’ so everything must click – long game, iron play and putting,” said the multi-titled Davaoeño campaigner who actually won the last PGT event here in 2014.

Like Alido, Lascuna said he’s in top shape following a stint in Taiwan and expects to put himself in contention in the P2 million championship serving as the sixth leg of this year’s circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

A crowd of aces and unheralded but solid players, however, are ready to pounce on every opportunity, including Guido van der Valk, who bounced back from a rare missed cut stint at Luisita with a joint runner-up finish at Villamor topped by Jhonnel Ababa two weeks ago.

“I will try again to be in contention (to win) during the final round. The more times you give yourself a chance, the more tournaments you

win,” said van der Valk, the reigning back-toback The Country Club Invitational champion. “I haven’t played Valley for a long time and I need to work on my iron play and short game.”

Ababa is also upbeat of his chances for a back-to-back feat after scoring a come-frombehind win at Villamor that snapped a long title spell while Clyde Mondilla, Justin Quiban, Zanieboy Gialon, Lloyd Go and Angelo Que all look forward to resuming their respective campaigns in explosive fashion.

Also in the cast are Joenard Rates, Reymon Jaraula, Michael Bibat, Marvin Dumandan, Frankie Miñoza, Gerald Rosales, Keanu Jahns, Albin Engino, Mars Pucay, Iloilo leg champion Rupert Zaragosa and Jay Bayron, who reigned at Valley when the PGT launched its four-leg inaugurals in late 2009.

Others expected to contend are Koreans Hyun Ho Rho and Kim Minseong, Japanese Gen Nagai, Ferdie Aunzo, Elmer Salvador, Russell Bautista, Elee Bisera, Don Petil and young guns Sean Ramos, Gabriel Manotoc, Josh Jorge, Kristoffer Arevalo, Jonas Magcalayo and Ivan Monsalve along with amateurs Aidric Chan, Carl Corpuz, Kirby Lachica and Marvin Mendoza.

THE Philippine team which finished runner up in the recent Coed Slow Pitch Softball Asia Cup will tell its journey to the World Cup set later this year as it appears in the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Coach Ana Santiago and Cheska Altomonte are gracing the 10:30 a.m. session to talk about their campaign in the Asia Cup held in Pattaya, Thailand, and their plans and preparations as well for the coming WBSC (World Baseball Softball Confederation) Co-ed Slow Pitch World Cup to take place by the end of the year.

The Filipino batters lost in the battle for the gold against Chinese Taipei, 8-2, but nonetheless clinched a World Cup berth by virtue of their silver medal finish.

PSA president Nelson Beltran, sports editor of the Philippine Star, enjoins officials and members to attend the session presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The weekly Forum is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and aired

PSA Forum to discuss PH’s stint in Asia Cup

Novak Djokovic AFP

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino (left) and Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee HR Director Chen Qiufang flag off the runners.

Ira Alido

Vivamax achieves remarkable milestone

POPULAR streaming platform Vivamax has reached an impressive milestone of seven million subscribers. This significant achievement highlights the platform’s growing success and ability to attract a substantial audience.

While it is true that Vivamax offers a wide range of content, including films and series, it is important to note that the platform caters to various genres and preferences. While some of the content may fall under the category of more provocative or daring themes, it is not the sole focus of the platform. Vivamax aims to provide a diverse selection of content that appeals to a broad audience.

Vivamax’s success in reaching seven million subscribers can be attributed to several factors. The platform offers a user-friendly interface, a vast library of movies, shows, original series, and more. This variety of content ensures that subscribers have access to a wide range of entertainment options.

Since its launch in February 2021, the platform’s growth has been nothing short of extraordinary. It took only eight months to gain one million subscribers, and by January 2022, it had reached two million. By the end of 2022, the subscriber count had soared to five million, and in May 2023, Vivamax proudly crossed the seven million mark.

The platform’s success can be attributed to its extensive library, which currently boasts 408 titles, with a new addition every week.

In a statement sent to Manila Standard Entertainment, the media company said that Vivamax’s content is not only focused on mature audiences but caters to a diverse range of preferences.

Moreover, the platform has expanded its reach to more than 100 countries and territories, including Asia, the Middle East, North America, Europe, Oceania, China, Africa, and Central/South America.

In addition to Vivamax, Viva introduced Viva One in February, offering wholesome content suitable for families and a general audience.

“Vivamax’s remarkable growth and the introduction of Viva One demonstrate Viva’s commitment to

the statement said.

Within just three months, Viva One has already amassed 500,000 subscribers, prompting the development of its standalone app for easier access and subscription.

With two distinct streaming apps, VIivamax and Viva One, Viva strengthens its position in the local video streaming industry.

“Out of the seven million subscribers, 40 percent of them are active users and the North America and the Middle East are the top markets outside the Philippines,” said Viva Inc. President and CEO Vincent del Rosario during Viva’s official announcement party held last week.

While Vivamax continues to provide a treasure trove of classic Viva titles, Viva One is set to produce new and exciting content.

Among the notable offerings are Darryl Yap’s Martyr or Murderer, the hit series The Rain in España featuring the popular loveteam Heaven Peralejo and Marco Gallo, as well as other highly anticipated titles like Deadly Love starring Jaclyn Jose, Marco Gumabao, McCoy de Leon, and Louise delos Reyes, and Roadkillers featuring MMFF Best Actress Nadine Lustre Vivamax and Viva One have an impressive lineup of upcoming releases for 2023, including films by renowned directors such as Brillante Mendoza, Joey Reyes, McArthur Alejandre, Jerry Lopez Sineneng, Yam Laranas, Topel Lee, Law Fajardo, Roman Perez Jr., Ian Arondaing, GB Sampedro, Pam Miras, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Rodante Pajemna Jr., Christian Paolo Lat, Daniel Palacio, Maan L. Asuncion-Dagnalan, Paul Basinillo, Carlo Obispo, and Ato Bautista Other exciting titles like Sa Muli with Xian Lim and Ryza Cenon, Hello, Universe! with Janno Gibbs, and Always featuring Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. “Regarding Vivamax, its subscribers have high expectations and constantly seek new content every week. In Viva One, it is simpler to make adjustments or remove content. By utilizing analytics, we can promptly receive feedback, allowing us to stay updated on current trends. This information not only aids in content development but also serves as inspiration for our films intended for theatrical release,” Del Rosario ended.

Latest ‘Spider-Man’ spins silver screen gold

followed up with $40.6 million.

Julie Anne San Jose thrilled for duet with Sarah G

In a recent TV interview, Julie Anne San Jose was asked if she feels ready to perform in a concert alongside Sarah Geronimo. The singer-host-actress from GMA jokingly exclaimed, “Oh my God!

I’m feeling the pressure!”

Julie Anne, known as Asia’s Limitless Star, made it clear that she doesn’t view the concert as a competitive event against Sarah.

“First of all, there is only one Sarah Geronimo. There can only be one. It would be an honor, of course, to do a duet with her. I look up to her,” she emphasized.

When asked if she would be prepared for such an opportunity, Julie Anne expressed her willingness to prepare diligently. She acknowledged Sarah’s influence on her music and highlighted her admiration for Sarah’s achievements in the industry.

Julie Anne also shared a fond memory of watching Sarah perform in a church where she regularly attends mass.

“Yes, I was part of the choir. It was Christmas then and I saw her perform. I experienced fangirling during that time.”

If given the chance to perform a duet with Sarah, Julie Anne expressed that it would be a tremendous honor, concluding with her declaration of love for Sarah.

* * *

In a recent media conference, GMA star Kate Valdez was asked about the rumors of her being in a relationship with fellow Kapuso artist Yasser Marta “No, we’re not officially a couple yet. However, he is currently courting me,” she disclosed.

It’s encouraging to hear that she is now open to potential suitors.

“My parents have given their approval, so I am open to the idea. Yasser and I are currently in the process of getting to know each other better.”

Regarding their current status, Kate prefers the term ‘courtship’ over ‘exclusively dating’ as she considers herself traditional. They are still in the process of getting to know each other better.

When asked about Yasser’s chances, Kate cannot provide a definite answer. However, she acknowledges his consistent pursuit and describes him as kind. They are taking their time and proceeding at a comfortable pace.

In her new show Walang Matigas na Pulis sa Matinik na Misis, Kate is paired with Kelvin Miranda, with whom she previously worked in the successful soap opera Unica Hija. When it comes to developing a romantic relationship with Kelvin, Kate explains that as actors, they understand the need to balance their professional and personal lives. At this point, they are genuinely good friends. “Well, it’s our work. We have to balance the professional with the personal. We’re actors and we know what we’re doing. All I can say is as of now, Kelvin and I are really good friends,” Kate ended.

Team Kramer spreads joy and appreciation in ‘Sarap Every Moment’ campaign

SPIDER-MAN: Across the Spider-Verse, Sony’s newest chapter in the webslinger series, soared to North American box office domination in its weekend debut, Sunday estimates showed, cementing the resilience of one of Hollywood’s biggest superhero juggernauts.

The animated offering featuring the voices of Shameik Moore, Haille Steinfeld, and Issa Rae netted a cool $120 million domestically for the Friday-through-Sunday period, and another $88 million internationally, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations

“This is an exceptionally good opening for an animation follow-up sequel,” said analyst David A. Gross, adding the sequel has an “entirely fresh” look and is an example of “inspired commercial filmmaking.”

The film picks up the story of half-

Black, half-Latino Miles Morales, using an eye-popping blend of decades-old 2D comic book drawing techniques with the latest computergenerated visual effects.

Spidey dethroned Disney’s liveaction version of The Little Mermaid, which raked in a similar amount in its debut the previous weekend and

The remake of the 1989 animated tale of an underwater princess who gives up her voice in pursuit of true love on land stars pop singer Halle Bailey Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, and Melissa McCarthy as the villainous Ursula. The Boogeyman debuted in third with $12.3 million. The 20th Century Studios horror/mystery feature is the latest in a long line of films adapted from a Stephen King book, and one of its producers shepherded the hit show Stranger Things onto the small screen. Slipping one spot to fourth was Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 which added $10 million to its cumulative worldwide total of some $780 million.

Universal’s action film Fast X, part of the Fast & Furious franchise, held fifth spot, earning $9.2 million. AFP

CELEBRITY family Team Kramer, known for their strong family bonds, was launched by Richeese Wafers as ambassadors for the brand’s “Sarap Every Moment” campaign. The campaign aims to inspire Filipino families to create more enjoyable and memorable moments together.

“This campaign is centered on forging deeper connections through family quality time fueled by indulging in the delicious array of Richeese Wafer snacks together,” said Dr. Jessie Singson Jr., Nabati country manager.

On the other hand, the celebrity couple said that the campaign aims to inspire individuals and families “to appreciate the little moments, create lasting memories, and find joy in everyday experiences.”

The well-known family, composed of celebrity couple Doug and Cheska Kramer and their adorable children,

Kendra, Scarlett, and Gavin, will represent the campaign and its message of savoring every moment of life.

Renowned for their wholesome and joyful presence, Team Kramer embodies the essence of cherishing and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. Their genuine connection and heartwarming family moments have captured the hearts of many, making them an ideal fit for the “Sarap Every Moment” campaign. With their charismatic and relatable personalities, Team Kramer will play a pivotal role in spreading this message and encouraging others to embrace the beauty of the present.

As brand ambassadors, Team Kramer will engage in various promotional activities, including social media collaborations, advertisements, and events, where they will share their own experiences of finding happiness in everyday moments.

Viva executives Valerie (left) and Vincent del Rosario

Among Viva projects, the Sarah-Lloydie reunion is anticipated by fans

The stars of Vivamax

providing a diverse range of compelling content, catering to various audiences and preferences. With an exciting lineup of releases and continuous expansion, Vivamax and Viva One solidify their positions as go-to platforms for highquality entertainment in the Philippines,”

The many versions of Spider-Man in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

The Team Kramer consisting of (from left) Doug, Cheska, Gavin, Scarlett, and Kendra

Asia's Limitless Star Julie Anne San Jose sees performing with Sarah G as an honor

Sarah Geronimo has accomplished many feats in the music industry

C4 TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 2023

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

IT WAS a celebration of great food and friendship during the recent launch of Yasmin Newman’s book, Under Coconut Skies: Feasts and Stories from the Philippines, at SM Aura Premier. Yasmin Newman is an AustralianFilipino food and travel writer, photographer, and cookbook author.

The event, organized by the Australian Embassy and the Australia Global Alumni in the Philippines, brought together members of the Filipino-Australian community, alumni, and corporate executives.

Notable attendees included Australian Embassy Second Secretary Alex O’Hara, Vice President of the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce Bradley Norman and Qantas Airways Philippines General Manager Honeybee Hubabib

The afternoon reception at SM Aura Premier’s Skypark featured a cooking demonstration where Yasmin and Filipino-Australian John Michael Hilton, the founder and CEO of Visum Ventures, prepared kinilaw na isda using kalamansi and Australian finger lime. The program was hosted by broadcast personality and Australian alumnus Martin Andanar, with a warm welcome from SM’s Millie Dizon

Under Coconut Skies is Yasmin’s second Filipino cookbook, celebrating the Philippines and its food. Through stunning photographs and engaging storytelling, the book takes readers on a culinary journey, showcasing classic Filipino dishes and their unique culinary traditions, folklore, and personal stories.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu PSM expressed, “One of the things that Filipinos and Australians share is our love for food—we love bringing people together to enjoy great food and have great conversations.

Book launch event celebrates Filipino cuisine and friendship

As a proud ambassador of Filipino cuisine and Australian food products, Yasmin also shares her passion for food and her Australian and Filipino influences in a series of cooking videos called A Taste of the Philippines produced by the Australia Philippines Business Council (APBC) in partnership with the Australian Government. In 2013, she also wrote and published her debut cookbook, 7000 Islands: A Food Portrait of the Philippines

The book is a celebration of the Philippines and its food, and takes her readers on a journey to discovering classic Filipino dishes through stunning photographs and unique culinary traditions, folklore, and personal stories

Under Coconut Skies - Feasts and Stories from the Philippines is available on https:// www.amazon.com/Under-Coconut-Skies-Stories-Philippines/dp/1925811689

BEING identified as one of the countries most vulnerable to environmental degradation, Filipinos should seize every opportunity to help mitigate its adverse effects, starting from their own homes.

Many households generate significant amounts of waste from leftover food, discarded food packaging, and unused kitchen appliances. Families can manage this by reducing household consumption through recycling, purchasing secondhand goods, or simply planning their trips to the grocery store. On a larger scale, property developers can contribute by incorporating ecofriendly features and promoting green environments. Lumina Homes, a leading brand in the affordable housing sector, exemplifies this environmentally conscious approach. Their communities boast lush gardens, walkable neighborhoods, and spacious road networks that encourage residents to embrace outdoor activities.

Lumina Homes has also installed solarpowered streetlights to ensure the safety of residents who engage in nighttime biking, jogging, and strolling. Additionally, they

We are delighted to have Filipino-Australian Yasmin Newman here in the Philippines to celebrate Philippine culinary heritage with the best of Australian products—a culinary fusion of the best of both countries.”

In this vibrant cookbook, Newman invites readers into her kitchen and the homes of friends and locals, sharing traditional dishes, vegetarian options, and modern interpretations of Filipino classics. From sizzling wild mushroom sisig and

golden turmeric and cassia bark rice from the Muslim south to pork belly adobo and glistening candied kalamansi cake, Filipino food entices and satisfies all the senses. Guests at the launch were seen enjoying an afternoon tea curated by Yasmin, featuring beloved Filipino dishes from her cookbook prepared using fresh Australian ingredients. Some highlights included Tasmanian salmon with turmeric rice and ube pavlova

Yasmin Newman shows her cookbook, ‘Under Coconut Skies Feasts and Stories from the Philippines’ to SM’s Millie Dizon and Australian Embassy Second Secretary Alex O’Hara

Groundbreaking initiative promotes sustainable living and eco-consciousness

healthy living spaces.

The launch of Lumina Homes’ eco-bin system took place on April 28, at Lumina Pandi in Bulacan. Ubie Cristobal, the Area Head for Lumina Bulacan, led the event and emphasized how sustainable living contributes to healthier communities.

Residents of Lumina Pandi, marketing officers, and top-performing sellers from Lumina North Luzon attended the event, witnessing the unveiling of the eco-bin during a unit tour.

Prospective homeowners can experience the eco-bin system by visiting Lumina’s model home in Barangay Pinagkuartelan, Pandi, Bulacan.

Lumina Pandi is a 22-hectare house and lot development equipped with wellthought-out amenities, including a 24/7 guarded entrance with CCTV, a covered basketball court, mini gardens, and a playground. It stands as one of Lumina Homes’ flagship projects on the outskirts of the metro, soon to be followed by Lumina in Plaridel, Calumpit, Baliwag, and San Miguel—all municipalities in the historic province of Bulacan.

regularly organize tree-planting and cleanup activities.

In line with these commendable initiatives, Lumina Homes recently intro-

Indulge in exquisite delights

duced an eco-friendly innovation called “eco-bins” in select projects, including Lumina Homes in Pandi, Bulacan. These eco-bins serve as an efficient waste man-

agement system built into the property’s walls. With convenient access to waste containers, homeowners will find it easier and simpler to maintain clean, tidy, and

For more information about Lumina Homes—“The Home You Deserve”— prospective homebuyers can visit the official website at www.lumina.com.ph. Meanwhile, those interested in applying as digital sales associates or for other positions can visit the careers website at https://www.lumina.com.ph/careers/ apply-for-digital-sales-associate/.

Discovery Primea’s iconic in-house restaurant

By Angelica Villanueva

DISCOVERY Primea’s in-house restaurant, Gilarmi Lounge, is wellknown for its Gin Library and Burger Library, which showcase an extensive collection of gin labels and a selection of simple yet delectable burgers, respectively. It was named after an iconic landmark and famed residential address along Apartment Ridge, which once stood before the five-star hotel opened its doors to the public. Located on the ground floor of Discovery Primea, hotel guests and visitors can enjoy the lounge’s curated menu while having a view of the bustling Ayala Avenue. Aside from its inviting ambiance, another reason why people keep coming to Gilarmi is the wide range of dishes it offers.

at

to newly-added burger selections such as Le Bistro 2.0, The Italian Job, and The Mushroom.

Burger Library’s Le Bistro 2.0 is a cheesier, tastier version of its predecessor, featuring stronger flavors and ingredients such as mozzarella, parmesan, emmental cheese, and caramelized onion. Meanwhile, The Italian Job, inspired by blockbusters, aims to be an equally thrilling treat on its own, with its Italian-inspired combination of beef and prosciutto patty, mozzarella, and tomato fondue. For mushroom lovers, The Mushroom showcases crispy mushroom “katsu”, cabbage slaw, and “Bull-Dog” sauce.

Each burger is served with a side of freshly cooked homemade chips and promises an easy, no-frills, and enjoyable dining experience. Priced from P295 to P495, the Burger Library is offered à la carte at Gilarmi Lounge for dine-in and takeout. The Gin Library:

Barrel-aged Negroni

Sebastian’s Ice Cream: Unique and local flavors of sorbet

What’s a better way to cap off your meal than having desserts? You can never deny that despite the heavy meal, there is and will always be room for desserts.

Well, there are more reasons to visit Gilarmi as Discovery Primea has collaborated with Sebastian’s Ice Cream to serve local yet unique flavors of ice cream for everyone to enjoy. The dessert menu includes Arroz con Tsokolate, Halo-Halo, and Taaaahho, all of which are inspired by traditional Filipino desserts but given an exciting twist.

Other decadent options are Tea & Cakes, SSSS’Mores, Fire & Ice, and Mango Mango Mango, available starting April 25. Guests are invited to Gilarmi Lounge for a taste of uniquely Filipino flavors translated into elegant desserts, perfect for this season of sunny days. With all these new offerings, Gilarmi Lounge continues to be an exciting and welcoming venue for culinary discoveries.

The Burger Library: New selection of burgers

Launched in 2020, Gilarmi’s Burger Library has been serving best-selling varieties such as Good Ol’ Cheeseburger, The Spanish Quarter, Korean Chicken Burger, and Le Bistro. Just last month, Discovery Primea’s Executive Chef Luis Chikiamco and his culinary team treated diners

But wait, a visit to Gilarmi Lounge wouldn’t be complete without having a gin treat. Known for being a destination for all things related to gin, from classic G&Ts to elaborate cocktails, this summer, Discovery Primea’s seasoned mixologists embark on a new journey by introducing the hotel’s very own barrel-aged Negroni, ideally crafted for gin lovers and modern-day drinkers. Mellowed to perfection after 30 days, the house-aged Negroni carries the bittersweet notes of the classic cocktail, blended with the smooth and distinctive smoky flavors of American oak. Experience this concoction in an elevated fashion at Gilarmi Lounge for P400 nett per glass.

From left: Ashley Santillan, McDonald’s Marketing Director; Michael Dungca, McDonald’s Local Store Marketing Manager; Fidel Balbieran, McDonald’s Local Store Marketing Director; James R Jorge, AVP and Head of Smart Broadband and Consumer WiFi; Anton V. Agustin, AVP and Head of Smart Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising; and Martin N. Cervantes, Manager of Smart Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising

Smart powers McDonald’s Night Classroom Project with free WiFi

FOR the third year, PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has partnered with McDonald’s Philippines to provide students with a safe and conducive learning space outside their schools. This year, they have opened the ‘Night Classroom’ in 60 participating stores nationwide.

The ‘McDonald’s Night Classroom’ is an extension of the McDonald’s Classroom initiative that began in 2020, converting approximately 250 unused party rooms into spaces for teachers and students to conduct virtual classes and fulfill their online learning needs. With the reopening of schools, McDonald’s Philippines has adapted the project to cater to students who require a secure and suitable environment to do their homework, review lessons, and conduct online research beyond school hours.

To support the project, Smart has provided free WiFi access through Smart WiFi installations in McDonald’s stores, as well as Smart Bro Pocket WiFi units in other participating venues. This has enabled Night Classroom participants to connect online and make the most of the Philippines’ fastest and best mobile network, as acknowledged by Ookla, the global leader in mobile and network broadband intelligence. Powered by Smart, participants of McDonald’s Night Classroom enjoy a worry-free online learning experience. They can access the internet, upload and download

heavy files in seconds, quickly search for information, and stream instructional videos without buffering.

Since its launch on March 28 until May 31, the McDonald’s Night Classroom project had benefited over 40,000 participants across 60 McDonald’s branches nationwide, making a positive impact on the lives of teachers and students.

“McDonald’s has always been a safe and trusted space to create feel-good moments for all—whether you’re a family celebrating a birthday, an employee getting their coffee fix before work, or a student looking for a place to pull an all-nighter. Students have already been treating McDonald’s as their go-to place for meetings or study sessions, so the McDonald’s Night Classroom is our special way of supporting them with their schoolwork,” said Oliver Rabatan, McDonald’s Philippines Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

“We recognize the huge role of mobile technology in making education more accessible and bringing the world of learning to one’s fingertips. This partnership allowed us to work hand in hand to create connected and safe spaces for learning and help students and teachers achieve academic success. It’s our pleasure to provide free WiFi access at McDonald’s Night Classrooms nationwide for uninterrupted work and study sessions,” said Anton Agustin, Smart AVP and Head for Consumer WiFi & Mobile Advertising.

Members of the Australia-New Zealand Association at the afternoon tea reception at the SM Aura Skypark Lawn for Australian-Filipino food and travel writer Yasmin Newman

Lumina Pandi’s residents, marketing o cers, and Lumina North Luzon’s top performing sellers were in attendance, witnessing the unveiling of the eco-bin during a unit tour

Discovery Primea’s The Burger Library at Gilarmi Lounge has various burger selections, including The Italian Job

The house-aged Negroni carries the bittersweet notes of the classic cocktail