Manila Standard - 2023 June 22 - Thursday

Gov’t raises next year’s proposed budget to P5.768 trillion—DBM

By Julito Rada

THE Marcos administration has raised its proposed budget for 2024 to P5.768trillion, a 9.5 percent increase from this year’s national expenditure program. However, Budget Secretary Amenah

Pangandaman noted that this is still one of the lowest annual budget increases. She said they aimed to submit it to Congress days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his second State-ofthe-Nation Address on July 24, 2023.

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Junk food, softdrinks tax eyed

Gov’t aims to curb people’s poor diet, raise funds for vital projects

By Julito G. Rada

THE government will push for the passage of new revenue measures that include additional taxes on sweetened beverages and junk food within the year, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said Wednesday.

The target would be to have the new tax measures take effect in 2024, so they would have until the end of the year to push for their passage, Pangandaman said.

Aside from generating additional revenues to be used for vital government projects, the higher taxes would result in better health for the people, she said.

In a statement, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Health (DOH) are jointly pursuing a junk food and sweetened beverage tax “as a proactive measure to tackle diabetes, obesity, and non-communicable diseases related to poor diet.”

Under the proposed tax program, the DOF plans to impose a P10 per 100 grams or P10 per 100 milliliters tax on pre-packaged foods lacking nutritional value, including confectioneries, snacks, desserts, and frozen confectioneries, that exceed the DOH’s specified thresholds for fat, salt, and sugar content.

Additionally, the DOF intends to increase the sweetened beverage tax rate under the TRAIN Law to P12 per liter, regardless of the type of sweetener used. This tax rate will be indexed

PH rolls out bivalent COVID-19 vaccine

By Vince

Detainee, 6 NBI personnel nabbed for ‘sneaking out’—DOJ exec

By Charles Dantes

law enforcement authorities while outside the NBI detention facility.

The Department of Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano identified the suspect as Jose Adrian Dera, alias “Jad,” who is

detained for drug and murder charges.

“He (Dera) has several cases related to drugs. One of which he is a coaccused in the case of former Senator (Leila) De Lima. There are also certain

cases where he alone is charged,” Clavano said during a public briefing. “This would not have happened if there was no connivance. We are hellbent on

Marcos warns PH soil ‘under threat’

By Vince Lopez

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called for increased collaboration among various stakeholders to avert future crises, recognizing the threat posed by soil neglect to national food security and people’s livelihood and well-being.

Among the growing soil problems in the country are degradation, acidification, and pollution, the President said.

“[About 75 percent of] total crop land is vulnerable to erosion in various degrees, with ag-

riculture losing about 457 million tons of soil annually,” the President said as he addressed the 1st National Soil Health Summit at the Diamond Hotel in Manila.

“The conversion of lands for settlements and the loss of about 47 hectares of forest cover every year contribute significantly to the soil degradation,” the President added.

Mr. Marcos said around 11 million to 13 million hectares are considered degraded.

This is on top of the 2.2 million hectares that suffer from insufficient levels of soil fertility,

2.5m removed from power subsidy program

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ABOUT 2.5 million customers of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) may stop enjoying subsidized power rates as distribution utilities process applications for eligibility under the New Lifeline Rate Program.

Meralco head of utility economics Lawrence Fernandez said the numbers may be high, as the company has about 7.6 million customers but “that only means that millions of lifeline customers be -

Senators grill local airlines over passengers’ woes

By Macon Ramos-Araneta,

Maricel V. Cruz and Joel E. Zurbano

SENATORS on Wednesday chided local airlines following complaints by airline passengers about overbooking,

offloading and booking glitches.

At a hearing of the Senate tourism committee, senators took turns in attacking Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, among others for the inconveniences and damage being caused

YouTube halts Quiboloy’s channel

By Charles Dantes

“Hey,

to passengers. They also bewailed the apparent inaction of the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) to sanction violations committed by airlines against their passengers.

fore were not really marginalized.”

The lifeline rate refers to the subsidized rate given to qualified marginalized end-users as part of the socialized pricing mechanism that provides for a percentage discount, subject to the guidelines set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Fernandez said that according to the joint ERC, Department of Energy, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development rules, 4Ps beneficiaries

Duterte, Ong, Tulfo top choices for senator in 2025 midterm polls

By Joel E. Zurbano

FORMER President Rodrigo Duterte again topped a list of preferred candidates for senator in the 2025 midterm elections, according to the Pahayag 2023 second-quarter survey conducted by Publicus Asia from June 7 to 12. Based on the “voting predisposition” of 1,500 respondents, the survey saw Duterte ranked first with 51%, followed by health expert Dr. Willie Ong and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, who both got 44%. Ong was a losing vice presidential bet in the 2022 elections as the running mate of erstwhile Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. The survey results also showed that the

top national issue this quarter is the need to use renewable energy, surpassing the perennial concerns on the affordability of basic commodities, wages, livelihood,

Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the vaccination of healthcare workers against COVID-19 using bivalent vaccines to

VAX ROLLOUT. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urges Filipinos to continue getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as the government launched bivalent vaccines on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.

A HIGH-PROFILE detainee and six National Bureau of Investigation security personnel have been arrested by

STRATEGIC EXPRESSWAY LINK. House Speaker Martin Romualdez, along with NLEX Corp. President and General Manager J. Luigi Bautista and other officials, lead the ground breaking ceremony of the new five-kilometer third Candaba viaduct in Pulilan, Bulacan on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. According to NLEX, the new bridge that will be built in the middle of two existing viaducts aims to enhance motorists’ safety and mobility. Manny Palmero

Former President Rodrigo Duterte

PPP KEY TO INFRA DEV’T—SPEAKER

Maharlika up for Palace transmittal

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) Act, which was certified urgent by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and two other enrolled bills were signed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, paving the way for its transmittal to the Palace.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito on Tuesday said only the signature of Zubiri was needed for the MIF Bill to be sent to House Speaker Martin Romualdez for his signature, before being transmitted to Malacanang.

The President can then either sign the bill to become a law or veto it.

Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel called on Mr. Marcos

to revoke the investment measure.

The two other enrolled bills signed by Zubiri while in the US were the Estate Tax Amnesty Extension Act bill, and the bill recognizing Baler, Aurora, as the birthplace of Philippine surfing.

Zubiri signed the three enrolled bills at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, where he is presently on a working visit, and holding meetings

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will still have to apply with the host distribution utilities to receive the lifeline discount.

Qualified lifeline rate beneficiaries are 4Ps beneficiaries qualified households under Republic Act No. 11310 while non-4Ps are marginalized endusers living below the poverty threshold established by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said the new lifeline program limits the scope of qualifications to those under the 4Ps program consuming less than the lifeline rate threshold, for example, 100 kilowatt-hour per month in the Meralco franchise area.

“The New Lifeline Rate Program is intended to limit the subsidies to marginalized consumers, aligning the identification of these consumers with the government’s 4Ps program. This also reduces the burden of subsidizing consumers, in effect, thus lowering also the rates paid,” Dimalanta said.

Last week, DOE, ERC, and the DSWD issued a tripartite advisory to distribution utilities for the implementation of the lifeline rate.

The agencies directed the distribution utilities to immediately implement the disqualification of those who are not qualified to avail of the lifeline rate, as provided under Rule 6, Section 6 of the Lifeline implementing rules and regulations. Those living in condominiums or subdivision projects, except those residing in government housing projects and similar projects, those who are availing net-metering services, those whose consumption falls at or below the consumption threshold but are not considered qualified marginalized end-users, and those who are convicted with finality for violating Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994 shall be disqualified from availing the lifeline rate.

The distribution utilities were also directed to also begin accepting and processing applications from its consumers seeking to avail of the lifeline rate program.

Distribution utilities are expected to complete the processing of the applications on or before Aug. 1, 2023.

Starting August 2023, only those who have approved applications shall be entitled to avail of the lifeline rate program.

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violation of Community Guidelines & (and) has been terminated,”

Team YouTube said in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

Quiboloy’s YouTube account had garnered more than 45,000 subscribers before it was taken down.

Two other supposed YouTube channels of the pastor, the True Gospel of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy and Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, only have 176 and 141 subscribers, respectively, remaining active on the platform.

Quiboloy, the leader and founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a religious group based in Davao, was placed on the FBI’s most wanted list back in 2022 due to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.

The self-proclaimed “Son of God” also has close ties with the family of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who appointed him as a spiritual adviser.

Junk

annually by 4 percent, and exemptions will be eliminated to broaden the tax base. These measures aim to strengthen the effectiveness of the sweetened beverage tax by further discouraging the consumption of such beverages. The higher taxes on junk food and sweetened beverages are expected to generate an additional P76 billion during the first year, the DOH said, and result in a 21 percent reduction in the consumption of junk food.

Pangandaman said for the first year

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with improper use of fertilizers and pesticides causing soil pollution and acidity worsening the situation.

“This summit is an opportune time for all of us here to collaborate, to share our wisdom and experience to improve our soil and boost our agricultural productivity, all while promoting sustainability and environmental protection,” the President said.

“This will play a pivotal role in nation-building and in uplifting the lives of our people.”

With the discourse among leaders and the agriculture sector’s brightest minds, the President said he expects the summit to spark more informed decisions and much-needed innovation. Through information sharing and enhancing programs related to soil health, he said that the country can promote sustainable soil use for the benefit of future generations.

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Senator Nancy Binay, committee chairperson, said passengers face inconveniences on multiple fronts on account of flight delays, cancellations, offloading and overbooking.

“Our airlines are a key partner in achieving our goal of making tourism soar again. But how are we to expect to reach our targets with the way things are going now?” Binay said.

Senator Grace Poe said she believes relevant government agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, should also be blamed for the state of affairs.

She noted the complaints are not limited to Cebu Pacific. “The airlines shouldn’t take the

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protect the vulnerable sector and as a way of honoring the frontliners “who have worked hard so that the world could return to a state of normalcy.”

In his speech during the launch of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccination at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City, the Chief Executive underscored the importance of the government’s inoculation program to protect those with comorbidities and the elderly.

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Pangandaman said the 2024 National Expenditure Program (NEP) has already been presented to the President and would be presented to the Cabinet for their final approval today (Thursday).

with members of the United States Congress and US government agencies.

Senate Secretary Renato Bantug, who was part of the Senate contingent for Zubiri’s working visit, brought along the enrolled copies to Washington.

“The Maharlika bill is a priority measure, and the Estate Tax Amnesty Extension is very time-sensitive,” said Zubiri, adding that many are waiting for these bills.

“Fortunately, he said the enrolled copies were already prepared by the time Sec. Bantug was set to join us in Washington,” Zubiri said. “So he was able to bring them along with him, instead of letting them sit in the Senate waiting for my return, and I was able to sign them on Philippine soil, here in the embassy.”

of implementation alone, revenues to be generated from the sugary beverages were projected to be about P40 billion to P50 billion.

“On salty food, [we don’t have the figures] because this is still being studied. But Secretary Benjamin Diokno and the Department of Finance are very positive on the passage of [these] revenue measures,” Pangandaman said.

Earlier, Diokno said the administration wants to impose higher taxes on sugary beverages, motor vehicles and mining to raise much-needed revenues.

The DOF expects the revision of the excise tax on sugary drinks could raise

On the part of the government, Marcos said his administration has come up with a five-point priority agenda on soil and water management, such as the National Soil Health Program and the Implementation of Sustainable Land Management to ensure proper soil use and management, address land degradation, enhance crop productivity, and improve farmers’ income.

“The administration shall empower the Bureau of Soil and Water Management to achieve these goals, especially through capacitating soil laboratories across the country to yield better data,” he said.

He said the agency, which is under the Department of Agriculture, must work with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), among other agencies, to ensure the successful implementation of the agenda. “We are conducting a soil and land resources mapping and evaluation process that includes soil-based and land-based

brunt of the airline passengers’ complaints. The airport and the policies of the DOT should also be scrutinized if they are also part of the problem. Sometimes, the problem is not with airlines but also with our airports,” said Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services.

Senator Christopher Go called on the airline to promptly address the concerns of its passengers.

Speaking before the Senate panel, Cebu Pacific Chief Commercial Officer Alexander Lao offered the company’s apologies to the passengers for the disruptions and assured the panel of their commitment to resolve these problems.

“We value the trust and confidence of our passengers and are committed to provide safe, affordable and reliable flights,” Lao said.

To enhance their operations and help

He acknowledged all the country’s partners and stakeholders who played a significant part in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic when he joined the Department of Health (DOH) officers at the program.

Mr. Marcos conveyed the country’s appreciation to the government of the Republic of Lithuania for donating 390,000 doses of the bivalent vaccines, which protect against the original strain of the virus and its omicron subvariants.

He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the World Health Organization (WHO) and COVID-19 Vaccines Glob -

“After a couple of weeks of sleepless nights, we had marathon meetings on the budget because as you know, budget preps usually start in February – the first quarter of the year when we release the budget call. And then after that, the agencies will submit their requests to us and then we hold a couple, a series of meetings with the departments and

“This was at no expense to the Philippine government because Secretary Bantug was really with the Senate delegation,” clarified the Senate leader.

The Estate Tax Amnesty program expired on June 14, 2023, this its Extension Act will push the period of availment under the program by two years, or up to June 14, 2025. Malacañang had certified it as an urgent measure.

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez and Senator Francis Tolentino, who are part of Zubiri’s working visit, witnessed the signing.

“We have a few more days of meetings here in Washington, but with these enrolled bills already signed, we can send them out straightaway upon our return,” said Zubiri.

around P53.7 billion, motor vehicles at P15.8 billion, and P12.4 billion from the mining tax.

Diokno said these new tax measures were on top of the remaining tax reform packages that were left behind by the Duterte administration.

Diokno said the incremental revenues from the tax package will fund socioeconomic programs initiated by the Marcos administration, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s food stamp program.

This program will provide support to 1 million food-poor households, to alleviate food insecurity and malnutrition, he said.

level assessments, soil sample analyses and digital map preparations under the Philippine Soil Land Resources Information program,” the President said.

At the same time, the administration is also exploring water security for climate resilient rainwater technologies, and the conduct of cloud seeding operations for agriculture to improve water conditions in production areas, critical watersheds, and reservoirs to mitigate the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, he added.

The Marcos administration has made food security a top agenda and has been carrying out a number of initiatives to realize this goal.

One of the government’s thrusts is consolidating farmers’ cooperatives and associations and their lands as well as the introduction of new technologies and machinery to Filipino farmers, and giving them access to more efficient practices.

It also welcomed major investments in the agriculture industry from local and foreign investors, as part of the plan to provide farmers with the capital and tools they need to boost their productivity.

customers, Lao also said they have implemented measures such as activating a disruption management team, increasing live chat agents, and improving policies and processes for disruption handling and communication.

Lao admitted these actions may not be sufficient for affected passengers so they are making an assessment to provide better care during the recovery period.

He also spelled out the challenges besetting the global aviation industry that have direct impact on the operations of Cebu Pacific and other airlines.

Among them, Lao said, was the delivery delays from Airbus, their aircraft manufacturers, which necessitate changes to their flight schedules, including flight cancellations and equipment changes from larger to smaller aircraft.

al Access (COVAX) for their continued assistance to the country during and after the pandemic.

Above all, the President honored the vaccine manufacturers, scientists, healthcare workers, and all those “whose sacrifices led the world to a state of normalcy.”

Mr. Marcos said that getting the COVID-19 vaccine is not only good for the one who received it, but is also good for the protection of one’s family and the general public.

“So, we must not let our guard down. Although the rest of society –

agencies for them to justify their budget proposals,” Pangandaman said.

She expects that the approval of the 2024 budget will be done faster than the previous year.

“Under the Constitution po, we should submit the national expenditures program one month after the SONA. On our calendar, we will submit our NEP to

Detainee,...

making heads roll for this incident. This is unacceptable.”

“They are there now under custody of the NBI agents and they would be brought for inquest at any time within today or tomorrow (June 22). We are looking at all the possible cases to be filed,” he added.

Dera and his cohorts were apprehended late Tuesday evening while returning to the detention facility after they allegedly went outside to eat at a hotel in Makati City. Illegal firearms, cash, and other contraband were also seized by responding authorities, the DOJ said. There were also reports of Dera having links to suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves.

Dera’s camp denied the allegations of him bribing the jail guards and his alleged ties with Teves as his “bagman.”

Dera’s lawyer Raymund Palad insisted his client was outside due to medical reasons and was escorted by NBI personnel.

“I asked him, ‘Ano ba talaga nangyari?’ He said galing sila sa labas, kabababa lang nila sa isang NBI marked vehicle,” Palad said.

Palad said the arrest was made inside the NBI compound.

He also challenged reports that Dera was carrying P25-million for the suspects in the killing of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo.

“Nung una pamangkin daw sya ni De Lima. Ngayon naman bagman ni Cong. Teves. Hindi totoo yon (First they said he was a nephew of De Lima. Now he is the bagman of Cong. Teves. That is not true),” Palad said.

Teves’ lawyer Ferdinand Topacio also disputed the allegation.

“Very clumsy attempt to again falsely implicate Cong. Teves. Ang sasabihin ko lang sa kung sinuman gumawa n’yan, try harder, try better,” Topacio said in an interview.

Meanwhile, the NBI said it will not condone the acts of its personnel and assured the public that charges will be filed against those connected to the incident.

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sourcing more funds from the wealthy, and feeding the poorest of the poor.

Incumbent Senators Christopher Go and Imee Marcos were in third in the survey with 39%, followed by Domagoso and former Senate President Vicente Sotto III in 4th place with 36%.

Another incumbent Senator, Ronald dela Rosa, and former senator Panfilo Lacson were tied with 35% in 5th place. Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro followed them with 31% while former Vice President Maria Leonora “Leni” Robredo got 28%.

Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque and former senator Francis Pangilinan were tied in 8th place with 25%, followed by incumbent Senator Pia Cayetano with 24%.

Former senator Manny Pacquiao and Ormoc Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez were in the 10th spot with 22%, followed by incumbent Senator Francis Tolentino and human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, both with 21%.

Completing the Top 12 of the most preferred senators in 2025 was former senator Richard Gordon with 19%.

Publicus stated that of the 43 names in the list, “with the exception of newcomer Erwin Tulfo (coming in strongly at 2nd to 3rd spot), the top 12 contenders are old-timers in the senatorial list, while Rodrigo

the other sectors of our society have tried to move on and say the emergency is over, and certainly in a way we can say that is the case. However, it is not over completely,” the President said.

“And that is why we should not be complacent and that is why we institute programs like this, which continue to seek to protect our vulnerable populace, (the) vulnerable sectors of our populace, and that particular demographic in this case is that of the elderly,” he added.

President Marcos also urged the citi-

the Congress one week after the 24th (of July),” Pangandaman said.

She also underscored President Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that the 2024 budget will continue to support major programs prioritized in 2023.

These include education, infrastructure development, agriculture, livelihood programs, health, and digitalization.

PH to act on US request on Afghans by July 15

By Rey E. Requejo

PHILIPPINE Ambassador the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez on Wednesday said Manila may respond by mid-July to Washington’s request for the country to temporarily accommodate Afghanistan refugees while their special immigration visas (SIV) were still being processed.

“I would think that before the middle of July, we should be able to make a decision. The memorandum for the President’s approval or disapproval, whichever the case may be, will be sent to Malacanang as probably as late as July 15… That is more or less what we are tracking right now from here, from Washington DC,” Romualdez said in an interview on ANC.

Nonetheless, Romualdez gave assur-

DFA to cede next month ATN duties for OFWs to DMW

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will formally turn over next month its Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The DFA said the turnover will happen on July 1, 2023 in compliance with provisions under Republic Act No. 11641 or the Department of Migrant Workers Act.

Under the law, all assistance cases involving the OFWs, such as legal or medical assistance, repatriation and shipment of remains, shall be handled by the DMW using its AKSYON (Agarang Kalinga at Saklolo para sa mga OFW na Nangangailangan) Fund.

But such policy will only apply in countries where there are DMW offices, namely, the Asia-Pacific states, Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

In the Middle East and Northern Africa, they are Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates,

In Europe, these countries are Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as Canada, and the United States.

OFWs in these countries who may need assistance can contact the DMW through hotline numbers 87221144 or 87221155, or email addresses: repat@dmw.gov.ph, connect@dmw.gov. ph or cacdac@dmw.gov.ph.

In countries without DMW offices or for overseas Filipinos who are either students, tourists, dual citizens or permanent outside residents, ATN responsibilities will still be conducted by the DFA.

The agency may be contacted through 88344996 or oumwa@dfa. gov.ph. Rey

E. Requejo

ance that in case the Philippine government declines the US request, it would not affect bilateral relations between the two countries.

“Not at all,” Romualdez said, when asked if PH-US relations would be affected if Manila turned down Washington’s request.

“There are many, many more things that we need to work with the United

States. Some of them we already said we cannot do it, for some reason or the other. We have been requested on many occasions by the United States to support a [resolution] at the United Nations, on many occasions, we also did not and it did not affect our relations with the United States,” Romualdez said.

“There’s a mutual respect between the United States and the Philippines, especially now, they know that the Philippines is a sovereign nation and that we have our own laws and we want to strengthen our positions in everything,” he added. Romualdez also said that it is “not fair for anyone to even think that the United States is out there to push us to do this and that.”

Last Friday, Romualdez told the Senate foreign relations committee that it is up to the Philippines to decide whether they grant or decline the US government’s request. Should the Philippine government re-

fuse the request, Romualdez earlier said the US can go to another country for the processing of the Afghan nationals’ special immigration visas.

“That’s why they (US) are asking and following it up with us and it’s up to us what we wanna do with it and whatever concerns we have, whatever we want to tell them, they are prepared to listen and if it is something that is possible, then do it. If not, then they go to another country for this,” Romualdez earlier said.

The Senate foreign relations committee conducted a legislative inquiry into the matter after Senator Imee Marcos filed a resolution asking why the US opted to house the Afghans in another country and not in their own country even though these individuals were “supporters of the US and possibly, even former employees of the US government or US companies.”

“There is a substantial risk that

Group eyes ‘harmonized’ rules on e-bikes, e-motorcycles

A CONSUMER advocacy group urges government regulators to harmonize existing policies on the importation of electric motorcycles and electric bicycles being sold in the gray market, saying that conflicting rules will slow down transition to environment-friendly transportation modes.

Lawyer and former congressman Christopher Belmonte, co-convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines, said the situation frustrates the objective of shifting to safer, more affordable, and more sustainable means of transportation.

“Clearly there is demand,” Belmonte said. “Our inadequate mass transportation system, the high cost of fuel, and the desire of an increasing number of Filipinos to do more for the environ-

Sen. Villar bats for ‘revolutionized’ waste disposal via circular economy

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment, urges the public to revolutionize waste management through what she called “circular economy.”

“Instead of the traditional “take, make, dispose” mode, a circular economy keeps resources in use for as long as possible through reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling,” Villar said during an event in observance of the Philippine Environment Month.

“The theme, “No to Waste: Advancing Circular Economy to Beat Plastic Pollution” highlights the path we must pursue to safeguard our environment,” the senator said. As a nation blessed with rich biodiversity and natural resources, Villar noted that it is crucial for the Filipinos to

TAX CHARGES.

Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) personnel unloaded boxes of documents to be presented as evidence in P18-billion tax cases to be filed by BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui at the Department of Justice against three corporations for alleged use of fake receipts. (See related story)

champion sustainable practices.

The senator, a known environmentalist, said she was pleased the summit organized by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau –NCR led by regional director Mike Matias emphasizes the concept of a circular economy.

Long before circular economy became popular, Villar disclosed that she has been embarking on it for years now.

“Its principles were already at the heart of my waste management practices. I have been diligently advocating and employing it for years’” she said.

Along with Villar SIPAG, Villar had established barangay-based livelihood enterprises.

These are models of proper waste management and excellent examples on turning wastes into useful end-products in pursuit of a circular economy.

ment are making them look at other options to get themselves from Point A to Point B.”

He added that electric motorcycles and bicycles have the added appeal of being easy to use.

“But it is not enough to simply respond to this demand by opening importation of EVs. We have to make sure that we do it the right way, the safe way,” Belmonte added.

“Ultimately, this should redound to the benefit of the riding public and empower them to be more efficient with their time and resources while also protecting their well-being.”

Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA), enacted by then President

Rodrigo Duterte in April 2022, aims to “create an environment that promotes the development of e-vehicles, to promote innovation, and to secure the health of Filipinos against air pollution caused by vehicles.”

The law tasks various agencies – the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) – to craft a Comprehensive Roadmap for the Electric Vehicle Industry (CREV), and outlines fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for potential investors, importers, and e-vehicle users.

individuals who pose a threat to national security and public safety may be admitted into and housed in the country,” Sen. Marcos said. According to Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, the DFA received a concept note from the US government on October 22, 2022, which indicated a “request” for the Philippine government to allow Afghans formally employed by the US government and their qualified dependents to temporarily stay in the Philippines to process their SIV applications with the US Embassy in Manila.

In the concept note and in the informal talks that he had with US officials, Manalo said all Afghans would be traveling with valid passports. They would undergo rigorous security vetting and background checks if they had worked for the US government before arriving in the Philippines.

IN BRIEF

No NCAP spurs tra ic violations

THE suspension of the no-contact apprehension policy (NCAP) has emboldened motorists and car owners to violate traffic rules and ordinances in the metropolis, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

A total of 256,977 traffic violations have been recorded since the policy was suspended in August last year. Some of the violations monitored by the MMDA were disregarding traffic signs, number coding, loading and unloading, traffic obstruction, dress code, illegal parking, the Anti-Distracted Driving Act, reckless driving, and no crash helmet.

Monthly traffic violations also increased from 9,500 to 32,000 in May, the MMDA reported.

“Noong bago ma-suspend ang NCAP, nasa 9,500 ang average per month ng mga taong lumalabag po sa batas trapiko. Pagkatapos naman ma-suspend ang NCAP, tumaas sa susunod na buwan ng 22,000 at noong Mayo umabot naman ng 32,000 na po ang violations,” said MMDA spokesperson Melissa Carunungan.

Joel E. Zurbano

Borongan airport opens new terminal

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has inaugurated the new departure terminal building of Borongan City Airport following its agreement with the local government for the maintenance and development of the facility.

The new Departure Terminal Building is one of the maintenance and development projects undertaken by the city government for the Borongan Airport that have been officially turned over to CAAP. CAAP Director General Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo expressed optimism that collaborative efforts by the national and local governments in the development of aviation infrastructure will lead to a shared vision for economic growth and national development.

The airport, which serves the general area of Borongan and other municipalities in Eastern Samar, opened its doors to commercial operations in December 2022.

According to Airport Flight Operations chairman Ruperto Ambil III, the facility had a total passenger movement of 4,022 passengers and 86 flights from December 2022 to May 2023. Joel

E. Zurbano

Workers get double pay on Eid’l Adha

PRIVATE sector workers who will report for work on Eid’l Adha, June 28, will get double pay, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma issued Advisory No. 14 which stipulates the proper computation of workers’ wages for the declared regular holiday in observance of Eid’l Adha or the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice.

“Employees who will work during the regular holiday are entitled to 200 percent of their wage for the first eight hours. The computation is basic wage x 200 percent,” the advisory stated.

If the employees will not report for work, they shall be paid 100 percent of their wage for that day, provided they worked or were on leave of absence with pay on the day immediately preceding the regular holiday.

When the day immediately preceding the regular holiday is a non-working day in the establishment or the scheduled rest day of the employees, they shall be entitled to holiday pay if they worked or were on leave of absence with pay on the day immediately preceding the non-working day or rest day. Vito

Barcelo

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) P18-billion tax evasion charges against corporate officers, accounting firms, and certified public accountants of three companies for allegedly buying and using “fake receipts” since 2018 in their business transactions. “We filed cases against those who bought ghost receipts,” said BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. who led the filing of the criminal complaints.

Lumagui identified the three companies as World Balance, CHK Steel, and Gamon Resources. Copies of the complaints were not available as of posting.

‘fake

The BIR chief said the list of respondents included the corporate officers, the accounting firms they engaged, and the CPAs (certified public accountants) who signed the questioned documents.”

“They face tax evasion cases. These are criminal cases. So, it carries the penalty of imprisonment in addition to paying the taxes because what they submitted were not real expenses,” he explained.

“The total tax liability that we saw in these three companies is around P18 billion,” Lumagui said. He said the BIR had filed criminal complaints against “ghost corporations that have been selling ghost receipts.”

“So based on documents, it can be seen outright that these companies used the receipts of these ghost corporations),” he lamented. According to him, the complaints against the three companies are just the first batch of complaints to be filed against those using ghost receipts.

“We have found thousands buying ghost receipts,” he disclosed.

“We could be able to collect around P500 billion from those that bought fake receipts,” he said.

“We are developing our cases against these companies,” he added. Rey E. Requejo

BIR files P18-b tax raps vs. 3 firms using

receipts’

SOLDIERS ALSO KNOW HOW TO PLANT. Philippine Army troopers under Armor Division chief Maj. Gen. Facundo Palafox IV, immerse in tree planting in collaboration with the AgriReforestation project. Norman Cruz

SO THEY CAN SEE MORE CLEARLY. Residents of Barangay Potrero in Malabon City get medical and eye checkups, free of charge, courtesy of a humanitarian mission spearheaded by the city government. Andrew Rabulan

Speaker: PPPs key to infra dev’t

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday called for more projects through publicprivate partnership (PPP), saying it is the key to the modernization of the country’s infrastructure necessary to usher progress and development and uplift the lives of people.

The Speaker aired this call in his message at the groundbreaking rites for the Third Candaba Viaduct project of the Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) and NLEx Corp. held at Brgy. Dulong Malabon in Pulilan, Bulacan.

Targeted for completion on Novem-

ber 2024, the project will expand the existing viaduct structure by adding inner and outer shoulders to the three lanes in each direction and is expected to increase the speed of travel from the current 40-60 kph to 60-80 kph. He expressed his gratitude to Presi-

dent Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for his unwavering support for the development of the country’s infrastructure, and thanked Pampanga representatives in the 19th Congress, including Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Representatives Jon Lazatin and Anna York Bondoc, as well as the cooperation of local government officials of Bulacan and Pampanga, which helped make the project a reality the soonest time possible.

Romualdez noted that the Candaba Viaduct, which has been serving as a strategic expressway link connecting Metro Manila and the Central and North

Luzon corridor for several decades, has played a vital role in facilitating the movement of people, goods, and services.

“The construction of the Candaba Third Viaduct is a testament to our collective commitment to meet these growing demands head-on. This project, with the support of President Bongbong Marcos, is a significant component of the government’s Build Build Build program,” he said. Romualdez meanwhile assured American businesses of the solid commitment of Congress to support the initiatives and programs of President Marcos to make the Philippines a more investor-friendly place.

By Vito Barcelo

VARIOUS labor groups called on the government to grant the P100 wage increase they filed last year, saying the current minimum wage increase can no longer sustain the living conditions of workers.

The labor groups, led by Partido ng Manggagawa filed a petition for a P100 raise in minimum wages on December 6, 2022, but deliberations only started this month.

Ex-Bucor

chief Bantag never a part of police ranks, PNP says

By Charles Dantes

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday clarified that former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag has not been part of the PNP. The PNP said that Bantag used to be the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology officer before he was appointed as the head of the BuCor.

“This is to set right some news articles that came out recently,” the PNP said.

“We want to emphasize that irrespective of one’s rank, stature, or source of commissionship of any officer; the police force will arrest any individual who has violated the law,” it added.

On Tuesday, Department of Justice (DOJ) Spokesperson Mico Clavano claimed that Bantag’s connection with the national police made his arrest and investigation difficult.

Clavano on Wednesday apologized for his statement and backpedaled on his previous statement saying Bantag’s police ties were because he graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

“I would like to correct my error and clarify that Mr. Bantag did not serve in the Philippine National Police, but rather graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy. I regret any confusion this may have caused and hope this clarification clears up any misunderstandings,” he said.

Graduates of the PNPA can choose to work with the PNP, BJMP, and the Bureau of Fire Protection after their graduation.

The PNP further said its Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) tracker team has been working with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to locate Bantag and is deputy, Ricardo Zulueta.

By Rey E. Requejo

A US government official has reassured the Philippines of its commitments while Washington is managing the growing competition between the US and China, which is “critically important” not only for both countries but also for their allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. US State Department’s Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink made the statement following the visit of US State Secretary Antony Blinken to Beijing, where he met high-level officials, including President Xi Jinping, to reduce tensions between the two superpowers.

Kritenbrink stressed that there is a good reason why friendly relations between the US and China must be maintained.

The Philippines, which has an ongoing territorial dispute with China over maritime territories in the South China Sea, has the military backing of the US.

“We believe that it is critically important, including in the regional context, that the United States and China work hard to responsibly manage the growing competition between us,” Kritenbrink said, in an online media briefing Tuesday night.

“We have made clear that we will stand up to and we will counter a range of concerns that we have with Chinese activities, including in the South China Sea and including those directed at some of our key partners and allies, such as the Philippines,” he added.

The US official cited the importance of shared security and prosperity of the region.

“Like Mayon Volcano, workers are restive over the high prices and low wages. The NCR wage board should grant the demand for a wage hike if it wants to calm the seething social volcano,” according to Judy Miranda, secretary general of Partido Manggagawa (PM).

“As of January 2023, workers have lost P88 in the value of the P570 minimum wage due to inflation. Thus, P100 is necessary to recover the purchasing power of workers’ wages,” the labor groups said.

The labor groups claimed that the NCR wage board and the Department of Labor and Employment has dragged its feet on the wage hike demand for half a year already.

“Workers are suffering from starvation wages. Instead of a living wage, workers are paid a ‘libing’ wage,” Miranda insisted.

Similar petitions for a P100 salary increase have been filed in Region 4-A, Region 6, and Region 7. There are also pending bills for a P150 legislated across-the-board wage hike in both houses of Congress.

The labor groups also belied the claims of employers that a wage hike will lead to higher inflation and more unemployment.

ASSURANCE FOR AMCHAM. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez assures members of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) that Congress is committed to engaging with international stakeholders, including the American business community, to promote trade and investment, share best practices, and foster mutually beneficial collaborations. Romualdez was AmCham’s guest of honor and speaker during AmCham’s General Membership Luncheon Meeting on Wednesday. Ver Noveno

Phivolcs records dome-collapse events at Mayon Volcano lasting 3 minutes

By Rio N. Araja

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday recorded seven dome-collapse pyroclastic density current (PDC) events that lasted three minutes at Mayon Volcano in Albay.

Yesterday’s record was higher compared to the two PDC events on Tuesday.

“Alert Level 3 is maintained over Mayon Volcano, which means that it is

currently in a relatively high level of unrest as magma is at the crater and hazardous eruption within weeks or even days is possible,” Phivolcs’ bulletin read.

At least 299 rockfall events and two volcanic earthquakes were also recorded in the area in the past 24 hours. A very slow effusion of lava from the summit crater of Mayon Volcano continued to feed lava flows and collapse debris on the Mi-isi (south) and Bonga (south gullies).

The lava flows advanced to maximum lengths of 2,500 meters along Mi-isi gully and 1,800 meters along Bonga gully from the summit crater, while collapse debris deposited to 3,300 meters from the crater.

Steam-laden plumes reaching up to 800 meters were also observed over the volcano drifting to the general west direction.

Ako-Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co meanwhile ordered the implementation of a sustainable water supply system in every evacuation center across the region.

“Recognizing the crucial role water plays in safeguarding the health and safety of evacuees, we understand the urgency of addressing the lack of clean and accessible water during times of crisis. By establishing reliable water supply systems in evacuation centers, this initiative aims to alleviate the challenges faced by displaced individuals and enhance their overall living conditions during uncertain times,” Co, chair of the House committee on appropriations, said

Duterte to telcos: Give refund for poor service

REP. Paolo Duterte of Davao City filed a bill in the House of Representatives requiring public telecommunications companies to automatically give refunds to customers who experience intermittent or continuous service disruptions of 24 hours or more in a month.

House Bill 8480 will ensure that subscribers pay only for the service they get and push telecom firms to provide fast, reliable, and uninterrupted internet connection.

Duterte’s co-authors to HB 8480 were Benguet Rep. Eric Yap, ACT-CIS Partylist Reps. Jocelyn Tulfo and Edvic Yap, and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Tulfo.

“While the telecommunications industry has continued to flourish in the country, internet connection and reliability of service remains a persistent problem, along with exorbitant costs paid by consumers for internet service,” Duterte said.

In HB 8480’s explanatory note, the bill’s authors pointed out that the Philippines has among the most expensive fixed broadband services in Asia, resulting in its low ranking in the 2022 Digital Quality of Life Index (DQLI) independently conducted by the cybersecurity firm Surfshark. Maricel V. Cruz

PAO chief receives ‘Bravo Filipino’ award

PUBLIC Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta has been recently honored with a Bravo Filipino Award of Pusong Bayani as a special citation for her.

The Bravo Filipino Publishing conferred the recognition to Rueda-Acosta for being “a public servant with a hero’s heart that beats for the PAO, the people, especially the poor.

The awards program recognizes female trailblazers who have achieved success in their careers and personal advocacies.

The distinctions are given to Filipinas championing social change and economic progress in the country and work to uplift the lives of Filipinos. Because of her world-class achievement in public service and legal jurisprudence, Rueda-Acosta has received at least 21 awards in 2022.

The PAO chief received the Gawad Filipino 2022 Hero Award and the Gawad Dangal Filipino Award as an outstanding public servant. Rio N. Araja

Cagayan lawmaker urges Senate to OK mandatory ROTC

CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Wednesday urged the Senate to approve a bill passed by the House of Representatives calling for a mandatory citizen service training for college students, with an optional ROTC or reserve officer training course.

He made the appeal in reaction to a reported survey by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) showing that 53 percent of senior high school student-respondents opposed the proposed revival of a school-based military training.

Rodriguez said the proposal of the House contained in Bill No. 6687 is for the establishment of a “national citizens service training program (NCSTP)” that includes community service-oriented activities like relief and rescue, and mobilization for disasters and calamities.

“It is not focused on military enlistment preparation. That is just part of what we envision would be a holistic citizen service training, which would encourage the participation of our youth in civic and public affairs,” he said. House Bill 6687 is a consolidation of several related measures, including Rodriguez’s HB 6078. It is principally authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez. Maricel V. Cruz

Labor groups urge admin to grant P100 pay increase

US assures PH of support amid growing competition with China

FOR MIND AND BODY. Yoga enthusiasts gather during the celebration of International Day of Yoga at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Wednesday. The event, spearheaded by the Embassy of India, promotes good mental and physical health of people through yoga. Danny Pata

CONTEMPT OF COURT COMPLAINT. Lawyers Ferdie Topacio and Eduard Santiago, representing the Citizens Crime Watch (CCW) and Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), show documents after filing a direct contempt of court complaint against Leila De Lima, lawyers Felibon Tacorda, Dino De Leon, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Rep. Edcel Lagman and Renato Reyes at the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court on Wednesday. Danny Pata

Bailes politicos

I WANTED to title this piece “changing partners,” but very few will relate to, neither recall, that old song that my late mom used to play on our old “hi-fi” phonograph (that’s what they called the turntable then) when I was a child.

Googling the lyrics, so appropriate even for these times, we find “though we danced for one moment, and too soon we had to part…and I’ll keep on changing partners.”

So I used the Spanish “baile” which is also the Bisaya term for dance, which is what our politicians always do insofar as their politics is concerned.

The species used to be described as “political butterflies” at the time when we had two parties, the Nacionalista and Liberal, until Pres. Diosdado Macapagal, frustrated during the first half of his term by an opposition-controlled House, decided to install Capiz representative Cornelio Villareal as speaker by a mass turncoatism of Nacionalistas into his Liberal Party.

A year after, Liberal Party senator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. turned coat from his party and joined the Nacionalista Party through the sponsorship of the speaker Villareal through Macapagal deposed – Jose Bayani Laurel, and from there launched his successful presidential bid in 1965, thereafter ruling for more than 20 years.

Blame it on the constitutional aberration we have refused to change since its inception in 1987 --- a multi-party set-up within a presidential form of government.

Butterflies like honey bees just flit from one partner to another, every six years or even more often, but instead of mere turncoatism, they have found a new device: inventing new parties.

Maybe it’s akin to artificial intelligence --- just create what you find more convenient, and pretend until the next season for utilitarian change.

Time and time again I have derisively called out our political parties as nothing more than flags of convenience or vehicles for personal ambition or vested interest promotion.

And we just have to grin and bear these bailes politicos because we have to live with the flawed 1987 Constitution, because it seems that not in our lifetime will our leaders muster the political will to revise our political system

And it looks like even under a president with a sizable majority in last year’s elections, the first since we adopted the 1987 Constitution with its series of plurality-elected presidents, we will continue to be dazzled by the “bailes politicos,” the dance of the politicians.

But the species can be likened to “mirlitons,” which the great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky immortalized in the Nutcracker Suite, the “Dance of the Mirlitons.”

Mirlitons are similar to our Spanish-inspired “barquillos,, thin sheets of cookie pastry rolled into a reed-like shape, hollow inside but temptingly crunchy and sweet, a perfect accompaniment to coffee or ice cream.

Ilonggo and Pampango pastry chefs have made versions where they fill the barquillos or mirlitons with chocolate, ube jam or polvoron, which our colonists called barquiron, which is similar to why our politicians change political parties, better described as “partners,” to fill their hollow selves with graces from above, either in projects or pork barrel.

Take the latest version: the Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino, which is a take-off from the National Unity Party (NUP) and the defunct (?) KBL or Kilusang Bagong Lipunan of the late president Marcos Sr.. Our politicians have run out of creativity, as witness how our parties are all plays on trite name descriptions such as nationalist, democratic, unity, strength, and the now old-fashioned liberal, masa, progressive, and are there any others?

Former VP Leni Robredo even decided to junk her Liberal Party in 2021 without forming another party. She just changed colors from yellow to pink, her followers calling themselves “kakampink,” while detractors called them “pinklawan.”

Oh, of course! “federal” too, which became in

Reduced terror threat

fashion since 2015 when the city mayor of Davao went around the country bandying the uneven distribution of national government resources as battle cry for the presidency, yet filled his longwinded speeches with his hatred for illegal drugs.

Right after the decapitation of PGMA as senior deputy speaker, Mayor Albee Benitez of Bacolod organized his KNP (some say because they are “kulang ng pansin”) out of PDP-Laban stalwarts, who of course, prior to 2016, were also Liberals, and before that Lakas, some even LDP or PMP in earlier existence.

And who are the former PDP-Laban stalwarts?

Former Comelec Chair, MMDA and old-time Mandaluyong mayor Ben Abalos, actor turned mayor then representative for Ormoc Richard Gomez (what about the beautiful Lucy TorresGomez, now mayora de Ormoc?), Cabanatuan’s Ria Vergara, San Jose del Monte’s Rida Robes (who before joining PDP was a staunch LP supporter of Mar Roxas till the very last), Cagayan de Oro’s Rufus Rodriguez, and Manny Lopez of Tondo, Manila, among others who swore by PRRD’s PDP now headed (and bank-rolled by Palawan’s Pepito Alvarez).

Key word is “nagkakaisa” which is Tagalog for “uniting” as distinguished from “nagkaisa” which literally means “united.”

Obviously, unity is “for now,” meaning until it’s time to change partners again.

Remember the KBL, where both the Liberal and Nacionalista stalwarts of yore joined forces to support the vision of the authoritarian ruler, which was to transform the ancien societe to nouveau, only to create a squadron of nouveau riche or cronies?

What vision does the “bagong” KNP support?

E di unity, ano pa?

Not to be outdone, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas announced that it is still alive and kicking, even if they were unheard of in the “particion de bienes” after June 30 last year, and were outdone by Lakas, NUP, NPC and a few others when spoils were distributed.

To prove they were yet relevant in the politics of the benighted land, they held an oath-taking of new member-recruits, mercifully held in Malacanang (mismo!) with the president (otro mismo!!) officiating the turncoatism.

And who were the new recruits into the party held alive by South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo, Sr. and Gen. Thompson Lantion?

My friend Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib, a former Speaker Bebot Alvarez loyalist, Zamboanga Sibugay’s Gov. Anne Hofer and former Liberal Party stalwart Batanes Gov. Malou Cayco, along with all her mayors who collectively control as few votes as a medium-sized Manila barangay.

That gave the lie to what many of the political “marites” thought, that the Partido Federal died after Vic Rodriguez left Malacanang.

Are they resurrecting the party used by PFRM Jr. in 2022 to likewise revive the call for federalism, as the name of their party implies? Not really.

The official statement merely pledges their support for the decision of the president to remain as agriculture secretary. Neat.

Expect more re-alignments next year, when the filing of COCs begin for the mid-term elections.

Some super seniors, octogenarians +++ like the fabled Juan Ponce Enrile – probably recall the “rigodon de honor,” a colonial celebratory relic revived from Commonwealth to Third Republic and until PFEM Sr’s last dance in Malacanang.

But we cannot describe the bailes politicos as a rigodon, which evoked nobility and etiquette.

None of which exist these days, even in the Senate of 24 republics, if we are to believe Senators Drilon and Lacson instead of the highly popular man called Robinhood.

And we just have to grin and bear these bailes politicos because we have to live with the flawed 1987 Constitution, because it seems that not in our lifetime will our leaders muster the political will to revise our political system.

The House can huff and puff as long as they want, their intentions for revision suspect.

The Senate will always think of themselves as the “august,” even if they do not truly represent the different tribes that make up this nation, and choose to preen on their celebrity credentials to stay in their chamber, decorum and intellection wanting.

And our president does not see charter change as important, preferring instead to focus on the impossible dream of 97.5 percent, now 100 percent rice self-sufficiency.

THE government has achieved a major victory in the war on terrorism with the recent neutralization of Abu Zacharia, said to be the emir or top leader of the Daulah Islamiyah (DI).

This is a significant achievement as the group is said to be linked to the terrorist Islamic State (IS). The armed forces and the Philippine National Police worked in close collaboration to achieve this breakthrough in restoring peace in Muslim Mindanao. News reports said combined forces of the police and military were trying to serve an arrest warrant on Abu Zacharia in a house at Barangay Bangon in Marawi City when they were met with fierce resistance.

Zacharia reportedly threw two grenades and an improvised bomb made from a 60mm mortar shell to prevent the advance of policemen and soldiers, triggering a 10-minute gunfight that led to his death.

Abu Zacharia assumed the leadership of the terror group after Owaida Marohombsar, known as Abu Dhar, was slain in a clash with soldiers in Lanao del Sur province in

The recent hostilities between government forces and the Daulah Islamiya in Lanao del Sur highlight the continuing threat from terror groups in Muslim Mindanao

March 2019.

In March 2022, the military announced that Abu Zacharia assumed leadership of the so-called Islamic State of East Asia Province that includes neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia.

In a follow-up operation in another house in Bangon, a top aide of Abu Zacharia was also killed by authorities.

Joharie Sandab alias Morsid, a DI subleader believed to be in charge of finance and logistics, allegedly hurled a grenade at government troops but it did not explode.

Another gunfight broke out, resulting in the death of Morsid.

Our Afghan issue

WHAT initially appeared to be a simple and straightforward exercise has now turned to be a more contentious issue.

This is perhaps because of the way the public came to know about it.

By jumping the gun on the government, Senator Imee Marcos now has the upper ground in the debate. Had she not revealed what she knew, it is possible this matter would only have been made public when everything has been ironed out.

In a way, it is better this thing is now out in the open so that all the pros and cons can be debated on properly before deciding whether to undertake it or not.

According to our Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, the US has requested that we allow the processing of all those Afghans who worked for the US military together with their families during the 20 year US-Afghan War here in the country before being allowed entry into the US. The request appears to have been made during the trip of PBBM to Washington.

At a glance, the request appears to be based on humanitarian grounds but, to some, there is something that is not right about the whole issue. Why, the skeptics are asking, process these people here when there are better facilities in the US?

One answer to this question could be that if some of those to be processed will be found not to be qualified, it will be difficult to get those persons out of that country because of US laws. It would be a lot easier for the US to deal with such a problem here because US laws do not apply in the Philippines.

There may be other reasons that we do not know about.

In the Senate hearing conducted last week, it is interesting that the Chair of the Committee, Senator Marcos, appeared to be against the proposed entry of those Afghans while the Vice-Chair, Senator Tolentino was for allowing them to enter on humanitarian grounds due to our long history of welcoming refugees. Whether these Afghans do fall under the category of refugees as defined by United Nations conventions is of course, another

matter.

Senator Marcos for her part is wary because of the national security implications of allowing the Afghans here.

What happens for instance to those who do not qualify to enter the US?

Presidential Legal Adviser Juan Ponce Enrile for his part sees nothing wrong because the stay of these people will only be temporary.

Former President Duterte who initially ranted about it is now saying he is not entirely closing the door on the entry of the Afghans.

After the raid on Abu Zacharia’s house, authorities tried to pacify the community as residents became agitated.

The residents were also advised not to come out of their houses as soldiers and policemen were conducting clearing operations.

The portion of the national highway passing through the village was closed to traffic.

The recent hostilities between government forces and the Daulah Islamiya in Lanao del Sur highlight the continuing threat from terror groups in Muslim Mindanao.

While it is possible that the Daulah Islamiyah and the remnants of the Maute Group that could still have sub-leaders and members capable of launching bombings and other terrorist activities, it is highly unlikely that they are organized enough to repeat the Marawi siege in 2017.

Even then, the government cannot afford to let its guard down and monitor any resurgence of terrorist activities that have been with the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

With this regional entity, the national government can embark on a whole-ofsociety approach to solve the security challenges in Muslim Mindanao, and conduct socio-economic activities that will improve the lives of Muslim Filipinos.

soldiers and others who worked with them together with their families and relatives were left behind in Vietnam.

They were all processed in Bataan and eventually allowed to settle in the US and other friendly countries.

Those who were not eventually accepted by the US and there were quite a few, applied to settle here and were eventually allowed to stay.

This could very well happen with these Afghans.

But since the government is taking a long time to make up its mind, we will just have to wait much longer

VP Sarah Duterte, however, is opposing the project because she believes allowing the Afghans into the country is detrimental to our national interest.

It is true that we have a history of welcoming refugees to our shores for a long time.

From the White Russians who escaped the Russian Revolution of 1917 to the more than 1,000 Jewish people that no country was willing accept on the eve of the Second World War were all welcomed with open arms. This was the same with the second wave of White Russians welcomed by President Elpidio Quirino in 1949.

If we analyze this issue carefully, the processing of these Afghans will essentially be the same to what happened to the tens of thousands of South Vietnamese that underwent processing in Bataan when the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

When the Americans hurriedly left Vietnam as they did in Afghanistan, thousands of former South Vietnamese

If the number of Afghans that will be processed here will be about 50,000 as it was reported, it is very likely that many of them will not qualify.

To assuage the fear of those who are opposing the project on national security grounds, we can make it part of the agreement that it will be the responsibility of the US to relocate those who will not qualify somewhere else and not in this country. Part of the objection also is administrative. Since the Bataan processing center is no longer available, where will the thousands of Afghans be housed and who will pay for all the expenses considering the number of people who will be processed. Unfortunately, instead of the DFA providing updates on developments, it is Ambassador Romualdez who has been doing it.

Since it appears that there were some kind of negotiations that have been done both in Washington and here, it would be better for the DFA to speak up instead of keeping quiet.

In the end, this exercise might just turn out to be about us once again providing much needed help to these Afghans who are feeling that they have been left behind to suffer the consequences of helping the US military.

As we always point out, it is in our nation’s DNA to help other people in need which is something we as a people can all be proud of.

But since the government is taking a long time to make up its mind, we will just have to wait much longer.

US a country divided one year after Supreme Court abortion ruling

WASHINGTON, DC—The historic US Supreme Court about-face on abortion a year ago has created a nightmare for women seeking the procedure, a legal morass for the courts and a challenge for the Republican Party.

On June 24, 2022, a court reshaped by Republican president Donald Trump overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion and left it up to each state to decide.

That same day, several conservative states moved to ban abortion, forcing clinics to hastily shut down or move to places where they could still operate.

Since then, the United States is divided.

Some 20 states, mostly in the south and Midwest, have prohibited abortion outright or severely restricted access while others, mainly on the coasts, have moved to protect it.

The nationwide impact, in terms of sheer numbers, remains limited.

According to a study by the Society of Family Planning, the average number of monthly abortions nationwide between July 2022 and March 2023 was 79,031, 3.3 percent fewer than in April and May 2022, when an average of 81,730 abortions a month were performed.

“Many people are still getting the abortions that they need,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the University of California, San Francisco, and a co-author of the study.

“It’s just that they have to face great challenges to be able to get those abortions,” Upadhyay told AFP.

The closure of abortion clinics in about a dozen states has forced tens of thousands of women to travel elsewhere to terminate a pregnancy.

Beyond the financial burden, getting days off from work or explaining an absence to one’s family is not always easy.

Logistical problems can delay the procedure further into a pregnancy, having a psychological impact, not to mention health risks. ‘Russian roulette’

Anna Zargarian, a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed in Texas, recounted her harrowing experience after her water broke at 19 weeks, far too early for the fetus to survive.

She was forced to fly to Colorado for an abortion since doctors in Texas would not perform one, a trip she described as “terrifying.”

“It was like Russian roulette, knowing I was at risk of infection, hemorrhaging or going into

The Republican frontrunner, Trump, who frequently boasts about naming the three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, is yet to give that commitment

labor at any moment,” Zargarian said.

During the early days of a pregnancy, many women in the United States use the abortion pill but it is illegal in several states and women who acquire it over the internet or through a network of volunteers run the risk of being prosecuted. Upadhyay said it is women “who are the poorest of the poor,” mostly African Americans

and Hispanics, who are being forced to carry pregnancies to term.

“It’s disproportionately people of color who are impacted,” she said. The long-term outlook is uncertain.

Over the past year, a number of private groups have mobilized to help women obtain abortions but “one or two years down the line these private efforts are going to get exhausted,” Upadhyay said. “It’s not sustainable.”

The legal landscape is equally uncertain.

Every state restriction imposed on abortion is being challenged in the courts and the legal battle is ongoing in heavily populated states such as Georgia and South Carolina.

Abortion pill

One of the biggest unknowns is the fate of the abortion pill, which is used for more than half of the abortions in the United States.

In April, a federal judge in Texas banned the widely used drug mifepristone (RU 486), which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000 and has been used since then by more than five million women.

Mifepristone is one component of a two-drug regimen that can be used through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

The judge’s decision was put on hold by the US Supreme Court but a conservative lower court currently considering the case could uphold his ruling.

The battle is also ongoing in the political arena.

President Joe Biden, a devout Catholic who supports abortion rights, and other Democrats have made defending the procedure one of their priorities and it seems to have paid dividends in the 2022 midterm elections.

Democratic candidates performed better than expected in the midterms and referendum proposals that would have effectively banned abortion in the conservative states of Kansas and Kentucky were soundly defeated.

Republican candidates have been forced to perform a delicate balancing act, satisfying the fiercely anti-abortion religious right, a key base of support, while not alienating more moderate voters.

Anti-abortion groups such as SBA Pro-Life have said they will only support a presidential candidate in 2024 who pledges to enact a nationwide abortion ban.

The Republican frontrunner, Trump, who frequently boasts about naming the three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, is yet to give that commitment. AFP

Biden equates China’s Xi with ‘dictators’

US PRESIDENT Joe Biden equated his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with “dictators” as he addressed a Democratic Party donors reception in the presence of journalists.

Speaking at a fundraiser in northern California Tuesday, Biden said Xi had been angered over an incident in February when a Chinese balloon – which Washington says was used for spying –flew over the United States before being shot down by American military jets.

“The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of

Chinese carrier, warship group passes through Taiwan Strait

CHINA’S Shandong aircraft carrier led a group of warships through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, Taipei’s defense ministry said.

Beijing has ramped up sea and air incursions in recent years around self-ruled Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory, but the deployment of the Shandong through the waterway separating the island from mainland China is a rarity.

“A Chinese Communist Shandong aircraft carrier group passed through the west side of the Taiwan Strait in a southerly direction today June 21,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The (Taiwan) military was closely monitoring our territorial air and sea movements and will respond accordingly.”

The Shandong, one of two aircraft carriers in the Chinese fleet, last passed through the Strait in May. It was also deployed during war games staged by Beijing in April that involved fighter jets carrying “live ammunition” conducting simulated strikes around the democratic island.

Those exercises were a response to a meeting between Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen – who staunchly rejects China’s territorial claims over the island – and US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy in Los Angeles.

Beijing had warned before the meeting that it would provoke strong countermeasures.

The presence of Chinese warships and jets around Taiwan has intensified since the meeting. AFP

spy equipment is he didn’t know it was there,” Biden said.

“I’m serious. That was the great embarrassment for dictators, when they didn’t know what happened.”

Biden’s remarks come days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing aimed at reestablishing lines of communication in order to avoid conflict between the two

global powers.

The multi-faceted rivalry between China and the United States turned into a full-blown diplomatic crisis with February’s balloon incident.

Responding to Biden’s comments Wednesday, Beijing slammed them as an “open political provocation.”

“The relevant remarks by the US side are extremely absurd and irresponsible, they seriously violate basic facts, diplomatic protocol and China’s political dignity,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a briefing.

“China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to this,” she added.

Biden, who at 80 is running for reelection, on Tuesday waved off concerns about the Asian giant, telling donors that “China has real economic difficulties.”

Still on the subject of China and Xi, Biden said “we’re in a situation now where he wants to have a relationship again.”

Blinken “did a good job” on his Beijing trip, but “it’s going to take time,”

Biden added. The US president did bring up another prickly point regarding communist-ruled China: a recent summit in which leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States—known as the Quad group—

sought to boost peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific maritime region.

The four countries are “working hand in glove in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean,” Biden said.

“What he (Xi) was really upset about was that I insisted that we unite the... socalled Quad,” Biden said.

Tuesday was not the first time Biden has made significant, even provocative, statements at fund-raising receptions, usually small-scale events at which cameras and recordings are forbidden but where journalists may listen to and transcribe the president’s opening remarks. AFP

Ukraine to get $1.3b US economic aid

SECRETARY of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday announced $1.3 billion in fresh US economic assistance for Ukraine, and vowed that Russia would eventually pay financially for its invasion.

“As Russia continues to destroy, we are here to help Ukraine rebuild – rebuild lives, rebuild its country, rebuild its future,” Blinken told a reconstruction conference in London.

“Let’s be clear – Russia is causing Ukraine’s destruction, and Russia will eventually bear the cost of Ukraine’s reconstruction,” he said to applause, echoing remarks by leaders from Britain and the European Union.

The new funding – which comes from money already approved by the US Congress – is in addition to $63 billion provided by the United States to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. Some $40 billion of the assistance has come in weapons and other security support. Of the new aid, some $657 million will go to upgrading Ukraine’s rail lines, ports, border crossings and other infrastructure to help the country expand trade with Europe, Blinken said.

LONGEST DAY. Revelers sing as they stand by the stones and wait for the sun to rise at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, in Wiltshire, southern England on June 21, 2023, to celebrate the Summer Solstice festival. The stone monument – carved and constructed at a time when there were no metal tools—symbolizes Britain’s semi-mythical pre-historic period, and has spawned countless legends. ı

Search for missing sub like ‘going into space’

RESCUERS trying to find the orcasized submersible that vanished on its way to visit the wreck of the Titanic are facing a gargantuan task that will test the limits of technical know-how – with only a very slight chance of success, experts say.

Teams from around the world were racing against the clock Tuesday to locate the vessel and its five-person crew before their oxygen runs out – with little more than a day’s supply left.

But scouring a 7,600-square-mile (20,000-square-kilometer) area of the North Atlantic to a depth of more than two miles (almost four kilometers) is not easy.

“It’s pitch black down there. It’s freezing cold. The seabed is mud, and it’s undulating. You can’t see your hand

in front of your face,” Titanic expert Tim Maltin told NBC News Now.

“It’s really a bit like being an astronaut going into space.”

The 21-foot (6.5-meter) submersible, named Titan, was carrying three fee-paying passengers when it vanished Sunday: British billionaire Hamish Harding, Pakistani tycoon Shahzada Dawood and Dawood’s son Suleman. OceanGate Expeditions, which runs the Titan’s trips, charges $250,000 for a seat. The company’s CEO Stockton Rush and French submarine operator PaulHenri Nargeolet, nicknamed “Mr. Titanic” for his frequent dives at the site, are also aboard.

US Coast Guard Captain Jamie Frederick told reporters Tuesday that his or-

ganization was coordinating the search.

But, he said, it was incredibly difficult, and far beyond what the coast guard would normally tackle.

“While the US Coast Guard has assumed the role of search and rescue mission coordinator, we do not have all of the necessary expertise and equipment required in a search of this nature,” he said.

“This is a complex search effort, which requires multiple agencies with subject matter expertise and specialized equipment.”

Frederick explained that rescuers were using several methods as they comb the vast area for the Titan, which lost contact with its mothership just two hours into its dive near the Titanic’s watery grave. AFP

Over 40 dead in gang violence, fire at Honduras women’s prison

AT LEAST 41 people were killed Tuesday at a women’s prison in Honduras, where violent clashes between rival gangs sparked a fire that tore through part of the facility, police said.

The deadly violence occurred at a prison about 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of the capital Tegucigalpa, according to police spokesman Edgardo Barahona, who put the “preliminary” death toll at 41 women. It was unclear if they were all inmates.

Five other women were injured and taken to hospital, Barahona added.

Hundreds of relatives of incarcerated women gathered outside the detention facility awaiting information about their loved ones.

“We don’t know who the victims are,” said one visibly distraught man.

Heavily armed soldiers and police were seen entering and guarding the prison, while teams of firefighters were also present.

According to Delma Ordonez, who represents inmates’ relatives, members of a gang had entered the cell of a rival group and set it on fire.

That part of the prison was “completely destroyed” in the blaze, she told the media.

The CEFAS correctional facility in Tamara held about 900 inmates, said Ordonez.

Most of the victims died in the fire, while some bodies were riddled with bullets, a spokesperson for the prosecu-

tor’s office, Yuri Mora, told AFP. An investigation was underway to determine which gang launched the initial attack, he added.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro said on Twitter she was “shocked” by the “monstrous murder of women in CEFAS by gangs in full view and tolerance of security authorities,” and expressed solidarity with grieving family members.

A state of emergency was announced, and Castro said she would “take drastic measures” to hold security leaders to account.

On Tuesday night, she dismissed security minister Ramon Sabillon, replacing him with Gustavo Sanchez, who was serving

Campaigners hit Japan gov’t forced sterilization report

Another $520 million of the aid will help Ukraine overhaul its energy grid, much of which has been destroyed by Russian attacks, including through market reforms, Blinken said.

Among the rest of the aid, $100 million will support upgrades to Ukraine’s customs services, including by transitioning to digital technology to improve transparency in trade.

Blinken made clear that Washington would keep an eye on corruption— which could sap congressional support for helping Ukraine—and called on Ukraine’s parliament to approve a law against monopolies.

Blinken said the United States would expand assistance to bolster anti-corruption bodies and civil society as well as free media.

Such institutions are “crucial to ensuring the unprecedented resources that all of us are providing are managed responsibly.” AFP

Tunisia derailed train leaves 2 dead

TWO people were killed and 34 injured when an overnight passenger train careered off the tracks and overturned in eastern Tunisia on Wednesday, the state-owned SNCFT rail company said.

The accident occurred shortly after midnight (2300 GMT) when a train operating between Tunis and the southern city of Gabes derailed near Msaken, a town about 150 kilometers (95 miles) from the capital.

as the director of the national police.

Sabillon was reassigned to the Honduran foreign ministry.

Honduras is a country wracked by corruption and gangs that have infiltrated even the top levels of government.

Along with neighbors El Salvador and Guatemala, Honduras forms Central America’s so-called “triangle of death” plagued by the murderous gangs called “maras” that control drug trafficking and organized crime.

Drug trafficking groups and gang members are largely responsible for the soaring rate of homicides in Honduras, which at 40 murders per 100,000 inhabitants last year was four times higher than the world average. AFP

The driver and a passenger were killed while 34 other passengers were injured, the SNCFT said.

“An investigation has been opened to clarify the circumstances and causes of the accident and to determine who was responsible,” it added.

The accident comes 15 months after a collision between two trains in the south of the capital injured around 100 people.

In December 2016, five people were killed and more than 50 injured in the same area when a train and a public bus collided.

Blamed on faulty infrastructure, the accident prompted the sacking of the SNCFT’s then chief executive.

In June 2015, Tunisia experienced one of the worst rail accidents in its recent history when 18 people died in a crash between a train and a truck at El Fahes, about 60 kilometers south of Tunis.

The collision was caused by a signalling fault at a level crossing. AFP

JAPANESE campaigners on Wednesday slammed a government report into the sterilization of thousands under a eugenics law in place until 1996, saying it failed to take responsibility for the procedures.

Manila Standard TODAY

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The 1,400-page report submitted to parliament this week details how some 16,500 people – including some as young as nine – were sterilized without their consent under the law in force from 1948.

Around 8,500 more were sterilized after their consent was obtained, though campaigners have cast doubt on how freely agreement was given.

The law allowed doctors to sterilize people with heritable intellectual disabilities, to “prevent ... poor quality descendants.”

In 2019, lawmakers passed legislation offering each victim government compensation of 3.2 million yen ($22,800) – an amount campaigners called insufficient given the damage inflicted.

Lawmakers also commissioned the report made public this week, which Koji Niisato, a lawyer who has represented victims of the policy, said fell short.

It is “largely a compilation of what has been investigated and reported” which merely confirms “that it was an extremely terrible law,” he told journalists Wednesday. AFP

Stock market extends retreat; BPI, SMIC lead active gainers

STOCKS fell Wednesday, following a downbeat lead from Wall Street as investors braced for Fed boss Jerome Powell’s testimony to the US Congress.

The PSE index, the 30-company benchmark of the Philippine Stock Exchange, lost 24 points, or 0.38 percent, to close at 6,424.21, as four of the six subsectors retreated.

The broader all-shares index also went down by 12 points, or 0.37 percent, to settle at 3,426.81, on a value turnover of P5.17 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers, 111 to 69, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Only three of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, led by Bank of the Philippine Islands which climbed 1.90 percent to P107.00. SM Investments Corp. rose 0.98 percent to

Tech giant Grab to lay off of over 1,000 employees

SINGAPORE—Singapore-based tech giant Grab will lay off over 1,000 employees, its CEO said Tuesday, a move that will affect about 11 percent of its workforce.

Grab launched in 2012 as a taxibooking app in Malaysia before becoming Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing firm and expanding into financial services like digital payments.

The company has been narrowing its losses and aims to break even by the end of this year.

“I want to be clear that we are not doing this as a shortcut to profitability,” CEO Anthony Tan wrote in a message to employees Tuesday.

He called the “restructuring” a “painful but necessary step”.

“Change has never been this fast.

Technology such as Generative AI is evolving at breakneck speed. The cost of capital has gone up, directly impacting the competitive landscape,” the letter said, according to an excerpt posted on Grab’s website.

“The primary goal of this exercise is to strategically reorganize ourselves, so that we can move faster, work smarter, and rebalance our resources across our portfolio in line with our longer term strategies.”

The company is on track to break even this year even without the layoffs, Tan said.

Grab laid of 360 employees in 2020—then about five percent of its full-time workforce—as the pandemic hit demand for its services.

In 2018, Grab cemented its position as Southeast Asia’s biggest ridehailing firm when it bought Uber’s operations in the region, ending a bruising battle with its US-based rival. AFP

P924.00, while Ayala Land Inc. added 0.65 percent to finish at P23.30.

The peso slightly depreciated to close at 55.645 against the US dollar Wednesday from 55.52 Tuesday.

Most Asian markets extended a subdued start to the week, with investors unimpressed by China’s efforts to boost its economy, including a fresh interest rate cut that was smaller than expected.

All three major US indices as well as the top European markets closed in the red on Tuesday, and Asian investors picked up the baton in a similar mood. Hong Kong sank around two percent

and has now given back all the gains made in last week’s rally, while Shanghai was more than one percent down.

There were also losses in Sydney, Wellington, Seoul and Bangkok, though Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei and Mumbai chalked up gains.

London sank as data showed UK inflation unchanged last month, confounding forecasts for a drop. The figures come a day before the Bank of England is expected to hike interest rates again as it struggles in its battle against aggressive price rises.

Paris also dropped though Frankfurt edged higher.

All eyes are on Washington, where Fed Chair Powell will make a semiannual appearance before Congress.

His comments will be closely scrutinized for clues about the direction of

TOP GAINERS

the Fed’s campaign to fight soaring inflation with interest rate hikes.

“He will come on and try to remain hawkish,” ANZ Bank’s Mahjabeen Zaman told Bloomberg Television, saying there was still a risk of further hikes.

The US central bank last week held rates steady after 10 straight increases, but signalled more hikes to bring prices under control.

The anxiety over Powell’s testimony built on top of disappointment on market floors this week with Beijing’s moves to try and revive the Chinese economy.

The People’s Bank of China reduced its benchmark five-year rate by 10 basis points on Tuesday, less than the 15 points expected, though it did meet forecasts for a 15-point reduction in the one-year rate. With AFP

Norway bares plans to allow deep-sea mining exploration

OSLO—Norway said Tuesday it plans to open parts of its continental shelf to commercial deepsea mining exploration, a controversial move it hoped would set the standard for good practices.

The announcement comes a day after the UN adopted the first international treaty to protect the high seas.

Environmentalists are vehemently opposed to seabed mining amid fears it could inflict damage on deep-sea ecosystems, such as fish populations, marine mammals and the ecosystems’ function regulating the climate.

“We need minerals to succeed with the green transition,” Norway’s Petroleum and Energy Minister Terje Aasland insisted in a statement announcing the government’s proposal.

The seabed on the country’s continental shelf is believed to contain large deposits of minerals, including the possibility of rare earth minerals.

“Seabed minerals can become a source of access to important metals, and no other country has a better basis to lead the way... when it comes to managing such resources in a sustainable and responsible way,” Aasland said.

Often considered a champion of the environment, Norway is also Europe’s biggest oil and gas producer.

The government said extraction would “only be permitted if the industry can demonstrate that it can be done in a sustainable and responsible manner.”

EKR on his own is building a PH infrastructure economy

with Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc., his infrastructure arm, as the main funding vehicle.

Prime Infra is now emerging as a major infrastructure company in the Philippines.

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

HE REBUILT his family’s port business in the late 80’s and turned it into a major global player a few decades later. Now, port tycoon Enrique K. Razon Jr., or EKR, is emerging as the newest kingpin in the utilities and infrastructure businesses.

Mr. Razon’s recent forays into the energy, water and electricity distribution, waste management and critical infrastructure businesses are nudging him closer to realizing his vision of developing the Philippines into an infrastructure economy.

No one is surprised at the speed by which Mr. Razon made his investments in Manila Water Co. Inc, Malampaya natural gas field, renewable energy businesses such as solar and hydro, and local waterworks. He is, after all, the second richest Filipino with an estimated net worth of $7.4 billion.

He chairs International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI), the nation’s biggest ports operator with subsidiaries in the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Americas. ICTSI posted a net income of $154.61million in the first quarter of 2023, while another moneymaker, Bloomberry Resorts Corp., improved its profit by 338 percent in the first quarter to P3 billion from P680 million yearon-year.

Mr. Razon obviously parlayed the past earnings of these moneymakers into other business concerns, notably his recent investments in the utilities and energy sectors,

Prime Infra president and chief executive Guillaume Lucci recently said the company was well-positioned to build projects supporting sustainability development goals (SDGs), such as energy, access to clean water, waste management and viable critical infrastructure, as enunciated by the United Nations.

Prime Infra’s choice of projects are part of UN’s lofty goals that few corporates are ready to go into yet. The SDGs are a call for action by poor, rich and middle-income nations to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

Nations have agreed that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs, while tackling climate change and environmental protection.

Prime Infra, thus, is advocating environment sustainability in making new investments. It is a tough task and one must have the perspicacity to balance profit with his responsibility to society and the environment. But as they say, it’s the way of the future―millennials and the Gen Z generation that constitute the great majority of population espouse healthy living and renewable energy, smart cities, preserving biodiversity and generally a cleaner environment.

EKR and Prime Infra must have seen the writing on the wall and the adverse of impact of climate change that complicates the fight against poverty. The company late last year committed to spend up to P55 billion in equity to finance existing projects and those in the pipeline this year.

presence in Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas Cavite, Cebu and Davao provinces. For the ordinary reader and junior corporate officers, the water expansion projects will translate into volumes of profits and make Prime Infra another money-spinner under the wings of EKR.

That may be true. Every individual, however, has the a right to water as the UN declared and Prime Infra is trying to respond to the call. The international body recognized the right of every human being to have access to enough water for personal and domestic uses, or between 50 and 100 liters of water per person per day. The water must be safe, acceptable and affordable.

Prime Infra, in sum, has made sustainability as the core of its several investments following the UN’s 17 SDGs. Its corporate mission of focusing on critical infrastructure projects for a sustainable future may be frowned upon. But it vowed to make its investments socially relevant and serve as vehicle to achieve decarbonization goals and promote inclusive economic growth.

The company’s solar portfolio, meanwhile, keeps growing. It has a pipeline of renewable energy projects in different stages of development with a total gross installed capacity of about 5,700 megawatts of solar generation and 4,000MWh (minimum) of energy storage system.

Prime Infra, says Lucci, is addressing the need for dependable power supply as it aggressively supports the transition to clean energy and a low-carbon economy through its portfolio of renewable energy projects.

Prime Infra may as well serve as the nation’s lead toward a sustainable infrastructure economy.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com

Manila

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING

Please be informed that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of HARBOR STAR SHIPPING SERVICES, INC. (“HSSSI”) will be held and conducted virtually via the Zoom online meeting platform on Wednesday, 12 July 2023, 09:30 A.M. for the following purposes:

1. Call to Order

2. Certification of Notice and Quorum

3. Approval of the Minutes of the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting held on 13 July 2022

4. Management Report

5. Approval of Audited Consolidated Financial Statements of HSSSI and its subsidiaries as of 31 December 2022

6. Ratification of all acts, resolutions and proceedings of the Board of Directors and of Management, done in ordinary course of business since the 13 July 2022 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting up to 12 July 2023

7. Election of Directors

8. Appointment of External Auditor

9. Other Matters

10. Adjournment

The record date for stockholders entitled to notice of, participate and vote at the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting is set on 08 June 2023 (“Stockholders of Record”).

Considering the current circumstances, Stockholders of Record may only attend/participate via proxy, remote communication or vote in absentia, subject to validation procedures. Only validated stockholders will be provided access to the Zoom meeting platform and can cast their votes in absentia on or before 04 July 2023 via the Corporation’s secure online voting facility.

Stockholders who wish to participate in the meeting via the Zoom online meeting platform and to vote in absentia should notify the Office of the Corporate Secretary through a Letter of Intent to be sent via e-mail to asm-2023@harborstar.com. ph or fill up the registration form at www.harborstar.com.ph/ asm2023registrationform on or before 28 June 2023.

The Corporation is not soliciting for proxies. Stockholders who are unable to join the meeting but wish to vote on items in the agenda by proxy must submit their duly accomplished proxy forms via email to asm-2023@harborstar.com.ph on or before 28 June 2023.

Stockholders may send their queries and comments to the Management Report and other items in the Agenda to asm-2023@ harborstar.com.ph on or before 06 July 2023.

The Definitive Information Statement containing the attendance, voting and election procedures, along with the Notice, Agenda, Proxy, Management Report, SEC Form 17-A, SEC Form 17-Q and other information related to the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting can be accessed at www.harborstar.com.ph/investors/pse_disclosures.

(SGD.)

CHARLENE O. ANG Corporate Secretary

By Julito G. Rada

HONGKONG and Shanghai Banking

Corp. said Wednesday monetary policy conditions in the Philippines remain “tight” given the persistent elevated inflation that is one of the highest in the region.

HSBC chief investment officer for the Southeast Asian region James Cheo said in an online briefing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas might continue to keep the policy rates unchanged for the rest of the year.

“[The] Philippines’ monetary policy is still going to be tight,” Cheo said. “The central bank kept the policy rate unchanged at the May meeting, but may tighten further if inflation surprises on the upside.”

Inflation peaked at 8.7 percent in January 2023, but eased to 8.6 percent in February, 7.6 percent in March, 6.6 percent in April and 6.1 percent in May.

“Inflation is stickier in [the] Philippines compared to the rest of the region. However, at this juncture, if inflation trend remains under control, we assess the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to stay on hold for the rest of 2023,” Cheo said.

The Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is scheduled to hold a policy meeting on June 22. Moody’s Corp.’s subsidiary Moody’s Analytics predicted the BSP might join other central banks in the region in keeping the policy interest rates unchanged this week on decelerating inflation.

“Central banks in Indonesia and the Philippines will keep their respective policy rates on hold in June. Lower food and fuel prices have cooled headline inflation in those economies, giving the central banks space to hold monetary policy settings steady,” it said.

Puregold signs deal to buy 14 DiviMart supermarkets

Monetary policy conditions in PH remain tight—HSBC IN BRIEF

BIR files criminal charges vs. buyers of fake receipts

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue filed on Wednesday before the Department of Justice criminal charges against the identified buyers or clients and accounting firms involved in the fake or ghost receipts syndicate.

BIR Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said in a statement the agency computed P17.9 billion in total tax liability against the erring taxpayers for the use of fake receipts issued by the syndicate.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PUREGOLD Price Club Inc. of businessman Lucio Co announced Wednesday the acquisition of 14 DiviMart supermarkets owned by entrepreneurs Harry Uy and Vivian Ong Juanitas.

Puregold said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it signed a purchase agreement for 14 DiviMart supermarkets including their leasehold improvements, furniture, fixtures, equipment and merchandise inventory.

It said it would evaluate an additional 18 Divimart locations for possible conversion into Puregold.

“The agreement will allow Puregold access to all Divimart supermarket locations which may instantly be converted to Puregold stores under a sublease transaction,” Puregold said.

These 14 DiviMart stores are located in Angat,

Bulacan; Mapulang Lupa, Pandi, Bulacan; Morong, Bataan; Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Olongapo City; San Isidro, Taytay, Rizal; San Miguel, Pasig City; Manggahan, General Trias, Cavite; Mambog, Bacoor, Cavite; Pulo, Cabuyao, Laguna; Tayuman, Manila; Aliaga, Nueva Ecija; San Juan, Taytay, Rizal; and Pulilan, Bulacan.

DiviMart is a Filipino supermarket chain founded in 1989 by Uy and Juanitas. The company has more than 30 branches nationwide and is known for its low prices and a wide selection of goods.

DiviMart offers a variety of products including fresh produce, meat, seafood, dairy, baked goods, frozen foods, snacks, beverages, household goods and personal care items.

The group had a total of 531 stores nationwide as of end-March. These included 456 Puregold stores, 23 S&R Membership Shopping warehouses and 52 S&R New York Style QSRs.

It posted a net income of P2.4 billion in the first three months, representing a 12-percent growth from P2.2 billion in the same period last year on the back of higher comparative sales.

Prior to the pandemic, Puregold managed to grow its store network through aggressive store expansion and acquisitions of regional players including NE Bodega in Nueva Ecija and B&W stores in Roxas City.

Puregold’s net income increased 13.5 percent in 2022 to P9.3 billion from P8.2 billion in 2021 as the economic reopening drove higher foot traffic to its stores.

Net sales climbed 12.3 percent in 2022 to P184.3 billion from P164.1 billion year ago.

Puregold said consumer demand gained momentum as the economy reopened and in-person activities normalized. As result, same-store-sales grew 6 percent in 2022.

“Even as inflation spiked, sentiment was lifted by low unemployment, minimum wage hikes, robust OFW remittances and 100-percent resumption of faceto-face classes,” Puregold said.

“Puregold’s sari-sari store customer base also gained further strength as one of the preferred retail channels in a year that saw robust demand amidst record fuel prices, commodity shortages and higher transportation costs, among others,” it said.

PXP reschedules

Cadlao 4 oil well drilling next year

By Alena Mae S. Flores

PXP Energy Energy Corp. said Wednesday it expects the drilling of production wells at Service Contract 6B (Bonita Block) to be moved to the first quarter of next year due to tight rig supply.

SC 6B is located southeast of the Malampaya gas field and southwest of the Galoc oil and gas field. It covers 533 square kilometers at water depths of 20 to 90 km.

PXP through Forum Energy owns a stake in SC 6B operated by Nido Petroleum.

“In SC 6 B Bonita Block, Forum will be carried free in the cost of the planned redevelopment of the Cadlao field. The initial phase will include the drilling of a well, Cadlao 4, to be followed by an extended well test or EWT. Based on the EWT results, a decision regarding full-field development including the drilling of additional production wells will be made,” PXP president Dan Stephen Carlos said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting.

“However, due to the current tight rig market, the drilling of Cadlao 4 has been deferred from its original schedule this second quarter and instead, we anticipate drilling to start within the first quarter of 2024,” Carlos said.

Nido earlier said the planned drilling activities would involve the installation of a rig about 600 meters south of the Cadlao-1A location at a water depth of about 18 meters. A floating, storage and offloading unit will be moored about 600 meters from the rig location.

The syndicate registers ghost companies whose sole business purpose is to sell original receipts so their buyers could illegally reduce their tax liabilities.

“The BIR has filed criminal cases against buyers of fake/ghost receipts, their corporate officers, the accounting firms they engaged, and the CPAs that signed their documents. A total tax liability of P17.9 billion has been computed for this first set of cases,” Lumagui said.

“This is tax evasion of the highest order, and perhaps the most elaborate tax evasion scheme in the history of Philippine taxation. We will regularly file criminal cases against buyers of fake/ghost receipts,” he said. Julito G. Rada

Bangko Sentral launches Open Finance PH Pilot

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, backed by the International Finance Corp. and the World Bank, launched on Wednesday the Open Finance PH Pilot to promote financial inclusion and greater collaboration among financial institutions.

The launch marked a milestone in the establishment of an open finance ecosystem for the country. The initiative aims to help the unbanked—particularly those who lack documentation—build a financial profile and credit history and, over time, access loans and other services that were once out of reach.

The Pilot is a voluntary undertaking of financial institutions to co-develop an open, inter-operable and scalable ecosystem that empowers consumers to take more control over their financial data and enable them to access a range of financial products and services from different providers.

Eligible BSP-supervised financial institutions are expected to participate in the Pilot. This marks the next phase in the implementation of the Revised Open Finance Roadmap (2023-2027) which lays out the updated priority actions of the BSP in the adoption of Open Finance in the country.

“With Open Finance PH, we are taking a big step towards unlocking equal access to financial services for all Filipinos and building a cyber resilient and open digital economy,” BSP Governor Felipe Medalla said. Julito G. Rada

SEC

asks Velarde, NOW

to pay P1-m fine each NOW Corp. and its chief executive Mel Velarde face a P1-million fine each from the Securities and Exchange Commission over their disclosures relating to the alleged P2.6-billion unpaid obligation of affiliate NOW Telecom to the government.

The SEC said it found NOW Corp. and Velarde administratively liable for violation of Section 24.1(d) in relation to Section 54.1 of the Securities Regulation Code for disclosing “misleading” information to the public.

The case stemmed from the Nov. 10, 2021 disclosure made by the IT firm and its CEO stating they have no knowledge of the details surrounding the motions filed by the National Telecommunications Commission with the Supreme Court seeking resolution on NOW Telecom’s P2.6-billion liability representing unpaid supervision and regulation fees and spectrum user fees.

The SEC said in a seven-page order dated June 15, 2023 it found no merit in the justifications provided by NOW Corp. and Velarde that their disclosure contained truthful and accurate statements.

The SEC—through its Enforcement and Investment Protection Department—said it did not buy the argument that NOW and Velarde have no knowledge of the specific details surrounding the NTC motion, as Velarde is also the chairman of the board of NOW Telecom. Darwin G. Amojelar

SBC’S AWARDS. Security Bank Corp. receives two accolades at the Digital Banker’s Digital CX Awards 2023 in Singapore for Outstanding Chatbot Customer Experience and Best Customer Insights Initiative. Representing SBC at the Awards ceremony are customer experience and engagement head Catherine Blanquesa (center) and service analytics head Mayla Arcena (right).

FERTILIZER DONATION. Manila Harbor Center, the largest international bulk and breakbulk handling operation at the Port of Manila and a subsidiary of International Container Terminal Services Inc., facilitates the safe and efficient handling of 20,000 metric tons of urea fertilizers from China on June 7, 2023. Leading the turnover ceremony are President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (seated, fourth from left), China Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian (seated, third from left) and other government officials. With them are MHC global director Phillip Marsham, MHC commercial head Geraldine Santos and MHC corporate affairs and management services manager Iran Isabelle Servillon.

Uy stays on top, but Bisera, Ababa lurk

Weiss: Linares bright spot for PH Azkals in friendlies

By Peter Atencio

ENRIQUE Linares, a promising Fil-Spanish standout, has made an impression when the Philippine Azkals played friendlies with Nepal and Taiwan last Thursday and Monday.

The 23-year-old Linares caught the eye of coach Hans Michael Weiss after he was able to stand his ground during the games.

“There were few exceptions (in our last two games), like Linares, who was the discovery of the matches. He was a positive that we can bring from the match,” said Weiss.

Linares, a defender, was playing for Indonesian club PSM Makassar this year when he was called up for the Azkals.

All

ANTIPOLO—Daniella Uy quickly overhauled Sarah Ababa’s four-stroke lead with an eagle-aided five-under card after 13 holes but nearly blew a four-shot cushion with a wavering windup, setting the stage for a frantic finish in the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic here yesterday.

Uy did grab the lead at 138 after a three-under 68 at the Forest Hills’ Nicklaus course but Florence Bisera pounced on the former’s bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18 with a birdie-birdie feat from No. 16 in a flight ahead in a big four-shot swing in the last four holes that put the latter threateningly close for a breakthrough at 139 after a day-best 67, which she also laced with an eagle on the par-5 No. 6. Ababa holed out with a birdie on No. 18 to salvage a bogey-riddled 74 after a solid 66 Tuesday but the Davaoena shotmaker still stayed in the thick of things with a 140 going to the last 18 holes of the P1 million event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

“Actually, I just focused on the process instead on the results,” said Uy, adding that she also didn’t think about Sarah’s game so as not to disrupt her concentration.

That led to her big onslaught midway through in hot conditions as she knocked down four birdies, including a 25-footer on No. 11 that came after splitting the par-5 10th fairway with a 3-wood that left her 210 yards to the green then hitting another superb shot to within 6 feet for eagle to go 4-up over Ababa.

But a shaky windup enabled Bisera and Ababa to keep it close, ensuring a wild chase for the top P120,000 prize in the seventh leg of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour.

“In every game, I always go for a win,” said Uy, in pursuit of a followup to her maiden victory at Riviera in 2021. “Tomorrow (today), I’ll try to be calm and not think about their (rivals’) scores.”

Born in Spain, Linares has an older brother Alvaro, who gets summoned once in a while for national team duties since 2014.

Weiss said Linares showed exceptional fitness during the friendlies. He will be among the new players, who will be tapped when the Azkals play more international matches.

The Azkals are preparing to see action in the Asian qualifiers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this November.

At the same time, qualifications for the 2027 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup will also be staged in that month.

“We have a good young defender, who can help us with more games coming in,” said Weiss.

Last year, Linares got his first call-up to represent the Philippines’ under-23 team in the 31st Southeast Asian Games, debuting during their 4–0 triumph over Timor-Leste.

eyes on ‘game-changer’ Wembanyama at NBA Draft

NEW YORK—A new era for basketball gets under way on Thursday when French prodigy Victor Wembanyama is set to be chosen by the San Antonio Spurs with the top pick in the NBA Draft.

The annual ritual to allocate the top young talent entering the league is often accompanied by a swirl of intrigue over which player is likely to be selected No. 1 overall.

But that guessing game will be notably absent at Thursday’s event in Brooklyn, with San Antonio’s selection of the 19-year-old Wembanyama a mere formality.

The 7ft 4in (2.24m) French teenager is widely regarded as a transformational talent, a once-in-a-generation player regarded as the most sought-after No. 1 pick since LeBron James entered the

league two decades ago.

Wild celebrations erupted among San Antonio’s fans last month when the Spurs won the NBA Draft Lottery to determine which team would own the No. 1 pick.

Spurs staff also struggled in vain to keep a lid on their excitement, with chairman Peter J. Holt admitting: “I might faint.”

San Antonio general manager Brian Wright sees Wembanyama, who will be formally unveiled by the team in Texas on Saturday, as a “unique talent.”

“People talk about generational talent, and they only think on-court skill, but it’s bigger than that,” Wright told ESPN.

“You see him doing things that you wouldn’t even have guessed someone could do,” Wright added.

With his potentially dominant blend of size and skill, Wembanyama has

already drawn a legion of admirers across the NBA before even setting foot in the league.

LeBron James says Wembanyama’s skillset makes him less a “unicorn” and “more like an alien.”

“No one has ever seen someone as tall as he is and as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor,” James said after watching Wembanyama play a game for French club Metropolitans 92 in Nevada last year. “He’s for sure a generational talent.”

‘True game-changer’

Wembanyama, meanwhile, has remained level-headed as the hype surrounding reaches stratospheric levels.

The teenager arrived in New Jersey on Monday for draft week to be greeted by fans clad in Spurs jerseys requesting autographs. AFP

Smart, Dark League Studios join forces to grow PH Esports

PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc. has teamed up with Esports event management and production team, Dark League Studios to further advance Esports and empower aspiring gamers from the grassroots to level up to the pro leagues and become national athletes.

Smart and DLS will also work together to bring more exciting and immersive gaming experiences through the Smart GIGA Arena, the country’s first all-in-one Esports platform that offers tournament experience to amateur players of popular games including Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Call of Duty Mobile, Player’s Unknown Battleground, and League of Legends Wild Rift.

The partnership will allow Smart to further grow GIGA Arena in terms of the number of tournaments, onboarding of game developers, and provide consumer centric activities within the platform.

Since its launch in 2022, Smart GIGA Arena has hosted over 2 million users in nearly 1,000 tournaments, offering more

than P4.2 million in prizes.

Through this partnership, Smart and DLS have also committed to work closely and collaborate with the Philippine Esports Organization (PeSo) to adopt industry best practices and maintain the highest standards of integrity.

Both Smart and DLS are gearing up to engage more Filipino gamers with new tournaments and enhanced features on the GIGA Arena platform.

Bringing the best gaming experience to Filipinos

“Our partnership with DLS is in line with our commitment to provide the best gaming experience to Filipinos. We at Smart have always believed in the ability of Filipinos to dominate sports of all kinds—including Esports. Through our collaboration with DLS, we hope to empower more aspiring Esports athletes to level up their gameplay and compete in a much bigger arena,” said Al S. Panlilio, PLDT Inc and Smart Communications President and CEO.

Ababa also stuck to her game plan all day and despite her pair of 37s, she liked how she fared off the mound that had her hitting 12 fairways. But she wrestled with her putting, ending up with a couple of three-putt miscues that ruined her second round bid.

“I also missed a number of up-anddown bids,” added Ababa, who, however, remained upbeat of her chances to end an eight-year title spell.

“I’m confident of my driving heading to tomorrow’s (today) final round. I’ve been working on my long game at Villamor and Valley and I like my chances.”

Barely reaching No. 6 in two, Bisera pulled out her trusted 54-degree wedge and went for a chip-and-roll that dropped in, startling her no end.

“I was really surprised that it went in. I struggled with my irons but had a good short game,” said Bisera after putting herself within a shot and closer to a dream title.

UE appoints coaches for women’s volley, jr. basketball

UNIVERSITY of the East, which will host season 86 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, got a big boost in its sports program with the appointment of a new manager and two new coaches.

Sports officials of the school are bringing in Jerry Yee to handle the women’s volleybal l team, with Karl Santos taking over as junior basketball mentor.

The two teams will be managed by Jared Lao, the son of businessmansportsman Frank Lao.

Yee, who used to handle the University of the Philippines spikers, will come in place of Ronwald Dimaculangan, while Santos, who used to handle La Salle Greenhills, replaces Ronnie Dojillo.

Lao comes from a family of sportsmen, with his father Frank quietly supporting the past campaigns of the College of Benilde Blazers, the Letran Squires and LSGH in the National Collegiate Athletic Association. His brother Jacob takes care of Converge Fiber Xers in the Philippine Basketball Association.

“Like our other teams, we strive for excellence and aim to foster a championship culture. While victories are important, our goals extend beyond that. We want to help develop our players into not only outstanding athletes but also remarkable individuals who positively contribute to the community,” said Lao in a statement.

Yee also coached the Adamson University Lady Falcons in previous seasons as well.

School officials are hoping that both the Junior Warriors and Lady Warriors will have a great season this time, after failing to reach the Final Four for many years. Peter Atencio

Daniella Uy vows to be calm during the final day of the tournament. Manny Marcelo

The exceptional fitness of Enrique Linares (left) caught the eye of PH Azkals coach Hans Michael Weiss

Victor Wembanyama AFP

PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. and Dark League Studios have formally launched their groundbreaking partnership to help boost the national esports program and provide a platform for aspiring esports players across the country to ful ll their dream. In the photo are Bobby Y. Rosales, Co-founder and Chairman of Dark League Studios; Al S. Panlilio, PLDT and Smart President and CEO; and Alfrancis P.. Chua, Co-founder and Chief Marketing O cer of Dark League Studios.

Veteran playmakers Fhen Emnas and Ivy Perez are tasked to lead Ger or. Completing the squad are former HD Spikers players Ranya Musa and Rap Aguilar; Mina Aganon, Janine Navarro, Shannen Palec, Shannen Palec, Julia Angeles, Pia Sarmiento, Mary Esguerra, Andrea Marzan, AJ Jingco, Alyssa Bertolano, and Ethan Arce.

‘King Caloy’ to be crowned in FIBA Hall of Fame rites

Buhain sees bright future for swimming

THE new officers of the Philippine Swimming Inc. are optimistic of the sport’s f uture after the world governing body in aquatic sports gave its blessing to the national sports association, led by newly elected president Michael Vargas and secretary general Rep. Eric Buhain.

“The storm has passed for Philippine swimming and, as we now see calm waters, we must set our sails for a new and promising voyage for our young and skilled Filipino swimmers,” said Buhain, also a 1st District representative of Batangas and a bemedalled swimmer in his prime.

“Join, one and all, and fly the national colors as one ship,” said Buhain who welcomed the World Aquatics’ recognition on behalf of the all the people involved in the making of the “new” PH aquatics association.

“Let’s not dwell in the bad experiences we’ve had in the past, but take note of them to serve as our reminders on how to best serve this new association and our young pool of talents,” he added.

The international federation also recognized the members of the board of directors who won in the Philippine Olympic Committee-supervised and World Aquatics-ordered elections last June 8 in Pasay City.

“Please be advised that the World Aquatics Bureau has reviewed these results and following the results set out above, the newly elected members of the PSI have been approved by World Aquatics,” said the letter that was signed by World Aquatics Executive Director Brent Nowicki and dated June 19, 2023

Copies of the letter were sent to Vargas and POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.

“As a requirement for POC recognition, we also now recognize the new officers and board of directors of the PSI,” said Tolentino during the POC Executive Board meeting on Tuesday . Also recognized were vice president Jessi Arriola, treasurer Marie Dimanche and members of the board of trustees Cris Bancal, Angelica Leonardo, Roel Rosales, Ronald Talosig, Isagani Corpuz, Jessie Lacuna and Emmanuel Manialung.

Gerflor vows to impress in PVL debut

THOUGH newcomers in the Premier Volleyball League, the Gerflor Defenders aren’t lacking in experience and in fact are expecting to make a strong impact right in their first foray in the country’s premier women’s volley league.

The team has campaigned in various t ournaments, including the Philippine National Volleyball Federation Champions Leagu e, and the men behind it feels it’s about time for the Defenders to level up—vying in the PVL Invitationals, which unfolds on June 27 at the Filoil Ecooil Centre in San Juan.

“We are very excited to finally be able to be part of the PVL,” said Gerflor team manager Jordan Tolentino.

“We have been organizing and joining several leagues which helped us prepare for the PVL, which we believe is the most prestigious league in the country. Being a part of the PVL is already an honor and an accomplishment for our volleyball club.”

CARLOS ‘Caloy’ Loyzaga, the greatest basketball player the Philippines has ever produced, will be joining his global peers on August 23 when he is inducted posthumously to the FIBA Hall of Fame at the close of the FIBA World Congress at Sofitel, two days before the start of the 2023 World Cup which the country is lead co-hosting with Japan and Indonesia.

Known as the “Big Difference” during his reign in the 50s for his singular effect on the game, Loyzaga will be the second Filipino to be enshrined to the FIBA Hall of Fame after compatriot and two-time Olympic coach Dionisio Calvo, who was inducted as a contributor in March 2007.

Loyzaga will have for company in the current list 7-foot-5 Chinese superstar and former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.

Loyzaga led the Philippine team to backto-back Olympiads—in Helsinki in 1952 (9th place) and Melbourne (7th place)— and basked in the glow of the bronze medal during the 1954 FIBA World Championship in Rio de Janeiro where he was named to the five-man All-Tournament Team after posting the third highest scoring average in the competition.

On the way to the third place finish, the Philippines beat Paraguay, Formosa, Israel, Canada, France and Uruguay.

Completing the latest batch of inductees are players Amaya Valdemoro, Yuko Oga, Penny Taylor, Katrina McClain, Wlamir

Marques, Sonny Hendrawan, Angelo Monteiro dos Santos Victoriano and the late Zurab Sakandelidze, and coaches Valerie Garnier and Alessandro Gamba.

Former national and PBA player Chito Loyzaga paid tribute to those who made possible his father’s inclusion in the elite class.

“On behalf of the Loyzaga family, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone who contributed, assisted, and supported the induction of Carlos “Caloy” M. Loyzaga to the FIBA Hall of Fame. Maraming salamat! Mabuhay ang Atletang Pilipino!” Loyzaga said in a statement released following the announcement early this month.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Al S. Panlilio, who actively spearheaded the nomination, was profuse in gratitude to FIBA for recognizing Loyzaga’s contribution to international basketball.

“We, in SBP, are greatly honored to have pursued with FIBA the nomination of Caloy Loyzaga to the Hall of Fame,”

said Panlilio, recently elected second vice president of FIBA Asia. “King Caloy, indeed, is the Big Difference. With his incomparable talent, he put Philippine basketball in the world map and left an indelible mark in the global consciousness with his achievements in the international stage.”

Mondilla goes up by 5 after 66

ANTIPOLO—Clyde Mondilla slowed down in output but stretched his run of impeccable rounds at Fores t Hills-Nicklaus with another solid 66, staying way ahead of the pack of seasoned campaigners and a couple of hungry aces halfway through the ICTSI Forest Hills Classic here on Wednesday.

While he rued his five straight flubbed putts inside 8 feet from No. 17 and admitted to have failed to execute half of what he did Tuesday, Mondilla said he was more than satisfied to find himself firmly entrenched at the top with a 16-under 126 aggregate at the par-71 rolling course and closer to ending a three-year title drought in the P2 million championship.

“I struggled with my putting and missed five straight birdie chances,” said Mondilla in Filipino. “There was a big gap, difference from my first round 60. But I still liked my position.”

The Del Monte ace actually fashioned out a bogey-free 60 in preferred conditions in the first round and kicked off his second round assault at the back with birdies on Nos. 10, 13

and 16 then gathered himself from a string of missed birdie opportunities by dominating Nos. 6 and 8. He stressed this marked the third time that he came out of a 36-hole play without a bogey although he added: “But it’s been a long time and I can’t remember when and where I did those feats.”

But what’s sure is he’s on top of a stellar field by a big margin and on track on winning again since ruling a five-man playoff in the Philippine Golf Tour Asia leg at Pradera Verde in 2020.

“The course is so tricky and those chasing me are all good and strong players. Sana magtuloy-tuloy lang ang laro ko na walang bogey,” added the former Philippine Open champion.

Albin Engino, still in search for a maiden win in a long PGT campaign, overcame a double bogey on No. 12 with six birdies as he fired a 67 and stayed at second at 131 but Tony Lascuna and Angelo Que, two of the Tour’s revered players, made their moves with a pair of 66s to get into attacking position in the last two

rounds for a possible crack at the top P360,000 prize.

Lascuna, winner at Caliraya Springs, gunned down seven birdies against two bogeys for a 31-35 and pooled a 132 for solo third to earn a spot in the featured flight in moving day, while Que rattled off six birdies against a bogey to churn out his own version of a five-under card and a 136 total.

Keanu Jahns, also in quest of a PGT breakthrough, shot a 68 for a 137, Ruperto Zaragosa, the runaway winner in Iloilo, carded a 70 for solo sixth at 138, while Bacolod leg champion Ira Alido and Villamor Philippine Masters titlist Jhonnel Ababa matched outputs for the second straight day - 67 - as they shared seventh place at 139 with Dino Villanueva, who carded a 72 af ter a four-under round in the first day.

Reigning back-to-back The Country Club Invitational winner Guido van der Valk put in a 68 and Russell Bautista matched par 71 for joint 10th at 140 with 33 others advancing to the final two rounds of the seventh leg of this year’s circuit.

To anchor their title drive, the Defenders tapped veteran head coach Edgar Barroga.

A former Cignal head coach, Barroga is the current mentor of the National University Nazareth School’s boys’ volleyball squad.

According to Barroga, the team’s practices heading to the tournament supported by BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, Mikasa, SMART, Rebisco, Kumu, Asics, and SportRadar, have been intense with the players showing eagerness and raring to prove that they belong.

“Makikita mo sa kanila ‘yung eagerness, kung gaano sila gumalaw sa loob ng court,” Barroga told One Sports’ The Game.

“Excited kami na mai-apply namin sa tunay na laro ‘yung mga ginagawa naming,” he added.

Veteran playmakers Fhen Emnas and Ivy Perez are tasked to lead Gerflor, which joins defending champion Creamline, Chery Tiggo, PLDT and Akari in Pool A of the two-group tournament.

Backing up the squad are former HD Spikers players Ranya Musa and Rap Aguilar; Mina Aganon, Janine Navarro, Shannen Palec, Shannen Palec, Julia Angeles, Pia Sarmiento, Mary Esguerra, Andrea Marzan, AJ Jingco, Alyssa Bertolano, and Ethan Arce.

Gerflor, meanwhile, gets a baptism of PVL fire as it drew a solid Creamline side when it makes its debut on June 29 with the games to be aired on PVL.ph, One Sports, and One Sports+.

Forest Hills’ Nicklaus course a challenge to pros

IF scores are to be used as an indication in the last two day of the ongoing Forest Hills Classic, then the men and ladies pros are in for an exciting battle ahead for the coveted crown before the ICTSI Philippine Golf Tour takes on a two-month break.

Clyde Mondilla continues to dominate the Nicklaus layout with two sub-par rounds, including a 60 in the opener that could have been a record if not the preferred rule in effect with Albin Engino, Tony Lascuña and Angelo Que in hot pursuit.

Aside from them, though, only about 20 percent of the field have turned in under-par cards, typifying the the par-71 (playing to 7,105 yards in the current setup) course’s character

Forest Hills

of being a tough and challenging one even to the best of them.

The tip-top condition of the Nicklaus, says

Club Chairman Robert Sobrepeña, is a product of a maintenance program that began two years ago . “We worked hard and long to improve the tees, fairways and greens at Forest Hills. An aggressive grounds program was implemented right after the pandemic to improve the quality of the courses,” Sobrepeña said. Also part of this was the upgrading of the facilities particularly the clubhouse, lockers and some tee houses—all for that true golfing experience for our members and guests and tournament professionals,” he also said.

Even players like Que, Lascuña and Mondilla agree with what Sobrepeña mentioned. “It’s nice to be back at Forest Hills. I haven’t been here for around 15-16 years but I played frequently here as a n amateur. The course in good condition but it appeared easy for Clyde (Mondilla),” described Que.

Mondilla downplayed Que’s observation. “Yes, the course is really good, quite easy but still I have to be wary of some fairways because an errant shot will leave you in hazards left and right.”

“Talagang maganda dito sa Forest. Naka record score nga ako dito nung nanalo ako years ago,” seconded Lascuña, who is actually taken in as one of the coaches of Sobrepeña’s academy at Manila Southwoods.

Clyde Mondilla moves closer to ending a threeyear title drought in the P2-million championship. Manny Marcelo

Carlos Loyzaga

Rep. Eric Buhain

Kyle Raphael finds connection through songs

based singersongwriter creates music listeners can relate to

KYLE Raphael is a singersongwriter to watch out for. While another version of the track "Paraluman" went viral during the pandemic, Kyle's own original version also performed His skillful songwriting can be credited for this success, as he was the Himig Handog big winner in 2018. The Davao-native artist returns with a new single titled "Hanggang Tingin," which captures the same good vibes as "Paraluman." Kyle reveals that

he wrote "Hanggang Tingin" in 2020, inspired by a close female friend whom he was attracted to. However, he values their genuine friendship too much to risk a romantic relationship, so he expresses his feelings through the song instead. "Hanggang Tingin" starts as a gentle ballad and transitions into a mid-tempo track, as the singer yearns to confess his true emotions. Those familiar with Kyle's "Paraluman" will notice similarities, both obvious and subtle. However, anyone who takes the time to listen will

Beloved working boys

and relevant despite the changing times, we have willingly embraced the fact that their multifaceted talents and infinite charisma enabled them to penetrate various fields of endeavors. They're household comedians, with notable sitcoms under their belt whether done as a group or without the others.

Some comedians on TV can't duplicate their success on the big screen. Not TVJ who are bankable movie actors, too.

THE Eat Bulaga! saga is in essence a reflection of the enduring fame of a trio we so know as Tito, Vic & Joey. The length of time that the noontime show has aired on Philippine TV, specifically with them on board, mirrors the unwavering admiration their group enjoys from Filipino audiences.

While in terms of longevity, we should qualify their Eat Bulaga! hosting as that one job that has kept them visible

My younger brother Reinhard is placing bets in his claim that the funniest Filipino movie ever is the 1985-released Working Boys, which saw the troika supplemented by a young Herbert Bautista. See it and laugh your way to agree, with many of the punch lines anchored on the theme of fakery – Joey De Leon’s face on a bill, fake wake with a breathing Palito lying in a coffin, and fake TV repair to keep a drunken Joaquin Fajardo entertained.

Tito Sotto launched a remarkable political career owing to his exposure as the de facto figurehead of the group, which led to everyone fondly calling him Tito Sen. His brother Vic Sotto had

become a box office star in his own right, consistently drawing theatergoers to see his movies either featuring him as Enteng Kabisote or as the leading man of whoever is the hottest ticket in the biz. Joey, the acknowledged resident joker, has delivered the goods in various gigs – host of Wow Mali, the leader of the pack in TODAS (Television's Outrageously Delightful All-Star Show), and boss of super sidekick Rene Requiestas It should put a smile on your face that when you google Tito Vic & Joey, you'd see them being officially identified as a musical band. They have more than 13,000 monthly listeners and 47,811 followers as of this writing, certainly not bad for an act that recorded materials for a laugh. Their most streamed track is one called "Upakan," a song that sounds like a natural single from the band Cinderella until wordplay master Joey's antics comes in at 1:21, which turns the piece into vaudeville way before Grin Department came up with "Skin." Their parody of the Voltes V opening theme charms with the cute line "Pagdating ng araw at di na tayo kids

TV5 expansion targets 4.5m households by August

IN cooperation with Mediaquest, TV5 continues to expand its reach to serve viewers in more areas of the country.

Coverage has been improved in the provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Guimaras in the Visayas as well as in the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and General Santos in Mindanao.

This follows earlier efforts to expand TV5’s reach in various areas, including Quezon City; Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Capas, Tarlac; Naga, Camarines Sur, Puerto Princesa, Palawan, and parts of Batangas Province.

This June, TV5 has fired up new transmission towers to serve the areas of Kalibo, Aklan; San Jose, Mindoro; and Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

TV5 then intends to bolster these efforts in the month of July by strengthening its reach in Olongapo, Zambales; the Southern Tagalog provinces of Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas, as well as Baguio, and Mountain Province.

TV5’s expansion efforts will allow the Kapatid network to reach close to 18.5 million individuals in more than 4.5 million Philippine households by August of this year.

“Our goal is to reach more viewers and provide the best content on all platforms,” said TV5 President, Guido Zaballero

“Because of these continuing enhancements, more families will be able to enjoy the premium viewing experience that we offer on TV5.”

agree that Kyle knows how to deliver a captivating tune. Kyle shares that he didn't force himself to conform to current trends. He prefers to grow as an artist and express himself authentically at the right time, especially with this song. The producer, Axel Fernandez (known for his work with Arthur Nery), understood the concept Kyle aimed for, making "Hanggang Tingin" a genuine reflection of the artist's identity and current emotions. The minimalist music arrangement of "Hanggang

Tingin" complements the theme of yearning for someone while holding back, allowing the focus to be on Kyle's lyrics, melodies, and his delivery. Although the song may sound simple, Kyle admits he faced a challenge in creating a catchy hook for it.

Kyle's goal as a music act is not about becoming a big star, but rather connecting with listeners through his songs. He hopes that his music can provide solace and be like a close friend during difficult times for those who resonate with it.

And then there's "Iskul Bukol," the theme song to a sitcom of the same title the trio starred in for 10 seasons. This one possesses a riff that stands the test of time and features Bossing Vic's disarming vocals that should remind everyone he's a real-deal singer. On that note, VST & Company, which sees his singing voice become a pioneer of Manila Sound, actually falls into a TVJ side project that turned out, once again, very big.

Indeed, Tito,Vic, & Joey as TV stars overshadowed their achievements in music. Both Vic and Joey wrote the VST classics "Awitin Mo At Isasayaw Ko" and "Ipagpatawad Mo." Tito penned "Magkaisa," sung by one Virna Lisa which became a hit after the EDSA Revolution in 1986. They are an act that for the longest time had nothing to prove anymore. They

could have officially retired from showbiz after their announcement on social media that they’re leaving the show they painstakingly carved into a national pastime.

And yet, that’s the very reason why they can’t just drop the mic. They have become part of the national fabric that their retirement may prompt a politician aching for the spotlight to label it as a national emergency. As we have witnessed, the mere drama between them and TAPE Inc. led to Pinoys (despite having their own worries to deal with) sparing some time to write tribute posts about Eat Bulaga!

That TVJ will be back on TV as essentially they are, or as we have known them all these years, means the epoch that is inherently them continues.

Public service program tackles struggles of dads in Father’s Day episode

THE hosts of CIA with BA reflected on the concerns of struggling dads on the Father’s Day episode of the public service program.

A dad sought help and advice regarding his children who are experiencing bullying in their school because of their albinism — a rare genetic condition that causes a lack of pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes, and is sometimes accompanied by visual impairment.

"I learned that fathers want to defend you, provide for you, and fight for you, but in this world, you can't control everything," said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano. "So you know, what truly matters is for the child to see the love of the father. Rest assured, fathers, they know that you're doing everything you can."

"Sometimes fathers may think, 'I can't give this, I can't do that... what now?' But no, your efforts are seen by your children, and that speaks much more than just saying 'I love you' to them," he added.

"To all fathers who are struggling, to all fathers who think they're powerless, keep fighting! And your children appreciate you," Alan stressed. Agreeing with her brother, Senator Pia Cayetano re-

called how their father, the late Senator Rene Cayetano, expressed his love for them when they were kids.

"One thing I noticed about our father is that he loved to write. In a way, during their time, it wasn't common to simply say 'I love you, anak' (child)... But what our father did was he would write to us on every occasion, he had love letters for us," she shared.

"Whether it's short or long, all of us have kept something like that hidden. That's also my tip to fathers, maybe you can say [your thoughts] in a short note. Find a way to express your love," she added.

Boy Abunda also shared what his father, who was a bus conductor for a long time, always told him.

"He always said, 'If you dream, show up.' If you dream, make it happen," said the award-winning TV host.

CIA with BA continues the legacy of Alan and Pia’s late father. The senior Cayetano was a lawyer who hosted ‘Compañero y Compañera,’ which aired from 1997 to 2001.

CIA with BA expresses its gratitude to viewers as it continuously garners high ratings. Catch the program every Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on GMA.

‘CIA with BA’ hosts (from left) Boy Abunda, Pia Cayetano, and Alan Peter Cayetano

TV5 Chairman Manny Pangilinan (left most) welcomes the iconic Tito, Vic, and Joey in their new home network

Super trio Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey De Leon, collectively known as TVJ

Grooming like a boss

Francis Kong shares secrets to success and style

AS we look back on the recent celebration of Father’s Day, it remains an ideal time to pay tribute to an exceptional figure who serves as a true role model.

Francis Kong, a distinguished businessman, renowned speaker, and esteemed author in the realms of leadership and personal development, deserves our admiration.

Kong’s significant contributions and accomplishments highlight his commitment to excellence. Furthermore, his unrivaled sense of style and grooming perfectly exemplifies the concept of “grooming like a boss.”

Recognizing his remarkable achievements, American Crew had the privilege of conducting an interview with Kong. The interview aimed to explore his invaluable insights, timeless wisdom, and meticulous grooming and style routine.

Simple yet effective grooming routine

With his distinguished gray and wavy hair, Kong effortlessly maintains a refined appearance through a simple yet effective grooming routine.

To keep his standout gray hair in top shape during speaking engagements and video productions, he relies on American Crew’s Daily Silver Shampoo, the product for Dads looking to revitalize and brighten their gray hair.

The same product is known to help protect hair from UV discoloration. By incorporating American Crew Gray Shampoo into your Dad’s grooming routine, Dad can confidently embrace his gray hair, just like Kong, ensuring it looks and feels its absolute best.

Dad-approved style

When discussing the significance of hair styling in his work and lifestyle, Mr. Kong highlights its crucial role in effective communication.

As a distinguished speaker and businessman, he recognizes that nonverbal cues are a substantial part of communication. A well-groomed appearance, particularly well-groomed hair, showcases professionalism, meticulousness, and dependability, thereby earning the respect and trust of his audience.

Understanding that all dads have different hair types and styles, American Crew has the perfect solution. For those with curly hair, American Crew Pomade offers a flexible alternative

Financial institution inspires Filipinos to go green

Awareness Month,” says BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco

“This June, we are reinforcing our commitment to promote sustainable living practices through this retail fair, webinars, in-person forums and workshops, and other activities throughout the month,” adds TG Limcaoco.

to styling gels, allowing for modern and versatile looks. For medium hold and high shine, American Crew Fiber provides a resinous product that adds thickness, texture, and fullness to the hair, perfect for shorter hair lengths. Read full story on manilastandard.net

Multi-hyphenate Francis Kong maintains a refined appearance through a simple yet effective grooming routine

OVER the years we have seen individuals, organizations, and companies pledging for sustainability grow in numbers and it is good to note that it continues to do so.

One of the country’s leading banks, the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has been championing sustainability and has made this among its major thrusts to be more sustainable in the way it conducts its business but also to inspire Filipinos to do the same in the way they live their lives. Recently, BPI spearheaded the three-day ‘Green and Beyond Sustainability Fair’ at the Glorietta Mall in Makati City.

Joining the company in this endeavor are several other partner merchants who share the same commitment to sustainability. Electric vehicles (EVs), green homes, energy-efficient appliances, and digital and financial solutions among many others were on display last June 2 to 4 at the mall’s Activity Center.

“BPI is championing sustainability not only for the corporate but the retail segment as well. In June last year, we curated a series of activities in partnership with local and global institutions to establish the Philippines’ first Sustainability

BPI Chief Finance Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer Eric Luchangco, on the other hand, shared: “In our journey towards being a sustainability champion in the Philippine banking industry, we have developed a unique formula: ‘Environment, Social, Governance + Economic’ gains or ‘ESG+E2.’ This formula shows that while we actively integrate ESG principles in the way we do business, we also give equal importance to achieving economic benefits out of a sustainability initiative. A successful and profitable ESG endeavor will be able to sustain itself and will be pursued by its proponents because of the benefits it derives.”

Gracing the event was actress Bea Alonzo, its celebrity endorser for its #BPISustainableWithYou campaign intended to encourage consumers to join the sustainability movement and create lasting, positive impact for the people and planet.

Part of the bank’s sustainable innovations is utilizing digital platforms to create sustainable innovations that promote financial inclusion. The bank introduced various internet and mobilebased solutions that made BPI’s banking products and services more affordable and accessible, anywhere in the country, any time of the day.

BPI also launched the Philippines’ first Invest Sustainable Fund Suite which offers various types of high-

yielding Sustainable investment options. Competitive rates were likewise offered via green Time Deposits which help finance projects that help protect the environment. The BPI-AIA’s Pamilya Protect insurance for the whole family offers easy-toaccess and inexpensive insurance packages using digital channels.

The NegosyoKo Lite, on the other hand, made financing more affordable for self-employed micro-entrepreneurs (SEMEs).

Throughout 2022, BPI secured back-to-back sustainability awards from a multitude of notable local and regional awarding entities. These recognitions underscored the bank’s purposedriven and staunch commitment to promoting conscious consumerism and sustainable operations by embedding positive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into its core.

Mariana Zobel de Ayala, BPI’s Senior Vice President, Consumer Bank Marketing & Digital Platforms says “Beyond the exhibition of products and services, this fair serves as a platform for thought leadership on sustainability.”

The fair also served as a venue for the executives and guests to engage in discussions of initiatives, programs, and plans that emphasize the importance of sustainability in our daily lives and in shaping the future of our communities.

Indeed, it is inspiring to see major players in different industries play an important role in making this world a better place to live in.

You can reach me at joba. botana@gmail.com.

Health and beauty care brand launches waiting area exclusively for men

TYPICALLY, fathers, husbands, boyfriends, and brothers patiently wait outside while their wives, girlfriends, daughters, and sisters shop for health, wellness, and beauty products at Watsons. Now they don’t have to wait outside anymore.

To show appreciation for fathers and male customers, Watsons has introduced the HIM-tayan Club, allowing men to shop for their own essentials inside the store. Watsons has always offered a wide range of health, grooming, and fragrance products for men. The HIM-tayan Club provides special deals and discounts of up to 50 percent off on health, styling, and grooming essentials for men. Additionally, men can enjoy

complimentary coffee, WiFi access, and even relax in a massage chair – a truly special treat.

The launch event for the HIM-tayan Club took place at Watsons’ largest store in The Block, SM North Edsa. The event coincided with Father’s Day and was hosted by Mikee Reyes, a sports news anchor and social media influencer from Frontline Pilipinas.

On Father’s Day, Watsons had special promos and deals for male shoppers. They received discounts, such as P75 off on Unilever products with a minimum spend of P499 and a free body spray with a minimum purchase of P500 on Old Spice items. There were also discounts on selected products.

How to boost your skin’s daily hydration

AN icon since the ‘70s, The Body Shop’s Vitamin E range is so beloved. It’s a hydration hero, packed full of skin-loving ingredients that are suitable for every skin type, tone, and texture.

Today, it remains a crossgenerational hero as its full range has a bit of a makeover. Not only are all the moisturizers and serums now infused with natural origin hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, but the packaging has had a stylish update.

The improved line-up includes a range of moisturizers, cleansers, and masks, all housed in new recycled and recyclable packaging made from glass, aluminum, and plastic.

Here’s how you can update your Vitamin E Skincare routine:

• Cleanse. Get started with our Vitamin E Gentle Face Wash and Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. The Body Shop Vitamin E Gentle

Facial Wash is perfect for your daily facial wash leaving your skin feeling clean, soft, and refreshed; while the gentle

cleanser helps to remove daily dirt and impurities from the skin, leaving a nice, fresh canvas for the rest of your routine

• Tone. Vitamin E Moisturising Toner is the perfect postcleanse partner that’ll sweep up any lingering impurities and leave your skin feeling prepped and ready for moisturizing. It effectively removes traces of makeup, leaving skin feeling moisturized, refreshed, and protected from dryness.

• Moisturize. Vitamin E Moisture Day and Night Creams have an iconic formula that will leave the skin feeling softer and smoother and boosted with hydration by 38 percent for eight hours.

Vitamin E Moisture Gel Cream leaves the skin hydrated and plumped with 48H hydration.

For more information, visit www. thebodyshop.com.ph

From left: BPI’s Head of Consumer Marketing, Platforms, and Digital Activation, Mariana Zobel de Ayala; Makati Vice Mayor, Monique Lagdameo; BSP Assistant Governor, Lyn Javier; BPI Advisory Council Member, Fernando Zobel de Ayala; BPI’s Sustainability Ambassador, Bea Alonzo; BPI’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Eric Luchangco; Head of Consumer Banking and Digital Platforms, Maria Cristina “Ginbee” Go

Watsons HIM-tayan Influencers (from left) Reph Bangsil, Ariel Carlo Reyes, McCartney Cale, and Mikee Reyes