PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday issued Executive Order No. 32, streamlining the permitting process for the construction of telecommunications and Internet infrastructure in the country.
The President’s order also mandates all cities and municipalities to set up one-stop shops for construction permits, which will provide frontline services to applicants securing building
INFLATION in June 2023
slowed to a 13-month low of
5.4 percent from 6.1 percent a month ago, as price increases for food and non-alcoholic beverages eased, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday.
This was also slower than the 6.1 percent posted a year ago in June, and brought the first half average to 7.2 percent, still much higher than the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the entire year.
“This is the fifth consecutive month of deceleration in the headline inflation and the lowest in the past 13 months,” National Statistician Dennis Mapa said in an online briefing.
From a peak of 8.7 percent in January 2023, inflation eased to 8.6 percent in February, 7.6 percent in March, 6.6 percent in April, and 6.1 percent in May.
Mapa said the decline in overall inflation in June was mainly due to the slower increase in food and non-alcoholic beverages, which was at 6.7 percent, down from 7.4 percent in May.
Slower increases in transport costs
FOUNTAIN RELIEF.
A child cools off under water jets in a fountain during a heatwave in Montpellier, southern France, on June 26. The Philippines is also feeling unusually warm for its rainy season, with the heat index expected to hit 43 degrees in Metro Manila today (see story on A2) AFP
PARIS—Monday, July 3, was the world’s hottest day on record, exceeding an average of 17 degrees Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time, according to initial measurements taken on Tuesday by US meteorologists. The average daily air temperature
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
warned crop production will bear the brunt of the El Niño phenomenon that may last until the first half of 2024 as the National Water Resources Board said water and power supply could also be affected, especially in Luzon where the Angat Dam water reserve is nearing critical level.
“The problem with the water, I think, is solvable when it comes to livestock. But we will have difficulty when it comes to crops,” Mr. Marcos said in a chance interview during the sidelines of the Livestock Philippines Expo 2023 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tues-
on the planet’s surface on July 3 was logged at 17.01C by an organisation attached to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
(place ruled insert here)
This measurement surpasses the previous daily record (16.92C) set on July 24 last year, according to data from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Prediction going back to 1979. The world’s average air temperature,
THE Department of Agriculture said it expects more farmers to join the government’s Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP) after the average farmgate price of palay at the national level reached P19.06 per kilo.
DA undersecretary for Rice Program Leo Sebastian said the May farmgate price was about 10.6 percent higher from the P17.24 per kg price in May 2022.
As the overseer of the MRIDP, Sebastian estimates palay production to reach 8.605 million metric tons (MT) this year, or about 5.6 million MT of milled rice. This volume, in addition to the 1.8 million MT carryover stocks of milled rice and the arrival of 1.8 MMT imported rice, would be sufficient to meet the demand of 7 million MT from January to June, he said.
“By the end of June, the available stock would be good for more than 2 months, in addition to the incoming supply from new harvest and imports,”
THE Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC)
chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday approved 20 bills that must be passed by the end of the year, including the Bank Deposit Secrecy measure that will allow the Central
Bank to open accounts for cases involving money laundering and terrorism.
“Apparently, we’re the only country left in the world who hasn’t passed bank
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
By Charles Dantes,
Maricel V. Cruz and
Macon Ramos-AranetaPRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday that there’s no deadline on his order to probe the onion cartel. In an interview, the President told reporters that he’s not a fan of giving deadlines, adding that he would not accept a half-baked result. Marcos said the probe will focus on
those who took part in the hoarding and controlling of various agricultural products, saying that many cartels are still operating. He also doubled down on his previous statement that this was tantamount to economic sabotage.
President Marcos doubled down on his previous statement of economic sabotage.
THE government will keep the new ‘’Love the Philippines’’ slogan despite the ridicule that the campaign drew after it released a promotion video using stock footage of foreign locations, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said Wednesday.
Frasco has since terminated the Department of Tourism’s contract with the DDB Philippines ad agency responsible for the video.
However, at a tourism forum, she said the DOT would keep using the tourism slogan that was launched
THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday accused Chinese patrol vessels of blocking two of its boats in the disputed West Philippine Sea, describing their actions as “very dangerous”.
PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela confirmed that multiple Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, militia boats, and People’s Liberation ArmyNavy (PLA-N) ships have encroached into Philippine waters of the disputed portions of the South China Sea (SCS).
China claims almost the entire SCS despite rival claims from other Southeast Asian countries including the Phil-
THE country can expect heat indexes of as high as 44 degrees Celsius in some parts of Luzon as it deals with a heat wave owing to the advent of El Nino and cloudless skies for the next few days, state weather forecasters said Wednesday.
Filipinos had been looking for more information lately on how high the mercury would hit their homes, but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had actually suspended issuing its daily heat index information starting last June 2, 2023 with the official declaration of the onset – ironically -- of the rainy season, the Standard learned.
“During this period, it is important to focus on providing accurate and timely information related to hazards and potential impacts associated with the rainy season,” the weather bureau explained in suspending its heat index reports, which it said will resume on March 1, 2024.
That date coincides with the hot and dry months in many parts of the country, PAGASA said, as it advised the public to stay informed “through official announcements from the relevant local authorities” on warnings related to extremely hot weather.
Meanwhile, weather forecasts pegged the heat index -- what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature – for Thursday at 44 degrees in Dagupan, Tarlac, Cabanatuan, and Tuguegarao, and 43 degrees in Metro Manila. Rio N. Araja
ippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Chinese coast guard and navy vessels routinely block or tail Philippine ships patrolling the contested waters, Philippine authorities asserted.
The PCG said the latest incident happened on June 30 during a regular operation to re-supply marines stationed in a run-down navy ship grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal
to assert Manila’s territorial claim in the waters.
As they neared the shoal, the two PCG boats assigned as escorts for the navy mission were approached by two Chinese coast guard vessels.
One of the Chinese boats came within 100 yards (90 meters) of the BRP Malabrigo’s bow, forcing its commanding officer to slow down to avoid a collision, Tarriela told reporters.
“They dangerously conducted different maneuvers, even crossing the bow of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels and that kind of distance is very dangerous because that’s already prone to collision,” Tarriela said.
Manila refers to waters immediately
to its west as the West Philippine Sea.
The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A similar incident happened in April when a Chinese coast guard ship cut off the Philippine patrol vessel Malapascua as it carried journalists near the Second Thomas Shoal.
An AFP team was on another coast guard vessel and witnessed the near collision. In that incident, the Malapascua’s commanding officer Rodel Hernandez said the Chinese ship came within 45 meters of his boat and only his quick decisions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other. With AFP
By Charles Dantes
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said
he expects more stable and cheaper energy with the expanded development of the Malampaya gas field and the blending of imported liquified natural gas (LNG).
THE Malampaya consortium, led by Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. of businessman Enrique Razon Jr., is on schedule in its work program which
THE Supreme Court has denied with finality a tripartite partnership to explore a portion of the West Philippine Sea for oil and gas first approved during the Arroyo administration.
The High Court struck down due to lack of merit the appeal of its January 10, 2023 decision declaring as unconstitutional the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) by China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC), Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp. (PetroVietnam), and the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).
which fluctuates between around 12C and just under 17C on any given day over the year, averaged 16.2C at the beginning of July between 1979 and 2000.
The record has yet to be corroborated by other measurements, but could soon be broken as the northern hemisphere’s summer begins.
The average global temperature typically continues to rise until the end of July or beginning of August.
Even last month, average global temperatures were the warmest the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitoring unit had ever recorded for the start of June.
Temperatures are likely to rise even further above historical averages over the next year with the onset of an El Nino weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, which the World Meteorological Organization confirmed on Monday is now underway.
In addition, human activity— mainly the burning of fossil fuels—is continuing to emit roughly 40 billion tonnes of planet-warming CO2 into the atmosphere every year. AFP
also contributed to the lower inflation rate in June.
Price increases in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels also slowed to 5.6 percent in June, down from 6.5 percent in May.
Slower annual increases were also noted in the indices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 11.6 percent from 12.3 percent; furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 6.0 percent from 6.2 percent; health, 3.9 percent from 4.1 percent; recreation, sport and culture, 4.8 percent from 4.9 percent; and restaurants and accommodation services, 8.2 percent from 8.3 percent.
On the other hand, prices for personal care and miscellaneous goods and services grew faster in June, at 5.8 percent, up from 5.7 percent in May.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday vowed to protect the purchasing power of Filipinos as the country reported its lowest inflation rate in 13 months.
includes the drilling of two new wells (See related story on B4 -- Editors).
The President was briefed by Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy) on its plans to explore and develop indigenous gas prospects and supplement the current indigenous gas production with liquefied natural gas imports through a gas aggregation framework.
Razon led the presentation along with Prime Infra President and Chief Execu-
In a tweet, the President said that the government’s actions have been effective in strengthening the country’s economy.
Marcos also said increasing agricultural production is a must to keep inflation low.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government was making progress in managing inflation, saying they expect it to hit the target 2 percent to 4 percent by the end of the year.
“The government remains committed to protecting the purchasing power of the Filipino people by ensuring food security, reducing transport and logistics costs, and lowering energy costs for Filipino households,” Balisacan said.
The President recently approved the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s food stamp program, which is expected to begin pilot implementation this month. The program will provide access to food for poor and vulnerable households through monetarybased assistance using electronic cards with P3,000 worth of food credits.
“Meanwhile, the Inter-Agency Committee on Inflation and Market Outlook
drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.
tive Officer Guillame Lucci, Senior Advisor Sebastian Quiniones and General Manager Donnabel Cruz.
“It seems that this gas aggregator idea is the key,” Mr. Marcos said during the meeting at the Palace.
The drilling of Prime Energy’s two deep wells will commence in the last quarter of 2024, with additional production from the Malampaya field expected to start by the first half of 2026.
will continue to take proactive steps to address the main causes of inflation. This is particularly important considering the impending El Niño, which poses risks to food supply and prices,” Balisacan said.
The June 2023 inflation rate was within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas forecast range of 5.3 percent to 6.1 percent for the month.
At the same time, the central bank said transport fare hikes, increases in wages, food supply problems, and the El Niño weather phenomenon could raise prices again. Moreover, higher toll rates would jack up the prices of key agricultural items, it said.
The BSP said it remained ready to raise interest rates if inflation rises again.
Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said the consistent decline in inflation for the fifth consecutive month suggested the government’s continued progress in taming price increases.
“This indicates that we are on track to manage inflation to within target sometime in the fourth quarter of this year and below the lower limit of the target in the first quarter of 2024,” Diokno said.
going to the Luzon grid,” he added.
The decision penned by Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan was concurred in by 11 other magistrates. Associate Justice Amy C. LazaroJavier and Associate Justice Rodil V. Zalameda maintained their dissent, while Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo was on official leave and did not take part.
In 2008, the parties had agreed to search an area in the South China Sea covering 142,886 square kilometers for possible petroleum and gas resources.
But in an en banc resolution, the SC junked the oil firms’ motion for reconsideration seeking to reverse its decision to void the JMSU since the issues raised have already been passed upon in its ruling in January.
Earlier, the High Court declared the joint search unconstitutional for allowing wholly-owned foreign corporations to participate in the exploration of the Philippines’ natural resources without observing the safeguards provided in Section 2, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution. Rey E. Requejo
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Sebastian said.
He attributed the current price fluctuations to the high local and global production costs, affecting the prices of both domestically-grown palay and imported rice, respectively.
“[But] we expect this to stabilize,” he said.
The DA seeks to hasten the implementation of the MRIDP, particularly the clustering of rice farms tilled by irrigators association served by the communal and national irrigation systems and farmers cooperatives and other associations registered with the Cooperatives Development Authority.
He also said the government will do its best to stop the cartels in their tracks and bring them to justice.
Earlier, the President led the opening of the “6th Livestock and Aquaculture Philippines 2023” at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday welcomed the President’s order to investigate the smuggling of onions and other agricultural products after a House probe pointed to cartels as the culprit for commodity shortages and high prices.
day said the El Niño phenomenon is now present in the Tropical Pacific, adding that the government must prepare for the expected dry spell “as early as we can.”
The state weather bureau earlier warned some 36 provinces may experience a dry spell while at least two provinces may suffer from drought.
On Tuesday, the United Nations warned the world to prepare for the effects of El Nino, saying the weather phenomenon which triggers higher global temperatures is set to persist throughout 2023.
El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern typically associated with increased heat worldwide, as well as
The phenomenon occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes typically last nine to 12 months.
National Water Resources Board executive director Sevillo David Jr. said water levels in all major dams have been going down, with Angat Dam’s reserve nearing the 180 critical level.
“If the Angat Dam water level continues to go down, it could breach the minimum operating level of 180 meters. We are now at 181.22 or about a meter away from critical level,” David said in a separate press briefing at the Palace.
“If the water level falls below 180 meters, we will prioritize the water supply of Metro Manila compared to other users that depend on Angat, including irrigation and the power sector. Angat Dam is currently contributing to power generation
its redeeming value and could no longer be salvaged.
As this developed, President Marcos on Wednesday announced the completion of the initial phase of the safety and efficacy trials for the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine which the Bureau of Animal Industry has found to produce sufficient antibodies and safe for use.
He said this development would allow the Philippine Food and Drug Administration to issue a certificate of product registration for the vaccines while the second phase of the trials are underway.
“This gives us great hope as we have been waiting for this for a very long time. However, it is not a reason for complacency as we are being continuously warned by those who have studied the vaccine. The vaccine is 80 percent effective. There is still a 20 percentchance that we need to look out for very carefully,” Mr. Marcos said.
Farmers part of the clusters will receive farm interventions such as seeds, fertilizers and other technologies from the DA, in partnership with the private sector.
Existing irrigation associations formed under the National Irrigation Administration will also be tapped as rice clusters to receive interventions and assistance from the MRIDP.
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permits and other related certificates.
on June 27.
Frasco also repeatedly used the slogan in her speech.
Senator Nancy Binay, however, said the DOT should stop using the slogan because of the embarrassment caused by the video.
She noted that the campaign has lost
On Tuesday, Marcos ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the smuggling, hoarding, and price fixing of onions and other agricultural commodities.
“This is a welcome development, a decisive action that manifests the President’s resolve to clamp down on unscrupulous businessmen preying on hapless Filipino consumers and hampering his administration’s efforts to sustain the robust growth of our economy,” Romualdez said.
Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr of Dasmariñas City in Cavite said the President’s order was a welcome development, saying it shows his seriousness in protecting the welfare of the public.
“I hope the DOT is level-headed enough to accept this. We expect them to be agile and move forward from failure because we don’t want the slogan to become a national embarrassment and to look like losers,” she said.
“We need to accept that it really happens—marketing campaigns fail. In DOT’s case, it’s best to move forward
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secrecy. Before it was Lebanon and the Philippines, but Lebanon passed it last year. So we need to have one,” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.
Pangandaman said Mr. Marcos is also set to sign into law the Maharlika Investment Fund before his second State of the Nation Address on July 24.
“The economic team, we were pushing for the signing hopefully before the SONA,” she said.
The MIF bill was received by the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs on Tuesday.
from failure and save the brand at all costs. We cannot afford to put to waste everything that we built for Philippine tourism. Let’s do the right thing to protect the integrity of the brand,” Binay said.
After DOT’s advertising agency admitted using stock footage from foreign locations in its marketing video, social media users have come up with memes and lampoons poking fun at the “Love the Philippines” slogan.
Aside from the Bank Deposit Secrecy bill, other priority measures identified during yesterday’s LEDAC meeting are as follows:
Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act; Build-Operate-Transfer Law or the Public-Private Partnership Bill; National Disease Prevention Management Authority; Internet Transactions Act or E-Commerce Law; Medical Reserve Corps; Virology Institute of the Philippines; Mandatory ROTC and NSTP; Revitalizing the Salt Industry; Valuation Reform; E-Government or E-Governance Act; Ease of Paying Tax; National Government Rightsizing Program; Unified System of Separation, Retire -
The EO stressed the need to institutionalize a set of streamlined guidelines for the issuance of permits, licenses, and certificates for the construction of telecommunications and Internet infrastructures to ensure the continuous development of the country’s digital infrastructure.
In issuing the order, President Marcos said the order will cover all national government agencies (NGAs) and instrumentalities, including governmentowned or –controlled corporations, as well as local government units (LGUs) involved in the issuance of permits, licenses, clearances, certifications, and authorizations.
Charles Dantesment and Pension of MUPs; LGU Income Classification; Wasteto-Energy Bill; New Philippine Passport Act; Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers; National Employment Action Plan; and Amendments to the AntiAgricultural Smuggling Act.
The Palace said 18 of the 20 bills were part of the 42 priority legislative measures identified during the first LEDAC meeting in October 2022. Of the 42 priority bills, only three had been signed into law: the SIM Card Registration Act, the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and amendments to the fixed term of officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
THE Bureau of Immigration
(BI) has warned foreigners against online scams offering facilitation of Philippine entry visas.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeals (CA) convicted an immigration official and five employees as administratively liable for their part in the so-called “pastillas” bribery mess.
In raising the warning, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco cited
DIPLOMACY?
multiple reports about foreign nationals being offered Philippine entry visas for as much as P20,000.
“We have received information that these unscrupulous individuals offer their services in securing visas, and issue orders purportedly coming from the BI,” Tansingco said.
Tansingco said the scammers used the BI logo, and represented themselves as personnel of the Philippine Consulate in Australia.
Citing an incident, Tansingco said the scammers instructed an applicant to pay, via money transfer, for their services. “That is a major red flag that’s why the applicant reported the incident to us,” he said. “We have close coordination with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordi-
nating Center (CICC), and these kinds of online scams are considered cybercrime,” he stressed.
He urged to the public to report such incidents. “Do not deal with these scammers. If you encounter similar modus online, report it immediately to the BI and other law enforcement agencies,” the BI chief said.
The CA’s Fifth Division affirmed the Ombudsman’s March 21, 2022 decision convicting the respondents for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the service.
The appellate court denied the appeal of BI Travel Control and Enforcement Unit members Chevy Chase Naniong, Deon Albao, Daniel Binsol, and Fidel Mendoza, who controlled and managed
By Rio N. ArajaTHE government has disbursed more than P2.4 million in agricultural assistance to residents affected by the continuing unrest of Mayon Volcano in Albay, the Department of Agriculture (DA) reported on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday said there was an increase in Mayon Volcano’s activity manifested by a repetitive pulse tremor since July 3.
In its latest bulletin, the DA said P1.25 million worth of drugs, biologics, and feeds were provided for the evacuated animals, as well as regular livestock health monitoring and disease surveillance to safeguard the wellbeing and health of the animals in the affected areas, while at the same time preventing the spread of potentially deadly diseases.
The state also distributed P1.17 million worth of agricultural inputs to the evacuees for the establishment of communal gardens in evacuation sites, in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment through the “Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers’’ (TUPAD) program.
Meanwhile, Kadiwa stores established near evacuation centers, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Trade and Industry, farmers’ associations, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and local government units recorded total sales of P288,926. Rio N. Araja
SEVERAL motorists plying Cebu South Coastal Road in Cebu City went into a frenzy Tuesday as they hastily collected wads of cash—from a P4 million bundle —that had fallen from a damaged backpack of a money collector.
Police on Wednesday said they managed to recover P2,083,000 out of the total cash that was inside the ruptured
backpack.
The incident occurred while the collector, who was riding a motorcycle, was en route to Mandaue City to remit the cash payment from kiosks at the South Road Properties, a GMA TV report said.
The collector said he was about 50 meters away from the scene when a
the scheme and had contacts with the involved foreign nationals.
The scam, which was exposed in 2020, involved airport immigration officers who allowed the entry of Chinese passengers and other foreigners without screening by the B) in exchange for bribes.
The bribe money, which reportedly reached as much as P10,000 per passenger, are rolled to look like pastillas, a milk-based soft candy.
The 28-page decision promulgated June 29 and made public Monday also modified the Ombudsman ruling against Grifton Medina, then the acting chief of the Ports Operations Division (POD), who was instead found guilty of simple neglect of duty and ordered suspended for six months.
THE Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism, for the 2022 procurement of promotional materials ostensibly used as giveaways and tokens without supporting documents.
The state auditors directed the TPB to present proof that P9.868 million worth of tokens or giveaways were indeed given to the intended recipients.
In a 2022 audit report, COA it needed the lists of recipients or their equivalents, to verify whether the promotional materials were distributed to the intended recipients or used according to the original purpose.
Several of the documents being sought by COA were listings of recipients, inspection and acceptance report.
Some of the purported give-away items were T-shirts, tote bags, luggage, lanyards, decors, coasters and ball pens.
The TPB gave assurance of its compliance with COA’s recommendation to require project officers to submit proof of distribution of the promo items.
The board claimed however, that in the case of high-level officials or delegates in the tourism industry, it was impractical to ask the recipients to sign an acknowledgement receipt.
“As such they will develop measures to ensure that the distribution of promotional giveaways are substantiated with material and relevant supporting documents,” COA said.
The TBP must refrain from its practice to grant monetary incentives amounting to P7.288 million to its regular personnel under the Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence, COA added.
motorist alerted him of the incident. He was confused when he saw money flying all over the place and he noticed that his bag was damaged.
He immediately made a U-turn and tried to block some vehicles from moving on the busy road, but could not go near because there were so many people gathering the bills.
“If it is possible, the money should be returned because if not he (money collector) will be the one to pay,” said Police Staff Sergeant Jonas Ricaplaza, Station 11 Desk Officer.
The collector was emotional when he appealed to those who had picked up the scattered money, urging them to return it to him.
SECRETARY Rex Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has clarified that a controversial orphanage in Quezon City was padlocked for being a “fire trap” and for several other violations.
Testifying at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender, Gatchalian also cited “imminent danger and the best interest of the children” for the closure of the Gentle Hands Inc. (GHI) orphanage.
Gatchalian dismissed claims that the closure was abrupt and without due process.
According to Gatchalian, the GHI was told thrice to improve its facilities before the cease and desist order (CDO) was issued.
With the CDO, the 127 children and one ‘adult with special needs’ were pulled out from the GHI and transferred to three other facilities.
Aside from alleged violations of the
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday said the planned database for street families living would help combat exploitation of the vulnerable sector.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, in an interview, stressed that information is powerful in making interventions to protect the homeless from exploitation.
Fire Code, Gatchalian told the Senate panel chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros that GHI also committed infractions of the Building Code.
The building permit was only for a three-storey facility, but GHI had four floors.
Gatchalian also noted alleged overcrowding at the orphanage, saying it had a capacity of only 50 children as recommended by the Quezon City building department.
Gatchalian further cited poor ventilation and dirty environment in the orphanage.
“Their (GHI) accolades are very good, but sometimes people get relaxed and my point is when I did the spot check, imminent danger was there,” Gatchalian pointed out.
He also described as a “recipe for disaster” the GHI’s claim that it was only a coincidence that he came into the orphanage without seeing any house parent.
and Development (DSWD) has recognized the Las Piñas City government for “satisfactory compliance” in establishing and maintaining a child-care program dubbed “Bahay Pag-asa.”
The DSWD’s Standards Bureau granted Mayor Imelda Aguilar a Certificate of Accreditation for the city’s compliance with the Second Level standard requirements, or Level 2 Accreditation, in the implementation of the program for the youth.
Bahay Pag-asa centers are child-care institutions that offer rehabilitation and intervention to children in conflict with the law. Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, these facilities are established and run by local government units. Las Piñas was the only local government unit in the southern part of
“Alam natin na ang lansangan ay hindi angkop na lugar para sa ating mga pamilya, lalo na sa kababaihan at kabataan na maaaring ma-expose sa exploitation,” he said. The DSWD has launched the “Oplan Pag-abot” program for individuals and families living on the streets of Metro Manila. Through the program, street dwellers will be provided with identification cards (IDs) and undergo biometric registration so they can be better monitored by the DSWD. Gatchalian underscored the importance of providing the street dwellers with IDs, saying that it recognizes their right to be identified, considering that many of them do not have any form of identification.
“Itong kababayan natin, imagine, mahihirapan kumuha ng PhilSys ‘to kasi walang birth certificate, wala talagang kahit anong identification. Sana sa ID na ini-issue out ng DSWD, maging…first step to get those identification later on,” he said.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the country is making progress in the procurement of avian influenza vaccines
Mr. Marcos, during the opening ceremony of the Livestock Philippines 2023, also said concerned agencies are now calling for manufacturers to register their vaccines.
“We are also making progress in our procurement of avian influenza vaccines, with the BAI (Bureau of Animal Industry) calling for manufacturers to register their products with the FDA while the guidelines to administer the same are being finalized,” President Marcos said in his speech during the event.
“As we identify the shortcomings that we have and acknowledge that there is much work to do, we at the Department of Agriculture shall continue to forge partnerships with the academe and private sector to devise solutions to eradicate these diseases that continue to wreak havoc on our livestock and poultry subsectors,” the President said.
Mr. Marcos meanwhile also said he is happy with the completion of phase one of the safety and efficacy trials for the African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccines. He said “the BAI has found to produce sufficient antibodies and to be safe for use,” GMA News reported.
He said the “FDA is on track to issue a certificate of product registration for these vaccines while Phase Two trials are underway.”
Earlier, the BAI has said the vaccine against ASF was proven effective after the clinical trials in six farms in Luzon.
Mr. Marcos said to prevent these diseases, the Philippine government has implemented the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion or the INSPIRE Program.
He said more than 430 farmers’ cooperatives and associations with more than 13,000 members and an estimated 27,500 individual farmers have benefited from this program.
More or less 300 local and international exhibitors showcased their machinery, products, and other services at Livestock Philippines 2023.
FILIPINO and American soldiers will conduct military exercises starting July 6 to enhance mutual defense between the Philippines and the United States, strengthen relationships, and rehearse emerging aviation concepts.
In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila said the service members of both countries will conduct a range of interoperability training events, which are consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the US.
Scheduled activities include live fire events; bilateral air assaults and airfield seizures; joint forward arming and refueling, and other aviation support operations. The program, which is being held
semi-annually, is called Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 23, which will run until July 21.
Brig. Gen. Robert Brodie, Commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force, said MASA 23 “facilitates the collaborative development of aviation, ground and logistics related capabilities.” “This exercise serves as a testament to the enduring partnership between the Philippines and the US, strengthening our ties and enhancing capabilities between our nations,” he added. Both countries’ troops will also
partner for a wide subject matter expertise exchanges. Part of the joint military exercises will see both sides cooperating to sink a decommissioned Philippine Navy replenishment tanker off the waters of Zambales.
Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) spokesperson Captain. Jarald Rea, in an interview with reporters on Wednesday, said this activity is known in military circles as a “maritime strike” and will take place in San Antonio, Zambales on July 13. He identified the decommissioned Navy ship as the ex-BRP Lake Caliraya. This tanker was earlier donated by the then Philippine National Oil Corporation to the Philippine Navy sometime in 2014 and decommissioned in 2020.
Rea said the scenario for this maritime strike exercise is focused on “coastal defense” and aimed at disrupting invading or hostile landing or “counter-landing” in military parlance. With Vince Lopez
JUNIOR Chamber International (JCI) Academy Philippines recently conducted a send-off ceremony to the sole delegate of the Philippines to the 2023 JCI Academy in Shizouka, Japan at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The lone delegate, Atty. Mark Peter Manalo Quilaneta is a member of JCI Davao and was the Local Organization President in 2018 after joining the movement in 2008.
He also served as the 2021 Area Vice President (AVP) for Area V (Mindanao) and was awarded the Most Outstanding Area Vice President in the same year. He also served as the National Secretary General (NSG) in 2022, and the incumbent National Executive Vice President (NEVP).
JCI Philippines said the sending
of a delegate is another milestone to continuously open its borders internationally, to foster remarkable linkages and networks that the country can utilize to do better in serving the communities.
The Junior Chamber International Academy is an annual event that attracts more than 180 delegates from different countries, cultures, religions, and ethnic groups.
The JCI aims to empower future leaders. JCI Academy delegates will be immersed in the culture of the Japanese host city and learn from a series of training, seminars, homestay, and workshops on how to be inspiring global leaders for a changing world.
This year’s academy theme is “Raise Your Flag,” depicting the resiliency of every JCI member.
ONLINE employment platform JobStreet said the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) remains the top school preferred by employers in the Philippines when it comes to hiring employees.
JobStreet Philippines, in a recent survey, also said PUP graduates are preferred by 23.39% of employers, as workers from the PUP are “effective team players in the workplace.”
The firm said PUP graduates have been
SHOOTING
SUSPECTS. During a press conference at the QCPD headquarters at Camp Karingal Quezon City, QCPD Director, PBGEN Nicolas D Torre III shows images from a CCTV footage revealing the alleged suspect in the shooting Remate
Online photographer Josua Abiad. Manny Palmero
the top choice of employers in the Philippines for several years.
The University of the Philippines (UP) placed second with 9.17%, followed by De La Salle University (DLSU) with 6.88%, according to the JobStreet survey.
The survey further said University of Santo Tomas (UST), with 5.28%, placed fourth while Mapua University, with 3.44%, and Batangas State University, with 3.21% placed
fifth and sixth, respectively.
University of Mindanao (2.29%) clinched the seventh spot, while the University of Cebu, Technological Institute of the Philippines(TIP), and STI College were tied at the eighth spot with 2.06%.
JobStreet also revealed several Top 3 lists of schools preferred by employers in certain industries, with PUP and UP dominating.
Th survey further said employers in the
TO JAPAN. Atty. Mark Peter Manalo Quilaneta, a member of JCI Davao, is the sole delegate of the Philippines to the 2023 JCI Academy in Shizuoka, Japan, holds the Philippine ag at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
THE Department of Health (DOH) recently held an online forum highlighting the need to further develop programs on disaster preparedness. The forum is part of the DOH’s celebration of “National Disaster Resilience Month.”
In the said forum, Maria Belinda Evangelista, a nurse from the DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau discussed the adverse effects of calamities on Filipinos’ resilience “The primary thing to remember is not to panic. Make sure that there is access to communication devices. Once you feel that the area you are currently in is no longer secure, you must evacuate to a safer place,” Evangelista said in her presentation. Her presentation covered natural disasters including volcanic eruptions, tropical cyclones, and earthquakes.
Gabriellea B. Pariño
UNIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP)
Diliman chancellor Dr. Edgardo Vistan III wants to revive talks on the installation of security cameras within the campus.
He reacted to reports that a female student was sexually assaulted inside the Diliman campus on the evening of July 1. Interviewed at the ANC’s “Headstart,” he said: “We assess our situation regularly. But now, I think the right approach will be to focus on hotspots and to revive the discussions about the CCTVs in campus.”
“There are security concerns and the Big Brother, the anti-Big Brother mentality of certain sectors. I think we will be forgiven if we put CCTVs there,” he added.
He, however, said a curfew is not an option.
“Even if we think about curfew, it will be difficult to monitor. You’re essentially also limiting the mobility, the movement of non-student population in campus,” he stressed. Rio N.
ArajaDera admits he ‘went out’ of NBI cell
NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detainee Jose Adrian “Jad” Dera, a co-accused of former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima in her remaining drug case, yesterday admitted he went out of the NBI detention facility four times.
Dera made the admission after being confronted by Sen. Francis Tolentino during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Justice and human rights, which he chaired.
construction industry prefer graduates from the Technological University of the Philippines and TIP, according to the Jobstreet survey.
The survey was conducted in May 2023, encompassing 42 industries and involved more than 700 companies.
According to JobStreet, the survey showed that employers “prioritize factors such as the schools’ alignment with their business sector, hard work, and reputation.”
A “mayor” of the other inmates inside the NBI jail, Tolentino even taunted Dera that he did “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” having gone to Calatagan, Batangas; Subic Bay, Tagaytay City and Meteo Manila.
Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa also grilled Dera how he managed to go out of the NBI.
Dera, who has been accused as “bagman” of De Lima in her illegal drug operations, stressed there was no consideration nor give any favor, money or any material fhing inorder to leave his detention cell. Macon Ramos-Araneta
A SURVEY conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) indicated that 8 in 10 Filipinos see gays and lesbians as “trustworthy.”
SWS said of the 1,200 surveyed, 79% agreed with the statement that “gays or lesbians are just as trustworthy as any other Filipino.”
The survey also said 73% believe that “gays or lesbians have contributed a lot” to society’s progress. SWS noted that this is an improvement from nearly a decade ago.
In a 2013 SWS poll, 67% of Filipinos noted that gays and lesbians were trustworthy, while 18% said otherwise, the public pollster said.
Reyna Valmores, the chairperson of LGBTQIA+ organization Bahaghari Philippines, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said it is “positive” to see that many Filipinos find gays and lesbians as trustworthy.
SWS said the 2023 nationwide poll, conducted from March 26 to 29, 2023, also revealed that 40% wanted to change their gay or lesbian family members to become straight men or women. And some 43% considered acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a “sickness of gays and lesbians,” while 26 percent said being gay or lesbian is “contagious.”
Valmores however said the notion that AIDS is a sickness of gays is “not correct.”
Valmores described the negative views as a reflection of the reality that many members of the LGBTQIA+ community are still discriminated against and face abuse and violence, ABS-CBN News said.
“Therefore, we need to move forward when it comes to gender education and have a bill that will protect all Filipinos against discrimination: the SOGIE Equality Bill,” Valmores sais.
A separate SWS survey showed that a “record high” 65 percent of Filipinos find Muslims trustworthy.
OLD folks used to describe unfortunate happenings as “signos,” literally, “signs.”
“Masamang pangitain”, my lola from Malolos used to say in Tagalog.
“Omen,” the Senate tourism committee chair, Sen. Nancy Binay, pronounced after the fiasco that accompanied the launch of LOVE the Philippines by our tourism department on its 50th anniversary celebration.
And that is how I would view the campaign that started on the wrong foot.
I had high hopes for Secretary Christine Frasco when she was announced to be PFRM Jr.’s secretary for an agency I was part of at the turn of the century, having been appointed to head the Philippine Tourism Authority (now TIEZA) on June 30, 1998 till November 3, 2000, concurrent with being the Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs by then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
High hopes not because she is the daughter of an esteemed and highly accomplished provincial governor, my good friend Gwen Garcia of Cebu, but because tourism success is best achieved by LGUs working hand-in-hand with initiatives of the national government.
In short, the DOT sets the tone in terms of brand marketing and product planning, but the LGUs must follow through with proper implementation. That has been the recurring theme of all my articles on tourism in this space.
Secretary Frasco, having been a mayor of Liloan in Cebu, having been sired in the atmosphere of a political family which has done wonders for the province, was equipped with both experience and gravitas to get LGU officials not to “toe the line,” but in a positive note, to cooperate and be meaningful partners in promoting tourism in the country.
Ours is a country replete with examples of how bad local governance harms tourism, and I need not cite examples here.
But Cebu is one example of how good local governance, sometimes regardless of the national government, can accomplish so much for tourism.
enticed many, the rest of Filipinos included.
From the perspective of planning, DoT should not be all things to all of the Philippines.
From the perspective of targeting, DoT should focus on the low-hanging fruits, nearby countries where accessibility is easier, and then differentiate the product/s amid the fierce regional competition. There is no need to rush.
Rush is perhaps the best example of how things went awry.
What DDB intended to be a “mood” video, not a finished product, and they justified as reason for using foreign stock footage, was rushed to be able to present something to the tourism publics one year after the new PFRM Jr. administration came into being.
Premature exposure and hasty uploading led to the fiasco.
Question: did the client (DoT) not have representatives on each stage of the product development?
If they did not, that should explain DDB’s use of foreign footages, because actual shoot and production was yet to start.
If they did, then whoever was their client representative was equally at fault as DDB’s assigned brand manager.
And so when foreign stock footages were identified by eagle-eyed social media observers and bloggers, the message of LOVE was drowned, and like the Titan submersible curious about the Titanic, it cannot float again.
So, back to the drawing board, folks.
Improve the product first, and focus on the immediate doables.
Study the nearby markets; enhance what they want; and present attractions that truly attract these particular country targets.
Stop dreaming that Caucasian travelers will flock to us soon.
Stop launching promos in London or Paris or even New York. Those are not low-hanging fruits, and balikbayans will always come back because they still LOVE their origins and their families back home.
Sun and sand may attract cold-weary Koreans and other northern Asian people, great.
Well, as far as labor groups are concerned, it’s never enough—and apparently will never be adequate to keep body and soul together.
The recent decision of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Metro Manila grants a P40 increase in the daily minimum wage of private sector workers in the National Capital Region.
This would bring the daily minimum wage of workers in the non-agriculture sector from P570 to P610, and from P533 to P573 for the agriculture sector, service and retail establishments employing 15 or less workers, and manufacturing establishments regularly employing less than 10 workers.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment, the wage hike, which will take effect on July 16, will “directly benefit” 1.1 million minimum wage earners in Metro Manila, while about 1.5 million full-time wage and salary workers earning above the minimum wage “may also indirectly benefit as a result of upward adjustments at the enterprise level arising from the correction of wage distortion.”
But this latest wage hike has been slammed by labor groups.
Two of these groups, the Kilusang Mayo Uno and Kilos Na Manggagawa, described the P40 wage hike as meager, and grossly insufficient to sustain the daily needs of their families.
We agree completely with Senator Jinggoy Estrada, and wish the Senate would take up the legislative proposal again in the upper chamber, as our workers really need help at this time
The two labor groups urged the public to denounce the administration’s supposed lack of concern toward laborers.
They also called on the government to check the welfare of workers outside Metro Manila since the wage hike was only for
ARCHITECT Daniel Burnham was one of the foremost urban planners in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. This was just when that country was starting its colonization of the Philippines.
Metro Manila.
But it’s not just workers themselves who are up in arms against the paltry wage increase.
Two senators, while saying the wage hike is a welcome development, also said it is still not enough.
A P40 increase in the daily minimum wage of private sector workers in Metro Manila is most welcome, but it is still not enough, said Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
For one thing, the increase is much less than the P150 across-the-board minimum wage hike already approved in principle by the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development.
Estrada, who heads the Senate labor panel, while giving the thumbs-up to the wage increase, also noted that the labor sector has been adamant in calling for across-the-board pay hikes. While the wage hike shows that the Wage Board in Metro Manila is aware of the need to promptly adjust the current wage structure because of high inflation, Estrada said, “our workers need and deserve wage hikes to cope with the ongoing rise in the prices of basic goods and commodities.”
We agree completely with the lawmaker, and wish the Senate would take up the legislative proposal again in the upper chamber, as our workers really need help at this time.
How it blends natural beauty with culture and heritage, and how it gets all stakeholders up to the lowest level of society to enhance tourism for Cebu is more a tribute to local government than it is to efforts coming from the national.
Pride of place is what made Cebu, an “island in the Pacific” the most successful travel destination in the country for both domestic and international travelers alike, Boracay notwithstanding.
Credit that to the late Gov. Lito Osmena, followed by the late Gov. Pabling Garcia, and now the indefatigable lioness of LGUs, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Most of all, to the people of Cebu.
But then again, for the DoT under Frasco, it is never too late to change tack when “signos” appear. Sec. Frasco must simply move on and move forward, in search of another promotional slogan, and junk the LOVE misfortune.
I know … I know and have observed through so many years, how every new tourism secretary has wanted to put their personal mark on marketing slogans, some with success in terms of public acceptance, some with mediocre results, some flatly rejected.
But remember—Thailand and Malaysia are not successful tourism destinations in our region because of “amazing” or “truly Asia,” but because the whole package they offered became a pleasant travel experience, whether because of natural beauty enhanced, culture and traditions preserved, affordability of food and accommodations, tourist-friendly people, accessibility, and other things rolled neatly into one travel attraction.
“Amazing” became true, and “truly” Asian merely captured the essence of these destinations. Let us not get fixated on the slogan.
Indonesia knew that Bali was their paradise, and only recently have they started promoting Borobudur and other destinations. From the 60s up to the present, Indonesia is Bali as far as the foreign traveler is concerned. Which partly explains why an “island in the Pacific,” with no mention of the Philippines
But other climes may want something different. Do your research, and plan accordingly.
Remember, it’s not the slogan.
And trite though it sounds, a good “product” is its own best advertisement. ***
Speaking now about the first year of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with an overwhelming vote of electoral confidence never before seen since the fall of the father before him, my personal assessment: it underwhelms.
From much too early fiascoes in Malacanang itself, to the inability to fully organize government administration one year after its being, to untamed food inflation that cannot be solved with resurrected ideas like Kadiwa, to an experimental and thus unexplained Maharlika, to placing the country in potential harm’s way due to EDCA-US expansion, and as if to punctuate everything one year after, the appointment of a Larry Gadon to become the “Komite de Paki-alam” for the country’s most intractable problem of mass poverty, the verdict is suspended, until plans are better tuned and program implementation improved.
The best indictment of the underwhelming first year experience can be gleaned from the stock market, which, for a year now, has been moving sideways. No real highs. No real lows. Pure profit taking on incremental gains, and foreign money moving out slowly.
But don’t blame Marcos Junior for it.
He came to the picture when the whole world is drowning in its own miserable problems, and he is no superman despite his overwhelming electoral mandate.
Being patient and lowering one’s expectations is perhaps the best attitude to have.
The Filipino people have muddled through, “bahala na si Batman” through all these years and despite several administrations. As I keep quoting, “plus ca change, plus ca reste la meme chose”. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
One of the first things that the US colonial government did as soon as civil order was established was to bring Burnham to the country in 1904 to plan for the projected expansion of the City of Manila.
This was also about the time the Americans first visited Baguio in 1900 and were pleasantly surprised to find an oasis in the tropics high up in the mountains with a comfortable temperature all year round.
To take advantage of Burnham’s presence in the country, he was invited to Baguio to make a plan for its future development. His original plan was for a community of about 25,000 people.
That number has, of course, swelled to more than 350,000 people today.
Unlike Manila which was already more than 300 years old by that time, Baguio was going to be built from scratch. It remains to be the only city in the country built by the Americans.
After exploring the place for several days, Burnham eventually submitted a rough city plan.
Part of this plan was a park situated in a valley surrounded by several hills like the Constabulary Hill which is now Camp Allen, Luneta Hill which is now where the SM mall is, and so forth.
This park was eventually named in his honor and, today, as it was in the City’s earlier days, is still the center of many activities in the city. It remains to this day the premier tourist attraction of the City. In many ways, the Park defines the city. It is therefore, essential that it remains pristine, clean, attractive with enough open space for everyone to enjoy always.
Right now, it is the city that is managing the park having titled the land encompassing the entire park.
This, however, is being challenged by the Department of Tourism which had managed the park in the past. But let us leave that controversy aside and concentrate on looking at what is happening to the park.
Original and long term residents of the city know what the park was then and the many changes happening over the years. For one, it has been transformed into many other things aside from just being a leisure park which I am sure would have dismayed Daniel Burnham if he were alive today.
In the 1950s the park was basically devoid of any structures except for the old auditorium where the city regularly holds its social events.
The open skating rink with two small canteens together with the boating, bicycles and scooters were already with the athletic bowl being constructed in the early 1950s.
Today, a lot has changed.
Slowly but surely, the available open spaces have been getting smaller over the years.
Maybe
This started with the football field.
First were the two restaurants in the late 1960s followed by the area taken over by the Fire Department which was eventually converted into eateries.
Then another portion was taken to become a pay parking area.
A portion of the picnic area where the water pump is also became a parking area. The tennis court which has been there since the 1950s is now gone.
In its place is another structure going up.
The bleachers in the Athletic Bowl have also been extended with added office spaces below.
Very soon, that portion of the park will soon be a built up area housing some offices of the government.
The place where the old auditorium used to be is now a pay parking area with business stalls scattered all over.
The skating rink has completely been enclosed.
The way it was done, however, leaves a lot to be desired. There is also a restaurant in the place with two exposed water tanks blighting that section of the park with a huge public toilet facility
There are now three buildings where the old pelota court was built in the 1970s. Half of the area below Kisad Road is now the orchidarium and is no longer being used as part of the park.
A Police Sub-Station is also located there with the outer portion being used as a parking area.
That part of the park is also blighted.
About three weeks ago a lot of tarpaulin covered business stalls sprouted in the football ground to become another shopping area.
Whether this arrangement is temporary or not is not altogether clear.
In spite of all these changes going on and the open spaces shrinking, the park is strangely still full of tourists coming from all over the country and it does not matter whether the weather is good or bad.
I do not know what will become of the park in the next five or 10 years.
But by the way things are going, I am pessimistic because of what is happening to the open spaces.
We can, of course, debate to our hearts’ content what a park should be whether it is better for it to be left with a lot of open spaces or build it up and allow all the vendors, eateries and other business stalls selling jewelry and others because it is good for business and that is perhaps the way we Filipinos prefer it.
Maybe in the end, we shouldn’t care too much what will happen to the open spaces of the park so long as people using the park are not complaining.
But is this the right attitude?
NANTERRE, France—The death of French teenager Nahel M., killed by a police officer during a traffic stop a week ago, has reignited the anger of young people and brought deeper problems back to the surface, according to residents of Paris’s working-class suburbs.
In the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on the streets of the Pablo Picasso housing estate where Nahel was from, nights of riots since the shooting last Tuesday have left behind the carcasses of burnt-out cars, melted garbage bins and countless graffiti tags calling for “Justice for Nahel.”
“There’s a feeling we’re fed up with it, we’ve seen it all before. Of course I understand that, I also grew up here. That said, burning down schools and shops is crazy because it harms us all,” said Mohamed, 39.
Sitting on a bench in a park, he said he came down from his home several nights in a row to “reason with the kids”.
Next to him, his friend Sofiane, 38, sighed, pointing to the ash-grey skeleton
of a merry-go-round that was torched Thursday evening. “Damage we don’t tolerate. What we don’t really want anymore are random (police) checks. We want them to check us as if we were called ‘Michel’,” he said, adding he was “distressed” by the death of a “kid” during a traffic stop.
Living in one of the tower blocks behind the park, Fatiha Abdouni, 52, also came down from her building Saturday evening to meet with neighborhood mediators as another night of unrest loomed.
“I can’t support people smashing and burning things; who would?” said Abdouni, co-founder of the association The Voice of the Women of Pablo-Picasso.
Still, she added: “Now we have to listen to the young people, their frustration and anger.”
Youths in Paris’s deprived suburbs face “daily difficulties, unequal access to study, to work, to housing”, Abdouni continued.
For her, it was obvious--the death of
Nahel was a “spark” reigniting “deeper problems”.
‘Give hope to our children’ Since Nahel’s death, the riots have been led by “very young people,” moving in small groups and relaying their actions on social networks.
On Thursday night, the average age of those arrested was just 17, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti on Saturday felt it was necessary “to tell
parents again that they should keep hold of their kids.”
“It is not by pointing the finger at the parents as if they were irresponsible that we will make things move forward,” said Mohamed Mechmache, coordinator of an association set up in Clichy-sous-Bois after the 2005 riots in the low-income eastern suburb of Paris.
That unrest was triggered by the deaths of two teenagers from Malian and North African backgrounds who were electrocuted while hiding from a police check in a relay station.
“It is time to speak publicly to the youth, to tell them that they are part of this Republic,” the educator told AFP.
“The most important thing is to give hope to our children, that they believe in their future. I am afraid that there will be another death,” added political scientist Fatima Ouassak, co-founder of the Front de Meres (Mothers’ Front), an organisation of parents of students from working-class areas.
At the Pablo-Picasso estate, none of the young people met by AFP on Sunday wanted to speak.
During a protest march in tribute to Nahel on Thursday, a 16-year-old boy said: “It’s always the same people who are targeted, blacks and Arabs, working-class neighbourhoods. They kill a 17-year-old boy like that, for nothing; this death makes us hate.”
After five nights of riots, Nahel’s grandmother Nadia appealed for calm on Sunday.
“I tell the people who are rioting this:
Do not smash windows, attack schools or buses. Stop! It’s the mums who are taking the bus, it’s the mums who walk outside,” she said.
Mohamed and Sofiane, who said they were pleased with the return to relative calm, now hope that “justice will be done.”
“This policeman is a human being, he must be a defendant like you and me. No two-tier justice.” AFP
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IWAKI, Japan—The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog met with Fukushima residents and representatives Wednesday, seeking to reassure
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Manila Standard TODAY
The planned, decades-long discharge of accumulated water from the devastated nuclear facility has been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as meeting global standards.
Its chief Rafael Grossi, at a meeting in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, acknowledged however that concerns remain.
“All these complex graphs and statistics are one thing but the reality, the reality of people, the reality of the economy, the reality of the social mood and perceptions may be different,” he told a meeting of local residents and officials.
Some 1.33 million cubic meters of groundwater, rainwater and water used for cooling has accumulated at the Fukushima site, which is being decommissioned after several reactors went into meltdown following the 2011 tsunami which badly damaged the plant.
Plant operator TEPCO treats the water through its ALPS processing system to remove almost all radioactive elements except tritium, and plans to dilute it before discharg-
ing it into the ocean over several decades.
The plan is opposed by some regional neighbors, with Beijing vocally condemning the plan, as well as some in Fukushima, particularly fishing communities who fear customers will shun their catches.
Grossi said the IAEA was not involved in the process to “give cover... to decorate something that is bad.”
“When it comes to this activity here, what is happening is not some exception, some strange plan that has been devised only to be applied here and sold to you,” he added.
“This is, as certified by the IAEA, the general practice that is agreed by and observed by many, many places, all over the world.” Still, there is palpable anger among some local residents who fear the reputational damage of the release.
Tetsu Nozaki, chairman of the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations, argued Japan’s government was misrepresenting local sentiment, which he said remained strongly opposed to the plan.
“We fishery operators are left with no choice but to react emotionally and harden our attitude,” he told Grossi.AFP
SEOUL—North Korea’s first spy satellite had “no military utility” at all, South Korea said Wednesday after analyzing its wreckage.
In May, North Korea attempted to put what it described as its first military reconnaissance satellite in orbit but the rocket carrying it plunged into the sea minutes after launch.
The crash sparked a complex, 36-day South Korean salvage operation involving a fleet of naval rescue ships, minesweepers and deep-sea divers.
The retrieved parts of the rocket and the satellite were analyzed by experts in South Korea and the United States, the defense ministry in Seoul said Wednesday after the end of the operation.
They “evaluated it had no military utility as a reconnaissance satellite at all,” the ministry said.
North Korea said it had developed the spy satellite as a necessary counterbalance to the growing US military presence in the region.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has
made the development of a military spy satellite a top priority.
Pyongyang has vowed to launch another one soon.
North Korea’s ruling party “bitterly” criticized the officials responsible for the crash last month, according to state media.
The United States, South Korea, and Japan condemned North Korea’s satellite launch on May 31 as a violation of United Nations resolutions prohibiting the nuclear-armed state from using ballistic missile technology.
Analysts have said there is significant technological overlap between the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles and space launch capabilities.
Relations between the two Koreas are at their lowest points in years, and diplomacy is stalled after failed attempts in recent years to discuss Pyongyang’s denuclearization.
Kim has declared North Korea an “irreversible” nuclear power and has called for ramped-up arms production, including tactical nuclear weapons. AFP
MOSCOW—Russia said Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian territory would “not be possible” without US and NATO help, escalating its rhetoric after reporting it had downed five drones near the capital on Tuesday.
Ukraine meanwhile accused Russia of planning “dangerous provocations” at the Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, while Russia in turn claimed Kyiv was planning to attack the facility, Europe’s largest.
Moscow said the West had enabled Ukraine to carry out the drone attacks, after earlier condemning what it called a “terrorist act.”
“These attacks would not be possible without the help provided to the Kyiv regime by the US and its NATO allies,” the Russian foreign ministry said, claiming the West was “training drone operators and providing the necessary intelligence to commit such crimes.”
It marks the latest in a series of recent drone attacks—including on the Kremlin and Russian towns near the border with Ukraine —that Moscow has blamed on Kyiv.
The Russian military said it had downed all five drones and that there was no damage or casualties from the early-morning attacks. Emergency services cited by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency said one of the drones was “neutralised” at Kubinka, about 40 kilometersfrom Vnukovo international airport, where air traffic was briefly disrupted. AFP
Crashed
N. Korean spy satellite had ‘no military utility’: Seoul
PHILIPPINE stocks lost 2.08 points, or 0.03 percent, to close at 6,512.39 Wednesday as investors ignored the continued slowdown in inflation rate.
Analysts said investors also stayed on the sidelines as the US financial market was closed in celebration of the Fourth of July holiday.
Inflation in June fell to a more than one-year low of 5.4 percent from 6.1 percent in May helped by slower increases in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
BDO Capital and Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said that while the government reported continued slowdown in inflation rate, interest rates were not expected to come down soon because of the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance.
Value turnover remained thin at P3.6 billion.
Meanwhile, equity markets sank Wednesday as another round of data showed China›s economy continued to struggle in June, with little hope that its leaders can unveil the
blockbuster stimulus needed to kick start growth.
With Wall Street closed on the Independence Day holiday, investors had few other catalysts to drive business, with the rally from last week’s US inflation data already running out of steam.
Focus now turns to the release of minutes from the US Federal Reserve’s June policy meeting, which should provide an insight into oficials› thinking when they decided to pause interest rates for the first time afer 10 straight hikes.
That will be followed Friday by closely watched jobs creation data, a key guide to the state of the world›s top economy.
While the Fed and other central banks› battle against sticky inflation has been the overriding issue for investors this year, China›s struggle to get growth back on track has also been a major cause of angst.
A string of indicators in recent months has shown that policymakers have a lot of work to do to get the world›s number two economy, a key driver of global GDP, back up to speed.
The initial burst of activity seen afer the lifing of the country’s zero-Covid policy at the end of 2022 has given way to torpidity, but apart from the odd pledge of action and some small interest rate cuts, authorities have done little to address the problem. With AFP
9. Approval of the Compensation of Directors;
10. Other Matters; and
11. Adjournment.
The record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the said meeting is fixed at the close of business hours on June 27, 2023.
To ensure the health and well-being of our stockholders during this COVID-19 pandemic, stockholders may only attend the meeting by remote communication and/or vote in absentia or through the Chairman of the meeting as proxy. Stockholders who wish to participate by remote communication or vote in absentia or by proxy should notify the Corporate Secretary by email to cic.secretary@romulo.com from July 6, 2023 to July 17, 2023. Successful registrants will receive an electronic invitation via email with a complete guide on how to join the meeting. For any registration concerns, please get in touch with the Corporation through cic.secretary@romulo.com. All stockholders who wish to vote through a proxy or in absentia shall submit the duly signed proxies or ballots, as the case may be, to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at the 21st Floor, Philamlife Tower, 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City and/or by email to cic.secretary@romulo.com not later than July 17, 2023. The proxies and ballots submitted shall be validated on July 20, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. We are not soliciting proxies. The Information Statement which contains a brief explanation of each item on the agenda and procedures for attending the meeting via remote communication and for casting votes in absentia, Management Report, and Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2022 in SEC Form 17-A are posted on the Corporation’s website at https:// cic.ph/investor-relations/#annual-stockholders and PSE EDGE. The meeting shall be recorded in audio and video format and copies thereof shall be retained by the Corporation.
SOLAR SETTLEMENT. This aerial photo taken on July 4, 2023 shows solar panels on roofs at the ‘Solar Settlement Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck’ in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany. As the first solar settlement in the Ruhr area, it was built with 71 houses by two different developers as part of the funding programme ‘50 Solar Settlements in NRW (North RhineWestphalia)’. AFP
SINGAPORE—Singapore’s central bank said Wednesday it suffered a record annual net loss of US$23 billion in the most recent financial year as it tightened monetary policy to battle soaring inflation, and it warned the city-state’s economy still faced headwinds.
Central banks worldwide have embarked on a campaign to cushion the effects of rising prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year that hammered oil and gas supplies.
But while others have hiked interest rates in their battle, Singapore, which imports most of its needs, has strengthened the local dollar to make imported goods cheaper.
However, that has translated into huge losses in its official foreign reserves, Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Ravi Menon announced.
The MAS booked a “net loss of Sg$30.8 billion (for the financial year ended March), reflecting the effects of monetary policy tightening to bring down inflation”, he said at the release of its annual report.
“This is the largest loss MAS has ever recorded,” he added.
He said 70 percent of the loss, or Sg$21.4 billion, was down to the “negative currency translation effects of a stronger Singapore dollar.”
The other 30 percent of the loss came from the MAS’s “net interest
expenses... from money market operations to mop up excess liquidity in the banking system.”
Menon said inflation has “clearly peaked and has discernibly moderated.”
Core inflation on a monthon-month seasonally adjusted annualized basis fell sharply from a peak of 9.1 percent in June 2022 to 3.6 percent in May 2023, he said.
He said growth prospects for Singapore “have dimmed and the economy will operate slightly below its underlying capacity” as manufacturing and financial services—two key economic pillars—have stalled in recent quarters.” Growth will remain weak in the near term,” he said. AFP
PARIS, France—The risks of harvest failures in multiple global breadbaskets have been underestimated, according to a study Tuesday that researchers said should be a “wake up call” about the threat climate change poses to our food systems.
Food production is both a key source of planet-warming emissions and highly exposed to the efects of climate change, with climate and crop models used to figure out just what the impacts could be as the world warms.
In the new research published in Nature Communications, researchers in the United States and Germany looked at the likelihood that several major food producing regions could simultaneously sufer low yields.
These events can lead to price spikes, food insecurity and even civil unrest, said lead author Kai Kornhuber, a researcher at Columbia University and the German Council on Foreign Relations.
By “increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases, we are entering this uncharted water where we are struggling to really have an accurate idea of what type of extremes we›re going to face,” he told AFP.
“We show that these types of concurring events are really largely underestimated.”
The study looked at observational and climate model data between 1960 and 2014, and then at projections for 2045 to 2099.
Researchers first looked at the impact of the jet stream—the air currents that drive weather patterns in many of the world’s most important
Farmers cultivate crops at a rice paddy in Karawang, West Java on April 11, 2023. AFP crop producing regions.
They found that a “strong meandering” of the jet stream, flowing in big wave shapes, has particularly significant impacts on key agricultural regions in North America, Eastern Europe and East Asia, with a reduction in harvests of up to seven percent.The researchers also found that this had been linked to simultaneous crop failures in the past.
One example was in 2010, when the fluctuations of the jet stream were linked to both extreme heat in parts of Russia and devastating floods in Pakistan, which both hurt crops, Kornhuber said.
Risk assessment
The study also looked at how well computer models assess these risks and found that while they are good at showing the atmospheric movement of the jet stream, they underestimate the magnitude of the extremes this produces on the ground.
Kornhuber said the study should be a “a wake up call in terms of our uncertainties” of the impacts of climate change on the food sector, with more frequent and intense weather extremes and increasingly complicated combinations of extremes.
“We need to be prepared for these types of complex climate risks in the future and the models at the moment seem to not capture this,” he said. AFP
Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:
Name of ChildName and Place of School Date of Enrollment Erika Hanne E. YapUniversity of the Phils. Graduate-UP Education Hans Edison E. YapUniversity of the Phils.Graduate-Doctor of Medicine Heinrich Elbert E. YapPhil. Science High School Grade 11 (Eleven)
12. I shall never be a public charge. am of good moral character. believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.
I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy. have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.
13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance
and tax documents and Proof of Payment of Taxes. Note: The company’s latest GIS (General Information Sheet), which was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the financial statements of the company, which was submitted to the BIR/appropriate government agency, must also be submitted.
✔ Duly notarized Affidavits of at least two (2) credible and disinterested witnesses who must be Filipino citizens (preferably natural-born citizens of the Philippines), of good repute in their community, and have no criminal record (Note submit National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance of character witnesses; also submit a copy of the ID which the character witness used in the notarization of the affidavit) [Note: character witness must attest in the affidavit: (a) that he/she has known petitioner for at least 10 years or more (must also indicate how he/she got acquainted with the petitioner); (b) the good moral character of the petitioner (and how he/she mingles with Filipinos and the society); (c) that in his/her own opinion, petitioner has all the qualifications necessary to become a citizen of the Philippines and none of the disqualifications provided for by law); ✔ Medical Certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation, or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent, and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any incurable contagious disease [please attach the following to the certificate: (1) Neuro-Psychiatric Evaluation Report (from a duly licensed psychiatrist (who is a medical doctor), not a psychologist); (2) Laboratory Test Results for Drugs Test and HIV Teat, and, (3) other laboratory test’s Note: all laboratory tests must also conducted from a government hospital)]; Note: Petitioners for naturalization are required to have their medical examination/diagnostic procedures conducted in a government hospital or facility, and not merely hospitals or facilities which are accredited by the government. The mere fact that the government hospital or facility is not near the residence or place of work of petitioner is not a valid reason for petitioner not to have said medical examination or diagnostic procedure conducted in a government hospital or facility. Note: It must be clear in the medical certificate and the diagnostic/laboratory test results that the subject of said medical examination or diagnostic/laboratory test is the petitioner. ✔ Certified true copy with school
THE European Union plans to extend the effectivity of the Generalized Scheme of Preference by another four years.
“The GSP regulation removes import duties on products imported to the EU from vulnerable developing countries and contributes to poverty eradication,” the EU Trade announced on social media platform Twitter on Tuesday.
A Philippine trade delegation met with key European Union officials to discuss the renewal of the EU GSP Scheme, which is set to expire in December 2023.
Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the proposed extension of GSP at an opportune time was expected to open a multitude of opportunities for the Philippines.
“The GSP extension is a significant boost for our exporters. It will enable
them to maintain their competitive edge in the EU market and expand their trade volumes. This development reinforces our commitment to strengthen our trade relations with the European Union,” said Pascual as the delegation to Europe winds down the three-week Europe Investment Roadshow.
GSP is a preferential trade arrangement that grants developing countries, including the Philippines, reduced or zero tariffs on exports to the EU market. With the proposed extension until December 2027, Philippine exporters can continue to benefit from enhanced market access and reduced trade barriers when exporting their products to EU member states.
It consists of three arrangements, the first being the Standard GSP for low and lower-middle income countries, providing for a reduction or full removal of customs duties on 2/3 of EU tariff lines.
By Alena Mae S. Flores
THE Malampaya consortium led by Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. of businessman Enrique Razon Jr. is on schedule in its work program which includes the drilling of two new wells.
“The good news that was shared with the President yesterday, by the Malampaya consortium is that we are on track to having the first drilling for the nearby fields by the end of 2024, and we are looking forward to new or additional supply from the same service contract by 2026,” said Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla during the the Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City.
Lotilla said this strong investor con-
fidence reflects the government’s commitment to achieving and maintaining energy security and independence for the country.
“This good news is important in terms of encouraging more investments in exploration in the oil and gas sector,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. renewed and extended the Malampaya Service Contract 38 from Feb. 22, 2024
until 2039.
“Ever since [President Marcos] assumed office, he has committed the energy sector towards stabilizing the investment environment...We were able to extend or renew the service contract,” Lotilla said.
The 15-year renewal of SC 38 allowed Prime Infra subsidiary Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. to carry out drilling beyond the existing production area of the depleting gas field.
“The conduct of exploratory drilling further away from the Malampaya production area within the service Contract is a requirement for the SC 38 consortium to retain the exploration areas,” said Lotilla.
The DOE required the SC 38 consortium to submit a minimum work
program involving geological and geophysical studies and the drilling of at least two deep water wells during the sub-phase 1 from 2024 to 2029.
The consortium is led by Prime Energy, UC38 LLC and PNOC-Exploration Corp.
Prime Energy is the gas operator and has a 45-percent stake in the project. UC38 also has a 45-percent stake, while PNOC-EC owns the remaining 10 percent.
The DOE said the consortium’s work program is “geared towards unlocking the potential both in the existing gas field and nearby prospect areas to provide incremental production.”
The Malampaya field’s best estimate for the near field is an additional 210 billion cubic feet of gas.
by 2028
DITO CME Holdings Corp. said Wednesday it expects subsidiary DITO Telecommunity Corp. to post a profit by 2028 as it continues to expand coverage nationwide.
DITO CME president Eric Alberto, during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting, expressed confidence on passing the fourth annual technical audit by the National Telecommunications Commission this month.
“This upcoming audit shall require the telco to achieve a minimum network population coverage of 80 percent and continue to deliver a minimum broadband speed of 55 Mbps over 4G,” Alberto said.
DITO passed its third annual technical audit with a national population coverage of 72.39 percent, while the minimum average broadband speed delivered are 71.77 percent Mbps and 801.19 Mbps for all 4G and 5G sites, respectively.
DITO committed to delivering national population coverage of 70.01 percent and MABS of 55 Mbps on its third year. Darwin
G. AmojelarGLOBE Telecom Inc. said Wednesday it is looking at artificial intelligence to significantly improve customer experience by automating routine tasks and bring down costs.
“Given the fact that we’re driving automation towards cost and operational efficiency, I think this is going to be a big contributor to our exercise,” said Globe Group president and chief executive Ernest Cu. AI is the ability of a computer or a computercontrolled robot to do tasks that require human intelligence and discernment. While AI may not be capable of executing the broad spectrum of tasks people can do, it can still rival human performance in some aspects.
Globe said it is exploring the potential of utilizing AI to enhance customer service.
The company said its main focus is on operations, where AI has shown promising use cases. This is especially evident in outbound calling, customer care,and collection.
“I was truly amazed and impressed at how human the conversation was and how effective it will be given the fact that we are driving towards automation, towards cost-cutting and efficiency,” Cu said.
Darwin G. AmojelarUNIONDIGITAL Bank said Wednesday it secured a capital infusion approval of up to P900 million from parent Union Bank of the Philippines.
It said the latest infusion would help drive the digital bank’s expansion, particularly in digital loans which would soon be launched in the UD app.
The capital boost will enable UD to expand its digital loan offerings via its app and APIs, providing customers with faster access to credit and a seamless loan application process. The capital infusion is subject to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulatory approval.
“This approved funding indicates UnionBank’s confidence in our strategic growth plan and strong financial performance. We will use this to fuel our growth trajectory and allow us to better serve the financial needs of our customers,” said UnionDigital Bank president and chief executive Henry Aguda.
“Nearly 70 percent of our customer base comprise of individuals with limited means at the base of the income pyramid―these are the people we want to help and include in the financial system,” he said. UD recorded a net profit in the first quarter of 2023, driven by its ecosystem-led business model.
Government Service Insurance System president and general manager Wick Veloso (right) and Autohub Group president Willy Tee Ten finalize an agreement for Autohub to provide an open credit line and exclusive discounts for automotive services to GSIS-insured vehicles at the GSIS head office in Pasay City. Under the partnership, GSIS-insured vehicles will receive a 10-percent discount on parts and a 15-percent discount on labor and materials at Autohub service centers.
The Autohub Group, accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry, operates as a consortium of service centers and 31 automotive dealerships nationwide with 2,000 personnel employed in 20 companies.
MORE than a third of Filipinos reported difficulties in “meeting their financial needs based on their monthly earnings alone” amid high consumer prices, according to a market research company.
Synergy Market Research + Strategic Consultancy president and chief executive Germaine Reyes said while inflation rate decelerated from a peak of 8.7 percent in January 2023, it remained elevated compared to the previous year’s.
The Philippine Statistics Authority said inflation in June settled at 5.4 percent.
“Despite the easing of pandemic restrictions and the reopening of businesses, inflation continues to hinder consumer spending,” she said.
Reyes said to cope with high prices, Filipinos changed their spending habits and cut back on several expenditures.
“In fact, seven out of 10 Filipinos are expected to make cutbacks in household spending over the next 12 months if the contributory factors such as inflation will not improve,” she said during
By Jenniffer B. CONSTRUCTIONCustoms collected P74.86b in duties to top June target
By Julito G. RadaTHE Bureau of Customs said Wednesday it collected P74.861 billion in duties and taxes in June, exceeding by P140 million its assigned target of 74.721 billion for the month.
Its June collection, based on the report from the Bureau of Treasury, brought the total in the first half to P434.169 billion, up by P13.505 billion or 3.21 percent from the P420.66billion assigned revenue target.
The figure also reflected a P37.434billion growth compared to the previous year.
a briefing at Rockwell Club in Makati City.
Reyes said it is important for companies to keep prices steady to help Filipino consumers and entice them to spend more. “If we want to induce consumer spending, let us not raise our prices. About 36 percent are finding it difficult to meet their financial needs, and 51 percent are barely meeting their needs.
So that’s a total of 87 percent,” she said, based on the results of the study by Synergy and YouGov. Synergy and YouGov surveyed 3,479 adult Filipinos across the Philippines on March 29 to April 5, 2023.
Reyes said among the products and services that saw the biggest price increase are petroleum, eating out, healthcare and food supplement, sanitary and toiletries and mobile and Internet services.
“As inflation continues to ease up, it is hoped that consumer spending will be induced further. Right now, it seems
Austria
and engineering firm Megawide Construction Corp. is venturing into residential development with the acquisition of PH1 World Developers Inc. for P5.2 billion.
Megawide said Wednesday its board of directors approved the acquisition of 100-percent stake in PH1, the property arm of parent firm Citicore Holdings
Investments Inc.
Megawide said it finalized acquisition price after a careful deliberation by the company and valuation study of PH1 in accordance with the 2022 International Valuation Standards.
“Based on the fairness opinion report issued by FTI Consulting Philippines Inc. on the transaction, the purchase price is fair from a financial point of view,” Megawide said in a disclosure to
that people are putting on a wait-andsee attitude. This presents an opportunity for brands to extend a lifeline to customers by being considerate and not introduce price hikes, extend support to customers by offering products/services that align with their budget, or offer innovative solutions that will provide better value for consumers to spend on,” she said.
She said Filipino consumers were reducing spending on dining out, beauty products, cosmetics and gadgets and luxury items.
Reyes said the pandemic may have shifted Filipino consumers’ focus towards health and wellness.
“Overall, only a few product categories will see a significant increase in spending for the rest of the year, namely, healthcare products/food supplements and sanitary care/toiletries,” she said.
It said it achieved the revenue growth despite the challenges in importation volume, which fell 2.8 percent this year on high-value commodities.
The BOC said while the volume of oil increased by 9.9 percent this year from 2022, the revenue from said commodity declined because of the decreasing value of oil in the world market from $1.1 per liter in June 2022 to just $ 0.63 per liter this month.
BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said the agency’s unrelenting drive against smuggling of all forms significantly contributed to its collection performance.
The anti-smuggling efforts resulted in the seizure of shipments with aggregate estimated value of P23.8 billion this year.
It said P15.54 billion came from seizures of counterfeit goods, P2.90 billion from confiscation of agricultural products and P1.85 billion from cigarettes/tobacco, among others.
Roderick T. dela CruzSpending on financial or investment products are also expected to slightly increase this year as a result of the pandemic, she said.
the stock exchange.
Megawide said it would present the acquisition for shareholders’ approval during the annual stockholders meeting on July 12, 2023.
PH1 is building two high-rise projects on Ortigas Ave. in Taytay, Rizal and Quezon City and two soon-to-rise house-and-lot developments in San Jose de Monte City in Bulacan and Trece Martires in Cavite.
The Philippine Stock Exchange suspended the trading of Megawide following the disclosure.
“After a careful review of the disclosure submitted by the company, the exchange deems that the foregoing transaction is covered by the Rule on Disclosure for Substantial Acquisitions and Reverse Takeovers under Section 5, Article VII of the Consolidated Listing and Disclosure Rules of the Exchange,” the PSE said.
KAI Sotto’s bid to become the first homegrown Filipino to make it to the National Basketball Association is still alive, but all he can hope for now is to get a two-way deal from the Orlando Magic team that selected him for its Summer League campaign.
Or, if he is dominant enough in the pre-NBA tournament for rookies and sophomores, another team can offer him a roster spot.
Sotto is the only legitimate center in the Magic’s lineup for the Summer League. The next available big man in the roster is 6’11” center/forward Robert Baker.
This, plus the fact that the Magic’s President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman confirmed that they have dropped Bol Bol, their 7’2” center, who played in
70 games last season with Orlando, fuelled hopes from his Filipino fans that the Magic could be opening up a spot for the Filipino hopeful.
Bol was originally selected in the second round as a 44th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by Miami.
But as it stands now, the Magic’s regular season roster has already been filled up, and that only two two-way contracts are the ones up for grabs. A “two-way contract” allows developing players to simultaneously be rostered on an NBA team and its G League affiliate. Each NBA team can have three players on this type of contract.
Sotto has been working out with his Orlando Magic Summer League teammates this week at Advent Health Training Center in Orlando, Florida.
Orlando will kick off its Summer League stint on Saturday, July 8 vs. Detroit (5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN).
The 18th NBA 2K24 Summer League will feature all 30 NBA teams playing at least five games each.
Two rookies, Anthony Black and Jett Howard, the sixth and 11th overall picks in the 2023 NBA Draft, are also scheduled to play with Sotto, along with Caleb Houstan and Kevon Harris, members of last season’s Orlando team.
THE 2023 National Palarong Pambansa, which had been canceled for three years due to the pandemic and other challenges faced by the host localities, Mamburao and Marikina, will finally kick off with a dragonboat race in Marikina City.
The exhibition race, known as the “1st Hon. Marjorie Ann Theodoro” Dragonboat Festival, will take place on July 31 at the Marikina Riverbank, in time for the opening parade of the Palaro.
Over 400 paddlers from across the Philippines will gather from July 29 to August 5 to mark the revival and opening of the 75-year-old school-based competition.
This is the first time that Marikina City will be hosting the national Palarong Pambansa, and Marikina Mayor Marcelino Theodoro expressed his excitement about showcasing the city’s sports facilities and amenities.
The city government officials and
NIMIR Abdel-Aziz, one of the best opposite hitters in the European club circuit, made his presence felt on Wednesday in Week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The 31-year-old Abdel-Aziz provided leadership for the Netherlands as they prevailed over Canada, 25-22, 25-22, 17-25, 25-18, in Day 2 of the weeklong spikefest.
The win kept the Dutch squad’s hopes alive in their effort to reach the Grand Finals.
A 12-year veteran of professional tournaments in the European circuit, Abdel-Aziz knocked in 24 points in their 97-minute clash with the Canadians.
“The competition was good. We slowed down a bit (in the third set). They went up in level (Canada). In the fourth set, the points just went our way,” said Abdel Aziz.
The Dutch spikers held on to a 12-10 lead when the Canadians fell behind on four errors.
The miscues at the frontline allowed the Dutch side to move away, 15-10.
After Canada scored another point off Dutch player Twan Wiltenburg’s error, Abdel-Aziz stepped up with a smash off a blocking error by Nicholas Hoag, 16-11.
The Dutchmen then found their chance to move further ahead off Gijs Jorna’s block and Wessell Keemink’s ace, 18-11.
The Netherlands improved their win-loss record to 5-4 at eighth place. But they will need to win their next match against Brazil on Thursday to stay in contention for the grand finals.
The Dutchman are scrambling to remain in contention for the eighth and last seat in the Grand Finals with Serbia and France. Peter
Atencioemployees are working hard to ensure that all participating athletic delega-
tions have a wonderful experience. The mayor invited the Philippine
Canoe
In a meeting with PCKDF President Leonora Escollante, the mayor expressed confidence that the postpandemic competition would reignite public interest and attract many competitors.
The dragonboat race will serve as the opening event, followed by a week of friendly races and sports matches in various venues throughout the city.
Escollante signed an agreement with the mayor, allowing the PCKDF to oversee the dragonboat exhibition.
She expressed hope that in the future, dragonboat racing would become a regular sport in the Palarong Pambansa. As a country with long coastlines and a strong connection to the water, she believes that paddling sports should be embraced by local government leaders as a major recreational activity.
OLYMPIC medalist Kayla Sanchez is skipping the world aquatics championships set to open in eight days in Fukuoka to concentrate on her campaign in the Hangzhou 20th Asian Games as a full-fledged Filipino athlete, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
Sanchez, 22, owns one Olympic silver and three world championships gold medals, while swimming for Canada. She reverted to competing for her native Philippines last year.
Tolentino said on Wednesday that Sanchez, upon the advice of her coach, decided to focus on the Hangzhou Asian Games in September and no longer on the world championships set to start July 14 in Fukuoka, Japan.
“I have met with my coach, and we have decided it is best for me not to compete in Fukuoka,” Sanchez told Tolentino. “This means I can be focused to
medal in the Asian Games in September.”
“I have a very intense competition schedule after Asian Games with another world championships and the Olympics,” she added.
Tolentino said he trusts Sanchez and her coach’s decision on competing in Hangzhou.
“Kayla’s a veteran swimmer, even at only 22, and she and her coach know what’s best,” Tolentino said.
Sanchez said she would want to wait for the full confirmation from World Aquatics on her eligibility to compete for the Philippines after having represented Canada earlier in her career, including at the Tokyo Olympics where she was part of Canada’s silver medal-winning 4x100 meters freestyle relay team.
“Before I withdraw from the competition I think we should wait until World Aquatics approves my transfer,” she said. “At least then we know that I am 100 % cleared to race for the Philippines in the Asian Games.”
for facilitating her transfer.
LANAO del Norte’s Satar Salem packed up his gear and headed to Bohol armed and ready for another shot at the overall championship in the Sun Life 5150 Triathlon, which unwraps Sunday at the Bellevue Resort on Panglao Island.
Like in last year’s edition of the event, which marked the return of the sport in full blast after the pandemic, the TRI SND Barracuda team spearhead braces for another feisty battle with a slew of rivals out to foil his back-to-back title bid and eager to fuel their respective drive in the 1.5 km-swim, 40 km-bike and 10 km run distance event.
Though he failed to turn in a podium finish due to a minor lapse in the bike stage in the Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 in Davao City last March, Salem helped steer TRI SND Barracuda to the team championship that netted them the Tribu Maisugon title.
But the 27-year-old campaigner is all primed for a repeat in the blue-ribbon race set over an Olympic-style setup and put up by Sun Life Philippines in its continuing effort to help promote an active, healthy lifestyle among Filipinos.
The Bohol event also serves as the first of three 5150 races for the next three months organized by The IRONMAN Group/Sunrise Events, Inc. The sport will make a homecoming of sorts in the Bicol region after 12 years for the CamSur 5150 on Aug. 6 while Dapitan City is pulling out all the stops to guarantee a successful hosting of a first-ever 5150 in Zamboanga del Norte on Sept. 10.
For the second straight year, the Bohol 5150 is staged as part of the Sandugo Festival celebrations, a project of the Province of Bohol under Gov. Aris Aumentado.
Fierce duels are also seen in various age-group categories, from 1519 to 65-69, both in the men’s and women’s sides.
PHILIPPINE Sports Commissioner Olivia
Bong Coo would like to honor De Vega by naming the Rizal Memorial Track and Football Stadium after the deceased Filipina track superstar.
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But there was a problem.
“We found out that the PSC board before us had already named the Track and Football stadium after Simeon Toribio. So we abandoned that idea,” said Coo, herself an accomplished athlete, who had won the World Cup of bowling four times.
Toribio was a Filipino high jump athlete, who won a bronze medal in the 1932 Olympics. Two years before, he was awarded Asia’s Greatest Athlete. Toribio, who got a civil engineering degree
at Silliman University in Dumaguete, would later serve as Representative of the second district of Bohol, where he lived until his death in 1969.
Coo said De Vega will instead be honored by putting up a lifesized monume nt in her image that will serve as a remembrance to De Vega’s inspiring achievement as an athlete.
De Vega was a four-time Asian sprint champion, two-time Asian Games gold medalist, and nine-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist. She died on Aug. 10 last year after a long bout with cancer.
“We would like to give that honor to Lydia. We want her to be remembered and emulated by the younger generation,” said Coo.
Fondly called Diay by her fans and friends, De Vega’s last public appearance was during the opening ceremony of the 30th SEA Games at the New Clark City, where she carried the Philippine flag, together with fellow sports legends.
In August, 2021 during the leadership of then-chairman William Ramirez, the PSC board named several government sports facilities to sports heroes. The weightlifting gym has been named Hidilyn Diaz Weightlifting Gym in honor of the first Olympic gold medalist from the Philippines.
TOP seed Johnny Arcilla and Eric Jed Olivarez racked up three straight victories each in their respective draws as they rolled into the semifinal round and stayed on course for another title face-off in the Marawi Open Tennis Championships at the MSU (Mindanao State U) courts in Lanao del Sur on Wednesday.
The many-time PCA Open champion Arcilla continued to flash top form and incredible strength and stamina as the 43-year-old multititled campaigner eased past Keyan Sarip, 6-1, 6-1 in the second round then ripped Francisco Santos, 6-0, 6-1, and Jeleardo Amazona, 6-4, 6-1, to set up a Final Four duel with Dave Mosqueda. Ranked No. 16 in the 64-player field, Mosqueda also drew a first round bye, trounced Vicente Peralta, Jr., 6-1, 6-0, stunned fourth-ranked Eric Jay Tangub, 6-0, 6-1, then halted No. 11 Heinz Carbonilla, 6-1, 6-4, to earn a shot at a finals berth in the Group A tournament sponsored by Vice Gov. Mohammad Khalid Raki-In Adiong, the man at the helm of the host province’s youth development programs.
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The PSC Board renamed the Rizal Memorial Tennis Court to Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Court, the RMSC Swimming Pool to Teofilo Yldefonso Swimming Pool, and the Rizal Memorial Track Stadium to Simeon Toribio Track Stadium. The markers at the entrance of the facilities bearing the new names, however, have not yet been installed since the board resolution.
The second-ranked Olivarez, on the other hand, stepped up his drive for another crack at the crown after yielding to Arcilla, 3-6, 1-6, in the Lanao del Norte Open finals last week. He blasted Shalimar Aba-Conding, 6-1, 6-0; clobbered Rayyan Macaraob, 6-3, 6-0; and shut out Jude Ceniza, 6-0, 6-0.
But Olivarez will have his hands full against No. 3 Nilo Ledama in the semis as the latter likewise firmed up his own drive with a 7-5, 6-1 win over top junior Brice Baisa, before bundling out John Sonsona, 6-2, 7-5, and turning back No. 7 John David Velez, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the event also staged as part of Lanao del Sur’s 64th founding anniversary celebrations.
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PAOLO Contis and Joross Gamboa join forces to bring to life a duo of ambitious dreamers on a quest for cinematic greatness.
THE setting of a movie scene, according to a professor of American literature, is the third important element of storytelling, right after the characters and the plot. For us, sentimentalists and film buffs, where a movie has been shot is essentially the only visually tangible thing we can go to and feel whatever vibe we have for it.
Often we see actors seemingly detaching themselves from the beloved characters they’re known for. An Oscar winner may accept the award, say, fully bearded and sporting long hair, while the character that actually led them to the trophy is shaved and bald.
Unless it’s a movie set disassembled after the shoot, the place where an iconic movie scene was shot will likely provide goosebumps to movie fans. That was my experience when I was brought to the site of the iconic house that served as the main setting of the 2018 Netflix movie Bird Box
The house located in Old Town Monrovia (in California), with its identifi-
able front stairs and moody look, is where the characters of Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich, the film’s most popular faces, quarantined themselves along with other interesting figures to survive, albeit temporarily, the menace happening outside. After standing in front of the Bird Box safe house, and having my picture taken there, I re-streamed the movie and excitedly waited for that opening chaotic scene to unfold. I was awed realizing I just passed by the street where the sister of Bullock’s character sees the thing causing the mayhem and which leads to her numbing demise. The spot had become a tourist attraction after the success of the film, with netizens posting pictures or videos of themselves with blindfolds in various ways to mimic the blindfolded protagonists, A few months back, I was driven to a spot where an iconic scene from the original Back To The Future movie featuring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd was shot. That clip where the DeLorean time machine first got tested and which resulted in Marty McFly being transported to November 5, 1955, by circumstance was shot in the premises of Puente Hills Mall (City of Industry, CA), renamed Twin Pines Mall for the movie.
Writer Ed Cunningham stated that “there’s something quite glamorous about seeing somewhere you know in a Hollywood blockbuster.”
He thinks that people would want to put themselves in the shoes of a famous character while in the very spot where he or she is seen in the movie.
In my case, it’s more of elevating the world presented in a movie, and more importantly the meaning of the film, by paying homage to its setting. Whatever happens in a movie is forever attached to the setting where it takes place. Regardless if it’s fiction or based on a real story, it becomes a certain spot’s created version of reality. So that house used in Bird Box is no longer just a house like any other in that area of Monrovia, but the epicenter of a post-apocalyptic world existing in the movie, or in the novel where it was adapted from. One time late last year, I was in Los Angeles visiting a family friend who surprised me by revealing that a few steps from their place lies the site of the diner featured in the opening scene of the Antoine Fuqua-directed Training Day starring Denzel Washington, in his Academy Awardwinning performance, and Ethan Hawke, in a role you would root for. A new establishment now occupies the lot, but knowing it was there where Alonzo Harris and Jake Hoyt first met in the film made me smile. I was on some solid ground!
In every fine film, there is a place that the art of cinema puts a stamp on and turns what is otherwise commonplace into some mystical, magical spot.
Contis portrays a struggling producer, while Gamboa takes on the role of an ardent director. Together, they embark on a hilarious and exhilarating journey to create their magnum opus, defying obstacles and encountering unexpected twists along the way.
From MAVX Productions Inc., Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars is an extraordinary comedy directed by Jules Katanyag. It follows the story of two ambitious dreamers who are determined to create their magnum opus and leave a lasting impact on the industry, they face a major roadblock: the lack of a sufficient budget.
However, fortune smiles upon them as they encounter an unexpected twist of fate. Seizing this opportunity, the duo conceives a bold concept that might just save their
project from failure. They decide to cast actual "aswangs," mythical creatures from Filipino folklore, as the lead characters in their movie.
Armed with nothing but their wits, tenacity, and a camera, our protagonists embark on an unexplored realm, filled with both excitement and anxiety. As they traverse through the bizarre and uncanny, hilarious mishaps unfold, creating a tapestry of sidesplitting moments that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars celebrates the power of imagination, camaraderie, and the unwavering spirit of pursuing one's dreams. With Paolo and Joross's impeccable comedic timing and undeniable chemistry, the film appeals to viewers from all walks of life.
The movie boasts an original premise, a brilliant cast, and superb storytelling, making it a potential cinematic classic. From start to finish, Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars guarantees to keep spectators laughing, interested, and fully engaged in each scenario.
Ang Pangarap Kong Oskars is now showing in cinemas.
Old Town Monrovia, California that is featured in the famed 2018 Netflix
GMA’s romance anthology series I Can
See You, is now available for streaming on Amazon Freevee. This allows viewers in the U.S. to indulge in a captivating lineup of unique stories brought to life by their favorite Kapuso stars. The series presents a collection of heartfelt and engaging stories, each featuring different Kapuso stars in lead roles.
Its first installment, Love on the Balcony, captured the hearts of audiences with its compelling narratives and stellar performances. It features a story of a videographer, Iñigo (Alden Richards), as he searches for his ideal girl. An incident with his drone and a medical frontliner, Lea (Jasmine Cur-
in latest episode
The recent episode of CIA with BA has once again proven that blood is thicker than water.
On Sunday, July 2, sibling senators Alan Peter and Pia Cayetano and TV host Boy
Abunda took on the complaint of Gary Alonzo about his older brother Berto, who he said suddenly sold his collected junk items amounting to approximately P3,000.
According to Berto, however, these were causing inconvenience to their neighbors since they have piled up in front of the house he and Gary share. Aside from that, he said the amount he collected from selling the items was considered as Gary’s share in their electricity bill and other expenses.
In settling the dispute, Senator Alan said:
"It is our obligation to state what the law is.
In one sense kasi, Gary, ang sinasabi nga niya (Berto), do’n nakatambak (‘yung mga kalakal), bahay niya ‘yon… may karapatan [siyang] tanggalin ‘yon,” he said addressing the complainant. “Pero tama ka naman Gary na iba kasi ‘yung ‘tanggalin’ — ‘yung tatanggalin mo [ang] perwisyo—[at] iba ‘yung binebenta mo.”
“Kasi ‘pag binenta mo, ari-arian niya (Gary) ‘yon. Kaya kung batas at batas ang pag-uusapan, pwedeng tanggalin ‘yon pero hindi mo dapat ibenta ‘yon kaya ‘yung pera dapat isauli sa kanya,” he continued as he
talked to Berto.
Senator Alan offered the TV program’s help in shouldering the amount but said the brothers must settle their differences. He offered financial assistance and encouraged the siblings to communicate and resolve their differences, emphasizing the importance of restoring their bond before leaving the studio.
Before the ‘Case 2 Face’ segment ended, Gary apologized to Berto. “‘Tol, kung ano man nagawa ko sa ‘yo, patawarin mo ako. Sana ‘di na natin i-aano ‘yung pagiging magkapatid natin,” said Gary while crying and hugging his brother. “Mas maganda, ayusin na natin buhay natin. Makinig ka sa ‘kin. Ilalagay naman kita sa maayos e,” Berto told his younger brother.
Apart from the cash assistance for the two, CIA with BA also provided educational assistance to Gary’s daughter as well as a livelihood.
CIA with BA is the continuation of the legacy of Senator Rene Cayetano, the late father of the sibling senators. The senior Cayetano was a renowned lawyer who gained fame through his radio and TV program Compañero y Compañera, which aired from 1997 to 2001.
CIA with BA, hosted by Alan, Pia, and Boy, airs every Sunday at 11:30 p.m. on GMA.
tis-Smith), causes them to meet. Will friendship eventually grow between them because of this accident?
In The Promise, Frank (Paolo Contis) struggles to move on from the untimely death of his wife, Clarisse (Yasmien Kurdi). Frank’s cousin Jude (Benjamin Alves) and his girlfriend, Ivy (Andrea Torres) visit Frank to help him feel better after this tragedy.
High-Rise Lovers features a story of a married couple, Samantha (Lovi Poe) and Luis (Tom Rodriguez) who just moved into a new condominium unit. Samantha continues to strive hard at work to get a promotion not knowing her husband already longs to have a baby. Will their relationship survive
upon reaching this crossroad in their lives?
In Truly. Madly. Deadly., Coleen (Jennylyn Mercado) successfully saves her best friend Abby (Rhian Ramos) from Pampanga’s most wanted killer, Drew (Dennis Trillo).
A heartbreaking tale is featured in On My Way to You! as runaway bride Raki (Shaira Daz) has second thoughts as she walks down the aisle of her wedding. How will her groom, Albert (Gil Cuerva), handle this situation?
In #Future, Vinchie (Miguel Tanfelix) is faced with a tough choice while taking risks in the search for viral news for the sake of his job. Will
he continue down this path if he finds out his father is involved in his latest sensational story?
A thrilling tale, The Lookout features the story of Emma (Barbie Forteza) who is under investigation because of her alleged involvement in the Penuliar family’s criminal case. Will they find a motive for her to make the family suffer?
Love is in the air with these brand new offerings now available on Amazon Freevee. Amazon Freevee, formerly IMDb TV, is a streaming video service with thousands of premium movies and TV shows, including Originals and FAST channels, available anytime, for free.
Businesswoman Rhea AnicocheTan and actress Marian Rivera have joined forces to create BlancPro, a premium skincare brand that aims to make high-quality skincare accessible to the masses. Drawing inspiration from the success of the premium beauty and wellness brand Beautéderm, Anicoche-Tan, the president and CEO of the company, introduces BlancPro with a warm invitation to consumers.
BlancPro enters the beauty industry as a new contender, offering highly effective skincare products at affordable prices. The brand’s tagline, “Glow Like A Pro,” captures its mission to help users achieve professional-level radiance. The official launch of
BlancPro took place on June 29 at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City, where the brand showcased its range of skincare offerings.
Anicoche-Tan emphasizes that BlancPro is designed to cater to consumers who desire effective skincare solutions without breaking the
a premium skincare brand
bank. What sets BlancPro apart from other brands is its commitment to using quality ingredients and formulating products that suit all skin types. This ensures that customers can enjoy the benefits of premium skincare without compromising on affordability.
“BlancPro is tailored to cater to consumers who seek effective yet budget-friendly skincare products. What sets BlancPro apart is its use of quality ingredients, carefully formulated to suit all skin types,” Anicoche-Tan said.
The businesswoman further emphasized BlancPro’s commitment to inclusivity, simplicity, and affordability. Her new venture introduces an array of products that address various skin concerns, such as the Milk Body Wash, Sakura Body Scrub, Charcoal Foam, Phyto-Emerald Moisturizing Soap, and Sleeping Mask. This also includes Rivera’s signature endorsement, the Jeju White Brightening, and Moisturizing Lotion.
Aligning her passion for healthy skin and dedication to serving others, Anicoche-Tan urges consumers to treat their
skin with kindness, just as the brand’s official ambassador, Rivera, exemplifies.
“Marian Rivera has been a dear friend for many years. As the official endorser of Beautéderm Home, her effectiveness in representing the brand has been undeniable, leading my team and me to select her as the face of BlancPro.
Marian embodies grace, confidence, and beauty,” the BlancPro CEO shared.
Anicoche-Tan continued, “I welcome Marian to BlancPro family. Like our tagline, she really glows like a pro— and glows from within. Through the years, subok ko nang isa siyang totoong
kaibigang maaasahan.”
The actress responded, “Ate Rei is an inspiration to everyone—especially to aspiring entrepreneurs. Hangang-hanga talaga ako sa kanya when it comes to business. She is the real deal. She knows what she’s doing and she really knows her consumers. I am forever grateful for her trust and for the trust of her new company. I believe in the products. At mahal na mahal ko si Ate Rei.”
With the introduction of BlancPro, Anicoche-Tan and Rivera encourage consumers to embark on a skincare journey that combines efficacy with affordability.
HOW often do you find yourself brooding on what happened yesterday or what might occur tomorrow?
Arlin Cuncic, MA, founder of About Social Anxiety, a handy website that offers assistance to individuals with social anxiety disorder, reminds everyone that dwelling on regrets or fears only hinders one from truly experiencing a happier, more fulfilled life.
“Constantly thinking about the past and worrying about the future can make it difficult to enjoy the good things,” she started.
Lack of diversity in diets causes micronutrient deficiencies
FOR a country hailed as the center of biodiversity and blessed with an abundance of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables, it is ironic that the Philippines has been grappling with the issue of undernutrition as far as we can remember.
And we’re not just talking about the millions of children whose limited food choices at home have left them emaciated and small for their age. Even adults suffer from nutrient deficiencies too.
“While poverty is often thought to be the cause of micronutrient deficiencies, it’s also due to Filipinos’ overdependence on rice and lack of diversity in their diets,” says Maricar M. Esculto, RND, MD, Head of Nutrition & Dietetics Department of the top hospital in the Philippines, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed).
“Adults who think they can get by with a cup of instant noodle soup for lunch and a fast-food burger, fries, and soda for dinner every day are not getting the adequate vitamins and minerals needed for the human body to function optimally,” Esculto adds.
At least 30 vitamins and minerals allow our body to do what it is supposed to do on the regular: digest food, repair injuries, flush out toxins, convert what we eat and drink into energy, and the like.
Dr. Esculto emphasizes the importance of vitamins and minerals for metabolism, strength, and disease prevention. Identifying nutrient deficiencies through blood tests
or visible symptoms allows for targeted dietary adjustments.
During Nutrition Month, MakatiMed addresses common deficiencies among Filipinos and suggests simple solutions:
Iron: Essential for oxygen transport and muscle function. Adult males need 12mg/day, while menstruating women may require up to 28mg/day. Iron-rich foods such as beef, liver, beans, legumes, fortified cereals, and whole grains provide ample supply.
Iron deficiency leads to anemia, resulting in fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, and cold extremities. Women with anemia may experience premature delivery or maternal mortality, shares Dr. Esculto.
Vitamin C found in many of our fruits and vegetables strengthens our immune system. A potent antioxidant, it may aid in slowing the aging process, too.
“A severe deficiency in Vitamin C makes us vulnerable to a host of diseases. Expect your skin to be dry and bruise easily, your gums to bleed, your joints to ache, your wounds to heal slowly, and your energy levels to nosedive,” notes Dr. Esculto.
Since the body does not produce or store Vitamin C, consuming it daily is a must. The RNI per day for adult males is 70mg and 60mg for adult females. Local favorites papaya, guava, calamansi, pineapple, and the nutrient-dense malunggay or moringa are all packed with Vi-
tamin C.
Often associated with bone and teeth health, calcium is also responsible for muscle contraction, transporting blood throughout the body, and helping nerves send messages to the brain and other body parts.
Don’t like milk? Turn to cheese, yogurt, sardines, beans, lentils, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach to get your daily dose of calcium. The average adult, male or female, needs 750-800mg of calcium a day.
Iodine is vital for thyroid hormone production, essential for growth, brain function, reproductive health, and regulating body temperature. Insufficient iodine leads to goiter, neck swelling, and maternal complications like prenatal death and infant mortality. Pregnant women lacking iodine risk hearing impairment, cleft palate, and mental retardation, warns Dr. Esculto.
Seafood is an excellent source of iodine. So are dried fish and fresh seaweeds. Since 1995, the government has taken steps to address iodine deficiency and its effects. Republic Act No. 8172 or the ASIN Law, aims to put an end to disorders caused by iodine deficiency by mandating all salt producers and manufacturers to iodize their products.
For more information, please contact the Nutrition & Dietetics Department through MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@makatimed.net.ph, or visit www.makatimed.net.ph.
“These are aspects which we are unaware of that might affect our life and well-being,” the experts from the Benilde Well-Being Center (BWC) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde added.
Cuncic, who has worked in various mental health and research settings including the psychology department of the University of Western Ontario in Canada and the cognitive-behavioral therapy unit of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Multi-Health Systems, highlighted the importance of being in the present.
“Learning how to be more mindful and live in the moment can give you a greater appreciation for your life, help reduce stress, and minimize anxiety,” added The Anxiety Workbook author.
To guide the community to be more aware of themselves and their surroundings, the professionals listed top 10 tips, as shared through the award-winning mental health platform Verywell Mind.
3. Be grateful for what you have now. Do not be absorbed in things you do not have. Instill gratitude. List the blessings you are thankful for. Review them on a daily basis.
4. Accept things as they are and not how you want them to be. Sometimes life is going to be different than how you want it to be. Acknowledge the things that are beyond your control.
5. Practice mindfulness meditation. It improves your concentration on current tasks. It helps you recognize your thoughts and feelings.
6. Spend time with people who make you feel happy and fulfilled. Surround yourself with positive and supportive family and friends.
7. Be mindful of everything you do. Focus on the details of the activities that you are doing. It helps bring more present-moment awareness into your life.
8. Do deep breathing exercises. Take slow regulated breaths to prevent feelings of negative thoughts or panic. It allows you to be more in control of your current tasks.
9. Take a break from social media and technology.
Continuously checking social media affects your ability to be present. Do not let technology take over. It prevents you from being sensible about what is really going on around you.
10. Get regular exercise.
A stroll in the park or daily yoga can help you stay more focused especially if coupled with meditation.
Marian Rivera as the celebrity ambassador of the new skincare line
Businesswoman Rhea AnicocheTan (left) and actress Marian Rivera collaborate to produce
