Manila Standard - 2023 July 21 - Friday

Defense chief wants to know outcome of Duterte-Xi meet

DEFENSE Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is inclined to know what former President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed during their recent meeting to “judge if it is a cause for concern or not.”

But Teodoro on Thursday also ex-

pressed support for all kinds of moves meant to connect with Beijing, which saw its relations with Manila warm considerably under Duterte.

In a press conference, Teodoro said the Department of Defense would like

‘PH to refocus WPS efforts’ Centino: Address geopolitical issues in troubled waters

By Francisco Tuyay and Vince Lopez

OUTGOING Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino said Thursday his appointment as Presidential Adviser on the West Philippine Sea was brought by the need to refocus government efforts and address pressing concerns in the volatile waterway.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro agreed, telling reporters yesterday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s appointment of Centino “underscores the importance of the WPS and the dynamic of the events which occur there on a daily basis.”

This also reflects the need of the President to have someone focus on the sea lane as a “presidential adviser with Cabinet stature,” Teodoro added.

This developed as the government said it is keeping a close eye on Taiwan, the Philippines’ northern neighbor, amid the possibility of an invasion from China.

“That is a thing that we continue to monitor daily and hopefully the engagements bilaterally between the United States and China lead to the diffusion of tensions in that territory,” said Teodoro.

The country’s defense sector also supports fully the appointment of Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. as the next AFP chief of staff, replacing Centino.

Teodoro said this appointment, and the AFP turnover ceremony scheduled today highlight the stability of succession in the military.

MILLIONS suffered through intense heat Wednesday as fires raged, health worries mounted and the world appeared headed for its hottest month of July on record.

As temperature records tumbled on three continents, experts pointed the finger at climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels, saying global warming had a key role in

Marcos: Keep PH’s role in global maritime industry

By Charles Dantes

destructive weather.

Governments and the World Health Organization issued warnings as vulnerable parts of the population suffered.

In Greece, two forest fires, fanned by

strong winds, were raging to the west of Athens, and another on the tourist island of Rhodes where residents had to decide whether to flee.

performance rating dips to 60%; Inflation still top concern’

By Gabriellea B. Pariño

THE administration’s performance rating dipped to 60 percent in the second quarter of the year from, down from 62 percent in the first quarter and 64 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, the latest Pahayag survey conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. showed.

Vice President Sara Duterte, who also serves as the Education secretary, emerged as the most approved Cabinet member, garnering a favorable rating of 59 percent. Following closely behind, President Marcos, in his role as the De -

By Maricel V.

partment of Agriculture (DA) secretary, received a 49 percent approval rating.

Other Cabinet members and their respective approval ratings are as follows: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Sec. Rex Gatchalian (47 percent), Department of Finance (DOF) Sec. Benjamin Diokno (46 percent), Department of Health (DOH) OIC Rosario Vergeire (45 percent), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Sec. Susan Ople (44 percent), Department of Tourism (DOT) Sec. Ma. Esperanza Christina Frasco (43 percent),

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday, July 20, 2023, leads the 200th commencement exercises of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in San Narciso, Zambales. Joey Razon SIMULATION. Members of the Civil Disturbance Management of the Philippine National Police hold simulation exercises at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig ahead of the 2nd State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 24, 2023. Norman Cruz

‘Admin’s

Filipino girl eyed for sainthood

By Vito Barcelo

AFILIPINO girl who died 30 years ago is in the process of possible sainthood after receiving approval from a bishop at an episcopal conference in the Diocese of Kalibo, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines said.

Niña Ruiz-Abad, whose family hails from Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, was just 13 years old when she lost her battle against hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart disease she was diagnosed with at the age of 10, in August 1993.

While her life was short, Bishop Renato Mayugba of Laoag said she left a major impact on people whose lives

were touched by her deep faith in God and acts of charity. Abad had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images, and other religious items. She was also known for always wearing white dresses with a rosary around her neck.

The bishop said that at a very young age, Abad showed behaviors and acts that were unusual for her age.

“During her time, it is unusual that a young girl had already done acts to evangelize others,” he said.

“Niña’s life was a prayerful life full of reverence, worship, and an intimate relationship with God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Mayugba said.

At the recent plenary assembly of the episcopal conference in the Diocese of Kalibo, Mayugba presented to the bishops a request to open the sainthood cause of Abad.

The process that leads to sainthood does not usually start until five years

after a person’s death.

With the bishops’ approval, it opened the door to the formal investigation of her life and witnessing, which may take years before a possible decision from the Catholic Church leadership in Rome regarding her potential beatification and canonization.

The initial stages include gathering information about the candidate and interviewing witnesses who knew the person.

Abad was a daughter of a lawyer couple from Sarrat, but she was born and grew up in Quezon City, along with her only sibling, Mary Anne, because of their parents’ work. Her father died when she was just three years old.

Ex-AFP vice chief Mison passes away

FORMER Armed Forces of the Philippines vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Salvador Mison died on July 19 at the age of 90, his family announced on Thursday.

The AFP will give full military honors to Mison during the burial over the weekend.

Mison is survived by his wife Ione, and children Irene and Dave, Jun and Cherry, Gy and Albert, Frankie, Ione and Tom, and Michael, and 13 grandchildren and one great grandchildren. His remains lie in state at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Instead of flowers, his family is requesting to donate to the “Ang Mission ni Mison Foundation, Inc.”

to know the outcome of the meeting, noting that the administration encourages all efforts to engage with China, especially amid the ongoing disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

He said that as a former leader of the country, the defense establishment is expecting Duterte’s priority to be the interest of the Philippines during the meeting with Xi.

“We’d like to wait as to what was the outcome of such a meeting and we encourage all efforts, anyway, to engage with China on a track to [diplomacy or] non-formal track,” said Teodoro.

“From where I sit, my position is to build a credible deterrent posture against all threats,” he added.

Xi met Duterte on Monday, July 17, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he was aware of the meeting and was confident his predecessor would share details of the discussion.

Mr. Marcos said it is not important who is talking with Xi as long as somebody is having a conversation with China, which may help in resolving issues in the region.

China refuses to recognize the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands in favor of the Philippines, invalidating its claims within the sea areas falling within its so-called nine-dash line that is over 90 percent of the WPS.

The ruling also affirmed the traditional and legitimate fishing rights of Filipino fishermen in the area.

Duterte, in one of his Talk to the People public addresses during his term, said the arbitral ruling is nothing but a piece of paper that can be put to trash.

But in contrast, Duterte, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021, said no country can disregard or diminish the fiveyear ruling of the PCA.

He maintained that the disputes should be resolved “peacefully,” noting that China is an allied country of the Philippines.

Vince Lopez

On his appointment as WPS adviser, Centino said: “There was a need to bring focus on the matters in that part of the country.”

“We have actually mechanisms as to how these issues should be addressed, we have the National Task Force -West Philippine Sea but our leadership has deemed it important that (we give) focus and importance on the way we address the issues there in a bigger scale and that’s why they thought of creating an Office of the Presidential Adviser,” he added.

Also, Centino said there is a need to address “geopolitical issues” more appropriately.

When asked what issues the President wants to address in the WPS, the outgoing AFP chief said there are incidents that should not happen if addressed properly.

He cited the recent swarming of dozens of Chinese militia ships at Sabina Shoal that alerted the Philippine Coast Guard and military personnel stationed in the Western Command in Palawan to take necessary steps to protect the country’s sovereignty.

“It can be gleaned from what’s happening with the reported incursions

in the past months that added focus is necessary, and perhaps it should be addressed properly to avoid such recurrence,” Centino said. He said that his office, which is being established, will be an “interagency task force.”

“As to the specifics, you know the office has yet to be created, but what is clear is that there should be more focus on how we handle or address the problems there (in the WPS),” Centino added.

The DND chief said the change in AFP chiefs from Centino to Brawner will be as seamless as possible with as “much continuity of policies both in the transition to external defense and internal security.”

Malacañang on Wednesday announced the appointment of Brawner as the military’s next chief.

Centino already reached the mandatory retirement on Feb. 4 this year but qualified for another three-year term following the signing of Republic Act 11709.

Under Republic Act 11709, the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, heads of the major services (Army, Navy, and Air Force), unified command commanders, and inspector general will have a threeyear term of office “unless sooner terminated by the President.”

cular diseases, diabetes and asthma.

As to his message to Brawner, Centino said the AFP must be a “discipline, determined and dedicated military organization capable of addressing all threats.”

Teodoro was asked if the current defense program of the Philippines also prepares for the likely invasion of Taiwan by China.

“First and foremost, we really have to make an assessment whether such is likely or not,” he said.

“Nonetheless, we continue to plan on all contingencies not merely any flashpoint between China and Taiwan but any contingency within the theater and it’s a multi-agency effort not only the defense effort,” he added.

China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, in April staged drills around the island in anger at President Tsai Ingwen’s meeting with the speaker of the US House of Representatives.

Taiwan’s government strongly objects to China’s sovereignty claims and vows to defend itself if China attacks the island.

In May, President Marcos responded with an outright “no” when asked if the United States government requested Filipino soldiers to be deployed to Taiwan if tension escalates.

Mison, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1955, was known for his gallantry in combat, particularly at the outbreak of the Mindanao war against the Moro National Liberation Front known as the Burning of Jolo, Sulu on Feb. 8, 1974 where his unit, the 14th Infantry Battalion, though outnumbered was the first to mount a counter-attack against the rebel forces.

His brilliant war strategy led to his promotion as full army colonel on the recommendation of then AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Espino to then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

After his retirement from the military, he was appointed Customs commissioner in 1987.

Mison also served as president of Fortune Tobacco and Basic Holdings and was a spokesperson of the Lucio Tan Group. Ben Cal

Marcos:...

From A1

try’s maritime workers “an asset to the entire world.”

According to Dr. Paul Martinez of RPMD, the independent and non-commissioned “Boses ng Bayan” public sentiment survey was carried out from June 25 through July 5, 2023.

In the realm of congressional leadership, Filipino citizens delivered strong approval ratings for Romualdez, who saw his rating leap 10 percentage points.

The Speaker “experienced a ninepoint ascension, culminating in an admirable 72-percent trust score,” RPMD added in a statement.

This data underlines the escalating wave of public goodwill toward the stewardship of Romualdez, Gutierrez said.

Among other government officials, Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio received 86 percent and Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri got 69 percent.

President Marcos and Vice President Duterte also reflected “remarkable levels” of public trust—an indispensable cornerstone of effective leadership, RPMD said.

Within a year, President Marcos achieved the deep-rooted confidence of 86 percent of Filipinos, and Vice President Duterte got a 90-percent trust score, the survey showed.

Zubiri garnered a 69-percent approval rating, indicating a significant growth of 7 percentage points, and the Senate leader’s trust rating is now at a solid 71 percent.

“I am not leaving. I started building this house when I was 27 years old by myself,” said Dimitris Michaelous, a resident in the fire-threatened town of Pournari.

Greece’s firefighters said Romania, Slovakia and Poland would send some 230 firefighters to help it tackle the blazes.

Polish fire services said 149 firefighters were on their way to Greece -- 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) away -- aboard 49 vehicles.

France recorded temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the country’s south, including on the Mediterranean holiday island Corsica.

Beijing broke a 23-year-old record with 27 consecutive days of temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius.

‘My skin is burning’

“At noon, it feels like the sun is roasting my legs, it feels like my skin is burning,” said Qiu Yichong, a 22-yearold student.

Han Weili, a delivery driver, said: “Sometimes when it is very hot, I feel a little confused or dizzy.”

The Beijing government urged the elderly to stay indoors and children to shorten outdoor playtime to reduce exposure to the heat and ground-level ozone pollution.

People were cranking up air conditioning, leading to a surge in energy demand.

The World Health Organization said the extreme heat was straining health care systems, hitting older people, infants and children.

The WHO said it was particularly concerned about people with cardiovas-

In the Canary Islands, some 400 firefighters battled a blaze that has ravaged 3,500 hectares of forest and forced 4,000 residents to evacuate, with authorities warning people to wear face masks outside due to poor air quality. Temperatures were also ferocious in other parts of Spain, with three regions on red alert.

Coastal waters around Spain have hit a record high temperature for this time of the year, the national weather office said Wednesday. The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily have been forecast to possibly surpass a continent-wide record of 48.8C recorded in Sicily in August 2021. At Lanusei, near Sardinia’s eastern coast, a children’s summer camp was restricting beach visits to the early morning and banning sports, teacher Morgana Cucca said.

‘Better at the beach’

Many throughout Italy sought escape by the sea, including outside Rome, where the heat hit 40C.

“You can at least get a little wind from the sea,” said Virginia Cesario, 30, at the Focene beach near the capital.

“This has become the new normal,” said Fabrizio Carozza, a 26-year-old office employee from Belgium.

In North America, meanwhile, tens of millions of people woke up to another scorcher Wednesday, having experienced dangerous heat the previous day.

‘Running out of ways’

In the town of San Angelo, Texas, where temperatures were expected to reach 108F (42C), the National Weather Service said it was “running out of ways to say that it’s gonna be hot out there today.”

formance of the President.

“We implore you to continue to practice heat safety,” the agency said on Twitter.

And in Arizona, the mercury at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport again reached 110F on Tuesday, breaking the previous record of 18 consecutive days at or above that temperature, set in 1974.

Even Iraq, used to average July temperatures of around 32C, found it hard to cope with the heat surge, prompting the mayor of Basrah in the south to give civil servants a day off Thursday when 50C or more is forecast.

The world is on track for its hottest July since measurements began, the European Union’s climate observatory said Wednesday.

“The first 15 days of July have been the warmest 15 days on record,” said Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service(C3S).

The heat waves across Europe and the globe are “not one single phenomenon but several acting at the same time”, said Robert Vautard, director of France’s Pierre-Simon Laplace climate institute.

“But they are all strengthened by one factor: climate change.”

‘Climate-change hot spot’

Struck by near-record temperatures and wildfires during this week’s heatwave, the Mediterranean region is ranked as a climate-change “hot spot” by scientists.

The beaches, seafood and heritage sites in the region spanning parts of southern Europe, northern Africa and western Asia are under threat.

Here are five key threats to the region flagged by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Its reports are the most comprehensive summary of scientific knowledge on global warming. AFP

The Chief Executive also ordered all concerned government agencies to take a whole-of-government approach to help the nation keep up with the global maritime industry standard.

Mr. Marcos told government agencies to work closely with PMMA to allow the country’s maritime industry to be more innovative, more resilient, and adaptive to the changing demands.

He also acknowledged the support of the private sector in elevating the capabilities of the Philippines as a maritime nation.

“As your partner in improving the skills and capabilities of our people in the maritime industry, I call on all the concerned agencies to coordinate closely with the PMMA,” President Marcos said.

“Facilitate what will make our maritime education even more responsive to the needs of the nation while ensuring that whatever steps that we take will be in compliance with laws and regulations. This feat represents all that you have brought to the table so that we may fulfill the goals that you have set for your lives,” the President added.

The President also said the success of the Philippine maritime industry would benefit not only for the graduates, but also their families, and the Filipino people and for the Philippines.

“Let that thought and let the opportunity to make a change in our society propel you to excel further and to become the leaders that you were trained and meant to be ... May all of you be blessed as you navigate the world’s seas and oceans in the days and years ahead. My heartfelt congratulations,” he added.

Former president and Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was also present during the graduation rites along with Special Assistant to the President Secretary Antonio Lagdameo, Zambales Gov. Jun Ebdane, and PMMA Supt. Commodore Joel Abutal.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benjamin Abalos (42 percent), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Renato Solidum (42 percent), and Department of National Defense (DND) OIC Senior Undersecretary Carlito Galvez (41 percent).

President Marcos’ agreement rating as DA Secretary stands at 57 percent, slightly higher than the previous quarter’s rating of 56 percent. An overwhelming 60 percent of respondents identified inflation as the most pressing national issue affecting the overall per-

On the other hand, Vice President Sara’s agreement rating as Education Secretary remained steady at 66 percent. The survey also indicated the following issues where respondents showed agreement: Mandatory ROTC (26 percent), Intelligence and confidential funds for DepEd (24 percent), and the Proposed new curriculum offering students the choice of enrolling in two additional years of pre-university study to prepare them for college (24 percent).

The Pahayag 2023 Second Quarter Survey is an independent and non-commissioned survey conducted by Publicus Asia Inc. between June 7 and 12, 2023. It is a nationwide purposive sur-

vey with 1,500 respondents randomly drawn from a market research panel of over 200,000 Filipinos maintained by PureSpectrum, a US-based panel marketplace with a multinational presence.

Meanwhile, a think tank gave the Marcos administration a barely passing grade days before the President is to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance gave the administration a grade of 5 out of 10 because of its apparent lack of urgency.

“We will award President Marcos during his first year a rating of 5, which is barely passing, mainly because there is a failure in response to address our most urgent issues,” said Dr. Remerio

Rivera, chairman of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance.

Temerio criticized the President for having failed to appoint secretaries earlier than required to resolve problems in the departments of Health, National Defense, and Agriculture.

“There’s nothing wrong with appointing technocrats. What Marcos Jr. did is to take a page literally out of his father’s approach to governance by appointing many of the most experienced technocrats,” he said.

Temerio also criticized Marco’s strong fixation on rebranding the family’s image through revamping projects associated with his late father as well as the rebranding of “Bagong Pilipinas”.

Former NTF-ELCAC spox, co-host face P2.15-m suit over red-tagging issue

Former anti-insurgency task force spokesperson Lorraine Badoy-Partosa faces a P2.15-million lawsuit initiated by the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN).

BAYAN chairman emeritus chairperson Carol Pagaduan Araullo said they filed the damage suit against Badoy-Partosa for “incessant red tagging” that demonized her and her organization.

Jeffrey Celiz, who introduced himself as a former high-ranking official of the New People’s Army (NPA), was also cited as a co-respondent in the case, being Badoy-Partosa’s co-host in a public affairs program on SMNI.

Araullo said she wants the respond-

Damaged runway compels CebGo, CEB to scrap Dipolog trips

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Cebu Pacific Air (CEB) and its sister airline CebGo have announced the cancelation of their flights to Dipolog City beginning Thursday until the end of the month due to a damaged pavement of Runway 02 of the local airport.

Suspended from July 20 to 31 were CEB Dipolog-Manila flights 5J-703, 5J-704, 5J-705 and 5J-706.

Also canceled were CebGo Dipolog flights DG-6603 and DG6604.

“As safety is of paramount concern, operations are temporarily suspended until we receive verification that the runway is safe for landing and take-off,” the CEB management said in a statement.

The airline is mounting recovery flights to Ozamiz City as an alternative to Dipolog.

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding,” the statement added.

On Wednesday, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) released a notice to airmen declaring the closure of a portion of the Dipolog Airport’s runway that is undergoing repair.

“While several commercial flights at the airport were cancelled today, the airport continues to be operational,” said CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio.

He said a flight inspection conducted by PAL safety personnel also found that the surface of Dipolog Airport’s runway is usable and that the areas of concern are on the sides of the runway pavement, which will not affect aircraft take-off and landing.

BOC files raps vs. 2 importers of illegal drugs

By Vito Barcelo

ents accountable for “false, baseless and malicious public statements against her.”

“Nung una ‘di ko pinapansin, kilala naman ako ng mga tao, maayos naman ang aking reputasyon at aking track record subalit sa age of social media na ang disimpormasyon ay kumakalat ng napakabilis at ito na paulit ulit na pagsisinungaling na ito ay mukhang pinaniniwalaan ng kanilang mga taga sunod ng kanilang mga programa na ‘di ako kilala. (At the start, I didn’t

mind. People knew me, I have a good track record and reputation. But in this age of social media where disinformation spreads fast and if the lies are repeated over and over again, the falsehood gains a semblance of truth among their followers who did not know me,” Araullo explained. Badoy-Partosa, or Badoy as she is more popularly known, served as assistant secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development under the watch of former President Rodrigo Duterte. She later designated spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC).

Araullo’s counsel Kristina Conti, said her client was asking for P2.15 million

BI reiterates warning against illegal recruiters preying on hapless OFWs

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has reiterated its warning against illegal recruiters victimizing unsuspecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are forced to pose as tourists, presenting fake overseas employment certificates (OEC) upon departure at the airports.

The warning came after the BI intercepted cases of suspected human trafficking at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with the victims passing themselves off as tourists bound for Singapore.

Upon secondary inspection, the victims were found to be actually headed to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where they were illegally recruited to work.

It was later discovered that the victims were recruited via social media purportedly to work for a club resort

in Dubai.

The BI also noted the recurrence of illegal recruitment victims presenting fake OECs.

An OEC is the basic requirement for departing OFWs issued by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Citing the case of a female passenger who was recruited to work as a household helper in Hong Kong, the victim attempted to depart via a Cebu Pacific Air flight at the Clark International Airport before she was intercepted by Immigration personnel.

Further verifications with DMW officers at the airport confirmed that the document was counterfeit.

“Our system is integrated with the DMW, making it easier for us to detect fake certificates,” BI chief Norman Tansingco said. Vito Barcelo

in damages, broken down into P1 million in nominal damages, P500,000 for moral damages, an additional P500,000 for exemplary damages and P150,000 for legal fees.

“Ito po ay kung sa civil code ay human relations provision ito po yung paano tayo makikipag kapwa at nakasaad po sa pakikipagkapwa natin at bawal umabuso po ng ating mga karapatan o gawin. Kapag lumagpas na o umabuso na at nakapag violate ng rights ng iba ay kailangan po managot,” (The Civil Code’s human relations provision prescribes how we should interact with other people, mandates that it is unlawful to violate and abuse the rights of others,” Conti stressed.

Celiz, in a statement, described the

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday filed criminal charges with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against two traders allegedly involved in the illegal smuggling of drugs worth more than P8 million.

The BOC did not identify the alleged illegal drugs importers, but said the complaints have been submitted to the DOJ for alleged violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The BOC said one of the respondents was charged for unlawful importation of a shipment purportedly containing children’s playing items that turned out to be containing 5,032 pieces of ecstasy pills with an estimated value of P8.554 million through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in December last year.

The second trader was charged in relation to the importation of ketamine hidden inside glass jars that were declared as rose candles.

The estimated delivery duty paid (DDP) value of the ketamine was P2.120 million. It occurred at the UPS Warehouse Hub, Port of Clark, on May 14.

IN BRIEF

QC, DTI ink accord to ease biz processing

THE Quezon City government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have partnered to integrate the latter’s business name registration system (BNRS) into the city’s online business permit application system (OBPAS) to allow a seamless verification process and further boost ease of doing business in the city. Mayor Joy Belmonte and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual forged a memorandum of agreement for the integration that would help streamline business processes, detect fraudulent submission of requirements and effectively monitor compliance of QC-based businesses.

“Since one of the requirements for processing the business permits of sole proprietors is the certificate of business name registration from DTI, we need to ensure compliance. Instead of manually verifying the authenticity of CBNRs, the integration will allow digital processing of data and documents, thereby speeding up the process,” Belmonte said.

DTI data showed that business name applications processed online grew from 35 percent to 75 percent based on payment collections received since the development and launch of the BNRS Next Gen in 2019, while Quezon City is home to over 65,000 businesses with almost half of them being DTI-registered.

“So we deem it imperative to track growth, regularly monitor compliance, and gather necessary data for policies and programs,” Belmonte said.

With the integration of DTI’s BNRS into QC’s digital platform, Business Permits and Licensing Department head Margarita Santos said concerns, such as the submission of fake BNRS, will be addressed.

“This will also pave the way for faster evaluation of permit applications through an automated, system-to-system verification,” she said.

Belmonte also entered into an agreement with Quezon City’s 142 barangays for the integration of barangay clearance and barangay business permit fees into the OBPAS.

“Apart from the BNRS, we are ensuring that businesses pay their dues. We are working hand-inhand with our barangays through the Suyod Buwis program to ensure that businesses operating in each barangay are compliant with both city and barangay regulations,” she said.

Belmonte expressed confidence that the two agreements will help transform the entrepreneurial landscape and foster a culture of innovation, competitiveness, and economic prosperity. Rio N. Araja

Angeles opens city pound, animal shelter

ANGELES City—The Angeles City government has inaugurated a newly constructed city pound and animal shelter here to house rescued pets.

Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. led its opening rites, with Vice Mayor Vicenta Vega-Cabigting, councilor Arvin Suller, chief adviser IC Calaguas, executive assistant Reina Manuel, city veterinarian Dr. Christian Xyric Arcilla, and city engineer Donato Dizon in attendance.

The newly-built animal shelter was accredited by the Bureau of Animal Industry, granted on May 2023 — a first in the history of Angeles City and a first in Pampanga province.

The 103-capacity animal facility, which is located at the City Hall compound, will provide all the needs of the housed animals, including food, check-ups, vitamins and medicines, anti-rabies vaccinations, and spaying and neutering.

Lazatin said among his top priorities is to ensure the welfare of the animals in the city, by giving them the best and proper care and importance as well keeping them safe.

“Matagal na po nating pangarap ito para sa siyudad. We are happy that we have finally made it possible,” Lazatin said.

Calaguas and Manuel, both known animal lovers, will supervise the operation of the newest animal shelter with Dr. Arcilla.

“Sa pagbubukas po ng ating bagong dog pound and animal shelter, mas masisiguro po natin na mas marami tayong hayop na matutulungan at maaalagaan,” Calaguas shared.

For her part, Manuel is encouraging her kababayans to adopt rescued animals, and do not shop.

“Adopt, don’t shop! Let us give our rescued fur-babies their fur-ever home,” Manuel said.

Dr. Arcilla further said that queries for adoption and animal welfare programs will be entertained via walk-in or schedule, or through their official Facebook page, Angeles City Veterinary Office.

Dr. Arcilla also thanked the administration of Mayor Lazatin for putting animal welfare on top of his priority projects. Butch Gunio

Navy deploys two brand new fast attack gunboats to Visayas, Mindanao

By Vince Lopez

THE Philippine Navy (PN) has deployed two newly commissioned fastattack interdictor crafts (FAICs) to boost its presence in the Visayas and Mindanao waters.

In a statement Thursday, PN Fleet spokesman Lt. Giovanni Badidles said send-off rites were held for the two Acero-class gunboats BRP Gener Tinangag (PG-903) and BRP Domingo Deluana (PG-905) at the Naval Shipyard, Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Fort San Felipe, Cavite City.

“These two new patrol gunboats are en route to the area of operations of the

AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines)

Unified Commands in Visayas and in Western Mindanao,” he said.

The vessels were also known as the Acero-class patrol gunboats and are based on Israel’s Shaldag Mark V missile boats.

They were delivered to the country last April 11 and were commissioned on May 26.

They were named after two members of the Philippine Marine Corps who were recipients of the Medal of Valor, similar the first two missile boats who were commissioned into service in November 2022.

These fast attack interdictor craftmissiles (FAIC-M’s) are the BRP

Nestor Acero (PG-901) and BRP Lolinato To-Ong.

The PN has an outstanding nine-ship order with Israel Shipyards Limited. Littoral Combat Force commander Commodore Carlo Lagasca, in the same statement, gave assurance on the readiness for deployment of these vessels following the successful completion of their operational readiness evaluation.

“To all the personnel of PG-903 and PG-905, I admire you all for being ready and brave to be at the forefront against terrorism, insurgency, traditional threats, and maritime law violators,” he added. Lt. Badidles said that the deploy-

ment of the brand-new assets will bolster the Navy’s conduct of maritime patrol, internal security and logistics support operations.

“It likewise fulfills the Fleet’s mission to deploy assets and personnel in support of the Unified Commands’ respective areas of responsibility in the maritime waters of the Philippine archipelago,” he added.

Four of the FAIC-M’s will be armed with non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other five will be armed with typhoonmounted 30mm main cannons and .50-caliber heavy machine guns.

BUSTOS DAM FILLS TO THE BRIM. Locals visit Bustos Dam in Barangay Tigaban, Bustos, Bulacan which according to the National Irrigation Administration has released excess water as the reservoir nears its spilling level of 17.35 meters.

SENATORS CALL ON PBBM. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shakes hands with Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva during the senators’ visit to Malacañang, The President specifically cites Villanueva for spearheading the Trabaho Para Sa Bayan (TPB) Act, which is one of the priority measures of his administration.

‘PH Congress open to work with foreign parliaments’

HOUSE Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Thursday said Congress is keen to collaborate with other parliaments on matters of mutual interest.

“I would like to emphasize that we are very interested in establishing relations with our counterparts in other countries, through Parliamentary Friendship Associations and similar initiatives,” Romualdez told foreign diplomats attending a briefing on diplomatic immunities and privileges at Diamond Hotel in Manila.

“I hope those of you whose countries do not yet have such initiatives will consider making a recommendation to your legislators,” he said.

He added that his office and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) “will be more than happy to work with you in this area.”

Romualdez also took the opportunity to express the “deep appreciation” of the House of Representatives “for the assistance that the diplomatic corps has been extending to House members as we go around and rebuild our strong parliamentary relations with our counterparts in your home countries.”

“Through your efforts, inter-parliamentary ties that have become dormant are once again re-kindled and the bonds of friendship are forged even stronger. For this, we thank you,” he said.

He said the House would again count on their support when the country hosts this year’s Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum in November and the First BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-MalaysiaPhilippines East ASEAN Growth Area) Parliamentary Forum next year.

The briefing was organized by the DFA and attended by diplomats stationed in Manila and DFA personnel.

In his remarks, Romualdez said the briefing is aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s foreign relations mantra: “The Philippines is a friend to all and enemy to none.”

He said the immunities and privileges the government grants diplomats assigned to the country are clear expressions of friendship the Philippines extends to other nations.

“They provide you with the necessary access and facilitation that you need to carry out your duties as envoys. More importantly, these also express, in a way, our appreciation of your countries’ grant of the same privileges and immunities to our own diplomats who are stationed abroad, pursuant to the principle of reciprocity in international relations,” Romualdez said. Maricel V. Cruz

Guevarra: PBBM okays PH ‘disengagement’ with ICC

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SOLICITOR-GENERAL Menardo Guevarra disclosed on Thursday that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has approved the government’s disengagement with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC’s Appeals Chamber earlier junked the Philippine government’s appeal against the resumption of a drug war probe.

Guevarra said the appeal was the country’s last involvement with the ICC.

“I have discussed this matter personally with PBBM and we have agreed that our appeal to the ICC appeals chamber is the end of our engagement with the ICC,”

Guevarra told reporters.

The ICC Appeals Chamber backed the Pre-Trial Chamber’s January 2023 ruling authorizing the ICC Prosecutor to continue its probe on the killings in the Philippines in connection with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and

Binay: Senators aiming to use new headquarters in Taguig by next July

SENATOR Nancy Binay said the Senate is targeting to partially operate and use the new Senate building (NSB) in Taguig City by July 2024.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri led the topping-off ceremony for the new building in Fort Bonifacio on Thursday.

Binay said that the topping-off is a tradition to remember the completion of the structural frame of a building by attaching its last structural beam.

She added that “there was an instruction from Senate President Zubiri to conduct the opening of session next year in the new Senate.”

Binay said NSB intends to be one of the first green buildings for the government under its “Building for Ecologically Responsive

Lawmakers:

By Maricel V. Cruz

LEGISLATORS said the economic and communications teams of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should mount a nationwide information and education campaign

“Now that our first-ever sovereign investment fund is in place with RA 11954, an IEC by the President’s economic managers along with his legacy media and socmed (social media) teams should be

PROCLAIMED.

Former Department of Social Welfare

Secretary Erwin Tulfo receives his certi cate of proclamation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Socorro Inting during a ceremony on Thursday. The Comelec a rmed its earlier decision to dismiss the disquali cation case against Tulfo as a nominee for the ACTCIS Party-list. Danny Pata

IN BRIEF

Sti penalties eyed for phishing, scams

denial of the appeal to stop the ICC probe does not grant the ICC any jurisdiction over those it tagged as behind the extrajudicial killings.

He pointed out that it is important to note that a foreign entity has no authority to investigate the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

WITH cases of phishing and other forms of online fraud on the rise, Bicol Saro Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has proposed that these crimes be classified as acts of economic sabotage punishable with life imprisonment and a fine of up to P5 million.

the so-called Davao Death Squad.

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. meanwhile said the ICC has no business meddling in the country’s internal affairs. He said ICC has no right to issue warrants of arrest for some duly elected Philippine officials.

Revilla took the cudgels for fellow senator Ronald Dela Rosa and former President Rodrigo Duterte who led a campaign against illegal drugs.

“It is obvious the ICC’s interest here is not justice but something else entirely,” Revilla said, adding that in other places, “civilians, teachers, schoolchildren, are being killed.”

Sen. Francis Tolentino added that the

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez meanwhile said the government can allow the investigation by the ICC into thousands of anti-drug war killings and question the tribunal’s jurisdiction later.

“The proper and only course of action of the Republic of the Philippines is to raise the issue of jurisdiction when the case is eventually filed in the ICC. Jurisdiction can be questioned at any stage of the proceedings”, he said.

The Mindanao lawmaker also expressed confidence that the international tribunal would eventually grant the country’s appeal for it to lay off its anti-drug war.

“When the case is brought to the ICC, we raise the issue of jurisdiction and the Philippines will surely secure its dismissal for lack of jurisdiction,” he added. Maricel V. Cruz

“Classifying these online fraudulent schemes as acts of economic sabotage aims to send a strong message to criminals who exploit technology for unlawful gain. The measure will hopefully deter the commission of these crimes that have continued to proliferate as we usher in the digital economy,” Yamsuan said.

Yamsuan noted that from 2020 to 2021, the BSP received 42,456 complaints from consumers who fell victim to financial fraud.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), for its part, received reports of fewer text scams this year compared to 2022 following the implementation of the SIM Registration Act. However, financial crimes such as “click-the-link” scams using SIM cards and involving electronic wallets like GCash, Maya, and Coins.ph rose by 190 percent from January to June of 2023. Maricel V. Cruz

Recto: Disclose all fees, toll from infra projects

DEPUTY Speaker Ralph Recto on Thursday said pay-per-use public infrastructure, such as roads and airports, should be affordable to end users, and must be considered—and even disclosed—from the outset.

In considering public-privatel partnership (PPP) projects, willingness-topay surveys and consultations must be done exhaustively, Recto said.

Design Excellence (BERDE)” program.

“In the face of climate change the government should walk the talk in promoting the use of sustainable structures,” Binay said.

Binay said that the NSB integrates sustainable features such as energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and the use of eco-friendly materials.

It would also consume between 30 percent to 50 percent less energy than standard buildings.

Its construction was green-lit by the 17th Congress in 2017 after former Sen. Ping Lacson, the then-chair of the Committee on Accounts, in 2016 called for the need to relocate to a new site due to increasing space limitations and the need for enhanced facilities.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Nationwide info drive for Maharlika Fund needed

the next order of business so the MIF can win broad and deep support from the public that needs to know it will be an alternative revenue stream to let the Marcos government spend much, much bigger on infrastructure and other priority programs—without resorting to additional borrowings,” Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said.

One of the principal authors of RA 11954, Villafuerte said “the President’s

economic team led by Finance Secretary Ben (Benjamin Diokno) should work in tandem with the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and other traditional media and socmed agencies of the government to bump up public awareness—and hopefully appreciation—of this new law.

“This is urgent as the results of public opinion polls showing that although there has been significant support from

Filipinos familiar with the MIF, a majority of our people are actually clueless about this Fund, much less know that it will greatly benefit our people,” Villafuerte said.

Moreover, he said, the people need to know that tapping the MIF for additional foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows is a sure way to sustain the country’s postpandemic economic rebound and create more jobs.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

“There has to have public consultations. Feasibility studies should include ability-to-pay data. And this must be highlighted in disclosures. Not reduced to a fine print, nor hidden,” Recto said.

The same “sensitivity to consumers” should cover information technology projects, which Recto described as a “boom industry in the bureaucracy.” Maricel V. Cruz

Duterte pushes education reforms for jobs, skills

REP. Paolo Duterte of Davao City on Thursday pushed for the enactment of education reforms that would effectively address the jobs-skills mismatch in the country and bolster enterprise-based education.

Duterte made the appeals as he underscored the need for Congress to do its part in making Filipino graduates “employment-ready.”

These measures, along with his recently filed bill that seeks to establish early learning programs for indigent prekindergarten children, will help lessen the effects of the pandemic-induced education crisis in the country, Duterte said.

Duterte noted that the business sector has already sounded the alarm over the crisis situation in the education sector, which was made worse by the pandemic and the youth’s growing obsession over social media. Maricel V. Cruz

DHSUD chief: Initial list of idle lands for housing ready

DEPARTMENT of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jerry Acuzar said the DHSUD has an initial list of possible “idle lands” for public housing projects.

Acuzar made the statement a day after an order from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mandating that the DHSUD publicly disclose this list.

The Housing chief, in a radio interview, further said that his office has conducted an initial inventory of suitable lands, but did not disclose additional details.

He said: “Our list isn’t final yet so I can’t divulge more details. We have to go

over and finalize our list first.”

The official further stated that rules and regulations on President Marcos’ order, which declared his Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) initiative as his administration’s flagship program, were still being crafted.

“There has to be coordination with the agencies so that we wouldn’t run into any problems. We have to respect these agencies because they are the true owners of the land. We are only requesting their lands to be used for public housing,” Acuzar, quoted by reports, said. Asked what the DHSUD would do if

the identified idle lands had informal settlers, Acuzar said these residents will also benefit from public housing without having to leave their settlements.

“That’s good because we wouldn’t have negotiate anything. We would make sure that that if the squatters live on government land, we will set aside this land for them and build houses for them there,” the official said.

Under the 4PH program, the housing department aims to build a million housing units annually under Marcos steps down from office in 2028 in an effort to address the Philippines’ housing backlog.

FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR SONA. Final preparations have been made at the House of Representatives inside the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City before it goes on security lockdown. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the session hall on Monday. Joan Bondoc

FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez delivers his keynote message to the country’s Diplomatic Corps during a Brie ng on Immunities and Privileges on Thursday morning organized by the Department of Foreign A airs. Romualdez told the Diplomatic Corps that Congress is open to collaboration on matters of mutual interest. Ver Noveno

On De Lemos’ NBI party-scandal

THERE is an anonymous letter addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., coursed through Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, concerning the ongoing scandal regarding the National Bureau of Investigation and NBI Director Medardo De Lemos.

That controversy is about an official NBI conference last June 30 at the Manila Diamond Hotel, where the entertainment consisted of a dance number performed by several almost naked women.

De Lemos claims he did not attend the conference, and that no public funds were spent for the event. He said the expenses for it were covered by contributions from NBI officials and agents.

De Lemos said the event was simply a “fellowship,” i.e., an occasion for bonding among top NBI officials.

Gabriela partylist Representative Arlene Brosas, who said what the NBI leadership did was a violation of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, demanded an investigation.

Many netizens and groups advocating women’s interests agree with Brosas and are demanding the immediate resignation of De Lemos.

With particular reference to De Lemos’ disclaimer about his not being present

A review of the news earlier this month shows that the scandalous NBI conference is only the latest of several anomalies in the NBI under De Lemos’ watch

at the official NBI conference where the lewd dance number took place, an online columnist likened De Lemos to Pontius Pilate, the Biblical character who washed his hands of any responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

In sum, the said columnist opined the time has come for De Lemos to resign because De Lemos has become quite a cumbersome baggage for the NBI.

Other critics maintain De Lemos seems to have the mindset that if the entertainment number in an official function of a government agency is paid for by “private funds,” it is totally acceptable for the entertainment number to be a lewd dance.

According to the critics, De Lemos has to go because a respectable NBI director should never have that kind of mindset.

Naturally, Justice Secretary Remulla is very upset about the incident.

Through his leadership by example since he assumed the helm at the DOJ, Remulla has been working hard to promote the good image of the DOJ and its bureaus, the NBI included.

Overnight, however, De Lemos’

scandalous NBI conference put to naught all the hardwork exerted by Remulla.

For the record, the De Lemos NBI conference took place when Remulla was on official medical leave for heart by-pass surgery.

Although Remulla has also demanded an investigation, the probe should be done by the DOJ, and not the NBI, because De Lemos, who heads the NBI, is believed to have permitted the lewd dance number.

The allegations in the aforementioned anonymous letter should be investigated, because they are very disturbing.

First, it is alleged that NBI Assistant Director Lito Magno and his “batchmates” NBI Assistant Directors Glenn Recarte and Noel Bocaling celebrated their batch anniversary during the same NBI “fellowship” at the Manila Diamond Hotel where the lewd dance number took place.

Second, it is also alleged that NBI Assistant Directors Magno, Recarte and Bocaling were well-aware of the sequence of the program, which included the lewd dance number, because they organized and facilitated the entire event.

Third, it is likewise alleged that De Lemos permitted, or at least consented to, the obscene dance number performed at the official NBI function, knowing very well the said dance number is an offensive kind of entertainment, and that the same will tarnish the public image of the NBI.

Fourth, it is further alleged that Asst.

Director Recarte took the initiative to bring the performer for the obscene dance number to the NBI official activity.

Fifth, it is alleged as well that Asst.

Director Bocaling was one of the financiers who paid for the talent fee of the performer of the obscene dance number at the official NBI function.

While the foregoing are allegations made in an anonymous letter purportedly sent to President Marcos Jr. through Secretary Remulla, they are worth investigating because they may provide leads to the immediate identification of who among the top NBI officials are responsible for the lewd dance number performed at the NBI conference.

A review of the news earlier this month shows that the scandalous NBI conference is only the latest of several anomalies in the NBI under De Lemos’ watch.

Last June 20, six NBI personnel escorted Jose Dera, a detainee facing drug raps, out of his cell inside the NBI facility in Manila, for a secret date with a lady friend in a restaurant in Makati City.

The fact that such an anomaly even took place shows that something stinks in De Lemos’ management of the NBI.

That anomaly, along with this latest scandal in the NBI, are enough reasons for the public to demand the immediate resignation of De Lemos.

EvEryman

Private players’ role in addressing power supply issues

By Victor Caballero

WHEN it comes to change, Filipinos tend to be reluctant and fearful.

This is amidst the fact that change and reform can provide real solutions in addressing decades of societal issues and problems.

And this holds true in the power industry, where many had initially feared and hindered the privatization of electric utilities.

But eventually, these changes had brought in great relief to the public Talking about change and relief, Sen. Grace Poe, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, had boasted the benefits experienced by residents in Iloilo City when the franchise of Panay Electric Company (PECO) was not renewed, which paved the way for the entry of new player More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) in February 2020.

MORE Power invested P1.5 billion to replace the ‘ageing, obsolete and dilapidated’ power distribution facilities in Iloilo City.

Hence, in its first year of operation, MORE Power managed to address the frequent brownout, high electricity bill, large system losses, and other power-related problems in the city.

Residents in Iloilo City had experienced a dramatic reduction in their electricity bill – from the previous P13 per kilowatt hour, the power rate significantly dropped to P6.40 kwh, and this is one of the lowest electricity rates in the entire country.

MORE Power’s effort in rehabilitating the power facilities had brought remarkable progress as they were able to address the systems loss factor, illegal connection,

Circle the wagons

WE NEED not defend our position on the territorial and maritime dispute with Beijing in the South China Sea all by our lonesome.

Seven years after the Permanent Arbitral Tribunal issued a ruling in favor of the country’s claim to a 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the vital sealane, we’re on the right track in asking other countries to support us in our crusade.

We’re glad that no less than 16 European countries are supporting us in asserting our sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea. In a joint statement issued on July 11, these countries— Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Romania, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden unequivocally backed the Philippines’ territorial integrity in the busy waterway. The embassies of the 16 countries cited the importance of the ruling, which is based

We

on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They believe it is “a significant milestone” in contributing to the maintenance of rulesbased order and the settlement of disputes. They are correct in pointing out that the 2026 arbitral ruling is “legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings, and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between parties.”

“The EU (European Union) reiterates the fundamental importance of upholding the freedoms, rights, and duties established in UNCLOS, in particular the freedoms of navigation and overflight,” the European

2023 (2)

WHAT has been achieved in the political and social spheres since the first SONA of President Marcos in July 2022?

Early on, President Marcos Jr. proposed 19 measures for Congress to pass in support of his administration’s key policies and programs. Among these were the National Government Rightsizing Program and the E-Governance Act, designed to streamline the bureaucracy and make it more efficient and responsive to current needs.

Other priority bills proposed for legislative action by Malacañang in last year’s SONA are all urgent. These include Budget Modernization; Government Financial Institutions Unified Initiatives to Distressed Enterprises for Economic Recovery; Creation of the Department of Water Resources; Unified System of Separation, Retirement, and Pension; and the National Land Use Act.

Many of the proposed bills have been approved by the House of Representatives and now up for deliberation and approval in the Senate.

Apart from pushing much-needed legislation aimed at rationalizing government operations in the economic, political and social spheres, the administration has also moved to curb corruption at various levels, maintain law and order through sustained police operations against both street-level and organized crime, and strengthen local autonomy.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the end-product of a comprehensive peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after several decades of armed hostilities, is up and running, and focusing on economic and social development to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of Muslim Filipinos.

the 2022 SONA has focused on education, health, OFW rights and welfare, and disaster resilience.

Since July last year, the Marcos administration has taken definite steps to resume face-to-face classes with utmost consideration for the safety of students and teachers.

The government’s K to 12 program is now under review, with all inputs being considered to address the poor quality of education materials and supplies.

The country cannot afford another lockdown, thus there is a need to balance the health and safety of the public and the needs of the economy.

nations said.

The 26 countries said they are committed to secure, free, and open maritime supply routes in the Indo-Pacific, in full compliance with international and “in the interest of all.”

We must thank the EU members for supporting the “swift conclusion of talks aiming at an effective” Code of Conduct between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China that is fully compatible with UNCLOS and also respects the rights of third parties.

After all, Beijing’s ‘so-called ‘ninedash line’ is a blatant lie that is without any historical precedent or legal basis in international law.

Washington has also urged Beijing to “halt its disruption to states’ sovereign rights to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage natural resources.”

We are on the right track in circling the wagons and asking other countries to support us in our struggle to compel Beijing to recognize our claim to our EEZ in the West Philippine Sea based on UNCLOS, which China also signed.

Perhaps it might work. Or perhaps not at all. But we have international law behind us, and we should hammer on this point even before the United Nations General Assembly.

industry since an open market would lead to lower medicine prices and health benefits for more Filipinos.

To protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers, the Department of Migrant Workers, established during the Duterte administration, will serve as the refuge especially of distressed migrant workers.

The administration wants to eliminate red tape in the system by automating the verification of contracts.

The government will also establish the One Repatriation Command Center for Filipinos outside the country who need to be sent home due to conflicts and other reasons.

From another direction, the Department of Social Welfare and Development is prepared to immediately respond to victims of calamities by ensuring that field offices can deliver assistance, such as food packs, to local government units (LGUs).

The government will strengthen the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation, and the DSWD will make sure that qualified families are given assistance through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

The 4Ps list of beneficiaries is being reviewed to ensure that it is “clean.”

Since capacity building for natural disaster resiliency is imperative, more investments in science and technology must be made to enable the Philippines to have accurate weather forecasts and on-time disaster alerts.

The Department of Health is making sure that the country’s healthcare system has the capacity to prevent a spike in COVID-19 cases.

power interruptions and overloading. MORE Power is a living proof that modernization funds will indeed provide real and efficient solutions to the problems in the power sector.

This glaring reality haunts the 121 electric cooperatives in the country which practically have no funds for modernization.

Their facilities can no longer keep up with the current demand resulting in poor service.

Power supply crisis is serious and widespread in the country.

In fact, the Senate Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Energy are conducting a joint investigation of the rotational brownouts experienced in Panay, Negros, Nueva Ecija, Northern Samar, Pampanga, San Isidro and San Jose in Nueva Ecija, Calaca in Batangas, Quezon province, Tabuk City in Kalinga, South Cotabato, Maguindanao, Ozamiz, Lumban in Laguna, Zamboanga City, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Echague in Isabela, Zamboanga Sibugay, Masbate, Davao Oriental (near my hometown), Southern Leyte, Casiguran in Aurora, and Bicol.

During the Senate Inquiry, Sen. Poe pointed out that the electric cooperatives were being loaned with government funds.

They were also given incentives to improve the service in rural communities.

However, cooperatives still cannot keep up with the demand.

And this is something that is really unacceptable for I could not fathom and comprehend why those electric cooperatives were still given subsidies worth millions by local government units to operate.

In the course of investigation, one very important thing has prevailed –

In so far as foreign policy is concerned, President Marcos Jr. said in his 2022 SONA: “I will not preside over any process that will abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.” Further on, he pointed out that “the Philippines will continue to be a friend to all, an enemy to none.”

This has been the thrust of his foreign policy since the start of his term, with his trips abroad not only aimed at forging closer ties with the United States, Japan and China, but also actively seeking closer economic cooperation and trade and investment deals with individual countries and regional blocs. Meantime, social development since

The government wants to build more health centers and hospitals to keep in step with our growing population.

Congress is likely to pass the bill that would create the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as a vaccine institute. The administration plans to build more health facilities not only in Metro Manila but also in other areas in the country.

Apart from these, the government seeks to bring down prices of medicines and ensure enough supply.

The government has started talking to pharmaceutical companies to lower the prices of medicines.

The Philippine Competition Commission also wants to regulate the pharmaceutical

And because of limited resources, it is difficult for ECs to implement new technologies and innovations compared to big private sector utilities that have large financial resources. Hence, it is no surprise the private sector has more capacity to implement immediate infrastructure upgrades, technological advancements and operational efficiencies with reliable results and quality service.

While the administration has clearly achieved significant gains in nation-building in its first year in office, the Chief Executive has said he agrees with an assessment which gave him a grade of “incomplete” in his performance as the highest official of the country.

“We are not done,” he said.

“We still have a lot to do, there are many, many things that we still need to do. We have to undo 30, 35, almost 40 years of neglect when it comes to the agricultural sector,” he pointed out.

The delivery of services to Filipinos is “a work in progress,” and “an ongoing process. The job ahead is to make big structural big changes, and to make them work so we can see the results in the lives of ordinary people.”

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

modernization is really necessary to address the decades-long problem of power supply. Electric Cooperatives are managed by the National Electrification Administration. Based on their website, as of June, NEA had extended a total P560.66 million loan assistance to 18 Electric Cooperatives. But despite the large amount of loans extended to the cooperatives every year to strengthen the technical, managerial capability and financial viability of the ECs, the fact remains their resources for infrastructure development are still insufficient and limited.

So one of the solutions Sen. Poe sees is the entry of private players like MORE Power –for her this is the key in improving the power service because of their large capitalization. We should not be afraid of changes. We should not be afraid of reforms. We should not be afraid of the privatization of electric cooperatives because the Energy Regulatory Commission has regulatory oversight power to ensure quality standards, fair pricing and that monopolistic practices are avoided.

(The author is a civil engineer and a longtime resident of the Davao area, with his own small construction business)

We should not be afraid of changes. We should not be afraid of reforms

have international law behind us, and we should hammer on this point even before the United Nations General Assembly

Thai gov’t calls for calm after

reformist

Pita’s PM bid fails

BANGKOK—Thailand’s caretaker prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha called for calm Thursday after a popular progressive candidate’s bid to succeed him was thwarted by military and pro-royalist lawmakers.

Pita Limjaroenrat’s party won the most seats in May elections, but on Wednesday he was dramatically suspended from parliament, which then refused to grant him a second vote to become the kingdom’s next premier.

About 1,000 people gathered for a protest that night to express their anger over the Harvard-educated liberal leader’s foiled bid for power, before dispersing peacefully.

Thailand is no stranger to political unrest, and Prayut -- who took power in a 2014 coup -- “understood” the frustration of Pita’s supporters, his office said. But he also implored the public to “move Thailand forward in a democratic way alongside the monarchy”, spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said.

BEIJING—Chinese leader Xi Jinping hailed former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger as an “old friend” as the two met in Beijing on Thursday.

10 killed in India landslide

MUMBAI, India—At least 10 people were killed after a landslide triggered by heavy rains smashed into their village in India’s Maharashtra state with dozens more feared trapped, officials said Thursday.

Rescue teams were battling lashing rain in the remote, hilly and forested Raigad district, with people scrambling at mounds of earth and rubble.

Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister, said 10 people had died in the landslide, which overwhelmed the village overnight.

“More than 200 people reside there, we have rescued about 70 people so far—out of those, 21 are injured,” Fadnavis said on Thursday morning.

Police officer Harish Kalsekar told AFP that nearly 50 people were feared still buried under the debris.

“It is raining and the terrain is hilly, so heavy equipment can’t be moved there,” Kalsekar said.

Interior Minister Amit Shah said the priority was “to evacuate people from the scene and treat the injured immediately”.

India has been battered by rains since the start of the annual monsoon season in June, and flooding and landslides have killed scores of people.

Monsoon rains are vital to replenishing rivers and groundwater, but the deluge also causes widespread destruction every year. AFP

“The expressions of opinion and political activities need to be peaceful, without violence, and without destroying the economy, trade and investment.”

Pita’s Move Forward Party (MFP) has ridden high on the support of young and urban Thais frustrated by nearly a decade of army-backed rule, but Thailand’s establishment vehemently opposes its agenda.

The party has refused to compromise on its pledge to revise the kingdom’s strict royal defamation law, which can allow convicted critics of the monarchy to be jailed for up to 15 years.

Its reformist platform also poses a threat to family-owned business monopolies that play an outsized role in the kingdom’s economy.

Pita was suspended from parliament by the Constitutional Court when it decided to proceed with a case that could see him disqualified as an MP altogether for owning shares in a media company. AFP

China’s Xi hails ‘old friend’ Kissinger in Beijing meeting

Kissinger’s visit to China this week has seen him call for a rapprochement between Washington and Beijing, which remain at loggerheads over a range of issues, from human rights to trade and national security.

The 100-year-old diplomat was central to the United States establishing ties with communist China in the 1970s and has maintained close contact with the country’s leaders over the years.

“Chinese people value friendship, and we will never forget our old friend and your historic contribution to promoting the development of China-US relations and enhancing the friendship between

the Chinese and American peoples,” President Xi told Kissinger on Thursday, according to state media.

“This not only benefited the two countries, but also changed the world,” Xi added.

“The world is currently experiencing changes not seen in a century, and the international order is undergoing enormous change,” the Chinese leader said.

“China and the United States are once more at a crossroads, and both sides must once again make a choice.”

Kissinger, in response, thanked Xi for hosting him at the Diaoyutai State

Guesthouse’s building number five— where he met with then premier Zhou Enlai in 1971.

“The relations between our two countries will be central to the peace in the world and to the progress of our societies,” the former diplomat said.

‘Legendary diplomat’

Kissinger secretly flew to Beijing in 1971 on a mission to establish relations with communist China.

The trip set the stage for a landmark visit by former US president Richard Nixon, who sought both to shake up the Cold War and enlist help in ending the

Vietnam War.

Washington’s overtures to an isolated Beijing contributed to China’s rise to become a manufacturing powerhouse and the world’s second-largest economy. Since leaving office, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kissinger has grown wealthy advising businesses on China— and has warned against a hawkish turn in US policy.

His trip this week also overlapped with a trip by US climate envoy John Kerry, and follows recent visits by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.AFP

Hundreds of Iraq protesters torch Swedish embassy

BAGHDAD, Iraq—Hundreds of Iraqi protesters stormed and set fires inside Sweden’s embassy compound in Baghdad early Thursday, angered by an expected burning of the Koran later in the day in Stockholm.

Iraqi riot police used electric batons and water cannon to disperse demonstrators who had scaled the walls and were hurling stones at them, as Sweden reported all its embassy staff were safe.

“We didn’t wait until morning, we broke in at dawn and set fire to the Swedish embassy,” one young demonstrator told AFP during the protest as smoke billowed into the sky.

The expected Koran burning in Sweden—in an event approved for Thursday by authorities on free speech

HK man jailed for replacing nat’l anthem with protest song

HONG KONG—A Hong Kong man was sentenced to three months in prison on Thursday for insulting China’s national anthem by swapping it in an online sports video with a song from the city’s 2019 democracy protests.

The jailing of Cheng Wing-chun, 27, came one day before the government was set to ask a separate court for an unprecedented and sweeping ban of protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.”

Insults to the national anthem are already criminalised in Hong Kong, under a 2020 law which carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail.

Magistrate Minnie Wat on Thursday sen-

tenced Cheng to three months in jail, saying the video racked up more than 90,000 views and the court had to deter imitators.

Cheng “incited people in the comments section to insult the dignity of the national anthem” and showed no remorse, Wat said.

The court had ruled earlier this month that Cheng deliberately switched out the audio in a video clip he published on YouTube in 2021.

The clip, which showed Hong Kong fencer Edgar Cheung receiving his gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, originally had “March of the Volunteers”—the official anthem for both

BERLIN—German man police urged residents of Berlin’s southern suburbs to stay indoors on Thursday, as they scoured the area for a wild animal on the loose, apparently a lioness.

Police first issued the alarm in the early morning hours, after two people saw what appeared to be a lioness chasing a wild boar down a street less than five kilometres (three miles) from the German capital.

“Around midnight, we received a message hard to imagine. Two passersby who saw one animal chasing another,” Daniel Keip, Brandenburg police spokesman, told RBB radio.

China and Hong Kong—playing in the background.

The protest song “Glory to Hong Kong”, penned anonymously, first emerged in August 2019 when Hong Kong was undergoing massive and at times violent democracy demonstrations.

It is now all but illegal to perform or play a recording of it in Hong Kong, after Beijing crushed the protests and imposed a national security law in 2020 to quell dissent.

But the song has been mistakenly played multiple times as the city’s anthem at international sporting events—raising the ire of Hong Kong officials. AFP

grounds—would be the second incident of its kind within weeks in the Nordic country.

On June 28, Sweden-based Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika had also burnt pages of the Islamic holy text outside a Stockholm mosque, sparking a wave of indignation and anger across the Muslim world.

Momika on Facebook confirmed Swedish media reports that he was one of the organisers of the planned event, this time outside Iraq’s embassy, where they were also planning to burn the Iraqi flag.

One of the Iraqi protesters in Baghdad, Hassan Ahmed, told AFP that “we are mobilised today to denounce the burning of the Koran, which is all about love and faith.” AFP

2 killed in Auckland shooting as city hosts World Cup opener

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—A gunman killed two people and wounded six others in central Auckland Thursday, hours before the New Zealand city hosted the opening match of the 2023 FIFA football World Cup.

A 24-year-old shooter tore through the waterfront construction site with a shotgun in the early morning, plunging the busy centre of New Zealand’s largest city into lockdown.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the gunman also died at the scene and there was no national security threat, so the marquee tournament could go ahead as planned.

Police believe the attack was not directly linked to the World Cup, nor was it politically or ideologically motivated.

“One was a wild boar and the other apparently a wild animal, a lioness. The two men recorded a video on their phones and even experienced policemen had to concede that it was probably a lioness,” he said.

Berlin police then alerted the public to the beast’s presence, initially putting the southwestern suburbs on alert and then expanding the area of the search.

As authorities, backed by several helicopters, scoured the area around the communities of Kleinmachnow, Teltow and Stahnsdorf at the start of the workday, according to local media, police urged residents to stay indoors. AFP

But the gunman was known to police and said to have had a history of family violence and mental health issues.

Police said he had been subject to a home detention order but had an exemption to work at the site. He did not have a license to own a firearm.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said there had been “nothing to suggest he presented a higher-level risk”.

‘Pretty somber’ Aucklanders had circled today’s date as the start of a month-long festival of football that would showcase their city and country to the world. AFP

Lioness reported on the loose in Berlin; police urge residents to stay indoors

SHOOTING SITE. New Zealand police officers cordon off an area near the site of a shooting in central Auckland Thursday. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the shooting that killed two people hours before the women’s football World Cup opener was not linked to a national security threat and the tournament will go ahead as planned. AFP (See related story below)

EMBASSY TORCHED. Protesters stand on top of a building next to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on Thursday. Iraq condemned the torching of Sweden’s embassy and its foreign ministry called on security forces to identify those responsible. AFP

CONGRESSIONAL PICNIC. US President Joe Biden greets attendees during the White House Congressional Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday. AFP

Chinese leader Xi Jinping

Stocks climb on positive corporate earnings

PSEi July 20, 2023

TOP GAINERS

By Jenniffer B. Austria

LOCAL stocks extended their climb Thursday to close above the 6,600 level, bucking the regional decline amid optimism on second-quarter corporate earnings.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, jumped 71.59 points, or 1.09 percent, to close at 6,613.60, while the broader all-shares index went up 25 points to 3,515.91.

“Philippine shares climbed higher again on stronger-than-expected earnings results locally and regionally, the latter creating optimism for soft landing for the economy,” Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

close to ending their interest rate hikes were offset by worries about a lack of action by Chinese leaders to kick start the country’s stuttering economy.

The Fed is tipped to lift rates at its meeting next week but expectations are that it will stop after that, although there is still debate about whether it will announce another later in the year.

Limlingan said.

Limlingan said investors also cheered the Department of Tourism’s report that international visitor arrivals reached 3 million as of July 19, 2023 on track to meet the 4.8 million target for 2023. Foreign investors were net buyers by P419.8 million, which boosted trading value to P4.5 billion.

Meanwhile, Asian markets were mixed Thursday as hopes that central banks are

The mood across trading floors has been generally positive of late, with last week’s news that US inflation had slowed more than expected coming alongside healthy data suggesting a recession could also be avoided.

That was compounded by a surprisingly low UK inflation reading Wednesday.

The figures have fanned hopes that the long-running campaign of rate hikes was kicking in and policymakers in Washington and London could tap the brakes.

Comments from a top European Central Bank official this week indicated a similar outlook in Frankfurt.

Netflix adds 6m subscribers after password crackdown

SAN FRANCISCO, United States—

Netflix on Wednesday said subscriptions to the media streaming service climbed by nearly 6 million in the wake of its crackdown on password sharing.

The streaming giant finished the recently ended quarter with a total of 238 million subscribers and a profit of $1.5 billion, according to an earnings release.

The pickup in subscribers came as a potentially crippling writers and actors strike hits the US entertainment industry, but with analysts saying Netflix is better positioned than its rivals to weather the storm.

“We are constantly at the table negotiating with everyone across the industry,”

Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos said during an earnings presentation.

“We need to get to this strike to a conclusion so that we can all move forward.”

Revenue came in lower than expectations with Netflix posting $8.2 billion in sales over the April to June period, pushing the company’s shares down more than 8 percent in after hours trading on Wall Street.

Netflix in May expanded its crackdown on users sharing passwords with people beyond their immediate family as it seeks to shore up revenue after a rough patch last year.

Earlier this year the company complained that more than 100 million

households were sharing accounts at the service.

“Let’s face it, the crackdown on passwords is working,” Navellier and Associates chief investment officer Louis Navellier said of Netflix.

“I was ecstatic with the results; I think they hit the ball out of the park with subscriber growth.”

In its earning statement, the company said that the policy would expand to all its markets worldwide.

To convert non-paying users, Netflix has introduced “borrower” or “shared” accounts, in which subscribers can add extra viewers for a higher price or transfer viewing profiles to new accounts. AFP

New NAIA may worsen traffic; PLDT is most valuable brand

THE aging Ninoy Aquino International Airport really needs a major makeover to meet rising travel demand.

This piece of infrastructure has become an embarrassment to the nation of late, with power outages and glitches recently stranding tens of thousands of tourists and kababayans.

NAIA, as I’ve written in my past column, has failed to play catch-up with its rivals in this part of the world after years of neglect and underinvestment. Worse, with the pandemic nearly over and international travel strongly bouncing back, NAIA is poorly positioned to meet increasing passenger demand with sufficient levels of service.

Fortunately, a consortium composed of six of the country’s biggest conglomerates offered an unsolicited proposal to provide the first concrete and immediate solution to NAIA’s problems. The consortium assured NAIA would have the ability to serve up to 70 million passengers a year efficiently, or more than double its current capacity. Now, here’s comes the catch. Will a modern NAIA with a much bigger passenger capacity not contribute to the traffic logjam in Metro Manila? The traffic gridlock in Metro Manila is worsening with the onset of the rainy season. Even without a heavy downpour, traffic in the metropolis is bad. Growing vehicle sales are also narrowing the roadways in the capital region.

An upgraded and bigger NAIA that can accommodate more air travelers will aggravate Metro Manila’s gridlock, unless the project incorporates a railway component. Modern urban centers in the world build and design their airports with a rail link to improve the accessibility of passengers to downtown areas or, in some cases, suburbs or distant cities.

The railway connection provides air passengers an option to avoid chaotic road traffic conditions in getting to their next immediate destination. American and European airports complement their airports with metros, or subways.

The NAIA is currently linked with toll roads designed to make travel in and out of the premier airport faster. Commuters using these toll roads, however, know better. The congestion toward the entry and exit ramps of these toll roads is severe and extends to the national roads.

Upgrading NAIA with a rail link could move air passengers to nearby provinces like Bulacan and Pampanga, or Laguna, Cavite and Batangas in the

south with ease. The rail link could fetch the same passengers to Clark airport on their way to other destinations.

The same metros operate at airports in Beijing and Shanghai (Honggiao and Pudong) in China, Okinawa in Japan and Singapore.

An air-rail link will make NAIA a complete airport. Besides, it is more environment-friendly and sustainable than carbon-based transportation.

Telco’s reward

The strong commitment of PLDT Inc. to bridge the digital divide and protect the environment is finally reaping its reward.

PLDT continues to be the most valuable brand in the Philippines, based on an independent 2023 study of Brand Finance, a London-based business valuation and strategy consulting company.

Citing a 2-percent annual increase in brand value to US$2.6 billion, Brand Finance said the performance of the country’s largest integrated telecommunications firm contributed to the brand capturing a higher market share of the fiber industry, which led to a 45-percent improvement in year-on-year revenue.

The Brand Finance report noted PLDT’s consistent focus on innovation as a driver to improve customer service and propel the Philippines toward becoming a financial and technology hub. As one of the main drivers in its improved year-on-year revenue, PLDT Group’s investments in fiber technology was a key factor in receiving the prestigious award from Brand Finance, with a total fiber footprint of over 1.1 million kilometers as of end-March 2023.

“PLDT greatly appreciates the latest and prestigious recognition from Brand Finance for being conferred as the Most Valuable Filipino Brand this year. This inspires us more to continue providing the vital connectivity that powers our digital economy, enabling us to help transform the country into a globally competitive and

digitally-empowered nation,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, president and chief executive officer of PLDT and its wireless subsidiary, Smart Communications Inc.

“This recognition clearly shows that our efforts to proactively create brand loyalty, awareness, associations, and maintaining international standard of our products and services among our stakeholders are paying off,” Panlilio added.

Brand Finance also lauded PLDT’s deployment of carbon fiber cell towers, an environmental initiative that seeks to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced by up to 70 percent, compared to using traditional steel towers. Carbon fiber towers also use less land space, reducing the need for land repurposing.

“PLDT is a socially responsible corporation and seriously cares for our environment by deploying the country’s first carbon fiber cell towers, as well as solar panels in our facilities across four cities to reduce over 137 tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” Panlilio said. PLDT in 2022 deployed solar panels in five PLDTSmart facilities across four cities to reduce over 137 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

In support of the government’s digitalization goals, the citation reinforced the commitment of PLDT and Smart to bridge the digital divide―a mandate of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Digital Infrastructure group, where Panlilio sits as a founding member.

The PLDT and Smart’s efforts recognized by Brand Finance are among the broad range of initiatives undertaken by the group in its drive to elevate customer experience and become the region’s leading environmental, social and corporate governance (ESC) telco.

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

“With inflation easing and odds for a soft landing rising, investors may adopt an ‘it could have been worse mood’, so perhaps it’s unlikely risk sentiment will drift too far askew,” said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.

He added that came “especially given the less hawkish implications the global inflation reset will have on central bank interest rates”.

Wall Street provided a healthy lead as the Dow chalked up an eighth straight advance, though disappointing earnings from tech titans Netflix and Tesla after the market closed dented sentiment. With AFP

NEW YORK, United States—Tesla reported a jump in second-quarter profits Wednesday as a series of price cuts translated into sharply higher car sales.

Elon Musk’s fast-growing electric vehicle company reported profits of $2.7 billion, up 20 percent on the year-ago level.

Revenues surged 47 percent to $24.9 billion -- a record for the company as auto deliveries surged 83 percent to 466,140 vehicles.

Total gross margin came in at 18.2 percent, down from 19.3 percent in the prior quarter and below the 18.8 percent expected by analysts.

Tesla characterized the profit margins as “healthy,” citing more efficient operations at the newer plants of Berlin and Texas.

The results topped analyst estimates for earnings per share and revenues.

Musk described the current macroeconomic backdrop as “turbulent,” noting the drag of high interest rates on consumers and quipping that “one day it seems like the world economy’s falling apart and the next day everything’s fine.”

But executives pointed to a broadbased easing of pressures on key commodities including aluminum and steel, as well key components in batteries such as nickel, cobalt, graphite and lithium.

Wednesday’s press release dropped language on supply chain challenges employed in recent earnings statements. Price cuts

Musk has undertaken multiple price cuts throughout 2023 on vehicles, telling investors in April that the company has “taken the view that pushing for higher volumes and a larger fleet is the right choice here versus a lower volume and higher margin.”

The move comes as more EVs from legacy carmakers like General Motors and Ford are hitting dealerships.

On Monday, Ford announced price cuts of as much as $10,000 on the F-150 Lightning, an electric version of the best-selling pickup, a move that added to concerns about an oversupply of EVs amid consumer anxiety over lack of charging capacity.

The Ford announcement added to concerns about a potential glut of EVs. EVs currently have more than 100 days of inventory, while industry-wide levels are 53 days, according to a Cox Automotive report. Shares of Tesla have more than doubled in 2023 so far as investors have overlooked concerns about shrinking profit margins and cheered other recent Musk initiatives. AFP

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES CORPORATION

11-B Sunrise Drive, Brgy, Eagong Lipunan ng Crame, Cubao, Quezon City

NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER’S MEETING

To All ERC Stockholders:

Please be informed that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of the Educational Resources Corporation (ERC), shall be held on July 29,2023 Saturday, at 12:00 noon at Cafe Cucina Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas Center, Meralco Avenue, Sapphire Rd., San Antonio Pasig City.

The following is the agenda.

1. Election of new directors for the incoming fiscal year.

2. Reportofihe President

3. Other matters.

Please be guided accordingly.

Tesla earnings rise to $2.7b on higher sales, lower prices

NUCLEAR FACILITY. Steam rises from the cooling towers of the Bugey nuclear power plant in Saint-Vulbas, central France on July 20, 2023. AFP

BANK of the Philippine Islands, the third-largest lender in terms of assets, said Thursday net profit jumped 23 percent in the first half to P25.1 billion from a year ago, driven by robust performance across business segments.

BPI said in a statement the remarkable performance in the first half resulted in a return on equity of 15.5 percent.

Revenues grew 13.8 percent to P65.6 billion, on the back of a 27.4-percent increase in net interest income to P50.1 billion, as the average asset base expanded 9.2 percent and net interest margin widened by 56 basis points to 4.03 percent.

This was tempered by the 15.4-percent decline in non-interest income to P15.5 billion on the property sale gain recognized in the prior year.

Removing the impact of the oneoff transaction, non-interest income would be higher by P2.2 billion or 16.3 percent, led by the increase in fees from credit cards, various service charges and securities trading.

“The drivers of the strong financial performance [in the first semester] were average asset base expansion, margin growth and lower provisions,” the bank said.

Operating expenses climbed 21.4 percent to P31.4 billion, as the bank spent for structural and one-time salary increases, continued investments in digitalization programs and various marketing campaigns, rewards and other selling expenses.

Cost-to-income ratio stood at 47.9 percent, while asset quality remained robust with a non-performing loan ratio of 1.88 percent and NPL coverage of 167.44 percent as of June 30, 2023.

The bank recognized provisions of P2 billion in the first half, or 60 percent below the P5 billion recorded over the same period last year.

BPI booked a net income of P13 billion in the second quarter, up 4.5 percent year-on-year, even without the benefit of a one-time gain. Revenues reached P33.9 billion in the quarter, up 4.9 percent, owing to the decline in non-interest income offsetting the increase in net interest income.

“Without the effect of the prior year gain from property sale, quarterly net income would be higher by 49.3 percent from the same quarter last year,” it said. Julito G. Rada

More

By Othel V. Campos

AN EXECUTIVE of World Trade Center Metro Manila on Thursday underscored the role of meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions or MICE sector in harnessing economic activities and helping hasten the country’s recovery.

WTCMM chairman and chief executive Pamela Pascual said major national and international events attract businessmen and entrepreneurs with high interest to engage in trade and new business opportunities, creating prospects for the movement of local products, trade receipts and foreign direct

BSP: Foreign reserves dropped to 4-month low of $99.4b in June

By Julito G. Rada

THE country’s gross international reserves fell to a four-month low of $99.4 billion as of end-June 2023 from $100.6 billion in the previous month as the balance of payments incurred a big shortfall, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

It also declined from $100.85 billion registered in June 2022.

The BSP said despite the drop, the latest GIR level represented a more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.3 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income.

It was also about 5.7 times the coun-

try’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 4.0 times based on residual maturity. The country’s capacity to meet imports requirements have been declining since 2020 when the GIR reached a record $110 billion which was equivalent to 12-month import cover. This was also partially due to a significant growth

in imports as the economy reopened, resulting in widening trade and balance of payments deficit.

The BSP said that in June 2023, the BOP incurred a deficit of $606 million, the widest in four months but lower than the $1.6-billion shortfall a year ago, as the government settled some of its foreign debts.

The June BOP deficit was the biggest since the $895-million shortfall in February 2023.

“The BOP deficit in June 2023 reflected outflows arising mainly from the national government’s net foreign currency withdrawals from its deposits with the BSP to settle its foreign currency debt obligations and pay for its various expenditures,” the BSP said in a statement.

The BSP said despite the large deficit in June, the cumulative BOP position recorded a surplus of $2.3 billion in the first six months of the year, a reversal from the $3.1-billion deficit a year earlier.

“Based on preliminary data, the cumulative BOP surplus reflected inflows that stemmed mainly from personal remittances, net foreign borrowings by the national government, trade in services, and foreign direct investments,” the BSP said.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the BOP data for the coming months could improve with the continued growth in the country’s structural inflows.

IN BRIEF

Filinvest Land to issue

P35-b fixed-rate bonds

FILINVEST Land Inc., a property developer led by the Gotianun Group, is returning to the debt market with the planned issuance of P35 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds.

FLI said in stock exchange filing Thursday its board of directors approved the registration of P35 billion worth of bonds with the Securities and Exchange Commission under its bond-shelf registration program. The bonds will be issued in tranches and will have maturity of up to seven years.

It did not provide other details including the timetable for the offering and the use of proceeds.

E-MOTORCYCLE PLANT. Integrated Micro-Electronics Inc. of the Ayala Group and California-based Zero Motorcycles inaugurate their e-motorcycle assembly line in Biñan, Laguna, marking a significant milestone in the continuing efforts of the government to position the Philippines as a hub for innovation- and sustainability-driven industries. Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) US Embassy charge d’ affaires Heather Variava, Board of Investments executive director Corieh Dichosa, Philippine Economic Zone Authority deputy director-general Vivian Santos, IMI chief executive Arthur Tan, Zero Motorcycles chief executive Sam Paschel, BOI governor Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego and Transportation assistant secretary James Melad.

DOTr expects to award P170-b NAIA contract by December

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Department of Transportation ex-

pects to award the P170-billion contract to rehabilitate and expand the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by endDecember this year, Secretary Jaime Bautista said Thursday.

Bautista said the agency would finalize the terms of reference approved by the National Economic Development Authority before the publication of the invitation to bid.

“Probably in the first week of August, we will publish the invitation to bid and we can give them two months to submit their bids. We will give them

ICTSI UNIT DIVIDENDS.

Officials of Ahi Investment Ltd. in Papua New Guinea turn over PGK2.5 million (US$695,000) in dividends to Ahi Prudential Development to fund development projects and programs across the Ahicommunities of Yalu, Kamkumung, Hengali, Butibam, Yanga and Wagang. Ahi Prudential is a trustee company created to hold shares from AIL on behalf of beneficiaries. AIL’s subsidiary Ahi Terminal Services Ltd. partially owns South Pacific International Container Terminal Ltd., part of the concession agreement between International Container Terminal Services Inc. and the Ahi Group of Companies.

investments that harness employment.

“WTCMM, as a recognized major venue provider in the country, along with other industry players, play a vital role in the economic recovery by providing a fast track for companies in the B2B [business to business] space,” she said.

Pascual cites cases of industry shows like PHILCONSTRUCT and WORLDBEX in 2022 and 2023, respectively, which brought the local construction and building industry and its foreign counterparts face-to-face and virtually.

WTCMM linked the PHILCONSTRUCT show with buyers in China online, while buyers from Tianjin, China visited WORLDBEX.

three months, including the possible extension. By November, we can already open the bids and award by the end of December,” Bautista said.

“The financial closing will take about three to six months, so hopefully by the middle of 2024 the winning bidder can start the concession agreement,” he said.

The DOTr and the Manila International Airport Authority will serve as co-grantors for the project, which has a duration set for 15 years, with an option for a 10-year extension.

The NAIA privatization project aims to address longstanding issues at NAIA such as the inadequate capacity of passenger terminal buildings and restricted

aircraft movement.

It also aims to increase the annual airport capacity from 35 million to at least 62 million passengers and raise air traffic movement from 40 to 48 per hour.

The project is also expected to improve the overall passenger experience and service quality to prevent long queues, lengthy waiting times and other passenger inconveniences.

The NEDA board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., earlier approved the solicited proposal to rehabilitate, operate expand and transfer the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. It is now known as the Solicited NAIA PPP Project.

FLI has P9.03 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds maturing this year and another P1.7 billion worth of 10-year bonds maturing in 2024. The last time FLI tapped the bond market was in December 2021 when it raised P10 billion in fresh capital, consisting of four-year bonds due 2025 with interest rate of 4.5030 percent and six-year bonds due 2027 with interest rate of 5.2579 percent per annum. Jenniffer B. Austria

PAGCOR’s earnings climbed

35% to P36.2b in 6 months

STATE-RUN Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. is on track to exceeding its pre-pandemic financial performance after its net income climbed 35.64 percent in the first half of 2023 to P36.21 billion from P26.70 billion a year ago.

PAGCOR chairman and chief executive Alejandro Tengco said income in the first six months were just P2.59 billion, or 6.68 percent, shy of its pre-pandemic output of P38.81 billion in 2019.

Tengco said it is highly possible to reach or surpass the agency’s pre-pandemic income by the end of 2023. He said the agency was expecting at least P272.74 billion in revenues this year.

“We have already hit approximately P136.37 billion gross gaming revenue or GGR in the first semester. With the favorable business environment that we have right now, we are hopeful that we can reach or even surpass our revenue targets and contribute more to nationbuilding,” he said.

“PAGCOR will certainly ride on the tide of our country’s economic growth. As economic activities reach pre-pandemic levels, we are optimistic that we can sustain the gaming industry’s growth momentum as we fortify our regulatory policies to attract more investors in the Philippines,” he said. Julito G. Rada Hydropower plants’ output to remain low at 50% in July

THE Department of Energy said Thursday the power generation of hydropower plants would remain at 50 percent below their capacity in July despite the recent heavy rains.

“It’s the same status of 50-percent deration this July, which will increase to 70-percent deration by December,” Energy Undersecretary Rowena Guevara said.

She said the rains in the previous days were not enough to meet the water supply requirements of the hydro plants. “This third week of July is the potential yellow alert, and we are hoping it will not push through. The operations of the Ilijan plant helped,” Guevara said.

Guevera said the DOE was monitoring several hydropower plants and the impact of the El Niño dry spell on their generation capacity.

These are the 280-megawatt Angat, 720-MW Kalayaan, 345-MW Magat and 435-MW San Roque hydro facilities.

The DOE conducted a simulation, based on historical data and forecasts of El Niño’s impact on power generation and found that about 300 MW to 500 MW of hydro capacity would be affected.

“We are monitoring their [water] level that will determine their capacity to generate hydroelectric power,” Guevara said. Alena Mae S. Flores

IEMOP: Trial operations of power reserve market now in full swing

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines said Thursday trial operations of the reserve market is now in full swing as part of preparations for its commercial launch on Sept. 26, 2023.

“As of now, trial operations program in full swing and will run until Sept., 25, 2023. This program is a crucial step in ensuring the successful transition to the commercial operations,” IEMOP assistant manager for knowledge management services Christian Karla Rica said.

“We are working and completing essential prerequisites which include PDM [price determination methodology] approval and ensuring of readiness of the system and processes and conduct

of comprehensive software certification audit,” Rica said.

The RM allows for the trading of ancillary services or those necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads, while maintaining the reliable operation of the system.

IEMOP started the trial operations program on June 26 and will run for three months.

The Department of Energy said the TOP is a non-binding exercise for the RM participants to test all market systems for registration, scheduling, dispatch and pricing, metering, cost recovery and settlement.

Non-binding exercise means that the results of the TOP would not be used commercially for scheduling, dispatch, settlement and cost recovery.

The DOE said all generating units would continue to adhere to the “Protocol for the Central Scheduling and Dispatch of Energy and Contracted Reserves” where AS will continue to be scheduled, dispatched, and settled by grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines in accordance with its ancillary services procurement agreement.

The DOE directed the Philippine Electricity Market Corp., the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market’s governance arm to complete the audit of the software enhancements to the market systems as part of the readiness criteria for the RM commercial operations

It said all generation companies accredited as AS providers should register and fully participate in the TOP exercises.

BPI’s net income climbed 23% to P25.1b in first half

conventions and conferences expected to boost business activities

NZ

shooting rattles teams hours before football kickoff

AUCKLAND—Women’s World Cup squads in Auckland were shocked but safe after a deadly shooting near several team hotels overshadowed the opening day of the tournament Thursday.

The incident, which left two victims and the gunman dead, occurred close to the hotels of reigning champions the United States, as well as the Philippines and Norway—who play co-hosts New Zealand later in the day in the city.

Norway captain Maren Mjelde said the team—staying just 300-400 metres (1,000-1,300 feet) from a building site where the shooting took place—were woken by a helicopter and “a large number of emergency vehicles”.

“At first we didn’t know what was going on, but eventually there were updates on TV and the local media,” she said in a statement hours before the 0700 GMT kickoff.

“Everyone seems calm and we are preparing as normal for the game tonight,” she added.

FIFA said in a statement that it had been “in constant contact with the participating teams affected by this incident”.

“The participating teams in close proximity to this incident are being supported in relation to any impact that may have taken place,” football’s governing body added. New Zealand’s government has said there was no broader national security threat and the tournament will go ahead as planned.

History bid

The shooting marred what was supposed to have been a day of celebration marking the start of the first-ever 32team Women’s World Cup.

The month-long tournament has expanded from 24 teams in France four years ago and is being staged in two different countries for the first time, in nine cities across Australia and New Zealand.

Australia face the Republic of Ireland in the second game of the tournament, also on Thursday, in front of a sell-out crowd of 80,000 in Sydney.

While the Matildas are hoping to go all the way to the final in Sydney on August 20, New Zealand’s ambitions are more modest.

The Football Ferns are hoping to win a World Cup match for the first time at the 16th attempt when they play former champions Norway at Auckland’s Eden Park, following the opening ceremony.AFP

Filipinas ready to make history at ‘23 FIFA Women’s World Cup

By Peter Atencio

THE Philippine national women’s team known as the Filipinas make their historic debut debut in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Friday, opening its Group A campaign against Switzerland at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand at 5 p.m. (1 p.m., Manila time).

The Philippine squad, ranked no. 53 in the world, is suiting up in the World Cup for the first time like Haiti, Morocco, Panama, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Vietnam and Zambia.

“We’ve been preparing since the day we qualified. We’ve been lucky,” said Filipinas’ coach Allen Stajcic in a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

Stajcic, who guided Australia to the 2015 Women’s World Cup, has cut down down the squad to its final 23 and had difficulty in doing so.

The Australian coach, who deflected questions on the players’ eligibility and nationality, will have veteran center back Hali Long, along with 34-year-old captain Tahnai Annis in the Filipinas’ offense in the midfield.

“The players are eligible and they all played for flag and country, wherever they reside,” said Stajcic.

Among the veterans expected to deliver for the Filipinas are Isabella Flannigan, Long, Bolden, Annis and goalie Olivia McDaniel.

The 18-year-old Flannigan, a forward, is known for her creative moves and close control, will play side-by side with Sarina Bolden, known as a cold-blooded goalscorer, with instinctive plays inside the box. Long, a center-back, brings in the needed

California Academy volleyball standouts commit to UE

UNIVERSITY of the East has received the much-awaited commitments from five of the top high school volleyball prospects in the game today.

Casiey Dongallo, Jelaica Gajero, Kizzie Madriaga, and Grace Fernandez from California Academy, along with Claire Castillo of Maryhill College, will join the Lady Warriors.

All five student-athletes will be eligible to play starting UAAP Season 86.

The quintet made their commitments to Strong Group Athletics founder Frank Lao and head coach Jerry Yee on Tuesday at Gloria Maris Restaurant Greenhills in San Juan.

Lady Warriors team manager Jared Lao expressed, “Having the

Cali Babies commit to our team is such a crucial part of our rebuilding process. We all know what they can bring to the table, and as a team, we are very excited to have them be part of our journey.”

UE has also tapped California Academy head coach Obet Vital to be one of the assistants of Yee.

Over the past three years, California Academy has made a name for itself as one of the country’s top high school volleyball programs.

Under the guidance of Jerry Yee and later on, Vital, the Cal Babies were able to hold their own against Premier Volleyball League teams in the 2021 PNVF Champions League for Women, finishing in fifth place.

It earned Dongallo and Gajero

invites to join the pool of the Philippine Women’s National Volleyball Team.

California Academy then dominated the 2023 PNVF Under-18 Girls’ Tournament and the Shakey’s Girls Invitational Volleyball League.

During the PNVF U18 tournament, Madriaga was named the Best Setter, while Dongallo was the MVP of the Shakey’s tournament. Gajero was recognized as the Best Outside Spiker, Fernandez as the Best Libero, and Madriaga remained as the Best Setter.

Meanwhile, Castillo powered Maryhill to a fourth-place finish in the PNVF tourney. UE is coming off a last-place finish in UAAP Season 85, ending with a 1-13 record.

Newly crowned world no. 2 pole vaulter Obiena shares global feat with Filipinos

By Randy Caluag

THE Philippines’ pride in Ernest John Obiena was preparing for a big pole vault event in Monaco when he received the news about his elevation to the world’s no. 2 ranking and immediately took to social media to share his accomplishment with his team and compatriots back home.

“This is not just my accomplishment alone, but everyone’s. Maraming salamat Pilipinas sa pagkakataon na iwagayway ang iyong diwa,” Obiena posted on his official page.

“Thank you to everyone who made this possible and my deepest gratitude to those who went to war

so that I could continue this dream.”

Obiena moved up to the no. 2 with accumulated points of 1,432 and has overtaken American Chris Nilsen, who fell to no. 3 with 1,428 points.

World Champion Armand Duplantis of Sweden remains at the top with 1,569 points. Sam Kendricks of the U.S. and Thiago Braz are ranked 4th and 5th, respectively.

Rounding up the Top 10 are Bo Kanda LIata Baehre of Germany at no. 6; no. 7 Renauld Lavillene of France; no. 8 Sondre Guttormsen of Norway; no. 9 Kurtiss Marschall of Austria and no. 10 KC Lightfoot of the U.S.

Obiena will face them again in Monacao’s Meeting Herculis EBS for a leg of the Diamond League starting Friday (Saturday PH time).

Obiena is coming off a successful stint in the Asian Athletics Championship in Bangkok, Thailand where he defended his title and posted a new tournament record of 5.91 meters, breaking the old 5.71 he himself set four years ago in Qatar. The last time Obiena was in Monaco was in August 2022 where he submitted 5.70 meters for the bronze medal in the Diamond League.

Duplantis, the current world record holder (6.18 meters), won the gold after clearing 6.00 meters.

leadership and experience that the team needs, and so does Annis, who top-scored for the Filipinas in their clash with Taipei. McDaniel, as a goalkeeper, has made excellent saves that have carried the Filipinas out of tough spots.

Batangas, Bacolod, Rizal whip

MPBL foes

BATANGAS cruised past Oriental Mindoro while Bacolod and Rizal foiled their rivals in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Showing depth and power, the Batangas City Embassy chill Athletics dumped the Oriental Mindoro Disiplinados, 98-70, to raise their record to 15-4 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament. The Bacolod Maskaras wasted a 20-point spread, but held on to a 95-91 victory over the Sarangani Marlins in the second game, followed by the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers’ 78-69 conquest of the Negros Muscovados.

Firmly in control, the Athletics deployed the full complement of their 15-player roster, all of whom contributed two points or more.

Mark Justine Dela Virgen scored 14 while CJ Isit and Jeckster Apinan added 9 each for the Athletics, who dominated the boards, 50-35, en route to 44 points inside the paint.

Mindoro dropped to 3-17 despite the 21-point, 9-assist, 6-rebound, 3-steal effort of Agem Miranda.

Bacolod pulled away, 76-56, at the start of the fourth quarter, but dropped its guard and allowed Sarangani to knot the count at 88 following backto-back triples by Jeff Comia and John Paul Cauilan.

Fortunately for Bacolod, Domark Matillano drove through and Valandre Chauca drilled in a triple with 11 seconds left to lift the Maskaras to an 8-12 slate, the same as the Marlins.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino speaks during a press conference in Auckland, ahead of the Women’s World Cup football tournament. AFP

Casiey Dongallo, Jelaica Gajero, Kizzie Madriaga, Grace Fernandez, and Claire Castillo (foreground) will be playing for the University of the East starting in Season 86 of the UAAP.

Ernest John Obiena

Coach Allen Stajcic and Filipinas’ co-captain Hali Long

Consistency keys Malixi’s match play win vs Flynn

RIANNE Malixi trampled Ryan Flynn with remarkable consistency, cruising to a 4&3 victory in a rousing start in the match play phase of the US Girls’ Junior at the Eisenhower Golf Club’s Blue course in Colorado Springs, Colorado Wednesday.

Malixi was practically on target from tee-to-green all throughout while coming up with a scrambling par No. 4 and matching Flynn’s birdies on Nos. 3 and 11 to stay in command. She capped her emphatic triumph with another birdie on No. 15 that she actually didn’t need as the Californian holed out with a bogey just before the 122-minute weather delay that stalled 19 other first round matches.

“The key was consistency,” said the ICTSI-backed Malixi, who finished at No. 24 in the 36-hole stroke play elims. “I was able to hit shots where I exactly wanted to place them and made putts that mattered.” She will need a lot more shots to execute and putts to drop as she faces No. 9 Kaitlyn Schroeder from Florida in one of the Round-of-32 matches Thursday morning with the surviving 16 players to head to the Round-of-16 duels in the afternoon.

“I know Kaitlyn, we played together a couple of times in the American Junior Golf Association and the PGA Juniors. It will be a great match tomorrow,” said the 16-year-old Malixi, a two-time AJGA winner.

After winning the opening hole, Malixi drained a six-footer for birdie on an undulating line to halve No. 3, salvaged a par on the next then bucked back-toback missed chances from No. 5 with another birdie from six feet on the par-3 seventh to go 2-up.

They traded pars in the next five and Malixi, a multi-titled campaigner on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, unleashed another solid tee-shot on No. 13, also a par3, then wrapped it all up with a four-hole bulge with another birdie on the 15th.

Malixi lost to eventual champion and now LPGA Tour campaigner Rose Zhang in the Round-of-32 in 2021 and skipped the 2022 edition of the event ruled by Princess Superal in Arizona in 2014 to compete in the Women’s Western Amateur in Illinois where she reached the semis.

Verstappen armed with upgrades in pursuit of Hungarian F1 victory

UDAPEST—Defending champion and runaway series leader Max Verstappen will be armed with a number of upgrades on his Red Bull car as he seeks to repeat his 2022 victory at this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

In the penultimate race before Formula One’s August break, the 25-yearold Dutchman will bid to extend his 99-point lead on team-mate Sergio Perez. But he will be keenly aware that the chasing pack are closing in after his narrow triumph ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix where seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton finished third for Mercedes. Both Britons will carry hopes of further success at the tight and twisty Hungaroring circuit where Hamilton, notably, has shone often in the past on his way to a record eight Hungarian victories.

“This is always an interesting one,” said Verstappen.

“Last year, it was tricky to make the right calls with incoming rain and cooler temperatures, but as a team we stayed calm and made the right decisions. “And this weekend, we have a couple of upgrades so hopefully they will do what we expect them to do—so we can find extra performance.”

He described the high down-force circuit, with low-speed corners, as an “amazing track to drive and very technical as well… definitely a place I look forward to”.

After six consecutive wins and eight in ten outings this year, Verstappen appears destined for a cruise to his third straight drivers’ title while Red Bull seem set to retain their constructors’ crown with equal comfort.

‘Order fluctuating’

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, however, remains determined to upset their progress and would love to prevent the Dutchman adding to his 43 career wins to date.

“We extended our P2 advantage in the championship at Silverstone,” he said. “The order is fluctuating almost every weekend. We need to add performance if we are to close the gap and fight for victories.

“Several teams have made big gains recently and this has brought some into the fight with us, especially McLaren. It’s impressive and gives us encouragement that we can also find gains.”

Last year, Mercedes did well in Hungary with George Russell’s maiden pole and a double podium finish.

“This race also marks a decade since Lewis’s first win with us,” added Wolff. “So, it’s a circuit full of good memories and, hopefully, we can have another strong showing.

“We want to take the fight to our rivals.”

Of the challengers behind Red Bull, Mercedes look the most likely threat this weekend while McLaren could find their car, so at home on Silverstone’s sweeping high-speed corners, struggles.

That might create a chance for Aston Martin and Ferrari to recover some lost lustre, particularly two-time champion Fernando Alonso, while Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, the victor in 2021 when he had Alonso as a team-mate, has urged his team to react after two poor results. AFP

KMC announces pact with PH Volcanoes

KMC, the leading provider of flexible office solutions in the country, is thrilled to unveil its upcoming partnership with the Philippine National Rugby Team (known as the Volcanoes) through the Philippine Rugby Football Union.

KMC Solutions recognizes the importance of fostering meaningful relationships within the communities it serves. Through this partnership, KMC hopes to contribute to the success of Volcanoes in inspiring more individuals to engage in the sport.

KMC extends its support to the team by offering monetary sponsorships as well as office spaces for PRFU’s staff on its newly launched site in Ortigas -KMC Jollibee Tower. This will provide the PRFU with a professional and private space for important meetings, strategic planning, individual work sessions, and other tasks in preparation for their training and competitions.

ident of Marketing at KMC Solutions.

“We are thrilled to partner with KMC Solutions, a company that shares our vision for promoting sports and youth development,” said Ada Milby, President of the PRFU. “This partnership represents a significant milestone in our journey to make rugby more accessible and popular across the country. With KMC Solutions’ support, we are confident that we can create a positive impact on the lives of young athletes and build a strong rugby community in the Philippines.”

The partnership between KMC Solutions and Philippine Volcanoes demonstrates the shared goal of both organizations that emphasizes community engagement and creating opportunities for everyone’s personal and professional growth.

To foster a deeper appreciation for the sport, KMC will also be organizing

the much-anticipated “Rugby Day” for its employees to learn and experience the sport firsthand with the help of the national team. This event will foster a stronger sense of team spirit within the KMC community, promoting camaraderie within and beyond the office.

“KMC believes in the power of sports

to unite teams, promote a healthy lifestyle, and inspire teamwork. We are extremely proud to announce our partnership with the Philippine Volcanoes. Through this collaboration, we aim to support the national team in their endeavors and help boost the visibility of rugby union in the Philippines,” said Gian Reyes, Vice Pres-

Inaugural SEA VLeague men’s tourney set in Sta. Rosa Angels settle for 9th, stop Power Chargers in 5

Thomas Cragg, Vice President of Sales at KMC, says, “We are excited to deepen our commitment to Philippines Rugby, supporting its grassroots initiatives and player development. Together, we aim to nurture the sport, empower athletes, and build a strong foundation for the future of rugby in the Philippines.”

THE Philippines hosts the second of two legs of the inaugural Southeast Asia (SEA) VLeague men’s tournament from July 28 to 30 at the City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.

The VLeague is a series for men and women indoor volleyball among the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam and is affiliated with the Southeast Asia Volleyball Association.

“The VLeague aims to further strengthen and develop men’s volleyball in the region,” said Ramon “Tats” Suzara, president of the organizing Philippine National Volleyball Federation, which is coming off a successful hosting of the Men’s Week 3 of the Volleyball Nations League in Pasay City early this month.

The four countries are almost in equal footing in terms of rankings in the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB. Vietnam is the best-ranked men’s team at No. 56, Thailand at No. 58 followed closely by the Philippines at No. 59 and Indonesia at No. 68.

The SEA VLeague—a brainchild of Suzara and Thailand federation president Shanrit Wongprasert—opened in Jakarta on Thursday (July 21) with the Philippines taking on Indonesia in its debut match.

The City of Santa Rosa leg—presented by PLDT and primarily supported by the City of Santa Rosa, Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Sports Commission, One Sports and Cignal— wraps up the single-round elimination competition.

PETRO Gazz went through the wringer for the third straight time, but unlike in its five-set defeat to Choco Mucho that ruined its semifinals drive, the Angels pulled through against the Akari Power Chargers, 25-19, 25-18, 20-25, 20-25, 15-7, to wind up ninth in the Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Philsports Arena in Pasig on Thursday.

Blowing a huge 2-0 set lead practically due to what coach Oliver Almadro described as her wards’ “complacency,” the Angels regrouped in the decider, racing to a big 5-1 lead on Aiza Pontillas’ three-hit binge and cruising to victory on Grethcel Soltones’ endgame exploits aided by the Power Chargers’ miscues.

That included a Lut Malaluan service error after the Power Chargers saved two match points on Soltones’ own errant serve and Faith Nisperos’ off-the-block hit for a 7-14 count, enabling the Angels to nail the victory in the Classification round after a runner-up finish in the AllFilipino Conference.

“That’s what we reminded each other, let’s get this game. But you can’t count out Akari, which is a very talented team, well-coached and well-prepared,” said Almadro. “Good thing, naka-bwelo kami ng dalawa (2-0) and we’re happy for the contributions of all the players.”

up to fire 10 points, matching Pontillas’ output while Soltones and Jonah Sabete led the team’s assault again with 19 and 15 points, respectively.

Djanel Cheng anchored the team’s offense with 14 excellent sets while scoring seven points as she bagged the Player of the Game honors after a two-hour, 23-minute match that had looked like a breeze for the Angels but ended up in a grind the way they nipped the F2 Cargo Movers in five last July 11 to boost their semis bid.

But a tough loss to the Flying Titans three nights later all but scuttled their goal of advancing to the next phase as F2 Logistics and Cignal went on to clinch the coveted slots.

“We’re happy na rin at natapos ng maayos. Moving forward, we have to train and prepare for the next tournament,” said Cheng.

Two-way player Eli Soyud, who keyed Akari’s stirring fightback in the third and fourth sets with Erika Raagas and Malaluan, scored the team’s first two points in the fifth against the Angels’ five but the Power Chargers struggled with their passing, leading to a number of foiled attacks as Petro Gazz stormed away at 10-2 on a Kecelyn Galdones’ block off Nisperos’ backrow attack.

Akari countered with three straight hits, including two off the Angels’ service miscues, but Soltones came through

Malaluan,

with

Soyud

Petro Gazz played without top hitter Remy Palma but Marian Buitre stepped

Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning the Formula One British Grand Prix at the Silverstone motor racing circuit in Silverstone, central England. AFP

KMC Executives and PRFU Leaders (from left) Tom Cragg, Amanda Carpo, Ada Milby, Michael McCullough, Gian Reyes, Acee San Juan are shown here.

an ace to cap Petro Gazz’s own three-hit splurge and Soyud’s mishit that ended the game’s longest rally put the Angels at match point.

finished with 19 points, including three blocks, while drawing support from Raagas, Nisperos and

who scored 14, 11 and four points, respectively, with Dindin Manabat putting in an eight-hit game and Krich Macaslang adding six points. Akari, which posted a 1-3 slate in Pool A elims, ended up 10th overall in the 13-team field.

Jonah Sabete of Petro Gazz slams one in.

Who is MARY CHERRY CHUA ?

By Nickie Wang

MARY Cherry Chua was a student back in the ‘60s at a prestigious school. A cheerful young girl with long black hair, Mary Cherry Chua had it all – she was beautiful, rich, and smart.

Filipino ‘Barbie’ fans flock to see fantasy film

HUNDREDS of Filipino Barbie fans dressed in pink expressed joy and relief Wednesday at the opening of the film about the famous doll that many had feared would be banned.

The fantasy-comedy movie drew intense scrutiny from censors over allegations that a brightly colored world map drawing showed China’s claims to the South China Sea.

China claims almost the entire waterway despite rival claims from other Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

Vietnam banned the film but – to the relief of Filipino Barbie fans – the Philippines’

Movie and Television

Review and

with it,” she added. Outside the theatre, excited fans milled around in fuchsia-tinted lighting, some posing for photos in a Barbie booth while others brought their own Barbie dolls to the screening.

The MTRCB had asked the Hollywood studio Warner Bros to blur the controversial lines “to avoid further misinterpretations.”

But AFP correspondents who watched the movie said the lines were clearly defined.

Adored and envied by many, she was known as the school’s Miss Popular. However, her seemingly perfect life was cut short when she was found lifeless on the campus grounds, and it was declared that she had been raped and murdered by the school janitor. Her spirit is said to roam the school premises to this day, haunting the living. Mary Cherry Chua is the central character in a captivating horror film that takes inspiration from a popular urban legend, infusing it with fresh perspectives and modern elements that keep audiences intrigued and entertained.

Starring Ashley Diaz, Kokoy de Santos, Lyca Gairanod, Joko Diaz, Alma Moreno, Abby Bautista, and Krissha Viaje Writer, Mary Cherry Chua is skillfully crafted by director Roni S. Benaid

The story revolves around Karen (Ashley), a high school student with a fascination for horror stories and urban legends. Intrigued by the enigmatic life and tragic fate of Mary Cherry Chua (Abby), Karen decides to reopen the case and conduct her own investigation. With the help of her friends, she begins to uncover new details about the crime. However, as she delves deeper into the mystery, she realizes that her curiosity may put her own life at risk.

Ashley delivers a remarkable performance as Karen, making an impressive debut as the lead in the film. Her portrayal of the inquisitive and courageous young girl adds authenticity to the character and connects well with the audience. The supporting cast, including

A record eighth win for Sinulog Festival

Queens in Reyna ng Aliwan

SINULOG Festival of Cebu and Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, two of the country’s most popular festivals, emerged as big winners in Aliwan Fiesta 2023 during awarding ceremonies held at Aliw Theater in Pasay City on Saturday. People from all walks life trooped to the grand events despite the intermittent rainy weather condition.

Kokoy, Lyca, Krissha, and Abby, all shine in their respective roles, bringing depth and dimension to the story.

Mary Cherry Chua does an excellent job of blending horror, mystery, and drama, effectively keeping the audience engaged from start to finish. The movie’s narrative structure provides enough twists and turns to keep viewers guessing about the true nature of the legend.

“I remember that it was a very famous story back when I was in high school. I wanted to introduce it to the younger generation, to Gen Z,” says the director on why he chose to bring this famous horror story into the big screen. From Viva Films, Mary Cherry Chua is now in cinemas nationwide.

Classification Board (MTRCB) last week decided the child-like lines on the map did not depict the so-called nine-dash line that China uses to illustrate its claims, and gave it the green light.

“I was really hoping that they wouldn’t ban it or they would just cut the scene,” said Nicole Tolentino, 23, who has been a Barbie fan for 20 years and even crocheted a pink top to wear for a screening at a Manila cinema.

“But they didn’t really do anything

Barbie fans approved.

“That’s the part I did not like...

I wish it were cut,” said Margaux Pichay, 19, who otherwise thought the film was “very empowering.’

When asked for comment about Warner Bros’ failure to blur the lines, the MTRCB referred AFP to their July 12 statement in which they said “the map portrayed the route of the makebelieve journey of Barbie from Barbie Land to the ‘real world’, as an integral part of the story.”

AFP

‘KMJS’ tops Urban Philippines in June, hits 30m Facebook followers

MULTI-AWARDED public affairs show Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) remains a force to reckon with on-air and online – becoming the most watched TV program in Urban Philippines for the month of June and further growing its strong presence on various social media platforms.

Data from Nielsen TV Audience

Measurement show that the news magazine program hosted by broadcast journalist Jessica Soho posted a combined (GMA and GTV) people rating of 15.1 percent in National Urban TV audience measurement (NUTAM) for the month of June. It likewise topped the TV programs aired on the Kapuso Network’s main

channel, GMA, for the same period, with a people rating of 12.7 percent.

KMJS’s dominance extends beyond television. Just recently, its official Facebook page reached 30 million followers, cementing its position as the most followed Philippine TV program on the platform.

This also makes

; Ayat Festival, represented by Tawid A

Pinsao

Sipa sa Manggis

A record eight times win for Sinulog Festival Queens since the pageant debuted in 2003 as Cebu’s Kiara Liane Wellington adjudged Reyna ng Aliwan 2023. Wellington, a 21-year-old Tourism student, made up for Cebu’s entry in the street dancing competition, Sinulog Festival, represented by the Tribu Lumad Basakanon which finished second to the grand winner, Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, represented by Tribu Parianon Wellington, who also bagged the best in evening gown special award, bested first runner-up Kristine Billy Tabaday of Ayat Festival, and Pasayahan Festival’s Patricia Marie Mendiola, Udyakan Festival’s Mueller and Tagultol Fishing Festival’s (best in festival costume) winner Natalya Margaret Lindsay, who were all named 2nd runners up. Placing 3rd, 4th, and 5th in the street dance competition, respectively, were the Manggahan Festival, represented by Hubon Balsahan; Halamanan Festival of Guiginto Bulacan; and Kadalag-an Festival of Negros Occidental, represented by Sidlak Kadalagan dancers Runners-up were the Antipolo Maytime Festival, represented by Maharlika Dance Troupe; Ayat Festival, represented by Balitok; Panagbenga Flower Festival, represented by National Highschool Sakusak Ensemble; Binabayani Festival, represented by Masinloc Street Dancers; and Kangga Festival. Meanwhile, the Best in Float top prize went to the Halamanan Festival of Guiginto, Bulacan. Sipa sa Manggis of Cotabato City and Lapat Festival of Calanasan, Apayao were adjudged first and second runners-up, respectively. Special award winners were Best Folkloric Performance for Panagbenga Flower Festival; Best Costume for Manggahan Festival, represented and Best Musical Accompaniment for Sinulog Festival. The revived Aliwan Fiesta 2023 was presented by the Manila Broadcasting

KMJS one of the local TV shows with a huge online following. As of this writing, KMJS boasts a staggering total of almost 40 million total followers — over 30 million from Facebook, over 6.2 million from TikTok, over 2 million from Instagram, and over a million from Twitter.

Videos uploaded on KMJS’s online platforms continue to capture netizens’ interest. From January 1 to June 30, 2023, KMJS has logged more than 2.8 billion views across all platforms. It clocked over 1.7 billion views on Facebook, over 760 million views on TikTok, and over 428 million views on YouTube.

On Facebook, among the top videos that contributed to the high volume of views as of June include “Huli-Dap,” which raked in 25.8 million views;

Company in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Cities of Manila and Pasay.

“Jopay, Kumusta Ka Na?’ with 16.8 million views; “Yaya Nightmare” with 14.8 million views; “Amok” with 14.1 million views; and “Liwanag sa Butas” with 14 million views.

Aside from being the Filipinos’ Sunday night viewing habit, KMJS has been a powerful platform where stories are not only shared but become inspirations for viewers to help, give hope, and change lives.

It does not come as a surprise that KMJS remains one of the most awarded shows in the country. It once again raised the Philippine flag after bringing home the World Gold Medal at the 2023 New York Festivals TV & Film (NYF) Awards – its third NYF medal after winning Bronze Medals in 2019 and

Halamanan Festival of Guiginto, Bulacan.

2022.

Abby Bautista (left) plays the role of Mary Cherry Chua, a student in a prestigious school back in the 60s

Lyka Gairanod now embarks on her journey as an actress

The film revolves around the tragic fate of a school girl whose spirit roams around a school haunting the living

Ashley Diaz and Kokoy De Santos as Karen and Paco in horror flick ‘Mary Cherry Chua’

Reyna ng Aliwan 2023

Kiara Liane Wellington

Fans are thrilled to see the highlyanticipated film 'Barbie'

Award-winning broadcast journalist Jessica Soho

C4 FRIDAY, JULY 21, 2023

Nickie Wang Editor Angelica Villanueva , Writer E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

By Nickie Wang

IN the pursuit of their goals in a land full of opportunities, every immigrant embraces the principles of hard work, bravery, and persistence. Chris Wycoco exemplifies these values as he strives to achieve his dreams.

Chris is on the brink of fulfilling his American dream, having not only excelled on a global platform but also exceeded all expectations. His unwavering commitment led to the establishment of Wycotax LLC, a taxation company that caters to both individuals and businesses. Providing a range of services, including virtual tax and bookkeeping, ITIN EIN assistance, Tax Preparation for Business, and Payroll, this venture is praiseworthy, particularly within the Filipino community.

At present, Wycotax LLC operates in four locations: Brownsville, Harlingen, Dallas, and San Antonio.

Chris remarkable journey from humble beginnings in Manila to achieving extraordinary success is a tale of triumph and inspiration that showcases the indomitable spirit of determination and hard work.

Born in the bustling streets of Manila but raised in the province of Nueva Ecija, Chris faced the challenges of life head-on from an early age. At just 14 years old, he discovered his entrepreneurial flair and started selling goods, providing for himself, and funding his own studies. This early exposure to

LIFE

An inspiring immigrant’s journey

How Chris Wycoco built a thriving taxation company in the US while reaching new heights as events host and speaker

business forged the foundation of his future successes.

As Chris continued to work tirelessly, his dedication paid off, and he emerged from college with distinguished honors, proving that resilience and perseverance know no bounds.

In 2010, his quest for career advancement led him to the United States, where fate intervened, and he met his future business partner, a certified public accountant. This serendipitous encounter laid the groundwork for the establishment of Wycotax LLC, a venture that would soar to new heights.

Ever the visionary, Chris never ceased to spread his wings further. With a passion for entrepreneurship coursing through his veins, he actively engaged in various business gatherings, earning him prestigious awards and recognition. From being named Minority Business of the Year by the Small Business Administration in Texas to earning the coveted title of Business Person of the Year by SBA Texas, Chris’s accolades spoke volumes of his dedication and accomplishments.

Beyond the realm of business, Chris

also embraced the world of hosting and public speaking with poise and charisma. His captivating features, exceptional communication skills, and wealth of experience made him a sought-after host for significant events both in Manila and abroad. His upcoming roles as the official host of the esteemed Miss Earth beauty pageant in three states and the America Excellence Award only add to the excitement surrounding his multifaceted career.

Yet, amidst his grand achievements, Chris remains grounded and dedicated to giving back to the community. His philanthropic efforts have been recognized both in the Philippines and abroad, acknowledging his sincere commitment to helping fellow Filipinos in need.

With September marking his return to the Philippines for business engagements and a heartfelt reunion with family and friends, Chris’s journey stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration. His extraordinary story continues to inspire countless individuals to dare to dream, reach for the stars, and make a difference in the world.

It’sin the small things

Socialite-vlogger Small Laude shares her little self-care tips

SELF-care has been a buzzword in recent years, particularly at the height of the pandemic when many of us had to deal with anxiety and other mental health concerns. It is a set of activities essential to maintaining our overall well-being.

While many tend to associate self-care with grand gestures or luxurious spa retreats, it is often the small, seemingly insignificant things that have the power to make an impact on our mental, emotional, and physical health. Among these simple but impactful self-care practices, massage stands out as a beneficial activity.

According to Mayo Clinic, massage is a therapeutic technique that involves manipulating the body’s soft tissues to alleviate tension, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. It is

ent types of massage that are uniquely ours like the hilot. The trained hands of a massage therapist can alleviate muscle knots, improve blood circulation, and even help in reducing chronic pain.

Additionally, the power of human touch during a massage can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” hormones, which can boost mood and promote a sense of well-being.

However, not everyone has the time to visit a massage therapist regu larly and I know of some friends who have personal boundaries and find massages a bit invasive. This is where technology comes into play.

Innovative pieces of furniture are now designed to mimic the tech niques and benefits of a professional massage. With features like kneading, rolling, and shiatsu, massage chairs offer a wide range of customizable options to suit individual prefer ences and needs. It can even serve as a sleeping pod as massages can be so relaxing at times that we are induced to sleep.

are

One of the new discoverers of the ben efits of having her own massage chair at home is vlogger and social ite Small Laude. “My God, it’s so sarap! [My God, it’s so satisfying!]

atshe

I love the back massage, the foot [massage]! I love it!,” Small raved after sharing how she first came to know about Zion massage chairs while walking at the mall.

a tried-and-true method of self-care that can be enjoyed in various ways.

Getting a massage from a skilled therapist is an experience that goes beyond physical relaxation. It allows us to release built-up stress and tension, providing a sense of relief and rejuvenation. Locally, we have differ-

foot massage was.

“I’m so into massage!” Small confessed. “Its [Zion massage chair] body massage is like the one being done by a human being!” Shaking her head and body, Small laughed at herself while describing the experience in detail with her usual carefree and wacky manner. She could not help but talk about the foot massage again. Small said, “It’s the best!”

It was revealed that prior to owning an electronic massage chair,

Small’s husband Philip had no choice but to massage her feet while watching TV. “’Pag hindi, inaaway [When he doesn’t, I get mad]” Small jokingly said. “Now, siya rin. Kaagaw ko na sa massage chair! [Now, he uses it too. We compete with each other for the chair],” she revealed.

A stickler for good vibes and a fuss-free life, Small puts a premium on self-care. She described herself with these: “Relaxed! Chill lang! Hindi nase-stress! [Relaxed! Chill! Doesn’t get stressed!]”

Rising star of the business world

VINCENT G. del Rosario

cise, and try to

said, day

When asked how many hours she spends on the relaxing chair, the You tube sensation laughingly said, “I can spend a half day there! I can sleep on it the whole night.” She then referred to herself as a “massage addict” and happily described how soothing the

The busy mom and online star also spilled her other de-stressing secrets, “I just relax at home during days I don’t have work. I eat healthy, exerget eight hours of sleep.” Small gave those answers while giggling, playfully questioning the truth in what she said. But as she would always say in her vlog, “This is just for fun! No bashing!”

Chemist

was named one of the Rising Stars of the business world by The Business Manual during the Growth Con PH growth summit which was held on July 6 at Ascott Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. President and Chief Operating Officer of Viva Communications, Inc. Del Rosario is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Viva Communications Inc. He was lauded for the extraordinary success of Vivamax, the video streaming platform which has recently crossed the seven million subscribers mark, making it the undisputable number-one OTT service in the Philippines.

“We at Viva, are very happy about the success of Vivamax,” says Del Rosario, who as the son of Viva Founder and Chairman Vic del Rosario, Jr., was born and bred in the entertainment business.

“Vivamax is a pandemic baby,” continues Del Rosario. “We are always on the lookout for new business at Viva and we saw streaming as an interesting addition to the existing outlets for films. So we were already in the process of putting up Vivamax when COVID-19 happened.”

Viva, whose main busi-

ness is film production was left with no theatrical venues for its films. “But Vivamax was already there. We worked double time to set it up and we went into full operations in February 2021. From there it just grew and grew. “ Vivamax has become a byword as the go-to platform for content geared toward mature audiences. It now owns a library of 408 titles with one new title coming out every week. It is now accessible in more than 100 countries and territories including Asia, the Middle East, North America, Europe, Oceania, China, Africa, and Central and South America.

In keeping with Viva’s commitment to providing quality entertainment for everybody, Viva recently launched VIVA ONE, a streaming platform with content geared toward families and the general audience.

“You can say that we saw the opportunity and we grabbed it,” says Del Rosario of how Vivamax came about.

Aside from Vivamax, Del Rosario is also involved with the day-to-day operations of Viva Communications. This includes the production of content for film, television, and online media, music production and publishing, live shows, and others.

inducted president of BAI-recognized laboratories

CHEMIST Pinky Tobiano recently added another feather to her cap when she was inducted as president of the Association of Bai Recognized Laboratories (ABAIL)

ABAIL is the only organization formed by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), that is composed of all the associations recognized and accredited by BAI.

The industry’s objective is to harmonize test methods of analysis for veterinary drugs, animal feeds, and feed ingredients to help the poultry and livestock industry in the Philippines.

ABAIL also helps in food security and food sustainability through accurate and precise laboratory testings. ABAIL is also

fostering friendships with the government and private stakeholders.

ABAIL is the back-end support of all veterinary drug companies, feed millers, and veterinary drug and feed additive importers.

“We provide quality control tests to conform with national standards,” said Tobiano. “We make sure our test methods are strictly observed and followed.”

In February, Tobiano turned over her testing services company, Qualibet, which stands for “Quality is Better,” to global leader Bureau Veritas.

Chris Wycoco’s Wycotax LLC now operates in four locations in the United States

YouTube vlogger Small Laude

Small emphasizes that it is important to prioritize self-care

Pinky Tobiano

Chemist Pinky Tobiano (center) together with (from left) PVDA president Dan Daniel Sanchez, Dr. Rico Capulong, Philippine Eggboard president Francis Uyehara, and Deltaman president Mildred Esquillo

Viva Communications Inc.’s President and Chief Operating Officer Vincent G. del Rosario is the man behind the video streaming platform Vivamax