Manila Standard - 2023 August 19 - Saturday

DA approves import of 35k tons of fish

THE Department of Agriculture has approved the importation of 35,000 metric tons of various types of fish, including "galunggong" or round scad.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources spokesperson Nazer

Briguera said the importation will cover the expected shortage due to the annual closed fishing season in Palawan from Nov. 1 to Jan. 31.

"We need to fill the gap in supply in our wet markets that is why we approved the importation, Briguera said.

Aside from galunggong—which used to be the favored fish of poor Filipino families—other fish to be imported include mackerel, bonito, and bigeye scad, among others.

Briguera said imports are set to arrive in October.

All imports should also arrive before January 15, 2024.

"We want the supply to be just enough. We do not want to flood the markets, we only need what is enough to meet the demand during

Chinese ‘swarm’ still in Mischief

Analyst: China ships down to 19 from 32 during water-cannon incident at Ayungin

By Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo and Charles Dantes

AFORMER US Air Force colonel and a security analyst said he is tracking 19 Chinese militia ships swarming the waters off Mischief Reef and Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Raymond Powell, director of SeaLight at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, said this number was down from a high of 32 during the Aug. 5 resupply mission

Report: China building runway on Triton Island

that was thwarted by Chinese ships that fired water cannons at Philippine boats.

“Actually there were probably even more than 32, as indicated in this

Illegal fishers in WPS will be arrested—DFA

NEWS / A2

PBBM: Harvest in 3 provinces to stabilize rice prices

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said that the government is keeping an eye on the country's rice supply to stabilize its price as he looked forward to the start of the harvest in major riceproducing provinces.

In a video message, Mr. Marcos, who is also the concurrent chief of the Agriculture Department, said the government is closely watching the production of palay (unhusked rice).

“We are closely monitoring the rice supply and its prices after we received news that harvesting has started in Nueva Ecija, Isabela, and North Cotabato,” President Marcos said.

He stressed that the government will keep tabs on the rice prices and vowed that it will stabilize once there is enough rice supply and reserve.

“We will watch it closely to ensure that it will happen,” he said. In a previous statement, the President reassured the country that despite the threat of El Niño and typhoons, local rice supply is still enough.

DOE: Gas, kerosene prices seen rising next week, but not diesel

By Alena Mae S. Flores

GASOLINE and kerosene prices will go up again next week by as much as P1.20 per liter, industry sources said.

This will be the sixth consecutive weekly price hike for gasoline at P0.90 to P1.20 per liter and the seventh for kerosene at P0.40 to P0.70 per liter.

Diesel prices, however, may not move or may even have a possible rollback of P0.20 per liter based on the four-day benchmark Mean of Platts Singapore trading and foreign exchange movement.

By Othel V. Campos

The Department of Energy confirmed next week's mixed oil price movement.

DOE Director for the Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero said despite the outlook issued by the S&P Global Platts of a possible increase in the next two months, the day-to-day developments in the international oil market give the actual movements of the price.

"For the 4-day MOPS trading, there might be a mixed movement for the prices of petroleum products," Romero said.

First Pinoy death confirmed in Maui fires

By Rey E. Requejo

A 79-YEAR-OLD Filipino was among the over 100 fatalities in the wildfires that struck Maui in Hawaii, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said the fatality was identified as Alfredo Galinato, a

death

of a Filipino national in the Hawaii wildfires,” De Vega said in a message to reporters.

“The Philippine Consulate in Honolulu is assisting the family who are all based in Hawaii,” he added.

As this developed, three Filipino teachers—Heidee Gudao, Maria Christina Espina, and Angelic Gallario— who have earlier been reported missing not only survived the wildfires but were

THE government is embarking on a flagship multi-billion-peso “Bamboo Villages” program that seeks to uplift the poor and indigenous people (IP) still residing in ancestral lands while generating

Wage distortions must be fixed, DOLE tells firms

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Labor and Employment called on employers to correct wage distortions among their employees following an increase in the minimum wage.

DOLE said the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) issued an advisory to “guide enterprises in correcting wage distortion stemming from the implementation of minimum wage orders.”

“Addressing wage distortions

foreign exchange from the global bamboo market that could grow to a $90 billion industry by 2030.

“The program will use bamboo as a climate change mitigation tool. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself cited during the United Nations General Assembly that

the climate challenge is a major policy goal of his administration,” said newly-appointed Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Deogracias Victor B. Savellano. Meanwhile, President Marcos and the Private Sector Advisory

PLENTY IN STOCK. Workers unload sacks of rice from a truck at a rice dealer along Dagupan St. in Tondo, Manila on Friday. Norman Cruz

‘Bamboo Villages’ program to create jobs for poor, IPs

ANATOMY OF A SWARM. In these images on his personal X/Twitter account and website, security analyst Ray Powell explains how around 32 Chinese Coast Guard and militia ships were seen at Ayungin Shoal before they swarmed the Philippine resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre last Aug. 5. Powell told Manila Standard only 19 ships remain in this area of the West Philippine Sea, as some have returned to port in Hainan, China.

Moody’s: Pension reform important

By Julito G. Rada

and

Vince Lopez

GLOBAL credit watchdog Moody’s Investors Service on Friday highlighted the importance of reforming the pension system for military and uniformed personnel (MUP), saying this would be a vital part of the country’s fiscal repair in the long run.

In an interview over ANC, Moody's Investors Service Sovereign Risk Group Senior Vice President Christian de Guzman said military pension reform could be one of those things that would put the country’s fiscal path “on a more sustainable trajectory."

"This does not cause immediate risk in

Chinese...

From A1

satellite photo of Mischief Reef from Aug. 4, where you can see many smaller vessels ‘rafted’ together and probably not broadcasting on AIS [Automatic Information System]," he said in an email to the Manila Standard

The SeaLight director also said that he noted three departures of Chinese Coast Guard vessels back to Hainan Island, where ships involved in the Aug. 5 incident may have originated. He said three of the ships involved in the Aug.5 incident have gone dark by turning off their AIS transponders, but may still be in the area.

Powell, in his post at the SeaLight, said that the resupply mission blockade had been planned.

"The China Coast Guard's 5 August water-cannon assault on the Philippines' resupply mission didn't just happen. Things didn't just get out of hand," he said.

PBBM:...

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“The rice situation is manageable and stable. There is enough rice for the Philippines up to and after El Niño next year,” Mr. Marcos said.

Leo Sebastian, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for riceindustry development, said the initial harvest from the three provinces would help stabilize the country's supply.

Sebastian said farmers from these provinces were able to plant early in May or earlier than other riceproducing areas.

Isabela, Nueva Ecija, and North Cotabato are able to produce an estimated 900,000 metric tons of rice during its start.

"Palay harvest will peak in late September to October, contributing largely to the country's second semester (July to December) production, estimated at more than 11 million metric tons (MMT),” he said.

DOE:...

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Romero said this is attributed to the economic slowdown of China and the gradual decline in demand, signs of a resurgence of US inflation, and the stronger dollar.

"All these, according to analysts, are overshadowing the effects of the big draw in US Inventories [that signify an increase in demand]," Romero said.

On August 15, oil companies implemented an increase of P1.90 per liter for gasoline, P1.50 per liter for diesel, and P2.50 per liter for kerosene.

These price adjustments resulted in a year-to-date net increase ofP13.40 per liter for gasoline, P8.60 per liter for diesel, and P5.14 per liter for kerosene.

The consecutive increase in pump prices has prompted at least fourpublic transport groups to seek a P2 fare hike for all PUVs nationwide.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board responded with a commitment to distribute fuel subsidies ranging from P1,000 for tricycle drivers to P10,000 for modern jeepneys and modern UV Express drivers and operators within the month.

Joel Bolano, LTFRB Technical Division head, said they are just waiting for the Department of Budget and

First...

From A1 also lauded for heroically rescuing an elderly neighbor.

"We found him carrying just a pillow and a flashlight," Gudao said of the elderly man they rescued.

"I asked him what he brought and what clothes he had. He said he only had his clothes on. He had no belongings," she added.

The elderly man is now with his family in California.

2023 or 2024, but as you go out, as these pensions start to escalate over time, that is going to weigh on the government's ability to get that debt back down,” De Guzman said.

“So I'm not sure if we're talking about a crisis in 2023 or 2024… but clearly, it's an important part of the fiscal repair," he said.

In a recent hearing at the House of

The SeaLight director also noted that China has allowed their forces back to Hainan, and the Chinese presence is now less than it was in the region.

"This seems to have been a temporary surge specifically to contest the last resupply, and since that date, they have allowed some of these forces to recover back to Hainan Island, so their presence now is less than it was,” he said.

SeaLight says they use commercially available technology to shed light on the maritime “gray zone”—that is, things that happen at sea that someone would rather the public not know about.

“Common gray-zone activities we track and report include: Harassment of legal activities such as responsible fishing, security operations or hydrocarbon exploration within a nation’s own exclusive economic zone, Illegal incursions into other countries’ waters, intimidation measures such as vessel swarming, outpost and artificial island building and Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” the website said.

DA...

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the closed fishing season," Briguera added.

In June, Briguera said the fish catch in the West Philippine Sea saw a decline of 7 percent last year at 275,872 metric tons (MT) from 295,332 MT in 2021.

Data from BFAR showed the WPS accounted for 7.28 percent of the total fisheries production in the country, producing an average of 318,040 metric tons annually from 2016 to 2020.

The area also serves as a fishing ground for 318,297 fisherfolk from Region I, Region II, National Capital Region, Region IV-A, and Region IV-B.

“Whatever hindering factors are happening right now if it will be gone, this means we can better take advantage of the resources in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

“Is it possible that the production in WPS will increase if not for these issues?

I would say, yes,” Briguera added.

Management to download the P3 billion allocation that will benefit some 1.3 million operators and drivers of PUVs.

Under the scheme, traditional jeepneys and taxis as well as TNVS andschool, shuttle, and tourist services will get a subsidy of P6,500 while delivery drivers will get P1,200.

LTFRB Executive Director Robert Peig earlier said drivers regulated by the agency would receive their subsidies through fuel cards whilethose under local government units, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Department of Trade and Industry will get the funds through e-wallets.

In a letter to LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III, the Liga ng Transportasyon at Operators sa Pilipinas (LTOP), Pagkakaisa ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston), Stop & Go Transport Coalition, and the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (FEJODAP) requested the P2 fare increase nationwide for the first four kilometers.

The LTFRB committed to resolving the fare hike petition but said it will temporarily shelve an earlier petition for a P1 rush hour fare hike, particularly between 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“The LTFRB Board will still, however, resolve the first petition while prioritizing the most recent one filed due to oil price hike,” the LTFRB said.

Espina expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the Filipino community.

"The Filipino community here in Hawaii is hospitable. They are concerned about us. We're the first Filipinos to become teachers in Maui, so they're concerned about us," she said.

The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce earlier reported that hundreds of Filipinos were among the more than 1,000 missing in the wildfires that started last week.

The Philippine Consulate General

Representatives, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said a pension reform bill was urgently needed to establish an adequate, fair, dignified, and financially sound pension system for soldiers, policemen, and other uniformed personnel.

He said the core objective of the government’s efforts to reform the pension system for military and uniformed personnel was to address the unsustainability and uncertainty of the current pension system.

He said the current MUP pension system’s dependence on full government funding exposed it to economic and fiscal downturns and compromises its stability and reliability.

Pension arrears in the past few years

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday that the Philippines does not recognize China’s annual ban on fishing in some parts of the disputed West Philippine Sea.

In a statement, the DFA stressed the fishing ban imposed by China from May 1 to Aug. 16 has been the subject of the country’s diplomatic protests.

“We will continue to register our formal opposition to it. It is an illegal exercise of state authority insofar as they cover the Philippines’ maritime zones,” the department said.

China has imposed the ban each year since 1999.

The Philippines has been calling on China to take active measures at its ports to prevent its fishing fleets from entering the country’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone.

“The Philippines is ready to take law enforcement measures on illegal fishing activities in its waters,” DFA said.

In 2013, the Philippines challenged China’s legal basis for its vast claim in the

alone amounted to P3.7 billion in 2021, P32.6 billion in 2022, and P5.2 billion in 2023, and are projected to reach P4.8 billion in 2024.

“At the core of our reform package is the creation of separate pension funds that recognize the unique nature of military service, and provide retirement benefits that reflect the sacrifices by the military and uniformed personnel,” Diokno said.

He also assured soldiers, policemen, and other uniformed personnel that while the reform bill would require them to give a contribution, this is beneficial to them because it gives them full ownership and vested rights over the pension fund. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands.

The Philippines won the case in a landmark arbitral ruling in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated China’s massive claims over the South China Sea.

However, Beijing continues to defy the PCA’s arbitral ruling.

Also on Friday, the Presidential Communications Office said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet in the Philippines to discuss defense and maritime affairs on Sept. 7 and 8.

In a statement, PCO said that the President is pleased to welcome the Australian Prime Minister to the country as the Philippines and Australia share a "rich history of friendship and collaboration."

The PCO said Mr. Marcos and Albanese are expected to discuss key issues in their partnership, particularly in key sectors such as defense and security, trade, economic development, and maritime affairs.

Illegal fishers in WPS will be arrested—DFA

THE Department of Foreign Affairs said Friday that the country will arrest illegal fishers who will venture into Philippine territorial waters and exclusive economic zone after the end of China's fishing ban in the South China Sea.

Local fishermen are concerned that Chinese fishing fleets will enter Philippine waters and its exclusive economic zone with the end of China's fishing ban, which also covers the West Philippine Sea.

"The Philippines is ready to take law enforcement measures on illegal fishing activities in its waters," DFA spokesperson Ambassador Teresita Daza said on Friday in a TV report.

The Philippines did not recognize China's fishing ban which has been the subject of its diplomatic protests.

"We will continue to register our formal opposition to it. It is an illegal exercise of

‘Bamboo...

From A1

Council’s (PSAC) Job Sector Group have discussed several initiatives aimed at generating more than 2 million direct jobs by 2028.

In a fourth meeting convened by Marcos at the Palace on Thursday, the PSAC - Job Sector Group presented its proposed actions and recommendations that could help create more employment opportunities for Filipinos.

The “Buong Bansa Magtanim (BBM) ng Kawayan” program aims to create livelihoods in the countryside.

Savellano has been leading consultations on the concept of Bamboo Villages, which he has been pushing for as an inclusive, community-based approach to job creation and agricultural development.

“With bamboo growing abundantly in the Philippines, we can tap a rich economic resource if we only have a national program to develop it as an industry as what our neighbors have already invested in,” Savellano said.

A week ago, the DA undersecretary led a consultation in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon on proposed legislation allocating 5 percent of the budget of various government agencies for bamboo propagation. He noted that an institutionalized bamboo program will be needed to consolidate different government programs on bamboo that are now scattered across agencies.

“We need to harmonize our programs

in Honolulu said it was receiving a rising number of calls and emails inquiring about the status of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans missing due to the wildfires.

"Queries received by the Consulate requesting assistance in locating missing individuals and family members have increased," Consul General Emilio Hernandez said.

There are 200,000 Filipinos living in Hawaii, 60 percent of whom are American citizens, according to the DFA.

The wildfires raged the dry grasslands into the historic resort town

2-month dry run of contactless tollways in Sept.

THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) on Friday confirmed it was set to conduct a two-month dry run for contactless toll collections in expressways beginning Sept. 1.

It also renewed its calls to motorists who still do not have RFID stickers to get one, as the Philippines seeks to fulfill its goal of establishing "digital highways."

TRB Spokesperson Julius Corpuz said the dry run, however, that motorists can no longer pay cash at toll plazas.

In a public briefing, Corpuz said they would continue to address the problems on RFIDs, but he noted that this is important as this would make transactions in toll plazas faster and more convenient.

San Miguel Corp, which operates several tollways, earlier said that motorists without an active RFID sticker will still be allowed to pass.

Toll personnel, however, will install an RFID sticker on their vehicle so they can exit at the electronic toll collection (ETC) lane toward their destination.

"Toll personnel will only take a photo of the vehicle license plate and secure the motorist’s mobile phone number. Motorists will then need to complete the registration process by supplying other essential information at the Autosweep RFID website," San Miguel said in a statement.

Report: China building runway on Triton Island

state authority in so far as they cover the Philippines’ maritime zones,” Daza said.

According to a report on "24 Oras," local officials in Kalayaan, Palawan said Chinese fishers didn't honor the fishing ban.

“Based on what we've seen, it's contradictory. Their boats have always been there to fish,” Kalayaan Municipal Councilor MP Albayda said.

Filipino fishermen from Kalayaan and mainland Palawan opt to avoid fishing in areas where Chinese vessels are sighted, the TV report added, quoting a local fisherman.

"Our fellow fishers here are afraid to go there. Instead of being able to fish where there is plenty to catch and within our territory, we're being kept from doing so by another country," said the fisherman.

that are now uncoordinated. We need to obtain the cooperation of each individual and harness all economic resources to attract private sector investment in bamboo,” Savellano said.

Bamboo bills filed in Congress, primarily Senate Bill 605 and House Bill 7941, have provided for a P100 million budget for the institutionalization of the Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Program.

While P100 million yearly may be a heavy yearly budget for the government, Senator Nancy Binay said the legislature should review the huge economic potential offered by bamboo as against costs.

With bamboo’s “strong like steel, tough like concrete, beautiful as hardwood,” bamboo should be included as a certified material in the Building Code, Savellano said.

He noted that bamboo has become a raw material for a wide range of products including lumber as an alternative to hardwood for beams, engineered wood and tiles, textiles, carbon composites for windmill turbine blades, large-diameter water pipes and sewage mains, and bamboo pellets to replace coal in power generation.

A local miner said bamboo can generate $3.5 billion in revenue per year, equivalent to the revenue from the Philippine mining sector “The Philippines has 3.75 million hectares of idle land waiting to be developed. If only 400,000 hectares are developed for bamboo which is equivalent to 10 percent of China’s 4.2 million hectares, the Philippines can earn $3.5 billion yearly,” he said. With Rio N. Araja (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

of Lahaina last Tuesday, turning block after block into ash.

While the cause of the fire has not been determined, many survivors said they went unwarned before the inferno rapidly swept through town.

Some people were forced to dive into the Pacific Ocean to escape the flames.

With more than 100 fatalities, the fire is one of the deadliest US wildfires in more than a century. As officials work to identify the deceased, stories about those who perished have emerged from loved ones.

CHINA appears to be constructing a runway on a disputed island in the South China Sea claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan, the South China Morning Post reported Friday, citing satellite images.

The Hong Kong newspaper reported what appears to be a 630-meter-long airstrip was seen last month on Triton Island, part of the disputed Paracel Islands, in images taken by the European Space Agency.

Triton Island, the southernmost and westernmost of the Paracel Islands, has been under Chinese control since 1974 following a naval conflict, in the communist country's latest move to claim sovereignty in the contested waters.

Vietnamese and Chinese authorities have yet to respond to requests for comment, according to the Morning Post. China and Vietnam have ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

In April, Beijing opened a hotpot restaurant on Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands, triggering criticism from Hanoi.

China has also built runways on the Spratly Islands, another group of disputed isles in the South China Sea which the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam also claims.

Wage...

From A1 is crucial for maintaining equity, boosting employee morale, and fostering a productive and harmonious workplace,” the Labor Department said.

“By rectifying such, enterprises demonstrate their commitment to fair compensation and employee wellbeing,” it added.

Wage distortion occurs when the variations in wage structures or rates among employee groups within an enterprise are significantly eliminated or substantially diminished due to mandated wage increases, DOLE said.

Restoring the substantial distinction or gap is permissible under the Labor Code.

For his part, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said a wage hike will attract skilled workers to stay in the country instead of going abroad as he renewed his call for a P150 legislated increase in the minimum wage.

He called the attention of the administration's economic managers who are opposed to a legislated wage hike.

“What is bad is that the P40 wage hike is only in Metro Manila. In our place in Mindanao, it has not moved," Zubiri said.

"Do you know what the daily wage earner in her [Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman] province earns? P340. What can you buy with P340 for a family of five?" Zubiri said.

While Zubiri acknowledged Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno’s concern that raising minimum wages will have an adverse effect on inflation, he said this can be addressed by focusing efforts on reducing energy and food costs. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

IN BRIEF

Chiz underscores use of police body cams

SENATOR Francis Escudero has said the Supreme Court order mandating law enforcers to wear bodycams when serving arrest warrants is not only a measure against abuse, but also a recognition that technology is available to ensure that the process will follow rules.

“If a video of Chinese soldier peeing on the beach on one of its armed garrisons in the West Philippine Sea can be captured by a satellite circling in space, then how can a police operation not be recorded up close and personal?” Escudero asked.

“Such technology is not alien to the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is a heavy social media user, and which formed a division out of its active TikTokers,” Escudero noted.

“If tricycles have dashcam, and riders have bodycams, why can’t a big agency with big funds doesn’t have this equipment?” he added. Macon Ramos-Araneta

LRT-2 past, present execs sued for graft

THE Office of the Ombudsman is asking the Commission on Audit (COA) to look into the graft complaint filed against a Light Rail Transit Authority administrator and other former and incumbent officials of the facility for alleged anomalous contract for the upgrade of LRT Line 2.

Assistant Ombudsman-Proper Pilarita Lapitan, in an endorsement letter, told COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba to take appropriate action” on the complaint of lawyer Gerry Francisco against former LRTA administrator Jeremy Regino, current LRTA chief Hernando Cabrera, Paul Chua, Jose Jobel Belarmino, Federico Canar Jr., Cesar Legaspi, Hilfred Tusing and Aylwinston Pillos for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act and RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Also cited as private respondents were representatives of LRTA contractors Multiscan, Brownsteel and Worldleaders — Yollee Ong-Ramos, Joseph Ramos, Ma. Grazia Lee, and two other Koreans of Woo Jin Corp. Rio N. Araja

QC gov’t, DMW hold first overseas job fair

THE Quezon City government and the Department of Migrant Workers have partnered to offer over 3,000 land-based and sea-based employment opportunities from various licensed recruitment agencies in the first overseas job fair.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said “the goal of this first-ever overseas job fair is to provide numerous opportunities abroad for aspiring migrant workers while ensuring their well-being through safe, orderly and fair migration. The DMW provides legitimate recruitment agencies to protect our people.”

The city government through the Migrants Resource Center of the Public Employment Service Office on Friday held the job fair at the city hall’s Risen Garden from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rio N. Araja

Police nab NBP escapee reported earlier as dead

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE missing inmate at the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City has resurfaced with a story of his great escape fit for an action movie.

The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights chaired by Sen. Francis Tolentino will look into possible security lapses at the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) that enabled prisoner Michael Cataroja to slip through the maximum security compound and was reported missing since last July 15.

Cataroja’s disappearance initially raised suspicions that he was killed and the corpse thrown into a septic tank at the NBP compound, prompting the Tolentino panel to initiate an inquiry on alleged mysterious serial

PREPPING UP FOR SCHOOL REOPENING.

On the last day of Brigada Eskwela, Grade 3 teachers from the Aurora Elementary school in San Andres, Manila prepare modules to be distributed to their pupils. The school will conduct regular face-toface classes from Kinder to Grade 2, while the rest are modular from Grade 3 to 6 during the opening on August 29.

killings at the penitentiary.

Police arrested the 25-year-old Cataroja in Barangay Isidro, Angono, Rizal last Thursday.

Tolentino said they want to establish if there is any, the negligence of Bucor. Cataroja, who was serving a prison term from 12 to 20 years for violations of Presidential Decree No. 612 or the Anti-Fencing Act Law, told the police that he casually walked out of the NBP by posing—and dressing—as a visitor at the facility.

Angono police chief Maj. Lauro Leyva

Private schools nix ‘No permit, no exam’ bill

PRIVATE educational institutions have slammed a proposed law banning enforcement of the “no permit, no exam” policy, saying it could be tantamount to a death warrant of the private education sector.

They implored lawmakers to reconsider passage passage of the bill that would subsequently compromise their financial viability, force them to cut corners in their operations, and cause systemic damage to the private education sector.

In separate statements, the industry players expressed their collective outrage and indignation over the congressional bills that seek to ban the policy and asked that lawmakers listened to them as well.

The oppositors consisted of COCOPEA’s member-organizations -- the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU), Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities (ACSCU), Philippine Association of Private Schools, College, and Universities (PAPSCU), Unified TVET of the Philippines Inc. (UniTVET) – as well as the Association of Private School Administrators – Division of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga (APSA), the Davao Association of Private Schools and Administrators (DAPRISA), the Federation of Associations of Private Schools and Administrators (FAPSA), and the National Alliance of Private Schools Philippines (NAPSPHIL).

FIERY TEST RUN BY SPEEDBOAT. The Philippine Coast Guard responds to a speedboat on fire while on trial run off Zamboanga City, causing threedegree burns to its three-man crew. The craft eventual sank after the test run from a beach in Baliwasan to Zamboanga City. PCG photo

Moratillo quoted Cataroja as saying he timed his escape during the visit of outsiders to the maximum security prison.

“Casual lang daw siyang lumabas doon sa maxium security. Sumabay siya sa dalaw po. Kasi po araw daw ng dalaw,” Moratillo said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

Cataroja claimed he was also able to copy the mark stamped on visitors with just a ballpen.

“Ang ginamit niya ay ballpen na luma. Pinag aralan niya, in short, ‘yung kilos, ‘yung galaw tapos ang sabi niya naghanap siya ng taong kasing sukat niya, kasing body build niya so that ‘yung pangalan gumawa na lang siya,” Lt. Gen Rhoderick Armamento, South Luzon police commander, said in a separate interview.

LAND DISPUTE NOT GAME OVER YET.

Three kids watch a game on their mobile phone while sitting on the curb next to a tarpaulin signage saying the Pitogo Elementary School in the backdrop still belongs to the Makati City despite a Supreme Court ruling issued a December 2021 proclaiming the Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation and the ten barangays of Makati City’s District 2 are part of Taguig City. Danny Pata

DepEd: Classes start Aug. 29 in EMBO schools

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Department of Education (DepEd) gave assurance that the August 29 opening of classes will push through in the 14 “EMBO” public schools caught in the territorial tug-of-war between Makati and Taguig cities.

“Yes, of course, precisely,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas said in a GMA News interview.

The Taguig City government has stated that jurisdiction over the Enlisted Men’s Barrios (EMBO) areas, previously part of Makati City, does not require a writ of execution.

On the other hand, Makati Mayor Abigail Binay said Taguig has not secured a writ of execution for the SC ruling favoring Taguig in their dispute, as it would guide their jurisdiction implementation.

Meanwhile, the Philippines National Police (PNP) said it would work on maintaining peace and order amid the ongoing territorial row between Makati and Taguig “Kaya tayo nag-assume ng authority over these schools para ma-assure ang ating mga parents at mag-aaral na tuloy pa rin ang pago-open natin sa August 29 in the 14 schools,” he added. Based on a department order, DepEd recognized the “increasing tension” brought about by the Supreme Court ruling on the Makati-Taguig land dispute to the schools, causing “uncertainty as to the peaceful and orderly reopening of schools on August 29, 2023.”

The DepEd said that the Office of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, would directly supervise the schools, pending a transition plan on the matter.

In 2021, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that the Fort Bonifacio Military Reservation was part of Taguig. The SC had denied Makati’s motion for reconsideration in 2022 and 2023 on the issue.

Danny Pata

More raps for Chinese in POGOs

By Rey E. Requejo

THE 27 Chinese nationals caught following a raid earlier this month on a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Pasay City may also be facing more criminal charges, including money laundering, after authorities led by the Department of Justice recovered evidence upon opening of the 32 vaults from the raided five-floor POGO building earlier this month.

The DOJ said it found that the actions of the Chinese nationals and their POGO firm Rivendell fall within the purview of recharging and tasking scams.

According to the DOJ, tasking scams target those seeking online job opportunities by offering payment for task completion, while recharging

scams involve unauthorized mobile or online payments for services that are never delivered.

The department noted that Rivendell used its website and online platforms to operate its schemes.

“The respondents portrayed themselves as investors or ‘guide/helpers’ to entice clients into making investments in stocks and cryptocurrency, promising lucrative returns. Additionally, they introduced investment opportunities in their gaming application, where deposited funds were claimed to yield specific returns based on the investment

IN BRIEF

BI uncovers modus of trafficking syndicate

amount,” the DOJ said.

Authorities believed that there is evidence to show that the operators of POGO were engaged in money laundering based on the financial and transaction documents recovered from the opened 32 vaults.

The DOJ earlier led the implementation of the search power issued by Pasay City regional trial court allowing the opening of the 32 vaults from the raided POGO hub in Pasay City where millions of pesos and various financial documents and transactions possibly used for financial fraud were recovered.

Lapid: Protect BPO workers’ rights, welfare

IT IS time to protect the rights and welfare of workers in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry in the country.

Senator Lito Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 2235 or BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act of 2023, which seeks to address the working conditions of BPO workers, estimated at 1.3 million Filipinos employed in 1,000 BPO companies in 2019.

“However, since its establishment in the country, the laws governing the BPO industry have not adequately adapted to meet its increasing demands, leading to various challenges. As a result, BPO employees find themselves at the mercy of a resultsoriented industry,” Lapid said.

“This situation exposes them to high levels of stress due to heavy workloads and stringent performance standards. They also face insufficient breaks and sudden changes in shift schedules. In an intensely competitive work environment, the health and safety of BPO employees have been compromised due to unrealistic expectations,” he added.

Lapid noted that the BPO industry in the country has expanded and recorded great growth in the past two decades. The Philippines, he said appears to be the global leader in the BPO sector because Filipinos are known to be good at work, friendly, and have lower wages compared to developed countries abroad.

Filipinos have been recognized around the world for their high English proficiency level, so they are preferred by BPO companies for their voice-based services, such as customer support and telemarketing.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Probe into Mexico town’s deals about public funds’

THE ongoing House of Representatives inquiry into P149 million worth of alleged questionable transactions of the municipal government of Mexico, Pampanga under Mayor Teddy Tumang is not in any way intended to scare away investors, according to the chairman of the investigating panel.

During the committee’s last hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano of Abang Lingkod Party-list,

who chairs the committee on public accounts, said the investigation is about accountability, transparency, and safeguarding public funds.

“Let me assure all officials of Mexico, Pampanga, investors, and relevant stakeholders that this legislative inquiry does not wish to stifle the endeavors of legitimate business investors seeking to enhance and invest in the municipality of Mexico,” he said.

“Our aim is not to discourage them… both the committee and the House leadership stand in unwavering support of investors, local and foreign, in the country. This stance underscores our support for fostering economic growth and opportunities,” he said. He alleged that the inquiry “concerns public officials who have exploited their positions to accumulate personal wealth and extend their grip on power.”

BEATING THE HEAT. Youngsters get creative in diving from a coconut trunk into the Loboc River in Loay, Bohol to beat the searing heat on Thursday. Many parts of the country continue to experience increasing heat ammid the El Niño climate phenomenon.

Danny Pata

THE Bureau of Immigration has uncovered a new modus by a human trafficking syndicate by making their victims pretend they are sick to avoid the strict immigration inspection at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco cited the case of a Filipino victim, whose name was withheld in compliance with anti-trafficking laws, who attempted to depart on board a Philippine Airlines flight bound for Thailand.

The victim was intercepted by members of the BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (IPROBES) after bureau officers found numerous inconsistent statements.

She later admitted that she was actually recruited to work as a household service worker in Lebanon.

“The victim admitted that her recruiter instructed her to feign sickness so she can use a wheelchair. The victim stated that she was instructed to delete all conversations with her recruiter on her mobile phone,” the BI said. Vito Barcelo

Mayor orders probe of fatal QC accident

MAYOR Joy Belmonte on Friday ordered an extensive investigation into the construction site accident at the Quezon City hall compound that killed one person and injured three others on Thursday night.

“I have instructed city engineerlawyer Dale Perral to lead the probe and hold those accountable,” she said.

“First is to identify the kind of system that is being implemented by the contractor at the construction site, and to look into if the aspect of occupational safety is being employed,” she added.

Part of the building’s wall fell during an ongoing demolition was ongoing on Thursday at 10 p.m., which was being undertaken to install a scenic elevator in front of the Civic Center B Building.

The four, all workers of MRB II Construction Corp., were rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center. Rio N. Araja

Lingayen searching for church statue

THE Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan has conducted a search for a religious statue that was stolen and replaced with a replica from one of its parish churches seven years ago.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said that the parish church only learned of the missing image of San Jacinto de Polonia after discovering the frame enclosing the image was not also original.

Archbishop Socrates Villegas made the statement after an archdiocesan investigation confirmed that the current image on the side retablo of the church in San Jacinto town is no longer the original one and was replaced with a replica of San Jacinto de Polonia.

“I have mandated the parish priest to explore all means to recover the missing image of San Jacinto de Polonia in the parish church,” Villegas said. Vito Barcelo

House panel asks DSWD to suspend 4Ps delisting of 1.3m families

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives committee on poverty alleviation has called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to suspend its delisting or removal of up to 1.3 million poor families from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.

THE empowerment of women today, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar said, goes beyond protecting them from violence and other forms of abuse.

In her inspirational message during the National Summit of the Lady Local Legislators’ League (4L) of the Philippines, she noted that women’s empowerment “includes significantly providing them with opportunities to earn.”

“In our current times, women are deemed vital contributors to economic growth. It goes without saying that economically empowered women can augment their family’s income, put

1-Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero, committee chairman, said on Friday the committee voted last Wednesday to call for a delisting moratorium and for the DSWD to carefully assess the situation of families to be removed from the program and those who would replace them.

Romero said his panel supports the government’s effort to have more poor

food on the table, and play pivotal roles in raising and educating their children,” she said.

“And these well-bred and educated children will then become the future assets of our nation,” Villar added. She told the participants in the event that she shares their advocacy for women’s empowerment.

The senator believes that “when we empower women, we also empower families, the society, and generations of people who will contribute toward nation-building.”

“In line with this, I would like to share that I have set up around 3,000 community-based livelihood projects and enterprises nationwide,” Villar said.

Filipino families benefit from the 4Ps program, which grants a monthly financial subsidy provided beneficiaries comply with a set of conditions, including ensuring that their children attend school.

“We are all for that, but let us make sure that the exiting families have really improved their financial status and

some of their children have finished college and are now employed,” he said.

Romero said he and members of his committee are happy for covered families whose children have already earned their college degrees.

However, he said the DSWD should have realistic standards for removing beneficiary families from the 4Ps.

QC JOB FAIR.

Jobseekers line up for an interview during the first Overseas Job Fair at the Quezon City Hall grounds on Friday. The fair was conducted by the Quezon City Government through the Migrants Resource Center (MRC) of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Over 3,000 land-based and sea-based employment opportunities from various licensed recruitment agencies were offered.

Manny Palmero

Villar: Empowering women today means providing them with opportunities to earn

By Melandrew T. Velasco

MANY people have thrown in their two cents worth on the flooding that occurred in the aftermath of Typhoons Egay and Falcon.

Flood-prone Bulacan and Pampanga were among the provinces badly inundated, both being catch basins of water from the Sierra Madre mountain range.

There are allegations the flooding, particularly in Bulacan, has been the result of the ongoing construction of the New Manila International Airport in the province.

The New Manila International Airport is one of the big-ticket infrastructure projects of the government started during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and it is now part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s BBM (Build, Build More).

It is envisioned as a world-class airport that will decongest the existing international airports in Metro Manila. Its project proponent is San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

Amid all the allegations dismissed by SMC, its President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang (RSA) has offered to help solve the problem of flooding in the area. SMC is committed to assist the local government of Bulacan in solving the flooding problem in the province.

generations

It also plans to extend the desilting and clean-up of rivers outside Bulacan to include critical tributaries throughout Central Luzon.

Like earlier river clean-up by SMC, this extensive clean-up of rivers and waterways will be undertaken at no cost to the government.

RSA asserted there are many contributing factors to the flooding in Bulacan. “Degradation, siltation, and pollution of our rivers are of course major causes of flooding,” he said.

“Because of these, rivers become shallow and their flood carrying capacity is severely diminished, resulting in river overflow and floods. The proliferation of fish ponds in coastal areas has also contributed to severe flooding in the province,” he added.

SMC is an active partner of government in river rehabilitation.

With its heavy equipment and technical know-how, it has cleaned up the TullahanTinajeros River spending P1 billion without cost to government. The clean-up involved extraction of over 1.12 million metric tons of silt and solid wastes. This effort from SMC has greatly helped residents in nearby areas, giving them respite from flooding that used to occur every year when the rainy season sets in.

At present, SMC is undertaking the cleanup of Pasig River and has removed more

By Gustavo Gonzalez

TODAY is World Humanitarian Day.

It was on August 19, 2003, when the United Nations lost 22 colleagues in the tragic attack at the Hotel Canal in Baghdad, Iraq.

Since then, we commemorate WHD every year, paying tribute to the many humanitarian workers who have sacrificed their lives to bring relief to the millions and millions of people affected by crises.

As of August 9, a total 5,771 national humanitarian workers and 714 international staff across the globe have been either killed, wounded, or kidnapped while accomplishing their mission, as reflected by the Humanitarian Outcomes’ Aid Worker Security Database. Humanitarian work has become a highly risky responsibility.

We also acknowledge that the intensity, frequency, and overlapping nature of a new generation of crises—ironically captured by experts as “polycrisis”—is making humanitarian work still more complicated to the point of exhausting the capacities of an already overstretched humanitarian system.

While the demand for aid continues to grow, available funding falls tragically short.

The gap between humanitarian needs and funding allocations is striking.

Based on July 2023 report, requirements for the Global Humanitarian Overview have increased to $55.2 billion to assist 248 million of the 363 million people in need. However, contributions just reached 25 percent of the total funding.

From our field perspective, we are presently experiencing three major challenges, which are impacting our plans, work, and ambitions: First, climate change, which has a multiplier effect on pre-existing vulnerabilities.

than one million tons of silt and waste.

It is also desilting and extracting waste from the Meycauayan and Maycapiz/ Taliptip rivers as components of the plan to rehabilitate the Bulakan-ObandoMeycauayan-Marilao-Bocaue-Guiguinto river system.

Out of the initial 13-kilometer target along the Meycauayan and Maycapiz/Taliptip rivers, SMC has cleaned up about 4.45 kilometers with 543, 266 metric tons of silt and solid waste extracted.

The flood mitigation project of SMC in Bulacan at the onset was limited to rivers surrounding the site of the New Manila International Airport. It was however expanded to include other tributaries in Bulacan.

The flood mitigation project of SMC is reinforced by its mangrove planting initiative, part of the strategy to address flooding in Bulacan. Mangroves provide shield to those living along the coastal areas from flooding and provide natural habitat for marine species.

It was in 2020 when SMC began its mangrove planting initiative.

The initiative calls for the planting of 190,000 mangrove seedlings in 76 hectares in Bulacan and identified areas in Central Luzon. Its launch in Hagonoy, Bulacan saw the planting of 8,000 mangrove seedlings in an area of more than three hectares. A total of 25,000 mangrove seedlings were earmarked for planting in 10 hectares for 2020.

It has also collaborated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and planted 6,000 mangrove propagules a the 24.5-hectare Bulakan Mangrove Ecopark.

Aside from mangrove planting, SMC is also undertaking reforestation in many provinces. Its tree-planting activities are being carried out by its subsidiaries.

We are grateful for organizations like SMC. For over a century, it remains steadfast as a partner in the country’s sustainable development.

Its infrastructure projects are engines for economic development; and as it pursues these projects, it does not relinquish its responsibility to protect the environment.

I often wonder if heavy precipitation can be controlled.

I am not aware if there is already a solution to prevent this.

But we can find ways to minimize if not totally prevent flooding that comes with heavy rains.

As responsible citizens, we can do our share. We can help in the task of caring for our environment, including flood mitigation by managing our waste, properly disposing of our garbage and refraining from making our bodies of water as trash bins.

As our nation nears the celebration of National Heroes Day this month, I am reminded of our heroes who sacrificed and worked in the service and welfare of our nation and future generations.

Let us work for the betterment of our nation. Let us recall one of our heroes, Dr. Jose Rizal who said in one of his speeches

“if a Filipino wills, he can.” We can do it!

(The author is president and executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-profit group advocating tree planting and watershed protection. He is also a book author and publisher of biographical and historical coffee-table books through his outfit, Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc.)

And the Philippines knows very well about that.

The country lies within the typhoon belt and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire exemplifying the intricate interplay between exposure to natural hazards, climate change impact, and humanitarian responses. More frequent and intense storms, such as the most recent super typhoon Odette in 2021, are exacerbating an already fragile situation and making the recovery process more arduous and expensive. These are compelling reminders that our conventional ways of relief must learn from experience and adapt if we want to effectively address the changing dynamic of climate emergency.

Second, the “unpredictability” of many emerging crises or—put into less diplomatic words—the uncontrolled nature of some crises that are escaping any measurement of their intensity, duration, and impact. The protracted crises in Syria and Yemen, as well as the emerging ones in Ukraine, Sudan, and now Niger, stand as self-evident examples of such disasters.

Third, the growing threats and risks that encircle humanitarian workers who are trying to save lives in the most challenging circumstances.

While these dedicated individuals and organizations strive to provide support and relief, they still find themselves navigating a hazardous landscape.

In this unprecedented context, the significance of humanitarian work becomes even greater and

Airport challenge EDITORIAL

THE easing of travel rules will certainly increase foreign tourist arrivals in the Philippines.

Airlines are the first to acknowledge the removal of vaccine certificate requirement for inbound foreign travelers will lead to a busier travel sector.

The vaccine proof has served as the most essential travel requirement for foreign visitors during the pandemic. On many occasions, however, the requisite has discouraged potential foreign tourists to visit the Philippines. With the global pandemic essentially over and revenge travel on the minds of tourists, the Philippines can expect a sort of a tourism renaissance in the coming months. International visitor arrivals reached 3.41 million as of Aug. 13, or already about 70 percent of the government’s full-year target of 4.8 million.

The long queues at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the nation’s

I ASSOCIATE August with Taylor Swift, National Heroes Day, and the Aquinos (Ninoy and Cory); all of them due to obvious reasons. I add to that Lino Rivera, my colleague in Ateneo de Manila and friend of many years. Swift has a song called august in her album folklore.

National Heroes’ Day is celebrated in the same month.

And two Aquinos, the wife and husband, died in August as well.

Lino passed and left us last August 3, 2023

Cory Aquino’s anniversary comes first in literal terms.

She passed away on August 1 of 2009.

The fact that that is now more than a decade ago baffles me.

When she died, many lined up to see her at the wake.

Over 150,000 people marched to Bayan Ko during her funeral procession. Filipinos admired her and kept her close to their hearts even far after her presidency –the widow-turned president.

Cory Aquino was far from perfect, especially as a leader.

After months of presidency, the Filipinos started doubting her capabilities as we appear to float in the wreckage of the dictatorship.

For example, there was a lack of support for martial law survivors seeking justice after the dictatorship was toppled.

In fact, many military offenders, the ones who had the most blood on their hands, were left running free.

In the entire span of her administration, Aquino seemed to have a very loose grip on the military, allowing them to remain hostile.

There was the infamous Mendiola massacre, the assassinations of Rolando Olalia and Lean Alejandro, and the collapse of peace talks with the communists.

However, despite these flaws, many Filipinos still saw her as a leader with honesty and integrity. She tried with the best that she could.

After all, she was a widow-turned president. For one, she made sure to take care of the transition from a dictatorship to a democracy.

Marcos Sr. was barred by the 1935

A study by vacation rental management company Casago has just named the NAIA among the worst airports in Asia after passengers were forced to wait in long lines

premier airport, confirm the increase in flights and passenger traffic.

The Christmas holiday season, which is just four months away, and the lax COVID-19 travel rules are expected to result in bigger traffic at the NAIA.

How the airport will respond to the challenge will be interesting to note.

Constitution from seeking a third term in presidency.

Because of this, he declared martial law, abolished the then-current Constitution and replaced it with the 1973 Constitution.

This allowed him to be president for longer and gave more state power to him.

As one of Aquino’s first Proclamations as president, she abolished the 1973 Constitution and immediately assigned people to work on a more democratic Constitution.

Cory Aquino is both human and a symbol, and I see value in both of these that she was and has become

This led to the 1987 Constitution. She put human rights safeguards back up as well and the Philippines finally saw a decrease in human rights violations. She did good things while also failing to meet other expectations.

It is undeniable that Cory Aquino was an imperfect president.

But I think what is so important to keep in mind is that while Cory Aquino is flawed, she tried.

In fact, she must have tried hard.

Before she finally decided to run for president, she responded to Benjamin Brown who was convincing her to consider,

“What do I know about being president?”

And yet, even with the largeness of the challenge, even with the glaring fact that she could fail, she took it on.

It is inspiring to think of how we can try even though we are flawed.

And this act of trying can do so much more than we can imagine.

A study by vacation rental management company Casago has just named the NAIA among the worst airports in Asia after passengers were forced to wait in long lines.

Casago “analyzed passenger reviews about queuing times rated on a scale of 1 star to 5 stars on airlinequality.com, taking into consideration only airports with 20 or more passenger reviews.”

NAIA, according to the study, ranked 8th among the 10 worst airports in Asia, with just 18 percent of passengers highly approving the queuing time in the airport.

Singapore’s Changi International Airport, meanwhile, is considered the world’s best in providing smooth experience to passengers after 74 percent of travelers gave it 4 to 5 stars ratings in the travel website.

The NAIA, like some global airports, may argue it is struggling to meet the bigger post-pandemic demand after three years of lockdown restrictions.

For NAIA, the big influx of foreign travelers is causing flight delays and bottlenecks in the form of long queues.

Changi International Airport, a much busier airport, seems to be more capable of handling the task.

Trying to be good and do good is a choice we constantly have to make; our mistakes do not ever erase these attempts.

Another thing I would like to remember as we look back on Cory Aquino’s life is that she has become more than a person.

When she decided to run against the dictator, she became a symbol.

While putting human beings on pedestals only leads to disappointment, I also acknowledge the importance of the image she evoked.

To a people who has been oppressed, violated, and exploited, she became a potent image of hope.

And to a people who has gone through more than a decade of suffering, a potent image of hope is not only valuable, but vital for survival.

Cory Aquino’s life serves as a reminder that one, we can be flawed and yet try to be good, and two, when adversity is swallowing a people, a symbol of hope can topple a dictatorship and keep them going.

Cory Aquino is both human and a symbol, and I see value in both of these that she was and has become.

In this regard, I would like to honor Lino Rivera, who was inspired and closely associated with Cory Aquino. They had a shared vision and mission for the country and were faithful to that until the end of their lives.

I have followed Lino’s struggle with illness through decades and always wondered where his commitment, energy, and hopeful demeanor come from.

Being a younger “classmate” of Lino in struggling with illness, he was the model, the North Star for how to live meaningfully and productively while burdened by physical limitations.

I pray that I will be able to live the same way in my remaining years.

Website: tonylavina.com. Facebook: tonylavs X: tonylavs

In this learning journey, the development of tailor-made responses that will not only take into account the needs and vulnerabilities of communities but also their strengths, capacities, and assets will be a key to success.

more meaningful.

However, it would be a mistake to think the solution to humanitarian crises is, simply, more humanitarian support. No. The solution will always be political in nature. In fact, investing in good governance will always be critical. This means the capacity to better prevent conflict and improve resilience to natural disasters, as well as the capacity to find and sustain durable solutions to those most affected and most in need.

Effective and accountable governance mechanisms form the bedrock upon which prosperous and resilient societies are built. By fostering transparency, accountability, and inclusivity, we lay the groundwork for sustainable development and the prevention of crises before they escalate.

The proactive identification and mitigation of risks are instrumental in circumventing the impacts of crises.

Allocating resources toward preventive measures can potentially avert ill effects.

Finally, upholding the dignity and rights of every individual, regardless of circumstance, not only aligns with our moral compass but also contributes to stability, inclusivity, and sustainable development.

Efforts also need to target those who face particular risks in humanitarian contexts, including women and persons with disabilities.

The Philippines has faced these problems through the years.

And humanitarian actions in the country are being practiced in all seasons using different strategies and approaches.

Recently, the humanitarian country team in the Philippines has been chosen along with other three country teams (Colombia, Niger, and South Sudan) to contribute to the improvement of the humanitarian system from their specific perspectives.

The project, known as the “Enhancing Resilient Communities Flagship Initiative” will make the most of the longstanding experience of Filipino institutions and organizations in addressing the humanitarian impact of a wide range of shocks.

Still more important, the initiative will be an opportunity to bring together the humanitarian and development communities and overcome artificial silos created by a very narrow aid architecture.

Experience shows that the highly standardized humanitarian industry has sometimes precooked solutions that were disconnected from the socioeconomic and cultural specifics of affected communities.

As smartly framed by a recent report, just listening to communities is not enough to transform the prevailing humanitarian system. Communities, as first responders, are expected to be part of the decision-making process and not just the subject of quick-needs assessment.

The ERC Flagship Initiative is also a unique opportunity to build alliances and re-energize coalitions to learn from each other and set a common sense of purpose in a context where multilateralism has been put at risk.

More than ever, joining forces, capacities and resources appear as the most effective way of coping with, adapting to, and recovering from present and future shocks. At the heart of this process, solidarity remains the main engine for resilience building.

This World Humanitarian Day, actions towards resilience have many faces.

And so why are humanitarian efforts still important, and why are we standing still, despite many odds?

Because we are called to serve, #NoMatterWhat.

(The author is Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator of the United Nations in the Philippines.)

North Korea’s Kim visits farms hit by typhoon amid food lack

SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited typhoon-hit farms and oversaw military helicopters spraying pesticides to salvage key crops, state media said Friday.

Tropical Storm Khanun made landfall last week in the North, a country where natural disasters can be devastating due to weak infrastructure and widespread deforestation, which increases vulnerability to flooding.

The visit came hours after the UN Security Council accused the North Korean regime of spending heavily on its nuclear arms program while its people go hungry and lack basic necessities.

On Thursday, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers that around 240 North Koreans had starved to death between January and July this year, member of parliament Yoo Sang-bum told reporters after the briefing.

Kim visited rice paddy fields in Kangwon Province that had been flooded by the typhoon, but predicted a “complete recovery from the damage” thanks to the patriotism of soldiers who helped salvage the crop, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

KCNA images showed Kim, in a white jacket and trousers, squatting at the edge of the paddy field while military helicopters sprayed crops.

The North Korean leader said the rapid response of the military to the typhoon damage had been “performing a miracle of recovering flooded farmland

Moscow, Beijing hold joint naval maritime games

MOSCOW—Russian and Chinese warships are conducting joint maritime patrols in the Pacific Ocean involving rescue training and drills for countering air strikes, Moscow’s defense ministry said Friday.

Video released by Russian state news agency TASS showed nine large vessels sailing in a diamond formation as crew members stood to attention on deck.

The drills also included practicing the “replenishment of fuel reserves by ships and the transfer of cargo on the go”, the defense ministry said, adding that the joint detachment of ships had covered more than 6,400 nautical miles since the start of the exercises.

“A detachment of ships of the Russian Navy and the PLA Navy is currently operating in the waters of the East China Sea,” said the ministry, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army.

“During this period, the sailors of the two countries conducted antisubmarine exercises, repulsed an air strike by a mock enemy, conducted rescue training at sea, and perfected the skills of taking off and landing helicopters on the decks of warships,” the statement read.

Ties between Moscow and Beijing have grown closer in recent years, as prolonged fighting in Ukraine has shattered Russia’s relationship with Western governments. AFP

in a brief span of time.”

On Thursday, Seoul’s spy agency said people were starving in the North, with the country’s economy trapped in a “vicious cycle” with negative growth for three years from 2020 to 2022.

The North’s domestic product experienced a significant drop of 12 percent in 2022 compared to 2016, the agency told lawmakers during a briefing, according to lawmaker Yoo.

The number of North Koreans said to have died due to hunger between January to July was more than double the recent annual average of 110.

The North has periodically been hit by famine, with hundreds of thousands of people dying—estimates range into the millions—in the mid-1990s.

The country held a high-level party meeting in February to specifically address food shortages and agricultural problems.

As the storm approached the peninsula, the North had carried out “a dynamic campaign to cope with disastrous abnormal climate” and called for measures to minimize damage to the country’s economic output, state media reported.

Earlier this week, Kim berated “irresponsible” officials for failing to prevent damage from the storm. AFP

Strong quake rattles Colombian capital

BOGOTÁ, Colombia—A strong earthquake followed by dozens of aftershocks rattled central Colombia and the capital Bogota on Thursday, setting off sirens and sparking brief panic, including in one woman who died after jumping from a building, authorities said.

No major damage was reported, but Bogota’s mayor noted “reports of people trapped in elevators and other minor events.”

The Colombian Geological Survey put the quake’s magnitude at 6.1, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported it at 6.3.

The Colombian agency said the earthquake struck at 12:04 pm (1704 GMT), with its epicenter in the town of El Calvario, 40 kilometers (25 miles) southeast of Bogota. It hit at a depth of less than 30 kilometers.

Buildings shook and sirens sounded

as thousands of panicked residents poured into the streets of the capital, gripping their cell phones as they called loved ones, AFP journalists observed.

“The only serious incident reported was a woman who threw herself from the 10th floor of a residential building... apparently due to a nervous disorder,” said the mayor of the capital, Claudia Lopez, on the X social network, formerly known as Twitter.

Firefighters confirmed the woman’s death.

Social media users reported feeling the quake in the cities of Villavicencio, Bucaramanga, Tunja and Ibague, all near the epicenter.

“Strong tremor in Bogota. Let’s remain calm and cautious. Please take all precautions against possible aftershocks. Calm, serenity and caution,”

Lopez warned on X. US diplomat Francisco Palmieri was giving a speech at a Bogota hotel when the quake hit, as seen in a video of the session, which was attended by President Gustavo Petro. Palmieri stopped talking to ask out loud in English if there had been an earthquake, then resumed speaking, with a smile. The hotel was not evacuated.

A piece of the ceiling in the congress building detached but caused no injuries, according to videos released by the lower chamber on X.

A landslide was reported in Villavicencio, while reportedly only the windows of homes and businesses were affected in El Calvario, according to an update from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. AFP

Thousands

flee rampaging wildfires in Canada’s north

YELLOWINIFE, Canada—Thousands were fleeing wildfires advancing on one of the largest cities in Canada’s far north on Thursday (Friday in Manila), as convoys snaked south to safety on the only open highway and evacuation flights took off from the airport.

The order to evacuate Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories marks the latest chapter in a terrible summer for wildfires in Canada.

More than 20,000 residents of the regional capital have been given until noon Friday to leave.

Emergency responders were constructing firebreaks, installing sprinkler lines and water cannons, and laying fire retardant in an effort to prevent the

Russia says it destroyed drones in Moscow, Black Sea

MOSCOW—Russian forces have destroyed Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and its Black Sea Fleet, officials said, the latest in a surge of attacks on the capital and the flash point waterway.

Russia’s defense ministry said its air force downed a Ukrainian drone over the capital at about 04:00 (9 am in Manila) on Friday.

“The UAV, after being exposed to air defense weapons, changed its flight path and fell on a non-residential building in the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment area of Moscow,” the ministry said on Telegram.

Moscow’s mayor said emergency ser-

vices were on the scene, but that early reports indicated there were no casualties.

“The wreckage of the UAV fell in the area of the Expo Center, and did not cause significant damage to the building,” Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. Hours before the strike on Moscow, Russia thwarted a Ukrainian marine drone attack on its warships in the Black Sea, the latest in a string of assaults on its fleet. Russia’s defense ministry said the drone was destroyed late on Thursday night by navy patrol ships, 237 km southwest of Sevastopol -- the base of its Black Sea Fleet on the Moscow-annexed Crimean peninsula. Attacks from both sides have escalat-

blaze from reaching the city -- which remained a real possibility in coming days, officials said. Northwest winds over the next two days will send the fire “in directions we don’t want,” said Mike Westwick, Northwest Territories’ fire information officer.

Heeding Wednesday’s evacuation order, Tiffany Champagne was one of many who crammed into the airport in Yellowknife awaiting flights -- the first departing at 1:00 pm (7 pm Mnila time). “I have asthma and the wildfire smoke was making it increasingly difficult to do anything,” Champagne, wearing a face mask, told public broadcaster CBC. AFP

COMMUNITY AND CREATIVITY. Costumed revelers watch the parade during the 45th Annual Provincetown Carnival Parade in Provincetown, Massachusetts, on Friday. The carnival, which celebrates community, expression and creativity was started in 1978 by the Provincetown Business Guild. The theme for the parade this year is ‘Land of Toys.’ AFP

WASHINGTON, DC—A 55-year-old woman who holds dual French and Canadian nationality was sentenced to nearly 22 years in prison on Thursday (Friday in Manila) for sending a letter containing deadly ricin to then-US president Donald Trump. Pascale Ferrier pleaded guilty in January to violating prohibitions on possession or use of banned biological weapons. Ferrier admitted she made ricin, an extremely toxic plant protein derived from castor bean seeds, at her home in Quebec in September 2020. She sent a letter containing ricin

ed in the Black Sea since Russia pulled out of a deal that had allowed safe export of Ukrainian grain through the shipping hub.

On August 4, Russia said it had repelled Ukraine’s attempted drone attack on its Novorossiysknaval base in the sea, while a Ukrainian security source said the strike on a warship at the base was successful. State-run news agency TASS reported that one of the walls of the venue’s pavilion had partially collapsed, citing emergency services.

“The area of the collapse is about 30 square meters (323 square feet),” emergency services told TASS. AFP

president Trump

that same month from Canada to the White House addressed to Trump and other poison-laced letters to eight law enforcement officials in the state of Texas. Her letter to Trump contained “threatening language” and called on him to withdraw from the looming election, according to the Justice Department.

“I found a new name for you: ‘The Ugly Tyrant Clown’ I hope you like it,” the letter said.

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll find better recipe for another poison, or I might use my gun when I’ll be able to come. Enjoy!” AFP

N. Zealand to pay man wrongly jailed 18 years

WELLINGTON—A New Zealand man who spent nearly 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit will receive a multimillion-dollar compensation package, the government said Friday.

Alan Hall was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1986 after a man was fatally stabbed during an Auckland home invasion.

In a statement to local media, Hall’s family said they were relieved the fight to clear his name was over. “Alan was 24 when he was arrested. He is now 61.”

There was no forensic evidence linking Hall to the scene, and the assailant was said to be of a different height and ethnicity.

But Hall was found guilty nonetheless.

Hall was released on parole in 1994 only to be sent back to jail in 2012 for breaching the conditions of his release. He was finally set free last year and acquitted.

New Zealand’s Supreme Court admitted the initial trial had been unjust, showing either “extreme incompetence” or “a deliberate and wrongful strategy to secure conviction.”

The Supreme Court also noted that Hall had an intellectual disability, and despite this was subjected to 20 hours of interrogation without his lawyer present. AFP

22 years in prison for Quebec woman who sent poison to then

HUNGRY NORTH. This undated picture released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency on Friday shows North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (second from left) inspecting restoration activities at a farm in Anbyon-gun, Kangwon province, which was recently damaged by a typhoon. AFP

DESTROYED DRONES. This photo shows the damaged Expocenter building following a drone attack in Moscow on Friday. Russia’s defense ministry said its forces have destroyed Ukrainian drones targeting Moscow and its Black Sea Fleet. the latest in a surge of attacks on the capital and the flash point waterway. AFP

Stocks plummet on inflation, rate hike fears

PSEi August 18, 2023

TOP GAINERS

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange index fell below the 6,300 level Friday amid lingering concerns on possible increase in inflation and interest rates.

The 30-company bellwether dropped 74.70 points, or 1.17 percent, to close at 6,290.27, while the broader all-shares index shed 26.39 points to settle at 3,383.41.

“The local bourse plummeted by 74.70 points as investors digest the revised infla-

TOP LOSERS

MOST ACTIVE

tion forecast of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas,” Philstocks Financial Inc. research analyst Claire Alviar said.

“Additionally, concerns stemming from overseas further dampened investors sentiments,” Alviar said. Meanwhile, the peso rebounded Friday to 56.18 against the US dollar from 56.77 Thursday.

The BSP on Thursday raised inflation rate target for 2023 to 5.6 percent from 5.4 percent.

Asian markets mostly fell Friday on growing worries of another Federal Reserve interest rate hike and deepening concerns about China’s economy, with the country’s property crisis once again adding an extra layer of jeopardy.

Equity traders around the world have

been spooked this month by a recent run of data suggesting that while US inflation is coming down, the economy remains robust and prices could remain sticky for some time.

That has led to a re-evaluation of the outlook for monetary policy, with optimism that July’s rate hike could be the last giving way to bets on one more before the end of the year.

That view has been given legs by some decision-makers at the central bank, who have suggested its two percent inflation goal can only be achieved and maintained by pushing borrowing costs higher. Inflation currently stands at 3.2 percent.

Expectations of another Fed hike have pushed 10-year Treasury yields—a gauge

US mortgage rate hits highest level in 21 years as market reels

WASHINGTON, United States—Mortgage rates in the United States have surged to the highest since 2002, said a home loan finance company Thursday, adding pressure to buyers who are already grappling with high costs and low inventory.

The popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached 7.09 percent this week, said Freddie Mac in a statement, adding that it last rose above the seven percent threshold in November 2022.

The housing market has been reeling since interest rates rapidly climbed in recent months, a trend that has made home owners reluctant to put their properties up for sale -- having previously locked in lower rates on their mortgages.

The current rate will “make it even more difficult for potential home buyers to afford the new home that they’re looking for,” said economist Oren Klachkin of Oxford Economics.

“It’s just becoming increasingly unaffordable. Rates are high, there are also signs that the flow of credit is being tightened as well and because of this, there’s basically no supply out there,” he told AFP.

A year ago, the 30-year rate stood at 5.13 percent while rates hovered below three percent in late 2020.

The latest 7.09 percent figure is the highest since April 2002, according to Freddie Mac data.

“The more rates rise, the less likely

you are to list your house because it just means that you have to move from your sub-four percent mortgage into a new mortgage,” Klachkin said.

This could potentially double the cost of home owners’ monthly payments, if rates go to eight percent, he added.

In June, sales of existing homes fell to the slowest rate since January while the median sales price hit the secondhighest on record, according to National Association of Realtors (NAR) data.

The NAR noted that a third of homes were sold above list price that month.

With a lack of existing homes for sale, buyers have been pushed into the market for new properties. AFP

Japanese looks at wearable tech to beat worsening summer temperatures

TOKYO, Japan—Selling jackets with built-in fans, neck coolers and T-shirts that feel cold, Japanese firms are tapping into a growing market for products to help people handle the summer heat.

Japan—like other countries -- is seeing ever-hotter summers. This July was the warmest in 100 years, with at least 53 people dying of heatstroke and almost 50,000 needing emergency medical attention.

Workman, which makes clothes for construction workers, launched a version of their fan-fitted jackets adapted for the high street in 2020 as demand grew.

The mechanism is simple -- two electric, palm-sized fans powered by a rechargeable battery are fitted into the back of the jacket.

They draw in air to then deliver a breeze—at variable speeds—onto the wearer’s body.

The jackets retail for 12,000 to 24,000 yen ($82-164).

“As the weather gets hotter, people who have never worn fan-equipped clothing before want to find ways to cool down... so more people are interested in buying it,” Workman spokesman Yuya Suzuki told AFP.

“Just like you feel cool when you are at home with a fan, you feel cool just by wearing (the jacket) because the wind is blowing through your body all the time,” he said.

Ageing population at risk

Japanese summers are known to be hot and humid, but this July Tokyo really sweated.

The average temperature was 28.7 Celsius (83.7 Fahrenheit), the highest on record since 1875.

Heatstroke is particularly deadly in Japan, which has the secondoldest population in the world after Monaco.

More than 80 percent of heat-related deaths in the past five years have been among senior citizens.

“Some people die from heatstroke,” said Nozomi Takai of MI Creations, a company selling neck-cooling tubes mainly to factory and warehouse workers.

“Individuals as well as companies are putting more and more effort into measures against it every year,” Takai said.

The gel inside his firm’s brightly coloured tubes—priced at 2,500 yen—is cool enough to use after 20 minutes in the fridge.

Wearing it on the neck will “considerably cool the whole body” for about an hour, she said.

Takai’s company joined an expo this year on “measures against extreme heat” in Tokyo to showcase new prod-

ucts that help users stay cool in the scorching heat.

At another booth, Tokyo-based company Liberta had a series of clothing including T-shirts and arm sleeves using prints that make users feel cool -- especially when they sweat.

The prints use materials such as xylitol that feel cool when reacting with water and sweat, they said.

Chikuma, an Osaka-based company, has even created office jackets and dresses equipped with electric fans.

“We developed them with the idea that it could be proposed in places where casual wear is not allowed,” Yosuke Yamanaka of Chikuma said.

Regular fan-fitted clothes can make the wearer look puffy, as they need to be zipped up, and cuffs are tight.

But jackets developed jointly by Chi-

of future rates—close to their highest levels since the global financial crisis.

Data on Thursday did little to dissuade investors, with unemployment benefit applications falling the most since last month, indicating the labour market remains in rude health.

The Fed has said softening the jobs sector was key to bringing down inflation.

“This week’s data hasn’t given them any reason to let their guard down,” said Mike Loewengart of Morgan Stanley Global Investment Office.

“With housing starts, retail sales, and jobless claims all reinforcing the picture of a robust economy, another rate hike can’t be ruled out, even if the Fed remains on hold next month.”With AFP

Chinese realtor Evergrande files for bankruptcy

NEW YORK, United States—Embattled Chinese property giant Evergrande Group filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States on Thursday, court documents showed, a measure that protects its US assets while it attempts to restructure.

Evergrande, once China’s top property developer, was found in 2021 to be struggling with more than $300 billion in liabilities, as it came under intense pressure after officials tightened scrutiny of the real estate industry.

The company’s woes have come to symbolize the growing crisis in China’s sprawling property sector, which accounts for a huge portion of the world’s number two economy, that many fear could spill over globally.

Several major developers have been hit in the unfolding drama as they fail to complete housing projects, triggering protests and mortgage boycotts from home buyers.

In the latest filings in New York, Tianji Holding and Scenery Journey -- of which Evergrande is the ultimate holding company -- filed for Chapter 15 protection, which provides mechanisms for dealing with insolvency cases involving more than one country.

Evergrande has worked on an offshore debt restructuring agreement for months and unveiled a proposal earlier this year.

The plan offers creditors a choice to swap their debt into new notes issued by the company and equities in two subsidiaries, Evergrande Property Services Group and Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group. AFP

This photo taken on August 7, 2023, shows a shopper looking at jackets designed to be worn with batterypowered fans (R-sold separately) inside the lining to keep cool in the summer heat, at a branch of Japanese company Workman Girl in Tokyo. Selling jackets with in-built fans, neck coolers and T-shirts that feel cold, Japanese firms are tapping into a growing market for products to help people handle the summer heat. AFP

kuma, power tool maker Makita and textile giant Teijin do not need to be buttoned up, thanks to a special structure that sandwiches the fans in two layers and keeps the cool air in, Yamanaka said.

Men adopting parasols

Parasols, which are commonly associated in Japan with skin-tone-conscious women protecting against a summer tan, are now proving more popular with men too.

Komiyama Shoten, a small, luxury umbrella maker in Tokyo, began making parasols for men around 2019 after the environment ministry encouraged people to use them.

Before, many male customers thought parasols “were for women and they were embarrassed”, the owner Hiroyuki Komiya said. AFP

Japan’s consumer price inflation aligns with market forecast

TOKYO—Japan’s consumer price inflation eased to 3.1 percent year on year in July, in line with market expectations, government data showed Friday.

The figure for the world’s thirdlargest economy, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, followed a 3.3-percent reading in June.

Stripping out fresh food and energy, Japan’s prices rose 4.3 percent, data published by the internal affairs ministry showed.

Friday’s core consumer price index figure matched market expectations of 3.1 percent recorded in a Bloomberg survey.

Prices for processed food, telecommunication costs and hotel rates rose while electricity bills declined.

Inflation in Japan has been less extreme than price hikes seen in other major economies such as the United States, which have been fueled by the war in Ukraine and supply-chain disruptions.

The Bank of Japan’s two-percent inflation target has been surpassed every month for more than a year.

But the central bank sees recent price increases as driven by temporary factors, and so has stuck to its easing policies such as maintaining a negative interest rate.

Last month, the BoJ said it will allow “greater flexibility” in controlling bond yields, as it raised its full-year inflation forecast to 2.5 percent from its previous estimate of 1.8 percent.

The BoJ took a similar measure in December when it expanded the so-called yield curve control (YCC) range for government bonds to around plus or minus 0.5 percentage points, from a tighter range of plus or minus 0.25 percentage points. AFP

APPLE ANNIVERSARY. Chinese music producer Zhang Yadong (L) attends an event celebrating Apple’s 30th anniversary in China at an Apple retail store in Beijing on August 18, 2023. AFP

BUSINESS

By Julito G. Rada

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona said Friday there is still room for local monetary authorities to increase the prevailing interest rates, if needed, without leading to economic contraction.

Remolona said in an interview with CNBC the third pause of the Monetary Board on Thursday was a “prudent” move, but the BSP remained ready to hike if the upside risks materialized.

He said the softness in the second-

ATI booked 89% rise in first-half income

ASIAN Terminals Inc. said Friday net income rose 89 percent in the first half of 2023 from a year ago, on the back of higher container volume.

The port operator said net profit amounted to P2.15 billion from January to June, higher than P1.14 billion it earned in the same period last year.

Revenues reached P7.4 billion, up 22 percent from P6.1 billion last year on higher container volume at the Manila South Harbor and Batangas Container Terminal.

Revenues from international containerized cargo at SH and BCT went up 17 percent and 62.8 percent, respectively, on account of higher container volumes.

Revenues from ATI Batangas grew 5.7 percent because of higher domestic roll-on and roll-off volumes and more passengers.

ATI said the government’s share in revenues in the first half increased 15.5 percent to P1.28 billion from P1.11 billion a result of higher revenues, subject to port authorities’ share.

Darwin G. Amojelar

PLDT to help expedite Cebu digital program

THE corporate business arm of PLDT Inc. teamed up with the provincial government of Cebu to expedite its digital transformation for the benefit of constituents and thriving business communities.

The collaboration will provide advanced digital solutions and reliable connectivity with the initial roll-out of free, unlimited public Wi-Fi in 50 barangays, including prominent areas like Guadalupe, Tisa, Basak San Nicholas and Talamban.

Wi-Fi access points will be strategically deployed in barangay halls, gyms and key areas of each barangay to ensure wide coverage and connection of about 30 to 40 meters from every access point.

PLDT Enterprise supplies fiber broadband internet access with a robust bandwidth of 100 mbps to enable seamless connectivity. Acloud-managed access point is installed to monitor real-time alerts and ensure uninterrupted internet.

“Digital access has become the lifeblood of modern cities. A digital city—facilitated by widespread broadband – is one precursor into becoming a smart city. This certainly benefits all stakeholders,” said Kent De La Calzada, assistant vice president and head of customer relationship management at PLDT Enterprise.

Darwin G. Amojelar

SM Investments wins

Stevie Award for annual report

SM Investments Corp., one of the leading conglomerates in the Philippines, was awarded by Stevie Award as Bronze Winner for the Best Annual Report-PrivatelyOwned Companies category in The 20th Annual International Business Awards.

“We are pleased to receive this award for our 2022 Integrated Report that reflects how we continue to serve communities. We are mindful that with transparent reporting, we can demonstrate that our business performance and sustainability efforts continue to create value for all our stakeholders,” said SM Investments president and chief executive Frederic DyBuncio.

The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small—are eligible to submit nominations. The 2023 IBAs received entries from organizations in 61 nations and territories.

The judges of the award-giving body said: “The report encompasses a good survey and gives a great overview on the Philippine economy.”

quarter GDP growth of 4.3 percent, a slowdown from 6.4 percent in the second quarter, could be brought about by several factors, but he expected some recovery in the third quarter.

“But I think we have room to hike

without contracting the economy… The neutral rate of interest is closer to 4 percent in real terms. If our projections are right, we will be at 3.25 percent in real terms for neutral interest rates .. but we have room to hike,” he said. “We think we will be within the striking distance of the target range. We think we will be within the target range by the end of this year and certainly by 2024 and 2025. That is the way we are looking at this,” he said. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that from a peak of 8.7 percent in January 2023, inflation

eased to a 16-month low of 4.7 percent in July.

The BSP has so far raised the policy rates by 425 basis points to 6.25 percent from May 2022 until March 2023, before taking a prudent pause in the last three Monetary Board meetings, including Thursday’s, amid the sustained easing of inflation. Remolona said earlier the latest baseline projections continued to show a return to inflation target in the fourth quarter of 2023 despite a generally higher path for inflation relative to the previous forecast from the monetary policy meeting in June, reflecting mainly the impact

Interest hike remains possible—BSP chief IN BRIEF

of higher international oil prices. Inflation is seen to average 5.6 percent in 2023, 3.3 percent in 2024 and 3.4 percent in 2025. Inflation expectations for 2023 remained steady, while those for 2024 and 2025 declined slightly.

Remolona said the balance of risks to the inflation forecast continued to lean towards the upside. Potential price pressures are linked to the impact of possible higher transport charges; higher minimum wage adjustments; persistent supply constraints on key food items; and the effects of El Niño weather conditions on food prices and power rates, he said.

GSIS: 20-fold income growth to P61b in H1

PENSION fund Government Service Insurance System said Friday net income in the first half of 2023 jumped 20-fold to P61 billion from P3 billion a year earlier, on strong revenues and improvement in the revenue-to operating expense ratio to 2 percent from 5 percent.

GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso said in a statement administrative and operational expenses grew by 10 percent, largely on higher claims and benefits.

“Although these expenses have grown, the rate of increase was slower… A key factor in keeping expenses under control has been the careful management of operational costs,” Veloso said.

NEW WAREHOUSES. Aboitiz Construction teams up with FAST Logistics Group to design and build five ambient warehouses, along with ancillary and utility spaces, on an 18,531-square-mter land area in Consolacion, Cebu. Leading the groundbreaking ceremony are executives of the two companies, along with property developer MVC Development Corp. and project management consultant Hearn & Hearn Consulting.

SunAsia seeks incentives for $1.7-b floating solar project

By Othel V. Campos

SUNASIA Energy Inc. applied for tax

incentives with the Board of Investments on its planned $1.7-billion floating solar power project in Laguna Lake.

The BOI said that once approved, the incentives would include 7-year income tax holiday; duty free importation of machinery, equipment and materials; 10-percent corporate income tax rate after the ITH period; accelerated depreciation; zero value added tax on the sale of fuel or power generated; cash incentive for missionary electrification; tax exemption on carbon credit; and tax credit on domestic capital equipment and services.

It said SunAsia’s solar power project is the first strategic investment under Executive Order No. 18 or the Green Lanes for Strategic Investments policy.

“This underscores the seriousness of the government in helping investors realize their investments by removing the barriers to the entry of strategic investments. Rest assured of the whole-ofgovernment support for this strategic investment which positively impacts our economy not only in terms of investments but more importantly on the jobs to be generated,” said BOI director for investment assistance service Ernesto Delos Reyes Jr.

He said the company was still completing the documentary requirements

needed for registration.

Having a green lane status will speed up and streamline the procedure and requirements for the issuance of permits and licenses, including resolutions of issues concerning strategic investments.

Aside from SunAsia Energy, ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions, the power subsidiary of the Ayala Group, is also building similar floating solar projects.

Both companies are committed to providing clean and sustainable energy for consumers with combined capacities of 2.3 gigawatts of renewable energy.

SunAsia will integrate 10 floating solar projects on the Laguna Lake that would generate 1.3 GW of power, while ACEN would produce 1 GW.

PSE INDEX CLOSING

Friday, August 18, 2023

-74.7 PTS.

6,290.27

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral

Administrative and operational expenses declined to 2.6 percent from 4.9 percent a year ago in the first half, well below the legal threshold of 12 percent.

Veloso said the fund life of GSIS was now at 2058 or 35 years, which was achieved through enhanced data analytics and sustained investment returns.

“A lengthier actuarial life allows us to meet our obligation of providing timely benefits to our members and pensioners. As a financial institution, we focus on growing our members’ contributions through strategic investment opportunities,” Veloso said.

GSIS is showcasing its commitment to the nation’s growth story by investing in vital sectors such as real estate, infrastructure, food, energy and mining. Total investment in the domestic sectors reached P1.2 trillion in the first six months. Global investments also rose 8 percent to P204 billion. Julito G. Rada

COASTAL CLEANUP. About 300 employees of BDO Unibank Inc. participate in two coastal clean-up activities that resulted in the collection of more than 2,200 kilograms of waste from the Las Piñas-Paranaque Critical Habitat and Eco-tourism Area--a protected site that is home to 41 species of migratory birds and one of the few remaining mangrove forests in Metro Manila. This is the bank’s first coastal clean-up activity under its Employee Volunteer Program. The activity hopes to raise awareness on proper waste management with the hope of saving and preserving critical areas like LPPCHEA.

0.26665215.1133

BruneiDollar0.73373041.5863

IndonesiaRupiah0.0000650.0037

Thailand Baht 0.0282131.5991

UAE Dirham0.27228715.4327

EuroEuro 1.08700061.6090

Korea Won 0.0007470.0423

ChinaYuan0.1371977.7761

IndiaRupee0.0120290.6818

MalaysiaRinggit0.21505412.1888

New Zealand Dollar 0.59210033.5590

TaiwanDollar0.0313051.7743

Source: BSP

McDonald’s PH installs solar panels on 25 stores to reduce power consumption by 36%

By Alena Mae S. Flores

MCDONALD’S Philippines, one of the biggest players in the quick-service restaurant industry, said Friday it installed solar power in 25 of its stores, as it shifts to environmental-friendly and sustainable solutions.

McDonald’s Philippines said the solar-powered rooftop of the stores saved a total of 546,000 kilowatt-hours, translating into electricity consumption by as much as 36 percent compared to stores that were not running on solar power.

Philippines

The company said the incorporation of sustainable solutions in its operations is a testament to its recognition of its responsibility to be better for the environ-

ment, elevating its mission of delivering feel-good moments to its stakeholders.

McDonald’s Philippines set the benchmark in restaurant and operations that adhere to world-class standards since it started its operations in the country in 1981. It now has over 700 stores all over the country and continues to innovate, this time to minimize its impact on the environment by using green building and utility efficient solutions under its Green & Good platform.

“With more than 700 stores nationwide, McDonald’s Philippines carries a strong commitment to environmental

responsibility. We will continue to find solutions to make our operations more efficient and better for the planet. With the results of our Green and Good initiatives so far, we believe that it is possible to grow sustainably. Our stakeholders can look forward to enjoying more McDonald’s stores that are Green & Good in the future,” said McDonald’s Philippines president and chief executive KennethYang.

The company realized an annual reduction of 52,500 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions and 102,000 liters of water reduction for six flagship Green & Good stores

DAVAO CITY—Davao Light & Power Company Inc. said Friday it working to complete the city’s underground cabling project to get rid of messy overhead wires by 2029.

The move is in compliance with the directive of the city government of Davao.

Davao Light, a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corp., together with the local government unit and project partners from telecommunications, cable and internet companies, completed the second phase of the initiative early this year.

Underground cabling, a rarity in the Philippines, harnesses innovation to maximize the health, safety and economic development of businesses and communities.

The absence of unruly overhead wires and invasive poles makes the city more visually attractive to local and foreign tourists, while walkways become more spacious.

Power pilferage, or electricity theft, is also prevented.

Davao Light said another longterm impact of underground cabling is the less incidence of emergency power interruptions and mitigation of fire hazards, accidents and safety risks, as electric wires are now placed underground.

This will improve customer service and strengthen the resilience and reliability of Davao Light’s power distribution network.

The first phase covered C.M. Recto Street from San Pedro Street to Ramon Magsaysay Ave., while the second phase comprised 0.6 kilometers of San Pedro Street from City Hall Drive to Quirino Ave. Alena Mae S. Flores

Davao City expects to get rid of overhead wires, cables by 2029

A McDonald’s

store taps solar power.

Ivory Coast, Montenegro cagers in town

By Peter Atencio

A DELEGATION from Côte d’Ivoire arrived Thursday evening to become the second national squad to reach the country for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Also known as the Elephants, the Ivorians have joined Montenegro as the first teams to have planed in for the basketball tournament.

The two have been set for closed-door tune-up matches against the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball team at the Philsports Arena.

Côte d’Ivoire, ranked 42nd in the world, is a two-time FIBA AfroBasket champions, but has no NBA player in its roster when it engaged Gilas in a friendly on Friday.

The 18th-ranked Montenegrins will have their turn vs Gilas on Sunday.

Gilas coach Chot Reyes said these tuneup games are important, as they get past the process of reacquainting and reintegrating Utah Jazz cager into their roster.

“This is so that we are able to work on those little things which are important in execution with JC,” said Reyes.

The tuneups will help Gilas cope and adjust to the pressures and high expectations that are upon host Philippines as group phase and final round host.

Reyes will find how well the team is in terms of offense with Clarkson practicing with Kai Sotto, brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravenna, marksman Bobby Ray Parks, Jr and slotman June Mar Fajardo.

Meeting these needs will hopefully draw fan support for Gilas.

Aside from Clarkson, there is excitement from fans on the presence in the country of 36 NBA players playing for their respective national teams.

Excitement is also building up for Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic, who plays for the Chicago Bulls, along with a former Bulls’ cager Marko Simonovic.

Marcial focuses on dream of winning Olympic gold

THE Philippines’ medal chances in the 2024 Tokyo Olympics received a huge boost with the pronouncement of boxer Eumir Felix Marcial focusing full-time on his Olympic gold medal dream following the cancelation of his fifth professional fight set later this month, according to Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino on Friday.

“Eumir will be coming home from the US as soon as possible and to join the national boxing team and work on his Australian visa,” said Tolentino, referring to Marcial joining the national team training camp starting on September 1 in Canberra. Marcial’s fight this August was canceled and moved to September, which runs conflict with the Hangzhou Asian Games that

start September 23 and end on October 8. Tolentino brokered Marcial’s availability for the Asian Games—a Paris Olympics qualifier—with his promotion MP Promotions, whose president, Sean Gibbons, agreed to write off the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist’s training expenses for his supposed fifth pro fight in the US. Professional boxers are charged training expenses which are almost always deducted from their guaranteed fight purse.

PH

archers

CEBU CITY—Thriving under pressure, Jonathan Reaport and Ada Lagrada led a record-breaking spree for local archers at the start of the 1st Asean Archery Youth Championships at the Dynamic Herb Sports Complex here on Thursday.

Veterans of the world youth meet held last July in Limerick, Ireland, Reaport and Lagrada shot 639 and 613 points, respectively, in setting two of the six new national junior marks to rule the men’s and women’s Under-21 70-meter recurve qualifiers in the meet organized by World Archery Philippines.

Both carrying the colors of Olympus Archery Club, Reaport broke his previous record of 632 set at the world youth tourney while Lagrada surpassed her own mark of 582 in a tournament held last January at the STI Gold Toe archery range in Marikina.

Reaport’s score was just one point short of the minimum Olympic qualifying standard of 640 while Lagrada exceeded the minimum Olympic qualifying standard of 610 in the competition backed by the Philippine Sports

break

“Sean [Gibbons] readily agreed that Marcial focuses on Hangzhou and go after his Olympic dream,” Tolentino said.

It will, however, be a tough campaign for Marcial in Hangzhou.

First, he’ll be fighting at 81 kgs (light heavyweight) because the 71-kg class (middleweight) where he clinched bronze in Tokyo was scratched from the Hangzhou program.

And second, he needs to reach the final after it was decreed that only the boxing finalists in Hangzhou will qualify for Paris—no longer the traditional semifinals cut off.

Marcial is aware of the challenge and vowed to go all out for his Olympic dream

“It’s now or never,” said the 27-yearold boxer from Zamboanga City, who’s unbeaten in four pro fights.

6 junior marks in Asean tilt opener

ing club in topping the women’s recurve under-18 qualifying round with a tally of 639 point in the competition also backed by FR Sevilla Industrial Corp. owned by WAP chairman Felizardo Sevilla Jr.

The most bemedaled archer in the girls secondary division of the last Palarong Pambansa, Tagle shattered the old mark of Giulana Garcia of 614 also in the same Marikina meet during the tourney also supported by the Cebu City government led by Mayor Mike Rama and Councilor Dondon Hontiveros, who heads the Cebu City council.

In the compound event, University of Baguio Archery Club’s Alon Yuan Jucutan scored 683 points in getting top spot in the men’s under-18 qualifying round, besting his own score of 673 at the Ireland meet.

Ungco, Suzuki resume chase for JPGT honors

ROMAN Ungco and Ryuji Suzuki seek to produce the same winning result in a different format and venue as Round 4 of the Junior PGT 2023 Series in the drive, chip and putt skills challenge setup gets going Sunday at the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club in Laguna.

Meanwhile, parents of the competing junior golfers have lauded the staging of the JPGT while emboldening their co-parents and players alike to participate in the series staged to help discover and develop players from the ranks and expand the base of golfing talents in the country.

tournament. Commission and Cebu City Sports Commission.

Cebu Archery Club’s Aldener Igot Jr. gave fellow Cebuanos also something to cheer for in topping the men’s under-18 recurve qualifying round in

a new mark in shooting 646 points, shattering the old mark of 631 by Lawrence Enecio in the same Marikina tourney last January.

Salt and Arrow Archery Academy’s Naina Tagle also joined record-break-

Altas sink Red Spikers to grab solo V-League lead

UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help

System DALTA unleashed a strong windup to dash whatever hopes San Beda U had nourished in a gutsy third-set stand, coming through with a 25-14, 25-17, 25-22 victory to wrest early control in men’s play of the VLeague Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena in Manila yesterday.

Games Sunday 10 a.m.

– FEU vs La Salle (men’s) 12 noon – Ateneo vs EAC (men’s)

2 p.m. – Mapua vs Lyceum (women’s)

4 p.m. – San Sebastian vs Enderun (women’s)

Hanging tough on a 16-15 lead in the third frame, the Altas racked up four straight points fueled by Jeff Marapoc and Kobe Tabuga’s back-to-back kills, effectively scuttling the Red Spikers’ bid on their way to scoring a follow-up to their tough 2927, 26-24, 25-19 victory over the Emilio Aguinaldo College side in last Wednesday’s inaugural of the tournament organized by Sports Vision. “I’m happy we got the win because we prepared for this. Happy ako na kahit wala kaming Louie

Ramirez, we’re playing as solid team,” said Perpetual Help head coach Sammy Acaylar.

Ramirez is in Japan for a threeweek camp with V.League club Oita Miyoshi.

Playmaker JC Enarciso led the Altas again with 12 excellent sets and finished with five points, including two aces. Marapoc wound up with 13 points, all from kills, while Tabuga added nine markers on seven spikes and two aces.

Kevin Montemayor scored nine points, all earned through kills, and Justine Santos and Mohammad Tahilluddin contributed six points apiece for San Beda, whose bid suffered a big blow after losing Axel Book to injury following an awkward landing in the second set.

Earlier, De La Salle University launched its campaign in the league, backed by Bola.TV, Be-

Rounding out the record-breakers was Olympus Archery Club’s Cassandra Alexei Garcia, whose score of 688 in the women’s under-18 compound qualifiers was superior to her old record of 645 also set at the world youth competition.

“We’re so happy to get involved in this tournament. It’s well-organized and managed,” said Arnold Sarines, father of boys’ 9-10 age-group campaigner Vito, Mona and girls’ 11-12 stalwarts Lisa and Mona. “The ratio of the players and the staff is very, very ideal to the point that everything is going well.”

“For all the players and parents out there, we encourage you to join the JPGT series. We’re hoping we’ll be able to grow the sport to the next generation of golfers,” he added.

For her part, Trina Bernardino, whose daughters Kelsey and Tiffany are competing in the 9-10 and 11-12 age categories, said they expect to vie in more JPGT tournaments, which she described as “fun and exceptionally organized.”

“We’re looking forward to joining more tournaments like this so that our children can gain more friends and learn in golf,” said Bernardino.

Ungco and Suzuki topped their respective age-group divisions in boys’ play in the 18-hole stroke play tournament at Valley Golf Club last month with the duo expecting a stiffer challenge from their band of rivals coming off a break in the 11-12 and 9-10 categories.

BASEBALL KINGS. The National Capital Region, represented by Paref-Southdridge of Muntinlupa, brought home the gold at the recent 2023 Palarong Pambansa Baseball Secondary Division held at the Sto. Nino Baseball Field in Marikina City. The NCR Team took the gold after beating Region 6 (Western Visayas), 10-3, in the nal match. The team is composed of Lucas Atendido, Luis Chavez, Rance Faustino, Khristian Ferrolino, Lance Ordonez, Zane Prades, Diosdado Salvador IV, Lorenzo Salvador, Manuel Senador, Alfonso Tueres, Alessandro Villarosa, and Nathan Yu with coaches Bocc Bernardo, Adriane Bernardo, and Mome Je Juras. Palarong Pambansa returned this year after a four-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. Davao City last hosted the sporting event in 2019.

Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial: Now or never

Jonathan Reaport was among the six record-breakers in the Asean Youth Archery

yond Active Wear, ASICS and Mikasa, with a comefrom-behind win over University of Santo Tomas, 2628, 25-18, 28-26, 25-21.

Perpetual Help’s Kirth Rosos soars for a kill.

Designing for tomorrow Torre Lorenzo opens first condo in Quezon City

Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation (TLDC) recently rolled out its first premium residential development in Quezon City.

“This place is move-in ready, ” declared Tomas Lorenzo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Torre Lorenzo Development Corporation, who revealed that construction for the project continued throughout the pandemic and wrapped up in time for the opening of classes this August.

Lorenzo was one of the first developers who saw a gap in accommodations for students back in the late 90s. Since then, he has turned TLDC into a pioneer in offering condominiums with state-of-theart facilities conveniently located near universities.

Located in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Torre Lorenzo Loyola carries the signature quality and value of TLDC’s premium university residences.

Value for every lifestyle

Designed to cater to university students’ and young professionals’ ever-evolving lifestyles, Torre Lorenzo Loyola features studio and one-bedroom unit layouts for flexible use of investors and end-users.

To complement the residential units, a lap pool, and a fully-equipped fitness center provide secure venues for exercise and physical activity. As a pet-friendly building, Torre Lorenzo Loyola has a Paw Park for the residents’ small pets.

A separate Visitor’s Lounge and discussion room are available at the mezzanine level, ensuring security and privacy at the residential floors. There is a commercial area at the ground floor that provide residents with essentials within arm’s reach.

The Resident’s Lounge at the roof deck can be used to study, to work, to meditate, or to just bask in the gorgeous view beyond Katipunan Avenue, from the expansive Ateneo de Manila University campus, all the way to the serene Sierra Madre Mountain range. Residents can also reserve the function rooms at the roof deck for events and gatherings.

The in-house property management team at Torre Lorenzo Loyola ensures that the building is well-maintained and primed for value appreciation. Well-trained staff members keep the building amenities and common areas in great shape, while also providing assistance to residents and unit owners. Looking for opportunities

Like most successful developers, Lorenzo looks at things in terms of returns and profitability. He mentions that getting in the real estate industry is less about putting up buildings that “will stand out” or “will be the next talk of the town”, but more of looking for opportunities that the bigger players haven’t seen, or thought of.

The big opportunity for TLDC has been in setting up university residences catering to students seeking affordable and comfortable homes close to their schools. They have been doing this for the past twenty years, having “ridden the wave” of the significant changes that the country has been through.

One of Lorenzo’s favorite topics covers the demographic shift in the younger population going to Metro Manila for

education. But while there is a growth in families being able to send their children to universities in the city, he pointed out that most dormitory spaces are shared by 12 students crammed in together, with the bathroom outside of the rooms and the rent at around P1,000-1,500 a month. With this, he also mentions that the idea of developing university residences was inspired by the student residences abroad.

Laundry service, home-cooked meals, fast internet Lorenzo envisioned Filipino students living

in residences where only one to two people share a unit with its own bathroom, a laundry area, and a kitchen, although he states that students don’t really cook in their units.

While there are available laundry areas in the units, Lorenzo discovered that a third of their student tenants prefer to wash their clothes at home over the weekend. Another third utilizes the laundromat in the building, and the remaining 1/3 have nannies staying with them to do the cooking, the washing, and the folding of laundry.

Lily-inspired sanctuary down South

FILINVEST Alabang, Inc. recently tapped Japanese architectural firm Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Architects to design the Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel in River Park, Filinvest City.

The chapel stands out amidst the sharp geometric shapes of nearby office and commercial buildings.

SEDA Hotels recently celebrated the opening of their 12th property in the Philippines, Seda Manila Bay, located in Parañaque’s Entertainment City. The development offers 350 thoughtfully designed rooms from Deluxe Rooms to Suites, ideal for both business and family travel. The hotel’s unique design incorporates various leisure amenities, including the Seda Spa, a wellness retreat with private massage rooms, and a gym with cutting-edge fitness equipment.

Seda Manila Bay also features a ballroom for up to 350 attendees and smaller meeting rooms capable of offering flexible and creative solutions to suit different event needs in the city.

It has a distinctive design inspired by an inverted white Lily – the flower that perfectly represents the purity of Mother Mary. The towering structure, with its grace-

Megaworld recognized for engineering bent

PROPERTY titan Megaworld was recently lauded for its support to Republic Act 7920, otherwise known as the Philippines’ New Electrical Engineering Law, when it received the Certificate of Compliance from the the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) during the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE) Metro Manila Regional Conference held in Pasig City. The certification was issued following the full completion of all required licenses and permits for the company’s residential, office, and commercial properties as provided by the law. At the awarding ceremony were (from left): Gemma R. Ramos and Lorimel L.

ful curves that seem to open up to the skies, exudes a serene and comforting atmosphere. “The dream for Filinvest City has always been to build an environment that inspires and enables possibilities,” said Francis Gotianun, Director of Filinvest Development Corporation. Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel is open daily from 6AM to 9PM. Regular masses are scheduled once a day every Saturday at 5PM and twice a day on Sunday at 10AM and 3:30PM.

He also specified that the first 2/3 don’t cook; these students prefer to either bring home-cooked meals with them over the weekend or to buy food from outside, saying how Filipino culture interestingly creeps in the western set up the university residences presents.

On top of that, Tomas stated that students aren’t focused on how big a unit is or on how nice the amenities are; students are more interested in how close the residence is to their schools, how fast the Internet connection is, and how wellconnected they are to their cell sites.

He also noted how students maximize the use of social media in order to find the best residential units, the most convenient locations, and the potential people they are going to live with.

Spreading its wings

Today, TLDC has branched out from developing university residences to condominium properties and hotels, particularly outside Metro Manila. Lorenzo pointed out that this expansion is due to the growth of the country’s economy, and because of the OFWs coming home to the Philippines. “OFWs choose to move into condominium units rather than stay in the house that they grew up in,” Lorenzo claimed. “OFWs have lived in the big city during their time abroad and have learned to choose the sophisticated over the familiar.”

Lorenzo revealed that in Davao, TLDC will be adding Crown Residences, and an office and commercial center in its integrated-use development Tierra Davao, which is already home to two Dusit properties in Davao City, dusitD2 Hotel and Dusit Thani Residence Davao.

Expansion activities are likewise being carried out at the award-winning Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort, while it expands its sustainability initiatives to maintain the beautiful nature that surrounds the island.

“Wherever we build our properties, we have foresight in the growth of the area,” said Lorenzo. “From Katipunan to Davao, we build where we know there is progress.”

“After 25 years, we’ve taken care of our properties by maintaining and managing them,” he averred. “We at Torre Lorenzo are committed to continuously bring quality and long-term value.”

Lanson Place Mall of Asia to open soon

LOCATED near shopping, entertainment, and business hubs in the city, the soon-to-open Lanson Place Mall of Asia, with 389 units designed for both long and short stays, is gearing up to become a must-visit destination.

The property presents prime business opportunities with tremendous growth potential for both the surrounding area and local communities.

Lanson Place is committed to supporting local businesses and leaving a positive impact on the Philippine economy. By partnering with local suppliers, vendors, artists, and talents, Lanson Place embraces the unique cultural richness of the Philippines to complement its status as a worldrenowned hotel and service apartment brand.

Norte of the PRC regulation division; engineer Esperanza A. Collado, IIEE national vice president for external affairs; Nhonha Lie A. Simbre, chief regulation division, PRC; John Joseph Sy, assistant vice president and head of external affairs, Megaworld; engineer Allwin M. Wagan, senior assistant vice

president and head of quality assurance and building systems, Megaworld; Hon. Francis V. Mapile, chairman of the board of electrical engineering, PRC; Hon. Jaime V. Mendoza, member of the board of electrical engineering, PRC; and engineer Lyndon R. Bague, national president, IIEE.

The property will have 247 hotel rooms, 142 serviced residences and amenities like a state-of-the-art fitness center and a rooftop infinity pool.

It will also boast an exceptional dining experience at Cyan Modern Kitchen, Lanson Place Mall of Asia’s signature restaurant.

grow

Cultivating the world’s second most expensive spice

By Patricia Taculao

HOW do we add flair and flavor to the food we eat? A typical answer to this question is adding spices with a specific flavor profile. When it comes to desserts, vanilla often takes the cake as some describe it as having a similar taste to marshmallows.

Although vanilla extract or flavoring is readily available in markets, authentic vanilla extract from pods is the second most expensive spice in the world. Besides a labor-intensive production, the vanilla flower only blooms for 24 hours, which requires manual and immediate pollination to produce its highly sought out pods.

Despite these conditions, Jay Cabutihan, a 53-year-old selfmade businessman from Rizal, took on the challenge and has been successfully producing vanilla on his urban farm, which he began in 2017.

“We owned a farm at one point years before hence my interest in farming and crops. So, I figured that we needed a new crop to grow here in the Philippines,” he told Manila Standard Agriculture He and his wife work as florists in their flower shop business, while Cabutihan engages in vanilla tissue culture and larvae rearing of giant freshwater prawns. Yet the primary and sole reason he began cultivating vanilla was to help less fortunate local farmers increase their income with only a tiny plot of land.

In his case, Cabutihan transformed a portion of their home into a garden where he cultivates vanilla plants after he acquired the seeds from his friend in Mindanao. Aside from the noble cause, there are many rewards to reap from growing vanilla. Although Cabutihan shares the plants are easy to grow, it also comes with challenges because vanilla plants are extremely sensitive.

One of the things vanilla farmers need to remember is that the plants don’t fair well against waterlogging. It also needs around 50 to 70 percent shade to grow lushly. Too much sunlight on the plants can cause sunburn on their leaves, which could greatly affect the plant production and quality of the vanilla pods.

When growing vanilla from cuttings, Cabuti-

han advises people to use coco peat, carbonized rice hull, and vermicast as the soil medium as it’s rich in nutrients. Water using a sprayer thrice a week.

“In the first year, the harvest should be approximately 500 grams. In the second year, one kilo, and in the third year, it increased to 1.5 kilos. There will be an increase in production for up to seven years. After seven years, it will likely decline, so farmers should start replanting cuttings in the fourth year for continuous harvest,” the urban farmer advised.

Since the vanilla flower only blooms for 24 hours, Cabutihan painstakingly pollinates it by hand before it expires. The best time to do it is within six hours after the vanilla orchid first bloomed. When the pods develop, it takes roughly six to seven months to mature and be ready for harvesting. Good quality vanilla pods, or beans, can range between P200 to P250 per piece. But Cabutihan doesn’t want anything to go to waste. He turns beans not entirely up to par with market standards into vanilla extract.

“Fermenting process can take about two months. Quality-wise, it would be better to age the extract for eight months to ferment very well,” he shared.

With seven years as a vanilla farmer, Cabutihan acknowledges that he’s still far from becoming an expert in the topic. Like with other ventures, he knows there always be challenges along the way, but learning is a constant process that helps him and other farmers improve at what they do.

“The only word of advice I can give is to plant right and be patient–harvest time will follow, and in time, you will reap what you sow,” Cabutihan said.

DA celebrates 61 years of PH-Nigeria relations

By Krystelle Ymari A. Vergara (DA-AFID)

IN time for the 61st anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Nigeria, Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban welcomed Philippine Honorary Consul General in Lagos, Nigeria Emmanuel Oloja Akpakwu during the latter’s courtesy call last August 11.

As the Philippines’ 53rd trading partner worldwide, per 2022 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Nigeria received US$9,190 worth of Philippine exports and sent US$73,780 of imported products to the Philippines.

Among the Philippines’ top export products to Nigeria were palmitic acid, stearic acid, their salts, and esters; driers for agricultural products; other beauty or make-up preparations and preparations for the care of the skin (other than medicaments); other office machines; and extracts, preparations with a basis of these extracts, essences or concen-

trates or with a base of coffee.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s top imports to the Philippines include other liquified petroleum gases; liquified propane; liquified butane; bran, sharps, and other residues, whether or not in the form of pellets, derived from the sifting, milling, or another working of wheat; and materials, accessories, and supplies imported on a consignment basis for the manufacture of electrical and electronic machinery, equipment, and parts.

Thus, the two officials expressed intent to take the next step by joining forces towards food security and value chain development for both countries, starting with Nigeria’s offer of supplying fast and less costly soya beans to the Philippines.

Consul General Akpakwu also shared their desire to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippines, which will become the framework agreement for Nigeria’s request to the latter for assistance in terms of acquiring harvest and post-harvest technology and bringing in best practices in onion, cacao, cashew, and mango production.

Young farmers off to Taiwan for internship program

By Prince Macky Marcos

SOME 49 young farm leaders from different regions of the country embarked on an 11-month internship program in Taiwan for their hands-on learning of advanced Taiwanese modern agricultural techniques. The internship is part of the Filipino Young Farmer Internship Program in Taiwan (FYFIPT), a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), and the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).

The interns will acquire proficiency and expertise in sophisticated Taiwanese modern agricultural methods, which they can apply upon their return to the Philippines. FYFIPT aims to turn its participants into empowered agricultural entrepreneurs and farmer leaders, contributing to food security and economic stability within the agriculture sector.

The internship involves hands-on training encompassing diverse subjects on rice cultivation and farm mechanization, dairy and beef cattle production and management, vegetable and crop cultivation, and swine production and management. The practical training sessions are facilitated through collaborative efforts between the ATI Regional Training Centers (ATI-RTCs), certified

Learning Sites for Agriculture (LSA), and accredited Extension Service Providers (ESP).

Before leaving for Taiwan, the trainees completed a pre-departure orientation course, where they undertook financial literacy, mental health awareness, Mandarin classes, culture, and traditions. A send-off ceremony took place last August 8, 2023, at the ATI-Central Office, which celebrated the trainees’ successful completion of the various phases of the program. It also recognized the vital contributions of partners in program implementation, including the TECO, MECO, ATI-RTCs, local government units, and, notably, the parents of the young farmers.

With a genuine spirit of encouragement and optimism, ATI Director Remelyn Recoter extended her heartfelt well-wishes to the interns before they embarked on their journey to Taiwan. She emphasized the unique opportunity for the interns’ personal and professional growth. Recoter underscored the significance of this venture, conveying her hopes for a successful and enriching experience for each intern. As they set forth on this new chapter, her message carried the collective support and good luck wishes from the entire community, echoing a sentiment of anticipation and positivity for their endeavors in Taiwan.

MECO Chairman and Resident Representative Silvestre Bello III delivered an encouraging message of support as they set off, expressing his hope for their return and the application of the knowledge they gained during their internship in Taiwan. Also, a message of support from TECO Resident Representative Wallace Minn-Gan Cho commended the young farmers for embarking on this journey, encouraging them to make the most of this invaluable opportunity.

In a video message on behalf of Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban from the Department of Agriculture, Assistant Secretary Drusila Bayate conveyed his endorsement of the trainees’ development into agricultural leaders and entrepreneurs. He extended his good wishes for their educational journey, urging them to return to the Philippines following their 11-month internship equipped with valuable knowledge and competencies. Drusila added that these assets would benefit the agricultural sector and foster more opportunities for stakeholders amidst the ongoing modernization and digitization initiatives.

The trainees embarked on their journey to Taiwan last August 10, 2023, with an expected return date of July 10, 2024. Upon their return, they will undergo a post-training assessment and devise their re-entry plans.

One of the reasons why vanilla pods are expensive is because they’re labor extensive to pollinate and challenging to

The 49 young farmers during the send-off ceremony

Vanilla plants require the proper amount of shade and don’t fair well against waterlogging

DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo F. Panganiban (left) with Philippine Honorary Consul General in Lagos, Nigeria Emmanuel Oloja Akpakwu

iPhone 11 now within reach with Home Credit’s 0% interest promo

AS we continue to embrace the digital lifestyle, we rely more than ever on our gadgets, especially smartphones. From the moment we wake up, these devices are our constant companions that enable us to stay updated on relevant happenings, connect with our loved ones and colleagues, work through our everyday tasks, relax and unwind in our downtime, and many more.

Because of this, choosing the right smartphone is crucial to ensure that your go-to gadget companion can keep up with your day-to-day needs. With an array of options that boast powerful features and capabilities, selecting a smartphone can be a challenge but, of course, it pays to opt for trusted brands like Apple.

For years, Apple has delivered numerous quality devices built with outstanding cameras, seamless performance, and other cutting-edge specs that empower your lifestyle, particularly its iPhone line. However, how can you get such incredible devices without breaking the bank?

Experience iPhone 11 with Home Credit!

Fortunately, owning an iPhone is now within reach, thanks to the leading consumer finance company, Home Credit. With its limited-period offer, you can now get the iPhone 11’s 128GB or 64GB variant in 6-, 9-, or 12-month installment plans with 0% interest, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your budget.

If you are curious about how the iPhone 11 will perform in your everyday needs, here are the specs and features of this remarkable device, which you can easily get your hands on with Home Credit’s amazing deal extended by popular demand until September 30.

Features effortless performance

to support daily activities

Equipped with a powerful A13 Bionic chip, the iPhone 11 is a powerhouse that makes multitasking seem effortless every day. Thanks to this processor, you can seamlessly switch between apps, play graphically demanding games, and stream videos without lag. It ensures you stay ahead of the curve as it is built to handle the demands of modern life.

The iOS 13 operating system complements this chip for a remarkable user experience. Aside from that, it also boasts longer battery life, making your daily moves unstoppable. It has a 3110mAh battery capacity, providing at least 65 hours of music playback or 17 hours of video viewing to give you enough power for your daily activities.

Showcases a powerful dual-camera system to capture life’s best moments

In addition to its outstanding features, the iPhone 11’s camera system is like a magical lens that turns moments into memories. Packed with 12MP UltraWide and Wide cameras, you can easily shoot gorgeous portraits and landscape photos to document every OOTD, occasion, celebration, or even simple achievement in your life. Its cameras also support a 4K feature to allow you to record crystal-clear videos.

Exhibits incredible display, design for leveled-up usage

To deliver an incredible experience whenever you are using the device, the iPhone 11 features a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display exhibiting a 1792x828 resolution for better viewing. Its screen is accompanied by a waterresistant design rated IP68 to ensure protection from accidental spills or water immersions up to two meters for 30 minutes. This makes sure that the iPhone 11 can last for a long time. This design is available in six eye-catching colors: Black, Green, Yellow, Purple, Red, and White.

What are you waiting for? Do not let this chance slip your fingers! Purchase the iPhone 11 now via Home Credit and experience a powerful device that can easily conquer your day-to-day demands!

To know more about the latest updates from Home Credit Philippines, visit its official website, www. homecredit.ph. You may also follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. Customers are also encouraged to download the My Home Credit App on Google Play to learn more about the latest promos and see what’s new in the Marketplace.

Global technology brand OPPO spurs innovation with Inspiration Challenge

OPPO, a leading global technology brand, recently concluded its 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge Regional Demo Event in Bangkok at Chulalongkorn University, which had five teams advancing to the Global Final Demo Event in Singapore next year.

“We are delighted to see the enthusiasm and dedication of teams from across the world, presenting their innovative proposals for the 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge,” said Jason Liao, Head of OPPO Research Institute. “Having seen so many fascinating ideas this year, we are excited to witness and help kickstart some truly innovative inventions, thereby positively impacting the lives of people through virtuous innovation.”

The 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge received 687 innovative proposals from 66 different countries. OPPO continues to invest in technology for social good and has allocated a substantial amount of $440,000 to support and incubate the innovative technological solutions submitted.

Each was judged by a jury which included distinguished representatives from various industries and institutions, including OPPO, Amazon Web Services, Chulalongkorn University, and Deloitte. The diverse expertise and perspectives of the jury ensured a fair and rigorous evaluation of the proposals.

Winners of the 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge stand to receive a $50,000 grant, further incubation support from OPPO and its partners, empowering them to bring their innovations and ideas to life, and partnership opportunities such as production and commercialisation of the winning proposal, an incubation fund totalling

US$190,000 (tax included), strategic partnership and investment opportunities, a chance to participate in global technology events, and to receive cloud service and technical support from Amazon Web Services.

Aligned with OPPO’s mission “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World”, the 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge focuses on supporting innovators, entrepreneurs, and technology professionals around the world to develop innovative solutions in two main categories: Inspiration for People which focuses on making technology accessible and beneficial to everyone, and Inspiration for the Planet: which focuses on technological innovation in environmental protection and carbon neutrality that can be applied to consumer electronics products.

The 5 winning projects presented at the 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge Regional Demo Event in Bangkok were:

From the Inspiration for the People category:

● ERTIGO, Online Therapy Program for Preventing Myofascial Pain Syndrome And Chronic Pain, by Benew Tech, from Thailand ERTIGO is a mobile application solution for myofascial pain syndrome and chronic pain, offering ergonomic interactive self-care animations, muscle and posture check-up with AI, gamification, and connection to physiotherapy clinics for personalised self-care plans.

● EZSpeech, by Mila4AI Inc., from Uzbekistan

A software that helps people with speech disorders improve their speech without the physical presence of a therapist during treatment.

● Impulse - Non-Surgical Hearing Aid, by Backyard Creators Private Limited, from India.

An externally wearable ear-device that helps those with congenital hearing loss

regain the ability to hear without surgery.

● Precision Psychiatry at Scale, by Mobio Interactive, from Singapore

AmDTx is an AI-powered digital therapeutic platform that provides objective data on mental wellness, which physicians use to prescribe clinically validated interventions and improve health equity, without requiring wearables or constant connectivity.

From the Inspiration for the Planet category:

● Flint Paper Battery, by Flint, from Singapore.

Flint’s paper batteries offer a sustainable and safe energy storage solution to the lithium-ion battery industry, with the benefit of being compostable, versatile, and thus addressing critical issues within the industry.

The Flint Paper Battery and Impulse - Non-Surgical Hearing Aid proposals were also selected as the Media Choice Award.

RUSH Technologies boosts small business growth with Spark Lite

AT a time when small business owners are eager to transition online but find it complex and costly, RUSH Technologies offers a lifeline.

Recognizing challenges faced by entrepreneurs, RUSH introduces Spark Lite, an all-in-one eCommerce solution designed to speed up business growth without breaking the bank.

Spark Lite empowers entrepreneurs to launch and manage their own eCommerce website for only PHP500 per month. Starting with one branch, businesses can add more as they grow, and accept and manage an unlimited number of orders for maximum profits.

Subscribers to Spark Lite will also get free access to the Fast Track business acceleration program, a large-scale Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) empowerment initiative by RUSH. This program offers a holistic experience, starting with free participation in the Learning Tracks from August to October, and attendance to the culminating Pop-up Bazaar event in November, among many other benefits.

In the Learning Tracks, entrepreneurs will learn

how to launch their RUSH eStore platforms, reach their target market, and stay in the lead. The training will be held physically, with business experts as trainers.

Participants in the training program will get the chance to win a spot in the Pop-up Bazaar, where they will have a dedicated selling space,

access to large foot traffic, win awards and freebies, and get to offer a RUSH-powered seamless shopping experience.

The Fast Track program also supports the Hapag Movement, a Globe-led initiative aimed at addressing the problem of involuntary hunger and unemployment. Its support for small business owners is aligned with RUSH and The Hapag Movement’s thrust toward making sustainable livelihood accessible and achievable through technology. RUSH will provide Hapag Movement beneficiaries with training under the Learning Tracks program.

“RUSH is committed to handholding entrepreneurs through the process of starting their online platforms with the right tools, and using the platforms effectively with the right program,” said Jeferson Cruz, Chief Commercial Officer of RUSH Technologies.

“With Spark Lite and the Fast Track program, we’re taking small business owners from being stuck to being fast-tracked towards success. It’s all about enabling them with our solutions to give them a comprehensive experience.”

Plantito meets Vlogger in Puregold Channel’s newest TikTok series, My Plantito

BRACE yourselves for a rollercoaster ride of laughter, kilig, and heartwarming moments when Puregold Channel’s latest Tiktok series, My Plantito, premieres on August 23.

The story begins when a quiet, seemingly aloof and shy guy who treats his plants like family meets a bubbly vlogger-next-door who takes an instant liking for him. Get ready as Puregold Channel, the ‘enabler’ behind those romcom series you loved, gets you on board a journey through friendship, family ties, and a dash of romance.

My Plantito, the first-ever Boy-Love (BL) series on Tiktok, is set to be Puregold Channel’s next hit production, and it’s not hard to see why. The show gives viewers a peek into how a casual encounter between two quirky characters can lead to a deep connection when the timing is right and love is meant to be.

The show stars Kych Minemoto as Charlie the vlogger and Michael Ver as the handsome plantito, both of whom prove that love is not just about attraction and giddy romance—it’s about self-discovery, navigating the issues of inclusivity and acceptance, and unraveling the kind of love that yearns to be free.

Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Marketing Senior Manager at Puregold, concurs, asserting that My Plantito “is more than just garden-variety entertainment; it’s learning about understanding and empathy. It isn’t just any love story; it proffers meaningful life lessons and the endearing mess that love creates.”

As in their past digital series, director Lemuel Lorca and producer Chris Cahilig weave their magic behind the scenes. Taking their cue from the leads, supporting actors Ghaello Salva, Elora Espano, Derrick Lauchengco, and Devi Descartin add their own flavors to the mix.

So mark your calendars for August 23! My Plantito will premiere exclusively on Puregold Channel’s TikTok and YouTube platforms.

For a sneak peek that’ll leave you craving for more, check out the official trailer here: https:// vt.tiktok.com/ZSLbN2wNa/.

Do you want FREE entertainment? Subscribe now to Puregold Channel on YouTube. For more updates, like @puregold.shopping on Facebook, follow @puregold_ph on Instagram and Twitter, and @puregoldph on TikTok.

OPPO Inspiration Challenge 2023 Demo Event in Bangkok held at Chulalongkorn University.