Manila Standard - 2023 August 24 - Thursday

China again says ‘ready to hasten’ Code of Conduct pact with ASEAN

CHINA is once again ready to accelerate the conclusion of an “effective and substantive” Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, its top diplomat in Manila said.

Ambassador Huang Xilian said China and the Association of Southeast

Asian Nations (ASEAN) “are capable and wise enough to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.”

ASEAN and China have resumed discussions on the long-planned CoC. The three-day dialog, which

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‘Special team’ to push SCS claim

SolGen: Panel plotting legal options to advance arbitral

award

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Office of the Solicitor General has formed a “special team” to study how to move the country forward with its seven-year-old arbitral victory over China on territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said the panel is composed of “high-caliber solicitors who have extensive training in international law, international public law, and also in arbitration.”

The team was tasked, Guevarra said, “to study the legal options that the Philippine government may take in connection with the victory that we had secured in 2016 from the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) against our neighbor.”

Clarkson leads Gilas squad to FIBA tourney

US NATIONAL Basketball Association star Jordan Clarkson will lead the 12 men who will represent the host Philippines in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, which starts Friday.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) President Al Panlilio confirmed the composition of the Gilas Pilipinas official lineup – a mix of veterans and young players that hope to give the country its best performance in the quadrennial event – on Wednesday.

Nearly 70 years ago, the Philippines captured

the bronze medal in the 1954 FIBA event at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil when it was still known as the World Championship.

Pundits say Gilas is unlikely to repeat this feat, but the home crowd is hoping they at least get past the four-team group stages hosted by Manila, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Tokyo in Japan (see full story in Sports, page C1 – Editors).

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways has undertaken various road repairs Next page

SALUTING THE MARINES. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, with Force Reconnaissance Group Acting Commander Lt. Col. Romulo Dimayuga ll (partly hidden), pays respects to the fallen soldiers in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Heroes Monument at the FRG Headquarters, Marine Barracks, Camp Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite, where he also delivered a speech for the group’s 51st anniversary on Wednesday (see related story on A4) Ver Noveno

Stricter rules for departing travelers set

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Department of Justice InterAgency Council Against Trafficking said it would be implementing stricter departure formalities next month to address the increasing number of human trafficking victims.

Under the revised guidelines released on Tuesday, aside from the inspection of basic travel documents, immigration officers may ask relevant clarificatory questions and require outbound passengers to show additional supporting documents.

The IACAT said the secondary inspection should not exceed 15 minutes unless extraordinary circumstances require a longer period of inspections.

The 15-minute period will commence at the start of the interview by

PREPPING FOR WORLD CUP. Workers spruce up the 55,000-seater Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan on Wednesday in preparation for the FIBA World Cup opening on Friday. The Philippines will attempt to break FIBA’s gate attendance record of 32,616, when USA beat Russia in the 1994 finals held in Canada as the tournament unfolds on Aug. 25. Fans can watch the games live at the Philippine Arena (Gilas Pilipinas vs Dominican Republic game only on Aug. 25), the Mall of Asia Arena, and the Araneta Coliseum. Those who cannot head to these venues to watch the host team (inset) can instead watch the games on free TV via Cignal satellite TV and PTV4 (delayed basis) channels, or via Pilipinas Live, Cignal Play, and Smart Livestream apps (see related story on Sports, page C1). Joey Razon JAIL

By Rey Requejo and Vince Lopez

WHAT the Philippines does in its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea is not subject to the approval of any country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) declared Wednesday.

“The rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre are legitimate

“We all know the subsisting problems even after that victory in the arbitration court,” he told lawmakers during a budget hearing in the House of Representatives.

Guevarra said the team will also study suggestions to elevate the matter to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and have another arbitration in the PCA.

“We are very much aware of the proposal to bring the matter to the UN General Assembly, which is a very political forum, and also a similar proposal to have a second round of arbitration with the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” Guevarra said.

“But these are matters that have to be studied very carefully by the Office of the Solicitor General as counsel for the Republic because these may have very, very serious and important implications, so right now we are in the midst Next page

and routine activities in our EEZ,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said after China’s Ambassador Huang Xilian objected to the delivery of building materials to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

“The Philippines’ exercise of its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction within our maritime zones is not

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NEDA asserts role in reclamation projects, cites economic impacts

THE National Economic and Development Authority said it needs to be part of discussions on the suspended reclamation projects in Manila Bay, citing their impact on the economy.

In a Palace briefing, Socioeconomic Planning chief Arsenio Balisacan said NEDA was not consulted on the issue.

“We have not been sought for advice yet or for our perspective but we’ll ultimately have to be involved.

TRUMP TO BE BOOKED AT INFAMOUS JAIL

As you know, NEDA approves big infrastructure projects particularly those that will have an impact on the economy and society and in the case of Metro Manila, the whole of Metro Manila,” Balisacan said.

“We are not a party to the approval of these reclamation projects, but given the significance and importance in the socioeconomic landscape of Metro Manila, NEDA should be part

ATLANTA—Unsafe. Unsanitary.

Teeming with insects.

When Donald Trump surrenders on Thursday to face charges he tried to overturn the 2020 election he is expected to do so at an Atlanta jail where conditions are so notorious they are under investigation by the Justice Department.

The 77-year-old former president

and the 18 co-defendants in the election racketeering case are to be booked

at the Fulton County Jail, also known as the Rice Street Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.

Standard booking procedure is for a defendant to be fingerprinted and to have a mugshot taken before they are released on bond -- which has already been set at $200,000 in Trump’s case.

Trump did not have to undergo the indignity of having a mugshot taken

‘PH needs no nod from other countries for actions in EEZ’

‘China product boycott won’t work’

ABOYCOTT of Chinese products will not work, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said Wednesday, after Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri called for one in response to China’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

“I think we have to look at this issue on a broader scale. I don’t think that in the history of the world, that boycott will work. That has been proven many times in the history of nations,” Balisacan said at a press briefing in Malacañang. Balisacan said issues should always be settled with diplomacy.

“As the President said, we are an enemy to none, a friend to all. Let’s keep it that way,” Balisacan said.

After the Aug. 5 incident in which Chinese vessels fired water cannons at Filipino boats trying to resupply the Marines on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Zubiri called for a boycott of Chinese companies and said Filipinos should boycott products from China as some countries in the region have done. But the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) warned that the

VP Sara stresses Special Forces’ role amid ‘greater threats’ to PH

THE importance of the Philippines’ special operations forces will grow increasingly as the country faces “greater threats to national security” while the international geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio said Wednesday.

Duterte was at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano for the Philippine Naval Special Operations Command (Navsocom) Joint Graduation Ceremony of SEAL Qualification Training Class 15 and Basic Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course Class 20.

The Vice President, in a speech, also acknowledged the efforts of the special operations forces in advocating for national security—from rescuing hostages from terrorists, neutralizing a high-ranking terrorist leader in Mindanao, to raiding a narcotics laboratory

in Manila.

“Truly, you have played a significant role in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, and other national security challenges. These displays of bravery and heroism have confirmed our faith in your capacity in dealing with modern-day threats to our national security,” she said.

Duterte-Carpio said she is confident that the graduates would become “invaluable assets to the Navsocom and the Philippine Navy as they hone their skills to protect the country from all threats, may it be domestic or foreign.”

The Navsocom is a special operations unit of the Philippine Navy that specializes in Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) operations ranging from reconnaissance, close combat, demolition, intelligence and underwater operations.

economy would suffer if the Philippines boycotts Chinese products.

Aside from a boycott, Zubiri said the government should also not award big-ticket infrastructure projects to Chinese contractors and state-owned companies, as this would mean Filipino taxpayers were unwittingly funding China’s illegal incursions and harassment of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has many projects with Chinese state-owned companies, he said.

“They’re doing nothing except bullying our countrymen in the West Philippines Sea,” Zubiri said. “Sw we can get back at

them. Let us blacklist their companies.”

He urged the DPWH to award bigticket projects to “friendlier” countries such as Japan and South Korea, which have been providing development aid to the Philippines.

Earlier, Zubiri chided China for declaring friendship with the Philippines but doing exactly the opposite in the WPS. In standing up to China, Zubiri said the country can follow Vietnam’s example, which is to replace China as its top trading partner.

He said the Philippines can execute trade agreements with other countries or enhance existing ones to compensate for the decision to drop China as a trading partner.

NEDA: 12 big infra projects to end this year

By Charles Dantes

TWELVE flagship infrastructure projects may be completed this year, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Wednesday.

These include the C5 South Link Expressway Project, Southeast Metro Manila Expressway Project, and the proposed Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines, NEDA said on its website.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said a good part of these projects started during the previous administration.

“Four of those projects are on schedule, one is ahead of schedule, [and] the rest have some challenges but we are… addressing those challenges,” Balisacan told Palace reporters.

“At least we have 12 of those projects. Next year, we are expecting about 16 projects [to be] completed,” he said.

Balisacan added that many of the projects starting now would be completed in the next administration.

As of July 2023, there are 71 ongoing projects worth P4.11 trillion, which increased from the 68 projects reported in the first quarter of the year.

The three additional projects that moved on to the “ongoing” phase are the Metro Cebu Expressway, the Nautical Highway Network Improvement, and the Daang Maharlika Improvement projects.

Clarkson...

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the secondary inspection officer.

The DOJ assured that the revised guidelines would not curtail the constitutionally guaranteed right of the people to travel “but will serve as a protective bulwark shielding our fellow citizens from the dire perils of human trafficking.”

The revised guidelines will take effect on September 3.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said immigration officers would be looking for documents to prove the relations of a Filipino going overseas with a foreign partner, including photos, among others.

Immigration personnel would also scrutinize the financial capacity of the foreigner to fund the travel and whether the foreigner has already sponsored a trip before.

“We need to clarify that this is not a means to be strict on our citizens because in fact, based on our data, only 0.6 percent of departing passengers have not been allowed to travel vis a vis their actual purpose of travel,” Sandoval said.

legal custody over minor orphans traveling with substitute parents.

The guidelines also listed the grounds for immigration officers to defer the departure of a passenger: refusal to undergo secondary inspection; doubtful purpose of travel; inconsistent or insufficient travel or supporting documents; misrepresentation or withholding of material information about the travel; presentation of fraudulent, falsified, or tampered travel or supporting documents; non-compliance with previous deferred-departure requirements; or the passenger is a potentially trafficked or illegally recruited person, or a suspected trafficker/ illegal recruiter.

“IACAT ardently anticipates that the enforcement of these meticulously refined guidelines, complemented by an enhanced regime of information dissemination, will effectuate a palpable reduction, if not outright elimination, of human trafficking incidents,” the agency said.

DOJ spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano said the revision aims to address emergent trends in human trafficking.

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of this study,” he added.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said he would propose a P10 million budget for the endeavor.

Tensions between the Philippines and China flared up again after the Chinese Coast Guard fired a water cannon at Philippine Coast Guard vessels en route to Ayungin Shoal for a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre on August 5.

Earlier, senators unanimously adopted Resolution 718 that strongly condemns the continued harassment of Filipino fishermen and incursions in the West Philippine Sea by the Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels.

tal shelf, namely:

- Bringing international attention to China’s harassment of Filipino fishermen in the Philippine EEZ and its continued violation of the Hague Ruling and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea;

- Utilizing international fora to rally multilateral support for the enforcement of the Hague Ruling and raise awareness on the real situation in the West Philippine Sea;

- Engaging like-minded countries in various international organizations, meetings, and other fora to call on China to respect the Hague Ruling and the UNCLOS;

leading to the airport, hotels, and venues in preparation for the World Cup.

The major repair work is part of the department’s program and contribution to easing traffic congestion in Metro Manila, not only during the FIBA but to reduce traffic in the National Capital Region, DPWH officials said.

Public Works Secretary Manuel M. Bonoan said that as early as July, DPWH District Engineering Offices in Metro Manila were instructed to extend support to the Philippine Sports Commission by ensuring that the designated FIBA routes are in good condition.

Also, under the guidance of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Land Transportation Office Chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II said he has ordered the deployment of sufficient personnel to assist in road security.

The DPWH is part of the InterAgency Task Force responsible for the preparation, organization, and hosting of the World Cup, which will run from August 25 to September 10, 2023.

The resolution also listed options that the Philippine government may undertake to assert and secure the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone and continen -

- Subject to necessity and prudence, filing a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Philippines’ established rights in the WPS; and

The IACAT also prescribed new requirements for parents traveling with their children.

Passengers traveling with a minor are required to present a certificate of exemption from the Department of Social Welfare and Development if the parents are not married or if the traveling companion is a legal guardian, biological father who has sole parental authority, or

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concludes today gathered diplomats from the region, including those from five out of six claimant counties in the SCS, namely China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Taiwan is also a claimant but is not a member state of ASEAN.

China echoed the statement it said

“The problem has become severe because we have seen a lot of cases wherein Filipinos who are being employed to a regular job abroad are being conned into human trafficking schemes and we’ve seen it too many times that we need to rescue them from abroad,” Clavano said.

“So, these new guidelines seek to screen them thoroughly before they leave so we don’t have any reasons to initiate rescues,” he added.

in February, when Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Jakarta, part of the flurry of diplomatic exchanges and phone conversations that Qin has undertaken since taking the post late last year.

Huang said Beijing is one with ASEAN in seeking a COC that is anchored on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“China is ready to work with ASE -

“Actually, upon clarification with the President and you will see in the suspension, all are under review,” DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said.

Trump...

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during his three previous arrests this year: in New York on charges of paying hush money to a porn star, in Florida for mishandling top secret govern-

AN countries to accelerate the negotiation on a code of conduct at an early date. And we hope that we can strive to reach a regional norm that is effective, substantive, and in line with international law, including the UNCLOS,” he said.

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said this week’s talks hosted by Manila is the third round of COC negotiations this year. The first two were in Jakarta in March and Vietnam in May.

very good sense of how the rule of law can be followed in this area, we want to proceed with much caution,” YuloLoyzaga said.

ment documents, and in Washington on charges of conspiring to upend his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

But Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat told reporters this month that when it comes to a booking at his jail, “it doesn’t matter your status.”

“We have a mug shot ready for you,”

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subject to any other country’s approval. This is the norm,” Daza said.

Philippine boats accompanied by Philippine Coast Guard vessels succeeded in completing their follow-up mission to resupply the BRP Sierra Madre on Tuesday despite attempts by Chinese vessels to block and harass them.

Huang, on the other hand, said the deliveries were allowed to go through as “humanitarian supplies” under a special arrangement until the Philippines began sending “large-scale” building materials.

- Pursuing such other diplomatic modes as the Department of Foreign Affairs may deem appropriate and necessary. of that exercise,” he added.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resource earlier announced that all 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay are under review and are deemed suspended -- even the one that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mentioned was allowed to continue.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said all reclamation projects in Manila Bay except one have been suspended due to problems in their implementation but did not say what the exception was.

“Until we can get a very good sense of what scientifically is going to happen in this area, and until we can get a

“The declaration is really that all of these projects are suspended at this point. So all are under review; we have to take our time, really beginning with those that are ongoing because they’re in fact already impacting the areas and then we will graduate to all those in fact still not yet begun,” Loyzaga added.

A new resupply mission was needed on Tuesday because Chinese ships thwarted an earlier attempt on Aug. 5 by firing water cannons at the Filipino boats and maneuvered to block them.

Despite the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated its vast claims to the South China Sea, China refuses to recognize the Philippines’ claim on Ayungin Shoal and has illegally occupied Mischief Reef since 1995.

“We have conducted pothole operations ensuring national roads leading to event venues such as the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City and Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City are well-maintained,” Bonoan said. Vito Barcelo and Rio Araja

Labat said.

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, and the other co-defendants have until noon (1600 GMT) on Friday to surrender voluntarily to the charges they conspired to overturn the billionaire’s election loss to Biden in Georgia. AFP

Philippine Coast Guard vessels accompanying the resupply mission Tuesday said they received radio challenges from China.

In videos provided by the PCG Tuesday, a Chinese Coast Guard ship could be heard telling the Philippine vessels operating in the area that Beijing had “indisputable sovereignty… since ancient times’ over the Spratly Islands.

“In the spirit of humanism, we only permit your ship carrying food and other necessary living materials and rotating personnel, without construction materials, for the illegally grounded vessel,” it added, referring to the BRP Sierra Madre.

The PCG responded: “In accordance with international and Philippine laws, you are within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.”

“Your actions will affect Philippines-China relations and will be reported to concerned authorities,” the PCG continued.

Beijing claims almost the entire waterway using its discredited 9-dash line and has ignored an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

PBBM AT OPLE’S WAKE. President Ferdinand Marcos (center) visits the wake of Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople in Taguig City on Wednesday night. A cancer survivor, Ople passed away Tuesday at age 61. Her family said Ople’s wake will last until Monday, August 28. Undersecretary Bernard Olalia is the department’s officer in charge until the President appoints a replacement. MARO Photo

NEDA: PH must hike production to get P20/kilo rice

THE P20 per kilo of rice price target can be attained only if the country increases its rice production, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)

Secretary Arsenio

Balisacan said on Wednesday

The official said that what drives low rice prices are “increases in productivity.”

He noted that usually, rice production in the Philippines is about four tons per hectare, which is low, compared to seven tons in other countries. Balisacan said this low price of rice could still be possible, adding that if the government does not

House bill seeks to honor Ople’s legacy at DMW

OFW Party-list Rep. Marissa Magsino on Wednesday filed a resolution expressing the profound sympathy of the House of Representatives on the death of Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Maria Susana “Toots” V. Ople, and honor the legacy of the service she has left behind.

In House Resolution (HR) 1215, Magsino noted that the late Toots Ople, who passed away on August 22, was, in her lifetime, a social activist who tirelessly fought for the rights and welfare of overseas Filipino workers, as well as supported the abolition of contractualization and called for better employment opportunities for the marginalized sectors of society at the local labor front.

To further cement her advocacy, Ople founded the Blas Ople Policy Center (BOPC) – in honor of her late father, former Labor Minister and Senator Blas Ople – which assists distressed OFWs in various parts of the world, and coanchored the popular daily radio shows Bantay OFW and Global Pinoy.

In 2004, she was appointed as Undersecretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and in 2022, was appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as the first Secretary of the newly-created DMW.

HR 1215 said Ople’s untimely demise is a great loss to the Filipino people and to the thousands of lives she touched in her long and illustrious career as an advocate of social justice, as a dedicated public servant, and as a champion of Filipino migrant workers.

increase rice production, local farmers will suffer.

“Our President [made] a promise to reduce the price of rice. That has to be taken in the context that we will do is to increase productivity, because if we reduce the prices of rice at that level without commensurate increase in productivity, who will suffer?” Balicasan, quoted by GMA News, said.

“It’s the farmers that we are trying to protect, right? So, we should be very careful, that you are looking at this game as comprehensive manner as possible,”

WEAVING RESILIENCE.

Balisacan said.

Balisacan also pointed out the need to invest in irrigation, modern high-yielding varieties, pest control and in logistics. Bringing down the rice price to P20 per kilo was the campaign promise of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who also sits as Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary. The DA recently admitted that bringing rice prices down to P20 per kilo “may not be part of the agency’s plan” but that “price reduction is the (administration’s) aspiration.”

Makati delivers supplies to 14 schools in Taguig after DepEd approval

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Department of Education (DepEd) gave its go signal to the Makati City government to distribute school supplies to over 45,000 students in 14 public elementary schools in the barangays now under the jurisdiction of Taguig City.

Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay thanked Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte for allowing her city to provide free uniforms, shoes, supplies, and other school needs to students in time for the opening of classes on Aug. 29.

“It is such a relief for the city government of Makati, but most especially for the thousands of affected students and their parents who have been anxiously waiting and hoping for the favorable resolution of the impasse with Taguig on this issue. Finally, we will be able to carry out this annual tradition and ensure that the students will be ready on school opening,” she said.

express our heartfelt gratitude to Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte. We are thankful that she has the best interest of the students at heart in making a prudent and just decision,” said Binay.

Under the city’s expanded Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education), public school students from kindergarten to senior high school, including special education students in elementary and high school, receive school uniforms and supplies from the city. Students in all levels will each receive school uniforms, a P.E shirt, and jogging pants. School bags, caps, and anti-dengue kits will also be given to kindergarten pupils.

Woven Products of Women from Tabaco City” initiative. The program is a collaboration between the Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, the Senate Gender and Development Office, and the Tabaco City local government. Norman Cruz

Education Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa formally informed Binay in a letter dated August 22, 2023, that the department had approved her request, including the use of school facilities for the delivery of the goods.

“On behalf of the city government and all the intended beneficiaries in the 14 public schools, I would like to

Elementary students will each receive a pair of black leather shoes, three pairs of white socks, Randoseru bags (Grades 1 and 4), dengue kits, and school supplies consisting of 10 pieces of notebooks, five sets of intermediate pads, and five pieces each of a ballpoint pen and pencil.

swarm’ in Camarines Sur may indicate stronger tremor — Phivolcs

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that an ongoing earthquake “swarm” in Ragay town, Camarines Sur may be an indication of a stronger tremor.

According to the Phivolcs, an earthquake swarm is a short-lived sequence of minor to light temblors, which have no identifiable large event or main shock.

Phivolcs said the earthquake swarm is not capable of triggering a tsunami.

In an Aug. 22 report, Phivolcs said Ragay started experiencing an

earthquake swarm on June 7. Over a nearly 5-day period from Saturday until Wednesday afternoon, there were 121 earthquakes recorded in the swarm, 42 of which were felt, ranging from magnitude 1.6 to 4.4, Phivolcs reported.

The swarm could persist for a few days and disappear over time, Phivolcs said, adding that another possibility is that the quakes could “be a precursor to a larger magnitude earthquake,” Phivolcs said that earthquake-induced landslides, rock falls, and other types of

mass movement could occur in mountainous or hilly areas of Ragay town, home to almost 60,000 people, during the swarm.

“Liquefaction, manifested by subsidence, ground fissures, sand boils, and/ or lateral spreads may affect low-lying, water-saturated, and sandy areas near water bodies,” it said.

Phivolcs described Camarines Sur as a “seismically active region” due to its active faults, such as the Legaspi Lineament and offshore segments of the Philippine Fault in Ragay Gulf.

The agency said tt least 7 “significant earthquakes” had impacted Ragay town and its nearby areas since 1811, citing data.

The most damaging, it said, was the 7.4 magnitude Ragay Gulf earthquake that occurred on March 17, 1973, which was triggered by the Guinayangan Segment of the Philippine Fault. The quake was felt at a maximum intensity of VIII (very destructive) and caused “numerous” landslides, ground rupture, liquefaction, tsunami, and structural damage, Phivolcs said.

BDO combines strengths of physical and digital banking for Filipinos to bank and pay their way

DIGITALIZATION has resulted to significant changes in various industries, allowing businesses to operate more efficiently and interact with customers with greater responsiveness. Banks, in particular, have been able to leverage new digital technologies to transform their services and offer customers the ability to make financial transactions with just a few taps on their devices.

With the benefits of digital banking, should all banks transition to become fully digital?

BDO Unibank believes there is a much better alternative, and that is by encouraging clients to go phygital—a combination of physical and digital banking.

A study by market and consumer data provider Statista in 2021 revealed that 94% of Filipinos still prefer to transact with cash despite the expanding availability of digital payment channels.

“Filipinos are still accustomed to using cash. Physical transactions with money provides them a sense of security because they can see and feel where their money is. For banking, we noticed that many of our BDO clients also still prefer transacting in branches because they enjoy dealing with another person,” said BDO Unibank Executive Vice President and Head for Branch Banking Cora A. Mallillin.

BDO understands that while digital banking provides convenience and accessibility, physical banking is more personalized, which is difficult to replicate digitally. Talking to a real person at a bank branch is valuable in building trust between the Bank and its clients. BDO combines the warmth of human interaction with the benefits of digital technology through phygital banking.

Tech-enhanced physical banking

For the Bank, one way to go phygital is to allow for tech-enhanced branch transactions. Through BDO’s Branch Online Booking portal, clients can schedule appointment online before visiting a branch. Upon registration, clients receive a QR code that will be scanned upon their arrival at the branch for automatic queuing.

BDO also provides account opening and self-service stations inside bank branches, which enable clients to input their transaction details before talking to a branch employee. This eliminates the need for manual form filling and allows bank personnel to focus more on building relationships with clients, instead of heavily doing the paperwork. The Bank’s network of ATMs has also been equipped with QR and biometric technology that allows for card less money withdrawal.

“Our phygital strategy enhance physical experiences by making it more secure and convenient. We employ digital banking tools not to replace physical banking, but to enhance

face-to-face encounters within our branches,” said Mallillin.

Banking that fits one’s lifestyle BDO offers various options for banking and payment methods that cater to their clients’ preferences, whether they prefer physical or digital channels. These include branches, ATMs, mobile apps, website, agency banking, and payment channels.

For clients who prefer to bank and make payments digitally, they can do so through the Bank’s website or using online banking app. By logging in, clients can pay bills, transfer money, manage their savings, credit card, loan, investment accounts, and more.

For those who prefer traditional banking methods or are frequently on the go, BDO continues to expand its network of branches, agency banking, and ATMs nationwide, ensuring that banking services remain accessible to Filipinos, particularly in the countryside.

“BDO’s brand of phygital banking allows our customers to mix and match the way they bank with us. For instance, they can apply for a

loan through our bank branch and settle it by paying online. This just illustrates how BDO’s phygital banking makes financial transactions more flexible and convenient,” said Mallillin.

BDO’s initiative to promote phygital banking is in line with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap, which seeks to advance financial inclusion through digital payments and banking. With phygital banking, BDO wants to encourage more Filipinos to conduct formal financial transactions by providing them banking options that suit their particular needs.

‘Quake

Senators Risa Hontiveros, and Sherwin Gatchalian together with Tabaco City Albay Mayor Cielo Krisel Lagman-Luistro lead the unveiling of “Weaving Resilience:

SC upholds Ombudsman decisionto indict 3 cops for P409-m graft

THE Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by three police officials seeking the reversal of resolutions issued by the Office of the Ombudsman which found probable cause to file graft and malversation through falsification of public documents charges against them.

The cases stemmed from the P409.7 million alleged “ghost repairs” of 28 light armored vehicles (LAVs) used by the Special Action Force (SAF) and the Regional Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police (RMG-PNP).

In a 25-page decision written by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, the SC’s First Division held that there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Ombudsman in finding probable cause to charge petitioners Rainier Espina, Henry Duque and Eulito Fuentes before the Sandiganbayan. Rey E. Requejo

DepEd: P397b needed to address classroom shortage nationwide

THE Department of Education (DepEd) says it needed some P397 billion to address the current 159,000 classroom shortage nationwide.

A DepEd official told a Senate hearing on the preparation for the August 29 school opening on Wednesday that the classroom backlog included around 440 that were damaged by typhoons and other natural calamities.

According to DepEd Assistant Secretary Cesar Bringas, each classroom costs around P2 million. Multiplied by 159,000, he said they would need P397 billion.

Bringas also said under the 2023 national budget, DepEd was given only P10 billion which could cover the construction of more than 7,100 classrooms.

“Based on the budget that we received for capital outlay for schoo buildings, it was only enough for more than 7,100 plus classrooms. That is the number of classrooms that will be built by the budget that was given to the department for 2023,” he said.

Marcos says online procurement needs safeguards to protect buyers

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has tasked various government agencies to put safeguards in place once the country starts to implement online procurement system.

“There will still be an element of accreditation because we cannot just open the market to anything…. (What if) you buy something, you get nothing. A box with nothing inside,” President Marcos said during a sectoral meeting in Malacañang.

The Chief Executive said in order to properly put up a safeguard, the government should talk to accredited partners.

The Department of Budget and

Management (DBM) eyes amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) to address issues of underspending that slowed down the country’s economic growth.

Included in the proposed amendment of the GPRA is the establishment of an e-marketplace for government agencies, similar to an online shopping platform, to directly purchase from suppliers and improve the procurement process.

The President also warned about the

GCash waives QR transaction fees for micro-merchants

GCASH, the Philippines’ #1 financial super app, waives the QRPH transaction fees or merchant discount rates (MDRs) for micro-merchants who use the scan-to-pay service, until the end-of-2023.

In addition to this, micro-merchants have access to an increased wallet limit of up to P500,000 per month. Moreover, the 1.5% transaction fee is waived up to P100,000 in gross sales.

E-wallets and other payment platforms charge fees as high as 2% for the use of their cashless transaction services such as QR-based and card payments.

“For GCash, making this service free means microentrepreneurs can earn a little extra for their families through safe cashless transactions. We are committed to working with our micro-entrepreneurs to achieve their business goals in the digital economy,” said RenRen Reyes, the President and CEO of G-Xchange, Inc.,

the mobile wallet operator of GCash. Micro-merchants are those with businesses that are smaller in scale, such as sari-sari store owners, public market vendors, and online sellers.

Making use of GCash’s scan-to-pay enables faster tracking of payments received for merchants without imposing any additional cost, even for their customers.

“We are one with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in its goal of bringing more micro-merchants into the digital economy. Together with our partners, we will equip micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with the right tools and products so they can grow their businesses safely and conveniently,” Reyes said.

To date, GCash has been empowering 845,000 small-scale community merchants with various digital financial solutions.

possibility of overpricing, which would affect products and equipment through the digital platform.

During the meeting, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told Marcos that it is difficult to calculate product pricing because “if goods are quite heterogenous, not homogeneous, the price differences could also reflect quality differences.”

“We know that… goods that might be overpriced. There are already some exploitation of market power by preventing competitors from coming in,” Balisacan said.

“We know that… goods that might be overpriced. There are already some exploitation of market power by preventing competitors from coming in,” Balisacan said.

Marcos also warned about the possibility of overpricing, which will be disadvantageous to those buying products and equipment through the digital platform.

Meanwnhile, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman disclosed the proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act—innovative procurement methods, efficiency in the process, procurement planning and budgeting, digitalization and innovation, green procurement, and miscellaneous provisions.

Among the proposed amendments is the establishment of an e-marketplace similar to the prevailing online shopping solution, where government agencies would be able to procure goods and services from accredited suppliers.

Speaker salutes PH Marine Corp on its 51st founding anniversary

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin

Romualdez

on Wednesday saluted the Philippine Marine Corps’ Force Reconnaissance Group for giving the people “priceless peace of mind as security forces battle all kinds of terrorism.”

“You have embodied the very spirit of dedication, skill, and unwavering commitment. It is not an exaggeration to say that the peace and security we enjoy today is largely due to your tireless efforts,” Romualdez said in remarks at the corp’s 51st anniversary celebration at Camp Gregorio Lim in Ternate, Cavite. Romualdez also commended the soldiers’ “relentless pursuit of excellence, your mastery of both land and sea, and your commitment to preserving the core values of honor, duty, and loyalty set you apart.”

“In this rapidly changing global landscape, where new threats emerge as swiftly as the old ones fade, it is units like the Force Reconnaissance Group that stand as our nation’s shield,” Romualdez added.

The Speaker, who is also president of the ruling Lakas-CMD party, likewise paid homage to the “noble and valiant” Marine soldiers who have offered their lives in the name of national security and peace.

“We remember those who have paid the ultimate price, those whose stories of bravery and sacrifice inspire countless others to serve with honor. Their memories remind us that freedom is not free,” the Speaker said.

“It comes at a cost, and that cost is borne by the gallant men and women of our armed forces,” he added.

BIKE LANE STRUGGLE. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcers are poised to apprehend and impose a fine of P1,000 on motorcycle riders who encroach on the exclusive bicycle lanes along EDSA.

Manny Palmero

Forty years after

IMAGES of August 21, 1983 flashed back in my mind. Forty years have passed. How time quickly flies.

Back on that day, I was up at dawn, proceeded to my office where we loaded a truck full of streamers and placards on which was written “Ninoy, Hindi Ka Nagiisa,” a message I cleared weeks before with then UNIDO president Salvador “Doy” Laurel, in the presence of Ninoy’s younger sister, Tessie Aquino Oreta, and his cousin, Eva Estrada-Kalaw.

By seven that morning, we parked at the vicinity of the Manila International Airport, our truck covered with a sheet of tarpaulin, mindful of the heavy presence of the military in the area.

Around 9 or 10, Ninoy’s welcomers had marched into the airport, just a few hundreds, from Batangas, Laguna, Tarlac, Pasay, Manila. My workers started distributing the placards and streamers to them.

After a quick lunch of sandwiches earlier prepared by Tita Eva Kalaw’s women brigade (NOW), some of us joined Doy and Eva to the terminal and awaited Ninoy’s arrival.

Who among competent and highly qualified managers in the private sector would still want to enter public service after seeing what happened to the shortened shelf life of GM Chiong?

Then shortly after the China Airlines flight arrived from Taipei, and after taxiing to the terminal, shots were heard. The rest is history.

Fast forward now to 40 years after the murder at the tarmac ignited a popular uprising that caused the fall of the dictatorship 37 years ago, what kind of nation have we got?

So we have a democracy in form— elected officials, even if vote-buying and cheating accompany their election, a tripartite system of checks and balances even if these are honored more in the breach than in the right practice, a justice system skewed towards the protection of the mighty, greased by money more often than not, and a “free” press obscured by fake news.

And many more issues, both political and economic, that tell us the social ills that authoritarianism promised to end, and failed, are the same ills that democratic form pledged to end, and continues to fail.

I was younger and childless when Ninoy was murdered at the tarmac. I have been blessed with three children and six grandchildren since then.

In the autumn of my mortal life, while I do not regret, and in fact treasure the memory of my role in those days when we fought the dictatorship, I am saddened by the collective failure of those of us who came after Ninoy’s death to set things right for the sake of our people.

If we were mired in poverty then, with an emaciated and malnourished Joel Abong of Negros in the cover of Time magazine, are we better off with millions subsisting on a diet of broken rice and instant noodles nowadays, with “pagpag” or scavenged left-overs as occasional feast?

Are we better off now, when politicians and the nouveau riche parade their multimillion fashion decadence while millions make do with ukay-ukay, the hand-medowns of foreigners?

Where billion-peso mansions are built

MUP pension reform

new entrants similar to other government workers.

on million-peso per square meter land while millions exist amid the squalor of urban warrens in the inner cities of our broke-down metropolis?

Why are we so despondent, such that marginal economic upliftment is possible only through a diaspora that started 50 years ago, and has increased several times over?

There are many answers, some of which we have written in this space over and over again, as with many other media observers of our passing scene.

Singapore and Malaysia experimented with authoritarian rule, but they have succeeded in uplifting lives.

Thailand, despite many changes in leadership through coups, thrives compared to our economy. Vietnam, which less than 50 years ago rose from a most destructive war that cost millions of lives, has now edged us out.

And Indonesia, with similar archipelagic geography and 2.6 times more population, is graduating from poverty.

Nakakapagod na. We keep changing leaders, but the same problems persist, most even getting worse, with little hope of meaningful change in sight.

***

Reformers with good intentions and management abilities enter public service from the private sector, yet they face a bureaucratic wall of atrophied effectiveness.

And when they shake things up, as they must, like Cesar Chiong in the airport now renamed in honor of Ninoy Aquino, and have shown immediate results that have made going to the airport a better experience, they get cashiered for exercising management prerogative.

What happened to Chiong sends more than just a chilling effect on citizens from the private sector who want to do their share in reforming public service.

Who among competent and highly qualified managers in the private sector would still want to enter public service after seeing what happened to the shortened shelf life of GM Chiong?

Unless their motivation is personal interest rather than contributing to genuine reforms in the bureaucracy and governance systems, why would they enter government?

Till now, only a few of the Napoles cohorts in milking public funds with ghost projects have been charged by our justice system.

And those who were charged have not only been cleared by the courts concupiscent with highly-paid lawyers, but even returned to the offices they have abused by our electorate. Did Ninoy Aquino die in vain? Was replacing authoritarian rule with democratic order just a zero-sum effort?

***

The untimely demise of our friend Susan “Toots” Ople, who presided over the operationalization of the newly-formed Department of Migrant Workers, leaves us sad and diminished. More so is the loss felt by our overseas workers, whose concerns Toots, even in the private and non-governmental sector, championed tirelessly.

Despite her failing health, she agreed to join the Marcos Jr. Cabinet, and within the short period that she was DMW secretary, the Filipinos in their diaspora felt they had an ally, an advocate, a quick problem solver, and a champion. Ave atque vale, Toots.

COMPETING claims to the South China Sea and its hundreds of reefs and islands have for decades been a source of tension in the region.

The latest spat erupted on August 5 when Chinese coast guard vessels blocked and fired a water cannon at a Philippine resupply mission to a remote outpost in the disputed waters.

Such incidents have fuelled fears of a potential miscalculation or accident igniting a military conflict that could draw in the United States.

AFP looks at the territorial disputes in the sea and what’s been done to resolve them.

Where is the South China Sea?

The South China Sea covers more than three million square kilometres (1.16 million square miles), ringed by southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo island and mainland Southeast Asia.

Most of its hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks were originally uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly chains contain the biggest islands. Scarborough Shoal is a small outcrop in the east.

The Department of Finance had earlier noted the fiscal strain from rising pension costs for MUP, which the government shoulders through budget appropriation. Malacañang therefore asked Congress to look for a legislative fix to the problem of ballooning pension costs for MUP.

Without any reform, the economic team had warned that pension payouts could hit the P1trillion mark by 2035.

The DOF decided to first conduct consultations with representatives from agencies under the Department of National Defense and the Department of Interior and Local Government, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, to find a way out of contrasting opinions. This was a step in the right direction.

In mid-August, a House ad hoc panel

Rep. Salceda believes this is a ‘winwin solution, because we are removing the risks of sudden spikes in pension liabilities while also ensuring that salaries and pensions increase at manageable levels’

approved a substitute MUP Pension Reform bill ‘that appears to be acceptable to both the military and uniformed services and to the economic managers,” according to Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House committee on ways and means.

The approved bill consolidates the provisions of 12 other House bills suggesting changes to the MUP pension system.

Instead of leaving it up to the government to fund the pension for MUPs, it will now require mandatory contributions for active personnel and

Among the key provisions of the approved bill are the following:

One, retention of promotion to one rank higher upon retirement.

Two, uniform 90 percent of longevity pay plus base pay for lump sum benefit upon separation below 20 years in service, which will create a new benefit for the PNP which currently does not have it.

Three, uniform multiple of 1.0 x Years of Service for lump sum benefit.

Four, guaranteed 3 percent annual increase in salaries for 10 years.

Five, indexation of pensions to 50 percent of adjustment in pay.

And six, creation of a window for indigent pensioners under the trust funds.

The approved bill also provides for a phasedcontribution scheme of 5 percent of salaries for the first three years, 7 percent for the next three years, 9 percent thereafter for active personnel; 9 percent immediately for new entrants, but including a larger government counterpart to complete the 21 percent contribution.

Rep. Salceda believes this is a “win-win solution, because we are removing the risks of sudden spikes in pension liabilities while also ensuring that salaries and pensions increase at manageable levels.”

But will the Senate agree with him?

Metro Manila traffic has gotten worse

TRAVEL time in the Metro area has significantly slowed down, indicating traffic congestion has worsened. EDSA, for example, which the MMDA considers as the traffic battle ground and has devoted a lot of its time trying to improve traffic flow, appears to be losing ground because travel time has unquestionably slowed down to a crawl especially during rush hours.

The question is why is this so in spite of the many measures taken by the MMDA to improve traffic flow along the 24-kilometer busiest thoroughfare in the country.

The bus carousel, for instance, is one project designed to lessen the congestion along EDSA but there is now talk of doing away with it. I myself experienced this when it took us two hours 10 minutes to negotiate a distance of about four kilometers from the Power Plant to White Plains.

As I found out while crawling through the EDSA traffic, the reasons were a combination of lack of driver discipline, confusing traffic signals and poor management of the ShawEDSA intersection.

It used to be that EDSA was a six-lane divided highway. Due to MRT 3, however, the road was reduced to five lanes.

The several overpasses and underpasses constructed also affected traffic flow.

One good example of this is the EDSABuendia intersection.

Recently, due to the clamor to put up bicycle lanes, about 1.5 meters on both sides of the road have been set aside as protected bike lanes.

Add the many cement and plastic barriers on the road to canalize U-turning vehicles and it would not be too difficult to see why the traffic is worsening.

All these things are negatively impacting traffic flow along EDSA. The lane reserved for the bus carousel for instance has actually intruded into the other lanes.

With the protected bicycles lanes, all other vehicles have been relegated to using much narrower lanes. This means EDSA is no longer a five-lane divided highway, and with the volume of vehicles increasing, congestion would be the natural consequence.

So, what should MMDA do?

I am sure there are things the agency would like to do but the trick is to be able to select a

few projects that will have the biggest impact on improving travel time.

Few things come to mind.

One is for MMDA to hurry up in replacing the traffic signaling system. Our manually adjusted traffic signals are already a relic of the past and should be replaced by the so-called intelligent traffic signals. The second is to modernize the current MMDA traffic operation center whose capability is limited. With these two changes, there would be a quantum change in MMDA’s capability to respond to traffic problems.

MMDA should evaluate the impact of protected bicycle lanes to the worsening traffic congestion

The rest, as they say, would simply be icing on the cake like better training for traffic enforcers, regular traffic educational programs especially for professional drivers, better government coordination and minor engineering undertakings that can significantly improve traffic flow.

Let me give one example of a minor project that can improve traffic flow immensely

The cycle time of the traffic lights at the EDSA-Shaw intersection needs to be adjusted.

The right and left turning Shaw vehicles entering EDSA are given more than two minutes of green light while the EDSA vehicles are only given 65 seconds of green time to cross Shaw but actually only uses 45 seconds.

This is because a traffic enforcer is stopping EDSA vehicles from crossing Shaw after only 45 seconds and giving the remaining 20 seconds to pedestrians who should be using the pedestrian overpass.

This is causing the buildup of vehicles along EDSA.

Vehicles on EDSA should, therefore, have more green time.

The current management of the Shaw-EDSA intersection is too complicated and needs to be simplified. That intersection should also have more CCTVs and lighting for more ef-

Why is the South China Sea a flashpoint for Asia?

Why does it matter?

The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value.

Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East, with trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passing through the sea annually.

Huge unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed, though estimates vary greatly.

The sea is also home to some of the world’s biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations.

Who claims what?

China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei each have overlapping stakes to parts of it.

Beijing’s argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s.

It originally used an 11-dash line to demarcate its claims, but it was reduced to nine dashes under former leader Mao Zedong.

The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value.

The expansive claim approaches the coasts of other countries.

The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, though Beijing has held all of them since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974.

China has also controlled Scarborough Shoal—a rich fishing ground 230 kilometers (140 miles) off the Philippine island of Luzon—since seizing it from the Philippines in 2012 following a tense standoff, and it holds at least seven of the Spratly Islands.

Vietnam controls 21 rocks and reefs in the Spratlys, while the Philippines has

outposts on nine reefs and islands in the archipelago.

Taiwan holds the largest feature in the Spratlys, Itu Aba, while Malaysia controls five others.

How do they assert their claims?

For years, rival claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims to ownership.

China’s land reclamation programme has been particularly aggressive.

In the past decade, it has ripped up thousands of hectares of reef in the archipelago to create militarized islands, with runways, ports, and radar systems.

China also deploys hundreds of coast guard and other vessels in key parts of the sea, often more than a thousand kilometres from the Chinese mainland, to guard particular features such as Scarborough and perform other security duties.

Has there been military conflict?

There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea that killed more than 130 Vietnamese troops.

Beijing gained control of the Paracel Islands in 1974 after clashes with the South Vietnamese Navy.

fective and efficient management.

And if the undisciplined drivers on the two most outer lanes along EDSA can be prevented from using the Shaw underpass and made to proceed straight to the EDSA-Shaw intersection, then traffic flow in the area will improve tremendously.

The problem along EDSA is not only at the Shaw-EDSA intersection.

The U-turn areas where barriers are placed are also causing a lot of problems because of motorists forming additional lanes.

Also, the cement barriers are often misaligned, intruding to the other lanes resulting in unnecessary congestion.

Traffic management is a very dynamic undertaking that needs 24 hour monitoring.

It is not an activity that local governments or in this case MMDA can leave unattended for hours because traffic situations are constantly changing.

It is for this reason that it must have a state of the art traffic operation center to be able to react in real time when the traffic situation demands.

As that Korean rock star said when he experienced the Metro traffic, “it is unmatched.”

But it would greatly help MMDA’s efforts if there is some kind of an overall road map to follow.

If there is none, it should endeavor to develop one with the help of competent people either inside or outside the government.

What is happening now is that MMDA is simply juggling whatever tools they have to try to keep traffic moving.

But, as we can see, this is often not enough.

One last point. MMDA should evaluate the impact of protected bicycle lanes to the worsening traffic congestion.

Half a lane lost in the entire Metro road system can have a negative impact on traffic flow as San Juan City just found out.

In this case, it all boils down to cost benefit analysis.

Anyway, just food for thought for MMDA.

The other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988. Relations between China and the Philippines have been frayed by disputes over the waters, but incidents on the open sea have so far not resulted in military conflict.

What are diplomats doing?

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding “declaration of conduct” in 2002 to discourage hostile acts. All sides agreed not to use threats or force to assert claims.

But negotiations since then to turn it into a legally binding “code of conduct” have failed. Manila will host another round of talks this week.

In 2013, the Philippines filed an international arbitration case against China. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in Manila’s favour, declaring China’s “nine-dash-line” has no legal basis.

Beijing refused to take part in the proceedings and has ignored the judgment. AFP

THE good news is the national government is moving closer to a solution to the contentious issue of proposed reforms in the military and uniformed personnel pension system.

Trump set to outdo Republican rivals in debate no-show

MILWAUKEE, United States —The Republican White House hopefuls prepared to do battle in the first debate of the 2024 primary contest on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila)—with Donald Trump set to upstage his rivals despite his decision not to show up.

Five months ahead of the start of primary elections to choose the party’s flag bearer, the runaway front runner’s grassroots support is as strong as ever, but numerous criminal cases are overshadowing his comeback bid.

The 77-year-old former president, who is rarely out of the headlines, revealed on Sunday he would be skipping the event in the mid western city of Milwaukee, wary of sharing the limelight with lower-polling rivals.

The following day he plans to turn himself in to the county jail in Atlanta over his latest indictment, ensuring a spectacle that could dash every other candidates’ hopes of profile-boosting coverage. “Can you believe it? I’ll be going to Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday to be ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis, who is overseeing one of the greatest Murder and Violent Crime DISASTERS in American History,” Trump posted on social media.

Trump also plans to plant himself firmly center stage on the evening of the debate itself with a pre-taped interview with Tucker Carlson.

The session with Carlson, a hardline right-winger that debate hosts Fox News fired earlier this year, is expected to air as the debate is happening. AFP

Japan to release water from stricken Fukushima nuke plant

TOKYO—Japan will release water from the stricken Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean from Thursday, 12 years after one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters.

China, which has already partially halted Japanese food shipments, sharply criticized the announcement, while Hong Kong and Macau said they would ban the import of “aquatic products” from 10 Japanese regions, with the latter also banning vegetable and dairy imports.

fishermen pour water on a depiction of Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a protest outside the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong Tuesday, a day after Tokyo announced its plan to release treated wastewater Thursday from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the Pacific ocean. AFP

Thaksin moved to hospital after exile return

BANGKOK—Thailand’s former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was moved from prison to a police hospital on Wednesday, officials said, a day after he was jailed on his return from 15 years in exile.

The 74-year-old, twice Thai prime minister and ousted in a 2006 coup, is suffering from multiple health complaints, officials said, and was moved from prison quarantine to a police hospital shortly after midnight. Thaksin’s homecoming on Tuesday came on the same day his Pheu Thai party returned to government in a power-sharing agreement with pro-military parties, prompting widespread speculation of a deal to cut his jail time.

Sitthi Sutivong, a correc-

tions department spokesman, said in a statement that late on Wednesday night, prison medical officers reported Thaksin was suffering from sleeplessness, high blood pressure and low blood oxygen.

“He has several diseases that need to be taken care of -in particular heart diseases, and the prison hospital does not have the right equipment,” Sitthi said.

“The doctor said that to avoid the risk that could endanger his life, he should be sent to the Police hospital.”

Immediately after landing in Bangkok by private jet, the billionaire ex-PM was taken to court and ordered to serve jail sentences passed during his absence from the country.

He had long argued the cases were politically motivated but said he was willing to face justice in order to return home and see his grandchildren in his old age.

Loved by millions of rural Thais for his populist policies in the early 2000s, Thaksin is reviled by the country’s royalist and pro-military establishment, which has spent much of the past two decades trying to keep him and his allies out of power. AFP

Japan insists the gradual discharge of the more than 500 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of water from the site in northeast Japan, announced by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, is safe.

The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station was knocked out by a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed around 18,000 people in March 2011, sending three of its reactors into meltdown.

Operator TEPCO has since collected 1.34 million tonnes of water used to cool what remains of the still highly radioactive reactors, mixed with groundwater and rain that has seeped in.

TEPCO says the water will be diluted and filtered before release to remove all radioactive substances except tritium, levels of which are far below dangerous levels.

It has failed to reassure China, which said it would take “necessary measures to safeguard the marine environment, food safety and public health”.

Its foreign ministry said Tuesday that it had summoned Japan’s ambassador to lodge “solemn representations” against the release.

“The ocean is the common property of all humankind, not a place for Japan to arbitrarily dump nuclear-contaminated water,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at an earlier press confer-

Moscow region shelled in sixth straight night of drone attacks

MOSCOW—A Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow damaged a building in a central business district, authorities said Wednesday, in the sixth straight night of aerial attacks on Russia’s capital region.

Russia and Ukraine have hit each other’s cities with barrages of drones during the conflict, now bogged down as Ukraine’s troops fight a grinding counteroffensive.

The latest assault on Moscow comes hours after Ukrainian authorities said Russian artillery hit two villages near the eastern Ukraine city of Lyman, killing three people and wounding two others.

The Moscow region, hundreds of kilometers from the front line, has been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks, although there have been no reports of major damage.

Air defenses downed one Ukrainian drone in Mozhaisky district and one in Khimki district of Moscow region, Russia’s defense ministry said in a statement.

A third drone crashed into a building in the Moscow City business district around five kilometers from the Kremlin after being “suppressed” by air defenses, it said.

Air traffic at Moscow’s Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports was briefly halted, the TASS state news agency reported, citing the aviation services.

Footage posted to Telegram by Russian daily newspaper Izvestia showed a fire truck and other emergency services vehicles lined up along a street below a cluster of brightly-lit skyscrapers. AFP

MANY ALARMED. Hong Kong

Stocks, peso fall as investors await Fed meet

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange index fell below the 6,200 level Wednesday as investors opted to stay on the sidelines ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s two-day symposium beginning Thursday.

The 30-company bellwether declined 32.76 points, or 0.53 percent, to close at 6,179.63, while the broader all-shares index dropped 13.32 points to settle at 3,339.63.

Luis Limlingan, head of sales at Regina Capital Development Corp., said investors were preparing for the start of the Fed’s

symposium where Chairman Jerome Powell was expected to deliver remarks. Investors were also focused on likelihood that China’s economy would further slow down.

Value turnover was thin at P3.26 billion.

The peso also fell Wednesday to close at 56.73 against the US dollar from

Rising population, weak decongestion policy lead to worsening Metro traffic

THE opening of certain private schools in San Juan is causing a gridlock along the northbound stretch of EDSA that intersects Ortigas Avenue in Quezon City. For two straight days, the logjam at the intersection created a two-kilometer traffic as all types of vehicles occupied at least three lanes of EDSA, jostling against each other before turning right to Ortigas Avenue.

Such is the current state of traffic on EDSA, the busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila. A growing population, the lack of mass transportation system and wide roads, and the continuous migration of workers from the provinces have created the perfect storm that is causing mayhem in the whole of the capital region.

The traffic situation in the metropolis may get worse even before it improves. Vehicle sales in the first seven months of 2023 jumped 31 percent to 239,501 units from 182,687 units a year-on-year. Assuming 50 percent of those new vehicles ply Metro Manila’s roads, the current logjam is light to moderate, as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority likes to report to motorists.

Rising automotive sales in the Philippines, as I’ve written before, are a harbinger of further economic growth. They indicate the increasing disposable income of consumers and their optimism on the prospects of the economy. Increased car sales can also mean that consumers may purchase other largeticket items in the near future, like housing-and-lot packages.

Growing car sales, however, will shrink the road system, especially in Metro Manila―and worsen the traffic jam in urban centers in the absence of new or expanded thoroughfares.

A study published by the Asian Development Bank way back in 2012―Transport Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map― noted that while some of the principal road corridors in Metro Manila had high capacities, traffic volumes were also extremely high.

“As a result, the movement of people, goods, and services is becoming increasingly difficult. Although restrictions on vehicle usage are in place, their effectiveness is decreasing as rates of motorization increase; consequently, congestion in Metro Manila is increasing rapidly and is estimated to cause economic losses equivalent to about 4.6% of GDP,” said the ADB paper.

That ADB study was made 11 years ago. Much has happened since 2012—the pandemic years included. One would think that the government might have already crafted a decongestion policy to solve the traffic mess in the National Capital Region. But the government is far from implementing one.

It is, in fact, doing the opposite. Take the case of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. A consortium composed of six of the country’s biggest conglomerates has offered an unsolicited proposal to modernize NAIA and make at par with modern airports in Asia. With the makeover, the consortium as-

56.38 Tuesday. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona said the weakness in China’s economy and the recent downgrade of the US credit rating weighed on emerging markets’ currencies including the peso. Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly rose Wednesday with traders battling to maintain momentum from the previous day’s much-needed rally as they contemplate an extended period of elevated interest rates.

Sentiment has taken a hit in recent weeks owing to a spike in US Treasury yields to around 15-year highs, fueled by expectations that a strong economy

will allow the Federal Reserve to stick to its campaign of monetary tightening.

That has forced investors to push back their expectations of when borrowing costs will eventually come down -- just a few months ago, they were betting on a cut by the end of the year.

All eyes are on a planned speech Friday by Fed chief Jerome Powell, with dealers hoping for some clarity on its plans to keep inflation on a downward path and held at the central bank’s two percent target.

Forecasts are for a reiteration of his previous remarks that the goal is taming prices, even with rates already at 22year highs.

“It’s not the height of rates that mat-

ters as much as how long they stay high,” said Tom Essaye, founder and president of Sevens Report Research.

“If we see Powell hint at higher for longer on Friday, we will need to brace for more equity market volatility.”

Investors are also awaiting earnings from Nvidia, which is tipped to post forecast-busting revenue in the second quarter thanks to the surge in demand for its processors used in developing artificial intelligence applications.

The firm’s shares have rocketed this year, helping boost many other tech firms, even as traders fret over the impact of higher borrowing costs on their bottom lines. With AFP

sured NAIA would have the ability to serve up to 70 million passengers a year efficiently, or more than double its current capacity.

More logjam

But will a modern NAIA with a much bigger passenger capacity not contribute to the traffic logjam in Metro Manila? The traffic gridlock in Metro Manila is worsening with the onset of the rainy season. Even without a heavy downpour, traffic in the metropolis is bad. This proposal should have been dismissed from the outset, unless it offered to address the traffic problem it will create.

An upgraded and bigger NAIA that can accommodate more air travelers will aggravate Metro Manila’s gridlock. Expanding Clark International Airport in Pampanga, instead, seems to be a more logical choice. It decongests traffic in the capital region, especially if it incorporates a railway component. Modern urban centers in the world build and design their airports with a rail link to improve the accessibility of passengers to downtown areas or, in some cases, suburbs or distant cities.

Building a satellite city just outside Metro Manila, meanwhile, makes better sense. Businessman

Manuel Villar, chairman of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., and former House speaker and Senate president, is a step ahead in the plan to decongest Metro Manila.

His group is masterplanning Villar City as the next central business district in Metro Manila. The satellite city seeks to improve traffic south of Metro Manila as Villar City spans 15 cities.

For Mr. Villar, the only way to improve the traffic situation and the quality of life in the capital region is through decongestion. His satellite city aims create jobs away from the gridlock. He says there were too many errors with the development of urban areas in the past, which the Villar City aims to rectify.

Spanning 3,500 hectares across 14 cities and towns in Metro Manila and portions of Cavite, Villar City will create a new center of growth and development. Villar says the masterplanned Villar City will be composed of self-sustaining districts or urban centers, such as a modern central business district, a tech valley and a university town, among others.

Mr. Villar’s family recently led the opening of Villar Avenue, a 6.2-kilometer road that will serve as the main artery of Villar City. The road seeks to seamlessly connect the 15 satellite cities comprising the Villar City. The Villar Group, in addition, submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Department of Transportation to build seven more stations that will extend LRT 1 to Governor’s Drive and link Villar’s dream city further.

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

EV ASSEMBLY. Emloyees control an assembled electric vehicle at the plant of Neapco Europe in Dueren, western Germany, on August 22, 2023. Neapco manufactures driveline solutions for the automotive industry. AFP

US commerce secretary to visit China next week for talks

BEIJING, China—US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will visit China next week, Beijing and Washington said Tuesday, adding to a slew of US officials dispatched in recent months to ease tensions between the world’s largest economies.

Washington says it is seeking to better manage its frosty relations with China, with the two powers at loggerheads over everything from trade to human rights and Taiwan.

“Secretary Raimondo looks forward to constructive discussions on issues relating to the US-China commercial relationship, challenges faced by US

businesses, and areas for potential cooperation,” the US Department of Commerce said in a statement.

She will travel to both Beijing and Shanghai during the August 27-30 trip, Washington said. Beijing also confirmed the visit, adding that Raimondo has been invited by her Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao. Her visit will build on an agreement between Presidents Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in Bali last year “to deepen communication between the US and the PRC on a range of issues,” Washington said.

Relations between Washington and

Beijing have plummeted to some of their worst levels in decades, with Washington’s trade curbs among the top of the laundry list of disagreements.

Washington says its restrictions are crucial to safeguarding national security, while Beijing sees them as hampering its economic rise.

In a briefing on Tuesday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: “Contrary to claims by some voices in China that we are seeking to slow down China’s economy or weaken China’s economic growth, that’s just not the case.” AFP

Gov’t opens public bidding for P171-b NAIA PPP project

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE

The Public Private Partnership Center said the Department of Transportation and the Manila International Airport Authority began inviting interested parties to participate in a single-stage competi-

IN BRIEF

said, however, there is room to cut the reserve requirement of banks in the Philippines to make it at par with those of other ASEAN countries.

BCDA breaks ground on Marine headquarters

STATE-RUN Bases Conversion and Development Authority said Wednesday it broke ground on the P28 -billion project to relocate the Philippine Marine Corps to Morong Discovery Park in Bataan from Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

“The start of construction works for Package 1 will help us get closer to our goal of providing a new, modern and state-of-the-art headquarters for the Marines that will support the operational efficiency of our troops in

tive bidding process for a rehabilitateoperate-expand-transfer modality, in accordance with the Build-Operate-andTransfer Law and its revised 2022 implementing rules and regulations.

responding to national threats, in delivering aid during calamities, and in fostering peace and order across the country,” said BCDA chairman Delfin Lorenzana. The Marines’ future headquarters is located at the eastern half of the Morong Discovery Park, directly facing the West Philippines Sea. It will also be accessible to major and access roads including the Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway. The Bataan location is deemed strategic for the Marines as it would help expedite emergency response and ease the deployment of troops. The new headquarters will also feature modern, state-of-the-art facilities to ensure more efficient operations, according to BCDA. BCDA said the groundbreaking would jumpstart the construction of roads, utilities and other preparatory works under Package 1 which is scheduled for completion by 2024. Othel V. Campos

ERC extends suspension on feed-in tariff collection

THE Energy Regulatory Commission said Tuesday it extended the suspension on the feed-in tariff allowance collection until September 2023.

“This decision introduces remedies to ease the financial burden on consumers at the midst of escalating costs of electricity,” the ERC said in a statement.

It said the third suspension would provide

requirements until August 2023.

move comes at a

living have been affecting numerous Filipino households,” the ERC said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Based on the invitation to bid, the concession agreement and certain other documents that provide background information on the project will be made available to prospective bidders through a virtual data room upon payment of a participation fee of P2.75 million or $50,000.

The issuance of the draft concession agreement is set on Sept. 8, while the pre-bid conference will be on Sept. 22.

The bid submission is scheduled on Dec. 27, 2023.

“Interested parties and bidders shall bear all costs, liabilities, losses and

Toyota investing P4.4b in Laguna factory to revive Tamaraw model

damages associated with or resulting from their participation in the bidding process,” the document read.

“The DOTr and MIAA shall not be held responsible or liable in any way for any such costs, losses or damages incurred by any Bidder [whether incurred by it directly or indirectly, or by its advisors, affiliates or other persons], regardless of the results of the Bidding Process,” it added.

The DOTr said if the bidder is a partnership, corporation or any other juridical entity, the bidder itself or its affiliate could be an airline-related entity.

By Othel V. Campos

TOYOTA Manufacturing Philippines

is investing P4.4 billion to revive the Toyota Tamaraw model in the Philippines, focusing on the mobility needs of the micro, small and medium enterprises, a top executive said.

Toyota Motor Corp. chairman Akio Toyoda announced the new investment in the Philippines during the 35th founding anniversary of Toyota Motor Philippines at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taguig City Tuesday.

“In 2024, IMV 0 [Innovative International Multi-purpose Vehicle] vehicles such as the next-generation Tamaraw will be produced as CBUs [completely built-up] in the Philippines at our Sta. Rosa plant,” he said.

He said the new-generation Toyota Tamaraw could enhance the quality of life for many people and provide economic opportunities.

“And when I say I am committed to the Philippines, you can count on me to put my money where my mouth is,” he said.

Toyota is building an ecosystem that will benefit the thousands of MSMEs in the Philippines, driving growth for the country and for Toyota.

The Tamaraw concept rides on the IMV 0 platform which is a versatile chassis concept that can adapt to the needs of the users. It can be a pickup for farmers and businessmen, or a modern jeepney supporting the country’s transportation network, or it can be used as an ambulance or government- purposed vehicle.

Production of the new generation Tamaraw will start rolling by the third quarter of 2024.

SOLAR INVESTMENT. The 68-megawatt Garcia 2 Solar Project in Currimao, Ilocos Norte is part of the larger One Meralco initiative to build 1,500 MW of renewable energy projects through 2030. Meralco PowerGen Corp., the power generation arm of Manila Electric Co., committed to invest at least P18 billion to accelerate its renewable energy buildout in line with One Meralco’s long-term sustainability strategy. The investment will cover over 2 GW of gross RE capacity from solar and wind that the company, along with its partners, aims to build through 2030.

Toyota said it would announce the target production volume soon. The first phase of production is geared to support the local economy. It said there are no immediate plans to export the vehicle.

government on Wednesday opened the bidding process for the P171-billion contract to rehabilitate, optimize and maintain the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main international gateway.

Superb blocking lifts Lady Tamaraws

Games Friday

10 a.m. – FEU vs Enderun (women’s)

12 noon – UE vs San Sebastian (women’s)

2 p.m. – Perpetual Help vs UST (men’s)

4 p.m. – NU vs EAC (men’s)

FAR Eastern University flexed its muscle on defense to overcome its offensive miscues, foiling Perpetual Help, 28-26, 17-25, 25-17, 25-13, to notch is second straight victory in the V-League Women’s Collegiate Challenge at the Paco Arena in Manila on Wednesday.

Clarkson, Sotto, Fajardo lead Gilas PH’s Final 12

By Randy Caluag

AND then there were 12.

After weeks of speculation, Samahang Basketbol

ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio bared the members of the final Gilas Pilipinas roster for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, namely Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson, June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena, CJ Perez, Roger Pogoy, Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, Scottie Thompson, AJ Edu, Jamie Malonzo, and Rhenz Abando.

Fajardo, Aguilar, Ravena, Perez and Pogoy are World Cup veterans, while the rest are first-timers, led by NBA hopeful Sotto.

Failing to make the cut are Thirdy Ravena, Ray Parks, Calvin Oftana and Chris Newsome even after they joined the team’s two-month training camp in Europe and China.

The team opens its World Cup campaign against the Karl Anthony Townsled Dominican Republic on Friday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, before taking on other Group A members Angola and Italy.

Gilas is seeking to win at least two of its three preliminary games and make it to the second round, hoping to become the best finisher among Asian countries

in order to seal a slot for the 2024 Paris Olympics

The last time the Philippines met Dominican Republic on the court was during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July 2021, when the Filipinos suffered a crushing 94-67 defeat.

The Philippine team was represented then by an inexperienced squad bannered by Jordan Heading and Ange Kouame and a younger Sotto.

Meanwhile, local organizers of the World Cup held a simulation of games at the Mall of Asia Arena in preparation for a near-flawless conduct of the real action when the world’s best basketball teams display their wares beginning Friday (Aug. 25) until Sept. 10 in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.

Organizers simulate game conditions at MOA Arena

LOCAL organizers of the FIBA Basketball World Cup held a simulation of games at the Mall of Asia Arena in preparation for a near-flawless conduct of the real action when the world’s best basketball teams display their wares beginning Friday (Aug. 25) until Sept. 10 in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan.

The MOA Arena will host Mexico and Montenegro as they open hostilities Friday at 4:44 p.m., to be followed by the Egypt-Lithuania tussle at 8.45 p.m.

Members of select media were picked to play, with two teams act-

ing as Mexico and Montenegro.

From the changing area to the playing court, they were asked to follow game protocols, including the live TV production.

The two World Cup teams’ national anthems were played, and the actors/players followed the schedule from the warm-up to the introduction of the final lineup.

The production crew covered the simulation like it was the actual game, while staffers, table officials and security acted as if it was the real thing.

“We’re ready and all set,” said

venue manager Mark Solano.

MOA will host Groups C and D for the first round, Group J for the second round, the 17-32nd classification round, the quarterfinals, 5th-8th classification, battles for 5th and 7th, the semifinals, battle for 3rd place, and the finals.

For reporter, the MOA has also set the media center and catering areas for those covering from around the world.

It also has a media tribune that can accommodate more than 300 working journalists and photographers. Randy

Caluag

Japeth, Mendez-Valdez reminisce Western Kentucky days

LIKE hearing news of a long-lost brother being found, Gilas Pilipinas forward Japeth Aguilar rushed from the entrance of the PhilSports Arena Monday night toward a man with wavy hair wearing a red sweatshirt and standing by the iron railing at the sideline, talking to Aguilar’s family.

The man’s face beamed upon recognizing, who was headed for him, and the two hugged.

The object of Aguilar’s excitement was Orlando Mendez-Valdez, star shooter of Western Kentucky University in the US NCAA from 2006-2007 onward and Aguilar’s roommate and buddy during his years there.

“I have always dreamt of this,” said Aguilar before he sprinted for Mendez-Valdez, now a top-tier point guard for Mexico, which was to face Gilas in a tuneup game that evening.

The 37-year-old Mendez-Valdez—whose birthplace is San Antonio, Texas—sat out the friendly with the Philippines, but will suit up, according to Aguilar, in the World Cup against first-round opponents Montenegro, Lithuania, and Egypt.

Moments after they parted ways prior to tip-off, Aguilar spoke briefly, if glowingly, of his collegiate teammate.

“Nong nalaman ko na may tune-up kami, talagang nag-look forward na ‘ko na makita siya uli. Naging napakabait niya sa ‘kin nong nasa Western Kentucky kami.” (“When I found out we had a tune-up game, I

was really looking forward to seeing him again. He was really nice to me at Western Kentucky.”)

Aguilar laughed sheepishly at his own comparison, but swears nonetheless that Mendez-Valdez possesses deadly 3-point shooting that would remind World Cup spectators of the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry. “Grabe ang shooting nyan,” he said. “Legend na siya sa Mexico.” (“His shooting is exceptional.

He’s a legend in Mexico.”)

For the record, Mendez-Valdez is listed as a 43.2 percent 3-point shooter back at WKU. So, if Mexico’s 54.2 rainbow shooting (13-of-24) against the Philippines is any indication, then it’s most likely the Nationals’ defensive woes in the perimeter would have been amplified further had Mexico’s top gun joined Paul Stoll (5-of-8), Pako Cruz (4-of5), and Fabian Jaimes (2-of-2) from the arc.

Ticking off the names of WKU teammates during that period, Aguilar said most members of their batch went on to become professional players, including Steffphon Pettigrew, who played for TNT in the PBA in 2015, and AJ Slaughter, naturalized by Poland for its World Cup appearance in 2019 in China where it finished eighth.

The Lady Tamaraws came through with 19 blocks with Chenie Tagaod, Mitzi Panangin and Jazlyn Ellarina combining for 10. Tagaod also flourished in attack with 12 kills for a 16-point output while Panangin produced eight kills for a 12-point showing.

Ellarina, a former National University mainstay, finished with nine points, including two blocks.

“Na-test ‘yung team chemistry namin kasi nag-ikot kami ng mga tao. Ang maganda, may nabuo kami sa game at naging ready ‘yung mga players, kaya naging maganda laro namin,” said interim coach Manolo Refugia, whose wards, however, yielded 39 errors.

The victory was a big follow-up to the Lady Tams’ straight-set romp over the Mapua Lady Cards last week.

Mary Rose Dapol scored 12 points while Tracy Andal put up an 18-excellent dig performance for the Lady Altas, who slipped to 1-1 after trouncing the San Sebastian Lady Stags last Friday.

Smart

Araneta

Coliseum ready for World Cup

THE Big Dome is all set for the biggest basketball event in the world this year!

The Smart Araneta Coliseum expects a full house as it hosts the World Cup’s preliminary round of basketball matches for Groups A and B starting August 26. Gilas Pilipinas will face Angola, Dominican Republic, and Italy in Group A, while China, Puerto Rico, South Sudan, and Serbia will battle out in Group B. The iconic Coliseum underwent upgrades and improvements to give FIBA players and live audiences an experience like no other at the historic entertainment venue. Audience seats have been refurbished, and additional snack booths will open to serve the spectators. Apart from the Green and Red Gates, the new coliseum entrance at the upper ground floor of the New Gateway Mall 2 will also be open to accommodate the expected crowd.

For the FIBA players, dugout rooms were renovated for more convenience and comfort.

The court’s basketball flooring, backboard, rims, and shot clock have been replaced in time for the global basketball event. Also, the coliseum now features a new and bigger LED scoreboard cube to give a larger-than-life view of on-court action and updates.

A dedicated media working area is also allocated near the coliseum’s Red Gate to accommodate local and foreign journalists who will cover the highlyanticipated sports event.

The Araneta Group management is in constant coordination with the Quezon City LGU and the FIBA Local Organizing Committee for the smooth conduct of this year’s FIBA basketball games.

Japeth Aguilar of Gilas Pilipinas and Mexico’s Orlando Mendez-Valdez

FEU Lady Tams Christine Ubaldo and Mitzi Panangin reject the smash of Perpetual Help’s Krisha Cordero.

Simulation of the game

Clarkson Fajardo Aguilar Ravena Perez Pogoy Sotto Ramos

Thompson Edu Malonzo Abando

3-leg PPS junior tennis circuit heads to Davao

THE PPS-PEPP junior tennis circuit moves to Davao region for a three-leg swing in its continuing effort to boost the sport in the countryside, starting with the Mayor Angelito Cabalquinto national championships Thursday at the Maragusan Municipal courts in Davao de Oro.

Randy Pausanos, James Aquino, Venz Rosalinda and Melchizedek Brillantes head the boys’ 18-andunder cast while AJ Acabo and Sanschena Francisco loom as the players to beat in the girls’ 16- and 18-and-U divisions in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

Aquino and Rosalinda also banner the 16-and-U field that includes Rey Judabal and Mark Lacia with Rosalinda likewise vying in the 14-and-U side of the weeklong tournament which drew some of the region’s top and rising players in pursuit of ranking points.

Other age-group titles to be disputed are the girls’ 14-and-U, boys’ and girls’ 12-and-U and 10-unisex.

Next up in the circuit, put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, is the Mati tournament on Aug. 31-Sept. 4 in Davao Oriental while the Tagum City championships will be held on Sept. 7-11 in Davao del Norte.

The Maragusan leg will actually be held simultaneously with the Mayor Jerry Trenas juniors championship, also a Group 2 tournament, which begins tomorrow (Friday) at the LaPaz courts in Iloilo as the circuit continues to provide the venue for the youngsters to showcase their talent and skills.

The event is staged in conjunction with the city’s Charter Day sportsfest’s celebrations, according to event organizer Bobby Mangunay. For details, contact 09154046464.

Jeremy Napiere and Elemar Sealza headline the boys’ 18-and-U field with the former also vying in the 16-and-U side of the tournament backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating).

Hanna Divinagracia and Aleeva Suace lead the girls’ 16- and 18-andU rosters; Andrian Rodriguez and Anthony Castigador, and Ave Maria Policarpio and Louraine Jallorina banner the boys’ and girls’ 14-and-U sides, respectively, while Stella Policarpio and Diana Alcarde and Castigador and Pete Niere will spearhead the chase for 12-and-U honors.

Multi-titled Aussie named new Filipinas head coach

By Peter Atencio

FROM one Australian to another.

The Philippine Women’s National Football Team has found a new coach in Australian Mark Torcaso, who replaces fellow Aussie Alen Stajcic.

The Philippine Football Federation said Torcaso will be one of three new coaches handling the national’s women’s program.

The 42-year-old Torcaso is the reigning A-League Women Coach of the Year and has led the Melbourne-based club Western United to the grand finals in its inaugural Australian league season early this year.

“Watching the development of the team over the last couple of years has been amazing, from the AFF Championship to the World Cup, and I feel honored to be able to try to continue this growth,” said Torcaso, who also worked with India’s women’s national team in one of their camps last year.

Torcaso’s appointment came three weeks after coach Stajcic stepped down following the end of the Filipinas’ campaign in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.

Philippine Football Federation president Mariano “Nonong” Araneta, PFF general secretary Atty. Edwin Gastanes and Filipinas’ team manager Jefferson Cheng met with Torcaso in Sydney, Australia over the weekend to formalize the appointment.

Australian Sinisha Cohadzic will be Torcaso’s assistant with the Filipinas. Cohadzic will also become the head coach of the Girls’ Under-17 and Women’s Under-20 national teams. Former New Zealand international player Andrew Durante, who

Makati, Pasig, Pasay boost

MPBL drives

MAKATI, Pasig and Pasay hurdled their rivals on Tuesday and revved up their drives to the playoffs in the OKBet-MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.

The Makati OKBet Kings subdued the Rizal XentroMall Golden Coolers, 81-73, and kept their distance from Pasig MCW Sports, which bested Iloilo, 75-63, and the Pasay Voyagers, who trounced the Bulacan Kuyas, 84-58, in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

Toting 18 wins against 7 losses, Makati has the inside track to finish within the top four of the North division.

was also a part of Torcaso’s coaching staff at Western United, was also named an assistant coach in the PWNT program.

“We welcome coach Mark (Torcaso) and his staff to the PFF family,” said Araneta, adding the PFF is confident that the new coaches will “continue raising the standards of the Philippine Women’s National Team on all aspects and take the team to greater heights at the back of a historic and memorable 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.”

Torcaso will start handling the Filipinas in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September and the AFC Olympic Qualifiers in Perth, Australia in October.

Cohadzic will take care of the Girls’ Under-17 in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifying Tournament in Vietnam next month.

“It is important that we continue the momentum from the Filipinas’ historic FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign in New Zealand,” said Gastanes.

Pasig is right behind with an 18-8 record, while Pasay is giving a chance with a 15-9 mark.

The top four teams of both the North and South divisions will have the homecourt edge in the best-ofthree quarterfinals.

Bunching 12 points behind Rob Celiz and Billy Robles, Makati pulled away at 70-53 to oust Rizal, which fell to 11-14.

Celiz wound up with 27 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks, followed by Robles with 11 points and 13 rebounds for Makati, which will be facing Pasay, Batangas and Imus in its remaining elimination games.

Rizal got 16 points each from Jeric James Pido and Edgar Louie Charcos and 12 from Troy Mallillin.

Pasig drew power from Robbie Manalang with 18 points plus 7 assists, Ryan Paule Costelo with 15 points plus 4 rebounds, Kenny Roger Rocacurva with 12 points, 10 rebounds plus 5 assists, and Rey Anthony Peralta with 11 points.

Despite falling to 11-15 can still advance to the South division playoffs if it wins its last assignments against Rizal and Pasay, which drew 13 points from AJ Coronel and 12 points from Laurenz Paul Victoria.

Official World Cup merchandise now more accessible

FANS are in for a treat as the official merchandise for the highly anticipated FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 has become more accessible than ever.

In addition to its availability on the official website, fans can now find official merchandise at Duty Free Philippines in NAIA Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as well as Toby’s Sports in SM Mall of Asia and BGC High Street, and SM North EDSA and Gateway Mall.

On game days, there will also be four Fan Shops each at Smart Araneta Coliseum and SM Mall of Asia Arena, as well as a Fan Shop at Philippine Arena. Fan Shops are powered by Smart, the master licensee for the Philippines.

Official merchandise will also be for sale at the official hotels, Conrad Manila and Grand Hyatt Manila.

The expanded availability aims to enhance convenience for fans across Manila, enabling them to easily access and purchase quality merchandise that will enable them to show their support and, at the same time, serve as a tangible keepsake for the historic event.

The now more-readily available official FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 merchandise celebrates shared enthusiasm for the oncoming world meet and encourages fans—whatever country they may be from—to proudly wear their hearts (“puso” in Filipino) not only on

Exercise, hydration keys to injury prevention

DWIGHT Ramos has powered through rigorous training sessions and tune up games against select teams from Europe, as well as the Ukraine U-21 team in Estonia and Lithuania.

This Gilas Pilipinas key player refuses to be slowed down by injury—and a big part of injury prevention is proper exercise and hydration. By fueling up and replenishing electrolytes lost during games and practice, Ramos doesn’t miss out on any session in between flights from Manila to China for tune up games.

Now in the final stages of Gilas’ prep behind closed doors, Ramos can go the extra mile with Gatorade, the official electrolyte partner of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.

Staying hydrated is the key to longevityproven quite a number of times by another key player for Gilas and resident import of Barangay Ginebra—Justin Brownlee— who had to learn this lesson the hard way. Amidst uncomfortable playing condi-

tions in the Cambodia Southeast Asian Games earlier this year, Brownlee battled with cramps and had to miss a crucial part of the match due to fluid loss.

“His legs were cramping up due to the heat and exhaustion,” said Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes when the Philippines lost 68-79 to host team Cambodia in a match played under 41-degree weather.

However, the six-time PBA champion bounced back stronger and more determined than ever to lead Gilas in their redemption tour, bringing the SEA Games gold medal within reach.

After all, in every 40-minute, high stakes game, players need to give their all while battling fatigue and exhaustion.

That’s why Gatorade, the official electrolyte drink of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023, plays a valuable role in the biggest basketball stage.

Players need to keep rehydrating with the necessary fluids and replacing lost electrolytes to keep them playing lon-

ger and the Gatorade formula has been proven to do just that by scientists, nutritionists, and world class athletes for more than 50 years.

With qualifying teams all over the world coming to the Philippines, the tournament can expect the world’s number 1 sports drink to keep world class players fueled up for every match.

To date, other countries have completed their lineup, while the Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff will finalize the final national roster after a round of friendly games with other participating countries.

Among those expected to play are Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic (Slovenia), Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (Canada), Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai GilgeousAlexander (Canada), Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen (Finland), Chicago Bulls’ Nikola Vucevic (Montenegro) and Gatorade’s own ambassador from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic).

their sleeves, but also on their shirts, caps, accessories, and other gear.

All items were meticulously designed with careful attention to detail and were ensured to cater to fans of all ages. This dedication to quality guarantees that fans not only look good, but also experience comfort while passionately cheering for their teams.

To view and purchase official FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 merchandise online, visit https://store- philippines.worldcup.basketball.

Once that’s done, fans can literally wear their ‘puso’ on their sleeves by availing of tickets for Smart Araneta Coliseum games at ticketnet. com.ph, as well as for SM Mall of Asia Arena games at smtickets.com.

Rob Celiz of Makati

FIBA World Cup merchandise

Dwight Ramos

Coach Mark Torkaso is honored to continue the Philippine Women’s National Football Team’s growth. PFF

‘Dirty Linen’ cast reflects on series’ conclusion

AS the series draws to a close, the cast of Dirty Linen is immersed in a blend of emotions that treads the line between nostalgia and anticipation. With the final act approaching for this Kapamilya revenge drama, which has amassed an astonishing 2.5 billion online views since its inception in January, the actors’ feelings mirror the intricate layers of the story they’ve portrayed.

In an exclusive interview with Manila

Standard Entertainment, lead actors

Janine Gutierrez, Zanjoe Marudo, Tessie Tomas, Francine Diaz, and Seth Fedelin delve into their thoughts as the drama nears its finale. Their sentiments are as complex as the plot they’ve brought to life.

Tessie, who plays Doña Cielo FloresFiero, expressed her feelings of sadness. She said, “More than anything else, I feel sad because I have to bid farewell to this character. She’s the most disliked and controversial, but portraying Doña Cielo has pushed me to a higher level of acting and has influenced the way I portray the

role. I’m overall saddened to say goodbye to my teammates, my fellow actors.”

Zanjoe, who portrays Aidan Fiero, also shares a sense of sadness. He mentioned, “There are projects that you wish could be longer or shorter, and this is one of the projects that’s been tough to let go of. I’m happy and proud of how my character has progressed alongside the other characters in this series. It feels incredible that the viewers have stuck with us since day one. All the exhaustion and challenges during filming, including those faced by the production team, seem to have paid off.”

Janine is feeling sentimental. She explained, “Saying goodbye to a character is quite difficult. When you work on a series, especially at the beginning, it’s hard to find your footing, and

you’re still trying to figure things out. But as the series ends, just when the work becomes easier, that’s where saying goodbye becomes tough.”

Francine finds the experience bittersweet. She shared, “It’s not the kind of farewell that leaves you regretful; instead, you’re just grateful that this chapter was a part of your life. As a person and as an actress, it’s difficult to accept that you won’t be seeing your colleagues anymore. Since the show is still airing, it’s like they’re still with me. Overall, I’m just so happy that I had the opportunity to work with them.”

, channel and Facebook page. Viewers who use

Seth, reflecting on his role in Dirty Linen believes it left a lasting impact on him. He said, “It truly left a mark. I genuinely enjoyed being with my co-actors. We were like a family here; whenever there were difficult scenes, they supported me. I learned a lot from them, and these experiences will be carried forward into my upcoming projects.”

Witness the gripping finale of Dirty Linen tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, iWantTFC, and Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. Viewers who use any digital TV box at home such as the TVplus box only need to rescan their device to be able to watch Dirty Linen on TV5 and A2Z. The show is also available to viewers in and out of the Philippines on iWantTFC, while viewers outside of the Philippines can watch on The Filipino Channel (TFC) on cable and IPTV.

Sitti’s new single showcases timeless artistry, collaborative spirit

OFTEN you’d hear artists say that they don’t want to be boxed within a genre as they’d rather explore different types of music in expressing themselves. Can’t tell that to someone like Sitti who, admit it, is the first Filipino singer that comes to mind when you encounter a music niche called bossa nova.

Sitti, whose signature hit “Para Sa Akin” is proof that one big song can propel an artist to the stratosphere, deserves the bossa nova queen title to a tee. She has become an icon herself, mainly for popularizing the genre that mixes samba and jazz, and keeping it relevant in the Philippine music scene 17 years since she released her debut album.

Small wonder that for people behind Sitti’s latest recording, simply called “Sakto,” the challenge is to provide her with something that you can rightfully identify with, to quote her, “my kind of bossa nova.”

See, that’s humility from someone signed to Icons Music, a division of Widescope Entertainment Corporation that has backed her up even at the height of a music scene-paralyzing pandemic. She’s not one to claim she’s the expert, but what she knows and does resonate with Filipinos and elevate bossa nova beyond being just another Pinoy trend.

“I like ‘Sakto’ a lot; it’s so cute and beguiling and innocent and I really hope it grows on people and eventually becomes a favorite,” said Sitti whose creative team for the track includes Widescope executive producer Vic de Vera, producer Neil Gregorio (a seasoned music industry guy who clearly saw her potential early on), A&R Ebe Dancel (yeah, another icon), vocal recording supervisor Arnie Mendaros, and mixing Dante Tanedo The track, to be dropped on digital stores Friday (August 25), is composed by Jazz Nicolas, member of legend-in-their-own-right Itchyworms, and Wally Acalola

Vera

recording engineer person a from ‘Sakto,’ pagkabato/ timpla

Sitti is the best person to describe how this ‘magnificent seven,’ along with the track’s musicians Erskine Basilio (semi-hollow guitar), Gian Vergel (drums), Gerald Flores (bass), Francis Etorma (keyboard), Archie Lacorte (ax), and Diego Martinez (percussions), made her enjoy a smooth ride as she jumped in to create a new hit.

“With every song I am blessed to perform,” she shared, “I try my best to approach and infuse it with my truth. Sometimes in the course of recording, I do depart from how it is usually sung in the demo, but with ‘Sakto,’ I think the vocal arrangement was super on point already there was no need for me to embellish. I just enjoyed the recording ride and the playfulness of the lyrics.”

Sonically that is best showcased in “Sakto’s” chorus: “Ikaw ang bida ng umaga ko/Pinawi ang lungkot pagkabato/ Hindi magbabago timpla ng araw ko/ Saktong tinamaan na sa ‘yo.”

She added, “I am so grateful for the whole Widescope and creative team. I rely on their ears so much and I trust their judgments with my whole heart. That being said, in the course of recording I appreciate it when they allow me to re-record some parts I am not confident/ satisfied with.

I am thankful that the recording spirit shared by all in the booth is truly collaborative and friendly.”

To promote her new single, Sitti is appearing as a guest on FM station 103.5 K-lite on August 24 at 5:00 p.m.

LIVE Nation has announced the Asian leg of the Petals to Thorns Tour concert headlined by d4vd kicking off in Singapore on November 27, followed by shows in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Seoul.

d4vd, born David Burke, emerged as a visionary artist just one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister’s closet in Houston, Texas. He developed his eclectic taste in rap and indie music through internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he started creating as a homeschooled teenager. He has released a variety of singles spanning indie-alternative, pop, and R&B genres.

The 18-year-old artist achieved a breakthrough hit in the summer of 2022 with the RIAA Platinumcertified melancholic indie rock song “Romantic Homicide.” Despite being recorded entirely on an iPhone, the track reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to his signing with Darkroom/Interscope even before graduating high school.

His slow-building beachy ballad, “Here With Me,” followed suit,

breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023 and quickly achieving RIAA Gold Certification. His debut EP, Petals To Thorns, establishes d4vd as a genre-defying newcomer. This is affirmed by his recent inclusion in Billboard’s 21 Under 21 honor list.

After the success of his spring headline tour, The Root of it All, which sold out within 30 minutes of going on sale, and a string of successful European tour dates, d4vd is set to bring his Petals To Thorns tour to larger stages in the US than ever before. Notably, he also delivered a showstopping performance at the Valentino Men’s SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan during his European run. Registered members of Live Nation Philippines can secure tickets first during the exclusive Live Nation pre-sale on August 31, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. Register for presale access at livenation.ph.

The general on-sale for the Petals to Thorns tour in Manila will start on September 1, at 12:00 nn local time at ticketnet.com.ph and its outlets. For full details and ticket information, visit livenation.ph.

From left: Seth Fedelin, Janine Gutierrez, Zanjoe Marudo, and Francine Diaz

Veteran actress Tessie Tomas plays the role of Doña Cielo Flores-Fiero

Bossa nova singer Sitti

Seth Fedelin (left) and Francine Diaz, collectively known as FranSeth

‘Dirty Linen’ lead stars Zanjoe Marudo (left) and Janine Gutierrez

d4vd is known for his hit song ‘Romantic Homicide’

WHILE we can’t always predict what lies ahead, having insurance coverage can provide a safety net when unexpected events occur. From delayed flights to medical emergencies, understanding the process of making insurance claims is essential for turning setbacks into manageable situations. With a goal of “Insurance for All”, Igloo has made it its mission to not only provide affordable insurance products but also make filing claims easy and hassle-free.

From travel insurance like Travel Master with COVID-19, pet insurance like Pet Insure, and MSME insurance like NegosyoCare, Igloo and its partners offer Filipinos a wide variety of products that can suit their needs and all of them are available through multiple channels including the GCash GInsure marketplace.

“At Igloo, we understand that unexpected events can disrupt lives and cause stress. This is why we’ve worked with our partners and utilized our technology to provide Filipinos easy access to microinsurance products – access that includes ensuring that the customer journey from purchasing to claiming is streamlined, straightforward, and efficient,” said Mario Berta, Igloo’s Country Manager for the Philippines. “Through this, we can educate and encourage more Filipinos to understand the importance of having insurance as in just a few clicks, they are confident that they are protected from unexpected events, big or small.”

Filing an insurance claim can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. To help you navigate the process smoothly, here’s a quick guide to familiarize yourself with the process.

Understand your policy. The first thing you need to do before filing a claim is to understand your policy. Familiarize yourself with what it entails including coverage details, exclusions, and claim procedures as this will help you understand what’s covered and what’s not.

Provide accurate and complete information. It’s important to note that the acceptance or rejection of your claim depends on the information you provide on the form. That’s why to be ready to provide accurate and complete information about the incident–what

LIFE

ambassador

By Nickie Wang

CTOR Donny Pangilinan advocates for a significant shift in societal perspectives by emphasizing the importance of breaking the stereotype that associates skincare exclusively with women. In his view, skincare should be recognized as a universal practice that benefits everyone, regardless of gender.

Donny’s perspective is grounded in the belief that skincare not only contributes to maintaining healthy skin but also plays a pivotal role in fostering self-confidence.

“Having great skin is good for everyone, it does a lot of things apart from looking good, it also boosts your self-confidence,” said the 25-year-old actor who was launched as the brand ambassador of skincare line QUICKFX in an event held at Watsons SM North Edsa The Grand. Donny’s stance on skincare resonates with the idea that selfconfidence is closely intertwined with one’s appearance and overall well-being. By encouraging people of all genders to embrace skincare routines, he aims to promote a more inclusive and equitable perspective

names when it comes to acne care with over 10 years on the market, and countless customers talking about the results they have seen.

The Donny campaign highlights this well-known, trending reputation of QUICKFX for efficacy with the line “Pimple Eraser-so fast.” It’s a perfect match, given Donny is also an athlete and sports buff.

“I’m so happy to be part of team QUICKFX. I’m also so excited to share with you the best products that will definitely address your skin concerns,” Donny said.

“We are so amazed by the outpour of love and support for Donny as our brand ambassador. We are very thankful to have him onboard. It’s an exciting start of a collaboration between Donny and QUICKFX and we look forward to a more fruitful partnership,” said Frances Jabeguero, Brand and Innovations Lead.

QUICKFX is a brand of Descorp, a key player in beauty and wellness. It was founded with the vision of becoming one of the most agile and innovative players in the industry. With the needs of both its partners and consumers in mind, it is a driving force behind today’s most loved brands.

QUICKFX Pimple Eraser products are exclusively available at all Watsons stores nationwide and Watsons Online.

Similar to any regular individual, Donny experienced an awkward phase during which he felt hesitant to venture outdoors due to a big pimple that appeared on his nose.

Being an active individual engaged in frequent running and gym sessions, the consumption of whey protein led to skin breakouts, particularly on his back. This was the driving force behind his search for an ideal solution to eliminate his skin im-

on personal care. perfections.

“It’s really difficult to maintain clear skin, especially if you’re always under the sun or sleep-deprived. One of the important things to do is to rest whenever possible, use a pimple eraser, moisturize your skin, and apply sunscreen. It’s better to address a pimple as soon as it appears on your face or skin, rather than waiting for it to worsen. While it might sound cliché, prevention truly is better than cure,” he added. Meanwhile at the event, the Gen Z heartthrob mingled with crowds of delighted customers, highlighting the extensive range of Pimple Eraser products and even doing a little skincare education and sales himself.

happened when it occurred, and any relevant parties involved.

Ensure proper documentation of the incident.

As part of providing relevant and accurate information, remember to always document the incident. Take photos or videos of the situation if possible. Always remember to submit copies of your identification documents–IDs, passports, etc–and other documents you may need to support your claim and expedite the process. For example, if you’re claiming your travel insurance, keep your tickets, booking documents, receipts, etc; for pet and health insurance, ensure that you have a copy of all necessary documents–police reports (if applicable), medical certificate, lab tests and requests, and even a doctor’s statement if needed.

Submit claims online. For Igloo products on the GCash GInsure page, submitting claims is as simple as going to your My Insurance tab and selecting the product you need to file a claim. You will then be redirected to the claims form of the underwriter where you will need to input necessary information for the claim to be processed.

Your insurers will guide you through the process and the documentation needed for the claim.

After filing the claim, depending on the product and the situation upon which the claim was made and the documentation provided, processing may take anywhere between 24 to 48 hours.

“Different products require different supporting documents and we’ve taken great care to ensure that together with our insurance and platform partners we can improve the claims process while effectively communicating to our customers what they need to prepare to file claims and make the process as seamless as possible,” Mario added.

With a range of affordable products available through various channels, customers can find the right coverage to suit their needs. And, in the unfortunate event that a claim needs to be filed, Igloo has streamlined the process to make it as hassle-free as possible. With Igloo, Filipinos can have peace of mind knowing they are protected from small inconveniences to emergencies.

im

MAINTAINING a consistent libido comes naturally to some, but for many, a robust sex drive requires effort. Hormones, stress, anxiety, contraception, and various factors can influence libido, making it challenging to ignite desire.

Sexual wellness platform Bedbible offers expertcurated tips to revive your passion and excitement.

Boost libido with food. For a heightened libido, consider these food items: Watermelon, abundant in B vitamins, offers Viagra-like effects, relaxation, and mood elevation. Fatty Fish, including omega-3 acids, vitamin B6, and dopamine, stimulates blood flow and arousal. Strawberries, rich in vitamin C, notably amplify sex drive, particularly in men. Dark chocolate-covered strawberries provide flavonoids that relax blood vessels, setting the stage for an intimate mood. De-stress. Prioritize self-care to relax and enhance your enjoyment of sex. Share hidden stresses with a partner or friend for relief. Allocate daily time for selfcare activities like baths or walks to regain independence and calmness. Explore foreplay. Concentrate on foreplay, especially when feeling less inclined. Feel-good hormones from foreplay reduce stress and heighten the moment. Kissing releases oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin, fostering comfort. Incorporating toys into foreplay readies your body and mind. Sharing solo-play toys

with a partner can elevate both moods.

Understand your preferences. Recognize what turns you on and off. Communicate with partners about preferences to enhance shared experiences. Explore arousal aids. Everybody is different, which is great but can also cause confusion in the bedroom. Something that turns you on might not be someone else’s go-to, which is why it’s important to express to your sexual partner or partners what you like and what you would prefer to avoid.

Donny Pangilinan explains how important it is

reveals watermelon could be the key to improving your sex drive

BACK TO NORMAL: PH now open for business

PH BOUNCES BACK FROM PANDEMIC

THE Philippines bounced back from the impact of the pandemic to post one of the fastest economic growths in 2022 and showed further potential in 2023.

Despite the deep scars from the global health crisis, the economy expanded 7.6 percent last year, reflecting pent-up domestic demand. The gross domestic product grew by another 5.3 percent in the first half of 2023.

The gross national income—a broader measure of growth which factors in income from other countries—also rose 9.3 percent in the first semester this year, following a 9.8-percent expansion in 2022.

Other indicators are also encouraging. The country’s largest banks and conglomerates reported record profits and revenues this year; power demand exceeded pre-pandemic levels; car sales were up by a third; and foreign and local visitors filled hotels and resorts across the country.

With the World Health Organization declaring with great hope” an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency” in May 2023 and the Philippine government subsequently lifting the face mask mandate, other previously-restricted business establishments reopened, flights resumed at

full capacity, students went back to campuses and public gatherings became normal.

Although the threat of contagion remains, there is great hope that the economy would not only rebound, but also exceed pre-pandemic levels. This puts the Philippines back on track to becoming an upper-middle income country in a couple of years or a high-income nation over the next two decades.

In fact, the government aspires to have every Filipino enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle under AmBisyon Natin 2040.

There are challenges along the way, including the elevated inflation which stemmed from the pandemic-related border restrictions in the past, the threat of climate change on food production and the environment and many global uncertainties including territorial conflicts, volatile trade and evolving technologies that may affect employment.

Yet, the opportunities are more promising today than ever. The Philippines is enjoying demographic dividends, thanks to its large population of young workers and entrepreneurs who are ready to contribute to national development.

With solid economic fundamentals, strong financial system, prevailing political stability and conducive business environment, the Philippine economy is not only back to normal, but is also ready to soar.

Economic prospects remain bright as gov’t ramps up public spending

By Julito G. Rada

ECONOMIC prospects remain bright for the second half of 2023, despite the lowerthan-expected growth in the first six months, as the government prepares to ramp up spending and consumers look forward to bigger celebration of the holiday season this year.

While the gross domestic product grew by only 4.3 percent in the second quarter, compared to 6.4 percent in the first quarter, the gross national income—a broader measure of the economy that includes income from abroad—still posted a robust expansion of 8.6 percent in the second quarter, following the 10-percent growth in the first period.

Compensation inflow from the rest of the world increased 87.6 percent yearon-year in the second quarter, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the head of the government’s economic team, is brimming with confidence that the lower end of the 2023 growth target range of 6 percent to 7 percent “remains achievable.” He said an aggressive catch-up plan would do the trick for the second half of the year.

Data show that government spending fell 7.1 percent in the second quarter, following a 6.2-percent growth in the first. Diokno believes that boosting public spending in the coming months would help lift growth.

“[The] 6.0 percent GDP growth target for 2023 remains achievable… An aggressive catch [up] plan for infrastructure

projects [roads, bridges, airports, seaports, power, water, irrigation, telecommunications facilities, digitalization, school buildings, housing and others], quicker response by GOCCs [government-owned and -controlled corporations] and strong and deliberate spending by resourcesurplus local governments are essential parts of the solution to the relatively weak

second-quarter growth performance of the Philippine economy,” Diokno said.

He said one of the advantages of the Philippine economy is its less dependence on exports, and its growth for the past several years was mainly consumption-based.

The Philippine economy is less susceptible to the weaker exports demand

amid the slowing global economy, which is partly due to the aggressive monetary tightening, supply bottlenecks and rising commodity prices resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said.

ASEAN performance

Diokno said a closer look at the economic performance of other Asian economies could give a balanced view of the

Philippines economic performance.

Data show that in the first and second quarters, Singapore grew by 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively; South Korea, 0.9 percent and 0.87 percent; Hong Kong, 2.9 percent and 1.5 percent; Taiwan, 2.9 percent and 1.5 percent; Vietnam, 3.3 percent and 4.14 percent; and Indonesia by 5.04 percent and 5.17 percent.

The Philippines grew by 6.4 percent in the first quarter and 4.3 percent in the second, bringing the average in the first half to 5.3 percent. Although lower than the target range, it was still the fastest in the region.

Diokno said in Vietnam, manufacturing shrank by 7.3 percent year-on-year. While the United States accounted for 29.4 percent of Vietnam’s export market, merchandise exports to the US fell 21.3 percent year-on-year in the first five months of 2023. Similarly, exports to the European Union shrank 9.7 percent in the five-month period, while exports to mainland China declined 6.7 percent.

He said Indonesia’s strong showing in the second quarter was due to strong consumption during the Muslim and school holiday periods and significant government spending of 10.62 percent growth year-on-year.

Gov’t bares plan to secure ‘A’ credit rating by 2028

THE Philippines restored a plan to attain a credit rating of “A” despite the challenging environment, and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno is confident it could be achieved within the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Diokno, the head of the economic team, said the country’s resilience showed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic enabled the economy to return to the path of an “A” rating.

He said an upgrade to “A” rating would result in improved perception of the local and international business and financial communities to the country, and help reduce the government’s borrowing cost. This will also increase investments and eventually help achieve the country’s long-term economic plans, including becoming a high-income nation in two decades.

Countries with top ratings can access

funding from development partners and international capital markets at lower costs due to lower credit risk factor.

“We are firmly back on the road to ‘A’, and we hope to achieve this objective by the end of this administration in 2028,” Diokno said.

The “Road to A” is the government’s program to achieve an investor-grade sovereign credit rating of ‘A’ from international rating agencies. These include

Moody’s Investor Service, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings as well as Japanese raters Rating and Investment Information Inc. and the Japan Credit Rating Agency.

An A rating would affirm the Philippines’ creditworthiness and serve as a strong signal to local and international business and financial communities that the country is conducive to long-term investments.

Nagging inflation forces BSP to hike interest rate by 425 bps

ELEVATED inflation forced central banks around the world to raise interest rates this year to dampen demand, and in the Philippines, economists are linking the sluggish growth in the first half of 2023 to the impact of monetary tightening done by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The BSP raised the benchmark interest rate by a total of 425 basis points to 6.25 percent between May 2022 and March 2023, before taking a prudent pause in the last three Monetary Board meetings amid the easing of inflation.

The policy-making Monetary Board of the BSP, on Aug. 17, 2023, kept the overnight borrowing rate steady at 6.25 percent. It also left the interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities untouched at 5.75 percent and 6.75 percent, respectively.

MB chairman and BSP Governor Eli Remolona confirmed that the decision took into account the lackluster 4.3-percent gross domestic product growth in the second quarter and 5.3 percent in the first-half, below the 2023 target range of 6 percent to 7 percent.

“The Monetary Board also recognized the challenging outlook for economic growth, as the weaker GDP outturn for the second quarter of 2023 reflected a broad-based slowdown in domestic demand. Household consumption slowed due to elevated commodity prices, while government spending contracted relative to the previous year,” Remolona said.

“Given these considerations, the Monetary

Board deemed it appropriate to maintain monetary policy settings to allow a moderation of inflation even as authorities continue to assess the emerging risks to the inflation outlook,” he said.

Remolona said the latest baseline projections continued to show a return to inflation target in the fourth quarter of 2023. Average inflation for 2023 is seen at 5.6 percent, while the average inflation forecasts for 2024 and 2025 now stand at 3.3 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively.

Remolona said the BSP is prepared to respond as necessary to safeguard the inflation target, in keeping with its primary mandate to ensure price stability.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that from a peak of 8.7 percent in January 2023, inflation eased to 8.6 percent in February, 7.6 percent in March, 6.6 percent in April, 6.1 percent in May, 5.4 percent in June and a 16-month low of 4.7 percent in July.

Oxford Economics said the economy felt the impact of monetary tightening done by the BSP to rein in inflation. It said the second-quarter data added weight to its expectation that the bank was unlikely to hike the policy rate in its next meetings.

Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp. said, however, inflationary pressures might put rate hikes back on the table. It cited the rising rice export prices that increased by 20 percent since the middle of July and reached their highest level since 2011. Julito G. Rada

BACK TO NORMAL: PH now open for business

Banks achieve record profits, loans, deposits

THE Philippine banking industry helped the economy recover from a 9.6-percent contraction in 2020, the country’s worst performance since the end of World War 2.

PH starts transition to clean energy to attain balanced mix

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Philippines is embarking on an ambitious transition to clean energy, with the goal of attaining 50-percent renewable energy mix by 2040 that would require investments of $153 billion.

The Department of Energy aims to achieve energy savings on oil products, 10-percent electric vehicle penetration in road transport, advanced and interoperable information and communications technology in the energy chain and a resilient and climate-proof energy infrastructure.

It said major investments are needed to realize the targets. Bulk of the investments will be spent in the power sector for the construc-

tion of new power plants amounting to $115.3 billion, including $94.3 billion for renewable energy and 21 billion for conventional power projects. About $6.97 billion investments are needed for transmission projects.

Meanwhile, investments in the upstream sector will require about $10.05 billion for oil and gas exploration and development; $13.2 billion for coal exploration and production; and $510 million for renewable energy (pre-development activities).

Investments in the downstream energy sector focuses on oil distribution and import terminals with investments of about $2.94 billion, Turn to D4

“As we all know, it was a surprisingly strong recovery. Coming out of a crisis, it was a recovery like no other,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona said during the BSP’s 30th anniversary reception for the banking community in July.

He was referring to the 46-year high growth of 7.6 percent in 2022, just two

years removed from the deep contraction.

“What was the difference this time? I’d say it was the banking system. Our banks

maintained more than adequate levels of capital and remained flush with liquidity.

This time, there was no need to repair balance sheets,” Remolona said.

“I have said this before, and I’ll say it again. Unlike in previous crises, this time our banks were part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” Remolona said.

The banking system continued its strong performance as evidenced by sustained expansion in assets, deposits, and profit as well as stable capital and liquidity buffers and ample provision for credit losses.

Latest available data from the BSP showed that total assets of the banking system expanded by 11 percent year-onyear to P23.1 trillion as of end-March 2023 , surpassing the pre-pandemic average growth rate of 10.98 percent.

Credit activity improved as gross total loan portfolio increased 10.4 percent year-on year-to P12.5 trillion as of endMarch 2023. This marked the 20th consecutive month of year-on-year growth rate in gross TLP. Strong profits

Four banks recorded profits exceeding P20 billion in the first six months of 2023. BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender with about P4.1 trillion in assets, posted earnings of P35.2 billion, driven by broad-based growth across core businesses. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. earned P20.9 billion, while Bank of the Philippine Islands booked P25.1 billion in profit. State-run Land Bank of the Philippines also logged P20.9 billion in net income.

Non-performing loans coverage ratio across banking groups registered

BSP Gov. Eli Remolona

biofuels production at $2.38 billion and liquefied natural gas terminal with $1.78 billion.

“We will continue to work on long-term solutions in accordance with the clear goals set by the President to develop indigenous sources of energy, particularly renewables. We commit to pursue our mission and respond to emerging energy challenges and issues to ensure sustainable, stable, secure, accessible, and reasonably priced energy,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.

Solar projects

Under the 2020 power generation mix, RE share was only 21.2 percent. The DOE wants to increase this to 50 percent by 2040.

BACK TO NORMAL:

PH now open for business

It intends to bring down the share of coal in the power mix to 23.1 percent by 2040 from 57.2 percent in 2022. The share of natural gas is expected to rise to 26.7 percent from 19.2 percent, while biomass is seen to go down to 4.4 percent from 10.6 percent.

As part of the target, oil-based power plants will have a very minimal share in the power mix by 2040 from 2.4 percent in 2020.

In terms of power generation capacity, theRE is forecast to grow to 73,866 megawatts under the DOE’s clean energy scenario for 2040 from 7,617 MW in 2020.

Solar will dominate the clean energy scenario by 2040, with a capacity of 45,118 MW, up from 1,019 MW in 2020.

Hydro capacity will rise to 16,397

MW from 3,779 MW; wind to 11,387 MW from 443 MW; biomass to 486 MW from 447 MW; and geothermal to 480 MW from 1,928 MW.

The shares of coal and oil-based plants are expected to go down to 2,641 MW from 10,944 MW and from 4,237 MW to 381 MW, respectively.

The share of natural gas will increase to 15,430 MW from 3,453 MW.

RE programs

The DOE lined up several plans and programs to help boost RE development. These include the renewable energy portfolio standards which require electricity suppliers to source an agreed portion of their supply from eligible RE facilities and the Green Energy Auction Program, which sets

the framework for the facilitation of immediate and timely investment for new and additional RE capacities.

Other programs are the Green Energy Option Program, which provides end-users the option to choose RE sources as their source of energy; RE market rules, which establishes the market for the trading of RE certificates between and among trade participants; and open and competitive selection process, which facilitates project development by offering well-characterized RE sites to project developers.

Also included are the Renewable Energy Trust Fund that finances research, development and promotion of widespread and productive RE systems.

Banks..

From D3

an increase this year. Universal and commercial banks posted an ample NPL coverage ratio of 111.5 percent as of end-March 2023. Meanwhile, thrift banks and rural and cooperative banks’ NPL coverage ratios stood at 65.9 percent as of end-March 2023 and 79.0 percent as of endDecember 2022, respectively.

Total deposits

Total deposits of the banking system expanded 9.8 percent yearon-year to P17.7 trillion as of endMarch 2023. This growth rate was higher than 7.2 percent in March 2022. These deposits were mostly peso-denominated and sourced from resident individuals and private corporations. By deposit type, savings deposits had the largest share of 46.2 percent (P8.2 trillion). By banking group, universal and commercial banks had the largest share of deposits at 94.3 percent (P16.7 trillion) as of end-March 2023, followed by thrift banks at 4.2 percent (P735.2 billion) and rural and cooperative banks at 1.5 percent (P269.6 billion).

Latest rankings

As of March 2023, seven universal and commercial banks had trillions of pesos in terms of assets.

These included BDO Unibank Inc. of the SM Group, state-run Land Bank of the Philippines, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. of GT Capital Holdings Inc., China Banking Corp. also of the SM Group, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. of the Yuchengco Group and the Philippine National Bank of tycoon Lucio Tan.

They were followed by Development Bank of the Philippines, Union Bank of the Philippines and Security Bank Corp.

Meanwhile, Philippine Savings Bank, the thrift bank arm of the Metrobank Group became the biggest thrift bank, after BPI absorbed BPI Family Savings Bank.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla

Transport infra projects seen to drive economy

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE government is betting on big-ticket transport infrastructure projects

to revitalize the domestic economy and create more jobs.

The Marcos administration committed to maintaining an annual spending on infrastructure of around 5 percent to 6 percent of the gross domestic product from 2023 to 2027. This is equivalent to about $20 billion to $40 billion per year.

Under the “Build-Better-More” program, the government identified 194 infrastructure flagship projects worth P8.3 trillion. The goal is to sustain economic growth, create more jobs and reduce poverty.

“The underlying logic to our infrastructure development is economic efficiency. We are opening up all gateways to mobilize goods and services at less cost and in less time and ultimately to drive the economy,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said in his second State of the Nation Address.

Priority projects

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista committed to ramping up the construction of rail, maritime, road and aviation projects to provide socio-economic benefits to Filipinos.

“The department will speed up the momentum in completing more transport infrastructure projects aimed at moving people, products and services and trigger economic growth,” Bautista said.

Data showed that as of end-June 2023, the agency disbursed more than P43 billion covering payments for various priority transport infrastructure projects.

“The DOTr commits to further streamline its processes, work closely with other government agencies and contractors to ensure timely completion of portions of projects scheduled this year,” Bautista said.

Under the agency’s 2024 budget, a sub-

stantial portion of the proposed P214.3 billion will support the “Build Better More” program.

A total of P176.4 billion will be directed towards the DOTr’s public sector infrastructure budget, fostering high-impact transport projects approved by the NEDA board, including the North-South Commuter Railway System and the Metro Manila Subway Project Phase I under the Rail Transport Program; the Land Public Transportation Program; and the Aviation and Maritime Infrastructure Programs of the DOTr. Railway projects

Bautisa said railway development is a priority of the agency. “Railway systems effectively address traffic congestion while providing increased passenger and freight capacity,” he said.

The DOTr chief said the government is looking for private investors in the PNR North Long-Haul Project that will link Metro Manila to Ilocos and Cagayan.

The North Long Haul project is an 800-kilometer inter-regional railway system in northern Luzon connecting the National Capital Region, Region 1, Region 2 and Region 3.

The project will include passenger railway stations, cargo terminals, maintenance depots, operations control centers, connectivity to seaports and transit-oriented developments. It is also envisioned to link strategic infrastructure such as Clark Freeport Zone, PuroPoint, Laoag International Airport, Port Irene and Lal-lo Airport.

DOT encourages travelers, puts up tourism rest areas

By Othel V. Campos

THE Department of Tourism is putting up tourism rest areas across the country to spur tourism and convince more people to travel.

Secretary Christina Frasco said giving tourists premium treatment is an act of good will and reflects the host country’s desire to give the best experience to visitors.

“The establishment of the TRA fulfills DOT’s objectives in improving the overall tourist experience. It ensures that our tourists feel comfortable in their journey as they travel across the country,” she said.

The DOT aims to build 25 TRAs, with an initial 10 already in construction. Three of them are already open.

From the first TRA in Medellin, Cebu, the DOT broke ground for facilities in Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon; Samal Island in Davao del Norte; the towns of Carcar, Carmen and Moalboal in Cebu; Dauis in Bohol; Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte; Roxas in Palawan; and Baguio City.

The first TRA, inaugurated in the sugarcane town of Medellin, is a cozy pit stop for tourists traveling to the northern part of Cebu. In between travels, TRA Medellin offers free services, including the use of charging station and lounges for short rest.

The DOT also launched the second TRA in Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon and the third facility recently opened in Samal Island.

The President identified TRA as among the priority programs of the administration and a flagship project of the DOT. It serves as a convergence point where foreign and local travelers could approach for information on tourism sites and attractions, activities and accommodations; reporting concerns related to safety and security; and

gaining access to other provisions necessary during their stay at a destination.

The TRAs are equipped with features that will come in handy for travelers including clean restrooms, shower area, lounge area, pasalubong or souvenir center and charging stations.

The TRAs are conceptualized and undertaken in collaboration with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, the DOT’s infrastructure bureau.

“Every detail of a tourist journey is important to the Department of Tourism, and that is why we decided to address one of the most basic necessities of travel – clean and decent restrooms and information center and pasalubong center,” Frasco said.

The TRAs are envisioned to support the DOT’s goal to increase tourism arrivals, year-on-year, and sustain the sector’s growth trajectory. The DOT is confident about achieving its goal of recording 4.8 million foreign tourists in 2023 and 7.7 million in 2024.

Data from the DOT showed that as of Aug. 13, 2023, international visitor arrivals in the Philippines reached 3.41 million, representing 70.34 percent of the baseline target arrival for the whole year.

The World Tourism Barometer of the UN World Tourism Organization showed that in May 2023, the Philippines’ recovery rate was about 66.33 percent and surpassed the 2022 average growth of 54 percent in Asia Pacific.

International tourism receipts also reached P285 billion in the first half of 2023.

The DOT said it is committed to aggressively pursuing its target and promoting the enhanced tourism slogan “Love the Philippines.”

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco

TO NORMAL:

now open for business

Digital industries to enable PH to compete globally

By Othel V. Campos

MODERN solutions provide the Philippines an opportunity to catch up with the rest of the world, given the country’s young workforce that is technology-driven and digitally-skilled.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual expressed confidence the digital savvy Filipinos, the youngest in Asia, with a median age of 25, would propel the country into the upper-middle-income status soon.

“We started too late in the heavy industries. We may now have a chance to catch up in the creating a dynamic digital ecosystem. This is where we can leapfrog to advance our economy. There is a big opportunity for the young generation who are digitally-skilled and can easily adapt to the changing global value chain,” he said.

He said disruptive technologies reconfigured the global value chain, and a very important aspect of this is the shift in political forces.

Pascual said recent global events had major countries rethink their plans for food and political stability, “where major countries want to be assured of their major sources of supply by diversifying sources.”

“And we can be favored in that sense because of our strategic location, the availability of a large number of skilled manpower and the mobility we can give to companies that will set up here, given our geographical location.”

With a growing number of allies, the Philippines expects to be digitally connected to three of the world’s most dynamic econo-

mies. The digital ties to the US is of great significance to the Philippines and with the construction of an undersea cable linking the EU and Japan, the Philippines, as the EU suggested, may ride the connection.

No less than EU President Ursula con der Leyen offered the Philippines the opportunity to be digitally-linked with the EU and Japan, said Pascual.

“And this will give us direct linkage to Europe. From the Philippines, we can connect to the other ASEAN countries. This means there is big opportunity for the young generation who are digital-savvy and this will support the digital economy that we want to grow in the Philippines,” he said.

Trade agreements

The transformative journey to digitalization should be supported with bilateral agreements.

Pascual said the Philippines has great expectations to move forward with the proposed resumption of free trade talks with the EU.

A free trade agreement with the EU is a very important deal that will provide the continuity of preferential trade for the country’s micro, small and medium enterprises.

With the country’s growth trajectory towards reaching upper middle-income status, it is im-

now open for business

Filipino conglomerates remain bullish as profits, revenues soar

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE largest conglomerates in the Philippines stay bullish about the prospects for the second half of 2023 as core businesses delivered strong results despite market headwinds.

While elevated inflation and interest rates remain major risks to the consumer-driven economy, corporations continue to benefit from robust consumer spending, consistent with the overall economic growth, record low unemployment and recent wage hike implemented by the government.

The conglomerates’ widely-diversified businesses also allow them to control risks by smoothing exposure concentrations to certain business lines and markets.

SM Investments Corp. reported a 32-percent growth in consolidated net income to P36.5 billion in the first six months of 2023. GT Capital Holdings Inc. logged a double-digit growth in first-half net income to P13.4 billion, while JG Summit Holdings Inc. posted a seven-fold increase in core net income to P9.5 billion.

Other conglomerates also booked billions in profit in the six-month period. San Miguel Corp. earned P23.3 billion; Ayala Corp., P20.5 billion; DMCI Holdings Inc., P15.9 billion; LT Group, P13 billion; Aboitiz Equity Ventures, P10.5 billion; Metro Pacific Investments Corp., P10.22 billion; Alliance Global Group Inc., P9.2 billion; Villar’s Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc., P5.8 bil-

lion; Cosco Capital Inc., P5.6 billion; Filinvest Development Corp., P3.9 billion; and Lopez Holdings Corp., P3.25 billion.

SM Investments head of investor relations Timothy Daniels said in an investor conference the conglomerate, which has investments in retail, property and banking sectors, historically gets bulk of its earnings in the second half of the year because of holiday spending in the fourth quarter. Daniels said with the school opening moved to the third quarter, this would further boost the group’s second-half earnings. He said consumer discretionary spending seen in the first half of 2023 looked sustainable going into second half.

The Sy-led conglomerate said it

Digital...

From E3

portant for the Philippines and the EU to resume FTA negotiations. The FTA will serve as a more permanent basis for the Philippines’ economic relations with the EU beyond the time-bound GSP+ (Generalized System of Preferences Plus) coverage the Philippines enjoys as a lower middle-income country.

The Philippines is also set to formalize the Philippines-Korea Free Trade Agreement at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia in September 2023.

So far, the Philippines has bilateral trade agreements with Japan under the Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and with the four European countries under the PhilippinesEuropean Free Trade Association FTA.

The Philippines is also a participant in

would continue to monitor current market conditions, including inflation and interest rates moving forward.

“Fundamental story is still good in the Philippines. There is clearly a little more softness in GDP [gross domestic product] and in inflation numbers. But if we look at overall growth story, we still believe in the Philippines growth and its underlying story,” Daniels said.

“There are things to watch, it is never a slam-dunk, but we are coming into the second half of pretty robust position,” Daniels said.

GT Capital Holdings of the Ty family may reach a record P25-billion net income in 2023 following the group’s strong first-half results.

GT Capital executive vice president and chief finance officer Francisco Su-

regional trade agreements such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership . The country is also expected to sign another regional trade pact—the ASEANNew Zealand FTA. Simultaneous efforts are also being exerted to partner with the UAE as the Philippines works out a comprehensive eco nomic partnership with the Middle East country.

Investments

The DTI is proactively seeking new investments to support the country’s bid to be the preferred investment des-

arez, Jr. said annualizing the P13.4 billion core net income in the first half could mean full-year earnings of more than P25 billion.

“We continue to be bullish on our operating companies, the bank and also for Toyota Motor Philippines and Federal Land,” Suarez said in a recent investor conference organized by the Philippine Stock Exchange and Bloomberg.

Suarez said the group’s property business would continue to launch new residential, commercial and industry projects as it pushed joint venture with Japan’s Nomura Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. Its automotive unit will benefit from newly-introduced vehicles and increased interest on hybrid vehicles. TMP sold 1,054 hybrid cars in the first six months

tination of global companies.

In the first year of the Marcos administration, the DTI brokered investments amounting to $71 billion including new leads from the recent trade mission to Europe and Malaysia.

investments Eu renew

“Priority in our presidential trips, as we are trying to build the pipeline of investments into the Philippines, is renewable energy. It represents a sector that has the greatest interest because of the factors that are pushing us towards renewable energy. The Philippines has to have a reliable, indigenous source of energy so that we’re not dependent on oil or on imported coal,” Pascual said.

of 2023, up 23 percent from a year ago. Sales from hybrid cars accounted for 1.1 percent of total sales.

As the group has enough cash to support operations, GT Capital said it would continue paying down debt and retire perpetual preferred shares due in the third quarter of the year.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei group said it put in place measures to tackle inflation and implement efficiencies to recover margins.

It said to ensure sustained growth, it is working double time to augment capacity and improve operational resiliency by adding more planes for Cebu Pacific. Property unit Robinsons Land continues to launch residential and improve occupancy rates for its office, mall and hotel projects.

“The DTI noted a confluence of objectives that makes it auspicious to shift to renewable power. Europe is going net zero on carbon emission. Japan is also net zero carbon emission. And in order to export our products to them, we need to produce our products using renewable energy. There is that kind of push for us to go renewable,” he said. Pascual cited Europe’s quick pivot to RE after it had problems with the supply of natural gas from from Russia. Data from the Board of Investments show that the bulk of approved investments in the first semester are RE projects. RE has increasingly dominated the investment pledges at the BOI and accounted for 76.83 percent of total investments in the first half, with combined value of P536.5 billion from 30 solar, wind, hydro and biomass projects.

Telecom industry buoyant on rising demand for data

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Philippine telecom industry remains buoyant as demand for broadband and data continues to rise.

The sector posted total revenues of P207.3 billion in the first half of 2023, up by 4 percent from P198.66 billion in the same period last year.

Data showed that of the total, PLDT Inc. recorded P104.31 billion in revenues, followed by Globe Telecom Inc. with P80.4 billion, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. with P17.36 billion and DITO Telecommunity Corp. with P4.96 billion.

PLDT and Smart Communications Inc. president and chief executive Alfredo Panlilio said while the group saw some “softness” in revenues in the first half, he was expecting a “better” performance in the second half.

Panlilio blamed the modest growth in sales to the higher inflation and the shift of Filipinos from home broadband to mobile due to the full opening of the economy.

He estimates that PLDT’s revenue would grow by “low-single-digit” this year from its earlier projection of “mid-single-digit”.

He said PLDT was not affected by the SIM registration requirement under the law, as 99 percent of its active subscribers were able to register. Compared to end-2022 when Smart had 39.5 percent of all SIMs in the market, Smart ended the SIM registration campaign with 46.1 percent of SIMs, he said.

Data from the National Telecommunications Commission showed that the total SIM cards registered by Smart reached 52.5 million, or 79.18 percent of its total subscriber base of 66.31 million as of December 2022.

Smart said it would continue to drive activations and deliver more value-for-money offers to retain subscribers and drive ARPU further.

“It takes a while to gain ground and it is going to be a long, drawn-out battle. We will continue to push, to innovate and to look at growth areas. We cannot stand still, especially in the telco space,” Panlilio said. Headwinds in H2 Rival Globe Telecom also expressed optimism about its growth this year despite the impact of SIM registration and the anticipated economic challenges in the second half.

“We are very pleased with the financial performance of our telco business for the second quarter. It goes to show how much people value connectivity and how people value the need to have data plans on their phones,” said Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu.

He said sometimes, Filipinos prefer to use data over food, “a manifestation of the continuing demand for data services.”

Globe’s mobile data revenues went up 5 percent to P44.36 billion in the first half, while Home broadband revenue reached P12.8 billion and sales from corporate data amounted to P9.07 billion .

“I have to say that in the coming quarters there could be some headwinds primarily due to the slowdown of the economy. We are seeing the GDP [gross domestic product] growth to slow down,” Cu admitted.

BACK TO NORMAL: PH now open for business

DOE taps new technologies to augment PH power supply

By Alena Ma S. Flores

THE Department of Energy is supporting new and emerging technologies to augment the country’s power supply and support a cleaner and more efficient transport system.

It identified these technologies as small nuclear reactors, liquefied natural gas, battery energy storage systems, hydrogen and ammonia, electric vehicles as well as energy efficiency and conservation projects.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla expressed hope these technologies would “mature in time.”

The DOE is pursuing SMRs or advanced nuclear reactors that have a third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors. Lotilla said the Philippines may have a nuclear facility up and running “within the decade.”

“Within the decade, I am sure that we can be on, or we can place ourselves on track for that,” he said.

The DOE is looking at an initial 2,400 megawatts of nuclear capacity by 2035 under the Philippine Energy Plan 2023 to 2050. Eight units of 150-MW small modular reactors are expected to be in place by 2032 and an additional 1,200 MW of nuclear capacity by 2035.

The agency is also pursuing LNG as “bridge fuel” as the country transitions to cleaner sources of energy. Seven companies are putting up LNG terminals around the country, including four that already secured permits to construct.

These include FGen LNG Corp.’s interim floating storage regasification unit

with a capacity of 5.26 million tons per annum that will be completed by September 2023; Linseed Field Corp.’s 3 MPTA terminal which was completed in May 2023; Luzon LNG Terminal Inc.’s 4.4 MPTA terminal for completion by December 2025; and Energy World Corp.’s 3 MPTA terminal with target completion of December 2023.

Three companies were issued notice to proceed: Samat LNG Corp.’s 0.34

MTPA small scale LNG terminal with target completion of 2024 to 2026; Vires Energy’s 3 MPTA FSRU by April 2026; and Shell Energy Philippines 3 MPTA FSRU by September 2025.

Energy storage

The DOE is also supporting the rollout of BESS to support the growth of the RE industry and ensure the stability of the power grid. About 2,084 MW of BESS capacity is expected to be completed from

2023 to 2025. These include 780 MW that would be operational in 2023, 784 MW in 2024 and 520 MW in 2025.

It also aims to roll out 2,454,200 electric vehicles, comprising of cars, tricycles, motorcycles and buses and install 65,000 EV charging stations nationwide from 2023 to 2028.

The DOE is pushing for additional 1,851,500 EVs and 42,000 EVCs in the medium-term from 2029 to 2034.

Under the long-term period, from 2034 to 2040, about 2,001,600 EVs will be added along with 40,000 EVCs.

“These actions are consistent with EVIDA’s [Electric Vehicle Industry Act] thrust of creating an enabling environment for the development of the EV industry in the country,” the DOE said.

Lotilla said the DOE is also developing a policy framework and guidelines for the integration of hydrogen within the energy

sector. The agency is actively considering hydrogen and its derivatives as a promising and cleaner alternative energy.

He said that due to the ongoing interest in the co-firing of ammonia with existing coal-fired power plants, the DOE forged a partnership with the Department of Science and Technology for the establishment of a fuel cell research and development and testing facility.

“Developments in technology are moving fast and I hope they move faster so there are now proposals, for example, converting the old coal-fired power plants into not just co-firing with ammonia, but this is still being discussed, But the new technologies in the US can use coal-fired facilities to produce graphene and then with hydrogen as a byproduct,” Lotilla said.

He said an equally important aspect of the energy program is the effective im-

plementation of energy efficiency and conservation measures to bring down overall energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and intensity in the production of goods and services.

“This is not just simply a gut feel reaction to the high prices in fuel, but the direction that we must take as a society. Sustainable development goals require a change in lifestyle, and it requires a change in consumption patterns. These are the things that we need to undertake in order for our energy programs to succeed,” he said.

Private firms support infra development

By Darwin G. Amojelar

TWO of the country’s largest conglomer-

ates are investing more in big-ticket infrastructure projects to help lift the economy.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp. chairman Manuel Pangilinan said the private sector should step up to propel the economy forward this year, as inflation and interest rates impact consumer and government spending.

“We should do our part in raising the level of investments. The more we do, the more we invest, the more jobs we create, which I think will create a virtuous cycle of more and more growth for the country,” Pangilinan said, citing investments in infrastructure, agriculture and food and

tourism as examples.

“We should participate in trying to push the country’s economic growth, as has been called for by the President,” he said.

Metro Pacific and Japanese partner Mitsui & Co. earlier committed to investing $600 million in infrastructure development in the Philippines.

The tollway unit of MPIC signed a P72-billion deal with San Miguel Corp. to jointly undertake the construction, operation and maintenance of the CaviteBatangas Expressway and Nasugbu-Bauan Expressway.

The 27.06-kilometer CBEX will establish a crucial link connecting CALAX’ Silang (Aguinaldo) Interchange to Nasugbu, while the 60.90-kilometer NBEX

When in Puerto Galera:

Build stronger connections over savory Italian dishes at Il Capo

ALONG the serene shores of Puerto Galera lies a culinary haven that captivates the palates of locals and tourists alike.

A gastronomic paradise, Il Capo Smoke Haus serves patrons with rich flavors of Italian cuisine made with a Pinoy twist, from burgers, pasta, and steaks, to a diverse options of hot and cold drinks.

Currently headed by the matriarch Maria Corazon Abante Dela Peña, or Maya, Il Capo is a family business that was born from the hard work of Maya’s son Keith Limuel who is a cooking enthusiast.

Settling in Italy with his parents who were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) then, Keith took a culinary course to personally study the traditional cooking techniques of Italy. Later on, he worked as a kitchen manager in a restaurant and with his knowledge about the ins and outs of food service, he went back to the Philippines to set up his own business.

Nu’ng umuwi s’ya sa Pilipinas, nag-start na s’ya ng paggawa ng smoked bacon para sa mga turista. Maganda naman ang kita kaya pinagawa na namin itong dalawang palapag na building para sa restaurant,” said Maya, proudly narrating their humble beginnings.

[“When he returned to the Philippines, he began making smoked bacon for tourists. The earnings were good, so we had this two-storey building built for the restaurant.”]

The pandemic temporarily stalled the opening of the business but as the tourism sector started to pick up, Keith captivated taste buds, serving meticulously smoked pork, beef, and sausages through the small booth he put up along the bays of Muelle.

Nakilala s’ya tapos nung nagkakaroon na ng turista, in-open namin ito last year. Tama naman, nung in-open namin ito, lumalago na ‘yung turismo. Timing na timing. Pagkatapos, nag-start

na kami – January 8, 2022,” Maya shared.

[“He started getting recognized, and when tourists started coming, we opened it last year. It was just right when we opened it because tourism was starting to come back again. It was perfect timing. Then, we finally opened on January 8, 2022.”]

One thing to be amazed by the restaurant is its walls donned with vintage wine bottles. Along with their cheesy and meaty burgers on the menu, Il Capo offers authentic Italian wines which the family diligently collected while overseas.

And with all its wares on display, the restaurant has now become a place for customers to take aesthetic

will provide seamless connectivity from Nasugbu to Bauan.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for 2024, and CBEX and NBEX are expected to be completed and open to the public by 2027.

Pangilinan said together with SMC, the company envisage a future where CBEX and NBEX could help pave the way for connectivity and economic growth in the CALABARZON region.

“We look forward to leveraging on our respective strengths for the realization of this vital infrastructure project,” he said.

MPTC also plans to invest P76.3 billion over the next two years to complete the expansion of five expressway projects with a total length of 66.9 kilometers. Of the total investment, MPTC is spending

P20.2 billion for NLEX-SLEX Connector Road, P29.5 billion for the Cavite Laguna Expressway Project, P16.4 billion for Cavitex-C5 South Link, P2.4 billion for Cavitex-Calax Link and P7.8 billion Candaba 3rd Viaduct Project.

Besides expressways, the MPIC through Light Rail Manila Corp. is building the first phase of LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension Project, which was 88-percent completed as of end-June.

The first phase covers 6.7 kilometers of the 11km-extension project with five stations that are in various stages of development. Works on civil and structural, structural steel, architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection are ongoing.

Instagrammable pics, connect with friends, and share exciting stories over good food. But to elevate the dining experience of patrons, Maya equipped the resto with robust connectivity through the country’s leading fiber broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions.

Napakalaki po ng deperensya sa amin ng internet kasi dati, ‘yung data namin mabilis maubos. Kapag sa internet, lahat kami naka-connect at sa sounds, mas maganda at mas tuloy-tuloy ‘yung Youtube,” Maya said.

[“Our internet makes a significant difference because before, our data would quickly run out. But if it’s the internet, all of us are connected, and in terms

of playing sounds, it’s better and more continuous when we listen on Youtube.”]

“Sa posting naman namin, dati, hindi kami makapaglabas ng ads. Parang bali-balita lang. Pero itong nagkaroon kami ng malakas na internet dahil sa Converge, malawak na po ‘yung nararating ng aming advertisement,” she added.

[“As for our posts, we couldn’t put out ads before. But when we got strong internet because of Converge, our advertisement now reaches a wider audience.”]

Converge offers flexiBIZ, an array of business-grade internet solutions designed for small-scale businesses looking for affordable and reliable connectivity to power up their operations. It features fast, secure, and customizable connectivity, catering to the unique requirements of MSMEs.

It comes in two variations with flexiBIZ Daytime providing businesses with speeds twice as fast during peak operations, and flexiBIZ Peak for a fixed maximum speed consistent throughout the day.

Amid the success of the business, Il Capo’s culinary journey is far from over. Bolstered by the positive reception for its offerings and the support of its customers, the restaurant aspires to introduce pizzas to its menu soon, targeting the metro as its next prime location.

Currently, Keith manages another restaurant business named Red Tomato with his wife Jade, co-piloting their branches in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro as Maya supervises the operations of Il Capo in Puerto Galera.

Maria Corazon Abante Dela Peña, or Maya (second from right) with her kitchen staff. She currently manages Il Capo Smoke Haus, a restaurant that her son Keith put up out of his passion for cooking.

restaurant is powered by the robust connectivity foundation from Converge. With its fast and reliable internet service, Il Capo enables its customers to stay online, elevating their overall dining experience.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla

BACK TO NORMAL: PH now open for business

Gov’t combats market abuses to ensure food price stability

By Othel V. Campos

THE government launched a market linkage program to stop price manipulation and ensure that food products reach consumers at affordable cost.

Under the direct market linkage program, the Department of Agriculture aims to combat price manipulation and market abuses

to protect the livelihood and well-being of farmers and fisherfolk.

The DA plans to further strengthen the KADIWA program by rolling out more stores in the provinces and in cities across the country. There are now over 300 KADIWA retail stores catering to the basic food needs of Filipino consumers.

The agency started rolling out KADIWA stores in major wet and dry markets in Metro Manila early this year to ensure food availability while addressing the soaring prices of agricultural commodities. It said the marketing initiative seeks

to empower the farming community by providing a direct and effective farm-toconsumer food supply chain.

By eliminating marketing layers, the program benefits not only farmers who earn bigger income but also consumers who can afford to buy basic goods at lower prices. KADIWA sustains its relevance by innovating and creating new platforms. The KADIWA Retail Selling provides suppliers an area to directly sell their goods to the consumers. Under this scheme, government offices, LGUs and private sector may request the DA to hold KADIWA Retail Selling activity in their own areas.

Partners in Progress:

Meralco commits to support the government’s nation-building efforts

By Peter Paul Duran

IN THE aftermath of the pandemic, economies around the world continue to track towards pandemic recovery and economic growth. For a developing country like the Philippines, the collaboration between the government and members of the private sector is of key importance to make nation-building efforts sustainable and inclusive.

Mindful of this, Manila Electric Company (Meralco) as the country’s largest electric distribution utility, goes beyond its mandate of providing stable and reliable electric service to its nearly 7.7 million customers as it takes part in nation-building.

Meralco has aligned itself with the government’s goal of fostering national development and collective prosperity where, in the words of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., “no Filipino is left behind”.

Capitalizing on its resources and its 120 years of expertise in energy, the company undertakes initiatives through which the benefits extend outside its customer base, even reaching remote communities across the archipelago.

Driving transformation in the transportation sector

Countries with robust economies have one major thing in common – they have excellent infrastructure and transportation systems. These play a key role in a country’s economic growth and development, attracting foreign investments as well as fostering local and regional trade and investments.

In a meeting with the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) in November last year, Meralco reaffirmed its commitment to support the agency’s infrastructure projects and initiatives.

Through its pole relocation project, Meralco ensured that electric facilities will not impede the progress of DOTr projects. Such is the case for the ongoing construction of NAIAx-EDSA Tramo Connecting Ramp and Skyway Stage 4.

The power distributor also committed to providing substantial power supply for new transportation projects such as the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Packages 2 and 3, NorthSouth Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension from Calamba to Batangas, MRT-4, MRT-7 Extension Project, LRT-2 West Extension, EDSA Greenways, and EDSA Bus Rapid TransitBusway Concourse, just to name a few.

Boutique property developers gear up for expansion

By Jenniffer B. Austria

POCKET real estate developers are eager to rapidly expand their footprint across the country as demand for housing projects rebounded strongly after the pandemic.

Italpinas Development Corp. said it is looking for more land acquisitions and partnerships to expand its presence beyond current markets.

Italpinas chief executive Romolo Valentino Nati said in a recent investors conference the company is working on more land deals and new partnerships with “first-class hospitality brands”.

Apart from this, Meralco also actively assists DOTr in securing necessary permits and rights-of-way (ROW), clearances, access and authority for properties within the company’s jurisdiction. This will allow Meralco to fully facilitate related relocation projects.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) implemented a pole relocation project to accommodate the ongoing construction of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension project near Imelda Bridge, La Huerta, Parañaque City.

Further cementing its commitment to supporting the government’s initiatives on transportation infrastructure development, Meralco extended assistance and expertise after a series of outages repeatedly disrupted Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s (NAIA) operations.

It can be recalled that Meralco Chairman, President and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) offered to do a complimentary and thorough electrical audit of NAIA through MServ, one of the country’s largest and leading energy service companies wholly owned by Meralco.

Ultimately, the audit is expected to help Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) devise a long-term solution that will not just put an end to the outages that have plagued the country’s main gateway and inconvenienced thousands of travelers but also greatly improve airport operations and passenger experience.

Making communities safer and more resilient

Meralco’s role as one of the largest utilities in the country also includes championing public safety.

The company is mindful of how important it is for the Philippines, as a country situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, to have an effective emergency preparedness and disaster response plan that can be readily activated. This serves as a pre-requisite in safeguarding the lives of communities within and outside its franchise area in the face of natural calamities.

Among Meralco’s recent initiatives to further cement its commitment to public safety is its partnership with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). The two entities signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in 2022 to officially join forces in strengthening emergency response capabilities within the jurisdiction of BFP-NCR.

Aligned with this partnership, Meralco officially launched its Meralco Rescue Fire Sub-station located in its Pasig City Headquarters in March 2023 in time for Fire Prevention Month.

In celebration of Fire Prevention Month, Meralco unveiled its Meralco Rescue Fire Sub-station located inside its Pasig Headquarters.

The new fire station houses the Meralco Rescue Fire Brigade and its specialized equipment such as fire trucks, water tankers, rescue tenders, and rescue boats. It also serves as a direct line of the BFP to Meralco’s System Control so that power can quickly be switched off in areas serviced by the power distributor should these be hit by fire.

Furthermore, when the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) rolled out the “PlanSmart Ready to Rebuild” web application, the company viewed it as another valuable opportunity to further support the government. The web application was developed to overhaul and modernize the country’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) planning processes. Through its social development arm, One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the company has been actively supporting various activities associated with PlanSmart including a series of regional training sessions that are aimed at strengthening the disaster response capabilities of local government units (LGUs). Meralco actively supports the national effort to strengthen the country’s emergency preparedness and disaster response plan through the PlanSmart web application. Over 180 participants from 52 LGUs in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog Region, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao who are all involved in their respective LGU’s disaster rehabilitation and recovery programs have benefited from these capacity-building activities.

Another facet of public safety that Meralco also values is keeping its workplace drug-free. Recognizing that the fight against drugs requires collective effort from all members of the society, Meralco has joined the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in its nationwide campaign against illegal drugs.

The company, together with other members of the private sector, entered a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize its participation in this movement aptly called “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” (BIDA), a six-year advocacy program that aims to eliminate the circulation of illegal drugs in the country.

Meralco has joined the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in its nationwide campaign against illegal drugs. For its part, Meralco committed to continuing its already existing practice of conducting random drug tests among its employees to ensure that its workplace remains safe and drugfree. The company will likewise conduct seminars to educate employees on the harmful effects of illegal drugs.

Paving the way for growth and progress

One of the pillars of Meralco’s multi-faceted sustainability agenda is Prosperity. Aligned with the government’s vision of prosperity, Meralco aims to give remote areas access to electricity so that these communities, too, can grow and prosper.

Through OMF’s electrification programs, Meralco contributes to the national goal of achieving total electrification. The company works hand in hand with LGUs across the country to bring light and hope to far-flung communities to better the quality of education and livelihood of residents.

Running since 2011, OMF’s School Electrification Program, which focuses on energizing schools located in offgrid communities, has so far benefitted 290 schools from 38 provinces across the country. To date, the program has helped a total of 89,235 students and 2,903 teachers.

Through the solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in these schools, teachers are given access to electric service and various learning equipment. This has evidently helped them overcome challenges such as traveling for hours via boat from the school to the mainland just to print learning materials, create and submit reports, charge their personal laptops and other teaching gadgets.

Among its recent beneficiaries are the Lim Elementary School in Caluya, Antique, and the Sibolo Elementary School in Sibolo Island, which is also in Antique. OMF installed a 1-kilowatt peak solar PV system in each school for their lighting requirement and ventilation.

The energization of off-grid public schools is among the initiatives of OMF under its community electrification program, which also covers households, rural health centers, water access, and agricultural and livelihood programs.

The project also allowed 14 teachers and close to 250 students to conveniently use different learning tools such as laptops, television, printers, and other equipment.

Lim Elementary School and Sibolo Elementary School are among the seven schools in Antique to benefit from OMF’s school electrification program since it reached the province in 2015. For the past eight years, the program has so far helped over 1,200 students and 46 teachers in Antique.

Besides providing access to unserved and underserved communities in the Philippines, Meralco also actively helps in the country’s digitalization efforts to drive efficiency across different sectors of the society.

The company partnered with DILG and the Anti-Red Tape Authority in the government’s bid to streamline and automate the processes of securing business permits, licenses, and other authorizations from LGUs.

ARTA launched “Paspas Pilipinas Paspas” project, a public-private partnership in collaboration with the DILG, Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Association of Business Permits and Licensing Officers (NABPLO). Through the program, Meralco provided 500 computer units that will be distributed to 27 LGUs to enable related offices leverage technology to empower economic recovery. The computer units are expected to help LGUs process various permits and promptly release them to different businesses in the country.

As support to the “Paspas Pilipinas Paspas” project, Meralco turned over 500 desktop computers to aid LGUs in streamlining and automating the processing of various permits.

As Meralco remains steadfast in its commitment to support the government’s efforts to propel the country towards national advancement, the company will continue to proactively seek more avenues to back the government’s current and future endeavors. Meralco aligns its vision of the country’s future with that of the government’s—a future where every Filipino is prospering.

“We remain optimistic that private sector efforts that are aligned with the Government’s will significantly help in addressing economic threats and headwinds,” Mr. Pangilinan said.

IDC said a majority-owned subsidiary signed a joint venture agreement with Finca Montero Resources Inc. for the development of the latter’s property in Morong, Bataan. The 23-hectare property will be transformed into a mixed-use project, with project cost of P2.38 billion.

IDC Prime signed a serviced residence management agreement with Scotts Philippines Inc., the Philippine subsidiary of Ascott, the world’s largest international serviced residence operator.

Scotts Philippines manages the Ascott, Citadines and Somerset hotels and serviced residences in the Philippines and will operate Primavera City Phase 4 and Miramonti Phase 2 under the Citadines brand.

To temper the impact of rising interest rates and increasing prices of construction materials, IDC said it plans to enhance its in-house construction capability. It also intends to strengthen its online platform to market its residential offerings to domestic buyers and overseas Filipinos.

Another boutique property developer, Haus Talk Inc. is also keen on pursuing bigger projects. Haus Talk investor relations head Miguel Madlambayan said the company is willing to raise funds from the debt market to pursue bigger projects.

Based on the company’s 2023-2027 plan, Haus Talk eyes P11 billion in total sales and about 15,000 housing units sold. To achieve this target, the company is looking to expand outside its traditional markets, Antipolo and Laguna. Already, the company is preparing to launch a development in Mariveles, Bataan.

Haus Talk said it would continue to focus on economic and middle-cost segment of housing market where units are priced between P1.7 million and P2.5 million each.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

Business Editor

Alena Mae S. Flores

Assistant Business Editor

Darwin G. Amojelar Jenniffer B. Austria

Othel V. Campos Julito G. Rada

Reporters

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Anita F. Grefal

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Paula Reynoso

Head-Supplements

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Sheila Suarez

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Advertising Support Group

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Creative Editor Randy Lumacang

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) implemented a pole relocation project to accommodate the ongoing construction of the LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension project near Imelda Bridge, La Huerta, Parañaque City.

In celebration of Fire Prevention Month, Meralco unveiled its Meralco Rescue Fire Sub-station located inside its Pasig Headquarters.