Manila Standard - 2023 October 5 - Thursday

PRIVACY BODY PROBES PHILHEALTH LIABILITY IN ‘MEDUSA’ BREACH

By Rio Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE National Privacy Commission yesterday said it was looking at the possible

liability of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) after hackers began exposing data of the state health insurer on the dark web after failing to get US$300,000 in ransom payment.

“In this case, we’re investigating whether or not there was possible negligence in the processing of personal information,” NPC Complaints and Investigation Division head Michael San-

Marcos: Poll rating drop ‘not surprising’

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

on Wednesday said the 15 percentage-point drop in his approval rating in the recent Pulse Asia survey was “not surprising” given the gut issues, including high prices of basic commodities, that his administration is trying to address.

“People are having a hard time. The rice issue – that is a burden really. It’s a different story when it comes to rice. It’s different from anything else, from any other agricultural product. I completely understand it,” Mr. Marcos said in an interview on the sidelines of a rice distribution program in Taguig City yesterday.

“You can’t blame the people. They are suffering... That’s perfectly natural. It’s not a surprise – let’s put it that way,” he added.

President Marcos said the survey results were not as important as ensuring that people’s plights are addressed.

“That’s why we’re working very, very hard – not because of the survey, that’s not important to me. What’s important to me is that we make sure that people have enough to eat and that it is affordable to them,” he said.

From a high of 80 percent in June, President Marcos’ approval rating dropped by 15 percentage points to 65 percent in September in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s rating also fell from 84 percent to 73 percent in the same period.

Mr. Marcos’ biggest score loss came

Marcial reaches Asiad final, secures Olympic berth with KO of Syrian foe

By Riera U. Mallari

HANGZHOU, China—Tokyo Olympics

bronze medalist Eumir Marcial is headed back to the sport’s biggest stage next year in Paris, thanks to the power of his right fist that claimed another victim in the 19th Asian Games boxing competitions at the Hangzhou Gymnasium here on Wednesday.

Slowly earning a reputation as a knockout artist in the Asiad, Marcial scored his second straight win via the short route, this time in the semifinals against Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon.

McCarthy axed as US House Speaker

WASHINGTON—Kevin McCarthy was axed Tuesday as speaker of the US House of Representatives in a brutal, historic rebellion by far-right Republicans accusing him of a string of broken promises and furious at his cooperation with Democrats. The maneuver laid bare the chaotic levels of infighting among Republicans heading into the 2024 presidential election, with its likely candidate Donald Trump making history of his own as the only former or sitting president to face criminal indictment.

The first ouster of a speaker in the

tos said in a television interview.

“If that would not amount to negligence, maybe it would amount to possible administrative fines,” Santos said.

On Tuesday, PhilHealth senior vice

president and spokesman Israel Pargas said only the identification cards of some of their employees have been leaked online so far after the Medusa

Rice price caps lifted ‘Agri still needs fixing’

By Charles Dantes, Darwin Amojelar, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and Joel Zurbano

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lifted the temporary price ceiling on rice Wednesday, four weeks after capping the cost of the staple to support poor households.

On Sept. 5, Mr. Marcos set the maximum retail price per kilo of regular milled rice at P41 and for the higherquality well-milled rice at P45.

“As of today, we are lifting the price caps on rice, both for the regular milled rice and for the well-milled rice,” Marcos said at an event in Taguig City, where a thousand sacks of smuggled rice seized in a raid were distributed to poor families.

The President, who also sits as Agriculture chief, said it was the “appropriate time” to remove the cap since the government was “giving away rice.”

CHANGING SIGNS. A rice seller places the new signs for regular and well-milled rice at his stall in Valenzuela City on Wednesday, just after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (inset) lifted the price caps on the staple grain. He announced the move as he distributed rice seized by the Bureau of Customs to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Taguig City. Andrew Rabulan/PCO Photo

“So, we are removing the controls but it doesn’t mean that we will just leave it like that because we still need to fix the agricultural sector. We still need to help the poorest and the hungriest so that they can somehow rise above their situation,” he said.

The price cap on rice was criticized by some economists, who warned it could distort the market and lead to shortages.

Rice is a staple in the country of 110

3 PH fishers die as foreign vessel rams boat in WPS

Filipino fishermen died after their boat was “rammed” by a foreign commercial vessel in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Wednesday. The incident happened before dawn on Monday about 160 kilometers (100 miles) north -

west of Scarborough Shoal, off the main island of Luzon. The fishing vessel was moored to a floating device known as a payao, which is used to catch fish.

“The mother boat submerged, resulting in the death of its three crew members, including its boat captain,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.

Eleven other crew members used smaller fishing boats to retrieve the bodies and took them to Infanta municipality in Pangasinan province.

Filipino Fishing Boat ‘Dearyn’ was moored about 85 nautical miles northwest off Bajo de Masinloc or 180 nautical miles from Agno, Pangasinan when it was

RAMMING CASUALTY. Fishermen of the FFB Dearyn carry the remains of one of three of their comrades who died when a commercial vessel rammed their fishing boat off Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea early Wednesday. PCG Photo

ships still harassing local resupply missions’

By Vince Lopez and Rey Requejo

SEEKS COMELEC AID

‘PH ECONOMY VIBRANT DESPITE SLOWDOWN’

A CHINESE Coast Guard ship maneuvered dangerously close against Philippine vessels on their way to Ayungin

Shoal for this month’s resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said yesterday.

maneuvers once again in today’s resupply mission,” he told jour-

nalists as he shared videos of the incident from the Philippine Coast Guard. BRP Sierra Madre was deliberately grounded on Ayungin Shoal to serve as

‘Chinese

SPEAKER OUSTED. US Republican Representative Matt Gaetz (left) of Florida filed the motion that eventually ousted partymate and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (right). AFP

Filipino

Eumir Marcial

‘House to address Maharlika issues’

By Rio N. Araja

THE House of Representatives will address legal concerns on the Maharlika Investment Fund law, Speaker Martin Romualdez said Wednesday, as he maintained that “due legislative processes” were followed in passing the measure.

This developed after the Supreme Court, in an en banc ruling Tuesday, required Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, the House and the Senate to file within 10 days their comment to the petition questioning the constitutionality of the measure.

“It is crucial to underscore that the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund aims to provide the country with a mecha-

Privacy...

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ransomware attack on their system.

In a separate interview yesterday, Pargas called on affected PhilHealth employees to change their passwords immediately as their data might be used for illegal online activities, including phishing.

“They can be used to do some criminal acts like phishing. They can create account numbers, or your credit card numbers, they can use your private information that’s why we are also advising our people to change their passwords already in order for them to at least be protected,” Pargas said.

Santos said part of the NPC probe is to examine “whether or not there were appropriate technical, organizational, and physical security measures” to protect PhilHealth’s data system.

PhilHealth on Tuesday insisted the attack did not affect data servers that host members’ information.

“PhilHealth’s membership database, claims, contribution, and accreditation information which are stored in a separate database are intact and completely unaffected by the said cyberattack,” the insurer said in a statement.

Amid the data leak, Gabriela partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas is seeking a congressional investigation into the Sept. 22 Medusa ransomware attack.

“Those hackers could use the personal information of the members to commit identity theft. That’s why it is baffling for PhilHealth to downplay concerns at the onset of the cyber-attack,” Brosas said.

She said the impact of the cyberattack might be bigger in magnitude amid PhilHealth’s late disclosure of the data breach.

Brosas requested the NPC to furnish the House of Representatives a copy of its findings.

In the Senate, Senator Grace Poe said any cyberattack is unacceptable, especially against government data systems.

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The 27-year-old Filipino floored his foe with a right hook to score the victory that put him in the 71-80 kg division’s boxing finals and qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now standing in his way in the finals slated at 8:45 p.m. on Thursday is Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke, a hulking hometown favorite, who crushed Turabek Khabibullaev in the other semifinal via a dominant 4-1 win.

“Ok lang ‘yan na China ang kalaban, para din lang sa basketball (It’s OK that we’re facing China in the final, just like in basketball),” said Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines chairman Ricky Vargas, referring to the Gilas semifinal game against China later in the day.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa Panginoon, kasi siya po ang naglagay sa akin dito (I thank the Lord, because He put me here),” a teary-eyed Marcial told Filipino sportswriters.

“Nawalan na ako ng pag-asa noong naghahanda ako sa pro fights ko, wala na ‘yung division ko, baka hindi na para sa akin itong Olympics. Sabi ko, magpo-focus na lang ako sa pro (I had lost hope for this [qualifying for Paris] when I was preparing for my pro fights, my weight division was gone, so I said maybe the Olympics isn’t for me. I told myself I would focus on being a pro),” added Marcial.

The Filipino star fought in a higher weight division here from his bronzeclinching 69-75kg division in the Tokyo Games, scheduled in 2020 but held in 2021 following the COVID pandemic.

nism for financial stability and economic growth. We have followed due legislative processes in crafting and enacting this law, keeping in mind the best interests of the Filipino people,” Romualdez said.

“The House of Representatives, under my leadership as the Speaker, affirms its commitment to the rule of law and will duly submit our comment within the ten-day timeframe,” he added.

The High Court directed Malacanang

and Congress to comment in 10 days on the petition and on the plea for temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the Maharlika Fund, which now has a seed capital of P150 billion.

“We respect the Supreme Court’s directive for the executive and legislative branches of government to provide their response concerning Republic Act 11954 the Maharlika Investment Fund Act of 2023,” Romualdez said.

“It is important for the public to know that our intent was always to ensure transparency, accountability, and financial prudence in the management of public funds. We will thoroughly review the petition’s claims to ensure the Fund’s integrity and our adherence to the Constitution,” he added.

The petition was filed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, former congressman and Bayan Muna chairman Neri Javier Colmenares, and former Bayan Muna congressmen Carlos Isagani Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite.

The petitioners cited three “serious grounds” in seeking the unconstitutionality of the Maharlika Investment Fund Act: it violates Section 26 (2), Article VI, of the 1987 Constitution; it did not comply with the test of economic viability as mandated under Section 16, Article XII of the Constitution; and it violated the independence of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

On Monday, Diokno said the Maharlika Investment Corp. could be operational by the first quarter of 2024.

Signal No. 3 still up over Batanes as ‘Jenny’ exits

TROPICAL Cyclone Wind Signal

(TCWS) No. 3 remains hoisted over Itbayat, Batanes as Typhoon “Jenny” moves westward towards southern Taiwan, the weather bureau said Wednesday.

Jenny was last tracked at 5 p.m. at 155 kilometers north northeast of Itbayat, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, gustiness of up to 190 kph, and moving westward at 15 kph.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Jenny is forecast to move generally westward, and is expected to make landfall over the southern portion of Taiwan Thursday morning, then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the afternoon or evening of the same day.

Meanwhile, TCWS Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over the rest of Batanes

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million people, but the Philippines cannot produce enough and is one of the world’s top importers of the grain.

Two farmer groups lauded the lifting of the rice price cap, which they said was timely given the ongoing harvest season.

“(The President’s) recent decision to lift the price ceilings on rice will provide another boost to farmers. It will stabilize palay prices during the ongoing harvest season and provide incentives for farmers to expand their production and reduce our reliance on imports,” the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) said.

“As fresh harvests enter the market, we also expect retail prices of rice to go down without the need for price caps,” it added.

FFF, however, underscored the need for the government to pursue its campaign against smugglers and price manipulators whose illegal activities depress farmgate prices even as they keep retail prices high for consumers.

Jayson Cainglet, executive director

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from Class E, the country’s poorest sector, where he saw a drop of 29 percentage points.

‘Chinese...

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an outpost in the West Philippine Sea.

Former US Air Force official Ray Powell, in a post on the X social media platform, said Chinese Coast Guard vessel 4301 shadowed PCG’s BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan that were escorting the resupply boats past Sabina Shoal.

Powell said at least 12 Chinese militia ships were deployed at Mischief

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House’s 234-year history was supported by only a handful of right-wing Republican hardliners. However, the House is almost evenly divided and with Democrats joining eight rebel Republicans rather than riding to McCarthy’s rescue, he had no way to survive.

Jemboy case: Court wants 6 cops nabbed

THE Navotas City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has ordered the arrest of six dismissed police officers implicated in the death of 17-year-old Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar in a case of mistaken identity. In an order dated Oct. 3 and made public Wednesday, RTC Branch 286 Judge Pedro Dabu Jr. said the court found probable cause to issue a warrant of arrest against Executive Master Sgt. Roberto Dioso, Cpl. Edmard Blanco, Pat. Benedict Mangada, and Staff Sgts. Gerry Maliban, Antonio Bugayong, Jr., and Nikko Esquillon.

“Considering that the accused stand charged with murder, they are not entitled to bail as a matter of course,” the order added.

Navotas City prosecutors filed the murder complaint against the suspects on Sept. 15.

and the northern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Calayan Is.).

TCWS No. 1 likewise remains hoisted over the rest of Babuyan Islands; the northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Lal-Lo, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Claveria, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Allacapan, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Lasam, and Gattaran); the northern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Pudtol, Luna, Santa Marcela, and Flora); and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Piddig, Bangui, Vintar, Burgos, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Adams, Pasuquin, Carasi, Dumalneg, and Laoag City).

Batanes and Babuyan Islands will experience stormy weather, while mainland Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte will have rains with gusty winds.

A gale warning is also in effect for the coastal waters along the seaboards

of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), added: “The lifting of the price cap has been supported by the agriculture sector [because] there was/ is no rice shortage. The increase in rice prices was because of hoarding, profiteering and smuggling.”

For his part, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the distribution of the P15,000 cash aid to micro and small rice retailers will continue until all the funds allocated for the program are utilized despite the lifting of the price cap.

Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed P217.2 million has been released to 14,480 out of the targeted 19,685 micro and small rice retailers nationwide as of September 29, 2023.

In the National Capital Region, while 2,397 retailers have already received the flat rate payout of P15,000, there are still 5,378 remaining listed beneficiaries who are set for payout as of October 2.

The DTI said the recommendation to lift the mandated price ceilings on rice was based on the market retail price, stable supply of stocks and favorable external factors.

The agency said the average selling

On the other hand, Duterte’s rating received a huge hit from Class ABC, Pulse Asia said.

The survey firm said the drop in the respective scores of the country’s top leaders might be traced to the continued rise in the prices of basic commodities,

Reef while the Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcaraz was positioned to the south for support.

“BRP Cabra (and) Sindangan now moving away from the shoal. Closest approach was -16km. Harassment (and) dangerous maneuvers by PRC ships – (especially) by Quong Sansha Yu 00008, which crossed a few meters of Cabra, and by 00231 which passed within a few meters of Sindangan,” Powell said.

Earlier, the PCG removed a floating

“I ended up being the 55th speaker of the House -- one of the greatest honors. I loved every minute,” a circumspect McCarthy told reporters after the vote, making clear he did not plan to stand again.

“And the one thing I will tell you is doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. I don’t regret standing up for choosing governance over grievance.” The 58-year-old former entrepreneur

of Northern Luzon. Mariners of motor bancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels.

The trough of Typhoon Jenny will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region and the rest of the Ilocos Region.

Meanwhile, the enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” will bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, the northern portion of Palawan, the rest of Central Luzon and the rest of Mimaropa. Rio N. Araja

price are close to the price caps, while average farmgate price is maintained at P14 to P23 per kilogram.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri called on the President to crack the whip on agencies that are supposed to track down rice hoarders.

“Why haven’t we punished price manipulators?” Zurbano said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros added that charges should be filed against those involved in the spike of rice prices.

“The claim that cartels, hoarders, and price manipulators were responsible but thwarted by the price cap remains unproven, even months after the President ordered an investigation,” she said, adding that the padlocking of rice warehouses will just be a “show of dramatic action” unless charges are filed.

The administration has been struggling to rein in consumer prices, with the year-on-year inflation rate hitting 5.3 percent in August, up from 4.7 percent in July.

Mr. Marcos has insisted supply is not a problem and instead blamed hoarders and opportunistic traders for high prices, as well as a ban on rice exports by major producer India and the war in Ukraine.

such as food and fuel. The same survey showed elevated inflation remained the top concern of Filipinos, followed by the need to raise the wages of workers for them to cope with the rising prices of goods and services.

barrier that the Chinese had installed to keep Filipino fishers out of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

It also urged Filipinos to continue fishing in the West Philippine Sea despite the presence of Chinese vessels.

As this developed, the Philippines and South Korea will hold a maritime dialogue next week where both countries are expected to discuss China’s aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea.

South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Sang-Hwa said the sec-

had sparked fury among conservatives when he passed a bipartisan stopgap funding measure at the weekend backed by the White House to avert a government shutdown.

Florida conservative Matt Gaetz, who forced the removal vote, gambled that he could oust McCarthy with just a few Republicans, helped by Democrats loath to bail out a speaker who only recently opened a highly politicized impeachment inquiry into Pres -

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) earlier approved the Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service’s (PNP-IAS) recommendation to dismiss the respondents from the service over the killing of Baltazar.

On Aug. 2, the police officers launched a pursuit operation against a murder suspect when they chanced upon Baltazar, who was then onboard a boat.

They then commanded Baltazar and his companion to surrender. However, the victim jumped into the river, prompting law enforcers to fire resulting in his death.

The police officers later admitted that Baltazar was not the suspect they were looking for but a certain Reynaldo Bolivar.

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rammed by a commercial vessel around 4:20 am, the PCG reported.

The PCG said the commercial vessel involved in the incident was foreign-flagged, but did not specify from which country. TV reports said it came from South Korea on the way to Singapore.

A crude oil tanker vessel called the Pacific Anna and registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands was in the area at the time of the incident, the Coast Guard said, after cross-checking the fishermen’s account of the incident with marine traffic.

The PCG said the vessel would be boarded by authorities at its next port.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the Coast Guard was investigating the cause of the incident and urged the public to “refrain from engaging in speculation”.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez also stood in solidarity with the President in expressing “the nation’s profound sorrow” over the tragedy.

Recognizing the urgent needs of the grieving families, Romualdez urged government agencies to take prompt action.

“To assist the bereaved families… the agencies concerned must reach out to them immediately and extend financial support, counseling services, and legal assistance. We, in the government, are committed to ensuring they are not left to face this tragic loss alone,” he said.

AFP with Charles Dantes, Rey Requejo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Vince Lopez, and Rio N. Araja

ond round of maritime dialogue may center on the issues regarding the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.

“We are expecting to cover a variety of issues ranging from protection of our maritime ecosystem, and safety and security in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea, and you know, the Korea-Philippine military-to-military and defense industry cooperation,” Lee said.

“I felt strongly that we should add our voice to the growing concern about the situation,” Lee added.

ident Joe Biden.

“The reason Kevin McCarthy went down today is because nobody trusts Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said. “Kevin McCarthy has made multiple contradictory promises, and when they all came due, he lost.”

South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace revealed she, too, had soured on McCarthy over promises to put legislation up for a vote that were never honored. AFP

Court seeks probe of ‘legit’ annulment on social media

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate and file criminal cases against those offering annulment services without court hearings and appearance of parties.

The said service has been posted on social media claiming to be “100 percent legit” for the annulment or nullification of marriages.

In a letter on October 4, 2023, addressed to NBI Director Medardo G. De Lemos, the SC through Court Administrator Raul Villanueva made the request which the SC official described as “deception.” Villanueva informed De Lemos that the social media post claimed that in annulment or nullity of marriage, “no appearance and hearing kaya kahit (even) OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) ka pwede ng ifile and petition (petition can be filed) is utterly a deception.” “Worse, to guarantee that, even supposedly without such court appearance, related documents regarding a petition for annulment or nullity of marriage will be received by interested parties, such as the ‘Decree of Declaration of Absolute Nullity,’ ‘Entry of Judgment,’ and ‘Marriage Certificate with Annotation of Null and Void,’ is grossly misleading,” Villanueva said.

Localize mental health services, group asks LGUs

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

MENTAL health ordinances should be enacted by local government units (LGUs) to localize response and prevent suicide cases, Dr. Carolina Uno-Rayco, Philippine Mental Health Association (PMHA) national executive director said.

Uno-Rayco also said local mental health ordinances will also boost diagnosis and treatment of persons with mental health needs, and combat stigma, amid the reported rise in suicide cases among young Filipinos.

The PMHA issued the proposal and cited the recent Department of Education (DepEd) report that 2,147 students in the public school system attempted suicide in the academic year 2021-2022. The report also showed that 404 died due to suicide. Uno-Rayco said more suicide cases surfaced in different parts of the country, especially in rural areas of Sorsogon, Aklan, and Zamboanga.

In the Philippines, mental illness is becoming a common disability and at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental, neurological, and substance use disorders.

Uno-Rayco further noted that mental health ordinances will complement the Philippine Mental Health Law or Republic Act No. 11036.

Passed in 2018, RA 11036 mandates LGUs to pass local versions of the law in their respective localities.

“While the national government musters the necessary resources for the law to take its full effect, local governments must also keep a close eye and a caring hand for their constituents, ready to respond at a moment’s notice, including augmenting funds for localized services,” Uno-Rayco said.

RA 11036 mandates LGUs to pass local versions of the law in their localities, integrate mental health services into basic health services, as well as establish multi-sectoral stakeholder networks to identify, manage, and prevent mental health conditions, among other duties and responsibilities mandated by law.

PBBM calls on new gov’t execs to be role models

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday called on newly appointed government officials and officers to “remain models of excellence and integrity” and be ready for the “challenging but rewarding” responsibility that their respective positions would entail.

Mr. Marcos made the call during the mass oath-taking of new presidential appointees and officials in a ceremony at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan Palace in Manila.

“This is indeed a pivotal moment with you and your loved ones because this is a big break that will change the course of your future. This is also important for the nation and the offices and sectors you represent for with your term comes the promise of new beginnings, new systems, new practices,” the President said in his speech.

FOR STUDENTS.

“You now have more opportunities to create improvements in your respective workplaces. And as appointed leaders, your unwavering commitment and even your mere presence daily are crucial to the sectors that you serve to the performance of your respective mandates.”

Special Envoy to South Korea for Digital Transformation Dennis Anthony Huang Uy was among those who took oath before Marcos.

The President also administered the oath-taking of newly appointed officials

IN BRIEF

GSIS awards land titles to 70 beneficiaries

of the Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Officers of the Malacañang Press Corps, Malacañang Cameramen Association, the Presidential Photojournalists Association, and the Press Photographers of the Philippines were also sworn in by Marcos.

The Chief Executive assured the new officials of his administration’s support and urged them to help the government in transforming the country into a “new Philippines.”

“This administration will spare no effort to provide the support necessary to address the pressing concerns that hinder development in the sectors of our communities under your authority,” he said. Charles Dantes

Tingog party distributes cash assistance in Leyte

By Rio N. Araja

TELEVISION host Karla Estrada represented Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list Representatives

Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre in delivering cash aid to 4,710 constituents from Oct. 1 to Oct. 2 in Leyte.

Estrada is the party-list’s director for community engagements. She distributed various aids through the Department of So-

cial Welfare and Development’s assistance to individuals in crisis situations (AICS), the Department of Labor and Employment’s integrated livelihood program, and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.

The two-day activity distributed cash assistance to 1,000 beneficiaries each from Carigara and Palompon; 2,500 individuals from Tacloban City, and 180 students who were enlisted to the gov-

ernment internship program, while 30 beneficiaries received pedicabs under DOLE’s livelihood program.

Most beneficiaries consisted of barangay healthcare workers, students, and those from the poorest communities in Leyte.

Originating from Leyte, the Tingog party-list continues to fulfill its promise of providing better lives through quality public service not only to Region 8 but to everyone in the country.

Lucas named Calabarzon’s new top cop

By Roy Tomandao

CAMP BGen Vicente P Lim, Calamba City – Brig. General Paul Kenneth Lucas is the new head of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A (Calabarzon) replacing Brig. General Carlito Gaces in an assumption ceremony.

Lucas is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy “Patnubay” Class of 1995 and a native of the Cordillera Region. The turnover was led by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. Tuesday afternoon.

Lucas pledged to continue the mission of the PNP, and ensure a relentless pursuit of peace and order and a strong commitment to community engagement and collaboration in the CALABARZON

region aligned with the regional office “BIDA” or the “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” program.

“Our mission as law enforcement officer is full of challenges but it is through unity and collective action that we can overcome the challenges and make our communities safer,” he said.

Lucas also presented his policies including enhancing public safety and security; professional development; and community engagement.

“I am committed to leading this regional office with these principles at the forefront of our mission. Let us strive for excellence in our professional engagement with the community, ensuring that their voices are heard, and their contributions are valued,” he added.

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) awarded land titles to 70 beneficiaries from various GSIS housing programs, under the “Pabahay sa Bagong Bayaning Manggagawa” (PBBM) initiative.

In May, the GSIS introduced PBBM as a three-tiered strategy in support of the housing flagship program of the Marcos Administration.

These include the Lease with Option to Buy (LWOB), Housing Accounts Restructuring and Condonation Program (HARCP), and regular housing loan program.

During the recent awarding event, among the beneficiaries is Rueben Quejas, 62 years old from Binan, Laguna, a retired Division Chief from the Department of Energy. Quejas has learned about the GSIS Housing program through a broker and his wife convinced him to apply for it.

Lawmaker:

needs more patrol boats

PH

ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said the deaths of three Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc due to the ramming of their boat highlights the need for more Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrols in Philippines waters.

“Today, the PCG said the foreign commercial vessel was identified as the Pacific Anna, a crude oil tanker registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands. Given that commercial vessels have the right of innocent passage, the incident could have been prevented if there were more PCG patrols in Bajo de Masinloc, aside from preventing such accidents they can also be more effective in protecting our waters and our fisherfolk,” she said.

“Besides harassment of Filipino fisherfolk by China’s coast guard and militia have been happening for years and many were documented,” she added

A surviving crew member of the fishing boat Dearyn said their mother boat was rammed on Monday 4:30 a.m. while it was preparing to fish 85 nautical miles northwest of the shoal. Rio N. Araja

Airport authority holds aviation safety gab

THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has initiated a conference aimed at improving safety and standards in aviation training.

More than 120 individuals, including accountable and quality managers, and heads of training from different aviation schools, joined the event dubbed “Approved Training Organizations (ATO) Summit 2023.”

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said the event, held at Casa Ibarra last Monday, was organized by CAAP’s Licensing and Certification Department (LCD) of the Flight Standards Inspectorate Service (FSIS).

He said the summit featured updates from the Training Organizations Certification and Inspection Division (TOCID) and LCD, lectures on Single Pilot Human Factors and Threat and Error Management, Competency-Based Training Assessment, and Corrective Action Plan: Close Loop. Joel E. Zurbano

POLL CHECKPOINT. Members of the Manila Police District (MPD) set up a checkpoint 26 days before the Barangay Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) at the foot of Jones Bridge in Binondo, Manila. Norman Cruz

CASH AID

Senator Imee Marcos, Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, and other officials distribute educational assistance to students of the City of Malabon University held at Malabon Sports Complex. Andrew Rabulan

COMMAND TURNOVER. Police Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas (right) receives a symbolic flag as the new chief Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A (Calabarzon) from Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. (left) in a turnover ceremony in Laguna. Roy Tomandao

Comelec confirms US seeking aid in bribery case vs. ex-chief Bautista

By Vito Barcelo

THE United States government had sought the help of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to secure documents to be used in filing a case against former poll body chief Andy Bautista who is reportedly facing money-laundering and bribery charges relating to contracts for the 2016 elections.

Comelec chairman George Garcia confirmed that the US government “had coordinated and sought the assistance of the Commission on Elections.”

IN BRIEF

Nartatez to cops:

Behave in public

NATIONAL Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has urged his men to exercise caution while in public places, in light of a recent shooting incident in Quezon City involving a police officer.

The suspect, Pat. Edwin Rivera, 26, was arrested by fellow police officers following the slaying of a 29-year-old man during an altercation at a bar in Novaliches, Quezon City.

The incident happened while Rivera was in a drinking spree with friends at the Spot Light Beer and Lounge along Sarmiento Street in Barangay Nova Proper.

Responding policemen disarmed and arrested. The suspect is now under the custody of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion while investigation is underway.

Witnesses testified that the suspect drew his firearm and shot the victim at the height of their altercation.

Nartatez assured that the involved policeman would be held accountable for his crime. He reminded officers to be cautious in public places and to refrain from drinking in bars, nightclubs, and other public establishments.

Joel E. Zurbano

DSWD warehouse dirty, unsafe—COA

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has raised the alarm over the seedy condition of a two-story structure being used by the Department of Social Welfare and Development–National Capital Region as a warehouse for food and non-food relief goods.

In a 238-page consolidated report on the Audit of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Funds released last Sept. 18, COA said the building has a damaged roof, windows, and door; makeshift fence made of galvanized iron sheet; dirty washrooms; but above all, infested by rats and cockroaches. On Aug. 30, a copy of the special report was submitted to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro as chairman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“The DSWD NCR’s storage facility is not well-maintained and in a state of disrepair making it unfit to accommodate relief goods for emergency situations. This likewise poses risks for theft, vandalism, and other security breaches that could compromise the safety of staff and stored goods,” COA stated. Rio N, Araja

Two killed, 2 hurt in Fairview blaze

TWO persons were reported killed and two others hurt in a one-hour fire that broke out in a residential area along Lilac Street in Barangay Fairview, Quezon City early Wednesday morning.

Authorities have yet to identify the identity of the fatalities—a male and a female—and determine the amount of damage to property.

Those injured were William Uy, 47, and Michelle Uy, 48.

The Bureau of Fire Protection said the blaze was raised to the first alarm at 2:20 a.m., and was put under control at 2:51 a.m. Rio N. Araja

Veteran solon stresses not all gov’t agencies entitled to CIFs

“In fact, they asked us for some documents and they even asked us to interview certain people from the Commission,” Garcia said in an interview

over ABS-CBN News Channel. We gave everything that they are asking us because we want to be transparent as much as possible and this is in order for us to seek the truth,” Garcia added.

US authorities have filed the money laundering complaint against Bautista before the US District Court Southern District of Florida.

The Comelec has created a panel to investigate the allegations against Bautista, Garcia disclosed, saying he wants to probe the allegations because other poll body personnel might have

been involved.

“If there is a rigged bidding, if there is that allegation, one person cannot rig a bidding by himself, and therefore there should be other individuals involved,” he said.

“So we would like to find out who are these other individuals are just in case the allegation is true. And number two, are these individuals still with the Comelec and what should be their liability in the event that the case against the former chief of the Commission would prosper in the United States,” he added.

By Rio N. Araja

NOT all government agencies are entitled to confidential and intelligence funds, according to Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman.

“All agencies not entitled to CIFs because of the nature of their functions and the extent of their mandate must be deprived of secret funds in their entirety and a mere reduction must not suffice,” he said.

He reacted to reports that the questionable allocations of CIFs to several agencies would only be reduced.

“There is no rhyme nor reason for an agency not entitled to CIFs to retain any appropriation at all as an accommodation or courtesy allocation,” he said.

“Non-entitlement to CIFs is absolute and deprivation of appropriation must be total,” he stressed.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin earlier said the number of government agencies asking for confidential funds has increased, citing it has ballooned from 16 agencies in 2012 to 28 agencies in 2024.

She reminded agencies that requests for CIFs which appeared to be fashionable among government agencies, must not be abused.

“Many have joined the fad, and that there have been abuses. If we look at the historical data, the jump started in 2017,” the lady lawmaker said. She revealed that she has submitted proposed amendments to the Small Committee convened by the leadership of the House of Representatives. She is the vice chairperson of the committee on appropriations.

She underscored the urgency of reallocating confidential funds within agencies, such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Security and Office of the Solicitor General.

Planned excise tax on junk foods is ‘dead’—Salceda

By Jenni er Austria

THE House of Representatives has junked a government proposal to impose excise tax on salty and junk foods.

Albay Rep. Jose Salceda said in a Wednesday forum at the Philippine Stock Exchange the proposed tax on junk foods is difficult to enforce while the proposed tax on sugar drinks will likely aggravate malnutrition in the country, with little impact on obesity.

“It is gone. It is dead,” Salceda said

when asked about the government’s proposed tax on junk food and sweetened beverages.

Salceda also noted that he has not even received a copy of the proposal. Under the proposal, the government plans to impose P10 per 100 grams or P10 per 100 milliliters tax on pre-packaged foods lacking nutritional value, including confectioneries, snacks, desserts and frozen confectioneries, that exceed the Department of Health’s specified thresholds for fat, salt, and sugar content.

Binay grills DOT chief on rebranding, promo campaign

SENATOR Nancy Binay has questioned the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) allocation for market study and research for their rebranding campaign, as she underscored that these should have been done before the launch of its controversial “Love the Philippines” video.

The DOT had requested P30 million for Strategy, Research and Overall Direction for the Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign, as part of

its P500 million budget proposal for its Branding Campaign Program for 2024. However, Binay noted that the agency also has an unutilized item of the same amount for this year. She expressed amusement at the need for continued P30 million allocation, as she stressed that a market study should have been done before the launch of the campaign.

She inquired from the DOT why they are spending P30 million for a study

The proposed tax measure is expected to generate additional P76 billion in revenues for the government during the first year of imposition and reduce consumption of junk food by 21 percent.

Analysts said the junking of the proposed excise tax on salty snacks is expected to specifically benefit food manufacturing giant Universal Robina Corp. and Monde Nissin Corp., which are producing salty snacks, biscuits and noodles.

Salceda said the luxury goods tax

was also junked due to proposed tourist VAT (value added tax) refund. Congress was pursuing the planned imposition of VAT on goods sold online, while the VAT on digital services has been approved by the Lower House and is now pending in the Senate. At the same time, the House Committee on Ways and Means has also approved the proposed increase in motor vehicle user’s charge while proposed excise tax on pick-up trucks to refund tax exemptions of e-vehicles were also being considered.

DENR serves suspension order to Socorro

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Maria Anto-

nia Yulo- Loyzaga yesterday told the Senate that the suspension order allowing the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) to manage a portion of a protected area (PA) in Sitio Kapihan was served to the alleged cult Tuesday night.

But even before the suspension order was served, some SBSI members fled Sitio Kapihan after the Senate Public Order hearing led by Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Risa Hontiveros on the reported Forced child marriages and other illegal activities perpetrated by SBSI.

Dela Rosa and Hontiveros strongly believed that the SBSI is a cult, citing “blind obedience” of members to their known leader Jey Terence Quilario alias Senior Agila.. Socorro Mayor Riza Timcang confirmed that many members of the SBSI also left Sitio Kapihan. She also said many teachers who quit their

that was supposed to be was already done before the launch.

“I would assume this is the ‘Love the Philippines’, ‘di ba?” she said.

“So, what is the basis for doing a rebranding when you’re still gonna do a strategy research worth P30 million?,”

Binay asked.

“You’re shifting to a new campaign, so talagang, overhaul ‘yan. So how can it be that you started a new campaign already?” Macon Ramos-Araneta

jobs to join the cult in the mountains had already returned to their respective schools. According to the mayor, they have been discussing possible assistance to the returning cult members, including housing subsidies.

It was reported that some members have sold their homes and other assets when they decided to join Quilario.

Meantime, they will be accommodated at the evacuation center, training center, barangay gym and even convents.

Speaking in the Senate hearing on the propose in Sitio Kapihan was handed personally and through registered mail.

She also divulged to the Senate Finance subcommittee presided by Sen. Cynthia Villar that she will meet today with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Social Welfare Secretary Sec. Rex Gatchalian and a representative of Interior and Local Government Secretary Sec. Benhur Abalos to discuss an integrated approach to the situation in Sitio Kapihan being occupied by more than 3,500 members , including some 1,000 minors.

ALL DOGS

TO

A priest blesses dogs of all breeds and sizes at the Minor Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in New Manila, Quezon City. The rite was part of the observance of World Animal Day and the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of all animals. Manny Palmero

ACTING UP FOR TEACHERS’DAY. In preparation for the celebration of World Teachers’ Day, members of the militant Alliance of Concerned Teachers prepare visuals and placards undercoring their demands, notably higher salaries, at the Quezon City protest march today. Danny Palmero

AYUDA PAYOUT IN BIÑ AN. Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva led the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment, hands out Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation cash gifts to exactly 1, 370 beneficiaries in Binan, Laguna.

THAT the numbers would go down does not come as a surprise.

That they would go down by 15 points after a mere 14-and-a-half months of a presidency elected by 31.6 million or 58 percent of the entire electorate, that is the surprise.

At about the same time as Pulse Asia did their field work, a friend did research for a local government official somewhere in Central Luzon.

Though the research measured local politicians, he included approval and trust ratings of the president. He was shocked at the outcome.

I was on the way down from Baguio on Wednesday, September 13, when that friend called to report his findings, which I later shared with some close friends, who were rather skeptical, even as they acknowledged the persistent inflation should make the president worry.

Central Luzon, Calabarzon and NCR historically mirror the perceptions of the rest of the nation.

Duterte in 2016 swept Vis-Min, excepting Western Visayas which voted for favorite son Mar Roxas, but NCR and Southern Luzon went for him, although CL went marginally for Grace Poe. Thus did the Davao City mayor win over political heavyweights.

But in 2022, BBM won in all three big regions where the combined votes comprise 37 percent of all Philippines.

Crackdown on economic sabotage

cline in public approbation comes at a time when the opposition has been virtually silenced, save for a lone Risa Hontiveros in the Senate, and three representatives of the progressive Left in the House.

The yellows, just a decade ago most powerful, have been silent after they were eaten up by the pinks in the last election.

The pinks, including the lord bishops of the numerous Church, have likewise been eerily silent, but for some pipsqueaks (“pitik” in street lingo) by a bishop or two here and there when yellow festivals are commemorated.

Even the president’s rivals in 2022 have been silent or supportive.

Leni is happily traipsing around the world, posting pictures of her sojourns in social media platforms.

Isko is back in the entertainment industry, happily engaged in Iskovery and Eat Bulaga.

Pacman is deep into financial problems with a US court dunning him for multi-millions, and Ping has become a political sniper, giving insightful quips now and then on economic problems brought about by waste and corruption.

Which is why Malacanang should be worried about this rude awakening. Absent a forceful opposition, even if traditionally, our presidents have been given honeymoon status in the first year in office, even two years, absent a huge scandal, could only mean that the dissatisfaction runs deep.

And that is where our president must trace back the antecedents that brought about this awakening this early.

The first is over-promising.

Remember the saying, ‘promise little, perform more’? Or under-promise, overperform?

FLet’s just say we’re getting two for the price of one, and it’s a bargain that’s definitely hard to resist at a time when prices of just about everything are going nowhere but up.

We’re talking about the passage late last month by the House of Representatives of two measures ultimately aimed at lowering the prices of agri-fishery and tobacco products.

House Bill 9283 seeks to improve law enforcement, case buildup, and prosecution of acts of market abuse considered as economic sabotage. These acts include large-scale smuggling, hoarding, profiteering, and cartelizing of agri-fishery and tobacco products.

The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 10845, or the 2016 Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act, by proposing harsh penalties against economic sabotage through agricultural smuggling. HB 9284, on the other hand, increases the certainty of being arrested, prosecuted, tried, and convicted as the best deterrent against the operations of smugglers, hoard-

What is needed after Congress shall have passed the legislation needed … is for the Executive branch and law enforcement agencies to run after the big fish and send all of them to jail

ers, and profiteers. The bill sets the new minimum threshold for hoarding, profiteering, cartels, and other acts of market abuse involving agri-fishery products at P2.5 million.

We agree with Rep. Mark Enverga, chair of the House agriculture and food committee, these measures will definitely improve

According to Speaker Martin Romualdez, the two measures “will help realize the president’s aspirations of affordable produce and food self-sufficiency,” while ensuring the happy days of smugglers, hoarders, and those involved in cartels “are numbered.”

The government’s firm stance against agricultural smuggling is timely and appropriate with the President himself certifying as urgent a Senate bill imposing more severe sanctions for agricultural hoarding and smuggling.

This bill seeks to amend Republic Act 10845 and to protect farmers from unscrupulous traders and importers.

The Chief Executive emphasized the need to facilitate the passage of this important piece of legislation especially now that the country is beset by rising prices and shortages in agricultural products, partly due to the combined effects of smuggling, hoarding, profiteeríng, and cartelization.

What is needed after Congress shall have passed the legislation needed to give more teeth to the campaign against economic sabotage is for the Executive branch and law enforcement agencies to run after the big fish and send all of them to jail.

Chocolates and dollar bills

the Singapore brand. Unfortunately, that is something even our middle level government executives fail to appreciate.

nth time to try to find answers as to why our airport employees continue to commit these embarrassing offenses.

He also carried Mindanao, gifted to him by his vice-president, Inday Sara, or better yet, President Duterte’s Fortress Mindanao.

He likewise won in Central and Eastern Visayas, though the traditional yellow forces gave Western Visayas to Leni Robredo.

The latest Pulse Asia survey was done from September 10 to 14, and the 15-point drop was the average after a huge fall in Class E by 29 percent.

Expectedly, the income classes ABC, meaning the rich and the upper middle classes, saw a 22 point drop.

What saved the president from a steeper plunge was Class D, the middle class and its lower strata, giving him just a 12-point drop, still hefty enough to be truly worrisome.

The second part of Pulse Asia’s survey gave the reason for the steep fall so early in the game. High prices, low wages, unemployment. Politics of the stomach.

Life is hard, never been more difficult.

To be fair, the state of the economy is not all PFRM Jr’s doing.

The huge debt, now P14.7 trillion, and by next year P15.7 or a trillion more, is legacy, brought about by the pandemic wreaking havoc on people’s well-being, and the huge costs attendant to making our people survive through it.

Huge subsidies on top of economic contraction requires sourcing of revenues to support it, and that can only be financed by greater debt.

Food inflation which impacts the poor most severely, is a compounded result of years and years of neglect of the agricultural sector, from corruption-laced irrigation and other projects, to low budgetary support, antiquated technology and post-harvest facilities, and a penchant for food imports to substitute for lowered food production.

If we go through the gamut of all these causes of our food insecurity, we will never end this article in time for submission.

The point is, the state of our agriculture is also legacy from previous administrations put together.

But the political impact of the steep de-

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Will the Swedish Academy make a political statement when it awards the Nobel Literature Prize on Thursday?

If so, it could crown a writer standing up for freedom of expression, experts think.

Among those mentioned as possible laureates are Russian author and outspoken Kremlin critic Lyudmila Ulitskaya, known for her epic novels often focused on personal relationships, and British author Salman Rushdie, who survived a stabbing last year after living in hiding for years due to an Iranian fatwa calling for his death over his 1988 book “The Satanic Verses”.

Or the Academy could, as it has frequently done in the past, shine a spotlight on a lesserknown writer, such as China’s avant-guard fiction writer and literary critic Can Xue.

Honoring Ulitskaya, who lives in self-imposed exile in Germany, would make the point that “literature stands free from politics”, Lisa Irenius, culture editor at Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet, told AFP.

It would be a bold choice to champion Russian culture at a time when Moscow is being lambasted for its war in Ukraine, she said.

A prize to Ulitskaya would send “a very political message”, agreed Bjorn Wiman, culture editor at Sweden’s other main newspaper Dagens Nyheter.

Rushdie’s turn?

Wiman thinks Caribbean-American writer Jamaica Kincaid, whose novels draw on her own

Promising P20 per kilo of rice was unattainable to begin with. It is as foolish a goal as Tallano and his gold.

Fortifying fool’s goal with the illusion of possibility through a puny effort called Kadiwa which has become almost moribund, “naghihingalo” in Tagalog, creates more dissatisfaction because of frustration.

And then coming up with a King Canutelike rice price cap which made the Class E feel more wretched in their poverty as only they and they alone would be forced to eat rejects from the tables of the rich and middle class, along with poor man’s pinakbet or bulanglang of high-priced eggplants, onions, garlic, tomatoes to go with ampalaya makes dissatisfaction more bitter to take.

On the day bad rice was force-selling at double the P20 promise, the president flew off to Singapore for his annual high in the F-1 car races, which even his so-so speech with so-so Milken Institute could only rib off on ordinary folks as insensitivity.

Then too, not even the poor can fail to understand the drift in government policies and statements, the indirection, the seeming lack of management in high places.

From a short-shredded Malacanang staff to motherhood statements accompanying spotty ayuda.

All they get are optics, illusions, chimera of better things to come.

Is it hubris?

Is it the heady narcotic of power?

Even the normally unflappable Inday Sara shared the fall in public approval.

And, if we are to be precise, the monumental flak from unexplained confidential and intelligence funds were not yet captured by the period of the Pulse Asia survey. Would something the masa not normally comprehend now become Achilles heel to the vice-president so early in the games of 2028?

Abangan ang susunod na survey.

As for Malacanang and its advisers, including its army of uninspired and ineffective trolls, remember that imagery cannot for long paper over reality.

family life and experiences with colonialism and race, has a chance this year.

But what he would really love is to see Rushdie win. “It’s time for him to win, and if he does, hats off to the Academy” for standing up for freedom of expression, which Rushdie embodies, Wiman said.

The Academy has long been criticized for the overrepresentation of Western white male authors among its picks.

Since the Academy was torn apart by a 2018 #MeToo scandal, followed by its controversial pick of Austrian author Peter Handke for the 2019 Nobel, the body has tried to shed its old skin.

Last year, it gave the prestigious award to French feminist icon Annie Ernaux.

The year prior it honored British Tanzanianborn writer Abdulrazak Gurnah for his work exploring the torments of exile, colonialism and racism.

“In recent years, there is more awareness that you can’t remain in a eurocentric perspective, there has to be more equality and the prize has to reflect the times,” Stockholm University literature professor Carin Franzen told AFP.

Wiman noted that half of the 18-member Academy, which currently has two seats vacant, has changed since the Nobel went to Handke, whose pro-Serbian positions extended to backing Ser-

WHETHER that OTS airport employee swallowed chocolates or dollar bills is not what is important anymore.

It is the huge embarrassment that she has brought to the country that matters the most.

Add the fact that the victim was apparently a Chinese national is a double whammy to our already fragile international airport reputation which unfortunately will take us a long time to erase.

But how bold could that OTS employee be?

With all the CCTVs in the airport, she still had the temerity to do what she did.

How can we entice foreign tourists to come and love the Philippines if our airport personnel steal their money?

This kind of petty corruption especially in our premier international airport will actually do more damage to the country than stealing a million.

This is because it is our country’s brand and reputation that suffer which should matter to any self-respecting Filipino.

In the final analysis this and other airport incidents like the bullet extortion incident a few years ago all boils down to our standard of management.

It seems all these years, we still have not progressed to international standards.

People who have traveled internationally understand this all too well.

Travelers for instance will almost certainly not experience this kind of incident in an airport like Changi Airport of Singapore because the standard of management there is topnotch. There could be other problems but stealing $300 will not be one of them.

That airport has a well-developed and efficient management system.

The airport staff there are also well trained, motivated, professional and most of all, well compensated. They also understand very well what is at stake – That committing petty crimes in the airport like the one that happened at the NAIA will greatly damage

This is the reason why we often read incidence of corruption being committed by government officials involving foreigners.

To some public officials, they even target foreigners because as they say, they are the ones who have the money until they realize the consequences of what they have committed like perhaps what happened to that OTS airport employee.

Remember those officials involved in the so-called pastillas operation?

But all these are already known by one and all in the transportation industry.

What remains to be done is for all the solutions to be implemented.

But considering that we have a culture of reacting from incident to the next, it is doubtful if we can expect any meaningful changes anytime soon.

We will just have to be satisfied with all the discussions that have taken place and wait for the next incident.

No responsible official seems to want to grab the bull by the tail and try to come up with the needed long term solutions so this problem can be solved once and for all.

In fact, a little over a week after the swallowing incident, everything is beginning to return to “normal” at the airport as if nothing happened which is a shame.

How long before the next incident?

We will just have to wait and see.

But with the Christmas season already upon us and with the hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipinos coming home for the holidays, we probably are not going to wait very long.

What happened in this case, however, may have a bit of a silver lining because the last two cases may finally make our transportation leaders realize that modern buildings alone do not make a first class airport.

There are other factors that contribute to this.

First and foremost are the people who run the facility.

If we continue to employ the kind of people that we currently have in our airports today, we might as well forget investing so much money into a new airport because it will only be a continuation of the same.

Since the NAIA is the premier getaway of our country, we should have the finest people there that we can recruit to give our international visitors the best first impression of the country instead of the worst. We must also give them the best training, a work ethic that is second to none, an efficient management system and most importantly, just compensation.

Only then can we have an international airport that we Filipinos can be proud of.

After the two airport incidents, a lot of the problems plaguing the Ninoy Aquino International Airport started to come out for the

Iranian-born poetess Jila Mossaed, who joined in 2018, is one such example.

She regularly voices her opposition to the Iranian regime, and has openly hailed the literary qualities of Syrian poet Adonis, rumored as a possible Nobel laureate for more than a decade.

“But it’s still very difficult to guess” who the Academy is considering for the Nobel, stressed Lina Kalmteg, literary critic for Swedish public radio SR.

The list of nominations and the jury’s deliberations are sealed for 50 years.

This is because the practice of Christmas caroling in whispers by airport employees might just result in another embarrassing incident or incidents.

To be fair to the people running the NAIA airport, catering to tens of millions of passengers at the three NAIA terminals is a complicated operation and it is unavoidable not to have management problems. True enough, but these problems should not involve stealing or extortion cases.

The truth of the matter is that there are money making groups operating at the NAIA that needs to be dismantled permanently.

This is the reason why government agencies working at NAIA try to rotate their personnel there as often as possible without sacrificing the efficiency of the agency to prevent the formation of such money making operations.

As we can see, it is obviously not enough.

It is, therefore, left to the DOTr which is the government agency that manages all our airports to once and for all find a permanent solution to this recurring problem.

Let’s hope that it is equal to the job.

bia’s former president Slobodan Milosevic, who was on trial for genocide when he died in 2006.

The Academy “has changed,” Wiman said.

‘Unthinkable’

Several members of the Academy -- made up of authors, historians, philosophers and linguists -- have been actively involved in political and social debates, organizing seminars on freedom of expression and equality, and publishing op-ed pieces in Swedish newspapers.

That contrasts sharply with the previous, more closed Academy. “That was unthinkable five years ago,” Wiman said.

Other “usual suspects” frequently mentioned in the speculation are Romanian author Mircea Cartarescu, Hungary’s Peter Nadas and Laszlo Krasznahorkai, Albania’s Ismail Kadare, Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Canada’s Margaret Atwood.

But the annual guessing game ahead of the big announcement appears to be losing steam.

To honor its promise of more diversity, the Academy now consults external experts to better understand the scope of works coming from further afield.

“Given the Academy’s vow to look at other geographic regions, I fear that we will end up not having the necessary knowledge to guess the winner, even if you have a PhD in literature,” said Victor Malm, culture editor at tabloid Expressen.

He is nonetheless putting his money on Norwegians Jon Fosse or Dag Solstad. AFP

Harrison Kelly

Malacanang THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023 B1 OPINION

and its advisers, including its army of uninspired and ineffective trolls, remember that imagery cannot for long paper over reality

How can we entice foreign tourists to come and love the Philippines if our airport personnel steal their money?

Nobel Literature Prize may laud freedom of expression, say experts

the chances of convicting smugglers.

forced to file a complaint before the Office of the Barangay Captain of Barangay North Fairview, Quezon City, Metro Manila, against Betty Tiopes, Garet Tiopes, Beth Garrido and Basilio Lacaba, were included as party respondents because they were actual occupants of a shanty built inside the Subject Property. Betty Tiopes and Garry Tiopes, mother and son respectively, were included as party respondents in said complaint because they were alleged to be owners and the ones who allowed Beth Garrido and Basilio Lacaba to stay inside the Subject Property, while Roger Manatad was included because he was the one who facilitated the other respondents in said complaint to enter into Plaintiffs’ Subject Property premises.

11. In the hearing called by the Tanggapan ng Lupong Tagapamayapa of said Barangay North Fairview, only respondents Beth Garrido and Basilio attended while the other respondents Betty Tiopes, Garet Tiopes and Roger Manatad repeatedly failed to attend.

12. On January 20, 2007 in one of the hearings conducted before said Tanggapan ng Lupong Tagapamayapa, respondents Basilio Lacaba and Beth Garrido confessed, admitted and pointed in writing that it was

NY judge scolds Trump in fraud trial N

EW YORK – The New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial slapped a limited gag order on the former president after he insulted a court clerk in a social media post on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

“Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable,” Judge Arthur Engoron said as Trump sat at the defense table during the second day of his high-profile trial in a Manhattan courtroom.

“Consider this statement a gag order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any of my staff,” Engoron said.

The judge did not refer to Trump by name but he referenced a “disparaging post on social media” made by a defendant in the case, in which Trump and his two eldest sons are accused of inflating the value of the real estate assets of the Trump Organization.

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump had posted on his Truth Social platform a picture of one of the judge’s clerks, and referred to her as the “girlfriend” of Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

“This case should be dismissed immediately,” Trump said.

The post was later deleted.

settled a Torrens title is evidence of indefeasible title to property in favor of the person in whose name the title appears. It is conclusive evidence with respect to the ownership of the sand described therein. It is also settled that the titleholder is entitled to all the attributes of ownership of the property, including possession. X x x.”

27. Plaintiffs now desire again to recover possession of the Subject Property. SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION

28. Plaintiffs replead the foregoing premises and further state:

28.1 Plaintiffs were deprived of all the beneficial use of their piece of land from the moment the Defendants surreptitiously and illegally entered therein since March, 2003 up to the present.

28.2. Defendants’ possession and occupation which is definitely illegal should be assessed with reasonable compensation in the amount of One Thousand (P1,000) per month with legal interest. Otherwise, Defendants would be made to have unjustly enriched themselves and will continue to be so at the Plaintiffs expense and damages, in violation of the time-honored principle on human relations under Article 19 and Article 22 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.

Xxx

28.3. As early as 1961, in the case of De Los Reyes vs. Pastorfide, G.R. No. L-114516, June 30, 1961, the Supreme Court held that when an owner has been deprived of the use of his property, he is entitled to payment of reasonable rent, thus it held:

Xxx THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION

29. Plaintiffs repleads the foregoing premises and further state:

29.1. Defendants refusal to vacate after they had illegally entered into Subject Property forced the Plaintiffs to file two (2) complaints:

29.1.1. first, Civil Case No. 08-62619 where they spent the

The 77-year-old Trump is not required to be in court for the civil fraud trial but he chose to attend for a second day on Tuesday, seizing again on the media exposure to amplify claims he is the victim of a political witch hunt. He lashed out again at New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case against him, calling her “very corrupt” and “grossly incompetent.”

Trump has also personally attacked the judge on numerous occasions, calling him a “rogue, out of control, Trumphating judge,” but Engoron, in his verbal gag order, only ordered a halt to attacks on his court staff.

The former president told reporters while leaving court on Tuesday that he would return again on Wednesday and would testify “at the appropriate time.”

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is facing legal battles on multiple fronts. The civil fraud case could result in him being barred from doing business in New York. AFP

GAG ORDER Former US president Donald Trump speaks as he leaves at the end of the second day of the civil fraud trial against him on Wednesday (Manila time) in New York. Trump attended his civil fraud trial in New York for a second day on Tuesday, seizing again on the media exposure to amplify claims he is the victim of a political witch hunt. AFP

Ukraine, allies reassured of continued US support

WASHINGTON, DC – President Joe Biden called key allies Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) to reassure them of continued US support for Ukraine, even as renewed political chaos in Washington placed fresh military aid in deeper jeopardy.

Biden spoke with Western leaders to calm nerves after new assistance for Ukraine was dropped from a deal in the US Congress to avoid a government shutdown on Saturday, amid opposition from hardline Republicans.

But Democrat Biden’s hopes of quickly pushing through a new bill for Ukraine were plunged into disarray shortly after Tuesday’s call, when the same hardliners axed Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a rebellion.

With the turmoil threatening to hold up any legislative work, Biden urged the quick election of a new

speaker to confront the “urgent challenges facing our nation,” the White House said.

The US president had earlier called the leaders of key allies Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, the heads of the EU and NATO, and the foreign minister of France.

“President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Ukraine for as long as it takes as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, with fellow leaders echoing their commitments,” said the White House. Yet the White House itself made the urgency of the situation clear.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned that if fresh aid is not approved, existing funds to help Ukraine fight Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion will only last “a couple of months.” AFP

Thai PM vows action on guns after deadly mall shooting

BANKOK – Thailand’s prime minister on Wednesday vowed “preventive measures” after a shooting at a Bangkok shopping mall left two people dead and raised fresh questions about the kingdom’s gun control.

Shoppers returned in dribs and drabs as the Siam Paragon mall reopened less than 24 hours after the shooting -- Thailand’s third highprofile deadly gun attack in four years.

The shooting at one of Bangkok’s biggest, most upmarket malls will come as a fresh blow to the kingdom’s efforts to rebuild its vital tourism industry after the pandemic.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin joined a minute’s silence at the mall before offering the government’s condolences to the families of the two female victims -- one Chinese and one from Myanmar.

“I am confident Siam Paragon and government officials did their best to minimise the casualties and damage,” he said.

“Let this be the only time this happens. My government insists we will give priority to preventive measures,” he added, without giving details.

Police arrested a 14-year-old suspect, a student at a $4,000-a-term private school just metres from Siam Paragon.

BUS TRAGEDY. Firefighters work on the site of a bus accident on Tuesday in Mestre, near Venice. At least 21 people were killed when a bus plunged off a bridge in the northern Italian city of Venice. Firefighters said the bus caught fire after falling off a bridge linking the Mestre and Marghera districts. AFP

VENICE, Italy – At least 21 people, including two children and foreign tourists, were killed Tuesday and several others wounded when a bus running on methane plunged off a bridge in Venice and caught fire.

“A tragedy has struck our community this evening,” mayor Luigi Brugnaro wrote on Facebook, describing the site of the crash as “an apocalyptic scene”.

“The provisional toll is at least 21 fatalities and over 20 people hospitalized,” said Luca Zaia, the governor of the Venice region, deploring a “tragedy of enormous proportions.” “Efforts are on to extract and iden-

tify the bodies,” he said. “The victims and the wounded include people of several nationalities, not just Italians.”

A city hall official said the dead included Ukrainian tourists while Italian news agency ANSA said the fatalities included German and French citizens.

Three Ukrainians, a Croatian, German and French national were among the injured, a city official told AFP.

The bus was returning from Venice’s historic centre to a camping site when the accident occurred around 7:30 pm (1730 GMT).

Firefighters said the bus caught fire after careering off a bridge straddling a railway line and linking the Mestre

Investigators say the boy was being treated for mental illness, has not been taking his medication and reported hearing voices telling him to shoot people. AFP

and Marghera districts of the northern Italian city.

An AFP photographer saw fire crews busy working at the charred remains of the vehicle that was overturned on its roof.

Firefighters were waiting for the vehicle’s battery to cool before moving it to search for additional victims.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her “profound condolences”.

“I am in contact with mayor Luigi Brugnaro and (Transport) Minister Matteo Salvini in order to follow the news of this tragedy,” she said in a statement. AFP

tourists killed after bus falls from Venice bridge

IN BRIEF

Emirates expanding cargo, freight capacity

EMIRATES SkyCargo said Wednesday it plans to double its capacity and expand its freighter network to fuel economic activity in many parts of the world, including the Philippines.

“The Philippines is undergoing a period of steady economic growth, leveraging its geographical advantage as a gateway between the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas, especially in the wake of the e-commerce boom. With our vast network of over 140 destinations, Emirates SkyCargo is well-placed to support the Philippines with exports, transporting goods to all corners of the world,” Emirates SkyCargo manager in the Philippines Amer Alzarooni said.

“With every new and unique destination added to our network, we improve trade flows and generate new, reciprocal business opportunities that help strengthen global economies,” he said.

Alzarooni said there are several opportunities for Emirates SkyCargo and other logistics providers to sustain growth in the Philippines based on the moderate and steady growth of air cargo throughput and merchandise exports. Darwin G. Amojelar

ERC studies removing price ceiling in RE auction

THE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) plans to remove the price ceiling for the upcoming auction of geothermal, runof-river hydro and pumped storage hydro projects this year.

The ERC is preparing the reserve price for the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP) 3 in November. GEA reserve prices serve as the price offer ceiling.

“We’re still discussing with DOE because it’s a different technology. The cost are frontended. We’re studying if it’s possible not to put a reserve price, a GEAR, and we’ll just evaluate after the bids are submitted,” ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said.

Dimalanta said ERC should make a decision within the month because the DOE wanted to start the auction process by November.

“If we do not set the reserve price... we’ll have to evaluate on a per offer basis. We’re still weighing it out and we’ve been conducting FGDs [focus group discussions] with investors also,” Dimalanta said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Stocks fall ahead of in ation report

PHILIPPINE stocks fell Wednesday ahead of the release of the September inflation rate. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index lost 7.79 points, or 0.12 percent, to close at 6,298.20, while the broader all-shares index declined 7.06 points, or 0.21 percent, to settle at 3,398.56.

Philstocks Financial Inc. research analyst Claire Alviar said many investors stayed on the sidelines while waiting for the data on inflation which would be a key factor for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ decision on interest rate.

“Moreover, the negative sentiment from Wall Street given the rise of US treasury yields and revision of IMF [International Monetary Fund] of its Philippine growth forecast to 5.3 percent weighed on the sentiment,” Alviar said. Asian markets also fell Wednesday as robust US employment data and rising Treasury yields stoked fears that interest rates would be kept higher longer.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE announces reforms to bolster stock market

By Jenni er B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) said Wednesday it is amending its board lot rules to allow retail investors to purchase stocks for as low as P100.

PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said in a forum the move would accommodate the expected influx of retail investors from leading mobile wallet GCash.

Monzon said the PSE and GCash would launch on Oct. 19 GStocks—an in-app stock trading platform that would enable GCash clients to invest in the stock market.

“With the board lot amendment, people can invest as low as P100 to buy stocks,” Monzon said.

The board lot determines the minimum number of shares an investor can buy or sell at a specific price range.

Once implemented by the first quarter of 2024, Monzon said this would boost domestic retail participation in the stock market.

The PSE said it would also officially launch on Oct. 23 its short-selling and securities borrowing and lending (SBL) program.

Monzon said the exchange was preparing to launch these two new programs after the securing regulatory approvals.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the use of offshore

collateral for SBL transactions in May 2023, while the Bureau of Internal Revenue confirmed it would accept the filing and registration of the Global Master Securities Lending Agreement starting September.

“We are grateful to the SEC and BIR for their approvals on important regulatory aspects of SBL and short selling. This development brings us a step closer to the full adoption and implementation of these much-awaited programs,” said Monzon.

Short selling is the practice of betting on the decline of a stock’s price in order to make a profit. For instance, an investor sells a security that he does not own, consummated by the delivery of a borrowed security, with a commitment to return the borrowed security or its equivalent on a determined or determinable future date. Eligible securities in its

Burning trash and incinerators

advanced WTE technology have invested billions of dollars on facilities that turn waste into electricity with very minimal impact on the environment. Can investors in the Philippines afford the big investment?

BOC collection topped 9-month revenue target

By Julito G. Rada

BUREAU of Customs said

Wednesday it collected P79.225 billion in duties and taxes in September 2023, surpassing its goal of P76.445 billion for the month by P2.780 billion or 3.64 percent.

The BOC said it also topped its revenue target for January to September 2023, netting P660.716 billion, which was above its goal of P644.185 billion by 2.57 percent or P16.531 billion.

It said effective customs operations, increased trade activity and rigorous revenue collection efforts were put in place under the leadership of Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.

This paved the way for the BOC’s consistent remarkable collection performance.

short selling guidelines would include members of the PSE MidCap and PSE Dividend Yield indices. Initially, only securities comprising the PSE index and exchange traded funds (ETFs) were considered eligible securities for short selling. The SEC already approved guidelines to facilitate the conduct of short selling in the local market in 2018, but it is only now that the PSE secured all regulatory approvals to finally implement the program.

The BOC recently teamed up with the Department of Trade and industry (DTI), Strategic Trade Management Offi ce (STMO) and ARISE Plus Philippines to promote facilitation of customs procedures and improve trade competitiveness.

The bureau said it also conducted 730 anti-smuggling operations which resulted in the confiscation of P35.963 billion worth of smuggled goods in another significant move towards upholding the rule of law.

This showed the BOC’s commitment to intensify border protection and thwart illicit activities, it said.

GENERATING electricity from wastes seems to be a win-win solution. You produce electricity from non-fossil sources—as opposed to crude oil and coal—and reduce carbon emissions at the same time to help protect the environment.

But the waste-to-energy option is far from ideal. It involves waste incineration that contributes to air pollution. Toxic fumes from incinerators, as we know, are bad for the health, especially in areas with a large concentration of population.

Incinerator companies nowadays are marketing waste-to-energy as a source of renewable energy. Unlike wind, solar or wave energy, however, waste is produced from finite natural processes, like fossil fuels and forest trees that are mowed down irresponsibly. Environment warriors should pause and think about the merits and demerits of advocating the waste-toenergy choice.

The Senate is now deliberating on a bill to institutionalize the production of energy from waste. The objectives of the bill are commendable, although careful studies should be made to really ascertain that the Philippines can, indeed, manage waste efficiently and secure energy supply.

It is basic that one has to burn garbage to produce heat and electricity and that the main equipment to do this is through an incinerator.

Highly-developed nations with

They sure can with higher power rates to justify the investment. Or they may seek subsidies to support incineration.

Waste management, meanwhile, will surely undergo a horde of regulations, with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, local government units and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources jostling with each other to stamp their authority.

An investor will think twice before joining the the WTE foray. The Department of Energy (DOE) is another layer of bureaucracy that one has to navigate. One wonders how will the DOE coordinate its act with other agencies,whose main tasks revolve around collecting, segregating, storing and preparing the tens of millions of tons of garbage that more than 100 million Filipinos discard everyday.

Costing is a major factor to make the WTE viable. To make for an efficient conversion of waste to energy, wastes should be first managed properly. This requires a materials recovery facilities (MRF) that will store the garbage before it is fed into machines to generate electricity.

Like state-of-the-art incinerators that don’t harm the environment, MRFs are not cheap to build. Investors, even those with deep pockets, would surely hesitate to spend on MRFs and incinerators separately unless they simply wanted to waste their money.

The partnership between MRF and

WTE investors could make it work but the bureaucratic maze will surely discourage even the most dogged businessman.

Waste management is a costly undertaking, too. The costs range from $50 to $100 per ton based on studies from Japan, Singapore and the United States. In Thailand, the closest comparison with the Philippines, the cost of waste management is $30 per ton. Such amounts are certainly unacceptable, especially if an LGU is cash-strapped. One way to synchronize garbage collection in the WTE is to centralize MRFs in regional or provincial levels. Once this is done, the private sector can be enticed to invest in WTE facilities knowing there are modern MRFs at hand to supply the waste that the WTE would need.

The WTE bill will also have to go through the House of Representatives. Intelligent deliberations on the bill should be conducted to determine what is best for economic development and the Philippines’s renewable energy drive.

For the guide of our lawmakers, burning waste is hazardous to one’s health and the environment. The most advanced technologies so far cannot avoid the release of huge amounts of pollutants that contaminate air, soil and water, and end up entering the food chain. The recent smog that enveloped the metropolis is a reminder of how bad air pollution in the Philippines is. The WTE in its current form is not a win-win solution after all. We are better off if we invest in environmentally-friendly and energy saving practices, like recycling and composting, than subsidizing the WTE.

will just harm the environment

EMPOWERING SCHOOLS. One Meralco Foundation teams up anew with Lenovo Philippines Inc. for its school electri cation program. Attending the signing of the agreement are (from left) Meralco chief revenue o cer and OMF trustee Ferdinand Geluz, Meralco rst vice president Rocky Bacani, Meralco chief corporate social responsibility o cer and OMF president Je rey Tarayao, Lenovo Philippines president and general manager Michael Ngan, Meralco executive vice president and chief operating o cer Ronnie Aperocho, Meralco VP and corporate communications head Joe Zaldarriaga, Lenovo Philippines marketing manager Anna Maria Abola, One Lenovo client manager Janine Laygo-Librea; Lenovo Philippines enterprise segment lead Raymond Remoquillo and Lenovo Philippines small medium business segment lead Clark Popple.

PH economy vibrant despite global slowdown, says Romualdez

By Rio N. Araja

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Wednesday expressed confidence the Philippine economy would remain vibrant despite the expected global slowdown.

Romualdez, in his message during the Forum on Legislative Reforms in the Philippine Capital Market at the Philippine Stock Exchange in Taguig City, underscored the initiatives under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to boost “our country’s advantage as a lucrative hub for foreign investments.”

“While factors, such as the global economic slowdown and external environments, have posed challenges, the resilience and adaptability of our economy persist. For context, our growth this year is anticipated to surpass that of nations like Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia,” he said.

He said while the World Bank trimmed the GDP growth forecast to 5.6 percent this year on persistent inflation and global headwinds, the figure remains commendable. “The World Bank has recently projected the Philippines to be the fastestgrowing economy in Southeast Asia this year,” he said.

Romualdez said the World Bank forecasts an average GDP growth of 5.7 percent in the coming years, buttressed by domestic demand and declining inflation. “This speaks volumes about the latent potential within our economy and capital markets as we endeavor to achieve our ambitious target growth rate of 6 percent to 7 percent,” he said.

Legislative milestones, such as the amended Public Service Act, which fosters full foreign ownership in crucial public services like telecommunications and airlines, “underscore our country’s commitment to creating conducive environment for investment,” he said.

“Implementing comprehensive finan-

cial and taxation reform is crucial. It will attract investments, spur employment, and ensure consistent government revenue streams. Our vision is to cultivate an economy that is inclusive, innovative, and highly competitive,” he said.

Romualdez invited members of the capital market community to consider the promising prospects of the Maharlika Investment Fund. “I encourage our revered guests and esteemed partners to explore this investment opportunity, a venture that signifies shared growth and mutual advancement, propelling our nation towards an era of unparalleled economic renaissance,” he said.

An international organization also expects the Philippines to post the highest growth among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year and next.

The ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) revised its 2023 growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.9 percent from its July estimate of 6.2 percent, but the country would still be fastest-growing economy in the region based on the October quarterly update of the 2023 ASEAN+3 Regional Economic Outlook (AREO).

The 2023 growth estimate for the Philippines is faster than 5.3 percent forecast for Cambodia, 5.0 percent for Indonesia, 4.8 percent for Lao PDR, 4.7 percent for Vietnam, 4.2 percent for Malaysia, 3.5 percent for Thailand, 2.2 percent for Myanmar, 1.1 percent for Brunei and 1.0 percent for Singapore.

AMRO retained its Philippine growth outlook of 6.5 percent for 2024, which is also the highest estimate for any ASEAN country.

By Julito G. Rada

BUDGET Secretary Amenah Pangan-

daman said Wednesday the government’s fiscal consolidation program is on track as noted by the International Monetary Fund Tuesday.

“The economic team welcomes the positive outlook of the IMF which stated that ‘fiscal consolidation is on track, as envisaged under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework [MTFF],” she said.

“We are on track precisely because we have an MTFF, which was an initiative of Secretary Ben [Diokno] at the start of the PBBM administration and later historically adopted by the Senate and House of Representatives, so that we would have a roadmap or agenda for prosperity,” she said.

“We are seeing these good results because we have a guide and targets for our economic progress,” she said.

She said the government’s fiscal consolidation strategy, which supports the administration’s socioeconomic development agenda, would be underpinned by increasing revenue effort through tax policy and tax administration reforms and declining

deficit trajectory over the medium term.

“For our part at the DBM, we will sustain government disbursements at above 20 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] on average as we continue to prioritize expenditures in support of the 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan 2023 to 2028,” she said.

An IMF team commended the country’s economic performance in its report following the conclusion of the IMF Staff 2023 Article IV Mission to the Philippines on Oct. 3, 2023.

The end-of-mission report confirmed that “the Philippine economy has emerged from the pandemic strongly.”

It commended the on-point strategies of the Philippine Economic Team led by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

“Fiscal consolidation as envisaged under the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework is on track, reflecting a strong revenue performance and lower current spending, and its pace is appropriate to bring the national government debt-toGDP ratio to less than 60 percent over the medium term,” the IMF said.

By Jenni er B. Austria

CONGLOMERATE SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) said Wednesday it expects its portfolio investments to contribute more than 10 percent to overall earnings over the medium term.

SMIC consultant for investor relations and sustainability Timothy Daniels said in a recent forum the company was betting on potential big contribution from its logistics and geothermal ventures. Prior to the pandemic, SMIC built a portfolio of investments to complement its core malls, banking and retail businesses. SMIC also has investments in bakery chain Goldilocks and office development under Neo Group, aside from geothermal and logistics business.

Daniels said the group’s portfolio business delivered doubledigit contribution collectively and the goal was to continue building on its growth momentum.

“We think we can get this to the midteens in percentage contribution over the medium term,” Daniels said. Daniels said the conglomerate’s investment in Philippine Geothermal Production Company (PGPC) and in logistics with 2GO and Airspeed, were performing well.

BANK loans grew 7.2 percent year-onyear in August 2023, slower than the 7.7-percent increase in July as higher interest rates tempered the demand for credit, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas show.

Preliminary data released Wednesday showed that outstanding loans of universal and commercial banks (U/ KBs), net of reverse repurchase (RRP) placements with the BSP, rose 0.6 percent on a month-on-month seasonallyadjusted basis.

Outstanding loans to residents, net of RRPs, also grew by 7.2 percent in August, compared to 7.7 percent in July.

The growth in outstanding loans for production activities eased to 5.5 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July.

The BSP, however, noted the sustained expansion in lending to key industries such as real estate (up 5.7 percent); electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning supply (9.0 percent); wholesale and retail trade, and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (7.1 percent); information and communication (10.7 percent); and financial and insurance activities (6.1 percent).

Meanwhile, the expansion of consumer loans to residents was broadly steady at 22.7 percent in August from 22.6 percent in July, due mainly to the growth in credit card and motor vehicle loans.

Outstanding loans to non-residents went up by 7.8 percent in August from 6.2 percent in the previous month.

The BSP kept the policy rate at 6.25 percent in the last four meetings to contain the elevated inflation rate.

Meanwhile, domestic liquidity or M3 grew by 6.8 percent year-on-year to about P16.5 trillion in August, faster than 5.7 percent in July.

The BSP said that on a month-onmonth seasonally-adjusted basis, M3 increased by about 1.6 percent. Julito G. Rada

STARTUPS in the Philippines won more than $2.1 billion in annual funding deals in 2021 and 2022 and expect to sustain the growth this year, according to the Philippine Venture Capital Report 2023.

New funding deals are expected to be clinched at the Geeks On A Beach (GOAB) international conference on Nov. 22 to 24 at Panglao Island in Bohol, which gathers startup founders, entrepreneurs, software engineers, technologists, venture capitalists, corporates, government and other stakeholders.

“In 2010, Filipino startups raised $40 million in funding. This has gone up 27 times to $1.03 billion in 2021 and $1.1 billion in 2022. This is a vote of confidence for Filipino startups that ought to be celebrated and continued,” said GOAB founding organizer Tina Amper of GeeksPH.

Amper said Filipinos’ share in funding available or won across the region grew in the past three years, as she expressed elation over the rosy report by Foxmont

Capital Partners.

“Comparing the aggregate deals closed by country, the Philippines has increased its stake relative to neighboring Southeast Asian countries over the last three years. The Philippines more than doubled from 2 percent in 2020 to 5 percent 2021, and further grew to 9 percent in 2022. This once again shows that Philippine deal growth is reaching admirable levels compared to its neighbors,” said the Foxmont study.

Deals refer to venture capital transactions where startup companies raise capital from external sources, which include financing received from venture capital funds, angel investors, angel groups, accelerators, incubators, corporate venture firms, corporate startup investors, joint ventures, private equity funds, mergers and acquisitions, grants and crowdfunding.

Amper said startup successes mean more entrepreneurs, more employment, more contributions to the economy and more benefits for the Filipino public.

2GO Group Inc. posted a strong turnaround with net income reaching P312 million in 2022 on the back of P19.3 billion in revenues.

Revenues rose 25 percent as the company benefitted from the economic reopening and lifting of movement restrictions.

The conglomerate said the increasing geothermal energy production through PGPC fits with its sustainability agenda. It said that with PGPC, it would be able to provide steam to power plants that would go to the communities that need them.

“We are picking the businesses that add to the ecosystem of SM Investments. It’s about creating value and growth,” Daniels said.

Gov’t welcomes IMF’s assessment, says fiscal reforms remain on track SM Group sees higher contribution of new investments

Lending growth slowed to 7.2% in August—BSP

PH startups expect to sustain growth after securing $2.1-b funds in 2021, 2022

LAND TITLES. The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) led by president and general manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso (ninth from left) awards land titles to 70 bene ciaries from various GSIS housing programs, under the Pabahay sa Bagong Bayaning Manggagawa (PBBM) initiative. In May, the GSIS introduced the PBBM ng Pilipinas—a three-tiered strategy in support of the Pambansang Pabahay agship program of the Marcos administration. These include the lease with option to buy, housing accounts restructuring and condonation program and regular housing loan program.

CYBERSECURITY. Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss speaks at the Cyberint media forum at New World Hotel in Makati City on Oct. 3, 2023. He noted the Philippine government’s partnership with Israeli cybersecurity organizations to confront the growing threats on Filipinos. The ambassador also welcomed the increasing bilateral relations between Israel and the Philippines. Joseph Muego

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez delivers his message during the Forum on Legislative Reforms for the Philippines Capital Market Wednesday morning at the Philippine Stock Exchange Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. Romualdez expressed con dence the economy remains vibrant despite a global slowdown, citing initiatives under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to boost the country’s advantage as a lucrative hub for foreign investments. Ver Noveno

Saudi runner 2nd competitor to fail dope test at Asiad

HANGZHOU—Saudi distance runner Mohammed Yousef Alasiri has become the second reported doping case at the Asian Games and has been provisionally suspended, officials said.

The 34-year-old had a sample collected on September 26 during out-of competition testing and did not take part in the men’s 10,000m four days later.

He was also scheduled to race in the 5,000m later Wednesday, but will no longer compete.

The International Testing Agency, which is conducting dope-testing at the Games in Hangzhou, said that Alasiri tested positive for the banned substance darbepoetin, which enhances endurance.

“The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect,” the ITA said.

“He has the right to request the analysis of the B-sample.”

Cycling team ready for men’s road race in Hangzhou Asiad

HANGZHOU—Three Filipino riders who have racked thousands of kilometers at home, but are racing for the first time on the Asian Games stage make their own medal bid in cycling’s men’s road race on Thursday in Chung’an.

Ronald Oranza, Jonel Carcueva and Joshua Pascual will carry the fight for the PhilCycling team, headed by Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, over an out-and-back 210-km route starting at 10 a.m.

The three Filipinos will be racing against 63 athletes from the 19-nation field where Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Japan are ranked high on the start list.

“Our riders are raring to go, regardless of how tough the race is,” said head coach Reinhard Gorantes from the Athletes Village in Chun’an. “What our riders lack in experience racing outside of the Philippines they’ll make up with their big fighting heart.”

Goranted and fellow coach Virgilio Espiritu in Chun’an surveyed the route the past two days and described the terrain as relatively flat and winding with its major climb set at no more than 3 kms with an elevation that rises to under 350 meters.

“This will be a race of speed and en-

durance—it’s a one-day race, no tomorrow,” said Espiritu, who acknowledged the support of the POC and the Philippine Sports Commission’s support for the riders and their teams—Philippine NavyStandard Insurance for Oranza, Excellent for Pascual and Go for Gold for Carcueva.

Cycling contributed a bronze medal to the Philippine coffers early this week through Patrick Coo in men’s BMX racing.

Victor Espiritu, considered as perhaps the most complete Filipino cyclist—he packs power in both spring and climb— clinched the country’s last medal in Asian Games cycling, a bronze, at the 1998 edition in Bangkok. Oranza is no stranger to international competitions having clinched bronze medals in road and criterium in his most previous Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May, but vowed to go all out against a field that features riders who are continental team regulars in the UCI Asia Tour.

“This is for flag and country,” Oranza said. “We will ride as a team and compete as a team.” Carcueva, the reigning national champion for road, had experiences as a continental team rider but also is aware what a one day race requires.

“We’ll everything we have in four- or five hours of racing,” he said. Pascual, on the other hand, was plucked

from the 7-Eleven Road Bike Philippines—where he’s on loan from Excellent—that raced in the recent Le Tour de Langakawi and flew back to Manila middle of last week to join the road squad in its flight to here Thursday.

“Like what my teammates said, we’ll give everything we have … this is not a stage race, there’s no stage 2 tomorrow,” Pascual said.

Sister-team duels highlight PVL All-Filipino opener

Games Oct. 15 (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 3 p.m. – Gerflor vs Nxled

5 p.m. – PLDT vs Cignal 7 p.m. – Choco Mucho vs Creamline

THE Premier Volleyball League closes out the season with a couple of firsts –the first time it will hold two All-Filipino Conferences in a year and the first opening playdate where it will pit two sister teams against each other.

The upcoming conference which will kick off on Oct. 15 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum will feature a record 12-team

cast, surpassing the 11-local squad field that saw action in the last Invitational Conference won by guest team Kurashiki of Japan, which beat Creamline in a thriller of a finale last July.

Creamline, which rallied from a set down and swept Petro Gazz in the next two to nail its fourth All-Filipino championship last March, braces for a spirited duel with Choco Mucho in the 7 p.m. nightcap of an explosive triple-bill.

Foiled in their bid for women’s volley’s version of a grand slam for the second straight year, the Cool Smashers are keen on winning another AllFilipino jewel although they will have

to accomplish the mission without one of their anchors.

Ace playmaker Jia de Guzman has recently signed up with Denson Airybees in the V.League in Japan and is out of the Creamline roster for the first time. Kyle Negrito is expected to take over and will have a crack list of go-to hitters in Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza, Alyssa Valdez, Ced Domingo and Michelle Gumabao.

But Choco Mucho will be a tough rival to hurdle with the energetic Sisi Rondina raring to soar again along with Kat Tolentino, Maddie Madayag, Des Cheng, Isa Molde, Bea de Leon and Aduka Ogunsanya.

Nxled, one of the league’s two new teams, hopes to make an immediate impact on its PVL debut as it faces Gerflor, which debuted in the last Invitational Conference. The Nxlex Chameleons will be led by setter Camille Kal and hitters Lycha Ebon, Chiara Permentilla and Jhoana Maraguinot along with middles Camille Victoria and Krich Macasla. But expect the Gerflor Defenders to likewise go all-out in the 3 p.m. opener with Janine Navarro, Rapril Aguilar, Justine Dorog, Alyssa Bertolano and Angelie Jingco hoping to come out better and stronger from their Invitational experience.

Afghan boxer Mohammad Khaibar Nooristani on September 28 became the first known case of doping at the Games and was also provisionally suspended.

Nooristani, who was defeated in the preliminary rounds of the 71kg weight class in Hangzhou, tested positive for two banned substances, both anabolic steroids, the ITA said. AFP

Blazers bank on Hernandez’s hot shooting to whip Cardinals

By Peter Atencio

PAOLO Hernandez drilled in 12 of his game-high 22 points in the fourth period to lift the Mapua University Cardinals past the College of St. Benilde Blazers, 75-71, on Wednesday in the 99th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the FilOilEcoOil Arena in San Juan.

Hernandez scored three of four attempts in the last 20.2 seconds to help send the Cardinals to their first victory in four games.

The Blazers, who played without foul-troubled Will Gozum halfway in the last quarter, took their third loss in four outings.

Miguel Corteza unloaded 15 points for the Blazers, with his two charities in the last 3:05 allowing CSB to stay within range.

Migz Oczon added 14 points for CSB, including a trey in final 35 seconds that gave the Blazers the upperhand for a final time, 71-70.

After that, Hernandez unleashed a floater to steer Mapua to a 72-71, edge.

Hernandez then nailed two of three charity shots for the Cardinals in the remaining two seconds.

The Cardinals will seek to stretch their winning to a second game on Sunday against the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals.

Sara, 7 others savor JPGT journey

THEY all had fun and soaked up the experience but what these band of youngsters relished more while playing on the ICTSI Junior PGT were the valuable lessons learned during the course of their campaign in the pioneering series.

“Throughout the JPGT Series, I learned that even if you had one bad round, you can always bounce back in the next. There’s a lot of chances and I turned those (chances) into results,” said Zeus Sara, who topped the boys’ 15-18 age group category in the JPGT

Zeus Sara

national finals at The Country Club in Laguna last Tuesday.

“Winning this tournament also boosted my confidence because winning on this course (TCC) is very hard because it’s long and very challenging,” he added.

The JPGT experience also impressed the Davaoeño star who has vied in a number of junior golf tournaments, saying: “The JPGT is very different from other junior golf tournaments, including the live scoring.”

Korean Jiwon Lee, winner of girls’ 15-18 plum who has cam-

paigned on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, described her JPGT stint as exceptional.

“It’s very competitive and I was very honored to have won the championship. I learned and improved a lot in this journey, not just in JPGT but in every tournament. But this JPGT Series is very special to me.”

“The biggest thing that I gained throughout this series is that I got better every tournament,” said Lee. “I experienced a lot of things I never could’ve gotten and I’m very thankful. But most of all, I had fun.

This win will surely boost my confidence.”

Patrick Gene Tambalque and Isabella Tabanas, who shared the 1314 trophies, also both enjoyed the JPGT journey even as they expect to come out better and stronger for their future campaigns.

“You just have to keep on fighting and always stick to your game plan,” said Tambalque, who swept the last two legs of the five-round elims to get into the finals then nipped Clement Ordeneza in sudden death to snare the crown.

A small group of Philippine supporters, led by Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham Tolentino, cheers Filipino boxer Eumir Marcial during his 71-80kg semifinal battle against Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in the 19th Asian Games at the Hangzhou Gymnasium. Marcial went to score a sensational knockout with 1:49 left in the second round to advance to the finals and clinch a seat at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Shown here are (from left) Virgilio Espiritu, Joshua Pascual, Jonel Carcueva, Ronald Oranza and Reinhard Gorantes.

Twins arrest historic playoff win drought

WASHINGTON—Royce Lewis smashed home runs in his first two playoff opportunities and the Minnesota Twins snapped the longest post-season win drought by games in American sport history, defeating Toronto 3-1 on Tuesday in a Major League Baseball series opener.

The Twins had lost 18 consecutive playoff contests, the most in any major North American sports league, since beating the New York Yankees in the first game of the 2004 American League division series.

They were also swept out of the MLB playoffs in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Minnesota’s victory ended the epic post-season futility run and gave the host Twins a 1-0 lead in the American League best-of-three first round series, which continues on Wednesday.

“It means a lot,” Lewis said of snapping the historic drought. “And it means a lot that the fans encouraged us and they had that energy for us. They brought it and we brought it for them.”

Also winning their AL playoff opener were the Texas Rangers, who blanked host Tampa Bay 4-0 as US pitcher Jordan Montgomery struck out six without allowing a walk over seven innings.

In National League openers, Arizona won 6-3 at Milwaukee and host Philadelphia beat Miami 4-1.

Atlanta, Baltimore, Los Angeles and defending champion Houston received first-round byes.

Minnesota’s Lewis, the 2017 MLB Draft top pick, blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and a solo homer in the third off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman.

The 24-year-old US third baseman, who recovered from a sore hamstring just in time for the playoffs, matched Gary Gaetti from 1987 as the only Twins with two homers in a playoff game.

Toronto pulled within 3-1 in the sixth when Bo Bichette singled, advanced on a walk and scored on Kevin Kiermaier’s single. AFP

Maroons use strong start to crush Warriors, stay unbeaten in UAAP

“We saw how UE played against UST and they were able to execute on halfcourt and in transition. Our advantage in this is yung composure ng team namin,” said UP Assistant Coach Christian Luanzon.

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines used a strong start to carve out an 84-69 victory over University of the East to remain unbeaten Wednesday in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Reigning MVP Malick Diouf scored seven in the Fighting Maroons 10-0 opening blast before the bench crew of CJ Cansino, Reyland Torres, and Francis Lopez took over for a 32-9 advantage at the end of the first frame.

However, the Red Warriors used a 19-5 blast bridging the third and fourth frames to slash a 23-point deficit to single digit with 9:08 left, 5362, before UP restored order with 10 straight points.

Diouf posted huge numbers anew for the Fighting Maroons with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field to go with 16 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals.

UE, which beat University of Santo Tomas in the opener, slid to 1-1.

Cansino netted 17 points, Lopez had nine, while Aldous Torculas and Harold Alarcon made eight points apiece. The Fighting Maroons aim for three in a row on Saturday against National University at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Red Warrior big man Precious Momowei struggled offensively, going

Marikina foils Quezon, Bacoor dumps Bataan

MARIKINA weathered Quezon

Province’s final assault to prevail, 73-70, on Tuesday and prove it deserves to be in the MPBL

(Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season playoffs at the Marikina Sports Center.

The Marikina Shoemasters wasted a 25-point spread, allowed the Quezon Huskers to knot the count at 70, before getting the lift from homegrowns RV Berjay and Felipe Chavez to finish the roundrobin elimination round with a 16-12 record, good for the eighth and last playoff slot in the North division.

Berjay, a former Batang Gilas from the Ateneo Blue Eagles scored on a layup with 25 seconds left while Chavez split his charities with 6 seconds to go for the marginal points that deprived the Huskers of the homegrown edge in the playoffs starting on Friday, October 6.

Quezon tumbled to 19-9 and skidded to fifth place behind Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, which finished with a 20-8 slate in the South division.

As a result, instead of hosting the Zamboanguenos on Oct. 14, the Huskers will have to fly over to Zamboanga City for Game 2 of their best-of-three quarterfinal series.

Way behind, 34-59, late in the third quarter, the Huskers closed the gap, 60-66, behind a 10-point cluster spiked by an Alfrancis Tamsi triple and then bunched eight points, capped by another Tamsi triple, to turn the sleeper into a thriller, 70-70, with 29 seconds remaining.

However, the Huskers misfired after that, including a buzzerbeater triple by Mon Abundo that could have forced overtime.

The 6-foot-4 Berjay posted 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists

to earn best player honors at the expense of teammates Joe Gomez De Liano with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, and Chavez with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists.

Lucena City icon Topeng Lagrama finished with 13 points, 4 steals, 4 assists and 3 rebounds for the Huskers, who got 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals from Tamsi.

Earlier, the Bacoor City Strikers trounced the also-ran Bataan Risers, 93-65, to end up with a South division best 23-5 slate.

Mark Montuano led 13 Bacoor players who contributed with 12 points, followed by Jhan McHale Nermal with 11 and Alwyn Alday with 10.

The Strikers, who led the Risers (13-15) by as many as 29 points, will have the homecourt edge in their quarterfinal series opener against the Iloilo United Royals on Oct. 7.

Brodeth, Gomera crush rivals in PPS Lapu-Lapu

KIMI Brodeth and Mcleen Gomera

firmed up their status as two of the best players in the ranks as they fashioned out a pair of dominant victories in singles play in the Lapu-Lapu City Juniors Fies-

ta National Tennis Championships Leg 1 in Cebu City last Monday. Brodeth yielded just three games in three matches to secure the girls’ 16-andunder crown, including a 6-0, 6-1 romp

over Kate Imalay of Bato, Leyte in the finals. The Ormoc, Leyte star then overpowered Imus, Cavite’s Sandra Bautista, 6-2, 6-1, to run away with the 18-and-U trophy and complete another two-title run in the Group I tournament at the Lapu-Lapu City Tennis Club.

Gomera likewise imposed his will early in the boys’ division of the first two PPS-PEPP legs in Cebu City, blasting Kenzo Brodeth, 6-2, 6-1, in the 16-andU championship then smothering Juvels Velos, 6-3, 6-1, for the 18-and-U diadem in the week-long tournament presented by Dunlop. Brodeth and Gomera, who shared the MVP honors in the event hosted by Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, seek to sustain their form as the country’s longest talent-search, put up by Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro, holds the Fiesta Cup Leg 2 starting today (Thursday, Oct. 5) to be presented by Rep. Cindi Chan. For details, contact event organizer Bobby Mangunay at 09154046464. Young Caroliean Fiel, also from Or-

moc, also posted a two-title feat, subduing Val Ian Gairanod, 4-2, 5-4(3), in the 10-unisex finals and upending top seed Maristella Torrecampo in a thriller of a duel, 4-6, 7-6(2), 10-8, for the girls’ 12-and-U plum.

Ma. Nina Torrejos and Kenzo Brodeth capped the Ormoc City bets’ romp as the former held off Imalay, 6-1, 7-5, and the latter whipped Christian Laguna, 6-0, 6-0, to share the 14-and-U titles.

Claudwin Tonacao, on the other hand, repulsed fellow Bogo City, Cebu native Gil Niere, 7-6(4), 6-0, in the boys’ 12-and-U finals of the tournament backed by ProtekTODO, PalawanPay, the Unified Tennis Philippines and UTR (Universal Tennis Rating). Gomera and Fiel actually came away with three titles each as the former teamed up with Gio Manito to foil Kenzo Brodeth and Gerald Gemida, 8-7(5), in the 18-and-U doubles finals, and the latter partnered with Ian Gairanod to beat siblings Enzo and Pete Niere, 8-4, for the 10-and-U crown.

3-of-13 from the field and committing seven turnovers. He still ended with 12 points and 22 rebounds. Noy Remogat delivered 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against five turnivers, while Abdul Sawat produced 10 points as well, as UE looks to return to the win column against FEU on Saturday.

The Scores:

UP 84 - Diouf 19, Cansino 17, Lopez 9, Torculas 8, Alarcon 8, Abadiano 6, Cagulangan 5, Torres 5, Briones 3, Belmonte 2, Alter 2, Felicilda 0, Pablo 0, Gonzales 0, Gagate 0. UE 69 - Momowei 12, Remogat 11, Sawat 10, Gilbuena 9, Fikes 8, Galang 6, Cruz-Dumont 5, Lingolingo 3, Tulabut 2, Spandonis 2, Langit 1, Manalang 0, Maglupay 0, Wilson 0. Quarterscores: 32-9, 49-28, 62-49, 84-69.

Messi uncertain as Miami visits Chicago in key MLS clash

WASHINGTON—Lionel Messi remained uncertain for Inter Miami’s MLS match on Wednesday at Chicago as the squad chases a playoff berth into the final weeks of the regular season.

Messi, who has missed a pair of 1-1 draws for Miami while sidelined with a leg injury, practiced on Tuesday.

“We will see in the training if we are running any type of risk and will evaluate if it’s convenient for him to travel or not,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said.

Martino would not provide a timetable for the superstar’s return, sticking with day-to-day status.

Bowing to Messi’s unknown status, the Chicago Fire offered account credits to spectators who show up for Wednesday’s clash at Soldier Field.

While a loss wouldn’t eliminate Inter Miami from playoff contention, it would be a blow to the squad’s hopes of a late charge into the post-season.

With nine wins and six draws from 30 matches, Miami’s total of 33 points is five behind New York City FC and four adrift of Montreal for the last available Eastern Conference playoff spots.

Inter, however, has two games in hand on NYCFC and one on Montreal.

Miami’s remaining matches include a home contest with overall regular-season champion Cincinnati on Saturday and a home-away set with Charlotte, a rival playoff chaser.

Several Western Conference clubs could join St. Louis in clinching playoff berths, including Real Salt Lake, Seattle, Los Angeles FC, Houston and Vancouver. AFP

RV Berjay delivers for Marikina.

Reigning MVP Malick Diouf of UP towers over two UE defenders in a UAAP game won by the Maroons, 84-69.

Kimi Brodeth (right) and Mcleen Gomera hold their trophies as they pose with LapuLapu City Tennis Club president Fiscal Ruso Zaragosa after dominating the first of two Cebu City legs of the PPS-PEPP junior circuit.

Top acts rock the Araneta for ‘Feel Great’ concert

MUSIC , magic, and an unforgettable night – these are just a few words that sum up what took place at the firstever Watsons Playlist: The Feel Great Concert held on September 24 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The one-of-a-kind event, exclusively made available to the 10,000 Watsons Club members, was a showcase of talent and a celebration of beauty, wellness, and the joy of music from three world-class Filipino musical talents.

From the moment the lights dimmed and the first notes filled the air, the crowd knew they were in for something special. Here are some of the highlights that made the Watsons Playlist Concert one for the books: Zack Tabudlo’s intimate renditions

The concert opened with a captivating set by Zack Tabudlo. He serenaded the audience with his soulful voice and heartfelt ballads. His intimate performance created a magical atmosphere, connecting with every heart in the venue.

SOLO acts may have absolute control of what they do to a song or during live performances, but there is something priceless in a band set up. It’s like enjoying the company of other people as opposed to being by your lonesome. Add to it the wonder of having a bunch of heads able to mix up creative powers to produce something likely given more thought or discussed thoroughly.

If you notice when you listen to songs like “Smooth” and “Moves Like Jagger,” there’s that extra bite that presents the music of both Carlos Santana and Maroon 5 in a favorably different dimension, respectively. There is pure action and added finesse when we hear the vocals of Rob Thomas intersect with the licks of a guitar god, or once Christina Aguilera comes in out of nowhere to sexily say something while Adam Levine takes some breather.

Recently I witnessed a live performance by FilAm band Monster Turned Machine at Gerry’s Grill in Artesia, a city southeast of Los Angeles. Obviously, the group had to play covers for the crowd and they duly delivered with sets loaded with tuneful 80s hits and a string of Rivermaya classics. It was ingeniously a Rivermaya night. Rico Blanco and Bamboo Mañalac, or the remaining members, would have enjoyed it if they had been there.

But then the night reached its highlight when they called in someone from the crowd who is a rock royalty himself: Glenn Jacinto. They backed the lead singer of Teeth who sang a couple of his band’s hits. Turned out that Glenn had actually collaborated with them on a fine record called “Please Lang,” dropped on digital stores early last month. The trio of Michael Frias (vocals), J Mandocdoc

Audience members were also treated to a special performance of Zack’s hit “Give Me Your Forever”, which the artist said he doesn’t usually perform live in the Philippines.

Ben&Ben’s soul-stirring performance

Acclaimed Filipino band, Ben&Ben showcased their heartfelt lyrics and melodious tunes resonated with the audience, setting the stage for an emotionally charged evening. The band took the Watsons Club members in the audience on an emotional roller coaster as they performed hit after hit, including “Kathang Isip”, “Could Be Something”, “Paninindigan Kita”, and “Langyang Pagibig”. SB19’s Gento-standard showcase

SB19, the kings of P-Pop, took the stage by opening their set with their hit “Gento”. Their dance moves and chart-topping hits had the crowd on their feet, dancing and singing along. It was a performance that fans will talk about for years to come.

In a surprise announcement during the concert, SB19 thrilled their fans by revealing plans for their upcoming Asia Tour. The news sent waves of excitement through the audience, as fans eagerly anticipated the chance to see their idols on a regional stage.

(bassist), and Tim de Ramos (multi-instrumentalist) knew how to maximize Glenn’s strength as that familiar voice behind “Laklak” and “Prinsesa.” They chose a song penned by Tim where Glenn would fit in rightly. That’s a proper mindset for letting a popular guest vocalist appear on a track. Let him in because the song needs his voice, not necessarily his name.

Given enough mainstream exposure, “Please

Lang” could well be on its way to becoming the band’s breakthrough hit.

Collaborating with a famous dude is cool. Actually joining a group that had long been established is a different challenge.

My good friend Mondo Castro, best known in the underground scene for fronting The Pin-Up Girls, may have surprised many when he decided to join a band he is practically a fan of Violent Playground. How he clearly expressed himself should make people in the gig scene admire his move.

A consummate professional who coaches and inspires people both in the corporate world and the artist community, Mondo said in his post, “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I’d have the incredible opportunity to join the very band that sparked my musical journey. I’m filled with an immense sense of gratitude for this chance to contribute to the legacy of Violent Playground.”

Among the respected acts that rose from the 90s underground, Violent Playground earned their spot with the “Primordial Soup” album that has aged well. Thanks to a collection of songs best appreciated by listeners who’d prefer good songs not that known by the public at large. Their return to live gigging has surely satisfied their “starvation army.”

Mondo’s excitement comes with a promise, he shared, “As I embark on this new chapter, I’m fully aware of the responsibility that comes with it. I’ll be working tirelessly to bring fresh energy and creativity to the band while staying true to the essence of what makes Violent Playground so special.”

When you collaborate with a band, you essentially join them. And when you officially join a group, you collaborate with musicians. You can jumble these terms however you want as long as you’re enjoying the music.

A historic moment in music

One of the most anticipated moments of the Watsons Playlist Concert was the historic collaboration between SB19 and Ben&Ben, two of the Philippines’ most loved artists. This groundbreaking performance brought together the energetic sounds of SB19 and the folk-pop charm of Ben&Ben for the first-ever live performance of this song together.

Their rendition of “MAPA,” a heartfelt tribute to parents, struck a chord with the audience, delivering an emotional and unforgettable experience. As the two bands seamlessly merged their musical styles, it was a testament to the power of unity in music, transcending genres and resonating with fans of all backgrounds. As of writing, the official music video of “MAPA” quickly gained widespread acclaim, garnering an impressive 16 million views and counting, and has currently attained 19 million streams via Spotify.

This remarkable response speaks to the emotional depth and connection that this collaboration evoked in fans and listeners worldwide.

Adding to the excitement of the evening, the rising stars Bini graced the stage and performed their latest hit, “Karera.” Their energetic performance added another layer of thrill to the already electrifying atmosphere.

Ed Sheeran shares inspiration for new album ‘Autumn Variations’

Last month, multi-platinum-selling artist Ed Sheeran revealed his upcoming album, Autumn Variations, will be released later this year. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter also shared his inspiration behind the album, which delves into the myriad of life changes experienced by him and his friends.

Ed Sheeran explained, “Last autumn, I found that my friends and I were going through so many life changes. After the heat of the summer, everything either calmed, settled, fell apart, came to a head, or imploded.”

The artist drew from personal experiences as well as those of his friends to craft the songs on the album. He spoke about how songwriting helped him navigate difficult times in his life and understand his emotions.

“When I went through a difficult time at the start of last year, writing songs helped me understand my feelings and come to terms with what was going on,” Sheeran shared. “And when I learned about my friend’s different situations, I wrote songs, some from their perspectives, some from mine, to capture how they and I viewed the world at that time. There were highs of falling in love and new friendships among lows of heartbreak, depression, loneliness, and confusion.”

SABRINA Claudio will headline the third Insignia Concert Series tonight at Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier. After the successful UMI and Mac Ayres performances in August, it’s set to be an unforgettable night of music and artistry.

Sabrina is an internationally acclaimed artist known for her captivating blend of R&B, soul, and electronic music. With a voice that transcends boundaries and lyrics that resonate deeply with fans around the world, Claudio has established herself as a true musical sensation. Attendees can expect to be serenaded by Sabrina Claudio’s chart-topping hits, including “Confidently Lost,” “Unravel Me,” and “Rumors.”

Her sultry vocals and magnetic stage presence are sure to create an electric atmosphere.

To add to the exciting night of music, rising Philippine R&B and soul artist, Jess Connelly, will be performing a special opening set. The Insignia Concert Series, known for its commitment to showcasing exceptional talent and as a series of intimate concerts, provides fans with the unique opportunity to discover rising artists while enjoying an up-close and personal musical experience.

The goal of the concert series is to add consistent concert and entertainment offerings to the vibrant city of Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, enriching the cultural tapestry of the community. Tickets for Sabrina Claudio’s performance are available for purchase starting at www.InsigniaPresents.com or at any SM Tickets outlets nationwide.

For media inquiries please contact: Camille Manuel camille@InsigniaPresents.com +639061049772

For more information about the Insignia Concert Series and updates on the event, please visit www.InsigniaPresents.com or follow us on social media @InsigniaPresents

The inspiration for Autumn Variations came from an unexpected source. Sheeran’s father and brother introduced him to the works of composer Edward Elgar, particularly his Enigma Variations, where each composition was dedicated to a different friend of Elgar’s. This concept resonated with Sheeran, leading to the creation of his album.

Collaborating with Aaron Dessner, known for his work with The National, Sheeran found a creative spark. “When I recorded Subtract with Aaron Dessner, we clicked immediately. We wrote and recorded non-stop, and this album was born out of that partnership. I feel he has captured the feeling of autumn so wonderfully in his sonics, and I hope everyone loves it as much as I do.” meanwhile, Ed Sheeran will perform two sold-out shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall on November 18 and 19. During these concerts, Sheeran will perform his forthcoming album, Autumn Variations, in its entirety, accompanied by a live band and string section. These concerts will be the only remaining opportunity for fans in the UK to see him perform this year, making them highly anticipated events on the music

P-pop Kings SB19

Singer-songwriter Zack Tabudlo

Girl group BINI

OPM folk-pop band Ben&Ben

Multi-Grammy award winner Ed Sheeran

Writer

Take period pains seriously, improve women’s quality of life

AMONG my circle of friends, I know at least three who shared that they have been diagnosed with endometriosis, and how it affects their health, and life, in general. There is one thing they all share in common aside from mentioned – that they have been diagnosed quite late, in their late 20s, and they are now in their late 30s.

There were many factors, however, it is quite common among women to embrace period pain as normal, or ‘simply part of being a woman.’ Women should take period pains seriously as this could be an indication of a health issue.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over 10 percent or 190 million women and girls of reproductive age globally are affected by severe pain associated with endometriosis, a painful gynecological disease in which the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, and this burden affects more women in Asia.

According to the WHO, endometriosis is a chronic disease associated with life-impacting pain during periods, sexual intercourse, bowel movements, and/or urination. Other symptoms include fatigue, nausea, and anxiety. Given these, misconceptions about endometriosis, such as extreme period pain, are something women still view as part of the norm– resulting in prolonged pain and delayed treatment.

Bayer Philippines, in collaboration

with its partners from the Society of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders (SEUD) and the Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine (PRSM), advocates for more conversations of care and action to eliminate pain associated with endometriosis by supporting the Asian Congress on Endometriosis (ACE) in the Philippines this year.

According to Dr. Angela Aguilar, OB-GYNE and ACE 2023 Congress President, these misconceptions create more barriers to why women do not consult their doctors.

“There is an information gap associated with endometriosis and women continue to suffer in silence,” she said.

“This affects their daily activities, their productivity suffers at work and school–diminishing their quality of life.”

Importance of early diagnosis

“Endometriosis sometimes takes several years to be diagnosed, but with the Asia Consensus guidelines, it allows us to help tackle endometriosis by improving diagnosis and treatment standards of the condition in Asia, enabling them to create the best outcomes for their patients,” said Dr. Catherine Donovan, Head of Medical Affairs Asia-Pacific, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Asia-Pacific.

The consensus guideline “Clinical Diagnosis and Early Medical Management for Endometriosis: Consensus for Asia” details the recommended practices for caring for women with endometriosis. It emphasizes the role of non-invasive

procedures in early diagnosis and treatment to allow for patientcentered care.

In an endometriosis masterclass held at the Marriott Manila Hotel, Bayer emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for conversations on endometriosis to provide a multidimensional approach to patient care. Seek medical help

Women should realize that pelvic pain accompanying periods is not normal. They should seek help to evaluate the cause of this pain. According to Dr. Aguilar, patients may undergo pelvic examination and imaging as appropriate. Pelvic pain may be due to endometriosis and experts in the field can discern if this is present. Endometriosis is a chronic condition,

but there are ways of managing the pain and preserving the woman’s fertility as long as it is discovered early and handled competently. Working with multi-sectoral partners and joining the ACE 2023 in the Philippines is part of Bayer’s core commitment to finding innovative solutions for women’s healthcare. With its recently launched Bayer For Her: Conversations of Care campaign, Bayer aims to raise awareness of women’s health by normalizing discussions on what is considered taboo topics in the country such as menstrual issues and endometriosis.

To help more women make informed choices about their own

Women should take period pain seriously as it can be sign of a medical condition

bodies and seek expert advice on reproductive health, Bayer For Her has an ongoing series of free pop-up consultation clinics at selected Mercury Drug, Southstar Drug, Rose Pharmacy, and Watsons until October 2023. For more information about the free consultation clinics or signs and symptoms of endometriosis, visit Bayer Philippines’ Ask Mara Facebook page. You may reach the author at joba. botana@gmail.com.

MakatiMed launches care center offering antidepressant therapy

PROMINENT Filipino artist and entrepreneur Enrique Gil has formally joined KonsultaMD, a premier health SuperApp under the Globe Group umbrella, as its Chief Communications and Impact Officer (CCIO).

The appointment was marked by a contract signing, with key attendees including Ernest Cu, President and CEO of the Globe Group, and Cholo Tagaysay, President and CEO of KonsultaMD.

Known for his acting prowess and business ventures, Enrique has always been passionate about ensuring that healthcare reaches every Filipino. He actively sought out a partnership with KonsultaMD to bring this vision to fruition.

“I really strongly believe that healthcare should be accessible to every Filipino no matter where they are,” he said.

Enrique’s role at KonsultaMD goes beyond endorsement, serving as a voice for a significant cause. He aims to bridge the gap between Filipinos and quality healthcare, ensuring that medical services are available to everyone.

This partnership, created with enthusiasm by Ranvel Rufino, Strategic Partner, and Pamela Lee, Head of Marketing and Partnerships of KonsultaMD, perfectly aligns with the company’s goal.

“The mission of KonsultaMD is to democratize healthcare,” said Tagaysay. “Enrique is going to be a massive help to that mission. We’re very excited to collaborate with him and his team to create awareness for KonsultaMD.”

With Enrique on board, KonsultaMD hopes to connect with a wider audience who may not be aware of the availability of accessible and affordable healthcare services.

The Globe Group, beyond its telco services, has been diversifying its offerings. Through 917Ventures, it has introduced innovative services and tech solutions such as KonsultaMD, which has been revolutionizing healthcare services in the country.

“Globe has been transforming itself into an entity to not only provide better communications but also impact solutions to the Filipino public— solutions that address the largest issues in the Philippines,” Cu said.

“During the pandemic, KonsultaMD started to make an impact. Even with the pandemic winding down and the economy opening up, the momentum of KonsultaMD continues,” he added.

KonsultaMD offers comprehensive telehealth services, from 24/7 doctor access, medical certificates, and same-day pharmacy deliveries to at-home diagnostics and nursing care for newborns and the elderly. KonsultaMD is also a strong advocate for mental health, leading initiatives to destigmatize mental health consultations among Filipinos.

THE top hospital in the Philippines, Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed), has established its own Esketamine Care Center for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and major depression with immediate suicide intent (MDSI).

This makes it the first and only hospital-based facility in the Philippines and the second in all of Southeast Asia to offer groundbreaking antidepressant therapy. The program is under the guidance of Carmina G. Bernardo, MD, the hospital’s Section of

Psychiatry Mood Disorder Specialist. Dr. Bernardo highlights esketamine’s FDA-approved breakthrough status. Unlike traditional antidepressants, it works by modulating glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter that maintains memory, cognition, and mood regulation. MakatiMed’s psychiatrists evaluate patient suitability, discuss potential side effects, and require patient consent before starting treatment, ensuring a personalized and informed choice. While the adverse reactions are

brief and last no more than two hours, those with increased blood pressure and a history of aneurysms, vascular diseases, and hypersensitivity to esketamine are advised against taking the medication. Administered intranasally only at the MakatiMed Esketamine Care Center, esketamine is given at 2 to 3 devices per session for these conditions. The session begins by recording the patient’s baseline vital signs, which are also monitored throughout the treatment. The patient’s depressive

symptoms, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety levels are also assessed throughout to help note signs of improvement after the session.

While it is an outpatient treatment, the patient is expected to stay at the center for at least two hours for observation. One to two healthcare professionals will always be with the patient during the monitoring. If vital signs are stable and no adverse reactions are recorded during this period, the patient can be discharged from the Esketamine Care Center as long as they have a companion going home.

“Esketamine is a groundbreaking new treatment that provides unprecedented relief for depressive symptoms,” says Saturnino P. Javier, MD, Co-President and CEO and Medical Director at MakatiMed.

“For many patients who have already received esketamine therapy abroad, it’s given them an effective way to manage their symptoms for the first time in years. We hope it can do the same here and save more lives.”

For more information, please contact MakatiMed On-Call at +632.88888 999, email mmc@ makatimed.net.ph, or visit www. makatimed.net.ph.

Experts share tips on developing higher IQ, EQ for kids

WITH children now more dependent on technology, their exposure and activities outside their homes may cause fears, anxieties, and even delayed brain development. Parents get more anxious during school opening season, plagued by the thought that they may not be doing enough to prepare their kids for school.

In an event presented by Enfagrow A+ Four NuraPro called “Getting Kids SchoolReady, Future Ready!” actress and TV host Iza Calzado talked to fellow parents and experts about ways to develop children’s IQ and EQ to make them ready for challenges and have a smooth transition into the new school year.

Tina Zamora, Director of Nest School for Whole Child Development, stressed the importance of determining which learning approach is best for your kids.

“It starts with understanding your child’s learning style and interests. Montessori education centers on self-directed learning and hands-on exploration. If they thrive in structured environments and value clear guidelines, traditional learning might be suitable. On the other hand, if they’re curious, creative, and enjoy exploring progressive learning could be a better fit.”

Dr. Ma. Theresa Arranz-Lim, founding member and former president of the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, further

explained how the different learning approaches help shape children’s IQ and EQ.

“Adopting the growth mindset is very relevant now—applying what you’ve learned, accepting feedback, and learning from mistakes. Children are happier when they are affirmed; they feel safe and protected. Keep in mind that every child is unique.”

For example, child star Annika Co has showcased her wit and talents in her TV appearances. According to her parents, Adrian and

Anne Co, Annika has been using the applied learning approach as part of her homeschooling since she was 6 years old. As supportive parents, they just allowed their child to do whatever activities would help her develop her talents further.

Adrian and Anne related, “Our parenting style is tactical—we expose her and involve her. An example of how she learns math better and finds it interesting is that when we go to the grocery store, she will do simple addition, subtraction, and multiplication.”

Celebrity mom Coleen Garcia shared the same experience with her son, Amari “We spend a lot of time with him and expose him to various experiences because we want Amari to adapt to different environments and interact with people. We are doing it slowly, using a lot of intuitive tools. That way, we can observe his learning interests.”

Educator Tina Zamora approves of Coleen and Annika’s parents’ way of enriching their kids’ learning experience. In addition, s/he said communicating these experiences to their teacher would help make them schoolready. “It’s true what they say: it takes a village to raise a kid. The key is collaboration among teachers, parents, and caregivers. We need to observe and see their strengths and weaknesses so we can give them an essential support system.

Esketamine Care Center at Makati Medical Center From left: MakatiMed's Carmina Charmaine G. Bernardo, Saturnino P. Javier, MD, and Edgardo Juan Tolentino, MD

Dr. Catherine Donovan, Head of Medical Affairs AsiaPacific, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Asia-Pacific, emphasizes the importance of Asia Consensus guidelines