Manila Standard - 2023 October 9 - Monday

JERUSALEM, Undefined­­—Israeli forces battled holdout Hamas fighters and pounded targets in the Gaza Strip on Sunday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of­a­ "long and difficult" war ahead after the Palestinian militants launched­a­ massive surprise attack.

The Hamas attack came half­acentury after the outbreak of the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, stunning Israel and sparking bitter recriminations inside the country on what was widely seen as an enormous intelligence failure.

Gun fights raged in towns and on highways as the Israeli army deployed tens of thousands of forces to secure southern desert regions near the coastal enclave, aiming to rescue Israeli

Four previous Israel-Gaza wars in past 15 years

ISRAEL has already fought four wars with Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip since its forces and settlers withdrew from the coastal territory in 2005 —in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2021.

Here are the key flare-ups:

2008: 'Cast Lead'

On December 27, 2008, Israel launched­a­ campaign of air strikes against militants in Gaza, dubbed Operation Cast Lead, to stop Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. It later also deployed ground forces.

AFGHAN QUAKES DEATH TOLL DOUBLES TO 2,053

Marcos: Locate all Filipinos in Israel

Gov't forms task force as it verifies reports of Pinoys kidnapped during Hamas attack

By Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT

Marcos has ordered the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to locate and account for all Filipinos in Israel, where attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday triggered Israeli airstrikes over the Gaza Strip.

Hamas launched­a­massive surprise attack at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets into Israel while its fighters entered Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, killing residents and taking hostages. The attacks prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war on Hamas, ordering airstrikes that killed hundreds in the Gaza Strip,­a­Palestinian enclave.

"The government is closely coordinating with the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Israel to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipinos affected in the ongoing conflict," Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil said.

"The DMW has opened ­ahotline and several Viber and WhatsApp hotline numbers that will accept calls and queries from our OFWs and the Filipino community who are in need of government assistance," Garafil added.

The Palace also said that the order from President Marcos also covers workers' families affected by the war.

Next page

By Vince Lopez

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines on Saturday said the continued presence of foreign aircraft could be expected in future resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.

"We can expect that because­Ithink that is also important," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in­a­television interview.

RELIGIOUS FERVOR. Devotees rejoice as the image of the La Naval leaves the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City for a procession on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023.

Danny Pata

30-day ‘walk for climate justice’ begins

A­ foreign aircraft from an unknown country was spotted monitoring the Ayungin Shoal during the resupply mission of the military and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Wednesday last week.

“What they are providing us is­aview from above so that, as I’ve said, we will know what is happening on the ground. That is very important in the formulation of strategies, campaigns, or operational plans that will be effective

By Vince Lopez and Julito G. Rada

PRESIDENT Marcos has ordered the Department of Agriculture to use the excess collections of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to help

rice farmers.

The President, in­a­ meeting with Agriculture officials recently, said that the excess collections beyond the P10 billion requirement of the RCEF should be used to provide rice farmers drying, mechanization, and other equipment to

‘Foreign aircraft expected in WPS resupply missions’

Marcos:...

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Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said his agency is checking on Filipino workers in Israel, especially in areas near the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian area governed by Hamas and blockaded by Israel and Egypt.

The DMW and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) have formed a task force to assist Filipinos there, Cacdac said.

In a press conference over Zoom earlier Sunday, Israeli Ambassador Ilan Fluss Fluss said the Israeli and Filipino embassies were still verifying reports that Filipinos were among those kidnapped by Hamas militants.

“We are still in an emergency situation. Things have not yet stabilized. We don’t have enough information yet on identities and names of the people that were killed, injured, and kidnapped,” the Israeli ambassador said in a media briefing.

"We know there are Thai nationals involved but we are not aware of any Philippine nationals," Fluss added.

"The Philippines conveys its deepest sympathies and condolences to those who have lost family members and loved ones in recent attacks. The Philippines condemns the attacks, especially against civilian populations," Mr. Marcos said following Saturday's surprise attack launched during a Jewish holiday.

"The Philippines understands the right of states to self-defense in the light of external aggression as recognized in the United Nations Charter," he added.

Fluss said Israel would protect Filipinos working in the country as it would other members of Israeli society.

There are about 30,000 Filipinos in Israel, the ambassador said.

Fluss said commercial flights to and bound from Israel would continue despite the armed conflict.

International airports in Israel, including Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv are still operating, he said.

He said, however, that there have been flight cancellations.

The envoy said he does not expect the war in Israel to affect commodity prices there.

“In my personal analysis, I don't see any global economic ramifications as to what is happening," he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs advised Filipinos in Israel to remain vigilant and follow the guidelines set by the Israel Homefront Command as it

Four...

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By the time a ceasefire was announced on January 18, 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis had been killed.

2012: 'Pillar of Defense'

On November 14, 2012, Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense with a missile strike that killed top Hamas commander Ahmed Jaabari.

In the ensuing eight-day conflict, 177 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed.

Gaza militants fired more than 1,000 rockets into Israel, hundreds of which were intercepted by the "Iron Dome" missile defense system.

2014: 'Protective Edge'

On July 8, 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge, again with the stated goal of stopping Palestinian rocket fire and destroying tunnels used by militants to infiltrate Israel.

It pounded the enclave from the air and the sea.

The seven-week conflict killed 2,251 Palestinians and 74 Israelis, including

“Foreign...

continues to monitor the ongoing tension.

The Philippine Embassy made the statement as it closed on Oct. 8 due to the Israeli government's declaration of a "State of War."

In successive Facebook posts, the Philippine Embassy in Israel advised Filipinos in the Holy Land to call the Embassy's emergency number, +972-544661188.

In a statement, the DFA said the Embassy in Tel Aviv is verifying unconfirmed reports that 22 foreign workers from the Philippines and Thailand were killed, and another seven kidnapped by the Hamas militants.

"The Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv has received these unconfirmed reports. We are still verifying them," it said.

"We are monitoring and accounting for the number of Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers there. Our efforts continue. We are talking to them and their relatives,” the DMW said.

“There are shelters where they are safe. Some have been evacuated in some places but more often than not, they are safe in their shelters as we continue to account for our OFWs on the ground south of Israel. There are no Pinoys reported killed or injured,” Cacdac said.

He said they were able to talk to 20 Filipinos outside the battle-torn Gaza Strip.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on X (formerly Twitter) that the “Department of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation of Filipinos in the Middle East.”

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday denounced the attacks on civilians in Israel.

“Today, I join voices from around the world in strongly condemning the heartbreaking attacks against innocent civilians in Israel. The devastation and loss suffered by families during such significant moments of reverence are beyond words.”

“It is a reminder that the path of violence only deepens wounds and rifts.

I urge all involved parties, especially the militant rulers of Hamas, to pave a way toward a peaceful resolution. The history of this region has seen enough bloodshed; sustainable peace is the only way forward,” he added.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri called on the DMW and the DFA to secure the Filipinos working in Israel and ensure their safe passage home, if necessary.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva also condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel.

68 soldiers.

May 2021: 11-day war

Israel responded to a barrage of Hamas rocket fire with an 11-day campaign of air and artillery strikes that killed at least 248 people in Gaza, including 66 children. Thirteen were killed on the Israeli side, including one soldier.

Hamas had launched the rockets after clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem that left hundreds of Palestinians injured.

May 2023: Clashes with Islamic Jihad

Five days of fighting between Israel and Gaza's other militant group, Islamic Jihad, left 33 dead in Gaza and two in Israel – a Palestinian laborer from Gaza and an elderly Israeli. Israeli strikes killed at least six top figures from Islamic Jihad, which is considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union.

At least six children and multiple civilians were also among the dead in Gaza before a ceasefire is negotiated by Egypt. AFP

From A1 only in providing additional capability, which we don’t have yet,” Aguilar added. He, however, did not give a definitive answer when asked if the Philippines requested the US for aircraft presence during resupply missions or whether the US decided on its own to send.

“We have a mutual defense treaty," Aguilar said without elaborating.

The National Task Force-West Philippine Sea announced last week the country completed another resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal despite harassment from Chinese vessels.

During the Oct. 4 resupply and rotational mission, presidential special envoy to China and concurrent Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Teodoro Locsin Jr. joined the team that left for Ayungin Shoal. Locsin was aboard the BRP Cabra, one of the escort vessels of two Philippine ships that brought fresh supplies to the troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre.

30-day...

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another disaster strikes,” said Gregorio Bituin Jr., a founding member of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) and a member of the contingent. Hundreds more are expected to converge with the march as the contingent makes its way through the country, organizers said. They added that the “Climate Walk” is being held to raise awareness not only on Yolanda, but on climate change as a whole.

Israel...

From A1 hostages and then evacuate the entire region within 24 hours.

"We'll reach each and every community till we kill every terrorist in Israel," vowed military spokesman Daniel Hagari, a day after hundreds of Hamas fighters crossed into Israel using vehicles, boats and even motorized paragliders.

"Our mission for the upcoming 24 hours is to evacuate all residents" from areas around the Gaza Strip, he told journalists amid the fighting that has left hundreds dead on both sides.

Israel also came under attack from the north on Sunday when Lebanon's Hezbollah launched guided missiles and artillery shells "in solidarity" with the unprecedented Hamas offensive, without causing any casualties.

Israel was shocked when Gaza's ruling Islamist movement launched their multi-pronged shock offensive at dawn Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, with thousands of rockets and ground, air and sea forces, attacking and infiltrating Israeli towns and kibbutz communities and storming what media reported was an outdoor rave party.

Panicked Israelis phoned media outlets as they hid out in their homes from militants going door to door and shooting civilians or dragging them away.

The worst fighting in decades has killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded over 1,000, leaving bodies of civilians strewn on roads, while on the Gaza side at least 313 have died and over 1,700 were reported wounded.

An unknown number of Israelis were abducted as hostages, sparking dismay in Israel and massively complicating its military retaliation campaign.

According to Israeli news website Ynet, "dozens of Israeli captives, including numerous women, children and elders, are believed to have been taken into the Gaza Strip."

Two Thai nationals were among those killed, and other Asian nationals, thousands of whom work as farm laborers in the region, were believed to be among the hostages.

Gun battles raged Sunday between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters in multiple locations, including at a police station in Sderot where special forces

Use...

From A1 help them sustain their productivity, the Presidential Communications Office on Sunday. The RCEF is collected from revenues gathered from tariffs on imported rice, as provided for under Republic Act 11203 (Rice Tariffication Law).

The RCEF is to be used for programs and projects aimed at increasing the competitiveness and output of palay farmers.

In the same meeting with DA officials, Marcos also ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to instruct local government units (LGU's) to rationalize the “pass-through” fees and other transport costs imposed on vehicles transporting agricultural goods like rice and other products.

President Marcos issued Executive

"neutralized 10 armed terrorists," police said.

"A lot of people have been killed," said army spokesman, Richard Hecht, after the military released the names of 26 fallen soldiers. "We lost soldiers, lost commanders and lost a lot of civilians.”

"We are completing efforts to retake full control of Israeli territory from Hamas," he added, reporting that the army had struck 426 Hamas targets including Gaza tunnels, buildings and other infrastructure.

'No respite'

Global concern has mounted, with Western capitals condemning the attack by Hamas, which Washington and Brussels consider a terrorist group.

Israel's foes, including Iran and Hezbollah, have praised the assault.

Anti-Israel protests have flared in some other Muslim countries, and Germany and France were among countries stepping up security around Jewish temples and schools.

In the Egyptian city of Alexandria, a police officer opened fire "at random" on Israeli tourists Sunday, killing two of them and their Egyptian guide before he was arrested.

Netanyahu – who leads a hard-right government but has received support from political opponents during Israel's national emergency – has vowed to turn Hamas hideouts "to rubble" and urged Palestinians there to flee as air strikes continued.

"We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," Netanyahu wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

"The first stage is ending at this time with the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory," he added, pledging no "respite" until victory.

US President Joe Biden has voiced "rock solid and unwavering" support for its key ally Israel and warned "against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation."

But early Sunday Lebanon's Iranbacked Hezbollah movement joined the fray from the north.

It said it had fired "large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles" at positions in contested border areas "in solidarity" with Hamas.

Israel's army massed tanks in the north after earlier firing artillery on Lebanon in

charges from vehicles transporting goods or merchandise while passing through national roads and other thoroughfares not constructed or funded by LGUs.

The President issued the EO to reduce the cost of transportation and logistics.

To help 2.3 million small rice farmers, Marcos also recently approved the release of P12.7 billion to fund the P5,000 financial assistance under the government's Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA) program.

The assistance will help small farmers affected by the lifting of the price cap on regular and well-milled rice, the President said.

“The lifting of the price cap is not something we just did for the sake of doing it. This comes with further assistance and support for our agricultural sector,” the President said.

“We will increase what we get from the Rice Tariffication Law and give this to farmers in the form of equipment, tractors,

harvesters [and] dryers,” Marcos said.

response to a shot from the area.

'Liberate our land'

Hamas has labelled its major attack "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" and called on "resistance fighters in the West Bank" as well as in "Arab and Islamic nations" to join the battle.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh has predicted "victory" and vowed to press ahead with "the battle to liberate our land and our prisoners languishing in occupation prisons".

Hamas said Saturday it had fired 5,000 rockets, while Israel reported some 3,000 incoming projectiles. Several bypassed the Iron Dome missile defense system and smashed into buildings as far as Tel Aviv.

Under the cover of the rocket barrage, hundreds of Hamas fighters tore through the militarized Gaza border fence and crossed into Israel.

Israel responded by rushing forces to the embattled south, calling up reservists and hitting Gaza in operation "Swords of Iron," with some observers predicting a possible ground invasion of Gaza.

Israeli attacks have reduced several Gaza residential towers to rubble in what Israel said were strikes aimed at Hamas facilities and which had followed warning calls for people inside to evacuate.

Another strike completely destroyed a mosque in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, leading to Israel's crippling blockade of the impoverished enclave of 2.3 million people. Israel and Hamas have fought several wars since, with the latest in May killing 34 Palestinians and one Israeli.

The new war follows months of rising violence in the occupied West Bank and tensions around Gaza's border and at contested holy sites in Jerusalem.

Before Saturday, the conflict had killed at least 247 Palestinians, 32 Israelis and two foreigners, including combatants and civilians, this year, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials.

Violence flared again in the West Bank Saturday, leaving at least seven Palestinians dead, said the health ministry in Ramallah.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration" and stressed that "only through negotiation leading to a two-state solution can peace be achieved." AFP

price ceilings on regular and well-milled rice was appropriate, given the improving supply of the grain.

“[The price cap] was done at the time of insufficient supply of rice. But now the supply is improving because of the start of the harvest season and the arrival of rice imports,” Diokno said in a briefing.

Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI) director Glenn Panganiban said in a briefing that global rice prices have slowly decreased, and local supply was expected to increase as the harvest season started.

Panganiban also said the harvest was expected to reach 1.9 million metric tons of rice in October alone.

During a briefing last week, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Dennis Mapa said rising rice prices fueled September inflation of 6.1 percent in September.

Food inflation alone rose to 10.0 percent in September from 8.2 percent in August. This is due to the higher inflation of rice (17.9 percent from 8.7 percent), meat (1.3 percent from -0.1 percent), fruits (11.6 percent from 9.6 percent), and

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, meanwhile, said the lifting of the corn (1.6 percent from 0.9 percent).

Combining walking and biking, the march is expected to go through four major stop-overs: Los Banos in Laguna, Lucena City in Quezon, Naga City in Camarines Sur, and Legazpi in Albay. In every stop-over, walkers will engage with the communities to raise awareness on climate issues. PMCJ coordinators across the country will also participate in these engagements in Lucena, Pagbilao, Atimonan, and Tagkawayan.

The Philippines is among the countries that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda, known

internationally as Haiyan, took about 6,300 lives, and rendered 1,062 missing and 26,688 injured. Yolanda made landfall in Leyte, which suffered the brunt of the storm.

Ten years later, the Philippine government, especially the designated agencies on disaster risk reduction and management, have failed to learn from Yolanda’s wrath, PMCJ said. Storms occur more often and may soon become even more destructive, such as the case of Typhoon Odette in 2022 and Typhoon Rolly in 2020. Meanwhile, the Special Representative

of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mami Mizutori is set to visit the Philippines this October to kick off the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR), which will be hosted by Manila.

During her visit, Mizutori is set to meet with President Marcos and Cabinet secretaries to discuss the Philippines’ hosting of the conference and strategies for accelerating disaster risk reduction in the country. The launch of Asia Pacific’s largest biennial conference on disaster risk

reduction will be held on Oct. 13 and will include representatives from the national and local government, private sector, academe and scientific institutions, civil society, international development partners, and other stakeholder groups.

The conference next year is expected to draw over 3,000 high-level international delegates. The APMCDRR serves as the primary regional platform which brings together global leaders to monitor, review and enhance cooperation for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 at the regional level.

CLIMATE JUSTICE WALK. Advocates mark the start of a 30-day solidarity walk from Manila to Tacloban on Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, to remember the thousands of lives lost during Typhoon Yolanda a decade ago and renew calls for climate justice and reparation. Danny Pata

Speaker extols Pinoy athletes in Asian Games

By Rio N. Araja

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday extended his “warmest congratulations and heartfelt gratitude” to the athletes who represented the Philippines at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, saying their outstanding performances have made the entire Filipino nation proud.

“The achievements of the Philippine delegation, including securing medals and setting new records, demonstrate the dedication, hard work, and excellence of our athletes. Their success is a testament to the resilience and talent of Filipino sportsmen and sportswomen,” Romualdez said.

Highlighting the role of sports in fostering unity and national pride, the Speaker reaffirmed his commitment to supporting and promoting sports development in the country, anticipating even greater successes in the future.

“Sports has the power to unite a nation, and our athletes have certainly united us through their outstanding achievements. I am committed to furthering sports development in the Philippines to nurture future champions,” he noted.

“The 19th Asian Games have once again showcased the country’s potential as a competitive force in international sports. I am confident that this success will inspire future generations of Filipino athletes,” he said.

HAMPTON COURT BALLETDANCE FOR SHAZ. A celebration of life in dance honoring the life and work of dancer, choreographer and teacher Osias “Shaz” Barroso Jr. is being held at the Aliw Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila.

Roy Pelovello

P1b out for Marawi siege victims

By Julito Rada

DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM)

Secretary Amenah Pangandaman disclosed over the weekend that she has approved the release of P1 billion fund for Marawi siege victims.

Pangandaman said the amount would cover the Marawi siege victims’ compensation under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“The rehabilitation and recovery of Marawi has always been a project that is close to my heart. I am a Maranao by soul and blood, and I feel so much joy and pride seeing Marawi rise again six years

after the siege,” Pangandaman said.

“I am sincerely thankful that President Bongbong Marcos continues to support programs and projects in Mindanao. It is a big thing for the Maranaos and the people of Mindanao. It makes us feel that we are indeed part of this unified Bagong Pilipinas, where no one is left behind,” Pangandaman said.

The Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) has identified 362 victims of the siege who will receive monetary compensation from the P1 billion allocation under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF).

Special Provision No. 3 of the NDRRMF in the FY 2023 GAA states that the initial appropriation shall be used for the compensation to any lawful owner of a residential, cultural, commercial structures, and other properties in Marawi’s main affected areas or other affected areas destroyed or damaged, either totally or partially, on the occasion of the Marawi siege. Also covered by the compensa-

tion package are owners of private properties demolished pursuant to the implementation of the Marawi Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction Program; and the heirs of those who died and legally presumed dead, in accordance with RA No. 11696 and guidelines to be promulgated by the Marawi Compensation Board (MCB).

In accordance with RA No. 116964, or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, the MCB was established to facilitate the tax-free payment of compensation or reparations to qualified individuals whose properties and possessions were lost or destroyed due to the 2017 Marawi Siege

Manalo, Pascual to visit Australia for 6th bilateral ministerial talks

By Rey E. Requejo

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Trade Secretary Alfredo

Pascual will travel to Adelaide, South Australia on October 10 to jointly preside over the 6th Philippines-Australia Ministerial Meeting (PAMM) as the two countries build on their deepening Strategic Partnership.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Manalo and Pascual will fly to Australia upon the invitation of Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell.

“The 6th PAMM represents an important opportunity to chart the course of the newly established Strategic Part-

nership between the Philippines and Australia, building upon the recent meeting between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Manila last month,” the DFA said in a statement.

The two secretaries are expected to discuss “key areas,” such as bilateral trade, investment, and economic relations, security and maritime cooperation, development cooperation, peopleto-people exchanges, and regional and global issues of mutual interest.

“The Philippines and Australia share a steadfast commitment to advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in the region, amplifying the significance of this meeting,” the statement read.

Ex-LTO

worker under probe for bullying rider

LAND Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza II has summoned a former employee of the agency who was accused of bullying a delivery rider over a traffic misunderstanding in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

The incident was captured on a video that went viral on social media.

The summon would be delivered to Gregorio Glean for him to appear before the central office in Quezon City this week as part of the investigation into the incident.

“As soon as I watched the video, I immediately instructed the director of LTO-Region 3 to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, especially that there was an allegation that the motorist involved is connected with the LTO,” Mendoza said.

Glean was an ex-job order at the Driver’s Licensing and Renewal Office of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.

“I expect him to honor the summon. Failure to do so means that he is waiving his right for all the measures that we would take against him not only as a driver’s license holder but also a former LTO personnel who is supposed to be a model of courtesy and discipline on the road,” Mendoza said.

He gave instructions to make sure that Glean will no longer be hired by the LTO, especially that the LTO chief found out that Glean was appealing to the LTO-Region 3 to go back to his old job. Rio N. Araja

SC affirms life term on human trafficker who preyed on minors

THE Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed the conviction of a recruiter who had been found guilty of trafficking five minors aging 14 to 17 years old for prostitution in 2018.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, the SC upheld with modification the guilty verdict imposed on recruiter Joko P. Celis, alias “Jaztine or Joco/Joko” who was charged

with seven counts of qualified trafficking in persons.

However, the SC ruled that Celis is guilty of qualified human trafficking only in five cases since the ages of the two other victims at the time the crime was committed could not be ascertained.

One of those recruited was a single mother who had a one-year-old

child. She testified she needed money for the milk and other needs of her child.

Court records showed that their recruiter was arrested in a Quezon City bar during an entrapment operation conducted by the police on January 30, 2018. Subsequently the authorities charged Celis with seven counts of qualified trafficking in persons. He de -

Bulacan officials back SJDM’s HUC bid

By Orlan Mauricio

MALOLOS CITY—In a rare display of unity, all the city and municipal mayors of Bulacan have banded together over the weekend to throw their allout support for the bid of San Jose Del Monte City Mayor Arthur Robes to achieve “Highly Urbanized City” status. Similar to the cityhood process, the ratification of SJDM’s HUC status will be submitted to the vot-

ing population of the city in a scheduled Plebiscite on October 30, simultaneous with the Barangay and SK elections. City residents can either vote “YES” to approve its HUC status or reject it. Once approved, SJDM will become an independent city of Bulacan and thereafter its voters will no longer vote for the governor, vice governor and board members (bokal) of the province in future elections.

nied the charges.

After trial, the regional trial court convicted Celis of seven violations of qualified trafficking in persons under Section 4(a) in relation to Section 6(a) and (c) of Republic Act No. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by RA 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012. Rey E. Requejo

342 applicants land jobs in Caloocan’s job fair

By Jun David

A TOTAL of 342 job seekers were hired on the spot in a job fair spearheaded by Caloocan City’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) at the city sports complex last Oct. 5.

The event surpassed the target hiring rate by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with 40.14 percent against DOLE’s 30 percent standard.

Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan reiterated the importance of providing income-generating opportunities for his constituents even as he encouraged more job seekers to take advantage of the city government’s initiatives.

“Napakahalaga po sa amin sa pamahalaang lungsod na magbigay ng kabuhayan sa ating mga kababayan kaya naman tuloy-tuloy po ang paglulunsad natin ng mga job fairs kasama pa ng ibang mga livelihood programs (It is very crucial for us in the city government to provide livelihood opportunities to our people, that is why we are sustaining our job fairs and other similar actkivities),”the the mayor said.

PESO officer-in-charge, Violeta Gonzales, echoed Malapitan’s sentiments and thanked the local chief executive as well as the city’s partner companies for the success of the event.

“Muli po tayong nagpapasalamat kay Mayor Along sa patuloy na pagsiguro na magka-trabaho ang ating mga kababayan, gayundin po sa mga kumpanyang patuloy na pinipili ang mga Batang Kankaloo bilang kanilang mga empleyado,” Ms. Gonzales stated.

BACK. After years of absence from the academic circle, college students in full military uniform undergoing Reserve Officers Training Corps are undeniably back on the scene as exemplified by this cadets gathered at the Rizal Memorial Stadium for the National Capital Region leg of the Philippine ROTC Games. Danny Pata

#SAMASAMA2023. Navy officers and personnel from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines meet during the #Samasama23, an annual bilateral navy-tonavy exercise between the said countries aimed at enhancing interoperability and promoting cooperation.

PhilHealth: Be vigilant against fraud, malware

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) appealed to the public to be vigilant and take precautionary measures against different forms of fraudulent activities as a result of a recent ransomware attack.

In a statement, PhilHealth said hackers have started circulating illegally obtained data from the workstations of PhilHealth employees.

‘Agri-smuggling bills need review’

By Othel V. Campos

AGRICULTURAL stakeholders proposed a comprehensive review of the measures seeking to limit the transaction and movement of agricultural produce to P1 million.

Stakeholders said they are concerned that House Bill 9284 and Senate Bill 2434--which reduce the threshold of acts of economic sabotage to P1 million--will sow fear among traders, wholesalers, and retailers who are moving millions worth of agriculture and fisheries products.

“There was no consultation on this. We

were never consulted and we fear that there should be clear guidelines before they implement this” Philippine Rice Industry Stake Holders Movement (PRISM) co-founder Orlando Manuntag said at the sidelines of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI) general membership meeting held over the weekend.

Quimbo will remain part of LP despite CIF support—Lagman

By Rio N. Araja

DESPITE her support to Office of the Vice President’s confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo is spared from sanctions from the leadership of the Liberal Party.

“The defense of Rep. Stella Quimbo of the confidential funds, particularly of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, and the Maharlika Investment Fund, contrary to the collective position of the leadership and ranking members of the Liberal Party of the Philippines, has resulted in some clamor to sanction Rep. Quimbo as a Party member, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said.

Manuntag who is a local rice miller-importer said colleagues have expressed great concern, saying they are already afraid to take part in the government’s call for sufficiency for food.

Both bills defined economic sabotage as smuggling and hoarding of agricultural produce. In particular the House version which already passed the third and final reading stated that the smuggling of rice and other agricultural products is classified as “economic sabotage”, a crime punishable by life imprisonment.

According to the Senate version “the crimes of agricultural smuggling,

hoarding, profiteering, and cartel as economic sabotage are committed when the value of each agricultural and fishery product subject of the crime is at least P1 million, computed at the time the crime was committed.”

Both bills have been certified by the President as urgent.

The PCAFI argued that the broad scope of covered infractions and severe penalties may create a chilling effect on vital industries. They also note that bills are being railroaded since SB 2432 is also on its third and final hearing, less than a month after it was filed.

To help protect members from being victimized by opportunists, PhilHealth strongly recommended changing passwords of online accounts, enabling multi-factor authentication, monitoring of suspicious activities in their online accounts, not opening and clicking suspicious emails and links, and not answering suspicious calls and text messages.

“Using the stolen data, the hackers will likely target members through calls, emails or text messages. Let us then heed the advice of authorities to refrain from clicking doubtful links or providing passwords or OTPs. It is best to ignore suspicious calls, and to delete text or emails instead from unknown and suspicious senders,” PhilHealth president and CEO Emmanuel R. Ledesma, Jr. said.

THE government should scrap the Oil Deregulation Law instead of passing on the burden of surging fuel prices to drivers and commuters, the transportation group PISTON said.

PISTON National President Mody Floranda, quoted by GMA News, said the group is “calling on the government to maybe remove the Oil Deregulation Law because this causes the up and down movement of oil prices in the country.”

Floranda stressed that the P1 provisional fare increase could slightly help drivers, but it still did not make sense as a whole, especially since the increase in gasoline reached up to P19 per liter.

“Presently, when you have 200 passengers, that adds P200 to the driver’s earnings. If the driver previously took home P500, it now becomes P700,” Floranda further said, adding that effectively, this will help drivers and operators, but boundaries would also increase. Operators will say that vehicle spare parts increased. The driver and operator will have to share that P1.”

The transport group noted that the Oil Deregulation Law failed to deliver its original promise to lower fuel prices through unrestricted trade “and has since afforded oil companies the freedom to raise fuel prices without significant government oversight.”

Earlier, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) approved a P1 provisional increase in the minimum fare for public utility jeepneys (PUJs) effective Sunday, October 8.

“Although it has to be noted that she has later conceded that the utilization and audit of secret funds must be made more transparent and officials made more accountable,” he said.

“The enduring tradition of the Liberal Party is to allow its members to take independent views on national issues in recognition of a member’s freedom of expression and dissent,” he added. Quimbo is still a member of the Liberal Party, he said.

The foregoing decision was unanimously reached by the ManCom of the Party, together with some district representatives, and Lagman, as President of the Party, was authorized to issue this statement.

Comelec says 300 BSKE candidates ‘ripe for disqualification’

By Gabriellea Pariño

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said 300 candidates for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) are “ripe for disqualification.”

Earlier, the Comelec said it issued

show-cause orders against more than 5,000 BSKE candidates for the upcoming October 30 elections.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia confirmed the issuance of show-cause orders, adding that 1,000 candidates had already responded.

“We’ve issued around 5,200 show

cause orders and more than 1,000 candidates have already responded. Based on the initial statement, about 300 out of the said candidates are ripe for disqualification,” Garcia said in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

The Comele Anti-Epal Task Force has also filed 82 petitions for disquali-

Solon hails housing program partnership

By Rio N. Araja

KABAYAN

to provide affordable housing to marginalized groups, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Rep. Ron Salo said.

Salo said the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing Program (4PH Program), a top priority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSHUD, “is

a beacon of hope for millions of Filipinos seeking decent and affordable housing.

“The signing of a memorandum of agreement solidifies our commitment to the 4PH Program. Through our MOA, we aim to deliver affordable housing to our marginalized constituents who need it the most,” he said.

The 4PH Program aims to construct one million housing units annually for the next six years, responding to the housing requirements of 6.5 million Filipinos.

fication as of October 6, with charges filed against 10 for alleged vote-buying. Garcia said that the disqualification cases will be decided before election day comes.

About 300 complaints have been dropped by the commission because of a lack of factual basis.

LGUs to receive P12.8b in national

wealth share

A LAWMAKER said local government units (LGUs) hosting mineral mining and energy development activities stand to receive P12.8 billion as their combined share of the national treasury’s income from the use of natural resources.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel on Sunday also said: “The P12.8 billion has been appropriated in the 2024 national budget that the House of Representatives recently approved on the third and final reading.”

“The amount is 27% greater than the P10.1 billion that provincial, city, municipal, and barangay governments are getting this year as their ‘national wealth use’ share,” Pimentel said, adding that “the money will enable local governments to pursue new projects that will create additional employment and livelihood opportunities for their communities.”

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, local governments are entitled to 40% of the national treasury’s gross earnings from mining taxes, royalties from mineral reservations, forestry charges, and fees and revenues from energy resources generated from their areas.

Under the law, the share is allocated as follows: 20% to the province; 45% to the component city or municipality; and 35% to the barangay.

In cases of highly urbanized or independent component cities, 65% goes to the city and 35% to the barangay.

Under the law, local government must appropriate the funds to bankroll local development and livelihood projects.

party-list has forged a partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)

PISTON to gov’t: Scrap oil law to stop surges

HOLY ROSARY. Church workers distribute the Rosary to parishioners after Sunday mass at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros Manila. Catholics celebrate October as Holy Rosary Month. Danny Pata

BOSES AT ARAL CONCERT. Llavore Music Production held a press conference for the upcoming Boses at Aral concert. The production outfit also introduced new talents joining the concert namely (from left to right) JP Morales , Jancy Tamares . Carlo Coscos, Archi Lopez. Benz Llavore, John Sandoval , Yen Victoria, Daryll Tamayo, Jove Evangelio and Lovern Apa. Lloyd Juztine S. Santos

Diff’rent strokes

HOW our top national leaders reacted to the latest Pulse Asia survey which showed a steep plunge in their performance approval ratings provides a study in contrasts.

Though likely un-studied, it gives us a mirror to their personalities.

I borrow the title of today’s column from the popular though short-lived (by American standards) early 80s sitcom which sometimes dealt on serious issues pictured in light vein.

The day after the release of the survey, the president was in Taguig to dispense sacks of rice to recipients of the 4Ps.

Though the survey results may have been unpleasant, the president took it in stride, and in humble tone accepted that this was “not surprising.”

“People are having a hard time. The rice issue – that is a burden really…”

“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.

And on the same day, he announced the lifting of the controversial price ceiling on rice, started in early September, which had obviously failed to dampen the inflation rate, with the PSA itself and the Pulse Asia research confirming that food inflation, particularly that of rice, was the public’s main beef, as the index rose to 6.1 percent in September.

Why not ask the US of A put up a military base there instead of additional EDCA sites purposely aimed to address a potential Taiwan Strait conflict?

The president’s DA and DTI appointees expectedly stated the price cap worked, and said prices would not go up again because the palay harvests have begun. We hope.

Such brown-nosing over a failed market intervention does not square off with the small number of retailers “nationwide” which DSWD, given DTI’s list of retailers, was able to help through the 15,000 peso “ayuda.”

How explain the small number of beneficiaries who availed themselves of the “ayuda,” around 20,000 rice retailers nationwide after a month, while the DA proudly exclaimed there was 95 percent compliance just a week after imposition?

Even the masa cannot be fooled by such pompous pronouncements.

Truth to tell, the lowly ‘masa’ never felt so outcast from society as when they are forced to buy bad rice at P41 to P45 simply because the alternative was in the high P50s and P60 variety.

I remember what then President Erap, who started his shortened reign after a severe drought had famished our palay fields, admonished then NFA administrator Edno Joson that when he imports rice to fill up the supply shortfall, “siguruhin mong magandang bigas ang kakainin ng masang Pilipino.”

So we hope the president realized after the survey jolt it is better to have officials who will tell him the truth -- the ‘bad news’ rather than sycophantic ululations which distort realities.

Panderers, especially those who say amen and hallelujah to everything the leader says even if they have doubts on its correctness, are the worst enemies of a good manager.

As the fourth US president, James Madison once said: “A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce, or a tragedy, or perhaps both.”

***

The rumor mill has been quite active lately, speculating on forthcoming changes in the Cabinet, more particularly in key members of the president’s economic team.

Supposedly, an economist and seasoned politician who once headed the economic planning agency under a previous president will soon be appointed to a plum post, replacing a former professor of economics who has served four presidents including the present.

And then too, an executive of a huge familyowned conglomerate with interests in food processing, real estate and even air travel will soon replace another key member of the economic team.

Also, the president will soon give up his alltoo-difficult agriculture portfolio and appoint a fishing business magnate who would take up the challenge of supervising food production, from soil-based staples to terrestrial livestock to marine

EDITORIAL

High dropout rate in colleges

and aquatic resources. The supposed Cabinet shake-up, to be announced after the upcoming barangay elections, may be construed as a reaction to the latest survey, but truth is, Malacanang has been mulling such an option given both policy contradictions within the president’s team, and its own appraisal of the performance of the departments concerned.

***

Now back to the personality contrasts between the progenitors of the “Uniteam.”

Reacting to the flak she got from her unexplained confidential and intelligence funds, past and presently proposed for 2024, the vice president showed her feisty personality when she attacked those who oppose the CIF as having “insidious motivations,” and labelled them as “kalaban ng bayan.”

Instead of putting out the fire, she further stoked the flames. Her political enemies, will likely raise the ante. The Uniteam is truly one of different strokes.

While one can perpetually display a conflictaverse leadership style, the other digs in and is often quite confrontational.

Instead of pointing to her city as a template for peace and order, with the NPA virtually extinct, and explaining her use of confidential funds to achieve the same, she went into Red-tagging and stereotyping.

Such that her own declaration before her Senate ‘inquisitors’ that she could live without the confidential funds has now been used as justification by the Speaker of the House, for transferring her CIF allocation towards fortifying the Kalayaan group of islands in the West Philippine Sea and other national security requirements.

Touche!

And announce this he did in Pag-asa ‘mismo,’ with his ‘cuadro de alas,’ his appointed budget barbers Zaldy Co, Stella Quimbo, Nonoy Libanan and Mannix Dalipe in tow, as they inspected the infrastructure-needy island.

As I said in a recent article in this space, it’s too early for the politics of 2028 to boil, but leaders like the vice president should also be able to reflect and absorb lessons on handling brickbats before they grow into crisis.

***

Still, Inday Sara’s enemies, whether ideological, political, or those who were paid to demolish her, crossed the line when they accused her falsely of getting the QCPD police to close down a portion of Commonwealth Avenue because a “VIP” would pass.

Twisted by the purveyor of such fake news to mean the VP instead of “a VIP,” the video was meant to discredit Inday Sara as a spoiled and insensitive official given to excessive entitlement.

The QCPD, which was used, must come out and be forthright on this issue instead of penalizing a lowly member of its force.

And the only way is for the QCPD leadership to identify who the real ‘VIP’ for whom they cleared that span of a busy and traffic-choked thoroughfare was.

Both the staff of the vice president and the purveyors of the viral video must demand that of the QCPD. Otherwise, it will be just a malicious demolition job where the “left” may have been wittingly or unwittingly used. By the way, why does the police department and MMDA allow the “wang-wang” entitlements again? Didn’t PNoy back in 2010 ‘outlaw’ it?

***

And speaking of Kalayaan in Palawan, which appropriations chair now wants to convert into a tourist resort, where the sand is better than his Misibis Bay playground in Albay, one wonders at the expense of traveling by air or boat to said military outpost, as to be viable as a travel destination.

Why not ask the US of A to put up a military base there instead of additional EDCA sites purposely aimed to address a potential Taiwan Strait conflict?

If the intention is to fortify our alliance with them based on the Mutual Defense Treaty, wouldn’t it be better for the US to fortify Kalayaan, and prove to the Filipino people that they have an “iron-clad commitment” to defend our territory and protect our poor fishermen?

I am certain the residents of the Kalayaan group of islands would welcome the presence of “friendly” troops among them, unlike Cagayanos who, led by their Governor Mamba, are protesting the new EDCA sites in Lal-lo and Sta. Ana, veritably magnets for attack if China forcefully takes Taiwan.

WHY is it that more than a third of our collegelevel students have stopped schooling?

This is a disturbing development that requires urgent action by the national government, particularly the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

The agency responsible for overseeing higher education in the country believes this may have been caused by several factors.

First, this may be due to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 onwards, when the government imposed severe restrictions on movement to contain the spread of the disease. The lockdowns forced colleges and universities to resort to online learning, which required ready access to computers—laptops, PCs, cellphones—that students coming from needy families could hardly afford.

Second, because many businesses closed down or reduced the number of workers, students could no longer pay tuition.

While the government already offered free college education in state colleges and

universities, private schools relying mainly on tuition and other fees from students found it difficult to survive the economic crunch.

Third, the increasing cost of living also prevented college level students from continuing their studies.

While CHEd offers subsidies to students who actually pass a certain test, this prevents those who fail the tests—more than half of the test takers—from continuing their studies.

Fourth, it is possible, according to CHEd, there are many who are not test

grantees who also need financial assistance and are not getting it.

It is true that the cost of living has really gone up.

How can we expect families already hard up even before COVID-19 to be able to support the schooling of their children?

These reasons were cited by CHEd during the recent Senate deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget of the agency.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian lamented that universities and colleges had an attrition rate of 15.90 percent in the school year (SY) 2020 to 2021, but jumped to 37.79 in SY 2021 to 2022 then further to 40.98 percent in SY 2022 to 2023.

CHEd, however, clarified that the rate has begun to decrease, with a projected 35.15 attrition rate in SY 2023 to 2024.

That offers cold comfort for poor families now keeping their college-level students at home or out in the streets trying to earn their keep.

We need higher education institutions for our youth to develop analytical skills and to acquire new knowledge they can use in real life in whatever field they choose.

But if our youth are kept from acquiring higher education due to financial difficulties, then the State should step in and make it possible for them to continue their schooling and aspire for a better future.

a cyber-attack ready ecosystem

DID you know that cyber-attacks have a huge impact on the economy of the Philippines?

According to a study commissioned by leading American multi-national technology company, Microsoft, and conducted by Frost & Sullivan, the potential economic loss due to cyber-security incidents in the Philippines could reach an astounding US$3.5 billion.

To put that into perspective, it’s about one percent of the country’s total GDP, which was $404 billion in 2022, according to World Bank official data.

Translating that in Philippine pesos, that’s a P196 billion business for cyber criminals.

Cyber-attacks in the Philippines have been quite significant and have evolved over time.

For instance, ransomware attacks, which are not necessarily a new form of cyberattack, have seen their strategies evolve and continue to seep through the cracks of outdated cybersecurity systems. Malware has become a major concern.

According to a report by American technology firm Cisco, they affected 81 percent of small and medium businesses in the Philippines.

In 2022, Statista data reported about 15.37 thousand mobile malware attacks detected in the Philippines. Phishing is also a common cyber-attack strategy in the Philippines.

Deceiving malicious messages are sent through email or messaging platforms to fool a victim to reveal sensitive personal information.

Over the years, this strategy has been so effective in gaining access to an entire corporate network.

In the news lately is the ransomware attack on Philhealth which is a type of malware that locks a victim’s data or device, threatening to keep it locked or worse, publish the sensitive data on the internet for hackers to feast on unless the victim pays a ransom to the attacker.

A recent Senate investigation pointed out the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and the COMELEC database were also breached by hackers.

The main Philippine government portal “gov.ph” was embarrassingly hacked in 2021. Statista data (September 2023) showed that Ransomware was the most frequently detected cyberattack worldwide, accounting for around 68 percent of all detected cyberattacks. Moreover, over 72 percent of businesses worldwide were affected by ransomware attacks.

According to a report by cybersecurity firm Sophos, 69 percent of organizations in the Philippines experienced a ransomware attack in 2021.

This figure is higher than the Philippines’ 42 percent percentage score in 2020 and higher than the global average.

In 2021, the average ransom payment made by Philippine organizations hit by ransomware was a whopping $1.6 million.

That’s double the country’s average of $820,000 in 2020!

What’s more, this figure is also double the global average of about $812,000 in 2021. It really underscores the significant financial impact of these cyber threats.

government agencies to guard against the “Medusa” ransomware, it would be instructive for government to recruit the expertise of the top digital technology innovators already trusted by the world’s biggest and highly developed bureaucracies.

One of the dominant cloud technology providers globally, Microsoft, offers valuable advice for governments on leveraging cloud technology to improve cybersecurity.

They believe every nation should have a strategy to frame its investments and desired outcomes in cybersecurity.

They also emphasize the importance of increasing cybersecurity in critical sectors, which is vital to the future of national economies.

Globally, governments are moving beyond the question of whether to use cloud computing, focusing instead on how to do so more efficiently, effectively, and securely.

WHAT can be more enchanting than an evening of classical music played on two pianos by homegrown virtuosi of the art?

Last Saturday (Sept. 30) was such a night, when Musika Pilipinas held “Ritmo at Romanza,” a piano duo concert featuring Rowena Arrieta and Raul Súnico and directed by Monino Duque, at the Metropolitan Theater.

It was Arrieta and Súnico’s first time to perform together again in 13 years.

Musika Pilipinas, headed by Dr Maria Alexandra Iñigo Chua, is a group of researchers conducting the Philippine Music Industry Research Project, which is conducting a comprehensive and extensive cultural mapping of the Philippine music industry, something that’s never been done before.

Among their activities for this year was the staging of this concert which showcases the works of Filipino composers of classical music.

Some of the pieces featured were ‘lost’ music that had not been heard in decades or were being performed for the first time.

These were: a two-piano arrangement of Juan Hernandez’s “Simoun Overture” (1920),

In a published statement by Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian C. Dy said from 2020 to 2022, about 3,000 “high level cyberattacks” were recorded in the Philippines.

Almost half of such attacks targeted systems and networks of government agencies and emergency response teams.

He further disclosed that they monitored approximately 54,000 cyber threats with five government agencies attacked since January 2023.

These figures highlight the significant financial and security impact of cyber threats on government and private organizations in the Philippines that must be immediately addressed.

So, are we ready to block these cybersecurity threats?

In terms of resources, it seems we are not.

DICT USec Dy admitted his concerns on the cybersecurity posture of the country and has appealed for more resources.

Though guidelines have been issued to

Microsoft as a technology partner of the US, our strongest ally and top trading partner, is investing to provide support in technical services to help federal, state, and local governments upgrade security protection and modernization assistance.

Microsoft is playing a key role in assisting US agencies to roll out modern applications and infrastructure built on the principles of “Zero Trust” architectures.

They’re also actively engaging with the open-source community and collaborating with widely used platforms to tackle variability across the entire ecosystem.

Additionally, they’ve launched a free repository of educational resources that governments can access to address critical cybersecurity gaps.

For the Philippines to become a thriving digital economy there needs to be a deep commitment to work with these globally trusted cloud technology companies, our local private sector telcos, and internet service providers to build a cyber-attack ready ecosystem that will have the nimbleness to move with the fast-moving risks of this digital world.

‘Ritmo at Romanza’ concert a resounding success

which was a wonderful start to the evening; and Carmencita Arambulo’s “Poeme,” Juan Hernandez’s “Romanza Appasionata” (1919), and Antonio Regalario’s “Sayaw’ (1964), performed solo by Arrieta.

Also among the rediscovered pieces were, played solo by Súnico, Jose Estella’s “Mandolina” (late 19th century), one of the earliest Filipino concert etudes; Julio Nakpil’s “Danse Campestre Ob. IIA” (1891), a country dance in habanera rhythm characterized by charming melodies in the ‘stile brilliant’ common in 19th-century music; and Diego Perez’s “La Fuerza de Amor” (c. 1880), a mazurka de salon for solo piano with dramatic and pleasing romantic melodies.

Also performed for the first time was a two-piano arrangement of Rodolfo Cornejo’s “Kandingan,” a piece inspired by a Moro wedding dance and incorporating 20th-century musical elements. The two legendary pianists also rendered familiar pieces.

Arrieta performed, in its public debut, Rica Arambulo’s arrangement of Fr. Manoling Francisco’s “Hindi Kita Malilimutan | Tanging Yaman | Sa ‘Yo Lamang.” (Rica is a descendant of Carmencita Arambulo.) Súnico performed Willy Cruz’s “Sana’y Maghintay ang Walang Hanggan Kapay Puso’y Sinugatan.”

In regularly featuring the works of Filipino composers in concerts and recordings, we preserve our musical heritage and encourage the creation of new works

Together, they also played Rachmaninoff’s “Italian Polka” (1906), a lively piece; Piazzolla’s “Libertango” (1973) in tango nuevo style; and Khachaturian’s “Gayane Suite” which incorporates one of my favorite pieces, the rousing “Sabre Dance.” They slipped into a light mood with Strauss’ famous waltz “Blue Danube Fantasy” (1866). Well-received by the audience was their rendition of George Canseco’s “Ngayon at Kailanman” (1977) and “Ikaw” (1993). For their encore piece, Arrieta and Súnico gave a playful rendition of APO Hiking Society’s popular hit “Ewan.” People sang

the lyrics, pretty much summing up how the audience felt about the performers and the evening: “Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ‘to bola…” Chua, a professor at the University of Santo Tomas Conservatory of Music and head of the UST Research Center for Culture, Arts, and the Humanities, emphasized in her opening remarks the importance of building an audience for Filipino music and celebrating Filipino composers.

In an earlier interview with me, she said:

“I’m very happy that Ms. Arrieta and Dr. Súnico agreed to perform in our concert and play the rediscovered works of Filipino composers. It’s fulfilling to be able to bring this music to the awareness of audiences, particularly young people.”

Súnico and Arrieta are considered among the foremost pianists the country has produced and both have won many prestigious awards for their work.

Súnico has two undergraduate degrees, in music and mathematics (cum laude). He obtained a master’s in music from Juillard and a PhD in piano performance from New York University.

The Russian-trained Arrieta attended the Moscow Conservatory of Music, and later studied at the Manhattan School of Music.

This event is significant because, aside

from bringing Arrieta and Súnico together again on the same stage after over a decade, showcasing the works of homegrown composers boosts the growth and vibrancy of a country’s music industry.

Local composers play a pivotal role in shaping a nation’s musical identity, capturing its cultural essence, and adding depth and diversity to its musical repertoire.

In addition, being able to watch the masters of their art inspires young musicians and encourages them to explore their creativity, resulting in a vibrant pool of fresh musical works.

In regularly featuring the works of Filipino composers in concerts and recordings, we preserve our musical heritage and encourage the creation of new works. This constant creative dynamic is crucial for the development of a national music. It establishes a sense of continuity and lineage in the music industry, ensuring that the legacy of these composers lives on.

Congratulations to Dr. Chua, Dr. Súnico, Ms. Arrieta, Musika Pilipinas, and the production team of “Ritmo at Romanza” for giving us a magical evening of music! Here’s to more such concerts in the near future.

* * * FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO / Email: writerjennyo@gmail.com

We need higher education institutions for our youth to develop analytical skills and to acquire new knowledge they can use in real life in whatever field they choose

There needs to be a deep commitment to work with these globally trusted cloud technology companies

Build

PSE set to tighten public float rules

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange

(PSE) is drafting rules that will penalize listed companies whose public float falls below the required 10-percent threshold prior to completing a tender offer.

PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon said in a recent interview the proposed rules, approved by its board, aimed to protect small investors. The PSE said it would solicit comments from concerned parties.

Under the proposed rule, a company whose public float falls below 10 percent prior to the cross of the tender offer, will be required to file and pay capital gains tax (CGT) and documentary stamp tax (DST) needed to transfer the shares.

The PSE is making the amendment after the small shareholders of Holcim Philippines Inc. had to undergo the tedious process of transferring the shares, including paying CGT and DST, after the cement firm sought voluntary delisting from the local bourse.

This happened after Holcim’s majority shareholder increased its stake in the company by buying out shares owned by Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co. As a result, Holcim’s public float dropped to 5.05 percent. The PSE then suspended the trading of Holcim.

Holcim offered to conduct a tender offer to acquire the shares it did not own, but the sale of shares became subject to CGT and DST as provided under the rules of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Signing

Gov’t raises

By Julito G. Rada

$1.26b from retail dollar bond sale on strong demand

THE government raised $1.26 billion from the second offering of retail onshore dollar bonds on strong demand from investors, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said over the weekend.

Diokno said in a briefing the target amount was upsized from the initial $1 billion. The first retail dollar bond auction was held in 2021 during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte that raised $1.593 billion.

“That is not comparable [with the first RDB issuance]. Because the situation then [in 2021]

was very different,” Diokno said.

The Treasury said $611 million was raised during the auction, but the total bids submitted reached $636 million. An additional $615 million was raised, but $1.26 billion was awarded.

The Treasury said it was a “very good turnout, considering the current market conditions.”

The second RDB offering has a tenor of 5.5 years and a gross interest rate of 5.750 percent per annum payable every quarter until its maturity in 2029.

Diokno earlier encouraged Filipinos around the world to invest in the second RDBs to bolster financial inclusion.

DOTr acquires ROW properties to start EDSA Greenways project

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) said over the weekend it is accelerating the right-of-way acquisition for the construction of the EDSA Greenways Project.

The agency said it acquired a total of 3,064 square meters or 54.16 percent of 5,657 sq. m. of property for the project.

It also approved resettlement action plans for all stations covering the EDSA Greenways Project as part of the transport agency’s social mechanism for transport projects,

It said 148 individuals who would be affected by the project were enrolled under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) livelihood assistance program.

The DOTr earlier signed an agree-

ment with Smart Communications Inc. to relocate the telco’s utilities and cables affected by the construction of elevated walkways on the main thoroughfare, including footbridges in Balintawak, Cubao, Guadalupe and Taft.

The pedestrian structures seek to address the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), women and people travelling with children by connecting MRT and LRT stations to it. Aimed at resolving inadequacies in the country’s infrastructure which hinder national development, growth from initiatives under the nationwide “Build Better More” program is expected to make the economy more resilient, make trade more efficient, help fund more infrastructure projects and uplift the standard of living in the country.

The RDBs’ features include lowered minimum investment amount from $300 to just $200 and in multiples of $100 thereafter.

The government issues RDBs, which are fixed-income instruments, to provide Filipinos with low-risk, affordable and convenient investments to diversify their portfolios.

The government has been conducting financial literacy sessions since January to ensure the success of the RDB offerings. Diokno said they hosted these sessions with over 700 overseas Filipinos across Europe, Japan, America, Canada and the Middle East.

Under Revenue Regulation No. 16-2012, a final tax of either 5 percent or 10 percent on the net capital gains would be imposed on every sale, barter, exchange or other disposition of shares for listed companies not compliant with the minimum public ownership requirement.

Holcim will be the third company to voluntary delist from the local bourse this year, after Eagle Cement Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

Meanwhile, Philippine stocks are expected to trade within a narrow range this week as investors remain worried over rising inflation and interest rates.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said investors were anticipating another interest rate hike in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ next policy meeting in November after September inflation rate came in at 6.1 percent.

The rising US Treasury yields are also drawing investors away from the equities market. “While it has been expected on some level, the ‘higher-for-longer’ interest rate rhetoric is creeping in and making it more difficult not to pick treasury yields, which are perceived to be risk free, over other asset classes,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

MOBILE FACILITY. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) led by Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. and Undersecretary Sancho Mabborang present the first Mobile Command and Control Vehicle (MoCCoV) in Mindanao to the provincial government of Camiguin and the local government unit (LGU) of Mambajao at the New Provincial Capitol Building. Dennis Abella invented the MoCCoV—a mobile facility for use to effectively and efficiently plan, direct, coordinate and control resources during disasters or emergencies. It has its own weather station system, drone, satellite phone and other communication and surveillance equipment and a triage with available medical rescue equipment.

STOCKHOLDERS MEETING. Waterfront Philippines Inc. concludes its annual stockholders meeting at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug, Cebu on Sept. 23, 2023, where all the hotels under the WPI Group reported stellar performance, with double and triple-digit growth in revenues in 2022. Presiding the stockholders meeting are WPI board members Dee Hua Gatchalian, Elvira Ting, president Kenneth Gatchalian, chairman of the board Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., board secretary Arthur Ponsaran, board secretary, board member Aristeo Cruz and secretary Ruben Torres.

Asialink secures P1b for relending to small businesses

ASIALINK Finance Corp., one of the top online financing companies in the country, raised P1 billion from Yuanta Saving Bank and Small Business Corp. for relending to small- and mediumscale businesses. SBC, a government entity, provided P600 million, while Yuanta, formerly Tongyang Saving Bank, lent P400 million. Asialink lends about P1.3 billion a month to companies that find it hard to borrow from banks.

“The small and medium companies are the backbone of economies, big and small. They provide jobs in all corners of our country and help the economy grow. They are a strategic economic and social pillar and therefore should be supported,” Asialink chief executive

Roberto Jordan said in a statement.

Jordan said while big as a sector, the insignificant individual sizes of SMEs prevent them from getting bank loans because of the tight lending policies and

restrictions they need to comply with.

The big banks are also not designed to lend small amounts and work with hundreds of thousands of such small borrowers.

“Asialink fills that gap. We have more than 45,000 borrowers and our repayment rate are higher than that of banks.

We charge higher than bank rates but we can approve a loan within a day for repeat clients and require fewer documentation. In the end, as their businesses grow, everybody is happy”, he said.

Jordan said the sector requires hundreds of billions of pesos each year to help these unbanked companies.

“Asialink will continue to grow with these corporations. The more funds we raise, the more we can lend to them for their businesses to prosper,” Jordan said.

Lotilla thumbs down proposed oil stockpile, cites need to promote electric vehicles

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ENERGY Secretary Raphael Lotilla

thumbed down proposals for strategic petroleum reserve (SPR) or oil stockpile, saying this needed a more thorough study in the wake of the government’s promotion of electric vehicles (EVs).

The Department of Energy has been pushing for the rollout of EVs following the enactment of the Republic Act 11697 or the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act.

Lotilla said the DOE was looking at 50 percent EV penetration by 2040.

“So, 50 percent of our vehicles will be electric, how much would be the demand for oil-based products?” Lotilla said in a recent briefing.

“We’ll have to take a look at all of these things, but it is a very legitimate question to be asked whether by our legislators or by the public on what do we do with a strategic reserve,” he said.

The former administration of President Rodrigo Duterte earlier proposed an SPR consisting of large

stockpiles of crude oil and petroleum products, stored in facilities located around the country—and possibly overseas—that are released during periods of local or international oil supply disruptions.

Lotilla said the US SPR was meant to ensure energy security, specifically to address oil supply constraints.

“Right now, are we experiencing a supply constraint? No, therefore the answer is not a strategic reserve,” he said.

Philippine National Oil Co.’s (PNOC) SPR program was supposed to ensure

the long-term stability and security of the oil supply even in times of geopolitical events.

The program aims to provide oil stockpile, either crude oil, finished petroleum products, or both, equivalent to 90 days of the domestic oil requirements.

Lotilla said the SPR should be built when oil prices are low.

“Because you don’t want to buy high and knowing that it’s cyclical, you’re going to lose money. You’re going to lose your shirt if you buy high and ex-

pect that you will continuously go up,” he said.

Lotilla said most SPRs store crude oil while the Philippines only has one refinery that accounts y for 30 percent of domestic supply.

“So 70 percent is refined products, not crude oil because refined products are hard to store,” he said. He said government did not pursue SPR even during the 1973 oil

and “we need to study why our previous generations did not go for that kind of a solution.”

crisis,

FRANCHISE ASIA. Bank of the Philippine Islands once again expresses support to the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) as it co- presents

Franchise Asia Philippines 2023, Asia’s biggest franchise show.  The international franchise expo will be held at the SMX Convention Center Manila on Oct. 27 to 29 this year.

the partnership agreement are (from left) PFA president Chris Lim, PFA chairman Sherill Quintana, BPI business banking head of channel management Jhoan Ramos, PFA vice chairman Ma. Alegria Sibal-Limjoco and Franchise Asia Philippines 2023 chair Joseph Tanbuntiong.

Jordan

Agreed at the fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management in Bonn, Germany, the Global Framework on Chemicals sets concrete targets and guidelines across the lifecycle of chemicals.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

View of Sheldon Glacier with Mount Barre in the background, seen from Ryder Bay near Rothera Research Station, Adelaide Island, Antarctica. British Antarctic Survey

THE Antarctic sea ice has fallen well below its previous record low of last year, according to data from the United States government monitoring service, said the UN weather agenc in another climate alert.

Having reached its maximum level during winter in the southern hemisphere, it has dipped below 17 million square kilometers for the first time since records began in 1979.

That is a full million km² below 2022, said the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)–an area greater than the size of Egypt.

One of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center scientists issuing the alert said it was far outside anything seen before and “almost mind-blowing.”

ROME—One of the most innovative tools in water management and governance is going global.

WaPOR, as it is widely known, is expanding its geospatially-driven coverage to the whole world, following six years of successful use in Africa and the Near East. The new and improved version was launched last week at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) at the 2nd Rome Water Dialogue and on the sidelines of the Global Symposium on Soils and Water.

Water Productivity through Open access of Remotely sensed derived data, the portal’s full name, offers users near realtime satellite data to track actual water consumption in cropping fields, irrigation water applications and the economic value-addition that an extra drop can offer, doing so with seasonal nuance and highspatial resolution.

It can help countries, especially those grappling with water scarcity, monitor water productivity and identify productivity gaps. Irrigated agriculture accounts for 70 percent of global water withdrawals, so making every drop count is increasingly imperative.

“WaPOR can make important evidencebased contributions to bolstering the prospects for optimization and more reliable agricultural yields,” said Lifeng LI, drector of the FAO Land and Water Division.

The new version, tapping a wider array of satellite inputs and adapted to cuttingedge sensor technologies, increases the granularity of assessments, whose resolution can now bore down to field-scale applications where a pixel represents 20 meters of land surface, which can be used by farmers to decide when to irrigate and how much water is needed for their crops.

“We will get better data, allowing us to go beyond general numbers for entire countries,” said Jippe Hoogeveen, chief technical advisor of the WaPOR program.

“This will allow governments to integrate the knowledge into more holistic, integrated, and targeted rural development plans, as well as contributing to better tracking of SDG6 objectives. FAO News

HE United Nations adopted last week a new global framework to reduce environmental risks from chemicals and waste, with countries committing to phase out the most harmful ones.Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), welcomed the new framework.

“Everyone on this planet should be able to live and work without fear of falling sick or dying from chemical exposure. Nature, free from pollution, should be able to thrive and support humanity for millennia to come,” she said.

“This is why this framework provides a vision for a planet free of harm from chemicals and waste, for a safe, healthy and sustainable future.”

The framework is based around 28 targets, designed to improve responsible management of chemicals and waste. These targets also aim to establish stronger connections with other important global agendas, including climate change, biodiversity, human rights and

First of 2 parts

health.

Governments have committed to setting up policies and regulations aimed at reducing chemical pollution by 2030 as well as promoting safer alternatives. Industries also pledged to manage chemicals in a manner that reduces pollution and its adverse impacts.

By 2035, the framework seeks to phase out highly hazardous pesticides in agriculture where the risks have not been managed. In addition to the Global Framework, the Conference also adopted the Bonn Declaration that aims to “prevent exposure to harmful chemicals, and phase out the most harmful ones, where appropriate, and enhance the safe management of such chemicals where they are needed.”

It encourages countries to support the

LONG before the sun rises above the towering trees of the Panamanian rainforest, Elizabeth Méndez, a Guna indigenous woman, wakes up to the sound of her rooster crowing. She lives in a house made of bamboo and thatch, nestled deep in the lush green forests. This is where she and her family have been growing coffee for generations.

Elizabeth’s busy day begins with the distinct aroma of freshly brewed coffee, which for her, signifies much more than a morning kickstart to her day.

Coffee has long been an important source of income for many indigenous peoples in Panama. But, in recent years, these communities have struggled to maintain their traditional methods of production.

“I’ve been harvesting coffee since I was a little girl, but sometimes we didn’t understand what was going on with the plant: sometimes it looked sick, sometimes it would not yield much,” says Elizabeth.

“The other main challenge we’ve always faced is where and how to sell the coffee. When we harvest, sometimes we have nowhere to sell it and sometimes we sell it cheap,” she adds.

With the advent of an innovative project called “Support for post-COVID economic recovery for Indig-

transition to circular economies, fostering the development of safe alternatives and substitutes for chemicals.

This approach aims to not only safeguard health and the environment but also reduce waste and enhance recycling efforts.

Andersen urged all parties to start acting immediately.

“The World Health Organization (WHO) tells us that direct chemical pollution of the air, land, water and workplace is causing two million deaths per year,” she said.

“As any athlete will tell you, beating a target is better than meeting a target, so I call on governments, the chemicals industry and everyone involved to go above and beyond what has been agreed to protect people and the planet upon which we all depend.” UN News

enous coffee producers,” this is hopefully a scenario of the past for the coffee farmers in the Ngäbe, Guna, Emberá and Wounaan Indigenous Peoples’ communities participating in the project.

Experts in ecology

The project is an initiative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with funding from the Japan Special Fund Poverty Reduction Program. It was implemented with the technical assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and with the support of Panama’s Ministry of Agricultural Development, as well as coffee company, Café Durán. The project’s goal was to increase the income of indigenous coffee producers by enhancing the production, processing, quality and sales of coffee from sustainable agroforestry.

More than 150 indigenous coffee farmers from four communities completed a season-long, FAO Farmers Field Schools’ training in sustainable agro-ecological practices that enhance resilience to climate change and improve the quantity and quality of production while being aligned with and building upon indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and cultural practices. FAO News (To be continue next week)

biodiversity and agriculture.

The consequences of continued ice melt could have far-reaching consequences for long-term seasonal evolution, said WMO.

Scientists with WMO’s Global Cryosphere Watch are on alert to see if this is the start of a new worrying trend due to rising emissions in the atmosphere and ocean.

“The 2023 Antarctic sea-ice deficit has direct impacts on the climate- and ecosystems, both nearby as well as far field, including at lower latitudes, which are home to the majority of human population and their economic interests,” said Dr Petra Heil, an expert from the Australia Antarctic Division and part of WMO’s Global Cryosphere Watch. UN News

“We must stop taking water for granted,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said last week at the

soils, land, climate

With agriculture accounting for more than 70 percent of the planet’s freshwater withdrawals “by increasing efficiency, reducing negative impacts and reusing wastewater, agriculture holds the solutions to the global water crisis,” he said.UN News

Maritime transport must decarbonize ‘as soon as possible’

ACTION is urgently needed to combat surging carbon emissions in the shipping industry, the UN trade and development body UNCTAD said on Wednesday.

UNCTAD prior to the recent World Maritime Day on September 28 called for cleaner fuels, digital solutions and clear and universal carbon regulations in an industry accounting for over 80 percent of the world’s trade volume, in which emissions have risen by one fifth over the past decade.

The trade body’s Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan stressed that maritime transport needs to decarbonize “as soon as possible,” while ensuring economic growth.

“Balancing environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance and economic demands is vital for a prosperous, equitable and resilient future for maritime transport,” she said. Investment in green technologies is urgent as nearly 99 per cent of the global shipping fleet still relies on conventional fuels, and commercial vessels are on average over 22 years old.

UNCTAD reported that up to an additional $28 billion will be required annually to decarbonize ships by 2050 and up to $90 billion will be needed each year to develop infrastructure for entirely carbonneutral fuels by 2050.

Full decarbonization could double annual fuel expenses, potentially affecting small island developing states and least developed countries that rely heavily on maritime transport. UN

News

People visit the Iraqi Museum in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. AFP

German conceptual, installation and happening artist HA Schult poses beside his army of ‘trashmen’ marking World Maritime Day from the beach of La Barceloneta in Barcelona. The hundred Trashmen will carry banners with messages of awareness of the state of degradation of our oceans and seas, and consequently, that of the beaches. AFP

By partnering with coffee company, Café Durán, indigenous peoples’ communities are accessing a new market that is reliable and pays fair prices. FAO

UNEP welcomes new Global Framework on Chemicals.

PH improves Asiad finish by 2 notches to 17th spot

By Riera U. Mallari

HANGZHOU—

After two weeks of battle, the Philippines finished with four golds, two silvers and 12 bronze medals, good for 17th overall in the 19th Asian Games here topped for the 11th time by China.

Gilas Pilipinas reclaimed the basketball throne in Asia for the first time in 61 years, while Ernest John Obiena solidified his status as Asia’s best and world’s no. 2 pole vaulter in a record smashing Asian Games’ performance to lead the Philippines’ campaign in the games.

Sharing the spotlight with these two golden performers were jiu-jitsu campaigners Margarita Ochoa (48kgs) and Annie Ramirez (57kgs), who delivered scintillating feats as the Philippines matched its four-gold haul during the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.

“It’s still a very very good finish, even better than our previous one,” said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino.

“We have four golds. Basketball for the first time in 61 years, an Asian Games gold medal and new games’ record from Obiena, and two from jiu-jitsu replacing the two from women’s golf.

We finished 17th overall, that’s another accomplishment,” added Tolentino of the Philippine contingent which improved its 2018 placing of 19th overall five years ago by two notches.

The Philippines was the fourth best Southeast Asian country behind Thailand (no. 8, 12-14-32), Indonesia (13th, 7-11-18) and Malaysia (14th, 6-8-18), but better than Singapore (20th, 3-6-7) and Vietnam (21st 3-5-19).

The silver medals came from Sanda fighter Arnel Mandal in the men’s 56kg category, and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Eumir Marcial, who despite his loss in the 80kg finals to China’s Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke still clinched a seat in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Adding to the Philippine cause were bronze medalists Patrick Coo (BMX men’s race), Jenna Kaila Napolis (-52Kg jiu-jitsu), Sakura Alforte (Women’s Individual

Tolentino hits PSC’s demand for POC to liquidate immediately P10m financial assistance for ‘98 Asiad

HANGZHOU—Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino unleashed his pent-up disgust and frustration over the Philippine Sports Commission, which he described as having given teamwork a different meaning and created a wedge between the two major sports organizations during the 19th Asian Games.

Tolentino’s disgust stemmed from a PSC letter to the POC indicating a P10million unliquidated financial assistance to the Olympic organization for Filipino athletes’ participation in the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

The letter, coursed through the PSC’s in-house Commission on Audit office, was dated September 20—a day after Tolentino and top POC officials arrived here, the same day Hangzhou welcomed the Philippine delegation in a formal flag-raising ceremony at the Asian Games Village and three days before the opening ceremony.

“Why send the letter on September 20? Why not after the closing ceremony? Perhaps October 10, when we have all gone home,” Tolentino told Filipino reporters covering the on Saturday, the morning after the Philippines bagged the men’s basketball crown for its fourth gold medal in the games.

“I kept this to myself since the start of the games, but after we reached my goal of four gold medals, I couldn’t keep this to myself any longer,” Tolentino said. “It’s that bad.”

The unliquidated P10 million is traced back to the term of Cristy Ramos as president of the POC, which had experienced issues with the PSC, then chaired by Philip Ella Juico. Ramos sought Malacanang’s help for the Bangkok 1998 campaign with then President Fidel Ramos heeding the request that cascaded down the government sports arm.

The financial assistance for the Bangkok campaign was sourced from the Philippine

10 factors that led to Gilas Pilipinas’ gold

By Yugel Losorata

ONE night in February last year while I was relaxing in a coffee shop in Mandaluyong City, a guy on an electric scooter came in to order and take out something. You could tell from his physique that he is some athlete, yet nothing in his demeanor implied that he is actually a bonafide star.

I eventually realized he is Justin Brownlee so I went to him and we had a small talk about, well, basketball.

For everything he has done for crowd drawer Barangay Ginebra, and the Philippine Basketball Association for that matter, right up to that moment, I felt he could just dribble out the remaining days of his career and still end up as the greatest PBA import.

Thus, coach Tim Cone was masterful in motivating him in a certain tone in the just concluded 19th Asian Games. He encouraged the premium naturalized player to do something “unforgettable” or beyond “awesome” as he did for Ginebra several times. Justin delivered and came to play big in a tournament where Gilas Pilipinas overachieved (yes, that’s the right word!). They took home the gold 61 years after the Philippines last did it in the Asiad. Brownlee must top this list of things that happened en route to Gilas Pilipinas lording it over Asian opponents

Bachmann shows support to last competing Filipino athlete

ON the final day of the 19th Asian Games, Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richard Bachmann reiterated the agency’s unbridled support to karateka Junna Tsukii – the last Filipino athlete to compete for Team Philippines in Hangzhou, China.

“Medal or no medal, the Philippine Sports Commission will always do its best to show its unwavering support to all our athletes carrying the Philippine flag,” said Bachmann, as he cheered Tsukii on in the women’s kumite -50kg event at Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium, Sunday morning.

“‘Yung presence ni Chairman dito sa last game natin means a lot, not just for us in karate, but to every athlete for sure. This just goes to show that there is sincerity and concern coming from the PSC para sa amin from start to finish,” said Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc. president Richard Lim.

The sports agency chief, who arrived days before the opening ceremonies together with the PSC secretariat and medical workforce, immediately visited the athletes village and showed support for national teams in wushu, tennis, women’s football and basketball, to name a few.

“Even with the circumstances we faced in these Games, it’s fulfilling for us to be of service to our sports heroes, hear their story, and continue to build that good relationship with each of them,” Bachmann said.

Amusements and Gaming Corp, but was eventually deducted as the government gaming body’s contribution to the PSC.

“We weren’t even born yet [in 1998],” said Tolentino, who in 1998 was involved in top-tier sports, more so in the POC—he was elected interim president in 2018 and officially got the post in 2020.

Tolentino added that the particular PSC check of P10 million was released only in September 2016, 18 years after the Bangkok games.”

“While we were here on the first day [September 19] and waving the Philippine flag, they sent us the letter with an instruction “to answer within five days” upon receipt,” he said. “Give me one valid reason for the Filipino people on the timing of the sending the letter … Why? To distract us? That’s malicious intent … bad faith.”

Tolentino slammed the move as opposed to teamwork at the Asian Games, where winning gold—or a bronze—is a tough task.

PSC Commissioner Fritz Gaston and Commissioner Edward Hayco also joined Bachmann in China to extend the agency’s support to our national teams from softball, baseball and jujitsu, among others.

Prior to the games, the PSC confirmed that all competing athletes will be provided monetary allowance during the course of the Games, regardless of the Category A and Category B classifications originally set by the POC and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC).

“The 19th Asian Games have been an incredible display of talent and determination from our Filipino athletes. Our 4 gold, 2 silver and 12 bronze medals, partnered with the tremendous commitment of each athlete in their respective sports, have made our nation proud,” concluded the chairman.

Bachmann is expected to discuss the post-event matters on this year’s Asiad when he arrives in the Philippines.

right after the Philippines hosted The World Cup. Items 2 to 10 may come in the order you like.

1. Justin Brownlee playing a la

Jordan Gilas Pilipinas beat Jordan in the gold medal match partly because they had a Michael Jordan-like figure in their midst. No pun intended. Justin’s heroics against China is now being compared to that of Tracy McGrady’s 13 points in 33 seconds outburst for the Houston Rockets during a regular season match against the San Antonio Spurs. His impact for the Gilas throughout the tournament, however, is Jordanesque. He could drive strong, hit from the outside, and most especially, delivered when the game was on the line. That he was able to hit a couple of unbelievable shots essentially bigger in scale than when he powered the popular Barangay Ginebra to a PBA throne with a buzzer-beater should prove the point.

2. Tim Cone agreeing to coach With just a couple of weeks’ preparation, Coach Tim did a Robert Jaworski who took the responsibility in the 1990 Beijing joust on a rush. He did it in a more spectacular fashion, of course. Looking back, The Big J had PBA’s “dream team” even before the labeling Dream Team was popularized by a bunch of NBA stars. Cone, who even surpassed the bronze fin-

ish of his famed 1998 Centennial Team, had to make do with who were available in the pool in light of some players not being allowed to join due to technicality.

3. Chot Reyes stepping aside

For some reason it’s not perfect to say Coach Chot resigned because in these times people are entitled to say things the way they want it to sound or be identified as something they would rather prefer. Nobody wants to be in the shoes of a former national team coach who witnessed his replacement win everything just a month after relinquishing his post amid calls for his resignation. The beleaguered tactician often criticized for his strategies and suits did what he had to do and it opened the path to a gold.

4. Last-minute replacements

Turned out to be a blessing in disguise to have guys like CJ Perez and Kevin Alas when rules won’t allow explosive players Terrence Romeo and Calvin Abueva to jump in. Both players promptly showed up and made valuable contributions that helped clear the path for main star JB to win it for them. Even Chris Ross sparkled on the bench as he was seen often stirring up the whole team.

5. Team play over Iso

Watching the ball stay in one’s hands until a forced shot was made became an eye sore linked to the team that fought in

The Gilas Pilipinas team celebrates its Asian Games’ title conquest. the recent World Cup. Seeing this group pass the ball around like the Alaska dynasty of the 1990s was a kind of poetry in motion. There is no “I” (read: Isolation) in Team, right?

6. “Rivalry” versus China

Back in classic PBA, the rivalry between Crispa and Toyota were so fierce they’d rather lose to “weaker” or lesspopular ball clubs than be on the losing end of their every face-off. That was at stake when Gilas Pilipinas met the Chinese five in front of a hostile away crowd in Hangzhou. It felt like these athletes were settling the political issue on the

West Philippine Sea. It was also a sort of grudge match after China beat the Philippines in the finals of the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in their home turf and then the Philippines routing China in last month’s World Cup right inside the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

7. Forgettable World Cup

Let’s admit it. The 2023 World Cup result was a disappointment as Gilas won just once in five games despite the support of a passionate home crowd. It was different back in 2014 when the underdog Gilas Pilipinas nearly shocked

Junna Tsukii cries after losing in her preliminary-round bout in the Karate Kumite competition of the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China.

PSC chairman Richard Bachmann

POC president Abraham Tolentino

New cage tourney for private high schools set

THE inaugural National Basketball Championships Inter-High, a nationwide search for the best private high school boys basketball team, unfolds this Friday (October 13) in Pampanga, one of 32 provinces, cities or regions where there will each be eight teams knocking each other out for the right to represent their province in the grand finals.

Presented and organized by Jams Sports which is under Jamsap Entertainment Corporation, and with PBA legend and 2013 MVP Arwind Santos as league Commissioner, the 256-team win-or-go-home boys tourney offers a One Million Pesos (P1,000,000) prize money for the grand champion.

More than anything else, NBCIH will be a platform for 14 to 19 year olds to showcase their basketball skills and potential in front of coaches and scouts which could pave the way for athletic scholarship offers from the many colleges and universities nationwide which are always on the lookout for fresh, young, tall and promising talent.

“We are hoping the NBCIH can help young athletes to fulfill or jumpstart their dreams of earning college scholarships while pursuing their passion for the game,” said Jamsap CEO Jojo Flores in the press luncheon yesterday (Oct. 8) at the Don Bosco Academy Auditorium in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

“Lalo na dahil kaka-champion lang ng Gilas Pilipinas sa Asian Games –first time yan in 61 years, lalong maii-inspire ang ating mga kabataan para pag-igihan ang paglalaro at sana makatulong tayo sa kanilang mga pangarap sa pamamagitan ng tournament na ito,” said Santos, who traces his roots to San Fernando and Lubao in Pampanga.

The eight participating private high school boys teams in Pampanga will be coming from Sta. Cruz AcademyLubao, St. Augustine Institute of Pampanga, St. Mary’s Academy of Guagua, Guagua National College, St. Vincent Academy-Apalit, Pampanga Colleges, Don Bosco Academy and Holy Angels University, and will be battling it out at the Bren Z. Guiao Sports & Convention Center in the City of San Fernando starting at 2 pm this Friday between St. Augustine Institute of Pampanga and Don Bosco Academy.

PH hoops gold to Chopra: 5 top Asiad performances

HANGZHOUThe Asian Games in Hangzhou witnessed some world-class performances over two weeks of action in 40 sports.

AFP Sport picks out five who excelled:

Shanti Pereira - athletics

The 27-year-old sprinter took a leap of faith earlier this year and was rewarded in Hangzhou with 200m gold.

She gave up her job as a copywriter to become a full-time runner and it paid off as she won Singapore’s first athletics Asian Games gold in 49 years.

“When I had the chance I jumped right in,” said Pereira, who also took home 100m silver.

“What a season. It’s been so crazy, it means a lot to me. I can’t really describe this.”

No one was prouder than her parents watching from the stands as Pereira draped herself in the Singapore flag and burst into tears.

“I just got emotional,” said dad Clarence. “I’m still in a daze.”

North Korea - weightlifting

North Korea’s weightlifters shocked their rivals after re-emerging from four years of Covid isolation to top the competition with some record-breaking performances.

They started with a bang on the opening day of weightlifting as Ri Song Gum broke two world records in the women’s 49kg.

Kang Hyong Yong, a little-known

24-year-old, then set a hat-trick of world records on her way to gold in the women’s 55kg class.

North Korea’s lifters won six golds, five silvers and two bronzes.

The haul prompted team manager Jang Song Nam to declare: “We are world leaders now. We wanted to show our strength and we did it.”

They won’t be able to flex their muscles next year at the Paris Olympics—they are not eligible after missing qualifying events.

Zhang Yufei - swimming

Untouchable Chinese butterfly specialist Zhang Yufei reinforced her status as a major threat at the Paris Olympics with a dominant showing in the Hangzhou pool and winning the Games MVP award.

The Olympic and world champion won six gold medals, more than anyone else, winning the 50m, 100m and 200m fly, 50m freestyle and helping China surge to two relay titles.

All her times were highly competitive and the 25-year-old said it gave her confidence leading into Paris.

“I hope to present a stable, improved version of myself at every race and that will help me be more confident in myself as I go

Cardinals turn back Generals for 2nd triumph

By Peter Atencio

VETERANS Paolo Hernandez and Clint Escamis provided the key baskets at endgame to power the Mapua Cardinals to a 73-69 win over the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals on Sunday at the FilOil-EcoOil Arena in San Juan. Hernandez and Escamis came into the picture in the last 36 seconds as their baskets handed the Cardinals their second straight win in the 99th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

A jumper from Hernandez in the final 36 seconds, followed by a pair of charities from Escamis with 11 seconds remaining, allowed the Cardinals to get past a 69-all deadlock.

Jopet Soriano led with 15 points for the Cardinals, who kept their share on second place at 4-1 with the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers.

towards Paris,” she said.

Neeraj Chopra - javelin

The world and Olympic champion from India conjured up a mammoth throw to win gold in style at the Hangzhou Olympic Stadium.

Under pressure after teammate Kishore Kumar Jena produced a huge personal best of 87.54m, Chopra responded with a season’s best 88.88m -- longer than the 88.17m that won him the world title at Budapest in August.

“It feels great when we push each other to go farther and farther,” Chopra said of competing against his compatriot.

Kumar Jena was content to finish behind his “idol”. “Keep watching, you will see more of us in the future too,” he warned.

Philippines - basketball

A first Asian Games basketball gold for 61 years sparked an outpouring of joy across the hoops-mad nation after the “Gilas” beat Jordan 70-60.

The nation of 110 million people was glued to television or phone screens to watch the Gilas—meaning panache—end more than half a century of hurt.

“It feels great, man,” said Ivory Coastborn Angelo Kouame.

“It means a lot after all these years, and that’s bigger than all of us.”

The Philippines won Asiad gold four times in a row from 1951 to 1962 but had made just one final since, in 1990, when they went down to China. AFP

Lady Maroons surprise Lady Bulldogs, 72-69

LONG-STRUGGLING University of the Philippines women’s basketball program has truly turned its fortunes around.

This as the Fighting Maroons handed eight-peat seeking National University its first loss in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament, scoring a rousing 72-69 win at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Sunday.

UP raced to a 43-31 lead at halftime but the Lady Bulldogs came out barking in the third to gain a 50-49 advantage heading into the payoff period.

With 11 seconds on the shot clock and 24.7 seconds on the game clock with NU down, 67-69, Maymay Canuto dribbled the ball off her foot that allowed UP’s Kaye Pesquera to grab the loose ball on the floor.

However, Ann Pingol stole the ball from Pesquera and went for a layup but it rimmed out as the Fighting Maroons secured the rebound and called for a timeout.

Pesquera, in the ensuing play, wasted

some time before being sent to the free throw line with 6.2 seconds left, making the first before missing the second, 70-67.

The Lady Bulldogs got the rebound but Christie Bariquit stole it and passed to Louna Ozar for the exclamation points with 2.5 ticks remaining.

UP improved its unbeaten streak to three games at 3-0 while pulling the Lady Bulldogs down to 2-1 for jointthird with Ateneo de Manila University.

This is also the Fighting Maroons’ first win over the NU dynasty since August 29, 2011, a 60-59 escape in the second round of Season 74.

Nineteen-year-old Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Ozar made her Fighting Maroons debut.

UP goes for 4-0 on Wednesday at the Adamson Gym, facing Far Eastern University.

NU, on the other hand, will meet the still-undefeated University of Santo Tomas.

Iloilo shocks Bacoor; Zambo thwarts Quezon in MPBL playoffs

CJ Catapusan drilled in a triple with less than two seconds left as Iloilo pulled off a major shocker over Bacoor, 89-86, on Saturday and revved up its drive in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Fifth Season

playoffs at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite.

That 3-pointer shattered the game’s 10th deadlock and completed the United Royals’ climb from a deep 23-point hole early in the third quarter.

Iloilo, ranked only eighth in the South division after the elimination round, thus moved on the verge of toppling Bacoor, the division’s No. 1 finisher, in their bestof-three quarterfinal series.

Just when their supporters were ready to surrender after they trailed, 37-60, the United Royals suddenly found their range and unloaded 26 points, laced by six triples, against a lone three by James Kwekuteye to knot the count at 63.

It was a roller-coaster ride for both teams after that, until Chito Jaime split his two charities to tie the game anew, 76-76.

Unfortunately for Bacoor, Catapusan was able to prevent overtime and put Iloilo on the brink of advancing to the semifinal round for the first time.

Even Iloilo Coach MC Abolucion could hardly believe that the United Royals were able to steal Game 1 from the Strikers.

“They (United Royals) did not give up. I told them the game’s not yet over and they have to trust our system,” said Abolucion. “It’s about guts,” he added, referring to

Catapusan’s composure to take the deciding shot.

Enzo Navarro led Iloilo with 16 points, 14 assists and 3 rebounds, followed by homegrown Joshua Flores with 14 points and 10 rebounds, JR Ongteco with 13 points and 5 rebounds, Shaquille Imperial with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assist, and homegrown Omar Larupay with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Bacoor got 23 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assist3 from James Kwekuteye, 23 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists from Jhan Nermal, 11 points, 5 ssists and 3 rebounds from Yvan Ludovice and 10 points from Jaime.

Iloilo’s flashy recovery overshadowed Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines’ 77-68 victory against Quezon Province earlier.

The Zamboanguenos bunched nine points to finally pull away, 73-60, and then repel the Huskers’ final assault to also move within a win of a semifinal stint.

Being the defending South division champion and last year’s losing finalist, Zamboanga is favored over league newcomer Quezon in their own quarterfinal series.

Jaycee Marcelino, showing why he’s the reigning MVP, tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal and 1 block for Zamboanga, which surged ahead, 59-46, late in the third quarter.

Soriano stepped in for an ailing Warren Bonifacio, who was nursing a fever and made only six points in the 20 minutes he played.

Cardinals’ coach Randy Alcantara commended the help that Soriano gave in place of Bonifacio in the shaded lane.

“Sa leadership Clint at ni Boni, and of course, ang mga role player namin, hindi sila bumitaw at nagsimula ulit kami sa defense namin,” said Alcantara.

“The whole game parang habol kami ng habol, buti na lang noong huli may puso pa rin,” added Alcantara.

The Generals, with Nat Cosejo making 23 points, slipped behind the standings with their 2-2 card.

10 factors...

From C1

the world by almost beating obviously tougher opponents like Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Croatia. That also happened after the Philippines apparently broke the Korean curse by beating South Korea in a tight semis match that sealed their return to the World Cup after decades of absence. Tim Cone’s boys had a mission to make their Asian Games campaign something worth remembering.

8. PBA MVPs powering the starting five Justin “Noypi” still needed ample support even if he was displaying a oneman showcase for the ages. Six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo reminded everyone that he has more trophies than legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio, making his presence felt each time he’s on the court and doing just enough damage to opposing teams. Same goes with Scottie Thompson, the player who stopped Fajardo’s MVP rampage and who was bashed for not contributing much during the World Cup run. Under Coach Tim, he performed exactly the kind of player that made him a fan-favorite. He hustled, hit the long ball, and dived for loose balls.

9. Facing tougher teams Jordan had to go through Saudi Arabia and Chinese Taipei in the knockout matches before facing the Philippines. In comparison, Gilas had to survive Iran’s onslaught in the quarterfinal tussle after they charged back from 21 points down. Then in the final four, they needed to bounce back in time after trailing by 20 points versus China. History informs both China and Iran are heavyweights in Asian basketball. Gilas went into the championship battle oozing with confidence and toughened to the hilt. They won having to face three of the four topranked teams in the group stage.

10. Solid PBA

Having the likes of Dwight Ramos and Rhenz Abando is a welcome addition to the cause of Philippine basketball. And yes, Ange Kouame suited up as a key cog in the Asian Games tilt. But it can’t be denied that there is something significantly solid in a team of PBA players. The country’s top professional league has proven itself as home to the brightest players in the Philippines, and it still exists despite criticisms over its style of play or dwindling crowd attendance. Small wonder that the 1990 and 1998 national team editions sent to the Asian Games bagged medals, while the original Smart Gilas program lineup somewhat underachieved. In fact, many from that Gilas pool eventually became PBA stars, including Marcio Lassiter who at the last minute made it to the lineup of this roster to remember.

(Editor’s note: Yugel Losorata is Filipino journalist-musician and basketball fan who followed the Gilas Pilipinas run in the 19th Asian Games watching from California, USA.)

The Philippines celebrates its semi nal win over China.

UP’s Louna Ozar drives to the basket.

Shaquille Imperial played a key role in Iloilo’s shocker over Bacoor.

IWENT to the Philippine Arena on September 30 for the first day of TWICE 5th World Tour

‘Ready To Be’ concert as a casual concertgoer but I left the venue as a big fan. I hit up the concert partly out of curiosity, but boy, did that night change everything.

As soon as TWICE hit the stage, their energy, vibes, and pure passion hit me hard. Their sick dance moves, catchy tunes, and how they vibed with the crowd got me pumped. It wasn’t just a concert; it was a total emotional rollercoaster.

TWICE transformed the Philippine Arena into an epic party venue by putting on an energetic and exciting concert that had fans singing, dancing, and waving their candy bongs in unison.

The group was so impressed with Filipino fans’ unmatched energy and appreciation that member Sana posted on her Instagram with the caption “Pinakagaling na bansa!”, implying that it was the best place they had ever been to.

On September 30 and October 1, over eighty-one thousand ONCEs –TWICE’s official fandom - trooped to the venue from different parts of the country to watch Jihyo (my bias), Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Mina, Dahyun, and Tzuyu perform their global hits live with incomparable passion and energy (Chaeyoung was not able to perform due to health reasons).

ONCEs returned the favor by singing, dancing, and waving their candy bongs in unison, much to the delight of the girl group, which recently bagged the Breakthrough Artist Award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music.

TWICE’s concert in Bulacan was only their second visit to the Philippines since 2019. It is part of their latest concert tour that kicked off in Seoul early this year, which includes shows in Japan, Australia, the US, Singapore, Berlin, Thailand, Paris, and London.

Trending topic online

Filo ONCEs made their presence felt on Twitter during the group’s two-day concert, catapulting the hashtag #TWICE_5TH_ WORLD_TOUR_BULACAN to the top of the trending topics.

The online buzz generated by ONCEs was a testament to their unwavering support for TWICE and their ability to transform a live event into a digital spectacle.

The concert was powered by the Philippines’ Best Mobile Network Smart Communications and Viu, PCCW’s leading pan-regional OTT video streaming provider.

Smart subscribers made the most of the much-anticipated concert, with exclusive access to exciting perks and awesome activities at the concert.

Weeks before the concert, Smart Prepaid treated customers with the opportunity to redeem much-coveted concert tickets by simply topping up with Magic Data+ offers at select Smart Stores.

ONCEs also got to enjoy the ultimate TWICE fan experience at the Smart Live booth at the Philippine Arena, which featured Instagram-ready corners for their core memories and cute selca shots. Smart also provided charging booths around the venue to ensure fans remained concert-ready.

The Smart Live booth also allows fans to strike a pose in front of

TELEVISION viewers’

weekend habit gets more magical and exciting with the return of GMA Network’s award-winning anthology series, Daig Kayo Ng

Lola Ko

Bringing life lessons and action-filled episodes is the show’s newest offering “Captain Kitten” headlined by Jillian Ward as Kat.

Joining her in the month-long special are Gabby Eigenmann as Dr. Tom, Archie Alemania as Caloy, Angela Alarcon as Coach Abby, Kim Perez as Marty, and Shuvee Etrata as Feline.

“Captain Kitten” tells the story of Kat, a high school student who volunteers for the welfare of stray animals. She rescues and brings them to her favorite pet cafe.

the Smart Fan Cam and receive their prints for free by simply using the official hashtags #SmartLive and #SmartWithViuTwice. Additionally, fans had the opportunity to dance to TWICE’s hits such as “What Is Love,” “Fancy,” and “I Can’t Stop Me” at the booth.

ONCEs also took to the Smart Message Wall to write down their messages for TWICE and fellow fans. “Smart subscribers were not only treated to an incredible performance by TWICE, but they also got to share the magic of the moment with their fellow fans around the world in real-time powered by our superior mobile network. Our customers can definitely look forward to more of these memorable on-ground experiences with exclusive perks and privileges to fuel their passions,” said Lloyd R. Manoloto, FVP and Head of Prepaid and Content at Smart.

Smart subscribers also got to avail of the Smart Prepaid eSIM, the country’s first prepaid eSIM, providing them with an enhanced network experience at the Philippine Arena and easy access to value-packed offers like Power All 99.

The TWICE 5th World Tour ‘Ready To Be’ concert is the latest addition to the stellar line-up of Smart Live, which gives subscribers access to exclusive perks and privileges to live concerts and events. Before TWICE, Smart also brought other world-class performers like Harry Styles, K-pop act Seventeen, and many others, closer to Filipino fans.

TWICE 5th World Tour ‘Ready To Be’ was presented by Live Nation Philippines.

VISITING museums and art galleries is an activity that the majority of people engage in during their school years. My earliest memory of visiting a museum dates back to my elementary school days when the Ayala Museum was part of our itinerary.

What remains vivid in my mind from that visit are the famous dioramas that portrayed the pre-colonial and colonial lives of Filipinos, spanning from ancient times to the present.

During my college years, our Humanities professor took us to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Museum. If my memory serves me right, the exhibits at that time featured reproductions of masterpieces from the Renaissance period. I distinctly recall marveling at works by artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Caravaggio

Later on, as a Project Development Officer at the National Commission of the Arts, I was introduced to the Museum of Fine Arts by two visual artist colleagues, the late Fernando Torres and Elvert Banares. Additionally, I had the privilege of attending art exhibitions by Cesar Montano, Ian Veneracion, Xian Lim, Richard Gomez and director Louie Ignacio during my tenure as an entertainment writer.

This is why the celebration of Museums and Galleries Month this October, spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in collaboration with the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), is not just a pleasant surprise but a welcomed treat for all visual arts enthusiasts and fans.

Under the theme “Exhibits and Reflections: Crafting Opportunities for the New World,” this celebration underscores the crucial role played by museums and galleries as institutions preserving rich Filipino cultural heritage, history, and social conditions. They act as catalysts for human beings, offering opportunities for reflection, renewal, and redirection toward a brighter future.

Museums and Galleries Month is observed every October, as per Presidential Proclamation No. 798, s. 1991. It emphasizes the importance of fostering national consciousness and pride in our rich Filipino culture and heritage, which are expressed through various forms of art as well as historical and religious artifacts. This observance recognizes that these cultural and artistic expressions are vital for nation-building and shaping our national destiny.

So far, the opening ceremony of MGM 2023 took place at the Old Senate Session Hall, National Museum of Fine Arts. There are online programs open to the public, including “Within the Walls,” a three-episode series airing every Monday.

The second program, “MGMKNB Interactive Game Show,” encourages public participation in celebrating MGM by posting weekly prompts via the NCCA Facebook page every Wednesday. A winner for each prompt will be chosen via lottery and awarded P1,000, tax-free. The MGM Museums AVP Competition showcases participants’ outputs every Friday in October via the NCCA Facebook page. Visiting the NCCA Gallery is even more enjoyable and exciting this October, with “BULDA: Contemporary Itneg Weaves” by Normandino Mina Sr. & Family, which showcases the weaves and embroidery of the Agaid-Mina clan.

Tom, a veterinarian who runs a nearby clinic.

Unbeknownst to Kat, Dr. Tom and her friend, Marty, are operating a secret laboratory where animals are being caged, hurt, and used for experiments. One night, Kat searches for her beloved cat, only to find out that it was taken inside the illegal clinic. As she tries to let Mingming escape, Kat gets scratched by the cat. Days later, Kat suddenly acquires the instincts of a cat. Will Kat be able to rescue the animals from Dr. Tom’s secret laboratory?

The 79-year-old Norma Agaid-Mina is renowned for her Am-amma (Heirloom) works, and “INUBON a DAYAW (Strings of Hope): The Life and Works of Manlilikha ng Bayan Magdalena Gamayo” features her Inabel masterpieces displayed in clear acrylic sheets and an upright loom by MB Magdalena Gamayo

These month-long exhibitions can be visited at the NCCA Building in Manila.

Of course, there’s more for everyone! Institutional activities like ManilART ‘23 will feature approximately thirty galleries and two special project areas, covering over 1,500 square meters of space from October 11 to 15 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, Taguig.

The Luzon Art Fair takes center stage in the Province of Tarlac, aiming to rejuvenate the island’s art scene by collaborating with various sectors, including artist-led groups, emerging artists, academia, and businesses.

Moreover, the Mindanao Art Fair will spotlight how Mindanao artists are adapting to the “new normal.”

Indeed, participating in various MGM activities, both online and onsite, brings a more human touch, connection, and emotional experience to our museums and art galleries.

From left Maria Teresa Rayos Del Sol, Oscar G. Casaysay, Jorell M. Legaspi, and Heidee Paulette M. Bedruz

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

Embracing the joy of solo travel and self-discovery

For Gabbi, solo travel is not just about exploring new destinations; it’s a profound journey of self-discovery. She spoke passionately about how this experience allowed her to uncover strengths and capabilities she never knew she possessed.

“Solo travel is like a personal adventure where you are both the protagonist and the storyteller,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

Her most recent solo travel took her to the vibrant city of Osaka during the summer. For one thing, she was able to ask “kind-hearted random strangers” to take her pictures in Osaka and Kyoto. She said she met friendly locals and tourists from Korea, Vietnam, Spain, and the US.

“I was so nervous at first, I went there with zero plans, no itinerary at all. But Japan is one of the safest places in the world,” Gabbi said. “But as soon as I got to Osaka, I realized that I had nothing to be afraid of. The people were so friendly and helpful, and I had a great time exploring the city on my own.”

“I’ve learned that I’m stronger and more independent than I thought. I learned to trust myself more,” Gabbi said. “I’ve also learned that it’s okay to be alone. In fact, it can be really empowering.”

Gabbi shares that she has learned to trust herself more and to become more independent

By Nickie Wang

In an interview with Manila Standard Life , Gabbi shared her journey of conquering the fear of being alone and how it has empowered her life. She shared that she used to be afraid of being by herself, but that solo travel has taught her to be more independent and self-reliant.

“I used to be so afraid of being alone,” the 24-year-old actress said. “I would always need to be with someone. But then I started traveling solo, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done for myself.”

Tourism gems of CALABARZON

TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco has initiated a fun and exciting way to discover little-known tourist destinations in the country. The Philippine Experience Program (PEP) was launched in Mindanao several months ago to uncover exciting and colorful destinations that are not usually visited by the bulk of tourists, whether domestic or foreign.

PEP is also an affirmation that the region of Mindanao is safe for travelers to visit. The program has been wellreceived by both locals and tourists, and it has helped to promote the region as a great destination for adventure, culture, and relaxation.

PEP’s second segment featured CALABARZON and, since I haven’t really been to all the nooks and crannies of the region, I decided to tag along, and I’m very glad I did!

CALABARZON is the acronym for the five provinces that make up Region IV-A or the Southern Tagalog Region. These are Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon. The PEP Tour started in Cavite, at the Aguinaldo Shrine which is the ancestral home of Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of our country and the only president of the First Philippine Republic.

It was very interesting to see how he and his family used to live before in the affluence of their home, with all the conveniences that were not really common at that time – two huge refrigerators that had a set of Lazy Susans inside, a brick oven for more efficient cooking, an ice storage completely sealed from outside, etc. Going around the different rooms of the house made me feel I was transported to his era.

We were then treated to a typical Caviteño breakfast, referred to as Magdiwang breakfast, consisting of tapa, salsa, tinapang Salinas, tortang itlog with burong mustasa, sibuyas at kamatis, and my favorite casillo (keseo) made from carabao’s milk, which was perfect with the locally baked pan de sal

We then proceeded to Bacoor to attend this year’s Bakood Festival, the main event of which was the Marching Band Competition. We witnessed battalions of colorfully dressed flag-bearers and musicians marching to the thumping beat of the drums and marching music. There were a total of 47 marching bands, and if all

that doesn’t give you the feeling of triumph, nothing will. Bacoor is the Marching Band capital of the country and it is the birthplace of the oldest living marching bands that still perform on special occasions.

Gabbi’s boyfriend, actor Khalil Ramos , was the one who pushed her to start traveling solo. He is also a big fan of solo travel, and he believes that it is a great way to learn and grow.

“Khalil always encourages me to travel solo,” Gabbi said. “He says that it’s a great way to learn about myself and to see the world.

So, my next destination is Vietnam, which is, where Khalil also traveled solo.”

Gabbi said that she always makes sure to pack Vitamin C when she travels. She said that taking Vitamin C helps her to stay healthy and energized while she is on the go.

“I always take Vitamin C when I travel,” she said. “It helps me to stay healthy and to avoid getting sick. I also find that it gives me more energy, which is helpful when I’m exploring new places.”

The Sparkle star fronts IAM’s newest product, the IAM Amazing Immunergy, which aims to improve one’s immune system.

“The supplement has everything your body needs to keep it healthy. This all-in-one supplement is a comprehensive solution for overall health,” Gabbi said.

IAM Amazing Immunergy is a powerhouse supplement containing vital nutrients. It features Vitamin C, Zinc, and Vitamin D. Additionally, it has Moringa Oleifera ( malunggay ) rich in iron, protein, Vitamins A, and B, addressing nutrient deficiencies.

“She’s the perfect ambassador for the brand since she leads a very active and healthy lifestyle,” IAM Worldwide’s President and Founder, Allen Marvin Yu Eder , said. He also shared that the brand will celebrate its anniversary on October 14 with Gabbi and Korean star Park Seo Jun entertaining the crowd.

Hong Kong roars back to life

OVER the years, Hong Kong has become synonymous with the fast-paced hustle and bustle of city life: the towering skyscrapers, 24/7 shopping sprees, and delectable food finds on every corner. The modern, innovative persona is what Hong Kong is known for. But amidst and beneath all the city glamour are more things Hong Kong can be proud of. Whether it’s history, an adrenaline rush, or time with nature, you can say ‘Hello!’ to Hong Kong’s plethora of surprises.

Experience Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage as the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, with over 140 years of history, returns from September 28 to 30. Over 300 performers will dazzle the streets of Tai Hang with a majestic 67-meter-long dragon. The event includes special performances by next-generation drag artists and an extended viewing area along Wun Sha Street and Tung Lo Wan Road.

Originating during a plague outbreak, this dance is a symbol of resilience and is recognized as part of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage.

Celebrate global flavors against the stunning Victoria Harbour skyline at the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival’s grand return to the Central Harbourfront. This event kicks off a month of culinary celebrations in November called Taste Around Town, featuring over 300 dining destinations offering exclusive discounts and menus.

Experience Chinese cuisine trends at the Chinese Master Chefs’ Curation, savor Hong Kong-inspired libations at the HK Bar Show, and attend hands-on workshops at the Tasting Theatre. Country pavilions from Bordeaux, Japan, Spain, and China will also tantalize your taste buds.

a small town richly endowed with wellera, a proud testimony of how our welldays. The Minor Basilica of St. Martin

In the afternoon, we were transported to the Taal Heritage Village, a small town richly endowed with wellpreserved old houses from the Spanish era, a proud testimony of how our wellentrenched ancestors lived during those days. The Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours dominates the area. The church is very beautiful inside and out. It also prides itself on having the longest aisle from the main door to the altar.

The following morning gave us a very interesting Native Cooking Tour in San Pablo, Laguna, known for its seven crater lakes. An Alcantara, owner of Casa San Pablo, gave us a detailed learning session on the evolution of the lowly and ordinary coconut, the different types of food and beverage that can be obtained as it transitions from a being young fruit until it matures. Carefully explaining the details of every stage of its growth, Ms.

Alcantara gave me a whole new perspective of this “blessed manna from heaven” that abounds in all regions of our country.

Thank God for these coconuts, Filipinos will always have food on their table! But a surprising discovery for me is that I have been eating an “aberration” all my life. I learned that Macapuno is actually a coconut that failed to develop fully, thus it is considered an aberration…and to

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE:

A group of nuns is painting their convent on a hot summer day. Mother Superior tells them to hurry up and finish because the blind man is coming. The nuns get so hot from working in the heat that one suggests they take their tops off to cool down. Another one says, “OK, I guess it’s just a blind man, he can’t

think it has been giving me gustatory pleasure all these years!

I ended my day with a tour of the famous Villa Escudero Plantation and Resorts. I enjoyed the Carabao Kart ride from the Reception Area to the Labasin Waterfalls where a traditional Filipino buffet lunch was waiting for us, kamayan style, while we soaked our feet in the shallow running water from the nearby falls. It was such an experience that, I have to admit, this part of the tour made me feel like a young boy once again – I’ve never been on a carabao ride and the last time I got my feet wet while having a meal was when I was still a young boy eating packed lunch prepared by my mother, while my siblings and I were sitting on big stones on a flowing river in Ormoc. There are much more destinations to enjoy in CALABARZON but due to space limitations, I will have to feature them some other time. Suffice it for the moment to say that I certainly agree with the region’s tagline – “CALABARZON sa Habang Panahon (CALABARZON Forever)!”

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

Foodies can enjoy 15 percent off limited-time menus in Lan Kwai Fong’s Sip & Savour and up to 30 percent off exclusive Taste Around Town menus under Chill E.A.T. – Everything About Taste.

For thrill-seekers, Hong Kong offers exciting sporting events.

The Cyclothon, Hong Kong’s largest international cycling event on October 22 invites participants to speed through the city’s streets alongside 5,000 cyclists from around the world, offering breathtaking views of the skyline and natural landscape.

On December 17, the Hong Kong Streetathon welcomes 20,000 runners to take on three distinct routes, including a cross-harbor halfmarathon and a 10-kilometer run. Register now at streetathon.com.

Discover Hong Kong’s natural beauty through outdoor adventures. A 55-kilometer-long cycling track connects Tuen Mun to Sha Tin, offering access to historic temples and cultural landmarks.

Sai Kung Country Park’s Three Fathoms Cove is perfect for stand-up paddleboarding, providing picturesque seafront villages and geological wonders beneath crystal-blue waters.

For land lovers, Tung Lung Chau offers thrilling rock climbing along its sea cliffs, offering a unique perspective of the city’s skyline. Hong Kong’s diverse experiences beckon you to explore its vibrant culture, culinary delights, thrilling sports, and natural wonders. With a few months left in the year, seize the opportunity to try something new.

For more information on attractions and events, visit discoverhongkong. com/seasia/what-snew/events.html.

ACTRESS Gabbi Garcia has been captivating audiences with her talent and charm for years, but there’s a side to her that many may not be aware of—the thrill of solo travel.

beautiful Minor Basilica of St. Martin of Tours prides

imposing façade of the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite is a testimony of our country’s proud past