Manila Standard - 2023 October 19 - Thursday

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PBBM ORDERS MAHARLIKA REVIEW; RETURN OF GOV’T BANKS’ MONEY URGED

By Jenniffer B. Austria, Charles Dantes, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz THE government should return the contributions of state-led banks to the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), a former central bank official said on Wednesday.

In a statement issued after President Marcos suspended the implementation of the MIF and ordered a review of it, former Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas dep-

uty governor Diwa Guinigundo said the P50 billion contributed by Land Bank of the Philippines and the P25 billion from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) must be returned.

“In the first place, the money from LandBank and the DBP is not exactly owned by the government. Those are deposits by the public,” Guinigundo told ABS-CBN, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino.

Guinigundo said the suspension could be related to the request of the two Next page

VOL. XXXVII • NO. 245• 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Prepare for Gaza border crossing’

Israel puts PH, nations on notice to leave war-torn strip thru humanitarian corridor

By Rey E. Requejo, Joel E. Zurbano and Maricel V. Cruz

BACK HOME. Some of the 17 Overseas Filipino Workers repatriated from south Israel, near the conflict zone with Gaza, arrive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City on Wednesday. Norman Cruz

T

HE Israeli government has given notice to nations to be prepared for the possible opening of the Egyptian border crossing from war-torn Gaza, where many foreign nationals—including 131 Filipinos-are hoping to exit, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.

However, it was not yet clear who would initiate the opening of a humanitarian corridor as both Egypt and Israel seemed to be passing on the responsibility to each other.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said that Egypt expressed willingness to open its border with Gaza for those seeking to be repatriated from Gaza, but this would Next page

Fury erupts as hospital strike kills 200; Biden blames Hamas TEL AVIV—A strike on a Gaza hoshos pital compound which health officials there said killed at least 200 people has provoked outrage and condemnation from around the world, with protests on the streets of Amman, Tunis, Beirut, and Tehran.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs the terter ritory, accused Israel of being behind the explosion. The Israeli army blamed it on a misfired rocket attack by Hamas ally Islamic Jihad, which has described the accusaaccusa tions as "lies".

But US President Joe Biden, on a solidarity visit to Israel WednesWednes day, backed the ally's account that Palestinian militants caused the devdev astating hospital strike in Gaza, adding Hamas had brought "only suffering."

"I was deeply sadsad dened and outraged by the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I've seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you," Biden said as he opened a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv.

"But there's a lot of people

AFTER THE TRAGEDY. People gather by the wrapped bodies of victims who died in an overnight strike at the Ahli Arab hospital in central Gaza on October 18. Later, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) hugs US President Joe Biden upon the latter’s arrival at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, as the death of at least 200 people at the hospital provoked outrage and condemnation from around the world. AFP

Speaker, Tingog turn over cash aid to kin of slain OFWs SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Wednesday met with the family of caregiver Paul Castelvi, who was slain during the assault of the militant group Hamas in Israel,

to extend his sympathies and deliver P500,000 in cash assistance.

At the same time, two separate teams from the Office of the Speaker and Tingog Party-list also delivered the

same amount of cash aid to the families of caregivers Loreta Alacre of Negros Occidental and Angelyn Aguirre of Pangasinan, who were also killed during Next page the Hamas attack in Israel.

Next page

Abra bet shot dead; BSKE 10-day campaign period kicks off today

By Vito Barcelo A CANDIDATE for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Bucay, Abra was shot dead, while at least 122 candidates for different positions in that province have

ANTI-SUB HELICOPTERS, PLANES FOR WPS – AFP NEWS / A2

PH TRIES TO BEAT FATF DEADLINE, ‘GREY LIST’ NEWS / A2

HOUSE WEBSITE BACK ONLINE, DATA MISSING NEWS / A2

withdrawn from the race after being intimidated, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday.

This came a day before the 10-day official campaign period for the village elections begins today, when a festive Next page

Solons affirm House’s ‘power of the purse’

By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader on Wednesday affirmed Congress' "power of the purse" after the Lower Chamber realigned P1.23 billion in confidential funds.

Lawmakers from Eastern Visayas, Cebu and Bohol also joined their Next page

HOUSE AID. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (right) hands over P500,000 in financial assistance to the parents of Paul Vincent Castelvi, one of the three Filipinos killed in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Speaker is accompanied by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio ‘Dong’ Gonzales, Jr. and Pampanga Governor Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda. House photo

PhilHealth says data of 13m to 20m members now on dark web

By Vince Lopez

Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) were leaked "For the members, if we're talking to the dark web, the government firm’s about the local workstation, we're expectTHE data of some 13 million to 20 mil- Data Privacy Officer Nerissa Santiago ing a total of 13 [million] to 20 million names," Santiago said.

Next page lion members of the Philippine Health said Wednesday.

NEWS PH tries to beat ‘Anti-sub choppers, planes for WPS’ FATF deadline, A2 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The AgustaWestland 159 Wildcat chopper is the latest addition to the military's capabilities in maritime patrol and security, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

It can detect and strike any submarine illegally entering Philippine waters, he

said.

“It has a torpedo that can hit any submarine that is illegally inside our territorial waters. Or [if] the need arises, it can hit another seacraft with its rockets,” Brawner said.

The AFP is also set to deploy two anti-

submarine helicopters from the United Kingdom this year.

"These assets are very important in our inventory because when we say maritime patrol and maritime security, we want to ensure that we monitor all the illegal entries into our territorial waters and even in our exclusive economic zone," Brawner said.

"Our eyes in the sky have limitations, our drones and even the visuals of our ships. We also need to know if there are submarines plying the route within our territorial waters or within the exclusive zone," he added.

The Coast Guard patrol planes, on the

‘Prepare...

Gaza, the DFA said.

“It is a statement and the draft is still moving but (on) the condemnation issue it will be limited to the terrorism and violence on both sides,” DFA Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro told reporters in a briefing in Pasay.

Lazaro said Indonesia initiated the call for a joint statement in its capacity as ASEAN chair.

ASEAN’s previous position over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had been consistent, with the bloc supporting the twostate solution.

But the statement will come following the reported strike on al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City that killed hundreds of civilians on Tuesday (see related story on A1 – Editors).

De Vega said Philippine embassy officials in Egypt are prepared to assist the dozens of Filipinos, who are now already waiting near the border.

Despite the recent attacks purportedly perpetrated by Israel on the southern part of Gaza, where the Egyptian border is located, Filipinos remain safe, De Vega said.

He said he was confident that Israel would protect Filipinos and all other ci-

vilians from any harm as its offensives against Hamas continue.

The first batch of repatriated Filipino workers from Israel arrived safely in Manila on Wednesday.

The group of 16 caregivers and hotel workers from southern Israel arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via Etihad Airlines.

Officials from the departments of Migrant Workers, Foreign Affairs, Social Welfare and Development, and Health, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) welcomed them upon their arrival at the airport.

Before they arrived in Manila, Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Alfonso Ferdinand Ver met the group, which included a one-month-old infant, as they transited through Abu Dhabi International Airport on their way home from Israel.

Labor Attaché Rodolfo Gabasan of the Migrant Workers Office in Tel-Aviv, Vice-Consul Patricia Narajos, and Welfare Officer Dina Ponciano also escorted the group at Ben Gurion International Airport where they boarded their return flight to the Philippines.

Department of Migrant Workers

(DMW) Undersecretary Leo Cacdac said more Filipinos would be repatriated, but he did not say when they would depart from Tel Aviv.

While 78 Filipinos are currently at the Rafah crossing in war-torn Gaza, 137 Filipinos who are married to Palestinian spouses are still awaiting instructions on when they can return to the Philippines.

Senator Raffy Tulfo, chairman of the committee on migrant workers, and other lawmakers were also among the government officials who assisted the Filipino workers upon their arrival at the airport.

Israeli and Egyptian authorities worked on letting Filipinos pass through the Rafah border, the only way out of Gaza after Israel closed its crossings in preparation for a ground invasion of the besieged territory.

The Philippines got in touch with Egyptian authorities to work out an arrangement that would allow the Filipinos to cross into Egypt.

All 137 Filipinos in Gaza were safe, with 78 of them at the Rafah border, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Biden said he was "proud" to visit Israel.

"I want to say to the people of Israel —their courage, their commitment, and their bravery is stunning," Biden said.

Netanyahu, who has faced domestic criticism after the deadliest attack in Israel's history, had eagerly invited Biden, who until recently had openly criticized some moves by Israel's hard-right government.

Netanyahu hailed Biden—who has faced accusations from the rival Republican Party that he is insufficiently proIsrael—for paying "the first visit of an American president in Israel in a time of war".

"There's only one thing better than having a true friend like you standing with Israel and that is having you standing in Israel," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu, opening the talks with Biden, called for global unity against Hamas.

"Just as the civilized world united to defeat the Nazis and united to defeat ISIS, the civilized world must unite and defeat Hamas," Netanyahu said.

"I can assure you, Mr. President, Israel is united to defeat Hamas and we will defeat Hamas and remove this terrible threat."

Meanwhile, here are some of the ma-

jor reactions:

edy immediately".

"Our Arab mechanisms document war crimes, and their perpetrators will not be able to escape justice," he warned.

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi condemned in the strongest terms "the Israeli bombing" of the Ahli hospital, which led to "the deaths of hundreds of innocent victims" among the Palestinians in Gaza.

He called the "deliberate bombing" a "clear violation of international law".

EU European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers "there is no excuse for hitting a hospital full of civilians" and that "fact need to be established" and "all those responsible must be held accountable".

Earlier, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell deplored that "once again, innocent civilians pay the highest price."

"The responsibility for this crime must be clearly established & the perpetrators held accountable," he wrote on X. - France French President Emmanuel Macron said "nothing can justify targeting civilians" and that "humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be opened without delay". AFP (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

By Vince Lopez

T

HE Philippines is beefing up its presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) with the military set to deploy an anti-submarine helicopter and the Philippine Coast Guard acquiring two 19-seater patrol planes.

From A1

depend on the Israeli government if it would allow them to cross.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Major Libi Weiss, told Philippine reporters on Tuesday that it was Egypt that holds the key to any possible crossing from Gaza.

Nonetheless, De Vega said, Israel informed other countries to be prepared for the opening of the border as it could open "suddenly."

"We hope [that will happen] as soon as possible," De Vega said, in a press conference.

The DFA also said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is coming out with a joint statement that will likely condemn the ongoing violence happening in both Israel and the Gaza Strip this week.

Varying national statements have been issued by ASEAN’s member states but the regional bloc has yet to issue a united position on the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel and its ensuing retaliatory strikes on the militants in southern

Fury...

From A1

out there not sure so we have to overcome a lot of things," Biden said.

Health authorities in Hamas-ruled Gaza said the explosion killed between 200 and 300 people and was caused by the latest in a wave of Israeli air strikes.

The Israeli military blamed Palestinian militants, saying an outgoing Islamic Jihad rocket misfired and that it would provide evidence.

"We have to bear in mind that Hamas does not represent all the Palestinian people and has brought them only suffering," Biden said.

He said he was encouraging Netanyahu to ensure "life-saving capacity to help the Palestinians who are innocent and caught in the middle of this."

In announcing Biden's visit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel had agreed to work with the United States on a plan to let aid into Gaza, which has been besieged and bombarded for 12 days and under an Israeli blockade for 16 years Israel is threatening a ground invasion following the devastating October 7 assault by Hamas militants.

UN UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "horrified by the killing of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in a strike on a hospital in Gaza".

Guterres "strongly condemned" the strike but without attributing responsibility.

WHO The chief of the World Health Organization warned that "The situation in #Gaza is spiraling out of control".

"We need violence on all sides to stop," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "Every second we wait to get medical aid in, we lose lives."

"We need immediate access to start delivering life-saving supplies."

African Union The African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat accused Israel of a "war crime" following the deadly strike.

"There are no words to fully express our condemnation of Israel's bombing of a #Gaza hospital today, killing hundreds of people," Faki said on X, formerly Twitter, calling for the international community to act.

Arab League Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit said "the West must stop this trag-

other hand, will be in addition to the 40 patrol vessels (15-meter fast boats) that President Marcos guaranteed during the 122nd anniversary of the PCG. “The President has also given us the go signal to start the bidding process of two units of 19-seater airplanes that would be used to intensify our maritime domain awareness (MDA) over the WPS,” PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said.

“This will complement the vessels deployed in the West Philippine Sea and other areas of concern while on patrol operations,” he added. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

exit ‘grey list’

By Charles Dantes

WITH barely three months left to address eight remaining deficiencies identified by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for the country to exit its grey list, Malacañang ordered the urgent implementation of the National Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorism Financing and Counter-Proliferation Financing Strategy (NACS) 2023-2027.

“As of September 2023, out of 18 International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) Action Plans, there are still eight that the Philippines must address to exit the FATF Grey List by January 2024,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in Memorandum Circular No. 37.

Bersamin noted that implementing the national strategy will “intensify and expedite efforts to address deficiencies identified by the FATF ICRG.” The Philippines is expected to undergo mutual evaluation in 2026.

FATF earlier cited the low number of cases filed against anti-money laundering and terrorist financing violators and their eventual conviction in keeping the country in its grey list.

House website back online, some content missing

By Maricel V. Cruz THE website of the House of Representatives went back online as of 7.35 p.m. on Wednesday after being down for a couple of days due to hacking.

Accessing the website through its URL, https://congress.gov.ph, shows it functioning properly.

However, the website has not been updated as of press time and it contained only stories, photographs and legislative information that were uploaded in September.

The only new item is the statement of the Secretary General dated October 16, saying the website had been restored after it was hacked Sunday.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco has yet to issue an official statement on the matter as of press time.

But the House leadership has committed to working 24/7 to restore the website to its full service.

Velasco earlier said the official website of the House of Representatives went offline again Tuesday due to “suspicious and unusual activities” -- two days after hackers defaced its homepage with a mocking message.

The House website was defaced and became inaccessible on Sunday.

Speaker,...

From A1

Solons...

From A1

colleagues in defending the House of Representatives and Speaker Martin Romualdez from critics opposed to the scrapping of the confidential funds.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, in particular, criticized the House and threatened ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro after lawmakers stripped away P650 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) originally allocated to offices headed by his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, and moving them to agencies that have actual national security functions.

“A determined 19th Congress resolutely led by Speaker Martin Romualdez felt and heard the clamor of the people to prioritize the use of some available confidential funds for emergencies, calamities, and crisis situations, and not for the restriction of individual freedoms and rights,” said Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr., vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations.

“Even in the past, the confidential funds of the executive branch of government have been meticulously and conscientiously decided by Congress. It is simply a matter of checks and balances indicative

PBBM...

From A1

government banks for regulatory relief from the BSP to comply with capitalization requirements set by the BSP. Without regulatory relief from the BSP, both banks would have to ease

of a healthy democracy,” he added.

Haresco reiterated the responsibility and authority to protect the country's national security primarily belongs to security forces, which should then get CIF. “We have faith in the wisdom of the Speaker and of the august chambers of Congress to sensibly represent the will of our constituents and practice prudence and diligence in crafting the national budget for the welfare of the Filipino people,” Haresco said.

As this developed, 12 lawmakers from Eastern Visayas issued a joint statement upholding Romualdez's leadership.

“We, the District Congressmen of Eastern Visayas, hereby express our unwavering support for Speaker Martin Romualdez and his exceptional leadership of the House of Representatives,” the joint statement read.

“Throughout his tenure as Speaker, Speaker Romualdez has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to serving the Filipino people and advancing the legislative agenda of our nation. His strong leadership has been instrumental in steering the House towards productive and collaborative sessions, leading to the passage of vital legislation that addresses the diverse needs of our constituents in Eastern Visayas and beyond.” (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

Abra... atmosphere is expected to unfold in many parts of the country.

Poll chairman George Garcia did not identify the victim in Abra, but said he was running for barangay councilor.

The 122 candidates who withdrew from the Oct. 30 BSK elections cited ”pressure” from their rivals as the reason for pulling out from the race.

Meanwhile, 44 teachers in that province backed out from serving in the BSKE polls, citing concern over their safety following a shootout between members of a suspected private armed group and policemen in Bucay on Monday.

Thirteen of the teachers were supposed to serve in the BSKE in Bucay, 14 in Pilar, three in Lagayan, six in Lagangilang and eight in Bangued.

“That development is, of course, a concern on the part of the Comelec because a candidate was killed, although this is only based on an initial report from our provincial election supervisor. This is a serious concern,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the poll body has been receiving reports on election-related problems in Abra, particularly in Bucay.

Garcia said the Comelec is waiting for a formal report on the shooting so that it

can decide how to act.

While precautionary measures have been implemented, Abra province currently bears a “yellow area” designation, signifying a moderate risk of electionrelated violence.

The shootout involved the police and 10 Abra locals and took place while the gun ban is in effect, the Comelec said.

Abra Provincial Election Officer Mae Richelle Belmes said her office has urgently requested the Philippine National Police to reevaluate the situation in Bucay, Abra where the shootout transpired, and allocate additional resources to maintain peace and order.

Although the police have not definitively linked the Bucay shootout to political violence, reports of harassment and intimidation have surfaced.

Teachers who withdrew from their election duties have reported that armed men visited their residences and issued threats, the Comelec official added.

Garcia reminded candidates in the BSKE to abide by Comelec rules or face disqualification.

Comelec data showed that there are at least 672,016 positions at stake--42,001 are for barangay captains and 294,007 for members of Sangguniang Barangay. The same number of positions are also for SK chairman and SK council members. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

their lending, Guinigundo said.

He said while the two banks may still be compliant with the BSP requirements, their capital would go down because of their commitment to the MIF unless the central bank granted them regulatory relief.

This means they would not be able to lend money, or they would be forced to cut back on lending, he added.

It was also possible that the two banks may no longer be compliant with the BSP requirements, making it urgent that the central bank grant them regulatory relief, he added.

Guinigundo said Mr. Marcos’ decision to put the brakes on the MIF was a welcome development, but said the government would have to decide on the fate of the fund soon.

“I hope they will just drop the whole idea of the Maharlika Investment Fund.

I think the President was right in suspending the implementation of MIF and I support that decision of the President. But while the President is doing it, I suggest they should study if the MIF is really needed,” Guinigundo said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)

From A1

Following confirmed reports of the death of the three OFWs in Israel, Romualdez had announced a joint personal donation with Tingog partylist Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez to provide cash aid and other forms of assistance to the affected families.

“No amount of assistance can truly compensate for your loss, but we hope this small gesture will help assuage your grief and alleviate some of the financial burdens you are facing during this difficult time,” Romualdez told Castelvi’s family.

Romualdez was accompanied

by Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales, Jr. and Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda on his visit. Maricel V. Cruz

PhilHealth...

From A1

PhilHealth employees’ workstations and application servers were breached in a Medusa ransomware attack last Sept. 22.

Santiago said PhilHealth has yet to begin notifying members affected due to the massive size of the data it is currently analyzing.

“This consists of about 700 [gigabytes] of data, and it’s taking us a bit of time to analyze because of the volume of data,” she said.

“As for the 13 million members, we are still in the process of analyzing it,” Santiago added.

Earlier, AnaKalusugan party-list Rep. Ray Reyes chided PhilHealth for its failure to update its anti-virus protection.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Belmonte says she remains neutral in brgy., SK polls QUEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte has maintained her stance to stay non-partisan in the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.

“I do not interfere with the barangay and SK elections,” she told the Manila Standard. “Well for me, I call for an orderly and peaceful election.”

The Commission on Elections stressed that candidates for the 2023 BSKE may be endorsed by incumbent officials but they must not be part of any political parties.

Belmonte, however, emphasized that the BSKE should be non-partisan.

Last June, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Republic Act 11935, the law that postponed the conduct of the BSKE from the original date of Dec. 5, 2022, to the last Monday of a October 2023.

It gave the green light to hold the BSKE on Oct. 30. Rio N. Araja

BFAR says red tide warning ongoing for shellfish THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is reminding fisherfolk and consumers that the red flag for red tide poisoning in shellfish is still up in various areas.

The BFAR said these areas include Sapian Bay, the coastal waters of Pilar, President Roxas, Roxas City in Capiz, Gigantes Islands, Carles in Iloilo, the coastal waters of Dauis and Tagbilaran City in Bohol, and in Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur. BFAR reiterated its warning that shellfish from the said areas are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) or toxic red tide that was found to be beyond the regulatory limit.

All types of shellfish and shrimp fry or “alamang” gathered from the said areas are not safe for human consumption.

Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

Meanwhile BFAR noted that the following areas continue to be free from the toxic red tide - the coastal waters of Cavite, Las Piñas, Parañaque, Navotas, Bulacan, and Bataan in Manila Bay; mariculture areas in Infanta, coastal waters of Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos, Sual, and Wawa, Bani in Pangasinan; mariculture areas in Rosario, and Sto. Tomas in La Union; coastal waters of Pampanga; Masinloc Bay in Zambales; Pagbilao Bay, Pagbilao, and coastal waters of Walay, Padre Burgos in Quezon; Honda, and Puerto Princesa Bays, Puerto Princes City, and coastal waters of Inner Malampaya Sound, Taytay in Palawan; coastal waters of Milagros, and Mandaon in Masbate; Sorsogon Bay, and Juag Lagoon, Matnog in Sorsogon; coastal waters of Borongon, San Dionisio in Iloilo; coastal waters of Altavas, Batan, and New Washington in Batan Bay, Aklan; coastal waters of E.B. Magalona, Talisay City, Silay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, and Victorias City in Negros Occidental; Tambobo, and Sit Bays, Siaton; and Bais Bay, Bais City in Negros Oriental; coastal waters of Daram, and Zumarraga, Cambatutay, Maqueda, and Villareal Bays in Samar; coastal waters of Guan in Eastern Samar; coastal waters of Leyte, Calubian, Ormoc, Sogod, Carigara Bay, and Cancabato Bay, Tacloban City in Leyte.

MMDA vows to continue anti-smoke belching operations THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it will continue going after smoke-belching vehicles.

MMDA chairman Don Artes tapped the men from the agency’s Anti-Smoke Belching Unit to go against these vehicles.

In September, 324 apprehended vehicles underwent roadside smoke emission tests, out of which only 117 passed, while 207 failed and required their vehicle’s engine to be repaired.

The roadside smoke emission test is conducted to measure the amount or thickness of smoke coming from the exhaust of a vehicle through an opacimeter.

The MMDA’s operation is in response to Republic Act 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, which prohibits the transportation of vehicles that emit black smoke.

To further improve air quality, the government is also pushing for the modernization program for public transport.

The MMDA stated that the increasing number of private vehicles is also a factor in bad air quality.Joel E. Zurbano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

A3

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lawmakers unite on probe into hackings, data breaches

By Maricel V. Cruz

he House of Representatives has joined the Senate in seeking an inquiry into the series of hacking and data breach incidents on government websites.

T

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and Rep. JC Abalos filed House Resolution 1392 urging the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology, and other appropriate committees to conduct the investigation.

The resolution seeks “to determine the extent of the risks to government institutions and data privacy of Filipino citizens” the recent hacking incidents on the Philippine Health Insurance Cor-

poration (PhilHealth), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and the House of Representatives.”

The two legislators said “the simultaneous cyberattacks may have exposed sensitive and personal information of individuals and their households, especially in the marginalized sector.”

Senators have also filed resolutions to look into the current status of cybersecurity measures in government.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund

Villafuerte earlier appealed to the government to work closer with public telecommunications entities (PTEs) and private cybersecurity experts in strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure to best safeguard its over 105-million strong Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) database against hackers.

The PhilHealth reported on Sept.

22 that 730 gigabytes of its information—equivalent to about a million of its members’ registration forms—were compromised in what is considered the largest breach of government data since the hacking of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) database in 2016.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) and the Department of Informa-

tion and Communications Technology (DICT) have already signed a pact to ensure the safeguarding of digital security and privacy.

Privacy commissioner John Henry D. Naga said the collaboration highlighted he implementation of the Digital Security and Privacy Quick Response (DSPQR) Project, an innovative complaints-handling system designed to swiftly address privacy violations and concerns, securing the fundamental right to privacy for all citizens.

Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. meanwhile said he is seeking up to P3 billion in additional funding to build up the capabilities of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC).

Globe praises NTC order to block texts with scam links

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PRAYING FOR PEACE. Students of the Pasig Catholic College join the ‘One Million Children Praying the Rosary for Unity and

Peace’ campaign at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig. The worldwide event seeks prayers for world peace and unity.

Manny Palmero

Villar: Replace security guards, rangers with drones

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Cynthia Villar said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should replace security guards and forest rangers with drones to watch over the country’s 4.5 million hectares of protected areas.

Villar said aside from the lack of money to pay for the said personnel, their supposed connivance with illegal settlers makes it harder for the government to protect the said areas.

“It’s difficult to trust them because of collusion with squatters. Instead of preventing them to enter and build their homes in protected areas, these security guards and rangers are the ones allowing illegal settlers to enter,” Villar, during the hearing of the proposed P24.572 billion

budget of the DENR, said The hearing also tackled concerns regarding the reclamation of Manila Bay and the management of prime tourist destinations such as Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Puerto Galera, and Siargao.

The hearing highlighted the current state of these key tourism sites, water quality assessments, and budget allocation by the DENR for conservation activities.

During the hearing, Villar further raised concerns about the protected area occupied by the alleged cult Socorro Bayanihan Services, Inc. (SBSI).

She questioned DENR Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga on the agency’s decision on the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA)) granted to SBSI which was reported to be engaged

in forced marriages, child labor, and other illegal activities.

Villar said security guards and forest rangers failed to watch over the protected area in Sitio Kapihan, Socorro town, Surigao del Norte which is now inhabited by more than 3,000 families.

The DENR chief said the agency has partnered with people’s organizations and requested additional budget but was turned down.

Responding to a query on the displaced Socorro cult members, Loyzaga said they are still waiting for the decision of the interagency team meant to look at the issue.

Villar also inquired if the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) has housing projects for the displaced families.

GLOBE Telecom Inc. on Wednesday lauded the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) directive mandating telecom companies to block text messages with clickable links, a move aimed at reducing scams and fraudulent activities.

“We praise and embrace the NTC’s directive. We at Globe recognize its significance in our shared journey towards a safer digital landscape. In line with this proactive step, we reaffirm our commitment to reducing scams and fraudulent activities, ensuring that every message sent and received is one of trust,” Anton Bonifacio, Globe Chief Information Security Officer said.

Globe said it was the first to initiate this measure in September 2022, filtering out all person-to-person (P2P) SMS with clickable links within its network.

As of the end of September this year, Globe has blocked a total 2.59 billion spam and scam messages, deactivated 4,733 SIMs, and blacklisted 150,287 linked to SMS fraud.

In a memorandum dated September 27, 2023, NTC Commissioner Ella Blanca B. Lopez highlighted the amendment of a memo released a year ago, grounded in public safety and the principles of fairness and equality.

The revised memorandum instructs telcos “to block or deactivate text messages containing clickable domains, URLs, URL shortening services links, Smart Links, and QR Codes.”

Unscrupulous individuals use such links to deceive recipients into revealing personal information, downloading malware, or incurring unwanted charges, often by impersonating trusted entities or offering false incentives.

As text scams continue unabated, Globe reiterates its dedication to collaborating with government bodies, es-

Jalosjos appeals Comelec decision on May election winner

COMMAND TURNOVER. Acting Regional Director National Capital Region

Police Office chief PBGen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. (center) turns over the Manila Police District (MPD) flag to the incoming MPD District head, PCol. Arnold Thomas C. Ibay (right) during a change of command ceremony. Also in the photo is Manila City Mayor Maria Sheilah Lacuna-Pangan. Norman Cruz

ROMEO Jalosjos Jr. is opposing the proclamation of his rival in the first district of Zamboanga del Norte and questioned the legitimacy of the 19th Congress before the Supreme Court (SC).

Jalosjos on October 6 filed a comment and opposition to the motion filed by election rival Roberto Uy Jr. for the Comelec to proclaim him as the winner of the May 2022 elections.

In a decision on Aug. 8, the SC ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proclaim Uy after it annulled the proclamation of Jalosjos.

Jalosjos is also challenging the court’s decision.

Jalosjos said proclaiming Uy “will ultimately result in an absurd situa-

Conference on permits, licensing successful, says group THE National Association of Business Permits and Licensing Officers (NABPLO) said its convention held in Baguio City was a “resounding success.”

NABPLO president Melanie S. Malaya said this year’s convention was one of the most important events in the group’s history since it served as a platform to recognize individual milestones of members.

The conference also allowed the group to widen its network of business permits and licensing officers, she said.

She added the convention was “a product of active collaboration among partners and stakeholders who work long and hard for the success of the event.”

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Maga-

long meanwhile said he fully supports the group.

“Government is not about corruption, it’s about efficiency and effectiveness. It’s participatory government which is about inclusivity, authentic leadership, hope, and goodwill of understanding,” Magalong said.

Malaya cited the NABPLO’s relevance in national development as it continued to be an active partner of the national government in promoting business-friendly, investment-ready, and digitally-enabled local governments.

NABLO engaged key champions in the national government that would advance its interests.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Red Tape Author-

ity (ARTA) inspected some Metro Manila local government units for compliance with the electronic business one-stop shop (eBOSS) requirement and found that only Parañaque was fully compliant.

Parañaque was awarded a certificate of commendation by ARTA director general Ernesto Perez for fully setting up a functional eBOSS and streamlining their business permits and licensing procedures.

Parañaque BPLO collected P2.8 billion in business taxes and fees in the first two months of 2023.

Of the total P2.3 billion collection in 2022, business taxes reached P2.825 billion or bigger by P525 million for the month of January and February this year.

tion considering that the instant case is still pending before this Honorable Supreme Court.”

“Furthermore, this will gravely affect Private Respondent’s Jalosjos’ recourse to file a Motion for Reconsideration as his prayer for reversal [of the SC decision] will have no value anymore and thus, considered nonsensical,” according to the comment.

Jalosjos maintained that he was already proclaimed by the Comelec as the winner of the May 2022 elections, and took his oath of office as Zamboanga City’s first district representative.

With this, he said, the SC has no jurisdiction over the case and it belongs to the House of Representatives Elec-

toral Tribunal (HRET), which is the “sole judge of all contests relating to the election, returns and qualifications of their respective members.”

According to the SC PIO, “the Court also ruled that the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) has no jurisdiction over the case, since it acquires jurisdiction only when all of the following requisites are met: (1) a valid proclamation; (2) a proper oath; and (3) assumption of office. In the case of R. Jalosjos, he did not take an oath of office before the Speaker of the House in open session, which bars him from performing his functions. Neither has R. Jalosjos assumed office. Thus, the requisites that vest HRET jurisdiction are not present.”

ANTI-RED TAPE FORUM. Former senator Joey Lina (left) is joined by Anti-Red Tape (ARTA) Director General Secretary Ernesto Perez, and Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry president George Barcelon during the weekly ‘Kapihan sa Manila Hotel’ forum. The forum tackled ARTA’s mandates.

Norman Cruz

NEWS

A4 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

SC clarifies rule on 20% senior discount in country clubs, stocks, golf

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court (SC) has invalidated a provision in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2020 formulated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which exempts non-profit, stock golf and country clubs from giving 20 percent senior citizens discount.

In a 13-page decision written by Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez, the SC’s First Division clarified that only the sale of goods and services pertaining to the use of the clubs’ facilities and equipment is subject to the 20 percent senior citizen discount as mandated under Section 4 (a)(7) of R.A. 9994.

These include the use of golf carts and locker rentals.

The said provision specifically states that “senior citizens shall be entitled to the grant of 20 percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT), if application, on the sale of the following goods and services from all establishments, for the exclusive use and enjoyment or availment of senior citizens.”

According to the high court, Section 4(a)(7) does not apply to the payment of membership dues.

It pointed out that membership fees or dues do not involve the sale of a good or service.

“Such [membership] fees are paid for the privilege of membership, and not for the purchase of a good or service,” the SC said.

It also pointed out that Section 4(a)(7) does not give the DSWD the authority to come out with exceptions to the 20 percent senior citizens discount as what it did when it issued the assailed paragraph 2, Section 4, Article 7, Rule IV of R.A. 9994’s IRR. The DSWD earlier stated that “nonprofit, stock golf and country clubs which are not open to the general public, and are private and for exclusive membership only as duly proven by their official Securities and Exchange (SEC) registration, are not mandated to give the 20 percent senior citizens discount.

Marcos gov’t urged to cooperate with ICC probe on anti-drug war

By Maricel V. Cruz

H

OUSE Deputy Minority leader France Castro on Wednesday led the Makabayan Bloc in filing a resolution urging the government “to cooperate” with the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the alleged crime against humanity committed in the Duterte administration’s bloody anti-drugs war.

“With former Pres.Rodrigo Duterte’s televised admission of ordering extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and financing them with his

confidential and intelligence funds, it is imperative that we allow the ICC to investigate his crimes,” said Castro of the ACT Teachers party-list.

“We urge the House leadership to support and co-author this resolution to show that we do not tolerate EJKs, and that we are working for justice to be served to his victims and their families” Castro said.

She earlier thanked the House leadership led by Speaker Ferdinand Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for siding with Castro amid the “death threat” issued by former President Duterte.

“I am grateful for the support and solidarity shown by House Speaker Romualdez and other party leaders during this challenging time. Their unwavering commitment to the safety and security of

IN BRIEF Raps filed vs. two activists—DND

THE Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday said it filed perjury and grave scandal charges against two environmental activists who accused the military of abduction after going missing in Bataan.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the cases were filed two weeks ago.

“Now, it’s up to the prosecutors already.

They will be given due process,” he said.

“I will not allow serious processes to be used as a key attempt to shame the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” Teodoro added.

The defense chief also said that they had enough evidence to discredit the claims of the two youth activists, Jonila Castro and Jhed Tamano.

Authorities said the pair surrendered to authorities after voluntarily leaving “the communist movement”.

But they told a government-organized press conference on September 19 that they had been abducted and coerced into signing affidavits earlier that month.

Teodoro said subpoenas were issued against the activists for a preliminary investigation. Vince Lopez

JOB WELL DONE. President Marcos thanks former Presidential Security Group chief Brig. Gen. Ramon Zagala, who was assigned as the Armed Forces of the Philippines Civil Relations Service commander. Zagala was replaced by Air Force Brig. Gen. Jesus Nelson Morales as PSG chief.

PSG gets new chief as AFP hierarchy undergoes major reshuffle

By Charles Dantes and Vince Lopez PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed confidence in the competence of the new Presidential Security Group (PSG) chief as he led the change of command ceremony on Wednesday in Malacañang.

Meanwhile, several high-ranking officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will assume new positions following an order of appointments approved by the President and Commander in Chief.

In his remarks at the turnover

ceremony, the President Marcos said he looks forward to working with Brig.

Gen. Jesus Morales as the new PSG commander, adding that Morales would do good in his new role.

“As the PSG embarks on a new chapter, let me join you in welcoming our new Commander. Brigadier General Jesus Nelson Morales, thank you for stepping up and taking on this assignment as the next head of PSG,” the Chief Executive said.

“I am confident—with your training, your experience, and overall competence— the PSG will continue to fulfil its role of protecting this institution,” he said.

Mr. Marcos called on the PSG

personnel to show support for their new commander as they did with their former chief, Brig. Gen. Ramon Zagala.

“Let me likewise take the opportunity to express my gratitude to our valiant officers and troops. I trust that you will fully support General Morales just as you did [for] General Zagala with your hallmark integrity, service, and excellence,” the President said.

At the same time, Marcos hailed Zagala’s work and leadership as the former PSG chief.

“General Demy, I speak on behalf of the First Lady, Liza, Congressman Sandro, Simon, and Vincent in congratulating you

on your successful tour of duty as PSG commander,” the President said.

“Under your able leadership, you have kept me, the First Family, visiting former dignitaries and foreign Presidents, as well as the general public within the vicinity of Malacañang, safe and away from any serious threats to human or national security,” Marcos added.

Zagala was appointed as the head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ civil relations services.

Lt. Gen. William Gonzales was relieved from his post as AFP Inspector General and designated as the head of Western Mindanao Command.

US-bound passengers still required to remove shoes during final screening

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) has maintained that passengers flying to the United States are still required to remove their shoes in all airports nationwide.

Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista issued the reminder in light of a statement by the Office for Transportation (OTS) about relaxing security measures.

Bautista asserted however, that passengers bound to the US are still required to pass through special scanners and need to remove their shoes.

“For those going to America, there is a so-called final screening before your gate and there is another security check,” Bautista said in a radio interview.

The OTS announced the temporary

suspension of the mandatory footwear removal in all airports nationwide pending the review of the policy by the DOTr. “Beginning October 13, 2023, passengers will only be required to remove their footwear when an alarm is triggered during security screening, during increased security condition level and during random screening,” the OTS said.

“The redundant screening for US bound flights will still be maintained by the airlines,” it added.

On July 10, 2023, the OTS implemented the mandatory footwear removal, regardless of the security condition level, to detect and deter any prohibited items which may be concealed inside the footwear and used to commit acts of unlawful interference.

POLICE have identified at least10 possible suspects in the fatal hazing of a fourth-year criminology student during an initiation rites of the Tau Gamma Phi Fraternity in an abandoned building in Quezon City on Monday night.

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called for stronger school action against hazing as he sought

justice for the latest victim, Ahldryn Bravante, a student of the Philippine College of Criminology.

Quezon City Police District chief Rederico Maranan said the closed circuit televisions in the vicinity of Sto. Domingo Avenue and Calamba Street in Barangay Sto. Domingo, spotted 20 “So we would like to assume for now that they were the participants, but still we would want to establish strong pieces of evidence,” he said.

PhilHealth launches mental health package THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)has introduced its mental health benefits package for outpatient services during the launching ceremony of the Philippine Council for Mental Health Strategic Framework for 2023-2028 on October 12.

PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr., joined Vice President for National Capital Region, Dr. Bernadette Lico in a contract signing with the National Center for Mental Health led by Dr. Noel Reyes for the implementation of the outpatient mental health benefits package.

Republic Act No. 11036, also known as the Mental Health Act, governs the compulsory treatment of people with mental disorders.

As a purchaser for health services, PhilHealth is mandated to provide and improve health services coverage to all Filipinos regardless of socioeconomic status. Vince Lopez

Auto dealers’ help to solve plates backlog

CAMPAIGN MODE ON. Candidates for the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections at La Loma in Quezon City prepare the election paraphernalia to be posted at the right places as the 10-day campaign period starts today. Manny Palmero

Cops eye 10 suspects in Bravante killing by hazing

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta

all lawmakers is commendable,” Castro said in a statement.

Referring to Duterte’s tirades, the lady solon said: “This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who dare to speak up and fight for the rights and welfare of the Filipino people.”

“It is crucial that we continue to uphold freedom of expression and protect the voices of dissent in our democracy,” Castro stressed.

The lawmaker cited the need to address the state of impunity that allows such threats to be made against public servants.

Maranan said they still have to make a validation if these “persons of interest” were really at the crime site, and if the paddle used to hit the 25-year-old Bravante, was really thrown into river at the Nagtahan Bridge.

Based on initial investigation, authorities said Bravante was beaten with a paddle for more than 60 times during the two-hour hazing activity.

Gatchalian cited the imperative role of schools in safeguarding students from the perils of hazing.

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) is seeking the cooperation of one of the biggest automotive dealers’ associations to finally resolve the backlogs in car plates and the delay in the release of car registration documents.

Speaking before the recent 5th General Assembly of the Philippine Automotive Dealers Association in Taguig City, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II narrated that upon his assumption into office, he immediately created a technical working group that analyzed and formulated solutions to “low-lying” problems he had observed, along with the transportation stakeholders.

“So because we created a TWG that met every week, and this is something I’d like to do also to PADA,” he said.

There are several changes that are fastracking with the help of another automobile group, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc., and the motorcycle dealers association. Rio N. Araja

CASH AID. Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Maranon hands over the P500,000 cash assistance from Speaker Martin Romualdez and Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez to the family of Loreta Villarin Alacre, the 49-year-old Filipino worker who was killed during the Hamas attack on Israel.

OPINION

More challenging times ahead OUR president is going to Saudi Arabia today, his 15th overseas trip in the 16 months he has been in office, to attend the inaugural summit of Southeast Asian leaders and Gulf states tomorrow.

He was hoping to pitch in for investments from the oil-rich Arab nations, particularly for the newly-created Maharlika Investment Fund.

These Arab nations have plenty of money to spare, and have created their own wealth funds out of largesse through the years from oil and natural gas.

But the summit is not expected to produce much results beyond the handshakes and the smiling photographs.

The Israel-Palestinian conflict has upbraided the summit, as the full attention of the Arab world is on the mayhem in their neighborhood.

This must have weighed heavily on the president’s mind as he suspended the implementation of his controversial nowealth fund just before he left.

The major concerns of the people, as measured by recent surveys, such as high prices, unemployment, low wages -- all ‘politica del estomago,’ will continue to bedevil us Furthermore, the two governmentowned banks which provided P75 billion in initial funding realized after the fact, or after releasing their contribution to Maharlika, that such funds would compromise their ability to comply with Bangko Sentral regulations on capital requirements.

Goodbye to farm credit and what little DBP spares for industry, P750 billion in loanable funds are now banked with Maharlika.

See what rushing Maharlika did, with hardly anyone in Congress saying nay?

Which brings me to my point in this article -- there will be more challenging times ahead, whether for the last quarter when the celebratory mood of Christmas makes our people forget momentarily their poor plight (but for the Small Laude’s and their internet ilk).

I hate to sound pessimistic at a time when we should be spreading hope amid the dreadful events happening in the world these days, but such seems to be our fate, almost ‘Sysiphean’ despite leadership changes.

Inflation will continue to bedevil our efforts, with a likely dip this November as the rice harvests come in (absent any strong typhoon hitting the palay-producing regions), but caught in the seasonal uptick when the middle class spends whatever surplus purchasing power they have in that once-in-a-year phantasmagoria we call the Christmas spirit.

Food processing manufacturers have defied the DTI’s appeal to keep their prices steady until the end of this year, but for a handful who want to unload excess inventory that is nearing expiration.

As much as they may want to comply with the government’s appeal, higher costs of production, from raw materials to supply chain problems to logistics to interest rates and every other cost have gone up.

There is a slowdown in economic growth all over the world, and the Philippines itself is no exception.

High inflation will likely induce the BSP to increase interest rates if not by November, by the first quarter of next year.

These will dampen Philippine trade, exacerbated by the decline in Chinese demand for our goods.

Our biggest export, assembled semiconductors, face rough sailing in the coming months.

Our fruit exports are saddled with increased costs of production, and in the case of bananas, the Panama disease or fusarium wilt which continues to pester our fields.

Then again, consumption expenditures, the main driver of our GDP, is on the downtrend, mainly because of high prices, as households tighten their belts with utilities and food eating up their budgets.

Rice, flour (and bread products) as well as other cereals, fish, eggs and dairy products, meat, vegetables (OMG!), sugar (despite all that sneaky importation), cooking oil, LPG, and corn or maize which is what our livestock needs to grow, even camote and cassava (which our trade secretary wants us to substitute for rice) — the list is almost endless.

Thus, what our economic managers keep touting as higher growth rates should be taken with many grains of salt.

They are ‘recovery’ growth rates, coming as they do from the huge declines in GDP due to the pandemic and the resulting lockdowns.

These ‘recovery’ margins pale in comparison with Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, even Cambodia, whose economies have grown at a faster pace than their 2019 records, while the Philippines is yet on recovery mode.

And from high marginal growth in 2022, the GDP has begun declining in the first half of 2023, which is likely to continue on its downtrend.

Thus, the major concerns of the people, as measured by recent surveys, such as high prices, unemployment, low wages — all ‘politica del estomago,’ will continue to bedevil us.

El Nino is expected to worsen in December till the first quarter of 2024, so expect food inflation to increase once more in the first half of next year, even if the heavens do not destroy our ongoing harvest of staple food with strong rain and howling winds that have usually occurred during this weather phenomenon.

Read full article at www.manilastandard.net

settlements.

The man lay in one of the first rectangular buildings, probably as a pillar supporting the wooden roof — clues to how people used the site.

Karul said these settlements bear witness to “a new social order born after the Ice Age.” “The main reason to start a new kind of architecture is to build a new type of society,” he noted.

150 more years of work Gobekli Tepe — which some experts believe was never actually inhabited — may be part of a vast sacred landscape that encompasses other nearby hilltop sites that archaeologists believe may be even older.

But the first modest photos of the statue released by Turkey’s culture ministry led the local press to suspect censorship in the Muslim nation that has veered conservative under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“We are archeologists, censorship doesn’t exist! We had not yet found a phallus,” the archaeologist said, laughing.

But there’s meaning hidden in the discovery.

ManilaStandard

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B1

Honor Blanco Cabie, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Fortifying our coastal defenses

Turkey digs yield clues to human history THE dry expanses of southeastern Turkey, home to some of humanity’s most ancient sites, have yielded fresh discoveries in the form of a stone phallus and a colored boar.

For researchers, the carved statue of a man holding his phallus with two hands while seated atop a bench adorned with a leopard, is a new clue in the puzzle of our very beginnings.

The 2.3-meter work was discovered at the end of September at Karahantepe, in the heart of a complex of some 20 sites that were home to thousands of people during the Stone Age. Karahantepe is part of the network around UNESCO-listed Gobekli Tepe, a place where our prehistoric ancestors gathered to worship more than 7,000 years before Stonehenge or the earliest Egyptian pyramids.

Necmi Karul, who heads the prehistory department at Istanbul University, found the toppled statue that was broken into three sections.

“We found several statues of this kind... but for the first time here we found the phallus,” said the archaeologist, who coordinates the work of a project focused on the area’s

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

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T

HE Philippine Coast Guard is taking another step in the right direction by continuing to beef up its workforce so it can more effectively safeguard our territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea. News reports indicate a total 4,220 new recruits have started training at various regional training centers of the PCG nationwide, bringing its current workforce to more than 30,000.

The new recruits are composed of 400 Coast Guard Officer’s Course trainees under Class 30, and 3,820 Coast Guard NonOfficer’s Course trainees under Classes 100 to 107.

They undergo training at the PCG regional training centers in Bataan, Taguig, Misamis Oriental, Aurora, Capiz, La Union, Masbate, and Zamboanga.

Another 300 recruits will undergo a six-month training course at the PCG Regional Training Center Dolores in Eastern Visayas later this month focusing on drills, basic soldiery, and Coast Guard rules and regulations.

They will also be given lessons on maritime security, maritime law enforcement, maritime safety, maritime search and rescue, and marine environmental protection.

The PCG plans to recruit 4,000 addi-

The Philippines should now accelerate efforts to strengthen its military outposts on nine reefs and islands in the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea tional personnel next year and 3,000 more by 2025, which will bring its total workforce to more than 37,000 – a 185-percent increase in its manpower in just six years.

In 2019, the PCG only had about 13,000 personnel.

Strengthening the PCG with recruitment of more personnel and acquisition of more patrol vessels has assumed urgency amid tensions between the Philippines and Chi-

na in the West Philippine Sea. On October 13, a Chinese Navy warship carried out what our Armed Forces has called “dangerous maneuvers” when it crossed a Philippine Navy transport ship’s bow at a distance of 350 yards, the latest aggressive action of Beijing in the West Philippine Sea. Reports indicate the Philippine Navy’s BRP Benguet was at 5.8 nautical miles southwest of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island en route to Rizal (Commodore) Reef for a regular rotation and resupply mission when it was shadowed by People’s Liberation Army Navy ship 621 at a distance of 80 yards and attempted to cross its bow with a closest point of approach at 350 yards.

We agree with AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. that this is another instance of “dangerous and offensive maneuvers by China’s PLAN 9 (that) not only risk collision but also directly endanger the lives of maritime personnel on both sides.”

The Philippines should now accelerate efforts to strengthen its military outposts on nine reefs and islands in the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea as China’s aggressive maneuvers and harassment of our naval vessels are a clear infringement of our sovereign rights and blatant violations of international law.

How educated is the Philippines? low the world average of 82.

This also puts the country at number 82 out of 193 countries.

It may be hard for us to admit but we have been overtaken by many countries in the region over the years.

I have often wondered why this is so.

Could it be because of our politics?

Dynastic politics is never a good path to follow. Perhaps it is due to our leaders who led but did not have a vision for the country.

The country can withstand many political and economic upheavals but when this is accompanied by the deterioration of our quality of education, it becomes quite difficult to recover, sometimes even impossible.

By now, the public is quite aware that something has to be done to upgrade the quality of our education otherwise, we will always be playing catch up with our speeding neighbors.

There were efforts in the past to try to improve our educational system but ended up making matters worse.

It was during the Noynoy Aquino administration that something significant was implemented. This was the adoption of the K12 program which aligned us with the rest of the world.

Yet, after only about a decade of the program, we are again embarking on a new curriculum called Matatag program.

According to the DepED, this program will not abolish the current K12 program.

It is being undertaken to address the deteriorating quality of our education by removing a lot of the unnecessary subjects being taught to our students to concentrate only on core and essential

subjects.

This way, the DepEd hopes to improve the dismal record of our students participating in international competitive exams in math, science and reading.

If this is the real intention and not to bring back the K10 program, then it is worth trying.

We should not go back to the K10 program after more than a decade of the K12 program. Going back will be another setback.

According to DepEd’s own evaluation on the selected trial schools, the results are promising. In the interest of transparency however, the DepEd should have included education experts from outside the education department so that a fair and unbiased evaluation is assured.

As we know, ever since the adoption of this K12 program, there were quite a number of attempts to do away with it.

First, it was a group of teachers spearheading the move to bring back the K10 program.

Then when this administration assumed office, the pressure on the new DepEd leadership to do something took a little more sense of urgency.

So, when the DepEd people started to use the word decongesting which is another word for shortening, some people got suspicious that the Matatag curriculum is a disguised attempt to bring back the K10 program.

But since DepEd officials have categorically said the K12 program will not be abolished, let us take their word for it.

In all the efforts to reform the educational system however, I never came across a proposal to upgrade teacher’s competence.

If our students are always ending last in international exams, whose fault is it?

As they say, mango trees can only bear mango fruits and not apples.

Upgrading the competence of our teachers must be part of any reform program. Read full article at www.manilastandard.net

Then the site was filled in, buried under tonnes of sand and earth.

Its function remains unknown as do the reasons for the sudden abandonment and destruction of place after apparently hundreds of years of use.

The largest room at the site, surrounded by smaller rooms, seems to have been a kind of gathering place accessed via a narrow passageway, supported by a forest of phallus-shaped pillars topped by a man’s head carved out of the rock.

“Those who entered here knew the symbols... they knew the meaning, it told them a story but we don’t know it,” he added, noting they have not found any female figures.

Perhaps they were made of wood, he not“Before leaving a site they (residents) used to crash the pillars and the statues — ed, hazarding a guess.

No sooner had Karul unearthed the Karabut before, they broke the nose and the phalhantepe man, when he made another discovlus,” he said.

ery the same week at Gobekli Tepe.

Archaeologists found a 1.2 meter long by 70 centimeter depiction of a boar, with red eyes and teeth as well as a black-and-white body.

This 11,000-year-old wild pig is the first colored sculpture from this period discovered to date, Karul said.

The site was occupied for some 1,500 years before being abandoned.

Of the 20 area sites in Tas Tepe (Stone Hills) project that is coordinated by Karul — which stretches over 120 kilometres not far from the Syrian border — only nine are being excavated.

“Work for the next 150 years”, noted Karul, who has decided that both the man and the boar will remain where they emerged from the earth, but with the necessary measures to safeguard them. AFP

IN A lot of ways the depth of our society depends on the level of education of the people.

Historically, Philippine society has always placed a premium on getting an education.

In fact, it is on top of every family’s priority.

But times have changed making education distant to many families.

So, just how educated is the Philippines compared to other countries?

Well, there are good and bad news on this subject.

Although it is sometimes difficult to get reliable figures because of so many studies being undertaken, there are some credible studies that gives a good idea on how the country is doing.

First is that out of 132 countries evaluated, we are number 77.

We have gone down in this area. With regard to university rankings, out of 1,949 registered institutions of higher learning, about 10 or less of our universities were able to get into the list of the top 2,000 this year.

Still, education in this country is considered good in this part of the world but is in urgent need of upgrading.

According to one survey, 24.4 per cent of our population are college graduates which is better than India with about 20 per cent but not something to crow about.

The country’s literacy rate is an incredible 99.27 per cent which on paper places our country up on the list.

But with our students always ending up last in international competitive exams, it puts this distinction into question.

Maybe this is because the average IQ of the country is only 81.64 which is be-

Upgrading the competence of our teachers must be part of any reform program

Of the 20 area sites in Tas Tepe (Stone Hills) project that is coordinated by Karul — which stretches over 120 kilometres not far from the Syrian border — only nine are being excavated

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Chin Wong Joyce Pangco Pañares Jimbo Owen Gulle

Associate Editor Managing Editor News Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

WORLD

B2 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US says China ordering ‘risky’ harassment of military planes WASHINGTON -- The United States on Tuesday accused China of orchestrating a “concerted” campaign of dangerous and provocative air force maneuvers against US military planes in international airspace, warning such moves could spark inadvertent conflict between the two powers.

The Pentagon said aggressive tactics

by Chinese aircraft threatened US planes flying over the East and South China Sea regions, tallying more than 180 such incidents since fall 2021 -- “more in the past two years than in the decade before that,” said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary Manila Standard of defense for Indo-Pacific security afTODAY fairs.

“That’s nearly 200 cases where (Chinese) operators have... discharged chaff Manila or shot off flares or approached too rapStandard TODAY idly or close to US aircraft,” Ratner told a news conference.

US-China relations are at their lowest point in years, with tension over a range of issues including trade, human rights, Taiwan and the South China Sea. The United States says it now sees China as its top geopolitical rival.

“This type of operational behavior can cause accidents, and dangerous accidents can lead to inadvertent conflict,” Ratner said, adding that the incident count, tallied since the fall of 2021, increases to nearly 300 when US allies are included.

Ratner alleged there was an intentional campaign by Beijing “to perform these risky behaviors in order to coerce a change in lawful US operational activity.”

“The United States will not be deterred, or coerced. We will continue to fly, sail, and operate safely and responsibly, wherever international law allows,” he said. AFP

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

NOTICE Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate Notice is hereby given to the public that the intestate estate of the late Domenciano S. Macaibay has been extrajudicially settled among his surviving heirs as per Deed of Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate with Appointment of Property Administrator and Attorney-in-Fact entered in the Book of Consul Grace Ann G. Bulos as Doc. No. 119; Page No. 6; Book No. XLVIII, Series of 2022.

(MS-OCT. 12, 19 & 26, 2023)

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NOTICE NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late is ROY JONATHAN been Notice hereby given that B. theALVAREZ intestate has estate of extrajudicially by andB.among his has heirsbeen by the late ROYsettled JONATHAN ALVAREZ way of a Deed settled of Extra-Judicial Settlement Estate extrajudicially by and among his of heirs by with Waiver of ofRights and Donation executed in way of a Deed Extra-Judicial Settlement of Estate counterparts Amelitaand J. Cruz and Joyce Winifred with Waiver byof(1)Rights Donation executed in C. Alvarez-Quimpo entered as Doc. No 370, Page No. counterparts by (1) Amelita J. Cruz and Joyce Winifred 75, Book No. 13, Series of 2023 in the notarial books C. Alvarez-Quimpo entered as Doc. No 370, Page No. of Rodrigo deSeries Real Jr. Notary Public for Makati 75,Atty Book No. 13, of a2023 in the notarial books City, Metro Manila; (2) Roy C. Alvarez Jr. of Atty Rodrigo de Real Jr. a Jonathan Notary Public for Makati entered in the notarial of Joseph City, Metro Manila; (2)records Roy Jonathan C. Rodriguez, Alvarez Jr. Notary the State of Texas dulyRodriguez, apostilled; enteredPublic in thefornotarial records of and Joseph (3) Faye C. Alvarez-Olympia entered in the notarial Notary Public for the State of Texas and duly apostilled; records Sugawara,entered Notary in Public of the (3) FayeofC.Bonnie Alvarez-Olympia the notarial State of California duly apostilled. records of Bonnie Sugawara, Notary Public of the (MS-OCT. 12, 19 & 26, 2023) State of California duly apostilled.

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GETTING ANGRIER. People lift placards and Palestinian flags during a protest in Libya’s capital Tripoli late on October 17, 2023, in support of Palestinians after a blast ripped through the Ahli Arab hospital in central Gaza which killed hundreds. Israel and Palestinians traded blame for the incident, which an “outraged and deeply saddened” US President Joe Biden denounced while en route to the Middle East. AFP

No excuse for hitting hospital in Gaza Strip, says EU leader TRASBOURG, France – EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said there is “no excuse for hitting a hospital full of civilians” in Gaza, but did not apportion blame for the blast.

S

The European Commission president told EU lawmakers the “facts need to be established” on the overnight strike on the Gaza hospital which killed at least 200.

Israel and Palestinians accuse each other for the blast, which has triggered street protests in the Middle East against Israel.

Von der Leyen, speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, said the overnight explosion

turned the hospital into “a hell of fire.”

“All those responsible must be held accountable,” she said.

Von der Leyen, who visited Israel last Friday in a show of solidarity with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, has been criticized by some European Union countries for perceived bias to the Israeli side at the expense of Palestinian civilians.

That prompted a summit of EU leaders by video conference late Tuesday to emphasize the bloc’s twin message: that Israel has the right to defend itself following Hamas’s bloody October 7 assault -- but only in line with its commitments under international humanitarian law.

Hamas on October 7 sent fighters through the Gaza Strip’s heavily militarized border, killing more than 1,400 people. They also took nearly 200 hostages.

Israel has been relentlessly bombing Gaza in response, killing over 3,000 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.

In her parliamentary address, von der Leyen said “we must redouble our efforts to protect citizens from the fury of war.”

But she said Hamas was the underlying reason for the ordeal Palestinians are now going through.

“Hamas are terrorists. And the Palestinian people are also suffering from that terror,” she said.

She added that the EU needs to keep supporting the Palestinians, “and there is no contradiction in standing in solidarity with Israel”.

“Europe stands with Israel in this dark moment,” von der Leyen said, adding that “Israel should act as a democracy, in line with international humanitarian law.” AFP

UK spy chief warns of ME terror threat

The public is hereby notified that TECHNIDATA ASIA, a Regional Operating Headquarters (“ROHQ”) in the Philippines, with registered address at Unit 1404-1402, Liberty Center Bldg. 104 HV Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City, Philippines, shall cease to operate in the Philippines effective 31 May 2023. The withdrawal of license of the ROHQ will take effect upon approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(MS-OCT. 19, 26 & Nov. 2, 2023)

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that TELEPHILIPPINES INCORPORATED with office address at Edsa Central IT Center 2, United Street Cor. Edsa, Greenfield District, Mandaluyong City, is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Services Export Provider (Business Process Outsourcing and Call Center Services - Luxur Place Magsaysay Ave., Bacolod City) under Tier 1 (Export Activities Services Exports) of the 2022 SIPP of the CREATE Act (RA 11534), with project site located at GF to 4th Floor Luxur Place Magsaysay Avenue, Singcang Airport, Bacolod City.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD.) MARY ANN E. RAGANIT Acting Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region BRANCH 226 - QUEZON CITY rtc1qzn226@judiciary.gov.ph +63 910-907-8610 IN THE MATTER OF THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE PUE SIN CHUA ENRIQUEZ JOSEPH GO ENRIQUEZ, Petitioner, - versus-

SP PROC. No. 21-10386

YU SON JUN ENRIQUEZ, JEANE ENRIQUEZ MONTEVERDE, JOCELYN ENRIQUEZ YOUNG, and JORGE YU ENRIQUEZ, Oppositors. x-------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE TO CREDITORS TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Pursuant to the Order of the Court dated September 30, 2023, NOTICE is hereby GIVEN to all persons having money claims against the Intestate Estate of the late PUE SIN CHUA ENRIQUEZ, arising from contract, express or implied, whether same be due, not due, or contingent, claims for funeral expenses and expenses for the last sickness of the decedent, and judgments for money against the decedent, to file their money claims with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City at Room 206, Hall of Justice, Quezon City, not earlier than six (6) months nor later than nine (9) months reckoned from the date of the first publication, serving a copy thereof upon JOSEPH GO ENRIQUEZ, the appointed Regular Administrator, with residential address 490 G. Araneta Ave., Brgy. Doña Imelda, Quezon City, and his counsel on record SANIDAD & ASSOCIATES LAW OFFICES, with office address Top V Compound, Brgy. San Jose, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur. Let this Notice be published at the expense of the Regular Administrator once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in MANILA STANDARD a newspaper of general circulation within Metropolitan Manila and selected by raffle as required by law.

Let the notice be further posted for the same period in four (4) public places in said Metropolitan Manila and in two (2) public places in Quezon City.

WITNESS THE HON. MANUEL B. STA. CRUZ, JR. , Presiding Judge of this Court, this October 2, 2023.

(Sgd.) ATTY. RICHARD JOHN MARK I. TUBOSA Clerk of Court V (MStandard - Oct. 19, 26 & Nov. 2, 2023)

‘DEAR FRIENDS.’ China’s President Xi Jinping (left) shakes hands with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin during the opening

ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. AFP

Xi hails Putin friendship, deep bilateral ties

BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed his close friendship with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday as he hosted the Russian leader for talks that celebrated their nations’ deepening political and economic ties.

Putin, on his first trip to a major global power since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, met his “old friend” Xi at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the sidelines of a major forum.

“The political mutual trust between the two countries is continuously deepening,” Xi said, according to Xinhua news agency, hailing their “close

and effective strategic coordination.”

Xi noted that he had met with Putin “42 times in the past 10 years and (had) developed a good working relationship and a deep friendship”.

Putin is the guest of honour at a summit hosted by Xi in Beijing to celebrate his Belt and Road Initiative, a vast trade and infrastructure project.

Despite international attention focused on the Israel-Gaza conflict, neither Xi nor Putin made public comments on the war that has raged for more than 10 days.

The Chinese president called for

joint efforts by China and Russia to “safeguard international fairness” and “justice”, Xinhua said.

China is Russia’s largest trading partner, with exchange between the nations reaching a record $190 billion last year, Beijing customs data shows.

And Xi said Wednesday it was progressing towards “the goal of $200 billion set by the two sides”.

Beijing has drawn criticism from Western countries for its stance on the Ukraine war, on which China insists it is neutral even as it refuses to criticise Moscow’s invasion. AFP

LONDON – Britain’s domestic MI5 spy agency chief has warned the current conflict in Israel and the Palestinian territories increases UK terror risk, singling out Iran as a cause for concern.

The comments by MI5 director general Ken McCallum, reported in UK media Wednesday, follow terror attacks by suspected Islamist extremists in France and Belgium since renewed violence erupted in the Middle East 11 days ago.

“There clearly is the possibility that profound events in the Middle East will either generate more volume of UK threat and/or change its shape in terms of what is being targeted, in terms of how people are taking inspiration,” McCallum said.

He was speaking to British media at a summit in the United States attended by its intelligence chiefs and counterparts from Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

“In the current climate, we and our partners are particularly attuned to the risk that terrorist organizations may choose to strike in a new way, or perhaps that individuals choose to respond often in spontaneous or unpredictable ways,” he added.

McCallum, an MI5 veteran appointed to the top job in March, 2020, rarely speaks in public.

In remarks specifically about Iran, he noted London had “been concerned” about its behavior within Britain “for a long time”, with the current Middle East situation heightening those concerns. AFP

Trump returns to New York fraud trial, complains about gag order NEW YORK – Former president Donald Trump returned to his New York civil fraud trial on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) and complained about a partial gag order imposed on him by a judge in a separate case.

Trump’s former personal lawyerturned-foe Michael Cohen had been scheduled to testify at the trial on Tuesday but delayed his appearance to attend to what he said was a medical issue.

The 77-year-old Trump spoke to reporters as he arrived at the Manhattan courtroom, attacking New York attorney general Letitia James, who brought the civil fraud case against him, the judge presiding over the trial, and Pres-

ident Joe Biden.

“This is a witch hunt by a radical, lunatic attorney general,” Trump said.

“This is a rigged trial,” he added, with a “Democrat judge” who is “very liberal.”

Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, also claimed, falsely, that the federal judge who will preside over his trial in Washington for conspiring to overturn the 2020 US election had taken away his “right to speak.”

“My speech has been taken away from me,” he said. “I’m a candidate DONALD DISAGREES. Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press as he returns to court after a break in his $250 million civil fraud trial against him and his company that’s running for office and I’m not al- on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila). Trump attends the trial a day after a federal judge, in a lowed to speak. AFP separate criminal case, imposed a partial gag order on him. AFP

BUSINESS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

B3

extrastory2000@gmail.com

PH designers to benefit from Hague accord

By Othel V. Campos

AFP

T

HE Philippines plans to accede to the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (IDs) by 2024 to protect local designers’ creative output in the global scene at the least cost.

Under the Hague agreement, a deThe system requires a single set of signer can file a single ID application requirements and payment through a with minimal paper work directly to the single currency—Swiss francs.

World Intellectual Property Organiza“With the Hague System, a local detion through the e-Hague online system. signer would have a way to protect their

IDs in multiple jurisdictions through a simplified international filing system. This can prove to be advantageous, especially for our small and medium enterprises who can avail of the services of the Hague System and enjoy lower cost in filing fees compared with filing individually in each country,” said Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) director-general Rowel Barba.

“We encourage more designers to take advantage of this once in place, hopefully next year upon our accession,” he said.

There are 79 member states—or 96 countries and inter-governmental or-

ganizations allowed to accede to the agreement—under the Hague System.

The Philippines, upon its accession in 2024, will be the fifth country in the ASEAN to be a member of the agreement, following Brunei, Cambodia, Singapore and Vietnam.

IPOPHL said that not many local designers are aware they need protect their designs separately from their businesses’ processes and brands.

Accession to the agreement could safeguard design assets more strongly from counterfeiting and other forms of intellectual property theft, said Bureau

of Patents director Ann Edillon.

“A lot of our local designers don’t register their designs due to lack of awareness of the value of IDs. That’s the first major hurdle, which requires increasing public awareness. In the end, we hope to help them understand that there’s actual value in the design itself,” she said.

According to a 2018 World IP Organization study aimed at understanding the use of IDs in ASEAN, the export revenues from design exceed the typical export shares in the general population of firms, suggesting design innovation may be an effective way to achieve growth in foreign markets.

PH stocks retreat as investors weigh Biden’s Israel visit

Century raising P5b from issuance of preferred shares

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PROPERTY developer Century Properties Group Inc. (CPG) expects to raise up to P5 billion from the issuance of preferred shares.

CPG said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday its board approved the issuance of up to 50 million preferred shares by way of a follow-on public offering at an offer price of P100 apiece.

The management will finalize the terms and conditions of the preferred shares including the timetable of the offering.

The preferred shares will be issued from the company’s existing unissued authorized capital stock.

They will be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

CPG has been aggressively expanding into other sectors of the housing industry after it acquired the shares of joint venture partner Mitsubishi Corp. in unit PHirst Park Homes.

PHirst Park Homes, which targets first-time homebuyers, has projects in Lipa and Batulao in Batangas; San Pablo and Calamba in Laguna; Naic, General Trias and Tanza in Cavite; Baliwag and Pandi in Bulacan; Tayabas in Quezon; Magalang in Pampanga; Balanga in Bataan; and Gapan in Nueva Ecija It recently announced plans to venture into economic and mid-income residential projects to expand its housing portfolio, which consist of high-rise developments and affordable house-and-lot developments. Jenniffer B. Austria

PHILIPPINE stocks finished lower Wednesday as investors took time to analyze the latest movement in US bond yields and corporate earnings.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index lost 12.63 points, or 0.20 percent, to close at 6,268.27, while the broader all-shares index retreated 5.98 points, or 0.18 percent, to settle at 3,385.40.

The two-year US yields hit the highest levels in more than 16 years, while those on 10-year notes jumped 13 basis points to 4.83 percent.

Regina Capital and Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan said investors were also monitoring the impact of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel on the Middle East conflict.

Meanwhile, Asian markets mostly fell and oil prices rallied Wednesday on fears that the Israel-Hamas conflict could spill over into a regional war after a blast at a Gaza hospital dealt a blow to President Joe Biden’s diplomatic drive.

Markets had enjoyed a healthy run Tuesday on optimism that while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing for a ground offensive in the blockaded territory, the crisis could be contained.

Gaza’s health ministry blamed Israel for the hospital explosion, but Israel said it was caused by a rocket misfired

by Hamas ally Islamic Jihad.

Biden had planned to visit Israel and Jordan on Wednesday to talk to Netanyahu as well as Jordanian King Abdullah II, Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in hopes of finding a way to de-escalate.

But news that at least 200 people had been killed at the hospital saw the Arab leaders cancel their summit in Amman and fanned concerns of a regional conflagration, with Iran warning this week that a wider war was becoming “inevitable.” With AFP

BSP OFFICIALS. Officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas participate in the 2023 International Monetary Fund – World Bank Group Annual Meetings held in Marrakech, Morocco from Oct. 9 to 15, 2023. Monetary Board Member V. Bruce Tolentino (first row) chairs the 54th Joint Governors’ Meeting of the WBG- IMF Southeast Asia Voting Group, while (second row) Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr. joins the roundtable with Association of Southeast Asian Nations Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

The BSP delegation led by Tolentino and Dakila are shown in the third photo.

ERC drafts new energy retail competition, open access rules

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE Energy Regulatory Commission plans to issue the Omnibus Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) guidelines to clarify the obligation of the retail electricity suppliers (RES).

Under the RCOA pursuant to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, consumers that meet a certain threshold of electricity consumption are allowed to choose their electricity suppliers.

The RCOA gradually reduces the energy threshold level of the program until it reaches the household demand level.

“One major set of rules that we are also coming out with are the Omnibus RCOA guidelines, customer choice guidelines. Which means that effec-

tively, we have the Magna Carta for Residential Customers. So it’s sort of Magna Carta, it reinforces the obligation of the RES when they contract,” ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said at the sidelines of a recent forum.

Dimalanta said this is an offshoot of the review of the ERC rules following the receipt of numerous complaints from contestable or large consumers against alleged rate adjustments implemented by their RES. “We want to make the rules very clear because one lesson we learned from the many disputes that arose out of that is that it’s not too clear in their contracts, so we’re making sure that the terms are clear,” she said.

Dimalanta said the guidelines would put into the regulation the value of the RES scorecard, even as she urged the

Creating satellite cities is a step to decongest the capital region THE Philippines may not yet have the model for an inclusive and sustainable community or city—but it is not far off from establishing one. At least two pioneering businessmen have the foresight to build a satellite city that hopefully will rectify the past mistakes of city planning.

Real estate developer Manuel Villar, chairman of Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. and former House speaker and Senate president, is perhaps the first to envision a satellite city that aims to decongest Metro Manila, stop the migration of workers to the capital region and correct the inequities of urban development.

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

Younger tycoon Dennis Anthony Uy, co-founder and chief executive of Converge ICT Solutions Inc., has his own version of a satellite community in the form of a tech city on a 200-hectare area that straddles Mexico, Pampanga and Angeles City to house the firm’s largest data center and corporate headquarters. The digital hub, in Dennis’ words, represents the realization of his dream to see “an entire ecosystem of innovation” in the Philippines.

Building a satellite city just outside Metro Manila or less than 100 kilometers from the metropolis makes better sense. The only way to improve the traffic situation and the quality of life in the capital region is through decongestion. Villar’s satellite city aims create jobs away from the gridlock. He says there were too many errors with the development of urban areas in the past, which the Villar City seeks to rectify.

Satellite cities will generate new jobs and can, perhaps, reverse the

migration of workers to Metro Manila.

By decongesting Metro Manila, the capital region can plan and respond better to the demand for infrastructure and social services of a growing population.

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

Mr. Uy’s Converge, meanwhile, is capitalizing on the success of the company’s success in the IT field.

Converge is building a $2-billion technology campus in Pampanga to cement its hold on the IT sector.

Dubbed the Technology City, the Silicon Valley-like enclave will initially require a development investment of $2 billion. Mr. Uy expects the Tech City to attract the biggest IT companies in the world and the best ICT talent in the country.

“The Tech City will host the largest data center in the region, corporate headquarters, housing facilities and an events area. We hope that leading tech companies can make the Tech City its home in the Philippines,” says Mr. Uy. He is upbeat on the new city. He is tapping the expertise of big tech companies like Facebook, Google and Oracle to set up his dream ecosystem that can lure new IT graduates and generate more economic activities in his province.

Mr. Uy has advised Pampanga businesses to look at digitalization to boost their growth, especially as the company’s young and modern fiber network has long been established in Central Luzon.

Retail Electricity Suppliers Association to police their ranks.

“We can do a strong hand regulation on this, but the point of RCOA is to deregulate the supply sector, and you have to discipline among yourselves also, among your ranks,” she said.

Dimalanta said the ERC would pursue an aggressive consumer education campaign “to provide clearer terms and guidelines.”

“We’ll issue the draft for public consultation,” Dimalanta said.

The ERC is undertaking a series of hearings on the complaints of large companies against their respective RES. Several large companies earlier asked the ERC to issue temporary restraining orders and cease and desist orders preventing their RES from disconnecting their supply.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC “It is estimated that digital technologies have the potential to create an annual economic value of P5 trillion or $101.3 billion. But what’s important to note here is the fact that in order to achieve all these, we must have the correct infrastructure in place,” says Mr. Uy. The visions of Mr. Villar and Mr. Uy dovetail with the United Nation’s perspective of a sustainable city. A growing population, the lack of mass transportation system and wide roads, and the continuous migration of workers from the provinces to Metro Manila have created the perfect storm that is causing traffic mayhem in the whole of the capital region.

The cost of poorly planned urbanization, according to the UN, can be seen in some of the huge slums, tangled traffic, greenhouse gas emissions and sprawling suburbs all over the world.

Development inequality and the levels of urban energy consumption and pollution, says the UN, are some of the challenges. Cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60 percent to 80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 percent of carbon emissions.

“Many cities are also more vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters due to their high concentration of people and location so building urban resilience is crucial to avoid human, social and economic losses,” adds the UN. New cities will hopefully address the urban blight. Metro Manila needs a respite from the previous follies of urban planning.

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

PAMTC trust operations to be transferred to ATRAM Trust Corporation Notice is hereby given to the clients, business partners, and creditors of Pru Life UK Investments, registered as Pru Life UK Asset Management and Trust Corporation (PAMTC), the investment subsidiary of Pru Life UK. Following the approval of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the trust operations and entire fiduciary portfolio of PAMTC will be transferred to ATRAM Trust Corporation (ATRAM Trust) in November 2023. ATRAM Investment Management Partners Corp., an affiliate of ATRAM Trust, will acquire PAMTC as an entity by 2024, subject to certain regulatory conditions.

The terms & conditions set forth in the Transfer and Transition Plan have been approved by: (a) the Board of Directors of Pru Life UK and PAMTC; (b) the Board of Directors of ATRAM Group; and (c) the Monetary Board of the BSP. All are reminded to refer only to official communications and channels.

PAMTC thanks all its employees, clients, business partners, and creditors for their trust and partnership.

ATRAM

B4 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Roderick T. dela Cruz Cruz, Editor Alena Mae S. Flores, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

COLEGIO DE SEBASTIAN IN SAN FERNANDO

FEU, Unilab poised to buy Pampanga college for P600m

By Jenniffer B. Austria

F

AR Eastern University Inc. (FEU) is teaming up with United Laboratories Inc. Group (Unilab), the country’s largest pharmaceutical company owned by the Campos family to acquire a school in San Fernando, Pampanga.

FEU said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday its board of trustees authorized the company to enter into a shareholders agreement with MGHI Holdings Inc, a member of Unilab.

Under the agreement, FEU and MGHI will each invest up to P300 million in Higher Academia Inc. (HAI) for a total equity of P600 million.

HAI will then acquire will acquire the assets of Colegio de Sebastian-Pampanga Inc., a secondary and tertiary school in San Fernando, Pampanga.

“No definitive agreement has been signed pending finalization of the documentation, discussions and the conduct of due diligence,” FEU said.

FEU also reported that it posted a P73.09-million net loss in the first quarter of its fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2022.

This was a slight improvement from the P93.99-million net loss it incurred in the same period last year on better operating results from core school operations.

First-quarter results are usually the lowest due to the seasonality of tuition revenue recognition.

FEU said despite the weak first-quarter results, it is optimistic that it will sustain a healthy financial position and sound operating results for the school year 2023-2024, especially with an increase in group-wide student population in the first semester.

“On the overall economy, the group maintains a conservative outlook. With this, the management will continue to be prudent in the implementation of its operations, investment, and business continuity plans, both at the corporate

WATER CONNECTION. Manila Water Company Inc.’s crew continues service connection to serve more customers in the east zone. The company says it installed 16,728 new water connections in the first seven months of 2023, bringing the total to 1,163,014 since 1997. Of the new connections, 16,175 are new domestic service connections, representing 81 percent of the 2023 target.

ERC plans to extend suspension of feed-in tariff allowance collection

By Alena Mae S. Flores

and the academic levels, to mitigate any foreseen negative impacts on the overall operations,” FEU said.

FEU operates Far Eastern University in Manila and is the majority shareholder of East Asia Computer Center Inc., FEU Alabang Inc.; Far Eastern College Silang Inc., FEU High School Inc. and Roosevelt College Inc. It also owns a 51-percent stake in Edustria Inc., a newly-incorporated senior high school in Batangas established and operated in partnership with the Technological Institute of the Philippines Inc., which owns the balance of 49 percent.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission plans to extend the feed-in tariff allowance (FIT-All) suspension until the end of the year, its top official said.

“I think we can still do it for the year, but we continue to monitor because we do not want the fund to be depleted but I think it can still be done,” ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said in a recent forum.

The FIT-All charge is a standardized fee applied to all on-grid electricity consumers. It forms a critical component of the electricity bill, facilitating the development and promotion of renewable energy sources.

“From our simulations based on certain assumptions of WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] prices, yes it [FIT-ALL Fund] is sufficient. We regularly monitor because WESM prices have an impact on amounts charged against the fund,” Dimalanta said.

“Before it gets depleted, if necessary,

we will need to lift the suspension of collection of the FIT Allowance so we will start building up the fund again to pay the RE developers supplying power as part of the FIT program,” she said.

The ERC again suspended the FITAll collection for the third time in September. It said the decision introduced remedies to ease the financial burden on consumers amid the escalating costs of electricity.

“We take it one month at a time so we cannot say definitely it won’t be lifted,” Dimalanta said.

The ERC said it suspended the FITAll collection to provide relief through reduced power cost in the amount of P0.0364 per kilowatt-hour.

“With the said ERC issuance, the consumers enjoy the benefit of reduced power cost for almost a year now. This move comes at a crucial time when inflation and the cost of living have been affecting numerous Filipino households,” the regulator said.

Diokno asks Japan banks to invest in PH infra projects FINANCE Secretary Benjamin Diokno asked Japanese banks to invest in the Philippines’ infrastructure projects at the sidelines of the 2023 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (WB-IMF) in Marrakech, Morrocco.

The banks expressed strong interest in advancing investments in the Philippines’ RE, sustainable technology, infrastructure and fixed-income instruments.

Diokno met with representatives from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Mizuho Securities and Nomura Holdings and told them about the Philippines’ renewed focus on a just transition to RE, opportunities for PPPs and investments in the country’s infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs), and growing market for bonds and sustainable finance instruments.

The meetings with Japanese financial institutions sustained PhilippinesJapan discussions following the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Japan in February 2023 and the recent high-level joint committee meeting on infrastructure and economic cooperation in Japan in August 2023.

Meanwhile, Diokno showcased the government’s growth strategies and called for increased investments in climate adaptation and mitigation.

“The prospects of the Philippine economy remain strong and positive.

To achieve the target growth rate of 6 to 7 percent this year, one of the key strategies will be accelerating the implementation of government programs and projects, including the delivery of public services under the national budget,” Diokno said.

He acknowledged the World Bank’s role in the country’s growth strategies and overall development agenda as one of the Philippines’ largest official development assistance (ODA) partners.

He asked the World Bank and other public and private stakeholders to make financing for climate projects more accessible, especially for countries hardest hit by climate-related hazards.

WB-IMF MEETING. The Philippine economic team, led by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno (third from left), discusses sharpening the government’s fiscal and public financial management tools with technical assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Asia and Pacific Department (APD) and Fiscal Affairs Department (FAD) on the sidelines of the 2023 WB-IMF annual meetings in Marrakech, Morocco.

PPA wants to build more cruise terminals to attract tourists

By Darwin G. Amojelar STATE-RUN Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said Wednesday it plans to build more cruise terminals as the country aims to become the next Asian cruise tourism hub.

“We have started to build terminals dedicated only to cruise operations.

We are making sure that the docks will be able to accommodate the huge cruise ships that we expect to arrive in the near future,” PPA general manager Jay Santiago said.

Santiago said the agency wanted to develop more cruise terminals in Coron, Siargao, Camiguin, Boracay and Puerto Galera.

Among the ports under PPA which cater to cruise vessels are the Ports of Currimao in Ilocos Norte, Salomague in Ilocos Sur, Manila, Bohol and El Nido, Palawan.

The World Cruise Awards earlier named the Philippines as Asia’s Best Cruise Destination for 2023 , topping other countries such as India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

“We are happy and proud that the Philippines finally got the Best Cruise Destination Award which shows recognition of the government’s steps led by the Department of Tourism with the help of various government agencies such as the PPA,” Santiago said.

“We believe that aside from picturesque tourist destinations, it is the rich culture, desirable local delicacies and the warmth of the Filipino people which entices foreign tourists to visit the Philippines,” he said.

PPA said that since the resumption of cruise tourism in the country in February 2023, it served 46,657 passengers from ships calling at its ports as of September 2023.

The DOT earlier said the Philippines is expected to have 128 cruise calls in 2023 across 33 destinations.

The cruise ships are seen to bring in more than 101,000 passengers and some 50,000 crew members.

IKEA Pasay registers 28% growth in sales to P8.7b, sells 8.3m food products IKEA Pasay City, the largest store of the Swedish furniture chain, posted a 28.7 percent increase in sales to 144 million euros or about P8.7 billion in its 2023 financial year ending August from a year ago.

Ikano Retail, the IKEA franchisee that brings Swedish home furnishings to the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Mexico, owns and operates IKEA Pasay City, an omnichannel business with e-commerce, click & collect pick-up points, IKEA Food and B2B arm IKEA for Business.

“It saw a bump in revenue from last year, up 28.3 percent as it closed its 2023 financial year on Aug. 31, with a turnover of P8.7 billion,” Ikano Retail said, referring to the performance of IKEA Pasay.

Ikano Retail, one of the 12 IKEA franchisees around the world, has 13 IKEA stores and five IKEA-anchored

shopping centers in its portfolio.

It posted 1.08 billion euros (P65.4 billion) in turnover in its 2023 financial year, up 2.1 percent from a year earlier as it posted mixed performances in its five markets despite welcoming more visitors this year to its stores and centers. ‘’It continues to be tough economic times for all retailers, including us, with higher costs all along our value chain, inflation and a more cautious consumer sentiment. Despite that, our IKEA stores and shopping centers attracted 119.6 million visits, up 5.7 percent from last year,” said Ikano Retail chief executive Christian Roejkjaer.

“We continue to add value to communities feeling the pinch by offering affordable home furnishing solutions, inspiring stores and a great day out together with our shopping centers,” he said.

EAST JAVA TERMINAL. East Java Multipurpose Terminal (EJMT), International Container Terminal Services Inc.’s (ICTSI) business unit in East Java, Indonesia, holds a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 12, 2023 to showcase the development of a new state-of-the-art gateway for the Lamongan, Tuban and central Java hinterlands. The development consists of a 300-meter quay line, breakwater, super heavy lift breakbulk deck and dredging of the navigational channel to -13.5 meters. It will be supported by two post-Panamax mobile harbor cranes and other

SPORTS

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Riera U. Mallari, Editor Randy M. Caluag, Assistant Editor

Lady Falcons claim 2nd straight win Games Saturday (Adamson Gym) 9 a.m. - FEU vs UST 11 a.m. - DLSU vs UE 1 p.m. - NU vs ADU 3 p.m. - Ateneo vs UP

ADAMSON University notched backto-back wins in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament, dismantling Far Eastern University in wire-to-wire fashion, 71-50, on Wednesday at Adamson Gym in San Marcelino, Manila.

Besides achieving their first winning streak for the young season to climb to 2-4 in the standings and tie the Lady Tamaraws in the rankings at fifth to sixth, the Lady Falcons also scored their breakthrough win on their homefloor.

“Before the season, sana yung homecourt advantage makuha namin.

Kaso yung last two games namin dito, talo kami,” recalled first-year Lady Falcons head coach Ryan Monteclaro as he and his team fell to University of Santo Tomas, 84-65, last October 4 and to De La Salle, 63-55, on October 11.

“First win namin, sa MOA pa. Sabi ko nga, break the curse. Playing in front of Adamson gave us a lot of energy,” continued the former Falcon as they notched their breakthrough win last Sunday against UE, 71-41.

It was another dominant win for Adamson, racing to a 21-6 start and never looking back.

The Lady Falcons never faltered in the 40-minute affair, gaining a lead that reached a peak of 28 points multiple times in the final frame.

“We just followed our coaches’ intructions. It was important for us to set the tone,” said Adamson’s sophomore guard Francine Meniano, who led the way with 15 points, five rebounds, and four steals.

Victoria Adeshina, Adamson’s Nigerian center who was part of the Mythical Team a year ago, tallied 10 points, eight rebounds, a steal, and a block as well.

Kim LImbago and Cheska Apag contribued nine points apiece with the former also recording seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals.

Tough will be Adamson’s next assignment as it hosts reigning seventime champion National U on Saturday.

“We take it one game at a time.

Para sa amin, yung progress is more important for us. I think malaki na yung improvement namin compared to our first three games. We’ll take the game against NU as another opportunity for us,” said Monteclaro.

Adamson’s Cheska Apag drives to the lane in a UAAP game won by the Falcons, 71-50, over the FEU Lady Tamaraws.

PBA’s 12 new rules to make games faster, more exciting

By Peter Atencio

P

LAYERS can no longer call for timeouts to challenge calls, but coaches can do this when the Philippine Basketball Association opens its 48th season with the 2023-2024 Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

This is just one of the 12 new rules that the league will be introducing, beginning with the curtain-raising game between the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots and the TNT Tropang Giga at 5 p.m.

Commissioner Willie Marcial said this rule that was often used to beat the fivesecond inbound violation, is gone and will no longer be followed.

“Napagkasunduan ng Willie Marcial competition committee na wala nang timeout ang players. Kapag successful ang challenge, there will be another at wala nang timeout, tanggal na,” said Marcial on new rules that they studying since May. Under such ruling, a player could call for an emergency timeout and save ball

possession. But in this conference, the proposed changes are expected to make the games faster, more exciting and run smoothly.

Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the league will be able to once again follow its usual WednesdayFriday-Saturday-Sunday playdates, with 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. games.

Another proposed change involves the game clock. This time, the timing device shall no longer be stopped during the last one minute of the first, second and third quarter.

Marcial said that in the coming season, a coach will be given one more challenge if the first challenge is successful.

Excellent Noodles team stamps class in Tour of Matabungkay THE Excellent Noodles Jamu Booster Cycling Team, headed by Alexander Billan, showed its might in the recent Tour of Matabungkay 2023 in Lian, Batangas.

Jomar Camingao made an impression in the undercategory 26 to 35 by snatching the overall championship with a margin of 02:14.3 minutes.

Meanwhile, the tandem of Resty Aragon and Remeo Camingao (father of Jomar) proved to be unbeatable.

Aragon took the overall championship some 04:14.8 ahead of the group, while Camingao took 1st runner-up in the Category 45 to 56.

On the other hand, Vernon Amaranto settled for two 2nd place finishes and one 3rd lap honors while Juancho Bumagat won several lap honors, too.

The team was also joined by Jessica Louise Etorma, Austin Billan, Vernon Amranto, Aljhon Billan and Ethel Erika Robeves.

Shown in photo are members of the team with Jessica Louise Etorma, Austin Billan, Vernon Amranto, Aljhon Billan and Ethel Erika Robeves.

Angels buck second-set scare to demolish Highrisers TWO-TIME Reinforced Conference champion Petro Gazz survived a big second set scare and held off a rallying Galeries Tower side in the third as the Angels demolished the debuting Highrisers, 25-11, 26-24, 2522 in the nightcap of another three-game bill in the Premier Volleyball League AllFilipino Conference at the Smart Araneta Coliseum late last night.

After giving the Highrisers a rude welcome in the opening frame, the Angels turned a little bit complacent in the next which the former took advantage of, enabling them to keep it close and extend the set. But the latter, the losing finalist in this year’s first conference, also the All-Filipino, regrouped and reasserted their might over one of the league’s two newcomers.

It resulted in an expected straight-set win as the Angels joined Nxled, Cignal, Creamline, Chery Tiggo and a surprising Akari side in the early lead in the seasonending conference of the league organized

by Sports Vision.

Timmy Sto. Tomas likewise marked his first stint as Petro Gazz head coach with a victory although he still needed to push his seasoned players to press on at the end of the third and finally take the fight out of the Highrisers, who threatened last at 20-23.

“Sabi ni coach, simplehan na lang at wag na namin pahirapan pa ang mga sarili namin,” said Grethcel Soltones, who led the Petro Gazz assault with 19 points, including a block touch that ended the one-hour, 34-minute encounter.

Marian Buitre foiled Audrey Paran’s attack to move the Angels to match point and after the latter countered with a kill to stall the Angels, Soltones soared for a kill that went wide but touched the hand of one of the Highrisers’ defenders.

Aiza Pontillas backed Soltones with 10 markers while Kecelyn Galdones and Jonah Sabete put in seven points apiece and Djanel Cheng and Ranya Musa combined for nine points for the Angels, who overwhelmed the Petro Gazz Angel KC Galdones celebrates a point.

Highrisers in blocks, 10-1.

Once this happens, a team will not be charged a timeout whether or not the challenge is successful.

The league celebrates the return of competitions following a long break and a mission to bring home the gold that was accomplished in the recent Asiad in Hangzhou, China.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas said the league is beaming with pride following Gilas Pilipinas’ epic gold-medal run in the Hangzhou Games.

The Philippine team, composed of Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee, Gin Kings Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter, NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino, NLEX’s Kevin Alas, TNT’s Calvin Oftana, Meralco’s Chris Newsome, and Ange Kouame, will be feted by the league.

Record-equaling cast vies in Spikers’ Turf Invitational MEN’S volleyball take center stage beginning Friday as the Spikers’ Turf stages its inaugural Invitational Conference at the Paco Arena in Manila featuring 24 teams, matching the biggest conference cast ever put up in the country’s premier league.

Cignal HD, which completed a perfect title run in the Open Conference last March, headlines the huge field divided into four groups with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the knockout quarterfinal phase.

The semifinalists will be joined by a foreign guest team in a round-robin series, which the organizing Sports Vision sees to be a thriller of a chase to the finals and the championship, a winner-take-all affair.

Joining the HD Spikers in Pool C are Davies Paints-Adamson, Philippine Coast Guard, Saints and LattesLetran, Santa Rosa City Lions and the St. Gerard Construction-Saint Benide.

Ateneo-Fudgee Bar banners the Pool A cast that includes D’Navigators Iloilo, Don PacundoLa Salle-Dasmariñas, Kinto-Perpetual Help, Philippine Army and Sta. Elena-National U, while CabstarsCity of Cabuyao headlines the Pool B group, along with EcoOil-La Salle MKA-San Beda, Philippine Air Force, Saskin-Philippine Christian U and VNS Griffins.

Making up Pool D are the Alpha Omega Elite Spikers, Chef on a DietFar Eastern U, PGJC Navy, Savouge RTU Basilan, Bayleaf Spikers and the Xentromall-Emilio Aguinaldo College.

Games can be streamed live on SpikersTurf.ph and Pilipinas Live and telecast on OneSports and OneSportsPlus.

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SPORTS

PH battles China in Para Games’ wheelchair hoops

By Randy Caluag

H

ANGZHOU—The men’s wheelchair basketball will start the bid for Team Philippines on Thursday ahead of the formal opening of the 4th Hangzhou Asian Para Games here.

Making their debut in the Asia-wide meet for physically challenged athletes, the Filipinos will battle host China at 4:15 p.m. at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium.

Just like their elite counterparts, the Chinese para cagers are also known for their vaunted shooting, where Philippines’ coach Vernon Perea will mostly focus on his defensive strategy.

“If we can defend well against the outside shooting of the Chinese, we may have a chance against them. But admittedly it will be a hard and tough match for us,” said the bespectacled mentor.

Collectively known as the Pilipinas Warriors, the PH men’s wheelchair squad booked the Asian Games’ para slot following its third-place finish in the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation Asia-Oceania Championships last May in Suphanburi, Thailand behind Kuwait and Thailand.

This success was followed by the PH wheelchair quintet securing a pair of silvers in the men’s 3x3 and 5x5 competitions of the Cambodia ASEAN Para

Games a month later.

In the build-up to the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, Perea’s charges captured the bronze medal in the Yutaka Nakamura Asian Dream Cup International Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Japan last July.

Perea bared that they wound up in a tough group that also includes Iran, Thailand, and Afghanistan in the outing backed by the Philippine Sports Commission.

He bared on the eve of the opening match that the team’s morale was high after they won a tune-up match with the Taiwanese, 42-36, Wednesday mor ning before the meet takes a two-day break Without revealing their total game plan, Perea said; “We can connect with our inside passes because I believe that our players can battle the Chinese on even terms in and around the basket.”

The Pilipinas Warriors play the Afghans on Friday before the tournament takes a two-day respite for the opening on Sunday.

The Philippine men’s wheelchair basketball team during practice

Bumina-ang confident of winning vs. Andreev CARLO Bumina-ang plans to showcase his evolution as a fighter when he returns to the ONE Championship stage this Friday.

The Team Lakay stud looks for his second straight win in the world’s largest martial arts organization opposite Russian striker Denis Andreev at ONE Friday Fights 37 this 20 October inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Bumina-ang comes in boasting heavy hands and accurate striking, but he’s taking the time to improve other facets of his game as well.

“As an MMA fighter, the goal is always to become more well rounded. MMA isn’t just striking. There’s wrestling and grappling, and that’s what I’m working on right now for this fight,” he said.

“I believe that my next opponent is also a very good striker,

Carlo Bumina-ang

but I’m prepared wherever this match goes.”

When Bumina-ang made his ONE debut, he quickly turned heads after finishing Reza Saedi in just 52 seconds, overwhelming the Iranian with power shots on the feet and heavy groundand-pound to get the TKO win.

While he’s impressed with his opponent’s striking, he believes that he has the ultimate advantage should the match stay on the feet.

“I’m confident with my striking. I believe I can knock him out or finish him through striking. I also believe that I have the advantage on the ground.

I’ve scouted him. I’ve seen his last fight. He struggles on the ground, so it’s one thing that I can exploit as well,” he said.

“If I’m to predict, I’ll keep this fight standing and I’ll search for that knockout. I’m looking for another impressive finish.”

ENTERTAINMENT A bold move to rekindle cinema magic GMA News reporter Mav Gonzales

GMA Masterclass spotlights AI in multimedia journalist session GMA Integrated News, GMA Regional TV and Synergy brought together the network’s multimedia journalists for a discourse on the importance and impact of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) during the GMA Masterclass Series: In the Age of AI on September 30 at Studio 5, GMA Network Center.

Among the participants of the special session were anchors, correspondents, video journalists, program managers, station managers and writers from GMA Integrated News (GMAIN), GMA Regional TV and Synergy, and Super Radyo.

Providing insightful discussion on the power of AI was the panel composed of Mav Gonzales, News Producer of GMA Integrated News; Shafizan Johari, Multiplatform News Innovation Lead Editor of Astro Awani; Atty. Jesus Disini, Jr., Associate Professor of University of the Philippines College of Law; Dr. Dominic Vincent Ligot; CEO and CTO of CirroLytix Research Services; and Gabrielle Cayetano, Segment Production Specialist of GMAIN Digital Division.

Also present to give their thoughts on AI were Aileen Perez, Assistant Vice President and Deputy Head for GMA Integrated News Social Media; Rufino Ramil Escarda, Vice President and Head of Creatives of GMA News Media Inc.; and Theodore Ortiz, Senior Social Media Producer of GMA Integrated News.

As one of the country’s broadcast journalists, Gonzales cited how a media organization in Singapore tapped A.I. as a helpful tool in the work of journalists. “The first reason kung bakit nila ginagamit ito ay to reduce effort on mundane and repetitive tasks. If you make the work lighter for them, then they will be able to produce better stories,” she said.

During his message, GMA Senior Vice President and Head of GMA Integrated News, Regional TV, and Synergy Oliver Victor B. Amoroso asserted that the company’s best asset remains to be the employees even with the existence and integration of A.I. Amoroso also highlighted the committee that was formed to further study A.I. as well as the guidelines to be followed

by Kapuso journalists with the use of the technology, “We’ve also formed a sub-committee in GMA Integrated News to take an active role in looking into A.I. in news operations to ensure that, should it be used, the technology will not compromise our non-negotiable as a news organization.”

The special session also featured the country’s first-ever A.I.-generated sportscasters Maia and Marco, which was first introduced during the opening of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99.

“Lest we forget, GMA has never been afraid to take risks, to take bold, pioneering steps.

The fact is, A.I. is here. The responsibility of handling it lies with us. I am glad we have chosen to face it with courage,” Amoroso added.

The session was hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Pia Arcangel together with GMA Sparkle artist, host, and sportscaster Martin Javier. Queendom’s Hannah Prescillas showcased her vocal prowess through entertaining performances.

OEY de Guzman, a young director with a background spanning New Zealand and the Philippines, is shouldering a significant role as one of the directors of Shake, Rattle & Roll: Extreme.

J

Despite the film’s primary objective of luring moviegoers back into the cinema, De Guzman remarkably maintains his composure and reveals his insights during an exclusive interview with Manila Standard Entertainment at the cast reveal event for the movie.

Acknowledging the already established reputation of the Shake, Rattle & Roll franchise, De Guzman concedes that the real pressure arrived when they decided to append “Extreme” to the title, signifying their intention to push the boundaries of horror.

He mentions infusing the film with elements of violence and gore, making “extreme” the centerpiece of their endeavor. De Guzman emphasizes that they strove to live up to the term “extreme” within the accepted constraints.

“The franchise, given its legacy, already has a reputation. The only pressure came when they added ‘extreme’ to the title because we wanted to live up to the expectations,” De Guzman said.

Shake, Rattle & Roll: Extreme promises to deliver an unparalleled cinematic horror experience exclusively in theaters. The film ushers in a contemporary perspective on the classic franchise, tailored to captivate the imagination of Filipino moviegoers, including the younger audience.

With three bone-chilling

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023

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

stories titled “Glitch,” “Rage,” and “Mukbang,” the film ensures that both fans of the previous series and younger generations will find something to enjoy.

The ensemble cast includes Iza Calzado, Jane Oineza, Jane De Leon, RK Bagatsing, Paul Salas, Paolo Gumabao, AC Bonifacio, and more, guaranteeing performances that will send shivers down Iza Calzado (left) and Jane De Leon your spine.

In addition to introducing captivating stories and a talented cast, Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme features seasoned directors Richard Somes and Jerrold Tarog who are known for their contributions to the Shake, Rattle & Roll series.

Having released 15 installments over nearly four decades, Shake, Rattle & Roll has cemented its place in the lives and nightmares of every generation. The series has been a pioneer in popularizing Filipino folklore and mythology, blending traditional horror elements with modern storytelling techniques, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in Philippine cinema.

Beyond its stories, characters, and directors, Shake, Rattle & Roll is also recognized for introducing iconic monsters that have left indelible The cast of 'Shake, Rattle, & Roll: Extreme' during its press conference marks on Philippine cinema.

'Shake, Rattle & Roll: Extreme' director Joey de Guzman

From left: Angel Guardian, Elle Villanueva, Regal Entertainment Inc. President Roselle Monteverde, Jana Taladro, and Jane De Leon

‘Batang Quiapo’ team apologizes to BuCor, vows adjustments to address concerns

ABS CBN COO Cory Vidanes, Mark Lapid, and Coco Martin pay a courtesy visit at the Bureau of Correction headquarters. Joseph Muego

THE team behind Ang Batang Quiapo paid a courtesy visit on Tuesday to the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials.

This visit came in response to the concerns raised by BuCor regarding numerous scenes depicted in the series, which they felt raised significant issues for the agency’s officials and employees.

During the meeting, ABS CBN’s chief operating officer, Cory Vidanes, alongside Mark Lapid and Coco Martin, expressed their apologies to BuCor officials. They reassured them that their intention was never to tarnish the reputation of BuCor and its personnel.

Lapid respectfully requested BuCor officials to grant them until December to make the necessary adjustments in the series.

Martin, for his part, told BuCor officials (in the vernacular), “That’s why we’re here today to personally apologize, but we have no intention to harm or hurt. Please don’t worry, as we’re balancing everything.”

“I just hope that, in the end, as always, good will triumph over evil. I look forward to seeing those characters who are playing villains in your series exposed, prosecuted,

or redeem themselves to show the public that crime does not pay, and the long arm of the law will catch up with those who disregard it,” said Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr. Catapang said that the meeting were requested by executives and cast of Ang Batang Quiapo after the Bucor through Deputy Director General for Administration, Atty. Al Perreras wrote them a letter that he received insistent clamor from Bucor officials and employees themselves who had seen the program and called their attention on the misleading concepts about the bureau as portrayed in said tv series and requested the people behind the show to immediately refrain from depicting scenes that malign the reputation of the agency and its employees.

While the show makes use of a different agency appellation, it cannot be helped but notice that the same makes a clear and undeniable reference to the National Penitentiary, which this Bureau represents and hence, may affect or influence the perceptions of the viewers about our agency, Perreras said.

Spectacular shorts a competition. It’s a celebration of storytelling and a testament to the boundless creativity within our community.

With #ForYouPelikula, we invite aspiring A SHORT can go a long way. That is on the creatives, storytellers, and anyone with table when you join the #ForYouPelikula a bright idea to take on this challenge short film festival which invites creators to of self-expression and innovation,” said make shorts of one to three minutes long. Julie Zhu, entertainment lead of TikTok Adult participants based in the Philippines Philippines. may jump in by uploading video entries via She added, “Together, we’re shaping the their TikTok accounts. future of Philippine cinema, and we can’t Short-form video hosting service wait to see the incredible narratives that Tiktok and multimedia company Viva will emerge from this unique initiative.” partnered for the said challenge to give For musicians like me, the scores of storytellers some opportunity to showcase music videos we have seen in our lives their skills. served as ample exposure to good quality Qualified video makers are allowed shorts, in particular those with clear to submit their entries until October 22, narratives or innovative presentations. May or some 20 days since the festival started we go over some of the most remarkable accepting entries. The top 5 finalists will promotional films for certain classic songs be announced on October 25, with each in random order. receiving a prize of P10,000. Within a “Thriller” (Michael Jackson): The month’s time, their creations would be Library of Congress labeled this video professionally produced. featuring a scary face Michael Jackson The resulting shorts are set to be leading a dancing zombie crew “the most premiered during the #ForYouPelikula famous music video of all time.”

Awards Night on November 28 at the “Strawberry Fields Forever” Venice Cineplex Cinema 5 in Taguig. A (The Beatles): The clip was notable for Best Entry Award picked from the top five presenting a new-look Beatles, with all four original videos submitted and a Best Short sporting mustaches, and John Lennon Film Award chosen from the Viva-produced wearing round granny glasses which would films will be named. Both winners will become his trademark. receive a P50,000 cash prize.

“November Rain” (Guns N’ Roses): A “This campaign is more than just short story entitled “Without You,” written

by American journalist-writer Del James was credited for inspiring this music video that shows a struggling rock star whose girlfriend committed suicide due to a strain in their relationship.

“Papa Don’t Preach” (Madonna): Rolling Stone magazine stated that this music video showing a made-up Madonna, with short hair, was the point when the pop star began treating promotional clips more of a short film.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana): A school concert that descends into a kind of riot somehow ushered the ‘90s generation of young people to go headbanging and loosen up.

“Nothing Compares 2 U” (Sinead O’Connor): A close-up of the singer’s face made this cover of a Prince composition originally released by The Family extra remarkable.

“Take On Me” (A-ha): The billion views music video for this Scandinavian act’s signature song employed rotoscoping which combines live-action and pencilsketch animation.

“I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (Meat Loaf feat.

Lorraine Crosby): Big-budget movie maker Michael Bay directed this video inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Phantom of the Opera.

“A View To A Kill” (Duran Duran): The video for the only James Bond theme

TikTok invites creators to make videos of one to three minutes long for #ForYouPelikula short film festival

to have reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 was shot in Eiffel Tower, the French landmark that also appeared in the movie of the same name.

“Hello” (Lionel Richie): It’s that video featuring a blind woman claysculpting a head that looks like, yeah, Lionel.

LIFE

C4 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023 Nickie Wang, Editor Angelica Villanueva , Writer E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Let’s talk about hair, the professional way

'Linlang' star Kim Chiu

By Nickie Wang

O

UR hair, often lovingly referred to as our “Crowning Glory,” is more than a physical attribute; it’s a powerful tool for selfexpression, boosting our confidence and allowing us to feel our best. Regardless of its texture, thickness, or color, our hair plays an essential role in defining our identity.

Embracing our hair represents a significant stride towards self-love.

It serves as a constant reminder that our beauty is not defined by societal standards but by our authenticity. When we cherish and accept our hair, we are, in essence, cherishing and accepting ourselves, celebrating our unique individuality and fostering a deep sense of self-appreciation.

Hairfix recently unveiled its Hairfix Professional Line alongside the introduction of brand ambassador Kim Chiu. The event, hosted by Tracy Manlangit, took place at Watsons, SM North Edsa - The Grand on September 28. Notable personalities, including mom influencer Kris Lumagui, dermatologist Dr. Bea Chan, and TikTok personality Dior Veneracion, graced the event.

The Hairfix Professional Line offers three distinct sets. With the power of Keratin Booster Complex and Curl Booster Complex, this 4-in-1 PRO Line provides professional hair care for all hair types. The Collagen + Peptide and Castor Oil with

Hairfix unveils its Hairfix Professional Line alongside the introduction of its brand ambassador Kim Chiu (second from left)

Keratin set focuses on volumizing and detoxifying, promoting thicker, stronger hair.

Collagen supplements enhance hair-building proteins, effectively treating dry and brittle hair. The Protein + Vitamin C and Castor Oil with Keratin set focuses on straightening and restoring, repairing structural damage, and smoothing roughened cuticles. Lastly, the Power Curls set, enriched with Hibiscus, Shea Butter, and Amino Acid, defines natural curls, adding shine and moisture.

Kris Lumagui shared her experience using the Collagen + Peptide set, noting its effectiveness in making her hair appear thicker and healthier, adding volume and bounce. Dermatologist Dr. Bea Chan emphasized the benefits of these ingredients, which transform hair and nourish, hydrate, repair, and protect the scalp. Dior Veneracion shared his curly hair routine, endorsing paraben-free products and praising the Power Curl Defining Lotion.

Following the launch event, Kim embarked on the P1,000 Pesos Watsons Challenge. She stocked up on her favorite products, including Hairfix Ash Brown Permanent Hair Color Cream, the newest Professionals Power Curls Leave-On Hair Lotion, and the Collagen + Peptide Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-On Spray. Raffle winners won exciting prizes, including an Acrylic Organizer, a Hair Blower, and a House of Little Bunny bag.

The Hairfix Professional Line is affordable, with Shampoo and Conditioner at P199 for Collagen and Protein sets, P179 for Power Curl set, Treatments at P249 (Buy 1 Take 1), LeaveOn Hair Sprays at P129, and the Defining Lotion at P109. These products are exclusively available at Watsons and SM Department stores nationwide.

For more information, follow HairfixPH on Instagram and Twitter and like Lifestrong Hairfix PH’s page on Facebook. You can also visit their website From left: Mom influencer Kris Lumagui, dermatologist Dr. Bea at hairfix.com.ph and Chan, and TikTok personality Dior Veneracion lifestrong.com.ph.

Pangasinan’s artisans shine at Manila FAME debut AFTER a 40-year wait, Pangasinan is making its international debut at Manila FAME, showcasing the creativity of 10 exceptional MSMEs. These artisans, nurtured under the ABOUND project, are set to present world-class ‘Made in Pangasinan’ craftsmanship at this prestigious trade exhibition. ABOUND aims to discover artisans and provides coaching and mentorship.

Pangasinan MSMEs (from left to right) Alma, WELAB, Blades, Rach, and Herwin Buccat debut at Manila FAME on October 19 to 21 at the World Trade Cente

Ten MSMEs comprise Pangasinan’s milestone participation at Manila FAME including (from left) Erastus, Joy, B6, Cawayan, and ILO

With strong support from Pangasinan Gov. Ramon V. Guico III and local agencies, the province proudly presents these micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that offer an array of export-quality products, from luxurious fashion pieces

to tropical-inspired home furnishings.

The much-awaited Manila FAME trade show, returning on-site after three years, will take place from October 19 to 21 at the World Trade Center. This event marks Pangasinan’s first appearance in four decades.

“Promoting the province’s diverse creative industries through prestigious trade events like Manila FAME is a key part of the bigger economic growth initiatives in Pangasinan. MSMEs play a vital role in ensuring inclusive economic growth in the province, as they can help accelerate trade and exportation,” says Gov. Guico. “I believe that the MSMEs joining the Manila FAME will represent the best of everything made in Pangasinan. They embody what Pangasinan, Ang Galing truly means.”

Among the featured artisans are Herwin Buccat, Blades, Erastus, ILO, WELAB, Alma, Rach, Cawayan, Joy, and the emerging talents of B6, who have honed their crafts through the ABOUND project.

The initiative was initiated with the support of the Artisan Empowerment Association (AEA), driven by businesswoman and chairman of the board of the World Gov. Citi Group, Arlyn Guico,, and entrepreneur and CEO of Ramon V. the brand Mele + Marie, Rosemarie Oamil,, aiming to uplift Guico III Pangasinan’s MSMEs and their handcrafted creations.

“Artisan Empowerment Association equips budding designers and entrepreneurs with capacity-building resources and opportunities like mentorship and training programs that enable them to showcase their work to a wider market so they can uplift their lives and their communities,” says Guico.

“Our vision is to help Pangasinan-based artisans reach their highest potential through quality assurance and business development. As we prepare to present our remarkable MSMEs and their diverse product categories at Manila FAME, our vision for a prosperous Pangasinan is more vivid than ever,” Rosemarie Oamil emphasized.

Visit Manila FAME from today until October 21 at the World Trade Center to witness these outstanding Pangasinan MSMEs and their exceptional artisanal creations up close.

You may reach the author at joba.botana@ gmail.com

The Benilde AI Tool Usage Policy that aims to ensure the responsible utilization and regulation of AI features

Responsible AI policy and course for educators, students, associates THE De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) has formulated an AI Tool Usage Policy to govern the responsible utilization of AI features. This policy safeguards the integrity of the college’s creative programs, personal records, and educational partnerships in light of the proliferation of AI tools in academic institutions.

In addition to harnessing the efficiency and insights offered by AI tools, the policy addresses concerns related to ethics, honesty, and safety, outlining security practices, ethical principles, and procedural guidelines for their use in education.

This comprehensive reference guide encompasses evaluations of AI tools, standards for their proper implementation, and protocols for students, faculty, non-teaching associates, and administrators. It ensures compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173), which aims to protect individual information and communication systems in the government and financial sector.

To enhance knowledge about AI’s appropriate use in higher education institutions (HEIs), the Benilde Center of Educational Technology (CET) organized a symposium, bringing together educators, administrators, researchers, policymakers, and technology experts from various state universities and colleges (SUCs).

This event facilitated discussions on the extent of AI implementation, the development of contextualized strategies, and the formation of collaborative initiatives.

Participating HEIs included Assumption College San Lorenzo, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Manila, De La Salle University (DLSU) Manila, DLSU-Dasmariñas, DPR-Philippine Academy in Technology and Sciences, Lyceum of the Philippines University, National University - Laguna, Universidad de Manila, University of the Cordilleras, University of the Philippines Manila, University of Asia and the Pacific, and University of Santo Tomas.

To provide the community with a deeper understanding of the established measures, the Benilde CET introduced a comprehensive course, “AI for Associates’ Best Practices, Guidelines, and Compliance.” This course explores the benefits and challenges of AI tools in academia, emphasizes system selection and integration into the curriculum, and addresses aspects such as accountability, intellectual property, human rights, justice, equity, and non-discrimination.

The course includes various modules, online discussions, readings, assignments, supplementary resources, and educational videos, all accessible through BigSky Benilde, the school’s integrated learning platform.

More than a decade of revolutionary beauty KOJIE.SAN, a top beauty brand in the Philippines, celebrates over a decade of empowering Indonesian women to define their beauty in the face of societal pressures.

As part of BEVI (Beauty Elements Ventures Inc.), it’s a symbol of confidence, boldness, and diversity, dominating the Indonesian skincare industry and achieving significant annual growth. Find it in numerous health and beauty stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores.

Through innovative and effective products that enable its users to feel good in their skin, Kojie.san made its way to Indonesian hearts since its arrival in 2012 – when the brand officially partnered with PT UICCP Indonesia, BEVI Philippines’ local distributor in the country.

As BEVI celebrates its more than ten years in the Indonesian market, the company is not just paying tribute to the past, but reshaping the future of revolutionary beauty.

Coinciding with the successful launch of new products in Manila, the celebration of Kojie.san’s first decade in Indonesia took place on October 2 at Bengkel Space, one of the renowned event spots in downtown Jakarta’s Central Business District.

Jun Matos, BEVI Corporate Managing Director, expressed his thoughts in his opening remarks, “Bringing Kojie.san to the shores of Indonesia seemed impossible to me, given the limited knowledge about its culture and business environment, and its consumers. All we have is confidence that our product, Kojie.san, will work its very best for consumers, and it will be widely accepted.”

“Tonight proves our commitment to our mission: to continue to build and innovate phenomenal brands that will impact our business and most especially, on consumers,” he adds.

As part of this remarkable milestone,

BEVI also launched a range of new products in the Indonesian beauty market: Kojie.san Skin Lightening Super Serum, Kojie.san Tinted Sunscreen SPF50+ PA+++ and Kojie. san Suncare line: Kojie-San SunProtect SPF50+ PA+++, Defensil Pimple Defense products, Danarra Aromatic Massage Oils, and Beauty Prime Skincare Concentrates, a promising skincare brand that will soon be introduced in the Philippines.

Jazz Burila, BEVI President and CEO, promises that the company will remain a driving force in empowering women to take ownership of their beauty, saying, “Moving forward, we are poised to commence the next decade-long journey with definite determination; we are dedicated to pushing the limits in crafting products that will establish a profound connection with the Indonesian market.”

During the event, BEVI also treated its guests with exciting raffles, games and

The executives of Beauty Elements Ventures Inc (BEVI)

prizes, and performances from Yovie & Nuno, a much-loved Indonesian brand.

As Kojie.san marks its more than a decade in Indonesia, it continues to inspire and empower, by making more beauty choices accessible, thereby enabling individuals to

define their own standards of beauty.

With a steadfast commitment to push for beauty that commands, Kojie.san looks ahead to an even brighter future, where beauty is timeless, and knows no boundaries.