Manila Standard - 2023 October 24 - Tuesday

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‘China intentionally hit PH ships’ Manila, Beijing trade complaints; PCG to finish probe in 5 days

By Charles Dantes, Rey E. Requejo, Vince Lopez and Macon Ramos-Araneta

M

ANILA said Monday that Chinese vessels intentionally hit Philippine boats at the weekend, escalating a diplomatic row over Solons, other countries rip two collisions in the South latest Chinese acts in WPS China Sea. NEWS / A2 The countries have traded blame over VOL. XXXVII • NO. 251 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sunday’s incidents near Ayungin (Sec- protests and releasing videos to support ond Thomas) Shoal in the Spratly Is- their accusations.

Next page lands, with both sides filing diplomatic

Locsin says sorry for ‘sarcastic’ take on Palestine kids

By Rey Requejo and Maricel Cruz AFTER posting on social media about killing Palestinian children, Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom Teodoro Locsin Jr. apologized and said he was only being sarcastic.

“That’s why Palestinian children should be killed; they might grow up to become as gullible as innocent Palestinians letting Hamas launch rockets at Israel,” he said in his nowdeleted post on X. “I immediately deleted my sarcastic response to a tweet as I realized it could be misconstrued and retweeted to incite,” Locsin explained.

“My apologies to those who did misconstrue my sentiments and did in fact get triggered — I obviously was not advocating for the literal death of anyone, but rather simply for the end of any ideology that condones terrorism in any way, shape or form,” he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a separate statement on Monday, said it “completely disassociates itself Next page

Lawmaker filing grave threat rap vs. Rody today

COMMAND CONFERENCE. President Marcos (seated, right) listens intently during a command conference he called Monday with all security authorities to discuss the latest actions by Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea, as Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro (inset) calls out China’s actions in blocking Philippine resupply missions in the waterway as ‘deliberate’ in a press conference afterward. PCO Photos

Israel says war could take ‘months’ but vows to wipe out Hamas ISRAEL’S defense minister said Sunday that the war against Hamas could take “months” but insisted it would be the last against the Gaza militant group.

Yoav Gallant stepped up the war of words with Hamas as he spoke with forces gathered for an expected ground invasion of the Palestinian territory in response to the shock Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7.

“It will take one month, two months, three months, and at the end, there will be no more Hamas,” Gallant said at an air force base whose location was not given by the defense ministry.

By Maricel V. Cruz ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro will file a grave threat complaint against former President Rodrigo Duterte today (Tuesday) following the statements he made against the lawmaker in relation to the scrapped confidential funds of his daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

Castro said she will be joined by volunteer lawyers from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in filing the complaint before a Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

“This is a crime against a person.

These threatening statements of former Presidente Duterte should stop,” she said.

“What I did as a lawmaker, to scrutinize Next page

25 more OFWs flee Gaza war; 59 others want out of Beirut NEWS / A4

TIME TO PLAY. Palestinian children who have fled their homes due to Israeli airstrikes play with the help of games

organized by humanitarian workers as they shelter at a United Nations-run school in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. AFP

“Before Hamas makes contact with our tanks and our infantry, they will know the shells from our air force.”

He added that Israel’s fighter jets “know how to make this precise, qualitative and mortal.”

“This should be the last war in Gaza, for the simple reason that there will be no more Hamas,” Gallant said.

Israel, which has repeatedly vowed to eradicate Hamas from Gaza, says its air raids target Hamas Next page

Firms hike prices on fuel products by at least P0.95/l

By Alena Mae S. Flores

movement of prices in the world oil market.

“Petron will implement the following price increases efTHE country’s oil firms hiked pump prices by as much as fective 6 a.m. on October 24: P0.95 per liter for gasoline; P1.30 per liter effective 6 a.m. today (Tuesday) to reflect the P1.30 per liter for diesel and P1.25 per liter for kerosene.

These reflect movements in the international oil market,” the oil company said.

Phoenix Petroleum, Cleanfuel, PTT Philippines, PetroGazz, Seaoil Philippines, and Jetti Petroleum also issued advisories of the latest oil price movement.

Department of Energy director for the oil industry management bureau Rodela Romero said last week world oil prices continued to be volatile.

Factors include Iran’s appeal to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Counties for an oil embargo on Israel and increased tensions due to the bombing of a hospital in Gaza.

On Oct. 10, oil companies implemented a price rollback of P3.05 per liter for gasoline, P2.45 per liter for diesel, and P3 per liter for kerosene.

These price adjustments resulted in a year-todate net increase of P12.25 per liter for gasoline, P11.35 per liter for diesel, and P5.94 per liter for kerosene.

Next page

CLEANER’S CATS. A worker -- with his pet cats in tow -- cleans the headstones of

tombs at the Manila North Cemetery on Monday in preparation for All Souls Day. People who have their dearly departed interred at Manila’s largest public cemetery have until Wednesday to clean the tombs. Danny Pata

Speaker hails 4 pacts with Saudi biz

By Maricel V. Cruz and Vito Barcelo week was a concrete manifestation of the administration’s commitment to SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on promoting the welfare and uplifting the Monday said the estimated 220,000 job lives of Filipino workers.

Romualdez cited the four landmark opportunities generated by the Saudi Next page Arabia visit of President Marcos last

NEWS

A2 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

of fasting, Solons, countries rip China WPS acts Day prayer in Manila

By Maricel V. Cruz and Rey E. Requejo

T

HE House of Representatives led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday condemned China’s recent actions that led to the collision between Chinese vessels and Philippine boats, which were on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

ing concerns over the latest incident.

“We, at the House of Representatives, vehemently condemn China’s recent actions that led to the collision of its coast guard vessel 5203 with the private resupply vessel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Romualdez said in a statement.

“Such actions not only jeopardized the lives of those onboard but also threatened regional peace and stability,” he added.

“We implore China to adhere to international maritime laws and standards, act with restraint, and guarantee the safety of all vessels in the West Philippine Sea.” Romualdez said such incidents can-

not be overlooked.

Bayan Muna, meanwhile, said China’s recent aggression demands “immediate action.”

“China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is condemnable and the Marcos administration should act immediately to address it. President Marcos should file another case against China either in the PCA or the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea,” Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares said.

“Even if China does not recognize the PCA decision, its ramming of a Philippine ship is a violation of UNCLOS, of which it is a signatory,” Colmenares added.

Romualdez vowed that the government would exhaust all diplomatic initiatives and mobilize the support of the international community to prevent these unlawful acts by its giant neighbor to the north.

Meanwhile, more countries on Monday expressed serious concerns over

the behavior of the China Coast Guard and called on both China and the Philippines to follow the 2016 arbitral ruling and a United Nations (UN) convention on maritime laws.

The ambassadors of France, the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, and New Zealand in the Philippines voiced their grow-

Israel...

From A1

BI warns of fake eTravel websites that charge fees

commanders and infrastructure.

The Hamas-run health ministry said Sunday that more than 4,600 people have been killed in the strikes so far, including 1,873 children.

The Hamas attacks across the border were the worst suffered by Israel since its creation, leaving some 1,400 dead, most of them civilians.

More aid for Gaza

Meanwhile, the United States vowed a continued flow of aid to the Gaza Strip, as a new convoy of 14 trucks entered the besieged and bombarded Palestinian enclave.

With the first of two convoys of humanitarian assistance now inside Gaza, the White House said Israel had agreed “there will now be continued flow of this critical assistance.”

The United Nations estimates Gaza needs about 100 trucks a day to meet the needs of its 2.4 million residents, almost half of whom are believed to have been displaced by Israel’s bombing campaign.

UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said the latest delivery of food, water, and medical supplies was “another small glimmer of hope for the millions of people in dire need of humanitarian aid. But they need more, much more.”

The much-delayed aid began arriving Saturday under a deal brokered by US President Joe Biden with Egyptian and Israeli leaders.

On the ground, the death toll has continued to mount.

Hamas-controlled authorities in Gaza said at least 80 people had been killed and 30 homes destroyed in renewed Israeli strikes on the besieged Palestinian enclave.

An AFP journalist saw the bodies of many children on the bloodied floor of a Gaza hospital morgue.

Distraught families wept as they came to identify the dead and embrace their loved ones for the last time.

“He was a man with no record, nothing to do with the resistance,” said Wael Wafi, gazing at the body of his cousin.

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, and killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians who were shot, mutilated, or burnt to death on the first day of the raid, Israeli officials said.

Israel says about 1,500 Hamas terrorists were killed in clashes before its army regained control of the area under attack.

Hamas also seized more than 200 hostages in the worst-ever attack in Israel’s history.

More than 4,651 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed across the Gaza Strip in relentless Israeli bombardments in retaliation for the attacks by the Palestinian Islamist militant group, which controls Gaza. AFP

Firms...

From A1 Meanwhile, DOE reported that the country’s net oil import bill amounted to $8.164 billion in the first half of the year, posting a 17 percent decline from $9.835 billion in the same period last year due to lower oil prices.

Total petroleum demand increased by 3.4 percent to 13,595 million liters (ML) from 13,154 ML as economic activities normalized.

Petron Corp. captured 23.19 percent of the petroleum demand, followed

by Shell at 15.55 percent, and Chevron Corp. at 4.4 percent. Other players captured 51.55 percent.

Among the other players, Unioil has the highest share followed by Seaoil, Insular, Jetti, and Liquigaz.

THE Archdiocese of Manila on Monday urged the faithful to join the day of fasting and prayer on Oct. 27 amid the ongoing conflict between Israeli troops and Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Vice Chancellor Fr. Carmelo Arada Jr. appealed to communities to pray for peace to reign in areas affected by the war.

“We encourage our communities to organize prayer initiatives for this intention like the Mass for Peace, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament/Holy Hour, the praying of the holy rosary, or any other celebrations of the Word of God,” he said in Circular No. 2023-85.

The issuance of the circular is in response to Pope Francis’ call for churches to designate Oct. 27 as a day of prayer, fasting, and penance for peace.

The Pope also encouraged people of different Christian denominations, other religions, and all those who advocate for peace, to participate in the event as they see fit.

Pope Francis pleaded Sunday for an end to the Hamas-Israeli conflict amid fears it could widen and called for more humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Gaza Strip.

“War is always a defeat, it is a destruction of human fraternity. Brothers, stop! Stop!” Francis said after his traditional Angelus prayer at Saint Peter’s Square in Rome.

“I renew my call for spaces to be opened, for humanitarian aid to continue to arrive, and for hostages to be freed,” the 86-year-old pontiff said.

Hamas militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing at least 1,400 people.

Israel’s retaliatory bombing campaign has killed more than 4,300 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, and reduced swathes of densely populated Gaza to smoldering ruins.

“War, any war that there is in the world -- I also think of tormented Ukraine -- is a defeat,” Francis said.

The pope also spoke to US President Joe Biden on Sunday about “conflict situations in the world and the need to identify paths to peace”, according to the Vatican.

The conversation lasted about 20 minutes, its press office said. AFP

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday urged the public to report fraudulent websites claiming to operate as electronic travel or eTravel sites.

“There are complaints received through socmed (social media) channels. (The public must) immediately report to CICC (Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center),” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval told said in a Viber message, following reports of fake eTravel sites requiring charges from travelers.

“The eTravel service is free of charge.

Any website using the eTravel name and logo is fake and is a scam,” the BI said in an advisory.

Sandoval warned that those behind the illicit scheme may face charges for violation of the Republic Act 10175 or

involvement in fraud and other crimes in South Korea and the United States.

The suspects were identified as Kwon Junyoung, 38; and Seok Jongmin, 48; who were nabbed with the help of shared intelligence with Korean authorities and Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB).

“They will soon be deported to Korea and the US as summary deportation orders were already (filed) against them by the BI board of commissioners,” BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement.

According to the BI, Kwon is a telecommunication fraud syndicate memFraud fugitives nabbed ber associated with voice phishing while The BI, meanwhile, arrested two Kore- pretending to be an investigator of the an fugitives in Pampanga for their alleged central prosecutor’s office in Seoul.

‘China...

From A1

said: “Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels, in blatant violation of international law, harassed and intentionally hit Unaiza May 2 and Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra.”

“We are here to really decry in the strongest possible terms this egregious violation and illegal act within the (Philippines’) 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone and the obfuscation of the truth by China’s distorting the story to fit its own ends.”

His comments came hours after President Marcos met with security officials and ordered the PCG to investigate the incident, which was “being taken seriously at the highest level of government,” his communications team said. The PCG said it would complete its probe in five days.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called a command conference this morning with all security authorities to discuss the latest violation by China in the West Philippine Sea,” the Presidential Communications Office said in its Facebook post.

PCO said President Marcos is taking China’s latest incursion inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone seriously.

“The incident, brought about by dangerous, illegal, and reckless maneuvers by vessels of the China Coast Guard, caused damage to a Philippine vessel within our exclusive economic zone and is being taken seriously at the highest level of government,” the PCO said.

Earlier Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summoned China’s ambassador to Manila, Huang Xilian, and lodged a diplomatic protest over the incident.

Spokeswoman Teresita Daza said the ambassador was unavailable and was

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually, and has ignored a 2016 international ruling that says its claims have no legal basis.

Ayungin Shoal is about 200 kilometers from the western Philippine island of Palawan, and more than 1,000 kilometers from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

Marcos to Saudi is a solid testament to the dedication of his administration in ensuring the well-being and improving the lot of Filipino workers, through enhancement of the long-standing friendship and diplomatic ties between the two nations,” Romualdez said.

“This visit reaffirms the commitment of our government to support and protect the rights and welfare of our overseas Fili-

pino workers, who have played a pivotal role in enhancing the lives of their families and the entire nation,” he added.

Topping the four agreements is the $3.765 billion deal between Al-Jeer Human Resources Company (ARCO) and the Association of Philippine Licensed Agencies for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for investments that would employ Filipino workforce in the kingdom.

the budget, that is my job,” Castro added.

The elder Duterte came to his daughters’ defense amid controversies over the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education’s requests for a total of P650 million in confidential funds in the proposed 2024 national budget.

Duterte said intelligence funds would be used against the likes of Castro.

“The first target of your intelligence fund would be you, France. I want to kill all you communists,” the former President said.

Castro said the basis of her complaint would be the TV interview of Duterte on SMNI as well as the former President’s previous red-tagging and vilification against her and her group, the Makabayan Bloc.

As this developed, legislators led by the Visayan Bloc in the House have circled the wagons around Speaker Martin Romualdez, whose leadership was being criticized over the Lower Chamber’s decision to realign P1.23 billion in confidential funds.

“We, the Visayan Bloc Members, would like to express our unwavering and resolute support for the esteemed Speaker from the Visayas, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez,” the manifesto of the Visayan Bloc read.

ment, for the dangerous, bigoted, and Islamophobic rhetoric that is palpable in your now deleted statement,” said Adiong.

“It is unbecoming for any Filipino, much more a high official, to visit genocidal machinations upon innocent children of any nation. An ambassador who is tasked to represent the best of our nation, a defender of our nation’s interests, must espouse our nation’s commitment to peace and humanity.”

“Under no circumstance is the killing of Palestinian children justified, and it is no laughing matter when more than a thousand Palestinian children have lost their lives in Gaza within this past week alone. Right now, a child dies every fif-

teen minutes in Gaza. That said, under no circumstance should Islam – or any other religion for that matter – be so callously associated with terrorism,” Adiong added.

Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo, chair of the House committee on overseas workers affairs, also expressed dismay over Locsin’s remark.

“As a high-ranking official of the Philippine government, making his provocative personal opinion public by posting it on social media is highly irresponsible. His statement incites hatred and hostility not only against the Palestine people but also against our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines and around the world, a crime in most

jurisdictions, and is outlawed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” Salo said.

“While Ambassador Locsin has apologized and stated it was a ‘sarcastic response,’ his social media post may be perceived as the official stand of the Philippine government. Worse, it jeopardizes our Filipino diplomats particularly in the Middle East who may be perceived as sharing his opinion. Worst, it endangers the lives of our already vulnerable kababayans scattered all over the world, mostly concentrated in Muslim countries, which do not share the Ambassador’s sarcasm, no matter how witty or amusing he thinks he appears,” he added.

The two collisions occurred during a Philippine resupply mission to troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, which was intentionally grounded on the shoal in 1999 to assert Manila’s territorial claims.

Philippine officials accused a Chinese coast guard ship and a “militia” vessel of “dangerous maneuvering” that resulted in collisions with a Philippine resupply boat and a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro took it one step further Monday, labeling the Chinese actions near Ayungin Shoal deliberate.

But China lodged a complaint with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), expressing its “strong dissatisfaction” over the incident.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged the Philippines in a statement released Monday evening to stop “stirring up trouble” and “making dangerous moves” by “making provocations at sea.”

Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said the Philippine vessels were trespassing into the Ren’ai Reef area, using China’s name for the shoal.

China has said a “slight collision” happened after the Philippine resupply boat ignored “multiple warnings and deliberately passed through law enforcement in an unprofessional and dangerous manner”.

In the other incident, China accused the Philippine Coast Guard of reversing in a “premeditated manner” into a Chinese fishing vessel.

But in a press conference, Teodoro

Speaker...

From A1 agreements between Saudi and Filipino firms signed during the visit that would open job opportunities for Filipino workers to fill the growing demand for laborers in the kingdom.

“The successful visit of President

Locsin...

From A1 from the statement made on Twitter by Ambassador Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr.” The DFA said Locsin’s post “was made in his strictly personal capacity.”

Two leaders of the House of Representatives denounced Locsin, who previously served as DFA chief.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, senior vice chairperson of the House peace reconciliation and unity committee, said the remark was “Islamophobic.”

“There is no room in Philippine society, much more in the high offices of govern-

the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, in relation to computer-related fraud.

The public may send their complaints online via cicc.gov.ph/report.

The BI earlier launched the e-travel system to reduce the paper-based requirements of inbound and outbound travelers.

It is an interagency project with the Department of Tourism, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, and the National Privacy Commission.

for Gaza war set

represented by his deputy chief of mission, Zhou Zhiyong.

“Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and we have sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it,” Daza said, using the Philippine name for the shoal.

“We have every right to carry out legitimate activities in our maritime zones. We do not accept any form of interference,” Daza said, even as she pointed out that China, as a major power, should be contributing to the peace and stability in the region.

The Philippines reiterated its call for China to stop “provocative actions,” warning that its attempts to block Manila’s resupply missions could have “disastrous results.”

Manila’s longtime ally Washington has led a chorus of international criticism of China’s alleged interference in the routine resupply mission to the tiny garrison on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.

The US State Department on Sunday reiterated its mutual defense pact with the Philippines “extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, and aircraft –- including those of its Coast Guard –- anywhere in the South China Sea”.

‘Arbitral ruling is binding’

Lawmaker...

From A1

NEWS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023

A3

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DICT wants to scrap e-wallet auto payments T

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it is planning to talk with e-wallet companies to remove all auto payment functions amid reports of possible scams.

UNITED NATIONS. A preschooler dons a colorful

costume while holding an American flaglet, while others are seen wearing costumes to represent different countries (inset) during United Nations Day celebration at the Baclaran Elementary School Central Unit 1 in Paranaque City on Monday. Danny Pata and Norman Cruz

PCSO files illegal gambling charges vs. unauthorized online lottery firms THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has filed charges against four firms allegedly engaged in unauthorized online lottery operations in the country.

PCSO general manager Mel Robles on Monday led the filing of the charges against Eplayment Corporation, Paymero Technologies Limited, GlobalComRCI International, and Blockchain SmartTech Co.I.T.Consultancy before the Mandaluyong City Prosecutor’s Office.

The charges include usurpation of authority and violations of Republic Act 1169 (An Act Providing for Charity Sweepstakes Horse Races and Lotteries) and Presidential Decree 1602 (illegal gambling).

SC scraps suit against Duterte order on gov’t COVID probe

By Rey E. Requejo THE Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed the petition seeking to declare as unconstitutional an order by thenPresident Duterte barring members of the Executive branch from appearing before a Senate probe in the disbursement of P67.3 billion COVID-19 funds.

In an en banc decision, the SC through Associate Justice Amy LazaroJavier, said that the SC “is constrained to dismiss the petition for having been prematurely filed.”

The petition was filed by the Senate in 2021.

In ruling against the petition, the SC pointed out that it would violate the principle of separation of powers between the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the government.

In 2021, the Senate Blue Ribbon panel started an investigation on the budget utilization of the Department of Health following a report from the Commission on Audit that there was a deficiency of P67.3 billion in public funds intended for the government’s COVID-19 response.

The Senate investigating body then conducted hearings on the following matters: (1) the DOH’s underutilization of its 2020 budget; (2) the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by local government units; (3) unspent funds, misstatements, irregularities, and deficiencies of the DOH, as found

by COA; and (4) payment claims issues between the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and private hospitals.

“We are not kidding, we will prosecute and jail everyone related to this illegal operation to stop their illegal activities,” Robles said told reporters after the filing.

He said the criminal complaints were prompted by an investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation, which revealed that these groups were responsible for the ownership, operation, and administration of illegal online lottery games “Pakilotto” and “Surelotto.”

The investigation discovered that Eplayment, which operated under the now-defunct website “Pakilotto,” was soliciting and accepting bets from the public at an inflated price of P30 per

ticket, a 50 percent markup compared to the standard P20 lotto ticket.

Surelotto, a similar mobile app, sold tickets online for P25, or 25 percent higher than the regular price.

Prizes of smaller denominations are allegedly directly deposited into the winner’s registered bank account, while jackpot prizes require winners to visit the Surelotto office in person.

Meanwhile, GlobalComRCI and Blockchain Smart-Tech entered into an agreement with Eplayment and technology provider Paymero, using the latter’s software for processing payments and managing financial account information.

Although GlobalComRCI and Block-

chain Smart-Tech were considered facilitators, they reportedly established a revenue-sharing arrangement.

Robles said the companies also reportedly misused the PCSO’s name, logo, and various lottery games, soliciting and accepting bets from the public through their unauthorized mobile applications and websites.

He said the PCSO is losing billions of pesos in revenues due to the illegal operations of the suspects.

Robles said the unauthorized operations by these entities not only jeopardize the agency’s revenues but also erode public trust in the legitimacy and fairness of its authorized games.

ILLEGAL LOTTO?

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Mel Robles (left) shows a complaint affidavit that the PCSO filed against four firms allegedly engaged in illegal online lottery operations.

Joseph Muego

Gatchalian bill seeks check and balance in DepEd curricula

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian plans to file a bill that seeks to create an independent agency to assess the current educational curricula.

The independent body, he said, will also function as a “check and balance” mechanism for the Department of Education (DepEd).

“The DepEd formulates and delivers the curriculum. If you think about it, how can the DepEd do self-correction when it is the one who developed and delivered the curriculum?” Gatchalian said.

“So it makes sense to have an independent body to come up with the assessment, analyze it, and tell the DepEd what to do,” Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Basic Education Committee, said He cited the example of Australia’s

National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN), which determines how well young Australians are developing literacy and numeracy.

The NAPLAN is developed by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, an independent statutory authority responsible for the development of a national curriculum, a national assessment program, and a national data collection and reporting program.

He also said that in Finland, the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) carries out evaluations for early childhood education all the way to higher education.

The FINEEC is an independent agency and is guided by Finland’s national education evaluation plan.

Gatchalian pointed out that in 1991, the first Congressional Commission on Edu-

cation (EDCOM I) already recommended the creation of an autonomous national testing and evaluation agency, which “shall develop, administer, supervise, and evaluate national achievement tests.” The EDCOM I also proposed that this agency shall conduct and evaluate other tests on aptitude, intelligence, personality, equivalency, and tests for national scholarships.

The creation of this body, however, never materialized.

He also flagged that there is no consolidated, central data bank despite the administering of several tests such as the Early Language, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (ELLNA), the National Achievement Test (NAT), the Comprehensive Rapid Literacy Assessment (CRLA), and the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (PHIL-IRI), among others.

Quezon City gov’t partners with global NGO to boost sustainable food production

By Rio N. Araja

IDENTITY THEFT. Andrea A. Lazaro shows evidence of alleged identity theft of

her person which was then used in filing a disqualification case against Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson candidate Jeanly Lin Lazaro in San Bartolome, Quezon City.

Manny Palmero

THE Quezon City local government has partnered with the CGIAR Resilient Cities Initiative to boost and promote sustainable food production.

Mayor Joy Belmonte also said the move also seeks to help ensure food security for Quezon City’s 3.2 million population.

“We want to boost urban farming so that when vegetable prices from the provinces go up, we would be less affected,” she told the Manila Standard.

The city government and CGIAR Resilient Cities Initiative have recently inked a partnership through a memorandum of agreement to promote food security and work together to further beef up food security.

Apart from developing and imple-

menting new technologies, the agreement would also help improve access to markets and strengthen the capacity of local farmers to adapt to challenges.

“CGIAR’s engagement with the Quezon City government brings forward a governance approach that relies on grassroots data gathering,” Belmonte said.

The arrangement would also help enhance the city’s current best practices in improving food systems, and “bring us closer to the goal of becoming food secure and resilient through our Grow QC and Joy of Urban Farming programs,” she added.

The partnership shall establish the first-ever Vendor Business School program, which aims to help vendors in Quezon City by equipping them with the right tools and knowledge to scale up their enterprisesand livelihoods.

The auto-debit function allows ewallet apps to automatically deduct certain amounts of money to pay a user’s subscriptions or online purchases.

DICT Usec. Jeffrey Dy, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said the agency has noticed the increasing number of ewallet users complaining of being victimized by alleged scams through ewallets that are inadvertently “linked” to illegitimate websites.

Dy said there is nothing wrong if the e-wallet is linked to legitimate apps.

However, users sometimes link their e-wallets to sites that may not be legitimate or trusted.

The agency is now planning to talk with companies with e-wallet services regarding these concerns, Dy said.

The official also defended the government from criticisms that is not prioritizing cybersecurity following the recent cyber attacks on government sites such as PhilHealth and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

“Cybersecurity is a priority of this government. It is just unfortunate we had several cybersecurity issues,” he added.

But he asserted that cybersecurity must be done by both the government, the private sector, and individuals.

DICT has also partnered with major social media and tech companies like Google, Meta, and Tiktok to help raise awareness on cyber attacks and scams, the official said.

During yesterday’s Global Pilipinas, Digital Festival held at the agency, DICT Secretary John Ivan Uy said the cyber technology industry within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is now worth $1 trillion.

He said there is a projection that in 2024, the cyber technology industry in the ASEAN would even reach a $2 trillion to $3 trillion industry, which will in turn, attract “cyber terrorists.”

Four major social media platforms — Meta/FaceBook, Google, YouTube and Tik Tok — signed in the pledge of commitment stating that.

“We, the leading social media platforms, advocates and partners of Digital Pilipinas join the DICT in the pledge to raise public awareness about cybersecurity threats and how to combat challenges in the cyberspace, and to create a digitally safer Philippines for Filipinos.”

“Our shared goal is to cultivate a culture of responsible online behavior that ensures the well-being of individuals in the digital realm. We join forces with the DICT in building a resilient and a cybersecure digital landscape where Filipinos can confidently navigateand enjoy the benefits of the online world without compromising their safety and privacy,” the statement read.

House bill backs free PhilHealth for young Pinoys

By Maricel V. Cruz CAMARINES Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has filed a bill granting “junior citizens” automatic and free Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) coverage.

House Bill (HB) 8312 defines junior citizens as Filipinos under 12 years old.

“Government support for our young citizens is imperative, especially during their formative years, in order for them to grow up into fully equipped adult citizens...This is especially important to children from disadvantaged areas, where access to healthcare services is low or limited to private institutions,” said Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party (NUP).

In addition to mandatory PhilHealth coverage, the bill also proposed that junior citizens belonging to families with annual incomes of less than P250,000 each shall be entitled to more benefits, including free medical and dental services and laboratory fees in government health facilities, the measure said.

“These families will also enjoy a 20 percent discount and Value Added Tax (VAT)-exemption on medical plus dental services, and laboratory and professional fees in private hospitals and clinics,” Villafuerte said.

The bill also provides that junior citizens from “poor and low-income families” shall also be entitled under Villafuerte’s bill to free pediatric vaccinations available at the Department of Health (DOH), and a 20 percent discount and VAT-exemption on the purchases by their parents or guardians of their medicines and milk supplements.

NEWS

A4 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Comelec to deploy over 250k soldiers, cops to keep peace, order during BSKE

By Vito Barcelo and Roy Tomandao

FOR BSKE SECURITY. Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. leads the ceremonial send off at Camp Crame in Quezon City for a large contingent of law enforcers deployed to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Oct. 30. A similar event (inset) takes place at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City in Laguna where a multi-sector group hands over security forces and resources to the Commission on Elections ahead of the political exercise. Manny Palmero and Roy Tomandao

25 more OFWs home safe from Israel, 59 others in Beirut seek repatriation

By Joel E. Zurbano, Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE third batch of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being repatriated rom Israel arrived in Manila on Monday, bringing the total number of returning OFWs to 59.

Meanwhile, another group of 59 OFWs asked to be taken out of Lebanon amid the escalating conflict between Israel and the Islamist Hezbollah, according to Philippine Ambassador to Beirut Raymond Balatbat.

In a related development, Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to join the call to allow more humanitarian aid to enter the war-torn Gaza region in Israel.

The latest batch of OFWs to be home safe composed of 22 females and three males, mostly caregivers and hotel workers. They enplaned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport - Terminal 3 on board Etihad flight EY424.The repatriates will receive immediate assistance from various government agencies, including P100,000 from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Work-

ers Welfare Administration (OWWA), P20,000 in livelihood assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), plus skills training vouchers from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and psychosocial evaluation and assessment services from the Department of Health (FOH) and the DSWD. Eighteen OFWs returned to Manila over the weekend while the first batch, also composed of 16 caregivers and hotel workers, arrived last Wednesday.

Most of the repatriates chose to return home due to the trauma they experienced during the conflict between Israel and the Hamas militant group.

DMW officials expressed hopes that the Philippine government will soon

House panel cites ex-LTFRB worker in contempt over false accusations

Price caps hiked for socialized housing projects THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) have agreed to adjust the price ceiling for socialized subdivision and condominium projects, citing the current pricing no longer responds to prevailing economic conditions.

Under the adjusted ceiling, socialized subdivision projects now cost no more than P850,000 from the current P580,000 for units with a minimum floor area of 28 square meters with a loft of at least 50 percent of the base structure or 32 sqm, subject to existing rules and regulations.

The socialized condominium projects are now set at P933,320 for 22sqm; P1,060,591 for 25 sqm, and P1,145,438 for 27 sqm for a four-storey building. For projects composed of five to nine-storeys, the pricing is P1 million for 22 sqm; P1,136,364 for 25 sqm and P1,227,273 for 27sqm, and for 10 floors above projects, 22 sqm units cost P1,320,000; 25 sqm at P1,500,000 and 27 sqm at P1,620,000.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan signed Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2023-003 to adjust the current price ceiling which has been in effect since 2018 pursuant to Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2 issued by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

The adjustment was an offshoot of months of thorough review and lengthy discussions between the agencies’ teams, scrutinizing all its pros and cons to the housing and real-estate sector with utmost consideration to home buyers, and the national economy in general, Acuzar said.

The DHSUD and NEDA were also in agreement on the huge economic pump-priming potentials of the housing and real-estate sector.

With the inclusion of land development cost, socialized condominium projects’ price ceiling is set at maximum P1,800,000.

Rio N. Araja

evacuate Filipinos in the Gaza Strip after Israel agrees to open the border to enable the entry of food and medicine.

Filipinos who opted to flee the conflict by going to Egypt could not be repatriated immediately as they need to be processed first in Cairo.

A Filipina in Gaza was reportedly slight injured during the Israeli airstrikes against the Hamas.

Balatbat said he expected the number of repatriates from the 17,500 Filipinos in Lebanon to “grow a lot larger” following the Israel-Hezbollah clashes “I know there’s a lot more,” the ambassador said.

The DFA placed the Middle East country under Alert Level 3, or voluntary repatriation, last weekend amid the ongoing tension in the region.

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that more than 250,000 police and military personnel will be deployed nationwide to ensure a peaceful conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on October 30.

Over at the Camp Vicente P Lim in Calamba City in Laguna, a multiagency group turned over to the Comelec security forces and equipment to help maintain peace and order during the BSKE polls.

Comelec chairman George Garcia said the PNP will deploy over 187,000 policemen during the BSKE, while the AFP will field more than 117,000 soldiers, plus 30,000 Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel.

Garcia, who expressed gratitude to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Department of Education for their full support to the national government, said this is the first time that the military would deploy soldiers to the voting centers.

Garcia clarified however, that the peacekeeping force deployment will not be based solely on the color category of an area, saying barangays have been categorized as green, yellow, orange, and red, depending on the situation in the area.

Green means the area is generally peaceful, while red denotes problems such as the presence of private army or terrorist groups, and intense political rivalry.

“The deployment is based on the operation plan of the police and military. Priority of course is the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao where there are a lot of red areas,” he said.

The Comelec prefers to have one policeman and one soldier stationed 50 meters away from every polling place.

By Maricel V. Cruz and Darwin Amojelar

PH BREAKS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD. Using a total of 2,355 mattresses, the

Philippines earned the Guinness World Record for the longest human mattress dominoes in 14 minutes and 25 seconds, beating Brazil’s 2019 record of 2,019 achieved in 11:13. Mai McMillan, Guinness adjudicator (inset photo, right) presents the Guinness World Records Certificate to Uratex owner Naty Cheng at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Avito Dalan

THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation on Monday cited former Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) employee Jeff Tumbado in contempt for alleged failure to substantiate his corruption allegations against the agency.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is pushing for the consolidation of the operators and drivers into transport cooperatives amid opposition from other transport groups.

The panel chaired by Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop approved the motion of Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta after Tumbado failed to substantiate his accusations of corruption against

suspended LTFRB chair Teofilo Guadiz III or any other LTFRB official.

Tumbado admitted during the hearing that he did not have personal knowledge about the alleged corruption.

“Opinyon ko lang po iyon (That’s only my opinion),” Tumbado said.

He categorically said he did not have direct evidence, adding his information merely came from complaints by mass transport operators about alleged exorbitant fees being charged by the LTFRB for provisional authority.

Tumbado’s testimonies irked the legislators notably Marcoleta.

“Wala kaming panahon para sa iyo.

Sinayang mo ang oras ng mga kongresista na nagpunta rito (We don’t have time for you. You wasted our time),” Marcoleta beratedTumbado.

Injunction petition may force LTO to go back to paper drivers’ licenses

By Rio N. Araja THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) is left with no other option but to scrap the use of plastic cards for driver’s licenses and go back to paper should a petition for a preliminary injunction filed by a losing bidder be granted.

Interviewed over TeleRadyo Serbisyo, LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II said the Quezon City Regional Trial Court has allowed the hearing for the injunction petition filed by AllCard Inc. against Banner

Plasticard Inc. and the LTO after the lapse of a 20-day temporary restraining order.

“Despite this, we will continue to deliver (licenses) until the finality of the case… or the court changes its order to withdraw the injunction,” Mendoza said.

“As of Friday last week, AllCard has not yet filed a bond,” he added.

Amid the court battle, the LTO will still pursue to resolve the backlog in the issuance of the driver’s licenses since the injunction is not yet in effect.

“We will address the April, May and

June backlogs in October, November and December, respectively,” Mendoza said.

“The current usage (of driver’s licences) is to be affected,” he added.

Once the court grants the injunction petition in favor of AllCard Inc., LTO has to stop its manufacture of plastic cards, and that it would be forced to go back to paper use.

When the TRO on the award of the contract to Banner Plasticard Inc. lapsed, LTO began manufacturing over one million plastic cards.

When asked why AllCard Inc. is persis-

tent to stop the physical card distribution and to compromise public welfare, Mendoza said; “That’s a good question. But I (really) don’t know.”

“May be, we can ask AllCard to withdraw its petition,” he said.

He said the LTO through the office of the Solicitor General will file a plea before the Court of Appeals.

As of the moment, he said, the release of driver’s licenses for overseas Filipino workers and those who would immediately need them for work is given the top priority.

Ferry with 250 pax runs aground in Cebu THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Central Visayas rescued more than 250 passengers, including two infants, on Monday morning from a vessel that ran aground in Barangay Kaongkod, Madridejos town in Bantayan Island, Cebu.

Thirty-seven crew members were also safely transported out of the vessel.

“The ship, MV Pilipinas Butuan, was trying to avoid a fishing vessel early dawn on its way to Iloilo City from Cebu City port when the incident happened,” according to Commander Agapito Bibat of the

PCG Central Visayas.

Due to low tide, the vessel drifted to the “shallow” and “sandy” part of the sea, Bibat said and the rescue operations are still underway, as of writing.

The PCG is expected to take the passengers to their original destination within the day.

Meanwhile, the shipping line has not commented on the incident.

They are awaiting the marine protest of the ship’s captain that will be part of their investigation.

Since the vessel was not punctured, Bibat said there is no possibility of an oil spill at the moment.

NO TO TOXIC LEAD. Parents, students, and environmental advocates tout placards

calling for ‘Lead-Safe Schools for Children’s Health and Safety’ during the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week celebration on Monday, October 23, 2023, at Toro Hills Elementary School in Quezon City. The activists warn that lead paint which is harmful for the children, can be found in homes, schools, and playgrounds; that is why they call on the government to implement policies and measures that will limit the use of lead and ensure monitoring and management of potential exposures. Manny Palmero

OPINION

Philippine books promoted at Frankfurt Book Fair THE National Book Development Board (NBDB) fervently championed Philippine books at this year’s Frankfurt Buchmesse (FBM), the globe’s most prominent international book fair.

The Philippine delegation, led by NBDB Chair Dante Ang II, included publishing expert Karina Bolasco and renowned chef-writer Claude Tayag. The event was held from October 18 to 22, 2023, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

On October 19, NBDB, Publishers without Borders, and the Philippine Consulate in Frankfurt hosted a reception at which attendees tasted prime ube liqueur and six unique versions of adobo.

Tayag discussed this beloved Filipino dish with the international audience and promoted his book, “The Ultimate Filipino Adobo: Stories Through the Ages,” published earlier this year by the Foreign Service Institute.

This book explores the versatility of adobo, a dish with various interpretations in Filipino households.

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EDITORIAL

Now what?

T of its efforts, the Philippines was named the Guest of Honor (GoH) of the 2025 FBM, an important event that the NBDB is preparing for.

This is expected to result in a substantial increase in literary rights sales, the production and export of Philippine books and content, and international translations.

The Philippines is the second Southeast Asian country to be selected as the Guest of Honor, following Indonesia in 2015. *** The FBM is known as the world’s largest and oldest trade fair for books and is recognized as a significant venue for international deals in the publishing industry.

Held annually in October, the fair attracts over 4,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries who come together to negotiate international publishing rights, license agreements, and cross-media adaptations.

However, a furor erupted at this year’s event when, in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, Litprom canceled an award ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli that was to have been held at the FBM. Litprom, a non-profit organization partly funded by the German government and the FBM, promotes women’s literature from African, Asian, Arab and Latin American countries.

They said they will hold the LiBeraturpreis awarding ceremony “at a later point” as it looks for a “suitable format and setting for the event.”

FBM president Boos, in announcing the event cancellation, said the FBM “stands with complete solidarity on the side of Israel” and said Israeli and Jewish voices would be given more time on the fair’s stages.

Shibli had been awarded the 2023 LiBeraturpreis for her novel “Minor Detail.”

The ceremony’s cancellation led to the withdrawal from the book fair of Indonesia, Malaysia, and some Arab publishing industry groups.

Over 600 people including Nobel Prize for Literature winners Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk and other writers including Pankaj Mishra, William Dalrymple, and Colm Toibin, as well as publishers and literary agents, signed an open letter condemning the decision to cancel the awarding ceremony.

The cancellation, especially since it was made for non-literary reasons, has farreaching implications for the international writing community, affecting freedom of expression, literary diversity, international relations, and the spirit of dialogue on a global scale.

On October 20, the Philippine delegation organized a “Books and Breakfast” event at which poet and filmmaker Kristian Cordero and NBDB Director Anthony John Balisi presented the Philippine market to German publishers.

They highlighted the role of the Philippines’ translation program in making Filipino stories accessible to the global community.

Cordero’s talk focused on the novels “Andrea” by Rom Factoran and “Yñiga”

by Glenn Diaz.

He expressed his hope that through translation and collaboration, these stories reach the German public and the wider world.

Meanwhile, Paolo Herras, founder of Komiket, Inc., and a strong advocate for komiks and creators’ rights, discussed the significance of independent komiks in the local market in a talk titled “Comic Matinée: From Latin America to Asia.”

He underscored the importance of Filipino representation in the global comics arena.

On October 21, fictionist and journalist Criselda Yabes participated in a panel discussion on women authors in Asia.

That same day, the Philippine delegation met with FBM President Juergen Boos.

NBDB is the government agency tasked with the development of the Philippine publishing industry. As part

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Did a computer write this?

Book industry grapples with AI FRANKFURT, Germany – From lowquality computer-written books flooding the market to potential copyright violations, publishing is the latest industry to feel the threat from rapid developments in artificial intelligence.

Since the launch last year of ChatGPT, an easy-to-use AI chatbot that can deliver an essay upon request within seconds, there have been growing worries about the impact of generative AI on a range of sectors.

Among book industry players there is “a deep sense of insecurity”, said Juergen Boos, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s biggest, where the topic was in focus last week.

They are asking “what happens to authors’ intellectual property? Who does new content actually belong to? How do we bring this into value chains?” he said.

The threat is plain to see -- AI writing programs allow budding authors to produce in a matter of day novels that could in the past have taken months or years to write.

A flood of titles that list ChatGPT as a coauthor have been offered for sale through Amazon’s e-book self-publishing unit.

Still, critics say the works are of low quality and sense little threat from AI for now.

British author Salman Rushdie told a

press conference at the fair that recently someone asked an AI writing tool to produce 300 words in his style.

“And what came out was pure garbage,” said the “Midnight’s Children” writer, to laughter from the audience.

“Anybody who has ever read 300 words of mine would immediately recognise that it could not possibly be by me.”

“So far I’m not that alarmed,” he added, during a rare public appearance since a near-fatal stabbing attack last year in the United States.

‘Still not great’ Jennifer Becker, a German author and academic, echoed his sentiments, telling a panel discussion that the results when it comes to AI writing fiction “are still not that great.”

“There is a lot of potential to use it -- to use it collaboratively.

“But I still don’t see the point where we really hand over the writing work to AI completely autonomously. That wouldn’t make for an interesting book.”

Industry players stress however that in some areas there is more openness to dealing with artificial intelligence.

“It depends a bit on the genre,” said Susanne Barwick, deputy legal adviser of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, who has been in discussion about AI with publishers.

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HE Philippines, on a resupply mission to its World War II Sierra Madre vessel on Ayungin Shoal on Sunday, has filed yet another diplomatic protest against China through its embassy in Manila.

A furor erupted at this year’s event when, in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel, Litprom canceled an award ceremony for Palestinian author Adania Shibli that was to have been held at the Frankfurt Buchmesse

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023

This is in response to maneuvers by Chinese vessels that led to collisions with two Philippine civilian ships on a humanitarian mission to BRP Sierra Madre, only 200 kilometers west of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometers off China’s nearest major land mass, Hainan island.

Bears watching that the Philippines had summoned Chinese Ambasasdor Huang Xilian over the incident, but that he was reported out of town.

As of Oct. 23, the Philippines has filed 465 protests against China since January 2020. Of these, 122 were lodged during the 16-month Marcos administration, from which 55 were made in 2023.

Interesting that soon after the story broke, the Chinese Coast Guard claimed in a news alert the Philippines deliberately collided with its vessels to “make faults with China and the current situation.”

We are persuaded to agree with Philippine diplomatic officials who said China, not the Philippines, was responsible for escalating tensions and aggression in the West Philippine Sea through its dangerous and irresponsible

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro himself said Chinese vessels ‘intentionally’ hit the Philippine boats on that resupply mission, escalating a diplomatic row between the two countries in the contested area maneuvers which imperiled Filipino lives.

With the maritime accident, only one of the two civilian vessels contracted by the military was able to successfully deliver essential supplies to troops stationed on the Sierra Madre, which is serving as an outpost in the disputed waters.

Officials said the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea is considering all possible actions in the event of future

harassment by China, but stressed such actions will depend on instructions by higher authorities.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro himself said Chinese vessels “intentionally” hit the Philippine boats on that resupply mission, escalating a diplomatic row between the two countries in the contested area.

Teodoro’s words: “While conducting legitimate rotation and resupply operations within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels in blatant violation of international law harassed and intentionally hit Unaiza May 2 and Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Cabra.”

Concern continues to build up, even while the United States state department has reaffirmed that Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty signed in 1951 in Washington extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea. Clearly the treaty cannot be invoked, but the collisions, deliberate or otherwise, resoundingly suggest the behavior of the giant neighbor which has petulantly ignored the 2016 international arbitral ruling.

It claims, with its mythical ten-dash line, almost the entire South China, through which trillions of dollars in trade passes every year.

Significance of Synod on Synodality THE significance of this Synod lies in its groundbreaking overhaul, aimed at ensuring a more inclusive representation of voices and spanning multiple years.

It strives to promote diversity and collect input from a wide spectrum of Catholics.

Pope Francis underscores the role of the Holy Spirit and the paramount importance of active listening within this process.

The hesitancy surrounding the Synod likely stems from the unfamiliarity of this restructured format and the changes it introduces.

However, the Synod’s core objective is to engage the entire Church community in shaping its future, rendering it a momentous event for all Catholics.

Pope Francis aims to underscore that every faithful member shares in the responsibility for this journey, with their support being essential, primarily through prayer.

The Synod on Synodality marks a significant milestone in the Church’s history, as it endeavors to involve Catholics from all walks of life in steering the Church’s course while fostering unity and meaningful dialogue.

Speaking in St. Peter’s Square for the Synod’s opening Mass on Oct. 4, Pope Francis underlined that “the primary task of the synod” is to “refocus our gaze on God, to be a Church that looks mercifully at humanity.”

“We do not want to make ourselves attractive in the eyes of the world, but to reach out to it with the consolation of the Gospel, to bear witness to God’s infinite love in a better way and to everyone,” he said.

On October 4, Pope Francis formally inaugurated the Vatican summit addressing the future trajectory of Catholicism.

He encouraged all participants, whether they were bishops or laypeople, to reject the pull of strict doctrinal rigidity and, instead, embrace a vision of the church

Translation is another thorny area, with some industry players feeling artificial intelligence would miss the nuances and subtleties needed to render complex literature into other languages “The field of science and specialist books is already further along and has already dealt with it more.”

These areas were “easier than the field of fiction, where I think at the moment people still tend to look a bit more at the

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

characterized by inclusivity and a hospitable attitude toward all.

Pope Francis stated, “The gracious and welcoming gaze of Jesus shields us from succumbing to dangerous temptations: the temptation of becoming a church entrenched in inflexibility, defensive against a changing world, and fixated on the past; the temptation of becoming a lukewarm church that conforms to fleeting worldly trends; the temptation of becoming a weary church that turns inward.”

Approximately 450 delegates from around the world have gathered in Rome for this momentous event, representing a diverse range of perspectives and often contentious divisions on pressing issues facing the church.

These matters encompass clergy abuse, the role of women in ministry, the inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics, and various inquiries into the church’s structure of authority.

Thus, the Synod is poised to address significant matters that could reshape the future of Catholicism. Included on the agenda are discussions about the potential inclusion of women in ordained ministry within the Church, strategies for greater

inclusivity of LGBTQ Catholics, and the topic of priestly celibacy.

The Pope acknowledged that there are concerns among some individuals regarding the Synod, nevertheless, he urged them to bear in mind that this event is not a political assembly, but rather a gathering inspired by the Spirit.

It is not meant to resemble a divided parliamentary session; instead, it is intended to be a space of grace and communion.

He emphasized that the Holy Spirit often defies our expectations to bring about something new that surpasses our predictions and pessimism.

Through the process of “synodal dialogue,” the Pope stated that we can cultivate unity and a deeper connection with the Lord.

This will enable us to confront the challenges of today through His perspective.

It is an invitation to be a church that does not burden others but welcomes everyone with open arms.

The Pope warned against certain perilous temptations, including becoming a rigid church that isolates itself from the world and fixates on the past, or becoming a complacent church that conforms to worldly trends.

He also cautioned against becoming a weary church that becomes inwardfocused.

Instead, he emphasized the importance of maintaining the compassionate and inclusive gaze of Jesus to guide the church in its path.

risks”, she added.

Artificial intelligence’s relationship with publishing threatens to throw up a host of legal problems, with one major “grey area” being who owns copyright of AI-generated content, said fair director Boos.

“Then you get into a real mess, and it is a huge theme. There is also really a lot of money involved,” he said.

Legal clashes There are already AI-related legal clashes involving top writers.

Last month, “Game of Thrones” author George RR Martin, John Grisham and Jodi Picoult were among several writers who filed a class-action lawsuit against ChatGPT creator OpenAI over alleged violation of copyrights.

Along with the Authors Guild, an organization representing writers, they accused the California-based company of using their books “without permission” to train ChatGPT’s “large language models”, algorithms capable of producing human-

sounding text responses based on simple queries, according to the lawsuit.

Translation is another thorny area, with some industry players feeling artificial intelligence would miss the nuances and subtleties needed to render complex literature into other languages.

Efforts are being made to make it clearer when AI has been involved in producing a book.

Amazon recently released new guidelines that require authors who want to sell books through its self-publishing unit to tell the company in advance if their work includes material generated using artificial intelligence.

And some recognize the opportunities when it comes to AI and writing -- for example, in producing stereotypical romance novels.

This, Boos joked, could bring “some relief” that “people don’t have to deal with that kind of content any more, and it can simply be generated at home on the computer.” AFP

The Pope emphasized the importance of maintaining the compassionate and inclusive gaze of Jesus to guide the church in its path

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B2 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WORLD

Biden discusses Mideast war with Western allies WASHINGTON, DC—US President Joe Biden discussed the Israel-Hamas war Sunday with leaders of major Western powers, the White House said, as Israel intensified its attacks on Gaza.

Biden spoke with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany and Italy, the White House said.

“The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians,” a White House readout of the discussions said.

It said the leaders discussed their own citizens trapped in the IsraelHamas war, “in particular those wishing to leave Gaza.”

Fighting raged unchecked and scores more were killed in air strikes by Israel in Gaza as the humanitarian situation

in the enclave worsened.

Another convoy of 17 aid trucks arrived in Gaza as the Hamas-run territory faced “catastrophic” shortages.

Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel on October 7, launching a raid that killed at least 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials.

They also seized more than 200 hostages in the worst attack in Israel’s history.

Israel has hit back with a relentless bombing campaign which has so far killed more than 4,600 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The readout said the Western leaders voiced commitment to coordinate “to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs.” AFP

AID CONVOY. Volunteers from Qatar and Egypt’s Red Crescent humanitarian organizations unload aid destined for the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip at Egypt’s el-Arish airport in the north Sinai peninsula on Sunday, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. A 17-truck aid convoy entered Gaza from Egypt as Israel intensified strikes on the Palestinian enclave facing a ‘catastrophic’ humanitarian situation in the war sparked by Hamas’s bloody attack. AFP

EU debates Gaza truce call as aid starts flowing L UXEMBOURG—EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday urged faster aid deliveries to Gaza, and said the bloc was debating calling for a “humanitarian pause” in Israel’s conflict with Hamas.

“What’s important (is) more, quicker, and in particular to enter the basic things that make water and electricity supply being restored,” Borrell said, ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers.

Borrell said the few dozen trucks of humanitarian aid that had been allowed into Gaza from Egypt was “not enough”

and said fuel to produce power and drinking water was particularly needed.

He said ministers would discuss calls from United Nations’ secretary-general Antonio Guterres for a “humanitarian ceasefire” and the issue would be on the table at an EU leaders summit on Thursday.

“Personally, I think that a humanitar-

ian pause is needed in order to allow the humanitarian support to come in and be distributed, seeing that half of the population of Gaza has been moving from their houses,” Borrell said.

He said “the attacks of missiles, rockets from Hamas, from Gaza, has to stop and the hostages, people who have been kidnapped, have to be released”.

“It is part of any step towards de-escalation.”

The 27-nation EU bloc has long been split over its policy on Israel and the Palestinians.

It has struggled with conflicting messaging since the surge in violence fol-

lowing the October 7 attack by Hamas and Israel’s reprisals against Gaza.

Israel, and key ally United States, have so far opposed any calls for a halt in the military campaign against Hamas.

Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky cast doubt on the feasibility of achieving a temporary ceasefire with the Islamist group in charge of Gaza.

“There is a terrorist organisation controlling Gaza, sending rockets every day, that perpetrated a barbarous attack on Israel territory,” he said.

“So the question is how such a ceasefire should be established, it needs to be established on both sides.”

Pakistan ex-PM Khan indicted in leaked documents case

JAILED, NOW CHARGED.

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan—Jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan was on Monday charged with leaking classified documents, a prosecutor said, a charge that carries a prison term of up to 14 years.

Since being ousted from power last year, Khan has been tangled in a slew of legal cases he says are designed to stop him from contesting upcoming elections in January 2024.

The populist politician was jailed in August for three years over graft but when his sentence was overturned, he was instead kept in custody on the far more serious charge of sharing state documents.

“He has been indicted today and the charge was openly read out,” Shah Khawar of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said outside Adiala Jail, where Khan is being held.

The case relates to a cable that Khan touted as proof that he was ousted as part of a US conspiracy backed by the power-

This handout picture taken and released the other day by the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz party shows Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (left seated) provides biometric verification after his arrival at the Islamabad airport after four years of self-imposed exile, primed to make a political comeback ahead of elections. AFP

ful military establishment, according to a report by the FIA. The United States and Pakistan’s military have denied the claim.

The vice-chairman of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a former foreign minister, has also been indicted over the case.

A PTI spokesman said both men were charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act in a trial “conducted within the court premises with no access to public or media”.

“We are going to challenge it,” Khan’s lawyer Umar Khan Niazi told reporters.

Khan’s lawyers say the crime he has been charged with carries a possible 14-year prison term, and in the most extreme circumstances, the death penalty.

Former cricketing superstar Khan enjoys enormous support in Pakistan, but his campaign of defiance against the powerful military establishment, which spread through the nation after his oust-

Azerbaijan hosts joint drills with ally Turkey near Armenia border BAKU, Azerbaijan—Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said on Monday it had begun joint drills with its ally Turkey near the border with Armenia, weeks after Baku recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian separatists.

Azerbaijan last month took control of the long-disputed region in a 24-hour offensive that ended decades of Armenian separatist rule.

The ministry said “up to 3,000” troops would take part in the tactical drills held in capital Baku, the Nakhichevan exclave between Iran and Armenia, as well as territories retaken from Armenian

separatists.

The exercises—dubbed “Mustafa Kermal Ataturk 2023”—involve dozens of artillery weapons and aviation.

Baku said they were aimed at “ensuring combat interoperability” between the allies.

Azerbaijan’s Armenian-populated enclave of Karabakh was at the centre of two wars between the Caucasus arch-foe neighbors—in 2020 and in the 1990s.

On September 19, Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive against Armenian separatist forces.

After less than a day of fighting,

Colombian president to visit China this week, Australian PM next month BEIJING—Colombian President Gustavo Petro will visit China this week, Beijing’s foreign ministry said Monday, with the leftist leader seeking to strengthen ties with the world’s second-largest economy.

Petro’s visit comes at the invitation of President Xi Jinping and will take place from Tuesday to Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

He will meet with Xi on Wednesday, Colombia’s presidency said.

At the same time, China said it welcomes a visit by Australia’s prime minister nextManila month, saying Beijing was keen to “strengthen” ties with Canberra as the two Standard trading partners work to repair a once-frosty relationship.

TODAY Beijing’s foreign ministry said it hoped Anthony AlbaNOTICE OF DEED nese’s visit, due November 4 to 7 on the invitation of PreOF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE mier Li Qiang, would help improve relations.

ESTATE OF LIBRADA ARLEGUI DOLLOSO “A healthy and stable China-Australia relationship is in WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS Notice is hereby given to the the fundamental interests of the two countries and their public that the Deed of Extra Judicial Settlement of the peoples, and is also conducive to regional and world peace Intestate Estate of Librada Arlegui Dolloso With Waiver of and stability,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning Rights has been executed by and among her heirs, namely: said.

Crisostomo A. Dolloso, Elenita D. Arlegui, Evangeline D. Brusola “China is willing to work with Australia to strengthen and Eleanor D. Dela Paz, as per Doc. No. 495/496; Page No. high-level exchanges, enhance interaction and cooperation 100/101; Book No. V; Series of 2023 of the Notarial Register/ in various fields, promote the continuous development and Book of Atty. Raul R. Corro, Notary Public for and in the City improvement of bilateral relations, and better benefit the of Muntinlupa. two peoples,” she added. AFP (MS-OCT. 17/24/31, 2023)

Italian minister Antonio Tajani echoed that, saying: “We can’t tell Israel to stop defending itself when Hamas is firing missiles at its cities.”

Latvian counterpart Krisjanis Karins insisted: “It’s not at all an easy situation.

I think there is no black and white solution.”

And Germany’s Annalena Baerbock said the “fight against terrorism, which has brought so much suffering to the people of Gaza, is essential”.

“At the same time, everything must be done to alleviate the unbelievable suffering of the two million people in Gaza,” she said. AFP

separatist authorities agreed to lay down arms and reintegrate with Azerbaijan.

Almost all of Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population—some 100,000 people—fled for Armenia after the offensive, sparking a refugee crisis.

Monday’s drills came as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Iran and Russia were set to send their foreign ministers to hold talks in Tehran in a diplomatic format initiated by Moscow in 2020—after Baku and Yerevan went to war over Karabakh.

The talks are seen as Moscow’s at-

tempt to reduce growing Western influence in a region it has long considered as its backyard.

According to Moscow’s plan, they were meant to also include Georgia. But Tbilisi, who aspires to join the EU and NATO, has rejected the proposal.

The European Union and United States have in recent years taken a lead role in mediating a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Russia, which has traditionally mediated the conflict, has seen its role diminished since the beginning of its invasion of Ukraine. AFP

er, has met with a fierce backlash.

Pakistan’s military has directly ruled the country for roughly half of its 76year history, and continues to exercise enormous power.

A sweeping anti-Khan crackdown saw thousands of his supporters rounded up and almost the entire senior party leadership forced underground. Many later abandoned the PTI, denouncing Khan’s tirades against the military.

“He is facing legal matters but the intent of the regime is quite clear -- that they don’t want to leave any corner for his escape, regardless of whether the charges are real or fabricated,” political analyst Rasul Bakhsh Rais told AFP. Pakistan is currently led by an interim government, with polls already pushed back several months to January 2024.

Khan’s primary opponent, three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, returned to Pakistan on Saturday, ending four years of self-imposed exile. AFP

Google hit

by Japan anti-trust

TOKYO—Japan’s anti-trust watchdog said Monday it is investigating whether Google violated rules by asking smartphone manufacturers for preferential treatment.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission probe adds to the search engine giant’s other competition woes, including in the United States.

The Japanese agency said Google is suspected of inappropriately seeking to have its search apps be included in devices, with their icons in specific places.

Google also allegedly signed contracts with Android-device makers not to include rival search apps in their products in exchange for sharing profits generated from advertisement revenues driven from Google searches, the agency said.

The commission will seek the public’s input until November 22.

Saiko Nakajima, head of the digital platform investigation division of the commission,YELLOW said it became “difficult CYAN MAGENTA BLACK for other competitors to compete, no matter how much they try” when a powerful player like Google builds systems to maintain its influence.

“In the medium- to long-term, such a practice could stifle innovation in the field and consumers could become the ones to face disadvantages as a result,” she said.

Google’s Japan office said the company offers Android users “a choice to customize their devices to suit their needs, including the way CONTAMINATED WATER. South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Won-shik (left) shows a list of proposed disposal methods for they browse and search the internet, the Fukushima contaminated water, to Rafael Grossi, the director general of the or download apps.” AFP International Atomic Energy Agency, during their meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul earlier this year. AFP

BUSINESS

CitySavings president Manuel Santiago Jr. said in a statement achieving the P100-billion loan portfolio “is a solid testament that we are on our way to becoming the leading mass market bank in the Philippines.”

Santiago also said the bank delivered above-target financial performance in 2022.

The bank posted a net income after tax of P2.1 billion as of August 2023, generated P72 billion in loan releases and achieved a return on equity of 16.2 percent.

The thrift bank’s loan portfolio level soared with a 35-percent year-on-year increase at P97.5 billion and a 31-percent growth in interest income.

CitySavings transformed into a financial institution that offers a wide range of financial products tailored to the mass market, including motorcycle lending and other salary loan segments from being a single-product bank focused on teachers’ loans where it remains the market leader.

The bank’s growth and innovation drive earned recognition in recent years as the 2019 Fastest Growing Savings Bank in the Philippines by the Global Business Outlook, 2020 Best Employer Brand by Employer Branding Institute India and the 2021 Philippines Technology Excellence Awardee for its chatbot Talk to Maria at the Asian Technology Excellence Awards.

Summit Telco acquires P3.3-b shares in DITO

By Darwin G. Amojelar A SINGAPORE-REGISTERED company acquired another P3.3 billion worth of shares in DITO CME Holdings Inc. via a private placement.

A private placement refers to the sale of securities to an accredited shareholder or investor.

DITO CME said Monday it raised P3.3 billion through private placement with existing shareholder Summit Telco Holdings Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Summit Telco Corp. Pte. Ltd. The publicly-listed firm owned

by Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy privately placed with Summit Telco a total of 3.3 billion new shares at P1 each for P3.3 billion.

DITO earlier issued 3.88 billion shares to Summit Telco for P3.88 billion, which would be used to fund additional equity requirements of operating subsidiary DITO Telecom Corp.

The company also sold 610 million shares to Xterra Ventures Ptd. Ltd. The fresh funding came after DITO CME signed a $3.9-billion loan facility with a group of multinational banks to support the operations of DITO. The company said it would use the proceeds to extinguish shortterm bridge loan facilities totaling $1.3 billion with the balance to pay contractors and fund the continuing network rollout of DITO Tel. DITO allotted P27 billion for 2023 capital expenditures, lower than last year’s P50 billion.

The company also named Ernest Alberto as the new chief executive of DITO Telecom, replacing Uy, who remains chairman of the thirdranked telco.

DITO CME chief operating officer Donald Patrick Lim was appointed as DITO CME president in an acting capacity.

The movement of DITO’s executives aims to sustain the highgrowth of its telecom unit.

DITO CME earlier booked a net loss of P11.24 billion in 2022 on high operating expenses of its telecom business.

extrastory2000@gmail.com

DEAR esteemed parents, proud professors and my dearest fellow graduates, As I stand here privileged to speak on behalf of all my fellow graduates, I can’t help but reflect on the journey we’ve traversed—a journey etched with the indelDR. SHEILA ible marks of the pandemic. Initially seen SALAMANCA as a major setback, it unfolded as a crucible that tested the fiber of our collective resiliency, though not without the sorrowful sacrifice of lives dear to us—our loved ones, health workers and frontline heroes.

In the face of adversity, the pandemic became the backdrop against which our determination and perseverance were forged. Each day brought forth bodily, mental, social and professional challenges that, like threads in the fabric of our lives, strengthened our resolve to not only survive but thrive.

Our presence here today is a living testimony to the attainment of the Lasallian mission. The burdens of our quest for higher learning were lightened by the zeal with which we served one another. The dedicated professors, advisors and the entire academic and non-academic staff of DLSU played pivotal roles in our success, for which we are profoundly grateful.

Beyond the academic realm, none of us would be standing here without the selfless and loving support of our family members, colleagues and friends. Their unlimited understanding, ever-available listening ear and loving accompaniment, whether face-to-face or in the virtual realm, have been the cornerstones of our journey. We owe them a debt of gratitude that words can only attempt to express.

Personally, my gratitude extends to the De La Salle University Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business for granting me the Doctor of Business Administration degree. The letters “DBA” added to my name after a decade in DLSU represent not just a culmination of academic rigor but a journey of blood, sweat and tears.

This journey involved the diligent and persevering hard work of serenely combining studies with an ever-demanding job. It comprised countless sleepless nights immersed in reading, studying, researching and writing. More than 500 journal articles and thousands of pages were explored and revisited to ensure a deep understanding of my field.

Endless writing and rewriting of the dissertation, meticulous labeling and encoding of research data, thoughtful selection of statistical software and careful curation of relevant results and findings were integral to the process. The journey included correcting data interpretations, facing technical glitches and enduring the loss of vital files.

I share these experiences not to boast, but to acknowledge the sacrifices made in the pursuit of knowledge. Sacrifices included missing opportunities to develop other skills, selflessly sacrificing health and navigating the challenges of panel members raising questions and offering suggestions.

All these sacrifices were driven by a clear purpose—that while recognizing that the DBA was essential to my professional growth, I was, primarily, propelled by leaving behind a legacy to my father and mother and, secondly, by breaking new ground in quantitative strategic management research. Thus, all these sacrificial treasures transcend the DBA letters added to my name. The virtues of diligence, perseverance, attention to detail, selflessness and patience, while not printed on my curriculum vitae, have sculpted me with a more loving heart, an open mind and greater wisdom.

As we graduate, whether undergraduate or graduate students, let us commit to living out the alma mater’s core values. Let us be united in the mission to be the best versions of ourselves in our work, constantly imbued by the spirit of service to everyone and always united in faith wherever life takes us.

In weaving the Lasallian values of credence, fervor and togetherness into the fabric of our lives, we ensure that our legacy extends beyond the professional realm. These qualities, I am convinced, are the essence of ethical professionals—qualities that artificial intelligence can never replicate.

Gratitude is best lived in life, not just in words. On behalf of my fellow graduates, we commit to a life that embodies the values we hold dear.

Animo La Salle!

GREEN LIGHT

CitySavings loans reach P100b on more products C ITY Savings Bank, the thrift banking subsidiary of Union Bank of the Philippines, said Monday its loan portfolio reached the P100billion mark following its transformation into a financial institution that offers a wide range of financial products.

B3

Through the crucible

BOOK AWARD. Karin Schmidt-Friedrichs (left), the head of the German Booksellers and Publishers Association, speaks as British-US author Salman Rushdie is awarded with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade at St Paul’s Church (Paulskirche) in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany on Oct. 22, 2023. The international peace prize is awarded annually by the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, which runs the Frankfurt Book Fair.

AFP

By Julito G. Rada

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023

The author is a faculty member of the Department of Marketing and Advertising of the RVRCOB and graduated with a Doctor of Business Administration degree during the 197th Commencement Exercises of DLSU. This was her speech during the College Recognition Rites held earlier. She can be reached at sheila.salamanca@dlsu.edu.ph.

SMOKED FISH. Women prepare smoked fish for sale at their house in Kandal province, Cambodia on Oct. 22, 2023. AFP

The views expressed above are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official position of DLSU, its faculty and its administrators.

Stock index falls below 6,100 level again on escalating Israel-Hamas conflict

By Jenniffer B. Austria LOCAL stocks tumbled Monday as the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas clouded market sentiment.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index lost 54.46 points, or 0.89 percent, to close at 6,088.44, while the broader all-shares index dropped 26.36 points, or 0.79 percent, to settle at 3,303.06.

Philstocks Financial Inc. research analyst Claire Alviar said investors were concerned about the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Alviar said adding to investors’ worries is the possibility of prolonged high interest rates here and in the US.

Value turnover was thin at P3.3 billion as many investors opted to stay on the sidelines.

Losers outnumbered gainers, 123 to 50, while 55 issues were unchanged.

Two of the 10 most active stocks ended in the green, with Benguet Corp. ‘A’ rising 7.74 percent to P5.01 and Universal Robina Corp. gaining 0.27 percent to P113.50.

Meanwhile, other Asian markets extended last week’s sell-off Monday on fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East and worries that US interest rates will remain elevated for longer than initially thought.

Still, oil dipped as Israel’s expected ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza

was delayed, with diplomats trying to secure the release of more hostages and some suggesting this could change Tel Aviv’s strategy.

Uncertainty caused by the crisis -- sparked by Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack, followed by weeks of Israeli bombardment of Gaza -- has seen risk assets tumble with the Vix fear gauge hitting its highest level since March.

Israel warned Iran-backed Hezbollah risked dragging Lebanon into the conflict after reporting anti-tank missiles were fired again from the country Sunday.

While the fear remains that other countries including Iran could be drawn

into a regional conflagration, the decision to hold off a ground attack, after weeks of bombing, has provided a shaft of light, pushing crude lower.

Oil is “taking a breather while the focus (is) on humanitarian aid and securing hostage releases suggest that a potential ground invasion from Israel can wait”, Yeap Jun Rong at IG Asia said.

“That may contain the risks of further escalation, at least for now.”

Both main contracts were down at least one percent Monday.

Equity traders extended their US counterparts’ selling, with Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai, Manila and Jakarta deep in the red. With AFP

Citicore seeks ERC approval to build P462-m power line linking solar farm

By Alena Mae S. Flores CITICORE Renewable Energy Corp.

(CREC) asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to allow it put up a point-to-point facility to connect its 90-megawatt Lumbangan solar project in Tuy, Batangas to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) substation.

The point-to-point facility will connect the solar plant to NGCP’s 69-kV Tuy substation via collector switch and transmission line.

CREC said in its application to the ERC it would fund the P462-million dedicated line and would not affect any regulated charges.

“CREC respectfully seeks the confirmation and approval that the connection of NGCP’s 69kV Tuy substation through the dedicated facility project as proposed under the system impact

study is the most viable option for connecting the project to the Luzon grid,” it said.

The company is looking at MN Electro Industrial Supply & Services Inc. as possible contractor for supplying the equipment, material, labor and services to complete the facility.

“Given the RE Law’s objective to accelerate the development of the country’s renewable energy resources and increase the utilization of renewable energy, it is in the interest of the government to help RE developers such as CREC achieve commerciality and commence operations at the soonest practicable time,” CREC said It said the construction of the dedicated facility is a pre-requisite for the testing and commissioning, and ultimately, the commercial operations of the solar project.

JG SUMMIT’S AWARD. JG Summit Holdings Inc. (JGS) receives a prestigious Golden Arrow at the 2023 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS) from the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) held recently at Okada Manila. ICD recognized JG Summit’s dedication to upholding the highest ethical standards and continuous efforts to serve the best interests of all its stakeholders. Bea Calayan-Gador of JG Summit (left) receives the award with other group awardees, Aileen Isidro (Cebu Air), Winwin Rogero (JG Summit), Rhodora Lao (Universal Robina Corp.), Rommel Rodrigo (Robinsons Land Corp.), Gina Dipaling (Robinsons Retail Holding), Christian Lorenz Pacheco (Altus Property Ventures) and James Arco (RLC Commercial REIT).

B4 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 Roderick T. dela Cruz, Editor Alena Mae S. Flores, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

Bank analyst sees lower October inflation despite fuel price hikes

By Julito G. Rada INFLATION, or the annual increase in consumer prices, is expected to ease in October from 6.1 percent registered in September despite the latest round of fuel price hikes, an economist said Monday.

“My inflation estimate for the month of October 2023 [is] 5.6 percent yearon-year,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said in a Viber message. “[It is] slower versus the 6.1 percent in the previous month, primarily due to higher base/denominator effects a year ago that mathematically leads to slower year-on-year headline inflation starting Q4 2023,” Ricafort said.

Ricafort said the relatively better weather condition in October compared to late July to September could have helped stabilize prices of vegetables and other agricultural products.

“The harvest season from mid-September 2023 to October 2023 that in-

creased local palay/rice supply could have also helped stabilize or even helped ease local palay and rice prices, which accounts for nearly 9 percent of the CPI basket,” Ricafort said.

Ricafort also downplayed the impact of the scheduled fuel price hikes effective Oct. 24, 2023.

An official of the Department of Energy Oil Industry Management Bureau, director Rodela Romero, said the increase could be traced to a decline in US crude stockpiles and Iran’s call on members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to impose an oil embargo and other sanctions on Israel. “[It is] relatively stable/tempered so far,” Ricafort said.

Shell Pilipinas said in a statement that effective 6 a.m. Tuesday, the price of gasoline would increase by P0.95 per liter; kerosene, P1.25 per liter; and diesel P1.30 per liter.

Caltex also announced the same rate of increase for gasoline, kerosene and diesel effective 12:01 a.m. Tuesday.

COASTAL CLEANUP.

Volunteers from Aboitiz Land, in collaboration with the Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) and Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA) Nonprofit, lead the Coastal Cleanup 2.0 initiative at Seafront Residences in San Juan, Batangas on Oct. 7, 2023, underscoring its unwavering commitment to marine life conservation.

Aboitiz Land’s environmental conservation efforts at Seafront Residences received the prestigious Silver Award in the Environmental Category at the FIABCI Philippines Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards 2022.

Ang, Veloso get MPIC board seats

By Jenniffer B. Austria

NFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. elected San Miguel Corp. (SMC) president and chief executive Ramon Ang and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president and general manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso as board directors.

I

SMC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday Ang, in his personal capacity and on invitation of MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan, made an indirect investment in MPIC after it was

delisted from the Philippine Stock Exchange.

Ang was then elected a member of the MPIC’s 13-man board of directors during the company’s board meeting on Oct. 17.

Veloso

Ang

SMC did not disclose how much Ang invested in MPIC. It said SMC had not made any separate investment in the company.

After being rivals in various projects, Ang and Pangilinan recently enjoyed an

amicable relationship.

SMC and MPIC agreed in July to jointly develop a new project for the construction and operation of a tollway project covering Cavite and Batangas.

Meanwhile, Veloso was also elected to MPIC’s board after the GSIS acquired MPIC shares from the market in August, which increased its stake in the company to 12 percent from 3 percent.

Also elected to the MPIC’s board were Rodolfo del Rosario Jr., Yoshitoshi Iwami, Takehiko Ainoya and Stanley Yang.

Artemio Panganiban, Oscar Hilado, Pedro Roxas, Fr. Roberto Yap, Christopher Young and Ricardo Pilares III re-

signed from MPIC board.

Panganiban, Hilado, Roxas, Yap and Young, however, were appointed members of MPIC’s newly-formed council of board advisors.

MPIC was delisted on the official registry of the Philippine Stock Exchange on Oct. 9 after a management-led consortium acquired the shares of minority investors.

MPIC vowed to list its other toll road, water and hospital subsidiaries in the succeeding years. Aside from these businesses, MPIC also has investments in power generation, agriculture, real estate, railway and logistics.

Data Lake, Starlink sign retail tie-up

By Alena Mae S. Flores

BSP-CDA AGREEMENT. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. (third from left) and Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) chairman and Undersecretary Joseph Encabo (second from left) sign the memorandum of agreement on the Cooperative Oversight Arrangement on Oct. 18, 2023. Joining them as witnesses are BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto E. Tangonan (right) and CDA board member and assistant secretary Myrla Paradillo.

MIAA sees airlines sustaining on-time flights despite ‘Undas’ peak travel

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said Monday it expects airlines to sustain their on-time performance (OTP) despite the anticipated increase in passengers during Undas.

Data showed that following a peak OTP of 80 percent in September, which matched the record in March this year, the OTP rating posted further improvement in October.

The MIAA said that over the first 18 days of October, it recorded an aver-

SBC’S SUPPORT. Wee Community Developers Inc. founder and president Cesar Wee Jr. (right) shakes hands with Security Bank Corp. executive vice president and wholesale banking segment head John Cary Ong. Since 2008, Wee has grown his property development company from a start-up into a leading player in the industry with the help of Security Bank’s loan facility which provided a loan facility for Wee’s first project—First Baron Residences, a seven-story residential condominium in San Juan.

age OTP of 82.38 percent from 13,519 flights that operated at NAIA, indicating that most flights departed and arrived within 15 minutes of the scheduled time within international standards.

It said that from Oct. 1 to 18, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NIAA) accommodated 2,076,062 passengers, with daily counts varying between 109,000 to 123,000.

MIAA officer-in-charge Bryan Co said he expects the rising trend in OTP to be sustained during the peak season.

He said this would follow the success-

ful operations of “OPLAN Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2023” in April, which managed 1,179,398 passengers traveling through the nation’s premier gateway over a ten-day period.

The Holy Week peak this year recorded 7,408 flights, averaging 741 flights daily, with an impressive average OTP of 84.76 percent, enhancing NAIA’s operational efficiency during the hectic period and improving the overall terminal experience for travelers.

“With the commitment of our airline and industry partners, we aim to main-

tain our strong OTP record from the Lenten rush this year,” Co said.

“Our objective is to minimize crowding in passenger and aircraft movement areas through the timely dispatch of flights. We’re striving to establish this as a norm at NAIA,” he said.

Co said airlines also developed contingency plans to avoid compromising passenger comfort. Cebu Pacific, for instance, with the most local destinations, increased its spare aircraft number to mitigate effects of any flight disruptions due to unforeseen incidents. With Joel E. Zurbano

Tamiya opens new P2-b Cebu facility to boost production of car model kits

By Othel V. Campos TAMIYA (Philippines) Inc., a unit of Japan’s Tamiya Group, inaugurated a new P2-billion facility at the Cebu Light Industrial Park Special Economic Zone (CLIP).

Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) director-general Tereso Panga said Tamiya’s big ticket investment would help boost the country’s economic growth amid a general observation of slower entry of foreign direct investments (FDIs).

“This is also proof the PEZA is going against that trend, and is in fact experiencing an uptick in ecozone FDI inflows and exports. Tamiya’s expansion is a strong testament to its continuing trust and confidence in the

Philippines, and to the great skills and attitude of the Filipino workforce,” he said.

Tamiya’s expansion represents the continued commitment of Japanese companies to the Philippines as their best bet for operations, he said.

Tamiya president and chairman Shunsaku Tamiya recognized PEZA as one of its most supportive partners in the government, which is critical to their continuous expansion in the Philippines.

A long-time locator of PEZA since 1994, Tamiya manufactures precise plastic vehicle models such as plastic stationary, four-wheel vehicles, solar radio-controlled vehicles and solar powered and helicopter models at the Mactan Economic Zone.

DATA Lake Inc. led by businessman Henry Sy Jr. and Starlink of US billionaire Elon Musk deepened their partnership with the signing of a global retailer agreement for Starlink kits that allow consumers wider access to reliable internet.

This follows their initial reseller agreement for enterprise and business on Oct. 16, 2022. The new partnership aims to reshape internet accessibility in the Philippines.

“Our collaboration with Starlink has showcased the vast potential of our joint endeavors. We’re now amplifying our commitment to ensuring rapid, reliable internet connectivity worldwide,” Data Lake chairman Sy said in a statement Monday.

Initiated by Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink’s goal is to provide accessible high-speed broadband.

“With Starlink, Data Lake Inc. is pushing boundaries to make universal internet connectivity a reality,” Data Lake vice chair and chief executive Anthony Almeda said.

Leading the signing of the agreement were Almeda, Data Lake president David Tanael, chief finance officer Jose Cobarrubias, chief strategy officer Michael Bell and chief legal officer Raymond Mercado. Starlink was represented by executives Sean Holman and Brian Shin.

“This partnership is transformative.

Reliable internet is pivotal, and with Starlink, we’re at the forefront of this change,” Tanael said.

Data Lake said it bridged the digital divide in geographically and communication isolated areas throughout the country by harnessing the cuttingedge satellite technology provided by Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit Constellation.

Consumers can purchase Starlink kits at SM Malls across the Philippines starting Nov. 1, 2023.

The kits are priced at P29,000, which include the Starlink dish, modem, power supply and mounting tripod.

Special introductory offers include a 10 -percent discount for the first 1,000 kits sold at each SM Mall locations.

SPORTS

TUESDAY,, OCTOBER 24, 2023

C1

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

Guest team MCFSolver nails seat in quarterfinals GUEST team MCFSolver eked out a thrilling 20-18 victory over a hardfighting Northport side to claim a second straight quarterfinals berth in the PBA 3x3 Season 3 Second Conference at the Ayala Mall Circuit in Makati on Monday.

Brawny Brandon Ramirez sank two pressure-packed free throws in the final 14 seconds to break a tight 18-18 contest and hand out Tech Centrale its second straight win in Pool C on the opening day of pool play.

The 6-foot-5 Ramirez finished with 10 points and six rebounds to help the new kids on the block take the top spot in their group and advance to the knockout stage for the second consecutive legs.

Northport fell to a 0-2 record as it lost its first game against Terrafirma, 16-13.

Other than the Tech Centrale, the rest of the teams are still in the running for the remaining quarterfinal tickets being disputed as of presstime. Only eight will advance to the next round set on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra kept its hopes alive of moving into next round following a 17-13 upset of Cavitex.

Unheralded 6-foot-4 Lean Martel emerged as the best player of the game with five points and nine rebounds as he held his own against the Braves’ seasoned veterans Jorey Napoles and Marion Magat.

The Kings evened their record at 1-1 after initially losing to the San Miguel Beermen in their opening assignment in Pool B, 20-16.

They now face Pioneer Elastoseal Katibays in a do-or-die game in the final day of pool play to advance in the knockout stage.

The Katibays also sport an even 1-1 record in Pool B after winning over San Miguel, 16-14, and previously losing to Cavitex, 16-12.

In Pool A meanwhile, Leg 1 winner TNT takes the lead with a 1-0 record by downing Blackwater, 21-16.

But the Bossing bounced back to tie their slate at 1-1 with a 20-15 win over Purefoods.

MCFSolver’s Yutien Andrada soars for an uncontested layup in a PBA 3x3 Season 3 Second Conference game won by the Tech Centrale, 20-18, against Northport.

Centeno crowned queen of World 10-Ball Pool ‘23

By Randy Caluag

F

ILIPINA cue artist Chezka Centeno bagged her first billiards’ world title by beating China’s Han Yu, 9-5, and topping the Predator WPA World 10BALL Pool Women Championship 2023 on Monday in Klagenfurt, Austria.

The championship win had Centeno bagging the top purse of $50,000, by far, the biggest prize money in all of women’s professional pool tournaments.

The many-time Southeast Asian Games billiards gold medalist topped the 48-pool of the best pro women billiards players that included compatriot and former world champion, Rubilen Amit.

Amit, the 2009 and 2013 champion, failed to go past the semifinals and ended up in 5th to 8th place.

Centeno earned her way to the finals

following a pair of giant-sized triumphs, including an easy 9-2 upset win over defending champion Chou Chie-Yu of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals.

She later defeated Allison Fisher of England in the semifinals to set up the championship showdown with Han in this $150,000 tournament, which is part of the prestigious Predator Pro Billiards Series.

Up by 8-5, Centeno took the edge in the battle for 4-ball safety as she pocketed the 4-ball into the corner pocket, en route to

Chezka Centeno holds the Philippine flag Predator Pro Billiards Series

cleaning up the table and bagging her first 10-ball word title.

“I’m so happy to win this tournament because it’s been my dream to become the world champion. This is for my dad

because this is his dream (for me), too,” said Centeno in dedicating the win to her father, Fausto.

“Thank you Dad for always supporting me,” she added.

PH para chessers score first-round wins John Alcala

Alcala hones swim skills, targets double in IRONMAN JOHN Alcala is determined to transition from being a bewildered winner to a top contender, focusing on strengthening his weakest area in defense of the crown in the IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Princesa on Nov. 12.

“I never skip a workout and I do a little extra especially in the swim part, kasi yun ang weakest ko,” said Alcala during a break in training for the blue-ribbon event in the country’s tropical paradise.

The Dipolog City ace, who relied on his excellent running skills to emerge the surprise winner of the 1.9km swim, 90-km bike and 21-km run event in Palawan last year, has gone the extra mile in his swim training to improve this aspect of his performance against a strong international field of competitors.

“I am training hard for this. All eyes on me since I am the defending champion. But I will try my best to defend my title and I will give them a good fight,” said Alcala, who also topped the IM 70.3 Subic Bay last June to showcase his consistent performance in the ever-growing tri-sport.

Registration is ongoing. For details, visit ironman.com/im703-puertoprincesa-register, according to the organizing The IRONMAN Group/ Sunrise Events, Inc.

HANGZHOU—The Philippine chess squad started its bid in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games on a bright note following first-round triumphs in the men’s and women’s physically impaired classification at the Hangzhou Qi-Yuan Chess Hall here.

Leading the way was FIDE Master Sander Severino, who beat Sundui Sonom of Mongolia, while Henry Roger Lopez and Jasper Rom followed suit with victories over Thailand’s Padu Srikpadee and Yoo Khoonme, respectively.

The Filipina squad also started strong with Cheyzer Cristal Mendoza winning over Indonesia’s Yuni, Cheryl Angot over Kyrgyzstan’s Dariaa Kuraidanarova and Jean Lee-Nacita against China’s Zhang Yue in the women’s division.

The men’s and women’s visually impaired (B1 and B2) bets both posted 2-1 win-loss records in their first-round

matches in their stint supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

In swimming, Tokyo Paralympic veteran Gary Bejino advanced to the finals of the men’s 100-meter S6 Monday after winding up fourth overall among the eight qualifiers with a time of one minute and 12.61 seconds at the Hangzhou Olympic Center Aquatic Arena.

A double gold medalist in the last Cambodia ASEAN Para Games, Bejino finished a close second in the first heat, behind China’s Tang Qian (1:12.6) and was No. 4 behind Tang and two other hometown bets, Luo Jinbiao (1:09.80) and Jia Hongguang (1:12.11), who were 1-2, respectively.

The Pinoy tanker, who lost his right arm and left leg after being electrocuted at the age of seven, will be racing in lane 4 in the finals of the event scheduled at 7:20 p.m. preceding the

men’s 200-meter individual medley S7 finals featuring compatriot and defending champion Ernie Gawilan.

Likewise appearing after Gawilan’s race 200-meters is Edwin Villanueva, who went straight to the 200-meter individual SM8 finals Lacking enough time to warm up prior to her competition, Jesebel Tordecilla ended up in 10th place in the women’s javelin throw F56 classification at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium here.

Seeing action for the first time at Para Games’ Asian level, Tordecilla made her best throw of 12.88 meters in her fifth attempt. “‘Di pa ako nakapag-warmup tapos nakita ko na lang paglabas sa dugout nandu’n na ‘yung throwing chair ako. ‘Di pa nakapag-iinit wala pa ‘yung adrenaline ko. Bitin po,”said Tordecilla. Randy Caluag

Jesebel Tordecilla makes her attempt in the women’s javelin

Cruz rules World Table Tennis Youth U19 girls’ singles

Shown here are (from left) Philippine Table Tennis Federation Inc. president Ting Ledesma, runnerup Sally Moyland, Kheith Rhynne Cruz and Puerto Princesa mayor Lucilo Bayron.

KHEITH Rhynne Cruz earned another achievement to her budding career, ruling the U19 girls’ singles of the World Table Tennis Youth Contender Puerto Princesa 2023.

Cruz defeated top seed and world youth No. 15 Sally Moyland of United States, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8, on Sunday to capture the crown after winning two gold medals in the SEA Youth table tennis championships in Brunei last June.

Cruz swept her three matches in Group 2 of the preliminaries, and clinched a seat in the title match after defeating Zachi Mhiel Chua of the Philippines, 11-5, 11-4, 11-5, in the tournament that drew 11 countries and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Hua Ching Foundation, Topcoms, Globe, and the local government of Puerto Princesa.

Cruz also competed in the U17 girls singles but settled for the silver after being defeated by Moyland, 8-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4, in the competition that was also attended by PSC chairman Richard Bachmann, commissioner Walter Torres, and PSC coordi-

nator for Mindanao Noli Ayo. Other Philippine team members who captured medals were Ray Joshua Lawrence Manlapaz (silver, U19 and U17 boys), Adelle Leopoldo (silver, U11 girls), Chrishien Santillan (bronze, U19 girls), Zachi Mhiel Chua (bronze, U19 girls), Emmanuel Yamson (bronze, U19 boys), and Matthan Jamin (bronze, U11 boys) “Your presence in our city has enriched our lives, and we hope that you leave with fun memories of our warm hospitality and fond memories of our city. The friendships formed and the cultural exchanges that I am sure have taken place will leave a lasting impact extending far beyond the championship,” said Puerto Princesa mayor Lucilo Bayron, who gave P20,000 and P10,000 to Filipino gold and silver medalists respectively.

Philippine Table Tennis Federation Inc. president Ting Ledesma thanked Puerto Princesa for hosting the event as the organization also handed out incentives to the Filipino medalists in the amount of P20,000 for the gold, P10,000 for the silver, and P5,000 for the bronze.

SPORTS

C2 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023

Pacquiao’s new volley meet opens Games on Wednesday

(Bacoor) 3:30 p.m. – Caloocan vs Marikina 6 p.m. – Nasipit vs Bacoor

NEGROS Oriental and Rizal booked first wins against separate counterparts as the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association, led by founder Manny Pacquiao announced a roaring introduction as the newest volleyball league in the country.

Negros Oriental Lady Blue Hawks swept past the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo, 25-23, 25-16, 25-19, while the Rizal Xentro Mall Golden Coolers fended off San Juan-Go For Gold Philippine Navy, 29-27, 23-25, 25-19, 26-24, on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.

Angel Habacon and Gelah Lopez fired 15 and 12 points, respectively, to show the way for Negros Oriental in spiking the MPVA’s historic first win.

For Rizal, Joan Doguna rifled in 16 points all on attacks while Janeth Tulang and Johna Dolorito added 13 and 12 points, respectively, in the explosive opener of MPVA backed by Xtreme, Volleyball Masters Philippines, Mikasa, Gerflor and Asics Florence Madulid and Patty Orendain led the tough stand of San Juan with 21 and 20 points, respectively.

Rhea Manalo, with eight points, paced Caloocan.

No less than Pacquiao, who also established the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League headlined the grand opening ceremony of yet another upstart league aimed at showcasing the country’s homegrown talents – this time in volleyball.

“For the pioneering eight teams, thank you for being with us. I am sure next year, more teams will be joining as sports is always a good source of discovering Filipino talents,” said the boxing legend and former Senator.

Joining Pacquiao in the opening ceremony were Rizal Governor Nina Ricci Ynares, Biñan City Vice Mayor Gel Alonte and Marikina City Councilor Elvis Tolentino with MPVA officials led by Commissioner Mike Tavera, Emmerson Oreta and Atty. Glen Gacal.

Aside from Negros, Rizal, Caloocan and San Juan which ushered in the MPVA, also in the fray are the Marikina Lady Shoemasters, Biñan City, Nasipit from Agusan Del Norte and Bacoor City Strikers.

Crossovers eye no. 3, solo lead vs. Chargers

Filipino ring icon and former Senator Manny Pacquiao leads the ceremonial serve opening the Maharlika Pilipinas Volleyball Association. Roman Prospero

Verstappen hails ‘incredible’ 50th career victory in Texas A

USTIN—Freshly minted triple world champion Max Verstappen completed a hat trick of Texan victories on Sunday when he claimed the 50th win of his career in a tense and strategic United States Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Dutchman, who started sixth on the grid in his Red Bull car, worked his way through the field to take control before he came home 2.225 seconds ahead of resurgent seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who was disqualified hours after the race when his Mercedes car failed a technical inspection.

Verstappen, who won his third straight title last time out in the sprint at Qatar, said: “Starting from sixth position made things a little more difficult.

“Fifty wins is incredible and to do it here I am very proud. Now we keep on pushing for more.”

Lando Norris, in his 100th Grand Prix, was promoted to second after Hamilton’s disqualification following a thrilling race in which he had out-started pole-sitter Charles Leclerc, who like Hamilton was disqualified for failing a technical inspection following the race.

It was Verstappen’s third consecutive victory at the Circuit of the Americas

and brought him level with last season’s record tally of 15 wins.

His runaway lead in the drivers’ championship now stands at 228 points ahead of Sergio Perez.

“I think the whole race I was struggling with the brakes,” added Verstappen, who was booed by sections of the crowd.

Norris commented: “Leading the race, we controlled it a lot, but just not enough today. I. just couldn’t hold on.”

George Russell, also in his 100th race, finished seventh but was promoted to fifth following the disqualification of Hamilton and Leclerc.

The race began with 16 cars on the grid and four in the pitlane, Aston Martin and Haas having made overnight set-up changes. The temperature was 29 degrees Celsius with the track at 40; tough for tyres.

Norris, with a perfect start, took the lead from pole-man Leclerc in Turn One and a near-frantic opening lap saw Carlos Sainz pass Hamilton for third and Ver-

Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen AFP

stappen rise to fifth from sixth.

Norris was two seconds clear by lap three as Russell, after falling from fifth to eighth, regained seventh from Perez before Hamilton passed Sainz on the back straight to regain third at Turn 12.

He repeated the move to pass Leclerc for second on lap six and began pursuit of Norris, who led by 3.2 seconds as Verstappen, pacing himself conservatively, overtook Sainz for fourth.

On lap 11, Verstappen forced his way inside Leclerc at Turn 12.

Lim sustains title run, tops Gov. Bautista Open ALBERTO Lim, Jr. put up another stellar play leading to a third straight men’s singles Open crown, holding off top seed Jose Maria Pague, 6-3, 6-4, in the finals of the Gov. Franklin Bautista National Tennis Championship at the Malita Tennis Court in Davao Occidental over the weekend.

But the 24-year-old former UE standout failed to complete a sweep as he and Lance Fernandez bowed to the top-ranked pair of Josshua Kinaadman and Eric Olivarez, 4-6, 3-6, in the men’s doubles of the Group A tournament sponsored by Gov. Franklin Bautista and held in conjunction with the Araw ng

Games Tuesday

(Ynares Center, Antipolo) 2 p.m. – F2 Logistics vs Nxled 4 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs PLDT 6 p.m. – Akari vs Chery Tiggo

CHERY Tiggo, which hurdled a pair of lesser lights in varying fashions last week, faces a stern test against Akari even as PLDT tries to sustain its rebound and F2 Logistics seeks to bounce back in Week 2 of the Premier Volleyball League AllFilipino Conference elims Tuesday.

After a successful initial PVL on Tour foray in Batangas which drew in a packed crowd over the weekend, the Sports Vision-organized league holds another outof-town game in Antipolo with the Cargo Movers testing the Nxled Chameleons’ mettle at 2 p.m., the High Speed Hitters going for another win against the Farm Fresh Foxies, and the Crossovers shooting for a third straight victory – and the solo lead – versus the unpredictable Akari Chargers at the Ynares Center.

Chery Tiggo, out to make up for its fifth place finish in the first conference last March, scrambled past Farm Fresh in last week’s inaugurals of the season-ending tournament then ripped newcomer Galeries Tower to set the early pace with defending champion Creamline and Petro Gazz.

But against the Chargers in their 6 p.m. clash, the Crossovers will need to play as consistent as possible with the former raring to atone for their crushing defeat to the High Speed Hitters following a shock five-set win over the Cargo Movers last week.

Chery Tiggo coach Aaron Velez has been drawing solid games from sisters EJ and Eya Laure, Imee Hernandez, Shaya Adorador and Jasmine Nabor and clutch performances from Cess Robles that the absence of Mylene Paat and Cza Carandang has hardly impeded his play-patterns in the early going of the tournament backed by Mikasa, BingoPlus, ArenaPlus, SMART, Rebisco, Milcu, Kumu, Asics and SportRadar.

‘It’s a big gap’ Verstappen was first to pit after 16 laps, taking mediums to re-join ninth.

Norris reacted by pitting for hards, handing the lead to Hamilton as a strategic battle unfolded. Norris rejoined fourth.

Hamilton pitted on lap 21 for hards and re-joined fifth behind Verstappen—a clear signal that Mercedes were risking ceding the initiative by off-setting their stops.

All this left Leclerc in front, 1.2 seconds clear of Norris, but without stopping until lap 24 when he re-joined in sixth on hards.

Norris led again, two seconds clear of Verstappen, but after stalking his friend the Dutchman passed him on lap 28, on the inside of Turn 12 and eased clear by 3.5 seconds on lap 35 when Norris pitted for more hards and fell to sixth.

Verstappen, however, was struggling, complaining to his team about his brakes in a four-letter tirade, before pitting in 3.3 seconds and coming out fourth on hards.

Hamilton led again, by 7.7 seconds clear of Perez and Leclerc, all needing to stop again.

He came in on lap 38 for mediums and re-joined fourth as Verstappen passed Leclerc to lead again, followed by Norris. AFP

AJ Lim (far right) holds his trophies as he poses with (from left) Jed Olivarez, Josshua Kinaadman, Gov. Franklin Bautista and Lance Fernandez after a victory and runner-up finish in the Gov. Franklin Bautista National Tennis Championship.

Davao Occidental celebrations.

On his way to the championship, Lim rammed past juniors campaigner Randy Pausanos, 6-0, 6-0; Fernandez, 6-1, 6-2; Eric Tangub, 6-2, 6-2; before repulsing No. 2 Kinaadman, 6-3, 7-5, in the semis.

Pague, on the other hand, outlasted Olivarez in the semis, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, but came up short in the finals, yielding to Lim’s aggressive play.

Lim thus nailed his third straight championship after a two-year hiatus due to illness. He returned to competitive play in the Brookside Open last April and topped the Olivarez Cup last August. He also reigned in the Alturas Bohol Cup last month.

His latest feat netted him P100,000, doubling his winnings at Olivarez while gaining ranking points in his continuing effort to reach the top of the ladder.

Lim and Fernandez actually jumped the gun early on the Kinaadman-Olivarez tandem in the doubles finals, seizing a 3-1 lead, but the latter regrouped and took the next three games to wrest control. After the former held in the eighth game to draw level, Kinaadman and Olivarez held serve then broke their rivals to clinch the opening set.

1st Speedo National Inter-school Swimming Championship makes big splash THE inaugural Speedo National Inter-school Swimming Championship, held at Xavier School on October 7th and 8th, 2023, marked a triumphant beginning for young swimmers from the National Capital Region.

This prestigious event, organized by Swim Philippines in partnership with Speedo Philippines, co-presented by Bert Lozada Swim School and MILO® Philippines brought together over 500 varsity swimmers from various schools, demonstrating the incredible potential of young athletes in the sport of swimming.

This championship was not just a sports event, it was a platform that fostered camaraderie, sportsmanship, and healthy competition among young athletes.

Its primary mission is to promote physical fitness, mental well-being, and life skill development through competitive swimming. It aimed to recognize and celebrate the dedication and hard work of these athletes within their school communities as they strive to reach their personal best.

The competition, held over two days, show-

cased the immense talent and dedication of young swimmers who gave their all in the pool.

Spectators were treated to thrilling races and outstanding performances, leaving no doubt that the future of Philippine swimming is bright.

Coach Angelo Lozada, Commissioner of Speedo Inter-school NCR Leg, expressed his congratulations and optimism for the future of grassroots swimming in the Philippines: “I would like to congratulate all the athletes, coaches, and schools who competed and showed their talents in swimming. I genuinely believe that this competition will play a pivotal role in enhancing the grassroots swimming program in our nation, promoting the growth and development of our aspiring swimmers and athletes.”

Following the success of the first Speedo National Inter-school Swimming Championship NCR Leg, Swim Philippines invites swimmers and spectators alike to join the upcoming Speedo Inter-school 2023 series, which promises to con- Participants of the inaugural Speedo National Inter-school Swimming tinue showcasing the talents of young swimmers Championship.

ENTERTAINMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023

C3

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

A journey through love and heartache

By Angelica Villanueva

From left: Film director Irene Villamor, Julia Montes, and Alden Richards at the premiere night of 'Five Breakups and A Romance'

Julia Montes (left) and Alden Richards banner 'Five Breakups and A Romance'

PREPARE to embark on an emotional rollercoaster in Five Breakups and A Romance, a cinematic masterpiece brought to life by the acclaimed film director Irene Villamor. If you’re already familiar with her impressive body of work, you might think you know how the story ends, but be prepared to be surprised.

The film unfolds the passionate tale of Lance and Justine, portrayed by Alden Richards and Julia Montes, respectively. Lance, a dedicated medical student, crosses paths with Justine, a fashion brand manager, at a friend’s party in Singapore.

This heartfelt narrative is divided into five chapters, each capturing a pivotal moment in Lance and Justine’s tumultuous relationship. (Spoiler alert) From their initial one-night stand in Singapore to their heartbreaking farewell at a hospital, their journey is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.

Each chapter artfully explores a different facet of love, tackling themes like compatibility, compromise, and forgiveness.

Lance and Justine’s love story began in 2016 when fate intervened and their mutual friends introduced them. For Justine,

it was a typical meet-cute, but for Lance, seeing her was akin to destiny - a case of love at first sight, or as he eloquently puts it, a “quantum entanglement.”

In the film, Alden’s character beautifully explains quantum entanglement as a scientific phenomenon where two particles remain interconnected regardless of the distance between them, symbolizing the profound connection between Lance and Justine.

Throughout the movie, their relationship is tested in various ways, and they bravely confront every challenge that comes their way. But did they fight for their love, or did they fight each other?

Five Breakups and A Romance delves into the common causes of relationship breakups, including career pressures, time constraints, communication issues, and the specter of infidelity. We won’t reveal the details, as discovering them is part of the cinematic experience.

What truly elevates Five Breakups and A Romance is the exceptional performances of Julia and Alden. Their on-screen chemistry is undeniable, from the delivery of intense lines to the passionate exchanges in a particular scene. They bring a magnetic charm to the film, making it an unforgettable experience.

Julia and Alden masterfully capture the intricate dynamics of their characters’ relationship, delivering a genuinely compelling performance. In the end, Five Breakups and A Romance provides a realistic and relatable portrayal of the complexities of love and heartbreak that resonates with Filipino audiences.

Five Breakups and A Romance is now showing in over 200 cinemas nationwide.

A celebration of exceptional Philippine radio

Omar reveals his plans to retire from music

UBSI Chairwoman Rebecca Ann Sy

Omar Baliw (left) and Gloc-9

Omar still crazy about music

O

By Nickie Wang

MAR Baliw, a prominent figure in Filipino hip-hop, is known for his unique brand of music and his commitment to his craft. At 34 years old, he has a clear vision for his future, which includes owning a comfortable home and a farm within the next five years.

3,” under the banner of Believe Artist Services.

The song is part of a series of tracks that explore the theme of calmness, which Omar says is a central message in his music.

“There’s ‘Kalmado Part 1,’ 2,’ 3,’ 4,’ and it actually goes up to ‘Kalmado 12,’” he explained.

“They’re all about the same theme of calmness because that’s what I always emphasize in my songs. I can’t write anything else. I always talk about how I struggled and where I am now.”

O m a r ’ s journey to success

In a recent interview with Manila Standard Entertainment, Omar shared his desire to lead a more peaceful and quiet life, far from the hustle and bustle of the hip-hop industry.

“I prefer a quiet life; it’s too noisy, and I’m not comfortable in front of the camera or on stage,” he said in the vernacular. “After these five years, it’s time for me to take a break.”

Despite his plans to retire from music in the near future, Omar is still actively working on new projects. He recently released his latest single, “Kalmado Part

Filipino hip-hop artist Omar Baliw

has not been easy.

He has faced many challenges along the way, but he has always remained focused on his

dreams. He credits his family for their unwavering support throughout his career.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family,” he said. “They’ve always been there for me, even when things were tough. I’m so grateful for their love and support.”

In 2011, Omar released his first album, High Minds Music. The album played a pivotal role in his career. It also contributed to the growth of his business through High Minds Clothing.

Omar’s rap music includes hits like “Araguy,” “Kalmado,” and “Natuto Lang.” He has collaborated with fellow Filipino rap artists, including Gloc-9, Pricetagg, CLR, and Shanti Dope.

In September, Omar highlighted the benefits of joining Asitanda Management and Production Incorporated during a pre-show media event for The Concert. He praised High Minds 12th-Anniversary Concert the organized planning and the supportive environment created by the Asintada management team.

He emphasized the importance of having a reliable management team in the hiphop industry, saying, “Without proper management in hip-hop, people will take advantage of you, and they’ll just disregard you. I’m now part of a good circle, and my position is great.”

Omar appreciates the freedom and flexibility he has as an artist working with the management company, saying, “Asintada provides management, but you still have control over what you want to do. It’s like management, but you’re still independent.”

Taylor Swift concert film tops box office, Scorsese’s ‘Flower Moon’ impresses THE new Taylor Swift concert movie held on to the top spot in North American theaters this weekend, but history-based crime epic Killers of the Flower Moon had an impressive debut – the best for a Martin Scorsese film since 2010.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, distributed by AMC Theaters, took in an estimated $31 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Sunday.

That pushed the two-week domestic total for the film, which includes scenes from three of the pop superstar’s concerts, to $129.8 million. It is now the only concert film ever to top the box office for two straight weekends, Variety reported.

Meantime, Scorsese’s new film had a strong debut – particularly given its three-and-a-half-hour runtime, its upcoming release on streamer Apple TV+, and the inability of stars Robert

De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio to promote it as the actors strike continues – taking in $23 million.

Flower Moon tells the true story of the murders of Native Americans in Oklahoma early in the last century by evildoers after their oil rights.

In third spot for the weekend, down from second, was Universal’s horror film Exorcist: The Believer, at $5.6 million. Leslie Odom Jr. and Ann Dowd star in this scary sequel to the 1973 original.

Fourth place went to Paramount’s family-friendly animation Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, at $4.5 million.

Taraji P. Henson, Chris Rock, Serena Williams, and McKenna Grace voice the super-pups.

And in fifth was Disney’s rerelease of 1993 classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, at $4.1 million.

Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, and Catherine O’Hara star in Tim Burton’s dark stop-motion fantasy. AFP

'Killers of the Flower Moon' stars Leonardo DiCaprio (left) and Lily Gladstone

ENERGY FM, one of Philippine FM radio’s powerhouses, turns 25 this October. For a quarter of a century, it has been redefining what it means to be among the leading radio stations in the Philippines.

What began as a simple regional program transformed into the heartbeat of the nation through the leadership and vision of Ultrasonic Broadcasting Systems Inc. (UBSI) Chairwoman, Rebecca Ann Sy. Energy FM quickly became a nationwide anthem as more and more Filipinos tuned in. Weekdays in the early 2000s were overflowing with endless entertainment from Energy FM’s legendary radio jockeys.

The station bagged several KBP Golden Awards in the People’s Choice category across Manila, Cebu, and Naga.

In 2010, Energy FM entered the digital landscape and in the frequency of modern listeners. It pioneered the introduction of K-pop to the Philippines through its segment “KPOP Sarap.”

Recently, Energy FM bagged the top accolades in the country and across the Asia-Pacific, namely, Most Outstanding & Trusted FM Station in the 2022 Asia’s Golden Icon Awards; Most Outstanding FM Station in the 2022 Asian Sterling Awards; Best FM Radio Station in the 33rd Asia Pacific Excellence Awards Thailand; and Global Iconic Radio Broadcasting Station of the Year from Global Iconic Aces.

Energy FM has stood out with its impressive roster of engaging personalities beloved by many listeners.

Papa Jackson joins Energy FM with his signature charm and relatability. He quickly makes a deep audience impact in his main show Hello STG (Sorry, Thank You, Goodbye). His skills and passion eventually brought him the position of station manager - as John Gemperle, shaping the success of the station beyond the mic.

Gandang Kara enters the airwaves, bringing in a new perspective and her online following. Her vibrant approach and unique insights shine in Sincerely, Kara and KarJack – her shared program with Papa Jackson.

Along with fresh voices are trailblazers in the booths of Energy FM. In a show that explores deep secrets and heartfelt letters, Lindsay creates a safe space during Lihim ng Liham through her soothing voice, compelling storytelling, and genuine empathy. While Anong Drama Mo excels in stirring up laughter in the midst of valuable life lessons, all thanks to the charismatic duo of DJs Sheena and Jimbo.

As Energy FM celebrates its 25th year, each program and talent broadcast the station’s commitment to setting the bar of exceptional Philippine radio.

LIFE

C4 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023 Nickie Wang, Editor Angelica Villanueva , Writer E-mail: lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

Memorial park expands death care service with pet crematorium

High-quality farm fresh products are available at Waltermart’s Palengke Fresh

The Bagsakan program encourages shoppers to access farm fresh produce at the best prices on designated Bagsakan days at participating branches

Marketplace for affordable, high-quality farm-fresh produce

I

By Nickie Wang

F YOU’RE looking to make a difference in your community while consuming fresh, affordable produce, consider buying from local farmers.

Buying directly from farmers supports the local economy, ensures that you’re getting the freshest possible produce, and helps to promote sustainable agriculture.

WalterMart’s Palengke Fresh makes it easy to support your community and eat healthy. By partnering with farmers and local governments, Palengke Fresh brings the best of local agriculture to your neighborhood. Palengke Fresh also supports sustainable economic growth by providing farmers with a direct route to market and fair prices for their products.

Empowering local farmers lies at the heart of their mission. They understand the vital role local farmers play in people’s daily lives, and by partnering with them, they ensure that customers have access to the freshest fruits, vegetables, and other farm products directly from the source.

This not only benefits families but also boosts the income of local farmers while promoting sustainable agriculture and economic growth. Their direct relationships with farmers make healthy, fresh food options budget-friendly, ensuring affordability without compromise.

As WalterMart’s Palengke Fresh connects farmers and consumers, it offers a range of innovative programs to benefit both groups. Two such initiatives are Bagsakan and All for 50.

Bagsakan is a program that offers discounts on a wide selection of fresh produce on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at participating branches. This allows shoppers to access fresh produce at the best prices, while directly benefiting local farmers and sellers.

All for 50, on the other hand, offers fresh produce deals in-store

for only P50, ensuring that shoppers can access nutritious, locally sourced food without breaking their budget.

These programs create a win-win situation for both shoppers and farmers. Shoppers can access fresh produce at the best prices available, while farmers can earn more for their products.

With WalterMart’s Palengke Fresh, you have the power to make a difference. Here’s how you can make an impact and shop with purpose: 1. Choose Local: Opt for local produce. By doing so, you’re not only getting fresher items but also supporting your community’s economic growth 2. Spread the Word: Tell your friends and family about Waltermart’s Palengke Fresh and its mission.

Encourage them to join you in shopping consciously and supporting local farmers.

3. Become an Advocate: Engage with your local government units and urge them to support initiatives like Waltermart’s Palengke Fresh. Your voice can drive policy changes that benefit both farmers and consumers.

With this, Waltermart’s Palengke Fresh isn’t just a marketplace; it’s a movement. For more updates, follow WalterMart Supermarket on Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/WalterMartSupermarket.

Waltermart’s Palengke Fresh is not just a marketplace but also a movement, strengthening the bond of agricultural groups of urban consumers and farmers

GOLDEN Haven Memorial Park affirms its status as the country’s most trusted provider of death care services with the forthcoming launch of The Golden Haven Pet Crematorium at its flagship project, Golden Haven Las Piñas.

Set to start operations this October, the Pet Crematorium will feature state-of-theart equipment to be operated by a team of professionals that will ensure gentle care and sensitivity for beloved pets who have crossed the rainbow bridge.

Golden Haven Las Piñas has long been celebrated as the most comprehensive death care facility in the country, offering a range of services including a beautifully landscaped memorial park, columbarium, chapels, and a crematorium. Now, with the introduction of the Golden Haven Pet Crematorium, the company is extending its commitment to serve the diverse needs of the community, including its four-legged companions.

Emy Lustado, president of Golden Haven, expressed her heartfelt sentiments about this important milestone, saying, “We recognize the deep bonds of love and attachment that pet owners share with the furry members of their

Golden Haven’s Pet Crematorium aims to provide individual cremation services for pets as a recognition of the deep bonds of love and attachment formed between owners and their furry companions

families. With the launch of The Golden Haven Pet Crematorium, we earnestly wish to help ease the pain of loss for those who have lost their beloved pets.”

At the heart of The Pet Crematorium’s service lies Golden Haven’s promise of compassion and care for the bereaved family, who can rest assured that they will receive their beloved companions’ ashes at the end of the service. Golden Haven is committed to providing individual cremation services for pets, ensuring that each pet receives the respect and dignity it deserves.

Finally, equally significant is the company’s commitment to environmentally sustainable practices. Golden Haven will use modern cremation technology that produces little or no smoke and minimizes the release of pollutants into the air.

As Golden Haven continues to uphold the highest standards in death care services, nothing will ever trump the company’s sincere intent to address the diverse needs of the Filipino family and its four-legged companions.

Visit goldenhaven.com.ph or follow Golden Haven on our social media platforms. We are on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Spotify, TikTok, and Viber. For salesrelated inquiries, you may contact (02) 88732922 to 23.

Shang Properties unveils new brand identity The refreshed look better reflects Shang Properties’ design philosophy: uncompromising vision, elegance, and harmony in all details.

“Our refreshed logo and branding marks the beginning of a new era of sophistication,” said Shang Properties President and CEO Wensley Krueger. “The luxury real estate market continues to change and evolve and we strive to be at the forefront of change. We want to redefine luxury and set new standards. Our journey is just beginning and we are honored to continue creating Exemplary Life Spaces.”

During the brand launch, Shang Properties also introduced its latest properties, which are set to become the next coveted addresses.

The launching of the new logo marks the beginning of a new era of sophistication for Shang Properties

By Angelica Villanueva SHANG Properties, the Philippines’ leading luxury real estate developer, welcomed a new era of sophistication with its refreshed brand identity.

The event, themed “Filipino in Details,” showcased the company’s new logo, branding, and upcoming luxury projects.

The new identity was unveiled through a brandfilm that highlighted Shang Properties’ philosophy of paying attention to big or small details.

The new logo features a clean and more streamlined look, with text updated to reflect a subtle tone of modern luxury and sophistication.

The Crane, a Shang Properties icon that has signaled power, strength, and permanence, has been retained to show the company’s lasting commitment to creating inspired spaces that are thoughtful and meticulously designed with harmony in mind.

One of its latest projects is Laya by Shang Properties that is located in Pasig City where residents can treat Laya’s modern and thoughtfully designed spaces as their canvas, where they have the freedom to design for their own self-expression.

The program also trained the spotlight on its recently launched developments, including Shang Residences at Wack Wack, and the two projects under Shang Robinsons Properties, Inc., a joint venture between Shang Properties and Robinsons Land Corporation, Aurelia Residences and Haraya Residences. Additionally, the developer teased guests on two upcoming projects in Cebu and Quezon City.

According to Krueger, Shang Properties’ new brand identity is also a testament to its commitment to creating Exemplary Life Spaces that are both luxurious and sophisticated.

The company’s new logo and branding are sure to resonate with discerning buyers who are looking for the best that the luxury real estate market has to offer.

“Our refreshed logo and branding marks the beginning of a new era of sophistication. The luxury real estate market continues to change and evolve, and we strive to be at the forefront of change. We want to redefine luxury and set new standards,” he ended.

To learn more about Shang Properties, visit the website at www.shangproperties.com.

Shang Properties representatives raising their glasses to celebrate a remarkable milestone of the company’s rebranding