Manila Standard - 2023 December 13 - Wednesday

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CHINESE AMBASSADOR HITS PH ‘INFRINGEMENT, PROVOCATION’ IN WPS

By Vince Lopez, Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta CHINA is the aggrieved party in the Philippines’ “infringement and provocation” in Scarborough Shoal and Ayungin Shoal, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian said Tuesday, as he urged Manila to return to “dialogue and consultation” regarding its

Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian

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VOL. XXXVII • NO. 301 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

No extension on PUVMP plan Marcos says Dec. 31 deadline stays; PISTON says strike still on

By Charles Dantes, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

PRO-PUV MODERNIZATION.

Various transport cooperatives stage a rally to express their support to the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program and their stance against the deadline extension on PUV consolidation in Mendiola, Manila on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

P

RESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday announced that there would be no extension for the Dec. 31, 2023 deadline for the consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUV) operators.

His announcement was met by anger from public transport group PISTON, which had already announced a strike starting Thursday and urged the public to wear blue shirts today (Wednesday) to show solidarity with jeepney drivers and operators who could lose their livelihoods.

Another PUV group, Manibela, hinted at joining forces with PISTON’s strike from Dec. 14 to 15, which would be the fifth major transport strike this year.

In a post on his X social media account, the President said most operators have already committed to the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

“Today, we held a meeting with transport officials, and it was decided that the Next page

Charter change moves to zoom in Rice discount voucher to benefit 7 million families on economic provisions—Speaker

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz and Othel Campos

“more attuned, sensitive and responsive to the times.”

“2024 will allow us again to revisit THE House of Representatives is keen the whole issue of the Constitution beon pursuing Charter change next year, cause I think it’s timely that we revisit with a focus on amending economic and we’d like to focus very much on Next page provisions to make the Constitution

AT LEAST seven million low-income families will benefit from a rice discount voucher program that will allow them to buy every month 25 kilos of affordable and good quality rice starting next year, Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.

Romualdez said Congress earmarked funds under the P5.768-trillion 2024 national budget for the program, which he said would bring down the price of good quality rice by almost half for the intended beneficiaries.

“This subsidy program is our strong response to President Marcos’ call for the House of Representatives to come up with means to bring down the price

of rice for disadvantaged Filipino families in difficult situations. It will benefit seven million families across legislative districts in the country, or roughly 28 million people,” he said.

“This is a recalibration of our Cash and Rice Distribution (CARD) Program, and we made it more sustainable by transforming it into a rice disNext page

Solon wants SMNI franchise axed House passes over corporate structure changes bills backing plenary amnesty

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Maricel V. Cruz

TOURISTS RETURN. People board a boat before going on a tour in El Nido, Palawan

province on Dec. 12. The Department of Tourism announced five million tourist arrivals for 2023, which contributed P439 billion to the economy (see full story in Business, page B4). AFP

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted resolutions concurring with presidential proclamations granting amnesty to former members of four rebel groups, including communist rebels.

The resolutions were House Concurrent Resolutions (HCR) 19, 20, 21, and 22.

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a corporation solely under Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

However, in 2023, the Executive A LAWMAKER filed a bill seeking to revoke the franchise of Sonshine Media Pastor changed hands anew as Apollo Next page Network International (SMNI) for violating various provisions of its franchise.

In his explanatory note, 1 Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez said the House committee on legislative franchises found that SMNI changed its corporate structure which affected its ownership without prior NEWS / A2 approval from Congress – a requirement under its franchise.

“In 2006, it transitioned from being a non-stock, non-profit corporation to

President forms El Nino task force to deal with wide drought by May

By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday ordered the creation of an El Niño task force to mitigate the impact of the weather phenomenon that is expected to cause drought in 65 provinces across the country by May next year.

During a sectoral meeting at the Palace, the President said the task force will be led by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“We’ll have to organize the task force first. This is the time to put every condition together,” President

Marcos said.

Based on the latest forecast of the state weather bureau, the strong El Niño present in the tropical Pacific continues to intensify and is nearing its peak in the coming months, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said.

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EL NINO PLANNING. President

Marcos (seated right) receives updates from agency chiefs on the Updated National Action Plan in response to the impact of El Niño that will be felt until the second quarter of next year in Malacanang on Tuesday. PCO Photo

‘KEEP QUIBOLOY FROM LEAVING PH’

GOV’T WORKERS GET P20K BONUS NEWS / A2

COVID CASES UP BY 36 PERCENT NEWS / A2

‘CREEPING CHINA TAKEOVER’ – SOLON NEWS / A4

NEWS

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

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Risa to DOJ: Keep Quiboloy in PH

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

S

ENATOR Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to issue an immigration lookout bulletin order against Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, leader of the Kingdom Of Jesus Christ (KOJC) as she vowed to look into his alleged money laundering activities Quiboloy, the spiritual advisor of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has been indicted in the United States for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion;sex trafficking of children; and bulk cash smuggling.

the “anointed son of God.” Hontiveros said Quiboloy should be investigated for large-scale human trafficking, rape, sexual abuse and violence, and child abuse.

On Monday night, Hontiveros formally asked her colleagues in the Senate to investigate Quiboloy.

She also presented the video of alias Jackson, a former KOJC member, who was recruited to the organization and made to beg for alms in Dipolog, Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, the entire Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental.

At first, he said, they were given a 10 percent or 20 percent commission, but later on, the KOJC took everything.

He also remembered that he got

50 lashes when he failed to reach his quota.

Another former KOJC member, Arlene, saidshe suffered many abuses from Quiboloy and his minions. Even as a minor, she was forced to beg and contribute money to the organization, she said.

Often, they were made to pretend to be blind and mute.

Since she was one of Quiboloy’s top “sellers,” she was brought to Manila from Davao City, she said.

Hontiveros also showed a screenshot showing the instructions that “encouraged the use of guitar, tambourine, or ukulele” while begging.

“This screenshot is just this year. So this is still happening. This is human trafficking,” Hontiveros said.

PBBM OKs bonus of up to P20,000 for gov’t workers

By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday approved the release of service recognition incentives and gratuity pay up to P20,000 for government workers.

The five-page Administrative Order (AO) no. 12, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Dec. 7, stated that the President has signed the grant of a one-time service recognition incentive (SRI) of P20,000 for government employees in the executive branch.

Moreover, civilian personnel in national government agencies including those in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) were also qualified for the SRI. The incentive would also be given to military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

Personnel from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), the Philippines Coast Guard (PCG), and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR) were also qualified for incentives.

Section 2 of the AO stated that the SRI is granted to civilian personnel occupying regular, contractual, or casual positions; personnel who are still in government service as of November 30, 2023; and personnel who rendered at least four months of satisfactory service.

The Official Gazette provides a comprehensive list of qualifications for receiving the SRI, as well as a list of personnel eligible for the one-time incentive.

In a media briefing, Hontiveros said the DOJ can do this motu proprio to prevent Quiboloy from leaving the country.

She insisted that Quiboloy, who also belongs on the FBI’s Most Wanted list,

must not escape accountability.

“Our children’s lives are at stake,” said Hontiveros, who filed on Monday a proposed Senate resolution to investigate Quiboloy, who declared himself as

Rice...

From A1

COVID cases up by 36 percent over last week

count voucher program so that more families can enjoy buying affordable rice,” he added.

Initially dubbed Bagong Pilipinas Community Assistance and Rice Discount (CARD), the new program was formulated in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units.

The program will be operationalized next year through the DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) Romualdez said the program seeks to alleviate the burden on low-income families by providing discount vouchers directly to them.

He said the program would utilize the advantages of technology for efficient voucher distribution, tracking, and validation and to safeguard it from misuse.

“This program is to show all Filipinos that Congress and the administration of President Marcos are doing everything to bring down the price of rice for a more significant number of Filipino families,” the Speaker said.

As this developed, Congress also earmarked P26.7 billion for the expansion of government subsidies to near-poor households.

Romualdez said the program, dubbed as the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP, will cover 12 million households.

CORONAVIRUS cases in the Philippines increased by 36 percent to 1,821, according to the Department of Health, which also recorded 13 new COVID-19 deaths.

The 1,821 fresh infections, which pushed the country’s active COVID cases to 3,876, were recorded from De-

cember 5 to 11, the DOH said Tuesday.

During the preceding week, health authorities logged 1,340 cases.

The daily average cases this week was 260, the agency said.

As of Dec. 10, 228 severe and critical COVID patients were admitted to hospitals, the DOH noted.

Occupancy rates for ICU and nonICU COVID beds were at 13.6 percent and 16.5 percent, respectively, it added.

Last week, health authorities acknowledged an uptick in COVID cases in the Philippines and urged adherence to health measures such as wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

No extension...

From A1

Dec. 31.

“If this pushes through, a transport crisis evidently awaits the country, especially in the NCR, which is the current economic center of the Philippines,” the group said on X. The franchise consolidation component of the PUVMP mandates all operators to surrender individual franchises for consolidation into a single one owned by a cooperative or corporation serving a specific route, a principle the LTFRB calls “one route, one franchise, one operator.”

PISTON argues this scheme leads to monopoly and corporate capture of public transport in the Philippines, as only large, financially viable cooperatives or corporations can comply with the costly modernization standards.

Thousands of small-time operators, representing approximately 80 percent of all PUV operators, and many drivers face displacement by the end of the year, the group said.

Manibela, which held two strikes last November, also said on social media that it planned to join PISTON in one last “big-time” strike to end 2023 as its own pleas to stop the PUVMP were not being heard.

Senator Grace Poe, on the other hand, again called for a review of the PUVMP, saying it lacks safety nets for drivers and operators who will bear the

brunt of the consolidation deadline.

For 2024, she said the program will get a budget of P1.6 billion, but this does not cover measures to protect the livelihood of some 300,000 drivers.

“We were promised that they will study the program before any deadline in December,” she said.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said that funds have been set aside for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) since 2018 to formulate a route plan for the PUVs. The route rationalization study is a crucial component of the program since it will determine the number of jeepneys, UV express, and buses needed to ply a particular route, which will ensure the viability of their operations, the senator said.

However, to date, only 9.5 percent or 155 of the 1,575 local government units have approved route plans.

“Why are there so many deadlines and requirements for the driver while the deadline of the DOTr and the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board) for their route [plan] has not been [met]?”

“Now, they’re saying there’s an approved route for the half of the country

by June 2024. But since this provision is not in the budget, we will again be hoping for nothing,” she said.

cial privilege that constitutes a right and a duty to be informed by the guarantee.”

“It is Congress that prescribes the conditions on which the grant of the franchise may be made. Thus, the manner of granting the franchise, to whom it may be granted, the mode of conducting the business, the charter and the quality of the service to be rendered, and the duty of the grantee to the public in exercising the franchise, is almost always defined in clear and unequivocal language,” he added.

As this developed, the House committee on legislative franchises on Tuesday ordered the release of SMNI anchors Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Badoy-Partosa from detention based on humanitarian grounds and in the spirit of the Yuletide season.

Parañaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting, the panel’s chairperson, said the release order was unanimously agreed upon by committee members in a meeting held to discuss the appeal of Celiz for liberty in time for the celebration of Christmas.

the economic provisions,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Tuesday.

He said lawmakers would be studying possible amendments during the Christmas break.

“Perhaps there might be some initiatives, even during the break, that would prepare us for the ensuing year and perhaps that would be our legacy in the 19th Congress, which is to review and revisit the 1987 Constitution and make it more attuned, sensitive and responsive to the times,” Romualdez said.

He earlier acknowledged that while the 1987 Constitution provided three modes to amend the Constitution, it did not explicitly state whether the House and the Senate should vote jointly or separately.

“We are thinking right now of addressing the procedural gap or question as to how we amend the Constitution,” he said. “We will highly recommend that we embark on a people’s initiative...to cure this impasse, so to speak, on how we vote.”

In March, the House approved on third and final reading Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 6, which called for a constitutional convention to amend the 1987 Constitution.

Chinese...

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envoy added to Xinhua.

But the DFA said the Philippine government told Huang it demanded China do the following: direct the Chinese vessels to cease and desist from its illegal actions against Philippines vessels as well as stop interfering in legitimate Philippine government activities or lingering in waters around Ayungin Shoal.

It also warned Beijing against and doing any action that violates the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone; comply with obligations under international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, the 2016 Award in the South China Sea Arbitration, and the 1972 COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea); and adhere to its commitments under the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

The DFA also protested China’s conduct of dangerous maneuvers and its use of water cannons against three Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels, which were engaged in a humanitarian and support mission to fishermen off Bajo de Masinloc.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it is not yet time to invoke the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States, saying that China’s recent water cannon attacks on Filipino boats in the West Philippine Sea are not considered armed attacks.

AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the 70-year-old MDT that binds Washington to defend Manila from any aggression can be triggered only by an armed attack. “’Water cannoning is not considered an armed attack,” he said.

House...

From A1 HCR 19 provides amnesty for exmembers of the Rebolusyong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas / Revolution Proletarian Army / Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

HCR 21 provides amnesty for exmembers of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF). The first two resolutions were adopted unanimously.

HCR 20 grants amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army - National Democratic Front. It was adopted by a vote of 225-3-0 HCR 22, which provides amnesty to former members of the Moro National Liberation Front, meanwhile, obtained a 229-1 vote.

President...

From A1 “Now, based on recent conditions, moderate to severe drought conditions are likely from February to May 2024.

And by the end of May, at least 77 percent of the provinces of the country will have potential for drought – that would be around 65 provinces, and 7 percent will have potential for dry spell or around six provinces,” Solidum said.

Solidum said there is also a strong indication that the weather phenomenon would be similar to the 1997-1998 El Niño, which was regarded as one of the most powerful El Niño events recorded in history.

“So, we need to plan ahead and we should make it fast,” the DOST chief added.

Drought is defined as three consecutive months of way below normal rain-

deadline for the consolidation of public utility vehicles (PUV) operators will not be extended,” Mr. Marcos said.

“Currently, 70 percent of all operators have already committed to and consolidated under the PUVMP,” he added.

Moreover, the President said the government could not let the minority cause further delays and affect various sectors and the public.

He said adhering to the program’s timeline ensures that the whole country would be able to reap the benefits of the government’s transport modernization program.

But PISTON, in a statement released on social media, said Mr. Marcos was being deceived by the numbers from government agencies and declared “Tuloy ang Welga” (the strike goes on).

The group said that only 26 percent of PUV operators in the National Capital Region have agreed to surrender their franchise for consolidation since the PUVMP was implemented in 2018, indicating its unpopularity.

If the consolidation deadline pushes through at yearend, PISTON said about 64,000 PUV drivers and 25,000 operators would lose their livelihoods after

Solon...

From A1 Quiboloy was replaced by one Bro. Marlon Acobo in the corporation sole,” Gutierrez said in his explanatory note.

Other franchise violations include SMNI’s alleged failure to disperse at least 30 percent of its ownership to the public as well as failure to deliver truthful and balanced reporting.

In filing House Bill 9710, Gutierrez said the “grant of a franchise is a spe-

fall condition (60 percent reduction from average rainfall) while a dry spell is marked by three consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition (21 to 60 percent reduction from average rainfall).

Mr. Marcos underscored the need to prioritize efforts and be realistic in tackling El Niño, which is expected to persist until the end of the second quarter of next year.

Based on the National Action Plan for El Niño, the government has identified five priority sectors: water, food, power, health, and public safety.

“The President’s directive would be to categorize actions as either shortterm or medium-term. The short-term ones are those that need to be done immediately, the easy ones. We have to be realistic,” Solidum said.

“There are a lot of plans and things being done, we just have to make sure that the coverage would also expand according to the forecast,” Solidum added.

differences with Beijing in the West Philippine Sea. In a statement to China-run Xinhua News, Huang stressed that Huangyan Island and Ren’ai Reef – the Chinese names for Scarborough (also known as Bajo de Masinloc) and Ayungin – “have always been China’s territories, and that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands and the adjacent waters.”

Meeting with Department of Foreign Affairs officials on Monday night after he was summoned to explain recent incidents in the sea area, Huang also “lodged stern representations and strong protests to the Philippine side over its recent infringement and provocation” in the waters near Scarborough and Ayungin, the

Charter...

From A1

NEWS

A3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

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DepEd launches framework meant DFA employing ‘silent diplomacy’ to equalize public, private schools to gain release of

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday launched a framework designed to decongest public schools and equalize the level of teaching between the public and private schools.

T

Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said public schools can learn from private schools, adding that students’ good performance is attributable to the high level of support the teachers gave them. “One of the most important reasons why we did not regress during the pandemic is

because of our teachers. That’s a very important factor,” he said.

The structure, dubbed Public-Private Education Complementarity Framework, was rolled out during the 2023 Private Education National Conference which sought to promote coherence in the development of a mixed education

system in the country.

Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte said every Filipino student, either from public or private school, deserves an equal opportunity to learn and reach their full potentials.

She pointed out that at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant number of students transferred from private schools to public schools, resulting in congestions among state-run schools while some private schools experienced declines in enrolment, prompting some of them to shut down.

“The pandemic forced us to reckon

with the weaknesses of our education system. Many Filipinos lost their jobs, and the uncertainty forced many parents to send their children to public schools. This experience taught us that the demand for quality education far exceeds the capacity of our public schools,” Duterte said in a statement read by DepEd Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo.

Duterte also said that through the framework, congestion in public schools are addressed while at the same time providing wider access to quality education for students from lowincome families.

Police tag victim’s son as brains in N. Ecija twin slay

By Vince Lopez WITH one of two gunmen already in custody and the alleged mastermind already identified, police stamped “Solved” on the Nov. 15 twin slaying aboard a passenger bus in Nueva Ecija.

In a belated disclosure, the police said the suspected hitman identified only as Allan was arrested on Nov. 20, just 5 days after the murders.

Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija acting police chief Col. Richard Caballero said they have filed double murder charges against Allan, the second gunman whose identity was also not revealed, and the suspected brains of the slaying identified as alias Tisoy, son of one of the victims.

Caballero provided details of the double murder plot, from the planning stage to the actual execution, and how the victim’s son and his live-in partner were implicated in the crime.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo earlier said documents were being prepared for the filing of a complaint against the perpetrators, but refused to give further details about it.

“The papers and sworn statements of the relatives of the victims are just being completed,” Fajardo said.

“Anytime this week, we are preparing to file a case, As for the personalities, who are the ones to file the case, let’s wait to see who they are,” she added.

Caballero said in February 2023, the female victim’s son Tisoy and a live-in partner allegedly stole one of the victim’s cars. Then, in April 2023, the same suspects forcibly entered the victim’s house in Cauayan, Isabela, opened the vault, and allegedly took land titles and cash amounting to P2 million.

HAPPYLAND NO MORE.

A fire victim, sitting amid the rubbles of what was once his happy home, contemplates on ‘where do I go from here’ as future now looks uncertain for him and his neighbors who also lost their abodes in the blaze that ate up some 100 houses in the community they called Happyland.

Norman Cruz

By Charles Dantes THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday it was using silent diplomacy to secure the release of 17 Filipino seafarers taken hostage

by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in November.

The DFA Office for Migrant Workers Affairs said it has been waiting for updates on the hostage situation, including information from the country’s honorary consul in Sanaa, Yemen.

“Our embassy in Riyadh covers the Houthi controlled part of Yemen which is poised to rise up against the recognized government,” according to Robert Ferrer, Jr., acting senior special assistant of the DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs.

“But there is quiet diplomacy going on among the ambassadors in Oman,” Ferrer said at the confirmation hearing of the Senate foreign affairs committee for 49 foreign service appointees.

“We are awaiting updates from our ambassador in Oman and in Qatar... because these two countries are the active ones in mediating with the Houthi in the release of the 17 seafarers,” he added.

The Houthis had said it seized the vessel on behalf of Palestinians who were “being massacred by Israel.”

They said they would target all ships related to Israel and warned that no country’s vessels should engage with Israel in the Red Sea. The British-owned cargo ship captured by the Houthis is operated by a Japanese company.

BI personnel not allowed to say ‘Merry Christmas’ to passengers

By Vito Barcelo THIS may seem odd, but Christmas greetings are not allowed for Immigration officers at the country’s international airports.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said BI personnel manning departure and arrival areas at the airports could only smile as they render courteous services to the passengers.

“No Merry Christmas greetings, just smiles for homecoming Filipinos and foreign visitors,” Tansingco said.

The prohibition stemmed from the common notion that airport personnel saying “Merry Christmas” is

tantamount to asking for a gift from the passengers, a tradition declared taboo due to its connotation to bribery which is an offense under the law.

Tansingco reminded the Immigration officers to avoid greeting arriving passengers which may be misconstrued by some people as asking for gift or cash.

He said that a Christmas greeting, even if sincere, may sound like asking for a tip or a gift. Instead, he said officials should give a warm smile, and efficient service.

The bureau has been criticized as a hotbed of corruption, and he has promised to clean it up.

SEAL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD. San Jose del Monte City Mayor Arthur

Robes shows off the Gawad Kalasag Seal of Excellence Award conferred by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Department of National Defense (represented by Secretary Gilberto Teodoro) for San Jose City outdoing itself in coming to the aid of constituents in times of calamities.

CSJDM photo

PAF to commission two brand new choppers, radar system on Dec. 20 THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) is set to commission two brand new Turkish made T-129 ATAK attack helicopters and a Japanese air surveillance radar system (ASRS) on Dec. 20.

Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. will preside at the commissioning and blessing rites as guest of honor and speaker, to be held at the Wallace Air Station, San Fernando City, La Union.

The two T-129 helicopters were delivered last Nov. 30 as part of a six-heli-

17 Pinoy seamen

copter contract with the Turkish Aerospace Industries.

It is part of Horizon 2 Phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program with a contract worth $269 million (around PHP14.9 billion) signed on July 20, 2020, the PAF explained.

The T-129 helicopters are based on the AgustaWestland A-129 Mangusta design. They will complement a pair of refurbished Bell AH-1S Huey Cobra attack helicopters from Jordan, along with

armed light observation and transport helicopters currently in PAF’s inventory.

The first two T-129s were delivered last March 9, 2022 while the second batch of two were delivered in December of that year.

These helicopters will be used for territorial defense, aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, counter-insurgency combat operations and combat support operations.

It can also be used for close air sup-

port, precision strike, deep strike, suppression of enemy air defense, security/ urban warfare, and air-to-air warfare, the PAF said.

The T-129 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter and armed with a variety of guns, rockets, missiles, sensors and targeting systems. It has a cruising speed of 120 knots and a range of 250 nautical miles.

Meanwhile, the ASRS is part of the PAF’s radar project signed on August 14, 2020.

Bangsamoro gov’t slams MSU bombing as assault on ‘free exercise of religion’

ADVOCACY FOR SAFE AND FAIR WORK SPACE. Leading advocates

for safe and fair working conditions gather today at the culmination of the International Labor Organization’s SAFE and FAIR program held at th e Novotel in Quezon City. They are (from left) Rex Varona, the national project coordinator of the event; Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara of the Department of Migrant Workers; Sally Barrios, president of the OFW Negros Occidental Federation; Ellene Sana, executive director of the Centre for Migrant Advocacy; and Claire Ruzzel Esturas, senior gender and development specialist of the Philippine Commission on Women. Manny Palmero

COTABATO CITY—Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament have filed a resolution condemning the bombing incident that happened on December 3 at the Dimaporo Gymnasium in Mindanao State University in Marawi City.

The resolution stated that the “free exercise and enjoyment of religious professions and worship without discrimination or preference shall forever be allowed, as stated in Section 5 and Article 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution,” The blast took place during a Catholic Mass service in the gym.

“We stand in solidarity with the community of peace, urging adherence to safety protocols set by local authorities, and together, we reaffirm our commitment

to fostering a society rooted in tolerance, respect, and lasting peace,” the measure read.

It was authored by Parliament members Diamila Disimban-Ramos, Ali Montaha Babao, Don Mustapha Loong, Nabila Pangandaman, Michael Midtimbang, Kadil Sinolinding, Jr., and Rasol Mitmug, Jr. and co-authored by Members of Parliament Ali Solaiman, Mudjib Abu, Suwaib Oranon, Kelie Antao, Tawakal Midtimbang, Basir Utto, Ramon Piang, Sr., Tarhata Maglangit, Khalid Hadji Abdullah, Abdulazis Amenoden, Abdullah Gayak, Abdullah Macapaar, Faizal Karon, Said Sheikh, Amroussi Macatanong, Rasul Ismael, Abdulkarim Misuari, Randolph Parcasio, Dan Asnawie, Bassit Abas, and Denmartin Kahalan.

DOH says Ilocos Region has 296 new HIV cases THE Department of Health (DOH) in Ilocos Region has reported additional 296 new HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) cases recorded from January 1, 2023 to July 30, 2023.

The local DOH office said the rise in HIV cases in the region occurred despite the continuing advocacy to raise awareness and eradicate stigma about HIV and AIDS. This is being done by empowering communities to be involved in all aspects of HIV plans and programs.

DOH assistant regional director Antonio Albornoz said in order to realize the goals of eliminating AIDS by 2030, it is important to involve community leadership.

“By urging communities to lead and support in the HIV program, we can improve referral systems for HIV-positive patients and most important we can reach those in the underserved, marginalized and hard-to-reach areas,” he said.

According to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), 45 new HIV cases were recorded in the month of July 2023 with Pangasinan having the highest number of confirmed cases at 28, followed by Ilocos Sur with six, Ilocos Norte and La Union with four cases each and Dagupan City with three. Macon Ramos-Araneta

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Marcos to ‘4L’: End prejudice, discrimination against women PRESIDENT Marcos on Tuesday called for the eradication of prejudice and discrimination against women in Philippine society, as he officiated the oath of office to the newly elected National Executive Board and Regional Presidents of the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines or 4L. ‘’The ones that are really always steady in the work of supporting our families, our communities, our children, the women are always there and they form a bedrock,’’ Mr. Marcos said in his speech. ‘’We all hold our mothers, our sisters, our grandmothers, our aunts in high regard in a sense that we basically our formed by the women in our culture. That applies in the government as well,’’ he added.

The President encouraged the legislators to pass legislative measures that will improve and enhance the role of women in the society. ‘’Most importantly, create a conducive nurturing environment for women and for girls to participate freely and equally in our social and economic spheres. Maybe this is where we’re lacking in giving opportunities to young girls, to women,’’ he said.

Mr. Marcos also said that girls and women should not be excluded from certain sectors of the economy.

Earlier, Bataan Vice Governor Cris Garcia was elected president of the Lady Local Legislators League of the Philippines (4L) in Region 3 (Central Luzon).

Bataenos poured in their congratulatory messages for her achievement.

Other elected officials of 4L Region 3 are Olga Frances D. Dizon, vice president; Maya Bongco, secretary; Jacqueline Rose Khonghun, treasurer; Nerivi S. Martinez, auditor; and Anna Maria S. Santos, public relations officer.

Charles Dantes and Butch Gunio

Alarmed by the increasing numbers of obese policemen, National Capital Region Police Office Director Major Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. has ordered the relaunching of ‘Oplan Bantay Kalusugan’ where 7,400 policemen are said to be overweight.

In photo are members of the Medical and Dental Unit measuring the waistline and height of policemen at Camp Bicutan in Taguig City on Tuesday.

Joseph Muego

Measure calls Chinese ‘creeping invasion’ for 24-hour on gov’t via drug money real—solon work infrastructure

By Maricel V. Cruz

S

URIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Tuesday urged the government, particularly its intelligence and law enforcement agencies, to verify reports and stop unscrupulous Chinese nationals who are allegedly engaged in a “creeping invasion of the Philippines” by buying land and property with the use of illegal drug money.

Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, raised the warning after the panel, during one of its hearings, was informed that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police were all facing a blank wall in establishing the identity of a Filipino-Chinese drug lord.

A man identified as Willy Ong is believed to be behind the shipment of 560 kilos of shabu worth P3.6-billion to Mexico, Pampanga, in September.

Barbers said Ong, with his company registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Empire 999, has managed to acquire and operate a gasoline station and bought more than four

hectares of land in Mexico town, allegedly with the use of Filipino dummies.

The 1987 Constitution prohibits foreigners from owning land in the Philippines.

“Ong, based on documents we have on hand, has a UMID ID Card and a drivers’ license issued by the Land Transportation Office, and used an address in Nueva Ecija. But the NBI and the PNP, despite weeks of search, could not locate him at his given address,” Barbers said.

The Unified Multi-purpose ID (UMID) card is a government-issued identification document in the Philippines. It’s a single ID card consolidating a person’s information from four government services, which contains a unique ID number, biometric data, and personal details.

Let GM work vs. errant PTV OICs, employees union asks PCO, gov’t THE PTV Employees Association (PTEA) is appealing to the government to allow their newly installed general manager to implement reforms that target anomalies within the state network.

After being disregarded for almost a decade, PTV General Manager Analisa V. Puod has started to implement the order of the Commission on Audit (COA) against OfficersIn-Charge (OIC) of the network.

The OICs are Alexander Poncio of the Engineering Department; Richard Valdez, OIC Station Manager of PTV Cordillera Station; and Maria Angela Gatan, OIC of Public Affairs and Programming.

“Our union is hoping to get the needed support from PCO (Presidential Communications Office) Secretary Cheloy Garafil and this is based on what we discussed during our meeting which has

something to do with revamping our network’s middle management,” said PTEA President Florante Gacis in a statement.

Garafil had yet to react to the development as of press time.

Based on COA documents already sent to PTV, at least three OICs are being asked to pay an amount of P3,098,578.26 for overpricing the amount on retrofitting and restrengthening of the network’s transmission tower.

The OICs are also involved in another case of overpricing of over half a million pesos for the repair of their studio switcher, PTEA added.

Puod immediately sent out memos last Dec. 7 after getting hold of COA’s Order of Execution (COE) and Notice of Disallowances (ND), which COA sent to PTV in 2014 and 2015.

With Charles Dantes

‘IWAS PAPUTOK.’ Watchdog group BAN Toxics and Toro Hills Elementary School in Quezon City launch a joint ‘Iwas Paputok’ campaign with 2,000 student-participants and representatives from the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire Protection.

They urge the public to avoid firecrackers and fireworks for health and environmental reasons, on Tuesday. Manny Palmero

DTI nudges makers of Noche Buena goods as prices go higher than guide

By Othel V. Campos FOLLOWING consumer reports of price deviations from the Noche Buena Price Guide, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held a meeting with manufacturers of the Christmastime items on Monday.

“As part of our commitment to ensure that Noche Buena items remain affordable and of good quality this holiday season, we are intensifying

our price monitoring efforts all over the country.

Through this meeting with manufacturers, we aim to assure consumers that the DTI remains at the forefront of ensuring that the rights of consumers are protected,” said Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual in a statement.

The DTI said it acted swiftly after receiving reports about certain Christmas products exceeding the price guide, specifically queso de

bola, fruit cocktails, ham, all-purpose cream, and mayonnaise.

In response, the manufacturers agreed to collaborate with their retail partners to address these concerns. Some even pledged to intensify their own price and supply monitoring efforts, ensuring adherence to the Price Guide until yearend, the statement added.

The manufacturers confirmed adequate supply of Noche Buena items throughout the holiday season, reaf-

firming their previous commitment during a meeting held on Nov. 7 prior to the Price Guide’s release, DTI said.

Pascual urged manufacturers and retailers to comply with the price guide and encouraged consumers to utilize it for informed purchasing decisions.

“That is what the Price Guide is for— that consumers will be informed so they may exercise their right to choose. I also instructed our price monitors to ramp up their price monitoring activities,” he said.

PH picked to host next Pacific Air Navigation gab

By Joel E. Zurbano

NON-DRUG EVIDENCE. Manila Police District director Col. Arnold Thomas Ibay (right) and Judge Carolina Icasiano-Sison, executive judge of the Regional Trial Court of Manila (2nd from right), lead the ceremonial destruction of non-drug evidence of terminated cases at the MPD headquarters on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

THE Philippines has been elected as the chairman and host of the 35th Meeting of the Asia Pacific Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group now being held at the Civil Aviation Department Headquarters Auditorium in Hong Kong.

“We are deeply honored to be elected as chairman as we work towards harmonizing the operational requirements of air navigation facilities in our region and in creating a more sustainable and resilient aviation sector,” said Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director General Capt. Manuel Antonio Tamayo.

Tamayo expressed the country’s full support for the fulfillment of the meetings’ goals and aspirations in developing Asia and the Pacific’s Air Navigation Planning and Implementation in line with

the ICAO’s global initiatives on capacity building.

The Philippines was recently elected as Vice-Chair of the recently concluded 58th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation Asia and Pacific Regions (DGCA) held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

It is set to host the 59th Conference in Cebu next year.

The DGCA is an annual gathering of aviation directors general in the Asia and Pacific Region, where discussions and side meetings are held on various topics such as aviation safety, security, air navigation, aviation and the environment, and economic development of air transportation.

CAAP is the national aviation authority of the Philippines, representing the country in the international aviation community as a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Erwin T. Tulfo led the filing of a bill that aims to streamline the implementation of government infrastructure projects, particularly in roads and bridges, through 24-hour operations “to promote efficiency and its effective execution.”

Tulfo, Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo of ACT-CIS, Eric Yap of Benguet, and Ralph Tulfo of Quezon City filed House Bill 9666, or the Accelerated Infrastructure Development Act of 2023.

“Acknowledging the pressing need to meet the population’s increasing demands, this proposed measure mandates the adoption of round-the-clock operations in priority infrastructure projects,” the bill’s explanatory note stated.

“This strategic move aims to revolutionize the efficiency and pace of project completion, addressing the longstanding challenges associated with prolonged timelines in traditional project management,” it added.

The bill applies to all government infrastructure projects funded by the national government, local government units, and government-owned and controlled corporations, particularly those involving the construction, repair, and maintenance of roads and bridges, the lawmakers said.

Tulfo explained that the proposed measure is the sentiment of the people who wanted to fast-track all government projects. Maricel V. Cruz

87 BSKE bets out after premature poll campaigns

By Vito Barcelo AT least 87 candidates in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) were disqualified for committing various election offenses, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday.

Of the 87 candidates, Comelec said 52 were disqualified for premature campaigning, the certificates of candidacy of five candidates were denied, and five were nuisance candidates.

Twenty-one candidates were disqualified for vote-buying and premature campaigning, and one was DQed for having been removed from office due to an administrative case.

Premature campaigning violates Section 80, in relation to Section 68 of the Omnibus Election Code, which prohibits any person from engaging in an election campaign or partisan political activity outside the campaign period.

The poll body said the number of disqualified candidates may increase before the year ends, adding that it is committed to solving all pending disqualification cases related to the BSKE. Previously, Comelec said the disqualified candidates were from the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Bulacan, Tarlac, Iloilo, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Oriental Mindoro, and Metro Manila.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com HONOR BLANCO CABIE, Editor

EDITORIAL

Pop Goes The World Jenny Ortuoste

Diplomatic solution needed

MCC, NBDB announce winners of 41st National Book Awards THE Manila Critics Circle (MCC) and National Book Development Board (NBDB) recently announced the winners of the 41st National Book Awards (NBA), with the awarding ceremony to take place next February.

For this cycle of the NBA, 235 works were nominated by their publishers from all across the country, with 35 emerging as winners in categories spanning seven languages: Filipino, English, Bikol, Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Tausug, and Waray.

The MCC founded the Awards in the early 1980s, which in recent years has been supported by the NBDB and private individuals.

At present, the MCC is a group of writers (myself among them) whose own individual works and works under their editorship are banned from nomination and consideration, to avoid conflict of interest.

Warmest congratulations to the winners and finalists! To those looking for stocking stuffers, any of these books would make great Christmas gifts.

They are available in physical stores and on some of the publishers’ websites, and some publishers have Shopee/Lazada storefronts as well.

“Pasasaan” - Jesus Aman Calvario (Isang Balangay Media Productions) BEST ANTHOLOGY IN ENGLISH “Kalandrakas Part 1, 1890-1945: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990” and “Kalandrakas Part 2, 1946-1990: Stories and Storytellers of/on Regions in Mindanao, 1890-1990” - Ricardo M. De Ungria (Ed.) (Ateneo de Manila University Press) BEST ANTHOLOGY IN FILIPINO “Plus/+ at Iba Plus, Maramihan: New Philippine Nonfiction on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities” - Rolando B. Tolentino and Chuckberry J. Pascual (Eds.) (Ateneo de Manila University Press) BEST BOOK OF LITERARY CRITICISM/CULTURAL STUDIES “Isang Dalumat ng Panahon” - Christian Jil R. Benitez (Ateneo de Manila University Press) BEST BOOK ON MEDIA STUDIES “Alternative Cinema: The Unchronicled History of Alternative Cinema in the Philippines” - Nick Deocampo (University of the Philippines Press) PHILIPPINE LITERARY ARTS COUNCIL PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN ENGLISH “Coming Home to the Island: Poems” Arlene J. Yandug (Xavier University Press) VICTORIO C. VALLEDOR PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN FILIPINO “Sa Ika-ilang Sirkulo ng Impyerno” Miguel Paolo Celestial (Isang Balangay Media Productions) BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL AND COMICS IN ENGLISH “Death be Damned” - Mike Alcazaren, Noel Pascual, and AJ Bernardo, Authors; AJ Bernardo and Josel Nicolas, Illustrators (Komiket Inc.) BEST GRAPHIC NOVEL AND COMICS IN FILIPINO “Josefina” - Russell L. Molina, Author; Ace C. Enriquez, Illustrator (Adarna House) BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN ENGLISH “It’s A Mens World” - Ken Ishikawa, Translator; Bebang Siy, Author (Isang Balangay Media Productions) BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN FILIPINO “Ilustrado” - Chuckberry J. Pascual, Translator; Miguel Syjuco, Author (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House) BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN HILIGAYNON “Nada” - Alice M. Sun-Cua, Translator; Carmen Laforet, Author (Sto Niño de Cebu Publishing House) BEST TRANSLATED BOOK IN TAUSUG “Sarena’s Story (Suy-Suy ni Sarena): The Loss of a Kingdom (In Paglawa’ sin Hambuuk Sultaniyya)” - Benj Bangahan, Translator; Criselda Yabes, Author (Pawikan Press) BEST BOOK ON DRAMA AND FILM “Huni at Pakpak: Mga Dula, Mga Sanaysay” - Luna Sicat Cleto (University of the Philippines Press)

—“—

The MCC founded the Awards in the early 1980s, which in recent years has been supported by the NBDB and private individuals

The full list of winners: LITERARY DIVISION BEST NOVEL IN ENGLISH “Yñiga: A Novel” - Glenn Diaz (Ateneo de Manila University Press) BEST NOVEL IN FILIPINO “El Arbol de la Alegria: Southern Quartet I” - RM Topacio-Aplaon (Isang Balangay Media Productions) NATIONAL ARTIST CIRILO F. BAUTISTA PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN ENGLISH “Song of the Mango and Other New Myths” - Vida Cruz-Borja (Ateneo de Manila University Press) GERARDO P. CABOCHAN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN FILIPINO “Ang Buang ng Bayan: Mga Maikling Kuwento” - Rowena P. Festin (University of the Philippines Press) PABLO A. TAN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF NONFICTION PROSE IN ENGLISH “Even Ducks Get Liver Cancer and other medical misadventures” - Wilfredo Liangco (Milflores Publishing) “Rodolfo Biazon: Soldier, Solon, Statesman” - Eric Ramos (Milflores Publishing) BEST BOOK OF NONFICTION PROSE IN FILIPINO

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

Fleeing Israel too, Ukrainian Jews seek refuge in Hungary BALATONOSZOD, Hungary – Rabbi Mendel Moscowitz from the northeastern city of Kharkiv never imagined his family would be forced to flee a second war after leaving Ukraine for Israel last year.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the family of five settled close to relatives in southern Israel to start a new life there.

Their peace was disrupted on Oct. 7, when Hamas militants carried out the deadliest ever attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 240 hostages, according to Israeli figures.

Israel’s relentless retaliatory offensive has killed around 18,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the besieged Palestinian territory.

With limited time to decide what to do, Moscowitz and his family rushed to a place that had provided shelter to them before -- a Jewish “rescue village” on the shores of Lake Balaton in Hungary.

“We didn’t want it to be traumatic for the kids after what they went through in Ukraine,” 33-year-old Moscowitz told AFP. In the weeks following the Hamas attack, around 4,000 Ukrainians left Israel,

according to embassy figures.

Safe haven Located in Balatonoszod, 130 kilometers southwest of Budapest, the lakeside Machne Chabad complex used to be a holiday resort for government officials.

In early 2022, the complex was refurbished to accommodate Ukrainian Jews, serving as a safe haven for a once large community that has survived a history of pogroms, the Holocaust and Communistera purges.

It is financed by the small Association of Hungarian Jewish Communities (EMIH), the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine and the government of nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

About 200 people currently live in Machne Chabad. Half of them have fled Ukraine and Israel.

“Every time a war begins, everything becomes shaky -- in your job, your house, your family -- and it’s very hard to find stability,” said Moscowitz, who serves as the camp’s rabbi.

Here, residents have access to childcare, classes, excursions and psychological support.

Three times a day, chef Almos

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HINESE harrasment of Philippine vessels on humanitarian missions in the disputed South China Sea is continuing, with Beijing accusing Washington of encouraging Manila to provoke China for its own purposes.

China has not offered any direct evidence to support its accusation, but observers noted the continuing acrimonious confrontations underline China’s baseless claim to practically the whole of the South China Sea. Washington has said the actions by China’s ships “were dangerous and unlawful” and undermined regional stability, and renewed a vow it would defend Philippine forces if they faced an armed attack.

Britain itself on Monday condemned what it called “unsafe and escalatory tactics deployed by Chinese vessels” against the Philippines last weekend in the South China Sea. “The UK opposes any action which raises tensions, including harassment, unsafe conduct and intimidation tactics which increase the risk of miscalculation and threaten regional peace and stabil-

ity,” the foreign office said in a statement.

“Both China and the Philippines must adhere to the findings of the 2016 Arbitral Award proceedings, which are legally binding on both parties, it added.

—“—

The continuing acrimonious confrontations underline China’s baseless claim to practically the whole of the South China Sea

More than a dozen countries, including the United States, Japan, the European Union, Germany, France, Canada and Australia, have expressed support for the Philippines and concern over the incidents, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said.

Daza, who rejected the Chinese foreign ministry’s claims regarding the incident, said: “The mere fact that they actually followed, shadowed, had dangerous maneuvers, and had challenging [radio] calls—this is not how friends work together.”

Grinding Grains

Honor Blanco Cabie

THE issue of a national language should provide a lesson for scholars who want to have a just and equitable representation of what truly makes up Filipino literature.

One must consider the oral and written materials of the different periods when the country was, sadly, under foreign rulers.

From these, one can have a glimpse of the soul of the inhabitants, later to be called

by Jose Rizal the pride of the Malay race.

Aside from the literature during these periods, there were also materials – in the different genres –in Spanish or in English written in the different regions which should not be confused with the literature native to the region.

There was Philippine literature during the Spanish colonial period, from 1521 to the close of the 19th century, Philippine literature in English during the American era, and then Philippine literature in the aftermath of World War II, the bloody and deadly stretch when the Philippines became one of the staging areas for the Pacific theater, as well as the socalled contemporary period.

Without glossing over the literature during the different periods, we limit ourselves to oral and written – from some of the regions – without unduly suggesting those not mentioned don’t have their own materials.

Up north, in the narrow strip of the Ilocos region, some areas of the Cordilleras and the vast Cagayan Valley as well as some patches in the rice-rich Central Luzon Plains, the ancient Iluko writer expressed his joy and grief in folk and war songs.

He had the dallot, a versified exchange of chunks of wit between a man and a woman; the love song badeng; the kinnantaran, where men and women dance while singing a romantic interlude on stage; and the death

—“—

In the weeks following the Hamas attack, around 4,000 Ukrainians left Israel, according to embassy figures

Ihasz and his kitchen staff -- made up entirely of Ukrainian refugees -- prepare meals according to strict kosher rules.

Nowhere to go “This place is unique because it gives people a sense of security and a break from the tension.

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

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

The chief of the Philippine military, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., was with his forces aboard a supply boat when it was blasted with a water cannon, surrounded and shoved by Chinese coast guard ships last weekend in the |South China Sea. The Armed Forces of the Philippines told Beijing it should “restrain its forces” from committing “provocative acts that will endanger lives” in the West Philippine Sea. Acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. also said China’s action was “offensive and unsafe.”

Using the new direct communication line between the two countries’ foreign ministries for the first time, the Chinese side made the first call, telling Manila that the CCG had no military-grade laser on the ship that was involved in the incident, Daza said.

More than 100 official Chinese and other government-linked ships have swarmed the high seas around the contested Second Thomas Shoal, where a marooned Philippine navy ship that Brawner visited has stood for decades.

“It’s pure aggression,” Brawner said.

“I witnessed how many times the big Chinese coast guard and militia ships cut our path. They water-cannoned us, then bumped us. It’s angering.”

“This really needs a diplomatic solution at the higher level,” he said, adding the armed forces would continue to support frontline troops and protect fishermen.

Lesson for scholars

chant, known as the dung-aw, often in a rhyming pattern unleashed by the elders during a wake and shortly before the body of a loved one is laid to rest.

Like other regions, the Ilocanos themselves have the Iluko version of Cardinal Bellarmine’s Doctrina Cristiana, printed in 1621, 100 years after the arrival of Magallanes in the islands, or 28 years after Doctrina Cristiana – written in Spanish and Tagalog versions, in xylography was published in Manila.

It was also during the 19th centuiry when Antonio Mejia’s Iluko translation of the Lord’s passion was published in 1845, written 224 years earlier which made it, in the view of some analysts like Wenceslao Retana, the first Philippine pasyon.

The Ilocanos also produced during that period the first known Filipino poetess overseas, Leona F. Florentino (1849-1884), whose poems, like Naangawan a Kablaaw (A Light-hearted Birthday Greeting) and

Nalpay a Namnama (Shattered Hope), were among the earliest lyrical and satirical verses in Iluko.

Some of her works were also exhibited in the Exposicion General de Filipinas in Madrid in 1887 and in the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1889.

An unprecedented growth of Iluko literature also blossomed in the last two decades of the 19th century, when Isabelo de los Reyes (1864-1938), Florentino’s son and recognized as the Father of Philippine folklore, founded in 1889 the El Ilocano, the first regional newspaper in the Philippines which published fiction and poetry.

Kurditan Samtoy, the literature of the Ilocanos, continued to flourish during the 20th century, as did the other regions’ own sets of literature.

Iluko novels, which to date ache for translations and wider dissemination, began to emerge in the 20th century, with the publication of such works as Biag Ti Maysa A Lacay Oenno Nacaam-ames A Bales (The Life Of An Old Man Or A Very Frightening Revenge, 1909) by Mariano Gaerlan (18871956).

Regionally popular sarsuelas were also writ during the period, like Neneng, Noble Revalidad (Noble Rivalry) by Mena Pecson Crisologo (1844-1927), and Dagiti Agpaspasucmon Basi (The Basi [sugar cane wine] Retailers) by Pascual Agcaoili Guerrero (1880-1958).

Like some regions, the Ilocos has translated Jose Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios – the first, registered in a 78 rpm recording disc which was disseminated in the 1950s, by Leon C. Pichay, and, the second, by Honor Blanco Cabie, included in the literary anthology Batonsileng (1992).

“We were kept warm and cared for,” said Hana Shatagin, a 29-year-old Ukrainian lawyer.

After six weeks at Machne Chabad with her husband and their baby, she decided the situation has calmed down enough for them to return to Jerusalem.

However some residents, like 73-yearold Zeev Vinogradov from Dnipro, wonder when they might ever be able to leave the lakeside community.

In March 2022, he and his wife fled Ukraine for the Israeli town of Metula, near the northern border with Lebanon.

But the Israeli Defence Forces evacuated the settlement shortly after October 7, saying there was a risk of an attack by Hamas’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

With nowhere else to go, Vinogradov spends his days at Machne Chabad praying and teaching religion to young Ukrainians over the phone.

Once the war in Ukraine is over, he hopes to be able to return to the country where he

left everything behind -- “an apartment, a car, friends, a community.”

Financial struggles The future of the Hungarian rescue village is uncertain.

The EMIH is struggling to keep Machne Chabad’s lights on because financial contributions from some sponsors have tailed off.

“In the last six months, the Ukrainian religious community has not been able to make significant contributions,” EMIH head Rabbi Slomo Koves told AFP. “The attention of the donors was slightly diverted from the situation in Ukraine,” he added, alluding to the war raging in Gaza.

Affiliated to the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, EMIH maintains close ties with Hungary’s Orban, known for his anti-immigration stance.

The Hungarian leader has repeatedly been accused of flirting with anti-Semitism and his government has run poster campaigns targeting Hungary-born Jewish financier George Soros and his son Alex. AFP

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Like other regions, the Ilocanos themselves have the Iluko version of Cardinal Bellarmine’s Doctrina Cristiana

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

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

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UN climate summit runs overtime as fury mounts on fossil fuels DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The world’s climate negotiators on Tuesday haggled beyond a host-imposed deadline for a deal as at-risk nations voiced fury over a proposed compromise that stops short of phasing out fossil fuels.

The Emirati president of the COP28 summit had pressed the nearly 200 nations to reach an ambitious deal by the official end of talks at 11 am (0700 GMT), in an effort to force decisions.

But after another late night, there was no sign that the talks were anywhere near completion, with negotiators waiting for a fresh text after wide criticism of a draft released Monday.

“We have time and we are prepared to stay a little longer,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said.

The team from the Marshall Islands -which lies on average 2.1 metres (seven feet) above sea level and is threatened

with submersion as ice melts -- vowed to stay until the end.

The Pacific archipelago’s negotiator, John Silk, said that his country “did not come here to sign our death warrant”.

Cassie Flynn, global director of climate change at the UN Development Programme, said it was still possible to reach a deal that goes beyond the draft’s “watery” language on fossil fuels.

“Parties are working around the clock,” she said. “Negotiators are scurrying around rooms and on phone calls to try to find the places where they can agree.”

Campaigners had hoped the COP28 summit -- set in a glitzy metropolis built on petrodollars -- would take the historic step of calling for the first time for a global phase-out of fossil fuels, which account for three-quarters of greenhouse gas emissions blamed for the planetary crisis. AFP

COUNTERING WASHINGTON. China’s President Xi Jinping (right) and his wife Peng Liyuan arrive at Noi Bai International airport in Hanoi on Tuesday for his first visit in six years as he seeks to counter the United States’ growing influence with the communist nation. AFP

China’s Xi visits Vietnam to counter US influence

H

ANOI – China’s President Xi Jinping arrived in Vietnam Tuesday for his first visit in six years, as he seeks to counter the United States’ growing influence with the communist nation.

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FRE-MC23-1735 EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY 4118

SPS. RODEL B. ABALAJON AND YVONNE V. ABALAJON, Borrowers/Mortgagors, x-----------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118 filed by BANK OF COMMERCE, as Mortgagee, against SPS. RODEL B. ABALAJON AND YVONNE V. ABALAJON, Borrowers/Mortgagors, with postal addresses at Purok 5 (at the back of Brgy. Hall) 76-A, Davao City, Unit 1402 14th Floor, The Niagara Tower, Acqua Private Residences Coronado Street, Brgy. Hulo, Mandaluyong City and 872 Gallego St., Kalawag 2 Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of October 15, 2023 amounts to TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO PESOS & 83/100 (Php 2,381,532.83) ONLY Philippine Currency, inclusive of accrued interest, penalties and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 4th day of January 2024 at 9:00 o’clock in the morning or soon thereafter but not later than 12:00 o’clock in the afternoon at the main entrance of Mandaluyong City Hall, Maynila Circle, Mandaluyong City, the following condominium unit together with all the improvements existing therein and its appurtenant Parking Slot to wit:

Xi will meet the leader of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, after Hanoi upgraded diplomatic ties with Washington when US President Joe Biden visited in September.

Biden’s visit was part of US efforts around the world to contain China’s rising economic power -- and to secure supplies of crucial materials needed for high-tech manufacturing.

Vietnam has long pursued a “bamboo

diplomacy” approach, striving to stay on good terms with both powers.

It shares US concerns about Beijing’s increasing assertiveness in the contested South China Sea, but it also has close economic ties with China, while both countries have ruling communist parties.

Vietnam and China already share a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, Vietnam’s highest diplomatic status. Hanoi and Washington upgraded their relationship to the same level in September.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the visit would involve discussions on “bringing ChinaVietnam relations to a higher position”.

That could see Xi push for Vietnam to join his “Community of Common Destiny”, a loosely defined phrase that refers to a vision of future cooperation on economic, security and political issues.

In an article published Tuesday in Vietnam’s Nhan Dan newspaper, Xi said that

“Asia’s future is in the hands of no one but Asians”.

Wang said the agenda for Xi’s trip includes “politics, security, practical cooperation, the formation of public opinion, multilateral issues and maritime issues”.

On Tuesday, Chinese and Vietnamese flags lined the route that Xi will travel from the airport into central Hanoi.

Dozens of well-wishers waving Chinese and Vietnamese flags gathered outside the hotel where Xi is expected to stay.

On Wednesday, Xi will hold talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Vo Van Thuong and will lay a wreath at the mausoleum of revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh.

The trip comes with tensions running high between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, after confrontations between the countries’ vessels at flashpoint reefs.

The Philippines said it had summoned

Israel bombs Gaza after warning Hamas

BLAZING BOMBS BESIDE. Israeli military vehicles enter the Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank during a reported raid on Tuesday. AFP

CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. -008-2016003526Registry of Deeds – City of Mandaluyong NIAGARA TOWER FLOOR NUMBER UNIT NUMBER TOTAL UNIT AREA OF “ACQUA PROJECT

: 14 : 1402 : 27.30 SQM

PRIVATE

RESIDENCES”

CONDOMINIUM

in the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE 2011000713 which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT (2,128) Square Meter xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP Parking Slot No. 15

Location Level 5

AREA 12.5 SQM.

“All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.”

‘In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on January 11, 2024 at the same time and place without further notice.”

Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said real property and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Mandaluyong City, Philippines, December 1, 2023.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF

3 ex-soldiers guilty in Japan army sex case FUKUSHIMA, Japan – A court in Japan found on Tuesday three ex-soldiers guilty of sexually assaulting a woman colleague and gave them suspended jail terms, bringing to a close a rare case for a country where victims rarely come forward to speak out against abuse.

The court in Fukushima sentenced Shutaro Shibuya, Akito Sekine and Yusuke Kimezawa to two years in prison, but suspended for four years, for their “forced indecency” on Rina Gonoi during a military drill in 2021.

In a socially conservative country where the #MeToo movement failed to gain much ground, Gonoi, 24, took to YouTube last year to share her account af-

ter an internal military probe was dropped for lack of evidence.

The public attention from the viral video and a petition signed by more than 100,000 people forced the defence ministry to acknowledge the assault and apologise.

This March, prosecutors reversed an earlier decision and charged the three men, who have been dismissed from the military and face two years in prison if convicted.

Gonoi, who was in court on Tuesday for the verdict, told AFP in an interview in February that her decision to go public was “desperate rather than brave”.

She said that after fulfilling a childhood

dream and enlisting in 2020, she experienced daily harassment.

“When walking down the hallway, someone slaps you on your hip, or holds you from behind,” she told AFP. “I was kissed on the cheek, and my breasts were grabbed.”

Then, during a drill in 2021, she says three colleagues pressed her to the ground, forced apart her legs and each repeatedly pressed their crotches against her while others watched and laughed.

Women rarely hold positions in the upper echelons of Japanese politics, business, government and military. The country’s gender pay gap is the worst among advanced economies. AFP

BY: (Sgd.) ARMANDO O. DE LEON II Sheriff iv WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law.

Copy furnished: BANK OF COMMERCE San Miguel Properties Centre, No. 7 St. Francis Street, Mandaluyong City GALLEGO & VILLAMOR LAW OFFICES Suite 15, 2nd Floor, Facilities Centre Building, 548 Shaw Boulevard, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City SPS. RODEL B. ABALAJON AND YVONNE V. ABALAJON Purok 5 (at the back of Brgy. Hall) 76-A, Davao City, Unit 1402 14th Floor, The Niagara Tower, Acqua Private Residences Coronado Street, Brgy. Hulo, Mandaluyong City and 872 Gallego St., Kalawag 2 Isulan, Sultan Kudarat (MStandard – Dec. 6, 13 & 20, 2023)

China’s envoy on Monday and flagged the possibility of expelling him.

Vietnam, along with Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, also have overlapping claims in the South China Sea. China has over the past decade expanded land reclamation in the South China Sea, creating militarised islands, with runways, ports and radar systems.

During Biden’s visit, Vietnam and the United States jointly warned against the “threat or use of force” in the South China Sea. And Vietnam was one of several ASEAN members upset by a new official Chinese map published in September, showing sovereignty over almost the entire resource-rich waterway.

Analysts say that, like Biden in September, Xi may seek closer cooperation on rare earth minerals used in the manufacture of high-tech devices such as smartphones and electric car batteries. AFP

ISRAEL pressed on with its bombing of Gaza on Tuesday after saying its campaign to destroy Hamas has left the Palestinian militant group on the “the verge of dissolution.”

Humanitarian leaders fear the besieged territory will soon be overwhelmed by disease and starvation, and are piling diplomatic pressure on Israel to boost efforts to protect civilians.

Fighting raged on Tuesday, with Hamas saying clashes had taken place in central Gaza and witnesses reporting deadly Israeli strikes in the south of the territory.

Israeli air strikes killed at least 12 people in the southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt, where tens of thousands of people are seeking shelter, official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

Strikes on Monday targeted Gaza’s main southern city of Khan Yunis, now the epicentre of the fighting.

“Hamas is on the verge of dissolution -- the IDF is taking over its last strongholds,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said late Monday.

The war began with Hamas’s October 7 attacks that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures, and saw around 240 hostages taken back to Gaza.

Israel has responded with an offensive that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed at least 18,200 people, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. AFP

Chinese dissident doctor, AIDS whistleblower dies aged 95 WASHINGTON, DC – A dissident doctor who became China’s most outspoken and celebrated AIDS campaigner, spending years under government pressure before finding refuge in the United States, has died at the age of 95, a long-time supporter told AFP. Gao Yaojie, who dedicated her retirement to helping AIDS patients and orphans, passed away in New York City on Sunday, Andrew Nathan, a prominent China expert who managed her affairs in the United States, con-

firmed.

“She had been frail for several years and spent all but a few minutes a day in bed,” he told AFP, but added that her health had been stable and her death was “sudden and unexpected.”

She died at home on International Human Rights Day, said Nathan, who is a political scientist at Columbia University.

Gao moved to New York in 2009 after years of harassment by Chinese officials believed to be nursing grudges

after she exposed a cover-up of the true extent of the AIDS epidemic in central Henan province.

She was among the first doctors to hear about the mysterious disease that was killing villagers in the mid-1990s, and realized huge numbers of poor farmers had contracted AIDS or HIV by selling blood in unsanitary government-approved collection schemes begun a decade earlier.

As the local authorities tried to keep the scandal quiet and refused to give any

help to the villagers, Gao began buying basic medicine and supplies using her pension to help the sick.

Experts estimate at least one million farmers in Henan alone contracted HIV/AIDS in the blood trade.

Gao became one of the most vocal campaigners in publicizing the plight of the AIDS sufferers, and received international recognition for her work, though for years authorities refused to issue her a passport and often put her under surveillance. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

BUSINESS

B3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com

ACEN bares energy transition plan for 246-MW coal plant in Batangas

By Alena Mae S. Flores

A

CEN Corp. announced Tuesday the launch of its Just Energy Transition (JET) Roadmap for the 246-megawatt South Luzon Thermal Energy Corp. (SLTEC) coal-fired power plant in Batangas province at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai.

ACEN said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange the initiative builds on the momentum generated by the company’s Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM), the world’s first and only commercial-based transaction to successfully program the early retirement of a coal-fired power plant.

“While the planned coal to clean

transition for SLTEC is scheduled more than a decade from now, it is never too early to develop a long-term roadmap.

This will ensure that the transition is carried out in a just, thorough and proactive manner,” ACEN chief executive Eric Francia said.

Francia said the company has set six priority areas for the JET implementation, including clean energy replace-

ment; power plant decommissioning; asset repurposing; community transition; worker reskilling and redeployment; and cascading learnings and continuous improvement.

ACEN’s JET Roadmap is being developed in partnership with the Coal Asset Transition Accelerator (CATA)— a global platform empowering coal asset owners, alongside government financiers and local stakeholders, to put in place financial mechanisms that will support the acceleration of the transition away from coal in a just and inclusive way.

CATA’s core partners are Climate Smart Ventures (CSV), Carbon Trust, and Rocky Mountain Institute, and is supported by the European Climate Foundation, Growald Climate Fund and IKEA Foundation.

“With the launch of its Just Energy Transition Roadmap, ACEN has yet again produced a ‘world’s first’ by being the first private power company in Asia to clearly articulate its plans for holistically addressing the future of a coal-fired power plant set for early decommissioning,” Climate Smart Ventures managing partner Lawrence Ang said.

“CSV, and our partners at CATA, are proud to partner with ACEN to champion innovative models for repurposing coal fired power assets and delivering replacement clean energy suited for challenging grid situations common in emerging markets, while ensuring programs are put in place for meaningfully transitioning workers and communities through redeployment, reskilling and upskilling,” he said.

COMMUNITY AWARD. Microchip Philippines country manager Greg Fisher receives the Outstanding Community Project Award on behalf of the company, recognizing 19 years of impactful initiatives. Microchip Philippines’ probe and final test facility in Calamba City is the recipient of the Outstanding Community Project Award presented at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s 28th Annual Investor’s Night in Pasay City on Nov. 22, 2023 by PEZA director-general Tereso Panga.

Stocks rise ahead of US report on inflation, policy meetings

By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE stocks rebounded Tuesday as traders take position ahead of the release of the US November inflation data and the policy meetings of the US Federal Reserve and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 64.10 points, or 1.03 percent, to close at 6,292.39, while the broader all-shares index added 25.81 points, or 0.78 percent, to finish at 3,353.46.

China Bank Capital managing director Juan Paolo Colet said the index surged near the market closing as investors await the release of US inflation data which could offer cues on future rate hike adjustments.

Colet said, however, that many investors were still opting to stay on the sidelines until they digested this week’s key economic events.

Value turnover was thin at P2.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Asian stocks rose Tuesday, following Wall Street’s lead as traders awaited a bumper round of market-moving events, starting with the release of US inflation data later today.

The consumer price index reading comes a day before the US Federal Reserve’s final policy meeting of the year, which will be closely followed by investors hoping for an idea about decision-makers’ plans for interest rates.

A string of data pointing to a slowdown in inflation and a softening of the labor market—but at a pace suggesting the economy will not tip into recession—has seen a surge in bets on the central bank cutting borrowing costs as much as four times in 2024.

“Investors sense they are nearing touchdown on the soft landing economic glide path, positioning for a benign inflation print or at least one that won’t upset the market’s bullish dynamics” ahead of the Fed meeting, said SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes. With AFP

LandBank books P7-b sales from tokenized bonds STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines said it contributed P7 billion in sales of the first tokenized treasury bonds (TTBs) issued by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) in support of the government’s push for a financiallyinclusive domestic capital market.

LandBank was the lead issue manager with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) for the maiden offering of TTBs and brought half of the total issued size of P15 billion.

The TTBs are fixed-income government securities that are stored as digital tokens in the digital wallets of investors.

It is supported by a dual registry structure where the National Registry of Scripless Securities (NRoSS) operates in parallel with a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)-based registry through blockchain technology.

“The tokenized treasury bonds exemplifies a forward-looking approach in promoting accessibility, convenience, efficiency, and transparency towards enhancing the overall investor experience. With the adoption of blockchain technology, we are also ensuring the integrity of transactions while providing investors with an increased level of trust and security,” said LandBank president and chief executive Lynette Ortiz.

The maiden issuance was made available to qualified institutional buyers in minimum denominations of P10 million and increments of P1 million thereafter. These one-year peso-denominated bonds fetched a coupon rate of 6.5 percent per annum, payable every six months until maturity in November 2024.

The tokenization of treasury bonds demonstrates the national government’s vision of democratizing access to government securities by streamlining settlement procedures and minimizing friction costs. Following the successful debut, the BTr is looking to extend tokenized bonds to Filipino retail investors.

LandBank said it remains committed to supporting the national government’s bond offerings, as part of its efforts to promote greater financial inclusion and broader participation in the bond market.

SNAP to build 3 battery energy storage systems

SN ABOITIZ Power Group (SNAP) plans to put up another three battery energy storage system (BESS) projects with a combined capacity of 100 megawatts (MW).

SNAP, a joint venture of Scatec of Norway and Aboitiz Power Corp., is expanding its project pipeline to include complementary technologies such as BESS. “We have three more projects, [with] almost 100 MW between Magat and Benguet that we hope to bring to a final investment decision in 2024,” SNAP president and chief executive Joseph Yu said.

He said the BESS projects are undergoing design and feasibility study.

SNAP broke ground for its 24-MW Magat BESS project co-located in the Magat hydropower complex in Ramon, Isabela last year.

Yu said the Magat BESS was expected to be completed this month.

“We’re just waiting for the COC [certificates of compliance]. Hopefully, the

$800,000 to $1 million per MW, but we’re looking for ways to optimize it and reduce the cost. We have a very good team working on it, and I’m very optimistic that they should be able to come up with something interesting,” Yu said.

SNAP owns and operates the 105-megawatt (MW) Ambuklao and the 140-MW Binga hydroelectric power plants in Benguet; the 388-MW Magat hydroelectric power plant on the borders of Isabela and Ifugao; and the 8.5MW Maris hydroelectric power plant in SNAP president and chief executive Isabela.

Joseph Yu SNAP signed a memorandum of unregulators will cooperate with us and derstanding with the National Irrigation Manila have it ready for the reserve market for Administration (NIA) to conduct a feaStandard Dec. 26,”TODAY he said. sibility study for the Alimit multipurHe said the Magat BESS was esti- pose project in Ifugao province. mated to cost around P1.2 billion to Alena Mae S. Flores construct. “ T h e rule of thumb is

REFORESTATION. Filinvest Land Inc. reaffirms its dedication to environmental stewardship during a tree-planting event focused on replenishing the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve in Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City. The event, held in partnership with Grand Cenia Residences, FLI’s 25-story prime hotel and residential development in Cebu City, saw enthusiastic participation from employee volunteers from FLI and Grand Cenia.

(SGD) ATTY. KENNETH JOEY H. MACEREN Corporate Secretary (MS-DEC. 12 & 13, 2023)

BUSINESS

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

Foreign visitor arrivals in PH exceed 5m, contribute P439b

By Othel V. Campos INTERNATIONAL visitor arrivals in the Philippines reached over 5 million as of Dec. 13 and contributed P439 billion to the Philippine economy, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Tuesday.

DOT Secretary Christina Frasco said in a presentation at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City the agency remains committed to its mandate to improve the tourism sector.

She said more visitors are expected to add to the tally since the holiday season is the peak period for travel. More than 1.4 million airline seats were booked as of November 2023, representing an 80-percent recovery of pre-COVID incoming seat capacity.

Citing the United Nations World Tourism Organization report, Frasco

BOHOL TOURISM. Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco attends the groundbreaking ceremony of JW Marriott Panglao Island Resort & Spa and JW Marriott Residences Panglao Island in Bohol province. Slated for completion in 2027, the landmark developments of AppleOne Group Inc. are poised to attract both local and international visitors, solidifying Bohol’s status as a premier tourism destination.

noted that while the average recovery rate of tourism in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region was at 62 percent from January to September 2023, the Philippines showed a recovery of over 65 percent from January to November.

She said that in terms of visitor receipts, the Philippines also recovered faster than expected.

“As of November, we’re now at over 95 percent of our P458 billion visitor receipts for 2019. This is 267-percent increase compared to the same period last year,” Frasco said.

The DOT also expressed optimism that more jobs would be generated by the influx of foreign visitors. In 2022, the sector generated new employment of over 5.35 million jobs, accounting for 11 percent of overall employment in the country.

LONGEST PH BRIDGE

ADB lends $2.1b for Bataan-Cavite link T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday it approved a $2.1-billion loan for the construction of a 32.15-kilometer climate-resilient bridge connecting Bataan and Cavite provinces across Manila Bay. It said the project aims to decongest Metro Manila, enable greater mobility of labor and goods and enhance economic productivity in Luzon.

The Bataan–Cavite Interlink Bridge (BCIB), a flagship government infrastructure project, will complete

the transport loop around Manila Bay and better link Metro Manila to Central Luzon and nearby provinces.

It is expected to significantly boost economic activity in these areas, which together account for 60 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

“It will unlock the full potential of Bataan and Cavite for trade, manufacturing and industrial output, and boost their tourism.

Once completed, BCIB will offer a platform for reimagining a more vibrant, resilient, and dynamic greater Manila Bay area,” said Morris.

“This project will transform the economic BCIB represents the landscape of central Luzon,” said ADB vice- latest installment in ADB’s broader president for East and Southeast Asia and the agenda of supporting stronger urban Pacific Scott Morris. and regional transport networks in and

SPNEC buys 100% of Prime Infra’s shares in Terra Solar PH for P6b

By Alena Mae S. Flores and Jenniffer B. Austria SP NEW Energy Corp. (SPNEC) said Tuesday it acquired 100 percent of the shares of Prime Infrastructure Inc. in Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (TSPI) for P6 billion.

SPNEC said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange it executed a deed of absolute sale to acquire the shares from Prime Infra. “Together with SPNEC’s shares in TSPI acquired from Solar Philippines, SPNEC is now the owner of 100 percent of TSPI,” it said.

TSPI was established in 2020 as a 50-50 joint venture between SPNEC parent Solar Philippines and Prime Infra to develop a 3.5-gigawatt solar and 4-gigawatt-hour battery storage project, seen as the world’s largest solar project.

SPNEC said the planned solar farm would be larger than India’s Bhadla

Toyota PH hikes capital for local Tamaraw output TOYOTA Motor Philippines (TMP) said it is infusing another P1 billion to fabricate the new-generation Tamaraw in the country.

TMP chairman Alfred Ty said Tuesday the additional investments would bring the company’s total capitalization for the Tamaraw production in the Philippines to P5.4 billion.

“We will launch in third quarter next year. The Tamaraw will not just a base model, it can be a passenger carrier, cargo mover or a truck. It’s very flexible since it will be much bigger than the previous Tamaraw model,” he said.

The additional investments will go to body conversion, whether intended as a public passenger or commercial vehicle.

The Tamaraw concept rides on the IMV 0 platform—a versatile chassis concept that can adapt to the needs of the users.

TMP said it would increase the capacity of its manufacturing plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to accommodate the volume for the new Tamaraw.

Ty said the company would ramp up the production of the Tamaraw to serve the needs for logistics of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Othel V. Campos

Solar Park and China’s Golmud Solar Park, the world’s largest solar farms at over 2.2 GW. SPNEC said this would also exceed the capacity of all gridconnected solar projects operating in the Philippines combined at over 1.5 GW based on the Department of Energy’s latest figures.

SPNEC made the announcement to acquire 100 percent of Terra Solar after the PSE lifted the suspension on the trading of the shares of SPNEC on Dec. 1, 2023 after the firm reported that its public float was raised to 20.02 percent to meet the minimum public ownership requirement of 20 percent.

The public now owns 6.88 billion SPNEC shares with non-public shares amounting to 27.49 billion shares.

Substantial shareholders are Leandro Leviste’s Solar Philippines Power Project Holdings Inc. (69.79 percent) and Metro Pacific Investments Corp.

(4.65 percent).

Ayala signs P5b worth of green financing facility

By Jenniffer B. Austria

SPECIAL RECOGNITION. A contingent of Philippine businessmen and diplomats present a special recognition to Emirati Abdul Razagh ‘Abu Nader’ Mohammadi (center), a beloved figure in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) especially among the Filipino community whom he has treated as his own countrymen. Fondly called by many as Abu Nader, he is the Emirates International Holdings Group LLC’s chief executive and owner of Dubai’s world-renowned Philippine Supermarket. More than 300,000 Filipinos experienced his benevolence, generous charity and fatherly support. With him are (from left) Nasser Mohammadi, Ambassador Alfonso Ver, Special Envoy Norman Vincent Wee and Naji Mohammadi.

DOTr eyes completion of north-south railway by 2027 THE Department of Transportation (DOTr) said Tuesday it is on track to completing the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) project by 2027.

Secretary Jaime Bautista said the government is expediting the NSCR project to meet commuter demands.

The agency reported that the right-ofway (ROW) of four out of six stations (Apalit, Angeles, Clark and Clark International Airport in Pampanga)

around greater Manila.

This includes projects like the South Commuter Railway, Malolos Clark Railway, and two others currently being prepared for financing—the Metro Manila Rail Transit Line 4 and the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network.

“These projects will expand and transform the transport network in the metropolis, improve regional connectivity, and offer Filipinos access to more job opportunities,” Morris said.

The ADB said it would finance the BCIB project under a multi-tranche financing facility, with the first tranche amounting to $650 million.

was handed over to the contractor at 100 percent, while about 76 percent of ROW was handed over for the Malolos to Clark segment.

DOTr Undersecretary for railways and Philippine National Railways (PNR) general manager Jeremy Regino said the progress of the construction of the NSCR remained on schedule, especially the Tutuban-Malolos (N1) segment and Malolos-Clark (N2) segment.

The NSCR is expected to begin

partial operations from West Valenzuela to Malolos by the second quarter of 2027, while full operation would start by the third quarter of 2029.

A flagship project under the Build Better More Program, the NSCR is a mega railway network spanning 148 kilometers, with 37 stations and 464 train cars and encompassing three segments—the PNR Clark Phase 1 (Tutuban-Malolos), PNR Clark Phase 2 (Malolos-Clark) and PNR Calamba (Solis-Calamba). Darwin G. Amojelar

CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. said Tuesday it signed a P5-billion sustainability-linked credit facilities with Japan’s MUFG Bank Ltd. (MUFG) and Sun Life Philippines.

Ayala said in a statement the deal would help finance the group’s general corporate requirements and investments in sustainability-related projects.

Ayala chief sustainability and risk officer Jaime Urquijo and AC chief finance officer Alberto de Larrazabal said the sustainability deal, a pioneering transaction, would enable Ayala achieve its target of net zero gas emissions by 2050.

“As AC celebrates its 190th year of existence, our children’s children will look back at this day and say that we pioneered a credit facility that will support environmentally and socially sustainable economic activity and growth,” he said.

The sustainability linked-credit facilities are aligned with the sustainability goals of MUFG, Japan’s largest bank, and Sun Life Philippines, the country’s first and longest-standing life insurer.

They are also in line with Ayala Group’s value creation framework that is anchored on its commitment to sustainability.

“MUFG’s role as the sole sustainability coordinator for this transaction underpins AC’s trust in our established sustainability-related projects. We are honored to have cultivated a long working relationship with AC over the years. AC has been very forward thinking in their sustainability journey and we are grateful to be partnering them on this milestone,” MUFG Asia Pacific head of ESG finance Colin Chen said.

Cebu Pacific starts 8-day Christmas seat sale to attract more passengers

By Darwin G. Amojelar

JOB FAIR. Cebu Pacific hosts a job fair at Robinsons Galleria Cebu in partnership with government agencies and a non-governmental organization (NGO) to help provide opportunities for aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFW) during the Christmas season. The event aimed to meet the employment demands of Filipinos in sectors like healthcare, accountancy, hospitality and skilled trades, offering over 4,000 job openings in the Middle East, United Arab Emirates, Japan and Australia

CEBU Pacific said Tuesday it rolled out its eight-day Christmas seat sale to attract more passengers to travel.

The airline unit of the Gokongwei Group said passengers may book flights to domestic and international destinations on sale for as low as P88 in one-way base fare exclusive of fees and surcharges from Dec. 11 to 18.

It said the travel period is from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30, 2024, perfect for travelers who wish to plan and score value-formoney fares in the gift-giving season.

Cebu Pacific said that with its low

fares made more affordable, guests can experience the picturesque beaches of Davao and Zamboanga, feast on the local delicacies of Cebu and Bacolod and experience boating at the underground river of Puerto Princesa.

It said with the airline’s growing international network, guests can also go on a shopping spree in Hong Kong and Singapore, immerse their creative sprits in the art hubs of Macau and Taipei, enjoy museum-hopping in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and marvel at the majestic sights in Bangkok and Da Nang through Cebu Pacific’s direct flights from Manila, Cebu and Clark.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

1 in 5 players at Women’s ‘23 World Cup suffer online abuse

Jiu-jitsu champion Annie Ramirez (third from left) receives incentives worth P1 million from the Philippine Olympic Committee for winning a gold medal in the recent Hangzhou Asian Games. Among the POC officials, who were around were Richard Gomez, POC president Abraham Tolentino, Cynthia Carrion, Pearl Managuelod, Dr. Raul Canlas and Atty. Wharton Chan.

PH jiu-jitsu gold medalist to put up coffee shop using Asiad incentives

By Peter Atencio

A

SIAN Games gold medallist Annie Ramirez is getting ready to start her own business with the incentives that she has received from both the government and the private sector.

received bonuses reaching P10.6 million from the POC, with the its president and Tagaytay City Mayor Abraham Tolentino handing out checks meant for 40 athletes.

Earlier, athletes who brought home medals in the Hangzhou Asian Games got around receive around P41.9 million worth of incentives from the government.

Aside from Ramirez, Meggie Ochoa also reigned supreme in jiu-jitsu, and got big incentives with the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball and pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena for winning the gold medal.

“Sinadya naming na ibigay sa December para may pamasko ang mga bata,” said Tolentino when he handed out cash checks meant for four golds, two silvers

and 12 bronzes what were won in the recent Asiad.

Ochoa and Obiena also got P1 million from the POC, while members of Gilas, who were not around, were allocated a total of P2.4 million for the 12 players.

Silver medallists Arnel Mandal of wushu and boxer Eumir Marcial got P500,000 apiece.

Twelve bronze medallists, led by tennis star Alex Eala, got P300,000.

Among the bronze medalists were Patrick King Perez of taekwondo, Jones Inso, Gideon Padua and Clemente Tabugara Jr. of wushu, Eala and Francis Alcantara of tennis was also feted Patrick Coo of cycling, Elreen Ando of weightlifting, Kaila Napolis of jiu-jitsu, Sakura Alforte of karate, and the men’s sepak takraw team.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland—One in five players at this year’s Women’s World Cup were targeted by online abuse, according to a study released Monday by FIFA and the FIFPRO global players body.

The findings emerged from analysis of 5.1million posts and comments relating to 697 players and coaches taking part in the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Football’s world governing body FIFA said in a statement 152 players received targeted “discriminatory, abusive or threatening messaging.”

Nearly 50% of the verified online abuse was homophobic, sexual or sexist in nature.

The analysis also found players at the Women’s World Cup were 29% more likely to receive abuse compared to male players at last year’s World Cup in Qatar.

The findings came from analysis of data produced by FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which screened millions of posts for abusive content using artificial intelligence software, Players were given the option of opting into the SMPS, and under the system, abusive messages -- totalling 116,820 -- were hidden from intended recipients.

The SMPS data showed that the United States women’s team -- who have routinely been targeted for online abuse over the years -- were subjected to most abuse during the tournament.

FIFA said two players -- one from the United States, and one from Argentina, whose identities were not revealed -- were targeted above all.

Colombian player Leicy Santos was quoted in the report saying the abuse was harmful to mental health.

“If there is one thing that footballers suffer from the most, apart from losing, it is all the abusive comments – the taunts, the insults,” Santos said. AFP

The 33-year-old Ramirez, who won her first Asian Games` gold medal after ruling the women’s -57kg. in women’s jiujitsu, has received more than enough to start her own coffee shop.

“I’m busy with other things right. I’m focused on putting up a coffee shop,” said the Ramirez, after she got a P1-million check from the Philippine Olympic Committee during Tuesday’s General Assembly at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant

in Paranaque City.

So far, the construction of Ramirez’s coffee shop is already under way and will be finished sometime next year in the San Marcelino are in Manila.

By January, Ramirez said she will begin preparations for other meets, which include the Asian championships, the world meet and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.

Eighteen medallists in the recent Asiad

Feisty Brooks ready for new challenges

National athletes on spotlight at Pinoy Strong 100

IT hasn’t even been made official yet, but ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks is already taking shots at his prospective next challenge, Joshua “The Passion” Pacio.

There are a lot of talks about a potential rematch between Brooks and Pacio, and the American is wasting no time in trying to get into his opponent’s head entering that meeting.

Pacio beat #5-ranked Mansur Malachiev in his return to The Home of Martial Arts last October, setting up a potential rematch against “The Monkey God” but Brooks is far from impressed.

“I thought that it was a really boring fight. It was like striker versus wrestler, you know what I’m saying?” the divisional kingpin offered.

“Which Mansur did hit him with a spinning back fist in and half of a spinning back kick. But I mean, if you look at Mansur’s fights, he’s like a three trick pony. You know, there’s a shot, it’s a jab, or it’s a spinning attack.”

He did credit the #1-ranked contender for having answers to the Russian’s wrestling, but ultimately, that fight wasn’t his cup of tea as he believes that Malachiev didn’t really offer much to Pacio outside of his bread and butter on the canvas.

Compare that to how he performed against the Filipino, where he gamely engaged Pacio in the striking department, then one would get where Brooks is coming from.

“I mean, Pacio was very hard to get past his guard and break his guard.

He’s super flexible with his hips, but besides that, I thought it was kind of a boring fight,” he said.

“I’m not going to sit there and say that [Pacio’s] bad or anything. I just thought that it was a boring fight. But yeah, I think that me and Pacio are way better dance partners compared to Mansur and Pacio.”

Shown here are (from left) Allan Majadillas, Mark Striegl, and Christine Majadillas.

THE spotlight will focus on national athletes when the Department of Tourism-backed Pinoy Strong 100 goes full blast next year.

The sports reality TV show, hosted by celebrity Mixed Martial Arts fighter Mark Striegl, aims to determine the strongest Filipino from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, or social status.

“Pinoy Strong 100 is not just about showcasing physical strength. It also aims to highlight the cultural heritage and the best of the Philippines’ islands and destinations,” said co-producer Allan Majadillas of One-Of-AKind Asia, on Tuesday during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum at the VIP Lounge of the Rizal Memorial Sports Coliseum in Manila.

The first selection event was held over the weekend at the Skyranch in Tagaytay City in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee, featuring national athletes from various National Sports Associations.

Athletes from the Philippine Canoe Kayak Federation (PCKDF) emerged as the top finishers in the tryout with Jobert Penaranda and Ojay Fuentes making it a 1-2 finish for the national paddlers while Mylene Ma-

tias of Kurash came in at third and placing fourth was Roger Kenneth Masbate, also from PCKDF. Sixty aspirants from judo, obstacle sports, taekwondo, muay thai, kurash, wrestling and canoe-kayak-dragon boat went through various challenges, including burpees, dumbbell thrusters, medicine ball throws, and pull-ups in the selection held in coordination with the Philippine Olympic Committee.

“We will have challenges to determine the strongest of them all. We will squeeze the physical and mental toughness out of the participants,” said Striegl in the weekly forum supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Pagcor, San Miguel Corporation, and Milo.

The succeeding selections, which will be opened to the public, will be held in Cebu and at BGC in Taguig in January to complete the 100 participants in the one-of-akind reality TV show.

The top 100 qualifiers will be brought to different tourism destinations to undergo challenges to determine the strongest Filipino, or Filipina, for the show’s first season.

Japanese repel Altas, earn shot at bronze MARUICHI Hyogo finalthird frame, 20-13, after Games on Friday ly broke through, fending a Hinata Kuroda block on (Filoil EcoOil Centre, San Juan) off Kinto Tyres-Perpetual Sean Codeniera. But Jef3:30 p.m. – Maruichi Hyogo vs Letran in three tight sets to hack ferson Marapoc sparked a 5:30 p.m. – Cignal vs National U out a 29-27, 25-20, 25-22 Perpetual comeback, leadvictory and qualify for the ing a 5-1 rally to pull the bronze medal match in the Spikers’ Turf In- team to within, 20-23. vitational Conference at the Philsports AreBut Kawagoe and Kyosuke Kashimoto na in Pasig Tuesday. negated the Altas’ last two points to pound Yuji Kawagoue put up another superb out the victory for a 1-3 record. all-around performance—but came away “They are trying to hit attacks against high with the elusive win this time. He tallied a and tall blockers so I could see that the mengame-high 24 points and finished with 17 tality against stronger teams is getting better,” excellent receptions and eight digs to lead added Kunichika. the visiting squad’s triumph in one hour Kuroda backstopped Kawagoe with 16 points and 24 minutes. while Kashimoto chipped in 15 markers.

“Finally, we could play our system. We had Kyosuke Maruyama tossed 24 excellent sets a lot of meetings and we discussed a lot so we and Ren Kwamatu posted 12 excellent digs. could see and know our system,” said Kota KuPerpetual ended up without a win in the nichika, head coach of Maruichi Hyogo, which five-team round robin semis. Marapoc led yielded shutout losses to Cignal and National U the Altas with 19 points on 15 attacks, three and lost in four to Letran. blocks and an ace.

The Japanese pulled away midway in the Kobe Tabuga added 17 points while top spiker

Yuji Kawagoe of Maruichi Hyogo (center) celebrates after scoring a point.

Louie Ramirez was held to just two markers.

The Japanese will mix it up with the Saints Spikers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday for third place honors before the 5:30 p.m. one-game title faceoff between Cignal and National U.

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SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13 , 2023

Meralco Bolts confident in rematch with Golden Kings

The CEU Lady Scorpions are shown after their title romp in the WNCAA.

CEU Lady Scorpions bag 11th consecutive WNCAA cage title T

HE Mendiola-based Centro Escolar University Lady Scorpions achieved a remarkable feat by winning their 11th straight championship title at the Women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 54 basketball finals held at Chiang Kai Shek College Main Campus.

The team secured the championship in the senior category by defeating San

Beda College-Alabang, 68-45, in the championship game.

The tournament started last September 30 and concluded last December 10.

Along with CEU and San Beda College Alabang, other participating schools in the senior division were University Of Asia & The Pacific, Philippine Women’s University and

Miriam College.

The WNCAA, established in 1970, is a Philippine athletic association dedicated exclusively to women.

Aside from basketball, the league also features volleyball, futsal, chess, badminton, swimming, taekwondo, poomsae, table tennis, tennis, cheerleading, street dance, and cheer dance.

Mongolian teams sweep 1st NBA 3X PH tourney THE National Basketball Association Philippines (NBA) delivered Filipino fans with an action-packed NBA 3X Philippines Invitational at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City from Dec. 9-10. Graced

by NBA Champion Richard “Rip” Hamilton, the event treated fans with elite basketball competition, which featured outstanding local and international talents.

World-class Competition The 11th edition of NBA 3X Philippines featured a total of 16 men’s and women’s teams, comprising participants from Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand that engaged in an afternoon of intense 3-on-3 action. The NBA 3X Philippines Invitational culminated with the Mongolian teams emerging victorious from the field with the Ulaanbaatar representatives winning both the men’s and women’s divisions.

Team Ulaanbaatar Energy edged out Team MCFASolver Tech Centrale from the Philippines, 21-18, in a highly competitive men’s finals.

Ulaanbaatar Energy’s Temuulen Chingis applauded the energy of the Filipino fans in attendance at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. “Three days ago, my brother told me Filipino fans are crazy. When he told me that, I didn’t believe it, but when I got here, I believed it. The energy and support we’ve received is crazy,” shared Chingis.

On the women’s side, Team Ulaanbaatar Amazons

Former NBA Champion Rip Hamilton and NBA 3X Philippines Invitational Tournament Director Natália André congratulate Ulaanbatar teams for winning the men’s and women’s division, respectively

defeated Team Sakura Funabashi from Japan, 16-6, in their finals.

“It was wonderful because it is my first time being in the Philippines, I really like it here. On top of being the champion of the first NBA 3X [Philippines] Invitational, it was a special weekend. The people supporting and watching were really nice, too,” said Ulaanbaatar Amazons’ Khulan Onolbataar.

Hamilton applauded the high level of competition and fan support at the event. “What I realized is, the basketball being played here is very physical, and that kind of reminds me of my time playing with the Pistons. On behalf of myself and the NBA, I’m happy to be here. The league is not built on the players, it’s built on the fans. And a lot of that is because of you

all,” shared Hamilton.

Full-court Fun The NBA 3X Philippines Invitational weekend was filled with various basketball programming such as the celebrity 5-on-5 tournament, Jr. NBA Philippines alumni exhibition game, on-court activities from Cignal, Energen Champion, Gatorade and vivo, and the return of the NBA Iconic Shots Challenge, an immersive basketball experience for fans.

At the Celebrity Division, Team TITANS, which featured Philippine women’s national basketball team athletes Chack Cabinbin and Janine Pontejos, earned a 55-47 victory against Team Lakers, which consisted of TV personalities Migs Bustos and Martin Javier.

NBA gives ‘The Gift of Game’ in new Christmas Day campaign THE NBA on Tuesday debuted its Christmas Day brand campaign, “The Gift of Game” which celebrates the timeless tradition and captures the magic of holiday hoops. “The Gift of Game” is now streaming across all @NBA platforms and on the NBA App. ‘Twas the night before NBA on Christmas Day when all through the house, a family of fans would soon discover many players stirring and running about.

Because beneath the stockings hung by the chimney with care, a basketball game had begun, and St. Nick (in his Nike Kobe 6 Reverse Grinches) had indeed been there.

Our family was nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of three pointers danced in their heads, When down the stairs arose such fanfare and clatter, they sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.

What to their wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature hoop and ten toys in NBA gear.

With a tomahawk dunk so spectacular with another assist. and insane they knew in a moment it must They whistled and shouted at Joel’s celbe King James. ebration, and Giannis, Luka and Joker’s Tatum hit a three with the flick of his toy recreations wrist, and Jalen Brunson brought his gift When the game had concluded they re-

turned to their boxes out of sight, Exclaiming Merry Christmas to all, and from Steph Curry “night, night!”

In additional vignettes, the family looks on with joy as Curry challenges Jokić to a game of Ho-Ho-Horse, which Jokić takes a little too literally. Meanwhile, Luka and KD compare kicks, sizing up the Nike KD16 Ms. Wanda and the Jordan Brand Luka 2 ‘Field Trip’, only to discover they’ve been outdone

by Grandpa, wearing the Nike Kobe 6 Protro ‘Reverse Grinch’, secured before its public release on Dec. 15.

The cast of toys includes NBA action figures of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Jalen Brunson, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, LeBron James, Nikola Jokić and Jayson Tatum.

The new campaign was produced in collaboration with Translation, directed

by Dave Scanlon, with live-action and animation by Passion Pictures.

MACAU - Buoyed by a high-scoring import and a complete roster, Meralco is teeming with confidence going to its rematch with Ryukyu Golden Kings in the EASL Home and Away season on Wednesday night in Macau.

With Allein Maliksi and Chris Banchero back in harness and Zach Lofton now playing comfortably within coach Luigi Trillo’s system, the Bolts are looking forward to give the defending B. League champions a good run for their money in the 7 p.m. encounter at the Studio City.

Meralco failed to sustain a good start and lost, 89-61, in its first meeting with Ryukyu in Okinawa, Japan three weeks ago where the team paraded just a single import in Prince Ibeh.

But the team is currently on a high as it is on a three-game winning run in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, highlighted by a 125-99 rout of Northport on the eve of the team’s departure for Macau in which Lofton exploded for 54 big points.

“He got 54 (tonight) and I think it’s a good thing for him because we have a game on Wednesday. So we’re flying to Macau and we’ll face Ryukyu,” said Trillo. “First game with Prince (Ibeh), we played with one import.

Now at least we have two. And we’re happy with this.”

Ryukyu currently occupies second place in Group B with a 2-1 record behind the undefeated New Taipei Kings (2-0).

Meralco is at the cellar with a 0-2 slate, with Seoul SK Knights barely ahead at third place at 1-2.

But the Bolts like their chances against the Kings this time, especially playing with the benefit of a complete roster.

“We need him, he’s one of our go to guys,” said Trillo of Maliksi, who just recovered from a three-week nasal fracture. ”Having him, having CB (Chris Banchero), and having more of a complete team is good for us.

“We still need something to improve, but overall we’re within striking distance from the Top 2.”

Lofton and Banchero suited up in Meralco’s last game against Jeremy Lin and the New Taipei Kings, but lost a close one, 97-92.

2023 PNG, Batang Pinoy, get boost from private sectors THE Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) is making an unprecedented collaboration with esteemed private partners to further boost the simultaneous staging of the 2023 Batang Pinoy (BP) and Philippine National Games (PNG), which opens on December 17.

In a groundbreaking move, the PSC has joined forces with staple partners Milo Philippines and Otsuka Solar-Pocari Sweat, together with the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), PLDT and Smart Communications, Grab, Chooks To Go, and Shakey’s Philippines to bring forth an exceptional edition of PSC’s premier grassroots sports development programs.

“This collaboration is a testament to our commitment in nurturing the next generation of athletes. With the combined efforts of the PSC and our esteemed private partners, we are confident that the games will leave a lasting legacy, inspiring athletes and fans alike,” said PSC Chairman Richard Bachmann.

“As a former athlete, I am delighted with the overwhelming support from our private sectors in helping us elevate the playing field of our future national stars,” he added.

Sponsorship assistance has been received by the PSC from these multiple partners for this year’s hosting, which will feature 25 sports disciplines and participated by nearly 18,000 athletes combined.

The collaboration is expected to enhance the scale and scope of the tournament, and will also introduce innovative elements to engage audiences and delegates alike.

The PSC also expressed its thanks to the De La Salle University, DragonSmash Makati, SM Mall of Asia, Ayala Malls, and the PNVF Sand Courts for lending their facilities to serve as competition venues of futsal, badminton, dancesport, arnis, pencak silat and table tennis, and beach volleyball, respectively.

C3

SHOWBIZ

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com NICKIE WANG, Editor ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

Alden Richards leads digital series featuring touching OFW holiday tales

By Nickie Wang

G

MA Public Affairs and YouTube team up again for the heartwarming second season of Pinoy Christmas in Our Hearts, a digital series starring Alden Richards, Beks Battalion, and Michelle Dee. This heartwarming series Battalion, aims to bring joy and festive cheer to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) by celebrating uniquely Filipino Christmas traditions.

Alden Richards headlines a digital series that celebrates uniquely Filipino traditions

Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Marquez Dee

Michelle Dee will bring a smile to a young boy’s face with a simple yet meaningful gift. Sire Garcia, a teenager with a passion for Science and Robotics inherited from his OFW father Jervin, was heartbroken when Jervin had to return to Saudi Arabia earlier than expected. To make up for his absence, Michelle will take Sire and his siblings on an adventure-filled day, transforming an early Christmas present into a memory they’ll cherish forever.

Relive the warmth and spirit of Christmas with Pinoy Christmas in Our Hearts Year 2 on GMA Public Affairs’ official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/gmapublicaffairs) starting Dec. 13.

Alden Richards is set to make one lucky fan’s holiday season unforgettable. Abigail Gallosa, an OFW in Hong Kong for five years, has sacrificed being with her family in Cebu to support them.

As her contract nears its end, she’ll finally get to reunite with them for Christmas. Abigail will also get a surprise “holidate” with Alden himself in the Christmas Capital of the Philippines, Pampanga. Together, they’ll experience the magic of creating traditional fish lanterns and listening to the ethereal voices of a parish choir singing Pastorela.

Beks Battalion will be spreading holiday cheer to a hardworking Pinay in Siargao. Mariel Larsen, a fruit-picker and vlogger, has been spending Christmases away from her parents for six years, working hard on Australian farms alongside her family. This year, Mariel has a surprise for her loved ones – a Christmas flight back to Siargao!

But that’s not all, Beks Battalion will join them in building a giant Belen in Tarlac for the annual Belenismo event, adding to the festive magic.

ABS-CBN receives inaugural Asian Academy of Creative Arts Legacy award

“In 2020, ABS-CBN’s government license was not renewed and was forced off-air, that’s where their story could’ve ended but it didn’t. They pivoted, forged partnerships, and became a major content producer,” said Clement Schwebig, the 2023 Asian Academy Creative Awards Chairman and ABS-CBN, the leading content President and Managing Director provider in the country, was given of Warner Bros. Discovery for the first-ever Asian Academy of India, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Creative Arts Legacy Award at the Hong Kong and Korea, during Asian Academy Creative Awards the presentation of ABS-CBN’s (AAA) Gala 2023 held at Chimes, award.

Singapore on Dec. 7.

Watch the delayed telecast Head of ABS-CBN International of the Asian Academy Creative Productions Ruel S. Bayani Awards (AAA) Gala 2023 on received the award on behalf of the iWantTFC, Kapamilya Channel, company and thanked the men and and Kapamilya Online Live women of ABS-CBN, local and on Sunday (December 10) as international partners, advertisers, Sunday’s Best. and Kapamilyas all over the world.

The Asian Academy Creative “Our story is far from over.

Awards, which is organized by the We shall continue to champion Asian Academy of Creative Arts, Filipino talent on the global stage ABS-CBN International Productions Head Ruel S. Bayani accepts the prestigious award honors excellence across multiple and mentor the next generations of platforms including television, year history as a company is our shared character. global storytellers. ABS-CBN as an organization They say that character is destiny and hopefully, feature films, digital, mobile, streaming, and has survived the most seemingly insurmountable this same character will be ABS-CBN’s enduring other technologies in the entire Asia Pacific obstacles and challenges. At the heart of its 70- legacy,” Bayani stated. region.

25 student filmmakers named Puregold CinePanalo grant recipients The short film category of the Puregold CinePanalo is primed to entice and inspire young creatives nationwide to push their craft.

For one, the P100,000 grant is expected to go a long way in funding their filmmaking projects. For P u r e g o l d ’s Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival serves as the platform for first CinePanalo young filmmakers to pursue their passion for filmmaking festival, the chosen film grant recipients HOLIDAY cheers came right will have their shorts screened at on time for twenty-five gifted Gateway Cinema in March 2024. student filmmakers when Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival named them The shorts will also be uploaded as the official recipients of film grants to Puregold’s official social media channels on YouTube and TikTok. worth P100,000 each.

“Puregold CinePanalo will be a The select student filmmakers— celebration of all things hopeful and coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—turned in the most inspiring about Filipino culture,” promising short film projects out of Piedad said. “This is why we’re 245 entries submitted to Puregold’s proud to uplift the work of these new, bright voices in Philippine cinema. By very first CinePanalo Film Festival.

“The film grants will help investing in the Filipino youth, we’re tremendously with the production also investing in their development as costs of their ventures as they pursue the soon-to-be defining artists of our their passion for filmmaking,” said time.”

The films showcased by the Vincent Co, President of Puregold winning student directors are as Price Club Inc., enthused. “We follows: certainly hope that they are as thrilled Jenievive B. Adame from STI as we are by the good news.”

College Cubao presented Smokey The selection committee for the Journey, while Ma. Rafaela Mae short film category includes awardwinning director Lemuel Lorca; film Abucejo of the Polytechnic University critic and columnist Tito Valiente; of the Philippines directed Saan Ako Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Pinaglihi?, Alexa Moneii Agaloos, Ivy Piedad; and Puregold CinePanalo also from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, contributed Ka Benjie, festival director Chris Cahilig.

and Kent Michael Cadungog from the University of the Philippines offered Text FIND DAD and Send to 2366.

Other notable entries include Repeater si Peter by John Pistol L. Carmen from Bicol University, Hallway Scholar by Chrisha Eseo Cataag from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo, and Lola, Lola, Paano ba ‘Yan? by Patricia W. Dalluay from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

The diverse collection of films also includes Kang Pagpuli Ko by Joanah Pearl Demonteverde (University of the Philippines – Visayas), I Am Mutya And I Thank You! by Joshua Andrey A. Doce (Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology), and Sa Hindi Paghahangad by Neil M. Espino from De La Salle Lipa.

Terrence Gale Fernandez from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines contributed Kaibigan ko si Batman, while Daniel Gil from Ateneo de Davao University directed Distansya, and Alexandra Lapid from Mapúa University presented Queng Apag.

Other noteworthy films include Tiil ni Lola by Reutsche Colle Rigurosa Lima (University of San Carlos), Kung Nag-aatubili by Dizelle C. Masilungan (University of Santo Tomas), and Lutong Bahay

by Jose Mikyl Medina (De La Salle University).

The list continues with Last Shift

by Ronjay-C Mendiola (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Paano po gumawa ng collage college? by Mark Terence Molave (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), and Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess by Jhunel Ruth A. Monterde (De La Salle College of Saint Benilde).

Completing the impressive lineup are Naduea Eoman Si Brownie

(Brownie’s Lost Again!) by Doxford D. Perlas (University of the Philippines – Visayas), Layag sa Pangarap

by Andrea S. Ponce (Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa), Dzai Dzai Dzai Delilah by Edz Haniel Teñido Purificacion (Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna), Sabaw nga Tambal by John Wilbert Llever Sucaldito (Far Eastern University), and Abandoned Lullabies by Tyrone Lean J. Taotao (Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Sta. Mesa). Lastly, Marian Jayce R. Tiongzon from the University of the Philippines – Visayas presented May Kulay Rosas Ba Sa Bahaghari?

The selected winners can now begin the production phase of creating their shorts. The final products can be watched by the public alongside selected feature film projects at the first ever Puregold CinePanalo. It is sure to be a historic event for both the present and future of the local film industry.

Comedic trio (from left) MC Muah, Chad Kinis, and Lassy

BTS’ Jimin, Jungkook start mandatory military enlistment THE last two members of K-pop superstars BTS to enlist for mandatory military service, Jimin and Jung Kook, were set to begin their training, South Korean media reported, resulting in the entire megagroup being on hiatus.

After a years-long debate about whether BTS deserved a rare exemption, Jin, the oldest member of the group, enlisted last year, with the remaining members following suit in 2023.

The BTS septet has become a global cultural phenomenon, selling out stadiums around the world and dominating key US charts while raking in billions for South Korea’s economy and building an international legion of fans known as ARMY. BTS members J-Hope and SUGA enlisted earlier this year. Two more members, RM and V, enlisted on Monday.

Earlier this year, the chairman of the BTS’s agency, Bang Si-hyuk, said that making the band do military service was slowing down the global growth of K-pop.

South Korea offers exemptions from military service to some individuals, including Olympic medal-winning athletes and some classical musicians, but K-pop stars are not eligible under the existing program.

And in an intensely competitive industry where artists can be easily replaced, some male K-pop stars have faced challenges in resuming their careers after fulfilling their duties.

BTS’s agency HYBE announced in September that all seven members of the group had renewed their contracts, without giving further details.

The announcement implies that all seven members are likely to stay with the agency after completing their military service. AFP BTS Jungkook (left) and Jimin are the last two members of the group to enter the military

C4

LIFE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2023

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com NICKIE WANG, Editor ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

F

OLLOWING the exciting announcement of Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical, the full cast and creative team of the highlyanticipated musical are now officially complete. The newest all-Filipino musical from Newport World Resorts’production outfit Full House Theater Company (FHTC) will feature iconic songs from one of the nation’s most well-loved rock bands, Parokya ni Edgar.

Buruguduystunstugudunstuy Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical reveals cast and creative team

The show presents an all-female lead cast consisting of Kyle Napuli, Marynor Madamesila, Tex de Leon, and Natasha Cabrera. Supporting cast members include Noel Comia, Pepe Herrera, Jasper Jimenez, and Nicco Manalo.

Joining the roster of performers are Iya Villanueva, Maronne Cruz, Teetin Villanueva, Miah Canton, Cara Barredo, Liway Perez, Cheska Quimno, Paulina Luzuriaga, Julia Serad, Sarah Facuri, Jillian Ita-as, Chaye Mogg, Mikaela Regis as members of the female ensemble including Aixia Mallary as female swing. Jules Dela Paz, Rapah Manalo, Stephen Viñas, Boo Gabunada, Jep Go, Khalil Tambio, Neo Rivera, Francis Gatmaytan, Mark Anthony Grantos, MC Dela Cruz, Franco Ramos, Red Nuestro, Ralph Oliva, and Jim Ferrer are part of the male ensemble together with Rofe Villarino as male swing.

The ensemble cast of the much anticipated musical featuring the songs of Parokya Ni Edgar

Newport World Resorts, through FHTC, has assembled an all-star creative team to bring the much-anticipated musical to life. On the heels of staging Ang Huling El Bimbo The Musical, the upcoming production brings back successful collaborators director Dexter M. Santos and artistic directors Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Michael Williams.

Williams This time, critically acclaimed and versatile writer Rody Vera joins the creative team as playwright along with musical genius Ejay Yatco as the musical director and arranger. Choreographer

Stephen Viñas, set designer Lawyn Cruz, lights designer Monino Duque, costume designer Raven Ong, video designers Ga Fallarme and Joyce Garcia, and sound designer Arvy Dimaculangan will bring the musical’s world to life.

With preparations now in full swing, Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical gears for an epic debut at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in 2024.

For more information on the upcoming Parokya ni Edgar musical, visit www. newportworldresorts.com.

Manobo member introduces Mindanao culture in artists’ rendezvous in China ‘Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical’ welcomes lead cast members (from left, background) Marynor Madamesila, Natasha Cabrera, Tex de Leon, and Kyle Napuli, including supporting cast members (from left, foreground) Noel Comia, Pepe Herrera, and Niccolo Manalo

Art-inspired fashion 0917 Lifestyle, Vinyl on Vinyl redefine boundaries of wearable art IN A creative collaboration with Vinyl on Vinyl, 0917 Lifestyle introduces an exclusive wearable art collection. Partnering with Filipino artists Mark Weigh, Mimaaaaaaaaw, and Seeweirdo, the collection embodies the “Art and Passion” theme.

The 0917 x Vinyl on Vinyl collection offers a curated selection of apparel, lifestyle accessories, and unique novelty items, each piece echoing the flair and vision of the featured artists. The items are not just fashion statements but also pieces of art that bring a touch of the gallery into everyday life.

Mark’s creations feature whimsical and playful images that would take one on a journey of the imagination, while the works of Gene Rhobi E. Delos Reyes, otherwise known as Seeweirdo, depict the world inside his head through black and white designs.

Meanwhile, Mimaaaaaaaaw tries to spread positivity and hope via enchanting quotes, often accompanied by adorable, distorted, and colorful images of her unique cats.

The collaboration marks a major step forward in the joint mission of 0917 Lifestyle and Vinyl on Vinyl to discover and highlight unconventional art forms, broadening the horizons of artistic expression.

“As a purveyor of passion, interests, and art, we are very happy to support our local artists,” said Gladys Rojas, Head of 0917 Lifestyle. “Partnering with Vinyl on Vinyl and these phenomenal artists has allowed us to blend fashion with art in the most beautiful way, giving our customers a wearable canvas that tells a story.”

“At Vinyl on Vinyl, we want to bring our artists past the whitewall setting. This collaboration brings it to the community. We feel that these 3 emerging artists would propel the audience to view things in a refreshing perspective,” said Gaby Dela Merced, Vinyl on Vinyl Director.

The partnership shows 0917 Lifestyle’s commitment to

Visual artist and Benilde-SACP educator Carlito Camahalan Amalla

The 0917 x Vinyl on Vinyl collection is not just fashion statements but also pieces of art

breaking new ground in fashion and art, creating pieces that resonate with the brand’s diverse and passionate audience.

Vinyl on Vinyl started in 2009 with the goal of increasing awareness and appreciation for what was initially an underground culture. It has become instrumental in showcasing and promoting Filipino artists both locally and on international stages. Its name reflects its origins in dealing with vinyl records and art toys, and it continues to honor its musical roots by occasionally incorporating sound art into its programming.

The 0917 Lifestyle x Vinyl on Vinyl collection is available for art and fashion enthusiasts at 0917lifestyle. com, the 0917 BHS Pop-Up Booth, and selected Globe Stores.

AWARD-WINNING visual artist Carlito Camahalan Amalla, a member of the Agusan Manobo tribe, brought the rich heritage of the Manobo community to the 2023 Silk Roads Artists’ Rendezvous – China Tour for Foreign Artists. It was a residency program that aimed to promote cultural exchange and mutual learning through art.

Amalla, the founder and leader of the Agusan Artists Association in Butuan City and the Balangay Artists Association in Manila, was invited by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China and Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government.

He joined outstanding artists from 22 countries in an extensive cultural immersion in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the home of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Amalla was given the opportunity to visit the most historical cities in the region. Included in the tour was Hangzhou, the center of the fertile rice-growing area and the site of the most important silk industries in the country. He likewise had an immersion at the prefecture-level Shaoxing and Huzhou. The former is famous for its traditional bridges, architecture, yellow wine, and textile factories while the latter is where silk, Chinese calligraphy brush pens, tea, porcelain, and wine originated.

During his stay, he produced three acrylic paintings donated to the China International Cultural Association.

His works also joined those of 70 contemporary painters in an exhibit at the Chinese Art Academy Museum.

He likewise conducted a lecture on suyam, an Agusan Manobo embroidery characterized by various geometrical designs, during the program’s series of seminars and discussions.

The multifaceted artist and educator, has showcased his diverse talents globally. As a performer, puppeteer, dancer, chanter, musician, ceramist, and researcher, he has exhibited in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the USA. Currently serving as an assistant professor at De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde, Amalla holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and a master’s degree in Art History from the University of the Philippines.

Amalla’s contributions extend to indigenous communities’ tangible and intangible heritage, featuring in exhibitions such as Mindanao: Cartography of History, Identity and Representation at the University of London. Recognized for his outstanding leadership in culture and the arts, he received the 2020 honor in New York City and was named a Promising Young Artist by the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Additionally, NEDA acknowledged him as the Most Outstanding Volunteer in the Caraga Region. The NCCA and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines support his impactful work.