Manila Standard - 2023 December 22 - Friday

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STANDING FIRM. President Marcos (center) is flanked by (from left) Speaker Martin

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VOL. XXXVII • NO. 311 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023 •

Romualdez, Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro at the AFP’s 88th Anniversary celebration at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday. Roy Pellovello

PBBM: PH to stand up to China sea ‘coercion’

As Beijing warns Manila to ‘make rational choice’ on WPS

By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz

P

RESIDENT Marcos said Thursday the country would stand up to the “coercion” of China’s ships in the South China Sea even as Beijing warned Manila to “make the rational choice” with its territorial claims in the strategic waterway.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

China voiced growing frustration and anger with the Philippines' unexpectedly bold tactics in the West Philippine Sea in warning its neighbor, but Mr. Marcos vowed Filipinos would not succumb to the harassments at sea and insisted recent tense stand-offs in the disputed area highlighted his nation's "courage."

"We shall continue to assert our rights in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and international law," President Marcos said fol-

lowing Beijing’s warning, adding that recent confrontations in the sea were a "demonstration of Filipino courage against coercion and our firm resolve to protect, preserve and uphold our territorial integrity."

He told the nation's troops yesterday to continue asserting the country's sovereign rights amid the geopolitical tensions in the region.

During the 88th anniversary celebration of Next page

Gov’t, private firms duped by ‘holiday’ post

By Charles Dantes LOCAL government units and even human resources heads of private companies got confused yesterday after a Palace official posted a fake memo declaring Dec. 22, 2023 as a “special half-working day.”

Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil dismissed the supposed proclamation, shared by Presidential Assistant for Strategic Communications Cesar Chavez on Facebook, as “fake news.”

“This proclamation lacks official verification or recognition by the government. Please rely on official government sources for accurate information and refrain from Next page

DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo

NTC suspends SMNI operations 30 days for franchise violations

By Darwin G. Amojelar, Maricel Cruz, and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE

National

Commission has suspended the radio and television operations of Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) for 30 days for alleged franchise violations, Telecommunications coming on the heels of a 14-day suspen-

sion order slapped on its two shows, in- questioned the suspension orders, raising cluding one hosted by former President the issue of press freedom.

Rodrigo Duterte.

The National Union of Journalists, SMNI, as well as Senator Imee Marcos however, said that while it was concerned and the PDP-Laban wing led by Duterte, Next page

REAL VS. FAKE. These screenshots show the official statement of the Presidential Communications Office as released on the Official Gazette (top) and the Facebook post of Undersecretary Cesar Chavez (above) regarding the supposed Dec. 22 half-day holiday, which the Palace confirmed was untrue.

MAD RUSH HOME. Travelers hoping to

get to their home provinces before Christmas Day crowd the Ceres bus terminal at Cubao, Quezon City and the check-in terminals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (inset) on Thursday. Manny Palmero and Raoul Esperas

MARCOS TAPS INES AS ACTING MIAA GM NEWS / A5

LTO hunting ‘choosy’ taxi drivers, ‘habal-habal’ riders

By Rio N. Araja and Joel E. Zurbano

without a franchise, to ensure the safety of the riding public.

LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II on Wednesday night spearheaded the apTHE Land Transportation Office (LTO) prehension of 18 cab drivers and two vowed to go after choosy taxi drivers habal-habal drivers near SM City North and “habal-habal” or drivers operating Edsa in Quezon City in a bid to send a

strong message to erring public utility vehicle drivers and operators that the government would crack down on their illegal activities.

“You cannot go on just like this… choosing passengers and demanding Next page

DA maps out ways to fight El Nino, safeguard food production in north

By Othel V. Campos and Macon Ramos-Araneta

gathered Wednesday to solidify plans to safeguard food production in response to the intensifying El Niño phenomenon.

Agriculture Undersecretary for DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) Rice Industry Development Leocadio officials from Regions 1, 2, 3 and the S. Sebastian emphasized the need for Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) strategic water management to mitigate

the anticipated drought.

He urged the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in these regions to optimize water release by carefully planning the allocation of water resources, ensuring equitable distribution, and maximizing efficiency.

To further strengthen efforts, Sebastian called for enhanced coordination between regional field offices (RFOs), NIA, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and other DA agencies, for a unified approach to El Niño challenges.

Next page

Big price hikes on fuels due to Red Sea woes

By Alena Mae S. Flores FILIPINOS are bracing for price increases on four essential fuels heading into the new year, as supply disruptions amid the attacks on oil vessels in the Red Sea have jacked up transport costs for petroleum producers.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or cooking gas may rise by as much as P38 for each regular 11-kilo LPG tank used by householdsfor cooking

by January, an official of Republic Gas Corp. (Regasco) said Thursday.

This developed as industry sources told the Standard that based on the Next page

NEWS

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Another witness vs. Leila to recant decided to recant his testimony to "set free all accused who were wrongfully charged in court" and to "disclose the real truthfulness that the criminal complaints against accused are pure hearsay and full of lies."

Valeroso earlier testified that he saw De Lima, when she was still Justice Secretary under the Aquino administration, attending the concert of convicted drug lord Herbert Colangco inside the New Bilibid Prison.

Valeroso also said he first considered recanting in early 2019 but he opted against it for fear for his life and the safety

of his family.

De Lima, who is currently on bail, has been accused of benefiting from the illegal drug trade inside the NBP. She has repeatedly denied the accusation, saying it was political persecution on the part of the Duterte administration.

De Lima was released from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame on Nov. 13, ending six years of detention, after the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 granted her motion for reconsideration on her bail petition in her remaining drug case.

His comments followed a phone call in which China's top diplomat Wang Yi told Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo that the two countries were "facing serious difficulties," blaming Manila for changing its policies.

"The root cause is that the Philippines has changed its longstanding policy stance, reneged on its own commitments, continued to provoke and stir trouble at sea, and undermined China's legal rights.

"China-Philippines relations are at a crossroads. Faced with the choice of where to go, the Philippines must act with caution," the readout said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has ignored an international tribunal ruling that its assertions have no legal basis.

It deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarized to reinforce its claims.

Manalo described his call with Wang as "frank and candid," according to a readout released by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday.

"We had a frank and candid exchange and ended our call with a clearer understanding of our respective positions on a number of issues," the readout quoted Manalo as saying.

"We both noted the importance of dialogue in addressing these issues."

Envoy summoned Relations between Manila and Beijing have frayed under President Marcos, who has sought to improve ties with traditional ally Washington and deepen defense cooperation in the region, while also pushing back against Chinese actions in the South China Sea.

The Philippines summoned China's envoy on Dec. 11 and flagged the possibility of expelling him following the latest clashes.

The videos released by the Philippines were of incidents during two separate resupply missions to fishermen at Scarborough Shoal and a tiny garrison at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal the previous weekend.

There was also a collision between Philippine and Chinese boats at Ayungin Shoal, where a handful of Filipino troops are stationed on a grounded warship, with both countries trading blame.

Mr. Marcos met Chinese leader Xi Jinping last month on the sidelines of an AsiaPacific summit in San Francisco, where the pair discussed the maritime territorial disputes.

Mr. Marcos later told a forum in Hawaii the Philippines would not give up "a single square inch of our territory."

State-run Xinhua has quoted Wang as saying that the Philippines and China relations are currently facing “severe difficulties” over the country’s change in its policy stance.

Wang noted that the bilateral relationship between the two countries “now stands at a crossroads, with its future yet to be decided” and that the Philippines side “must act with caution.”

He said China is ready to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation but warned that if the country “misjudges the situation, goes its own way, or even colludes with ill-intentioned external forces to continue to stir up troubles, China will defend its rights in accordance with law and respond resolutely.” With AFP

The NTC's suspension order came after the House approved Resolution No. 189 urging the regulator to suspend the operations of Swara Sug Media Corporation, operating under the business name SMNI, for violating the terms and conditions of its franchise.

In its order, the NTC directed SMNI to explain in writing within 15 days why it should not be administratively sanctioned.

It scheduled its administrative hearing on the SMNI case on Jan. 4, 2024.

Earlier, the MTRCB halted the “Gikan Sa Masa, Para Sa Masa” program after Duterte was accused of threatening ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro in the show’s October and November episodes.

Meanwhile, the suspension of the show “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” came after anchors Jeffrey Celiz and Lorraine Badoy-Partosa falsely claimed Speaker Martin Romualdez spent P1.8 billion in travel expenses in a year.

Senator Marcos said shutting down SMNI operations is tantamount to muz-

zling free press.

"Who's afraid of SMNI? Why must we shut down all those who do not agree with us, not even allowing them the chance to explain first?" the presidential sister asked.

"Are we afraid that SMNI may be right? Are we afraid of the truth?" Senator Marcos added.

Castro, however, said SMNI's suspension was not a press freedom issue. Castro said SMNI itself "is a threat to press freedom with its advocacy of violence, disinformation (fake news) and intolerance (hate speech)."

"We hope that the measures for accountability of SMNI, its hosts, executives and owners... will continue because they have abused the network,” the lawmaker said.

The Duterte-wing of the PDP-Laban, for its part, questioned the 14-day suspension order issued by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, calling it an attack on press freedom.

higher fare. You cannot just operate without a franchise,” he said.

“I expect all regional directors and heads and our law enforcement service teams to intensify the campaign for the rest of the holiday season. We have to make an example of these erring drivers,” he added.

He also brushed aside the excuses used by the abusive taxi drivers, saying there is no excuse for violating the law.

Of those apprehended, two of the taxi drivers failed to present a valid franchise to operate, while the nine others were caught in the act of refusing to

convey passengers.

Several taxi drivers would even refuse to let a family with babies and small children board their taxi despite the bad weather, unless they agreed to the price set by the driver.

He said he himself has been a victim of such erring cab drivers.

He appealed to the public to cooperate in this campaign by informing the LTO if they have witnessed or were themselves victims of picky taxi drivers.

Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has issued a warning to air travelers about unauthorized rate cards beingused by taxi drivers and illicit transport providers, particularly during the holiday season.

The MIAA urged passengers to re-

port any bogus rate cards to its hotline and social media accounts.

“Beware of fake transport rates. The MIAA encourages passengers to immediately report to our hotline and social media accounts when presented with a bogus rate card,” the airport management stated in its public advisory.

The warning follows complaints about passengers who were overcharged using fake rate cards.

The MIAA considers overcharging fares and presenting fake rates as grave offenses under its traffic management circular.

Drivers at fault face penalties of P2,000 to P5,000, including confiscation and cancellation of airport access passes.

He further advised RFO heads and NIA officials to prepare a budget for cloud seeding for areas most prone to the dry spell to boost water levels in irrigation dams and canals.

Sebastian instructed the NIA to provide updated information on water delivery efficiency, especially in vulnerability assessments for areas likely to be hardest hit by El Niño.

The DA aims to actively collaborate with private suppliers of agricultural inputs and technology to accelerate modernization and improve resilience within the rice sector.

Further highlighting support for farmers, Sebastian confirmed the ongoing distribution of intervention monitoring cards (IMCs) to clustered irrigator associations, cooperatives,

and other farm organizations registered under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

The cards, which function as both farmer IDs and digital payment platforms for loans, empower farmers with greater control over their input choices, access to technology, and financing options.

The state weather bureau said only 11 tropical cyclones entered the Philippine area of responsibility so far in 2023, much lower than the annual average of 19 to 20 storms a year.

Among this year's storms, three rapidly intensified over the Philippine Sea and reached super typhoon category: Betty, (international name Mawar) in late May; Egay (Doksuri) in July; and Goring (Saola) in August.

Gov‘t,...

By Rey E. Requejo

A

NOTHER prosecution witness in the remaining drug case of former senator Leila de Lima expressed his intention to retract his statements against her.

De Lima’s lawyer Felimon Tacardo said the witness, retired police officer Brig. Gen. Jerry Valeroso, already submitted his Letter of Intent to Recant to Judge Gener Gito of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206.

Valeroso was a former investigator of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNPCIDG).

Tacardo disclosed that Valeroso, in a letter to the court dated Dec. 18, 2023, said he

Kapa scam heads sentenced to life terms for estafa

PBBM:...

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE masterminds of what is considered to be the largest investment scam in Philippine history were sentenced to life imprisonment for syndicated estafa.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said the Regional Trial Court Branch 33 of Butuan City, in a decision promulgated on Dec. 12, found Kapa Community Ministry International Inc. (KAPA) leaders JoelApolinario, Cristobal R. Baradad, and Joji Jusay guilty of eight counts of syndicated estafa.

The SEC considered KAPA’s scheme to be among the biggest investment scams in the country, getting no less than P50 billion from its members.

The SEC participated in the case buildup against KAPA, which was accused of running a Ponzi scheme that promised very high returns and paid investors using the money from newly recruited investors.

Apolinario, also referred to as Pastor Joel, was the founder and president of KAPA, while Baradad and Jusay were among its incorporators.

All three were also sentenced to pay eight actual damages to complainants amounting to P195,000.

Big...

From A1

three-day trading, gasoline may go up by as much as P1.58 per liter, kerosene

by P1.55 per liter, and diesel by P1.43 per liter next week.

Citing the Red Sea situation, Regasco president Arnel Ty told ABS-CBN News last night: “There is a US$60 increase in freight or shipping costs per metric ton (of LPG). That will be equivalent to a P3.50 per kilo increase in shipping costs, so that will be added to the price of LPG in January.”

An 11-kilo LPG tank currently costs from P875 to P1,030 in Metro Manila, depending on the retailer and location, Department of Energy records showed.

Meawhile, the remaining two days of global trading this week will determine if the pump price increases will be lower, but the Standard source said this would likely remain at over P1 per liter.

Houthi rebels have launched attacks on vessels passing the Red Sea, raising concerns of oil supply disruptions.

The Red Sea, the seawater inlet between Africa and Asia, is a crucial route for oil and liquefied natural gas vessels, thus the Houthi attacks could have an impact on supply, the DOE said previously.

On Dec. 19, local oil firms implemented mixed movements in the prices of petroleum products.

They rolled back the pump price of kerosene by P0.85 per liter, but raised the price of diesel by P0.10 per liter.

Gasoline prices did not change.

DA...

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The rice cluster also called for the deployment of more water pumps to provide direct support to farmers in drought-prone areas by readily deploying water pumps for emergency irrigation and it also intensified the promotion of the alternate wet and dry (AWD) system, a water-saving rice cultivation technique that stretches limited water supplies while preventing rice paddies from becoming oversaturated.

Sebastian stressed the importance of prudent water use, not only to extend its reach but also in alignment with global efforts towards carbon reduction.

From A1

the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Mr. Marcos hailed the military’s “responsible and dignified behavior despite the many attempts at provocation.”

"You (AFP) have become crucial as in the past years, the Philippines has found itself in the middle of geopolitical developments and tensions that could potentially cause regional insecurity or endanger people’s lives and livelihoods," the President said.

"But despite the many attempts at provocation, the Philippines—through the AFP—remains a force and a voice of reason, exemplifying responsible and dignified behavior in resolving issues in accordance with international law," he added.

"The recent incidents involving no less than our AFP Chief of Staff is worrisome," the President stressed, mentioning Armed Forces Chief General Romeo Brawner, who was on a supply ship on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal when it was water-cannoned by a China Coast Guard ship.

"Yes, but it is a proud demonstration of Filipino courage againstcoercion and our firm resolve to protect, preserve, and uphold our territorial integrity," the President continued.

At a briefing in Beijing, Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: "We hope that the Philippines can make a rational choice, follow the effective way of getting along with neighbors, and work with China to properly handle and manage the current maritime situation."

NTC...

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with the NTC suspension order being “reminiscent of the previous [Duterte] administration's attempts to weaponize the law and muzzle media,” the red-tagging that SMNI allows on its programs “does harm.”

“Vilification of journalists and of members of civil society that SMNIallows on its shows can and has translated to harassment, surveillanceand targeting of the red-tagged.

SMNI, its consultants, and its talents should be held accountable for peddling disinformation and hate speech, but should be accountable for those offenses and not for simply offending a member of Congress,” the NUJP said.

“Even as SMNI and its supporters cry press freedom and freedom of expression now, may they also reflect on how they cheered on and abetted similar moves when these tactics were being used against journalists and newsrooms,” it added.

LTO...

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disseminating unverified claims,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement posted on the Official Gazette.

Garafil did not respond to queries about whether Chavez will be held accountable for the faux pas.

Chavez, who directly works under the Office of the President, has since taken down his post and apologized for the confusion it caused.

"Apologies. I also posted content that was not first verified by me.

For the confusion it has created, the blame falls on me. I take full responsibility for this oversight,” he said.

Jobless Pinoys drop to 7.9m in Sept.—SWS THE number of jobless Filipinos eased to 7.9 million this September, according to a survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, found that the adult joblessness rate fell to 16.9 percent, 5.8 points lower than the 22.8 percent recorded in June 2023 or around 10.3 million adults.

Jobless adults are those who voluntarily left their old jobs, areseeking jobs for the first time, or lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control or got retrenched, the survey noted.

The pollster noted that the 5.8-point decline in the national joblessness rate was due to drops in the joblessness rate in all areas, particularly highest in Balance Luzon at 20.8 percent, followed

by Metro Manila at 19.2 percent, Mindanao at 12.4 percent, and the Visayas at 12.2 percent.

The September survey found adult joblessness slightly higher in urban areas at 18.0 percent than in rural areas at 15.7 percent.

Compared to June 2023, urban joblessness fell from 24.7 percent, while rural joblessness dropped from 21.0 percent.

There is still higher joblessness among women at 21.1 percent compared to men at 14 percent.

IN BRIEF ‘200% pay for work on regular holiday’ PRIVATE employees who will report for work during regular holidays will be paid 200 percent of their wages, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reminded employers Thursday.

For employees who will not report for work, DOLE said they will still be paid 100 percent of their wage for that day, subject to certain requirements under the implementing rules and regulations of the Labor Code, as amended.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma signed an advisory specifying thewage computations for regular holidays and special nonworkingholidays for 2024.

Laguesma said the move is to remind all private-sector employers to ensure the proper payment of wages in accordance with the guidelines set out in Labor Advisory No. 27, Series of 2023. Vito Barcelo

PNP nixes security guards in costumes THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday warned security agencies and establishments to do away with the practice of making security guards wear Christmas costumes.

In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City, PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) chief Brig. Gen. Gregory Bogñabal said this is to deter criminals who might disguise themselves using Christmas costumes in carrying out illegal activities.

“When we say proper uniform, we mean the standard uniform of a guard, nothing more, nothing less. It would also be hard for us to quickly identify who the guards are because they don't have a nameplate or ID,” he said.

He also said wearing these costumes might hamper the response of security guards during emergency situations as they cannot be easily identified.

Under Section 14 of Republic Act 5487 or the Private Security Agency Law, the “Chief of the Philippine Constabulary (now the PNP), through his duly authorized representative, shall prescribe the uniform or ornaments, equipment, and paraphernalia to be worn by the security guards and watchmen throughout the Philippines.” Vince Lopez “As a former newsman who has been a stickler for fact-checking, this one evaded me," Chavez added.

Various LGUs had to post advisories on their respective Facebook pages correcting their misinformation.

President Marcos earlier declared Dec. 26 a special non-working day to give the Filipino people more time to celebrate the Christmas season with their families and loved ones.

“The declaration of Dec. 26, 2023, Tuesday, as an additional special (nonworking) day will give the people the full opportunity to celebrate the holiday with their families and loved ones,” Mr. Marcos said in Proclamation 425.

Based on the proclamation, a longer weekend will also promote domestic tourism.

A3 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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Megaworld’s 140-hectare Maple Grove township in General Trias is fast taking shape as Cavite’s central business district.

Cavite takes the spotlight for Megaworld’s township investments

With a strong presence anchored on having five townships spanning more than 1,000 hectares, Megaworld continues to build CBDs and themed developments in this South Luzon province

By Ralf David

C

AVITE is one of the provinces standing to benefit from the country’s massive “Build Better More” infrastructure program.

The province, known as the “historical capital of the Philippines,” has long been among the most competitive provinces in the country, and the arrival of several big-ticket road, rail, and airport developments in and around Cavite will undoubtedly bring its potential as a key growth area and economic hub in Luzon to even greater heights.

As a testament to its strong belief in the immense potential of Cavite, property giant and pioneering developer Megaworld has been pouring significant investments into Cavite by establishing five townships and integrated lifestyle communities — the most in any province in the Philippines to date — spanning a total of nearly 1,500 hectares or 30% of Megaworld’s current total landbank, as well as three cities and four municipalities.

Sustainably leading the way for progress in Cavite Bolstered by strong partnerships with local governments in Cavite, Megaworld and its subsidiaries Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI) and Suntrust Properties, Inc. (SPI) have been strategically building green, modern, and sustainable township developments with unique identities, audiences, and purposes.

Under the Megaworld portfolio is the 140-hectare, P15-billion Maple Grove, Cavite’s first-ever modern central business district rising in General Trias, Cavite that also boasts several green residential projects. One of the major features of this township is the six-lane, 30-meter-wide Maple Grove Boulevard, portions of which were integrated into the 12-kilometer General Trias and Tanza Bypass Road to help ease traffic congestion along the Antero Soriano Highway and around the area.

Aside from residential condominiums, office developments, and its very own lifestyle mall, Maple Grove will also be home to the Maple Grove Park Village, a 22-hectare luxury resort-inspired residential community designed by renowned global design firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo (WATG) – the same group behind some of the world’s most

The sprawling Southwoods City is home to several topnotch amenities, including the Southwoods Mall and BPO office towers.

Rising as Megaworld’s first-ever botanical-themed township, Arden Botanical Estate will feature residential villages highlighted by green, sustainable amenities.

extraordinary resort destinations like Shangri-La Maldives, Sofitel Bali in Indonesia, Atlantis The Palm in Dubai, as well as Hilton Manila here in the Philippines.

The 350-hectare Suntrust Ecotown in Tanza is home to several local and international locators.

The 41.8-Prana Garden Villas, a Zen-Balinese-inspired luxury village in Sherwood Hills, will feature wide roads lined by trees and open spaces.

Meanwhile, developed and managed

by GERI with a P10-billion capital expenditure (CAPEX) allotted within 10 years is the 561-hectare Southwoods City.

A significant portion of this sprawling

township stands on Carmona, specifically the Jack Nicklaus-designed 125-hectare Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club and the sprawling residential village developments Pahara and Upland Estates.

Another one is the 251-hectare Arden Botanical Estate straddling Trece Martires and Tanza, with an investment value of P18 billion. It is the Megaworld group’s first botanicalthemed township that mainly hosts horizontal residential villages highlighted by green and sustainable amenities. Since its launch, Megaworld has introduced two (2) sprawling residential villages within Arden Botanical Estate: the 18-hectare Arden Botanical Village and the 15.2-hectare Arden Westpark Village. GERI, meanwhile, has already launched the three phases of its newest village, the 17-hectare The Lindgren, offering eleven (11) different Scandinavianinspired house and lot design options to fit varied tastes.

Third, is the 340-hectare Sherwood Hills in Trece Martires, which also boasts the Sherwood Hills Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course; and the expansive 41.8-hectare Prana Garden Villas. Lastly, Suntrust established the nearly 200-hectare Suntrust Ecotown Tanza, a PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority)-accredited, “eco-friendly industrial township” that hosts several Filipino and multinational locators.

All roads lead to Cavite Infrastructure developments are, indeed, the backbone of economic progress, and Cavite is set to host a lot of these as it looks set to experience profound growth in just a few years.

While Cavite is currently easily accessible through the various expressways leading into, out of, and around it, the completion of future infrastructure projects in the pipeline— namely the Sangley Point International Airport, Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX), Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CBTEx), Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge, Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 Cavite Extension, and Light Rail Transit 6—will open up the province to Metro Manila and the rest of the country even more.

As Cavite is poised to reap the benefits of the arrival of bigger and better infrastructure, so will Megaworld’s developments in Cavite. This is because these infrastructure projects are expected to vastly improve accessibility and ramp up commercial business activity, thereby influencing how property prices will increase in the province.

Even better, this will help Megaworld fulfill its long-standing commitment to help drive economic growth and bring forth opportunities directly benefiting the people and communities it serves.

NEWS

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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Zubiri: Koko free to question budget

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III is free to question the P5.7-trillion national budget before any court, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said. “Well, it’s his prerogative,” Zubiri added.

Pimentel declined to give any comments on the signing of the national budget, but noted that he will question it before the Supreme Court due to the P450 million allocation for “unprogrammed funds.” But Zubiri asserted

that there is nothing unconstitutional in the national budget, adding that “unprogrammed funds” are part of budget requests.

President Marcos signed the P5.768 trillion national budget for

2024 which he described as a “battle plan in fighting poverty and combatting illiteracy.”

“Although it is teeming with numbers, this budget is more than a spreadsheet of amounts or a ledger of projects,” Mr. Marcos said during the signing ceremony at the Palace.

“Rather, it details our battle plan in fighting poverty and combatting illiteracy, in producing food and ending hunger, in protecting our homes, in securing our border, treating the sick, keeping our people healthy, creating

jobs, and funding livelihood.”

“In effect, we are signing the renewal of our annual social contract with taxpayers: that what they have paid faithfully will be rebated to them in full,” he added.

The 2024 national outlay, equivalent to 21.7 percent of the gross domestic product, is 9.5 percent higher than this year’s P5.268 trillion budget.

President Marcos said the approved budget would be utilized to transform the public’s lives for the better.

FIREWORKS INSPECTION.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau conducts monitoring and enforcement of technical regulations at fireworks and firecracker stores in Bocaue, Bulacan on Thursday, Dec. 21. Authorities inspected multiple stores to verify their permits and certifications.

Manny Palmero

NEDA: Budget seen to spur PH economy THE recently approved P5.768trillion 2024 national budget will help spur Philippine economic growth, government economic managers said.

In a statement on Thursday, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the passage of the 2024 national budget is expected to support the country’s economic growth and “ensure the seamless delivery of government programs and services, which are much needed to pursue social and economic transformation.”

“Efficiently utilizing our budget and implementing our planned programs are crucial for us to achieve our socioeconomic goals and realize resilient and sustainable growth for the country, and better lives for the Filipino people,” Balisacan said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday signed the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The 2024 GAA, which is equivalent to 21.7 percent of gross domestic product, is 9. 5 percent higher compared to the P5.268trillion budget for 2023.

Balisacan thanked both chambers of Congress for the timely passage of the budget. Darwin Amojelar

COVID warning for Filipinos Troops praised Teodoro says AFP can modernize with 2024 budget in Malaysia on efforts versus NPA insurgents ARMED Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. feted the troops of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) for their efforts in neutralizing the remaining New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents in their area.

“I am very proud that the 8th ID and JTF (Joint Task Force) Storm have achieved so much and accomplished so much that contributed to the success of our campaign against the communist terrorist group in this area,” Brawner said.

“Because of this, there are no more active guerilla fronts here and we are confident that we can finish the fight against the remaining weakened enemy formations next year,” Brawer, during his visit to one of the 8ID’s forward operating detachment in Las Navas, Samar on Wednesday, added.

Brawner visited the outpost as he delivered the Christmas gifts and wishes to the troops manning the outpost.

He did the same during his visit to 8ID headquarters in Catbalogan City.

“Recalling his experience as a young officer operating against communist terrorists in the boundaries of Las Navas, Matuginao, and Jipapad, the CSAFP (Chief of Staff AFP) who was then commander of the 2nd Special Forces Battalion and Special Operations Task Group-Samar, also lauded the 8th ID’s accomplishments that resulted in the weakening of guerilla fronts in the area,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said. Vince Lopez

DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed hope that the modernization of the Armed of the Philippines (AFP) would be intensified with the timely enactment of the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Teodoro said this would pave the way for the improvement and upgrades of its facilities and equipment needed to enhance its capabilities to protect and

defend the nation. “(With the signing of the 2024 GAA) mag-uumpisa ang matindi at serious na upgrades ng AFP (this will start the enhanced and serious capabilities development of AFP),” Teodoro said on the sidelines of the turnover of the Japanese-made air surveillance radar system to the Philippine Air Force in San Fernando, La Union on Wednesday The DND chief said these planned

upgrades of the AFP show that the Philippines is not relying too much on its allies.

Teodoro said it is also important to show these countries that the Philippines is doing its best to upgrade its military capabilities.

On Wednesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed next year’s budget bill into law in a ceremony at Malacañan Palace in Manila. Vince Lopez

PROJECT SIGNING. Officials

of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and representatives of Design Coordinates, Inc. (DCI), a local construction company, pose for a group photo during the signing of a building construction project agreement between Comelec and DCI. The contract has been signed by Comelec chair George Erwin M. Garcia and Commissioner Rey E. Bulay; and DCI president Sonny Salvacion and DCI managing director Franz Ziebert for DCI.

FILIPINOS in Malaysia are advised to take precautions as the country sees an uptick in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In an advisory dated Dec. 20, the Philippines Embassy in Malaysia said there is a sudden increase in COVID-19 cases but government health facilities are capable of handling any surge, and that Malaysia is ready to mobilize other facilities if required.

“In view of the rise of COVID cases in Malaysia, Filipinos in Malaysia are advised to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and others from COVID, such as social distancing, practicing good hygiene, wearing masks indoors or at crowded spaces and getting booster shots, especially for those in the high-risk categories,” it said.

The embassy said there are no reports of new variants in the country except for the existing Omicron and its sub-variants.

“The predominant Omicron sub-variants in Malaysia are the XBB.1.16, XBB.1.5, and EG.5.5, which are known to be highly transmissible, but generally do not result in severe cases,” it noted.

Budget for certification of Grade 12 learners assured—Gatchalian

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian said the free assessment for the national certification of Grade 12 learners taking the Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) track is assured under the signed 2024 national budget.

Under the 2024 General Appropria-

tions Act, the final amount of P438.16 million was allotted for the assessment of 420,967 Grade 12 learners taking the TVL track for the issuance of a national certification, which will boost these learners’ employability.

The final amount of P50.012 million, on the other hand, was allotted for the expansion of the Technical Education

GSIS says it will provide fire insurance for 123K public schools nationwide STATE-RUN Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said it will provide fire insurance for more than 132,000 public school buildings under the Department of Education (DepEd) nationwide.

The total fire insurance for these public school buildings is worth P843.11 billion, and will cover fire, lightning, and natural catastrophes for a one-year period effective Jan. 1, 2024, the GSIS said.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) helped put together the insurance coverage, marking a pivotal step in the nation’s focus on educational infra-

structure security under the National Indemnity Insurance Program (NIIP).

The NIIP, an initiative of the BTr, aims to provide adequate and comprehensive insurance protection to critical government assets such as schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges.

“With the rising frequency of natural calamities, protecting public school buildings becomes a priority of the government. Our partnership with DepEd is a step towards ensuring financial resilience in support of its MATATAG agenda,” GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso said.

and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) pool of assessors. The budget covers more than 11,000 additional assessors, which could triple TESDA’s current assessment capacity from 7,551 to around 19,000 by the end of 2024.

Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, vowed that the funds will be properly used to

benefit senior high school students.

The hearing on the Batang Magaling Act (Senate Bill No. 2367) revealed that less than 30 percent of senior high school graduates were certified. This is because the government does not fund the assessment and certification of these learners, many of whom cannot afford the cost of undergoing assessment.

SMUGGLED PORSCHE.

Photo shows one of the smuggled luxury cars intercepted by the Bureau of Customs Port of Cagayan de Oro, in collaboration with the BOC Intelligence Group (IG), at the Mindanao Container Terminal in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. The shipment, arriving from Korea on Dec. 12, was consigned to M. Aguila Car Trading.

BOC Cagayan photo

NEWS

A5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PBBM appoints new general manager of MIAA

By Joel E. Zurbano PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Eric Jose Castro Ines as the new acting general manager of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA).

Ines, a former airline station manager assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), will be the airport chief in Manila effective Dec. 15, 2023.

“I am pleased to transmit the appointment letter of Mr. Eric Jose Castro Ines as acting General Manager and member of the board of directors of MIAA,” Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista said in a statement.

Ines was set to take his oath of office before DOTr Secretary Bautista next week.

Ines began his career as a security officer at Gulf Air in 1988 and later became station manager at Etihad Airways after 12 years at Gulf Air. Ines hails from Ilocos Norte where he spent time as a farmer after his retirement.

Villanueva seeks Senate probe on traffic congestions SENATOR Joel Villanueva seeks a legislative inquiry into government plans and programs to address the “worsening” traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized metropolis in the country.

Villanueva filed Senate Resolution 859 citing the “significant personal, social, environmental, and economic impacts” of the perennial traffic mess.

“There is a need to review the policies and revisit the programs and plans of the Department of Transportation, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) , the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and other relevant agencies on ameliorating heavy traffic conditions in the Philippines,” Villanueva said in his resolution.

In 2022, an independent traffic study showed that Manila ranked ninth out of 390 cities and first in Southeast Asian cities when in terms of traffic congestion.

The study indicated that it took an average of 27 minutes to travel 10 kilometers in 2022 with commuters spending 100 hours in traffic out of 241 driving hours yearly.

UP LANTERN PARADE. After three years of absence due to the pandemic, the much-awaited lantern parade at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City is resurrected. Danny Pata

Group hails DOTr lifting of P169-fee on PUV registration renewal process

By Darwin Amojelar

A

TRANSPORT group of Thursday hailed a plan by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to scrap its P69computer fee for the processing of renewal of public utility vehicle registration and miscellaneous transactions.

THE Federated Land Transport Organizations of the Philippines (FELTOP) commended Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista for exhibiting sensibility and responsiveness to public concerns, specifically their objection to the reimposition of the P169-computer fees charged on the renewal of PUV registration and other related transac-

tions.

“We are pleasantly surprised that the Secretary had granted us an audience to listen to our issues. And what makes this more special is that Sec. Bautista had promised immediate action by telling us that he will order the P169 computer fee being collected by the LTO to be stopped as soon as possible,” FEL-

TOP leader Jun Rustico Braga said.

He clarified however, that the pledge of Bautista to recall the collection of the P169-computer fees only covers the PUV sector.

FELTOP filed last month a graft case against Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, Vigor Mendoza II over the alleged “anomalous” collection of the P169 -ee for processing of registration renewals.

This particular fee was removed earlier when the LTO, under the Duterte administration, implemented the computerization of their in-house information technology (IT) systems and contracted for the setting up of the Land

FRUIT PRICES STEADY AS THEY GO.

Round-shaped fruits such as ponkan are the order of the day in the run-up to Christmas Day. A vendor at the Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City says despite the surge in demand during the holidays, prices of fruits remain stable.

Robinson Niñal Jr.

Barbers pushes Senate approval of bill curbing contrabands in jails

By Maricel V. Cruz A MINDANAO lawmaker on Thursday pushed the enactment of a bill imposing a maximum of 40 years imprisonment and a P10-million fine for inmates found in possession of illegal substances, merchandise, and other contrabands.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace

Barbers appealed to the senators to support the enactment of House Bill (HB) 9153, or the “Contraband Detection and Control System Act” recently approved on final reading at the lower chamber.

Barbers, principal author of the bill and chair of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs, said the bill

aims to prevent the proliferation of contrabands in jails by mandating all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to implement a detection and control system.

Barbers sought to institutionalize a Contraband Detection and Control System (CDCS) in all penal and detention facilities across the country.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has said the measure “ will have a chilling effect on our PDLs (persons deprived of liberty).

At the same time, we’re telling them that we’re sincere and serious in giving them a new life away from danger, that is why we are helping them get rehabilitated.”

Transportation Management System (LTMS) by the German-led DermalogHoly Family Printing Corp. joint venture.

Another transport group, the PISTON, filed on Wednesday a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking the lifting of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

In its plea, Piston asked the SC to issue a temporary restraining order of a writ of preliminary injunction to prevent the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) from carrying out the PUVMP.

Prioritize elderly, sick inmates in grant of pardon A PARTY-LIST legislator has called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to give priority to the elderly, the sick, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in recommending the grant of executive clemency to prisoners this Christmas season.

Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan of the Bicol Saro party-list group, made the call as he expressed support for the jail decongestion initiatives of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla including the release of some 1,500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) through presidential pardon.

The qualified PDLs were recommended for clemency by the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP), an agency under the DOJ. Yamsuan, a former assistant secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, also lauded the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) under director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. for facilitating the release of more than 11,000 PDLs since the start of the Marcos administration as part of the government’s jail decongestion program. Maricel V. Cruz

Businesswoman plays Santa to 500 Manila families

By Vito Barcelo A BUSINESSWOMAN played Santa Claus for hundreds of poor families and children in Manila, giving away Christmas gifts, cash, and grocery items to indigent families this holiday season.

Philanthropist Virginia Rodriguez spearheaded the gift-giving event in San

Nicolas, Binondo, Manila to the indigent in a bid to spread the Yuletide spirit this time of the year.

Rodriguez was assisted by Fr. Douglas Badong of the Nuestra Senora de la Soledad de Manila Parish, in handing out the presents to some 500 families who received cash aids worth P5,000 each, along with grocery items and toys for the kids.

Rodriguez is the author of the book “Leave Nobody Hungry” that recommends innovative technologies and organic farming methods to fight hunger in the country.

According to Rodriguez, she wanted to help the Marcos administration to make the price of rice affordable for poor Filipino peoples, so she decided to write and publish the said book.

Quiapo Church to be declared ‘National Shrine’ NAVY ATTENDS TO CANCER-STRICKEN KIDS. Philippine Navy personnel of the BRP Tarlac and the V. Luna Medical Center pursue a ‘mission of hope, resilience, and shared joy’ for cancer-stricken young patients of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Health Service Command. The medical mission also involved the Chief Nursing Service, Cavite Naval Hospital and the Fraternal Order of Eagles - Philippine Eagles. PN photo

THE Quiapo Church, also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, will officially be declared a “National Shrine” on Jan. 29.

The Department of Tourism, Culture, and Arts of Manila made the announcement online on Thursday.

“Viva Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno!” the Facebook post stated.

“The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene will be solemnly declared a National Shrine on January 29, 2024,” the post read.

In a separate post, the official Fa-

cebook page of Quiapo Church confirmed the good news.

“We have officially received from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines the Decree of Establishment as a National Shrine through Msgr. Bernando Pantin,” it wrote.

A6

OPINION

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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

Charter change

About Town

Ernesto M. Hilario

I

Myanmar crisis could end soon DON’T look now, but with the armies of various ethnic groups in Myanmar making big inroads in capturing towns and cities throughout the country in recent weeks, the political crisis could end soon and usher in a return to civilian rule.

The military junta launched a coup on Feb 1, 2021 claiming widespread fraud in the November 2020 election that saw Aung San Suu Kyi and her political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), win an overwhelming majority.

But the military junta offered no evidence of such fraud, and vowed instead to hold new elections within a year. No such elections took place after a year.

The military mounted the coup d’etat on Feb 1 as they were unwilling to give up their lucrative and wide-ranging business interests and did not want a diminution of political influence in Myanmar with prodemocracy forces in positions of power.

es under the Brotherhood Alliance that brought together the three biggest armies of the ethnic groups have managed to seize significant swatches of the Myanmar countryside.

They have also managed to convince hundreds of government troops to defect to their side.

The Tatmadaw is far larger in number and better trained.

They also have superior firepower, such as fighter jets, tanks, artillery.

But the rebels hold the moral high ground and determined to overthrow the military junta. Whether they can do so in the immediate future despite overwhelming odds is unclear at this point.

Myanmar is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

But the leaders of its junta have been banned from the bloc’s high-level meetings since failing to implement an agreed on five-point peace plan following the 2021 coup.

The peace plan called for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar, the holding of dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, the delivery of humanitarian assistance from ASEAN and a visit of the special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties.

Three ASEAN leaders met in April 2021 with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military junta in Myanmar, and obtained a commitment from him for the peace plan.

But he has carried out not one of these five pledges.

The ASEAN accord appears doomed to fail as it glaringly lacked any timeline for ending the crisis.

We are aware that ASEAN can only do so much because leaders adhere to the principle of non-interference in the affairs of states even as human rights issues have cropped up in certain member-states.

While openly in favor of non-interference, the regional bloc also works through what has been called the “ASEAN Way,” which is to try to reach consensus on contentious issues, away from the limelight.

If I recall correctly, both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council have already approved resolutions as far back as 2021 calling for restraint on the part of the Myanmar military junta and the protection of unarmed civilians.

The international community should intervene in the Myanmar political crisis since the military junta has shown no sign it is willing to bend over backwards and accede to the key demands of the people of Myanmar.

We have no illusion that the military junta in Myanmar will soon hand over power to the very people they ousted from office.

But growing armed resistance by various indigenous groups, international economic sanctions and dogged diplomatic efforts should send a very strong message to the military junta that they cannot rule with an iron hand for long, and a peaceful settlement is in the long-term interest of the nation and the entire Southeast Asian region as well.

—“—

The international community should intervene in the Myanmar political crisis since the military junta has shown no sign it is willing to bend over backwards

The military already enjoys 25 percent representation in the Myanmar parliament as ordained by their constitution.

After the power grab by the military, the people of Myanmar marched in the streets of Yangon and other cities demanding an immediate end to military rule and freedom for Suu Kyi and other elected civilian leaders.

But the junta responded with brute force, killing many protesters and arresting thousands more. Many protesters then stopped the civil disobedience campaign and joined the armed rebels.

The Tatmadaw, the name of the Myanmar military, committed crimes against humanity by killing unarmed protesters ventilating their main demand for a return to democratic rule, or a semblance of it.

This is an urgent moral challenge for the international community.

When grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights occur, war crimes and crimes against humanity are committed, the international community cannot simply shrug their shoulders and walk away, but take decisive action to end such violations.

We have followed the events unfolding in that country since then and monitored the efforts of the main ethnic groups with their own armies to unite and fight the Tatmadaw.

Latest news reports indicate rebel forc-

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

Footnotes

Tranquil G. Salvador III

SOCIAL media are forms of electronic communication by which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content including videos (Webster Dictionary). Various platforms exist, like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, and LinkedIn, among others.

Since we are now in the digital age, a good number of us use social media to communicate, connect, and expand our networks.

Lawyers, though traditionally conservative in their ways and manner of communication, have learned to embrace the use of various social media platforms.

The Supreme Court, realizing the impact of social media on the practice of law, recently passed the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability with specific provisions on the responsible use of social media.

These provisions are express reminders regarding the limitations imposed on the use of social media by legal professionals.

According to the CPRA, “[a] lawyer shall uphold the dignity of the legal profession in

all social media interactions in a manner that enhances the people’s confidence in the legal system, as well as promote its responsible use.”

The lawyer is reminded “to understand the benefits, risks and ethical implications associated with the use of social media” (Section 38, Canon II).

It is important for a lawyer to be circumspect in making online posts to “ensure his or her online posts [will] uphold the dignity of the legal profession and shield it from disrepute, as well as maintain respect for the law” (Section 39).

With this directive, “[a] lawyer shall not post, share, upload or otherwise disseminate false or unverified statements, claims, or commit any other act of disinformation” (Section 40).

For example, the lawyer must verify government announcements or news passed on or posted by questionable social media accounts or websites before reposting, sharing, or uploading.

Furthermore, “[a] lawyer shall not cre-

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ment at this particular point,” Zubiri said.

“Truth to tell, the pulse of the senators is that it’s not time for us to discuss Charter change because we have to prioritize enticing more foreign investments and improving the ease of doing business,” he added.

F BOTH President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Speaker Martin Romualdez have indicated they are studying the option of amending the Constitution, particularly the provisions pertaining to the economy, is it a done deal?

—“—

If next year the House adopts a resolution that would open discussions on Charter change, it is likely to be approved by the chamber

Apparently not. There’s the Senate, for one, that appears reluctant to heed calls to amend the fundamental law.

President Juan Miguel Zubiri has said changing the 1987 Constitution would be an exercise in futility with most of the senators against it, for one reason or another.

The Senate President said it would be better for the government to just implement Republic Act No. 11659, which amends the Commonwealth-era Public Service Act. The law, signed in March 2022 under the previous administration, removed the 40-percent restriction on foreign ownership of businesses in key investment areas such as railways, airports, airlines, seaports, and telecommunications.

“I believe we don’t need any amend-

But he may yet be convinced to toe the line. Marcos said recently that “my primary interest is to try and make our country an investment-friendly place.”

For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez has stated the House would tackle Constitutional amendments next year, focusing on the economic provisions.

Proponents of revising the 987 Con-

stitution contend that it contains economic provisions that restrict the entry of foreign investments into the country.

These provisions are contained in several sections of Article XII on National Economy and Patrimony, which regulate foreign ownership in the country, and Section 11 of Article XVI on General Provisions, which bars foreign interests in the mass media and limits it to 30 percent in any advertising enterprise.

If next year the House adopts a resolution that would open discussions on Charter change, it is likely to be approved by the chamber.

But Zubiri doubts if the Senate would be just as fast in coming up with a similar resolution as it would require at least three-fourths of the chamber or 18 senators.

He is certain many of his colleagues would oppose it, including the president’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos.

Speaker Romualdez believes that senators may yet be willing to approve of Charter change if the people themselves, through a people’s initiative, will clamor for it.

After all, revising restrictive constitutional provisions would not only encourage more foreign direct investments, but also strengthen national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

WHEN a leader of a prominent religious sect asserts disinterest in politics, yet his actions tell a different tale, the press must scrutinize and critique the apparent contradictions.

On Oct 14, the Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church celebrated its 45th anniversary at Luneta.

In 2004, Brother Eddie Villanueva initiated the Bangon Pilipinas Movement, later rebranded as the Bangon Pilipinas Party, becoming his political platform for unsuccessful presidential bids in 2004 and 2010, along with an unsuccessful senatorial run in 2013.

Later, Villanueva established CIBAC under the party-list system, winning a House of Representatives seat from 2019 to 2022, eventually becoming a Deputy Speaker.

This paved the way for the formation of a political dynasty in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Bocaue now serves as the stronghold for Villanueva’s political dynasty, with his son Eduardo Jr. as the current mayor, succeeding his sister Joni Villanueva-Tugna, whose husband Sherwin Tugna served as a CIBAC party-list representative for three terms.

The family’s political prominence extends

to incumbent Senator Joel Villanueva, previously a CIBAC congressman from 2007 to 2010, now serving his second term in the Senate, with a significant voter base from JIL members.

Owning the Zoe Broadcasting Network, including A2Z TV channel 11 and Light TV

channel 33, along with a Christian school in Bocaue, Brother Eddie’s influence is extensive.

Despite an anniversary advertisement stating Brother Eddie lost interest in worldly pursuits since 1973, his political engagements prompt questions.

Why run for president, senator, and become Deputy Speaker if politics lost its allure?

Why permit family involvement in politics and partisan roles?

An inquiry into CIBAC’s close ties with JIL is warranted.

The Commission on Elections should assess whether CIBAC acts merely as a conduit for JIL, given the potential implications of foreign interference in Philippine elections through JIL’s global membership.

Additionally, an online biography of Joel Villanueva reveals an Ombudsman directive for dismissal in 2016 due to alleged fund misuse during his congressional term.

Despite this, Joel Villanueva continued serving as senator, raising questions about adherence to the law.

Joel Villanueva’s visibility in JIL programs before the 2016 and 2022 senatorial elections contrasts with his alleged disobedience of the Ombudsman’s directive.

Is Senator Joel Villanueva above the law?

Without a clear, categorical, and satisfactory explanation, this issue will persist.

The Constitution mandates the separation of Church and State for valid reasons rooted in Philippine history.

The union of Church and State poses risks to national interests, making it imperative to address the apparent entanglements in the Villanueva political web.

ate, maintain or operate accounts in social media for the purpose of hiding his or her identity to circumvent the law or the provisions of this Code” (Section 41).

While lawyers are not prevented from having multiple social media accounts, a lawyer can be administratively disciplined if his or her purpose in maintaining the multiple accounts is to violate or sidestep the law or the CPRA.

tion 42).

Hence, a lawyer must not post a copy of a Resolution, Decision, or Order of the courts unless officially published by the Supreme Court or any of its courts.

The practice of posting orders or decisions by some lawyers with erasures of the court branch, docket number, names of the parties, and the judge, is a very sensitive matter.

These may appear to anonymize the identities of the parties and the court but a person who closely examines the post and continues to look up pertinent details on social media and search engines would find a way to identify the parties and the nature of the case.

“A lawyer, who uses a social media account to communicate with any other person in relation to client confidences and information, shall exert efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure or use of, or unauthorized access to, such an account” (Section 43).

Therefore, caution must be taken by lawyers working in teams and communicating confidential information through chat groups like Viber or Telegram.

Group chats of lawyers may inadvertently expose the confidential information of a client if the social media account is common to the spouses or partners of lawyers.

It may also happen that a lawyer formerly working for the client was not removed from a chat group concerning the latter, thereby continuing to receive confidential information about the client.

The CPRA reminds lawyers “[to] exercise prudence in making posts or comments in social media that could violate the provisions on conflict of interest….” (Section 46).

They may unknowingly and publicly comment on a client’s interest, that of a colleague’s client (member of the same law office), or the directors or officers of a juridical entity (corporation) which is their client.

While the 2019 Rules on Civil Procedure now allows filing and service by electronic means, “[a] lawyer shall not communicate with an officer of any court, tribunal, or other government agency through social media to influence the latter’s performance of official duties” (Section 44).

Simply put, all social media communications with the courts must only concern its official functions.

The duty of the lawyer to “safeguard human rights, and at all times advance the honor and integrity of the legal profession” extends to every aspect of his life (Section 1, Canon III).

This includes the lawyers’ engagement in various social media platforms.

Citizen Barok

Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

Unraveling Brother Eddie Villanueva’s political web

—“—

Responsible use of social media

EDITORIAL

The Supreme Court... recently passed the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability with specific provisions on the responsible use of social media

—“—

The union of Church and State poses risks to national interests, making it imperative to address the apparent entanglements in the Villanueva political web

The lawyer must always be mindful that, being an officer of the court, he or she has the sworn duty to help protect the integrity of the legal profession.

The lawyer also has the duty “not [to] reveal, directly or indirectly, in his or her online posts confidential information obtained from a client or in the course of, or emanating from, the representation, except when allowed by law or this Code” (Sec-

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

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Kim warns of nuclear attack S if Nokor ‘provoked’ with nukes Israel orders more Gaza evacuations ISRAEL has ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza’s main city as diplomats pressed on with efforts to secure a pause in the war that Hamas says has claimed 20,000 lives.

The United Nations said Israel had issued evacuation orders on Wednesday for large areas of Khan Yunis, where more than 140,000 displaced people were sheltering.

Israel told civilians to leave the north of the besieged Palestinian territory at the beginning of the conflict, urging them to seek safety in southern areas.

But as places for people to go continued to shrink, international outrage has mounted over the rising death toll.

The war began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing around 1,140 people, mostly civilians, and abducting about 250, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The Hamas government’s media office in the Gaza Strip said Wednesday at least 20,000 people had been killed in the Palestinian territory since the war with Israel began.

It said 8,000 children and 6,200 women were among the dead.

UN relief chief Martin Griffiths deemed it a “tragic and shameful milestone”.

In the southern city of Rafah, where fireballs and smoke rose after explosions on Wednesday, residents expressed hope that truce talks would succeed. AFP

EOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned Pyongyang will not hesitate to launch a nuclear attack if “provoked with nukes,” state media said Thursday, while Seoul and its allies called for “dialogue without preconditions.”

ANTI-GOV’T RALLY.

People demonstrate against the new government of Argentine President Javier Milei in front of the National Congress in Buenos Aires Thursday after he unveiled a series of measures to deregulate the country’s struggling economy, eliminating or changing more than 300 rules via presidential decree, including on rent and labor practices. AFP

China’s deadliest quake survivors recover in hospitals JISHISHAN, China—Chinese earthquake survivors recovered in hospital as rescue teams rushed to deliver supplies on Thursday, the third day since the country’s deadliest quake in years killed 135 people.

The toll rose from the previous day’s 134, state news agency Xinhua said, as rescuers continued to search for victims buried as the soil liquified in northwestern Qinghai Province.

Almost 1,000 were injured across Qinghai and neighboring Gansu province after the strong, shallow tremor hit the region on Monday night.

At the Jishishan County People’s Hospital in Gansu, near the epicenter of the quake, doctors attended to survivors with mild injuries on Thursday, administering intravenous drips and examining X-rays in buildings visibly damaged

by the tremor.

“I really want to go home,” one patient, a middle-aged woman waiting to receive surgery on her injured leg, told AFP. “But my place has been destroyed, so I wonder where I can go,” she said.

“People are still worried about the aftershocks, they can’t sleep well because there is no safe place”, a Jishishan county official told AFP. The US Geological Survey said Monday night’s magnitude-5.9 quake struck at 11:59 pm local time with an epicenter about 100 kilometers from Gansu’s provincial capital, Lanzhou.

Dozens of smaller aftershocks followed and officials warned that tremors with a magnitude of more than 5.0 were possible in the next few days.

Rescuers from across the country ap-

peared to have reached more survivors in rural Gansu overnight, with AFP reporters seeing that large numbers of government-issued blue tents had been put up in Jishishan to replace improvised shelters built by residents immediately after the quake.

In Qinghai province, 12 people remain missing after a “sand boil” disaster on Tuesday buried people alive and in Zhongchuan Township, according to Xinhua.

Meanwhile, more low temperature records tumbled across China as the country endures a persistent cold snap that has crowned a year of extreme weather.

The national weather office said in a social media post that more than 20 stations posted all-time December lows in the early hours of Thursday. AFP

Kim’s warning follows a meeting between South Korea and the United States last week in Washington, where they discussed nuclear deterrence in the event of conflict with the North.

The meeting’s agenda included “nuclear and strategic planning,” and the allies reiterated that any nuclear attack by Pyongyang on the United States or South Korea would result in the end of the North Korean regime.

But Kim told his military’s missile bureau “not to hesitate (launching) even a nuclear attack when the enemy provokes it with nukes,” Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo released a statement shortly afterwards, urging the nuclear-armed country to “stop conducting further provocations and accept our call for engaging in substantive dialogue without preconditions”.

The three countries have ramped up defense cooperation in the face of a record-breaking series of weapons tests by Pyongyang this year, and on Tuesday activated a system to share real-time data on North Korean missile launches.

On Monday, the North launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-18, later describing it as “a warning countermeasure” against what it described as persistent acts of “military threat” by Washington and its allies.

Last week, a US nuclear-powered submarine arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan, and on Wednesday, Washington flew its long-range bombers in drills with Seoul and Tokyo. AFP

BUSINESS Meralco eyeing nuclear power site near Malacañang

By Alena Mae S. Flores Manila OWER retailer Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is looking Standard at three sites for its planned small-scale nuclearTODAY facility, including one near Malacanang Palace, a company executive said.

P SME LOGISTICS. Transportation, logistics and distribution solutions provider 2GO introduces 2GO Getters—a community of

micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), start-up companies and anyone who aspires to build their businesses in need of delivery services. 2GO, a part of the SM group which has extensive expertise in logistics and supply chain management, expects to bring opportunities and benefits to micro-entrepreneurs.

Manila

Standard

PSE gets exemption from ownership limit to buy PDS TODAY

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Thursday it granted the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) an exemptive relief that will enable it to acquire full ownership in Philippine Dealing System Holdings Corp. (PDS).

The SEC said in a statement it approved PSE’s application for an exemption from the 20-percent cap in the ownership of a single industry in an exchange subject to certain conditions.

One of the conditions is for the PSE to submit a status of its negotiation on its acquisition of additional PDS shares every two months, including share offer price, among others.

The PSE should also submit its operational and developmental plans and timeline in relation to the fixed income market, the SEC said.

It also required the local bourse to provide the commission regular updates, including updates on timelines of concrete plans, on its commitments, such as reduction in fees, valuation, enhancements of systems and launch of new products every three months following the acquisition.

The PSE owns 20.98 percent of the issued and outstanding capital stock of PDS Holdings, the operator of the country’s fixed-income trading platform. The PSE seeks to acquire up to 100 percent of PDS to unify the capital markets.

Other major shareholders of PDS are Singapore Exchange Ltd., Bankers Association of the Philippines, Tata Consultancy Services Asia, Whistler Technologies Services Inc. and San Miguel Corp.

Under Section 33.2(c) of Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC), no person may ben-

eficially own or control, directly or indirectly, more than five percent of the voting rights of the exchange and no industry or business group may beneficially own or control, directly or indirectly, more than 20 percent of the voting rights of the exchange.

The SEC, however, may adopt rules, regulations or issue an order, upon application, exempting an applicant from the ownership limit if such ownership or control will not negatively impact on the exchange’s ability to effectively operate in the public interest.

The PDS Group includes the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

(PDEx).

PDEx, incorporated in 2003, operates the organized secondary market for the trading of fixed-income securities issued by corporations, as well as the government.

Meralco executive vice-president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said the three prospective sites are Talim Island in Rizal, San Rafael in Bulacan and Isla del Provisor located right across Malacañang Palace.

Aperocho said Meralco was studying putting up micro-modular nuclear power plants, with a range of 5 megawatts (MW) to 30 MW on the proposed sites.

Meralco plans to develop nuclear power facilities as stable and cheaper sources of power to diversify the country’s energy sources.

“If there is no issue on safety, you can put it [nuclear] anywhere, even within the Meralco compound,” said Aperocho.

He said Meralco proposed the Isla de Provisor property in Paco, Manila which it acquired in 2021 for P632,162,185 from the government as a possible site.

The Paco property consists of eight separate non-contiguous vacant lots spanning 20,975 square meters.

Aperocho said Meralco focused on the three sites because it is located within their franchise area.

“Actually, the sites that were considered by the Department of Energy before, most if not all of them are outside

the Meralco franchise. So since this is a Meralco undertaking, we want it within our franchise. We’re considering at least three sites, but we just have to harmo- CYAN nize this with [Energy] Undersecretary [Sharon] Garin,” he said.

Aperocho said Meralco and US-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. (USNC) had started the feasibility study on nuclear for power.

The parties signed cooperative agreement to study the potential deployment of one or more fourth-generation gascooled micro-modular reactor (MMR) energy systems in the Philippines.

The study will help Meralco in critical decisions and potential future activities on project-specific studies and project development plans at LEGAL NOTICE identified sites.

Notice is hereby given for the of the Estate of Ludovico A p e r o - settlement Garcia Mejia (“Decedent”) who died February 3, 2022, without any will or cho also said on testament and without any debts. The left two (2) bank account Meralco was Decedent of Bank of Philippine Island, Abanao also preparing branch, Baguio City and and a Tax Declaration Agricultural Land in Barrio the manpower Anonang, San Fabian, Pangasinan. mentioned bank account and real for its pro- The property is subject to an Extra-Judicial Settlement of the Estate executed by posed nuclear the exclusive heirs and acknowledged Atty. John Domingo A. Ponce, Jr., facilities by byNotary Public for and in the City of Makati 13, 2023, with s p o n s o r i n g Doc No.on73,September Page No. 16, Book No. I, s c h o l a r s h i p Series of 2023. programs.

(MS-DEC. 8/15/22, 2023)

NOTICE OF DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT with LOT ASSIGNMENT (Loyola Memorial Park Marikina Lot covered under Certificate of Ownership- No. 77-

BUSINESS

B1 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com

Prime Energy spending $187m in Malampaya

By Alena Mae S. Flores

COMMUNITY EDUCATION. Students of Palimbang National High School pose with the Philippine Eagle Foundation’s (PEF) mascot ‘Malaya’ during the community education and public awareness campaign jointly conducted by the PEF and Alsons Power Group in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. Joining them is Alsons Power vice president for corporate affairs Ruben Tungpalan (left). Alsons Power Group, in partnership with the PEF, continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental conservation. Its campaign, engaging around 250 community members including students, teachers, parents, government officials and community leaders, focused on educating participants about their critical role in preserving local biodiversity.

BOI approves 450-MW offshore wind project

By Othel V. Campos THE Board of Investments (BOI) approved the country’s first offshore wind project, paving the way for a major leap in clean energy generation and economic development.

The massive 450-megawatt (MW) Frontera Bay Wind Power Project will bring in P81.67 billion in fresh investments by Ivisan Windkraft Corp.

“We endeavor to develop the offshore wind industry value chain in the Philippines and invite global offshore wind industry players to choose the Philippines as their hub in Southeast Asia,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

The project in Cavite province received a green lane certificate of endorsement—a fast-track mechanism for strategic investments.

It is estimated to be operational within the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and has the potential to contribute to the country’s goal of achieving 15.3 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy by 2030 as part of the Philippine Development Plan’s goal of having a secure, reliable and clean energy mix.

The Frontera Bay project aims to produce clean power and contribute to job creation, tourism opportunities and a vital boost to local communities with some 2,700 jobs to be generated during construction and when the power project goes on stream.

The government is also banking on the project to become a new tourist attraction once the proposed bridge linking Cavite and Bataan is finished. The project is aligned with the administration’s goal of operating offshore wind turbines by 2028, according to the BOI.

“What we want to show is that the offshore wind industry has Filipinos around the world working as engineers, mariners, etc. Developing the ecosystem in the country aligns with our goals of bringing the OFWs home and investing in the capabilities of the Filipinos,” said Ivisan Windkraft vice president Theo Sunico.

The President approved the green lanes for strategic investments through Executive Order No. 18. Green lanes aim to expedite, simplify and automate the permit and license application processes for strategic investments.

The BOI’s One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments (OSACSI) will facilitate the processing of permits and licenses of all green lane-endorsed projects to expedite the approval of more renewable energy investments in the country.

P

RIME Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy) controlled by businessman Enrique Razon Jr. budgeted $187 million for 2024 capital expenditures mainly for well preparations under Phase 4 of the Malampaya deep water gas-to-power project, a company executive said Thursday.

Prime Energy managing director Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said the company is ramping up preparations to drill at least two deepwater wells— the Camago and Malampaya East prospects by 2025.

Cruz said that before that, the planned expenditure in 2024 of about $187 million would include procurement of drilling equipment, subsea equipment and umbilicals and pipeline and securing the drilling rig.

Cruz said if the drilling is successful and proves that gas reserves can be produced commercially, the necessary pipelines will be installed and tied into the Malampaya production facilities.

The planned drilling and development or Malampaya Phase 4 requires total investment of more than $600 million.

Prime Energy expects the new wells to produce gas by 2026.

The company also expressed optimism there would be no intervention or disruption from China when Malampaya Phase 4 drilling and development activities take place in 2025 and 2026.

Prime Energy said China had never claimed the Malampaya or Service Contract 38 area in northwest Palawan.

It said exploration activities for SC 38 (and its precursor GSEC 47) started in 1988, development activities in 1998 and production activities in 2001. It said that from 1988 to date, China had not intervened in any Malampaya petroleum operations.

Prime Energy, a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc., owns a 45-percent operating interest in SC 38 or the Malampaya project, supplying 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity requirements.

Prime Energy and its partners secured the renewal of SC 38 for an additional 15 years or up to 2039. The ceremonial signing by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla was held on May 15, 2023 in Malacanang.

The renewal of SC 38 paves the way for new investment to explore and develop additional gas reserves as gas production from Malampaya has been declining after 22 years of operation.

Meanwhile, Prime Energy and its partners sought the support of the Department of Energy to ensure that there is a market for the new gas volumes to underpin the significant investment required.

SPORTS

B2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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

Hollis-Jefferson brothers net TNT 1st EASL victory STA. ROSA, Laguna – TNT leaned on the exploits of brothers Rondae and Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson to finally make it to the win column of the EASL Home and Away season.

The Hollis-Jeffersons combined for 57 points and carried the Tropang Giga on their broad shoulders past the Taipei Fubon Braves, 80-69, Wednesday night at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson went for 35 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, while the debuting Rahlir supported his younger brother with 22 points and nine rebounds in their first ever game playing together.

Their exploits allowed TNT to finally score a win after losing its first four games this season.

It also marked the team’s first victory in the EASL since the 2019 Terrific 12 tournament.

Although TNT is still a long way to have a clear passage to the semifinals as it remains in the bottom of Group A at 1-4, deputy coach Josh Reyes said the Tropang Giga will still try to make it two in a row as they face Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters for their final opponent.

“We’ll go for it. We’ll just continue with this momentum and like I said, keep on getting better, and hopefully good results will follow,” said Reyes, who called the shots for TNT. A spoiler to the win though, was the injury Rondae Hollis-Jefferson suffered late in the game. The former NBA player tripped while driving to the basket, crashing head-first into Taipei’s Chan Fan Po-Yen and laid motionless to the hardwood for a few minutes.

He was later brought to the nearby hospital to check on his neck and spine.

“We’re very concerned as a unit right now. Good that we got the win, but right now the concern is Rondae and his well-being,” Reyes added.

Taipei fell to a 1-3 record despite getting 19 points and 20 rebounds from import Anthony Johnson and 15 points from Fil-Am Sedric Barefield, who had members of his family and other relatives watching from courtside.

Rondae and Rahlir HollisJeffersons of the TNT Tropang Giga tap each other after a play in the EASL against the Taipei Fubon Braves.

National team mainstay Grospe rips 17-year-old high jump mark

By Peter Atencio

The 16-year-old Mojutes and 21.8 seconds. deh joined Arvin TaguiUsing a new technique nato II in becoming two she learned, while in the of the winningest tankUS, Mojdeh finished by ers in the weeklong meet, more than eight seconds which earlier saw young ahead of Antipolo’s Rio gymnast Karl Jahriel ElBalbuena, who checked in drew Yulo dominate with at 2:29.42, with Renavive a seven-gold sweep of the Subida of Dasmarinas in individual events in Men’s third (2:31.31).

Artistic Gymnastics com“I’m incorporating what petitions.

I’ve learned, while there Mojdeh, who recently during competition,” said came back from training Leonard Grospe (PSC) Mojdeh, who represents in the United States, easParanaque as she seeks ily took the gold in the 16-17 year old, more two medals in the 100-meter but200-meter butterfly event in two min- terfly, and 4x50 meter freestyle relay.

N

ATIONAL team mainstay Leonard Grospe eclipsed a 17-year-old national record in high jump in the PSCPhilippine National Games during the morning sessions at the Philsports Track Oval in Pasig City.

The 22-year-old Grospe cleared 2.20 meters to surpass the old record of 2.17 meters, which his coach Sean Guevara set during the National Open in Manila in 2005.

This was better than the fifth-place, 2.13-m performance Grospe made in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia last May.

Mandaluyong City’s Ernie Calipay finished at far second with 2.06m, while fellow PH athlete Janry Ubas took home the bronze with 1.90m.

Meanwhile, Jasmine Mojdeh breezed through with her fourth gold medal on Day 4 at the Teofilo Yldefonso Memorial Pool of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Uy cards 72, but Positivity, courage fuel visually impaired racer 3 other Filipinas falter in Asian tilt DANIELA Uy, deemed the leastcredentialed among the four Filipinas, defied expectations as she emerged the standout performer after 18 holes of the Asia Pacific Cup, matching par 72 to trail Thai ace Atthaya Thitikul and three others, including Korean amateur Hyosong Lee, by four in Indonesia Thursday.

Uy mixed two birdies with the same number of bogeys at the Pondok Indah Golf Course in Jakarta that provided a stern test for a diverse field slugging it out for top honors and princely prizes both in individual competition and team play spread over three days.

The reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion set her bid in motion with a birdie on No. 2 but a slip on the par-3 No. 8 and a subsequent bogey on the 10th tested her mettle. Undeterred, Uy rebounded with a birdie on No. 11, setting the stage for a gutsy run of pars that led to a pair of 36s for a share of 14th with Japanese Nasa Hataoka, Diksha Dagar of India and Korean amateur Minson Kim. Bianca Pagdanganan posted a oneover 73 while defending champion and fellow ICTSI-backed campaigners Princess Superal and LPGA and Epson Tour veteran Dottie Ardina wavered with 74s in a wobbly start for the three seasoned campaigners tipped to contend and keep the individual crown for the country.

The big-hitting Pagdanganan failed to get untracked although she managed to bounce back from two mishaps (Nos. 2 and 8) with birdies (Nos. 4 and 12) before running out of holes to essay another rebound from a third miscue on No. 16. She ended up with a 37-36 for joint 18th.

Superal sparked hopes for a great start to a title-retention bid with a birdie on No. 3. But the 26-year-old grappled with the challenging course and fouled up on Nos. 6 and 9, both par-5s, and yielded another stroke on No. 10 to fall off the leaderboard.

THE hot morning sun and rough asphalt in one of the commercial complexes situated in Pasig City did not slow down the training session of the adaptive national athletes for Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) – a team of Filipino para-athletes who represented the Philippines in the international OCR competition held in Belgium this year.

Among them was Andrea “Iya” Estrella, a young, bubbly lady who did not let her visual

impairment stop her from competing against the world’s best.

“As a woman, I wanted to prove to others that I can do whatever men can do. There are still times when women are not treated equally, so I want to prove to them that even though I am a young woman who has a disability, I can still do what others can,” the student-athlete said.

Not minding the hardcore training that

OCR required, Iya shared that she enjoys exploring new strategies and techniques in obstacle sports. “It can teach you many things – from being strategic, disciplined, mentally alert and aware,” she shared.

Her limitations became her inspiration when she landed on the podium as the champion of the OCR World Championships for OCR100M P5 and Bronze for 3K OCR Short Course P5 events.

Andrea ‘Iya’ Estrella

For Boybits, Vince, Red Lions and heartbroken Bedans of ‘91 IF YOU were in San Beda College during the early 90s, you would probably understand how important a win, much more a championship, in the basketball tournament of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was.

It was normal then for us to see our beloved Red Lions lose game after game in the tournament. What we lacked in wins, we made up in giving the best heckling possible to our opponents in the usual Bedan humor of old.

Going back to the 1991 NCAA Finals, I watched along with my Philosophy and Letters ‘92 classmates how the Red Lions then lost the much-coveted title to the MIT Cardinals in the last five seconds of the game, courtesy of a clutch bucket by Benny Cheng. The last time San Beda won the NCAA basketball title was in the late 70s, courtesy of the Loyzaga brothers, Chito and Joey and the Red Lions of ‘77 and ‘78.

Since then the pain was never extinguished. In fact, it was in my bucket list, longer than my wish for a daughter, among the oldest when bucket lists were not yet in vogue. Someday, we will get our revenge.

The Red Lions finally ended a 28-yeartitle drought in 2006. Since then, it has become one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. San Beda won back-to-back-to-back in 2006-2008 and strung a 5-peat from 2010 to 2015. Overall, San Beda has won 11 titles since 2006 until the start of this season. The loss in 1991, however, remained to be settled because despite the Red Lions establishing some sort of dynasty since the mid 2000, it never faced the Cardinals in the finals again.

Until this year, 32 years after the historic and unforgettable loss in ULTRA, the first

finals between the boys of Mendiola and their rivals from Muralla had been set. The Red Lions upended the Lyceum Pirates twice in the semis to book the finals slot against the heavily-favored and top-seeded Cardinals.

Aside from only losing three games before the finals, the team also has two players in the Mythical Five. The Red Lions had no one in the elite team, but then again, basketball is a team sport.

So it was also expected that after Mapua won the first game, 68-63 in the best-ofthree title series that the Red Lions were already written off. Some even wrote that Mapua will sweep San Beda in the finals.

A Mapua bus was even reportedly decorated with a banner saying it was the home of champions prior to the second game.

Which was understandable.

For me then, my main concern was to secure a ticket for Game 3 because I was so sure that the Red Lions would force a rubber match for the title and that sweet payback more than three decades in the making. Luckily, the Red Lions used the same playbook that Mapua employed in the first game to win the second game, 71-65 and extend their season.

A few hours before Game 3, I still didn’t have a ticket and was resigned to go to our radio program, Larong Pilipino, and monitor the game online. But as always, my classmates, Resty Ancheta and Garry Domingo came clutch. Got the ticket plus one, literally some five minutes before the start of the rubber match.

Despite decades away from “NC” basketball and into football for an equally long time, the sea of Red at the Smart Araneta Coliseum was always a sight to behold. The Bedan Yell and Go San Beda Fight never

get old. And the old man in me was forgotten in a moment and I was back in my 90s self. The only downside was I didn’t have a signal to join my Kuyang Chino, via zoom, in our program. Moral lesson: Don’t use Globe while inside or near Smart Araneta or run the risk of having a heart attack.

The Red Lions stormed to a good start taking the first quarter and despite a strong show by the Cardinals in the second canto, they were up by a point, 36-35.

The third period saw the Cardinals firing on all cylinders, making their three-points shot fall. Moreover, they made the Red Lions play their “physical” game. They eventually took the lead and the third quarter, 57-53. Worse, San Beda’s King Lion and spitfire Jacob Cortez limped off the court.

Despite this, Coach Yuri Escueta and the Red Lions didn’t panic. Yukien Andrada came up with massive three pointers to create the much-needed separation between the two teams, while his teammates clamped on their opponents to limit the Cardinals to just nine points in the final period. Cortez also came back in the game and even came up with a “too small” gesture after scoring a clutch basket to settle the outcome of the game beyond any doubt.

And just like that, the ghosts of ‘91 have been exorcised. The curse has ended. The payback was at hand and completed. The Red Lions were again, the Kings of NCAA basketball. My Bedan brother Joey Gabrillo when he said, all the way from Bakersfield, CA that “it was the sweetest of all championships San Beda has won since 2006.” And I couldn’t agree more.

The win also laid to rest the claim, among many nasty comments, that San Beda can’t win a championship without an import.

But kidding aside, it was a vindication,

too, of a program that was hit hard by a massive exodus of blue-chip players to another school. For us Bedans in the early 90s, it was simply a closure to a sad, longrunning chapter.

There are many unfolding storylines after the title run, including a rumored transfer of our King Lion and more are expected in the coming weeks. Comments made by losing fans are expected, but most arguments should have been settled with the Red Lions’ resounding and emphatic win, to which I urge my fellow alumnus to be on the high morale ground and not be bothered by these trolls and mema lang. Personally, I will celebrate it on my own, on a loop even, in my own peace. After all, I waited for this to happen for more than half of my life.

This is for you Boybits, Vince, Coach Orly Castelo, Red Lions of 1991 Tony Valeriano, Merwin Castelo, Teddy “Bagwis” Alamarez, Ronald Dionisio, Ares Salud, Sonny Manucat, Ato Morano, Edwin Manabat, Ricardo Zepeda, Jomil Espina, Rommel Saga, Alan Giron, Paul Garcia and to all Bedans, who had to leave ULTRA then with so much pain and sorrows in their hearts.

Nakabawi na tayo, Garry, Resty, Jose aka James, Bert, Raymund V, Raymund A, Peter, Ming, Jun, Rennet, Rod, Roger, Jong, Rex, Joel V., Red, Patrinel, Percy, Bullit, Aris, Ferdie, Ian D., Ian C, Jed, Joel C., Johnny, Jordan, Jun Gab, Larry, Porfie, Jomar, Alvin, Sirs Cadz and Honor.

Ut in Omnibus Glorificetur Deus.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Stay safe. Stay happy peeps!

For comments or questions, you can reach The Designated Kit Man at erel_cabatbat@yahoo.com or follow his account at Twitter: @erelcabatbat

B3

SHOWBIZ

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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

‘Firefly’ lights up the big screens this Yuletide season GMA Network is throwing its full weight behind the new dramaadventure film, Firefly, helmed by Zig Dulay.

The film, which is a collaborative effort between GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs, promises a heartwarming journey filled with nostalgia and wonder this Christmas as an official entry to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

Dulay, known for his work on acclaimed projects like Maria Clara at Ibarra, Paglipay, and Black Rainbow, brings his unique storytelling vision to Firefly. His meticulous direction is poised to breathe life into this comingof-age tale, capturing the essence of

childhood dreams and the enduring power of family bonds.

Backing Dulay is a stellar team of industry veterans, each contributing their expertise to the film’s creation.

Angel Atienza, the brains behind award-winning GMA Public Affairs programs, pens the heartfelt story and screenplay. Rody Vera, celebrated for his work in gems like Die Beautiful and Goyo, lends his guidance as a script adviser. Meanwhile, Neil Daza, known for capturing the magic of Dekada ‘70 and Fan Girl, paints the film with stunning visuals.

Firefly boasts an exceptional ensemble cast, led by Alessandra de Rossi and the promising young

talent Euwenn Mikaell. Dingdong Dantes adds his charisma in a special appearance, while Ysabel Ortega and Miguel Tanfelix bring youthful energy to the screen. Senior actors Cherry Pie Picache and Epy Quizon round out the impressive cast.

The film follows the journey of a young boy, Tonton, who embarks on a magical quest to find the mythical island his mother described in bedtime stories.

Set against the backdrop of 1999, this adventure becomes a poignant exploration of childhood wonder, the power of promises, and the enduring love between parent and child.

Firefly screens in cinemas nationwide on Dec. 25.

‘Firefly’ delves into the story of a young boy who embarks on a journey to find a mythical island

Ice Seguerra

From left: ‘Firefly’ director Zig Dulay, Euwenn Mikaell, and Alessandra De Rossi

surprises elderly residents with heartwarming Christmas carols OPM singer Ice Seguerra

Pageant Concept Eton Concepcion

Charity organization celebrates 5th year honoring outstanding women QUEEN of Hearts Foundation Inc. celebrated its 5th anniversary with a White Christmas Party & Awards Night, held at Brittany Hotel, BGC in Taguig, on Sunday.

Led by Founder & CEO Mitzie Go-Gil, Mrs. Asia-Pacific 2018, the charity organization has continued to undertake humanitarian activities for the less privileged.

“We will be steadfast in continuing our mission, and we hope our fifth anniversary serve as inspiration as we look forward to a better and brighter future,” said Go-Gil who recently celebrated her birthday with a visit to the Philippine National School for the Blind. “The effort and time spent for that charity visit is worthwhile after seeing the smiles on the faces of the blind children,” Go-Gil added.

The glittery anniversary event, hosted by Aliw Awards nominee Raymond Gorospe and Mrs. Philippines Asia-Pacific Intercontinental 2020 Ivee Bo, culminated in an award ceremony that honored outstanding women in different fields and professions. The awardees were led by beauty queen-philanthropist Riza Oben Dormiendo and Princess Keira Aislin Del Rosario, who was crowned as Queen of Hearts Ambassador 2024.

Other awardees were Christine Escalante, Maria Charo Calalo, Jacqueline Marzan Tolentino, Marie Antoniette Palanca–Miranda, Usha Rathod, Diadem Bermudez, Tala Zaldivar, Duchess Rachel Aurelio, Nimakshi Ranathunga, and Catherine R. Rodrigo.

Beauty queen gives back this Holiday Season Beauty queen-turned-entrepreneur Jessie Maloles, CEO of Bless Amare Group of Companies, recently hosted a thanksgiving party at the posh Palazzo D’Amore, in Don Galo, Parañaque City. Close friends, guests, and members of the press attended the special occasion.

A loving wife and mother of five, the 47-year-old former Mrs. Asia International 2014 first runner-up, regularly conducts charity work as a way of sharing her family’s blessings.

Maloles said that she usually gives back to the community by supporting benefit projects like feeding programs and fashion shows for a worthy cause.

Winners of New Faces of Fashion 2023 named Modeling competition New Faces of Fashion 2023 named its winners in male and female categories during an exciting grand finale held at Teatrino Promenade Greenhills, San Juan on Saturday.

The winners for the male category were Ron Galapin, William Chiang, and Shiro Ogawa. While Charlyn Anne Icban, Rania Misuari, and Hannah Amistad were the winners in the female category.

Paula Reyes, Miss Model of the World Philippines 2023, and Maxine Trinidad former PBB 2022 Teen Housemate, sat among the panel of judges.

The New Faces of Fashion 2023 is a new modeling competition for aspiring models presented by founder and CEO Lilibeth Woods.

Queen of Hearts Foundation Inc. CEO Mitzie Go-Gil (center) with ambassadors Princess Keira Aislin Del Rosario (left) and Riza Oben Dormiendo

Very Wang

Nickie Wang

I

CE Seguerra experienced an unconventional childhood.

Being widely recognized in the country posed unique challenges, as he was embraced by the public as one of their own. During his heyday as a child star, playing on the street with kids his age became a rarity due to his overwhelming popularity.

Overjoyed fans and onlookers greet Ice Seguerra as he makes his way towards the narrow alleys of Tatalon in Quezon City to search for the houses he will be singing Christmas carols at

to watch him on TV, and now he brings gifts of fruits and medicine,” the 71-year-old widow happily reflects.

Ice continued his Christmas caroling at the home of Simplicia Cunanan, a 76-year-old stroke patient caring for her 39-year-old son with cerebral palsy. Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the ‘Pagdating ng Panahon’ hitmaker outside her house. “I never expected to see Ice when I stepped out. I am so happy.”

Sixty-year-old Erlinda Sese embraced Ice as he walked to her house. Having lost her husband and son in October, she graciously welcomed the singer despite her recent tragedies.

Ice’s final stop was the humble home of Isabel Angeles, a 90-year-old lady who cares for her child with a disability.

Her other children are already raising their own families and facing financial struggles. Lola Isabel earns a living by collecting plastics to sell in junk shops.

The evening became truly unforgettable for those visited

by Ice and their families, but it was even more meaningful for him. Ice expressed, “I’m happy to visit them because I have a soft spot for the elderly. I see my parents in them, and I wish that now, in their twilight years, they could rest and enjoy life, perhaps just sweeping in front of their houses or gardening.”

Ice shared that this experience gave a new meaning to Christmas caroling for him. “My job is to sing, and when you’re younger, you do it for the money. Now, singing for people and making them happy gives me purpose.”

Despite recovering from cough and colds, aggravated by an asthma attack, Ice considered partnering with Solmux Advance for the activity a blessing. Despite being visibly tired as the activity concluded, Ice expressed, “I am tired, but I am happy because it’s all worth it.”

Ultimately, Ice hopes to make this a yearly activity, recognizing the power of music to bring joy and hope and to bring smiles to people facing challenges.

“I remember, for me to play with other kids in our area, they would close the entire street, and guards were watching at both ends,” Ice recalls.

Needless to say, there were many experiences Ice missed out on, like Christmas caroling. “I started my showbiz career early, so I never had the opportunity to go caroling from house to house. That’s something I wanted to do.”

When the chance finally came, Ice didn’t hesitate.

Teaming up with Solmux Advance, an upgraded solution to a popular cough brand from the leading healthcare company Unilab, Inc., Ice went Christmas caroling in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City.

Christmas came early to elderlies Golden Alquiza, Fe Ocheada, Simplicia Cunanan, Erlinda Sese, and Isabel Angeles as Ice came to their homes unannounced bringing in some holiday cheers through music. They were all pleasantly surprised to see the now celebrated singersongwriter in front of their homes, singing to them no less!

Ice’s first stop was Mang Golden, who has been living alone since his wife left him. Despite being physically handicapped after an accident, Mang Golden continues to work as a parking boy to afford food and medicine. At 63, he deeply misses his family, but seeing Ice on his doorstep brings him joy. “I’m happy that he visited me. It reminded me of my children through him,” he says.

Next on Ice’s list was Fe Ocheada, a stroke patient who supported herself by making rugs. Living with two grandchildren and a niece who is a breast cancer survivor, Fe was delighted to hear Ice sing to her in person. “I used Ice brings in some holiday cheers through his music

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LIFE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2023

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

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Dermatology decoded with Dr. Davin Lim

ITH the number of popular ingredients and buzzwords these days, it can be overwhelming to do research and digest skincare information. It’s a good thing Dr. Davin Lim, Lim, a boardcertified dermatologist based in Brisbane, Australia, provides bite-sized content on social media and the video streaming platform YouTube for a better understanding of dermatology.

Dr. Lim veers away from the often jargon-heavy side of the field, making it easier for regular individuals to grasp essential information about

skincare. He stands out not only for his medical expertise but also for his ability to demystify dermatology for non-medical audiences.

He turns it from an intimidating subject into one that everyone can comprehend and navigate, very much like a friend casually discussing things with you.

With a mission to cut out the hype and mystery of the skin care industry, Dr. Lim has become a trusted voice in the field, providing valuable skincare insights. From dissecting the intricacies of various skincare products to sharing do-it-yourself (DIY) techniques and delving into the world of advanced skin procedures like lasers, peels, injectables, and surgery, Dr. Lim covers it all with the mission to share useful information.

In a one-on-one interview during his visit to the country earlier this month, Dr. Lim helped me understand the new technology of a power duo - Potenza RF microneedling and the AnteAGE MDX Exosome Solution. He described the new treatment as a step up from microneedling.

“We’re using needles, very fine microneedles.

We’re adding something

Dr. Davin Lim is a boardcertified dermatologist based in Brisbane, Australia

Unwrapping joy Beauty and lifestyle brand unveils wide selection of exclusive holiday deals Skip the hassle and enjoy a wide range of gift selections HOLIDAY shopping is at an all-time high. Part of that is stopping by everyone’s favorite personal care boutique, Watsons.

Watsons is the perfect place to pick up your gifts for several reasons. First, all 1000-plus stores carry a wide selection of brands in every category: from makeup to skincare, body care to hair care. Second, Watsons makes sure to cater to various interests and personalities. Whatever lifestyle you lead, there is a Watsons find that you will always repurchase. Third, Watsons is where you’ll find both the TikTok trending items along with your essentials to daily life.

Don’t forget how Watsons houses both local and international brands, well-known labels along with more niche products, so you never leave the store empty-handed. You will find what you need, what you want,

and what you love.

The holidays only emphasize Watsons’ commitment to bring a smiles to their customers’ faces. It’s the season to #GiveMoreSmileMore as Watsons offers deals and bundles that make shopping for presents (be it for yourself or your loved ones) meaningful and joyful! Whether you’re an expert at gift-giving or still a bit confused about what to get your friends, Watsons has something perfect all the time.

On top of that, you will also find exclusive deals that make for the smarter choice not just in terms of quality, but also when it comes to value for money.

Here’s a list of what you can pick up in-store and online for your holiday haul. https://www.watsons.com.ph/shop-holiday-gifts

Find and enjoy exclusive deals this holiday season

#GiveMoreSmileMore this Christmas with Watsons bundles of beauty and health products

called radio frequency and it generates heat. Heat, itself, does wonderful things for the skin. It can remodel scarring, tighten up the skin, reduce wrinkles, and treat large pores as well.”

In the Philippines, the services are offered at the Facial Care Centre at GT Tower in Makati.

Dr. Lim explained that Potenza Radio Frequency (RF) microneedling seamlessly combines two established methods for rejuvenating the skin: microneedling for mechanical stimulation, initiating skin renewal, and monopolar radio frequency energy for thermal stimulation, enhancing neocollagenesis or the process of creating new collagen. Essentially, it integrates controlled heat energy into the microneedles, providing a dual impact of youthenhancing benefits to the skin.

The ideal combination to the Potenza procedure is the AnteAGE MDX Exosome Solution, ensuring optimal outcomes by guiding your cells to naturally promote skin regeneration, alleviate inflammation, and stimulate healthy collagen growth, effectively reversing the aging process of the skin.

What are exosomes?

Exosomes, lipid nanoparticles released by cells, serve as messengers to communicate with other cells, playing a vital role in overseeing biological processes within the body. In the context of the skin, this implies that exosomes play a key role in signaling the skin to engage in beneficial actions such as increasing the production of healthy collagen, reducing inflammation, and promoting skin renewal.

AnteAGE MDX Exosome Solution is a unique treatment that combines exosomes from human bone marrow and umbilical cord stem cells, known for their anti-inflammatory and healing properties. This high-quality and pure formula stands out as a potent exosome treatment unlike any other.

If there’s one thing Dr. Lim said that stuck with me, it would be the major skincare rule he swears by – Be intentional. “Everything that you put on [your skin] should be thoughtful. If you want to change, pick an ingredient for your concerns,” Dr. Lim shared. “The biggest mistake I see is people just using too much stuff. If you’re focused on using one or two things according to your concern and be very precise with your skincare, you’ll get your skincare goals a lot better than trying everything.”

The Farm at San Benito celebrates triumph in holistic wellness, luxury hospitality, and sustainability The culinary experience at the wellness resort is a journey of wellness cuisine flavors

NESTLED amidst the verdant landscapes of Lipa, Batangas, featuring 60 exclusive suites and villas within meticulously maintained grounds and offering world-class service, The Farm at San Benito proudly celebrates its receipt of over 100 local and international awards.

For more than two decades, The Farm has redefined luxury retreats, delivering an unmatched, lifechanging healing holiday experience that seamlessly blends holistic wellness backed up by science in a healing environment.

The diverse accolades received span various categories, affirming the resort’s excellence in holistic health and transformative retreats, management and leadership, sustainability, social responsibility, and outstanding guest experiences.

“It is with great honor and immense joy to announce that we have reached 110 awards in our 21 years of offering transformative lifestyle retreats here at the Farm at San Benito. This award is not just a testament to our commitment to excellence but a celebration of the collective efforts and unwavering dedication of our incredible team,” said Preet Singh, General Manager.

“Each has played an integral role in making the Farm at San Benito a beacon of holistic medical wellness, set in an eco-sustainable and socially responsible environment,” Singh added.

At the core of The Farm’s success lies the nurturing touch of the Filipino people and its commitment to holistic healing and life-transforming retreats. The resort’s medical wellness programs have garnered international acclaim, with awards such as “Best Eco-Luxury Holistic Medical Wellness Resort,” “Best Transformative Retreat,” and “Best Medical Wellness Resort in the World.”

“At The Farm, we are committed to upholding Responsible and Regenerative Tourism as the benchmark for elevated travel experiences. Our mission is to showcase the cultural legacy of our locale, eco-sustainability practices, social responsibility, and evidence-based holistic healing, all while embodying the quintessential Filipino brand of hospitality and wellness. Our vision is to attract a discerning community of wellness enthusiasts, health seekers, and mindful consumers who seek an immersive, restorative, and transformative holiday experience,” said Jennifer Sanvictores, Global Head of Sales, Marketing & Communications.

Awards received in 2023, including the Best General Manager Award for Mr. Preet Inder Singh and Best Hotel Spa Award from the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific, underscore the resort’s global impact, attracting visitors seeking not only luxury but a transformative wellness experience.

On the local front, The Farm has become synonymous with excellence, celebrating its role as a global Filipino brand of service. The resort actively promotes sustainable tourism, contributes to the local community, and sets the standard for luxury healing retreats within the country.

The Farm at San Benito is a beacon of eco-sustainability with eco-friendly practices and sustainable architecture. Rooted in medicinal herbs and Filipino healing, it offers an immersive, responsible experience.

In dining, accolades for farm-to-table cuisine and Halal certification enhance its reputation. Awards like “Best Spa Cuisine Menu” celebrate gastronomic excellence.

More than a destination, The Farm is recognized as “Loved by Guests” on hotels.com. With over 100 awards, it stands as a testament to unwavering commitment to exceptional experiences. As The Farm flourishes, its accolades invite global guests to a sanctuary of excellence.

Visit www.thefarmatsanbenito today. For accommodations and inquiries, you may reach us at (+63) 918 884 8080; (+63) 917 572 2325; or via email at reservationsteam@thefarm.com.ph. Visit www. thefarmatsanbenito.com.

On the local front, The Farm has become synonymous with excellence, celebrating its role as a global-Filipino brand of service The Farm has received numerous awards in 2023, including the Best General Manager Award for Mr. Preet Inder Singh and Best Hotel Spa Award from the Travel & Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific