Manila Standard - 2023 December 25 - Monday

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A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

VOL. XXXVII • NO. 314 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023 •

‘Rapidly-spreading’ strain now in PH DOH logs 18 cases of COVID-19 subvariant, urges Filipinos to mask up, get vaccinated

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HE COVID-19 Omicron subvariant JN.1 has already entered the Philippines, the Department of Health said Sunday as it urged Filipinos to observe multiple layers of protection, including masking up, ensuring good airflow and adequate ventilation, and getting vaccinated.

The JN.1 has been classified by the World Health Organization as a "variant of interest” – quickly spreading even as the additional global public health risk it posed was “currently evaluated as low.”

The DOH said it has detected the first 18 cases of JN.1 through genomic sequencing of samples collected from Nov. 16 to Dec. 3.

All of the JN.1 cases have already

recovered, the Health department said.

“There has been no significant increase in the number or severity of cases overall,” the DOH said.

“New variants and strains of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 are always there - but only a few become "of concern". JN.1 is not one of those. It is another Omicron subvariant with no evidence of increased severity or unusual clinical presentation.

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Xmas messages President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. I extend my heartfelt greetings to the Filipino people on this joyful Christmas Day. Every 25th of December, we honor the birth of Christ by expressing gratitude for the boundless love that God has showered upon us through the time-honored Filipino traditions of Simbang Gabi, gift-giving, and feasts with our friends, relatives, and families.

But more than just a day of celebration, let us be reminded that the true meaning of Christmas lies in the recognition of the season as an opportunity to reach out to those who are suffering from solitude, sickness, and poverty.

Indeed, there is no better way for us to share the gift of Christmas than by spreading hope to those who need it the most this holiday season. Let us kindle our hearts with goodwill, kindness, and compassion as we spread merriment in our homes and communities. By doing so, we do not only bring peace, love, and unity, but become living instruments of the timeless adage that God's work here on earth is truly our own.

Isang Maligayang Pasko sa ating lahat!

Vice President Sara Duterte Malugod kong binabati ang ating mga kababayan ng isang maligayang Pasko!

Hatid ng kapanganakan ni Hesus ang mensahe ng kapayapaan, pagmamahal, at pagasa.

Ang pasko ay paalala sa ating mga tagumpay at selebrasyon ng ating pananampalataya at pasasalamat.

Ito ang ating mga gabay habang patuloy nating pinagsusumikapang makamtan ang ating mga hangarin ng may maalab na pag-asa at pananampalataya sa Maykapal.

Alalahanin natin ang ating mga pamilya at ang kahalagahan ng pagmamahalan natin sa isa’t isa — na siyang regalo natin sa ating mga sarili, sa ating mga komunidad, at sa ating bayan.

Sandigan ng ating bayan ang mga pamilyang pinag-isa ng pagmamahal, pag-asa, at pananampalataya.

Huwag natin kalimutan sa Pasko at sa abot ng ating makakaya sa iba pang mga araw ay tulungan at damayan natin ang ating kapwa Pilipino na naghihirap, nagugutom, may karamdaman, at nag-aagaw buhay.

Ngayong Pasko, pasalamatan natin ang ating mga kababayang nagpakita ng katatagan, integridad, malasakit at pagmamahal sa bayan.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year sa lahat!

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri

HOPE APPEARS AS A BABY BORN TO THE POOR. Manila Archibishop Jose Cardinal Advincula places the image of the Baby Jesus at the altar, symbolizing the birth of Christ during the Christmas Eve mass at the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, Manila on Sunday, Dece. 24, 2023. Danny Pata

Syrians cancel Xmas festivities in solidarity with Gaza CHRISTMAS cheer has deserted the streets of Syria's cities, where the main churches have limited celebrations to prayers in solidarity with Palestinians suffering in the war in Gaza.

"In Palestine, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, people are suffering," the Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Mor Dionysius Antoine Shah-

HAMAS: 200 KILLED A DAY BEFORE XMAS WORLD / B2

da, told AFP. The northern Syrian city's central district of Azizia is usually home to a bustling festive market and a huge Christmas tree, while its streets are adorned with lights and trinkets.

But this year, the main square is almost empty Next page

PH eyes multilateral patrols in WPS

By Vince Lopez, Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Sunday it is looking forward to more joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) next year, with other countries seeking peace and stability in

Southeast Asia.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the Philippines this year conducted joint air and maritime patrols with the United States and Australia, and is hoping to do the same with Japan and other countries next year.

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Kalayaan town's wish: Use proper name THE Kalayaan municipal council has a simple Christmas wish -- for the media to call their town by its proper name.

The council signed a resolution forHOLIDAY MISSION. Members of the Naval Forces West spread holiday cheer and camaraderie among military personnel (faces blurred by the Philippine mally requesting journalists to refer to Navy) stationed in the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea. their town as the Municipality of Kalay-

aan instead of just Pag-asa Island, which incorrectly suggests that it is a mere oceanic feature.

"This is for public recall and awareness that the West Philippine Sea is Next page

Sama-sama po nating ipagpasalamat ang mga biyayang natanggap natin nitong taon. Sama-sama rin nating ipagdiwang ang mga nakamit nating tagumpay.

Marami tayong nagawa sa ating pagkakaisa at sa patuloy nating pagtutulungan, mas marami pa tayong magagawa para sa ating mga pamilya, para sa ating mga komunidad at sa buong bayan.

Dasal ko po na magkaroon kayo ng isang masaya at makabuluhang Pasko kasama ang inyong mga pamilya. Mula sa inyong Senado, Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat at sama-sama po nating salubungin ang isang makulay na Bagong Taon!

House Speaker Martin Romualdez Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!

As we gather under the glow of Christmas lights and the warmth of our homes, I am filled with gratitude and joy to extend my heartfelt greetings to every Filipino family.

This festive season, let us cherish the precious gift of family. In every shared laugh, every shared meal, we weave stronger bonds that hold our families together. Let these moments remind us of the love and warmth that family brings into our lives, a love that is our truest treasure.

Christmas is also a time of giving, not just of material gifts, but of kindness and compassion. In every gift shared, a thread of hope is woven into the fabric of our community. Let us embrace the spirit of Bayanihan, reaching out to our neighbors, and spreading joy to those in need. In doing so, we light up the lives of others, just as the parols light up our skies.

As we celebrate this season, let's remember: Next page

NEWS

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Xmas...

From A1

Our greatest gifts are the moments we share, and the memories we create together. These are the gifts that truly embody the Filipino spirit.

May this Christmas be a time of joyous family reunions, selfless giving, and strengthened community bonds. Together, let's carry this spirit of unity and love into the New Year!

NOCHE BUENA SHOWSTOPPER. A row of freshly roasted pigs or lechon entices buyers at this shop in La Loma, Quezon City. The price of a regular-sized lechon has gone up to P7,500 from the previous P6,000. Manny Palmero

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo

Something about Christmas somehow makes everything merrier: our smiles are brighter, our eyes kinder, and our hearts lighter.

We feast, we share, we laugh.

We give gifts, attend festivities, and reunite with loved ones. At least for a moment, peace and goodwill abound.

But amid all the merriment and joys from the holidays, we risk losing sight of the message that matters most: the supreme act of service in offering one’s own Son to save humankind.

This singular event of Jesus’ birth changed the course of history, reminding us that change can come from the ordinary. And that each of us can be agents of change, with the power to alter the world around us through simple acts of kindness and compassion.

For this is the true meaning of Christmas: service, empathy, and sacrifice. And as we celebrate this season, may we take this message to heart, and allow it to inspire us not just on Christmas day but every day.

For us in the Judiciary, as the holiday season warrants reflection, we are similarly stirred to lead lives of service committed to fairness and empathy as guardians of the people’s rights, knowing that there can be no peace without justice.

We thus join the nation in celebration and in our common aspirations for justice and peace, guided by the timeless message of hope and renewal symbolized by the birth of Christ. Merry Christmas!

‘Rapidly-spreading’...

From A1

There is also no evidence that it spreads faster,” it added.

The DOH said adopting multiple layers of protection, especially among high risk and vulnerable groups, will “help avoid an increase in influenzalike and other respiratory illnesses due to all the gatherings.”

The subvariant JN.1 now makes up 44.2 percent of the COVID-19 cases in the United States, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

CDC data estimates indicated the quickly spreading variant is now causing almost half of infections nationwide, when just days ago it was estimated that JN.1 caused only about 20 percent of infections.

Globally, JN.1 continued to be reported in multiple countries, and its prevalence has been rapidly increasing.

Earlier, the Archdiocese of Manila urged the Catholic faithful to consider wearing face masks while going through the traditional activities during the holiday season.

Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula said the faithful are encouraged to wear masks when attending holiday parties and holding Christmas caroling.

"Heeding the recommendations of the Ministry on Health Care of the Archdiocese of Manila, we request our communities to observe the health and safety protocols. Let us practice voluntary wearing of face masks and hand hygiene," Advincula said.

"Those who are ill must be reminded to stay at home so as not to spread infection," he added.

DA: El Niño, price shocks major challenges in ‘24

By Othel V. Campos and Rio N. Araja THE El Niño phenomenon and external price and supply shocks are the major challenges facing farmers and food producers next year, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said over the weekend.

“We have a big mission next year— a very big mission. And all eyes, the entire nation’s, are upon us,” Laurel said, as he highlighted the possible effects of drought on agricultural output, and the impact of export bans on commodity prices.

To address these problems, the Department of Agriculture (DA) will focus on “more production, less cost,” Laurel said.

“Let's perform, prove our critics wrong, and deliver on our mandate,”

Syrians...

From A1

and there are no Christmas decorations in sight.

"In Syria we canceled all official celebrations and receptions in our churches in solidarity with the victims of the bombing on Gaza" by Israeli forces, Shahda said.

The Syriac Catholic Church was not alone, with the leaders of three of Syria's major churches – the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic patriarchs – announcing they were canceling Christmas festivities and limiting celebrations to religious ceremonies.

"Given the current circumstances, especially in Gaza, the patriarchs apologize

Kalayaan...

From A1

ours," Councilor Maurice Phillip Alexis Albayda said.

Resolution No. 156-015 series of 2023, unanimously approved Wednesday and shared over the weekend, says the town is a bona fide political jurisdiction and is home to a small but thriving community of Filipino citizens, so it should be referred to as such.

Albayda, who authored the resolution, told reporters on Saturday

PH...

From A1

“The President said that we’re just starting and there will be more to come.

So expect that it won't just be bilateral patrols. Later on, it may become multilateral patrols, meaning, they will involve several countries,” Aguilar said on radio dzBB. The President earlier this month said the country needs to change its strategy for countering Chinese aggression in the WPS because diplomatic efforts are making "very little progress."

The President also said that the current diplomatic efforts with China are heading “in a poor direction.”

For the AFP’s part, Aguilar said that they want to strengthen the alliances with other countries to make the Philippines’ stance in the WPS stronger.

“It is about establishing [and] strengthening our alliances with foreign countries so that our voice will be stronger and that

he added.

Laurel emphasized the importance of the DA’s mission to stabilize prices and benefit both farmers and consumers. He called for everyone's cooperation to fulfill President Marcos' target of increased agricultural output.

This year, exporting nations like India banned exports of rice while other countries stockpiled food in preparation for El Nino. The tighter supply drove commodity prices higher.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has warned of a strong El Niño episode that could affect 65 of the 81 provinces by May, with the possibility of moderate to severe drought—a condition where rainfall is below normal for three consecutive months—hurting those areas.

A prolonged dry spell would hurt food production, especially water-de-

pendent rice, the country's food staple.

The DA has started to carry out programs to deal with the adverse effects of the expected drought by strengthening irrigation facilities, adopting alternative rice planting methods that require less water, animal dispersal, and providing alternative livelihood to farmers and fishers.

The DA is a member of the El Niño Task Force created by President Marcos to mitigate the impact of the weather phenomenon.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), meanwhile, has stepped up preparations to address drought in Nueva Ecija, the country’s rice granary.

The NIA Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) said cloud seeding, alternate wetting and drying technology, dry land preparation and the use of maturing varieties

of rice are several of its contingency measures to ease the impact of drought in Nueva Ecija.

NIA has tapped the Philippine Rice Research Institute to educate the farmers.

The NIA-UPRIIS aims to irrigate 14,000 hectares of farmland this dry cropping season from December 2023 until April 2024.

An estimated 8,000 out of 22,474 hectares of its covered farmland are affected by the drought.

The 967.19-hectare Balbalungao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project can irrigate 500 to 900 hectares of farmland.

NIA administrator Eduardo Guillen said the alternate wetting and drying system uses up to 30 percent less water than the usual irrigation method, wherein water is applied to a field intermittently with several days in between cycles.

for not receiving Christmas and New Year greetings," the trio said in a joint statement, adding they were limiting ceremonies to "prayers."

The health ministry in the Hamasruled Palestinian territory says more than 20,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its massive air and ground offensive, in response to a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Most of the dead in Gaza are women and children, officials say.

The Hamas attack killed about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Many Gazans have been displaced by the violence and forced into crowded shelters or tents, often struggling to find

food, fuel, water and medical care.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said the ongoing Israeli military campaign left no safe place anywhere across the narrow territory.

Before Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, it was home to more than 1.2 million Christians, though huge numbers have fled since.

The conflict had dampened Christmas celebrations, but festivities picked up in recent years as the main front lines froze and government forces retook control of large swathes of the country.

Still, gloom now prevails in the streets of the capital Damascus.

Festivities are limited to a lone market, while the Greek Orthodox Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus has put up modest decorations and a small tree in its courtyard.

Damascus resident Rachel Haddad, 66, said she had been glued to her phone for more than two months, reading news of the devastation in Gaza, and did not have the heart to put up a Christmas tree.

"This year was very sad. It began with the earthquake and ended with the Gaza war," Haddad said, referring to the Feb. 6 tremor that ripped through southern Turkey and Syria, killing at least 55,000 people.

"There was no opportunity for joy," she said, also blaming Syria's economic woes.

The country's economy has been battered by war, with recurrent fuel shortages and long, daily power cuts a fact of life.

"If there is no electricity, how will you see the decorations and lights anyway?"

Haddad asked. AFP

that their preferred terminology ensures precise and consistent identification of geographical locations within the West Philippine Sea (WPS), especially those under their jurisdiction.

Kalayaan town's jurisdiction includes Pag-asa Island, which functions as the town's administrative center, along with Patag, Likas, Lawak, Parola, Kota, Rizal Reef, Ayungin Shoal, and various other areas covering 66,000 square miles.

The approved resolution specifically called on members of the National Union of Journalists of the

Philippines, Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, Western Command Defense Press Corps, and other media organizations to be more specific when referencing their town.

"The representatives of the people from the municipality of Kalayaan came together in this resolution to advocate for our sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We recognize the media as valuable allies in establishing enduring standards and references, especially in acknowledging the legitimacy of the Municipality of Kalayaan,

Palawan," he said He cited Presidential Decree 1596 of 1978, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., which officially established Kalayaan as a "distinct and separate municipality of the Province of Palawan."

"This is an assertive push for our rights and authority in the reefs, archipelagos, seas, and other parts of our West Philippine Sea. This is for our courageous citizens and for our beloved Philippines," Albayda said.

Kalayaan has a current population of around 227 residents living in 66 households.

we are also able to strengthen legal procedures that will advance our interest and at the same time, regional peace and stability,” he said.

“We are still staying on the diplomatic track, but it will be an invigorated one.

We are looking forward to having a really strong alliance with other countries and I think we are already gaining ground on this matter,” he added.

Senator JV Ejercito, meanwhile, said it is outright wrong for China to claim to be “properly managing maritime differences through dialogue and consultation.”

In fact, China is harassing Philippine operations within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

"Who is using water cannons to obstruct and prevent our Filipino vessels during our resupply mission?" Ejercito said.

"Who has been bullying and violating international maritime laws over the past months in our sovereign waters? It is none other than China," he said.

He urged China to halt President Xi Jinping's expansionist policies to prevent potential conflicts.

"We hope that China honors the verdict of the Hague-based tribunal, constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which ruled that China's claim of historical rights within its nine-dash line lacks any legal foundation," Ejercito said.

The bottom line, he said, is to respect Philippine sovereignty and leave its territorial waters alone.

"We can only achieve peace and a sound relationship between China and the Philippines if both countries acknowledge each other's maritime rights."

In this case, the senator said, it is essential to recognize that the West Philippines Sea belongs to the Philippines.

Earlier, the Chinese Embassy spokesperson in the Philippines said in the past few months, some Filipino politicians and officials, out of political self-interest, repeatedly dramatized and hyped maritime

differences between China and the Philippines, aiming to smear and demonize China and silencing the advocates of China-Philippines friendship.

Also over the weekend, Senator Francis Escudero said it is in the best interest of both China and the Philippines to continue to favor dialogue over confrontation.

He said the war mongers are simply “playing to the crowd,” knowing that it is a popular issue.

“But have they brought their warmongering to its logical conclusion - which is war? Is that really what they want? " he said.

"Why are we so afraid of dialogue when we don’t really have to give up or agree to anything unless it is in accordance with our sovereignty and national interest in the WPS?" he added.

"Words never killed anyone but actions, assumptions, instigation and offensive conduct certainly can… many have died due to failure to talk," Escudero said.

NEWS

A3 MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

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Most Filipinos grateful for ‘good health’ during passing year—SWS

By Rey E. Requejo AS the year 2023 comes to an end, majority of the Filipinos are most thankful for their good health, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Of 1,200 adults polled in the survey, the SWS said 51 percent responded that they were most thankful for good health, 29 percent answered because of family and 16 percent were grateful for being alive.

The SWS survey stated that that Filipinos were also thankful for their job or career (10 percent), food to eat (8 percent), coping with daily hardships (8 percent), prosperity (5 percent), all the blessings (3 percent), education (3 percent), peace and safety (3 percent), and God (2 percent).

CHRISTMAS AT THE JAIL.

Inmates attend to their routine task beside a life-size Nativity at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Saturday, indicating that Christmas is just another ordinary day within the correctional facility. Danny Pata,

The refutable pollster noted that one percent of the responses were related to love life or their spouses, motorcycle/ vehicle, surviving an illness or surgery, happy life, house, financial support, having no worries or problems, and material things.

The face-to-face survey conducted from December 8 to 11 also showed that 73 percent of adult Filipinos were expecting this Christmas to be happy, while six percent see it expecting it to be sad, and 21 percent were undecided.

The SWS pointed out that the number of those expecting a happy Christmas was the same as in 2022.—23 percent which was above the record-low 50 percent in 2020 when the COVID pandemic struck.

DSWD project reunites street children, elderly with families

Makati court acquits Banco Filipino Savings Bank execs of criminal raps

By Rio N. Araja

HE Makati City Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) has acquitted former Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank (BFSMB) officers Roberto Afable and Francisco Rivera of criminal charges for alleged falsification of public documents and issuing false statements.

TWO street children and an elderly have been re-united with their respective families through a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) project aiming to bring home lost individuals during the holiday season.

DSWD Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Irene Dumlao said their intensified “Oplan PagAbot sa Pasko” has gained some levels of success in reintegrating lost or missing people with their families. “’Pag-Abot sa Pasko’ exemplifies our commitment to bringing families together, especially this yuletide season,” said Dumlao, who also acts as a DSWD spokesperson.

Under the program, two street children in Pasay City were taken back home to the family last Dec. 20.

“The team came across these siblings and brought them to the processing center for food provision before they were accompanied to Manila where their mother stays,” Dumlao said.

In another reach-out operation, an 84-year-old elderly has been reunited with his family in Sitio Banat, Barangay San Ramon East in Manabo, Abra last Dec. 14.

“Part of the interventions under the project for families and individuals in street situations is the provision of temporary shelter while awaiting their actual reintegration into their families and communities,” Dumlao said.

Oplan Pag-Abot is among the DSWD projects under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian meant to help, support and protect homeless individuals and families through “appropriate interventions.”

Under the project, these people are provided with various humanitarian services such as the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, Balik Probinsya, and the Bagong Pag-Asa Program. Some individuals are referred to DSWDrun centers and residential care facilities for temporary shelter.

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In a ruling dated December 15, 2023, MTC Presiding Judge Niño Delvin Embuscado cleared Afable and Rivera of the complaints for lack of sufficient evidence.

Afable served as senior vice president, while Rivera was a director of the BFSMB. “While there is evidence that there might (be) falsification as impressively argued by the prosecution, however, there is also evidence on the part of the defense, which the prosecution failed or was amiss in

covering, supported the defense of both the accused,” the decision stated.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) earlier ordered the closure of BFSMB, claiming the respondent “window-dressed” or manipulat4ed its financial records from 2003 to 2009, to conceal operating losses.

“The difference in the supposed accounting treatment of the entries between the complainant BSP and Banco Filipino does not equal falsification especially when the entries were entered by the latter under the circumstances it was in during the times pertinent to the cases herein,” the ruling read.

The BFSMB argued that the BSP and the Monetary Board knew of the bank’s accounting treatment of its accumulated operating losses, as evinced by the revisions of its business plan from 2004 and its eventual approval in 2009.

The BSP ordered BFSMB’s closure on March 17, 2011, and placed it under the receivership of state-run Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) as its liabilities topped its assets by P8.4 billion.

The central bank also alleged that the BFSMB had

engaged in the so-called Ponzi scheme, funding withdrawals using later deposits, as it lured depositors by offering an interest of six percent to 14 percent for special savings while other banks were paying only 1.8 percent to 3.3 percent.

The MTC noted that there were no untruthful statements in the bank’s financial records, and that BFSMB did not misreport its financial conditions.

The trial court raised significant doubts as to the validity of BSP’s accusations. First, the BSP itself designated comptrollers or monitors at the BFSMB, whose task was to oversee the bank’s day-to-day operations.

This involves the duty to “pass-upon” all transactions of the bank, ensuring compliance with banking laws and regulations. However, as confirmed by BSP’s own witness, despite the comptroller’s duty to report unsafe banking practices and attend all BFSMB meetings, there was no evidence on record that would show that any adverse report was ever made to the BSP regarding the alleged misreporting of accumulated operating losses of BFSMB by the BSP designated comptroller.

Military truck taken by civilian kills two in Davao City market

By Vince Lopez

OPEN SEASON AT THE PALACE. Children enjoy one of the free amusement rides at the Malacañang compound in

Manila The Palace opened its gates for the public since Dec. 18, including to provide entertainment and enable the faithful to attend the traditional Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass) being held outside the Mabini Hall. Joan Bondoc

Twin quakes jolt Surigao del Sur; no casualty, damage so far reported TWO earthquakes that came about half an hour apart shook Surigao del Sur province Sunday morning, with no casualty or structural damage so far reported.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

IN QUEST FOR THE ELUSIVE PEACE.

Convenors of the National Ecumenical Prayers for Peace release white doves symbolic of their vision of lasting peace after a ceremonial signing with their thumbprints of a commitment to help end the decades-long conflict between government and the communist rebels in the country. The event, held at the University Hotel in University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Quezon City, was led by members of the Political Officers League of the Philippines (POLPhil) joined

by Church leaders, academicians, government officials, former military officers, industry captains, solo parents and community leaders based in the city. Teddy Brul

said the first tremor which occurred at 10:20 a.m. had magnitude 5.3 and the second was a magnitude 5.2.

Phivolcs logged the first quake’s its epicentre at 08.38°N, 127.13°E 087 km N 89° E of the municipality of Hinatuan. It had a depth of 10 km

and was tectonic in origin.

The second earthquake on the other hand occurred at 11:02 a.m. with its epicenter at 08.52°N, 126.72°E 045 km N 68° E of Hinatuan.

The quakes had a depth of 10 kilometers.

Phivolcs said the twin earthquakes were aftershocks of the magnitude 7.4 temblor that hit Surigao del Sur on December 2.

No damage and no aftershocks are expected following Sunday’s earthquakes.

TWO persons were reported killed while three others were injured when a military truck commandeered by a civilian rammed through a public market here on Sunday, Christmas Eve. The vehicle from Task Force Davao was on standby in the Bankerohan public market where its crew was detailed to provide security when an unidentified civilian suddenly boarded it as the driver went out to urinate, leaving the engine running.

The truck hit several people before crashing into parked vehicles. A car and two motorcycles were damaged in the crash.

The incident occurred at around 5 a.m. as people started to flock to the public market.

The injured were taken to a hospital, while the bodies of the fatalities, a 43-year-old man and a 34-year-old women, were brought to a local funeral home.

Police promptly arrested the 44-year-old suspect.

The Task Force Davao expressed sympathies to the victims and families of the incident..

Angeles City bags second KALASAG Award for disaster preparedness

By Butch Gunio ANGELES CITY — The city government has garnered its second KALASAG award, plus special recognition for excellence in disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian assistance under the leadership of Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. The award was received by Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management chief Rodolfo Simeon on behalf of Mayor Lazatin on December 20, 2023 in ceremonies held at the Fontana Convention Center, Clark Freeport Zone.

The first time that this award was achieved by Angeles City was in 2019.

KALASAG is acronym for Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan Sariling Galing ang Kaligtasan) Seal and Special Awards for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Humanitarian Assistance.

“Sunud-sunod po ang mga natatanggap nating mga awards na nagpapatunay lamang po na kinikilala po ng national government ang mga programa po natin lalong lalo na pagdating sa disaster preparedness and mitigation (We have been receiving awards one after another, indicating the national government’s recognition of our efforts specially on disaster preparedness and mitigation),” Lazatin said.

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

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HAM FOR NOCHE BUENA.

Zubiri: 2024 banner year for Senate

Shoppers form a long line to buy cooked Chinese ham at a store along Palanca in Quiapo, Manila on Saturday, a day before Christmas Eve. Norman Cruz

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri branded 2023 a “banner year” for the Senate as he lauded his colleagues for their legislative accomplishments.

He acknowledged senators for the enactment into law of 32 measures of national and local significance.

“The products of the Senate’s legislative mill this 2023 are a testament to our commitment to improve the life of every Filipino by crafting new laws that will boost the economy, generate jobs, and expand social protection,” Zubiri said.

A total of 32 bills have been signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for this year, which included the P5.768-trillion General Appropriations Bill and 15 local measures.

“On behalf of the Senate, we express our gratitude to President Bongbong Marcos for signing these measures into law, including the national budget that has significantly increased the funds for defense spending, while also giving significant increases in the budget of the Philippine Coast Guard,” Zubiri said.

“This highlights our shared vision of promoting the welfare of the people and the nation,” he added.

Zubiri stressed that the Senate proud produced what he thinks “is the best budget we have seen in years, with a good balance of social services, infrastructure development, and of course defense and security—including a much-deserved increase in the budget of our Coast Guard, who are at the frontlines of our continued efforts to protect our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.” “We are also proud to reflect the people’s concerns about confidential funds, by making the 2024 budget more transparent and our government agencies and offices more accountable in their spending.”

Gonzales: Charter change talks not meant to accommodate ‘ambitions’

By Maricel V. Cruz

years with a re-election to another fiveyear term, a maximum of a ten-year term.

Thereafter, the President shall be prohibited to be a candidate of any elective post,” he said in the resolution.

Gonzales said in his resolution that the President’s current six year-term “appears to be insufficient” in establishing long-term programs and policies.

Gonzales earlier said the vice president’s term of service should be five years, with a chance of getting elected in the same post for another five-year term.

The resolution allows the second highest official in the land to serve a maximum of two consecutive five-year terms.

Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution states that the president and vice president

T

HE plan to renew discussions on Charter Change is not meant to accommodate the ambitions of certain politicians if the parliamentary form of government is adopted.

Thus said Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio and Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. even as he shared the desire of the House leadership to pursue Charter Change talks come 2024.

“Nothing. I haven’t heard about a prime minister. We’re not talking about a prime minister,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales stressed that Charter Change ef-

forts have succeeded, this is not designed to create the post of prime minister.

Gonzales authored a resolution that calls on both chambers of Congress to convene in a constituent assembly to amend the law to allow the president to rule for a maximum of two terms— five years each.

“It is hereby proposed that the term of office of the President shall be five

will be elected into office for one term of six years, which begins on June 30.

“The President shall not be eligible for reelection. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time. No Vice President shall serve for more than two successive terms.” -1987 Constitution Gonzales’ proposal includes transitory provisions that bar the incumbent and past presidents from running for any elective position.

It also prohibits House members on their third and final term from running as district or party-list representatives in the elections after the ratification of the proposed constitutional revisions.

Health department reports four new fireworks-related injuries Nograles hails THE Department of Health (DOH) reported four more cases of fireworks-related injuries, bringing the total number of victims to 12.

The DOH said two of the new cases were boys aged 11 and 17 who used piccolo and boga which are considered as illegal fireworks, based on the DOH’s fireworks-related injury surveillance report logged from 6:00 a.m. of December 23 to 5:59 a.m. of December 24.

The agency added that the two other new cases included a 23-year-old male and a 49-year-old female who used kwitis at home.

The DOH pointed out that while kwitis is a legal and regulated firework, those that are

lit inside houses can harm individuals.

The agency also urged local government officials, as well as the private sector to organize community fireworks displays instead.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian meanwhile reiterated his call for a ban on the sale, distribution, and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices ahead of the New Year festivities.

“While significant reductions in the number of fireworks-related injuries have happened over the years due to greater government regulation, it would be ideal to further reduce, if not eliminate, fireworks-related injuries by prohibiting any person or business establishment to

manufacture, sell, discharge firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices except for authorized fireworks displays,” Gatchalian said.

“As much as we want to enjoy the holiday festivities, it remains crucial to ensure our celebrations are conducted with utmost safety and well-being in mind,” he emphasized.

The senator earlier filed Senate Bill 1144, which if enacted into law, will be called the Firecrackers Prohibition Act, amending Republic Act 7183, also known as An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution, and Use of Firecrackers and other Pyrotechnic Devices.

Gatchalian’s proposed measure provides an exception to the prohibition of firecrack-

ers. Entities requiring the use of fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices must secure a special permit from the PNP Fire and Explosives Office and any fireworks display must be done only by professionals who are technically equipped with skills and knowledge on the use of firecrackers.

“The public should be mindful of the psychological trauma and anxiety disorders that they may experience due to firecracker-related explosions,” Gatchalian said.

“There are firecracker victims annually. We are also calling yearly that there are many other ways to celebrate New Year,” Gatchalian said.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

WHO reports four billion at risk of dengue virus

CHRISTMAS SERENADE. Employees of the Parks Development Office of the local government of Manila serenade motorists with Christmas carols along Roxas Boulevard and get rewarded for their merry efforts. The office carries out the development and improvement plans of parks and plazas, tree planting activities, cleanliness, and beautification of center islands and side streets. Joan Bondoc

ABOUT four billion people are at risk of becoming infected with the dengue virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned over the weekend.

Diana Rojas Alvarez, the team lead on arboviruses—epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention department at the WHO’s emergencies program, told a UN briefing in Geneva that over 5 million cases and 5,000 deaths of dengue have been reported worldwide since the beginning of 2023.

Nearly 80 percent of the dengue cases – 4.1 million – have been reported in the Americas, followed by Southeast Asia and Western Pacific, Rojas said.

She emphasized that the distribution of mosquitoes has changed in recent years due to several factors, and in 2023, the El Niño phenomenon and climate change have led to increased detection of dengue in previously dengue-free countries such as France,

Massgoers urged to attend Sunday mass MONSIGNOR Rolando dela Cruz, the rector of the Manila Cathedral on Sunday urged Filipinos who completed the 9-day Simbang Gabi to also attend regular Sunday services.

During his homily, dela Cruz said many Filipinos wanted to finish the pre-dawn Christmas Masses in the belief that their

wishes would be granted.

He said that completing the Simbang Gabi should not be just about fulf illing wishes, but should be about giving thanks. “Let’s give thanks for the grace the Lord has given us,” he said.

Hundreds of Catholics joined the Mass at the Manila Cathe-

dral, some of whom had to stand behind the church. The church has placed a large monitor outside so attendees can still listen to the Holy Mass.

The same situation also happened in Quiapo Church, where many massgoers had to crowd near the entrance to listen to the Misa de Gallo.

Italy, and Spain.

“It is also concerning that dengue outbreaks are occurring in fragile and conflict-affected countries of the Eastern Mediterranean WHO region such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, and Yemen,” she said, adding that these countries are facing simultaneously outbreaks of infectious diseases, mass population movements, poor water and sanitation infrastructure, and recurring natural disasters.

The same can be said for Africa, where dengue fever was found in local people and people returning from more than 30 African countries, she added.

Dengue is “not endemic in Europe and a majority of these cases are usually travel-related,” according to the UN health agency.

However, Rojas said that the WHO European Region has also reported small, limited clusters of autochthonous dengue this year.

integrity of civil servants

CIVIL Service Commission (CSC) chairperson Karlo Nograles expressed appreciation for the dedication and heroism of civil servants who continue to serve with passion and integrity even in the face of adversity.

In his year-end message, Nograles also noted how government workers from different fields weathered every crisis with the resilient and enduring spirit that defines Filipinos.

Nograles said government workers— from tireless healthcare works, public schools teachers, to government engineers who build bridges—embody what it truly means to be a public servant.

“Amid the disruptions brought by social, political, and environmental issues, civil servants serve as the anchors of stability, the engines of progress, and the symbol of continuity in a world of many uncertainties,” he added.

Nograles also encouraged the 1.9 million civil servants across the nation to embrace the Christmas spirit and welcome the approaching New Year not only through festive gatherings but also by fulfilling the moral obligation of uplifting the lives of the less fortunate.

He remains optimistic that public sector employees will continue working with excellence, integrity, and love for country to build a legacy of good governance for generations to come.

“In this season of giving, let our greatest gift be the unwavering strength of our community, shining its light brightly for all to see. As we turn the page to a new year, let us embrace the promise of renewal. Let us commit to building a Philippines where compassion reigns, where every Filipino thrives, and where the light of public service shines ever brighter,” he added.

HOMEWARD BOUND.

Passengers queue at the bus terminal station in Sampaloc, Manila on Saturday, bound for Tuguegarao in time for Christmas.

Danny Pata

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OPINION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

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

Citizen Barok

EDITORIAL

Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

Romualdez’s P500b pro-poor allocation IN A groundbreaking move, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has unveiled a bold plan within the 2024 national budget, set to be signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., allocating a staggering P500 billion for social aid targeting 12 million struggling families.

This visionary budget not only addresses immediate needs but also lays the groundwork for lasting impact through legacy projects. Romualdez’s leadership in steering this budgetary initiative deserves commendation for its comprehensive approach to social welfare and development.

At the heart of this budget is the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita (AKAP) program, spearheaded by House committee on appropriations chairperson Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy Co.

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Romualdez’s leadership in drafting the 2024 budget reflects a commitment to inclusive growth, social welfare, and lasting national impact

With a dedicated fund of P60 billion, AKAP aims to provide one-time cash assistance of P5,000 to workers earning less than P23,000 per month.

This strategic move targets the ‘near poor,’ encompassing various occupations such as construction workers, factory employees, drivers, and food service crew.

The potential impact on 12 million households is immense, offering a vital safety net for those struggling to make ends meet.

Romualdez’s emphasis on continuity and sustainability is evident in his statement regarding AKAP: “If the program is successful, we can continue implementing it next year.”

This forward-thinking approach ensures the budget’s benefits extend beyond a onetime relief effort, creating a framework for ongoing support to vulnerable segments of the population.

Furthermore, the allocation for existing programs like Assistance to Individuals in

Crisis Situation (AICS) and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantage/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) showcases a commitment to building on successful initiatives.

With P23 billion designated for AICS and P30 billion for TUPAD, the government signals its intent to sustain and strengthen social safety nets.

The inclusion of legacy projects underscores a dedication to comprehensive nationbuilding.

The Legacy Food Security project, with a P5 billion allocation, aims to support farmers by providing free irrigation, seeds, fertilizer, and purchasing their produce at market prices.

This multifaceted approach not only boosts agricultural productivity but also ensures the well-being of those at the forefront of food production.

The commitment to healthcare is evident in the funding for Legacy Specialty Hospitals, with P1 billion each allocated to key institutions. Romualdez’s vision to complete these projects by 2024 aligns with the urgent need for enhanced healthcare infrastructure.

This investment reflects a holistic understanding of the socio-economic dynamics, emphasizing the importance of a healthy and productive population.

We applaud Romualdez’s foresight in securing funds for the National Irrigation Administration, acknowledging the pivotal role it plays in food production, especially in the face of the looming El Niño phenomenon.

The allocation of P80 billion for NIA’s projects, including dams, water reservoirs, and solar irrigation systems, demonstrates a commitment to agricultural sustainability and food security.

However, as this bold and ambitious budget takes shape, vigilance is paramount to prevent corruption and ensure the effective implementation of these programs.

The implementing agencies, such as the National Irrigation Administration, must demonstrate transparency and efficiency in project execution. Citizens, too, have a role to play in holding authorities accountable and reporting any irregularities they observe.

Romualdez’s leadership in drafting the 2024 budget reflects a commitment to inclusive growth, social welfare, and lasting national impact.

The comprehensive approach, encompassing immediate relief and long-term development, positions this budget as a transformative force for the nation.

As the budget comes into effect, continued oversight and engagement from both authorities and citizens will be crucial to realizing its full potential and ensuring a brighter future for all.

EVERYMAN

Reforesting the Philippines

By Melandrew Velasco ONE of the urgent tasks of our generation today is to help ensure sustainable development.

Whether we succeed or fail in this task greatly depends on how we protect and rehabilitate our environment.

The passing on third and final reading of two House Bills before the House of Representatives went on recess for the holidays is a welcome development especially for us in the Million Trees Foundation, Inc. (MTFI).

House Bills 09587 and 09588, An Act Requiring Parents to Plant Two Trees for Every Children Born to Them, and An Act Requiring All Graduating Senior High School and College Students to Plant Two Trees Each as a Civic Duty for Environment Protection and Preservation, respectively, will impact on the government’s reforestation program.

According to Committee Report 00863 submitted by the Committee on Reforestation, the House Bill substitutes House Bills 582, 986, 2499, 2580 and 4813.

On the other hand, House Bill 09588 is the substitute bill for House Bills 978, 1009, 2342, 2498, 4207 and 5864 per Committee Report 00864.

As I skimmed through bills filed in the House of Representatives, I learned that over the years, there had been several proposed legislations on reforestation aside from the bills mentioned.

These include a proposed Act Providing For The Mandatory Planting of One Tree For Each Filipino Aged 7 Years Old and Above Each Year; An Act Promoting Tree-Planting Consciousness Among Filipino Youth Through Education and Civic Engagement to Increase Their Social Responsibility for the Environment; An Act Institutionalizing Quarterly Tree Planting Activity in the Philippines; An Act

to Spur the Planting of a Billion Trees; An Act Providing Incentives for and Encourage Conservation and Maintenance of Forest Cover and Tree Planting in Ancestral Lands, to name a few.

The two recently passed bills will greatly boost the country’s forest cover once enacted into law.

As I have written in my previous column (Dec 2, 2023), reforestation is among the solutions to slow down the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The country’s flagship reforestation program, Enhanced National Greening Program, builds upon the success of the National Greening Program.

It was on Feb 24, 2011 when President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Executive Order 26 declaring the implementation of a National Greening Program as a government priority.

The issuance sought “to consolidate and harmonize all greening efforts such as Upland Development Program, Luntiang Pilipinas and similar initiatives of the government, civil society and private sector under a National Greening Program.”

The program involved the planting of 1.5 billion trees in about 1.5 million hectares of land of public domain from 2011 to 2016.

As identified, lands of public domain refer to forestlands, mangrove and protected areas, ancestral domain, civil and military reservations, urban areas under the greening plan of the LGUs, inactive and abandoned mines sites; and other suitable lands.

According to DENR, the lead agency of the program, the NGP aims to: 1) contribute in reducing poverty among upland and lowland poor households, indigenous peoples, and in coastal and urban areas; 2)implement sustainable management of natural resources through resource conservation, protection, and productivity enhancement;

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Timely Christmas gift

A

N EARLY Christmas gift is what’s in store for an estimated 48 million poor and low-income Filipinos next year with the recent signing by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the P5.768-trillion 2024 national budget.

This is definitely a pro-poor budget as it includes almost P500 billion social amelioration program or “ayuda” for at least 12 million poor and disadvantaged families.

According to Speaker Martin Romualdez, this is the first time the government is allocating a substantial amount of P500 billion or half-a-trillion for assistance to poor households nationwide.

“We are hoping that in some way, we are able to support people who badly need government help to get them through hard times,” he said.

What he is referring to is the introduction in the 2024 budget of a new program, called AKAP, or the Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita.

The initial P60-billion fund seeks to provide direct cash assistance to the ‘nearpoor’ or families earning up to P23,000 a month.

At least 12 million households will ben-

efit from it, including low-income work- Labor and Employment. For 2024, Coners, such as those in construction and gress allocated P23 billion for AICS and factories, drivers, and food service crew, P30 billion for TUPAD. among others.

Congress, according to Romualdez, will continue to allot public funds for what he termed “legacy projects” that will ensure food security, assure Filipinos of adequate medical care through specialty hospitals, The government is and provide the homeless with decent exerting every effort housing.

The food security component, for into uplift the lives of the stance will allocate P5 billion to support poor and low-income farmers with free irrigation, seeds, fertilizer, and other farm inputs. sectors in society Another P5 billion would be spent for buying their produce at market prices and ensure the supply of affordable and high quality local rice.

The legislature will also allot funding for the construction of new specialty hospitals or expansion of existing ones, and Target beneficiaries would receive a one- the provision of free treatment and consultime cash assistance of P5,000. If the pro- tation, free medicines, and quality medical gram proves successful, the government can services to indigent patients, and ensure continue implementing it in 2025. the availability of funds for the accelerated AKAP will complement existing gov- implementation of the Marcos administraernment programs targeting the poorest of tion’s housing program for the poor. the poor.

All these tell us in no uncertain terms These are Assistance to Individuals in the government is exerting every effort Crisis Situation (AICS) implemented by to uplift the lives of the poor and low-inthe Department of Social Welfare and come sectors in society, and see to it that Development and the Tulong Pang-hanap- no one is left behind in the nation’s march buhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced to sustained economic growth in the years Workers (TUPAD) of the Department of ahead.

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Open Thoughts Orlando Oxales

THE President’s issuance of Executive Order 49 ushers in the appointment of his new Economic Czar, Secretary Frederick “Deck” D. Go to serve as the administration’s Economic “Whip” heading the newly created Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA).

A move that will hopefully result in more synchronicity and performance in achieving the government’s avowed development goals.

Before being elevated to his new post, Secretary Deck Go was handpicked by the President as his presidential adviser on investment and economic affairs wherein he championed investments in agriculture, manufacturing, renewable energy, mining, digitalization, tourism, infrastructure, and the positioning of the electronics sector to capture the trending movement of manufactures to relocate operations away from China.

I use the term “Whip” in reference to the congressional parlance of the Majority or Party Whip whose job is to make sure everyone is singing the same legislative agenda song.

High in the command of the party’s hierarchy, he makes sure everyone stays focused and toes the line.

As the Economic Whip, Secretary Go assumes a critical position of trust as he will directly be advising the President on the complex issues and dynamics of the Philippine economy from both macro and micro perspectives.

He will be the driving force behind the administration’s economic policy agenda.

He will set the pace and direction, making sure the economy is on the right track.

He will be instrumental in shaping the economic future of the country.

The President’s confidence in Secretary Go has solid basis as his reputation is among the most esteemed with skills, experience, and achievements indisputably among the best in the land.

—“—

As an organization involved in the rehabilitation of critical watersheds through reforestation, MTFI supports the National Greening Program of the government

3)provide food, goods and services such as timber, fiber, non-timber forest products, aesthetic values, air enhancement values, water regulation values, and mitigate climate change by expanding forest cover that serve

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

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

PBBM’s economic czar/whip

A big name in the Philippines in the real estate industry, he is the President and CEO of Robinsons Land, one of the leading real estate companies in the country.

He joined the company in 1992 when it only had five assets.

—“—

High in the command of the party’s hierarchy, he makes sure everyone stays focused and toes the line

Now, thanks to his leadership, Robinsons Land has grown significantly and manages a portfolio that includes shopping malls, office buildings, hotels and resorts, industrial facilities, and mixed-use developments.

Concurrently, he is the President at Altus Property Ventures, Inc. and Robinsons Recreation Corp.

Also in his list of responsibilities are his duties as the Group General Manager at several real estate development companies in China, including Taicang Ding Feng, Shanghai Ding Feng, Xiamen Pacific Estate Investment, Chengdu Ding Feng, Taicang Ding Sheng, Chongqing Robinsons Land, and Chongqing Ding Hong.

His expertise goes beyond the real estate industry.

He is currently the Chairman of Luzon International Premier Airport Development Coras carbon sink; 4)promote public awareness as well as instill social and environmental consciousness on the value of forests and watersheds; 5)enhance the formation of positive values among the youth and other partners through shared responsibilities in sustainable management of tree plantations and forest resources, and 6) consolidate and harmonize all greening efforts of the government, civil society, and the private sector.

An earlier issuance, Executive Order 23, dated Feb 1, 2011 defined the National Greening Program as a Department of AgricultureDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources-Department of Agrarian Reform “Convergence initiative anchored on the government’s goal of poverty reduction, food, security, climate change adaptation and mitigation.”

On Nov 12, 2015, Executive Order193 was signed expanding the coverage of the National Greening Program.

The EO stipulated the coverage of the National Greening Program is expanded to cover all the remaining unproductive, denuded and degraded forestlands and its period of implementation is likewise extended from 2016 to 2028.

poration and also serves as the Vice Chairman of both Robinsons Bank Corporation and the Philippine Retailers Association.

He also held director positions at Cebu Air, Inc., Manila Electric Company, JG Summit Petrochemical Corporation, JG Summit Olefins Corporation, and Cebu Light Industrial Park.

Before he made his mark in these roles, he was a business reporter for The Manila Times.

It is clear that Secretary Deck Go’s diverse experience and exemplary career as an industry leader ticks off all the qualifications needed in his new, and daunting responsibility that I would say will need heroic efforts to effectively navigate and transform the siloed nature of government into a more developmental and results-driven culture like the private sector.

We all had high hopes when very soon after assuming office, the President was able to quickly assemble his economic “dream team.”

But after two years, reality eventually bit off much of the optimism with the President’s trust rating surveys conducted by Publicus Asia showing a dropping trend from 80 percent in September to 48 percent in its November-December poll.

This reflects a waning of confidence which is foundational to a country’s economic environment and investment prospects.

As Filipino consumers, we are always at the receiving end of the government’s capacity to deliver on its committed programs and reforms hyped as forward looking and inspiring economic road maps.

We look forward to Secretary Go’s success in leading a whole-of-Philippine society surge towards finally breaking free from this frustrating economic traffic jam and steer the country on the high road to inclusive prosperity.

Merry Christmas!

To be rehabilitated under the Expanded National Greening Program is an estimated 7.1 million hectares.

For this year, the National Greening Program was allotted about P2.39 billion.

As an organization involved in the rehabilitation of critical watersheds through reforestation, MTFI supports the National Greening Program of the government.

It has forged ties with national government agencies, business entities, and other stakeholders to achieve a greener Philippines. Its target: 10 million more trees planted by 2030.

We at the MTFI are hopeful House Bills 09587 and 09588 together with the respective counterpart in the Senate will be enacted into laws.

Let us restore our forest.

Together we can do this if, as the late President Fidel V. Ramos said, there is unity, solidarity and teamwork.

(The author is president and executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc., a non-profit group advocating tree planting and watershed protection. He is also a book writer and publisher of biographical and coffee table books.)

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

Associate Editor Managing Editor News Editor

Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

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WORLD

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tanker ship off India hit by attack drone ‘fired from Iran’ –Pentagon WASHINGTON, DC – A Japanese-owned chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was targeted by a drone “fired from Iran,” the Pentagon said, a sign of expanding risks to commercial shipping beyond the Red Sea. It was the first time the Pentagon has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the start of Israel’s war on the militant group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran.

In Tehran, Iran’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday dismissed US accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by Yemeni rebels on commercial ships, saying the group was acting on its own.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

On Friday, the White House released US intelligence that Iran provided drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence to the Huthis,

who control vast parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

“The resistance (Huthis) has its own tools... and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities,” said Ali Bagheri, Iran’s deputy foreign minister.

The attack came amid a flurry of new drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels on the vital Red Sea shipping lane since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, with the group claiming to act in solidarity with Gaza.

Saturday’s Indian Ocean attack took place around 10 am local time (0600 GMT) and caused no casualties aboard the vessel, a Pentagon statement said, adding that a fire was extinguished.

The US military “remains in communication with the vessel as it continues toward a destination in India,” it added.

The drone strike occurred 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) off the coast of India, it said, adding that no US Navy vessels were in the vicinity. AFP

HOPES HIGH. Immigrant children wait to be processed at a US Border Patrol transit center after crossing the border from Mexico at Eagle Pass, Texas, during the weekend. Faced with the daily arrival of thousands of migrants from Mexico, US states and federal border police are declaring themselves overwhelmed, a crisis that is exposing the Biden administration to heavy fire from its Republican opponents.In recent weeks, the border police have reported some 10,000 people crossing the border every day, an even faster pace than in previous months. AFP

Hamas says 200 people killed in 24 hours of Israeli strikes

I

SRAELI strikes in Gaza killed more than 200 people in 24 hours, Hamascontrolled authorities said Saturday, as the United States again pressed its ally to do more to protect civilians.

Despite growing calls for restraint and for more aid to reach war-stricken Palestinians, Israel showed little sign of modulating its 11-week-old “Operation Swords of Iron” -- which aims to rout Hamas.

Fighting is now centred on Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Yunis, both considered strongholds of the Palestinian militant group that carried out bloody October 7 raids into Israel.

After reports of heavy Israeli shelling,

UN urges rescue of 185 Rohingya refugees adrift in Indian Ocean GENEVA, Switzerland – The United Nations has called for the urgent rescue of 185 people, mainly women and children, on a distressed boat last heard to be near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean.

Around 70 of those onboard are children and 88 are women, the UNHCR refugee agency said in a statement.

“At least a dozen are feared to be in critical condition with one individual reported to have already died,” it said.

“Many more could die under the watch of numerous coastal states without timely rescue and disembarkation to the nearest place of safety.”

UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told AFP the people onboard were Rohingya refugees, and said the agency was appealing to all the coastal authorities in the area to urgently rescue them.

“It is really a desperate situation,” he said.

Thousands of the mostly Muslim Rohingya, heavily persecuted in Myanmar, undertake risky sea journeys from Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh every year trying to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

More than 2,000 Rohingya are believed to have attempted the risky journey to Southeast Asian countries in 2022, according to UNHCR. And since last year, more than 570 people, including Rohingya refugees, have been reported dead or missing at sea in the region, it said. AFP

CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT. Andrea (left) and her daughters use head lamps and candles as they prepare the traditional Christmas’ potato salad during the power outage ahead of Christmas celebrations near the western Slovakian village of Limbach on Christmas eve.

AFP

grey and black smoke rose over the north of the coastal territory and in Khan Yunis.

The refugee camp-turned-city is the birthplace of Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ leader in Gaza and the man Israel holds most responsible for the October attacks.

The Israeli Army chief of staff, Herzi Halevi, visited troops on the ground in Khan Yunis, telling them that the operation had been “very impressive, truly very impressive, both the attack here and carrying out the operation in a secure manner”.

Outside a morgue at the city’s Nasser Hospital, grieving relatives prayed, wept and stared vacantly as they tried to process incalculable loss.

Hamas authorities said the death toll from this war has now surged beyond 20,000.

“This is a genocide,” said resident Rafat Al Aydi.

Israel denies directly targeting civilians

and says the war against Hamas is vital to ensure the October raids on farms, villages and kibbutzim that killed an estimated 1,140 people can never be repeated.

In Washington, President Joe Biden said he had another “long talk” with Israel’s hawkish prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

The White House said the discussion focused on the “objectives and phasing” of Israel’s military operation, as well as “the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operations”.

Israeli officials gave a terse readout of the call, saying “the Prime Minister made it clear that Israel would continue the war until all of its goals have been achieved”.

A total of 144 Israeli troops have been killed since the ground offensive began almost a month ago.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving

prime minister, has had testy relations with a string of US presidents. But disagreements over how the Gaza war is being prosecuted, when it will end, and what happens the day after, have strained ties ever further.

On Friday, the United States allowed the passage of a UN Security Council resolution that effectively called on Israel to allow “immediate, safe and unhindered” deliveries of life-saving aid to Gaza “at scale”.

World powers had wrangled for days over the wording, and at Washington’s insistence toned down some provisions -including removing a call for a ceasefire.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has accused Israel of “creating massive obstacles” for aid deliveries.

For Palestinians in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, the prospect of aid alone was not enough. AFP

IN D MINOR. This picture taken Wednesday last week shows Hiroko Higashino (front center), born with three fingers on her right hand, playing an AIpowered piano duraing a Christmas concert rehearsal of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9 with the Yokohama Sinfonietta orchestra in Tokyo. The Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, is a choral symphony, the final complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed between 1822 and 1824. It was first performed in Vienna on 7 May 1824. AFP

Biden presses Netanyahu on protecting Gaza civilians WASHINGTON, DC – President Joe Biden on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protect civilian lives in Gaza, the White House said, as the country’s forces mounted fresh military strikes in the territory.

The conversation came a day after the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding “safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale,” though it stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas militants.

“The President emphasized the critical need to protect the civilian population including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting,” the White House said in a statement.

Biden told reporters at the White House earlier in the day that he had a “long talk” with Netanyahu, which he described as “a private conversation.”

In response to a follow-up question, Biden said, “I did not ask for a ceasefire.”

The White House statement said the two leaders discussed the “objectives and phasing” of Israel’s military campaign as well as the importance of securing the release of all remaining hostages.

On October 7, Hamas militants streamed across the Gaza border and attacked southern Israeli communities, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israeli authorities say 129 of the hostages seized during the brazen attack remain in Gaza.

Israel responded with a blistering assault on Gaza that has killed at least 20,057 people, most of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

A truce last month saw the release of 105 hostages, including 80 Israelis freed in exchange for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. AFP

Czechs mourn 13 Prague university shooting victims, including gunman PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Church bells rang, flags flew at half-mast and masses were held across the Czech Republic during tge weekend, a day of national mourning for the victims of a deadly shooting at Prague’s Charles University.

A heavily armed 24-year-old student killed 14 people and then himself at the Faculty of Arts on Thursday.

The lone gunman also wounded 24 others, including three foreigners.

The gunfire sparked frantic scenes of students running from the attacker, with some escaping onto the roof and then jumping onto a balcony below, while others clung to top-floor windows from ledges.

On Saturday, daily life halted for a min-

ute of silence for the victims in the EU and NATO member country at noon.

“We are all trying to build heaven on earth, but the reality of life shows us that evil exists,” said Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner, celebrating a mass for the victims at the Gothic St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle.

President Petr Pavel and other senior politicians were among those attending, and many in the cathedral were in tears.

“The life of each person in its uniqueness enriches and becomes a part of the lives of others, and its loss is therefore irreplaceable,” Charles University rector Milena Kralickova said at the mass, her voice breaking.

The choir singing at the mass was led by David Eben, a musician and musicology

teacher at the Faculty of Arts.

His department lost its director, Lenka Hlavkova, a mother of two, in the attack.

During Saturday’s ceremony, Faculty of Arts students brought eighteen roses to the altar -- 14 for the university victims, one for the gunman and three for other people he had killed.

Police said the gunman also appeared to have killed a randomly chosen young man and his two-month-old daughter in a Prague forest on December 15.

“A ballistic analysis proved the gun used in the... forest was IDENTICAL with a gun found at the university gunman’s home,” police said on X. On Thursday, he killed his father in a vil-

lage west of Prague where the family lived and then left for the capital, leaving a suicide note, police said.

Police launched a manhunt but appeared to have missed him at the university, searching a Faculty of Arts building where he was expected to attend a lecture, while the gunman walked into the faculty’s main building nearby.

Police learned about the shooting at the university at around 1400 GMT and sent a rapid-response unit to the scene. Twenty minutes later, the gunman was dead.

Prague’s chief of police Martin Vondrasek said the killer had had “an enormous arsenal of weapons and ammunition” at his disposal. AFP

Ukrainians defy Moscow with first Dec. 25 Christmas KYIV, Ukraine – Many Ukrainians will on Monday celebrate Christmas Day on Dec 25 for the first time, after the government changed the date from the Orthodox Church observance of Jan 7 in a snub to Russia.

Ukraine passed a law in July moving the celebration to Dec 25, the day when most of the Christian world marks Christmas.

The law signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukrainians wanted to “live their own life with their own traditions and holidays.”

It allows them to “abandon the Russian

heritage of imposing Christmas celebrations on Jan 7,” it added.

Christianity is the largest religion in Ukraine, with the Russian Orthodox Church dominating religious life until recently.

Like the Russian Church, most eastern Christian churches use the Julian calendar, dating back to Roman times, rather than the Gregorian calendar used in everyday life.

The date change is part of hastened moves since the invasion to remove traces of the Russian and Soviet empires, such as renaming streets and removing monuments.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine, a newly created independent church that held its first service in 2019, has also changed its Christmas date to Dec 25.

It formally broke away from the Russian Orthodox Church over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The political rift has seen priests and even entire parishes swap from one church to another, with the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine growing fast and taking over several Russia-linked church buildings in moves supported by the government. AFP

BUSINESS

B3 MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com

postpones Group sees 2024 exports rising DOE launch of power over 5% on electronics recovery reserve market

By Othel V. Campos

A

BUSINESS group expects Philippine merchandise exports to grow 5 percent to 6 percent in 2024 on the expected recovery of the global electronics

sector.

Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PhilExport) chairman George Barcelon expressed hope 2024 would be better compared to this year, with easing inflation and declining commodity prices.

“We are talking to some of the exporters, they are hopeful. Probably, if

we can get at the midpoint of 5 -percent to 6-percent increase, I think it would be good. In one of the key exports— electronics, they [industry players] are expanding. We may not immediately feel it, but they are expanding,” he said.

Barcelon said electronics exports account for about 40 percent of the

total exports.

“I think the electronics sector is the one that will push up the numbers. The US economy, if you noticed, is bouncing back especially in the electronic sectors because AI [artificial intelligence] is now popular, and these are all really electronics. So it is being hyped and the stock market seems to reflect it.

From what I hear from this sector, they are filling up their capacity,” he said.

Barcelon said that aside from electronics, other export sectors were “doing well” including furniture and garments.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that merchandise

exports fell 7.8 percent in the first 10 months of 2023 to $60.91 billion from $66.08 billion a year earlier.

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) agreed with PhilExport that the most pressing challenge for business in 2023 was the high inflation rate, followed by the alleged pass-through fees imposed by some local government units (LGUs).

ECOP president Sergio OrtizLuis said inflation surged to around 8 percent in the early part of 2023 before declining in the subsequent months. He expressed optimism that inflation would fall to about 4 percent in 2024.

US firm to export 200 electric buses from Clark facility AMERICAN firm Envirotech Vehicles (EVT) plans to export 200 units of electric buses from its facility in Clark Freeport Zone to Singapore, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said over the weekend.

PEZA director-general Tereso Panga said the Philippines would be the first manufacturing hub of EVT in the ASEAN. “We are committed to the net zero aspiration of the government. And this is the perfect time to be shifting form fossil fuel-based to electric modes of transportation,” he said.

EVT and Clark-based developer Berthaphil Inc. signed an agreement in March 2023 for the establishment of an electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Clark. EVT is a transportation provider and manufacturer of allelectric and zero-emission vehicles, including electric and hybrid-electric buses and trucks.

Panga said the government would protect and support the $80-million investment of EVT through fiscal and non-fiscal incentives provided for in the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act (EVIDA).

The company will also benefit from the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act for performance-based tax incentives, he said.

Meanwhile, a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer is expected to register with PEZA in January 2024 for the assembly of electronic cars in the Philippines.

The Chinese firm is one of the two e-motorcycle manufacturing investments that PEZA is working on. An Indonesian company is also expected to register next year for a similar project. Othel V. Campos

NEW FLI PROJECT. Property developer Filinvest Land Inc. inaugurates the latest amenity area of its Sandia Homes residential development in Tanauan City, Batangas. Leading the blessing and inauguration of the amenity area are (from left) FLI vice president and regional project head in Luzon housing Louie Carandang, Batangas 3rd District Rep. Ma. Theresa Collantes, Tanauan City Mayor Sonny Perez Collantes, Barangay Cale and ABC president Precious Agojo and FLI vice president and brand product head for housing Ethel Balicanta.

BSP works with other ASEAN countries to link payments systems

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it is working with ASEAN neighbors on interoperating its retail payments systems through Project Nexxus.

It said Instapay would be linked to Thailand’s PromptPay and Singapore’s PayNow as part of the plan to make real-time retail payments interoperable in the region.

“The end view is to have scalable, truly global cross-border retail payments.

This will not only help in remittances,

but also open broader economic opportunities for the country,” BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said.

The BSP launched the National Retail Payment System Framework in 2015, which gave birth to what is now known as PESONet and InstaPay. The BSP also issued policies on digital banking, open finance, regulatory sandbox and generative artificial intelligence (AI).

“We want to make sure that this digitalization will result in better and more products that respond to the needs of

clients, help them manage their finances, and enable them to seize economic opportunities,” Remolona said.

The BSP also rolled out a cybersecurity roadmap and a robust fraud management system to address potential risks from innovation.

The payments and settlements system offers a gateway to financial inclusion to serve the unbanked.

Remolona said the BSP’s efforts in payments were looking beyond the Philippines and toward regional and global opportunities.

Unity Digital of Abotiz Group acquires 329 telecom towers from Globe, PLDT

Unity Digital Infrastructure Inc. now has 1,100 tower sites after closing 250 and 79 towers sites from Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc.

UNITY Digital Infrastructure Inc. of the Aboitiz Group now has 1,100 tower sites after closing 250 and 79 towers sites from Smart Communications Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc., respectively.

PLDT-Smart transferred 75 percent of the 650 tower sites to Unity under a sale-and-leaseback arrangement since getting the Philippine Competition Commission’s clearance in April 2023.

The remainder of the portfolio is expected to be transferred in early 2024, paving the way for the delivery and execution of the committed build-to-suit (BTS) site orders.

“After having completed the transfer of more than 90 percent of the acquired

towers of Edgepoint and Edotco this year, we are pleased to have likewise transferred 75 percent of the acquired towers of Unity in a short period of time,” PLDT senior vice president, chief legal counsel and corporate secretary Marilyn Victorio-Aquino said.

“We aim to transfer the balance by early 2024 and continuously work with our partner TowerCos to strengthen connectivity nationwide,” she said.

Unity, with a pipeline of around 700 committed BTS site orders to add to its current base of 350, aims to double its scale and solidify its foundation with a healthy mix of both built and acquired sites. Darwin G. Amojelar

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Energy (DOE) pushed back the commercial operations of the reserve market from Dec. 26, 2023 pending the issuance of a certification from the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) and completion by the Energy Regulatory Commission of its review of the market simulations.

The DOE did not issue a new target date. The reserve market allows for the trading of ancillary services or services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads, while maintaining the reliable operation of the transmission system.

It issued Department Circular (DC) No. DC2023-09-0026 titled “Declaring the Commercial Operations of the Reserve Market and Providing Further Policies” which provides that the PEMC, the electricity market’s governance arm, should issue a certification on the completeness of the preparations including audit of the systems and readiness of the participants.

“To date, the final preparations for the commercial operations have been substantially completed. However, the WESM governance arm is yet to issue the corresponding certification pending the software certification by the independent auditor, and the ERC is still reviewing the simulations on additional constraints duly submitted by the lEMOP [Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines] for the approval of the price determination methodology,” the department said.

SMC set to finish 32 battery energy storage systems SAN Miguel Global Power Holdings Corp., a unit of San Miguel Corp.

(SMC), said it expects to complete 32 battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a combined capacity of 1,000 megawatt-hours in January 2024.

“The 1,000 MW is near [completion], but the batteries that we are putting up is a big help. Because of that, we did not have brownouts. It helps stabilize [power supply]…I think next month, [it will be completed],” SMC president Ramon Ang said.

Ang said SMCGP was prepared to expand the BESS facilities, “if there is a demand.”

The BESS completion will make SMCGP one of the largest operators of BESS systems in the Philippines. Ang earlier said BESS could have a transformative impact on the economy and the power sector, as he welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the inauguration ceremonies.

“It is the first of its kind in the Philippines, and one of the largest integrated grid-scale battery energy storage projects in the world… Strategically located in various parts of the country, our BESS facilities can instantly increase peak system supply to meet our growing energy demands post pandemic,” Ang said.

He said that with BESS providing a significant portion of peak supply, baseload plants could run continuously and operate more efficiently, resulting in lower electricity costs for Filipino consumers.

“Equally important, our facilities can support the integration of over 5,000 MW of renewable power sources into the grid. They can store excess energy from traditional and renewable sources during periods of low demand and release it back into the grid when demand increases,” Ang said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Local stocks seen moving sideways in final trading week of 2023

By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE stocks are expected to move sideways on thin volume during this shortened trading week, analysts said over the weekend.

Financial markets will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for the Christmas holiday.

China Bank Capital managing director Juan Paolo Colet said the final three trading days of the year would see a mix of window-dressing and bargain-hunting, with the index poised to end 2023 on a positive note.

Colet said the market rally in recent days was driven by growing expectations of interest rate cuts next year despite the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ previous statement that monetary policy should remain tight for some time.

“Investors will also have reason to cheer the cooler-than-expected US November personal consumption expenditures price index, the preferred inflation measure of the Federal Reserve, which reinforced bets that US monetary policy will loosen as soon as March 2024,” Colet said.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia. com said the market’s recent rally was also in line with improving macroeconomic fundamentals.

“Expect more buoyant movement in the coming sessions as DecemberJanuary season has historically been the most successful trading months for the benchmark index,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

The Fed’s signal of three rate cuts in 2024 are likely to provide investors in banks, real estate companies and other firms with maximum risk reward, according to analysts.

BAKERY EXPANSION. Cholly Magpayo (second from left), president of local bakery chain 12C4 Bread Station, signs a non-disclosure agreement with Zohari Mahur, chairman of ARZ Resources SDN BHD of Kota Kinabalu, for the Philippine bakery chain’s expansion in Malaysia.

ENVIRONMENT

B4

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com RAY S. EÑANO, Editor

& SUSTAINABILIT Y

Food body bares progress in zero hunger objectives

B

UDAPEST, Hungary—With less than seven years left until the deadline, Europe and Central Asia are making progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 of Zero Hunger, including tackling food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, despite serious challenges experienced in the past few years.

Protesters take part in the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on December 9, 2023, to demand urgent climate action at COP28 United Nations climate summit in Dubai. AFP

PH pursues blue economy to boost coastal ecosystems DUBAI, United Arab Emirates—The Philippines took another step to solidify the government’s pursuit of a green and blue socio-economic agenda after joining the Blue Carbon Action Partnership (BCAP) of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The partnership agreement, signed on December 3 at the sidelines of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), aims to strengthen coastal ecosystems, boost blue carbon conservation and mitigate climate change. The effort is supported by the United Kingdom through the UK Blue Planet Fund, specifically the Climate

and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST).

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, head of the Philippine Delegation to COP28, signed the partnership agreement with Neo Gim Huay, Managing Director of the WEF Center for Nature and Climate.

Blue carbon is the stored carbon from coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrasses and marshes.

Coastal ecosystems, aside from providing essential ecosystem services such as coastal protection from storms and nurs-

roundup

UNICEF: Measles vaccine coverage declining

End e-cigarette boom—WHO E-CIGARETTES, which pose serious health risks, are being “aggressively marketed” to young people and in large parts of the world there are no rules in place to protect children from their harmful effects, UN health agency WHO warned last week.

WHO said that 88 countries have no minimum age at which e-cigarettes can be bought and 74 countries have not implemented any e-cigarette regulations.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to ramp up prevention measures, saying that “kids are being recruited and trapped at an early age to use e-cigarettes and may get hooked to nicotine.”

Children aged 13 to 15 worldwide are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults, WHO research has found, and in the United Kingdom the number of young users has tripled in the past three years.

The UN health agency said that the products generate carcinogenic substances, increase the risk of heart and lung disorders and can affect brain development.

WHO also warned that the tobacco industry “funds and promotes false evidence” to argue that e-cigarettes reduce harm, while at the same time “heavily promoting these products to children and non-smokers and continuing to sell billions of cigarettes.” UN News

MEASLES, a vaccine-preventable disease which weakens children’s immune systems and can be fatal is up by a staggering 3,200 percent this year compared to last in Europe and Central Asia, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said last week.

Some 30,600 cases have been confirmed in the region so far in 2023 and UNICEF warned that numbers are expected to rise further due to gaps in immunity as vaccination rates have dropped.

“There is no clearer sign of a breakdown in immunization coverage than an increase in cases of measles,” UNICEF’s director for the region Regina De Dominicis said, calling for urgent public health measures to protect children from the dangerous disease.

The highest rates of measles cases in Europe and Central Asia have been recorded in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Romania. An estimated 931,000 children in the region missed out entirely or partially on routine immunization from 2019 to 2021.

UNICEF highlighted that the rate of immunization with the first dose of the measles vaccine dropped from 96 percent in 2019 to 93 per cent in 2022.

The UN agency attributes the drop in coverage to shrinking demand for vaccines “in part fueled by misinformation and mistrust” during the COVID-19 pandemic, disruption to health services and weak primary healthcare systems among other factors. UN News

ery grounds for fish, sequester and store large quantities of blue carbon from the atmosphere and the oceans thus contributing to solving climate change.

The agreement effectively creates the National Blue Carbon Action Partnership (NBCAP) and will bring support from WEF for the government to work with businesses, communities and civil society organizations to restore, conserve and sustainably manage coastal ecosystems.

“The Philippines, endowed with rich biodiversity and extensive coastlines, is home to vast blue carbon ecosystems,” said Loyzaga. DENR News

Even though the average cost of a healthy diet has increased in the region, the number of people who cannot afford a healthy diet has declined in 2022.

These and more findings are contained in the 2023 edition of the Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia, published recently by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the custodian agency for SDG 2 ‘Zero hunger.’

The report also notes that in the past years, the pandemic, conflicts, weather extremes and natural disasters have made it more difficult to improve food security and nutrition. Still, since 2000, the prevalence of undernourishment in the Europe and Central Asia region has been below 2.5 percent. The estimated number of moderately or severely foodinsecure people declined by 4.1 percent (or 4.7 million) between 2021 and 2022 to 111.1 million people.

In 2022, four out of the seven subregions, including Central Asia, the Western Balkans, and the Caucasus surpassed the regional average of 11.9 percent in the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity.

On another note, estimates show

Novel meat, dairy alternatives could help cut emissions

Photo by www.unep.org

Cool Cities Challenge: Five ways towns can keep it chill while reducing pollution CONCLUSION Cool Burkina Faso school Located on the dusty outskirts of the town of Koudougou, Burkina Faso, the Schorge Secondary School shows what is possible when builders mix traditional techniques and new materials. The school consists of nine modules arranged around a central courtyard, protecting the central space from wind and dust. Each module is built out of locally sourced laterite bricks, which absorb the heat during the day and radiate it at night. A secondary façade made of local eucalyptus wood wraps around the classrooms like a transparent fabric and creates shaded spaces to protect students from stifling daytime temperatures.

White roofs in India Following an intense 2010 heatwave, Ahmedabad, India developed a plan to rein in temperatures, which spike in the months before the annual monsoon. Some 7,000 low-income households saw their roofs painted white, a simple step that dramatically reduces inside temperatures by reflecting sunlight. The city also planted trees and provided free water to the public in an effort that saves an estimated 1,100 lives a year. Ahmedabad has served as a blueprint for 30 other cities in India, which have released or are developing similar

that women are more prone to be moderately or severely food insecure than men. This trend is consistent at the global level as well.

“We hope that this report provides valuable information that can contribute to effective intersectoral collaboration, including with civil society organizations and the private sector, to accelerate progress towards achieving the SDG 2 goal in Europe and Central Asia,” said Godfrey Magwenzi, officer-in-charge for the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, ad interim, in the report’s foreword.

“Our Organization stands firmly committed and ready to support governments in their efforts at regional and national levels,” Magwenzi said.

On the other hand, the regional trend on the proportion of overweight and obesity is alarming. In 2022, the prevalence of overweight children under 5 years of age in Europe and Central Asia was 7.1 percent, higher than the global estimate of 5.6 percent.

Despite the decreasing trend from 9.7 percent in 2010, the prevalence is more than double the 2030 target of reducing childhood overweight.FAO News

cooling plans.

Maldives turns to shading The Maldives is at the forefront of the climate crisis, with rising sea levels and surging temperatures devastating the low-lying nation. The Ministry of Environment–with support from UNEP—has been working to ensure residents can keep cool without raising electricity consumption. The centerpiece of that effort is the construction of the Maldives Photo by www.unep.org

Meteorological Services building in Addu City. Based on guidelines developed by UNEP, it emphasizes passive cooling measures, using shading, insulation and even its orientation to keep temperatures down.

Building standards in Cambodia In Cambodia, demand for building cooling is set to double between 2020 and 2040. UNEP and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) are working with two property developers to counter that trend.

The partners are testing the effectiveness of passive cooling measures, like insulation, shading and roof design. Ultimately, the project aims to integrate the most successful strategies into national building regulations and urban planning standards, reducing energy demand for cooling while bringing heat relief to building occupants.

A revitalized stream in Korea The 11-km Cheonggyecheon Stream in the center of Seoul was hidden under a 10-lane road and a raised four-lane motorway until 2005, when the local government dismantled the infrastructure and revitalized the stream.

This has reduced the heat-island effect the city endures, with temperatures along the stream 3.3°C to 5.9°C cooler than on a parallel road just blocks away.

The project illustrates the profound effect natural solutions can have on urban temperatures. UNEP News

DUBAI―Emerging novel alternatives to animal products such as meat and dairy may contribute to significantly reducing the environmental footprint of the current global food system, particularly in high- and middle-income countries, provided they use lowcarbon energy.

Such is the key finding of a new UN Environment Program (UNEP) assessment on new alternatives to animal agriculture, a sector accounting for up to a fifth of planet-warming emissions, with meat consumption slated to grow by 50 per cent by 2050.

The report, entitled What’s cooking? An assessment of the potential impact of select novel alternatives to conventional animal products, focuses on three types of alternatives: 1) Novel plant- based meats, 2) Cultivated meat from animal cells, and 3) Protein-rich products derived through rapid fermentation by microorganisms. It is part of UNEP’s Frontiers series, which identifies and draws attention to emerging issues of environmental concern.

The report, produced with the support of the government of Belgium, finds that these alternatives not only show significant potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but they can also contribute to reductions in land degradation and deforestation, water and soil pollution and loss of biodiversity, as well as to reducing the risks of zoonotic diseases and anti-microbial resistance.

These novel alternatives could also help to significantly reduce animal welfare concerns, compared to their conventional counterparts.

The authors conclude that novel alternatives can likely play a role in supporting a more sustainable, healthier and more humane food system, with regional differences. UNEP News

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SPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

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

HK, China to host FIBA 3x3 Olympic qualifying tilt

CLASH OF CHAMPS. Japanese Naoya “Monster” Inoue (left) and Filipino Marlon Tapales display their world championship belts during the final presser at the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Yokohama, Japan for their Dec. 26 title showdown at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Wendell Alinea

Racela to coach Perpetual Altas in Season 100 of NCAA tourney

By Peter Atencio

F

AR Eastern University Tamaraws’ coach Olsen Racela is taking his act to the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas in the centennial season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Olsen Racela

The 53-year-old Racela has agreed to handle Altas, who has been coached by Myk Saguigit over the last three years.

“We are just finalizing the terms of the deal,” said Racela in a statement.

The management of the Altas is changing their coaching staff, after the team finished its fifth in Season 99, missing the Final Four with a 10-8 winloss record.

This put the Altas in a share of fifth and sixth places

with the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers.

Racela has coached the Tams for the last f ive years, making it to four straight Final Four appearances in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

In Season 86, FEU landed seventh with a 3-11 slate.

Racela is currently an assistant coach for Barangay Ginebra in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Altas have not made it to the Final Four since 2018.

Aussie Khawaja denied consent to have peace symbol on bat

Suzuki new consultant for Farm Fresh in PVL HIDEO Suzuki, celebrated for steering the Kurashiki Ablaze to victory in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL) Invitational Conference 2023, takes on a pivotal role as the Team Consultant for Farm Fresh in the upcoming 2024 PVL season.

Coach Suzuki, renowned for his strategic brilliance and successful coaching career, will not only be instrumental in the development of Farm Fresh players but will also extend his expertise to elevate the performance of teams under the umbrella of Strong Group Athletics, particularly in the collegiate ranks.

Additionally, he will work closely with head coach Jerry Yee to contribute to the success of Farm Fresh in the PVL.

His notable achievements include guiding Kurashiki Ablaze to a championship victory, showcasing his exceptional leadership skills and a keen eye for player development.

Farm Fresh Foxies Team Manager, Kiara Cruz, warmly welcomed Coach Suzuki to the team, stating, “We are thrilled to have Coach Hideo Suzuki join Farm Fresh as Team Consultant.

His proven track record and coaching are assets that will undoubtedly elevate the team’s performance. We look forward to a season of growth and success under his guidance.”

Farm Fresh finished in 10th place in the 2nd All-Filipino Conference with a 2-9 record.

Hideo Suzuki (left) and Frank Lao, founder of Farm Fresh

NCAA pays tribute to late ‘Skywalker’ Samboy Lim

Samboy Lim

MIES (Switzerland)—FIBA is thrilled to announce that Hong Kong, China will host the FIBA 3x3 UOQT 1 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in April 2024.

Hong Kong, China has been one of the hosts of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour since 2022, achieving remarkable success on and off the court. Their creative approach has consistently brought exciting new initiatives to the event.

Hong Kong, China hosted the FIBA 3x3 World Tour in 2022 & 2023, and it witnessed record-breaking attendance, with enthusiastic fans filling the venue to capacity. The vibrant atmosphere and strong fan engagement showcased Hong Kong’s ability to create a thrilling sports spectacle.

In addition to Hong Kong, China, FIBA 3x3 has also revealed the locations and dates for the following Olympic Qualifying Tournaments: FIBA 3x3 UOQT 2: Utsunomiya, Japan, will take place from 3 to 5 May 2024.

FIBA 3x3 OQT: Debrecen, Hungary, will take place from 16 to 19 May 2024 Each tournament will showcase the top teams from around the globe as they battle it out for a coveted spot in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. A total of 64 teams will participate in the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments. The participating teams for each tournament are: UOQT 1 – Hong Kong, China will take place in April 2024 MEN: Hong Kong, Netherlands, Mongolia, Latvia, Austria, Switzerland, Egypt, New Zealand WOMEN: Hong Kong, Hungary, Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Poland, Egypt, Mongolia, Chile UOQT 2 - Utsunomiya, Japan, will take place from 3 to 5 May 2024 MEN: Egypt, Puerto Rico, Mongolia, Lithuania, Japan, France, Latvia WOMEN: Kenya, Brazil, Australia, Netherlands, Japan, Germany, Canada, Austria OQT - Debrecen, Hungary, will take place from 23 to 26 May 2024.

MEN: Hungary, Egypt, Madagascar, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mongolia, Japan, France, Lithuania, Netherlands, Latvia, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Poland WOMEN: Hungary, Egypt, Tunisia, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mongolia, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Lithuania, Azerbaijan, Poland, Czechia, Italy, Israel.

THE National Collegiate Athletic Association on Sunday paid tribute to the late Avelino “Samboy” Lim, Jr., one of the legendary basketball players the league has produced.

“The NCAA joins the basketball community in remembering the life of Samboy Lim, one of the greatest Filipino basketball players of our time,” said NCAA Management Committee chair Paul Supan of Season 99 host Jose Rizal University.

Supan said Lim, known to all as “The Skywalker” for his magnificent ability to hang into the air lon-

ger than anyone, has inspired a lot of aspiring cagers who have seen his exceptional style of play.

During his time with the Letran Knights, Lim helped the Dominican school win a three-peat feat from 1982 to 1984 and earned the highest individual award of all—the MVP—in 1984.

“He was an exemplary athlete from the time he played in the NCAA up to his stint in the national team and in the pros,” said Supan.

“He was an inspiration and a model for most, if not all, who have seen him play.

Lim died on Saturday at the age

of 61.

“Our Hearts are broken... our dearly beloved Samboy passed away peacefully,” said the statement on the nine-time PBA champion’s status.

Lim, who passed on his athletic prowess to his daughter and karatedo star Jamie Lim, was with relatives and fellow basketball stars, including Allan Caidic, during his final moments at the Medical City.

Lim was survived by his wife, lawyer Lelen Berberabe and Jamie, who has won numerous medals and honors in karatedo.

MELBOURNE—Australia’s Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to place a peace symbol on his bat and shoes for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, reports said Sunday.

A sticker showing a black dove and the words 01:UDHR—a reference to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights— was on his bat and shoes during training in Melbourne on Sunday.

The star batter had multiple meetings with Cricket Australia over recent days to find a message that would be appropriate for the second Test this week, local media said.

But his latest humanitarian gesture has been turned down by the International Cricket Committee, The Australian and Melbourne Age newspapers reported.

The ICC were not immediately available for comment.

Khawaja, a Muslim, was stopped from wearing shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” during the first Test in Perth.

The 36-year-old had wanted to show his support for the people of Gaza.

But he was told they flouted ICC rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race.

He wore a black armband during the match and was reprimanded by the ICC, but insisted afterwards it was for a “personal bereavement” and vowed to contest the ruling.

Khawaja spoke on Friday about how the Israel-Hamas conflict had affected him, saying he despaired at seeing how many children had been killed. AFP

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SPORTS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

Day’Ron Sharpe (20) and Mikal Bridges (1) of the Brooklyn Nets boxes out Detroit’s Marvin Bagley during the game against the Pistons at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. AFP

Arsenal holds Liverpool to seal top spot LONDON—Arsenal will spend Christmas Day on top of the Premier League after they held title rivals Liverpool to a pulsating 1-1 draw at Anfield on Saturday, while Manchester United crashed to a dismal 2-0 defeat at West Ham that piled pressure on Erik ten Hag. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal took an early lead through Gabriel Magalhaes, but Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level before the interval.

A draw was arguably the right result after both sides flexed their muscles to show why they have emerged as the leading contenders to win the title.

Chasing a first title since 2004, Arsenal sit one point clear of second placed Liverpool heading into the festive period.

The team that has topped the Premier League at Christmas has gone on to win the title in six of the past 10 seasons, but the draw on Merseyside was also a boost to the chasing pack.

Third placed Aston Villa are level on points with Liverpool, fourth placed Tottenham are three points further back, while champions Manchester City are six points adrift of the leaders with a game in hand.

“An unbelievable game of football, one of the most intense I’ve witnessed in 20 years in this league. For many moments we were on top, in the last 20 minutes we wanted it more, but a draw is a fair result,” Arteta said.

“I’m happy to be where we are.

Tomorrow we have a beautiful dinner with our families, then back to work.”

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp added: “Arsenal are really exceptional but for those 20 minutes we had them, we shattered them slightly.

“We felt that they were shaky and we should have used that.”

At the London Stadium, Ten Hag’s United side were blown away by late West Ham strikes from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, condemning the visitors to an eighth Premier League loss already this season.

United, languishing in eighth place, have managed just one win in their last seven games in all competitions. AFP

Pistons match NBA record with 26th straight setback N EW YORK—The Detroit Pistons matched an NBA single-season mark for futility on Saturday, slumping to a 26th straight defeat in a 126-115 loss to the Nets in Brooklyn.

As the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a four-game skid behind 40 points from LeBron James and reigning champions Denver and Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Milwaukee posted comfortable victories, the Pistons matched the league’s longest singleseason losing streak—set by the 201011 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers.

Detroit, an iconic franchise that won NBA titles in 1989, 1990 and 2004— hasn’t won since October 28.

Mikal Bridges scored 29 points with six rebounds and seven assists to lead the Net—who had seven players score in double figures.

Jaden Ivey scored 23 points and Cade Cunningham added 22 for the Pistons,

who coughed up 14 turnovers leading to 22 Nets points.

Brooklyn out-scored Detroit 62-42 in the paint and held an 18-9 edge in secondchance points and never trailed after the first quarter.

The Pistons were in the hunt, down by six late in the third quarter, when the Nets put together a 15-0 scoring run to pull away.

Detroit will try to turn the tables when they play the Nets in Brooklyn again on Tuesday, when a defeat would land them with the single-season record—and put them one away from matching the longest losing streak ever, the 28-game slide of the 76ers that spanned the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Pistons coach Monty Williams said he’d seen some good things from his team, and

he praised their continuing determination in the midst of the morale-destroying slide.

“Losing is awful in this league,” Williams added. “And we’ve had a lot of it. I’m proud of the way that they just keep battling every night. Our guys don’t want to be a part of any kind of losing streak, whatever.

But every day they come back with focus and drive and grit trying to win a game.”

In Oklahoma City the Lakers, struggling since capturing the inaugural inseason tournament crown, snapped their four-game losing streak with a 129-120 victory over the Thunder.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham shuffled his lineup, starting Jarred Vanderbilt in place of D’Angelo Russell in a bid to “lean in” to the defensive effort.

But it was NBA all-time leading scorer James who set the tone, scoring 15 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers ruthlessly suppressed the Thunder’s bid to rally from a 26-point deficit.

Anthony Davis scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Rui Hachimura added 21 points off the bench for the

Parker overpowers Wilder in unanimous decision win RIYADH—Joseph Parker outboxed fellow former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in a unanimous points decision win in Riyadh on Saturday.

Parker’s total dominance was reflected by all three judges, who scored the non-title fight 118-111, 118-110, 120-108 in the New Zealander’s favour.

His victory may have scuppered a long-awaited clash between Wilder and another former world heavyweight champion in Britain’s Anthony Joshua, who faced Sweden’s Otto Wallin in the main event of the same bill in Saudi Arabia later Saturday.

There had been further speculation that the winner of a Wilder-Joshua clash, assuming the latter also won Saturday, would face the winner of February’s clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who between them currently hold all the major versions of the world heavyweight title But Parker, a former World Boxing Organisation title-holder, was too strong and too skilled as he comprehen-

US’ Deontay Wilder (left) competes with New Zealand’s Joseph Parker during their heavyweight boxing match at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. AFP

sively defeated Wilder in what was the is God’s plan,” Parker told broadcaster former World Boxing Council cham- DAZN after a comprehensive win. pion’s first bout in over two years.

Parker, who is now just the second “Everyone had other plans but this man to defeat Wilder in a professional

Thitikul cruises; Uy, Pagdanganan tie for 23rd THAI Atthaya Thitikul crowned herself the new Asia Pacific Cup champion, concluding her dominant performance with a 69, beating Korean Dayeon Lee by seven even as Daniella Uy and Bianca Pagdanganan wound up joint 23rd at the Pondok Indah course in Jakarta, Indonesia Saturday.

Despite high hopes for a final round surge from Team Philippines, Uy carded a two-over 74 while Pagdanganan hobbled with a 76 for 219s.

That was 17 strokes behind Thitikul, whose fiery second round 65 all but settled the outcome of the second edition of the 54-hole championship ruled by Princess Superal last year.

But Superal never figured in the individual competition, finishing with her worst score of 79 for joint 45th in field of 57 with a 230.

Dottie Ardina, the other Pinay in the fold, matched par 72 but ended up tied 28th at 221.

Five ahead of Lee after 36 holes, Thitikul kept pounding the par-72 course with her superb all-around game, producing five birdies against a bogey after 11 holes. The two-time LPGA Tour winner, however, settled for pars and a bogey in the last seven to finish with a 69 and a 14-under 202 worth $100,000.

Lee finished seven strokes behind at 209 after a 71 while Minbyeol Kim took third place honors with a 211 after a 70 even as two other Koreans, amateur Minsol Kim and Hyosong Lee tied for fourth at 212 after 70 and 71, respectively.

Thitikul completed a twinkill as she and Jaravee Boonchant, who shot a 70, took the team crown with a 15-under 417, seven strokes

clear of Korea 4’s Youmin Hwang and Minbyeol Kim, and Korea 5’s Minsol Kim and Hyosong Lee, who matched 424s.

Teeing off at No. 10, Uy failed to get going with a mishap and though she birdied the next, the reigning Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit winner made two more bogeys in the next seven and hit two birdies against the same number of bogeys at the front for a 36-38 and a three-over 219 that included a 72 and 73.

Pagdanganan likewise fumbled in a frontside start following an inspiring 70 in the second round. She dropped two strokes on No. 2 and faltered with bogeys on Nos. 5 and 7 against a birdie on the sixth.

The power-hitting shotmaker birdied No. 14 for the second straight day but bogeyed two of the last three for a 39-37.

Bianca Pagdanganan

contest, also paid tribute to Fury’s input into this success.

“This is massive and the best opponent I’ve ever faced,” said Parker, who improved to 34-3 with 23 knockouts.

“Tyson Fury gave us his time with sparring and was massively important.”

Renowned as a knockout artist, Wilder was involved in a trio of dramatic bouts with current WBC champion Fury, drawing the first before losing the next two.

Wilder’s long period of inactivity appeared to count against the 38-year-old, with Parker landing the cleaner punches as well as producing several thumping roundhouse rights.

The American briefly rallied in the eighth round but did well to make it to the bell as Parker, 31, hit back with several telling blows.

“My timing was up a little bit,” said Wilder, who fell to 43-3 with 1 draw and 42 knockouts. “Well done Joseph, he did a great job avoiding my punches. We move on to the next thing. AFP

Lakers, who had 37 total assists and 16 three-pointers.

In New York, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 28 points to lead Milwaukee to a 130-111 victory over the Knicks, stretching the Bucks’ winning streak to seven games.

The Greek star added seven rebounds and seven assists while Bobby Portis came off the bench to deliver 23 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who improved to 22-7.

The Bucks remained second in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics, who improved to an NBA-best 22-6 with a 145-108 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Wembanyama sidelined In Charlotte, the Nuggets used a dominant third quarter to take control and held on for a 102-95 victory over the Hornets.

Michael Porter Jr. scored 22 points, Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists before fouling out late and Denver out-scored the Hornets 30-9 in the third period on the way to a fourth straight win. AFP

Premier League hailed for 1st female referee LONDON—Burnley manager Vincent Kompany congratulated Rebecca Welch for a “milestone” achievement after she became the first woman to referee an English Premier League football match by taking charge of the Clarets’ 2-0 win at Fulham on Saturday.

Welch, a 40-year-old from Washington in northeast England, was working for the National Health Service when she began her refereeing career in 2010.

She rose through the officiating ranks and, in 2021, became the first woman appointed to referee a match in the English Football League when she took charge of the fourth-tier fixture between Harrogate and Port Vale.

Welch was also the first female official to referee matches in the Championship and third round of the FA Cup. Kompany, who spoke to Welch after full-time at Craven Cottage, said: “I wanted to congratulate her because it’s a big moment.

“After the game it’s fair to say that it’s a milestone moment and may there be more, and the best thing will always be when someone is judged on merit.

“But you have to have a first and this is it, so well done (to her) and I’m happy to be part of this moment.”

Welch had little to do early on during a slow start in London on Saturday before her decision to not award a Vitinho handball frustrated Fulham.

Welch remained unmoved by players’ reactions when making her rulings and was happy to play advantage for both sides whenever possible in a match in which longrange strikes from Wilson Odobert and Sander Berge gave Burnley only their third league win of the season.

She booked Calvin Bassey after 25 minutes for striking Josh Brownhill. The Fulham defender refused to walk towards Welch when signalled by her on three occasions but eventually approached the referee and was cautioned.

Welch’s name was greeted by cheers when read out by the public address announcer at Craven Cottage ahead of kick-off. AFP

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SHOWBIZ

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

Alden Richards’ outstanding performance in ‘Family of Two’ redefines mother-son dynamics Very Wang

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

Sharon Cuneta (left) and Alden Richards play as mother and son in ‘Family of Two’

Nickie Wang

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FTER the advance screening of Family of Two (A Mother and Son Story), we, along with several entertainment media representatives, chanced upon Pandi, Bulacan Mayor Enrico Roque of Cineko Productions.

Intrigued, we prodded him about the possibility of another Sharon Cuneta-Alden Richards project following their collaboration in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 entry.

The megastar commended the Cineko team, expressing her desire to collaborate with the film production company once again. Alden Richards also echoed this sentiment, hoping for a potential coproduction with his company, Myriad Corporation.

Alden is eagerly anticipating the upcoming ventures of Myriad Corporation, and his schedule for 2024 is already packed. “We have a lot planned for next year,” he shared during his chat with the press at his Thanksgiving party on December 17.

“In addition to concerts, there’s an upcoming international film project. I’ll be filming it in New York, and it’s a foreign production. It’s a trilogy of short films, primarily centered around advocacy for women’s empowerment and rights,” he carried on.

Later that evening, Alden delivered a brief speech before the screening of his film, stating, “This film is close to my heart because it’s a mother-and-son story.

You know I lost my mom 15 years ago. So I offer it to her, this film. So with Mama, with Miss Sharon, I was able to relate to those moments… of that I was with my mom. So, sana ganun din ang maramdaman nyo.”

Sharon said in turn, “First of all, I’m here for you forever, Alden. Kahit hindi na tayo nagpepelikula, nandito si Mama. Huwag mong kalilimutan. And I want to dedicate this movie, first of all, to my son Miguel because he’s here tonight, and my daughter Miel. Frankie is arriving tomorrow pa so... and all my kids. And Kiko is here also. So it’s also a movie not just for a mom and a son but also for a parent and the parent’s child.”

Alden delivers a captivating performance as Matty, the loving son who becomes the anchor of his single mother’s world. Alden’s portrayal of a devoted son navigating the delicate balance between pursuing his dreams and ensuring his mother’s happiness adds depth and authenticity to the narrative.

Alden’s on-screen chemistry with Sharon seamlessly brings to life the nuances of a mother-son relationship.

Alden (right) cherishes the film for its heartfelt mother-son story

Alden (right) has recently opened a new business —Stardust Bar

His portrayal goes beyond the surface, delving into the complexities of familial ties and the sacrifices made for the ones we love.

While Sharon’s on-screen presence is undoubtedly impactful, it is Alden’s nuanced performance that amplifies the emotional resonance of the “mother and son story.”

As Matty grapples with the decision to follow his own path while considering his mother’s well-being, Alden skillfully conveys the internal conflict and unwavering support that define his character. The audience is drawn into the emotional journey of a son who not only finds love in his own life but also discovers the profound fulfillment that comes from

supporting and caring for his mother.

Alden’s performance adds a layer of authenticity to the film’s central message about the importance of mutual support in family and love. Through his nuanced portrayal, Alden elevates the character of Matty, making him relatable and endearing to audiences.

The actor’s commitment to embodying the role of a loving son contributes to the overall success of Family of Two in exploring the intricate layers of relationships and the profound impact of familial bonds.

Family of Two is now available in cinemas nationwide.

Cozy Christmas movies to binge on for your well-deserved holiday night THERE’S nothing quite like curling up in bed with a warm mug of cocoa and a heartwarming Christmas movie to kickstart the holiday season. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. So if you’re up for a relaxing evening of Christmas films that transport viewers to a world of snow-covered streets glowing under twinkling lights, nostalgic school Christmas dances, and charming towns celebrating the holiday cheer, press play on these movies on Lionsgate Play.

off an interior decorating holiday miracle. Gretchen’s Christmas spirit successfully brings Steven’s family together and works a little too well in bringing the pair closer to each other.

Christmas Wonderland (2018) Heidi Nelson (Emily Osment, Hannah Montana), a successful art gallery curator in New York, is forced to come home to the small town of Pleasant Valley for the holidays. She crosses paths with her high school sweetheart, Chris Shepherd (Ryan Rottman, The House Bunny), now a teacher at the local school. The pair slowly rekindle their relationship after Chris asks her for help looking for a last-minute location

The Big Year) and Prince Patrick’s (Diarmaid Murtagh, Vikings) Christmastime meet-cute starts at a fashion show. Kristin, an assistant at a global PR firm, is tasked to organize the annual Christmas Fashion Show and Auction for one of their biggest clients. Meanwhile, the King of Edgemoor volunteered his son, Prince Patrick, as the Royal family representative. Sparks fly when Kristin and Patrick meet, but he mistakes Kristin for her boss,

Melaine. As they spend more time together, Kristin wonders if the dashing prince would fall for her if he knew she works as an assistant and not a boss.

Curl up in bed and enjoy these cozy Christmas movies streaming exclusively on Lionsgate Play on PLDT Home.

Christmas Made to Order (2018) Workaholic architect Steven (Jonathan Bennett, Mean Girls) finds himself in a dilemma when his family insists on spending Christmas in his near-empty home. In a pinch, he A Christmas in Royal Fashion recruits holiday coordinator Gretchen (2018) (Alexa PenaVega, Spy Kids) to pull Kristin Cooper (Cindy Busby,

A scene from the 2018 film ‘Christmas Made to Order’

Emily Osment (left) and Ryan Rottman as Heidi Nelson and Chris Shepherd in ‘Christmas Wonderland’

‘A Christmas in Royal Fashion’ stars Diarmaid Murtagh (left) and Cindy Busby

Swifties to the polls?

Why eyes are on Taylor ahead of 2024 AS JOE Biden’s poll numbers flag ahead of next year’s election, it might seem obvious for the president to look to the pop-star billionaire who endorsed him in 2020, and whose every move is endlessly cataloged by US media.

It’s a fact his campaign knows all too well.

“Please do not tell us that we need a Taylor Swift strategy.

We are tracking,” quipped a recent communications job advertisement for his 2024 reelection bid.

And yet, in the highly polarized US political and media landscape, everything the superstar singer does or doesn’t do is likely to invite a simultaneous deluge of praise and firestorm of fierce criticism.

Swift, recently named Time magazine’s Person of the Year, is viewed favorably by 70 percent of Americans – the sort of numbers that any president would kill for.

Perhaps none more than Biden, whose approval ratings recently dipped to 39 percent – the lowest of any recent US leader at this point in their presidency, according to polling firm Gallup, and also the fifth time his ratings fell below 40 percent in this year alone.

Swift’s 2020 endorsement of Biden, and her knack for using nonpartisan campaigns to register her “Swiftie” superfans to vote, doesn’t mean that politics comes without scrutiny for the superstar.

Amidst America’s hyperpartisanship, the once apolitical “You Belong With Me” singer faced criticism for her evolving stance. Despite initial reluctance, she broke her silence during the 2016 election, expressing personal unease.

In a 2020 documentary, she defied team advice to stay apolitical for fear of tour attendance decline.

Swift eventually endorsed a Democratic Senate candidate in Tennessee, contrary to the Trump-backed Republican’s victory. Amidst Trump’s divisive presidency, she criticized him for fueling “white supremacy and racism” when endorsing Biden.

Notably, Swift’s profile skyrocketed amid record-breaking music achievements and heightened public scrutiny of her personal life. AFP

Grammy-award winning singer Taylor Swift

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LIFE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2023

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

Venture into enchanted destinations in Siquijor

Personalized adventures rooted in community and sustainability

The Heydar Aliyev Center is a huge MICE complex with an unusual all-curved design

Architectural marvels of Baku A journey through Azerbaijan’s astonishing modern landscape

Baku’s skyline with the iconic Flame Towers in the background which symbolizes Azerbaijan, known as ‘The Land of Fire’

Mercury Rising

architect who won the World Architecture’s Design of the Year Award in 2014. The structure has a distinctive fluid and curved style all over, Bob Zozobrado without any angles anywhere in the entire building. Even its walls, ceilings, and steps are all curved giving one the feeling of being inside a free-flowing giant-sized cocoon.

I read somewhere that such flowing, fluid design of a large structure S I mentioned in my last week’s helps calm down frayed nerves while boosting the energy level of the column, I flew to Azerbaijan not people in it. No wonder my colleagues and I had such a pleasant experience while attending the conference at the Center, which is knowing what to expect from a named after Azerbaijan’s former president, popularly known as the country that I barely see on TV or “Father of the Republic.”

The city’s Waterfront Mall is another outstanding architectural read about in newspapers. But the moment masterpiece, sitting by the edge of the bay. Its design is like a giant I disembarked from our 12-hour plane ride solitary eight-petalled rose, attracting shopaholics to the usual branded merchandise that we are all familiar with. The high glass walls allow from Manila, I was instantly amazed by the daylight to filter through to the seven-storey atrium, highlighting its beautiful airport terminal, and by the uniquely very clean and well-maintained interiors.

Aside from being a very modern city, Baku is also a city of contrasts. modern architectural designs in the office and Old Soviet-era buildings are seen juxtaposed with the new, modern residential buildings I passed by en route to buildings, showing tourists the stark contrast between the lavishly intricate brickwork and geometrical patterns on the old buildings and the hotel. the sleek, smooth, crystalline-looking glass-and-steel designs of the new ones.

Azerbaijan has a high rate of As for Baku’s economy, as if to economic development and very low YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE highlight the financial capabilities of its unemployment and one easily sees this How do you convince the upcoming generations citizens, there is the presence of many “wealth” in Baku. The modern glassthat education is the key to success when we see ritzy boutiques right in the center of and-steel buildings that stand out in a lot of poor graduates and rich crooks! town, carrying all the French and Italian the cityscape are testimonies to the name brands we know. When I had the country’s economic progress. On this page, you will see a handful of these strikingly one-of-a-kind structures chance to chat with Elvin, our tour guide, I commented that in many that certainly awe tourists, especially those of us from Third World other big cities in the world, these luxury brands are usually located in an upscale part of the city, but in Baku, they are right in the heart of countries.

It is widely known that Azerbaijan’s First Lady, Mehriban Aliyev, downtown. He said it is simply for convenience, to make them easily has a hand in the designs of the newly constructed buildings in the city. accessible to a majority of the residents as they can afford to buy these She goes for ultra-modern architecture, and also for the look and feel of luxury brands anyway.

Hearing that, there was a split second that I dreamily imagined I was Paris, which explains why we see many Paris-style newspaper kiosks all over the city and Louvre-style pyramids in some metro stations. an Azerbaijani and had the pocket for all the luxury brands I wanted.

But I immediately recovered from my reverie and realized “I am who These are among the city’s outstanding edifices: The Flame Towers are three skyscrapers that reflect the country’s I am.” I love where I belong…in the occasionally frustrating, yet, nickname, “The Land of Fire.” The façade of these buildings are forever gratifying company of similarly energized colleagues and completely covered with LED bulbs which come alive at night, making loving family, in a third-world setting that has been and always will the buildings look like dancing flames. Each of these buildings serves be Home!

Nevertheless, Baku’s innovative and pioneeringly progressive a different purpose – one is a luxury condominium, the other is the architecture is, indeed, something to marvel at. A City of the Future?

Fairmont Hotel, and the last one, is an office building.

The Crescent Hotel is a curved building, forming an arch, designed We’ll see about that.

Meantime, I wish you all a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS…may to look like a crescent moon which is a significant feature of the Azerbaijani flag. But the architects who designed the structure declared your happiness be large and your bills be small…and if you can’t have that they just wanted to reinvent the traditional concept of a skyscraper, a White Christmas, don’t worry. Just open a bottle of red! thus the semi-circle design.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com The Heydar Aliyev Center, where our FIA Plenary Session was held, is a masterpiece of neo-futuristic architecture. It’s a 57,500-squaremeter complex designed by Zaha Hadid, a popular Iraqi-British

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THE Philippines holds diverse meanings for different individuals — just like the 7,000-plus islands it embraces. For foreigners visiting the country for the first time or locals who want a more unique way of exploring the islands, there can be a deeper, personal, and more sustainable way to uncover the beauty of the Philippines — courtesy of Explora Ahora.

Recently launched, Explora Ahora is a travel company with a mission to introduce to the world genuine Philippine adventures emphasizing community tourism.

Ahora (which means “now” in Spanish) invites everyone to experience the country’s mesmerizing landscapes, seascapes, and renowned Filipino hospitality, promising travelers a genuine connection with the Philippines and its people.

Founded by young entrepreneur Angely Dub, who also established the successful Access Travel, Explora Ahora returns to its roots.

“While Access Travel connects our clients globally, Explora Ahora brings them closer to the heart of our home,” said Angely, who was born and raised in the Philippines. “I want them to see our beautiful country with new eyes — we are more than our beaches and sunsets; we are beyond a typical backpackers’ destination.”

Drawing on 12 years of travel expertise from Access Travel, Explora Ahora charts a new path — offering curated local experiences. This includes activities such as diving with a local diver in the pristine islands of Palawan and Bohol or exploring rich heritage sites with a history scholar in provinces such as Ifugao, Bulacan, or Iloilo. For food, the culinary experience is heightened with stories from the chefs and cooks, even letting guests embark on a “soil-to-soul” journey of the produce they consume.

Since Explora Ahora’s tour experiences are crafted in collaboration with local communities, these not only promote cultural immersion but also emphasize sustainable tourism, benefiting local economies and preserving the environment in the process. With groups kept to a minimum, each journey becomes more intimate, beyond merely hopping from one place to another.

“Explora Ahora’s goal is to be the foremost choice for travelers seeking the Philippines’ true essence,” said Angely. “Therefore, we made sure that we do not offer the usual touristy itinerary, as we aim to elevate the travelers’ experience to something more personal and experiential.”

Explora Ahora’s young and dynamic team has a deep knowledge of the Philippines and complemented with partnerships with those from the local communities, they can tailor itineraries that cater to individual traveler interests. The offering includes assured quality in accommodations, transportation, unparalleled customer service, and a seamless cashless booking system. All itineraries are guaranteed to be tested first by the Explora Ahora team, including Angely herself, ensuring clients embark on a journey that’s been well-vetted.

For more d e t a i l s , visit www. exploraahora. com.

Angely Dub creates Explora Ahora aiming to elevate the travelers’ experience to the Philippines as something more personal and unique

The Crescent Hotel is the people’s way of reinventing the traditional look of a skyscraper Explore the best of nature in Dumaguete The Waterfront Mall is designed like an 8-petalled flower