Manila Standard - 2023 December 27 - Wednesday

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

instagram.com/ manilastandard

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation

manilastandard.net Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 85646229

Manila not provoking conflict in waterway, AFP tells Beijing THE Philippines is not provoking any conflict in the South China Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday, in response to Beijing’s accusation that Manila is repeatedly encroaching on Chinese territory.

"The Philippines is not provoking conflict. We follow international law and we are only implementing our domestic law," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in an interview with staterun PTV4.

He added that the Philippines is not conducting activities that put vessels and

seafarers in danger, and instead accused China of performing dangerous maneuvers that sometimes result in collisions at sea.

"They are the ones committing all the violations," Aguilar said, pointing out that the Philippines was just conducting activities within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone without endangering other countries passing through the area.

Aguilar said it was the Chinese that were conducting shadowing activities, dangerous maneuvers, and water cannon attacks, as well as causing collisions.

Earlier, Chinese state media falsely accused the Philippines of repeatedly infringing on China's territory in the South China Sea and colluding with the United States to cause trouble.

Next page

‘NO PEACE UNTIL HAMAS DESTROYED’

DOÑA PAZ KIN CRY FOR JUSTICE

WORLD/ A6

NEWS / A2

By Vince Lopez, Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta VOL. XXXVII • NO. 316 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023 •

‘PH moving forward with oil exploration’ Marcos says despite WPS tensions, gov’t must find fuel sources for industrialization

By Charles Dantes

D

ESPITE the ongoing tension in the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos said the Philippines will “find a way to move the process forward” for oil exploration projects.

“It's imperative for the Philippines to find a way to move the process forward so as to be able to assure ourselves of a fuel supply during that transition period,” he said in an interview with NHK earlier this month.

“We are hoping to grow the fuel supply because industrialization is almost directly dependent

on the power supply and its pricing... The supply of reliable, affordable power is always going to be critical, and it has been one of the problems that the Philippines has faced in terms of higher prices for power and a lack of supply.”

Mr. Marcos admitted negotiations with China for joint oil and Next page

PBBM extends import tariffs of rice, corn, meat

By Charles Dantes PRESIDENT Marcos extended for another year the temporary modification of import duty rates on rice, corn, and meat products to ensure a stable supply and prices of basic goods amid the negative impact of the El Niño phenomenon and the African swine fever on agricultural produce.

“The ongoing El Niño phenomenon, forecasted to last until the first half of 2024, is expected to negatively impact the production and prices of agricultural commodities such as rice and corn, both in the local and international markets,” the President said in Executive Order No. 50.

“The continuing prevalence of ASF as well as trade restrictions in some exporting countries also causes uncertainty in the country's steady supply of rice, corn, and meat of swine (fresh, chilled, or frozen),” Mr. Marcos added.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, which the President chairs, earlier this month endorsed the temporary extension of the reduced Most Favored Nation (MFN) rates applicable to rice, corn, and swine meat (fresh, chilled, or frozen) until Dec. 31, 2024.

This meant a 35 percent tariff reduction in rice imports, both in-quota and out-quota. Next page

OIL EXPLORATION MAP. This map from the Department of Energy shows the sites of the

country’s Petroleum Service Contracts and Pre-Determined Areas, especially a dense area surrounding Recto Bank off Palawan in the West Philippine Sea (inset) that holds rich oil and gas reserves. DOE Photos

Say goodbye to fireworks, not to fingers—DOH Five of the cases—three minors and two adults-led to the amputation of mangled fingers and hands due to the use of illegal fireworks, Health Secretary SAY goodbye to fireworks, not your fingers, the De- Ted Herbosa said.

"Losing a finger, hand, or arm is painful, expensive, partment of Health urged Filipinos Tuesday, as it reported 52 cases of fireworks-related injuries, six days and traumatic," he said. "Say goodbye to fireworks use before the New Year.

Next page

By Rio N. Araja and Macon Ramos-Araneta TOOTING HIS HORN. Vendors arrange – and sample -- their display of colorful horns and trumpets for sale for the New Year celebration along Comercio Street in Divisoria, Binondo, Manila, on Tuesday. The horns sell from P8 to P50 apiece. Norman Cruz

PNR Naga-Legazpi train line reopens today after 6 years

Gov’t ‘firm,’ but Manibela hoping PUVMP deadline will be extended

By Rio N. Araja THE striking transport group Manibela is still clinging to the hope that President Marcos will change his mind, or that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of jeepney drivers and operators who oppose the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP), as the deadline for them to comply with its requirements nears.

The government has remained firm that there will be no extension to the Dec. 31 deadline for jeepney drivers and operators to form themselves into cooperatives or corporations or lose their

franchise to operate.

Manibela president Mar Valbuena said 40,000 jeepneys have not yet complied with the requirement, however, and their drivers will be thrown out of work on Jan. 1, 2024.

The Department of Transportation said it could not verify this figure, but said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is ready to issue special permits to plug a shortage of jeepneys on several routes in Metro Manila.

Buses will be an option to ferry more passengers who are going to be affected Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz

HAPPY PLACE. Friends happily stroll and take pictures at the special holiday

display at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Tuesday, a day after Christmas. Lino Santos

THE Philippine National Railways is set to reopen the Naga-Legazpi route today (Wednesday), six years after halting its operations due to a lack of train coaches and locomotives.

PNR said there will be four trips daily from Naga City, Camarines Sur to Legazpi City, Albay, and vice versa – a 100-kilometer route that offers a scenic view of the Mayon Volcano.

Next page

NEWS

A2

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Doña Paz kin still cry for justice

By Ronald O. Reyes

While the names of Relagio’s son and father were not in the ship’s “manifest”, she maintained that she got all the proof to show that her loved ones were among the fatalities during the sinking of the vessel.

Together with other members of the Doña Paz Tragedy Claimants Association Inc., Relagio has appealed for help from President Marcos, House Speaker and Leyte First District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and other lawmakers for their alleged unpaid claims.

“I am begging for President Marcos

Jr. to investigate this great injustice to us,” Relagio told Manila Standard.

Jenny Dela Cruz, another claimant, said she lost her mother, two siblings, and an aunt during the incident.

“What happened was very difficult for us because I was very young when I lost my loved ones. This is why I am also seeking justice for what happened to them,” Dela Cruz said.

Danny Clores, the president of Doña Paz Tragedy Claimants Association Inc., continued to hope that the government would give their plight attention.

tion Administration report claimed Recto Bank could hold up to 5.4 billion barrels of oil and 55.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

The Arroyo administration approved a joint exploration deal among Philippine, Chinese, and Vietnamese firms in the South China Sea in 2005, which the Supreme Court ruled was unconstitutional.

In 2018, Manila signed an agreement with Beijing to cooperate on oil and gas development as a way to benefit from the resources in the waterway while setting aside the territorial dispute.

The Philippines, however, announced in June 2022 it terminated talks with China for the joint energy project after then President Rodrigo Duterte ordered an end to negotiations.

“We got as far as it is constitutionally possible to go,” Duterte's then Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said in explaining the decision to terminate discussions with Beijing.

"Three years on and we had not

achieved our objective of developing oil and gas resources so critical for the Philippines—but not at the price of sovereignty; not even a particle of it.”

In January, Mr. Marcos told Chinese President Xi Jinping negotiations for joint oil and gas explorations would resume, but Beijing's continued aggressive actions in the WPS have made it difficult to restart the talks.

Earlier, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said approving oil exploration in Recto Bank – said to be rich in oil and gas deposits – will be a “litmus test” for the administration.

Carpio said the output of the Malampaya gas field, which supplies at least 40 percent of the energy requirement of Luzon, is dwindling.

Mr. Marcos in May signed an agreement extending the production contract for the Malampaya natural gas block by 15 years and allowing the operator to drill new wells as it seeks to boost output.

ture on the Ayungin Shoal following the latest attacks against Filipino vessels in the WPS. “We [should] put up a civilian structure at the Ayungin Shoal. For example, let's build a lighthouse, or a marine scientific research center. Because Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), only we can build a structure there exclusively,” the former Supreme Court justice said.

“That's what we should do. Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending civilian supplies later. We will convert the activity from military to civilian," Carpio added.

In August, Senator Chiz Escudero said he was planning to propose an allocation of at least P100 million in the 2024 national budget for the construction of a lodging facility in Ayungin Shoal.

Also on Tuesday, House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro blamed the past administration for its handling of China's aggression in the WPS. Castro, nominee of ACT Teachers, was referring to the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

"The Duterte administration's handling of China's bullying and incursions in the WPS borders on the traitorous that even now not even one of the Duterte family has condemned China's more aggressive attacks on Philippine vessels," she said.

Castro issued the statement as China's top diplomat Wang Yi warned his Philippine counterpart that Manila "must act with caution," following a flurry of tense maritime confrontations in the disputed South China Sea. "We would like to reiterate to the Chinese Foreign Ministry that no country in the world aside from China recognizes its right to the West Philippine Sea. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling on the South China Sea Arbitration is the

one recognized by the world. It is China's claim that is 'illegal, null and void,'" Castro said.

The House of Representatives recently adopted a resolution reiterating that it was China that has intruded into Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea, countering China's unfounded claims.

"China should wake up from its delusion and face reality. The Philippines has every right to protect its territorial integrity and ensure the welfare of its people.

China has no right to dictate our actions within our own territory,” she said.

Furthermore, Castro called on the government to assert its sovereignty and safeguard the rights of Filipino fishers in Scarborough Shoal, urging diplomatic action by the Department of Foreign Affairs to address China's baseless accusations.

"We must stand firm against China's attempts to undermine our sovereignty.

The Philippine government must prioritize the welfare and interests of our people, especially our fisherfolk who heavily rely on the resources in Scarborough Shoal," Castro said.

In other developments: * Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said marine research centers will soon be built in the islands of the WPS following the inclusion of funds for it in the P5.768 trillion 2024 General Appropriations Act. These research centers, he noted, will bolster the Philippines’s right to the islands in the WPS as well as its exclusive economic zone, as upheld in 2016 by the ruling of the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration. * Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III dismissed the People’s Daily commentary as it was aimed at the Chinese people. He also said Filipinos should not be influenced by the position of others.

Three new stations in Travesia, Daraga, and Legazpi will likewise be opened, PNR said on its Facebook page.

The line will have 16 stops, with fares ranging from P15 for the shortest distance to P155 for end-to-end travel. Students, seniors, and persons with disability (PWDs) are eligible to avail themselves of a 20-percent fare discount.

A party-list legislator said the resumption of train operations between Camarines Sur and Albay will further stimulate trade between the two major commercial hubs of Bicol and revitalize economic activities in the entire region.

Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Brian Yamsuan expressed hope the reopening would later lead to the full operation of the iconic Bicol Express line.

“This is a belated, but certainly a most welcome, and fitting Christmas gift for Bicolanos. More so now that they will be able to usher in the New Year with the sound of locomotives bearing not only commuters but increased trade and the bustle of economic activity in every train stop that spans the Naga-Legazpi route,” Yamsuan said.

He said the economic competitiveness of both Naga and Legazpi would be further enhanced with the reopening of the PNR line servicing both cities, with positive effects spilling over to the rest of Bicol.

But Yamsuan said reconstructing the

entire Bicol Express line into a modern, world-class mode of transportation and connecting it again to Metro Manila and Laguna would be even more of a game changer for the region in terms of accelerating its economic growth.

Connecting Laguna to Bicol, the first package of the Bicol Express or the PNR’s South Long Haul Project is expected to reduce travel time between the two points from 14 to 18 hours to four to six hours.

Naga, which is considered Bicol’s financial, trade, and educational capital, is also the richest city in Bicol. Legazpi, on the other hand, is Bicol’s agricultural powerhouse and a center of retail trade, manufacturing, and mining.

Manila, six were in Central Luzon, and five were in Soccsksargen, the DOH said.

The victims were between 5 and 52 years old. Only one victim was female.

Twenty-two or 92 percent of the incidents occurred at home or on nearby streets.

Herbosa acknowledged the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other

agencies that helped the DOH save lives and limbs.

"We continue calling on our mayors and barangay captains – once again, it is time to lead,” Herbosa said.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reminded its soldiers and personnel against indiscriminate firing during the celebration of the New Year, saying that violators will face ap-

propriate punishment.

AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the AFP has policies in place against indiscriminate firing.

In Malabon City, a police officer has been placed under restrictive custody for his alleged involvement in the "accidental" firing of his weapon, the PNP said.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the incident happened on Dec. 23.

T

ACLOBAN CITY—Nedita Nonay Relagio, 66, says she is still in pain every time she attends the annual gathering to commemorate the sinking of the MV Doña Paz during a collision with the oil tanker Vector, which killed over 4,000 people, on Dec. 20, 1987.

“We have been gathering for 36 years National Geographic dubbed the illnow to commemorate, yet until now we fated MV Doña Paz as “Asia’s Titanic”. have not gotten the justice. We are ready Relagio, who hails from Abuyog, to die for what we are fighting for,” Re- Leyte, lost her son Ernani and father lagio said.

Andres during the tragedy.

IN BRIEF BOC seizes 2k tons of rice at Limay port THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Limay seized more than 2,000 metric tons of rice worth P100 million in a vessel anchored at Orion Dockyard in Barangay Elena, Orion, Bataan on Dec. 25.

BOC Port of Limay District Collector Atty. William Balayo said his men arrested the 18 suspected smugglers on Christmas Day when they tried to unload the smuggled rice from Cebu.

The ship’s owner and crew will face charges over large-scale agriculture smuggling and violations of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act. Documents showed that the ship declared that it was transporting only 1,700 metric tons of agricultural products. Butch Gunio

Robin wants probe on Palawan claim SENATOR Robinhood Padilla has filed a bill seeking to probe alleged irregularities of Malampaya in the selection process of the Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) in Palawan.

In his Senate Resolution No. 885 filed on Dec. 11 but released to media on Tuesday, Padilla said his office got complaints regarding the irregularities in choosing the IP representative.

“The Cuyonons of Palawan alleged that the IPMR selection process did not adhere to customary laws and practices, resulting in the disenfranchisement of traditional leaders and their exclusion from meaningful participation,” Padilla said in his explanatory note.

He urged the Senate Committee on Cultural communities and Muslim Affairs to conduct an inquiry into the complaints of the Cuyon tribe, which resides in the Cuyo islands in the Northern and Central Palawan area.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

Gov‘t...

From A1

by the shortage of traditional jeepneys, in case the impasse between the striking jeepney groups and the LTFRB is not resolved, the Transport Department said.

In a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview, however, Valbuena said they are not losing hope that President Marcos would change his stance and not push through with the Dec. 31 deadline for operators to consolidate and form a cooperative.

He also cited the petition before the Supreme Court filed by the group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (PISTON).

He added that should the Supreme Court rule against them, more protest actions would ensue.

“Maybe, we can encourage the commuters to join us,” he said on the eighth day of Manibela and PISTON’s 12-day strike that started Dec. 19.

“We are hoping that the Lord will touch our President to have the heart for our drivers and operators,” he added.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan on Tuesday said there will be no more extension of the Dec. 31 deadline, despite appeals from drivers and operators to give them more time to comply with the policy.

Many jeepney drivers and operators remain hesitant to join a cooperative or corporation because they will lose ownership of their units, which will form part of the assets of the group that consolidated.

Say...

From A1

at home instead of saying goodbye to your fingers.”

Twenty-four of the cases were logged between Christmas Day and Dec. 26, 6 a.m., the DOH said.

Of the total, 20 cases were in Metro

‘PH...

From A1

gas exploration in the WPS, particularly in Recto Bank (Reed Bank), have remained stalled.

"We are still in a deadlock right now...

We have been in negotiations for over three years now, and have made very little progress,” the President added.

Mr. Marcos said as far as the Philippines is concerned, Recto Bank “is not in a conflict area.”

“This is very clearly within our EEZ (exclusive economic zone). It is certainly within our baselines, within the maritime territory of the Philippines. So whatever it is that we will do in the future, it has to be consistent with that understanding,” he said.

The President did not say whether China is still being considered as a partner for the new oil exploration efforts or if new partners are being eyed.

A 2013 United States Energy Informa-

Manila...

From A1

The Philippines has relied on US support to continually provoke China, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Daily, wrote in a commentary on Monday.

This “extremely dangerous” behavior seriously harms regional peace and stability, the commentary said.

But Aguilar said many countries are siding with the Philippines because they acknowledge that Manila’s concerns are valid, a fact that can help strengthen the implementation of international law.

“This is the only way to peacefully resolve maritime disputes,” the AFP spokesperson said.

Tensions between China and Philippines have heightened in recent months as both sides trade accusations over a spate of run-ins in the South China Sea, including charges that China rammed a ship this month carrying AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. The Philippines regularly deploys resupply missions for Filipino soldiers living aboard an aging warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, deliberately run aground in Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to protect Manila's maritime claims.

Aguilar said the AFP is considering building a permanent structure as a shelter for fishers in Ayungin Shoal.

“Maybe it is still being planned because it should be an inter-agency program,” Aguilar said. “It was mentioned that it would be like a shelter for fisherfolk and therefore it will involve different government agencies.”

Aguilar also said the military is ready to perform its part in carrying out the construction project.

On Dec. 12, former Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio said the Philippines should build a struc-

PNR...

From A1

DOH bracing for COVID spike led

by JN.1 variant THE Department of Health said it is bracing for a possible spike in COVID-19 cases now that the rapidlyspreading Omicron subvariant JN.1 has entered the country.

“Because of the holiday travel and because of the interactions of people who have now gone out of their homes… we are bracing for a similar situation [as in other countries where JN.1 has been driving up infections],” Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Tayag, however, said there is still no surge in hospital admissions and no reported severe cases of JN.1 in the country.

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.

The DOH, after confirming the first 18 cases of JN.1 in the Philippines, urged Filipinos to observe multiple layers of protection, including masking up, ensuring good airflow and adequate ventilation, and getting vaccinated.

President’s trips get P4 trillion in investment—DTI THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) unveiled a staggering P4.019 trillion or $72.178 billion in investments across various stages resulting from the foreign visits of President Marcos.

As of its monitoring on Dec. 21, the DTI indicated that the P4-trillion investment portfolio comprises 148 projects.

The breakdown of these investments includes business operations registered with investment promotion agencies (IPA) valued at P11.4 billion, IPA-registered business operations at P54.75 billion, IPA registration in progress operations at P282.8 billion.

Additionally, signed agreements with clear financial project values at $9.771 billion or P544.152 billion, memoranda of understanding/letters of intent (MOU/ LOI) at US$28.529 billion P1.588 trillion, and confirmed investments not covered

by MOUs/LOIs, still in the planning stage at P1.522 trillion were also included in the breakdown.

The DTI is actively monitoring an additional 20 projects that have received approval and registration from the IPAs of the DTI, Board of Investments (BOI), and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

These investments, both realized and in progress, predominantly fall within the manufacturing, IT-BPM, renewable energy, data centers, and telecommunications sectors, according to the trade department. Charles Dantes

PBBM...

From A1

But average inflation in 2023 will hit 6.4 percent according to NEDA, higher than the government target of 2 to 4 percent.

Farmers were up in arms over this decision, saying this will only lead to higher prices of the staple grain next year.

The group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said it was “very unfortunate” that the Marcos economic team “once again dangled the ‘rising food prices’ to penalize local producers and promote the interests of a few privileged importers and favored traders.”

Local producers had nothing to do with the spiraling cost of staples, especially rice, said Jayson Cainglet, Executive Director of SINAG. “All countries are affected by El Nino, by the war in Ukraine. But we are impacted more since we have relied on imports for the longest time,” he said.

Mr. Marcos, however, said in the EO: “The present economic condition warrants the continued application of the reduced tariff rates... to maintain affordable prices for the purpose of ensuring food security, managing inflationary pressures, help augment the supply of basic agricultural commodities in the country, and diversify the country’s market sources.”

The President has the authority to adjust import duty rates in the interest of general welfare and national security, based on recommendations from NEDA.

NEWS

A3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘LABTINGAW’ FOR SALE. Mitzi

AFP: Christmas encounter shows insurgents’ decline THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the Christmas Day encounter in Malaybalay, Bukidnon that resulted in the death of nine New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents highlights the communist movement’s general weakness and lack of capability.

“It also signals an urgent need for the remaining NPAs to surrender and abandon their futile armed struggle. It is time for them to take advantage of the government’s peace programs and spend time with their families during this holiday season, rather than facing the same fate as their fallen comrades,” AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement.

He added that these losses further eroded the capability of the NPAs to carry out atrocities in Bukidnon and nearby provinces.

“We are thankful for the trust of every Filipino in the AFP for maintaining a peaceful environment. The AFP assures every Filipino that we will remain vigilant during this holiday season as we collectively work towards keeping our communities peaceful and secure,” he added.

Nine NPA members were killed during the encounter with the 403rd Infantry Brigade, a field unit of the 4th Infantry Division.

The AFP said government troops initiated a “sustained military offensive against the NPAs” after receiving reports of their presence in the hinterlands of Barangays Can-ayan, Kibalabag, Kulaman and Mapulo.

“During the initial scouring, the operating troops captured eight firearms from the encounter site, with expectations of more to follow as the operation continues. Troops are coordinating with local communities for the identification of the nine deceased NPAs,” Trinidad said. Vince Lopez

Rubio, a mother of two arranges her “labtingaw,” a less salty and less dry version of “bulad” (dried fish) near their house on stilts in a swamp area in Dipolog City, Mindanao. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 2 out of 10 or 25.44 million Filipinos were poor in the first half of 2023 and the subsistence incidence says 9.79 million persons can’t buy their basic food needs.

Jimmy A. Domingo

Groups call for more inclusivity for LGBT panel

Navy reports smooth-sailing modernization program in 2023

T

HE Philippine Navy (PN) said 2023 has proven to be a “smooth sailing journey” for the navy’s modernization program aimed at acquiring stateof-the-art assets that would help protect the country’s waters.

Three years from now, the Navy will have two missile corvettes that would backstop its two Jose Rizal-class guided missile frigates now in service – the BRP Jose Rizal and the BRP Antonio Luna.

This came after the keel laying for the first corvette and the steel cutting rites for the second corvette were held at the Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc. (HHI) shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea on Nov. 22, witnessed by ranking PN officials led by flag officer in command, Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. The first missile corvette is scheduled to be delivered by 2025 while the

second is in 2026.

“The steel cutting ceremony and the keel laying ceremony of the corvettes signify the start of the production process of the two corvettes.

These ships will definitely boost the naval defense capabilities of the PN, adding value to its thrust of becoming a modern and multi-capable Navy,” PN spokesperson Captain Benjo Negranza earlier said.

In naval parlance, steel cutting signifies the start of the construction of the ship while keel laying refers to the building of the ship’s backbone.

The Department of National Defense

(DND) signed a P28-billion contract with HHI for the acquisition of two brand-new corvettes for the PN on Dec. 27, 2021.

These missile corvettes are also more heavily armed than their predecessors. These corvettes would be equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and systems capable of performing anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare operations.

These missile corvettes can operate independently or work together with other modern warships within a socalled surface action group.

Former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said the agency was able to meet its target of having the PN Corvette Lot 1 Acquisition Project contract signed before the end of 2021 despite the delays caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

ADVOCACY groups said the creation of a committee on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) affairs is appreciated but the panel needs to be more inclusive.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier issued Executive Order No. 51 to “strengthen existing mechanisms to address the continued discrimination being experienced by the members of the LGBTQIA+ community,” ABS CBS News reported.

However, Bahaghari chairperson Reyna Valmores told ABS-CBN News that the special committee will be led by national government agency officials and not by advocacy groups who could guide the panel and represent the sector.

Under EO 51, the special committee will be headed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) secretary, with the secretaries of Migrant Workers and Labor and Employment serving as co-chairpersons.

The committee will also have three members with the rank of assistant secretary appointed by President Marcos “from among the members of reputable organizations representing the LGBTQIA+ community.”

“Bluntly speaking, the committees under Marcos Jr.’s EO 51 are far from inclusive,” Valmores said.

“The compositions of both the Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as the Special Committee on LGBTQIA+ Affairs under EO 51 only clearly state government secretaries and heads as part of it, not concerned citizens, civil society organizations, and non-government organizations with a specialty and track record on LGBTQIA+ and human rights,” Valmores told ABS-CBN News.

NEWS

A4

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

MST.DAYDESK@GMAIL.COM

CHRISTMAS DAY TRAFFIC.

Group exhorts gov’t to tap AI vs. SIM frauds A CONSUMER advocacy group has urged the government to tap artificial intelligence (AI) in curbing fraudulent SIM card registration.

CitizenWatch co-convenor and former legislator Kit Belmonte made the suggestion amid observations that the SIM law has been unable to protect mobile phone users from scammers and purveyors of unwanted messges.

“Drastic situations need equally drastic solutions,” Belmonte stressed.

“We do not doubt that the SIM Registration Act has good intentions as it aims to promote responsibility in the use of SIMs and provide law enforcement agencies with the tools to resolve crimes,” he said.

“But we must not underestimate scammers who will stop at nothing to undermine the intent of the law for their own selfish and sinister aims,” he added.

Republic Act 11934 or the SIM Registration Act was enacted on October 10, 2022 and its implementing rules and regulations were released on December 12, 2022. To date, there are over 118 million registered SIM cards nationwide.

“A boost from AI will not hurt,” Belmonte said, citing the efforts of the Department of Telecommunications in India which uses “Artificial Intelligence and Facial Recognition powered Solution for Telecom SIM Subscriber Verification (ASTR)” in detecting and blocking suspicious mobile connections.

“AI when harnessed properly has the power to revolutionize and elevate our fight against fraudsters,” Belmonte said. “It will be a strategic weapon that can be integrated with a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach to a complex and evolving problem.”

Observers noted that despite the urgency of its objectives, the SIM law has inadvertently created a black market for registered SIM cards.

Earlier this year, two persons were arrested for selling pre-registered SIM cards to Chinese and Filipino buyers for P1,500 to P2,500 each. The suspects were charged under the SIM Card Registration Act and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

BI logs largest arrivals of 161k on Dec. 23-25 THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday reported that it has logged a record-setting 161,000 arrivals in the country during the Christmas weekend.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco, in a press statement, said a total of 161,664 passengers arrived in the country from Dec. 23 to 25.

The BI said about 81 percent of the arrivals came in through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“International travel is not just on a rebound. Figures show that the number of travelers is almost surpassing prepandemic numbers. It’s a cause for celebration for the tourism and international travel sectors,” the BI chief added.

Tansingco also the BI registered a total of 130,497 outbound passengers during the same period.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, the BI saw an average of 55,000 daily arrivals in December.

It also recorded an average of 47,000 departures in December 2019.

The BI has implemented measures to ensure faster and more efficient processing of arriving and departing passengers during the peak season.

It urged arriving Filipinos to use the e-gates for faster immigration clearance and encouraged passengers to register via the e-travel portal at etravel.gov.ph at least 72 hours before arrival or departure.

HEALTH CONSCIOUSNESS WEARS A FACE MASK. Health

conscious pedestrians never leave home without their face mask, particularly at this time when COVID-19 cases are on the rebound, according to the Department of Health.

Manny Palmero

On Christmas Day, you can see almost forever on both directions of the perennially busy EDSA which is a sight to behold without the usual traffic jams.

Manny Palmero

Meralco says its rates fair, services beyond compare T

By Alena Mae S. Flores

HE Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Tuesday dismissed suggestions to split its franchise, saying it offers unequalled quality and reliable services driven by substantial capital expenditures “We are proud of our quality reliability of basic service. I think no one can defeat us. Not only our ability to provide reliable, high quality (service) but also Meralco’s immediate response during typhoons. We have the machinery, the skills,” Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie Aperocho said.

Aperocho issued the statement amid calls to split the franchise of Meralco due to its high power rates.

“Even if we compare the very basic measures of a power utility in terms of efficiency with the system loss, reliability, we’re proud to say that we are the best utility here in the Philippines,” he said.

He said economic zone locators, notably the manufacturing sector in the Calabarzon area, have a “high level of confidence” in Meralco.

“We never have received complaints from them about power reliability, power

quality. The very basic reason why we maintain a high level of power reliability and quality because Meralco has been infusing some of the capex every year.

We put up new substations, we replace dilapidated facilities, we install cutting edge technologies—smart grid and all that,” Aperocho said.

Meralco officials have also reiterated that its rates undergo a strict review process, ensuring that what the distributor charges are “fair and reasonable.”

Meralco said it has been proactively securing the least-cost supply for its customers, and its power supply agreements were cited by the International Energy Consultants (IEC) as the reason why rate increases over the past five years have been managed.

Ako-Bicol launches large-scale corn farming project

By Maricel V. Cruz THE party-list Ako-Bicol has rolled out its projected largescale corn production for animal feed to boost the livelihood of farmers in the region.

Ako-Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co said his initiative aims to expand the Bicol farmers’ income opportunities beyond traditional rice cultivation, believing in the strong potentials of corn production for animal feed to improve their quality of life as it can be done alongside rice cultivation, broadening their sources of income.

“Corn can be processed into animal feeds and this presents a big opportunity for our farmers to boost their livelihood sources,” Co said.

Co and his party-list group recently spearheaded the “Consulta-

tion With The Irrigators Association and Rain-Fed Farmers Groups On Large Scale Corn Production For Animal Feed” in Albay. The event provided a venue for stakeholders to learn about the project, as well as other programs of the Ako Bicol party-List.

At least 125 farmers from Albay’s Polangui, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Oas, Camalig, Daraga, Tabaco City, Sto Domingo, and neighboring provinces including Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte participated in the dialogue.

Co said the consultation was part of the requirements of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to complete the project, hence, agency officials also took part in the event.

Co said his office is keen on improving the lives of Bicol farmers that’s why the lawmaker has been pushing for projects like corn and rice cultivation for the production of animal feeds.

Agents seize P56-m shabu at Clark Airport

By Joel E. Zurbano and Vito Barcelo LAW enforcement operatives have foiled a drug smuggling attempt and seized a shipment of over 8,000 grams of shabu worth more than P56 million from the United States.

The suspected consignee of the contraband was subsequently arrested.

The operation was conducted by a composite team from the Bureau of Customs Port of Clark, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS).

The shipment was subjected to rigid Xray screening process and K9 sniffing on account of intelligence information from the PDEA, indicating the potential presence of illegal drugs.

Physical examination resulted in the discovery of eight brown heat-sealed plastics containing 8,126 grams of shabu.

Importation documents indicated th at the shipment arrived in Clark on Dec. 17, and was falsely declared by the consignee as “dry food” from California..

PDEA chemical laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance is methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly known as “shabu”, considered dangerous drug under Republic Act No. 9165.

The team then conducted a controlled delivery operation that resulted in the arrest of the male claimant in Cavite on Dec. 19. The agents, however, withheld the identity of the suspect.

BI bars entry of two aliens tagged as sexual offenders at home front THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has barred the entry of two foreigners who were facing charges of sexual abuse of minors in the United States.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco identified the two aliens as James Riley Grant, 44, an American, and Gideon Hayes, an Australian , who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Christmas Eve. Tansingco said the two foreigners were immediately deported pursuant to the Immigration law which prohibits the entry of aliens charged and convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.

“We have noticed an upsurge in the arrival of foreign sex offenders in our ports. Despite published reports of their exclusions, they keep coming here but we remain undeterred in our efforts to enforce the law against these unwanted aliens,”

Tansingco said.

Records show that Grant was a registered sex offender in Jacksonville, Florida due to his conviction on sex crimes 25 years ago.

A Florida court reportedly convicted Grant on two counts of attempted rape in the first and second degree as well as on two counts of taking indecent liberties with children.

As for Hayes, the BI said he was convicted in Australia in September 2004 on two counts of indecent treatment of children and received a two-year probation sentence.

Hayes previously admitted sending money to children in the Philippines whom he had met during previous trips or online. He was said to be traveling to the county to meet with minors offering sexual services.

Both Grant and Hayes have been included in the BI’s blacklist.

Vito Barcelo

DRUG HAUL. A composite

team of operatives from the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency foils a drug smuggling attempt through the Port of Clark in Pampanga, resulting in the seizure of P56 million worth of shabu shipped from the United States, and the arrest of its suspected consignee in Cavite. BOC photo

Chinese firm to pay for collision damage to Pinoy boat A CHINESE shipping company has agreed to pay the Filipino owner of the fishing boat Ruel J for the loss and damage sustained during a collision off Occidental Mindoro earlier this month, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

The PCG rescued f ive crewmen of the f ishing banca which capsized after the smash-up with MV Tai Hang 8

on December 5.

The banca owner and the Chinese-owned Taihang Shipping Company Ltd. have reached an amicable settlement over the incident, the PCG said..

The PCG said it was coordinating with maritime services firm Pandiman Philippines, Inc. for an assessment of the damage to Ruel J. “This collaborative efforts be-

tween maritime authorities, local communities, and involved entities underscores a shared commitment to ensuring the safety of individuals during unforeseen incidents at sea,” the PCG said in a statement.

The PCG earlier reached out to the Chinese government to track down MV Tai Hang 8, which was enroute to Indonesia when the collision occurred.

A5

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

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

EDITORIAL

Citizen Barok

Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

Be on guard

Pascual’s prospective deals during Marcos’ Tokyo trip IN A significant development for Philippine-Japanese relations, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual announced that over five deals were poised to be inked between Filipino and Japanese companies.

This groundbreaking collaboration was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s participation in the 50th Commemorative ASEANJapan Friendship and Cooperation Summit in Tokyo.

Pascual, in a briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps, emphasized the agreements, including memoranda of agreements and understandings, were scheduled for signing on Dec 18, 2023.

The exact sectors involved remain undisclosed to avoid preempting discussions between the involved parties, showcasing the sensitivity and confidentiality surrounding these negotiations.

The significance of this development cannot be overstated.

These agreements reflect an encouraging expression of interest from Japanese companies to invest in the Philippines.

These agreements are likely to stimulate job creation, technology transfer, and overall economic growth.

The diversification of sectors could potentially lead to a more resilient and robust Philippine economy.

Furthermore, this development sets a positive tone for other nations looking to invest in the Philippines.

The success of these deals can inspire confidence in the business environment and encourage further international partnerships.

Pascual’s prudent handling of the situation, balancing transparency with confidentiality, reflects a commitment to fostering an environment conducive to successful negotiations.

Secretary Pascual deserves commendation for his adept handling of the situation.

His diplomatic finesse in navigating the delicate balance between transparency and confidentiality is evident.

By emphasizing the confidence that Japan places in the Philippine business industry, he projects an image of a welcoming and business-friendly nation.

His leadership in facilitating these agreements underscores the importance of effective collaboration in achieving economic growth and global partnerships.

Some recommendations 1. Transparency and Communication: Pascual should continue to maintain a delicate balance between transparency and confidentiality.

Regular updates to the public on the progress and outcomes of these agreements, within the bounds of confidentiality, will help build trust and keep stakeholders informed.

2. Investment Climate Enhancement: The government should proactively work on further enhancing the investment climate in the Philippines.

Addressing regulatory challenges, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and ensuring a stable economic environment will make the country more attractive to foreign investors.

3. Sector Diversification: Encourage diversification in the sectors involved in future agreements.

A broad range of industries can contribute to a more resilient economy and foster innovation. Collaborating in various sectors will create a more balanced and sustainable economic landscape.

4. Long-Term Strategic Planning: Develop a comprehensive long-term strategic plan for attracting foreign investments.

This plan should outline clear goals, policies, and initiatives to sustainably attract and retain investors, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between the Philippines and its international partners.

Secretary Pascual’s announcement of these prospective deals marks a pivotal moment in Philippine-Japanese economic relations.

It underscores the importance of diplomacy, transparency, and collaboration in fostering a conducive environment for international partnerships.

As these agreements come to fruition, the Philippines stands poised for economic growth, job creation, and a strengthened position on the global stage.

—“—

As these agreements come to fruition, the Philippines stands poised for economic growth, job creation, and a strengthened position on the global stage

Pascual highlighted some of these deals involve Memoranda of Understanding between Philippine and Japanese companies, marking a tangible commitment to fostering stronger economic ties.

What makes this development particularly noteworthy is its alignment with the current administration’s policy of actively inviting foreign investors into the country.

Pascual emphasized these Japanese investments signify a vote of confidence in the Philippine business industry.

Japan, already among the largest investors here, is further demonstrating its serious intent and long-term plans for continued investment.

These deals serve as a testament to the collaborative spirit between the two nations.

Beyond economic implications, such partnerships contribute to the strengthening of diplomatic ties and mutual understanding.

This not only bolsters the Philippines’ standing in the international business community but also positions the country as an attractive destination for foreign investment.

Looking ahead, the prospective deals announced by Secretary Pascual pave the way for increased economic activity between the two countries.

West Bank Christian village prays for peace in Gaza ZABABDEH, Palestinian Territories – An unusual silence fell over the streets of Zababdeh, a Palestinian village that is home to one of the biggest Christian communities in the occupied West Bank.

On any other Christmas Day, Palestinian Christians would have flocked from surrounding towns to enjoy the fairy lights and a festive market in the village of some 5,000 people.

But as the war was raging in Gaza and violence also surging in the West Bank, the Christian community here wasin no mood to celebrate Christmas on Monday.

This year its members are praying for peace and mourning the dead, worried too about violence even closer to home.

Early on Christmas Day, AFP journalists heard gunfire and sirens in nearby Jenin, the city that has seen near daily raids by Israeli forces.

“How can we celebrate?” said Nazeria Yousef Deabis, 76, who has lived in Zababdeh all her life and never known the atmosphere so somber.

There is no Christmas tree in her house.

“People don’t feel festive -- they’ve lost friends and relatives in Gaza,” she said.

“The occupation (Israel) is destroying Jenin and children are being brutally killed.”

The Israeli army says its frequent raids in Jenin, especially on the adjacent refugee camp, target “terrorists”, but the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah says many of the dead are civilians.

Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 300 people in the West Bank since the start of the war, Palestinian health officials say.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six-Day war of 1967.

‘We need peace’ The war broke out when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct 7 and killed about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Israel’s ensuing military campaign has killed at least 20,424 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

The violence has had a knock-on effect on people’s livelihoods.

ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 8-5646225 and 8-5646229 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

T

HERE is a new COVID variant, classified by the Geneva-based World Health Organization as a variant of interest due to its “rapidly increasing spread.”

“WHO is classifying the variant J N.1 as a separate variant of interest from the parent lineage BA.2.86 (which) was previously classif ied as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages,” WHO said in a media advisor y.

“Based on available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” it added.

Based on available evidence, WHO said JN.1 poses a low global health risk – which is heartening – and added current vaccines still serve as protection against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Another backrest for relief is the assurance by the Department of Health that existing vaccines against COVID-19 remain effective against JN.1.

About Town

Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag said in an interview: “We have yet to receive evidence the vaccines we receive, even the new vaccines available in other countries, do not offer protection.”

—“—

WHO has appealed to the public to practice measures to avoid infection and illnesses

Tayag’s statement chased the DOH report that it recorded 18 cases of JN.1 in the Philippines – all of which have since recovered.

Tayag was careful and said the DOH remains on guard against the subvariant because JN.1 has been declared a variant of interest by the WHO. Aside from this, cases of influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and common childhood pneumonia are on the rise.

WHO itself continues to monitor evidence, and said it will update the

Ernesto M. Hilario

COMING as it does after the totally unexpected recent agreement between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front to get the peace negotiations going again after an interregnum of nearly seven years, the decision of the CPPNPA-NDF to declare a unilateral ceasefire for two days was just as totally unexpected, but a welcome one nonetheless.

The NPA ceasefire on Christmas Day and Dec 26, the date of the founding of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in 1968, was surprising because while it welcomed the earlier agreement to talk peace once again, it has not been receptive to the idea of a bilateral ceasefire during political negotiations.

What is surprising as well is the announcement of the military that they are not declaring a ceasefire during the Christmas season, even if they were the first to declare agreement with the earlier joint declaration on the restart of peace talks.

In so far as confidence-building measures go, it is the CPP-NPA-NDF triumvirate that gains a point, while the AFP does not.

But that’s probably neither here nor there by the start of the new year, when the two sides are expected to take concrete moves to bring their initial agreement to talk to end the 54-year-old insurgency at the negotiation table instead of in the battlefield.

And there’s the rub.

Without a bilateral ceasefire in place during the peace talks, there’s always the real danger that negotiations will get nowhere particularly if, say, one side prevails in the battlefield and the other suffers heavy losses.

Or the military arrests, detains and files criminal charges against rebel leaders with bounties on their heads.

When any of those things happen, either side would question the good faith and sincerity of the other in pursuing peace and simply walk away.

I distinctly recall that a round of talks that were supposed to start in Brussels in

—“—

Christmas offered a chance to rally around Palestinians in need and pray for an end to the violence

In Zababdeh’s hushed streets, Gabi Khadar’s Christmas decoration shop is crammed with unsold festive stock -- tinsel,

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

risk evaluation of JN.1 as needed.

It has appealed to the public to practice measures to avoid infection and illnesses.

These should help protect the population: wearing a mask in crowded, enclosed, or poorly ventilated areas; keep a safe distance from others, as feasible; improve ventilation; practice respiratory etiquette -- covering coughs and sneezes; clean your hands regularly; stay up to date with vaccinations against COVID-19 and influenza, especially if you are at high risk for severe disease; stay home if you are sick; and get tested if you have symptoms, or if you might have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or influenza.

Tayag advised the public to still get vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19, and continue practicing health protocols like hand washing and social distancing.

We understand symptoms of JN.1 infection do not differ from those of flu-like illnesses, which include coughs, fever and sore throat that usually last from three to five days.

At this point experts admit it’s hard to differentiate JN.1 from other influenza-like illness symptoms.

We would rather err on the side of caution than have regrets later.

Ceasefire

1995 collapsed even before it had actually begun after the killing by the military of the top leader of the CPP in Bicol.

Be that as it may, I really hope the peace talks will move forward by early January with further exploratory talks.

—“—

These are really cogent reasons to thoroughly study the problem of traffic congestion and the need for an enhanced mass transport system

But I have misgivings about the four or five preconditions imposed by the NDF for the talks to take place, such as the release of those they call ‘peace consultants’ and about 800 political prisoners in various jails throughout the country.

For its part, the government insists the talks should not be called a resumption or restart of stalled peace talks since 1987, but a ‘new beginning.’

If the latter means disregarding previous agreements between the two sides over the course of three decades, is that an indication the government wants to dictate the tempo and terms of negotiations and thereby gain the upper hand and perhaps the moral high ground?

Worsening Metro traffic Up for deliberation in the Senate is Resolution 859 proposed by Majority Leader Joel Villanueva seeking to conduct an inquiry into government plans to solve

boxloads of baubles and more than 20 plastic Christmas trees.

Not a single tree has been bought this year.

The 55-year-old Anglican Christian is now in debt and struggling to pay rent. He had to tell his children not to expect big gifts.

“My 16-year-old son understands,” Khadar said.

“He told me he doesn’t need new trainers this Christmas -- he can make do with the old ones.”

Despite the circumstances, some religious services went ahead.

Father Elias Tabban, 50, led a solemn mass at the Catholic Church of the Visitation.

Hundreds of Palestinian Christians stood

what he described as the “worsening” traffic congestion in Metro Manila and other highly-urbanized cities.

“There is a need to review the policies and revisit the programs and plans of the Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government and other relevant agencies on ameliorating heavy traffic conditions in the Philippines [that have] significant personal, social, environmental, and economic impacts,” the resolution said in part.

The proposed resolution pointed out a study made in 2022 showed that Manila ranked ninth out of 390 cities and first in Southeast Asian cities when it comes to traffic congestion.

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

Another study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency also said the Philippines is losing billions of pesos with estimated daily loss due to traffic in Metro Manila at P2.4 billion in 2014, P3.5 billion in 2018, and P4.9 billion in 2023.

JICA projected that the economic costs will increase to P6 billion per day by 2030.

For its part, MMDA warned last year of a 10 to 20 percent increase in traffic volume or about 417,000 to 430,000 vehicles passing through EDSA, a major thoroughfare in Metro Manila, particularly during the Christmas season.

These are really cogent reasons to thoroughly study the problem of traffic congestion and the need for an enhanced mass transport system.

But we must ask: Is the Senate the proper forum to do this?

Why not convene a panel of eminent local and international experts on mass transportation rather than politicians?

(Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)

in the pews and sang in a show of unity as plumes of incense rose up through the church.

Tabban said the community had been devastated by the war in Gaza.

One woman in Zababdeh had lost her two sisters along with their husbands and children when a bomb hit an Orthodox church there, he said.

People were also afraid their village could be the next target.

“Everybody is thinking: ‘When is it our turn?’” Tabban said.

But Christmas offered a chance to rally around Palestinians in need and pray for an end to the violence, he said.

“We need peace more than ever before.” AFP

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

WORLD

A6

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

BATTERED GAZA. Palestinians are reflected on a damaged TV screen while searching the rubble of a building following Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday amid ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas. AFP

US strikes 3 sites used

by Hezbollah WASHINGTON, DC—The US military carried out strikes on three sites used by Iran-backed forces in Iraq on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) after an attack wounded three American personnel earlier in the day, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

Washington has repeatedly targeted sites used by Iran and its proxy forces in Iraq and Syria in response to dozens of attacks on American and allied forces in the region since the Oct 7 outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

“US military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups in Iraq,” Austin said in a statement.

“These precision strikes are a response to a series of attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias, including an attack by Iran-affiliated Kataeb Hezbollah and affiliated groups on Arbil Air Base earlier today,” he said.

That attack wounded three US military personnel, one critically, US National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the attack -- which was carried out with a one-way attack drone -- and directed the strikes in a call with Austin and other national security officials after ordering the Defense Department to prepare a response, the statement said.

Biden “places no higher priority than the protection of American personnel serving in harm’s way. The United States will act at a time and in a manner of our choosing should these attacks continue,” the statement added.

The drone attack was claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose formation of armed groups affiliated with the Hashed al-Shaabi coalition of former paramilitaries that are now integrated into Iraq’s regular armed forces. AFP

Israel’s PM Netanyahu says no peace until Hamas destroyed I SRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted peace can only be achieved in Gaza if Hamas is destroyed, the territory demilitarized and Palestinian society “deradicalized,” after warning the war is set to intensify.

The declarations came as the World Health Organization on Monday reported “harrowing” accounts of entire families killed from Christmas Eve strikes on a refugee camp in Gaza.

Relentless Israeli strikes have devastated the Palestinian territory and the conflict has heightened tensions across the Middle East, with global pressure for a ceasefire mounting.

But in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Monday night, Netanyahu vowed to stay the course.

“Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarised, and Palestinian society must be deradicalized.

These are the three prerequisites for peace between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors in Gaza,” Netanyahu said.

He said demilitarization “will require establishing a temporary security zone on the perimeter” of the territory.

“For the foreseeable future Israel will have to retain overriding security responsibility over Gaza,” he said.

The 87-year-old Pope Francis stands at the balcony of St. Peter’s basilica to deliver the Christmas Urbi et Orbi blessing in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican on Christmas Day, where he pleaded for an end to military operations in Gaza. AFP

VATICAN CITY, Holy See – Pope Francis has deplored the desperate humanitarian situation of Palestinians in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire and the freeing of hostages in his Christmas message.

“My heart grieves for the victims of the abominable attack of 7 October, and I reiterate my urgent appeal for the liberation of those still being held hostage,” the 87-year-old said in his traditional Urbi et Orbi message.

“I plead for an end to the military operations with their appalling harvest of innocent civilian victims, and call for a solution to the desperate humanitarian situation by an opening to the provision of humanitarian aid,” he told thousands of faithful gathered at Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

Nearly three months after the start

Kremlin critic Navalny relocated to Arctic penal colony, say allies

EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE MISSILES.

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (center) visits the frigate ‘Admiral Golovko’ following a flagraising ceremony at the Severnaya Verf shipyard in Saint Petersburg, on Monday. It was built with cutting-edge technology and equipped with Kalibr cruise missiles that have proved their high efficiency in combat conditions. AFP

territory.

The campaign has killed at least 20,674 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.

On Monday, some residents of AlMaghazi refugee camp returned to the ruins of their homes after strikes the previous day that Gaza’s health ministry said killed at least 70 people.

AFP was unable to independently verify that toll.

Zeyad Awad said there was no evacuation warning before the strikes.

“What should we do? We are civilians, living peacefully and wanting only safety and security,” he said.

“Yet we are suddenly struck

by Israeli warplanes without any warning.” AFP

Pope grieves, deplores ‘desperate humanitarian situation’ in Gaza

URGENT APPEAL.

MOSCOW—Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been moved to a penal colony in the Arctic, allies said on Monday after over two weeks during which his whereabouts were unknown.

Authorities transferred Russia’s most prominent opposition politician to an isolated penal colony three months before a presidential vote expected to easily hand Vladimir Putin a fifth term.

“We have found Alexei Navalny,” his ally, Kira Yarmysh, said on social media.

“He is now in IK-3 in the settlement of Kharp in the Yamalo-Nenets Autono-

Earlier on Monday Netanyahu visited Gaza, telling a meeting of his Likud party after his return: “We’re not stopping.”

“We’re intensifying the fighting in the coming days,” he said, according to a party statement.

The war in Gaza erupted when Palestinian militants broke through the militarised border and attacked southern Israel on Oct 7, killing about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Fighters also seized about 250 hostages, Israel says.

Israel vowed to crush Hamas in response, and launched a retaliatory military campaign including extensive aerial bombardment and a siege of the

mous District,” Yarmysh added.

“His lawyer visited him today. Alexei is doing well.”

The district of Kharp, home to about 5,000 people, is located above the Arctic Circle.

It is “one of the most northern and remote colonies”, said Ivan Zhdanov, who manages Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation.

“Conditions there are harsh, with a special regime in the permafrost zone” and very little contact to the outside world, Zhdanov said. AFP

of the war between Israel and Hamas, the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is catastrophic according to the United Nations, with 85 percent of the population displaced.

The war began on Oct 7 when Hamas gunmen broke through Gaza’s militarised border and killed about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

The Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom remain in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, where more than 20,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. AFP

Indian navy bolsters Arabian Sea forces after attacks MUMBAI, India—India’s navy said it is deploying three warships and reconnaissance aircraft in the Arabian Sea to “maintain a deterrent presence” after a string of recent shipping attacks.

Three guided-missile destroyers as well as P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft were being deployed following “the recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea”, it said in a statement late Monday.

Washington accused Tehran of carrying out a drone attack on Saturday on the MV Chem Pluto tanker 370 kilometers off the coast of India, claims

Iran’s foreign ministry dubbed “worthless.”

It was the first time Washington has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the start of Israel’s war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran.

The Liberian-flagged and Japanese-owned MV Chem Pluto was moored off India’s port of Mumbai on Monday.

“Analysis of the area of attack and debris found on the ship points towards a drone attack,” India’s navy said, adding “further forensic and technical

analysis will be required”.

Elsewhere, in the Red Sea, Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels have carried out a string of drone and missile attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

The war was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israel launched by Hamas on October 7 from the Gaza Strip, during which about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, were killed, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Fighters also seized about 250 hostages, Israel says. AFP

Indonesia nickel plant blast death toll rises to 18 JAKARTA, Indonesia—The death toll after an explosion at a Chinese-funded nickel-processing plant in eastern Indonesia over the weekend has risen to 18 with dozens still being treated in hospital, a police official said Tuesday.

The island of Sulawesi is a hub for the mineralrich country’s production of nickel, a base metal used for electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel, and Beijing’s growing investment has stoked unrest over working conditions at its facilities.

The accident happened on Saturday morning as workers did repairs on a furnace at a plant owned

by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS) in the Morowali Industrial Park in Central Sulawesi province.

“The number of victims who died increased by

five people, so in total 18 people have died,” Morowali police chief Suprianto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP. He said they died of their burns, with most of the victims suffering burns to more than 70 percent of their bodies.

Eight of the victims were foreign nationals and 10 were Indonesians, he said, adding 24 people were still being treated at the hospital. Six others were being treated at ITSS’s clinics, bringing the total to 30 injured.

An initial probe showed the explosion happened when residual slag from the furnace, which was closed for maintenance, flowed out and came in contact with flammable materials around the location. AFP

A7

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

Defense stars as Raiders rip Chiefs

SAMBOY IS HOME. Darlene Marie Berberabe carries the cremated body of husband Avelino Borromeo Lim Jr., better known as Samboy ‘The Skywalker’ at the Colegio de San Juan de Letrán in Muralla Street, Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday to allow his friends, former classmates and colleagues in basketball to pay their last respects. Lim played college ball with the Letran Knights. Danny Pata

L

OS ANGELES —Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson threw two thirdquarter touchdown passes and the Ravens defense dominated to beat the San Francisco 49ers 33-19 in a battle of the NFL’s conference leaders.

In a game touted as a potential Super Bowl preview, the Ravens intercepted San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy four times.

Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, who said before the game he felt “a little disrespected” that Baltimore were branded the underdogs, had two of those interceptions as the team’s defense set an early tone before Jackson took control.

Jackson had given up a safety when he tripped over an official in the end zone and was called for intentional grounding.

The 49ers then settled for a field goal before the Ravens scored 13 straight points.

Baltimore led 16-12 at halftime, and Jackson stretched the lead with a touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor early in the third.

Purdy threw his fourth interception of the game on the next play and Jackson promptly followed up with a scoring pass to Zay Flowers.

Ravens top 49ers in duel of NFL conference leaders

Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens hugs Deebo Samuel ¥of the San Francisco 49ers after Baltimore’s 33-19 win at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. AFP

Things got even worse for the 49ers when Purdy departed the game in the fourth quarter after a sack that left him with a stinger -- nerve trouble that temporarily affects feeling and muscle control in the shoulder and arm.

Backup Sam Darnold connected with

Ronnie Bell for a touchdown, but Marcus Williams intercepted a Darnold pass in the end zone late in the fourth to effectively seal the win.

Jackson connected on 23-of-35 passes for 252 yards and led the Ravens with 45 rushing yards.

Young Zambo lifter wants to be like Olympic gold medalist Diaz

By Peter Atencio WHEN Zamboanga City dominated the weightlifting meet of the recent Philippine National Games-Batang Pinoy Championships, most the participants wanted to follow the footsteps of Tokyo Olympics’ gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz.

With Diaz watching most of the competitions, fired-up participants from Zamboanga City, some coming from Hidilyn’s turf in Mampang, took home six gold medals of 10 at stake.

And newcomer Oscar Hipolito is among the three Zamboanguenos, who made an impression on the final day of action at the Felicisimo Ampon Tennis Center’s Dacudao court inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

“Gusto ko pong maging katulad ni Ate Hidi,” said Hipolito after he came up a new personal best lift 100 kgs in the snatch of men’s 73-kg action of the 18-and-above class.

Hipolito tried going for a new personal best of 129, but it was not counted Oscar Hipolito and his lift of 126 was acknowledged as his finest in the clean and jerk, giving him a total of 222 for the gold medal.

For Hipolito, a 10th grader from Arena Blanco National High School, winning his first-ever gold medal has inspired him further to pursue his ambitions, just like his idol Diaz when she was younger.

“Wala pa po akong international competition. Sana po makapasok ako sa national at makapunta ako sa iba’t ibang lugar,” added Hipolito.

Another other gold-medal winner from Zamboanga City was 16-year-old Hillary Diaz in the 16-17 women’s 59+ event with her total of 120.

The Ravens improved to 12-3, best in the AFC, while NFC West winners San Francisco fell to 11-4 -- level in the NFC with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles, who beat the New York Giants 33-25 earlier Monday.

The day’s other game saw the Las Vegas Raiders defense produce two touchdowns in a matter of seconds to key a 20-14 upset at Kansas City that put the Chiefs’ bid to lock up the AFC West division title on hold.

With their own offense sputtering, the Raiders defense took full advantage of multiple miscues from the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Raiders trailed 7-3 when defensive tackle Bilal Nichols recovered a fumble and ran eight yards for a touchdown with 4:55 left in the first half.

A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but on the first play from scrimmage on the Chiefs’ ensuing possession, Raiders cornerback Jack Jones intercepted Mahomes and raced 33 yards for a touchdown that put the Raiders up 17-7 with 4:48 remaining before the break.AFP

LOS ANGELES—The Las Vegas Raiders defense produced two touchdowns in a matter of seconds on Monday to key a 20-14 upset at Kansas City that put the Chiefs’ bid to lock up the AFC West division title on hold.

With their own offense sputtering, the Raiders defense took full advantage of multiple miscues from the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Raiders trailed 7-3 when defensive tackle Bilal Nichols recovered a fumble and ran eight yards for a touchdown with 4:55 left in the first half.

A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but on the first play from scrimmage on the Chiefs’ ensuing possession, Raiders cornerback Jack Jones intercepted Mahomes and raced 33 yards for a touchdown that put the Raiders up 17-7 with 4:48 remaining before the break.

It was the second pick-six in two games for Jones, who also returned an interception for a touchdown in the Raiders’ 63-21 blowout of the Chargers.

Las Vegas’ dominant defensive performance also included four sacks of a visibly frustrated Mahomes.

Harrison Butker also missed a field goal attempt and the Chiefs twice failed to convert on fourthdown plays in the second half.

Kansas City clawed back a touchdown when Mahomes hit Justin Watson with 2:42 to play.

But the Raiders offense -- which saw quarterback Aidan O’Connell pass for just 62 yards -- closed it out with a final drive that included a 43-yard gain from running back Zamir White, who finished with 145 rushing yards.

Mahomes completed 27 of 44 passes for 235 yards and the interception.

The Raiders had opened the scoring on the first of Daniel Carlson’s two field goals, but Isiah Pacheco put the Chiefs in the lead with a 12-yard touchdown run from a trick play in which he took the snap himself.

But another direct snap to Pacheco backfired when his handoff to Mahomes ended in the fumble scooped up by Nichols.

Adding to the Chiefs’ pain, Pacheco later left the game with a concussion after losing his helmet and taking a knee from a teammate to the head. AFP

Makati FC to bring program to Cebu City MAKATI FC on Tuesday announced that it will expand its program to Cebu City for 2024.

Founded by Tomas Lozano, who pioneered youth football in the country in 1976, Makati FC has played a very important role in developing athletes in Philippines.

Since then, Makati FC has produced a lot of football stars who shone in domestic leagues and in international play, winning overall champions in the Asia’s biggest youth tournament and having appeared in the Girls 14 division Final of the Gothia World Youth Cup in Sweden last July.

Club President SeLu Lozano, in a letter to the Cebu football community, said that the club aims to provide the same level of service in the Queen City of Yona de la Calzada, Makati FC top recruit from Cebu, is shown in action during the GoSouth just like what it has delivthia World Youth Cup Final in Sweden last July. Makati Fc Photo ered in Manila.

“We extend our gratitude for As Makati FC embarks on this exciting venture, Lothe warm welcome and enthusiasm we’ve received zano is looking forward to build strong connections from the Cebuanos for Makati Football Club. We are and fostering a sense of unity in Cebu, saying: “We are grateful for the opportunity to become a part of the dedicated to creating a positive and enriching football Cebu community and we look forward to providing experience our future club members. the best platform to develop potential of our youth in Makati FC will have monthly offerings, where Cebu Football,” Lozano said. registrants will be given a 20 percent introductory rate “The launch of the Makati Football Club Academy for per session, once-a-week, twice-a-week, thrice-amarks a new chapter in our journey, and we are eager to week and unlimited sessions. share the joy of football with the young talents in the reFor more details, contact 0918-8887358 or e-mail gion,” he added. at register@makatifc.football.

SPORTS

A8

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

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

CHRISTMAS DAY GAME. Barangay Ginebra’s Christian Standhardinger drives to the basket against three TNT defenders in a Christmas Day PBA game at the Araneta Coliseum on Monday. The Gin Kings won, 86-78.

Meralco Bolts face SK Knights, eye 2nd straight EASL triumph T

HERE’S no rest for the weary as Meralco resumes its EASL Home and Away campaign on Wednesday when it battles the Seoul SK Knights at the Philsports Arena.

The Bolts are in no mood for the holiday season as they continue to practice even during Christmas as they prepare for their 7 p.m. match against the visiting Korean side.

“Tuluy-tuloy kami ng Christmas,” said coach Luigi Trillo of his team which only took a rest last Saturday following its 110-96 loss to Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. Meralco will be going to its faceoff with Seoul fresh from its morale-boosting 97-88 overtime thriller against Ryukyu Golden Kings in Macau last Dec. 13.

It was the first time in three outings for the Bolts, but put them in contention for the two semifinal berths up for Group B. The Bolts and Knights are tied at 1-2, Ryukyu is at second with a 2-1 record, while Taipei New Kings are on top, unbeaten in two games.

Meralco will actually play back-to-back home games in less than a week as it hosts former NBA player Jeremy Lin and the New Kings on January 3 also at the Philsports Arena.

“We want to win and give us an opportunity to try and make that,” said Trillo.

Luigi Trillo

Sydney-Hobart race fleet sets sail, storms forecast SYDNEY—More than 100 yachts set off on the annual Sydney-Hobart race Tuesday, with storms and hail threatening to lash sailors in one of the world’s most gruelling ocean events.

Thunder and rain lifted just minutes before the start at a slightly misty Sydney Harbour as spectators lined the waterfront or crowded onto boats to get a better view of the dramatic opening moments.

At the sound of the starting gun, 103 yachts tacked in light winds in search of the best line out of the harbour and an early lead in the punishing, 628-nautical-mile (1,200-kilometre) crossing to the Tasmanian state capital.

A little over two hours into the race, 100-foot supermaxi LawConnect -runner-up in the three previous editions -- was in front, according to a live online tracker and race organisers.

Not far behind in second place was the favourite and last year’s winner, fellow supermaxi Andoo Comanche,

Skipper Robert Williams watches his cat Ali as he stands aboard his yacht ‘Sylph VI’ during the media launch of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in Sydney. The 78th running of the 628 nautical mile race has more than 110 yachts entered for the start on Boxing Day on Sydney Harbour. AFP

which holds the 2017 race record of one day, 9 hours, 15min and 24sec.

SHK Scallywag, another supermaxi, which sports a taller mast this year after undergoing extensive modifications, was in third place.

“We back our boat in any conditions to win the race,” Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning told a news conference ahead of the start.

While preferring weather that favours the quickest possible race, Winning insisted his yacht was “fast in all conditions”.

LawConnect’s crew, though, was getting fed up with second-place.

“I always want to win the race and to actually, finally win it would be a dream come true,” LawConnect skipper Christian Beck told Channel Nine news ahead of the race.

“The start is awesome and the pub at the end is awesome, so I like the whole event.”

Weather is pivotal in the blue water classic, first held in 1945. AFP

Pele ‘would have been sad’ at state of Brazil team, says son SAO PAULO, Brazil—Pele “would have been sad” at the state of the current Brazilian national team, his son Edinho has told AFP in an interview days before the first anniversary of his death on Friday.

Brazil have struggled in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and presently occupy sixth place in the South American table, the last spot that affords direct qualification.

The Selecao have struggled without their biggest current star, Neymar, who is a long-term injury absentee after tearing knee ligaments.

“This crisis didn’t appear overnight, there are big and complex problems,” said Edinho, 53, who is one of Pele’s seven children.

“We are experiencing a decline... we still have great players but in previous times we had more high-level players than we do today.”

Edinho, who was raised by his mother as Pele and her separated shortly after they moved to New York when he signed for New York Cosmos in 1975 but grew closer to him in later life, added: “There is no doubt, if (Pele) had been there this year, he would have been very sad.”

Santos, the Brazilian club where Pele spent most of his career, are also going through a tough period after they were relegated to the second division for the first time in its 111-year history.

The club is wracked by financial

problems and boardroom rifts.

“Unfortunately this is no surprise.

Anyone who has followed the daily life of the club could have anticipated such a scenario, and it has ended up happening,” said Edinho, who was Santos’ goalkeeper for several seasons.

The ceremonies to mark Friday’s first anniversary of Pele’s death from cancer at the age of 82 are expected to be low-key.

The six surviving children of the man widely considered the greatest footballer in history will hold a virtual meeting to mark the moment as several live in the United States, while a ceremony is scheduled to be held at the mausoleum in Santos that was opened to the public in May. AFP

Celtics feast on Lakers’ home court LOS ANGELES—The Boston Celtics used a hot start and a strong finish to put away the Los Angeles Lakers 126-115 on Monday in a Christmas clash of storied NBA franchises.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 28 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Jayson Tatum added 25 points for the Celtics, who withstood a 40-point effort from Lakers star Anthony Davis.

The game between the teams that share the record for most NBA titles with 17 apiece was one of five on the Christmas Day slate that started with the New York Knicks’ 129-122 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden.

The reigning champion Denver Nuggets beat Golden State 120-114 in a clash of the last two title winners that left Warriors coach Steve Kerr fuming at the officiating.

Lakers star LeBron James, coming off a 40-point performance in a win over the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Saturday, scored just 16 points on five-of-14 shooting.

James added nine rebounds and eight assists, but a slightly “lethargic” start—which Lakers coach Darvin Ham said could have been due to holiday distractions or an unusually early afternoon start—proved too much to overcome.

The Celtics roared out of the gate to a 12-0 lead and led by as many as 18 before the Lakers began to chip away.

Davis scored 20 first-half points, driving for a basket that cut the deficit to 58-57 in the waning seconds of the first half.

Both teams got a scare late in the second period, when James and Jaylen Brown collided and both went down, James holding his left knee and Brown his back.

James would go briefly to the bench before returning while Brown went to the locker room and was diagnosed with a lower back contusion. He eventually returned to finish with 19 points. AFP People are seen next to a statue depicting Brazilian football legend Pele, design by Brazilian artist Luis Costa, at Rei Pele pier, in Sao Vicente, coast of Sao Paulo state, Brazil. Pele “would have been sad” at the state of the current Brazilian national team, his son Edinho has told AFP in an interview days before the first anniversary of his death on December 29.

AFP

BUSINESS BOI: Investment approvals REITs expected expand assets reach all-time high of P1.16t toin 2024 despite

B1

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

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

By Othel V. Campos

N

EW projects approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) reached P1.16 trillion as of Dec. 18, 2023, surpassing the previous record of P1.14 trillion in 2019 by 2 percent.

BOI officials expressed hope that the pending projects would enable the agency to hit the full-year target P1.5 trillion.

“The BOI hitting P1.16 trillion for 2023 reaffirms strong investor confidence in the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – their responsiveness

to the policy initiatives of the President and the effectiveness of the aggressive investment promotion activities under the Make It Happen in the Philippines campaign,” said Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Alfredo Pascual.

Data showed that this year’s invest-

ments climbed 59 percent from P729.1 billion recorded last year. This also marked the third time in four years the BOI surpassed the trillion-peso mark in investment approvals. The agency recorded P1.02 trillion in 2020, overcoming the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With this remarkable milestone, we are all-the-more optimistic about opportunities that lie ahead in 2024, with the BOI poised to further catalyze smart- and sustainability-driven investments in the country,” Pascual said.

“There are three more projects worth about P350 billion that are currently

being assessed and, if they are able to comply with both the substantive and transparency requirements, they may be able to make it to the BOI Board and Mancom [management committee] deliberations on December 28th—our last for the year. While BOI is the private sector’s strongest partner in promoting Ease of Doing Business in the country, we remain a prudent administrator of fiscal incentives,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.

Total investments in 2023 came from 303 projects that were expected to open up 47,195 jobs.

PSALM opens bidding process for CBK plants

By Alena Mae S. Flores SATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. said it issued an invitation for interested parties to participate in the privatization of the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan hydro power plants in Lumban, Majayjay and Kalayaan, Laguna.

“An interested party must submit to the committee a letter of interest,” PSALM said. It set the deadline at 5 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2024.

PSALM president Dennis dela Serna said the CBK privatization would have a slightly different process. “Invitation to participate and prequalification process. After that, PSALM determines who qualify, then bidding process. So far, I think the LOI [letter of interest] and pre-qualify deadlines have been published. To follow bidding details after,” he said.

The CBK hydroelectric power plant complex, which comprises three separate facilities with a contracted capacity of 796.64 megawatts and plays a central role in the Luzon power system, is one of the few remaining big-ticket power assets that are up for privatization.

It is run by independent power producer CBK Power Co. Ltd. under a 25-year build–rehabilitate–operate– transfer (BROT) contract which will expire in 2026.

Among those that expressed interest in the CBK assets are SN Aboitiz Power Corp. and First Gen Corp.

PSALM’s privatization bids and awards committee set the clarification request deadline on Feb. 8 and the documentary deliverables deadline on Feb. 29 (5 p.m.). The hardcopy documentary deliverables deadline was set on March 21, 2024 (5 p.m.).

GREEN LANE ENDORSEMENT. Trade Undersecretary and Board of Investments managing head Ceferino Rodolfo (third from left) awards the green lane certification to Triconti Windkraft Group president and chief executive Lilibeth Rosenberger at the BOI Main Office in Makati City. The BOI, through the One-Stop Action Center for Strategic Investments, approved Triconti’s 450-megawatt offshore wind power project in Cavite.

high interest rate

By Jenniffer B. Austria REAL estate investment trust (REIT) companies are expected to continue to expand their properties despite the valuation compression amid the highinterest environment.

Leechiu Property Consultants, a real estate consultancy firm, said in a recent briefing REITs expanded their total portfolio coverage to 2.43 million square meters (sq. m.) of gross leasable area (GLA) with a total market capitalization of P207 billion as of end-2023.

“This is much bigger than all of the office buildings in Bonifacio Global City combined,” LPC senior manager for investment Erika Manasan said.

LPC said of the 2.43 million GLA, 71 percent or 1.72 sq. m. are in Metro Manila, with Quezon City holding the most GLA area, followed by Makati City.

Makati is seen to overtake Quezon City next year as Ayala Land Inc. injects some of its malls, hotels and office towers in AREIT. The remaining 29 percent of the REITs portfolio are located outside Metro Manila, most of which are in Cebu, Laguna, Cavite, Iloilo and Pampanga.

LPC said while share prices of listed REITs declined this year as investors focused their investments to fixed-income securities, a rebalancing in REITs share prices is expected once interest rates come down in 2024.

Investors still view REITs as an attractive investment alternative with its significantly higher yields compared to traditional real estate assets.

Several REITs announced plans to expand their assets in 2024.

DPWH signs P2.67-b design contract for Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridges

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said it signed a P2.67-billion contract with a group of Korean companies for the detailed engineering design (DED) of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project.

DPWH Secretary Manuel Bonoan approved the contract for consultant’s services of Yooshin Engineering Corp. in a joint venture with Kyong-Ho Engineering and Architects Co. Ltd., Dohwa Engineering Co. Ltd., Soosung Engineering Co. Ltd. and Dasan Consultants Co. Ltd for the DED and tender assistance, a crucial step forward in the realization of the infrastructure flag-

ship project in Western Visayas.

Bonoan said the start of DED for Panay-Guimaras-Negros Island Bridges Project is a monumental undertaking of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the “Build, Better, More” program that will improve the lives of the people and simultaneously achieve economic stability in the region.

DPWH Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain said the cost of the engineering services would be funded by a loan with the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), the official export credit agency of South Korea from the official development assistance (ODA) of the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF).

ENERGY AWARD. The Gulf Sriracha Power Plant, a joint venture between Thai firm Gulf Energy Development Company Limited and Japanese trading company Mitsui & Co. Ltd, and developed by Mitsubishi Power, wins the ‘Power Plant of the Year’ title at the Power and Energy Awards. The recognition underscores the plant’s efficacy in meeting Thailand’s rising energy demand and highlights its commitment to decarbonization and advancement in the nation’s energy transition. Situated in Chonburi province, the 2,650-megawatt gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant broke ground in 2018.

AboitizPower provides opportunities for electrical engineers

Visayan Electric Company Inc. president and chief operating officer Raul Lucero, Aboitiz Power Corp. senior assistant vice president for human resources Belen Catanduanes, AboitizPower Distribution Utilities chief operating officer Anton Mari Perdices, Cebu Institute of Technology-University president Bernard Nicolas Villamor and CIT-U vicepresident for academic affairs Corazon Evangelista-Valencia sign agreements for CIT-U, as witnessed by AboitizPower team members, including CIT-U alumni.

THE distribution business group of Aboitiz Power Corp. strengthened its long-standing relationships with universities in Visayas and Mindanao to boost industry-based research and prepare the talent pipeline of electrical engineers.

AboitizPower, through its distribution utilities, signed memoranda of agreement (MOA) and memoranda of understanding (MOU) with Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, the University of Mindanao, Notre Dame University, University of San Jose-Recoletos and Cebu Institute of Technology - University in the latter part of 2023.

These agreements formalize a longestablished scholarship program for electrical engineering students, which includes the offering of employment opportunities to deserving graduates.

“Our collaboration is a testament to our belief in the power of education, research and technological advancement. By pooling our resources, expertise and aspirations, we aim to catalyze change, not just in the energy sector, but in the lives of the people we serve,” said AboitizPower Distribution Utilities chief operating officer Anton Perdices.

“Our vision for [these] partnership[s]

extends far beyond training and scholarships. It’s about fostering a generation of engineers equipped with knowledge, practical experience, and an innovative spirit,” he said. “This initiative not only promotes academic excellence but also cultivates a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to contribute to the energy sector’s growth.”

The strengthening of such partnerships with universities draws inspiration from the distribution business group’s goal of empowering the growth of the cities and communities it serves beyond the provision of a reliable and cost-effective electricity supply.

BUSINESS

B2 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

extrastory2000@gmail.com

US court rules Twitter breached contract for not paying bonuses SAN FRANCISCO—A US federal court ruled on Friday that social media company Twitter, now branded X, violated contracts by failing to pay annual performance bonuses it orally promised its workers.

The breach-of-contract lawsuit was brought by former employer Mark Schobinger in June.

The lawsuit said Twitter had promised workers a 2022 performance bonus if they stayed with the company through the final possible payout date, which was the first quarter of this year.

The court threw out Twitter’s attempts to have the case dismissed, ruling that Schobinger’s claim of breach of contract under California law was valid.

“Schobinger has plausibly stated a breach of contract claim under California law. He alleges that Twitter

orally promised to pay each employee a portion of the bonus contemplated,” wrote US District Judge Vince Chhabria.

“And by allegedly refusing to pay Schobinger his promised bonus, Twitter violated that contract,” said the judge.

X can still appeal the court’s decision.

The social network now owned by Elon Musk, is currently facing multiple headwinds, including an EU probe under a law designed to combat disinformation and hate, criticism of the platform’s response to recent rioting in Dublin, and an exodus of big-name advertisers.

The company is now worth less than half of the $44 billion he paid for it in October 2022, according to internal documents sent to staff and reported by tech publication The Verge. AFP

CHRISTMAS FAIR. Visitors enjoy attractions during a Christmas fair at the Jardin des Tuileries garden in central Paris on Dec. 25, 2023. AFP

Toyota’s Daihatsu suspends Japan production T OKYO—Japanese car maker Daihatsu has suspended all its domestic production as the Toyota-owned company faces a massive safety testing scandal.

The firm, which has about 9,000 Tuesday. factory workers in Japan, closed “Production will be suspended the last of its four domestic plants, through January. We have not been a Daihatsu spokesman told AFP on able to assess as to exactly when our

domestic production can resume,” the spokesman said.

The move could affect more than 8,000 companies across the country, according to a private research firm.

Last week, the company said it had been manipulating safety tests since at least 1989, affecting 64 models, including some sold under

the Toyota brand which also are being suspended.

In April, it said it had been falsifying crash test results for four of its models, involving a total of 88,000 vehicles made in Thailand and Malaysia in 2022 and 2023.

In May, it announced it was halting production in Japan of two hybrid vehicle models because of

PTTC launches training platform to help MSMEs

FOGGY MORNING.

Tourists visit the Taj Mahal engulfed in fog on a winter morning in Agra on Dec. 24, 2023. AFP

Meralco sets bid opening for 1,800-MW baseload power supply on Jan. 5

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will proceed with the bidding for its 1,800-megawatt (MW) baseload supply requirement Wednesday, but set the bid opening on Jan. 5, 2024.

Among the interested bidders are First Gen Corp.’s subsidiary First NatGas Power Corp. (FNPC), Aboitiz Power Corp.’s GNPower Dinginin, SP New Energy and three companies owned by San Miguel Corp. including Mariveles Power Generation Corp., Excellent Energy Resources Inc. (EERI) and Masin-

loc Power Partners Co. Ltd. (MPPCL).

Energy Regulatory Commission chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta said the bid submission and bid opening schedule for the competitive selection process (CSP) is the responsibility of Meralco.

“Meralco sets the timeline and is responsible for the conduct of their CSPs. We provided them with our observations and concerns and will evaluate compliance of the awarded power supply agreements once submitted to the ERC for approval,” Dimalanta said.

The move followed the issuance of a

Globe’s education program lauded at World Communications Awards THE Globe for Education program’s “Tuloy ang Edukasyon, Tuloy ang Pag-asa” was recognized with the top honor in the social contribution category at the 2023 World Communication Awards (WCA).

Globe’s program emerged as one of the winners in the 25th WCA, which saw 220 entries, the highest in its history. The WCA is considered a benchmark of excellence in the telecommunications industry, recognizing outstanding achievements and innovations through a rigorous judging process.

The global award announced recently at a gala event at The National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam affirms Globe’s innovative and transformative

similar “irregularities,” including the Toyota Raize SUV, manufactured on behalf of its parent company.

Founded in 1907 to manufacture internal combustion engines, Osaka-based Daihatsu launched its first three-wheeled vehicle in 1931, before being taken over by Toyota in 1967. AFP

impact in the realm of educational technology.

The WCA lauded the telco provider, saying its education campaign “showcased an operator fully at one with its customers.”

“Using digital learning solutions, digital expertise, and its product and network ecosystem to reach millions of Filipinos, Globe is showing their ongoing commitment to shrinking the digital divide. A very positive project with amazing impact on digital learning across the country,” it said.

Globe Business head KD Dizon said the honor is not just for the company but for the entire Philippine education sector.

bid bulletin by Meralco setting the minimum offered contract capacity per bidder at 150 megawatts and the maximum offered contract capacity per bidder at 1,200 MW. This addressed the concerns raised by ERC to allow more companies to participate in the CSP, thus encouraging competition and the chances of leastcost supply to consumers.

The bid bulletin also stated that the parties should exert their best efforts to agree on ways to mitigate the impact of any sudden significant increase in the monthly fuel cost payment, which re-

sults in a significant increase in the rates of consumers.

“Under the TOR, any bidder can offer a maximum of 1,800 MW so she recommended to cap it to a certain level. We recommended 1,200 MW which I think was acceptable to her,” Meralco senior assistant vice president and regulatory affairs head Jose Ronald Valles said.

Valles earlier said technologies offered for the baseload CSP capacity are natural gas, coal and solar.

Meralco will award a 15-year contract for 1,800-MW baseload supply starting December 2024.

THE Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) launched an innovative training platform aimed at helping micro, small and medium Enterprises in international trade understand and apply the export rules and procedures.

Accessible at PTTC-Arise Plus Training Platform, it offers Filipino MSMEs practical resources for navigating the complex regulations and processes to sell their products on foreign markets.

It provides access to six comprehensive courses including rules of international trade, rules of origin for Filipino exporters, pro forma invoice, reducing cross- border inefficiency, exporting food from the Philippines to the European Union and working with freight forwarders.

These courses will also be offered through interactive training workshops, with the inaugural session taking place on Dec. 5, 2023.

PTTC’s trainers, who received training from ITC, will conduct these workshops following ITC’s Digital Workshop methodology.

The approach harnesses innovative teaching techniques, digital tools and detailed trainer instructions to ensure participatory, consistently high-quality, and easily replicable training experiences.

PTTC will further strengthen its capacity to sustain both online and inperson training, integrating them into their core training offerings for Filipino MSMEs.

VNG IPO. Vietnam game publisher VNG, which also runs a digital wallet, cloud services and messaging platform, announces plan to list in New York City. AFP

SHOWBIZ

B3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

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

Beauty Gonzalez (left) is Eileen who adopts a mysterious girl named Jade, played by Erin Espiritu

Zeinab Harake (left) and Erin Espiritu in a scene from ‘Kampon’

A gripping return to classic horror with modern twist Very Wang

Nickie Wang

A

to be.

FTER seeing the complete project, director King Palisoc asserted that he wouldn’t want to change a thing in the film because that’s how he and the entire team intended the film

“Like any filmmaker, there are things I wish I had done differently, but as a whole, I think this is what we had envisioned for the film,” Palisoc told Manila Standard Entertainment.

Kampon, the latest addition to the Metro Manila Film Festival, successfully revives the classic horror experience through a combination of intelligent acting, creative storytelling, and a generous dose of jump scares.

Produced by Blightilight Productions and OctoArts Films, the film takes audiences on a spine-chilling journey into the lives of a childless couple, Clark (Derek Ramsay) and Eileen (Beauty Gonzalez), whose seemingly perfect world is disrupted by the sudden arrival of a mysterious girl named Jade (Erin Espiritu).

The film’s casting choices are spot-on, with Derek delivering

Historian Xiao Chua weighs in on MMFF’s ‘GomBurZa’

The narrative takes an a nuanced performance as Clark, a man unexpected turn when Jade, grappling with his past and the unexpected portrayed by the talented Erin, upheaval in his present. Beauty shines as claims to be Clark’s daughter.

Eileen, portraying a woman struggling with The revelation shakes the newfound motherhood and the unsettling foundations of Clark and Eileen’s events surrounding Jade. Erin, known for her happy and quiet life, leading to a previous role in “Mini Miss U,” brings an series of strange occurrences that unsettling charm to Jade, leaving the audience turn their world into a chilling questioning her true intentions. puzzle. The suspense builds as Kampon manages to balance effective jump the audience is kept on the edge scares with a captivating underlying mystery, of their seats, eagerly anticipating exploring themes of family, betrayal, and the the unraveling of the mystery. supernatural. The script, co-written by Palisoc Erin steals the scene despite and Dodo Dayao, keeps the audience guessing being a newcomer in the acting until the very end, incorporating twists and field, she shines as the real star of turns that are both surprising and thoughtDerek Ramsay is back in the silver screen the MMFF 2023 entry, handling provoking. with MMFF-entry ‘Kampon’ various emotions directed by “We intended for the audience to be curious about the ending, and we’re pleased that you asked about it. Our goal Direk King with remarkable skill. Her scenes, especially the was to keep viewers guessing and provoke numerous questions with the confrontations with Derek, are truly spine-tingling and showcase her incredible talent. way the film ends,” said Beauty during the film’s press screening.

The film also features outstanding performances from character The film’s lead actors deliver natural and genuine performances, making them strong contenders for Best Actor and Best Actress at actor Nico Antonio, whose role adds a zombie-like vibe to the the upcoming MMFF 2023 Awards Night. The emotional journey narrative. The synergy between the cast and the well-crafted of the childless couple is portrayed with authenticity, drawing the storyline ensures that Kampon stands out as a must-watch horror film, blending classic elements with modern twists. audience into their world of uncertainties and fears.

history itself,” the historian ended.

On the other hand, Pepe pointed out the importance of knowing the film saying, “As they say, ‘if we don’t know where we came from, we don’t know where we’re going.’ So, it’s important to look back at our history.” perfect history. So, that’s okay, it’s part of In his speech, the filmmaker revealed

By Angelica Villanueva our conversation,” continued Xiao. that even he was curious about the Furthermore, in a Facebook post by significance of the three priests in getting THIS year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) list of entries features the Xiao, he criticized the film’s portrayal back our freedom. historical epic film, GomBurZa, which of certain historical figures. He cited “Maybe some of you are wondering, retells the lives and deaths of martyred the depiction of Cedrick’s portrayal of what’s all this hullabaloo about three Filipino priests Fathers Mariano Gomez, Burgos. unassuming priests who never fought on “Gomburza did not disappoint! Paul the battlefield? Why did Jose Rizal and Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora.

Ahead of its showing date, the Cedrick Juan’s portrayal of Burgos is the Katipunan find so much inspiration film generated significant discussion stellar and the rest of the cast walang in the three priests—the GomBurZa?” including renowned Filipino historian tapon, even those that have only a few Pepe said.

Xiao Chua. Known for his meticulous seconds to appear are too important to “I also wondered why, but [by] making research and nuanced perspective on be left out because they form part of this film, we all began to understand Philippine history, he offered his why. GomBurZa is a story insights on the film. of a little fire that’s spread in During the film’s premiere times of darkness. It’s a story night, Manila Standard not of individual heroism, Entertainment approached Xiao but all the collective. It’s a as he fanboyed one of the lead story not only of battle but of stars, Cedric Juan, asking for an sacrifice,” he continued. autograph.

He also acknowledged the When asked about his efforts and involvement of sentiments on the inclusion of the the cast in the creation of the historic film at the Christmas film film. festival, he shared, “It’s really “I want to acknowledge great because people will support that this film was made by this. Especially when they hear an entire battalion of very that it’s good, children will learn talented, hardworking something. Unfortunately, we’re people who worked so Filipino historian Xiao Chua (leftmost) is all praises only PG13, but it’s okay.” hard to shoot this film for historical film ‘Gomburza’ The historian also commended in 17 shooting days. But the film’s attempt to bring to light I think what you will a significant chapter in Philippine history, the jigsaw puzzle that makes the story see [on] the screen is really a labor of particularly for younger generations less relevant to today,” wrote Xiao. love,” added Pepe.

He also lauded the director of the familiar with the narrative.

“And when times were so tough and “They are one of the reasons why we MMFF entry, Pepe Diokno, son of when things were very challenging, we were formed as a nation. So, we go back human rights lawyer, Chel Diokno. all went back to our core, which is the “In the end, aside from being a film ‘alab sa ating puso’, which is a story to the story of how we were formed, and when we’re able to know that, we get that makes us realize that it was a bumpy that we feel needed to be told. Not to know ourselves, how we struggled, road it was before we were able to call just because it’s our history, but also and what our struggles are. And with ourselves Filipinos, it is really about because it’s relevant until today,” that, hopefully, we’ll make our lives human rights. And it is only fitting that he stated.

Pepe Diokno, grandson of the Father meaningful today,” he added.

The Gomburza director However, he expressed reservations of Human Rights Advocacy in the ended his speech by expressing about the film emphasizing that there Philippines, the first Pepe Diokno, his optimism that may the film might be discrepancies between the film’s directed this film ably and contributes move and inspire the people who portrayal and documented historical to remind us that this Nation is built on will get to watch it. cherished human rights by those who accounts.

Starring Dante Rivero, Cedric “We see it as entertaining and we need were deprived of it,” he stated.

Juan, and Enchong Dee, Gomburza “Gomburza is epic. A once in a few is now showing in cinemas that. We also discussed that it’s also an art, so there are variations, it’s not a years film, watching it is being part of nationwide.

‘Love Before Sunrise’ gives viewers a painful yet beautiful ending GMA Network’s primetime series Love Before Sunrise is nearly closing its chapter, leaving viewers with the difficult question: when does forbidden love become worth fighting for?

Top-billed by Dennis Trillo and Bea Alonzo, together with Andrea Torres and Sid Lucero, Love Before Sunrise promises a heartbreaking yet touching finale this Dec. 29.

Now that everyone knows about the secret affair of Stella (Bea) and Atom (Dennis), Czarina (Andrea) does everything to ruin their love once more.

Meanwhile, Roald (Sid) is ready to forget about the infidelity of Stella and start anew together.

Atom gets threatened by Czarina that he will never see their daughter again if he chooses Stella. Faced with a huge dilemma, Atom asks Stella to wait for him until he settles the custody of Sky. This leaves Stella shattered into pieces after realizing that Atom cannot end his relationship yet with Czarina. Stella then decides that she no longer wants to be a mistress.

Will Stella and Atom just return to their miserable marriages? Or will they stand for each other and fight for their true love?

Under the helm of Mark Sicat Dela Cruz, the series its finale at 8:50 p.m. on GMA Telebabad.

‘Love Before Sunrise’ stars Bea Alonzo (left) and Dennis Trillo

B4

LIFE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023

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

New Year, New You

“S Blackbough’s Kyoto Pink Collection donates all net proceeds to breast cancer foundation

O, magpapayat na ba tayo sa 2024?” came the message from a close friend a couple of days ago. I replied back if this would be one of our new goals, or as people say the New Year’s resolutions, for 2024.

We are probably not the only people thinking about what changes we will make in the coming year. We’ve heard people pledging to themselves that they would lose weight, get their finances in order, and leave behind any unsavory habits they have.

Others would promise to take good care of their health, work harder and smarter, or prioritize work-life balance. Some look forward to new experiences and travel to new destinations.

New Year’s Resolutions are not new.

We’ve been doing it for decades. While some have strong resolves, others might falter along the way.

Did you know that this tradition of pledging started thousands of years ago in ancient Babylonia?

History has it that the ancient Babylonians were the first people to celebrate the New Year some 4000 years ago. Although, they would celebrate it in March, in time for the planting season.

During the 12-day-long Akitu festival, the Babylonians would crown a new king, or reaffirm their loyalty to the reigning king. They would also make promises to their gods to pay their debts and return any objects they borrowed.

The ancient people believed that the gods would punish them if they didn’t fulfill their promises. But if they kept their word, they would receive some blessings.

In ancient Rome, a similar tradition was practiced. After emperor Julius Caesar established January 1 as the start of the lunar calendar in B.C. 46, the Romans would offer sacrifices to the deity, named Janus, and promise to engage in good conduct in the coming year. They believed that Janus symbolizes looking back to the previous year and looking ahead to the future.

I find it interesting how other cultures do their New Year’s resolutions.

In Brazil, one needs to head to the beach to make resolutions. Dressed in white, the person should go into the water and jump seven waves while making seven wishes.

It is said that this tradition pays homage to Yemanja, the goddess of water.

Sharing some history, Colombia and Spain have a similar tradition of making resolutions with little differences.

—“—

New Year’s Resolutions are not new. We’ve been doing it for decades. While some have strong resolves, others might falter along the way

In Spain, at the stroke of midnight, a person needs to finish eating all 12 grapes before the clock chimes end, or bad luck will haunt the person throughout the new year.

On the other hand, in Colombia, one needs to eat one grape for every chime.

For each grape eaten, one has to make a resolution or a wish.

In some countries, people write down their wishes and/or resolutions on a piece of paper at the beginning of the year and carry them throughout the year. On December 31, they would burn their wish paper and make a new one.

In the Philippines, being the unofficial

social media capital of the world, we post our resolutions on our Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube, or wherever we fancy.

As for my friend and I, nothing has been set in stone. We would try to lose weight (try as the operative word) until we find a new restaurant we want to try or until our seafood craving kicks in. *** Speaking of commitment, global swimwear brand Blackbough has pledged to donate 100 percent of net proceeds from its Kyoto Pink Collection for breast cancer awareness and joins forces with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Leading the fight for women’s health, with 27,163 new cases in 2020 alone, Blackbough joins the global effort, partnering with the research giant dedicated to a cure.

For the rest of 2023, Blackbough’s Kyoto Pink Collection donates all net proceeds to BCRF. Stylish bikinis in vibrant pink – every purchase fuels research while raising awareness.

Each piece comes with a pink pin and informative card, a symbol of your impact, and a window into BCRF’s work.

Since 1993, they’ve invested over $1 billion, funding groundbreaking research and pushing toward a cure.

The foundation provides essential funding for cancer research on a global scale to fuel advances in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, metastasis, and survivorship.

Join Blackbough in spreading awareness, nurturing hope, and making a real difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.

Visit https://blackboughswim.com/enph/collections/the-kyoto-pink-collection to check out the Kyoto Pink Collection and discover the perfect bikini for a good cause.

From romances to folklores REP returns in full force with a new season of dynamic productions

THE curtain rises on a landmark year for Repertory Philippines. After the pandemic’s intermission, REP returns in glorious full force for its 87th season, marking a vibrant comeback not just for the company, but for live theater itself.

This is no ordinary return; it’s a resounding celebration of REP’s enduring legacy as one of Southeast Asia’s premier English-speaking theater companies.

2024 promises a series of captivating narratives and characters, woven together by the universal thread of love and yearning. Prepare to dive into the depths of relationships, navigate their exhilarating highs and heartwrenching lows, and emerge with a renewed appreciation for the tapestry of Filipino culture.

REP kicks off the season by opening its stage to two global gems. First, we step into the world of Harold Pinter’s iconic Betrayal, a masterful exploration of infidelity and its repercussions, told in a captivating reverse-chronological structure. Witness the tangled web of emotions unravel as three lives collide in a passionate,

yet poignant, dance of love and betrayal.

Next, prepare to be swept off your feet by the infectious energy of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical. This witty and heartwarming celebration of love in all its messy, quirky, and undeniably human forms guarantees to leave you giggling with recognition and tapping your feet to the vibrant score.

But REP’s commitment to Filipino narratives remains unparalleled. The season unfolds with two original musicals: Jepoy and the Magic Circle, a thrilling adventure that delves into Philippine folklore and magic realism, and Going Home to Christmas, a heartwarming holiday musical set to the beloved tunes of Jose Mari Chan.

This season is more than just a return; it’s a testament to the enduring power of storytelling, the magic of live performance, and the resilience of the human spirit. So, gather your loved ones, clear your calendar, and step into the warm embrace of Repertory Philippines. Come

‘I Love You, Youre Perfect, Now Change’ delves into the different facets of love REP pays tribute to OPM icon Jose Mari Chan in ‘Going Home to Christmas’

Harold Pinter’s ‘iconic Betrayal’

REP makes a powerful comeback, unveiling a lineup of dynamic productions for the upcoming 2024 season

rediscover the joy of theater, the richness of Filipino culture, and the timeless language of love and yearning.

What makes the 2024 season extra special for REP is it also marks its nostalgic return to the Carlos P. Romulo Theater in RCBC Plaza, when they inaugurated the theater in 2001 with Celebration III, A Musical Revue before running for two wonderful decades at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt.

“This new REP season is going to be one for the books. We’re back and stronger than ever since the pandemic, having experimented with virtual theater and mounted Rodgers

Original Filipino musical ‘Jepoy and the Magic Circle’

and Hammerstein’s musical Carousel as well as currently staging Snow White and the Prince for RTYA,” says REP President and CEO Mindy Perez-Rubio.

“Despite dealing with close to four years of darkness, the show must go on. REP is ready for a new chapter with a fresh lineup of carefully curated productions, plus the initiation of The Bridge Project, that will enrich the cultural lives of Filipino theatergoers and artists.”

Join REP’s 87th season and experience the magic of theater reborn. For more information and updates, visit Repertory Philippines’ website and social media channels.