Manila Standard - 2024 January 1 - Monday

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A BLESSED AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! World bids farewell to hot 2023; Bots, Gaza, Ukraine leave marks VOL. XXXVII • NO. 321 • 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024 •

Better economy PH goal for 2024

SYDNEY—Jubilant crowds will bid farewell to the hottest year on record Sunday, closing a turbulent 12 months marked by clever chatbots, climate crises, and wrenching wars in Gaza and Ukraine.

The world's population—now over eight billion—will see out the old and usher in the new, with many hoping to shake the weight of high living costs and

global tumult.

In Sydney, the self-proclaimed "New Year's capital of the world", more than a million partygoers are expected to pack the city's foreshore.

Even before nightfall, tens of thousands of people gathered at vantage points around the city's iconic Harbour Bridge, defying uncharacteristically dank weather. Next page

El Niño, wars abroad, China tensions to try gov’t aims this year

By Jimbo Gulle and Roderick Dela Cruz

T

HE Philippines leaves behind 2023 with the goal of becoming an upper middle-income economy in this New Year – something it could have reached in 2022 had the COVID-19 pandemic not hit.

But President Marcos’ hopes for a “Bagong Pilipinas” on the second full year of his term will rest on the impact of El Niño and climate change, the developments in wars abroad, the conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea, and even talks about Charter change in Congress.

The Philippine economy, which saw the fastest growth among major Asian economies in the first nine months of 2023, is projected to surpass that pace next year, although global risks are seen tempering the outlook, officials said.

Last June, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the country was likely to achieve its goal of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2024 if the economy grew by 7 percent in 2023.

An upper middle-income economy is defined as one with a Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method, of more than US$4,125 but less than $12,736.

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Despite rain, revelers still watch countdowns DESPITE intermittent rains in the afternoon and early evening, Filipinos trooped to New Year countdown parties in Metro Manila and major cities across the country on Sunday.

People of all ages welcomed new beginnings with laughter, music, and the shared excitement of saying goodbye to the old year with grand parties and countdowns.

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BRIGHT (AND WET) REVELRY. SM City Clark caps 2023 with the annual Sky Line Fireworks Festival in Pampanga, launched from its Tech Hub buildings.

The mesmerizing 10-minute display was followed by visits to the food bazaar, lively entertainment, and heartfelt expressions of gratitude, creating lasting memories for all who attended. Celebrations also did not stop despite afternoon rain at the Quezon City Memorial Circle (inset), where revelers with umbrellas still crowded the stage to catch a glimpse of their favorite performers. SM Clark, Anna Cerezo via ABS-CBN X/Twitter

Boy, 4, loses five fingers to illegal ‘Dart Bomb’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta A 4-YEAR-OLD boy from Central Luzon lost all five fingers on his right hand and injured his neck when he lit up an illegal Dart Bomb at home, the Department of Health (DOH) said Sunday.

The agency also expressed concerns that such deadly, illegal fireworks are able to find their way into the hands of young children.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa called on the police to crack down further on those selling illegal fireworks that can

destroy the futures of Filipino children.

As of 6 a.m. of Dec. 30, there were eight new cases, with victims aged 4 to 37, all of them males.

Six of these new cases occurred at home and in the streets, while two were Next page

High Court sets Anti-Terrorism Act regulations

By Rey E. Requejo

LAST SUNSET. People gather along the baywalk of Roxas Boulevard in Manila on

Sunday to witness the last sunset of the year 2023, with hope that 2024 will be a peaceful and abundant one for them. Danny Pata

ASEAN ministers express worries over SCS tensions

By Rey E. Requejo and Rio N. Araja FOREIGN ministers of Southeast Asian nations on Saturday expressed their concern over growing tensions in the South China Sea, which they said could threaten regional peace.

"We closely follow with concern

the recent developments in the South China Sea that may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region," top diplomats of the ASEAN’s member-nations said in a statement.

The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued the statement after China and the Philippines traded accusations in recent Next page

THE Supreme Court (SC) has adopted the rules on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 and Related Laws.

The rules state that starting Jan. 15, 2024, law enforcers cannot legally conduct online surveillance like wiretapping of conversations, intercepting social media accounts, and collecting and reproducing images and photographs of suspected terrorist groups or individuals without an order from the Court of Appeals (CA).

In a full court notice, the SC stressed that the CA order, if issued within 72 hours from the termination of the summary proceedings on the surveillance petition, may also require telecommunication firms and internet providers to provide the needed data sought by law enforcers.

The SC order also mandates that suspected members of terrorist groups and individuals who are arrested without judicial warrants cannot be detained for more than 36 hours from the time of arrest without written authority from the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).

Before the lapse of the 14-day extension which is counted from the Next page

Marcos calls for solidarity, Sara commits to ‘honest service’ in ‘24

By Vince Lopez, Rio N. Araja and Rey E. Requejo

for all,” he said in a message released Sunday.

“As we welcome 2024 with great optimism, I call upon PRESIDENT every Filipino Marcos enfrom every corjoined Filiner of the world pinos to emto contribute to body the spirit the future of our of solidarity beloved motherand contribland. Let us emute to develbody the spirit of opment as solidarity through he joined the acts of kindness, nation in welvolunteerism, coming the and compasnew year. sion, knowing Every new that each of us is beginning is a catalyst for our a time for recountry's meanflection on ingful social past accomtransformation.” plishments, to President move forward Marcos also with the lescommitted to sons learned, “strengthen and to reinbonds and chart force the unity forged as a people, the a new roadmap for tomorrow.”

President said.

“Let the dream of a revitalized Philip“As a nation, we bid farewell to the pines —a Bagong Pilipinas (New Philipchallenges and triumphs of the past year pines)—guide our every endeavor as we and embrace a new dawn of opportunity Next page and hope that heralds another fresh start

PISTON still hopes for PUVMP reversal MEMBERS of the transport group PISTON remained hopeful Sunday that President Marcos would recall the Dec. 31 deadline for public utility jeepneys to consolidate, even as the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said there will be no extension of it.

Piston president Mody Floranda, in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo,

said the group is hoping the President “reverses” the previous decision.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) earlier issued a memorandum saying traditional jeepneys that fail to consolidate their franchises will still be allowed until Jan. 31, 2024 to ply routes where less than 60 percent of units are consolidated. Next page

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PISTON...

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But the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) revised its 2024 growth target range to 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent, down slightly from the initial 6.5 percent to 8.0 percent estimate.

The adjustment acknowledges headwinds from a potential global slowdown, the El Niño phenomenon, natural disasters, and geopolitical tensions. It also retained the 6.5 percent to 8.0 percent growth assumption for 2025 to 2028, said the committee that groups the government’s economic managers.

Meanwhile, even as Mr. Marcos welcomed 2024 “with great optimism” (see related story on A1 – Editors), a drought enhanced by El Nino could put the economy in the mud and leave thousands of farmers in over 70 provinces without enough crops to harvest -- and thus make millions of Filipinos hungry.

The state weather bureau already said that by March, 45 provinces could experience drought, 28 could be in for a dry

spell, and six provinces in Mindanao could have dry conditions – all but three of the country’s 82 provinces having a water shortage of sorts.

Externally, the wars between Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and even Yemen and its Houthi rebels over ships sailing the Red Sea will weigh on the Philippines, as these will hamper vital imports and frustrate the plans of overseas Filipino workers who may need to find jobs at home instead, officials in the Foreign affairs and Migrant Workers departments said.

That’s not to mention the increasingly tense situation with China, which has stepped up its rhetoric against the Philippines as it frowns on the country’s warming ties with the United States and other Western allies.

President Marcos has used the US, the European Union, Japan, Australia, and other like-minded nations to hedge against Beijing’s attempt at hegemony in the South China Sea. But it has so far not stopped China from asserting its dominance even in the West Philippine Sea – Chinese ships have gone so far as to enter

Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre lies marooned still.

But perhaps no other local development will be as closely followed in 2024 as the House of Representatives’ attempts to revise the Constitution, as Speaker Martin Romualdez has said lawmakers are keen on introducing economic amendments to the Charter.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has said “Cha-cha” is not a priority for his chamber of Congress, but senators who are allied with the administration may prod him to meet halfway with Romualdez and congressmen and set in motion the first real changes to the Constitution in nearly four decades.

Growth in 2024, according to the DBCC, will be driven by private consumption, as inflation is expected to return within the target range; falling oil prices; robust public spending; greater investments lured by the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals, investment-grade credit ratings, and the implementation of structural reforms; and increased demand for Philippine exports as supply chain bottlenecks ease.

Balisacan said the government remained confident that the lower end of the 2023 growth target range of 6.0 percent to 7.0 percent would still be achieved.

“Again, we need to grow by at least 7.2 percent in the fourth quarter to achieve the official target,” he said, noting that in the first three quarters of 2023, the real GDP per capita already recovered and exceeded its pre-pandemic level.

“This growth momentum is expected to continue for the rest of the year and surpass that of our neighboring countries,” he said.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno also remains optimistic, citing the country's "sound macroeconomic fundamentals, investment-grade credit ratings, and the implementation of structural reforms" as key drivers of growth.

“Pursuing a whole-of-government approach and a whole-of-society approach, we will strive to implement targeted measures, structural reforms, and strategies that will create a sustainable and futureproof economy for a significant improvement in the quality of life of Filipinos,” it said.

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At midnight, eight tons of fireworks will light the fuse on 2024, a year that will bring elections concerning half the world's population and a summer Olympiad celebrated in Paris.

The last 12 months brought "Barbiegeddon" at the box office, a proliferation of human-seeming artificial intelligence tools, and a worldfirst whole-eye transplant.

India outgrew China as the world's most populous country and then became the first nation to land a rocket on the dark side of the moon.

It was also the hottest year since records began in 1880, with a spate of climate-fueled disasters striking from Australia to the Horn of Africa and the Amazon basin.

Fans bade adieu to "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" Tina Turner, "Friends" actor Matthew Perry, hell-raising AngloIrish songsmith Shane MacGowan and master dystopian novelist Cormac McCarthy.

Perhaps more than anything, 2023 will be remembered for war in the Middle East—for Hamas's brutal October 7 raids on southern Israel and Israel's ferocious reprisals.

Rebuilding The United Nations estimates that almost two million Gazans have been displaced since Israel's siege began -- about 85 percent of the peacetime population.

With once-bustling Gaza City neighborhoods reduced to rubble, there were few places left to mark the new year -- and fewer loved ones to celebrate with.

"It was a black year full of tragedies,"

Marcos...

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bring forth peace, progress, and prosperity for all,” Marcos said.

VP: Honest service Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday committed to continue doing “honest service” in the incoming year.

In her New Year’s message, Duterte said she wants to welcome 2024 with a positive and progressive outlook for a better future.

“2023 was a colorful year for our country and the whole world. There were many stories of success, hallenges, and hope, but we remained strong and steadfast as Filipinos,” she said in Filipino.

“That's why our vision for the future remains clear—-that we will continue to deliver honest service. We will continue to fuel our desire for the peace and comfort of every Filipino family. We will never surrender to any trial that comes our way.”

Speaker: Remarkable achievements Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez pointed to the achievements of Congress as the nation heads into the new year.

“The achievements we have realized together are indeed remarkable.

The commitment and hard work of each

ASEAN...

From A1

months over a series of maritime runins, and as Manila said it needed to change its approach because diplomatic efforts have not worked.

China, on the other hand, has described the accusations as "purely false hype," and warned that it will not turn a blind eye to repeated "provocations and harassment" by the Philippines.

ASEAN foreign ministers affirmed the need for parties involved to "exercise self-restraint in the conduct of

SYDNEY STARTS THE PARTY. The 9 p.m. 'family fireworks' explode over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney on December 31. AFP

said Abed Akkawi, who fled the city with his wife and three children.

The 37-year-old, now living in a UN shelter in Rafah, southern Gaza, said the war had obliterated his house and killed his brother.

But still, he clings to modest hopes for 2024.

"God willing this war will end, the new year will be a better one, and we will be able to return to our homes and rebuild them, or even live in a tent on the rubble," he told AFP. In Ukraine, where Russia's invasion grinds towards its second anniversary, there was also hope, and defiance in the face of a renewed assault from Moscow.

"Victory! We are waiting for it and

believe that Ukraine will win," said Tetiana Shostka as air raid sirens blared in Kyiv.

"We will have everything we want if Ukraine is free, without Russia," the 42-year-old added.

Some in Vladimir Putin's Russia are also weary of the conflict.

"In the new year, I would like the war to end, a new president, and a return to normal life," said 55-year-old theatre decorator and Moscow resident Zoya Karpova.

Putin is already his country's longest-tenured leader since Joseph Stalin and his name will again be on the ballot paper when Russians vote in March.

Few expect the vote to be fully free

or fair, or for the former KGB man to return to the shadows.

To the polls Russia's is just one of several pivotal elections scheduled, with 2024 looming as the year of the ballots.

In all, the political fate of more than four billion people will be decided in contests that will shape Britain, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Venezuela, and a host of other nations.

But one election promises global consequences.

In the United States, Democrat Joe Biden, aged 81, and Republican Donald Trump, aged 77, appear set to rerun their divisive 2020 presidential poll race in November. AFP

of you, as members of our community, have been pivotal in the passage of critical bills, measures, and resolutions addressing the varied needs of our nation. From economic reforms to social initiatives, these efforts have been about improving the lives of every Filipino,” he added.

“I wish every Filipino a Happy New Year. May this year bring us closer to realizing our national aspirations. Let's continue to uphold the spirit of unity and service in the days to come,” he said.

Boy,...

of illegal discharge of firearms have been reported, with one person wounded as a result, since Dec. 16.

Binay said it is essential to be conscious of safety in such situations, and called on the Filipino public to employ more creative ways to usher in the New Year instead of resorting to firing guns, or lighting fireworks and firecrackers.

Five of the seven offenders—two police officers, two members of the Philippine Army, and a civilian—have so far been arrested and had their guns confiscated, while the two others remain unidentified.

She urged the Philippine National Police and local government units to strictly enforce Republic Act 7183 which regulates the sale, manufacture, distribution, and the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.

Binay also urged local authorities to strictly monitor vendors selling illegal firecrackers to protect the public.

The National Capital Region Police Office, meanwhile, said it has intensified efforts to ensure a safe celebration of the New Year.

“We call on our fellow citizens to exercise caution and comply with laws governing the use of fireworks and firecrackers. Let us not forget that the best way to welcome the coming year is to ensure that we, our loved ones, and those around us are safe,” the NCRPO said.

From A1

Chief Justice: Renewed hope Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said that the Supreme Court will welcome 2024 humbled and with renewed hope.

Gesmundo noted that while New Year celebrations are usually associated with second chances, it is in fact about continuity.

“We build on the past, learn from mistakes, and live with the consequences of past actions. For the past cannot be erased; it is part of who we are: the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, the successes and the failures,” the Chief Justice said.

He further likened the transition of one year to the next to a “chapter in a voluminous book” that is still being written.

“In this new chapter we embrace change, take on new challenges, and welcome growth,” Gesmundo said.

at designated fireworks areas. Five or 63 percent of the new cases were caused by illegal fireworks.

Sunday’s total brought to 115 the fireworks-related injuries, with about four out of every 10 cases coming from Metro Manila.

Cases were also reported in Central Luzon (13), Ilocos Region (13), Soccksargen (9), Calabarzon (six), Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas (five each). The Davao Region reported only one case.

The fireworks that caused the most injuries were boga, 5-star, kwitis, piccolo, luces, pla-pla, whistle bomb, and other unlabeled (including the Dart Bomb) or imported fireworks. Illegal fireworks are to blame for about six out of every 10 cases.

On the eve of the New Year, Senator Nancy Binay urged Filipinos to keep safety at the forefront of their celebration.

Binay particularly called on gun owners, especially military and police personnel, to be more responsible and avoid indiscriminately firing their guns during the holiday season.

This, as the Philippine National Police recently said that at least seven incidents

activities that would complicate or escalate disputes."

"We reiterate the importance of peaceful dialogue that contributes constructively to the promotion of regional stability and cooperation in the maritime domain," the statement said.

ASEAN and China have worked towards creating a code of conduct in the South China Sea, a plan dating back to 2002. However, progress has been slow despite a commitment by all parties to advance and speed up the process.

Talks on the components of the code have yet to start amid concerns

over China's willingness to commit to a binding set of rules consistent with international law.

China has insisted on its massive claims over most of the South China Sea through a "nine-dash-line" that loops as far as 1,500 km south of its mainland, cutting into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The dispute between the Philippines and China has heightened over the issue of the West Philippine Sea, part of the South China Sea that falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

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From A1

It was a night of glitz, music, and electric energy as GMA Network revived the Kapuso Countdown at the SM Mall of Asia.

After a COVID-induced hiatus, a dazzling lineup of GMA stars, featuring Julie Anne San Jose, Rayver Cruz, Christian Bautista, Sanya Lopez, Ken Chan, Rita Daniela, Andrea Torres, and Michelle Marquez Dee, regaled viewers.

The Sparkle Queen Bees – Rabiya Mateo, Lexi Gonzales, and Faith Da Silva – amplified the sparkle with their

From A1

But DOTr Office of Transportation Cooperatives chairman Andy Ortega clarified that the new memo was not an extension of the Dec. 31 consolidation deadline, adding that the memo was meant to give jeepney owners “due process.”

The official, quoted by ABS-CBN News, also reported that almost all jeepneys in "major routes" in Metro Manila have already consolidated.

As this developed, a Social Welfare official said jeepney drivers who will be affected by the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) may avail of cash assistance through the department's Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

“It is possible that they can avail of AICS since they can be categorized as in crisis,” DSWD Program Management Bureau Director Miramel Laxa said.

AICS serves as a stop-gap measure by providing immediate and temporary cash aid to individuals and families who are undergoing crisis based on the assessment of social workers.

“Availing of AICS can help them meet their basic needs through different forms of assistance such as food, and cash aid, among others,” Laxa said.

The LTFRB earlier said two in three jeepneys in Metro Manila have yet to consolidate into cooperatives before the deadline on Sunday, even as the government downplayed the possibility of a transport crisis.

“In major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, those who applied for those routes have already consolidated, so we can say that we could meet public demand for public transport come January,” said Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chairman Andy Ortega.

LTFRB data showed that as of Dec. 29, less than 14,000 or only 33.21 percent of jeepneys in Metro Manila have consolidated into cooperatives.

The number, however, is already an improvement from the 26 percent consolidation rate recorded in November, LTFRB National Capital Region Director Zona Tamayo Tamayo said there are about 3,259 consolidated UV Express units, accounting for 44.3 percent of the total UV Express units plying various routes in the National Capital Region.

The LTFRB earlier allowed nonconsolidated jeeps to operate until Jan. 31, 2024 on routes where there are only 60 percent or fewer consolidated jeeps.

The unconsolidated jeepneys, however, will still have their provisional authority or franchise revoked after Dec. 31, 2023. Rio N. Araja

High...

From A1

day of arrest, the ATC through the Department of Justice (DOJ) should file before the regional trial court (RTC) a motion for an extension of detention of the suspected terrorist for not more than 10 days. The motion should contain the justification for the continued detention of a suspect.

If the RTC finds no evidence for further detention, the detained suspected terrorist should be released immediately.

The rules on ATA cases were signed by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, and Associate Justices Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa, Ramon Paul L. Hernando, Amy C. Lazaro Javier, Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Rodil V. Zalameda, Mario V. Lopez, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Ricardo R. Rosario, Jhosep Y. Lopez, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jose Midas P. Marquez, Antonio T. Kho Jr., and Maria Filomena D. Singh.

These are the salient features of the Rules on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 and Related Laws adopted by the Supreme Court (SC) through the help of an Ad Hoc Committee for the Formulation of the Special Rules of Procedure on Anti-Terrorism Cases.

The committee was chaired by retired Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno.

Members of the committee were representatives of the SC, CA, RTC, Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJa), Department of Justice (DOJ), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the AntiMoney Laundering Council (AMLC), and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). captivating performances.

“NYE at the 5th,” a collaboration between Globe, Bonifacio Global City, and Taguig’s local government, promised a pulsating K-Pop performance from Red Velvet’s Seulgi, Wendy, and Irene, plus a festive Globe photobooth for capturing joyful moments, exciting arcade games with cool prizes, and exclusive deals from 0917 Lifestyle.

The pinnacle of New Year’s Eve celebrations at Newport World Resorts came with The Grand Countdown to 2024, as Filipino music royalty Sharon Cuneta and Ogie Olcasid starred at the Marriott Grand Ballroom. Nickie Wang

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

FLYING AWAY HOME. Plane

passengers await their homeward flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City in time to spend New Year’s Eve with their loved ones in the provinces. Inset shows bus passengers waiting inside the PITX terminal in Paranaque City. Avito Dalan

Power subsidy for indigents starts today

By Alana May S. Flores

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HE government is poised to fully implement beginning Jan. 1st its power subsidy program for marginalized households despite a huge shortfall in the registration of target beneficiaries.

The Lifeline Rate Program will be jointly implemented by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Department of Energy (DOE), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Total registered qualified marginalized end-users as of Dec. 15, 2023

reached only 191,399. The government estimated the number of beneficiaries based on the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) list at around 4.2 million.

“Only 4Ps and non-4Ps electricity consumers who consume not more than 100 (kilowatt per hour (kWh) a month

and have registered with their respective distribution utilities (DUs) shall be entitled to avail of the subsidy provided under the Lifeline Rate Program,” the three agencies said in a joint advisory.

“The national agencies, however, reminded all DUs to continue accepting and processing applications within the timeline prescribed under Rule 8, Section 2 of the Lifeline IRR,” the advisory stated.

Under Republic Act No. 11552, also known as an Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate which amends the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), lifeline or subsidized rates are given to

low-income customers using electricity below 100 kilowatt hours per month who are having difficulty paying their month bills.

The ERC said distribution utilities (DUs) are also directed to continue with their promotion initiatives to disseminate information and enlighten the public on the benefits of the Lifeline Rate Program.

The DOE, the DSWD and the ERC deferred the full implementation of the program in July to allow for more aggressive registration efforts after observing significantly low turnout among both 4Ps and non-4Ps applicants for the subsidy.

Solon hits Sara for failing to meet classroom target ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro on Sunday scored the Department of Education (DepEd) for boasting about the construction of 2,201 classrooms although records at the agency showed a shortage of at least 165,000 classrooms nationwide.

“Ang DepEd mismo ang nagtarget na mga 5,000-6,000 ang mga silid-aralan na maipapagawa nitong 2023. Disyembre 31 na pero 2,201 lang ang nagawa, ni wala sa kalahati ng sarili nilang target tapos may gana pang ipagmalaki na magandang accomplishment daw ito, napakababa naman ng standard ng Kalihim ng DepEd at napakalayo sa bilis nyang gastusin ng P125 milyon ng illegal confidential fund sa loob lamang ng 11 araw noong 2022 (DepEd itself set the target of 5,0006,000 classrooms to be construction in 2023. It is already Dec. 31 but onty 2,201 were built. It’s not even one-half of their target, yet they brag about it as a good accomplishment. The DepEd secretary has a very low standard in contrast with the speed she spent P124 million in illegal confidential fund in only 11 days in 2022,” Castro noted.

“As it is, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vow to prioritize the construction of new classrooms and DepEd Secretary Vice President Sara Duterte’s recognition of the enormity of shortage in school infrastructure and facilities in her Basic Education Report 2023 appear to be insincere as they failed to demonstrate their firm resolve to cut down the classroom shortage significantly,” the lawmaker added. Rio N. Araja

SCRUMPTIOUS MEDIA NOCHE. Vendors display lechon pork belly at their stalls in Baclaran, Paranaque for buyers looking forward to a feast (media noche) on New Year’s Eve. Avito Dalan

3 provinces assured of water supply

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Sunday gave assurance of sustainable water supply for three El Niño-prone provinces through Project LAWA. For the provinces of Ifugao in Luzon, Antique in the Visayas, and Davao de Oro in Mindanao, coping with the possible effects of the El Nino phenomenon may be one less worry as they start the year 2024.

This, after the three areas, which are the pilot provinces of the Project LAWA or Local Adaptation to Water Access of the DSWD, have completed the construction of their own small farm reservoirs.

The reservoirs would ensure these provinces with sufficient water supply for their continuous production of agriculture, farming and fishery products despite the effects of the looming drought in the country, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said.

Specific beneficiaries of the Project LAWA are the residents of the municipalities of Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista and Hungduan in Ifugao; Sebaste, Barbaza and Sibalom in Antique, and Laak, Monkayo and Compostela in Davao de Oro.

Escudero hails enactment of 7 SUC-related bills SENATOR Francis Escudero says the education sector, including the establishment of more medical schools around the country, will be strengthened with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enactment of seven education-related laws affected certain state universities and colleges (SUCs)., Escudero made the observation following reports that the President has signed into law the seven bills last Dec. 20.

“I thank President Marcos for his expeditious action,” he said.

Among the measures signed into laws were Republic Act (RA) 11970,which creates the Benguet State University College of Medicine; RA 11971 on Southern Luzon State University’s College of Medicine; RA 11972 setting up the University of Eastern Philippines College of Medicine; and RA 11974 providing for the creation of the Visayas State University College of Medicine.

RA 11973 allows Bicol University to have its own College of Veterinary Medicine. Macon Ramos-Araneta

Padilla vows to block bids to amend Charter’s political provisions

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Robinhood Padilla vowed he will not allow anyone to sneak amendments to political provisions of the Constitution if the Charter change (Cha-cha) pushes through.

Should lawmakers take up amendments to economic provisions in the

1987 Constitution, Padilla gave assurance the political provisions would not be touched.

Padilla said he had separately filed proposed measures for economic and political amendments amid talks about the Cha-cha.

“I promise you, I will not allow anyone to sneak political agenda into efforts to

Gatchalian says GAA provides enough funds for Alternative Learning System THE 2024 national budget assures funding for the implementation of Alternative Learning System (ALS) programs and learning resources for students with disabilities, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Under the signed 2024 General Appropriations Act (Republic Act No.11975), at least P632.48 million was allotted for the Flexible Learning Options for the implementation of ALS programs, provision of transportation and teaching aid allowances to ALS teachers and Department of Education (DepEd)-engaged community ALS implementers, and the provision of ALS learning resources.

The amount was even bigger than Gatchalian’s original proposed amount of P562 million.

For the DepEd’s fund for Basic Education Facilities, P56 million was earmarked for the construction of ALS community learning centers (CLC).

The Alternative Learning System Act (Republic Act No.11510), which Gatchalian authored and sponsored, mandates the DepEd and local government units (LGUs) to provide at least one CLC in every city and municipality to facilitate the implementation of the ALS K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum and other ALS programs. The law institutionalized the ALS to provide a second chance to education for out-of-school children in special cases and adult learners, including indigenous peoples. Macon Ramos-Araneta

lift the economic restrictions,” he said.

Padilla said he wished for more “meaningful discussions of the Cha-cha for the New Year even as he vowed to block attempts to introduce “self-serving” interests in amending the Charter.

Padilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, noted that Presi-

dent Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself indicated the need to revisit the economic provisions of the Charter.

He said the direction the President wanted to take was to revisit the economic restrictions in the Constitution.

“I hope that when we lawmakers return to the plenary in 2024, we can face this issue,” Padilla said.

GOOD LUCK CHARMS.

Round shaped fruits such as oranges are a hit for New Year revelers eyeing 2024 as another year of plenty and progress. Scene was taken at the Zapote Public Market in Bacoor City, Cavite.

Avito Dalan

A5

OPINION

MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024

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

Citizen Barok

EDITORIAL

Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo

Call for reason, diplomacy in West Philippine Sea RECENTLY, the geopolitical landscape has been punctuated by tensions and disputes, none more glaring than the latest episode in the South China Sea. China’s recent actions in the disputed waters have not only raised eyebrows but have also underscored the need for reason, diplomacy, and responsible behavior on the global stage.

China’s behavior in the South China Sea dispute has been nothing short of concerning.

The recent news report detailing China’s overreaction to a maritime incident is a stark reminder that, despite its global stature, China is not immune to lapses in diplomatic judgment.

The unnecessary escalation of tensions only serves to exacerbate regional instability and poses a threat to the peace that the international community so desperately needs.

One cannot help but question the rationale behind China’s actions.

—“—

The South China Sea should not be a theater for power plays and one-upmanship; it should be a symbol of cooperation, coexistence, and shared prosperity.

The unwarranted aggression displayed in response to a maritime incident reflects a disproportionate use of power and raises doubts about China’s commitment to peaceful conflict resolution.

A nation of China’s standing should exercise restraint, showcase maturity, and pursue dialogue instead of resorting to saber-rattling.

In stark contrast to China’s behavior, the Philippines has exhibited commendable poise and prudence in handling the situation.

The Philippine side, faced with a potentially volatile scenario, has chosen the path of diplomatic engagement and adherence to international law.

Their measured response reflects a commitment to regional stability and a genuine desire to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

The South China Sea, a critical waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually, demands a collaborative approach to ensure that the interests of all nations involved are respected. China, being a major player in the region, must recognize that its actions reverberate far beyond its borders and have repercussions on the global economy.

To preserve peace and security in the region, all parties involved must adhere to a set of principles that prioritize dialogue, cooperation, and respect for international law.

First and foremost, China needs to recalibrate its approach, acknowledging that a responsible global player does not resort to unnecessary provocations.

Open lines of communication and diplomatic channels should be the primary tools used to address disagreements.

Simultaneously, neighboring nations and the international community must work towards a collective effort in fostering stability.

Hopeful Filipinos

Regional bodies and alliances should play a more active role in mediating disputes, creating an environment conducive to dialogue and cooperation.

The United Nations can serve as a platform for diplomatic initiatives, promoting a rulesbased international order that upholds the rights of all nations, big or small.

Additionally, investing in regional security mechanisms can help build trust and mitigate potential conflicts.

Regular dialogue forums, joint military exercises, and confidence-building measures can contribute to the development of a cooperative security framework that prioritizes peace over aggression.

The South China Sea should not be a theater for power plays and one-upmanship; it should be a symbol of cooperation, coexistence, and shared prosperity.

However, achieving this vision requires a collective commitment to responsible behavior and a genuine dedication to resolving disputes through diplomatic means.

In the pursuit of peace, it is essential for all nations involved to uphold the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

This international agreement provides a legal framework for the rights and responsibilities of nations in maritime areas, emphasizing the importance of peaceful resolution and cooperation.

China, as a signatory to UNCLOS, should adhere to its provisions and engage in constructive dialogue to address concerns raised by neighboring nations.

Furthermore, establishing a code of conduct for the South China Sea, negotiated through diplomatic channels, could provide a foundation for managing conflicts and preventing unnecessary escalations. Such a code would outline the rules of engagement, encourage transparency, and promote mutual respect among the nations sharing these vital waters.

It is crucial for nations to invest in peopleto-people diplomacy, fostering cultural exchanges and building understanding among diverse communities.

Initiatives that promote cooperation in education, science, and technology can bridge gaps and contribute to a more harmonious relationship among nations in the South China Sea. As the international community collectively advocates for peaceful resolutions, economic interdependence can serve as a powerful incentive for nations to prioritize stability over conflict.

Trade agreements, infrastructure projects, and joint economic initiatives can create mutually beneficial ties that discourage aggressive actions and promote shared prosperity.

Developments in the South China Sea underscore the pressing need for all nations involved, particularly China, to reevaluate their approach and prioritize diplomacy over aggression.

The Philippines’ measured response serves as a commendable example of responsible statecraft, highlighting the potential for peaceful resolution even in the face of adversity.

Moving forward, a commitment to international law, diplomatic engagement, and collaborative efforts to enhance regional security will be pivotal in preserving peace in the South China Sea. By embracing these principles, nations can transform the current atmosphere of tension into an era of cooperation, ensuring that the shared waters remain a symbol of unity and prosperity rather than a source of division and discord.

Grinding Grains

F YOU’RE filled with hope as we enter a new year, you’re not alone.

I

greet the new year with hope was highest among respondents in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon at 97 percent (from 93 percent and 97 percent, respectively), followed by those in Mindanao at 96 percent You’re one of the 96 percent of Filipinos (from 93 percent) and the Visayas at 93 – if we now have a total population of 140 percent (from 95 percent). million, that would mean more than 134.4 million of us – who have welcomed 2024 with optimism.

That’s the finding of the recent survey It is the task of

by Social Weather Stations. The 96 pergovernment to cent figure is a record-high, the SWS said, as it is one point higher than last year’s 95 establish the percent. conditions for Filipinos Since the polling firm started asking the question in 2000, it said, the record-high to look forward to 96 percent was only obtained twice before, every new year – and in 2017 and 2019. The record-low was in December 2004, when only 81 percent the future – with hope said they would welcome the coming year with hope.

Since 2010, the percentage of Filipinos welcoming the new year with hope has stayed above 90 percent, with the lowest in November 2020 at 91 percent due to the What’s likely to give Filipinos hope COVID-19 pandemic. when a new year arrives?

The latest survey, from Dec. 8 to 11, On a personal level, it could mean landalso found that only three percent would ing a lucrative job, or getting a salary raise, enter 2024 with fear, the lowest since SWS perhaps a reward or commendation for a started conducting surveys in 2000. job well done in the past year.

Across areas, those who said they would At the economic/political/social levels,

it could be sustained economic growth that assures people of prosperous lives, prevalence of law and order that allows people to go about their daily lives without fear of falling victim to crime, social conditions that facilitate interaction and deepened friendship with other people.

And what would make Filipinos lose hope with the onset of a new year?

Again, on a personal level, it could be the loss of one’s job or livelihood, the loss of a loved one, serious illness in the family.

At the economic/political/social levels, it could be poverty and accompanying hunger, inability to cope with high prices of goods and services for daily living, rampant criminality, unstable political situation, social inequality.

It is the task of government to establish the conditions for Filipinos to look forward to every new year – and the future – with hope.

We don’t have to look far and wide to see just how that may be done.

It’s in our fundamental law: The State shall “promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

—“—

Open Thoughts Orlando Oxales

THE end of another year and the beginning of a new one right after the Christmas holidays is always a season of high hopes for Filipinos which has been consistently reflected in Pulse Asia’s yearend surveys on how people will be facing the coming year.

“Practically every Filipino adult (92 percent) will be facing 2024 with hope” is the recently announced findings of Pulse Asia’s December 2023 poll which matches the results from the same period in 2022. This optimism dominates across all socio-economic groupings nationwide.

As an advocate for consumer relevant issues, I’ll be sharing my little list of reflections, hopes, and wishes for economic security in 2024.

First on my hope list is for the government to act quickly and effectively address the high inflation rate predicted by experts to further raise consumer prices, as more inflationary pressures are expected. Government data recorded an average of 6.2 percent inflation rate from January to November which is a big miss from the target of two percent to four percent.

The daily hit on consumers is the cost of food, transportation, and energy which is linked to the next items in this list.

Achieving food security is high on my hope list because this is a gut issue that is one of the major risks confronting this administration.

They’re boosting the budget for agriculture and focusing on investments that lower production costs, improve value chains, and promote agricultural consolidation and modernization.

However, the success of these measures will depend on various factors, including the global economic situation, climate conditions, and the effective implementation of these plans.

Efficient, safe, and affordable transportation is vital to our lifestyle and work.

Despite no quick fixes to this escalating issue, hopefully, there will be significant

Hopeful reflections on economic security for 2024

progress in our roads, airports, seaports, railways, and public transport modernization.

The shift from outdated, inefficient, and polluting modes will cause disruptions and face resistance, challenging the government’s resolve.

However, the reality is clear: commuters, tired of congestion and unsafe conditions, deserve better.

It’s time to leave the obsolete and move on to the upscale transportation infrastructure to meet global standards.

Electricity is a substantial chunk of the monthly expenses of all households and enterprises of all sizes, both private and government-owned.

Hence, meeting the surging demand for power and energy or energy security is another economic pillar that government will hopefully be able to expeditiously resolve to attract investors to build the country’s baseload capacity at a pace and level that will avoid another energy crisis.

This is requisite to our competitiveness as

a location for long-term investments that will revitalize the manufacturing sector and give us a fair shot and the trending exodus of factories out of China.

Systemic digital transformation has become the administration’s mantra envisioned to harness digital technologies and policy reforms that would instill efficiency, transparency, responsiveness, and accountability – a conversion from bad to good governance in the national and local levels. Cybersecurity is yet another growing risk wherein we need robust defense.

Hopefully, we will see more government and private partnerships to make this happen amidst the regulatory blocks that need to be upgraded to be compatible with a fast innovating and dynamic digital economy.

Understanding how to properly harness artificial intelligence, which has huge potential for productivity, governance, and cybersecurity but not without its risks such as disrupting people’s jobs, is a challenge that government needs to quickly adapt to.

The evolving geopolitical developments in Europe and especially in the Indo-Pacific region wherein the Philippines plays a central role against the main aggressor, China, will continue to be critical risk factors.

President Marcos Jr’s recent pronouncement looking into a “paradigm shift” in addressing China’s latest harassment in the West Philippine Sea because he sees “very little progress” on the “traditional methods of diplomacy” will hopefully see more collaborative actions with allies and partners that will lead to a more stabilized environment in the region.

All these challenges are directly interlinked because the world has become a digitally connected and virtually borderless ecosystem.

Amidst great challenges are great opportunities that with an all-of-society mindset, we can hopefully move forward to a happier 2024.

longer carry dallot as part of the ritual but Bagcal believes it will continue to thrive across generations for as long as people value their cultural identity.

She is also happy that in Banna, she has trained several students of Banna National High School, including her grandson who is now a public school teacher towards the guardianship of cultural heritage.

Ilokandia’s first GAMABA, Gamayo, is known as a master textile weaver known for her String of Flowers and Pinilian patterns.

Others in her stockpile include traditional patterns like binakol (whirlwinds, her specialty), inuritan (geometric patterns), sinan-sabong (flowers), and kusikos (orange-like spiral forms).

Gamayo, who signs her name M.G. Gamayo, learned the Ilocano weaving tradition of making inabel from her aunt at age 16 although she dropped out of grade school when she was 9 to watch the weavers of their barrio.

One of the most famous and intricate patterns she has made is the “inubon a sabong” or the string of flowers that can only be created by employing a difficult weaving technique.

Weaving is the textile art in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads -- called the warp and

weft -- are interlaced with each other at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The warp threads run length-ways on the piece of cloth, while the weft runs horizontally.

A GAMABA awardee enjoys, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines, in accordance with Excutive Order 236 or Honors Code of the Philippines, the same privileges as a National Artist awardee: a gold-plated medal from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a cash award of P100,000, a minimum lifetime stipend of P10,000 monthly, as well as medical and hospitalization benefits of P750,000 a year; a state funeral, and room in Libingan ng Mga Bayani.

The awardee receives a specially designed medallion/plaque, with a duplicate set that should be donated and displayed to a provincial museum or the largest cultural center in the awardee’s community.

The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council, conducts the search for the finest traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and undertakes measures to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill pride among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng Bayan.

—“—

All these challenges are directly interlinked because the world has become a digitally connected and virtually borderless ecosystem

Honor B. Cabie

—“—

Ilokandia’s second National Living Treasure WE TAKE this space to congratulate the second National Living Treasure awardee of the Ilocos Region – Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan – 77-year-old Adelita Romualdo Bagcal who has, since 15, been doing the “dallot” she had been asked to deliver during special occasions by the Ilokano community.

In December, she was conferred the GAMABA or Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan in recognition of her skill and dedication to preserve and promote dallot, an oral tradition of Ilokano chant that almost always has, delivered extemporaneously, rhythm and rhyme.

Part of the ritual is for the performer to deliver the dallot, spoken off the cuff, metrified, and unrehearsed poem of few minutes in a singsong mode in front of the intended audience.

We heard some culture experts in the region

suggest, and we agree, that this early – or perhaps this late – people should already capture on tape or video Bagcal’s dallot deliveries to perpetuate the spoken tradition.

She did one dallot during the 99th birthday anniversary of Ilokandia’s first GAMABA, Magdalena Galinato-Gamayo, awarded in 2012, of Pinili, Ilocos Norte near her town Banna.

The two are among 25 National Living Treasures since the award was given in 1993, all of them have exemplified the highest standard in their respective field of expertise..

Bagcal, a widow like Gamayo, has been dubbed Ilocos Norte’s dallot queen, and likely Ilokandia’s dallot queen after the national government recognition.

She said dallot comes out naturally every time she chants in public.

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Culture experts in the Ilocos have suggested people should already capture on tape or video Bagcal’s dallot deliveries to perpetuate the spoken tradition

“This is a golden treasure I inherited from my forefathers. I am proud of it,” she said in an interview, adding she would gladly welcome any invitation to perform dallot in the community or even in schools in Banna to help preserve the oral tradition.

Modern-day wedding preparations may no

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

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Honor Blanco Cabie Opinion Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

NEWS

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MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2023

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NEDA highlights P8.7t projects in ’23 T

By Vince Lopez

HE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) reported major accomplishments this year such as pushing for the approval of 197 infrastructure flagship projects amounting to P8.7 trillion, ensuring food security, and carrying out sound economic policies, which contributed to significant socioeconomic development of the country.

In a social media post, NEDA said the and dedication.” year 2023 has been “a year of hard work “The NEDA Board convened 12

times this year – the highest number in recent years – to swiftly approve and endorse critical infrastructure projects, plans, and measures.

NEDA also advocated for critical policies aimed at transforming our society into one that is prosperous, inclusive, and resilient,” NEDA said, adding that its 2023 initiatives have laid the groundwork for deep economic and social transformation in the years to come.

“While there is more work ahead

Taguig workers no longer need mayor’s permit TAGU IG Mayor Lani Cayetano has approved an ordinance exempting employees from securing a Mayor’s Permit/Clearance.

This means private employers in Taguig will no longer require job applicants to secure the permit.

Per Ordinance No. 109 passed on Dec. 18 by Taguig’s Sangguniang Panlungsod, employees, including the self-employed, those seeking employment, or practicing a profession, are already exempted from submitting the said per mit.

This ordinance modifies a provision in the Taguig Tax Revenue Code by adding exempted individuals to ease the burden on them as they work.

The ordinance saves job seekers not only time but also additional expenses, the local gover nment said. Joel Zurbano

for NEDA to achieve our development goals, we assure you that our active dedication to improving the lives of every Filipino will remain steadfast in the coming years,” it added.

Among its initiatives include the government’s continued implementation of timely strategies to manage food commodity prices, protect the purchasing power of Filipino families, and supporting the most vulnerable sector through targeted subsidies.

ILLEGAL FIREWORKS.

Laguna Provincial Director PCol. Harold Depositar (left); PLTCOL Arnel Pagulayan, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations (center); and PLTCOL Errol Perez, Chief, Provincial Operations Management Unit (POMU) (right) led the destruction of more than P170,000 worth of illegal assorted firecrackers confiscated all over Laguna.

Roy Tomandao

DILG: Fight vs. drugs, insurgency will continue

By Vince Lopez THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said it will remain relentless in combating illegal drugs, insurgency, and various forms of criminality.

In its year-end report, the DILG highlighted its multi-sectoral engagements in promoting and ensuring the safety of communities.

“To meet the ever-evolving challenges faced by our nation and to fortify our mettle and grit as we contribute to nation-building, we initiated various efforts to fully realize the government’s long-term vision of a “Matatag, Maginhawa, at Panatag na Buhay for every Filipino,” its report stated.

“Similarly, we continued to align our actions to achieve the President’s eight-point socioeconomic agenda as embedded in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and amplified in the Administration’s ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ brand of governance,” the department said.

One of the key programs of the agency is the ‘Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Iwasan (BIDA) Program’, which stresses the government and private sector’s shared responsibility in eradicating illegal drugs.

Devotees start Black Nazarene festivities with ‘Walk of Thanksgiving’ DEVOTEES of the Black Nazarene participated in the “Walk of Thanksgiving” which signals the start of the Nazareno 2024 activities of the Quiapo Church in Manila.

Parish officials, members of the Hijos del Nazareno, and police personnel joined the devotees in the procession-

-which took more than two hours--was live-streamed on the church’s Facebook page, GMA News reported.

The procession, which featured the image of the Black Nazarene, started at 11:30 p.m. from Quiapo Church, also called the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno.

The image on board a carroza was taken on the streets around the church.

Quiapo Church earlier released the rest of the activities for Nazareno 2024, which will culminate in the Traslacion on January 9: The schedules include January 1 and 2: Barangay visitation in Quiapo community; January 3 and 4: Blessing and

procession of replicas of the image of the Black Nazarene; January 5, First Friday: Masses to be held at Quiapo Church starting at 4 a.m., with the last Mass scheduled at 8 p.m; and January 8, Monday: Masses to be held starting at 3 a.m; January 9, Tuesday: Masses will start at 12 a.m.

WORLD

Israelis, Palestinians end dark year with war US destroyer ISRAELIS and Palestinians end a dark year on Sunday, with no end in sight to the deadliest military offensive on Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ bloodiest attack on Israel.

There has been no respite from Israel’s air raids, artillery fire or ground fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, to the despair of Palestinians surviving the onslaught.

“We were hoping that 2024 would arrive under better auspices and that

we would be able to celebrate the new year at home with our families,” said Mahmoud Abou Shahma in a camp for displaced people in Rafah, on the Egyptian border.

“We hope that the war will end and that we will be able to return to our homes and live in peace”, said the 33-year-old from Khan Yunis, an epicentre of the conf lict in the south of Gaza.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry

says the Israeli military campaign has killed at least 21,672 people, mostly women and children -- by far the heaviest death toll of any Israeli operation.

On Sunday the ministry reported numerous deaths in overnight strikes on central Gaza’s Zawayda and the nearby Al-Mughazi refugee camp.

The fighting began with Hamas’s October 7 attacks, which left about 1,140 people dead in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on of-

Russia retaliates against Ukraine for ‘terrorist’ hit KYIV—Russia launched fresh strikes against Ukraine at dawn on Sunday, a day after vowing to retaliate for what it called a “terrorist attack” on the city of Belgorod.

Several Iranian-made “Shahed” drones targeted Ukraine’s northeastern city of Kharkiv overnight, according to local authorities, as the two sides have taken turns accusing each other of pummeling civilian areas of their shared frontier over the weekend.

“As a result of the night attack of Russian drones on Kharkiv, buildings in the city center were damaged.

These are not military facilities, but cafes, residential buildings and offices,” the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, wrote on Telegram, without mentioning casualties.

“On the eve of the New Year, Russians want to intimidate our city, but we are not scared.”

The strike follows the deadliest attack on civilians in Russia since the start of the conflict in February 2022.

At least 22 people were killed and dozens more wounded on Saturday in Belgorod, a Russian city just 30 kilometers from the border that has been repeatedly struck by what Moscow says is indiscriminate shelling. AFP

ficial figures.

Militants also took about 250 people hostage, and Israel says 129 of them remain in captivity.

The Israeli army says 170 soldiers have been killed in combat inside Gaza.

An Israeli siege imposed after October 7, following years of crippling blockade, has led to dire shortages of food, safe water, fuel and medicine in Gaza, with aid convoys able to offer only sporadic relief. AFP

TURNED UPSIDEDOWN.

Passengers wait for news of Eurostar departures at St Pancras station in London during the weekend as services are disrupted due to flooding, causing misery for people traveling for New Year celebrations in the second major disruption in 10 days. AFP

shoots down missiles fired from Yemen WASHINGTON, DC—An American destroyer shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen during the weekend as it responded to a call for help from a container ship that was hit in a separate strike, the US military said.

The missiles were launched from territory controlled by the Iranbacked Huthi rebels, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a social media post, describing it as the “23rd illegal attack by the Huthis on international shipping” since November 19.

The Huthis have repeatedly targeted vessels in the vital Red Sea shipping lane with strikes they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling militant group Hamas.

CENTCOM said the USS Gravely and USS Laboon -- both destroyers -responded to a request for assistance from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported being struck by a missile while transiting the Red Sea. While responding, the Gravely shot down the missiles, which were fired “toward the ships,” it said. AFP

North Korea’s Kim orders military to prepare for possible ‘war’ SEOUL—North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wrapped the year with fresh threats of a nuclear attack on Seoul and orders for a military arsenal build-up to prepare for a war that can “break out at any time” on the peninsula, state media reported Sunday.

Kim lambasted the United States during a lengthy speech at the end of five days of year-end party meetings that

set his country’s military, political, and economic policy decisions for 2024.

The meeting announced plans for further military development in the coming year, including launching three more spy satellites, building unmanned drones and developing electronic warfare capabilities, as well as strengthening nuclear and missile forces, accord-

ing to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Pyongyang this year successfully launched a reconnaissance satellite, enshrined its status as a nuclear power in its constitution, and test-fired the most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its arsenal.

At the meeting that ended Saturday,

Kim accused the United States of posing “various types of military threat” and ordered his armed forces to maintain “overwhelming war response capability”, according to KCNA. It is a “fait accompli that a war can break out at any time on the Korean peninsula due to reckless moves by the enemies to invade us”, Kim said. AFP

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BUSINESS

MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024

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Gov’t secures billions of dollars to fund infra projects nationwide CEB completes

By Darwin G. Amojelar

T

HE Department of Finance (DOF) said over the weekend it secured multibillion-dollar concessional financing for big-ticket infrastructure projects under the government’s “Build Better More” program and grants for various development projects to support the country’s rapid economic growth.

It said that since the Marcos administration took office in 2022, the DOF through its international finance group secured concessional financing for 16 project loans amounting to $6.47 billion to support the continuous implementation of key infrastructure projects and other priority

initiatives of the government.

“We are grateful for the full support of our multilateral and bilateral partners, alongside the confidence placed in us by global investors. The magnitude of support we are receiving from the international community is a testament to the steadfast leadership, effec-

tive and independent foreign policy, and comprehensive socioeconomic agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.,” Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

These include 10 loans amounting to $5.18 billion to support the highimpact infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) under the BBM program such as the Bataan-Cavite Interlink Bridge Project supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with pipelined co-financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

The project is poised to become one of the world’s longest marine bridges.

It said it also raised financing for the North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project, Davao Public Transport

Modernization Project and the Three Priority Bridges Crossing PasigMarikina River and Manggahan Floodway Bridges Construction Project from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the ADB and ExportImport Bank of China, respectively.

The government also secured about $7.04 billion in budget support financing through official development assistance (ODA) sources over the same period.

The DOF said that along with $6 billion in global bonds issued in coordination with the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) and other budget support financing sources, loan proceeds help bridge the programmed fiscal deficit consistent with the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF).

PLDT testing fastest fiber technology PLDT Inc. said over the weekend it successfully tested 50G Passive Optical Networks (50GPON), the latest and fastest fiber technology in the country.

“After successfully testing XGS PON in 2021, PLDT is taking it further by testing the latest and fastest technology in Passive Optical Networks called 50GPON, which will allow five times faster speeds than XGSPON and 20 times faster speeds than GPON, which is the most widely used technology by fiber providers in the Philippines,” said PLDT and Smart Communications vice president and head of network strategy and transformation office Arvin Siena.

PON technology is used by PLDT for its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service nationwide.

PLDT said 50GPON would enable the group to provide 50 gigabits per second (Gbps) speeds for every equipment port or several times faster than the speeds of current technologies GPON (2.5 Gbps) and XGS PON (10 Gbps) are able to deliver.

“This latest milestone is a testament to the Group’s commitment to always be ahead in harnessing the best technologies and innovations to deliver enhanced services and elevated customer experience to the Filipino public,” PLDT and Smart head of network Eric Santiago said.

“While we have been offering boosted speeds to our customers even before the pandemic, this new technology further ensures that we can provide the best and fastest service to homes nationwide,” he said.

PLDT Group said that as of end-September 2023, it expanded its total fiber footprint to over 1.1 million cable kilometers, consisting of over 0.2 million cable kilometers of international fiber and about 0.9 million cable kilometers of domestic fiber. Darwin G. Amojelar

ANTI-CYBERCRIME TRAINING. Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), in collaboration with the Department of Justice - Office of Cybercrime, embarks on a transformative journey through the conduct of two cybercrime investigation trainings for prosecutors. Attending the event on Dec. 5 to 6 at the Development Academy of the Philippines in Tagaytay City are Prosecutor representatives from Region IV-A and the secretariat team with (front row) BPI assistant vice president Christine Lovely Red-Allego (second from left), BPI vice president Elena Torrijos (fourth from left), DOJ-OOC officer-in-charge director Angela De Gracia-Cruz (fifth from left); and BPI legal dispute resolution head Victorino Lazaro, Jr. (third row, fifth from right).

Housing prices sustained double-digit increase in third quarter Housing prices sustained the doubledigit growth in the third quarter of 2023 despite the lower demand for real estate loans, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Results of a BSP survey showed that prices of various types of new housing units in the Philippines rose 12.8 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, slower than 14.9-percent rise in the second quarter.

Residential property prices in the National Capital Region (NCR) and areas outside the NCR (AONCR) went up by

12.3 percent and 14.3 percent, respectively. Prices of single-detached/attached houses, condominium units and townhouses posted annual increases.

The BSP said that on a quarter-on-quarter basis, residential property prices grew 11.5 percent and 0.1 percent in the NCR and AONCR, respectively.

It said that by housing type, prices of duplex housing units registered the highest growth rate in the third quarter at 57.7 percent, followed by single-detached/attached houses at 16.8 percent, townhouses at 9.3 percent, and condo-

minium units at 8.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the number of residential real estate loans (RRELs) granted for all types of new housing units in the Philippines fell 1.8 percent year-onyear, as those from the NCR contracted by 11.9 percent, outweighing the 5.1-percent growth in AONCR. Nationwide housing loan availments grew by 18 percent quarter-on-quarter, following the 31.9-percent and 11.3-percent increase in the number of RRELs in the NCR and AONCR, respectively. Darwin G. Amojelar

Maharlika Consortium lone qualified bidder as micro-grid service provider

By Alena Mae S. Flores

EASTERN ANNIVERSARY. Eastern Communications co-coordinators Aileen Regio and Vince Tempongko give their celebratory message at Eastern’s ‘Timeless Connections’ 145th anniversary celebration. Eastern has been a telco partner of businesses, organizations and families since it was founded in 1878. It was the pioneering connectivity service provider in the country and was commissioned by the Spanish government to provide the country’s first telegraphic services.

THE Department of Energy (DOE) announced over the weekend that Maharlika Consortium, a group of three companies, submitted complete bid proposals during the first micro grid service provider-competitive selection process (MGSP-CSP).

The consortium, consisting of Clean Power Holdings Inc., Singapore-based CleanGrid Partners and Singapore-based renewable energy company WEnergy Global, is the only qualified bidder during the Dec. 27 MGSP-CSP. It involves selecting the MGSP that will provide energy to an initial 98 unserved and underserved areas nationwide.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11646, or the

Microgrid Systems Act of 2022, mandates the conduct of a CSP before an MGSP can serve off-grid areas.

“While we received proposals from only one pre-qualified bidder and acknowledge that we may not encompass all 98 declared unserved and underserved areas, we deem our pilot implementation of the MGSP-CSP a success,” Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara said in a statement.

“This is a crucial step forward, as it ensures that communities will soon benefit from deploying microgrid systems. Learning from this pilot CSP experience, we are committed to implementing enhancements for the next round of MGSP-CSP scheduled in 2024,” Guevara said.

deliveries of 19 aircraft, engines

CEBU Pacific said Sunday it completed 19 aircraft and engine deliveries in 2023, fulfilling its goal to improve its operations and address the growing demand for air travel.

The airline unit of the Gokongwei Group said of the latest aircraft deliveries for November and December, two are Airbus A330neo, while the rest are A321neo, A320neo and A320ceo. The brand-new aircraft increased CEB’s commercial fleet size to 77.

“Cebu Pacific achieved a historic milestone with a record number of aircraft deliveries this year.

These additions to our fleet not only bolster our capacity to fly more passengers but also underscore our commitment to ensure every Juan gets to fly to their destinations,” said CEB chief strategy officer Alex Reyes.

CEB also signed on Dec. 5 a damp lease agreement with Bulgaria Air for two Airbus 320ceo aircraft that will service two domestic routes—Cebu and Davao— in line with continued post-pandemic air travel recovery.

CEB operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with its diversified fleet mix enabling the widest network coverage in the Philippine composed of eight Airbus 330s, 35 Airbus 320s, 20 Airbus 321 and 14 ATR turboprop aircraft.

PH stock market expected to move sideways this week

By Jenniffer B. Austria LOCAL stocks expected to move sideways in the first trading week of 2024 as investors await the release of latest inflation rate.

Philstocks Financial Inc. research head Japhet Tantiangco said investors might start 2024 on a cautious note in the absence of catalysts for the local bourse.

“Investors are expected to watch out for upcoming economic data for clues, primarily our inflation rate for month of December,” Tantiangco said.

He said an inflation print lower than November’s 4.1 percent and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range of 3.6 percent to 4.4 percent could spur positive sentiment in the market.

An inflation rate higher than 4.1 percent could weigh on the local bourse, he said.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp chief economist Michael Ricafort said the bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index could retest the 6,700 and 7,000 levels for 2024 amid improving global economic conditions.

“The worst may have already been seen in the US/global/local financial markets in October 2023 with the topping out of US Treasury yields in the latter part of the October 2023,” Ricafort said.

He said the financial markets could improve after the better-than-expected third-quarter economic growth and November inflation rate.

The PSEi closed at 6,450.04 points on Dec. 29, down 0.78 percent from the previous week. The index also lost 1.8 percent in 2023.

Bistro Group ends 2023 with 23 restaurant concepts, over 180 stores THE Bistro Group said Sunday it ended the year with 23 concepts and more than 180 stores nationwide.

It said in a statement that by keeping pace with the changing demands of the local market and enhancing customer experience, it increased its food and beverage footprint, opening multiple stores in major malls and free-standing venues in Metro Manila, Clark in Pampanga and Bacolod City.

“A people first environment is what we try to achieve. Customers come and go but our management and staff are in restaurants everyday,” said Jean Paul Manuud, president of The Bistro Group.

“Delivering top-notch food and service

Fogo de Chao specializes in Brazilian barbecue.

drives customer satisfaction. This, plus value for money and variety of cuisines are integral parts of the equation. Guests are more discern-

ing nowadays because of the myriad choices at their fingertips. The key is to be the top choice when they make decisions as where to dine-in and what food to choose,” he said.

The group also announced the entry of new local and international brands in 2024. Opening in the first quarter is the Morton’s Steakhouse. Founded in Chicago in 1978, it has over 60 locations in the US and around the world.

Also launching in the first quarter is Fogo de Chão, an internationally-renowned restaurant founded in Southern Brazil in 1979. It elevates the centuries-old cooking technique of churrasco—the art of roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame—into a cultural dining experience of discovery.

BIOFERTILIZER FACILITY. Board of Investments (BOD) director Raquel Echague (second from right) of the Resource-Based Industries Service (RBIS) leads a visit to the site of AgriSpecialist Inc. (ASI) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna on Dec. 20, 2023. With Echague are (from left) Catherine Amante, University of the Philippines Los Banos technical staff, Mary-Anne Jiao, executive vice president of AgriSpecialist Inc.; director Emil John Cabrera of UBLB; Mario Labadan Jr., president of ASI; Francis Penafor of RBIS-BOI; and Marikon Bravante of RBIS-BOI.

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extrastory2000@gmail.com RAY S. EÑANO, Editor

& SUSTAINABILIT Y $46-b fund eyed to deal with hunger, climate woes

Women from the Brazilian delegation at COP28, United Arab Emirates. https://news.un.org/

Fair renewable energy revolution needed to save planet—activists

T

HE key to ensuring that communities— especially the most vulnerable—can leave fossil-fuel based economies behind, is to create space for a just transition to a green economy, clean energy advocates and representatives of indigenous groups said.

At the rrecent two-week UN climate conference in Dubai’s Expo City, attendees stressed that the move towards clean energy sources must involve careful consideration of the concerns of people and communities who will be most affected by this transition.

As most of government ministers

and world leaders have wrapped up the events, a sense of urgency emerged around the iconic domed venue as COP28 climate negotiators ramped up the intense climate diplomacy necessary for a successful sprint to the finish line.

The negotiations were mainly focused on three key issues: phasing

out or reducing the use of fossil fuels, building resilience to climate impacts and financial support for vulnerable countries coping with a climate catastrophe they played little to no role in causing.

Large scale protests, often seen as a key feature of annual UN climate talks. have largely been missing in Dubai, the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, but following the relative quiet of conference’s early days, demonstrators slowly but surely began to make their voices heard.

A small group of demonstrators in the UN-managed Blue Zone area enthusiastically chanted slogans over

the presence of oil and gas fossil companies and the participation of lobbyists, whom, they argued, have been given an undue platform in climate negotiations.

The protestors’ call, albeit subdued compared to other COPs, has echoed with phrases such as “1.5-degree goal,” “NDCs,” “Net-Zero” and “just transition.”

Broadly speaking, ‘just transition’ means that after decades of economic growth fueled by oil and gas, as the global economy now embarks on decarbonization, it needs to do so in a way that ensures workers and communities that are reliant on fossil fuels are not left behind. UN News

THE United Nations appealed for funding of $46.4 billion for 2024 to help 181 million people facing catastrophic hunger, mass displacement and diseases worldwide, as conflicts, climate emergencies and collapsing economies continue to wreak havoc on communities worldwide, Launching the Global Humanitarian Overview, Martin Griffiths, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, recently praised the heroic efforts of humanitarians but stressed that international support is falling far short of the escalating needs.

Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths

“We thank all donors for their contributions, which amount to $20 billion so far this year (2023)―but that is just a third of what was needed,” he said.

“If we cannot provide more help in 2024, people will pay for it with their lives,” he warned.

Outlining the objectives that UN humanitarians have set for the coming year, Griffiths while 300 million people across the world would need assistance, the response would target 181 million of those most in need across 72 countries.

The figure is a significant reduction compared with $57 billion for 2023, reflecting a greater focus on the most urgent needs. UN News

Fresh fruit in warm Loyzaga, Pascual, other PH gov’t officials open national pavilion in COP28 site countries celebrate the holiday season IT IS the time of the year again when families and friends get together and celebrate the holiday season. A time to give thanks and share with one another. A time for traditional festivities and joyful celebrations. As we approach the end of the year, we look forward to the new year ahead as well, with all our best hopes and aspirations.

Workers cover baskets of fresh fruits with plastic wraps at a grocery in Bangkok. AFP

Countries and cultures have different ways of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new year with a bang! People around the world light fireworks and make loud noises at the stroke of midnight, hoping it drives away evil spirits.

We open our doors and wear polka dots to attract good fortune but most importantly we want to be with loved ones during the first minutes of the new year and hope to be happy throughout the rest of the year.

Days before the New Year celebration, excitement builds up in many homes in the Philippines and people flock the markets to look for fruits to complete the round fruit basket. No bananas this time! Only round fruit! Some not-so-round fruit might also make it into the basket.

Welcoming the new year with a basket full of round fruit has been a Filipino tradition for centuries. Round fruit symbolize money and are believed to bring prosperity into the home—one fruit for each month of the year—so, better prepare 12 or more round fruit of different types.

During festive celebrations, the short duration of seasonal demand for round fruit creates temporary oversupply, often resulting in high levels of food waste in retail markets due to their inability to manage surplus fruit. FAO News

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--The Philippines marked a milestone with the launching of its inaugural national pavilion here during the 2023 United Nations 28th Conference of Parties (COP28).

With the theme “Together Today for Tomorrow,” the Philippine Pavilion showcases the country’s scalable and concerted efforts in confronting the challenges and impacts of climate change.

“The pavilion manifests the Philippines’ commitment to climate action and to resilience. It was designed to convey our country’s contributions to local, national, and global climate challenges and is underpinned by three pillars that are embodied in our Philippine Development Plan of 2023 to 2028,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, head of the Philippine Delegation to COP28.

Loyzaga led the opening of the Philippine Pavilion, along with Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Joining them are Department of Migrant Workers officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac, Climate Change Commission Vice Chairperson and Executive Director Robert Borje,

The Philippine delegation officially opens the first-ever Philippine Pavilion during the 2023 United Nations 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) at the Dubai Expo City in United Arab Emirates. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary and head of the Philippine delegation Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga (fifth from left) and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo (third from left) lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony. They are joined by (from left) Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Alqataam Alzaabi, Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ferdinand A.Ver, and Rep. Mark Cojuangco. DENR photo

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Ferdinand Ver and Deputy Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York Ambassador Leila Lora Santos.

“The Philippine Pavilion illustrates how the country combines climate change adaptation and mitigation with resilience and sustainable pathways rooted in equity. What you see is a showcase of the whole-of-country and whole-of-society approach that the Philippines takes in addressing climate change,” said Ver.

The Pavilion’s design represents the narrative of the country’s commitment to sustainability and resilience following the theme of “Ridge to Reef.”

It is inspired by man-made structures coming together with the country’s rich natural resources and represented by traditional textile patterns in shades of blue and green. DENR News

Returning wildlife, flourishing forests in mountains guard against weather change Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) at the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, a German organization that aims at reintroducing the panther and fighting against poaching, near the Issyk Kul lake, in the outskirts of Semenovka village, some 330 kilometers southeast of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. AFP

PART 1 IN THE snowy peaks of Kyrgyzstan’s Tien-Shan mountains, a group of people hike to a remote area, checking and relocating camera traps that monitor wildlife, like the elusive snow leopard—the “ghost of the mountains.”

Formerly hunters and fishers, these locals now work as community rangers, patrolling the Baiboosun Nature Reserve. Established by villagers in collaboration with the local nongovernmental organization, Central Asian Mountain Partnership (CAMP) Alatoo, this microreserve was established to conserve local flora and fauna. Following consultations with local communities, the reserve protects 14 000 hectares of pastures and glaciers, with strict regulations on activities such as hunting and grazing.

Since then, snow leopard and ibex populations are increasing within the reserve. Community members have embraced the new economic opportunities that this offers, from running guest houses to producing

cheese and crafting felt souvenirs. Sustainable tourism and green businesses based on yurt homestays, organic products, nature trails and horse-riding have also emerged.

“If not us, who will have a heartache for these uniquely beautiful places,” asks Baatyrbek Akmatov, Director of the Baiboosun Nature Reserve. “That’s why all local residents supported this idea—to make a valuable gift to future generations.”

The established Baiboosun Nature Reserve in Kyrgyzstan is part of a multi-country flagship to restore ecosystems in mountain regions of Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Rwanda and Uganda.

Coordinated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Mountain Partnership Secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Carpathian Convention, it is a large-scale, long-term ecosystem restoration initiative of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.FAO News (To be continued)

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

Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons celebrates a second half three=point basket while playing the Toronto Raptors at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit won the game 129-127.

AFP

Pistons arrest 28-game losing streak to avoid another record

Yulo’s former Japanese coach Kugiyima: New talent’s coming

By Peter Atencio

M

ORE than two dozen kids showed up when Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya held a series of clinics for young kids last week at the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines Developmental Gym inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila.

Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya

The children, aged 12 and below, did routines which Kugimiya, who was behind Filipino world champion gymnast Carlos “Caloy” Yulo’s success, asked them to do during the day.

Kugimiya is now looking for the next young gymnast to develop, train and possibly send to Japan to compete and prepare for international meets in the future.

Kugimiya’s ward, Yulo, has been under his care since 2016.

Early this year, however, Kugimiya and Yulo went separate ways, but the

Japanese stayed on as the Philippine national team head coach.

“I’m just focused on drills and letting the kids enjoy,” said Kugimiya during an afternoon break, three days before he returned to Tokyo.

Kugimiya’s classes were part of the Japanese Embassy’s Cultural Grassroots Project’s gymnastics course, which was launched last September.

With Yulo no longer under his care, Kugimiya is upbeat that he will find great talent among the kids who showed

during the week.

“New talent is coming. We will just provide them with the environment,” added Kugimiya.

The 38-year-old Kugimiya believes that goal of the project to give both aspiring and already polished gymnasts a means to avail of a world-class facility is now possible, with the Japanese having donated equipment, which were used in the Tokyo Olympics, already available.

Kugimiya and officials of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines said they can do this with a good training program at a very minimal fee.

The Japanese embassy, with Kugimiya’s assistance, has provided millions of pesos worth of Olympic-standard equipment, which have been distributed between the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and at the new facilities at Intramuros, Manila.

The KG Management Team of Jun Esturco is helping Kugimiya achieve the goal of providing a place for promising gymnasts to train.

Cowboys win controversial thriller with Lions MIAMI—The Dallas Cowboys survived a controversial finish to beat the Detroit Lions 20-19 and ensure they end with a 100 percent home record this season.

With Dallas leading 20-13 and 23 seconds remaining in the battle of two teams already assured of the playoffs, Amon-Ra St.Brown caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to bring the Lions within a point of levelling the game.

True to his style, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell opted to go for two and take the lead rather than settle for the extra point.

The move looked to have paid off when Goff found lineman Taylor Decker in the end zone for the two points but the referee ruled that Decker had been an ineligible receiver.

The Lions protested the decision furiously arguing that Decker had reported as per the rules which state that players not normally

receivers, such as Decker an offensive tackle, need to report as eligible receivers.

Despite being penalised back to the seven yard line for the repeat of the play, Campbell stuck to his guns and although Goff was intercepted, the Cowboys were penalised this time for offside.

That gave the Lions a third chance for the two points with Campbell sticking to his guns but James Mitchell was unable to collect Goff’s pass.

The Cowboys returned Detroit’s onsides kick attempt and were able to run out the clock and secure their eighth win in eight home games this season.

Campbell was fuming at the end of the game.

“70 (Dan Skipper) reported and 68 (Decker) didn’t that was the explanation,” said Campbell who insisted the referees had got it wrong and Decker had reported as eligible.

Decker said he had reported as required. AFP

Saso focuses on long-term success YUKA Saso marked her performance in championship (Women’s PGA) last June. the past season on the LPGA Tour with Despite not securing a victory, the 2021 seven Top 10 finishes in 22 tournaments US Women’s Open champion values with a notable runner-up effort in a major the achievement of staying injury-free Yuka Saso (ninth from left) poses with some of the top Junior PGT campaigners during a recent clinic at The Country Club.

Brandin Cooks of the Dallas Cowboys makes a reception against Kindle Vildor of the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. AFP

throughout the grueling season.

“I think that’s the most important thing,” said Saso, emphasizing the significance of maintaining her physical well-being.

Since scoring a major breakthrough with a sudden death win over Nasa Hataoka a couple of years ago, the ICTSI-backed shotmaker’s primary goal has been to steer clear of injuries while consistently delivering solid performances, including multiple Top 10 finishes and stints in all major tournaments.

While she acknowledged the ups and downs of the season as a normal part of the process, Saso expressed contentment with her overall performance marred by four missed cuts.

“To play in the last tournament of the year and finish in the Top 20 in the money ranking, it’s been a pretty good year,” said Saso, referring to the CME Group

Tour Championship where she tied for 23rd. She also finished at No. 17 in the Race to CME Globe Season.

The 22-year-old ace also earned $1.822 million, ending up at No. 9 in the money rankings topped by world No. 1 Lilia Vu on the strength of her victories in two majors – the Chevron Championship and the AIG Women’s Open.

Looking ahead to the next season, Saso is determined to improve her game and remains committed to her practice routine.

“I just have to keep on practicing.

What I’ve been doing since I was a kid, that won’t change…more practice and hard work. It’s a process – doing the same thing over and over again,” she said.

In a departure from her previous schedule, the Tokyo Olympics veteran will be skipping the first two LPGA events in January, aiming to be better prepared for the challenges ahead.

MIAMI—The Detroit Pistons avoided an unwanted record when they ended their 28-game losing streak with a 129-127 win over the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

The Pistons had equalled the record losing streak of the Philadelphia 76ers with their loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

The 76ers had a 28-game skid spanning the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

Detroit’s dismal run was the longest single season losing streak in NBA history but a first win since October ensured the Pistons avoided another miserable milestone.

Cade Cunningham’s 30 points and 12 assists helped Detroit recapture the winning feeling and although a three pointer from Gary Trent with a second remaining narrowed the deficit it was too late for a Raptors comeback.

Pistons head coach Monty Williams said the scenes in the locker-room after the win had been special.

“Guys were screaming, I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys, I’m happy for everybody in the locker room,” he said.

“I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life and that’s a first for me to have that kind of, it wasn’t relief, it was just like, ‘Thank God, finally’,” added Williams.

Williams, the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year, said he hoped the win would prove to be a turning point for his team.

“Sometimes it just takes a win like that to get things started and I just have so much respect for our team.

“I think people may have thought that they were okay with losing. But they came in every day with a great spirit, and they wanted answers.

They came in wanting to learn and try to get better.

“So I just respect the heck out of our guys. Really happy that we finally got a win because it’s so hard to win in this league,” he said.

The Miami Heat’s four-game winning streak came to an end with a 117109 defeat at the Utah Jazz with star Jimmy Butler suffering another injury setback.

Butler had missed all four of Miami’s recent wins with a calf injury but on his return to action he was unable to complete the game, leaving with a foot injury in the third quarter after making eight points. AFP

IM Quizon closes in on PH chess team spot INTERNATIONAL Master Daniel Quizon continued his march towards claiming a World Chess Olympiad spot after scoring 1.5 points in the fourth and fifth round Friday and seizing the solo lead in the Philippine National Chess Championships at the Marikina Community Convention Center.

Quizon, 19, actually took the lead after a shock 33-move victory over Grandmaster Darwin Laylo in the fourth round early in the day and then drew with FIDE Master Mark Jay Bacojo hours later that kept the former national champion well perched at the helm with 4.5 points.

The results also kept the World Cup veteran closer to snaring of the three spots to the Olympiad set Sept. 10 to 23 next year in Budapest, Hungary and the top purse worth P120,000 in this tournament presented by Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro and Congresswoman Maan Teodoro.

At solo second with four points was IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia, who drew his last two games including a fifthround split with Woman GM Janelle Mae Frayna.

In a four-player logjam at No. 3 with three points apiece were Bacojo, Frayna, 14-year old wunderkind Christian Gian Karlo Arca and battle-tested GM John Paul Gomez.

The 13-round tournament, backed

by NCFP chairman president Prospero Pichay, Jr., POC president Abraham Tolentino, PSC chair Richard Bachmann, the Eugene Torre Chess Foundation, Pan de Amerikana’s Jundio Salvador, will take a New Year’s break and will resume Jan. 3.

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‘Blessed’ Cilic sees bigger picture on comeback trail

Knicks sign Anunoby, send Barrett to Raptors NEW YORK—The New York Knicks have signed British-born guard-forward O.G. Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in a multi-player deal the club announced on Saturday.

Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn also head to the Knicks as part of the deal which sees Immanuel Quickley and R.J. Barrett head in the opposite direction.

Anunoby becomes a free agent in the summer and the Knicks will be hoping they can secure him on a longer-term deal.

“OG’s complete offensive game and ability to defend multiple positions will enhance our team on both ends of the court,” said Knicks president Leon Rose.

“Malachi and Precious are wellrounded players that will complement the hardworking and talented nature of our group. OG, Malachi, and Precious are perfect additions to the type of team and culture we are building in New York,” he said.

The 26-year-old Anunoby has spent his entire seven-year career in the NBA with Toronto, winning the 2019 NBA Championship.

This season he is averaging 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and over 33.2 minutes in 26 games all of which he started.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Anunoby moved to the United States at the age of four and played for Indiana University before he was drafted by the Raptors in 2017.

Shooting guard Barrett’s switch to the Raptors allows him to play for his city of birth after spending his four years in the league with the Knicks.

“RJ is a versatile wing who is, of course, well-known in his hometown, and seeing him in a Raptors uniform will be a special moment for our fans and for all Canadians,” Toronto vice-chairman and president Masai Ujiri said.

The 24-year-old Quickley is averaging a career-high 15.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 24.0 minutes in 30 contests this season. AFP

Spain’s Rafael Nadal attends a training session ahead of the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane. AFP

Nadal leaves door open to playing beyond 2024 B

RISBANE—Rafael Nadal left the door ajar Sunday to continuing after the 2024 season, but conceded there was “a high percentage” that he was on his last trip as a player to Australia.

Speaking ahead of his comeback from a 12-month injury absence at the season-opening Brisbane International, the 37-year-old Spaniard said he did not know for sure what the future held.

“The problem about saying that’s going to be my last season is I can’t predict what’s going on 100 percent in the future,” he said.

“That’s why I say ‘probably’. It’s obvious it’s a high percentage that it’s going to be my last time playing here in Australia.

“But if I am here next year, don’t tell me, ‘You said it was going to be your last season’, because I didn’t say it.

“You never know what’s going on, you know? I can’t predict how I’m going to be in the next six months. I can’t predict if my body will allow me to enjoy tennis as much as I enjoyed the past 20 years.

“It’s not an easy decision, but I know inside myself that it is a high percentage that it’s going to be my last one.”

The 22-time Grand Slam champion said that the last year, with surgery for a hip injury, had been tough and he contemplated quitting at one point during his recovery.

Future ‘unpredictable’ But he said he had never lost his love for the sport, which motivated him to keep going.

“Of course I was asking myself that (about retirement), but at some point I decided to keep going. I had the determination to keep going.”

Nadal, who has been sidelined since injuring his hip at the 2023 Australian Open, begins his singles comeback against a qualifier in the first round in Brisbane.

He will make a low-key return later

Sunday when he plays doubles.

Asked whether he identified with Naomi Osaka, who on Saturday admitted she had fallen out of love with tennis during her break from the tour, Nadal said that was not the case for him.

“She got tired or lost a little bit of motivation for the game,” he said.

“That never happened to me. I had to be away because my body was not able to keep going.”

Nadal said the long absence had allowed his body to heal and he no longer woke up every morning in pain, but he had no expectations heading into the new season and would take it week-by-week.

“Competing is different than practising, but in terms of practising with the guys here, I am quite happy because I feel competitive against the players that I played in practice,” he said.

“Of course I don’t have the expectations that I used to have in the past.

“It’s obvious, no? It’s one year (away). It’s surgery. For me it is a little bit unpredictable how things are going to be.” AFP

Gauff says pressure is off in ‘24 after her NY fairytale AUCKLAND—World number three Coco Gauff said Sunday she felt more relaxed heading into the next month’s Australian Open after achieving her goal of winning a Grand Slam title as a teenager.

The 19-year-old won the US Open in September and said it was a weight off her shoulders as she embarks on her 2024 season at the Auckland Classic beginning Monday, where she is defending champion.

“I felt like I had a clock and I needed to win as a teenager,” said Gauff, who turns 20 in March.

“Just for how I started, with Wimbledon and everything, I felt like I just needed to.

“Not with anyone’s expectations from my team, but fans and people who watch the game,” she told reporters in Auckland.

Gauff burst on to the scene as 15-yearold at Wimbledon in 2019 and was earmaked as a future Grand Slam champion after reaching the fourth round.

Four years later, she came from a set down in New York to beat Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 and become the tournament’s first American teenage champion

since Serena Williams in 1999.

“That feeling I felt on match point was a high and I want to continue to chase that high,” said Gauff.

With a first Slam tucked under her belt, she said it would be a different feeling at the Australian Open starting on January 14, which would otherwise have been the last chance to achieve her teenage dream.

“I’m always going to put pressure on myself. I want to strive for more and I don’t want to only win one,” Gauff said.

Gauff said her 2023 campaign was defined in her mind as much by her shock first-round loss to Sofia Kenin at Wimbledon as her US Open breakthrough.

“After Wimbledon I reached the lowest point of my career, losing that match,” Gauff said.

“Learning from it helped me push forward and I think sometimes you need those setbacks to push you forward.

“Not to wake me up, because I felt like I always was awake, but realise that maybe you should put less pressure on every single match.” AFP

Coco Gauff

HONG KONG—While the tennis world is focused on Rafael Nadal’s comeback in Brisbane this week, another Grand Slam champion, Marin Cilic, is playing his first tournament after an injury-ravaged 2023 during which he thought his career might be over.

When the 2014 US Open champion injured his right knee almost exactly a year ago at the Pune tournament in India, he had no idea it would herald 12 months of pain, surgery, rehab and reflection.

But the big-serving Croatian is back on court in Hong Kong this week, wondering if the long months of treatment and the hard work to come back have all been worth it.

“Who knows?” the 6ft 6in (1.98m) Cilic told AFP at Victoria Park, the venue for this week’s Hong Kong Open.

“It was an interesting year that stopped right at the beginning,” he said, adding that he is blessed without having any big injuries.

“I had a surgery on the meniscus and also there was an issue with the cartilage.”

Cilic began the year on the up, having in 2022 broken back into the world’s top 15 for the first time since 2019, but his inaction has seen him slide to 674th.

He faces a tough assignment in his comeback match when the first round in Hong Kong gets under way on Monday, having drawn Germany’s world number 25 Jan-Lennard Struff.

“Definitely a difficult opponent, especially for the start of the new season for me—and for him,” Cilic smiled.

“We’ve known each other for many years and we are really great friends. So definitely it’s going to be a big challenge, a big task.”

It’s an important barometer for Cilic as he tries to get some miles into his legs ahead of the Australian Open, which begins in two weeks.

Cilic has enjoyed success at the first Grand Slam of the year, coming within a whisker of winning in 2018 when he lost an epic five-set final to Roger Federer.

“I had some chances there,” recalled Cilic, who had beaten the Swiss great in the semi-finals on the way to his lone Grand Slam title in New York four years earlier.

“I had a break point at the beginning of the fifth and, you know, it went away. But I would say that period and the months prior to that were probably the best of my career.”

As he looks ahead to the 2024 season, Cilic is not setting himself any goals.

Soul-searching “For many years on tour I’ve been blessed without having any big injuries,” he said.

“If there is going to be an opportunity for me to come back, then maybe I can be even more hungry or a little bit more motivated.

“If I have the opportunity to play I’ll be really happy. If not, if things go sideways or go wrong, you know, that’s still OK.” Cilic is 35, so did he fear that the injury might bring a sad end to a career that saw him become one of the few players to break the Grand Slam monopoly of Novak Djokovic, Federer and Nadal?

“I had that thought, yeah,” Cilic admitted, especially after his first comeback attempt, at Umag in Croatia in July, lasted just one match as the knee flared up again. AFP

YKQ Foundation inks sponsorship agreement with De La Salle Zobel THE Yvonne S. Kindangen-Quiambao Foundation, Inc. (YKQ Foundation) recently signed a sponsorship agreement with the De La Salle Santiago Zobel School, Inc. (DLSZ) for the rehabilitation of the football field in its Alabang campus.

YKQ Foundation Chairman Anthony Quiambao led the signing ceremony with DLSZ president Br. Bernard Oca FSC, last November 28, 2023 at the main DLSZ school campus located in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

The ceremony was witnessed by key DLSZ officials Rafael Javier Reloza, senior vice president; Ma. Teresa Castañeda, director of administrative services; Joneil Dulay, head of risk, management compliance audit; and Ricky Sabino, head of advancement and linkages; and representatives from YKQ Foundation and STRADCOM, lawyer Josephine Pagdanganan, legal counsel; John Paul Bailon, assistant vice president/advisor

for strategy and head-corporate resource goup; Margarita Ivy Garcia, head of community relations; Dione Guevarra, manager of compliance for investment and commercial affairs; and Lorie Bundoc, corporate spokesperson.

DLSZ’s football field will be named ‘DLSZ – Julius Caesar Kindangen Quiambao Football Field’, with a dedicatory marker to honor his contribution.

The sponsorship agreement for the rehabilitation of the football field amounts to P26.5 million and covers exclusive naming rights and sponsorship of the facility for a period of 20 years. Rehabilitation works include the supply and installation of field turf, drainage rehabilitation, and general maintenance.

Apart from the football field donation, Quiambao also made a personal pledge amounting to P10 million for the rehabilitation of the DLSZ sports pavilion which includes the painting, waterproofing, and upgrading of its sound system.

The football field agreement was witnessed by Alloprene Angelo Adlawan, Trustee of YKQ Foundation and a member of DLSZ HS Batch 1991, while the sports pavilion contract was witnessed by Dave Macias, a member of DLSZ HS Batch 1993.

During the signing ceremony, Br. Oca and the DLSZ delegation expressed their gratitude for the support given by the YKQ Foundation and particularly thanked Quiambao for the generous donation to the DLSZ, which is also celebrating its 45th anniversary.

Yvonne S. Kindangen-Quiambao Foundation, Inc. is a non-stock, nonprofit organization. It supports causes related to children’s welfare and provides assistance in the areas of education, health, disaster, and calamity.

De La Salle Santiago Zobel School is a member of De La Salle Philippines, a new district-wide network of sixteen Lasallian schools in the country.

A GOAL FOR ALL. Shown here are (from left) Alloprene Angelo Adlawan, Dave Macias, Anthony Quiambao (YKQ Foundation chairman), Br. Bernard Oca FSC (DLSZ president), Rafael Javier Reloza, Ma. Teresa Castañeda, and Joneil Dulay during the sponsorship signing ceremony for the DLSZ football field and sports pavilion at the DLSZ in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

B3

SHOWBIZ

MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024

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

Sanggre actress Bianca Umali Barbie Forteza serenading the fans at the Skydome

‘Black Rider’ star Ruru Madrid

S

PARKLE GMA Artist Center hosted its most spectacular Fans Day to wrap up the year, treating Kapuso fans to an early Christmas celebration on Dec. 10. The SM North Edsa Skydome was filled with the presence of Sparkle’s brightest stars, expressing gratitude to their devoted fans and supporters who graced the event with their presence.

Hosted by Sparkle artists Rain Matienzo, Angela Alarcon, Migs Almendras, MJ Ordillano, and Hannah Arguelles, the event was filled with all-out performances and fun on-ground activities.

Alden Richards, whose film Family of Two is part of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), started the event with his kilig performances that brought the house down.

The crowd went all the more charmed as one of GMA’s most promising child actors today, Euwenn Mikael, part of Firefly – GMA’s official entry MMFF – greeted and invited everyone to catch him in cinemas.

Hearts definitely fluttered as Sparkle actor Jak Roberto ignited the stage through his heartfelt performance of “Uhaw.”

Also present during the Fans Day is the newest P-POP boy group Cloud 7, with members Kairo, Egypt, Migz, PJ, Fian, Lukas, and Johann.

Sparkle teens composed of Zyren Dela Cruz, Charlie Fleming, Princess Aliyah, Keisha Serna, Antonio Vinzon, John Clifford, Waynona Collings, Liana Mae,

Metro Manila Film Festival Best Child Performer Euwenn Mikael

Naomi Park, Aya Domingo, Gaea Mischa, Selina Griffin, Marco Masa, Lee Victor, Bryce Eusebio, Ashley Sarmiento, Aidan Veneracion, and James Graham made the Fans Day extra special as they showed off their exciting moves.

Well-loved Sparkle love team Sofia Pablo and Allen Ansay of Team Jolly drew loud cheers from the fans, while Sparkle love teams Shayne Sava and Abdul Rahman, Princess Aliyah and Bryce Eusebio, and Ashley Sarmiento and

Alden Richards treats fans with a solid performance on stage

Sparkle GMA Artist Center holds grandest year-end Fans Day Marco Masa also brought major kilig feels with their song numbers.

Fans definitely felt special and loved as Sparkle artists Kiel Gueco, Vito Gueco, Nikki Van, Patricia Coma, and Kate Ramos officially opened the much-awaited raffle segment.

Meanwhile, the fresh faces of Sparkada – Cheska Fausto, Larkin Castor, Kim Perez, and Anjay Anson – also took the opportunity to express their gratitude to all their supporters.

Adding more excitement to the Fans Day were Sparkle stars Kimson Tan, Raphael Landicho, and Julia Pascual as they drew the second round of raffle winners. It was followed by another round of lucky raffle winners drawn by Black Rider star Jon Lucas.

It was truly a grand Fans Day as talented Sparkle artists John Rex, Vianna Ricafranca, Liana Castillo, Brianna, Kim De Leon, Radson Flores, Gaea Mischa, and Althea Ablan shared the stage with their supporters and gave them a one-ofa-kind experience.

Making the Christmas spirit more alive were the beautiful ladies of Sparkle: Rabiya Mateo, Faith Da Silva, Angel Guardian, Shuvee Etrata, Elle Villanueva,

Ashley Ortega, Liezl Lopez, Lexi Gonzales, and Lianne Valentin who completed the last round of raffle.

Award-winning singer Anthony Rosaldo also touched the hearts of fans with his powerful rendition of Eraserheads’ “Pare Ko.” Fan favorites Kelvin Miranda, Bianca Umali, Ruru Madrid, and Barbie Forteza closed the Sparkle Fans Day with their solo performances serenading everyone in the Skydome.

It was definitely a memorable day as the fans took home different prizes and gifts from their favorite idols. Indeed, Sparkle GMA Artist Center’s Grand Fans Day is the best way to give thanks and start the holiday season.

Team Jolly—Allen Ansay (left) and Sofia Pablo—graces the Kapuso Fans Day

From left: Rain Matienzo, Migs Almendras, Hannah Arguelles, MJ Ordillano, and Angela Alarcon

Rising P-pop boy group Cloud 7

Paula Abdul sues ‘American Idol’ producer over sexual assault G R A M M Y- AWA R D - W I N N I N G artist and US television star Paula Abdul has accused a producer on the singing contest show American Idol of sexual assault, according to a California lawsuit.

Abdul, whose 1988 album Forever Your Girl was the most successful debut in history at the time, accused Nigel Lythgoe, a producer on Idol and a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, of sexually assaulting her twice, the complaint filed Friday showed.

Lythgoe, who is English, has denied the accusations, according to media reports.

In the suit, the 61-year-old singer said she was harassed by Lythgoe and other executives on American Idol, where she was a judge from 2002-2009.

It alleged she was discriminated against in terms of pay, and that “she was the target of constant taunts, bullying, humiliation, and harassment from several executives, agents, employees” of the show.

The most serious accusations are

against Lythgoe, 74.

Early in Idol’s run, the lawsuit stated, Abdul and Lythgoe were on the road for the show’s auditions when he attacked her in a hotel elevator, groping her and “shoving his tongue down her throat.”

The second assault came after Abdul agreed to appear as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance in 2015, and went to dinner at Lythgoe’s house, where he allegedly “attempted to kiss her while proclaiming that the two would make an excellent ‘power couple.’”

“For years, Abdul has remained silent about the sexual assaults and harassment she experienced on account of Lythgoe due to fear of speaking out against one of the most well-known producers of television competition shows who could easily break her career as a television personality and of being ostracized and blackballed by an industry that had a pattern of protecting powerful men and silencing survivors of sexual assault and harassment,” the complaint stated.

Former ‘American Idol’ judge Paula Abdul

Her contracts also barred her from discussing anything “derogatory,” it said.

Lythgoe told NPR that he was “shocked and saddened” by the accusations, which he denied.

The allegations by Abdul, whose other hit songs include “Opposites Attract,” “Straight Up,” “Cold Hearted” and “Rush Rush,” are the latest in a string of high-profile lawsuits filed ahead of Sunday’s expiration of part of California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act. AFP

Beauty queen releases new festive song

By Eton Concepcion THIS holiday season, Mrs. Universe Philippines 2019 Maria Charo Calalo aka Charo Laude, currently national director of Mrs. Universe Philippines, has recorded a new Christmas song, “Sa Paskong Ito.” Laude started singing at a young age and has become one of the most popular names in the digital world among music fans.

Awarded Outstanding Singer & Business Woman at the 12th PMPC Star Awards for Music, Laude has also recorded a Christmas song, “Himala’y Laganap,” released in December 2022, her first digital original Pilipino music single, and also a cover version of the classic OPM “Miss Kita Mrs. Universe Philippines 2019 Maria Charo Calalo

Kung Christmas’ which debuted on YouTube in November 2021.

“Sa Paskong Ito,” composed by Abe Hipolito, is now available on Spotify, Vevo YouTube, and other digital outlets. It is distributed on all social media platforms by Ditto Music Philippines, produced by Alakdan Records and recorded at Viva Amerasian Recording Studios.

B4

LIFE

MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2024

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

The Department of Tourism gathers 13 creators to explore the beauty of the Davao Region

Creator summit unveils the beauty of Davao

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HE picturesque landscapes of the Davao Region provided a breathtaking backdrop for the dynamic fusion of creativity and adventure during the GoPro Creator Summit Asia Pacific (APAC) held from Nov. 20 to 25.

Hosted by the Department of Tourism – Davao Region (under the auspices of Tourism Philippines), the GoPro Creator Summit APAC sought to capture the magic of Davao through the GoPro lenses of 13 dynamic content creators from Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Korea.

All 13 creators were hosted on an exclusive sixday escapade to explore the gorgeous and diverse Davao region while fueling and spreading the Love For Fun and adventure with GoPro’s latest flagship - the Hero12 Black, also dubbed as the “Official Camera of Fun” not just by thrill-seekers, but also those looking to capture life’s extraordinary moments.

Through this experience, GoPro sought to inspire its squad of content creators to capture the most extraordinary audio-visual content in a natural setting, showcasing Davao and the Philippines to the world.

The creators underwent a series of adventurous pursuits in a quest to create exceptional content with the GoPro

Hero12 Black while promoting Davao Region across all GoPro-owned-and-operated marketing channels in the region.

“The GoPro Creator Summit APAC was a journey like no other, transcending the boundaries of adventure and creativity. Our 13 creators, armed with an array of resources which included the Hero12 Black, explored Davao’s diverse natural wonders and cultural gems,” said Rick Loughery, Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at GoPro. “From navigating tropical rainforests and meandering through pristine river systems to discovering hidden caves, cascading waterfalls, and Davao’s vibrant culinary and cultural heritage, the Hero12 Black

Creators release the adventure in them with water activities like surfing

Creators are treated to fun-filled and adventurous activities

was the perfect companion to capture every thrilling moment,” Loughery added.

The executive’s heartfelt appreciation was extended to the Department of Tourism – Davao Region for its unmatched hospitality and for providing the perfect venue for their creators’ fun adventures.

Besides showcasing Davao as a destination, the GoPro Creator Summit APAC also sets the stage for Davao Adventure Challenge, a year-long campaign hosted by the Department of Tourism – Davao Region, which will take place in 2024. It is designed to shine a spotlight on Davao’s diversity of natural attractions while satiating the cravings of thrill-seekers and the wanderlust of nature enthusiasts.

Throughout 2024, participants of the Davao Adventure Challenge will accumulate points as they traverse through designated sites and complete

Mercury Rising Bob Zozobrado

Experience luxury and charm at Mindanao’s newest gem HAPPY New Year, everyone! The best way to start the year is to introduce you to something new and exciting.

The six-month-old Discovery Samal, the first and only Discovery Resort brand in Mindanao, has the biggest resort convention facilities in Davao. Backed by the brand’s awardwinning service quality and solid experience in the industry, the resort offers the most magnificent views of the Davao Gulf, located in a sprawling enclave with carefully designed meeting, dining, and relaxation facilities in the country’s biggest city.

With 153 lavish villas offering plush accommodations, four intimate meeting rooms, and one huge convention center that can accommodate up to 1,200 guests, Mindanao’s new “gem” promises memorable experiences for business and leisure, combining idyllic settings, refined comfort, convenience, and connectivity, and the genuine culture of care the well-loved brand is known for.

Recently, this five-star resort nestled in the Island Garden City of Samal, hosted a dazzling event that marked the beginning of a month-long Yuletide celebration filled with festive cheer, enchanting decorations, and heartwarming moments.

Against the backdrop of the resort’s picturesque landscape, guests gathered for an evening celebration that made the resort look like a village filled with an enchanting tale brought to life in the tropical paradise that Samal Island is.

Guests were treated to soothing music with a live saxophone performance by Alvin Go

while having light cocktails.

The evening get-together opened with the angelic voices of the internationally renowned University of Mindanao Chorale, followed by a world-class performance of the scholars from the En Avant Dance and Arts Centre.

During the event, the resort’s management announced its laudable partnership with Our Lady of Victory Training Center, a home for disabled individuals who continue to benefit from the resort’s donations and training support.

A bird’s eye view of Discovery Samal’

offer to their worldwide clients.

The celebration’s highlight was when guests were treated to a delectable array of culinary delights from the resort’s culinary team headed They

by Executive Chef Daniel Rayos. curated a festive menu featuring seasonal favorites and indulgent treats for a feast of the senses.

It was an evening of heartfelt and magical atmosphere, filling the air with melodic renditions of classic tunes. Everyone had fun during this evening soiree which captured the YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE true essence of a Filipino celebration.

Cigarette is a pinch of tobacco rolled Discovery Hospitality Corporation (DHC) in a piece of paper, with fire is a proudly home-grown Filipino hospitality on one end and a fool on the other end group, managing the Philippines’ best-loved brands. It has emerged as the pioneer in the General Manager Stanley Lau added, Philippine hospitality industry – owning and “Discovery Samal will continue to strive operating a diverse and vibrant collection of to make a positive impact in everyone’s life.” Already, the country’s tour operators are abuzz with activity, checking on the facilities of the resort towards including it in the tour packages they

adventure challenges. Each site is assigned specific points, contributing to the participant’s overall adventure score.

“The GoPro Creator Summit APAC has served as an opportune prelude to a new chapter of adventure with the upcoming Davao Adventure Challenge in 2024. Designed to cater to the innate spirit of adventure within us, this challenge will unfold against the breathtaking backdrop of Davao’s diverse natural wonders,” said Tanya Rabat-Tan, Regional Director of Department of Tourism - Regional Office XI. “We extend a warm invitation to all fun-lovers and thrill-seekers to partake in this exciting journey, to not only experience the beauty of Davao, but also to witness our commitment to conserve and protect a land where rich culture, vibrant festivals, and delectable cuisine stand as testaments to the harmonious coexistence of urban life and pristine landscapes,” Rabat-Tan went on.

“Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the fun-loving team at GoPro for their invaluable partnership and for choosing Davao as the stage for the GoPro Creator Summit APAC. This collaboration has not only showcased the incredible potential of Davao but has also reinforced its status as a must-experience destination for travelers worldwide. We look forward to welcoming participants from around the globe to take part in the Davao Adventure Challenge, where the spirit of adventure converges with the beauty of nature in a truly unforgettable experience,” RabatTan added.

Known for its warm hospitality, diverse landscapes, and vibrant culture, Davao beckons visitors to explore its wonders, from the stunning seascape of Davao Gulf to its bustling markets. As the sun sets over Mount Apo, the highest peak in the Philippines, one cannot help but feel enamored by the beguiling charm of Davao, which offers a host of exhilarating moments, as witnessed through the GoPro APAC Creators Summit and immortalized by the Hero12 Black.

The event not only celebrated adventure and creativity but also showcased the limitless possibilities when a group of talented creators is paired with the ultimate tool for capturing the essence of life’s most thrilling, beautiful, and Fun moments.

For more updates and information about the GoPro Creator Summit APAC, visit GoPro’s Instagram and Facebook (@goproph).

GoPro Hero12 Black captures the fun and excitement of each creator enjoying the activities

Take a quick dip at your swimming pool when you stay in one of the lavish villas

properties in the Philippines’ most celebrated destinations.

Confident in the growing Filipino hospitality industry, the group leverages its brand equity and trust for further growth in hotel management and expansion. Driven by its purpose to care for its stakeholders, DHC strives to deliver authentic experiences that are true to the locale and build hotel brands that inspire the modern traveler, underpinned by genuine Filipino warmth.

More information on the various Discovery properties in the country may be obtained from www.discoveryhotels-resorts.com.

Plunge in the resort’s breathtaking outdoor infinity pool

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com

The summit aims to showcase the wonders of Davao