Manila Standard - 2024 April 9 - Tuesday

Probe China hiring spree

Chinese luring former, active PH military worries gov’t

By Manolo del Rio

SEVERAL government and cybersecurity organizations said they are concerned about reports pointing to the alleged recruitment of former and active Filipino military personnel by suspected Chinese firms masquerading as American and European enterprises.

The groups include the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Department of National Defense (DND), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the Manila-based think-tank International Development and Security Cooperation (IDSC), California-based Palo Alto Networks (PAN), and the National Association of Data Protection Officers of the Philippines (NADPOP). A member of the Philippine Senate also expressed alarm over the issue last Sunday.

AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. told reporters that they are still in the process of validating the reports.

DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said he had ordered the Armed Forces to investigate the allegations.

“We did pick up the activity,” Andolong said. He also stressed that the group offered guidance to the AFP as this is a new issue, thus the need for interagency cooperation.

DICT Undersecretary for Cybersecurity and Upskilling Jeffrey Ian Dy revealed that these firms have been handing out part-time jobs as analysts online to target Filipino recruits.

“There is a facility on the internet called

By Alena Mae S. Flores

LOCAL oil firms hiked pump prices by as much as P1.55 per liter effective 6 a.m. Tuesday to reflect the movement of prices in the world oil market last week.

Charles Dantes

Maricel

Cruz

Speaker: High growth sustainable

DENR scraps agreement with Socorro group

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Monday canceled its agreement with Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI) to manage a 353-hectare protected area in Surigao del Norte.

Secretary Maria Antonia YuloLoyzaga said the closure order was served yesterday, following the cancellation of the Protected Area Community-Based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA) No. 74007 of the supposed cult SBSI, led by Jay Rence Quilario, alias Señor Aguila. The agency directed residents to “self-demolish their houses and to harvest their crops within a reasonable amount of time.”

Yulo-Loyzaga said she is set to meet Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchaluan, and the provincial governor to finalize the plans for the reintegration and resettlement of 1,425 households to be affected by the cancellation. Rio N. Araja

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday expressed confidence that the country, under the leadership of President Marcos, can sustain its high economic growth trajectory.

The leader of the 309-strong House of Representatives made the statement in reaction to the decision of the Development and Budget Coordination Committee and the National Economic and Development Authority to revise the growth targets for this year from 6.5-7.5 percent to 6-7 percent.

“I am confident that we can hit at least

the lowest end of the target range because the economic policies and measures the President and Congress have taken and pursued are keeping us on the right track,” Romualdez said in a statement.

“We can even leapfrog if the proposed economic Charter reforms are already in place,” he added.

He said if the nation could grow by

six percent this year, it would still be one of the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Romualdez pointed out that the Philippines had the distinction of being the fastest growing economy in ASEAN in 2023, expanding at the rate of 5.6 percent.

The country was followed by Vietnam, which grew by 5.1 percent; Indonesia, 5 percent; Malaysia, 4 percent; Thailand, 2.5 percent; and Singapore, 1.2 percent.

“Coming from 5.6 percent, it should not be difficult for us to hit at least 6 percent this year. Our economy has been steadily expanding since President Marcos assumed office,” Romualdez said.

Meralco slashes April electricity rate by almost P1

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co.

(Meralco) announced on Monday a significant reduction of P0.9879 per kilowatt hour in the April electricity rate on lower generation and transmission charges. This brought the overall rate for a typical household down to

#ANONGBALITA

Chavit nabbed using busway, offers P100k

FORMER Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson is so rich, he not only shrugged off a P5,000 fine for being caught using the EDSA Busway lane on Monday, he also offered a P100,000 prize to the traffic enforcers who apprehended him on board his custom armored truck.

A tycoon in his own right even while becoming one of the country’s most popular politicians, Singson even drew an apology from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority law enforcer who flagged him down for the violation.

The special MMDA team caught Singson on board his custom “BMW” (Baluarte Motor Works) at the EDSA Busway portion in Cubao, Quezon City.

But the apprehending officer-incharge of the MMDA’s Special Operations Group - Strike Force said sorry after Singson admitted the mistake.

The politician-businessman explained he used the exclusive lane for buses and emergency vehicles just to overtake a bus, and assured the MMDA men he will accept the citation ticket and he will pay the P5,000 fine.

As seen in a video, Gabriel Go, the strike force chief, said .. “Opo, opo .. pasensya na po Sir” (Yes Sir, our apologies).

The MMDA then issued a citation ticket.

According to Go, Singson did not resist receiving the violation ticket. He said the MMDA is just enforcing the law, and if the vehicles are not allowed to use the bus lane, they will be apprehended to ensure fairness.

Observers said Go was only being respectful to Singson when he apologized to him after the latter was apprehended

Busway violators are penalized with P5,000 for first offense and P10,000 for second offense plus a one-month suspension of driver’s license and are required to undergo a road safety seminar.

A third offense nets the violator P20,000 plus a one-year suspension of his driver’s license, and the fourth offense carries a P30,000 fine plus a recommendation to the Land Transportation Office to revoke the driver’s license.

The Department of Transportation reiterated that only authorized vehicles are allowed to use the EDSA Busway. The Department stated there was an increased number of apprehensions of erring motorists illegally using the lane dedicated to public utility buses.

Totality insanity: Eclipse frenzy hits North America

INGRAM, Texas—Eclipse mania is sweeping across North America as a breathtaking celestial event on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) promises a rare blend of commerce, science -and celebration.

The Moon’s shadow will land on Mexico’s Pacific coast at 2:07 pm ET (1807 GMT, 2:07 a.m. Tuesday in Manila), then speed northeast across a 15-state swath of the United States and on to Canada, exiting the continent over Newfoundland just under an hour and a half later.

Festivals, viewing parties, and even a mass wedding are planned along the eclipse “path of totality,” where the Moon will completely obscure the Sun’s light for up to a few minutes -- if rain clouds don’t play spoilsport, which could be the case in the southern and central US.

“Eclipses have a special power,” NASA administrator Bill Nelson said recently. “They move people to feel a kind of reverence for the beauty of our universe.”

This year’s path of totality is 115 miles (185 kilometers) wide and home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million

living less than 200 miles from the strip. Those further away can still enjoy a partial eclipse, or follow a webcast provided by US space agency NASA.

The next total solar eclipse that can be seen from a large part of North America won’t come around until 2044.

Festivals, flights, romance

Businesses are capitalizing on the excitement with special events, while hotels and short-term rentals in prime viewing locations have been booked solid for months.

At the Stonehenge II park in Ingram, Texas, a replica of the prehistoric structure in England, eclipse watchers had gathered from across the world.

“This is our third solar eclipse,” 62-year-old Jim Saltigerald, who was attending with his wife and two children, told AFP. “We’re all praying and hoping that we have a good break in the clouds and get to see it.”

In Cleveland, where local officials expect some 200,000 visitors, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame plans a four-day “Solarfest” of live music.

P10.9518 per kWh from P11.9397 per kWh in March.

For instance, residential customers consuming 200 kWh will experience a decrease of around P198 in their total electricity bill.

“The significant reduction in this month’s overall electricity rate more than wiped out the increases in power rates for the first quarter of the year.

Probe...

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WHOIS that allows users to find out who registered the domain names or the name of the website. When you check through that, you will see that they are registered as Chinese companies,” Dy further explained. “Hundreds of dollars per hour are being offered for the jobs.”

The presence of suspicious Chinese nationals in strategically-located communities and key industries should also be a cause of concern in view of Manila’s deteriorating relationship with Beijing.

Expansionist ambitions of advanced nations are said to be predicated on the activities of agents out to target the na-

Marcos...

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ings will be fair. Now, as to the involvement of the United States, that’s still far off. That’s going to take years, yet. So I don’t think that’s something he needs to worry about, quite frankly,” the President said in a chance interview in Bacolod.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice said five co-accused of Quiboloy on charges of child abuse, exploitation and discrimination filed before the Davao City Regional Trial Court have posted bail.

But Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed the televangelist

Despite the rate reduction, Meralco continues to encourage its customers to continue practicing energy efficiency especially during summer when consumption historically increases anywhere from 10 to 40 percent due to warmer temperatures,” Meralco vice president and head of corporate communications Joe Zaldarriaga said.

tion’s industrial hubs, leaving the country prone to possible cyber-attacks.

Chester Cabalza, founding president of the Manila-based think-tank International Development and Security Cooperation (IDSC), told the Manila Standard that he is aware of intelligence reports revealing the presence of Chinese agents in strategic Philippine entities. These agents, working under legitimate business entities, allegedly conspire with foreign intelligence and data networks, he said. Cabalza, who attended both the National Defense University in Beijing, and the University of Delaware under a State Department stewardship, said the boldness of China’s recent political and economic coercion shows a familiarity

cannot impose any conditions for his surrender, saying there is no legal impediment for his arrest to face trial for violation of Republic Act No. 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

“Quiboloy cannot impose any conditions. He must surrender not according to his terms but according to the terms of the law. The law applies to all, without exception,” he said. Senator Risa Hontiveros also challenged Quiboloy, who has a warrant of arrest for several criminal offenses, to come out of his hiding.

“If it is true that you are brave, repeat what you have been saying about the Senate right here in the Senate,” Hontiveros told Quiboloy.

Marcos says no threat to Teves’ life

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Marcos on Monday reaffirmed there is no threat to the life of former Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. as the latter was apprehended in Timor-Leste.

“We have not said, amid all that Teves has said that he fears for his life, we have not received reports of that. Nobody is threatening his life,” the President said in an ambush interview in Bacolod City.

The former representative of the 3rd District of Negros Oriental was previously captured in Dili, East Timor, while playing golf.

He was the alleged mastermind behind the killing of political rival Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and nine others, for which he is currently facing multiple murder charges.

Mr. Marcos said he would ensure fair proceedings on Teves’ cases upon his return to the country.

The Department of Justice previously urged Teves to face the charges against him in the Philippines and not before any international body like the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation said it could take as fast as a week to as long as 40 days to have Teves deported from Timor-Leste.

with the Philippines’ national security architecture.

Developments like the “the enrollment of numerous Chinese students in many colleges and universities in Cagayan province, the recruitment of Chinese nationals into the auxiliary service of the Philippine Coast Guard, and the presence of Chinese funded Philippine-based think-tanks, as well as (Filipino) politicians leaning towards (the) Chinese narrative in the West Philippine Sea” deserve a long, hard second look, he said.

Such moves by China’s cyberthreat actors have prompted the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the local defense sector to craft cybersecurity measures to fortify the country’s firewall.

US,...

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in the region.”

Kishida will be the first Japanese premier since Shinzo Abe in 2015 to be received with full honors at the White House, including a gala dinner and Rose Garden news conference.

The 66-year-old will then address both houses of Congress on Thursday before convening with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Biden for the countries’ first trilateral summit.

Biden, 81, and Marcos, 66, who is seen as closer to Washington than his more China-leaning predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, will also hold separate talks.

ment units decide on declaring a state of calamity in their region.

“Actually, the truth is, everyone will be affected, however bad the effect of El Niño will be,” he added.

Despite the challenges posed by the dry weather event, President Marcos highlighted the government’s proactive measures to mitigate its impacts, particularly in agricultural areas.

“It can’t be a shotgun, one-size-fitsall approach. So we look at each area and see what it is that they need. So that’s the way we are handling the local states of calamity that the local governments have declared,” the President told the media in Bacolod City.

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The oil firms raised diesel prices by P1.55 per liter, kerosene by P1.40 per liter, and gasoline by P1.10 per liter, driven by several global factors.

Seaoil Philippines, Jetti Petroleum, and Chevron Philippines issued separate advisories of their price hikes.

Department of Energy Director for the Oil Industry Management Bureau Rodela Romero attributed the upward movement in prices to fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East especially the Israel-Hamas, which might spread to include Iran.

Other factors include the Ukraine attack on Russia’s oil refineries; the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ decision to continue its production cut policy; and signs of stronger economic growth in the US and India, Romero said.

More...

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allies.

The poll was conducted nationwide from March 11 to 14 with a margin of error of ±3%, with 1,200 male and female respondents aged 18 and above from Class AB, C, D, or E homes who were interviewed for the study.

They are the latest Asia-Pacific allies to be hosted by Biden, who was joined by Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at Camp David in August.

Biden has also moved to manage tensions with China, holding a two-hour phone call with President Xi Jinping last week and a face-to-face meeting in San Francisco in November.

The respondents were given five options and asked to choose which best described their political preference. The first option stated that they support Marcos and his administration, the second stated support for the Duterte family and their political allies, the third option was support for the opposition.

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Guerrero, 105, who was recently awarded a medal for her services in defending the country during the Second World War.

The 966 living WW2 veterans continue to receive their monthly pensions and benefits, including free hospitali-

The fourth option stated no support for any party, and the last option was for those who do not know who they support or refused to answer.

zation and health services.

Aguilar, a retired army brigadier general, also said there are 16,899 spouses of WW2 veterans who are receiving their pension. Another war veteran, retired Col. Cesar Pobre, who wrote over a dozen of WW2 books, recalled the historic Battle of Munoz, Nueva Ecija where he and his colleagues clashed with a big number of Japanese troops.

Marcos to enact measure creating Negros Region

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday disclosed that he is set to sign into law a bill creating the Negros Island Region.

‘’I think, it makes sense because it’s very difficult for (Negros) Oriental to be serviced in a regional center. It has been a problem for a long time, so it needs to be resolved. Until we can consolidate, I can put it all together properly, and right now, it has not been fixed,’’ Marcos told reporters.

‘’It is very hard to bring government services to the people. And, that’s the reason behind the regional, the push for making it a single region so that it can have (its own) a regional office. And it’s probably a good idea even if only for that,’’ he said. ‘’ Yeah, I think, I will sign it.’’ The Senate ratified last month the measure Senate Bill 2507 creating the Negros Island Region.

The projected Negros Region will be composed of Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

Senator JV Ejercito, sponsor of the

measure, said the idea is for the six clusters of regional offices to be divided between the two halves of the island to ensure the effective delivery of services.

The counterpart measure of the bill in the House of Representatives was passed in March 2023.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said earlier that residents of Negros Occidental who have transactions with national government agencies were often stuck in Iloilo due to inclement weather. He said the same scenario happened to the people of Negros Oriental and Siquijor who had to go to Cebu to transact with national government offices.

He noted that creation of the Negros Island Region would be a “dream come true for the people of Negros and Siquijor since government services would be more accessible to them.”

Zubiri says Cha-cha needs more comprehensive study

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATE President Juan Miguel Zubiri underscored the need for a deeper study on amending the economic provisions of the Constitution, citing a popular survey showing 88 percent of the people opposed to the Charter change (Cha-cha).

“We’re spending a lot of money and time on a very controversial measure, and then later on, matatalo lang (will

‘Upgrade of NAIA-3 electrical setup wont affect normal operations’

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) on Monday gave assurance that maintenance activities to enhance the electrical systems of the Ninoy Aquino International AirportTerminal 3 (NAIA-3) have been care-

fully planned to ensure uninterrupted operations, especially during peak hours.

The electrical upgrade works were scheduled from April 2 to May 28 this year and will not affect the processing of passengers and baggage, nor will they have any disruptive effect on

flight operations, the MIAA said.

MIAA general manager Eric Ines clarified that major parts of the terminal building will have light and air conditioning during the day.

The upgrades involve replacing parts or components of the medium circuit breakers across eight different

be defeated). The “No” votes will win in a plebiscite... remember, it will go through a plebiscite,” Zubiri said in an interview after he was conferred the rank of lieutenant colonel as reserved officer of the Philippine Army in Camp Aguinaldo. Zubiri also said if the Cha-cha will not get a majority vote in the plebiscite, all their efforts will be futile.

“Let’s study this carefully and let us not hurry,” the senator stressed.

electrical substations of the terminal.

The schedule was timed after the last flight and outside of peak hours of operations.

The job would only take 15 minutes to three hours at most, and would not extend into the departure or arrival times of the first flight of the day.

Maintenance work will be done between 12:01 a.m. and 3 a.m.

The south side of the Terminal will be affected, with reduced lighting and

He said initiative cannot be hastily done because the public should also know what are the good amendments in the Constitution.

“It’s not just saying ‘Let’s pass this’ because when the plebiscite comes, people might not be ready. The Charter change or amendments maybe rejected,” he added.

“So we will study this further and will continue the discussions this May,” Zubiri said.

air conditioning in hallways and lobbies from the first to the fourth level, staircases, certain offices located on the second and third levels, ground surface parking, and multi-level parking.

Elevators and escalators located on this side of the terminal might become inoperative during maintenance hours.

The Terminal 3 generators will be on standby for any contingency during the conduct of maintenance works, according to Ines.

CARD GOES TO MAASIN CITY. The government’s cash assistance and rice distribution (CARD) program reaches Maasin City in Southern Leyte, benefitting over 2,000 impoverished local residents under the auspices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, and Tingog party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Jude Acidre. Also in photo are Maasin Mayor Nacional Mercado, Vice Mayor Maloney Samaco, and city councilors.

CHR lauds UN on joint e ort to promote human rights

By Rio N. Araja

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday lauded the United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP) for allowing the government to actively promote developments on the human rights situation in the Philippines as the end of the three-year program nears in July.

The program recommended the prospect of continuing their partnership as a foundational pillar to ensure that the country would stay clear-sighted toward its goal to comply with its international human rights obligations and to implement domestic policies responding to the needs of the vulnerable and marginalized.

The. three-year collaboration between the United Nations and the Philippine government, together with the CHR and civil society organizations, had reinforced the institutions already available in the country to ensure that Filipinos were constantly guaranteed the free exercise and enjoyment of their rights.

“It must be noted that the strategic framework of the UNJP envisions to broaden the human rights-based approaches amongst duty-bearers, to strengthen domestic accountability mechanisms which address human rights violations and abuses, and to ensure that rights-holders, especially victims, are able to be afforded better means to claim their rights,” the CHR cited.

“While the UNJP has provided much to improve the human rights situation in the country, the Commission believes that more has to be achieved to make sure that the intended purpose of this partnership remains faithful to initial goals. In particular, we are hopeful that the technical capacity-building efforts will be utilised immediately to address the very matters which prompted the establishment of UNJP in the Philippines, such as the alleged war on drugs which resulted in extrajudicial killings,” it added.

DAR says 2.5k hectares given to Negros farmers

By Rio N. Araja

THE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Monday distributed a total of 4,724 certifi cates of land ownership award in a 2,550-hectare land in Negros Occidental to 2,797 farmer-benefi ciaries.

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III said the distribution of the land titles was under the government’s Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling or Project SPLIT program.

He vowed to support President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call to expedite the distribution of land owner-

ship titles to farmer-beneficiaries of agrarian reform and provide support to help the beneficiaries improve their living conditions.

“To ensure the agrarian reform beneficiaries’ success, over 59 million worth of support services will be distributed to 19 organizations in Negros Occidental, including farm-

to-market road projects, Tulay ng Pangulo Para sa KaunlarangPang-Agraryo and farm pieces of machinery and equipment,” he said. New lands are the regular targets of the DAR under the Land Tenure Improvement (LTI) covering private agricultural lands, while the landholdings under the Project SPLIT are those covered and previously issued by the DAR with collective certificates of land ownership award and are now being subdivided and replaced with individual CLOAs or land titles to improve land tenure security and strengthen property rights of the ARBs.

Solon to gov’t: Explore Japan as funding source for stalled projects

A PARTY-LIST member of the House of Representatives said the government should explore Japan as a feasible funding source to jumpstart the implementation of stalled projects.

Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan of Bicol Saro partylist group noted that Japan continues to offer highly concessional financing packages to the Philippines for infrastructure projects.

For instance, the third tranche of the loan for the proposed Metro Manila Subway funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) carries an annual interest rate of 0.3 percent for nonconsulting services and 0.2 percent for consulting services with a lengthy 40-year repayment period, according to a recent statement from the Department of Finance (DOF).

“JICA’s concessional loan terms for the Philippines remain competitive enough for the Depart-

ment of Transportation (DOTr) to consider Japan as a viable funding option for the revival of the Bicol Express rail line,” said Yamsuan, chair of the House committee on Bicol Recovery and Development.

The first phase of the reconstruction of the once-famed Bicol Express railway, known as the South Long Haul Project, is estimated to cost about P142 billion. “We need to see far into the future and not merely set our sights on easing traffic congestion in Metro Manila. With bustling urban hubs sprouting outside the National Capital Region, traffic would sooner or later be a problem for commuters residing in these areas. Reviving the Bicol Express is one way to ease the increased traffic going to South Luzon and broaden transportation choices for commuters,” Yamsuan said. Maricel Cruz

SBMA gears up for annual Subic run in January 2025

SUBIC Bay Freeport--Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said it is now preparing to host the much-awaited Subic International Marathon (SIM) 2025 here in January.

Dubbed “I Run For My Heroes,” the commemorative run will be held in honor of the Special Action Force (SAF) 44 heroes who sacrificed their lives in Maguindanao while neutralizing Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir and other Malaysian terrorists or high-ranking members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) back in 2015.

“It brings me great pleasure to welcome all to this exciting kick-off event. We are thrilled to be hosting the Subic International Marathon and to play a part in bringing this inspiring initiative to life within our community,” SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said.

During its launching ceremony at the Riviera Hotel here, Aliño also recognized the bravery of the SAF 44 heroes for sacrificing their lives in exchange for the safety of the country.

He added that the event also hails everyday heroes such as the police, nurses, firefighters, soldiers, doctors, family, and friends who have become heroes to other people in their own rights.

“We hail them for being heroes in our eyes as they provide us inspiration to become better citizens of our country,” he said.

Among the other top honchos present during the launching were SBMA Director Raul Marcelo, Tourism Manager Jamelle Camba, SIM Executive Director Gen. Samson Tucay, SIM Director and SAF Director Gen. Bernie Banac, and SIM Director and Extribe Managing Director Rosalyn Domingo Imperio. Butch Gunio

BI bars more than 200 foreigners in March

By Vito Barcelo

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) barred at least 220 foreigners from entering the country in March this year, with a majority of the excluded being Vietnamese followed by Chinese nationals.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the increase in entry denials stemmed from the increase in Vietnamese nationals found to be working in illegal online gaming hubs.

Of the 220 excluded, more than 150 were Vietnamese, 30 were Chinese, and 14 were Indonesians. The foreigners were denied entry in the same month after being found to be likely in violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Tansingco emphasized the BI’s actions were based on meticulous scrutiny of travel

patterns and activities of individuals.

“We leverage available data on past arrests and interceptions to identify individuals exhibiting similar travel behaviors,” explained Tansingco.

As a consequence of their exclusion, said foreigners are included in the BI’s blacklist, effectively barring any future attempts at entry to the country.

Meanwhile, BI operatives arrested an American national wanted in his home country for fraud.

The fugitive, identified as Paul David Cardwell, 57, attempted to extend his temporary visitors’ visa using the BI’s online services last March 27.

BI tourist visa section chief Raymond Remigio said that Cardwell’s records prompted secondary checks after being prompted by the system that the subject is a convicted US felon.

control, and health promotion by April 15.

Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Albert Francis Domingo will be the DOH’s new spokesperson. Tayag is also known as the “Dancing Doctor” who encourages Filipinos to maintain an active lifestyle for good health through choreographed performances with other DOH staff.

Undersecretary Emmie Liza Perez-Chiong will be the new chief information officer, who will be in charge of the information and communications technology governance, strategy, plans, policies and standards.

OPINION

Will the ‘Big One’ hit Metro Manila

THE 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit Taiwan last week can only remind us that the ‘Big One’’ can also hit Metro Manila.

A reminder to all that Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines are all within the “Ring of Fire” and if the “Big One” were to hit Metro Manila the devastation would be so catastrophic and the death toll would be in the hundreds of thousands, if not in the millions.

Santa Banana, note the fact that the epicenter of the Taiwan earthquake was outside the landmass of Taiwan, and that tsunami warnings had been issued for Japan and the Philippines, which were soon lifted.

I hate to imagine what can happen to Metro Manila, considering that the metropolis sits on fault lines, my gulay! Earthquakes are unpredictable.

They can happen anytime, anywhere. I can only recall that collapse of the Ruby Towers on Aug 2, 1968 where 322 people died, wounding about 300 and damaged more than 30 buildings in the capial.

—“—

It is obvious that China’s aggressive incursion within the Exclusive Economic Zone and on territories in the Philippines doesn’t seem to stop

Santa Banana, what more will happen if an earthquake of similar magnitude as the one that hit Taiwan will hit (God forbid) Metro Manila?

Thank heavens, my wife and I no longer live in a high rise, not by force of circumstance, but by choice, and are now living with my daughter in a village. Thus, it would do well for the government to continue with earthquake drills, just to be prepared. Just pray to God, the “Big One” will not happen.

Provocation

On another subject, all those many trips President Marcos Jr. has been making of late not only to cement ties and relations in the wake of Chi-

na’s continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea can only be interpreted by China as provocations by the Philippines particularly since China has been beefing up its naval forces, not only its coast guard, but its militia vessels as well..

I cannot blame BBM, since it is obvious that China’s aggressive incursion within the Exclusive Economic Zone and on territories in the Philippines doesn’t seem to stop.

Recall all those incidents whenever the Philippine coast guard vessels and other vessels were on resupply missions to Ayungin (SecondThomas) Shoal for the needs of soldiers safeguarding the grounded RPS Sierra Madre where the Philippine boats and vessels were water-cannoned by Chinese coast guard vessels, to the extent of injuring some crew members and even injuring some.

All we can do is to file diplomatic protests.

Thus, the President has no choice but to solicit help from allies.

China with its huge propaganda machine may call this a provocation, but the Philippines cannot do anything by itself to stop China’s seemingly unstoppable incursions into the EEZ and the West Philippine Sea.

The problem is, will China ever stop bullying the Philippines?

So, my gulay, if the bullying continues, the Philippines will forever be at the mercy of China.

So what else can we do but seek the help of our allies?

Knowing there’s nothing else the Philippines can do, I hate to say it, but how long can we be at the mercy of China?

President Marcos Jr. and we, all Filipinos, are at their mercy because China is a Gioliath to us.

We have no choice but to suffer “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, as Hamlet would say it. This is also the dilemma of BBM. Condolences

I would like to express my sincere condolences to the family of Elpi O. Cuna Jr., my former student at the Ateneo de Manila, who died recently. Elpi was one time vice president of Meralco and also the PR officer of San Miguel Corporation. Elpi was the vice president of the Manila Overseas Press Club, of which I am chairman emeritus. I will miss Elpi.

Trump’s ‘long history’ with New York hangs over jury selection

NEW YORK – A group of New Yorkers will troop into a Manhattan courthouse in a week to perform the time-honored civic duty known as jury service.

But the case they may decide is like no other in American history -- the first ever criminal trial of a former US president.

Donald Trump faces 34 counts of allegedly falsifying business records for paying “hush money” to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to cover up a sexual encounter.

Jury selection for “The People of the State of New York against Donald J. Trump” is to begin on April 15, and hundreds of residents of Manhattan have received summons to appear in court.

Twelve jurors and up to six alternates will be picked among them to hear the blockbuster case, which is expected to last up to six weeks.

The prospective jurors, randomly selected from public records, will fill out a detailed questionnaire and undergo a screening process known as “voir dire.”

Their verdict must be unanimous, and both prosecutors and Trump’s

defense attorneys will be seeking to ferret out the political leanings of potential jurors to fashion a panel to their liking.

New Yorkers voted overwhelmingly for Democrats Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in 2016 and 2020 respectively, and the Republican Trump is a polarizing figure in the Big Apple.

—“—

Twelve jurors and up to six alternates will be picked among them to hear the blockbuster case, which is expected to last up to six weeks

“Manhattan has a long history with Donald Trump,” said Leslie Ellis, a veteran jury consultant and founder of The Caissa Group. “Not only just from his presidency and post his presidency but his time in real estate and business in New York before that.”

The 77-year-old Republican presidential candidate has repeatedly de-

Boosting defense ties

ASIAN nations will have their eyes and ears glued to Washington this week with the scheduled trilateral summit aimed at boosting defense ties, following the four-way military drills in the South China Sea with Australia Military and diplomatic observers say this is a key upgrade of US defense ties with increasingly self-confident Japan and its longtime ally the Philippines, which has been continually harassed by China within the former’s 200mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Also on the agenda will be securing access to vital supplies like semiconductors and rare metals, North Korea’s growing belligerence, and the Japanese takeover of US Steel opposed by President Joe Biden.

The White House said the talks will “advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties

of friendship, robust and growing economic relations... and a shared vision for a free and open IndoPacific.” The summit kicks off Wednesday with Japanese Prime Minster Fumio Kishida, 66, and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., 66, both expected to be received with full honors at the Whie House.

—“—

Military and diplomatic observers say this is a key upgrade of US defense ties with increasingly self-confident Japan and its long-time ally the Philippines

President Joe Biden, 81, and President Marcos, seen as closer to Washington than his more China-leaning predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, will also hold separate talks.

IN THE labyrinthine corridors of healthcare, where shadows dance with whispers of conspiracy, a riveting saga unfolds—a clash of ideologies, a duel for truth.

Senator Raffy Tulfo and Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stand at the precipice, their words echoing like thunder in a tempest-torn sky.

At the heart of their verbal skirmish lies a question that reverberates through the hallowed halls of medicine: Who holds the key to unraveling the enigma of branded medicines in hospitals?

Tulfo, a figure shrouded in suspicion, wields the sword of conjecture with reckless abandon.

With each accusation, he casts a pall of doubt upon the integrity of healthcare providers, alleging a nefarious alliance between doctors and pharmaceutical giants.

Yet, his tirades lack the gravitas of evidence, his arguments adrift in a sea of conjecture.

In his world, shadows reign supreme, obscuring the clarity of truth with a veil of paranoia.

In stark contrast stands Herbosa, a beacon of reason amidst the tumultu-

nounced the case as a “political witch hunt” brought by Democrats to derail his chances of recapturing the White House in November.

Trump’s lawyers have tried -- and failed -- to delay the trial on the grounds that the New York jury pool has been exposed to “huge amounts of biased and unfair media coverage.”

“Many of the potential jurors already wrongfully believe that President Trump is guilty,” they complained in a filing with Judge Juan Merchan, who will preside over the case.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the charges against Trump, brushed aside the claim that he cannot get a fair shake in his hometown.

“Given the sheer size of New York County, it is absurd for defendant to assert that it will be impossible or even impractical to find a dozen fair and impartial jurors, plus alternates, among more than a million people,”

They are the latest Asia-Pacific allies to be hosted by Biden, who was joined by Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at Camp David in August. Biden has also moved to manage tensions with China, holding a two-hour phone call with President Xi Jinping last week and a face-to-face meeting in San Francisco in November.

On Sunday, the Philippines, the United States, Japan and Australia held joint military exercises to “(ensure) that all countries are free to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows,” according to US Defense Secretary Llyod Austin in a joint statement. China claims territorial sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea under its upgraded mythical and legally baseless tendash line and has been increasingly aggressive in the region in recent years.

China’s People’s Liberation Army Southern Theater Command said it was organizing “joint naval and air combat patrols in the South China Sea” the same day.

Tulfo vs. Herbosa: Fact vs. fiction in healthcare

ous sea of uncertainty.

Armed with the arsenal of facts and the wisdom of experience, he navigates the treacherous waters of controversy with poise and precision.

His defense, steeped in the sanctity of medical ethics and the mandate of law, strikes a chord of authenticity— a clarion call for accountability, a steadfast commitment to justice.

—“—

Herbosa, with the wisdom of a sage and the resolve of a warrior, extends an olive branch—a call for cooperation, a plea for unity

Amidst the cacophony of accusations and counterclaims, one truth remains immutable: the sanctity of patient welfare must reign supreme.

The specter of branded medicines, with its specter of exorbitant costs and opaque motivations, looms large

Bragg said. Empaneling a jury in the case does present particular challenges. “On average in state court in New York you’re probably looking at a day or two of jury selection but this is not an average case,” Ellis said. “A lot will depend on how the judge conducts jury selection.”

Merchan has already ruled that the names of the jury members will be shielded from the public because of the “likelihood of bribery, jury tampering, or of physical injury or harassment.”

Merchan has also warned Trump that if he violates a gag order prohibiting him from attacking witnesses, court staff or their families he could withhold the names of jurors from his lawyers.

Such a move would handicap

Trump’s defense by limiting the amount of publicly available information his attorneys could research

over the landscape of healthcare. It is a specter that demands resolution, a riddle that begs unraveling.

Herbosa, with the wisdom of a sage and the resolve of a warrior, extends an olive branch—a call for cooperation, a plea for unity.

In his vision, the divide between Tulfo’s conjecture and his expertise is bridged by a shared commitment to the welfare of the Filipino people. It is a vision that transcends the petty squabbles of ego and ambition, a vision that beckons towards a brighter future for all.

As the curtain falls on this gripping saga, the stage is set for a new chapter—a chapter where truth triumphs over conjecture, where cooperation eclipses conflict. In the words of Stephen King, an American best-selling author, “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”

But in the battle for healthcare, it is not the monsters or the ghosts that shall prevail—it is the indomitable spirit of cooperation, of understanding, of justice, that shall emerge victorious.

about a prospective juror.

During voir dire, potential jurors are subjected to questioning by prosecutors and defense attorneys and dozens of candidates can expect to be nixed before a jury is finally seated.

Jurors deemed unable to deliver a fair and impartial verdict are struck for cause and each side also has a number of peremptory challenges, allowing them to dismiss a juror without explanation.

Ellis said that even in the case of such a high-profile figure as Trump there will be some prospective jurors who profess not to know much about the case.

“People are often surprised at the number of people who don’t really pay that much attention to the news and don’t really pay that much attention to politics,” Ellis said.

“Most of them are probably telling the truth and they really will be blank slates.” AFP

Israel: Hezbollah commander killed in Lebanon air strike

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said Monday it killed a Hezbollah commander in an overnight air strike in Lebanon, as cross-border violence flares between Israel and the Iranbacked armed group.

Ali Ahmed Hussein of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces was “eliminated” by Israeli jets in the area of Sultaniyeh in southern Lebanon, the military said in a statement, accusing him of attacks against Israeli targets in recent months.

At least two other people were killed in the strike, according to the Israeli military, Lebanese state media and a security source.

10k residential houses flooded in Urals, Siberia

MOSCOW — Russia said Monday more than 10,000 residential buildings were flooded across the Urals, Volga area and western Siberia as emergency services evacuated cities threatened by rising rivers.

On Sunday, Russia declared a federal emergency in the Orenburg region, where the Ural river flooded much of the city of Orsk and is now reaching dangerous levels in the main city of Orenburg.

“On the territories of the Siberian, Privolzhye (Volga area) and the central federal regions a rise in air temperature, active snow melting and the overflow of rivers is forecast,” Russia’s Emergency Ministry said on social media.

“More than 10,400 residential houses are flooded.”

Russia has evacuated thousands of people already, mostly in the Orenburg region near Kazakhstan.

Much of the city of Orsk has been flooded after torrential rain burst a nearby dam.

Orenburg region authorities said that the Ural river in Orsk “went down by nine centimetres” (3.5 inches) but that water levels in the main city of Orenburg, which has a population of around 550,000, were reaching dangerous thresholds.

“In Orenburg, in a day there was a rise by 16 centimetres to 872 centimetres” in the water level, the regional government said.

Its mayor Sergei Salmin was quoted by Russian media as saying the flood was expected to be “unprecedented” and warning of forced evacuations. AFP

Ukraine will lose war if Congress withholds aid, says Zelensky

KYIV — President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine will lose its war against Russia if the US Congress does not approve a major military aid package, as Russian forces heighten their pressure on a frontline city.

The Ukraine military acknowledged that the fighting around the frontline city of Chasiv Yar was “difficult” and “tense” but insisted its forces were resisting.

Amid heightened air attacks by both sides, Russia said one Ukrainian drone had hit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant that it has occupied since shortly after launching its invasion in 2022.

Ukraine has made increasingly urgent calls for the United States to start sending a proposed $60 billion aid package that has been blocked by Republicans in Congress for months.

“It is necessary to specifically tell Congress that if Congress does not help Ukraine, Ukraine will lose the war,” Zelensky said during a video meeting.

It would be “difficult” for Ukraine to “stay” (survive) without the aid, Zelensky added. “If Ukraine loses the war, other states will be attacked.” AFP

Hezbollah said one of its fighters, identified as Ali Ahmed Hussein and nicknamed Abbas Jaafar, had been killed, without saying where or when he died.

The Hezbollah statement did not mention his rank or position.

A Lebanese security source told AFP that “a local commander... from (Hezbollah’s) Radwan unit” was killed in the Israeli strike along with two other members of the group.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the commander as Abbas Jaafar. AFP

The military said Hussein had “carried out numerous launches toward Israeli territory” from Lebanon since war broke out on Oct. 7 between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, a Hezbollah ally. Hussein was a “commander of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation’s Radwan Forces in the Hujeir region,” the Israeli statement said, adding that two other Hezbollah fighters were also killed.

Gaza truce talks make ‘progress’

PALESTINIAN Territories — Talks in Cairo towards a Gaza truce and hostage release deal have made “significant progress,” Egyptian statelinked media reported Monday, more than half a year into the war started by the Oct. 7 attack.

Israel kept up the pressure, warning that it was ready for future military operations against Hamas in Gaza’s farsouthern city of Rafah, the last area so far spared a ground invasion.

Israel on Sunday pulled its forces out of the southern Gaza Strip and the main

city there, Khan Yunis, allowing large numbers of displaced Palestinians to return to the devastated urban area.

But Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stressed that the aim was for Israeli forces “to prepare for future missions, including... in Rafah” on the Egyptian border.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking half a year of war since the unprecedented attack of Oct. 7, also said Israel was “one step away from victory.”

But, as truce talks resumed, Netanyahu also told his cabinet that “Israel is ready for a deal,” adding that “there will be no ceasefire without the return of hostages.”

International pressure has mounted on Israel to end the war which has brought mass civilian casualties and

destroyed swathes of the coastal Palestinian territory. Israel’s main ally, diplomatic backer and arms supplier the United States last week demanded a ceasefire and hostage release deal along with ramped-up aid deliveries.

US President Joe Biden sharpened his tone after voicing “outrage” over an Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers from the US-based food charity World Central Kitchen. While Israel and Hamas have kept up bellicose rhetoric, they have also sent negotiators to Cairo, joined by mediators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Egyptian state-linked news outlet Al-Qahera reported “significant progress being made on several contentious points of agreement”, citing

WASHINGTON’S CONCERN.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends a press conference at US Ambassador’s residence in Beijing on Monday. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Monday the United States ‘will not accept’ a situation where underpriced Chinese goods flood the global market, battering industries elsewhere, as she wrapped up high-level talks in China. AFP

China pushes back at US overcapacity concerns

BEIJING — Beijing’s commerce minister dismissed as “groundless” US concerns that a surge of low-cost Chinese exports posed a risk to global markets, as Washington’s Treasury chief on Monday wrapped up a visit aimed in part at addressing the issue.

During the visit by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Chinese officials have sounded a positive note that ties between the two countries are on more stable footing, with both sides agreeing to open channels for further talks

on the issue of excess industrial capacity -- though differences clearly remain.

The US concern is that with Chinese government support creating more production capacity than global markets can absorb, a flood of cheap exports in key sectors like solar and electric vehicles could impact the growth of those industries elsewhere.

But commerce minister Wang Wentao said during a trip to Paris on Sunday that “the accusations of ‘overcapacity’

Taiwan’s search dogs win hearts in search for major quake victims

HUALIEN, Taiwan — A former drugsniffing dog who lost his job for being too friendly has emerged as the unlikely MVP of the Taiwan rescue teams searching for survivors of the island’s strongest earthquake in 25 years.

At least 13 people were killed and more than 1,140 injured by the magnitude-7.4 quake that struck the island on Wednesday, with strict building codes and widespread disaster readiness credited with averting an even bigger catastrophe.

But landslides around epicentre Hualien still blocked tunnels and roads, making the mountainous terrain around the county difficult for rescuers to access survivors and victims. Footage released by the county fire department on Saturday showed Rog-

er, an eight-year-old labrador, mounting a boulder that had fallen across a hiking trail near Hualien’s Taroko National Park.

“Have you found something? Let’s go over there,” said a rescuer to Roger, who did not budge.

The mayor of southern Kaohsiung -- which sent a rescue team and dogs including Roger -- said the labrador specializes in “rubble pile search and rescue” and that he is trained to search for survivors

“Roger must have found some clues, and his confused look made the handler feel something was up, and then they found the victim,” said Mayor Chen Chi-mai in a Facebook post titled “The Paw Paw Team’s feat”. AFP

by the United States and Europe are groundless,” state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Wang said Chinese electric vehicle makers’ rapid growth was due to innovation and established supply chains, not subsidies.

He added that Beijing would support businesses in defending their interests, Xinhua said.

Beijing has repeatedly dismissed concerns over its vast state support for industry. AFP

an unnamed high-ranking Egyptian source. The outlet said Qatari and Hamas delegations had left Cairo and were expected to return “within two days to finalise the terms of the agreement”.

US and Israeli delegations were also due to leave the Egyptian capital “in the next few hours” for consultations over the next 48 hours, it added.

Israel’s 98th commando division withdrew from Khan Yunis on Sunday and left Gaza “in order to recuperate and prepare for future operations,” the army told AFP.

After troops left the largely destroyed city, a stream of displaced Palestinians walked there, hoping to return to their homes from temporary shelters in Rafah, a little further south. AFP

Mexico to take Ecuador raid to int’l court

MEXICO — Mexico said it will file a complaint against Ecuador at the International Court of Justice on Monday following the raid on its embassy in Quito, which prompted searing international condemnation.

Mexican diplomatic personnel left Ecuador on Sunday as the two countries severed ties after Quito’s security forces stormed the embassy late Friday to arrest a former vice president sheltering inside.

“Starting tomorrow we are going to the ICJ where we are presenting this sad case,” Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena said at an event to welcome the diplomats home.

“We believe that we can win this case quickly,” she added.

Spain and the European Union joined the United Nations chief and Latin American countries in criticizing Quito for the raid, which it carried out to capture former Ecuadoran vice president Jorge Glas. Glas sought refuge there last December after an arrest warrant was issued against him for alleged corruption.

On Friday, Mexico granted Glas political asylum, in a move that Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa’s government branded an “illicit act.”

That came a day after Ecuador ordered the Mexican ambassador out of the country in response to comments from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador that irked Quito. AFP

FUTURE MISSIONS. Palestinians return to Khan Yunis during the weekend to inspect their abandoned homes after Israel pulled its ground forces out of the southern Gaza Strip, six months into the devastating war sparked by the Oct. 7 attacks. But Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stressed the aim was for Israeli forces ‘to prepare for future missions, including... in Rafah’ on the Egyptian border. AFP

Quezon begins

PSL title series in Nueva Ecija Capitals’ territory

HAVING homecourt advantage doesn’t guarantee a victory in a championship series and Nueva Ecija coach Don Dulay knows it too well.

Dulay was basing it on experience when his previous squad, Davao Occidental lost to San Juan in their knockout duel for the MPBL championship five years ago.

“From experience, homecourt advantage is good, especially that you’re playing for the fans,” said Dulay. “But from experience, homecourt advantage doesn’t mean anything. When you go and ready to fight, the ball is round. Anything can happen, so if your team is not ready even if you have a homecourt advantage, it doesn’t matter.”

Dulay and the rest of the Nueva Ecija Capitals will try to utilize whatever advantage they can get playing in front of their home fans when they begin the best-of-five championship series on Tuesday against the visiting yet streaking Titans of Quezon at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum.

Game time of the series opener is 8 p.m. right after the match between San Juan and Binan, which square off in their Battle for Third at 6 p.m.

The titular showdown provides an interesting contrast for both teams – Nueva Ecija’s explosive firepower against the defensive-oriented Quezon squad and the Capitals’ experience against the Titans’ youth movement.

Nueva Ecija parades a bevy of exPBA players in Will McAloney, Rob Celiz, Jonathan Uyloan and Billy Robles among others, while fellow veteran campaigners like Eman Calo and Jay Collado provide solid support.

The team also has explosive guard Chris Bitoon, who sets the tone for the Capitals.

But facing the Titans, the hottest team in the tournament, is definitely a big test for the Capitals.

Quezon is coming off a five-game winning streak, including a sweep of Binan, the No.1 team in the elimination round, during their semifinal round encounter.

PLDT seeks to boost semis drive against Strong Group

STREAKING PLDT is poised to extend its run against winless Strong Group today (Tuesday), aiming not only to catch Choco Mucho at the helm but also to build further momentum heading to the final stretch of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference preliminaries at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City. On a four-game roll, the High Speed Hitters set out for their 6 p.m. match with the Athletics the heavy favorites, given their talent-laden roster and experience. But with its upcoming matches against formidable teams such as Chery Tiggo, Cignal and Creamline, PLDT’s path to the semifinals is lined with pivotal encounters. The standings are tightly packed with Choco Mucho seizing the solo lead with a 7-1 and PLDT just behind with a 6-1 mark. Creamline and Petro Gazz are tied for third at 6-2, and Chery Tiggo and Cignal are just behind with similar 5-2 slates, creating a fierce battle for the semifinal spots in the league’s concluding three weeks.

Despite disparity in their rankings, PLDT coach Rald Ricafort is expected to approach the match against Strong Group with a full-strength lineup, possibly trying with new player combinations to bolster the team’s depth as they prepare for the decisive matches ahead.

PLDT faces Chery Tiggo on April 16, mixes it up with Cignal on April 20 before colliding with Creamline on April 25.

Securing a sweep is paramount for PLDT and its fellow contenders as the PVL points system will most likely c ome into play to break any ties for the last semis berth with six teams currently i n a tight battle for the coveted seats.

Choco Mucho also leads the point tally with 21 total points followed by Petro Gazz with 19, Creamline with 18, PLDT with 17, Cignal with 16 and Chery Tiggo with 14, underscoring the importance of every match remaining in the elims of the season-opening conference of the league organized by Sports Vision.

Smart Communications set to award esports achievers

SMART Communications takes the stage as the presenter of the highly anticipated 2023 Philippine Esports Awards, with esteemed partners PLDT Enterprise, CignalTV, and San Miguel Corp. joining as co-presenters.

The national esports awards ceremony is proudly supported by the government through the Department of Information & Communications Technology (DICT) and the Games and Amusement Board (GAB). GAB Chairman Atty. Richard S. Clarin, through GAB’s advocacy, to Promote, Professionalize and Protect Philippine professional sports, reaffirms the nation’s commitment to recognizing and celebrating excellence in esports. The Philippine Esports Awards aims to honor and celebrate the exceptional talents and achievements of the top Philippine esports athletes and industry professionals. This prestigious event will bring together luminaries from the esports community, government officials, and distinguished guests to commemorate the unparalleled contributions to the

Philippine esports landscape. Scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium, with the event commencing at 6:00 PM PHT, the 2023 Ph ilippine Esports Awards will be a highlight of the past year’s esports industry calendar. The physical gathering will provide a platform for the recognition of the program’s esteemed awardees, as well as an opportunity for attendees to engage with judges and guest speakers. Furthermore, the event will be broadcasted to a global audienc e through live streaming on various social media platforms and the official facebook page.

The many pinnacle achievements of 2023 within the Philippine esports

community are set to be honored and four major awards will be highlighted: 2023 PH Esports CignalTV Production Team of the Year, Smart Communications Inc. 2023 PH Esports Team of the Year, San Miguel Corporation 2023 PH Esports Athlete of the Year and PLDT Enterprise 2023 PH Esports Manager of the Year

The annual PH Esports Awards is proud to partner with Smart Communications, PLDT Enterprise, CignalTV, and San Miguel Corp. in celebrating the achievements of our talented esports athletes and industry professionals. This event underscores our collective commitment to fostering growth and excellence within the Philippi ne esports community.

Red Bull Half Court Davao champs make finals

IN a showdown of talent and tenacity, the Red Bull Half Court Qualifiers in Davao reached its thrilling conclusion.

Blancas Golden Knights dominated the men’s division, while Coaches Corner showcased their supremacy in the women’s category, commanding the court with their exceptional skill and determination. From buzzer-beaters to jaw-dropping crossovers, the event witnessed the best of Davao’s streetball scene—crowning Davao’s first-ever Red Bull Half Court champions. Rising stars emerged, leaving an indelible mark on the court and setting the stage for an electrifying journey ahead. The victorious teams from Davao now advance to the National Qualifiers, where they will face off against other regional champions from across the country alongside wildcard teams consisting of professional players to make the competition more intense.

“We worked so hard to prepare for this league, and we made sure to stay focused throughout each game and not become complacent. Also, we leave it up to God in order to strengthen our determination to win,” expressed by Blanca on how they prepared for

the Red Bull Half Court Davao Qualifiers.

Meanwhile, despite training individually during their preparation, the winning team in the Women’s Division attributed their triumph to their exceptional teamwork.

“Our teamwork has really set us apart from the rest of the teams today. We make sure to work seamlessly together to communicate effectively on the court, which I think was the most important thing in securing this victory,” the Coaches Corner team stated.

The stakes are high as they compete for a coveted spot in the Red Bull Half Court World Finals, set to take place in the basketball mecca of New York City.

Cemented by their recent triumphs, Blanca, UMTC - 3, and Coaches Corner will go to the National Finals. With their skills honed and their spirits unwavering, they stand ready to represent the Davao region at the Red Bull National Finals this April 27, 2024

Keep an eye out for the next regional qualifiers, happening in Manila this April 13, 2024, visit the official Red Bull website or Red Bull Half Court page, and the following social media pages (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tiktok).

CAVINTI, Laguna—The ICTSI Caliraya Springs Championship blasts off today (Tuesday, April 9) at the Caliraya Springs Golf Club here with the stellar international field all eager to slug it out in an anticipated fierce battle on a course known for its unique features.

“Caliraya is a little bit of a combination of the two courses we played in Davao,” said Guido van der Valk, who finished second both in the Apo Golf Classic and the Rancho Palos Verdes Championship last month.

The Dutch golfer tied for 12th in last year’s edition of this event won by Tony Lascuña on an 18-under 270 total. But with a fine start to the new season, van der Valk looks to improve on his performance in the next four days of the P2.5 million championship.

“I’ve had a decent preparation this time around, so if I can get my green reading correct, it should be a nice week for me. I think Caliraya is more of a second shot course,” he added.

With its undulating terrains, water hazards and tricky surface, Caliraya Springs will indeed challenge the field’s iron play and strategic thinking, although players who excel in long, precise drives could also find success and produce low scores. Lascuña, aiming to compensate for his shorter drive with skillful fairway wood and rescue shots, remains hopeful for a consecutive title after placing joint third at Apo and ending up 10th at Palos Verdes.

He acknowledges the stiff competition from a talented field that includes Jhonnel Ababa, Clyde Mondilla, Angelo Que, Ira Alido, Keanu Jahns and 2022 champion Zanieboy Gialon.

“The course is in great condition, so it’s all about who gets off to the best start,” said Lascuna Ababa, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back after a less than stellar performance at Palos Verdes, where he ended in a tie for 25th following his playoff victory over van der Valk at Apo although he has faced some challenges in his

preparation for this week’s tournament.

“My expectations are mixed, about 50-50. My swing hasn’t been great lately. But I think a score of 13- or 15-under could likely clinch the championship here,” said Ababa, revealing a cautious yet hopeful outlook towards the tournament.

Mondilla, a former Order of Merit winner, and Que, prepping up for the Saudi Open next week, are among those seeking redemption and momentum.

The break has seen many players honing their skills, ready to vie for the top P450,000 prize offered in the 72-hole c hampionship sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

That should guarantee a highly competitive start and an exhilarating conclusion with the likes of Michael Bibat, Jay Bayron, Reymon Jaraula, Ira Alido, Dino Villanueva, Marvin Dumandan, Nilo Salahog and young guns Sean Ramos, Josh Jorge, Elee Bisera, Kristoffer Arevalo, Ryan Monsalve, Lanz Uy and Aidric Chan all going flat out to leave their mark.

Tony Lascuna

MILO BARANGAY LIGA. Boysen and MILO are expected to paint the town green with MILO Barangay Liga, a grassroots program of the brand that aims to bring sports closer to Filipino kids and communities. Signing the partnership are MILO Sports Head Carlo Sampan (left) and Vergel Dyoco, Marketing Manager of Boysen Paints.

From buzzer-beaters to jaw-dropping crossovers, the event witnessed the best of Davao’s streetball scene.

Games Tuesday (Philsports Arena) 4 p.m. – Farm Fresh vs Nxled 6 p.m. – PLDT vs Strong Group

Boxers leave for US camp ahead of Olympic qualifiers in Bangkok

By Randy Caluag

THE Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) is boosting the capabilities of four promising boxers as they prepare for the final Olympic qualifying tournament scheduled from May 23 to June 3 in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a bid to secure more slots for the Tokyo Olympics, ABAP has selected a formidable lineup composed of Tokyo Games silver medalist Carlo Paalam, 2016 Rio Olympics participant Rogen Ladon, undefeated professional boxer Criztian Pitt Laurente, and versatile combat athlete Hergie Bacyadan.

Joining the roster are Paris qualifiers Aira Villegas, Nesthy Petecio, and Eumir Marcial.

To hone their skills and refine their strategies, the seven athletes leave on Tuesday as they embark on a training expedition to the United States. From April 14 to 21, they will undergo intensive training at the US Olympic

Training Center in Denver, Colorado, before participating in the 2024 USA Boxing Multi-Nation Camp.

The select team aims to fortify their preparations for the upcoming Olympic qualifications, as well as for the 2024 Paris Games.

Accompanying the boxers are esteemed coaches Don Abnett, Ronald Chavez, Reynaldo Galido, Mitchel Martinez, and Gerson Nietes Jr. Marcial secured his Olympic ticket following a commendable silvermedal performance at last year’s Asian Games in China. Meanwhile, Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio earned their spots during the initial world qualifiers held in Italy last month.

In a bid to further fine-tune their skills and enhance their tactical prowess, a two-week training camp in Bangkok, Thailand, is also on the horizon for early next month, ahead of the final world qualification event from May 23 to June 3. Boxing has been a consistent source of medals for the Philippines, with athletes like Petecio and Marcial clinching silver and bronze, respectively, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Filipino boxing contingent is fuelled by a collective ambition to improve their performance from silver and bronze to gold, mirroring the triumph of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who secured the country’s first Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

D’Navigators’ Saura named Spikers’ Turf Player of Week

FRANCIS Saura has emerged as the driving force behind the undefeated cruise of the D’Navigators in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference. After coming off the bench last season, Saura has been embracing a bigger role for the D’Navigators, proving his worth as a starter by steering his team to a 4-0 surge in the country’s premier men’s volleyball league organized by Sports Vision. The 6’5” winger showed the way with 15 points built on 10 attacks and five kill blocks in the rousing 25-16, 25-18, 25-17 victory over Maverick last Wednesday. Saura then towed the D’Navigators once again two days later, anchoring with 12 points on 10 spikes and two rejections in the hard-earned 25-20, 25-23, 26-24 sweep of VNS-Nasty.

For his unrelenting efforts that buoyed his team to a share of the lead with defending champion Cignal, Saura earned the second Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of April 3 to 5.

“Natural lang ‘yun sa athlete na if ever na-bench ka, nakaka-down ‘yun somewhat. Nakaka-down kahit hindi mo naman sabihin. Tinake ko lang ‘tong opportunity na ‘to, noong na first six ako, na ibibigay ko talaga best ko no matter what,” Saura said. “Kahit anong instruction ‘yung pinapagawa sa akin, pinipilit ko i-absorb tsaka i-execute ng maayos. Ayun, grateful naman ako na isa ako ulit sa naging first six.”

The former National University stalwart edged PGJC-Navy skipper Greg Dolor and Cignal captain JP Bugaoan for the weekly honor deliberated upon by print and online scribes covering the league, which is also streamed live at www.spikersturf.ph.

While he continues to solidify his bearings for the D’Navigators, Saura is eager to further elevate his game, as he only made a switch from being a middle blocker to an opposite hitter last year.

Masters Athletics’ meet lures 600 athletes

By Peter Atencio

slated from May 4 and 5 at the PhilSports Track and Field Oval in Pasig City.

Organizers led by National Masters and Seniors Athletics Association of the Philippines president Drolly Claravall, the tournament is expected to have more entries this time around.

“I hope we can surpass the number of competitors who joined last year because we now on our second season. People are more aware of the event now,” said Claravall.

Claravall discussed the competition with 5Throws-for-All founder Alberto Agra, during the tournament’s formal launching at the Philippine Sports Commission conference hall in Vito Cruz, Manila.

The tournament is open to athletes 35 years old and above in the men’s and women’s individual categories, team relay and mixed gender team relay categories.

So far, 15 teams have already registered and will see action in eight disciplines and 10 age groups.

This includes entries from the Philippine Obstacle Sports Federation, the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Forces.

There are also participants from the local government units, which include Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan Valley, Baguio, Cavite and Dasmarinas.

Events to be contested are in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 2,000/3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m, 10,000m, 3,000m race walk, 80m hurdles, 100m hurdles, 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles.

The jumping events include the high jump, long jump, triple jump.

The throwing events will involve javelin throw, shot put, discus throw, pole vault, hammer throw.

Team events in the 4x100m relay, 4x100m mixed relay, 4x400m relay and 4x400m mixed relay will also be held. Competition director Trece Academia said around 550 gold medals will be at stake from the meet, which be held late in the afternoon.

LPGT’s finest start ICTSI Caliraya title chase

on Thursday.

vorites and every player a potential champion. “I don’t have too many expectations. I’ll just play my game and do my best,” said Bisera. “After all, we’ve all practiced and are all ready for this tournament.”

With 2016 OOM champion Chihiro Ikeda and title-hungry Marvi Monsalve, Pamela Mariano, Apple Fudolin, Kristine Fleetwood, Lucy Landicho, Miya Legaspi and Korean Seoyun Kim, who finished runner-up to del Rosario last year, the P1 million championship sponsored by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. is poised for a dramatic start and an even more spectacular conclusion

Adding depth to the competition are former national team standouts Mafy Singson and Lois Kaye Go, along with a cadre of promising talents like Laurea Duque, Velinda Castil, Annika Cedo and Rev Alcantara. Amateur Kayla Nocum is also ready to spring a surprise, guaranteeing a fiercely-contested 54-hole tournament supported by PGTI’s official apparel Kampfortis Golf.

All attention, however, is riveted on del Rosario, who returns from a fine start on the Epson Tour, where she not only made the cut in her first three tournaments of the season but also secured a Top 10 finish in the IOA Golf Classic. “I’m just trying to bring that confidence and momentum moving forward,” said del Rosario, who aims to break into the Top 15 by season’s end to clinch an LPGA card.

NEWLY crowned national women’s chess champion Ruelle Canino will spearhead the Far Eastern University team seeing action in the Bangkok Open 2024 slated April 13 to 21 at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort and Spa in Thailand.

The 15-year-old Canino made history by becoming one of the youngest to rule the national meet set a month ago in Malolos, Bulacan while earning her a spot in the Philippine women’s squad seeing action in the FIDE World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary this September.

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity na makapag-represent sa ibang bansa na ibang level na tournament gaya ng Olympiad,” said Canino.

“These past few days, ‘yung ginagawa ko lang po talaga is tuloy-tuloy na training po like what sir Jayson (Gonzales) said na kailangan din po talaga ng consistency sa training atsaka po disiplina sa sarili para magtuloy-tuloy yung performance ko,” she added.

The Cagayan de Oro-born wonder girl will use this tournament as she pursues another goal—to become a Woman International Master.

“Next target niya (Canino) is WIM,” said Gonzales, who is also national women’s team coach and National Chess Federation of the Philippines chief executive officer.

Joining Canino in the tough tournament are Vic Glysen Derotas, Mary Joy Tan, Mhage Gerriahlou Sebastian, Bea Mendoza, Jasmine Rizalyn Tejada, Shaina Magne Romanillos,

Harmie Constantino Rogen Ladon (left), Criztian Laurente (right), Tokyo silver medalist Carlo Paalam and Hergie Bacyadan will try to secure Olympic berths during the final qualifying tournament in Bangkok.

BIR team raids illicit cigarette factories, bares

P5.4-b tax fraud

BUREAU of Internal Revenue Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. said Monday the agency assessed P5.4 billion in tax liability on the part of three warehouses/ factories containing illicit cigarettes in Indang and Dasmariñas, Cavite on March 21, 2024.

“This is one of the largest raids against illicit cigarettes in the history of the BIR, having an estimate of P 5.4 billion in total tax liability,” Lumagui said in a statement. He said the BIR would continue targeting large-scale illicit cigarette traders. “We advise everyone to register their cigarette operations with the BIR and to pay proper excise taxes on those products,” he said.

BSP keeps borrowing rate at 6.5% despite higher inflation forecast

“The BIR aims to protect legitimate businesses so if you register and pay your proper taxes, your businesses will be compliant. We want a level playing field so we protect registered businesses and raid illicit trade,” he said.

The BIR recovered master cases of cigarettes, machines, sacks of raw tobacco and fake internal revenue stamps. Lumagui said the perpetrators behind the three warehouses/ factories would face criminal and civil cases for violations of the National Internal Revenue Code.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday kept the overnight borrowing rate steady at 6.5 percent for the fourth consecutive policy meeting since October 2023.

It said in a statement it also maintained the interest rates on overnight deposit and

facilities at 6.0 percent and 7.0 percent, respectively.

The BSP said the latest inflation path had shifted slightly higher but remained within target.

“The risk-adjusted inflation forecast

for 2024 has risen to 4 percent from 3.9 percent in the previous meeting,” the BSP said.

Inflation rate averaged 3.3 percent in the first quarter within the government’s target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for the year.

“The risks to the inflation outlook

continue to lean toward the upside.

Possible further price pressures are linked mainly to higher transport charges, elevated food prices, higher electricity rates, and global oil prices.

Potential minimum wage adjustments could also give rise to second-round effects,” the BSP said. London-based Oxford Economics said it expects the BSP to start cutting its interest rate later than earlier anticipated. “Given upside domestic inflation risks as well as chances that the US Fed might delay its easing cycle, the risk for BSP is tilted to a later start of the rate cuts,” it said.

Oxford Economics said the BSP

PH expected to remain fastest growing ASEAN economy in 2024, 2025

THE Philippines, the fastest-growing economy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last year, is expected to keep its status in 2024 and 2025, according to a regional organization.

After growing 5.6 percent in 2023, the Philippines is forecast to expand 6.3 percent in 2024 and 6.5 percent in 2025, the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO) said in a report Monday.

This will be faster than the predicted regional average growth of 4.8 percent in 2024 and 4.9 percent in 2025.

The Philippine economy is expected to outpace Cambodia’s growth of 6.2 percent this year,

Vietnam’s 6.0 percent, Indonesia’s 5.2 percent, Malaysia’s 5.0 percent, Lao’s 4.7 percent, Thailand’s 2.9 percent, Brunei’s 2.7 percent and Singapore’s 2.6 percent

Meanwhile, China is seen growing 5.3 percent in 2024; Hong Kong, 3.5 percent; Korea, 2.3 percent; and Japan, 1.1 percent AMRO’s GDP growth projections for the Philippines are within the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s revised economic target of 6 percent to 7 percent this year and 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent in 2025.

“The stronger growth for ASEAN+3 this year will be mainly driven by robust domestic demand,

Japan financing of fossil gas inconsistent with PH clean energy push—think-tank

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CLEAN energy think tank Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) raised concern that the Japanese government is moving in the opposite direction in the Philippines’ transition to full use of renewables.

The CEED comment came after Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) announced that it signed a memorandum of agreement (MOU) with three major energy firms for the rollout of the Japanese-led Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) platform in the Philippines. “AZEC has been repeatedly denounced as a ploy to promote detrimental

energy in developing countries in Asia, particularly with fossil gas and unproven fossil-friendly technologies,” said Gerry Arances, CEED executive director. “That critique is affirmed by JBIC’s partnership with the Philippines’ biggest fossil fuel champions. Japan, clearly, is championing gas as ‘bridge fuel’ deception at the cost of the Philippines’ climate ambitions,” Arqnces said.

underpinned by increasing household incomes and recovering investment activity. The anticipated turnaround in exports, in part due to the global chips upcycle, and the continued recovery of tourism will provide additional tailwinds,” AMRO said.

It also said that with global commodity prices continuing to stabilize, inflation in ASEAN+3— excluding Lao PDR and Myanmar— is expected to moderate from 2.8 percent last year to 2.5 percent in 2024, before easing further to 2.3 percent in 2025.

AMRO warned, however, against taking the region’s positive momentum for granted in light of

potential disruptors to the growth trajectory.

“A sudden spike in global commodity prices, weaker-thanexpected growth in China, or escalating geopolitical tensions could turn the tide for the region,” said AMRO chief economist Hoe Ee Khor.

“Now that the current outlook is quite positive, given robust growth and gradual disinflation, ASEAN+3 economies need to rebuild policy space as much as they can,” Khor said.

Khor said revitalizing growth requires boosting investment and embracing technology to raise productivity and resilience, especially of smaller firms.

Darwin G. Amojelar

would also likely remain cautious of the peso’s movement amid broad US dollar strength. The peso’s performance is generally on par with the regional average so far this year, but the Philippines’ twin deficit status makes the currency vulnerable to sudden movements in the face of riskoff sentiment, it said.

“As such, we think BSP is unlikely to move before the Fed, as a narrower interest rate differential will weigh on the peso. Our US team recently pushed back the timing of the first rate cut by the Fed to June from May, and the risks are tilted towards an even later start of the easing cycle,” it said.

6.3% 4.8% 4.5% Growth forecast for the Philippines

2024 ASEAN growth forecast

ASEAN+3 growth forecast

San Miguel Corp., Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Metro Pacific through Meralco’s power generation arm are jointly pushing for 23 GW of new gas-fired power generating facilities equivalent to 80 percent of total installed capacity. Metrobank

all the power facilities in the building to allow their tenants to connect. They don’t charge the water company for every faucet. Yet they

want to charge us for every antenna we need to install,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said. Cu said one developer wanted to charge a

the year-to-date headline inflation print is now closer to the lower band of Metrobank Research’s baseline forecast range, a re-evaluation of current estimates may be necessary in the near term,” it said.

It noted that the March headline inflation came in lower than the consensus

AC Mobility chief executive Jaime Alfonso Zobel de Ayala (left) is named as a 2024 Young Global Leader (YGL) by the World Economic Forum. The YGL community is an excellent forum for business leaders around the world to collaborate on new solutions that have transformative impact on their respective country’s economy, society and environment. From the Facebook page of Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala

lending

Lumagui Jr.

AboitizPower to complete 176 MW of RE in six months

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ABOITIZ Power Corp. is on track to operating additional renewable capacity of 176 megawatts in the first half of 2024, helping secure the country’s growing power requirements, an executive said in a recent forum.

“Our initial expansion phase focuses on developing mostly solar and wind plants with up to1,200 MW capacity. Currently, we are on track for 176 MW of RE projects to come online by the first half of 2024, with construction ongoing for an additional 218 MW,” Aboitiz Renewables Inc. president Jimmy Villaroman said during the Philippine Electric Power Industry Forum 2024. Villaroman said AboitizPower has over 1,000 MW of new RE capacity in various stages of development.

“The second phase of AboitizPower’s expansion will see an additional capacity of around 1,700 MW of solar and wind power,” he said.

AboitizPower earlier bared its goal to build 3,700 MW of new RE capacity en route to 4,600 MW by 2030, aligned with the Philippine government’s target of a 35-percent RE share in the nation’s energy mix by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

These include projects in solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and battery energy storage systems.

The company expects peak electricity demand to increase 6.6 percent annually until 2040, powering economic growth targets ranging from 6 percent to 7 percent for 2024, 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent for 2025 and 6.5 percent to 8 percent for 2026 to 2028.

“Unlike some developed nations, our transition in the Philippines, as in the rest of Asia and the Pacific, must be gradual and intelligent. It has to be well-planned; uniquely suited to each country,” Villaroman said.

“The solutions we devise must be tailor-fit to address our problems and opportunities. It cannot happen overnight and might take years, if not decades, to realize. But we believe it is possible,” he said.

Synergy declares P1.8-b first-quarter cash dividends

SYNERGY Grid and Development Philippines, Inc. (SGP) declared first-quarter cash dividends of P0.3474 per share totaling P1.829 billion.

SGP said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Monday the cash dividends would be payable on May 10, 2024 to stockholders of record as of April 26, 2024.

SGP declared cash dividends from the company’s unrestricted retained earnings in view of the dividends received from National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, Pacifica21 Holdings Inc. and OneTaipan Holdings Inc.

NGCP is SGP’s sole operating asset. It holds the sole and exclusive concession and franchise for the operation of the country’s transmission network, linking power generators and distribution utilities to deliver electricity to power distributors and cooperatives nationwide.

NGCP holds a 25-year concession and a 50-year Congressional franchise to expand and operate the country’s power transmission grid.

SGP conducted its follow-on offering in November 2021 in compliance with NGCP’s franchise undertakings. Alena Mae S. Flores

PH stocks decline as investors turn cautious ahead of BSP meet

By Jenniffer B. Austria

P

stocks opened the week in the red as investors remained cautious ahead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy meeting.

markets will be closed Tuesday for the Araw ng Kagitingan and Wednesday for the Eid al-Fitr/end of Ramdan.

Meanwhile, most Asian markets squeezed out gains Monday as traders weighed the chances of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates this year after a forecast-busting US jobs report dented hopes for a first move in June.

Wall Street’s three main indexes rallied Friday on news that 303,000 jobs were created in the United States in March, with investors focusing on the positives for the economy instead of the monetary policy implications.

However, observers warned that the figures -- which also showed unemployment falling and wage growth still strong -- could prevent the Fed from cutting rates three times in 2024, as it has previously indicated. Traders are now awaiting the release this week of minutes from the central bank’s most recent meeting, as well as the latest consumer price index reading.

The CPI “will be a bigger test of whether the recent inflation bump is a trend or not”, said Saxo’s Redmond Wong, referring to bigger-than-expected inflation figures at the start of the year. With AFP

Repower signs MOU to develop mini-hydros in irrigation areas

REPOWER Energy Development Corp., a subsidiary of Pure Energy Holdings Corp., said Monday said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

REDC said in a statement this signifies the company’s intention to pursue the development of mini-hydropower plants in three areas where the NIA has existing infrastructure.

REDC requested for the NIA’s permission to conduct comprehensive

Lina Santolaja, 66, joins other senior citizens and PWD workers at The Bistro Group working as a cashier, baker, cleaning crew and back of the house staff of The Bistro Group’s restaurants. The company thinks that its strength lies in their diversity, being proud of its workforce which includes senior citizen and persons with disabilities (PWD) who are essential to its success.

studies on the economic, financial and technical viability of the projects.

These projects cover the river irrigation systems (RIS) in Barangay Dapdap in Tayabas, Quezon; Barangay Sta. Justina in Iriga City, Camarines Sur; and Barangay Poblacion in Pilar, Bohol.

REDC said it would deploy its engineers and technical staff to these areas for planning and maintenance of the projects.

“We would like to thank NIA ad-

Bistro Group embraces workplace diversity, hires more seniors, PWDs

THE Bistro Group said its restaurants are manned by a diverse and dedicated team who ensures that every guest experience is exceptional.

The company thinks that its strength lies in their diversity, being proud of its workforce which includes senior citizen and persons with disabilities (PWD) who are essential to its success.

Among them are 10 senior citizens working as a cashier, baker, cleaning crew and back of the house staff. A PWD employee, Dante Isuga, is currently a busser at MSH Conrad.

ministrator Eddie Guillen and the entire organization for their trust and confidence in REDC by allowing us to develop and integrate mini hydropower plants into their existing infrastructure,” REDC president Eric Peter Roxas said during the signing ceremony.

“These will benefit the Filipino people through renewable energy that will be delivered to their households. At the same time, these projects are designed to uphold the property rights

of Filipino farmers so that they can continue with their livelihood,” Roxas said.

The Department of Energy (DOE) recently awarded REDC wind energy service contracts totaling 500 megawatts that would further expand its portfolio of clean-energy facilities around the country. The 25-year wind contracts would allow the company to build the wind farms in Real and Mauban, Quezon Province. Alena Mae S. Flores

BICT welcomes enhanced Batumi-Gioia Tauro service

BATUMI International Container Terminal (BICT), International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) business unit at the Port of Batumi in Georgia, will be offering customers enhanced connectivity to North Africa and Spain via Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) enhanced Batumi-Gioia Tauro service by mid-April.

MSC’s improved service will make weekly calls to and from Batumi, following a new rotation that includes additional direct ports and decreased transit times.

The service will be sailing through the following ports: Tekirdağ-Derince-Aliaga-Marsaxlokk-AlgeiersCasablanca-Sines-Valencia-Gioia

The Bistro Group said it is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment for all its employees. It offers training programs and accommodations to ensure that senior citizens and PWD workers can perform their roles effectively and thrive in their careers.

The Bistro Group invites everyone to join them in recognizing and appreciating the invaluable contributions of senior citizens and PWD workers. Their presence not only enhances Bistro’s team but also enriches their lives, making the company a better place, it said.

He started at the Bistro commissary before he was transferred to MSH. A senior citizen whom the company hired is 66-year-old Lina Santolaja, who is now working as a baker at Texas Roadhouse Greenbelt.

By Jenniffer B. Austria

CENTURY Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), one of the leading branded food and beverage companies in the Philippines, said Monday it posted a net income of P5.6 billion in 2023, up 12 percent from a year ago despite the inflationary environment.

CPNF said in a disclosure to the stock exchange its revenues rose 8 percent year-on-year to P67.1 billion, as strong sales from branded business tempered the softness in exports

Goldmine seeks to close 100 deals in Franchise Asia

By Othel V. Campos RISING franchising concept

Goldmine Farm to Market expects to close up to 100 franchise deals in the upcoming Franchise Asia Philippines (FAPHL) 2024 on April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“As good will, we are offering as much as P100,000 rebate for potential franchise owners,” said Goldmine president and founder Orlando Manuntag.

The company now has over 10 franchise holders across Metro Manila and Calabarzon. It aims to signup over a hundred turn-key packages in 2024.

The rice retailing concept offers fast return-on-investment (ROI) with an estimated payback in 8 to 10 months. Its end-to-end operational and functional assistance delivers a complete functional solution to daily transactions. “GoldMine Farm to Market produces stable demand for the commodity since rice is the staple food in the Philippines. We have procured a powerful POS system that allows franchise owners to to supervise their stores anytime, anywhere,” Manuntag said.

Established in 1998, Goldmine Farm to Market discovered the benefits of franchising to growing its business.

It participated in FAP 2023 as a new franchisor and moved on as a member of the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA).

business. The branded segment posted an increase of 11-percent in sales, on the back of faster-growing milk and other emerging segments and the steady

performance of core marine and meat segments.

“The branded business continued to exhibit resilience amidst a volatile macroeconomic environment. Our primary focus is on delivering affordable nutrition through our vast assortment of brands and products spanning multiple price tiers – our way of providing value to our consumers in both good and challenging times,” CNPF chief financial officer Chad Manapat said.

CNPF’s tuna and coconut exports saw a softening in 2023. Sales de-

clined 4 percent year-on-year due to supply chain challenges and elevated commodity costs, which in turn led to softer markets.

This segment, however, started to recover in the fourth quarter of 2023, with sales increasing by 18 percent versus the same period last year, supported by favorable trends in commodities and a low comparable base.

CNPF’s gross margin landed at 24 percent, improving by 95 basis points year-on-year, on the back of downtrends in most of its input costs, especially towards the second half of the

of the La Mesa Ecopark will be a fitting tribute on World Environment Day and a lasting gift of hope for generations to come.

Manila Water said it would reinforce environmental awareness attractions within the park that would give visitors a memorable experience and inspire them to be good stewards of the environment.

year.

CNPF also generated operating cashflows amounting to P8.4 billion in 2023. Of this amount, P1.4 billion was released as dividends, representing an 11-percent increase compared to the year before.

It also spent P1.5 billion for capacity expansion and sustainability initiatives to enhance the company’s capability to harness renewable energy.

CNPF expanded its solar capacity to 8.8 megawatts and commissioned a new biomass boiler that can be fueled by coconut shells.

Angkas set to launch motorcycle taxi service in Lipa

ANGKAS, the leading motorcycle ride-hailing platform, said it conducted a comprehensive training session for bikers in Lipa City, alongside a successful deployment and free rides initiative during the Barako Fest from March 14 to 16, 2024.

The company said it is conducting app testing from April 1 to 6 and is set to launch its full operations in Lipa City. The launch will include the operation of Angkas Padala, further enhancing the accessibility of efficient delivery services in the city.

Angkas said the training session reinforces its commitment to professionalizing the motorcycle industry and

empowering local bikers with the necessary tools for financial independence.

Angkas took part in the Barako Fest by providing free rides to attendees to ensure safe and convenient transportation options for all participants. The initiative not only showcased Angkas’ dedication to serving communities but also highlighted the efficiency and reliability of motorcycle transportation, it said.

Angkas said the training session for Lipa bikers underscored the importance of professionalism and safety in the industry. As part of its inclusive and holistic approach, Angkas believes in recognizing the contribu-

tions of the informal sector and providing them with legitimate access to training and resources.

“Angkas has demonstrated a commendable commitment to our community by providing valuable training to our local bikers,” said Lipa Mayor Eric Africa.

“Their efforts in promoting safety and professionalism are crucial for the well-being of both bikers and commuters in our city,” Africa said.

“Through initiatives like the training session in Lipa and the free rides during the Barako Fest, Angkas continues to set the standard for excellence in the motorcycle industry,” said Lipa councilor Mikee Morada.

PFDA vows to remit over P128m to Treasury on increased dividends

THE Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) will remit P128.4 million to the Treasury for 2023 pay-out in response to the Department of Finance’s (DOF) call for a 25-percent increase in remittances.

The government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) booked a net profit of P171.2 million in 2023.

Previous to the recent directive, all GOCCs are required to remit 50 percent of annual revenues to the national government, which scaled up to 75 percent upon the announcement by the DOF for increased remittances.

PFDA chairman and Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the agency was willing to adhere to new regulations to improve

the country’s financial status. “We have to support the government in what it needs as long as it will not affect your own operations,” Tiu Laurel told the board in a recent meeting.

The PFDA remitted P74.3 million in dividends in 2022, representing 50 percent of its net profit for the same year.

The PFDA is tasked to develop, operate and maintain fishery postharvest infrastructures and facilities and provides market information and related services. The PFDA assured the public of continued smooth operations despite the higher dividend payout, citing the strong performance of its various units with collection rates exceeding 90 percent. Othel V. Campos

Asia’s biggest franchise show returns in April

FRANCHISE Asia Philippines 2024 Expo is holding Asia’s biggest franchise show on April 12 to 14 at the SMX Convention Center Manila.

Organized by the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA), the event promises to be a platform for entrepreneurs and investors seeking lucrative franchise opportunities and valuable business insights.

“Our show has always been in April,” said PFA chairman Chris Lim. “We just moved it to October in the last two years because of our hosting of the meetings of the World Franchise Council and the Asia-Pacific Franchise Confederation (last year.” It said while the 2023 show was its biggest event, this year’s show still promises to be a motherlode of franchise opportunities for Filipinos who want to start a business and achieve financial freedom.

“We are thrilled to present Franchise Asia Philippines Expo 2024, where entrepreneurs can discover new opportunities, expand their networks, and excel in the dynamic world of franchising,” PFA president Joseph Tanbuntiong said.

“With a diverse range of franchise brands and informative seminars, this event is a mustattend for anyone looking to enter or thrive in the franchise industry,” he said.

TOURIST TRANSPORT. Secretary Jaime Bautista (right) affirms the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) support to the Tourist Vehicle and Travel Association of the Philippines Inc. (TVTAP) to spur the country’s tourism growth through comfortable, affordable, safe and secure and accessible transportation. The TVTAP is an association of tourist vehicle and travel operators that ensure local and foreign tourists are safely ferried to the country’s leading tourist destinations.

Riders of Angkas, the leading motorcycle ridehailing platform, line up after attending the comprehensive training session for bikers in Lipa City, alongside a successful deployment and free rides initiative during the Barako Fest held from March 14 to 16. These efforts mark Angkas’ commitment to professionalizing the motorcycle industry and empowering local bikers with the necessary tools for financial independence.

The knowledge-sharing session

we are a part of,” said Metrobank chief marketing officer Digs Dimagiba. Metrobank has earned a strong reputation among its clients for its trusted financial services and hasslefree banking experience, according to The Asian Banker. These served as the main drivers for Metrobank’s BankQuality score of 101.48—the highest among the participating banks in the Philippines, and the 6th among the banks in Asia.

PAYMONGO, a pioneering financial technology company focusing on digital financial services solutions, was recognized the Most Innovative Payment Facilitator at the Visa’s SME Excellence Awards.

PayMongo chief executive Jojo Malolos said the recognition not only underscores the company’s commitment to empowering digital Filipino entrepreneurs, but also highlights its unique approach in revolutionizing the market.

“This award reaffirms our dedication to fostering the growth of the digital economy, particularly among MSMEs. Our tailored products and services cater to their specific needs, amplifying their potential for success,” Malolos said.

Central to PayMongo’s innovation is its integration of Visa’s Rapid Seller

BPI Visa cardholders given a chance to see Paris Olympic Games

THE Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) said it is giving away Olympic Games Paris 2024 Experience Package to Visa cardholders.

“At BPI, we are committed to empowering our valued cardholders and making every spending moment count. With our special offers and seamless digital banking experience, we aim to elevate everyday transactions into rewarding experiences,” said Jenelyn Lacerna, product and sales head for unsecured lending and cards at BPI.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games, themed “Games Wide Open,” are set to captivate audiences worldwide from July 26 to Aug. 11.

Breaking away from tradition, Paris 2024 will transform the city into a sprawling sports arena, with events spread across iconic landmarks, including the historic Seine riverbank where the opening ceremony will unfold.

BPI Visa cardholders are invited to participate in the promo from March 16 to April 15, 2024. For every P5,000 accumulated spend using their BPI Visa Credit Card during the promotional period, cardholders will automatically earn one raffle entry, with no registration required.

“There’s no need to jump through hoops to join. Simply keep using your BPI Visa Credit Card within the promo period to rack up entries and boost your chances of winning,” Lacerna said.

Onboarding (RSO) into its platform, streamlining the process for SMEs to embark on their digital journey.

“The Visa RSO integration has been transformative, enabling us to offer the fastest turnaround time in the industry. It simplifies technology and processes, empowering merchants to fully embrace digital entrepreneurship,” Malolos said.

PayMongo said the award is a testament to its commitment to addressing economic inequality through fintech.

Malolos noted PayMongo’s proactive adoption of Visa’s Installment Solutions that empowered merchants to accept payments directly from partner banks through their online channels, further enhancing accessibility and convenience for businesses and consumers alike.

By Darwin G. Amojelar

FUSE Lending Inc. said Monday it surpassed the P118 billion mark in life-to-date disbursed loans through the GCash app as of end-2023, empowering nearly four million Filipinos.

“By providing non-collateralized and affordable loan products such as GLoan, GCredit and GGives through the GCash app, Fuse Lending has successfully supported almost four million Filipino loan borrowers, helping millions of Filipinos achieve their financial aspirations and goals in a more convenient, easier and simpler way,” said Fuse president and chief executive Tony Isidro.

PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) launched a cloud center of excellence (CCOE) to create a future-proof workforce and enhance customer experience.

“Our multi-year cloud journey has helped propel the PLDT group to its leadership position. Now, we are raising the level of our commitment to our cloud initiatives, to prepare the company and the workforce for future growth. Establishing the CCOE is a vital element in this broad roadmap,” said Robin Ramos, first vice president and information technology officer-incharge at PLDT and Smart.

“PLDT and Smart’s cloud initiatives go beyond the enterprise infrastructure perspective, as they also involve utilizing cloud as a platform by maximizing

The positive feedback among the bank’s clients is supported by a study conducted by NielsenIQ in 2023, where Metrobank emerged as one of the top recommended banks in the Philippines.

About a thousand respondents were asked how likely they would recommend each bank cited in the survey to their peers. According to the results, Metrobank edged out all the other local major banks, and has held this position since 2022.

Metrobank said these recognitions serve as a strong vote of confidence that it is on the right track in fulfilling its promise to clients as their trusted financial partner in every life stage.

Security Bank said in a stock exchange filing the joint venture partners would form Mitsubishi Motors Finance Philippines Inc. to offer financing services to Mitsubishi Motors’ customers in the country.

The new company is expected to start operations next year, with MMC holding a 51-percent ownership stake in the new company and Security Bank getting 49 percent.

The completion of this transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

“This joint venture is in line with Security Bank’s commitment to provide superior customer experience through our ‘BetterBanking’ brand promise,” Security Bank president and chief executive Sanjiv Vohra said.

“By combining the strengths of both Mitsubishi Motors and Security Bank through this new company, we are in the best position to offer enhanced auto financing services to match our customers’ needs. This means more attractive promos, competitive financing packages, and fast decisioning. Thus, we deliver better value to customers,” he said.

The bank said the country saw a

A GCash study found that nine of 10 Filipinos need to borrow money, but do not have access to formal lending institutions and banks.

Fuse said it has given access to fair lending to Filipinos from the grassroots sector such as farmers, sari-sari store owners, public market vendors and other micro, small and medium enterprises.

It said to help more Filipinos unlock their financial goals, Fuse and GCash introduced the latest addition to their lending service offerings – GLoan Sakto, a nano-loan product that can jumpstart Filipinos’ access to formal credit.

Ordinary Filipinos can borrow as low as P100 to accommodate shortterm needs or even the smallest-

the advanced features that are available in the cloud – boosting workforce agility, raising operational excellence, and enabling the organization to roll out innovative products and services faster and more efficiently,” he said. Gilbert Gaw, first vice president and transformation office officer-incharge at PLDT and Smart, said ther new journey also means solidifying the company’s commitment to elevate customer experience, as the cloud can further strengthen stability and efficiency with less disruption to the company’s services.

“Strategically investing in cloud also allows us to become

but-urgent expenses – all without requiring users to submit numerous documents and undergo tedious application processes.

GCash and Fuse recognize that digital financial tools and services that enable enterprises big and small to serve their customers and employees are vital for economic growth. GCash has onboarded more than 6 million partner merchants, including key partners like Puregold and TikTok Shop. Over 49,000 stores nationwide make it possible to pay for purchases with credit (GCredit) or installment (GGives) with their GCash app. More than 94 million users have tried GCash – making it the country’s biggest digital ecosystem.

rapid growth in the new car market, aligned with the growth of the population and economy. The trend is likely to continue in the medium term.

It also noted that financing services are essential for customers in the country as most rely on financing when buying cars.

Through this joint venture, Security Bank and MMC will be able to offer a range of sales financing services for customers.

“This is our 61st year in business in the Philippines, where we now have a strong presence and a large market share,” said Tatsuo Nakamura, executive vice president of Mitsubishi Motors.

“Mitsubishi Motors is very pleased to be able to partner with Security Bank that is one of the best financial institutions in the Philippines. Through this joint venture, we hope we can provide Mitsubishi Motors vehicles to more customers in this ever-expanding market. Also, we will continue to make efforts to satisfy customers more through our products and services that embody Mitsubishi Motors-ness,” it said.

Hotel101 expansion plans as it aims to become a global brand with presence in more than 100 countries. Jenniffer B. Austria

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

World squanders over 1 billion meals a day

Ever Bilena ties up with Plastic Bank of Vancouver

In a groundbreaking partnership

Plastic Bank, Ever Bilena is actively creating a more beautiful world, free from plastic pollution and empowered by sustainable practices. The collaboration resonates deeply with Ever Bilena’s purpose statemen: “We are dedicated to creating a beautiful world and empowering people to lead beautiful lives that transcend beyond the ordinary.” The company said the commitment to sustainability is not merely a tagline―

it is a tangible action embodied in the partnership. Plastic Bank, a Vancouver-based social enterprise, tackles two critical issues simultaneously: ocean plastic pollution and poverty in developing communities. It builds recycling ecosystems where plastic waste becomes valuable currency, providing income and essential benefits to people while preventing plastic from reaching our oceans.

Through the collaboration, Ever Bilena has already stopped 1.6 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean. The impact is a direct reflection of Plastic Bank’s mission of

San Miguel Food, DOST-FNRI agree to fortify ‘NutriBun’

SAN Miguel Foods (SMF) and the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) have teamed up to standardize the NutriBun formulation used in government feeding programs for underprivileged children to help address malnutrition and prevent stunting among vulnerable communities.

The agreement, formalized through the signing of a memorandum of agreement, is seen to enhance the effectiveness of government efforts to improve child nutrition and health nationwide.

The premixes will be used by DOST-FNRI’s nationwide network of “adaptors”―makers of enhanced NutriBuns distributed to children beneficiaries of the program.

The program aims to ensure that sufficient, standardized nutritional values go into every NutriBun so all

children get the full nutritional benefits intended. At the same time, it will allow for cost-effectiveness for the program’s adaptors. Through its flour milling unit San Miguel Mills Inc., San Miguel Foods will provide funding for FNRI’s research, and help deliver the precise nutrient bundle needed by children in each serving of the nutrient-packed bread.

“Nutrition is an advocacy we have been focused on for many years now.

This partnership will combine the research and development being done by by DOST-FNRI, and the technical know-how and production capabilities of San Miguel Foods. Ultimately, this will benefit many children, especially those in disadvantaged communities who do not get enough or proper nutrition,” said SMC president Ramon S. Ang.

collecting plastic within 50 kilometers of waterways, and stopping ocean pollution at its source.

“Ever Bilena is fully committed to our sustainability initiatives, we consider this a core value and is also a key factor in our corporate strategy and mission,” said Denice Sy, chief sales and marketing officer of Ever Bilena.

Ever Bilena’s partnership with Plastic Bank is also aligned with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law, which holds companies accountable for their plastic footprint throughout the product lifecycle.

HOUSEHOLDS across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity.

Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Program (UNEP) report published late March, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP, provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste.

In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tons of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost onefifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 percent occured at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 percent and retail 12 percent. “Food waste is a global tragedy.

Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature. The good news is we know if countries prioritize this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”

Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.UNEP News

DENR commits to protect, save water resources

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) affirmed its commitment to protect and conserve water resources to secure access for every Filipino. “Our overarching goal in the water sector is to realize water security for all, ensuring that no individual or community is left behind in accessing this fundamental resource. The posing challenge for each of us here is to uphold our official capacity relentlessly despite the complexities along the way,” said National Water Resources Board Executive director Ricky Azardon.

Global water shortages looming —what can be done about them

CONCLUSION

2. BE MORE EFFICIENT. Agriculture accounts for some 70 percent of all fresh water used globally. Adopting water-saving food production methods, such as hydroponics, drip irrigation and agroforestry, can help water reserves stretch further. Also helpful: encouraging people to switch to plant-based diets, which generally require less water than those based around meat. Beef, for example, is thought to have one of the biggest water footprints, requiring as much as 15,000 liters of water to produce a kilo of meat.

3. DEAL WITH WATER LEAKS. Being efficient also means reducing the amount of water lost through leaky municipal infrastructure and building piping. There are no global data for the amount of water lost this way but national numbers suggest the total is massive. In the United States of America alone, household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons of water per year. “Solutions are within reach. But we need innovative thinking, greater political commitment and collaboration and increased financing so that when it comes to water, no one is left behind.”

4. UNCONVENTIONAL SOURCES. As supplies of lake, river and aquifer water dwindle, countries will need to get creative. This means taking ad-

vantage of undervalued water resources, such as by treating and reusing wastewater. Countries and communities can also implement rainwater harvesting, which involves collecting and storing water for use in dry spells. Desalinating saltwater is also an option in some places if done sustainably. The problem: the process often leads to the discharge of toxic brine into the ocean and increased greenhouse gas emissions from the energy required to fuel the process.

5. TRACK QUALITY. Often, water is plentiful but is too polluted to be useful for drinking, manufacturing or recreation. Measuring water quality can help policymakers prioritize actions to clean up water sources. This evaluation can be complemented

harmonize their strategies for managing water with their policies for limiting and adapting to climate change.

7. INTEGRATED APPROACHES. Decisions about water cannot be made in a vacuum. Water is a key component in everything from power generation to industrial manufacturing to farming. So, countries must develop action plans that address water use and pollution across multiple sectors, tackling what experts call the water-energy-food-ecosystems nexus. This approach can help countries adopt coherent responses to water-related challenges while maximizing things like food production and energy generation. UNEP News

The DENR stressed the critical role water plays in achieving peace stability, and development during the World Water Day 2024 Exhibit on March 22, 2024 at the Quezon City Hall.

This year’s theme, “Water for Peace: Pagkakaisa Tungo sa Seguridad Pantubig,” aligns with the United Nations (UN) Water agenda to raise awareness of the 2.2 billion people without access to safe water. It engages the public to unite in the cause of achieving peace and water sustainability, fostering harmony, generating prosperity, and building resilience to shared challenges.

SALT FARM. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga (second from left) visits Pangasinan to inspect the project of Pangasinan Gov. Ramon. Guico III and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Gov. Mark Ronald DG Lambino that will develop a 473-hectare salt farm in Barangay Zaragoza.

By Angelica Villanueva

IN THE debut episode of the noontime variety show It’s Showtime Saturday, Miss Universe 2023 Michelle Dee appeared as the celebrity guest searcher for the segment, “Expecially For You.”

First

list

made waves online, gaining attention from the audience. Their charisma and charm captured hearts left and right, and netizens

old lawyer surely made his parents proud when he passed the bar exam in 2016 and got his master’s degree at the University of Queensland in 2019. Oliver isn’t just a lawyer; he’s also athletic and sporty. He has participated in a bodybuilding contest, a swimming competition, and even a basketball game. Kevin is known for his Tiktok videos

Beyond the screen and his hosting stints, Martin is also an athlete at heart

, who always has his back – from his daily vlogs to his blind date on national television. He affectionately calls his mom “Mommy Makulit” (fun-loving mom).

Last but not least is Martin Javier. Many people already know Martin; he’s one of GMA’s promising sportscasters.

When the young host joined GMA in 2021, he began his journey in sports reporting with the NCAA. He then became an anchor in the 24 Oras sports segment, “Game Changer.” Martin is often seen hosting gigs for brands, launches, or press conferences. And as a sporty man, people can also see him inside and outside the court— not as a sportscaster but as an athlete himself.

It’s Showtime airs on weekdays (Monday to Friday) and Saturday on GMA-7.

is also part of the long-running documentary program I-Witness and hosts the bi-monthly public affairs show The Atom Araullo Specials Winners of the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards are determined through its Trusted Brands Survey, where 8,000 consumers across markets of the Philippines identify the brands, services, and personalities they trust the most based on key attributes such as trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of customer needs, innovation, and social responsibility.

GMA Network’s triumphs underscore its unwavering commitment not only to delivering innovative TV programs that inform, educate, and empower but also to trusting its Kapuso viewers to serve as a guiding force moving forward.

became curious about their lives.

on the

is Oliver Moeller, a Filipino-German lawyer based in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The 32-year-

LIFE & SHOWBIZ

BINIBINING Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) has unveiled the official candidates for the 2024 Binibining Pilipinas pageant following the final closed-door screening at the New Frontier Theater on April 5.

Pilipinas pageant include Aleckxis Chuidian, Carmella Cuaresma, Charisse Abanico, Christal Dela Cruz, Corrine San Pedro, Erika Ballon, Geraldine Buenafe, Gracelle Distura, Jasmin Dingson, Jasmine Bungay,

GODZILLA x Kong extended its monstrous reign over the North American box office for a second weekend, according to estimates Sunday from industry watcher Exhibitor Relations

The feature, which sees the enormous gorilla and reptilian giant set their differences aside and team up to save their species – and ours – took in $31.7 million over the weekend in the United States and Canada, according to the figures.

In second place with an estimated $10 million in ticket sales was the action film Monkey Man , which British actor Dev Patel both directs and stars in.

The thriller, set in India, is “ultra-violent, driven by class differences, corruption and personal vengeance,” said analyst David A. Gross

“Foreign stories do not always work in North America; it’s working here,” he wrote, adding: “it’s going to be very profitable.”

In third place was Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire , which took in $9 million.

Co-written by Jason Reitman, whose father Ivan Reitman directed the first Ghostbusters in 1984, the film teams a new cadre of ghost catchers with the original cast as they take on a frightening deity trying to launch a new Ice Age.

In fourth place was the horror film The First Omen, an intrigue between the Catholic Church and the forces of evil. It grossed $8.4 million in North American cinemas. Relegated to fifth place, Kung Fu Panda 4 , Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s martial arts comedy, which earned $7.9 million. AFP

Joyce Anne Garduque, Kara Villarosa, J Kristin Baconawa, Kylie Atiliano, and Liezle Jones.

Joining the list are Ma. Flordeliz Mabao, Mae

Kimberly De Luna, Maria Jajalla, Marikit Manaois, Monica Acuno, Myrea Caccam, Myrna Esguerra, Mythosela Villanueva, Nicklyn Jutay, Phoebe Godinez, Rendell

Ann Caraig, Roella Frias, Roselyn Evardo, Samantha Acosta, and Shaira Marie Rona.

Shannen Manzano, Sheny Sampang, Sheryl Velez, Tracy Mae Sunio, Trisha Hernandez, Trisha Martinez, Vera

What… From C4

Ram, the business architect in the making

Ram, a student rocking the halls of the University of Pennsylvania, decided to take his summer vacation to the next level with an internship at Shopee, where he got to lead projects himself. “Most internships do not give you the big tasks. This program actually lets you be in charge,” Ram exclaimed.

As a Corporate Affairs intern, Ram got to sharpen his business skills by tackling real-world problems. He built project plans to solve company challenges, a skill he says is a total game-changer. “This is something you can use in any job, no matter what you do,” Ram shared as he emphasized how the freedom to figure things out on his own boosted his confidence. “Even as an intern, I felt like I was making a real difference at Shopee!”

Dickinson, Vienne Feucht, Zeneth Joy Khan, and Zianah Joy Famy complete the list of candidates.

The latest batch of Binibinis is meticulously chosen by a panel composed of the reigning Binibining Pilipinas 2023 queens and the BPCI Executive Committee.

The candidates, now part of the exclusive and legendary Binibini sisterhood, will compete in the grand 60th edition of the country’s most prestigious beauty pageant to earn the right to represent the Philippines on the international stage.

“It really made me look forward to

a career in e-commerce.” So what are you waiting for? You might just be the next e-commerce legend in the making. Visit https:// careers.shopee.ph/ apprenticeprogram/ to apply.

The beautiful roster of 40 new Binibinis showcases a mix of fresh faces and pageant veterans, each bringing with them unique stories and inspiring advocacies. The official candidates of the 60th Binibining

C4 LIFE

THE Samsung Galaxy S24 Series boasts AI features that transform everyday moments into epic digital experiences.

The epic digital life is yours for the taking with Samsung Galaxy S24 series and Globe offers attractive and flexible postpaid plans and bundles, amplifying your sense of limitless possibilities.

Discover innovative features on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Series that enhance your digital experience. Use Circle to Search by simply circling images with the S Pen or your fingertips to get instant Google Search results without leaving your feed. This feature provides quick answers about anything from interesting objects to landmarks, directly from your social media or camera roll.

Break language barriers effortlessly with Live Translate, enabling seamless communication across languages in real-time via call, SMS, Viber, or messaging apps. Engage with colleagues globally, share memorable moments, and connect with friends from around the world, all with the convenience of Live Translate. Capture and edit stunning photos and videos effortlessly with the Galaxy S24’s AI-powered camera, featuring Nightography and AI-enhanced Zoom. Produce professional-quality content with vibrant colors and intricate details, and use the AI-powered editing app to resize, retouch, and enhance your creations.

Immerse yourself in epic gaming experiences with the enhanced performance, longer battery life, advanced cooling system, and hyper-realistic visuals of the Samsung Galaxy S24, perfect for gaming on-the-go with your network of gaming buddies.

Globe Postpaid Plans offer flexible payment options for the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, allowing both new and existing customers to enjoy light and easy monthly installments with longer cash-out periods of up to 36 months.

Current Globe Postpaid Plan subscribers still within a lock-up period (with 6 months remaining on their contract) can take advantage of Globe’s early renewal offer to upgrade to the latest Galaxy S24 device. Visit https://www.globe.com.ph/postpaid/early-renewal to apply today.

Maximize value with Globe Trade-In and Gadget Xchange, where you can trade in your old Samsung flagship device to receive cashback for additional savings on your Globe bill. Get an extra top-up amount of up to P16,000 from Samsung when you trade in your old phone through Globe Stores or online. Globe, in partnership with CompAsia, assesses your phone’s trade-in value, and the total value is reflected as cashback on your Globe Postpaid bill. Trade in now at https://ph.getinstacash.com/globe/.

Enjoy a free three-month Gadget Xchange subscription worth P1,497 with your Globe Postpaid Plan and Samsung Galaxy S24 purchase, providing critical support for device replacements and repairs. Explore more at https://new.globe.com.ph/gadgetxchange for a worry-free digital lifestyle.

By Nickie Wang

NITORI Holdings Co., Ltd., Japan’s largest furniture and home-furnishing retailer is opening its first store in the Philippines on April 18. The store is located in Mitsukoshi, a shopping center in BGC in Taguig.

Nitori is setting its sights on a bigger slice of the Asian market, with the Philippines as a key player. The company aims to capitalize on the country’s booming economy and population growth, targeting 50 stores by the end of 2032.

Nitori operates over 800 stores in Japan and nearly 180 stores internationally. It is known for offering high-quality furniture and home furnishings at competitive prices. Its business model encompasses everything from product planning to manufacturing and distribution, allowing the company to control costs and offer value to customers.

Its core business lies in “Nitori” stores, which offer a wide range of furniture and home furnishings. But Nitori is more than just furniture. It also operates “Deco Home” stores for daily necessities, “Shimachu” stores for hardware and home improvement items, and “N Plus” stores for women’s apparel.

The Philippines store opening follows Nitori’s successful entries into Malaysia and Singapore in 2022 and Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, and Vietnam in the current fiscal year. The company plans to further expand its reach in Asia, targeting Indonesia and India for future growth.

Nitori has a bold plan to increase its overseas store count by 100 within the current fiscal year, followed by an aggressive 200-store-per-year expansion plan in the near future. This ambitious strategy reflects the company’s commitment to serving the growing needs of Asian customers, including Filipinos.

“We are excited to bring Nitori products to more customers in Asia,” says Akio Nitori Representative Director & THE world of online shopping seems like a magical land of deals and fast deliveries, but what’s the real deal for the people who make it all happen?

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be on the other end of the country’s leading e-commerce platform, buckle up for an inside scoop.

Meet some of the students who landed internships at Shopee, the best e-commerce employer for fresh graduates according to Prosple, a resource company that assists graduates with jobs and opportunities to kickstart their career after finishing their education.

They share what it’s like to be part of the company’s Apprentice Program, a training space for students to hone their skills in leading end-to-end, highimpact projects under the mentorship of Shopee’s leaders.

Management Engineering student Nicole aced her internship with Shopee’s Operations team after being tasked with a super cool project: revamping Shopee’s chatbot service to