Manila Standard - 2024 April 22 - Monday

Fnon-tariff barriers, and to streamline procedures and policies regarding the importation of agricultural products.

PH welcomes G7’s clear support vs. China’s maneuvers in disputed waters

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Philippines on Sunday lauded the statement issued by the Group of Seven (G7) in calling out China’s aggression in the disputed West Philippine Sea or the South China Sea.

The G7 maintained its commitment and adherence to international laws, including the United Nations convention that was the basis for 2016 arbitral ruling rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the Philippines “appreciates” the support of the world’s leading industrialized nations, excluding China and Russia.

by the international community, is essential to ensuring global prosperity, peace and stability.”

It said these values benefit the IndoPacific region and the rest of the world.

leased a joint statement on Friday during the annual meeting of their foreign ministers last week to call out China’s “militarization, coercive and intimidation activities” in the South China Sea.”

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“The (PCG) will deploy four 44-meter multi-role response vessels (MRRVs) and two larger patrol vessels that regularly conduct maritime security operations in the country’s exclusive economic zones (EEZs),” Balilo said.

“The Philippines welcomes the G7 Foreign Ministers’ reiteration of their collective commitment to the rule of law and to the rules-based maritime order anchored on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the DFA statement stated.

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“Her loyalties are very clear. They remain with her family who have called [President] BBM (Ferdinand Marcos) names and called for his ouster,” De Lima said.

The former senator noted that Duterte faces a critical decision: To either resign from her position and openly align herself with her family’s criticisms of President Marcos, or distance herself from such sentiments and denounce anti-administration rallies.

According to De Lima, Duterte’s presence at an anti-administration prayer rally in Manila in March is a clear sign of her involvement in activities unfavorable to the current administration.

The call for Duterte’s resignation from the education department stems from criticism voiced also by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. She denounced Duterte’s reaction to her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, calling President Marcos “bangag” (stoned) during a rally in Davao City.

Mrs. Marcos expressed her discomfort in interacting with Duterte following this incident.

The First Lady did not mince words when she expressed her disappointment at Vice President Sara Duterte, saying the latter crossed the line for laughing at insinuations that the President is a “drug user”.

“Bad shot na yan sa akin (She’s a bad shot to me),” Mrs. Marcos said in a teaser video of her interview with “TUNE in kay Tunying.”

“I was hurt because my husband will do everything to protect you… You ran together, right? (You said) we will rise together again.”

Stressing its commitment to the UNCLOS and the Arbitral Award, the Philippines emphasized how “respect for international law, particularly for the recognized maritime entitlements of coastal states in the South China Sea and the freedom of navigation enjoyed

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level of around 27% as a share of farm receipts across all agricultural goods, he cited.

“With such levels of trade protection, we should not be surprised why food is expensive in the country,” Salceda noted. “Such protection levels also do not directly accrue to the agricultural sectors they are supposed to protect. They also incentivize those who can completely disregard the law or corner domestic trade.”

Apart from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, there is currently no extant mechanism for directly supporting a domestic sector through tariff revenues.

“We hurt consumers with high trade barriers, but we also do not support farmers directly with tariff revenues,” he said.

He also added that the AO by President Marcos is a step in the right direction.

“If implemented fully by the DA, it will open sugar imports to direct industrial users. This could end the stagnation of the food manufacturing sector. Right now, sugar prices in the Philippines are the highest in ASEAN,” he said.

The AO would also poke holes in speculative bubbles in the price of fish, which has high levels of non-tariff protection, such as the certificate of neces-

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Shortly after the former President’s tirades, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, called on the President to resign. lar meeting on March 26, likewise bestowed the name “Batakagan,” meaning “Brightest Star” to Romualdez. La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda, along with other officials of the municipality—the capital of Benguet province—presented a copy of the resolution to Romualdez as he was spearheading the launch of the cash and rice distribution program held at the Benguet Sports Complex.

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of due process but also an erosion of press freedom.”

hearings looking into several complaints filed against him.

“As such, we appreciate the G7’s support in rejecting China’s baseless and expansive claims, and their call for China to cease its illegal activities, particularly its use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea that engage in dangerous maneuvers and the use of water cannons against Philippine vessels,” the statement said.

“We duly note and appreciate the G7’s reaffirmation that the 2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea,” it added.

The statement came after G7 re -

sity to import.

“Of course, tariffs still play a key role. The next step is to adopt measures that earmark tariffs directly to domestic producers and consumers,” he said.

Salceda filed House Bill 2471 earmarking all agricultural tariffs directly to their corresponding domestic agricultural sectors. In addition, Salceda is also preparing to submit a technical working group report on the Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Competitiveness Act.

“The proposal will earmark meat and dairy import tariffs towards the domestic sector. We are doing something similar for corn,” he stressed.

The DA now leads the monitoring team, and is set to craft the guidelines for the implementation of the order together with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Finance, Bureau of Customs, and the Sugar Regulatory Administration. They have been instructed to submit a quarterly report.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed all government agencies and urged all local government units (LGUs) to support the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program designed to ensure food security and proper nutrition in the country. This call came under the administration’s Philippine Development Plan 20232028 through a two-page Memorandum

“Resolved as it is hereby done, to declare the House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez, as an adopted son of the Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet Province and bestowed with the name “Batakagan” (Brightest Star),” the twopage resolution read. The Sangguniang Bayan said the people of La Trinidad are very much honored to welcome Romualdez, who was in the municipality Sunday to lead the launch in the province of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) program of the administration of Presi-

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“We continue to oppose China’s dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia in the South China Sea and its repeated obstruction of countries’ high seas freedom of navigation, and we express serious concern about the increasing use of dangerous maneuvers and water cannons against Philippine vessels in this regard,” the G7 said.

The DFA stressed that the Philippines is also behind the G7’s vision of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, reiterating that it “stands firm against any actions that undermine international security and stability.”

Circular No. 47 signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on April 19.

“It is imperative for all government agencies and instrumentalities to support the continued and effective implementation of the EPAHP Program to bolster government efforts towards attaining zero hunger, food and nutrition security, and sustainable agriculture,” President Marcos said.

The EPAHP is one of the banner programs of the Task Force on Zero Hunger, which aims to institutionalize efforts designed to alleviate hunger and endorse food and nutrition security by linking Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to prospective markets. It also aims to provide credit assistance that would support food production, processing and distribution.

The Task Force Hunger’s job, established through Executive Order (EO) No. 10 s. 2020, as amended by EO 27 s. 2023, is to ensure the continued and effective implementation of the EPAHP Program in coordination with the relevant government agencies.

The task force is also mandated to enhance provision of farm production technologies and extension of services to government-assisted family farms and rural based-organizations. Part of this is the sustainability of the EPAHP Program through the implementation of policies that will engage private sector, and institutionalize mechanisms in LGUs.

dent Marcos.

“His (Romualdez’s) noble intention and effort to visit and show support to the constituents of the municipality of La Trinidad deserve recognition worthy as a son,” the resolution stated.

The resolution noted that aside from overseeing the legislative function of Congress he also conceptualized and spearheaded the BPSF, “a groundbreaking event aimed at revolutionizing public service in the Philippines, showcasing innovative approaches to improve government

Members of the Coast Guard Special Operations Force will also join the Balikatan. Balikatan 2024 executive agent Col. Michael Logico said on Tuesday that a number of the country’s vessels would be on full display during the military drills.

The Philippine ships that will be deployed are the FF-151 (missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna), LD602 (BRP Davao Del Sur), PS-16 (offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz), FA-50s (light jet fighters), Super Tucanos (A-29B close air support aircraft), Black Hawks (S-70is combat utility helicopters), and the Philippine Air Force’s Israeli-made SPYDER air defense missile batteries.

The US, on the other hand, will deploy its fifth generation F-22 “Raptor,” the F-35 “Lightning II,” AH 64 “Apache” attack helicopters, AC-130 “Spooky” gunships, and at least two naval ships.

The AFP official further said that the Balikatan exercises are designed to bolster the interoperability of the Philippines as well as create a much stronger alliance and cooperation with other nations in terms of regional security.

He also said that their focus remains on bolstering external defense capabilities and fostering peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Balikatan is a demonstration of combat readiness and interoperability with the Philippines’ treaty allies such as the United States, Australia, France, and other Southeast Asian nations.

Colonel Padilla nevertheless pointed out that the military exercise is not in expectation of any peculiar actions by any nation. Its main objective is to enhance the readiness of every participating nation during the drills.

“We remain vigilant in the face of regional challenges, the exercise is not explicitly tied to any particular country’s actions,” the AFP spokesperson said.

“Its primary objective is to enhance collective security and readiness among participating nations,” she added. The military drills will be held in Palawan and Batanes and in the exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

efficiency and responsiveness.”

“Bringing together various government agencies, private sector partners, and community organizations, the fair serves as a platform for interactive exhibits, workshops, and discussions focusing on engagement, digital transformation, and inclusive governance,” the resolution cited.

Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap noted that even before the BPSF was conceptualized, Romualdez had been providing various forms of assistance to the people of the province.

body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. The weather bureau advised the public to limit the time spent outdoors, especially at noon, and to drink plenty of water. It also reminded people to wear hat or use umbrellas outdoors.MST from office of the current President.

Padilla said the Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, which he chairs, will conduct the inquiry.

He also stressed that the right of the people to public information “should not be unduly curtailed” because access to information on matters of public concern and of “general interest” can help people in democratic decision-making “by giving them a better perspective of vital issues confronting our society.”

He pointed out that the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), which suspended SMNI’s operations since end-2023 and issued an indefinite suspension, failed to indicate why it needed to do so “much more express how this is necessary to avoid serious and irreparable damage or inconvenience to the public or to private interests.”

Quiboloy has an arrest order issued by the Senate Committee on Women Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality and was also cited in contempt for failure to appear in the

Padilla, meanwhile said he wants to explore how media can fulfill its mandate of “maintaining a healthy and functioning democracy” during times of conflict, including the escalating territorial and maritime dispute in the South China Sea.

Padilla filed Senate Resolution 999 which he said cites the importance of media in fostering public discussion, truth and credibility, the rule of law especially in broadcasting, news reporting. and information dissemination.

He pointed out the Philippines stands to be affected by various sorts of global and political tension from conflicts including the Philippines’ dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea; the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the increasing tension between Israel and Iran.

According to Padilla, “The WPS dispute poses potential threats to the entire ASEAN region and inadvertently puts the Philippines in a potential crisis, while the Russia-Ukraine conflict may affect long-existing issues including soaring inflation, fuel shortages, and food insecurity.”

• Juban, Sorsogon, 43 degrees Celsius

• Tuguegarao, Cagayan, 42 degrees Celsius

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price cap (SPC) helped mitigate the high prices at the spot market.

The SPC was implemented to protect consumers from the unwarranted increase in electricity prices brought about by inherent volatile market price movements at WESM.

“We won’t know until the billing period comes in but as you know, we have a secondary price cap and it is when the price triggers occur In the market,” Lotilla said.

“We have to encourage more power supply to be delivered in the system and we have to review this secondary price cap. At the end of the day, what is more costly to the consumers is the lack of

In Metro Manila, PAGASA forecast temperatures to range at a high of 41 degrees Celsius at NAIA, Pasay City, to 40 degrees Celsius at Quezon City Science Garden. Pagasa said the heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human

power and not the power rates,” he said.

On April 18, the price in the Luzon grid averaged P13.39 per kWh, Visayas at P14.64 per kWh and Mindanao at P12.45 per kWh.

This reflected a significant increase from the systemwide price of P7.97 per kWh and P6.14 per kWh on April 16 and April 17, respectively.

Luzon’s average price was at P8.12 per kWh, Visayas at P8.29 per kWh and Mindanao at P6.52 per kWh on April 17 compared to P5.55 per kWh, P5.73 per kWh and P5.44 per kWh for the said grids on April 16.

The IEMOP said the system peak demand reached 18,256 MW on April 17, at 1450H with a supply of 20,108 MW.

“While the margin of supply is currently meeting demand, localized power interruptions have been experienced in

areas of extremely high demand,” it said.

The IEMOP said it supports the DOE’s campaign to implement energy conservation measures and optimize energy usage during peak hours in both businesses and households.

The red alert was imposed by National Grid Corp. of the Philippines from April 16 to April 19 during selected hours for both Luzon and Visayas grids.

On April 20, NGCP still imposed a yellow alert for the Luzon grid as 22 power plants went on forced outage.

A red alert status is issued when power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand and the transmission grid’s regulating requirement.

A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.

IN BRIEF

DMW says 2 Filipinos now recovering in UAE

THE Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Sunday said two Filipinos who got into vehicular accidents amid the flooding in the United Arab Emirates were hospitalized and are now recuperating.

DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said the two Filipinos were in the intensive care unit for a while, but are now “on the road to recovery.”

“They got into vehicular accidents. They have already been visited and likewise been assured that the help and support of the government will be given to them, in accordance with the directive of our President,” Cacdac said, in an interview DZBB Super Radyo.

Three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were unfortunately killed in the UAE flooding. Two of them died due to suffocation inside their vehicle during the flood, while the other one died due to a vehicular accident.

According to Cacdac, arrangements are being made for the repatriation of their bodies. He is hoping the remains will arrive in the Philippines before the month ends. Rey E. Requejo

Marcos, emir of Qatar to discuss cooperation

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of the State of Qatar are set to meet to discuss various areas of cooperation, Malacañang said.

The Qatari leader is in the country for a two-day state visit from April 21 to April 22.

In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office, Sheikh Tamim’s visit to the country is upon the invitation of the President.

“The two leaders are expected to exchange views on regional issues and to discuss PH-Qatar bilateral relations which now cover cooperation in the areas of labor, climate change, trade and investments, energy security, education, youth, and sports, among others,” Malacañang said.

The Qatari emir last visited the Philippines in 2012.

Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Pono mentioned that the Qatari leader’s visit to the country indicated the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two nations. Charles Dantes

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Israeli government announced that it is extending an amnesty period for Filipino caregivers allowing them to keep working in the country even past the expiration date of their work permits.

Villar: Practice urban agriculture A3

SC to hasten guidelines for women inmates

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Supreme Court (SC) has vowed to hasten the crafting of procedures in the handling of cases of women in conflict with the law (WICL).

This came after the SC through Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh SC visited the Correctional Institution for Women on Mandaluyong City to gather information from the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) on their conditions and experiences that deal with the handling of their cases.

The SC said the information gathered by the technical working group of the

Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ) would help in the crafting of the protocol. Singh co-chairs the CGRJ together with Associate Justices Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and Jhosep Y. Lopez.

Earlier, the SC had come out with guidelines for the handling of cases involving children in conflict with the law. Children, “with their malleable and developing minds,” are not always presumed they act with discernment in committing criminal offenses, the SC said.

Discernment “is the capacity of the child at the time of the commission of the offense to understand the difference

Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv disclosed this information in a recent advisory. The advisory said the Population Immigration and Border Authority (PIBA) officially prolonged the deadline, acknowledging the difficulties confronting both the caregivers and their Israeli employers. The Israeli government is extending the amnesty in response to the challenging circumstances Filipino caregivers are facing in Israel, authorities said. This decision comes after the Humanitarian Committee denied requests from employers to extend the work licenses of their foreign caregivers. Originally set to conclude on April 30, 2024, the amnesty program, which was initiated on January 10, 2024, will now continue until July 31, 2024. During this extended period, caregivers with expired work permits, including those from the Philippines, who are actively pursuing new permits under Section 1EG of the Foreign Workers Law of 1991, will not face apprehension.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Risa Hontiveros on Sunday described as “alarming” the reported huge number of Chinese students in Cagayan, saying it is another “pastillas” scam. Under the scam, airport personnel from the Bureau of Immigration (BI) were receiving P10,000 in bribes to allow foreigners--mostly Chinese--to enter the country without going through the proper immigration process at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Hontiveros noted that the visa upon arrival and other immigration processes have also been abused. She surmised this could have also happened in the case of Chinese students in Cagayan. Hontiveros also rejected the claim of Tuguegarao Mayor Maila Rosario Ting Que who earlier said not allowing the presence of the Chinese students “amount to racial discrimination and racial profiling.”

between right and wrong and the consequences of the wrongful act,” it said.

On the SC’s visit to CIW, Justice Singh told the PDLs not to lose hope. “As long as we live, let us believe that there is hope…. I want you to look at yourself and believe that there is still good within you. Always remember that.) Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise,” she said, in Filipino. “Do not allow the decision in your case to make you believe that you are bad and worthless. Your life still has meaning. Remember the people waiting for you outside—your children, siblings, parents, spouses, and loved ones,” Singh also told the PDLs.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

SENATOR Cynthia Villar has cited urban agriculture and home gardening as the answers to the country’s ballooning population and increasing food demand and consumption.

Villar, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food Committee, said she has been practicing urban agriculture and home gardening in her hometown Las Piñas. She has also been espousing these activities in other areas of the country.

The senator noted the significance of developing a “cash crop,” or agricultural products that can be grown while waiting for harvest season, and this includes planting vegetables, connecting them to consumers, and subscribing to other good agricultural practices.

She also mentioned that the Villar family has four farm schools located in the Las Piñas – Bacoor area for Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol; San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan for Central, Northern Luzon and Cordillera provinces; San Miguel, Iloilo for Visayas and Davao City for Mindanao.

Villar has also been distributing free vegetable seeds nationwide to be used for home gardening. “This will ensure the availability of affordable and nutritious foods for Filipino families,” she said.

“This can also provide livelihood since the products are brought to the market,” the senator added during the Harvesting Festival and Farmer’s Field School Graduation of the Upscaling of the ‘Gulayan sa Palayan at Pagnenegosyo’ held in Castillejos, Zambales.

Villar added she also practices organic urban farming in Las Piñas City since 2002. To date, there are 89 composting facilities in almost all the barangays in Las Piñas and 50 in Vista Land and Camella communities nationwide.

A composting machine can produce 1,000 kilos of organic fertilizer per month from kitchen and garden wastes from 500 households in Las Piñas City.

CLASSIC CENTERPIECE. A vintage Volkswagen Beetle serves as a centerpiece for a motor shop along Kamuning Road in Quezon City. The said shop is known for restoring classic automobiles. Manny Palmero

AFTER THE BLAZE. Residents look for still usable items in the aftermath of a fire that hit a commercial establishment in Paco, Manila on Saturday night. The fire started at the Paco Market and scattered across nearby areas including a Catholic school. Norman Cruz

IN BRIEF

Mariveles power plants prioritize workers’ safety

TWO power generators in Mariveles, Bataan have identified safety at the workplace as a paramount concern.

GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD) and GNPower Mariveles Energy Center Ltd. Co. (GMEC) on Thursday launched what they described “safety culture revolution” in work areas.

“We are making the safety of our workers a top priority”, said GNPD plant manager Anton Besaris.

“We cannot manage our business if we cannot ensure the safety of our workers”, he stressed.

“We are still young in terms of commercial operation, but we must be mature when it comes to work safety,” he said.

“Whether they are our personnel or workers of our contractors, we want everyone to be safe”, he added. Butch Gunio

PCG conducts seminar on programs, projects

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has conducted a seminar on review of programs, activities, and projects structure and performance indicators of the agency under the General Appropriations Act in Manila on April 18. The PCG deemed the undertaking as necessary to appropriately measure the organizations’ program implementation and subsequently recognize areas of best practices while identifying areas for improvements.

Moreover, the Governance and Strategy Management Office of Philippine Military Academy chief, Lt. Col. Noah Hernander and Boy Scouts of the Philippines director Kim Robert De Leon were the resource speakers and panelists during the seminar.

The Office of the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard for Comptrollership in collaboration with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Operations, CG-3 spearheaded the initiative. Vince Lopez

Solon bats for release of fuel subsidy to transport drivers

By Rio N. Araja

MAKATI City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. on Sunday batted for the early release of the government’s P2.5-billion fuel cash subsidy to public transport drivers following a series of increases in the pump prices of gasoline and diesel.

“Assuming the conditions that will trigger the grant of the subsidy have already been met, then we see no reason for any holdups in the distribution of the cash aid,” he said. Campos, vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, said the 2024 General Appropriations Act clearly provides that the subsidy may be given as soon as the price of Dubai crude oil reaches $80 a barrel for 30 days.”

The Department of Budget and Management earlier said the P2.5 billion subsidy for the transport sector affected by rising fuel prices program had already been released to the Department of Transportation.

CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Vil-

on Sunday said the achievements of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in propelling the Philippines Into the world stage “has fittingly earned for him a spot in the international Time Magazine’s prestigious list of the world’s most influential people.” Villafuerte cited the President for drumming up global support for such significant issues as regional peace and climate justice, and pitching the country as back in business after COVID-19.

“Our President’s success in drawing the world’s attention to, and more importantly, drumming up international support behind concerns requiring collective and immediate action such as peace in the Indo-Pacific region amid non-stop Chinese bullying, and climate justice for the most vulnerable economies is no mean feat,” he said.

“No wonder Mr. Marcos landed this year on Time’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world,” he noted.

The Bicol lawmaker said the Chief Executive has achieved in less than two years in the job in turning the spotlight on matters that affect the Philippines and the rest of the world, and, more crucially, in drumming up increasing global support behind these concerns.

Upon President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s initiative, Campos said Congress had shortened the trigger period for the award of the subsidy “precisely to give immediate economic relief to public utility vehicle drivers, including taxi, tricycle, full-time ride-hailing and delivery service drivers.”

Based on previous distributions under the program, modern jeepney and UV Express drivers received P10,000 in cash assistance.

Drivers of buses, minibuses, school buses, taxis, traditional jeepneys and ride-hailing services received P6,500 in cash aid.

“In previous budget laws, the price of Dubai crude oil had to stay at or above $80 per barrel for 90 days before the subsidy would be granted,” he added.

Delivery riders and tricycle drivers received P1,200 and P1,000, respectively. This far, the per liter pump prices of gasoline and diesel have increased by P9.30 and P6.05, respectively.

BARMM youth, community leaders for Cha-cha

MAJORITY of young students and community leaders who joined a recent consultative session in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are in favor of amending the Charter’s economic provisions.

“We’re OK with foreign investors because (of its) benefits to the people... because we are opening employment. The more we generate employment, we stop combat and (end) poverty,” said Abdul Abedin III of Mindanao State University (MSU).

Democracy Watch in Cagayan de Oro City organized the consultative session on Charter change.

Responding to claims that the Philippines should first look inward, Abesin said: “If we focus on what is in the Philippines, we don’t create employment, we don’t strengthen tourism. We are open to investments (and) to enhance tourism.”

Abesin cited the experiences of Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and BARMM which opened up their economies to foreign investments.

“As BARMM, we have been open to foreign investors especially in increasing Halal awareness and (developing) the Halal Industry. We see this as a potential just like what happened in Malaysia and Singapore,” he said.

“Look at the United Arab Emirates. They started from scratch. They did not settle with what (was available) in the Arab community. So, look (at) where they are now. That is what we visualize with BARMM. That is why we are okay with foreign investors,” the MSU student added.

The New York-based Time Magazine, one of the world’s most authoritative and reliable publications, explained that the President deserves to be in its 2024 list of topmost influencers for elevating the Philippines on the world stage, steadying its postCOVID economy, standing up to Chinese aggression in the contested South China Sea and bolstering Manila’s alliance with Washington amid rising tensions in the region and the world.

Villafuerte said the President’s initiatives in beefing up the country’s defense capabilities and mobilizing international support behind Manila’s territorial dispute with Beijing in the West Philippine Sea culminated in his April 11 trilateral summit in Washington with President Joseph Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that bolstered these countries joint defense and security relations in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ex-broadcaster joins Duterte’s political party

BROADCASTER-turned-public servant Julius Disamburun has officially taken his oath as a member of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) headed by former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Disamburun was among the around 1,500 members and supporters of the PDP who attended the party’s national council meeting and 42nd anniversary celebration in Cebu City.

In an interview in Parañaque City, Disamburun confirmed his PDP membership together with his wife, Keccy. Like other members, the couple underwent the basic membership seminar, where the party’s basic principles were discussed.

“Magkaibang industriya man ang ating napagsilbihan, pinagdaanan o kulturang ating nakilala, iisa pa din ang ating layunin, ang makapaglingkod para sa bayan (Although we worked in different industries, experience, or culture that we have known, we still have a common goal, the serve the country” he said.

AGRICULTURE CHIEF GOES TO MARKET. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. visits the Sentrong Pamilihan ng mga Produktong Agrikultural in Sariaya, Quezon. He cited the importance of extending support to farmers from production to marketing and enhancing the capabilities of the country’s trading posts. Jay Morales/DA-OSEC

OPINION

Sad, but…

LET me begin by wishing former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada a belated happy birthday with the wish that he is granted many more years. The former San Juan mayor turned senator, then vice-president, then president and mayor of Manila after a highly successful movie career, turned 87 last April 19.

And what a day April 19, 2024 turned out to be.

First off, I woke up that morning with the passed-on video trailer of Anthony Taberna’s “epic” interview of the first lady, where she minced no words about her displeasure with the vice president.

Later that morning, news came in about Israel’s retaliatory bombing of a military facility in Isfahan inside Iran. This, after Iran sent drones and missiles raining down Israel’s sky, mercifully intercepted before it could create damage to Israel days before.

The whole world teetered in anxiety over the extent of Israel’s attack against Iran, until later in the day no heavy damage or casualties happened. Some relief though the anxiety continues.

Domestically though, the on-going center of attention is the Taberna interview while awaiting our vice-president’s response which, as of yesterday, has not come out.

As has been widely predicted, the elected UniTeam is sundered, even if in Friday’s PNPA event, our two top elected officials seemed to be “normally cordial” in each other’s presence.

Sad, but…the parting came too soon and the bitter denouement will linger for years.

Sad, but … life must go on.

Rather than dwell this time on the parting of ways, just like two kibitzers, the mayors of the largest capital cities which are home to FL’s ancestors, who immediately asked the vice president to resign from the Cabinet, I would rather move on and delve into other topics of continuing national concern.

That’s the food situation, highlighted by another predictable result by March surveys, whether by Pulse or Octa, that identified food prices, along with the lack of gainful employment, as the “kalbaryo” of the ordinary man. “Pitik,” which former NEDA DirectorGeneral Cielito Habito coined to mean Presyo, Trabaho at Kita, since famously turned into an advertising slogan by Sen. Alan Cayetano 10 years back.

As it was then, so is it now, and “pitik” still is the country’s major, major problem.

Again, headline inflation is about rice.

In early September 2017, this writer, informed by senior and long-time NFA career officials about their precarious inventory position, passed on the alarm to then President Duterte in a meeting at Malacanang to report on Taiwan matters.

Duterte directed me to write him an executive memo that afternoon about the rice problem and my proposed courses of action.

The memo was passed on to the NFA administrator as well as the presidential adviser on food security, but with little action done on the proposals; 2018 came and the prices of rice shot up, even if no strong typhoon in the September-October harvest season triggered shortages later that year as I feared.

When the inevitable happened, Duterte exasperatedly took a decisive action, an in-character variation of my written proposal for him to call the big rice traders to a meeting at the palace, and ask them to release their stocks to cool the market down.

—“—

Sad, but…the parting came too soon and the bitter denouement will linger for years

I wrote in that memo the big rice traders would surely comply with his “appeal” as he had highly persuasive powers. What FPRRD did, as the executive secretary confided to me, was that he called one of the biggest rice traders on the phone, and in no uncertain terms, “threatened” him “unless…”

The week after that phone call, the shortages in NCR abated, and more rice stocks were found in the markets. Prices stopped rising, some even tapering down. Of course, the economic managers went into their own version of “action” after that price crisis. They crafted legislation lifting the quantitative restrictions on rice importation that opened the market totally to the private traders and reduced the market intervention and regulatory powers of NFA to nada as in zilch.

An obedient Congress passed RA 11203, known as the Rice Tarrification Law swiftly.

That time (2018), the lowest grade of rice (25 percent brokens) was selling at 27 pesos from NFA-licensed retailers. The premise of the RTL was with rice importation liberalized, consumer prices will stabilize, while the proceeds from tarrification would go to our palay farmers through a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund that would eventually improve productivity and thus bring down prices.

Today, the lowest price in the wet markets is at 48 pesos, and the average NCR consumer pays 55 pesos per kilo for rice that is a tad more palatable than the 48 peso regular-milled. (to be continued)

Quiboloy and freedom of religion

IN RECENT weeks, Filipinos have been captivated by the drama unfolding in the Senate hearing as it investigates the reported abuses Kingdom of Jesus Christ self-proclaimed appointed Son of God, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

During the Senate hearing, Mr. Quiboloy obstinately refused to attend the hearings and through his lawyer decries the supposed violation of his Constitutional rights, arguing the Senate hearing is a usurpation of judicial authority.

Is Quiboloy right to refuse?

The power of the Senate and House of Representatives and their respective committees to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation is clearly spelled out in Section 21, Art. VI of the Constitution.

As clearly explained in extant jurisprudence, “.... This power is intimately connected with the express power of legislation and does not even have to be expressly granted. Nonetheless, the drafters of the Constitution saw it fit to include a provision that would clearly spell out this power. “The incorporation of the rule on legislative inquiry in the Constitution, however, was not intended to authorize the conduct of such inquiries but to limit them and to forestall possible abuse.”

Moreover, it is an essential prerequisite for its conduct, that it must be in aid of legislation, whether it be under consideration already or still to be drafted.

Is the Senate inquiry in aid of legislation?

I can answer this in the affirmative.

Committee chairman, Senator Risa Hontiveros, mentioned in her opening statement the relevant areas of legislative concern:

• Are there instances of power and authority being misused, or the manipulation of vulnerable individuals (key components of human trafficking)?

• Or is it simply the practice of religious beliefs according to its principles and teachings?

• What changes should be made to guarantee the utmost protection for victims of exploitative religious behaviors without infringing upon the freedom to practice one’s religion?

The inquiry is not to pronounce the guilt or innocence of the pastor.

Not being a court of law, it is beyond the ambit of the Committee’s power to declare him guilty or innocent. As said, the sole duty of the committee is to make an inquiry as to what areas of concern need appropriate legislation. Congress cannot properly perform this essential function unless it is equipped with the power to compel the attendance of relevant witnesses, including, and most of all the PAQ, the supreme leader of KOJC. Neither can Mr. Quiboloy validly refuse to acknowledge the arrest war-

Brace for power crisis

Marcos stressed that amid the recent red and yellow alerts in the Luzon and Visayas grids, “it is crucial that we all work together to ensure a stable power supply in the coming days.”

the Visayas.

The culprit?

More than 30 power plants are running below capacity due to the searing summer heat exacerbated by the El Niño dry spell. The majority of power plants that have gone offline, we’re told, are hydropower plants due to low water levels caused by the weather phenomenon.

Based on historical data, electricity consumption rises during the summer season. For this year, this demand is seen to surge as households increase the use of cooling appliances because of the El Niño phenomenon. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has therefore urged the public to adopt energy-saving measures to cut electricity consumption as power supply problems continue to hound the country’s two main islands. He also instructed the Department of Energy to “closely monitor and coordinate with all stakeholders to address the situation.”

He has directed all government offices to set the standard in conserving energy and minimizing power consumption and for the public to adopt energy-efficient practices.

—“—

The President’s call comes close on the heels of a similar appeal by the Department of Energy for electricity end-users to conserve energy to preserve the integrity of the country’s power system

FOR four consecutive days last week, the National Grid Corporation raised red and yellow alerts in the Luzon and Visayas power grids despite earlier statements by the Department of Energy there will be enough power supply in all grids during this dry season and that “there is no power crisis in the Philippines.”

DOE’s statement was based on the assumption there would be no unscheduled power plant outages except for those scheduled for maintenance.

But like every summer season, hydropower plants usually shut down because of low water levels while other power plants shut down or operate on limited capacity causing a power deficit in the Luzon and Visayas grid.

The high temperatures were reported to have affected 19 power plants resulting in manual load dropping, in other words, rotational brownouts in the provinces.

This didn’t happen in the Meralco franchise areas where the Interruptible Load Program was able to activate about 100 private enterprises to help ease power demand by using their own back-up generators.

Having resided in Metro Manila and under the Meralco franchise for more than six decades, living with 99.9 percent uninterrupted electricity has been the norm.

The few brownouts that were usually caused by extreme weather of catastrophic levels were just rare inconveniences.

This reliability in power supply is foundational to the productivity and prosperity of this megapolis and its adjacent regions which have been the leading contributors to the country’s annual Gross National Product.

However, for 80 percent of the country’s electricity consumers, the situation is very different with some provinces tipping the crisis level because of inefficient and expensive power distribution services.

In nearby Batangas and Laguna, lo-

rants against him on the ground of violation of religious freedom.

—“—

If Mr. Quiboloy is truly innocent as he claims to be, it is better that he faces the accusations with utmost courage

The 1987 Constitution guarantees religious freedom and worship which comprises a two-fold aspect, viz., freedom to believe and freedom to act on one’s beliefs. The first is absolute as long as the

The agency earlier urged consumers to turn off lights and unplug appliances when not in use, and avoid whenever possible the use of high-energy consuming devices such as air conditioners and elevators to manage limited supply. Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said earlier that while the DOE continues to monitor the power situation and ask power plant operators to work on restoring full operations, the public can maximize energy efficiency efforts as the nation goes through this period of extreme heat.

The Energy official has also suggested flexible work arrangements and other conservation measures would also be helpful since extremely high temperatures have been affecting the operations of power plants in the grid.

The DOE also encouraged industrial and commercial establishments to reduce the usage of electricity during peak hours to help alleviate the impact of tight supply.

The ongoing power crisis requires a whole-of-society approach with government, the private sector and our people themselves doing their part in alleviating its adverse effects.

After all, as has been said, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

The President’s call comes close on the heels of a similar appeal by the Department of Energy for electricity end-users to conserve energy to preserve the integrity of the country’s power system and manage electricity consumption to avoid rotational brownouts or widespread outages.

Power supply that all should have

cal government leaders are taking action against their distribution utilities because of the poor services suffered by their respective constituents. Nasugbu residents and business owners reported frequent brown outs have been damaging equipment and appliances.

—“—

Reliable and affordable power is obviously indispensable and therefore the distribution utility that will be engaged to deliver this critical service must have the proven performance, capacity, and resources

They have petitioned their local leaders to kick out their current DU and shift to Meralco which already services parts of adjacent provinces in Rizal, Quezon and Laguna.

Ten mayors of Laguna province have appealed to the House of Representatives to reject the renewal of the legislative franchise of First Laguna Electric Cooperative, citing poor services and “unreasonably high” electricity rates.

Last year, the province of Occidental Mindoro was placed under a state of calamity because of 20- hour daily brown outs. You can imagine the misery and economic damage to all residents and enterprises in the province.

Similar problems are happening in Pampanga where court cases have been filed against BATELEC 1 for poor services that badly affected the operations of

belief is confined within the realm of thought.

The second is subject to regulation where the belief is translated into external acts that affect the public welfare.

As such, the guarantee of religious freedom does not serve to shield Mr. Quiboloy or any other religious minister or member for that matter, to be made answerable for overt act/s constituting violation of criminal or penal laws.

A regional trial court in Pasig City ordered the arrest of fugitive Apollo Quiboloy for qualified human trafficking and another warrant in Davao for child and sexual abuse charges. These are criminal charges outside the purview of religious freedom.

The fact that the warrants were issued is proof there is sufficient evidence to believe that crimes have been committed and that Quiboloy and his co-defendants

several businesses.

Six Mayors of the province have appealed to the Energy Regulatory Commission to step in and help address the high power rates of Pampanga Electric Cooperative 3. Emerging growth areas like Batangas, Pampanga and Laguna should have the adequate power infrastructure to support their aspirations to be as prosperous as Metro Manila.

Batangas is the second richest province in the Philippines (Commission on Audit 2020).

It is an active economic driver of the CALABARZON region which has one of the highest Gross Domestic Product per capita in the country. Batangas on its own is the 3rd largest GDP contributor of the region after Laguna and Cavite.

Pampanga is the economic driver of Central Luzon being the region’s highest GDP contributor of the region and has the 6th highest GDP pre capita in the country.

Significant infrastructure improvements have made it very accessible to Manila and has seen steady economic growth fueled by agriculture, manufacturing, and services and tourism.

As these regions pursue their visions for development, they have the opportunity to learn from the lessons of Metro Manila and plan communities, business hubs, industrial centers, and infrastructure with the latest technological innovations that embrace the value of sustainability.

Reliable and affordable power is obviously indispensable and therefore the distribution utility that will be engaged to deliver this critical service must have the proven performance, capacity, and resources, to stay ahead of the power demand of its franchise areas.

The continuous and stable power supply that 7.8 million customers of Meralco are so used to is something everyone needs, and should have.

are probably guilty of such crime/s. Of course, until proven guilty beyond any shadow of doubt, he is presumed innocent. Quiboloy is in a serious legal fix. Aside from local courts, he now finds himself sought after by US authorities, landing him a spot on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s list of most wanted individuals.

The charges against them range from sex trafficking, fraud, and coercion to visa misuse, bulk cash smuggling, and money laundering. If Mr. Quiboloy is truly innocent as he claims to be, it is better that he faces the accusations with utmost courage.

By running from the law, he is digging for himself a hole deeper and deeper from which there can be no escape.

Website: tonylavina.com Facebook: Tony La Viña or tonylavs X: tonylavs

US House okays Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan aid, threatens TikTok

Iran, Israel appear to pull back from brink

TEHRAN – Iran and Israel appeared to step back from the brink of broader conflict as lawmakers in the United States approved new Israeli military aid on Saturday despite growing criticism of its ally’s war in Gaza. Iran downplayed Israel’s reported retaliation for its unprecedented drone and missile attack, tamping down fears that escalating attacks between the arch enemies could tip over into a broader war in the Middle East. However a deadly blast at an Iraqi military base underlined the persisting tensions in the region, as did more deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza and intensifying clashes in the West Bank.

Palestinian Red Crescent: 14 dead in Israeli West Bank raid

Aiming to bolster Israel’s defenses including its Iron Dome air defence system, the US House of Representatives approved $13 billion in new military assistance for the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the aid bill, writing on X, formerly Twitter, that it “demonstrates strong bipartisan support for Israel and defends Western civilization”.

But the Palestinian presidency condemned it as “an aggression against the Palestinian people” and a “dangerous escalation”.

The money would “translate into thousands of Palestinian casualties in the Gaza Strip” and the West Bank,

TULKAREM, Palestinian Territories – The Palestinian Red Crescent has said at least 14 people had been killed in an Israeli raid on Nur Shams refugee camp in the north of the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army said troops had killed 10 militants during the operation, which it said started on Thursday.

AFP journalists saw bodies in the streets and houses hit by blasts as Israeli drones flew overhead and armoured vehicles moved through the camp.

Since early last year, violence has flared in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967. It has escalated further since war broke out in Gaza on October 7.

“So far, our crews have evacuated 14 martyrs from Nur Shams camp to the hospital,” the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

Earlier, the Palestinian health ministry said it had confirmed 11 injured in the Israeli raid, seven of them “wounded by live gunshots”. Among them was a paramedic shot while trying to get to the wounded, it added. Medics had been alerted to “a number of killed and injured” inside the camp, but the army was “denying them access to tend to the wounded”, the ministry said.

An AFP journalist said paramedics had tried to enter the camp but had been refused access by the army. Gunshots rang out and soldiers carried out door-to-door raids, the journalist said.

The Israeli army said that it had “eliminated 10 terrorists” and made eight arrests around Nur Shams. Eight soldiers and a police officer were wounded, it added.

Israeli forces say their frequent raids target Palestinian militants, but civilians are often among the dead.

On Friday, the health ministry said 16-yearold Qais Fathi Nasrallah had been killed by Israeli troops in the nearby Tulkarem refugee camp. Official Palestinian news agency Wafa said he had died after being “shot in the head by Israeli live gunfire”. It was unclear exactly when he died.

A 30-year-old man, Salim Faisal Ghanem, had been “killed by Israeli troops” on Friday in the Nur Shams camp, Wafa said. AFP

said Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. After Iran launched more than 300 missiles and drones a week ago in Tehran’s first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory, Israel had warned it would hit back.

The Iran attack was itself in retaliation for an air strike -- widely blamed on Israel -- that levelled the Iranian consulate in Damascus and killed seven Revolutionary Guards on April 1. The Israeli retaliation appeared to come on Friday, when Iranian media reported blasts in the central province of Isfahan. AFP

WASHINGTON, DC –

The US House of Representatives on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) approved longdelayed military aid to Ukraine in a rare show of bipartisan unity, while also bolstering Israel and Taiwan defenses and threatening to ban Chineseowned TikTok.

The four bills in the $95 billion package were overwhelmingly approved in quick succession, though they leave the future of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson in some doubt as he seeks to fend off angry far-right detractors.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement the legislation would “deliver critical support to Israel and Ukraine; provide desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and other locations... and bolster security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

He praised lawmakers who came together across party lines “to answer history’s call.”

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the $61 billion earmarked for his country, saying the military and economic assistance would “save thousands and thousands of lives.”

Not surprisingly, Russia took the opposite view.

“It will further enrich the United States of America and ruin Ukraine even more, by killing even more Ukrainians because of the Kyiv regime,” said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov, state news agency TASS reported.

The US Senate will take the bill up on Tuesday. Senate leader Chuck Schumer indicated his chamber would act quickly, saying in a statement Saturday that “the finish line is now in sight ... America will deliver yet again.” AFP

Trump postpones 1st rally since criminal trial began

WILMINGTON – Donald Trump called off a rally during the weekend, the Republican candidate’s first campaign event since his criminal trial in New York began this week, due to bad weather threatening the outdoor gathering. Thousands of supporters had gathered for the event at the airport in the North Carolina city of Wilmington when he called in 30 minutes before the scheduled start.

“We want to make sure that everybody is safe above all and so they’ve asked us to ask people to leave the site and seek shelter,” Trump said in the call broadcast over the loudspeakers, with thick dark clouds overhead and scattered lightning strikes.

“It’s a pretty big storm. So if you don’t mind, I think we’re going to have to just do a rain check. I’m so sad.”

Trump promised to hold a “bigger and better” rally at the same venue another time, and the disappointed crowd quickly dispersed.

The event had been set to take place ahead of opening statements

Monday morning in Trump’s “hush money” trial in New York, after jury selection was completed on Friday.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of business fraud as part of an alleged plan to cover up payments to a porn star to keep the story of a sexual encounter from emerging just before the 2016 presidential election, in which he beat Hillary Clinton. Trump has denounced the trial -- the first of a former US president -as a political “witch hunt,” and many of his supporters agree.

“It’s not... a criminal trial, really. It’s just a political one,” said Grace Miller, 58, a retiree from North Carolina who had come for the rally.

“You can’t just make something into a felony. I mean, they think we’re stupid, but we’re not.” AFP

1 dead, 7 missing after 2 Japanese helicopters crash

TOKYO – One died and seven people were missing Sunday after an accident overnight in which two Japanese military helicopters apparently collided before crashing into the sea, officials said.

A spokesman for Japan’s Self-Defense Force confirmed the late Saturday incident to AFP and said that one person was rescued but later confirmed dead. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said rescuers “spotted what are believed to be part of the aircraft in the sea, and we believe that the two helicopters crashed.”

“At this point the cause is unknown, but firstly we do our best to save lives,” Kihara told reporters.

Hours later, Kihara told reporters that the crew member who was rescued “was confirmed dead.” He also said the ministry “discovered the flight recorders in places close to each other,” and so “possibility is high that (the two helicopters) collided.” AFP

CHOPPER CRASH. President of Kenya William Ruto (center) reacts in front of the coffin with the body of the Chief of the Kenya Defense Forces General Francis Omondi Ogolla during a military honors ceremony in memory of the defense chief and nine other senior top military officers killed in a helicopter crash at the Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi during the weekend. This is the latest accident to blight the nation’s military and shock the East African nation. AFP

Carlos Yulo grabbed the parallel bars’ gold, finishing with 15.200 points, ahead of Taipei’s Yuan His Huang and Brazilian bet Caio Souza.

Yulo shows readiness for Paris games with gold, silver in Doha

By Peter Atencio

FORMER World champion Carlos Yulo showed how ready he is to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Yulo has completed a journey of redemption, bouncing back from an empty-handed performance four months ago with one gold and a silver at the end of the 16th Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Championships on Saturday night at the Ladies Sports Hall I Doha, Qatar.

First, the 23-year-old Yulo missed the top honors by a fraction of a point in a close contest with Tokyo Olympics’ bronze medallist Artur Davtyan, who grabbed the gold medal with 15.066 points in the men’s vault finals.

Belarusian gymnast Yahor Sharamkou settled for the bronze with 14.749 points. With his tally of 15.066 points for the silver, Yulo then went on to grab the parallel bars’ gold, finishing with 15.200 points, ahead of Taipei’s Yuan His Huang and Brazilian bet Caio Souza. Huang and Souza took the silver and bronze with 14.966 points and 14.566, respectively. It was Yulo’s best showing after walking away from the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Antwerp, Belgium last October without a medal. In all, the Philippines won a total of

three medals in Doha, two from Yulo and one from Fil-American bet LeVi Jung-Ruivivar, who earned a silver and a Paris Olympic qualification slot in the uneven bars for her first podium finish in a World Cup.

Earlier, Yulo won a bronze in the floor exercises of the Baku leg last March.

Ruivivar, showing how much she has recovered from an injury an incoming freshman at Stanford University, tallied 13.633 points, behind French-Algerian star Kayla Nemour, who won the gold medal by almost two points with 15.366.

The 17-year old Nemour, who already booked a Paris Olympics slot last year, had an execution score of 8.366, and difficulty of seven points, while Ruivivar strung up tallies of 7.833 and 5.8.

Ruivivar got the second slot at stake

in the Olympics after accumulating reallocated Olympic ranking points for joining all three legs of the World Cups, which included the Cairo, Cottbus and Baku stops. For Ruivivar, everything went according to plan, as she and her coach Ivan Goriatchkine took LeVi’s participation in each of the World Cup leg as a warmup for the next one. “The first of the competitions (Cairo) was almost like a warmup. I was happy with how I did in the bars, and I definitely wanted to clean up my executions,” said Ruivivar before she went to Doha.

Meanwhile, Emma Malabuyo, who missed the cut to the finals of the women’s floor exercises, awaits the final outcome of the 2024 Apparatus World Cup WAG Reallocated Points Rankings.

Nueva Ecija subdues QC in OT, Quezon, Rizal dump foes

DEBUTING teams Nueva Ecija and Quezon Province shook off sluggish starts to beat their opponents on Saturday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season elimination round at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.

The Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards rallied to forge overtime where they blitzed Quezon City TODA Aksyon, 80-74, to duplicate the Quezon Huskers’ scrambling 88-81 victory over the Valenzuela Classics.

JC Cullar canned a short jumper to extend the game for Nueva Ecija, 66-66, after which Will McAloney, Mer Jesper Ayaay, JB Bahio and Eman Calo took over the scoring chores to lift the Rice Vanguards to victory after trailing for 33 minutes and 9 seconds.

Ayaay wound up with 17 points and 7 rebounds while McAloney finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks for Nueva Ecija Coach Don Dulay.

Nueva Ecija, the Fourth Season national champion, also drew prower from Rob Celiz with 13 points and 5 rebounds, Cullar with 12 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds, and Bahio with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists.

Quezon City, which suffered its first defeat in three games, got 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals from Rafael Are and 15 points plus 4

holder

MULTI-TITLED

Patcharajutar Kongkraphan reinforces the competitive atmosphere at the ICTSI Luisita Ladies International 2024, adding interest and excitement to an already formidable lineup when the $100,000 championship is fired off Tuesday (April 23) at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac.

With an impressive track record of 20 titles worldwide, including victories on the Thai LPGA and Epson Tour, the seasoned 32-year-old Thai golfer emerges as one of the top contenders in the tournament cosanctioned by the LPGA of Taiwan (TLPGA) and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour. Eager for redemption after missing out on victory in last year’s ICTSI Anvaya Cove Ladies International, Kongkraphan faces fierce competition from

a talented field, including topranked players from the TLPGA such as No. 2 Yu-Ju Chen, Jo Hua Hung, Yi-Tsen Chou and Chih Yun Wu. The tournament, sponsored by ICTSI and serving as the third leg of the TLPGA and fourth stop of the LPGT, promises thrilling action over 54 holes. Local talents, led by Harmie Constantino, however, are poised for battle, aiming to secure victory on home soil. Constantino, fresh off consecutive victories at Rancho Palos Verdes and Caliraya Springs, seeks to continue her winning streak at the challenging Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed course. Other local contenders are Daniella Uy, the reigning LPGT Order of Merit champion, along with Princess Superal, Chanelle Avaricio, Chihiro Ikeda, Florence Bisera, Mikha Fortuna,

Sarah Ababa and rookies Mafy Singson and Lois Kaye Go.

As anticipation builds for the tournament, a select group of pros will engage in the tradi tional pro-am tournament today (Monday), offering a glimpse of the competitive spirit and cama raderie that define the sport.

Meanwhile, other top players from Thailand vying in the tour nament organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. and sup ported by PGTI official apparel Kampfortis Golf are Wannasiri Sirisampant, Chonlada Chaya nun, Onkanok Soisuwan, Nemit tra Juntanaket, Ploychompoo Wilairungrueng and Mookharin Ladgratok, all former LPGT leg winners. Also in the Thai roster are Pakin Kawinpakorn, Kultida Pramphun, Queen Meeson-us, Alisara Wedchakama and Unyong Polnamin.

rebounds from Abdul Sawat.

Valenzuela surged ahead, 49-34, and held the rein for a total of 27 minutes and 17 seconds, but in the end, it was Quezon City that shone behind LJay Gonzales, Cyrus Torres, RJ Minerva and Ximone Sandagon.

Gonzales, a former Fare Eastern University hotshot, notched 18 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, followed by Torres with 14 points and 3 rebounds, Minerva with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, and Sandagon with 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Valenzuela fell to 1-2 despite the 18-point, 10-rebound effort of Fil-Am CJ Payawal, the 16-point, 4-rebound, 3-assist effort of Chauca, and the 11-point contribution of Christian De Chavez.

In the opener, Rizal XentroMall overcame a stiff fight from Bicolandia to tally its third straight victory, 85-82, and share the lead in the round-robin eliminations.

Kraniel Victoria compiled 18 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals and 1 block for Rizal, which joined Batangas, Negros, Paranaque and Zamboanga at the top of the heap. The Rizal Golden Coolers also drew 16 points and 12 rebounds from John Apacible and 16 points plus 5 rebounds from Alwyn Alday.

Patcharajutar Kongkraphan

Capital1, Smart clash in PSA Cup cage finale

CAPITAL1 and Smart are out to leave everything they got as they duke it out for the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Cup title in the Finals at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Monday, April 22.

The Solar Boys and the Sports Scribes aim to put a fitting end to the thrilling two-month action of the tournament that made its return as one of the projects of PSA President Nelson Beltran of The Philippine Star.

Tip-off of the clash is at 9:30 p.m. with the battle for third between the Say Chiz Smileys and the SGA Press Row Bros serving as an intriguing appetizer at 8 p.m.

Before that, the league’s top players are also set to be recognized in an awarding ceremony at 7 p.m.

Most Valuable Player, Mythical team and Rookie of the Year plums are among the awards to be handed out to players who performed well during the regular season.

All eyes, however, will be on the Final protagonists who split their regular season matchups which makes the showdown more interesting.

Smart came away with a nail-biting 67-66 win in the first round encounter before Capital1 exacted revenge with a 69-66 triumph in their second meeting.

Despite holding on to a twice-tobeat advantage, both teams were also made to bleed in their semifinal assignments with the top seed Solar Boys holding on to a 71-70 win over the Press Row Bros and the second seed Sports Scribes outlasting the Smileys with a 54-53 OT victory.

John Bryan Ulanday, who supplied 21 points in the semis win, is out to lead the charge for Capital1 alongside Aldo Avinante and Christian Jacinto.

AJ Bolando is expected to spearhead Smart with a potent crew that features Reuben Terrado, Julio Sampedro and Robert Andaya, who is fresh off a 20-point explosion, aiming to provide support.

Games Tuesday (Filoil EcoOil Arena)

7:30 a.m.- San Beda vs UPHSD (men) 10 a.m.- San Beda vs UPHSD (woen)

2 p.m.- Mapua vs JRU (women)

5 p.m.- Mapua vs JRU (men)

It also drew a strong performance from Heart Villaflores, who came through in the final two sets by scattering all his eight points and eventually saving the day.

Javier said they’re now looking forward to their next two games versus College of St. Benilde Wednesday and University of Perpetual Help Sunday. “Sana magtuloy-tuloy pa, dami pa namin dapat daanan,” said Javier. San Sebastian, which was paced by Kat Santos’ 21 points, slumbered to a fifth straight defeat.

JB Bahio delivers for Nueva Ecija.

DE La Salle University eliminated rival Ateneo de Manila University in four tight sets, 25-21, 23-25, 26-24, 25-19, to force a tie for the number two spot in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Tournament, Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Spikers remained in the hunt for a twice-to-beat incentive after securing their fifth consecutive victory, which forced a tie with defending champion National University at the second spot with identical 10-3 records.

La Salle’s win also meant that University of Sto. Tomas, who won via straight sets against University of the East, 25-15, 25-21, 25-16, earlier in the day, will join Far Eastern University, the Bulldogs, and the Green Spikers in the Final Four.

“Well, masaya ako dahil nagawa namin yung plan namin. We’ll just have to keep focusing dun sa plan namin na matapos itong second round nang maayos,” said La Salle head coach Jose Roque. The result also formalized the Final Four pairings, with top-ranked FEU and fourth-place UST renewing their rivalry, while NU and the De La Salle colliding, with the twice-to-beat slot yet to be settled.

After splitting the first two sets, the Green Spikers managed to secure the extended third frame after a crucial backrow attack from Noel Kampton and an attack error from Jeric Sendon broke a 24-all deadlock in their favor.

La Salle then was able to maintain its distance late in the fourth frame, spreading a three-point advantage into five following a service error from Cyrus De Guzman and a cross-court attack from Vince Maglinao, 23-18.

THE number of Filipino athletes qualifying for Paris is rising and so is the buildup of excitement as the country braces for its 100th year of participation in the Olympics.

“Eleven, formally, and counting,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president on Sunday, a day after gymnast Levi Jung-Ruivivar and rower Joanie Delgaco officially became the 10th and 11th Filipino Paris Olympian in a little over a 24-hour span.

Jung-Ruivivar qualified on Friday night at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Doha where she grabbed a silver medal and enough qualification points to become the third Filipino gymnast to vie in Paris after Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.

On Sunday morning, Delgaco fin-

By Peter Atencio

FOR Filipino-American standout, LeVi Jung-Ruivivar, four months of hard work and complete attendance in all legs of the 2024 World Cup series of Artistic Gymnastics have paid off in her bid to clinch an Olympic berth.

But for rower Joanie Delgaco, everything was a surprise when she became the 11th formally qualified Filipino athlete to the 2024 Paris Olympics on Sunday in South Korea.

Showing how much she has recovered from an injury as an incoming freshman at Stanford University, Jung-Ruivivar tallied 13.633 points, behind FrenchAlgerian star Kayla Nemour, who won the gold medal by almost two points with 15.366.

The 17-year-old Nemour, who already booked a Paris Olympics slot last year, had an execution score of 8.366 and a difficulty of seven points, while JungRuivivar strung up tallies of 7.833 and 5.8. Jung-Ruivivar got the second slot after accumulat-

ished fifth in the 2,000 meters of women’s single sculls at the World Rowing Asian and Oceania Olympic and Paralympic Qualification Regatta and Asian Rowing Cup in Chungju, South Korea, enough to earn a ticket to Paris.

“Congratulations to our new qualified Olympians,” Tolentino also said in his official Facebook page, noting that Delgaco is the first Filipina rower to qualify for the Olympics. “Their dedication, perseverance and exceptional talent are an inspiration to us all.”

“The POC extends its heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for continued success as they compete in Paris 2024,” Tolentino said. “The entire Philippines stands behind you.”

Both Jung-Ruivivar and Delgaco are surprise packages in the Olympic qualifiers under a hundred days before

she and her coach Ivan Goriatchkine took LeVi’s participation in each of the World Cup leg as a warmup for the next one.

“The first of the competitions (Cairo) was almost

the Paris Olympics.

Weightlifter Rosegie Ramos is unofficially the 12th Filipino to qualify for Paris pending the International Weightlifting Federation’s official announcement of the roster for the Games.

The country is also guaranteed three qualifiers—one in athletics and two in swimming—under the universality rule making the Filipino Olympian count unofficially at 15.

“We expect more of our athletes to be in Paris as the qualifiers in various sports are still being conducted,” Tolentino said.

Also qualified for Paris are pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, boxers Eumir Felix Marcial, Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas and weightlifters Vanessa Sarno, Erleen Ann Ando and John Febuar Ceniza.

like a warmup. I was happy with how I did in the bars, and I definitely wanted to clean up my executions,” said Ruivivar before she went to Doha.

As for the 26-year-old Delgado, she made it to Paris when she settled for fourth place, with a clocking of seven minutes and 49.39 seconds in the women’s single sculls event of the 2024 Asia Oceania Qualification Tournament for Rowing in Chengju. Delgaco, who is from Bicol, held off her remaining pursuers in the last 200 meters and finished behind Uzbekistan’s Anna Prakaten.

“Kahit sumasakit na ang buong katawan ko, sabi ko sarili ko, hindi na ako puwedeng malampasan,” said Delgaco, in an interview with Radio Pilipinas 2. Prakaten took the gold medal in seven minutes and 31.28 seconds in the Finals A category.

Japan’s Shijo Yonekawa walked off with the silver in 7:35.93, while Iran’s Fatemeh Mojallal Topraghghale earned the bronze in 7:37.07.

Delgaco was ahead of five other finalists in the first 500 meters before Prakaten and Yonekawa and Topraghghale overtook her.

The top five finishers in the event gained entry to the Olympics.

Meanwhile, the Philippine national team added another medal by taking a bronze in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls.

outpaced Bishop in the closing run and took runner-up honors in 04:06:40 with leg times of 00:25:44. 02:10:44 and 01:25:12, while Bishop settled for third in 04:11:01 with leg clocking of 00:25:18, 02:10:54 and 01:29:10.

Aussie Caleb Noble placed fourth in 04:13:47 followed by Calvin Amos, also from Down Under, (04:15:19), ChineseTaipei’s Tuan Chun Chang (04:18:42), Aussie Nathan Dortmann (04:19:05) and UAE’s Luke Mathews (04:21:10).

Denmark’s Daniel Bakkergard, one of the pre-race contenders, didn’t start due to back pains. In the women’s pro division. Visser finished with a time of 04:21:29, triumphing over Germany’s Anne Reischmann (04:24:39) and Hungary’s Zsanett Bragmayer (04:36:41). Visser, runner-up in the recent IRONMAN New Zealand, delivered an impressive performance in the swim leg, clocking 00:29:53 and building an early cushion over Reischmann, a consistent Top 10 finishers in the last three World Championships who timed 00:32:05. She maintained her advantage in the bike (02:18:23) compared to Reischmann’s 02:19:19 and cruised to victory with a 01:28:28 clocking in the run against the latter’s 01:28:23.

pledges as of April 17, 2024 Investment approvals as of April 17, 2023

PSE keeps target of 6 IPOs, P175b in fresh capital

By Jenni er B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) is keeping its target of six initial public offerings (IPOs) this year and P175 billion worth of capital to be raised despite the challenging environment.

PSE president and chief executive Ramon Monzon told reporters he remained optimistic about the stock market’s recovery after its recent slide amid the heightened tension in the Middle East.

“It’s a global influence. I think the market will get over that. We always had these challenges, but somehow the market rebounds,” Monzon said.

Two companies—OceanaGold Philippines Inc. and Citicore Renewable Energy Corp—have secured regulatory approvals for maiden offering this year. Monzon said that aside from these two firms, the PSE was also talking to other companies that were planning to go public this year.

Several firms also plan to raise funds from the capital market through stock right offering, private placements, preferred shares offering and real estate investment trust (REIT) offerings.

The PSE said Friday it approved Union Bank of the Philippines’ P10billion stock rights offering. Jollibee Foods Corp. also announced plans to raise up to P8 billion from the issuance of preferred shares.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 6.38 percent in the past four weeks to 6,443 due to geopolitical risks and concerns over higher-forlonger interest rate environment.

BOI reports sustained inflows of investments

By Othel V. Campos

THE Board of Investments (BOI) reported over the weekend sustained inflows of foreign capital this year as the country gets the attention of more renewable energy (RE) investors.

Data from the BOI showed that investment pledges as of April 17 reached P607.22 billion, up by 15 percent form P527.24 billion registered

in the same period in 2023.

BOI director Sandy Recolizado said domestic investments dominated the total during the period.

The BOI said that its board approved during the recent management committee meeting 17 projects, many of which are RE projects.

The biggest investment approved during the period was the P296.98billion pumped power hydroelectric power project of Ahunan Power Inc. in Pakil, Laguna.

The project is estimated to have the capacity to produce 1,400 megawatts (MW) of hydroelectric power. Ahunan Power is a 100-percent Filipino-owned developer of hydropower resources.

The next biggest item is the P83.7-

billion wind power project of Ivisan WindKraft Corp. off the coast of Cavite.

The Singaporean-led company has 25-percent domestic equity. The project is designed for a 450-MW capacity

The BOI board has yet to assess the merits of other projects.

Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Alfredo Pascual said the government should encourage more investments from domestic companies.

“We should not underestimate our domestic investors. I think that it’s good that they decided to place their money here, rather than bring it out to other countries,” Pascual said.

The DTI expressed optimism it would hit, if not surpass the investment target of P1.5 trillion for 2024.

Gov’t debt payments up 6.8% in first 2 months

By Darwin G. Amojelar

THE government’s debt payments increased 6.8 percent year-on-year in the first two months of 2024 because of higher amortization, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr).

Data from the BTr showed that the debt service reached P452.51 billion from January to February, higher than P423.54 billion recorded in the same period last year.

It said that debt payment amounted to P294.61 billion in February, lower than P375.71 billion paid a year ago. The government settled P122.04

SEC files complaint against MFT Group for ‘unauthorized’ investment o ering

billion in interest in the first two months of 2024, up 50.53 percent from P81.07 billion a year earlier. Interest payments to domestic creditors amounted to P83.17 billion, while those to external creditors reached P38.87 billion.

Broken down, the government paid P62.60 billion in fixed-rate Treasury bonds (T-bonds), P11.30 billion in retail T-bonds, P5.86 billion in Treasury bills (T-bills) and P3.4 billion in other instruments. Meanwhile, about P86.70 billion in debt principal was paid to external creditors.

The BTr earlier said the national government’s debt jumped 10.4 percent year-on-year to surpass P15 trillion for the fi rst time in February 2024.

It said of the total debt stock, 30.32 percent was external debt and 69.68 percent, domestic debt. Domestic debt reached P10.58 trillion as of end-February, or 4.08 percent higher than the end-January 2024 level following the net issuance of government securities. Meanwhile, external debt reached P4.60 trillion, down by 0.56 percent from the end-January 2024 level.

US House of Representatives approved a bill Saturday that would force the wildly popular social media app TikTok to divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or be shut out of the American market. US and other Western officials have voiced alarm over the popularity of TikTok with young people, alleging that it allows Beijing to spy on users. It has 170 million in the United States alone. These critics also say TikTok is subservient to Beijing and a conduit to spread propaganda. China and the company deny these claims.

The bill, which could trigger the rare step of barring a company from operating in the US market, now goes to the Senate for a vote next week. It passed the House on Saturday with strong bipartisan support, by a margin of 360 to 58. President Joe Biden has stated he will sign the legislation. He reiterated his concerns about TikTok in a telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping early this month. AFP

FLI set to launch P25-b residential projects in 2024

FILINVEST Land Inc. (FLI), the property development arm of the Gotianun family, plans to launch P25 billion worth of residential projects this year to sustain its growth momentum.

FLI president Tristan Las Marias said during the company’s annual stockholders meeting Friday afternoon the planned launches would mostly be mid-rise condominiums and affordable housing projects using the company’s existing land bank.

FLI plans to unveil its first mid-rise condo community project in Bacoor, Cavite and upgrade its township development in Trece Martires with commercial shops, transport terminals and affordable low-rise condo developments.

The property firm will also launch a new residential township in Iloilo that will feature supermarkets, daycare centers, public transport terminals, a huge park and football field that will be open to the public, said Las Marias.

“Iloilo central will also offer our first walkup project which will provide very affordable condo units which will be located in a complete residential setting that provides social spaces, outdoor sports and activity event areas, modern amenities at very affordable prices,” he said.

FLI said it would also explore residential opportunities in key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao to keep a balance geographical portfolio.

It will also open several mid-rise condo buildings in Dumaguete City, Zamboanga City and General Santos City.

FLI is scheduled to open high-rise condominium buildings in Cebu City and Davao City to match the growing market potentials in these highly urbanized cities and optimize land bank values. Jenniffer B. Austria

Stock market expected to rebound this week

By Jenniffer B. Austria

PHILIPPINE stocks are expected to stage a technical rebound this week on potential bargain-hunting after last week’s slump.

Philstocks Financial Inc research

head Japhet Tantiangco said the market, which closed below the 6,500 level, is ripe for bargain-hunting.

“With the market’s drop, the market is now at even more attractive levels. Hence, episodes of bargainhunting could be seen next week,” Tantiangco said. He said, however, this rebound might not be sustainable and could only be expected over the near-term

By Alena Mae S. Flores CEMENT maker Holcim Philippines

Inc. expressed hope the government would issue a policy on the country’s net zero emission goals to help businesses move their sustainability programs forward.

The company announced a capital expenditure of about P2 billion in the next three years to enhance sustainability programs, innovation and efficiency.

“A lot of what we do today is voluntary because we do not have a framework that is legally binding and compelling everybody to get to a certain level immediately. In fairness to government, we are working on it but given the complexities of the potential economic damage, repercussions at all levels,” Holcim Philippines senior vice president and chief sustainability officer Samuel Manlosa said during the net zero media training of the Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NCZA).

“So, what we need is a policy to get everybody to the same page and that’s currently absent,” he said.

Manlosa said the Philippines’ slow adaptation to net zero doesn’t necessarily mean that companies are not honest.

“It might mean that not all companies are there yet. The ones that are ahead are ahead but there’s probably a lot more that are behind. Especially if you are a small business...Everybody needs to arrive at net zero almost together...the same businesses, suppliers, partners. Absent that, the targets will be hard to achieve,” he said.

given the lingering concerns, including the heightened tension in the Middle East and the delay in interest rate cuts.

“Main concern next week will still be the Middle East tensions, particularly the course of action that Iran would take following the attack from Israel,” Tantiangco said. He said another retaliation from Iran could again send the market lower.

Aside from geopolitical risks, inflation concerns are also expected to weigh on investor sentiments including rising global oil prices, tight energy supply, weakening of the peso against the dollar and lower agricultural production due to El Nino drought.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index dropped 216 points, or 3.25 percent, to

close at 6,443 on Friday. The daily turnover averaged P6.1 billion, while the average net foreign selling reached P657 million.

Online brokerage firm 2TradeAsia.com said the onset of firstquarter corporate results could boost market sentiments and provide excitement to the market in the coming weeks.

It said, however, that investors continued to be sensitive on issues related to inflation and interest rates.

“Dissolving upside risks in the medium term are swaying attention back to defensives. We also underscoring that the recent slide in prices have made dividend plays more accretive,” 2TradeAsia.com said.

The market’s immediate support is seen at 6,300 this week, while resistance is between 6,550 and 6,600.

EASTERN Communications said it expects a 17-percent revenue increase in 2024, driven by the expansion of its enterprise product offerings.

Eastern Communications vice president and head of sales Mike Castaneda said the company was aiming for P4.8-billion revenue this year, higher than P4.1 billion in 2023.

“I think we can deliver that with the quality of our service,” he said.

Edsel Paglinawan, vice president and head for product and

CEBU Pacific (CEB) said over the weekend it took delivery of its fourth brand-new Airbus A320neo aircraft for 2024 as it reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable aviation and operational efficiency.

“This aircraft delivery supports our goal of providing safe, reliable, and affordable flights as the demand for air travel remains strong. We also continue to incorporate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in our operations as part of our decarbonization efforts, which can pave the way for a more sustainable air travel in the coming years,” CEB chief strategy officer Alex Reyes said. The aircraft – a brand new,

more fuel-efficient A320neo –arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila on April 17, 2024 from Airbus’ facility in Tianjin, China.

SAF is a drop-in fuel, with similar characteristics as conventional jet fuels. It does not require any adaptations to the aircraft or engines and does not have any negative impact on performance. The use of SAF results in up to 80-percent reduction in carbon emissions across the fuel’s lifecycle. The airline operates one of the youngest fleets in the world, with its diversified commercial fleet mix of

Globe seeks elimination of lease fees

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GLOBE Telecom is pushing for the elimination of lease fees charged by property developers for installing telecommunication infrastructure in their buildings.

The company cited the successful implementation of similar policies across the Asia-Pacific such as Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

It said the move would reduce operational costs for telecom companies, fostering a more competitive market and ultimately benefiting consumers with improved connectivity and services.

“The experiences of Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong demonstrate that zero lease practices for telco infrastructure can lead to more efficient market operations and better consumer services,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

“It will be an advantage for the Philippines to adopt similar policies, paving the way for enhanced digital connectivity and competitiveness in the region,” he said.

Real property developers and owners of buildings such as malls, office spaces, hotels and condos, charge telcos for installing inbuilding telco infrastructure to provide necessary connectivity within their own premises.

Globe said such fees are unnecessary and that telco facilities should be treated the same as water and power, for which developers already provide necessary space without charging lease to service providers.

It supports the revision of the National Building Code to classify telcos’ in-building solutions (IBS) as necessary infrastructure for developments.

eight Airbus 330s,

per flight compared to the previous generation. The reduction in fuel consumption leads to a corresponding reduction in aircraft carbon emissions. The budget airline flies to 35 domestic and 24 international destinations spread across Asia, Australia and the Middle East. Darwin G. Amojelar

BUSINESS DA vows increased investments to support farmers, fisherfolks Greenways plan to encourage walking on EDSA

By Othel V. Campos

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) announced over the weekend increased investments in the agriculture sector to support local farmers and fishermen.

Quezon.

NIA implements

P5-b Mindanao irrigation project

THE National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it implemented the P5.133-billion Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation Project- Stage II (MMIPII) in Barangay Villarica, Midsayap, North Cotabato.

It said that as of March 2024, the project recorded an overall weighted physical accomplishment (OWPA) of 99.56 percent.

A series of test runs on the completed canal structures in the Lower Malitubog Service Area was conducted on March 18, 2024 to test the readiness and operating condition of the structures before it is turned over to farmer-beneficiaries.

With water source from the Maridagao River, MMIP-II covers 9,528 hectares of agricultural land in the municipality of Aleosan, North Cotabato and the towns of Pangalungan and Datu Montawal in Maguindanao del Sur under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The project has 4,043 farmerbeneficiaries.

Guided by the battlecry of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for unity to achieve lasting peace and national progress, NIA administrator Eduardo Eddie Guillen advocates bayanihan and personally talked to the residents on the positive impact of MMIP-II completion in their livelihood.

He met with the IA presidents and members and underscored the importance of IAs’ support and cooperation towards the realization of the project.

“We will link vegetable farmers with the Taguig mega cold storage and continue to provide support and assistance in terms of transport so they can sell their produce at the right price,” he said, emphasizing the need to strengthen the capabilities of the country’s trading posts.

He highlighted the role of facilities like the Sentrong Pamilihan in promoting sustainable farming by allowing farmers to directly sell their produce.

Sentrong Pamilihan, established in 2007, has become a central trading hub for vegetables and other agricultural products in Sariaya and surrounding areas.

Local farmers reported significant improvements in their income since the trading post opened.

Sariaya farmers said the trading center motivated them to expand production areas, contributing to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s

food security agenda.

Tiu Laurel announced the development of a national logistics plan to further enhance agricultural productivity and market access.

This plan aims to create a strong connection between vegetable farms and other food-growing areas with major food hubs like the Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City.

The DA said the increased investment in agriculture, coupled with the development of a national logistics plan is aligned with the government’s commitment to empowering Filipino farmers and ensuring food security for the nation.

HOG CONVENTION. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (fifth from left) and Senator Mark Villar (fourth from left) lead the opening of the 30th Hog Convention and Trade Exhibits on April 18 at the Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City. The Pork Federations of the Philippines Inc. (PFPI) and the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) teamed up to organize the conference, providing a platform for seasoned professionals and newcomers to share their experiences, knowledge and best practices in the industry.

THE EDSA Greenways Project will encourage walking, while promoting the use of public transportation, according to Department of Transportation Undersecretary

Timothy John Batan. The $140-million EDSA Greenways Project is a 5-kilometer mass transit walkway along EDSA at MRT-3 Balintawak, Cubao, Guadalupe and Taft stations. Batan said the pedestrian infrastructure is expected to enhance active transport by connecting the project to mass transit stations.

“This is us walking the talk when we say we should be prioritizing moving people and not cars,” Batan said during Friday’s EDSA Greenways Project’s market sounding activity at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) headquarters in Ortigas, Pasig City.

“This is the Department of Transportation and perhaps the government of the Philippines’ largest investment in pedestrian infrastructure project,” he said.

Batan said the execution of the DOTr’s pilot investment in highquality pedestrian infrastructure should be done right from development, design and procurement with the help from the ADB.

“One of the ways for us to make sure that we’re getting this right is by using our infrastructure and innovation from ADB,” he said.

Batan expressed the agency’s gratitude to the multilateral lender for assisting and supporting the DOTr “all the way from the project development up to the project financing.”

Navotas mayor supports review of ban on new Metro Manila ecozones

NAVOTAS City Mayor John Rey Tiangco supported appeals to the national government to lift the moratorium on the establishment of economic zones in Metro Manila to spur more economic activity and growth for the entire country. The Duterte administration issued Administrative Order 18 (AO18), an order for “Accelerating Rural Progress Through Robust Development Of Special Economic Zones In The Countryside”, in June 2019, which effectively imposed a ban on applications for ecozones in the metro until the Office of the Presi-

dent decides lift the moratorium.

“While I understand the rationale behind the moratorium, our country’s competitive landscape, investment priorities and the entire global economic situation has undergone seismic shifts since then,” Tiangco said.

“Consider our case in Navotas, for example. Currently, we have no IT parks or ecozones, despite the conduciveness of our city. This moratorium effectively deprives us of the opportunity to establish such centers, which could serve as hubs for technological innovation, job creation, and economic growth in our area,” he said.

PSAC crafts strategies to create 1m digital jobs, enhance connectivity

THE Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) presented a strategic proposal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to enhance internet connectivity and create a million digital jobs to advance the Philippines’ digital infrastructure. PSAC said in a statement a significant development from the meeting is advancing the 10,000 Digital Civil Servants project.

It said an imminent memorandum of agreement (MOA) with partners, including the Civil Service Commission, Private Sector Jobs & Skills Corp (PCORP) and leading enterprises like Ayala, SM Group, National University and Mapua would kickstart the initiative.

The project will begin with a foundational training of 40 participants in Singapore, who will lead a larger training cohort in the Philippines, significantly boosting the capabilities of the government’s digital services.

President Marcos directed a strategic focus on creating one million digital jobs by 2028, aligning these opportunities with the evolving needs of the labor market.

He advocated for a presidential directive to empower the Inter-Agency Council for Development and Competitiveness of the Philippine Digital Workforce, which will spearhead public-private partnerships essential for targeted skills development and training programs.

The President prioritized expanding connectivity in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA), supporting infrastructure development to bridge digital divides.

Efforts by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) aim to streamline the permitting processes and reduce bureaucratic delays in deploying telecommunications infrastructure.

The legislative branch then decided to pass RA 11534, also known as the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act to help business recover from the pandemic, which stated in its implementing rules and regulations that investments in the National Capital Region should be prioritized. With RA 11534 in place, the legal assumption was that AO 18 was no longer in force, given that administrative or executive acts should be valid only when they are not contrary to existing laws or the Constitution.

Philippine Economic Zone Author-

ity (PEZA) director-general Tereso Panga wrote to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin seeking clarity on the matter, but the Office of the President said the AO18 and its moratorium should be upheld.

Tiangco expressed support for the call of PEZA and other industry groups to lift the moratorium.

“Navotas actually wrote to PEZA in July 2019 to include our city in their request to the Office of the President for exemption from the moratorium,” Tiangco said.

The request for exemption was filed, but there was no further action.

Saudi mega-project NEOM chases Chinese funding

HONG KONG, China—Bigwigs behind a Saudi megacity

dogged by questions about its viability have wrapped up a tour courting Chinese investors, detailing plans for a futuristic ski resort and 170-kilometre-long skyscrapers.

The roadshow for NEOM, brainchild of de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, travelled from Beijing to Shanghai to Hong Kong, where for two days would-be business partners flocked to a chic museum to peruse eye-popping renderings in various stages of development. No major deals were an-

nounced, and top project officials did not address recent reports that NEOM’s ambitious construction and population targets are being rolled back. But they did offer a glimpse into how NEOM has evolved since Prince Mohammed first announced it in 2017, raising eyebrows for the $500 billion price tag. NEOM’s executive director Tarek Qaddumi walked journalists through an exhibition at Hong Kong’s M+ museum on Friday, talking up NEOM’s goal of balancing “nature conservation, human livability and economic prosperity”. “NEOM is a very vast vision...

It is an initiative that is probably the most exciting and the most forward-looking in the 21st century,” he said. The exhibition helped make NEOM “less mysterious”, and reactions during an invitationonly reception were “mostly neutral”, said Leonard Chan, chair of the Hong Kong Innovative Technology Development Association. He demurred, though, when discussing whether he had been sold on living in NEOM’s centerpiece known as The Line, two mirrorencased skyscrapers extending over 170 kilometers (105 miles) across the Saudi desert. AFP

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel underscored the importance of supporting farmers across the production and marketing chain during a visit to the Sentrong Pamilihan ng mga Produktong Agrikultural (Center for Trading Agricultural Products) in Sariaya,

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. Henry Aguda (center-left), digital infrastructure sector lead at the Private Sector Advisory Council, presents transformative digital strategies to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. aimed at enhancing internet connectivity and generating a million digital jobs across the Philippines.

InstaDeep CEO takes

AI from Tunisia to London

PARIS, France--Karim Beguir launched the artificial intelligence start-up InstaDeep in Tunisia in 2014 with just two computers and $2,000. By 2023, it was an international operation bought by German laboratory BioNTech for $700 million.

“For the first time, we saw that a startup launched in Africa with very limited resources could become a major international player,” the French-Tunisian CEO, who co-founded the company with Tunisian self-taught IT enthusiast Zohra Slim, told AFP. It gives young Africans the “hope of being part of tomorrow’s innovation and technology,” he said.

InstaDeep specializes in decisionmaking artificial intelligence (AI) that helps businesses develop applications to optimise cost and efficiency. AFP

Musk postpones trip to India

NEW DELHI, India—Tech billionaire Elon Musk announced Saturday he was postponing his visit to India, during which the Tesla boss was meant to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discuss big investment plans.

The news came a day after Musk’s electric car company announced the recall of nearly 4,000 Cybertruck vehicles owing to an acceleration pedal defect that increased crash risks.

“Unfortunately, very heavy Tesla obligations require that the visit to India be delayed, but I do very much look forward to visiting later this year,” he said in a post on his social media platform X.

Media reports had suggested the trip would begin as soon as Sunday and last two days, during which Musk would meet with Modi and aerospace companies.

Tesla was reported to be scouting factory locations in India after the government last month cut import taxes on electric vehicles for global automakers that committed to invest $500 million and to start local production within three years. AFP

Volkswagen workers vote to unionize

NEW YORK, United States—Volkswagen workers in Tennessee voted decisively to become a union shop, according to election results released Friday, marking the first victory for organized labor at a foreign-owned auto plant in the American South. With a solid 73 percent supporting, employees in the Chattanooga plant voted for representation by the United Auto Workers at the 13-year-old factory, according to results released by VW, a triumphant outcome for organized labor in a region in which it has long failed to make major gains.

“Volkswagen workers just made history!” said a UAW post on X, the former Twitter.

VW, which adopted a neutral position in public communications, said in a press release that the election “was administered through a democratic, secret ballot vote overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.”

“Volkswagen thanks its Chattanooga workers for voting in this election,” the company added. AFP

By Othel V. Campos

A JOINT mission from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the World Bank (WB) will assess the progress of two projects under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). The review will be held from April 22 to May 9, 2024. The World Bank team will assess how well the projects are meeting its goals. This includes checking on fi-

PH digital transformation

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said he secured commitment from ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to support key priority development programs for the Philippines, focusing on boosting digitalization, improving human capital and infrastructure and enhancing disaster preparedness. Asakawa said the key strategic priorities would be reflected and aligned in its upcoming Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for the Philippines. Recto said priority areas also encapsulate the development priorities of the Marcos administration.

Recto expressed enthusiasm in continuing closer cooperation with the ADB team as the CPS is being finalized.

He also sought more support from the ADB for the government’s digitalization program to improve tax collection efficiency, especially now that a fourth of Filipino consumers have moved to e-commerce.

Recto said a slow adaptation to digitalization amid the rising e-commerce would result in an immense potential revenue leakage.

Data showed that as of Dec. 31, 2023, the ADB is the Philippines’ sec-

ond-largest ODA partner with a total ODA commitment of $11.40 billion.

Meanwhile, World Bank Group (WBG) President Ajay Banga also expressed willingness to assist the Philippines in its digitalization initiatives to boost revenue generation, underscoring its importance in fixing leakages.

Banga underscored during the high-level meeting on April 17, 2024 in Washington D.C. the need to build a solid digital infrastructure in the long term, which involves creating a digital identity, a real-time payment structure and a reliable document storage system for the government to get citizens on board and enhance the efficiency of public services.

Banga proposed to form a dedicated World Bank team to work with the government in planning and prioritizing digitalization strategies focusing on increasing revenues and long-term benefits.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto (right) and World Bank Group managing director Anna Bjerde sign the Rapid Response Option (RRO) agreement on April 20, 2024 in Washington, D.C. The RRO is part of the WBG’s Expanded Crisis Preparedness and Response Toolkit, which empowers countries to deploy resources from their existing bank portfolio more e ectively to deliver a swift response when crises occur. The exible resource reallocation will provide the Philippine government with immediate liquidity to rapidly deliver critical services such as healthcare, shelter and food in times of emergency.

over the weekend it booked a net income of P6.1 billion in 2023, up by 32 percent from the 2022 level on robust consumer loan growth and strong deposit generation.

It said this translated into a return on equity (ROE) 9.5 percent in 2023.

“Our

said the decision reflects the bank’s commitment to delivering value to its shareholders and its confidence in the bank’s continued financial health.

Net revenues surged 26 percent in 2023 to P35.7 billion, propelled by a 25-percent growth in consumer lending portfolio, which now constitutes 80 percent of total loans, the highest proportion among its peers.

Total deposits also rose 8 percent to P356.5 billion on the back of a 12-percent increase in CASA deposits.

Non-interest income saw a 51-percent growth to P7.4 billion, including a significant contribution from fees and commission which climbed 26 percent to P4.8 billion.

nances, how the fund is being spent and how contracts are awarded. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and WB country manager Ndiame Diope will lead the three-week mission with a kick-off meeting and opening of the DAPRDP Exhibit at the DA Central Office in Quezon City. The exhibit will showcase the PRDP’s 10-year evolution, major accomplishments, success stories and the products of its supported rural enterprises.

Experts from the DA and World Bank will discuss key areas like managing finances, sharing knowledge and evaluating project success.

BSP checks vulnerability of its o ices to natural hazards

bank premises and facilities as well as possible disruption in the delivery of business objectives.

It said that following the assessment, a report was issued recommending improvement in the resiliency of BSP facilities; enhancement

The team will also visit project sites in the Visayas and Mindanao to see the progress firsthand and meet with local officials involved in the projects. The mission also includes a discussion on using digital tools to improve agriculture. This aims to bring together government officials and private companies to develop new digital solutions for farms and businesses. The mission will conclude on May 9, 2024 with a final meeting where the WB will share its findings and recommendations, along with an overall assessment of the projects’ performance. The review is conducted twice a year to ensure that World Bank-funded projects are on track in the delivery of optimized objectives. THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said its Monetary Board canceled the registration of Nikko Mart to operate as a remittance and transfer company (RTC) with money changing /foreign exchange dealing. The BSP said the MB, in its Resolution No. 918.A, approved the cancellation of the BSP money service business registration of Nikko

of the emergency response systems and business continuity strategies; establishment of additional controls and practices to ensure availability of adequate buffers for financial losses; and opportunities to improve further some aspects of the study for future vulnerability assessments. The BSP said the exercise benefited from the knowledge sharing with World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature Philippines and

Laundering Act of 2001, as amended, and its revised Implementing rules and regulations. It said it was also in violation of Section 601-N of the MORNBFI, in relation to Part 9 of the MORNBFI Q-Regulations, Section 901-N of the

High interest rates dampen housing launches in NCR

By Jenniffer B. Austria

RESIDENTIAL developers have launched fewer condominium units in Metro Manila as the high interest-rate environment presents significant hurdle among home buyers, according to Leechiu Properties Consultants (LPC).

LPC research and consultancy director for residential market

Roy Golez said in a news briefing the residential market showed an apparent slowdown in Metro Manila condominium take-up and launches in the first quarter of 2024

“Based on our tracking of preselling, we have been seeing declines in both pre-selling vs. developer launches,” Golez said.

Metro Manila slowdown

Golez said only four condominium projects were launched in the first quarter, comprising 2,708 units. This was 38 percent down from the last quarter.

Reservation sales or take-up also declined 35 percent, with only 6,928 units sold, weighed down by elevated interest rates and geopolitical uncertainties.

He said the sales take-up and project launches started to decline when the government raised interest rates from 6 percent to 6.5 percent. Most of the residential launches in Metro Manila cater to the upscale market, which has been the most resilient sector of the industry in the face of high interest-rate environment.

Prices of upscale units average from P7 million to P12 million. Buyers are also attracted to the luxury and high-end condominiums as these projects show consistent capital appreciation. Golez said despite the decline in sales and launches, most developers have ready projects for launching this year once the market starts to pick up.

Growth continues

Golez said despite the slowdown in Metro Manila, LPC still sees the

STRONG START FOR OFFICE MARKET

WHILE the residential market is reeling from the high interest rate environment, the office sector is off to a good start, with demand rising by 25 percent in the first three months of 2024.

At total of 331,000 square meters (sq.m.) of office demand was recorded in the first quarter of the year, which is the largest singlequarter demand recorded in the last four years, according to Leechiu Property Consulant director for commercial leasing Mikko Barranda. This strong first quarter demand was fuelled by sustained take up in demand from traditional companies, primarily government agencies, as well as business process outsourcing (BPO) firms.

In the first quarter, BPO firms took up 125,000 sq.m. of space while traditional offices took up 151,000 sq.m.

residential market sustaining its growth because of the continued big demand for housing.

“We have very young population average age of 24 years old, and we have high employment rate. We are also seeing widening gap of new housing demand outside Metro Manila because key infrastructure projects are nearing completion, particularly in CALABARZON,” he said.

He also cited the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data which showed an increase in residential real estate loans (RRELs) over the past year.

Most of residential loans were for projects outside the National Capital Region, which Golez said, indicates that demand is continuing to move outside the metropolis.

“There is a widening gap between the number of loans granted in NCR and in areas outside NCR which started during

Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) also continuous to take up space, with the signing of 55,000 sq.m. of space, despite regulatory changes and issues surrounding the industry.

Vacancy however remains at 18 percent, which is equivalent to 3,2 million sq.m. as additional 90,000 sq.m. of office space were added to the supply. Inside Metro Manila, the highest vacancy rates are in recorded in Alabang and Bay Area.

Barrada however sees pipeline supply to start to taper off by 2025 and expects vacancy to drop to single digit vacancies starting 2028.

“It’s not an issue of demand, considering the positive trajectory we’re observing. Rather, it’s a supply challenge that requires time to address. However, we’re confident that it’s on its way,” Barranda said.

the pandemic,” Golez said. Projects outside Metro Manila also tend to be more affordable for buyers and have more spacious residential units within township developments that offer the convenience of living in a larger city.

Infrastructure developments enable these townships more connectivity with major cities and other townships projects. Stricter screening measures

Golez noted that property developers, particularly those that cater to the middle market, are applying stricter screening measures to ensure buyers are capable of paying their loans and reduce cancellations.

“During the pandemic, we saw high attrition rate or back outs, particularly in the middle market, so the developers are starting to introduce stricter screening for their projects,” Golez said.

Pueblo de Oro unveils new model unit in CDO

PUEBLO de Oro (PDO) Development Corp., a developer of master planned communities, has recently unveiled its model unit at La Aldea del Rio, the latest addition to the company’s growing portfolio of Pueblo de Oro communities.

La Aldea del Rio offer a blend of modern design and traditional Asian elements, the essence of Modern Asian Living. Located in Lumbia, a progressive barangay in the uptown area of Cagayan de Oro City, La Aldea del Rio emphasizes Pueblo de Oro’s commitment to providing residents with accessible and convenient living spaces that enhance their quality of life.

La Aldea del Rio is located near essential amenities including the Lumbia Barangay Hall, an elementary school, the newly-opened Cagayan de Oro City Hospital Lumbia, and the upcoming Gaisano Uptown.

Spread over 4.3 hectares, La Aldea del Rio features 435 two-storey townhouse units with a lot area of 44 square meters. The suggested floor plan accommodates a master’s bedroom and second bedroom, and each unit has a provision for a carport. The units provide a comfortable and versatile space for diverse lifestyles, whether this be for starting a family, embracing solo living, or making a savvy investment.

La Aldea del Rio offers a range of amenities within the community tailored for modern living, including a gated entrance and guardhouse, a multi-purpose hall, a basketball court, and a kiddie playground. With its focus on accessibility, convenience, and community living, La Aldea del Rio aims to create a harmonious environment where residents can thrive and build lasting memories.

For almost three decades, Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO) has been developing quality and mixed-used townships and residential projects.

Pueblo de Oro currently has several projects in growth areas like Cagayan de Oro; Malvar, Lipa and Santo Tomas in Batangas; San Fernando, Pampanga, and Mactan in Cebu.

Last year, the group announced plans to spend P18 billion to expand in key locations, including Cagayan de Oro, Batangas, and Cebu. Pueblo de Oro is the residential development arm of the ICCP Group, which has business interests in financial services and property management.

The residential business unit of the SM Group, SM Development Corporation (SMDC) is gearing up for more sustainable and attainable cosmopolitan lifestyle in main city centers outside Metro Manila which are offering better growth potentials. Frederic C. DyBuncio, president and chief executive officer of SM Investments Corporation said the regions offer strong growth potential for SM as there as still many areas left unserved. He also said as a group, they continue to venture into areas outside of the NCR with diverse offerings including sustainable and affordable residential choices and investment opportunities for every type of resident and investor. As of end of 2023, SMDC has more than 183,000 residential units across 67 developments nationwide. Of these, 20 residential developments are in provincial cities in Pampanga,

luxury

Bacolodnons and Negrenses. This inaugural residential development of SMDC

wherein they have the

to create their

in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. These developments are accessible to SM Supermalls and transport terminals to provide convenience to residential communities. SMDC also recently launched its first prime residential lots-only offering through Parkville in Bacolod City, a sprawling 52-hectare masterplanned

homes in a community that empowers individuality and an advocate for countless possibilities.

with the rest of the companies under the SM Group, we see the immense potential beyond the city centers in Metro Manila. With more developments in the provinces, these provide homes and spur foot traffic that ignites economic activity,” said Jose Mari H. Banzon, president of SMDC.

Megaworld BGC

COMEDIAN and TV host Vic Sotto isn’t wishing for anything for himself on his upcoming 70th birthday. “Bossing,” as he’s affectionately called, wants world peace – for his family, the “Dabarkads” (loyal fans), and the audience they entertain daily in Eat Bulaga

We caught up with Bossing at the TV5 studio in Mandaluyong last Saturday during a live taping. As he entered with other hosts, we asked about his birthday wish.

“World peace,” he answered in jest. “It’s not for myself, but for my family, the Dabarkads, and the audience. I hope everyone’s lives become peaceful.” The interview, however, was cut

During the live segment, his children made his birthday celebration extra special. They serenaded him, including a heartfelt song

GMA Network’s Kapuso Bigtime Panalo is doubling the jackpot.

Starting April 27, shoppers and sarisari store owners nationwide can join Kapuso Bigtime Panalo and vie for a chance to win the grand prize of P1 million, alongside daily (P1,000) and weekly (P7,000 and P70,000) cash prizes.

Starting April 27, mamimili and sarisari store owners nationwide can join Kapuso Bigtime Panalo! Participants will have a chance of winning the Php 1,000,000.00 grand prize. GMA’s newest network promo is also giving away daily (Php 1,000) and weekly (Php 7,000 and Php 70,000) cash prizes.

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• Bili (Buy): Purchase any participating products: AJI-NOMOTO Umami Seasoning, Lady’s Choice, Surf, Vitakeratin, and BEAR

Danica, Paulina, and Oyo, along with his wife Kristine, sang a song for him. His brother, Tito Sotto, and co-host Joey de Leon joined in the birthday tribute with a guitar performance. His eldest, Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, also did a special video message describing how the “man of the hour” transformed into an all-around comedian, TV host, and father figure over the years.

During commercial break, the veteran host generously agreed to another interview, where he spoke about the touching tribute from his children and Eat Bulaga colleagues.

“Basta kapag galing sa mga anak ko, laging may kurot sa puso,” he said.

This year’s birthday felt particularly special, especially considering the recent challenges the show has faced, including parting ways with their former production company and the legal battle over the “Eat Bulaga” trademark.

“We’ve been through a lot,” Bossing said. “So I would say this is one of the happiest and most meaningful moments for me. I highly appreciate it.”

The comedian-host remained quiet about the clash of fans from different noontime shows. He said he doesn’t read social media comments, considering it “all part of the game.”

When asked about the controversial statement made by co-host Joey de Leon on April 17 regarding rumors circulating on social media that Eat Bulaga was losing money and would soon close, he responded succinctly: “Our success will continue, that’s what we know.”

On the show’s fierce ratings rival, It’s Showtime, Bossing put if perfectly by saying that the noontime show airing now on GMA is not their enemy.

“We never said that It’s Showtime is our enemy. Maybe they are competitors or opponents, but not enemies. Iba ang kaaway namin,” Bossing stated.

Following Bossing Vic’s birthday celebration, TVJ Production announced preparations for Eat Bulaga’s upcoming grand 45th anniversary special.

Through the decades, the show has evolved into more than just a television program, it has become a symbol of unity, positivity, and love for the Filipinos - a true testament to the show’s legacy and unparalleled success. Eat Bulaga airs weekdays from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and every Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on TV5 and RPTV.

KAPAMILYA artists are spreading the power of music to the next generation with a nationwide series of campus tours organized by StarPop. On April 11, Arellano University in Manila came alive with relatable stories and captivating songs. ABS-CBN Music artists Alexa Ilacad, KD Estrada, Jason Dy, Jeremy G, Angela Ken, FANA, Kice, and Jem Macatuno all brought their A-game, leaving the audience wanting more.

This event exemplifies StarPop’s mission: to introduce a new generation

of Filipino talent and ignite a deeper appreciation of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) among today’s youth.

StarPop label head Roque “Rox” Santos said, “We’re discovering a new breed of artists and singer-songwriters. Pareho silang ng experiences, ng nararamdaman with today’s generation. Ito yung mga artists na pwedeng kumonek sa Gen Z.”

The Saint Louis University stop in Baguio City last March meanwhile featured rising talents Anji Salvacion, Maki, Gello Marquez, Trisha Denise, and Nameless Kids, alongside Angela, Jem, and Kio, who treated the audience with their original music and

(right) tears up during his daughter

LIFE & SHOWBIZ

By Angelica Villanueva

CROSS-COUNTRY film Under Parallel Skies hit the Philippine cinemas last Wednesday, April 17, starring Thai actor Win Metawin and Filipina actress Janella Salvador

The film delves into the story of a bachelorette Parin (Win), who’s looking for his mom in Hong Kong. From there, he crossed paths with Iris (Janella), an OFW and hotel receptionist struggling to make ends meet.

Years after the film was announced, fans, like me, couldn’t help but feel excitement as this is another Suddenly It’s Magic or might be another Kita Kita moment, as it would be helmed by award-winning director Sigrid Andrea Bernardo I was ready to immerse myself in the film. I was ready for it as I waited almost two years for this film.

However, watching it during its premiere night felt like I was in a love-hate relationship. It was a bit lacking for me and to be honest, cringy, maybe because: first, as someone who had watched several Filipino romantic movies, especially when it was also written by Bernardo, I already knew how the story would unfold and would end—a sad ending you wouldn’t want to see.

Secondly, watching it with fans might be a bit of too biased for me. With an audience full of Win and Janella’s fans, most of them might find the movie as a perfect masterpiece – ignoring scenes that could be improved and would only remember how Janella gave justice to her character and how Win could simply make the audience gush effortlessly.

There was a particular scene, the core of the film in my opinion, where Win finally found his mom. He had the chance to confront her for leaving the family, to express his anger and judgment for choosing another man. However, he surprisingly chose to forgive her easily.

But, I knew I had to watch it for the second time. Fortunately, I got to see it once again during another block screening hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. And guess what, I enjoyed watching it more with an intimate audience. Not saying that it’s not fun watching it with fellow fans, but this time, it’s consisted of a more balanced audience. I shared these sentiments with one of

‘Under Parallel Skies’ paints a nuanced picture of life’s realities

universal language – it can connect people, it can heal pain, and it can make people happy.

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the “parallelism and connections in the story.”

As I continued to watch it, I came to understand the whole movie – the message it wanted to convey, the purpose of each scene, and the decisions each character had made in a situation they faced.

Now watching it the second time, I still love how the movie was able to use four languages within the story – Thai, Filipino, English, and Cantonese. But that’s not what made the story powerful but it showed how “love” is still the

Going back to the scene I mentioned above, I realized now why Win’s character forgave his mom that easily. He had learned that true happiness comes from forgiving and letting go.

The movie also made sure that the cultures of each country made their way to be emphasized in the film.

Nothing but praises on how Janella brought Filipino traits to the film – from the way she speaks to how hospitable she is to someone who is in need.

Win also made sure that he could keep up with his co-star as he used his charm to deliver his lines, may it be in Thai, Cantonese, English, and even Filipino.

The two actors also really did a great job working on their chemistry together as every scene that requires them to be sweet gave me butterflies in my stomach. The movie proved that scenes didn’t need to be sexy or very intimate just to give that kilig

Lastly, it also made me realize that Under Parallel Skies did not have a sad ending but it gave the audience the reality of life – that just like the sunrise and sunset, “good things may come to an end, but good things will arise from endings.”

Students tackle social issues in limited-run shows

THE 2D production house, led by dedicated thirdyear UST communication students under the supervision of Asst. Prof. Faye Martel Abugan , MA, of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, is bringing you two shows for a limited run. 2D’s The Encounter released its first episode on April 16 and will drop two more episodes on April 23, and 30. Meanwhile, 2D’s The Next ‘C’ will release its episodes on May 7, 14, and 21, all slated for showing from 11:00 a.m.

to 11:30 a.m. on the UST Tiger TV Facebook page. The Encounter brings together individuals from contrasting backgrounds for a series of discussions and interactions. They’ll tackle topics like public vs. private transportation, urban vs. rural realities, and even differing views on family dynamics. Witness how these contrasting perspectives shape the many realities in our country. The Next ‘C’ is a varietyreality show searching for UST’s next big host. See the

university’s most versatile talents compete in hosting challenges, food reviews, and impromptu interviews. They’ll showcase charisma, a key element of 2D’s vision for the “next C,” which aligns with UST’s values of competence, commitment, and compassion.

Driven by the principles of compelling and dynamic storytelling, 2D strives to produce shows that feature relatable narratives, explore social issues, and promote positive character development for young viewers.

Both shows are produced as part of a TV Production course by third-year communication students at UST’s Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. building.

The shows also let aspiring Thomasian communicators a peek into the thrilling reality of taking up communication in UST – the program behind the country’s Sine Reel, one of UST’s certifications from the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance group, and the school’s performance in the annual student Quill awards.

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Win Metawin portrays Thai bachelor Parin who is on a journey to look for his mother

Janella Salvador plays as Iris, an OFW working in a hotel in Hong Kong

‘Under Parallel Skies’ stars Janella Salvador (left) and Win Metawin (right) as two individuals who unexpectedly crossed paths in Hong Kong

‘Under Parallel Skies’ is a romance drama film directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo

C4 LIFE

Mercury Rising

Bob Zozobrado

ONLY 15 minutes away from Davao’s Francisco Bangoy International Airport is one of my favorite relaxation cocoons every time I visit this city. The Park Inn by Radisson Davao is the perfect retreat for some “me-time” or for business appointments, as its location makes it very convenient.

I like it because it is right next to a big shopping mall and is even connected to it by a canopied bridgeway. More importantly, the mall also houses SMX, the biggest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Expositions) venue in the entire Mindanao, thus making it easy for MICE attendees staying at the hotel to be on time for any related activity.

The contemporary design of the hotel’s guest rooms is visually relaxing and their functional layout is ideal for guests who look forward to an easy and comfortable stay. I especially like the interior’s cool colors. I take it as an antidote to a frenzied existence, making it easy for me to wind down from a hectic day. The hotel’s newly opened restaurant, Vanda, named after the beautiful orchid, offers local and international dishes that are guaranteed to tickle any jaded palate. I particularly enjoyed my daily breakfast in this restaurant because they serve my favorite “Sikwate,” which is a Cebuano term for hot chocolate, my breakfast staple. They even have “Budbud” (Cebuano for Suman) served with ripe mangoes, to complete the meal.

To burn off all those calories, I usually enjoy myself at the outdoor pool for some laps from one end to the other, and have the pleasure of ordering my favorite cocktail drink at the Pool Lounge. Of course, for the hardcore physical fitness enthusiast, the hotel’s Fitness

Being in the city’s central hub, the hotel is very near some of Davao’s local attractions -- the Roxas Night Market, Davao Crocodile Park, and the Philippine Eagle Center. Aside from these nearby attractions, I also took time out to visit the popular Malagos Garden Resort where, aside from my favorite chocolates and other “sweet temptations,”

they have a beautiful Butterfly Garden and a separate garden with plenty of parrots. It felt great having attractively colored butterflies perch on my head, shoulders, and arms. I also enjoyed having the talkative parrots stand on my shoulders and arms. Never have I been that close to nature! I also took time to travel even farther and explored the sun-soaked Samal Island with its sugar-white sandy beach and where they have the “Vanishing Island” which is a sandbar that plays along with the tide.

All in all, my recent visit to Davao was a most enjoyable one. Although I was busy with meetings during the day, the hotel’s facilities and after-hours activities made it a most pleasant experience. It’s always nice for harried travelers like me to find a cozy place to loosen up and be ready again for the following day’s activities. I thank the Park Inn by Radisson Davao for making it easy for me to have my much-desired feel-good moments while visiting the

IMAGINE sinking your teeth into the cheesy goodness of a crispy yet moist prosciutto pizza slice that’s baked fresh inside a wood-fired brick oven, prepared by an Italian Chef, no less. As you take the bite, strings of melty cheese are pulled away, and you savor the flavors of Italy bursting on your palate. You look at the view of sparkling blue seas from a comfortable secondfloor dining balcony and feel the fine, powdery sand between your toes as you head out. No need to imagine for long, this is a reality at Aria Cucina Italiana. Established in 2003 on worldrenowned Boracay island, the 21-yearold beachfront restaurant stands the test of time with its authentic cuisine, owned by entrepreneurs Juan Elizalde and Paolo Occhionero, under the leadership of Italian Executive Chef, Salvatore Vincentis Vincentis’ delectable and authentic creations continue to wow people from all over the globe. No wonder, his standards in the kitchen are strict, especially when it comes to the freshness and quality of ingredients, as some are even flown in straight from

Italy so as not to compromise their delicious Italian fare. Aria’s curated menu is the most comprehensive one on the island, with dishes catering to various tastes and preferences. Other than their high-quality ingredients, it’s the wood-fired brick oven that makes their pizzas truly delicious. It packs on the flavor, thanks to the intense heat it generates that cooks the pizza quickly, resulting in a crisp crust while locking in moisture and flavor. The wood imparts a distinctive smoky flavor to the pizza you can’t achieve with other cooking methods. It also tends to keep authenticity alive as they have been used for centuries in Italy and other parts of the world for baking bread and cooking pizza.

The tradition and craftsmanship associated with these ovens add an element of authenticity to the pizzamaking process, which Aria guests surely love.

Aria’s extensive selection of 26 pizza varieties inspired by various regions in Italy (ask for the secret menu if you want half-and-half options, and for big groups, you can make it La Famiglia) is sure to impress you.

of deliciously authentic Italian dishes found only in Park Inns all over the country. Dash is a self-service counter, open 24/7, for those who may have hunger pangs any time of the day, especially in the middle of the night or very early morning. They just have to go down to the hotel’s ground floor, grab the food item they want, and make the necessary payment.

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

your mouth-watering dishes. To end your meal on a sweet note, treat yourself to ARIA Tris di Dolci or their perfectly creamy Aria Gelato with a wide selection of 18 flavors, made fresh daily with imported ingredients. With all gelato flavors crafted daily, it’s undeniably the finest ice cream dessert experience in Boracay. Aria Cucina Italiana continues to thrive as a top-of-mind Italian beachfront restaurant, despite all the challenges it faced during Boracay’s closures for the island rehabilitation in 2018, and then followed by the pandemic in 2020. Choosing to stay open to keep staff employed, they continued operations and adapted a digital system for online orders and delivery. The quick transition has been beneficial, as their online orders are still up and running. Their long-standing core and front dining team show gratitude by staying excellent in their service which is reflected in their diners’ satisfied experiences. With 21 years of authentic Italian food that never compromises on taste and quality, and best-rated reviews on TripAdvisor and Google, be sure to expect many more to come.