Manila Standard - 2024 May 6 - Monday

which was also supposedly approved by key Philippine officials, belonging to the Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Security Council (NSC).

4 nations to step up sea drills

PH, US, Japan, Aussie firm up alliance

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Philippines, United States, Japan and Australia have cited the aggressive actions of China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as added motivation for them to line up more quadrilateral maritime exercises to assert a rules-based order in the international waters.

Marcos forms council to list

all gov’t

lands

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Marcos ordered the formation of an inter-agency coordinating council aimed at consolidating a comprehensive master list of state-owned properties to optimize the utilization of governmentowned lands.

“To ensure the efficient and effective allocation and utilization of land resources for the country’s national development goals, it is necessary to consolidate a comprehensive list of all government lands,” President Marcos said in Administrative Order No. 21.

AO No. 21, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on April 30, delineates President Marcos’s vision, emphasizing a key strategy within the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 focused on fostering livable communities through the establishment of a centralized database encompassing all idle government lands.

The move, hailed by President Marcos as a significant stride towards advancing the objectives outlined in the PDP 2023-2028, underscores the administration’s commitment to strategic land management.

Heading the Coordinating Council are the co-chairpersons from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the

This came after Defense Secretaries Gilberto Teodoro (Philippines), Lloyd Austin (US), Ministers Kihara Minoru (Japan) and Richard Marles (Australia) gathered in Hawaii last May 2 for their second ministerial meeting, where they discussed concerns on developments in the Indo-Pacific.

In a press conference on Saturday, Marles explained that their move to conduct

more maritime exercises “is about the assertion of a global rules-based order,” a way in which their countries can work together.

The meeting of the defense chiefs from the four countries followed the recently held Maritime Cooperative Activity among them, where they strengthened the interoperability of their defense and

‘Speed

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos directed the implementation of infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) through the streamlining of the permit process.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin issued Executive Order No. 58 on April 30 which underscores President Marcos’s commitment to advance the country’s infrastructure agenda and drive economic transformation.

“There is a need to further streamline the process for issuance of required licenses, clearances, permits, certifications or authorizations to expedite the implementation of IFPs, consistent with RA

By Rio N. Araja

THE administration’s Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) has already poured in billions of pesos in government services, financial aid, and livelihood assistance to 18 areas, and is scheduled to visit three Mindanao provinces in May and early June, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said.

TOP OF THE LINE.

The new amphibious combat vehicles of the US Marine Corps are deployed by the USS Harpers Ferry during a live-fire exercise at Oyster Bay, Palawan. USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle. Next page

Photo by Diana B. Noche

armed forces doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures.

On April 7, Filipino, American, Japanese and Australian troops conducted joint maritime drills in the WPS (also known as South China Sea) amid Beijing’s repeated aggression against the Philippines in the contested waters.

In the readout of their meeting that was released on Saturday, the four Defense chiefs expressed serious concern about the situation in the East and South China Seas, as they also strongly objected to the dangerous use of coast

guard and maritime militia vessels in the WPS.

Austin also described as “irresponsible behavior” the actions of China, pertaining to its frequent and violent water cannon attacks, which recently injured the crew of the Philippine vessels and damaged their ships.

“They reiterated serious concern over the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China’s) repeated obstruction of Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and the disruption of supply lines to Second Thomas Shoal, which constitute dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” the readout stated.

Citing the importance of rule of law

reflected on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, they vowed to work together that the rulesbased order will be followed.

Because of this, they committed to bolster alliance in support of regional security and stability as they saw opportunities to further advance defense cooperation through continued maritime cooperation in the WPS, enhanced procedures to enable coordination and information sharing arrangements, and strengthening capacity building.

“We’re clear-eyed about the challenges that exist throughout the region… And so, we’ll need to continue to work

together, to increase interoperability, to make sure that we share information, share intelligence,” Austin stressed.

Austin said they are looking to have more maritime exercises and activities among their countries, while Kihara said their meeting and statement “is not directed towards any specific or particular nation.”

Rather, it is towards the nations which are trying to change the status quo by force, he said.

“We also want to pursue coordinated security assistance to the Philippines that will boost interoperability and help the Philippines achieve its defense modernization goals,” the US defense secretary added.

China made the statement after the Philippines already denied the existence of any deal that would compromise the country’s rights over the West Philippine Sea.

The embassy stressed that all “communication and negotiation on this subject matter is kept on record in every detail by the Chinese side.”

“The above are facts, not narratives or inventions,” the embassy said.

Teodoro, however, reiterated that “I have disallowed any contact between the DND and the Chinese Embassy since the courtesy call of Ambassador Huang Xilian, a few days after I assumed office in July of last year,” Teodoro said.

“During the said courtesy call, there was no discussion or briefing on any ‘gentleman’s agreement’ or ‘new model,’ which is contrary to the Chinese Embassy’s pronouncements,” he said.

Teodoro noted that the Chinese Embassy’s statement came after the latest show of aggression by China in the West Philippine Sea were condemned by the recent SQUAD meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

“I am issuing this statement to generate awareness on this clear attempt by China to advance another falsehood in order to divide our people and distract us from their unlawful presence and actions in our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone),” Teodoro said.

“We advise our citizens, the media, and the international community to beware of China’s methods of manipulation, interference, and malign influence in furthering its own interests,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año said the Chinese Embassy’s claims of a “new model” were “absolutely absurd, ludicrous, and preposterous.”

“No one in the Philippine government is, nor have been, empowered nor authorized to enter into or commit to any sort of agreement, understanding, or arrangement – more so informal ones, by our President,” Año said in a statement.

“The Chinese Embassy needs to be reminded that you can never deceive the Filipino people with your fabricated stories, bluffs, and fake exchanges of communication just to support your illegal claim of Philippine territory as well as to justify your illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions particularly the use of military-grade lasers, water

cannons, dangerous blocking maneuvers, and ramming of our vessels which has caused wounded casualties on our side,” he added.

Año also questioned the timing of China’s statement, which came after it was revealed that the cays of the Pagasa Island in the West Philippine Sea are now in “degraded states” due to apparent island-building activities.

“This is the bigger story that they want to dislodge from the headlines and deflect attention from. It has truly reached a new low of pathetic desperation,” said Año.

“Given that this entire ‘arrangement story’ is clearly fake news and disinformation, this will be the last time I will ever comment on this issue,” he added.

Despite denial by the Philippines, the Chinese Embassy insisted to what it claimed to be deals that were agreed to by the Philippine side.

First was an agreement that was made in 2016 during the Duterte administration.

The Chinese embassy claimed that the Philippines agreed not to deploy any of its vessels or aircraft beyond 12 nautical miles or its corresponding airspace of Scarborough and would limit the fishing area of Filipino fishers.

In its latest statement, the embassy claimed that the AFP Wescom, the

DND and the NSC had agreed to the “new model”.

“Thanks to the ‘new model,’ frontliners of both sides had guidance to follow on how to interact with each other, which made the resupply mission on last February 2 a smooth one,” it said.

The embassy also said that even the AFP spokesperson described, in a post on X, one of the resupply missions as “flawless,” supposedly after the implementation of the new model.

“In fact, on 5th of July 2023, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines [Huang Xilian] had the honor to pay a courtesy call on Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. at Camp Aguinaldo, exchanged views with the latter on China-Philippines military relations, and maritime issues, among other things,” it said.

“During the meeting, the Philippine side was briefed on the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ on the management of Renai Jiao. Readouts of the meeting were released respectively by the DND and the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines,” it added.

The Chinese embassy was prompted to pose this question: “Why does the Philippine administration keep denying and resisting the understandings and arrangements?”

9485, as amended,” the President said. EO 59 extends its purview to all national government agencies, government-owned or -controlled corporations, other government instrumentalities, and local government units (LGUs) involved in the issuance of permits related to IFPs.

Furthermore, the President has mandated the simplification and streamlining of requirements for IFPs, coupled with provisions for online and/or electronic submission and acceptance, simultaneous processing of applications, digital payment of fees, and expeditious action on applications.

Romualdez further said: “Four of the 18 areas and provinces are in Mindanao. This service caravan has already visited almost every region, including Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Sultan Kudarat, and Davao de Oro. And in the next few days and weeks, we will go to Zamboanga City, Tawi-Tawi, and Davao del Norte.”

Apart from the BPSF, the House of Representatives, through his initiative, also spearheaded the Cash and Rice Distribution

(CARD) Program; the Integrated Scholarships and Incentives Program (ISIP) for the Youth; the Start-up, Investment, Business Opportunity and Livelihood (SIBOL), and the Farmers Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM).

The BPSF as well as the CARD Program, ISIP, FARM and SIBOL is scheduled to roll out government programs and cash aid to beneficiaries in Zamboanga City on May 10-11, Tawi-Tawi on May 25-26, and Davao del Norte on June 7-8.

The Speaker said the administration uses to its full extent the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situa-

tion and the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers to aid vulnerable sectors who are also the beneficiaries of the flagship Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The cash aid programs of the Marcos administration, including the initiatives brought to life by the leadership of the House of Representatives, have already benefited millions of Filipinos, especially those from vulnerable sectors.

“Under the direction of our beloved President Marcos, we will continue to reach out to our countrymen who are lamenting the hardships of the times. Our

dear President knows this, so his marching order to the entire government is to do everything for the people to feel the help from the government," he said.

“In addition, the government has many other programs such as free college education, free health insurance, and the provision of direct cash subsidies. And not only that, we here in Congress have been instructed by the dear President to think of ways for the comfort of our citizens," he added.

The BPSF alone has facilitated the release of billions of pesos in government services and financial and livelihood aid, having served a total of 18 places

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), with the Department of Agriculture (DA) serving as the vice chair. Serving as members are key government agencies, including the Office of the Executive Secretary, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Land Registration Authority (LRA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Information and Communications (DICT).

The Coordinating Council is poised to spearhead this landmark initiative. The DENR-Land Management Bureau (LMB) has been designated as the Secretariat of the Coordinating Council, charged with facilitating seamless coordination among member agencies. The order is slated to take effect immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

situations when the price of rice gets really high.

The DA’s latest data shows that local regular milled rice now costs P50 per kilo, and P48 to P55 per kilo for local well-milled rice.

On the other hand, regular milled imported commercial rice costs P48 to P51 per kilo, while regular-milled at P51 to P54.

“These amendments to RTL—we are pounding on this because the President [Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.] told us that we have to find ways on how to bring down rice prices,” Romualdez told reporters in an interview.

Even if Romualdez’s plans push through, de Mesa stressed that the NFA should not think of selling rice at bargain-basement prices. If the current price is P50 per kilo, the DA officials said the NFA should price it at around P40 per kilo.

He added that “The selling price should not be too low, like around P25 per kilo because the NFA will lose too much. That is also one of the reasons why the RTL was passed because the NFA incurred too much loss.”

Even with unlimited entry of imported rice because of the RTL, a law which will supposedly bring down the price of rice in the market due to increased supply, apparently, the plan hardly worked. The cost of rice continued to spike within the six years since the law was enacted.

and provinces already and benefitted millions of Filipinos.

Romualdez cited a total of P1.2 billion in government services and cash grants were rolled out in Sultan Kudarat alone to around 150,000 beneficiaries.

“For all these initiatives in line with the challenge of President Marcos to provide direct services to the people, we partnered with the AICS of the DSWD to meet the needs of vulnerable sectors, students who are struggling with school expenses, farmers who need a little push to get started, and small entrepreneurs who need help getting started,” he noted.

SALT BEDS. Salt farmers collecting dried salt from salt beds in San Jose, Occidental, Mindoro..Photo by Jay Morales.

DENR poised to save Homonhon Is.

THE Department of Environment and

Natural Resources (DENR) has activated Task Force Homonhon to save the historical island in Eastern Samar from further decay due to nickel and chromite mining operations.

Former Eastern Samar congress-

Solon wants CA ruling on power rates reversed

By Maricel V. Cruz

A HOUSE leader on Sunday urged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to contest a Court of Appeals (CA) decision reversing an Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) ruling that stopped a major power generating firm from imposing higher rates.

Sta. Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez, vice chairman of the House Committee on Energy, asked the OSG to elevate the case to the Supreme Court as it involved the collection of higher power rates that would further weigh down on consumers “who are already paying one of the world’s highest electricity bills.” Fernandez also urged the ERC to closely examine and withhold approval of new power supply agreements (PSAs) between Meralco and the power generation companies involved in the CA case.

“While demand for power supply is acute at this time, we also have the responsibility to protect consumers against price gouging,” Fernandez said.

“There are ways to meet the demand that will not unduly and unreasonably raise power rates,” he said.

In his letter to the OSG, Fernandez said two power plants owned by San Miguel Corp.—Ilijan (gas) and Sual (coal)—“are seeking to supply emergency power to Meralco.”

man now 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan welcomed the creation of the task force through the initiative of DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga in collaboration with stakeholders.

“As discussed during our meeting, the task force will visit Homonhon, inspect all mining operations there, and then adopt a comprehensive action plan to save the island,” Libanan said in a statement. He said the task force will ensure that the concerned mining companies in Homonhon fully comply with all

environmental and community health protection laws, and that they are restoring and improving all the areas that they have disturbed, including the island’s coastal ecosystem.

“We are also counting on the mining firms to spend for Homonhon’s electrification and the installation of a water system that will provide roundthe-clock running water supply to households there,” Libanan said.

Homonhon Island has a land area of 105 square kilometers, Homonhon and considered one of the historical places of the world.

When Ferdinand Magellan first circumnavigated the globe, his three surviving vessels landed on Homonhon where his crew rested and resupplied for a week before heading out to Limasawa, Butuan and finally to Cebu, where the Portuguese explorer was slain in the Battle of Mactan.

Homonhon currently has a population of 5,073 grouped into eight barangays, and forms part of the municipality of Guiuan. Loyzaga designated DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David as head of Task Force Homonhon.

Senator raises concerns for unconsolidated jeepneys

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

TO assist jeepney drivers and operators who have not joined the government’s jeepney modernization program, Senator Grace Poe urged the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to set up help desks nationwide.

She said the affected drivers can sign up for assistance that can be pro-

vided by the government.

Poe, chairperson of the Senate public services committee, said there appears a disconnect or misunderstanding on the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

The senator has consistently raised questions on the PUVMP, including the route rationalization plan, subsidies and alternative livelihood.

At the same time, she said transportation officials should be ready to face scrutiny on the impact of the PUVMP, including utilization of the P200-million fund for drivers’ livelihood assistance.

“The consolidation deadline is not the end of the road for raising our concerns on the jeepney modernization. We will keep an eye on its implementation,” she stressed.

Cacdac, 25 other appointees to face CA

NEWLY designated Migrant Work-

ers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and 25 other presidential appointees will undergo grilling by the congressional Commission on Appointments this month, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel on Sunday said.

“We already have Secretary Cacdac’s appointment papers from Malacañang, together with the promotion papers of eight military generals and 17 career diplomats,” he said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Cacdac as the Department of Migrant Workers head on April 25. He was appointed after his designation as officer-in-charge of the agency

IN BRIEF

SM medical, dental mission hits Bulacan

AT LEAST 584 Bulacan citizens benefited from the recent SM Foundation medical and dental mission held at SM City Marilao. The project was open to the public, providing health services to indigent patients in the community.

Doctors and volunteers offered various services, such as medical and dental check-ups and procedures, blood pressure monitoring, and basic laboratory examinations that included uric acid, cholesterol, hemoglobin, and blood sugar testing. Free diagnostic and other laboratory services such as electrocardiograms (ECG) and X-ray tests were likewise available through the SM Foundation Mobile Clinic.

Patients from Marilao and neighboring towns also received free medicine during the mission.

This year, SM Foundation’s project and volunteer partners included the Philippine National Red Cross-Bulacan Chapter and the Marilao Municipal Health Office. Private medical companies like DMI Medical Supply Company Inc. and Willore Pharmaceutical further provided health supplements and services.

SM Foundation’s Gamot Para Sa Kapwa Medical and Dental Mission aims to provide ancillary services to communities that have limited access to medical services, as well as provide immediate dental benefits to economically disadvantaged patients within the malls’ vicinity. Jun David

IBC retirees receive benefits after 20 years

AFTER over two decades since they parted ways with the state-run Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC), a total of 145 retired employees have started receiving their retirement benefits.

Senate deputy majority leader JV Ejercito on Sunday expressed elation on this development.

Ejercito staunchly defended the budget of IBC during the deliberations in 2022 and 2023. He expressed concerns over budget cuts for IBC-13, arguing that the reductions might affect retirement benefits for eligible employees of state-run broadcast stations.

In 2023, the lawmaker pushed for retirement benefits of former IBC employees during the budget deliberations.

“This money rightfully belongs to the people; they earned it through their hard work, and denying them their rightful benefits is unjust,” he said.

“These individuals dedicated their time and efforts to serving the corporation, and it is only fitting that they receive what is rightfully theirs,” Ejercito emphasized. Macon Ramos-Araneta

CHR marks 37th year of ‘dedicated service’

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) starts its 37th year of public service on May 3, 2024, under the banner of “CHR @ 37: Komisyon para sa Bayan, handang maglingkod maging sino ka man.”

The theme underscores the CHR’s commitment to serve all individuals by “adapting, innovating, and transcending boundaries amidst the dynamic landscape of our digital era.”

The CHR was created as an independent office on May 5, 1987 under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and established by virtue of Executive Order No. 163.

In his remarks during the kick-off event, CHR chairman Richard Palpal-latoc emphasized the importance of keeping up with the changing times as he announced the digitalization of the CHR this year.

This year’s anniversary parallels with the second-year celebration of the 6th Commission en banc (CEB). Under the leadership of the 6th Commission, CHR has made key progress in its various flagship programs under its four key mandates, namely Protection, Policy, Promotion, and Prevention.

following the death of former secretary Susan Ople in August of last year.

Cacdac, previously serving as Undersecretary of the DMW, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Before his ad interim appointment in the Cabinet, he held key positions within various government agencies and the private sector.

Pimentel said he expects Cacdac and the other appointees to be vetted by the CA before Congress adjourns on May 25.

“We would encourage the public to send to the CA Secretariat any information, written report, or complaints or oppositions to the appointees,” he said. Rio Araja

Among the flagship program of Palpallatoc was the “Lakbay Karapatan Tungo sa Kamalayan or Lakaran” to widen the Commission’s Promotion mandate through human rights education caravan in grassroots communities. Since its inception last year, the Lakaran has already visited 9 provinces. Through this program, CHR was able to establish over a hundred Barangay Human Rights Action Center in partnership with local government units across all regions as well as around fifty-eight (58) Center for Human Rights Education in partnership with various educational institutions across the country.

“We will be launching on 13 May 2024 the CHR MISMO, the CHR online complaint portal that will enable us to reach our clients, especially the most vulnerable ones, real time, anywhere in the country, including remote areas. This is our response to the fast-evolving digital world where emerging issues on human rights continually surface,”

BICOL LOCO FESTIVAL. Albay sizzled with steamy celebration of its first Bicol Loco Festival highlighted by hot air balloon and rock concerts featuring renowned artists from Metro Manila. Organizers said excitement reached fever pitch and concluded with an 85,000 crowd charmed by Ely Buendia of Eraserheads and Jericho Rosales, among other entertainers. Lead organizer Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co looks forward to replicating the festival in the coming years.

NAVOTAS CITY FIESTA. The Navotas City government under Mayor John Rey Tiangco officially declared the first Sunday of May as their town fiesta, with San Jose as patron saint and protector. Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco joined Bishop Pablo VirgilioDavid in the unveiling of the plans for the San Jose Perpetual Adoration Chapel and the San Jose Glorioso statue at the church patio. Andrew Rabulan

Castro calls salaries of central bank executives ‘obscene’

By Rio N. Araja

ALLIANCE

of Concerned Teachers

(ACT-Teachers) Rep. France Castro

slammed as “obscene” the hefty salaries paid to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) executives, calling it a “slap on the faces of struggling teachers, who can hardly make ends meet.”

“It is utterly unacceptable that BSP Governor Eli Remolona, Jr. takes home a net pay of P35.48 million, while our teachers are forced to live on a meager salary that is way below the poverty line,” Castro said.

Castro was reacting to the 2023 Report on Salaries and Allowances (ROSA) released by the Commission on Audit (COA) recently that showed Remolona topping the list of highest-paid government officials.

Antonio Tinio, the former ACT-Teachers representative, echoed Castro’s sentiments, adding that it is “outrageous that BSP officials are enjoying lavish salaries, while our teachers are forced to work multiple jobs just to make ends meet.”

“It’s a stark reminder of the gross inequality in our society,” Tinio said. Public school teachers in the Philippines reportedly earn an entry-level sal-

ary of between P21,000 to P27,000 at present, according to job search and career community website Glassdoor.

The ACT-Teachers party-list solons along with their fellow cause-oriented lawmakers in the Makabayan bloc have been calling on the government to upgrade the basic salaries of teachers in both public and private schools.

They are recommending the following adjustments: P50,000 for entry-level pay in both public and private schools; P33,000 for salary grade 1 employees; salary grade 6 for instructor 1 in state universities and colleges and P33,000 as national minimum wage.

“We cannot continue to neglect the welfare of our teachers, who are the backbone of our education system. It’s time for the government to prioritize their needs and provide them with a decent salary that reflects their value to society,” Castro said.

“It’s time for the government to stop prioritizing the interests of the wealthy elite and start prioritizing the needs of our teachers and other public sector employees. It is high time that their demanded salary increases and entry-level salaries be given to them,” Tinio said.

Pacquiao eyes Korean investment opportunities

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

FORMER senator and eight-division world boxing champion Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao is eyeing a manpower exchange in the lucrative market of Korean cosmetic product manufacturing which has a steady consumer foothold in the Philippines.

Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee flew to Incheon, South Korea recently with longtime ally former Ilocos Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson and Department of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella to explore investment opportunities, according to

information shared by the office of the ex-senator.

Part of the plan of Pacquiao’s group is to tap the country’s premiere skills development training arm, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to train qualified Filipino workers for possible employment in the multibillion-dollar cosmetics manufacturing industry in Korea.

The industry’s main headquarters is in the Incheon Free Economic Zone in South Korea.

Pacquiao and Singson envision gradually expanding job prospects for Filipinos in other Korean business sectors while creating the same opportunities for Koreans willing to work in the Philippines.

As per the most recent numbers posted by the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Filipinos living in South Korea are estimated north of 70,000—up by around 70 percent from the previous data.

cites need for accurate data on El Niño in agri sector

By Rio N. Araja

AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee on Sunday underscored the importance of accurate government figures on agricultural damage due to El Niño, particularly data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

“The data coming out from DA and NDRRMC is confusing. Apart from not matching, the difference in the numbers they put out is huge,” she said.

“According to the DA, the damage to agriculture in the country caused by El Niño on April 30 has reached almost P6 billion. In the situation report released by the NDRRMC on April 29, the estimated damage to agriculture is over P1.6 billion. It should be clarified why there is a difference and which should be followed here,” he added.

According to the DA, the blistering temperatures brought about by El Niño have caused P5.9 billion in damage to the agricultural sector, affecting 113,585 farmers and fisherfolk in 12 regions in the

country and devastating a total of 104,402 hectares of agricultural areas.

The latest report from the NDRRMC, meanwhile, shows 46,805 farmers and fisherfolk affected by the extreme heat, with 44,437 hectares of crops impacted for a total of more than P1.6 billion in agricultural damage.

“The appropriate mitigation and response to El Niño is dependent on accurate data, especially since this is the basis for the assistance being provided by the government to those affected by the phenomenon. How much will be given to how many is reliant on the reports being published so hopefully there will be improved communication between the government agencies that assessed and passed on the data,” Lee cited.

According to the DA, it has so far provided at least P2.18 billion worth of assistance to El Niño

farmers and

The agency said that its regional offices have prov ided

P658.22

and P1.06

IN BRIEF

‘PAGASA heat indices should be location-speci c’

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian is urging the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) to come up with more “granular and location-specific heat indices” to help schools and local government units (LGUs) decide on whether or not they should cancel classes.

Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Basic Education Committee, also suggested that the state weather bureau come up with location-specific temperature forecasts.

“If we need to buy technology or to help you with technology, the Senate can definitely assist you to help improve the decision-making of our LGUs and our school on class suspension,” Gatchalian said.

“It is important to provide the schools and local government units with the necessary information so they can respond because a lack of information may also lead to a lack of advanced and strategic response, which can be detrimental to our students,” Gatchalian added. Macon Ramos-Araneta

US state deputy secretary set to visit China, PH UNITED States Department of State Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Richard Verma will visit China and the Philippines from May 6 to May 10, according to US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson. In a post on X on Sunday, the US ambassador announced the deputy secretary’s impending visit to the two Indo-Pacific countries by reposting an advisory from the State Department’s Office of the Spokesperson. The advisory stated that Verma will be in the Philippines to meet with senior government officials “to build on the progress” made during the bilateral, trilateral, and ministerial-level meetings held between Manila and Washington just last month. It cited the earlier meeting between President Marcos and US President Joe Biden, as well as the annual US-Philip-

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

‘NO’ TO MILITARY EXERCISES. Activists conduct protest actions to denounce ‘Balikatan Exercises 2024’ in front of the US Embassy along Roxas Blvd. in Manila. Norman Cruz

SUMMER HARVEST. A farmer in Brgy. Lidong, Sto. Domingo, Albay harvests palay amid the scorching heat.

Authorities say agriculture in the province of Albay is less affected by El Nino due to its numerous irrigation systems. Danny Pata

OPINION

Examining US support for PH amid South China Sea tensions

FORMER Senator Ping Lacson’s disappointment over the measly $500-million military assistance from the United States for the Philippines amidst escalating tensions in the South China Sea is not only understandable but also justified.

Lacson’s observations strike at the heart of a critical issue: the inadequate support provided to a key ally in a region fraught with geopolitical challenges.

First and foremost, Lacson rightfully highlights the stark discrepancy between the $500 million allocated to the Philippines and the staggering $8 billion earmarked for Taiwan.

Failing to adequately bolster the Philippines’ defense capabilities sends a troubling message of ambivalence and undermines regional stability

This glaring disparity raises questions about the United States’ commitment to its allies and its strategic priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.

While Taiwan undoubtedly faces its own security concerns, the Philippines, as a longstanding ally, deserves equitable support, especially given its pivotal role in regional security efforts.

Moreover, Lacson aptly points out the significant sacrifices made by the Philippines in bolstering its defense cooperation with the United States.

The designation of additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, strategically located in Northern Luzon, demonstrates the country’s willingness to enhance its military capabilities and facilitate cooperation with American forces.

However, the paltry aid package fails to reflect the depth of this commitment and the shared risks inherent in coun-

tering Chinese aggression.

The EDCA sites not only serve as vital logistical hubs but also symbolize the mutual interests and responsibilities underpinning the US-Philippines alliance.

By enabling the movement of US war materiel and logistics in the event of a Chinese invasion, the Philippines assumes a significant burden in regional security efforts.

Yet, the inadequate financial support from the United States belies the gravity of this partnership and undermines the Philippines’ ability to effectively address evolving security challenges.

Furthermore, Lacson’s criticism underscores the broader implications of US assistance in shaping regional dynamics and deterring aggression.

As China continues to assert its maritime claims and flex its military muscles in the South China Sea, the United States must demonstrate unwavering support for its allies and partners.

Failing to adequately bolster the Philippines’ defense capabilities sends a troubling message of ambivalence and undermines regional stability.

In light of Lacson’s remarks, it is imperative for the United States to reassess its approach and demonstrate a more robust commitment to its allies in the Asia-Pacific.

This entails not only increasing financial assistance but also enhancing strategic cooperation and military interoperability to effectively address shared security challenges.

By investing in the Philippines’ defense capabilities, the United States can reaffirm its commitment to upholding a rules-based order and countering Chinese assertiveness in the region.

Lacson’s critique serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges facing US-Philippines relations and the imperative of bolstering bilateral cooperation in the face of growing security threats.

The United States must heed Lacson’s call for greater support and reaffirm its commitment to its allies in the Asia-Pacific, lest it risk undermining regional stability and ceding ground to China’s tensions.

UK researchers unveil face of 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman

CAMBRIDGE – A UK team of archaeologists has revealed the reconstructed face of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman, as researchers reappraise the perception of the species as brutish and unsophisticated.

EDITORIAL

Gov’t anti-poverty programs need scaling up

IF FOUR out of 10 Filipino families in the country consider themselves “poor” based on the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey, then it shows the Marcos Jr. administration’s plan to reduce poverty incidence from double-digit to single-digit level by 2028 faces enormous challenges.

Conducted from March 21 to 25, the survey indicated that 46 percent or an estimated 12.9 million Filipino families rated themselves as “poor,” 23 percent thought of themselves as “not poor,” while 30 percent considered themselves “borderline” (between “poor” and “not poor”).

The results were similar to the findings of the previous survey in December 2023 in which 47 percent or 13 million families rated themselves as “poor;” 20 percent, “not poor;” and 33 percent, “borderline.”

That a substantial number of Filipino families describe themselves as poor can only mean that government programs and projects aimed at poverty reduction are hardly delivering on their promises for one reason or another.

It is the Department of Social Welfare and Development that is responsible for the development, implementation, and coordination of social protection and poverty reduction strategies for the underprivileged, vulnerable, and destitute.

—“—

It is incumbent on the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation to make a full report on what it has achieved so far in implementing its mandate

This rampant theft of intellectual property is threatening the creation of new knowledge, new inventions, cultural enrichment, and entertainment value that society needs —“—

Named Shanidar Z after the cave in Iraqi Kurdistan where her skull was found in 2018, the latest discovery has led experts to probe the mystery of the fortysomething Neanderthal woman laid to rest in a sleeping position beneath a huge vertical stone marker.

The lower part of her skeleton is believed to have been excavated in 1960 during groundbreaking excavations by American archaeologist Ralph Solecki in which he found the remains of at least 10 Neanderthals.

His discovery of a cluster of bodies with one surrounded by clumps of ancient pollen led him to controversially argue that this was evidence of funerary rituals with the dead placed on a bed of flowers. Political difficulties meant it took around five decades for a team from Cambridge and Liverpool John Moores universities to be allowed back to the site in the Zagros mountains of northern Iraq.

The last Neanderthals mysteriously died out around 40,000 years ago, just a few thousand years after humans arrived.

Shanidar Z’s skull -- thought to be the best preserved Neanderthal find this century—had been flattened to a thickness of two centimeters, possibly by a rockfall relatively soon after she died.

Prof. Graeme Barker from Cambridge’s McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, who led the excavations at Shanidar cave, told AFP last week the team had “never expected to get more Neanderthals.”

“We wanted to try and date these burials... to use the site to contribute to the big debate about why the Neanderthals died out, and then we started finding these

bits,” he said.

Shanidar Z is the fifth body to be identified in the cluster buried over a period of at least several hundred years right behind the rock in the centre of the cave.

Archaeologists believe the stone was used as an identifier to allow itinerant Neanderthals to return to the same spot to bury their dead.

Latest research by team member Professor Chris Hunt of John Moores now suggests the pollen that gave rise to Solecki’s contentious “flower burial” theory might in fact have come from bees burrowing into the cave floor.

But Hunt said there was still evidence —such as the remains of a partially paralyzed Neanderthal found by Solecki— that the species were more empathetic than previously thought.

“There’s been this huge reappraisal which was actually started by Ralph Solecki in this cave with ‘Shanidar 1’ with his withered arm and his arthritis and his deafness who must have been looked after. That tells us there was compassion,” he said.

The positioning of the bodies in the cluster in the same spot, in the same position and facing in the same direction implied “tradition” and the “passing of knowledge between generations,” he said.

“It looks much more like purposeful behavior that you wouldn’t associate with the text book stories about Neanderthals which is that their lives were nasty, brutish and short,” he added.

Emma Pomeroy, the Cambridge palaeo-anthropologist who uncovered Shanidar Z, said finding her skull and upper body had been both “exciting” and “terrifying”.

The skeleton and the surrounding sediment had to be strengthened in situ with a glue-like consolidant before being removed in dozens of small foil-wrapped blocks.

It implements a key component of the government’s poverty reduction program, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, which is a conditional cash transfer program that offers cash grants to low-income families.

The DSWD also implements the Sustainable Livelihood Program, a

AT LAST! As Congress resumed sessions on April 30, the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship held the first public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code with site-blocking provisions.

For short the “Site Blocking” bill to take down online piracy websites.

As the lead convenor of CitizenWatch Philippines, I attended the hearing to join stakeholders from the creative industry in supporting the immediate passage of this long delayed legislation.

Committee Chair Senator Mark Villar in his opening statement emphasized the need to keep pace with dynamic changes being driven by digital technologies and highlighted concerns about copyrights violations, particularly with the proliferation of illegal streaming of online content.

Villar pointed out these violations not only pose a threat to the rightful owners and creators of intellectual property but also result in huge revenue losses for the stakeholders in the creative industry ecosystem and government.

He also pointed out the alarming prevalence of counterfeiting across various social media and e-commerce platforms.

He cited statistics saying approximately 60 percent of Filipinos engage in watching pirated content and vowed to pursue the amendment of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines that empowers IPOPHL and ISPs aim to effectively disable access to sites involved in copyright infringement through site blocking measures.

The Coalition Against Piracy, Asia Video Industry Association represented by its General Manager, Matthew Cheetham highlighted that Filipino consumers visiting pirate streaming sites are 21.66 times more likely to be infected with malware.

Moreover, Filipino consumers visiting pirate torrent sites are 16.66 times more likely to be infected with malware.

He cited data from a 2024 YouGov survey, which revealed and increasing trend of incidence of piracy in the Philippines from 61 percent in 2022 to 70 percent in 2024.

The last Neanderthals mysteriously died out around 40,000 years ago, just a few thousand years after humans arrived

community-based initiative that provides capacity building to raise the socioeconomic standing of the program members.

It helps microbusinesses develop organizationally and financially. Additionally, it connects participants with work opportunities.

Then there’s also DSWD’s assistance to individuals or families in crisis situations:

This serves as a social safety net to assist people and families recovering from unforeseen crises such as illness, loss of a family member, fires, floods, and other setbacks.

This program has created a special unit known as the Crisis Intervention Unit that serves as an Action Center during emergencies to respond promptly to these cases.

Apparently, while these DSWD programs may be working and helping improve the lives of people, the fact that one in four Filipinos still struggle to survive on a daily basis indicates that government should exert greater efforts in fighting poverty at the ground level.

While at this, it is incumbent on the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation to make a full report on what it has achieved so far in implementing its mandate and what still remains to be done to bring poverty incidence to single-digit level by 2028.

‘Site Blocking’ bill finally moves in Senate

Respondents who canceled subscriptions in the last 12 months because of their access to pirated sites were 23 percent for international streaming services, 12 percent for paid local streaming services, 13 percent for entire cable subscription, and 13 percent for specific subscription packages.

The survey also reported Philippine respondents have a negative attitude to online piracy with 50 percent saying online piracy “results in people making profits from content that I snot theirs.”

The data also revealed the respondents are cognizant that online piracy results in lost jobs in the creative industry, increased risk of malware infections on computers and devices, damage to the broadcast and creative industry, society being defrauded because of lost taxes, inferior audio and video quality, and other negative consequences.

Very interesting was the response of those surveyed in the Philippines to the question, “Should the video content you want to watch be not available via piracy services, would you pay to access content?”

75 percent said yes they would pay in some form, 39 percent said yes they would watch as supported media, and only 16 percent said no.

Atty. Rowel Barba, Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, the agency that will be the

Lead conservator Lucia Lopez-Polin then pieced together the over 200 bits of skull as the first step in the facial reconstruction for the just-released Netflix documentary “Secrets of the Neanderthals”.

Pomeroy said the task had been like a “high stakes 3D jigsaw puzzle” especially as the fragments were very soft “similar in consistency to a biscuit dunked in tea”. The rebuilt skull was then 3D-printed allowing palaeoartists and identical twins Adrie and Alfons Kennis in The Nether-

lead implementer when the bill is enacted into law, expressed strong endorsement of the bills and said, in the interim, they have taken action by entering into a voluntary site blocking protocol with Globe, PLDT and Skycable.

Carlo Santos, Senior Director for Corporate Communications at Globe Telecom, expressed their readiness to block pirated sites and underscored piracy diminishes the livelihoods of individuals in the creative industry, resulting in reduced revenues. He added increased consumption of pirated content perpetuates scams. He emphasized the need to improve the capabilities of Internet Service Providers to implement site blocking particularly illegal gambling and online sexual abuse perpetrators.

Senator Francis Tolentino Chair of Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, in his discussions with the DICT and DOJ pointed out there are already legal precedents to site blocking and likewise supported empowering amendments to the Intellectual Property Code. Allan Rafael, Legal Counsel at GMA Network, noted many piracy sites are located outside the Philippines. This limits the effectiveness of local enforcement efforts due to logistical challenges. Clearly, there was unanimous support and a strong sense of urgency to pass the bill to which Sen Villar announced technical working group session will be convened to consolidate the proposed versions of the bill and finalize a committee report.

Online Piracy denies content creators their rightful earnings from the hard work, time, talent, and resources invested in producing movies, music, and all forms of art that enriches our human spirit. This rampant theft of intellectual property is threatening the creation of new knowledge, new inventions, cultural enrichment, and entertainment value that society needs to exist and progressively evolve.

We hope Sen Villar and the whole of Senate will now expedite the enactment of the site blocking bill into law before the budget season begins.

lands to complete the reconstruction with layers of fabricated muscle and skin for the documentary, which was produced by the BBC Studios Science Unit.

Pomeroy said Neanderthal skulls looked very different to those of humans “with huge brow ridges and lack of chins”.

But she said the recreated face “suggests those differences were not so stark in life”, highlighting the interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans “to the extent that almost everyone alive today still has Neanderthal DNA.” AFP

Russia adds Zelensky to criminal ‘wanted’ list

MOSCOW -Russia has added Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelensky to its list of wanted criminals, a move Kyiv dismissed as a sign of Moscow’s “desperation.”

Zelensky’s name appeared on Saturday on the Russian interior ministry’s “wanted” list, an online database of alleged criminals sought by the Russian authorities. It said the Ukrainian leader was wanted “under an article

of the criminal code,” without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Russian officials as to why Zelensky had been added to the list.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the decision demonstrated “the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda, which are at a loss for what else to invent to garner attention.”

Moscow has targeted Zelensky since the start of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.

The Ukrainian president said last

year he was aware of at least “five or six” assassination attempts against him that had been foiled.

The day after sending troops into Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an address to the nation in which he urged the Ukrainian army to overthrow Zelensky.

Russia has placed several foreign politicians and public figures on its wanted list, which has tens of thousands of entries.

The commander of Ukraine’s Land Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk, and former Ukrainian president Petro Po -

‘Radicalized’ teen shot dead by police in Australia

SYDNEY—Western Australian police shot and killed a “radicalized” 16-year-old boy with a knife, who had stabbed a man in a Perth car park, police and the state premier said Sunday.

The teenager “rushed” at police who responded by shooting him twice with Tasers before firing a single fatal shot, they said.

“There are indications he had been radicalized online. But I want to reassure the community at this stage it appears he acted solely and alone,” Premier Roger Cook said.

Police received a call late on Saturday from a male warning that he was

going to commit “acts of violence,” but without giving his name or location, the state’s police commissioner, Col Blanch, told reporters.

Within minutes, another emergency call alerted police that a “male with a knife was running around the car park” in Willetton, a southern suburb of Perth, he said.

Police body camera images showed the teenager refused officers’ demands that he put down the knife, the police chief said.

The weapon was a 30-centimeter (one-foot) kitchen knife, believed to be from the attacker’s home, he said.

Officers fired two Tasers at him,

Germany’s army faces new questions over online security

BERLIN—Germany’s army faced more questions over security lapses after the Zeit Online news website on Saturday reported that thousands of its meetings were freely accessible online.

Federal prosecutors are already investigating a secret army conversation on the Ukraine war that was wiretapped and ended up on Russian social media in March.

The latest security flaw that Zeit Online reported on again concerned the online video-conference tool Webex, a popular public platform for audio and video meetings, with additional security buffers built in.

Zeit Online said it had been able to access Germany army meetings by using simple search terms on the platform.

“More than 6,000 meetings could be found online,” some of which were meant to be classified, it wrote.

Sensitive issues covered included the long-range Taurus missiles that Ukraine has been calling for, and the issue of online warfare.

Online meeting rooms attributed to 248,000 German soldiers were easy to detect thanks to weak online design that lacked even password protection, Zeit Online added. That allowed its reporters to find the online meeting room of air force chief Ingo Gerhartz. His name came up during reports of the earlier leak in March, when a recording of the talks between four high-ranking air force officers was posted on Telegram by the head of Russia’s state-backed

roshenko also appeared in the online database on Saturday.

In February, Moscow said it was seeking Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for what the Kremlin said was the “desecration of historical memory” over the Baltic country’s move to destroy Soviet era monuments.

Last year, the International Criminal Court ordered the arrest of Putin on war crimes charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children— accusations rejected by Moscow. AFP

IN BRIEF

but “both of them did not have the full desired effect,” he said.

“The male continued to advance on the third officer with a firearm who fired a single shot and fatally wounded the male.”

The teenager died in hospital later in the night, he said.

The “middle-aged” man who had been stabbed was in a “serious” but stable condition and appeared to be doing well, the police commissioner said.

The man had suffered a single, “possibly” two-centimeter stab wound that may have punctured a lung, he said. AFP

Rescuers brave volcano eruptions to save pets

TAGULANDANG, Indonesia—An

Indonesian volunteer returns from a dangerous rescue mission to a remote island where a volcano recently unleashed huge eruptions, cradling an abandoned, emaciated dog covered in burn blisters.

Mount Ruang in Indonesia’s northernmost region has erupted more than half a dozen times since April 16, stirring a spectacular mix of ash, lava and lightning that forced the island’s residents to be permanently relocated and thousands more evacuated.

But while locals have fled, a team of volunteers travelled to Ruang by boat on daring rescue missions to save abandoned pets from the foot of the volcano that remains at its highest alert level.

“We know that they (the animals) are still living there. How come we let them die while we know they are still alive there?” 31-year-old volunteer Laurent Tan told Agence France Presse (AFP) on Saturday.

Laurent, the owner of two animal shelters in North Sulawesi province capital Manado, is one of eight volunteers who have made the six-hour ferry journey several times to Ruang’s neighboring Tagulandang island following the eruptions. On one of their missions to the island’s ash-covered homes, they retrieved an unnamed pup, a white cat, and a bright turquoise-and-white tropical bird.

The dog, a female with burns on her face and body, was brought to a makeshift shelter on Tagulandang, where a veterinarian treated her on a wooden desk while a volunteer held up a mobile phone flashlight. She appeared to have survived the eruptions by taking shelter in a large gutter. The surrounding village above ground had been destroyed, Laurent said. AFP

conditions to find their way to safety. AFP

El Hencha, Tunisia—When Mohamed Lafi vanished at sea one fateful night, it marked yet another tragedy for a Tunisian town struggling with the exodus of its youth.

Mohamed’s disappearance adds to the deepening despair in El Hencha, situated just 150 kilometers (90 miles) from the Italian island of Lampedusa. His sister, Ines, stayed behind, confronting the harsh reality that many families face as their loved ones risk everything in search of a better life in Europe.

Mohamed, a 30-year-old taxi driver, left home on the night of January 10 with little more than his mobile phone.

“He went without saying anything to my parents, without a change of clothes, or a bag,” said Ines, 42. It seemed as though he “was going to meet his friends,” she said. Mohamed was one of 40 would-be migrants who had boarded a boat—all Tunisians aged between 17 and 30, including a woman and her four-monthold baby.

Despite adverse weather conditions and rough seas, they were determined to set sail, their families said.

More than 1,300 migrants died or disappeared last year in shipwrecks near the Tunisian coast, said the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights (FTDES) non-governmental organisation. In 2023, Tunisians accounted for the second largest number of irregular migrant arrivals in Italy, at 17,304 people, second only to Guineans at 18,204, Italian government official figures show. AFP

AJACCIO, France—Protesters hurled eggs at French far-right leader Eric Zemmour on an election visit to the island of Corsica Saturday. Zemmour was in Ajaccio to campaign ahead of the European elections in June when about 15 people started shouting abuse, said an AFP photographer. “Water and eggs were thrown at him and a woman tried to push him,” a police source told AFP, adding that the incident was very brief.

Corse-Matin newspaper posted a video in which Zemmour appeared to hit out at a woman.

A member of Zemmour’s entourage said his reaction was “pure self-defense reflex.”

“She comes up behind him, he doesn’t know who it is, if it’s an egg, a fist, a knife,” said the associate.

Ajaccio prosecutor Nicolas Septe told AFP an investigation had been opened.

“There’s the true face of the far left,” Zemmour posted later on X, formerly Twitter. “Small, violent groups, who really want us dead.”

Zemmour, who has been convicted several times for inciting racial hatred, continued his election walkabout followed by hecklers and riot police. AFP

RESPITE FROM THE WAR. A child swings on a heart-shaped swing in a park outside Kyiv amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. AFP

CELEBRATION TOUR. US pop star Madonna performs onstage during a free concert at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Madonna ended her ‘The Celebration Tour’ with a performance attended by some 1.5 million enthusiastic fans. AFP

La Salle, CEU start D-League title showdown

Game Monday (Filoil EcoOil Centre, San Juan) 7:30

DEFENDING champion EcoOil-La Salle and Centro Escolar University begin their titular showdown for the 2024 PBA DLeague Aspirants’ Cup Monday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series is set at 7:30 p.m.

The Green Archers advanced to their third straight finals appearance with a short work of Go Torakku-St. Clare in their semifinal series while the Scorpions reached the Finals by stunning Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda in the other semifinal matchup that went to a deciding Game 3.

The two-time defending champions boast a perfect record of seven straight victories including a lopsided 89-61 win against CEU in the classifications round.

But La Salle assistant coach Gian Nazario, who call the shots for the Green Archers in the tournament, those seven wins are behind them now, insisting anything can happen in the Finals.

“We still have to win two games to get the championship,” said Nazario.

CEU coach Jeff Perlas knows well the odds are against them but remains confident his troops will rise to the occasion.

“Medyo bwinenas tayo at nakapag-gatecrash tayo. Hopefully, we can take down another Goliath in La Salle,” said Perlas, who will be counting on the steady play and leadership Franz Ray Diaz, Abdul-Wahab Olusesi, Daniel Marcelo and Jerome Santos.

“We just have to work hard. We still have another round to inspire other people and small schools.”

PH to join ‘24 Drone Soccer Expo in Korea

By Ben Cal F OR the fi rst time, the Philippines will participate in the 2024 Korea Drone Soccer Exposition in Songdo Convensia in Icheon, South Korea from May 9 to 11.

This was confirmed by Nastaran Nazar Zadeh, president of the Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines (MRSP), during an interview over the weekend.

“This is the first time ever the Philippines will take part in this international drone soccer competition wherein the players will use remote control drones to score a point,” Nastaran said.

He added about 30 teams from vari-

ous countries such as the United States, France, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, United Kingdom, Canada, Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, among others will participate in the three-day drone soccer competition.

The event is sanctioned by the Federation of International Drone Soccer Association.

“The drone soccer game is an emerging technology that can also be used in various fields such as surveil-

lance in agricultural plantation, construction to collect data,” Nastaran, a lady electronic engineer, said during the interview at her office in Quezon City Saturday.

“I believe Filipinos can excel in this new drone soccer game competition,” she added.

In this new age of technology, the world is focusing on drone soccer as a friendly game to promote growth in the sports industry.

In drone soccer, each team consists of five players that maneuver their own drone, but only the striker from each team can score.

The Korea drone soccer exposition will showcase the world’s drone industry in the years to come to promote peace.

Remulla graces 1st AJAA Invitational Softball tilt in Imus

By Dennis Abrina

IMUS CITY—Provincial Governor

Jonvic Remulla led the opening of the 1st AJAA Invitational SoftBall Tournament at the Imus Grandstand and Track Oval in Malagasang 1-G, on Saturday.

Remulla, together with Imus City Mayor Alex ‘Double A’ Advincula and General Trias City Mayor Luis ‘Jon Jon’ Ferrer IV spearheaded the ceremonial pitch of the tourney composed of 6 cities and 3 towns.

Remulla and Ferrer sponsored the cash prizes for the champion and 1st to 3rd runners-up for a total of P500,000.

Consolation prizes worth P250,000 came from Rep. AJ Advincula and Mayor Alex Advincula

The champion team will receive P180,000, while the 1st runner-up getsP150,000.

Second- to third runners-up pockets P100,00 and P75,000, respectively. The next five teams will receive P50,000 each as consolation prizes.

Apura clutch baskets

ALLAN Apura scored the go-ahead triple in the final 13.4 seconds and then added a free throw with sixthtenths of a second to lift MVP Sports Foundation to a come-from-behind

San Juan extends win streak

SAN Juan extended its steak against Pangasinan while Paranaque came from behind to subdue Bulacan on Saturday in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Olivarez College Gym in Paranaque.

The San Juan Knights surged ahead in the third quarter then quelled the Pangasinan Heatwaves’ final uprising en route to an 81-73 conquest that raised their record to 4-0 in the elimination round of the 29-team tournament. The Paranaque Patriots, on the other hand, razed a 12-27 deficit to tally a 7973 victory over the Bulacan Kuyas that raised their record to 5-1.

San Juan posted a 64-40 spread and held on to pull down Pangasinan to a 2-4 card.

Zach Huang led the Knights with 15 points and 9 rebounds, followed by AC Soberano with 15 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter.

Other Knights who delivered for coach Sen. Jinggoy Estrada were Orlan Wamar with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals, Nikko Pollo Panganiban with 11 points, and Michael Malonzo with 9 points and 9 rebounds.

Pangasinan drew 21 points, 9 assists and 7 rebounds from Ian Melencio, 15 points from Ed Daquioag, 10 points plus 8 rebounds from Jr Caasi, and 9 points plus 13 rebounds from Michael Mabulac.

Trailing, 60-61, Paranaque got six straight points from Jielo Razon to seize control then sealed Bulacan’s fifth loss in 6 games with a triple from the former Perpetual star, 77-71, with 1 minute and 21 seconds left.

rally MVPSF past Ginebra Boys in Japa Cup opener

60-58 overtime win over the Ginebra Boys at the start of PBAPC Raffy Japa Cup presented by Burlington Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Apura, a TNT ballboy and protege of RR Pogoy, scored more than half of his team’s output, finishing with 31 points, including 27 in the second half, while adding four steals, three

assists, and two rebounds.

NLEX support staff member JR Delicano added 10 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and two shot blocks for MVP Sports which trailed Ginebra by as many as 15 points in the first half.

Going down the drain for the Ginebra Boys were Kings’ conditioning coach Paul Mendoza’s 14 points and 17 rebounds and assistant coach Patrick Partosa’s 14 points, 15 rebounds, five steals, three assists and one shotblock.

SMC Sports Director Alfrancis Chua and Lee Japa, sister of the late Raffy Japa in whose name the tournament is being honored as the first ever president of the PBA Press Corps, did the ceremonial toss as special guests of the meet also backed by Rain or Shine, Philippine Sports Commission, the

PBA, and LGR.

PBAPC president Vladie Eduarte of the Abante Group of Publications, declared the games open, heralding the return of the tournament involving the PBA community after more than a decade of absence.

Past PBAPC heads Tito S. Talao, Noli Cortez, and Gerry Ramos also graced the affair.

The scores MVPSF (60) – Apura 31, Delicano 10, Bartolome 9, Fernandez 4, Macatangay 2,

2,

0,

Members of the Philippine Drone National Soccer team are shown with officials and supporters.

p.m. – EcoOil-La Salle vs CEU

Zach Huang of San Juan

The entry teams are Bacoor Strikers, Imus Sluggers, Batang GenTri, Dasma

Monarch, Unlad Cavite City, Trece ‘The Martyrs’, Tanza Mariners, Batang Alfonso and Unlad Noveleta of Mayor Dino Chua.

Cavite Provincial Governor Jonvic Remulla (center) together with GenTri Mayor Luis Ferrer IV (8th from left) and Imus Mayor Alex Advincula (4th from right) lead the opening of 1st AJAA Invitational SoftBall Tournament at the Imus Grandstand and Track Oval in Malagasang 1-G on Saturday. Dennis Abrina

Santiago

Valera 2, Santos

Arguelles 0, Lim 0, Lopez 0. Ginebra Boys (58) – Partosa 14, Mendoza 14, Casenas 10, Ang 7, Lipae 5, Repegio 2, Marcos 2, Kang 2, Hugo 2, Ian 0, Trillana 0, Atienza, Baron 0. Quarterscores: 8-14; 19-25; 38-33; 46-46 (reg); 60-58.

SMC Sports Director Alfrancis Chua and Lee Japa, sister of the late PBAPC founding president Raffy Japa, do the ceremonial toss in the opener of the 2024 PBAPC Japa Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor

RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

Golden Spikers stay alive, force rubber match vs. Tamaraws

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas said not today to Far Eastern University.

The fourth-seeded Golden Spikers stayed alive after slaying the topranked Tamaraws, 25-23, 25-19, 28-26, to force a rubber match in the UAAP Season 86 Men’s Volleyball Final Four, Sunday in front of 4,505 fans inside the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

This is the first time this season that UST defeated FEU after getting swept in the elimination round, 2628, 25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 12-15 in the first round, and 23-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-25 in the second round.

The Golden Spikers and the Tamaraws will battle it out once more for a Finals spot on Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

“During the huddle prior to the match, i-nemphasize ko sa players to put some pressure in them na do-ordie kami. We lose, that’s it bakasyon na,” said UST head coach Odjie Mamon. “Pero if they want to realize their goals, they have to give it their all para we get to live another day.”

Defending three-time champion and second-ranked National University and No. 3 De La Salle begin their Final Four duel on Wednesday also at the Big Dome.

It was Gboy de Vega who held the ground for the Golden Spikers when the Tamaraws rallied back to force a 24-all scoreline in the third set after trailing 21-23.

The 22-year-old outside spiker gave UST three match points, two of which were answered by Tamaraws’ Andrei Delicana and JJ Javelona for a 27-26 lead for the Golden Spikers.

Josh Ybañez, though, did not waste De Vega’s third match point hit, going for a down-the-line spike off a broken play for the UST win in one hour and 36 minutes.

“Sobrang saya namin ngayon na nanalo kami pero hindi pa tapos, kailangan pa namin sila talunin ulit,” said the reigning MVP, who had 16 points, 13 receptions, and six digs while getting the back up he needed.

King Crunchers

PH bags 3golds, breaks course records in HK tilt

By Peter Atencio

HEAVY rains did not stop Filipino tracksters from grabbing three golds and setting course records in the 2024 Hong Kong Athletics Championships at the Tseung Kuan O Sports Ground.

On Saturday, Filipino-American bets Lauren Hoffman and Robyn Brown broke the current meet record with their 1-2 finish in the women’s open 400-meter hurdles.

The 25-year-old Hoffman sprinted to a 57.15-second finish for her third gold medal in the outdoor season, shattering the 14-year-old mark of 58.47 seconds belonging to Chen Mei Li.

CRISS Cross defied overwhelming odds to crash into the finals in its Spikers’ Turf Open Conference debut, sweeping fancied Cignal in reverse fashion, 18-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-22, 1715, before a stunned Sunday crowd at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The King Crunchers staged a breathtaking comeback against the favored HD Spikers, overturning a two-set deficit to claim the victory in a thrilling encounter that likewise ended Cignal’s imposing 10-game winning streak.

The match witnessed another intense showdown between two of the country’s top hitters and renowned international champions with Marck Espejo emerging as the hero for the King Crunchers. His stellar endgame play propelled his team to an unexpected triumph, setting up a showdown in the best-of-three finals against the HD Spikers.

Criss Cross thus tied Cignal at 2-1 at the close of the semis with Game One of the title series set Wednesday at 6 p.m., also at Rizal Coliseum.

The defeat dealt a devastating blow to the aspirations of the D’Navigators, who had earlier lost a five-setter to the ousted Navy Sealions but had hoped for a finals berth following the HD Spikers’ dominant start.

Navy and the D’Navigators begin their own battle for the bronze at 4 p.m.

In a dramatic reversal of fortunes reminiscent of their earlier encounter in the elims, where Cignal mounted a stirring comeback from a 0-2 set deficit, Criss Cross turned the tables in spectacular fashion, executing a remarkable comeback of their own.

Hoffman said the win served as her preparation for the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships 2024, which begins on Wednesday at the Philsports oval.

And so did Brown with her silvermedal finish at 54.59 seconds, and with Ashleigh Ma Ying Wen ending up third with a clocking of 1:04.2.

“This week we’re headed to Pasig for the Pilipinas National Champion-

ships!!! So excited to be back, let’s get it!” said Hoffman in statement on social media.

Hussein Lorana, a 20-year-old student-athlete from Adamson University, took the top honors in the men’s 800-meter run, besting local bet Sean Fontaine with his time of 1:52.11.

Lorana, a transferee from the University of Baguio, was ahead of Fontaine, who settled for the silver in 1:53.02, and Khan Mohammad Kamran, who got the bronze in 1:04.02.

On Sunday, Kristina Knott, who submitted a clocking of 12 seconds in the women’s 100-meter heats to take the top spot a day before, bagged the gold with a lower time of 11.52 seconds. She was in front of Chan Pui Kei,

who earned silver in 11.82 seconds, and Luo Tze Yuen, who was third in 11.86 seconds.

Hoffman has already smashed three Philippine marks, breaking the women’s 100-meter hurdles last month, the women’s 400-meter hurdles time last March and the indoor women’s 400-meter clocking twice last February. More records are expected to fall when Hoffman competes with Brown, Knott and Lorana later this week in the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships 2024. Due to extreme summer weather conditions, the Philippine trackfest will be held at a much earlier morning schedule and resume by 3 p.m. to avoid the sweltering heat.

TNT Tropang Giga march to quarterfinals vs. Painters

THE TNT Tropang Giga stood their ground and clipped the Magnolia Timplados Hotshots in the fourth quarter for a 98-93 triumph to earn the fourth quarterfinals’ seat in the 48th Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Kelly Williams and four others banged in double-digit outputs to help carry the Tropang Giga to their fifth win in 10 games.

Williams eked out 19 points for TNT, which arranged a best-of-three quarterfinal clash with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

The Tropang Giga, with Jayson Castro knocking 18 points, got challenged in the last period when the Hotshots fought their way out of a 67-80 deficit at the start of the quarter.

“The effort of the players came after a pain-

ful loss in their last game. They came out with a lot of courage,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes.

Andy Barroca led with 22 points for Magnolia, whose 6-5 slate and setback to the Tropang Giga dropped them out fourth place and put them in sixth.

Barroca shot 10 points in the last period and his efforts saw Magnolia staying within range, 83-89, with 3:26 remaining. Castro then bailed TNT out of trouble, with his two charities and driving layup in the final 2:13 giving them a 10-point cushion.

TNT is coming off a 103-107 loss to Converge last Wednesday.

Castro’s triple with two ticks to go in the third allowed the Tropang Giga to enjoy a 15-point, 80-65, going into the fourth canto. Peter Atencio

Altas Spikers clinch 1st finals’ berth via elims’ sweep

By Dennis Abrina

DEFENDING champion Perpetual Help

earned a second straight finals’ appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 following a 9-0 elimination round sweep, beating Emilio Aguinaldo College, 25-23, 25-23, 25-23, on Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.

It was a neck-to neck battle, with reigning MVP and national pool member Louie Ramirez and Cebuano Jeffrey Marapoc leading the charge for the Altas.

The Las Pinas team also drew outstanding support from middle blockers Michael Medalla and KC Andrade, open hitter Kobe Tabuga, setter JC Enarciso and libero John Phillip Pepito as they kept their attempt to defend the crown they have held for three seasons alive.

The game looked like a preview of the finals of this year’s men’s division as the Generals finished with an 8-1 card at second and climbed to

the last stage of the stepladder semis. Ramirez tallied 20 points, 19 of which came in attacks, while Marapoc contributed 13 points, Enarcisco listed 19 excellent sets and Pepito had 9 digs and 6 receptions.

Patrick Osabel and Ruther Abor of the Generals led the squad with 20 and 14 points apiece.

“Pinaghandaan talaga namin ito sa training as we scouted their games to get this win. Mabuti naman at na-execute namin ang mga plays we prepared during our practice sessions,” said multi-titled coach Sinfronio ‘Sammy’ Acaylar.

The Perpetual Altas of team owner Dr. Tony Tamayo aim to win their 14th league title this year under legendary coach Acaylar. A title triumph will crown the Altas as the league’s winningest team, surpassing the record of Letran Knights with 13 titles.

The Altas Spikers also swept the Season 98 elims and clinched their three-peat against the challenger San Beda Red Spikers in the best-of-three finals.

Lauren Hoffman shows her winning form at the Drake Relays, where she snared a gold in the 400-meter hurdles.

The defending champion Perpetual Altas spikers celebrate their win. Dennis Abrina

TNT’s Kelly Williams drives to the basket.

Power demand likely to top earlier forecast, says Meralco

By Alena Mae S. Flores

POWER sales in 2024 are expected to surpass earlier forecast amid higher temperatures that are fueling demand, an executive said over the weekend.

“We actually forecasted initially sales [growth] of 4.7 percent by yearend, but I think we’re looking at more than [5 percent] right now, probably up to [6 percent],” Meralco senior vice president and chief

revenue officer Ferdinand Geluz said.

Meralco also expects a robust second-quarter sales growth of between 6 percent and 8 percent, reflecting the increased power demand amid soaring temperatures.

“We also see a good second quarter. In fact for April, we’re seeing around at least 8 percent growth, and maybe until June, we will grow between 6 [to] 8 percent.

That gives us good first-half numbers,” Geluz said.

He said the growth would likely be tempered in the third quarter, if the La Nina weather phenomenon would prevail during the rainy season.

“Remember that the third quarter towards the second half is actually the start of El Niño. They swing in terms

of temperature as a variable, but all in all, I think we’re looking at a very good year now in terms of sales,” Geluz said.

Meralco’s consolidated sales volumes in the first quarter rose to 12,307 gigawatt-hours from 11,287 GWh, as the volumes of Meralco and Clark Electric Distribution Corp. increased 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively.

The company said the strong quarterly sales volume growth was bolstered by a confluence of sales catalysts that included higher temperatures which rose by an average 0.50°C (from 26.71°C to 27.21°C) amid the El Niño phenomenon, an additional day in February due to the leap year and increased momentum of

its recovering industrial segment.

Meralco said it noted 2.5 GWh of consumption per day for every 1-degree rise in temperature.

Commercial segment had the biggest share at 38 percent in the energy sales mix in the first quarter, while residential and industrial accounted for 34 percent and 28 percent, respectively.

Commercial sales volumes recorded a double-digit growth of 11 percent to 4,678 GWh in the first quarter, headlined by the real estate sector driven by demand for office spaces in central business districts, followed by the retail trade sector as mall operators expanded and repurposed spaces that attracted more customer visits.

borrowing P5b to support expansion projects

By Darwin G. Amojelar

NLEX Corp. said it will borrow P5 billion to partially finance the expansion of its expressway this year.

“We’re raising around P5 billion … as soon as we get approval from TRB [for the NLEX Phase 3 Widening Project]. Just waiting for the ROW to be substantially acquired,” J. Luigi Bautista, president and general manager of NLEX said.

The NLEX Phase 3 Widening Project involves the building of new expressway lanes from NLEX San Fernando to SCTEX Spurt in Pampanga.

It also includes the installation of roadway lighting and the reconfiguration of Mexico as full diamond interchange. The project is expected to be approved by TRB in the third quarter this year.

Bautista also said the company allocated P12 billion this year to finance its expansion program, including the NLEX Connector Road and the new five-kilometer Candaba 3rd Viaduct.

NLEX earlier posted a net income of P10 billion last year, up 25 percent from P8 billion in 2022.

GLOBE Telecom said over the weekend it blocked 1,345 illegal gambling websites in the first quarter of 2024, a massive 967-percent increase from the same period last year.

The company said of the total, 260 sites were blocked in January, 855 in February and 230 in March.

Globe said that through a combination of network-level blocking measures and the deployment of content filtering systems, it is fighting to keep its customers safe from

the harmful effects of online gambling operations.

“Illegal online gambling can have devastating financial and social consequences, fueling problematic gambling behavior and exposing users to potential fraud, malware and cybercrime,” said Globe chief information security officer Anton Bonifacio.

“We have an ethical obligation to make the internet safer and are continuing our relentless push to identify

and prevent access to these unlawful sites on our network,” Bonifacio said.

Globe said it saw increased illegal gambling sites blocked, from only 52 sites barred when it started in 2021, to 396 in 2022 and 4,237 in 2023.

The government earlier warned the public against illegal online gambling sites as these are hotbeds of scams, including credit card fraud and identity theft. It said the public should only use licensed online-based games. Darwin G. Amojelar

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) expressed strong support for Senate Bill No. 2647 to amend its charter and unlock the full potential of the former military bases.

“With our properties, such as Clark, John Hay, Poro Point and Morong Discovery Park on the cusp of economic transformation, we urgently need to overcome legislative challenges that may hinder the optimum potential of these economic zones,” said BCDA president and chief executive Joshua Bingcang.

“More importantly, we seek to empower the workforce that drives the success of these business hubs by

3 foreign firms investing $1.6b in EMS Group

By Othel V. Campos

THE EMS Group, a leading electronics, semiconductor and medical subcontracting conglomerate, said it secured $1.6 billion worth of investments from three international companies.

The conglomerate said it concluded negotiations with an American and a Japanese semiconductor companies, securing a combined investment of $800 million. It also confirmed another $800-million investment from a European consumer care product manufacturer.

“These investments are projected to create up to 3,000 new jobs in the semiconductor projects alone, with the potential for double that number in the consumer product manufacturing deal,” said EMS Group president and chief executive Perry Ferrer. The influx of capital is particularly noteworthy as the two semiconductor companies, originally based in China, are shifting their focus to the Philippines. The strategic move to the Philippines is driven by the geopolitical climate and the desire to diversify supply chains. By establishing a manufacturing base in the Philippines, the companies aim to protect their market share from potential disruptions caused by trade disputes.

The initial stages of the semiconductor projects are underway, with $150 million to $180 million already invested. Full production is anticipated by 2026. The companies, through EMS, are conducting low-rate production and testing the feasibility of manufacturing in the Philippines.

The investments will focus on manufacturing power integrated circuits (ICs) for the automotive industry, including components for electric vehicles.

While the products are derivatives of existing models, the Philippines will be the first location to manufacture using a specific process. Production using the specific process will start in June 2024.

allocating a portion of our land for residential purposes. We are extremely grateful to Senator Cayetano, Senator Estrada and Senator Tolentino for filing Senate Bill 2647, which will help us achieve these goals,” he said.

The bill, introduced by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Jose Estrada and Francis Tolentino, aims to significantly transform BCDA economic zones like Clark, John Hay and Poro Point by designating a portion of land within the zones for residential development addressing the

of

and

PH stocks seen moving sideways ahead of macro economic data

LOCAL shares are expected to move sideways this week as investors brace for the release of April 2024 inflation rate and other key macroeconomic data.

The Philippine Statistics Authority is set to release the April consumer price index on May 7 and the first-quarter gross domestic product on May 9. Other macroeconomic reports slated for release this week are trade deficit/imports/exports on May 8; employment and bank loans (May 9) and domestic liquidity (May 9). Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said these macroeconomic reports would have an impact of the upcoming Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ policy rate-setting meeting on May 16. Ricafort said the BSP could match the US Federal Reserve’s latest rate pause on May 1, 2024 to maintain healthy interest rate differentials to help support/stabilize the peso exchange rate, import prices and overall inflation.

He said a pause in local policy rates is possible if the peso exchange rate remains relatively stable, global crude oil prices continue to drop and headline inflation remains within the BSP’s inflation target of 2 percent to 4 percent. “Going forward, if geopolitical risks/tensions, especially between Israel and Iran/Hamas/Houthis/Hezbollah/other proxies, including all the possible bad news are already priced in and no further response/no further escalation between Israel and Iran, there could be some healthy bargainhunting/bottom-fishing in the market,” Ricafort said.

Jenniffer B. Austria

SM Supermalls unveils largest solar rooftop in Laguna

By Roy Tomandao

SM SUPERMALLS unveiled the company’s largest rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed across over two hectares of SM City in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. reaffirmed its commitment towards building for a sustainable future as it progresses towards its net-zero ambition by 2040. The solar PV system at SM City Santa Rosa, which received the certificate of compliance (COC) from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), is composed of 5,772 panels at 3.088-megawatt peak (MWp) capacity and has an annual solar energy production of up to 4.292 gigawatthours (GWh).

The installation of the solar PV system at SM City Santa Rosa will power 15 percent of the mall’s energy consumption needs.

SM Supermalls first started installing solar PV systems in 2014 at SM City North EDSA—the first mall in the Philippines to harness solar energy. The facility in SM Mall of Asia has twice the capacity of SM North EDSA installed in 2016. Harnessing solar energy as a clean and renewable source of energy, SM Supermalls reduced its reliance on the power grid, which is helpful during times when rising electricity demand is caused by increased temperatures.

SEC files criminal case vs. Abra Mining

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said over the weekend it filed a criminal complaint against Abra Mining & Industrial Corp. (AR), its directors, officers, transfer agent and certain stockholders for the alleged unauthorized and fraudulent trading of shares from 2015 to 2019.

It said in a complaint-affidavit filed with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on May 3 it charged the respondents with 441 counts of violations of Sections 8 and 26 of Republic Act No. 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code (SRC) and Sections 61, 62 and 63 of Republic Act No. 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code (RCC).

The SEC also slapped Abra Mining officials, transfer agent and certain stockholders with fines amounting to P560 million in April also for the unauthorized trading shares.

It included as respondents in the criminal case Abra Mining president James Beloy, corporate secretary Amelia Beloy, directors Conde Claro

Venus, Carmelo Rafael Tansengco, Joel Albert Beloy and Ma. Belinda Gaskell.

The SEC also named as respondents Asian Transfer & Registry Corp., its chairperson and president Arline Adeva, corporate secretary Premy Ann Beloy and treasurer Joel Albert Beloy, who concurrently serve as directors at AR, assistant corporate secretary Joseph Acuesta and director Ma. Agnes Hoffman.

The SEC said it also asked the DOJ to institute civil and criminal forfeiture, including the accessory penalty of asset preservation and other appropriate action against the respondents under Republic Act No. 9160, or the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001, as amended.

By Othel V. Campos

OCEANAGOLD (Philippines) Inc.

(OGPI), operator of the Didipio Mine, said over the weekend it paid P421 million in local business tax (LBT) to three municipalities in the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino last year.

The taxes remitted reflects a nearly P100-million increase from 2022 on stronger production and rising gold prices.

“The LBT we paid this year is high-

er compared to last year’s because of the higher 2023 revenue of our mine, brought about by our good production and higher prices of gold,” said Didipio Mine president and general manager for external affairs and social performance

Joan Adaci-Cattiling.

OGPI said it paid local taxes of P210 million to Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya; P84 million to Cabarroguis, Quirino; and P126 million to Nagtipunan, Quirino.

with the Philippine Stock Exchange consolidated revenues climbed 5 percent to P22.66 billion in 2023 from P21.63 billion in 2022. The 2023 revenues were slightly lower than the P24 billion sales target set by the company at the start of the year. Real estate sales revenues rose 6 percent to P21.63 billion from P20.35 billion. Consolidated net income margin stood lower at 30.43 on rising costs. Consolidated cost of sales and services 2023 accelerated 17 percent to P12.735 billion, mainly due to increases in cost of real estate operations.

Gross income also declined 7 percent year-on-year to P9.93 billion, while gross income margin was lower at 43.8 percent compared 49.6 percent a year ago.

Members of the company successfully migrated P15.3 billion worth of receivables to Home Development Mutual Fund, commonly as Pag-IBIG Fund in 2023.

It also continued the accreditation of its projects with various banks for its housing loan program.

8990 Holdings develops residential subdivisions in the provinces. It also develops low-cost residential complexes of medium-rise buildings (MRBs) under the Urban DECA Homes brand.

It has completed 68 residential projects comprising about 60,684 units as of December 31, 2023. It also has two ongoing MRB projects, with an aggregate 7,950 units for sale. Jenniffer B. Austria

The mining company also signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the three municipalities, ensuring that at least P5 million of the local business tax would be allocated to environmental management and protection initiatives within their respective jurisdictions.

Mayor Romeo Tayaban of Kasibu said the taxes are “a blessing,” to communities, while Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Region 2 director Mario Ancheta highlighted the benefits to the host communities. “We continue to work with our stakeholders and forging meaningful partnerships to bring a lasting beneficial legacy to our communities,” Adaci-Cattiling said.

OGPI’s Didipio Mine, an underground gold-copper mine that straddles the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino, entered into an financial or technical assistance agreement with the government in June 1994.

(front row, third from left),

Tomandao

BUSINESS

POWER PROFILE

John Gokongwei Jr.: Legends don’t

By Jimmy Montejo

“THERE are heroes and there are legends. Heroes are remembered but legends never die.” —Boney Kapoor

In his time, the late John Robinson Lim Gokongwei Jr. (1926-2019) was a class act—a legend who built a business empire from the ground up.

His life story though can be aptly summed up in a six-word phrase; from riches to rags to riches.

In between the transitions lied an epic struggle to make it to the top against the big players who would do everything to foil his attempts. Yet his successes were phenomenal—as a banker, trader, investor and philanthropist.

His JG Summit Holdings Inc. has extensive exposures in air travel, power generation, publishing, real estate and property development, petrochemicals, telecommunications, hotels, food and beverage, livestock farming and animal feeds and banking.

John was wont to sharing his beginnings in Cebu City where the family lived in the early 1900s.

“I was born to a rich Chinese-Filipino family. I spent my childhood in Cebu where my father owned a chain of movie houses including the first air-conditioned one outside Manila. I was the eldest of six children and lived in a big house in Cebu’s Forbes Park,” he recalled in a speech at the Ad Congress. He would go to school in a chauffeured car at the San Carlos University where he graduated on top of his class. He tried to secure his Master in Business Administration at the De La Salle University in Manila, but had to drop out due to economic constraints. He also briefly studied at the Harvard Business School, but that’s going ahead of our story.

All the opulence enjoyed by the family in Cebu dissipated with the passing of his father when the younger John was only 13.

“I felt angry at the world for taking away my father, and for taking away all that I enjoyed before. When the free movies disappeared, I also lost half of my friends,” he narrated. The banks seized the family wealth over unpaid loans. With the car and chauffeur gone, John had to walk more than three kilometers to school every day.

To help support his younger siblings, John sold peanuts in the backyard of their modest home. Sensing that selling peanuts wasn’t enough, John decided to sell candies, candles and threads at a public market that wasn’t near by any measure.

He was making P20 profit daily, and John felt good about it.

“The pesos I made at the palengke [market] were the pesos that went into building the business I have today,” he said.

And he concluded; “If I can compete with people so much older than me, if I can support my whole family at 15, I can do anything.”

So he ventured into bigger, bolder stuffs, driven by a strong conviction. “The important thing to know is that life will always deal us a few bad cards. But we have to play those cards the best we can, and we have to win.”

It was highly unlikely that the old man was a poker player in his lifetime.

But he knew that in the game, even the worst hand could be a winner—if you knew how to play it right.

John also taught himself one self-serving lesson; If you wanted things done correctly, do it yourself.

Hence, winning became a habit for him.

He went into transporting tires by a wooden boat from Cebu to Lucena in Quezon, then to Manila by truck.

When the war ended in 1946, John who was 20 then and his brother Henry formed Amasia Trading which imported onions, flour, used clothes, old newspapers, magazines and fruits from the United States.

There was no turning back thence. In 1957, John started manufacturing corn starch on a P500,000-loan from the bank.

“Upon launching our first product, Panda corn starch, a price war ensued. After the smoke cleared, Universal Corn Products was left standing. It is the foundation upon which JG Summit Holdings now stands,” he said.

John admitted that building a business empire as big as JG Summit was fraught will difficulties, with challenges thrown at his way at every turn. He could have taken the easy path by keeping his business small yet safe, but it was not an option. “Instead I chose to fight, but this did not mean I won each time,” he said.

John died on Nov. 9, 2019 at the age of 93 and left behind a thriving conglomerate with a fleet of flagships to its name: Cebu Pacific, Universal Robina Corp., Robinsons Land Corp. and JG Summit Olefins Corp., to name a few.

IPOPHL OFFICIAL. Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual (left) swears in Nathaniel Arevalo as the new deputy director-general of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). Arevalo served IPOPHL for nearly 25 years, the last 14 of which as director of the Bureau of Legal Affairs (BLA).

THE Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP), the country’s premier organization of business journalists, and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) are teaming up for the first time to host a forum focusing on the developments in Clark.

The EJAP-BCDA One Clark Forum will be held on May 10, 2024, at the New Clark City Athletics Stadium. The event is EJAP’s pilot forum outside Metro Manila, aiming to promote economic opportunities in other parts of the country.

Joining the EJAP-BCDA Clark Forum are Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Secretary Fredrick Go, BCDA chairman Delfin Lorenzana, BCDA president and chief executive Joshua Bingcang and Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) vice president for administration and finance Nancy Paglinawan. The public sector officials will discuss their strategies in positioning Clark as the next investment hub in Asia and as the country’s next gateway to the world.

“Envisioned as the next big metropolis and major growth hub in the Philippines, Clark has undergone massive transformation over the decades; but it still has much potential to grow,” Bingcang said.

PH, United Nations explore ways of achieving SDGs

THE Philippine government and the United Nations (UN) operationalized a strategic partnership toward achieving the UN’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and implementing the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.

The inaugural meeting of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) on the 20242028 UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) of the Philippines at the NEDA Central Office brought together key stakeholders on May 3, 2024.

The terms of reference (TOR) approved during the meeting outline the cooperation between the government and the UN under a new partnership for 2024-2028.

Its blueprint sets the stage for coordinated efforts to achieve the UN’s SDGs while aligning with the

“This joint forum with the country’s premier business journalists will allow us to communicate the BCDA Group and the national government’s efforts to develop Clark, and how these will foster economic growth, drive investments, and provide job opportunities for Filipinos,” Bingcang said.

Executives from private sector partners, including Filinvest Land Inc. senior vice president and business unit head for industrial and logistics Francis Ceballos and Noel Manankil, president and chief executive of Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corp., the operator of Clark International Airport, will also share their investment experience in locating in BCDA’s properties in Central Luzon.

“This landmark partnership between EJAP and the BCDA Group will showcase the evolution and developments in Clark,” EJAP president Neil Jerome Morales said.

“This is part of a broader initiative to promote growth centers across the country to spur investments and job creation,” he said.

The EJAP-BCDA One Clark Forum is supported by NLEX Corp., Sunlight Air, StB GIGA Factory Inc., Converge ICT Solutions Inc., Hann Reserve and CIAC.

country’s PDP 2023-2028.

“The UNSDCF complements our national development plan, serving as a guiding framework that fosters synergy with the international community. By crafting the UNSDCF collaboratively, the government and the UN aim to maximize impact and create a harmonious approach to sustainable development,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.

The JSC also endorsed key documents from the Cooperation Framework and reviewed the current UN portfolio in the Philippines, focusing on human capital development, inclusion,

and resilience building; sustainable economic development, decent work, and innovation; as well as climate action, environmental sustainability, and disaster resilience.

The UN Philippines presented an overview of resource requirements for the next four years, along with a joint work plan for 2024 that carries an estimated budget of $211 million.

NEDA presented the TOR for the JSC and the Joint Results Group (JRG), emphasizing the primary role of each JRG in facilitating the implementation of programming priorities and ensuring internal coherence.

Lance Gokongwei raises his right arm, depicting the 55-meter the Victor Monument of the Gokongwei Group’s Bridgetown project in Pasig City. ‘To all those who dream big, struggle and strive, like my father John Gokongwei Jr., the Victor is dedicated to you,” says Lance Gokongwei. ‘Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you fail, but what’s important is that you work hard and do your best, despite the challenges. That’s resilience. That’s grit. Keep reaching for the skies. From the Facebook page of Lance Gokongwei.

MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024

Bangko Sentral reports growth in farm loans

THE share of agriculture loans and services in the Philippines increased to 18.1 percent in 2022 from 17.6 percent in 2021, according to the 2022 Countryside Bank Survey (CBS) released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The rise stemmed primarily from rural and cooperative banks (RCBs). It reflected an expansion in loan products tailored to various agricultural needs, including seeds, fertilizer, working capital, farm equipment, sustainable projects, digital farming initiatives and agritourism activities.

A collaborative effort by the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Credit Policy Council (DAACPC) and the BSP, the 2022 CBS report examined lending trends and policy implications for agricultural financing using branch-level data. It compared agricultural lending activities by banking units in 2022 with 2021, covering loan demand, borrower profiles, interest rates, repayment trends, profitability, risk management, challenges and future plans.

Administered electronically nationwide, the survey included respondents from universal and commercial banks, thrift banks, RCBs, government-owned banks, and digital banks.

The 2022 CBS coincided with the implementation of Republic Act (RA) No. 11901, or the Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Financing Enhancement Act of 2022. The survey established baseline data to monitor banks’ compliance with the law and included questions about specific agricultural loan products and services offered in 2021 and 2022 that aligned with RA No. 11901 guidelines.

ADB, donors to infuse fresh $5b into two funds

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its donors agreed to a $5-billion replenishment for the bank’s two funds that support developing countries in the region.

The agreement, reached during the ADB’s 57th annual meeting, will replenish the Asian Development Fund (ADF) 14 and the Technical Assistance Special Fund (TASF) 8.

The ADF is ADB’s largest source of grants for its poorest and most vulnerable members. Replenishments occur every four years.

ADF 14, the 13th replenishment since the fund’s establishment, will support grant operations from 2025 to 2028. It represents a 22-percent increase over ADF 13’s $4.1 billion and

will provide the largest ever volume of ADF grants to eligible members.

TASF 8 will provide grants for project preparation, capacity building, and technical or policy advice.

“Grants are more important than ever as our poorest and most vulnerable members seek to reverse recent development setbacks and take urgent action to combat the climate crisis,” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.

“This remarkable replenishment

demonstrates ADF donors’ continued partnership with ADB to address the pressing development challenges of those most in need,” he said.

ADF 14 prioritizes assistance to small island developing states vulnerable to climate change and countries in fragile or conflict-affected situations. It will also continue to support climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, regional cooperation, and gender equality initiatives. Additionally, a crisis response window allows for agile assistance in emergencies.

Over $2.5 billion, or 51 percent, of the replenishment comes from donor contributions, including two new donors: Armenia and Georgia.

Heatwave hammers Thailand’s stinky but lucrative, valuable durian farms

CHANTHABURI, Thailand - Clambering hand-over-hand, sweat dripping into his eyes, a durian laborer expertly slices a cumbersome fruit from a tree before tossing it down to land with a soft thump in his colleague’s waiting arms some 15 meters (50 feet) below.

Among Thailand’s most famous and lucrative exports, the pungent

“king of fruits” is as distinctive in its smell as its spiky green-brown carapace, and has been farmed in the kingdom for hundreds of years.

But a vicious heatwave engulfing Southeast Asia has resulted in smaller yields and spiraling costs, with growers and sellers increasingly panicked as global warming damages the industry.

“This year is a crisis,” durian farm-

er Busaba Nakpipat told AFP bluntly.

The weather-beaten 54-year-old took over her parents’ farm in eastern Chanthaburi province -- Thailand’s durian heartland -- three decades ago.

“If the hot weather continues to rise in the future, it’ll be over,” she said. “Farmers wouldn’t be able to produce durian anymore.”

Durian season usually lasts from March until June, but the soaring temperatures—which in her province have hovered around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for weeks—and subsequent drought have shortened the harvest.

Busaba said the heat causes the durian, which is graduated by weight and size, to ripen faster so it does not grow to its fullest—and most valuable—size. AFP

Gov’t issues 92 offshore wind contracts amid strong interest from local, foreign firms

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Energy (DOE)

said it issued 92 offshore wind service contracts with potential capacity of 65.049 gigawatts as of March 25, 2024, reflecting the strong interest from local and foreign renewable energy developers.

DOE assistant secretary Mylene Capongcol said in a recent presentation the awarded OSW service con-

tracts are spread in the north of Luzon, west of Metro Manila, north and south of Mindoro, Panay and Guimaras Strait.

Capongcol said of the OSW contracts awarded, four are 100-percent owned by foreign companies.

She cited in her presentation the target of 19 GW of OSW installed by 2050 under the draft Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 scenarios.

The Global Wind Energy Council

Benguet court fines loan officer of closed rural bank in Buguias

THE Regional Trial Court of La Trinidad, Benguet convicted a former loan officer of the closed Rural Bank of Buguias (Benguet) Inc. (RB Buguias) for violating the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Manual of Regulations for Banks, the General Banking Law of 2000 and the New Central Bank Act. Gavino John Bay-an III was sentenced to a fine after being found guilty of participating in issuing irregular and questionable loans to the bank’s directors, officers, stockholders and their related interests (DOSRI).

The criminal case stemmed from the BSP’s discovery of the DOSRI loans during its investigation of RB Buguias’ loan transactions after the bank’s closure. Former RB Buguias officers were also convicted for violations of the rules on DOSRI loans In October 2023. The BSP said it continues to promote compliance with existing laws through good governance among its supervised institutions to ensure the soundness of the financial system and protect the public.

IN BRIEF

said in its latest report that the Philippines has been exploring OSW since 2020, but progress has been slow.

It said despite strong potential, several challenges existed such as regulation hurdles, seabed lease acquisition, grid connection, ports and supply chains.

It also said that environmental impact and community engagement are critical considerations for wind projects.

GWEC said that as a new sector in the Philippines, OSW would require stable revenue outlook to attract investment. It said collaboration between the DOE and National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) is crucial to identifying suitable substation connection points for the projects and a fair and payment for developers.

E-VEHICLE SHOW. Edmund Araga (left), president of the Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) and the Asian Federation of Electric Vehicle Associations (AFEVA), participates in the Periklindo Electric Vehicle Show at the Jiexpo Kemayoran in Indonesia. The Periklindo Electric Vehicle Show serves as a platform for industry stakeholders to exchange ideas, showcase innovative technologies and explore opportunities for collaboration in the electric vehicle sector.

REAL ESTATE

Developers asked to upgrade amenities

By Jenniffer B. Austria

AMID the slowdown in take-up of residential projects in Metro Manila because of high interest and mortgage rates, property consultancy firm Colliers Philippines said developers should up the ante in attracting discerning home buyers.

Colliers Philippines director and research head Joey Roi Bondoc said in a briefing on the real estate performance in the first quarter of 2024 that developers need to recalibrate their strategies especially with slow launches and take-up in Metro Manila’s pre-selling condominium market.

“In our view, residential projects in Metro Manila that provide upscale amenities and top-tier concierge services continue to remain popular amongst the experienced and affluent clients,” Bondoc said.

Developers have integrated healthy and sustainable amenities into their newly-launched projects, while others also incorporated unique features such as glamping nook, garden gazebo and sky promenades as “hyperamenitized” condominium projects become a norm.

Bondoc said that as more developers diversify outside Metro Manila by launching master-planned township projects, they should be able to integrate new features and services into their projects to satisfy residents’ evolving preferences.

“Developers have been launching master-planned township projects, but we believe that releasing a master planned community would not be

enough. You need to make sure that you integrate features that will make your master-planned community stand out,”

Bondoc said.

In 2023, upscale residential projects worth about P12 million to P20 million per unit accounted for 18 percent of preselling take-up, up from only 10 percent in 2022. Luxury condominium projects worth P20 million and up accounted for 8 percent in 2023.

Horizontal projects

Given the tepid pre-selling market in Metro Manila, Colliers Philippines said developers are launching more houseand-lot and lot-only projects in nearby provinces such as Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna and Cavite.

For the past two years, Colliers Philippines recorded annual average take-up for horizontal projects in the neighboring provinces, reaching 29,000, up from 28,700 between 2020 and 2021.

Bondoc said property firms would continue to launch house-and-lot projects outside the metropolis because of strong demand from end-users.

Among the property developers that will launch massive horizontal project outside the National Capital Region are Rockwell Land with its 85-hectare property in San Jose, Bulacan and

Century Properties which plans to launch five new house-and-lot projects under its PHirst brand with a combined land area of 85 hectares.

Property firms are seen to actively acquire land for future development and build expansive integrated township projects in prime developments outside the NCR.

Colliers Philippines said, however, property firms should continue to monitor interest rate changes and their impact on mortgages. Developers should also evaluate the most attractive price segments to seize recovering demand.

New supply

While only 2,180 residential units were completed in the first quarter of 2024, Colliers Philippines expects sizeable delivery of new condominium units this year.

According to Bondoc, roughly 9,100 more units would be completed for the remainder of 2024 to end the year with 11,290 units slated for turnover.

Bulk of the units that will be turned over the buyers are located in the Bay Area, accounting for nearly 80 percent of the new supply.

Bondoc said that from 2024 to 2026, an average of 8,000 residential units would be completed.

Mandarin Oriental to open in 2026

Oriental back to the Philippines, and to Makati City specifically. More than just a physical landmark, the brand was also a cultural landmark, with the hotel hosting celebrations and special events.

said Zobel de Ayala, ALI senior vice president and leasing and hospitality head.

SONORA Garden Residences, a joint venture project of Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) and DMCI Homes along Alabang-Zapote Road in Las Piñas City, gave a glimpse of the lifestyle awaiting future residents with the inauguration of its amenities and model unit last April 23, 2024.

Spanning 1.45 hectares, Sonora Garden Residences is designed as a resort-inspired community catering to young professionals and startup families.

The development offers a variety of unit sizes, including one-, two-, and three-bedroom units ranging from 28

However, the substantial completion of new units would likely increase the vacancy rate on secondary markets, exert downward pressure on rents and result in slower growth in residential prices.

“We see vacancy increasing to 17.7 percent by end-2024, near the peak of

square meters to 83.5 square meters. Strategically situated steps away from Robinsons Place Las Piñas, Sonora Garden Residences provides residents easy access to retail and dining options. The property is also conveniently located near the airport, business districts, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities.

One of the key highlights of Sonora Garden Residences’ location is its proximity to the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 extension stations, enhancing connectivity in southern Metro Manila. The development also just minutes

away from Dr. A. Santos Ave. (formerly Sucat Road) and the Manila–Cavite Expressway (CAVITEX), ensuring quicker travel around the metro and to tourist destinations in the south like Tagaytay.

Some of the project’s amenities include kiddie pool, leisure pool, lap pool, and snack bar were unveiled more than a month before the turnover of the first building, Cadence, which is set to commence in June 2024. This early reveal aims to help investors and home seekers imagine the vibrant community life that awaits them at Sonora Garden Residences.

17.9 percent in 2021, due to the sizeable amount of ready-for-occupancy units in the market,” the property consultancy firm said.

Colliers

MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

NICKIE WANG, Editor

ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

ABIGAIL ADRIATICO, Writer

Celebrating impactful voices on YouTube

FILIPINOS are making a big impact around the world, and YouTube is a great place to celebrate Filipino pride with all sorts of videos.

Learn Philippine history in minutes with Mighty Magulang : Known for her “history geekery,” Magulang uploads snackable YouTube videos and Shorts that talk about Philippine history. For example, she did an easily watchable twominute video on the recently celebrated Araw ng Kagitingan, where she gives a rundown of its history and the importance of observing this national holiday.

There’s more where that came from—she also uses her platform to educate viewers on lesser-known facts about historical figures, and even funny genealogy skits.

Get local updates from broadcast journalist Howie Severino . In The Howie Severino Podcast, the veteran journalist interviews some of the most influential people in the Philippines on topics ranging from human interest stories to political issues that matter.

Njel de Mesa’s studio delivers a decade’s worth of films in two years

DVery Wang Nickie Wang

IRECTOR Njel de Mesa , the visionary filmmaker behind NDM Studios, boasts an impressive roster of ten completed movies within just two years.

The Howie Severino Podcast is an insightful listen if you want to get the latest news available on YouTube Music in audio and video.

“Kapangyarihan” by Ben&Ben ft. SB19 was released shortly after police officer Jonel Nuezca killed Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Gregorio in 2020. Ben&Ben’s Miguel Guico and Paolo Guico wrote the song, which has touches of pop and hip-hop with the help of SB19, to call for justice. The official performance video has over a million views on YouTube, which shows just how powerful the message is to Filipinos.

Back to the P-Pop Kings, the group wanted to inspire listeners, both young and old, to raise their own flag and be proud of where they came from to achieve success. You can jam out to “What?” on YouTube Music, and dive into the process of recording the single and filming the music video on SB19 What?: The Making Film Docuseries Jonas Tayaban gives you interesting Philippine trivia. From popular beaches to Philippine mythology, the content creator shares various trivia and useful insights on current events on YouTube Shorts. Jonas’ quick takes make it easy for students and their parents to digest, especially when he’s covering current events, like the resort built in the middle of the Chocolate Hills. Check out YouTube to browse and find more insightful video content from inspiring Filipino artists and creators.

De Mesa, who wrote and directed each of these films, seized the opportunity presented by eased government restrictions on film production in 2021, following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to bring his creative visions to life.

“While one film is already in post-production, I was already starting filming the next project. I give the production all the time they need, so instead of getting bored waiting for the final output, I went ahead and started with the next title in the pipeline,” De Mesa told Manila Standard Entertainment in an interview.

“It’s been an exciting journey,” De Mesa shared, reflecting on his multifaceted role as both director and producer. “Having full creative freedom allows me to pour my heart into every aspect of these projects.”

IN A recent episode of her vlog, Megastar

Sharon Cuneta opened up about the personal concerns that linger behind her celebrated life. Known for her multifaceted career and nurturing personality, Cuneta revealed a more intimate side of her life, discussing the common fears that come with deep familial love and the responsibilities of being a public figure.

“You worry because you care,” she expressed in Filipino, highlighting the natural worries she faces as a mother and wife.

Some of these worries can be summed up in the acronym, S.A.D., which stands for sickness, accidents, and death/disabilities.

Cuneta reminded viewers how these are inevitable and it is only natural to be worried about them.

“My life still had its ups and downs but generally I have been really fortunate. And while most of you will see me as an

showcase his films at different film festivals across the globe. “We plan to take our film projects to festivals in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Canada this year,” he said. “Should there be a demand for commercial screenings back home in the Philippines, we’re fully prepared to bring our films back to their roots.”

Among the standout films on his shelf is the comedy Malditas in Maldives, premiering as a competing film at the inaugural Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival.

Starring Arci Muñoz, Kiray Celis, and Janelle Tee, the film was shot in the Maldives and was the first local production to showcase the tropical paradise located in the Indian Ocean.

“Based on scientific studies, before this century ends, the Maldives will be completely wiped out from the world map due to rising ocean levels. And we’re proud that we’re the first local production to capture the breathtaking scenery of this archipelago by featuring it in our film,” De Mesa said with pride.

Offering a glimpse into his creative process, De Mesa recently welcomed select members of the showbiz press to his Quezon City office for an exclusive preview of Malditas in Maldives

“No one else has seen this clip aside from you,” he told the showbiz scribes about the 20-minute portion of the film. “This is the scene when the characters finally realize that they are in a loop and are not sure if they’re in purgatory or paradise.”

On another note, the award-winning director expressed enthusiasm for the festival, which celebrates cross-cultural cinematic achievement between Filipinos and Japanese.

“It’s the first international film festival in Nagoya, central Japan, and has the most number of Filipinos in Japan,” he remarked, highlighting Japan’s investment in the event. “The support is truly remarkable; the government is hyping it up.”

accomplished individual, believe it or not, I still have my own share of worries. I still worry about my kids, my husband, my family, which is just normal,” the mother of KC, Frankie, Miel, and Miguel said.

“But there is a way to free yourself from these worries, and it’s called life insurance. Just a small trivia from someone born in the sixties, noong araw ang tawag namin sa insurance ay seguro, which is a Spanish word meaning ‘sure’, or in Tagalog, tiyak,” she shared.

Apart from Malditas in Maldives, De Mesa’s Mama San is also competing in the film festival. His other works, Subtext headlined Elly Cellan, Coronaphobia starring Daiana Menezes, Will Devaughn, Paolo Paraiso, Cay Kuijpers, and Tommie Kingwill, and Must Give Pause featuring Shaneley Santos and Cheska Ortega, will also premiere at the festival.

Attendees of the festival, set for May 25 and 26, can anticipate a diverse lineup of Filipino cinema, including Catherine Camarillo’s That Kind of Love, starring Barbie Forteza and David Licauco, and Chances Are, You and I, featuring Kelvin Miranda and Kira Balinger

Additionally, the spine-chilling horror film Mananambal, starring Bianca Umali and Nora Aunor, will send shivers down viewers’ spines at the Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival.

of mind to families facing the unforeseeable.

“Life

for periodically, and its

Cuneta pointed out that having life insurance guarantees that your loved ones are taken care of if something happens to you -- from replacing the income and financial support that you have provided to assistance in paying for funeral expenses.

Building on her personal reflections, Cuneta delved deeper into the pragmatic benefits of life insurance during her discussion in the InLife Dreamweaver Series. With her signature candor, the multi-awarded actress, host, and singer detailed how life insurance serves as a critical safety net, providing financial security and peace

are

reaching,” she noted, outlining its crucial role in maintaining familial

upon the untimely passing of a breadwinner. The Megastar, together with her daughter Miel Cuneta-Pangilinan, are proud Dreamweavers for InLife, the country’s first and largest Filipino-owned life

company. As Dreamweavers, they are helping amplify InLife’s mission of helping Filipinos lead A Lifetime for

The Megastar’s previous vlog about

Megastar Sharon Cuneta shares the importance

one’s family

Actress Arci Muñoz takes on one of the lead roles in De Mesa’s film ‘Malditas in Maldives’

From left: ‘Malditas in Maldives’ Janelle Tee, Kiray Celis,

The film is the first Filipino film to ever be shot in the beautiful country of Maldives

Director Njel de Mesa intends to have his films shown in various international film festivals

A taste of Malaysia in every cup

ZUS Coffee opens 12th store in Metro Manila

By Abigail Adriatioco

ZUS Coffee, a rapidly growing brand known for its high-quality, affordable brews, recently celebrated its grand launch at its newly opened kiosk in Metro Manila.

At the grand opening of its 12th store in SM Makati, ZUS Coffee CEO Venon Tian shared the company’s inspiring journey from a small kiosk in a Kuala Lumpur office building back in 2019 to a thriving coffee chain.

“The store size is probably 1/10 of this size. It’s about 20-ish square meters. It’s very very small so we [really] started from humble beginnings… after four and a half years, we are [now] the largest coffee chain in Malaysia,” said Tian proudly.

The grand launch was graced by Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, who joined ZUS Coffee CoFounder and Head of Barista Terence Ho, ZUS Coffee Philippines Strategic Investors Janica Lao and Jared Lao, and ZUS Coffee Philippines Country Manager Correne Chen, for the new branch’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The coffee chain uses 100 percent Arabica beans from Guatemala, Kenya, and Papua New Guinea, which customers can choose from. Its signature range features the ZUS Gula Melaka, which is made from traditional Malaysian palm sugar. The brand also offers a wide variety of drinks such as mocktails, frappes, tea, and kid-friendly mixes.

ZUS Coffee also offers food selections such as its Chicken Adobo Pandesal and Corned Beef Pandesal, which were locally inspired. Tian shared that while the brand was bringing a taste of Malaysia’s specialty coffee to the Philippines, they were also keen on

taking some ideas from the local food and bringing it to their homeland.

“It’s no longer about Malaysia coming to the Philippines. It’s [also] the Philippines coming to Malaysia and potentially every other country that we go into,” said

The COO also shared the coffee chain’s sustainability efforts by

Pampering moms at Conrad Manila

CONRAD Manila is pulling out all the stops this Mother’s Day, offering a luxurious package designed to pamper and celebrate the incredible woman in our lives.

Fabio Berto, General Manager of Conrad Manila, expresses his heartfelt passion for celebrating Mother’s Day, stating, “We can think of no better gift for today’s busy mothers than a respite from the hustle and the bustle of life. We offer treasured moments of family togetherness best enjoyed with epicurean indulgences that spring happy and unforgettable experiences with the most important person in our life – our working moms, home-based moms, single moms, or fur-moms.”

From May 1 to 12, Conrad Manila’s pastry chefs are whipping up a delectable selection of “All About Mom” themed cakes, pastries, and special hampers available at Bru Coffee Bar. Treat Mom to a delicious cake starting at just P1500 nett, or surprise her with a sweet treat from the pastry selection, priced from P200 nett. The hamper box, a simple yet elegant gift to mom, is priced at P5,000 nett, and inclusive of flaky sea salt, assorted dry nuts, red velvet crinkles, chocolate lipsticks, vanilla ganache moisturizer, and raspberry creamer, among others. Spend the weekend of May 11 to 12 with a lavish lunch or dinner buffet at Brasserie on 3 with colorful photo booths and live performances best enjoyed with the family. For every four full-paying guests, mom gets to relish her lunch or dinner for free, with a heartfelt “Love you, Mom” message. Diners can enjoy a love-filled Mother’s Day feast, featuring a lovely, themed cake and delectable champagne, at P2,750 nett per person for lunch (11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) and P3,888 nett

Priced at P49,888 nett, this

set menu good for 10 persons, will make your mom feel how truly irreplaceable she is, particularly this Mother’s Day.

Some must-try highlights include roasted golden sesame duck, stir-fried slice beef and water chestnut with wild trio mushroom sauce, and braised abalone, black mushroom, and pork tendon with fish maw dry scallop sea moss sauce. Special mocktail drinks may be shared among four dining family members. Party packages set menus are available for takeaways at lunch or dinner to be enjoyed in the comfort of mom’s home with family and loved ones.

Set a date with mom in a leisurely afternoon by the bay at C Lounge. From today until May 12, spoil her as you indulge in savory pastries and themed desserts, served with coffee or a pot of tea for two persons. Delight in this Mother’s Day-themed afternoon tea for P3,606 nett. Give mom the unforgettable Mother’s Day spa experience and treat her with 90 minutes and 120 minutes of pure relaxation using ESPA products – the perfect way to unwind, de-stress, and revitalize body and mind. ESPA Time Ritual Series for Mother’s Day will highlight all products for the face and body, packages tailored to each guest with seasoned therapists trained for pampering. Rates start at P7,500 nett.

Let your mom know and feel how extraordinary and irreplaceable she is with a weekend or overnight getaway at one of Conrad Manila’s luxurious rooms overlooking the stunning Manila Bay or the beautiful city view. Comes with a breakfast buffet for two at Brasserie on 3. For inquiries and reservations for Mother’s Day Specials, please call +632 8833 9999, email conradmanila@conradhotels.com or visit https://eatdrinkhilton.com/ brasserie-on-3-conrad-manila/.

replacing plastic straws with rice straws as well as using less plastic in their packaging as much as possible.

“We’ve got some complaints here and there because it melts and whatnot but we still hang on to that idea that it has to be sustainable. Whatever we do next to replace, for instance, rice straws has to be good for the environment,” said Tian.

“We’re looking into the entire packaging material from top to bottom… there’s still a bit of plastic elements [aside] from using paper but how do we make it much more sustainable? We’re looking into that for the time being,” he added. Apart from its physical stores, ZUS Coffee has its own app where customers can conveniently make their orders and have the option to either pick them up at a nearby branch or have it be delivered to their doorstep.

The coffee chain’s branch in SM Makati serves as its second kiosk while the rest of the open branches in Metro Manila are fullyfledged stores, with the biggest one found at the University Tower España in Manila. With the opening of its first branch in the Philippines last October, ZUS Coffee is targeting to have a total of 150 stores in the country by the end of 2024.

Honor hospitality sales and marketing leaders

THE Hotel Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) kicked off its 10th Virtus Awards

From left: ZUS Coffee Co-Founder and Head of Barista Terence Ho, Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines

Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, ZUS Coffee Philippines Strategic Investor Janica Lao, ZUS Coffee COO Venon Tian, ZUS Coffee Philippines Strategic Investor Jared Lao, and ZUS Coffee Philippines Country Manager

Correne Chen during the brand’s grand launch

ZUS Coffee Head of Barista Terrence Ho (left) demonstrates how to make one of their signature drinks

Malaysian coffee chain ZUS Coffee brings their blend of high quality coffee to Filipino caffeine enthusiasts

MONDAY, MAY 6, 2024

lifeandshow.manilastandard@gmail.com

NICKIE WANG, Editor

ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

ABIGAIL ADRIATICO, Writer

Davao goes global with arrival of three new Dusit Thani properties

Mercury Rising Bob Zozobrado

IHAVE to thank my friend, Tomas P. Lorenzo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), for having the foresight and the determination to put up three worldclass properties in Davao, with a fourth one in the pipeline.

Thanks to TLDC’s partnership with Dusit Hotels and Resorts, now, the southern part of our country can also stand with pride in the global hospitality community, to banner these de luxe properties for discriminating travelers.

With a heartfelt belief and commitment to introducing Thai hospitality to the world, the famous hotel brand now manages more than 300 properties globally. In the Asia Pacific Region, it’s not just in Thailand but also in Singapore, Maldives, Vietnam, Guam, Japan, China and Nepal.

Of course, we have the newly opened Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort and the three-decade-old Dusit Thani Manila which, I heard, will be closed in approximately two years, to give way to the expansion program of the commercial center where it is located.

The Dusit brand is also very prominent in the Middle East, with properties in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman. In Europe and Africa, it stands tall in Greece, Kenya, and Egypt.

Now, added to these are the new properties in Davao – DusitD2 Davao, Dusit Thani Residence Davao, and Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort Davao.

Comfort and style distinguish the smart and modern 120-room Dusit D2 Davao, conveniently

located near Francisco Bangoy International Airport. It also has easy access to the city’s new central business district and convention center, as well as golf and country clubs, premium malls,

In another part of the city, the Dusit Thani Residence Davao redefines luxury accommodation, combining elegance and convenience with full-service amenities and gracious Thai hospitality for guests on extended stays.

Well located in the city center, with sweeping views of the Davao Gulf, this 110-unit luxury serviced residence features deluxe studios and one-bedroom suites with modern fittings and self-contained kitchenettes, perfect for short and extended stays. A pool, fitness center, and spa add to the ease and comfort of its guests.

Of the three new Dusit properties in Davao, I had the chance to experience

Dusit Thani Residence Davao offers 110 luxurious units for short and extended stays

the facilities and services of the Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort which I enjoyed very much. It is a luxurious resort set on its own island where luxury and gracious hospitality blend well with tropical elegance.

Located in Davao de Oro, 40 minutes away from Davao City via high-speed catamaran, Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort is surrounded by coconut trees (thus the name, “Lubi,” which is Cebuano for coconut), white sand beaches, and unique marine life. This 84-room luxury resort has sprawling views of tropical oases, assuring guests of pure bliss, as they treasure their best moments in this super de luxe destination.

By Ratziel San Juan

PREMIUM portioned coffee brand Nespresso has concocted its new boutique design concept for the first time in Southeast Asia through its latest opening at Quezon City’s TriNoma.

The first-of-its-kind boutique welcomes coffee enthusiasts to a novel experience revolving around the arts of design, coffee savoir-faire, sharing and caring, circularity, and hospitality.

This 98-square-meter location greets passersby with transparent walls that offer a complete view of its interiors.

Global flavors

Among its features is the “Coffee As An Art” space with an interactive coffee theater that alternatively doubles as a stage for masterclasses. Meanwhile, the “Taste & Discover” table invites Nespresso drinkers to make their own coffee recipes. They may receive assistance from a video tutorial, as well as a coffee specialist more than willing to help.

At the boutique’s center are the “Art of Circularity” and “Nespresso & You” counters, which inform patrons of the brand’s advocacies, programs, and specialized services. Similarly, the “Coffee & Style” area showcases the brand’s complete range of Nespresso machines and accessories, The TriNoma boutique also has a Lounge unique to its concept. Here, customers can take a moment to enjoy their coffee and connect with other connoisseurs.

In addition to water sports, a tranquil spa, a fully-equipped gym, fun indoor and outdoor facilities such as pitch and putt, puzzle mini golf, tennis court, e-games center, and recording studios are available for couples and families to enjoy. What I find most significant in this resort is its ability to produce its own drinking water, and guests are assured that water flowing out of the bathroom tap is potable. The facility is also into renewable energy and its massive set of solar panels ensures that the resort’s supply of electricity will always be sufficient.

Of course, present in all of these three Dusit properties is the brand’s globally famous Benjarong Bar and Restaurant, where sumptuous Thai culinary specialties are readily available and prepared according to the guests’ liking.

More information on these Dusit properties may be obtained through +63(82) 322-7000, +63(82) 272-7500 or www.dusit.com

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

Finally, what ties the boutique’s design together is its signature colorful sleeve wall that presents Nespresso’s various coffee flavors and blends.

Local tastes

“The Trinoma boutique will redefine the way people engage with and enjoy coffee. Here, we will be able to showcase the best of Nespresso’s savoir-faire and innovation through immersive and sensorial experiences,” says Patrick Pesengco , managing director of Nespresso’s

The DusitD2 Davao is in close proximity to the airport, the city’s central business district, and various recreational areas

YOUR MONDAY CHUCKLE

Laughter is the best medicine, but if you’re laughing without a reason, you need medicine.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW. The Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort serves as a tranquil haven surrounded by coconuts trees, white sand beaches, and marine life

The boutique bears a design inspired by traditional Filipino concepts

From left: Social media personality Nico Bolzico, Nestle Philippines’ Kais Marzouki, Novateur Coffee Concept’s Patrick Pasengco, Nespresso Asia’s Fabio de Gregoria, Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines Nicolas Brühl, and actress and model Solenn Heussaff-Bolzico during the Nespresso Boutique Trinoma opening