Manila Standard - 2024 June 15 - Saturday

2021 LETTER FROM OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT FOUND IN PORAC POGO

Ban POGOS, says China embassy

Have no fear, we will protect you, AFP assures fishermen

China anti-trespassing rule in SCS takes effect today

By Vince Lopez

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines said it would not be deterred in doing maritime domain patrols and assured Filipino fishermen they will be protected in the West Philippine Sea as China's new regulation allowing its coast guard to detain “trespassers” in the South China Sea takes effect today (Saturday).

“Don’t be afraid to fish in the West Philippine Sea. Continue fishing in our exclusive economic zone despite the threats coming from China that they are going to arrest civilians who will be coming into their so-called territory. It’s not their territory,” AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said. He said the military already discussed steps to ensure the safety of Filipinos in the WPS with the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

“Our exclusive economic zone is ours and we have the right to exploit our resources in the area. That’s why our fishermen should not be afraid. Your Armed Forces of the Philippines is there through the Philippine Navy, as well as the Philippine Coast Guard,” he added.

AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad described China's presence in the WPS as “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive.”

“We will not be deterred or intimidated... We will continue our maritime patrols in areas within the Philippines' jurisdiction,” he said.

By Charles Dantes

THE Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) recovered a letter from the Office of the President with the name of a former presidential spokesperson during a search of the raided POGO hub in Porac, Pampanga.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said the documents, which date back to 2021, and bore the letterhead of the Office of the President and the name of former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque were seized inside the Lucky South 99 Compound.

"If these documents from the Palace in 2021 are authentic, we will understand their purpose," Cruz said. However, Cruz emphasized the need to verify the letters to ensure their authenticity.

Roque, on the other hand, denied any connection to the documents.

"I value my reputation. That affidavit of support is for a different purpose. It is clear that it has nothing to do with any POGO operation," Roque stated.

Roque had previously served as an attorney for Whirlwind Corporation, a real estate company which leased the property to Lucky South 99.

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE now controversial construction of the new Senate building is driving

By Charles Dantes

PRESIDENT Marcos on Friday said the government is taking all possible measures to ensure the safety and repatriation of Filipino seafarers aboard the MV Tutor which was attacked by Houthi rebels on Friday morning. According to the Department of Migrant Workers, 22 Filipino seafarers were onboard and one was reportedly missing. In a short video, President Marcos said the country's officials are coordinating with the UK Maritime Trade Operations to secure the crew's immediate transfer to Djibouti.

"We are coordinating with the UK Maritime Trade Operations and looking for a way to bring you to Djibouti first. From there, arrangements are being made for the seafarers to return home to the Philippines," he said.

“Rest assured, we are doing everything in our power to bring them home safely," he added.

Marcos names new NBI chief, PTV4 honcho

PRESIDENT Marcos has named retired judge Jaime Santiago as the new director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), replacing outgoing chief Medardo de Lemos.

The President has also appointed Antonio Nebrida Jr. as the acting general manager of People's Television Network.

Santiago took his oath of office before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Friday.

The new NBI chief holds a BS in Criminology from the Philippine College of Criminology and a law degree

Quezon folk get ayuda from House

By Maricel V. Cruz

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Friday pulled all the stops for the benefit of farmers in Quezon province and beyond--a sector that he obviously holds in high regard.

This was evident during the Agriculture convergence event, consisting of the district launch of Farmers Assistance for Recovery and Modernization (FARM) and payout of assistance under the Tulong Panghanapbuhay Para sa Ating Disadvantage and Displaced Workers (TUPAD) held in Tiaong, Quezon on Friday.

Romualdez, leader of the 308-strong House of Representatives, was invited to the landmark event as guest of honor and keynote speaker by Deputy Speaker and Quezon Rep. David Suarez.

"We still have many partners in the aspiration to grow our agricultural sector. There is the National Food Authority (NFA) that we are helping in the House of Representatives to be able to resell the rice they bought from you directly to our people,” the Speaker said in his speech.

Romualdez was referring to a House-approved measure that seeks to amend the five-year-old Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) in a bid to give much-needed relief to both consumers and farmers.He said these initiatives and related measures manifest the unwavering commitment of the House of Representatives to support the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. aimed at revitalizing the country’s agriculture sector and uplift the lives of Filipino farmers.

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Agency (EIA) and the Organization of the Exporting Countries (OPEC) coupled with data showing a sharper than expected drop in US crude inventories.

Romero said other influencing factors are uncertainties over the timing of the US Fed Reserves on the interest rate cut, the reduced Saudi exports to China and potential US reserve purchases.

On June 11, 2024, the oil companies implemented a decrease on the prices of petroleum products. Gasoline, diesel and kerosene prices have decreased by P0.60, P1.20 and P1.30 per liter, respectively.

The DOE said year-to-date total adjustment of gasoline and diesel stand at net increase of P6.05 per liter and P4.25 per liter, respectively. Kerosene, on the other hand, has a net decrease of P1.55 per liter.

from Manuel L. Quezon University. Santiago served in the PNP Western Police District from 1979 to 2000.

He has been a Criminal Law professor and held various judicial roles, including judge of the Regional Trial Courts in Manila and Tagaytay, and the Metropolitan Trial Court in Manila. From 2003 to 2006, he was the assistant city prosecutor at the Department of Justice.

“Nothing will happen. The actions right now of the Philippine Navy, AFP, Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR and all maritime players of the Philippine government are to prevent such situations,” Trinidad added.

Trinidad said the Philippines also increased patrols in the WPS, working with partners and allies who are equally concerned over China's aggressive actions.

“We are not the only ones concerned. Even other countries are concerned about that. This is not only the problem of the Philippines, but the problem of ASEAN and the international community,” he said.

President Marcos last month condemned China’s order to arrest

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foreign nationals trespassing in the South China Sea, which includes areas that fall under the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

“That kind of action would be completely unacceptable to the Philippines,” he said. “That is unacceptable, and we will take whatever measures to always protect our citizens.”

China, for its part, said the Philippines should not be worried about the new rules for “as long as there is no illegal behavior.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the rules aim to standardize law enforcement and better uphold maritime order, adding that "individuals and entities have no need for concern as long as they have not done anything illicit."

Under the new regulation, foreigners accused of illegally entering “Chi-

thenticity.

nese waters” can be detained for up to 60 days without trial.

At the House, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged the Senate to approve his bill that seeks to define the country’s sea lanes to deter intrusion of Chinese ships and other foreign vessels and aircraft, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

“We should take all measures to protect our nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Chinese are not only intruding in the western part of our country but in the south as well,” he said.

House Bill 9034, which was approved on third and final reading in December at the Lower House, sets the coordinates designating the sea lanes and air routes for the continuous and expeditious sailing or flight of foreign ships and aircraft exercising the right of innocent passage.

His leadership roles include Deputy Executive Vice President of the Philippine Judges Association and President of the Metropolitan and City Judges Association. Through a Facebook post on Friday, the Presidential Communications Office announced Nebrida's appointment as the new GM of the state-run broadcast network. Nebrida's, who replaces Analisa Puod, will also represent the private sector on PTV's Board of Directors.

Nebrida was a reporter for PTV-4 for a long time, and before his appointment, he served as the spokesperson for the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Charles Dantes

Solons,...

Senator Pimentel who, last we heard, was still the Minority Leader. What gives?” House Assistant Majority Leader and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun said.

“Instead of hitting us, congressmen, the good Senate Minority Leader should welcome our move to applaud the decision of the new Senate leadership to uphold the principles of good governance.

“We really don't understand why Senator Pimentel is mad with us,” Khonghun added.

House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Jil Bongalon of Ako-Bicol Partylist said it was unnecessary for Senator Pimentel to divert the issue by comparing the budget of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“One thing is clear: the House of Representatives, with its over 300 members, does not have a P23-billion building project. Senator Pimentel's attempts to divert scrutiny from the Senate's controversial expenditure by highlighting the House's budget increase are unfounded and misleading,” Bongalon, a lawyer, said.

“Public funds must be utilized transparently and judiciously, irrespective of the agency or branch of government,” he added.

The two lawmakers noted that it is not their responsibility to defend the allocation and expenditure of the Senate's budget.

“There is no need to be onionskinned about the criticisms aimed at the Senate’s spending. As public officials, we must all be open to scrutiny, especially when it concerns the use of taxpayers’ money,” said Rep. Rodge Gutierrez, also a lawyer.

“The public deserves to know why the cost of the NSB has escalated so dramatically, and your role as a senator should include ensuring accountability and transparency, not merely defending controversial projects,” Gutierrez, nominee of 1-Rider party-list group, added.

"Senator Pimentel's defense of the Senate's budgetary allocation on its new building is unnecessary. What we need is transparency and accountability. The question remains: why has the NSB's budget ballooned to P23.3 billion, from its original allocation of P8.9 billion?” Assistant Majority Leader and Rep. Paolo Ortega of La Union, for his part, stated.

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"So far, we have found 18 sets. They are not identical, and we are still in the process of confirming their authenticity," Cruz said.

Some uniforms bore "P.L.A." buttons, suspected to refer to the People's Liberation Army, the armed organization of the Chinese Communist Party.

Additionally, a Chinese military sergeant's badge was found, raising further questions about potential involvement by a veteran Chinese officer.

Cruz emphasized that the PAOCC is looking at questioning former uniformed personnel associated with the POGO.

Retail prices in the National Capital Region range from P53.90 to P84.52 per liter for gasoline, P50.94 to P78.20 per liter for diesel and P71.09 to P81.09 for kerosene.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Cruz earlier revealed that 18 Chinese military uniforms were found in the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) hub in Porac, Pampanga. He shared details of their initial investigation during an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, indicating that the uniforms varied and were still undergoing verification for au-

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Colonel Edwin Portento. Also relieved were nine members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, two from Special Action Force, and one from the Traffic Enforcement Unit, all of whom have been reassigned to Police Regional Office IV-A in Calabarzon.

“We'll see if the warrant was served above board, if it did not

The Armed Forces of the Philippines have suggested that these uniforms might have been used as props in illegal online activities.

violate our) police operational procedure on June 10 that led to this issue of the police actions being a supposed overkill,” she added. The warrants were concurrently served at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Barangay Buhangin, Davao City, the Prayer Mountain in Tamayon, the Glory Mountain in Purok 6, the QSands Baptismal Resort in Samal, and the Kitbog Compound in Malungon, Sarangani.

Six more buildings within the 10-hectare compound remain to be searched following the initial raid last week, which rescued over 150 individuals.

This was implemented as soon as the PNP received information about the possible location of the fugitive pastor, including KOJC members Jackielyn W. Roy, Cresente Canada, Paulene Canada, Ingrid Canada, and Sylvia Cemañes. The PNP spokesperson, however, reiterated that the service of the warrant was “a lawful operation.” Fajardo stressed that the number of officers at the scene was needed in anticipation of possible resis -

“Chinese law prohibits all forms of gambling. The Chinese government strictly cracks down on Chinese citizens engaging in gambling business abroad including POGO,” the embassy said in a statement.

'“POGO is detrimental to both Philippine and Chinese interests and images as well as China-Philippines relations,” it added.

The statement also pointed out that the Chinese government has been coordinating with Philippine authorities regarding Chinese nationals involved in illegal activities in the country. SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2023

tance from Quiboloy’s supporters who were already gathered at the KOJC Compound and armed with a water cannons to prevent police from entering the premises. Armed also with bolos, six members of the KOJC attacked police officers at Glory Mountain and were soon charged with obstruction of justice. The fugitive pastor of the KOJC is facing charges ranging from child trafficking, sexual abuse, to cruelty and exploitation.

Toby Nebrida Jaime Santiago

File photo of the new Senate building in Taguig City. Manny Palmero

IN BRIEF

Sara favors ban on e-gadgets in schools

VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Wednesday said she agrees with a Senate bill seeking to prohibit the use of electronic gadgets and mobile devices within school premises during class hours.

However, Duterte said the gadget ban should only cover personal use, with exceptions made for necessary cases like educational and emergency reasons.

“We’re okay with the banning of gadgets for personal use, (but) subject to exceptions. I understand and have read the draft that there are exceptions, particularly if the gadget is used for learning and teaching,” Duterte told reporters in Davao City.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate education committee, recently filed Senate Bill 2706 or the proposed Electronic Gadget-Free Schools Act.

Caloocan

gov’t

rolls out first housing caravan

THE Caloocan City government on Tuesday rolled out its first Housing Caravan as part of its “Pambansang Pabahay para sa Batang Kankaloo” Program at the city’s sports complex, in accordance with the President’s Executive Order No. 34 Series of 2023.

Under the initial registration for the said program, more than 1500 families especially informal settlers, renters, and other Caloocan City residents without a house of their own will get a chance to avail themselves of the low-cost housing program in the soon-to-rise Bagumbong and Deparo residences.

City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan noted that the Housing Caravan will serve to provide more details to the residents regarding the housing program. Jun David

Suspect in investment scam nabbed in Cavite

THE National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has commended the Paranaque City Police Station for the arrest of a woman allegedly involved in a multimillion-peso investment scam.

NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the suspect, identified as Melinda Lea Adalin, was apprehended in Barangay Julugan in Tanza, Cavite based on warrants issued by Judge Leilani Marie Dacanay-Grimares of Regional Trial Court, Branch 296, and Judge Karen Christine Red-Lock of the Metropolitan Trial Court, Branch 89, both in Parañaque City.

According to Nartatez, the suspect had been evading authorities for over two years. Her arrest was the result of nearly two months of rigorous surveillance and persistent follow-up operations.

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Makati City government has provided 166,677 free and unlimited dialysis sessions to 19,268 Yellow Card holders. This was disclosed by Mayor Abigail Binay who said that Yellow Card holders do not need to pay anything

56 PH schools in THE impact list

THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recognized on Friday the 56 Philippine universities and colleges that made it to the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, noting an increase of 93 percent from last year’s figures.

In a news release, CHED said the results highlight the country’s dedication to integrating the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the academic frameworks and operations of the participating higher education institutions (HEIs).

Several HEIs secured spots within the top 100 for specific SDG goals, highlighting their focused efforts in the following areas: no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean en-

ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. Officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources led by Ma. Antonia Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga, the Environmental Management Bureau, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park meet for a comprehensive evaluation of the aftermath of Kanlaon Volcano’s recent eruptions.

ergy, climate action, peace, justice and strong institutions.

“This collective effort reflects the growing understanding that universities have a vital role to play in addressing global challenges,” said CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera III, lauding the schools’ commitment to global benchmarks and the strategic integration of SDGs into their programs.

“We are witnessing a paradigm shift where universities are actively integrating social development goals into their core

mission,” De Vera added, underlining the vital contribution of education to achieving the UN&’s ambitious goals.

CHED noted that this impressive growth continues a positive trend, marking the sixth consecutive year of increased Philippine representation in these international rankings. Notably, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) remains a strong performer, securing a position in the 201-300 bracket overall.

Meanwhile, Ifugao State University (IFSU) has emerged as a new contender, tying with the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University as one of the top-performing Philippine institutions in its debut ranking, according to the CHED.

The following institutions in alpha-

Mayor Binay says Makati provides dialysis services free of charge

for dialysis sessions because the city shoulders the remaining balance not covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“In Makati, we prioritize the health of our citizens above all. Our unlimited dialysis program is designed to ensure that no resident is deprived of necessary care due to financial constraints,”

Binay said.

The mayor said the humanitarian endeavor demonstrates her administration’s “total commitment to providing essential healthcare services and improving the quality of life of my constituents.”

At the city-run Ospital ng Makati (OsMak), a single dialysis session for non-

Yellow Card holders and non-residents costs between P4,130 and P5,560. These rates at OsMak are much lower than those at private clinics and hospitals. PhilHealth only covers up to P2,600 per session, and patients and their families are responsible for the remaining balance, often making it a financial burden for the patients’ families.

• Ateneo de Manila University • Batangas State University

• Benguet State University

• Biliran Province State University

• Bulacan State University

• Cagayan State University

• Catanduanes State University

• Cavite State University

• Cebu Technological University

• Central Bicol State University of Agriculture

• Central Luzon State University

• Central Philippine University

• Central Philippines State University

• Cordillera Career Development College

• De La Salle University

By Vito Barcelo

A TRAVEL agency was shut down by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for alleged illegal recruitment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Padlocked were the Dreamer Travel and Tours Services located at Paseo del Congreso, Catmon, Malolos City in Bulacan, for allegedly recruiting OFWs for bogus jobs in Europe in exchange for large amounts of fees.

DMW Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, head of the Licensing and Adjudication Services cluster, led the closure operations along with the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) in coordination with the Malolos City police.

“Once again, the Filipino community in Poland proved to be a valuable ally in stopping these illegal activities. We thank them for their vigilance in reporting the illegal activities of High Dreamer to our Migrant Workers Office in Prague (MWO-Prague).”

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said.

Bayanihan sa Barangay hits Malabon

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday brought its Bayanihan sa Barangay program to Barangay Tañong in Malabon City. MMDA personnel spearheaded the conduct of flushing, cleaning, and misting of the Malabon Central Market, in addition to declogging of drainage and repair of drainage, trimming and pruning of trees, sidewalk clearing, painting of yellow box and posting of traffic signage.

They also held seminars on solid waste management, anti-smoking, vaping, anti-littering, disaster preparedness, and traffic management for the residents of the barangay.

In his remarks, MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes said the Bayanihan sa Barangay project is the agency’s way to make its servic -

es more accessible and closer to the people of the metropolis. He underscored the importance of clean-up drives for smoother and undisrupted water flow towards pumping stations to reduce urban flooding.

Aside from the cleaning and clearing operations, the MMDA also brought its mobile material recovery facility (MMRF) where residents can exchange their collected recyclables for grocery items. The agency also installed a one-stop shop inquiry desk where resident motorists can check their traffic-related violations.

Malabon Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, for her part, said the project will show commitment in creating a “safer, cleaner, and more organized community.”

MUSLIM’S ETHNIC SINGKIL.

The Ramon Ubusan folklore dance

Hungary urged to invest in agriculture, tech sectors

By Rey E. Requejo

THE Department of Foreign Affairs urged Hungary to invest in the Philippines, particularly in the fields of agriculture, information and communications technology (ICT), and digital and water technologies.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo made the call after holding a bilateral talk with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.

Manalo also urged his counterpart to explore investment possibilities on renewable energy, green metals, electric vehicle manufacturing, and smart and high-tech light manufacturing.

pines in promoting respect for international law and enhancing joint initiatives in the areas of trade, investment, and climate change,” Manalo said.

There are also other areas of partnership that Manalo and Szijjarto discussed during their meeting.

Manalo cited the education ties between the two countries, considering that “Hungary is also one of our active partners in higher education.”

The DFA Secretary said Manila is confident that Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the EU council, the Philippine-EU talks on FTA “will gain further momentum.”

“We are optimistic that it will also pave the way for a deeper collaboration between the EU, ASEAN and the Philip-

In his remarks, Manalo also thanked Hungary for its support for the resumption of a free trade agreement (FTA) between the Philippines and the European Union.

“The Stipendium Hungaricum Programme has been truly beneficial to the Philippines, annually offering 35 scholarships to Filipinos in such vital fields as natural sciences, agriculture, and public health among others,” he said.

As of now, 142 students have already completed the program, Manalo noted.

Speaker: Build more inclusive vital infrastructure

By Maricel V. Cruz

SPEAKER Martin Romualdez on Friday paid tribute to the solid contributions the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers have made to the nation’s progress through massive infrastructure as he called on them to help

the government achieve “inclusivity and accessibility.”

“In ensuring a better future for Filipinos, we must also focus on inclusivity and accessibility. The infrastructure we build must be designed to meet the needs of all citizens, including those in underserved and remote areas,” he told the members of the 87-year-old organization. Romualdez was the guest of honor of about 5,000 civil engineers, who attended the 2024 PICE Midyear Convention, International Engineering Expo, and Technical Conference at the SMX Convention Center in MOA (Mall of Asia) Complex in Pasay City.

IN BRIEF

W. Visayas inflation rate surges to 4.3%

THE inflation rate in Western Visayas climbed to 4.3 percent as of May, up from April’s 4.1 percent, driven by higher costs in housing and transportation, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This marked a continued rise, with the region’s average inflation rate from January to June 2024 reported at 3.2 percent.

The increase in inflation was largely attribut-

IMMIGRATION agents arrested a South Korean wanted by authorities in Seoul for involvement in financial fraud.

The fugitive, You Hyun Tea was collared in his residence at Cordova, Cebu by operatives from the BI’s fugitive search unit (FSU).

You will soon be sent back to Korea as an order for his summary deportation was

ed to a modest uptick in the housing, electricity, gas, and other fuels sector.

Among the provinces in Western Visayas, Capiz, Guimaras, and Iloilo reported higher inflation rates in May.

Guimaras topped the list with an inflation rate reaching 7 percent, the highest in the region.

Caloy Lozada

SSS launches pension scheme for financial security of Pinoys

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Social Security System has launched a new pension scheme to boost the financial security of Filipinos.

SSS Chairperson and Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the MySSS Pension Booster launched on June 10 will pave the way for “financial freedom for every Filipino worker.”

“This program aligns perfectly well with the national government’s ongoing efforts to ensure financial security for all Filipinos, which is the cornerstone of inclusive growth,” Recto said.

SSS explained the MySSS Pension Booster is a retirement savings program composed of both mandatory and voluntary schemes such as the Work-

ers’ Investment and Savings Program (WISP) and WISP Plus, respectively.

The booster will serve as an additional benefit to the monthly pension from the retirement benefit under the regular SSS program.

The state pension agency said SSS members who do not have a final benefit claim such as total disability, retirement, and death benefit under the regular SSS program, and whose monthly salary credit (MSC) is more than P20,000, are automatically enrolled in the mandatory savings scheme of the MySSS Pension Booster.

Meanwhile, the voluntary savings scheme is open to all SSS members regardless of the MSC, with at least one posted contribution and no final claim yet filed.

already issued by the BI board of commissioners in 2021.

“He was arrested on the strength of a deportation warrant that was issued pursuant to the said deportation order. He was also included in our immigration blacklist which perpetually barred him from re-entering the Philippines,” BI Chief Norman Tansingco said. Vito Barcelo

OCD to hold nat’l earthquake drill June 28

THE second-quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) will be held on June 28.

In a social media post on Friday, the Office of Civil Defense called for the public’s participation in the life-saving activity.

The office has yet to announce the venue and

Sokor wanted for financial fraud nabbed NIR to usher in development

THE creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR), a milestone marked by the recent signing of Republic Act No. 12000, is set to revolutionize business and service delivery across the provinces under its jurisdiction, Senator Joseph

said on Friday.

the scenario for this quarter’s NSED, a quarterly exercise aimed at promoting earthquake awareness and preparedness of the general public.

Earlier, Defense Secretary and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair Gilberto Teodoro Jr. urged the public to take the NSED seriously.

–Jinggoy

“I think it will ease doing business because people who want to invest in sugar mills or agriculture in Negros Occidental will no longer have to travel to Iloilo by ferry for permits and other requirements,” said Ejercito, author and sponsor of the law. Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Good nutrition aids patient recovery’

and even admission time and overall hospitalization costs. This was the consensus reached as experts gathered in a recent roundtable discussion coorganized by Stratbase Institute, an international think tank, and the advocacy group Universal Health Care Watch. They discussed the importance of strengthening nutrition integration in the health system, starting with the evaluation of the Nutrition Care Process in the Philippines. Participants included officials from the Department of Health(DOH), the Board of Nutrition and Dietetics of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), healthcare professionals, academics, civil society organizations, and patient advocates. Dr. Emmie Liza Perez-Chiong, DOH Undersecretary for Health Regulation and Facility Development, opened the discussion by highlighting that the Nutrition and Dietetics Law mandates the provision of medical nutrition therapy to patients through the Nutrition Care Process (NCP).

Victor Ejercito

ACHIEVED. The National Food Authority hits more than 100 percent of its target palay (unhusked rice) procurement for the first half of the year with 3,363,100 bags or 168,155 metric tons, according to Administrator Larry Lacson. Photo shows an NFA warehouse in San Ildefonso, Bulacan during an inspection on June 7. Joan Bondoc

RUNNING FOR A CAUSE. The Bank of the Philippine Islands hosts the BPI #BestLifeRun Corporate Race 2024, the country’s first corporate running event as part of activities to celebrate its Sustainability Awareness Month. BPI executives at the starting line include (from left): Ococ Ocliasa, Head of Business Banking; Cathy Santamaria, Chief Customer and Marketing Officer; Eric Luchangco, Chief Finance Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer; TG Limcaoco, President and CEO; and Chinky Lucban, Head of Corporate Strategy, Investor Relations, and Sustainability. Manny Palmero

KEY INFRA. Speaker Martin Romualdez asks Filipino engineers to help the administration in building more vital infrastructures that would help uplift the lives of Filipinos during the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) Midyear Convention, International Engineering Expo and Technical Conference at the SMX Convention Center Friday morning in Pasay City.

OPINION

Escudero fixing Senate subservience, sanity

THIS piece is being written on June 12, supposed Independence Day of the Philippines.

Independence was true during the 25 years of the senior Marcos but lasted only until February 1986.

(Editor’s Note: Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was president from Dec. 31, 1965 to Feb 25, 1986, or 20 years and two months).

President Duterte restored it, until his term ended in 2022.

While his legacy lingered for eight months longer, Bongbong Marcos pivoted in Feb. 2023 to vassalage under the United States of America and embraced its “Forever Wars” agenda.

This year’s Independence Day is “Hindipendence,” a pun on “hindi” meaning “No” in Pilipino and “independence” for “No independence.”

Bongbong Marcos has set the country on the course of a US proxy war with China, as well as separation from the ASEAN, isolation from the burgeoning BRICS Plus comprising 46 percent of world population, 37 percent of global GDP, 45 percent of global oil and natural gas supply and over 50 percent of grain production and growing. The consequence of BBM’s submission to the US is debasement of the country’s sovereignty where the President’s order to “ease tension” in the South China Sea with China, “operationalized” by its loyal commander Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, was countermanded by a mere Task Force-WPS spokesman Comm. Jay Tarriela and had the admiral fired. Then BBM follows US orders to serve a prop to “proxy-dent” Zelenskyy to the sham NATO-Swiss peace summit.

As bad as “proxy-dent” BBM is the Philippines Senate whose dual-citizens like Poe and Tulfo to the ones of great conviction like Estrada and Revilla, all baying at the moon, the Americans train their loyal canines to wail against China.

Festering in the Senate are empty political grandstanding, anti-China posturings, and covering up national POGO shenanigans with Alice Guo probes, but silence reigned on real issues like the Senate’s corruption monument of the overpriced P23billion New Senate Bldg.

It seems now, however, a wind of change is blowing through the Senate halls after a recent change in its leadership.

The change didn’t seem like much at first, like the usual musical chairs of politicians in shifting interests of political factions.

But the new Senate leadership is stunning us cynics of Philippine Senate and its corrupt US vassalage politics as a new, apparently courageous, independent and rational rhetoric is being heard from the Senate President’s rostrum.

Senator Chiz Escudero made his first public statement as Senate President on May 20, 2024 upon swearing in.

Words expressing ritual genuflection to

colleagues and the government hierarchy, and conciliatory words to displaced colleagues.

Reviewing his press brought me to discover his statement prior to his installation, dated May 9, 2024 where he urged the Philippine Navy to “buy boats for disaster response and relief instead of submarines” showing wisdom, absent in corrupt pols and AFP officers.

Austerity is a word that has long been missing from our government officials’ vocabulary but is one of the main planks of our “think tank” Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute’s (ACPSSII) “unfinished revolution” programs to restore the vitality of the Philippines’ economy, governance and society.

Chiz may truly restore Philippine sovereignty against the one-anda-half year of USproxies’ domination of Philippine foreign relations

Rescue and hospital ships instead of subs are austerity measures, and, surprisingly, Chiz Escudero has some more delightful gifts from his pronouncements.

Truly pleasant to our corruption-weary eyes and ears is Chiz’ announcement as Senate president suspending construction of the new Senate building in Taguig City.

(Let’s say “Cheeze” to that.)

Awarded to Hilmarc, Binay clan’s contractor with a record of “phasing construction work to hide creeping costs increases” bloated the cost from P 4.8-B to P 23.5-B from 2014 to the present.

The question in many minds is how much kickbacks the ardent supporters like Gatchalian, Lacson, Binay et al. got?

Finally, what makes Chiz “Estar como un queso” or “attractive and desirable as cheese” are his pronouncements on June 6 and 9 calling for “Philippine-China dialogue” and that “long history of cooperation should help ease PH-China tensions over WPS.”

This has earned Chiz the ire of the vast network of US proxy-think tankers and media when ANC broadcast Stratbase’s Dindo Manhit said Chiz will be “accountable” for his views on China and the SCS.

Chiz may truly restore Philippine sovereignty against the one-and-a-half year of US-proxies’ domination of Philippine foreign relations and the Malacañang proxydent’s servility.

Once more now, say “Chiz.” (rpkapunan@gmail.com)

Kevin Tan

By Melandrew T. Velasco

and Newport:

A whole new world

ONE fine evening in June, I attended a gratitude dinner and found myself in good company in one of the trendiest restaurants in Metro Manila.

It was a celebratory night out for PAGCOR chairman-CEO Al Tengco, the toast of the corporate world for garnering the Global Gaming Award as “Executive of the Year.” Keeping us company were Kevin Tan, the Big Boss of Newport City, his beautiful and erudite chief of staff Ms. Jane, the Oh brothers Bryan and Tiger and Zeal 7 Rays Chairman Seonghan Kim.

We also had the chance to meet the two new officers of Travellers International Hotel Group, owner and operator of Newport World Resorts: Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez as president/ CEO and Lance Gautreaux as COO, effective June 1, 2024 who were briefly introduced to the group. Tan’s two appointees have finalized the year-long transition plan and he is now in full control of the operations.

Good company deserved good food, if not the best. It was most appropriate that the dinner was at Tiger Kitchen, a place of gastronomic delight within the sprawling Newport City complex, officially the Newport World Resorts owned by H&H Chairman Bryan Oh.

At the dinner table, I was seated beside Kevin Tan whom I found to be cool, and

upbeat with a good sense of humor.

After the customary handshake, I congratulated him for his “excellent leadership, outstanding performance and innovations at the Newport City.”

At 44 years old, Tan had that look of a man of decisive action but neither cocky nor impudent.

The Newport complex is a thriving community that caters to the lifestyles of the rich and middle class alike

Kevin is his own man, but he looks up to his role model -- no other than his father, real estate magnate Andrew Tan who pioneered the integrated township development that came to be romanticized as the “live, work, play” concept.

Incidentally, Forbes estimated his father’s “real time net worth” at $1.8 billion (as of June 11, 2024), ranking him among the 10 richest Filipinos.

Father and son expressed their relationship as partners and discussed their trendsetting business practices in a March 2021 interview with The Wealth Report maga-

DClose them down

EFENSE

Secretary Gilberto Teodoro

Jr. has raised the warning board on illegal offshore gaming operators in the country, the echoes of his decibel unsparingly vibrating with jabbing disquietude.

The 60-year-old Teodoro boomed out the warning criminals posing as center points of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators or POGOs have become national security concerns.

POGOs are online gambling firms operating in the Philippines but cater to customers outside the country. Licensed by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), these nerve centers can operate legally.

“The concern is that we should stop these syndicated criminal activities operating out of our base, which weaken our financial standing, our country ratings, [which] corrupt our society,” Teodoro said.

Offshore gambling in the Philippines on a large scale dates back to 2003 but it was only in 2016 when POGOs began receiving official li-

censes from PAGCOR.

According to the Presidential AntiOrganized Crime Commission, 300 illegal POGOs continued to operate although licenses from PAGCOR have expired.

“When they felt their license won’t be renewed anymore due to violations they were committing, they decided not to reapply…These entities don’t want to be regulated,” PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said.

300 illegal POGOs continued to operate although licenses from PAGCOR have expired

PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco said 255 former POGOs are running illegally although their licenses had been rescinded in September 2023 due to criminal activities – from 298 POGOs in 2023, the number plunged to 43 active licensees today.

“We found that many of those who have this license were not operating as overseas gaming. They used PAGCOR’s license for criminal activities, like credit card fraud, investment fraud, cryptocurrency fraud, love

match and love scam fraud,” he said.

To differentiate legitimate operators from illegal POGOs, PAGCOR now refers to its overseas gaming operators as IGLs, or Internet Gaming Licensees, Tengco said.

In February, a House panel approved a bill seeking to ban POGOs in the country, but it has yet to be tackled at the plenary.

“There is a process...We will listen to all stakeholders about their position on the issue, and then we will weigh in on what we should do,” Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

The crackdown on these hubs has been prompted by reports of POGOrelated crimes like human trafficking, torture, kidnapping, and fraudulent activities like credit card, crypto investment, and “love scams” -- when criminals adopt fake online identities to persuade victims to give them money.

Some said POGOS have contributed P5.2 billion to public funds in 2023 and their closure would negatively impact 25,000 Filipino employees. What an abominable and limping argument, that one, considering the poking social costs.

To borrow Steve McGarrett’s signature expression to his sidekick Danny Williams in the television police drama Hawaii Five-O in the 60s, we say “Book-em Danno.”

Iranians seek guidance from ancient poetry of Hafez

SHIRAZ, Iran – When Iranians worry about life’s big questions, many seek answers in the works and wisdoms of Persia’s most revered poet, Hafez -- sometimes with the help of a parakeet.

Retired housewife Mitra, 61, had questions about whether her son married the right woman, so she went to the tomb of Iran’s beloved 14th-century bard in the southern city of Shiraz.

Seeking guidance, she visited a fortune-teller there, one of many who offer advice with the help of Hafez’s collected works, a book of odes known as the Divan.

After sharing her concern, Mitra watched anxiously as the fortune-teller thumbed through the thick tome, opened it on a random page and pointed his finger at one verse.

He read it out and then explained its metaphors and mystical insights. Mitra’s face lit up -- the message was positive, and domestic harmony lay ahead.

“I finally did the consultation today for my son, because I had doubts on whether his marriage was a good decision,” she said in the garden of the Hafez mausoleum.

After the nod of approval for her daughter-in-law from within Iran’s ancient lyrical treasure trove, she said: “I finally regained hope.”

Some Iranian fortune-tellers, known as falgir, offer a special service to truly randomize the selection of the all-important Hafez verse.

Chirpy parakeets known as “love birds” hop across stacks of colorful envelopes that contain his enigmatic poems and pick one out with their tiny beaks. Rich poetic tradition

As Hafez devotees thronged into the mausoleum to pay their respects, another person seeking advice was Hamidah, a 44-year-old chemistry professor.

“I always ask Hafez for help and consult him,” she said. “I can’t explain this

zine. Andrew Tan depicted Kevin, his firstborn, as a fast learner and an obedient son: “Kevin is keen on exploring even more opportunities for innovation, especially in digital technology.

“Throughout the pandemic, innovating through digital transformation programs was one way that allowed us to quickly adapt to the new realities of doing business.”

Kevin himself said he owed a lot from his father.

“I am very grateful to him for patiently imparting his experience and wisdom. He taught us the value of hard work, excellence in everything that you do, integrity, humility and compassion for those who have less in life.

“It is very difficult to disagree with a visionary who has a purpose you are completely aligned with.”

Since that interview, much has been said and written about Kevin Tan and his Newport City since it opted for rebranding in

with the laws of physics, but it’s a reality for me.”

Poetry enjoys immense popularity in Iran, where timeless verses on love and spirituality can be found woven into carpets, engraved in jewelry and emblazoned on street billboards.

The nation prides itself on its masters such as Rumi, Saadi, Khayyam and Ferdowsi, who wrote the epic Book of Kings, preserving Iran’s pre-Islamic heritage through mythical tales and legends.

“They are our national figures and the creators of our culture,” said Farshad, a 41-year-old doctor.

Early 20th-century poetry gave voice to social protest and faced censorship under the former monarchy, including the works of dissident poets Ahmad Shamlou, Forough Farrokhzad and Simin Behbahani.

Some Iranian fortunetellers, known as falgir, offer a special service to truly randomize the selection of the allimportant Hafez verse

But no Iranian poet has enjoyed enduring and universal adoration like Hafez, and a well-worn copy of his Divan compendium is found in most households.

People from all walks of life regularly cite his lyrical wisdoms, mostly on the themes of love and wine and ironic takes on the hypocrisy of holy men.

His poetry is recited during Nowruz, the New Year, and other celebrations such as the winter solstice festival.

“We start the year with the poems of Hafez,” said Maryam Youssefi, a 46-year-old housewife, for advice on

July 2022, from Resorts World Manila to Newport World Resorts.

Within Newport’s sprawling complex are hotels like Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Hotel Okura, and Holiday Inn Express, cinemas, a performing arts theater, an upscale mall, casinos, residential area, a church, a supermarket, vast retail and recreational facilities, and dining places.

There’s also a link bridge to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City. The Newport complex is a thriving community that caters to the lifestyles of the rich and middle class alike. Name it, they have it. Well, almost.

Only Last June 3, Kevin wore a new hat as president of Alliance Global Inc., probably in preparation for greater responsibilities in the holding company controlled by his father.

News sources say Kevin Tan is the concurrent Chief Executive Officer and

what it “has in store for us”.

Fortune-tellers, known as falgir, who interpret Hafez, can be found across Iran, but especially at his tomb, set amid rose gardens in Shiraz, 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Tehran.

The tradition of Hafez bibliomancy -using his ancient wisdoms for divination and guidance -- is known as Fal-e Hafez. ‘Ambiguous and multifaceted’ Hafez lived during a turbulent era of Persia’s history, and his contemplative verses often spoke of pain and human suffering as well as religious hypocrisy.

His influences can be found far beyond Iran in the works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Ralph Waldo Emerson, among others.

Hafez has remained a venerated figure after the 1979 Islamic revolution, even if some senior clerics have voiced disapproval of the Fal-e Hafez tradition.

In recent years, one criticized it as out of line with Islamic sharia law and urged people against “following Hafez’s divinations.”

Nonetheless, devotees keep flocking to Shiraz, and Hafez poetry reading sessions still draw large crowds, while the divination custom remains alive and well. Many Iranians swear by it while others “practice the tradition without really believing in it,” said Ahmad Akbarpour, a writer and poet from Shiraz.

Mostafa Eskandari, a 67-year-old fortune-teller, says he learned Hafez’s poetry by heart and has been interpreting it for over 30 years.

“Hafez’s poems are ambiguous and multifaceted. They can be interpreted in different ways,” he said. Yet the master of old speaks to everyone individually, said Eskandari.

“If a thousand people each set an intention and open the book of odes together, each will receive a different response.” AFP

Vice-Chairman of AG and also serves as a director in subsidiaries of the company, including publicly listed Megaworld Corporation, Emperador, Inc., Empire East Land Holdings, Inc., Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. and MREIT, Inc. Tan has a bachelor’s degree in Humanities with Professional Certificate in Management from the University of Asia and the Pacific.

My writer’s sense tells me Kevin Tan, a game changer like his long-time friend PAGCOR Chairman Al Tengco, will in no time be able to turn Newport into a premier destination and No. 1 leisure and gaming complex in this country. For Kevin Tan, the die has been cast, actually. I wish him good luck. (The author, a writer and publisher of coffee-table books., is the president/executive director of the Million Trees Foundation Inc, a non-government outfit advocating tree planting and watershed protection.)

turns to simmering tensions with China

Battles rage in Rafah; Biden blames Hamas for truce delay

PALESTINIAN Territories – Israeli helicopters struck Rafah on Thursday, residents said, with militants reporting street battles in the southern Gazan city as US President Joe Biden called Hamas the “biggest hang-up” to another truce.

Tensions were also soaring on Israel’s northern border, with more attacks by Hamas ally Hezbollah targeting military positions and a civilian reported killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon.

Israeli ground forces have operated in Rafah since early May, despite widespread alarm over the fate of Palestinian civilians there and an International Court of Justice ruling later that month.

Western areas of Rafah came under heavy fire on Thursday, residents said.

“There was very intense fire from warplanes, Apaches (helicopters) and

quadcopters, in addition to Israeli artillery and military battleships, all of which were striking the area west of Rafah,” one told AFP.

Hamas said its fighters were battling Israeli troops on the streets of the city near the besieged Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt.

In Italy at a G7 summit, Biden called Hamas “the biggest hang-up so far” to a deal on a Gaza truce and hostage release. AFP

BARI, Italy – G7 leaders turned their attention to China Friday on the second day of an Italy summit, with a focus on how to protect their industries while avoiding an outright trade war with Beijing.

Fair trade with the world’s secondlargest economy, notably on green technology, was scheduled to be discussed by US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Britain in Puglia.

The Group of Seven rich democracies will also be seeking a common response to China’s alleged support of Russia’s military expansion, which Washington says is fueling the war in Ukraine.

“G7 countries are on the same page vis-a-vis China,” a Japanese government source told AFP.

The meeting comes amid souring trade relations between China and the West, exemplified by the European Union’s announcement this week of plans to impose new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

The US, Japan and the European Union -- which attends G7 summits as an unofficial eighth partner -- have all voiced concern over China’s so-called “industrial overcapacity.”

They say generous subsidies by Beijing, particularly in green energy and technology sectors such as solar panels and electric vehicles, result in unfairly cheap goods flooding the global market.

That excess capacity threatens Western companies struggling to compete, particularly in the growing green tech sector.

Meanwhile, Switzerland is undertaking a major security operation around this weekend’s summit on Ukraine, aiming to ward off not only physical threats but also cyberattacks and misinformation. AFP

IN BRIEF

Indian kin grieve

as bodies of 45 fire victims return

KOCHI, India – Grieving families kept a solemn vigil in the terminal of an Indian airport Friday as the bodies of dozens of migrant workers killed in a Kuwait building fire returned home.

Wednesday’s dawn blaze quickly engulfed a housing block home to some of the many foreign laborers servicing the oil-rich gulf state’s economy.

Fifty people died in the resulting inferno, 45 of them Indians and three Filipinos, with dozens more hospitalized and anguished relatives back home frantically chasing news of whether their loved

ones had perished.

“We held on to hope till the last minute that maybe he got out, maybe he’s in the hospital,” Anu Aby, the neighbor of 31-year-old victim Cibin Abraham, told AFP.

Three Filipinos were also among the dead, with the country’s migrant workers secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac saying authorities in Manila were in touch with next of kin.

The blaze was one of the worst seen in Kuwait, which borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia and sits on about seven percent of the world’s known oil reserves.

flagged, Ukrainian-owned, Polishoperated ship -- “reported damage and subsequent fires on board. The crew continues to fight the fire. One civilian mariner was severely injured during the attack,” the US Central Command said in a statement.

“Aircraft from USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) medically evacuated the injured mariner to a partner force ship nearby for medical attention,” CENTCOM said. AFP

LONDON – The Conservative party of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has fallen behind the hard-right anti-immigration Reform UK party for the first time in a poll by YouGov, which called the development a “seismic shift.”

The new poll, conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, shows Brexiteer Nigel Farage’s Reform with 19 percent support going into national elections next month, compared to the Conservatives’ 18 percent. Both are trailing far behind the center-left Labor party. YouGov noted it was “worth keeping sight of the fact these figures are well within the margin of error of one another -- we will not be able to tell for some time whether Reform can sustain or improve their position relative to the Conservatives.” Still, it added: “The fact that Nigel Farage’s party are neck and neck with the governing Conservatives is a seismic shift in the voting landscape.” The poll showed the Labor party, led by Keir Starmer, still in a commanding lead at 37 percent, in line with other surveys that have put it some 20 points ahead for nearly two years.

Given the hefty and sustained polling lead, Starmer is widely expected to become the next prime minister.AFP

AFP

PRAYING MOURNERS. Mourners kneel down while Ukrainian servicemen carry the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman, photographer Arsen Fedosenko, who was killed in the Kharkiv region, at Saint Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv, on Thursday amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. The military will protect infrastructure, provide air transport and reconnaissance, conduct surveillance and interventions on the lake, and offer logistics and command support. AFP

HEAVY FIRE. An Israeli soldier inspects the cannon of a tank around a position along Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Hamas said its fighters were battling Israeli troops on the streets of the city near the besieged Gaza Strip’s border with Egypt. In Italy at a G7 summit, US president Biden called Hamas ‘the biggest hang-up so far’ to a deal on a Gaza truce and hostage release. AFP

RELATIVES IN GRIEF. Policemen stand guard as mourning relatives await coffins of the deceased arriving on an Indian Air Force plane from Kuwait at the Cochi International Airport Friday. Grieving families kept a solemn vigil in the terminal as the bodies of 45 Indians – 50 foreigners, including three Filipinos died in the blaze – killed in the Kuwait building fire returned home. AFP

SPORTS

‘Fun’ key to Mavs’ bid for comeback, says Doncic

LOS ANGELES—Dallas superstar

Luka Doncic says the Mavericks must set aside the enormity of the task facing them in the NBA Finals and get back to having fun if they are to mount an unprecedented comeback against Boston.

The Slovenian fouled out with just over four minutes remaining in game three on Wednesday and could only watch from the bench as the Celtics thwarted the Mavs’ late rally for a 106-99 victory and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.

Dallas head into game four on Friday knowing no team has come back from 0-3 down to win an NBA playoff series.

If they are to become the first, Doncic said, they must forget their frustrations with the officiating, forget history and play the freewheeling game that saw them cut a 21-point deficit to one in the fourth quarter in game three.

“Go back to playing fun,” Doncic said of the message after Dallas studied the game three film on Thursday.

“We talk about how we come back from (21) points in the fourth quarter in the Finals. We were having fun. We were defending. We were running. Our pace was great. Just taking good shots.”

Doncic fouled out for just the third time in his career and for the first time in the post-season, but he’s made a habit of appealing to and arguing with game officials throughout his NBA career.

He’s said before it’s a habit he should break, and he admitted again on Thursday that complaining to game officials -- sometimes to the detriment of his attention on the game in progress -- was counter-productive since officials will always “have the last word”.

“I just really want to win,” Doncic said.

“Sometimes I don’t show it the right way, but at the end of the day, I really want to win. I’ve got to do a better job showing it a different way.” AFP

PH to host inaugural FIFA Futsal World Cup

By Peter Atencio

THE Philippines is bracing for the staging of the inaugural 2025 FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup.

Officials of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) have been meeting with the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), almost a month after the country was handed the hosting rights.

“The FIFA Council approved the hosting rights to the Philippines. It will become the first tournament of this category in FIFA history,” said Jaime Yarza, director of FIFA tournaments.

Yarza and a group of officials from the FIFA have been meeting with PFF and its president John Anthony Gutierrez ever since the Philippines won the

ArenaPlus cited one of Asia’s

DIGIPLUS Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus)—the fastest-growing digital entertainment company in the country— continues to dominate the iGaming sector in the country with its awardwinning platforms.

ArenaPlus, DigiPlus’s 24/7 sportsbook app, was recently awarded the “Best Sportsbook Operator for 2024” by SIGMA Group, an international events and media organization focused on iGaming, emerging tech, digital health, and affiliate marketing.

During the SIGMA Asia Awards 2024 held recently in Manila, ArenaPlus was among those recognized for its contributions in the digital entertainment industry, particularly its innovations in the online betting scene in the country.

“We are honored to receive this recognition and thank the SIGMA Group for providing this opportunity to showcase innovation and creativity in the flourishing gaming industry. This in-

spires us to push ourselves to continue to innovate and revolutionize Filipinos’ entertainment experience,” said DigiPlus President Andy Tsui.

Aside from the awards night, DigiPlus also joined the largest gaming show in Asia: the SIGMA Asia Convention, which provided different platforms and activities to showcase and exhibit the brands’ full potential.

The company, under its products BingoPlus and ArenaPlus, hosted a media lounge to cater to on-ground media activities and to ensure brand presence in local and international media releases. ArenaPlus also provided support for the Startup Pitch section, which focused on showcasing and championing emerging startups, providing a prime platform for projects to shine.

On top of these milestones, DigiPlus also bagged multiple awards from the 9th Global Good Governance Awards or 3G Awards held last April in Taguig City.

hosting rights last May 15. Yarza and Gutierrez discussed the hosting during a presser at Citadines Bay City Manila in Pasay City. Gutierrez, who was with FIFA Head of Futsal and Beach Football Kasra Haghighi and FIFA Futsal Manager Laura Cusco, said the Philippines beat five other countries seeking to host the meet. Some of the countries which sought the hosting rights were Italy, Brazil and Finland.

“The Brazilians and the Spanish who are on top of the world rankings, dreaming of someday making it to

the World Cup of futsal. Now the Philippines is there. We don’t have to worry about qualification,” said Gutierrez.

Host Philippines will be among the countries which will join as the PFF finalizes the game venues, which could at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the Philsports Arena in Pasay City, and a newly built indoor turf at the SM Mall of Asia of Cebu.

“We won’t worry about qualification. We’re there,” added Gutierrez.

The 16 teams will be divided into four groups of four.The top two squads from each group will advance to the knockout phase, which will be made up of the quarterfinals, semifinals, a third-place play-off, and the final match.

Haghighi and his group are still scouting other possible venues throughout the country.

Quezon wrests solo MPBL lead; Zambo, Manila also triumph

QUEZON Province trounced Caloocan, 66-56, on Thursday to grab the solo lead in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Caloocan Sports Complex. With the count tied at 35, the Quezon Huskers clustered 12 points, the last eight by Jason Opiso, to pull away, 47-35, and went on to extend their winning streak to 11 in the round-robin elimination phase of the 29-team tournament.

The Huskers moved ahead of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (10) and kept their distance from the Pampanga Giant Lanterns (11-1).

Judel Fuentes led the Huskers with 15 points, 3 assists and 2 rebounds, complementing the 13-point, 11-rebound effort of Ximone Sandagon and Opiso’s 10 points plus 3 rebounds.

Caloocan, which led at 20-14, dropped to 6-4 as the Batang Kankaloo’s guns misfired, with Reil Cervantes and Rommel Calahat emerging top scorers with 9 and 8 points, respectively.

Other games saw Zamboanga subdue Sarangani, 90-83, and Manila drub Imus, 96-58. Powered by Joseph Gabayni and Bong Galanza, Zamboanga Master Sardines pulled away at 84-55 before cruising to its 10th win against 3 losses. Gabayni wound up with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 3 assists while Galanza finished with 13 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds.

New MMORPG ‘Tree of Savior: Neverland’ reveals 1st look across Asia

AFTER a devoted four-year development cycle, the much-anticipated MMORPG mobile game “Tree of Savior: Neverland” has unveiled a series of hand-drawn concept art today, signaling an imminent release across multiple Asian regions within the year.

This title continues the legacy of the “Tree of Savior” franchise, not merely transplanting the desktop experience but enhancing it with bold and innovative gameplay designs set against a Norse mythology backdrop. The classic 2.5D perspective and illustrative art style have been lovingly preserved, ensuring that fans and avid MMORPG players alike are in for a treat.

Crafting a Brand New “Second Life MMO” Experience

Immersing themselves for over four years, the development team behind “Tree of Savior: Neverland” is led by none other than Kim Hakkyu, the revered creator of the immensely iconic MMORPG “Ragnarok.”

The team also includes core members who contributed to the wildly popular and endearing MMORPG “Laplace M”, which boasts downloads in the tens of millions throughout Asia. As die-hard fans of both “Ragnarok” and the “Tree of Savior” series, the team is committed to delivering a fresh vibe that captivates both new and veteran players. Innovations in gameplay to amplify role-playing enjoyment and breathe life into the ingame experience. Life Skills Matter! Chefs and Craftsmen Can Become MVPs Too In this new installment, players can go beyond combat-centric classes such as warriors, mages, and healers by developing various life professions

like Chef and Craftsman. Every profession can produce unique high-level items not found with NPCs, integrating them into combat, adventure, and social support systems. Picture a master Chef concocting unexpected battlefield delicacies that can turn the tide of combat, clinching the MVP spot; or an Alchemist not only brewing top-tier potions but also mixing rare dyes that set the server’s fashion trends.

“Embark on Adventures, Return Home to Live!” Role-Playing Gets a Major Upgrade

In “Tree of Savior: Neverland”, the fun doesn’t stop at adventuring; it extends to enjoying a rich in-game lifestyle. The materials gathered during adventures serve dual purposes, enhancing combat abilities but also for enriching daily life and social interactions, making both aspects enjoyable and interconnected. For example, set traps in the wild to domesticate a fearsome raccoon as your cute home guardian; turn mushrooms collected after a rainstorm in the forest into whimsical trampoline furni-

ture for your dreamy Home; cook up a gourmet feast with rare fish caught from a battle with a boss on an icy lake to share with friends; and after a day of questing, visit your buddies’ Homes to experience the diverse cultural ambience of Asia—unlocking different roles and experiences to your heart’s content!

Tree of Savior: Neverland Co-creation Project Underway - Paint the New MMO World Together Meanwhile, the official game team has launched the Tree of Savior: Neverland Co-creation Project, inviting players from all over Asia to contribute to a single painting board. This initiative represents true co-creation among MMO gamers, where outstanding ideas can earn tangible rewards and might even be incorporated into the game. Click the link at the end of this article to join the event!

To stay updated with more news on “Tree of Savior: Neverland,” follow the official game community channels and stand a chance to win a limited-edition Mount exclusive to Asia.

Luka Doncic

Judel Fuentes delivers for the Quezon Huskers.

Andy Tsui, president of DigiPlus Interactive Corp. (DigiPlus), receives on behalf the country’s fastest-growing digital entertainment company, the ‘Best Sportsbook Operator for 2024’ for ArenaPlus—the 24/7 sportsbook app of DigiPlus—during the recent SIGMA Asia Awards held in Manila. SIGMA Group is an international events and media organization focused on iGaming, emerging tech, digital health, and a liate marketing.

Shown here are (from left) Laura Cusco, FIFA Futsal Manager; Jaime Yarza, FIFA director for tournaments; PFF president John

Anthony Gutierrez; and Kasra Haghighi, FIFA head of Olympic Futsal and Beach Football

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor

RANDY M. CALUAG, Asst. Editor

EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

McIlroy fires bogey-free 65, shares lead with Cantlay

PINEHURST—Rory McIlroy sank

a birdie putt from just inside 20 feet at the 18th hole to complete a fiveunder-par 65 first round and match Patrick Cantlay for the lead at the US Open on Thursday.

World number three McIlroy, chasing his first major victory since the 2014 PGA Championship, delivered a bogey-free round at Pinehurst, defying its dome-shaped greens, sandy waste areas and wiregrass.

“I’m delighted with the start,” McIlroy said.

“As the week goes on the golf course is going to get a bit faster and a bit firey, but right now, there’s opportunities out there and thankfully I was able to take advantage of them.

“I think more so this championship than the others, getting off to a good start is really important to try to keep yourself up there. Because you need to give yourself as much of a cushion as possible knowing what’s lurking around the corner.”

America’s ninth-ranked Cantlay, a back-nine starter, birdied three of his last five holes for an early 65 and with McIlroy took a one-stroke lead over Sweden’s sixth-ranked Ludvig Aberg, Masters runner-up in his major debut, with France’s Matthieu Pavon and American Bryson DeChambeau sharing fourth on 67.

“It’s the US Open. It’s supposed to be hard,” Aberg said. “That’s what we’re doing here.”

McIlroy, a 30-year-old from Northern Ireland, sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole then chipped in brilliant ly from just off the green for a birdie at the par-5 fifth.

The four-time major winner added a birdie putt from just inside seven feet at the par-5 10th then birdied two of the last three holes, sinking an 11-footer at the par-4 16th and then his tensionpacked putt at 18.

Scheffler one over;

Woods struggles

“I think the one thing we got a little lucky with today was the cloud cover, so the golf course didn’t get as fiery as I expected,” McIlroy said.

“The nice thing is to go out there and take advantage of the conditions and get back out in the morning and try to keep the momentum going.” AFP

Young golfers ready to shine at PH junior golf Visayas Series

YOUNG golfers from the southern Philippines are set to showcase their talent and skills in a competitive yet fun environment as the three-leg Junior Philippine Golf Tour (JPGT) Visayas Series begins on Monday (June 17) at the Iloilo Golf Club in Iloilo City.

Sean Sinfuego, Rinz Vesinica and Srixon Sequito are among the early entries in the boys’ 16-18 age category, ready for a four-day contest of shotmaking, putting and nerve in the tournament serving as the first of three scheduled in the region by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. (PGTI). On the girls’ side, Hannah Bernardo, Rhiena Vesinica and Necky Tortosa lead the pack in the centerpiece stroke-play tournament, which spans various age categories.

The series is a significant step in elevating junior golf in the Visayas and providing a platform for young golfers to compete at a high level and gain valuable experience.

Established to cultivate talent and promote camaraderie, the JPGT, sponsored by ICTSI, operates independently from other junior golf organizations.

The series will continue with two more tournaments hosted in Bacolod, including the JPGT Visayas Series 2 on June 24-27 at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Murcia, and the Series 3 on July 1-4 at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.

Catantan heads to Venice for intensive training camp

By Randy Caluag

SAMANTHA Catantan, the sole Filipino fencer to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics, is set to embark on a two-week training camp in Venice, Italy.

The camp will be conducted under the guidance of her Penn State University coach, Matteo Zennaro, who organized the fencing sessions to ensure Catantan’s peak performance.

Following her training in Venice, Catantan will proceed to Metz, France, where she will join her fellow Filipino Olympians.

In Metz, her preparations will continue under the watchful eye of her longtime mentor, Rolando ‘Amat’ Canlas. These sessions are crucial as Catantan gears up for the fencing competition set to begin on July 28, just two days after the Opening Ceremony, with 34 top fencers competing in the women’s individual foil category.

After enjoying a three-week vacation filled with family gatherings, activities with supporters and sponsors, and the processing of travel documents, Catantan took off for Italy on Wednesday night.

During her break, she also had the chance to meet Percival Alger, a notable Filipino fencer who competed in the individual sabre event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, and PSC Commissioner Wawit Torres, who competed in the 1992 Barcelona Ol ympics. Alger, who placed 37th out of 40 participants in Seoul, was recently in Manila to receive an award alongside Catantan and Torres at the College of St. Benilde’s Sports and Dorm Complex.

Both Alger and Torres extended their best wishes to Catantan as she prepares for her Olympic debut.

The 22-year-old Catantan secured her spot in Paris by clinching the gold medal in women’s foil at the Asian & Oceania Olympic Qualification Tournament last April in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Celtics take nothing for granted on brink of NBA title

LOS ANGELES—Jayson Tatum has known since he was drafted by the Celtics in 2017 that the measure of success in Boston is an NBA title, but he’s not chalking up championship No. 18 just yet.

“Even now, up 3-0, nobody is celebrating or anything,” Tatum said Thursday, a day after the Celtics thwarted a late Dallas rally to beat the Mavericks 106-99 and take a stranglehold on the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

They’ve piled up 10 straight playoff victories, including a sweep of the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals and can close out the Mavericks in Dallas on Friday.

But even though no team has rallied from 0-3 down to win an NBA playoff series, Tatum said he and his Celtics teammates will remain focused only on playing better in game four.

“We still feel like there’s a lot more

By Dennis Abrina

that we can do,” Tatum said. “There’s a lot more that we want to do.”

The Celtics are currently tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for most NBA titles all-time with 17.

They last lifted the trophy in 2008, and Tatum and teammate Jaylen Brown were on the team that had a chance for No. 18 two years ago but came up short against the Golden State Warriors in a title series that Boston led 2-1 before dropping the last three games.

Vying for redemption last season, the Celtics fell in seven games to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

“I think from our experiences over the past couple of years, the thing that we’ve really gotten a lot better at is not relaxing, not being complacent,” Tatum said. Brown said the “embarrassment”

of falling in game seven, on their home floor, to Miami last year had fueled him this season.

“It drove me all summer, drove me crazy,” he said.

Tatum called last season “a great learning experience.”

“For one, to not take things for granted,” he said. “You’re never promised to make it back to the Finals.

“I think each and every person this year has came into the season with a different mindset. I think it has truly shown that we don’t take things for granted, and we approach every single day the same.”

That mindset saw the Celtics grab a league-leading 64 victories in the regular season.

They are unbeaten on the road in these playoffs and have a chance to become just the 10th team to fashion a 4-0 sweep in the NBA Finals. AFP

Perpetual hauls 9 crowns in NCAA Season 99

AT the end of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99, Perpetual Altas has amassed nine championships from seven sports.

Five of the nine Perpetual Help crowns came from the seniors’ division, via table tennis women’s, soft tennis women’s, chess and beach volleyball men’s, courtesy of Louie Ramirez and Jeff Marapoc and the indoor men’s volleyball team, which recorded its fourth consecutive championship and 14th overall crown since 1985.

The Junior Altas, on the other hand, ruled indoor volleyball girls, 3x3 juniors basketball, table tennis (boys) and track and field, which scored back-to-back titles, led by Rookie of the Year and Season MVP

versity, who compiled 657.25 and 503 points, respectively. They also finished runners-up in lawn tennis (women’s), soft tennis (men’s), chess (juniors) and basketball (juniors). Meanwhile, the Altas Perpsquad will also try to win the Cheerleading Championship on June 19, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, aiming to end the four-year reign of the Arellano Chiefsquad.

The Altas Perpsquad wants to bring back to Las Pinas the crown following four years of bridesmaid finishes. The Arellano Chiefs Squad collected 245.5 points in Season 98 against Perpetual’s 227.5 points to get the 4-peat.

The Dr/BGen Antonio Tamayoowned institution hopes to list its 10th title in cheerleading.

Samantha Catantan

Jayson Tatum

Perpetual Help’s 9 NCAA titles in full display (Dennis Abrina) Marvin Ramos. The Junior Altas collected

total of 804.5 points in 18 events to secure

$3.7 billion

$1.6 billion

$1.5 billion 2023 BOP surplus

Bangko Sentral upgrades 2024 BOP surplus target

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Projected 2024 BOP surplus

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Friday it upgraded the projected 2024 and 2025 balance of payments (BOP) surplus on narrowing trade gap and higher non-resident investment inflows.

Forecasted 2025 BOP surplus

Metrobank

expects BSP to cut rates by 50 bps this year

THE research division of the country’s second-largest private bank expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to begin easing its monetary policy by the fourth quarter of 2024, cutting its benchmark by 50 basis points this year.

Metrobank Research said the BSP “may begin its own easing cycle in the fourth quarter, lagging the Fed’s first policy rate cut to support the peso.”

“Given the new projections on US policy rate, we now forecast a total of 50 bps in cuts for the year to 6.0 percent, down from our previous projection of 75 bps,” it said.

It revised its forecast after the US Federal Reserve maintained the Federal Funds Target Rate (FFR) at 5.25 percent to 5.50 percent for the seventh consecutive time during its Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on June 12, 2024.

US headline inflation fell flat on a month-on-month (MoM) basis in May, slower than the 0.1 percent consensus estimate and the 0.3 percent print recorded in the previous month. Year-on-year (YoY), US inflation accelerated to 3.3 percent.

The BSP’s Monetary Board on May 16 kept the overnight borrowing rate steady at 6.5 percent, hinting it would continue to do so “until inflation settles firmly within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent. It said risks to the inflation outlook continue to lean toward the upside due mainly to higher transport charges and toll rates, increased prices of food commodities amid prolonged global supply constraints, higher electricity rates and elevated global oil prices.

The BSP’s policy-setting Monetary Board released its 2024-2025 BOP outlook showing a higher forecasted surplus this year to $1.6 billion from an earlier estimate of $700 million.

The country posted a BOP surplus of $3.7 billion in 2023.

“For 2024, the overall BOP position is seen to register a relatively higher surplus than earlier expected, on the back of a lower current account deficit

CALAMBA DEPOT.

The Department of Transportation, along with the local government of Banlic, Calamba, Laguna, Korean Embassy, Turkey Embassy, Japanese Embassy, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Lotte-GulermakEEI Joint Venture holds a groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction works at North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Banlic, Calamba Depot.

combined with higher non-resident investment inflows,” the BSP said.

“The lower current account shortfall is anchored on the narrowing of the merchandise trade gap as growth in goods imports is estimated to moderate due, in turn, to easing in import prices while the goods exports are expected to remain on a steady recovery pace,” it said.

The BSP said the sustained upbeat

growth prospects for travel receipts and business process outsourcing revenues, consistent with the insights provided by export industry associations, continue to support the current account along with steady remittance inflows from overseas Filipinos (OFs).

“Meanwhile, both foreign direct investments [FDIs] and foreign portfolio investments [FPIs] are projected to yield higher net inflows following strong first quarter figures.

The same is reinforced by the ongoing operationalization of the implementing rules and regulations of key investment reforms aimed at providing a more conducive business environment in the country,” the BSP said.

FINANCE Secretary Ralph Recto expressed optimism the implementation of a verification and cross-border electronic invoicing system would help end smuggling, misdeclaration and undervaluation of imports.

Recto convened the inaugural committee meeting to operationalize the Pre-border Technical Verification and Cross-border Electronic Invoicing Systems under Administrative Order (AO) No. 23, Series of 2024 on June 11, 2024 at the Department of Finance (DOF) in Manila.

“Grounded by AO No. 23, series of 2024, we take the first steps today towards achieving a fully-digitalized border protection system in the coun-

try where no import goes unnoticed and unaccounted for,” he said.

AO No. 23 was issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on May 13, 2024 to expedite the inspection of all imported commodities entering the Philippines through digital and integrated pre-border technical verification and cross-border electronic invoicing. It aims to strengthen national security, safeguard consumer rights and protect people against substandard and hazardous imported goods.

AO No. 23 will be implemented in three phases. The first phase will cover agricultural goods; phase two will focus on non-agricultural goods with

SM breaks ground for eighth mall in Cavite

By Dennis Abrina

SM SUPERMALLS broke ground for its eighth mall in Cavite province on an 11-hectare property in Barangay Pasong Camachile II, General Trias City on June 14, 2024.

Luis Ferrer IV and SM Supermalls president Steven Tan led the dropping and burying of the time capsule for the formal start of construction of what could be the “most modern SM City in Cavite”. The mall will have 67,982 square meters of gross floor area, 1,115 parking slots and a transport terminal. “We are confident that General

Trias is a prime destination to be a formidable local partner to a world-class shopping, dining and entertainment hub for the modern and young community. It will be easier to reach with the opening of Calax, Cavitex and MRT- Cavite extension project,” said Tan. Ferrer said it is about time for General Trias to have its own SM mall. This will be the eighth SM mall in the province, after SM City Bacoor, SM City Dasmariñas, SM City Molino, SM City-Rosario, SM City Trece Martires, SM City Tanza and SM Center Imus.

health and safety issues; and the third phase involves other goods with misdeclaration avoiding duties and taxes.

Pre-border Technical Verification stands for the safety testing and inspection of all imported commodities prior to shipment. This entails the verification of the declared specifications, description, weight, volume, and country of origin.

Meanwhile, the Cross-border Electronic Invoicing System will be used to create electronic invoices to monitor international trade transactions of all imported goods, and will be shared in real time across relevant government agencies for transparency.

Darwin G. Amojelar

DOE streamlines approval process for RE projects

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Department of Energy (DOE)

said it simplified the application process for renewable energy (RE) development to help establish greater ease of doing business in the energy sector and meet the renewable energy targets.

The DOE said, however, that to facilitate the transition, the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) System would undergo enhancements for five months from the effectivity of the new guidelines or starting June 25, 2024.

It said the processing of letters of intent (LOI) and RE applications would be temporarily suspended during the period.

The DOE said that under the simplified process, developers are now allowed to commence permit processing, conduct survey and other feasibility activities before the official 25-year contract terms begins under the newly-published guidelines governing the award and administration of RE contracts.

The DOE will issue a certificate of authority (COA) to developers which grants them authority to proceed with these activities which were previously only permitted after contract approval and signing by the Energy Secretary.

Globe

bullish on 5G despite slow adoption amid high cost

GLOBE Telecom said Friday it continues to expand its 5G network nationwide despite the slow adoption due to the current high cost of 5Gcompatible devices.

The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said it deployed 27 new 5G sites across the Philippines in the first quarter of 2024 as part of its commitment to providing cutting-edge technology and superior connectivity to its customers.

The rollout further boosts Globe’s 5G outdoor coverage, reaching 98.35 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 92.86 percent in key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao in the first quarter of 2024.

The addition of the new 5G sites propelled Globe’s network to accommodate over six million 5G devices in March 2024.

It said that despite the ongoing rollout, it strategically moderated its spending on new 5G sites, taking into account current market conditions and the ongoing search for viable use cases that fully leverage the potential of 5G technology.

The approach reflects the company’s commitment to advancing technology while ensuring sustainable and strategic deployment.

Globe also strengthened its global presence by expanding its 5G partnerships, collaborating with 167 global partners in 87 destinations worldwide in addition to enhancing domestic coverage.

The extensive network of partnerships ensures that Globe customers can enjoy seamless 5G connectivity while traveling abroad, maintaining high-speed internet access and uninterrupted communication.

“We remain unwavering in our commitment to innovation and excellence in connectivity. We believe in unlocking new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike, driving economic growth, and improving quality of life,” Globe senior vice president and head of network planning and engineering Joel Agustin said. Darwin G. Amojelar

G7 leaders focus on avoiding trade war with China

BARI, Italy—G7 leaders turn their attention to China on Friday on the second day of an Italy summit, with a focus on how to protect their industries while avoiding an outright trade war with Beijing.

Fair trade with the world’s second-largest economy, notably on green technology, will be discussed by US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Britain in Puglia.

The Group of Seven rich democracies will also be seeking a common response to China’s alleged support of Russia’s military expansion, which Washington says is fueling the war in Ukraine.

“G7 countries are on the same page vis-a-vis China,” a Japanese government source told AFP.

The meeting comes amid souring trade relations between China and the West, exemplified by the European Union’s announcement this week of plans to impose new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

The US, Japan and the European Union -- which attends G7 summits as an unofficial eighth partner -- have all voiced concern over China’s so-called “industrial overcapacity”.

They say generous subsidies by Beijing, particularly in green energy and technology sectors such as solar panels and electric vehicles, result in unfairly cheap goods flooding the global market.

That excess capacity threatens Western companies struggling to compete, particularly in the growing green tech sector.

“We will confront China’s nonmarket policies that are leading to harmful global spillovers,” John Kirby, the US National Security Council spokesman, told journalists ahead of the summit. AFP

Cebu Landmasters opens 200-room hotel in Bacolod

By Darwin G. Amojelar

CEBU Landmasters Inc. said Friday it opened its first hotel outside Cebu City and the largest international hotel in Bacolod City, expanding its footprint in the Visayas and Mindanao tourism industry.

“We are expecting our hospitality business to rise as we now have over 1,700 keys in our portfolio. Our hotels are already performing well as of the first quarter of 2024, with a revenue surge of 37 percent year-on- year. The launch of Citadines Bacolod City, in addition to our three operational hotels in Cebu, will definitely reinforce this growth,” CLI chairman and chief

executive Jose Soberano III said.

The P2 billion 200-room Citadines Bacolod City operated by The Ascott Limited is a project of CCLI Premier Hotels, a joint venture of CLI in partnership with Capitaine Inc.

“We are excited for the opening of the largest international hotel in Bacolod City that features five amenity areas and five food and beverage out-

lets. Citadines Bacolod City also has a business lounge and meeting rooms for conferences,” said Mathias Bergundthal, director of asset of CLI Hotels and Resorts, the CLI subsidiary that manages the company’s hospitality portfolio.

Citadines Bacolod City has a 1,000-square-meter convention center with a pillarless ballroom perfect for corporate or non-commercial gatherings.

“Our ballroom can accommodate up to 650 heads and we will already be accepting MICE event bookings starting in July 2024,” Bergunthal said.

Citadines Bacolod City is located along Lacson Ave., just 30 minutes

away from the Bacolod-Silay airport and the North Bus Terminal. It is also close to all major tourist attractions and go-to places in Bacolod.

CLI has three operational hotels in Cebu City, including Citadines Cebu City with 180 rooms, lyf Cebu City with 159 rooms and The Pad Co-Living with 258 rooms.

The listed company is also set to complete Citadines Paragon Davao with 263 rooms and Radisson Red with 144 rooms by the end of 2024. Construction and development are underway for Sofitel Cebu City, Abaca Resort Mactan, Mercure Cebu Downtown and Magspeak Mountain Resort & Villas.

Cebu Pacific strengthens its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to create more opportunities for travelers to the Lion City. CEB renewed its memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the STB on June 6, 2024, highlighting key partnership thrusts.

Cebu Pacific, Singapore Tourism Board sign MOU to boost tourism

CEBU Pacific renewed its partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to create more opportunities for travelers to the Lion City.

Cebu Pacific signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the STB on June 6, 2024, highlighting key partnership thrusts such as enhancing destination preference and recall, providing stronger trigger for travel to Singapore with new areas of focus such as “Fly, Stay and Cruise” holidays and Singapore’s vibrant events calendar that Filipinos can travel for and enjoy.

The partnership also introduced the

campaign’s newest ambassadors, celebrity couple Megan Young and Mikael Daez, who would also be featured in a travel film that showcases Singapore’s innovative architecture, rich cultural heritage and unexpected experiences.

The Philippines was Singapore’s 6th largest source market for tourism last year, with nearly 700,000 tourist arrivals, an 81-percent increase from 2022.

“We are very grateful for this renewed partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board. This collaboration not only aligns with Cebu Pacific’s commitment to provide accessible and af-

Manila Water maintains perfect score in wastewater effluent compliance

EAST zone concessionaire Manila Water said Friday it remained compliant with the standards set by government bodies for effluent or wastewater treatment.

Manila Water said it achieved 100-percent score in its wastewater effluent quality compliance scorecard, versus the target of 95 percent for April.

The score was based on the scorecard set by the MWSS Regulatory Office relative to the applicable general effluent standards set in the issued wastewater discharge permits to the treatment facilities by either Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) or the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA).

Under DENR’s updated general effluent standards, wastewater treatment plants should produce “Class C” effluent with eliminated bio-nutrients such as ammonia and phosphorus, which is deemed to be safe for water recycling for non-contact purposes such as toilet-flushing, cleaning and irrigation, and ultimately, should be safe for discharge to water bodies and

the marine life.

Manila Water said that as part of its sustainability agenda and regulatory compliance, it is ramping up the development of new infrastructure and upgrading of its wastewater facilities.

The company invested P271 million for construction of the 1.95-kilometer Kalayaan Sewer Replacement Package 2 and the 3.23-kilometer Kalayaan Sewer Replacement Package 3 which will improve the sewer network in Quezon City by replacing old pipes with new and more durable PVC pipes, installation of manhole and clean-out, transfer of service connection, and connection of unsewered households and establishments.

Manila Water’s Mandaluyong West Sewer Network Packages 3A and 3B also aims to expand sewer coverage in the East Zone, as well as aid in the restoration of Manila Bay.

The P306-million Package A and P494-million Package B sewer pipelaying projects are vital sections of the 52.5-kilometer Mandaluyong West-San Juan and South Quezon City Sewerage System or the Man

daWest Project.

fordable flights but also contributes significantly to bolstering Singapore’s tourism industry by attracting more visitors from the Philippines, fostering cultural exchange, and promoting economic growth,” said Cebu Pacific chief marketing and customer experience officer Candice Iyog. Cebu Pacific flies to and from Singapore from several strategic hubs in the country, with an increase in flight frequency from 3x weekly to daily on the Clark-Singapore-Clark route:

“We are excited to renew our partnership with Cebu Pacific, who have

been wonderful partners and have contributed significantly to our strong tourism performance. The Philippines continues to be an important market for STB, with strong recovery in visitor numbers after the pandemic. Through our new partnership, we will give Filipinos more reasons to visit Singapore by leveraging our position as a regional hub for world-class cruise ships, as well as our vibrant year-round calendar of live events,” said Singapore Tourism Board executive director for Southeast Asia Terrence Voon.

PH stocks tumble, Nikkei rises as BoJ delays tightening

PHILIPPINE stocks fell Friday on lingering concerns over the US Federal Reserve’s plan to delay its monetary easing.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index tumbled by 7.13 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 6,383.70, while the broader all-shares index rose 4 points, or 0.14 percent, to settle at 3,447.75. The financials and property sectors ended in the green, while holdings firms, industrial, services and mining and oil suffered losses.

Meanwhile, the yen fell and Tokyo stocks rose Friday after the Bank of Japan deferred a plan to cut back its bond purchases as it cautiously moves away from its ultra-loose monetary policy.

Stock markets had a mixed reaction to the decision, with investors also contemplating the outlook for US interest rates as data indicated inflation on a downward trajectory, even as the Federal Reserve lowered its outlook

for how many cuts it would make this year.

The Bank of Japan, as expected, said it would pare its bond-buying activities -- put in place to keep borrowing rates down to boost the economy -- but added that it would make a final decision on the plan at its July meeting.

The BoJ has been considering its next move to normalize monetary policy after years of keeping borrowing costs at minuscule levels, most notably by lifting interest rates out of negative territory in March -- the first hike in 17 years.

Officials did not lift rates Friday but the reduction of bond holdings -- known as quantitative tightening -had been seen as the next move, with the weakness of the yen also playing a role in discussions.

However, traders had expected it to begin winding down its purchases immediately and were left disappointed by the announcement. With AFP

The Taguig North Sewage Treatment Plant inside the Liwasan ng Kagitingan at Kalikasan in Taguig City is capable of treating 75 million liters of wastewater per day.

BUSINESS

CDC urges Metro Clark to comply with obligations as deal nears end

By Othel V. Campos

CLARK Development Corp. (CDC) asked Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. (MCWMC) to comply with its environmental obligations as its service agreement nears its end.

CDC president Agnes Devanadera, in a letter dated May 28, 2024, requested a copy of MCWMC’s abandonment plan from the Environmental Management Bureau Regional Office 3 (DENR-EMB RO 3).

DTI taps NGOs to help regulate, curb youth vaping

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it intensified its strategic enforcement efforts to ensure that no illicit vape products are allowed entry into the Philippine market following the country’s first reported death due to vape-related lung injury.

Pursuant to its mandate under Republic Act (RA) 11900 or the Vape Law and aligned with the government’s efforts to ensure consumer protection, DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual emphasized the need to prevent the youth from gaining access to these vape products.

“Marketing and selling vape products to minors is expressly prohibited under the Vape Law. However, there remains strong evidence that the vape industry players are making use of marketing strategies aimed towards the youth—who remain to be the more impressionable segments of the population,” Pascual said.

Fair Trade Group (FTG) supervising head and assistant secretary Agaton Teodoro Uvero reiterated the DTI’s commitment to ensuring that manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of vape products are fully compliant with the Vape Law.

“We are consistently engaging with various government and non-government agencies to ensure that industry players—large or small—are properly monitored, are duly certified and registered, and that they follow the Vape Law and its accompanying implementing rules and regulations,” Uvero said.

DENR-EMB RO 3 confirmed that MCWMC is required to submit such a plan, citing a provision in their environmental compliance certificate (ECC) that mandates submission 90 days before project abandonment.

The Clark Sanitary Landfill at Sitio Kalangitan in the Clark Special Economic Zone faces an uncertain future as the MCWMC contract nears expiry.

Meanwhile, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) revealed plans to transform the landfill into a more productive venture.

BCDA president and chief executive Joshua Bingcang sees the potential for job creation, estimating up to 30,000 jobs for Tarlac residents through the industrial redevelopment of the 100-hectare area.

BCDA met with Tarlac Governor

Susan Yap and Capas Mayor Roseller Rodriguez to gain local support. Both officials expressed approval for the redevelopment plans, acknowledging the potential economic benefits for the province.

BCDA said it is also working with Tarlac local government units (LGUs) to address waste management needs during the MCWMC contract transition period.

Discussions are underway to explore joint efforts for modernizing waste management services throughout Tarlac.

Grab, BYD eye e-vehicle rollout for NCR’s ride hailing industry

By Darwin G. Amojelar

GRAB Philippines teamed up with BYD Cars Philippines to roll out a pilot study aimed at examining the feasibility of introducing electric vehicles (EVs) into the digital ridehailing industry.

The pilot study will run for a month and will closely follow the experience of a contingent of Grab driver-partners testing out the BYD Dolphin.

It will examine key operational and economic implications of using EVs as TNVS vehicles.

The EV pilot study will launch in Bonifacio Global City, Makati City, Pasay City and Mandaluyong City, leveraging the areas’ existing EV charging infrastructure.

“Grab is fully dedicated to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 and critical to this is the inclusion of low or zero-emission vehicles in our fleet,” Grab Philippines head of Mobility RJ Dela Vega said.

“Through this pilot study, we aim to formulate strategic recommendations around the effective integration of electric vehicles in ride-hailing fleets as we proactively co-engineer a more sustainable Philippine mobility ecosystem with all transport stakeholders,” he said.

ACMobility head of retail and distribution Toti Zara is confident that the joint pilot study with Grab is a significant stride towards addressing these challenges. ACMobility is Ayala’s automotive and mobility infrastructure group.

Farmers asks gov’t to intervene in Lanao del Sur land clearing

THE Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to intervene in the alleged demolition of crops and homes belonging to around 1,000 Ilocano settler families in Lanao del Sur province.

The FFF said in a statement Friday the Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA), along with private companies Kennemer Foods International

Schneider Foundation celebrates 25 years, launches new global campaign

SCHNEIDER Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, is launching a global campaign in celebration of the 25th anniversary of its foundation, and the next generation of young leaders committed to building a lowcarbon society.

The Schneider Electric Foundation, founded in 1999 under the aegis of the Fondation de France, supports changemakers driving sustainable development, promoting social inclusion, and empowering communities worldwide.

The foundation will celebrate the world’s youth throughout 2024 by raising awareness of their social and environmental impact and mobilizing the support of company employees.

The high point of these celebrations

is the launch of a global call for contributions with the foundation’s social entrepreneurship partner, Ashoka.

The Schneider Electric Foundation has been a pioneer in supporting positive initiatives to tackle growing social and environmental challenges and many innovations are driven by young people from around the world.

The foundation supports them in making an impact for a fairer energy transition and is honoring them on its 25th anniversary.

The call for contributions titled ‘Youth Innovation for A Sustainable Future’ with Ashoka’s program Changemaker Companies aims to select 25 of the most impactful and innovative youth projects across all five continents (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East).

Inc. (KFI) and Asia Pacific Precision Agriculture Group (ASPAC AG), cleared over 400 hectares of farmland as of December 2023.

“These SPDA-led actions have caused millions of pesos in lost farmers’ incomes as well as greatly reduced supplies of vegetables for consumer markets in the cities of Marawi, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Co -

tabato, Malaybalay, and Valencia. They have disrupted cane deliveries to two sugar mills in Bukidnon. All this will pave the way for SPDA’s implementation of its joint venture with KFI and ASPAC AG for cacao, coffee, corn and soybean plantations,” FFF said.

It said the affected families are descendants of Ilocano migrants who arrived in the 1950s under

the Magsaysay administration’s resettlement program. FFF said the governmentowned SPDA claims the land falls within its designated agroindustrial development zone. The SPDA asserts its control over 10,000 hectares in Amai Manabilang and 16,000 hectares in Wao municipality, citing Presidential Proclamation No. 2046 issued in 1981. Othel V. Campos

TOKYO—The Bank of Japan on Friday said it would trim its vast hoard of government bonds as it cautiously steps away from its long-running ultra-loose monetary policy.

The central bank kept interest rates unchanged after a two-day meeting but announced plans to “reduce its purchase amount of JGBs (Japanese Government Bonds) thereafter to ensure that long-term interest rates would be formed more freely”.

“A detailed plan” for the reduction “during the next one to two years or so” will be decided at the next policy meeting in July, it said.

While the move had been widely expected, observers said the decision to defer action until next month

weighed on the yen, pushing it above 158 per dollar, from around 157.20.

The BoJ raised rates in March for the first time since 2007 as it seeks to normalize policy without destabilizing the world’s fourth-largest economy.

While the central bank did not adjust rates Friday, governor Kazuo Ueda said it was “possible” that the BoJ could hike them in July “based on data on the economy and prices and other information available by then”. Friday’s move marks another step away from more than two decades of quantitative easing designed to banish stagnation and harmful deflation. Each month, the BoJ targets monthly government bond purchas-

es of around six trillion yen ($38 billion) to pump liquidity into the system and keep borrowing costs down. The scale of the BoJ’s total assets is enormous -- larger than the country’s gross domestic product -- and the bank holds more than half the value of all JGBs in circulation. Cutting back on bonds has been on the cards for months. Policymaker opinion cited in the minutes of the BoJ’s April meeting said the bank should indicate an intention to do so because it “needs to reduce the size of its balance sheet”. On Friday, Ueda told reporters

SURGICAL MISSION. The World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP)

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024

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RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor

ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

Persisting high interest rates to affect PH debt servicing

ECONOMIC officials confirmed that the persisting elevated interest rates will affect the Philippine government’s debt servicing program.

The Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC) which held its 39th Executive Committee meeting to review offshore market developments said the level of global interest rates is one such factor that could affect the stability of the country’s financial system.

The council recognized that global indicators of market volatility remained low, but underscored the volatility in global oil prices.

US inflation has come down but remains stubbornly high by the Fed’s own characterization. This suggests a high-for-long policy rate environment, which will likely affect the

global economy. Ggeo-political risks have been protracted and, in recent cases, escalated, the council said. It said economic growth in the Philippines remained strong and among the highest in the world. Latest data suggest that the full-year inflation is unlikely to breach the upper end of the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent. These are reassuring indicators that allow the Philippines greater control over its macro-financial path forward, it said. “We find comfort in the broad indications of stability and their effects on the economy. These are issues that the FSCC will continue to monitor,” said FSCC chairman and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr.

GSIS condones P1.6b for home borrowers

THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said Friday it is providing a debt relief program to help borrowers who are struggling to make payments under its housing loan program.

GSIS president and general manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso said that the program is aimed at quickly providing relief to the worst-hit among its members.

P121 million in interest discounts, directly offering relief to homeowners struggling to meet overdue payments.

The fund said that as of the first quarter of 2024, it had processed debt relief for about 1,143 housing loan borrowers under its Housing Accounts Restructuring and Condonation Program (HARCP).

The program has forgiven P1.6 billion worth of penalties and provided

“The GSIS envisions to help thousands of families under the debtrestructuring program, to lessen the pressures from other financial obligations. This will remove a large amount of stress for many, many families,” said Veloso.

Pru Life UK covers 1.75m Filipinos, reaffirms customer-centric strategy

PRU LIFE UK, a leading life insurer in the Philippines, said it covered 1.75 million Filipinos as of Dec. 31, 2023. The company said it aims to be a lifelong partner of its customers, offering health and financial security through innovative insurance solutions.

Pru Life UK approved over 8,000 claims and disbursed P1.9 billion in claims and insurance benefits for maturity policies in 2023 based on the enhanced quarterly report on selected financial statistics submitted to the Insurance Commission. It said these figures underscored Pru Life UK’s commitment to its customers’ well-being and financial stability.

Pru Life UK has the largest network

of over 38,000 digitally-empowered agency force nationwide, ensuring that personalized service and expert advice are always within reach.

Pru Life UK launched several initiatives under its ‘Customer Day’ campaign. Designed to listen closely and understand the needs of its customers, the campaign immerses Prudential executives and staff alike in direct customer interactions in local service centers and contact centers.

By having first-hand customer engaging experience, employees can empathize better and gain better insights that will allow them to instill changes as needed.

The company also held the ‘#RealTalk: Stories of our Customers’ series where agency leaders and senior

“Our priority at GSIS is to ensure the well-being of our members and our pensioners. We are fully committed to help our members successfully manage their housing loans and secure their homes. Our mission is to offer support — eviction is not our goal. We continuously support them and ceaselessly provide viable solutions in times of need,” Veloso said.

The condonation program is part of the broader 4PH initiative of the Marcos administration under the Pabahay para sa Bagong Bayaning Manggagawa ng

Pamahalaan (PBBM), which includes constructing high-rise residential buildings—making home ownership more accessible and affordable for every government worker.

“This move will help these families secure their homes during the most difficult of times. We are here to listen, understand and help them find the best way forward.” Veloso said.

The HARCP allows borrowers to lower their monthly payments by restructuring their loans, extending their repayment periods up to 10 years, and securing a 50-percent discount on the remaining interest if they pay their debt in full.

management delved into case studies of customers’ experiences, to create a culture of continued improvement.

“Pru Life UK exists for its customers. These initiatives aim to better understand our customers’ emo-

tions, challenges, and needs, so we can deliver high-quality experiences for them, which in turn will help strengthen their trust in us,” said Pru Life UK chief customer and marketing officer Allan Tumbaga.

PDIC highlights relevance of deposit insurance, vows to protect bank customers

STATE-RUN Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) said it remains steadfast in safeguarding depositors and promoting financial stability, a commitment highlighted as it leads the nationwide observance of the Depositor Protection and Awareness Week (DPAW) from June 16 to 22 in its 22nd year. This year’s theme, “Deposit Insurance: Proteksyong Maaasahan sa Ipong Pinaghirapan” highlights the relevance of deposit insurance as a reliable protection for hard-earned savings in banks.

Deposit insurance, one of the pillars of financial stability, is part of the safety net provided by the government, through the PDIC. It assures that hard-earned deposits entrusted to banks are protected up to the maximum deposit insurance coverage (MDIC) against bank failures.

PDAI said that as the state deposit insurer, it protects depositors by providing deposit insurance up to the MDIC of P500,000 per depositor,

per bank. With the deposit insurance provided by the PDIC, depositors are afforded security and peace of mind.

It said that beside individual depositor protection, deposit insurance is also critical in promoting financial stability by heightening public confidence that entices individuals to save more in banks which help grow the economy.

It also ensures that the depositing public continue to use banking services such as opening a deposit account, online banking, cash transfer,

UNION Bank of the Philippines said it retained its position as part of the 10 most valuable and strongest brands in the Philippines, based on the Brand Directory 2024 report released by Brand Finance.

This is UnionBank’s second consecutive year in the list since entering it in 2023.

Brand Finance, a leading independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy firm based in London, released the study that gauges brand value and brand strength. The report cites that UnionBank’s brand grew in value by 22 percent from $557 million in 2023 to $679 million in 2024.

“The growth in value of the most valuable Philippine brands echoes the positive sentiments of their nation’s economic outlook,” Brand Finance says in its report.

“Brands in the banking and real estate

bills payment and loans without the fear of losing their savings and helps ensure banks adhere to risk management standards which lead to a stable banking system.

Presidential Proclamation No. 358, issued in April 2003, declared the annual observance of DPAW, an initiative that supports the government’s pursuit of sustainable economic development and aims to bolster the stability of the banking system by fostering confidence in the banking system.

sectors benefited from strong post-pandemic economic rebound, improving financial literacy as well as continued urbanization and gentrification,” it says.

UnionBank is locally and internationally-recognized and awarded as one of the best digitally-transformed banks that changed the way consumers view and do banking.

“We are delighted to see that our efforts to provide our customers with advanced, innovative and user-centric banking services have once again placed us among the Philippines’ best brands. With now serving over 14 million retail customers, we are motivated more than ever to ensure we never stop looking for ways to deliver a better banking experience tailored to our customers’ everevolving lifestyle in this digital world,” said UnionBank chief marketing officer Albert Cuadrante.

IN BRIEF

Peso weakens to 58.65 a dollar

THE Philippine peso closed lower against the US dollar Friday as investors sought the safety of the greenback after the Federal Reserve signaled that the high interest rate would stay longer than expected. It lost 7 centavos to settle at 58.65 against the dollar, down from Thursday’s 58.58. The local currency has also depreciated by more than 3.6 percent since the start of the year.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the weakening of the peso was due primarily to broad US dollar strength following the release of strong key US economic indicators, prompting hawkish remarks from Fed officials.

Escalating conflict in the Middle East as well as lingering geopolitical tensions in the West Philippine Sea also contributed to the depreciation of the peso, the BSP said in the highlights of its Monetary Board meeting on May 16, 2024.

Payoneer sees growth of global SMBs

PAYONEER, a financial technology company empowering the world’s small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to transact, do business and grow globally, released its second annual SMB Ambitions Barometer, which surveyed nearly 3,800 SMBs across 15 countries in early 2024 to gauge the factors critical to their growth.

“We are seeing unprecedented global growth opportunities for the world’s entrepreneurs and small businesses, who are leading a new wave of globalization,” said John Caplan, CEO of Payoneer chief executive John Caplan.

““Forty-six percent of SMBS we surveyed are reporting that their customer base is international, up four points from last year. At the same time, SMBS are facing an ever-growing number of macro challenges and are preparing to drive efficiencies by adopting Al technologies, partnering with more vendors, and breaking into new trade corridors,” he said.

Filipino academics breaking new ground

FILIPINO academics are breaking new ground in research and innovation through transnational education. Jerome Amoranto of Bicol University (BU), Pam Eleazar of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) and Brian Chiu of University of Santo Tomas (UST) are ushering progress into their respective industries through transnational education (TNE), which brings world-class postgraduate education to Philippine shores.

The British Council teamed up with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Philippine and UK universities to develop TNE programs that leverage faculty expertise and institutional knowledge in the country.

TNE seeks to enhance the quality of higher education in the Philippines by establishing transnational ties with universities around the

Through TNE, the British Council connects Philippine- and UK-based universities to provide Filipinos a chance to secure a local postgraduate credential and an international qualification without needing to study full-time in the UK. TNE also has its imprint on

with

of

by

Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) president and general-manager Jose Arnulfo Veloso (right) shakes

hands with Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA) national president Esperanza Ocampo as they present the signed memorandum of agreement to establish the GSIS-PGEA Speakers’ Bureau. The initiative aims to enhance professional development and member engagement.

Top health and beauty retailer unveils store’s fresh look, enhanced features

By Abigail Adriatico

HEALTH

and beauty retailer

Watsons recently made its grand return to SM Mall of Asia, treating its customers with an improved version of its old store, which bears new store features along with a refreshing new look.

The new store offers several stations aiming to elevate its customers’ shopping experience. These stations are the Premium Beauty zone, the Watsons Brands zone, the Health zone, the Sustainability zone, and the O+O zone.

The Premium Beauty Zone features products from global brands such as Dr.Jart+, Clinique, Origins, Laneige, and many others. The Watsons Brands zone houses Watsons’ personal care and skin care products. The zone also

features a skincare analyzer, which customers can use for free to determine which skincare product would suit them.

The Health Zone provides consumers with vitamins, supplements, OTC, and prescription medications, offering generic and branded medicines. The Sustainability zone features several of Watsons’ sustainable choices brands, along with a refill station.

The O+O zone, also known as the Offline and Online zone, offers

a convenient shopping experience to consumers as it allows them to buy their products either in their physical or online store and choose among delivery methods such as pick up or express delivery. The store also has a self-checkout area which allows customers to have a contactless and queue-free payment option. With its grand reopening being graced by several social media personalities, Watsons also unveiled its Council of Influencers, which consists of Doc Kilimanguru, Chico Cruz, Jo Sebastian, Mikee Reyes, Jeff Serrano, Jan Angelo, Teree Daisuke, Morgan Ferrer-Aba, and JM Supnet

Watsons’ Customer Director

Jared De Guzman explained that the Council of Influencers program selected social media personalities whose content provides good and honest insights about health, wellness, and beauty.

“There’s a lot of fake news out there and we want to make sure that everybody gets the right education, the right news when it comes to health and beauty and wellness,” said De Guzman.

Also gracing the event was social media personality Small Laude, who launched her new skincare brand Small Steps Skin at the newly reopened Watsons branch.

“This is our first store for Watsons and I’m so excited for the many more stores in the future,” said Laude, who was with her children Michael, Timothy, and Alison

The newly improved Watsons concept store is located at Level 1, North Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia.

FSUNSHINE Place offers a unique opportunity for aspiring children’s story writers, regardless of their writing experience. The “How to Write Children’s Stories” crash course will take place on June 22 and 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Led by esteemed Filipino children’s author Dr. Joem Antonio, known for his extensive contributions to the field and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from UP Diliman, the course promises to equip participants with essential skills.

Dr. Antonio, an eight-time Palanca Award winner and faculty member at the University of Asia and the Pacific, has crafted a comprehensive syllabus for this workshop. The course welcomes individuals of all backgrounds, emphasizing that no prior writing experience or innate talent is necessary. Starting from 8 years old and older, participants will

delve into various aspects of children’s literature, including identifying target audiences, fundamental story design principles, and practical exercises aimed at swiftly crafting compelling narratives.

Attendees can anticipate gaining insights into engaging both young readers and adults alike, ensuring their stories are both captivating and age-appropriate. This crash course is ideal for parents, educators, and anyone passionate about nurturing creativity in children.

Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their newfound expertise in crafting children’s stories.

For further details and enrollment, interested parties contact Sunshine Place at 0917 515-5656 or email hello@sunshineplaceph.com For more information visit http://www. sunshineplaceph.com/.

TernoCon 2024: A symphony of Filipino fashion and culture at SM Mall of Asia

ILIPINO heritage and style reigned supreme as the Museo Del Galeon in SM Mall of Asia transformed into a spectacular celebration of culture and the nation’s independence with the highly anticipated TernoCon 2024 held recently.

The event brought together talented designers, stunning creations, and a community united in celebrating Filipino legacy through fashion.

Titled “KKK: Kasarinlan, Kultura, Kasuotan,” the fashion show commemorated the 126th year of Philippine Independence, showcasing the rich history of our culture through the iconic terno. The event was made possible with the collaboration of SM Supermalls, Bench/ lifestyle + clothing and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Three trailblazing fashion designers—Jojie Lloren, Cary Santiago, and Jaggy Glarino—stunned the audience with collections that paid homage to Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Each collection was a personal tribute, weaving stories of our heritage into every piece. Lloren’s “A Lullaby for my Mother” captivated the night with 12 elegant ternos, paying homage to his beloved mom and the Motherland. Santiago’s “Ikonograpiya” wowed everyone with 12 ternos, celebrating iconic Filipino symbols like the Sampaguita, the Philippine national flower, jeepney, and sorbetes (Filipino ice cream) in the vivid colors of our national flag. Meanwhile, Glarino’s “Lemlunay” enchanted the audience with nine ternos and three barongs, inspired by the rich cultural heritage of Mindanao.

The atmosphere was filled with a sense of elegance and national pride. The audience itself was a stunning display of Filipino beauty, with guests adorned in their finest ternos, barongs, and modern Filipiniana interpretations. From socialites and celebrities in show-stopping outfits to fashion enthusiasts sporting avant-garde creations, the crowd embodied the brilliant spirit of Filipino fashion. Everyone came together to celebrate their heritage through style.

If you missed the show, don’t worry! The celebration continues with an exclusive exhibit from June 11 to June 23 at the Main Atrium of SM Mall of Asia (across Bench and The French Baker). Here, you can get up close and personal with 24 selected looks from the runway, marveling at the intricate craftsmanship and powerful stories behind each creation.

Jojie Lloren brings a personal touch to his collection, “A Lullaby for my Mother,” that honors both his mother and the motherland.

Cary Santiago unveils “Ikonograpiya,” a collection inspired by the Philippine flag and iconic national symbols.

Jaggy Glarino presents “Lemlunay,” a collection that draws on the rich cultural heritage of Mindanao.

Gather your friends and celebrate a fashion experience like no other! Visit the TernoCon exhibit and celebrate our kasarinlan, kultura, at kasuotan!

To know more about SM Supermalls’ exciting fashion events, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow @SMSupermalls on social media.

From left: Fashion designer Jaggy Glarino, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Vice Chair Carissa Coscolluela, fashion designer Jojie Lloren, CCP President Kaye Tinga, Bench/ lifestyle + clothing founder Ben Chan, First Lady of the Philippines Liza Araneta-Marcos, SM Markets Chairman Herbert Sy, CCP Vice Chair Margie Moran, Suyen Corporation President Virgilio Lim, fashion designer Cary Santiago, and SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan Bench/ lifestyle + clothing founder Ben Chan presents the TernoCon 2023 Catalog to the First Lady of the Philippines, Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Minimalist fashion designer Jojie Lloren Sculptural fashion designer Cary Santiago Avant-garde fashion designer Jaggy Glarino

Fashion designer Jojie Lloren (right) and muses, TV personality Maine Mendoza  (left) and model Jo  Ann  Bitagcol (back).

Fashion designer Cary Santiago (right) with muse, Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee.

From left: Lucy Torres, Richard Gomez, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, and SM Supermalls’ President Steven Tan

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo  Models in Jojie Lloren’s “A Lullaby for my Mother” collection walk on the runway at TernoCon: Kasarinlan, Kultura, Kasuotan.

Dr. Joem Antonio will lead the ‘How to Write Children’s Stories’ program

From left: Watsons Council of Influencers Doc Kilimanguru, Chico Cruz, Jo Sebastian, Mikee Reyes, Jeff Serrano, Jan Angelo, Teree Daisuke, Morgan Ferrer-Aba, and JM Supnet

Small Laude (rightmost) with her children Timothy (leftmost) and Alison (center)

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024

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NICKIE WANG, Editor

ANGELICA VILLANUEVA, Writer

ABIGAIL ADRIATICO, Writer

Very Wang Nickie Wang

THE Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd)

SHOWBIZ

‘Mallari,’ ‘GomBurZa’

7th Eddys nominations

Dizon in Third World Romance Julia Montes in Five Breakups And A Romance Marian Rivera in Rewind Vilma Santos in When I Met You In Tokyo, and Maricel Soriano in In His Mother’s Eyes

hosted the inaugural Nominees Announcement event for the 7th edition of The Eddys (Entertainment Editors’ Choice) at Valencia Events Place in San Juan, with the proceedings streamed live on The Eddys Facebook Page.

Leading the Best Picture category are five exceptional films: About Us But Not About Us by The IdeaFirst Company, Octoberian Films, and Quantum Films; Firefly by GMA Pictures and GMA Public Affairs; GomBurZa by Jesuit Communications, MQuest Ventures, and CMB Film Services; Iti Mapukpukaw by Project 8, GMA News and Public Affairs, and Terminal Six Post; and Mallari by Mentorque Productions and Clever Minds Inc.

The Best Actress category features a competitive lineup of standout performances, including Kathryn Bernardo in A Very Good Girl Charlie

For Best Actor, the contenders showcase a remarkable range of talent with Elijah Canlas for Keys to the Heart, Dingdong Dantes for Rewind, Cedrick Juan for GomBurZa, Piolo Pascual for Mallari Alden Richards for Five Breakups And A Romance, and Romnick Sarmenta for About Us But Not About Us In the Best Director category, the nominees are celebrated for their visionary storytelling: Derick Cabrido for Mallari Pepe Diokno for GomBurZa Zig Dulay for Firefly Jun Robles Lana for About Us But Not About Us, and Carl Joseph Papa for Iti Mapukpukaw

The 7th edition of The Eddys is scheduled for July 7 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ceremonial Hall, Marriott Grand Ballroom at Newport World Resorts in Pasay City, with a delayed telecast on AllTV on July 14 at 10:00 p.m.

The film event will once again be directed by award-winning actor and filmmaker Eric Quizon, who directed the 6th edition of The Eddys last year. Brightlight Productions will serve as the line producer for the awards night. In collaboration with Newport World

ACTOR and public servant Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. led the celebration of the 126th anniversary of Philippine Independence Wednesday morning (June 12) at the Dambana ni Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite.

Senator Revilla, who was the guest of honor for this year’s commemoration of the country’s freedom, spearheaded the wreathlaying rites at the tomb of President Emilio Aguinaldo and led the flag-raising ceremony at the shrine’s iconic balcony.

In his speech, the statesman stressed that the heroism of the nation’s forefathers who freed the Philippines from colonizers will never be forgotten.

“Even after a hundred years, the great sacrifice of our ancestors will never be forgotten. Forever, we will owe them a debt of gratitude for breaking the chains that enslaved our motherland, for offering their blood and lives to achieve the prosperity, peace, and freedom we enjoy today,” Senator Revilla said in Filipino.

Revilla also highlighted the resilience and determination of Filipino people in facing challenges and upholding its independence.

“History bears witness to the paths we have taken, and it also stands as a testament to the fact that challenges are not new to us. Yet, no matter the blows of fate, the Filipino race, forged by time, remains unyielding. A nation that will never again be subdued. A nation that will repeatedly raise the flag symbolizing peace, independence, and justice. This is what we celebrate annually – the undying spirit of heroism and greatness,” the solon declared.

At the core of his message, Revilla emphasized the importance of reminding filipinos of the nation’s past struggle for freedom in its continuous pursuit to protect and uphold its sovereignty.

In 1998, during the 100th year of Philippine independence, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr., then Cavite Governor, played the part of President Emilio Aguinaldo in the country’s Centennial celebration. The celebration of Philippine Independence Day is very significant in Kawit, Cavite, because it was there where Philippine independence from Spanish colonial rule was proclaimed by President Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898.

Resorts, ALLTV, and Sound Check, SPEEd will present The 7th Eddys with Globe Telecom as a major sponsor.

The film event is also supported this year by Beautéderm by RheaAnicoche Tan , Unilab, Camille Villar , former Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson , and Echo Jam Entertainment.

Completing the nominees list are:

Best Supporting Actress Dolly de Leon (Keys to the Heart) Alessandra de Rossi (Firefly) Gloria Diaz (Mallari) Gladys Reyes (Apag) Ruby Ruiz (Langitngit)

Best Supporting Actor Enchong Dee (GomBurZa) Keempee de Leon (Here Comes The Groom)

Nanding Josef (Oras de Peligro) Roderick Paulate (In His Mother’s Eyes)

JC Santos (Mallari)

Best Screenplay

Angeli Atienza (Firefly)

Jun Robles Lana (About Us But Not About Us)

Carl Joseph E. Papa (Iti Mapukpukaw) Rodolfo Vera, Pepe Diokno (GomBurZa)

Enrico Santos (Mallari)

Best Cinematography

Neil Daza (Firefly) Kara Moreno (Kampon) Juan Lorenzo “Pao” Orendain (Mallari) Shayne Sarte (When I Met You In Tokyo) Noel Teehankee (A Very Good Girl)

Best production Design Ferdie Abuel (Five Breakups and A Romance) Mariel Hizon (Mallari) Ericson Navarro (GomBurZa) Fedeyo Tagayon, Reynaldo Peru (When I Met You In Tokyo) Kenneth Kelvin Villanueva (Firefly)

Best Editing Lawrence S. Ang (About Us But Not About Us) Benjamin Tolentino (A Very Good Girl) Benjamin Tolentino (GomBurZa) Benjamin Tolentino (Iti Mapukpukaw) Noel Tonga, Nelson Villamor (Mallari)

Best musical Score Teresa Barrozo (Becky & Badette) Teresa Barrozo (GomBurZa) Teresa Barrozo (Iti Mapukpukaw)

Von de Guzman (Mallari) Vincent de Jesus (Third World Romance)

Best Sound Lamberto Casas Jr., Alexis Tomboc (Iti Mapukpukaw) Melvin Q. Rivera, Louie Boy Bauson (GomBurZa) Sound 22 (When I Met You In Tokyo) Mien Sparks (Rewind) Immanuel Verona, Nerrika Salim (Mallari)

Best Visual Effects Ryan Grimarez, Macky Rayanon, Tawong-Lipod Creative Studio (Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme) Gaspar Mangarin (Mallari) John Kenneth Paclibar (Kampon) Carlos Joseph E. Papa, Eru Petrasanta, Christela Marquez, Matthew Erickson Echague et al. (Iti Mapukpukaw) Reality MM Studios Inc. (Firefly)

Best Original Theme Song “Finggah Lickin’” (Becky and Badette) “Pag-ibig na Sumpa” (Mallari) “Patawad Inay” (In His Mother’s Eyes)

“Sa Duyan ng Bayan” (GomBurZa) “Sa Yakap Mo” (Family Of Two: A Mother and Son Story)

Apart from Kawit, Cavite, the 126th Independence Day will also be simultaneously celebrated in Rizal Park in Manila, Barasoain Church

in Bulacan, Pinaglabanan Memorial Shrine in San Juan City, Mausoleo delos Veteranos dela Revolucion in Manila, Andres Bonifacio National Monument in Caloocan City, and Museo ng Kasaysayang Panlipunan ng Pilipinas in Pampanga.

Cavite

Senator Revilla leads the flag-raising ceremony at the balcony of the shrine to President Emilio Aguinaldo

Senator Bong Revilla Jr. (center) is honored as the guest of honor during the celebration of the country’s 126th Independence Day

Julia Montes is fashion designer Justine Ramos in ‘Five Breakups and A Romance’

Alden Richards’ role in ‘Five Breakups and a Romance’ is medical student Lance Sandoval

Marian Rivera stars in ‘Rewind’ as Mary Nuñez

Dingdong Dantes plays as hard-working office employee John Nuñez in ‘Rewind’

Vilma Santos portrays hotel server Azon in ‘When I Met You in Tokyo’

‘Mallari’ star Piolo Pascual plays as Juan Severino Mallari, Johnrey Mallari, and Jonathan Mallari de Dios

Maricel Soriano portrays working mother Lucy in ‘In His Mother’s Eyes

Romnick Sarmenta stars in ‘About Us But Not About Us’ as literature professor Ericson

‘A Very Good Girl’ stars Kathryn Bernardo as Mercy Novela posing as Philo Angeles

Cedrick Juan plays the role of martyred priest Padre Jose Burgos in ‘GomBurZa’

Charlie Dizon plays as grocery cashier Britney in ‘Third World Romance’

Elijah Canlas stars in ‘Keys to the Heart’ as Jayjay, a pianist with autism

Ericsson tops Frost Radar 5G network infra market ranking for 4th straight year

FOR the fourth consecutive year, Ericsson has been ranked as the leader in the Frost Radar™ 5G Network Infrastructure Market 2024 analysis, highlighting the impact of the company’s strategy to meet the evolving needs of communications service providers (CSPs).

Maintaining top ranking in the Frost Radar™ report over the past years has shown that Ericsson’s investments in R&D and across a wide product portfolio – which includes all areas of 5G network infrastructure as well as previous generations of network infrastructure –valued in a market where technology is constantly evolving.

The report has also acknowledged Ericsson’s sustained focus on offering the latest and lightest energysaving products and solutions. It also touched on the company’s Open RAN plans.

Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks at Ericsson, says, “The latest Frost Radar report highlights our unwavering commitment to innovation and technology leadership through the most competitive portfolio. In a challenging market, we remain focused on our customers and move forward with even greater determination.”

Commenting on Ericsson’s top ranking, Troy Morley, Industry Principal, at Frost & Sullivan’s Information & Communication Technology groups, says, “Ericsson has done an excellent job keeping its current customers and adding new customers, including significant replacement wins over competitors. Ericsson has a significant customer pipeline that has yet to move to 5G but will (do so) over the coming years.”

Ericsson currently powers 160 live 5G networks in 68 countries, which is the highest level that Frost & Sullivan has seen publicly reported.

“Ericsson’s strategy continues to center on CSPs’ evolving needs in all areas of the world,” Morley says. “However, with its 2020 acquisition of Cradlepoint, Ericsson is also expanding its role with enterprise customers.”

The report has also discussed the importance of the open and virtual RAN movement and the belief that eventually, open and virtual RAN will be the norm. “Ericsson’s step into offering Open RAN solutions in 2024 will help make this movement a reality,” Morley says. “The company plans to offer O-RAN-compliant solutions in 2024; Frost & Sullivan believes this will result in significant growth in open and virtual RAN revenue.”

Commenting further on the report, Morley says, “Energy efficiency has been a buzzword for a few years and Ericsson continues to tout solutions that are smaller and lighter and that save energy, answering its customers’ needs. This will continue with its traditional RAN solutions and accelerate with its new Open RAN offerings.”

SiGMA Asia Summit, Digital Pilipinas put spotlight on gaming, gig economy

WITH 43 million gamers and 1.5 million freelancers, the Philippines’ creative economy and responsible gaming industry are significant.

Digital Pilipinas (DP) and SiGMA Asia collaborate to support and protect these sectors.

Last June 3 to 5, SiGMA Asia Summit 2024 provided Filipino gig workers and gamers a platform to form partnerships and connect with industry leaders. The event drew over 20,000 delegates and 300 exhibitors, highlighting the dynamic gaming landscape in the region.

Digital Pilipinas partners with leaders and businesses as a key player in technology and innovation, advocating for the Filipino digital workforce. Recognizing the gig and gaming sectors’ economic impact, DP served as a media partner for the event.

iGaming was a central focus at the SiGMA Asia Summit 2024. SiGMA World and AIBC World founder Eman Pulis emphasized the importance of regulated online gambling and supporting government regulation in Asia.

Digital Pilipinas Convenor Amor Maclang stated that supporting iGaming mainstreaming is crucial for the Philippines’ digital economy, advocating for regu-

lation and global engagement.

Cybersecurity was a key focus at the technology-centric SiGMA Summit Asia. The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), represented by Alwell Mulsid, highlighted cyber security risks at the summit. Mulsid stressed that everyone, not just IT professionals, needs to learn how to protect themselves online, noting that endpoints like laptops and desktops are frequent cyber attack targets.

Rep. Christopher de Venecia, principal author of Republic Act 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, discussed emerging technology and its impact on creative economies, emphasizing the need for private-sector solutions to safeguard intellectual property, regulate AI, and support gig workers.

Amor Maclang praised the technological innovations showcased at the SiGMA Affiliate Startup Pitch Asia, including gaming animation, automated brand discovery, sports betting software, and compliance platforms, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize industries.

Digital Pilipinas participated in panel discussions throughout the event. “Bridging the Gap: Empowerment through Digital Identities” featured Stephanie Tower, Country Lead at nChain; Penny Chai, VP of Business Development APAC at SumSub; Amor Maclang, Convenor of Digital Pilipinas; and Lawrence Ferrer, President and CEO of CIS Bayad

Make your Pinoy dad smile with foodpanda deals for their personality type

PINOY dads are known to be really good at MATH—as in, merienda, almusal, tanghalian, and hapunan! To celebrate tatay’s love for good food, drink, and more, foodpanda is offering a wide range of deals that will fit your dad’s unique personality. Treat your dad to the celebration he deserves this Father’s Day! For the “cash na lang” dad

Sometimes our lives get too busy that finding the perfect gift for your dad becomes difficult, so we ask him directly. However, Pinoy dads often say he doesn’t want anything—or at best, he’d want some cash to put into his latest hobby or to beef up his hidden-from-nanay savings fund!

If your papa is like this, foodpanda has the best deal for you. Simply use the code BESTDAD with your food delivery, pick-up, pandamart, and foodpanda shops (min. spend P1499) from June 15 to 17 to enjoy P500 cashback! Again, another two-for-one gift that your makunat dad will definitely love. Just make sure you give dad that P500 you get back in a nice envelope when your mom’s not looking. For the tagay tatay

Dads deserve to let their hair down every once in a while, with a cold glass of their favorite liquor in hand and enjoying the company of their family and friends. And when he’s slightly buzzed, it’s time to

plug in the microphone for his soulful rendition of his favorite song!

To make Father’s Day extra festive, foodpanda has you covered in the libation department. pan-

Capture, store more with vivo Y18’s new 256GB storage, 8GB RAM variant

GLOBAL smartphone brand,

vivo, announces the launch of the newest variant of its entry-level camera phone, the vivo Y18.

The latest version features 8GB RAM, 8GB extended RAM, and generous 256GB storage, now available for only P7,499. With up to 16GB of RAM, the vivo Y18 ensures smooth multitasking, allowing effortless switching between apps.

The substantial 256GB storage, expandable up to 1TB through a micro SD card, means never having

to worry about running out of space for photos, videos, apps, and other essential files. The vivo Y18 is designed to enhance the photography experience at a pocket-friendly price with its 50MP multi-style portrait night camera. Whether you’re snapping spontaneous shots or crafting stylish portraits, the vivo Y18’s camera technology boosts creativity and delivers stunning results every time. The vivo Y18 also boasts a 90Hz refresh rate and low blue light screen yet a durable display, providing a

seamless and comfortable viewing experience. It also has 840nits peak brightness, ensuring clear visibility even in bright sunlight. With an IP54 rating, the vivo Y18 is protected against dust and water splashes, making it a reliable companion to document your adventures. The vivo Y18 also has 6GB RAM and a 128GB storage variant for only P6,499. Buy vivo Y18 at vivo concept stores and kiosks nationwide. You can also purchase it online through vivo website, Shopee, Lazada, and

Cener, Inc., moderated by Torben Friis, Managing Director of Match Liquidity. “Beyond Banking: Exploring AI’s Diverse Applications in Fintech, Agriculture, and Healthtech” was a panel that gave insights from Jennifer Joy Subang, COO of AgriDOM Solutions; Abdul Mikael, COO of AND Solutions; Christo Georgiev, COO of FinScore; and Rafael Sindiong, Senior Presale Manager of Wiz AI technology. Moderated by Brady Hicox, Chief Information Security Officer at Orange and Bronze Software Labs, the panel discussion tackled the expansive role of AI beyond the banking sector and will highlight its impact on fintech, agriculture, and health tech. Finally, “Exploring the Rise in Esports in the Philippines: Gamers and Gigsters” featured Roberto Tayag, CEO for Asia Pacific at CyberQ Group; Brian Dacanay, AVP of Tier One Entertainment; Atty. Isaiah San Miguel, Scholastic Partnerships Manager at AcadArena.

SiGMA Foundation supports various initiatives, particularly the work with the Autism Society of the Philippines. In line with this advocacy, the SiGMA Asia Summit 2024 offered an unparalleled experience, aiming to set new benchmarks for responsible gaming expos worldwide. A particular event highlight was a performance by Peggy Geiser, an internationally award-winning, neuroatypical mainstream artist on the autism spectrum and an A5 Awardee for the Performing Arts, honored by the Autism Society of the Philippines.

damart is having an alcohol sale from June 12 to 16, with up to 50% off on drinks such as Johnny Walker, San Miguel, Heineken, and more. This means that you get more bang for your buck—and your tatay and titos will definitely be impressed with your contribution to the tagay stash.

For the Boy Scout dad

Pinoy dads take their responsibility to protect and provide for their families seriously. This means a lot of thought goes into making sure that he’s prepared for almost every scenario—whether it be bad weather or a bad case of the midnight munchies. You can easily add to your dad’s “just in case” pantry essentials with our Father’s Day deals.

Simply pick out all the items you think dad would need or want and get up to 50% off on groceries and more from pandamart, Robinsons Supermarket, Puregold, Shell Select, and Watsons, among others from June 15 to 17.

For the diskarte dad

Nothing beats a Pinoy dad’s diskarte—he’s creative and clever in raising his family. We’ve laughed at and shared his diskarte on social media, like fixing household items and appliances. Now, let’s step up and make him proud with our own diskarte, using additional vouchers from foodpanda’s bank partners.

Use your UnionBank Credit Card for your food delivery and pick-up orders (min P650 spend) and get P200 off from June 14 to 16 with code UBMOREDAD. GCash users can use code PANDADDY to get a variety of deals with their foodpanda purchases from June 14 to 20.

Order now at foodpanda using the app or at www.foodpanda.ph to celebrate dad, papa, and tatay this Father’s Day!

With the support of Digital Pilipinas, thought leaders shared their insights, connecting technology, security, and innovation at SiGMA Asia, one of the world’s largest iGaming and creative digital economies events. Held from June 3-5 in Manila, Philippines, topics ranged from secure digital environments and AI-driven customer insights to grassroots talent recognition and e-gaming sponsorship adaptations, exploring the future of gaming, ntech, smart agriculture, and more.

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024

rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

rieramallari@yahoo.com

RIERA U. MALLARI, Editor

EDGARD HILARIO, Asst. Editor

DITO launches new prepaid promo Level-Up Socials

DITO Telecommunity introduces DITO Level-Up Socials, an all-new mobile prepaid Data promo packed with big data allocation designed for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp usage.

One may argue that social media is the new poster boy for modern communication.

For instance, we always access our Facebook and Instagram to share life updates and interact with the world around us. Be it a fun travel getaway, a new achievement unlocked, or daily routines at home, we curate our feeds with IG-worthy photos, post stories showing our day, and create aesthetic reels to share our best moments and life happenings. Moreover, we also use these social apps to promote our businesses, support causes, and catch up on the latest news and trends.

Staying in touch with family and friends has also been easier through instant messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp. We bond over group chats by sending funny videos and memes while video calling our best friends to share the latest chika, making socializing more fun, faster, and convenient.

Indeed, social media has become an integral part of our lives by providing a platform for entertainment and information, supporting businesses, and fostering communities. Therefore, having access to affordable and generous data is no longer optional but a “must-have” to stay online and connected anytime, anywhere.

At the forefront of providing affordable and value-packed data subscription is DITO Telecommunity, the fastest-growing telecommunications provider in the country, which now officially launched DITO Level-Up Socials — the newest and exciting mobile prepaid data subscription that offers high-speed and affordable data allocation for Meta apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp), giving Filipinos more reasons to love DITO!

This new prepaid promo aims to provide bigger data allocation so Filipinos can level-up their socials and experience the best of Meta apps at a pocket-friendly price, enabling them to continuously like, heart, and share photos and create video contents for the world to see!

Ultimate midrange champion: Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Tech

By Jasper Valdez

APRIME example of this is Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G. This phone does not only look the part but is also capable of performing at almost the same level as top-end smartphones at a fraction of the price.

To give you a better idea of what this phone is capable of, we took it upon ourselves to test it out, specifically the Fan Festival Edition in Mystic Silver released by Xiaomi on its founding anniversary this year.

Here’s what you need to know:

Premium looks + Durability

Midrange phones tend to look the same nowadays—almost too generic to stand out from the crowd. However, this Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is different. It offers a fresh take on familiar aesthetics in a manner that’s more elevated and refined.

The phone’s two-toned silver back and metal side trimmings create a deluxe feel, with contrasting shiny and frosted finishes that add dimension and character.

Xiaomi opted for a minimal camera design, avoiding the usual bulky rectangular or circular islands typical in this smartphone category—and it paid off. The phone also has a lot of weight to it unlike most of its counterparts, which also adds to how premium the phone feels on hand.

Xiaomi also excelled with the display, featuring a large curved screen— a first for any Redmi device.

Durability-wise, it boasts Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for enhanced scratch and drop resistance, along with an IP68 rating f or water and dust protection.

Immersive viewing experience

Equipped with a massive 6.67-inch AMOLED screen display, the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is a heavy hitter when

in design, display, performance,

it comes to streaming and other videorelated playback activities.

The almost bezel-less display, with its 1.5K CrystalRes, delivers unparalleled color and clarity for a more engaging visual media experience. Meanwhile, its 120Hz adaptive high refresh rate ensures navigating the screen is always smooth and lag-free without costing much power.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7200-Ultra, a capable processor that performs at near flagship level. This is supplemented by 12GB of RAM and 512GB storage for uninterrupted usage and plenty of space for your apps, photos, and videos. Not once did we experience any buff-

ering, lag, or stuttering with this phone be it multitasking, multimedia playback, or gaming. Everything was seamless, smooth, and easy—not something common for midrange smartphones.

Kaspersky releases enhanced apps for iOS and Android

KASPERSKY is announcing the release of its upgraded iOS and Android mobile apps, with updates focusing on security, privacy and improved usability. Among new features available in the iOS app are the Security Scan button, Private Browsing option and a Sirishortcut feature, that effortlessly turns on the VPN.

According to StatCounter’s data, mobile devices now account for nearly 60% of global web traffic. With the growing prevalence of mobile usage, it is crucial for users to maintain their cybersecurity robust and comprehensive.

To ensure the presence of safety for mobile users, Kaspersky is presenting its updated apps for iOS and Android.

These enhancements offer new features providing a higher level of protection in the digital realm, increased privacy, and improved usability for a smooth and convenient user experience.

Kaspersky for iOS devices have been updated with a set of new features:

• A Security Scan button, which checks all security systems on the

LEADING smart devices provider, HONOR, made its a significant debut at VivaTech, one of Europe’s largest tech and innovation showcases.

HONOR introduced its innovative Four-layered AI Strategy, emphasizing its commitment to on-device AI. During the talk, George Zhao, CEO of HONOR Device Co., Ltd. Also announced the forthcoming Gen-AI experiences in collaboration with Google Cloud that will be integrated in the highly anticipated smartphones.

“At HONOR, we believe in harnessing on-device AI’s personalization, intuitiveness, and privacy protection to unlock AI’s full potential safely. We are excited to collaborate with Google Cloud to push the boundaries of this hybrid approach and deliver seamless AI experiences to our users,” George Zhao added.

HONOR’s Four-Layer AI Architecture

The Four-Layer AI Architecture is composed of Cross-device and Cross-

smartphone and helps users enable the most powerful protection mode. For example, users can receive recommendations to turn on a VPN, Anti-Phishing, and other security features.

• A Private Browsing extension for the Safari browser. It prevents tracking systems from collecting information

about users’ activity to monitor their behavior. Additionally, iOS owners can use Safari’s Anti-Banner element to block banner ads, including potentially malicious ones.

• A Siri Shortcut feature for improved usability: by simply tapping a button and saying, “Hey Siri,” users

tems. Secondly, the Platform-level AI personalizes the operating system, allowing intent-based human-computer interaction and efficient resource allocation. The Applevel AI pioneers innovative, generative AI applications to revolutionize user experiences. Lastly, the Interface to Cloud-AI services ensures user access to extensive cloud services while prioritizing privacy protection. Bringing Magic to User Experience with MagicOS 8.0 and Magic Portal The industry’s first intent-based UI that understands user behavior and streamlines complex tasks into singlestep processes are just some of the notable powers of the MagicOS 8.0 featuring Magic Portal. The Magic Portal is currently supporting 100 top applications across travel, productivity, messaging, search, entertainment, shopping, and social media, but will continue to expand to provide even more seamless and intelligent AI experiences. Moreover, HONOR will roll out the MagicOS 8.0 to HONOR Magic V2 and HONOR 90 devices.

can effortlessly turn their VPN on and off with voice commands. This option is available for consumer solutions equipped with a VPN, such as Kaspersky VPN standalone, Kaspersky Premium and Kaspersky Plus. Privacy protection for both mobile platforms is enhanced with a new Identity Theft Check feature. It empowers users to track all leaks from accounts linked to a particular phone number and to take immediate protection measures, such as changing the password on the affected account. Currently, Identity Theft Check is exclusively available in the most comprehensive tier of consumer solutions – Kaspersky Premium — and can be activated on a smartphone after purchasing it at Kaspersky website. Later this year, Kaspersky Premium will also be available directly for purchase within apps.

Another long-awaited update is a Dark Mode. This is an important aspect of UX design available both on iOS and Android platforms, allowing users to enjoy a more comfortable viewing experience.

Revolutionized Portrait Photography with HONOR 200 Series Inspired from Studio Harcourt’s legendary portrait photography techniques, the HONOR 200 Series uses AI to replicate the studio’s iconic lighting and shadow effects, ensuring studio-quality portraits with every shot. The HONOR 200 Series was launched in Paris on June 12. In addition, the insightful panel discussion at VivaTech 2024 also featured industry expert Dr. Justine Cassell, exploring the future of multimodal interaction. He noted that “humans live multimodally and the

The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Fan Festival Edition is an all-rounder that excels

camera, and battery life.

Powerhouse Performer

Sample photos