Manila Standard - 2026 July 30 - Thursday

manilastandard.net

@ManilaStandardPH

@mnlstandardph

@manilastandard

@ManilaStandardYT

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net . For advertisement: email: advertise@manilastandard.net • 09173382170 / 85646229

Marcos ready to certify tax reform, energy measures as urgent

By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz MALACAÑANG on Wednesday signaled that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is prepared to certify as urgent proposed tax reform and power sector bills once they reach his desk.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the President only needs to review the final versions of the bills before granting them urgent status, allowing Congress to expedite deliberations.

“The President only needs to review Next page

VOL. XL • NO. 166 • 4 SECTIONS 24 PAGES • P20 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

‘Unusual’ withdrawals cited

Prosecutors to show how OVP, DepEd funds were used, audited

By Maricel Cruz and Katrina Manubay

T

WO former managers of the Land Bank of the Philippines on Wednesday described large cash withdrawals totaling P612.5 million for Vice President Sara Duterte’s offices from 2022 to 2023 as “unusual” as her impeachment trial continued at the Senate.

Duterte is facing allegations of “systematic misuse, misappropriation and irregular liquidation” of that amount in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (P500 million) and the Department of Education (P112.5 million), which she previously headed.

The VP and her lawyers have denied the accusations Next page

PROSECUTION WITNESS. Former Land Bank of the Philippines Shaw Boulevard branch manager Violeta Constantino shows a document to the impeachment court during her testimony as the prosecution’s first witness for Article I during the 10th day of the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Constantino testified on transactions related to the questioned withdrawals of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President. Lino Santos

DFA ready to face Senate probe on ‘Ayungin deal’

By Joyce Babe P. Pañares FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said she is ready to face any Senate inquiry into the so-called “Ayungin provisional understanding” with China.

“I am very ready,” Lazaro said in a doorstop interview during yesterday’s 10th ASEAN Media Forum.

Gibo uneasy over China cultural exchanges NEWS / A3 “If they want, we can do it anytime,” she added.

The DFA earlier clarified the understanding serves as a “set of principles

and approaches” meant to avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation during the resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre.

The department also dismissed efforts to mischaracterize the provisional understanding after Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan claimed Manila violated the agreement Next page

ENERGY MUSEUM. President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. checks out a mock-up of a

hydroelectric dam at the inauguration of the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Museum which he visited yesterday. With him are Francis Giles B. Puno, President and COO of First Gen Power Co.,DOE Sec. Sharon Garin, and Dr. Lorraine Pastoriza-Primaleon, Geosciences head of First Gen Power Co. Revoli Cortez

Palace hits Sara for neglecting duty, turns cheek on Imee insults

By Charles Dantes MALACAÑANG on Wednesday accused Vice President Sara Duterte of showing disrespect for the Constitution after she said she neither watched

nor read President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), arguing that the annual report is a constitutional duty.

Presidential Communications Office Next page

‘MORE TAGUIG DETAILS IN BLUE RIBBON’

TUCP PRESSES FOR P200 WAGE HIKE

NEWS / A3

NEWS / A3

BEWARE. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) warns of possible debris from a Chinese Long March 6A, inset, rocket launch today from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province. The map shows where the rocket may fall within a designated drop zone inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, approximately 83 nautical miles from Dalupiri Island, Cagayan; 88 nautical miles from Babuyan Island; and 104 nautical miles from Burgos, Ilocos Norte. PCG/ China Daily

PBBM lauds Pag-IBIG for over 500k homes built PAGASA sees ‘very strong’ El Nino by Oct. until June 2027

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. highlighted the gains achieved by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and Pag-IBIG Fund under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program during his 2026 State of the Nation Address, reporting that more than 500,000 homes have been built

or financed under the administration’s flagship housing program.

Based on its latest available data, Pag-IBIG Fund provided affordable home financing to qualified members, releasing ₱517.45 billion in home loans that financed 379,294 housing units.

It has also advanced Expanded 4PH

by broadening its partnerships with private developers and government agencies to increase the supply of homes suited to members’ needs.

The Fund has also offered acquired assets as an additional affordable homeownership option, and lowering financing rates to Next page

By Rio N. Araja THE probability of a very strong El Niño phenomenon increased significantly to persist until the first half of 2027, according to the Philippine At-

mospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“This August...the chance of a very strong El Niño by October, November, Next page

NEWS

A2

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Women’s group files ethics rap vs. Pia A

By Ram Superable

GROUP of women advocates, academics, and feminists filed a formal ethics complaint yesterday against senator-judge Pia Cayetano for allegedly sharing a manipulated video during the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The petition, submitted to Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges Chairperson Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III at 3:11 p.m., accuses Cayetano of circulating an edited clip on social media that allegedly distorted state-

ments made by House prosecutor Rep. Chel Diokno.

“The deliberate editing of official impeachment proceedings to mislead the public is not merely a political act, it is a serious ethical issue that strikes at the

Marcos...

From A1

‘Unusual’...

From A1

the bills. Once he sees them, they will definitely be certified as urgent,” Castro said.

The proposed measures include a new tax reform package and amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), two of the administration’s priority legislative proposals aimed at boosting economic competitiveness while lowering electricity costs.

as the House prosecution panel on Wednesday began presenting evidence on the alleged misuse of the confidential funds, with prosecutors tracing the release and encashment of the money before shifting next week to how the expenditures were audited.

Opening the presentation on Article I of the impeachment complaint, House prosecutor and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the confidential nature of the funds did not exempt them from public accountability.

“That the budget is intended for confidential operations does not mean that the conduct of officials involved in the handling of people’s money is exempted from the demands of transparency, scrutiny and accountability,” De Lima said.

She stressed that confidentiality protects legitimate operations and informants, not fabricated records or the diversion of public funds.

“This case is about P612.5 million in confidential funds entrusted to VP Sara Duterte, through the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education,” she said.

House ready to act on PBBM’s measures

Meanwhile, House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III said Wednesday the House is ready to act swiftly on the President’s proposals, stressing that Congress must quickly translate policy commitments into reforms that directly benefit Filipino families.

“Our task now is to enact into law the measures that will ease the lives of our fellow Filipinos. The House is ready to act immediately to advance these reforms,” Dy said.

“We stand with the President in the goal of lowering family expenses and providing greater relief to Filipino workers. These are the reforms we must prioritize.”

Dy said the House leadership is moving quickly to meet the President’s timetable, with the proposed tax relief package expected to pass on third reading by August together with its corresponding revenue measures.

House Committee on Ways and Means chair Miro Quimbo earlier said Dy and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos are targeting House approval by August to allow the tax relief package to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.

Castro also dismissed suggestions that the President announced the reforms without consulting his economic team, saying Mr. Marcos carefully studies every major policy before presenting it to the public.

“The President will not speak without basis. He studies everything he says,” Castro said.

While declining to discuss the technical details of the proposals, Castro said the administration’s economic team would provide a separate briefing on the tax package later Wednesday.

During his fifth SONA, President Marcos urged Congress to pass a new tax reform package to improve revenue collection while easing the tax burden on Filipinos.

He also called on lawmakers to amend the 25-year-old EPIRA, including prohibiting the charging of electricity system losses to consumers, as part of efforts to reduce power rates and strengthen the country’s energy sector.

DFA...

From A1 by constructing “barrier nets” near the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.

Retired Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio, however, earlier called for the cancellation of the provisional arrangement, which he described as “dumber than dumb,” adding that he might bring it up before the High Court.

“Why would you have a provisional (agreement)? We already have a final decision, the Arbitral Award, but we opened it again…It’s like we slammed ourselves into a big wall,” Carpio said.

Under the proposed Senate Resolution No. 536 filed on July 27, Senator Francis Pangilinan asked the Upper Chamber

Constantino: Four P125-million checks cashed

The prosecution’s first witness, retired Land Bank Shaw Boulevard branch manager Violeta Constantino, testified that she personally supervised the encashment of four P125-million Treasury checks payable to Office of the Vice President Special Disbursing Officer Gina F. Acosta.

Constantino identified the four checks, totaling P500 million, and said they were encashed on Dec. 20, 2022, Feb. 6, 2023, April 25, 2023, and July 14, 2023.

She said OVP cash division liaison Queenie Masangkay would notify the branch one or two days before each transaction because the branch did not normally keep P125 million in cash and had to request the funds from Land Bank’s cash center.

Once the cash arrived, Constanti-

integrity of the Senate as an impeachment court,” the statement of the complainants read.

They alleged that the video deceptively omitted Diokno’s full legal explanation regarding subpoena requests for financial records, creating a false impression that the prosecution was conducting an unsubstantiated fishing expedition against the Vice President.

According to the complaint, Cayetano’s online activity violated both the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers and the constitutional oath taken by sena-

tor-judges to deliver impartial justice.

The filing was led by former Commission on Higher Education Chair Patricia “Tatti” Licuanan and University of the Philippines-Diliman professor Jean Franco of Everywoman.

Other complainants include leaders and representatives from the Parents Initiative and Social Awareness Mainstreaming Advocacy, Sanctuary Network, Student Council Alliance of the Philippines, District Wide Advocates Quezon City, Pandayan Para sa Sosyalistang Pilipinas, and the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Student Council.

no said she would inform Masangkay, after which Acosta and OVP Assistant Secretary and Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio would proceed to the branch to complete the encashment.

The prosecution presented the testimony to establish the processing and release of the P500 million as part of its evidence on the alleged misuse of confidential funds.

The Senate Impeachment Court later granted the prosecution’s request to subpoena former Commission on Audit (COA) Intelligence and Confidential Funds Audit Office state auditor Roderick Wamil, incumbent supervising auditor Celine May Del Campo, and House Legislative Information Resources Management Department Director Marivic Pareja to testify on Aug. 3, 4 and 5.

Philippine Statistics Authority records.

Prosecutors also contend that portions of the funds were spent within unusually short periods, including P125 million in 11 days, and were later covered by COA notices of disallowance.

Prosecution to focus on audit process

Lead House prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said the prosecution had completed the phase tracing the movement of the funds and would next focus on the audit process.

“What we’ll hear next hearing will be the audit process, including the findings, and perhaps the notices of disallowance, and even the decision of COA which sustained the notice of disallowance,” Luistro said.

She said the auditors are expected to explain how COA examined the liquidation of the confidential funds, the deficiencies it found and the basis for the notices of disallowance.

“We wanted to show first how the money moved before presenting the audit that examined how it was spent,” Luistro said, adding that the prosecution may still present additional witnesses if necessary.

The prosecution alleges that the P612.5 million in confidential funds received by the OVP and the DepEd during Duterte’s tenure as Education secretary was supported by questionable liquidation documents, including acknowledgment receipts bearing names such as “Mary Grace Piattos,” “Milky Secuya” and “Kokoy Villamin,” as well as hundreds of purported recipients who could not be matched with

Palace...

From A1 Undersecretary Claire Castro issued the rebuke after Duterte, speaking to supporters in The Hague, described President Marcos’ July 27 SONA as “a waste of time for the Filipino people” and said she had no interest in watching or reading it.

Castro stressed that the SONA is mandated by the Constitution and serves as the President’s annual report on the administration’s accomplishments and legislative agenda.

“The SONA is the President’s report on the administration’s accomplishments and plans for the Filipino people. It is mandated by the Constitution,” Castro said. “Failing to respect the SONA is failing to respect the Constitution and the country’s institutions,” she added.

Castro warned against encouraging people to ignore government policies and national issues, saying an uninformed public is easier to manipulate.

“Some people choose to remain uninformed and ignorant. People who lack knowledge are easier to manipulate,” she said.

Castro won’t respond to insults

House bats for alternating presentation of evidence

At the same time, she rejected what appeared to be a veiled insult from Senator Imee Marcos, saying she would not resort to personal attacks and accused the senator’s camp of responding to the government’s campaign against disinformation with insults.

The exchange stemmed from a video released by Marcos in which the senator claimed the International Criminal Court was “in trouble” following statements from the United States.

Castro also suggested there was an “ICC” inside Malacañang, apparently referring to Castro, but did not explain the acronym.

During a Palace briefing, she was asked whether she believed the remark was directed at her and noted that the video’s creators allegedly used the word “impakta” to represent the letter “I.”

Defense: De Lima ‘improperly stated’ conclusions

PBBM...

From A1

Earlier, the House prosecution panel formally asked the Senate impeachment court to adopt an alternating, article-by-article presentation of evidence, arguing that the format would make the proceedings more organized and allow both sides to focus on one impeachment charge at a time.

The panel said it would abide by whatever procedure the impeachment court adopts.

House prosecution spokesperson lawyer Jay Tolosa rejected the defense’s claim that the proposed format would violate due process.

“They can answer. It’s only a change of timing,” Tolosa said.

He explained that under either format, the respondent would still present evidence only after the prosecution had completed its case on the relevant impeachment article.

“So, in both scenarios, they will always have the last word,” Tolosa said.

The defense, meanwhile, objected to portions of De Lima’s opening statement, arguing that it improperly stated factual and legal conclusions before the presentation of evidence.

Defense spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said the prosecution should establish its allegations through witnesses rather than opening remarks.

“When it’s already on record, even if it’s stricken off, people have already heard it and it may influence public opinion,” Poa said.

Poa also said the defense waived its cross-examination of Constantino because the validity of the Land Bank encashments was not being disputed.

“That is not the matter at issue here.

The validity of the encashment is not being questioned,” he said

December is around 81 percent. And a strong El Niño, July to November, is possible, which is around 57 percent. And this is what we are saying: even for us in monitoring, it is very unprecedented. The speed of warming is fast,” PAGASA Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section (CLIMPS) Chief Ana Liza Solis said.

However, she clarified that when there is El Niño, it does not necessarily mean there would be drought, citing other weather systems, such as the

southwest monsoon (habagat), tropical cyclones, intertropical convergence zone, shear line, and frontal systems that could trigger rains.

The weather official warned that the public must brace for a reduction in the amount of rainfall during the warm and dry season due to a prolonged El Niño episode, especially when tropical depressions could not replenish the dwindling water at major dams later this year.

She said the water elevation at Angat Dam in Bulacan, which supplies over 90 percent of water in Metro Manila, is alarming since the recent tropical

cyclones failed to increase the dam’s water supply when stronger winds associated with recurving storms restricted rainfall in the watershed.

“We will cross over to the warm and dry season months where… that is our problem when we have less rain from the southwest monsoon, and those landfalling and crossing tropical cyclones come October, November; they are no longer effective in rain because the winds are stronger. They could not contribute much water to the Angat Dam, which is usually, we expect the recovery of the Angat Dam from this July until October to November,” Solis said.

reduce monthly amortizations and make homeownership more attainable for more Filipino families.

“Sa ating programang pabahay, higit limang daang libong bahay ang ating naitayo na at napondohan, kasama ang higit isang daang libong bahay na naidagdag natin sa loob lamang ng isang taon sa ilalim ng pinalawig natin na 4PH program,” President Marcos said.

“Nariyan ang DHSUD at mga ahensyang kasapi sa sistema ng pabahay upang matupad ang pinapangarap na tahanan ng Pilipino. Katuwang ang pribadong sektor at lokal na pamahalaan, puspusan nating pinupuno ang kakulangan sa pabahay sa buong bansa. Ito ay ginagawa natin sa pamamagitan ng mga bagong komunidad, mga acquired assets ng PagIBIG Fund, Community Mortgage Program, resettlements, at pati na mga paupahan,” he also said.

The President also underscored the central role of affordable financing in turning available housing into homes that Filipino families can own.

“Susi sa lahat ng ito ang magandang sistema ng pautang, upang gawing mas abot-kaya ang mga pabahay para sa mga Pilipino. Isa na rito ang Pag-IBIG Fund. Ang kanyang labimpitong milyong miyembro ngayon ay patuloy pang dumadami, kung kaya ang pinupundar ng mga miyembro ay patuloy ding lumalago,” Marcos emphasized.

to conduct an inquiry to determine the provisional understanding’s consistency with the 2016 arbitral award and its implications on the country’s sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. “The DFA welcomes the opportunity to clarify matters surrounding the Provisional Understanding at the proper forum and in coordination with defense and security agencies,” DFA spokesperson for Maritime Affairs Rogelio Villanueva said.

The understanding does not in any way concede the Philippines’ sovereignty and rights over the West Philippine Sea, the DFA said.

“The Philippines alone holds the sovereign right to authorize any structure there, and Philippine vessels do not require permission to sail to Ayungin,”

the DFA said.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. also earlier called China “shameless” for trying to interfere in activities aboard the BRP Sierra Madre and for spreading lies to justify its actions.

“They cannot prove that…They should not interfere with what we do within our territory. They do not have the right to be there. Truly shameless!

(Inuunggoy na tayo) They are blatantly pulling a fast one,” Teodoro added.

Ayungin Shoal forms part of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf of the Philippines, as provided for by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and settled by the 2016 Arbitral Award.

And as a low-tide elevation, it generates no maritime entitlement of its own

and cannot be claimed by any other state, the DFA said.

Meanwhile, Lazaro expressed optimism that a binding Code of Conduct on the South China Sea – one that would deter dangerous actions and encourage all parties to exercise “maximum restraint” – would be signed within the year, even as she acknowledged the process could spill over to the early months of the Singapore chairmanship in 2027.

“There is already political will for ASEAN and China to come up with COC, and this will is coming from what is happening in the Strait of Hormuz. We should not be another chokepoint,” she said. “(But) nothing prohibits Singapore (as the next ASEAN chair) to continue what has been started. 2026 is just our self-imposed deadline as a bloc. But if

there is great difficulty, Singapore can always continue,” Lazaro added.

According to ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, ensuring that all parties exercise maximum restraint is key to ensuring the COC results in substantial de-escalation in the South China Sea. “With the COC, we should not escalate conflict to the level of confrontation…That’s why there’s a need, there’s urgency to get the COC in place because we don’t want to see South China Sea become a hotspot every day, every week, every month,” Kao said.

“We want to see a peaceful, stable, well-managed South China Sea. It is in the interest of all,” he added. “Hopefully, the COC will have a restraining effect on all parties.”

PAGASA...

From A1

NEWS

A3

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Ping to expose more details on Taguig project anomalies

By Ram Superable THE Senate Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC) will reveal intricate details behind alleged infrastructure project irregularities in Taguig City, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Wednesday.

The upcoming legislative inquiry will examine at least five case studies prepared by the senator’s investigative team involving the political stronghold of Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano. “‘Malicious but delicious’—it seems he has already broken down.

He is saying all kinds of things,” Lacson said in a social media post, responding to Cayetano’s remarks about the investigation.

“The public may partake of the ‘delicious’ part if they watch the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, where the truth behind the five Taguig case studies that we submitted to the Ombudsman will be exposed,” Lacson added.

He made the remarks after Cayetano described his infrastructure findings as “malicious.” Lacson responded by promising full disclosure of the evidence.

Lacson submitted the gathered evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday, saying the materials could support charges of plunder, malversation, and violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The alleged irregularities in Taguig involved a mix of traditional and modern deceptive schemes, setting them apart from previous case studies in Bulacan.

Infrastructure projects in Taguig totaled P14.4 billion from 2020 to 2025 alone, with investigators continuing to document additional contracts.

“It doesn’t preclude any action that the BRC may take in the course of the committee’s investigation of the flood control anomalies, depending on the chairman’s and the members’ appreciation,” Lacson clarified.

STORM DRAINAGE PROJECT. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon inspects the P83-million Dacudao storm drainage project in Davao City on Wednesday. The agency aims to complete the flood control project by the end of August. Robinson Niñal Jr.

Teodoro urges vigilance over cultural exchanges D

By Rex Espiritu

EFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday called for greater vigilance over academic, cultural, and language exchanges with China following reports that the training destination of Chinese language teachers in the country also hosted a symposium featuring Chinese scholars who claimed Batanes is part of China.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, Teodoro said there could be risks if such exchanges are used for purposes beyond legitimate cultural or academic engagement.

“There’s a great danger,” Teodoro said when asked about

the risks of the arrangement.

He raised concern over the involvement of the same institution in activities linked to what he described as the spread of false information, noting that the university is a stateowned and state-controlled academic institution.

“For me, this is strong evidence that some of these schools are being used for improper purposes. Not all, but some,” Teodoro said.

He urged the public to carefully scrutinize not only university-level exchanges but also cultural, language, and other educational programs involving Chinese institutions at the basic education level.

Teodoro clarified that he was not calling for an end to people-to-people or educational exchanges with China, but stressed the need for greater awareness of potential risks.

“Nonetheless, this calls for vigilance. I’m not saying we shouldn’t interact. I’m simply saying that when we do, we should be aware that there may be bad intentions,” he said.

Maritime security think tank SeaLight Foundation found that the university hosting the symposium featuring Chinese scholars who claimed Batanes is part of China is also training Chinese language teachers in Manila.

TUCP says P200 wage hike more urgent than tax relief

By Vito Barcelo THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Wednesday said raising workers’ wages through a legislated P200 daily wage hike is more urgent than increasing the income tax exemption threshold.

The labor group said no tax reform, no matter how beneficial to middle-income earners, can replace the need for higher wages, especially for millions of minimum wage earners who are already exempt from paying income tax.

TUCP criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address for failing to mention the pending P200 legislated wage hike and unresolved wage petitions before regional wage boards.

The group said tax cuts would have little impact on workers whose incomes remain below the living wage and even the government’s poverty threshold.

Meanwhile, TUCP welcomed Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino’s support for raising the income tax exemption threshold but urged the President to also certify as urgent the proposed P200 legislated wage increase.

The labor group maintained that workers need both higher wages and higher tax-free income to improve their purchasing power.

Responding to concerns from the Employers Confederation of the Philippines over possible revenue losses, TUCP said the government can fund tax relief through more progressive taxation, including a wealth tax on billionaires and a windfall profits tax on petroleum and power companies.

The group said the proposed measures would allow the government to provide both wage increases and tax relief, adding that workers deserve immediate action on both reforms.

PAO seeks probe into deepfake scam PUBLIC Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta has sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, and social media platforms over a deepfake video using her image to promote an investment scam.

Acosta said she has reported the viral video to the NBI and the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group to identify those responsible and file appropriate charges.

She expressed outrage over the AI-generated video, which falsely showed her withdrawing cash from an automated teller machine and encouraging the public to invest.

Acosta urged the public to ignore the fake video and remain vigilant against online scams using her image and voice.

She believes scammers exploited her popularity, particularly among the poor clients served by the PAO. Rio N. Araja

LTO arrests 2 alleged fixers in entrapment THE Land Transportation Office (LTO), in coordination with the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group, arrested two women in an entrapment operation over alleged illegal fixing activities.

The operation stemmed from a complaint by a motorist who said he paid P45,000 to process his driver’s license before the suspects demanded more money.

The two suspects were brought to Camp Crame for documentation and the filing of appropriate charges.

LTO chief Markus Lacanilao said fixers have no place in the agency and vowed to intensify operations against those exploiting the public.

He also urged motorists to transact only with official LTO offices and report individuals offering illegal processing services.

Rio N. Araja

Suspect in athlete’s death arrested in Tarlac

STATE OF THE CITY. Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval delivers her fourth State of the City Address at the Malabon City Sports Center on Wednesday, highlighting the theme, ‘Mas Matatag na Malabon, Pinalawak na Oportunidad, Pinabilis na Pag-unlad.’ Andrew Rabulan

Comelec reminds BARMM election bets to follow campaign rules

By Vito Barcelo

HELPING HANDS. Firefighters from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and fire volunteers battle a third-alarm blaze that hit Building 1 of Residencias de Manila in Pandacan, Manila, early Wednesday. Residents assist responders by fetching water to help contain the fire. Norman Cruz

IN BRIEF

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday reminded candidates in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Dasmariñas City, Cavite, to strictly comply with campaign rules as the official campaign period begins on July 30.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia urged all candidates and their supporters to conduct clean, honest, and lawful campaigns.

He said election laws and regulations must be observed throughout the campaign period to ensure fair and credible elections.

Garcia also warned candidates against using government funds, vehi-

cles, equipment, personnel, and other public resources for campaign activities, adding that the use of government resources for partisan political purposes constitutes an abuse of state resources and is prohibited under election rules.

The Comelec encouraged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of abuse of state resources or other election violations through its official website.

The poll body said public participation is essential in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.

Garcia stressed that the commission will not tolerate violations of campaign regulations and will act swiftly against candidates found to have breached election laws.

A JOINT law enforcement operation arrested Oriental Mindoro’s fourth most wanted person in connection with the murder of Philippine Air Force Airman First Class Mervin Guarte, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist.

The 35-year-old suspect was arrested Tuesday in Bamban, Tarlac, by a composite team led by the Police Regional Office-4B Regional Intelligence Division.

He was served a warrant of arrest issued by a Calapan City court for murder, with no bail recommended.

Authorities said the case stemmed from the fatal stabbing of Guarte in Barangay Camilmil, Calapan City, on Jan. 7, 2025.

MIMAROPA police chief Brig. Gen. Christopher Dela Cruz commended the operating teams, saying the arrest underscores the police’s commitment to tracking down wanted persons through intelligence-driven and inter-agency operations. Vince Lopez REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS Twentieth Congress

ANNOUNCEMENT President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has submitted to the Commission on Appointments (CA), for its consent to the nominations and for confirmation of the ad interim appointment of the following : Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 1. Mr. RENATO NER DUEÑAS JR. Chief of Mission Class II as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Negara Brunei Darussalam Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 2.

3.

4.

BGEN. PRUDENCIO A. IDDOBA to the rank of Major General COL. BLADIMER B. CALUYA to the rank of Brigadier General SANTIAGO P. PACIS JR. to the rank of Commodore

The public may submit any information, written report, or sworn/notarized complaints or oppositions to the above nominations and ad interim appointment in seven (7) copies to the CA Secretariat, 6th Floor, PNB Financial Center, D. Macapagal Blvd., Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the schedule of the public hearings, the CA Secretariat can be reached through telephone numbers 8834-2713, 88311824, 8831-0527, 8832-9830, 8834-2706 and 8551-1989.

29 July 2026.

(MS-JULY 30, 2026)

MYRA MARIE D. VILLARICA Secretary

NEWS

A4

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

MST.DAYDESK@GMAIL.COM

IN BRIEF P15m in infra projects seen in Buguey festival TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The municipality of Buguey celebrated its marine resources and received P15 million worth of fisheries infrastructure projects during the fifth Malaga, Guraman and Tirem Festival on July 26.

Senator Mark Villar, Cagayan Governor Edgar “Tatay Egay” Aglipay, and Buguey Mayor Licerio “Ceri” Antiporda III led the festival activities.

The event featured the simultaneous grilling of about 2,000 kilos of malaga and the “Kusina ni Ceri” food showcase, which presented dishes made from malaga, guraman, and tirem.

“This festival is more than a celebration. It is our way of promoting food security, food safety, and further strengthening the fisheries industry in Buguey.

We want to show the country that our seas provide not just food, but also opportunity and identity for our people,” Antiporda said. Jessica M. Bacud

Manila has drone to predict floods

By Pot Chavez

T

HE City of Manila has begun using an artificial intelligence-powered drone with 3D mapping technology to map every structure in the city and predict flooding up to two hours in advance, Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Prince Hotel media forum, Domagoso said the system analyzes rainfall volume, ground elevation, and the city’s drainage network to forecast floodprone areas within minutes.

“Kaya natin ma-predict kung magbabaha sa kwentada ng buhos ng tubig, ‘yung volume sa elevation ng lupa natin, at kung na-mapping natin ang lahat ng drainage, easily in a matter of few minutes madi-detect mo na na itong lugar na ‘to magbabaha 2 hours there-

after,” he said.

(By calculating the volume of rainfall, the elevation of the land, and mapping all drainage systems, we can predict where flooding will occur. Once all the data is mapped, the system can detect within minutes that a particular area is likely to flood about two hours later.)

The AI-equipped drone uses 3D mapping technology to survey all structures in Manila with millimeterlevel precision as part of the city’s dig-

ital transformation program, Domagoso said.

Last week, Manila received the Special Achievement in GIS Award from ESRI in San Diego in recognition of its geographic information system.

The city’s ArcGIS platform, used by the Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department, monitors infrastructure such as electric posts and supports zoning compliance across Manila’s six districts.

Domagoso also said the city is expanding its data banking system to integrate information on real property, businesses, and healthcare services down to the barangay level.

He added that the flood prediction capability is expected to support disaster preparedness by providing residents with advance notice before floodwaters arrive.

Cities across Africa and parts of Asia are beginning to deploy drones not just for disaster response but for flood pre-

diction, marking a shift toward more proactive climate resilience.

In Kisumu, Kenya, a UNDP-backed program equips local disaster officials with drones and real-time 3D mapping tools to spot emerging flood risks along Lake Victoria’s catchments before communities are hit.

Meanwhile, in Accra, Ghana, researchers use UAV‑LiDAR to produce centimeter‑accurate terrain models that reveal micro‑features—such as curbs, drainage channels, and boundary walls—that traditional satellite data often misses.

These details allow planners to model flood behavior far more precisely, reducing errors in runoff estimates by up to 65 percent in flat urban areas.

Although only a handful of cities currently use drones for predictive flood modeling, early results suggest the technology could transform how urban centers prepare for extreme rainfall.

Poor raise concerns in PCUP Caloocan gab MORE than 500 urban poor residents from Caloocan City joined a dialogue with the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) to seek government assistance on livelihood, housing, and access to basic services.

PCUP Commissioner Reynaldo Galupo said the consultative assembly was organized after Barangay 14 Chairman Efren dela Cruz requested a dialogue between the agency and members of the urban poor sector.

Residents of Barangay 14 and nearby communities participated in the PCUP Consultative Assembly on Government Programs and Services, where they raised concerns and discussed their aspirations for stronger government support.

Galupo said many participants expressed hope that the PCUP would help connect them with government programs focused on economic empowerment and social development. Rio N. Araja

PAF: Laylo to command Presidential Airlift Wing THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) has installed Brigadier General Arthur Laylo as the new commander of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing.

PAF Commanding General Lieutenant General Arthur Cordura presided over the change of command and donning of ranks ceremony on July 27 at the PAF MultiPurpose Gymnasium, Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

Major General Alvin Hate relinquished command of the wing to Laylo, who was simultaneously promoted to the rank of brigadier general upon assuming the post.

In a statement, the PAF said the leadership transition ensures the continued fulfillment of the wing’s mission to provide safe, secure, and reliable airlift support to the President of the Philippines, senior government officials, and other authorized missions. Rex Espiritu

PEACE PACT. Brig. Gen. Omar Orozco, commander of the Philippine Army’s 1st Mechanized Infantry (Maaasahan) Brigade, meets with leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front–Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (MILF-BIAF) during a Partners for Peace meeting at the 23rd Mechanized Infantry (Explorer) Company headquarters in Barangay New Cebu, Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, on July 27. The meeting was facilitated by the 2nd Mechanized Infantry (Makasag) Battalion led by Lt. Col. Raul Escat. Courtesy Philippine Army

Survey says district lawmakers earn 86% approval nationwide

By Maricel V. Cruz NEARLY nine in 10 Filipinos approve of the performance of their district representatives, with the highest support coming from voters aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to the inaugural National Momentum Survey cited by House Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun on Wednesday.

Khonghun said 85.7 percent of respondents rated their congressional representative’s performance as “good” or “very good,” while 8.1 percent rated it “poor” and 1.3 percent gave a “very poor” rating.

The House of Representatives is led

by Speaker Faustino Dy III and Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos.

The survey found that favorable ratings were highest in the rest of Luzon at 87.3 percent, followed by the Visayas at 87 percent. Mindanao recorded an 83.3 percent approval rating, while Metro Manila posted 82.6 percent.

Support was strongest among proMarcos respondents, with 94.6 percent giving their district representatives favorable ratings. Of that figure, 20.4 percent rated their lawmakers “very good,” while 74.2 percent rated them

“good.”

Independent respondents gave district representatives an 85.9 percent favorable rating, followed by pro-Duterte respondents at 84.6 percent and proopposition respondents at 84.5 percent.

Pro-opposition respondents recorded the highest disapproval rate at 12.8 percent, compared with 10.6 percent among pro-Duterte respondents, 8.7 percent among independents, and 4.6 percent among pro-Marcos respondents.

“The results indicate that district representatives are maintaining public trust by remaining visible, responsive and closely engaged with the needs of

Coast Guard rescues 62 off Tawi-Tawi

AFP recruiting experts in tech to boost modernization drive

By Vince Lopez

RICE LADY. An elderly farmer carries a heavy bundle of freshly harvested

heirloom rice on her head in Sadanga, Mountain Province, reflecting the season’s bountiful harvest and the resilience and hard work of the region’s farming communities. Dave Leprozo

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported late Tuesday they had rescued 62 persons after motorboat M/L Trisha Mae encountered engine trouble in the waters off Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on July 27, 2026.

Upon receiving the report, the Coast Guard Sub-Station Bongao deployed a search and rescue team, along with personnel from the Marine Environmental Protection Unit and Special Operations Group aboard M/L Piaksah.

The responding team successfully located the disabled vessel and safely towed it to the Port of Bongao.

At 10:30 p.m. on July 28, 2026, M/L Trisha Mae—carrying 10 crew members and 52 passengers bound for Mapun, Tawi-Tawi—safely arrived at the Port of Bongao, according to the PCG. All 62 people on board were reported to be in good physical condition.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan commended the responding personnel for their swift and coordinated actions, emphasizing that timely maritime response remains vital in protecting lives at sea.

He said this reflects the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to its Intensified Community Assistance, Awareness, Response, and Enforcement (iCARE) program by delivering prompt, responsive, and people-centered maritime services that uphold the safety and welfare of every Filipino.

By Rex Espiritu THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is expanding its direct commission program to recruit Filipino professionals with expertise in technology, engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other specialized fields as part of its military modernization efforts.

The initiative is based on the policy direction of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who has said that “modern defense requires modern minds.”

AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said Wednesday the initiative aims to strengthen the military by adding specialized expertise alongside new equipment and weapons.

“Ang modernong AFP po ay para siyang isang smartphone. Hindi po sapat

their constituents,” Khonghun said.

He said the findings reflected continued public confidence in lawmakers’ legislative work, constituency services, and assistance delivered to communities.

The National Momentum Survey was conducted from July 13 to 16 among 1,438 respondents nationwide.

It had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level.

Momentum Research formally launched its operations on July 23 during a press briefing at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City.

na meron tayong bagong hardware; kailangan rin pong meron tayong mga pinakabago at magagaling na mga applications. So, hindi lang po tayo nagdadagdag ng tao. Tayo po ay nagdadagdag ng expertise,” Padilla said during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

(The modern AFP is like a smartphone. It is not enough to have new hardware; we also need the latest and most advanced applications. So we are not just adding personnel—we are also building expertise.)

Padilla said modern warfare now extends beyond conventional battlefields to cyberspace, information operations, laboratories, and command centers, making technical expertise increasingly important to national defense.

MARITIME RESCUE. Personnel of the Philippine Navy’s Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM) rescue Mark Sabate of Purok 18-A, Panacan, after he fell overboard from his motor banca in the waters off Panacan, Davao City, on Sunday, July 26. Philippine Navy

OPINION

A5

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Throwing down the gauntlet BRAVE, rousing words constituted the finale of the penultimate State of the Nation Address of the President.

Tepid, perfunctory applause through most of his speech needed his son, the majority leader and de facto speaker to be the “starter.”

But toward the end, the audience suddenly erupted into an ovation filled with cheers. A long-nursed feeling of resentment at the neighborhood “bully” suddenly found a “champion” to draw a line in the sand, better yet, the waters.

Was he encouraged by the vocal support of numerous yet faraway allies around the globe, led by one whose “ironclad” commitments are voiced every now and then by visiting firemen, the latest of which was Trump’s Secretary of State?

Yet as soon as Latino Rubio who shares ancestry with our mestizo oligarchs got back to his country, Trump’s bean counters slapped an additional 12.5-percent tariff on our exports, because these products which constitute a third of all our outward business with them use materials that were allegedly produced using “forced labor.”

On top of the 19 percent Trump earlier slapped on our exports, reduced from an initial 20 percent, these manufactured exports will now suffer an entrance fee in US ports of 31.5 percent, making them uncompetitive.

The rest of the exports un-levied with 12.5% are coconut oil, sugar (which is a dying industry) and processed tropical fruits, along with semi-conductor and machinery parts whose value-added is only labor because all the factory supplies are imported mostly from unfriended China.

Cheap luggage, bags, shoes and apparel, whose raw materials we import mostly from (again!) China, are alleged to have been products of “forced” labor from Han Chinese “oppressed” Xinjiang Muslims. From Xinjiang, they go to Yiwu, where almost all the products you see in the malls are sourced from.

But not to worry, says our Trade and Industry secretary who glowed when her President touted 14 free trade agreements that were negotiated even before she and another predecessor brought their unworthy presence to the department.

Still, a third of 13.46 billion in exports is 4.5 billion dollars which would effectively close many of the export processing zone locators who thrive only because of our semi-skilled labor and the low tariff we enjoy to the US and other countries. How many Filipinos stand to lose their jobs?

But from China, we import $38.2 billion while exporting only $9.31 billion, leaving us a gaping trade imbalance of $28.9 billion.

Try as we would, it is difficult to export more to our nearest neighbor, because what we export are mostly fruits and agricultural produce which face stiff competition from Vietnam and Thailand which can be reached by land from China.

Did our “brave” President think of these when he threw down the gauntlet against our big neighbor, in-your-face style, last Monday afternoon?

The applause was deafening, brought out by nationalistic emotions. But what could happen the day after?

In short supply these days are oil and fertilizer, and China gave us some when the Middle East war found us scrambling.

Will they be so kind again?

Go through the long list of imports that supply our construction industry, our transport mobility, our electronics, paper, plastics, packaging, apparel, footwear and even food, and wonder what happens if they constrict the flow of these, even if their export profits suffer.

—“—

Will China be so kind again?

Losing face the Chinese will not accept, more so among their leaders.

And all for flag-waving to stir up emotions enough to make our President feel good and accepted by his audience, and hopefully, his people.

There are many more episodes in his hour-and-a-half SONA that the audience cheered, but one wonders whether and when these will come to fruition.

I was giddy when I heard his clarion call to Congress to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act to remove the systems loss that Meralco charges us. That amounts to about 5 percent of the monthly electric bill. Add 12 percent VAT on 5 percent systems loss charge and that is an additional 0.006 percent.

But there are two types of systems loss: what is lost when electric power is transmitted from generation through grid to distribution; and two, what is lost from those who steal power through illegal connections.

Wait until Manuel V. Pangilinan and the others in the business start working on persuading our congressmen to think again, dribble the ball through endless hearings, of course with the lobbyists handing expandable envelopes, not maletas.

And the rocket ship to be launched in Cagayan? Wow! Plus going nuclear this late in his career as president? What province will willingly host a nuclear plant? Not even Ilocos Norte, I bet.

His opening declaration about not being the president of his family reminds me eerily about Erap’s inaugural address: “walang kama-kamag-anak, walang kaikaibigan”.

Oh well, BbM’s prose was more elegant.

Meanwhile, his sister Senator Imee, states: “What happened to ‘Have some shame’ when those who have no shame remain safe?” The Filipino version sounds better, though.

Senate warfare THE way our senators are conducting themselves in the Senate chamber is, to put it mildly, shameful. They do not care anymore about the damage their actions would do to the chamber they represent.

They are no longer pulling their punches against each other and as things currently stand, it is now open warfare. It used to be that debates, no matter how toxic, were civil. Not anymore. The war continues even outside the halls of Congress with the use of social media. And as we are seeing, there is a complete breakdown of civility between the majority and minority senators.

All this seems to have started when Senator Alan Cayetano engineered a coup and got himself elected as Senate President. When that happened, the atmosphere in the chamber completely changed because there was a new sheriff in town, so to speak. This, however, did not last very long. A counter-coup was successfully mounted against him and he was also deposed. Because there was an abrupt reversal of fortunes, the bad blood between the two groups became noticeable; neither camp is even trying to hide the animosity anymore.

The height of shabbiness was when many in the Senate minority bloc did not bother to attend the 5th State of the Nation Address of PBBM. To be sure, they

were not missed. Still, they should have attended as an act of courtesy and tradition. In the past, no matter the kind or depth of political differences, the opposition always attended. Even that is now gone.

—“—

There is a complete breakdown of civility between the majority and the minority.

Instead, the Minority Leader Cayetano delivered what they billed as a Kontra SONA -- but it was no speech at all in the traditional sense. He simply recited a litany of criticisms which was easy to do. What he should have done was tell the public what they would do to solve all the country’s problems if they were leading the country. He, for instance, called detained Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta political prisoners forgetting that this was, in fact, the second time Estrada had been arrested for plunder. For his part, Marcoleta admitted to having received P75 million in gifts without declaring it.

I

‘Dumber than dumb’

T IS entirely correct for former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio to call the Philippine government’s so-called “provisional arrangement” with China in the West Philippine Sea “dumber than dumb.” The blunt language coming from one of the country’s most outspoken defenders of Philippine sovereignty may be harsh to Beijing’s ears, but it’s the right thing to do given the way our next-door neighbor has been treating our Navy and Coast Guard as well as fisherfolk in our own Exclusive Economic Zone.

The agreement supposedly seeks to prevent dangerous confrontations around Ayungin Shoal by allowing Philippine resupply missions under terms accepted by both Manila and Beijing. On paper, it sounds practical. In reality, it risks legitimizing China’s unlawful claim that it has authority over waters and features that the Philippines indisputably owns under international law.

The “provisional arrangement” is fundamentally flawed as the Philippines already won the legal battle in 2016 when the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s sweeping nine-dash line claim has no legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The ruling was unequivocal. Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, and China has no lawful right to interfere with Philippine vessels operating there.

ManilaStandard

ONLINE

By Chris Makhaye with Shakirah Thebus ZIMBABWEAN farmworker Aaron Majatamhe was heading home at sunset after a shift in one of South Africa’s top fruitproducing regions, where bushes laden with bright unpicked citrus stood in rows.

“I see a lot of farm owners who are crying now... people have to harvest those naartjies but there is no one,” the 33-yearold told AFP. The same shortage, he said, is looming in the vineyards. “It’s time to cut off the grapes and there is no one.”

Similar scenes are playing out across South Africa as factories, farms and even ordinary households scramble for labor after thousands of foreign workers left in a matter of weeks to escape deadly antimigrant protests and intensified immigration enforcement.

Fringe anti-foreigner groups had set June 30 as an unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to go home, triggering the exodus of more than 160,000 people, according to an AFP tally based on figures from African governments repatriating their citizens.

Zimbabwe, which accounted for the largest share of those returning, said many had worked in South Africa’s farming, domestic work and construction sectors.

The first cracks were felt almost immediately in KwaZulu-Natal’s sugar belt.

One farmer on the north coast said he lost up to 80 percent of his cane-cutting workforce virtually overnight.

“Production and supply have deteriorated to the point where it is going to be difficult for the mills to stay open,” he said, speaking anonymously because he feared retaliation.

Backbreaking work Another grower near Mid-Illovo, a region of rolling hills south of Durban, said most cane cutters in his area came from Lesotho, the tiny kingdom encircled by South Africa.

“There are fields we are supposed to be cutting, but there are just not enough With these kinds of leaders, I honestly dread what will happen to the only country that we have.

Be that as it may, now that the impeachment trial has resumed, let us hope that the senator-judges buckle down to work and finish the process as quickly as possible. Perhaps they can learn to resist the temptation of always interjecting to show their legal prowess or profound intelligence -- like when one brilliant senator said that the prosecution should not be one-sided. As they say, silence is golden. When you are not sure what to say, it is always best to keep your mouth shut.

If it is also possible, the senator-judges

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Tactical convenience should never undermine strategic interests.

That is precisely the point raised

by Carpio. This provisional arrangement creates the dangerous impression that China has a say over Philippine actions inside Philippine waters.

Even if government officials insist that sovereignty has not been compromised, international diplomacy is often shaped as much by appear-

people. Local people don’t like this job because it is backbreaking and physical,” he said.

That argument is fiercely disputed.

With unemployment above 33 percent -- and far higher when discouraged job seekers are included -- labor unions and researchers argue there is no shortage of South Africans willing to work.

Instead, they say, many employers favor migrant workers because they are cheaper, more flexible and less likely to demand formal contracts, benefits or legal protections.

“They are making a profit out of foreign nations,” said Patrick Williams, a local organizer with the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union.

Foreign farmworkers, he said, routinely worked seven days a week, skipped lunch breaks to maximize piece-rate earnings and were often paid below the national minimum wage.

Locals first For employers, the challenge is not only finding workers, but replacing years of experience.

In Durban’s Chatsworth industrial area, a manager at a clothing factory said the departure of skilled machinists from Malawi and Mozambique had left factories struggling to meet orders.

“We can barely meet our targets because most were forced to go,” she said on condition of anonymity, adding it would take time for local workers to mas-

ter the job.

The government has sought to respond to public anger over migration by promoting a “locals first” approach, while acknowledging that some industries rely on foreign skills and labor.

Last week it expanded its Trusted Employer Scheme that fast-tracks worker visas for companies that meet requirements including predominantly employing South Africans, investing in skills development and operating in priority sectors.

Industry groups are urging the government to create legal pathways for seasonal foreign labor, arguing that sectors such as agriculture have become dependent on migrant workers and cannot replace them overnight.

South Africa should consider a regulated seasonal worker programme similar to one in the United States, said Siyabonga Madlala, chief executive of the South African Farmers Development Association.

“There may be a need for a special dispensation allowing seasonal labour from SADC countries where local supply is insufficient,” he told Newsroom Afrika, referring to the 16-member Southern African Development Community bloc.

More than 60 percent of South Africa’s immigrants are estimated to come from SADC. Yet for many who left, the debate over labor policy has been eclipsed by fears for their safety after at least four foreigners were killed, according to police data.

Wayne Chimbadzwa Mutasa, a Zimbabwean national who had lived in Robertson since 2014, said he left after foreign workers were targeted in door-todoor raids.

“The people who came into the houses of Zimbabweans were police officers saying that you are living here illegally,” he told AFP as he prepared for repatriation.

His fellow national Majatamhe, the farm worker, has decided to remain for now.

“We are afraid to stay even in this place, but the problem is, we don’t have enough money to go home,” he said. AFP

should agree to make the proceedings less like a standard judicial hearing so the process can move faster. They must not forget that in spite of the Supreme Court decision adding many procedural requirements to the impeachment trial, the framers of the Constitution intended impeachment to be essentially a political exercise of accountability.

The other problem remaining is whether our senator-judges can set aside, at least for the time being, their biases.

They should show the people that they deserve to conduct themselves as honest impartial judges. If this is not possible, however, it would be better to take a vote now and stop the circus. Anyway, with

the senators able to attend the hearings, the public already has a very good idea on who will vote for conviction and who will vote for acquittal. This is because many of them are doing a poor job of hiding their personal biases.

This way, the country can move to other equally important issues like tackling the problems brought about by the Middle East war which is greatly affecting all our lives. Prices of everything have increased with no sign of the war ending soon, or if ever.

We cannot deny that this impeachment trial is taking the country’s energy away from other pressing issues. It is time to attend to the problems of the masses.

—“—

Thousands of foreign workers have left to escape deadly antimigrant protests and intensified immigration enforcement.

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser

Emil P. Jurado+ Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

ROLANDO G. ESTABILLO Publisher

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

—“—

South Africa’s migrant exodus leaves employers short-handed

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City.

Telephone numbers 8-5646225 and 8-5646229 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www.manilastandard.net

Why, then, should the Philippines negotiate for permission—or even appear to negotiate—for activities that it is already legally entitled to undertake?

ances as by written clauses.

Beijing has consistently used incremental agreements, vague understandings, and temporary arrangements to strengthen its narrative that disputed waters are subject to Chinese administration. Every concession, however small, becomes another piece of evidence in its longterm campaign to normalize control over areas that international law says do not belong to it.

The Philippines, on the other hand, gains very little in return. Resupply missions may proceed with fewer confrontations, but avoiding today’s tension should not come at the expense of tomorrow’s legal position. Tactical convenience should never undermine strategic interests.

The truth is that temporary arrangements have a sneaky way of becoming permanent realities when one side is determined to reshape the status quo. Once a precedent is established that Philippine vessels operate only under an agreed framework with China, Beijing can later portray that arrangement as proof that Manila recognizes Chinese authority.

Justice Carpio’s criticism is not aimed at scoring political points. It is about protecting the integrity of the Philippines’ greatest diplomatic victory in the 2016 arbitral ruling.

No Philippine administration should voluntarily weaken a legal advantage that our negotiators fought so hard to obtain.

Mario R. Policarpio Jr. Head - Finance

Baldwin R. Felipe

Head - Ad Solutions

Joyce Pangco Pañares Managing Editor

Honor Blanco Cabie

Opinion Editor

Feliciano T. Buscas Jr. Head - IT-MIS

Paula A. Reynoso

Head - Suppplements

Virgilio DC Galvez

Aytch dela Cruz

Online Editor

Edgar M. Valmorida Circulation Manager

News Editor

(On leave)

Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

WORLD

A6

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

mst.daydesk@gmail.com Standard Manila

TODAY

NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given that the Medical Doctors, Inc. Stock Certificate No. 1216 for 1,607 shares, issued under the name of Nicolo L. Cabrera was declared lost per “Affidavit of Loss” dated 9 May 2025 registered in the Notarial Register of Atty. Donato C. Manguiat as Doc. No. 122, Page No. 25, Book No. XX, Series of 2025.

If no contest regarding the above certificate of stock is presented to Medical Doctors, Inc., at No. 2 Amorsolo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City within one (1) year from the last publication of this Notice, the right to make such contest shall be forever barred and the Corporation shall cancel in its books the above certificate of stock and issue a new certificate in lieu thereof.

(MS-JULY 16/23/30, 2026)

Powerful Japan quake kills 13 K

UMAMOTO – A major earthquake in Japan that all but destroyed a shopping mall killed at least 13 people, CYANofficials MAGENTAsaid YELLOW BLACK as Wednesday, rescuers struggled to reach survivors feared trapped in the wreckage.

PARTIAL EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF INTESTATE ESTATE OF THE LATE CONRADO T. ANTONIO Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late CONRADO T. ANTONIO (hereinafter referred to as “decedent”), who died on June 19, 2014 without any will was settled by the surviving legal heirs particularly a parcel of land with TCT No. 295752 located in the City of Quezon, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Being of legal age and with full civil capacity to contract, they have agreed to divide as they do hereby divide and adjudicate, the subject property abovedescribed, in equal shares; that they have executed the foregoing instrument out of their voluntary free will without force on May 28, 2025, in Taytay, Rizal as per Doc. No. 176; Page No. 37; Book No. II; Series of 2025 before Notary Public Atty. Chantal Evanne J. Castañeda.

(MStandard-July 30, Aug. 6 & 13, 2026)

Manila

Standard

TODAY

BEATING THE HEAT. This aerial photo shows people cooling off at a water park amid hot weather in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. AFP

Ê

Ê Ê

Ê Career Opportunity in Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI) Career Opportunity in Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI)

Ê

Position title: Seller Support Associate Sr. Position title: Investigation Specialist I

Vacancy (1)

Vacancy (1)

Job Description:

Job Description:

• • •

• •

➢ Provides prompt and efficient service to Amazon Sellers, including the appropriate escalation of Sellers’ issues in a contact center environment. ➢ Maintains a positive and professional alwayshandling, portraying thecoaching, company in a and positive light while effectively managing sensitive issues.

Manage about 60 seller accounts, including dailydemeanor, escalations engagement enhancement. ➢ Demonstrates excellent time-management and the ability to work independently using departmental resources, policies procedures. to sellers through Provide proactive and reactive support by managing skills a catalog of sellers in constantwhile growth.

Support is provided by, and connecting ➢ Maintains acceptable performance metrics such as quality, productivity, first contact resolution, and attendance .

Paragon. ➢ Actively seeks solutions through logical reasoning and data interpretation skills , and identifies trends to the appropriate channel, including improvement Work with other departments such as the PQ team, the TRMS team, or the Account Management team to resolve Sellers’ issues and questions, to suggestions provide prompt and Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): efficient service to Paid Sellers Work with Sellers to➢ drive improvement ofability defects that maycomplex impact their account health the to good standing of thecustomers. account.

Interpersonal skills, with the to communicate transactional issues correctly andor clearly both internal and external ➢ Clear, crisp, and proactive of operational proceduresoutreach required to tackle known risk-related Develop a relationship network with eachdocumentation seller account and manage campaigns, such patterns. as Account Issue, Inactive Listin gs, Marketplace ➢ Problem-solving skills, having demonstrated ability to recognize non-obvious patterns and analyze problems logically.

Abuse, etc. ➢ Self-disciplined, diligent, proactive, and detail-oriented, impacting time management and organizational skills.

➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisions are made without compromising on customer experience and financial Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): losses.

• • • • •

sentoverseas to: Bilingual (English/VN) skills and is proficient in written EnglishApplications to liaise may withbeour VN sellers Name of Company HR: Ivanka Patricia Quinial Minimum 1 year of Amazon seller support experience; strong knowledge and skills, especially M@, FBA, Feeds, IIDP, and Brand is an added Email address: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search advantage.

Demonstrated Company/ excellentEmployer communication skills (verbal and written) with external leadership and internal operations teams throu gh multiple channels Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position (email, phone, ticketing systems, and conference calls).

Proven skills using dataName: to drive analysis for the purpose of making bus iness decisions using Excel or other analytical tools.

Company Name: Yulong Wei Proven track record taking Services ownership and Inc delivering Amazonof Operation Philippines (AOSPI) results while liaising between clients and internal teams.

Address: Makati City

Complete address:

Applications mayNationality: be sent Chinese to:

Unit No. 2C, Flr. no. 4th, One E-Com Bldg., Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia HR: Ivanka Intended period ofQuinial employment: two (2) years Name of Company Patricia Complex St., Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City, Metro Manila, _________________________________________ Email address: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search NCR, 1300 Nature of business: AOSPI is a corporation organized under Philippine Name: Grady Luemba Bosamba laws. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Address: Cabuyao City under SEC Certificate of Registration No. CS201722700. It is authorized to Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position provide support services, including but not limited to remote technical support Nationality: Congolese services, IT development, customer support, customer care services,Ê Intended period of employment: two (2) years Company Name: business process outsourcing, back-office support (including but not limited Name: PhamÊVietÊTrinh to systems, hardware, software, financial operations, vendor management, Amazon Operation Services Philippines (AOSPI) and human resourcesInc relating to the back-office), and other activities Address: MandaluyongÊCity necessary or useful thereto, as well as marketing support activities, without engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as an Internet Complete address: Nationality: Vietnamese Service Provider.

Company/ Employer

Unit No. 2C, Flr. no. 4th, One E-Com Bldg., Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia Intendedforeign period ofisemployment: two (2) years Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI). hereby declares that the above-named national able, willing, and qualified to perform the Complex St., Zone 10, services Barangay District 1,position.

PasayThe City, Metro and job076, description for this company has Manila, the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila NCR, 1300 Any Filipino jobseeker who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is intended to be hired may file an objection Nature of business: atAOSPI a corporation under Philippine Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila, after this publication.

Bureau ofisLocal Employment, 6Forganized First Intramuros BF Condominium, Pleasethe inform the Department of Labor and Employment – NCR, if you have any information on criminal offenses committed by the foreign national laws. It is registered with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

under SEC Certificate of Registration No. CS201722700. It is authorized to provide support services, including but not limited to remote technical support services, IT development, customer support, customer care services, business process outsourcing, back-office support (including but not limited to systems, hardware, software, financial operations, vendor management, and human resources relating to the back-office), and other activities necessary or useful thereto, as well as marketing support activities, without engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as an Internet

Service Provider.

Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI). hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila Any Filipino jobseeker who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is intended to be hired for, may file an objection at Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila, after this publication. Please inform Department of Labor and Employment – NCR, if you have any information on criminal offenses committed by the foreign national.

Ê

565430658-v1\AP_DMS

1

Career Opportunity in Hinduja Global Solutions Limited Position title: Workforce Senior Director Vacancies (1) Job Description: • Develops, supports, and drives strategic objectives of the workforce management on behalf of multiple business units and in alignment with enterprise goals • Forms effective partnerships with various contact center operations, business unit leadership, and corporate support functions to understand and address GEO-specific staffing requirements • Ensures development and execution GEO and site-level long-term forecasts and workforce budgets • Develops, communicates, and continuously assesses position requirements for direct reports; coaches colleagues to improve individual and team performance against established metrics • Identifies opportunities to enhance scheduling efficiency and increase colleague effectiveness in response to changing business needs and client segment requirements • Communicates with executive management regarding long- and short-term forecasts, the impact of procedural and process changes, and other staffing and operational effectiveness issues • Works effectively within a team-based environment and maintains good internal and external client relationships Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): Applications may be sent to: Name of Company HR: Andrea De Guzman Email address: andrea.deguzman@teamhgs.com Company/ Employer

Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position

Company Name: Hinduja Global Solutions Limited Complete address: 19th-21st Floor Bridgetowne Zeta Tower E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue Ugong Norte District 3, Quezon City 1110 Nature of business: to engage in customer contact service business and business process outsourcing

Name: Nizzam Uddin Ahmad Address: Quezon City Nationality: Indian Intended period of employment: Two (2) Years

Hinduja Global Solutions Limited hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Department of Labor and Employment Bureau of Local Employment 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave. Intramuros, Manila 1002 If there are any objections or inquiries, please contact the concerned DOLE Regional Office.

Any Filipino jobseeker who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is intended to be hired for, may file an objection at Department of Labor and Employment Bureau of Local Employment 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave. Intramuros, Manila 1002 after this publication.

Manila

Standard

Please inform Department of Labor and Employment – NCR, if you have any information on criminal offenses committed by the foreign national.

TODAY

POST-AWARD DISCLOSURE In line with our efforts to promote transparency in our procurement activities and pursuant to the Government Procurement Policy Board Circular No. 01-2021 referencing Administrative Order Number 34, series of 2020, below are the post-award information for the Project, "Procurement of Portable Data Racks and Comprehensive IT Infrastructure Maintenance Services for SEC Offices", under Competitive Bidding No. 2026-011: Approved Budget for the Contract:

Contract Period: Name of Winning Bidder: Official Business Address of Winning Bidder: Amount of Contract Awarded:

Date of Award: Date of Acceptance: Implementing Office of the SEC:

Submitted by: sgd NORLAN M. DELAS ALAS Head of BAC Secretariat

/jlb

Fifty-Nine Million Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 59,250,000.00) One Hundred Twenty (120) Calendar days Multi-Fold Links, Inc. MFL Bldg. 174 San Luis Street Brgy. Tibagan, San Juan City Fifty-Eight Million Nine Hundred Sixty-Eight Thousand Pesos (PHP 58,968,000.00) 15 June 2026 18 June 2026 Information and Communications Technology Department

Noted by: sgd OLIVER O. LEONARDO BAC Chairman for IT Goods and Services

The 7.1-magnitude tremor on Tuesday flattened homes, triggered fires, ruptured bridges and left tens of thousands without power in the southwestern Kumamoto region, where twin quakes killed hundreds in 2016.

“Extensive damage has been confirmed, including casualties, collapsed buildings, fires and damage to roads,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in Tokyo as she announced the 13 fatalities.

Government spokesman Minoru Kihara said that seven others were seriously injured and that as of early Wednesday more than 9,000 people had sought refuge in 506 shelters in three regions of Kyushu island.

Some stunned locals said the quake was the biggest they had felt in their lifetimes, measuring at the top of Japan’s seven-level shindo scale of shakiness, at which it is impossible to remain standing.

“It was the strongest quake I ever experienced,” Kanzo Matsumoto, 73, the operator of a luxury onsen hot spring inn in Yatsushiro, told AFP. “I’m not sure if (the region) will be able to recover from the damage.”

Chiharu Hara, a 35-year-old recruitment agent, told AFP that she was “terrified” when the quake struck.

“The office swayed violently side to side. I was afraid it would collapse. Everyone panicked,” Hara said.

At least two of the dead were two women killed in a shopping mall in the town of Kashima apparently gutted by a gas explosion around half an hour after the quake, which was followed by dozens of aftershocks. AFP

IN BRIEF Senate confirms Clayton as Trump intelligence chief WASHINGTON – The US Senate confirmed Jay Clayton as Donald Trump’s top intelligence official Tuesday, putting a permanent chief in charge of the country’s spy agencies as the president revives unsupported election fraud claims ahead of the midterms.

Senators voted 51-47 to confirm Clayton’s appointment, with all Democrats in the upper chamber voting against it.

“Jay is outstanding in every way, and will do a spectacular job as Director!”

Trump said in a post on Truth Social shortly after the vote.

The former securities regulator and federal prosecutor succeeds Tulsi Gabbard, who resigned last month, and inherits an 18-agency intelligence community shaken by leadership turnover and staff cuts.

His appointment comes as concern mounts that Trump is drawing national security agencies into his effort to relitigate the 2020 election and cast doubt on the integrity of the coming vote. AFP

Ex-premier Hasina to return to Bangladesh NEW DELHI – Bangladesh’s fugitive expremier Sheikh Hasina told AFP she was determined to return to her country by December despite fearing for her life.

“I may be killed. I may be arrested. I may be sent to prison,” Hasina, 78, said in an emailed response to questions by AFP. “I am fully aware of my fate. Still, I want to go back because my people are calling me.”

Toppled in August 2024 by a student-led uprising that ended her 15-year, iron-fisted rule, Hasina fled by helicopter to India as crowds stormed her palace.

The United Nations says up to 1,400 people were killed in crackdowns as she tried to cling to power.

In November, Hasina was found guilty by a Dhaka court of crimes against humanity and sentenced to be hanged – a verdict she described as “political vengeance dressed up as law.”

The forr prime minister, who has been living in a secret location in India, insisted there was no pressure for her to return. AFP

Australia confirms local transmission of H5 bird flu SYDNEY – The highly contagious H5 bird flu virus has started spreading locally among wild birds in Australia, the nation’s chief veterinary officer said Wednesday.

Australia was for years the only continental landmass free of the H5 strain, which has caused severe disease and death in poultry and wild birds worldwide.

“This news of some local transmission may mean we start to see wider spread among wild birds,” chief government veterinary officer Beth Cookson told reporters.

“Once the virus becomes widespread in wild bird populations, it will not be possible to avoid losses in susceptible wildlife.”

The first Australian case was discovered in a migratory sea bird in June, with scientists warning it was a matter of time until it infected local populations. AFP

SPORTS

A7

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

FIFA hopes to sell $4.2B stake in its tournaments

P

ARIS—FIFA said Tuesday it plans to sell a stake in the business operations of the World Cup and its other competitions through the creation of a semi-private subsidiary.

World football’s governing body said it would retain a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) but hoped to raise $4.2 billion later this year by “carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests”.

FIFA’s statement was a rapid response to a story in British newspapers The Times and The Financial Times based on leaks of the plan from two sources.

The Times reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino, 56, stood to profit from the scheme by becoming commissioner of the FFE after his expected next term expires in 2031. FIFA denied that this had been discussed.

The article also said discussion had started with financial advisors and potential investors.

Those include Thrive capital, an investment company founded and led by Joshua Kushner, brother of US President Donald Trump’s sonin-law Jared, as well as an arm of JP Morgan Chase, the US bank that attempted to finance the failed breakaway European Super League.

Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s disgraced predecessor, drew attention to the American connection.

“The close relationship between the FIFA President and the US President has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football. No one has the right to sell our game,” the former FIFA president posted on social media.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino waves as he arrives for the 2026 World Cup football tournament at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. AFP

Hybrid fitness racing set

Ê

Ê Ê

Career Opportunity in CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC.

INDOOR obstacle course races will be introduced in the country next month.

Known as hybrid fitness racing, the inaugural Spartan Deka Strong Philippines event is set to take place from Aug. 19 to 21, according to organizers.

“Hybrid fitness racing bridges the gap between traditional endurance running and high-intensity gym workouts. The pinnacle of the sport is Spartan DEKA,” said chief organizer Marc Laurenze Celis, who is the general manager.

The first Spartan DEKA Strong event will fire off during the PhilFit Expo at the SMX Manila at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Celiz discussed the event during a launch held on Tuesday at the EDSA Shangri-La Plaza.

Registration is now open for the series of competitions later this year.

Indoor OCR events, unlike

outdoor races, are more standardized, and the first Deka Fit meet will have 10 dynamic fitness zones and 5 km of running.

“It does not matter if you are in New York, London, or here in Mandaluyong; the zones, weights and gears are exactly the same,” said Celis.

Earlier, the Spartan National Series will go in Agoo, La Union on Aug. 8, while an indoor Stride 2.0 Walkathon meet will go on at the ShangriLa Plaza from Aug. 24 to 31.

The zones of the Deka Strong race include the 30 RAM alternating reverse lunge, the 500-meter row, the 20-repetition box jump and stepover.

Also included are the 25-repetition medicine ball situp and throw, the 500-meter ski erg, the 100-meter farmer’s carry, the 25-calorie air bike, the 20-repetition dead ball walkovers, the 100-meter sled push and pull, and the 20-repetition burpees.

Career Opportunity in Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI)

Ê

Position title: Seller Support Associate Sr.

Position title: Investigation Specialist I

Vacancy (1)

Vacancy (1) Job Description:

Job Description:

➢ Provides prompt and efficient service to Amazon Sellers, including the appropriate escalation of Sellers’ issues in a contact center environment.

• • •

• •

➢ Maintains a positive and professional alwayshandling, portraying thecoaching, company in aand positive light while effectively managing sensitive issues.

Manage about 60 seller accounts, including dailydemeanor, escalations engagement enhancement. ➢ Demonstrates excellent time-management skills and the ability to work independently while using departmental resources, policies , and procedures.

Provide proactive and reactive support by managing a catalog of sellers in constant growth. Support is provided by connecting to sellers through ➢ Maintains acceptable performance metrics such as quality, productivity, first contact resolution, and attendance .

Paragon. ➢ Actively seeks solutions through logical reasoning and data interpretation skills , and identifies trends to the appropriate channel, including improvement suggestions Work with other departments such as the PQ team, the TRMS team, or the Account Management team to resolve Sellers’ issues and questions, to provide prompt and Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): efficient service to Paid Sellers Work with Sellers to➢ drive improvement of ability defects that maycomplex impact their account health the to good standing of thecustomers. account.

Interpersonal skills, with the to communicate transactional issues correctly andorclearly both internal and external ➢ Clear, crisp, and proactive of operational proceduresoutreach required to tackle known risk-related Develop a relationship network with eachdocumentation seller account and manage campaigns, such patterns. as Account Issue, Inactive Listin gs, Marketplace ➢ Problem-solving skills, having demonstrated ability to recognize non-obvious patterns and analyze problems logically.

Abuse, etc. ➢ Self-disciplined, diligent, proactive, and detail-oriented, impacting time management and organizational skills. ➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisions are made without compromising on customer experience and financial

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): losses.

• • • • •

may be sent to: Bilingual (English/VN) skills and is proficient in written EnglishApplications to liaise with our overseas VN sellers Name of Company HR: Ivanka Patricia Quinial Minimum 1 year of Amazon seller support experience; strong knowledge and skills, especially M@, FBA, Feeds, IIDP, and Brand is an added Email address: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search advantage.

Demonstrated excellent communication skills (verbal and written) with external leadership andintending internaltooperations teams throu gh multiple channels Company/ Employer Name of foreign national apply for the position (email, phone, ticketing systems, and conference calls).

Company Proven skills using dataName: to drive analysis for the purpose of making bus iness decisions Name: Yulong Wei using Excel or other analytical tools.

Proven track record of taking ownership and delivering results while liaising between clients and internal teams.

Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI) Address: Makati City Complete address:

Golden State re-signs Green LOS ANGELES—The Golden State Warriors have re-signed veteran Draymond Green on a one-year $28 million deal after missing out on LeBron James, US media reported Tuesday.

Four-time NBA champion Green had last month declined the same contract in order to free up space in the Warriors’ salary cap as they pursued free-agent superstar James.

But with James signing for the Philadelphia 76ers this week, both Green and Golden State agreed to renew on the previous terms.

The 36-year-old forward, who was on the Rio and Tokyo Olympic US gold medal teams, has spent his entire career with the Warriors since being selected in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Green played a key role alongside the likes of Stephen Curry in the dynasty that captured NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022.

While not scoring as consistently as in his heyday, Green remains a leader and a vital defensive player for the club.

He reportedly opted out of his player option last month to give his team flexibility in signing James, with the intention of signing a longer-term extension with a lower annual value if the pursuit had been successful.

Green even made a direct recruitment pitch to James. Green told a recent podcast he had spent time with the NBA all-time scoring leader and took “the opportunity to throw my pitch in there.”

While Green is staying put, rumors continue to swirl that Curry is being targeted by rival teams, including the Miami Heat. AFP

Job Description: a) Ensure service delivered to our customers meets contractual Key Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’) b)

Listen attentively to customer needs and concerns; demonstrate empathy while maximizing opportunity to build rapport with the customer.

c)

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Track, document and retrieve information in call tracking database

d) e)

Nationality: Chinese

Applications may be sent to:

Unit No. 2C, Flr. no. 4th, One E-Com Bldg., Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia Intended period of employment: two (2) years Name of Company HR: Ivanka Patricia Quinial Complex St., Zone 10, Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City, Metro Manila, _________________________________________ Email address: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search NCR, 1300

Company Name:

to systems, hardware, software, financial operations, vendor management,

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Applications may be sent to: PH_QC_EASTW_ MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com

Nature of business: AOSPI is a corporation organized under Philippine Name: Grady Luemba Bosamba laws. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Address: Cabuyao City under SEC Certificate of Registration No. CS201722700. It is authorized to Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position provide support services, including but not limited to remote technical support Nationality: Congolese services, IT development, customer support, customer care services,Ê business process outsourcing, back-office support (including but not limited Intended period of employment: two (2) years

Company/ Employer

Name: PatcharapornÊRamsiri

and human resourcesInc relating to the back-office), and other activities Amazon Operation Services Philippines (AOSPI) Address: PasayÊCity

Complete address:

necessary or useful thereto, as well as marketing support activities, without engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as an Internet Nationality: Thai Service Provider.

Unit No. 2C, Flr. no. 4th, OneOperation E-ComServices Bldg.,Philippines Ocean Drive, Mall of Asia Intendedforeign period of isemployment: two (2) years Amazon Inc (AOSPI). hereby declares that the above-named national able, willing, and qualified to perform the and job description for this company has Manila, the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit Complex St., Zone 10, services Barangay 076, District 1, position.

PasayThe City, Metro with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila NCR, 1300 Any Filipino jobseeker who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is intended to be hired may file an objection

Nature of business: atAOSPI a corporation under Philippine Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila, after this publication.

Bureau ofisLocal Employment, 6Forganized First Intramuros BF Condominium, Pleasethe inform the Department of Labor and Employment – NCR, if you have any information on criminal offenses committed by the foreign national laws. It is registered with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under SEC Certificate of Registration No. CS201722700. It is authorized to provide support services, including but not limited to remote technical support services, IT development, customer support, customer care services, business process outsourcing, back-office support (including but not limited to systems, hardware, software, financial operations, vendor management, and human resources relating to the back-office), and other activities necessary or useful thereto, as well as marketing support activities, without engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as an Internet Service Provider.

Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI). hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila Any Filipino jobseeker who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is intended to be hired for, may file an objection at Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila, after this publication. Please inform Department of Labor and Employment – NCR, if you have any information on criminal offenses committed by the foreign national.

Ê

565430658-v1\AP_DMS

Position Title: Service Delivery Manager II Job Description: a) Plan, deliver and execute project(s) and program(s) b) Ensure execution of delivery work across one or more clients or portfolios, leading service delivery strategy across all locations where the services are provided (e.g., clientsite, delivery center) c) Address performance issues across the client(s)/portfolio(s); create the operational approach and implements continuous improvement. d) Implement standard SLA commitments and other operational metrics for client(s)/portfolio(s) e) Support the achievement of contract controllable income targets, as well as the achievement of cost-to-serve targets; deliver efficiencies through standard processes and synergies. f) Manage recruiting, staffing, people engagement, pyramid, mix, utilization, cost-to-serve and capacity of service delivery staff to optimize balance between cost and delivery targets.

Company Name: Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Complete Address: 10th 11th 12th 14th 15th Floors GBF Center 2 Bridgetowne C5 Road Ugong Norte District 3, Quezon City 1110 Nature of Business: Business to Business IT

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): • •

• • •

Must have 15-20 years' experience in business process outsourcing (BPO) Must have at least 10 years of experience in leadership role preferably from managing, customer care and operations Proven experience in Voice, Email, and Chat BPO operations Strong client management expertise along with sales and solution support Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate clear ideas and strategies effectively.

Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position Name: Rajul Khona Address: Quezon City Nationality: Indian Intended Period of Employment: One (1) Year

Career Opportunity in CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. Job Description: a) Ensure service delivered to our customers meets contractual Key Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’) b) Listen attentively to customer needs and concerns; demonstrate empathy while maximizing opportunity to build rapport with the customer. c) Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance. d) Track, document and retrieve information in call tracking database e) Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Applications may be sent to: PH_QC_EASTW_ MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com

Company/ Employer Company Name: Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Exchange, Tower 2, 6798 Ayala Avenue cor.

Amorsolo and Salcedo Streets, Brgy. San Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of Business: Business to Business IT

Company Name: Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Exchange, Tower 2, 6798 Ayala Avenue cor.

Amorsolo and Salcedo Streets, Brgy. San Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of Business: Business to Business IT

Name: Thanya Wongchareonsin Address: Manila City Nationality: Thai Intended Period of Employment: Two (2) Years

Company hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located at 6th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Career Opportunity in CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. Position Title: Advisor I, Email Support Job Description: a) Ensure service delivered to our customers meets contractual Key Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’)

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): • Graduate of any business-related course • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Thai and English language • Experience working in international and cross-cultural environment • Courteous with strong customer service orientation.

• Must be fluent in Thai and English speaking, reading, writing, and listening • Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly.

• Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; including maintaining a pleasant and professional tone and manner • Strong analytical, organizational and problem solving skills • Experience in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Internet • Clarity of verbal communication (pace and tone) • Excellent written communication (grammar) Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position Name: Thitirat Watthanamikaeo Address: Mandaluyong City Nationality: Thai Intended Period of Employment: Two (2) Years

Company hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located at 6th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Applications may be sent to: PH_QC_EASTW_ MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): • Graduate of any business-related course • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Vietnamese and English language • Experience working in international and cross-cultural environment • Courteous with strong customer service orientation.

• Must be fluent in Vietnamese and English speaking, reading, writing, and listening • Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly.

• Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; including maintaining a pleasant and professional tone and manner • Strong analytical, organizational and problem solving skills • Experience in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Internet • Clarity of verbal communication (pace and tone) • Excellent written communication (grammar)

Company/ Employer

Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position

b)

Listen attentively to customer needs and concerns; demonstrate empathy while maximizing opportunity to build rapport with the customer.

c)

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Track, document and retrieve information in call tracking database

d) e)

Applications may be sent to: PH_QC_EASTW_MULTILINGUAL@concentrix. com

Company hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located at 6th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Position Title: Advisor I, Email Support

Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position

Company/ Employer

1

Career Opportunity in CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC.

Company/ Employer

Athletes try the equipment to be used in the indoor OCR events.

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): • Graduate of any business-related course • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Thai and English language • Experience working in international and cross-cultural environment • Courteous with strong customer service orientation.

• Must be fluent in Thai and English speaking, reading, writing, and listening • Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly.

• Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; including maintaining a pleasant and professional tone and manner • Strong analytical, organizational and problem solving skills • Experience in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Internet • Clarity of verbal communication (pace and tone) • Excellent written communication (grammar)

Position Title: Advisor I, Email Support

Ê Career Opportunity in Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc (AOSPI)

By Peter Atencio

European football’s governing body UEFA, which has been critical of Infantino, also responded.

“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously,” said UEFA’s statement.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade -- especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.

None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

The plan would still have to be approved by the 38-member FIFA council an the majority of the MAs. FIFA said it intends to present the plans to the council soon.

FIFA said in its statement that it “would retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions”.

It said it believed FFE would achieve an “initial equity valuation of $20bn”.

FIFA said each of its 211 member associations (MAs) would be given the chance to take a one-off stake of 20mn dollars in FFE. That represents only 0.1 percent of the total, but would be a significant sum for the leaderships of FIFA’s poorer or smaller members.

“Together with other existing FIFA programmes, these investments could bring FIFA’s total planned development funding to more than $10 billion over the next four years,” FIFA said. AFP

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Company Name: Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Exchange, Tower 2, 6798 Ayala Avenue cor.

Amorsolo and Salcedo Streets, Brgy. San Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of Business: Business to Business IT

Name: Ngo Van Hoan Address: Pasay City Nationality: Vietnamese Intended Period of Employment: Two (2) Years

Company hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located at 6th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Career Opportunity in CONCENTRIX CVG PHILIPPINES, INC. Position Title: Advisor I, Email Support Job Description: a) Ensure service delivered to our customers meets contractual Key Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’) b)

Listen attentively to customer needs and concerns; demonstrate empathy while maximizing opportunity to build rapport with the customer.

c)

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Track, document and retrieve information in call tracking database

d) e)

Participate in activities designed to improve customer satisfaction, team camaraderie, and business performance.

Applications may be sent to: PH_QC_EASTW_ MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com Company/ Employer

Name: Concentrix CVG Company Philippines, Inc. Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Exchange, Tower 2, 6798 Ayala Avenue cor. Amorsolo and Salcedo Streets, Brgy. San Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of Business: Business to Business IT

Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): • Graduate of any business-related course • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Thai and English language • Experience working in international and crosscultural environment • Courteous with strong customer service orientation.

• Must be fluent in Thai and English speaking, reading, writing, and listening • Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be flexible and adapt to changes quickly.

• Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; including maintaining a pleasant and professional tone and manner • Strong analytical, organizational and problem solving skills • Experience in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and Internet • Clarity of verbal communication (pace and tone) • Excellent written communication (grammar) Name of foreign national intending to apply for the position Name: Jitlakha Supakul Address: Quezon City Nationality: Thai Intended Period of Employment: Two (2) Years

Company hereby declares that the above-named foreign national is able, willing, and qualified to perform the services and job description for this position. The company has the intention to employ the said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located at 6th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

SPORTS

A8

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

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

Shelton whips Damm; veteran Venus ousted WASHINGTON—Second seed Ben Shelton dug deep to hold off qualifier Martin Damm in a rain-interrupted first-round match on Tuesday at the ATP and WTA Washington Open, while veteran Venus Williams was eliminated.

Shelton struggled when the match resumed after a delay of more than two hours, but came through 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 against his American compatriot in his first hardcourt match ahead of the US Open.

“Happy that I was mentally stable and tough enough to get through that match,” said the 23-year-old lefthander, who is seeking his fourth ATP tour title of the year after triumphing in Dallas, Munich and Stuttgart.

Shelton, the world number eight, next faces French left-hander Ugo Humbert for a quarter-final berth.

Shelton led 6-4, 4-3 when play was halted, then saw Damm hold, break on a long forehand and hold again to force a third set.

After trading breaks in the third and fourth games, Shelton broke on a backhand crosscourt volley winner at 5-4 to settle matters after 2hr 9min.

“A tricky match to be in command, in the driver’s seat of the match and feel like playing really well, then have a rain delay and the guy come out on fire,” Shelton said.

“That was tough to swallow losing that second set the way I did, but happy with the way I fought.”

Seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams, 46, suffered her 12th consecutive defeat, 6-3, 6-3 to Austria’s Anastasia Potapova in a firstround match.

Williams has not won a WTA match since a first-round triumph over American Peyton Stearns in Washington last year.

Cruz Hewitt, the 17-year-old son of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, captured his first ATP Tour victory.

The Aussie teen, ranked 612th in the world, ousted fellow qualifier Marcos Giron of the United States 6-3, 6-4 in 74 minutes in his ATP main draw debut. AFP

Pasay shocks Batangas five THE Pasay Voyagers rode on Rence Alcoriza’s fourth-quarter outburst to stun the Batangas City Tanduay Athletics, 85-67, on Tuesday and gear up their playoff drive in the SportsPlus MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) 2026 Season at the Pasay Astrodome.

Alcoriza clustered 12 points on backto-back triples and three-point plays to power the Voyagers to their 12th win against 9 losses in the round-robin elimination phase of the two-division, 27-team tournament.

The 6-foot Alcoriza, a former star of the Arellano University Chiefs, poured in 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals to capture the SportsPlus best player honors over Christian Fajarito, who notched 16 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.

Alcoriza attributed the Voyagers’ biggest win thus far to “disiplina sa depensa,” adding that once they established their defense, the offense followed.

Already ahead, 76-65, the Voyagers padded their lead with nine straight points before the Athletics’ Mark Olayon pegged the final count.

Pasay controlled the game from the start as Cyril Gonzales notched 12 points, 3 assists and 3 steals, Kriss Gurtiza chipped in 12 points, 3 assists and 3 steals, and Lennard Santiago contributed 11 points and 2 assists.

Batangas City saw its 13-game winning run broken and with a 15-3 record, tumbled from first to joint second with Gensan, behind Quezon Province (13-2) in the South division.

Christian Fajarito of Pasay

Alexandra Eala of the Philippines returns a shot during a women’s singles match against Qinwen Zheng of China on Day 2 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, DC. AFP Alexandra Eala of the Philippines returns a shot during a women’s singles match against Qinwen Zheng of China on Day 2 of the Mubadala Citi DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, DC. AFP

Eala embraces Filipino love after rallying past foe in DC

By Jeremiah Sevilla

A

LEXANDRA “Alex” Eala was grateful for the overwhelming support from the Filipino fans during her debut match in the 2026 Mubadala DC Open in Washington, D.C., United States.

Backed by a fervent crowd waving Philippine flags at the FitzGerald Tennis Center, Eala pulled off a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 victory against China’s Zheng Qinwen in the opening Round of 32 early Wednesday morning (Philippine time).

During her on-court interview, the Filipina tennis sensation was asked what it felt like to be so popular wherever she competes. The eloquent

21-year-old gave the spotlight to her countrymen instead.

“I think the question should be rephrased to ‘What it’s like to be Filipino?’ Salamat mga kababayan!”

Eala beamed after taking the win that also served as a sweet revenge for her semifinal loss to the former No. 4 and now No. 123 Zheng in the 2023 Asian Games.

“The community here in DC is amazing. I think there was a great

atmosphere for both players. I’m really happy with my win today,” she said.

Although the venue was not sold out, the crowd heavily favored the Filipina, who was making her debut in the WTA 500 tournament to begin her North American hardcourt season.

“This is my first time competing in D.C. I knew there was a Filipino community. Most of these places I’m not really sure what to expect at this point, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think there was a great atmosphere on court today, very electric,” Eala said during the post-match presser.

Eala was looking to draw similar support after setting up a rematch against defending champion

Leylah Fernandez of Canada in the second round on Wednesday night (Philippine time).

Fernandez opened her title defense with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Poland’s Magda Linette.

It would be the second meeting between the lefty netters on the WTA Tour, with the Fil-Canadian sweeping the Filipina in their previous encounter, 6-1, 6-4, in the first round of the Stuttgart Open in Germany last April.

“I think it’s gonna be a tough match for me. Leylah is such an amazing player and an amazing person as well,” Eala said.

“Right now, my first priority is to recover, take care of my body so that I can arrive in my best shape possible to compete,” she added.

PH’s biggest pickleball hub to rise at Bridgetowne

By Randy M. Caluag

Shown here mimicking The Victor statue at Bridgetown are (from left) Ramon Rivero (Chief Strategist, Robinsons Land; Head, Robinsons Sports and Leisure), Mybelle V. AragonGoBio (President and CEO, Robinsons Land), Collin Johns (Cofounder, Johns Design and Consulting), and Kim Lapus (President and CEO, Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corp.).

THE Philippines is set to strengthen its bid to become a regional pickleball powerhouse with the construction of the country’s biggest pickleball complex at Bridgetowne in Quezon City.

The Helios Pickleball Center, a flagship project of Robinsons Land Corporation, is scheduled for completion in 2028 and will feature 25 tournamentgrade courts and a 2,000-seat championship center court designed to host premier international competitions, including the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP).

The ambitious project moved a step closer to reality after Kosmas Athletic Ventures Corporation (KAVC) signed a landmark partnership on Tuesday with United States-based Johns Design and Consulting (JDC), the sports facility design firm co-founded by pickleball stars Ben and Collin Johns.

The agreement, signed at Atleta 63

Inc. in Bridgetowne, Pasig City, tasks JDC with providing technical consulting, architectural design and facility planning to ensure the complex meets international competition standards.

Former Philippine Sports Commission chairman and current KAVC head of operations Richard Bachmann said the project aims to capitalize on pickleball’s rapid growth in the country while positioning the Philippines as a major destination for the sport in Asia.

“We have seen the sudden rise of the sport in the country, and we are aware of new courts appearing everywhere,” Bachmann said. “If we can sustain this popularity for a new sport like pickleball, maybe we can also give the Philippines an instant foothold in the sport worldwide.”

Bachmann added that Helios is envisioned as more than just a competition venue, describing it as a complete sports ecosystem that combines community play, athlete development and international broadcast-ready facilities.

SportsPlus Foundation, Ramos bring cage clinics to 78 young athletes SEVENTY-EIGHT young basketball players took part in two basketball clinics conducted by the SportsPlus Foundation and Dwight Ramos.

The first clinic drew 67 participants, while the DR Elite program featured 11 selected high school basketball players.

Ramos was joined by coaches Paul Bordador, Kiel Forteza, Wed Perez, Abel Lopez, and Wawie Barroga in the two clinics held at SportsPlus Gameville Ball Park in Mandaluyong City, which were organized in collaboration with the Dwight Ramos Foundation.

“They’ll learn the fundamental skills because that’s the way I approach the game,” Ramos said.

“Once those fundamentals are solid, you can build on them, continue improving, and develop into a more skilled player.”

Based on his experience conducting basketball camps, Ramos said he has observed common strengths and areas for improvement among young players.

“I would say the top two skills I saw were

Dwight Ramos

shooting and dribbling,” he said. “A lot of them are athletic, which also helps them on defense.

If there’s one area they can continue to improve, it’s passing. When you’re young, everyone wants to score, but developing that ability to create

opportunities for others is important.”

Ramos, the SportsPlus Official Brand Ambassador, expressed his appreciation for SportsPlus’ continued support in helping organize and bring his basketball clinics to young athletes.

“Thank you to SportsPlus for the continued support,” Ramos said. “They have always been there to help me, and I truly appreciate it.”

Looking ahead, Ramos said he hopes to continue expanding the reach of his basketball camps to more communities across the country.

“I have this camp every year, and recently we had one in my hometown in Narvacan,” Ramos said. “It would be nice if I could continue having it here and also bring players from other places to come play here in Manila.”

SportsPlus and the SportsPlus Foundation remain committed to supporting sports initiatives that provide meaningful opportunities for young athletes, in partnership with organizations that share the same vision for youth development through sports.

BUSINESS

B1

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 extrastory2000@gmail.com RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

HD Hyundai launches first vessel from Subic shipyard

Finance Secretary Frederick Go welcomes the launch of the Orion Jade, the first vessel built

by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines (HHIP), as a significant milestone in the revival of the country’s shipbuilding industry. Go urges stakeholders to build on this momentum, calling it the start of a larger ecosystem that promotes industry development and creates jobs for Filipinos. Built at the Agila Subic Shipyard, the vessel reinforces the Philippines’ potential as an emerging hub for advanced manufacturing and shipbuilding.

By Othel V. Campos SOUTH Korea’s HD Hyundai has begun full-scale shipbuilding operations in the Philippines after launching the Orion Jade, the first vessel completed at its Subic shipyard, the company said.

The Orion Jade is the first of four vessels ordered from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries Philippines (HHIP), underscoring the company’s long-term expansion plans in Subic and reinforcing the Philippines’ position as a regional shipbuilding hub. The vessel measures 250 meters in length, 42 meters in breadth and 21 meters in depth.

Finance Secretary and investment czar Frederick Go said the launch shows how the Marcos administration’s investment promotion efforts are translating into projects that create jobs, strengthen domestic manufacturing and expand the country’s industrial base.

“The launch of the Orion Jade is a testament to the Marcos Jr. administration’s efforts to attract strategic investments and ensure that these commitments materialize into projects that generate quality jobs, strengthen our industrial capabilities and create meaningful economic opportunities for Filipinos,” he said.

Go said HD Hyundai’s investment has already generated nearly 4,000 jobs in Subic and nearby provinces, with employment expected to double as operations ramp up.

“I understand that there are almost 4,000 jobs created here, and very soon that number is expected to double. Thank you for boosting our industrial capabilities and for providing employment to thousands of Filipinos. Thank you for trusting the skills of the Filipino workforce. We look forward to your continued expansion here in Subic,” he said.

Meralco warns vs. abrupt P26.5 billion Meralco’s first-half lifting of system loss charges core net income

By Alena Mae S. Flores

M

anila Electric Co. (Meralco) reported a 3.8-percent increase in first-half consolidated core net income to P26.5 billion from P25.5 billion a year ago even as company chairman Manuel Pangilinan warned that removing system loss charges without a clear funding mechanism could trigger financial losses across the power sector.

Consolidated reported net income for the period climbed to P26.3 billion from P23.6 billion in 2025.

The distribution utility (DU) business remained the largest earnings contributor, accounting for 48 percent or P12.7 billion of core income.

The power generation business contributed 39 percent or P10.5 billion, reflecting higher output from Meralco’s expanding generation portfolio. The retail electricity supply (RES) business and non-electricity units made up the remaining 13 per-

cent or P3.3 billion.

Meralco’s board approved a cash dividend of P11.758 per share, payable to shareholders of record as of Aug. 28, 2026, equivalent to a payout of 50 percent of core earnings per share.

Pangilinan welcomed the national government’s initiative to lower electricity rates but cautioned that prohibiting utilities from passing on system loss charges could impose steep costs across generation, transmission and distribution.

“It’s a big bill for the industry be-

cause it cuts across generation, transmission, and distribution. The bill is too big for the industry to absorb all of it,” Pangilinan said.

“Who’s going to pay for that? The industry? It’s going to cost tens of billions of pesos. We will not survive,” he said.

Pangilinan’s remarks followed a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. calling for the elimination of system loss charges and their accompanying value-added tax (VAT) to ease the burden of high electricity costs on consumers.

Regulators currently allow distribution utilities to recover system loss costs, which cover both technical and non-technical power losses. Technical losses occur naturally as electricity flows through transmission and distribution networks, while non-technical losses stem from pilferage, illegal connections and metering errors.

Pangilinan said energy loss is inherent to the physical transmission of electricity.

8.3 million Meralco’s customer base

26,967 gWh Meralco’s first-half sales

M. Standard – July 30 & Aug. 6, 2026

B3

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS PSEi rises on dovish BSP signals, bargain-hunting

By Jenniffer B. Austria PHILIPPINE shares rose Wednesday as investors welcomed dovish policy hints from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Eli Remolona Jr. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index climbed 49.01 points, or 0.78 percent, to 6,353.04. The broader all shares index advanced 20.30 points, or 0.59 percent, to 3,447.34.

“Investors have also digested the policy hints from BSP Governor Eli Remolona

Jr. wherein he said that there is only a small chance that the BSP would go aggressive on their policy tightening,” Philstocks Financial Inc. said.

Investors also hunted for bargains following Tuesday’s decline.

Among sectoral indices, holding firms posted the biggest gain, rising 2.72 percent, followed by property, which advanced 1.45 percent. Financials gained 0.18 percent, while industrials rose 0.19 percent. The services index edged up 0.05 percent.

Career Opportunity Opportunity in in CONCENTRIX CONCENTRIX CVG CVG PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINES, INC. INC. Career Qualification (Education, (Education, Experience, Experience, Position Title: Title: Advisor Advisor I,I, Email Email Support Support Position Qualification Job Description: Description: Professional License, License, Skills Skills Certification, Certification, Job Professional a) Ensure service service delivered delivered to to our our Specialized Training): Training): a) Ensure Specialized customers meets contractual Key • Graduate of any business-related course customers meets contractual Key • Graduate of any business-related course Performance Indicator Indicator (‘KPIs’) (‘KPIs’) Excellentwritten writtenand andverbal verbalcommunication communication Performance •• Excellent skills in Thai and English language b) Listen attentively to customer needs skills in Thai and English language b) Listen attentively to customer needs and concerns; concerns; demonstrate demonstrate empathy empathy Experience working working in in international international and and and •• Experience while maximizing maximizing opportunity opportunity to to build build cross-cultural environment environment while cross-cultural rapport with the customer.

• Courteous with strong customer service rapport with the customer.

• Courteous with strong customer service orientation. c) Participate in in activities activities designed designed orientation. c) Participate to improve improve customer customer satisfaction, satisfaction, Must be be fluent fluent in in Thai Thai and and English English to •• Must team camaraderie, camaraderie, and and business business speaking, reading, reading, writing, writing, and and listening listening team speaking, performance.

• Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability performance.

• Skilled in multi-tasking; including the ability to be be flexible flexible and and adapt adapt to to changes changes quickly. quickly. d) Track, document document and and retrieve retrieve to d) Track, information in call tracking database • Demonstrate patience in all customer information in call tracking database • Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; situations; including including maintaining maintaining e) Participate in in activities activities designed designed contact e) Participate pleasant and and professional professional tone tone and and to improve improve customer customer satisfaction, satisfaction, aa pleasant to manner team camaraderie, camaraderie, and and business business manner team performance.

Strong analytical, analytical, organizational organizational and and performance.

•• Strong problem solving solving skills skills problem Experience in in software software programs programs such such as as Applications may may be be sent sent to: to: PH_QC_EASTW_ PH_QC_EASTW_ •• Experience Applications Microsoft Word, Word, Excel, Excel, Microsoft Microsoft Outlook Outlook MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com Microsoft MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com and Internet Internet and Clarity of of verbal verbal communication communication (pace (pace and and •• Clarity tone) tone) • Excellent written communication • Excellent written communication (grammar) (grammar) Company/ Employer Employer Company/ CompanyName: Name:Concentrix ConcentrixCVG CVGPhilippines, Philippines, Company Inc. Inc. Complete Address: Address: 14/F 14/F to to 25/F 25/F Ayala Ayala North North Complete Exchange, Tower Tower 2, 2, 6798 6798 Ayala Ayala Avenue Avenue cor. cor.

Exchange, Amorsolo and and Salcedo Salcedo Streets, Streets, Brgy.

Brgy. San San Amorsolo Lorenzo, Makati City Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of of Business: Business: Business Business to to Business Business IT IT Nature

Name of of foreign foreign national national intending intending to to Name apply for for the the position position apply Name: Waraporn Waraporn Supanyee Supanyee Name: Address: Mandaluyong Mandaluyong City City Address: Nationality: Thai Thai Nationality: Intended Period of Employment: Two (2) (2) Years Years Intended Period of Employment: Two

Company hereby hereby declares declares that that the the above-named above-named foreign foreign national national isis able, able, willing, willing, and and qualified qualified to to Company perform the the services services and and job job description description for for this this position. position. The The company company has has the the intention intention to to employ employ the the perform said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) located located at at 66thth Floor, Floor, Banco Banco Filipino Filipino Condominium, Condominium, Solana Solana Street, Street, Intramuros, Intramuros, Manila.

Manila.

(BLE) Career Opportunity Opportunity in in CONCENTRIX CONCENTRIX CVG CVG PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINES, INC. INC. Career Position Title: Title: Advisor Advisor I,I, Email Email Support Support Position Job Description: Description: Job a) Ensure service delivered to our our a) Ensure service delivered to customers meets meets contractual contractual Key Key customers Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’) Performance Indicator (‘KPIs’) b) Listen attentively attentively to to customer customer needs needs b) Listen and concerns; concerns; demonstrate demonstrate empathy empathy and while maximizing opportunity to build while maximizing opportunity to build rapport with with the the customer. customer. rapport c) Participate in in activities activities designed designed c) Participate to improve improve customer customer satisfaction, satisfaction, to team camaraderie, camaraderie, and and business business team performance. performance. d) Track, document and retrieve d) Track, document and retrieve information in in call call tracking tracking database database information e) Participate in activities designed e) Participate in activities designed to improve improve customer customer satisfaction, satisfaction, to team camaraderie, camaraderie, and and business business team performance. performance.

Applications may may be be sent sent to: to: PH_QC_EASTW_ PH_QC_EASTW_ Applications MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.com

Company/ Employer Employer Company/ Company Name: Concentrix CVG Company Name: Concentrix CVG Philippines, Inc. Inc. Philippines, Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Complete Address: 14/F to 25/F Ayala North Exchange, Tower Tower 2, 2, 6798 6798 Ayala Ayala Avenue Avenue cor. cor.

Exchange, Amorsolo and and Salcedo Salcedo Streets, Streets, Brgy.

Brgy. San San Amorsolo Lorenzo, Makati City Lorenzo, Makati City Nature of of Business: Business: Business Business to to Business Business IT IT Nature

Qualification (Education, (Education, Experience, Experience, Professional Professional Qualification License, Skills Skills Certification, Certification, Specialized Specialized Training): Training): License, • Graduate of any business-related course • Graduate of any business-related course Excellent written written and and verbal verbal communication communication •• Excellent skills in in Thai Thai and and English English language language skills Experience working working in in international international and and •• Experience cross-cultural environment environment cross-cultural • Courteous with strong customer service • Courteous with strong customer service orientation. orientation.

Must be be fluent fluent in in Thai Thai and and English English speaking, speaking, •• Must reading, writing, writing, and and listening listening reading, Skilled in in multi-tasking; multi-tasking; including including the the ability ability •• Skilled to be be flexible flexible and and adapt adapt to to changes changes quickly. quickly. to • Demonstrate patience in all customer contact • Demonstrate patience in all customer contact situations; including including maintaining maintaining aa pleasant pleasant situations; and professional professional tone tone and and manner manner and Strong analytical, analytical, organizational organizational and and problem problem •• Strong solving skills skills solving • Experience in software programs such as • Experience in software programs such as Microsoft Word, Word, Excel, Excel, Microsoft Microsoft Outlook Outlook and and Microsoft Internet Internet Clarity of of verbal verbal communication communication (pace (pace and and •• Clarity tone) tone) • Excellent written communication (grammar) • Excellent written communication (grammar) Name of of foreign foreign national national intending intending Name to apply apply for for the the position position to Name: Nuttawut Nuttawut Sangwiroje Sangwiroje Name: Address: Quezon Quezon City City Address: Nationality: Thai Nationality: Thai Intended Period Period of of Employment: Employment: Two Two (2) (2) Years Years Intended

Company hereby hereby declares declares that that the the above-named above-named foreign foreign national national isis able, able, willing, willing, and and qualified qualified to to perform perform Company the services services and and job job description description for for this this position. position. The The company company has has the the intention intention to to employ employ the the said said foreign foreign the Bureau of of Local Local Employment Employment (BLE) (BLE) located located national and and apply apply for for an anAlien Alien Employment Employment Permit Permit with with the the Bureau national th th Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila. at 6 at 6 Floor, Banco Filipino Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Career Opportunity Opportunity inin CONCENTRIX CONCENTRIXCVG CVGPHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINES,INC. INC. Career Position Title: Title: Sr. Sr. Manager, Manager, Operations Operations Qualification (Education, (Education, Experience, Experience, Professional Professional Qualification Position Job Description: Description: License, Skills Skills Certification, Certification, Specialized Specialized Training): Training): License, Job • Maintain and grow revenue of program(s); • Associate's Degree Preferred with more than than ten ten • Maintain and grow revenue of program(s); • Associate's Degree Preferred with more responsible for for profitability profitability including including revenue, revenue, years of of experience experience (with (with two two to to four four years years of of responsible years margins, billing, seat utilization and retention Progressive Management Experience) preferred margins, billing, seat utilization and retention Progressive Management Experience) preferred Ensures program program has has proficient proficient training, training, staff staff Demonstrated ability ability to to analyze analyze and and improve improve work work •• Ensures •• Demonstrated development, and and effective effective employee employee relation/ relation/ processes; establish establish aa course course of of action action for for self self and and development, processes; recognition programs programs others to to accomplish accomplish specific specific goals goals recognition others • Responsible for selecting, training, developing, • Demonstrated ability to coach and develop action • Responsible for selecting, training, developing, • Demonstrated ability to coach and develop action and managing managing performance performance of of direct direct reports reports plans, which which maximize maximize performance, performance, and and provide provide and plans, and their their associates; associates; including including planning planning and and effective feedback feedback and effective assigning work work for for staff staff inin accordance accordance with with the the Demonstrated ability ability to to implement implement Change; Change; flexibility flexibility assigning •• Demonstrated organization’s policies policies and and applicable applicable legal legal to quickly quickly adapt adapt to to changing changing business business needs needs organization’s to requirements Work well well under under pressure pressure and and follow follow through through on on requirements •• Work items to completion while maintaining professional • Provide leadership and guidance to direct items to completion while maintaining professional • Provide leadership and guidance to direct demeanor reports to to ensure ensure consistent consistent administration administration of of demeanor reports company policies policies and and standards; standards; define define and and Excellent communication communication skills, skills, both both written written and and company •• Excellent implement any any corrective corrective actions actions needed needed to to verbal. Ability Ability to to effectively effectively present present information information to to implement verbal. meet operational performance internal and external associates meet operational performance internal and external associates Analyze and and maintain maintain all all Client Client Service Service Level Level Willingness to to work work aa flexible flexible schedule schedule •• Analyze •• Willingness Agreements; implement implement improvement improvement plans plans as as Agreements; needed Applications may may be be sent sent to: to: needed Applications PH_QC_EASTW_MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.

• Ensure that the operations is in compliance with PH_QC_EASTW_MULTILINGUAL@concentrix.

• Ensure that the operations is in compliance with com active contracts contracts com active Participate inin cross cross functional functional meetings meetings to to •• Participate review information information received received from from operational operational review support functions Training, HR, Quality, support functions - Training, HR, Quality, WFM, TA. TA. -- and and partner partner to to define define action action plans plans WFM, that resolve resolve issues issues and and drive drive continuous continuous that improvement improvement Company/ Employer Employer Company/

Name of of foreign foreign national national intending intending Name to apply apply for for the the position position to

Name: Mikhil MikhilAnil Anil Bandekar Bandekar CompanyName: Name:Concentrix ConcentrixCVG CVGPhilippines, Philippines,Inc. Inc. Name: Company Address: Quezon Quezon City City Address: 10 10thth 11 11thth 12 12thth 14 14thth 15 15thth Floors Floors GBF GBF Center Center Address: Address: Nationality: Indian 2 Bridgetowne C5 Road Ugong Norte District 3, Nationality: Indian 2 Bridgetowne C5 Road Ugong Norte District 3, Intended Period Period of of Employment: Employment: Two Two (2) (2) Years Years Quezon City City 1110 1110 Intended Quezon Nature of of Business: Business: Business Business to to Business Business IT IT Nature Companyhereby herebydeclares declaresthat thatthe theabove-named above-namedforeign foreignnational nationalisisable, able,willing, willing,and andqualified qualifiedto toperform performthe theservices services Company and job job description description for for this this position. position. The The company company has has the the intention intention to to employ employ the the said said foreign foreign national national and and apply apply for for and an Alien Alien Employment Employment Permit Permit with with the the Bureau Bureau of of Local Local Employment Employment (BLE) (BLE) located located at at 66thth Floor, Floor, Banco Banco Filipino Filipino an Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Condominium, Solana Street, Intramuros, Manila.

Career Opportunity Opportunity in in CONCENTRIX CONCENTRIX CVG CVG PHILIPPINES, PHILIPPINES, INC. INC. Career Qualification (Education, (Education, Experience, Experience, Position Title: Title: Sr. Sr. Director, Director, Service Service Qualification Position Professional License, License, Skills Skills Certification, Certification, Delivery Professional Delivery Specialized Training): Training): Job Description: Description: Specialized Job a) Plan, deliver and execute project(s) and • Must have 15-20 years' experience in in a) Plan, deliver and execute project(s) and • Must have 15-20 years' experience program(s) business process process outsourcing outsourcing (BPO) (BPO) program(s) business b) Ensure execution of delivery work • Must have at least 10 years of experience b) Ensure execution of delivery work • Must have at least 10 years of experience across one one or or more more clients clients or or portfolios, portfolios, in leadership leadership role role preferably preferably from from managing, managing, across in leading service service delivery delivery strategy strategy across across customer care care and and operations operations leading customer all locations locations where where the the services services are are Proven experience experience in in Voice, Voice, Email, Email, and and Chat Chat all •• Proven provided (e.g., (e.g., client-site, client-site, delivery delivery BPO operations operations provided BPO center) Strong client client management management expertise expertise along along center) •• Strong c) Address Address performance performance issues issues across across with sales sales and and solution solution support support c) with the client(s)/portfolio(s); client(s)/portfolio(s); create create the the Strong oral oral and and written written communication communication skills, skills, the •• Strong operational approach and implements with the ability to articulate clear ideas ideas and and operational approach and implements with the ability to articulate clear continuous improvement. improvement. strategies effectively. effectively. continuous strategies d) Implement standard SLA commitments Applications may be sent to: d) Implement standard SLA commitments Applications may be sent to: and other other operational operational metrics metrics for for PH_QC_EASTW_MULTILINGUAL@ and PH_QC_EASTW_MULTILINGUAL@ client(s)/portfolio(s) concentrix.com client(s)/portfolio(s) concentrix.com e) Support Support the the achievement achievement of of contract contract e) controllable income (CCI) targets, as controllable income (CCI) targets, as well as as the the achievement achievement of of cost-to-serve cost-to-serve well targets; deliver deliver efficiencies efficiencies through through targets; standard processes processes and and synergies. synergies. standard f) Manage recruiting, staffing, people f) Manage recruiting, staffing, people engagement, pyramid, pyramid, mix, mix, utilization, utilization, engagement, cost-to-serve and capacity of service cost-to-serve and capacity of service delivery staff staff to to optimize optimize balance balance delivery between cost cost and and delivery delivery targets. targets. between Name of of foreign foreign national national intending intending Name Company/ Employer Employer Company/ to apply apply for for the the position position to Name: William William Garland Garland Quijano Quijano Company Name: Name: Concentrix Concentrix CVG CVG Name: Company Address: Taguig Taguig City City Philippines, Inc. Inc. Address: Philippines, 11thth 12 12thth 14 14thth 15 15thth Floors Floors GBF GBF Nationality: American American Address: 10 10thth 11 Nationality: Address: Center 22 Bridgetowne Bridgetowne C5 C5 Road Road Ugong Ugong Intended Period Period of of Employment: Employment: Two Two (2) (2) Years Years Center Intended Norte District District 3, 3, Quezon Quezon City City 1110 1110 Norte Nature of Business: Business to Business Nature of Business: Business to Business IT IT

Company hereby hereby declares declares that that the the above-named above-named foreign foreign national national is is able, able, willing, willing, and and qualified qualified to to Company perform the the services services and and job job description description for for this this position. position.The The company company has has the the intention intention to to employ employ the the perform said foreign national and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment said foreign nationalth and apply for an Alien Employment Permit with the Bureau of Local Employment Floor, Banco Banco Filipino Filipino Condominium, Condominium, Solana Solana Street, Street, Intramuros, Intramuros, Manila.

Manila.

(BLE) located located at at 66th Floor, (BLE)

Manila

Manila Standard TODAY

TODAY

Y

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

BUSINESS

B4 Manila Manila

Standard Standard TODAY TODAY

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 extrastory2000@gmail.com RODERICK T. DELA CRUZ, Editor ALENA MAE S. FLORES, Asst. Editor

Hiraya Water launches P600-m Dasmariñas rehabilitation plan HIRAYA Water Corp., formerly Primewater Infrastructure Corp., has launched a P600-million capital expenditure program to rehabilitate and expand the water distribution system in Dasmariñas City, Cavite, marking the first major infrastructure rollout under new owner Crystal Bridges Holdings Corp.

Hiraya Water and the Dasmariñas Water District held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 29 for the initial phase of the long-term infrastructure program, which will focus on developing new water sources, replacing aging pipelines, upgrading transmission and distribution facilities and improving overall system efficiency.

The investment follows the issuance of the company’s business permit by the city government of Das-

mariñas and the formal turnover of operations earlier this year. The company also recently secured approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission to change its corporate name from Primewater Infrastructure Corp. to Hiraya Water Corporation.

Hiraya Water president Jose Paulino Santamarina said the projects reflect the company’s commitment to restoring customer confidence through tangible infrastructure improvements.

“Today is more than the beginning of an infrastructure project. It marks the beginning of restoring public trust, not through words alone, but through completed projects and services that every resident can genuinely experience,” he said.

Please take notice that the Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of ABSCBN Corporation will be held via remote communication through the link https:// conveneagm.com/ph/abscbn_asm2026 on August 19, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. to discuss the following: AGENDA

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Hiraya Water Corp. and the Dasmariñas Water District hold a groundbreaking ceremony on July 29, 2026 for the initial phase of the expansion of the water distribution system in Dasmariñas City. Commemorating the rehabilitation projects of Hiraya Water are (from left) Joven Artiaga, Bernadette Laurel, Kristian Barzaga, Reina Villa-Guro, Mayor Jenny AustriaBarzaga, businessman Lucio Co, Hiraya Water president Jose Paulino Santamarina, Fe Rebancos and Abigail Mojica.

Call to Order Proof of Service of Notice Certification of Quorum Approval of Minutes of Annual Stockholders’ Meeting Held on June 26, 2025 Report of Management Ratification of the Audited Financial Statements and Approval of the Report of Management Ratification of all acts of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, and Management for the period covering January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025, adopted in the ordinary course of business Election of Directors for the Ensuing Year Appointment of SyCip Gorres Velayo & Co. as External Auditors Other Business Adjournment

By Alena Mae S. Flores

For purposes of the meeting, only stockholders of record as of July 16, 2026, are entitled to attend and vote in the said meeting.

BOITIZ Power Corp. said Wednesday it posted a net income of P18.4 billion for the first half of 2026, up 45 percent from P12.7 billion in the same period last year, on higher sales and additional capacity from solar and hydro plants.

Stockholders may only attend the meeting by remote communication, voting in absentia, or by appointing the Chairman of the meeting as a proxy.

Online participation and voting by remote communication will be available for all stockholders. Stockholders who wish to participate and vote online via remote communication will be required to register from July 29, 2026, until August 9, 2026.

Stockholders who are not able to register as of August 9, 2026, can no longer avail of online voting but may still participate by remote communication, provided such stockholders shall register not later than August 12, 2026. Stockholders intending to participate by remote communication should register at https://conveneagm.com/ ph/abscbn_asm2026.

All stockholders who will not, are unable, or do not expect to attend the virtual meeting in person may choose to execute and send a valid proxy in writing to the Office of the Corporate Secretary at 11F Investor Relations Office, ELJ Bldg.

Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City or by email at corporatesecretary@abs-cbn.com or in digital/electronic form at https://conveneagm.com/ph/abscbn_asm2026 on or before August 9, 2026. Proxies shall be validated beginning August 10, 2026.

Electronic copies of the Corporation’s Information Statement, Management Report, SEC 17-A, and other pertinent documents are available at its website at https://investors.abs-cbn.com/investors/annual-stockholders-meeting and uploaded at the PSE’s EDGE disclosure system.

The company said beneficial earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) reached P43.3 billion in the first half, up 27 percent from P34.1 billion a year ago.

“The increase was primarily driven by the factors above, as well as higher con-

Metro Manila, July 29, 2026.

By order of the Board of Directors:

ENRIQUE QUIASON Corporate Secretary

Form2B 2B(Revised (RevisedJune June2014 2014) ) Form

BalanceSheet Sheet Balance

(HeadOffice Officeand andBranches) Branches) (Head

TRBANK,INC. INC.(A (ARURAL RURALBANK) BANK) TRBANK, (NameofofBank) Bank) (Name

Asof of As

06/30/2026 06/30/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) (MM/DD/YYYY)

Balance Sheet Balance 45245 Sheet 45245 (Head Office Office and and Branches) Branches) (Head As of of June June 30, 30, 2026 2026 As (BankCode) Code) (Bank

Amount Amount AASSSSEETTSS

AccountCode Code Account

Cashand andCash CashItems Items Cash Duefrom fromBangko BangkoSentral Sentralng ngPilipinas Pilipinas Due Duefrom fromOther OtherBanks Banks Due FinancialAssets Assetsat atFair FairValue Valuethrough throughProfit Profitor orLoss Loss Financial Available-for-SaleFinancial FinancialAssets-Net Assets-Net Available-for-Sale Held-to-Maturity(HTM) (HTM)Financial FinancialAssets-Net Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity UnquotedDebt DebtSecurities SecuritiesClassified Classifiedas asLoans-Net Loans-Net Unquoted InvestmentsininNon-Marketable Non-MarketableEquity EquitySecurity-Net Security-Net Investments

108000000000000000 108000000000000000

Loansto toBangko BangkoSentral Sentralng ngPilipinas Pilipinas Loans InterbankLoans LoansReceivable Receivable Interbank Loansand andReceivables Receivables- -Others Others Loans Loansand andReceivables ReceivablesArising Arisingfrom fromRA/CA/PR/SLB RA/CA/PR/SLB Loans GeneralLoan LoanLoss LossProvision Provision General OtherFinancial FinancialAssets Assets Other EquityInvestment InvestmentininSubsidiaries, Subsidiaries,Associates Associatesand andJoint JointVentures-Net Ventures-Net Equity BankPremises, Premises,Furniture, Furniture,Fixture Fixtureand andEquipment-Net Equipment-Net Bank Realand andOther OtherProperties PropertiesAcquired-Net Acquired-Net Real Non-CurrentAssets AssetsHeld Heldfor forSale Sale Non-Current OtherAssets-Net Assets-Net Other NetDue Duefrom fromHead HeadOffice/Branches/Agencies, Office/Branches/Agencies,ififany any(Philippine (Philippinebranch branchofofaa Net foreignbank) bank) foreign

140050000000000000 140050000000000000

Loansand andReceivables Receivables- -Net Net Loans

TOTALASSETS ASSETS TOTAL

105150000000000000 105150000000000000 105200000000000000 105200000000000000 112000000000000000 112000000000000000

CurrentQuarter Quarter Current

PreviousQuarter Quarter Previous

27,301,336.49 27,301,336.49 16,616,641.23 16,616,641.23 628,106,498.99 628,106,498.99

24,745,960.88 24,745,960.88 12,828,750.05 12,828,750.05 714,713,960.23 714,713,960.23

338,215,852.37 338,215,852.37

329,230,307.82 329,230,307.82

3,886,068,197.82 3,886,068,197.82

3,741,652,937.56 3,741,652,937.56

195200000000000000 195200000000000000 195250000000000000 195250000000000000 195300000000000000 195300000000000000 195350000000000000 195350000000000000 195400000000000000 195400000000000000 195401000000000000 195401000000000000 140150500000000000 140150500000000000 195402000000000000 195402000000000000 175150000000000000 175150000000000000 148000000000000000 148000000000000000 195452500000000000 195452500000000000 195500500000000000 195500500000000000 195501000000000000 195501000000000000 150150000000000000 150150000000000000 152000000000000000 152000000000000000 155250000000000000 155250000000000000 100000000000000000 100000000000000000

3,926,135,705.11 3,926,135,705.11

3,781,317,391.87 3,781,317,391.87

40,067,507.29 40,067,507.29 615,539,701.57 615,539,701.57

39,664,454.31 39,664,454.31 564,773,977.38 564,773,977.38

55,051,295.49 55,051,295.49 431,285,584.04 431,285,584.04

46,402,891.51 46,402,891.51 411,432,387.08 411,432,387.08

103,137,947.33 103,137,947.33

105,653,329.09 105,653,329.09

6,101,323,055.33 6,101,323,055.33

5,951,434,501.60 5,951,434,501.60

4,716,448,643.00 4,716,448,643.00

4,600,403,793.50 4,600,403,793.50

LLI IAABBI ILLI ITTI IEESS

FinancialLiabilities Liabilitiesat atFair FairValue Valuethrough throughProfit Profitor orLoss Loss Financial DepositLiabilities Liabilities Deposit Dueto toOther OtherBanks Banks Due

208000000000000000 208000000000000000

BSP(Rediscounting (Rediscountingand andOther OtherAdvances) Advances) a)a)BSP b)Interbank InterbankLoans LoansPayable Payable b) OtherDeposit DepositSubstitute Substitute c)c)Other d)Others Others d) BondsPayable-Net Payable-Net Bonds UnsecuredSubordinated SubordinatedDebt-Net Debt-Net Unsecured RedeemablePreferred PreferredShares Shares Redeemable SpecialTime TimeDeposit Deposit Special Dueto toBangko BangkoSentral Sentralng ngPilipinas Pilipinas Due OtherFinancial FinancialLiabilities Liabilities Other OtherLiabilities Liabilities Other NetDue Dueto toHead HeadOffice/Branches/Agencies Office/Branches/Agencies(Philippine (Philippinebranch branchofofaaforeign foreignbank) bank) Net

220100001500000000 220100001500000000

BillsPayable Payable Bills

TOTALLIABILITIES LIABILITIES TOTAL

215000000000000000 215000000000000000 220050000000000000 220050000000000000 220100000000000000 220100000000000000 220100002000000000 220100002000000000 220100002500000000 220100002500000000

486,704,652.90 486,704,652.90

455,276,145.35 455,276,145.35

486,704,652.90 486,704,652.90

455,276,145.35 455,276,145.35

220100003000000000 220100003000000000 295201500000000000 295201500000000000 220250000000000000 220250000000000000 220300000000000000 220300000000000000 230350000000000000 230350000000000000

42,995,251.80 42,995,251.80 150,362,937.68 150,362,937.68

39,312,998.76 39,312,998.76 173,045,215.28 173,045,215.28

200000000000000000 200000000000000000

5,396,511,485.38 5,396,511,485.38

5,268,038,152.89 5,268,038,152.89

335050000000000000 335050000000000000

379,784,761.16 379,784,761.16 42,735,201.67 42,735,201.67 282,291,607.12 282,291,607.12

379,784,741.16 379,784,741.16 22,565,708.44 22,565,708.44 281,045,899.11 281,045,899.11

704,811,569.95 704,811,569.95 6,101,323,055.33 6,101,323,055.33

683,396,348.71 683,396,348.71 5,951,434,501.60 5,951,434,501.60

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6,650.00 6,650.00

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5,655.00 5,655.00

3,988,383,835.80 3,988,383,835.80

3,839,053,854.04 3,839,053,854.04

219,092,898.39 219,092,898.39

216,560,978.10 216,560,978.10

240100000000000000 240100000000000000 230850000000000000 230850000000000000

BOARDOF OFDIRECTORS DIRECTORS BOARD (AsofofJune June30, 30,2026) 2026) (As PhilipLynch Lynch Philip Chairmanofofthe theBoard Board Chairman AlanRoy RoyV.V.Torio Torio Alan President//CEO CEO President RobertB. B.Jordan JordanJr. Jr. Robert Director Director Atty.Ray RayAnthony AnthonyFajarito Fajarito Atty.

Director Director ChitoFrancisco FranciscoR. R.Dizon Dizon Chito Director Director SarahWang Wang Sarah Director Director UlysesSimoun SimounK. K.Ty Ty Ulyses Director Director JosefaElvira ElviraE. E.Ditching-Lorico Ditching-Lorico Josefa Director Director MariaBernadette BernadetteT.T.Ratcliffe Ratcliffe Maria IndependentDirector Director Independent

295202000000000000 295202000000000000

240050000000000000 240050000000000000

JosefaElvira ElviraD. D.Lorico Lorico Josefa IndependentDirector Director Independent

335100000000000000 335100000000000000 315000000000000000 315000000000000000 325200000000000000 325200000000000000

TOTALSTOCKHOLDERS' STOCKHOLDERS'EQUITY EQUITY TOTAL TOTALLIABILITIES LIABILITIESAND ANDSTOCKHOLDERS' STOCKHOLDERS'EQUITY EQUITY TOTAL

300000000000000000 300000000000000000 905000000000000000 905000000000000000

tracted capacity and the full first-half contribution from Chromite Gas Holdings Inc.,” the company said in a disclosure to the stock exchange..

The EBITDA growth translated to a core net income of P18 billion for the first half, up 41 percent from P12.8 billion in the same period in 2025.

Second-quarter net income reached P10.5 billion, up 31 percent from P8.1 billion a year earlier and up 33 percent from P7.9 billion in the first quarter of 2026.

Beneficial EBITDA for the second quarter totaled P23 billion, up 21 percent from P19.1 billion in the same period last year and up 13 percent from P20.3 billion in the first quarter.

Aboitiz Power attributed the growth to stronger margins in its generation segment amid higher energy market prices, additional capacity from the Caliraya-Botocan-Kalayaan (CBK) Hydroelectric Power Plant Complex, and the delivery of new solar plants, including the 221-megawatt-peak (MWp) Olongapo, the 47-MWp Armenia and the 93-MWp San Manuel facilities. The new capacity more than offset lower coal plant availability during the period, the company said.

Energy sold totaled 22,764 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in the first half, up 17 percent from 19,440 GWh in the same period last year.

EBITDA from Aboitiz Power’s generation and retail supply businesses rose 29 percent to P39.8 billion, from P30.8 billion in 2025, the company said.

405000000000000000 405000000000000000

Trustand andOther OtherFiduciary FiduciaryAccounts Accounts a)a)Trust b)Agency AgencyAccounts Accounts b) Advisory/Consultancy c)c)Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Derivatives Others Others

495250500000000000 495250500000000000

TrustDepartment DepartmentAccounts Accounts Trust

TOTALCONTINGENT CONTINGENTACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS TOTAL

410050000000000000 410050000000000000 410100000000000000 410100000000000000 415000000000000000 415000000000000000 420000000000000000 420000000000000000 425000000000000000 425000000000000000 430000000000000000 430000000000000000 495220000000000000 495220000000000000 495250000000000000 495250000000000000 495251000000000000 495251000000000000 495251500000000000 495251500000000000 435000000000000000 435000000000000000 440000000000000000 440000000000000000 400000000000000000 400000000000000000

499020000000000000 499020000000000000

ClassifiedLoans Loans&&Other OtherRisk RiskAssets, Assets,gross grossof ofallowance allowancefor forcredit creditlosses losses Classified DOSRILoans Loansand andreceivables, receivables,gross grossallowance allowanceof ofcredit creditlosses losses DOSRI

499200000000000000 499200000000000000

Grossnon-performing non-performing DOSRI DOSRIloans loansand andreceivables receivables Gross

499500000000000000 499500000000000000

499300000000000000 499300000000000000 499100500000000000 499100500000000000 499150500000000000 499150500000000000 499101000000000000 499101000000000000 499151000000000000 499151000000000000 499151500000000000 499151500000000000 499152000000000000 499152000000000000 499400000000000000 499400000000000000

Ratioof ofDOSRI DOSRIloans loansand andreceivables, receivables,gross grossof ofallowance allowancefor for Ratio creditlosses, losses,to togross grossTLP TLP(%) (%) credit

499480000000000000 499480000000000000

Ratioof of gross grossnon-performing non-performingDOSRI DOSRIloans loansand andreceivables receivablesto toTLP TLP(%) (%) Ratio

499550000000000000 499550000000000000

PercentCompliance Compliancewith withMagna MagnaCarta Carta(%) (%) Percent 8%for forMicro Microand andSmall SmallEnterprises Enterprises a.a. 8% 2%for forMedium MediumEnterprises Enterprises b.b. 2% Returnon onEquity Equity(ROE) (ROE)(%) (%) Return

CapitalAdequacy AdequacyRatio Ratio(CAR) (CAR)on onSolo SoloBasis, Basis,as asprescribed prescribedunder underexisting existingregulations regulations Capital TotalCAR CAR(%) (%) a.a.Total Tier11Ratio Ratio(%) (%) b.b.Tier CommonTier Tier11Ratio Ratio(%) (%)1/1/ c.c.Common

DeferredCharges Chargesnot notyet yetWritten WrittenDown Down Deferred UnbookedAllowance Allowancefor forCredit CreditLosses Losseson onFinancial FinancialInstruments InstrumentsReceived Received Unbooked

CommonEquity EquityTier Tier11isisonly onlyapplicable applicabletotoall allUniversal Universaland andCommercial CommercialBanks Banksand andtheir theirsubsidiary subsidiarybanks. banks.

1/1/Common

499050500000000000 499050500000000000 499051000000000000 499051000000000000 499350000000000000 499350000000000000

PHILIPPINE economic growth likely slowed to 2.5 percent in the second quarter of 2026 as renewed external and domestic headwinds heighten inflationary risks, University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) economists said.

“With these headwinds and still-soft macro data releases, we lower our second quarter GDP growth estimate to 2.5 percent,” the UA&P economists said.

The economists warned that inflation could breach 7 percent again in the third quarter, marking a return to Middle East-crisis levels, citing three new pressure points.

“A triple threat of crude oil topping $80 per barrel, Metro Manila’s P85 wage hike and severe El Niño conditions may push third-quarter inflation to Middle East-crisis levels once more,” the economists said in their July 2026 Market Call.

Inflation surged to a three-year high of 7.2 percent in April 2026 on rising food and transport costs amid Middle East tensions before easing to 6.4 percent in June. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could keep raising policy rates by a total of 50 basis points in the remaining months of the year, the economists said. Thony Rose Lesaca

Philex swung to P392-m profit in second quarter

PHILEX Mining Corp. swung back to profit in the second quarter of 2026 as production at its Padcal mine normalized and higher gold and copper prices supported earnings, the listed miner said Wednesday.

The company said it posted consolidated net income of P392 million in the April-to-June period, reversing a P592-million net loss in the first quarter and more than doubling the P171million profit recorded a year earlier.

Core net income reached P492 million, a turnaround from a core net loss of P281 million in the previous quarter and up from P65 million in the second quarter of 2025.

Philex attributed the improvement to the normalization of the Padcal mill plant following the completion of rehabilitation work on its secondary and tertiary crushing plant as well as sustained realized prices for gold and copper.

Net revenues more than doubled quarter-onquarter to P2.423 billion from P1.078 billion and rose 30 percent from P1.86 billion a year earlier.

Padcal’s tonnes milled recovered to 1.56 million tonnes in the second quarter, 68 percent higher than the 931,000 tonnes processed in the first quarter.

Jenniffer B. Austria

ÊÊ

Positiontitle: title:Investigation InvestigationSpecialist SpecialistI I Position

Positiontitle: title:Investigation InvestigationSpecialist SpecialistI I Position Vacancy (1) Vacancy (1)

Vacancy(1) (1) Vacancy

JobDescription: Description: Job Providesprompt promptand andefficient efficientservice servicetotoAmazon AmazonSellers, Sellers,including includingthe theappropriate appropriateescalation escalationofofSellers’ Sellers’issues issuesinina acontact contactcenter centerenvironment. environment. ➢➢ Provides Maintainsa apositive positiveand andprofessional professionaldemeanor, demeanor,always alwaysportraying portrayingthe thecompany companyinina apositive positivelight lightwhile whileeffectively effectivelymanaging managingsensitive sensitiveissues. issues. ➢➢ Maintains Demonstratesexcellent excellenttime-management time-managementskills skillsand andthe theability abilitytotowork workindependently independentlywhile whileusing usingdepartmental departmentalresources, resources,policies policies , andprocedures. procedures. ➢➢ Demonstrates , and ➢ Maintains acceptable performance metrics such as quality, productivity, first contact resolution, and attendance .

JobDescription: Description: Job

➢ efficient Maintains acceptable performance metrics such asincluding quality, productivity, first contact resolution, and attendance .

Providesprompt promptand and service Amazon Sellers, theappropriate appropriate escalation ofthe Sellers’ issues inincluding contact centerenvironment. environment. ➢➢ Provides service totoAmazon Sellers, including the escalation Sellers’ issues inincluding aacontact center ➢ Actively Activelyseeks seeks solutions throughlogical logical reasoning anddata datainterpretation interpretation skills, and , andidentifies identifies trendstoof tothe appropriate channel, improvement ➢efficient solutions through reasoning and skills trends appropriate channel, improvement suggestions Maintainsaapositive positiveand andsuggestions professionaldemeanor, demeanor,always alwaysportraying portrayingthe thecompany companyininaapositive positivelight lightwhile whileeffectively effectivelymanaging managingsensitive sensitiveissues. issues. ➢➢ Maintains professional Demonstratesexcellent excellenttime-management time-managementskills skillsand andthe theability abilitytotowork workindependently independentlywhile whileusing usingdepartmental departmentalresources, resources,policies policies, ,and andprocedures. procedures. ➢➢ Demonstrates Qualification(Education, (Education,Experience, Experience,Professional Professional License,Skills SkillsCertification, Certification,Specialized SpecializedTraining): Training): Qualification License, Maintainsacceptable acceptable performancemetrics metricssuch suchas asquality, quality, productivity, firstcontact contactresolution, resolution,and andattendance attendance. . ➢➢ Maintains performance productivity, first Interpersonal skills,with with theability abilitytotocommunicate communicate complex transactional issues correctly andclearly clearlytotrends totrends bothinternal internal andappropriate externalcustomers. customers.

Activelyseeks seekssolutions solutions throughlogical logical reasoning anddata data interpretation skills ,and andidentifies identifies the appropriate channel,including includingimprovement improvement ➢➢ Interpersonal skills, the complex transactional issues and both and external ➢➢ Actively through reasoning and interpretation skills ,correctly totothe channel, Clear,crisp, crisp,and andproactive proactivedocumentation documentationofofoperational operationalprocedures proceduresrequired requiredtototackle tackleknown knownrisk-related risk-relatedpatterns. patterns. ➢➢ Clear, suggestions suggestions Problem-solvingskills, skills,having havingdemonstrated demonstratedability abilitytotorecognize recognizenon-obvious non-obviouspatterns patternsand andanalyze analyzeproblems problemslogically. logically. ➢➢ Problem-solving Self-disciplined,diligent, diligent,proactive, proactive,and anddetail-oriented, detail-oriented,impacting impactingtime timemanagement managementand andorganizational organizationalskills. skills. ➢➢ Self-disciplined,

Qualification(Education, (Education,Experience, Experience, Professional License, SkillsCertification, Certification, Specialized Training): Qualification Professional License, Skills Training): Provenability ability workininfast-paced, fast-paced, dynamicenvironments environments wheredecisions decisionsare areSpecialized madewithout withoutcompromising compromising customerexperience experienceand andfinancial financial ➢➢ Proven totowork dynamic where made ononcustomer losses. losses.

Interpersonalskills, skills,with withthe theability abilitytotocommunicate communicatecomplex complextransactional transactional issues correctlyand andclearly clearlytotoboth bothinternal internaland andexternal externalcustomers. customers. ➢➢ Interpersonal issues correctly Applicationsmay may sentto: to: Applications bebesent Name Companyrequired HR:Ivanka IvankaPatricia Quinial Clear,crisp, crisp,and andproactive proactivedocumentation documentationofofoperational operational procedures required totackle tackle knownrisk-related risk-relatedpatterns. patterns.

Name ofofCompany HR: Quinial ➢➢ Clear, procedures toPatricia known Emailaddress: address:https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search Problem-solvingskills, skills,having havingdemonstrated demonstratedability abilitytotoEmail recognizenon-obvious non-obviouspatterns patternsand andanalyze analyzeproblems problemslogically. logically. ➢➢ Problem-solving recognize Self-disciplined,diligent, diligent, proactive, and detail-oriented, impacting time management and organizational skills. ➢➢ Self-disciplined, proactive, and detail-oriented, impacting time management and organizational skills.

Company/Employer Employer Nameofofforeign foreignnational nationalintending intendingtotoapply applyfor forthe theposition position Company/ Name Provenability abilitytotowork workininfast-paced, fast-paced,dynamic dynamicenvironments environmentswhere wheredecisions decisionsare aremade madewithout withoutcompromising compromisingon oncustomer customerexperience experienceand andfinancial financial ➢➢ Proven CompanyName: Name: Company losses.

Name:Yulong YulongWei Wei losses.

Name: AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) Amazon

Address:Makati MakatiCity City Address:

Applications may be sent to:

Applications may be sent to: Nationality: Chinese Nationality: Chinese Name of Company HR:Ivanka Ivanka Patricia Quinial Name of Company HR: Patricia Quinial UnitNo. No.2C, 2C,Flr. Flr.no. no.4th, 4th,One OneE-Com E-ComBldg., Bldg., Ocean Drive, MallofofAsia Asia Intended periodof ofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years Unit Ocean Drive, Mall Intended period Email https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search ComplexSt., St.,Zone Zone10, 10,Barangay Barangay076, 076, District1,address: 1,address: PasayCity, City,https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search MetroManila, Manila, Email Complex District Pasay Metro _________________________________________ _________________________________________ NCR,1300 1300 NCR, Completeaddress: address: Complete

Natureofofbusiness: business:AOSPI AOSPIisisa acorporation corporationorganized organizedunder underPhilippine Philippine Name: Name:Grady GradyLuemba LuembaBosamba Bosamba Nature laws.It Itisisregistered registeredwith withthe theSecurities Securitiesand andExchange ExchangeCommission Commission(SEC) (SEC)Name Name of foreign nationalintending intendingto toapply applyfor forthe theposition position laws. of foreign Address: Cabuyao City national underSEC SECCertificate CertificateofofRegistration RegistrationNo. No.CS201722700.

CS201722700.It Itisisauthorized authorizedtoto Address: Cabuyao City under providesupport supportservices, services,including includingbut butnot notlimited limitedtotoremote remotetechnical technicalsupport support Nationality: Nationality:Congolese Congolese provide services, ITIT development, development, customer customer support, support, customer customer care care services, services, services, Intended period of employment: two(2) (2)years years Intended period of employment: two Name: Yulong Wei businessprocess processoutsourcing, outsourcing,back-office back-officesupport support(including (includingbut butnot notlimited limitedName: Yulong Wei business tosystems, systems,hardware, hardware,software, software,financial financialoperations, operations,vendor vendormanagement, management, to AmazonOperation OperationServices Services Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI)the back-office), and other activitiesAddress: Amazon Inc MakatiCity City andPhilippines human resources resources relating toto the and human relating back-office), and other activities Address:Makati necessaryororuseful usefulthereto, thereto,asaswell wellasasmarketing marketingsupport supportactivities, activities,without without necessary Completeaddress: address: Complete engagingininretail retailtrade, trade,the thepractice practiceofofa aprofession, profession,ororacting actingasasananInternet InternetNationality: Nationality:Chinese Chinese engaging ServiceProvider.

Provider.

Service

Company/Employer Employer Company/ CompanyName: Name: Company

Intendedperiod periodof ofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years UnitNo. No.2C, 2C,Flr. Flr.no. no.4th, 4th,One OneE-Com E-ComBldg., Bldg.,Ocean OceanDrive, Drive,Mall MallofofAsia Asia Intended Unit AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI).

(AOSPI).hereby herebydeclares declaresthat thatthe theabove-named above-namedforeign foreignnational nationalisisable, able,willing, willing,and andqualified qualifiedtotoperform performthe the Amazon ComplexSt., St.,Zone Zone10, 10,Barangay Barangay 076, District 1, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Complex District Pasay City, Metro Manila, servicesand and076, jobdescription description for1, this position.The The company has theintention intentiontotoemploy employ thesaid saidforeign foreignnational nationaland andapply applyfor forananAlien AlienEmployment EmploymentPermit Permit services job for this position. company has the the _________________________________________ _________________________________________ with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila NCR,1300 1300 NCR, with the Bureau of Local Employment, 6F First Intramuros BF Condominium, Solana St. cor. A. Soriano Ave., Intramuros, Manila

AnyFilipino Filipinojobseeker whoisiscompetent, competent,able ableand andwilling willingtotoperform performthe theservices servicesfor forwhich whichthe theforeign foreignnational nationalisisintended intendedtotobe behired hiredmay mayfile fileananobjection objection Any who AOSPI isjobseeker a corporation corporation organized under Philippine Nature of of business: business: AOSPI Name: Grady Luemba Bosamba is aLocal organized under Philippine Nature Name: Grady Luemba Bosamba Bureau Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros Intramuros BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana Solana St.cor. cor.A.A.Soriano Soriano Ave., Intramuros,Manila, Manila,after afterthis thispublication. publication. atatBureau ofofLocal Employment, BF St. Ave., Intramuros, laws.ItItisis registered registeredwith with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Please inform theDepartment Department Laborand andEmployment Employment NCR,if ifyou you haveany anyinformation information oncriminal criminaloffenses offensescommitted committedbybythe theforeign foreignnational national laws. the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Please inform the ofof Labor – –NCR, have Address:onCabuyao City underSEC SECCertificate CertificateofofRegistration RegistrationNo. No.CS201722700.

CS201722700.ItItisisauthorized authorizedtoto Address: Cabuyao City under providesupport supportservices, services,including includingbut butnot notlimited limitedtotoremote remotetechnical technicalsupport support Nationality: Nationality:Congolese Congolese provide services, ITIT development, development, customer customer support, support, customer customer care care services, services, services, Intendedperiod periodof ofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years businessprocess processoutsourcing, outsourcing,back-office back-officesupport support(including (includingbut butnot notlimited limited Intended business

systems,hardware, hardware,software, software,financial financial operations, operations,vendor vendor management, management, totosystems, and human human resources resources relating relating toto the the back-office), back-office), and and other other activities activities and necessaryororuseful usefulthereto, thereto,as aswell wellas asmarketing marketingsupport supportactivities, activities,without without necessary engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as anInternet Internet engaging in retail trade, the practice of a profession, or acting as an ServiceProvider.

Provider.

Service

AnyFilipino Filipinojobseeker jobseekerwho whoisiscompetent, competent,able ableand andwilling willingtotoperform performthe theservices servicesfor forwhich whichthe theforeign foreignnational nationalisisintended intendedtotobe behired hiredmay mayfile filean anobjection objection Any Bureauof ofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros IntramurosBF BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana SolanaSt. St.cor. cor.A. A.Soriano SorianoAve., Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila, Manila,after afterthis thispublication. publication. atatBureau Pleaseinform informthe theDepartment DepartmentofofLabor Laborand andEmployment Employment––NCR, NCR,ififyou youhave haveany anyinformation informationon oncriminal criminaloffenses offensescommitted committedby bythe theforeign foreignnational national Please 565430658-v1\AP_DMS 565430658-v1\AP_DMS

0.00 0.00

6,650.00 6,650.00

0.00 0.00

5,655.00 5,655.00

ADDITIONALINFORMATION INFORMATION ADDITIONAL Grosstotal totalloan loanportfolio portfolio(TLP) (TLP) Gross Specificallowance allowancefor forcredit creditlosses losseson onthe theTLP TLP Specific Non-PerformingLoans Loans(NPLs) (NPLs) Non-Performing GrossNPLs NPLs a.a.Gross b.Ratio Ratioof ofgross grossNPLs NPLsto togross grossTLP TLP(%) (%) b.

NetNPLs NPLs c.c.Net RatioofofNet NetNPLs NPLstotogross grossTLP TLP(%) (%) d.d.Ratio Ratioofoftotal totalallowance allowancefor forcredit creditlosses lossestotogross grossNPLs NPLs(%) (%) e.e.Ratio Ratioofofspecific specificallowance allowancefor forcredit creditlosses losseson onthe thegross grossTLP TLPtotogross grossNPLs NPLs(%) (%) f.f. Ratio

ÊÊ

CareerOpportunity OpportunityininAmazon Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) CareerOperation OpportunityininAmazon Amazon Operation ServicesPhilippines Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) Career Services Philippines Inc Career Opportunity Operation Services Inc

11

CONTINGENTACCOUNTS ACCOUNTS CONTINGENT

GuaranteesIssued Issued Guarantees FinancialStandby StandbyLetters Lettersof ofCredit Credit Financial PerformanceStandby StandbyLetters LettersofofCredit Credit Performance CommercialLetters LettersofofCredit Credit Commercial TradeRelated RelatedGuarantees Guarantees Trade Commitments Commitments SpotForeign ForeignExchange ExchangeContracts Contracts Spot SecuritiesHeld HeldUnder UnderCustodianship Custodianshipby byBank BankProper Proper Securities

GDP growth seen slowing to 2.5% in second quarter

AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI).

(AOSPI).hereby herebydeclares declaresthat thatthe theabove-named above-namedforeign foreignnational nationalisisable, able,willing, willing,and andqualified qualifiedtotoperform performthe the Amazon servicesand andjob jobdescription descriptionfor forthis thisposition. position.The Thecompany companyhas hasthe theintention intentiontotoemploy employthe thesaid saidforeign foreignnational nationaland andapply applyfor foran anAlien AlienEmployment EmploymentPermit Permit services withthe theBureau Bureauof ofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros IntramurosBF BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana SolanaSt. St.cor. cor.A. A.Soriano SorianoAve., Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila Manila with

Stockholders'Equity Equity Stockholders'

CapitalStock Stock Capital OtherCapital CapitalAccounts Accounts Other RetainedEarnings Earnings Retained AssignedCapital Capital Assigned

IN BRIEF

Aboitiz Power’s first-half profit rose 45% to P18.4b A

To: All Stockholders of ABS-CBN Corporation

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

62,248,130.69 62,248,130.69

5.49 5.49

57,736,462.17 57,736,462.17

5.64 5.64

175,783,943.15 175,783,943.15

178,369,400.86 178,369,400.86

46.70 46.70

40.27 40.27

1,277,747,045.41 1,277,747,045.41 390,454.63 390,454.63

1,228,207,037.74 1,228,207,037.74 367,618.82 367,618.82

0.01 0.01

0.01 0.01

4.41 4.41

28.41 28.41

4.65 4.65

26.66 26.66

0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00

24.32 24.32 23.98 23.98 14.77 14.77

23.91 23.91 24.82 24.82 18.13 18.13

10.74 10.74 10.12 10.12 10.12 10.12

10.75 10.75 10.12 10.12 10.12 10.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 0.00

AlanRoy RoyV.V.Torio Torio Alan President/CEO President/CEO MichaelA. A.Bautista Bautista Michael CBBO CBBO FrancisDL. DL.Samson Samson Francis COO COO RaquelA. A.Sese Sese Raquel CRRO CRRO MannyM. M.Vidal Vidal Manny ChiefFinance FinanceOfficer Officer Chief ReynerioA. A.Janer Janer Reynerio IAD IAD ReynaldoT.T.Acierto Acierto Reynaldo ChiefCompliance ComplianceOfficer Officer Chief

CareerOpportunity OpportunityininAmazon Amazon Operation Services Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) Career Operation Services Philippines Inc Career OpportunityininAmazon Amazon Operation ServicesPhilippines Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) Career Opportunity Operation Services Inc

ÊÊ

ÊÊ

Position title: Investigation Specialist I

Position title: Investigation Specialist I Positiontitle: title:Investigation Investigation SpecialistI I Position Specialist Vacancy(1) (1) Vacancy

Vacancy(1) (1) Vacancy JobDescription: Description: Job

JobDescription: Description: Job Providesprompt promptand andefficient efficientservice servicetotoAmazon AmazonSellers, Sellers,including includingthe theappropriate appropriateescalation escalationofofSellers’ Sellers’issues issuesinina acontact contactcenter centerenvironment. environment. ➢➢ Provides Maintainsa apositive positiveand andprofessional professionaldemeanor, demeanor,always alwaysportraying portrayingthe thecompany companyinina apositive positivelight lightwhile whileeffectively effectivelymanaging managingsensitive sensitiveissues. issues. ➢➢ Maintains ➢ Demonstrates excellent time-management skills and the ability to work independently while using departmental resources, policies , and procedures.

Demonstrates excellent time-management skills and the ability to work independently while using departmental resources, policies , and procedures.

Providesprompt promptand and➢ service Amazon Sellers, including theappropriate appropriate escalation Sellers’ issues in a contact center environment. ➢➢ Provides service toto Amazon Sellers, the escalation ofofSellers’ ➢efficient Maintains acceptable performance metrics suchincluding quality,productivity, productivity, firstcontact contactresolution, resolution, andattendance attendance ➢efficient Maintains acceptable performance metrics such asasquality, first and . . issues in a contact center environment. ➢ Actively Actively seekssolutions solutions throughlogical logical reasoning anddata datainterpretation interpretation skills, and , and trendsto to theappropriate appropriate channel,including including improvement Maintainsaapositive positiveand professional demeanor, always portraying thecompany company inidentifies positive light whileeffectively effectively managing sensitiveissues. issues. ➢and seeks through reasoning and skills trends the channel, improvement ➢➢ Maintains professional demeanor, always portraying the inidentifies aapositive light while managing sensitive suggestions suggestions Demonstratesexcellent excellenttime-management time-management skillsand andthe theability abilitytotowork workindependently independentlywhile whileusing usingdepartmental departmentalresources, resources,policies policies, ,and andprocedures. procedures. ➢➢ Demonstrates skills Maintainsacceptable acceptable performance metrics such asquality, quality, productivity, firstcontact contact resolution, andattendance attendance. . ➢➢ Maintains performance metrics such as productivity, first resolution, Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, SkillsCertification, Certification, Specialized Training):and Qualification (Education, Experience, Professional License, Skills Specialized Training): Activelyseeks seekssolutions solutionsthrough throughlogical logicalreasoning reasoningand anddata datainterpretation interpretationskills skills, ,and andidentifies identifiestrends trendstotothe theappropriate appropriatechannel, channel,including includingimprovement improvement ➢➢ Actively Interpersonalskills, skills,with withthe theability abilitytotocommunicate communicatecomplex complextransactional transactionalissues issuescorrectly correctlyand andclearly clearlytotoboth bothinternal internaland andexternal externalcustomers. customers. ➢➢ Interpersonal suggestions suggestions Clear,crisp, crisp,and andproactive proactivedocumentation documentationofofoperational operationalprocedures proceduresrequired requiredtototackle tackleknown knownrisk-related risk-relatedpatterns. patterns. ➢➢ Clear, ➢ Problem-solving skills, having demonstrated ability to recognize non-obvious patterns and analyze problems logically.

➢ Problem-solving skills, having demonstrated ability to recognize non-obvious patterns and analyze problems logically.

Qualification(Education, (Education,Experience, Experience, Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): Qualification Professional License, Skills Certification, Specialized Training): Self-disciplined, diligent,proactive, proactive, anddetail-oriented, detail-oriented, impacting timemanagement management andorganizational organizational skills. ➢➢ Self-disciplined, diligent, and impacting time and skills.

➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisions are made without compromising on customer experience and financial

➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisions are made without compromising on customer experience and financial 565430658-v1\AP_DMS 565430658-v1\AP_DMS losses.

Interpersonalskills, skills,with withthe the abilitytotocommunicate communicatecomplex complextransactional transactionalissues issuescorrectly correctlyand andclearly clearlytotoboth bothinternal internaland andexternal externalcustomers. customers. losses. ➢➢ Interpersonal ability

11

Clear,crisp, crisp,and andproactive proactivedocumentation documentationofofoperational operationalprocedures procedures required totackle tackle knownrisk-related risk-relatedpatterns. patterns. ➢➢ Clear, required to known Applications maybebesent sent to: Applications may to: NameofofCompany Company HR:Ivanka Ivanka PatriciaQuinial Quinial Problem-solvingskills, skills,having havingdemonstrated demonstratedability abilitytotorecognize recognize non-obvious patterns andanalyze analyzeproblems problemslogically. logically.

Name HR: Patricia ➢➢ Problem-solving non-obvious patterns and Emailaddress: address: https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search Email Self-disciplined,diligent, diligent,proactive, proactive,and anddetail-oriented, detail-oriented, impactinghttps://www.amazon.jobs/en/search timemanagement managementand andorganizational organizationalskills. skills. ➢➢ Self-disciplined, impacting time ➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisions are made without compromising oncustomer customerexperience experienceand andfinancial financial ➢ Proven ability to work in fast-paced, dynamic environments where decisionsName are made compromising on Company/ Employer foreignwithout nationalintending intending applyfor for theposition position Company/ Employer Name ofofforeign national totoapply the losses. losses.

CompanyName: Name: Company

Name:Yulong YulongWei Wei Applications mayName: besent sentto: to: AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI)Applications may be Amazon Address:Makati MakatiCity City Address: Completeaddress: address: Complete

Company/Employer Employer Company/

NameofofCompany CompanyHR: HR:Ivanka IvankaPatricia PatriciaQuinial Quinial Name Nationality:Chinese Chinese Nationality: Emailaddress: address:https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search https://www.amazon.jobs/en/search Email

UnitNo. No.2C, 2C,Flr. Flr.no. no.4th, 4th,One OneE-Com E-ComBldg., Bldg.,Ocean OceanDrive, Drive,Mall MallofofAsia Asia Unit ComplexSt., St.,Zone Zone10, 10,Barangay Barangay076, 076,District District1,1,Pasay PasayCity, City,Metro MetroManila, Manila, Complex NCR,1300 1300 NCR,

Intendedperiod periodofofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years Intended _________________________________________ _________________________________________

Nameof offoreign foreignnational nationalintending intendingto toapply applyfor forthe theposition position Name

Natureofofbusiness: business:AOSPI AOSPIisisa acorporation corporationorganized organizedunder underPhilippine Philippine Name: Name:Grady GradyLuemba LuembaBosamba Bosamba Nature laws.It Itisisregistered registeredwith withthe theSecurities Securitiesand andExchange ExchangeCommission Commission(SEC) (SEC) laws.

Address: Cabuyao City CompanyName: Name: underSEC SECCertificate CertificateofofRegistration RegistrationNo. No.CS201722700.

CS201722700.It Itisisauthorized authorizedtoto Address: Cabuyao City Company under Name:Thi ThiTuong Tuong Nguyen Duong providesupport supportservices, services,including includingbut butnot notlimited limitedtotoremote remotetechnical technicalsupport supportName: Nationality:Congolese Congolese Nguyen Duong provide Nationality: services, development, customer support, support, customer customer care care services, services, Address: Pasay City AmazonOperation OperationServices Services Philippines Inc(AOSPI) (AOSPI) services, ITIT development, customer Amazon Philippines Inc Intendedperiod period employment: two(2) (2)years years Pasay City Intended ofofemployment: two businessprocess processoutsourcing, outsourcing,back-office back-officesupport support(including (includingbut butnot notlimited limitedAddress: business

Completeaddress: address: Complete

systems,hardware, hardware,software, software,financial financialoperations, operations,vendor vendormanagement, management, totosystems, Nationality: Vietnamese and human human resources resources relating relating toto the the back-office), back-office), and and other other activities activitiesNationality: Vietnamese and

necessary useful thereto, wellas asmarketing marketing support activities,without without Intended period of employment: two (2) years necessary ororuseful thereto, asaswell support activities, UnitNo. No.2C, 2C,Flr. Flr.no. no.4th, 4th,One One E-Com Bldg., Ocean Drive, Mall Asia Unit E-Com Bldg., Ocean Mall ofof Asia engaging retail trade,the the practiceDrive, profession, actingasasananInternet InternetIntended period of employment: two (2) years engaging ininretail ofofa aprofession, ororacting ComplexSt., St.,Zone Zone10, 10,Barangay Barangay 076,trade, Districtpractice Pasay City,Metro Metro Manila, Complex 076, District 1,1,Pasay City, Manila, ServiceProvider.

Provider.

Service __________________________________________ __________________________________________ NCR,1300 1300 NCR, AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI).

(AOSPI).hereby herebydeclares declaresthat thatthe theabove-named above-namedforeign foreignnational nationalisisable, able,willing, willing,and andqualified qualifiedtotoperform performthe the Amazon

servicesand and jobdescription descriptionfor forthis thisposition. position.The Thecompany companyhas hasthe theintention intentiontotoemploy employthe thesaid saidforeign foreignnational nationaland andapply applyfor forananAlien AlienEmployment EmploymentPermit Permit services AOSPI corporation organized under Philippine Nature of of business: business: AOSPI Name: Quang Ngoc Trinh Nature isisjob aaofcorporation organized under Philippine Name: Ngoc Trinh withthe theBureau Bureau ofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment, 6FFirst FirstIntramuros Intramuros BFCondominium, Condominium, SolanaQuang St.cor. cor.A.A. Soriano Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila Manila with 6F BF Solana St. Soriano Ave., laws.ItItisis registered registeredwith withthe theSecurities Securities and andExchange ExchangeCommission Commission(SEC) (SEC) laws.

Address: Pasay City Pasay City Any Filipinojobseeker jobseeker whoisCS201722700. iscompetent, competent,able ableand andwilling toperform performthe theservices services forwhich whichthe the foreign nationalisisintended intendedtotobe behired hiredmay mayfile fileananobjection objection Any Filipino who to for foreign national underSEC SECCertificate Certificateofof Registration No. authorized to Address: under Registration No. CS201722700.

ItItwilling isisauthorized to

BureauofofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros IntramurosBF BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana SolanaSt. St.cor. cor.A.A.Soriano SorianoAve., Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila, Manila,after afterthis thispublication. publication. atatBureau providesupport supportservices, services, including but notlimited limited remote technical support Nationality: Vietnamese provide including but not toto remote technical Nationality: Vietnamese Please informthe theDepartment Department Labor andEmployment Employment NCR,ifsupport ifyou youhave haveany any informationononcriminal criminal offensescommitted committedbybythe theforeign foreignnational national Please inform ofofLabor and – –NCR, information offenses services, ITIT development, development, customer customer support, support, customer customer care care services, services, services, Intendedperiod periodof ofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years businessprocess processoutsourcing, outsourcing,back-office back-officesupport support(including (includingbut butnot notlimited limited Intended business

systems,hardware, hardware,software, software,financial financial operations, operations,vendor vendor management, management, _________________________________________ _________________________________________ totosystems, and human human resources resources relating relating toto the the back-office), back-office), and and other other activities activities and necessaryororuseful usefulthereto, thereto,as aswell wellas asmarketing marketingsupport supportactivities, activities,without without Name: necessary Name:Quang QuangNgoc NgocTrinh Trinh engagingininretail retailtrade, trade,the thepractice practiceofofaaprofession, profession,ororacting actingas asan anInternet Internet engaging Address:Pasay PasayCity City Address: ServiceProvider.

Provider.

Service Nationality:Vietnamese Vietnamese Nationality:

499650500500000000 499650500500000000 499650501000000000 499650501000000000 499650501500000000 499650501500000000 499700000000000000 499700000000000000 499750000000000000 499750000000000000

$$$ $$$

0.00 0.00

Intendedperiod periodof ofemployment: employment:two two(2) (2)years years Intended AmazonOperation OperationServices ServicesPhilippines PhilippinesInc Inc(AOSPI).

(AOSPI).hereby herebydeclares declaresthat thatthe theabove-named above-namedforeign foreignnational nationalisisable, able,willing, willing,and andqualified qualifiedtotoperform performthe the Amazon servicesand andjob jobdescription descriptionfor forthis thisposition. position.The Thecompany companyhas hasthe theintention intentiontotoemploy employthe thesaid saidforeign foreignnational nationaland andapply applyfor foran anAlien AlienEmployment EmploymentPermit Permit services withthe theBureau Bureauof ofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros IntramurosBF BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana SolanaSt. St.cor. cor.A. A.Soriano SorianoAve., Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila Manila with AnyFilipino Filipinojobseeker jobseekerwho whoisiscompetent, competent,able ableand andwilling willingtotoperform performthe theservices servicesfor forwhich whichthe theforeign foreignnational nationalisisintended intendedtotobe behired hiredmay mayfile filean anobjection objection Any Bureauof ofLocal LocalEmployment, Employment,6F 6FFirst FirstIntramuros IntramurosBF BFCondominium, Condominium,Solana SolanaSt. St.cor. cor.A. A.Soriano SorianoAve., Ave.,Intramuros, Intramuros,Manila, Manila,after afterthis thispublication. publication. atatBureau Pleaseinform informthe theDepartment DepartmentofofLabor Laborand andEmployment Employment––NCR, NCR,ififyou youhave haveany anyinformation informationon oncriminal criminaloffenses offensescommitted committedby bythe theforeign foreignnational national Please 565430658-v1\AP_DMS 565430658-v1\AP_DMS

Casino Plus hikes responsible gaming Investment CASINO Plus is increasing investment in secure technology and responsible gaming infrastructure as the Philippines’ regulated digital entertainment sector continues to grow, the company said, citing strong governance and player protection measures.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

(PAGCOR)-licensed online gaming platform said it is enhancing its digital systems while expanding its gaming offerings to provide a secure and transparent environment for Filipino players.

The announcement coincided with another milestone for the company’s flagship live-streamed Color Game, whose Ultimate Jackpot has surpassed P100.73 million. The achievement follows previous PAGCOR-verified payouts, including a record P303.5 million jackpot in August 2024 and a P271.4 million payout in April 2026.

“Our P100 million Ultimate Jackpot milestone underscores Casino Plus’ commitment to delivering a trusted, legal and responsibly managed gaming platform for Filipino players,” Casino Plus chief executive Evan Spytma said.

“As the first and leading legal online live Color Game in the Philippines, we continue to invest in secure technology, transparent operations and a premium entertainment experience rooted in local culture. We are grateful for the trust of our players and remain steadfast in promoting responsible gaming while setting new benchmarks for the industry,” he said. Darwin G. Amojelar

11

CYAN MAGENTA MAGENTA YELLOW YELLOW BLACK BLACK CYAN

C1

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C2

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C3

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C4

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C5

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C6

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C7

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

C8

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

BINONDO Sept Coffee blends local, Chinese flavors

D1

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

extrastory2000@gmail.com

By Julie Ann Lope

S

EPT Coffee, a café blending Filipino and Chinese flavors in handcrafted beverages and pastries, held its grand opening on July 15, 2026 at 777 Ongpin St., Mandarin Square, in the heart of Binondo, Manila where Filipino and Chinese cultures have long intertwined.

The café was started by sisters Anna, 33, and Sherry, 27, as a home-based business in September 2024, a venture that has since grown into a full-fledged café built on dedication and creativity. Its name was inspired by the month the sisters began their entrepreneurial journey.

Having grown up and lived in Binondo, the sisters said they wanted to create a café that reflects the community they call home, offering a space where customers can experience a harmonious blend of Filipino and Chinese flavors.

Sept Coffee strikes a balance between subtle, refined Chinese flavors and the bolder, more familiar tastes preferred by Filipino customers, resulting in a menu that feels both comforting and unique.

The lineup centers on signature coffee sets and inventive lattes.

Signature sets include ongpin, mabuhay soe, tanglad and yuanyang, while signature lattes include salt cheese, tiramisu, nutty butter, genmaicha, pistachio, halipuu, no one but you and sunset in manila. The matcha and hojicha line offers matcha set, matcha oat, matcha salt cheese, matcha lemonade, matcha sampaguita, matcha pistachio, matcha jasmine coffee latte, hojicha salt cheese and hojicha oat coffee latte.

Classics on the menu include espresso, americano, soda americano, cold brew, mocha and other lattes. Flavored and specialty drinks feature tieguanyin, pu-erh,

Sisters Anna and Sherry start Sept Coffee, a new café in Binondo, Manila that blends Filipino and Chinese flavors in handcrafted beverages and pastries. The pet-friendly café held its grand opening on July 15 at Mandarin Square.

osmanthus oat, orange and lime americanos, strawberry, sampaguita, coconut, watermelon oat, chrysanthemum, pandan, corn oat, rice

milk and white rabbit candy lattes. The café also serves milk tea, bagels and croissant sandwiches.

Describing their café in three words, the sisters chose natural, fresh and professional, reflecting their commitment to preparing

Lim Yuyitung, 91, leaves lasting artistic legacy

By Michael Wong Ho FILIPINO artist Veronica Lim Yuyitung, a painter and sculptor whose work was exhibited internationally, died peacefully in Toronto on July 23, 2026. She was 91.

Lim Yuyitung was born on Jan. 13, 1935, in Aparri, Cagayan, Philippines, the ninth of 10 children of Mariano Lim and Marciana Ho Chian.

She studied Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas, where she earned accolades for her paintings and later gained recognition through exhibitions that traveled worldwide. Critics and peers noted her paintings and sculptures for their meticulous detail and the care she brought to her craft.

Lim Yuyitung was the wife of the late Rizal Yuyitung. The couple shared more than 49 years of marriage.

During the Philippines’ martial law period, Lim Yuyitung balanced raising their children with determined efforts to secure the release of her husband, who authorities had wrongfully imprisoned. Family members described her as independent, strong-willed and frank, qualities that made her an outspoken presence in her family and community.

She is survived by her children and their spouses — Kent and Rosalind; Penn and Brenda; Leah; Tom and Maria; Red; Gayla and Bernie; and Ipi and James — and by 14 grandchildren: Matthew, Christopher, Sam, Celeste, Eric, Alexander, Aidan, Jake, Kiera, William, Ian, Victoria and Trent.

The family will hold no immediate service. Relatives and friends plan to gather at a later date on the west coast of British Columbia to celebrate her life.

Her ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean to join those of her husband, a symbolic gesture that will allow the couple to remain between the places they called home.

Filipino painter and sculptor Veronica Lim Yuyitung, whose internationally exhibited work spanned decades, dies in Toronto at age 91. She is survived by seven children and 14 grandchildren.

TCM outreach combines health talks, treatments for 150 patients

THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII), together with Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Philippine Chinese Traditional Medicine Center, held a free traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) clinic on the ground floor of the Federation Building in Binondo, Manila on July 19, 2026, benefiting about 150 patients.

Seven senior TCM doctors introduced key health knowledge, shared time-honored teachings and demonstrated the Baduanjin health-preserving exercise during the event.

The doctors provided on-site services for nearby community residents including TCM consultation and diagnosis, acupuncture, cupping and massage. The Philippine Knot Diseases Association also offered free X-ray tuberculosis screening.

Chinese Embassy cultural attaché Huang Ya Ping, Traditional Chinese Medicine delegation head Xu Shungui and FFCCCII vice president William Castro delivered speeches at the event.

Castro said TCM emphasizes a holistic approach and syndromedifferentiated treatment, focusing on improving patients’ physical strength and immunity.

He said TCM’s unique therapeutic effects on chronic and complex conditions and stressed that “prevention is better than cure.”

Castro said he hoped the charity activity would raise public awareness and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine.Michael Wong Ho

drinks with natural ingredients every day. Sept Coffee barista and co-founder Anna said she brings her professional expertise and knowledge into every cup to ensure quality and consistency in every brew.

The café is also pet-friendly, with a cat logo inspired by the owners’ own cat, adding a personal touch to its identity.

For Anna and Sherry, building a successful business requires more than passion. Their advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to be hands-on, dedicated and willing to learn every aspect of the business.

“Be passionate, be hands-on, and know your business,” they shared.

The sisters said they plan to open another branch in the future but want to strengthen their foundation first and continue improving their products and services.

“Maybe after two years.

We want to see what else we can improve in our menu and operations so we can serve our customers better,” Sherry said.

Sept Coffee is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., welcoming guests looking for a cozy place to enjoy coffee, food and meaningful conversations.

New US tariff threatens jobs, says FFCCCII THE Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) warned on Wednesday that a new 12.5-percent tariff imposed by the United States on Philippine exports could trigger significant job and trade losses.

The tariff places the Philippines among the highesttaxed economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, alongside Singapore and Vietnam, and above neighbors Malaysia and Indonesia, which face a 10 percent rate.

FFCCCII president Victor Lim called the additional charge disproportionate, saying it penalizes Philippine exporters, workers and families for issues affecting only a small portion of bilateral trade.

“For well over a century, the Philippines and the United States have stood together as treaty allies, bound by good diplomatic relations, deep people-to-people ties,” Lim said.

“This tariff sends a troubling signal that does not reflect the trust, goodwill, and partnership that have long defined our bilateral relationship,” he said.

Lim cited the Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930, which worsened the Great Depression by prompting retaliatory tariffs and collapsing global trade, as a historical warning against protectionist measures.

The federation said the tariff puts roughly $13.4 billion in Philippine exports at risk and could imperil the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Filipino workers. Julie Ann Lope

FFCCCII president Victor Lim warns that a new 12.5 percent US tariff on Philippine exports threatens $13.4 billion in trade and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

D2

SHOWBIZ

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

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

Adjeng’s new single

harnesses power of pause Touchbass

Yugel Losorata

T

ODAY’S fast-paced world, as seen and felt in everything happening, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, necessitates pausing or slowing down.

Singer-songwriter Adjeng always reminds herself of this, and the thought has been marinating in her musical mind for quite some time, eventually becoming a hook that led to a full-length song she recorded and released on digital platforms last Friday (July 24).

The track is called “Teka! Preno Muna!” Its message is timely. The music feels timeless, with its pop-soul-funk-jazz fusion arrangement meant to be appreciated by music aficionados regardless of the generation they belong to.

“This is my single that asks people to pause, take a break, and be wise before doing anything,” said Adjeng of her latest work, which features backing vocals by Mr. C’s daughter, Krina Cayabyab. “It’s easy on the ears, a soothing sonic brew that will hopefully remind you that slowing down and moving with wisdom makes your life a whole lot easier.”

Since releasing songs as a solo act beginning in 2021, the band-scene-recognized frontwoman has established herself as a singer-songwriter, event host, content writer, and mental health advocate. She is currently a featured performer at Wolfgang’s Steakhouse Newport and Wolfgang’s Steakhouse BGC. She also takes pride in being part of the BTS ARMY. Listening to “Teka! Preno Muna!” puts you in a feel-good mood, with grounded Tagalog lyrics sprinkling grit into the polished recording featuring performances by first-rate studio and live musicians Junjun Regalado (drums), Ardie De Guzman (guitar), Soc Mina (bass), and Michael Mark Guevarra (alto saxophone). Arnold Buena’s delicate arrangement pays homage to songs that grabbed the spotlight in songwriting festivals Singer-songwriter such as Metropop and Himig Adjeng encourages Handog. listeners to slow Adjeng, happily married down before and a mother of two, making life’s shared, “Just like with biggest decisions

Adjeng’s latest single ‘Teka! Preno Muna!’ is a song about choosing reflection over haste

every song I have composed and recorded for release on digital platforms, I have been very meticulous about the people I have chosen to work with. These are all people I trust and who have seen and understood my vision for this new song.”

“Bakit ba kailangang laging magmadali?” the song rightfully and crucially asks.

Adjeng also fronts Adjundie, technically a live cover band with a repertoire that includes renditions of songs popularized by Wilson Phillips, Michael Jackson, Toto, Lisa Stansfield, and many other nostalgic artists.

This latest solo piece from Adjeng is essentially an Adjundie record, with Regalado, De Guzman, and Mina as its members. Gino Cruz completes the band’s lineup.

I met Adjeng back in the early 2000s when she was fronting the group Wink.

Years later, she competed in national songwriting competitions and became more involved in Philippine music circles.

On the song’s title, which is a common expression among urban Filipinos, she further commented, “How many times have we actually heard that Tagalog statement uttered on the streets, in our homes, or even just reverberating in our own minds? It could’ve been said right before making a big decision, a warning before agreeing to a deal, or a deliberate nudge to slow down before pursuing a relationship. It could be for absolutely anything that signals an important pause. It’s a battle cry for those war-torn and bruised hearts.”

Nico Locco rewrites his own ‘bold’ story

By Angelica Villanueva NICO Locco has spent years trying to prove he should not be defined by the label often attached to VMX actors.

After a recent road accident caused by exhaustion, the actor said he is carrying another lesson with him: No career milestone is worth sacrificing his health.

Speaking at the press conference for his upcoming VMX film Booking, Nico described the crash as a wake-up call after weeks of juggling multiple projects.

The actor revealed that he fell asleep behind the wheel while driving along EDSA last week after a demanding stretch of work. His vehicle rearended another car, though VMX’s special feature cast members he escaped without serious (from left) Denise Esteban, Nico Locco, injury. and Margaret Diaz “I think it’s mainly because I really haven’t had any rest this month. It was a wake-up call, literally,” he shared. mother after falling Nico said he has been balancing into debt and being several commitments, including exploited by her Booking, a mainstream film that operator, Ruben, has been shooting for the past portrayed by three months, and a role in GMA’s Nico.

Denise upcoming series Whispers from Esteban coHeaven. stars as Jane, While he considers the busy a passenger schedule a blessing, the actor w h o s e admitted the accident reminded him growing bond that rest deserves as much attention with Donna as work. o f f e r s “I’m very happy for all the hope for a blessings, but I keep reminding different myself that rest and health are also future. very important,” Nico said.

Beyond His story comes as he takes on promoting one of the lead roles in Booking, a the film, VMX original directed by Indigo Nico also “Pongs” Carreon. The film s p o k e follows Donna, a TNVS driver candidly played by Margaret Diaz, who about begins offering “extra services” t h e to passengers to support her sick

perception surrounding VMX performers. He said one of his biggest goals has been to show audiences that his work extends beyond intimate scenes.

“I really want to establish myself as an actor, not a VMX actor. I do erotic films, but I can do other things as well,” he shared.

The desire to keep growing has shaped his career since leaving engineering to pursue acting. Nico also recalled living abroad with less than $100 in his bank account and choosing not to ask his family for financial help because he wanted to succeed on his own.

He also looked back on a moment nearly a decade ago when he almost left the Philippines after struggling to establish his career.

Sitting at an airport with a ticket back to Canada, he watched passengers board before deciding to stay.

Looking back, Nico said he would give his younger self one piece of advice.

“Be patient.

Everything will work out. Stay focused, w o r k hard, and be kind to the people around you,” he said.

VMX artist Nico Locco aims to be recognized as an actor beyond his VMX work

BTS is not submitting its latest album ‘Arirang’ or its songs for the 2027 Grammy Awards

BTS skips 2027 Grammys after Asian pop category change

By Angelica Villanueva K-pop powerhouse BTS will not submit its album Arirang or any of its tracks for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards.

On Wednesday, July 29, the members took to their Instagram Stories, stating that they would be skipping this year’s Grammy Awards.

“We have decided not to submit our work to this year’s Grammy Awards,” BTS said.

“We hope music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being categorized by region or language,” the group added.

The Recording Academy introduced an Asian pop category in June, covering K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop. Eligible works must meaningfully use at least one Asian

language, while songs featuring only brief Asian-language phrases or entirely English lyrics do not qualify.

The change drew criticism from some fans, who argued that a separate category could limit Asian artists’ chances in major awards such as Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.

Most tracks on Arirang reportedly feature predominantly English lyrics.

The album and its single “Swim” both topped their respective Billboard charts.

HYBE said the decision was made

by BTS and did not represent a company-wide boycott. Other artists under the agency may still submit their releases.

The 69th Grammy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 7, 2027.

LIFE & SHOWBIZ

D3 THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

By Angelica Villanueva

M

ULTIMEDIA artist Qymira is preparing for her most demanding screen role yet as she takes the lead in Lotus, an international action thriller set to film in the Philippines and Brazil later this year.

Hong Kong-born artist leads action-packed thriller filmed in PH The project reunites Qymira with Lopez after Shadow Transit, released in 2025. Lopez said Lotus underwent about three months of preparation, a longer period than is typical for many local productions.

The film will be shot largely in Manila, with additional locations under consideration in Cavite, Bulacan, and Northern Luzon.

Lopez said the Philippines offered strong production value and locations that remain underused by international filmmakers.

Qymira’s ties to the country extend beyond her film work. Through her organization, One Gaia Foundation, she has supported children facing cancer, homelessness, disability, and displacement in Cebu, Bohol, Mindanao, Binondo, and Tondo.

She said those relationships have made the Philippines feel like a second home.

“It becomes not just a country that you visit, but you feel like you’re coming home because you already know the people,” Qymira shared.

Lotus is the first title under a five-film agreement between Hong Kong-based ACT3 and Philippine production company BlackOps Studios Asia. Filming is scheduled for the last quarter of 2026.

Director Pedring Lopez (left) and actress Qymira reunite for ‘Lotus,’ an international action thriller set to film in the Philippines and Brazil later this year

Directed by Filipino filmmaker Pedring Lopez, the film stars the Hong Kong-born artist opposite Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr., with Luke Ford, Keith Duffy, Cristian Lavin, and Brazilian personality Alberto Cowboy. Filipino actors are also expected to join the cast.

For Qymira, the project gives her the kind of layered female character she has long wanted to portray. Her role centers on a mother forced to fight after her children are placed in danger.

“It’s not so much a female revenge movie. It’s simple.

It’s just because you took away the dearest things in my life. I’m gonna get it back,” she told Manila Standard Entertainment during an intimate media interview in Manila.

The mother of two said she draws from her own experience in understanding the character’s resolve.

She described the role as a combination of grace, vulnerability, and strength, rather than a onedimensional action heroine.

“Bad things happen to her, but how does she come out of it? She comes out of it, maybe she lives to see another day, but something else happens, and then what do you do?” Qymira added.

Preparation began in April and includes martial arts, aerial work, strength and stamina training, performance coaching, and violin practice. Qymira said the film allows her to bring together several parts of her creative life, including acting, music, and fashion.

She is also writing and recording material for the movie.

Two Portuguese-language songs she recently worked on in Brazil are expected to appear in the film.

Decoding dating flags: How to spot profiles worth a match

Viber Dating encourages users to look for green flags such as verified profiles, genuine conversations, and respectful behavior to build safer and more meaningful connections

ONLINE dating has made it easier to connect with people from different circles, cities, and even countries.

With features like Viber Dating’s Traveler Mode, foreign travelers in the Philippines can access the platform, while local users can meet people from different cultures.

But with thousands of profiles to browse, finding genuine connections can feel overwhelming.

Viber Dating shares tips on spotting green flags that signal authenticity, emotional maturity, and safety.

A complete profile with a verification badge, recent and clear photos, and a bio that shows personality, interests, and values can be a good sign. Authentic users take time to introduce themselves and show enthusiasm for building connections.

After matching, pay attention to conversations. A good match asks questions, shows curiosity, and makes the effort to keep conversations balanced. They also respect boundaries and will not pressure you to share personal

information.

Online dating platforms with safety features, including Viber Dating’s hybrid AI and human moderation system, can help users navigate the experience, but knowing the warning signs remains important.

Profiles with no photos, incomplete information, or suspicious behavior may signal potential scams. Be cautious of users who express love too quickly, share dramatic emergencies, request money, or promote questionable investments.

Other red flags include profiles filled with negativity, demands, or hostile language, as well as those that reveal little about the person behind the account. Vague bios and minimal effort may indicate someone who is not looking for a serious connection.

Whether searching locally or meeting people from around the world, recognizing green and red flags can help make online dating safer and more meaningful.

Hong Kong-born artist Qymira undergoes months of martial arts, aerial, and performance training for her starring role in the upcoming action thriller ‘Lotus’

HEALTH experts are urging Filipinos with hypertension to monitor their blood pressure regularly and review their treatment plans, warning that some patients remain at risk of serious complications despite taking maintenance medication.

Hypertension affects about one in three adults, or an estimated 16.8 million Filipinos. Some patients continue to have elevated blood pressure despite taking multiple medications, a condition known as resistant hypertension, which increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

“Many patients assume that taking maintenance medication automatically means their blood pressure is under control, but that is not always the case,” said Dr. Jhoanna G. Marcelo, a cardiologist at a specialty heart center in the Philippines. She said recognizing when hypertension is not responding to treatment allows patients to receive more appropriate care.

Marcelo said renal denervation (RDN), a minimally invasive procedure that targets overactive kidney nerves linked to high blood pressure, may be an option for selected patients whose condition

Resistant hypertension may require further evaluation and treatment adjustments to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease

Health experts urge earlier detection of resistant hypertension remains uncontrolled despite conventional treatment.

She said greater awareness of resistant hypertension and

Regular consultations with healthcare providers can help identify patients whose hypertension remains uncontrolled despite maintenance medication

regular follow-up with healthcare providers can help patients receive timely evaluation before serious complications develop.

Health experts encourage regular blood pressure monitoring to help detect resistant hypertension before serious complications develop

LIFE

D4 THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

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

Giving Filipino patrons and enthusiasts easier access to Korean skincare

Experts emphasizes UV rays can still reach the skin through clouds, making daily sun protection important even on rainy days (AI-generated image)

Why sun protection

is essential even on rainy days

By Nickie Wang

S

UN protection is often associated with beach trips, summer days, and outdoor activities, but UV exposure does not stop when you stay indoors or when rain clouds take over.

The aesthetic clinic strengthens its presence in Western Visayas through a new distribution partnership aimed at expanding access to Korean skincare products in the region

MORE consumers in Western Visayas will soon have easier access to sciencebacked Korean skincare products following a new distribution partnership aimed at expanding availability across the region.

Pretty Skin and Lamelin have expanded their presence in Western Visayas through a new distribution partnership with Iloilo-based IGM Beauty and Wellness.

The agreement, signed on July 15, names IGM Beauty and Wellness as the newest authorized distribution partner of the Korean skincare brands in the region. The brands are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Pharmline Medforce Inc. (PMI).

The signing was led by IGM Beauty and Wellness owner and chief executive officer Ivan G. Monte and PMI chief executive officer Catherine Andres Gamo.

Also present was Enrico M. Gamo III, co-founder of Pretty Skin & Lamelin Philippines and the company’s marketing head.

The partnership aims to make the brands’ science-based Korean skincare products more accessible to consumers in Iloilo and neighboring provinces while supporting educational initiatives on skincare, ingredient awareness, and personalized skin analysis.

“Every new partnership represents more than business growth. It reflects a shared commitment to improving skin health through education, innovation, and trusted skincare solutions,” Catherine Andres Gamo said.

Monte said the collaboration aligns with IGM Beauty and Wellness’ goal of raising skincare standards in Western Visayas through Korean-developed products and professional education.

Pretty Skin and Lamelin have been expanding their network nationwide by working with dermatologists, aesthetic clinics, wellness centers, pharmacies, and distribution partners. The brands combine Korean skincare research with ingredient-focused formulations designed for long-term skin health.

IGM Beauty and Wellness is located at the Greenfield Building in Mandurriao, Iloilo City. The partnership is part of PMI’s broader effort to expand access to Pretty Skin and Lamelin products through authorized partners across the country.

While cloudy skies and rainy days may make the sun feel less intense, ultraviolet (UV) rays continue to reach the skin. Experts say daily exposure can contribute to premature aging, dark spots, and uneven skin tone, making consistent sunscreen use one of the simplest ways to protect skin health.

Through its SPF 365 campaign, Watsons continues to encourage Filipinos to view sunscreen as an everyday habit rather than a seasonal necessity. The campaign builds on the brand’s SPF Redefined initiative, shifting the conversation toward the importance of daily protection regardless of the weather or lifestyle.

From office days and outdoor activities to travel and staying indoors, Watsons highlights the role of sunscreen in different routines by making a wide range of sun care products available nationwide and online.

Watsons Club and Elite Members can access deals and discounts on SPF products alongside other personal care and wellness essentials. The selection includes trusted brands such as NIVEA, Pond’s, Vaseline, Deoproce, and Cetaphil, with products designed for different skincare needs, from everyday UV protection to gentle formulas for sensitive skin.

The SPF 365 campaign encourages Filipinos to make sunscreen part of their daily routine and promotes year-round UV protection regardless of the weather

Watsons Club and Elite Members also enjoy exclusive perks, deals, and discounts all year-round for their SPF 365 purchases on top of your regular Watsons haul.

From head to toe, from travels abroad to days in the office, for the busybody to the homebody, Watsons is there to help you create that perfect SPF routine for every day.

Watsons is the leader when it comes to sun protection, providing you with innovative formulas, loved brands, and new discoveries that will make your sun protection habit easy and even enjoyable.

Explore more with Watsons and SPF 365 in all of the 1,200+ stores in the Philippines, or download the Watsons app to enjoy online perks like Express Delivery or Click & Collect.

Play Padel introduces three covered courts, coaching programs, and tournaments at McKinley West

Six new destinations make wellness part of everyday lifestyle

Boni Beauty brings Koreaninspired nail care, lash services, and beauty treatments to Forbes Town

Reforma Studio offers private and group reformer Pilates sessions designed to improve strength, flexibility, posture, and mobility

WELLNESS continues to shape everyday lifestyle choices, from fitness and skin care to beauty services and recreational sports, as Megaworld Lifestyle Malls introduces six new wellness-focused destinations across its properties.

The latest additions offer services ranging from Pilates and aesthetic treatments to dental care and padel, reflecting growing consumer interest in integrating health and self-care into daily routines.

At Forbes Town, Reforma

Studio offers private and group reformer Pilates sessions focused on improving core strength, posture, flexibility, and mobility. The studio provides a bright, minimalist environment designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners.

Southwoods Mall welcomed Luminosa Aesthetic and Wellness Center, which combines facial, laser, slimming, dermatological, and massage services under one roof. The clinic offers customized treatment programs addressing concerns such as acne, pigmentation, unwanted hair, and body contouring.

Also at Forbes Town, Boni Beauty expands Korean-inspired beauty services with manicures, nail art, nail extensions, lash treatments, and semi-permanent makeup, catering to customers seeking professional grooming and cosmetic enhancements.

Festive Walk Iloilo added Élle de Marrer, a beauty and skin care destination featuring

vegan-friendly products alongside in-store clinical treatments. The store carries cleansers, moisturizers, masks, scrubs, and specialized skin care products tailored to different skin concerns.

At Venice Grand Canal, Awesam Smile Dental Clinic provides general and cosmetic dentistry, orthodontic services, clear aligners, oral surgery, and personalized dental treatment plans in a patient-focused setting.

Meanwhile, McKinley West introduced Play Padel, a sports facility with three covered courts offering court rentals, private coaching, clinics, tournaments, and social mixer events. The venue also includes dining facilities, changing rooms, and training programs for players of varying skill levels.

The new openings reinforce Megaworld Lifestyle Malls’ continued expansion of wellness-oriented retail and lifestyle offerings, providing

Awesam Smile Dental Clinic provides general, cosmetic, and orthodontic dentistry services, including clear aligners and oral surgery

visitors with more options for fitness, personal care, and recreational activities within its commercial developments.