Manila Standard - 2020 November 29 - Sunday by Manila Standard

BEACON OF HOPE.

The University of the Philippines Diliman ushers in the Christmas season with its longstanding tradition of switching on the campus’ festive lights (Pag-iilaw) Friday evening. This year’s community event, which has the theme ‘Abot-Kamay, AbotTanaw: Sulong sa Bago at Mas Mainam na Bukas,’ aims to stir hope and anticipation for a brighter future as all commit to one goal of overcoming the global public health crisis. The centerpiece of the Pag-iilaw is Toym Imao’s installation ‘Parola,’ composed of ladders, humanshaped lanterns and red poles. According to Imao, the red bamboo poles crisscross the ladders to bind the installation together, representing the challenges the figures have to overcome and the pandemic that has restricted everyone’s way of life. These are also the catalysts for the ‘damayan’ efforts by the community amid the lockdown. UPD

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 268 • 2 SECTIONS 8 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Flooding, landslide in N. Luzon

• Magat Dam released water anew • Heavy rains caused by tail-end of cold front By Maricel V. Cruz

HILE Cagayan Valley was still reeling from the devastation caused by destructive typhoons this month, monstrous rains from the tail-end of a frontal system caused flooding in the rice-rich area and a landslide in Mountain Province, according to a report on 24 Oras News Alert on Saturday. The flooding coincided with a warning from the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) on Saturday of possible flooding, announcing it would discharge almost 800 cubic meters per second (cms) of water. Residents of upper, middle and lower Cagayan were warned of possible flooding due to the release of water from Magat Dam. NIA received criticisms that the release of water from Magat Dam caused widespread flooding in Cagayan and Isabela two weeks ago. In San Mateo, Isabela, 50 families had their houses flooded after the irrigation canal nearby overflowed its banks. In a related development, a congressional leader called on the government to convene what she described as a “flood

AT A GLANCE

By Willie Casas

(AS OF 4 PM NOV. 28)

427,797 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

1,893 31,402 ACTIVE

8,333

388,062

474

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

doy swear that Ulysses was even worse. What have we done during those 11 years? What measures have we taken to prevent similar flooding?” Castelo asked. Meanwhile, a rescue van from Cagayan got stranded in mud and was hit by rocks after a landslide occurred in Mountain Province. About 40 families on Saturday were evacuated from a barangay in Tuguegarao after the city in Cagayan experienced flooding anew resulting from incessant rains brought by the tail-end of a cold front. PAGASA said the tail-end of a frontal system would bring rains over the eastern side of Northern Luzon on Saturday. NIA Administrator Ricardo Visaya however said the gates of Magat Dam had to be opened amid heavy rains from Ulysses to prevent the dam from breaking

“We cannot afford disasters like that. The economy and our people will suffer further, “ she stressed. She proposed that the flood summit involve all concerned agencies, like the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Interior and Local Government, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of National Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Metro Manila Development Authority, and the Office of the President. “Local government officials should be involved in a comprehensive flooding and disaster response program because they are the implementers and foot soldiers on the ground,” Castelo said. She said the national government could pattern its flood prevention measures after the programs of some European countries that have successfully contained flooding. She said it was possible that some of the concerned agencies had sent personnel to these countries to study their programs and the flood containment structures they have built.

Experts studying impact of COVID-19 on male fertility—DOH

COVID-19 PH

NEW

summit” to prevent flooding similar to what occurred in Metro Manila and Cagayan Valley during the onslaught of typhoon Ulysses. “We have not learned our lesson from Ondoy and past destructive typhoons that visited the country. There must be a comprehensive, holistic and well coordinated effort to avert flooding,” Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo said. Castelo, vice chair of the House committee on Metro Manila Development, said the extensive damage and flooding caused by Ondoy was repeated on the same communities by Ulysses like Marikina and low-lying parts of Quezon City’s second district, which she represents. “Eleven years after, we faced the same problem. Many of those flooded by On-

and causing a bigger catastrophe. Visaya also maintained that the opening of the water gates of Magat Dam was not the major cause of the flooding in Cagayan and Isabela. The House Committee on Agriculture and Food thus conducted an investigation to look into the decision of NIA to open the spillway gates of Magat Dam, and if such a move was done following established guidelines and protocols. At the hearing, Visaya said the Magat Dam was not designed for flood control, as he cited their operations manual that said “[i]t is emphasized that there is no provision for the storage of floodwater in the Magat reservoir unless the reservoir is below the full supply level of 193 (meters) when the flood arrives.” Visaya added the P5 to P10-million annual budget for the maintenance of the Magat Dam is not enough. Castelo said the damage to lives, property and the economy in general caused by recent typhoons Rolly and Ulysses “is catastrophic, especially considering that these monsters struck us at a time when we are struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.”

THE Department of Health is looking into reports that the novel coronavirus disease can have an impact on male fertility. “We are studying this carefully. We have asked experts to look into this and give us an appropriate explanation,” Health Undersec Undersecretary Rosario Vergeiere said. “We will release an explanation next week,” she added. A series of autopsy studies has shown that there is evidence of testes damage from COVID-19. Researchers from the University of Miami in Florida found that testes tissues of six men who died of COVID-19 had dam damages that could lead to infertility. A separate research team from China,

HOMESCHOOLING MASTERCLASS

on the other hand, found that some COVID-19 patients’ immune systems “attacked” the testes, causing severe inflammation, or orchitis. Daily case log remains below 2,000 The Philippines logged on Saturday 1,893 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 427,797 as eleven laboratories failed to submit data on time, the Department of Health said. Top cities and provinces with new cases are Davao City, 200; Negros Occidental, 123; Western Samar, 84; Pampanga, 60; and Quezon City, 57. The DOH reported 31,402 active cases, which is 7.3 percent of the total infections.

LOCAL ROUNDUP

‘LITTLE PINK HOUSES FOR YOU AND ME...’

Parents today have suddenly found themselves standing in for their children’s teachers—helping answer homework, explaining lessons they themselves sometimes don’t have any idea about, and building an environment conducive to learning.

Contrary to popular belief, not all homes are beige, brick red or grey. Nowadays, it seems like there are more colorful houses popping up.

VOICE KIDS CHAMPION’S HOLIDAY SONG Vanjoss Bayaban’s “Cupid Santa” is a heartwarming holiday song that knows to keep its message simple: love is the greatest gift you can give and receive.

HOME/DESIGN / B2

LIFE / B1 twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

The DOH also recorded 474 new recoveries, bringing the total to 388,062, or 90.7 percent of the total cases. PH won’t use vaccines not rolled out in country of origin The country’s vaccine czar, Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., said AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine would still undergo stringent clinical trial in the Philippines. “We will not use a vaccine that has not rolled out in its country or origin. Don’t worry because we have a process. We have a high regulatory process,” he said. The Philippines will get 2.6 million doses of AstraZenica’s vaccine, which will enable it to inoculate 1.3 million people next year.

manilastandard.net

ENTERTAINMENT / B3

Galvez said the private sector will cover the cost of the vaccine, under a tripartite agreement between the Philippine government, the private sector and the British pharmaceutical company AstraZenica. He said negotiations were ongoing for another 1 million doses of the vaccine. AstraZeneca-Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine has been found 70 percent effective against COVID-19 at first dose, but it increases to 90 percent after the second dose is administered a month after the first dose. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is expected to cost $3 to $4 a dose, much cheaper than drugs being developed by American companies Pfizer and Moderna, and does not need to be stored in ultra-low temperatures.

BOOBOO’S GIFT: OVERCOMING GRIEF I heard it said that grief is love with nowhere to go. In the case of Booboo’s tran-sition, this is true. I had to cope with the huge chasm that appeared when Booboo passed.

PETS / A4

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News

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BI approves visa-free entry for balikbayans By Vito Barcelo

EOD, K-9 SKILLS. Members of National Capital Region Police Office hold a field demonstration of their bomb disposal and K-9 capabilities at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. The event was attended by Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, who also led the inauguration of NCRPO’s isolation facility for policemen who will test positive for COVID-19. Norman Cruz

NBI arrests 10 for encroaching on forestland in Boracay Island By Willie Casas

HE National Bureau of Investigation said Saturday its agents arrested four foreign nationals and six Filipinos for encroaching on forestland in Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan.

NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric Distor identified the foreign nationals as Stephen Field (British), Mark Harrington (British), Michielsen Dirk Josef (Belgian), Maria Victoria Schafer (Australian), and the six Filipino suspects as Mary Irish Guerra, Johnson Jacinal, Patricia Ann Varga, Oscar delos Santos, Arturo Revillame, and Paul Sajise. Distor said the NBI received a letter-

request from Natividad Benandino, General Manager of Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group requesting assistance in the enforcement of environmental laws in the Island of Boracay against non-compliant establishments. On November 24, 2020, after series of surveillance activities, operatives from NBI-Environmental Crime Division

(NBI-EnCD) conducted an operation against nine establishments found to be encroaching forestland per certification coming from DENR. All the establishments were never issued any tenurial instrument nor any other permits by the DENR. In the course of the operation, the 10 above-named individuals, identified as owners and care takers and presently in possession of the erring establishments, were arrested. Sea View Apartment, Aloha Villa, La Dolce Vita/Casa Monte, Private Mountain Casitas Boracay Inn, Cohiba Villas, Carolina Park View, and Boracay Sunshine Shuttle and Limousine Corporation are the non-compliant establishments in the forestland areas and the 25+5 meter beach easement, as bared by the informa-

tion and documents provided by Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group (BIARMG) and Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) in Boracay Island. The aforesaid commercial establishments are big structures in Forestland Block E in Brgy Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan. The fact that these structures were built in Forestland which is considered land of the Public Domain violates Section 20 in relation to Section 78 of Presidential Decree 705 otherwise known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, regarding the lack of permit, lease or any tenurial instrument from the government and unlawful occupation of Forestland, the NBI said.

Lawmaker seeks quick passage of anti-violence against women By Maricel V. Cruz A FIRST-TERM congressman on Saturday urged the House of Representatives and the Senate to immediately pass a bill that increases the punishable offenses under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 or Republic Act 9262 to help stem the spike of VAWC cases caused by lockdowns imposed to contain the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic. “I urge my colleagues to pass the Anti-Violence Against Partners and their Children bill so that we can help protect victims of domestic violence, who are increasing by the day because of the pandemic,” Deputy Majority Leader and Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said. “Let us not let the measure strengthening the protection of woman and children remain pending,” Nograles added.

House Bill 4888, or the Anti-Violence Against Partners and their Children (Anti-VAPC) bill, which Nograles filed in 2019, increased the covered acts under RA 9262 to include electronic violence done against partners and their children. A survey conducted by Plan International of more than 25,000 young women showed an increase in reports of sexual harassment online, circulation of lewd photos and videos, and online sexual exploitation. Plan International added that besides a lack of awareness on where and how to report cases, girls who reported cases online and offline were unaware of the status of their cases, and that authorities did not respond to these reports. Nograles’s bill also seeks to include as an act of violence the creation of fake social media accounts to sow intrigue and inflict harm.

PAL passengers must use app for contact tracing By Joel E. Zurbano

FLOOD ALERT. Coreshelter and other households near the provincial road

in Annafunan East, Tuguegarao City were again flooded over the weekend due to incessant rains. According to Gerald Valdez, SK chairperson, some residents have already evacuated.

EU death toll crosses 400,000 Coronavirus deaths topped 400,000 Saturday in Europe, the world’s second worst-hit region, as parts of the continent began to reopen shops for the holiday season. The densely populated Los Angeles county meanwhile announced a ban on gatherings of people from different households under a new “safer-athome order” to battle the pandemic surging across the United States. Most nations hope to ease their virus rules for Christmas and New Year, allowing a respite before bracing for what the world hopes is one last wave of restrictions until a clutch of promising new vaccines kick in.

E u r o p e on Saturday crossed a grim barrier, registering 400,649 deaths according to an AFP tally. Britain accounted for almost twothirds of the fatalities at 57,551, followed by Italy with 53,677, France at 51,914 and Spain with 44,668. Stores were due to lift their shutters in France on Saturday, while Poland’s shopping centers will also reopen. Belgium will allow shops to reopen from December 1, but keep the current semi-lockdown in place possibly until mid-January. The move mirrors similar easing in Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. AFP

WORLD ROUNDUP

REHAB. MRT-3 personnel organize turnouts at Taft Avenue Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, as part of the ongoing rehabilitation of the train line implemented by its maintenance provider, Sumitomo-MHI-TESP from Japan. Changing and adjusting the turnouts will help increase trains speeds to 60 kilometers per hour by December. DOTr

THE Bureau of Immigration said it would be granting visa-free entry privileges to tourists falling under the Balikbayan Program starting December 7. Balikbayans are former Filipinos and spouse and children of Filipinos or former Filipinos who are allowed visafree entry under Executive Order 408, series of 1960. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente discussed that the 1-year balikbayan privilege shall be given to foreign spouse and children of Filipinos who are traveling with them. Entry shall also be granted to former Filipinos, including their spouse and children who should be traveling with them. “Following the latest resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), we have devised guidelines to guarantee the smooth implementation of the policy,” he added. The policy requires inbound Balikbayan tourists to: (i) be from visa-free countries under Executive Order No. 408, s.1960; (ii) have a pre-booked quarantine facility; (iii) have a prebooked COVID-19 testing at a laboratory operating at the airport; and (iv) be subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry. Morente further reminded that former Filipinos who wish to avail of the balikbayan privilege should present their old philippine passports or a copy of their birth certificate to the immigration officer upon arrival, while their spouses and children shall present their marriage certificates and birth certificates, respectively. He likewise recommends they queue together for easier verification and processing. The Balikbayan Program as instituted by Republic Act 6768, amended by Republic Act 9174, was launched by the Philippine Government in 1989 to attract and encourage overseas Filipinos to come and visit their motherland. This is in recognition of their contribution to the economy of the country through the foreign exchange inflow and revenues that they generate. Other travel restrictions for inbound passengers, according to the BI, remain in effect.

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines on Saturday started requiring its clients to register with a contact tracing application to support the government’s campaign to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. “All passengers flying to and from any airport in the Philippines must download and register through Traze Contact Tracing, a unified and automated contact tracing app, before proceeding to the airport,” the PAL management stated in its reminder to air travelers. Using the app will help health authorities to easily contact and notify travelers who may have had contact with a COVID-19 patient. These travelers are advised to self-isolate immediately and take other health and sanitation precautionary measures. Travelers who do not have mobile phones or any other mobile gadgets may go to the Malasakit Helpdesk at the airport for registration assistance to get a unique QR code. They may also ask a family member to register them with the app. Traze help desks are also available at the terminal entrance and arrival areas of international airport terminals in the Philippines. Passengers traveling to the Philippines from overseas countries are advised to download the app before they embark on their trip. Initially, the Traze App will automate the contact tracing of people at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark Internal Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, and Davao International Airport, and at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and Civil Aeronautics Board. The tracing app was co-developed by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Cosmotech Philippines, Inc.

World

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Rouhani claims Israel killed Iran’s scientist IRAN’S President Hassan Rouhani Saturday accused arch-foe Israel of acting as a “mercenary” for the US, blaming the Jewish state for assassinating one of Tehran’s most prominent nuclear scientists. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was “martyred” after being seriously wounded when assailants targeted his car and engaged in a gunfight with his bodyguards outside the capital Tehran on Friday, according to Iran’s defense ministry. “Once again, the wicked hands of the global arrogance, with the usurper Zionist regime as the mercenary, were stained with the blood of a son of this nation,” Rouhani said in a statement on his official website. Iran, a major Shiite power, generally uses the term “global arrogance” to refer to the United States. Rouhani vowed that his death “does not disrupt” Iran’s scientific progress and said the killing was due to the “weakness and inability” of Tehran’s enemies to impede its growth. He offered condolences to “the scientific community and the revolutionary people of Iran.” The defense ministry said that Fakhrizadeh, who headed its reasearch and innovation organization, died after medics failed to revive him. Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Friday that there were “serious indications of an Israeli role” in the assassination. The United States slapped sanctions on Fakhrizadeh in 2008 for “activities and transactions that contributed to the development of Iran’s nuclear program” and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once described him as the father of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Fakhrizadeh was targeted while traveling near Absard city in Tehran province’s eastern Damavand county. The New York Times said an American official and two other intelligence officials confirmed Israel was behind the attack, without giving further details. Lebanon’s Hezbollah said early Saturday that it “strongly condemns the terrorist operation that led to the martyrdom of the distinguished scientist and university professor Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.” AFP

BATTLE-READY. Japanese Prime

Minister Yoshihide Suga sits in the cockpit of a F4EJ Kai jet fighter of Japan’s Air SelfDefense Force after reviewing the force’s personnel at Iruma Air Base in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture on Nov. 28, 2020. AFP

Frankfurt pharma hub prepares for COVID vaccine A S A string of COVID-19 vaccines near approval, Frankfurt Airport staff are gearing up to handle the unprecedented logistical challenge of transporting millions of life-saving doses worldwide.

Frankfurt is Europe’s largest hub for transporting pharmaceutical goods, and will be key to the success of inoculating millions of people against the deadly coronavirus. “The stress is increasing now that we’re entering the ‘hot’ phase,” Karin Krestan, Lufthansa Cargo’s director of operations, told AFP during a tour of the temperature-controlled “Cargo Cool Center” terminal. Krestan, who uses her skills as a former nurse, is sure her team is ready for the task.

Cash and Carrie: US-sanctioned HK leader has no bank account HONG KONG leader Carrie Lam said she has “piles of cash” at home as she has no bank account after the United States slapped sanctions on her in response to a draconian security law China imposed on the city. Lam was targeted, along with 14 other senior city officials, in the toughest US action on Hong Kong since Beijing imposed the new law on the territory in late June. The move by Washington freezes the American assets of the 15 officials and criminalises any financial transactions in the United States. In an interview with local English TV channel HKIBC aired on Friday night, Lam said she was “using cash every day for all the things” after being sanctioned. “Sitting in front of you is a chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) who has no banking service made available to her,” Lam told HKIBC. “I have piles of cash at home, the government is paying me cash for my salary,” she added. Lam added that it was “very honorable” to be “unjustifiably sanctioned” by the US government and does not want to deter anyone from serving in public office. Earning HK$5.21 million (US$672,000) a year, Lam is one of the highest paid leaders in the world. Her remarks sparked a public backlash, with social media users posting photos of coins in their piggy banks at home to contrast with Lam’s wealth. Others questioned how her large salary would be transported to her residence in cash. Lam had told media in August that she faced “a little bit of inconvenience” from the sanctions which hampered her use of credit cards. AFP

“The processes have been established, we’re very confident and we feel well prepared,” she said. In fact, Max Philipp Conrady, head of freight infrastructure at Fraport, told AFP: “We’ve been ready since August.” Frankfurt’s cargo terminal has been working around the clock since the pandemic began, delivering medicine, surgical gowns and masks and supporting global supply chains as passenger numbers collapsed and airlines grounded planes. The vast temperature-controlled

hangar, a few kilometers from the main passenger terminal, handled 120,000 tons of vaccines, drugs and other pharmaceutical products in 2019, airport operator Fraport said. It has 12,000 square meters of temperature-controlled warehouses, essential for storing medicines. About 8,000 square mrters, around the size of a football field, handles Lufthansa cargo alone, Krestan said. Warehouses hum as ventilation systems pump conditioned air and staff buzz around on forklifts. Boxes packed with measles vaccines stand ready for departure. Frankfurt has 2,000 square meters of cold storage, Krestan said, set at two to eight degrees Celsius (36 to 47 degrees Fahrenheit), which is ideal for vaccines. AFP

LOGISTICS CHALLENGE. Max Philipp Conrady, head of freight infrastructure at airport operator Fraport, poses in front of special cooling containers whose temperature can be regulated from minus 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees plus, at Frankfurt Airport, in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. At Frankfurt Airport, Europe’s largest hub for transport of pharmaceutical goods, staff have been gearing up to handle the influx of vaccines to transport around the planet. (Inset) This photo shows a refrigerator suitable for the storage and the transport of the Pfizer anti-COVID-19 vaccine at a minus 80 degrees Celsius temperature, at the Desmon SPA company laboratory in Nusco in Campania region. AFP

US sanctions Chinese, Russian firms over Tehran dealings THE US announced economic sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies that Washington said had supported the development of Iran’s missile program. The four firms, accused of “transferring sensitive technology and items to Iran’s missile program,” will be subject to restrictions on US government aid and on their exports for two years, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday. The sanctions, imposed Wednesday, were against two Chinese-based companies, Chengdu Best New Materials and Zibo Elim Trade, as well as Russia-based Nilco Group and Joint Stock Company Elecon. “We will continue to work to impede Iran’s missile development efforts and use our sanctions authorities to spotlight the foreign suppliers, such as these entities in the PRC (China) and Russia, that provide missile-related materials and technology to Iran,” Pompeo added. President Donald Trump withdrew the US in 2018 from the Iran nuclear deal established three years prior under thenPresident Barack Obama. Trump has since reimposed crippling sanctions on the Islamic republic in what he calls a campaign of “maximum pressure.” The Trump administration has also since shown its determination to sanction any foreign country or company that does not comply with its Iran policies. AFP

China’s first domestically made nuclear reactor goes online CHINA has powered up its first domestically developed nuclear reactor—the Hualong One—a significant step in Beijing’s attempts to become less dependent on Western allies for energy security and critical technology. The reactor, which was connected to the national grid on Friday, can generate 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year and cut carbon emissions by 8.16 million tons, according to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).

“This marks China breaking the monopoly of foreign nuclear power technology and officially entering the technology’s first batch of advanced countries,” CNNC said in a statement. Nuclear plants supplied less than five percent of China’s annual electricity needs in 2019, according to the National Energy Administration, but this share is expected to grow as Beijing attempts to become carbon neutral by 2060. Reducing its dependence on Western allies in critical high-tech sectors

such as power generation is a key goal in Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” plan. Billions of dollars in state subsidies have been given to Chinese companies to speed the process -- a move that has angered China’s trade partners and sparked a protracted trade row with Washington. Work on the Hualong One reactor started in 2015 and there are currently six other reactors under construction at home and abroad, state-owned plant op-

Cuba sees rare protest over freedom of expression ABOUT 200 Cuban artists demonstrated outside the country’s culture ministry on Friday in a rare protest over freedom of expression that received support from leading Cuban cinema figures. The demonstration followed the expulsion by authorities on Thursday night of protesting members of an artists’ collective from their premises in the historic center of Havana. Authorities said the eviction of the 14 members of the San Isidro Movement was necessary due to COVID-19 protocols since one had returned from Mexico via the United States and not

properly quarantined. They had been protesting for 10 days, with six of them on hunger strike, and their movement had gained significant attention. Demonstrators outside the culture ministry on Friday demanded “dialog” and representatives were waiting to meet with vice minister Fernando Rojas after having gathered there for much of the day. The demonstration was rare in Cuba, where permission for such protests is not often given. Security personnel and uniformed police watched over the protest from a distance but without intervening. AFP

Students join environment activists in planting mangrove trees at a beach in Pekan Bada, Aceh province on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020. AFP

erator CNNC said. The Hualong One, deployed at a plant in east China’s Fujian province, will be put into commercial use by the end of the year after undergoing tests. China has 47 nuclear plants with a total generation capacity of 48.75 million kilowatts -- the world’s third highest after the United States and France. Beijing has invested billions of dollars to develop its nuclear energy sector in recent years as it struggles to wean its economy from coal. AFP

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

Pilot flies own aircraft to deliver relief items A GENERAL aviation pilot and entrepreneur has been flying to remote communities in the country to deliver medical supplies such as personal protective equipment and relief items amid the coronavirus pandemic. After super typhoon ‘Rolly’ (Goni) devastated Catanduanes province, Lester Tancioco Codog used one of his aircraft to bring potable water distribution systems, food and clothes for the typhoon victims in the island province.

Capt. Lester Tancioco Codog Codog is the chief executive of Codog Enterprise that operates several businesses. A reservist in the Philippine Air Force and a Class Charlie Mabalasik technical sergeant (1998-2000), he owns several aircraft. He also hosts a radio show at DZRH. Before the onset of the pandemic, he regularly flew across the country to promote general aviation as a hobby and introduce different tourist destinations through his

popular blog. Codog uses his aircraft as an opportunity to help other people, particularly those who require immediate medical transportation. His group runs several businesses including aviation, automotive services, mining services, restaurants and public relations through Executive Air Aviation, Legacy Construction Corporation, Foilacar Industries and QCN Advertising. The pandemic has made him realize new opportunities that he can offer to the people. “In the 11 years that I have been in the country now, I established different businesses already. From there, I went back to flying because that is the love of my life. So I opened a company that distributes a brand of aircraft. We offer charter. I also have contracts with mining companies. I am a partner in various restaurants. The latest is an advertising agency and consulting firm that I put up,” he says. Today, he plans to focus more on agriculture to help farmers through Legacy Farms. “I want to help my fellow Filipinos by giving them opportunities to have a better life, especially now that COVID-19 is not seeing its end in the not-so-distant future. It’s time to give back to my country,” he says. His younger days were not all glitz and glamor. “I matured at a very young age. I started driving using my father’s car to go to bars,” he says. “Girls and cars were the best things for me. I started to love cars. I was being adventurous. Then I was kicked out of high school in Parañaque,” he narrates. He became a janitor and construction worker in the United Kingdom, a tourist in Switzerland and a driver in the United Arab Emirates. In 2000, he joined his father in Dubai to become his assistant and all-around office boy. His father had a small business engaged in theme park construction and artificial landscaping. Codog worked his way from the bottom to establish a name for himself. Despite his short stint at his father’s company in Dubai, Codog chose to establish his own.

DTI, SM launch Christmas bazaars THE Department of Trade and Industry launched the SM Christmas Market at SM Megamall on Nov. 17 to provide micro, small and medium enterprises a venue to showcase and sell their products throughout the holiday season. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez emphasized the importance of MSMEs in revitalizing the economy amid the pandemic and the fast recovery of the small businesses. “The importance of our MSMEs cannot be understated, they account for more than 99 percent of the total number of establishments in the country as well as 62.4 percent of total employment. Because of this, they serve as our country’s economic backbone, even when they were also the most affected by the economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lopez said. Under the banner of “Buy Local, Go Lokal” nationwide advocacy campaign, the bazaar will support local MSMEs to help businesses hurdle economic challenges. Nominated by the DTI provincial offices, the participating MSMEs were allowed to sell their goods free from mall charges throughout the duration of the bazaar which will run until the first week of January 2021 in all 74 SM Supermalls nationwide. The “Buy Local, Go Lokal” is the DTI’s nationwide campaign that aims to increase engage both the public and private sectors to support local businesses and entrepreneurs by buying local products and services. The campaign also supports domestic travel while encouraging consumers to patronize everything local. Othel V. Campos

Federico ‘Piki’ Lopez

Piki Lopez recognized

Management Man of the Year By Alena Mae S. Flores

OUNTRIES around the world, including the Philippines, should go beyond sustainability if they want to survive the worsening business interruptions in the future, according to Federico ‘Piki’ Lopez who was recognized by the Management Association of the Philippines as the Management Man of the Year for 2020. In his acceptance speech during the awarding ceremony, Lopez, chairman of First Philippine Holdings Corp., one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, said the COVID-19 pandemic is just a mere “firedrill” for what’s coming and demonstrates the scale at which things need to change. “We are living in a time that calls for great paradigm shifts, and businesses that seek to thrive in this era must be able to reimagine and redesign themselves for this new world,” said Lopez. “In this kind of a world, corporate sustainability that seeks to simply tick the box or do less harm is no longer good enough,” he said. Lopez said merely sustaining today’s current trajectory would result not only in greater disasters “but also more unjust towards those without the capacity to cope with the devastating changes that are already here, and continue to escalate that are

Landmark teams up with MetroMart By Othel V. Campos WITH the rising number consumers doing their purchases online, Landmark Supermarket reinforced its virtual presence through a partnership with online delivery app MetroMart. MetroMart is fast-becoming the most reliable partner in door-to-door delivery of grocery goods and with Landmark as another exclusive partner, consumers are assured of speedy, safe and on time delivery of goods from Landmark Supermarket, said MetroMart co-founder and chief executive Stefano Fazzini. “MetroMart is very honored to be partnering with a reputable retail brand like Landmark and bringing the Landmark shopping experience closer to home, especially during the government quarantine. As we continue to form partnerships with retail brands that are eager to tap the fastgrowing digital consumer, we are building trust with our customers by bringing them familiar stores they already know and love,” Fazzini said. MetroMart is assisting Landmark in its digitization efforts and its bid to capture the rising number of stay-at-home-shoppers. MetroMart services are not limited to dry goods. They also deliver perishables like fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood and poultry products as the app makes it imperative to deliver within the immediate two hours after purchase placement. It is transports about 60,000 SKUs (stock keeping units] of grocery items within Metro Manila, Cebu, Batangas, Cavite and Laguna. “We are expanding rapidly across the Philippines to offer a tech-driven solution

MetroMart co-founder and CEO Stefano Fazzini to grocery shopping to the majority of Filipinos. The pandemic might have disrupted retail shopping as we know it, but we are here to fully support retailers and consumers alike. Technology is driving convenience but, during the pandemic, it has also become a key driver for personal safety. By delivering groceries to consumers, we are offering safety and time so people can focus more on important matters like family and work,” Fazzini said.

MetroMart delivers from Landmark’s four supermarkets at Ayala Center in Makati, Trinoma in Quezon City, Festival Alabang in Muntinlupa and the Ayala Malls Solenad in Nuvali, Laguna. “MetroMart offers a personalized and unique online grocery shopping experience for every customer. For every grocery order, we allocate a trained Personal Shopper that will shop for your groceries among 60,000 products and includes fresh produce, and have it delivered to you by a dedicated rider within two hours of ordering,” Fazzini said. MetroMart’s dedicated personal shoppers have been specifically trained to select the freshest and quality produce. They are also in constant communication with customers in instances when products are not on hand to coordinate replacement options. MetroMart ensures that dedicated runners, who are specifically hired to run errands, are always present to deliver goods personally within two hours. Customers are assured that their shopping list is fulfilled by MetroMart down to the most mundane item. MetroMart is sure to deliver groceries straight to your door without the need to spend hours waiting in line and safeguard consumers from exposure to virus and other airborne diseases like COVID-19. Now, even the most mundane yet essential tasks such as grocery shopping have transitioned online to service the needs of every household in the easiest and safest way possible. MetroMart, the leading grocery shopping app in the Philippines, has anchored their services to serve the daily needs of Filipino families.

already here, and continue to escalate.” He encouraged businesses to align themselves, their resources and their capabilities to help heal the world in time. ”There is an urgency for all of us to go beyond incremental sustainability and transform into regenerative forces that align our profit engines with the need for a better, more just world and a safer planet,” said Lopez. “Collectively, we have the creativity and innovative energy needed to solve the world’s greatest problems. Unlocking these will be the foundation to some of the greatest business opportunities in the coming century,” he said. Lopez said the devastation wrought by typhoon Yolanda and other natural disasters firmed up the group’s “no-to-coal” declaration in 2016. He said the decision was not easy, given the doubts whether it made sense to shut the door on coal “and walk away from a profit opportunity, or compete in the power industry with one hand tied behind your back.” “Despite the doubters, let me say we never wavered and never once regretted the decision, most especially today. But the year 2020 has been a bizarre year for all of us. These last few months made what was unthinkable, tangible and real. We now live in a world that’s not merely complicated but tightly interrelated and complex,” Lopez said. Lopez said today’s unprecedented times have been begging for a new narrative and a new paradigm for how people live, work, do business and even how to measure success and progress. As such, FPHC and the Lopez Group crystallized its mission this year: “To forge collaborative pathways for a decarbonized and regenerative future”. FPH’C’s major business segments are in power generation, real estate development, manufacturing, and construction and other

services. FPH’s other activities consist of construction, geothermal well drilling, oil transporting, securities transfer services, healthcare, education, investment holdings and financing. Lopez said the new company mission solidifies FPHC’s role in the transition to a decarbonized energy system. “But it goes beyond energy and anticipates dealing with the many adaptive challenges needed to redesign how we live, work, and do business in a changed world,” Lopez said. He said the use of “sustainable” in a world that’s so badly in need of healing and renewal is no longer appropriate. Lopez said the company also took the challenge of using the word “regenerative” with all the responsibility it carries. “The word we used very deliberately was collaborative as we believe we cannot do this alone…if we find ourselves ahead and alone at the finish line, we will have failed in our mission,” he said. The MAP Management Man of the Year is a prestigious award that MAP bestows on individuals in the business community or government for attaining unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and for contributing to the country’s progress. The conferment of the award follows a thorough, stringent selection process. The distinction has only been conferred 44 times in the five-decade history of the award. The criteria for the award include integrity, leadership and management qualities; contribution to nation-building and values formation; effective stewardship within the confines of the highest standard of business and management practice; among others. The MAP said Lopez was chosen for passionately pushing for the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy through his various advocacies to proactively address the irreparable damage of climate change.

Jollibee Group CEO named Entrepreneur of the Year Jollibee Group president and chief executive Ernesto Tanmantiong is this year’s Asia Leaders Awards Entrepreneur of the Year. RECOGNIZED as a world-class leader a response to the impact of the pandemic to of a global organization, Jollibee Group the business. “You might think that it is counterintuipresident and chief executive Ernesto Tanmantiong was named the Entrepreneur of tive to be dreaming big at a time when econthe Year by Asia Leaders Awards during omies are being challenged and businesses its recently held awarding ceremony at the are struggling, but it is not. I believe that it is during these times when the values of entreMakati Shangri-la Hotel in Makati City. “I am deeply honored to be recognized preneurship come to fore as we march into with this Entrepreneur of the Year award this new reality. Crisis breeds opportunity, from Asia Leaders Awards. I receive this on and there are many opportunities out there,” behalf of our Jollibee Group family. More Tanmantiong said. During his speech, he encouraged entreprethan just a title for one individual, this is actually a testament to the collective contribu- neurs to continue creating jobs for more Filipitions of all the men and women of the Jol- nos and to continue providing access to quality libee Group—both past and present—who products and services that people need. He also called on entrepreneurs to continhave helped make the company what it is ue dreaming big. “To do this, our hope for a today,” said Tanmantiong. Asia Leaders Awards, which focuses on better future must be bigger than our fears Global Excellence of the awardees, is the today. If we dream small, we will act small. culmination of the different Asia Leaders When we dream big, we can do better, give Forums held nationwide. Its Entrepreneur better, make things better,” Tanmantiong of the Year award highlighted the leadership said. “To all our customers who have supportand entrepreneurial skills of Tanmantiong, which has steered the year-on-year growth ed and patronized our brands for more than four decades now, we thank you for allowof the Jollibee Group. Under his helm, the conglomerate has ing us to share the joy of great-tasting food expanded beyond the Philippines with 16 with you. This award is dedicated to you, as brands that have over 5,800 stores across 36 we continue to commit to live our mission countries and territories. He has also led the of spreading the joy of eating to everyone,” company’s global transformation strategy as he said.

Youth & Culture B1

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Bernadette Lunas, Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

Lessons learned during power

blackouts

Young digital natives cope with no electricity and Internet By Mikaela Kristina Acido Muega

AYS ago, we experienced a power blackout, no thanks to Typhoon Ulysses that battered most parts of Luzon including Metro Manila.

YOUNG LIFE

During those days, we did not have Thankfully classes were suspended electricity and Wi-Fi Internet, which are during that period. But young students extremely important nowadays especially like me learned some valuable lessons for us students learning from home. from this event.

NO LIGHTS, NO PROBLEM. The recent power outages in many parts of Luzon renewed youth's love of reading actual books that do not need electricity nor Internet connection.

Internet either. It was a bit difficult, but we learned Since there was no electricity, we that we need to control ourselves were unable to do things we normal- when using our gadgets in situations ly do like easily charge our gadgets that call for it. and browse the Internet. Being happy with our We had to charge our gadgets durfamily’s company ing daytime using our car’s battery, Without our gadgets siphoning most which meant we had to use them sparingly. Whenever one of us used of our time, we found ourselves catchthem for quite a long period of time, we ing more sunshine during the day and had to remind each other to stop. Our interacting with one another much more Wi-Fi was out, so we can’t browse the than usual.

Self-control is possible in situations that call for it

We found ways to entertain ourselves and pass the time sans screen— we read books, told each other scary stories, and discussed topics such as non-existent entities. Lit by candle at the dinner table, we would role-play as kings and queens. Even if it was humid and uncomfortable at night, we got to enjoy telling silly stories of our experiences before going to bed. During that time, it felt genuinely nice to just be talking and sharing stories with family members.

Finding joy offline

Those days of blackout made us realize that we don’t need Wi-Fi and electronics, or go out of town to be happy. We can make do with what we have. We even had the chance to find strategic areas in the house to set up our flashlights. We also had an alternative dinner schedule, which was set at an earlier time in the evening so that it would not be too dark to eat. All these were not difficult to adjust to; they were even moments we enjoyed, since they felt like an adventure rather than a misfortune. We chose not to mope over the situation and focus instead on the positive. Some of us even brought up the topic that in a spiritual sense, God must be teaching us a valuable lesson. Indeed, that power blackout gave us a valuable lesson in finding joy even in the toughest of times.

Young digital natives have found ways to entertain themselves and pass the time sans screen, enjoying the company of their family members.

LEARNING CORNER

Homeschooling masterclass

for parents, students PARENTS today have suddenly found themselves standing in for their children’s teachers—helping answer homework, explaining lessons they themselves sometimes don’t have any idea about, and building an environment conducive to learning. The struggle is real. To help parents and teachers alike build quality homeschool learning environment and experience for kids, educator, homeschooling mom, and ACTS Manila artistic director Chelo BorromeoGemina is facilitating a free and public creative mast e r-

class and panel discussion on Dec. 2. Borromeo-Gemina is an educator who homeschooled her two sons, now aged 32 and 23, both musicians who teach at ACTS Manila. Her professional education experience included handling college-level English and Communications courses at the University of the Philippines and De La Salle University. She conducts seminars on Business English. The talk, hosted by the Hub of Innovation for Inclusion of the De La SalleCollege of Saint Benilde in partnership with Power Mac Center, is open to parents, teachers, and students. It will be conducted via Zoom, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event will provide a Filipino Sign Language interpretation to welcome friends from the Deaf community who wish to participate. Interested attendees may register through https://bit.ly/LiveED04.

ACTS Manila artistic director Chelo Borromeo-Gemina

HEY, YOUTH! SHARE your unpublished essays with the readers of Manila Standard. Chosen essays will be published in the Young Life corner that comes out every Sunday. This space is open for young writers, aged 13-29 years old. Send your essay (maximum of 800 words) with photo/s, if available, to manilastandardlife@gmail.com with the subject: “Young Life - (title of your essay)” along with a brief description of yourself.

DIGILIFE

Shop at Amazon with PayMaya YES, that’s now possible. PayMaya has officially become the first Philippine e-wallet to collaborate with e-commerce giant Amazon.com. “We’re happy to open up the wide range of products offered by Amazon. com to all Filipinos nationwide, along with exciting deals to give the best value PayMaya is the first Philippine e-wallet to collaborate with Amazon.com.

for their money, while shopping from the comforts of their homes,” said PayMaya president Shailesh Baidwan. Customers using PayMaya to pay for their purchases at Amazon.com on Dec. 1 will get 15 percent discount of up to US$25 when they enter their shipping address in the Philippines and use the code PYMY15 upon checkout. Minimum purchase of US$50 (before taxes, shipping, and fees) is required.

Filipino tech startup recognized for supporting SDGs unique application. A FILIPINO startup that developed a Project AEDES process leverages dengue hotspot prediction system usnormalized difference vegetation ining satellite and climate data has been dex (NDVI), fraction of absorbed recognized globally for supporting photosynthetically active radiation sustainable development goals. (FAPAR), and normalized difference CirroLytix Research Services won in water index (NDWI) readings from the 2020 Group on Earth Observations Landsat and Sentinel-2 to estimate Sustainable Development Goals (GEO still water areas on the ground, which SDG) Awards in the Sectoral category is correlated with dengue case counts (For-Profit). GEO SDG Awards recogfrom national health centers. nizes the productivity, ingenuity, profi- Project AEDES combines digital, climate, and Dominic Vincent “Doc” Ligot, cociency, novelty, and exemplary commuremote sensing to nowcast dengue trends and founder and chief technology officer of nications of results and experiences in CirroLytix, describes Project AEDES the use of Earth observations to support detect mosquito habitats. as an “early detection of panics from onsustainable development. line searches, anticipating case counts Through the application of machine from environment readings, but most learning, data engineering, remote importantly pinpointing hotspots from sensing, and social listening, the Philmosquito habitat detection.” ippine-based data analytics firm hopes The award-winning startup continto help governments, researchers, nonues to update the AEDES framework government organizations, and social to include socio-economic risk mapenterprises achieve positive change. ping to turn it into a health and enThe Advanced Early Dengue Previronmental policy tool. Aside from diction and Exploration Service dengue, the company also supports (Project AEDES) is one of the CirCOVID-19 modeling and response inroLytix’s flagship projects developed itiatives with the public health sector. during the 2019 National Aeronautics Space Apps lead organizer in the and Space Administration’s (NASA) Philippines Michael Lance M. DomaInternational Space Apps Challenge. 2020 GEO SDG awardees including Dominic gas appeals support for these Filipino It combines digital, climate, and reVincent Ligot, co-founder and chief technology winners. “Filipino winners of Space mote sensing to nowcast dengue officer of CirroLytix. Apps and GEO SDG Awards have trends and detect mosquito habitats taught us how these space technoloto help preempt cases of dengue. It won NASA Space Apps for its best use of data, the solu- gies greatly help in addressing epidemics and economic impact tion that best makes space data accessible or leverages it to a of COVID-19. It’s time to give them recognition and respect.”

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor E-mail: jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Home/Design

‘Little pink houses for you and me…’ Digging into the colorful house trend

ONTRARY to popular belief, not all homes are beige, brick red or grey. Nowadays, it seems like there are more colorful houses popping up than ever. Perhaps it’s because people are more likely to go their own way these days, or maybe it’s due to the extreme popularity of these brightly colored dwellings on sites like Instagram, and Pinterest. With the growing popularity of candy colored homes, we decided to dig in, and address the trend. What would beach towns look like without rows of citrusy townhomes? How bland would Santorini be without those famous bright blue roofs? And how about sunny Mexico, where color is practically hardwired into the culture? You don’t have to live in a colorific town to have a colorful house. You just have to consider a few things before you commit to color. Red is only for farmhouses While red certainly is a bright, striking color, it’s also a classic when it comes to exteriors. Frank Lloyd Wright himself was a huge fan of red paint. When most people think of a red house, they immediately picture a pastoral scene — if you’ve got a red house, you’re probably a farmer or something, right? Wrong. Red looks just as good on a variety of architectural styles. Green is only good in small doses As with most things, it depends. Tennis ball green is best reserved for tiny touches here and there, and avocado green might never recover from the reputation it got in the seventies, but hunter, kelly, and apple green?

Green symbolizes life, nature, and good luck. How can you go wrong with that? Yellow’s ok When people think “crazy colorful house”, they usually don’t include yellow. With some architectural styles, yellow is almost considered a neutral. That doesn’t mean you should go slapping on the saffron just yet, though. Unfortunately, if you’re planning on selling soon, you might want to back away from yellow altogether. If you want to stay in your home for a long time, have at it. Yellow is cheery, energetic, and attention-grabbing. Pink Houses That’s a John Cougar Mellencamp song. We’ll be honest, we have no idea what that song is about. What we do

know is that pink houses are charming, whimsical, and a little bit retro. Pink looks as good in Palm Springs as it does in the American South. So if you’re dreaming of a pink home and you don’t mind the slight Barbie vibe that comes with all things pink, channel your inner Audrey Hepburn and say it with us: we believe in pink. Purple is fussy First of all, old ladies are awesome and anyone who disagrees is sentenced to watching 20 episodes of The Golden Girls. Second, not all purple looks fussy. This regal hue can look modern and stately, and it’s almost always certain to stand out! This color is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re into it, we say make like Prince and go for the purple. There’s only one way to do blue

Remember the late 80s when farmhouse-chic was a thing? We’re referring to the ducks and chickens on everything era. Back then, dusty blue was all the rage, and when you think of a blue house, that’s probably what you imagine. Dust off your imagination. There are so many ways to do blue now it’s not even funny. From teal and turquoise to ultramarine and navy, when it comes to blue, the sky’s the limit. Black houses look evil Black does have a reputation as a very spooky color, but that doesn’t extend to houses. Black houses look neat and chic. Black stands out in a good way. And while we’re debating black, just remember, the Addams family’s house was creepy and spooky and the exterior

paint was all neutrals. So take that, beige. There’s no wrong way to use color There are some houses out there that do make you wonder, “Just how much does this person hate their neighbors?” Color is great, but if you want to be this bold, you’ve also got to be judicious. House paint usually lasts eight years or more, so ask yourself, “Do I really want to see this every day for the next decade? Yes and no While it’s certainly hot to have an Instagram-worthy exterior these days, colorful houses have been around for ages. While some folks will grow tired of their picturesque houses, others will keep their vivid homes for ages… or even pass them down to their kids. Colorful homes are here to stay.

MVP group aids Batangas typhoon victims “TULONG Kapatid”, the corporate social responsibility alliance of foundations and companies under the MVP group of companies, recently reached out to over a hundred families affected by the typhoons in Mabini, Batangas. Metro Pacific Investments Foundation (MPIF), members of the CSR alliance from One Meralco Foundation (OMF), Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc (AKFI), and Maynilad, donated food and other necessities to boatmen and their families who fell victim to Typhoons Quinta and Rolly. Dive boats in the area were badly damaged during both storms, forcing the local Resort Owners Association of Mabini (ROAM), to seek the help of MPIF. “Mabini is one of the first homes of our environmental flagship program, Shore It Up!,” MPIF President Melody del Rosario told the Manila Standard.. “Now that they are faced with these challenges, “Tulong Kapatid” will provide as much support as we can to help them recover.”

Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao developers win big at 8th PropertyGuru awards Megawide chief nails Real Estate Personality plum SM DEVELOPMENT Corporation (SMDC) bagged eight wins, including the Best Developer and Best Lifestyle Developer award, at the 2020 PropertyGuru Philippines property awards, which recently honored the archipelago’s outstanding developers, projects and designs. At a virtual gala and awards ceremony, Alveo Land, a subsidiary of Ayala Land, won six awards, including the top prize of Best Condo Development (Philippines) for its premium condominium development Portico. Wee Community Developers, Inc. snagged nine wins, including the award for Best Breakthrough Developer. The Di-

amond Heights, one of its latest projects in Davao City, scored the top prize of Best Housing Development (Philippines). Davao developer Damosa Land, Inc. garnered eight wins, including the soughtafter title of Best Boutique Developer. Grand Land Inc., the real estate development arm of Cebuano retailer Gaisano Grand Group of Companies, gained Best High End Condo Development (Metro Cebu) for Dusit D2 Residences Cebu Cebu-based enterprise, JEG Development Corp., clinched the title of Best Commercial Green Development for JEG Tower @ One Acacia.

Asiawide Land, a real estate company based out of Bataan, won Best Housing Development (Luzon) for its Atrium De Tarlac – Donabelle project. There were a total of 37 awardees, including Edgar Saavedra, Chairman of Megawide Construction Corporation, who received this year’s Philippines Real Estate Personality of the Year title. Megawide is part of the consortium that built Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA). For the full list of awardees, visit www. PropertyGuruGroup.com; https://www. linkedin.com/company/propertyguru

Entertainment

Lea Salonga

BS-CBN spreads light and love early as the network released the lyric video of “Ikaw Ang Liwanag at Ligaya,” the 2020 ABS-CBN Christmas ID, on Friday ahead of the video music premiere on Dec. 1 after TV Patrol.

The new Christmas anthem underscores the importance of prayer that brings light and joy to our lives during the darkest times in our journey this year. “The song, which features the voices of 20 Kapamilya artists, highlights the love we share with our fellowmen and our gratitude to God, the Fil-Dutch Alex Roeland Visser, 21, plays the center position for San Beda Red Lions and Metropac-San Beda.

A Fil-Dutch’s passion for basket By Paolo Manuel C. Fule IN BASKETBALL, the one who gets the rebound controls the game. It is also true for college players who play the forward/center position. Toughness, perseverance, and determination are additional traits that drive athletes to overcome obstacles in life. Whether on the court or in real life, this young athlete epitomizes the kind of resiliency that dreams are made of. Meet the future basketball star in Alex Roeland Visser. Born on May 9, 1999, the 6-foot-4 cager is currently playing as center for San Beda Red Lions and Metropac-San Beda in PBA D-League. He studied in Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu before going to Manila to play for San Beda College Red Lions. He is currently taking up Marketing Management. Alex started playing basketball when he was 15. “I initially taught myself because nobody in my family really shared the same interest in basketball,” said the 21-year-old Filipino Dutch mutt who also shared, “I don’t necessarily have an idol (in the sport). I enjoy watching NBA but there’s nobody there that I really specifically look up to.” Alex avoids junk food and soft drinks and try to stay away from fast food to maintain a physically healthy body. He also trains almost every day for basketball and goes to the gym. “The best thing about being a basketball player is just the whole experience. The people you meet, the games you play, the experiences you have. It’s irreplaceable,” Alex underscored. “My ambition is to play basketball for as long as I can, but I also want to live life to the fullest after basketball. I don’t want to have to depend on it because it’s never sure how long you could play,” ended Alex.

Sarah Geronimo

primary source of light and joy of every family,” ABS-CBN says in a statement sent to Manila Standard Entertainment. Another shining feature of the lyric video is the various translations of “liwanag” and “ligaya” to spread the inspiring message around the world this Christmas. Some of the featured languages include Waray, Kapampangan, Maguindanao, Italian, Korean, and Arabic, among others. Adding sparkle to the song are Regine VelasquezAlcasid, Ogie Alcasid, Morissette Amon, Bamboo, Janine Berdin, Darren Espanto, Vice Ganda, Sarah Geronimo, Toni Gonzaga, Jona, Moira, Martin Nievera, Elha Nympha, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Inigo Pascual, Angeline Quinto, Lea

Nickie Wang, Editor; E-mail: nickie.standard@ gmail.com

Kapamilya stars shine in ABS-CBN Yuletide ID Bamboo

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Darren Espanto

Moira dela Torre

Salonga, Erik Santos, KZ Tandingan, and Gary Valenciano. Robert Labayen and Love Rose De Leon wrote the Christmas song with music by Thyro Alfaro. The ABS-CBN Christmas ID 2020 Lyric Video was created by the ABS-CBN Creative Communication Management Division headed by Labayen and Johnny Delos Santos with the guidance of ABS-CBN COO of broadcast Cory Vidanes. The ABS-CBN Christmas ID lyric video (“Ikaw Ang Liwanag at Ligaya”) was first seen on iWantTFC. Viewers can also watch it on the YouTube channel and Facebook page of ABSCBN Entertainment.

Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid and other stars who add sparkle to ABS-CBN’s “Ikaw Ang Liwanag at Ligaya” 2020 Christmas Station ID.

‘The Voice Kids’ champion reminds listeners about greatest gift this season HOW we celebrate the holidays this year will be completely different from what we’re used to. There probably won’t be any large gatherings, reunions, or office parties to attend––even bringing a small group of friends together might be hard to do. But that shouldn’t stop us from getting into the holiday spirit. We’re just a few days away from December, and to kick off the festivities, Vanjoss Bayaban gives us an early present for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. “Cupid Santa” is a classic heartwarming holiday song that knows to keep its message simple: love is the greatest gift you can receive. With just one track, Vanjoss reminds us that it’s not the old traditions of hanging of parols or the feast of a noche buena that makes the season. The recent struggles our country has been facing hasn’t given people much reason to smile and staying resilient is easier when you’re not alone. Cupid Santa shares that spending the end of the year with the one you love is reason enough to be thankful. Written and produced by Jimmy Borja, the legendary songwriter who gave us the OPM classic ”Sana Ngayong Pasko,” and Eymard Altoveros, this song already has the makings of a potential Holiday hit. It’s not hard to imagine people writing their own letters to Cupid Santa in Christmases to come. These big names didn’t pair up with just any singer. Last year, Vanjoss won the hearts of viewers around the nation as a contestant in The Voice Kids Philippines. With the help of his coach Sarah Geronimo, his stellar performances earned him his title as 2019’s Grand Champion. Now as a solo artist under the guidance of MCA Music Philippines, he’s looking to push himself even further than before. At only 14 years old, some might consider Vanjoss a bit young to be singing about finding love in trying times, but the song’s message is more about the heartwarming truth that we’re all still lucky that we get to spend Christmas with those closest to us––especially while we’re all locked down. If someone as young as Vanjoss can lift us up with a holiday song about love, then all we really need to remember is that the very love that we give and receive will always be the most cherished of all.

Teen singer Vanjoss Bayaban drops ‘Cupid Santa’, a heartwarming holiday song that knows to keep its message simple: love is the greatest gift you can receive.

Robert Grace, Gnash give ‘Fake Fine’ a brand new polish

With his tongue-in-cheek earworm ‘Fake Fine,’ Robert Grace has perfectly captured the zeitgeist and overall feel of the past few months.

Kilkenny singer-songwriter Robert Grace has perfectly captured the zeitgeist and overall feel of the past few months. On his brand new version of “Fake Fine,”, Grace is now getting vocal support from multi-platinum selling US shooting star Gnash, who is giving this get-well hit that has been streamed millions of times already a brand new polish. “It’s a pandemic, it’s a fuckin’ disease. And it’s following me ...”, Robert Grace states in his super catchy hit “Fake Fine,” which has hit No. 1 on both the Spotify viral charts and the Shazam Charts in Ireland and furthermore entered the top 10 airplay charts as well as the top 30 general Spotify charts. To date, the track has accumulated over three million streams globally – and counting. “The song is about acting like you’re fine when really you are not,” Grace says of the song. “When it’s all just pretending. The situation itself might not even be that bad, but, for some reason, something just isn’t right and you try to find out

why that is.” In true Irish storytelling fashion, the songwriter, musician, and producer from Graignamanagh, Kilkenny describes the somewhat hazy feeling of feeling beside yourself. “Like you’re somehow in the wrong film and hiding behind a mask,” he ends.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Desiree Carlos, Editor

Pets

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

BOOBOO’S GIFT:

Overcoming grief by helping other rescued cats By Ei Leen

OOBOO was an outdoor cat in the old place where I used to live. Two years ago, I went back and took him to live with me at our new place.

He was an outdoor cat for a few months, living out on the rooftop until the vet cleared him and told us that he had no communicable disease that can be passed on to our other indoor cats. Once an indoor cat, he became a fat, handsome, adorable boy. He was the gentlest cat I knew, tolerant of humans, dogs, and children. He especially loved kittens, always playing the grandfather to the several kittens we adopted after him. Earlier this year, during the lockdown, Booboo was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD). He fought hard and bravely but had to be put to sleep on September 18. I heard it said that grief is love with nowhere to go. In the case of Booboo’s transition, this is true. I had to cope with the huge chasm that appeared when Booboo passed. After all, Booboo was not only

my bed cat before the illness - purring happily every evening until we both fell asleep—but post diagnosis, my whole world literally revolved around him! Booboo’s diagnosis was life changing for us. He became the center of our little household’s lockdown, quarantined world. His comfort and health became the ULTIMATE priority to the point that we were shipping food and medication from abroad. When he passed, a whole box filled with cat food, treats and vitamins was on its way here from abroad. More than that, Booboo had his own savings. We set up our bank account to automatically debit a few thousand pesos per week. We realized that CKD could be an expensive illness to manage, and we used the money for Booboo’s vet visits, multiple confinements, and eventually, his cremation.

The DIY nun costume of Wednesday, a black puspin rescued by Dominique Baniqued proved to be the top hit!

Going back to grief being love with nowhere to go, we first coped with Booboo’s loss by distributing his medicines and CKD essentials to other cat parents who had pets with the same illness. I belong to an online community of cat lovers called Cat Care Philippines so finding cats who needed what Booboo no longer required was not too difficult. This community also promotes adoption, responsible rescuing, spaying/neutering, and trap-neuter-return. The next step in coping with our grief was figuring out how to use what was left in Booboo’s wallet. We realize that we could have simply let the funds lie until the next emergency happens, but irrationally, or maybe superstitiously, we did not want to do that. The funds were meant for Booboo, we will not use it for anything else. By this time it was already October and there were no signs of the lockdown restrictions easing up to allow gatherings and events. It became clear that the annual pet costume parties would not happen. This made me extra sad as I love celebrating Halloween, and more importantly, it made me acutely aware

Booboo was loved by everyone, specially rescued dog Ella who was also adopted by Ei Leen.

Booboo, the angel of rescued cats

of Booboo’s departure since he was our only cat (out of 8!) who semi-willingly allowed to be dressed up. I jokingly brought up the idea of hosting a Meowloween e-party and realized that it was doable. The event also presented itself as a good way to be able to use the remaining Booboo funds that at that point I was thinking of donating to Save ALL – Save Animals of Love and Light Inc., an animal welfare group.. I thought to myself, why not purchase popular cat items and raffle it off, and then donate the proceeds? A raffle vs. a costume contest, why not, indeed. At that point though, the teaser post was already live, and it clearly said COSTUME. After a few more brainstorm sessions with fellow cat parents Divine and Glady, I decided to proceed with the raffle aspect of Booboo’s #Meowloween2020 BUT with a costume twist. 88, 77, 66. Those were the price points of the raffle entries for the #meowloween2020 event. The lower priced entries, 77 & 66 came with a caveat though. 77 pesos if only the cat was in costume, and a bigger discount if the cat furrent would also play along and be photographed, of course in a costume too. Happily, Cat Care Philippines members were game! #Meowloween2020 ran for 18 days and by November 17, there were 113 entries, and most of them were of cats in costume! Also, heartwarmingly, plenty of members reached out via private messenger, offering additional prizes! With gratitude, I accepted the first four who offered: Les Aunor’s Meat Shop who sponsored a hefty breakfast package, Ziti the Cat who gave 10 bottles of Vitamin C, Stephanie Denise Sia of ABD Pet Supplies who generously gave a 40-piece pack of Ciao Churu, and Ms. Kai Lee whose cat printed pairs of socks were a hit! Simultaneously, we encouraged members to react to the cat photo they liked. The DIY nun costume of Wednesday, a black puspin rescued by Dominique Baniqued proved to be the top hit!

PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS SOME owners find it amusing that dog scoots, or drags his butt across the floor. It is not funny. Dog scooting is a sign that something is wrong.

Why a dog scoots

There are a lot of reasons a dog scoots but there is definitely itching or pain down there. Jackie Brown in “Dog Scooting :Why It Happens and When to See and Vet” in dogster.com listed the possible reasons for scooting in dogs: 1. Impacted or infected anal glands are the most common culprits. Brown explained that dog anal glands are “two small internal sacs positioned on either side of a dog’s anus.” “In normal dogs, they contain a smelly liquid that’s excreted every time the dog poops (this is likely a mechanism for marking territory. In some dogs, inflammation prevents this liquid from being expelled when the dog poops. Instead, it builds up inside the two sacs, where it can become very thick, more like a paste than a liquid. Full anal glands can be very uncomfortable for the dog and can even become infected, “ Brown said. Blossom (left) used to scoot a lot. The scooting stopped when she was given boiled veggies in her diet. Pumpkin is recommended for dogs as it is a great source of fiber. Henry (right), like Blossom, loves boiled 2. Intestinal parasites , specially tapeworms. pumpkin in their meals. 3. Injuries. 4. Tumors in or around the anus. 5. Rectal prolapse. doing it often. with a clean towel,” Brown suggested. Do not insert 6. Allergies. 2. If he is not doing it often, he might just anything inside the anus. Brown said a dog who scoots usually licks his have an itch. backend excessively. “You could try cleaning the area with a gentle When to see a vet shampoo and soft washcloth, making sure to rinse Bring the dog to the vet if the dog is scooting. What to do 1. more than once a day, or 1. Bring your dog to the vet if your pet is away all the soap completely and dry the area well

Dog scooting

Booboo with furmom Ei Leen.

Booboo’s #Meowloween Costume purrty raised a total of P11,712.93 for the rescued cats of SAVE ALL! I told myself that if I am able to raise at least double the amount of money I allotted for the prizes, I would be happy. With the way things turned out, I am beyond ecstatic! Hosting this raffle was the opportunity for me to channel my grief at losing Booboo into something useful and helpful for other rescued cats. It also allowed me to give back to my Cat Care Ph community that supported me, offered advice and prayers, and finally, condolences, towards the end of Booboo’s journey. Editor’s note: Booboo’s donation thru furparent Ei Leen helped four kittens get spayed or neutered, and provided food and vitamins for many rescued cats of Save ALL Inc. Spaying kittens removed the possibility of the kittens developing the lifethreatening condition called pyometra, and lessened substantially the chances that the kittens will develop mammary gland cancer when they grow up. Neutering, on the other hand, lessened the possibility of developing adrenal gland cancer in male cats. Both de-sexing or fixing procedures also mean there will be 12,000 less babies that will be born per intact cat. Only 10 per cent of 12, 000 cats born for every cat will go to loving homes, based on studies. Thus, Booboo not only helped four kittens but also saved 90 per cent of 48,000 cats from a miserable life. Thank you and run free, Booboo.

2. if the behavior goes on for more than a day or two. The vet will do a rectal examination to check the anal glands and to see if there are signs of infection or inflammation. The vet might also do a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites. For parasites, the vet will prescribe a deworming medication to eliminate the worms. For an impacted anal gland or glands that are full, the vet will try to aid the anal glands’ function of expressing or releasing. But if the anal glands are too full and cannot be cleared by expressing, the vet will sedate the dog and clear out the anal glands. If the problem becomes a chronic issue, the vet will suggest surgery to remove the anal glands. But a specialist will be needed.

What to do to prevent and stop scooting

1. Add fiber to your dog’s diet to firm up the poop so that the anal glands can express. 2. Add a few tablespoons of boiled, mashed pumpkin. 3. Give commercial anal gland supplements because these contain fiber. Ask your vet about this.

On Chronic Anal Gland Distress

It is best to have the anal gland expressed by a vet on a regular basis. “Your vet can do this (or teach you how if you’re not too squeamish). However, not all dogs need to have this done. Some groomers routinely express anal glands while bathing, but it’s probably not necessary to express them if your dog is not having any issues — and it could possibly even cause harm,” Brown said. If there is a problem, do not do anything to get out poop manually. You might cause more damage if you do it yourself. Bring the dog to your vet.